《The Rebirth of a Scorned Heiress》


 False Hope

    Victoria vomited blood while she held her stomach in pain. She red daggers at her father, who was smirking down at her, a triumphant smile on his lips, his eyes glinted with mischief and pride. Hatred bubbled in Victoria¡¯s heart, and her blood boiled with rage as she thought about hertest discovery, about how the evil couple, her father and her stepmother, who had been her nanny when her mother was alive, had poisoned her just so that they could take over her mother¡¯s wealth.


    Her father sneered mockingly, ¡°So what if your mother left everything to you? So what if you know that we schemed and killed your mother to take her wealth? What can you do about it? You are still too powerless to do anything; even your death would mean nothing, just like your mother¡¯s!¡± He boasted hauntingly, which further boosted Victoria¡¯s rage.


    ¡°Why? What did my mother do to you?¡± She choked out, blood spilling out of her mouth with every word. Kate, her stepmother, sneered with hatred, ¡°She took my husband! How dare shee after my husband to seduce him?¡±


    ¡°Seduce him?¡± Victoria chuckled darkly, her eyes filled with mockery.¡± Was my mother the one who did the seducing, or your cunning husband, who wasn¡¯t satisfied with a hag like you? My mother didn¡¯t seduce your husband, and you greedy people don¡¯t deserve to nder her name!¡± She bit back at them, making all their faces ugly. Kate snickered and pped the dying Victoria across the face angrily.


    One of the things that Kate hated hearing about was her ipetence at keeping her husband satisfied in the house; even after Victoria¡¯s mother¡¯s death, Henry, her husband, had gone out to look for other mistresses to keep by his side, disregarding her existence.


    Victoria gritted her teeth as she tried to get up, only to be knocked down again by William, her stepbrother. He had always taken credit for her work, stealing her projects and iming them as his own. No one except her team knew the truth ¨C that he was a hoax, pretending to be a genius. She could already imagine what it would be like if the empire her mother painstakingly built was handed over to the frivolous young master before her.


    ¡°You are defeated; it¡¯s good you stay down,¡± he mocked as he raised a transparent USB Drive with smugness. Victoria¡¯s eyes went wide, and her hatred simmered over as she saw the drive in his hand. It was the one that contained hertest technological project; she had taken over the project from her mother and improved it, and the software was in thest phase and almost ready to be used.


    Blinded by rage and the desire to destroy the software with her, she gathered the little bit of strength and rationality she had left and rushed up to tackle William to the ground. He fell and hit his head on the ss table behind him. The ss table broke and pieces of ss entered William¡¯s skull.


    Victoria felt a little bit of relief as she saw the thick blood oozing out of his head. She already lost all of her strength, and she couldn¡¯t struggle for the drive any longer, so shey down feelingforted that she was able to deal some damage and at least leave a scar on him.


    ¡®Hopefully, he would be brain dead¡¯ she thought in her mind as she felt her stomach knot together in pain.


    In her hazy state, Victoria saw the rest of the family running to William, sadness overwhelming her heart at the thought of dying all alone, with no loved one around her. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, mother; I am unable to protect everything you left behind, she thought to herself.


    As her consciousness began to fade, she heard a mechanical voice ask, {Would you like to get revenge on your enemies?}


    Victoria didn¡¯t know where the voice came from, but the water of revenge kept boiling in her heart, and she couldn¡¯t let go of her hatred towards the Hamilton family. She quickly agreed to the voice, ¡°Yes! I want them to experience despair beyond human understanding; I want them to live a deste life; I want their bones to rot on the street without anybody picking them up.¡±


    {Your wish shall be granted, and you shall watch it happen with your own eyes and execute your revenge with your own hands} the mechanical voice replied, and Victoria scoffed, ¡°I am dying like this, and you are still giving me false hope. It¡¯s enough for me to know there is someone who would avenge me; I don¡¯t need to witness it with my eyes. However, I will be happy to watch it from the afterlife.¡± Victoria exined.


    {Do you ept to bond with the luck system?} The mechanical voice asked. Victoria hesitated for a bit as the name of the system sounded familiar. She brushed the feeling to the back of her mind; this time all she felt was numbness; the pain from the poisoning had long been forgotten. ¡°Will the lucky system help me take my revenge?¡± she asked skeptically.


    {Yes, as long as you meet the requirements to use the lucky system, the system will fulfill all your wishes. Do you ept to bond with the lucky system?}


    ¡°Yes, I ept!¡± Victoria answered as thest thread of her consciousness snapped.


    ¡°Lily! Lily!¡± A distant voice called amidst several beeping sounds. Victoria felt someone shaking her awake, and she could hear hurried footsteps around her as the voice kept calling. ¡°Lily! Are you alright? Are you awake? Stay with me,¡± the voice drew closer. Victoria was about toin about the noise when she felt a sharp, numbing pain in her chest and head and a weakness she had never experienced all over her body.


    {Soul transferplete}Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    {Lucky system sessfully bonds with Victoria Hamilton, now known as Lily Turner}


    {Lucky system level 0, wees the host to a new life and wishes the host uses the second chance wisely as there may be no other after this} the mechanical voice announced as Victoria awakened in Lily¡¯s body and she realised she was in a hospital connected to several machines. She looked around cautiously and muttered hoarsely, ¡°What is happening?¡±

 Lucky System

    ¡°It¡¯s a miracle that you were able to make it; for a minute, your heart stopped, and we thought we lost you; you scared me.¡± A middle-aged woman sobbed as Lily stared at her nkly, not knowing who she was or how to answer her. ¡°How are you feeling? Do you feel ufortable anywhere? Do you need me to get you anything?¡± She continued to ask, but Lily remained quiet, trying her best to make sense of what was happening.


    ¡°What is going on? Who are you?¡± she asked, which shocked both the doctor and the middle-aged woman. ¡°It¡¯s me, your mother; did you forget?¡± The middle-aged woman asked, looking from her daughter, whose body had been upied by Victoria, to the doctor, ¡°My mother?¡± Victoria replied calmly.


    The middle-aged woman turned to the doctor with fresh tears and said, ¡°Doctor, you have to check properly; why does my daughter not recognise me?¡±


    The doctors soothed her while making preparations to conduct tests on Lily¡¯s brain to check for any signs of amnesia. ¡°It¡¯smon for people who hit their head during an ident to have amnesia; we will check if it¡¯s temporary or permanent, although our previous checkup showed that she doesn¡¯t have any amnesia,¡± the doctor reported.


    The more Victoria listened to them, the more confused she became; she couldn¡¯t wrap her head around how poisoning became a head ident.


    ¡®Why am I in the hospital?¡¯ ¡®Was someone able to save me in time?¡¯ she pondered as the doctor checked her vitals. ¡°Your daughter was able to survive by sheer luck; it¡¯s a miracle, but now she is still weak and unable to do a lot of things, so you should be careful and not stimte her a lot. Give her some time to rest,¡± the doctor instructed, and she left to prepare for the brain test.


    Victoria closed her eyes, pretending to sleep, so she couldmunicate with the mechanical voice in her head, ¡°What happened, and why am I here? Did you save me?¡± Although she wasn¡¯t sure the voice would still be there, if it was, she knew it would be able to provide answers to her confusion.


    {The host should rx and ask one question at a time. I am the lucky system at level 0. Since you bonded with me, I was able to transfer your soul into the body of a youngdy, Lily Turner. You don¡¯t have to worry; she willingly gave up her body for you in exchange for you taking care of her family and helping her fulfil her wish to be a sessful fashion designer.} The system exined.


    ¡°You were the voice in my head when I was about to die?¡± she asked curiously. ¡°And your name is Lucky System?¡±


    {Yes, I am. I am a programmed system that has been created to help people fulfill their dying wishes. I noticed your strong will to live and your thirst for revenge and came to your aid.}Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Then what do you want in exchange for saving me?¡± Victoria asked sceptically. Having been in the business world for a long time, she naturally knew there were no free favours anywhere; everyone did things for their benefit. She¡¯s even more guarded now that her family betrayed her and herte mother.


    As she thought about the cause of her and herte mother¡¯s deaths, rage bubbled within her once again, and she wished for her father, his wife, and their two children¡¯s deaths.


    {The hostess shouldn¡¯t be in haste; you will have plenty of opportunities to take revenge on your enemies. As for what I want, through helping you, I will be able to level up and get more ess to the information that my creator left behind for me while also ranking up amongst other systems.} The system exined calmly.


    Victoria thought about the information and nodded, epting that she was like a game character who levelled up through tasks, except it was the system levelling up in this case. ¡°Then what would happen to the original owner of the body?¡± She asked curiously, knowing that a body couldn¡¯t house two souls.


    {The original soul had already left; she was plotted against by her ssmates so that she wouldn¡¯t join the national fashionpetition as the school representative}


    As the system exined itself, Victoria came to understand the whole situation. The name of her new identity is Lily Turner, a 21-year-old fashion college student who was top in her ss and liked by her teachers. However, due to her humble and poor background, she was ostracised by her ssmates, who were mostly from rich families. They saw her as a stain and as a person undeserving of being in their presence due to her social standing.


    She was hated by all her ssmates for her amazing talent and hard work, and she was constantly schemed against, to discredit her work in front of the teachers.


    Her roommate, who also happened to be the young Miss of the family her father and mother worked for, couldn¡¯t swallow her hatred after she learned that Lily had been chosen by the school to represent them on a national level against other fashion schools.


    ¡®How could a country bumpkin and a poor good for nothing be chosen over them¡¯ were the thoughts of her ssmates after the list was released.


    Merissa conspired against her with some of their other ssmates to get her drunk, and afterwards, they pushed her off the dorm stairs. Although they didn¡¯t intend for the injury to be much, Lily ended up in a life-threatening situation and she hit her head heavily on the iron pole by the stairs. She was quickly rushed to the school clinic, where they performed first aid, before being rushed to a bigger hospital for better treatment.


    But she passed away, and that was how Victoria was able to upy her body.


    Victoria realised that the ragged, tired-looking woman sitting beside her bed was the mother of the owner of the body. She looked at the woman with pity and determination to avenge her dead daughter.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, since you lent me your body, I will avenge you and fulfil your dreams beyond your imagination! You will not regret leaving your family in my care!¡± Victoria promised

 Back into the Game

    Victoria soon got used to her newly acquired identity as Lily Turner. Under the intense care of her mother and younger brother, she got better and was finally discharged after a month of being in the hospital. During this time, her roommate, Merissa, hade to apologise for her clumsiness, and to show her sincerity, her family offered to pay the hospital bill.


    Victoria had nothing against them paying, but she was determined to take revenge on her on behalf of the previous owner of the body. Once the doctors were done giving their instructions about what to do and what not to do, Victoria was finally discharged to go home. Her eyes watered upon stepping out of the hospital and she breathed in the fresh air.


    She appreciated the second chance at life that she was given and promised to cherish it, which is why she hadn¡¯t bothered herself about learning about the situation in Hamilton¡¯s family andpany and only focused on recovering and getting to know her new family.


    As they walked towards the parking lot, she noticed several paparazzi gathered at the entrance of the private parking lot that belonged to the VIP patients of the hospital. The reporters surrounded the ck car, leaving no room for the passengers to step out of the car. Victoria was a bit curious about the identity of the person in the car, but she was already tired from walking, and she couldn¡¯t stand to watch for long. Besides, her family was still waiting for her.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Are you okay? I can carry you. If you are too tired to walk,¡± Adams, Lily¡¯s younger brother, offered, as he noticed that she slowed down, Lily shook her head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve been in a ce for so long, I can walk myself in such small a distance I have to practice being on my feet again,¡± she replied with a polite smile. Upon getting to a ck car, a middle-aged man stepped out with a guilty look on his face. She immediately saw the resemnce between him and the owner of the body and realised he was the father.


    Baffled that she hadn¡¯t seen him while she was in the hospital, Victoria asked the system. ¡°Is the rtionship between the father and daughter bad?¡±


    {No, Lily has a good rtionship with her whole family, she has always been a good child, but he wasn¡¯t allowed off work because your mother had already taken a leave to take care of you. He was only allowed a few hours to pick you up} The system rified, and Victoria felt even more determined to be sessful and help the poor people escape the ws of the rich.


    ¡®Even the servants in the Hamilton house weren¡¯t treated this badly, how else would my grandparents agree for my mom to marry that scum¡¯


    ¡°Father,¡± she called out as the man brought her into a hug. Victoria felt moved and hugged him back. ¡°Thank goodness you are fine. I hope you are not mad at me for noting to check on you.¡± He asked, and Victoria shook her head in reply. ¡°It¡¯s good you are here now. You look even more strained than I am.¡± she pointed out and the man chuckled in embarrassment.


    She got into the car, and they drove off to the rural area of Mecan City, where the lower-ss citizens reside. She was deep in thought, watching the car zoom past the city lights and greenery.


    Now that she is out of the hospital and her health has recovered, she can finally face the real world and n her steps. She has two missions: one is to avenge her and her mother¡¯s deaths and also make sure that all of the Hamilton family goes to ruins, and the second is to make sure the owner of the body bes rich and famous, a force to be reckoned with.


    The car came to a stop in front of a shabby-looking apartmentplex. Victoria scrunched up her nose in disgust at the dirt and waste that littered the hallway as they climbed up. She was relieved to see that the inside of their apartment was a lot neater than the outer part, but even still, she felt reluctant and unwilling to live in such a shabby ce. She had been brought up as a young mistress in a wealthy family and had never experienced life outside her social status.


    {This is the best the family can afford after sending the daughter to an expensive fashion school, without her college expenses the family would have been able to live in a better ce and afford a better living condition.} The system quickly exined, noticing the unwillingness in her heart. It was afraid she would me it for picking such a poor family for her.


    She swallowed her difort and went into the room belonging to Lily. It was clean and tidy. Because of her ident; the school had given her sick leave until she was okay to return, so all her things had been moved home. She sat on the twin-size bed and took in the room, and she sighed.


    ¡°This family is too poor,¡± sheined.


    {Yes, and that is why the poor girl met such a quick demise! You have to quickly do something about it. Initially, the nationalpetition was going to bring Lily to the limelight and help her get connected to prominentpanies that would employ her but now¡­ }


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will make them rich, even without the help of the nationalpetition she would be the number one fashion designer in no time!¡± She picked up Lily¡¯s broken phone to check the news and see what had changed since her death.


    She sneered as she read the top news. ¡°WILLIAM HAMILTON WAS DISCHARGED AFTER SEVERAL SURGERIES TO THE BRAIN; HOWEVER, HIS SISTER, VICTORIA HAMILTON, DIDN¡¯T MAKE IT AS SHE WAS SEVERELY WOUNDED¡±


    She read the news about the Hamilton family and realised they had covered their murder with a sob story about how theirpetitors had tried to assassinate them, and only Victoria was unlucky. She exited the page and red at the bold picture of Williams in a wheelchair being pushed around by his little sister.


    ¡°Soon! I will take back everything that is mine and send you back to the hell you crawled out of.¡± she seemed.


    She adjusted her temperament as a knock resounded on her door. Lily¡¯s mother, Chloe, came in with hot rice and chicken porridge and ced it on Lily¡¯s reading table. ¡°The doctor said you can¡¯t eat anything greasy or spicy, and you can only eat mild food for now,¡± the mother exined.


    ¡°Thank you, Mother,¡± she appreciated, and Chloe smiled lovingly. Soon, her smile disappeared, and she sat beside Lily. ¡°About your ident¡­¡± she trailed off as she looked into her daughter¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; I will recover soon, and I will be able to go to school again, even if I don¡¯t go I will pursue my dreams and make you proud¡­ I know we are powerless now, and there is no way we can press charges against them,¡± Lily exined, and tears fell from her mother¡¯s face. Lily had always been an understanding child, which always made her parents feel guilty about not giving her the best like her mates.


    The mother nodded and left the room after urging her to eat the porridge while it was still hot. Victoria quickly ate the food and got to work; she had already wasted one month, and she could no longer wait.


    With Lily¡¯s broken phone, she searched for information about the current financial market and how she could earn a quick buck to invest in some businesses.


    Being a hacker in her past life, she knows the best ce to get quick money. She created a profile, named it ¡®Sinful¡¯ and entered the secret website for hackers to see the job listings they had.


    At the top of the website is a job listing for tens of thousands of dors with some promised bonuses. Lily clicked on it and read the information. The lister wants a hacker to test theirpany¡¯s firewall and fix whatever mistake or loophole was there. Lily frowned as she realised the job was too simple for the pay. She went to thement section of the job to read thements.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t even crack the firewall; it¡¯s too difficult.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there is anyone who can break that firewall!¡±


    ¡°My software almost crashed when I tried to force my way in.¡±


    Lily got curious as she read thements and decided to take the job. She had always been up for challenges and that was how she always seeded in her past life. ¡°If I fix the problem, I get paid, and if I don¡¯t, I have something new to learn.¡±

 First Task

    A young man dressed in an expensive ck suit sat at the reception of a hospital, waiting for the doctor¡¯s report. His brows furrowed in deep concentration, and his shoes tapped the floor in continuous session as he became impatient after waiting for so long.


    His subordinate, who was sitting not too far away, felt distressed as he noticed his boss was about to lose his temper. A male doctor with long ck hair walked out just in time, and the young man red at him in dissatisfaction while the doctor smiled innocently.


    ¡°Must you always keep me waiting anytime Ie to your hospital for a checkup? Can¡¯t you be a professional and attend to your patients on time?¡± The young man asked as he walked behind the doctor to his office.


    ¡°You don¡¯t expect me to give you special treatment because you are family, do you? Besides, young master Mark, you didn¡¯t make an appointment before barging into my hospital.¡± Dr. Nathan, Mark¡¯s cousin, reprimanded him with an eye roll as he brought out the equipment needed for Mark¡¯s checkup.


    The Prime Hospital is a private hospital with the best service, equipment, and doctors in the whole country. It is owned by the Watson group and managed by Nathan Watson, Mark¡¯s paternal cousin. The Watson family is known as the richest family in the whole country; their power is unfathomable; their family is in every sector of the economy: politics, health, fashion, business, and even entertainment. No other family can stand toe to toe with them in the country; even Hamilton¡¯s family is a fly beside their dragon. There was a rumour that the Watson family was rted to royalties and that the family owned a royal title.


    Once Nathan was done doing the necessary test, he nced at the report and nodded in approval. ¡°It seems you have been following my instructions properly,¡± hemented with a sly smile as Mark red at him. ¡°I have no choice after you sent that evil Casandra to monitor me; can Iy off those drugs now? They make me sluggish all through the day,¡± Mark replied as he picked up a chocte from the chocte box on Nathan¡¯s table.


    ¡°You will have toplete the previous dose ande back for a check; However, you have improved a lot, and you will beying off them soon,¡± Nathan exined calmly, and Mark nodded.


    ¡°Have you solved the firewall problem?¡± Nathan asked as a change of subject once he noticed Mark wasn¡¯t ready to leave.


    ¡°No, our hackers couldn¡¯t fix the problem, and those from the website are too shabby; they couldn¡¯t even get in,¡± Mark exined, he massaged his tense nape. The reminder about the important files they¡¯ve lost due to the loophole in the firewall made his migraine return.


    Sometimest month, Alpha¡¯spany, which is the technology aspect of therge Watson group, was suddenly attacked by some foreign hackers, and some of their important files were stolen leaving the firewall damaged. Since then, they haven¡¯t been able to find anyone to fix the damaged firewall or get back the file.


    He was grateful that the files were about the projects they had already done and wouldn¡¯t cause any major loss to thepany; it would have been another case entirely if the files stolen were the new ones they were about to introduce to the market. As he was about to get into his car, his phone rang, and he noticed it was a call from his office assistant: ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Master Mark! Someone took the firewall job on the website!¡± The assistant eximed excitedly. Mark frowned, not understanding the reason for his excitement. It wasn¡¯t the first time someone would take the job only to drop it for failure.


    ¡°Okay? Is that worth reporting?¡± He asked coldly.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the main point; they took the job at midday, which was three hours ago, and now they just broke through the fourth stage of the firewall and entered the main system! I think this person can fix the problem!¡± The assistant exined, and Mark¡¯s eyes went wide in surprise.


    ¡®Just three hours to break through?¡¯ he thought to himself and then asked his assistant for confirmation. ¡°Yes, it took them just three hours! But after they broke through the firewalls, they went off.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming over right now! Have the necessary things avable; I would like to have a private chat with them to see if we can bring them to work for us.¡±T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Even their team of hackers, which was made up of the country¡¯s best, weren¡¯t able to do anything about the damaged firewall as they were all locked out. Which was why Mark wanted to bring the expert into theirpany before other people did.


    ******


    Lilyy on her bed tiredly, as she had overtasked her brain and recovering body for the past three hours. Her hands trembled slightly, and she sighed. ¡°This body is too weak,¡± sheined.


    {She was previously malnourished and then had an ident; of course, she¡¯d be weak!} The system replied with an eye roll.


    Lily kept quiet and thought about the firewalls she had just broken into. The firewall was one of the hardest she had ever worked on in both lives; if not the hardest one, it was intricately designed, and any wrong step could lead to major damage.


    As soon as she entered the firewall, she soon realised it had previously been broken into, which triggered it to mutate and be even more sinister, and the kind of mutation was bad since it had lots of loopholes that could be exploited by external people.


    As she rested, she thought about ways to fix the mutation and reverse it in a way that would benefit the user. As she was searching her memories for ways to fix the firewall, the system interrupted her thoughts.


    {The system noticed that the technological development and knowledge of the host are too little and cannot bepared to others, and the system has generated the first task for the host}


    {Mission: study and be a master hacker in one month} As Victoria heard the task, her eyes twitched in annoyance. ¡°How dare you tell me my technological knowledge is little? I will have you know I was among the best in myst life,¡± she bragged.


    {But not the best! You can read while you rest!} Victoria noticed a purple screen pop up in front of her after the system¡¯s words, and on the screen was arge book with the title.


    ¡°Beginner¡¯s Guide to Hacking¡±


    {You have to be the best at what you do, or else I would be too ashamed to call you my host!}

 Took the Bait

    ¡°Any news from the hacker that took the job?¡± Mark asked as he walked into his office the following day, and his assistant, Ted, sighed heavily. He had stayed up all night trying to get in touch with the hacker named ¡°sinful¡± whenever they came online, but all through the night, he never heard the notification that the other person was online, which left him disappointed. ¡°They haven¡¯t revisited the firewall; I¡¯m starting to think that they gave up or something; maybe we should find someone else to do it.,¡± Ted asked.


    Mark red at him as he hung his jacket on the rack. ¡°If it were easy to solve, wouldn¡¯t it have been solved a while ago? What nonsense are you spouting?¡± Mark askedically.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking we should source help from the foreign hackers; it might be something they are familiar with since they broke it in the first ce,¡± Ted exined.


    Mark stared nkly at Ted, wondering how he had chosen someone as dumb as Ted to be his assistant. ¡°We will wait for them toe and solve it. The website won¡¯t allow them to take another job without finishing or dropping the current one they are working on,¡± Mark exined, and Ted gave a nod of understanding. ¡°Then I will keep an eye out for them. They might just be busy with other things for the moment.¡±


    ¡°You should. How did the property acquisition go? Did the team get the needed ones?¡± Mark asked as they started discussing the business for the day. ¡°It didn¡¯t go smoothly; the people from Chairman Nelson¡¯s side are also eyeing the property, and once they heard you were the one that specifically chose those ces, they offered the sellers more prices,¡± Ted reported, and Mark grinned evilly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, let them have it. Any amount above the prices I offered is a loss for the buyer and a profit for the seller.¡± He had thrown down the bait waiting for the prey to be hooked and without disappointing him they caught the bait.


    Although the properties on the first list were valuable, his aim had been the second list from the beginning. If he had gone for the second list from the beginning he knew they would have had to fight the other people for it and he would end up spending more than he intended to.


    ¡°You can get in touch with the owners from the second list with you and do it fast so we can begin the second phase of the new project,¡± Mark instructed while sorting out the file on his table. ¡°Concerning the new project, sir, the foreignpany refused to sell the materials needed for the chip to us; they im to have limited quantities at hand, and they already sold them to anotherpany here in Salem.¡± Upon hearing the news, Mark paused, and his expression became as hard as a rock.


    It took him three months to convince thepany to sell them those materials, and after all the arrangements were made and everything was sorted out, they went back on the agreement. ¡°Are they willing to pay the agreement bridge fees?¡± He asked calmly, making sure he didn¡¯t allow his anger to cloud his judgement.


    ¡°They agreed to pay thepensation alongside our initial deposit. I thought it was suspicious that they suddenly cancelled their initial agreement and readily chose to pay back thepensation fees given the financial state of theirpany, so I looked into it and found out the materials were all sold to Henry Hamilton¡¯spany,¡± Ted reported.


    ¡°Henry Hamilton?¡± Mark asked curiously as he searched his memory for the name ¡°Henry Hamilton is the Husband to Mabel Hamilton, the one we had a partnership with over the Nexphone four summers ago.¡± As Ted exined, Mark finally remembered the person, Henry Hamilton. ¡°You mean the sucker fromst year¡¯s banquet? The one who wanted to match me with his daughter?¡±


    Ted¡¯s face twitched as he heard the nickname given to one of the country¡¯s most famous businessmen. He wasn¡¯t surprised that his boss didn¡¯t remember him by name, as Mark only calls people he finds impressive by their names. He could forget a random person he met a minute ago while still remembering a notable person who was dead by name and face and their work.


    ¡°Are they nning on making the chips too?¡± Mark asked curiously; he was interested in chip making and intrigued that a second-ratepany like Hamilton¡¯s wanted to make them too. It has taken him and his team one year to learn the basic technology needed to produce the chips, and even then, they aren¡¯t sure the production would be sessful.


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure about what they intend to do, but it¡¯s been confirmed that they work closely with the Willows, who are also part of Chairman Nelson¡¯s people, so I think they are just a tool to stall you.¡±


    Mark massaged his nose bridge as he heard the hateful name for the second time within an hour. ¡°We don¡¯t have to do anything; just keep an eye on them and report back to me. We will look for otherpanies to buy the materials from. Chairman Nelson is looking to expand his influence. So we will allow him to y a bit more.¡±


    ¡°Your father sent a message,¡± Ted reported cautiously, Mark¡¯s expression turned nk as he heard his father send a message, ¡°What does he want?¡±


    ¡°He wanted to ask if you had gone to visit your grandfathertely, it was all over the news that Fredrick went to visit him a few days ago. It would appear that the master is still worried that your grandfather would change his mind about who his sessor would be¡± Ted exined. Mark felt truly exhausted by the number of problems that needed to be solved, he looked at his schedule for free time so he could arrange a meeting with his grandfather.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any free time this year month and the next, why don¡¯t we fix a meeting with him in three months? You can show my father the schedule if he is dissatisfied¡± Mark instructed and dismissed Ted, who couldn¡¯t help but wail in his heart about his boss¡¯ attitude.


    ¡®Young Master Mark you have three free spaces on your schedule, you just don¡¯t want Young Master Fredrick to think you arepeting with him for your grandfather¡¯s attention.¡¯

 Let鈥檚 Meet To Discuss

    Lily stretched as she stood up from the bed, it¡¯s been three days since she broke through the firewall of Alpha¡¯spany. She had done nothing except read the books provided by the system and eat and sleep all those days. Her family had been so considerate of her condition that they never allowed her to leave her room except to walk around the house and stretch her body.


    The three days that followed were a whirlwind of new information for Lily. She learned techniques and approaches to programming and hacking that were beyond anything she¡¯d ever seen on Earth. The concepts were strange, otherworldly, and seemingly from the future. Her brain was buzzing with new knowledge and possibilities. On the fourth day, she emerged from her room to find the house empty. A note from her mother on the kitchen counter informed her that she was back at work, and there was money for dinner. Opening the fridge, Lily found a breakfast and lunch prepared for her.


    Victoria hummed in reply and warmed up the food as she returned to her room, ¡°Lucky system?¡± She called out.


    {I¡¯m here, is there anything you need?} The system replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been curious about something,¡± she started. {What are you curious about? If it¡¯s within my capacity, I would reply to you with my best capability} The system exined.


    ¡°If you are a system created by a person, then how are you able to do soul transfer?¡± Victoria asked, these thoughts had bothered her even while she was in the hospital. She had tried suppressing her curiosity for so long, but after the knowledge acquired through the book provided by the system, she could no longer keep her inquisitiveness at bay. The knowledge was things that would take the current technological world decades to attain, no wonder the lucky system had called her hacking skills subpar.


    {Lady Victoria, I have no knowledge of my creator or why I was created. I am still trying to figure things out myself, which is why I need to level up as soon as possible} the system exined sincerely. Victoria sighed regretfully and picked up her phone, determined to help the system regain its knowledge so she could meet the mastermind behind such an amazing creation.


    She logged in to the hacker¡¯s website and saw a friend request from the person who had listed the job of the firewall. She was about to reject the request when she reflected it was her fault for leaving for so long without a word after taking their job. She epted the request and went back to fixing the loophole on the firewall. With her newly attained knowledge about hacking, programming and firewalls, fixing the mutated firewall was a breeze. She did not only fix the damaged firewall but also upgraded it ording to the newly acquired technique from the system.


    {(Ding) Congrattions to the host for learning the basic hacking skills and acquiring 10 system upgrade points, please work harder to obtain more points} The system notified as she finished fixing the firewall. Due to the upgrade that was made with her new knowledge, Victoria wrote out the procedures needed to follow, to activate the firewall smoothly. Once done, she did a double check to see if she had not left anything behind. After which she sent a message to the job lister.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Sinful: I havepleted the firewall and also did an upgrade, have your team check it out and let me know how it runs. [File attached] Here is the procedure they would need to follow. You don¡¯t have to pay extra for the upgrade, I just wanted to check out a newly acquired technique.


    Ted, who had been typing a long message on how to meet the hacker named Sinful saw the message and quickly deleted his draft while he replied.


    Alpha: Okay, I will get back to you soon.


    He stood up and ran to Mark¡¯s office excitedly, forgetting that his boss was in the middle of a business meeting with a partner. ¡°President Mark, it has been fixed¡± he announced as he pushed open the door. Mark red at him and quickly rounded up the meeting.


    ¡°Thank you for considering our proposal, we promise not to disappoint!¡± Miss Evie, the representative of the partnerpany said as they closed the deal with a handshake. As she left, Ted walked into Mark¡¯s office and opened the website on hisputer to show Mark. The two read through the file and Mark ordered for the team of hackers to test it out. ¡°President, the new firewall is so intricate, so well made¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine what master hacker did the upgrading, it¡¯s so good!¡± ¡°It was made in a way that it can¡¯t be broken into!¡± The team of hackers were full of praise after testing it.


    ¡°President, why don¡¯t you employ this person to work for us?¡± The team leader asked. He could tell after testing the new firewall that the upgrade was a new kind of technology, one that is so beautifully made. Bringing the person into their team would pave the way, not only for thepany but for them as they would be able to learn it. Even though Mark had little knowledge of hacking, he was not an actual hacker and he wasn¡¯t able to identify the greatness of the new firewall at a go as Isaac did. Thinking he had gone past his boundaries to suggest that they should employ the hacker, the team leader, Isaac exined his reason.


    ¡°I have attained the highest level certificate in hacking and I¡¯ve been in the industry for a long time, but if I was given this firewall to activate without the procedure attached to it, I wouldn¡¯t be able to activate it. The code used is so well made and without loopholes that could be exploited. I¡¯m afraid the person who did it this time is an actual master, those who onlye out to y once in a while. If we have them in our team, it will benefit thepany a great deal.¡± Upon hearing Isaac¡¯s exnation, Mark resolved to bring the hacker into theirpany.


    ¡°Those kinds of people can¡¯t be forced though, so it is enough if they are willing to sell the technique to us and teach us how to properly use it,¡± Isaac added. Mark nodded and sent them away before replying to Sinful message about the performance of the new firewall.


    Alpha: It has been tested and I¡¯m amazed at how smoothly it runs. I will make the payment immediately.


    Lily, who had gone to shower, didn¡¯t reply until thirty minutester after receiving a credit alert from the bank. She logged in to the website once again. She gaped at the notification realising that it was double the agreed price.


    Sinful: I told you not to add more money, I was just testing my new coding technique. If it failed it would have been a huge loss to yourpany.


    Alpha: Since it worked, then you have every right to be paid.


    Sinful: Well, thank you then. I would like to work with you if you have any more jobs like this one in the future. I would love to help out, as long as you don¡¯t mind me testing my techniques on them.


    Alpha: How about you work for mypany as an exclusive hacker?


    Sinful: I¡¯m sorry but I would have to decline your offer as I¡¯m only doing this as a side job. I have other things I¡¯m doing. But you can alwayse to me for an upgrade and sort.


    Alpha: What about selling this code to mypany exclusively? I¡¯m interested in it and I would like to buy the exclusive rights.


    Lily looked deep in thought as she deliberated on selling the code, from everything she had learned, she could make better ones in the future. So hoarding this is not needed but at the same time, she knew selling this to several otherpanies or publicly making it avable would bring more benefits than giving onepany an exclusive right to it. {Lady Victoria, you should consider selling it to him, trust me you won¡¯t regret it!} The system advised. ¡°But then, I would have to meet them in person,¡± Victoria argued. {Is that a bad thing?}


    ¡°Not entirely, but I¡¯m not ready to be publicly known. If I want to build an empire that would suppress Hamilton, my father¡¯spany, then I would have to be careful about my image!¡± Victoria exined. {There are other ways you can hide your identity, we can explore those, besides you need money to build an empire and working with this Alpha guy will get you money in the fastest way}.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll sell it.¡±


    Sinful: Are you sure you want an exclusive right to this code? It¡¯s only in the first phase and there is a potential for it to be upgraded in the future. And I¡¯m not entirely sure the direction the upgrade would go yet.


    She was throwing down bait for them to know the value of her codes and pay a huge price for it. Mark, who had already been baited, replied almost immediately.


    Alpha: Let¡¯s meet and discuss the deal. I would like to know the future n of the code and how it can be applied. I promise I will deal sincerely.


    Dornan¡¯s cafe, 5 pm. Private booth 01.


    Sinful: Alright, I won¡¯t bete.

 Suspicious Person

    ¡°I need a newputer and a stablework connection if I¡¯m going to study the hacking and coding textbooks you are providing me with, they are too advanced for my shabby ones,¡± Lily noted.


    {You have enough money to get those things now, but you have to create some time to attend the national fashionpetition.}


    ¡°Do I still have to attend that?¡± Lily asked with a raised brow. {Of course, you have to! It¡¯s Lily¡¯s wish to win thepetition and start up her fashion business after it.} The system reminded her.


    ¡°It¡¯s already toote to join the school team now, isn¡¯t it? My spot on the team would have been given to someone else after my ident¡± Lily argued. {You can join as a private individual but you need to have a registeredpany and at least two workers in yourpany before you can register to join thepetition} The system exined.


    ¡°How do you expect me to join and win thepetition now? We don¡¯t have apany at hand. Wait, when is thepetition, I know nothing about fashion and cloth design¡± Lily panicked. {With me here, you can learn any skill you want, but since I¡¯m level zero at the moment, you can only learn basic skills butpared to the current trend in this world, the basic skill is enough for now}.


    {New task alert! Learn Basic Fashion Designing. Mission reward: 50 system upgrade points}.


    {Mission Two: create or buy a clothingpany and employ two workers}.


    Lily frowned at the new set of missions and narrowed her eyes at the space in front of her. ¡°Will I get a new mission every time I¡¯m faced with unfamiliar situations?¡±


    {Most likely, if you intend to build an empire, you have to learn the basic skills at least}. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go buy me aputer first, we will start learning fashion design after sessfully signing the contract with Alpha!¡± Lily suggested and got dressed to go out.


    {While you are at it you might as well buy some nice clothes. The original owner doesn¡¯t have anything decent, and you have to start caring for your image starting from now. I wasn¡¯t able toin about the shabby clothes before now because you have no money but now that you do, buy more beautiful clothes!}.


    The next day, Lily arrived at the designated cafe dressed in a hoodie that covered her face, paired with a face mask. She stood in front of the cafe for several minutes, bracing herself for what was toe. The passerby gave her weird stares as she was dressed suspiciously. After confirming through the system that their target was in, she took onest deep breath and walked to the entrance where she was stopped by the security. ¡°How may we help you? What do you need?¡± The first security guy asked, eyeing Lily suspiciously.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to meet someone¡± Lily replied calmly, her voice barely above a whisper. ¡°Meet someone? Who?¡± The second guy asked, silently ridiculing her choice of dressing. It wasn¡¯t the first time they would be dealing with beggars who wanted to go into the cafe to beg and be suspiciously dressed, they immediately categorised her as one of those beggars wanting to break in.T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to meet the person in VIP booth 01, you can tell them Sinful is here¡± Lily exined calmly, trying not to get offended by the way the security guards were treating her with disdain, due to her poor choice of clothing. But every moment she stood by and watched them ridicule her with her eyes, she lost her calm and patience.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go in and check if I¡¯m lying or not?¡± She asked in annoyance, the first security guyughed mockingly. ¡°You could have mentioned any other room but 01, are you kidding? You have an appointment with the person in 01 dressed like this? It won¡¯t work. You can go and beg somewhere here, our cafe doesn¡¯t entertain beggars like you! ¡± He mocked and the second guyughed. Annoyed, she brought out her new phone and logged in to the website to message Alpha.


    Sinful: Could you send someone to get me, I was not allowed inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault, I should have at least asked for their contact yesterday¡±. {Yes or I can generate their contact for you} The system suggested. Lily¡¯s eyes widened under the hoodie. ¡°You can do something like that?¡± She asked in surprise, {It¡¯s one of the basic functions of the system. I am connected to the source of the inte and I can get whatever information I need at any time!} It boasted and Lily swallowed the urge to set up a shrine for the creator of the lucky system.


    Isaac, who had been on the site, studying the procedure of the firewall, was the one who got the message. Knowing that his boss wanted to meet the master hacker to discuss further partnership, he quickly put a call through to Mark.


    ¡°President, the hacker, Sinful has been outside the cafe but the security won¡¯t let them in¡± Isaac reported almost cursing the security for dying such divine progress that has been sent their way. Mark stood up and went outside.


    The two security guys noticed himing out and had a gloating look on their faces, ¡°You said you wanted to meet the master in booth 01? There he is, let¡¯s see if he¡¯ll acknowledge you, if he doesn¡¯t we will get you arrested for distracting business!¡± the first guy threatened, Lily remained silent as her eyes remained fixed on the handsome young man, dark hair and a tall slim build.


    She recognised him instantly, Mark Watson, the heir to the Watson group. In her past life as Victoria, she remembered her mother had worked with him on a phone project, working with him had been one of the reasons Hamilton was nationally recognised. She could never forget how excited Mom had been after the proposal was signed.


    Mark looked around in search of the person waiting, his eyes had skimmed over Lily before he realised she was being blocked by the security. With pursed lips he went towards them and greeted them politely, ¡°You are Sinful?¡± He asked.


    ¡°You must be Alpha¡± Lily replied in a deep voice, she had practiced how to mask her voice all night with the help of the system.


    ¡°I am, pleasee in. I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience they might have caused¡± he apologized and red at the two security guys. Seeing how Mark treated the suspicious person politely, fear filled the hearts of the security guys and they apologized to her. ¡°We are sorry for the dy, we were just guarding against suspicious people!¡±


    Lily walked away without sparing them a nce, she knew it was her fault for dressing so casually and suspiciously, so she didn¡¯t need to find trouble with them. Mark led her to the private room and gestured for her to sit. He gave her a look over but did notment on her dress after remembering what Isaac had told him about the hacker.


    ¡°What would you like to eat or drink?¡± He asked politely. ¡°I¡¯m okay, let¡¯s discuss the reason why we are both here¡± she replied. She provided a written n on how she wants to develop the code and programme, and also incorporate it with new or existing technology. The more Mark read the document, the more interested he became in acquiring the code, but he had been in the business for a long time so he knew not to show his interest too early.


    ¡°These are only written and anyone can do the nning, how am I so sure that the firewall and other programs thate with it can be upgraded the way you have written here?¡± Mark questioned as he dropped the document he was reading. Lily had been expecting his observation and she brought out herptop to show him the level two of the one she had sent to himst night. ¡°The level one I sent to you can only be used byrge sites andpanies, but the upgraded ones that I¡¯m working on can be used on mobile phones and other portable devices¡± While she exined, she showed him the level two and how it works.


    ¡°Although the general idea is still retained, the more we upgrade the firewall, the more functions it will have. Level one only has the function of locking intruders out, while level two would create a wall around those intruders and trap them inside while corrupting their system, the next level would not only do the function of levels one and two, it would also gather their system information and locate the precise location, no matter the blocker they use.¡± Lily exined in detail while showing him the one she was currently upgrading. No matter how Mark thought about it, he knew once the technology was revealed, it would send all the other experts into a frenzy as they would try to learn it.


    ¡°May I ask if you made the programme yourself?¡± Mark asked sceptically, he had made sure to keep an eye on the school that produced the best hackers and programmers so that he could employ them and that is how Alpha had remained at the top in the technology aspect of the economy.


    ¡°Yes, I did and I¡¯m willing to teach it to your team of hackers after all the upgrades are over¡± Lily replied firmly. Mark could not describe his happiness with words as he looked over the project ns again. Acquiring the code would not only take him a step further, he could finally throw off his uncle and cousin in thepetition soon enough.


    ¡°I am satisfied with the programme and I¡¯m willing to buy an exclusive right to it, I hope you understand what that means?¡± Mark asked and Lily smirked under the mask.


    ¡°I do know what it means, I¡¯m happy you are satisfied with the programme.¡± Mark provided the contract to buy the rights and after reading it over, Lily signed the contract with the base payment of a million dors and four million when the whole upgrade was done. After signing the contract, Mark wanted to ask for her details, instead, she told him to pay the money to the hacker¡¯s website. The website has a policy that helps the employee and employer keep their identity secret, no matter how often they transact.


    Disappointed that he wasn¡¯t able to get her identity, he sighed and decided to let go until another time. ¡°I hope to continue working with you in the future, so if you have some other projects worth my time, do let me know.¡± Mark gave her his business card.


    ¡°It was nice working with you¡±

 Subtle Comparison

    ¡®Crash¡¯ Frederick, Mark¡¯s cousin and rival, smashed his wine cup at the wall as he read the reports provided by his spies under Mark. He red at the beautifuldy who hade to deliver the report to him, ¡°Why are you just telling me this?¡± He gritted out. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you include the information of the person who sold him the programme? Didn¡¯t you think it would be important to get me such crucial data?¡± He added feeling his fury burn through his blood. He had once again been bested by his younger cousin.


    ¡°Young master Frederick, we had no way of knowing about the arrangement as it was not discussed with the board of directors. We were only informed about their team¡¯s n of making the chips and we sent it to you as soon as we heard about it,¡± Tina, the beautiful petitedy exined.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°What do you mean that it was not discussed with the board of directors? How was he able to fund the project without the financial approval of the financial department?¡± Frederick questioned.


    ¡°The project was sponsored from his savings and after it was proven sessful the finance department paid him back. We tried getting in touch with you immediately after it was discovered but you were unavable and given that the programme he bought was already ready-made and easy to use we had no way of stalling for you¡± Tina exined helplessly.


    She is the lowest ranked member amongst the spies Frederick nted beside Mark as she is just a sales representative, she only follows orders from higher-ups and has no way of knowing how the decision-making goes between the higher-ups, but when cases like this happens, she is the one that is always pushed to the forefront to face Frederick¡¯s fury.


    ¡°What stage are they on now?¡± Frederick asked after calming his nerves and anger a bit. Mark has always been pushing him to the edge since they were kids. Everyone had always praised Mark for his intelligence and foresight, while they told him to learn from his younger cousin. Even then, no matter how he tried using the normal means or the underhanded means, he could never seem to beat Mark. The younger man always finds ways to spring back up after every huge fall.


    ¡°The program has been used in the new phone project that Alpha is working on and it¡¯s in thest phase of production. After they were boycotted with the chip and property, President Mark decided to put his focus on phone production. The programme just happened toe right in time¡± Tina exined. ¡°Do we have anyone on his programming team?¡± Frederick questioned as he looked over the reports once again.


    ¡®There is no way he could beat this in a short amount of time¡¯ he thought to himself, ¡®But we can stall him until we have something that can beat his¡¯


    ¡°His team was personally selected by him and there is none of our men in his team¡±


    ¡°Tell Ian to find a way and have someone from our side on his team, I want the programme mailed to me before the product is sold to the market, if it can¡¯t be mailed out, find a way to stall them, whatever means necessary stall them until after I get the real estate project,¡± Frederick instructed.


    ¡®I can¡¯t allow him to be in the limelight once again!¡¯


    ¡°Yes sir¡± Tina replied and prepared to leave.


    ¡°One more thing, find out who the programmer is and get me their contact!¡±


    ¡°We will¡±. Frederick reclined into his chair with an ugly frown, he massaged his nose bridge in frustration as he thought about his recent failed project and how unsatisfied with him their grandfather had been. ¡°Who would have thought trying to sabotage his works would lead him to another achievement¡± he groaned.


    *****


    ¡°Congrattions on your new project son¡± Michael Watson, Mark¡¯s father beamed excitedly as he cheered Mark. Ethan and Frederick¡¯s faces turned sore at the mention of Mark¡¯s project and they silently red at the father-and-son duo. Ethan is Michael¡¯s older brother and the former president of the Alphapany, but ording to tradition, once the younger generation of heirse of age, the older ones would step down to allow the younger ones to grow.


    Naturally, Frederick was supposed to take over from his father as the next president of Alpha Tech, but due to Mark¡¯s intelligence and innovations, he was sent to manage another business while the Alphapany, which is the biggest sector of Watson¡¯s group, was given to Mark.


    Grandpa Watson had called a celebration dinner tomemorate the release of the new project immediately after it was announced to the public, which is why they all gathered at the Watson family vi and while thedies were busy with fossils the men were discussing business.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve congratted nephew Mark for his new achievement because of your dedication, Alpha Techpany has reached another height this year¡± Ethan praised with a practised fake smile. Frederick scoffed silently while stuffing his mouth with more food so he wouldn¡¯t have to say the congrattory message.


    ¡°You tter me, Uncle Ethan, I didn¡¯t do it alone and honestly if the firewall wasn¡¯t broken into, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to attain such achievement so soon¡± Mark replied politely but the father and son duo didn¡¯t miss the ridicule behind his words. ¡°I heard you employed an external person to help with the new programme, I¡¯m surprised you would seek a foreign market after preaching against it for so long¡± Frederick probed, trying to get the identity of the programmer.


    Mark was also aware of his aim and decided to humour him, ¡°It is indeed unreasonable of me, but I was too eager to get my new project running that I didn¡¯t think about my formal words, but the sess has shown I didn¡¯t make a mistake in my decision to employ from the foreign market.¡± Frederick sneered and cursed in his heart as he noticed Mark¡¯s smug smile. ¡°Did you at least recruit that programmer to work in Alpha tech?¡± Grandpa Watson chipped in, his gaze focused on Mark. ¡°I tried to but they wouldn¡¯t budge,¡± Mark replied and the old man frowned.


    ¡°Was the sry and bonuses you offered not enough? Why didn¡¯t you add more? Where are they currently working? We can offer double the pay they are getting¡± The old man questioned. ¡°Our meeting was brief that day and they preferred their identity hidden as the payment was done through the hacker¡¯s website, so there was no way I could do a background check on them,¡± Mark exined.


    ¡°You could have had them followed¡± Ethan suggested. ¡°That¡¯s an invasion of privacy and if they find out, it would reduce our chances of working with them in the future. Besides, you should know that someone of that level could not be offended easily¡± Micheal countered. ¡°It¡¯s good you didn¡¯t have them followed, it shows that you respect their choices,¡± Grandpa Watson nods in approval. ¡°However, on your next meeting, do whatever it takes to bring them to join Watson, someone like them should only work for us¡±


    ¡°Yes Grandpa, I will work towards it¡± Mark replied with a bow, ¡°Good! Good! You always make me proud!¡± Grandpa Watsonughed before turning to Frederick with a serious expression, ¡°Chairman Nelson told me you were the one in charge of acquiring the Red Land real estate project, how is it going?¡± He asked as he gestured for the servants to bring him tea.


    ¡°We only have onepetitor left at the moment and they are the state representative, the final decision about who will get the project will be made during the fundraising g next week¡± Frederick reported calmly. He had been putting all his resources and attention into acquiring the real estate project so that he could make up for the losses he had made thesest months, he couldn¡¯t afford to lose not after Mark¡¯s groundbreaking achievement this time, losing again would not only annoy their grandfather but those boards of directors would never let him off too.


    They were all aware that the old man was quietly watching their performance so he could choose his sessor, which is why they were all on edge and doing their best. ¡°I heard the project is worth hundreds of millions, do make sure you don¡¯t lose it to the state. You can discuss it with your cousin and see where you could make some improvement,¡± Grandpa Watson advised and Frederick clenched his fist in annoyance.


    There it was again, the subtleparison he had always hated, he presented to drink and silent re at Mark with malice, ¡®You can remain smug for now but let¡¯s see how long you will remain smug when your projectes crashing down!¡¯

 Merissa鈥檚 Plot

    ¡°Mum! Dad! I¡¯m home!¡± Lily announced upon getting home. She carried the grocery bags into the kitchen where her mother was busy making dinner, ¡°Where did you go? Why didn¡¯t you call and have someone escort you when you were going out? What if something had happened on the way? You aren¡¯t strong enough to walk about on your own!¡± Her mother reprimands her worriedly.


    She moved away from the stove and checked Lily all over, Lily blushed and reassured her that she was fine, ¡°See, I¡¯m fine and fit to go out now. I didn¡¯t even get scratched while I was outside!¡± Her mother red at her yfully and went back to cooking.


    She turned her attention to the heavy grocery bags Lily had brought in and raised a questioning brow, ¡°What are those and where did you get the money?¡±


    ¡°I went out to get groceries, I worked for apany online and I got paid¡± Lily exined, half-telling lies and half-truths. ¡°Online? I hope it¡¯s not some shady business. I heard some youths are going to jailtely after doing some online business, I hope it¡¯s not what you are doing?¡± Her mother asked curiously, already nning several lectures to give her daughter about scams and all.


    Lily chuckled and continued arranging the groceries where they were supposed to be. ¡°You have nothing to worry about, it¡¯s nothing illegal and I won¡¯t get arrested for doing it¡± she assured. ¡°Ehn, as long as it¡¯s not illegal, but you should keep the money for yourself now that you are fully recovered, you would need to go back to school¡±


    ¡°I already kept some for myself. Besides, what I bought is not even up to two hundred dors¡± Lily argued.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s just fifty, you still have student loans to pay and everything, you can¡¯t spend your moneyvishly like that, I will report to your father if you don¡¯t listen to me!¡± her mother threatened.


    ¡°Fine! Fine! I won¡¯t spendvishly, okay? But mum¡­¡± Lily called hesitantly, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking I should leave school¡± she stated and her mother¡¯s eyes went wide in shock, ¡°No way! Why would you want to leave school? Do you want to end up like me and your father, doing grunt work for others and getting bullied all day? No! You can¡¯t leave school!¡± Her mother argued.


    Lily sighed and sat on the high kitchen stool, ¡°Listen to me mother, I only want to leave school for a few months, at most a year. The national fashionpetition is three months away and I want to join, but the school team has been finalised, so for me to join, I have to have my team and I want to join, please ma! I promise to go back to school once I finish thepetition¡± Lily exined while making puppy eyes at her mother.


    ¡°I will have to discuss it with your father before I decide, you just have to promise me you will return to school after thepetition¡±  her mother urged, feeling helpless against the cute puppy eyes. ¡°Of course, I promise!¡±


    {You are making promises that you won¡¯t fulfil.} The system pointed out dully. ¡°I will fulfil it, I will help the body owner to go to school and step on those rich kids who had always looked down on her, they would gravel at her feet and wish to be like her for the rest of their lives¡± Lily promised.


    ¡°Fine! You go and shower, dinner is almost ready¡± her mom shooed her away from the kitchen.


    After dinner, Lily sat at the reading table and began nning how to create a clothingpany. She researched the trends, buildings and even how to register thepany. Throughout the night, she was busy making budgets and nning for thepany that needed to be established with a standard foundation in less than three months. By the time it was dawn, she had already made the rough estimate and ns needed to build her firstpany in this life.


    Once the ns were made, she closed theputer and went to sleep for a few hours before going back to studying with the help of the system.


    While she was awake, Mark was also awake watching with relish and amusement how the intruders who wanted to get into his system got trapped. His eyes brightened up as their information began showing one after the other, including their location.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    With the help of this newly upgraded firewall, he had been able to identify everyone working as a spy for other people under him. Now, he is really curious about what level five, the highest level of the firewall could do. As he thought it out, his mind wandered to the meeting he had with Sinful, although the other person had dressed in a way that covered up their identity, he could still tell they were young.


    ¡®If someone so young could make such an amazing programme, they are not a force to be reckoned with and they need to be properly nurtured¡¯ he thought to himself and started devising a n to bring her to his team on their next meeting.


    Having heard that Lily had recovered, her parent¡¯s boss invited them to their house to have dinner. At first Lily disagreed, but seeing that it was an opportunity to see how her parents were treated at work, she finally agreed under her mother¡¯s persuasion. ¡°It¡¯s good you have recovered well, I was really scared after the ident you know?¡± Merissa pulled her into a hug as they arrived at the Smith vi.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about my clumsiness, if I had known the ident would happen, I wouldn¡¯t have invited you out for a drink¡± she added with a sorry expression. Seeing his daughter¡¯s frozen expression, Lily¡¯s father stepped in, ¡°It¡¯s alright, she¡¯s not angry with you, it was an ident and there is no way of knowing it would happen¡± he assured.


    ¡°Hahaha, allow the children to solve their problems, pleasee in everyone, my wife made the dinner tonight¡± Mr Smith, Merissa¡¯s father urged and they all went into the dining hall.


    The dinner conversation started mildly with pleasantries andpliments. While everyone was busy chattering, Lily remained silent and focused on her food but the peace she felt didn¡¯tst long as Mrs Smith brought her into the conversation. ¡°Lily now that you are feeling better, you should return to school. I arranged for Merissa to help you through the sses you¡¯ve missed while in the hospital¡± she announced boastfully, the tone had a hint of being above others and making her daughter teach Lily sounded like she was doing the family a favour.


    ¡°Oh thank you, Mrs Smith, but due to my ident, I¡¯m thinking of taking a break from school to prevent a massive sequel in the future¡± Lily exined with a calm expression. Merissa and her mother froze up as they heard her words before sharing a nce nervously.


    Merissa had only a mediocre talent in fashion and had only been able to get into the school due to her parent¡¯s connection. They had specifically arranged for her to share a dorm room with their employee¡¯s talented daughter so she could help. The former Lily always helped Merissa with her projects and assignments and that was why Merissa was among the top students in the ss.


    She had been hoping that Lily woulde back to school so that she could get her to help her design the dress she would use during thepetition. The current Lily didn¡¯t know any of this and nned to leave school as a way to beat her in thepetition and get recognised by the other schools andpanies, so that way she could go to a better fashion school as well as get a schrship.


    Merissa chuckled nervously, ¡°ording to the doctor, you won¡¯t have future seque, isn¡¯t it better to focus on studying now and rxter?¡± She probed while looking at her mother for support. If they don¡¯t get Lily back to school before thepetition, there is no way she will be able to perform brightly and would eventually bring shame when people find out she isn¡¯t able to perform as well as she used to.


    Merissa could already imagine the gossip that would spread around their school. Lily who didn¡¯t know why the other looked so nervous decided to question the system. {You didn¡¯t know but Merissa could not perform well on the team without getting help from the original owner, which is why the ident was only intended to disable the original owner and not to kill her.} The system exined and Lily grinned evilly, a new revenge plot appearing in her head.


    ¡°I can be a student of a school with apany and then apply for thepetition right?¡± Lily asked the system.


    {Of course you can}


    ¡°Good!¡± After a pause, Lily lifted her head with determination. ¡°You are right, I¡¯m still young and I will be able to heal soon, I have nothing to worry about, I will be back in school by next week!¡± She announced and Merissa breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡®I just have to be more careful and persuasive so I won¡¯t spook her unnecessarily¡¯ she thought to herself, Mrs Smith smiled and said, ¡°It¡¯s good you have reconsidered, children should work hard when they need to. If you need anything, you can ask Merissa, she will give them to you¡±

 Dealing With Sunset

    As Lily and her family returned home, Lily¡¯s mother stopped Lily to sit in the living room so that they could have a discussion, ¡°Are you sure you want to go back to school?¡± She asked worriedly, keeping her eyes on Lily¡¯s every reaction. ¡°Yes, I have decided to go back now, I¡¯m no longer taking a break for a year¡± Lily assured with a firm smile.


    Lily¡¯s mother looked hesitant, ncing over at her husband who sat beside her. The two of them were well aware of how Lily was being treated at school, especially how Merissa was always using her to stay at the top of their ss. It was clear that something needed to be done, but they didn¡¯t want to upset their daughter by intervening or even their bosses.


    Although she had initially been against Lily taking a break from school, after thinking about how thepetition and Lily being back in school would benefit the wrong people, she had agreed to it without another argument and she even convinced her husband to do so, but now that Lily wants to go back, they have to make sure it wasn¡¯t due to the pressure from Merissa and her parents.


    Her father sat up and gave her a scrutinizing gaze. ¡°Have you made up your mind to go back now?¡± He asked and Lily nodded with a reassuring smile. ¡°You have nothing to be worried about, I¡¯m going to do my medical checks to make sure I¡¯m fit enough to return and then get everything sorted out. You both know how much fashion designing means to me¡± she urged and her parents sighed.


    ¡°Fine, if you¡¯ve made up your mind, we will support you!¡± Her mother agreed, knowing how stubborn Lily usually gets when she has decided on a thing. ¡°And you have to be careful when you get back to school,¡± her father added.


    Lily stood up and hugged her parents, their worry for her brought a warm feeling in her heart, one she hadn¡¯t experienced since she lost her mother when she was still Victoria. ¡°You have nothing to worry about, this time, I won¡¯t be easily bullied!¡±


    [What is your n now?] The system asked as they walked into Lily¡¯s small room. Looking around, Lily scrunched up her nose, no matter how many days she had stayed in the room, she could not get used to the tight space and the shabbiness of the room.


    ¡°I want to make some money as soon as possible. I need money to do everything I n¡± she voiced out and changed out of her clothes into a morefortable one. Since she had her bath before going to Merissa¡¯s house, she decided against having another to save her family from the extra expenses.


    She pulled out her newputer and sat on the small reading table, after connecting to the inte she pulled up the hacker¡¯s website.


    [Why are you here again? Aren¡¯t you meant to start learning for thepetition?]


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this is all part of my n,¡± she said, shing a grin. ¡°I need money to register mypany and pay my staff, and this is the perfect way to get it.¡± Her eyes gleamed as she typed the name ¡°Dark Lord Chambers¡± into the search bar, and the website page for thepany appeared on her screen. She felt a surge of triumph, her heart racing with anticipation.


    She noticed the notification signal on her profile and clicked on it. ¡®Congrattions, Dark Lord Sinful, you have levelled up and can now enjoy higher-level operations in the Dark Lord¡¯s chamber¡¯ As she read the notification, her smile widened.


    She remembered, that in her life as Victoria, she and some other high-ranking hackers in the country had worked towards this part of the website that allows the hackers to level up based on their skills and ratings.


    Normally, it would take a regr hacker ten tasks to level up to stage 1 and then twenty tasks to the next. The reason why she had upgraded after just one task was due to the difficulty of the task. As she viewed her profile, she realised her icon had changed from in grey to grey and ck.


    On the website, there were seven levels, each represented by a different colour: grey, grey-and-ck, white, white-and-ck, ck, red, and gold. Grey was for beginners, grey and ck for intermediate hackers, white for advanced hackers, white and ck for expert hackers, ck for masters, red for grandmasters, and gold for grandmasters who hadpleted hundreds of millions worth of tasks. Each level came with its different perks and privileges, and Lily was determined to reach the top like in herst life.


    iming her badge, she exited her profile page to see she had private messages. Opening them, she realised they were from other hackers from the Grey and ck group.


    ¡°Hey Sinful, wee to the team!¡±


    ¡°How did youplete that task? Let¡¯s be friends!¡±


    ¡°I have a hard task I am dealing with and I would like you to join me, we will share the payment 50/50¡±


    As she read through the messages, she remembered how it was in herst life and how people always seek for her coboration. Just as she exited her private message interface, she got a new message from a hacker with a ck badge, seeing the name, her eyes dimmed with mischief and a smile appeared on her face.


    Sunset: Hello Sinful.


    Sunset: I¡¯ve been waiting for you toe online.


    Sinful: Hello, Master Sunset, I¡¯ve got some things going on in the outside world and I¡¯ve barely had time toe in here. Is there a reason you are looking for me?


    Sunset: You were the one who took the task assigned by the Alpha guy, weren¡¯t you?


    Sinful: Yes, I wanted to see why it has been up for so long. I never knew I could get it done. Were you aiming for it? I¡¯m sorry for taking it away.


    The man on the other side narrowed his eyes at the screen and a smile appeared on his face as he noticed Sinful¡¯s attitude.


    Sunset: You don¡¯t have to apologize, my team and I tried it but we couldn¡¯t fix it immediately. It¡¯s totally your win.


    Sinful: Oh! It was a fluke on my side.


    Sunset: Stop being so modest. Anyway, I have a deal to make.


    As Lily read the message, she chuckled darkly, thinking he hadn¡¯t changed. Sunset was a hacker she hade across in herst life as Victoria, he had proposed a deal to her back then when she was still a starting hacker and told her they would work on it together and share the profit.


    However, after theypleted the task, he never paid her and instead, he took all the credit while tainting her reputation on the website. Remembering the issue from her past life, she grinned evilly.


    Sinful: I¡¯m interested, let¡¯s talk about it!


    Sunset grinned happily about the prey catching the bait. If the work seeded, he would take all the credit like he always does and then if it failed, Sinful would have to take the me while he kept his reputation on the website clean.


    As he was about to type his next line, he noticed the new message from Sinful and his grin became even wider.


    Sinful: I¡¯m a newbie so Master Sunset would have to take care of me and don¡¯t mind my clumsiness.


    Sunset: You have nothing to worry about, I will help you level up even faster.


    Sunset: Here is the link to the job description, look it over and let¡¯s see what we can do.


    He sent her an attachment containing pictures of several malfunctioning programs on aputer. Just with a nce, she found the problems but knowing the nature of the other person on the screen, she decided to y dumb.


    Sinful: This looks like some virus contamination, do we have to install a stronger antivirus on the system?


    Sunset rolled his eyes at her question, thinking, ¡®What a dumb newbie¡¯


    ¡°Since she would be taking the me if it fails, it¡¯s better topensate her earlier by teaching her some things¡± he muttered and downed half a can of beer before focusing on theputer once again.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org.


    Sunset: It¡¯s not a virus, the malfunction is due to an error during the coding phase, we just need to find the errors and fix them.


    Sinful: Oh! So that¡¯s it. Thank you for exining, Master Sunset. Then should we begin now?


    Sunset: Let us begin.


    With the link provided to her, Lily logged in to theputer program and studied it before she began. Since she wanted to use the opportunity to repay Sunset for the crime hemitted in herst life, she didn¡¯t attempt to help him correct the errors, instead, she identified the errors and nted several timer viruses in them.


    The timer viruses are set for a particr time, once the time is set, they function normally until the timer goes off and when it does, they will start corrupting the whole system at a fast pace until everything crashes.


    She sets the timer for a week, knowing that after the task, he would get promoted due to his profile showing that he only had one more task until he became a Red badge hacker. Sunset watched on the side with a smug smile as Sinful fixed the errors in the programme, he would fix the ones she had omitted and make sure that the ones she did were okay.


    Once the whole error had been corrected, he messaged her again.


    Sunset: You are efficient and fast. It doesn¡¯t feel like a newbie at all.


    Lily sneered with a glint in her eyes.


    Sinful: I am a newbie, how else will I still be in the second stage? It¡¯s just that my teacher is currently teaching us this part of the programme and the lesson is still fresh in my memory. Did I do good?


    Sunset: You did great, once it has been tested, I will let you know and send you your payment.

 You Are Vicious

    {You are more vicious than I thought}


    Lily heard the system exim as she exited the chat with Sunset and she chuckled. ¡°If you aren¡¯t vicious with your enemies, you will end up like my past self, dead without a way to vent¡± she exined with a gleam in her eyes making the system roll its invisible eyes.


    {You know he would make you take the me if anything goes wrong and you still did that? How would you wash your hands clean? What is your n to deal with him?}


    ¡°Just wait and see, the testing day for such a program is three days and after that, it could be considered well-made, by that time, he would have already been promoted and the higher-ups would already know that he took that job!¡± She exined with an excited giggle.


    ¡°Plus, I erased my involvement just now and nothing could be traced back to me, so he naturally would be med, after that, he would be demoted back to stage one but then I can¡¯t let him go,  I want him to be kicked outpletely so I will instigate the other that he has cheated in the past¡± she added.


    {The method you used is simple but imagine the chain reaction that it would cause! You are indeed a genius}


    Lily felt a momentary surge of pride at the system¡¯s praise but quickly refocused on the task at hand. She knew that people like Sunset and Merissa were just minor annoyances that she would have to deal with on her way to defeating her main enemy. It would be best to take care of them as quickly and efficiently as possible, and then move on to the bigger challenges ahead.


    She scrolled through the mission page, given that she had levelled up, she now had ess to a wider range of missions to choose from, except there wasn¡¯t any anomaly like the Alpha job this time. All the jobs avable for her level are just small hacking and information-gathering jobs.


    With a dejected sigh, she clicked on three missions which was the limit for the job she could take at once for her level. As she calcted that the total money from the three jobs was not even up to a million, she became even more determined to level up faster.


    ¡®I refuse to continue being poor!¡¯


    ¡®How will I get anything done if I¡¯m poor? No, I can¡¯t!¡¯


    Before she started on the mission she had taken, she went to check on the Alpha¡¯s firewall that was upgrading in the background, seeing that it was still at 50% and would take at least three more days to upgradepletely, she minimised it and went back to doing her mission.


    The first mission was to dig up dirt on an inte celebrity, which was the lowest paying among the three jobs she had taken. With enough experience from her past life as Victoria, Lily was able to quickly navigate, finding out about her target.


    She could remember the first time she had taken a job like this, she was a bit nervous about destroying someone¡¯s reputation but after doing it so many times and finding out that those people weren¡¯t good, she felt no sympathy for them, instead, she did the job so diligently and meticulously, even pass the way the lister wants it to be done and every time she would get praises from the job lister and also rmendation.


    The more she dug, the more cold her aura became. The inte celebrity is called Angel and her real name is Hellen Hudson, but none of her behaviour represented that of an angel.


    {She is too cold-blooded!}


    The system that had been observing in silence could no longer hold its grievances. It had not been in contact with many people but this one was one of the bad ones!


    {How could someone who appears so innocent be such a demon? Even demons aren¡¯t as evil!}


    Lily felt the same way and even after gathering the necessary information that was needed, she decided to add more ¡®gifts¡¯ to the lister by telling them some more private information. ¡°People like her need to be taught a lesson!¡± Lily dered coldly.


    When she was finished with the three missions, the sun was already bright in the sky. She rubbed her tired eyes and stretched, her muscles aching from the hours of sitting in front of theputer. She decided to take a quick nap before doing anything else, knowing she would need to be well-rested for the day ahead. She had to pack her things and prepare to go back to school, and she knew it would be a busy day. But for now, sleep was calling her name.


    As she looked around the room, the thought of getting another apartment for her parents crossed her mind but she hurriedly suppressed it. ¡°It won¡¯t be toote to get them a better ce after thepetition, that way, I can have an excuse as to where I got the money¡± she muttered and went to sleep.


    While she was sleeping peacefully, Merissa and her mother were in a state of panic and distress. ¡°Do you think she will return to school? Won¡¯t she continue to use the excuse of being sick?¡± Merissa asked her mother after breakfast, still horrified about the news that her biggest shot at winning thepetition would be staying away when she needed her the most.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s doing it to get back at me?¡± She pressed on. Her mother frowned and gave her a helpless smile. ¡°You have nothing to worry about, doesn¡¯t her parents still work with us? I don¡¯t believe they won¡¯t listen when we talk about it with them¡± She dered with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°We can persuade them to let her return to school, besides, we have other means. You have nothing to be bothered about. Lily will definitely help you this time¡± she assured firmly.


    Merissa remained quiet, her heart filled with doubt and the scenarios of what would happen to her reputation in school if it was exposed that she could not do as well as she used to when Lily was in school. She has to find a way to bring Lily back to school.


    ¡°Then can we get a house off campus and assure Aunty Chloe that Lily can recover without harm?¡± Merissa asked as an idea popped into her head. Her mother smiled, ¡°You are really smart! I will talk to your father about it and for the period of thepetition, we can show our goodwill by sending a doctor to check on her regrly!¡± She suggested and Merissa¡¯s mood became more rxed and a smile finally made its way to her face.


    Thinking that with such a n, it would be very difficult for Lily to decline her request after their ¡®goodwill¡¯. A calctive smile appeared on her face as she plotted ways to make use of Lily for her gains. ¡°Whatever you do this time, you have to be more careful, alright? You can¡¯t make people suspect anything¡± her mother warned with a worried frown, remembering how they could have gotten into trouble with thest incident.


    Merissa¡¯s phone beeped while they were discussing and she excused herself to receive the call, ¡°Why are you calling me?¡± She asked coldly and the person on the other side paused, her excited giggle stopped when she realised how cold Merissa¡¯s tone was.


    Hellen, Merissa¡¯s ¡®best friend¡¯ frowned as she looked at the caller ID, checking if she had called the wrong person. ¡°It¡¯s me Hellen¡± she sounded cautiously. Merissa sneered, ¡°I know it¡¯s you, why are you calling me?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°Did I do something wrong? Why are you so suddenly cold to me?¡± Hellen asked with an aggrieved tone. She and Merissa had met when they were in high school and beingdies from the same circle, they got along well, even their behaviour was the same, but as Merissa remembered the news she heard about the other person on the phone, her tone became even colder.


    Hellen could not wrap her head around Merissa¡¯s sudden coldness, she had been away to film a show for the past three months. Upon arrival, she wanted to hang out with her best friend only to be treated so coldly.


    ¡°If I did something, why not tell me?¡± She snapped angrily, ¡°Why are you being so cold without an exnation? Tch¡± Hellen had always been known for her bad temper and she hated it the most when people treated her so coldly, after all, she is already a celebrity with over a million fans, so how can she allow someone like Merissa, who depends on a poordy to remain in school, to talk down at her?


    Merissa red at the wall before her. ¡°Are you trying to stain my reputation too?¡± She asked. ¡°From today, let¡¯s not be in contact!¡±

 Offend someone

    Hellen pursed her lips at the beeping sound from the other end, she reluctantly removed the phone from her ears with a bewildered expression. ¡°What does she mean stain her reputation?¡± She muttered in confusion. Because she had just gotten off the ne, she had not been able to log into her social media ount but as she thought about Merissa¡¯s words, she knew something was off.


    Upon logging in, she was stunned at the several notifications of people tagging her, before she could read them, her driver arrived alongside her manager, Rex, who looked worried and suspicious. ¡°You should log off your social media ount for a while, things are not looking good for you at the moment¡± he warned as they got into the car.


    Hellen frowned, ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve been away for a long time to a ce without inte and now that I¡¯m back, I can¡¯t even log in. Why aren¡¯t things looking good?¡± She asked with a raised voice and the manager red at her.


    He had been so stressed dealing with her scandals since morning that he didn¡¯t even eat till now. ¡°Since you want to know, why not take a look yourself? You can check how all of your achievements have been published!¡± He snapped and massaged his nose bridge to will away the headache that was beginning to form.


    He cussed at himself for taking on such a troublesome person as his client. Since he began working as her talent manager in the entertainment industry, he has been faced with several troubles caused by her. If it were any other person, thepany would have given up on them, however, she is a person thepany values so much because of the funds she brings in.


    Not only is she from a rich family, but she is also very beautiful and even though her acting skills are just so-so, her beauty makes up for it as a lot of people invest in her show just to curry favour with her. Who would have known she was in a give-and-take rtionship with all those investors?


    The major effect of her pure image crumbling did not only affect her, it also affected thepany! Now, he had been taking the me from the higher-ups for something he knew nothing about. Hellen¡¯s face turned pale and her body trembled in fear as she read the messages sent to her inbox.


    The longer she read the hateful messages, the paler she became. She turned to Rex with a questioning look. ¡°What happened?¡± She asked shakily and Rex rolled his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t you have your phone with you? Since you decided to check it on your own, continue checking. I have nothing to discuss with you, while you are at it start preparing an excuse for the public, one that could save your crumbled image¡± he turned away and started chatting with the PR department of thepany.


    Hellen went back to checking the inte for the news that had caused her to receive so many hate messages. Several posts on different media pages disyed her ¡®Achievement¡¯, as Rex has called it. Nude pictures, pictures of her sleeping around with married men and some even of her doing drugs before she entered the industry.


    She remembered she had paid a huge sum of money to have that information deleted once she had her first hit and she became a small celebrity, now they were all over the inte. She held her phone tighter as she read thements under those posts.


    ¡°Scum! She appeared so innocent to the world, who would have thought she¡¯s nothing but a scum!¡±This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°I hate myself for being a fan! Never again!¡±


    ¡°How dare she reprimand our Pel who was just framed back then when she has so many skeletons in her cupboard!¡±


    ¡°You are a disgrace!¡±


    ¡°You should get out of the industry, we don¡¯t need people like you tainting our children and youths!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s just a small celebrity and she has a face to bully others! People like her should be blocked with no way out!¡±


    Despite the raging public opinion about Hellen, there are several little voices of her fans who came up to defend her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too hasty to judge our Angel! She was framed!¡±


    ¡°Yes! You just rx and wait, everything will be rified and all of you will have no face left¡±


    ¡°Angel will never do such a thing! She¡¯s always so sweet and kind!¡±


    ¡°Dragon PR team should quickly find a way to clear our Angel¡¯s name! And sue all those nderers!¡±


    Hellen was unable to focus on those little people supporting her as her eyes were glued on the screen with the bold disy of her pictures doing several immoral things. She could tell she was the main target of the person who had done this as all the faces of the other people in the picture were mosaiced and some were even deliberately cut out, but she couldn¡¯t remember who she had offended that could have so much dirt on her like this.


    ¡°Take me home!¡± She ordered thepany driver who was driving her to thepany. She could not go to thepany like this. The thought of those hungry reporters swamping the front of thepany sent shivers down her spine. Rex sneered angrily, his red and tired eyes ring at her angrily.


    ¡°You still have the nerves to give orders? Do you know how many reporters have been swamping your apartment since the news broke out?¡± He asked with a cold tone, wishing he could beat some senses into her. Seeing that she was the reason that Rex, the most level-headed person in theirpany, was angry, Hellen kept quiet and sank in her chair.


    ¡°Please, take me to the Hudson vi, I need to speak to my parents¡± she begged, feeling tired and exposed. The best ce for her to hide was at her parent¡¯s vi, no reporters were allowed into the estate area and she would be safe there. Rex seemed to have the same thoughts as he nodded to the driver through the rearview mirror.


    *****


    ¡°Oh my gosh, you look so thin and unkempt!¡± Mrs Hudson eximed worriedly as Hellen walked into the house with Rex trailing behind her. She turned to Rex and red at him angrily. ¡°Do we not invest enough in yourpany? Why is my precious Angel treated so badly?¡± She demanded, feeling sorry for her daughter who must have been bullied on the set.


    Rex nced at Hellen helplessly, wanting her to exin things to her mother. Hellen looked away, pretending not to see his signal with a sigh he turned to Mrs Hudson and began to exin. ¡°Hellen seemed to have offended someely and now she is being targeted by them, for now she would have to stay here and away from the outside world until the storm blows over¡± he exined, making Mrs Hudson frown.


    ¡°Offend someone? That¡¯s not possible! My Hellen is such a good girl and even if she did offend someone, it is their good luck to be targeted by my daughter!¡± She voiced, making Rex sneer in his head. ¡®No wonder Hellen is so unreasonable. Like mother like daughter!¡¯


    As he was about to exin further, ady the same age as Hellen walked down the stairs with a fake worried frown, she smiled smugly at Hellen when she realised no one was watching, making Hellen¡¯s blood run cold. Hellen clenched her fist by her side as she watched the otherdy join them.


    ¡°Mother, let¡¯s listen to manager Rex, the public opinion about sister Hellen is not good at the moment¡± she said and showed Mrs Hudson her phone to see everything. Hellen wanted to stop her but it was toote before she knew what was happening, her face was stinging with so much pain.


    ¡°What are all these? Did you do them? You better tell me you were framed or else!¡± Mrs Hudson threatened after pping Hellen across the face. She turned to Rex and shoved the phone in his hand. ¡°Why is all this news still floating around? Take it down! Take it down this moment!¡± She yelled angrily, her body trembling with rage and unbelief.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been trying to take them down but every time we do, those posts appear in other ces, we are currently working on finding who is behind it all¡± Rex exined. ¡°Who could it be? Who dared to go against the Hudson family in Salem city?¡± Mrs Hudson demanded.


    She could not imagine the problem she would have to face if her husband heard about this, not to talk about how such bad publicity would affect the price of the stock. She paced back and forth and immediately contacted Hudson¡¯s PR team to look into the issue.


    While everyone was bothered about the issue, Molly, Hellen¡¯s step-sister looked smug with a gloating look. ¡°Who did you offend?¡±

 Nothing but problems

    Mr. Hudson rushed into the house, his face clouded with gloom and anger. He had just received a phone call from thepany, informing him of a drastic fall in thepany¡¯s stock followed by the news of his second daughter¡¯s scandal, which had been the cause of the fall in their stock price.


    As he noticed Hellen standing like an aggrieved child his anger red up, ¡°You!¡± he yelled angrily, feeling disheartened by her constant problem-causing attitude.


    It wasn¡¯t long ago that he had dealt with a minor scandal that had to do with her and now he is faced with another major one. Looking at the mother and daughter who had brought him nothing but problems since they came into his house, he couldn¡¯t help but regret his actions from years ago.


    His eyes flickered to Molly who was standing silently on the side and his heart ached. ¡®How was I too blind to always pick Hellen over Molly?¡¯ he thought to himself and turned back to Hellen, whose face had darkened after noting the gentle eyes he had used when looking at Molly.


    ¡°Did I not warn you about going into the entertainment industry?! Now can you see what you have caused? You ungrateful child! Must you always cause me problems?!¡± he was so angry that he blindly threw a flower vase in Hellen¡¯s direction. Mrs Hudson pulled Hellen out of the way just in time for the vase to fly past her face.


    ¡°Why will you throw things at my daughter?!¡± she yelled with a red face ¡°Are you trying to disfigure her? Don¡¯t you know no one would marry her with a disfigured face! What if she wants to be in the entertainment industry? Huh? It is what she chooses! Didn¡¯t your other daughter also choose to go into fashion? Did you stop her? Why must my daughter give up her own dreams?¡± she eximed angrily while hiding Hellen behind her afraid that her husband would throw another thing.


    ¡°She just made a small mistake. Why the fuse? After you rify the whole thing she can go back to doing what she likes and theizen will forget about it in no time and won¡¯t your stock price increase by that time? Won¡¯t it be a blessing for you when she bes an international celebrity?¡± she demanded, desperately siding with her daughter.


    Mr Hidson and the rest of the people present at the sent were stunned by her unreasonable argument. ¡®How can she refer to something as high as this as a small mistake? If this was a small mistake what would be a huge mistake? Murder?¡¯ Rex thought to himself with a regretful shake of his head. ¡®I was so blinded before, I must transfer her to another manager after this!¡¯


    ¡°You¡¯ve doted on her too much and that is why she has be like this! Have you seen everything on the news about her? Sleeping around with men who are older than her father! Drugs! Did you see all of that?!¡± Mr Hudson roared, the more he thought about the effect the scandal would have on them the angrier he became.


    ¡®How was I so blind back then to treat my wife coldly because of these people?¡¯


    Hellen wanted to point at Molly, shouting that she was the mastermind behind the scandal and the one who had spread the news but she knew that her father in his current state would not listen to her without proof. At this moment she wished she had not always plotted against Molly or at least she had always done it in a subtle way that nobody always found out she was scheming against her stepsister.


    Just as their parents were arguing, Hellen got an anonymous message with several pictures that hadn¡¯t been released to the public yet, with this new set of pictures, Hellen was sure she would be sent to prison if this got out. Her face paled and her body quivered as her phone fell to the ground, with crazy bulging eyes she rushed towards Molly and grabbed her by the neck.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you done enough! What else do you want with me?!¡± she screamed with tears streaming down her flushed face. Molly pretended that she wasn¡¯t aware of what Hellen was talking about and gave her a confused frown, ¡°What is sister talking about?  What did I do to you?¡± she asked innocently, her pretentious face made Hellen¡¯s rage increase.


    ¡°You bitch! Did you do it because you are jealous of me? I became a star and Dad was going to leave thepany to me and then you do this to stain my image! I hate you! I hate you!¡± she screamed.


    ¡°I never intended to allow you into thepany, not to talk of leaving it to you!¡± Mr Hudson yelled and he returned to the butler and Rex to separate the two.


    ¡°You think I would leave thepany to you when you¡¯ve done nothing right? I sent you to school and you entered the entertainment industry how is that in rtion to business management?¡± he asked and Mrs Hudson¡¯s face paled. It was a known knowledge that Mr Gibson dote on Hellen but she knew that he was very decisive when it came to the matters of thepany.


    Molly looked at Mrs Hudson¡¯s pale face and then at Hellen¡¯s angry appearance and she snorted, ¡®This is just the beginning! You two took everything away from my mother and I and I will take everything back! Blood for blood!¡¯ she thought and silently red at the mother and daughter duo.


    ¡°Father, I don¡¯t know what my sister is talking about! I would never do anything to nder her or frame her. Besides, I have not even left the house for two weeks because my mother has grounded me. I know it¡¯s for my good that is why I obediently stayed at home, how will I have time to spread rumours about my sister?¡± she asked innocently, her bright and clear eyes looking up at her father.


    Mr Hudson sighed in his heart at how much he had made his innocent daughter suffer from his mistake, he turned to the butler and instructed him, ¡°Call Doctor Dan to have ¡®Eldest Miss¡¯ neck checked. She has to heal quickly as she will be participating in the fashionpetition of their school as a model¡± he instructed calmly. ¡°Yes Master¡±


    Mrs Hudson¡¯s face turned ugly and her hatred for Molly resurfaced. ¡®You know how to solve your first daughter¡¯s problem so quickly huh?¡¯ She bit her tongue to stop herself from annoying him further but her heart was filled with schemes on how to deal with Molly.


    Mr Hudson turned to his wife, ¡°Take her to her room and make sure she doesn¡¯t go out anytime soon. I have to deal with the aftermath of the problem you both caused me!¡± He instructed. ¡°What did yourpany find?¡± He asked Rex once all thedies were gone.


    ¡°We weren¡¯t able to trace the person who posted it but we are working towards taking all the posts down¡± Rex replied. After thinking for a few seconds, Mr Hudson calmed. ¡°Leave the post a little longer, I will use the opportunity to send her abroad. Have your boss send me the contract termination procedure. She has ruined my reputation enough¡±


    *****


    Lily pped excitedly once she had confirmed that everything needed had been packed. ¡°A few more days and we can return to school, how long has it been since I stepped into a school?¡±


    {You are making it seem like you are very old, Miss!}


    Hearing the system¡¯s reply, Lily chuckled and closed up the box. ¡°I¡¯m old enough. Anyway, we are done packing, I have nothing to do right now. I might as well learn some basic things in fashion designing¡± she mumbled andy on the bed as the system provided her next mission item.


    ¡°Basic fashion designing¡± Lily quickly buried herself in the book. If someone came in, they would think she was sleeping, however, with her eyes closed, she could read the system bookfortably without distractions. The system set a barrier around her that cancelled the outside noise while it went to browse the inte to get familiar with the outside world and keep itself busy.


    Every skill needs to be practised and so after reading the book from the first page to thest page twice, Lily decided to do some practical work and make sure she was familiar with the basics. ¡°Are you going out?¡± Chloe asked as she noticed Lilying out of her room fully dressed.


    Lily sat down by the table and served herself some breakfast. ¡°I need to buy some materials to practise for school¡± she replied with a mouthful of food and Chloe pped her gently on the back. ¡°You are ady, stop talking with a mouthful of food!¡± She reprimanded and Lily whined.


    ¡°Tch, how many times do I have to tell you? Eat and swallow before you talk!¡± Chloe added. ¡°Okay! Okay! I won¡¯t do it again!¡± She promised with a pained smile and Chloe rolled her eyes. ¡°Do you have enough money to buy what you need?¡± She asked and Lily gave a nod.


    ¡°Yes, they aren¡¯t much so I will make do with the money with me¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Then when do you n to return to school? Have you decided? I have to inform your father so he can take you back¡± she probed worriedly. Although she had agreed to allow Lily to go back to school, she is still worried about her head injury.


    ¡°Dad is so busy these days, it won¡¯t be good to burden him with taking me to school. I will get a cab to take me directly¡±. Once she was done eating, she left for the busy pedestrian market in search of cheap but quality materials to use for her practice.


    She bought some sketching pads, ones that allow her to trace already made designs and others with in sheets and then she bought several books on colour theories. She needed to get familiar with these things as soon as possible so during the purchase, she asked the seller several questions to which she was grateful that the other person took their time to reply.


    Once she was done, she went to the textile part of the market and browsed through them, getting a feel of different textiles. ¡°I told you I want this one! What do you mean someone already purchased it? It is what I want and you must sell it to me!¡± Lily heard a familiar voiceing from the store opposite the one she was in.


    She looked out and saw Merissa standing in front of the shop with a flushed face. Causing a scene, the store attendant looked helpless, not knowing how to deal with Merissa¡¯s unreasonable attitude. Lily looked away and continued browsing through the fabrics in the store.


    She had no intention of getting involved with Merissa at the moment, but her bubbles soon busted the system and issued a task.


    {Safe Miss na From Merissa And Employ Her As Your Staff.}

 Involved in family politics

    ¡°Why do you always give me tasks at the most inconvenient time?¡± Lily asked with a re as she heard the system¡¯s words.


    {I¡¯m helping you! Miss na is a talented seamstress, she was born into a family whose main source of ie is clothing. Their family is known for their exquisite hand sewing and they are considered one of the best in the market. But she is being suppressed and made to do small jobs so that she won¡¯t overshadow the main daughter from the main family branch!}


    Lily let out a sigh, ¡°Poor people truly have it hard, but I don¡¯t want to get involved in family politics, won¡¯t I be suppressed by her family if they knew I¡¯m paving the way for the unwanted daughter?¡± She asked with a frown.


    Of course, she is no Mother Teresa who goes around helping people who are in need, whatever help she renders has to have a much greater profit than the risk and from the look of things, saving na has more risk at this stage.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the power to go against her family yet and I am familiar with that kind of setting where the rich suppress apany because they helped an individual¡± she exined further.


    {What are you worrying about? As long as you win thepetition, who would easily suppress you? You have to trust me on this, Miss na will be your best ally in the fashion world, besides, if you know the identity of the main daughter, you will do everything to suppress her!}


    Lily¡¯s interest was piqued at the mention of the main daughter¡¯s identity, but before she could ask about it, the system shut her down.


    {You are not entitled to know it yet. Justplete the task already!}


    She let out a sigh and walked to the opposite store after paying for the goods she had purchased. ¡°I never expect to run into Miss Merissa here¡± Lily announced with a light tone upon getting to the scene. Merissa frowned and turned to tell the other person off when she realised that it was Lily, her dissatisfied frown disappeared immediately, reced by a fake smile.


    na rolled her eyes at the obvious change and turned to give Lily a once-over. Her eyes widened as she realised who Lily was and she smiled excitedly. ¡°Miss Lily!¡± She called out with sparkly eyes, startling Lily out of her wits.


    Merissa shot na a re before turning to face Lily again. Smiling, Lily acknowledged na. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± She asked curiously while confirming with the system if the two had met previously. It was a bad thing that she had not inherited the original owner¡¯s memories which made her cautious about rting with people around her.


    ¡°Of course, I know you! I was your underssman back then in high school and the one who took over your position at the fashion designing and fabric club!¡± She introduced herself, feeling excited and awestruck. Lily felt awkward, not knowing how to rte to this junior who looked up to her.


    {Just rte with her casually like you would your regr underssman when you were Victoria}


    ¡°I was home-schooled all my life¡± she replied with a smile, shutting up the system. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t recognise you just now, I recently got into an ident that affected my head¡± she exined with a pained smile.


    na¡¯s expression dimmed and she stared at Lily worriedly. ¡°Sorry about that¡­e in and sit, is there anything you want?¡± She pulled Lily into the store with a smile and offered her a chair.


    Merissa felt angered to the bone, seeing how na treated Lily. She had been standing under the zing sun for over half an hour and she was not offered a seat! She scoffed at how well the two were getting along, thinking, ¡®They are both people from the slums, how won¡¯t they get along well?¡±


    She knew she couldn¡¯t show her attitude at the moment, not until she won thepetition, so she put on a smile. ¡°Who would have known you are familiar with the Miss in charge of the store?¡± Shemented, attracting the attention of the two who had forgotten she was still standing there.


    na looked ufortable and hesitant as she turned back to Merissa. All the excitement and eagerness to serve Lily had disappearedpletely. ¡°Miss, I really can¡¯t sell that fabric to you!¡± She voiced.


    ¡°But since you are familiar with my senior, I can rmend another fabric with the same quality to you and I will even give you a five per cent discount. The one you want has already been bought by someone else!¡± na exined hoping she would stop being unreasonable with her offer.


    The fabric that Merissa was trying to buy was custom-made by na¡¯s family¡¯spany, specifically for a wealthy noblewoman who intended to use it for her wedding dress. Knowing how temperamental and demanding the noblewoman was, na did everything in her power to avoid provoking her. Even if it meant sacrificing Merissa¡¯s business, na knew it was better to keep the peace and avoid any conflict. After all, the noblewoman¡¯s family was one of the biggest clients of her family¡¯spany.


    Thedy had called to inform them that the driver woulde to pick up the fabric two hours ago which was why she had packed and ced them at the front of the store so as not to dy the driver when he came.


    Merrisa who only has a little knowledge about fabrics was not interested in the quality, she had been attracted by the designs on the fabric and thought it would fit her well which was why she had insisted on getting it by all means.


    ¡°Did the buyer purchase the whole bunch?¡± Lily asked with a curious frown, ¡°Yes!¡± na hastily replied, ¡°It was custom-made for a customer and we don¡¯t have the right to remake it. I have been trying to exin this to her but she doesn¡¯t understand. If I sell it to her, our small store will be sued for breaching a contract¡± she exined to Lily with an aggrieved expression, hoping Lily could help her out of the unfortunate predicament.


    Merissa, who wanted to keep throwing tantrums about the fabrics, bit her lips and red at na, she knew she could not continue to pursue the issue now that Lily was involved.


    Lily struggled to hide her amusement as Merissa¡¯s face turned an interesting shade of red and then white. It was clear that the spoiled youngdy was not used to being thwarted, and she was having a hard time epting defeat. But Lily knew better than to let Merissa off the hook, and she kept her expression neutral as she watched Merissa¡¯s face shift from angry to frustrated to resigned. Merissa knew better than to push her luck with Lily being around.


    How can others have what she doesn¡¯t?


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait for the owner to see if you can bargain with them and buy some from them? These fabrics have already been sold and your pressing on buying them will only put the store in an awkward position¡± Lily exined calmly ¡°Are you nning on using it for thepetition?¡± she asked, making Merissa go rigid at the mention of thepetition.


    She caught Lily¡¯s meaningful look and forced herself to swallow her irritation. If she admitted that the fabric was for thepetition, wouldn¡¯t that also be admitting that she already had a design worth using? The thought filled her with a sense of dread, but she knew she couldn¡¯t let it show. She needed to maintain her aloof, mysterious demeanour if she wanted to seed in her ns.


    If she does, how would she get Lily¡¯s designs to use?


    ¡°Oh no,  it¡¯s not for thepetition¡± she chuckled awkwardly, ¡°I just took an interest in the design and wanted to make a dress for myself. Since there are other fabrics of the same quality, why don¡¯t I get those?¡± she suggested and forced a smile towards Lily while ring at na on the side.


    na¡¯s face twitches while cursing Merissa in her head. ¡®How can someone change their face so much in a few seconds!¡¯


    na rolled her eyes and led her into the store to show her more fabrics that might interest her. Under Lily¡¯s scrutinizing gaze she bought three different high-priced fabrics, which na intentionally increased the price to make up for the grievances she had suffered.


    ¡°My father arranged for someone to send us to school together in three days, I wille to pick you up!¡± Merissa announced making Lily frown.


    ¡®Did they go to school together previously?¡¯ she asked the system


    {No, Merissa hates to be seen with the original body owner and except in the form she always pretends not to know the original owner}Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Hearing the system¡¯s words, Lily¡¯s eyes dimmed and she sneered coldly before turning to the waiting Merissa with a smile, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me, I will go to school when I¡¯m done. You don¡¯t have to wait for me, it will be inconvenient for you¡± she declined politely.


    ¡°Nonsense, it is not inconvenient at all. Besides, we are going in my family car so it¡¯s big enough for the two of us.  Don¡¯t we always share a room? It will be easier for us to go together!¡± She insisted.


    {Previously, the original body owner always went to school first to clean the dorm and prepare everything to curry favour with her. Now she is scared that if she goes before you, she will have to do all those things}


    ¡®Is that so?¡¯


    ¡°Since you insist let¡¯s go together, help me say my thanks to your father!¡± After getting the reassurance she wanted, Merissa gave a nod and left

 Something to get busy with

    ¡°I hate it whenever shees to our store to buy fabrics, she¡¯s always trying to find trouble with me¡± na groaned with a pout, making Lily chuckle at her cuteness. Realising what she had said, na covered her mouth and gave Lily an apologetic look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean to say bad things about your friend¡± she apologized and Lily waved her off. ¡°She¡¯s not my friend, she¡¯s a ssmate that I don¡¯t have a choice but to mingle with¡± Lily exined with a frown.


    ¡°Oh, is that so? You must be careful with her, she always looks down on people with lower status than she is! Hmph! I would have had it worse if she hade with her friends today, bunches of unreasonabledies!¡± She cussed.


    ¡°I will be careful. Anyway, I need your help with something¡± Lily said with a serious tone. ¡°What is it you want? I will help you as best as I can!¡± na guaranteed with her hands ced on her chest proudly.


    ¡°I want you to work with me in my newpany as a seamstress¡± Lily offered expectantly. Hearing her words, na sat down opposite her with aplicated expression.


    ¡°This¡­ this might be a little difficult¡± she voiced hesitantly. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It¡¯s difficult to exin but I don¡¯t want to cause you trouble¡± she sighed heavily. ¡°I can¡¯t work out the family¡± she added and Lily nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Is it because of the main family?¡± She probed and na¡¯s eyes widened in surprise before chuckling awkwardly. ¡°The matters of our family are probably a joke to outsiders because they don¡¯t want to wrong the main family daughter, they suppress the side family talented daughter¡± she tutted with a sad expression.


    ¡°I would really love to help you, Miss Lily, but my involvement with you will only bring you problems¡± she stated truthfully. ¡°They are scared if I go to work for outsiders, then people will find out that the main daughter isn¡¯t as talented and that would bring shame to the family¡¯s name, so they won¡¯t allow me to work outside. I¡¯m even forced to take another major in the university just to hide it¡± she exined dejectedly.


    Lily pressed her lips into a thin line, feeling angered on na¡¯s behalf. Having grown up in the upper ss herself as Victoria, she knows how the family dynamics go and knows it¡¯s not always as simple as it looks, but ording to the system, na would be an asset to her.


    Knowing that she wasn¡¯t about to give up easily. ¡°You can work with me underneath, you don¡¯t have to let them know. Our corporation is going to be when you are back in school and away from their gazes, how about that?¡± She offered.


    ¡°Is there a way to hide it? If there is, I would be d to work with you!¡± She agreed immediately, having been assured that no one would find out. Other people don¡¯t offer her a job after knowing she¡¯s the daughter of the side family which has been a source of unvented anger to her but now, with such hope, she¡¯d be a fool not to take it.


    *****


    ¡°Young Master Mark! There seems to be a malfunction in the program installed on the new device used for testing¡± Isaac reported hastily as Mark entered into his office to resume work. ¡°Is that so?¡± He asked calmly, his expression t without giving away the hint of what he was thinking.


    ¡°Was it there during thest testing phase?¡± He asked and Isaac shook his head, he stepped forward and ced the documents containing the data analysis for both phases of the test on the table.


    ¡°Mark picked them up and read through them without a change in expression. He had been expecting it, he knew his cousin wouldn¡¯t just sit still while hepleted another project under his nose, and the firewall Sinful had provided him allowed him to know if their system had been messed with, so he saw all theseing.


    He closed the file and handed it back to Isaac. ¡°Did anyone recently join your team?¡± Mark asked curiously. ¡°No, the sales department rmended someone to join our team for the main time so they could have insight on the product, but we declined their rmendation and told them toe to you,¡± Isaac exined.


    ¡°Do you think someone tampered with the programme from outside?¡± He asked as he realised the meaning behind Mark¡¯s question. Thinking about it he realised that that could be the only exnation for the sudden malfunction of the programme that was running smoothly before.


    ¡°Most likely¡± Mark replied casually with a slight curve of his lips. ¡°You can continue with the testing and ignore the malfunctioning, the main program that will be used will be sent in shortly and we won¡¯t have a dy in the release date¡± he instructed, putting Isaac¡¯s worried heart at ease.


    ¡®The boss must have predicted that the other party would do something, he really is the boss¡¯ he praised in his heart.


    ¡°Then we will continue, don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t alert the other party and we will look for ways to fix the malfunction¡± he exined and left. Mark turned on his system and logged into the dark lord chamber site, he went straight to Sinful¡¯s profile to check if there was an update from the other person only to realise they weren¡¯t online.


    ¡°For someone with their level of skill, their involvement with the hacker¡¯s world is minimal¡± he muttered and went to the job listing phase, he wasn¡¯t a hacker so his badge was different from the hacker¡¯s badge. His badge allows him to employ hackers but he can¡¯t be employed.


    He had decided to give Frederick something to get busy with, seeing that the other person was always in his business. While he was out socializing with some business partners the night before, he heard some rumours about the Hudson family who is also involved in Frederick¡¯s business.


    They had always been publicly known as Frederick¡¯s men and now that their stock was down by a bit, why not give them a hand and chop it in half? He navigated through the side until he got to a profile he wanted.


    Vengeful was the name and they had a red badge on their profile, clicking on it, he sent a short and precise message.


    Alpha: I have a job for you.


    Vengeful: This one that you came to look for me directly on the site, Young Master Mark, is the job huge?


    Mark rolled his eyes at the greedy emoticon the other had sent. Vengeful is one of Mark¡¯s real-life acquaintances and he had been the one who introduced Mark to the Dark Lord¡¯s chamber.


    When Mark had work that needed to be done fast and smoothly, he gave them to Vengeful, the issue with the firewall had originally been given to him but he couldn¡¯t solve it which was why Mark had posted it publicly.


    Vengeful: Hey! I heard you got the firewall issue solved, can you introduce me to the master who helped you? I can learn one or two things from them.


    Alpha: No, I don¡¯t want to introduce you two.


    Vengeful: Tch, Young Master Mark is as sting with experts as always. What do you want in exchange for a meeting?


    Alpha: It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to, but you will look down on them too much because they are only on level grey and ck on your site!


    Vengeful: You look down on me too much! I am best familiar with the behaviour of our kind, you don¡¯t have to worry about me embarrassing you in front of them! I won¡¯t, so introduce me already!


    Alpha: Okay! I will ask them, as for the job I have for you!


    Vengeful: Let¡¯s hear it, I need money a lot these days, so I¡¯m taking any job thates my way!Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Alpha: I asked you to help me keep your eyes on the Hudson group, how is it?


    Vengeful: Oh I did! But the rumours about their daughter aren¡¯t my doing. I was waiting for a go-ahead from you. Did the news spoil your n? Should we erase them?


    Alpha: No, you don¡¯t have to. Just release the news about the second daughter¡¯s gambling addict biological father and also about Mrs Hudson¡¯s underground dealings. I¡¯m trying to cut off Fredrick¡¯s cash flow.


    Vengeful: Consider it done, but apart from you, has Frederick offended someely? Someone else seems to be on his tail.


    Alpha: I¡¯m not so sure, will they interfere with us?


    Vengeful: Of course not! They are just a mere ck-level hacker, how could they interfere? But Young Master Mark, if you cut off Fredrick¡¯s cash flow at this time, the real estate project will fall into rival hands, wouldn¡¯t that affect yourpany?


    Alpha: It won¡¯t affect me and Frederick can use this opportunity to fall out with the old man. It¡¯s a win-win for me.


    Vengeful: My name looks better on you than it does on me. I will do your job, send the money and don¡¯t forget to introduce me to that Master!

 Greater countermeasure

    Mr Hudson¡¯s face turned purple in anger and frustration, he was still looking for ways to resolve the online conflict about his unruly second daughter when another set of news about the same daughter spread all through the news. ¡°Answer me! What does this mean?¡± He demanded angrily as he shoved the newspaper containing the news about Hellen¡¯s biological father into Mrs Hudson¡¯s face.


    ¡°What are you talking about? It¡¯s just a rumour, can¡¯t you see someone is targeting our daughter, Are you saying we aren¡¯t good enough for you? Would you rather have your dead wife and good daughter? Let me tell you I¡¯m not going anywhere!¡± Mrs Hudson yelled, her heart racing anxiously.


    She had been so shocked about the issue and before she recovered from the shock and found ways to deal with the news, Mr Hudson had alreadye to her demanding an exnation. She decided to muddle around it and pretend she doesn¡¯t know anything, if not, she and her daughter would lose everything they¡¯ve worked for over the years.


    ¡°You think this is just some rumour?¡± Mr. Hudson sneered. ¡°Then we¡¯ll put it to the test ¨C call your daughter and we¡¯ll do a paternity test. I have to know for sure, today. I can¡¯t have a daughter that causes this much trouble!¡± He demanded. Mrs. Hudson stood frozen, her eyes wide in shock at her husband¡¯s deration.


    ¡®Why would he have time to do a paternity test at a time like this? Isn¡¯t thepany facing a crisis at the moment? No, we can¡¯t! We can¡¯t do any paternity!¡¯ she crumpled and began to sob heavily.


    ¡°You ungrateful man! How dare you nder me to be an infidel? Did you forget you were the one who approached me back then? I told you I was not interested yet you kept pursuing me but now after so many years, you are pointing fingers at me for cheating?¡± She wailed with a sorry appearance.


    ¡°How could I have time to cheat on you back then? Did you forget I was hiding from your main wife? Don¡¯t nder me! You are the father of my daughter!¡± She continued without giving him a moment to say anything.


    As Mr. Hudson watched his wife¡¯s performance, he remembered how it all started. Back then, he had gone after her because he needed her help with hispany. He had never truly liked her, but after his first wife got into an ident, She had been relentless in her pursuit of him, telling him it was the best opportunity to make her his second wife and not his mistress. He had finally relented and brought her home as his second wife, not out of love, but out of necessity. Now, he wondered if he had made a mistake.


    His main wife and daughter never cause him problems like this.


    He would not have immediately believed the news if he did not have his doubts about his unruly daughter previously and where she got her traits from. Lost for words, he decided to let the matter go for now. There were pressing issues that needed to be dealt with in thepany. Family matters can wait.


    ¡°What is the situation now?¡± He asked his assistant, Joey, who had been waiting for him outside the house. ¡°We found the source of the news and it¡¯s pointing to a dark website,¡± the assistant replied. ¡°However, we don¡¯t have the main address of the person behind it, it was leading us to several other ces, including Hudson¡¯s headquarters.¡±


    ¡°Darkweb? What dark web?¡± Mr Hudson asked impatiently, wanting to get to the bottom of the issue as soon as possible and deal with the person targeting hispany. ¡°It¡¯s a site and the ce is mainly filled with video shreds of evidence of Mr Hudson¡¯s crimes, I¡¯m thinking the culprit specifically created the website to threaten you,¡± Joey exined cautiously and Mr Hudson stumbled.


    ¡°Who has my family offendedtely? Who could be targeting us to this extent?¡± Mr Hudson groaned out in irritation. ¡°Quite a lot of people, besides, Miss Hellen seem to have caused problems for a starting idol who has lots of backing on herst trip,¡± Joey exined


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Before the young assistant could begin to exin, Mr Hudson¡¯s private phone went off. Noticing the caller was Frederick, his face went pale. ¡°Deal with the news online about your family quickly, if this affects my project, I will kill you¡±


    ****


    ¡°I¡¯m certain Mark is behind this!¡± Michael eximed, his voice filled with anger. Frederick¡¯s frustration had reached a boiling point, and he angrily threw a vase against the wall. ¡°He must be trying to sabotage the real estate project! Has he ever shown an interest in it before?¡± he asked, his brow furrowed in thought. Mark had always been a thorn in his side, with any trouble he caused there was always a greater countermeasure prepared for him.


    ¡®But how can I allow him to release his product smoothly?¡¯ Frederick thought to himself with a frustrated sigh.


    ¡°What has he never shown interest in? I¡¯m sure he was sent from hell to frustrate my life! I have invested all my time and energy into this project and if I lose it now,  it will take a while for me to recover. And you know we don¡¯t have that much time¡±


    ¡°The old man is about to decide who his sessor is! And at this rate, all of Watson will be handed to Mark. Then will all our troubles amount to nothing? Never I can¡¯t allow it!¡± he seemed, pacing back and forth.


    ¡°When is the final bid for the project?¡± Micheal asked calmly as he walked to the mini-bar in Federick¡¯s office,  he poured himself a cup of wine and turned back to his son. ¡°It¡¯s in two days, Hudson is my main source of getting any more funds for the project. Plus, I intend to give the construction project to them so I can strengthen my backers, Federick exined while Micheal looked thoughtful.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Are you certain you will get the project?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about 80 per cent sure, the remaining 20 per cent is due to my uncertainty about Mark getting involved. I can¡¯t afford to lose this deal to Mark,¡±


    ¡°Then you won¡¯t lose it. Although Alpha is the main point of Watson group and the directors seem to focus on it the most, you can use this opportunity to rope in the directors sitting on the fence as your support system. Besides, didn¡¯t you tamper with his new project? It will dy it and we can use that to discredit him and bring the board of directors to go against him.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Mark ¨C he won¡¯t have time to deal with you and fix the project at the same time. I¡¯ll deal with him using the board, just focus on the real estate project,¡± Michael assured him, a calcting smile ying across his lips. His shrewdness showed as a glint appeared in his eyes.


    Frederick rxed and smiled, ¡°Then I will leave it to you.¡±

 Come at me if you dare

    ¡®Upgradeplete¡¯


    ¡®The firewall is ready for use¡¯


    Lily smacked her lips together as a smile appeared on her face. She will be leaving for school in a few hours and the journey to get everything back will officially begin, she needs to finish up everything she had started at home before leaving.


    As her fingers danced across the keyboard, codes appeared and disappeared on the screen in a blur. Soon, a castle interface materialised, the details rendered in intricate detail. It was as if she had painted a masterpiece on the screen, her fingers the brush and the keyboard her canvas. With a final flourish, she hit enter, and the program came to life. She sat back with satisfaction.


    She worked with purposeful efficiency, assigning different rooms to different functions within the castle. There were defence towers, control rooms, and storage rooms, all meticulously designed and rendered. Once she was satisfied with the preparations, she sent the program to Alpha for his team¡¯s testing system.


    Sinful: Here is theplete product. I attached the procedure and guides to the function of the different rooms. Have your team test it out and give me feedback as soon as possible. I will be off for a few days and I might not be avable to make corrections.


    {I can always do the testing for your product and you just have to send out finished products} the system suggested as Lily sent out the message.


    ¡°Can you test it?¡± Lily asked in surprise. ¡°Aren¡¯t you just living in my head?¡±


    {Although I don¡¯t have a physical appearance at the moment due to my low level, I can materialise into the world and I can connect to the inte, so testing the firewall should be easy}


    ¡°Alright, I will allow you to test others from now on, by the way, how many upgrade points do you need to move to the next level?¡± She asked curiously, seeing how it hadn¡¯t shown any sign of upgrading.


    {I need 1000 points to get to level one and 10000 points to get to level two}


    ¡°What? Why is it so much? Your mission doesn¡¯t give so many points and you need that many? Will it take all eternity for you to upgrade? Your creator is a¡­¡± she trailed off knowing that it was thanks to the creator that she was able to be reborn.


    Feeling aggrieved, the system let out a sigh. {At the moment you are only getting the lowest level missions and they give little rewards. Once I upgrade to level 1, you will start the main system mission, for now, you should get used to using the system}


    A beeping sounding from theputer drew Lily¡¯s attention back to the website. She noticed Alpha wasn¡¯t online and exited their chat. She froze up as she noticed the many private message notifications she got.


    ¡°What happened here? Did I suddenly be a celebrity or what?¡± She muttered to herself as she clicked on the first message. ¡°You are the best! No one has dared to ever expose Sunset like that!¡± As she read the message, she remembered she had truly set a trap for sunset and it was the perfect time to ripe.


    She had been so busy that she wasn¡¯t paying much attention to the happenings on the website. She clicked on more messages and realised most of them were praising her while some were warning her to be careful of Sunset and his friends.


    She exited the message interface and went to the main page, where hackers of different levels connect or post announcements.


    Her eyes caught an announcement tagged with her name and she smirked as she realised that it was a post from Sunset making her take the me for the failed work.


    #A NEWBIE WILL ALWAYS BE A NEWBIE. WHY WOULD YOU TAKE ON A JOB THAT YOU AREN¡¯T CAPABLE OF DOING EVEN THOUGH YOU ONLY GOT LUCKY WITH THE FIRST ONE? AS A SENIOR I WILL ADVISE YOU NOT TO ALWAYS BITE MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW!#


    #I TOLD YOU THAT TAKING ON THE JOB WAS MORE THAN YOUR LEVEL AND YOU SHOULD BE PATIENT AND LEARN, BUT YOU INSISTED ON DOING IT, NOW SEE?#


    Alongside the post, he uploaded some pictures of his chat with ¡®Sinful¡¯


    Lilyughed as she read the posts. Knowing Sunset¡¯s temperament she knew he wouldn¡¯t double-check before pushing the me on her, which made paying the trap easier than it would normally be.


    Normally, Sunset always leaves his signature on every job he does and he was sure it would be a sess. Having fallen into his trap in thest life, Lily knew the way he operated and left his permanent signature on the projectter that day. Which was what probably exposed his scheme.


    Lily clicked on the post and scrolled through thements to see some people dissing her.


    ¡®They are trying to jump high after getting lucky once how shameless¡¯


    ¡®They probably thought their beginner¡¯s luck wouldst longer. Although I still don¡¯t understand why Sunset is posting this here. It¡¯s none of our business


    ¡®@up there, Sinful hasn¡¯t been online ever since theypleted the job. Besides, isn¡¯t Sunset known for ¡®putting the newbie in their ce¡¯ Sinful is just another one of those. How pitiful¡¯


    ¡®Shy! Are you trying to get under his radar? Do you want to be targeted? Most people know the truth!¡¯


    ¡®@Sunset, don¡¯t be a scum who throws the me on others! I have seen the prophecy and it has all your signatures all over it! Guess you fell into your own trap. How amusing¡¯


    ¡®@Sunset, are you trying to make a fool of yourself? Posting fake pictures on a tform with people who do something simr every day? Or do you think we will be blinded by your half-ass conversation?¡¯


    ¡®@Sunset, You are truly shameless! You want another victim after the several ones you had! How does it feel to fall into your scheme?¡¯


    ¡®@Sinful, post the real conversation. By the way, I¡¯m a fan of yours now. This guy has been running rampant for a while now but we never had any evidence


    Like noticed that thest four people who tagged Sunset and herself were all Red Medal hackers, they had probably been attracted to the case due to Sunset¡¯s new level up. Gathering the evidence she had kept for a day like this, Lily made a post.


    #@SUNSET YOU SHOULD KNOW BETTER WHO TOOK AND DID THE JOB,  ISN¡¯T THAT WHY YOU GOT PROMOTED? DON¡¯T LUMP ME IN YOUR DISGRACE! #


    #WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU WARNED ME?  DID I REACH OUT TO YOU? WEREN¡¯T YOU THE ONE YOU CAME TO ME? I TOLD YOU I WAS A NEWBIE AND YOU TOLD ME YOU WOULD SHOW ME ONE OR TWO THINGS. NOW YOU WANT ME TO TAKE THE BLAME FOR YOUR FAILURE? IN YOUR DREAMS!#


    As she posted the second one she attached the screenshot of their conversation to it.


    #@Sunset, you two-faced idiot! You took the money and site credit and then immediately pointed to me for doing the project. Who do you take us for?  Stupid?#


    #It was good I listened to my friend and watched out for you! Otherwise, I would have been smeared with dirt for the rest of my life! Shameless asshole!#


    #Come at me if you dare! @Sunset!¡±


    As she posted thest one she got a message from Alpha.


    Alpha: It looks quite entertaining with you all over the tform¡¯s main page. Do you want me to handle it for you?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.

 Looking out for you

    Sinful: I can handle the likes of them, Mr Alpha. How is it? Have you had time to check out the upgraded one I sent to you?


    Alpha: I haven¡¯t, I logged in to see your name all over the main page. Why don¡¯t you drop your contact information, I will get back to you once it has been tested.


    Lily paused and read the chat over and over again, deliberating whether or not to get involved with the man on the other side of the screen. Due to the knowledge from her past life, she has little idea of the minorpetition between himself and his cousin, Fredrick.


    {I will advise that you keep in contact with him. He already made it clear he wants to keep working with you thest time. If you keep declining him, it might make working together in the future awkward}


    {You can¡¯t always fly under the radar, and if you want to, you¡¯ll need someone to help you cover your tracks. You can¡¯t do it all by yourself. I know you¡¯re capable on your own but even the best of us need a little help sometimes. Besides, you don¡¯t have as much influence as you had back when you were Victoria}


    Lily sighed thinking about the system¡¯s words, ¡°But he has no reason to help me at this time. The service I rendered could be done by someone else, it might just take a little more time.¡± she argued with a frown.


    {If you don¡¯t wish to give him your contact then don¡¯t or I can get another number registered for you under another identity that can¡¯t be traced}


    ¡°Please do that¡± Lily encouraged, checking the time she realised it was almost time for Merissa to pick her up, Lily stood up and made sure all our things were packed and ready to be moved.


    By the time she was done getting dressed, the system had finished generating a number for her, ¡°Can I use it? Won¡¯t I have to get a physical Card or something?¡± she asked curiously.


    Feeling proud of its work, the system raised his invisible nose to the sky and his voice became smug and proud. {I am the highest artificial intelligence in this world, how would anything I make be faulty? You can use it however you wish, all calls will be directed to your main number without it being traced}


    ¡°Alright, I will trust you,¡± she muttered and went back to theputer.


    Sinful: Here is my contact information. 678*****456, you can get in touch with me whenever you get it tested.


    As she sent the message an idea popped into her head and she typed out another.


    Sinful: I have a favour to ask, is it okay if I do?


    Mark paused his movement on the keyboard as the second message came in. ¡®They are aware of how the business world works and they know asking me a favour would make them owe me, yet they want to ask? What are they ying at?¡¯ he thought to himself and nced at the contact information sent to him.


    He clicked on the string of numbers and forwarded it to Vengeful.


    Alpha: Trace this number for me


    Vengeful: Is someone bothering you?


    Alpha: Can you not ask for more information when you are asked to work?  Why are you so unprofessional?


    Vengeful: I want to be sure that you are not getting involved in any illegal things. Someone has to keep you in check at all times.


    Alpha: I¡¯m at the airport, Celina is back.


    Vengeful: Fuck off. I will get it checked immediately.


    As the airport speaker announced his flight¡¯s arrival, he hurriedly typed out a response to Sinful chat.


    Alpha: You can ask.


    Sinful: I need an affordable building for a fashion studio. Something small for a startingpany, something between a million and two.


    Alpha: I will send you a list of buildings that meet your budget. Although you won¡¯t be able to get it around the busiestmercial area.


    Sinful: The location doesn¡¯t matter for now. I just need a good ce for the registration.


    Alpha: I will get it sent to you soon.


    Sinful: In exchange for the favour, I can help you upgrade the Nex phone.


    Lily offered after much deliberation, that she has always wanted to continue her mother¡¯s projects and have them upgraded in herst life, this time with the help of the system she would be able to fulfil that dream.


    The sound of a car thinking below her window brought her out of her thoughts as she received a message from Alpha.


    Alpha: Let¡¯s talk about this some other time.


    As Lily stepped out of the house, she saw Merissa standing by the car, her face twisted in disgust as she red at the apartment building. She looked as if she had bitten into a sour lemon, her lips pursed and her brows furrowed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Lily asked, pretending not to know the reason for her expression. ¡°Did someone do anything to you?¡± she probed further.


    Merissa forced out a smile, as she turned to Lily, ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever been here. It¡¯s quite¡­ different from what I am used to¡± she exined, trying to sound as polite as possible but her expression betrayed her thoughts. Lily hummed, without a word she picked up her bags and ced them in the car trunk.


    The drive back to school would take almost three hours. Lily closed her eyes to catch up on some sleep before they arrived but Merissa had other intentions as she struck up a conversation with her. ¡°Dad got us an appointment outside the school, so you will be able to recover properly, I have gone to check it out,  you will love it!¡± she announced with a giggle making Lily scowl in irritation.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°That¡¯s generous of Mr. Smith but I would prefer to stay on campus. Due to my head injury, it will be difficult for me to travel back and forth every day.¡± she declined with a cold tone, startling Merissa.


    Not wanting to give up the opportunity to make Lily grateful, Merissa pushed further, ¡°It will be no stress at all, besides. The school offers private transport for students living off campus, we can always go together.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so insistent on us living together?¡± Lily asked, slightly exasperated. ¡°I know we were paired up in the dormst year, but that doesn¡¯t mean we have to live together off campus. I know you want to move out, but you don¡¯t have to use me as an excuse to do so. I¡¯m perfectly content where I am, and I¡¯d appreciate it if you¡¯d stop trying to push me into your bidding. Thank you for the offer, but I¡¯m going to stay in the dorm.¡± Her tone was polite but firm, leaving no room for argument.


    Merissa red at her, unable to hide her contempt for a brief moment but knowing she was the one who wanted the favour she swallowed her dissatisfaction, ¡°I¡¯m only looking out for you.¡± She gritted out, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to stay off campus, it¡¯s okay¡±


    {Are you trying to cut off contact with her now?}


    ¡°No, but living with her will put a strain on my movements. I do intend to live off campus because of thepany but not with her. I¡¯m afraid if I choose not to give her my designs she will steal them and then make me the thief¡±


    {Then didn¡¯t you think you went too far with your response just now}


    ¡°As they drove onto therge university campus, Lily scoffed, ¡°Do you really think someone like her will take the hint? She won¡¯t back off until she gets what she wants. I can knead and push her however I want until she haspleted thepetition,¡± She stared out the window, watching the buildings and students pass by. A mixed feeling settled in her stomach as she thought about her uing days in an unfamiliar environment.


    As she got out of the car, Merissa followed her and they both walked into the student registration office, Merissa bit her lips and red at Lily¡¯s back with hatred. She walked faster until she was beside Lily, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to stay with me off campus, then it¡¯s fine just let me know when you need anything¡± she offered with a smile that did not reach her eyes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me Miss Merissa, I only have a head injury that will heal in no time, I¡¯m not a cripple I can take care of myself!¡± Lily snapped and walked faster leaving behind a livid  Merissa.


    Merissa clenched her fist I¡¯m anger and stomped her feet, ¡°You wait and see! I will make your life in school a hell until you have no one to run to except me!¡± she gritted out angrily and stormed back into the waiting car.

 Nothing but fake people

    Lily pursed her lips as she walked into her newly assigned dorm to see three other people already upying the best parts of the room. As she stepped in the once noisy room became quiet and all eyes fixed on her, watching her every move as she walked in. Lily could tell that the three of them were not fond of her from the malicious looks in their eyes.


    ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s here!¡± One of the girls spoke in a mocking, sneering tone, drawing the attention of the others in the room. ¡°If it isn¡¯t Merissa¡¯s littlep dog. I¡¯m surprised she even let you out of her sight! Why didn¡¯t you go live with her off campus?¡± Sheughed cruelly, and the other girls joined in, theirughter like a pack of hyenas circling their prey.


    She ignored their words and walked to thest bed space in the room, ¡°Did you not hear Jasmine talking?  How dare you ignore her!¡± Thedy closest to her snatched the dusting towel and sneered into her face, daring her to say something back, ¡°Paupers really do have nasty manners, have you never been told not to ignore people when they talk to you? How dare you pretend you didn¡¯t hear her talking to you? Or did you lose your hearing in the ident?¡± she added earning a death re from Lily who took back the towel and continued cleaning without saying a thing.


    ¡°Who are these people?¡± Lily asked the system as she began arranging her things.


    {These are your ssmates. Previously as Lily, you often offended them because Merissa never liked them. They are no good people so if you may, avoid them as much as you can}


    ¡°Avoiding them is out of the question as long as we share the same room, they will always be in my face about everything and anything. I just need to find a way to deal with them and make them realise that I am not a pushover¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    {You have my support. You can use them as practice before dealing with Merissa. I don¡¯t mind helping you out since I¡¯ve been a little bored recently}


    Lily rolled her eyes at the system¡¯s attempt to sound mischievous. Once she was done cleaning andying the bed sheets, she picked up some clothes and walked into the bathroom to clean up.


    Jasmine watched Lily walk away, her fists clenched with rage. ¡°Who does she think she is, acting all high and mighty?¡± she grumbled, her voice filled with hatred and malice, ¡°Isn¡¯t it all because she has Merissa backing her up?¡± Prisci, the girl from the other time, quipped, making Jasmine even more angry.


    For generations, the Smith and Shane families had been bitter rivals, a rivalry that spanned generations and touched every aspect of their lives. From business to social gatherings, they were always inpetition, vying for the top spot.


    Their offspring were no exception, and whenever they were together, it was always a battle toe out on top. Whether it was a school project or a sports game, they were locked in a fierce rivalry that showed no signs of letting up.


    Both Merissa and Jasmine had gone after Lily when they had resumed, both wanting her to join their ranks so they could gain the upper hand. However, due to Lily¡¯s parents working with Merissa¡¯s parents, Merissa naturally had the upper hand, which made her easily suppress Jasmine.


    ¡°She¡¯s no longer with Merissa, I saw them argue in front of the registration office today, why else would you think Lily is no longer staying with her?¡± The third girl in the room, Lydia, asked with a smug look on her face, ¡°You should have seen Merissa¡¯s face when Lily walked out on her, it was hrious! She looked like she could tear down the whole ce,¡± she added with a smallugh


    ¡°What could have caused their fallout? Lily always did her bidding withoutints previously, howe she¡¯s showing her little ws at this time?¡± Jasmine asked curiously.


    ¡°Did you not hear about it? Merissa¡¯s post on the team previously belonged to Lily as the top student in ss but Merissa plotted against her and got her hospitalised!¡± Lydia chimed in with a gossipy tone making the other two girls gasp in shock.


    ¡°My boyfriend, who¡¯s a friend of Lily¡¯s boyfriend in the modelling department, told me everything,¡± Lydia said smugly, a malicious glint in her eye. ¡°He even told me how it was Lily¡¯s boyfriend who came up with the idea that Merissa used in dealing with her! Isn¡¯t it funny, how she¡¯s been yed for a fool this entire time?¡± Lydia gossipped.


    Lily walked out of the bathroom pretending she didn¡¯t hear all that they had said, she picked up her phone andptop and gotfortable on the bed ready to start learning. As she turned on her phone she realised she had a call and a message from someone named Zach, ¡°Who is he?¡±


    {That¡¯s the original body owner¡¯s boyfriend. They started dating during their freshman year and he has remained at the top of his ss due to his beauty and the fact that he always models your work duringpetitions}


    ¡°He is the one they are talking about then?¡±


    {Yes}


    {This girl is so pitiful, surrounding herself with nothing but fake people ready to tear her into shreds just because shees from a humble background}


    Lily pursed her lips and read the message before casually replying, setting the phone aside and picking up herptop to see if there was anything that needed to be attended to on the website, {Are you going to meet up with him?}


    ¡°Yes,¡± she replied casually and logged onto the hacker¡¯s website with one swift move.


    {Isn¡¯t cutting off all contact with him now the best? Why would you even agree to meet a scum like that?}


    ¡°Cutting him off is only letting him escape. I won¡¯t let anyone who cheats on me or the original owner of this body go scot-free, all of them will have to pay in due time.  As for the Smith family, I will slowly and surely remove all of their backbones and then crush them in one fell swoop. Just wait and see!¡±

 My replacement

    Lily walked into the cafe with an expressionless face, unbothered by the many eyes and the gossipy voices that followed her around the campus. The news about her having a fallout with Merissa because Merissa took her spot in thepetition had spread like wildfire and in an environment where being from a humble background was a crime of its own, she was pointed at and med for being petty.


    ¡°Tch, what is so special about her? Just a little more talented than others and she feels like the world revolves around her¡±


    ¡°If not for Merissa¡¯s parents would she even be here in the first ce? Wouldn¡¯t the spot belong to Merissa?  Such an ingrate!¡±


    ¡°I tell you! Paupers have an entitlement mentality! Let¡¯s see how she survives in the school now that she has fallen out with her main backer¡±


    ¡°Did you forget, her boyfriend Zach?¡±


    ¡°What about Zach? Only a blind person like her would not see that he has been using her all along! She¡¯s pathetic I tell you!¡±


    ¡°What is this about it being because of Merissa¡¯s parents that I¡¯m here in the school?¡±Lily asked the system, curious as she listened to the not-so-subtle gossip from the girls passing by.


    {Because the original owner always follows Merissa around like a puppy. Marissa lied that the original owner was doing it because she was grateful that Merissa¡¯s parents had sponsored the original owner to school. Only a few know that she actually has a half schrship from the school and the other half is being paid by her and her parents}


    ¡°Such a naive girl, no wonder she died to the plots of others, but who am I to throw me at others?¡± she snickered and continued walking into the cafe, looking around the cafe in search of her target. Her supposed boyfriend who had invited her out for lunch.


    {There he is!} The system¡¯s cheerful voice rang out in her head, and her eyesnded on a man sitting alone in the corner. He was handsome, no doubt, but his expression was one of displeasure, and contempt as he red at the small gift box in front of him. Lily looked him over critically, her mouth curving into a small smile. ¡°Compared to Alpha, he¡¯s maybe a one out of ten,¡± she muttered and the system chuckled.


    {Why are you suddenlyparing the two? Are you interested in Alpha?}


    Like ignoring its words and walking towards the table casually, Zach lifted his head as he saw Lily approaching, without hiding the contempt in his eyes, ¡°You kept me waiting for two hours!¡± he eximed angrily as Lily took her seat casually. ¡°I just got out of ss¡± she replied calmly and he scowled.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Your sses ended two hours ago, did you intentionally keep me waiting as a payback?¡± he asked with an using tone, Lily tilted her head to the side an innocent look of confusion appearing on her face, ¡°Payback? What payback?¡± she asked in confusion and Zach sighed, the irritation on his face disappeared under the fake smoke mask.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault I shouldn¡¯tsh out at you like that, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯te to check up on you after your ident, I wanted to but I was busy with thepetition preparation and all that, plus I had to go home for some family business,¡± He exined while reaching out to touch her hands, she moved them away from the table and ced them on herp, she sneered but it was hidden under the covers of her hair,  she forced a smile as she looked up at him.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t keep you waiting out of spite, I had some makeup sses to make up for the sses I missed due to my ident,¡± she replied calmly and expressionless, without giving away what she was thinking.


    As if her words were bouncing off a wall, Zach pushed out the gift box towards her with a smile, ¡°Here, I got you this when I went home. I asked my sister to help me pick it out, it¡¯s a limited-edition product from that designer you like so much, Roses, you try it on. Take it as an apology for me noting to check up on you, I hope you can forgive me¡± he urged.


    The coldness in Lily¡¯s eyes deepened as she held the ¡®limited edition product¡¯ in her hands. It was nothing more than a cheap imitation of the original product. ¡®I was wondering where the girl got so many unused imitations of these things in her closet, who would have thought it was given to her as ¡®limited edition¡¯ goods by her loving boyfriend¡¯ she muttered with a deep form and pursed lips.


    {This scum is too cheap! He couldn¡¯t even get her a more expensive mutation, this thing cost less than 50 dors in total, you should teach him a lesson! What a scumbag!} the systemmented as it essed the gift.


    Lily ced the ne back into the box and smiled up at him, ¡°You should know that I am no longer in thepetition team. Have you chosen someone else to model for?¡± she asked and Zach froze.


    He had originally invited her to talk about his partnership with Merissa and also used the opportunity to lessenmunication with her so he could pursue Merissa like he had always wanted to. He wasn¡¯t expecting her to mention it first, not to talk about the nonchnt attitude she had used.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t even excited about the present!¡± he thought to himself. As he took in her calm expression, his heart began to race, thinking she already found out about the cause of her ident and also knew he had been behind it. ¡®I can¡¯t say anything until I have confirmed she knows something!¡¯


    He chuckled awkwardly, his eyes filled with pity and faked concern, ¡°Merissa reached out to me to partner with her team¡­ I haven¡¯t agreed though. I wanted to consult you before I do. After all, you¡¯ve always been my designer and I, your model. It won¡¯t be good if I just up and leave after your ident¡± he lied.


    Lily gave a nod to acknowledge the waiter who had brought their milkshake, she took a sip and gave an approving nod, ¡°It¡¯s sweet I like it¡± shemented.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you always hate sweet drinks?¡± Zach asked with aplicated expression. As a model, he always hated taking sweet things and tried as much as possible to abstain from taking them. And knowing that, the original body owner had always gone with his likes and dislikes making her pretend to hate sweet things.


    ¡°I guess my taste has changed after my ident, things that excite me no longer do and things that don¡¯t excite me do¡± She shrugged and took another sip with relish making his face twitch in annoyance. ¡°If you like it so much I can always get more for you in the future,  but you have to watch what you eat¡­ ¡± Lily understood the subtle meaning behind his words but chose to ignore it.


    It wasn¡¯t his ce to dictate what she ate and she owes nothing to him.


    The reason Lily had agreed to meet with Zach in the first ce was so she could get a sense of the kind of person he was before taking any action against him. Now that she¡¯d observed him for a while, she felt confident that her n to deal with him would be easy and foolproof. Such a superfluous person with two faces was the easiest to deal with when their weak point had been grasped.


    Know your enemy and know peace.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind your partnership with Merissa after you aren¡¯t my exclusive model, you can choose whoever you want to work with without needing to consider my feelings. And considering that she is the second-best in our year, it¡¯s only normal she would be my recement and some of the work you will be working with wille from me anyway since the supervisor wants me to contribute to thepetition, you have nothing to worry about, you are still my model either way, ¡± She said with an innocent mocking smile.


    Zach clenched his fist tightly under the table, he could read the meaning behind her ridiculing it and that upset him to no end.


    Who was she to think she was better than the youngdy of the Smith family? Before either of them could say anything more amotion broke out around them and whispers of gossip filled the room. Curious about the cause of the excitement, Lily looked toward the entrance of the cafe and her eyes widened, ¡°What is he doing here?¡±

 Let鈥檚 break up

    {Now that he is here we can do a directparison. Your little boyfriend looks and feels nothingpared to the young master Mark. Look at his elegance and noble appearance,pared to the sloppy appearance of a boy who hasn¡¯t seen the world. It¡¯s a minus 10 out of 10}


    Lily¡¯s lips turned up in amusement as she heard the systempare the two males to one another. She had involuntarily done it the first time but seeing how the system is she noticed the ambiguity in her action and her face flushed in embarrassment.


    Zach who had been looking at her got angry thinking she was blushing because she admired the other man like the rest of the girls trying to get his attention. A sneer appeared on his face and he gave her a condescending look, ¡°Mr Watson will never go for someone like you, so don¡¯t get your hopes up for nothing. You are way out of his league, you won¡¯t even be worthy to clean his shoes,¡± he ridiculed, his voice filled with malice and mockery.


    As the system heard his words he wished he already had a physical body so he could teach the idiot boy a lesson on behalf of the host. {How dare he talk to the host like this! He isn¡¯t afraid of sudden death? Bringing him down will destroy all his confidence!}


    Lily chuckled in joy and took thest sip of her milkshake. Themotion in the cafe had died down a little as the protagonist of the uproar had gone to sit in the farthest corner of the cafe with the beautifuldy who came with him.


    As Lily gazed at the girl in front of Young Master Mark, she felt like she was looking at a fairy straight out of a fairytale. Her brown hair was silky and shone in the light, framing her oval face and entuating her delicate features. Her knee-length floral dress made her look like a woond nymph, and her gentle, serene temperament only added to the effect. It was as if she¡¯d stepped out of a fantasy and into the real world, bringing with her a sense of otherworldly grace. She couldn¡¯t help but think they were a match made in heaven and they fit each other perfectly.


    If either of the two heard her thought they would be devastated that anyone would think of them as couples! Both were the opposite of a coin, only the outworld look waspatible, but other things were not!


    The scoff from the person sitting in front of her brought her back to her situation and she sighed, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯ve always seen me as a vain person and think I would go after every rich person I see. Is that why you slept with Merissa behind my back? Or the reason you kept giving me these ¡®limited edition goods¡¯? Or why you keep saying those bad things about me to your friends?¡± as she mentioned his crimes one after the other Zach gaped at her, unable to believe his ears.


    Wasn¡¯t she always so naive that she couldn¡¯t see things happening around her?


    Since when has she known about these things and kept them in her heart? ¡®In the end isn¡¯t she after my money? Why else would she stay after knowing?¡¯ he thought to himself and sneered.


    ¡°What are you talking about?!¡± he snapped, pretending not to understand her words. Although he was jumping ship to Merissa, both of them still needed her help to remain top in their sses. Losing her now was bound to bring unwanted problems in the future. ¡°How could you nder me like that! Merissa and I are nothing but partners, and we have just gotten to working together. Even if you are angry about it, you can¡¯t nder Merissa like that after all she¡¯s done for you!¡± he eximed with a raised voice attracting the people sitting around them.


    Lily remained unfazed by his outburst, she brought out her phone from the small purse she had brought along and scrolled through it without ncing at him, when she found what she was looking for, she looked up at him, eyes her filled with coldness and contempt, ¡°Let¡¯s break up and never see each other again¡± she demanded and Zach scoffed feeling full of himself.


    How could a pauper break up with him, a young master from a rich family?  He couldn¡¯t believe that Lily would just break up with him after all the ¡®expensive¡¯ gifts he had given to her.  With this thought in mind, he had a condescending look on his face, ¡°If all of this is because I didn¡¯te to check on you when you were sick, I already apologized. Do you have to take it this far?¡±


    The idea that a girl of such humble origins could break up with him, a young master from a wealthy family, was unexinable. He had given her so many ¡®expensive¡¯ gifts, how could she ever truly break up with him?


    ¡®It¡¯s a threat she could never break up with me?!¡¯ With that thought in mind, his attitude became even more condescending.


    With a haughty expression, he asked, ¡°Is this really just because I didn¡¯te to visit you when you were sick? I¡¯ve already apologised ¨C do you really have to take it this far?¡± Lily¡¯s eyes narrowed, her voice taking on a cold edge. ¡°No, I could never be bothered with your presence in the first ce, it wouldn¡¯t change a thing whether you are there or not, you aren¡¯t the doctor treating me,¡± she replied, startling Zach out of his wits. His face turned cold and he was about to reprimand her when she lifted the phone to his face with a smirk.


    Zach paled and slumped back into the chair, his eyes filled with horror, as he stared at the image of him and Merissa in apromising position, ¡°I have more of this where it came from, I don¡¯t want to see you around me again. We are over. I have wasted my time loving the wrong person all this time and I feel disgusted with myself. If you appear before me I will send this to the school tform and you know what that means, your career is over before it even began¡± she threatened and picked up her bag, gesturing for the waiter toe to take the money.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your charity of fake goods anymore. I was going to leave you for a while before dealing with you but I can¡¯t take your bile-inducing attitude anymore. I will bring all your gifts to you, you can do whatever you want with them, scum!¡± Zach stayed frozen in his seat unable to wrap his head around how things had suddenly developed to this.


    When has she be so cold and decisive? Dealing with people who offended her?


    Has she always been like this or did this happen after her ident?


    Did she find out the reason behind the ident and who plotted it?  No way, she can¡¯t find out!


    He watched her retreating figure without daring to say a thing until she had left. His phone went off as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief only for his blood to run cold and he turned a shade paler than a dying person after checking the content of the message. It was a picture of Merissa pushing Lily down the stairs with an excited face. Attached to the picture is a short message that reads,


    ¡®Tell her about it and you both can bid your social life goodbye!¡¯


    Zach¡¯s soul trembled in fear as he read the content over and over again.


    It was over! He is finally doomed!


    If he had been a normal rich young master he wouldn¡¯t have been so scared of a small threat from the likes of Lily, but his position at home wasn¡¯t good and he is the least liked among his five brothers. If the news about his involvement in her ident got out his family would suppress it and paypensation to keep the family name clean but the little advantage he had would be gone within the blink of an eye.


    Who would have thought the gentle girl who allows others to walk over her like a pushover was a sleeping wolf that only needed a little push to bare her fangs?


    ¡®I have to stay away from her!¡¯


    He got up to leave but saw Lily standing by the door with a worried expression, she turned to look at the corner where Young Master Mark was sitting with his guest just in time for the youngdy to copse with a red face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor and I don¡¯t have medicinal knowledge. How do you expect me to treat someone? I don¡¯t even know what kind of allergic reaction she is having!¡± Lily argued as she saw the content of her new mission.N?velDrama.Org content.


    (Help Celina Williams treat her allergic reaction symptoms. Mission reward: 100 upgrade points. Mission prop: Healing serum 001)


    {You just have to follow my instructions and apply the serum and she will be fine!}


    ¡°What serum? Did you forget the identity of the other person? If anything happens to his guest under my care I don¡¯t have the power to go against their mighty group ah, don¡¯t get me in trouble!¡± she argued.


    Feeling pressured, the system let out an exasperated sigh {Are you not tempted by the reward point? With this, I can finally upgrade and you can unlock more system functions!} it urged hoping Lily would bite the bait.


    ¡°Your upgrade is not as important as my life and my revenge, don¡¯t push me into hell!¡± Lily¡¯s eyes dimmed as the reaction got worse and Mark was searching through thedy¡¯s bag for her medication. His pursed lips and expressionless face gave nothing away about his thought.


    Seeing he couldn¡¯t find what he was looking for she sighed and began to walk forward, noting her change of mind the system jumped up in excitement and quickly told her the location of the serum.


    {The serum is in your bag, all you have to do is slip three drops into her mouth and make her swallow it she will be fine!}


    ¡°You have lots of exnation to do about how I suddenly have healing serum in my bag!¡± a sweat broke out of the system¡¯s invisible face and it disappeared into the back of her mind toe up with a believable excuse.


    Lily walked closer and bent beside thedy, ¡°I can help, she¡¯s having an allergic reaction I can help you!¡± she voiced out and Mark red at her.


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡± he demanded coldly. He had already called his driver and the other still had seven minutes to be there, which was a long time to keep Celina in that state.


    ¡°I have a serum-free that will help her lessen the effect before she¡¯s taken to the hospital, I promise it¡¯s harmless, I can take it to show you¡± she suggested Mark frowned before checking his watch to see they still had five minutes. He was about to agree when someone from the crowd scoffed.


    ¡°Are you trying to use your cheap things to curry with the young master Mark? How despicable!¡±

 Let鈥檚 find a way to deal with her

    Lily looked up to see it was her roommate, Jasmine who had made the snarky remark, ¡°If you have a better solution why don¡¯t you bring it out instead of dying someone who does?¡± She snapped with a re startling Jasmine and her entourage, ¡°You!¡± Jasmine yelled but after getting a re from the girl she kept quiet and turned to Mark.


    ¡°Young Master Mark, it would be better if you find someone else to help you! This girl is too poor to have anything that can help, I bet whatever she is applying will only cause more damage¡± Jasmine exined, her voice gentle and pretentious. With an eye roll, Lily turned back to Mark to make sure he was still cool with her using the serum.


    Mark ignored Jasmine¡¯s words and gave Lily a piercing stare, ¡°Use it¡± he ordered and Lily immediately got to work, her hands trembling from the fear of the unknown.


    What if this serum from an unknown origin adds to the problem?  What will I do? Will I have to die again without getting my revenge?


    She thought to herself in panic but her expression remained calm without betraying her thoughts. Haven being ignored, Jasmine¡¯s face burned with shame and embarrassment.


    She red at Lily hoping the medicine would hurt thedy so she could be punished by the Watson group. Just as shepleted her thoughts, thedy began to cough heavily and hold her stomach while vomiting ck substances with a horrid smell.


    Jasmine had a gloating look on her face and turned to mock Lily, ¡°Are you trying to kill, Young Master¡¯s guest out of jealousy?!¡± she screamed and the other people gathered stared at Lily in horror, ¡°Did you poison her?! Confess!¡± she grabbed Lilly roughly and yanked her up.


    Mark pursed his lips, his expression still as calm as it was when he walked in, he checked Celina¡¯s pulse and saw that it was beating normally before letting out a silent sigh. He was not ready to face her parent¡¯s wrath, not at a time like this anyway.


    His aunty would definitely skin him alive if anything happened to her. But then again What is that ck liquid?


    Lily, who wasn¡¯t sure what was happening, began to panic in her head, calling out to the system that was hiding away in the corner of her mind, ¡°What now?  What is she vomiting ck liquid?¡± as the system heard her words it reluctantly came back out and began exining.


    { The serum I gave you is a healing serum made by a great physician. It can heal any minor disease and wash out the toxins in the body. It is usually not free, you have to buy it with upgrade points next time so keep that one safe!}


    ¡°Then what is the ck thing? Answer me quickly!¡± she demanded while being roughly handled by Jasmine.


    {It¡¯s the toxin in her body! Don¡¯t worry she is fine now, nothing will happen to her! Very soon she will starting after you for more of the serum}


    Mark¡¯s calm and gentle tone interrupted her conversation with the system, ¡°Let her go, my cousin is ok¡± he announced as he held the already calm Celina in hand. Lily¡¯s heart calmed and she swatted Jasmine¡¯s hand away with a pointed re, ¡°Miss Jasmine, please watch how you treat others because you are from a more fortunate family does not mean you should always look down on others, I won¡¯t take the disrespect next time!¡± she threatened and picked up her discarded purse.


    ¡°Then what is that thing she vomited? Did you poison her? Doesn¡¯t everyone here know your evil heart? You want to leave after almost killing someone, never!¡± Jasmine sneered.


    Lily rolled her eyes and turned to Mark, ¡°The ck thing is the toxin in her body, you should get her checked¡± she exined and turned to leave.


    As she was about to walk away, Mark¡¯s driver who had received a signal to stop her blocked her way, ¡°What is the meaning of this? Can¡¯t you see thedy is already okay?  Must you rich people always throw your weight around? I only helped you. I¡¯m sorry if you saw it as disrespect because of your narrow mind¡± She sneered angrily but the man remained stoic awaiting his boss¡¯ next instruction.


    An amused glint shes through Mark¡¯s face but it quickly disappears as he moves closer to Lily, ¡°Allow me and my cousin to treat you to dinner as a thank-you and to apologise for the disrespect you¡¯ve suffered because of us,¡± he offered calmly but earn a re from Lily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your charity. I only did what I did to help a person,¡± she said and sidestepped the driver as she walked out of the cafe. The driver turned to look at Mark, silently asking if he should pursue her, ¡°Let her go. We will take Celina to the hospital for a further check-up¡± he instructed and the driver gave a nod.


    Lily, who had just escaped the ws of death let out a sigh of relief as she rounded the corner with no one in sight, ¡°That was exhrating.¡± she breathed out and rested against the wall.


    (Mission aplished, 100 upgrade points received)


    (The system will go into an upgrade mood for twelve hours, the host should rx in case there is no contact within this period)


    (If the Host encounters any danger during this time, the system will activate self-protection mode and the host will be brought to safety. However, it is advised that the host stays out of danger)


    (The host will be in a weakened state during this time so minimise your movement if possible, or you might copse in the middle of the road)


    Lily felt dumbfounded as she read the system¡¯s message. She felt that her worldview had been broadened after today¡¯s happenings.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Wasn¡¯t the system just something in her mind?


    How could it make things appear in her bag out of nowhere?


    The more she thought about these things the more she wanted to know more about the system and its origins and why it had chosen her to bond with.


    Following the system¡¯s advice to minimise her movements, she decided to return to her room and continue practising her sketching.


    Thepetition was drawing nearer and if she was going to join she had to win beautifully. There is no in-between or a loss.


    Upon getting back to her room, she noticed none of her roommates were in and let out a sigh of relief, but then she noticed someone had gone through her things.


    Her eyes dimmed in anger as she checked the things to see nothing had gone missing. She picked up herptop to watch the recorded video from the pinhole camera she had inserted in the vase close to her bed.


    Since the pinhole camera was only meant to capture her side of the bed she didn¡¯t notice the movement on the other side but she could hear their words.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find a way to deal with her! She¡¯s so disrespectful!¡±


    ¡°Trying to show us she¡¯s her person now that she¡¯s no longer Merissa¡¯s dog? Impossible!¡±


    ¡°Wait, I have an idea! Jasmine, you bought expensive jewellery on your trip to Parisst time, right? We can nt it in her things and report to the school council that it went missing, ording to the school rules, she¡¯ll be rusticated¡±


    ¡°Of course! Why have I never thought of it? That¡¯s a good idea! Let¡¯s pick out more things from you two and add them so they will know she¡¯s used to stealing! Good idea!¡±


    Lily scowled as she continued to watch them ce the stolen ¡®Items¡¯ under her bed. Once she was done watching she packed all the things and ced them deep into Prisci¡¯s things since she had been the one who came up with the suggestion.


    The door was pushed open, as Lily picked up her sketch pad. She lifts her head to see her roommates walk in with two female security officers. With a raised brow she looked at them all as if silently asking what they wanted.


    Prisci pointed to Lily while talking to the officers, ¡°She is the one who stole it, I saw her sneaking around this morning when I came back to get something I forgot!¡± she reported. ¡°Stole what?¡± Lily asked in confusion,  pretending not to know what the other was talking about.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for my Jewellery and some other expensive things and Lydia is also looking for her purse, Prisci also lost her jewellery, we¡¯ve been staying together since we got to this school and none of our things have ever gone missing until you camest night! You have to bring them out!¡±Jasmine sneered.


    Lily turned to the female officers with innocent eyes, ¡°I didn¡¯t steal their things and you can check¡± she suggested and got off the bed. Seeing her give room to the officers to check the three shared a look and silently giggled while throwing Lily a smirk.


    Just wait, you¡¯ll be out of this school in no time!


    They thought as the officers continued checking Lily¡¯s things, ¡°If you wanted those things we could have given you, you didn¡¯t have to steal at all. How much are those things, if we knew you wanted them why wouldn¡¯t we give them to you, we all know your family¡¯s condition isn¡¯t good and you can¡¯t afford the luxury. We won¡¯t be hard on you at all¡± Lydia taunted.


    ¡°But now you will be thrown out of school for stealing, how pitiful!¡± Prisci joined in.


    Lily remained quiet while maintaining her expressionless face, after the officers had checked the whole ce she reminded them to check under the bed and her three roommates snickered, excited that their n wasing to fruition.


    However, their smiles soon disappeared as the officers returned with nothing like the stolen items, ¡°We didn¡¯t find anything you reported missing in her property, you should apologise to your roommate for defamation¡± an officer suggested and the three paled.


    ¡°No way, I saw her snooping around in the morning, she must have stolen it and kept it somewhere, check again!¡± Prisci urged further.


    ¡°You were here when we searched, were you not? And you saw us search every ce that is marked hers. If she had taken it we would have found it!¡± the other officer snapped. She could tell from a nce that the three were trying to frame the poor girl but as her responsibility she had no choice but to search.


    ¡°We will search the other parts of the room. Is that okay with you?¡± the other officer asked.


    ¡°Yes please do!¡± Jasmine replied, already having a foreboding feeling about the whole ce.

 Found it

    The officers searched the room, their eyes scanning every nook and cranny, leaving no stone unturned. They moved quickly but methodically, their movements practised and were efficient. Nothing was overlooked, nothing left to chance.


    One of them wanted to prove Lily¡¯s innocence, having been from a humble background herself and the other just wanted to get the work over with so she could go back to watching the movie she had been seeing.


    Prisci¡¯s side of the room was thest ce to be searched and while everyone had different emotions showing all over their faces, Lily remained calm as she stood by the window with an expressionless face.


    ¡°Found it¡± the first officer announced as he brought out the stolen items from  Prici¡¯s wardrobe. Horrified gasps filled the air as all eyes turned to face the pale-looking Prici who instantly began to shake her head in denial, ¡°Who¡¯s side of the room is this?¡± the second officer asked and Lily pointed to Prici which earned her a re from the other girls.


    ¡°She was the one who saw me stealing the things. I didn¡¯t take it, I promise I didn¡¯t. I left for ss easier than the three of them. ¡°You can ask, Officer E, since I took a cup of coffee from her in the morning while leaving for ss,¡± Lily exined and walked back to her bedside with an expressionless face, ¡°You canpare the timing to the other¡± she added.


    ¡°There must be a misunderstanding¡± Jasmine gritted out and red at Lily with eyes filled with malice and contempt. ¡°I was in the room with Prici and we both left to ss together all through the day, there is no way she could have stolen the items¡± She exined and the first officer sneered.


    ¡°You were together a day?¡± she asked suspiciously and Jasmine gave a nod, ¡°We have a party to attend and so we came back to prepare what to wear when we found those things missing and we immediately reported it to you, it could only get, or someone from the outside that stole it¡±


    ¡°Did you somehow forget that the wardrobe where the stolen items were seen has a code key?  Seeing how none of you trusts her as she was just assigned to youst night, I doubt that you gave her the codes to your things,  how would she have been able to get the stolen items in there?¡± the second officer asked with a knowing look and all three of them kept mute at the subtle hostility in her voice.


    Lily walked towards them, her schemes were finally heading in the direction she wanted them, ¡°I never knew you guys hated me so much that you intended to set me up and get me kicked out of the school. Why would I steal your things?¡± she demanded innocently, gathering sympathy from the officers.


    ¡°I have done nothing to deserve your harassment, yet from the moment I moved into this dorm, you three have attacked me without mercy. Do I not deserve a chance to change my fate and that of my family? Do I not deserve to live in peace and study like the rest of you? Why does ss matter? Why does social standing matter? In the end, everything you have is the fruit of your parents¡¯bour, not your own. I don¡¯t see you working hard or making anything of yourself ¨C all you do is scheme and gossip, like a pack of jealous hyenas.¡± Lily snapped with an aggrieved innocent look, melting the hearts of the officers to support her.


    ¡°I will leave this dorm if that is your wish, but not until you three apologize for spreading lies and nder about me!¡± She spoke with a steely conviction, her voice ringing with authority andmand. ¡°You may have thought you could destroy my reputation and my future, but you are wrong. I am not going to let you get away with this,¡± she added firmly, making Jasmine and her minions red with anger.


    Lydia¡¯s jaw tightened, her eyes shing with anger as she red at Lily. She stood, fists clenched, in a confrontational stance, her bodynguage radiating hostility. She resented Lily for her sess and her ability to hold her head high, for her talent and intelligence that allowed her to be one of the top students in the school.


    She, like Lily is also a student from a humble background who was sponsored into the school by a rich family, waiting for her to be their cash cow when she graduated. Suddenly being thrown into the life of the rich and extravagance made her loathe her background to the bone and when she sees people like Lily, who defines, the natural order of the poor submitting to the rich, she gets jealous and angry.


    ¡°You were the one who stole it! Prisci could never steal this thing, her family could afford it unlike yours¡± she bite out with an aggressive tone.


    Lily narrowed her eyes at Lydia threateningly as she stepped back to create a distance between them, ¡°You say that I stole the items, repeating it like a broken stereo, do you have evidence of me stealing it? Provide your evidence!¡± Lily demanded angrily and Lydia¡¯s face drained colour, ¡°She said she saw me taking the items. Should she have recorded it as a means of evidence? If she can¡¯t provide the evidence, hurry up and apologise or I will get the school board involved!¡± she threatened.


    Jasmine pulled Lydia back, ¡°We won¡¯t press charges against you so we can all let it go¡± she voiced and Lily scowled in anger. ¡°Charges? What charges? I didn¡¯t steal it so what charges would you be letting go of?  Excuse me, officer, I want an apology from the three of them or else I¡¯m charging them with defamation with evidence!¡± she exined and pointed to her phone sitting by the window, quietly recording what had been happening.


    The officers gave a proud nod in their hearts. Happy that Lily was smart enough to deal with the bullies on her own. However, they could not help but worry for her as she would be the one to suffer if she charged the rich kids.


    Jasmine gritted her teeth and red at Lily, her heart filled with indignation and revenge as she forced out a smile while wanting to hold Lily¡¯s arms like they were friends. Seeing this Lily stepped back, ¡°Watch it, we aren¡¯t close enough to be buddying up to one another¡± she warned.


    ¡°You should apologise to her¡± the first officer voiced out, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want more, she just needs you to apologise to her, while three of you were advocating to send her out of the school¡± she added.


    After several back and forths, the three finally realised that they were at a disadvantage and without apologising they would not be leaving so they decided to apologise. While nning to deal with Lily at ater time. ¡°We didn¡¯t mean it. The things were expensive and we got a little jittery, that¡¯s why. Sorry for the inconvenience caused¡± They gritted out and Lily smiled.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°Whatever, I hope it doesn¡¯t happen next time. I won¡¯t be as forgiving as I am now¡± she threatened and went to sleep

 It must be the weird girl

    Lily slept through her rm the following day, after the exciting night with the officers and her scheming roommates. She had gone to sleep exhausted but with a triumphant smile on her face after making the three bow to her. She stretched and noticed that her limbs had somehow be sore as if she had been running all night.


    Her throat felt dry and hoarse, she frowned and took a sip of water to moisturise her throat before trying but failing to get up from the bed. With pursed lips, she ced her fingers on her wrist to check if her pulse was weak but she found out they were stronger than they had ever been, which could only mean she was healthy.


    ¡®But why am I sore all over?¡¯ she mused with a frown and got out of bed after much struggle. She prepared a warm bath to soak in and ease her sore muscles, letting out a sigh of relief as the warm water engulfed her body, she rxed and closed her eyes.


    As she remembered the event from the previous night, a smile bloomed on her face and she let out a mocking chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s truly funny dealing with these low lives¡± she muttered to herself with several thoughts running through her mind and continued soaking.


    {System upgrade isplete!}


    {Host¡¯s physical appearance upgrade isplete!}


    {Host¡¯s mental capacity upgrade isplete!}


    {New system mission generating¡­}


    {New system function, ¡®Store¡¯ opened}


    {Lucky star system upgrade mission, first phaseplete. Mission reward: The original owner¡¯s memory and skills will be passed to the host}


    Lily winced at the barrage of notifications that filled her mind but it soon turned into a full-blown groaning as the system began passing the original owner¡¯s memories and skills to her.


    She watched with her eyes closed, the images of Lily¡¯s life from when she was born until the day she passed and Victoria took over.


    {Miss Lily, did you miss me?} The system eximed excitedly after Lily had absorbed all the memories poured into her mind. She remained silent with her eyes closed and brows furrowed. Severalplicated thoughts washed through her, followed by multiple questions about the system and its origin.


    ¡°What are you?¡± She voiced out and the excited system froze before giving a programmed response.


    {I am Lucky Star System level one! A system programmed to fulfil the host¡¯s dying wish and help you live your second chance life to the fullest} it replied proudly which only made Lily¡¯s frown deepen.


    ¡°Then how can you make things appear out of nowhere? Andmunicate in my mind, I know for sure there is no chip in my head and even now, ording to the technology, there is no chip that allows others tomunicate with telepathy, so cut the crap and tell me what you are!¡± She demanded, her voice firm and filled with curiosity.


    She felt a sudden throb in her head as a red rm screen appeared, floating in front of her with a bold warning. ¡°NOT ENOUGH AUTHORITY. UPGRADE FOR MORE AUTHORITY¡± As she finished reading it, the screen disappeared and the throbbing followed.


    {Miss Lily, what happened just now? I seemed to have lost connection with you for a moment} The system¡¯s confused voice sounded and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°Interesting! So interesting¡± she mused and got out of the bathtub. Her hands trembled and her eyes widened in shock as she saw the dark colour of the water she had been soaking in. Before she could ask, the system had started exining with a smug tone.


    {Due to the system upgrade, the host¡¯s physical and mental attributes were also upgraded so that you will be able to withhold the system¡¯s new function. With your upgrading, the toxins all over your body had been washed out, hence the dark water}


    ¡°Is it the same as the girl from yesterday?¡± She asked and got in the shower.


    {Yes, but only a quarter of the body toxins in her body were washed out}


    Lily checked the time after getting out of the bathroom to see that it was already midday and she had missed the only ss she had for the day. She got into bed and picked up herptop to work but was stopped by the sound of the system issuing a task.


    {Daily mission: practise your basic sketching skills for one hour- 10 points}N?velDrama.Org content.


    {2- practise your basic hand sewing skill for one hour- 10 points}


    {3-Practise your basic programming and hacking skills for one hour- 20 points}


    ¡°I already gained the original owner¡¯s memories and skills. Do I still need to practise?¡± she asked in annoyance.


    {Yes! Those skills belong to the past Lily and although you are living in her body, both of you are quite different. You will need to practise the skills to be a prominent figure in the industry. You can¡¯t bezy!}


    Lily¡¯s eyes twitched in annoyance but she decided to get started on it, fearing the system would be as strict with its punishment the same way it was with rewards. She ced theptop back on the table and began to practise, starting with the basic skill¡­ sketching.


    While Lily was having a peaceful day in her room, Celina, living across the city, could not withhold her excitement as she skipped down the stairs with bright excited eyes.


    ¡°Young miss, stop running down the stairs, madam would not be happy if she caught you doing it¡± Mia, the housekeeper voiced out with a disapproving frown. ¡°It¡¯s fine, mother isn¡¯t home anyway, is cousin still around? Where is he?¡± She demanded hastily, her eyes filled with undisguised hope.


    Mia sighed helplessly and turned to go back into the kitchen. ¡°Young master Mark is in the art room, he said he doesn¡¯t want to be disturbed¡­¡± Before Mia could finish her words, the excited Celina bounced off in the direction of the art room.


    ¡°What did you do to me?¡± Celina asked as she pushed open the door with a loud bang. Mark, who had been having a video conference with his programming team, lifted his head and red at her before muting the video. The subordinate gave a knowing smile, thinking thedy¡¯s voice belonged to their boss¡¯ secret lover. They all kept quiet and waited for him toe back.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Aren¡¯t you fine now?¡± He asked curiously and gave her a once over. He decided to stay with the William familyst night after bringing the little devil back from the hospital where the doctor had assured them she was fine.


    He wasn¡¯t so confident and knowing his aunt¡¯s temperament, he decided to stay over and watch things through the night before returning to his home. Hearing her sudden question had put his heart on the fastne.


    ¡°Look at my skin!¡± She eximed and brought her arms to his face. Mark squinted his eyes at the outstretched arms but found nothing out of ce. ¡°I see nothing¡± he muttered and Celina let out a huff before sitting on the chair opposite him.


    ¡°I forgot you are beauty blind! You couldn¡¯t even see and appreciate beautiful skin!¡± She tutted. ¡°Can you not see my skin be more healthy and beautiful?¡± She asked with an excited giggle. Mark massaged his nose bridge and let out an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°What has that got to do with me?¡± He asked helplessly. ¡°Your skin has always been healthy, isn¡¯t that why you are the top female model in your school, forget, I have work to do, go find someone else to bother¡± he pursued her and she pouted.


    ¡°I¡¯m most familiar with my skin and I know something happened overnight. And the only person who I have been with is you and oh my god, the weird girl!¡± She eximed and jumped out of the chair.


    ¡°It must be the weird girl who gave me the drug! Or the drug! I¡¯m going to find out!¡± She added and ran out of the art room. Mark shook his head and went back to work but not without musing at her words.

 Find a Way

    ¡°Boss, everything for the new device is ready and the sales team are ready for work, the stores are already stocked and waiting for your go-ahead,¡± Ted reported through theputer screen, his eyes had heavy eye bag, showing his days of long sleepless nights for the project to bepleted in time. Mark hummed in reply as he read the data report that had just been sent.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Tell them to begin the sales tomorrow morning and the first fifty copies should be sold at a fifty percent discount¡± he instructed. ¡°Have the media team also post on the official website that fifty copies can be custom-made while the others will be sold at the same prices and model¡± he added and Ted documented his instruction, not trusting himself enough to remember them afterwards.


    ¡°Then the fifty that will be custom made can also be sold at the discounted price? Wouldn¡¯t that be a loss to thepany?¡± He asked with a frown. Mark ced his phone on the table and picked up the ss of red wine. ¡°No, the custom-made products will be sold at a twenty per cent higher rate than the normal ones¡± he exined and Ted let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°We will release the news separately so as not to confuse the buyers. Have you found a way to deal with the person who stole the baiting copy? Ah! If I must say, this Sinful¡¯s work is well thought out! I was so sceptical about its upgrading n at first, who would have thought that it would bring so much favour?¡± He rambled excitedly, his tired face brightening up at the mention of Sinful¡¯s programme and firewalls.


    This first cooperation they¡¯ve had with her had already brought them about 50% profit, even without the devices being sold yet. Thepetitors that had tried copying their data had all been caught and in return, they got valuable information. Who else could boast such a sessful business operation on the first trial?


    Immediately Alpha announced the new software, several eyes had been on them and even other technologicalpanies had reached out to them for partnership to which Mark had bluntly refused.


    Sitting in front of the screen while Ted continued to praise Sinful to the sky which made Mark¡¯s lips turn up into a rarely-seen smile and he downed the cup of red wine at once. ¡°It was a good thing boss had the foresight to buy it off Sinful, if it had been sold to other people, our Alpha would soon be thrown off the market sooner thanter!¡± Ted eximed happily and Mark hummed while his eyes flickered to theputer on the side of the table, dedicated to watching Sinful¡¯s movement online.


    He has been craving to have another cooperation with her even though the first hadn¡¯t been sold yet. ¡°You have nothing to worry about, Sinful already thought about the potential of it getting stolen, so they made some precautionary arrangements¡±


    Speaking of which, William stared at the screen with a dark face, his hand twitching as they rested on the keyboard. On the screen, the chubby image of a police officer pointing a gun at the screen, aiming at the person operating theputer disyed boldly, followed by the dialogue box that reads.


    ¡°An Inte officer caught a thief! device location and model copied, first-time offender gets a warning, second-time offender gets punished and third-time offenders go to jail!¡±


    Reading the message sent William¡¯s rage flying out the roof as he threw the closest thing to him at the wall. His assistant, Jake, flinched at the noise of the vase hitting the wall. Despite his stoic appearance, he couldn¡¯t help cursing his boss in his heart.


    ¡®Tch, what wild temper! Now that you no longer have your sister¡¯s credit to take, do you want to go against Alpha? Dream on!¡¯


    William¡¯s eyes shed with aggression as he took note of Jake standing by the door, ¡°What are you waiting for? Clean up the mess goddamn it! Do I have to tell you everything?!¡± He eximed angrily, taking his anger out on the innocent assistant.


    Jake hurriedly left the room as William¡¯s phone rang, thanking his stars he had escaped his boss¡¯ anger. Back in the room, William¡¯s heart sank as he took in the caller ID, he adjusted his appearance and schooled his expression before picking up the call from the other side.


    ¡°You surely took your time to respond¡± Henry sneered as his face appeared on the screen. He looked like the older version of William with dark eyes and sword-like eyebrows paired with a pointed nose and thin lips.


    ¡°Father¡± William called out and the older man frowned in dissatisfaction. ¡°I have told you not to always call me too dearly out of the confinement of our home, don¡¯t be reckless!¡± Henry reprimanded and William¡¯s fist clenched as he swallowed the lump in his throat.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Chairman Hamilton, is there a reason you called?¡± He asked with a professional stoic appearance and calm voice. Henry gave an approving nod, ¡°The board of directors had a meeting today and the Alpha¡¯s new device release has put us in a tight spot. If we allow them to continue this momentum, our Hamilton family will be suppressed sooner orter¡± he exined and William felt a stab in his heart.


    He could tell what wasing next and his heart sank deeper. ¡®Even in death, why can¡¯t I measure up to you!¡¯ he gritted in his heart but maintained a cool and calm outward appearance. ¡°The software she left before dying needs to be used at this moment, it¡¯s an upgraded version of the software we¡¯ve been using, so that would at least help us keep our head high for the meantime, have you been able to decode it?¡± Henry asked and William¡¯s throat went dry.


    ¡°At the moment, no, my team is still working on it¡± he replied solemnly, unable to meet the older man¡¯s piercing eyes. ¡°Did you not get in touch with any of her former teammates?¡± Henry demanded coldly, his patience with his first son running out thin by the day.


    ¡°We did get in touch with them but none of them cooperated with us¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t have any other means to make them cooperate? Do I have to teach you everything?!¡± Henry snapped angrily. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even handle such a trivial matter by yourself, if they don¡¯t ept soft means then use other means! Haven¡¯t you seen that thepany hasn¡¯t been doing well since she died? It will only be a matter of time before people start getting suspicious, so put yourself together and find a solution to the software before one month!¡± Henry instructed.


    ¡°Even if we did, there is no guarantee that it will help uspete with Alpha Tech with the software!¡± William argued and Henry tutted at his son¡¯s stupidity. It was a shame Victoria wasn¡¯t a submissive person, if she had submitted, they would have been able to use her.


    ¡®She was way more intelligent than the hard block of a son!¡¯ he thought to himself and adjusted his tie.


    ¡°We can¡¯tpete with Alpha Tech at the moment, we just have to make sure our ce isn¡¯t overtaken by others. Did you not hear the news about the other techpanies mouring for partnership with Alpha? Even if they get the copy, they¡¯ll continue to be second rate, going after software that has already given Alpha Tech enough profit, but if wee up with ours, no one will look down on us!¡± Henry exined.


    ¡°Forget it, find ways to decode the software and make it avable for use in a month or else the board of directors will be stopping their investment in our project¡± he instructed and hung up the call.


    William stared at the dark screen with an unreadable expression as he brought out the transparent USB drive from his drawer. He clenched it in his hands and a calcting emotion shed through his mind.


    ¡°You are dead, you can¡¯t continue to mess things up for me! I have to make sure you arepletely forgotten!¡±

 A strong ally

    ¡°Have you seen Alpha¡¯s new phones andputers? It¡¯s so beautiful and well-made! My brother, who is into technology, could not stop praising it to the sky! I was forced to get the custom-made ones too, and they will be delivered tomorrow.¡± Jasmine giggled as she talked with Lydia and Prisci.


    Her eyes were shining with excitement and pride. ¡°Oh, I¡¯ve heard of it! It¡¯s such a great product! I have also ordered it, but I can only afford it at a normal model rate; forget about custom-made; my father was reluctant to get me a normal model!¡± Prisci joined with eyes full of admiration.


    Lydia bit her tongue, unable to join in the conversation. The new Alpha Tech phone andputer called ¡®Waves¡¯ has always been popr since the announcement of production. Everything about the devices was attractive and tempting; evenymen would appreciate them due to their enhanced basic functions and high resolution.


    Lydia, who had always wanted to keep up appearances with the rich kids around her, was naturally interested in it, but after saving for so long while working three part-time jobs, she couldn¡¯t even save the 50% discounted price, let alone the actual price. Her eyes shed with uneptance and resentment, and she quickly red at the two rich kids talking about the product.


    As if to rub salt on her wound, Jasmine talked to her with a gloating look while pretending to be concerned. ¡°Did you also order?¡± She asked innocently, making Lydia sneer in her heart. She had always been aware that Prisci and Jasmine were ¡®friends¡¯ with her to make themselves look good, but what could she do? She needed them to survive the horrors of a rich society.


    She swallowed the bite in her heart and put on a fixed smile before shaking her head. ¡°No, I was unable to; my savings are stillcking a few thousand, ¡°she confessed, and the two tutted. ¡°That¡¯s not good enough; as our friend, you can¡¯t be left out! Quickly transfer your savings to me; I will add to it, and then we can buy one for you.¡± Jasmine offered with fake sincerity.


    That little bit of money was nothing to her; after all, she gets a five-figure weekly allowance, and she can afford to spare a few thousand in exchange for a loyal dog. Thinking of this, Jasmine pushed further, not wanting Lydia to reject her offer.


    ¡°We are friends; why can¡¯t we help you get it? Anyway, a few thousand won¡¯t hurt her pocket, so quickly send the money over and let her buy it for you! ¡± Prisci joined in. Lydia pretended to be shy and guilty while cursing the two in her heart about their show-offs.


    ¡°Then I will send it; thank you,¡± she finally conceded after their ¡®pressure¡¯. Seeing their roommates quietly ying on herptop without minding them, their eyes shed with ridicule, and Prisci walked up to her bed. She had not forgotten how she had been ¡®unjustly¡¯ framed by the seemingly quiet girl, and every time she remembered, she couldn¡¯t help the hatred bubbling in her heart.


    She sneered in her heart and put on a fake smile as she sat at the edge of Lily¡¯s bed. ¡°Do you also have some savings? We will help you add more money to it,¡± she offered but got no response. Lily only red at her to acknowledge her presence before returning to practising her programming skills for the daily mission.


    Prisci gritted her teeth after being ignored, but she pressed on, not wanting to pass on an opportunity to ridicule the otherdy. ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay us back; we understand your family¡¯s condition and also take it as an apology for misunderstanding youst time,¡± she exined.


    Lily closed the programming tube after hitting the one-hour mark and directly logged in to the Dark Lord¡¯s chamber to see she already had messages from Alpha. Not wanting to be disturbed while doing business, she decided to reply to the bothersome roommate.


    ¡°I just got a new device, and I wouldn¡¯t need a new one. Besides, you¡¯ve already apologised by bowing to mest time; why do you need to apologise again? Forget it; I don¡¯t need your charity,¡± she announced, stabbing them all at their sore spots.


    What would people think when they found out they had bowed to amoner who wasn¡¯t even worthy of being their maid? That thought alone always sent the three into an abyss of rage, most especially Jasmine, who had never been wronged in her life.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so cold, pretending to be high and mighty! We were only trying to help. Of course, your peasant brain won¡¯t understand these things!¡± Jasmine sneered and pulled the other two out of the room. Lily shook her head with a dark chuckle and went back to reading the messages sent by her client.


    Alpha: Did you see the news? The devices have been produced and are up for sale; the rating within the past few hours is higher than we have previously seen on our other products.


    Alpha: What design would you like for both? We will custom-make them and send them to you at no cost.


    Alpha: Due to the massive sess, thepany will give you 10% extra as a bonus.


    Lily¡¯s smirk grew as she read the messages. She couldn¡¯t help ridiculing her three roommates. ¡®What charity? I could simply get it for free with just a few words!¡¯


    Sinful: I¡¯m happy the project is a sess and that it is widely epted in the market. You don¡¯t have to send them to me; I can afford to buy them myself.


    She paused as she typed thest part. She had been tempted by the offer, but as she remembered she would either have to meet the man again or give away our identity to get it, she immediately shut down the idea.


    I¡¯ll go to get revenge on Hamilton¡¯s family, and if she were doing that, she would need to be in the tech world, which would naturally mean that she¡¯d be a natural rival to Alpha.


    {Or a strong ally. You can¡¯t always shut him down} the system bit in but was ignored by Lily.


    Mark on the other side of the screen let out a chuckle. He had finally confirmed that the other person was trying to hide their identity, and instead of getting angry, he became interested in the other person.


    Alpha: Then I won¡¯t insist. But if you change your mind, the offer is still open.


    Lily let out a sigh of relief, seeing that the other person wasn¡¯t pushing it.


    Sinful: Did you find any suitable buildings?


    Alpha: Yes, I did. I will send the information right away. I like the first one the most, and I rmend it. However, the others are also okay.


    Sinful: I will send someone to check them out and get back to you. In return, have you thought about my offer to upgrade the Nex phone?


    Alpha: I have, but considering the product is a coboration between twopanies, we can¡¯t make the decision alone. There will be a huge bacsh if we proceed without the consent of the otherpany.


    Sinful: Then getting their consent after the sess of ¡®Waves¡¯ shouldn¡¯t be a problem.


    Alpha: For now, we can¡¯t form a cooperation with them due to their internal struggles.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Mark¡¯s brows furrowed as he read thest message he had sent. That message was against professional ethics, and he wasn¡¯t supposed to say it out, but he had somehow gotten sofortable with Sinful that he wanted to let her in on it.


    Lily, on the other hand, had a dissatisfied frown as she thought about the dy. Working on her mother¡¯s project would be a good thing, but now that both of them are no longer members of Hamilton¡¯s family, why would she need to bring them a fortune? The thought made her remember the software that was stolen by William before her death, and her face brightened up.


    ¡°We can start from somewhere!¡± She smirked and typed out a message.


    Sinful: Then, if it¡¯s not possible to do an upgrade, we will just have to do something entirely different; it doesn¡¯t matter. I heard the programmer who worked on the software was dead, and that¡¯s why I wanted to improve it. Since it¡¯s inconvenient, we can leave it be.


    Sinful: I will send you a new project I am working on in a few days. Tell me if you want it before I reach out to other people.


    Mark narrowed his eyes at thest few words and scoffed. ¡®Reach out to other people? Who would allow you? If it¡¯s not as high profile as Waves, we will just give it to the secondarypany!¡¯ he thought to himself before replying.


    Alpha: Send it; I will have my team look over it. And my offer to employ you for ourpany is still open.


    He waited a few minutes and realised the other person had gone offline without replying to him. He let out an amusedugh and adjusted his tie. ¡°Young Master, your father wants you home for dinner.¡±

 Yet she鈥檚 so ambitious

    ¡°Wait, isn¡¯t that Celina Williams? What is she doing in the year two design ss?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s here to scout for young designers for her family¡¯spany?¡±


    ¡°Even if she is, year two designers are still amateurs, and they don¡¯t have any immediate value; besides, she is the young miss; why would she personally do such a thing?¡±


    The students gossiped as they passed beside the beautiful fairy-likedy standing outside the second-year design ss.


    ¡°Is it me, or does she look more beautiful than thest time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just you; I felt the same, but I thought I was blinded by the halo of her being my idol. She truly does look more beautiful than her runway showst month.¡±


    ¡°Do you think her beauty improvement is due to the new cosmetic product her family produced?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not that, then what would it be? Do you think the training and the products provided by the school are enough?¡±


    As they gossiped, Celina continued looking at the entrance of the studio with anticipation in her eyes. Her eyes brightened up as she saw the person she had been waiting for walk out of the studio with her work bag in one hand and her phone in the other.


    Unable to wait any longer, she walked up to Lily and met her halfway. ¡°Excuse me!¡± She voiced out politely, trying to catch Lily¡¯s attention. Lily, who was busy chatting with her new employee, na, about checking out the building, failed to hear her greetings and continued walking.


    Unknown to her, her subconscious action had drawn more hatred towards her from the passersby.


    ¡°The wrench! How dare she ignore the goddess?¡±


    ¡°What an idiot, treating someone from Williams like that!¡±


    ¡°Tch, so unfair! How does that peasant deserve such recognition from someone like the goddess? Ah, that sounds wrong, but still!¡±


    Celina ignored the gossip floating into her ears and continued walking behind Lily. She patted the otherdy¡¯s back and shed her a genuine smile. ¡°Hello!¡± She greeted her, and Celina¡¯s smile brightened.


    ¡°I wanted to say thank you for helping me thest time! I was able to recover quickly because of you!¡± She appreciated it, and Lily finally recognised the otherdy. ¡°You don¡¯t have to; I only helped because I could, and I¡¯m d you are alright now.¡±


    ¡°Then let me treat you to lunch! You can¡¯t say no, or else I¡¯ll keep pestering you till you ept!¡± Celina offered. Seeing the determined look on her face, Lily let out a sigh and reluctantly epted.


    ¡°We can have lunch together, but can we fix it for some other day? I have some othermitments today,¡± she exined, and Celina hurriedly gave a nod. ¡°No problem! Here is my number; you can call me anytime you are free! I have my schedule free all through the week, so you can call me anytime.¡± Celina exined excitedly, her eyes not leaving Lily¡¯s smooth, soft, Jade-like face.


    Somehow in her heart, she had concluded that Lily was the reason behind her skin improvement; after all, the doctor told her the drugs she had used were a detox that washed out the toxins in her body, enhancing her skin health. That had driven her determination to get close to Lily.


    Lily, on the other hand, had a reason for epting the lunch date. From the memories of the original owner of the body, she found out Celina¡¯s identity. If Mark were the prince of the tech world, then Celina would be the princess.


    Mrs Williams, Celina¡¯s mother, is an international model with internationalpanies that are into fashion and cosmetics. Having someone like her around would help Lily solve some minor and even major problems her newpany might have to face.


    With that in mind, she happily collected the card and promised to call her. Lydia, who had been watching the two, clenched her fist in annoyance while ring at Lily with hatred. ¡°Why must it always be you?¡± She gritted out. ¡°You get everything so easily without having to bow to those snobby rich kids! Are you the only talented one around here?¡±


    ¡°You hate her, don¡¯t you?¡± Merissa asked as she stood beside Lydia with a sneer on her face. Startled, Lydia moved to the side. ¡°Wh¡­ what are you talking about? How would I hate her for no reason?¡± She stammered, and Merissa chuckled with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes.


    ¡°There is nothing to be scared of; even I hate her,¡± she confessed. ¡°A peasant like her throwing her weight around just because she has a few tricks in her hand,¡± Merissa sneered angrily, her eyes glued to the backs of Lily and Celina, who were chatting as they walked.


    ¡°Why do you hate her? Did she do something to you? I thought both of you were friends.¡± Lydia probed, already smelling gossip. She has been trying to find dirt on Lily so she could ruin her reputation amongst the other students, but the otherdy was just too clean; even the setup they did never worked.


    To exaggerate her hatred, Merissa sneered angrily. ¡°That wrench tried to seduce my brother!¡± She lied, and Lydia gasped in shock while her heart beat in excitement at the news. ¡°Oh my! She appears so innocent, yet she¡¯s so ambitious! What does she want by seducing your brother?¡± Lydia gasped and covered her mouth.


    Merissa huffed and started walking. ¡°What else could she want? Of course, it¡¯s to climb the socialdder from her low life! I will never forgive her for using my brother like that.¡± She dered and stomped off angrily.


    The excited Lydia could not wait to share the news with her friends and the rest of the school. She brought out her phone and immediately logged into her alternate ount to post the news.


    Fairy with Light: I found exciting news! Do you guys notice Merissa and the year-two talent queen had a fallout recently? Apparently, Lily tried to use Merissa¡¯s brother to climb the socialdder! How shocking!


    Immediately after the news was posted on the school forum, it attracted several gossiping people.


    ¡°No way! She looks so innocent and unbothered by the world, yet she¡¯s so ambitious!¡±


    ¡°No wonder Merissa now hates her gut!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s such a slut! Pretending to be clean yet having such a ck heart!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! I have always known she¡¯s not a good person! Biting the hands that feed her!¡±


    ¡°Did you see, after failing at seducing her friend¡¯s brother, she is targeting the goddess now?¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°The goddess must never associate with someone like her!¡±


    While the school forum was boiling over with her ¡®scandal¡¯, Lily was busy making preparations for the opening of herpany. She sat across from na and acknowledged the waitress who brought their meal before focusing on the report na had brought about the buildings.


    ¡°The first one on the list is the best; it has a conducive environment for a start-up business and an apartment where the staff members can sleep overnight in case of overworking, but the pricing is a little bit higher than the rest. You have to pay one million per year,¡± na exined with a distressed sign.


    One million for the people in her family isn¡¯t much, but she is the suppressed daughter, and thedy in front of her is even worse, with her family living in the worst part of the city. ¡°This one is also okay, and the pricing is affordable if you don¡¯t look at thepetition surrounding us. We just have to pay a hundred thousand per year, and they lease for three years; you can pay half, though,¡± she exined further and showed her a picture of another building.


    Seeing the building, Lily immediately shook her head and turned back to the first building. She could see themercial value of the first one at a nce. Not only is the ce perfect for a studio, but they also have lesspetition, which would mean more market, and with the help of the mysterious system, she is sure they could make a hundred percent profit on their capital in one year.


    She pushed the picture back to na and picked the first one. ¡°We are going for this; make the payments immediately and see to it that everything needed is installed,¡± she instructed, passing the debit card to na.


    na stared dumbstruck at Lily, unable to believe her ears. She knows best what Lily¡¯s family¡¯s financial situation is like; after all, the senior had always sold some handmade items in high school back then to support her family.


    ¡°Senior sister, did you not hear the price I called? It¡¯s a million per year; we can¡¯t afford that. What if we don¡¯t make it in one year?¡± She asked worriedly, but Lily shook her head. ¡°You have nothing to worry about; we will make it. There are five million on that card; lease the building and buy the other basic equipment; we will upgrade them as time goes on. Your store will be in charge of providing the fabrics we need. Is that okay?¡± na nodded, still in a daze at her new boss¡¯ surprise.


    Five million? She couldn¡¯t help thinking about the figure. ¡°Senior sister, did you borrow the money?¡± She asked curiously, not believing someone from Lily¡¯s background could casually fish out that amount.


    ¡°I did not; you don¡¯t have to worry; it¡¯s not gotten illegal, but we still have to make every penny count, alright?¡± She asked, and na gave a nod. ¡°My goal is to make our smallpany register and join the national fashionpetition, so we have long days ahead. Be prepared.¡±

 Let鈥檚 Work Hard Together

    Following the acquisition of the studio building, Lily and na got busy with setting up the ce in a week in preparation for the registration of theirpany. ¡°You¡¯ve not had anything since morning, you should eat something¡± na pressed as she brought out two bowls of instant noodles for the two of them.


    Lily nced at the meal and scrunched up her nose, not liking the look and presentation. Since she had woken up as Lily, one of the things Victoria could not get used to about the previous owner was the diet.


    Not only had she been fed the best food since she was a kid, Victoria had a sensitive tongue and it wasn¡¯t easy to please her with food, which was why she learnt to cook early. na noticed her subconscious reaction and thought nothing of it.


    ¡°Sorry if you aren¡¯t fond of instant noodles, I wanted to cook but I was afraid I would burn down the building¡± she exined with flushed cheeks. Due to her excellent needlework, she had never been allowed to do anything that could destroy her hand and so shecked basic knowledge about cleaning and cooking.


    Lily sighed and picked up the bowl of instant noodles. ¡°Next time, just buy the ingredients I will cook the meal and you don¡¯t have to be frugal with meals, you can order out when you can¡¯t cook¡± she instructed and began to eat before it got soggy.


    Lily checked the time after eating and realised it was toote to return to the hostel so she gotfortable on the couch and continued to work. na, not intending to go back home to attend the family banquet that always made her regret being born into the family,  also stuck around and they worked harmoniously all through the night.


    As the sun rose, the preparations for registering thepany were nearlyplete. All that was left was to finalise thest member of their staff. To get government approval, they needed at least three people on board. ¡°Do you have any rmendations?¡± Lily asked casually as she expertly flipped the pancake.


    ¡°What are we looking for in thest person? You are a designer and I am a seamstress, what would the third person be?¡± na asked curiously as she flipped through her memory for anyone who would be willing to work.


    ¡°They could be anything, a designer or seamstress, even a Part-Time model will do, it doesn¡¯t matter, we just need them to get registered¡± Lily exined.


    ¡°They can also be part-timers¡± she added and na gave a nod. ¡°Don¡¯t you have people you can employ in your school?¡± She asked and Lily tutted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get along with lots of them. It will be inconvenient to employ anyone. If you don¡¯t have a rmendation, that¡¯s fine also¡± she replied. The bell from the store rang and they both walked outside to attend to the delivery.


    ¡°Good morning, is this Lily¡¯s?¡± A young handsome guy greeted them politely as he held a packaged box. ¡°Yes, this is Lily¡¯s,¡± na replied. As Lily set her eyes on the young man, received a system notification.


    {Employe Gary Green: reward-100 points}


    Reading the notification, Lily could tell what the system was thinking and she smiled. The boy was truly beautiful and his skin was too well taken care of. She walked up to him and smiled.


    ¡°Hello, my name is Lily, a second-year student of Yellow Hill Fashion School!¡± She introduced herself with her hands stretched out. Startled by the sudden friendliness, Gary moved back but soon met her hand with his.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Gary¡± he introduced awkwardly and Lily nodded while checking him out. From his appearance, he looked like a student in hisst year of high school, however, his clean and handsome face was enough to makedies older than him swear. ¡®Perfect model¡¯ Lily thought.


    ¡°Have you ever thought of being a model?¡± She asked. na, who had thought her boss had fallen in love with the handsome guy, couldn¡¯t help heaving a sigh of relief when she heard the question.


    ¡®Turns out that she was thinking about business even in the face of such handsomeness. Ah! How business-oriented!¡¯ she praised in her heart and continued listening to the two talking.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Uh¡­ no¡­ I haven¡¯t¡± Gary replied with flushed cheeks and Lily sighed in disappointment, her expression matching her feelings.


    ¡°Too bad, you have the perfect skin and build to be a model¡± she pressed on and Gary scratched his nape in embarrassment at thepliment, not knowing how to respond. He awkwardly voiced out, ¡°Thank you¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t youe and work for us? We are just starting and together we can develop!¡± She offered and na smiled encouragingly, seeing the man hesitating.


    ¡°You can trust us, although we are just starting, my boss here is talented! And she won¡¯t treat you badly!¡± na chipped in and Lily smiled at her in encouragement.


    Tempted by the thought of earning more money, Gary weed the idea. ¡°I have never modelled before and I might not get it right, why don¡¯t you look for someone else?¡± He offered. Of course, the extra money will help him and his siblings survive, but the thought of pulling down the twodies made him retreat.


    ¡°All you have to do is agree, we will sponsor your training¡± Lily assured. ¡°Of course, as of now, we can only offer you five hundred per shot and we will increase it as we go on. You should think about it and get back to us!¡± Gary nodded.


    ¡°Then I will get back to you soon, but I can only work per time, I¡¯m still in high school¡± he exined and Lily shrugged.


    ¡°We will just have to schedule your shoots on weekends, you have nothing to worry about. We are still a start-up business and we don¡¯t have much work at the moment, and since I¡¯m also a student, we will have a tight schedule so our work will mostly be done on weekends¡± Lily exined indepthly Gary nodded, already down for the job.


    However, he needed to consult his siblings before agreeing. Lily allowed him to leave when she noticed she had nted a seed in his heart.


    As he left, na squealed excitedly. ¡°You have good foresight! He has the best temperament to be a model! I¡¯m afraid if those bigpanies see him, he¡¯ll be poached!¡± She voiced out and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind if he works for others, as long as his name is on our employee list and we can register thepany¡± she replied and na frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been meaning to ask but is there a reason why you are rushing to establish thepany? ¡°She asked and the smile on Lily¡¯s face disappeared.


    ¡°I have a wish to join the nationalpetition and I was already chosen by the school, however, after my ident, I was reced. If I don¡¯t join this year, I will have to wait another two years and I can¡¯t ¡°she exined and na nodded knowingly.


    ¡°I will work hard and make sure we have enough qualifications to join thepetition!¡± She vowed with a cute pouting expression, making Lilyugh fondly.


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s work hard together!¡±

 One Step Closer

    ¡°Wow!¡± na eximed as she looked over Lily¡¯s shoulder to see the design she had sketched out in her sketchbook. ¡°This is beautiful!¡± She added and almost snatched the booklet away from Lily¡¯s hand to stare at the design.


    Lily hummed and handed the book to na before stretching her sore muscles. She had been working on the sketch all day without moving about. ¡°It¡¯s still missing a few things,¡± Lily announced, and na frowned.


    She gazed down at the sketchbook, taking in the intricate details of the gown drawn on its surface. The long, flowing fabric was adorned with a pattern of stars against a midnight sky. It was a breathtaking design, one that seemed almost magical. Something out of the fairy tales.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Lily walked into the kitchen and poured herself a ss of water, taking a long drink before turning back to na. ¡°It just doesn¡¯t resonate with me that was why it took me this long to finish it, I always feel something is missing,¡± she said thoughtfully. ¡°I can¡¯t put my finger on exactly what it is, but it feels like something iscking or out of ce, it just doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s the split in the front, or the neckline, or maybe the silhouette of the dress. It just feels a little too in, not quite as striking as it could be, I could add a few more things to it, roses or a bow. But I was thinking that would defeat the simple design I want for the dress.¡± She took another sip of water, her mind whirling with ideas for how to improve the design.


    ¡°Did you have someone in mind when you designed this dress? Maybe having a clear picture of the model could help, what do you think?¡± na asked curiously as she ced the sketchbook on the table.


    ¡°Not really; it was just a general design, but now that you mentioned it, having a model for it would probably make it better, I can make it for their figure and temperament,¡± Lily replied.


    She picked up the sketch pad and pictured na in the dress. With a shake of her head, she tore out the page and crumpled it to start over. Seeing her pick up a pen for a do-over, na snatched the booklet and yfully red at her.


    ¡°Take a rest and sleep; you barely had any rest all week from going to school anding back here to work!¡± She pointed it out. ¡°I brought some soup from the house today; Sharon, our housekeeper said it helps rx the brain while re-energising the body!¡± She exined while dragging Lily to the kitchen to eat.


    Lily was about to protest, insisting that she wasn¡¯t tired or hungry when her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl. na chuckled and shook her head as she watched her. ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to properly take care of your body! You would have continued all night if I hadn¡¯t stopped you in time!¡± she reprimands, and Lily couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Getting lost in work was a habit she had cultivated while she was still in Victoria. Constantly learning and coding to develop the Hamilton business.


    She sat down at the small dining table in the kitchen and allowed na to serve her a bowl of chicken soup. She took a hesitant sip, then closed her eyes and savoured the rich, savoury vour. ¡°Mmm,¡± she murmured, ¡°this is delicious.¡± na smiled, ¡°Sharon is very good at making this kind of soup. And she always forces us to drink a few bowls daily, but it¡¯s all for our good and everyone now enjoys taking it¡± She giggled, enjoying the fun memories of her childhood.


    ¡°How is the situation at home?¡± Lily asked na sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a littleplicated still. I¡¯ve been avoiding going to the main house these days so I won¡¯t get pulled into the drama,¡± na exined.


    ¡°Drama?¡± Lily asked with a raised brow.


    ¡°The main daughter is also joining the national fashionpetition as a seamstress, and her assistant will be picked from the rest of the family. Now, to gain the recognition of the main house, everyone is battling to be her assistant. You don¡¯t know howplicated it is.¡± na muttered with an exasperated tone.


    The more she talked, the more her voice became agitated. ¡°I know I will never get picked to be her assistant since they are always afraid that I will outshine her with any little exposure, but the others don¡¯t know that; they all see me as an eyesore that needs to be removed from the way so that they can be her assistant¡­ Do you feel my predicament? I¡¯m living among hyenas!¡± She ranted, feeling angry about her family situation.


    ¡°But if you stay away from the main house, won¡¯t they make things difficult for your family?¡± Lily asked worriedly, and na shook her head.


    ¡°They can only oppress me; my parents aren¡¯t that easy to deal with since they have quite a lot of influence in the whole family. Because of their influence, I¡¯m able to escape most things as long as I don¡¯t outshine the main house¡¯s daughter.¡± Lily gave a nod, understanding na¡¯s predicament.


    Although Lily had not gone through many struggles or the drama of fighting for inheritance with extended family because her grandparents only gave birth to her mother, she had friends who alwaysined about thoseplicated family disputes.


    ¡°Will it be convenient for you to go to thepetition then?¡± Lily asked, and na waved her hands.


    ¡°You have nothing to worry about; I got the go-ahead from my parents already. Besides, thepetition allows us to hide our identity under a mask if we don¡¯t want people to know us, so it¡¯s convenient. Even if we don¡¯t win, it¡¯ll be a good story that I went to the nationals!¡± she giggled and Lily tapped her forehead with the spoon.


    ¡°We will win¡±


    While they were both casually discussing over meal, they heard the bell of the front house chime, and na went out to look while Lily cleared out the tes. na soon returned with a grinning face.


    ¡°The part-timer guy fromst time is back again!¡± She announced, Lily gave a nod and followed her out to see Gary awkwardly standing by the door.


    ¡°I never thought you¡¯de back after not hearing from you in a week,¡± Lily voiced with a friendly smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that! One of my younger siblings went down with the flu, and there was no one else that would look after her,¡± he exined with a guilty expression. ¡°I intended to get back to you earlier.¡±


    ¡°What about your parents? Too busy?¡± Lily asked casually but soon noticed the young man¡¯s distress and decided to drop the topic. She chuckled awkwardly and waved him over as she led him to the small office. ¡°It¡¯s okay, so have you decided?¡± She asked, and Gary gave a nod.


    Noting that she wasn¡¯t looking at him, he voiced his reply. ¡°I have thought about it, and I would like to join, but I know nothing about modelling,¡± he confessed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a problem; you will be trained professionally for a month,¡± she replied. ¡°Here, this is the part-time contract for a year; read it and let me know how you feel about it, ¡°she urged as she sat on the table with several sketching pads, both used and unused.


    Gary read the contract and gave a satisfied nod. ¡°For the month you will be undergoing training, you won¡¯t be getting paid; however, we will pay for the training,¡± she exined.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay with the contract. Will I have to travel during shootings?¡± He asked, and Lily gave a nod.


    ¡°There are times you¡¯ll have to, but not in the meantime since we are still a startup,¡± she exined. ¡°For now, we will have our shoots here in the studio and around the city. We will inform you seven days before the shoot so that you will be ready,¡± she rified, and Gary gave a nod as he signed the contract.


    As Lily read through the contract again with Gary¡¯s signature, she smiled. ¡°Wee to Lily¡¯s team; we are looking forward to an amazing future with you!¡± She shook hands with him.


    {Mission: Employ Gary Green,plete. Mission reward: 100 points acquired}


    {New side mission unlocked}


    {Design and sell five outfits in one month}


    As Lily read the mission, her heart twitched, but she couldn¡¯t help the giddiness in her heart. ¡°I¡¯m one step closer!¡±

 Be Careful

    As Lily entered her dorm, the voices of her roommates died down, and she could feel their eyes on her, judging her. The three girls sat in a circle, huddled around their phones, whispering and snickering as she walked by. From the look in their eyes, she could tell whatever they were gossiping about had to do with her.


    Without paying mind to them, she walked towards her side of the room and began unpacking her things. Lydia snickered with a glint in her eyes as she walked up to Lily with her hands crossed over her chest. ¡°So all you do is pretend to be ignorant and pure? I can¡¯t believe the most righteous low-ss student who refused to bow to others is such a dirty slut that seduces her best friend¡¯s brother to climb up thedder,¡± she snickered provocatively.


    Lily pursed her lips and red up at her. ¡°You are always sitting around gossiping about other people¡¯s problems, yet you are on the edge of being expelled from the school due to your bad grades. Shouldn¡¯t you focus on what¡¯s important? Or are you jealous that no one finds you attractive enough to want you on their bed?¡± Lily countered, making Lydia flush in anger as she stepped forward threateningly. ¡°What did you just say?¡± she challenged.


    ¡°You heard me. You have zero intelligence and zero attractiveness, which is why you are always jealous of those who have something going on for them,¡± Lily repeated while maintaining heated eye contact with her.


    ¡°How dare you talk to me like that?¡± Lydia gritted out with her hands raised, ready to p Lily in the face, but her hands were held by Lily before they couldnd a hit. ¡°What are you trying to do? p me? I dare you to p me with those filthy hands of yours!¡±


    Jasmine and Prisci shared a nce and divided to join in the fight. ¡°You guys should stop,¡± Jasmine chipped in as he freed Lydia¡¯s hand from Lily¡¯s hold. ¡°We were just concerned about you; she doesn¡¯t have a manner of approach, which is why she sounded offended. Have you seen the news about you and the reason why you had a fight with Merrissa on the school website?¡± Jasmine asked and showed Lily the news on her phone.


    As Lily read the post, a dark chuckle escaped her lips, and she buried her face in her hands. The other girls exchanged a worried nce, sensing that something was very amiss. Their fears were confirmed when Lily lifted her head, and they saw the rage burning in her eyes. ¡°I had nned to deal with herter,¡± she muttered, ¡°but it seems she¡¯s in a hurry to meet her end. I¡¯ll just have to give her a little energy boost.¡±


    Lydia and the two others felt a chill run down their spines as they took in Lily¡¯s angered expression, and they involuntarily took a step backwards, afraid the mes of her rage would burn them.


    Lily hurriedly set her things aside and got cleaned up before settling down to begin her ns to have Merrisa dealt with. She had been so busy getting herpany set up and registered for the past two weeks that she barely spent extra minutes on campus before leaving, which made her a littlete on multiple news stories.


    As she logged into her school ount, she noticed she had been tagged several times under the original post about her seducing Merrisa¡¯s brother. She read through thement and noticed the majority of people were calling her names, and only a few were demanding rification.


    She read through thements one after the other, and once she was done, she created an anonymous page and tagged posts on the general fashion school site belonging to all the fashion schools in the city.


    After this, she boosted the post until it was seen by every major page on the fashion site. She nned to spread the news far and wide and make Merissa happy about ruining Lily¡¯s image before she finally made aeback.


    Soon, the post with just a few hundred views, became one with thousands of views in less than five minutes. Satisfied with her work, Lily closed the school page and continued her work on the website she was building for her store.


    Meanwhile, Merrisa, who had seen the post skyrocketing, couldn¡¯t help the grin that spread across her face. She giggled non stop as she brought the phone up to Zach¡¯s face to show him the post. ¡°Look, do you think she will be able to recover from this? So what if she is talented? She can only bow to people like us who are rich and powerful!¡± she giggled excitedly, with a mocking expression on her face.


    Zach, upon seeing the post, felt a bad premonition in his heart, but he couldn¡¯t pinpoint what had brought about the feeling. ¡°Don¡¯t you think ruining her reputation like this is unfair? After all, she didn¡¯t do anything to you to deserve it,¡± he muttered, getting a re from the naked Merrisa lying on him.


    ¡°What did you mean she did nothing to me?¡± She demanded angrily as she stood up and picked up the nket to cover her naked body. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to ruin your image alongside hers, and that is why I used my useless brother as a scapegoat; did she not seduce you? Huh? Or why else would you have agreed to be her model and also date her? Didn¡¯t you say I¡¯m the one you¡¯ve always liked, and you fell for her seduction?¡± She demanded with a puff of her chest.


    Hearing her questions, Zach couldn¡¯t help feeling suffocated. He wanted to tell her that he had not been seduced by Lily and that he had truly appreciated her talent, which was why he never modelled another person¡¯s work in school, but after thinking about the consequences of saying those words, he decided to keep quiet and began getting dressed.


    ¡°Now that you have me, you don¡¯t have to go so far to deal with her. Not only do you have me, but you also get a spot on thepetition team, and now I¡¯m your exclusive model. What else do you want?¡± He asked and got a p from the angry Merrisa.


    ¡°What do you mean? What else do I want? I merely got everything that belonged to me back! I need to teach her a lesson for messing with me; once I¡¯m done with her, I will make her family miserable until shees back here to beg me and grovel at my feet!¡± she eximed into his face.


    Zach rubbed his stinging face and red at her angrily. He picked up his shirt from the floor and walked out. ¡°Whatever you do, be careful, and don¡¯t pull me into your stunt. I¡¯m not getting burned with you. And next time you hit me, I promise you won¡¯t be able to do it again!¡± he warned and mmed the door behind him.


    ¡°Zach! Zach! You asshole,e back here!¡± She screamed as he stomped her feet angrily, ¡°Zachary! Come back here this moment, or whatever is between us is fucking over!¡± She threatened at the top of her voice just in time to see the door being opened and a fully dressed Zach walking back in.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    She huffed and turned her back towards him, giving him an attitude until he begged her, but her delusions were scattered as he picked up his forgotten phone and mmed the door once again.


    ¡°Zach! You fucking asshole! Are you going back to her now?!¡± She screamed and began throwing things.


    However, things only got worse for her as she woke up the following morning to see the tides of the online opinion had drastically changed in Lily¡¯s favour.

 VVIP Guest

    By the time it was morning, Lily¡¯s student profile was filled with several notifications about tags and mentions. As she looked through all the tags andments, she felt excited and happy about the uing revenge.


    She intended to wait until thepetition before dealing with the one who had taken the life of the original owner, but thinking about it, she realised she could do more than one blow.


    What is better than a one-time blow?


    It¡¯s slowly watching the reputation you¡¯ve built for yourself crumble!


    Instead of rushing to get her ns in motion, Lilly decided to get herself a hearty breakfast in the most expensive restaurant in the school. A hearty meal and a happy heart put one in the best mood for payback.


    Upon entering the high-end restaurant casually dressed in a blue jean and a white top paired with white sneakers, she noticed all eyes were once again on her as people began gossiping about her.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the person on the post? She¡¯s a student at our school.¡±


    ¡°I heard she is a top student in the year two design department; her best friend is also a student here at this school! How heartbreaking it must be for the best friend to find out the girl was only friends with her so she could climb her brother¡¯s bed.¡±


    ¡°How did she get into our school when her family is so dependent on others?¡±


    ¡°Dependent on others?¡±


    ¡°Did you not read the second post? It is said there that her best friend¡¯s family are the ones helping her family sponsor their basic needs, even the clothes they wear!¡±


    ¡°And then she had a fallout with her best friend because she was caught trying to seduce her brother!¡±


    ¡°She looks so pure and innocent, but her heart is so ck! How could you do something like that to your best friend?¡±


    ¡°I hope her good grades are also gotten through such means! People like her should be expelled from school!¡±


    ¡°How did she even have the face toe here? She¡¯s so shameless!¡±


    ¡°If I were in her shoes, I would have crawled under a rock ages ago!¡±


    ¡°You think people like her would be ashamed? Where will such a low life who grows up begging others for food get shame from?¡±


    In other words, by their loud ¡®gossiping¡¯, Lily walked in and was met with a waitress halfway. ¡°Excuse me, you can¡¯t go in. Is there something you need or someone you¡¯d like to meet?¡± the waitress questioned while blocking her way in. ¡°Is this not open to the public?¡± Lily asked curiously as she realised she was not allowed past the waiting area.


    The waitress smiled awkwardly. ¡°Of course, it is open to the public for dining,¡± she replied, giving Lily a look over, quietly judging that she could not pay the bills for anything they sold.


    ¡°I am here to dine; can I go in now?¡± Lily demanded coldly; she could already tell this was another scene of the rich looking down on the poor, and it irritated her to no end. However, her ns foring here to eat would not allow her to leave just like that.


    {Give me five minutes, and I¡¯ll help you get the VIP card for this restaurant! How dare they look down on you like that!} The system felt offended on its host¡¯s behalf and immediately began typing away on its small system in its system space.


    ¡°Won¡¯t they find out it¡¯s a fake?¡± Lily asked curiously.


    {Hehehe, are you still doubting my ability?}


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll buy us five minutes.¡± Lily was brought out of her conversation with the system as she heard several snickers and a mockingugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you can¡¯t dine here,¡± the waitress said, looking down her nose at Lily with an air of haughty superiority. ¡°We don¡¯t allow your type in here.¡± She sniffed disdain as if the very idea of a casually dressed diner in the restaurant was offensive. ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to leave.¡± Lily¡¯s eyes shed with anger, but she held her tongue.


    ¡°On what basis are you judging me? If I¡¯m here to dine, don¡¯t you think I have what it takes to dine here?¡± Lily demanded as she tried to take a step forward but was pushed back roughly by the waitress. ¡°Like I said, you cannot enter this ce; it¡¯s not for poorly dressed people like you!¡± The waitress sneered.


    Her manager had called her to deal with the poorly dressed woman, saying some of the diners wereining that she was making them lose their appetite.


    It was better to lose a nobody like her, who could not even afford a proper dress than to offend their VIP guests. With that, though, her attitude towards Lily became even more arrogant and contemptuous.


    Lily staggered backwards and crashed into the wall, her eyes glinting with anger as she took in the arrogant attitude of the waitress. ¡°Stop trying to find trouble here! We don¡¯t allow beggars!¡± The waitress yelled, attracting the attention of the diners.


    As Marissa walked into the restaurant with her entourage, her face lit up with delight as she saw Lily being turned away at the door. ¡°Lily? Why are you here?¡± she called out with a friendly tone while putting on a matching smile.


    The bad mood she had been in after reading onlinements supporting Lily evaporated in an instant, reced by gleeful anticipation. She knew this was the perfect opportunity to humiliate Lily and crush the small amount of support she had gained. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to reach you these few days but I was told you were busy outside the campus. I heard the rumours going around about you. I¡¯m sorry!  I hope it didn¡¯t affect you. Ah, what am I saying? It would affect you!¡± she said with a worried tone. She smiled in her heart as she saw the people begin to whisper, encouraging her to act unconsciously


    ¡°I already told the school board to take down the post but they haven¡¯t been able to do it, but they¡¯ll keep trying. I¡¯m also going to be making a post to rify the rumour. People can¡¯t nder others like that!¡± She added It was true she had asked the school board to take down the post and that was only because some people were starting to defend Lily, not to save Lily¡¯s reputation.  After waiting for thirty minutes without seeing the post being taken down she called again and was told that the post had been tampered with by a hacker and they needed more time to take it down.


    So as not to go crazy with anticipation she invited her friends out for breakfast hoping by the time they returned the post would have been taken down. Who would have thought the heavens were in support of her and allowed her to make herself look good?


    ¡°Look, I know it¡¯s hard to believe but I never posted any of those. Even if you hurt me I would not air you like that!¡± she added, making it sound as though the posts were true and Lily had truly done them.


    Lily sneered and red at her then slowly turned back to the waitress to see that her expression and behaviour had changed.


    The waitress dashed past her and politely weed Merrisa and her friends. ¡°Wee, pleasee with me; I¡¯ll get you seated,¡± she beamed. Seeing the change in attitude, Merrisa gloated in her heart, feeling proud and happy about the humiliation that Lily had just experienced.


    She knew that if the news of this event spread, it would further ruin Lily¡¯s reputation. To make herself continue to be loved by everyone, she decided to pretend to be a caring friend.


    Lily¡¯s silence would only make her look guilty! And it looks like a good one!  Continue being aloof and cold while you quietly fall into my trap!


    ¡®Hmph! So what if you are talented? You are still nothing without a formidable background like mine! You will end up bowing and grovelling at my feet!¡¯ she thought, stering a smile as she walked up to Lily.


    ¡°Are you okay? Are you here to eat? Come on, you cane with my friends and me, and then all of us will split the bill,¡± she offered with an innocent smile, and Lily sneered.


    ¡°Let me ask you, Miss Merrisa, are you trying to appear innocent and caring, or is your guilt eating up your gut?¡± Lily questioned Merissa angrily as she flung Merissa¡¯s hands away from holding her arms.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Merissa stammered while stepping back. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what I mean? Huh? You are pretending to be the innocent one out here, making others believe you are the best friend. How do you sleep at night with all the bad schema in your heart?¡± Lily asked with an intimidating voice, making Merissa flush in embarrassment.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Merrisa took several steps back, creating a distance between the two, as she suddenly felt suffocated by Lily¡¯s intimidating aura. ¡°How dare you talk to our customers that way?! I told you to stop causing trouble here and just¡­¡± The waitress choked on her words, and several gasps filled the air as Lily shed a golden card with the restaurant logo in the air.


    The waitress went stiff in shock, and her knees trembled in fear. ¡°The golden card!¡± She eximed shakily, feeling her lungs short of air. ¡°You are a VIP guest! I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to treat you that way.¡± She bowed several times with her forehead touching her knees.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible!¡± Merrisa eximed, ¡°There is no way it¡¯s a real VIP card! That card is worth $10 million, and it can be used in any establishment owned by the Watson Group! She¡¯s just a country bumpkin, always begging for good things from my family; she could never have something like that!¡± She added.


    The waitress felt horrified by Merrisa¡¯s running mouth, and the urge to have the ¡®noble¡¯dy gagged and thrown out overwhelmed her. She stood up and red at Merissa and her friends. ¡°Not real? Even without me touching it, I can feel it¡¯s real, and don¡¯t you know that as long as a copy of a fake one is made anywhere, it would alert Watson¡¯s security system? Please stop spouting nonsense and leave,¡± he ordered coldly.


    ¡°What are you talking about? You are trying to throw us out? Hmph, I dare you to call out the manager and allow them to check the card! There is no way someone like her who sleeps around can afford that card; I bet she does not even have a hundred dors in her ount.¡± Gia, Merrisa¡¯s friend, countered.


    ¡°There is no need to call the manager; I believe I am qualified to check!¡± Celina announced as she walked out of the VIP boot of the restaurant. She took the card from Lily and quickly examined it. ¡°It¡¯s the real thing,¡± she announced, and everyone watching the show couldn¡¯t help gaping in shock.


    They all had one thought in their minds: ¡®A pauper has such an expensive card in their hand?¡¯


    ¡®What begging? Even the Smith family does not have Watson¡¯s VVIP card! Who¡¯s lying and who¡¯s not?¡¯


    She had been attracted by themotion earlier, and knowing Lily was the one involved, she wanted to jump in and save the girl but was stopped by a certain someone.


    ¡°Miss Williams, I¡¯m sorry my ipetence disrupted your meals; please forgive me,¡± the waitress bowed. Celina nced at her and sneered. ¡°You are fired,¡± she announced, and the waitress went pale in fear.


    ¡°But¡­but¡±


    ¡°You want to know why you were fired? It¡¯s because you discriminate and disrespect our client. What¡¯s wrong with what she is wearing? Can¡¯t ady decide to be casual? Do people have to wear designer clothes to eat at our restaurant? Forget it you are fired and that bald manager who instructed you to disrespect her, tells him I said he is also fired; both your services are no longer needed here.¡± Celina announced


    A certain young master sitting inside one of the VIP boots could not help the frustration boiling inside him about his cousin¡¯s overbearing attitude and momentum. She¡¯s just like her mother,¡± heined.


    ¡°As for you three,¡± Celina red at Merrisa and her friends and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to ever see you here again! Your family names are no longer registered in our restaurant business any more. Next time I see you causing trouble like this, I¡¯ll ask the security to lock you up.¡±

 The invitation

    The manager could no longer hide and he hurried out with his pot belly jiggling around, his forehead was soaked with sweat and his body trembled in fear. He looked at Lily who was casually standing to the side with her arms folded and his eyes shrank, with regret.


    If I had known this person was a VVIP guest I would not have treated her with such disrespect?! I would have weed her myself! How could I have been so foolish?  Those low-ss peasants normally feel intimidated by the grandeur of this building. How could they havee to cause trouble?


    He thought as he fell on his knees in front of Lily with his head touching the ground, ¡°Please Young Mistress. I was blind and I could not see, please forgive me. I have three daughters to take care of at home, I can¡¯t afford to lose my job!¡± he pleaded with a trembling voice.


    As he reached out to grab Lily¡¯s cloth, she sidestepped him and he fell on his face with a sickening thud, ¡°Please respect yourself and do not touch me!¡± she sneered and red down at him.


    The diners around watched with bated breath, everyone shocked and horrified as the scene yed out.


    At least one out of five of them had an encounter with the bald pot-bellied and shrewd manager. The man was well known to be haughty and difficult to deal with. He was well known for his favouritism, to make the VIP guest look good and respected he would embarrass the regr diners.


    Seeing him grovelling at the feet of a peasant made everyone feel contented and happy. At least someone has dealt with him on their behalf.


    However, as their thoughts drifted back to the gold card in Lily¡¯s hand they swallowed their name-calling and unconsciously began to see her as one of them.


    Can a peasant own a card that not even the top brass family can get easily? Impossible!


    ¡°She and her family must be one of those hidden families with huge backgrounds who came out to experience life!¡± Someone muttered and everyone agreed without a second thought.


    Merissa, who had been trying to use the opportunity to ruin Lily¡¯s reputation and regain public opinion, stood with a pale face outside the restaurant after being kicked out, her body trembling with fear and shock.


    ¡®How can that country bumpkin own such a valuable thing?¡¯


    ¡®Even my father had to toil and tter before he got the smallest ck card!¡¯


    ¡®It must be fake! It has to be!¡¯ she repeated in her head. While watching the scene. Nancy, one of her friends stepped forward with an using expression while pointing her phone in Merissa¡¯s face, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that your family is the one sponsoring Lily to school?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my family. How can she afford to be here without the help of my family? Did I not show you the kind of shabby house they live in? I was so disgusted that I couldn¡¯t take another step away from my car!¡± She hurriedly exined, ¡°Don¡¯t be deceived by the gold card she¡¯s holding, it¡¯s fake!¡± She added firmly, already concluding in her heart that Lily forged the card pretending to be rich so she could get mixed in with the upper ss.


    Nancy sneered and shoved the phone closer to Merissa¡¯s face, ¡°Then exin this to me!¡± She demanded ¡°My brother works in the School¡¯s administration office and after asking him, he told me Lily is one of the half schrship students and the other half is paid by her family. He even sent a picture to prove it! See? Is your family spending such crumpled-up money?!¡± Nancy demanded.


    ¡°I never knew your family has such a hobby of spending money that can only be gotten by those street vendors!  How can you be so shameless? Just to make yourself look good, you tried ruining her reputation!¡± Nancy eximed, causing another set of people to gather around.


    Although she wasn¡¯t innocent, Nancy knew the struggles of those on the lower rank of society, after all her family had just recently gotten rich and she wasn¡¯t like those whose families had centuries and generational wealth.


    She had initially gotten close to Merissa because she was an easy target to get close to while surfing the deep waters of the school, always putting up with her attitude and character. After all, her father always preached the importance of connection but why would she need to make connections with such a two-faced person?


    ¡°What are you talking about? Are you believing that peasant over your friend?¡± Gia snapped and dragged Nancy away from Merissa.


    ¡°What is there not to believe? Isn¡¯t the evidence right here? She had been lying to everyone all over the school about the innocent girl. What¡¯s to say that the post circting the inte right now was not nned by her just to ruin the girl¡¯s reputation further?¡± Nancy demanded angrily and Gia scoffed.


    ¡°So what if it¡¯s all a lie? Huh? Was it our fault she was poor? She deserves everything thates to her and even more! Peasants like her should only sit around and get bullied by us!¡± Gia countered, leaving Nancy speechless.


    ¡°Both of you are unbelievable!¡± she eximed, ¡°I want nothing to do with you two! I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll one day die in my sleep if I continue being your friend¡± She red and walked away.


    Merissa looked around and saw some people whispering around while giving her dirty looks. Nancy¡¯s voice was not low when she was talking and her words could be heard by those passing by, seeing the looks she was receiving, Merissa shrank in on herself and pulled Gia away as she hurried off the campus to hide in the confinement of her house.


    Lily sneered as she saw her leaving and sent a message to the system, ¡°Send her a text from my other number, telling her this is just the beginning¡±


    {Hehehe¡­  that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about! You have to enjoy the look of panic and defeat in your opponent¡¯s face, and watch them struggle fruitlessly! That¡¯s the true way of revenge! You are learning quickly!}


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the way you were treated by our family establishment, to apologise, let me treat you to breakfast¡± Celina smiled politely, her eyes full of hope.


    Due to both their busy schedules, they have not been able to have their lunch date and she had been looking forward to it. However, she was more interested in the low-key girl who casually brought out the gold card.


    If 10 million was the only thing needed to get the card then almost everyone in the city full of rich people would have it. However, the ten million was just a small requirement for having the card and the requirement gets even more impossible as time goes on.


    Not only does it require the holder of the card to have at least a hundred million in their ount, but they also need to have at least five per cent shares in the Watson group.


    The system had somehow managed to get all those done in less than five minutes. If Lily heard it, she would be horrified at the power the system wields.


    Seeing the gold card in Lily¡¯s hand, Celina became even more determined to find out the origin of the beauty-improving medicine thedy had given her the other day.


    Lily thought about her reason foring and realising it was already achieved even beyond her calctions she decided to join Celina for breakfast.


    Her intention foring was to nt the seed of doubt into people¡¯s hearts about her identity as a pauper, can a pauper afford to eat in a restaurant where their minimum dish is a hundred dors?


    She had not been expecting the waitress to cause a scene, nor was she expecting Merissa toe at the time she did, but everything had worked well and boosted her goal all thanks to the system.


    As she walked into the VIP booth she saw Mark casually sitting by the table and froze in her steps, seeing this, Celina smiled awkwardly and quickly apologized, ¡°Sorry about this, I had a breakfast appointment with my cousin previously. I hope you don¡¯t mind eating with us?¡± she asked hopefully and Lily shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, food is best eaten with morepany¡± She replied and sat opposite Mark who acknowledged her with a nod, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the way our staff treated you miss¡± he apologized and she waved him off, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it wasn¡¯t your fault anyways. Those kinds of things happen every once in a while we can¡¯t change it¡± she replied with a smile and Mark nodded in satisfaction.


    He wanted to see if she would make things difficult for them, after all as a gold card owner, she had the right to demand morepensation for the scene earlier. Seeing howid back she is he immediately approved of her being friends with his dearest cousin.


    ¡°If I may ask Miss, what family are you from? I¡¯m familiar with most upper-ss families but I¡¯ve never seen your face before¡± he probed, intending to check her identity as soon as possible.


    Lily also caught on to his thought, she could tell how the mind of the rich works. Have been one in herst life. She shrugged and picked up the tablet used for cing orders, ¡°My family is from the lower ss, that¡¯s probably why you haven¡¯t seen my face before now. I just so happened to casually pick up the card on the roadside¡± she replied innocently making Celina snicker in amusement.


    Mark chuckled, ¡°You didn¡¯t have to tell lies to cover your identity, Miss, the card is worth more than people know and no one would dare drop it anyhow. I understand you aren¡¯tfortable with sharing your identity¡± he pointed out and Lily grinned cheekily.


    Soon their orders were brought in and the three immediately dug in to eat, ¡°Can you please tell Mother I don¡¯t want to go to Paris with her?¡± Celina asked with a mouth full of food earning a re from Mark.


    ¡°Watch your manners! Why would you talk with a mouthful of food? What if you choke?¡± he reprimanded and Celina shrugged, swallowing her food she repeated her request with puppy eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to attend the Paris show with her this year, can you talk to her?¡± She pouted and Mark shook his head, ¡°I can¡¯t, I already helped you get out of the New York runwayst time¡±


    ¡°I will be your spokesperson for the Wave series if you help me out¡± she offered with a mischievous smile and Mark smirked, ¡°Your mum had a better offer and I already epted it so you have no choice but to attend,¡± he replied and Celina¡¯s eyes widened in shock as she pointed her fork towards him, ¡°You sold me out!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t, I only did what was best for my business. Besides, your role model will be at the Paris show this year, why are you trying to avoid it?¡±


    ¡°Because that green tea bitch from the Thompson family will be there. I don¡¯t want to see her until we get to the nationals!¡± Celinamented, ¡°Our school is a rival to theirs and I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be nominated to represent the senior of her school as the seamstress. I don¡¯t know what that family thinks, always publicising that talentless idiot!¡± she added feeling aggrieved at the thought of the girl.


    Lily watched in amusement as Celina threw a tantrum about not attending the show, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you invite your friend here and both of you can go together, you won¡¯t have to deal with Auntie and the girl¡± Mark offered and Celina¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement.


    ¡°Yes! You are right. Come with me to Paris! Trust me you will like it! You are a designer, right? I can introduce you to some people! You can¡¯t say no!¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Backstabbing best friend

    ¡°A trip to Paris huh?¡± Lily muttered as she flipped on her bed. ¡°How long has it been since I left this city?¡± She chuckled with a reminiscing expression.


    {It hasn¡¯t been that long, it¡¯s not even up to a month since you¡¯ve been Reborn}


    ¡°It¡¯s a long time for someone like me who travels a lot for business trips, Anyway, I will need to register for an international passport and all the necessary tiring procedures, so annoying to go it all over again¡± she mumbled and picked up herptop.


    As she powered it up, she was taken directly to the school forum, where she noticed she had even more tags and mentions than the first time. She clicked the first inbox and raised her brows as she read the messages.


    Kk Cute: I¡¯m sorry I misjudged you and said some bad words! I should have waited to see how the situation turned out. You should ditch such a best friend! She is not deserving of your friendship at all! Good luck with your life!


    Lily raised a brow in confusion and clicked the next inbox.


    Mama Bear: Damn! What kind of best friend would do such a hideous thing? Ah, if I were in your shoes, I would do more than seduce her brother! She deserves to rot in hell! Ditch her! Ditch her real quick! I support you.


    Shane¡¯s Lover: This is the life of all of us poor peasants, always schemed against when our light overshadows theirs. I¡¯m sorry for what happened to you, those people hating you do not even know half of it. It¡¯s good you¡¯ve broken off the friendship! She¡¯ll get punished in some way.


    I Hate The Rich Kids: Tell me her identity! Big sis will avenge you! Such a vicious girl at such a young age! Rich kids are really scheming,mon, give big sis that bitch¡¯s location, and I will teach her to be polite!


    Lily at this point was confused beyond understanding. She went to her profile to check if she was logged in to the wrong one, but seeing how it was her ount, she frowned and decided to check the homepage to see why everyone was sending her a goodwill message.


    When she got to the homepage, she saw two trending topics, the first was #Backstabbingbestfriend and the second was #Seducingbestfriend¡¯sbrother. Lily clicked on the second one and saw nothing had changed but it got more views and likes and all thements had someone defending her in there, for example:


    Racer: I hate all those peasants who pretend to be high and mighty just because they have a little more talent than others! She looks so innocent and pure but she seduces her best friend¡¯s brother to get money (gag)


    I Need Hugs: @Racer stop being so foolish you idiot, have you seen the other post? The so-called good best friend scheming against her friend! You call that friendship! The rich kids can go die with their fake friendship for all I care!


    ¡°The other post?¡± Lily muttered after reading several simrments.


    {I think they are talking about the second trending topic. Did someone post something to help you?}


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be, it¡¯s probably another set of friends. This kind of topic is always popr after all¡± Lily swallowed her words as she read the post on the second trending topic.


    #Backstabbing best friend #Seducing best friend¡¯s brother. For all of you dishing out judgment without hearing the other side of the story, I can only call you blinded fools! It¡¯s so obvious that the post was made to tarnish the other girl¡¯s reputation, yet you all senselessly went there to put down your input without knowing a thing! Just so you know, I am also a student in the school and I know the two of them quite well.


    Enough to tell you what was posted is nothing but a lie. But if you choose not to believe me, that¡¯s your cup of tea, but here are the audio and videos of the ¡®good best friend¡¯ scheming and backstabbing the other friend! If you are too blind to see even with such evidence, that¡¯s your fault.


    However, stop ming the innocent girl for a crime she nevermitted!


    With pursed lips, Lily clicked on the attached files and began to listen. ¡°Hmph! What does she think she is? Trying to be friends with me because she¡¯s the best in ss, how annoying!¡± Merissa¡¯s voice came out of the video that was obviously taken in the restroom.


    ¡°I thought you liked her? Didn¡¯t her family work for your family?¡± A girl asked with a sneer.


    ¡°Like her? Why would I like a low life like her? I¡¯m only friends with her because of what she can offer. I make her do my assignments and all the cleaning in our dorm, just by showing her a bit of care. I like seeing her look so pathetic like her parents when they suck up to mine¡± The video ended with Merissaughing with the other girl.


    Lily¡¯s face darkened with rage as she clicked the audio, a loud crashing noise was heard, followed by the voice of Merissa cursing up a storm.


    ¡°Fuck! It¡¯s that bitch again! Why is it always that low-life peasant? Lily this! Lily that! Is she the only one!¡± Marissa cursed.


    ¡°Calm down, you can¡¯t keep destroying things around here, the school will have you punished!¡± Zach¡¯s voice followed.


    ¡°Fuck! Is the school property that important right now? That Wench was nominated to represent the school in the national! Nationals!¡± Merissa screamed.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been dreaming about going to the nationals, but that poor country bumpkin took it away from me! Do you think I should be calm? I can¡¯t be! That spot belongs to me! Me!¡± She yelled and threw another case to the wall.


    ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case, she¡¯s the best student in your department in your year, it¡¯s natural that the school would pick her over you!¡± Zach reasoned.


    ¡°Are you supporting her now?¡±


    ¡°Of course not, I¡¯m just saying it as it is!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow her to go to the finals, it can only be me and no one else!¡± That was thest thing before the audio ended.


    Lily let out a darkugh as she covered her face with her palm. ¡°How interesting!¡± Sheughed, ¡°Who posted this?¡± She asked.


    {I already checked and it¡¯s Zach}


    ¡°Oh! Him? What is he ying at?¡± She asked with narrowed eyes.


    {Does it matter what he is up to? What matters is that they all got what they deserve! I felt really angered listening to those things!}


    ¡°I thought you were a system, howe you have feelings?¡± Lily asked in amusement. She had long given up trying to find the system out and just ept whatever he offered, but she couldn¡¯t pass on hearing its fluttered voice.


    {Ah! Ah¡­ of course I have no¡­sure feelings, anyway, what do you n to do?}


    ¡°We are going ording to the original n and hopefully I can use this opportunity and the momentum to advertise mypany when the online store is done¡±


    She went back to her profile and began to make her post.


    #Seducing best friend¡¯s brother¡¯s rification.


    Lily: Hello everyone, my name is Lily, a year two student in the Yellow Hill Fashion School designing ss. I am here to make a rification about the rumour going around about me.N?velDrama.Org content.


    One: I have never seduced @Lady Smith¡¯s brother, he has been out of the country for the past five years and considering how ¡®poor¡¯ she painted me and my family, I do not have enough money to travel to seduce him.


    There are better and richer guys in the city who could be seduced if I had the intention of doing such a thing.


    Two: My father and mother indeed work with @Lady Smith¡¯s family, but if she sees that as us begging, then we would leave without looking back. @Lady Smith, thank you for the ¡®well wishes¡± you¡¯ve had for me all these years, you¡¯ve gotten the spot on thepetition list and also my boyfriend, but how long will you be able to hold it? Never mind, I¡¯ll be alive and well to see it.


    We both know you won¡¯t hold them for long.


    Meanwhile, to respond to #Backstabbing best friend, should I say thank you for posting? If you dared, wouldn¡¯t you have posted the whole audio? Are you scared you¡¯d also be implicated? Pfft, I don¡¯t need your support, hiding behind an anonymous identity to wave your guilt!


    I have always known about her schemes, oh I even have proof after this, let¡¯s see who is the seducer without knowing their boundary.


    PS. The man in the pictures is my ex and those pictures were taken when we were still dating and @Lady Smith is engaged to a certain Young Master, I wonder what your fiancee will think of you after seeing these! I¡¯ll be sure to send a copy to him!


    Lily posted several pictures of Merissa and Zach being together while they were still in a rtionship. Some pictures of them show where they were kissing and some showed even more intimate of them in the bedroom.


    @LadySmith I owe you nothing but you owe me everything, I promise the next time you make rumours about me the next pictures will be worse than these!


    As people saw the post the school forum exploded into chaos and the new post soon made it to the top of the trending list.


    Merissa, who still had not recovered from the shock of what happened in the restaurant, got an even more shocking blow as she read the new post.


    Her eyes lost their focus and she trembled in fear and apprehension. She stared at the caller ID with a pale face as her phone began to go off. With her heart in her throat, she picked up the call and almost fainted as the cold voice of her father came off of the phone, ¡°Merissa! Come home this instant and exin what is happening to me!¡±

 Any reason to cover the truth

    Mr Smith¡¯s blood boiled with anger as he scrolled through the students¡¯ tform. The morements he read, the more his hand tightened around the armrest. His round face flushed in anger and you could see the imaginary smokeing out of his ears and nose.


    He had been in a meeting, setting a business deal with an important client when he got a call from the Stark family, demanding an exnation about the rumour!


    ¡°Yes! Rumour It should only ever be a rumour or else!¡± He threatened coldly and the servants and everyone around him flinched in fear.


    ¡°Try to calm down, you can¡¯t believe everything that is going on online! You should try and trust your daughter, she could never do such a thing¡± Mrs Smith voiced, trying to get her husband to calm down before their daughter returned home.


    Knowing his temper, she was scared he¡¯d do something that would hurt her. ¡°You expect me to calm down in this situation? The Stark family is trying to break off the engagement and they have threatened to withdraw their investments in ourpany if we don¡¯t give them an exnation! And you are expecting me to calm down?¡± He yelled.


    ¡°How do you expect me to fund a project worth a billion dors without their support?¡± He questioned and Mrs Smith frowned.


    ¡°You have to trust our daughter, she could never do such a thing! They must be photoshopped pictures! We should ask Lily for an exnation, she shouldn¡¯t nder our daughter like that! Why would she post such things?¡± She argued and Lily¡¯s mother who had been standing at the side with her husband felt an urge to p the woman. She scoffed and turned away to leave after ring at her


    ¡°With or without the exnation, my family will no longer work with you again! What has my daughter done to be ndered like that? Sleep with your impotent son?! God forbid! Us beg from you? I¡¯d rather die starving! My daughter will not be giving any exnation!¡± She said at the top of her voice while she moved around to pack her things.


    Hearing her words, Mr Smith¡¯s eyes twitched and his hold on the armrest tightened even further, he red at his wife and stomped off to the study room while gesturing for Lily¡¯s father to follow him.


    ¡°Your daughter went too far! Even if they both had a fallout, was she meant to post such a thing, knowing it would affect our family¡¯s name? Couldn¡¯t she havee home to settle things?¡± Mr Smith asked angrily as they walked into the study.


    ¡°Your daughter started it, Mr Smith,  they are both young, you shouldn¡¯t expect Lily not to have a temper¡± Lily¡¯s father replied with a solemn tone, further fueling Mr Smith and ego.


    ¡°Call her home and ask her to delete the post this instant, then she will apologise to Meridsa on her school page just as she had made the post and we can both forget all this is happening or else!¡± he threatened, thinking he could make Lily take the fall and they could settle everything with the Stark family.


    Lily¡¯s fathered face darkened at the threat ¡°Or else what? We will lose our job working with you? We are already leaving!¡± he replied angrily.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I need to remind you who started this in the first ce. Not only was it your daughter who pushed mine down the stairs for thepetition spot, but she even instigated others to spread rumours about her, for what? What did we do to you?¡± he asked.


    Despite being as angry as his wife, he was able to keep his calm as the head of the family. Mr Smith, shocked at the man¡¯s outburst, remained silent for a brief moment, trying to find his way around. If they wanted to clear things off with the Stark family, they would need Lily to verify that the story was not true.


    He took a deep breath. ¡°My daughter was just being young and ignorant about life, I¡¯m sure she didn¡¯t mean anything she said in those clips¡± he started. ¡°I will ask people to take it down and then we can settle this within our families. We willpensate you massively¡± he offered and the other man shook his head.


    ¡°We do not need yourpensation. Who would have thought our family¡¯s hard work for yours is considered begging? Did you not notice? There are a lot of things wrong with what your daughter did, we knew back then in the hospital who the culprit was but we said nothing, hoping she would learn her lesson and change, but no¡± he breathed out.


    ¡°I can¡¯t allow my daughter to continue to suffer the grievance quietly. I quit, you and your family can keep your job and your charity¡± he announced and walked out of the study to see his wife waiting impatiently by the door.


    He smiled at her and held her hands as they began to walk away. Mr Smith kicked off the small table at the centre of the study, scattering its content everywhere. His phone went off and his face palmed.


    ¡°Hello Chairman Stark¡± he greeted with a nervous chuckle.


    ¡°Mr Smith, we are still awaiting an exnation from you and your daughter! Did you not know our Stark family and that young man¡¯s family are rivals that should not stay under the same roof?¡± The old man demanded and Mr Smith¡¯s heart sank.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°It is not as the rumour says Chairman Stark, my daughter would never do such a thing. I¡¯m waiting for her toe back from school right now and I will bring her to you for an exnation¡±


    ¡°You expect my family to marry someone already used by the Brent scum family? Never! I am withdrawing my investments in the state construction project! You ungrateful rascal!¡± He announced and cut off the line.


    Mr Smith sank into the chair with a defeated look and pulled his hair in frustration. Merissa walked in to see Lily¡¯s family leaving their house. She pursed her lips and put on an innocent face.


    ¡°I did not do any of those! They are lies!¡± She rushed to them and announced while holding Lily¡¯s mother¡¯s arm.


    ¡°What did you not do?¡± Chloe asked in annoyance, shrugging off Merissa¡¯s hand. ¡°You didn¡¯t push her off the stairs or you didn¡¯t say all those hate-filled words towards her? I can only imagine what my daughter has put up with just so we can continue to work with you and even that you see our hard work as your charity! May karma visit you in ten folds!¡± She sneered and pushed Merissa out of the way.


    Mrs Smith moved forward angrily after seeing her daughter being pushed. ¡°What is your problem? What has my daughter done to your family for her to be ndered? She even apologised and you pushed her! You all are just hateful and jealous!¡± She yelled and Chloe snapped.


    She dropped the bag in her hand and turned to face Mrs Smith. ¡°You expect me to believe that your scheming daughter who takes after you did nothing to my daughter? Hmph, forget it! I will not stoop to your level! Continue using your power to bully the poor! Heaven is watching and it will make the perfect judgement on scoundrels like you!¡± She yelled into Mrs Smith¡¯s face.


    ¡°Your family can only bark! You cannot do anything to my daughter! Wait till the post is taken down and we prove it¡¯s all fake! Your daughter will face awsuit!¡± Mrs Smith threatened, trying to scare them away, but the threat backfired as Lily walked in, still dressed in her attire from the restaurant.


    ¡°You want to sue my family? Fine, we will meet you in court and let¡¯s see which one of us will get locked up!¡± She dered firmly, startling the mother and daughter.


    Mrs Smith opened and closed her mouth, unable to say a thing, she wasn¡¯t sure how much more evidence Lily had about the things she had done, and running her mouth would only pull her family deeper into the abyss.


    She could tell that the Lily standing there with a daring look is different from the former Lily who could easily be manipted and scared. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go. You can no longer work for this kind of people!¡± Lily announced and dragged her parents away.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Mr Smith called out as he exited the study room to see Lily and Merissa had arrived. ¡°We willpensate you for the damage that our daughter has done, as long as you rify that the things you posted were lies¡± he offered and Lily scoffed.


    ¡°Are they lies?¡± Mr Smith, you can ask your daughter about it. I even have video proof to show you they aren¡¯t lies and I don¡¯t have any reason to cover the truth¡± she replied while shooting Merissa a meaningful re.


    Merissa shivered while trying to hide behind her mother. Mr Smith looked at his wife and daughter and pursed his lips. ¡°If the Stark family break up the engagement with Merissa, we will lose arge investment, can you please do this for us? I promise your family will not be treated poorly in the future. Your parents¡¯ sry will also be doubled!¡± He offered once again.


    Thinking his daughter wouldpromise, Lily¡¯s father tapped her shoulder. ¡°We don¡¯t need your charity, Mr Smith, I will keep the post there and depending on my mood, I will post the videos in a few days. If you threaten my family because of this, be ready to have your daughter¡¯s reputation ruined forever!¡± She threatened and walked away.


    Merissa stepped forward, wanting to say a few words but as the image of the golden card shed through her mind, she swallowed her words and turned to her mother with an aggrieved expression and tear-filled eyes.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you have other people take down the post? My reputation in the school is already ruined and I may end up being kicked out if it stays for long¡± She cried and Mr Smith¡¯s face contoured in anger.


    ¡°Get your daughter dressed, we are going to appease Young Master Zayn!¡±

 We Will Support You

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Chloe asked worriedly while checking Lily for any physical pain or difort. Helplessly, Lily gave a nod for the tenth time since they got home.


    ¡°I am fine, Mom, nothing is wrong with me,¡± she replied.


    ¡°You were going through such a thing, you should have called us! No one can bully my daughter like that and go scot-free!¡± Chloe fumed angrily. ¡°Even that young man, how could you fall in love with such a scumbag? He is nothing but a useless and a fickle-minded idiot!¡± She continued.


    ¡°I was not in love with him,¡± Lily confessed. It was not a lie, the original Lily, ording to her memories, only liked Zach, and she was not in love with him. It was only natural that the bit of likeness would disappear when Victoria reced her.


    ¡°My daughter has truly suffered outside! Look at you, you have lost so much weight, that your clothes barely fit. I should make a lot of nutritious food for you to take back with you, are you staying the night? You should¡± Chloe rants, feeling stressed and worried.


    Her husband stepped forward and patted her shoulders lightly. ¡°You will scare your daughter away if you keep being like this¡± he urged and Chloe sat down with a deted sigh.


    ¡°We should have asked forpensation from those stuck-up idiots! How could they treat my daughter so badly and just go like that? I¡¯m so vexed¡± she puffed and Lily sighed with a facepalm.


    ¡°Mother, you have nothing to worry about, they willpensate us enough when it¡¯s time, I won¡¯t allow them to nder us like that and just walk away!¡± She assured and Chloe nodded in agreement while her husband frowned worriedly.


    ¡°I think we have done enough. We have already offended the Smith family, if we do more they might turn to bite us!¡± He reasoned, earning him a re from his angry wife.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Offended them who? Who started it?¡± She demanded and he sighed.


    ¡°You know what I¡¯m talking about. In the end, they are still one of the richest families in this city and you know those who go against those kinds of families usually don¡¯t end up well¡± he exined.


    Chloe¡¯s anger died down a bit but her unwillingness to just allow her daughter to suffer such a grievance remained. She walked into the kitchen and began to prepare food and snacks for Lily to take along to distract her mind while plotting ways to deal with the Smith family.


    ¡®Should I call him?¡¯ she thought but shook her head the next moment. ¡®There is no need, we will just let it slide this time, but next time! Hmph, I will show those people there are more powerful people in this world!¡¯


    While she was busy debating with herself in the kitchen, Lily and her father were having another discussion.


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep pushing it this way or else we will end up the guilty one. Besides, the post was made with an anonymous ount and you can¡¯t prove that Merissa truly did it¡± he reasoned, feeling worried that his daughter might still want to keep pushing the topic.


    ¡°I know my limits Father and I won¡¯t do anything out of line, you have to trust your daughter!¡± She replied with a reassuring smile. ¡°I didn¡¯te home today because of this case¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Why did youe home then? You usually don¡¯te back until it¡¯s school break. Is there something you need?¡± He asked and Lily gave a nod.


    ¡°Now that you have quit your job at the Smiths, what will you be doing?¡± She asked and her father smiled.


    ¡°Is our Lily flower worried about her parents?¡± He asked with an amused smile, making Lily flush in embarrassment.


    ¡°Of course, you are in this situation because of me¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever say that! None of it is your fault!¡± He argued.


    ¡°Okay! Okay! So do you and Mother have a n?¡± She asked.


    ¡°We do, we have been nning this for a while but we want your brother to finish his college examination before we start nning on executing it¡± he stated.


    ¡°Your maternal grandfather left a farmhouse and an orchard of apples and oranges to your mother before he died. We¡¯ve been paying people to manage it all this while, but now that we are both jobless, we can move to the farmhouse and then manage it ourselves¡± he exined and Lily gave a nod.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good n, you two are too old to be working for others and whenever we are on holiday in the school, we wille help out!¡± She reassured her father.


    ¡°For the first few years, the ie may be a little low and that is why we have been holding off your school fees and your brother¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°You have nothing to worry about! I can take care of myself and soon enough, I will be able to take care of the family!¡± She reached into her bag and brought out an envelope filled with a hundred thousand dors and pushed it into his hands.


    ¡°You don¡¯t worry, the money has been obtained legally, I promise!¡± She quickly exined as she noticed the horrified look in her father¡¯s eyes. ¡°I wanted you and Mother to start a business but it¡¯s even better now, you can just invest it into the farm¡± she exined.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take this! It¡¯s too much! You can just use it for yourself!¡± He pushed back the money and Lily shook her head helplessly.


    ¡°I have my share! Please don¡¯t tell Mum for now, I will tell her when it is time so that she won¡¯t get overly excited. I am going to Paris for a fashion show at the end of the month¡± she announced with a bright smile, trying to take her father¡¯s mind off the money topic.


    ¡°Paris? When? How?¡± He asked and Lily covered his mouth while looking in the kitchen¡¯s direction. He nodded in understanding and kept his voice down as he repeated his question.


    ¡°An acquaintance invited me, her family is one of the sponsors for the show and I¡¯ll get to meet more talented people! Very soon, I will be able to start on my own!¡± She dered and her father¡¯s eyes watered with joy.


    He pulled her into his embrace andughed. ¡°I¡¯m so happy and proud of you!¡± He announced. ¡°Don¡¯t worry your family will always support your dreams!¡±


    *****


    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t take down the post?¡± Mr Smith demanded impatiently, his hand tightening around the phone.


    ¡°We have been trying to take down the post all night but we were unable to do it!¡± The man on the other side of the phone reported and Mr Smith scowled.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a post on a school forum, why can¡¯t you take it down? Isn¡¯t that your line of work?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid the post is being monitored and handled by a top hacker Mr Smith, when we take it down now, ites back up in the next minute, each time spreading its wings forward¡± the man exined.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    ¡°What top hacker?! The girl who posted that is the daughter of my family servant! Do you think she can afford to employ a top hacker? You know how much top hackers are worth?¡± He demanded. ¡°If you are ipetent, say it and don¡¯t overpraise a country bumpkin!¡± He yelled and ended the call.


    ¡°What did they say?¡± Mrs Smith asked cautiously. She and her daughter had been walking on eggshells around him since Lily and her family left.


    ¡°That¡¯s the third hacker that couldn¡¯t take down the post!¡± He gritted out angrily. His phone beeped as he got a message from an unknown contact.


    Unknown: I¡¯m quite enjoying the game, why don¡¯t you try to take down the post again and see if your family news will not make it to the top news tomorrow morning?


    His hands trembled and the phone fell as he read the message, his face paled.


    ¡°What have you done!¡± He breathed out. How had things turned out this way?


    ¡°What happened?¡± Mrs Smith asked as she picked up the phone, reading the message, her eyes darkened in rage. ¡°How dare some lowly idiot threaten my family?¡± She yelled.


    ¡°Shut up! Shut up! If you don¡¯t know how things work!¡± Her husband countered, his cold voice startling her. ¡°If you had not brought up your daughter like that would we have been in this situation right now?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?!  Are you trying to take out your anger on our daughter? I won¡¯t allow you! What had she done wrong?  She was only putting that bumpkin in her ce! Without our family will her family be able to eat?¡± she argued arrogantly


    ¡°Shut up! Can¡¯t you see this is no longer about your daughter and Lily? Our rivals must have gotten hold of this opportunity to see us fail! If we lose this project we will not be able to get the internal project we want, why can¡¯t you think beyond your ego for once?¡± He sneered


    ¡°There is no way this could be Lily! Someone else is trying to sabotage us using this opportunity,¡± he added.


    ¡°Then what do we do?¡± She asked, already understanding the turn of events.


    ¡°What else? We will have to give them what they want! As long as it won¡¯t ruin ourpany¡¯s reputation,¡± He replied and collected the phone from her and replied to the message.


    Mr Smith: What do you want aspensation to take down the post? Who sent you?  I¡¯ll pay you double what they gave you!


    Unknown: hehehe double you say? I don¡¯t need your money.


    Have your daughter publicly apologise for what she did and send a sum of 5 million dors to this ount (number attached). Failure to meet these requirements by noon tomorrow is your worst dreame true, forget about losing the contract because even yourpany will go bankrupt.

 I won鈥檛 accept it

    ¡°You want me to apologise to her? On the school tform?¡± Merissa asked in bewilderment while looking from her father¡¯s stoic face to her mother¡¯s solemn one, unable to believe her ears she repeated the question, ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll have to apologise using your actual profile. It would be good if you did a video, instead of a write-up,¡± Mr Smith replied and Merissa¡¯s face turned pale.


    ¡°Father! Why would I have to bow my head to the likes of her? Can¡¯t you just settle their family with some money and then have them take the post down? They are the ones that need to apologise to us, not the other way around!¡± She whined.


    ¡°We can¡¯t. You saw the way they reacted yesterday. And even now, the whole thing has escted beyond what we can control and to settle it, we will need you to apologise to her¡± Mrs Smith exined calmly.


    ¡°But mother! If I apologise to her, then it would mean I am admitting to doing what she said!¡± Merissa voiced and Mr Smith scowled.


    ¡°Did you not do them? Did you not say all those words or did you not sleep with her boyfriend?¡± He demanded coldly, making her shiver at his tone. ¡°It was a crime youmitted and you should pay for it. Prepare the apology video before noon and post it¡± he instructed and stood up to leave.


    Seeing her father¡¯s resolved expression, Merissa felt a shiver down her spine. She turned to her mother with an aggrieved expression, hoping to get her mother to side with her.


    ¡°Mum, I really can¡¯t apologise to her publicly, I don¡¯t mind doing it privately, but on the school forum, people willugh at me!¡± Sheined with teary and hopeful eyes.


    Mrs Smith dropped her spoon and shook her head. ¡°I won¡¯t be able to help you this time, we have no other choice,¡± she exined grimly.


    ¡°Mum! Don¡¯t you know the others wouldugh at our family? The daughter of the Smith family apologising to such a lowlife. Will it not affect the family¡¯s reputation?¡± She exined further.


    ¡°I understand what you are saying but this time we have to bow. I have always taught you that it is important to know when to quit and when to continue. If it was just Lily and her family, it would have been easy to settle¡± She breathed out a heavy sigh.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    Merissa frowned. ¡°What do you mean? Is Zach finding trouble with our family?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No, but ourpetitors want to use this opportunity to suppress us. Smith¡¯s stock market has been dropping since the fiasco started and even the sales of our products have dropped in just one day!¡± She exined.


    ¡°Do you know what that means? We are in a desperate situation and the poor masses are the ones who buy our products the most. If one of them is being treated badly by us on such a public scale, they will move to the next best option, ourpetition¡± Mrs Smith rified.


    ¡°Not only that, someone is obstructing us from taking down the post, even the hackers your father employed could do nothing. They demanded money and also for you to apologise before noon today or else, they will make the post appear on national news. If that happens, we will suffer even more. So you have to understand how difficult it is for your family to ask you to do something like that¡±


    ¡°Can they really spread the news throughout the country?¡± Merissa asked shakily, her hand trembling as the image of what would possibly happen to her, shed through her mind.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather we not find out. Come on, eat up, let me help you get ready for the apology video¡±


    *****


    ¡°@Lily. I want to apologise for the nderous words I may have said that caused someone with an evil intention to make the previous post. I would like to rify that I didn¡¯t make the post nor did I investigate it. But then, it did not offset the fact that I had done something bad that hurt you. For this, I apologise. It was wrong of me to call your family beggars when the things given to them are worked for. The rtionship between us has gone beyond repair at this point, due to my immaturity. I wish you good luck in life¡±


    Lily chuckled and then let out a smallugh after watching the apology video. Merissa¡¯s awkward and stiff appearance throughout the video sent a wave of satisfaction into Lily¡¯s heart.


    {Are you not going to reply to her apologies}


    ¡°What¡¯s the use of a reply? I have nothing to say to her half-hearted apology, besides, this is merely the beginning¡± Lilyughed brightly.


    {You are impossible to understand sometimes}


    ¡°What¡¯s there not to understand? Anyone with eyes can see that the apology is forced and not an iota of Genuity is in it. Why would I need to respond to such faking? If I respond, that means I was just seeking attention and validation but since I won¡¯t respond, people will conclude that my post was just me venting¡± she exined.


    ¡°And after receiving such a blow, knowing her personality to always be on top, Merissa would still look for ways to pay me back and then I can deal with her a little more¡± Lily exined.


    {I feel like you are enjoying this prolonged revenge even more}


    ¡°I am!¡±


    As Lydia and the other two walked into the room to see Lily smiling at herputer, they froze at the doorstep, each one fearing for their lives.


    Jasmine, who had received a warning from home not to ever go against Lily or offend her, felt a shiver run down her back.


    She bit her lips and walked in, her legs wobbling as she got close to Lily. ¡°Hello,¡± she greeted awkwardly.


    Without looking away from herptop, Lily replied dully. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    I¡­I¡­I got this for you!¡± Jasmine blurted out, not knowing what to say or why she had walked up to the girl in the first ce.


    ¡®Shouldn¡¯t I be staying away from her instead?¡¯ she thought while stretching out a bag of dessert from the famous dessert shop on campus.


    Lydia and Prisci gaped at her in shock, both not understanding why Jasmine, who is the most difficult to deal with, is trying to curry favour with the country bumpkin.


    Lydia clenched her fist angrily while ring at Lily. ¡®What¡¯s so good about her! She¡¯s nothing but a slut and even now, Jasmine is sucking up to her!¡¯ she thought.


    Lily looked up to see Jasmine¡¯s trembling hands and scoffed. ¡°What is the meaning of this? Why are you suddenly getting me dessert?¡± She asked with a raised brow and a smirk.


    Taken aback by the coldness in Lily¡¯s voice, Jasmine stepped back. ¡°I just wanted to apologise for the way we treated you before¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you scared I will post something bad about you on the forum like I did with Merissa?¡± Lily demanded and Jasmine shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that!¡± She argued. The post was not the main reason her parents called to warn her, it was the gold card. The news that Lily has a gold card belonging to the Watson¡¯s group had spread overnight and it had been confirmed that the card is real.


    That led the upper noble family who got curious about her identity to do some digging about her and her family. Nothing was found, it was just a simple family of four who grew up in the countryside. However, no one wanted to believe someone who can obtain the well sought after gold card is a country bumpkin and so some people did more digging and they found out Lily¡¯s mother is the only sister to a certain irond man in the business world.


    Now the people in the know are sitting around with bated breath while watching Lily¡¯s movement, deliberating whether to stay clear of her or to ally with her. ¡°It¡¯s not that, then what is it?¡± Lily asked impatiently.


    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s nothing, I just wanted to apologise and start over again!¡±


    ¡°You are not trying to poison me, are you?¡± Lily asked with narrowed eyes and Jasmine shivered.


    ¡°Of course not! I can have a taste if you think I¡¯m lying¡± she hurriedly confessed.


    ¡°Fine then, thank you for the present and your apology is epted. As long as you don¡¯t cross me, I will not do anything to you!¡± Lily smiled up at her and took the dessert bag before turning to the other two while giving Lydia a pointed re.


    ¡°Do you two have something to say to me? Most especially you, Lydia?¡± She asked with a fake smile, startling the onlookers.


    ¡°Ah yes, I also apologise for the way I treated you before, I was mainly just jealous of your talent¡± Prisci confessed.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I forgive you. What about you? No, it doesn¡¯t matter, even if you apologise, I won¡¯t ept it¡±

 It鈥檚 All Your Fault

    ¡°Oh! You are here!¡± Celina eximed as she pulled open the door to see Lily standing by the door awkwardly.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Lily greeted with an awkward smile, feeling the eyes of those walking by. Celina chuckled as she noticed how ufortable Lily was, she pulled her into the executive dorm and closed the door behind her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bringing you here thiste,¡± Celina breathed out. ¡°There was no one else I could call,¡± she added.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, I had nothing to do tonight anyway. Is there a reason you have called me here though? And did those securities know I wasing beforehand?¡± Lily asked curiously.


    ¡°Yes, I told them you would stop by,¡± Celina exined.


    ¡°Oh, that exins it, I was wondering why they casually allowed me into the executive building without question¡± Lily chuckled as she sat on the couch. She looked around the room, feeling impressed by the extravagant yet simple decorations used.


    ¡°So, the Paris event has been brought forward and it will be taking ce next week¡± Celina voiced with a long sigh as she folded her hands over her chest. ¡°And the event nning has changed somewhat, the model is to bring their own team, which consists of a designer and a seamstress,¡± Celina exined.


    ¡°Is it apetition?¡± Lily asked with a frown.


    ¡°Yes, it is, but not on the surface. It was meant to help fashion brands mingle and whatnot but some people wanted to add more ¡®fun¡¯ and they suggested this¡± Celina exined.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem in that. The William family is one of the best fashionpanies in thepany and its influence in the international space is also not small, I don¡¯t see a reason why you should be stressed out by this¡± Lily replied and Celina groaned and then plopped on the bed.


    ¡°If we can use the influence of the family, there isn¡¯t a problem. The thing is categorised into two sessions. The juniors and the seniors. The juniors are people like me who are still in training while the seniors are those already in business. For all juniors, every member of our team must still be training and everyone working in my family¡¯spany is an expert¡± she breathed out a frustrated sigh.


    ¡°You called me here because you need my help right?¡± Lily asked with a knowing smile.


    ¡°Yes, I need your help. I need you to be my designer!¡± She dered.


    ¡°But I¡¯m just a year two¡­I don¡¯t have enough strength to go against international designers¡± Lily replied awkwardly, suddenly feeling pressured by Celina¡¯s hopeful eyes.


    {What are you scared of? With me here, no one would scoff at your designs} the system announced smugly but was ignored by Lily who wasn¡¯t ready to make a public appearance.


    ¡°Mypany is still so small, if I go against big ones from the start, how will I survive?¡±


    ¡°I have gone through all your designs and showed them to some people in ourpany and they all approve of them. If you agree to work with me, you will receive guidance from them all through the event and we will pay you! You can¡¯t reject the offer! I¡¯m really desperate!¡± Celina wailed and Lily sighed.


    ¡°Fine, I will help you. I can make connections with others that way and then get guidance from the experts in the William fashion. I already agreed to go with you anyways¡± she exined and Celina brought her into a bone-crushing hug.


    ¡°You are a lifesaver. As expected of the one approved by my big cousin!¡± Celinaughed cheerily.


    ¡°Miss Celina, you are crushing my bones!¡± Lily groaned out.


    ¡°Oops¡­sorry, I got too excited hahaha!¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s starting next week, we don¡¯t have enough time to get ready, are there designs that you wish to use for modelling?¡± Lily asked after flexing her crushed shoulders.


    ¡°Oh, the host will be the one to give us the theme we will be working with. Let me exin it to you, it¡¯s just like the nationals¡± Celina began.


    ¡°The host will pick a theme and the designers will work on the theme, the designers are given two days toe up with a design from the theme given and after that, the designs will be submitted to the host for approval, once it is approved, the sewing team will work on them and then the modelling. That¡¯s how it works, but it¡¯s different because, for the nationals, the judges will have to judge the overall winner while for this, the amount made on each product determines the winner¡± she exined and Lily gave a nod in understanding.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite simple¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not that simple, anything involvingpetitions andpetitors isn¡¯t simple. You will have to guard against your opponents and even the host as they might have been bribed!¡± Celina argued.


    ¡°Alright, I understand, it sounds interesting enough. I am looking forward to it¡± ¡®I can also use this opportunity to finish the system quest to design and sell¡¯ she thought to herself.


    ¡°Thank you! You don¡¯t know how much this means to me! Don¡¯t worry, my family will sponsor the travel and all the expenses during the trip,¡± Celina announced as Lily got up to leave.


    ¡°Well! I should go back to start packing¡±


    ¡°I wille pick you up tomorrow morning. I already applied for a learning leave for you and me and it should be approved tomorrow. You should pack for a month although you can get all the things you need there¡±  Celina exined.


    ¡°Alright, till tomorrow¡±


    As Lily left, Celina flopped on the bed, feeling exhausted and flustered, her phone went off and she groaned when she noticed the caller was her mother.


    ¡°How did it go?¡± Mrs William asked before Celina could say hello.


    ¡°Well, hello there mother. I¡¯m doing great and you?¡± Celina greeted her with a bright smile, making her mother roll her eyes.


    ¡°We spoke this morning¡±


    ¡°That was in the morning, this is night Mother!¡±


    ¡°Stop beating around the bush and go straight to the point, youngdy!¡±


    ¡°Tch¡­you are no fun. She agreed to be my designer¡±


    ¡°That is good, I don¡¯t know why you are so hellbent on having someone as inexperienced as her be your designer, but if that is what will make you agree to go to Paris, I have no choice¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Mother, you can trust my decision on this¡± Celina winked and Mrs William sighed.


    ¡°Just so you know, that youngdy from the Thompson family has agreed to be Maxi¡¯s seamstress¡±


    ¡°Tch! What an eyesore. It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m sure we won¡¯t lose to their team¡±


    ¡°With the standard of your team?¡± Mrs William asked sceptically. ¡°I will be surprised if you make it past the first week!¡±


    ¡°Mother!¡± Celina eximed grumpily.


    ¡°Anyways, Avon already agreed to be on your team and now you are only left with a male model¡±


    ¡°I have someone in mind for that, I¡¯m just going to have to do a few more talking, huh?¡±


    ¡°You mean him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, him. That devil with the rotten mouth!¡±


    *****


    ¡°Say hello to Chairman Stark and Young Master Zayn!¡± Mrs Smith urged as they walked into the private booth of the ¡®Lux¡¯ restaurant, a five-star restaurant, situated at the centre of the city.


    ¡°Hello Chairman Stark, Young Master Zayn, it¡¯s nice to meet you. I¡¯m Merrisa Smith!¡± Merissa greeted me with a natural and practised polite smile.


    Young Master Zayn¡¯s eyes raked over her body and his eyes darkened with lust, making Merissa¡¯s impression of him worse. ¡°You¡¯ve grown into a beautifuldy since Ist saw you, no wonder that uncultured brat made a pass at you¡± Young Master Zayn mocked with a smirk, while his eyes continued to ravage her body.


    Merissa felt repulsed by his stare while her father felt angered by the obvious insult, however, they could not say a thing and swallowed theirints. ¡°Hahaha¡­Young Master Zayn is a little funny¡­my daughter is here to apologise for the trouble she caused¡± Mr Smith exined with an awkwardugh while being scrutinised by Chairman Stark.


    The old man¡¯s eyes followed every one of his movements and reactions, making it difficult for him to drop his fake, awkward and painful smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay for youths to be frivolous once in a while and all the things said were just in a heated moment of anger¡± Chairman Stark voiced.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you pour me a ss of wine, Merissa,¡± he smiled. Merissa froze in her seat, unable to move at his request. ¡®He wants me to be a hostess?¡¯ she thought while ring at her hands as if it had offended her previously.


    ¡°I¡­I¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, she will. Come on, what are you waiting for? You don¡¯t have to be awkward, after all, you and Young Master Zayn will be couples soon enough!¡± Mr Smith encouraged his daughter.


    Hearing his words, both Chairman Stark and Zayn¡¯s faces darkened in disgust. ¡°About that¡± Chairman Stark coughed awkwardly. ¡°We would like to call off the marriage arrangements between Merissa and Zayn¡± he announced.


    ¡°What?¡± Mr Smith asked.


    ¡°The marriage arrangement between both families will still stand, however, the first son of the Stark family will not be marrying your daughter, instead, he will be reced by his cousin, Jake¡± he exined.


    ¡°You mean the illegitimate child?¡± Mr Smith asked in bewilderment and Zayn scoffed.


    ¡°What? Is he not good enough? I think they are a perfect match, after all, your daughter is into those kinds!¡± He mocked.


    Merissa clenched her fist under the table, her blood boiling with anger and her face flushed with a mixture of anger and embarrassment. ¡°Young Master Zayn! Please watch the way you talk to my daughter!¡± Mr Smith gritted out.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Although it looks like they were insulting Merissa, the jab and the insult were mainly directed at the whole Smith family. ¡°He was merely speaking the truth, Mr Smith,¡± Chairman Stark chuckled.


    ¡°She had someone as good as the young master of the Stark family but she decided to go after an abandoned child, isn¡¯t that her taste? Or would she rather be Iayn¡¯s mistress?¡± He asked condescendingly.


    ¡°Oh! She¡¯s not even worthy of being my mistress. A used doll isn¡¯t worth my attention¡±


    Merrisa bit her lips to swallow her words and anger while silently cursing Lily in her head. ¡®It¡¯s all your fault! I will make you pay!¡¯ she repeated.


    Crossed between keeping his daughter¡¯s dignity and the gains of the business, Mr Smith bit his tongue and chose the gain. ¡°Of course, we have noints. We will go ording to your arrangement¡±

 I鈥檇 Rather Not

    Merissa screamed angrily as she threw her phone across the room. Her face flushed with a bright shade of red, showing how angered she was. ¡°Lily!¡± She gritted out with a cold and malicious tone.


    ¡°I will ruin your life just like you have done to mine! I will make you regret your existence!¡± She dered.


    Mrs Smith pushed open the door after knocking twice without any reply. She paused at the door as she noticed Merissa¡¯s disoriented appearance and puffy eyes.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Merissa choked up as she noticed her mother¡¯s presence in the room.


    ¡°Did something happen during the dinner with the Stark? Your father has been angry since you two returned¡± Mrs Smith asked curiously. ¡°Was the deal cancelled?¡± She asked, making Merissa who had just managed to reign in her tears burst out crying again.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to marry into the Stark family again. My life will be miserable there!¡± She cried out and Mrs Smith felt an ache in her heart.


    ¡°Tell me, what happened?¡± She probed as Merissa narrated the dinner ordeal. Mrs Smith couldn¡¯t help the anger that arose from her daughter¡¯s humiliation.


    ¡°Mom, please, have dad decline the marriage agreement!¡± She pleaded with sobs.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will talk to your father, there is no way the contract will be more important than his daughter!¡± She assured while gently patting her back to help her calm. ¡°Wash your face and get a good night¡¯s sleep. Okay?¡± Mrs Smith encouraged.


    ¡°I will book a flight and you will go to Paris with me next week for the fashion show and then I will introduce you to some famous designers! Once you¡¯ve made your name known, no one would dare look down on you!¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What about Lily? Are we just going to leave her like that? She is the cause of all this! I can¡¯t sit quietly until she is dealt with!¡± Merissa gritted out.


    ¡°For now we can¡¯t do anything to her, people¡¯s eyes are still on you two. Before the nationalpetition starts, she wille back and beg you on her own. I promise you!¡± Mrs Smith dered as she wiped her daughter¡¯s tears.


    ¡°That¡¯s good! She must be taught and shown where she belongs!¡±


    As Merissa went in to get showered, Mrs Smith frowned and went back into her room to see her husband drinking and smoking on their bedroom balcony. With a sneer, she walked towards him.


    ¡°Why would you agree to such a ridiculous condition? Don¡¯t you have your daughter¡¯s best interest at heart?¡± She demanded angrily but was ignored by him. ¡°You have to go back and tell those disrespectful Starks that my daughter wouldn¡¯t be marrying into their family! How could you even have the guts to do such a thing!¡±


    ¡°Your daughter was humiliated to such an extent and you still agreed! How do you want your daughter and me to deal with the stigma in the future?¡± She yelled, her voice going higher by the second.


    ¡°What choice do we have?¡± Mr Smith replied grudgingly, his eyes squinted from dizziness. ¡°Reject their offer and be suppressed forever? Your daughter¡¯s dignity is just a little sacrifice for the future of the Smith corporation, stop yelling like a mad dog!¡± He sneered and downed another cup of wine.


    ¡°What did you just call me?¡±


    ¡°What did you just hear me call you? Don¡¯t make everything all about you. If you had raised her better, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up the way she did!¡± He countered. ¡°If you are not satisfied with the oue, go to your family and have them invest in the Smith corporation¡± he demanded and Mrs Smith froze in shock, her body trembling with anger.


    ¡°Oh wait! Your family went bankrupt ages ago and they now depend on me!¡± He added with a dark chuckle. ¡°The contract has been signed and there is no going back, if you want your daughter out of the humiliation, raise the money to sponsor the state project instead of squandering my money¡± he sneered and walked away, leaving Mrs Smith stunned and angry.


    *****


    ¡°You will be away for one month? One month!¡± na eximed before Lily could exin. ¡°Where are you going to? Is everything okay at home?¡± She asked worriedly.


    ¡°Everything is fine, I was invited to attend a fashion show in Paris with a senior from school¡± Lily exined while packing her necessities into the travelling bag.


    ¡°Oh! Is it for the annual fashion show between big fashionpanies?¡± na asked as she remembered her parents were saying something about the main daughter going.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the one. Is your family attending too?¡± Lily asked curiously.


    ¡°No. Although our family is also in the fashion line which mostly deals with textile supplies as sewing for other majorpanies¡± na exined. ¡°But my cousin, the main daughter, was invited to be a seamstress for one of the major fashionpanies in the country and she¡¯ll be attending¡± she added.


    ¡°Do you want toe with me? Not as a seamstress of course, since I was invited into a team. You can juste to learn¡± Lily offered.


    ¡°I¡¯d rather not. Don¡¯t worry, I will support you from here. I¡¯m trying to minimize my appearance around the main family these days and it seems to have been working so far since none of them have been giving me a problem¡± na exined.


    ¡°If you insist. I have some designs ready. I will send it to you and you can pick one to work on until I get back¡±


    ¡°Yes! Finally, I get to work!¡± na eximed excitedly, making Lily chuckle.


    ¡°I know you¡¯ve been anticipating it, each one of the designs has its rmended fabric attached to it but if you think there is a better choice, you can go for it¡± she added.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I will make sure the productes out fine!¡±


    ¡°I trust you! All of those designs are the ones we will use to open our fashion line and it must be standard. How is Gary¡¯s training?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s going great. He came by to help around the studio yesterday and we took some practice photos and it was good. I¡¯m helping him set up his social media ount as a model¡± na exined excitedly.


    ¡°Are you going to be his manager?¡± Lily asked with a chuckle.


    ¡°For now, yeah, I don¡¯t have much to do anyways and since I¡¯m managing thepany¡¯s social media ount, I can also help him until we have grown enough to employ a manager¡± na replied.


    ¡°I will add a little to your pay until we get someone else. I¡¯m going to send you a list of other items I need you to get and then some money¡±


    ¡°Alright, have fun in Paris and bring gifts!¡±

 Be My Apprentice

    ¡°Hello, you must be Lily, Celina told me a lot about you¡± Mrs William greeted as Lily entered William¡¯s home.


    ¡°Hello, Mrs William, I am Lily, Miss Celina¡¯s junior¡± Lily greeted with a polite smile, making the older woman smile.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be nervous or overly polite with me. Come on in, the others are here¡± Mrs William beckoned as she led Lily into arge hall where two males that looked to be around the same age as Lily and a middle-aged man were already waiting.


    ¡°These are the other members of your team, try to mingle and get to know one another. Celina will be with you shortly¡± Mrs William smiled and left.


    Lily stood awkwardly by the door as all three pairs of eyes were fixated on her, some with curiosity and others with in acknowledgement.


    ¡°You are the protagonist of that fashion school gossip, aren¡¯t you?¡± The shorter guy with long and curly ck hair asked, his question taking Lily by surprise.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the kind of questions you ask people when you just meet them¡± Lily replied monotonously. Not knowing if he was a friend, foe or neutral.


    ¡°He just says what is in his mind, he thinks after talking. You can ignore him but you¡¯ll grow to love him in no time¡± Celina chuckled as she walked in behind Lily, dressed in a short floral gown.


    ¡°I could not pick you up like I promised because something came up, I¡¯m sorry¡± she apologised and Lily smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, you did send someone to do the picking up¡± Lily chuckled lightly.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Alright now that we are all here, let me introduce everyone. This is Avon and Ian. Avon is the short one, he will be in charge of the sewing and Ian is his assistant¡± Celina introduced with a professional smile.


    ¡°And this is Lily, she¡¯s my junior and she is a very good designer, approved by Trex¡± Celina introduced and the three said their hellos.


    ¡°Trex approve of her? That maniac approved of someone?¡± The middle-aged man standing by the side asked in surprise and Celina giggled.


    ¡°Yes! I showed him her previous designs and he said ¡®She¡¯s a good seedling, give her the necessary nutrients and she¡¯ll grow into a massively cute tree¡¯, his words, not mine!¡± She exined and the middle-aged man smiled.


    ¡°I can tell, alright. I¡¯m Cain and I will be your guide during your stay in Paris. I am an executive designer of ¡®Lam¡¯ fashion and I¡¯m pleased to meet you all¡± he introduced.


    ¡°Where is the male model? I thought you had gotten one?¡± Avon asked curiously, seeing there were only four of them. Celina sighed as she was reminded of her predicament.


    ¡°He has a shoot in New York and he¡¯ll meet us in Paris,¡± she exined.


    ¡°You want him to be the male model?¡± Avon asked as he got an idea of who their other team member might be.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°Ehn? He agreed?¡± He asked and Celina nodded.


    ¡°I told that damn mushroom head to model one of my clothes thest time just for thirty minutes paid to shoot and he told me he was busy! Now he agrees to go to Paris?!¡± Avon eximed with a clenched fist and a re.


    Celina chuckled awkwardly. ¡°I had to do a whole lot of talking before he agreed to work with me¡± sheined.


    ¡°Tch, he is too full of himself, just because he has a fine face,¡± Avon groaned.


    ¡°Who is this person?¡± Lily asked curiously, seeing that she was the only one not in the know about theirst team member.


    ¡°A tall asshole with a fine face and long legs,¡± Avon replied with a sneer and Celina chuckled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind Avon, he is an artist that recently debuted but has won the heart of all his fans through his good music¡± she exined and Avon scoffed.


    ¡°You mean through his ridiculously fine face?¡± He countered.


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to get along well with him¡± Lily pointed out and Ian shook his head with an amused smile.


    ¡°On the contrary, they are best friends who can¡¯t do without one another for a long time. Avon is just always in a bad mood whenever he remembers Light is taller than him and more handsome than he is¡± Ian exined.


    ¡°I¡¯m not always in a bad mood because of his long legs!¡± Avon countered with a cute childish pout.


    ¡°Okay we hear you¡± Ian smiled. Lily rxed as she realised her teammates were all easygoing people and not snobby ones who would make her feel on edge all the time.


    ¡°Alright, so we¡¯ve got the n for the show¡± Celina announced, getting everyone¡¯s attention on her. ¡°There is going to be a total of seven participants and each team will be given a number tag. The host will provide the amodation and feeding for each team and ording to the rules, your amodation and workspace will be earned. We don¡¯t know what that means yet¡± she exined further.


    ¡°Then that would mean we will have topete for the best amodation and workspace¡± Lily pointed out.


    ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s the case, the whole show willst for a month of which we can¡¯t lodge outside¡­so let¡¯s do our best to get the best¡± Celina instructed.


    ¡°Our flight takes off tomorrow morning¡±


    *****


    {Congrattions, your basic design skills have levelled up from an amateur to a trainee}


    {You have earned 100 upgrade points}


    {You have been given a new skill book ¡®Basic Design 102¡¯}


    Lily stretched and flexed her fingers as the system notification went off, she smiled as she admired the two-piece attire she had just designed.


    ¡°This would make for a good starter collection for the store. I like it¡± she hummed, not knowing someone had been looking at the design over her shoulder.


    ¡°I like this design, sell it to me¡± Avon demanded as he pointed to the sketch pad, silently asking her permission to take it.


    Startled, Lily moved to the side to peer up at him only for him to grin and wave at her. ¡°Will you sell it to me? Or do you already have someone to sell it to?¡± He probed and Lily shook her head.


    ¡°I have a small store and I made this design for the open collection¡± she exined and Avon pouted with a disappointed gleam in his eyes.


    ¡°Then do you have someone to sew? I like the design and I promise I can do justice to it!¡± He exined with a sigh and then shrugged.


    ¡°I have a seamstress, however, I don¡¯t mind you working on the design if you truly like it, it can be a coboration¡± Lily offered and Avon brightened up.


    ¡°Sure! Having a coboration will be great! I¡¯m free all through next month and we can work on it. Can I pick two more designs to work on?¡± He asked and Lily shrugged and handed him the booklet.


    ¡°Those are the designs I¡¯m looking to open with, there are ten of them in total, five male and five female. My seamstress is already working on the first and second designs so you can pick from the third one¡± As she exined, the others gathered around Avon to look at the designs.


    ¡°Wow! I love this dress, can I model it when it is done? It will fit my temperament the best¡± Celina eximed as they flipped the page to the fifth page.


    ¡°These designs can be a standalone for both male and female, however with a little tweak it can be made into a couple¡¯s outfit, did you do that on purpose?¡± Cain asked as he checked the designs.


    ¡°I actually designed with both my workers in mind. I¡¯m shipping them to be in a rtionship, you see¡± Lily smiled as the image of the two shed through her mind.


    ¡°I can see why Trex approves of you, your attention to detail is on point. With a good teacher and guidance, you¡¯ll make it to the top in no time. Would you like to be my apprentice?¡± Cain asked, surprising everyone.


    ¡°Say yes!¡± Ian urged with starry eyes.


    {Yes! Say yes! He is one of the top designers in the country. Just saying his name will make people respect you! And if you say yes to him, the Trex guy would also mentor you!}


    ¡°Are they a packaged deal?¡± Lily asked the system curiously.


    {Trex was Cain¡¯s mentor, so he¡¯ll be your grand mentor and you¡¯ll have an opportunity to learn from him in the future!}


    Seeing Lily¡¯s hesitation, Cain sighed and shrugged. ¡°I will give you till the end of the show to decide. And if you don¡¯t see me fitting enough, it¡¯s my loss that I can¡¯t have someone as talented as you as my student¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it, I¡¯m just worried since I don¡¯t have that much experience to be your apprentice¡± Lily chuckled awkwardly.


    ¡°Then you are perfect. You can do anything with a nk sheet. So what do you say?¡± Cain asked


    ¡°Then I would love to learn under you!¡±

 Where is the fun in that

    ¡°Wee to the Paris fashion show of the year!¡± The host announced and cheers erupted through the hall as the audience pped with enthusiasm.


    ¡°As you all know, this event is held once every year ranging from three days to one month and this year we have something more exciting to add!¡± he added and the audience cheered even more.


    ¡°Alright! This year we¡¯ve seen a lot of business growth fashionistas we are proud to announce to you that sevenpanies are participating in this event this year. Eachpany with a representative for both senior and junior segments!¡±


    ¡°These are the list of thepanies participating in this year¡¯s fashion show! First, we have our three big sponsors, Gefine, Lam and Brianz. And then there is Apil, Maxi, Gaven¡¯s and PeenPii¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh! I always hate the introduction part of these events. It¡¯s always so boring and too long. I would not have attended this part if it weren¡¯t for Mrs Williams insisting¡± Avonined while making a disgruntled face.


    ¡°Shhh.. It will soon be over and the main event will start¡± Celina chipped in while gesturing for Avon to keep quiet. Lily on the other hand watched with rapt attention as the host continued to introduce the important guest.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, listen up,¡± he announced, his tone taking on a more serious note. ¡°I¡¯m not going to mince words. Eachpany will have four representatives in a team, and your team treatment will depend on your performance in each segment. Thepanies that bring in the most business during this time will enjoy the best perks, while those who underperform will find themselves at the bottom of the food chain.¡± he exined


    ¡°Although it may soundplicated, it is simple. Your merit is determined by the number of people who like your product during each segment. There are going to be umtive scores and there are also deductions for punishment for breaking a rule, so be careful not to bring your team down. With that said, let a representative from each team step up to pick up a number tag¡±


    ¡°This tag will be used for the first segment of the show. Your number will represent when your team get to present during the show. Once you¡¯ve picked the number you are free to return to your designated amodation and the show will officially begin tomorrow¡±


    ¡°We are number four¡± Celina grinned as she showed her team the number card. ¡°Just right in the middle,¡± she added.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have aint, the numbers will be reshuffled next week¡± Avon shrugged as a guide began to lead them to their amodation.


    As they pulled up to the hotel, they saw a crowd of people milling about the lobby. It was clear that many of them were contestants, dressed in a wide variety of outfits that ranged from casual to formal. Some of them were chatting animatedly, while others stood stoically, their faces betraying nothing of their thoughts.


    As Celina scanned the crowd, her eyesnded on a girl who seemed to stand out from the rest. She was poised and elegant, her clothing and demeanour befitting a young woman of high ss. Celina¡¯s scowled as she noticed it was Evie Thompson. Avon followed her line of sight and also noticed thedy standing by her lonesome self, looking elegant and lonely, while people chatted and animated around her, ¡°Oh the pretentious young miss here this year.¡± Avon snickered.


    ¡°Who?¡± Lily asked curiously, ¡°That¡¯s Evie Thompson. She¡¯s the daughter of the main family of the Thompson group. She¡¯s my senior. We attend the same fashion school, although she looks cool and gentle on the outside, she is a devil who always sees herself as better than others, when she barely cut the mark¡± Avon sneered.


    ¡°If she¡¯s here as a representative, I do think she cut the mark.¡± Lily said and Avon chuckled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll see what we mean in the next few days. Every of her talent points has been invested into arrogance and looking pure¡±


    ¡°Are you guys team number four?¡± a guide walked up to them and asked ¡°Yes we are¡± Celina replied politely


    ¡°Please put down your names ande with me. The females are assigned a room and the males are assigned the room next to it. After the first segment you will be assigned a house based on your merit points¡± the guide exined as she led them to their rooms.


    ¡°A house? Why not an ensuite instead?¡± Celina asked curiously. ¡°Every segment of the show would be recorded and the audience would like to see the daily lives of the participants, so having a house is more convenient¡±


    ¡°Thanks for rifying. Hint has already been ced in your room, you and your team have to work together to find it and create the best work that matches the hint. I wish you good luck¡± The guide bowed and left.


    As the group entered their rooms, they eagerly looked around for the hint card, but it was nowhere to be found. They searched all around, but the card was seemingly missing. ¡°I can¡¯t find any hint cards in here, do you think they ced it in the boy¡¯s room?¡± Celina asked she flopped on the bed with an exasperated sigh.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call them to see¡± Lily suggested and Celina made a call through to Avon who picked on the second ring. ¡°Did you guys find anything?¡± she asked immediately after he picked up.


    ¡°Nope, there is no hint card. We will keep looking and let you know when we find something useful.¡± Avon replied


    ¡°What if it¡¯s not a hint card? She never specifically said it was a card, did she?¡± Lily asked and Celina¡¯s eyes brightened with a smile. ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think about it? It doesn¡¯t have to be a card, they could ce things around that hint at what the designs would be!¡± She eximed.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start looking for odd things¡± she interacted and got back up to searching.


    {All this would have been easy if you asked for my help, you know?}


    ¡°Where is the fun in that? Isn¡¯t the essence ofpeting to have fun?¡±


    {It¡¯s actually to win. But I ain¡¯t arguing with you.}


    ¡°I found something!¡± Celina eximed as she raised. ¡°It¡¯s a stic flower under the bed¡± She raised the stic rose with a triumphant smile.


    ¡°A flower?¡± Lily asked and then hummed, ¡°There are lots of things that could be designed using a flower, as the base, that¡¯s too wild of a hint¡± she pointed out with a thoughtful appearance.


    ¡°We found a lemonade recipe and a bold written ¡®Lot of fun¡¯ Do you think it is part of the hint?¡± Ian asked curiously as he cross-checked the recipe.


    ¡°And then there is an apple and an orange in the bathroom¡± Lily added with a chuckle as she noticed the red and green apples sitting on the bathroom counter.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So the hint is, Fruits, flowers, lemonade and lots of fun? Whates to mind when you hear all those words together?¡± Celina asked


    ¡°Summer¡± the other three echoed.


    ¡°Too general, if you ask me, but we are dealing with a summer theme,¡± Lily pointed out calmly.


    The room fell silent as they all thought about what the hint could represent, after several minutes of silence Avon eximed, ¡°It¡¯s a summer garden party!¡±

 Keep me out of it

    ¡°You still have not gotten in contact with the expert who developed the Waves software?¡± Chairman Watson, Mark¡¯s grandfather asked with a dissatisfied tone as he poured himself a cup of freshly brewed tea.


    ¡°They told me they had some othermitments and it takes them a while to settle it¡± Mark replied calmly, unbothered by the old man¡¯s temper.


    ¡°And you let them off just like that? What if they are going to work for anotherpany? What should we do by then? For those genius experts, their newest works are always better than thest one and you know what that means when our rivals get them to work for them?¡± The old man argued, his face contoured in annoyance as he red at his grandson.


    Despite Mark being his favourite amongst his children and grandchildren, Chairman Watson forgets the favouritism when the group business is involved.


    Mark smiled and picked up a cup of tea. ¡°You have nothing to worry about, I already have a project nned with them and it is scheduled to begin immediately after they settle theirmitment. They insisted they wanted to work on Nex and upgrade it, but I declined since we can¡¯t work on it without Hamilton¡¯s approval¡± he exined.


    Chairman¡¯s face, which was already starting to rx after hearing that Mark has another project, began to crease again.


    ¡°Why do you need their approval? You should quickly have the expert do the upgrade! What if they refuse to work with us because of this?¡± He asked worriedly.


    ¡°It is a coboration project with the Hamiltons. We will be going against the contract if we do anything to it without their consent and it will lead to negative publicity for us¡± Mark exined, truly feeling amused by his grandfather¡¯s unruly business sense.


    ¡°Then buy out the copyright from them, you can buy their side of the deal. It¡¯s been years already and the phone is long outdated¡± Chairman Watson advised and Mark sighed.


    ¡°I already thought about buying it too but I¡¯m thinking it would affect the profit. What if the upgrade does not fetch us as much profit as we hoped? As you said, the phone is already outdated and an upgrade might not necessarily revive it¡± Mark argued and Chairman Watson hummed.


    ¡°Your thought is valid but if the expert wants to work on it, that would mean they are genuinely interested in it and that also means they¡¯ve studied the concept. Remember how hot the sales for Nex were when it first came out? Now imagine if it got upgraded. All we have to do is probably change its packaging to fit the upgraded software and all those tech enthusiasts wille running for it¡± Chairman Watson exined.


    ¡°Even then, buying the copyright at this time will cost us more than it should. After Waves was released, a lot of techpanies have reached out to us for coboration including Hamilton. If I go to him now, he won¡¯t be able to hide his greed and he would want something that has to do with Waves¡± Mark exined.


    ¡°If we buy the copyright, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d know we are up to something and he would want to have a piece of it¡± he added.


    ¡°You can offer him something in exchange unless you want to cut off future coborations with them,¡± Chairman Watson suggested.


    ¡°For now I don¡¯t want to work with them until they get their problem solved, but future coboration can stille in as long as they can keep up with the deceased mother and daughter¡± Mark grumbled thest part and Chairman Watson scoffed.


    ¡°Just offer them whatever they want in exchange for the copyright and if they are not letting go of their share, try to get their consent. It doesn¡¯t matter as long as we have the expert with us, we can always make better products in the future¡± the old man advised.


    ¡°Then I would get to work on it,¡± Mark replied.


    ¡°How is the real estate project going?¡± He asked. ¡°Frederick is keeping me out of the game for whatever reasons, since thest time you told him to consult me¡± Mark voiced, finally getting to the main reason he hade to visit the old man.


    It was precisely to get the Chairman¡¯s approval to take over one of the real estate projects from Frederick who was in charge of the sector. Having seen Sinful blueprint for the new project, the only way he could get a hundred per cent profit was to get hold of a piece of Watson¡¯s real estate project.


    His coboration with Frederick would just be an unnecessary boost for his ungrateful cousin.


    Hearing about the second most profitable sector for the group, Chairman Watson sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know what is going on with the boy, a little praise from me for getting the state project made him arrogant¡± heined.


    ¡°Did he do something out of line?¡± Asked Mark.


    ¡°If by out of line, you mean he refused to work with our old partners because they were getting in his hair, then yes. All the people he is working with for the state project are a troublesome bunch. I heard they all have ties with the senate candidate, which means Frederick is dering his coboration with him. No matter how much I say it, he doesn¡¯t listen to me, only his father can talk to him¡± the Chairman exined.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a talk with uncle then? He should be able to get through to Fredrick¡± Mark suggested.


    ¡°If we mess up on this project, the next one would be given to the foreignpanies and we can¡¯t have that! I heard from a partner that there would be some estate development project from the federal government next year and it¡¯s going to be on arge scale, we can¡¯t afford to miss out on it¡± Mark exined.


    ¡°I will send for them tonight and see what it would lead to. But why are you asking, do you have your eyes on real estate now? You¡¯ve never been interested¡± Chairman Watson pointed out and Mark chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in the state project, naturally next year¡¯s project is my goal¡± Mark replied calmly and the old man frowned.


    ¡°You can¡¯t dive into the real estate for now, you are already hated for heading Alpha, if you go for the real estate, you¡¯d be a public enemy with your cousins¡± he exined and Mark shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going for the whole sector. To tell the truth, my next project with that expert has to do with home security and the like and as much as I would like to coborate with Frederick on the project, we all know how that would end. So I want the whole thing for myself¡± he exined and Chairman Watson nodded with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°Given that one of the major thingscking in our country is security, having such a project will be a hit and disying the effect through a ready project is the best way to get the best oue. How about you coborate with Nathan, he¡¯ll be back in the country by next month. You can test yourpatibility with him¡± Mark shivered in fear as the smiling face of his crazy cousin shed through his mind.


    ¡°You think?¡± He asked with a weird expression and Chairman Watsonughed.


    ¡°He has always been fond of you, so you have nothing to worry about. I have already been thinking about what to have him do, if your coboration with him works, then he¡¯ll take over the real estate sector¡± Chairman Watson voiced.


    ¡°You are trying to make him another me? Out of four grandsons, do you want the two youngest ones to take over the tworgest sectors? Aren¡¯t you scared of what people would say?¡± Mark asked worriedly.


    ¡°Everyone of you has been tested, some of you have amazing business sense and others are just so-so. I wanted Connor to take over the real estate but he became Fredrick¡¯sckeytely and I can¡¯t have a puppet leading the pany, so the entric Nathan is the other best choice¡±


    ¡°Whatever you do, keep me out of it, I can work with any of them as long as it is not Frederick¡±


    ****


    ¡°Hello and wee to the official beginning of the show!¡± The host announced as the representatives walked in through the back door, every one of them wearing a tag given by the host to identify what team they belong to.


    Celina and her group walked in the earliest and they chose the seat at the corner of the room and away from the others while watching the stage through therge TV ced in the waiting room.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°What is this segment for?¡± A representative from team two, belonging to Brian¡¯s fashion house, asked as they walked in.


    ¡°This segment is just an introduction, you¡¯ll get to know other representatives and the audience will get to know you. It will onlyst for an hour after which you¡¯ll all have to go back and make your designs¡± a guide replied just in time for another guide to call out the representatives to the stage for the introduction.


    ¡°Just be calm, you don¡¯t have to be nervous!¡± Celina whispered to Lily who raised her brow at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not nervous¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been to bigger stages than this in myst life¡± she added to herself.


    ¡°Good! After the introduction, I¡¯ll let you know who we are on friendly terms with and who you should stay away from. Others can handle themselves but I¡¯m really worried since it¡¯s the first time you are doing something like this¡± Celina exined and Lily nodded with an appreciative smile.


    ¡°But shouldn¡¯t we be worried? Light isn¡¯t here yet!¡± Lily voiced and Celina sighed.


    ¡°I told you not to sigh, it makes you look like an old woman¡± a voice spoke up from behind and Lily turned to him noting how familiar the voice sounded.


    A look of surprise shed through her eyes as she called out his name. ¡°Gary?¡±

 It鈥檚 another broken family story

    ¡°Pardon?¡± Light asked in surprise as he looked Lily over, wanting to see if they¡¯d ever met.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know me?¡± Lily asked with a creased brow and Light frowned in dissatisfaction, thinking she was a fan who was trying to get close to him by acting familiar.


    Despite his dissatisfaction, he smiled politely towards her. ¡°I don¡¯t think I have ever met you ma¡¯am¡± he replied and Lily scoffed before bringing her phone out to show him a picture she had snapped with na and Gary at the studio.


    ¡°Are you trying to hide your identity from me or something? You said you don¡¯t know anything about modelling while you are an artist!¡± She voiced, feeling somewhat annoyed.


    Light pursed his lips as he looked over the picture, his heart racing while looking at the other him in the picture.


    ¡°I think there is a misunderstanding here¡± Celina cut in. ¡°And why don¡¯t we talk about this when the introduction is over?¡± She suggested and Lily turned to leave.


    Celina looked at Light and noticed the unreadable expression in his eyes, she patted his back. ¡°Come on, we will figure things out¡± she encouraged and Light nodded before wearing his professional smile.


    Lily had also returned to her calm self by the time they walked on the stage with the others.


    ¡°What took you guys so long?¡± Avon asked but immediately kept quiet as he saw Light walking up the stage with Celina.


    Upon seeing him, the crowd erupted into an uproar with girls screaming his name!


    ¡°Omg! It¡¯s Light! Light is on team four!¡± Seeing the people¡¯s enthusiasm, the hostughed.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s all calm down! Tonight we will all be getting to know the representatives and sending out your well wishes to them. However, this is a fashion show, I hope for the sake of the designers andpany, we won¡¯t get distracted¡± the host announced while silently warning Celina and her team.


    ¡°With that being said, let the introduction begin! Starting from team one!¡± The host announced and cheers erupted through the hall.


    The first team came out and began their introduction and before long, the first segment was over. As they walked down the stage, Celina and Evie bumped into each other and sparks went flying between them.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Evie greeted with a fake smile, her voice filled with arrogance and contempt.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the princess of the Thompsons, I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t have an injury that keeps you out this time¡± Celina sneered and Evie¡¯s face twitched as her fake smile dropped for a brief moment.


    ¡°You have an interesting lineup for your team, a debut, a newbie designer with no name, a¡­ well, Avon and then you¡± Evie voiced out, her eyes showing a little disgust. ¡°I can¡¯t believe the Lam fashion would allow such a lineup ¡± she added and Avon scoffed.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Well I was expecting you to say something meaningful, but as usual, you are overestimating yourself. Your lineup would have been a challenge to us if they didn¡¯t have you on it¡± he taunted and Evie balled her fist as she folded her arms.


    ¡°You have your poisonous tongue as usual Avon¡± she gritted out.


    ¡°And you have your stinky attitude as usual, who have you picked to bear the brunt of your mistake this time? The designer or the model, since your assistant won¡¯t be allowed to join the team¡± Avon countered with daring eyes.


    Evie shifted on her feet, unable to hold her fake smile any longer, she red at Avon and then at Celina then walked away. ¡°She¡¯s such a bitch, so annoying¡± Avon muttered.


    ¡°Well, she¡¯s someone with low self-esteem who wants to bring others down lower than herself. I hope she can back it up with her skills¡± Lily mumbled.


    ¡°Hmph? She¡¯scking in that, I would have been bothered if I¡¯m up against her cousin whom they are trying too hard to hide¡± Avon exined.


    ¡°You mean na?¡± Lily asked curiously and Avon nodded.


    ¡°You know her?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes, she was my junior in high school and she¡¯s currently working for me, without her family¡¯s knowledge. Is the secret safe with you?¡± Lily asked worriedly and Avon¡¯s eyes brightened up as he pulled her away from the crowd.


    ¡°Are you being serious? You have the Thompson family¡¯s hidden gem working for you?¡± He asked in surprise and Lily nodded.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Avon asked worriedly, leaving Lily surprised and curious.


    ¡°Am I not supposed to be?¡± She asked.


    ¡°No! No! That¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m just worried. The Thompson family politics is worse than most noble and rich family¡¯s politics. For their family, the most talented offspring and their family will bebelled as the main family in the Thompson¡¯s group and for five generations now, it has always been falling into Evie¡¯s lineage.¡±


    ¡°However, this time, it is different and na is more talented than Evie and because of that, the main family is trying very hard to suppress na and her family so that the crown would continue to go into Evie¡¯s lineage. With that, anyone who tries to employ na gets suppressed alongside her¡± Avon exined in one breath.


    ¡°If this is known by the whole fashion world I don¡¯t see a reason to keep making their pretence about the talented child or not¡± Lily voiced out and Avon shrugged


    ¡°It¡¯s not everyone who knows. I only know the information because I am close and familiar with her two cousins¡± Avon rified


    ¡°I understand, but there is nothing to worry about. I already arranged a way to keep her identity hidden until her wings are grown enough to fly¡± Lily assured and although Avon still looked sceptical, he let it go.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m even more interested in working with you. What do you say, employ me as a part-time worker, I do a good job and I won¡¯t disappoint¡± Avon suggested yfully and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I can afford to pay you¡± she replied and he pouted.


    ¡°I think Light is interested in you, he has been looking at you since we got off stage. I¡¯m his friend and I know him well, so Ahem! I¡¯m telling you although he looks like a man whore, he is a  pretty gentleman!¡± Avon voiced and walked away as he noticed Lighting towards them.


    Lily wanted to correct Avon but he was already gone before she could say a thing. With a shake of her head, she began walking back while trying to ignore Light.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Light called out to stop her.


    ¡°What? Do you now recognise me?¡± Lily demanded coldly and Light sighed.


    ¡°It¡¯s honestly a misunderstanding, the person in your picture isn¡¯t me. My real name is Harry, not Gary and that guy is different from me¡± Light exined calmly and Lily¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡®System, is it true?¡¯


    {Yes, they are two different people}


    ¡®Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡¯


    {You never asked and I thought you wanted to enjoy every bit of thepetition fun, discovering his identity would also be fun}


    ¡®You should have told me this one, I already misunderstood the guy and I almost fired an innocent person!¡¯


    {You would have figured things out in the end. Light is bright and Gary has a gloomy aura around him. If you spent more time, you would have found out eventually}


    Lily brought out her phone and checked the picture again,paring the two faces, she realised it was the same without any difference.


    ¡°Are you a twin?¡± Lily asked curiously.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± Light shrugged. ¡°But that¡¯s most likely it, can I meet him? The Gary? I¡¯m not supposed to be saying this to a stranger but my family situation is kindaplicated and I think he might be my brother¡± He exined. ¡°Can I meet him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, why don¡¯t I ask him?¡± Lily replied, ¡°I have to get his go-ahead before I can introduce you two to one another¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine by me. I have a general idea of what is happening but I have to confirm from my family and I¡¯ll appreciate it if I meet him before I talk to my family,¡± Light voiced and Lily pursed her lips with a thoughtful expression.


    {It¡¯s another broken family story. Gary would not want to meet him, so don¡¯t make any promises} the system warned and Lily nodded.


    ¡°I will ask him and get back to you!¡±

 The mysterious identity

    The line went silent after she narrated her experience to Gary. She heard a shuffling on the other side, followed by the sobbing voice of a young child. She could hear Gary walk away from the phone to calm the sobbing child beforeing back to the call.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the distraction, I had to attend to something¡± he apologised calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, are you babysitting? Do you need me to call backter?¡± Lily asked curiously.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be a need for that. They are my younger siblings and I¡¯m in charge of them,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Oh. So what do you say, would you like to meet him?¡± She asked, going back to the main topic.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with him or his family,¡± he replied. ¡°You can tell him that there is no need to look for me, I know him and I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with him, he doesn¡¯t have to look for me or anything like that,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Okay. I will let him know!¡± Lily replied casually, despite her nagging curiosity, she knew it wasn¡¯t in her ce to ask.


    ¡°You are curious, aren¡¯t you?¡± Gary asked, seeing she wasn¡¯t asking questions and she was not ending the call.


    ¡°Was it obvious?¡± She asked and Gary chuckled.


    ¡°It was¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯m curious. What¡¯s the story, you know him and he doesn¡¯t know you?¡± Lily asked and Gary groaned. ¡°You don¡¯t have to tell if you don¡¯t want to!¡± Lily assured and Gary shook his head on the other side of the phone.


    ¡°His father was married to my mother. He already had a wife at that time but my mother was unaware. After she had us, he took him away and left me with my mother. He broke up all rtions with us while threatening my mother. That¡¯s the story¡± Gary exined.


    Lily felt dumbfounded at the story. ¡°Your mum told you?¡± She asked curiously.


    ¡°Yeah, two years ago on her death bed after she asked him for help to treat her sickness and he refused. That¡¯s what happened, so I don¡¯t want to see him¡± Gary exined.


    Lily¡¯s heart felt heavy as she heard his story. ¡°I know it¡¯s moreplicated than you are putting it and even then I can feel the gravity of the damage done but you have to know that Light is innocent in all this though, until I used him of being you, he did not know you existed and when he found out he might have a brother he wanted to meet you,¡± Lily argued.


    ¡°I know, but I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with that man and his family and I think it should be left that way, getting involved with that celebrity will bring unnecessary drama I have three other siblings and I¡¯m happy being with them,¡± Gary exined and Lily sighed, trying not to push the guys too much she reluctantly agreed.


    ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll let him know. Thank you for telling me your story¡± Lily appreciated.


    ¡°Thank you for asking for my opinion it means a lot to me,¡±


    ¡°I should always look after the well-being of my employees, so how is it going with the page na is helping you develop?¡± Lily asked with a chuckle.


    ¡°She told you that?¡± Gary asked in surprise and Lily hummed, ¡°I¡¯m not sure how we should go about a bit now though, having you out their weight causes a scandal for both you and Light¡± Lily mused.


    ¡°I already thought about it actually¡± Gary breathed out, ¡°I just didn¡¯t know how to tell you back then, I need the extra cash and that¡¯s why I took the job. But then I realised it might cause you some trouble. How about you design a mask? We can go with the mysterious identity¡± Gary suggested and Lilyughed.


    ¡°Is it funny?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not funny, I¡¯m just amused that I managed to gather people like myself under me, the nationals we are going for, na would be wearing a mask due to some personal issues, then we can make the most of our identity, I¡¯ll get one designed for you. And you are free to stop using it anytime¡± Lily assured.


    ¡°You should never hide your identity for anyone¡¯s sake. You deserve to be known just as much as he is known, but to avoid people misunderstanding you, let¡¯s get you to the top before we do a face reveal, yeah?¡±


    ****


    ¡°He said that?¡± Light asked as he asked Lily about the oue of her conversation with Gary the following day over breakfast.


    ¡°Yes¡± Lily replied and Light frowned.


    ¡°Did he tell you the reason? Why does he not want to meet me?¡± He asked, feeling disappointed but also a little more curious about the other him.


    ¡°It¡¯s not in my ce to tell even if he did tell me. You should ask your father if he wants you to meet him or something, it¡¯s your family matter and I am a stranger I can¡¯t just start asking questions, you know?¡± Lily reasoned and Light nodded in understanding.


    ¡°Anyway, I would like to have your measurements so I can get your outfit designed for the garden party outfit,¡± she said, immediately changing the topic as she saw the others walking into the dining room.


    As he noticed the others, Light also dropped the topic and continued eating.


    ¡°Do you have an outfit in mind for the hint given?¡± Celina asked, immediately her butt hitting the chair, ¡°I do have something in mind, but I¡¯m not entirely sure yet until I put it on a drawing¡± Lily exined.


    ¡°I checked some of your pictures online and for Celina, you look better in a short dress for casual wear, so I¡¯m going with that concept, it is going to be above the knee length with a halter neck, short sleeves and mild pleats. The fabric pattern is going to flower with catchy colours but not too bright¡± Lily exined while casually making a doodle of the dress on the booklet she had with her


    ¡°I like the concept¡± Cain chipped in as he joined their table, ¡°How about you add a waistband to bring out the pleats more, having it like that will make it look casual but ssy¡± he advised and Lily immediately made another doodle of the dress, this time with a band right below the bust line.


    ¡°Well this looks better, thank you!¡± She smiled and Cain winked. ¡°Alright, the female dress is done, what concept do you have for Light¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s casual, he¡¯ll have a floral patterned shirt, in khaki pants, suspenders and then a cowboy hat? I think it will go well with the vintage design we have for Celina.¡± She exined. ¡°Not only that, I think he would look good in a suspender since he¡¯s never won one, but just in case we can also prepare a jacket if we have the extra time¡± She added.


    Cain gave Light a look over and nodded, ¡°It will look good on him. We can pair it with a loafer that matches the jacket or the shirt¡± he added. ¡°And the sunsses That¡¯s important¡±


    ¡°Is that okay with you two?¡± Lily asked. ¡°More than okay, your attention to details is mind-blowing.¡± Light voiced with a chuckle and Celina let up a thumbs up unable to speak with a mouthful of food.


    ¡°Then that¡¯s settled. How do we get the Fabrics and things needed?¡± Lily asked.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°After the design approval tomorrow, you¡¯ll be given ess to the fabric store. You should go with Avon for the fabrics since he¡¯d be the one sewing¡± Cain advised.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then, I¡¯ll get the design ready and then let you all see, if there would be a need for some changes to be made¡±

 Team Work

    As Lily entered the studio, her eyes were immediately drawn to the rows of cameras lining the room, trained on every corner and angle to capture the whole process of the segment.


    Sitting at the high table of the inner room were four well-known, world-ss, designers who would be serving as judges for the segment.


    She, like the rest of the representative designers, was led to the corner of the room, where they would wait until it was their turn to present their designs.


    Lily sat quietly, silently gauging her opponent by listening to the judge¡¯sments. The representatives were called up one after the other, and they were all asked the same set of questions before being sent back to their seats to await their results.


    Soon it was Lily¡¯s turn to step up. As she stood in front of the judges, she took a deep breath to calm her nerves and smiled politely. ¡°Good morning,¡± she greeted.


    ¡°Oh, hello, what is your name, and what group are you representing?¡± Beatrice, a female judge, asked.


    ¡°My name is Lily, and I¡¯m representing Lam Fashion, Group Four¡± she introduced, and the judge noted her information before proceeding to the next questions.


    ¡°Your hint was?¡± Fred, another judge asked.


    ¡°Flowers, fruits, lemonade, and lots of fun,¡± Lily replied calmly, despite the prating faze she was getting from all four judges.


    ¡°Cool, and how did these words speak to you? When you think about that hint, whates to mind?¡± Beatrice asked.


    ¡°Summer. Some kind of summer party was what came to mind when I saw the hint,¡± Lily exined.


    ¡°And what summer party would that be?¡± The judge proved it further.


    ¡°It¡¯s a garden party, with the flowers as the base,¡± Lily answered with a smile while holding her booklet tighter to hide her rare nervousness.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t a garden party, what else could the hint represent? Does anything elsee to mind with that hint?¡± The fourth judge asked Lily to pursue her lips, trying to think about it.


    ¡°That would be summer festivals if beer was added to the hint¡± she replied, and the judges gave a nod.


    ¡°Among these two, which one of them did you prepare your design for?¡± Fred asked.


    ¡°I made a design for the garden party; however, the designs could be tweaked in a way to fit the summer festivals,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Oh? Is that so? I would love to see your design then.¡± The third judge urged, and Lily nodded as she brought out her pad and then connected it to arge screen.


    ¡°This is for the male model. We went for a semi-formal look, with a floral shirt, suspenders, and khakis. If we are tweaking it to fit a summer festival asion, all we have to do is remove the suspender and rece it with a tank top or nothing. The long khakis will be cut short, and then a pair of sunsses,¡± Lily exined while immediately creating another design, a more casual design from the existing design.


    Fred gave an approving nod and smiled before noting something down. ¡°That¡¯s a good concept; I can see myself wearing both attires on both asions. It¡¯s good. Your male pass,¡± he announced, and Lily grinned happily while waiting for the other judges to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m impressed by your thoughtfulness and quick thinking. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve had the thought in your head previously, but judging from how you had to think that the hint could also be rted to summer festivals, I¡¯m guessing you didn¡¯t know that previously and you just had to think of a way the design could work. You are amazing; your design passed,¡± Beatrice announced.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Lily bowed.


    ¡°I have nothing more to say. They both said it all, I¡¯m looking forward to your next designs, and I hope I won¡¯t be too disappointed. However, for a start, you did great¡± the third judge announced and Lily bowed in appreciation.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pass; let¡¯s see the female design.¡± As she got the go-ahead from thest judge, Lily flipped to the next page to show a beautiful dress sketch.


    ¡°This design was created to look casual but ssy and in case it would be used in a festival, instead of it being ssy we can change a few things on its body to make it yful. A v-shaped neckline, a loose waistline and a long strap purse will give the perfect casual look¡± Lily exined.


    The judges approved of her designs but only one of the two designs could be chosen. They deliberated among themselves on which design to choose.


    ¡°Go back to your set; we will get back to you,¡± Fred assured them and sent Lily back. Upon getting back to her seat, Lily let out a sigh of relief and rxed her tense muscles.


    She had been a little nervous while standing before the judges, thinking about how her performance would affect the whole team. She subconsciously wanted to give it her all so they could win.


    ¡°How did it go? Are the questions asked difficult?¡± a representative designer from team three asked while trying to strike up a conversation with Lily.


    ¡°It went well. I¡¯m not sure what the result is at the moment, but the designs were approved,¡± Lily replied.


    ¡°Mine was approved too, but I was told to make some corrections on it. I¡¯m Vivian, by the way, and you are Lily from Team 4, right?¡± Thedy was introduced with a polite smile.


    ¡°Yes, I am. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Vivian,¡± Lily smiled.


    ¡°Nice to meet you too! Your team doesn¡¯t hang around other teams, and others are beginning to think you guys are snobby and all because most of your teammates are famous,¡± Vivian voiced.


    ¡°Really? Was there a gathering organised that we didn¡¯t go to? We¡¯ve only met the other teams during shooting days like this, so I¡¯m not sure if there are ces for get-togethers¡± Lily replied with a frown, and Vivian chuckled.


    ¡°We mostly hang around after each segment; you guys were gone immediately after thest time. Team one is organising a get-together today; would you like to join?¡± Vivian asked.


    Before Lily could decline, the judges came out into the open space to announce the results.


    ¡°Alright! We havee to the most important part of today¡¯s segment. As you all know, this segment determines what will happen for the rest of this week¡¯s stage, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve all been anticipating our thoughts and decisions,¡± Fred spoke up.


    ¡°Now here ites. You all were given the same hint, and from the hint, you are to choose an attire for that event. Many of you did right, but some of you got the hint and interpretation wrong,¡± he continued.


    ¡°About three of you thought that the hint was the design pattern. I mean, with whatever concept you choose, it could be the design pattern, but the hint was for you to create an attire for the party.¡±


    ¡°In that light,¡± Beatrice took over. ¡°Team Five, Team Two, and Team Seven. Your designs for the round have been declined, and your groups won¡¯t be participating in the first stage. Your point at this stage is zero. Your designs are nice, but they don¡¯t fit the concept of the party,¡± she announced, and the three teams groaned; their faces fell as they were escorted out of the studio.


    ¡°Team One, your design is incredible; you match your patterns well with the other designs, and your design speaks ss; you have seven points,¡± the third judge announced.


    ¡°As for what you did wrong, you forgot lots of fun parts of the hint. Your designs go well with the garden party you chose; however, they look too formal, and a little tweak here and there will bring out the look you were aiming for. With that said, I¡¯m d to tell you, you have passed this segment, and your team can proceed to the next,¡± she announced, and Team One¡¯s designer cheered with a bright smile.


    ¡°Team Three, gorgeous design, amazing concept, but your colour matching is out of it; you will have to go over the colourbos again and find colours that go well with one another. You have six points.¡±


    ¡°Team Four, you are currently my favourite,¡± Fred voiced with a smile. ¡°Your design is simple, ssy, well thought out, and overall, good-looking. You made use of every part of the hint given to you. Your attention to details is beautiful, and your quick thinking-I love it. For this round, we¡¯ve all decided to give you a perfect score; you have ten points¡­ Keep it up!¡± He announced, and Lily bowed.


    ¡°Thank you¡±


    ¡°As for which of your designs to use, go with your original semi-formal design, although I would still love to see the casual one on the runway, ¡± Beatrice added.


    The other designers looked in her direction and felt a pang of jealousy. Being a judge¡¯s favourite right from the get-go, not just any judge, but the famous Fred, hailed as the King of contemporary designs, had taken a liking to her. Vivian pulled at Lily¡¯s dress gently and smiled at her.


    ¡°Wow! You caught the judge¡¯s attention; how did you do it?¡± She whispered, trying not to draw too much attention to herself.


    Lily shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it on my own; it¡¯s teamwork.¡±


    ¡°And Team Six. I love your concept, I love your design, I love yourposure, as well as your attention to detail, your uniquebinations, and the bold statement your design is making. However, I feel something is missing; the design is not resonating well enough. You¡¯ve tried, and you¡¯ve done beautifully well, but I think it could be better if you put more effort in, more feelings maybe? For us designers, our designs are like our babes and when care isn¡¯t given it will reflect. You have nine points,¡± the fourth judge announced, and the male designer from Team Six smiled.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    He looked at Lily with meaningful eyes as his smile dimmed.


    {You just got yourself apetitor!}

 What are you doing here?

    ¡°Hi, I am Bethel,¡± the designer from Team Six introduced as he walked up to Lily.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Lily. It¡¯s nice to meet you Bethel¡± she greeted politely.


    ¡°Nice to meet you too! I couldn¡¯t helping to say hi. You look familiar and then, you are a good designer who has gotten a judge¡¯s recognition on the first day¡± he voiced with a subtle usation behind his tone.


    Lily frowned as she noticed the hostility and ridicule in his voice and decided to y along, her smile got brighter. ¡°You are probably referring to the online scandal a few days back? Yeah, that scandal shot my poption out of the roof, I mean with that I don¡¯t need much publicity for the next few months,¡± she replied with a chuckle, making Bethel who hade to make her feel self-conscious, awkward.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised Lam allowed you to represent them with that scandal record, people who associated with Lam have always been with a clean record, that¡¯s why it has been able to maintain its fame and reputation for so many years, having you there now might affect their image¡± he pushed forward, trying to make her nice girl facade disappear. His eyes held ridicule as he looked her over.


    Among all the people representing thepanies, she was the only one who was cheaply dressed, making them think she was someone with no substance. None of them had taken her seriously, not about seeing her as apetitor but they were all pped in the face after today¡¯s segment.


    She does not only have substance, she has enough to get Fred¡¯s recognition on the first day!


    ¡°Oh! You must have been too busy to read the rest of the gossip¡± Lily bit back. ¡°I know we get busy, especially with the tension of the ongoing event. But you could have at least made someone in the know tell you about it. My name was cleared and the other protagonist apologized to me. So, I¡¯m as clean as the rest of the Lam representatives¡± she exined with a sharp but polite smile.


    Seeing it was going nowhere with his attempt, he turned to live, ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky, it¡¯s only the first day, you might have gotten lucky the first time but it doesn¡¯t work all the time. Watch your back¡± he warned and walked away.


    Lily smiled and continued on her way without minding the weird look she was getting. As she exited the studio, she saw her teammates waiting with anticipated looks in their eyes.


    They ran up to her and pulled her away from the door to ask about the oue of the segment. ¡°How was it?¡± Celina asked impatiently.


    ¡°I thought it was a live broadcast?¡± Lily replied with a raised brow and they shook their heads.


    ¡°It was supposed to be a live broadcast but something went wrong with the technical team and they decided to record the first stage¡± Ian exined.


    ¡°Oh, okay then¡± Lily replied, purposely brushing off the main topic to put them on edge.


    ¡°So how was it? Stop creating suspense! Damnit!¡± Avon cursed and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you wait and watch it?¡± She asked and got a re from her teammates.


    ¡°You expect me to wait till Saturday night when it will be broadcasted?¡± Avon asked with narrowed eyes. ¡°Who will sew the clothes!¡±


    ¡°Okay, fine we passed and we can move on!¡± She announced and they cheered.


    ¡°Yes! How many marks? I heard three teams were disqualified during this round, were the judges that strict?¡±


    ¡°No, they didn¡¯t get the hint properly so they had the wrong design. We got a perfect score for this segment¡± she exined and the team cheered once again.


    ¡°You¡¯ve set a goddamn high bar!¡± As they were celebrating, Evie walked around them with her team.


    ¡°So what if the judges like your design? The audience will still be the judge at the end¡± she snickered, her voice filled with arrogance and contempt.


    Celina and Avon¡¯s face contoured into a frown and they immediately got on her. ¡°You are only jealous your team iscking. Do you think the audience won¡¯t like what the judges like? In your dreams! I can already see the moneying in for our team!¡± Celina countered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too cocky, it¡¯s just the first stage. We don¡¯t know what might happen overnight¡± Evie retorted and walked away, leaving both Avon and Celina annoyed and ready to vent.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to pay attention to her¡± Lily chipped in and Avon let out a huff.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it, that girl is always trying to prove she¡¯s better than everyone!¡± He argued.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Then you ignore her. You paying attention to her or her words is bringing yourself to her level, and even till now, I don¡¯t see a reason why you guys dislike her too much¡± Lily reasoned and Celina sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to force down my bad blood with her on you or anything of the sort, but you¡¯ve both been on the end of her pretentious attitude and we have a reason to react to her that way. But you are right, paying attention to her would only mean we are bringing ourselves down to her level!¡± She agreed.


    ¡°So now that we have passed the first stage, we need to prepare for the runway on Sunday¡± Light spoke up, bringing their attention back to the main topic.


    ¡°We need to find our guide and they will lead us to the fabric store provided by the show, before then let¡¯s get lunch!¡± Avon suggested.


    As the group walked into the cafeteria in their lodge, Lily heard her name being called from behind. ¡°Lily? What are you doing here?¡± Mrs Smith asked with a curious look in her eyes, while Merissa stood with a scowl on her face.


    ¡°How are you here? How did you get here?¡± Merissa echoed as Lily turned back to look at them.


    ¡°I got here the same way you did, how else do you think I got here?¡± Lily asked with a sarcastic tone making the mother and daughter¡¯s faces contour in anger.


    ¡°You!¡± Merrisa snapped but quickly reigned in her words as she noticed the rest of Team Four standing behind Lily. Mrs Smith schooled her expression and put on a smile.


    ¡°Oh sorry, my words must havee out wrongly, I was merely surprised to see here. What are you doing in Paris? And are these people your friends?¡± She asked with a familiar and friendly tone.


    Lily rolled her eyes at their disy. ¡°I¡¯m here for the fashion show and I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s why you are here too. And please stop acting familiar with me, I hate for another scandal to happen and for people to think your family sponsored me to Paris!¡± She dered.


    ¡°Oh! I thought you looked familiar! You are the other person from the gossip post!¡± Avon eximed as his face lit up in realisation.


    Hearing his words, Merissa flushed in embarrassment and her eyes darted towards Light, who had caught her attention since she saw the group. She looked his way and quickly tried to defend herself.


    ¡°The gossip was just a ruse! It was not done by me and I already rified that!¡± She argued and Avon snickered.


    ¡°Yeah! Right, we know your type. Anyways, since you want to know, Lily is here as a representative of Lam Fashion. Beat that if you can!¡±

 Old Enemies, New Enemies

    As Lily and her team walked away, Merissa¡¯s shoulders sagged, finally recognising Celina as their senior and the person who stood up for Lily at the restaurant the other day. She clenched her fist and red at their retreating figures with a deep-seated hatred.


    Mrs. Smith, who had also taken time to digest the scene and the information she had just seen and heard, turned to her daughter with a confused expression.


    ¡°Since when has Lily been moving with those kinds of people? Why did you break off the friendship, knowing she had such a connection? Or is that not the young Miss of William¡¯s family?¡± She asked while silently using her daughter of being slow.


    ¡®Why would you break off such a friendship that could connect the family to higher status¡¯ was her initial question, but seeing how people were paying attention to them, she changed it.


    Merissa pursed her lips and folded her arms. ¡°Who knows? I bet she slept her way in there; after all, what else could she have offered? She is not from a well-to-do family nor is she talented enough to join them. I bet she¡¯s done some unspeakable things!¡± She replied, her voice loud, wanting to paint Lily in a bad light for those listening.


    Mrs. Smith immediately understood what her daughter was doing and decided to y along. ¡°It must have hit her hard that the school took thepetition spot from her and gave it to you. And she¡¯s trying to show off by getting involved with some big family. It won¡¯t be long now before they see her for who she is!¡± She added, and Merissa huffed.


    Bethel and Evie, who came to meet up with the manager of thepany they were representing, heard their words and shared a nce. With tacit understanding, they walked up to the mother-and-daughter duo.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Are you familiar with them? Do you know anyone from group four?¡± Evie asked from behind. Merissa turned around, and her eyes brightened.


    ¡°You are Evie Thompson!¡± She eximed excitedly, and Evie smiled. One nce at her, and one could tell the smile was fake.


    ¡°Do you know me?¡± She asked in a soft and polite voice, portraying the soft girl image that Avon and Celina hated so much.


    Merissa nodded. ¡°Of course! I¡¯m a designer, and I¡¯ve wanted to work with the Thompsons and you, the most talented daughter of our generation!¡± Merissa ttered, and Evie giggled while sneering in her heart at the ¡®Most talented¡¯ words.


    ¡°Then since you are a designer, I¡¯m guessing you are most familiar with the designer on their team?¡± Evie continued, bringing up the topic of why they had approached them.


    ¡°Hmph! I do know her. We are in the same school and the same year, she even used to be my roommate.¡± Merissa replied.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we take this to a table? It¡¯s not proper to discuss while standing. We are all here to have lunch anyway,¡± Mrs. Smith chimed in and led them to a table.


    Once they were done ordering, they continued their discussion. ¡°So tell me, Lily, is her name right?¡± Evie asked.


    ¡°Yes. She¡¯s Lily, a country bumpkin that my family helped get into the Yellow Hills Fashion School, and then she started doing some unspeakable things just to hang out with the more privileged kids! We used to be friends, but then I could not understand her anymore. She went from seducing our ssmates and schoolmates to seducing big men, because how else would she have made it here as a poor student? She could barely afford to eat three meals a day, how could shee to Paris?¡± Merissa rants.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say something mean about her! No matter what, she used to be your friend and she must have had some good points!¡± Mrs. Smith cautioned with a fake smile directed at the two.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m only telling the truth! The apology I made previously was purely because one of her sugar daddies had threatened my family business. If not, I would have exposed more of her sham! How could she or her family afford the Watson gold card? When they were just servants working in my family, I was surprised but after today I¡¯m sure of it! She¡¯s selling her body!¡± Merissa continued, all her bottled-up emotions spilling out like a broken dam.


    Evie and Bethel listened attentively, already scheming ways to deal with Team Four. The core of every team is the designer, and once the designer is gone, the rest of the team will be nothing but a shell.


    ¡°Is your team up against her team?¡± Mrs. Smith asked, and Bethel sneered.


    ¡°We are still having a generalpetition at this time; we haven¡¯t been paired into teampetitions yet, but her design is currently leading with ten points while ours has nine,¡± he exined.


    Merissa felt her heart skip a beat. Of all people, she knows how good Lily is with design, and she could tell that Lily has gotten the score based on talent. But even then, how could she allow her off just like that?


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen the design, but I can¡¯t help thinking there is something fishy going on. Do you think Lam Fashion bribed the judges?¡±


    ¡°Since you are familiar with her, you must know how good she is, right?¡± He asked, urging her to spill more words.


    Merissa took the bait without thinking and immediately started weaving lies. ¡°If the judges were that easy to bribe, sure, your team would be number one,¡± Vivian chimed in from the table close to theirs.


    ¡°And you, Merissa, can¡¯t you keep digging pits for yourself? You can¡¯t meet up to her standards, and you decide to pull her down to your level?¡± She added and sent a re towards Merissa and Mrs. Smith.


    ¡°Who are you, and what¡¯s your business with us?¡± Merissa sneered angrily while Bethel and Evie tried to make themselves seem as little as possible. They had thought thisdy would be their fierce opponent, being a student of a popr designer, and had been prepared to lose; however, seeing a no-name take the first ce made them unable to swallow their pride.


    Vivian stood up and marched to their table. She crossed her arms and red down at Bethel and Evie. ¡°You two are a pair made in heaven; honestly, instead of you finding ways to improve, you are going around trying to cause scandal for others. How free are you?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°With this attitude, yet you wondered why nobody believes the pure girl image you are trying to force down our throats. And you, madam, are sitting here discussing someone¡¯s downfall because they are doing better than you want them to! I know you, Merissa; we were in Yellow Hill year one. I¡¯ve changed, and you might not recognise me, but I used to sit beside you back then, and I know your level of talentpared to Lily¡¯s. I just hope the schooles to their senses soon and finds someone else to do it because I won¡¯t be going easy on you in the nationals,¡± she dered and walked away.


    Evie and Bethel also stood up to leave without saying anything. They had not given up on their initial n; however, discussing it in public may cause another unwanted scene.


    As they left, Merissa noticed Bethel had left her his contact information with the instructions for her to contact him. ¡°I won¡¯t allow her to step over me and climb high. Never!¡± Merissa dered.

 Let out work speak for us

    ¡°You can pick any fabric and items of your choice. However, your usage will be among the things judged during the sewing stage, so it is advised you pick the things you actually need and nothing else¡± the guide exined, leaving them surprised.


    ¡°Are we having a sewingpetition too?¡± Avon asked curiously, and the guide chuckled.


    ¡°The process will be recorded, and the oue will be judged before it goes onto the runway,¡± the guide replied.


    ¡°Every team member will be judged by the expert in their field: the designer, the tailor, and the model. Any cloth that doesn¡¯t pass the sewing stage will not be allowed on the runway, it¡¯s to protect the reputation of thepany you all are representing¡± the guide exined further, and Avon nodded in understanding.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I better put on my best game; I wouldn¡¯t want to lose to our team¡¯s designer,¡± he voiced with a chuckle, and he walked into the store to pick the fabrics.


    ¡°Why is this so intense, though? I thought it was just a fashion show for fashionistas and fashionpanies to get together,¡± Lily mumbled.


    ¡°It is supposed to be fun, but you can¡¯t remove thepetitiveness amongst the bigpanies; they always want to be crowned the king amongst the other big shotpanies, and the only way to do stuff like that is through this friendlypetition,¡± Light replied as they followed Avon into the storeroom.


    ¡°I have a feeling they¡¯ll still have trouble with us for having Light on our team. Many people would say we got our results because of him,¡± Celina added, and Light shrugged.


    ¡°Everyone is free to bring in whoever they want; they weren¡¯t able to bring in celebrities; was it our fault? There were no rules against bringing in someone from the entertainment industry¡± Avon replied and brought out a floral-patterned fabric.


    It has a ck background, and several coloured flowers were printed on it. ¡°It¡¯s too boring; let¡¯s look for something else¡­ A light blue background will be fine or something simr-anything but white and ck,¡± Lily suggested, and Avon nodded.


    ¡°The texture and feel are also important; I would hate to have scratchy fabric on,¡± Celina chipped in while making a weird face.


    As they were looking around the store, a in red fabric caught Lily¡¯s attention, and she moved towards it. She picked it up and examined its texture and the almost invisible pattern on its body.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t go well with the theme we are working on,¡± Avon noted as he stood beside her, holding two types of floral fabric designs.


    ¡°Oh! I was thinking of another design for the clothing. It caught my attention, and I wanted to check it out,¡± she exined, and Avon nodded.


    ¡°It will be good for that backless dress you designed for the open product. You can have it made in ck or red. Perfect romantic date attire,¡± he voiced.


    ¡°I was also thinking of something simr, but that will be some other time.¡± She looked at the fabrics in his hands and picked the first one.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go with the teal green for the shirt and the dress, and then pick a carton-coloured khaki for the pants. The belt colour will match the shoes,¡± she suggested.


    ¡°Good! I was also thinking the same, or we could pick the other colour for the dress because of the non-couples,¡± Avon replied.


    ¡°Both colours are good, and I like the pattern on them; we can pick the two.¡±


    Unknown to the group, another group was in the store watching them pick out their fabrics. ¡°Are you taking both fabrics?¡± Bethel asked with a polite smile, seeing how a guide was close by.


    ¡°Yes, we intend on using the two; is there a problem?¡± Lily asked while maintaining her cool.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t; it¡¯s just that the blue-patterned fabric goes well with the design I chose for this segment. Why don¡¯t you allow us to have it, and you can pick some other fabrics?¡± He asked, and Avon¡¯s eye twitched.


    ¡°Since you can rmend us to pick another fabric, why don¡¯t you? We chose it first, and that¡¯s because it goes well with our designs too.¡± Avon countered with a re.


    ¡°Come on, you already decided to use the teal green fabric; do you have to hoard the other one also? The first one is enough for whatever you need to do.¡± Bethel replied, his voice getting a little higher to attract attention to the scene.


    Lily bit the inside of her cheeks gently, annoyed that she would have to deal with him and his problems. As she was about to say something, a guide stepped forward to intervene.


    ¡°You all can have the same fabrics; there is more of it, and there is no need for argument,¡± she exined calmly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; he can have the fabrics. We will choose something else,¡± Lily replied, pulling Avon away from the scene.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just give in to people like that all the time! He came to look for trouble with us.¡± Avon pouted.


    ¡°And we don¡¯t have to give it. Besides, I just remembered that it is preferable to use a fabric with bold flower prints for the dress than to use the small flower prints!¡± Lily exined, and Avon pouted.


    ¡°If we give them attention, they will onlye back for more. Allow our work to speak on our behalf,¡± she encouraged as she led him to the other side of the store.


    Once they were done picking out their materials, the group registered the items and left.


    *****


    ¡°Due to some technical problems, this segment will not be broadcast live, but it will be recorded and edited before uploading. The runway, however, will be broadcast live as the audience votes and purchases determine the final winners of this segment,¡± the host announced as the group of semesters and seamstresses walked into the studio provided to them.


    The studio was divided into seven parts, and each part was covered to separate it from the rest. Each part has a cameraman assigned to it. The cubicle was assigned to them ording to their team number.


    ¡°Everything you picked has been ced in your workspace. If you call out for additional materials during your working time, you will have a point deducted from your total group score,¡± the host continued.


    ¡°You are free to make use of your assistant, but your mark will be deducted by half to make it fair on those who did it on their own,¡± he added.


    ¡°You are given three hours to make the dress and three hours to make the male outfits; any extra time will result in your point being deducted. With that, let¡¯s get to work!¡± The host announced this, and the group walked into their assigned workspace.


    Avon spread out the chosen fabrics on the work table and decided to start with the female outfit. He brought the mannequin to the centre and began disying the dress on it. The mannequin was made in Celina¡¯s size, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about the size not matching.


    Once done pinning the fabric to the mannequin, he moved on to cutting the male¡¯s attire. In the sixth cubicle, Evie pursed her lips and began cutting the fabric ording to the measurements given for the model. Her eyes were focused, and her hand movements were shaky as the scissors cut through the fabric.


    She was able to sessfully manoeuvre through the dress, and she immediately got to sewing before getting back to cutting the fabric for the male attire. The judges watched them through the screen, each noting down the observations for each team.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t muchpetition for this stage; all of these guys are equally skilled,¡± one of the judgesmented, and the others nodded.


    ¡°I heard Fred and his group disqualify three groups on this stage; do you think there would have been somepetition if they all were gathered?¡± Another asked.


    ¡°I bet. The girl that won the junior nationalsst year is among the group that was disqualified; how could their designer have gotten them disqualified on the first stage?¡± The first judge mused.


    ¡°The Avon guy from the Lam group is not bad either; I love his technique and how his mannequin was built for the size of his model; however, that could also bring limitations if he¡¯s working for arge number of clients,¡± the third judge chipped in.


    ¡°Considering he is working for just one at the moment, it¡¯s okay that he used the technique. I just hope the end product is satisfactory.¡±


    Once the clock reached the first three-hour mark, the rm went off.


    ¡°Alright! Let¡¯s take a break, and we will get back in thirty minutes!¡±

 I鈥檓 expecting more from you

    ¡°Alright! We havee to the end of this segment for today! How you all had fun while creating your masterpiece,¡± the host chuckled as the second rm went off, signalling the end of the sewing segment. The group of seamsters and seamstresses walked out of their workspace, some looking tired and others looking rxed and calm.


    Those whose work was notpleted felt a chill down their spine and those who were able toplete it in time let out a sigh of relief.


    Everyone stood by their workspace in anticipation of the judges¡¯ criticism and observations. ¡°Disy your end products please,¡± Ivan, the first judge announced and the representatives brought out their mannequins.


    Starting from the first team, the judges began to inspect their sewing works. ¡°I appreciated the effort put into this piece. Your technique shows your familiarity with your work. However, probably due to the pressure you were under, your stitches are quite sloppy and unattractive and the fabric you picked is not suitable for your design, the fabrics made this design look boring and in,¡± Priya another judge started speaking on behalf of all the judges.


    ¡°Your cutting technique is clean and there isn¡¯t an excessive waste of the fabrics. For that, you get 7 points. You have to understand that the stitching is very important to the overall oue of your piece, it not only holds it together, but it also makes it more fashionable and appealing to the eyes,¡± she added and moved to the next group.


    ¡°Group three¡± he called out and gave a nod of approval, ¡°I like your choice of fabrics, it goes perfectly well with your chosen design. As a seamster or a seamstress, knowing what fabrics go well with what design is a great skill to have, that way, you will always please your buyers. Your stitches are also on point, however, your piece does not go well with your model.¡± Ivan stated


    ¡°It is a little bigger than it should be and it would not fit properly. For that, you¡¯ll get a 6. The stitch or the fabric would not matter if the outfit does not fit your clients.¡± He exined and thedy nodded, taking note of his observations.


    Ivan moved to group four and stopped, his eyes raking through the mannequin for a brief seconds, his hands touched the fabrics and then he did another double-take of the work before looking at Avon and continuing to the next group, leaving the onlookers confused.


    Despite this Avon remained calm and unmoved. ¡°Group six. I know you, Miss Evie Thompson. We met on several asions andpared to those times, I am quite disappointed in your performance today¡± Ivan dered with a creased brow as he looked over her unfinished piece, ¡°Throughout the cutting and sewing process, your hands were shaking just like a newbie¡¯s. For someone who has been hailed as the talent of this generation, I¡¯m unimpressed by your performance today¡± he voiced.


    ¡°Your thread on the fabric is mismatched, your stitches are messy and then the fabricying doesn¡¯t do the design any justice. You cut the fabric in the wrong direction that would fit the design you are working on. Your disy today is worse than that of an amateur.¡± He continued.


    Avon held back his snicker and continued looking forward as if he wasn¡¯t ridiculing her in his mind. He wanted to gloat about their team snatching the fabrics from their team but still wasn¡¯t able to make use of its full potential.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly disappointed in you and I hope your next performance will be better. And for this segment, you get a 5.¡± Ivan announced. Evie bowed her head in shame, unable to look up at the other representatives. She could feel their ridicule and their judgement seeping into her veins.


    Ivan has always been known for his bluntness and the inability to hold back or be polite with his criticism, she could even be considered lucky today that he hadn¡¯t insulted her.


    Ivan went back to Avon and then looked down at the short guy, ¡°My ears have almost bled out from listening to  Fredpliment the designer of group four. And in all honestly, I¡¯ve been looking forward to seeing if the rest of the team would be able to match up to a young designer recognised by Fred, I¡¯m not disappointed in what I saw today¡± he voiced and Avon let out a sigh he wasn¡¯t aware he had been holding.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the choice of fabrics, your choice goes well with the design chosen. It was just as if both designs were made with the fabric in mind. Your use of the fabric was perfect, with no excessive cutting, and no mismatching. Your attention to detail is incredible. I heard Gregor took in a discipline, are you the one? Because you disy some of his unique techniques while working¡± Ivan asked.


    ¡°Gregor is my older brother¡± Avon replied and Ivan raised his brow before smiling, ¡°Well, that exins it. I¡¯m expecting more from you in the next stage. I¡¯m sure that perfectionists would also want to see you perform better. I¡¯m giving you nine points for this stage. Your mannequin technique was good but you can¡¯t use it in a situation where you have lots of things to do¡± he exined.


    ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± Avon bowed and smiled.


    ¡°For those of you whose piece wasn¡¯t finished, we will deduct your points ordingly and you¡¯ll be given Extra time to make amends andplete your work. And for those of you who think your work is perfect, you are free to leave and we will meet here next week¡± He announced, dismissing the segment.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Evie bit her lips and red towards Avon¡¯s direction. Her eyes shed with a mischievous glint before walking back into her workspace. ¡°They can¡¯t be left alone for long. If we continue like this, their group will win the show¡¯s crown!¡± She muttered, careful not to raise her voice, afraid that the camera would hear words. ¡°They have to be crushed early¡±

 Actively trying to rope you in

    Sinful:  I have finished the first sample but I need you to test it and you¡¯ll have to give feedback for further improvement or bug removal. I¡¯ve only run a stimtion rest and so far it¡¯s great.


    Mark, who had just finished his night shower, heard his privateputer go off with the special notification sound he had set for Sinful and hurriedly discarded the towel in his hand before going to check out the message she sent.


    Seeing the green light beside the name, he felt somewhat excited to finally see the green light. Reading the message, he immediately got into a business mood, the fatigue he felt from the long day he had disappeared as his fingers touched the keyboard.


    Alpha: I¡¯ve prepared the hardware and other things that are needed. Testing it should not be difficult. My team will be ready to do the instation and the testing when you send it.


    He replied and sighed, ¡®It was a good thing I asked them to produce the hardware earlier, how are they this fast with the programming? It¡¯s only been a week¡± he muttered.


    Sinful: I will send the procedure for the instation. Make sure they follow every tiny bit of the instructions written on it, I left out some traps in it. The trap will be connected to the firewall software I sent to you the first time, once someone tries to hack it you will be notified.


    Alpha: I will take more of that. So are you back online now? How often will you be here? Does the Waves software have an automatic upgrade function?


    Sinful: I¡¯m still a little busy for now, but I will check in once a day until the security system has been confirmed usable. Yes, the users just have to make sure their devices are connected to the inte and it will automatically upgrade.


    Alpha: I just took note of the function a while ago and I was quite surprised. Then there won¡¯t be a need for continuous checking from outside.


    Sinful: A little bit of maintenance checks once a month is enough. It¡¯s advanced software with a little bit of sentience.


    Alpha:  Noted. About the payment n for this project, I¡¯ve discussed it with the board members and you¡¯ll be getting 30% of the profit share. You were the only one who worked on the software n and it will only be fair if it¡¯s viewed as a partnership. We didn¡¯t employ you after all.


    Sinful: Why do I feel you are still trying to rope me into yourpany, Mr Alpha?


    Mark¡¯s fingers hovered on the keyboard as he read the message over and over again. With a slight chuckle, he went back to typing out his response.


    Alpha: Was it obvious? I¡¯m still actively trying to rope you in. How is it? Did my technique work?Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Sinful: Just having yourpany¡¯s name on my CV is enough to rope me in from the beginning.


    Alpha: Yet you still aren¡¯t under Alpha Tech. We can increase your bonuses if the ones we¡¯ve offered previously are not enough for you. We will give you the best conditions, even a researchb of the highest quality, if you ept to work with us.


    Sinful: I don¡¯t intend to work under anypany, Mr Alpha. I like being free and doing things on my own terms. Besides, I have a big ambition and being under yourpany might affect me.


    Alpha: ¡­. Alright, if you say so. However, I hope you will always consider ourpany first with all your products.


    Sinful: To be honest, only yourpany is developed enough to match up with my skills for now. Working with others will only bring down the real effects of my programming skills. I hope that gives you enough reassurance that I am not working for someone else.


    Alpha: I¡¯m assured. I will test this out and get back to you. I never knew you would be there fast, I was nning on testing it out with the new Watson¡¯s mini mountain vi. Guess I will have to use some other means.


    Sinful: The mini mountain vige is perfect. That way we can test it out on a low andrge scale. We still have enough time to run the program and put it in a perfect state before it¡¯s finally released.


    Alpha: But the Vi project hasn¡¯t begun yet.


    Sinful: ???  Then when will it begin? And how long will it take toplete the project?


    Alpha: It will take us about six months. After seeing your blueprint. I noticed the tech is way more developed than the one we have now and I was expecting you to do that long before the program is finalised. With that, the vi¡¯s construction will bepleted.


    Sinful: We can put the security system on hold for now then. Or we can test run it on your existing buildings, the uninhabited ones and then use it as the vi¡¯s main security system. That will be more marketable for both the Vi and the system.


    Alpha: I will discuss it with the directors and get back to you. You¡¯ve done your part and now we will do ours. The payment contract will be sent to you, read it and let me know which you aren¡¯tfortable with so we can change it.


    Sinful: I will be waiting for your feedback.


    Lily stretched out her limbs and yawned tiredly, having stayed up all night programming and doing the daily system tasks of reading and practising her skills.


    { You have to be careful from here on} the system warned seriously as she walked into the bathroom to get washed up before starting the day.


    ¡°Why? Is there something wrong?¡± She asked in confusion.


    {A Group has be hostile to you and your group and they will try to sabotage your group¡¯s work. Also, Merrisa and her mother seem to be nning something shady. Do you need me to look into it?}


    ¡°There is no need for you to look into it. Didn¡¯t I tell you, this is apetition and I want to enjoy every bit of it¡± Lily replied with a mischievous smirk while staring at herself in the mirror.


    {If you say so. Just curious, how do you n on dealing with them?}


    ¡°Did you forget I grew up as a richdy in my previous life? I¡¯ve had to go against people who are way more powerful than these kids. I wasn¡¯t guarded against my family which is why I got yed by them. You have nothing to worry about, I will serve them a taste of their food¡± she dered

 Scared of their Shadow

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Why are all your faces dark and gloomy? Did someone pull at your inverse scale or something?¡± Lily asked as she and Avon came back to their room after going over the finishing touches for the outfits that would be modelled tomorrow night, only to see the rest of their teammates sitting around the room with angry faces.


    ¡°Did something happen while we were away? Was it Evie and her group? Or some other people?¡± Avon pressed, feeling curious as to what might have caused the tense atmosphere in the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s them, alright! I can tell they are the ones who would do something like this just so they would win! It¡¯s not the first time Evie has ever pulled such a stunt! I¡¯m going to tear that bitch¡¯s head off when I next see her!¡± Celina gritted out angrily as she continued to scroll through the show¡¯s page, reading the negativements she had been tagged with.


    Lily pursed her lips, already having a feeling of what might be the problem. She walked into the room and casually sat on the bed as she brought out her phone to see the cause of her team¡¯s anger. Avon cussed angrily, his face contorted in anger whilst scrolling through his page to see there were some scandalous posts on the inte about Lily.


    His page had been littered with negativements from theizens, and all were directed at one person. ¡°They only seem to be targeting me,¡± Lily voiced, her tone t and unbothered by what she had just seen.


    ¡°It would seem so, and it¡¯s very obvious they had employed a keyboard army. Theirments are so generic and uncreative that it makes me cringe.¡± Light added with a helpless sigh, and then he raised a brow at Lily. ¡°I¡¯m calm about this because it¡¯s an everyday urrence for people in the entertainment industry; howe you seem so unbothered by it?¡± He asked curiously, and Lily shrugged.


    ¡°I just had a scandal in my name for not too long, and I¡¯m sure the mental barrier is still there. I¡¯m not really that affected, but leaving this here would affect the whole team in the long run. I¡¯m still not sure why I am being targeted by their team. I guess they are trying to take out the designer before the next stage that would be broadcast live,¡± she exined, and Avon scowled.


    ¡°Of course! That was their n!¡± He eximed, ¡°They were aiming to ruin your reputation and your mood so that our next performances will be wed! Even now, our fans are asking that you be removed from the team! So fucking annoying; they were so impatient that they had to do this the very first week!¡± He groaned.


    Celina let out a long sigh, trying to calm her anger. ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on the event; the Lam PR department will handle it. We can¡¯t let this small thing ruin our mood for tomorrow night,¡± she encouraged, and Lily shook her head. ¡°I can handle it myself. We just have to proceed with the event like nothing happened; by this time tomorrow, the culprit will be revealed,¡± she dered, getting a sceptical look from her teammates.


    ¡°We know you have the strength. However, ordinary means will not shake the Thompsons, so it¡¯s better you allow Lam¡¯s PR department to handle it,¡± Avon advised. Lily stood up from the bed and took a seat on the couch with herptop in hand. She pulled it open with a sinister smile and powered it up.


    ¡°No matter what Lam¡¯s PR department does, they won¡¯t be able to do anything to Evie. I¡¯m not saying they aren¡¯t capable; I¡¯m saying our opponent had taken into consideration the kind of people that they are dealing with,¡± Lily exined. ¡°You don¡¯t honestly think you¡¯ll dig enough to find out why Evie instigated it?¡± She asked, and Celina shook her head.


    ¡°She could never leave a trace back to her. She¡¯s an expert in this game; there is no way it could be traced back to her. But at least the PR department could clear your name and let the public know that the scandal had already been confirmed to be false. All they did was add some twists; they are still repeating the same narrative,¡± Celinamented, and Lily chuckled.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°And where is the fun in that?¡± Remember the mother and daughter we met the other day?¡± She asked, and the group nodded. ¡°I suspect Evie used them to do this, and if my suspicion is right, I can easily get evidence that Evie was behind it,¡± she exined calmly as she began typing away on herptop.


    ¡°How will you do that? Are you a hacker?¡± Light asked, and her fingers froze on the keyboard. She had been so agitated that she almost forgot that no one knew her hacker identity.


    Looking up from the screen, she let out a light chuckle: ¡°I¡¯m not! How could I possibly be a hacker? There was software made by the hacker I employed to get evidence of thest scandal with Merissa. The software is still on her phone; it will read and listen to her conversation, and it can also read other nearby devices as long as it¡¯s connected to WiFi or Bluetooth¡± Lily exined.


    ¡°With that software, we should be able to get evidence and clear my name while also bringing down our opponents,¡± she added with a bright smile.


    ¡°What if that doesn¡¯t work?¡± Celina asked worriedly. The show and thepetition weren¡¯t just about her or her teammates; it¡¯s about her family¡¯s reputation and theirpany. Any mishap could cause more damage than they could resolve.


    ¡°If it doesn¡¯t work, Lam¡¯s PR can take over.¡± Lily guaranteed, and Celina nodded without asking any more questions.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s settled, let¡¯s all get some rest for tonight; we need to be on our best games tomorrow night. Before the rumours began to spread, our team was leading the chart, but we got a hit due to the effect of the rumour, so we have to do our best not to allow them to win,¡± Avon announced.


    ¡°Can you gather evidence of the two meetings to discuss the spreading of the rumours?¡± Lily asked as she continued to type away on herptop.


    {What will you do with the evidence? It¡¯s not difficult to get it; I just have to hack into the CCTVs around the whole ce.}


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m going to be using it for? Of course, it¡¯s too scary for a certain someone. Directly posting it is not fun. I¡¯m going to make both of them scared of their shadow by the time thepetition ends.

 She鈥檚 not as simple as she looks

    ¡°She¡¯s trending again. Are you sure it¡¯s a good idea to leave her on your team? Bad media is not good for you or thepany you know. Those rivals are always watching, looking for a way to bring others down, and we can¡¯t afford to behave badly,¡± Mrs. William voiced exasperatedly as she spoke to Celina over the phone the following morning.


    ¡°Mom, she did not do any of those things!¡± Celina argued, ¡°You know she didn¡¯t do it, and I believe you, Lina. But the inte is different. They believe everything they see, and even when you eventually clear your name, it¡¯s not the same because there are people who choose to believe the bad things about others,¡± Mrs. Williams exined, and Celina sighed.


    ¡°Even then we can¡¯t just change teammates in the middle of the show; that shows unprofessionalism, and then we drop her and her name is cleared, then what? Would we apologise to her? Come on, Mom, you know whether we get involved or not, those hyenas would find something to w in and make it big anyway,¡± Celina exined, and her mother sighed.


    ¡°Fine, I will inform the PR department to do the necessary thing and shut down the rumours. And tell her to be careful these days to avoid the media swarming around her to make things even more difficult,¡± Mrs. Williams instructed.


    ¡°For now, she¡¯s asking the PR department to stay out of it. She had a way to handle it,¡± Celina voiced. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s trying to handle this case like she did the first one. It doesn¡¯t always work; if she does that kind of thing, it will only get her in more trouble! We are dealing with those unreasonable Thompsons right now, not some low-grade nobles like the Smiths!¡± Mrs. Williams eximed, feeling frustrated about her daughter¡¯s thoughtless decisions in recent times.


    ¡°Mom, did you somehow forget that she had the Watson¡¯s group gold card? She had the capital With that and the right connections, getting this matter solved is something small. Just give her a few days, and it will get settled. By that time, if it does, then we will take action.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you are so supportive of her. You¡¯ve only known her for a few days, and you are already this trusting. I hope this won¡¯t be another one of your failed attempts to have true friends,¡± Mrs. Williams breathed out.


    ¡°I have my reasons, and no, I don¡¯t consider her my friend; she has something that I want and that I think will benefit thepany, so trust me, alright?¡± As she was talking, the door flung open, and Avon skipped in with his phone in hand.


    ¡°Have you seen Lily this morning?¡± Avon asked, unable to hide the excitement in his voice as he spoke while looking around the room. ¡°She went out early, saying she was going for a walk. Is there a problem?¡± Celina asked curiously, and Avon shook his head and then gave a nod.


    ¡°No, yes, but not for us. The hacker she employed works wonders! Did you see this?¡± He asked as he shoved the phone in Celina¡¯s face. ¡°They were able to gather enough evidence in just a couple of hours! Even the ones that Evie was involved in previously!¡± He eximed.


    Celina gaped at the phone as she read the post made by an anonymous ount. The more she read, the more excited she became. The post had photo evidence of Evie meeting up with Melissa and her mother and also screenshots of their conversation, including the ones from Evie¡¯s other plot.


    ¡°Damn, what expert did she get to work for her? If Lam¡¯s PR had gotten involved, they would not have been able to do it this big.¡± She eximed. Mrs. Williams, who had been listening to their conversation, could not help but be curious as to what they were talking about. She picked up her phone and went to the inte, and she immediately noticed that Evie¡¯s scandal had made it to the top of the trending topic.


    It was a post tagged. #WHY DO MISS EVIE THOMPSON¡¯S OPPONENTS ALWAYS HAVE THEIR SCANDAL EXPOSED DURING A COMPETITION?#


    Just a concerned citizen: Hello! People. I¡¯m sure you were attracted by the heading of the post! I would too if I were in your shoes. At least if you are a curious one like me.


    Have you ever wondered why, during everypetition, Miss Evie Thompson, the hailed genius in the fashion world of the junior generation, participates, her most threatening rival always has a scandal to expose?


    I mean, the scandal always just pops out from nowhere during thepetition. It first happened during her debutpetition with Frey three years ago. If you were following, you would all know Frey was used of giarism, which waster proven to be false, but at the time he had already been disqualified, which gave Evie a straight push to being a winner.


    We were all suspicious, but we had no evidence, so we let it go.


    After that, we had Penny, Christie, and some others, and now we have Lily, a young designer who has shown impressive talent since the show began.


    Is nobody noticing that history keeps repeating itself?Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Is no one concerned that we are all celebrating the wrong person?


    I am! And so I did my research!


    I can no longer turn a blind eye to the doings of those hailed as talents while the real talents get pushed into the shadows!


    This is some of the evidence that Evie was directly involved in all those scandals! I can¡¯t bring the whole Thompson family into it, but surely they know what their daughter is capable of, don¡¯t they?


    These are a few of the pieces of evidence I was able to gather, and I promise you, they are 100 per cent real! You can have someone check it out!


    And if Miss Evie or the Thompson tries to threaten me, I hope you are ready to bathe in the same pool to give to others!


    #Justice for Those That Have Been Falsely used by Evie Thompson! The undeserving genius is crowned genius!#


    Just a concerned citizen: By any chance, did you also notice that thedy Miss Evie met up with is none other than the otherdy who had plotted against Lily in the recent post on the fashion circle? The one who posted that obvious fake apology. All this would show you not to believe everything you see on the inte!


    I did a little research on Merissa Smith also; let¡¯s just say I¡¯m patiently waiting to expose her dirtyundry during the nationals! The participant list is already out, and it can no longer be changed again. I¡¯m waiting to see your ¡®Skill¡¯ up there!


    P. S. If you are notfortable with my post, you cane find me! I¡¯m at home!


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we have run it through and found out that all the evidence is 100 per cent real; none of it was forged,¡± Henry reported to Mrs. William after getting the pictures checked.


    Surprise shed through her pretty amber eyes as she heard his words, ¡°Then did you find the trail of the one who posted it? We need to contact them for more evidence; maybe we will get one big enough to pull down the image those bastards Thompson had built,¡± she asked with a hopeful expression, and Henry shook his head.


    ¡°We could not get their precise location. Every time it refreshes, it leads us to several different locations in different cities. There is no way one could travel that fast, which means the post was made by a top hacker,¡± Henry exined, and Mrs. Williams nodded.


    ¡°Employ some keyboard warriors to blow up the post; make sure it gets big enough to affect the Thompsons, not just their daughter. And send these photos to Mark; if it is him, he should be able to find ways to contact the hacker,¡± she instructed, dismissing him.


    As Henry walked out of the office, Mrs. Williams picked up the phone and read through the post again with aplicated expression as she muttered, I need to warn Celina to be careful of this girl. ¡°She¡¯s not as simple as she looks.¡±

 We have no choice

    A smashing sound resounded through the room as Freya, Evie¡¯s assistant¡¯s phone, came into contact with the wall, shattering at the great impact. Freya flinched and red down at her feet, unable to voice her dissatisfaction with the seething Evie, who had thrown the device. ¡°Who the fuck is this ¡®Just a concerned citizen?¡± Evie screamed angrily while iling her hands in all directions.


    ¡°The ount is newly created, and we have not been able to find the poster¡¯s IP address; it¡¯s been redirecting us every time we checked. Which means it was created by a hacker or someone very proficient with inteworking,¡± Dan, the PR staff assigned to Evie for the show, exined, and Evie sneered. ¡°Then try harder! You have to fucking try harder and take down that post before the runway show tonight!¡± She demanded.


    Evie bit her nails anxiously as she walked back and forth. She had tried to get help from her family to clear the post, but immediately she put the call through to her father; he had told her to fix the mess she caused herself.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time she had sabotaged others using real or fake scandals, and each time she¡¯s only ever gotten a scolding from her father, after which they always helped her clean up so that it wouldn¡¯t be traced back to her.


    As she thought about the possibility of her parents already giving up on her due to her failure, her heart sank, and she became even more anxious and enraged. ¡°No way! I can¡¯t lose the crown in the family! If I do, all those cousins wille looking for paybacks!¡± She muttered to herself, ¡°I need to find a way to fix this.¡±


    Freya kept her distance and stood by the door, knowing how violent and unreasonable Evie gets every time she is in a bad mood. It is a trait that runs in their family; whenever any of them were angry, they always enjoyed throwing things, no matter how expensive they were. Evie was, however, the worst of them, as she has a stronger temper than the rest of her family after being pampered all her life.


    ¡°Pay someone to take down the post; do something. I don¡¯t care what you have to do; just do something!¡± Evie ordered.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that we aren¡¯t trying; we could not take the post down no matter how we tried. We¡¯ve forwarded it to the senior team, and they are currently working on it. Until we get a report, we can¡¯t do anything from our side. More than it is affecting your image, the image of thepany you are currently representing is being dragged through the mud, and you don¡¯t think we want to fix that.¡± Dan exined calmly.


    ¡°This is all your fault, yet thepany has to clean up for you! Can you not go around causing trouble? The opportunity was only given to you due to your family¡¯s connection; it has nothing to do with yourpetence. I¡¯m not sure why they even keep hailing you, but you don¡¯t deserve it.¡± Wisdom, thepany¡¯s manager, joined, his eyes full of contempt and ridicule.


    ¡°The clothes you sewed were full of errors that I¡¯m even ashamed to touch! Yet we still have to present that as our product; do you know how shameful it is to thepany image?¡± The manager demanded coldly, making Evie¡¯s anger re up even more.


    ¡°If you dare throw me out of the team and watch my family pull out our investment in your decayingpany! What do you mean that what I sewed was full of errors? Did I not tell you the equipment I was given was damaged?¡± She lied, and Wisdom scoffed.


    ¡°Keep telling yourself lies; very soon, you¡¯ll be brought out of your delusions. I¡¯m off. Oh great, Miss Genius, find a way out of the hole you¡¯ve dug for yourself!¡± He dered and walked out.


    ¡°Take down the post as soon as possible; the sooner the better,¡± Evie ordered.


    ¡°If you cannot take it down, get in contact with them and ask them what they want! That should be simple enough for you, right?¡± She sneered. ¡°Someone like that who isn¡¯t even confident enough toe forward with their identity should not be a threat to me. Yet, your ipetence is putting me in a tight spot!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve also tried to get in contact with them, but they have blocked all message requests.¡±


    While she was throwing tantrums, a knock resounded at the door, making Evie pause in her step. As Freya pulled open the door, Merissa walked in, dressed in an outfit that covered her face without showing her identity. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Evie eximed, Ok, shock!


    ¡°Did someonee with you?¡± She demanded as Merissa casually took her seat.


    ¡°I got a message from the poster, and it says, ¡®Hope to see you at the nationals. I don¡¯t know who they are, how am I supposed to guide against them during the nationals?¡± Merissa gritted out and red at Evie, her eyes filled with judgement and usations.


    ¡°You told me you would get it covered on your side and make sure that the rumour was not traced back to us, and yet here we both are!¡± She yelled angrily, and Evie¡¯s eyes darkened.


    ¡°How dare you yell at me! Who do you think you are to raise your voice at me?¡± Evie demanded, narrowed as she threw a p in Merissa¡¯s face. Surprised at the sudden p, it took Merissa a while to register what was happening as she gaped at Evie with wide eyes.


    ¡°What the hell? Did you just p me?!¡± She breathed out as she moved closer to Evie before throwing a p of her own with a flushed face. ¡°Let¡¯s get this right; I¡¯m only associating with you because we have a mutual enemy, and I thought we could take care of her together. Me being your fan? That was a lie just to get your attention; I¡¯m not going to be bullied by you and remain silent about it!¡± Merissa gritted out andnded another p just as Bethel and the rest of Team Six walked in with different expressions on their faces.


    ¡°So you really were  the ones behind the rumours circting about the designer from Team four?¡± M, the female model for Team six, demanded with her hands crossed over her chest. Evie, upon hearing her question, froze in ce, not knowing how to defend herself. She opened and closed her mouth multiple times wanting to exin but not knowing where as she didn¡¯t know how much they had heard.


    ¡°From your reactions, I can tell you are the ones behind it,¡± she breathed out and facepalmed. ¡°At least if you are going to do something like that, do it to perfection, don¡¯t flop, and get it traced back to you. Now, you have given everyone a messy clean-up to do. How annoying.¡±


    ¡°All that does not matter right now. We can¡¯t keep dwelling on what has already happened. We should find a way forward, and we need to do it quickly before tonight¡¯s runway,¡± Seb, the male model, joined in with an exasperated expression. He red at Evie and then at Merissa, his favorability for both of them hitting rock bottom.


    Being from the fashion world, he was not new to the scheming that goes on amidst them, but just as M had said, if you were going to be doing such a thing, at least do it right and not bring the others down with you!


    ¡°How do we solve it? We¡¯ve not been able to get in contact with them, and the post can¡¯t be taken down,¡± Freya exined timidly, and Seb shrugged.


    ¡°We have to apologise to the people affected. I¡¯m talking about apologising to Lily and the whole Team four members. I am also aware that Bethel is part of the plot, so it leaves us no choice but for us all to apologise, since it was done by half of our team,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Hell no! I will not be giving that poor, wretched girl another apology!¡± Merissa dered immediately with a defiant attitude. ¡°I did nothing wrong! I was only exposing her scandal; why do I have to be the one apologising again? She should be the one apologising to me!¡±


    ¡°I think you have repeated that to yourself until you have stated believing it, because how else will you open your damned mouth to say something like this?¡± M replied with a re. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! Lily appears innocent on the outside yet, she¡¯s nothing but evil and scheming! I¡¯m just exposing all of that to people so they won¡¯t get deceived!¡± Merissa insisted and M sighed.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You can stop now, we all know the truth. Even theizens know the truth. Why else do you think our team¡¯s hand has been tied and we had no choice but to apologise?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Immediately after the poster made a post, we checked the authenticity of her evidence and also the pictures you provided. Yours were all fake, and hers are all real. Why else do you think Thompson¡¯s PR is keeping quiet? Even Evie has been abandoned, and now she will have to fend for herself to clear her name,¡± M exined, and Merissa¡¯s shoulders sagged.


    As she looked towards Evie, the other turned away with a huff while ring at the wall behind her. ¡°For the sake of our team and thepany we are all currently working for, we have to apologise. After this event, we all have to go back to our various locations, but if we don¡¯t clear this up, we will all be affected for a long time. I¡¯m not begging you, it¡¯s required that we all apologise.¡± M added, and Bethel cleared his throat awkwardly.


    ¡°The higher-ups said if we aren¡¯t able to clear up the mess before the end of today, we will have to pay for the loss. All of us.¡±

 Chapter 53: Scheming Evie

    Lily walked into the waiting room attached to the runway stage to see her team having a heated staredown with Evie¡¯s team. Her brows furrowed as she continued to walk in. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She asked and stood beside Celina and Avon.


    ¡°Oh, you are here; we¡¯ve been waiting for you,¡± M dered with a polite smile as she turned to the confused-looking Lily.


    Lily raised her brows and asked, ¡°Who are you? What do you want with me?¡± She demanded coldly as she saw Evie standing behind the rest of her team with an indifferent expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m M and the female model for team six,¡± M introduced, and Lily nodded in acknowledgement. ¡°We wanted to apologise to you for the post circting on the inte; it was immature of us to attack you that way,¡± she exined, and Lily¡¯s frown deepened while she pretended she wasn¡¯t aware of what was going on.


    ¡°What are you talking about? Wasn¡¯t the post made by an inte user? What has that got to do with you and your team?¡± She asked with a confused tone, while M smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know the story. Besides, there is no need for us to keep beating around the bush. We just want to apologise and get this over with,¡± Bethel joined in with an indifferent tone, making Lily¡¯s anger re up.


    She red at the group with her hands crossed over her chest. ¡°If you are so sorry about it, why not just take down the post? You areing to apologise when the post is still thriving online. What do you take me for? A fool?¡± Lily demanded coldly.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Celina and Avon snickered as they took in the other group¡¯s awkwardness. They had both been so enraged when the group walked up to them smugly, looking arrogant and haughty while demanding information about Lily¡¯s whereabouts.


    ¡°It¡¯s only logical you take down the post about her before you walk in here like you own it, bringing with you your fake apology,¡± Celina replied as she red at M and the rest of the group.


    ¡°We are not able to take down the post, not that we don¡¯t want to take it down.¡± M confessed, and Lily raised a brow in surprise. ¡°And you thought I was the one that¡¯s stopping the post froming down?¡± She asked, and M shifted on her foot awkwardly.


    Evie scoffed as she stepped forward, hating how the conversation was dragging on. She stood arrogantly in front of Lily, a smirk stered on her lip as she demanded, ¡°How much do you want for you to forget about this case?¡±


    Hearing her words, Avon¡¯s face turned ugly as he tried to step forward to give Evie a piece of his mind. Lily signalled for him to stay put. She stepped forward and stood in front of Evie daringly, her hands crossed over her chest as she looked straight into Evie¡¯s eyes. ¡°I do not need your filthy money; since you started the scandal yourself, please find a way to stop it yourself without dragging me into this drama.¡± She gritted out and walked away.


    Evie stood there awkwardly for several moments, her mouth wide open in shock. Merissa had warned them to watch how they talked when addressing Lily, which was why M had been overly cautious while speaking.


    As group six saw their apology fall through, they all turned to Evie with a re and said, ¡°I told you to allow me to handle it! Why must you butt in?¡± M demanded angrily. ¡°You were taking so much time! It¡¯s just an apology; does she have to ept it? It¡¯s already annoying enough that I would beg someone like that!¡± Evie sneered.


    ¡°Can you hear yourself? If it was a matter that only involved you, I¡¯d be d to have you take care of it, but this affects the team! How do you expect us to settle this when you¡¯ve only made it worse?!¡± Seb demanded angrily, while Evi shifted her feet awkwardly.


    As the group argued amongst themselves, the guide came around to inform them that the show was about to begin. M and Seb hurried off to their dressing room, leaving Bethel and Evie.


    ¡°If she does not want to take down the post, why not just add another one to stimte her? We just have to smear her name to the extent that she would not know where to start cleaning. What do you think?¡± Bethel asked with a mischievous smile. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Evie asked, and I¡¯m confused.


    ¡°She¡¯s been arrogant and demanding because she thinks she is in control of the situation. Then we just have to show her that she¡¯s nothing but a newbie in the circle. She does not have a scandal. We create an opportunity for her to have one! If not the first time, this will be happening in the circle.¡± He exined. ¡°How can a newbiee from nowhere to drag your reputation through the mud?¡±


    ¡°Irrespective of who wins the first segment, there is going to be a party tonight; let¡¯s arrange something exciting for her, one that she won¡¯t be able to wash away even if she tries,¡± he suggested, and a sinister smile appeared on Evie¡¯s face.


    ¡°We are indeed like-minded,¡± Evie chuckled. ¡°We have the perfect opportunity to create a scandal for her tonight,¡± she voiced as several ideas came running through her mind.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how we handle it, as long as we get results. I love your idea,¡± she chuckled. ¡°I know someone who owes me a favour; I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t mind helping us y along; all we have to do is create more fake scandals and get the keyboard army to publicise them,¡± she announced with an excited giggle.


    The two moved closer, trying to make sure that their scheme was not exposed or overheard by anyone. Unknown to them, Lily, who hadete to the show, had made some arrangements, and everything that had been happening in the waiting room was being watched live online.


    Mr. Thompson mmed his hands on the table, his face pulled into an ugly frown, as his assistant showed him the live video of Evie and Bethel nning how to take care of Lily. ¡°Call that brat for me this instant!¡± He bellowed, and the assistant scrambled around to reach his phone.


    After the second ring, the call went through: ¡°Young Mistress, Master would like to talk to you,¡± the assistant announced, and a low chuckle came out.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I¡¯ve been expecting a call from Mr. Thompson; please give it to him.¡± Lily¡¯s cool and low voice came out from the other side of the phone, shocking the assistant, who immediately checked if he had dialled the wrong number.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Mr. Thompson asked as he noticed his assistant¡¯s bewildered expression. Caspian, the assistant, removed the phone from his ear and awkwardly exined the situation. The crease on Mr. Thompson¡¯s brows deepened, and he gestured for Caspian to hand the phone over.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± He demanded coldly, and Lily chuckled lightly. ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little too cold, Mr. Thompson?¡± She teased. ¡°I¡¯m sure you have a guess about what I want.¡±


    ¡°If you want money, I¡¯ll give it to you in any amount. Stop the live video you are doing,¡± Mr. Thompson offered calmly as he stood up from his seat and walked towards the ss window of his office overlooking the city. ¡°Whatever it is that you want, name it, and I¡¯ll give it to you. All this is my daughter¡¯s fault, and so you won¡¯t take the me for any of it, and I won¡¯t pursue this issue,¡± he added.


    Although the words sounded calm and patronising, Lily could feel the threat in his tone. She smiled at her reflection in the dressing room¡¯s mirror. ¡°You said anything I want?¡± She asked.


    Mr. Thompson scowled, thinking she would ask for money or something rted; however, his scowl fell the next moment after hearing her words. ¡°I want to see Evie¡¯s career in shambles like she does to others,¡± Lily dered, and Mr. Thompson¡¯s face flushed in anger.


    ¡°How dare you?!¡± He demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking you for permission, Mr. Thompson. I¡¯m only telling you what I want.¡± Lily chuckled ¡°You should see thements online. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how you bring her career on track.¡±

 Chapter 54: Lily is Family

    Anon 20: Somebody tell me this video is staged!!!


    Anon56: @Anon20 The video is staged. I¡¯m only telling you because that¡¯s what you wanted to hear. But if you ask me, That¡¯s Evie¡¯s real colour! That girl needs some spanking!


    Anon 13: I¡¯m not even surprised! I was expecting something like this to happen for a long time! She can¡¯t always get away with it! @Lily don¡¯t let her get away with it this time! Get her punished!


    Anon 56: She met her match this time. It¡¯s high time someone pulled off her facade! #Remove the undeserving genius!


    Anon 45: The popcorn I bought for this show is not enough. I just wanted to watch some fashion shows for my project. Who would have thought such a scene would happen? I¡¯m not even familiar with those involved but that Evie and Bethel couple need to be properly punished!


    Anon001: I¡¯m curious: what are the Thompsons going to do about this? Lily won¡¯t disappear from the fashion world like Penny, right? That will be sad. Someone is finally doing what others can¡¯t do, if they disappear then, nothing is real in the fashion world! #Remove the undeserving genius.


    Anon 12: They won¡¯t dare do such a thing, not when the scandal is like this in the open, if Lily suddenly disappear from the public eyes, even the Pacific Ocean will not be able to wash the Thompsons clean. They might try to intimidate Lily into submission behind the scenes, though.


    Anon 67: I have insider information. Lily isn¡¯t as simple as she looks. She¡¯s from our school, and she has Watson¡¯s gold card. Thompsons are the ones who should feel intimidated by her this time.


    Anon09: Oh oh! They did kick an iron bucket this time. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how this scandal ys out. Live videos don¡¯t lie, except they¡¯re staged.


    Fashion enthusiast: @Lily, you have my support! Please expose that scum¡¯s evil deeds! I have evidence of what she¡¯s truly like, and I¡¯ll post it to support you! She needs to be brought to justice!


    PrettylittleSia: +1 I worked closely with Evie previously, and I also have video evidence to post! I¡¯ll post it to expose her hidden poisonous nature! @Lily


    Penny: @Lily, you have the courage to do what most of us didn¡¯t have the courage to do! I¡¯m in support of you! I wille out to testify against her evil deeds and how she ruined my life with her schemes, so please don¡¯t give up! By the way, I love your designs, and hopefully, I get to work with you sometime in the future!


    Anon12: @Penny We miss you! Come back!


    Unaware of the heat on the inte and how their schemes have already been exposed, Evie put a call through to one of the shrewd managers of the show and ryed her ns to him, which he readily agreed to be a part of.


    The manager is known across the fashion world to be a shrewd and lustful man who always likes to prey on young talents and make them his toys. Although it was known to everyone, no one had adequate evidence to back up the im, so not much was said about him.


    However, most people avoid being around him as much as possible.


    Seeing how her ns were set in stone, Evie grinned to herself and walked back towards the backstage, where the other team designers and tailors were waiting. Upon arrival, she noticed the re and dark look thrown her way but shrugged it off casually, thinking they were all intimidated by her presence.


    As the models walked the runway elegantly, with their heads raised high, the audience cheered for their favourite designs while others got into action, trying to be the first to bid for the piece.


    When it got to Evie¡¯s team, the auditorium fell silent, and then the silence was followed by echoes of ¡®Boo¡¯. Some unruly onlookers threw the spare things they had at the model to show their resentment.


    They had all seen the live video, and their favorability of the team had reached rock bottom.


    ¡°Get Evie Thompson and Bethel out of the fashion industry! They don¡¯t deserve to be here!¡± Someone yelled angrily, and soon the words were being echoed all through the auditorium.


    ¡°Get them out of here!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t want vicious people like them as influencers!¡± The crowd echoed. Surprised by the turn of events, it took the host a few seconds to react, and when he did, he sent the team out of the stage before calming the raging onlookers.


    ¡°Please stop throwing things at the models; you may get sued for physical assault!¡± The host warned, and they calmed. While he was trying to calm the audience, the show organiser stepped on the stage with a schooled expression.


    ¡°Hello, good evening, everyone,¡± he greeted, and the audience cheered. ¡°Due to an unforeseen circumstance, this show will be closed, and it will continue next year. However, to support your team, you can still vote online and also vote for the product; their prizes will be sent to them,¡± he announced.


    ¡°I understand you all are agitated by the event that ensued between the participants, but I promise, exnations and apologies will be given when this is all sorted out, and your favourite team won¡¯t have to suffer grievances. Thank you for your continued support,¡± he announced, walking off the stage.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    As he walked away, he breathed out in frustration and adjusted his tie with a deep crease of his brows. He pinched his nose bridge as a wave of tiredness hit him. ¡°Did you find out who hacked into the broadcasting channel?¡± He asked as he walked into the control room to see that the team was still so busy trying to calm the ragingizens.


    ¡°We still haven¡¯t found any clue. They disconnected immediately after informing the audience about the second channel where the video was broadcast and they didn¡¯t leave a trace behind,¡± the technician informed.


    ¡°We are dealing with a master hacker right now, so we have to be a little cautious with the investigation,¡± he added.


    ¡°We can¡¯t be. Mr. Thompson is demanding an exnation from us,¡± the organiser breathed out tiredly. He had her a little sceptical about taking the job to organise this show for this year after hearing the Thompsons were among the sponsors, but he had no choice since he needed exposure, and now he is in a bigger mess than his career could take.


    ¡°Where was Lily when the video was being recorded? Check all the security cameras all around the area and tell me what she was doing,¡± he instructed.


    ¡°We already did, and she was in the cafeteria eating alone when the whole thing happened, and after the confrontation, she went to the dressing room. There¡¯s no camera in the dressing rooms.¡±


    ¡°Dammit! Why are we always hitting a wall?¡± He cursed, and his phone rang. Checking the caller ID, his back went cold in fear.


    ¡°Young Master¡­¡±


    ¡°You can stop investigating the cause of the broadcasting.¡± The other person on the phone instructed carefully, and the organiser frowned.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do that. The Thompsons¡­¡±


    ¡°I am the biggest sponsor of the show, aren¡¯t I? And I¡¯m telling you to close the investigation. If the Thompsons are troubling you, tell them toe see me themselves,¡± the cold voice of the caller instructed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do as you have instructed, sir. But may I ask why you are protecting the person? Are they shepherds among your people?¡± The organiser asked, and the man hummed.


    ¡°Lily is family. A family that can¡¯t be touched.

 Chapter 55: Damage control

    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Evie screamed with flushed anger as she threw the phone in her hands at the wall. She had just received a call from thepany she is representing on the show, telling her to take responsibility for the damage control.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even know what all this fuss is about! It was just a minor scandal. We haven¡¯t even done anything to her, and they are being so sensitive. Will she be the first person to be schemed at?!¡± she gritted out as she paced back and forth in her hotel room.


    The door flung open with a loud bang, and in walked an angry-looking M and Seb, who had received the audience¡¯s criticism. M walked up to Evie and pulled her hair angrily while dragging her to the middle of the room. ¡°Let me go! Let me go this instant or else.¡± Before she could finish her threat, M pushed her hair up with full force, making her scream in pain. ¡°Or what?¡± she sneered.


    ¡°Or you¡¯ll ruin my career like you¡¯ve always done to others, huh?¡± She demanded angrily while pulling her hair. Evie let out a whimper from how painful M¡¯s hold on her scalp was.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry, please let me go,¡± she pleaded desperately. With a grit of her teeth, M released her hold on Evie¡¯s head and stepped back, waiting for Bethel and their manager to arrive. Upon arrival, the trio noticed Bethel¡¯s face had been bruised and his lips had burst.


    Bethel looked down at his feet, avoiding making eye contact with anyone in the room as the manager began to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed in all of you,¡± the manager started. ¡°Your actions have brought nothing but shame to thepany, and because of you two, thepany¡¯s product is receiving a major bacsh!¡± he continued. The more he talked, the more tense the atmosphere in the room became.


    ¡°Thepany has decided that since this mistake and the damage were caused by your team, you all will be in charge of the damage control,¡± he announced firmly.


    ¡°You are asking us to take the fall for what they did alongside them?¡± Seb asked with a deep crease of his brows as he pointed to Evie and Bethel, his eyes clouded with rage and hatred. The manager nodded at his question. ¡°Yes, that is what thepany wants, and that is what you are expected to do,¡± he replied calmly, and M scoffed.


    ¡°All four of you are viewed as a team, and since it¡¯s a team mistake, it has to be solved by the whole team,¡± he added.


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Seb cursed loudly, ¡°Did we choose to be on the same team as these ck-hearted idiots? Were we ever part of their stupid schemes? Why the fuck will I have to take a fall alongside them? Taking the me for something I know nothing about!¡± he eximed angrily, and M nodded in reply.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Letting out a deep sigh, the manager turned to Seb and M with a cold stare. ¡°Theizens do not know who is the main culprit or who the victims are; all they need is for your team to take ountability for the crime youmitted, and to save your career, I suggest you do as instructed.


    Seb scowled but said nothing, knowing that the manager¡¯s words were true. The crime wasmitted by those two for the sake of the sess of the team. That would be the thinking of the audience who had seen it all happen, and if he and M decide to sit back and watch the whole thing, they will be bacsh and criticised more by theizens.


    ¡°Even if we are going to have to go along with your charade and apologise for a crime we didn¡¯tmit, we also deserve an apology andpensation for the way we were treated earlier! You all don¡¯t want this; we would let it slide, do you?¡± M voiced.


    ¡°Thepany has decided to pay you two, and both of you will be taking both their shares as well aspensation for their mishap,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Also, their contract with thepany will be terminated, and they will have to pay the liquidity fees as an apology to thepany for the loss we have experienced so far. ording to the contract you signed, if you are involved in any activities that affect thepany¡¯s reputation, you will have to pay the damage control fee,¡± the manager exined. Hearing his words, Evie froze on the spot, and her head snapped up, causing her to whimper from the whish.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Evie choked out with wide, fearful eyes. ¡°Did you not get a call from the management already?¡± the manager asked with a raised brow, and Evie slumped. ¡°No! That can¡¯t happen!¡± she breathed out as the words of her father rang through her head.


    ¡®What else do you want that you have not been given?¡¯ Mr. Thompson asked with a flushed face as he red at his only daughter, who has caused him nothing but pain and heartache since he could remember. ¡®You wanted fame; we gave it to you on a tter of gold! without stress!¡¯


    ¡®We made sure na doesn¡¯t get into the spotlight so you can enjoy your fame, so what else do you want?! Why do you have to always look for people¡¯s downfalls just to make yourself look bigger?¡¯ He continued, truly feeling frustrated that she hadpletely taken after her mother.


    ¡®It¡¯s true that an apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. I, however, will no longer condone your bratty behaviour! The next time you scheme against apetitor, you can say goodbye to all your privileges as my daughter!¡¯ he dered.


    As those words rang through her head, a wave of defeat, helplessness, and shame washed through her. Knowing her father¡¯s personality, he meant every word he had said that night, and even if he was going to help her, it would be after she had taken most of the damage.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, I won¡¯t¡­¡±


    A small knock resounded through the room before it was slowly pushed open to reveal the visitor. Seeing her standing by the door casually as if everything happening didn¡¯t affect her, Evie lost her cool and charged at her with blind rage, ¡°You fucking bitch!¡±

 Chapter 56: Subtle Threat

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± The manager demanded as he pulled Evie back to sit on the bed by her cor, his brows pulling together in a frown as he eyed Marissa suspiciously.


    Merissa pulled her lips together in a thin line while fidgeting with the paper in between her fingers. ¡°I need to speak with Evie,¡± she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Hearing her words, the manager¡¯s frown deepened, almost scowling at her, ¡°Why would you need to speak with her?¡± He asked, and Merissa tried to step into the room, only to be stopped by a ring M.


    ¡°Stay out, I¡¯m sure you can tell you are not needed here by just looking around,¡± she sneered angrily.


    Merissa scoffed and stepped back as she stretched out the paper in her hands towards M, who took it with a suspicious expression. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± M demanded coldly after reading the letter handed over to her.


    ¡°What is it?¡± The manager asked curiously as M handed the letter to him. His eyes darkened with rage as he scanned through the words written on the paper, ¡°What do you mean by this?¡± He questioned me, and Merissa shrugged.


    ¡°As you might have known, I will be representing my school. For the nationals in a few weeks, having me pulled into Evie¡¯s scandal will ruin my reputation and, by extension, that of the academy, you know we can¡¯t have that. I can¡¯t have my name written on the academy¡¯s history for a bad thing. So, I would appreciate it if she testified to theizens that she ckmailed me into it,¡± Merissa exined without losing a breath.


    Her eyes roamed the room andnded on Evie sitting on the bed with fidgeting hands as a smirk grew on her face while thinking, ¡®Onepetitor down,¡¯


    ¡°If you refuse to do that, my family and I will proceed to sue you and your team for emotional ckmail, and we all know that even if you win, you¡¯ll only make your reputation worse because they¡¯ll think you pulled strings to have the win,¡± she added, enraging those listening.


    ¡°What the fuck do you mean by all that shit?! We never ckmailed you! You volunteered to give us those details, and they were all fake! We haven¡¯t counted scores with you for that, and you are here telling us you¡¯ll sue us to keep your reputation?!¡± Bethel countered angrily as he began walking towards her.


    As he got close, her mother stepped out behind her, holding up the phone with the camera on. ¡°I¡¯ll advise you to be careful about what you are about to do, you wouldn¡¯t want it to be used against you as evidence will you?¡± she warned, coldly making Bethel stop in his tracks while gritting his teeth in anger.


    ¡°Mrs. Smith, what is the meaning of this? You want to sue us for a crime we nevermitted?¡± The manager asked carefully, his tone detached and cold as he red at the mother-daughter duo.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be the first time such a thing happened in the industry. We both know that the one with the most power wins in the end, and this time, your team is bound to lose because the public opinion is against you at the moment,¡± she smirked, and the manager sighed heavily as he brushed his fingers through his hair.


    One of the reasons he wanted to get up quickly in the industry was so he could avoid doing grunt work such as cleaning up after other people¡¯s mess. Despite not being involved in the whole escapade, there was no way he could manoeuvre through the whole scandal without having his reputation tainted.


    After all, he is in charge of the team.


    Taking a deep breath, he dug his hands into his pocket and fiddled with the lighter and cigarette packet in them while thinking of the possible oue of engaging the mother-daughter duo in a court fight.


    No matter how much he thought about it, he knew too well that the odds were very much against them at this time. It might favour them at ater time, but at this very moment, getting sued will only bury them deeper in the web of scandals.


    It was not something they could afford when dealing with such a huge scandal.


    As he was pacing back and forth, thinking about what to do, he noticed Evie sitting all by herself on the bed, her eyes distant as she clutched her phone tightly in her hands.


    Her mouth moved subtly, as if she were mumbling something to herself. Feeling intrigued, the manager read her lips, and he noticed she was muttering one word over and over again.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡®Lily¡¯


    A smile bloomed on his face, showing his handsome features hidden under the massive stress, as his mind finally registered the name she was repeating to herself. An idea popped up in his head, and his smile broadened. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll do as you please,¡± he announced, and the team members stepped up to disagree.


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°Hell no!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m out of that! You expect me to take responsibility for her crime too? Would we be in this situation if she had not deliberately approached these two idiots?¡± M voiced, and the manager shook his head as he turned to the mother-daughter duo.


    ¡°You can leave now and be rest assured; we will include it in our speech that your daughter was ckmailed into supporting us,¡± he said with a smile, and they shut the door in their faces.


    ¡°Why would you agree? Even if we end up losing our reputation, at least hers would not be left clean either.¡± Bethel argued, making the manager chuckle.


    ¡°She won¡¯t be let off that easily; you think Lily is stupid enough to let her off easily? Somehow I can tell she¡¯s baiting Merissa until the perfect time, so it¡¯s better we give her a small push,¡± he exined calmly.


    ¡°Besides, do you think theizens are blind not to see her role in all this? I believe she¡¯ll get her retribution in due time. For now, we need you all to clear your name; at least what¡¯s left of it.¡±


    ¡°Thepany will hold a press conference tomorrow evening; all you need to do is ept that you made a mistake, apologise, be as sincere as you can be, and if possible, allow the inte to sympathise with you,¡± the manager instructed carefully.


    ¡°And you,¡± he turned to Evie. ¡°After tomorrow¡¯s conference, I¡¯ll advise you to stay away from the media for as long as you can; you cane back at ater time to salvage what¡¯s left of your reputation,¡± he voiced and began to walk out of the room.


    ¡°I hope this teaches you that not everyone can be offended.¡±

 Chapter 57: Dealt with in Due time

    All team four members sat in the girl¡¯s room, fully packed and ready to go, as they huddled together watching the press conference organised for Evie and her team to apologise and rify the scandal on the inte. ¡°I can¡¯t believe Merissa would throw them under the bus like that; she should have also been left ountable for her crimes,¡± Celina voiced in dissatisfaction as she heard Evie¡¯s apology to Merissa.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised Evie agreed to be her scapegoat in the first ce; no matter how far the scandal has affected her, she¡¯s not supposed to just sumb that way. The Thompson family is much more famous than the Smiths, so it should be the other way around,¡± Light joined in.


    ¡°Merissa is cunning.¡± Lily voiced calmly, ¡°I¡¯m sure she has something on Evie or someone on their team, and she ckmailed them with it. Having her reputation sullied before she goes to the nationals is more like a death trap for her,¡± she exined as she put away her phone, having had enough of the insincere apologies being thrown around by those people.


    ¡°So you are going to leave her be?¡± Avon asked sceptically, and Lily raised a brow in question, ¡°What has it got to do with me? She ckmailed them, not me; they should find a way to settle scores amongst themselves,¡± she shrugged casually, and Avon rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Come on, we know all this is because Evie offended you; I don¡¯t believe all this is coincidental; you must have fuelled the mes somewhere. We are not against it; I probably would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes. Even now, I still want to do something, but I¡¯m d you are capable on your own,¡± he exined, and Lily chuckled with a shake of her head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll be dealt with in due time. I¡¯m baiting her till we go for nationals, then I¡¯ll properly settle scores with her. Come on, let¡¯s walk around Paris for a bit before we return home. I need to bring souvenirs along for my family,¡± she urged as she stood up, ready to go.


    As the team members left the hotel room, the warm summer breeze of Paris caressed their faces, inviting them to enjoy all the city had to offer. Despite the turmoil of the past few days, the team members felt their spirits lift as they immersed themselves in the bustling streets of the City of Light.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to the Eiffel Tower first!¡± Celina eximed, leading the group with a spring in her step. ¡°I want to take pictures at the top and see the whole city from there.¡±


    Since their flight was scheduled for early morning the next day, the group spent the whole day shopping and touring the streets of Paris while buying souvenirs for their loved ones.


    Meanwhile, back in Salem, Mark sat before hisputer, his finger massaging his nose bridge as his hawk-like eyes scanned through the details of the files on hisputer.


    ¡°Is this the document prepared by William for the mini vi project?¡± He asked calmly, his voice devoid of any emotions that could give away his thoughts; after all, he was in a board meeting filled with people from the different factions in the group.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Mr. Melvin, one of the board members, replied, ¡°The file contains the blueprints prepared for the mini vi project, and we were asked to make our preparations based on them,¡± he exined, and Mark nodded.


    ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± He asked, finally looking away from hisputer and into the eyes of those present.


    The group shared a hesitant nce amongst themselves, each having something to say but afraid that it might be used against them by their counterparts.


    Director Alvin cleared his throat as he readjusted in his seat before letting out his thoughts: ¡°We can¡¯t say anything about the project for now since we are not too sure about the security system you have been nning to use. You have not allowed us a glimpse of the project you and your team are working on, so it¡¯s a little difficult to base our judgement on an abstract project,¡± he voiced, and murmurs of agreement echoed through the conference hall.


    Mark hummed and bobbed his head, taking note of his observation before asking others if they had something to say. Seeing no one else talk, he stood up and powered on the PowerPoint. ¡°One of the reasons I¡¯ve called the meeting is to exin the security system project to you all,¡± he announced.


    As Mark began to walk through the security system project, a hush fell over the conference hall. The group leaned forward, their attention rapt, as Mark began to describe the system in detail.


    ¡°The security system we are working on this time is an advanced piece of software that will open new doors in the technology world. As you all know, our recent project has been in coboration with a certain programmer, this one included,¡± he began.


    ¡°The system was programmed in such a way that it connected with the DNA of the people living in that vi and could be monitored from anywhere at any time.¡±


    ¡°Furthermore,¡± Mark continued, his voice carrying an air of confidence, ¡°this security system is designed to detect and adapt to potential threats in real-time. If the system detects any anomalies or intrusions, it will activate the appropriate countermeasures and notify the appropriate authorities.¡± He exined and pointed to the images on the screen.


    Alvin raised a hand. ¡°What kind of countermeasures are we talking about here?¡± he asked, his eyes narrowed with interest.


    ¡°A wide range,¡± Mark replied, his expression bing more serious. ¡°From automated turrets that can fire non-lethal rounds to environmental controls that can disable intruders with extreme teaser guns and shock waves,¡±


    The room fell silent for a moment as the board members digested this information. Finally, the vice president of the board, Mr. Wace, cleared his throat. ¡°What about false positives?¡± he asked, his brow furrowed with concern. ¡°I don¡¯t want us to be sued for identally electrifying someone¡¯s grandmother because she tripped a sensor.¡±


    Mark nodded in understanding. ¡°We¡¯ve taken that into ount. The system is designed to learn from its mistakes and be more urate over time. Besides, sharing DNA eliminates all possible dangers for the family members,¡± he exined calmly.


    ¡°And what about the AI that will be operating this system?¡± Director Alvin asked, his tone measured but curious as his eyes fixed on the images disyed on the screen. ¡°Will it be capable of handlingplex decision-making in a high-pressure situation? After all, we can¡¯t have a single system failure result in our clients bing sitting ducks.¡±


    Mark nodded. ¡°The AI in charge has been programmed with a vast range of scenarios and potential threats. It has undergone rigorous testing and has performed wlessly in every simtion. It will be able to make decisions faster and with greater uracy than any human can.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°As you have seen in our past works with the programmer, all of their works are made perfectly with risk control in ce. And just to make sure we are not missing anything, my team and I have already tested it through the stimtion system, and it runs perfectly well,¡± he exined, and the room fell silent as they all internally deliberated on thepatibility of the system and the architectural design for the vi.


    ¡°With what you¡¯ve exined, we will have to propose to the real estatepany to revise their designs,¡± Mr. Wace said. ¡°It¡¯s notpatible with the software we have developed,¡± he added.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Director Alvin countered.

 Chapter 58: Bidding for the Federal project

    ¡°With what you¡¯ve exined, we will have to make a proposal to the real estatepany to revise their designs,¡± Mr. Wace said. ¡°It¡¯s notpatible with the software we have developed,¡± he added.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± Director Alvin countered. ¡°This project is just a support project for the vi project; why would they need to change the main project just to amodate the support project?¡± He asked with a deep crease in his brows and an using re directed at Mr. Wace.


    Being one of Frederick¡¯s men, there was no way he could readily agree to have them change the vi design just to amodate Mark¡¯s tech project. If that happened, Mark and his team would take credit for the whole project, and the people-both the higher-ups and their consumers-wouldn¡¯t acknowledge the design of the vi; instead, they¡¯d all be focused on the security project.


    ¡°Is there a reason why you are so against it, Director Alvin?¡± Mr. Wace asked knowingly, and Director Alvin gritted his teeth before replying, ¡°The vi project design has already been approved by the state, and it will look unprofessional on our side if we have to resubmit a new design at the junction,¡± Director Alvin exined calmly.


    He stood up from his chair, his expression hard. ¡°We cannot make a fool of ourselves in front of our clients. The real estatepany has already invested in the vi design, and they have a timeline to meet. We cannot expect them to change their ns just for a side project.¡±


    Mr. Wace, unfazed by Director Alvin¡¯s tone, narrowed his eyes. ¡°The security project is not just a side project. It is an essential part of the vi design, and we must ensure that it ispatible with the vi design for the utmost results. If it¡¯spatible, it will benefit not only the Alphapany but also the real estatepany!¡±


    ¡°We can make the security projectpatible with the existing design without changing the vi ns. It will require more work, but it¡¯s better than dying the project and potentially losing the client¡¯s trust.¡± The director argued stubbornly, making Mr. Wace shakes his head in disapproval.


    ¡°Your solution willpromise the efficiency of the security system. We cannot risk our clients¡¯ safety just for the sake of avoiding a few extra steps in the design process.¡± He argued


    ¡°And you would risk our reputation just for the sake of your pride?¡± Direct Alvin was used, seeing how he was already losing the argument.


    Mr. Wace¡¯s temper red, his voice rising as he mmed his hand on the table. Those in the room remained quiet and unloved by the exchange between the two, it was not the first time they both had a disagreement on projects and knowing them, it wouldn¡¯t be thest either.


    ¡°This is not about pride. This is about delivering a quality product. We are not some amateur startup. We are a professionalpany with a reputation to uphold. What do you think will happen if we deliver an ipatible job to the clients?¡±


    ¡°And that reputation is built on delivering projects on time and within budget. If we dy this project, we risk losing not just the trust of our clients but also our standing in the industry. All you have to do is change a few codes and the overall hardware design of the security project, and it will work.¡±


    ¡°You are thinking about delivering on time; what about when we deliver a wed product? Then we risk more than just our reputation but the trust of our clients!¡± Mr. Wace reasoned calmly.


    Mark let out a sigh. ¡°Alright. You two aren¡¯t children; is there a need for such arguments?¡± He asked, his voice cold and unweing as he red at the two.


    Feeling ashamed of their behaviour, the two sat back in their chair with their heads slightly bowed to avoid eye contact. ¡°I understand and rte to the points you two are making, and it¡¯s another one of the reasons I called this meeting today.¡±


    ¡°I have seen a glimpse of the vi design before; I was aware of their ipatibility, and so I have decided that this security project named ¡®Shadow¡¯ will not be used in the vi project,¡± he announced, and everyone looked at him at the same time.


    Although he was eager to let out the security system on the market and have the world taken by surprise once again, he was not in a rush to have it used with a design pattern that it wouldn¡¯t work with. After his discussion with Sinful the night before, Sinful agreed to make a simpler programme that would go with the Vi design.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you all are surprised by my decision; you shouldn¡¯t be. Since you are all not directly involved in the project, you do not know howplicated it is. So I don¡¯t me you all. However, it does not mean we are giving up on the vi project; we have decided to make a simpler version of this security system that ispatible with this real estate design that has been approved,¡± he exined.


    ¡°I have also ryed this idea to the chairman, and he approved of it. Which brings me to the next topic,¡± he paused and then continued


    ¡°Alpha will be bidding for a ce with the federal government developmental project next year and will be using this project during the bid.¡± He announced, and the room erupted into murmurs.


    ¡°This project will be a stepping stone for Alpha to get involved in the big business of national security and, hopefully, the military. My team and I are going to be developing further from here on.¡± He continued with a slight smirk.


    ¡°For now, we will focus on the work we have on the ground while making preparations for the next project. You have nothing to worry about; I¡¯m assuring you that the project will get approved since we have nopetitors at the moment,¡± he added.


    Director Alvin and the rest of Frederick¡¯s men on the board clenched their fists and gritted their teeth. They all knew what that meant for Alpha if it truly joined the ranks of the federal and military governments.


    At this point, Frederick could have apetition with Mark, but once the project gets approved by the federal government, there is no morepetition for the seat of the next chairman of the Watson Group.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    It would be a sealed post with the help of both parties; after all, Watson is known for choosing its heirs based on merit.


    Unwilling to agree, Director Alvin gritted his teeth and stood up. ¡°Although Alpha has nopetitors on the location market, you can¡¯t say the same for the international market, and we all know that the majority of federal and military projects are assigned to the international market,¡± he pointed out, and Mark nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, and we are working on it. We¡¯ve started taking steps to make sure the bid is ours, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about,¡± Mark replied with a smile. ¡°If there is nothing more to say, this meeting is dismissed.¡±

 Chapter 59: Best Shot At Having A Great Ally

    {Now that you are done with that impromptu fashion show, it¡¯s time you get back to the main task at hand, no more breaks until it¡¯spleted}, the system voiced as Lily flopped on her dorm bed, exhausted from the long flight back home just after touring the whole city.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to let me rest, at least?¡± She grumbled on the pillow. {You¡¯ll have enough time to rest in the future, but for now, you can¡¯t. The clothing businesses you started need a lot of boosting, and then there is the Hamilton family that is silently making their move to expand}


    Hearing the name of her ex-family mentioned, all forms of tiredness drained from her eyes as she hurriedly sat up.


    Although she had been away on the fashion trip to Paris and had been busy trying to keep up with the show, she had also been nning her life and how she¡¯d make hereback and sweep her ex-family off the market in a grand way, leaving them no room to stand again.


    It was inevitable that she would need strong allies as well as talented substitutes, which is why she had been scouting for talents across the country during her leisure time in Paris.


    Watson¡¯s group is her best shot at having a great ally, but even they are not enough for the great ns she has for the future. Not only are they far behind, but their current inner political struggles aren¡¯t suitable for her ns.


    All of her ns need to wait until they have truly chosen who to be the next chairman. Which is why she had vaguely suggested using the security system to bid for the federal government¡¯s project.


    And depending on who is chosen, ns to use them as an alley may stand or change. But if everything goes as nned then her preparation and her investments in the Watson¡¯s group would not be in vain.


    Mark¡¯s image shed through her mind as she thought about the group. She sighed and immediately picked up herptop.


    ¡°I need to finish settling the original body owner¡¯s wish so I won¡¯t get held down by it in the future.¡± She mumbled as she got to work creating a domain for ¡®Lily¡¯s Fashion¡¯


    Her n after creating such hype during the fashion show in Paris was to use the poprity to publicise her brand and make her official debut in the fashion world.


    As Lily worked tirelessly on setting up the domain for ¡®Lily¡¯s Fashion,¡¯ her mind couldn¡¯t help but wander to the challenges thaty ahead. The fashion industry was cutthroat, and she knew that establishing her brand wouldn¡¯t be an easy feat.


    Her experience with Merrisa and Evie during the show had truly given her a reality check. Unless she is strong enough, she could never win against those giantpanies that had already established themselves for several decades.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The fake scandal was just the tip of an iceberg, and it will only get worse the more popr and stronger the opponents she meets. But she was determined to make her mark and prove to everyone, especially to the Smith family, that she was not a force to be reckoned with.


    Lily also knew that in order to achieve her goals, she needed to find a way to support Watson¡¯s group in their internal struggle. Mark¡¯s face kept popping up in her thoughts, and she found herself thinking about how she could help him secure his position as the next chairman.


    After all, he was a big piece of her long-term ns.


    ¡°If Mark bes the chairman, it would be beneficial for me to form an alliance with Watson¡¯s group,¡± Lily mused to herself. ¡°But I need to be careful not to get too involved in their politics. I have to focus on building my own empire first.¡±


    As she continued working on herptop, her phone buzzed with a notification. She nced at it and saw that she had received an email in response to the email she asked na to send to a particr dance group to be their custom designer.


    She had almost given up hope of working with the group after not getting a response from them in the past two weeks.


    The dance group, known as the ¡°Silhouettes,¡± is an uing contemporary dance group with a lot of potential to go on the international stage.


    Being a designer for them would not yield much profit in the early stages, but that was a risk she was willing to take for the greater good.


    She picked up her phone and read the email.


    Mr Drake: Hello! I¡¯m truly sorry for thete reply. To be honest, your mail was buried under so many mails, and it took us some time to sort through it.


    ¡°I have read your proposal to be a designer for our group, and I¡¯ve gone through the sample designs you sent with the proposal. If I must say, they are incredible, and they go along with the artistic picture we have for the group.¡±


    ¡°However, as the group is just starting out, we can¡¯t afford to employ a designer on stage. But we would like for you to design the custom we will use on the national dance stage in April. If you are still interested, I would love to get a reply from you soon.


    Lily grinned happily as she read the mail. It wasn¡¯t exactly what she was aiming for, but she¡¯ll make do with what she¡¯s given for now.


    Without much thought, she sent a reply and went back to designing the website for her store.


    It was almost noon the next day when everything got set up, and using the poprity she gained to her advantage, she posted on her social media tform.


    #Hello once again, everyone. It¡¯s Lily. The girl from the scandal. I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a good introduction, but¡­ I¡¯ve got news!#


    #My store Lily¡¯s Fashion is officially opening an online store where people in the country can ce an order for any design they want.#


    #In the store, you can design your clothes from scratch to the finish, and you¡¯ll get them the way they are designed with a perfect fit.#


    #To celebrate our official opening, my team and I will be giving a 20% discount on the first five orders!#


    #The online store is pretty easy to use, and it can be essed anytime with good customer service. To check it out, follow the link below.#


    Thank you for your patronage in advance. Love y¡¯all#

 Chapter 60: No Matter The Cost

    Once everything online has been settled, Lily goes to sleep only to be woken up by the constant buzzing of her phone.


    She groaned heavily with her eyes still closed as she picked it up. ¡°It¡¯s better be something important for waking me up,¡± she threatened subtly, and na chuckled.


    ¡°Of course it is important! The online store is buzzing with orders, and now we have a lot of work to do.¡± na reported excitedly. ¡°In just a few hours since you made the post, we already have ten orders for dresses and summer wear,¡± she reported as Lily got up with a yawn.


    ¡°That¡¯s bad. I wasn¡¯t expecting such a huge turn-up for the first day. I guess we will have to employ some other people soon. I¡¯ll be there in a few hours. Did you get everything I asked you to get?¡±


    ¡°I got all the materials ready; we just need to go into production,¡± na replied, and Lily nodded, forgetting the other person could not see her. ¡°Get as much rest as you can before I get there; it¡¯s going to be a busy week.¡±


    Upon arrival at the studio, Lily found na surrounded by a pile of fabrics and order forms that had been printed out. na had already sorted out the order forms and the fabrics that would go well with the order that the clients chose.


    Seeing the excited look in her eyes, Lily swallowed her reprimanding words and praised her instead: ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard. Thank you,¡±


    ¡°Anything for you, boss! You don¡¯t know how excited I am to finally be able to showcase my work. Even though people don¡¯t know me yet, at least the credit will not be given to some other person,¡± na chuckled as she stood up from the middle of the pile.


    Hearing her words, Lily smiled knowingly. ¡°How is everything going at home? You know, with Evie and the main family?¡± She asked, and na shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The whole ce has been silent and a little tensetely,¡± na replied.


    ¡°My uncle and his wife have locked up recently; it was after Evie¡¯s scandal, and ess to the main house has been on invite alone, so we don¡¯t know their ns,¡± she exined further, and Lily frowned.


    ¡°Are the other family members just going to sit around waiting for them?¡± Lily asked curiously, dissatisfied with such a type of arrangement where family members are treated as subordinates to the main branch of the family.


    ¡°Not entirely; a lot of people have been waiting for the opportunity to call them out, and it will be done. But, to be honest, I¡¯m not interested in taking over Evie¡¯s position as the genius of the Thompson family. That positiones with a lot of responsibility, fake smiles, and ingenuity. I don¡¯t want all that,¡± na voiced truthfully as she rxed against the wall with her arms folded before her.


    ¡°What do you want, then?¡±


    ¡°I want to make a name for myself without the influence of the family name. I want people to see my hard work. I just want to be me with the right set of people all around me; that¡¯s not too much, is it?¡± na asked with a hopeful expression as she looked towards Lily.


    Lily picked up one of the order forms and examined the designs on them. With a nod, she handed the form to na. ¡°Then prove them. Be yourself and achieve whatever goal you have set for yourself at your own pace. I¡¯ll be there to support you all the way,¡± she encouraged, and a tear fell from na¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best!¡± She dered and took the form from Lily.


    ****


    Frederick, in a fit of rage, swiped everything on his table to the floor after listening to Director Alvin¡¯s briefing about the meeting they had with Mark about the project. ¡°That bastard is always a step ahead of us!¡± He eximed angrily.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Who gave him the idea to submit it to bid for the federal government project?¡± He demanded coldly, and Director Alvin flinched back, afraid he might be the next target of Frederick¡¯s anger.


    ¡°It was his idea. The meeting was called to inform us about this. I think we should agree to the change of the bill¡¯s architectural design; at least that will slow him down a lot, and even if the federal government gets interested in the security system project, it will be in light with the real estate project,¡± Director Alvin reasoned carefully, and Frederick snickered.


    ¡°Even if we did that, Mark would never relent in his pursuit to get the government on his side. You should know how stubborn he is when he has decided to do something.¡± Frederick replied with a frustrated sigh.


    ¡°But at least that would slow him down until we think of countermeasures against him. Without the state government project, you two are on the same level right now, and it can¡¯t be decided who will be the next chairman, but it will be different if he gets the bigger sponsor. Dying him should be out of his main quest right now,¡± Director Alvin voiced.


    ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± Frederick replied with a shake of his head. He has known Mark all their lives, and he knows best how the other man works. Every stumbling block was like a stepping stone for him.


    He always has the brightest idea when ced under pressure. Brushing his hands through his hair, Frederick turned towards the floor-to-ceiling ss window in his office, his eyes ring at the tallest building not far away, where he knew that his cousin¡¯s brother would be.


    ¡°For now, we will leave him be,¡± he announced, and Director Alvin¡¯s eyes went wide in shock. ¡°Impossible! If we leave him be then¡± Before he could finish his words, Frederick cut him off.


    ¡°Have you ever caught him since you started pursuing him?¡± He asked with a dark chuckle. ¡°We haven¡¯t; instead, we always seem to be his inspiration. So this time we will leave him to his device.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to just leave him to inherit Watson¡¯s group. Of course not. My target has just changed for now,¡± Frederick announced as he turned away from the ss window and towards the confused director.


    ¡°By target change, what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Get me all the information you can about the new programmer he is working with. We will get them on our side no matter the cost or the method.¡±

 Chapter 61: A Subtle Feeling

    Sinful: What do you think about myst proposal? Do you think we can work on it?


    Lily¡¯s hands hovered over her keyboard as she typed the words out. Deliberating between sending the message or not, she paused for several minutes before hitting the delete button, afraid that it woulde out as pushy.


    Just as she was about to close the site and get back to sewing, Alpha¡¯s profile turned green, showing he was online. And immediately after, it showed he was typing.


    Alpha: It¡¯s good that you are online today. If I may ask, how are you?


    Without hesitation, Lily typed out her reply.


    Sinful: I¡¯m alright, just a little bored these days. There¡¯s nothing much to work on. The jobs posted on the site are a little too easy, and they don¡¯t fetch as much money. I don¡¯t want to have to dig around for other people¡¯s dirtyundry. What about you? Is everything alright on your side?


    Mark paused as he read her reply; his eyes flickered at the opened chat on his phone. He had been on the phone with his grandfather for almost two hours, discussing some issues concerning Watson¡¯s group and the potential threat of their new n to expand in the foreign market.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    With a pursed lip, he massaged his nose bridge and sipped from the cup of wine beside him before he typed out a response.


    Alpha: I¡¯ve thought about the project with Next Phone. I¡¯m already working on acquiring the full right to the device, and you can do as you please with it.


    Sinful: Why do you trust that I can make it better? What if I wreck the product?


    Alpha: Is that a question you should ask? You¡¯ve always proven to be the best since we started working together, and even though I can¡¯t bring you into thepany, I intend to keep working with you. Besides, I know how much you want to work on it, so there is no way you would wreck it.


    Sinful: Well, I¡¯m grateful for the trust. In return, I have a gift for you.


    Alpha: A gift? Why am I excited at the thought of getting a gift from an unknown master? Will it be something as ground-breaking as the previous projects?


    Sinful: Ah! It¡¯s nothing much, and I hope you won¡¯t be disappointed. (Attached file). It was a little something I gathered.


    Sinful: I heard your cousin ran into a bit of trouble in Paris a few days ago. This can help her deal with those behind the scenes. Although they have used the others as scapegoats, the main character is still behind the scenes, and if not dealt with, it will probably happen again. That can help you deal with him.


    Sinful: I¡¯m sure you will also be interested in the main character of the scandal. I heard you guys are longtime rivals. I¡¯m guessing he was trying to get to you through your favourite cousin. The power struggle between the rich is always so dramatic.


    Mark raised a brow as he read thest chat. Without wasting time, he clicked on the attached file, and he saw chats from an unknown number with some journalists and some bloggers.


    The chats were full of evidence about the unknown person paying off the media to make the scandal with Lily and her team trend more; they aimed to drag the Lam fashion through the mud and make it lose its reputation. However, they had not considered Lily as an anomaly that could ruin their ns.


    The second file consists of the identity of the unknown person who paid them off.


    Seeing the pictures, Mark¡¯s face darkened with rage, and his fists balled together. He took a deep breath and went back to the chat with Sinful.


    Alpha: Thank you for this. It will be a great help. But may I ask? Howe you were interested in this? Do you have a sh with him too?


    Sinful: I told you I was bored, didn¡¯t I? I had some time on my hands, so I decided to do a little research about my partner. Anyway, none of the files I gave you are harmful, and they can be presented to the right authorities.


    Alpha: If someone paid you to dig out information about me, would you do it?


    Mark had already sent the message before he realised what he had done. Seeing the three dots appearing on the screen, he knew he was toote to take back his question.


    Sinful: For the right price, why not? After all, I¡¯m only doing all this for money. No hard feelings, though.


    Mark let out a chuckle as he read the words on his screen, and somehow the response sent a stab to his heart. He wasn¡¯t sure what he was expecting when he asked the question, and even then, he could not hide the hurt he felt at the response he got. His mood, however, got better after reading hertest message.


    Sinful: If I don¡¯t do it, then it will be done by some other person who has no rtion to you. Would it not be better to have me do it than a stranger? With me, you can get a heads up that you have a tail on you. Isn¡¯t that better?


    Sinful: I have a n, and you are a big part of it. If you are hurt, it will be detrimental to me, so I can¡¯t have that happen. Anyway, I have to go now.


    For the first time in a while, Mark felt his heart skip a beat in excitement.


    Thest words felt like a confession. A genuine confession. One who is not blinded by the money he can offer or how attractive he is.


    A confession where the person confessing is genuinely telling what they feel. One party knows they are going to be in a profit-oriented rtionship, and the other would not have to get their hopes up unnecessarily.


    He stared at the chat window, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through his chest. There was something undeniably refreshing about Sinful¡¯s straightforward approach, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel drawn to their brutal honesty. Their confession, though unexpected, stirred something within him-a sense of camaraderie that went beyond their professional partnership.


    Alpha: You¡¯re an intriguing individual, Sinful. I look forward to learning more about your ns. Stay safe. And get ready to work on Next. It should solve your boredom for a while.


    Mark couldn¡¯t deny the anticipation he felt at the prospect of uncovering more about Sinful mysterious ns. As he closed the chat window, his thoughts lingered on the enigmatic hacker, who had managed to challenge his expectations at every turn.

 Chapter 62: Let鈥檚 Meet

    William walked into hisrge, exquisite suite, one that had previously been used by thete Victoria and George team when they had an important meeting to hold.


    The room service attendants dropped off his bags and bowed as they left him to his device. With an expressionless face, he walked to the centre of the room, where a ss bottle was ced in an ice bucket alongside two ss cups.


    He poured himself a ss of wine as he removed his tie before standing behind the window, looking out into the city.


    It¡¯s been a month of constant hope and failure. One month of tracking through the records left behind by Victoria to find a way to unlock the software she had left behind proved to be futile as he was unable to find any clue.


    Even the gadget she used while she was alive had been erased, cleaned, and left behind like a brand new one.


    This was thest ce for him to check before he began using an underhanded method to deal with her teammates. It was a method he never wished to use again, not after Victoria¡¯s death and the constant bickering from his father to live up to her standards and surpass her works.


    But he had no choice; it¡¯s either he used the forsaken methods or everything they¡¯d worked for all those years would go down the drain.


    Downing the contents in the cup, William ced the cup on the window sill and removed his jacket to begin his search, praying and hoping he would not have to fall deeper into the abyss after tonight.


    Meanwhile, Lily, after chatting with Mark, stood up and stretched tiredly as she eyed the packed bags on his bed. After waiting for several weeks, her request to be allowed to live outside the school hostel was finally granted, and she could not wait to stay away from this toxic space.


    As she made sure everything was packed, her phone went off. ¡°We are here,¡± Gary¡¯s voice resounded through the phone immediately after she picked it up. Without wasting time, she picked up the little things she had and left the dorm without saying a final goodbye.


    She met na halfway through the stairs, and the other beamed, ¡°I was going to help you pack up; is this what you¡¯ve got?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yeah, this is all,¡± Lily replied calmly as they both went back to the waiting car. Upon arrival, Lily paused in her steps as she noticed Two Gary standing by the car, both having a staring contest, while the people around them gushed about their unique appearance and the fact that one of them was the famous Light.


    Seeing people begin to take pictures of the brothers, Lily no longer increased her pace until she got to them and said, ¡°Hey, you didn¡¯t tell us you¡¯d being to visit. Or was I the only one in the know?¡± She asked with a smile.


    Light gave a side nce and a tight smile; it was obvious he wasn¡¯t in a good mood, and seeing the bruise on his face, Lily could guess what had happened. ¡°Considering your image, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s the right ce for you to have any kind of discussion,¡± she voiced calmly.


    ¡°How about a visit to my studio?¡± She suggested, and Gary got into the packed car, followed by Light and na, who were lost in the situation.


    As Lily, Gary, na, and Light made their way to Lily¡¯s art studio, an awkward silence enveloped the car. Light, still a little surprised that he truly has a brother, kept his gaze fixed on the passing scenery outside, while Gary¡¯s hands tightened and loosened on the steering wheel with an expressionless face.


    na, still unsure about the situation, threw curious nces at the duo and then whispered to Lily, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Who is he?¡± She asked, and Lily shrugged while making a zipper lip gesture.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    As they pulled up to Lily¡¯s studio, the tension in the car could be cut with a knife. Gary, his face stony and unreadable, was the first to exit the vehicle, followed by Lily and na. Light, feeling the weight of the moment, hesitated briefly before stepping out into the cool night air.


    Lily led the group inside, her eyes darting between Gary and Light, searching for any sign of warmth or connection. However, Gary¡¯s posture remained rigid, his gaze fixed firmly on the decorations that lined the walls as if he were seeing them for the first time. Light, feeling increasingly awkward, attempted to break the ice with apliment about the studio.


    ¡°This ce is amazing, Lily. I would not have been able to believe it was a startuppany if I didn¡¯t know you personally,¡± heplimented, and Lily smiled.


    ¡°Would you like to tour the studio?¡± She asked, trying to ease the atmosphere before the brothers could talk. Realising her aim, Light nodded with an appreciative smile. ¡°I would love to,¡± he replied calmly.


    It was truly impulsive of him to have travelled down here without informing her about his ns, but knowing how protective Lily is of her friends, he knew she would not allow him to meet Gary unless Gary agreed to it.


    And there was no way he could turn a blind eye to the knowledge of having a brother. Not knowing was a different case, and now that he knew about him, he could never sit around without finding out the story behind their separation.


    As Lily wrapped up her impromptu tour of the studio, she guided the group to a sitting area in the centre of the room. Gary, his face still expressionless, sat stiffly on the edge of a worn armchair, while Light perched nervously on a nearby sofa. Lily and na exchanged worried nces, each silently hoping that the brothers would find a way to bridge the chasm that seemed to separate them.


    ¡°So, Gary,¡± Light began, his voice faltering slightly. ¡°I know it must be strange for you to meet me like this. But I wanted to tell you that I had no idea you existed until recently. Our father never mentioned you, and when I found out, I knew I had to meet you.¡± He exined awkwardly.


    Gary¡¯s eyes narrowed, his jaw tightening as he listened to Light¡¯s words. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re hoping to gain from this,¡± he replied, his tone cold and measured. ¡°I¡¯ve made it clear that I want nothing to do with your father or his family. That includes you.¡±


    Light flinched at Gary¡¯s bluntness but pressed on, determined to make a connection. ¡°I understand your resentment towards our father. He abandoned you, and that¡¯s something I can¡¯t even begin to understand. But I want you to know that I¡¯m not here to defend him or make excuses for what he did. I just want the chance to get to know my brother.¡±


    ¡°It may not bring back those lost years and everything, but I want to get to know you,¡± he added calmly.


    The silence that followed was deafening, making Lily and na feel awkward to be present as the two sorted out their differences. Thinking Gary would leave them hanging by not responding, Lily stood up, trying to intervene, when Gary spoke, his voice low and trembling with emotion.


    ¡°Look, Light, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t appreciate you reaching out, but this isn¡¯t easy for me. I¡¯ve spent my entire life trying to forget about the man who abandoned me and my mother after getting what he wanted. To have you show up out of the blue, it¡¯s just a reminder of everything I¡¯ve tried so hard to leave behind.¡±


    ¡°Seeing you here reminds me of the anger I¡¯ve worked so hard to forget. I know it¡¯s not your fault, but I don¡¯t want to have anything to do with him or his family,¡± he exined coldly, sending a stab of pain into Light¡¯s heart.


    Light nodded, his own pain and disappointment etched on his face. ¡°I get it, Gary. I won¡¯t push you to have a rtionship with me if that¡¯s not what you want. But I hope, in time, you might be willing to give me a chance. I¡¯m not our father, and I¡¯d like the opportunity to prove that to you.¡± He spoke as he stood up to leave.


    He dropped a written number on the table before Gary and patted him on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the city for a while; let¡¯s meet sometime.¡±

 Chapter 63: You Can Count On Me

    As Light walked out of the room, Lily¡¯s eyes found Gary¡¯s cold ones. Seeing the usations in his eyes, she lifted her hands in surrender. ¡°I was not aware he wasing. I swear I was not let it on,¡± she hurriedly exined, and Gary let out a frustrated sigh.


    ¡°I know. He has our family traits in him; he¡¯s determined and stubborn, he would not have stopped until he met me, it¡¯s something I had done when I found out about him also.¡± Gary scoffed as he rxed into the chair. ¡°It runs in the family, and seeing the bruise on his lips, I can tell he fought with his father before he came to see me,¡± he added.


    ¡°I thought you were the one who hit him,¡± na chimed, earning a re from Gary. ¡°And why would I hit him? On the face, no less? You think I want to ruin his pretty boy appearance?¡± He asked, and na shrugged.


    Lily sighed as she examined Gary. Although he was putting on a strong front, she could tell he was affected by the sudden meeting between him and his twin brother. She had met a lot of people in both lifetimes to know when someone is trying not to let their real emotions show, ¡°What will you do?¡± She asked, and Gary raised a brow in question.


    ¡°What do you mean? What will I do? I¡¯m going to keep ignoring them like they did not exist because to me they don¡¯t exist. Him meeting me now changes nothing,¡± he replied boldly, making Lily pursed her lips.


    ¡°He¡¯s innocent¡­¡± Before she could finish her words, Gary interrupted her with a shake of his head. ¡°I don¡¯t care if he is innocent or not. It¡¯s my decision not to have anything to do with that sperm donor and his family, not after how they treated me and my mother previously.¡± He dered this and walked out of the studio without looking back.


    The room remained silent for several minutes after his departure, Lily deep in thoughts about ways to help the two brothers, while na remained lost and confused about the whole situation.


    Unable to cope with the silence anymore, na spoke up, ¡°Why not get your things arranged upstairs? I still have to pack up the dresses going out for delivery tomorrow.¡±


    Finally getting back to reality, Lily raised an eyebrow. ¡°Tomorrow?¡± she questioned curiously.


    ¡°You set tomorrow as the day for the delivery of the online orders; did you forget? And the new set of tailors you employed are also going to start tomorrow,¡± na exined.


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened in shock and dread. Amidst the evening¡¯s emotional whirlwind, she had indeed forgotten about the scheduled delivery and the arrival of the new tailors the following day. Her mind had been all over the ce after her arrival back in the city.


    The news that Hamilton was researching new software had reached her ears almost immediately. Unlike the masses that had been deceived by the announcement, she knew too well that the software they were researching was the one she had left behind in her past life.


    She had chosen to deal with Hamiltonst after she got everything in ce, but considering they were still struggling to use ready-made software, she decided to give them a little push.


    ¡®The software is only an upgraded version that goes hand in hand with Nex. Mother had been working on it to renew the partnership between Alpha Tech and thepany back then. Since Alpha Tech is buying the rights to Nex, there is no need to leave the software to them for use,¡¯ she thought to herself as a smirk appeared on her face.


    Thinking about the chaos it would cause the family if they found out that Alpha Tech had the software, an evil smile blossomed on Lily¡¯s face.


    ¡®I hope you are not yet regretting your past decisions. Wait a little bit more, and I¡¯ll make you curse the day you were born, Henry!¡¯ With that thought, she excused herself and took her bag to the second floor of the studio, where she would be living henceforth.


    After making sure that her things were in ce, Lily got to work immediately. She began rewriting the programme for the upgraded Nex software from scratch, changing and removing some codes to make the program even more advanced than the one in her part-time life.


    It was a race against time. Now that Hamilton has decided to work with the software, if she doesn¡¯t hurry it up, her ns to dy their growth will be foiled.


    {It¡¯s time you invest and have your own techpany, don¡¯t you think?} The system voiced as Lily stopped writing the programme the following morning.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to buy it now,¡± she replied with a cold expression. As she rewrote the programme, the memories from her previous life kepting back; they were adding to her rage and determination to get her revenge on the family.


    {You still have a lot to learn; however, this is the best time to begin making your mark in the tech world. You¡¯ve already shown your face as a fashion genius, and although you haven¡¯t reached the peak yet, you have made the right connection at an early stage.}


    ¡°The tech world is currently undergoing a huge storm. I won¡¯t get carried away by the storm if I enter now, but why would I give myself extra work to clean up those scum when others can do it for me?¡± She asked with a chuckle as she stood up to stretch.


    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry; I have enough time on my hands, and with you aiding me, Myeback will be smooth and stressless,¡± she dered with a glint in her eyes, and the system scoffed yfully.


    {It¡¯s good you still know you have to depend on me! You have to treat me well in the future if you don¡¯t want me to abandon you!} It threatened yfully, and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°Of course, when don¡¯t I treat you well? It¡¯s time; I have to meet up with the new employees,¡± she announced, and she immediately went to freshen up.


    ***


    ¡°Hello everyone, wee to Lily¡¯s fashion!¡± na was greeted with a polite smile as she led the three new tailors they had employed to the waiting room, where Lily was already waiting for them.


    ¡°This is Miss Lily; she¡¯s our boss,¡± she introduced, and the three nodded as they greeted Lily politely.


    She stepped forward and shook hands with three of them, with a polite smile on her face. These three had been single-handedly picked by the system after she had gone through the list of applications on the online form she posted.


    Even though they don¡¯t have much experience in the fieldpared to some of the other applicants, the three of them had the traits needed for a start-up business.


    ¡°I¡¯m delighted to have you all on board,¡± Lily said warmly, gesturing for the new tailors to take a seat. ¡°As you may know, Lily¡¯s Fashion is still a rtively new venture, and we¡¯re looking to expand our team with passionate individuals who are eager to learn and grow with us.¡±


    The three tailors exchanged excited nces, clearly enthusiastic about the opportunity to work in a budding fashion house.


    ¡°I understand that you may not have as much experience as some of the other applicants but experience wasn¡¯t the only thing I was looking for when I put out the form.¡± Lily continued,


    ¡°I believe that passion, dedication, and a strong work ethic are just as important, if not more so, in building a sessful team. I¡¯m confident that you all possess those qualities, and I¡¯m excited to see how we can help each other flourish in this industry.¡±


    ¡°This is na; she is the manager here, and you can go to her for anything you need while working here. She¡¯ll also be the one to give you direction on what to do and how the store works; please cooperate with her,¡± Lily advised.


    She felt a need to make the hierarchy in the store known since all three of them were a lot older than na and they might have negative ideas that needed to be curbed early.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be overseeing your work, and she¡¯ll be the one working closely with you three. We have one other staff member, but since he is a part-time worker who works as our model, you¡¯ll only be meeting him on a limited number of days,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Your sry is as discussed previously; if you have any questions, please ask,¡± she urged carefully, and the three shared a nce before shaking their heads.


    ¡°It¡¯s all clear,¡±


    ¡°Alright then. na meets Grace, Philip, and Diana. You¡¯ll be in charge of them and make sure nothing goes wrong,¡± she introduced, and na smiled.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°You can count on me, boss!¡±

 Chapter 64: I Won鈥檛 Let You Down

    Anon 1: ¡®Oh¡­ My¡­ God! I¡¯m screaming in excitement right now!¡¯ I got my orders from Lily¡¯s Fashion today, and let me tell you: I¡¯ll be going back!


    Dolls: I was about to post a review also! Their dresses are so well made! I only ced the order to test things out; who would have thought I¡¯d be a loyal fan after one trial? I have already ced a new design order!


    Anon 67: No way! I missed the first batch. Are their products any good? How long did it take? Come on, post pictures and videos of the things you have!


    Anon12: @Anon67 (picture attached) I got this idea from a childhood movie I saw, and I¡¯ve been trying to recreate it forever! I didn¡¯t have much hope for it, but look at it! I look so much like the evil princess!


    Willows: My daughter has been crying after our neighbours got their orders today. Where will I get the dresses please? And does thispany only sell dresses?


    na grinned in excitement and happiness as she read the reviews online about their first batch of products. The whole process had been a little challenging and tiring, but seeing how excited their clients were, she could not help the pride swirling around in her heart.


    Just as she was thinking about saving some of the posts to add to their portfolio, a knock resounded on the door, and she hurriedly shut down herputer before going to open up.


    Standing by the door was none other than an unkempt-looking Evie with big eye bags and hair that seemed to go everywhere. na frowned as she eyed the otherdy.


    It was the first time she had ever seen Evie look out of shape orposure. As someone hailed as a genius from their childhood, she had been wrought with responsibility, which involved her looking prim and proper all the time.


    The perfect smile.


    The perfect nce and wave.


    How to eat, how to talk.


    Everything she did was always under her parents¡¯ scrutinising gaze.


    Seeing her, this out of her usual appearance sent a wave of unidentified emotions through her.


    However, one thing na knew was that, among those unidentified emotions, pity was not one of them.


    na stood between the doors with her hands crossed as she gave Evie a once-over. ¡°May I help you?¡± She asked, and Evie swallowed hard.


    ¡°Can Ie in?¡± She asked carefully, all traces of her arrogance and haughtiness gone, leaving her with nothing but humility and anxiety.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t. Is there anything I can help you with?¡± na asked coldly, her tone distant and uninviting.


    Evie shifted on her feet nervously, looking left and right to see if anyone wasing.


    Seeing they were alone, she lived closer to na. ¡°I want to attend Diane¡¯s award night. Can Ie with you?!¡± She asked, and na raised a brow. Before she could say a word, Evie continued nervously, afraid that her request would be declined. ¡°You can go with a plus one, and it doesn¡¯t have to be a man.¡±


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t have a friend, and going alone will be a waste; why don¡¯t you allow me to go with you? I can show you the ropes and teach you how to get through such events as you¡¯ve never been in one,¡± she voiced, and na scoffed.


    ¡°Are you here to ask me for a favour or to insult me? Because thetter is the only thing I can see or hearing from your rotten mouth.¡± She spat and red at Evie.


    Just a few years ago, no one would have imagined both of them would end up in a situation where they could not freely talk to each other. They had both been close since they were children, and Evie had always been protective of na while growing up.


    But all that changed when na was thirteen and Evie was fifteen. They had both been fooling around, trying to sew a cloth and in the end, na¡¯s clothes were praised more than Evie¡¯s, making the older woman jealous until she imed the clothes as hers.


    That had been the start of their rivalry, and it only grew worse each year.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Evie, noticing na¡¯s unweing attitude, pursed her lips and gave a pitiful expression. ¡°Look, I know we haven¡¯t been on the best of terms these past few years, but this is important to me. It¡¯s a chance for me to show my parents that I¡¯m not just a pretty face; I¡¯m going to be sincere this time, I promise. Please, na. I need this. It¡¯s the only way I can save my ruined reputation,¡± she begged.


    ¡°How¡¯s that any of my business? You ruin your reputation with your hand; why do I have to help you fix it?¡± na sneered angrily. ¡°I¡¯m sure your parents would not mind; please don¡¯t be a nuisance and leave,¡± she ordered and pointed down the hallway, gesturing for her to leave.


    Panicked, Evie fell on her knees and held na by the ankle. ¡°Please. I know I¡¯ve done so much wrong. I¡¯m sorry! And as I promised, I¡¯ve learned my lesson! I just need an opportunity to show it, please.¡± She pleaded while holding tightly to na¡¯s ankles.


    na let out a heavy sigh, her resolve beginning to waver. She had invited Lily to go with her for the award night, but Lily turned her down almost immediately, saying she wanted nothing to do with the Thompson household, not after her beef with Evie.


    na had also considered declining the offer to go to the award night, but it was impossible. First, she had always wanted to attend this event, but the invite always went to Evie, being the genius of the house. And secondly, her parents would never allow her to miss it, not after what they had to go through to get the invitation to her.


    ¡°Fine,¡± she said, her tone still as hard and inviting. ¡°You cane with me. I hope you understand how important this event is. I¡¯m sure you know better than to pull one of your stupid tricks,¡± she warned.


    Evie¡¯s face brightened, and she jumped to her feet. ¡°Thank you, na. I won¡¯t let you down, I promise.¡±


    na nodded, her lips forming a thin line. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have work to do.¡± With that, she stepped back into her room, leaving Evie standing on the doorstep.


    As the door closed, a mischievous glint appeared on Evie¡¯s face, and she scowled at the closed door before walking away. ¡°Tch, acting high and mighty after getting crumbs, how pathetic.

 Chapter 65: Meeting With Sinful

    The lively rhythm of the club¡¯s music resounded through the air as Frederick leaned in towards the man sitting beside him, his voice barely audible over the deafening beat.


    ¡°How was the investigation? Any response yet?¡± he asked, his eyes briefly flicking towards hispanion before settling back on the mesmerising dancer on stage, twirling seductively around the pole at the centre of the stage. He took a slow sip of his wine, fingers toying with the stem of the ss as he continued following the dancer¡¯s every movement.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we found nothing. I already told you it was an impossible task without a name or any mode of identification.¡± Devon, hispanion, and one of his few friends replied casually with a grin while he yed with the woman on his arm.


    Frederick frowned at his response; this was the third person who had told him the same thing that very day.


    As promised, he had started looking into the identity of the hacker or programmer working with Mark on his newest projects. To get a quicker and more urate response, he gave the task to three different people, only for all three of them toe back with simr responses.


    ¡°Nothing about the hacker or programmer could be found.¡± The hacker he had employed with a lot of money had even told him such a person did not exist in their local circle, nor had he heard about them on the international board.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t find anything about them? Not even a trace?¡± Frederick asked, trying to make sure he got it right. Noting his friend¡¯s change in mood, Devon sighed and pushed the hostess away.


    ¡°I know how important this is to you, and I don¡¯t have any reasons to lie to you. Why don¡¯t you try getting a name or their codename, and then we can try again?¡± he suggested calmly, and Frederick heaved a heavy sigh in frustration.


    ¡°That bastard is protecting their identity like a rare trait, and I could not find anything; even the spy I ced in his team knows nothing about the programmer or where they got him from,¡± heined heavily.


    ¡°Why are you talking like an amateur? You sound like a naive little young master who hasn¡¯t seen the world!¡± Devon teased, earning him a re from Frederick.


    A mischievous glint shed in Devon¡¯s eyes as he smirked at his friend¡¯s frustration. ¡°Don¡¯t you know there¡¯s more than one way to skin a cat?¡± He asked slyly, leaning in closer to keep their conversation private amidst the chaos of the club.


    Frederick raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Devon¡¯s tone. ¡°What do you have in mind? Come on, you can¡¯t keep watching me get pushed down by the favourite bastard,¡± he urged impatiently.


    Devon¡¯s grin widened as he snapped his fingers, signalling the return of the hostess he had pushed away earlier.


    Wrapping an arm around her waist, he pulled her close, a stark contrast to Frederick¡¯s brooding demeanour. ¡°Why not send a beautiful woman to seduce him and get the information you need? He is a man, and what man does not fall under the spell of beauty?¡±


    Frederick¡¯s eyes widened at the n, and he chuckled at the outrageous idea, his mood lifting slightly. ¡°As absurd as that sounds, it might just work. I¡¯m not entirely sure it will, since I¡¯ve never seen him with a woman before. But it¡¯s worth the shot. Do you have someone trustworthy among your girls?¡± Frederick asked, already imagining how good his life would be if the n seeded.


    The thought that the programmer might not agree to work with him never crossed his mind. After all, there was nothing that money could not solve.


    Devon¡¯s gaze shifted to the woman in his arms, his grip on her waist tightening suggestively. ¡°I¡¯m sure my lovely angel here would be more than happy to oblige. Wouldn¡¯t you, sweetheart?¡± He winked seductively, making the hostess giggle as she batted hershes at him.


    The hostess, seemingly used to Devon¡¯s whims, simply nodded, a knowing smile ying on her lips. ¡°I¡¯m always up for a little adventure, young master Devon. As long as it involves good pay,¡± she purred, her eyes darting between the two men.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time she had been asked to do such a task, and after mingling with these scheming aristocrats for a long time, it became the norm for people like her to make money doing their dirty work.


    Frederick, still uncertain about the n, looked at the woman with scepticism. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re up for this? Mark¡¯s not a fool, and I need that information; it¡¯s really important, and you should know you can never be caught, and if you do get caught, we can¡¯t afford to have it traced back to me,¡± he warned.


    She stepped away from Devon, squaring her shoulders as she met Frederick¡¯s gaze head-on. ¡°I assure you, I can be quite persuasive when I need to be. No man has ever not fallen for my charm and grace,¡± she assured with a flirty smile.


    Frederick nodded, his eyes raking all over a woman¡¯s body to see if it met the standard of the supposed richest bachelor in the country. Finally, he sighed, a resigned smile forming on his face. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll give it a shot. But you have to remember, I don¡¯t want Mark to catch wind of our little dealings.¡±


    Devonughed, pping Frederick on the back in triumph. ¡°Leave it to her; she is not a novice, Frederick. You won¡¯t regret it. Trust me, alright?¡±


    ***


    Mark walked into therge hall with a practised, stoic expression. With his hands buried in his pockets, his eyes scanned the lively atmosphere. Businessmen and women dressed extravagantly stood around in groups of two and three, mingling while making connections for their businesses.


    Mark let out a groan, wanting to be anywhere but in such a ce full of daggers hidden behind smiles, but his responsibility as the president of the most prestigious techpany would not allow him the chance to avoid such asions.


    He walked deeper into the hall and towards his father and grandfather, who had organised the dinner party. As a waiter passed in front of him, he helped himself to a ss of wine before proceeding. ¡°I thought you would not be able to make it here tonight,¡± Chairman Watson voiced after receiving Mark¡¯s greetings.


    ¡°You sent the invite yourself; how could I not be in attendance? How have you beentely?¡± Mark asked, and the old man red at him yfully. ¡°If you were truly worried about my well-being, you wouldn¡¯t always wait until a general gathering to ask about it, you ungrateful child,¡± he countered, and Mark smiled.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I know you are still so fit you could fight in a war again,¡± he replied, earning a chuckle from his father. ¡°Even then, you should still check up on your grandfather often.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I will. Not that any week goes by without him calling me anyway. Why the sudden dinner party, though? Is there any asion I forgot about?¡± Mark asked curiously.


    ¡°My children and grandchildren are way too busy to have my time; why can¡¯t I organise a party to entertain myself?¡± Chairman Watson was questioned with a huff.


    As the three were discussing amongst themselves, Frederick, his father, and a beautifuldy dressed elegantly in an expensive-looking cream-coloured dress that matched her skin tone walked up to them. ¡°Good evening, Chairman Watson,¡± thedy greeted politely as she curtsied towards the older man.


    Chairman Watson hummed, his eyes squinting as he gave the woman a once-over. ¡°It¡¯s been so long, so you might not remember her, but this is Fiona; she¡¯s grown up alongside Frederick and Mark. I¡¯m sure you remember her, don¡¯t you?¡± Ethan asked as he turned to Mark, whose eyes were glued to thedy.


    Seeing him look at her, Fiona blushed and turned away timidly. ¡°Hello, Young Master Mark. It¡¯s been a while.¡± she greeted and Mark hummed, finally taking his eyes off her.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Somehow, seeing her reminded him of Sinful.


    With a shake of his head, he bowed curtly towards her, ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again Miss Fiona. When did you return to the country?¡± He asked politely, but the dullness in his tone could be felt by those closest to him.


    Chairman Watson sighed heavily, Mark¡¯s rtionship has always been a major concern to him and one of the main reasons he always organised these parties every once in a while was to help his grandson look for a suitable partner.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t so bad. But being home is the best. You should know better. I miss home and decided toe settle here,¡± she replied calmly.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we leave the kids to talk? They probably have a lot to catch up on,¡± Ethan suggested and the older men readily agreed. However, before they could excuse themselves, Mark¡¯s phone went off.


    ¡°It was nice seeing you again Miss Fiona and please enjoy the party,¡± he bowed and left.


    As he picked up the call, his assistant¡¯s voice echoed through the phone, ¡°We got an appointment for next Tuesday but she wants you to be there in person,¡± he reported.


    ¡°And is my schedule clear for Tuesday?¡± Mark asked curiously, he felt like he had an important meeting scheduled but he could not remember the details.


    ¡°You have a meeting with Sinful on Tuesday for Lunch,¡± Ted reported and Mark frowned. ¡°Council the appointment with the federal representative, we can¡¯t afford to miss the meeting with Sinful,¡± He instructed coldly.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°There are no buts. If the appointments are going to sh cancel the less important ones,¡±


    ¡°And you think bagging a deal with the federal government is the less important one?¡± Ted asked in exasperation. He understood Mark¡¯s reaction to Sinful but putting the two together, Sinful was definitely the less important one in his opinion.


    ¡°The person I¡¯m scheduled to meet is not in charge of the tech project. She¡¯s just one of the senator¡¯s people. Meeting her will change nothing. You can cancel if it can¡¯t be rescheduled,¡±

 Chapter 66: We Let In A Rat

    ¡°It¡¯s just a week away, and you are just telling me now? Now of all time?¡± Merissa asked exasperatedly, her eyes filled with rage and disbelief as she stared into Zach¡¯s indifferent eyes.


    ¡°What do you mean I have to look for another model to work with? Where will I get a good model at this time? Are you expecting me to pick from those leftover crumbs? If that¡¯s your suggestion you can forget it!¡± She eximed with a flushed face as she began pacing up and down the living room of her apartment, in nothing but her flimsy night dress.


    Zach sat down with an indifferent expression that masked the anxiety he was feeling. It has taken him all the courage he could summon, with a lot of overthinking, to finally conclude on this oue.


    Cutting off all rtions with Merissa before it was toote.


    After his breakup with Lily and his continuous study of the series of events that had happened around her in the past few months, he could tell nothing good woulde to those who opposed the silent and easygoing girl.


    He, like everyone, had thought that she could be easily manipted. Not until, after her ident, did she start showing her well-sharpened ws.


    To save himself and his budding career, he had decided to let go of his obsession with attending the nationals with Merissa, Lily¡¯s biggest enemy. Sitting up, he looked at the anxious Merissa and shook his head with a pitiful expression.


    ¡°Let¡¯s break up,¡± he announced, and Merissa stopped in her tracks with a bewildered expression. Her expression soon morphed into one of surprise and then contempt.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Is this about that peasant again?¡± She demanded with a scoff as she stood in front of him with her hands folded. Zach stood up and walked towards her, his cold eyes meeting her angry ones.


    ¡°What if it is about her?¡± He asked.


    ¡°What will you do?¡±


    ¡°Push me down the stairs?¡±


    ¡°Frame me?¡±


    ¡°Ruin my reputation to make yourself look good?


    Tell me what you¡¯ll do if it is about her, huh?¡± He asked one after the other.


    With each question, Merissa¡¯s blood ran cold. Those were the things she had done to Lily and some other people that had stood in her way.


    ¡°I was only with you to fulfil my ns, but now, being with you is nothing but a hindrance to the said n. You¡¯ve been nothing but a nuisance since I agreed to Coborate with you,¡± he continued coldly.


    ¡°I regretted ever joining hands with you. You want me to join you for the nationals, With what design? Do you think I don¡¯t know how you¡¯ve been turned down by everyone who you have approached to make the designs for you?¡±


    ¡°When will you learn that you are nothing without her? All your sess is all thanks to Lily.¡±


    As he said those words, Merissa pped him across the face with a flushed face. ¡°How dare you?¡± she gritted out. ¡°How dare youpare me with that lowly peasant?¡± She seethed as she red at him.


    ¡°I was only telling the truth; how is thatparing you to Lily?¡± Zach replied with a chuckle.


    ¡°If I¡¯m to make aparison between you two, it will be an insult to Lily and not to you,¡± he added, further annoying Merissa, who was just a moment away from losing her sh*t.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m afraid to expose your dealings with me?¡± She threatened and Zachughed, a heartyugh that made him hold his stomach, ¡°Oh please, Miss Smith. I would love to see you do it without evidence,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Unlike you, I always manage not to leave a trace and except you, who everyone already knows as a liar and a maniptor, no one else knew I was involved with you,¡± he added with a mischievous glint in his eyes.


    ¡°Like I said, I was only using you to achieve my goals and I¡¯ve always known that our partnership wille to an end sooner thanter. You could not even keep your only source of great design. How could you keep a man you have added no value to?¡± He asked coldly.


    She bit her lips and turned away from him. ¡°Leave!¡± She ordered. ¡°I don¡¯t want to ever see you anywhere near me again. If you ever appear around me again, I promise to make your life a living hell!¡± She threatened and Zach shrugged, picking up his phone and keys from the chair.


    ¡°I don¡¯t n on being around you either. I hope you learn your lessons and turn a new leaf soon,¡± he said, exiting the apartment.


    Seeing him gone, Merissa screamed and threw the vase at the wall. ¡°Fucking piece of shit!¡± She screamed. ¡°All of them are nothing but useless idiots!¡± She continued rampaging for several minutes until her phone started ringing.


    Her face brightened up as she noticed the caller. ¡°How is it? Did you get it?¡± She asked immediately, not waiting for the other person to speak. There was a short break on the phone, followed by a cautious whispering voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be a lot more difficult than we nned,¡± the person reported, and Merissa frowned.


    ¡°What do you mean by that? Aren¡¯t you one of her people already?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Of course I am, but it¡¯s not that simple. We are only given work, and we are being closely supervised; stealing the designs is going to be difficult since we are given separate parts of a design to work with,¡± thedy on the other side of the phone reported.


    Merissa, hitting a huge wall, once again lost her cool as she threw her phone against the wall. ¡°Why the heck is nothing going as nned?¡±     ¡°What do you think? It¡¯s gorgeous, right?¡± na asked as she twirled in front of the mirror, checking how much her flowing blue dress fitted her.


    Lily lifted her head and looked away from themercials she was editing for the official page. She gave na a once-over and nodded approvingly.


    ¡°It matches your skin tone and goes well with the event. You have good eyes,¡± shepliments, making na flush timidly.


    ¡°Thank you! Too bad I had to get it ready-made; I wanted to make my dress for the event by myself,¡± na sighed with a pout while looking in the mirror.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have more of it to attend in the future. By the way, what is Evie up to these days?¡± Lily asked curiously. After her return to the city, she had been too busy setting up the store and establishing it as apany to follow the news about Merissa or Evie.


    Her goal was to set the momentum for Lily¡¯s fashion before going to the nationals, where she would eventually leave them all in awe and loyal to her brand. Hearing her question, na groaned as she went into the side room to change out of the dress before replying.


    ¡°Well, she asked me to take her along as my plus one for the award party, and I agreed,¡± she exined, and Lily raised a brow.


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Because I know she¡¯s up to something again.¡± na chuckled ¡°Her parents are having a fallout right now due to the problem she caused.


    It¡¯s usually her mom siding with her and her dad against her, so I think she and her scheming mother are up to something again. I¡¯m just not sure what,¡± she exined with a shrug as she took her seat beside Lily.


    ¡°Will you be alright? You don¡¯t need me to help you with anything right?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°Of course! You have nothing to worry about, even though I¡¯m like this. I grew up in the Thompson family, and I have their rotten blood flowing through me. Since I don¡¯t have to worry about implicating my parents, I can hold my own against the mother and daughter duo¡± She grinned reassuringly, and Lily nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a call away if you need me.¡± na stood up, ready to leave, when she suddenly remembered something.


    ¡°Why did you ask me to give those guys different parts of different designs to work with?¡± she asked, and Lily smiled mischievously.


    ¡°Because we let in a rat!¡±

 Chapter 67: Attached To The Past

    ¡°Why are you dressed so suspiciously? What tricks are you up to this time?¡± na asked with a raised brow as she noticed Lily, who was dressed in a way that made her gender unrecognisable.


    ¡°You talk as if I¡¯m always ying tricks,¡± Lily replied with a yful re. ¡°That¡¯s because you are always nning something.


    Is this rted to the new ns for the store or something else?¡± na asked as she looked Lily over, searching for a trace of her boss.


    ¡°Are you wearing a wig and lenses right now?¡± she asked and Lily nodded. ¡°If you were meeting me for the first time, would you know I¡¯m ady? Do I give off the perfect masculine energy?¡± She asked with a subtle baritone voice, making na gape at her in surprise.


    ¡°What¡¯s the heck? Yes, I would definitely know; your voice sounds fake and unnatural but you do give off a subtle masculine vibe like the transgender kind.


    Are you going tomit a crime?¡± na was questioned with a suspicious expression, making Lily roll her eyes.


    ¡°I have a business meeting with a client from my side job. It¡¯s an important meeting that I can¡¯t call off and having him know my identity will bring nothing but stress and headaches. Which means I can¡¯t risk it,¡± Lily exined as she did the final touches of her makeover, making sure everything was perfectly in ce.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°Then is your client a bad guy? Is he wanted? Are you in danger? Do you need a tracking device?¡± na continued with a worried frown.


    ¡°No, he is not. He is a well-known figure in the country, and for some personal reasons, I don¡¯t want to get too involved with him at this stage,¡± Lily exined casually, making the whole thing sound mysterious yet simple and casual.


    na nodded with a knowing expression. She had always known that Lily had some other jobs; how else would she have been able to afford such a grand start-up for the store if she didn¡¯t?


    Even though na knew, she didn¡¯t know what it was, and asking about it was out of the question. In the end, the rtionship between them was just that of a boss and her employee.


    ¡°Do you need me to do anything for you?¡± She asked, changing the subject from Lily¡¯s suspicious dressing and side jobs.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already booked a car toe pick me up; in case anythinges up, I¡¯ll share with you my location for safety reasons. I doubt anything would happen though, so be rest assured and don¡¯t miss too much¡± Lily replied with a wink making na stick out her tongue.


    Just as she finished talking, her phone went off, notifying her about the arrival of the driver she had booked for the trip out of the city.


    ¡°Alrighty, it¡¯s time to go. Keep an eye on what I asked you to; you have to get everything right and don¡¯t miss any details. The future of the store depends on it!¡± she instructed and left.


    Soon, the driver stopped on a dirt pathway leading towards the reserved forest area. Taking a deep breath, Lily got down and adjusted her mask before walking down the familiar pathway that led to their scheduled ce of meeting.


    Soon she arrived in a clearing with a lone bamboo house sitting at the centre. The appearance of the lonesome building sent a wave of nostalgia through Lily.


    In her past life as Victoria, this ce was her get-away, a ce where she rxed to get things done quicker due to the serene atmosphere because the ce was not open to a lot of people.


    Wang¡¯s tea house only epts three visitors every day, and the ce is booked all year round, making it an exclusive ce for the rich and influential people in the country to do business.


    The tea house is owned by two old Chinese couples who decided to spend theirst days in seclusion and away from the busy life of the city. Victoria was given special privileges toe whenever she wished due to the connection her mother had with the old couple after their chance encounter and their simr love for tea and a serene atmosphere.


    ¡°I also fell in love with this ce the first time I came here; their lovely tea and the beautiful atmosphere mix with the fresh and clean air of the nts around; it¡¯s the perfect ce to forget about one¡¯s problems for a while.¡± Lily flinched and jumped forward in fear as she heard someone talk behind her.


    She got into a defensive pose, ready to tackle whoever it was that had sneaked up on her. She rxed as she noticed it was Mark. He bowed lightly and smiled apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for startling you, I did not want to disturb your appreciation of the ce so I had to make my steps light,¡± he apologised.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; I should have heard youing either way. I guess I was too carried away with my thoughts,¡± Lily replied as the two walked towards the tea house.


    As they entered the tea house, her masculine disguise masking her true identity, she navigated the familiar space with ease.


    Despite her outward appearance, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of nostalgia wash over her as memories of her past life as Victoria resurfaced.


    ¡°Wee to Wang¡¯s Tea House.¡± Mrs. Wang greeted them with a warm smile. ¡°Please, take a seat.¡±


    Lily nodded in acknowledgement, her voice lowering to maintain her cover. ¡°Thank you,¡± she replied, her gaze briefly flickering to the woman¡¯s familiar wrinkled face. She smiled and gave a nod as she took the seat offered. The urge to once again feel the warm embrace of the woman filled her, but knowing her situation, she decided to hold back and concentrate on her reason foring.


    ¡®I knew agreeing with his request to meet here might bring a problem,¡¯ she thought to herself while pretending to go through the tea menu. ¡®Who would have thought I¡¯d still get attached to the things of the past?¡¯


    ¡°What would you like to have?¡± Mrs. Wang questioned, ¡°We only have two types on the menu today,¡± she added.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have the house specials,¡± Mark replied, and Lily nodded in support. ¡°I¡¯ve heard Wang¡¯s special tea is such a wonderful tea that would make you experience the bliss of heaven just like when surrounded by the lovely fragrance of beautiful women,¡± shepliments, and Mrs. Wangughs.


    ¡°Oh, you tter me, young man,¡± Mrs. Wang chuckled, her eyes crinkling with warmth. ¡°Though I must admit, our tea is quite exceptional, it¡¯s brewed with love,¡± She winked yfully at Lily, who couldn¡¯t help but grin in response.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure it¡¯s even more delightful when you¡¯re the one serving it,¡± Lily quipped, maintaining her low voice but allowing a hint of mirth to seep through.


    Mrs Wang let out a heartyugh, nodding in agreement. ¡°I see you have a way with words, young man. Are you sure we haven¡¯t met before?¡± She teased, her gaze flitting over Lily¡¯s masculine disguise with a hint of curiosity.


    ¡°I can assure you, madam, I am not one to forget such a weing face,¡± Lily replied, enjoying the verbal sparring and the sense of familiarity it invoked. ¡°Though I must say, your tea house has a way of making one feel right at home.¡±


    Mrs. Wang beamed at thepliment, clearly pleased with Lily¡¯s appreciation for her establishment. ¡°I¡¯m d you think so. It¡¯s always a pleasure to meet a kindred spirit,¡± she said, pouring their tea with practised grace.


    As the aroma of the tea wafted through the air, Lily¡¯s tense shoulders rxed, making her let go of her immediate worries.


    ¡°I do not doubt that our tea will taste even better now, seasoned with your charming words,¡± Mrs Wang added with a chuckle, setting the pot down and taking a step back.


    Lily nodded in agreement, raising her cup in a mock toast. ¡°To the best tea house in town and its delightful host,¡± she dered, her eyes twinkling with amusement.


    Mrs. Wang gave a small bow, her eyes shining with gratitude and a hint of mischief. ¡°And to new friends who appreciate the finer things in life,¡± she countered, returning the toast before leaving them to enjoy their tea.


    ¡°I thought people like you were always too focused on work to learn to flirt,¡± Mark teased, bringing Lily back to reality.


    ¡°Haha, I love human society, you know? And a little flirting and ttering get things done faster,¡± she replied with a shrug as she took a sip of her tea. She let out a hum as the taste exploded in her mouth. ¡°It¡¯s really nice around here. I should thank President Mark for bringing me to enjoy such goodness.¡± She nodded approvingly, and Mark smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you like it here. If it¡¯s okay with you, we can set this ce as our meeting ce in the future. I¡¯m sure Mrs. Wang will like to see more of you,¡± he offered carefully, trying not to be pushy.


    ¡°I won¡¯t say no to such generosity. Alright, enough side talks. Let¡¯s get on to the main business. What do you think?¡±

 Chapter 68: A Blood Debt

    ¡°Sure, what do you have for me?¡± Mark asked, and Lily brought out herptop. After typing away for a while, she turned it on to face him. Disyed on the screen were several codes and a small screen showing the analysis for the codes.


    ¡°This is the new programme I set for the Nex device. It¡¯s a major upgrade from the formal one, and there is a possibility that it would overshadow the Waves programme we did previously. I did pour out my heart into writing this programme after all,¡± she chuckled after saying thest part.


    ¡°This programme will give birth to a major change in the mobile phone market. A revolutionary change.¡± She continued each word spoken, seeming to capture Mark¡¯s heart as he stared at the programme with starry eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s tempting and I can already imagine the huge profit, but what¡¯s the catch? I¡¯m sure you could have told me all this through the site instead of meeting in person. Should I be worried I¡¯ll have to sell my soul to get it?¡± he asked with a teasing smile, making Lily smirk in return as she poured herself another serving of tea.


    ¡°You truly deserve your title as the genius businessman with attention to details; you didn¡¯t get swayed before knowing what the catch is. If you had, I might have demanded your soul,¡± she joked, and Mark squinted his eyes.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s precisely because the product is too mouth-watering that I have to be even more cautious. Then there is youing out to meet up.¡± He added with scepticism in his voice.


    ¡°I want you to help you win the session battle between you and your cousin,¡± she voiced, and Mark frowned as he asked, ¡°What¡¯s in it for you?¡±


    ¡®After all, there is no free lunch in the world. You have to give something to take something,¡¯ he thought to himself while waiting for Lily¡¯s reply.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you, and you¡¯ll owe me a favour. You are free to refuse though, but you know what that means, don¡¯t you?¡± She asked with a slight frown


    ¡®It would mean the help goes to someone else.¡¯ Mark replied in his mind. Despite knowing she was threatening him, he could understand where she wasing from and it was better for him that way.


    Having her on his side while he owes her a favour, would be a huge boost for his game. Not only would he solve his biggest fear of her suddenly choosing some otherpany to work with, but it would also help him achieve so many of his goals.


    No matter how he thought about it, it was a good catch but then¡­


    His thoughts were interrupted by Lily¡¯s words, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s nothing too big, nor is it something illegal. It¡¯s something you can do without it affecting your everyday life,¡± she assured with a knowing smile.


    Mark leaned back in his chair, mulling over Lily¡¯s proposal. Her offer was undoubtedly enticing, but the implications of epting her help were something he was weary about.


    ¡®What does she want?¡¯


    The session battle with his cousin was not much of a private matter, and he wasn¡¯t surprised that someone as well informed as sinful knew about the inner dealings of his family.


    However, the enticing offer made by the master hacker sitting before him felt like a poisonous apple instead of a juicy one that could satisfy his hunger.


    ¡°I appreciate your offer,¡± Mark began, choosing his words carefully. ¡°But I¡¯d like to know how you intend to help me win it. Although Alpha is the biggest part of the Watson group, it¡¯s not a deciding factor, and it can easily be overshadowed by the joint forces of the other sectors,¡± he exined, and Lily smiled knowingly.


    She had been anticipating his reply, which she was fully prepared for.


    ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, President Mark,¡± Lily replied with a confident tone as she maintained eye contact with him. ¡°Alpha Tech, despite being a significant part of the Watson group, is only a piece of the puzzle. To secure your position as sessor, we need to address the other sectors as well. And from my knowledge, you are being pushed out of those sectors because your rivals are afraid you¡¯ll outshine them with your intelligence,¡± she added, and Mark nodded.


    Mark¡¯s curiosity was piqued by Lily¡¯s assertion. Her insight into thepany¡¯s dynamics was impressive, making him wonder if she truly had a way to help him attain the post of chairman.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Mark said, leaning forward in his chair, his gaze locked on Lily¡¯s enigmatic smile.


    Lily leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. ¡°What if I told you that I have information on key yers within the other sectors who could be swayed to support your bid for session?¡±


    Mark raised an eyebrow, caught off guard by her words. He had been expecting something else when she offered to help; he had never thought she¡¯d y by the old rules of using their dirty work to ckmail them. If Lily¡¯s information was urate, it could indeed tip the scales in his favour, but that alone wasn¡¯t enough to win against Frederick.


    ¡°Go on,¡± Mark urged, his interest piqued.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Over the past few months, I¡¯ve been discreetly gathering intel on the other sectors, identifying individuals who could be persuaded to back your im,¡± Lily exined, her tone confident and assured. ¡°With my assistance, you can build a coalition of supporters that will render your cousin¡¯s efforts futile; even amongst his trusted men, there are a few that would voluntarily jump ship to you.¡±


    Mark considered Lily¡¯s proposal, his mind racing with the possibilities. If they could secure the backing of influential figures within the other sectors, it would indeed make his cousin¡¯s opposition seem insignificant.


    ¡°But how do you intend to sway these individuals to our side?¡± Mark asked, seeking rification. ¡°What leverage do we have to convince them to support me?¡±


    Lily¡¯s smile widened, her eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief. ¡°Everyone has a secret, Master Mark. A desire, a weakness, or a hidden ambition. I have uncovered the vulnerabilities of these key yers, and we can use this knowledge to our advantage.¡± She exined calmly, and Mark mulled over her offer while sipping from the teacup.


    ¡°I need some time to think about this. After all, we are going to be dealing with rotten men in the industry.¡± Mark said finally, his brow furrowed in contemtion. ¡°What you¡¯re proposing could have far-reaching consequences, and I need to be certain that I¡¯mfortable with the approach before we proceed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s okay by me. I know that President Mark hates taking underhanded methods and was only testing my theory,¡± she chuckled. ¡°Although that offer still stands, it¡¯s not the main n I have to help you secure your position. I heard you are trying to bid for the federal government project.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. It¡¯s my key strategy to win the session game once and for all,¡± Mark replied with a nod and an attentive expression.


    ¡°The main person in charge of the bid is Mister Walton Stark, not the minister. He¡¯s going to be in the city by next Wednesday; he doesn¡¯t like bribes, but he has great eyes for talents and great projects,¡± she exined calmly as she provided a document containing all the information about the man and handed it over to Mark.


    ¡°I need you to win the federal government¡¯s project, no matter what. It¡¯s going to benefit both of us.¡± She voiced it with a serious expression.


    ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± Mark asked sceptically, unsure why she was going out of her way to help him win the seat of the chairman when she didn¡¯t trust him enough to show her real identity to him.


    ¡°I have a blood debt to collect from a certain set of people. I mean, I need to take revenge on them, and I can¡¯t do it without strong backing. So I need you to be my backer; in turn, I¡¯ll make yourpany one that is unrivalled. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°There are many ways I  could have used your help without your direct consent but I hate owing favours. And that¡¯s why I need to establish this give and take rtionships early on, I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡±


    Mark¡¯s gaze flicked between Lily¡¯s earnest expression and the document she had handed him. The proposal on the table had shifted drastically from exploiting vulnerabilities to securing a crucial government project, with hints of a hidden agenda tied to blood debt. The gravity of Lily¡¯s request settled heavily in the air between them.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking for a significantmitment from me,¡± Mark stated, cing the document down on the table. ¡°I understand the potential benefits for both of us, but I need to know more about this blood debt and the people involved. I can¡¯t agree to back you without fully understanding the implications and potential risks.¡±


    Lily nodded, her gaze dropping momentarily as she collected her thoughts. ¡°I can appreciate your caution, President Mark. It¡¯s only natural to want more information before making such a decision.¡± She looked back up at him, her eyes filled with a steely resolve. ¡°But I promise my dealings will not affect you in any way; I just need a constant inflow of cash and strong security,¡± she exined.


    Mark studied Lily¡¯s expression, weighing her words carefully. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for every detail, but I need more than what you¡¯ve given me,¡± Mark replied, his tone firm yet empathetic. ¡°If we¡¯re going to move forward with this partnership, there needs to be trust between us, and trust is built on transparency. I don¡¯t even know what you look like under that mask of yours; how am I sure the blood debt is not against my family?¡±


    Lily took a deep breath, her fingers tapping rhythmically on the table as she considered Mark¡¯s request. After a few moments, she gave a slight nod, seeming to havee to a decision.


    ¡°I can share a bit more, but please understand that the fewer people who know the specifics, the safer we¡¯ll both be,¡± she cautioned. ¡°It¡¯s a blood debt with my father and his family. I need to avenge my mother. That¡¯s all I can tell you.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s enough for me to work with at the moment?¡± He asked with a thoughtful expression.


    The day had been more eventful than he had thought it would be, and thinking about the partnership that was about to be established, he could already sense more exciting things to fill hising days.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯m in!¡±

 Chapter 69: The Bait Has Been Set

    ¡°I don¡¯t like the fit of this dress, ugh! It¡¯s so big and ufortable,¡± Celina grumbled as she twirled around, fully dressed for the award event that was going to start in a few hours.


    Being one of the prominent families in the fashion industry, the Lam fashion is held in high esteem, making attending the banquet a must for Celina who¡¯d rather be somewhere else than entertaining some obnoxious guests.


    ¡°You also think it¡¯s too overrated, don¡¯t you? I told Mum I don¡¯t like the dress but she insisted I wear it to honour the designer of the dress who would be in attendance tonight. To think I¡¯ll have to spend the next few hours hating myself, ugh!¡± She continued as she turned to the bored-looking Lily, dressed casually in a sweatshirt and sweatpants.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over the top; it¡¯s okay; it just doesn¡¯t fit your taste. A lot of people will want to kill to have that dress you know? Just have it on for a few hours and you can change out of itter,¡± Lily advised, making Celina scrunch up her nose in dissatisfaction.


    ¡®Why am I here? I have so much to do, and here I am ying dress up with her,¡¯ Lily thought to herself with a mental facepalm as she flopped on therge bed with her face turned to the ceiling.


    Her mind wandered to the meeting she had with Mark the previous day.


    The meeting sealed their partnership for as long as they could maintain it.


    She let out a sigh, thinking about the direction in which the meeting had ended. It was truly her n to get him to be her partner while also making sure she wasn¡¯t indebted to him.


    ¡®But why the heck did I threaten him?¡¯ she groaned mentally.


    ¡®I could have proposed the partnership without threatening him. What if it had backfired and he didn¡¯t agree?¡¯ she continued.


    ¡®It would have been a total failure with me losing my most important chess piece. Even though I made it seem as though I had many choices, I don¡¯t. No one can match his efficiency or his brains. None among his brothers. And even though I could do it by myself, it would be even moreplicated and stressful than to use an already establishedpany,¡¯


    ¡®In this life, I just want to have my revenge and live the rest of my life as a rich young woman who only spends money,¡¯


    {Haven¡¯t you heard, ¡®With great poweres great responsibility?¡¯} the system interrupted her thoughts.


    ¡°And what power do I have to take on so much responsibility? I¡¯ve worked too hard in myst life; I don¡¯t want to do that in this life,¡± she replied.


    {¡­ The system¡¯s knowledge has to be passed on, and you are the medium. No matter how I look at it, you don¡¯t have a life of leisure in front of you if you continue this way}


    ¡°In what way? This is the best way!¡± She countered, and the system sighed heavily.


    {You are free to remain anonymous, but your close partners have to know you. That¡¯s the very basics of building trust! It makes your work easier too.}


    ¡°Cleaning up after doing dirty work is easier with an anonymous identity,¡± Lily cut the system off. ¡°But I do understand what you are saying. However, I¡¯m keeping my identity hidden now because, dealing with those big guys, you need an aura of mystery, and it also brings respect.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Mark will work with me if he knows my identity from the start? He won¡¯t, which is why I¡¯m buying him over with my work, not my identity. Now that that¡¯s settled, We need to start the next phase of our n.¡±


    {Which is?}


    ¡°I don¡¯t know yet, but we will figure it out as we go. The nationals start in three days, and the dignitaries in charge of it will be avable at Diane¡¯s award.¡±


    {Have you started regretting not epting all the invites?} The system asked with a gloating tone making Lily chuckle.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Such an event is just for show. I need to mentally prepare; it¡¯s going to be bigger than the Paris show,¡± she dered and an evil grin spilt on her lips, making the system shiver in fear.


    ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡± Celina asked with a frown as she stood beside Lily with her hands on her waist.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t,¡± Lily replied truthfully as she looked up at Celina with an innocent expression. ¡°What were you saying?¡±


    Celina let out a sigh and sat beside Lily. ¡°I¡¯m asking why you decided not to attend the award; it¡¯s an important banquet that helps you get an idea of who your opponent is,¡± she exined, and Lily raised a brow.


    ¡°Opponent? I¡¯m not in apetition, though. The sky is big enough for several dragons to fly,¡± she replied with a shrug, making Celina shake her head in exasperation.


    ¡°I know you are going to join the nationals with yourpany,¡± Celina announced, and Lily froze up. The nationalpetition lists are not always announced until the first day of thepetition, making it impossible for people to know who exactly is going to be on the list.


    The essence was to build an air of mystery around thepetitors and also give the audience a surprise.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about,¡± she denied and sat up. Celina rolled her eyes and stood up to finish up her makeup. ¡°My family is one of the sponsors, so we have early ess to the list, and yourpany name is on it,¡± she exined.


    ¡°I¡¯m not pressuring you, but there are many talented people like yourself joining thepetition. The best way to win is to know yourpetitors. That¡¯s the old rule,¡± Celina exined, and Lily smiled.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you cared about me this much,¡± she smiled and winked. ¡°But you have nothing to worry about. For me, the best way to win apetition is to have funpeting. Without the fun, there is no need topete,¡± she remarked.


    With a helpless smile and a shake of her head, Celina turned away from Lily and said, ¡°Well. I wish you good luck. It¡¯s not going to be easy.¡±


    ¡°Who wants easy? Easy is boring. I¡¯m expecting it to be more fun than the Paris show, so sit back and buy lots of popcorn because it¡¯s going to be entertaining.¡±


    ***Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Merissa eximed happily, her eyes shining with happiness and greed as she flipped through the pages of designs that had been sent to her.


    ¡°How did you get it?¡± She asked curiously once her excitement had died down. She had almost given up on stealing the designs from Lily after she was told about how the other never provided her employee with the full design outline.


    ¡°I had to make a spare key to her office; getting that done wasn¡¯t easy, to be honest. She¡¯s overly guarded, but I¡¯m smarter.¡± The other person on the phoneughed.


    ¡°Then are you sure this is safe? It¡¯s not a trap, is it? Your tail wasn¡¯t caught, right?¡± Merissa asked worriedly as she continued to flip through the tens of mouth-watering designs.


    ¡®So what if you don¡¯t want to give me your designs to work with? I can always just steal them and even pay you for them!¡¯ she thought to herself with a gloating expression.


    ¡®In the end, you can only be a pawn in my game of chess. How naive of you to think you¡¯ve escaped my ws!¡¯


    A rustling sound was heard on the other side of the phone, followed by the whispering voice of the caller: ¡°I copied the whole design under the ¡®New design files¡¯ so you don¡¯t have to worry about the potential consequences. There won¡¯t be any. And to be on the safe side, I also deleted the file along with some minor files. My tracks have been erasedpletely.¡±


    ¡°You are aspetent as they said you¡¯d be. Since you¡¯vepleted the deal, I¡¯ll send you the bnce payment, and this is the end for both of us. I hope you understand,¡± Merissa asked coldly, and thedy chuckled.


    ¡°Of course, Miss Smith. Your secret goes to the grave with me,¡± she replied, hanging up the phone. After which, she looked across the table with a fearful expression as she noticed the sinister grin on Lily¡¯s normally stoic face.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Miss Diana. How does it feel working as a double agent?¡± Lily asked innocently, making Diana shiver in fear. She averted her gaze and began staring at her fidgeting hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡°You have nothing to be sorry about. It wasn¡¯t your fault. It¡¯s her fault,¡± Lily cajoled calmly, further making thedy scared.


    ¡°What will happen to me?¡± Diana asked nervously, and Lily hummed, ¡°Aspensation for your crime, you¡¯ll continue to work in Lily¡¯s fashion for a year, and you¡¯ll only get half your sry for that one year. You have a huge sum to sustain you anyway,¡± Lily shrugged.


    Diana¡¯s eyes widen in shock and fear as she hears Lily¡¯s words. Working for one year with just half her sry was a huge punishment, but considering getting reported to the police for workce theft, it was the better option.


    Lily scowled as she noticed her hesitation. She leaned forward and folded her hands on the table. ¡°If you are too reluctant to let go of your payments, we can take it to the right authorities; I don¡¯t mind,¡± she dered coldly, and Diana fell on her knees.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t,¡± she pleaded with tears streaming down her cheeks. ¡°Please don¡¯t report me to the police. I don¡¯t want to go to jail! My family depends on me, and my going to jail will leave them with nothing. Please,¡± she begged vigorously, and Lily sighed.


    ¡°Then get back to work, and let¡¯s hope history doesn¡¯t repeat itself. I won¡¯t be too forgiving if it happens again,¡± she warned and waved dismissively as Diana scurried out of the office.


    Lily twirled around on her chair, a calcting look in her eyes as a smirk yed on her lips, ¡°The bait has been set. I¡¯m sure you can¡¯t wait to bite on it, Miss Merissa Smith,¡±

 Chapter 70: Game On

    ¡°Wee everyone to the most anticipated national fashionpetition!¡± The host announced cheerfully, and the hall erupted in excited cheers.


    The atmosphere in the grand auditorium charged up, buzzing with anticipation as fashion enthusiasts from all corners of the country and even outside the country gathered to witness the much-awaited nationalpetitions between the top geniuses in the fashion industry of the country.


    The stage was set with dazzling lights and an impressive runway that demanded attention. A panel of distinguished judges sat at the forefront, their keen eyes ready to scrutinise every detail of the uing showcases.


    ¡°As you all know, thispetition is a celebration of the diverse talents that make our fashion industry so vibrant,¡± the charismatic host continued, his voice resonating through therge auditorium with nothing less than a thousand audience.


    ¡°Designers, models, and tailors from various backgrounds will showcase their unique creations and tell us a story through their craft.¡± The audience listens with bated breath as the host and hostess walk them through the introduction of the events.


    ¡°And as usual, there will always be a rule that governs this type of gathering and also a manual that needs to be followed to ensure smooth sailing on all sides. For the audience, the organisers wish you would enjoy watching the show, but you have to strictly adhere to the rules written in the pamphlet given to you.¡± The hostess announced.N?velDrama.Org content.


    ¡°We need your help to make sure everything runs smoothly and that the participants are safe all through thepetition. Which means no harmful objects are allowed in the auditorium and definitely not throwing of shoes but you can throw flowers¡± she joked as she continued.


    ¡°And now to the participants, each participant will present three original designs, with a focus on creativity, innovation, and sustainability. Your designs will be judged based on these three factors and some other small details,¡±


    ¡°Models will walk the runway, highlighting the features and inspiration behind each design as they bring the creations to life.¡±


    ¡°Designers and tailors will have the opportunity to discuss their work, exining their choices in fabric, style, and construction. This is to get their customers familiar with their products and the story behind their making.¡±


    ¡°A panel of esteemed judges, consisting of industry experts and renowned fashion icons, has been set to evaluate each design based on originality, craftsmanship, and overall impact.¡±


    They exined, whetting the appetite of the audience. ¡°The audience, both the ones present and the ones in their homes, can vote for their favourite team or individual through the voting tform that has been set up; each person is only entitled to one vote, and when we find out that the votes have been rigid, the team will be disqualified,¡± the hostess continued, making sure everyone became familiar with the rules to avoid future problems.


    ¡°After tonight¡¯s show, you all can go to the official page of thispetition to get to know the contestants properly and listen to their reasons for participating in the show and also what they hope to achieve while being here! But before then, we will give you a brief introduction to each team member!¡± The host eximed excitedly, and the people cheered.


    ¡°Alright! First on our list tonight is the representative from Wilson Fashion School! And representing them are the two powerful duos, Shannon, the genius designer who had never lost apetition since she was twelve, and Xavier, her most trusted tailor!¡± The hostess announced.


    A young man dresses in a ck and gold tuxedo paired with expensive-looking ck dress shoes. Beside him, ady with a noble aura and a fairy appearance walks, dressed in a in but elegant gold dress matching that of the young man.


    As the two stepped on the stage, they bowed to the cheering audience and moved to the side so the host could introduce the other participants.


    ¡°Next on our list is the team from the esteemed Fairies Academy of Fashion and Design,¡± the host announced, his voice echoing through the auditorium as the audience eagerly awaited the arrival of the next duo.


    ¡°Please wee Celeste, a talented designer known for her avant-garde creations, and her partner, Leo, an exceptional tailor with a ir for the dramatic.¡± The host announced.


    The curtains parted once more, revealing Celeste and Leo as they made their entrance. Celeste was a vision of bold creativity, dressed in a vibrant red jumpsuit with asymmetrical lines and an exaggerated cor. Her jet-ck hair was styled in a sleek, angr bob, and her lips bore a striking shade of crimson that perfectlyplemented her outfit.


    Leo, walking alongside her, gave off a refined charm in a white suit with contrasting red ents. His stylishly dishevelled blonde hair and mischievous smile added an air of yfulness to the duo¡¯s overall appearance.


    They stepped forward, bowed, and blew a kiss to the audience before joining the first two at the side.


    ¡°Next on our list is the representative from the Yellow Hills Fashion and Design Academy, Merissa Smith, hailed as the youngest budding designer in her academy, and Soren, a two-time award-winning tailor on the young adult list!¡±


    A fresh-faced young woman with an innocent charm stepped forward, her hand lightly resting on the arm of her partner. Merissa¡¯s honey-blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders, contrasting beautifully with the soft green hues of her flowing chiffon dress. The ethereal design hinted at the natural beauty and purity that served as her inspiration.


    Soren, her partner, exuded confidence and poise as he stood beside Merissa, his dark, wavy hair neatly styled.


    His deep navy suitplemented her dress with subtle ents that echoed the tones of her design. The tailoring was impable, highlighting the craftsmanship that had earned him des at such a young age.


    As the two stepped on stage, the cheers were not as loud as the ones given to the first two teams, and even some murmurs could be heard amongst the audience as they criticised Merissa and the academy she was representing.


    ¡°How can they possibly send someone as conniving as her to represent their school? Do they not have other talents that could take her ce?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so angry that Bitxh is paired with my idol! How can they pair Soren with her?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be forced to vote for her designs because of Soren! This is so bad!¡±


    ¡°In all honesty, it was already toote to change the representative; I¡¯m sure their school didn¡¯t mean to offend anyone.¡±


    ¡°Then they should have pulled out! It¡¯s going to affect the other participants!¡±


    The host cleared his throat, trying to get the attention of the now-distracted audience. Merissa, unfazed by the subtle hostility she was getting from the audience, smiled and joined the other group.


    ¡°I hope someone knows that underhanded methods don¡¯t work in the nationals,¡± Celeste muttered mockingly while the other chuckled.


    Hearing her words, Soren clenched his fist and took a deep breath. He had insisted on pulling out, not wanting to get pulled into the drama around Merissa, but it was toote to find a recement for him, making him the scapegoat to suffer through thepetition with her.


    ¡®How I wish pulling out for tailors were as easy as it is for models,¡¯ he thought to himself while maintaining a stoic expression.


    The introduction continued for several minutes, and neen teams were introduced. ¡°Finally, thest, but not the least, team on our list is the representative from Lily¡¯s Fashion! Miss Lily, who wins the hearts of the audience and judges through her designs in the fashion show and her trusted partner, Phoenix!¡±


    A poised and elegant young woman made her entrance, exuding nobility with every step. Lily¡¯s lustrous brte hair was gathered in a sophisticated chignon, entuating her high cheekbones and refined features.


    Her figure was draped in an exquisite emerald gown, a masterpiece of her design, symbolising the harmony and coboration between her and Phoenix. Completing her enigmatic look, Lily donned a delicate, feather-adorned mask, adding an air of mystery and sophistication-a symbol of their unique brand.


    Although she had gone on a show with her real face, she didn¡¯t forget the promise she made to na about helping her keep her identity hidden through thepetition, which was why she decided to add the mask to their outfit.


    na walked onto the stage with an equally refined presence. Her raven-ck hair was swept up in an intricate bun, revealing her slender neck and delicate features.


    Her flowing sapphire dress billowed around her as she moved, its jewel-toned fabric mirroring the passion and creativity that drove their designs forward. A striking, sequin-embellished mask adorned her face, further emphasising their distinct brand identity.


    The two walked forward, and like the rest of the teams, they bowed to the audience and stood to the side.


    As Merissa¡¯s shocked eyes met Lily¡¯s cold ones, her body froze up and her hands began to sweat. ¡®What the hell is she doing here?!¡¯ she eximed in her mind while keeping an eye on Lily, who was now busy talking to na.


    As if sensing an eye on her, Lily looked up to meet Merissa¡¯s ring eyes. She smirked and then winked before mouthing, ¡°Game on,¡± to Merissa.

 Chapter 71: We Have To Make You Sick

    ¡°Is it to your liking?¡± Soren asked with a smile as he sat in front of Lily, who had received his milkshake gift.


    Lily shrugged and took another sip before replying, ¡°What do you think? You did get me my favourite milkshake.¡±


    Soren chuckled lightly and took the seat in front of her. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting you to take it,¡± he confessed, and Lily raised a brow. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s a milkshake, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°We arepetitors,¡± he pointed out as a matter of fact. ¡°And so?¡± She replied, making him shake his head.


    ¡°You are new to these things, but you have to be careful amongst the other representatives. You could get hurt any minute if you are too careless,¡± Soren warned, genuinely making Lily smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I know senior Soren would not hurt me. Right? How is it being her tailor and getting along well?¡± Lily asked, and Soren sighed heavily.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to get all these over with, honestly. Zachary pulled out of being her modelst week, and we had to look for other people to do it,¡± Soren exined, and Lily hummed with a nod.


    ¡°And why didn¡¯t you quit?¡± She asked seriously while putting away the milkshake bottle.


    ¡°I could not pull it off. I¡¯m considered part of the main team, and except I¡¯m seriously ill, I can¡¯t pull out,¡± he exined, and Lily nodded.


    ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to make you ill then,¡± she replied with a thoughtful expression, confusing Soren.


    ¡°Why do you need to make me ill? I¡¯m already here, and getting things done quicker is the way out.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to get mixed up in the feud between me and Merrisa,¡± Lily spoke up with a furrowed brow.


    ording to the memories of the original owner, Soren had been a great support to her when she joined the academy, and he was the first to volunteer to help work on her designs before the others began to flood her after seeing her works.


    He is someone who drives my passion and his love for fashion, which means the praise he gets is earned through his hard work and not through underhanded means.


    Pulling someone like that into the feud between her and Merrisa makes Lily feel ufortable.


    ¡°Are you up to something?¡± Soren asked in confusion, and Lily nodded. ¡°Have you seen the designs she¡¯s working with?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Yes, they are truly incredible, and I can¡¯t wait to start working on them. But I can feel the simrities between both of your works, which means you are both going to get pitched together a lot during thepetition.


    Is that why you are worried?¡± He asked, and Lily passed her phone to him.


    ¡°She stole those designs, and here is the proof. You are talented and you have a bright future ahead of you. To repay you for your past kindness and the milkshake, I can help you fall sick,¡± she offered with a smile.


    ****


    ¡°Senior Soren was rushed to the hospital this morning, and he won¡¯t be able to make it for today¡¯s event,¡± Tracey, the year-one student assigned by the school to be the team¡¯s assistant, reported with a grim expression as she walked into the team¡¯s studio.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Merrisa questioned with a mixture of disbelief and concern. ¡°What happened to him? Is he alright? What would happen to our team if he was gone?¡±


    Tracey, fidgeting with her fingers, responded, ¡°I don¡¯t know the exact details, but the nurse said it might be a severe case of food poisoning. They¡¯re running some tests at the hospital to determine the exact cause.¡±


    ¡°There is no way he could get food poisoning! We all ate the same thingst night.¡± Merrisa eximed angrily as she began making her way out of the room.


    ¡°Did he eat anything else after we all ate together?¡± She demanded, and Tracey shook her head as she followed behind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± she replied calmly, and Merissa scowled. ¡°How can you not know?!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your job as the team¡¯s assistant, you useless idiot?!¡± She cursed with a re. ¡°Did he return to the roomst night, or did he go out?¡± She demanded impatiently.


    ¡°He went out to meet Senior Lily,¡± Tracey reported, and Merissa¡¯s face turned ugly with rage the next moment.


    She stormed out of their team¡¯s apartment and marched towards Lily¡¯s apartment.


    As she got to their apartment, she met Lily and the rest of her team having a casual discussion outside their quarters: ¡°You scheming bitch!¡± She yelled and jumped towards Lily, wanting to attack her.


    The security, following the contestants, immediately jumped to action, separating the two of them while the cameras continued recording the exciting scene.


    The interaction between the contestants during thepetition was another big part of the show, and each team was assigned a camera crew that would go with them wherever they went.


    Lily stared at Merissa with a confused and innocent appearance, pretending not to know what was happening. ¡°What the heck! Did you finally lose it?¡± She asked.


    ¡°What did you do to Soren?!¡± Merissa asked as she tried to get close to Lily, only to be stopped by the security once again. ¡°He is in the hospital due to food poisoning, and you were thest person he met, Lily!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? I didn¡¯t even offer him anything to eat! Instead, he was the one who bought me a milkshake! How did I make him sick when I didn¡¯t even give him anything to eat?¡± Lily replied defensively.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Miss Merrisa, how could you even think about using someone without evidence? Do you think everyone is as ck-hearted as you are?¡± na chimed in.


    ¡°Lily indeed met up with the guy on your team, but she didn¡¯t even offer him anything to eat; how can you use her of poisoning him?¡± She continued, leaving Merissa speechless and unable to continue, causing a ruckus.


    ¡°I demand they be investigated! Who knew how you had done it? Soren ate the same food as the rest of the team, and no one else had food poisoning; how could it be only him?¡± Merrisa continued, not wanting to give up.


    She didn¡¯t care even if it ended up with Lily¡¯s team being innocent; painting her as a scheming contestant would make the other group alienate their group.


    However, she had forgotten that her reputation amongst all the contestants was just as bad as the scene she was creating.


    Soon a new group joined the scene. Miss Smith, if you continue your rampage, your team will be disqualified,¡± the manager warned, and Merissa scoffed.


    ¡°Are you not going to investigate the whole thing? It was food poisoning, and it could have endangered his life!¡± She insisted.


    ¡°We already investigated, and it¡¯s a severe allergic reaction to the cinnamon buns you insisted he tasteddy night,¡± the manager announced, and Merissa recoiled in shame.


    Lily snickered, her eyes filled with mockery. ¡°Since you are so ck-hearted, you expect everyone to be. If I wanted to sabotage your team, I¡¯d target you, not your teammates. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself.¡±

 Chapter 72: Digging A Grave For Herself

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie! There is no way he could be allergic to cinnamon rolls!¡± Merrisa argued, ¡°I¡¯ve seen him eat cinnamon rolls several times! It must be a plot by this wrench!¡±


    ¡°Should I believe your report or the medical report? And are you using thepetition managers of colluding with the participants?¡± The manager demanded coldly, shutting up her argument with a re.


    ¡°Tha¡­That¡¯s not what I meant. I was just worried about my teammate,¡± Merissa choked out, unable to raise her voice under the manager¡¯s re.


    ¡°It might be inconvenient, but there will be a change in your team¡¯s setup. We¡¯ve informed your school, and a new representative will be sent. The next stage of thepetition will continue as scheduled, so get ready for your presentation with no dy,¡± the manager exined, and she walked away with the rest of her group.


    Lily smirked upon seeing Merissa¡¯s red face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe there could be someone as shameless as you; how could you use someone else of the crime youmitted? I would have lost my chances at being known if your plot had seeded.¡± She teased further, annoying Merrisa.


    Merissa red and turned away with a buggy. ¡°Let¡¯s see who willughst. I just hope you won¡¯t lose so badly. After all, you were once my loyal ve,¡± she taunted and walked away.


    ¡°By the time we are done, you won¡¯t even be fit to stay in the same room as me!¡± Lily mattered.


    ¡°I really hate her. I hate her more than I hate Evie and that¡¯s saying a lot,¡± na said as she scowled at Merrisa¡¯s retreating.


    ¡°What are you going to do? She tried ruining your reputation just now.¡±


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Lily replied with a shrug. ¡°I don¡¯t need to do anything to make her lose. She¡¯ll naturally trip and fall. That¡¯s just how she is,¡± she added with a shrug, just in time for na to trip on a fall; however, before she could fall, she regained her bnce.


    The scene between the two was quickly edited and posted by the media team, and it immediately drew theizen¡¯s attention as both parties were already known to be mortal enemies.


    ¡®I knew it! There is no way both of them could be in the same ce without causing trouble! Bring it on, I¡¯m all for the drama¡¯


    ¡®Oh my! Is my handsome Soren alright? Who would have thought he had an allergy!¡¯


    ¡®Hmph! Someone needs to bring that stupid Merrisa down a peg. I mean, she¡¯s growing to be a second Evie¡¯s


    ¡®She¡¯s already met her match. Lily is so easygoing, yet they are always targeting her. Vicious people. Is it a crime to be beautiful and talented?¡¯


    ¡®But who do you think will be recing Soren? The only person I can think of doesn¡¯t enjoy participating in all thesepetitions! And he definitely doesn¡¯t get along well with Merissa.


    ¡®You guessed it right! I just checked the school website; apparently, the new recement is Calvin. He does not get along well with Merrisa, but he doesn¡¯t like Lily either.


    ¡°Are you going to be fine?¡± na was worried as she read the online post about their newpetitor.


    ¡°I heard he is better than Soren but hates participating inpetitions. Do you think we can outshine him?¡± na asked with concern,cing her voice.


    ¡°You should be worried, not me. I¡¯m a designer; I¡¯m going up against that despicable trash, and you are going up against him.¡± Lily replied with a smile, making na sigh in defeat.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Stop sighing like an old woman, or you¡¯ll grow old quicker. Besides, you have nothing to worry about. Two of your works that were presented by Evie won against his works, so be proud of yourself. And I told you, we are here to have fun, not stress!¡± She reprimanded na carefully while poking.


    ¡°So what¡¯s your n? The first stage is a freestyle, and you can go all out.


    What do you intend to use?¡± Gary asked as a change of subject while munching on some sour grapes.


    ¡°I¡¯m going with this semi-formal design,¡± Lily replied, lifting her sketch pad for him to see.


    Lily¡¯s sketch showed a cool semi-formal outfit made just for a guy. The shirt was made from a smooth and shiny silk-satin mix that looked both fancy andfy.


    Its deep blue colour added a cool vibe, and the way the light bounced off the fabric made it stand out.


    The shirt was sewn to fit perfectly, with clean lines and a modern cut that would make anyone look good.


    A small pattern of delicate silver threads made a neat geometric design on the fabric, adding a little something special. The cor was sharp and stiff, with a single silver button that made you look at the neckline.


    The sleeves of the shirt were a bit loose, getting tighter near the wrists, and had French cuffs. Some custom-made silver cufflinks with a design like the pattern on the fabric made it look even better.


    Lily picked ssic, simple pants made from a soft wool-silk blend in a charcoal grey colour. The fabric was light and felt good, with a little bit of stretch for easy movement.


    To finish the look, Lily made a matching belt from nice, dark blue Italian leather. The silver buckle was made just for this outfit, matching the shirt¡¯s cufflinks and pattern.


    ¡°I know I should go all out, and God help me. I wanted to do something out of a fantasy world with robes, flowers, and intricate embroidery, but we have limited time, so we can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m d the whole process will be judged, not like the Paris show,¡± Lily exined.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already made the necessary arrangements for the fabrics we need; they will be delivered tonight, and then we will begin the design. The whole process will be recorded and shown to the public, so we have to be careful and fancy,¡± she instructed, and na nodded with a wink.


    ¡°Do you want me to make a guess about the design Merrisa would use first?¡± Lily asked with a raised finger and a smirking face.


    ¡°What design?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll have to go for the shimmering dress with therge bow and the long split,¡± Lily dered.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple and catchy. She¡¯ll want to leave an impression on the people, but at the same time she would not want unnecessary attention drawn to herself, so the first round for her is going to be average,¡± she exined.


    ¡°If she does use the blue dress, she¡¯s digging a grave for herself with the public. I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡±

 Chapter 73: Bad Habit

    It was finally the long-awaited presentation night for the first sound, where half of the participants would be disqualified. ording to the arrangement, the models representing each group will walk the runway, after which the judges will judge them ordingly, grading them with a pass or a disqualification.


    ¡°She did use the blue dress design you mentioned,¡± na pointed out as she walked into the dressing room assigned to their team.


    ¡°That¡¯s too much to expect. She¡¯szy and not creative enough to be here, so the only option she has while trying to make a name for herself is to use underhanded methods,¡± Lily replied while making sure nothing had gone wrong with the clothing.


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡± She asked, and Gary shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not as nervous as I was the first time I did a photoshoot. And I don¡¯t have that much work; I just have to walk down the runway,¡± he shrugged. ¡°While making sure I don¡¯t trip,¡± he added with a smile, and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°Right! You have to make sure your fans don¡¯t lose face.¡± Sheughed and patted his shoulder. ¡°Everything is okay with the clothes being changed; it¡¯s time to shine.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I need to ask,¡± na called out as they walked out of the room, leaving Gary to change. ¡°How do you know she¡¯ll use the designs you made? Apart from the first and final stages, there isn¡¯t a free-reign segment. You get them to work with for each stage.¡±


    Hearing her question, Lily shrugged with a smirk. ¡°I prepared a design for each theme that might be used. I¡¯m talking about anything and everything, including bikinis and every other one.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± na asked with a frown, ¡°I understand you guys don¡¯t get along but aren¡¯t you going too far with this? This might ruin her career forever. A giarism stigma is not easy to remove,¡± she asked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no use for her being in a field she¡¯s not good in, is there? And you asked why. Because I have a blood debt to settle, and heavens help me, I¡¯ll take back everything I own with interest,¡± she exined.


    For a brief moment, na felt she was talking to someone else other than Lily, as the dark aura and killing intenting from her felt real and suffocating, making na feel a cold sweat running down her spine.


    At the host¡¯s signal, the first model strutted down the runway in a stunning avant-garde design, a boldbination of vibrant colours and unconventional silhouettes. The judges were captivated by the designer¡¯s fearlessness and creative vision, as well as the model¡¯sposure and elegance.


    Judge 1: ¡°This design is a breath of fresh air from the boring ones that young talents always give! The mix of colours and shapes is daring yet harmonious. I appreciate the risk-taking and innovation disyed here. My score is 9/10. I love this.¡±


    Judge 2: ¡°I¡¯m impressed by the originality and boundary-pushing nature of this design. The execution is wless, and the attention to detail is outstanding. I¡¯d rate it an 8. 5/10. It needs a little bit of work with the detailing to bring out the story the designer intends to tell.¡±


    Judge 3: ¡°While I admire the creativity, I feel the design may be a bit too oundish for the average consumer. However, it¡¯s undeniably a work of art. I¡¯ll give it a 5/10.¡±


    After their grading, the second model stepped on stage. The model gracefully navigated the runway in a design that initially showed promise. However, as the judges examined the details more closely, their expressions shifted, revealing their disappointment.


    The design featured a unique concept, attempting tobine elements of vintage and futuristic fashion. Unfortunately, the execution fell short, with visible ws in the construction and an awkwardbination of fabrics.


    Judge 1: ¡°I appreciate the attempt to merge different styles, but the execution iscking. Thebination of fabrics doesn¡¯t work, and the construction issues are hard to overlook. My score is 4/10. You should improve on your designs.¡±


    Judge 2: ¡°While the concept had potential, the tailor failed to deliver a polished final product. The sewing appears rushed, and the craftsmanship is subpar. I¡¯d rate it a 3/10.¡±


    Judge 3: ¡°Unfortunately, this design falls t. The poor execution andck of attention to detail make it difficult to appreciate any positive aspects. I¡¯ll give it a 3/10.¡±


    ¡°And we have our first disqualified team for this round,¡± the host announced as the model walked off the stage, eyes filled with tears and shame.


    The third model floated down the runway in a dreamy, ethereal gown that seemed to defy gravity. The delicate fabric, intricate embroidery, and whimsical details left the audience in awe as they cheered excitedly.


    Judge 1: ¡°This gown is an absolute masterpiece. The craftsmanship is beautiful and catchy, and the designer has managed to create a sense of magic and wonder. It¡¯s a solid 9. 5/10 for me.¡±N?velDrama.Org content.


    Judge 2: ¡°I¡¯m enticed by the romantic and ethereal vibe of this design. The attention to detail is astounding, and the choice of fabrics is spot-on. I¡¯d rate it a 9/10.¡±


    Judge 3: ¡°While the design is undoubtedly beautiful, I¡¯m concerned about its wearability. It may be more suited for a red carpet-event or a fantasy-themed asion. My score is 8/10 because it¡¯s absolutely beautiful.¡±


    The ratings and grading continued, and it was finally time for Merrisa¡¯s team to walk the runway. She stood beside her model, giving her reassuring words while ring at Lily, who stood to the side with an indifferent expression.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t I seen your model? Are you too ashamed to disy your failed product?¡± Merissa taunted with a gloating expression, while Lily nced at her with a shake of her hand.


    On second thought, she decided to y along with her and moved closer. Standing directly beside her, she whispered, ¡°You weren¡¯t smart enough to add or at least change some minor details; are you afraid people won¡¯t know you are disying stolen goods?¡± She chuckled and walked back into the changing room assigned to them. Leaving Merissa frozen in ce.


    As she heard her team¡¯s number being called, she snapped out of her daze and hurriedly escorted out her model.


    The model confidently showcased the outfit on the runway: a light blue shimmery dress with arge bow on the waistline right above the long slit on its right leg. The dress is paired with a matching hat made purely from.


    Judge 1: ¡°While the dress is well-made and the choice of fabric is lovely, it doesn¡¯t seem to bring anything new to the table. It feels like something we¡¯ve seen before. This design reminds me of the fashion show in London two years ago. This particr dress was one of the winning dresses; however, it got disqualified due to some bad stories. Your craftsmanship is good, but I¡¯ll encourage you to add originality to your craft. My score is 6. 5/10.¡±


    Judge 2: ¡°I have to agree. The craftsmanship ismendable, but the design itself is a bit predictable. There is nothing wrong with you taking some inspiration from already existing designs, but at least make a few changes to wow the audience. I¡¯d rate it a 5/10. I look forward to some original ideas in the next stage.¡±


    Judge 3: ¡°The only reason I¡¯m going to rate you an average is because of the need for work. It¡¯s beautiful and absolutely gorgeous. And because this stage gives you free reign over what to do, I won¡¯t be so amodating in the next stage. I¡¯ll give you a 5/10.¡±


    Hearing the judges¡¯ words, Merissa¡¯s face paled, and her shoulders shook in fear. She turned back and saw Lily grinning at her with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Biting her lips, she red at Lily and walked into the dressing room, her mind filled with fear.


    ¡®Which one of these designs actually belongs to her?¡¯ she thought to herself as she flipped through the designs that were sent to her.


    ¡®Did she find out I was going to steal from her and set a trap? No, that can¡¯t be; if she found out that Diana stole it, there¡¯s no way she would allow her to continue to work for her,¡¯ she mused, ignoring the hostile re she was getting from her teammates.


    ¡°Are you really going to bring your bad habits into thispetition?¡± Calvin asked as he peeled a banana calmly like his teammate hadn¡¯t just been caught cheating.


    ¡°What do you mean by bad habit?¡± Merissa demanded with a re, and Calvin shrugged before biting into his banana. ¡°Soren is not allergic to cinnamon rolls. And no, Lily did nothing to him; you can piece in the clues yourself,¡± he said, and he walked out on her, wanting to see the masterpiece that Lily had created.


    Finally, Gary confidently strode onto the runway wearing the semi-formal outfit, the silk-satin shirt shimmering under the spotlights. The crowd gasped at the attention to detail in the design, from the delicate silver threads forming a geometric pattern to the matching cufflink, belt, and mask. The judges leaned forward in their seats, their curiosity piqued.


    Judge 1: ¡°I must say, I¡¯m quite impressed with the design. The bnce between sophistication andfort ismendable. The attention to detail is impable, and the colour choice is striking. I¡¯d rate it a solid 9/10.¡±


    Judge 2: ¡°Yes, I agree. The craftsmanship in the design is top-notch, and the designer managed to create something unique without going over the top. I appreciate her restraint. I¡¯d give it an 8. 5/10.¡±


    Judge 3: ¡°The design is undeniably beautiful and well-crafted. You have managed to create a garment that is both stylish and versatile. I love thebination of textures and the attention to detail. My only concern is that the design might be a bit too bold for everyday wear. However, I think it¡¯s a strong contender in this challenge. My score is 9/10.¡±


    With that, half of thepetitors were disqualified, leaving the other half to move to the stage where another half was to be disqualified.


    After the stage, the recordings were posted on the page, which immediately gathered both positive and negative attention.


    As Merissa browsed through designs, she frowned and called Diana¡¯s number, only to realise she had been blocked.

 Chapter 74: We Can Use Their Feud

    As Merissa browsed through designs, she frowned and called Diana¡¯s number, only to realise she had been blocked.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± She screamed out in frustration and anger. Stomping her feet she pulled her hair in frustration and red at the wall, ¡°I was yed by the likes of that garbage piece?¡±


    Taking a deep breath, she rxed and pushed her rage to the back of her mind. ¡°I can¡¯t lose my temper if I want to win against Lily. I¡¯ll just have to browse and see which one of these designs hasn¡¯t been used yet. There is no big deal and no need to get angry,¡± She muttered and returned to browsing through the designs.


    Unknown to her, she has sessfully attracted the negative and watchful gazes of the audience to herself after the first round.


    Meanwhile, Lily and her group became the talk of thepetition alongside the top teams of thepetition. Praises were showered on their team. Despite Gary¡¯s face being covered with the mask, he was able to sessfully win the hearts of the young female audience with his muscr build.


    The tutors assigned to thepetition after the first round were meant to pick a group to work with and train them through thepetition, giving them hints and themes to work with for the next few stages; however, they were all on a standstill, with each of them wanting to have Lily¡¯s team under them.


    ¡°Only one tutor can work for each team; everyone can¡¯t pick Lily¡¯s fashion team,¡± the host reasoned as he let out a heavy breath of frustration.


    To think grown-ups would behave like children just to have one team under them. But then again, he could not me them; he could see the potential in the team.


    Starting from the designer to the model, all members of the team worked perfectly well with each other to bring out the clothing, making it a sight to behold despite how simple the attire appeared to be.


    Plus the fact that the people that were in charge of the Paris show had sung Lily¡¯s praise, raising everyone¡¯s expectations of her. Not only did she meet the expectations, she surpassed them, momentarily leaving the judges and audience in awe.


    However, that much was expected for someone who came to the nationals; there was no need to go overboard with fighting to have her team as students.


    Seeing none of the tutors were backing down, the hostess sighed and stepped forward. ¡°If the other contestants find out you are doing this, they¡¯ll probably hate Lily¡¯s team and make trouble for her. I¡¯m sure that Merrisa girl would not pass on the opportunity to cause some trouble,¡± she voiced, and the tense atmosphere between the ten tutors reduced.


    ¡°Speaking of Merissa, I thought you were asked to separate her from Lily¡¯s. As far as possible, that was the instruction,¡± Jade, the third judge, pointed out with a frown as the host sighed.


    ¡°Their living arrangements were separated by two buildings, and she went to look for trouble with Lily. The drama will only make the programme an interesting one for the audience. It wasn¡¯t our fault for not separating them, they are like iron and ma ¡± He replied.


    ¡°There is no use crying over spilt milk. We can use their feud to promote the programme; thank goodness they both have a strong online presence and that¡¯s all we need,¡± he continued with a shrug.


    ¡°But I was curious from the start: why did the sponsor ask both of them to be separated? I mean, they are both from the same school and even if they meet, it doesn¡¯t matter, right?¡± One of the tutors asked.


    ¡°The sponsors have their own arrangements. I was surprised when I received a call from that man. I swear, my soul almost flew out of my body.¡± Jade replied  with a dramatic expression,


    ¡°Since when have they begun interfering with the things going around again?¡± She continued, and the team shrugged.


    ¡°Like you said, they have their arrangement. Since all of you want to have Lily as a student, we are left with one option: we will have to pick lots, and you¡¯ll manage the team assigned to you, no questions asked,¡± the hostess instructed, and the team agreed.


    ***


    ¡°Good morning, people. I hope you all had a restful night after your first presentation,¡± the hostess greeted as she stood in front of the remaining contestants in therge meeting hall.


    ¡°So today I¡¯ll be assigning you your tutor, and they¡¯ll be in charge of guarding you all through thepetitions,¡± the hostess announced, nodding towards the door where the tutors walked in one after the other.


    It didn¡¯t take long before all their teams were assigned their tutors, and the tutoring phase began.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Zara, and I¡¯ll be your tutor for the rest of thepetition,¡± the woman assigned to Lily¡¯s group greeted as he joined them in the space assigned to the group.


    ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am, we¡¯ll be in your care,¡± the group replied with a bow, and she smiled approvingly before taking them through the regr procedures.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have any extra time to waste, so I¡¯d like for us to get straight to business.¡± She remarked carefully while pulling out the whiteboard. ¡°The focus for the next stage is going to be a royal banquet during the mediaeval era,¡± she announced.


    ¡°Your designs must be bold. They must tell a story, and they must be beautiful; of course, they have to showcase the elegance and the luxurious fabrics used during that time,¡± Zara started.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be expected to use the popr fashion trend during that time. I¡¯m talking about the embroidery, the beadings, the flowers and all others. Don¡¯t be afraid to go wild with it, however, your designs speak perfectly well with the glory and splendour of the mediaeval time.¡± She exined.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying no modern elements should be added. And since one of the things the next stage will be testing is your originality and creativity, you¡¯ll have to make sure the designs arepletely yours,¡± she instructed.


    ¡°Do you have any questions?¡± She asked with a smile while maintaining the grace of a well-known designer.


    ¡°How many days are we given toe up with this design?¡± Lily asked, and Zara hummed. ¡°You¡¯ll be given the whole week to not onlye out with the design but to get it ready,¡± Zara replied.


    ¡°The next runway show is on Sunday, exactly seven days away. And usually, it¡¯s not enough time to get things done, but we mostly need you to train yourself and be ready for emergency asions,¡± she exined further.


    ¡°And since I¡¯m in charge of your team, I¡¯ll be providing you with guidelines for your work and basic corrections when needed. However, I won¡¯t be helping you with your work. If that¡¯s all, I wish you good luck,¡± she announced with a raised thumb as she walked out of the studio, leaving the three behind.


    ¡°Do you have anything in mind already?¡± na asked as she noticed Lily drawing away on her sketch pad. ¡°I have an idea; I¡¯ll work on it today and all through the night to make sure it goes well since every second of thepetition counts,¡± Lily replied calmly.


    ¡°The theme we are working with had a lot of pieces to be done: the tunic, the cloak, the hose, and all that. Just thinking about it is making me dizzy,¡± na grumbled.


    ¡°Since we are given free rein over the design, you have nothing to worry about as long as it fits them, right?¡± Lily winked and continued working.


    As promised, Lily worked through the design in the system¡¯s space all night, giving her enough time to sift through the designs and find the most practical and awestruck design to use.


    As shepleted the design, she woke her teammates up and presented it to them. ¡°There you go, originality, creativity, and awestrucking. What do you think?¡± she asked with a proud smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, but the embroidery process is going to take more time than the actual sewing,¡± Zaraments as she walks in on the group discussion with a steamy coffee in hand.


    Lily grinned as she turned back  to na after giving their tutor an acknowledging nod. ¡°Just the sewing; how many days will it take you to get it done?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll start right away, and it¡¯ll be ready tomorrow night.¡±


    ¡°Good, that¡¯s enough time; we can make it work.¡±

 Chapter 75: Killing Two Birds With One Stone

    ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is everything okay at home?¡± Merissa asked, her hands trembling as she listened to her mother sobbing over the phone.


    ¡°Thepany is facing a huge crisis. Someone posted a review of one of ourtest products, which caught the government¡¯s attention. Now, our investors are pulling out to avoid losing money since our stock is crashing,¡± Mrs. Smith exined, her voice strained.


    ¡°What do you mean by crashing? How can the stock crash from a single review?¡± Merissa questioned, her anxiety increasing as she clenched her fists.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just one review. Initially, it was only one, but that one served as a catalyst, and there were several others too. The reviews shifted between the products and the employee treatments. And in just three days, we¡¯ve lost ten million. If this continues, thepany will go bankrupt within a month,¡± Mrs Smith sniffled.


    ¡°Your dad hasn¡¯t been home in days; he¡¯s desperately trying to find a solution. But without investors, there¡¯s only so much he can do,¡± she continued, her voice heavy with worry and grief.


    ¡°Can¡¯t the PR team address the review or take it down to reassure customers? I¡¯m sure our rivalpany is trying to force us out of the market, and that¡¯s why they are pulling such an underhanded trick.¡± Merissa suggested, feeling angered and frustrated.


    Her mood has been all over the ce since their first presentation, making her feel on edge and suspicious of everything and everyone. Like the other teams, they had also been given the theme of the mediaeval era, and somehow a design fitting that theme was among the designs that were sent to her, but every time she tried to present the design to her teammates, she felt as though she was walking into a set trap.


    However, time was counting down, and she could no longer hesitate. Learning from her past mistakes, she decided to give the design a little tweak before presenting it. Just as she was rounding up with it, her mother¡¯s call came in with the bad news.


    ¡°The problem is that the review is urate. The product contains harmful substances that could affect consumers in the long run. We thought we¡¯d have time to fix the issues before anyone noticed, but it backfired,¡± Mrs Smith admitted.


    ¡°And the ones about the employees, the reviews were made by our former staff. I¡¯m seriously suspecting someone is behind all this, but we have no way to prove it.¡± Merissa¡¯s mind wandered as Lily¡¯s image popped into her mind at the mention of someone being behind the whole thing.


    ¡®No way, there is no way she would be able to pull this off.¡¯ she thought to herself with a shake of her head. ¡®I¡¯m seriously thinking too muchtely. She¡¯s just the daughter of my family¡¯s servant. There¡¯s no way she can ever have the ability to do something like that.


    Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself out of her thoughts and asked, ¡°So, what¡¯s Dad going to do? We can¡¯t let thepany go under just like that.¡±


    ¡°He is nning to hold a press conference to reassure the public, but we need financial backing. We¡¯ve already lost so much in just a few days, and things could get worse if we don¡¯t act fast to stop all these,¡± Mrs Smith replied.


    ¡°What¡¯s the n? Taking out loans from the bank?¡± Merissa inquired.


    ¡°Your father is seeking sponsorship from the famous Asian Chaebol family,¡± Mrs Smith sighed, her frustration evident. ¡°You mean the Lim family?¡± Merissa asked, surprised.


    ¡°Yes, them. They agreed to meet, but you know how they operate; they¡¯ll expect something in return for their help,¡± Mrs Smith exined, causing Merissa to frown, already hating the direction the conversation was flowing in.


    The Lim family is one of the top business families in the country. Despite being foreigners, their influence in the business world cannot be slighted in the least. especially in the underworld business.


    The family has been under the government¡¯s watchful gaze for a long time, having been suspected of illegal dealings, but since there was no tangible evidence to convict them, they could only remain suspects.


    ¡°What do they want?¡± Merissa asked, clenching her fists tighter as a heavy silence stretched out between them. ¡°It¡¯s me, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think! They¡¯re not proposing marriage or anything like that. They just want you to go on a week of vacation with their youngest son after yourpetition,¡± Mrs Smith hastily rified.


    ¡°You mean Lim Dea? The one involved in that drug scandal not too long ago?¡± Merissa questioned, her disbelief palpable.


    ¡°But the police cleared him of any involvement with drugs, and the case was closed,¡± her mother countered.


    ¡°Mom, you and I both know that was just a cover-up! And what about his famous womanising scandal? No woman ever involved with him goes without a tarnished reputation.¡± Merissa argued, her voice filled with disdain.


    ¡°And you want me to go a week with that kind of person? For a week? Honestly, I think I¡¯d prefer a marriage proposal over this.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the only option we are left with. I wouldn¡¯t want you to do this, but it¡¯s all we¡¯ve got. Your father is desperate, and this is the only way you can help him,¡± Mrs Smith persuaded, making Merrisa sign dejectedly.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll think about it. For now, I need to focus on thepetition.¡±


    ***


    Lily grinned happily as he received the alert of ten million. ¡°This is the best feeling in the world. Killing two birds with one stone is surely the best strategy,¡± she chuckled while digging into her cup of instant ramen.


    {You are not one to take a loss, are you?} The system signed {Making money while setting up the Smith family}


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know? Having others do your dirty work is the best. I have no major business with thepany, so I sold the information to someone who does. For someone like me, this money is a jackpot,¡± Lily replied.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    {You are making it sound as if it¡¯s the first time you are making this little amount of money. You weren¡¯t even this excited back then}


    ¡°Hmph! What do you know? I had to work my ass off to get that money back then, but this time I didn¡¯t even do much, and I got this.¡± Lily replied


    ¡°Besides, what excites me more is watching Merissa¡¯s face as her world falls apart and she bes the peasant she looks down on the most,¡± she added with a smug smile.


    {Isn¡¯t it too early to celebrate? They are seeking help from the rich Korean family already}


    ¡°Just sit back and watch. Since I decided to do this, I¡¯ve already made enough preparations and countermeasures. I might end up killing three birds with one stone,¡± she dered.


    {This one is to help Mark, isn¡¯t it?}


    ¡°You are so smart. But that much is expected from an advanced technology such as yourself.¡±


    ¡°I promise to help him secure his position. Not much of a help since I¡¯m getting profit from it, but whatever. His biggest rival now is Frederick, and he has a connection to the Lim family. So sooner orter, I¡¯ll have to say hi to them,¡± she grinned and threw the ramen cup away.


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    {Just don¡¯t get yourself killed. You only have one chance at regression}, the system warned with a huff.


    ¡°I won¡¯t die anytime soon. I¡¯m very sturdy, you see.¡±


    ¡°Lily Turner, right?¡± Her words were interrupted by a thick French ent. Looking up, she noticed a man dressed in a ck designer tuxedo with an intimidating aura that matched his cold, dark eyes.


    Lily stepped back with a frown as she reached for her phone, her hands hovering on the first number that popped up, ready to press in case of a sudden attack.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 76: Collateral Damage

    ¡°Lily Turner, right?¡± Her words were interrupted by a thick French ent. Looking up, she noticed a man dressed in a ck designer tuxedo with an intimidating aura that matched his cold, dark eyes.


    Lily stepped back with a frown as she reached for her phone, her hands hovering on the first number that popped up, ready to press in case of a sudden attack.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Lily asked, her voice cold and guarded as she red up at the man standing before him.


    ¡°Why not look closely? Don¡¯t I look familiar?¡± He asked while pointing to his face. Following the movement of his hand, Lily¡¯s eyes traced his face, the familiar, unique spring green eyes, the soft-looking light brown hair, and the ent.


    Although this man¡¯s ent feels and sounds thicker than the one she hears regrly, She could not mistake the other resemnce for a coincidence. ¡°Bryan Roux?¡± She carefully nodded, and the man nodded.


    ¡°Can we talk somewhere more private?¡± He asked while pointing to his car. Lily looked from the car to the man standing, not knowing how to process the whole thing.


    He is someone from her past Victoria; technically, with his fame and his family¡¯s prestige, there was no way he could have met the original owner. Not even a coincidence since he stays in France.


    ¡®How did they meet?¡¯ she thought to herself as a thought came to mind. With a shake of her head, she let down her guard and walked towards the car.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t called my name, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to confirm my suspicions about you, Miss Victoria,¡± Bryan voiced as the door shut.


    Hearing her name being called, Lily froze up in fear. Her body was breaking out in a cold sweat. Her heart raced against her ribcage as her palms broke out in a cold sweat.


    Several questions rushed through her mind while she stared in shock at the nonchnt man who was casually pouring himself a cup of wine.


    She let out a nervous chuckle as she turned to face the window. ¡°Haha, I think you got the wrong person. I¡¯m not Victoria; I¡¯m Lily,¡± she breathed out nervously.


    ¡°Lily Turner, date of death: 27th of May. Cause of death: brain failure after being pushed down the stairs by her friend and the daughter of her family¡¯s employee,¡± Bryan recounted.


    ¡°That was what was meant to happen, but instead. Lily, whose condition had a chance of improving, was discharged after her ident. Not only that, the brain damage that was supposed to cause a sequelpletely healed up.¡±


    ¡°Lily, who had no technological skill at all, began to work with Mark Watson to develop amazing software. Should I continue?¡± He asked with a smirk, further making Lily tremble in fear.


    She bit her lip while ring at her fidgeting hands. ¡°Even if what you are saying is true, you have no way to prove it. Like I said, you¡¯ve got¡­¡± Her words were cut off as Bryan handed her a tablet containing all the proofs needed to show that what he was saying was true.


    Her eyes widened in disbelief as she scrolled through the contents of the tablet, the evidence of her true identity staring back at her in cold, hard facts.


    ¡°How did you get all this?¡± she whispered, her voice barely audible above the blood rushing in her ears.


    Bryan leaned back in his seat, a smug smile ying at the corners of his lips. ¡°I have my ways, Miss Victoria,¡± he replied cryptically.


    ¡°But why? Why go through all this trouble?¡± Lily questioned, her voice shaking with fear and confusion.


    ¡°Are you finally getting involved now that my mom and I have been killed?!¡± She demanded angrily, and Bryan sighed.


    ¡°It could not be helped back then,¡± he replied with a frown, and Lily scoffed.


    ¡°Of course it wouldn¡¯t! My mom was just paying for her sins of disobeying the family and marrying that scum, right?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°And I was just coteral damage? Cleaning up the evidence that your family had a disobedient daughter¡±


    ¡°Your mom knew you two were going to die,¡± Bryan announced, cutting her off once again. Lily froze upon hearing his words. Her eyes widened in shock and disbelief.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go into details right now, but your mom knew about what would happen in the future, and she was the one who told me toe look for Lily Turner after you died.¡± He exined carefully.


    ¡°She told me these things right from the first day she began to ingest the poison from your stepmother,¡± he continued.


    At this point, Lily could no longer control her anger and her trembling body. ¡°If she knew, why the hell did she not try to stop it? Why did she die? She would have done something to stop them!¡±


    ¡°Because she couldn¡¯t. Like I said, I don¡¯t know the details of everything that happened back then. I have long since cut connections with the family, and I guess that¡¯s why your mom came to me since she never wanted anything to do with us again.¡± He exined.


    Lily nodded as she wiped away the stray tears in her eyes. ¡°Why did she ask you to look for me?¡± She breathed out calmly.


    ¡°I have a message to deliver to you from her. It says, ¡®The lucky system; trust it to find the truth. I want to know the meaning, but I couldn¡¯t find it no matter how much I looked.¡± His words were interrupted by Lily¡¯s loudugh.


    She rolled her head back with her hands covering her face as sheughed. Herughsted for several minutes, making Bryan worry something had happened to her.


    He was about to reach for his phone to call back his driver and bodyguard when she calmed down. ¡°No wonder I felt the name was familiar when I woke up,¡± she muttered with a sigh.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Mom, you always have a n, don¡¯t you?¡¯


    ¡°You got the message?¡± Bryan asked in confusion, and Lily nodded, ¡°Yeah, somehow. I¡¯ll figure out how to go about the restter, I guess?¡± She replied with a shrug. ¡°Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± Bryan said as he handed her a ck card with nothing written in it, ¡°She left aputerb in Lily¡¯s name and then some huge amounts for your future development. I¡¯m honestly confused about all this. But knowing how crazy my sister was, I won¡¯t be surprised if she had found a means to transfer soul before she died,¡± he muttered with a fond smile while patting Lily¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± He asked with a serious expression.


    ¡°Taking it all, a step at a time,¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s the best way to go, and I trust you. You were just like her when she was younger, so I know you¡¯ll pull through,¡± he encouraged.


    ¡°If you need anything, I can guarantee you that I¡¯m richer than Watson¡¯s cub. Come to me.¡±

 Chapter 77: They Left A Message

    ¡®I¡¯m working on a big project. If it seeds, then the technology in this world will be changed. It¡¯s going to be revolutionary, and things will be easier because everyone will be able to live like geniuses!¡¯


    ¡®What¡¯s this project? Will you let me in on it? Can I also partake? I want to be a pioneer!¡¯ A younger Victoria replied excitedly, jumping up and down while looking up at her mother with starry eyes full of respect and hope.


    ¡®You are still too young to be part of it, and besides, I told you that you are free to choose your path. You don¡¯t have to be a tech enthusiast like I am,¡¯ the older woman chuckled, giving Victoria a gentle pat on the head.


    Victoria let out a huff and pouted as she crossed her hands on her chest. ¡°I want to be like you! I want to be so cool when I programme and develop something too!¡¯Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡®Alright, Alright. You are free to do whatever makes you happy. Just know that when you don¡¯t feel like it anymore, you can stop and start all over again.¡¯ Her mother encouraged her with a fond smile.


    ¡®So what name will you give the project? Are you going to name it after me?¡¯ Victoria asked, and her mother hummed with a thoughtful expression. ¡®I think we should name it¡­¡¯


    Lily jolted awake with a start, her head soaked in sweat as her hand trembled from the shock of the dream she had. Her heart pounded against her ribcage as she looked around the familiar room.


    Letting out a deep breath, she ryed and rested on the headboard, ¡°Are you okay?¡± na asked with a worried expression while holding a wet towel to wipe Lily¡¯s sweat.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. Why are you here? Is it morning already? Or do you have a question for me?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not. It¡¯s 3 am. I heard you murmuring and gasping, so I came to check. Were you having a nightmare?¡± She asked worriedly, and Lily sighed.


    ¡®Can they be considered nightmares when they are all memories of the past?¡¯ she thought to herself and got out of bed.


    After the initial dream she had about her mother, she saw several others sh through her mind. It was like someone ying a movie about her past life, and thest one was the day she died as Victoria.


    ¡®Did I have the dream because I met Bryan?¡¯


    ¡®What did she call the name of the project again?¡¯ She mused, forgetting that there was someone else in the room with her.


    ¡°Are you sure you are okay? You look out of it, and your hands keep trembling,¡± na asked with a frown while her eyes focused on Lily¡¯s trembling hands.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I must have been stressedtely. How is the sewing going?¡± Lily asked to change the subject, and na¡¯s eyes lit up in excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯m almost done with it! We¡¯ll be able to start with the embroidery by morning,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that fast? You said it wouldn¡¯t be finished until tonight,¡± Lily pointed out, and na shrugged. ¡°I guess it was just an added time. Besides, thispetition is my first major project, and I don¡¯t want to ruin it,¡± she breathed out.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I trust you to do well.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Someone hacked into thepany¡¯s databasest night. It was after everyone clocked out of work,¡± Colton reported as he walked into Williams¡¯s office to see him busy typing away on hisptop.


    Hearing his words, William stopped his hand movement and looked with a deep frown. ¡°And did you get the person?¡± He asked coldly. ¡°You are not here to report to me before trailing, are you?¡±


    Colton shifted on his feet ufortably, his hand fidgeting with the documents in his hands. ¡°We did track the hacker, but we were unable to locate them. They only left an afterimage to show they were there. It was like a taunt.¡±


    William leaned back in his chair, his gaze turning contemtive as he considered the implications of someone maliciously hacking into their system. ¡°What information did they ess? Did they steal anything?¡± William asked, his voice still cold and demanding.


    Colton hesitated with his eyes avoiding William¡¯s before replying, ¡°We¡¯ve been looking, but they don¡¯t seem to have stolen anything. However, a lot of locked files were opened, and they also left a message.¡±


    ¡°A message?¡± William asked curiously, and Colton handed him the document. The documents contained a printed version of the message left behind by the hacker, which read:


    ¡®Behind closed doors, are you happy with the decisions you¡¯ve made so far?¡¯


    ¡®When you are alone with no one around but your thoughts, do you ever regret what you did on May 27th at the family dinner?¡¯


    ¡®How has ying the hero helped you so far? Beyond the fake sympathy on the first few days, has anyone cared about your reurring brain injury?¡¯


    ¡®Oh! How long do you think you can rely on another¡¯s work before they start seeing you for who you truly are?¡¯


    William¡¯s hands tightened around the sheet of paper as his heart skipped a beat in fear and apprehension. For a brief moment, Victoria¡¯s dying moment reyed in his mind, and a cold shiver ran down his back.


    ¡®Who else knows about what happened that day?¡¯


    ¡®How much do they know?¡¯


    ¡®Is this a threat?¡¯ William¡¯s mind raced with several questions as he continued to stare at the words written on the paper.


    Thinking about the repercussions of having the information get out into the world, his fear grew bigger. Not only he, but even all his family would be implicated, and everything they¡¯ve worked hard to get for so long will be taken from them.


    ¡®That can¡¯t happen! I won¡¯t allow it!¡¯


    ¡®I must find the person who hacked the system!¡¯


    He stood up and picked up his jacket. ¡°I¡¯ll have to meet with my father; until then, double up on the security. Have the team set up more traps and more firewalls. And make sure someone is monitoring the database at all times for any intrusion,¡± he instructed hurriedly.


    ¡°When the persones back, inform me immediately!¡± He added and walked out. As he got into his car, he called his father, and after the third ring, the old man picked up with irritation in his tone as a feminine moan echoed through the phone.


    William doesn¡¯t have to ask to know his father was having a go at his secretary again. Something had caused a big fallout between his parents.


    The situation had been like this after the death of Victoria¡¯s mother. His father had started sleeping with the female staff closest to him. His secretary, PA, and even some other directors.


    It became even more serious when Williams began to think his father slept around out of guilt for Victoria¡¯s mother.


    But if it was guilt, it would mean he loved her, and that thought was one he never wanted to entertain.


    Given how the older man prefers to spend his time, money, and energy outside the house, William could already tell that his father no longer has feelings for their mother.


    The perfect family had be nothing but a joke. One that outsiders must not hear.


    ¡°Did you call me to just remain silent?¡± Henry snapped over the phone, bringing William back out of his thoughts as he massaged his nose bridge.


    ¡®His mood has worsened too,¡¯ he noted to himself before replying.


    ¡°Someone broke into thepany¡¯s database,¡± William reported calmly.


    ¡°So? Can¡¯t you deal with it yourself?¡± Henry snapped angrily, his voice followed by a muffled moan.


    ¡®You are not even going to hide it from your son? How shameless,¡¯


    ¡°They left a message, and it¡¯s about the day she died. Someone out there knows,¡± he reported, and he hung up while driving towards the cemetery.


    Upon arrival at the cemetery, he bought two bouquets from the flower vendor and walked up the path that led to Victoria and her mother¡¯s grave. As he got closer, he noticed fresh flowers sitting on both graves and frowned.


    ¡®These weren¡¯t the flowers I brought thest time; was someone else here?¡± He thought to himself while looking around.


    ¡°I never expected you toe here,¡± Bryan voiced from his back. The taller man was also holding two bouquets.


    ¡°And why would I note here?¡± William asked with a frown as he ced the flowers in the grave. ¡°From the flowers you brought, one can tell how much you hate them both, as they are both allergic to tulips,¡± Bryan replied.


    ¡°And given the flowers I saw herest time, Do you just buy random flowers when youe? Next time, buy orchids or carnations,¡± Bryan voiced as he ced both flowers on the ground before digging out a hand-rolled cigar from his pocket.


    ¡°Want some?¡± He offered, and William shook his head. ¡°I quit smoking,¡± he replied, and Bryan shrugged.


    ¡°Why did you return to the country?¡± William asked curiously as they both stood in front of each grave.


    ¡°May 26th,¡± Bryan replied casually while keeping his eyes on the grave. Hearing his words, William¡¯s hands clenched into a tight fist.


    ¡°Is that so? Why didn¡¯t you attend the burial then? Even if her mother cut ties with the family, one of you should have attended.¡± He probed further.


    ¡°I was here; you just didn¡¯t see me. How else did I know the location of their graves? Even if the family cuts ties, they are both still family, and they¡¯ll forever be treated like one,¡± he announced, turning to leave.


    ¡°Watch your back. The things you fight to keep might one day slip off your hands, even with your hands on them. After all, Karma is a bitch,¡± he winked and walked away, leaving William frozen in ce.


    ¡®Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡¯ William cussed angrily while hitting his steering wheel after returning to his car. ¡°Fuck! Things will be moreplicated if the Roux family gets involved.¡±


    ¡°I have to find a way to solve all this before they find out.¡±

 Chapter 78: Nothing But A Nightmare For You

    ¡°These are the teams that made it to the next stage; a round of apuse for their beautiful performance, please,¡± the host announced with an excited tone as all the qualifying teams stood to the side.


    ¡°Leading the team are the representatives from Wilson Fashion School, and currently they are leading with a total of 60 points!¡± The host announced, and the audience cheered as Shannon and Xavier bowed their heads.


    ¡°Following them is the ck ship of thispetition, the Lily¡¯ fashion. A group that only started less than six months ago. They first showed their prowess in the Paris show, and even now they continue to break ground!¡± The host announced, his voice raising as the audience¡¯s cheering increased.


    ¡°I know you all are excited. I am, too. Lily¡¯s fashion has 59. 9, marking just a 0. 1 difference between them and the leading ce. Thepetition is quite fierce, despite both groups having varying opinions on fashion.¡±


    ¡°The next group is the representative from the Fairies fashion school, with 55. points. Following them is the representative from the Yellow Hill Fashion School with 50 points, andstly, we have the Funray Fashion Academy,¡± the host continued as the cheering from the audience continued.


    ¡°These groups are qualified to join the next stage of thepetition. As usual, the leading group, which is Wilson Fashion School, will be given the privilege to skip directly to the finals.¡± The hostess began.


    ¡°Leaving the four other groups topete amongst themselves. The groups will have to be grouped using the number selection method,¡± the host chimed in with a smile.


    ¡°Now each group from two to four will send out a representative to pick a number. You¡¯ll be facing off with the group that picked the same number as you in the next round. The winner from that group will face off with the winner of the next group.¡± The hostess exined carefully.


    ¡°And then for the finals, whichever groups win amongst thest two groups will go against Wilson Fashion School to determine the winner for thispetition! I¡¯m excited, and I know you all are!¡± She continued.


    The representative from each group stepped forward, with na representing their group and Calvin representing Merissa¡¯s group with the other group. Each representative picked a paper, and upon opening it, they were asked to call out their numbers.


    Fairies Fashion Academy and Funray Fashion were paired into a group, leaving Lily and Yellow Hill Academy to face off against each other.


    ¡°What a uniquebination!¡± The hostess announced, ¡°The teams in each group have such a unique sense of creativity that it will be a tough time judging the winner.¡± She continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m also thinking the same. What will happen with Yellow Hills and Lily¡¯s in the same group? Such fiercepetition between the students of the same academy!¡± The host chimed in.


    ¡°This just shows the expertise at each academy, doesn¡¯t it? I¡¯m truly looking forward to the next stage,¡± the hostess added with a subtle hint, making the audience cheer in anticipation.


    ¡°As usual, starting from this stage, Your creativity and originality are the most important. giarism and other forms of cheating will not be allowed. Having said that, this round hase to an end.¡±


    ¡°Congrattions! To all the teams that qualified for the next stage!¡±


    As the team walked off the stage, Merissa purposely bumped into Lily, almost throwing her off the high tform. However, before she could fall,  na and Calvin held her, ¡°What do you think you are doing?¡± Calvin demanded coldly as he stood protectively beside Lily while ring at Merissa.


    Merissa bit her lip with a clenched fist, seeing how she had drawn attention. Her eyes welled up with tears as her lower lip trembled, giving off a pitiful and wronged expression. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± she stammered, her voice quivering with a convincing disy of remorse. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­ I just lost my bnce.¡±


    Calvin eyed her suspiciously. ¡°You should be more careful,¡± he cautioned, his voiceced with icy disdain. ¡°Lily could have been seriously hurt. And our team would have been med for ying dirty to win. How can you be so careless?¡± He reprimanded coldly, making Merissa¡¯s anger re.


    ¡°I already apologise. Do you have to be so hard on me? I¡¯m your teammate; shouldn¡¯t you be taking my side here?¡± Her voice wavered, her pitiful act convincing to those around them as the other group representative began to whisper.


    ¡®Indeed, they don¡¯t get along in the Yellow Hill group, but shouldn¡¯t he be taking her side against other people?¡¯


    ¡®It¡¯s probably just an act to get attention. It¡¯s their problem; they¡¯ll solve it.¡¯


    ¡®I did see Merissa rushing forward like she had a mission.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m surprised this has been dyed to this extent. The tension between those two can be cut with a knife,¡¯


    Seeing people talking, na stepped up with an awkward smile. ¡°Yes, Calvin, I think she understands the gravity of her mistake,¡± she interjected, hoping to diffuse the tension.


    She gave Lily a concerned nce before addressing Merissa with a measured tone. ¡°Just be more mindful in the future. We wouldn¡¯t want any unnecessary idents to befall any of thepetitors.¡±


    Lily, still shaken from the near-fall, took a deep breath, her brow furrowed in thought. While Merissa¡¯s act seemed genuine to the others, Lily was not one to be easily bought over by some cheap acting skills.


    The push was done on purpose; it was just like back then in the academy, when the original owner was pushed down the stairs.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡®Is she not afraid of being caught if things get moreplicated than she nned?¡¯ Lily thought to herself and sighed.


    With a polite nod to Merissa and the rest of the people gathered, she turned to her friends and said, ¡°Come on. We have lots to get done,¡± she encouraged, and the group walked away.


    Seeing the protagonist of the fight left, the rest of the group dispersed, leaving behind a livid Merissa and an annoyed Calvin. ¡°Are you really that childish to push yourpetitors off the stage?¡± Calvin asked as the two entered their quarters.


    ¡°I told you it was a mistake!¡± Merissa bit back coldly, ring at him with eyes full of hatred. ¡°Yeah right. I¡¯ll believe you the day pigs start to fight. Lily is not one to be messed with, and I¡¯m sure you already know that,¡± he warned.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Merissa breathed out.


    ¡°I want to survive thispetition with my head and my reputation intact. Not that I care about thetter, though. What I¡¯m saying is that using underhanded methods to deal with her will bring you to ruins,¡± he warned genuinely.


    ¡°You are talking as if she¡¯s capable of anything else but manipting online opinions, tch.¡±


    ¡°You think? Then let me ask you, How is your father¡¯spany fairing?¡± Calvin asked with an amused smile, and Merissa¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°How did you know?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? How do I know? It¡¯s all over the news, and if you think it¡¯s a coincidence that it happened, I think you are too naive and overly sheltered,¡± he exined as he opened a can of beer that he managed to sneak into thepetition venue.


    ¡°How are you so sure she¡¯s the one behind all this?¡± Merissa asked sceptically, and Calvin shrugged.


    ¡°Intuition. The same intuition tells me that the next stage of thispetition is going to be nothing but a nightmare for you.¡±

 Chapter 79: One Of Them Cheated

    The hall erupted into whispers as Yellow Hill¡¯s model and Funray Fashion¡¯s model walked onto the stage, both dressed in the same attire with a slight difference in colour matching and embroidery cements.


    The attire looked so simr that it would have been mistaken to have been made by the same designer if they were not in the opposing team.


    Just one nce at the model and the audience, along with the judges, could tell that one of the contestants had copied the other.


    ¡°Do they think in the same direction to make the same design?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, one of them cheated! This thing happens a lot in the world of fashion, so I¡¯m not surprised.¡±


    ¡°Is this a coincidence or someone yed a foul?¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m finding it hard to believe this is a coincidence! They have the same design, the same patterns, and just some minor changes. It¡¯s obvious one of them giarised!¡±


    ¡°They are really bold! Even if you want to giarise a work, how can you go for one that is going to be disyed at the same time as you?¡±


    ¡°But how are we going to know which team giarised?¡± They both look calm and unaffected by the situation. What do you think the judges will do?¡±


    ¡°The judges will probably have a way to sort it out; the culprit will be disqualified after the investigation. But for them to be this calm, they¡¯ve probably made enough arrangements.¡±


    ¡°The culprit is looking down on the judges and the hosts too much!¡±


    ¡°Tch! Thepetition is going to be even more fun at this time. I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡¯


    Contrary to the calmness the model was showing to the audience, both designers felt anxious and angered for different reasons, while Lily hummed in enjoyment.


    ¡°Wow, what a coincidence! You managed to have the same design as the Funray fashion team,¡± Shannon snickered as she stood in front of Merissa, who had been trying to sneak out of the backstage waiting room.


    Merissa clenched her fist, her heart racing against her ribcage as she red at Shannon. ¡°What are you insinuating?¡± She gritted out.


    ¡°What do you think I am insinuating? I find it hard to believe this is a mere coincidence,¡± Shannon replied as she stepped closer to Merissa, who had begun to feel self-aware from the re she was getting.


    While the confrontation was going on, Daisy, the designer for Funray Fashion, stormed into the waiting room with a livid expression. She forced her way through the gathered group of designers and tailors as she approached Merrisa.


    ¡°How did you get that design?¡± She demanded coldly, eyes filled with hate and anger.


    ¡°What do you mean, how did I get it? I made it myself! I prepared the design myself, and I should be asking you where you got yours!¡± Merissa replied smugly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to pin this on me,¡± Daisy retorted, her voiceced with venom. ¡°I know for a fact that this design is mine. I¡¯ve been working on it for months, and there¡¯s no way you could havee up with the same concept independently.¡±


    My mum even helped me with the designs when I hit a rock and you are telling me it¡¯s yours? Bullshit!¡± She added angrily.


    Merissa¡¯s eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a contemptuous sneer. ¡°Are you using me of giarism? Howughable. You¡¯re just jealous that my design is superior to yours. Face it, Daisy, you¡¯re not as talented as you think you are.¡±


    The surrounding designers and tailors watched the confrontation with bated breath, their gazes shifting between Merissa and Daisy as the tension mounted. Whispers filled the air, spection and usations flying as the situation threatened to spiral out of control.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you,¡± Daisy spat, her eyes aze with fury. ¡°I¡¯m going to expose you for the fraud that you are. You won¡¯t get away with this, Merissa. I¡¯ll prove to you that I own that design! You won¡¯t get away with it!¡±


    Merissa¡¯s facade began to crack, her carefully constructed persona crumbling under the weight of Daisy¡¯s usations. Her true colours began to show, revealing a maniptive and ruthless individual who would stop at nothing to achieve her goals.


    ¡°You have no proof,¡± Merissa hissed, her voice dripping with malice. ¡°It¡¯s your word against mine, Daisy. And we both know who the judges are more likely to believe. The designer from one of the famous schools in the country or a designer that is working for a rundownpany.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think the judges will believe?¡± Merissa smirked while cooking, somehow forgetting that her reputation had long been stained by her evil deeds.


    Daisy¡¯s face paled, the realisation that Merissa might have the upper hand in this situation hitting her like a tonne of bricks.


    She knew that Merissa was right-without concrete evidence, it would be difficult to prove that she was the original creator of the design. However, given that she had used her tablet to draw the design, there was no way she could provide one drawn on paper.


    ¡°I was expecting this, but it¡¯s much more interesting than I expected,¡± Lily muttered as she watched the two confront each other.


    ¡°One of the designs she stole belonged to another person,¡± na asked in surprise, and Lily shook her head with a mischievous smile. ¡°Not one. All of it belonged to others, and none is mine,¡± she replied calmly.


    ¡°I told you she¡¯s digging a grave with the first design she used, right? With this one, she can start preparing for the burial of her career.¡±


    ¡°But Merissa can easily suppress Daisy and theirpany. It¡¯s just a matter of paying them off to keep quiet.¡± n mused.


    ¡°I won¡¯t make it that easy for her,¡± Lily replied firmly. ¡°There is going to be a rematch between the two groups because they can¡¯t find enough evidence to decide which one of them owns the design.¡±


    ¡°And then?¡±


    ¡°And then my n isplete. She¡¯ll be desperate to save her neck in the next stage, and that willnd her in jail for copyright infringement.¡± Lilyughed, and a shiver ran down na¡¯s back.


    ¡°What do you mean jail?¡± She asked in surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯ll see,¡± Lily winked and walked forward.


    ¡°Let¡¯s all rx.¡± She tried to separate the two while standing in their middle. ¡°Since both of you im the design is yours and you work on it, Then provide the evidence. Anything that can prove that you own it.¡±


    ¡°Without evidence, I can also im that it is mine, can¡¯t I? And instead of arguing and yelling, start working on how to prove yourself innocent, or you can start making preparations for a new design. Yelling and arguing won¡¯t change anything,¡± she reprimanded.


    Despite the hatred boiling inside her towards Lily, Merissa held back, turned around, and left. ¡°Fine, since none of you believe me, I¡¯ll prove it to you!¡±

 Chapter 80: A Clue

    Sinful: Whatcha up to? Got some minutes to spare?


    Mark read the message over and over while looking from hisputer to the mountain of files he had to work on, courtesy of Federick and his father who had begun stirring troubles in the group after their one-time sess.


    After theirst meeting at the tea house, Mark was able to confirm one of his suspicions. And that is that Sinful is ady hiding under the disguise of a man.


    Having an understanding of how their business world works, he could understand why she needed to hide her identity, especially her gender. Females are easily ostracised in the kind of work she does.


    However, one thing he could find an answer to, no matter how much he asked, is why his mind randomly drifts to her as ofte.


    ¡®I am indeed in awe of her intelligence but why do I get curious about her personal life?¡¯ That¡¯s been one of the questions bugging him without anyone to answer.


    His hands hovered over the keyboard as he thought about the response to give. He typed out some words and then deleted them, only to repeat the same procedure about three times before finally sending a response.


    Alpha: I¡¯m free. Is there something you¡¯d like to discuss?


    After sending the reply, his eyes flickered to the files again, and he let out a sigh. ¡®It¡¯s just going to be for a few minutes, he thought to himself.


    Sinful: Do you know anything about the Lim family?


    Alpha: The Lim family with the RS pharmaceuticals?


    Sinful: Yeah, that one.N?velDrama.Org content.


    Alpha: Mmm. I know something about them. But you¡¯ll have to pay me to hear it from me.


    Sinful: oh? Is young Master Alpha in need of such a small amount of money?


    Alpha: It¡¯s business, and no amount is small. I won¡¯t even mind a dinner.


    Lily let out a giggle as she read thest message.


    Sinful: Well, too bad. I¡¯m not trying to get bad information from you. I¡¯m trying to give you a way to create a distraction for your cousin.


    Alpha: Oh? Is that so? I¡¯m a bit disappointed; I was looking forward to a dinner with you to have a business talk.


    Alpha: You found something?


    Sinful: Yes, I did while looking for information for a client. Your cousin is involved with them, and they are his major sponsors.


    Alpha: Then what did you find?


    Sinful: (files attached) heard they are under the watchful gazes of the government. The content in those files can keep them busy for a while. They are real, so you won¡¯t have to worry about their authenticity.


    Alpha: I¡¯ve never doubted your work ethic. However, why will it only keep them busy for a while? Do you n to keep them around a little longer?


    Sinful: The ones I sent to you only contained their misconduct with their legal business, not the underworld business. It¡¯ll take a little while longer for me to dig out something that¡¯ll put them away forever.


    Alpha: Alright. I¡¯ll make use of this properly; you have nothing to worry about.


    Sinful: It¡¯ll be better if you used the information as soon as possible, I know I¡¯m not supposed to be telling you this, but it¡¯ll be better if you do it in a way that it won¡¯t be traced back to you or Watson. Lim has connections with the government and even the international cartels.


    Mark felt his heart beat against his ribcage as he read her message. He had somehow interpreted her warning to mean that she cared for his safety. Shaking the wild thought in his mind away, he went back to replying to her.


    Alpha: Thanks for your concern, but just stay glued to the news, and you¡¯ll be awed by my efficiency. I was going to message youter, but we acquired the copyright, and we can start working on the Nex.


    Sinful: Yes! Finally! I¡¯ll send you the programme, and we can test-run it.


    Alpha: I¡¯ll prepare while awaiting your feedback. I have to go now; I have a meeting to attend.


    Lily walked out of her room to see Zara slumped on the chair, looking tired and listless with massive eye bags.


    ¡°Long night?¡± She asked while brewing a cup of coffee for the olderdy.


    ¡°And it¡¯s freaking tiring too,¡± Zara groaned out. ¡°How could someone cause that much trouble? Now we have to find the real owner of the design that they both im to own.¡±


    ¡°Daisy owns the design,¡± Lily voiced as she served the coffee and handed it to Zara, who muttered, ¡®Thank you.


    ¡°Even if you say that, there is no way to know for sure that she owns it. We need evidence, not word of mouth. They both have an alibi to prove they own the design. We can¡¯t just take one and leave the other,¡± Zarained, and Lily hummed.


    ¡°You¡¯ve known her the longest; don¡¯t you have a way to know if she owns the design?¡± Zara asked carefully, and Lily smiled.


    ¡°I told you, Daisy owns the design, not Merrisa. She¡¯s not that creative when ites to making such amazing designs,¡± Lily exined.


    ¡°And no, this has nothing to do with the feud between us. I¡¯m saying this because I¡¯ve known her the longest,¡± she added, making Zara sigh in frustration.


    ¡°Daisy provided some evidence to show she owns the design, but it isn¡¯t enough to overrule the case and announce her as the winner. After all, we are going against the yellow hill,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Then have both of them battle it out. They can make another design or submit a new design, and you judge them based on that. Although it won¡¯t prove who giarised the first design, it will at least help you have a better understanding of their style,¡± Lily suggested.


    ¡°Daisy¡¯s style has been consistent from the beginning of thepetition. She loves flowers, and she has found ways to incorporate them into her designs all through the past.¡± Lily pointed it out.


    ¡°However, Marissa¡¯s style keeps changing at every stage. I know that¡¯s not enough to decide who owns the design, but that¡¯s a clue. Have both of them work on a style simr to what they are fighting on right now, and you¡¯ll be able to tell who stole,¡± Lily exined calmly, and Zara nodded.


    ¡°Not to intrude, but why do you guys hate each other so much?¡± She asked, and Lily¡¯s smile faltered as the memories of the owner being pushed down the stairs shed through her mind.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hate her specifically; me hating her would just mean that she has a special ce in my life.¡± Lily shrugged.


    ¡°I just really dislike people who would go any length to get what they want without fearing who gets hurt along the way.¡±

 Chapter 81: Recreate The Design

    ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to decide which one of you owns thest design, we will have to hold apetition between both of you.¡± The host announced this as Merissa and Daisy sat side by side amongst the judges and tutors.


    ¡°Did you not go through the evidence I sent to you? That¡¯s enough to prove that the design is mine!¡± Merrisa remarked, her voice sounding as haughty as the expression on her face.


    ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t the only one who provided evidence. She did too, and in such cases, that evidence isn¡¯t enough to prove that you both own it. Except you have video evidence of it,¡± the hostess joined in while trying to keep the re away from her eyes.


    ¡°There is no need to throw tantrums. Whether or not you own the design will be revealed in this segment. And like other stages, this will be broadcast live for everyone to see,¡± the host announced.


    Hearing his words, Merissa felt a bad premonition in her heart as her hands began to fidget with the belt of her dress.


    ¡°So this stage is going to be simple. It¡¯s not apetition between teams; instead, it is apetition between the both of you. Since what we are trying to do is between both of you.¡±


    ¡°What you need to do is recreate the design from the previous stage, and this time, divide it into smaller parts of the dress. While giving us the inspiration behind each part of the designs,¡± the hostess announced with a bright smile, and Merissa felt her heart sink to her stomach as her hands clenched tightly around the belt.


    ¡°I¡¯m this version; you must add all the details of the dress. I¡¯m talking about telling us what kind of fabric you want, the colour scheme, and whatnot. We will judge it based on the previous design you submitted,¡± she continued.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s apetition between just you two and it¡¯s a design you are already familiar with, you¡¯ll both have twelve hours to get it done. The person with the highest simrity rate will be announced as the winner, and the other will be announced as the one involved in giarism. Good luck to you two.¡± The host exined carefully.


    As the host¡¯s words sank in, Merissa felt a growing sense of dread and panic. The confident, haughty expression she had worn earlier when she walked into the hall was immediately reced by a nervous, tense atmosphere.


    Her heart hammered in her chest, and her palms grew mmy at the thought of messing the whole thing up. Just as she was about to n a way out of thepetition, a new group of people walked into the hall.


    Some she immediately recognised as the camera crew, and others she had not seen before.


    ¡°To avoid any urgent medical situations, both of you will be examined before thepetition begins. And you two will be under close surveince, as the segment will also be broadcast live to the audience.¡± The host announced.


    ¡°We owe them that much since we postponed the segment that was supposed to air today,¡± he added, and Merissa¡¯s face went pale; however, she immediately readjusted herself and gained back her confidence.


    ¡°You can decide to use a paper sketchpad or the notebooks provided by the team. Either way, good luck to you two.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Daisy gave Merrisa a meaningful look as she picked the farthest corner to work. She immediately took the notebook and got to work.


    Merissa, on the other hand, stood still for a brief moment, her hands constantly fidgeting between them while she decided which to choose, the paper or the pad.


    Finally, she went with the pad and chose the opposite corner from the one chosen by Daisy.


    Recreating the original design was not the main problem. The problem is that she didn¡¯t know the perfect fabrics to use during the making or the perfect colour scheme.


    All those had been left to the tailor to decide, even though it was meant to be done by the designer of the dress.


    Taking a deep breath, she attempted to focus on what she knew about the design. She remembered the flow of the fabric, the way it draped over the model¡¯s form and the intricate embellishments that adorned the dress.


    With a trembling hand, she began to sketch the design, hoping that her artistic skills could help to mask her deficiencies. She began with the body of the dress and soon moved to the other parts.


    Meanwhile, as thepetition between the two was going on, Lily wasn¡¯t idle. She instructed the system to create pictures and videos of Merrisa, asking her to make designs for her and also about the staircase incident where the original body owner had died.


    Since she had promised to avenge her death, she is determined to make sure she doesn¡¯t leave a way for the Smith family to return.


    Using an anonymous ount, she sent the file to the police and also the school disciplinary department. Not only her own, she included the scheme Merissa had done to others.


    Once that was settled, she logged into her other anonymous ount, the one that she had been using to tackle the Smith Corporation, and with that, she sent the police a huge file containing evidence of the Smith Corporation¡¯s fraudulent means.


    She was so busy dealing with Smith that she missed the calls from Bryan and the message from Alpha.


    Once all the evidence had been submitted, she rxed into the chair with a glint in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she decided to join the live broadcast just in time for na to walk into the room with two cups of boba tea.


    ¡°Are you watching thepetition between the two?¡± na asked, and she gave Lily one of the boba teas and took the empty seat beside her.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t much to watch; the camera isn¡¯t even moving close,¡± Lily replied with a shrug.


    ¡°Even then, you can see the difference between their appearances. Did you check thements?¡± na asked.


    ¡°I turned off thements. Is there anything interesting?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s mostly the audience arguing about who owns or who giarised the design, but I suspect Merissa paid some keyboard warriors,¡± na exined as she took a sip of her boba tea with her eyes still glued to theputer screen.


    Lily turned on thements section and immediately noticed what na meant.


    Thements were filled with people throwing shade at Daisy, calling her names for trying to make it in the industry without the proper talent. The more Lily read thements, the darker her face became.


    She clenched her fist and immediately sent out an anonymous notice to a designer, which she had been keeping to deal with Merissa for thest time.


    Amongst the designs that Merrisa ¡®Sessfully Stolen¡¯ from her, there is a particr design that belongs to a popr uing designer who works for a famouspany.


    This design was made for a female celebrity to attend the Met G, and knowing Merissa, she would have kept the design for thest segment.


    Lily¡¯s n from the start was to make Merrisa offend the young designer, and the other would deal with her, consequently sending her out of the industry.


    But seeing how much Merrisa was willing to go. Lily decided to give her a push.


    She hacked into one of Merissa¡¯s friends¡¯ social media ounts and made a post saying.


    How could someone who can create such a beautiful masterpiece be used of giarism?


    Isn¡¯t it obvious at first nce who giarised? Kick Daisy out of the industry!


    After making the post, she manipted the media and made sure the post trended in the online space, attracting the original designer of the dress.

 Chapter 82: The Investigation

    ¡°BREAKING NEWS.¡±


    ¡°The Smith Corporation, a leading provider of consumer goods, is currently under investigation by federal authorities for allegedly selling products with questionable sources to the public.¡±


    ¡®ording to our sources, the investigation wasunched after multiple consumerints and whistleblowers came forward, raising concerns about the origin and authenticity of certain products being sold by thepany.¡±


    Investigators are analysing the corporation¡¯s supply chain, seeking to uncover any potential links to hical or illegal practices. Thepany¡¯s business operations, financial transactions, and internalmunications are also being thoroughly examined to determine if any wrongdoing has urred by a report submitted by an ex-worker of the corporation,¡±


    ¡°The Smith Corporation has stated in response to the allegations, asserting that they have always prioritised transparency and ethical practices in their business dealings. They im to be fully cooperating with the investigation and are confident that no evidence of misconduct will be found.¡±


    ¡°As the investigation continues, consumers are advised to remain vignt and carefully assess the products they purchase from the Smith Corporation. The authorities urge anyone with information rted to the investigation toe forward and assist in the ongoing inquiry.¡±


    Lily smiled as she continued to munch on the bag of chips she had managed to snatch from Gary while listening to the news.


    ¡°You look happy,¡± Gary pointed out, and she hummed.


    ¡°I am happy,¡± she replied with a brighter smile.


    ¡°May I ask why?¡± Gary asked curiously. ¡°Does it have to do with the news?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just happy that I haven¡¯t lost my touch after so long,¡± she grinned, making Gary frown in confusion.


    ¡°Lost your touch? What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡­ Just keep watching. We are getting to the better part.¡±


    ¡°Still on the news about the Smiths, Merissa Smith, the daughter of the Smith Corporation¡¯s owners and a contestant in the ongoing national fashionpetition, has been exposed for her alleged involvement in various nefarious activities at her fashion academy.¡± The newsreader continued.


    ¡°Several ssmates havee forward with usations against Merissa, iming that she orchestrated numerous idents in an attempt to sabotage their progress and secure her position as the top student of the year.¡±


    ¡°In addition to these allegations, evidence has surfaced indicating that Merissa has engaged in giarism, taking credit for the work of her fellow students to bolster her designs and garner des within the academy.¡±


    ¡°It is said that one of her main victims was her former best friend, Lily Turner, whose parents worked for the Smiths. ording to the evidence provided, All of Merissa¡¯s outstanding designs were made by Lily, and after their fallout, Merrisa has been unable to match her former glory, which further proves the usations to be true.¡±


    ¡°In addition, it was reported that to secure the spot on thepetition team, Merrisa Smith arranged with some of her friends, and they pushed the unsuspecting Lily down the stairs, whichnded her in the hospital, where she stayed for one month under intensive care.¡±


    ¡°There isn¡¯t enough evidence as of now, and the Yellow Hill Fashion Academy hasunched an internal investigation into these ims, vowing to take swift action against any misconduct discovered. Merissa Smith has been suspended from the national fashionpetition pending the results of the investigation.¡±


    ¡°As the public outcry grows, many are questioning the true character of the young fashion designer and how her actions may have impacted the lives and careers of her peers.¡±


    ¡°Stay tuned for further developments as the investigation unfolds and the consequences of Merissa Smith¡¯s alleged actionse to light.¡±


    ¡°Is it true?¡± Gary and na asked at the same time as Lily turned off the news on herptop. Both of them stared at me in shock, their eyes filled with a mixture of rage and concern.


    ¡°Did she really push you down the stairs to get a spot?¡±


    ¡°Can anyone be that despicable?¡±


    ¡°She did. And she thought I didn¡¯t know about it. It was hrious watching her throw her weight around without knowing how much karma was preparing to get her back.¡± she shrugged.


    ¡°You all don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ve been waiting to see this happen. It came earlier than expected but what can I say? It has the same effect¡±


    ¡°Now that she¡¯s received a double blow, I¡¯m kind of curious how she¡¯ll look. She¡¯s probably scared out of her wits right now,¡± Lily chuckled and ced the bag of chips on the table beside her before standing up.


    ¡°She should still get into the venue, right?¡± She asked and began walking out to watch.


    Upon getting out, she noticed people gathering around Merissa¡¯s quarters, all of them gossiping as they watched the show unfold.


    Lily walked closer, her interest piqued, eager to see Merissa¡¯s rich expression.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do any of those things! Can¡¯t you see someone is framing me?! How could I push Lily down the stairs? We only had a fallout because she was trying to seduce my boyfriend!¡± Merissa yelled as she struggled against the cops, who hade to take her away for questioning.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have toe with us to give us your statement, even if you didn¡¯t do it, ma¡¯am. Save all of us the trouble and cooperate,¡± the female cop persuaded calmly while Merissa continued to struggle against them.


    Her face turned a darker shade of red, both in embarrassment and in shame, as she noticed people gossiping and whispering while looking in her direction.


    ¡°Did you also hear the news? How can someone be that bad?¡±


    ¡°I was always wondering why she and Lily don¡¯t get along well. I thought it was due to them beingpetitors, but who would have known?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s pissed that her attempt to keep Lily out of thepetition failed, and now her scandals have been aired.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always known she¡¯s not a good person; she deserves to rot in jail!¡±


    ¡°Then does the design belong to Daisy or her?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it belongs to Daisy! How can it belong to her? Her time is spent scheming against others; how could shee up with such perfection?¡±


    While the people gossiped, Lily found her way to the front of themotion to get a better view of the situation. As Merissa noticed her, she tried rushing towards her in desperation.


    ¡°Lily! Tell them it¡¯s not true! I didn¡¯t do any of those things they said! I didn¡¯t push you down the stairs. I would never do such a thing!¡± She rants.


    ¡°Since you didn¡¯t do it, why not go along with the investigation? Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± Lily asked nonchntly as she turned to the officers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cooperate with you in case you need any information.¡± She dered, and Merissa¡¯s face went pale in dread.


    Her eyes met Lily¡¯s eyes and her fear increased as Lily mouthed, ¡°Wee to Hell,¡±Original from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 83: Threaten The Victim

    ¡°Hello, Lily, can I have a word with you?¡± Mrs Smith, who had been standing around the backstage area of thepetition in disguise, asked as Lily walked out to get some fresh air.


    Hearing the voice, Lily groaned inwardly, already dreading the conversation they would have. She could already imagine how the whole thing would y out.


    Her week had been so stressful. Being a victim of Merrisa Smith¡¯s giarism and assault case, she had to travel back and forth from thepetition venue to the police station almost every day to give her statements and provide evidence to help the case progress smoothly.


    Although the major reason why she decided to go every day was to rile Merissa up. But that is just by the way.


    Meeting one of the Smiths right now would only add to her stress. However, she could tell there was no way she¡¯d be getting out of the whole situation without having to meet them.


    ¡°Hello, Mrs Smith. How can I help you?¡± She replied curtly, startling Mrs Smith.


    ¡°Do you have a minute?¡± Mrs Smith asked cautiously, and Lily hummed.


    ¡°I do; how may I help you?¡± Lily replied.


    ¡°Then can we move to some other ces? This ce is not quite convenient to have a conversation.


    I heard your team isn¡¯t presenting until tomorrow, so you don¡¯t have to go back now, do you?¡±


    ¡°Mrs Smith, I¡¯m not sure what you want, but I¡¯d like you to get straight to the point. I can tell this meeting is about  Merrisa.¡± Lily cut her off with a re and a snappy tone.


    Mrs. Smith hesitated for a moment, taken aback by Lily¡¯s directness, but quicklyposed herself.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. This is about Merrisa. As her mother, I¡¯m concerned about her future, and I¡¯m here to ask for your help in resolving this situation.¡±


    Lily raised an eyebrow, her suspicions confirmed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you expect me to do, Mrs. Smith. Your daughter¡¯s actions have consequences, and it¡¯s not my ce to interfere with the investigation. Besides, how do you want me to resolve the situation? I¡¯m not the police officer in charge.¡±


    Mrs. Smith took a step closer, her voice dropping to a pleading whisper. ¡°Please, Lily, I know Merrisa made a terrible mistake, but she¡¯s still young and has her entire life ahead of her. If she ends up in prison, her future will be ruined. I¡¯m begging you to reconsider pressing charges.¡±


    ¡°My family did you wrong, and we regret it, but please give Merissa another chance. Don¡¯t take away her future from her,¡± she pleaded, and Lily scoffed in annoyance.


    ¡°I should not take away her future from her. Oh, how riching from your mouth! She pushed me down the stairs! I could have lost a limb, and that¡¯s putting it lightly! I could have died!¡± She yelled angrily.


    ¡°And here you are telling me not to take her future from her; did she ever consider she could have been doing the same to me? Huh?!¡±


    Mrs. Smith pursed her lips and moved back a little. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that. It was a childish mistake, and she already learned her lesson; it would never happen again,¡± she pleaded.


    Lily¡¯s eyes narrowed as she let out a deep breath. Thinking about how the original body owner has lost her life to Merissa¡¯s shock had really riled her up after hearing Mrs Smith¡¯s words. Nheless, she knew exchanging banter would do nothing to bring her back.


    ¡°Mrs. Smith, I understand your concern for your daughter, but I cannot ignore the harm she has caused. giarism is a serious offence, and her bullying has affected not only me but also other designers in thepetition. We cannot let her actions go unpunished.¡± Lily spoke carefully.


    ¡°If she is realised without being punished, history will repeat itself. And who am I to go against thew? You said she had learned her lesson, and just a few days ago, she tried pushing me down the tform. How am I supposed to believe someone like her changed?¡± She pointed it out.


    Sensing that her initial approach wasn¡¯t working, Mrs. Smith changed tactics, her voice hardening. ¡°I understand your sense of justice, Lily, but you must also consider the consequences of going through with this. Did you somehow forget your ce as a lowly peasant?¡± She sneered.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I can make you and your pathetic family disappear within a few hours! I¡¯m only giving you choices because I feel bad for you! So what if she did those things? With the right connection, we can have them erased!¡± She threatened.


    Lily¡¯s jaw clenched, her anger simmering just below the surface as her eyes twitched continuously.


    ¡°Are you threatening me, Mrs. Smith? Because that¡¯s not going to work either. I refuse to be intimidated, and I won¡¯t back down from doing what¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°What if I am threatening you? What will you do? Report me to the cops?¡± Mrs Smith replied smugly.


    Lily gave her a stink eye, ¡°it¡¯s true the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree,¡± she breathed out and began walking back into the venue.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say to you, Mrs. Smith. I¡¯m sure the media will have a field day when they get the news that you came to threaten me,¡± she chuckled.


    ¡°Hmph! I¡¯d like to see how you¡¯ll do it without proof. I¡¯ve given you a life-saving grace, Lily. Take my offer, I chip in some millions as payment for keeping your mouth shut and we can all forget about this¡± she bargained.


    Letting out a frustrated sigh, Lily turned back to face her with her phone in hand. She clicked on the screen and the recordings of their conversation began to y.


    ¡°Who said I have no proof? Do you know it¡¯s a crime to threaten a witness?¡± She asked with an amused smile as she took in the older woman¡¯s terrified appearance.


    ¡°Do you want to know the truth? I was the whistleblower who outed your daughter to the police. You think I¡¯ll let her go after she tries to kill me? In your dreams!¡± Lily snapped.


    ¡°And seeing how you are hurriedly trying to clean up the mess made by your daughter by shutting me up, I can guess the Smith Corporation¡¯s reputation is in the mud,¡± she snickered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to withdraw my charges against Merrisa, so you can get that out of your mind. She did it, and she deserves whateveres to her!¡± She dered firmly and walked in.


    Mrs Smith stumbled as her knees became weak. She quickly held on to the wall behind her to stabilise her bnce.


    Beforeing to meet with Lily, she had gone to her parents, who were very unweing; they had even threatened to call the cops on her. Thinking Lily would be an easy target if her parents were brought into the equation, she came to find her but never expected this oue.


    While stabilising her breath, her phone rang, ¡°Hello,¡± which she greeted without checking the caller ID.


    ¡°You still have time to say hello?!¡± Mr. Smith bellowed; his loud, angry voice almost caused her to go deaf.


    Angrily, she hissed and began chasing him. ¡°Why are you taking out your temper on me again?¡±


    ¡°If things aren¡¯t working the way you want, just find another way to solve them! Must you show the world you are an asshole?¡± She snapped back.


    ¡°Says the woman who went to threaten the victim without doing it properly! Get back here this instant and find a way to clear things up.¡± He dered and hung up.


    While thinking about the call, Mrs. Smith¡¯s phone continued to blow up with various messages from people in her circle.


    She clicked on her best friend¡¯s message, and her face immediately went pale in shock.


    ¡°You are all over the media!¡±

 Chapter 84: Consequences Of Her Actions

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe she has the nerve to threaten the victim in this situation. How shameless!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve long heard about how unreasonable and selfish rich people are; this is taking it to another level! How can you tell her she¡¯s ruining your daughter¡¯s career when your daughter pushed her down the goddamn stairs? Both mother and daughter deserve to rot in jail!¡±


    ¡°@Upstairs, this is the wrong representation of the aristocrats. On behalf of all aristocrats, we deny ever knowing them!¡±


    ¡°Oh, bless my heart! Where are these people from? The daughter is crazy, and the mother is an asylum escapee! They need therapy behind bars!¡±


    ¡°Why is murder a crime? For this, should we remove murder as a crime? The only reason I haven¡¯t gone on a human hunt is because I¡¯m scared my pretty ass will have to go to jail! Boycott this family!¡±


    ¡°Poor little Lily was probably too scared to speak up against the Smith family. Who knows how long she has been bullied by that scum family? #Justice for Lily¡±


    ¡°Justice for Lily!¡±


    ¡°Justice for Lily, Merissa needs to rot in jail!¡±


    ¡°@Upstairs And the rest of her family too! All of them should rot in jail!¡±


    ¡°#Boycott the Smith Corporation!¡±


    ¡°Ah! Did you see the post made by Grey¡¯s newly sighed designer?! Oh my gosh! The smiths don¡¯t know when to stop! She could even giarise a well-known young designer¡¯s work. She has no fear!¡±


    ¡°What post? Send the link!¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh!! At this point, I can only call Merissa and her group of friends shameless.¡±


    The more Mrs Smith read the onlinement about her and her family, the more fear gripped her heart. Her fingers trembled as she scrolled through the posts, reading thements and posts one after the other.


    She saw the video of her meeting with Lily, and it appeared someone had been eavesdropping on them. Or, more urately, Lily had arranged for them to be filmed.


    Clicking on the link about Grey¡¯s fashion designer took her to Grey¡¯s official page, where several screenshots were posted.


    One of the screenshots was about a post made by one of Merrisa¡¯s friends about her new design, along with the post was a short write-up.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    It saddens us to know that young designers are getting involved in issues of giarism. Thinking about leaving the industry to such a group of people even scared the seniors.


    However, this post was not made to address that issue. We¡¯ve been notified about how @Miss Smith, who is a current participant in the national fashionpetition, used one of our exclusive designs and imed it was hers.


    This particr design is something special made by @Seasonedbloom for her idol, and it is an exclusive design with only one piece made.


    Below is the proof of copyright for the design, and awsuit will be sent to her shortly.


    We hope that the person involves corporations to resolve the issue.


    Under that post were severalments cussing out Merissa for her evil deeds.


    Merissa¡¯s fashion scandal began to trend even more as the designer, Seasonedbloom, made a video exining how much the design meant to her and how long it had taken her to get it done.


    By the time it was morning, the whole inte was trending about the fashion scandal, which almost drew all the other trending news, including the Smith Corporation fraud news.


    Lily, who had been nning their downfall for so long, was not about to let them off the hook.


    With her anonymous ount, she began to post videos, pictures, and even documents proving their fraud and the evasion of taxes.


    As the post made it online, the Smith family¡¯s scandal filled all the top spots on all online tforms.


    Mr. Smith paced back and forth in his living room, a huge eye bag covering half of his face from the countless sleepless nights he¡¯d had in the past week.


    He brushed his hands through his unkempt hair and sighed every now and then before turning to his wife, who was sitting in the corner with a solemn expression. He stared at her for a few seconds, his mouth opening and closing like he had something to say, only for him to resume his pacing without saying a thing.


    After several minutes of repeating the same thing, he finally spoke. ¡°Did you and your daughter offend any big shots?¡± He demanded coldly, making Mrs. Smith snap out of her daze.


    Mrs Smith lifted her gaze to meet her husband¡¯s icy stare, feeling a mixture of anger and disbelief. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat.


    How could she possibly answer such an obvious question without being snappy?


    Did he not see the long list of people their daughter had offended or even almost ruined their lives?


    Not only did she giarise other people¡¯s work, she had even threatened the lives of her schoolmates on several asions.


    Do they need to offend a big shot for those kids to get back at them?


    Even with all this, Mrs. Smith knew their daughter was the least of her husband¡¯s worries.


    His question was asked for his business, not their daughter.


    She took a deep breath to calm her tense nerves and then shook her head.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t offend anyone that could affect your business. The question is, Did you offend anyone?¡± She asked and got a re in return as Mr Smith turned away, walking towards his study.


    Mrs. Smith hurriedly got up and followed behind him. ¡°What about Merrisa? When are we going to get her out? It¡¯s been almost two weeks,¡± she asked.


    ¡°What about her? I¡¯m sure she won¡¯t mind staying longer,¡± he hissed.


    ¡°What do you mean by staying longer?¡±


    ¡°What do you think I meant when I said that?¡± He countered, his voice rising as he turned to her with a cold, daring re.


    ¡°She¡¯s your daughter; are you going to allow her to continue staying there?¡± She asked in disbelief, and he scoffed.


    ¡°She should have thought about the consequences of her actions when she decided tomit a crime!¡±


    ¡°Well! It¡¯s done, and there is nothing we can do about it! She was young and temperamental! Are you seriously considering your daughter spending her youthful years in prison?¡± Mrs. Smith demanded, her voice trembling as she noticed the indifference in her husband¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Since you are so hell-bent on getting her out, go for it. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll enjoy being cussed out on the inte once again.¡± He said this and mmed the door in her face.

 Chapter 85: Had Something To Prove

    Despite the ongoing scandal in the fashion world, the nationalpetitions continued as nned; however, the semi-finals of thepetition were redone, with one of the losing teams brought back to the game.


    It was the one closest to the Merissa team¡¯s marks.


    All four groups were reshuffled. Wilson still maintained first ce, with Lily in second, Fairies in third, Funray in fourth, and GV Fashion, who had reced Yellow Hills, in fifth.


    ording to the previous arrangements, Wilson gets a pass to the finals, while the rest of the teampetes against each other.


    This time, Lily¡¯s was matched with Fairies Fashion School, and both will have topete for a spot in the finals.


    The host walked onto the stage with a bright smile, almost as bright as the light in the hall. ¡°Hello everyone!¡± He greeted me with a wave of his hands and a cheer.


    ¡°As you all know, due to some circumstances, we have to rece a team in the semi-finals so that we all can have a fairpetition.¡± He began.


    ¡°So amongst the other teams that were scheduled to go home, we picked the ones with the highest points, and for their fans, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy to see them back on stage,¡± he announced, and the fans of the GV team cheered.


    ¡°Alright, without wasting much time! We will get straight to the point! In this segment, Lily¡¯s fashion will be going again to Fairies Fashion School; isn¡¯t that exciting?¡±


    ¡°Both teams were given the same theme to work with. The theme is feathers and angels. We want to see and experience the ethereal beauty of those divine beings. We want their beauty to captivate us at a nce.¡± He echoed excitedly.


    ¡°And so I present it to you! Lily¡¯s and Fairies! As usual, cast your vote; no cheating and no hatements!¡±


    Once he was done with the announcement, Gary and na, whom Lily had forced into the modelling gig for just the night, walked onto the stage, both in a contradicting colour nod, ck and white.


    As the lights focused on the two models, the audience erupted into cheers. They were captured by their beauty, elegance, and attention to detail in the costumes they had worn.


    ¡°Oh my goodness! I feel like I¡¯m seeing an angel!¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh! I want! I want!


    ¡°Look at that feeling of attention to goddamn details! Has Lily ever seen an angel?!¡±


    ¡°I love the contrasting colour. A dark angel seduces the light angel! I just got a freaking story idea!¡±


    ¡°Those wings look so real; look at theyers!¡±


    ¡°I bet it will be fluffy and soft to touch! I¡¯m definitely going to be getting my Halloween costume from Lily¡¯s!¡±


    ¡°Wait, is that Lily walking the runway?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s the tailor! She made a post about ten minutes ago about being ckmailed into running the hall! Ahhh! Omg. Lily made the feathers herself!¡±


    ¡°Look, I found a post she did, and we are promised a video of the process!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to use all my family members¡¯ phones to vote! I can¡¯t afford the costume, but I can afford to vote!¡±


    na, adorned in ck angel attire, gave off the captivating charm of a subus, seducing the light angel.


    The ck feathers meticulously sewn onto the bodice created an illusion of wings, wrapping around her figure like a gentle embrace. The feathers extended downward, transitioning into ayered, ethereal skirt that seemed to float above the ground. A delicate, intricatece mask obscured half of her face, entuating the air of mystery surrounding the dark angel.


    She moved her wings just as she twirled and winked at the audience before going back to the backstage area with an extra sway of her hips.


    Gary, on the other hand, gave off the essence of divine purity in his white angel attire. The radiant white feathers on the shoulders and sleeves evoked the image of wings, hinting at celestial power. A shimmering silver sash wrapped around his waist, further enhancing the heavenly aura.


    Complementing na¡¯s ensemble, Gary also wore a mask-a minimalist, white design that simultaneously highlighted his strong features and concealed his identity.


    Contrary to n¡¯s flirty atmosphere, Gary gave off apletely innocent and ethereal elegance that made the female audience swoon.


    ¡°I admit defeat,¡± the designer from Fairies Fashion chuckled as he sat beside Lily, watching the runway.


    ¡°Damn! For a moment, I literally thought I had seen an angel. How did you pull it off?¡± He asked curiously, and Lily smiled.


    The


    ¡°I had help from my teammate, of course. That was just abination of what we all considered an angel to look like,¡± she replied calmly, her eyes still on therge screen in front of them.


    ¡°And maybe I have seen a real angel,¡± she teased, and heughed.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got the skill and the backing to survive in this industry. I was surprised, though. I mean the thing between you and Merissa. That¡¯s some unhinged moves, but I¡¯m d she¡¯s going to be brought to justice,¡± he said, making Lily nod.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m d it happened,¡± she breathed out as she turned to look at him.


    ¡®After all, if it didn¡¯t happen, I, Victoria, would not have been here today.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t really motivated topete in the first; I only wanted to attend because I was nominated, but after that, I knew I had something to prove, and I needed to get back at her.¡±


    ¡°So yes, it worked in my favour, as twisted as that might sound,¡± she exined.


    The two fell into an ufortable silence while they kept watching the fairies¡¯ model walk the hallway.


    The team had also done an excellent job. If they were against some other teams, they probably would have won. Their attire, even though it wasn¡¯t as detailed as Lily¡¯s, was detailed enough to give off an angel vibe.


    Combined with the model¡¯s beauty, the attire would have won the hearts of the audience.


    Unsurprisingly, as the host announced the winner of the segment, Lily¡¯s fashion had the highest score rate amongst all four groups.


    And at the end of the day, Lily¡¯s and Funray¡¯s fashions proceeded to the finals.N?velDrama.Org content.


    As the segment closed up, the designer from Fairies shook hands with Lily with a smile and said, ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! You did wonderful too,¡± Lily replied.


    ¡°Of course I did. It was my bad luck to be paired with such a monster as you. How about a coboration between both of us?¡± He asked with eyes full of expectations.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to work with you sometime! I¡¯ve always loved your work!¡± She replied truthfully, and his smile widened even more.

 Chapter 86: I Want Victoria鈥檚 Service

    Immediately after the semi-finals, Lily was summoned to the police once again, where she met Mrs Smith, looking pale and unkempt while waiting for her.


    She scoffed, gave her a side nce and walked past her to the officer in charge of the case.


    ¡°Hello, Miss Tuner, thank you foring on such short notice,¡± the officer greeted.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m d I could be of help in any way possible. Are there any developments with the case?¡± She replied, sitting down in front of the officer.


    ¡°Well, like I said at the time, the investigation has beenpleted, and the testimony you gave matches up with everything, so you can proceed to press charges against Miss Smith.¡±


    ¡°But¡­. There¡¯s uh¡­.¡± The officer hesitated not knowing how to say his next words.


    ¡°But?¡± Lily asked with a raised brow, and the officer gave a tight smile.


    ¡°Her parents are hoping you don¡¯t press charges. They want you to settle it without going to court, they are ready to pay any amount inpensation,¡± the officer voiced. Lily frowned in dissatisfaction.


    ¡°It was an attempted murder, officer. How do I settle the case without going to court? What if she does it to some other person?¡± She asked.


    ¡°She tried to take my life, and I¡¯m just supposed to take some hush money and forget it?¡±


    The officer let out a sigh as he sat up straighter. ¡°I don¡¯t expect you not to press charges. I¡¯m in support of your decision to do so. I also lost my child to bullying, and I don¡¯t deal with such cases lightly. But the culprit¡¯s parents wanted me to pass the information to you,¡± he exined.


    ¡°The others who are involved, were they paid off?¡± She gritted out, pretending to be annoyed.


    ¡°Their case wasn¡¯t as serious as yours, so they took thepensation, after all, they might not be gettingpensation in court. Only you and the other designer are left; she¡¯s still pressing charges for copyright infringement.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pressing charges; I want her in court and for her to serve jail term, as long as possible. She needs to be taught some morals,¡± Lily dered, and the officer nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s not so professional, but I¡¯ll have to say it anyway,¡± the officer breathed out a smallugh.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you. I¡¯ve been watching yourpetition, and I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t allow the previous one to be a setback for you; instead, you made it your stepping stone. Well done,¡± he smiled, and he walked out of the office to meet Mrs. Smith.


    Lily walked out afterwards and was instantly blocked by a crying Mrs Smith.


    ¡°Lily, I know what she did was wrong, but please don¡¯t let her go to jail! She¡¯s all I have. I¡¯ll give you any amount or do anything you want, but please don¡¯t press charges against her,¡± she begged.


    ¡°Byw, attempted murders need to be punished,¡± Lily replied coldly. ¡°And who knows how crazy she has gotten now? For the sake of my safety and peace, I would like to see her sent to prison to learn some morals and pay for her crimes,¡± she added, and Mrs. Smith¡¯s face morphed into an ugly frown.


    ¡°Why are you being so insensitive?! She is your friend! You two grew up together! Why do you want to ruin her future? Are you afraid that you¡¯ll only be in her shadow all your life?¡± Mrs Smith yelled, attracting the others around them.


    Lily pursed her lips and gave the woman a sarcastic smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure your daughter should have considered that when she decided to push me down the stairs! I want to ruin her future?! I almost died because of her jealousy.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°You expect me to sweep that under the rug like it never happened because she¡¯s all you have? Or because we grew up together? Don¡¯t be delusional, Mrs. Smith! If she considered me a friend, she would not have tried to kill me.¡± Lily screamed into her face.


    Her chest tightened up as she continued to speak about the experience of the host. If there was a way to prove that the host had died and she was a foreign soul, she would have been charged with murder.


    She red at her and kept walking, bumping into the woman¡¯s shoulder for extra effect.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to press charges, so get a goodwyer.¡±


    As Lily stepped out of the police station, she let out a deep breath as a tear rolled down her cheeks. Looking up at the bright sky, she muttered.


    ¡°You can rest easy now; I promise not to let them off easily.¡±


    {What are you going to do to those who apanied her in the crime?} The system asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to worry about them; the police will handle them properly, as they should. After all, they are aplices in a criminal case,¡± Lily replied and continued walking down the pavement towards the bus stop.


    A familiar car slowed down beside her, and she stopped walking just in time for Bryan to roll down the window on the driver¡¯s side. ¡°Get in,¡±


    Without needing to be told twice, Lily got into the passenger seat beside Bryan and said, ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you today.¡±


    ¡°I came to find you since you weren¡¯t replying to any of my messages,¡± Bryan replied and gave her a side nce.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± He asked worriedly, and Lily hummed as she looked out the window.


    After her confrontation with Mrs. Smith, her mood became mncholy, with all kinds of negative emotions swirling around in her head. She could tell it wasn¡¯t hers; the feelings belonged to the original owner.


    They were her lingering attachment to the world.


    ¡°Is there anything you need?¡± She asked as she finally suppressed those feelings.


    ¡°Can¡¯t I stop by to say hello to my niece? Not the favourite, since she¡¯s so stubborn and willful like her mother, but she¡¯s my niece nheless,¡± he teased, and Lily rolled her eyes.


    ¡°You and I both know you are way too busy to have casual family visitation time.¡± She replied, and Bryanughed.


    ¡°Touche,¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal?¡± She repeated.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry; let¡¯s get something to eat. What would you like to have?¡±


    ¡°I want something spicy and sweet.¡± She replied, and Bryan gave a nod as he drove to a high-end restaurant close to the police station.


    The two ced their order and began to talk. ¡°I was a major sponsor of the Paris show,¡± he began, surprising Lily, who had always known her maternal family was into technology and medicine.


    ¡°Has the Roux family gotten involved with the fashion world now?! She asked.


    ¡°I did tell you I broke off contact with the rest of the family; don¡¯t worry, I got my share of the inheritance before I left.¡± He grinned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to be in the fashion world, you know? But they just won¡¯t allow it-well, except your mom. She was the only one who supported me back then, and she was also the reason I could break away from the family,¡± he exined.


    Lily hummed and thanked the waiter as their food was served.


    ¡°You two have always been close. I guess you both bond with your rebellious acts. Why are you telling me this now? Surely you don¡¯t want me to work for you?¡± She asked with a raised brow, and Bryan shrugged.


    ¡°I would appreciate it, but Victoria is not a designer, at least not a fashion designer. I want Victoria¡¯s service, not Lily¡¯s service. You get what I mean?¡±


    ¡°You make it sound like I have a split personality.¡± She mumbled. ¡°So, what do you want me to do for you?¡±


    ¡°I want to break into the Roux family vault, and I need your help.¡±

 Chapter 87: The Story Behind The Mask

    ¡°Finally! It¡¯s the day we have all been waiting for!¡± The host announced. ¡°It¡¯s the finals, and today, to get an overall winner, Wilson¡¯s fashion team will be going against Lily¡¯s!¡±


    Cheers of excitement erupted all over the hall as the fans of each team raised banners and lights to cheer the teams on.


    ¡°I am as excited as you all are,¡± the hostughed. ¡°This year¡¯spetition has been the most exciting nationalpetition in the fashion world so far. Not only do we get to witness talented individualspeting against one another, but we also get to witness some amazing drama. I can retire without regrets now.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t want to bore you with my long talks. I can already feel all your impatience. So without wasting much time, we will invite both teams to the floor.¡± He continued.


    ¡°The theme given by the team is a futuristic concept. We want our designers to bring the future into the present. We want to be carried away by the dreams and aspirations that involve the future,¡± the host announced.


    ¡°Now, we should all know that this concept can be interpreted in many ways, and that¡¯s the idea behind this segment. We want creativity and innovations; go all out and enlighten us with what you think the future of fashion will be.¡±


    ¡°Now we invite both themes to show us their creativity!¡± He announced and walked off the runway just as the models walked out one after the other.


    The lights dimmed, and the audience fell silent as the first model gracefully stepped onto the runway.


    The Wilson fashion team had created striking attire thatbined elements of science fiction and high fashion.


    The model wore a sleek, metallic bodysuit adorned with LED lights that changed colours in sync with the model and the music¡¯s rhythm. A transparent, holographic cape flowed behind her, and her hair was styled in an avant-garde manner, giving her an otherworldly appearance.


    As the music intensified, the male emerged wearing an equally breathtaking design. His attire was made from innovative, sustainable materials that shimmered in the spotlight, pushing the boundaries of traditional fashion.


    The Wilson team¡¯s collection featured a diverse range of styles and colours, each representing a unique interpretation of the futuristic theme.


    As the two models walked side by side, the crowd erupted into a loud cheer as a result of the creativity of the designer and the expertise of the tailor, who had pieced the whole thing together.


    Once the apuse subsided, anticipation filled the air as everyone awaited Lily¡¯s team¡¯s designs. The lights changed, and the first model from Lily¡¯s team took to the stage.


    na¡¯s outfit was a beautiful fusion of elegance and futurism, with a structured, shimmering silver gown that seemed to float around her as she walked. The dress was paired with an intricate headpiece that resembled a celestial crown, drawing inspiration from the cosmos.


    While her mask was made in a way to not only conceal her identity, it was also made in a way thatpleted the attire, giving the wearer a mysterious identity, like a faceless person.


    As Gary walked the runway, it became evident that their team had focused on creating a unified collection that paid homage to both ssic fashion and cutting-edge design.


    Each piece featured abination of flowing fabrics, in terms of gowns and down jackets. Innovative materials and intricate detailing told a story of how the past and future could coexist in the world of fashion.


    Lily¡¯s team incorporated elements of nature, technology, and science into their designs, showcasing a deep understanding of how the future could be influenced by the world around us. The colour palette ranged from ethereal pastels to bold, vibrant hues, creating a visual spectacle that captivated the audience.


    Almost everyone had several stories in their heads as to what inspired the designs. Almost all of them could guess what the story behind each of the designs was.


    A rebirth.


    A new beginning.


    A start-over that learns from the past to form future paths.


    From the news on the inte, they could tell that the design was a representation of Lily¡¯s experience and her hope for the future.


    ¡°I knew I just had to be here in person for the finals! This is amazing!¡±


    ¡°Who said Wilson had the upper hand just now? This is Lily taking over as the unstoppable neer.¡±


    ¡°So rtable! So fascinating!¡±


    ¡°If I had to watch this on the screen, I would have regretted it for the rest of my life!¡±


    ¡°Who turned the AC to the highest?! Why am I having goosebumps just from watching some models walk the runway?¡±


    ¡°This is a thoughtful choice! I¡¯m here to support Wilson, but why is my hand voting for Lily¡¯s?¡±


    As much as the audience could not suppress their excitement, even the judges were left dumbstruck, unable to point out any fault in either designer¡¯s work.


    Even then, they all knew who had won the segment, even without announcing it.


    ¡°Wow!¡± The host breathed into the microphone as he stepped back on stage.


    ¡°I mean. I knew this segment was going to be exciting, but not this exciting! Continue casting your vote. The voting page will close in the next thirty minutes, and in that time, we will be asking the teams some questions,¡± he announced, inviting both designers to the stage.


    ¡°How do you feel about thispetition?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s been exciting so far. I¡¯m d I couldpete amongst the nation¡¯s top young designers,¡± Shannon replied with a smile as she waved to the cheering crowd.


    The host turned to Lily and said, ¡°I had lots of fun, and I was able to meet amazing people while also learning from them. It¡¯s great being here,¡± she replied calmly.


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful to hear!¡± the host eximed, beaming at both designers. ¡°Your enthusiasm for thepetition and respect for one another are trulymendable. Now, let¡¯s dive into some questions about your designs for tonight.¡±


    He turned to Shannon. ¡°Shannon, your team¡¯s use of metallic elements and LED lights created a futuristic atmosphere that captivated the audience. Can you share your inspiration behind these choices?¡±


    Shannon smiled. ¡°Absolutely! Our team drew inspiration from science fiction and the idea of technology bing more integrated with our daily lives. We wanted to showcase how fashion might evolve alongside technological advancements while maintaining its essence of self-expression.¡±


    The host nodded, impressed by her vision. He then shifted his focus to Lily. ¡°Lily, your team¡¯s collection showcased a harmonious blend of nature and technology. What message were you trying to convey through your designs?¡±


    Lily took a deep breath, her eyes reflecting a mix of emotions. ¡°Our collection aimed to emphasise the importance of sustainability and the role of technology in preserving our. We wanted to show that fashion can be both beautiful and environmentally conscious, setting a precedent for the future.¡±


    The audience listened intently, captivated by the depth of thought put into each design. The host, equally impressed, continued with more questions, exploring deeper into the designers¡¯ creative processes, challenges faced during thepetition, and aspirations for the future of the fashion industry.


    As the questioning came to an end, the host turned to the audience.


    ¡°It¡¯s the time we¡¯ve all been waiting for. The moment of truth,¡± he grinned.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming we¡¯ve all cast our votes as the voting channel will be closed in a few seconds.¡±


    ¡°We encourage you all to share your feedback for this year¡¯spetition and tell us how we can improve in the next year¡¯spetition.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    The hostess walked on the stage holding an envelope containing the results of thepetition.


    ¡°For this year¡¯s annual fashionpetition,ing in third ce is the Funray fashion school!¡± The host announced.


    Daisy and her team stepped forward and received the award with bright, beautiful smiles. ¡°Thank you all for your support and encouragement. We promise to continue to deliver the best,¡± she bowed and stood aside for the host to announce the second ce.


    ¡°Oh goodness, it¡¯s been an exciting one, hasn¡¯t it? How I wish it wouldn¡¯t end yet,¡± he joked, purposely building the tension before announcing the winner.


    ¡°Coming in second ce is,¡± he said, taking a break and pursing his lips. ¡°Let¡¯se back tomorrow for the announcement,¡± he joked, making the audienceugh.


    ¡°Before I announce the winner, Miss Lily, the audience has a question and a request for you,¡± the host announced, and Lily nodded.


    ¡°Now the question is, do you and your team wear masks? Is it a brand thing or is there a reason behind it?¡± He asked, and Lily looked towards her teammates, who gave a nod in encouragement.


    ¡°Well, there is a reason behind it,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Is it something you can tell us?¡± The host continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ve gotten permission, so yes, it is,¡± she replied, taking off her mask. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all familiar with my face,¡± sheughed. ¡°Or maybe at least most people are.¡±


    ¡°So the story behind the masks wearing is actually based on the rtionship between myself and Merissa and the identities of my teammates,¡± she began.


    ¡°My make-up model is an identical twin with his brother, who is a popr celebrity. It would have created controversy if he had stepped onto the stage with his face bare; we didn¡¯t want to go through that,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Andstly, my beautiful tailor was also under some family circumstances at the time, and it would have created a bigger controversy with her face bare, and that¡¯s why we decided to wear masks,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Oh my, so at this time, can you show us your faces?¡±


    ¡°No, not yet. Of course, you¡¯d get to meet us shortly, but not yet,¡± she replied calmly, and the host nodded as he returned to the announcement.


    ¡°Coming in second ce is¡­ Wilson Fashion Academy!¡± The host announced, and Shannon bowed to the audience.


    ¡°And in the first ce is none other than the ck sheep of thepetition¡­ I¡¯m sure you already know, but I¡¯ll still announce it¡­ First ce goes to Lily¡¯s Fashion!¡±

 Chapter 88: Journey Towards Redemption

    ¡°Are you here to gloat about your victory?¡± Marissa sneered as Lily sat in front of her with a smug smile and a mocking expression.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to gloat about; even if I did gloat, I earned the right to do so,¡± Lily replied, her posture elegantly rxed yet domineering.


    ¡°How does it feel to be locked behind bars?¡± She mocked with a smallugh, ¡°I¡¯m sure you have never imagined yourself in your position right now. I also never thought there woulde a day I would have to personally deal with the insignificant Smith family, but here I am,¡± She chuckled mockingly, making Merrisa grit her teeth in annoyance.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°What do you want from me?¡± She sneered, and Lily shrugged.


    ¡°I came to see your loser face, and it¡¯s hrious just as I thought it would be, but then again, I came to inform you that you seeded when you pushed Lily down those stairs.¡± Lily¡¯s face dimmed as she said thest part.


    Merrisa¡¯s face paled, and the grip on her clothes tightened.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± She asked with a trembling voice, having a bad premonition in her heart after hearing those words.


    Lily pursed her lips as she moved closer to Merissa. ¡°Whatever you heard is what I said. That girl would never have the guts to stand up to you. You were surprised by the sudden changes in the docile Lily, weren¡¯t you?¡± She chuckled and rxed back into her chair.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Marissa demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯m Lily Turner; who else will I be?¡± Lily replied with a smile as she got up to leave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I made sure you will not be alone in prison; your family will have a little reunion in a few days. You don¡¯t have to thank me,¡± she giggled and walked out, leaving Merissa dumbfounded and scared.


    As Lily stepped out of her sight, she let out a scream. ¡°She¡¯s an imposter! She¡¯s not the real Lilly! You have to arrest her!¡± She continued screaming, and that was how she was tagged insane, which led to her spending her days amongst psychiatric patients.


    #News at Ten


    The Smith family and cooperation have finally met their end as Mr. Smith, founder of Smith Cooperation, was sentenced to fifteen years of active service for the crimes of tax evasion, fraud, and counterfeit products.


    This happened just after his daughter, Merrisa Smith, was convicted of attempted murder, giarism, and a crime of battery and ckmail.


    After an interview with Jordan Smith, the Smith family¡¯s first son, it was revealed that he went abroad after the family cut ties with him because he didn¡¯t support their style of living. In that interview, Jordan rified that he would not be taking over the Smith cooperation as he has his own business abroad.


    Following this incident, we¡¯ve found that the Smith Corporation had been bought and is now under new management, who swore to clean up the Corporation¡¯s bad reputation by delivering top products to the people.


    Lily turned off the television and took a sip of her wine. ¡®I¡¯ve avenged you and fulfilled your wish. You can rest easy now,¡¯ she thought with her hand on her chest while looking out the huge ss window of the Smith Corporation.


    A middle-aged man dressed in a brown suit walked into therge office with a ck suitcase. Lily shook his hands and, with a smile, walked to the sitting area of the office.


    ¡°Hello, Mr. Wace, correct?¡± She greeted me calmly.


    ¡°Wace Jackson,¡± he introduced.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about your managerial skills, and I¡¯m d I could finally meet you,¡± Lily voiced.


    ¡°Haha. I only do my best so I can stay relevant in the industry.¡± Lily nodded, acknowledging Wace¡¯s dedication to his work and his humble nature.


    In her previous life as Victoria, she had worked with the man sitting in front of her on multiple asions, and on those asions, they were both able to rake in mouth-watering profits for Hamilton¡¯s business.


    After she was reborn as Lily, the first thing she did was find out his location and ns. And the only reason she was able to get him toe work for her was because he got into trouble with William Hamilton after he refused to work with him.


    After his refusal, Williams tried to suppress him amongst the big corporations by smearing his image.


    ¡°The reason why I contacted you is precisely because you do your best to remain relevant in the industry,¡± she confessed, her tone filled with respect.


    ¡°I have a proposition for you.¡±


    Wace raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued.


    ¡°A proposition, you say? Are you not aware of the ban on me?¡± He asked, and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°I know Williams too well to know he doesn¡¯t take well to rejections. He aimed to suppress you until you crawl back to him,¡± she pointed out, and Wace nodded.


    ¡°And you are not afraid that you will get pulled into this fire?¡± He asked.


    ¡°If I am someone who is scared easily, I wouldn¡¯t have pulled the Smith Cooperation down like I did. Besides, I have a long-standing friendship with Williams; do you consider these two people with simr interests teaming up to achieve their goals? What do you think?¡± She asked with a subtle smile, and Wace chuckled.


    Before he agreed to the meeting, he had done his share of research about her, of which he was unable to find anything useful except her rtionship with the downfall of the Smiths.


    Her parents, who had been working for the Smiths for over a decade, somehow miraculously inherited arge orchard on the expensive side of the state.


    No matter how he tries to think, he can¡¯t help but think about her having some real and massive background that could not be offended.


    Taking a deep breath, he adjusted his jacket and gestured for her to continue: ¡°I¡¯m all ears.¡±


    Lily rxed into the chair as she formted her ns: ¡°With the Smith family¡¯s downfall and the cooperation under new management, this is the perfect opportunity to rebuild thepany¡¯s reputation and establish a new era for the business.¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t agree more,¡± Wace replied, leaning forward in his chair. ¡°But where do I fit into this n?¡±


    A sly smile spread across Lily¡¯s face. ¡°My ns are big, and I n to dive deep into several aspects of the economy. I¡¯m talking about being the second Watson group, and I want you to be the new CEO of the Smith Cooperation. Of course, you¡¯ll only be acting in my ce, since I hate doing paperwork.¡±


    Wace¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, the weight of Lily¡¯s offer sinking in. ¡°Me? CEO? I¡¯m honoured, but why choose me?¡±


    ¡°Your dedication to your work, your determination to stay relevant in the industry, and your impressive managerial skills make you the perfect candidate,¡± Lily exined.


    ¡°I believe you have what it takes to steer thepany in the right direction and restore its reputation.¡±


    ¡°And of course, because you need my help and I offer a very generous sry. It¡¯s going to be on the same scale as what you got while working with Victoria Hamilton previously,¡± she added with a smirk.


    Wace considered her words, mulling over the offer with a serious expression. And I was mostly impressed that she had done enough assignments to know how to lure him in.


    Finally, he stood and extended his hand towards Lily. ¡°I ept your offer.


    Lily grasped his hand, sealing the agreement with a firm handshake.


    ¡°Wee aboard, Wace. I look forward to working with you.¡±


    As Wace departed from the office, Lily gazed out the window, a sense of relief and aplishment washing over her.


    She had avenged the real Lily and brought the Smith family to justice, and now, with Wace at the helm, the Smith cooperation could begin its journey towards redemption.


    And then she could finally begin her quest for revenge.


    ¡°The days ahead better be interesting ones.¡±

 Chapter 89: Outed Herself As Sinful

    ¡°Congrattions on your big win!¡± Celina cheered as she walked into Lily¡¯s studio to see her buried knee-deep in paper-printed orders. ¡°Oh my, did Ie at the wrong time?¡±


    ¡°You came at the right time; I need a distraction from all these,¡± Lily replied with a smile as she gestured to the papers scattered around the office.


    ¡°How was your trip to London? Did you enjoy the break?¡± She asked, and Celina rolled her eyes before letting out a frustrated sigh.


    ¡°For the most part, I did enjoy the trip, but it¡¯s all work. The shoot for the magazine was so stressful since I had to film in several locations, and I just got a new assistant as my previous one got married. It¡¯s still taking time to get used to the new face.¡± Celina replied.


    ¡°I watched yourpetition though, and I must say, I wish I met you earlier before you established your clothing line. At least I would have been able to get you to work for LAM,¡± she teased, and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°Well, I guess I am d we didn¡¯t meet earlier. I¡¯m not sure I would have been this impressive if we did.¡± Lily joked.


    ¡°That would give me fun memories to tease you about, though. I mean, it would be something like, I remember those nights she could not decide which fabrics to choose for the design,¡± Celina teased.


    ¡°It makes me even more happy we didn¡¯t meet earlier. No embarrassing memories for you to tease me with.¡± Lily said happily.


    ¡°I¡¯m hungry; do you have something around here to eat?¡± Celina asked as she looked around the office space in search of anything to munch on.


    ¡°We¡¯ve not gone shopping since we got back,¡± Lily replied with a shake of her head.


    ¡°The semi-finals and finals probably did a lot more marketing than we were expecting. Over fifty people booked for our fall costume set. Must I add, I don¡¯t have anything nned for costumes.¡± she grumbled while arranging the orders ording to their themes.


    ¡°You still have enough time anyway, and you have extra hands now. You can bring Avon in; I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be happy to help with the sewing. He¡¯s been on about it anyway, plus he¡¯s trying to get away from his older brother, so it can be the perfect excuse,¡± Celina shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Lily nodded. ¡°There¡¯s a really good ce around the corner; they serve the best steak sandwich. Would you like to try it?¡± She offered, and Celina cheered.


    ¡°You bet!¡± She giggled and picked up her purse. ¡°I¡¯ve been living solely on vegetables all through my stay in London. I can use some beef and cheese.¡±


    As the two ate, they discussed their ns and mostly Celina¡¯sst trip. Celina¡¯s phone went off during their conversation, and she excused herself to answer it.


    When she returned, Celina gave Lily an apologetic smile. ¡°My cousin is joining us; is that okay?¡± She asked, and Lily hesitated before nodding.


    ¡°Sure, but would he be okay with the atmosphere here? I¡¯m surprised you haven¡¯tined; it¡¯s a bit too loud,¡± Lily asked, and Celina rolled her eyes.


    ¡°He¡¯s cool with most food. He travels a lot for business, and there are ces where he doesn¡¯t have the luxury of being picky about food. He got used to it,¡± she exined. ¡°You¡¯ve met him twice now.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Lily asked, pretending not to remember who the person was. ¡°Are you talking about the one from the restaurant?¡±


    Celina nodded. ¡°Yes, he¡¯s quite charming, isn¡¯t he?¡± She gave Lily a knowing look. ¡°I noticed you two seemed to hit it off when we had lunchst time. Your eyes lingered on him on several asions,¡± she teased knowingly.


    Lily blushed slightly. ¡°He¡¯s a nice guy, but I¡¯m not sure it would work out. He¡¯s in apletely different world. I mean literally.¡±


    Before Celina could respond, Mark joined their table, having overheard their conversation.


    ¡°Stop trying to set me up with your friends,¡± he said with a smile. ¡°No offence, Lily; you are indeed beautiful. I just don¡¯t want Celina to bore you with the matchmaking process.¡±


    Lily nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem. I probably would do something like that if I had a cousin to be proud of like you.¡±


    Mark gave a smallugh as he took the seat opposite them.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t mind me joining you guys tonight; I need Celina to help me run some thingster,¡± he exined with an apologetic smile, and Lily waved it off.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I get to see the handsome face close up one more time; I can ascend with no regrets,¡± she joked while casually carrying on the conversation.


    ¡°Congrattions on your win. You did pretty well,¡± he voiced after cing his order.


    Lily felt her heart flutter as her eyes met his; she hurriedly looked away while trying to hide the blush on her face.


    ¡°Haha, thank you,¡± she replied awkwardly, making sure not to meet his eyes one more time.


    ¡°I was just lucky because I was a bit emotional during the event. You know the ex-best friend scandal and all. It was like the perfect trigger for inspiration,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Emotions are important for creativity. Your work is usually positively or negatively impacted by your emotions. And I¡¯m d it¡¯s a good kind of trigger,¡± Mark replied with a nod.


    The corner of his lips curled into an amused smile, and he found it cute that she was actively trying to avoid meeting his eyes.


    For him, situations where he would be stared at by people are moremon than he would like, but that¡¯s what he gets for being a young, handsome and sessful man.


    As his eyes lingered on her, he could feel a sense of familiarity with the way she held her ss of wine.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Celina asked with a teasing smile.


    ¡°You kind of look funny with your mouth half hanging open while staring at her,¡± she teased in a whisper, earning her a re from Lily.


    As he was about to reply, he got a call, and Celina excused herself from the table.


    The longer he listened to the other person on the phone, the darker his face became.


    ¡°How did they break through the firewall? Did someone let them in from the inside?¡± He gritted out and paused while listening to the other person¡¯s exnation.


    ¡°Check all the activities. It¡¯s almost time for the device tounch, and we can¡¯t afford any mishaps at this moment. I¡¯ll talk to them about it and see if some changes could be made in a short time,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Find the person behind the leak, bank ount records, a phone call, anything that might look suspicious,¡± he instructed.


    Lily, who had overheard the whole conversation between the two, frowned and subconsciously began to doodle with her finger.


    ¡°There¡¯s a virus that¡¯s triggered when some kinds of mistakes are made while retyping the code. They aremon mistakes, so I set traps among those mistakes.¡±Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°As long as they make the mistakes the codes are still safe unless they studied the full guidebook I sent along with them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mark asked. It was after she saw the surprised look on Mark¡¯s face that she realised she had just outed herself as Sinful.

 Chapter 90: Keep Playing Lovers

    Lily froze up as she took in Mark¡¯s stunned expression. Her hands became mmy as her heart rate sped up.


    ¡°I¡­ Uhm¡­ I was only talking to myself. I just remembered a scene from the novel I read online,¡± she stuttered, hoping he never heard the parts where she had just outed herself.


    It took Mark several minutes to recover from his surprise, and by the time he did, she was already packing to leave.


    He grabbed her by the arm and raised a brow. ¡°Leaving after you dropped such a bomb?¡± He asked, not knowing whether to be amused or angry.


    ¡°What bomb?¡± Lily asked, deciding to y ignorant. ¡°It was a scene from the novel I was reading to pass the time,¡± she repeated, and Mark rolled his eyes.


    As Celina returned to their table, she was met with a scene that was interpreted as two lovers arguing.


    ¡°Oh? Did Ie at the wrong time?¡± She asked with a raised brow as her eyes strayed towards Mark¡¯s hand holding Lily¡¯s arm.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I was just leaving,¡± Lily replied with a flushed face while trying to avoid meeting Mark¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You can¡¯t just leave after saying that,¡± Mark injected with a frown, earning him a re from Lily.


    Celina cleared her throat and took a seat while smiling from ear to ear. ¡°I support your rtionship; there is no need to hide it.¡± She announced, and Lily blushed harder.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about Uncle and Grandpa too; you have the perfect qualifications to be with their son. In fact, I¡¯m going to take you to meet them this weekend!¡± She added excitedly while picking up her phone.


    ¡°Grandpa will be so happy to have a granddaughter-inw that you approve of!¡± She rambles as she types away on her phone. ¡°As for Aunty? We can convince her to give up on the arrange¡­ Give it back!¡± She screamed as Mark took her phone away, stopping her from messaging their grandfather.


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready to inform them yet; can you give us some time before you announce it to the world? Besides, you and I know my mum won¡¯t agree and I¡¯m not ready to go through that right now,¡± He exined calmly, as if the usations were true.


    Lily gaped at the two, not knowing what not to say.


    She could tell there was nothing she would say that would erase the foolish mistake she made by outing herself the way she did.


    However, she is grateful that Mark is ready to y along with his sister just to keep her secret safe.


    Celina pouted as she took her phone back from Mark. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll wait,¡± she grumbled, turning to Lily with a re.


    ¡°What was that about him being in a different world when you are already his girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not his girlfriend,¡± she replied hastily, and Mark raised a brow. ¡°I mean, I haven¡¯t agreed yet,¡± Lily corrected, and Celina grinned.


    ¡°Hehe! It¡¯s nice to know Mark Watson is still human. You still don¡¯t know how to properly pursue a woman. Don¡¯t worry, as your favourite cousin, I will teach you all you need to know about how to win my friend¡¯s heart,¡± she dered proudly.


    Mark massaged his nose bridge in frustration as he red at Celina. ¡°If you don¡¯t cut it out, I¡¯ll tell your mom you¡¯ve been sneaking off to eat unhealthy food,¡± he threatened, and she kept quiet.


    Checking his time, he held Lily¡¯s hand and stood up, ready to leave. ¡°I¡¯ll have Ted pick you up; I need to speak with Lily, and it¡¯s important,¡± he announced, and Celina frowned.


    ¡°You can just drop me off at Lily¡¯s studio. My car is parked there,¡± she suggested.


    Once the bills were paid, Mark dropped Celina off at Lily¡¯s Studio while he drove to Alpha Tech with the quiet Lily in the car.


    Halfway through, Mark decided to break the ice by starting a conversation.


    ¡°Just so we are clear, I¡¯ve never had a hard time pursuing ady,¡± he voiced.


    Lily let out augh as her tense shoulders rxed. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine you having one; you are everydy¡¯s dream man,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Including yours?¡± He teased her, making her blush as she looked out the window.


    ¡°Noment,¡± was all she said as the car once again went silent; however, this time it wasn¡¯t as tense.


    ¡°I did a bad job outing myself, right?¡± She asked while still looking out the window into the bustling nighttime city.


    ¡°Well, for me, the timing couldn¡¯t be more perfect. I was just surprised you were right by my side all this time, while I¡¯ve been trying to figure out your identity,¡± he confessed.


    Lily shrugged, a smile dancing on her lips. ¡°Of course, if you want to hide something, hide it in in sight. Although our meetings have only been coincidental so far, I was trying to make you not suspicious of me,¡± she confessed.


    ¡°The building name was even registered under other people¡¯s names just to be sure you would not go snooping around; that way you wouldn¡¯t suspect.¡± She exined.


    ¡°I did get it checked after it was upied. I realised the name wasn¡¯t registered, so I left it at that. How did you get through all the civil checks and everything?¡± He asked, ¡°I¡¯m bewildered,¡± he added as he continued to drive.


    ¡°Not to brag or anything, my designing skill is nowhere near my hacking skill. I¡¯m yet to meet my rival,¡± she bragged and Markughed.


    Soon they arrived at their destination, and Mark led her to his office, where he set up theputer. Without needing instructions, she logged into thepany¡¯s firewall and began to do some checks to see who had logged on outside thepany building.


    As her hands flew over the keyboard with several unfamiliar interfaces showing up, Mark, who had been doubting, finally believed the youngdy sitting in front of him was the dude who had been behind all his recent breakthroughs and even the one whounched the revolution in the tech industry.


    He pursed his lips, staring at her face, while several thoughts danced through his mind.


    ¡°There were no outside interferences,¡± her voice cut off his thought process, and he tilted his head, showing he hadn¡¯t heard what she said.


    He picked up the water bottle and drank the contents to quench the immense thirst he was feeling.


    ¡®How long has it been?¡¯ He thought to himself, only for it to be cut off once again by her words.


    ¡°The person who leaked the details is an insider, someone familiar with the firewall, but they aren¡¯t too familiar since they left traces of their operation.¡± She exined.


    ¡°Their location is pointing to the basement right now; do you have a CCTV there that can be checked?¡± She asked.


    Mark walked over to the other side of the office, pressed a button on the wall, and a huge t screen appeared. As he turned it on, he manoeuvred through the settings until he got what he wanted.


    The screen lit up, showing the video of a man sitting in a dark corner of the basement while typing away on theputer before him.


    Mark cussed slowly, his clenched hands digging into his pocket. ¡°You know him?¡± She asked, and he hummed.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s the assistant team leader for the team that works directly under me,¡± he replied.


    Lily gave a nod but said nothing as she went back to work.


    While she worked on reorganising the codes, Mark made some calls.


    ¡°So, you really are Sinful?¡± He muttered as he noticed all the red dots that had been on the screen previously were cleared.


    ¡°Were you having doubts?¡± She asked in amusement.


    ¡°You can¡¯t me me; the Sinful person I¡¯ve met so far was a man. Not a prettydy with a fashion design trophy under her belt,¡± he replied with a smile.


    ¡°Oh, please, as much as I love my job, I hate having to do the dress-up part. Too stressful.¡± She chuckled. ¡°To an extent, I¡¯m relieved, but can we keep it a secret between us?¡± she asked.


    ¡°What are you worried about?¡± He asked, and she groaned.


    ¡°Your cousin has sent out several people to look for me-any trace of me. I¡¯m not sure I want to get pulled into your feud.¡± She confessed, ¡°I might end up betraying you and choosing your cousin over you if he treats me better.¡± She winked.


    Mark¡¯s lips curled up into a smirk. ¡°Well then, I will have to take up Celina¡¯s teaching sses,¡± he replied seriously.


    ¡°For what?¡±


    ¡°To start learning how to treat you better.¡± He joked. ¡°I¡¯m afraid my cousin would steal away my precious woman.¡±


    His expression turned serious as he took the seat in front of her. She was sitting on his chair, looking as though she owned the ce, while Mark sat in front of her, like an employee waiting to be chewed off by their boss.


    Mark ignored the not-so-innocent thought that surfaced in his mind and continued to say what he intended.


    ¡°For my safety, your secret is safe with me. However, we have to keep ying lovers in the meantime.¡±

 Chapter 91: A little Nepotism

    ¡°This is the list of people I would like to keep among the existing staff members,¡± Lily voiced as she ced a big brown envelope in front of Mr. Wace.


    ¡°And these are the lists of people I want you to recruit for the new phase we are starting.¡± She added before taking her seat opposite him.


    ¡°Apart from those people on the list, every other person in thepany should be let off. I¡¯ve done background checks on all of them and decided that keeping them will not be beneficial to the new developments,¡± she exined.


    ¡°They are all just as corrupt as their former employer. I can¡¯t afford to keep them,¡± she breathed out.


    Mr Wace looked through the files with furrowed brows before nodding approvingly.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t hear from you for a week after you gave the money for the refurbishment, and I thought you were leaving all the work for me,¡± he remarked.


    ¡°Who would have thought you¡¯d be this thorough?¡± he chuckled.


    Lily shrugged as she took a sip of her water. ¡°It¡¯s a start-uppany, to an extent. I wouldn¡¯t want it to close down any time soon, and I don¡¯t want its foundation to be shabby either. So what do you think about the one I rmend for employment?¡± She asked with raised brows.


    ¡°Their details are good, but they all have little to no working experience. Are you sure you arefortable bringing them in?¡± He asked worriedly.


    ¡°Their working experience does not matter; we can train them. All I need is the brain in their head, and trust me, they¡¯ve got good ones,¡± she pointed out. ¡°I¡¯m even worried some of them might not agree to work with us.¡±


    Mr. Wace nodded, understanding what she meant. The list contains people who are recognised for their skills and people who are being activelypeted for by bigpanies.


    The first three persons had graduated from the best university in the country, all of them with remarkable performances both inside and outside the university.


    All of the work on their resume had been sessful-more sessful than that of other fresh graduates.


    ¡°Why are you so sure they would agree to work with us? With their profile, they can work for any bigpany of their choice,¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Lily replied with a shake of her head. I¡¯m not sure they would want to work for ourpany. But I¡¯m sure we can get their attention.¡± She smiled and brought out a USB device.


    ¡°Our first coboration will be with Alpha Tech,¡± she announced, and Wace¡¯s eyes went wide in shock.


    ¡°The Alpha tech?¡± He asked in surprise.


    ¡°Yes, Alpha tech from the Watson group. I¡¯ve spoken to them about the proposal, and I¡¯ve been assured of a positive response. I¡¯m going to have a meeting with their representative, so I¡¯ll be going there during the week to finalise the project coboration,¡± she exined.


    {Can Mark even say no to you?} The system teased, which earned it an eye roll from Lily.


    Wace couldn¡¯t contain his shock as he gaped at Lily, his eyes full of admiration and awe. Do you know how many people are looking for coboration with Alpha Tech each year?¡± He asked.


    ¡°The list is endless! How did you get them to notice our small start-uppany?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Because I know how to write a damn good proposal. It¡¯s mouth-watering, and they can¡¯t pass up on it,¡± she replied with a smile.


    ¡°But that¡¯s just, by the way. I may or may not have used my friendship with one of  Alpha Tech¡¯s cousins. A little nepotism won¡¯t hurt, right?¡±


    ¡°I really hit a jackpot by agreeing to work with you!¡± Heughed heartily.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the project we are coborating with them on?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a video game,¡± Lily announced. ¡°That¡¯s why I marked the third person on the list as important. We are going to create a video game with a visual reality pod.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve got the perfect storyline line to use, and the Alpha Tech team also agreed to it. They are going to reach out to the author and try to get a contract between them before we proceed, but if she doesn¡¯t agree, we will find someone else,¡± Lily exined calmly.


    At this point, Mr. Wace¡¯s excitement could no longer be contained as he absorbed the information, his eyes sparkling with the potential he saw in this new venture.


    ¡°This is incredible! The video game industry is booming, and with Alpha Tech¡¯s expertise in technology, we could make a significant impact on the market.¡±


    Lily nodded in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s precisely what I had in mind when I chose them as our first partner.¡±


    {Are you sure it¡¯s not the other way around? Last I remembered, it was Mark pressuring you to coborate with them}Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡®You think anyone would believe that if I said it?¡¯ Lily replied with an eye roll as she continued her exnation.


    ¡°The key to sess lies not only in the idea itself but also in the execution and the people we choose to work with, considering the history of thepany. Having someone like Alpha Tech work with us will ease people¡¯s minds and make them trust our product.¡±


    ¡°When you proposed it to them, were you not afraid you¡¯d get rejected?¡± Mr. Wace asked with a frown, and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°In that situation, who wouldn¡¯t be?¡± She replied. ¡°However, if they had rejected our proposal, we would have had to go into the visual reality pod device production ourselves, since I don¡¯t trust the next bestpanies,¡± she exined, earning her a nod.


    After a brief pause, he asked, ¡°Have you thought about how we¡¯ll handle the production and distribution of the game once it¡¯splete?¡±


    ¡°Of course I have. We¡¯ll leverage our connection with Alpha Tech and the prestige thates with their name. Their reach in the industry will open many doors for us, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be interested in helping with distribution. After all, it¡¯s a win-win situation for both parties.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve calcted this so well,¡± Mr. Wace chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid if I don¡¯t do my part, I¡¯ll be kicked off sooner orter,¡± Lily said, picking up her bag, ready to leave.


    ¡°All you have to do is focus on developing thepany and making sure we get the best brains out there; I¡¯ll provide the blueprint we will work with,¡± she announced, and he nodded.


    ¡°You can leave it to me; I promise I won¡¯t disappoint.¡±

 Chapter 92: Suffering In Misery

    William stared at theputer screen, with his hands clenched to stop them from trembling. Ever since the first message he received from the hacking incident, he has been getting messages simr to that every week.


    And each time, the message gets even more detailed than thest.


    He let out a frustrated groan, unable to take his eyes off the picture on the screen. That picture sent him right back to that day.


    The supposed family dinner that triggered the beginning of his misery.


    It was a picture of Victoria¡¯s dying moment. The blood stains and the poison. All are vividly captured and turned into a painting on the canvas.


    At this point, it was no longer a guess about whether or not someone else knew about the incident. It is a confirmed fact that someone out there knows something.


    How much did they know was still up for debate?


    ¡®Was it necessary?¡¯ That was the note attached to the picture.


    And the question he had been asking himself as ofte.


    Was it necessary?


    Was it worth it?


    In the end, they got what they wanted, but at what cost?


    His sanity?


    His freedom?


    Their happiness?


    Was it really worth it?


    They had lived better when the mother and daughter were alive. They had everything they wanted, including ess to surplus funds.


    They were happy-all before they had the power.


    He let out a mirthlessugh and rxed into the chair with his hand covering his face.


    ¡°Even in death, you won¡¯t allow me to rest, is that it?¡± He chuckled darkly.


    As he removed his hands from his face, his eyes turned an ugly shade of red, with a sinister grin stered on his face.


    ¡°There¡¯s no room. I¡¯ll make sure I trample you to the end. You won¡¯t have the finalugh!¡±


    A knock on the door cut off his descent into insanity, and Colton walked into his office carrying a gift bag.


    ¡°I purchased the new model of Nex that was just released,¡± he reported.


    William raised a brow in question, trying to figure out how that was any of his business.


    ¡°What should I do with that information?¡± He asked coldly.


    Colton faltered under the intimidating re directed at him. He pursed his lips and massaged his nose bridge in exasperation.


    Somehow, his boss has gotten even worse mentally and physically in the past few days, which was bothersome considering they had lots of work to do at this point.


    ¡°After signing away the copyright, you asked me to purchase one when it¡¯s finally released,¡± he exined calmly.


    William¡¯s frown deepened, and he gave a nod. ¡°Alright, you can leave it here; I¡¯ll have it checkedter,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Did you put the tail on Bryan Roux like I asked you to?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°And what has he been up to?¡±


    ¡°In the past week, he¡¯s only met with the youngdy who won the national fashionpetition. Both of them will be having a coboration for the fall Halloween costume party,¡± Colton reported.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°Well, he has not been up to anything, apart from making the preparations for his branch that would be opening soon.¡± He exined, and William nodded.


    ¡°You can go. Keep an eye on him and report everything back to me,¡± he instructed, dismissing the other.


    As Colton walked out of the office, William picked up the Nex phone to examine it.


    ¡®Nothing much had changed on the putter¡¯s appearance,¡¯ he noted before powering it up.


    He scrolled through the settings and the phone information, and the more he dug, the more his expression became cold.


    After several months of trying, he was finally able to crack the first part of the code left by the deceased Victoria.


    Just from the first part, he could already tell that the software used for the newly improved device was very much like the one left behind by Victoria.


    However, this one was more advanced.


    Like it had been revised and upgraded.


    His hold on the phone tightened until the screen cracked. Several thoughts shed through his mind.


    Unable to process everything at once, he jolted up and drove to the cemetery.


    The ce he found himselfing to more often than he would like to admit.


    As he was about to pick up the flowers, he remembered what Bryan had told him about picking up orchids or carnations and decided to go with his rmendation.


    As he stood between the graves of the mother and daughter, he lit a stick of cigarettes and puffed out the smoke.


    ¡°I have questions; even if I ask them, I won¡¯t be getting a reply, will I?¡± He muttered as he squatted.


    His eyes trailed the words written on the gravestone while he processed all his thoughts.


    ¡°You are in a better ce than I am right now, aren¡¯t you?¡± He draws out. ¡°Laughing while watching me suffering in misery,¡±


    ¡°I had no say in Mabel¡¯s death. It was all my father¡¯s ns, but if only you had been cooperative and not trying to outshine me in every way, we wouldn¡¯t have to kill you,¡± he said as his eyes stayed on Victoria¡¯s grave.


    ¡°You pretended as if you were not interested in thepany, while every achievement thepany made is always tied back to you and your team of lowlife nerds,¡± heughed.


    ¡°The more you shine, the more on edge you make your father feel with the fact that your mother¡¯swyer disappeared after she died. He could already tell Mabel didn¡¯t leave anything for him.¡±


    ¡°He got desperate, resulting in your death.¡± He breathed out.


    ¡°Do you know? I was never interested in taking over thepany. I just wanted to spend the money you made, while being respected as a rich young master.¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°And now, because you just won¡¯t sit still, I¡¯m forced to take over a job I hate. Something that would constantly remind me that I can never match up to you,¡± she sneered and stood up.


    ¡°Are youughing?¡±


    ¡°Mocking me?¡±


    ¡°Well, it does not matter. I¡¯m not here for redemption. Since I started on this path already, I¡¯ll descend deep into hell and make it my home,¡± he dered with a sinister grin.


    ¡°If you can, I¡¯m sure you can¡¯t. After all, you are already a cold corpse. But if you can, protect every member of your team because I¡¯m going to hunt those fuckers down until I get what I want.¡± He turned to leave after cing the flowers on the graves.


    ¡°Mark my words.¡±

 Chapter 93: Swept Up In It

    ¡°Have you thought about it?¡± Bryan asked calmly, his eyes settling on Lily without any emotion.


    Lily let out a sigh, picked up the ss of wine, and took a sip.


    ¡°I have thought about it. I mean, there is nothing much to think about anyway; hacking the vault is easy peasy. But I¡¯m curious. Why do you want to break the Roux family vault?¡± She asked curiously.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, it is the most guarded part of the family. There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll be breaking in without causing a ruckus, which will lead to casualties. You¡¯ve always been a careful one, so I¡¯m curious as to why you¡¯d risk your safety to break in there,¡± she exined, and Bryan let out a groan.


    ¡°There¡¯s something in the vault that I need to get, and it¡¯s rted to your mother. It was after she was sent away from the family that the vault became extra guarded, so I¡¯m guessing there is something that belongs to her in there,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Why would they keep her things in the vault after sending her out?¡± Lily asked with a frown.


    ¡°Your mom was supposed to take over the Roux family if she hadn¡¯t married that scum of a man,¡± he began to exin. ¡°She has always been appreciated by our father for her intelligence and innovation. Her position as the sessor has been decided until she decides to revolt by marrying Henry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret to the outside world, but your mom was working with some special forces to develop some kind of technology back then, and she used the basement of the main house as her workshop. After she left, all of her instruments disappeared without a trace.¡±


    ¡°And you are suspecting they are in the vault?¡± Lily asked, and Bryan nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Bryan confirmed.


    Lily hummed thoughtfully, her mind reeling with questions as she studied the man sitting in front of her.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Even if they were locked in there, you are in the fashion industry; why would you need them?¡± She asked.


    ¡°You are just as cautious as your mother was,¡± Bryan breathed out a chuckle. ¡°It¡¯s your mother¡¯s work; it¡¯s only normal that you continue it, but that¡¯s not the main reason.¡±


    ¡°Daphne and Raphael have recently started fighting against each other. The session battle has started again now that no one is there to take over,¡± he voiced carefully, his brows furrowing in frustration.


    ¡°You want to take over the Roux family with my help?¡± Lily asked, going straight to the point, and Bryan paused, his eyes zing over as he thought about his next words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not necessarily interested in taking over the Roux family. It¡¯s never my intention to do so. For me, it¡¯s too stressful,¡± he replied.


    ¡°But you also don¡¯t want them to take over?¡± She pointed it out.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it either. I wouldn¡¯t care so much about who takes over Roux, but recently those two have been digging into your mom¡¯s past projects, and it¡¯s a matter of time before they go to the vault. Whatever is in that vault, I have a feeling they aren¡¯t meant to touch it,¡± he exined.


    Lily leaned back in her chair, swirling the wine in her ss as she processed the information. The possibility of her mother¡¯s work being locked away in the vault was intriguing, but the thought of breaking into such a heavily guarded area was daunting.


    And she could tell that Bryan wasn¡¯t telling her everything about the project.


    She could tell he knew what was behind the guarded doors of the vault, but for some reason, he was hesitant to let her know about it.


    ¡°Alright, say we do this,¡± Lily began, her mind already working through potential strategies. ¡°We¡¯ll need a solid n. Getting in and out unnoticed won¡¯t be easy, and we can¡¯t afford any mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Even though you are a Roux, you might get killed if they find out what you are trying to do,¡± she warned.


    A small smile yed at the corners of Bryan¡¯s mouth. ¡°I knew I could count on you, Lily. Your skills as a hacker are second to none. I¡¯ll leave the nning to you. You do all the brain work; I¡¯ll provide the manpower.¡±


    Lily nodded, her determination growing as she considered the challenge ahead. She took another sip of her wine before setting the ss down with a resolute clink.


    ¡°Also, I¡¯ll need all the information about the vault¡¯s security system. We need to know exactly what we¡¯re up against.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get you the blueprints and security details of the Roux family vault,¡± Bryan promised. ¡°Just tell me what else you need.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you know,¡± Lily replied, her fingers already itching to dive into the world of code and circuits. ¡°Once I have a better understanding of the security measures in ce, I can start devising a n to bypass them without raising any rms.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll send the details as soon as possible,¡± Bryan promised as he got up to leave.


    ¡°Don¡¯t send it through the Inte; I¡¯ll need the hard copy. I¡¯ll stimte it on my side,¡± she instructed, and he nodded.


    ¡°No problem; I know I can count on you.¡± He said that and walked away.


    Lily let out a sigh.


    {You are really going to break into the vault?} The system asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m curious how my mother knew about you and other things. Looking into her previous works might give me a general idea,¡± Lily replied as she stared at the ceiling, deep in thought.


    After her rebirth, all she had nned was to avenge both her and her mother¡¯s deaths, and getting involved with others was never part of them.


    There are way too many anomalies; not only had her mother predicted her death, but she was even sure whom she¡¯d reincarnate as.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious all this isn¡¯t just a coincidence. And unless I actively look into things, I won¡¯t find any answers,¡± she breathed out as she got up.


    ¡°Although I asked that things should be interesting in theing days, isn¡¯t this a little bit too interesting?¡± She chuckled and got on herputer.


    ¡°No matter how interesting it is, I¡¯m at the centre of it all. If I don¡¯t prepare properly, I¡¯ll get swept up in it.¡±

 Chapter 94: A Thorn That Needed To Be Removed

    Mark felt the weight of Frederick¡¯s gaze as he sat down beside him. The air around them grew heavy with tension, the clinking of silverware and sses echoing through the silent dining room as the servants arranged the table for the family dinner. Frederick leaned closer, a triumphant smirk ying on his lips.


    ¡°I heard you got a partnership with a newpany,¡± Frederick taunted, his voiceced with contempt. ¡°Aren¡¯t you insulting the Alpha Tech image too much? Of all thepanies you could have chosen from, a newpany.


    Michael, Mark¡¯s father, frowned, his eyes flicking between his son and Frederick. ¡°It¡¯s a deal that would bring profit to thepany. How is that insulting the image of thepany?¡± He countered, making Frederick scoff as he turned away from Mark.


    ¡°Uncle might not be aware, but thepany he¡¯s partnering with isn¡¯t exactly a startup. It¡¯s apany with a negative reputation among consumers. It¡¯s obvious they¡¯re just using him to sway public opinion.¡± He pointed it out, and Michael¡¯s brows furrowed deeper.


    ¡°For someone hailed as a business genius, how could he not see past such an obvious scheme?¡± He continued and waited for a reaction from Mark.


    Unfazed by Frederick¡¯s jabs, Mark slid his phone from his pocket, pretending not to hear his words. Frederick¡¯s face reddened with anger after being ignored, his hands balling into fists under the table as he red at Mark, his eyes filled with hatred.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see how long you¡¯ll remain smug!¡¯ he thought to himself. ¡®This time I will make sure to crush you without giving you an opportunity to get back up!¡¯


    Mark could feel the weight of Frederick¡¯s re, but he refused to give him the satisfaction of a reaction as he continued ying with his phone.


    Just as Frederick opened his mouth to continue his taunt, the sound of shuffling footsteps silenced the room. Chairman Watson entered, leaning on his walking staff for support. His shrewd eyes scanned the table, taking in the tense atmosphere and the silent battle between Mark and Frederick.


    ¡°Why is the atmosphere here so gloomy?¡± Chairman Watson jokes, easing himself into the seat at the head of the table. ¡°I¡¯m not dead yet, you idiots.¡±


    Mark suppressed a smile, watching as Frederick¡¯s jaw clenched in frustration as he turned away from him.


    ¡°What is it I am hearing about the start-uppany and its bad reputation?¡± The old man asked.


    Frederick scoffed and smirked in satisfaction. Even though he hadn¡¯t achieved his goal of getting a reaction from Mark, he was happy that he could at least get their grandfather¡¯s attention on the topic.


    ¡°Won¡¯t any of you answer me?!¡± The old man asked with a firm tone, seeing as no one attempted to exin.


    ¡°He is probably too regretful about his actions. It¡¯s fine as long as the damage is not too much; it can still be salvaged,¡± Ethan, Frederick¡¯s father, chuckled and took a sip of the wine.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never made a losing deal since I started as the president of Alpha Tech; are you doubting my ability to make a profit?¡± Mark questioned with a raised brow, and Ethan scoffed.


    ¡°You have to learn to admit when you make mistakes! Nobody is above them! Just admit you did, and we will help you with the problem,¡± he reprimanded with a re.


    Finally deciding to pay attention to the father and son, Mark ced his phone on the table face down and rxed into the chair with a smug look. ¡°But I didn¡¯t make a mistake; my title as the business genius was earned, not given, so give me some credit for it.¡±


    ¡°Besides, do you even think you are worthy of correcting any mistakes I make?¡± He taunted, his lips turning up in a smile as he maintained eye contact with the older man sitting in front of him.


    Ethan, like his son, had always considered Mark a thorn that needed to be removed before it dug deeper into their flesh. However, every time they try to remove him, it always seems as though they are giving him a push to go forward.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Ethan tutted and took a sip of his wine. ¡°No matter what happened, he is still your uncle, and he is looking out for you, so stop the unnecessary word battle,¡± Chairman Watson breathed out, already having a headache from having all of them over at the same time.


    ¡°So did you have something to say about the project?¡± He asked, and Mark gave him the files that had been lying on the table beside him.


    ¡°The project is a virtual reality device for a video game, and the programme of the game was written by a longtime partner, and they were the ones who asked me to jump on the offer,¡± he began.


    ¡°Of course, I won¡¯t just jump on the project due to the rmendation. I did my research and realised that parenting with them will bring us even more profit than our past project this year,¡± he exined, and the old man nodded as he read through the details on the file.


    ¡°Are you kidding? More profit than all the projects you¡¯ve made this year?¡± Frederick asked, not knowing whether to be surprised or terrified.


    Having known Mark all his life, he could tell it was not a bluff, which scared him even more than when he heard that he already had three percent more shares of the group than he had.


    ¡°I don¡¯t bluff. To test out the theory, I asked the team to build the virtual reality capsule, but we only made ten initially, and we sent all ten to top gamers in different countries for closed beta testing.¡±


    ¡°The review we got gave us the go-ahead to continue, and now, even though it has not been released, we have made fifty percent of the initial investment,¡± he rified.


    Frederick¡¯s face paled, his eyes darting between Mark and the file in Chairman Watson¡¯s hands. His mind raced as he tried to process the implications of Mark¡¯s sess.


    He knew that if this project turned out as lucrative as Mark imed, it would solidify Mark¡¯s position within the group and the family, leaving him further behind than he already was.


    ¡°Well, it seems like your little side project has some merit, Mark,¡± Chairman Watson said, setting the file down and steeping his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m interested to see how this ys out, both for Alpha Tech and for you personally.¡±


    Mark inclined his head, his expression remaining neutral despite the sense of satisfaction he felt at his grandfather¡¯s words. Frederick, meanwhile, clenched his fists under the table, his jaw set in a firm line.


    ¡°It¡¯s always good to have a backup n, especially with how quickly the tech industry changes,¡± Mark continued his tone even. ¡°This project provides an opportunity for diversification and growth.¡±


    ¡°And what if it fails?¡± Frederick interjected, his voice tinged with desperation. ¡°What if this ¡®backup n¡¯ of yours ends up dragging the rest of thepany down with it?¡±


    Mark turned his gaze towards Frederick, his eyes cold and calcting.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe in failure, Frederick,¡± he said softly. ¡°I believe in learning from mistakes and adapting to new circumstances. If this project doesn¡¯t meet expectations, we will analyse the results, make adjustments, and move forward.¡±


    Frederick red at Mark, his frustration mounting as he struggled to find a way to undermine his cousin¡¯s confidence. Meanwhile, Chairman Watson observed the exchange with keen interest, his sharp gaze shifting between the two men.


    He gave a nod. You indeed grow by analysing your past mistakes.¡± He voiced. ¡°How about the security project you were working on before now? I haven¡¯t heard about the development,¡± he pointed out.


    ¡°I¡¯ve submitted the proposal to the federal government, and we will be getting a response from them somewhere during this week,¡± Mark replied.


    ¡°Are you aiming for the housing project in the new development area?¡± Michael asked in surprise, knowing how tight the bid for that particr project was.


    ¡°Yes, I am. And I¡¯m sure of a positive response,¡± Mark replied with a smug smile directed at his uncle Ethan.


    Unable to sit still to continue listening to Mark¡¯s achievement, Ethan let out a small smile and stood up. ¡°You¡¯ll please excuse us early; Federick and I have a meeting with a partner tonight,¡± he said, bowing to Chairman Watson before dragging his son along with him.


    As they exited the mansion, Ethan¡¯s face turned ugly with rage as he red at his son. ¡°You said you have a way to deal with him?¡± He asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just waiting for the right time,¡± Frederick replied with a mischievous smile, and Ethan nodded.


    ¡°Be fast about it; now that the old man¡¯s health has begun to deteriorate, he¡¯ll be in haste to hand over the power, and you know you have no chance at all at this point,¡± he urged.


    ¡°I promise to pull him down this time!¡±

 Chapter 95: The Image Of The Group

    ¡°They are getting impatient,¡± Chairman Watson breathed out as the father-son duo walked out of the dining area.


    ¡°They¡¯ll start targeting you for real this time; do you have a way to deal with them?¡± He asked as he poured himself a freshly brewed tea.


    Mark smiled at his grandfather with a raised brow. ¡°If people see you worrying about me, they¡¯ll think you are picking sides,¡± he joked, and the old man red at him yfully.


    ¡°What¡¯s there not to pick sides about? If I leave my hard work to those two, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to rest well in my grave.¡± He replied with a scolding tone.


    ¡°They have been unable to do anything right! Instead, they are always scheming against others!¡± He continued, his brows creasing deeper the longer he spoke.


    ¡°So do you have a way to deal with them?¡± He repeated and Mark nodded with a sigh.


    ¡°I do. However, it may affect the image of the group, so I¡¯m still considering whether or not to use the means or the other one I nned,¡± Mark replied calmly.


    ¡°What¡¯s the difference between the two?¡± Michael asked curiously as he noticed the seriousness in Mark¡¯s tone.


    Knowing how much the group meant to his son, he couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of dilemma he was in having to deal with the stubborn Frederick while also thinking about the image of the group.


    ¡°If I use the original means, I can finally throw him off my back permanently, but it will affect the image of the group,¡± he began. ¡°However, the second means will only dy him for a while, but he¡¯ll definitely bounce back more desperately,¡± he exined.


    Chairman Watson sighed in exasperation. For fair treatment, he had made the rule that his sessor would be the person with the most contributions to the group.


    Not only amongst his children but even amongst other talented people in thepany. He made sure they all started with the same amount of resources and authority, just to make sure no one was receiving preferential treatment.


    Even then, there they are, unable to contribute much yet always causing trouble for the others.


    ¡°How bad is it?¡± Michael asked with a frown.


    ¡°Depending on what side you are looking at it from, it is not that bad,¡± Mark replied with a shrug. ¡°The state project he got was in coboration with the Kims,¡± he added.


    Chairman Watson¡¯s face morphed into an ugly frown upon hearing Mark¡¯s words; his clenched fist mmed into the table to vent his anger. ¡°Those scumbags!¡±


    ¡°What do they think they are doing partnering with those criminals?!¡± He bellowed, and the vein on his temple popped out just to show how angry he was at the news.


    Letting out a sigh, he let his anger go, knowing how much it would affect his health if he continued to be agitated.


    ¡°So what do you n to do?¡± Chairman Watson asked.


    ¡°I n on dissolving the Kims before the time bomb hanging over our heads explodes; that¡¯s the second means that won¡¯t affect thepany¡¯s image. Frederick might even get a little bit of credit,¡± Mark provided with a mischievous smile.


    ¡°For now, the Kims are Frederick¡¯s major support; once they are out of the way, he¡¯ll lose his bnce. He¡¯ll definitely take time off to re-strategise, and that will give me enough time to win over the people in other sectors of the group,¡± he exined.


    ¡°That¡¯s the only way I can go about it without affecting the reputation of the group,¡± he added with a sigh.


    ¡°Then how sure are you that you can take the Kims down with this means?¡± Michael asked worriedly.


    His worry wasn¡¯t baseless. They and several others, including the government, have tried to bring down the criminal group for a long time, but they weren¡¯t able to find anything tangible that could lock them away for a long time.


    Their disguise as a legal group was so perfect, maybe too perfect, but the stink of their crime still gives them away, but without evidence, they can¡¯t be locked away.


    Everyone who has ever gone against them always finds themselves in trouble after their failed attempts.


    So going against them was like hitting a mountain with a pebble. The pebble gets broken while the mountain remains standing.


    ¡°With the information I have?¡± Mark mused with a thoughtful expression. ¡°Then that would be about eighty percent. I have enough evidence to have almost all the major power in Kim¡¯s locked away,¡± Mark replied, and the older men gaped at him in shock.


    ¡°How? That¡¯s a whole lot of information; if we had that much confidence, they would have ceased to exist a long time ago,¡± Michael voiced with a proud smile.


    ¡°I had a good source; they never disappoint,¡± Mark chuckled as Lily¡¯s face shed through his mind.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, you should do what you have to do and keep an eye out for those two. I really can¡¯t imagine them having the same gene as me; they are too scheming and impatient!¡± Chairman Watson instructed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful, so what¡¯s the doctor¡¯s report this time?¡± He queried with a knowing look, making the old man groan in frustration.


    ¡°Luckily, I still have a decade to live; if not, I really won¡¯t be able to rest easily in my grave if I leave all of you like this. So stressful,¡± he concluded, but his lips turned up in a smile.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, Rose Anderson will be returning to the country next month; set out a time to pick her up from the airport,¡± he instructed, and it was time for Mark to groan.


    ¡°I already told you I don¡¯t want anything to do with her!¡± He argued.


    ¡°Tell that to your mother, who keeps pushing it. Her return this time is to solidify the engagement between you two, so get yourself sorted out before shees,¡± Michael joined in.


    Mark frowned deeply, feeling a sudden surge of stress at the thought of his supposed betrothal.


    On more than one asion, he had voiced his stand about the whole engagement, of which his others had always shut him down.


    But this time, he knew if he didn¡¯t find a way topletely dissolve the idea, he¡¯d end up marrying the two-faceddy with an ulterior motive.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to hesitate about,¡± Chairman Watson said. ¡°Although I do not like her, she¡¯s decent, and her family prestige will help us smoothly enter the international market.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s better you go for her than to remain single since you have no one you like. I¡¯m growing old, and I need grandchildren,¡± he added.


    Mark hummed. ¡°I do have someone I like, but it will take a bit more time for me to introduce her to you,¡± he announced, making Chairman Watson tut in disapproval.


    ¡°I won¡¯t be fooled by those fake rtionships people do to keep their family off their back. If you have someone you like, that¡¯s no problem, but don¡¯t introduce any woman to me because you need to get rid of Anderson¡¯s daughter,¡± he warned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring her to your birthday then, but she¡¯s not my woman yet, so be cooperative or you¡¯ll send your future daughter-inw away.¡±

 Chapter 96: Attending As His Date

    na heaved a breath of relief as she dropped the boxes of materials she had been carrying in the corner of the office. She flopped onto the soft couch and let out a groan.


    ¡°Tired?¡± Lily, who was standing by the mirror, checking out the dress she had on, asked with a raised brow.


    ¡°Very,¡± na replied. ¡°I was able to get most of the items at our store, but the one for the mermaid costume was sold out, so I had to go somewhere else to get it,¡± she exined, and Lily hummed.


    ¡°I thought Gary went with you?¡±


    ¡°He got a call from one of his younger siblings halfway through. Something about the kid getting into a fight at  school.¡± na provided. She sat up and finally gave Lily a look.


    Raising her brow in question, she proved, ¡°Going to an event?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, a birthday party,¡± Lily replied as she twirled to see the ces that needed adjustments.


    ¡°Oh, that sounds fun,¡± na said, a small smile ying on her lips. ¡°You look stunning, by the way. The dress suits you perfectly.¡±


    Lily beamed at thepliment. ¡°Thank you! I wasn¡¯t sure if it was the right choice, but your words make me feel more confident.¡± She walked over to na and took a seat beside her on the couch.


    ¡°I was invited to Chairman Watson¡¯s birthday,¡± she breathed out, and na gaped in shock.


    ¡°Chairman Watson or someone else?¡± na asked curiously, and Lily mumbled in response.


    ¡°How the hell did you get invited into that kind of environment? Even my family doesn¡¯t get invited to parties hosted by the Watsons!¡± She eximed in shock.


    Lily let out a frustrated groan. ¡°I got invited by his grandchildren, mostly Celina, insisting Ie, but her cousin has a hand in it also since I¡¯m going to attend as his date,¡± she exined, sending na into another shock.


    ¡°You are going to be the business genius date?!!! Or which of her cousins?¡± na pressed as she grinned in excitement. ¡°He is definitely the business genius!¡±


    ¡°ording to the tabloids, Celina is not close to any of her cousins except President Mark of the Alpha Tech; are you going as his date?¡± She probed while getting into Lily¡¯s personal space.


    Lily blushed, her eyes darting away from na¡¯s inquisitive gaze. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m going as Mark¡¯s date,¡± she admitted, her voice a mix of excitement and nervousness.


    na¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Oh my goodness, Lily! This is huge! Mark is not only the president of Alpha Tech, but he¡¯s also a well-known figure in the business world. How on earth did you manage to snag a date with him?¡± she asked, her curiosity piqued.


    Lily fidgeted with the hem of her dress, a shy smile ying on her lips. ¡°We met a few months ago at a restaurant at school. Celina had an allergic reaction, and I helped out back then. We ended up chatting, and we hit it off right away. We¡¯ve been talking ever since,¡± she exined.


    It was the story she and Mark had agreed to tell people if and when they asked where they had met. To an extent, the story is the real thing.


    Except their rtionship wasn¡¯t the real thing.


    na¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°You¡¯ve been holding out on me, Lily! I can¡¯t believe you didn¡¯t tell me about this sooner!¡± She yfully nudged her friend¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So, is it serious between you two?¡±


    Lily shook her head, her cheeks flushing a deeper shade of red. ¡°I don¡¯t know, na. It¡¯s still new, and we¡¯re taking things one step at a time. I mean, he¡¯s a busy man, and I have my responsibilities here. I¡¯m not sure where this will lead, but I¡¯m enjoying getting to know him.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m happy for you, Lily,¡± na said sincerely. ¡°You deserve to be swept off your feet by a charming, sessful man like Mark. And who knows, maybe this will be the start of something amazing!¡±


    Lily chuckled nervously. ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves, na. For now, I just want to focus on this party and not make a fool of myself in front of all those important people.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on! You¡¯ll be great!¡± na reassured her. ¡°Just be yourself and let Mark see how wonderful you are. And hey, if you need any moral support, you know I¡¯m always here for you, okay?¡±


    Lily smiled, grateful for her friend¡¯s unwavering support both in her personal life and in business.


    ¡°Thanks, na. I appreciate it. Now, we¡¯d better get back to work. These costume supplies won¡¯t sort themselves out.¡± She pped and went to change out of her outfit.


    As she returned, na was already sorting out the materials needed, dividing each one ording to the category to which it belonged.


    ¡°I was thinking,¡± Lily started as she joined her. ¡°I¡¯m going to be busy with my other ns for a while, and I want you to take over Lily¡¯s fashion on my behalf.¡±


    na paused her sorting, her eyes widening in surprise. ¡°Are you serious, Lily? You want me to take over the entire fashion line?¡±


    Lily nodded confidently. ¡°Yes, I trust you. You¡¯ve been with me since the beginning, and I know you understand the vision for our brand. Besides, I need someone I can rely on to keep things running smoothly while I¡¯m caught up with my personal life.¡±


    na took a deep breath, digesting the proposal, before giving a nod. To be honest, there was nothing much to think about, and although she never thought of taking over from Lily, they both had the same vision and if anyone would be able to carry on with it, it would be her.


    ¡°I¡¯m honoured that you trust me with this, Lily. I promise to do my best and make you proud,¡± she vowed, a determined gleam in her eyes.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I know you will.¡± Lily smiled warmly, squeezing na¡¯s shoulder in reassurance.


    ¡°How long will you be gone, though?¡± na asked with a frown as they both went back to sorting out the materials.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be checking in every other time. I¡¯m not going like that; I just have some other businesses to take care of,¡± Lily replied with a shrug.


    ¡°The side business you were talking about thest time?¡± na probed, and Lily hummed.


    ¡°I¡¯m making my debut in the tech world, and that¡¯s why it¡¯s important that I attend the banquet,¡± she said, and na nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure not to ck off while you are gone,¡± she promised.


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t,¡± Lily replied. ¡°Oh, by the way, some tailors will be resuming here next week; I already bought the building, so we will have to expand the studio to the higher floor,¡± Lily provided.


    ¡°I already made the necessary arrangements; I¡¯ll just need you to oversee them.¡±

 Chapter 97: Birthday Banquet

    The day for Chairman Watson¡¯s birthday finally arrived, with dignitaries from all parts of the country gathered in the Watson family mansion.


    The atmosphere at the Watson family mansion was electric, filled with an air of excitement and anticipation as the banquet attendees stood around in groups while conversing on topics of interest. Mostly business amongst the men andtest designer products amongst the women.


    The grand estate was adorned with breathtaking sets of decorations, transforming the already extravagant setting into a mesmerising spectacle of light and colour.


    The murmuring crowds quietened as Mark stepped into the banquet hall with a beautifuldy on his arm. They were both dressed so exquisitely that they instantly became the centre of attention.


    Mark donned a perfectly tailored tuxedo, entuating his strong physique, while hispanion was draped in an elegant, figure-hugging gown that shimmered in the soft lighting.


    Once again, whispers and murmurs erupted in the room as people began to wonder who his date from the night was.


    ¡°Who is that? The face looks familiar, but I just can¡¯t ce it.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I also feel that way; is she one of those daughters staying abroad?¡±


    ¡°Could be. I did hear some families are bringing in their marriageable daughters back into the country to have them go on blind dates.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not! I remember her!¡±


    ¡°Who is she, then?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the winner of the nationalpetitions! That¡¯s Lily, the CEO of Lily¡¯s Fashion!¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness! She looks so good!¡±


    ¡°Is that one of her designs? I love the shape of the dress; I should have someone get it for me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. Right now, they are no longer taking orders due to the overload. You¡¯ll have to wait a bit longer to get a new order ced.¡±


    ¡°Well, they can just expand their team, can¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°They are doing so, but they are still a start-up business anyway. I heard she¡¯s going to be working on a project with the French designer Bryan Roux.¡±


    ¡°No way! That picky designer wants to work with her. Bryan Roux wants to work with a newbie designer. That¡¯s a first!¡±


    ¡°Of course! There was an official statement from the Roux team about it. They¡¯ll be working on the costumes for the autumn festival, and that will be their debut in the local market!


    ¡°And now that she¡¯s seen with Mark Watson, her worth will only skyrocket! I also heard Avon will be on her team this time.¡±


    ¡°But how did you think they met? ording to the narrative, she¡¯s poor.¡±


    ¡°She attends the same school as Celina. And you know how close Celina and Mark are.¡±


    Lily smiled politely at those who greeted her as she walked beside Mark. ¡°Our appearance seems to have caught more attention than we were hoping,¡± she whispered, and Mark chuckled.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like being the centre of attention?¡± He replied equally in a whisper, and Lily shrugged.


    ¡°Oh, I got used to it,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯ve been in a situation where I once hosted a loud banquet like this before,¡± she added, and Mark raised a brow.


    Before he could ask further questions, a business partner walked up to him.


    ¡°Youmand attention just as you¡¯ve always done,¡± Jayden, one of Mark¡¯s friends and closest business partner, greeted as they shook hands.


    ¡°Jayden, it¡¯s good to see you,¡± Mark replied warmly, patting his friend on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m d you could make it.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss Chairman Watson¡¯s birthday for anything. Plus, I was eager to discuss something with you, not knowing I¡¯d meet the woman who has captured my friend¡¯s heart,¡± Jayden said with a knowing smile, turning his attention to Lily.


    Lily blushed slightly but maintained herposure, extending her hand in greeting. ¡°Lily Turner, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    Jayden took her hand and pressed a polite kiss on her knuckles. ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Lily. Mark has spoken highly of you, and I can see that his praise was well-deserved.¡±


    As they conversed, Mark and Lily shared a meaningful nce, both aware of the curiosity that their rtionship had sparked amongst their friends and acquaintances.


    Mark had always been private about his personal life, so his public appearance with Lily had undoubtedly set tongues wagging.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll excuse me, I must go and greet some other guests,¡± Jayden said, giving Mark a friendly nod before turning to Lily. ¡°I do hope we have the opportunity to speak again tonight, Lily. I¡¯m fascinated to hear more about your work in the fashion industry.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be delighted, Jayden. I look forward to it,¡± Lily replied with a charming smile.


    As Jayden disappeared into the crowd, Mark leaned closer to Lily. ¡°You seem to have made quite the impression on my friend.¡±


    Lilyughed softly. ¡°It¡¯s all part of the package. I¡¯m just worried your grandfather would be mad when he finds out this isn¡¯t real,¡± she breathed out, and Mark hummed as he led her towards his grandfather, who was talking with some older men.


    ¡°Oh, Mark! You are here already;e say hello to Mr. DiGiovanni and Mr. Adarsh. They were the business tycoons of our age,¡± Chairman Watson introduced as he dragged the young couple into the group.


    Mark greeted both Mr. DiGiovanni and Mr. Adarsh with a warm smile and firm handshakes. Lily, following Mark¡¯s lead, extended her hand in greeting as well, impressing the older gentlemen with her grace and charm.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honour to meet you both,¡± Mark said, his voice conveying genuine respect. ¡°Your contributions to the business world have been truly inspirational, and I¡¯m grateful for the opportunity to learn from your experiences.¡±


    Mr. DiGiovanni, an Italian man with a thick ent, smiled broadly as he took Mark¡¯s hands in his.


    ¡°Ah, Mark, it is good to see you taking up the mantle of the family business with such enthusiasm and dedication. And with such a lovelypanion by your side.¡± He gave Lily an appreciative nod, which she returned with a polite smile.


    ¡°Yes, we have watched you grow and prosper over the years, and it brings us joy to see the next generation of leaders emerge.¡± Turning to Lily, he continued, ¡°And you, youngdy, must be a remarkable influence on this young man¡¯s life. It is a pleasure to meet you both.¡±


    Chairman Watson beamed with pride as he watched the exchange, clearly pleased to see Mark connecting with the distinguished guests. Mark and Lily both basked in the warmth of the older men¡¯s approval, their connection growing stronger in the face of the glowing praise.


    Seeing Mark engaged in a conversation with the older men, Chairman Watson pulled Lily to his side with a bright smile.


    ¡°You must be Lily Turner; I had to threaten my grandson before I could meet you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d I could meet you, Chairman Watson. You¡¯ve always been an inspiration to us younglings.¡± Lily smiled as he held her hands in his.


    ¡°Call me Grandpa; don¡¯t be uptight like him.¡± He nudged her yfully while pulling her up to greet other guests.


    From the smiles on their faces, the banquet attendees could tell that the two were quickly forming a bond, and Chairman Watson was very satisfied with Lily.


    While others were scheming ways to get close to Lily, a certaindy at the corner of the hall was seething with anger while ring at Lily with hatred.


    She scoffed and turned to the man standing beside her. ¡°Find out everything about that gold digger for me.¡± She gritted out. ¡°I mean everything!¡±

 Chapter 98: Sick But Fun

    As the banquet continued, Lily was left to mingle with others all by herself while Mark and Chairman Watson entertained the guests.


    asionally, Mark would stop by to make sure she was alright while using the opportunity to dispel any rumours about him not liking his date.


    Even while he was across the room, his eyes somehow always found their way to her, making all the gossipy youngdies around swoon with excitement.


    Lily, on the other hand, made sure to enjoy the banquet while making connections with the wealthy housewives in attendance. She promoted her fashion business shamelessly and even got business proposals from two of the attendees.


    The woman standing by the corner seethed, her anger barely contained, as she watched Lily charm everyone she spoke to. Unable to tolerate it any longer, she finally decided to approach Lily.


    Mustering a fake smile, she gracefully made her way through the crowd, her eyes never leaving Lily. Upon reaching her, Rose feigned surprise and delight.


    ¡°Oh, you must be Lily Turner!¡± she eximed, extending her hand. ¡°I¡¯ve heard so much about you tonight. I¡¯m Rose Anderson.¡±


    Lily, unaware of Rose¡¯s true intentions, smiled warmly and shook her hand. ¡°It¡¯s lovely to meet you, Rose.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, I must say. You are trying really hard to fit into the setting here, aren¡¯t you?¡± Rose giggled, her voice set in a passive, aggressive tone while keeping eye contact with Lily. ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    Sensing the underlying hostility in Rose¡¯s words, Lily maintained herposure and replied with a gentle smile. ¡°Adapting to new environments is part of personal growth, isn¡¯t it? As for being tired, I must admit that social events can be quite energising when you¡¯re surrounded by fascinating individuals.¡±


    Rose¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly as she took in Lily¡¯s response. She scoffed and blew away the imaginary dust on her manicured fingers before giving Lily a pitiful look. ¡°You won¡¯t feel it much after all; it¡¯s not your first time sucking up to the rich to get what you want.¡±


    Lily¡¯s face twitched in annoyance, but she maintained herposure. ¡°In a way, we are all the same, aren¡¯t we? We¡¯ve got to suck up to someone, at least. Let me ask: who do you suck up to? Or should I say, who do you wish to suck up to?¡± She questioned.


    Her grin widens as she notices the annoyed look in Rose¡¯s eyes, letting out a chuckle. Lily picked up a flute of champagne from the passing waiter and took a sip. ¡°Seeing how you were aggressive with me on our first meeting, I¡¯ll assume you want my man; too bad he is off the chart.¡±


    Rose¡¯s face paled at Lily¡¯s blunt usation. Her eyes darted around nervously as she quickly tried to regain herposure. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re implying,¡± she retorted, her voice shaking slightly. ¡°Mark and I have known each other for years. We have a long-standing friendship, and I¡¯m merely looking out for his best interests.¡±


    Lily raised an eyebrow in amusement, seriously enjoying how fluttered she was making the otherdy. ¡°Is that so?¡± she asked. ¡°Your possessiveness over someone who¡¯s only a friend seems rather peculiar. But if it¡¯s merely friendship that binds you, then I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have no issue with Mark and I enjoying the rest of the evening together.¡±


    As Lily stepped forward, she was pulled back by a mean Rose, who red at her with eyes full of hatred and disgust. ¡°What do you want in exchange for leaving him alone?¡± She demanded.


    Lily let out a smallugh, her eyes twinkling in excitement. ¡°And who are you to be making such demands? His mother? Sister? Wife?¡± She sneered and shoved Rose¡¯s hands away.


    With a shake of her head, she continued. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you are or what you are to him,¡± she breathed out as she got close to Rose¡¯s face. ¡°Mark is mine, and you won¡¯t being in between us,¡± she dered, and she walked away, joining Mark for a dance as the song came up.


    Rose clenched her fist; her breaths came out shortly as she watched the couple glide around on the dance floor. Several scheming gears turned in her head as she plotted ways to permanently separate the unsuspecting couple that wereughing and conversing while they danced.


    ¡°You look ugly when you have that calcting gaze in your eyes,¡± Frederick mumbled with a smile as he stood beside her.


    Getting her attention, he raised his cup of champagne and smiled brightly at her. ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be here by month¡¯s end? You are two weeks early,¡± he pointed out, and she scoffed.


    ¡°If I¡¯m two weekste, then I¡¯ll be presented with an invitation to his wedding,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Maybe not,¡± Frederick shrugged nonchntly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Rose asked with a frown.


    ¡°They just met; how in the world will they be getting married that early? At least not while Mark still hadn¡¯t dealt with the engagement with you,¡± Frederick stated.


    ¡°But we aren¡¯t officially engaged,¡± she corrected.


    ¡°To the public, you two aren¡¯t. But both families knew you two would be getting married, didn¡¯t they?¡± Frederick pressed on while keeping his eyes on the dance floor, where Mark and Lily were having the time of the night.


    ¡°It does not change the fact that we are nothing but childhood friends. Mark has always been against the engagement. I¡¯m only back to make him change his mind,¡± Rose breathed out.


    ¡°You are thedy; can¡¯t you use all this against him and get what you want?¡± Frederick tutted. ¡°You¡¯ve got arge fan base; you have those things they call the inte army; just one word from you will have them marching. Use the power you have to secure your man.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you get?¡± Rose asked suspiciously. ¡°You don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know the rivalry between you two, do you?¡±


    Frederick smirked and turned to her. ¡°I get to watch him cross between the woman he truly likes and the woman who is forcing her way into his life.¡± He chuckled.


    ¡°He¡¯ll do anything for the sake of the group, so even if I lose to him, I¡¯ll be happy to see him in pain for losing his love and forever getting tied to a woman he¡¯d detest for the rest of his life. Sick but fun,¡± heughed and walked away.

 Chapter 99: Someone Else Knows About That Night

    ¡°Ugh, I¡¯m so tired!¡± Lily groaned as she flopped on the couch in Bryan¡¯s office the next day. She covered her face with her palm, trying to spit out the sun that was causing her headache.


    ¡°Well, that much is expected since you spent the whole night in an upper-ss banquet; how was it?¡± Bryan replied without taking his eyes off the files he had been working on before she walked in.


    ¡°It was okay, not as lit as the one I used to host back then, but fair enough.¡± She replied with a shrug. ¡°I made some amazing connections and I met some annoying people, but overall the purpose of going as Mark¡¯s date was met, with a little more profit, might I add,¡± she added with a small chuckle as Rose¡¯s annoyed face shed through her mind.


    ¡°I take it you met a new opponent?¡± Bryan asked knowingly, and Lily chuckled.


    ¡°Do you take me for a troublesome person?¡± She asked with a raised brow, and Bryan scoffed.


    ¡°You and your mom have too much simrity for me not to know what that dreamy look on your face is. Who is it? Frederick or Rose?¡± Bryan asked.


    ¡°What if I say it¡¯s both?¡± Lily replied, and she sat up and faced him. ¡°They look like they were scheming something with me in the centre of it, and somehow I¡¯m excited to see what exactly they are plotting,¡± she announced excitedly, and Bryan let out a sigh.


    ¡°You do you; I¡¯ve got your back. It¡¯s the least I can do as your uncle,¡± he announced, and Lily grinned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that offer when I need it; anyway, why did you ask me toe this early?¡± She asked, finally getting serious about the meet-up.


    ¡°I got the blueprint for the Roux family vault and all the other security details you wanted me to get,¡± Bryan announced, making Lily raise her brow in surprise.


    ¡°That¡¯s faster than I thought; are they the real thing?¡± She asked and took the document he handed her.


    ¡°They are the real thing. I had to dig through my father¡¯s private study to get them,¡± Bryan exined with a mischievous grin.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Grandpa¡¯s private study?¡± Lily asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. ¡°You mean the one that¡¯s supposed to bepletely off-limits? The one in his room? How the hell did you get in there?¡±


    Bryan nodded, his grin widening. ¡°The very same. But you know me-I¡¯ve never been one to let a few rules get in the way of a good adventure. He¡¯s a lightweight, so I had his new girlfriend get him drunk at the hotel while I raided his study,¡± he confessed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he won¡¯t find out.¡±


    Lily couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at her uncle¡¯s rebellious spirit. She carefully examined the blueprints and security details, her eyes scanning the intricate diagrams and notes. ¡°This is incredible,¡± she murmured, tracing a finger over the ns. ¡°With this information, we¡¯ll have a much better chance of sessfully infiltrating the vault.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the idea,¡± Bryan replied, leaning back in his chair. ¡°I figured the sooner you had this, the sooner you could start nning your next move.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right about that,¡± Lily agreed, folding the papers and tucking them into her bag. ¡°But before I dive into strategising, there¡¯s something else I wanted to talk to you about.¡±


    Bryan sat up straighter, his expression turning serious. ¡°Of course. What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    Lily hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°It¡¯s about Mom,¡± she began, her voice softening. ¡°I know you two had your differences, but I was wondering if you knew anything about her past-specifically, why she insisted on marrying Henry despite knowing the things that would happen after.¡±


    Bryan let out a heavy sigh, his gaze drifting to the window as he contemted Lily¡¯s question. After a few moments, he turned back to her, his eyes filled with a mixture of sadness and regret.


    ¡°Your mother was always the rebellious one,¡± he said, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. ¡°She chafed under the strict rules and expectations of our family, especially when it came to her role as a pawn in their power ys. She longed for a life where she could make her own choices and live on her terms.¡±


    Lily listened intently, hanging onto every word as Bryan painted a picture of her mother¡¯s past. She could see the parallels between her mother¡¯s life and her own, understanding all too well the desire to break free from the constraints of their powerful family.


    ¡°But when she met your father,¡± Bryan continued, ¡°everything changed. He was an outsider, someone who didn¡¯t care about her family¡¯s power or influence. He saw her for who she truly was and loved her for it. And that love gave her the courage to leave everything behind and start a new life with him-with you.¡±


    ¡°As for why she left despite knowing the consequences, I really don¡¯t know. I guess she just wanted to be happy,¡± he added with a shrug, and Lily nodded.


    ¡°Thank you; I really appreciate you answering my questions,¡± she grinned.


    ¡°Now let¡¯s talk about our fashion cooperation,¡± Bryan announced. Lily groaned, feeling extremely tired about leaving for work.


    ¡°William is tailing me, and the cooperation with you is a cover we have to keep pulling up,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Is he suspecting that you are here to take over thepany from him?¡± She asked with a raised brow, and Bryan shrugged.


    ¡°I would not know; he¡¯s been on edgetely. I asked my people to look into it, and I was told he¡¯s been receiving threatening messages about the night you died,¡± Bryan breathed out, and Lily frowned.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it. I¡¯ve been busy with a lot of things that I haven¡¯t been paying attention to; do you think someone else knows about that night?¡± Lily asked worriedly, and Bryan hummed.


    ¡°Honestly? I¡¯m not really sure,¡± he replied. ¡°Henry is not sloppy enough to leave a loophole for that kind of situation, and he wasn¡¯t in a rush either. It¡¯s either one of the maids that once worked close with you and your mother or your mother left a message for someone else,¡±  he exined, and Lily sighed.


    ¡°Which one is more likely to happen?¡± She asked.


    With pursed lips, Bryan looked out the window and breathed out, ¡°Thetter. Either way, someone else out there knows.¡±


    Hearing his words, Lily grinned happily and said, ¡°Let¡¯s keep watching. I¡¯m sure whoever they are, they have their ns for sending threat notes. I¡¯m also quite curious about how Williams will react in such situations.¡±

 Chapter 100: Smart And Calculative

    ¡°Good morning, Miss Lily,¡± Mr. Wace greeted as Lily walked into his office carrying two cups of steaming hot coffee.


    ¡°You look exhausted,¡± she chuckled, and she set a cup before him. With a nod, he picked up the coffee cup and carefully took a sip. ¡°How is it going?¡± She asked.


    ¡°I called you here because I¡¯ve been able to rope Drake Gibson to our side. He¡¯s agreed to work with us on a contract term of two years,¡± Mr Wace exined as he passed Drake¡¯s file to Lily.


    ¡°That sounds suspicious,¡± Lily muttered. ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting him to agree that readily. What did you offer?¡±


    Hearing her words, Mr. Wace scrunched up his nose before letting out a smallugh. ¡°I didn¡¯t offer anything out of the ordinary. It was the sry we both agreed on previously and yes, he rejected it at first,¡± he exined.


    ¡°So what changed?¡± Lily asked with raised brows.


    ¡°I showed him half of the game blueprints you made, and he was hooked and even offered to be on the project with a sh in his payment,¡± Mr. Wace announced with a grin, and Lily nodded knowingly.


    Lily couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of satisfaction knowing that her work had been instrumental in securing Drake Gibson¡¯s involvement. With his expertise and her vision, their project was sure to make waves in the gaming industry.


    ¡°I knew your designs were something special, Lily, but I never knew it was so special that it would convince the game lord to join us,¡± Mr Wace said, pride evident in his voice. ¡°This is just the beginning. Once we have Drake on board, we can start assembling the rest of the team and begin production.¡±


    Lily nodded with a smile. ¡°No, we won¡¯t have to stress about other teammates. Drake will do that by himself.¡± She chuckled. ¡°I wanted him first, not just for his brains, but because he has a perfect team to work with,¡± she exined.


    ¡°My goal from the start was to have him and his teammates, you see.¡± She added it mischievously. ¡°When will the contract signing be?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be here any minute from now; do you need me to introduce you two?¡± Mr Wace asked while gathering the needed paperwork for the signing process.


    ¡°You can introduce me as the game program writer; we¡¯ll have to work together on it anyway,¡± she replied.


    As if on cue, there was a soft knock on the door, and Mr Wace called for the person to enter. The door opened to reveal a young, fresh out of college Drake Gibson, his charismatic presence filling the room as he stepped inside. Mr. Wace greeted him warmly and introduced him to Lily.


    ¡°Hello, it¡¯s nice to have you here,¡± he beamed.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to be here. I hope I¡¯m not intruding bying early; I just couldn¡¯t wait any longer.¡± Drake chuckled awkwardly as his sses shifted slightly.


    ¡°Hahaha, you don¡¯t have to worry about that.¡± Wace encouraged me. ¡°This is Lily Turner; she is the game program writer and Lily, this is Drake Gibson; he¡¯ll be the game production director,¡± he introduced, and the two exchanged handshakes.


    Drake¡¯s eyes sparked with interest as he shook Lily¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet the creative mind behind the brilliant designs I saw. I can¡¯t wait to work alongside you and bring this game to life.¡±


    Lily smiled, feeling excited to start a real project she was interested in for the first time since she got reborn into the body. With a twinkle in her eyes, she beamed at him and replied, ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Drake. I¡¯m looking forward tobining our strengths and creating something truly exceptional.¡±


    As Mr. Wace prepared the contract, Lily and Drake took their seats, discussing the initial steps of the project. The contract was soon ready, and Drake carefully reviewed the terms before signing on the dotted line, officially joining the team.


    ¡°So, when do I get to meet the rest of the team?¡± Drake asked carefully.


    ¡°Well, for now, we are still awaiting replies from the others; we only have the program writer, which is Lily, and the story writer, avable now,¡± Mr. Wace exined, and Drake frowned thoughtfully.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Do you mind if I bring some of my old teammates in?¡± He asked. ¡°They have nothing to do at the moment, and I think it will be better for me to work with familiar faces; of course, you don¡¯t have to agree to it,¡± he added, and Mr Wace grinned.


    His eyes momentarily flickered to Lily while he was thinking about her calctive brain. After working with her for a few days, he could already tell what kind of person she was.


    Goal-orientated and very focused.


    Someone who had every step of her work nned out in a way that it would go her way without failure.


    ¡®I¡¯m so happy I epted her request. This is the most rxed I¡¯ve ever been while working under any cooperation,¡¯ he thought to himself before addressing Drake¡¯s offer.


    ¡°If it¡¯s okay, then yes, please do. I¡¯ll draft the contract for them, and you can go through it as soon as possible,¡± he noted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll reach out to them immediately; trust me, with such a well-written program and storyline, they definitely won¡¯t reject the offer,¡± he assured.


    ¡°By the way, I heard we will be working on the project with Alpha Tech; will they provide the device?¡± Drake asked carefully.


    ¡°Yes, the game, as I¡¯ve mentioned, will be in virtual reality settings, and they are in charge of producing the devices. Is there a problem?¡± Mr. Wace asked.


    Drake shifted awkwardly in his seat, not knowing how to say his next words. After deliberating for a while, he sighed, ¡°Do you think I can talk with their representative?¡± He asked.


    ¡°My friends and I have been working on virtual reality technology, and although we haven¡¯t gone that deeply, it¡¯ll be an honour to be part of the team working on it,¡± he exined.


    Mr. Wace looked at Lily, unsure of how to reply, Lily got his signal and took over the conversation. ¡°I¡¯m on the team working on the virtual reality pod; we are working on the pod directly since the helmet is quitemon and we want something unique. The research part is done for the most part, and the first set is under production,¡± she exined.


    ¡°However, since you are enthusiastic about the project, I¡¯ll put in a word for you with the team leader and see how it goes,¡± she provided.


    ¡°Thank you so much; I truly appreciate your offer!¡± He replied with a grin.


    With the formalitiespleted, the trio dug into the details of the game¡¯s development. They discussed the overall vision, the unique elements that would set it apart from other games on the market, and the timeline they hoped to follow.


    They all got so lost in conversation that they didn¡¯t realise it was time for lunch until Mr. Wace¡¯s phone rang and his assistant reminded him of his lunch appointment.


    The three dispersed after making an appointment to start the game production properly the following week.


    Once this part was settled, Lily breathed out a sigh of relief.


    {You haven¡¯t learnt anything new in recent months; aren¡¯t you afraid you¡¯ll get rusty?} The system asked as she got into the cab, heading for Lily¡¯s fashionplex.


    ¡°Going rusty would happen if I¡¯d only spent my days lounging around, don¡¯t you think?¡± She replied. ¡°But now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, do you have something new for Mr. to learn?¡±


    {I do. However, it¡¯s in line with the vault you are trying to break into. Your mother built the security of that vault, and it¡¯s the same as the one used in the military and national level}, the system exined.


    ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s advanced technology?¡±


    {It is. It¡¯s more advanced than the things you know right now, and it will take you more time to learn about it.}


    ¡°In one word, you are telling me I¡¯m going to have a long, tiring day ahead?¡±


    {Pretty much, but first, you should take care of the tail that has been following you around. It¡¯s getting annoying to see their faces.}

 Chapter 101: His Childhood Sweetheart

    As Lily¡¯s car came to a stop in front of her studio, another car parked right behind her and waited until she came down before turning off the light.


    Frederick stepped out of his car and looked around before approaching her with an obvious forced smile.


    ¡°What a coincidence, I wasn¡¯t expecting to run into you here again, Miss Lily. How have you been?¡± he greeted, his voice sounding calm yet arrogant.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it a coincidence, Mr. Frederick,¡± Lily replied with a smile of her own. ¡°You¡¯ve been following me since I left Starlite Cooperation after all.¡±


    ¡°Makes me wonder if there is something you want from me,¡± she added with a little edge to her tone, silently sending him a warning.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be on edge around me; I was just curious about the woman who caught my cousin¡¯s attention,¡± he replied. ¡°You look beautiful but nothing special, so how did you get his attention?¡± He asked with a smirk making Lily duke in annoyance.


    ¡°Do you perhaps have a coboration with Starlite?¡± He probed, and Lily scoffed silently.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I want to discuss my business with you, Mr. Frederick. We are not friends, nor are we business partners. Asking me those questions is rather rude and inappropriate,¡± she hissed out, finally unable to pretend to be polite to him.


    Frederick pursed his lips into a thin line as his brows furrowed in anger. Never had anyone else apart from Mark treated him like a bother. Seeing how Lily wasn¡¯t ying ording to the rules made him want to put her in her ce.


    He took a step closer, trying to intimidate her into submission, but instead of backing down like he had expected, Lily stepped up to him, maintaining her confidence as she looked into his eyes.


    ¡°You are a feisty one aren¡¯t you?¡± He chuckled darkly. Moving his face closer to hers, he smirked as he noticed how ufortable it made her feel. ¡°Does Mark know he¡¯s dating a two-face like you?¡±


    Lily clenched her fist, seriously holding back from hitting him, she looked straight into his eyes, making sure she matched his arrogance, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you were expecting by following me, but I¡¯m too busy to entertain you. Now leave if you don¡¯t have anything reasonable to say to me,¡± she gritted out.


    Frederick¡¯s eyes narrowed at Lily¡¯s audacious response. He took a step back, creating a distance between them so he could get a good look at her.


    His jaw clenched, and for a moment, it seemed as though he mightsh out in anger. But instead, he regained hisposure, his face rxing into a mask of indifference.


    ¡°Very well, Miss Lily,¡± he said, his tone deceptively calm. ¡°I can see that you¡¯re not in the mood for conversation. However, keep in mind that you may not always have the luxury of choice when ites to our interactions.¡±


    Lily tutted and raised a challenging eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯ll take my chances,¡± she retorted coolly. ¡°Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have work to do.¡±


    He brought out a cigarette, cing it in between his fingers; however, he never attempted to light it as he red down at Lily. ¡°Do you think Mark will always protect you?¡± He asked with a smirk, and Lily returned his re.


    ¡°You must think you are on top of the world now that you¡¯ve found a gold tigh totch on. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the look on your face when you find out that he¡¯s about to get engaged to his childhood sweetheart, oops I let the cat out of the bag¡± he chuckled mischievously.


    Lily¡¯s eyes narrowed at Frederick¡¯s words, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of seeing her falter. ¡°Do you think I would believe the words you say?¡± She scoffed. ¡°And even if it¡¯s true, it¡¯s none of your business.¡± She replied and turned to leave.


    Annoyed by her tant disrespect, Frederick pulled her arms, only for him to feel another holding his own. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you again, cousin,¡± Celina hissed as she red at Frederick, her eyes filled with hatred and rage.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had so much time on your hands to go around harassing ady. I should probably tell Mark to give you some more work, don¡¯t you think?¡± She taunted.


    Hearing her words, Frederick¡¯sposed appearance fell, and he red at her, matching the hatred in her eyes. ¡°Should I not say the same about you? As the heir of Lam fashion, I wasn¡¯t expecting to see you lurking around such a small business,¡± he retorted, and Celina snickered.


    ¡°Unlike you, I¡¯m here for business,¡± she replied as she waved a brown envelope in his face. ¡°Besides, she¡¯s my friend, and I don¡¯t need permission to go visit my friend.¡± She added and turned to Lily with a worried expression. ¡°Are you alright? He didn¡¯t do anything to you, did he?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I was just a little on edge at being followed,¡± she exined calmly, and Celina nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go in; I also have some things to discuss with you,¡± she urged, pulling Celina along.


    As she got to the entrance of the building, she turned back to see Frederick still standing there, stunned and annoyed. As their eyes met, she gave him a pointed look followed by a taunting smirk.


    {Why are you pulling his hatred towards you on purpose?} The system asked in bewilderment, already aware of Lily¡¯s ns. {I asked you to get rid of him, not draw his attention to yourself, you troublemaker!}


    ¡°Having him keep an eye on me won¡¯t hurt,¡± Lily replied. ¡°Besides, I need him to take his eyes off Mark for a while for my next ns,¡± she exined.


    {Having his eyes on you will defeat your aim of keeping a low profile; are you okay with that?}


    ¡°After going out as Mark¡¯s date, that n has been eradicated. I can no longer keep a low profile, even if I want to.¡± She replied.


    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s time for me to actively go up against The Hamilton; I can¡¯t keep it low if I want to win against them,¡± she added.


    {Whatever you do, be careful.}


    ¡°I have you; what¡¯s there to be careful about?¡±


    Upon arrival at her office, Celina copsed on her couch as she hurriedly removed her heels. ¡°I¡¯m so tired. Can I give up training to take over Lam?¡± She grumbled, and Lily giggled.


    ¡°You should ask your mom, not me. You do look stressed, I must say,¡± she pointed out.


    ¡°Of course, I am stressed,¡± Celina replied. ¡°In the past week, I¡¯ve only had seven hours of sleep in total! It¡¯s always paperwork and more paperwork; they never finish!¡± Sheined.


    ¡°And now I¡¯m going to have more work when mom goes on vacation next month. Can¡¯t I be a model and leave it at that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. After you get used to it, you¡¯ll realise it¡¯s nothing much,¡± Lily encouraged while trying to hold back herugh.


    Finally settling down, Celina went straight to the reason she had visited. ¡°Mark wants us to coborate with you in creating the merchandise for the game,¡± she exined, her aura switching back to her professional mode.


    ¡°The game hasn¡¯t been released yet; howe it¡¯s getting merchandise?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a cover,¡± Celina replied. ¡°He needs to be involved in your business as his date, you know? He needs to make sure you don¡¯t get asked some annoying questions, or people like Frederick following you about,¡±


    Lily nodded; she had thought ofing up with a n, something that could be a cover for her always going to Starlite in case it gets spread by those with evil intentions. Who would have thought Mark had the same thoughts as she did?


    ¡°Alrighty then. What part of the merch do you guys need me to work on?¡± She asked.


    Celina handed her the envelope containing all the lists of merchandise, and they both discussed how they would divide it to fit their line of work the best.


    Once that was done, Lily invited Celina to stay over for dinner while getting some rest, to which the other agreed without skipping a beat.


    ¡°Are you really okay about being confronted by Frederick like that? He was a little too close forfort and he¡¯d have gotten handsy if I did not arrive in time,¡± Celina asked over dinner, and Lily shrugged.


    ¡°I know the risks of pretending to be Mark¡¯s girlfriend,¡± she replied. ¡°I¡¯m going to be seen as his weakness, so of course they¡¯d approach me to get to him.¡±


    ¡°Do you need extra bodyguards then? I can talk to Mark to get you some,¡± Celina offered, and Lily shook her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any; I¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m not some damsel in distress that needs saving, you know?¡± Lily replied calmly. ¡°If I need help, I¡¯ll definitely ask, but for now, I¡¯m okay as I am,¡± she added.


    ¡°What will Mark do about his childhood sweetheart, though?¡±


    ¡°You mean Rose?¡± Celina asked and Lily nodded.


    ¡°Yes, her¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely sure, but the engagement will not be holding.¡±

 Chapter 102: Meeting Dark Star

    After her dinner with Celina, Lily went back to a newly rented apartment close to the studio. With the studio ergement, she cleared out the living area of the studio and made it into arge showroom for their products.


    She had no intention to continue living in the school building, so she decided to rent a small apartment close to the studio and the academy to ease her mobility while also giving her some privacy.


    Upon arrival, she showered before getting to work on the blueprints given to her by Bryan. Lily had been studying the blueprint since she had received it from him.


    And the more she studied it, the more she realised she only knew a little about her mother and her work.


    All the technology used in creating the vault was so advanced that it dwarfed all her experiences for both lifetimes.


    She could understand why the system had insisted she learn something new if she wanted to tackle the vault. And although she had a lot on her hands, there was indeed a need to advance her knowledge.


    Not only to be able to beat herpetitors but also to get to know her mother better.


    What secret was she hiding when she was alive?


    Did she also have a system or a guide that helped her with such knowledge?


    Was there a connection that couldn¡¯t be spoken about?


    All these bugged her as she stared nkly at the blueprint.


    Heaving a long sigh, she took a sip of her steamy, hot coffee, knowing it would be a long night for her.


    ¡°Alrighty, I¡¯m ready for the next stage,¡± she announced, and the system screen popped up with a book titled.


    ¡°Advance programming¡±


    It was noon the following day when Lily finally stepped out of the system space after reading the whole advanced programming book.


    She made herself something to eat, got a two-hour rest, and went back into the system space to put all she had read into practice.


    While things for her were going smoothly, for some people, it was a bad day.


    William, as usual, received a note from the usual sender; however, this time it wasn¡¯t just a note sent to him. It was a video sent to the whole Hamilton family, including his father.


    Henry walked into William¡¯s office, his face red with anger and his chest heaving up and down as he mmed the door shut.


    He red at Williams angrily, while lifting his phone to show him the video that he got. ¡°What the heck is this!¡± He demanded angrily.


    ¡°I also got the same message,¡± William replied calmly, burying his frustration at the back of his mind, knowing fully well that showing attitudes to his angry father would not end well for both of them, most especially in the situation they were in.


    ¡°I told you to find the source of this shit since the first day you got them! Why are we still receiving such messages?¡± Henry demanded and William sighed.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find the source. I have tried multiple ways, but I couldn¡¯t,¡± he replied. ¡°Every time we check, it directs us to random ces that always end up as dead ends,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Get some experts! Do I have to teach you everything about grinding?!¡± Henry eximed as he swiped off the document on the table.


    ¡°Are you a kid that must be spoon-fed everything?! He continued, ¡°If you can¡¯t handle it yourself?! Then get experts to do it for you!¡±


    ¡°There is no way they would not be found; except they are no more!¡±


    ¡°But what if they are?¡± William breathed out his thoughts. The same thought he had been having after he got the fifth picture of their little family dinner night.


    ¡°It might sound illogical, but we¡¯ve been trying for months now and we still haven¡¯t found anything, so what if? Just what if this is a dumb joke to get us all edgy?¡± he exined, and Henry frowned.


    ¡°You are suspecting Victoria is behind this?¡± He asked in disbelief, and William remained silent.


    He scoffed and turned away as he began tough in annoyance. ¡°What have you been reading or watching to make you think she is behind this?¡± He asked coldly.


    ¡°If she was this capable, it would not have taken her so long to find out about her mother¡¯s death! You idiot!¡±


    William remained silent as his father continued to barrage him with insults. His fist clenched while his eyes remained fixed on theputer screen that kept ying the video.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± He asked as Henry finally rxed.


    ¡°We can¡¯t do anything if we don¡¯t find the person behind this. We have to continue looking,¡± Henry replied. ¡°Your mother and sister are scared to even step out of the house after receiving this,¡± he breathed out in frustration.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know what their next n would be, and we can¡¯t afford to have them go to the media. We don¡¯t know how much more information they have on them; finding them right now is the only solution,¡± he said.


    William hesitated as he grabbed his phone; his hands hovered over his best friend¡¯s contact before finally clicking on the message. His eye scanned thest messages they had, and he let out a breath.


    ¡°I was rmended to a hacker by a friend. They died, the person is good, and they always get the job done,¡± he informed Henry, and Henry raised a brow.


    ¡°So get them to trace this fucker! What¡¯s stopping you?¡± He demanded.


    ¡°The hacker is expensive; they recently got promoted to an S-level agent on the site, and we might not be able to get them to work for us,¡± he exined further.


    ¡°At least try it? We don¡¯tck money, and what¡¯s a bit of moneypared to getting rid of a threat to our lives?¡± Henry replied as he started towards the door. ¡°Whatever amount they want, send it to them as long as they get the job done!¡±


    With his father¡¯s approval, Williams immediately logged into the site and searched Sinful profile. He noticed her icon was yellow, showing she was online but not active.


    Deciding to take the chance, he sends a message.


    On the other side, Lily, who had been practising the whole day while also earning some money by helping people solve some of the client¡¯s minor problems, received a message from a new profile.


    She raised a brow and clicked on the profile to reply to their message.


    Dark Star: Hello, are you avable to take a job?


    Sinful: Hello, depending on the job description.


    Dark Star: It¡¯s something light for a start. Can you crack a coded device? Like a sh drive?


    Sinful: I can.


    Dark Star: How much will your charge be?


    Sinful: You didn¡¯t give enough information on the sh drive you needed to decode. Slightly secured one hour for five hundred thousand, mid-secured one go for two million, and highly secured ones, like this military type or A-ss device ones, go for at least five million.


    Lily raised a brow as she awaited the response from the other side. Seeing they were taking some time to reply, she decided to continue what she had been doing.


    It wasn¡¯t the first time a client had chickened out of a transaction due to the price tag, and she wasn¡¯t so bothered about it.


    However, as she was about to exit the chat, she noticed him typing and decided to wait.


    Dark Star (attached photo) Where is the device? It doesn¡¯t matter how much it costs as long as you can get it cracked in three days.


    Lily let out a darkugh, almost rolling in the system space as he saw the picture of the sh drive. She wiped the tears from her face and calmed herself.


    Without needing to ask, she could already tell who was on the other side of the phone.


    She let out a sinister grin and stretched as several evil ns came to fruition.


    Sinful: Your charge will be seven million.


    Dark Star: Alright, but you have to sign a contract that whatever is in there will not be leaked, and you will have to pay hugepensation if it gets leaked.


    Sinful: That will be no problem. However, how do I know you won¡¯t frame me up if it gets leaked from your end?


    There was a short pause before he replied.


    Dark Star: There won¡¯t be any charges until it¡¯s properly investigated.


    Sinful: Alright then. Send in the contract, and I will have your work delivered as soon as possible.


    While Williams went ahead to create the contract, Lily finished up with another client¡¯s job and walked out of the system space to see it was evening.


    Due to the time difference between the system space and the real world, Lily had been able to get more work covered.


    Once she was done with dinner, she rechecked and noticed he had sent the contract, letting out a snicker at the content of the contract. She signed it and sent it back.


    ¡°Well, how should I start myeback?¡± She muttered with a mischievous smile.

 Chapter 103: This Isn鈥檛 Over

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Lily demanded as she walked into Lily¡¯s fashion to see the ce in total disarray, with several people holding up their cameras and na standing in the middle with ady dressed in high-end outfits and expensive jewellery.


    Lily¡¯s eyes were met by na¡¯s frustrated ones, and she quietly walked to the middle. ¡°Are you the manager here?¡± The rich second-generationdy asked arrogantly. Her face filled with contempt as she red at Lily, who was dressed in a simple sweatshirt, and joggers and had just returned from her evening jog.


    ¡°Yes, I am Lily, the owner of this ce,¡± Lily replied. ¡°How may I be of help?¡± She hacked politely, and thedy sneaked out, giving her a disgusted look.


    ¡°I see,¡± she drew out without making any effort to continue her words.


    Bewildered, Lily turned to na with a raised brow, and the other began to exin. ¡°She is a fashion influencer, and she works here, offering to advertise our products, and as a repayment, we have to give her a piece from all our limited edition designs, including the piece we used for the nationalpetition finals,¡± na began.


    ¡°Of course, I told her we didn¡¯t need her services. I was very polite when I said those words, but it made her angry that I rejected her offer, and she began to throw tantrums,¡± na exined carefully.


    ¡°How dare you lie about what happened?¡± One of the people holding the camera asked in annoyance, her tone cold, and filled with usation.


    na let out a sigh and turned to thedy who had just spoken ¡°Well, you are free to tell your side of the story,¡± she urged.


    The redheaddy scoffed with an extra attitude, ¡°Everyone knows Bron. She is a popr fashion influencer that major brands beg to work with her.¡± She spat arrogantly while throwing na a re.


    ¡°Of course, seeing how your small business needs publicity with how good your designs are, she decided to give a helping hand only for her to be rejected by your ungrateful staff, and you are now even using her of throwing tantrums for such minor things?! How bold!¡± She exined while raising her voice at the end.


    Anotherdy with the camera stepped up to continue from where herpanion had stopped. ¡°Is this how you treat your guests in this ce?¡± She demanded. ¡°Reject their goodwill while insulting and using them.¡±


    ¡°For such a small business like yours, aren¡¯t you being too overbearing?!¡± She continued. ¡°People like you should leave the industry!¡± She dered, and the other people joined in while chanting.


    ¡°Leave the industry! We don¡¯t want you!¡±


    Lily frowned in annoyance at their disy. Without needing to investigate, she could tell these people were here to cause trouble for her under someone¡¯s instigation.


    Her mind shed to Frederick, thinking he was behind the whole thing.


    Of course, their encounter yesterday, and the way she had spoken to him must have challenged his ego. What she never expected, however, was for him to use such underhanded methods to deal with her.


    Either way, the quicker she resolves the issues, the better for her.


    Raising her hand to silence the crowd, Lily addressed Bron directly. ¡°I apologise if there¡¯s been a misunderstanding, but as the owner of this establishment, I stand by my manager¡¯s decision. We¡¯re a small business that values genuine connections with our customers, and we believe our work speaks for itself. We don¡¯t need to rely on publicity stunts or handouts from influencers.¡± She exined.


    Bron¡¯s face turned red with anger, her expensive jewellery clinking as she gestured wildly.


    ¡°How dare you imply that my help is a publicity stunt?!¡± she eximed. ¡°I am Bron, the most sought-after influencer in the industry! You should be grateful for my attention and generosity.¡±


    ¡°Do you know how many bigpanies seek to work with me?!¡± She demanded arrogantly.


    Lily remained calm, despite the fury in Bron¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re very sessful in your field,¡± she replied evenly. ¡°But we don¡¯t believe in trading our hard work for a fleeting moment of attention. Our designs are meant to be cherished and appreciated by those who truly love fashion, not paraded around for likes and shares.¡±


    The crowd gasped at Lily¡¯s bold deration, and Bron¡¯s face contorted with rage as she looked around at those still recording, making sure they were getting every bit of the drama.


    ¡°You¡¯re making a huge mistake!¡± she spat, her voice venomous. ¡°You¡¯ll regret the day you crossed me, Lily! I¡¯ll make sure no one in this industry ever works with you again.¡±


    Lily chuckled and moved closer to Bron in a daring manner, a bright smile blooming on her face as she looked into her eyes with pride. ¡°Whether or not I remain in this industry doesn¡¯t depend on you.¡± She spat as she took a step back.


    ¡°If truly my manager had insulted you, I would like to apologise for it,¡± she announced as she picked up the discarded clothes that had been torn during the charade. ¡°Since I have apologised, I would like to ask Miss Fashion Influencer topensate us for the damage to our goods. Of course, I also have video proof of what happened in here today,¡± she announced as she gestured to all the cameras at the entrance of the store.


    ¡°It also has audio recording functions, so the police would not have problems investigating,¡± she added with a mischievous smile, and Brons face paled.


    She suffered on her feet as she red at Lily with hatred. When she took the job to sabotage the small business, she thought it would be a walk in the park like it had been with other small businesses in the past.


    Who would have thought that both the manager and the owner were not an easy bunch to deal with?


    For such a small business, she wasn¡¯t expecting what she had met, and seeing how serious Lily was, Bron could tell that if they continued today, it would never end well for her wobbling career.


    To maintain her arrogant appearance, she huffed and brought out her card. ¡°I don¡¯t bully businesses that are on the verge of bankruptcy. I¡¯m sure you could use the extra change anyway; total the cost and remove it here,¡± she dered, and her minions cheered while some cursed at Lily.


    ¡°How dare you charge the goddess for such cheap products?! Don¡¯t you know how to respect those ahead of you?¡±


    ¡°What a money grubber! You need topensate the goddess for the mental damage!¡±


    ¡°We hate you. Get out of the fashion industry!¡±


    ¡°Such a schemer!¡±


    Through all their insults and yelling, Lily remained polite, and the smile on her face remained just as friendly as it was when she walked in.


    na took the card and walked away to total the damages. Upon arrival, she gave the bill to Bron, who physically trembled at the cost of the clothes she had damaged.


    Seeing her reaction, Lily frowned in concern and asked, ¡°Are you alright?¡±Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Snapping out of her daze, Bron ced the receipt in her bag and looked towards Lily. ¡°Why won¡¯t I be?¡± She replied. ¡°Afraid I will expose your petty scheme?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no scheme though; the clothes you picked are all new designs that had been paid for, and so we charged you extra because of the dy your mistake caused,¡± she exined.


    ¡°Now that everything has been settled, please take your leave. Of course, you all are wee to patronise our small business in the future,¡± she offered politely while gesturing for them to leave.


    Bron intentionally bumped into Lily, and she hissed out, ¡°This isn¡¯t over. I hope you have just as much courage as you did here today.¡±

 Chapter 104: A Daring Person

    As the crowd dispersed, Lily let out a heavy sigh as she sank into a chair in the reception area, her body still sore from the long jog she had done. na handed her a cup of water, brows furrowed in concern and annoyance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making you witness that scene,¡± na apologised, her voice filled with frustration. ¡°I tried to handle it calmly, but they took it too far, and those extra people just stormed in.¡±


    Lily took a sip of water, shaking her head. ¡°It¡¯s alright. We¡¯ll have to get used to situations like this. It won¡¯t be thest time.¡± She replied. ¡°In fact, I¡¯m expecting this group to be back anytime soon. Just make sure you keep an eye out.¡±


    ¡°You were definitely targeted,¡± Light pointed out as he climbed down the stairs with a sandwich in one hand and a c in the other; his eyes narrowed with concern upon seeing how they had trashed the whole ce up. ¡°Bron is notorious for stirring up trouble online. Did you cross anyone recently?¡±


    Lily¡¯s brow furrowed as she recalled the previous night¡¯s events. ¡°I might have told Frederick Watson off. He got on my nerves when I found out he was following me around, so I kind of snapped.¡±


    Light shook his head. ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like Frederick¡¯s style. He¡¯d rather get you in trouble with thew than pull a petty stunt like this.¡± He said. ¡°He always likes to run his targets out of town or sometimes into jail.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re familiar with him?¡± Lily enquired, her curiosity piqued about the subject and the possible rtionship between the two.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°A lot goes on in the entertainment industry, Cupcake,¡± Light chuckled, his gaze momentarily distant. ¡°I don¡¯t know him personally, but he sponsors people I¡¯ve worked with. They had some stories to tell. And trust me, they weren¡¯t all good.¡±


    ¡°Aside from Frederick, who else might want to target you?¡± He asked, rubbing her temples in frustration.


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure,¡± Lily admitted, her voice tinged with concern. ¡°I¡¯ll give it some thought at other times. For now, I¡¯m too exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Anyways, why are you here? It¡¯s a good thing those people didn¡¯t get you on camera,¡± she asked with raised brows, and Light smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°Well, I missed you all, and I came to say hi, can¡¯t I?¡± He asked and took a bite from his sandwich to avoid making eye contact with Lily¡¯s knowing ones.


    ¡°You missed us, or you came to see your brother?¡± She teased.


    ¡°Well, that too. I¡¯ve been here all day, and he hasn¡¯t checked in. Does he not work here anymore?¡± He questioned.


    Lily smiled knowingly. ¡°I enrolled Gary in professional modelling training. It¡¯s an intensive six-month program, just like the idol training you went through. He¡¯ll be quite busy and won¡¯t have time toe out to work; he¡¯s also staying there for the whole six-month program,¡± she exined.


    Light frowned at her words, his eyes filled with worry as he asked. ¡°What about his siblings?¡±


    Lily rolled her eyes, amused by his concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got that covered. They¡¯re staying with my parents and can video chat with Gary on weekends.¡±


    Relieved, he let out a sigh. ¡°Looks like I came at the wrong time.¡± He hesitated before asking, ¡°Could I get his contact information?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t share his info without his permission. Sorry, buddy.¡± She shot him down firmly and immediately changed the subject. ¡°How are things with your father?¡±


    Light¡¯s shoulders slumped slightly at the rejection, but most at the mention of the jerk he calls a father. ¡°We¡¯re at a stalemate. I haven¡¯t been home since ourst fight, and he¡¯s too stubborn to reach out.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rough,¡± Lily sympathised, her eyes filled with genuine concern. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to ruin your rtionship with him for Gary¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Whatever rtionship we had is something of the past now,¡± he breathed out, his eyes filled with undisguised pain.


    ¡°There¡¯s another reason I came here,¡± Light confessed. ¡°And it¡¯s business.¡±


    Lily got up and began to lead him to an office for a more private space to discuss.


    ¡°So I am starring in a movie; it¡¯s going to be my first, and I want you to help make all my costumes set,¡± he exined excitedly, making Lily raise her brow in confusion.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t yourpany or the movie crew provide the costume for the movie? Why are you making yours?¡± She asked.


    Light let out a groan, ¡°Of course that would usually be the case, but it¡¯s different this time.¡± He replied. ¡°The movie is predicted to have high sales, and I got the role, of second male lead, through connection.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I pissed off some people in the process, and I¡¯m being targeted by them. Please help me out; you are the only person I can go to now,¡± he pleaded.


    Lily leaned back in her chair, mulling over Light¡¯s offer. While it wasn¡¯t unusual for connections to y a role in the entertainment industry, she had a feeling there was more to the story. ¡°Helping you out might affect my own business; how do we sort that?¡±


    ¡°I can paypensation.¡± He offers. ¡°Besides, the person I offended can only throw his weight around thepany; he doesn¡¯t have much influence outside of thepany. What do you say?¡±


    Letting out a sigh, she gave a nod. Even if she was worried about the consequences of getting involved in a celebrity¡¯s quarrel, he was a friend, and no matter whates after, she could handle it.


    ¡°When is the shoot scheduled to start?¡± she asked as he picked up her pen and paper to get the date.


    ¡°Summer next year, it will run for almost all the year; we will need seasonal options then costumes,¡± he exined with a grin. ¡°I¡¯ll make a list and send it to you, then you can send me the address estimate.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Send it as soon as possible; I won¡¯t be avable for a while,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Going on a vacation with your boyfriend?¡± He teased me.


    ¡°Boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°If you were trying to hide it, you shouldn¡¯t have appeared at his grandfather¡¯s birthday banquet. News spread fast in the upper ss, with idle people,¡± he chuckled.


    Only then did Lily realise what he was talking about. She let out a hum. ¡°We aren¡¯t officially yet,¡± she corrected.


    ¡°What not?¡±


    ¡°Personal reasons?¡± Lily replied.


    ¡°Anyways, don¡¯t forget to send the list, and you might have Avon working on your piece,¡± she muttered, and Light¡¯s face brightened up.


    ¡°Are you bringing him to work with you?¡±


    ¡°Not for long, but yes. We are working on a Coborative project, he¡¯ll be here for a month or two,¡± she replied and began to sort through the files that needed her signature.


    ¡°Sounds cool, alright. I will go work on it now; see you around.¡±


    Knowing that today¡¯s fiasco with Bron won¡¯t end anytime soon, she decided to download the video of the whole thing as evidence. Upon arrival back at our apartment, she showered and returned to work.


    She had to dwell more on the job given to her by Williams but she was going to wait until the sh would be delivered to the specified location the following day, so she decided to get done with some other work to practise and acquire skill.


    While working, she got another notification from the website, one that made her worried for her well-being and questioned her morality. However, being a daring person, she decided to take up the job while throwing caution to the wind.

 Chapter 105: Setting Up A Data

    ¡°I heard Roseline came back earlier than scheduled; have you two nned a date yet?¡± Jessica Watson, Mark¡¯s mother, asked as he fed her a bowl of chicken soup.


    Mark let out a sigh, knowing that it was going to be another long night of discussion with his sick mother.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t,¡± he replied calmly as he scooped another spoonful of broth.


    She turned her face away from the spoon, brows furrowed in annoyance. ¡°And why not?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°And don¡¯t give me the crap about you being busy with no time to spare,¡± she hissed. ¡°You could make some time for a girl that came back to the country just for you!¡±


    ¡°I trained you better than to treat a woman so poorly!¡± she reprimanded.


    Knowing she would no longer ept the soup from him, he set it on the stool and gently helped her wipe the stains on her mouth.


    ¡°I really have been busy,¡± he replied. ¡°And I have made it clear several times and again that I do not like Roseline,¡± he rified, further making her annoyed.


    She red at him while wishing she could lift her hand to p him across the face.


    ¡°And why are you dissatisfied with the thought of being with her?¡± She asked.


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful, sessful in her career and she can help you with all the political whatnots going on in thepany with your cousins¡± she pointed out, her voice rising the longer she talked. ¡°What is there not to like about such a well-behaved girl? She¡¯s every man¡¯s dream girl.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯m sure half the poption of men with working brains in their heads would refute your words,¡¯ Mark thought to himself as he folded the napkin and ced it beside the soup before standing up to take a seat on the couch across the room.


    ¡°Am I not allowed to have preferences?¡± He retorted.


    ¡°Indeed, I might sound like an arsehole, and yes, you did train me better, but she really isn¡¯t my preference. She makes me feel ufortable,¡± here exined, and she scoffed in annoyance.


    ¡°All those are just excuses for you to continue being single!¡± She snapped. ¡°Just like your father and I grew on each other, you will grow to like her. She¡¯s perfect for you, and I won¡¯t hear otherwise.¡±


    Mark remained silent, trying not to agitate her further than she already was. Taking his silence for eptance, she huffed and continued, ¡°I will set up a date with her on your behalf, and if I hear you did not show up, then forget you have a mother!¡± She threatened.


    ¡°Mom, you can¡¯t possibly¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t possibly what? Threaten you?¡± She cuts him off. ¡°I¡¯m already like this,¡± she gestured to a paralysed body with her eyes. ¡°Do you want me to die without seeing my grandchildren?¡± She asked, almost tearing up.


    ¡°Surely if your sister were still alive, she wouldn¡¯t have a problem giving me a child and listening to everything I say!¡± She spat while throwing a fit as best as she could with her body being paralysed.


    Mark went stiff at her words, his face furrowed together, before rxing almost immediately. Without saying a thing in reply to her words, he walked up to her, kissed her forehead, and walked out of the room.


    Outside the room, he let out a frustrated sigh and leaned against the wall. His eyes flickered to the door at the end of the hallway with a cute little bunny image hanging off it. His eyes stayed on the door for several minutes, swirling whatever emotions were in the memories locked behind those doors.


    Letting out another sigh, he schooled his expression and walked away.


    ¡°Leaving already?¡± His father asked as Mark stepped into therge living room.


    Mark hummed and gave a nod in reply.


    ¡°So fast?¡± Michael asked with a frown.


    Noting Mark¡¯s withdrawn attitude, his brows furrowed deeper.


    ¡°You don¡¯t look so good; did you argue with her?¡± he asked.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Mark posted, hesitating whether or not to tell his father what had happened.


    ¡°She threw the Annabel card again, didn¡¯t she?¡± Michael asked knowingly, and Mark nodded.


    One of the reasons he had moved out of his parents when he did and stopped visiting them often was because whenever his mother didn¡¯t have things go her way, she¡¯d always remind him of histe sister.


    Annabelle and Mark had been very close as kids since Mark practically raised her due to their parents always being away on business trips and events.


    After her death, he was the most affected, not only because he lost his sister but also because he lost his best friend.


    It only got worse for him when his mother, who got paralysed in the same ident, realised that as long as she taunted him with histe sister¡¯s name, he would always do whatever she wanted.


    Unable to take the constant reminders and emotional abuse, he moved in with his grandfather.


    ¡°She¡¯s insisting on getting me together with Roseline,¡± Mark breathed out.


    ¡°Well, Roseline is not a baddy, and I do think she¡¯s very suitable for you in some aspects and besides, she has been in love with you for so long.¡± Michael teased, earning him a re from Mark.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in her,¡± he retorted. ¡°I am with Lily now there won¡¯t be any need to get close to Roseline,¡±


    Michael rolled his eyes and turned back to the TV, ¡°I¡¯m not forcing you to be with Roseline but you and I know she¡¯ll be more suitable for you than thatdy,¡± he argued. ¡°I¡¯m not doubting her feelings for you but are you sure thedy isn¡¯t with you for the family name and money?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not having this argument, Dad,¡± Mark replied as he picked up his jacket from the couch.


    ¡°Enough of your non-existent rtionship life talk.¡± Michael said, as a change of topic, ¡°How are the projects going? I heard you finally signed the contract for the security system with the federal government.¡±


    Turning back to his father, ¡°I did sign it, but we are still on a trial run. And that¡¯s why I haven¡¯t announced it to the rest of the board members.¡±


    ¡°Besides, Ethan and Frederick are pulling some nasty strings. I¡¯m allowing them to y, but not for long. I intend to cut all their strings off this time.¡±


    Seeing his father about to argue about taking it easy on the two as they are family, he decided to change the topic once again, not wanting to get convinced by his father.


    ¡°There¡¯s going to be someunching events, and I will be busy with the tech campaign in Australia. I¡¯m leaving Jed in charge in the meantime,¡± he exined.


    Michael, knowing he couldn¡¯t change his son¡¯s mind, decided to let go of the topic with a shake of his head.


    ¡°If you need an extra hand, I¡¯m a call away. And do eat more; you have lost more weight than I have lost golf to Ian since we started ying together,¡± he joked as Mark walked out of the house with his jacket in hand.


    As he got into the car, he got a notification from Lily¡¯s private number with the message, ¡°Someone is trying to frame up Watson¡¯s group. I took the job.¡±


    Reading the text, his grip on the phone tightened and his face muffed into an ugly frown. Several suspects shed through his mind, but one stood out more.


    For almost five years, he has been constantly investigating a particr case rting to the ident that took his sister¡¯s life and made his mother paralysed.


    And until recently he hadn¡¯t made any progress, and when he did, he got a warning to back off and stop investigating. Seeing how someone was trying to frame up the group to keep him busy, he could already tell that he was closer to unveiling the mystery behind the ident.


    Something he owes to histe sister, who had died in his stead.


    He looked out the window with aplicated expression, and after what seemed to be forever, he replied to her text.


    ¡°I¡¯ll double their payment; get me all the information about that person. I mean all, including what pair of underwear they have.¡±

 Chapter 106: Official Announcement

    User 1: ¡®Oh, my goodness! It finallyunched!!! It was freaking expensive but I got the pod!¡¯


    Game freak: ¡®I also got mine today!!!¡¯


    Do not disturb: ¡®You already got yours? How? Where? When?!¡¯


    Carry me: ¡°Ahhhh! This is crazy! The pod is sofortable, and it has a massage function too! I feel so rxed lying inside it!¡±


    I live for the thrill: What?!!!!!! Did you see all those buttons? Did you see all the functions? What do you mean I can game all night and my body and brain will feel so rxed as if I had the whole night¡¯s sleep?


    Be warned: Well, it also has a function to kick you out after you spent more than forty-eight hours in the game without a break. This feature is very good if you ask me. And it¡¯s only one person per ount, you can¡¯t have multiple ounts on one pod.


    Hoping on life: When is the game officially going to open? When can we start ying? How do I get the pod @alphatech


    Dave the Rave: Oh. Well, Alpha Tech is not the main producer of the game. They are just partners with the startup business, @startlite. Starlite is the one making the game.


    Shamenoshame: Do you want a little fun fact?


    Wysdom: What?


    Shamenoshame: I believe this game is going to be mind-blowing! Drake Gibson is on the game production with his whole fucking team! Can you believe that?


    Ynda: No way?!! I¡¯ve been praying for a partnership between Alpha Tech and Drake, and you are telling me I can get it now. Don¡¯t kid me, man!!


    Shamenoshame: I swear I am not kidding! @OfficialDrakey made the post this morning, and apparently, he signed a two-year contract with Starlite!


    Wysdom: There is a website to buy it already? Send the link ASAP!!!


    Shamenoshame: (sent link) That¡¯s the official website for the game and everything rted to it. The only thing dying the official server opening, ording to the report, is because thepany is trying to create a new social media for the games created by theirpany.


    Shamenoshame: Mind-blowing right?


    Wysdom: It is! A little space just for gamers. I love the concept, but that shouldn¡¯t dy the game¡¯s release. We could have thatter.


    While the social media is boiling over about the news of the pods being released, Starlite made an official announcement about the gamer server opening and also the special app created for the gamers.


    Official Starlite:


    Hello, everyone and enthusiasts of the Mystic Universe game!


    We are thrilled to announce that our much-anticipated game, Mystic Universe, is set to open its servers to the public in just one week! Our team has been working tirelessly to bring you an immersive, exhrating gaming experience, and we can¡¯t wait to share it with you all.


    The Pod will be avable for sale immediately after this announcement is made and it will be delivered between 12 hours to five working days both locally and internationally


    Additionally, we are excited to introduce our brand new, exclusive social media tform designed specifically for Mystic gamers.


    We understand the importance ofmunity in the gaming world and have created a dedicated space for you to connect, coborate, and share your experiences.


    The Starlite social media will go live simultaneously with the game¡¯s release.


    Here is the link to pre-register for the Startlite social download (attached link).


    And here is the link to order your gaming pods (attack link).


    Stay tuned to our official website and social media channels for further updates and announcements leading up to the big day. We can¡¯t wait to wee you to the Starlite gamingmunity and see you explore the vast, captivating universe of Mystic Universe and the subsequent games we will provide.


    Lily, Drake, and Mr Wace watched in shock as the algorithm for the app shot up from one zero to five zeros in less than one hour of the announcement being made.


    Letting out a chuckle, Drake rxed into his chair with a big satisfied smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯m so happy, and this feels like my first job,¡± he chuckled. ¡°How did you evene up with the idea of creating a social media site for the Startlitemunity?¡±


    ¡°Do you even know how long and stressful that is?¡± He added, and Lily shrugged.


    ¡°It was an urgent creation, so it definitely will need a lot more updates in the future, but it¡¯s good enough as it is. As for how I got it approved so fast?¡± She asked with a smile of her own. ¡°I have connections in the right ces,¡± she winked.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Mr Wace gave a satisfied nod, his eyes staying glued to the screen as he watched the numbers keep shooting up.


    Every day since he started working in Starlite, it¡¯s been nothing but constant challenges and breakthroughs for them. He¡¯s never been more satisfied with his decision than he is to work with Lily.


    ¡°Now that the official announcement has been made, we have to make sure everything is put in ce,¡± he announced.


    ¡°I set up the game management department, and they¡¯ll need to be orientated on what to do and what not to do,¡± he continued, and Lily gave a nod.


    ¡°That¡¯s convenient; I can have them orientated and monitored for the first month,¡± she offered calmly. ¡°Does any of them have any previous experience in this kind of job?¡±


    ¡°Most of them do, and others not so much, but they all at least have something inmon. They y games and are familiar with the gaming environment,¡± Mr. Wace exined.


    ¡°That makes my work easier,¡± Lily nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll be here every day starting next week. I have to make sure the opening goes smoothly anyway,¡± she added.


    ¡°Now that it¡¯s settled, we can move on to the other aspect,¡± Mr. Wace announced as he pointed to the boxes of merchandise set aside in his office.


    ¡°Will the store be set up on the social tform or another website?¡± He asked.


    ¡°We will have it on Startlite social,¡± Lily replied. ¡°We are trying to keep the Starlite gamingmunity together, so keeping the product within themunity is the best,¡± she advises.


    ¡°When we do that, we also make the product exclusive for our consumers,¡± Drake added. ¡°It¡¯s a nice idea.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already working on segmenting the whole tform so it will be simple and usable for the users,¡± Lily exined. ¡°By the time it¡¯s done, it won¡¯t feel jam-packed or overwhelming to use.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. That¡¯ll be all for now. You two need to get some rest and prepare for the busy work days next week.¡±

 Chapter 107: See You Soon, Darling

    Dark Star: The details in the sh drive got leaked.


    Sinful: ¡­.


    Sinful: Have you investigated where the leak came from? Surely you are not suspecting me?


    Dark Star: The investigation is still ongoing. However, apart from you and my personal team, no one else was in contact with the sh drive so you are also a suspect.


    Sinful: ¡­.


    Sinful: We signed a contract; why would you want to go against it? It¡¯s a simple work ethic for me to keep all information about my clients confidential. If I were the type to have your work leaked, would I have been rmended to you?


    Lily paused, her fingers hovering over the keyboard as her eyes flickered over to the otherputer screen. A smile bloomed on her face with a twinkle in her as she noticed the file she was uploading had beenpleted.


    Sinful: How about this? Since I¡¯m already dragged into this issue, I¡¯ll help you investigate the whole leak thing just to clear my name.


    Sinful: I¡¯m going to bepensated for being defamed. Is that okay with you?


    Dark Star: How then do I know you aren¡¯t pushing the me on someone else? As a suspect, having you take over the investigation will give you free rein to push it onto someone else.


    Sinful: You have trust issues. Do it your way. I¡¯ll be here waiting for yourpensation.


    After sending thest message, she logged out of the website and dragged her chair to the otherputer.


    Logging into Hamilton¡¯s database, she fished out her scapegoat, the team assistant, Dan Vick, and immediately nted all the necessary evidence of him leaking the information into his phone, email, and even BSNK ount.


    Dan would be William¡¯sst suspect since both of them hade a long way. He had worked for Williams and his father even when Lily¡¯s mother was still alive, making him one of their most trusted surrogates.


    However, one thing the father-son duo doesn¡¯t know is that Dan would often sell thepany¡¯s information to other people for the extra cash to afford his hobbies of buying expensive limited edition cars and bikes.


    Which is why Lilly picked him as a target for her ns. ¡°They owe me a thank you that I¡¯m helping them root out a leech,¡± she chuckled as she went over the details to make sure nothing was out of ce.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    Once done with that, she went back to doing the other job from the unknown client and Mark¡¯s request.


    Getting fake information about Mark and Watson¡¯s group wasn¡¯t a problem. She had gathered enough to be submitted, half of which were true.


    Things that were done by Frederick and the others in thepany. Surprisingly, all through her investigation she wasn¡¯t able to find any dirt on Mark, and as much as it looks suspicious, she knows how much he tries to keep his image clean.


    As she worked, her phone went off. At first, she ignored it, thinking she would attend to it at ater time, but seeing how it continued going off, she let out a frustrated sigh and picked up the call.


    ¡°It¡¯s not polite to leave your phone ringing; weren¡¯t you trained?¡± The voice asked, and Lily frowned as she tried to drop the call.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t drop that call if I were you,¡± Frederick warned with a tut, making Lily sneer in annoyance.


    ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± She demanded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to threaten you, Lily,¡± Frederick replied calmly, a hint of amusement in his voice. ¡°I¡¯m simply pointing out that it would be in your best interest to listen to what I have to say.¡±


    Lily clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowing as she leaned back in her chair. ¡°Fine,¡± she conceded, her voice cold and unfeeling. ¡°What do you want, Frederick?¡±


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been quite busytely,¡± Frederick began, his tone casual yetced with an underlying edge. ¡°Your skills have been in high demand, and I have to say, I¡¯m impressed with your ability to juggle multiple projects at once.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Lily snapped, her patience wearing thin. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for idle chit-chat.¡±


    Frederick chuckled, clearly enjoying her difort. ¡°Ah, the infamous Lily, always so direct. Very well, then. I have a proposition for you. A little quid pro quo, if you will.¡±


    Lily¡¯s curiosity was piqued despite her animosity towards Frederick. ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± she said, her tone guarded.


    ¡°I heard you are working alongside Mark for his new project with the Starlitepany. I mean, it¡¯s a sess despite it being the first,¡± he began. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t expect less from the genius of Watson.¡±


    ¡°You sound jealous,¡± Lily injected. ¡°Go straight to the point I have no time to waste.¡±


    Frederick let out an amused chuckle followed by a little breathy groan as a woman¡¯s voice echoed through the phone.


    Realising what was happening on the other side, Lily gagged and made a disgusted face.


    ¡°Since you are busy, we can talk about whatever proposal you have next time,¡± she offered coldly.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be a need; we can continue our talk right now,¡± Frederick replied. Or do I make you feel ufortable? Don¡¯t you do things like this with my cousin?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure what I do or don¡¯t do in my personal rtionship has nothing to do with you, Mr. Watson,¡± Lily snapped, already reaching her wits end.


    ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s none of my business,¡± he replied mockingly. ¡°So let¡¯s continue. I said I got a deal for you, correct?¡±


    ¡°I am sure you are with Mark for the connection and exposure his name will bring to your business,¡± he began. ¡°So how about you break up with him? In exchange, I¡¯ll introduce you to a much bigger tform than he can.¡±


    Lily¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief at Frederick¡¯s proposition. The sheer audacity of his suggestion was both appalling and intriguing. She took a moment topose herself before responding, her voiceced with venom. ¡°And why would I ever agree to such a proposal?¡±


    Frederick chuckled, his confidence unwavering. ¡°Because, my dear Lily, I can offer you something Mark can¡¯t-an introduction to the most influential figures in the fashion industry. People who can elevate your career beyond your wildest dreams. I¡¯m sure you know Mark only has his brain in the tech world.¡±


    ¡°His arms don¡¯t cover the whole sky after all,¡± he added. ¡°Name it. Big entertainment industry, celebrities. I can connect your business as long as you y along with me. So what do you say?¡±


    ¡°What do you gain from the arrangement?¡± Lily asked.


    Her question was followed by a pause from the other side. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you want to know?¡± Frederick replied. ¡°Your involvement with him is slowing down his engagement with his childhood sweetheart.¡±


    ¡°And since when has his interest been your concern?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a family matter, Miss Turner; you don¡¯t poke your nose in family matters. What I¡¯m offering is in your best interest; if you reject it, you¡¯ll only have yourself to me,¡± he threatened.


    Lily let out a smallugh at how ridiculous his words sounded. ¡°You¡¯re asking me to trade my integrity for a few powerful connections,¡± she said, her tone icy. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s a price I¡¯m willing to pay.¡±


    ¡°Integrity?¡± Frederick replied. ¡°Do you have any of that left?¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, Mr. Watson. I have integrity, and my rtionship with Mark is mutually beneficial. I¡¯m using him as much as he is using me. It¡¯s none of your business,¡± she gritted out.


    ¡°And instead of wasting your precious time threatening me, you should do more productive things. Like maybe getting yourself mentally checked.¡±


    Frederick let out a loudugh, his voice sounding breathy and deep. ¡°Oh, I want to take you so bad,¡± he chuckled. ¡°But I¡¯ll let you be for now; hopefully you won¡¯t get drowned by public opinion.¡±


    ¡°If you change your mind about my offer, this is my private number, and you can call anytime. See you soon, darling.¡±

 Chapter 108: Crack The Nut

    ¡°Just delete them if it bothers you that much,¡± Lily instructed calmly and waved na off as she brewed anotherrge cup of coffee to keep her awake and standing.


    Just as she predicted, na soon began receiving hate emails and bad reviews on Lily¡¯s fashion¡¯s official website two days after the incident with Bron and her minions.


    Theints and reviews said little to nothing about the products being sold in the store. Instead, they were all about how the store¡¯s employee had bullied Bron when she offered to help them.


    At first, na took her time replying to all the reviews and emails, but as it increased, she grew frustrated and tired. With Lily¡¯s permission, she decided to allow them to continue without giving them the attention that they wanted.


    Soon, Lily¡¯s Fashion made an announcement that encouraged the keyboard army to keep bullying Lily¡¯s Fashion, thinking their scheme to chase her out of business was working.


    Lily¡¯s Fashion announced they were closed for taking orders for the rest of the year as they were too short-staffed to receive more.


    The reason for the announcement was also linked to Bron but in a positive way.


    After Bron left Lily¡¯s store the day she caused trouble, she went back and reported to her anonymous employer about the oue of the whole thing.


    Having done her part and incurred some debts, she initially nned on dropping out of the job; however, the employer had other ideas. She paid Bron even more money, and all she had to do was continue to cause trouble in Lily¡¯s Fashion store and even in the online space.


    Angered by the way she was treated, coupled with the extra fees she¡¯d be getting, Bron edited the video they had taken and added some scenes that didn¡¯t happen, after which she posted it on her ount with the tag ¡®Was at Lily¡¯s Fashion, offering a hand of help, but I got bullied instead! I didn¡¯t know such people still existed. Poor me¡¯


    With the help of the keyboard armies she had employed and her unreasonable fans, the post became trendy. And in such cases, as always, victims always get sympathised with.


    Many people began to sympathise with Bron while badmouthing Lily¡¯s Fashion and asking for them to be cancelled.


    However, this was also a form of publicity for Lily¡¯s Fashion as it introduced them to a new audience, most especially people who could tell the whole thing yed by Bron was a sham.


    In theing week, Lily¡¯s Fashion began to receive hundreds of orders, and some even opted to wait for as long as six months as long as they would have their outfit made by Lily¡¯s.


    The offers came not only from individuals; some even came from organisations that wanted Lily¡¯s Fashion to be in charge of their attire, merchandising, costumes, and many more.


    Being a small business, the orders became overwhelming, and they had no choice but to announce about not taking orders for now.


    Lily walked into her office to see Avon still very much engaged in picking the designs he wanted to work on. Deciding not to disturb him, she sat by the window and slowly sipped her coffee while watching the busy streets and the huge signboard opposite her office with the poster of the ¡®Mystic World Game¡¯.


    In just one week that the game was released, it registered over a hundred thousand users. The numbers were way above their budget.


    Although they had prepared a hundred thousand gaming pods after giving them out to the pre-registered yers, they still went into a shortage on the third day, leaving them all upied and scrambling for a solution.


    And finally, after consulting with Alpha Tech, they made another announcement that others would wait for a month before they got theirs.


    Nevertheless, she couldn¡¯t help the joy she felt at the thought of her sessfuleback into the tech world.


    She turned back to Avon, his pursed lips as he scrolled through all the designs she had made. His legs danced restlessly as he hummed and made a note on the side for anyone he found attractive.


    Once he had gone through all the set, he returned the notepad to Lily. ¡°Seen the ones you like?¡± She asked, and he grinned.


    ¡°Yes, a bunch of them, actually. You¡¯ve got great imagination and designs. You think I can have this many?¡± He asked as he showed her a list of the designs he had picked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, but can you really do that much with the given time?¡± She asked worriedly, and Avon nodded.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be a problem with it; I get a studio to myself, correct? As long as I have the materials ready to use, I¡¯ll create the magic,¡± he replied excitedly, obviously impatient about starting to work.


    ¡°Yes, and a living quarters if you want one,¡± she replied and pointed to the building next to the store building. ¡°I just managed to buy the apartmentplex off Walson¡¯s group for cheap. I¡¯m thinking of making it a staff quarters or renting it out to others.¡±


    ¡°At least one of us is using their connections right; all I do with my connection is try to avoid my older brother. He¡¯s a real pain in my butt¡­ the good kind sometimes,¡± Avon chuckled.


    ¡°Anyways, what do you intend to do about Bron? She¡¯s not going to stop just because you are silent about the whole issue,¡± Lily let out a sigh, seriously feeling an immense headache from overworking and having to deal with people like Frederick and Bron.


    One part of being famous she had always loathed, since she could remember is the part where she constantly had to watch her back against schemes and bad intentions from others.


    All of which she has somehow attracted since she started her journey back to the top. From Merissa to Evie and now to Frederick, Bron, and maybe¡­ just maybe Mark¡¯s jealous admirers.


    ¡°I know she won¡¯t stop, at least not until the person behind her is stopped. I¡¯m trying to fish out the person that put her up to it,¡± Lily replied.


    ¡°You need me to help you employ a private investigator?¡± Avon offered, and Lily shook her head.


    ¡°No, that won¡¯t be necessary. I¡¯m going to solve that problem myself; I already have a lead.¡±


    ¡°Trust you to have everything under control,¡± Avonughed. ¡°Are youing to the get-together organised by Celina this weekend?¡± he asked as a change of topic just as Celina walked into the office with a big box of desserts from an expensive brand.


    ¡°She declined my invites.¡± Celina tutted and yfully red at Lily, who shrugged in return.


    ¡°I¡¯m busy, and at this point, time is literal money,¡± she replied.T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a few hours; it¡¯s not running for the whole day,¡± Avon reasoned. ¡°Besides, you can make connections with new people in the same line of business.¡±


    ¡°I really wish I could make it there, but I can¡¯t; I have prior arrangements. na coulde as my representative though,¡± Lily offered, and Celina rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Party pooper,¡± she grumbled and handed Lily the dessert package. ¡°Mark sent it. He wanted to be here himself, but Frederick happened again,¡± she reported with a disgusted expression as she mentioned Frederick.


    With a raised brow, Lily took the package and the envelope attached to it. Inside was a note that read, ¡°Apologies for the current and uing inconveniences. There is an extra gift somewhere in the box; could you crack the nut?¡±

 Chapter 109: Shares In Hamilton Group

    ¡°Someone send this to you?¡± Lily asked as she met up with Mark for dinner after she met with Avon and Celina.


    She ced the menu on the table and focused her attention on Mark, after which she immediately noticed the eye bags and his tired eyes.


    ¡°You need to sleep.¡± She blurted out, her voice filled with worry, making Mark¡¯s eyes widen in shock as he let out a smallugh.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be getting it anytime soon,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Because of this?¡± She asked and raised the second note in the dessert box. Mark sighed, poured himself a drink, and rxed into the chair.


    ¡°My grandfather is finally ready to announce his sessor, and things are getting moreplicated than normal,¡± he exined. ¡°I¡¯m not only going against Frederick this time; I¡¯ll also be going against rivals and even some of the shareholders,¡± he added with a groan.


    ¡°Is that why I got the job to dig dirt on the group? Someone inside the group is trying to threaten you to step down.¡± Lily asked with a frown, and Mark shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s probably another case,¡± he replied, hesitating whether or not to continue. ¡°I had a sister. She died in a car ident ten years ago; she was twelve at the time,¡± he exined, his expression grim and his eyes unfocused. ¡°They said it was a simple drunk driving incident.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t think it is?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mark replied firmly. ¡°I felt something was amiss during that ident; first I was supposed to be in the car that night, not my mom and sister, and then the driver died in the prison; immediately I started looking into the case; coincidentally, his family also relocated,¡± he exined.


    ¡°Someone paid the driver to take the fall,¡± Lily pointed out with a frown, and Mark gave a nod.


    She could understand his frustration and the general situation of things. Even though she was shielded by her mother while growing up, there were lots of things she had experienced. Mostly thepetitiveness between those big shots that control the economy. They are people who would do anything to achieve their goals.


    Soon, the waitress brought their orders, and they ate in silence, both lost in thoughts about the things in their lives.


    ¡°The code you want me to crack?¡±


    ¡°Celina told me Frederick is bothering you.¡± The two spoke up at the same time.


    Realising what they had done, they burst outughing, the tensions in their shoulders momentarily disappearing.


    ¡°You go first,¡± Mark urged.


    ¡°The nut you want me to crack, what is it about?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a nut, nor is it a difficult case; my grandfather wants me to start managing another part of the group starting next month, and I could feel trapped all around, but I¡¯ve looked into everything and I couldn¡¯t find anything,¡± he exined, and Lily frowned.


    ¡°Not finding anything is even more suspicious and probably more dangerous; you think your grandfather isying a trap for you?¡± Lily asked worriedly.


    ¡°No, he isn¡¯t the one,¡± Mark replied and gave a new designer bag to Lily. However, inside the bags were several documents about the case he wanted her to work on.


    ¡°The bag is for you.¡± He winked with a cheeky smile, and Lily blushed just in time for a camera shutter to go off close by. ¡°The trap is eitherid by Frederick or his father since they were the ones originally managing the sector,¡± he continued as he took a sip of his drink.


    ¡°Given the situation, they are more desperate to make me fail after the continuous sess in recent months. I was set up by Frederick a few days ago when he sent one of his girls to me,¡± he added.


    ¡°How did you manage to escape then?¡± Lily asked curiously, somehow feeling amused by the thought of Mark being unable to shake off ady.


    ¡°I was informed beforehand, so I was prepared,¡± Mark replied with a shrug. ¡°Now my turn. Heard he¡¯s been disturbing you; are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been better,¡± Lily replied with a smile. ¡°I need a favour from you, though.¡± She continued, and Mark urged her forward. ¡°I want to buy shares in Hamilton Group; do you have a way in?¡±


    ¡°Why Hamilton?¡± he mused


    ¡°They¡¯ve got good names, and their shares are cheaper than Watson¡¯s,¡± Lily replied yfully, making Mark smirk.


    ¡°You are dating the heir to the Watson¡¯s group; buying shares shouldn¡¯t be a problem,¡± he replied cheekily. ¡°I could give you some as a gift this instant,¡± Lilyughed and rested her hands on the table with a cheeky smile of her own.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind; it would be a plus,¡± she replied with a shake of her head. ¡°However, I have my reasons to want to buy theirs.¡±


    ¡°You must be aware of their decline then?¡± Mark asked, and Lily hummed softly. ¡°Are you nning to make them a partner?¡± He probed further.


    ¡°Not exactly; I¡¯ll let you know about my nster.¡± Seeing she wasn¡¯t going to exin further, Mark dropped the questioning and sighed.


    ¡°Since you are asking for a way to buy their share, you don¡¯t want to buy directly from them, do you?¡± He asked. ¡°How many do you intend to buy?¡±


    ¡°Well, I intend to buy as many as I can get,¡± Lily replied and sat back up.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into it for you. Do you want them in your name?¡±


    ¡°Yes please¡±


    Mark nodded, wanting to say something more but decided against it. He called over the waitress and paid for their dinner as he led Lily to his car.


    Seeing them getting up to leave, the journalist immediately paid for his food and followed them. As she got out, she noticed the two standing close to each other with their faces inches away from one another. Without hesitating, she picked up the camera and took the picture from an angle that made it look like they were kissing.


    She examined the picture and grinned before sending a message to her client. ¡°Done. What should I do with these pictures?¡±


    Soon after, she received a reply. ¡°Do what you can to destroy her image. I want it unwashable.¡±


    Meanwhile, Mark, who was oblivious to what had happened, leaned closer to Lily¡¯s ears and whispered, ¡°You look gorgeous, by the way; I¡¯ve never seen you this dressed up.¡± He leaned back just to see Lily¡¯s face turn a shade of red in embarrassment. She smiled shyly, feeling her heart flutter at how close and sexy his voice sounded.


    Clearing her throat, she gave him a once-over, followed by a satisfied nod. ¡°Thank you; I did put in more effort than normal, and I¡¯m d you noticed.¡± She grinned, making him smile.


    ¡°Then would you like another dinner with me?¡­ Just me this time, no Celina,¡± he asked calmly, despite how anxious he felt.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Of course, I would like another dinner with you¡­ No business talk?¡± She asked, and he nodded.


    ¡°None, it will be us getting to know each other better.¡±


    ¡°Well, then you¡¯ve got yourself a date.¡±

 Chapter 110: Two Sugar Daddies

    The following day, Lily woke up to her phone blowing up with calls and messages. She groaned and shut the phone off before going back to sleep only to wake up at noon, feeling more refreshed and rxed.


    As she checked her phone, she noticed she had several missed calls from almost all her close friends and parents and several other messages from Celina and Avon. Clicking on the message from Celina, she frowned in confusion.


    Celina: Hey! How are you?


    Celina: Why aren¡¯t you picking up? Are you okay?


    Celina: Pick up the damn call and talk to me. You are making me worried!


    Celina: Stay off social media!


    Celina: Damn it! I¡¯ming over to your ce!Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Celina: Don¡¯t worry, Mark is handling the media.


    Furrowing her brows, she clicked on the other messages from Avon and na to see they were all simr.


    Letting out a sigh, she decided to check out what made them all panic. However, before she could, her mother¡¯s call came in.


    ¡°Hello Mum¡±


    ¡°Lily! Are you okay?¡± Her mom asked immediately without waiting for their normal greetings; her voice panicked and breathless.


    ¡°Of course I am; why won¡¯t I be?¡± Lily asked in surprise. ¡°Are you okay, mom?¡± Did something happen at home?¡±


    ¡°We are all fine here,¡± Mrs. Turner replied. ¡°Where are you? Your Father and I wille to you.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I¡¯m fine, really. I just woke up even,¡± Lily assured and switched the call to a video call.


    She frowned as she noticed her mother packing several boxes of food and also some clothes.


    ¡°Are you travelling?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m bringing all these to you, and then you¡¯ll tell me what the news means.¡±


    ¡°What news?¡± Lily questioned; her curiosity piqued.


    ¡°The news is all over the media! Even the television is talking about it!¡± Her mother replied sternly. ¡°Do you really have a sugar daddy? Which one of them is it? The Watson boy or that French boy-what is his name again? Ah! Yes! Bryan Roux? Are you dating those two?¡± She questioned worriedly.


    Lily raised her brows in surprise, somewhat amused and somewhat awed. As much as she had been meeting up with Bryan, their contact had always been in secret, not for any reason but because the Roux family was an unreasonable bunch.


    A family filled with intelligent psyches, one she doesn¡¯t want to engage with¡­at least for now.


    ¡°Mum I don¡¯t have a sugar daddy; why would I need one?¡± She breathed out while actively suppressing the urge tough at her mother¡¯s expression over the phone.


    ¡°Mark and I are dating,¡± she lied.


    ¡°The Watson boy?¡± Mrs Turner asked, and Lily nodded before proceeding.


    ¡°And I¡¯ve met his grandfather. Bryan and I are just business partners.¡±


    ¡°And he is my uncle for heaven¡¯s sake!¡± She added it in her mind.


    ¡°Then what is that news going around about you winning thepetition because you have two sugar daddies?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a stunt created by my rival; don¡¯t worry, everything will be rified soon. You have to trust your daughter on these things!¡± Lily assured, and Mrs Turner breathed out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Since you are dating the Watson guy, do you like him?¡± She asked. Lily paused, not knowing how to reply to the question.


    The question was one she had been trying to avoid since she started meeting up with Mark regrly.


    She does admire Mark, but it is not enough to want to date him for real. However, telling her mother that will only worry the olddy.


    ¡°I like him,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Good, since you like him, you have my blessing to date him; however, if he treats you badly, you have to respect yourself enough to leave, okay?¡± Mrs Turner warned, and Lily smiled.


    ¡°Those boys from privileged families always think they are the best in the world and feel everyone is below them. Hmph!¡± She continued. ¡°Once you see that he has started treating you wrongly, leave immediately.¡±


    ¡°Of course I will.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my daughter. So, when do we get to meet him? You¡¯ve met his family; why hasn¡¯t he met yours?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll meet him soon; both of us have been busy, and I only met his grandfather because I was invited to his birthday banquet,¡± Lily exined.


    ¡°Find some time and bring him home, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Lily replied with a smile. ¡°Where is Dad? And how are the children treating you?¡±


    ¡°Your father is on the farm with the children; he was worried after seeing the news and couldn¡¯t sit still,¡± Mrs Turner exined.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll let him know the situation after this call, and as for the children, they are so well-behaved; they help us pick oranges on the farm.¡± While the two were catching up, Lily heard her doorbell ring.


    ¡°I have to go now; we¡¯ll talkter.¡±


    ¡°Alright, take care of yourself, okay? Don¡¯t allow those people to bully you so much. When you are tired, juste home, okay?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t¡±


    As she pulled open the door, Lily was met with Celina¡¯s worried face.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Lily asked as Celina stepped into the house with a big basket of homemade food, ones she had forced their cook to whip together at thest minute.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one asking you that?¡± Celina replied, and Lily shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m good; never been better.¡±


    ¡°Damn! I was so worried about you, and yet, here you are looking rxed and fine. Have you not seen the news?¡± She asked in annoyance.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t,¡± Lily replied while walking into her kitchen to make coffee. ¡°I woke up a few minutes ago to see all the calls and messages. What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°So you haven¡¯t seen the news? Thank goodness!¡± Celina breathed out.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen it, but I¡¯ve heard about the content. Seeing you like this, I¡¯m kind of curious as to what heinous crime they said Imitted.¡± Lily chuckled and offered Celina a cup of coffee. ¡°Is this food for me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Yeah! Eat up,¡± Celina grumbled, making Lily smirk in amusement.


    She picked up her phone once again, deciding to check the content of the news that had everyone panicked. As she read, she let out augh, almost spilling her coffee.


    ¡°Oh my goodness, this writer has a way with words,¡± she breathed out. ¡°I would believe it if I wasn¡¯t the protagonist,¡± she added and closed the page.


    ¡°What will you do about it?¡± Celina asked worriedly, and Lily shrugged.


    ¡°Nothing!¡± She replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m just a small fry among two big sharks. My two sugar daddies will solve the problem.¡± She winked, and Celina rolled her eyes. ¡°Besides, they said I got the first position because of my sugar daddies, so why not allow thepetition organisers to clear their name?¡± She asked.


    Celina sighed, finally rxing. ¡°You still don¡¯t know who is targeting you this much?¡± She asked and Lily hummed.


    ¡°It¡¯s either Frederick or Roseline. Apart from those two, I don¡¯t suspect anyone else,¡± she replied.


    ¡°What about Evie? I heard she¡¯s trying to make aeback this time,¡± Celina exined, making Lily frown thoughtfully.


    ¡°I almost forgot about her,¡± she muttered. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it and get it settled; now that you are here, I need you to do something for me,¡± Lily announced and walked into her room.


    Meanwhile, the heated discussion about her rtionship scandal keeps getting pushed up the news as people continue discussing the topic.


    Perez walked into Bryan¡¯s office with a tablet in hand and a furrowed brow. Seeing Bryan casually sipping away at his ss of wine, he hesitated, not knowing whether or not to go on with his report.


    ¡°Spill it. I didn¡¯t employ a weakling as my assistant,¡± Bryan urged, and Perez let out a sigh.


    ¡°It¡¯s the news about you and Miss Lily,¡± he reported.


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ve tried to take it down, but it keeps getting pushed up, and your father called to know the details; he asked that you bring her home,¡± Perez reported.


    Bryan downed the remaining content in his wine ss, poured himself another one, and looked out the window with aplicated expression.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to take down the post; if possible, push it up as much as possible,¡± he instructed with a mischievous grin. ¡°Have the legal team prepare to sue all the ounts ndering her; as for the rest, leave it to the Watson boy to take care of; he is the boyfriend after all.¡±


    ¡°If he can¡¯t handle such a small mess, he does not deserve her.¡±

 Chapter 111: He鈥檚 Alive

    ¡°Boss, all the ounts in charge of Lily¡¯s case received a court notice,¡± a middle-aged man announced as he walked into the dimly lit office with severalputers and a wild-haireddy sitting in front of them with several empty coffee cups littering the whole table.


    ¡°From who?¡± Ka, thedy and the journalist who took the picture of Lily and Mark in the restaurant, asked, her voiceced with exhaustion as she turned to face the middle-aged man. Her eyes were bloodshot and sagging from sleepless nights and stress.


    ¡°It¡¯s from Bryan Roux,¡± he replied, and Ka shivered in fear as she let out a frustrated groan.


    Somehow she had been trying to avoid confrontation with the gentle-looking devil. Which was why she never focused on him too much when writing the article about Lily¡¯s rtionship scandal.


    However, she should have known better than to think she¡¯d be able to walk away with mentioning his name.


    Anyone in the media sector or anyone with working brain cells in the business world knows not to go against the Roux family.


    Although they are an international family, their influence on the world economy is one that can¡¯t be disputed.


    Their reputation in the country was just a little short of Watson¡¯s reputation, and that was because their business chain wasn¡¯t as stable here as it is in other parts of the world due to the influence of the Watson group.


    However, refusing the offer was something she couldn¡¯t do; not only did it pay well, but the other party had some dirt about her dark past. Things she never wants out in the open.


    Letting out a sigh, she turned back to theputers with aplicated expression.


    ¡°Let everyone back down for now; we¡¯ve done enough,¡± she instructed. ¡°Send a few of them to apologise publicly and delete their post, but leave the others there.¡±


    ¡°Our aim was to stir the trouble waters for her; since we started, some other people will definitely take it up from here,¡± she pointed out.


    As the middle-aged man turned to leave, Ka received a message from her anonymous client. As she read the text, her hands trembled and her mouth became dry.


    She mmed the phone onto the table, gritting her teeth. She called the man back.


    ¡°We¡¯ll still keep on targeting Lily, but leave the Roux out of it,¡± she ordered.


    Ka¡¯s eyes zed with fury as she swept her arm across the table, sending everything crashing to the floor.


    Her gaze locked onto Lily¡¯s image on the screen, her hatred undisguised. A string of venomous curses spewed from her lips as her face twisted in a snarl.


    Her veins bulged, and her knuckles turned white as she gripped the table, her fingers trembling with rage.


    For a moment, she froze, her eyes fixed on the cracked phone screen. Then, a maniacalugh burst out of her lips, her eyes shing with a fierce intensity.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ruin you,¡± she threatened and stormed into the inner room connected to the office.


    **


    ¡°You look like you are about to skin someone alive.¡± Dexter, Mark¡¯s childhood friend, noted as he walked into Mark¡¯s office to see him scowling at hisputer screen. ¡°Is this about your girlfriend having another man?¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t¡± Mark snapped; realising what he did, he let out a sigh andbed his finger through his hair.


    At first, when the news about him being Lily¡¯s sugar daddy came out, he felt somehow excited.


    Something about being someone she could rely on made him happy; however, all the happiness he felt disappeared the moment he read the remaining part of the nder post.


    Being in the business world, he had met Bryan Roux on several asions, and he could tell the other was more focused on business than himself, which meant there was no way he could be in a rtionship with Lily, who was also a business maniac.


    However, the more he stared at the picture of Bryan and Lily standing together, the more his blood boiled for some unknown reason.


    ¡°You trust her so much?¡± Dexter asked in surprise and Mark rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Someone is targeting her, and the more I try to trace the source, the more widespread it bes,¡± Mark exined. ¡°I feel like the person behind this is watching my every move.¡±


    ¡°I can help you deal with them¡­ but for a price,¡± Dexter offered with a cheeky smile, making Mark raise his brows suspiciously.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Saying that makes me think you started it,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m not that jobless,¡± Dexter replied with a scowl. ¡°Besides, do you think I like seeing you single and wasting away?¡±


    Mark rolled his eyes at thestment and asked. ¡°What¡¯s the offer?¡±


    ¡°I want to work on your next project,¡± Dexter announced, making Mark lean back in his seat with a thoughtful expression.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you don¡¯t want to work for corporate businesses?¡± He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not working for you full-time, of course. I just need an opportunity to learn from Sinful as Vengeful, not as Dexter.¡± Dexter replied.


    ¡°You are still on this? I introduced you two, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Dexter sighed, feeling aggrieved and defeated. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to get them to be my mentor, but they refuse, always busy with what and what¡¯s not, and then I noticed all your projects have their signatures; that¡¯s why I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡°In all my life and career as the almighty Vengeful giving vengeance on the website, I¡¯ve never been aggrieved like this,¡± heined, ¡°But I get it, experts don¡¯t have enough time to look at the likes of us. But you do, so help me.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll let you in on the current project; in return, you¡¯ll investigate both the current scandal and the person behind that social media influence post about Lily,¡± Mark offered, and Dexter grinned.


    ¡°Cool, if you go back on your word, I¡¯lle for you big time.¡± He threatened yfully, a grin ying on his lips.


    His yful expressions disappeared as he leaned back into the chair, legs crossed. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m here for another reason,¡± he announced with a serious tone.


    ¡°I found some traces from the ident,¡± he reported. ¡°And also the current location of that driver¡¯s family, and guess what?¡± Dexter asked with a smirk.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I asked you to guess.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time.¡±


    ¡°Boring,¡± Dexter replied with a snort. ¡°Anyways, I found out that the driver is still alive.¡±


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