Chapter 257 The Mysterious Man


    Rita''s POV:


    I stood there and watched Charles''s car disappear in the distance. I swallowed the lump in my


    throat and wiped away my tears. I could not believe the blinding pain being caused by my breaking


    heart.


    Charles used to love me so much and spoil me. How could he be so cruel to me now? It seemed


    that everything we had shared and gone through meant nothing to him.


    And it was all because of Scarlett!


    This was all her fault! She must have bewitched Charles into staying away from me. I could not hate


    her more.


    Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org.


    I gritted my teeth and thought, ''Your day wille, Scarlett. Let''s just wait and see.''


    Then, my phone rang, interrupting my thoughts.


    "Hello?" I answered impatiently.


    "Hello, Miss Lively. I''m an employee of the Lively Group." The caller was a man with an unfamiliar


    voice.


    "And why are you calling me?"


    "I have a way to save yourpany," the man said firmly, and my heart leapt to my throat.


    "Is this some kind of joke? Who the hell are you?" "Meet me in booth 502 at the Mint Bar tonight,


    and I will tell you everything. I can help you."


    Then, the mysterious man hung up. Conflicting emotions started swirling in my gut. My reason told


    me that the man was probably a liar, but a small part of me could not help thinking that maybe he


    was the glimmer of hope that I needed. What if this mysterious man really had a way to save the


    Lively Group?


    I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.


    So I decided to meet him.


    The Mint Bar was already abuzz with revelry when I arrived.


    The ce smelled like smoke and wine. The floor was littered with tforms on which gorgeous,


    half-naked young women danced. As pieces of their clothing flew in the air and kissed the floor, the


    men watching them howled, mad with excitement and lust.


    I calmly made my way through the raging crowd on the dance floor and saw the man I was meeting


    in booth 502.


    It was a bit dark, but I could tell that he was in his thirties. He was wearing a blue Gi business


    suit and a Rolex watch. The hair left on his head was covered in mousse, which reflected the


    bouncing lights. He quickly spotted me in the crowd, and he curled his lips in a smile that reminded


    me of every single man who ever hit on me.


    I clicked my tongue but kept my face bereft of emotion.


    "You said that you have a way to save the Lively Group?" I came straight to the point as soon as I


    sat down beside him.


    "Yes, Miss Lively. If you give me a chance, I''ll make sure that yourpany doesn''t sumb to


    bankruptcy." The man''s face was full of confidence.


    "So I''m just supposed to take your word for it?"


    If there was one thing that I learned in business, it was never to trust anybody. The business world


    was riddled with snakes, and I was not going to let myself get bitten.


    "Yes. I''m not just any employee, Miss Lively. I went from an entry-level clerk to a middle-level


    manager in less than six months at the Lively Group." The man was bragging, but he was calm.


    And I was intrigued.


    If I were still the over-pampered daughter of the Lively Group''s CEO, I would not have wasted time


    coming to a bar to meet this mysterious man. But things were different now. I was responsible for


    the Lively Group, and if this man could help me save it, then I would give him a shot.


    "Tell me your name," I ordered.


    "Kevin. My name is Kevin."


    Aside from the searing self-esteem that shone from his eyes, I saw... Desire.


    I smiled contemptuously. Men were always soughably predictable.


    I had met countless men like this one, men who were obsessed with women and who would do


    anything for the right incentive.


    "Are you single, Kevin?"


    Kevin hesitated for a moment and said, "No, I''m married."


    I was a little disappointed. "At such a young age? Well, I never would''ve guessed."


    But it did not matter. Charles almost divorced Scarlett because of me.


    Kevin should not be so hard to crack. I slid closer to him, reached out, and rested my hand on his


    thigh.


    To my surprise, he stopped my hand and said, "Miss Lively, I just told you I''m already married.


    Please, let''s just keep this professional." His tone was serious.


    "So you''re not offering to help me to get into my pants?" I felt offended by his tant rejection.


    "Please don''t get me wrong, Miss Lively. You''re as beautiful as the goddess Athena. But I have a


    wife and a family. Even if I were a single man, I wouldn''t deserve someone like you. You''re way out


    of my league."


    What a hypocrite!


    After we talked, I asked Kevin to drive me home. He agreed without hesitation and put his hand on


    the small of my back as we left the bar.


    Vivian''s POV:


    I saw Rita at the Mint Bar chatting happily with a middle-aged man.


    What was this bad woman ying at?


    I called the waiter over and asked him to eavesdrop on their conversation.


    The waiter told me everything he had heard.


    I curled my lips. "Wow. That woman is unstoppable. She wasted no time and hooked up with the


    first man she drank with."


    Spencer leaned over and asked, "Is she more unstoppable than you?"


    I rolled my eyes at him. "What do you mean?"


    "Well, she''s good at hooking up with men. But you... You are good at finding women for me! Where


    on earth do you find so many girls to set me up with?"


    "Oh, please. There had only been a few. Why? Are you tired of being adies'' man?" I nced at


    his body and drew circles on his arm with my finger.


    "You, you, you..."


    Spencer did not manage to finish what he was trying to say. He just turned around and left with a


    red face.


    I took out my phone, called Scarlett, and told her what I just witnessed.


    As soon as our conversation ended, I saw Emily walking toward me with Justin on her heels.


    The moment Iid eyes on her, all the rms in my head went off, and I straightened my back.


    Emily strode straight to me and held my hand. The hypocritical smile on her face made me want to


    throw up.


    "Hi, Vivian. We haven''t seen each other in a long time. How are you doing?"


    "What are you doing here?" I pushed her hand away and rubbed my hand on my shirt. Her touch


    made me feel sick.


    "Ethan have been talking to me about youtely. He wanted to invite you to dinner and apologize for


    what he didst time." "Really? Well, you can go tell him that I don''t ever want to see him again for


    the rest of my life." I stared at Emily coldly.


    "Vivian, just ept Ethan''s invitation and repay my kindness foring here and telling you. After


    all, I''m still your mother."


    I scoffed, "I didn''t ask you to give birth to me." "You ungrateful child! You should count yourself lucky


    that Ethan likes you. How dare you be rude to him? Justin, get her. Tie her up if you have to.


    I will take her to Ethan myself."


    As I expected, Emily finally showed her true intentions. At hermand, Justin approached me.


    Before he couldy a hand on me, I took the syringe from my pocket and jammed it into his wrist.


    Justin''s face twisted in pain. After a few moments, he began shaking. I shed him a mocking grin.


    "Do you still want to grab me and tie me up?"


    "You bitch!"


    Justin raised his other hand and was about to p me. But then, the bar''s security guards rushed


    over and hit Justin with a stick, knocking him to the ground.


    "Are you okay, Miss Vivian?" The guards looked at me worriedly.


    I took a deep breath, shoved down the surging hatred inside me, and ordered them.


    "Throw these two out."