《After Divorce She Becomes the Billionaire Heiress (Sylvia and Cyril)》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1


    "Superstar actress Karina spotted at the airport with Cyril in intimate photos - their love seems so


    enviable!"


    It was 8PM when Sylvia saw this headline, and though she thought her heart couldn''t sink any


    lower, she still felt a stab of pain.


    The couple in the photo looked blissfully happy together. If Sylvia didn''t know the man was her own


    husband, she might even think they made an adorable pair.


    Sylvia''s expression soured. This wasn''t the first time something like this had happened, but it was


    the first time that made her feel so heartbroken.


    She had reminded Cyril that morning that today was her birthday. He had promised that he would


    be home tonight to have dinner with her.


    Yet here he was, at the very hour he should have returned, going to pick up another woman instead.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    And not just any woman - Karina held an extraordinary ce in Cyril''s heart. Sylvia had heard they


    were once engaged to be married until various circumstances got in the way.


    In the end, it was Sylvia who ended up walking down the aisle with him.


    She tossed her phone aside, her mood as heavy as the night outside.


    The dining table was stillid out with the meal and cake she had carefully prepared, expecting to


    celebrate with her husband. Now she just felt like the butt of some joke.


    Her phone lit up with another notification - a photo sent by Karina. It showed her snuggled up to


    Cyril, an amused yet affectionate smile ying about his lips.


    No caption was needed. The image pierced Sylvia''s heart.


    She bit her lip as a storm of emotions churned inside - hurt, humiliation, resentment.


    She had given up her affluent background and loving family for this man she adored. Her friends


    had warned her too. But after three years of marriage where Cyril made her feel insignificant, she


    wondered if she had just been living in a fantasy.


    Sylvia took a deep breath to steady herself. She was once admired and courted by so many suitors


    who would have done anything for her hand.


    Yet she had spurned them all and rushed headlong into Cyril''s embrace.


    If only she had known this would be her fate, she never would have taken that first step.


    With trembling hands, Sylvia opened her chat with Cyril and typed a simple sentence:


    "I saw the photos and news. Let''s get a divorce."


    Cyril immediately called her back but she declined the call. As soon as she sent the message, it


    was as if a crushing weight had lifted from her chest.


    When her phone rang again, Sylvia finally answered. Cyrilunched straight into scolding her.


    "What more do you want from me? I know it''s your birthday but Karina is finally back in the country.


    You need to know your ce and not meddle in things that don''t concern you! And divorce? How


    many more tricks must you pull just to get my attention? I''m sick of these maniptive games!"


    His words affirmed what Sylvia already knew deep down - that his feelings for her were reluctant


    and forced. No matter how she tried to earn his affection, it was always going to be a one-sided


    performance.


    Heart shattered, Sylvia willed herself not to cry. Her voice turned icy cold.


    "Have the paperwork ready first thing tomorrow morning. If you don''t show up or can''t finalize the


    divorce, I will expose the truth about Karina being your mistress all these years. I''m sure you


    wouldn''t want your precious superstar girlfriend facing public scandal, especially when you''ve


    protected her reputation for so long."


    Sylvia immediately ended the call before Cyril could retort. As she looked at the untouched dinner


    on the table, she tossed everything straight into the trash.


    There was no point keeping up pretenses when no one cared anyway.


    She had known for a long time about the other woman who upied Cyril''s heart. But as his


    lawfully wedded wife, Sylvia convinced herself she could make him fall for her instead, if she just


    devoted enough time and love.


    So she kept lowering her self-respect, to the point everyone ridiculed her behind her back.


    Toote, Sylvia realized the more she debased herself, the more Cyril felt entitled to hurt her. Their


    rtionship was irreparably toxic.


    Well, no more. After three bitter years, she refused to let him keep grinding her dignity into the dirt.


    If Cyril wanted to be with Karina instead, so be it.


    Sylvia gazed around the mansion that was meant to be their marital home. Cyril barely spent any


    nights here since their wedding. To him, this was just a convenient pit stop.


    Only she had nurtured hopes of building a home and life together, waiting in vain for her husband to


    return. The greater her expectations, the deeper the wounds.


    Now, she was finally ready to walk away from the sham of their marriage.


    ¡­


    After a sleepless night, Sylvia examined her haggard reflection in the mirror. She covered up as


    best she could with makeup.


    Packing her essential documents, she prepared to head out just as her mother-inw called.


    Cyril''s mother was a narrow-minded, caustic woman who cared only about status and wealth. She


    vehemently opposed his marriage to Sylvia instead of some well-connected socialite who could be


    useful to the family business.


    Over their years of marriage however, his family had always treated Sylvia as an unwee


    intruder. Her mother-inw even bossed her around like a servant.


    Hearing that grating voice again, Sylvia realized that if Cyril valued her even half as much as he did


    Karina, he would never have allowed his mother to belittle her so.


    In the end, it all boiled down to hisck of love for her. If she and Karina swapped ces, there''s no


    way he would have let Karina endure the same disrespect.


    "Where are you right now?! I already told you to be here by 8AM sharp. It''s 10 and our guests will


    be arriving any minute. Are you deliberately trying to embarrass me? Don''t forget, you stole your


    way into this family. My son could have married someone far better than the likes of you. Maybe it''s


    better if you two just hurry up and divorce already."

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2


    Sylvia had heard simr criticisms countless times over the past three years. Back then, she would


    always me herself, thinking she must have done something wrong.


    Her love led her to lower her self-respect and cater to his family''s every whim, no matter how


    demeaning it felt.


    But now, having made the decision to walk away for good, it was time to put an end to all those


    foolish things she once did.


    "You''re right, I have decided to divorce your son," Sylvia stated bluntly before hanging up.


    She gathered her belongings and documents and headed out the door.


    Sylvia shot Cyril a message giving him two hours to meet her there. Otherwise, she would release


    all the evidence she had gathered over the years proving Karina was his mistress. The superstar''s


    reputation would be ripped to shreds.


    Sure enough, Cyril showed up under the two hour mark, his expression thunderous. He had never


    been threatened like this before, least of all by his wife.


    But Sylvia remainedposed, not bothering to soothe his ruffled temper like she used to. The past


    was dead to her.


    "Do you have the paperwork?" she asked.


    "Must you make such a scene?" Cyril demanded. "I already told you when we married - no one can


    shake your position. But you must understand there are certain things I can never give you, no


    matter what you sacrificed back then to be my wife. Can''t you just tolerate it?"


    His mocking tone cut through Sylvia even as she kept her face impassive.


    Their marriage did have extenuating circumstances that she had tried exining countless times


    over the years. But Cyril stubbornly believed only his version of events.


    Sylvia decided not to waste her breath. "Spare me the excuses. Like I said, if we don''t finalize this


    divorce today, I will ruin Karina''s career for good. I''m not joking around."


    Cyril scoffed, unable to believe Sylvia actually had any leverage over someone like Karina.


    "Since you clearly don''t believe me, maybe these will convince you otherwise."


    Sylvia took out a stack of photos from her bag. Cyril''s gut clenched with apprehension as he flipped


    through them.


    The candid shots were taken from intrusive angles that clearly showed Karina''s face along with Cyril


    inpromising intimacy. If leaked, they would undoubtedly ignite scandal.


    "I have plenty more where that came from. Still think I don''t have enough to force this divorce


    through?" Sylvia challenged.


    Cyril crumpled the photos, ring venomously. "Where did you get these? I can''t believe you would


    actually stoop so low just to smear Karina''s name and keep your status!"


    Just as she expected. Sylvia didn''t even bother reacting as she headed straight into the


    administrative office.


    Cyril chased angrily after her. "At least tell me where the hell you got those photos!"


    But Sylvia had no more energy left to waste on him. She just wanted this sham of a rtionship


    severed for good.


    Karina herself had sent Sylvia all those photos over the years, never including a single word. But


    the images told a thousand heartbreaking tales.


    Sylvia only had to stand in Cyril''s shadow while Karina basked under the spotlight. That told the


    whole story - she was the one forever abandoned and looked down upon.


    Left with no choice, Cyril signed the divorce paperwork. He was convinced Sylvia would regret this,


    but he would never give her the chance toe crawling back.


    In this world, opportunities only came once. Miss it, and there were no second chances.


    With thest legal tie between them dissolved, a dazzling smile lit up Sylvia''s face - the brightest


    she had smiled in years.


    "I won''t wish you happiness. I''ll just wish that you never get what you truly want in life."


    The venom in her words made Cyril grit his teeth in hatred. Clearly he had underestimated the


    depths of Sylvia''s loathing for him now.


    When Sylvia was gone, Cyril nced at the divorce settlement. She hadn''t taken a single penny of


    the assets she was entitled to over their marriage.


    He scoffed disdainfully. So she was just a vain social climber after all, to discard everything that tied


    her to his wealthy family.


    If only Cyril knew the truth - in their three years of marriage, he had never once gifted Sylvia


    anything meaningful.


    He allotted her a monthly allowance, but she refused to touch that credit card, always using her own


    money instead. Other than the decor and clothes she bought herself for the house, this marriage


    had not enriched her whatsoever.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    But Sylvia never expected anything from him in the first ce. Marrying Cyril was not about gaining


    his wealth.


    As Sylvia returned to the mansion she once called home, she heardughtering from inside.


    She recognized the voices of her mother-inw and Karina.


    "This morning when I called her, she said she''s divorcing my son! As if that greedy woman would


    actually let go of this family''s wealth!"


    "It was all just an unfortunate misunderstanding back then. If only you two had a bit more time, the


    truth would havee out and you''d be our daughter-inw by now instead of Sylvia!"


    "Oh don''t say that, auntie. Sylvia and Cyril seem very well-matched and so loving even after all


    these years of marriage."


    Sylvia nearly gagged hearing Karina''s words. Loving? Which eyes did she use to observe their so-


    called blissful marriage?

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3


    Hearing the front door open, the two women chatting on the couch fell silent.


    Sylvia let out a derisiveugh as she strode inside thevishly decorated mansion that represented


    years of her painstaking efforts - soon to be foolishly squandered by these two interlopers. This


    would be herst glimpse of a home that could have been.


    "So the prodigal daughter returns. Where exactly have you been wandering about? Didn''t I tell you


    this morning to be back here by 8AM sharp to help with the guests? Or did you really think you


    couldnd someone better than my son after the divorce? Don''t kid yourself - a vain social climber


    like you will always be looked down on wherever you go. Now hurry up and start cooking. Don''t you


    dare embarrass me when my friends get hereter. If you even think of causing me to lose face, just


    you watch how I''ll punish you!"


    Cyril was self-made, having built his business empire from nothing. So his mother was an


    avaricious woman determined to marry her son to someone useful to expand the family connections


    and wealth. Naturally she had always looked down on Sylvia''s supposedmoner background,


    even though that wasn''t truly the case.


    ncing at the bustling kitchen, Sylvia guessed there would be at least 10 guests today - the


    number her mother-inw regrly invited specifically to overwork and demean her. Whenever


    there was a dinner party, not a single servant would be allowed to help. Sylvia was the sole worker


    expected to cater to everyone''s demands withoutint or retaliation. Her mother-inw was


    quick to interpret any objections as unwillingness to continue the marriage.


    Before Sylvia could respond, Karina jumped in with a smile. "Auntie, isn''t that too much work for


    Sylvia to handle alone? Let me give her a hand. We wouldn''t want your friendster thinking I don''t


    know how to cook!" She made to stand up and help.


    But her mother-inw quickly yanked Karina back onto the sofa. Not without first shooting Sylvia a


    look of pure contempt.


    "How could youpare yourself to the likes of her? She was born to serve, so of course these


    menial tasks suit her. But you - you''re an international superstar! You should rx here while we


    wait on you."


    "But Auntie, I''m your guest. It wouldn''t be right for me to just sit by while everyone else works,"


    Karina protested.


    "Guest? Once you and my son get married, then she''ll be the guest - no, she won''t even qualify to


    be a guest! At best, she''ll just be a stranger passing through."


    Standing silently to the side, Sylvia listened to the duo''s chorus with growing exasperation.


    Karina didn''t utter a single unkind word and kept up the pretense of defending her. But they were


    empty cations that only fueled her mother-inw''s vitriol towards Sylvia.


    As their farcical mother-daughter bond strengthened, Sylvia couldn''t resistughing. "Are you two


    quite done with your theatrics?"


    Her mother-inw bristled at the interruption. "What nerve you have! Can''t you see we''re in the


    middle of a conversation? Hurry up and get cooking!"


    "In case you''ve forgotten, your dear son and I already finalized our divorce. You seem so thrilled to


    wee your dreamed-of daughter-inw. Why don''t you get her to demonstrate her cooking skills


    instead?" Sylvia smiled sweetly at Karina, not missing the sh of delight in her eyes.


    Weary of their act, Sylvia headed back towards the bedroom to gather her minimal belongings. She


    had no intention of keeping any of the clothes and possessions here that held nothing but bitter


    memories now.


    Just as she reached the door, her mother-inw blocked her path. "So you''re set on ending this


    marriage for good, I see."


    "We already signed the divorce papers. What more is there to say?" Sylvia brushed past her and


    swung open the door, only toe face-to-face with Cyril himself.


    After leaving Sylvia at the courthouse, Cyril had received a call from Karina about his mother


    inviting her over to his marital home. Worried that she might run into his freshly-divorced ex-wife


    and get upset, Cyril immediately rushed back.


    His dark scowl deepened at seeing Sylvia on the verge of walking out. He shoved her aside and


    made a beeline for Karina, looking her up and down anxiously.


    "Are you alright?"


    Stumbling from his shove, Sylvia''s back mmed painfully against the corner cab. But that


    paled inparison to the casual tenderness in Cyril''s question towards Karina - while she was the


    one injured right in front of him.


    "Just what have you done now?" Cyril snarled, ring at Sylvia as if she hadmitted some


    unforgivable sin.


    His hypocrisy left Sylvia seeing red. "Are your eyes only good for asional ring? Can''t you see


    with your own two eyes that Karina is perfectly fine standing right there in front of you? If that mouth


    of yours can''t speak sense, maybe you should donate it to someone who actually needs it!"


    Cyril held up his phone to show her an article. "Don''t try and talk your way out of this. The expose


    online - isn''t this your doing?"


    Sylvia nced at the phone screen and froze. The photos and caption did seem vaguely familiar


    even though she wasn''t involved... Still, she couldn''t deny feeling a spark of vicious satisfaction


    seeing Karina''s stricken expression.


    "Is there a single false word written there? Wasn''t it that drama that first shot her to fame? Does the


    report state any untruths?" Sylvia challenged, eyes narrowing at Karina.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "I''ll walk out that door right now and let myself get hit by a car if there''s a single lie printed. If every


    word there is true, then it''s your turn to get smashed under a tire!"


    Karina paled, helplessly seeking out Cyril. He patted her shoulder reassuringly before rounding on


    Sylvia once more.


    "If you''re so eager to die, then go kill yourself! Don''t drag an innocent person into your vendetta!


    This is obviously your petty attempt at revenge even after the divorce!"


    With tremendous effort, Sylvia reined in her temper. "I think your brain must be in your neck purely


    to increase your height," she stated acidly before sweeping past them.


    Love blinded the wisest of people. She was the living proof for the past three years. Now it was


    Cyril''s turn to wallow in blindness - likely for a long timeing.

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4


    Watching the man she had loved for years reveal his utter stupidity left Sylvia questioning her own


    terrible judgement all this time.


    She had no interest in watching their antics further and turned to leave, belongings in hand. But


    Karina''s voice stopped her once more.


    "I would never admit something I didn''t actually do! Why won''t you believe me? Do you think just


    because I supposedly destroyed your marriage, you want revenge against me? But I''ve barely


    shown my face around you two all these years. I''m only back now to film a movie. Why must you


    target me like this?"


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Though Karina addressed the room, every word was meant for Sylvia. With a spark of dark


    amusement, Sylvia realized this family was rather entertaining in their dysfunction.


    One blindly besotted fool. Another conniving social climber ruthlessly furthering her own ends. And


    Cyril practically salivating to take a bite out of Sylvia in his hatred.


    She surveyed them all dispassionately as Cyril spat, "So if you didn''t pull this stunt, who could


    have? No one else would be so malicious towards Karina besides you!"


    Sylvia sighed, beyond exhausted. She turned to Karina instead. "Since you''re so convinced the


    culprit is me, where''s your proof? Otherwise I could sue you for nder."


    All eyes swung to Karina. Even her mother-inw felt the first prickles of doubt. She wasn''t the


    sharpest tool. A few well-aimed words could easily turn her loyalties.


    While the drama scandal meant nothing to her, Sylvia did raise a valid point - who would gamble


    with their own life so casually just for revenge?


    Tears brimmed in Karina''s eyes as she realized she was losing ground. Her only lifeline was Cyril -


    the final authority in this family. As long as he stood firm in her corner, nothing else mattered.


    "You...you believe me too, don''t you? We''ve known each other for so long and were nearly family


    once. You saw me work myself to the bone all these years. How could you think me capable of


    something like this?" Karina pleaded desperately.


    That past regret still throbbed like an unhealed wound in Cyril''s heart. His lingering affection for


    Karina stemmed not so much from longing, but an inability to get over what happened between


    them.


    And thus he indulged her more than he should, at the expense of wounding Sylvia far deeper than


    heprehended.


    "I know you couldn''t be responsible for this mess. But to resolve it, we need hard proof of your


    innocence that day. Do you recall what you were doing then?" Cyril asked in a more rational tone.


    Coming up with such exonerating evidence wasn''t necessarily straightforward though.


    At his lukewarm defense, Karina burst into tears. "So you still doubt me after all! Just because


    Sylvia said something, now you believe her over me? Fine - you want proof, I''ll die right here to


    prove myself if that''s what it takes for you to believe me!"


    Her hysterical threat made Cyril frown in disbelief. How could anyone treat their own life as joke?


    Just as he opened his mouth to retort, Karina suddenly lunged straight for the sharp stone corner


    cab. At that speed, a head collision would undoubtedly be fatal.


    Cyril''s face drained of color. Even his mother screamed out in horror.


    Only Sylvia remained unmoved, having expected this histrionic reaction from Karina. That woman


    valued her own skin far too much to actually harm herself - as proven by her earlier refusal to swear


    any oaths on her life.


    In a few quick strides, Cyril seized Karina''s wrist though not before her head still cracked against


    the cab edge. Fortunately his grip prevented full impact.


    Blood streamed down her face from the torn gash. Karina trembled uncontrobly, clearly terrified at


    her near brush with death. If Cyril had been just a secondte...


    "Karina, are you alright? How could you be so foolish?" Cyril held her in a crushing embrace, sick


    with panic.


    Voice quavering, Karina murmured, "Now you must believe me...right?"


    How could Cyril not believe in her innocence when she had resorted to such extremes just to prove


    herself? He nodded vigorously.


    Observing their nauseating theatrics, Sylvia barely resisted the urge to slow p sarcastically. What


    a performance indeed!


    But the show was over and her role in it long ended. No need to overstay her wee.


    Except the yers here seemed intent on detaining her a while longer for further torment. Each


    time Sylvia moved to leave, someone would call her back.


    "I said, stay where you are!" Cyril bellowed.


    Themand tested thest shreds of Sylvia''s patience. Biting back a scathing retort, she asked


    tly, "What more do you want?"


    "You''ve pushed her to such desperate lengths. Don''t you have anything to say or do about it?" Cyril


    used.


    Sylvia''s eyebrows shot up incredulously. "Pushed her? Have you lost your mind? Anyone can see I


    had nothing to do with that unhinged stunt. Did I make her try to smash her own skull open? She


    chose that herself. So how is her botched suicide attempt suddenly my fault? If she had seeded,


    would you call me a murderer next?"


    "I''m saying this onest time - go get your head examined by a doctor since it''s clearly not working


    right. As for your ims that I harmed her, where''s your proof? If you have none, then at most I''ll do


    my civic duty and call an ambnce."


    That was the full extent of what Sylvia would contribute to this three-ring circus sideshow.


    She took out her phone as if to dial emergency services while Cyril and his mother looked on.


    "It''s an hour''s drive to the nearest hospital. By the time any doctor finally gets here after two hours


    total, she could already be dead!" Cyril argued frantically.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5


    Sylvia gritted her teeth in sheer frustration. Nothing she suggested was good enough apparently.


    "Then what the hell do you want from me?" she bit out.


    "You drive!" Cyril barked as he gently lifted Karina and made for the door at top speed.


    Sylvia stood frozen for a moment before his mother shoved her from behind.


    "What are you still standing around for? If anything happens, I''d like to see you exin yourself!"


    she hissed spitefully. "It''s just awful luck whenever you''re involved."


    Studying her sour expression, Sylvia deduced his dear mother didn''t actually care much for Karina


    at all to be cursing her misfortune right now. Why else make such tactless remarks when the


    woman was injured?


    Morbidly curious to see how this drama would unfold, Sylvia snatched up the car keys and slid into


    the driver''s seat.


    En route to the hospital, Cyril was on the phone arranging for the best doctors to prioritize Karina''s


    care.


    Sylvia had to bite back an incredulousugh. Such VIP treatment for that tiny wound? If they had


    arrived anyter, it would likely have healed on its own already.


    But she held her sarcasticments and soon pulled up at the hospital. Clearly forewarned,


    medical staff immediately swarmed their vehicle with a stretcher to whisk Karina straight into


    emergency surgery as if her life hung by a thread.


    Seeing them steer towards the operating rooms made Sylvia raise a brow. My my, they were


    certainly going all out with the theatrics!


    In under two hours, Karina emerged...with the doctor looking rather awkward.


    Fretting only over her condition, Cyril didn''t notice his odd expression at all. "How is she, doctor?


    Will she fully recover?"


    The doctor''s eye twitched slightly but he maintained a professional bedside manner. "The wounds


    were not actually that grievous. I believe you panicked unnecessarily. We have stitched up the


    gashes and are running scans for possible concussion. The results will be out within three hours so


    please be patient. As a precaution, she should remain under observation for now."


    Sylvia had to smother her snort of dark amusement. Just as she expected. If they had brought


    Karina in eventer, her scratch likely would have already closed up on its own.


    Clearly the medical staff also had no idea how to face Cyril with such a minor injury after two hours


    of emergency surgery. So they deliberately dragged out the procedure instead.


    Profoundly relieved, Cyril hurried after Karina''s stretcher towards the ward without so much as a


    nce back at Sylvia.


    Though she couldn''t deny the jagged pain from being disregarded by the man she had loved for


    years, Sylvia remained silent as she watched them leave. Her grief threatened to overwhelm her.


    Just then her phone rang, the caller ID making her breath catch in turmoil.


    The call eventually went to voicemail as Sylvia struggled internally on whether to answer it. When it


    immediately rang again, she took a deep breath and picked up.


    "Big brother..." she whispered hoarsely.


    "It''s time for you toe home," his long unheard voice echoed firmly.


    At the sound of her beloved brother reaching out after three bitter years of estrangement from her


    family, tears flooded Sylvia''s eyes. She had assumed that divide could never be bridged.


    But blood bonds ran deeper than anything else in this world. Hearing her brother''s voice left Sylvia


    choking back emotions.


    "Okay..." she managed tremulously.


    ...


    Cyril kept vigil outside Karina''s room until she finally stirred awake.


    The first thing Karina did was ask about Sylvia''s whereabouts.


    "This clearly had nothing to do with Sylvia. Please talk to her properly? I swear she wasn''t involved."


    Cyril bristled in annoyance. "Even now you''re still defending her? What nonsense has she filled


    your head with? If she''s really innocent, why did she run off right after your ident?"


    His temper worsened when Sylvia was reported to have already left the premises while he was


    preupied with Karina''s injuries.


    More damning scandal surrounding Karina popped up on his phone then. The relentless media


    leaks seemed aimed at destroying her hard won career.


    There was no way Cyril could stand by and let that happen. In his mind, the culprit behind Karina''s


    downfall could only be Sylvia. But now he had no idea where to even find her.


    Karina gazed beseechingly at Cyril. "I still believe Sylvia had nothing to do with this. But even if she


    was responsible, I''m willing to forgive her. This is really all because of me - if I had kept my distance


    from you, none of this would have happened. We''re both women after all. It''s only natural she would


    be unhappy to see me appearing in your life again."


    Cyril shook his head obstinately. "Stop making excuses for her. She''s clearly in the wrong here."


    He refused to listen to anything that might absolve Sylvia of guilt in his eyes.


    Karina opened her mouth but said nothing more, secretly delighted at this oue.


    Seeing her downcast expression, Cyril gentled his voice. "Just focus on resting for now. The doctor


    wants you under observation for any potentialplications. I''ll handle everything else so don''t you


    worry. I definitely won''t let your career take this kind of hit."


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Karina''s eyes lit up at his reassurance, mingled with unmistakable love.


    But Cyril looked away, unable to directly meet her gaze. Some matters were better left unspoken.


    Murmuring some excuse about urgent business, he quickly took his leave.


    The moment he was gone, Karina''s facade of weakness vanished, reced by a vicious glint.


    Thinking of those online scandals, fury simmered within her. If Cyril ever discovered her


    involvement, she would be finished. Her only recourse was to find some way to clear her own name


    from this mess.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6


    Returning to her childhood home after three long years filled Sylvia withplicated emotions.


    She had assumed this door closed to her forever when she left. How naive andughable her


    younger self seemed now.


    Hovering uncertainly on the doorstep, Sylvia wondered if she should just turn back around.


    Before she could make up her mind, someone shoved her forcefully from behind right through the


    entrance.


    "What are you waiting for? Do you know we''ve been waiting three years for you toe back? If


    Uncle hadn''t stopped me, I would have dragged you home long ago myself!"


    Whipping around, Sylvia came face to face with her childhood best friend Juliet - inseparable since


    the cradle, privy to every secret and dream.


    Juliet was also the first person Sylvia confessed her love for Cyril to. And vehemently rejected the


    idea, much to Sylvia''s irritation. She stubbornly vowed to marry Cyril anyway.


    Their ensuing fight soon involved both their families. Sylvia med Juliet for theck of privacy and


    refused to speak to her again. Three long years of total silence followed despite having each other''s


    numbers.


    Seeing Juliet now brought tears to Sylvia''s eyes. She never imagined reconciling with both family


    and friend after so long.


    Juliet too cried as she clutched Sylvia''s hand tightly. "Come on, Uncle and your brother have been


    waiting for you!"


    Unable to speak, Sylvia simply nodded and let herself be guided further inside.


    There on the familiar couch sat her beloved brother Bruce and father Stanford. At the sight of them,


    her lips trembled uncontrobly.


    Stanford immediately stood with open arms and a tender smile. Sylvia broke down entirely and flew


    into her father''s embrace.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    To her, he had always seemed so tall and strong - her shelter against all storms who indulged her


    every whim. But three years had aged him with new lines of weariness that wrenched her heart with


    guilt. If not for her stubbornness, they would never have endured such painful separation.


    Bruce watched them quietly from the side, not interrupting the poignant reunion.


    "Dad..." Sylvia finally sobbed out. She felt her father''s arms tighten with his own surge of emotions.


    When their tears finally slowed, Sylvia approached Bruce awkwardly. "I''m sorry, brother. I was too


    willful back then but I''m home now."


    She half expected Bruce to still be furious over theirst argument where he swore to disown her if


    she married Cyril. Yet here he was, the one who had called her back.


    As the baby of the family, they had all doted on Sylvia. Naturally her choice of husband roused their


    intense protectiveness. Thankfully time and forgiveness had seen her safely home.


    "As long as you''re back, that''s all that matters. We''ve been waiting for you." Bruce smiled gently.


    Family was home and hearth - no matter the mistakes, they would always wee their lost child


    back with open arms. Sylvia now realized how foolish she had been to endure her struggles alone


    for so long.


    "I promise I''ll never leave any of you again," she pledged fervently.


    Bruce ruffled her hair just like when she was little. "Don''t worry, your second brother loves you most


    of all. He''lle around even if he''s still sulking a bit. You''ll just have to coax him."


    Sylvia understood his hint. She and her second brother had always been closest until their huge


    fight right before she left with Cyril. The thought of facing him now made her uncharacteristically


    anxious.


    Seeing her apprehension, Bruce reassured her again. No matter what, she would always be their


    beloved little sister.


    Exhausted from her ordeals, Sylvia soon retired to her unchanged childhood bedroom. Aside from


    new seasonal clothing and jewelry that showed she was often in their thoughts, everything


    remained just as she had left it.


    The realization made her eyes burn anew. She couldn''t begin to articte her remorse and


    gratitude.


    Her phone chose that moment to ring with her sister-inw Bonnie''s name shing. Sylvia


    answered warily.


    "Where are you right now? I heard you walked out on my brother. What did you do with the


    ne he gifted me, you thief? I don''t care what excuses you have - stealing is still a crime! If you


    don''t return that ne immediately, I''m calling the cops on you!" Bonnie shrilled nastily.


    Furrowing her brow, Sylvia wracked her brains about said ne. Drawing a nk, she decided it


    wouldn''t hurt to collect back all the extravagant gifts she had showered Bonnie and the others with


    when she was still infatuated enough to view them as family.


    Her past self''s foolish generosity clearly needed amending.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7


    Sylvia promptly hung up on Bonnie''s shrill usations, having zero desire to engage with these


    people any longer.


    She decided to preemptively block all their numbers and cut off contactpletely. It wasn''t as if


    they had ever bothered learning anything substantial about her real self and background over the


    years anyway.


    To make a clean break from the past, Sylvia also switched to a new phone number that the Ward


    family could never reach her on.


    Her family whole-heartedly supported cutting ties for good. They had prepared everything


    necessary to help Sylvia move forward.


    After two days of much-needed rest, she finally felt her lingering exhaustion fade.


    "Tell me, why on earth did you give up being our family heiress all these years to suffer as that


    man''s wife instead?" Juliet ranted upon seeing more headlines involving Cyril and Karina. "It''s


    infuriating!"


    While delighted at the very public bacsh Cyril now faced, her heart ached over everything Sylvia


    had endured because of him.


    "Clearly I was too young and blind. But I see clearly now. Are you going to keep scolding me over


    my mistakes?" Sylvia replied peaceably.


    Her cid eptance surprised Juliet who had expected more stubbornness. Clearing her throat in


    embarrassment over her outburst, Juliet attempted a lighter tone instead.


    "Oh fine, since you''re actually admitting your faults for once, I''ll let it go this time. But isn''t that


    gemstone bracelet Cyril is wearing rather familiar? The same one Aunty gifted you before right,


    from your heirloom ne?"


    Peering closer at the photo, the bracelet did seem exceptionally well-crafted with vibrant saturated


    colors that bespoke its immense value.


    As Sylvia''s closestpanion, Juliet naturally recognized it as originating from her priceless family


    jewels. Sylvia herself nodded confirmation.


    While she hadn''t cared much about retrieving most of the other gifts she had bestowed when love


    still blinded her, this particr heirloom bracelet had to be an exception. Her mother had specially


    left it for Sylvia so that rat Cyril definitely did not deserve to continue unting it.


    Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org.


    The very thought of that bracelet making intimate contact with Karina''s skin also filled Sylvia with


    revulsion now.


    "If you''re free this afternoon, want toe along as I reim my belongings from them? I left quite


    a few valuable things behind," Sylvia invited.


    Juliet had initially wanted to decline due to a prior engagement. But at the prospect of front-row


    entertainment, she immediately agreed, "Sure, no problem at all! We can head over right now


    even."


    With Sylvia driving the lead sports car, Juliet eagerly followed behind in her own shy ride. She


    nearly swallowed her tongue in disbelief though when they pulled up to a luxury four-storey


    townhouse.


    "Seriously? You squeezed yourself into this little hovel all these years?"


    ncing back instinctively, Sylvia had to concede that to the average citizen, this mansion would


    already be considered extravagant, likely requiring a lifetime''s savings just for the downpayment.


    But to those from the upper crust like herself, it was akin to humble peasants'' lodgings.


    Juliet truly couldn''tprehend why Sylvia had voluntarily assumed a life of hardship for that


    undeserving cretin. But then again, everything came down to the madness of love didn''t it? A


    bitterness clearly not meant for someone like herself to taste, Juliet shuddered.


    Wrinkling her nose, she urged Sylvia to hurry up and grab her stuff so they could leave posthaste.


    This dreary abode was seriously dampening her previously eager mood.


    Unsure if Cyril might be home, Sylvia simply proceeded straight in with her keys, causing the


    woman lounging on the sofa to shriek in shock at her sudden entrance.


    It was her wretched mother-inw Marsha who instantly assumed the worst.


    "So the divorcee dares show her face again! My son told me you didn''t take a single penny in the


    settlement so what now? Here to demand your share?" She leapt up in agitation. "Well you can


    dream on! Not one cent of what my boy earned fair and square will go to you!"


    Ignoring her outburst, Sylvia silently approached and reached out towards the glinting ruby ne


    around Marsha''s throat. Before the spluttering woman could react, Sylvia had already unsped


    and removed the expensive piece.


    It took a few seconds for Marsha to process what just happened. When she finally tried to snatch it


    back, Sylvia deftly evaded her grasp, sending the older woman staggering.


    "How dare you steal from me, you worthless tramp! Just you watch, I''ll make sure you never step


    foot in here again!" Marsha snarled vindictively. "Forget about ever getting back with my son too!"


    Just as expected, thatst threat was meant to cut deepest at Sylvia''s supposed innermost longing.


    Too bad for them that the woman they thought they knew never really existed at all.


    Sylvia handed the retrieved rubies off to Juliet who deposited them into a jewelry box she had


    purposely carried along.


    "This ne was my greeting gift to you when I first married into this family. Now I''m simply taking


    back what''s mine since you have made it abundantly clear I was never weed or considered as


    one of you to begin with."

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8


    Chapter 8 Robbery in in Sight??


    Sylvia was direct and unequivocal. She was simply stating facts ¨C reiming what was hers. Who


    could argue with that?


    Her blunt words left Michelle shaking with anger.


    ¡°You willingly gave these things to me initially,¡± she fumed, ¡°Now you want them back? That¡¯s


    nonsense! Once gifted, you relinquish all ims!¡±


    Michelle brazenly refused to return the items. Though Sylvia wasn¡¯t her ideal daughter¨Cin-w, her


    gifts had elevated Michelle¡¯s status. Especially that ruby ne which drew envious looks over


    the years.


    Michelle cared deeply about people¡¯s perceptions of her. When she realized how admired her new


    ne was, she was thrilled.


    So when Sylvia asked for it back, Michelle objected vehemently.


    Having dealt with their duplicity for years, Sylvia knew Michelle¡¯s reluctance came as no surprise.


    Still, today Sylvia was determined to retrieve her possessions, regardless. These people hardly


    deserved such fine gifts.


    Michelle¡¯s shamelessness left even Juliet chuckling in disbelief. She had dealt with audacity before


    but never anything like Michelle¡¯s.


    ¨C


    ¡°Though initially given freely, your unwillingness to return Sylvia¡¯s things, gives her every right to


    reim them. It¡¯s perfectly reasonable. Let me make this clear the only reason we¡¯re having a civil


    chat is out of respect for your status as an elder. If you don¡¯t return what¡¯s hers, don¡¯t me me for


    tantly stealing it!¡± Juliet asserted.


    Juliet had been quite upset when Sylvia insisted on marrying Cyril despite the objections. Now that


    Sylvia wanted her stuff back while they created obstacles, Juliet was livid.


    If civility failed, more brazen measures would be required. For Juliet, the ends always justified the


    means.


    Hearing Juliet¡¯s promation left Michelle trembling in anger. She was ustomed to lording over


    Sylvia. Being challenged so bluntly by Sylvia¡¯s friend left her seeing red. As she stepped forward to


    strike, Juliet caught her hand mid¨Cair.


    ¡°How dare you try to hit me? I¡¯m no pushover. Try that again and I¡¯ll put you straight into a hospital


    bed!¡± Juliet threatened.


    With shameless people, meeting audacity with audacity was often required. Sensing Juliet wasn¡¯t


    one to be trifled with, Michelle took a step back but Juliet maintained her vice¨Clike grip on Michelle¡¯s


    hand.


    ¡°Are you blind?¡± Michelle screamed at Sylvia, ¡°Can¡¯t you see how your friend is manhandling me?


    Make her release me this instant or I swear my son will teach serious lesson!¡®


    you


    both a


    With no luck against Juliet, Michelle turned her ire at Sylvia, shouting loudly. Sylvia nced over at


    Juliet but said nothing.


    She took two steps forward. Juliet, anticipating her moves perfectly, sped Michelle¡¯s hand tightly.


    After years together, their rapport was seamless. Watching Sylvia take action filled Juliet with


    satisfaction.


    Still cursing bitterly, Michelle watched Sylvia approach her.


    ¡°Release me at once, you worthless people!¡± she yelled, ¡°Do you think I won¡¯t punish such


    audacity? How dare you break into my home! My security will make you regret this!¡±


    ¡°Delusional lowlifes! A lifetime of disgrace culminating in home invasion. Have you no shame?


    You¡¯ve stolen from us too! Sylvia, return everything quietly or my family will bring you to ruin once


    ounts are settled!¡±


    Michelle¡¯s vitriol grew, even threatening them by the end.


    At her words, Juliet justughed loudly. Who was this woman who dared threaten so openly? No


    one had ever dared to do so before!


    ¡°Do you know what happened to thest person who threatened me?¡± Juliet interjected, leaving


    Michelle momentarily confused. She couldn¡¯t care less about Juliet¡¯s history. She just wanted her


    hand free.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Thest one to threaten me is six feet under. Care to be next?¡±


    Hearing that left Michelle stunned, a look of apprehension on her face. Juliet looked dead serious.


    Could she have actually done such a thing?


    As Michelle stood there, stunned, Sylvia brushed passed her and headed upstairs. Sensing looming


    disaster, Michelle shouted for Sylvia to stop but she didn¡¯t even look back as she


    ascended.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve built up quite a stash over the years, enjoying far more than your fair share.


    Time to return everyst bit of it. I¡¯d suggest not angering me further. Push me too far and you¡¯ll


    deeply regret it, especially given how much you¡¯ve tormented my sister all these years.¡±


    Chapter 8 Robbery in in Sight??


    3/3


    Juliet was truly incensed after witnessing Michelle¡¯s attitude today. It clearly reflected the distress


    Sylvia must have endured here over the years.


    If the mother¨Cinw could behave so atrociously, it didn¡¯t bode well for her son¡¯s disposition. Juliet


    struggled toprehend what Sylvia ever saw appealing in Cyril.


    Had she not apanied Sylvia today, Juliet would have already taken matters into her own


    hands.


    ¡°Are you all blind?¡± Michelle shouted, seeing Sylvia head upstairs unimpeded, see she¡¯s threatening


    me? Someone stop her!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you


    As the others moved to intervene, Juliet¡¯s steely gaze halted them in their tracks. ¡°Let¡¯s see who


    dares toe closer!¡±

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9


    Chapter 9 Lack self¨Cappreciation


    The servants feared Michelle. She was not an easy mistress to please.


    But Juliet¡¯s formidable aura was even more intimidating. She exuded a vibe that she could resort to


    violence any second.


    Hearing her words, everyone halted in their tracks despite Michelle¡¯s threats.


    Seeing them stop midway enraged Michelle further. How dare they stand by idly as she was being


    bullied when she paid their sries?


    ¡°If you


    don¡¯te over right now, you¡¯re all fired!¡± she yelled, ¡°I¡¯ll ensure you never work in this business


    again!¡±


    Caught between losing their jobs and facing Juliet¡¯s wrath, they made a decision. Work won out and


    they started moving forward again.


    Seeing that, Juliet let out an icyugh before striding over and pping Michelle hard across the


    face, stunning everyone.


    ¡°Oh? And who do you think you are to threaten their jobs?¡± Juliet sneered, ¡°Speak to me that way


    again and I¡¯ll ensure your family is ruined!¡± 1


    They were no major empire. If it came to blows, Juliet would show no mercy.


    Seeing Juliet actually strike Michelle left the servants dumbfounded. None expected her to be so


    audacious.


    Michelle was struck speechless by the sudden p, stunned that Juliet dared to hit her.


    Upstairs, Sylvia was oblivious to themotion as she headed straight for the master bedroom


    where Michelle stayed. It was cluttered with many old items.


    Sylvia found a box filled with expensive jewelry. Opening it, she found many pieces she had gifted


    Michelle over the years and promptly removed them. She then went to Bonnie¡¯s room.


    Sylvia had gifted Bonnie even more extravagantly, hoping to build a good rapport with someone her


    own age. But now she realized all her precious gifts had merely gone down the drain.


    With an impassive face, she packed up everything from there as well.


    None of the items were terribly precious to Sylvia but leaving anything behind for these people was


    uneptable. After ensuring she had all her gifts back, she headed downstairs where Juliet had


    already subdued everyone.


    Michelle now sat meekly, not daring to argue against Jullet. Seeing Sylvia, Michelle shot her flery


    res but Sylvia paid her no mind.


    ¡°Got everything?¡± Juliet asked.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go,¡± Sylvia replied with a nod.


    Juliet released Michelle and the two walked out freely with their things.


    Seeing that, Michelle started screaming curses at them. ¡°Just you wait, I won¡¯t let you off easy for


    this! I hope you both die getting hit by a car!¡±


    ¡°And you!¡± she raged at Sylvia, ¡°So desperate to marry my son. I bet you already have other men


    out there. Yourck of self¨Crespect is appalling if you think my son would still want you. Keep


    dreaming!¡±


    Michelle¡¯s words grew fouler but Sylvia stayed silent. Arguing with such a person was beneath her


    dignity. Before meeting Cyril, Sylvia never argued with anyone, If truly provoked, she had ways to


    handle things.


    By being too low key over the years, she had let Michelle mistakenly assume Sylvia was a


    pushover. Time to correct that assumption.


    Seeing Sylvia stop in her tracks, Michelle felt an odd chill. Something about Sylvia¡¯s gaze warned


    that she was not one to be trifled with.


    The next instant, Michelle saw Sylvia grabrge gardening shears and hurl them in her direction.


    Screaming in fear, Michelle cowered down, arms over her head. The scissorsnded with a thud,


    sliding to a stop by her feet.


    Still screaming, it took Michelle awhile to realize she was unharmed. Sylvia and Juliet traded


    amused looks before walking away.


    Getting all her things back greatly lifted Sylvia¡¯s mood. As they headed back, her boss Aaron


    suddenly messaged about Caroline again. Opening it, they realized it was about her reputation


    being restored.


    No need to guess who was behind it. Cyril cared too deeply for Caroline to let her suffer such


    injustice. To him, she held a high status. Of course he would try his best to resolve this


    scandal for her. 1


    But Sylvia knew such matters could hardly be smoothed over so easily. His actions now would only


    intensify future bacsh.


    Chapter 9 Lack self¨Cappreciation


    ¡°Why should we care if she behaves or not? It¡¯s his mess to handle. Even if Cyril whitewashes this


    for now, the truth will out eventually,¡± said Sylvia.


    She understood certain falsehoods would always remain false despite one¡¯s efforts. And some


    truths could never be buried forever, regardless of excuses.


    Sylvia looked forward to the day Caroline¡¯s scandals blew up in Cyril¡¯s face.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Hearing Sylvia, Juliet chuckled in agreement. Caroline loved jumping around recklessly. Time for


    consequences to catch up to her.


    ¡°Then allow me to fuel the fire,¡± Juliet grinned wickedly, ¡°Can¡¯t have it burn out before she gets


    properly incinerated.¡±

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10


    Chapter 10 A gift for returning


    Seeing Juliet¡¯s delight, Sylvia stayed silent, driving while Juliet busied herself on her phone.


    Juliet had long wanted to punish these people over the years, especially Caroline. If not for Sylvia,


    she would never have let Caroline retain her top status


    Plus, they had gathered ample incriminating evidence about her while trying to discourage Sylvia.


    Authentic proof that would easily ruin Caroline.


    Exposing everything at once would immediately crush Caroline. But Juliet preferred a gradual


    approach, intending to show Caroline the illusion of hope before utterly devastating


    her.


    Sylvia made no attempts to stop Juliet¡¯s scheming, curious what they had uncovered.


    After a while on her phone, Juliet finally grinned in satisfaction. ¡°Done! I¡¯ve prepared some


    interesting things for her. She¡¯ll be so thankful after reading them.¡±


    Hearing that, Sylvia figured Juliet must have dropped another bombshell. Caroline would likely be


    weeping in her hospital room after getting terrified by whatever Juliet unleashed.


    Just as Sylvia expected, Cyril had barely smoothed things over when several more scandalous


    news bits about Caroline surfaced, portraying her mistreating assistants, leading one into a


    depressive state that resulted in a car ident. Yet Caroline did nothing to help as the assistanty


    dying.


    The public had never been too fond of Caroline, doubtful of her worthiness for the des she


    kept amassing. Many suspected she was propped up. The scandal had been hushed but this new


    callous behavior further angeredizens.


    If she was truly innocent, why the urgent cover¨Cup? Voices that had just quieted down started


    boiling over, the intensity multiplying rapidly. Caroline¡¯s studio was soon besieged by the incensed


    crowd, some even showing up in person to confront her.


    Oblivious to all this, Caroline had her phone confiscated by Cyril who was trying to shield her from


    emotional hurt. But seeing the unfolding chaos online left Cyril utterly dismayed. He had barely


    contained thest issue before this new storm. What else had Caroline been up to abroad to cause


    such turbulence?


    Annoyed but left with no choice, Cyril busied himself trying to handle the spiraling situation. If left


    unchecked, things would only escte rapidly.


    While Cyril ran around dousing fires, Sylvia¡¯s family was celebrating her return joyously, nning a


    grand homing banquet to wee her back and show she was the family¡¯s


    Chapter 10 A gift for returning


    precious daughter. An enormous homing gift package was also prepared for her.


    But since her true identity couldn¡¯t be exposed yet for business reasons, the banquet was turned


    into a masquerade ball instead, allowing Sylvia to mingle anonymously until she stabilized her


    footing at thepany. Only then would her identity be revealed.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Juliet¡¯s suggestion was met with unanimous approval. Sylvia didn¡¯t mind either way butplied


    happily with her family¡¯s wishes.


    2/2


    When the day arrived, many elites showed up, eager to see who the Ivanov heiress was. But the


    masquerade theme made it impossible to discern and they realized the Ivanovs wanted their


    heiress to retain anonymity for now.


    Among the attendees was Cyril, mingling aimlessly to relieve his immense stress recently. As


    conversations flowed around him, Cyril gradually eased into the mood, curious about the Ivanov


    heiress¡® identity.


    He had heard long ago that the Ivanov heir was the family¡¯s daughter which had caused quite a


    shock initially since everyone expected their vast empire to be handed to a son. But the unanimous


    family support was clear despite their unorthodox decision.


    Yet over the years, their daughter remained absent from the public eye with the family. business


    handled by her elder brother, Bruce.


    ¡°There she is!¡± someone suddenly eximed, ¡°That must be the daughter who just returned! Quite


    the mystery what she¡¯s been up to all these years to warrant hiding her face now. What¡¯s the


    purpose of this homing banquet then?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re clueless,¡± anothermented, ¡°I heard she¡¯ll be starting from a basic position in he


    company instead of taking over directly. Hiding her identity prevents undermining her efforts to rise


    from the bottom. No one would take her seriously if they knew the truth.¡±


    the


    Murmurs of agreement followed as anticipation mounted in the hall.


    From the top of the stairs, Sylvia immediately spotted Cyril among the crowd. Something about


    seeing him made her want to smile in amusement. Despite their estrangement, she could still pick


    him out instantly. Clearly letting gopletely would take more time.


    Beside her, Bruce offered his arm which Sylvia gently sped as they descended together. Noticing


    Cyril as well, Bruce couldn¡¯t help a slight smile beneath his mask.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11


    Chapter 11 It seems to be her..


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Many expensive gifts were prepared for you today,¡± Bruce quickly diverted Sylvia¡¯s attention. He


    didn¡¯t want her preupied with that scumbag.


    As expected, Sylvia¡¯s focus shifted. After thinking for a bit, she replied, ¡°Since they went through the


    trouble, log everything and we can reciprocate appropriatelyter.¡±


    Bruce nodded. It was customary for them to keep track of gifts received and repay equivalently


    when needed.


    Sylvia disliked such ostentatious events. Having faced nothing but fawning sycophancy since


    young, she found the facade tedious. After marrying Cyril, his cold apathy towards her presence at


    such functions bred further disinterest. Over time, she lost all taste for them.


    As Sylvia descended, gasps echoed among the guests, stunned by her grace and poise which


    screamed pedigree breeding.


    ncing up, Cyril froze in disbelief. Why did this Ivanov heiress seem so familiar, uncannily


    resembling his ex¨Cwife? Impossible, he scoffed internally. They were worlds apart, merely his


    imagination acting up. But the resemnce truly was striking.


    Despite his doubts, Cyril remainedposed in ce.


    Seeing Cyril, Stanford pretended he was just another nameless guest. As he introduced his


    children, pride and joy suffused his voice when Sylvia¡¯s turn came, barely contained. His


    uncharacteristic delight elicited smiles all around.


    With introductions done, Sylviamenced the opening dance with Bruce. As they whirled across


    the floor, other couples gradually joined in until the dance floor grew vibrant.


    Havingpleted the required social pleasantries, Sylvia finally retreated from the crowds, gently


    refusing Bruce¡¯s offer to apany her. She understood his concerns about running into Cyril but it


    was unnecessary. She had moved on fully from that chapter of her life. Furthermore, with her


    masked, Cyril likely wouldn¡¯t even recognize her anyway. To him, she would always be the ugly


    duckling, not the beautiful swan.


    The siblings talked briefly before Stanford suddenly called Bruce away, chiding him for both. siblings


    neglecting their guests. Left with no choice, Bruce quickly headed back after a few final reminders


    to Sylvia who simply smiled and directed him to send Juliet to find herter when she arrived.


    Neither Sylvia nor Juliet enjoyed such events much, often holing up in a room until needed to put in


    requisite appearances. As a result, they remained elusive figures to most, with few


    Chapter 11 It seems to be her¡­


    knowing their true identities.


    2/2


    After Bruce left, Sylvia headed towards her room but almost collided into Cyril at the corner.


    Seeing him sparkedplex feelings inside. Cyril was also surprised to encounter the Ivanov


    heiress again but before he could react, she had already brushed past him wordlessly with


    barely a nod. Her lofty demeanor left Cyril momentarily stunned. After attaining sess, no one had


    dared to treat him like that in years.


    But she was born into generational wealth spanning back long before Cyril¡¯s new money status.


    Even if she did nothing but eat, drink and y all her life, her inheritance would stillst two lifetimes


    easily.


    As he watched her departing figure, Cyril¡¯s puzzlement grew. Had he underestimated Sylvia¡¯s


    potential all these years? Why did this heiress seem so eerily reminiscent of her? Especially their


    gaze during that brief eye contact just now, even their eyes seemed alike.


    ¨C


    Sylvia quickened her pace, reluctant to face Cyril knowing she would likely feel upset. But after a


    few steps, she halted and looked back again. Cyril had already moved on ahead, the two of them


    like parallel lines, never to intersect. A sudden sorrow welled up inside.


    Despite her mask, those familiar with her would have recognized her instantly. Yet after so many


    years of marriage, Cyril still failed to identify his own wife. Even if she was the Ivanov heiress now,


    she remained an ordinary woman who loved him deeply before that. His inability to recognize her


    cut deeply.


    Chiding herself for clinging stubbornly to unrealistic expectations, Sylvia sighed bitterly. She always


    knew she upied little ce in Cyril¡¯s life. Why keep agonizing over pointless hopes?

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12


    Chapter 12 Can¡¯t be untouched


    Originally nning to rest, seeing Cyril changed Sylvia¡¯s mind. She headed to the quieter backyard


    gardens instead.


    With everyoneworking inside, the backyard was peaceful and private, just what Sylvia needed.


    She understood the banquet¡¯s real motive despite being held ostensibly in her


    honor


    ¨C an opportunity for her family¡¯s associates to lobby for partnerships and favors.


    1 With no desire to entertain such agendas, the isted backyard suited her perfectly.


    Settling down, familiar hurried footsteps soon approached before Juliet¡¯s voice rang out. Where


    have you been? I searched all over but couldn¡¯t find you. Hiding out here I see. What¡¯s on your


    mind?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much. Just wanted some quiet time away from the noise. The backyard is nice and


    peaceful for sitting undisturbed. Weren¡¯t you going to rest at home?¡± Sylvia asked.


    ¡°I did go home to rest but when I couldn¡¯t find you, I came out searching. Oh by the way, I saw Cyril


    taking a call, seemingly speaking with that woman,¡± Juliet responded, her toneced with disdain.


    Hearing about Cyril¡¯s call, Sylvia knew without doubt it had to be Caroline. Who else could it


    possibly be? 1


    ¡°What¡¯s so great about her?¡± Julietined bitterly, ¡°Just some two¨Cbit actress. For stardom,


    such entertainment circle people can stoop to anything. Most of those online reports about her are


    likely true.¡±


    Amused, Sylvia corrected, ¡°Actually quite a few of those exposes were arranged by my brother. And


    they¡¯re all bona fide. So it¡¯s not ¡®most likely¡®, but absolutely all true. Anything for fame and fortune


    but when duplicity backfires, me is unavoidable.¡±


    Juliet fell silent, acknowledging the truth of it. Without actual malfeasance, someone like Caroline


    could never have risen so high, especially not with her persona of kindness and diligence she


    unted before Cyril to secure his aid.


    ¡°How do you feel about everything though?¡± Juliet finally asked gently, ¡°It is quite unfair you had to


    divorce over someone like her. We¡¯re all thrilled you finally came to your senses but still, he was


    your personal choice all those years.¡±


    Caught off guard by the sudden question, Sylvia took time to analyze her true feelings. Initially,


    Caroline¡¯s intrusiveness left her incredibly furious, often confronting Cyril who remained imcably


    calm and dismissive. Over time and repeated instances, Sylvia realized her protests were futile,


    only causing herself more anguish. Eventually she grew numb until


    Chapter 12 Can¡¯t be untouched


    Caroline¡¯s recent return finally snapped thest thread of patience.


    ¨C


    2/2


    ¡°Impossible to remain unaffected,¡± she eventually replied. ¡°I did love him many years so it was


    upsetting to witness his behavior. But I¡¯vee to terms with it for a woman he loves deeply


    enough to act this way, clearly that depth of feeling doesn¡¯t apply to me. So be it. I¡¯ve been slowly


    letting him go.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Instantly setting asideplex emotions was impossible after years together. But she was


    gradually healing and would someday regard Cyril and Caroline with indifference.


    Hearing Sylvia¡¯s earnest words, Juliet sighed deeply. ¡°You¡¯re right, quickly abandoning such feelings


    is difficult. But don¡¯t worry, he doesn¡¯t deserve you anyway. Plenty of better men will treasure you.¡±


    Sylvia had to stifle her amusement at Juliet¡¯s choice of words and odd phrasing-


    ¡°Oh by the way!¡± Juliet suddenly eximed, ¡°I overheard your brother mentioning another gift


    package¡® prepared for Cyril despite his distaste at having to keep up appearances. Let¡¯s see what


    he did!¡± Taking out her phone excitedly, Juliet navigated to several breaking news articles.


    Sylvia leaned over curiously as well. Indeed, Bruce had prepared a massive bombshell for Cyril.


    After desperately covering for Caroline recently despite evidence exposing her behavior, all his


    efforts now seemed utterly futile.


    Reading the news, glee suffused Juliet. Served him right to understand certain people were simply


    untouchable, immune from his


    power.


    The meticulously prepared revtions disseminated rapidly across every major tform. Overnight,


    the expos¨¦ ignited into a sizzling trending topic, leaving the public stunned by thiste night twist.


    Oblivious at first during the banquet, Cyril only learned about it when his assistant notified him


    anxiously. The abrupt reversal of tide took himpletely by surprise, the evidence irond.

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13


    Chapter 13 Video Disclose


    Glowering at the news, Cyril didn¡¯t even dare open the video. Just reading the director¡¯s words felt


    like a joke making his efforts seemughable.


    iming harassment left him no choice but to speak out after resisting it initially to avoid ugliness.


    But with people insisting on smearing him, he had to defend himself even at the cost of his


    reputation. All so the public wouldn¡¯t be deceived and he could clear his name.


    His earnest words roused curiosity over what he would reveal. But few expected much from it, more


    interested in the promised video itself.


    Leaving the banquet, Cyril brooded silently in his car before finally clicking the clip with gritted teeth.


    It showed a naked entwined couple passionately embracing. From the familiarity disyed, their


    rtionship was clearly intimate. Caroline¡¯s face was visible throughout while only the director¡¯s


    voice could be heard, his form always off camera.


    Cyril didn¡¯t know how he sat through the entire explicit video, Caroline¡¯s intermingled noises of pain


    and pleasure still echoing in his mind. He had assumed her innocence before. Now he realized the


    truly innocent party was someone else all along.


    After ending the video, Cyril sat numbly, lost for words. With no censorship, Caroline would instantly


    be tabloid fodder.


    Commentators focused either on assessing authenticity or critiquing Caroline¡¯s figure. The


    increasingly vulgar discussions disgusted Cyril. He couldn¡¯t believe people found entertainment in


    such things. But regardless of his distaste, he had to see this through.


    Before he could collect himself, his phone suddenly rang. Caroline no doubt, having seen the news


    herself. Suppressing his anger, Cyril answered.


    ¡°Cyril, have you seen what they¡¯re saying about me? It¡¯s all fake, I swear! Please, you have to


    believe me, my voice was dubbed in¡­¡± Caroline pleaded desperately, insisting it wasn¡¯t her and she


    was innocent. Terrified he would believe the video and abandon her.


    But Cyril wasn¡¯t a fool, quite adept at judging truth from lies.


    ¡°Do you


    coldly.


    take me for an idiot, unable to tell whether videos are authentic?¡± he retorted


    Panicking at his frigid tone, Caroline hastened to exin.


    ¡°I was helpless, forced into it! Back then I was a nobody. After getting the lead role, so many people


    watched my every move! I had no choice, no way out¡­¡±


    Chapter 13 Video Disclose


    ¡°You did have a choice. You could have called me instead of insisting on relying solely on yourself.


    If this is your capability, I¡¯ve got nothing more to say.¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Cyril¡¯s voice remained cial. He no longer wanted anything to do with Caroline after this, much


    less hear more excuses.


    Sobbing now, Caroline kept insisting her innocence and helplessness against the director too strong


    for her to resist.


    Listening to her cry, Cyril¡¯s stance softened slightly. From the video, she did seem overpowered. But


    the public saw only what they wanted, ignoring subtleties of consent. Unwilling to watch it again,


    Cyril¡¯s thoughts drifted unexpectedly to Sylvia¡¯s long ago discovery of photos between himself and


    Caroline. She had said perceptions of truth and lies depended on personal beliefs ¨C even with


    proof, denial could twist truths into falsehoods. He hadn¡¯t taken her words seriously back then but


    they now struck him as meaningful wisdom. If he refused to acknowledge the authenticity here, then


    it simply couldn¡¯t be genuine. Not that he personally believed them fakes, but that he MUST believe


    them false, by self¨Cdelusion if necessary.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Whether you did this willingly or not, I will handle it. But we should refrain from contacting


    each other as much going forward.¡±


    Cyril felt strangely weary, the constant Caroline dramately exhausting him mentally. Just when he


    thought matters resolved, this new bombshell derailed everything.


    Hearing Cyril¡¯s words, Caroline immediately ceased sobbing despite still dry¨Ceyed.


    ¡°W¨Cwhy? You really think I did this voluntarily?¡±


    ¡°Whether it was willingness or coercion, you know the truth. And I¡¯ve always been aware of those


    photos you sent towyers previously despite staying silent until now.¡±

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14


    Chapter 14 Meet in person


    Ending the call abruptly, Cyril had no desire to keep listening to Caroline¡¯s excuses. He had


    promised to resolve this issue for her and would handle it even if things somehow still spiraledter.


    But if she already had too much scandalous history that could be endlessly exploited, then his


    efforts would be meaningless, exposing him as a perpetual cleanup crew picking up her messes.


    The public wasn¡¯t stupid. They could discern fact from fiction and constant cover¨Cups would


    eventually exhaust all patience. Once that snapped, Caroline¡¯s road forward would be permanently


    blocked.


    Just thinking of the impending headaches trying to salvage this gave Cyril a pounding migraine. But


    he had no choice except to try.


    Sitting numbly for awhile after hanging up, his chauffeur finally hurried over anxiously, asking


    whether to go to the apartment nearby work or his marital home.


    After marrying, Cyril seldom returned to the martial home, staying instead atpany apartments


    most times. His driver¡¯s sudden query caught him off guard. ncing at the route, the marital home


    was actually closer. But the thought of traces of Sylvia still lingering there made Cyril vaguely


    ufortable.


    Just then his phone rang. Seeing it was his mother, Cyril hesitated. Her calls usually meant nonstop


    comints involving some female issue, which was thest thing he wanted to deal with right now.


    But he couldn¡¯t ignore her either. After letting it ring off once, it promptly rang again. Sighing, Cyril


    finally answered this time.


    The moment he did, Michelle¡¯s angry shouts sted through.


    ¡°Why did you take so long to answer? Do you know Sylvia barged in today and took back


    all the jewelry she gifted me?! Even your sister called to say Sylvia stole her things! Aren¡¯t you


    going to do something?! You¡¯re divorced! What right does she have to reim gifts? Outrageous!¡±


    ¡°Mother, is it truly that egregious? The divorce agreement she signed was Clean Break. Requesting


    her possessions back is perfectly reasonable then. If this call is purely toin about that,


    I see no need to interfere. We¡¯re divorced. She can reim whatever


    she wants.¡±


    Sylvia had insisted on Clean Break, indicating her determination to sever all ties. Getting worked up


    over her actions now seemed pointless. Though Cyril was surprised by her going to such extremes


    to cut contactpletely.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that! You¡¯re not even trying to stop her, so of course you can¡¯t! Listen, she has


    no right to gifts already given. Relinquishing ownership means no take¨Cbacks!¡±


    Michelle shrilled.


    Listening to her tirade gave Cyril a pounding headache despite the triviality of it all. But his mother


    clung stubbornly to the issue.


    After tonight¡¯s Caroline debacle, Cyril was starting to feel he had wronged Sylvia in many ways. So


    her current actions sparked no anger in him at all.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you think! She gave those things away and has no im over them anymore!


    Give me a clear response on this! If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ming down to yourpany! ¡°Michelle


    threatened.


    She might look down on Sylvia¡¯s inferior birth but the status conferred by Sylvia¡¯svish gifts was


    what Michelle craved most. Wearing those glittering diamond nes lent her immense face.


    Under the admiring queries about their origins, Michelle had preened


    delightedly. Unable to bear losing such elevated standing now, she rejected anypromise over


    returning them.


    Too exhausted by his mother¡¯s shrill voice to argue further, Cyril finally acquiesced to inquire about


    the matter.


    Just after ending the call, his phone rang again. This time, it was Sylvia. A nervous tension filled


    Cyril. In their years together, Sylvia had called often but strangely, none of those calls left him as


    apprehensive as this one.


    ¡°Did


    you need something?¡± he asked brusquely.


    ¡°Nothing special. I wanted to inform you to gather up all the jewelry gifts and meet me day after at


    the cafe under yourpany building. We can return each other¡¯s things cleanly then and avoid


    any further need to meet up.¡± Sylvia stated evenly, an utter stranger¡¯s polite aloofness in her tone.


    Her attitude irritated Cyril who had intended to talk things through. But clearly, Sylvia had no interest


    in giving him that chance.


    ¡°That works out well. I had some things to ask too regarding Caroline¡¯s scandals. That was your


    doing right? You have quite the arsenal of ckmail material on her. You promised to delete it all


    after the divorce but seems you didn¡¯t keep your word.¡± Cyril used, unwilling to back down


    meekly.


    After a brief pause, Sylvia gave an icyugh. ¡°Even if I deleted them, some things remain


    beyond my control now. Rather than pestering me pointlessly, perhaps consider who she has


    offended all these years.¡±


    Chapter 14 Meet in person


    3/3


    With that parting shot, she immediately hung up, leaving Cyril simmering in helpless anger. ¡°To the


    apartment.¡± he barked.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15


    Chapter 15 Relic from Mom


    Cyril hadn¡¯t intended to meet Sylvia initially but still decided to go, needing answers regarding


    Caroline. No matter what, he had to understand exactly what was happening.


    Upon seeing Sylvia, he froze in surprise. She now seemed a wholly different person from the wife


    he knew. At home, Sylvia used to dress inly with minimal make¨Cup, fresh faced as she went


    about her day. Aside from the adoring light in her eyes towards him, she seldom behaved


    improperly.


    Now though, divorced and on her own, everything about her exuded striking vibrance as if she had


    bloomed into a dazzling rose.


    ¡°You¡¯re here. Hand me that bracelet I gifted you before.¡± Sylvia nced at her watch with no interest


    in wasting time. She was only passing through the area on errands before needing to return to the


    company where she had officially started working, albeit in an extremely junior role as her brother¡¯s


    assistant to learn business operations from scratch.


    Hearing Sylvia¡¯s blunt request, Cyril¡¯s brows furrowed slightly. He had assumed they would at least


    exchange pleasantries but she cut right to the chase.


    ¡°You think those gifts actually meant something to me? Just got used to wearing them.¡± Cyril stated


    dismissively, roughly sliding off the bracelet to fling it onto the table where it ttered to a stop


    before Sylvia.


    Eyeing it silently for a moment, Sylvia raised her head to face Cyril. ¡°You¡¯re right. Just a matter of


    habit and convenience, like how you grew ustomed to everything I did for you without a second


    thought. And conveniently forgot this was my mother¡¯s memento when I gifted it to you.¡±


    Carefully cing the bracelet back into its box, joy had filled Sylvia originally when she


    gifted it newly restored to Cyril, hopeful for their future then. But time proved certain hopes


    remained unfulfilled no matter one¡¯s longing.


    Worthless to Cyril perhaps but to Sylvia, it was priceless.


    Cyril froze as hazy memories surfaced of Sylvia highlighting this bracelet¡¯s origins when she first


    presented it to him. While financially worthless, its emotional value to her was


    inestimable as her sole maternal inheritance.


    But as days faded into years, such details held little meaning and the bracelet became just another


    ornament Cyril wore absently out of habit.


    ¡°Habits truly are frightening things.¡± Sylvia shook her head, a mirthless smile touching her


    lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll grow ustomed to life without you just as you¡¯ll happily ept Caroline¡¯s


    constant presence soon enough.¡±


    ¡°After the divorce, I said I¡¯ll refrain from acting against Caroline and you can choose to believe that


    or not. But fair warning, she has offended far too many over the years. Let¡¯s see If you can actually


    shield her from them all.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s mocking gaze reminded Cyril the disparity between their capabilities and


    connections. If her family desired Caroline¡¯s utter ruin, they had ample means to ensure it. Cyril


    included.


    Having said her piece, Sylvia prepared to leave only for Cyril to stop her.


    ¡°Regardless what you¡¯ve gone through, you took my sister¡¯s jewelry. Surely you intend to return


    them?¡±


    Unwilling to just let her walk away so easily, Cyril felt a spark of frustration. Why should Sylvia get to


    effortlessly abandon this marriage when she had been the eager one insisting on their union from


    the start? What right had she to y the victim role now?


    Pausing, Sylvia nced back pensively. ¡°If you bothered investigating your sister properly, you


    would know I didn¡¯t take those. But as expected, you remain blind to their misdeeds.¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Shaking her head, she sighed softly. ¡°Nevermind, nothing links us anymore. Handle your family


    matters yourselves.¡±


    Having aplished her own business, Sylvia departed leaving Cyril sitting numbly as unease


    stirred inside at her cryptic words. Though their rtionship had faded over time, Sylvia never lied.


    If she denied taking his sister¡¯s jewelry, Cyril was inclined to believe her..


    Checking quickly, shock and anger flooded Cyril when he learned Bonnie had actually sold off that


    million¨Cdor ne he gifted her, frittering away the money on partying abroad.


    Seething rage filling him, Cyril fought to calm down before deciding to call Bonnie for an


    exnation. But hearing his sister¡¯s flippant cursing upon answeringbined with an unknown


    man¡¯s voice in the background utterly shattered Cyril¡¯s restraint.


    While he expected Bonnie was up to no good abroad, her wanton behavior still caught him off


    guard. Barely maintaining a steady tone, Cyril snarled for her to return in 3 days or he would


    personally drag her back.


    Bonnie¡¯s panicked shrieks confirmed she knew she was in deep trouble. Cyril could almost envision


    her scrambling in frightened panic at the moment. Good. She deserved to stew in anxiety after


    everything. At least until he could deal with her face to face.

 Chapter 16

    Chapter 16


    Chapter 16 Her stuff


    Precisely after 3 days, Bonnie returned home, unwilling to test her brother¡¯s patience. His threats


    were always enacted so she dared not dy.


    Surprised to see her daughter back suddenly with no notice, Michelle was nevertheless


    delighted, fussing over Bonnie immediately while filling her in on recent incidents, including Sylvia


    daring to reim her gifted items.


    At that, Bonnie grew agitated. ¡°Where is Sylvia now? I need to settle ounts with her! If not for her


    tattling, my brother wouldn¡¯t have summoned me back!¡±


    rmed by her outburst, Michelle also red up hearing Sylvia had caused more trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯ve no idea where that shameless woman is now! But ever since the divorce, she¡¯s been


    insufferably arrogant, acting above her station! As if we¡¯ve all forgotten the deceitful means she


    used to marry into this family!¡± raged Michelle. Just thinking about it and Caroline and everything


    recently infuriated her.


    That woman was no good either, causing her son endless headaches handling her online scandals


    which were surely authentic. Why else would they have emerged?


    ¡°What did Sylvia do?¡± whimpered Bonnie, already tearing up. ¡°I don¡¯t know what she told my brother


    but he insisted I return! And she even took my things worth millions!¡±


    Hearing the value made Michelle gasp despite their wealth now. Still, such extravagance was


    uneptable.


    ¡°Outrageous! Call your brother back immediately! We must confront Sylvia! Divorced yet still


    clinging to our assets. I warned she was up to no goodst time but your brother refused to see


    reason!¡± Michelle dered, already grabbing her phone despite urging Bonnie


    to call.


    Secretly thrilled to witness the imminent confrontation with her brother, Bonnie was about


    to dissuade her when Cyril¡¯s icy voice cut in.


    ¡°Sylvia had nothing to do with summoning you back. Yet here you are, ndering her instantly. If


    this is what you learned abroad, perhaps you shouldn¡¯t have gone at all.¡±


    Both women jerked in frightened surprise, unaware of Cyril¡¯s silent arrival or how long he had


    overheard.


    Squirming under her brother¡¯s frigid gaze, Bonnie knew she was cornered. As Cyril settled into a


    solitary seat, his assistant handed over an investigation report.


    Chapter 16 Her stuff


    2/3


    ¡°Shall I summarize the findings or would you prefer to make your own confession?¡± Cyril asked, his


    domineering tone leaving Bonnie struggling to breathe. Given the options, she naturally feared the


    revtions in that report more.


    Copsing to her knees, Bonnie clung desperately to Cyril, weeping and insisting on her temporary


    lack of control abroadpared to Sylvia¡¯s theft.


    Disgusted by her shamelessness, Cyril shook free his hand and pped her sharply.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Michelle screamed and rushed to embrace her daughter, casting furious looks at Cyril¡¯s callousness


    especially when he always favored Sylvia. What misdeeds could her precious daughter have


    possiblymitted?


    Seeing Michelle coddle Bonnie protectively only aggravated Cyril further. He flung the file


    contemptuously between them.


    ¡°Then you both take a look at exactly what your daughter was up to overseas! And that ne ¨C


    don¡¯t pretend otherwise! I know you sold it off for millions!¡±


    A million-dor piece sold for only hundreds of thousands and she dared use Sylvia of stealing


    and pawning it? The implication of what happened to the othervish gifts over the years was


    obvious.


    Hearing Cyril¡¯s usations, Bonnie knew denial was useless. ¡°Nothing else, just that ne!¡± she


    still insisted. ¡°Who knows if Sylvia orchestrated this herself back when she married in. She never


    had good intentions¡­¡±


    ¡°Intentions?¡± Cyril interrupted derisively. ¡°As if you have anything she would bother scheming for!


    Every gift she gave you and Mother are worth at least millions. Yet you vilify her for allegedly


    stealing and selling your tacky ne?¡±


    After handling Caroline¡¯s scandal, Cyril had checked on the value of Sylvia¡¯s gifts. Each one, ran


    over a million easily. Far exceeding what Bonnie had gotten for selling her chain. Yet his sister still


    dared make such usations? Preposterous!


    Wailing despairingly now before Cyril¡¯s stony countenance, Bonnie knew she was doomed.


    Seeing her daughter¡¯s distress, Michelle didn¡¯t dare confront Cyril anymore but began cursing Sylvia


    instead until Cyril interrupted in dismay.


    ¡°Is this how you¡¯ve been treating her all these years, Mother?¡±


    It had never urred to Cyril that Sylvia might have suffered such awful treatment from his family.


    Remembering how she had remained stubbornly adamant about divorcing him, Cyril wondered if


    there were things he truly failed to understand.


    Chapter 16 Her stuff


    If even his own mother acted so atrociously, how would outsiders have behaved? But the root cause


    was his own attitude enabling such toxicity against Sylvia in the first ce. If only he had been


    better to her. Unfortunately, Cyril stillcked that self-awareness even now.

 Chapter 17

    Chapter 17


    Chapter 17 Meet again


    ¡°What kind of treatment does she expect?! What does she need?!¡± Michelle raged through angry


    tears. If not for Sylvia, her daughter wouldn¡¯t be so wronged now yet Cyrilpletely disregarded


    Bonnie, eyes filled only with Sylvia. He never cared for her so deeply before the divorce so why the


    sudden sentimentality?


    Disappointed, Cyril realized he never considered how Sylvia might have suffered among them. If


    their roles were reversed, he surely couldn¡¯t have endured it yet Sylvia persisted for years,


    comporting herself virtuously throughout their marriage.


    ¡°She is confined here for self¨Creflection this month. If I hear of any outside antics, neither of you get


    a penny of allowance for the next three months.¡± Cyril dered coldly before leaving, the


    oppressive atmosphere now giving him a pounding headache. His family was utterly dysfunctional


    lately.


    Left screaming after Cyril hysterically, neither Michelle nor Bonnie could sway his imcable


    departure. Clearly he had been toox, especially with Bonnie¡¯s boundless extravagance funded by


    his money.


    Cyril wondered if letting Bonnie study abroad had truly been the right decision. She waspletely


    unrecognizable now, thoroughly bewitched by foreign pleasures.


    Reaching the office, Cyril buried himself in work, only remindedter by his assistant about an


    evening banquet requiring attendance that night. ncing through the attendee list, Cyril was


    surprised to spot the Ivanov family included.


    ¡°The Ivanovs are participating too? I heard their youngest daughter who recently returned is the true


    Ivanov sessor. Her elder brother Bruce merely executes he she just joined theirpany


    officially.¡± his assistant supplied helpfully.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    will. Rumors say


    ¡°I see. Then tonight is likely meant to ease her entry into socializing functions.¡± Cyril murmured. It


    seemed insignificant so he put it out of mind, focused only on clearing today¡¯s work after forgetting


    about this banquet earlier.


    At the partyter, tant ambition and greed colored the atmosphere as peopleworked


    vigorously for connections and potential opportunities.


    Strolling around with Bruce, their visualpatibility drew admiring nces. Though unsure if


    Bruce was truly the Ivanov heir, his status attracted swarms hoping to lobby him. But Bruce only


    made perfunctory small talk until noticing Cyril¡¯s arrival.


    Finally intrigued, Bruce remained stationary, certain Cyril woulde greet him to lobby for


    partnerships between their empire and firms. Naturally, Cyril soon approached and


    Chapter 17 Meet again


    2/2


    exchanged pleasantries with others first before facing Bruce, understanding the necessity of


    building rapport with this profoundly influential figure.


    Facing Cyril courteously, Bruce retained an aloofly impassive expression, neither nodding nor


    shaking his head coldly. His odd attitude confused everyone.


    Though Cyril was considered nouveau elite among them after rising meteorically from scratch over


    the years, the gap between new money and old aristocrats like Bruce remained vastly distant, not


    just in ss but pedigree. Such innate arrogance from Bruce was


    unavoidable.


    Apparently when Cyril first entered their circle years ago, Bruce made his disdain obvious, subtly


    obstructing him at times though nothing proven definitively. But Bruce¡¯s current attitude hinted at


    lingering biases.


    ¡°I hope your sister is adjusting well to working at yourpany?¡± Cyril finally asked politely.


    Long ustomed to the arrogant pretensions of such people, Cyril simply ignored Bruce¡¯s chilliness


    though irritation lingered.


    Beside Bruce, Juliet bristled instantly at the mention of Sylvia. ¡°She¡¯s doing wonderfully. now after


    everything abroad. Living quite prosperously in fact. But I suspect she won¡¯t take kindly to being


    discussed so casually by you like this.¡±


    Surprised by her sharp words, everyone nced between Juliet and Bruce uncertainly when he


    made no attempts to restrain her audacity. How could anyments about his unknown sister


    possibly anger her? Even Cyril was confused by her peculiar reaction.


    ¡°I heard you got married some years ago.¡± Bruce suddenly mentioned, stunning everyone. Cyril¡¯s


    marital status was kept private with many matchmaking families considering him quite a catch for


    their daughters. Learning of his existing marriage now came as ant unpleasant shock.


    ¡°Though rumors say you divorced recently. Any truth to that?¡± Bruce continued ndly. Frowning


    slightly, Cyril wondered how Bruce caught wind of such personal information. Aside from


    themselves, practically no one had known when he and Sylvia registered their marriage initially. For


    it to now reach Bruce¡¯s ears likely didn¡¯t bode well.

 Chapter 18

    Chapter 18


    Chapter 18 You are nothing


    Awkward silence descended at Bruce¡¯s enigmatic knowledge about such private matters. Cyril¡¯s


    marriage likely wasn¡¯t a love match but pragmatic. Even estranged couples kept up public


    pretenses. Yet Cyril had divorced and apparently nned to formally acknowledge this other


    woman? An open scandal viewed with distaste.


    Furthermore, Bruce clearly knew about it which didn¡¯t bode well for Cyril¡¯s ambitions.


    Admitting concealment was useless now, Cyril acknowledged it inly. ¡°Yes we divorced due to


    irreconcble differences after years of discord.¡±


    ¡°Ex¨Cwife.¡± Bruce emphasized coldly. ¡°With how terribly she married down, their failed marriage


    should be considered the biggest stain of her life.¡±


    Everyone grew intrigued over Bruce¡¯s mysterious connection to Cyril¡¯s ex¨Cwife that he kept


    defending so staunchly.


    Juliet meanwhile smiled brightly. ¡°No wonder. What woman wouldn¡¯t suffer misfortune being tied to


    such a man? Speaking of which, word is you¡¯ve been busy handling Caroline¡¯s scandalstely. Are


    those authentic? Because I used to know that director well. He begged desperately for my


    investment once. Considering what I heard of his proclivities, seems the rumors are factual?¡±


    Stunned anew by her casually disparaging Caroline too, everyone understood now.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Compared to elite aristocracy like Bruce and Juliet, Caroline and the shy entertainment circle


    remained utterly insignificant. Cyril involving himself so deeply indicated an intimacy beyond


    friendship.


    Cyril¡¯s expression darkened. Clearly Bruce and Juliet were deliberately provoking him.


    ¡°It¡¯s my private business. Caroline is a friend. Of course I would help resolve unjust usations.¡±


    Latching onto it, Juliet persisted. ¡°Oh? Which kind of ¡®friend¡® exactly? Bedmates? Or marriage


    potential?¡±


    ¡°Either way, it¡¯s not your ce to pry into my personal affairs.¡± Cyril stated curtly. Before Juliet could


    retort, Bruce quickly led her away, dering it was improper to create a scene as


    visitors here.


    Watching them depart, everyone nced at Cyril curiously, wondering how he had offended- Bruce


    somehow.


    ¡°Bruce usually tolerates quite a bit before truly losing his temper. Last time was five years


    Chapter 18 You are nothing


    ago when someone tried drugging him. That family faced steep downfall afterwards. So what did


    you do to provoke his ire?¡± someone asked Cyril frankly.


    2/2


    Brooding in frustrated silence over the injustice, Cyril knew the elite aristocracy simply did as they


    pleased while everyone cated them.


    Mingling aimlesslyter, Cyril noticed Bruce by the buffet line with Juliet filling a te angrily while


    Bruce cated her with desserts and soothing words.


    Clearly she was pedigree stock to apany Bruce publicly. Everything about her screamed doting


    pampering.


    Approaching them, Cyril forged ahead before they could ignore him. ¡°There are some things I¡¯m


    unsure about and hope Mr Bruce can rify my confusion.¡±


    ncing over impassively, Bruce waited.


    ¡°Very few people knew about my marriage or divorce. Yet you seem rather hostile over it. May I ask


    why? Or have I unknowingly offended you personally in some way?¡±


    Just then, several others wandered over to exchange pleasantries. As they chatted amongst


    themselves, Bruce kept his attention fixed on Cyril.


    ¡°Because without your ex¨Cwife, you would be nothing. I suggest not presuming too much self¨C


    importance.¡±


    Privately over the years, Bruce had helped Cyril substantially for Sylvia¡¯s sake though it was clearly


    misced effort in hindsight after seeing how terribly his family exploited and mistreated her. Like


    parasitic worms never disying an ounce of gratitude.


    Bruce¡¯s blunt words plunged the area into stunned silence. But before anything else could happen,


    the host wandered over cheerfully, beaming as he greeted them.


    The others quickly smiled back politely. After finishing his rounds, Host Wolford turned to Cyril


    smilingly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see your lovely wife here tonight? We have her to thank for our sessful coborationst


    time with her brilliant negotiation skills. Why didn¡¯t you bring her along?¡±

 Chapter 19

    Chapter 19


    Chapter 19 Bitchy


    Host Wolford sang Sylvia¡¯s praises continuously,mending her extensive knowledge and unique


    insights. Additionally her business acumen had clinched multiple coborations previously after a


    brief conversation with her. Wolford dered feeling envious of having such a brilliant wife.


    Oblivious to the increasing tension around him, Wolford remained focused solely onplimenting


    Sylvia who Cyril had only brought along once, reluctantly. He never expected her to make such a


    profoundly positive impression.


    ¡°Truly a pity your wife couldn¡¯t join us tonight.¡± Wolford continued enthusiastically. ¡°With Mr Bruce


    being another exceptional businessman, perhaps she might have enjoyed chatting and even


    brokered potential partnerships between you.¡±


    Only when finished did Wolford finally notice the odd atmosphere and silenced conversations. Bruce


    took the opportunity to drive his point across once more.


    ¡°See? Without her you¡¯d be nothing.¡± A trace of mocking colored his words. His sister¡¯s capabilities


    were precisely why she became the heir. Yet this man had the audacity to mistreat someone of her


    caliber.


    The indignity made Bruce¡¯s blood boil. If not for the inappropriateness of acting this instant, he


    would have happily taught Cyril a physical lesson.


    Stunned anew by how Wolford¡¯s words clearly verified Bruce¡¯s earlier deration, everyone


    understood now.


    Exchanging brief pleasantries, Bruce and Juliet soon left, having aplished their aims. The


    others quickly dispersed too, not daring to linger around Cyril anymore after the dramatic


    revtions tonight which certainly gave them much to digest.


    Most were even more intrigued by the mysterious ex¨Cwife¡¯s identity now, specting if connections


    could be cultivated. But with no clues about her, only puzzlement remained.


    The ugly scenepletely ruined Cyril¡¯s mood for remaining. He had no intention to stay behind as


    aughingstock.


    Pausing on his way out, Cyril suddenly recalled Sylvia enduring distress during that one banquet he


    made her attend years ago. Yet she hid it perfectly, remaining smilingly by his side the


    entire event as required.


    Considering how upsetting such contempt was even briefly, Cyril could only imagine Sylvia¡¯s


    wretched suffering throughout while concealing it wlessly. Sudden remorse


    Chapter 19 Bitchy


    flooded him for putting her through such torment.


    2/2


    Hastening his exit, Cyril intended to apologize to Sylvia somehow before stopping short at


    the sight of her standing with Bruce and Juliet. Even more disagreeably, Bruce was ruffling her hair


    affectionately.


    An involuntary sourness rose in Cyril at witnessing their easy intimacy. He couldn¡¯t resist intruding.


    ¡°Getting rather handsy when you have a date here, Mr Bruce.¡±


    ncing back at Sylvia wordlessly, neither Bruce nor Juliet bothered responding. Sylvia¡¯s smile had


    already frozen into a disgusted scowl before she stalked past Cyril.


    ¡°Who I interact with is none of your business. Leave if you¡¯ve got nothing to say.¡±


    After snapping at Cyril, Sylvia bade Bruce and Juliet farewell before heading towards the parking


    area. Neither nced Cyril¡¯s way either as they departed separately.


    Standing numbly for several moments, Cyril quickly shook himself out of his stupor and rushed after


    Sylvia, grabbing her wrist just as she took out her car keys.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Barely divorced yet already so wanton. Don¡¯t presume Bruce would actually want you.¡± He spat out


    derisively. ¡°Don¡¯t disgrace yourself trying anything vulgar and embarrass me!¡±


    Wincing slightly from his painful grip, Sylvia nevertheless ignored it, meeting his re steadily.


    ¡°Normal dating constitutes vulgarity now?¡± She smiled coldly. ¡°Let me make things clear. We share


    no ties anymore. Whether I embarrass you is irrelevant. In any case, you have no right to demand


    anything of me when Caroline clings shamelessly to you yet you feel no mortification over that.¡±


    Twisting her hand free, Sylvia regarded him contemptuously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overestimate your significance. Marrying you was the biggest mistake ever. If I could redo


    things, I would never have suggested it. I almost lost myself trying to please you. Finding me now to


    soothe your ego after divorce only validates leaving was right.¡±


    Striding quickly to her expensive car, Sylvia drove off before Cyril could react, still struggling to


    process her blunt words.


    Clenching his fists tightly, Cyril didn¡¯t know what to make of the tumultuous feelings moring


    inside.

 Chapter 20

    Chapter 20


    Chapter 20 Inquisition


    Caroline¡¯s scandal kept worsening despite Cyril¡¯s initial confidence that sufficient money and


    connections could smooth it over. But seeing the intensifying public ire made him realize the


    severity. This was beyond trivial resolving.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Reading the incensedmentaries, Cyril knew parts had to be authentic to provoke such


    reactions. And his own extensive investigations uncovered no hints of fabrication. Reluctantly, he


    epted the legitimacy of the usations.


    Numerous times, Cyril almost called Caroline to demand exnations but kept hesitating whenever


    he recalled their history, putting his phone down again undecidedly. This entire mess was giving him


    a pounding headache however. He never expected things to spiral so wildly out of control.


    Just then, an email notification distracted him. Though sent anonymously, Cyril¡¯s instincts red


    warnings it would provide rity the moment he opened it.


    Indeed, detailed timelines about the entire screeny theft scandal emerged. Meticulous and


    irrefutable. Simrly exhaustive documentation regarding all the other online scandals followed.


    Plus confidential disclosures absent from any public reports. Undeniably, everything had been


    intentionally leaked to him specifically.


    Cyril wasn¡¯t foolish, quite shrewd in fact to have conquered themercial world. One look and he


    knew everything was true. Someone else had simply refrained from publicizing it.


    Unsure how to process this flood of revtions, Cyril impulsively dialed Caroline, unsurprised when


    she picked up despite thete hour. Injuries or not, current events made rest impossible.


    Her gentle concern for histe night call left Cyril unmoved however, irritated she still pretended


    obliviousness when clearly aware of the tumult somehow.


    Did she presume Cyril would continually handle the fallouts unconditionally as long she herself


    denied all involvement?


    ¡°I received a rather interesting email and wanted your thoughts.¡± Cyril remarked neutrally. The


    sudden tension from Caroline made it obvious she easily guessed the contents. Yet she


    still avoided speaking first.


    ¡°Seems you can already surmise what it entails so I won¡¯t borate needlessly.¡±


    Panicked into finally responding, Caroline insisted desperately it was all fake, forced against her will


    every time. Did exposing truths mean losing Cyril¡¯s support and affections forever?


    Chapter 20 Inquisition


    She had no choice in going along back then!


    2/2


    Hearing her shrill voice, Cyril just felt tired, realizing she had lied to him repeatedly over the years.


    He had shielded her previously without questioning veracity, simply believing in her virtue blindly.


    But matters clearly weren¡¯t that simple.


    The more fervently she denied everything, the more convinced of her guilt Cyril became.


    ¡°Don¡¯t treat everyone like fools, Caroline. You know the truth best whether you did those deeds


    willingly or not. This is thest time I step in. Once it¡¯s resolved, leave the country for good. Return


    and I won¡¯t hesitate to deport you immediately.¡±


    Pausing briefly, Cyril then added. ¡°Consider it the final way out I¡¯m offering you.¡±


    About to protest further, Caroline understood from Cyril¡¯s imcable tone that his decision was final.


    No more chances remained for her.


    ¡°Ruthlessly cold after all my years helping you, never once questioning anything before,¡± she


    used bitterly. ¡°What changed to make you suddenly believe it all? Did Sylvia orchestrate this?


    Why does she hate me so much to target me like this?¡°

 Chapter 21

    Chapter 21


    Chapter 21 Want to Meet Her


    Hearing Caroline invoke Sylvia left Cyril frowning in distaste. He disliked her sullying Sylvia¡¯s name,


    feeling it a disparaging insult.


    Especially now realizing how much Caroline had deceived him over the years, directly causing so


    many fights with Sylvia too.


    ¡°Enough. You never spoke ill before so I blindly thought you innocent. Keep trying to frame Sylvia


    and consider the consequences if you can withstand the bacsh. I¡¯ve provided your final way out.


    Don¡¯t let it be your downfall instead.¡±


    Ending the call abruptly, Cyril knew further discussion was useless. Meanwhile at the hospital,


    Caroline flung her phone violently down in frustrated despair.


    Cyril imed he was offering her a way out yet clearly his actions were shoving her onto an


    inescapable path towards destruction! And he dared insist Sylvia yed no part in this? If so, why


    was he overreacting so extremely?


    It had to be Sylvia orchestrating everything to remove her rival! With Caroline gone, Sylvia probably


    aimed to reim her position as Cyril¡¯s wife!


    What a joke! After Cyril had willingly fought with Sylvia countless times for her sake before and


    moved heaven and earth selflessly on Caroline¡¯s behalf, how could Sylvia endure their


    closeness? The hatred in Caroline¡¯s eyes intensified. If Sylvia wanted to ruthlessly drive her into a


    corner like this, Caroline refused to let her get away with it! Just wait! She would find a way to


    retaliate against Sylvia no matter what!


    At hispany, Cyril¡¯s intense workload recently brought back painful old stomach issues that


    Sylvia used to help manage through regr meal reminders and preparing food for him


    asionally. With their divorce however, no one now prompted him to eat anymore and he


    frequently neglected meals altogether, especially busy shielding Caroline from bacsh recently.


    His employees were overworked too, often missing meals in their haste as well. One morning, Cyril


    finally felt the consequences when his stomach started cramping badly mid- meeting, leaving his


    brows tightly furrowed in difort, unable to speak.


    Hurrying in and noticing his painful clutch over his abdomen, Assistant Barry instantly understood


    the cause when he noted the lunch hour had long passed. If even he with a lesser workload hadn¡¯t


    managed more than some quick bread earlier, Cyril surely ate nothing.


    Barry had tried calling reminders without response, upied with Caroline¡¯s scandal. Their former


    diligence in this matter highlighted the new neglect.


    Chapter 21 Want to Meet Her


    2/2


    Wracked with guilt, Barry quickly offered to grab antacids though a thorough search found none in


    the office. Then he remembered who used to prepare them.


    ¡°Any medicine yet?¡± Cyril demanded through gritted teeth. Shaking his head apologies, Barry


    borated Sylvia¡¯s past attentiveness as the reason before Cyril interrupted furiously.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°So she¡¯s your boss instead of you being my assistant? If you can¡¯t handle such basic tasks, why


    do I waste vast sums paying your sry?¡±


    Stunned by the unexpected connection to Sylvia, Cyril desperately yearned to see her now. To


    demand exnations why she initiated divorce over Caroline¡¯s irrelevance to her. Hadn¡¯t they


    agreed Caroline posed no threat to her status?


    Mortified over failing his duties, Barry self¨Cmed the entire esction. If he had stayed properly


    attentive, this would have never happened. Insisting on taking Cyril to the hospital immediately,


    Barry had to support his struggling boss weakened by pain.


    In the car, Barry reviewed workce divisions and realized Cyril¡¯s personal needs had slowly


    transferred under Sylvia¡¯s purview the past years. With her managing that area, Barry¡¯s ownI


    workload had lightened considerably. Her hyper vignce lowered his own attentiveness until he


    took it for granted. Toote did he recognize that was still his primary responsibility, regardless of


    her initiative. Habits once formed became difficult to break after all.


    Well understanding that now, Barry knew he had to refocus on fulfilling his duties going forward, no


    matter Sylvia¡¯s involvement. Else what purpose did he serve Cyril?

 Chapter 22

    Chapter 22


    Chapter 22 A lot things she did


    After a half day at the hospital neglecting work, Cyril considered returning to officeter but fatigue


    forced him home to rest first, nning to go in early tomorrow clearing today¡¯s unfinished business.


    Lying in bed, Cyril contemted how much Sylvia had done for him daily this past decade. With her


    meticulous management, his life progressed smoothly whether for meals, sleep or overall wellness.


    He couldn¡¯t deny that her presence gave him greatforts and conveniences, never worrying


    about medications or falling ill with her diligence.


    Remembering their past intimacy left his chest tight with pain however. He understood with Sylvia


    determined on divorce, no chance remained of reversing her choice.


    Forcing himself not to dwell on it anymore this night, Cyril managed a full rest and returned to work


    early next morning, his overflowing schedule even more packed with yesterday¡¯s unfinished tasks.


    Around 10 AM, Barry informed him that their appointed client had arrived. Greetings were warm as


    both quickly became engrossed in discussions until Partner Yearling nced around curiously mid¨C


    conversation. When Cyril inquired if he was searching for something, Yearling exined his surprise


    at not seeing Sylvia present as promised every visit to personally ensure their coborations


    proceeded smoothly from her capable orchestrations behind the scenes.


    Cyril listened dumbfounded as Yearling effusively praised Sylvia¡¯s astounding abilities: despite her


    beauty belying a weak constitution ¨C she exceeded most men professionally. Given opportunities,


    her achievements would easily outstrip anyone present.


    Increasingly, Cyril noticed how much of his sess had Sylvia¡¯s inputs though he had credited


    himself fully before for the wins. Repeated revtions of her silent contributions emerged that Cyril


    had utterly failed appreciating when they were together.


    Envious, Yearling joked about the rarity of such a superb employee and wondered if Cyril might


    share where he found Sylvia.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t my employee. She was my wife.¡± The words almost left unthinkingly until Cyril caught


    himselfst minute. ¡°My ex¨Cwife rather. We divorced recently. I was unaware she aided you


    previously so have only gratitude that you informed me. Please notify me if you wish to withdraw our


    partnership in light of hearing she brokered it covertly. I understand reluctance with her detachment


    now¡­


    If Sylvia¡¯s involvement had been crucial, her estrangement surely jeopardized retention. But


    Yearling simplyughed. Cyril underestimated himself too much it seemed plus Sylvia¡¯s


    contributions, while initially prompting the deal, mattered less than Cyril¡¯s actual talents


    presence. which Yearling respected sufficiently to sustain coboration regardless of her Still,


    learning his mysterious facilitator had been Cyril¡¯s wife astonished Yearling. They were


    businessmen first however. Mutual profits mattered over everything else. No worthy chance was


    ever lightly discarded.


    Cyril stewed in troubled thoughts, wondering what else Sylvia had done for him without his


    knowledge. Clearly far more than he ever recognized, still seeing her as no more than a decorative


    essory awaiting his returns at home dutifully. That she might possess such astounding


    capabilities had simply never urred to him before.


    Finalizing follow¨Cup contracts easily, Yearling hesitated while departing, meeting Cyril¡¯s eyes


    squarely. ¡°If your divorce with Sylvia is genuinely final without reconciliation hopes, I wish to court


    her. She is an extremely remarkable woman warranting utmost respects.¡±


    His sincere words mmed Cyril like a physical blow. This near stranger clearly appreciated


    Sylvia¡¯s merits already while Cyril¡¯s treatment of her their whole marriage had been less than decent


    at best. Remorse and regret churned violently inside but he had no grounds for objections.


    ¡°Even if I did want her back someday, it wouldn¡¯t be presently. Mutual sincerity would be mandatory


    for any restarts.¡± Cyril managed to reply evenly.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Pleased, Yearling smiled. ¡°I feared lingering attachments still on your side potentially but that seems


    clearly not an issue anymore. Very well. I will proceed with formal courtship efforts towards Sylvia


    from now on then.¡±


    Departing amiably afterwards, Yearling left Cyril standing numbly at the elevators,


    emotions still roiling chaotically from today¡¯s repeated shocks. Beside him, Barry simrly wondered


    about his boss¡® thoughts following such an explosive meeting. For both men, seismic shifts had


    definitely urred.

 Chapter 23

    Chapter 23


    Chapter 23 Discuss about her


    ¡°Did she¡­ actually do a lot for me all these years?¡± Cyril eventually asked quietly.


    Unsure how to reply, Barry hesitated briefly. ¡°Well, managing your daily affairs like meals,


    medications etc, Mrs Tan shouldered most of that. Just indirectly, informing me instead of directly


    interacting.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ever notify me then?¡± Cyril turned to Barry demandingly. What exined Sylvia


    doing so much without his knowledge?


    Facing Cyril¡¯s intimidating stare, Barry felt utterly wronged. Many times he had nearly spoken out


    before Cyril¡¯s forbidding expressions halted him whenever Sylvia¡¯s name even crossed his lips.


    ¡°I did try bringing it up asionally but you would scold me not to ever mention Mrs Tan.¡®


    Cyril fell silent, acknowledging the uracy. He had explicitly barred such discussions previously.


    ¡°I see.¡± Remorse flooded Cyril realizing his willful blindness had presumed Sylvia acted from self¨C


    interest rather than pure devotion out of love for him.


    Approaching his staff chatting animatedly, Cyril paused outside the room hearing Sylvia mentioned


    and signaled Barry to listen with him.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen the Missustely. Last visit, she brought treats and reminded us sternly to make


    meals a priority for the boss yet we failedpletely fulfilling her entrustment this time.¡± One


    woman sighed.


    ¡°The boss looked awfully unwell yesterday too. Hopefully the Missus drops by again soon or at least


    calls to check on him.¡± Another worried. ¡°She always knows how to handle


    everything.¡±


    Unease gripped Barry, this being the second idental Sylvia mentioning today that normally


    roused Cyril¡¯s temper. Yet his impassive reaction now left Barry confused whether anger simmered


    silently underneath or if sentiments towards her had shifted.


    He stillcked rity on their divorce but Cyril initiating separation was imusible. Perhaps they


    reconciled? But the odd peace upon hearing Sylvia discussed signaled deeperplications


    ahead.


    Cyril soon departed the area expressionlessly. ¡°No more off topic chats during work hours.


    Vitions mean overtime until fully caught up.¡±


    Chapter 23 Discuss about her


    2/2


    As the stunned team shuddered in dismay, Barry quickly added: ¡°Boss is aware of what was said.


    Refrain from ever bringing up¡­that person¡­before him. Understood?¡±


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why?!¡± One protested. ¡°We used to get scolded but he had no issues this time. They¡¯re still married


    anyway so what¡¯s the harm in casual mentions? Things seem differenttely¡­¡±


    ¡°If you wish to remain employed here, mind yourself and stop that line of talk.¡± Barry interrupted


    sternly. ¡°There are certain taboos before the boss. Everyone clear on that?¡±


    Sullen acknowledgment followed under Barry¡¯s warning gaze. No further chances remained pushing


    boundaries still evidently in ce somehow. Unease settled around the subdued group anxious


    they had angered Cyril unknowingly and might face repercussionster.


    In his office meanwhile, Cyril ruminated over how even his employees discussed Sylvia freely.


    Before he could reconsider, he had dialed Sylvia impulsively despite knowing her unlikelihood to


    answer and surely enough, got redirected to voicemail. Trying messaging next, a red exmation


    icon indicated likely blocking.


    Since initiating their divorce, interacting with Sylvia hadn¡¯t even crossed Cyril¡¯s mind, presuming she


    would contact him eventually herself. But clearly she never intended any reconciliatory


    communications, immediately cutting all essible channels.


    The reality of her resolve struck Cyril profoundly. Marriage hadcked meaning initially yet now


    severance felt devastating. He smiled bitterly at himself for taking her presence for granted,


    convinced of her unconditional constancy by his side. Only in loss did the truth emerge of his own


    delusional hubris.


    Setting aside his phone to focus on work and distract himself, Cyril had just regained momentum


    when Caroline phoned unexpectedly.

 Chapter 24

    Chapter 24


    Chapter 24 Who find the reporter?


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    When Brooke got the call from Karina, Cyril went straight to the hospital without hesitation. 1


    When he arrived, he found the hospital swarming with people, especially around Karina¡¯s room.


    There were constant streams of patients and medical staff rubbernecking.


    Seeing this, Cyril¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly. He hadn¡¯t paid good money for these people to show


    up and gawk.


    ¡°What are you all doing here? Don¡¯t you have work to do?¡± he said sternly.


    The crowd that had been eagerly spectating suddenly heard Cyril¡¯s voice and jumped in fright. They


    quickly made up excuses to leave, not wanting to stick around now that Cyril was unhappy with


    them.


    Once the area was cleared out, Cyril entered Karina¡¯s room, only to be shocked again.


    The room was extremely messy, with everything not nailed down strewn across the floor. Things


    had clearly been swept off surfaces and cabs.


    Cyril looked around, not knowing what had happened. He didn¡¯t see any nurses around, which


    bothered him. He was paying good money ¨C he expected better service.


    As he walked further into the room, he suddenly heard sobbinging from a corner. He went over


    to see Karina sitting on the floor, knees pulled tight to her chest, head buried as


    she cried.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Cyril asked gently, crouching down to be at her eye level.


    ¡°Some reporters showed up this morning. I don¡¯t know how they found out I was here, but they just


    barged in! Wouldn¡¯t listen when people tried to stop them. They started bombarding me with


    questions about those online rumors, asking if they were true, if I was going to quit showbiz, just


    awful prying questions. They wanted me to have a breakdown! Can you believe it?¡± Karina looked


    at Cyril pitifully.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do so I started throwing things at them. That finally scared them off.


    In truth, the mess in the room wasn¡¯t entirely from scaring off reporters. After they had left, Karina


    hadshed out in anger and frustration. She had caused quite the disruptive scene, yelling and


    sweeping things off of surfaces. She had frightened away the nurses.


    Hearing all this, Cyril¡¯s expression darkened. How did those reporters even get in?


    ¡°What exactly did you say to them?¡± he asked.


    Chapter 24 Who find the reporter?


    2/3


    Karina shook her head emphatically. Right now he was her only hope. She wouldn¡¯t dare do


    anything without his guidance.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell them anything today. Don¡¯t worry. But I¡¯m so scared. I don¡¯t know who I pissed off for


    them toe after me like this. I¡¯m already in the hospital! Why can¡¯t they leave those online


    rumors alone? Even if I deny everything, some people won¡¯t believe me. What do I do?¡±


    Karina¡¯s fear was genuine. She was terrified that if the truth of her misdeeds came out, she¡¯d


    be ruined.


    Any chance with Cyril would vanish. She might even be a disgracedughingstock, undoing all


    her years of maneuvering.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this, don¡¯t worry. Do you have any enemies in the industry?¡± Cyril asked.


    Whoever was behind this was likely a rival of hers. But Cyril didn¡¯t know enough about her


    competitors.


    Karina thought for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°It can¡¯t be them. They wouldn¡¯t dare cross


    me like this, I¡¯d crush them in retaliation. It must be Sylvia! She¡¯s the only one who hates me


    enough!¡±


    Karina strategically shifted me onto Sylvia. She needed a scapegoat, and Sylvia was perfect,


    given Cyril¡¯s history with her. Of course she¡¯d be furious over losing him to Karina!


    And even if Sylvia was innocent, Karina had to pin it on her. Sylvia still held a special ce. with


    Cyril. For Karina to secure her future with him, Sylvia needed to be taken down a notch.


    Seeing Cyril¡¯s expression shift at the mention of Sylvia¡¯s name, Karina hid her satisfaction. Sylvia


    was still no match for her. Just a few choice words could turn Cyril against her.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to the bottom of this. But don¡¯t go making baseless usations. I warned you. For now, just


    rest. I¡¯ll handle the investigation,¡± Cyril said firmly.


    Karina was a little disappointed she hadn¡¯t achieved her goal, but at least Cyril was willing to deal


    with the mess for her. As for Sylvia¡­that couldeter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,


    I shouldn¡¯t have spected. I just don¡¯t know who else could hate me enough besides Sylvia. You


    should still investigate though, for both our sakes,¡± Karina said weakly, seeing Cyril¡¯s expression


    soften slightly.


    But he still couldn¡¯t believe Sylvia was behind this. Yet she did seem to have the strongest motive.


    Cyril only stayed about half an hour, getting the full story before leaving.


    Chapter 24 Who find the reporter?


    Once he was gone, Karina¡¯s expression shifted. She took out her phone, hesitating whether to


    make a certain call.


    She knew that call could ruin her reputation, but it could also drag Sylvia down too. It was a double-


    edged sword that could wound them both. She had to consider carefully.

 Chapter 25

    Chapter 25


    Chapter 25 So stupid


    After the divorce from Cyril was finalized, Sylvia vanished without a trace.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Of course, she didn¡¯t literally vanish. Cyril simply had no idea where she went or who she was in


    contact with. He didn¡¯t even know if she moved back in with her parents after the split.


    Sitting in his office, Cyril was gued by doubts. After all these years of marriage, how little did he


    truly know about his wife?


    He was ignorant about where Sylvia lived, who her close friends were after the divorce, everything.


    With her having blocked him on everything, contacting her was impossible.


    Cyril had wanted to confront her, to ask why she would do this. But he couldn¡¯t even find her. He felt


    utterly frustrated.


    He had never felt so thwarted, not even when starting his business, which had gone smoothly. Yet


    his biggest failure was with Sylvia.


    Out of options, Cyril set his staff to keep investigating Sylvia¡¯s whereabouts. But it was as if she had


    vanished after the divorce. There was no trace of hering and goings, who she


    ¨C


    met with nothing. Finding anything concrete was proving impossible.


    Cyril was incredibly irritated.


    ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve tried, but there¡¯s little to go on. The mistress¡¯ outings were very limited during your


    marriage. Mostly just the mansion, the family estate, and trips to the supermarket. We checked


    there too, but she hasn¡¯t been seen on security footagetely,¡± his secretary said apologetically.


    ¡°That¡¯s all you could find? No clues on who she met with or other contact info?¡± Cyril asked grimly.


    So the most exciting ce his wife in herte 20s went was the grocery store, buying household


    necessities and produce, he thought bitterly. It painted a certain picture of their


    domestic life.


    ¡°No other contacts unfortunately. But we did find an old email address from a supermarket survey


    she filled out. It may still be active if you want to try messaging,¡± the secretary offered helpfully.


    Cyril took the email address. It was something at least. Better than nothing.


    After dismissing his secretary, Cyrilposed a message to Sylvia¡¯s email, hoping she


    Chapter 25 So stupid


    would respond. If she didn¡¯t use it anymore or ignored it, there was no telling when he¡¯d hear from


    her again.


    Luckily a reply came swiftly, but Cyril¡¯s expression soured instantly upon reading it.


    All Sylvia had written was: Foolish.


    2/3


    Cyril¡¯s face darkened. He had simply wanted to ask if she was responsible. Yet she chose to mock


    him instead. That stung.


    Soon Sylvia sent him argepressed file of documents, fulfilling her divorce promise to hand


    over everything she had on him.


    Her next message stated that this would enable him to destroy Karina if he wished. There


    were ways.


    The contents differed vastly from the online rumors. Sylvia¡¯s dossier was far more detailed


    and exhaustive.


    It was even moreprehensive than the mystery email from before.


    Cyril wondered what the discrepancy meant, but before he could unravel it, Sylvia blocked him,


    cutting off contactpletely. She was done.


    With this new information, Cyril paid another visit to Karina¡¯s hospital room, now tidied up. To his


    surprise, he found his brother Bonnie there with her.


    ¡°Bro¡­¡± Bonnie stood up nervously. He had kept a low profile since their fight at home. Cyril couldn¡¯t


    be bothered to ask why he was there. He had been lost in thought the whole ride


    over about what to do.


    Sylvia had damning evidence against Karina yet hadn¡¯t used it to ruin her. But the online rumors


    were unverifiable. Sylvia¡¯s dossier however could definitely end Karina.


    ¡°I received some items. Those online rumors about you


    at you tell me honestly, are they true or false? If true, I¡¯ll handle it. If false, apologize publicly,¡± said


    Cyril.


    For old times¡¯ sake, he would help Karina onest time. After this, they were done.


    Karina panicked internally, wondering why Cyril was suddenly asking about this. Had he discovered


    something?


    ¡°Of course they¡¯re false!¡± she answered without hesitation. Cyril¡¯s expression instantly


    darkened.


    ¡°Yet now you refuse to tell me the truth? Makes me wonder what else you¡¯ve lied about over the


    years,¡± he said coldly.


    Chapter 25 So stupid


    The more he thought about it, the more he wondered if anything she had told him was


    actually real.


    Seeing Cyril¡¯s reaction, Karina was utterly lost. Why was he acting this way? Did he already know


    everything and was simply done protecting her?

 Chapter 26

    Chapter 26


    Chapter 26 Stranger? Sister?


    After receiving Sylvia¡¯s information, Cyril realized Karina had been deceiving him all along. He felt


    like a fool for continuing to help her until now ¨C this would be thest time. After he resolved this


    latest incident, they were done.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you onest time. When this is over, move abroad. You¡¯ll fare better overseas with your


    career not entirely ruined yet. We¡¯ll cut contact after that. I won¡¯t aid you anymore, Cyril said


    dispassionately before turning to Bonnie.


    Bonnie tensed up immediately. Was his brother going to deal with him next after finishing with


    Karina?


    ¡°I¡¯ve been goodtely, bro! Haven¡¯t done anything,¡± Bonnie said nervously.


    ¡°Then why are you here?¡± Cyril asked, staring at him intently. Bonnie had no reply. From his


    expression, Cyril could tell Bonnie likely had some far¨Cfetched ideas again.


    ¡°Come with me,¡± Cyril said, motioning Bonnie to follow him out. Bonnie dared not disobey.


    Outside the hospital, Cyril lit a cigarette while Bonnie obediently stood by, not daring to speak


    seeing his brother smoke. But after some time, Bonnie couldn¡¯t resist asking softly:


    ¡°Is it true you and Sylvia divorced and she wanted money from us? She wouldn¡¯t really try to scam


    our family, would she?¡±


    Cyril nced at him. ¡°What did you see her take?¡±


    ¡°Knowing her type, she must¡¯ve ransacked the house for valuables and demanded shares too. It is


    marital assets after all. You didn¡¯t actually give her anything, did you bro? She¡¯s vicious and


    scheming, who knows what she¡¯d try to swindle out of us!¡± Bonnie said usingly.


    When Cyril had married Sylvia, Bonnie had only interacted with her for three days before leaving for


    studies abroad. He hadn¡¯t seen her since returning until now.


    Yet despite only three days together, Bonnie was full of terrible opinions about Sylvia. Cyril was


    shocked by his animosity.


    He looked incredulously at his sister, so foreign to him. From a mere three days, she could make


    such hateful allegations? What had she said about others behind their backs then?


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything, bro? Am I wrong about Sylvia? She¡¯s no good! All her tricks to


    marry you, even drugging you! Best you divorced so she can¡¯t keep envying what¡¯s ours. She


    should stay where she belongs!¡± Bonnie said haughtily.


    Chapter 26 Stranger? Sister?


    2/2


    Bonnie¡¯s sense of superiority and disdainful attitude rmed Cyril further. It was throught sheer


    effort that their family now enjoyed better lives after his business sess. But it seemed that had


    only inted his family¡¯s egos immeasurably.


    And Cyril had thought his focus on work had made him neglect his family, so he indulged their


    wants. Now he realized that had been a mistake.


    do


    ¡°Let me make something clear, Bonnie. If I hadn¡¯t founded mypany sessfully, you think you


    could stand here saying all this? Where is this arroganceing from? We¡¯re no different than


    anyone else. The only difference is your brother achieved more, that¡¯s all. What makes you better


    than others?¡±


    Bonnie was spoiled, performed poorly in school, and refused hard work, just wanting to stay home


    in leisure. He now harbored vast unwarranted superiority, feeling others less fortunate deserved it,


    while he deserved his easy lifestyle. He even haughtily disparaged


    Sylvia.


    Seeing no repentance from Bonnie, just defiant entitlement, Cyril grew incensed and pped him


    hard across the face.


    Staggering back with a stunned look, Bonnie clutched his cheek. Cyril had never struck him before!


    Just for saying a few negative things about Sylvia? Why?


    ¡°Seems like being abroad spoiled you. Forgot all propriety! Whether divorced or not, Sylvia was


    your sister¨Cinw. You¡¯ve no business maligning her, even privately. I¡¯m very disappointed in you,


    Bonnie. I won¡¯t dig into why you were with Karina, but I warn you ¨C if you¡¯re up to anything, I¡¯ll


    handle both of you together,¡± Cyril said coldly before leaving in his car, not waiting for Bonnie¡¯s


    reaction.


    Standing alone, cheek stinging, Bonnie stared after Cyril in disbelief. Only when the car fully


    disappeared did Bonnie stamp his foot furiously.


    This was all because of Sylvia! Before her, Cyril doted on him, giving him anything he


    wanted, especially after getting rich.


    Yet now, just for some unworthy woman, his brother would strike him? Outrage welled up in Bonnie.


    Sylvia would pay for this. 1


    He nced back resentfully at Karina¡¯s room too. Well, at least Sylvia was cleaner than that


    unworthy woman. But neither deserved their lifestyle in his eyes.

 Chapter 27

    Chapter 27


    Chapter 27 He looks down on you


    After thest email exchange where Sylvia had blocked him, Cyril lost all contact with her. He had


    no idea what she was up to or how to reach her at all.


    Meanwhile, the exposing rumors about Karina only intensified, with more sordid details. dug up.


    Cyril knew this information would inevitablye out and be scrutinized for veracity. While


    falsehoods could potentially be buried, the truth would always surface eventually.


    Having expected this situation, Cyril didn¡¯t intend to intervene much. Businessman that he was, he


    understood what actions benefitted him and which didn¡¯t. Clearly aiding Karina brought him no


    advantage here, so he had no reason to keep getting involved. Still, he had promised her some


    assistance.


    The news coverage was scathing enough that Cyril had Karina issue a public apology under his


    name, stating she would reflect seriously on past misdeeds and not repeat them.


    ¨C


    But manyizens found this inadequate the statement wasn¡¯t even made by Karina herself. Now


    hiding behind her agency, she expected this to just blow over? They kept demanding she make an


    in¨Cperson apology.


    Karina pleaded with Cyril again. ¡°If I do that and get banished abroad, my career here will be over! I


    worked so hard for what I have you¡¯d just let it vanish easily?¡±


    Cyril gazed at her impassively. He was finding Karina increasingly unrecognizable too.


    Gradually Cyril realized the people he knew had transformed beyond his perception. It was as if


    Sylvia¡¯s presence had cloaked their behavior in normalcy before. With her gone, their fa?ades had


    crumbled away.


    Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    He couldn¡¯t say if this revtion was good or bad. But knowing it took Sylvia¡¯s absence for their true


    nature to emerge left Cyril deeply disappointed in himself for not seeing through


    them earlier.


    He recalled Sylvia¡¯s past pleas about Karina constantly texting and taunting her, begging Cyril for an


    exnation and to make it stop, saying she wouldn¡¯t intervene between them, just wanting him to


    put family first.


    But Cyril had ignored it entirely, even mocking Sylvia for meddling. How foolish he had. been! Sylvia


    saw their truth long ago yet still strove to shelter his family. With her no longer around to cover for


    them, their ugliness wasid bare.


    Cyril had been in a strange mood the past few days but work obligations continued. He was


    Chapter 27 He looks down on you


    meeting a business associate at a restaurant when a luxury car pulled up.


    The restaurant was known for excellent privacy, popr for sensitive discussions. Cyril casually


    nced over, then did a double take¨Cout stepped Sylvia, intimately clinging to


    Bruce¡¯s arm!


    Theyughed together as Bruce regarded her with a doting smile that seemed out of character. Yet


    he treated Sylvia with great indulgence.


    Why were they together again? Cyril had questionsst time but now their closeness bothered him


    immensely. He knew Bruce¡¯s stature. If Sylvia got involved, she could be utterly ruined when his


    temper turned. After all, they had been family once. Cyril didn¡¯t want to see Sylvia throw her life


    away like this.


    2/2


    way out.


    Hurrying through his business, Cyril lingered by the entrance to catch Sylvia on her She and Bruce


    were in a private upstairs room. Booking it required significant status and fees Cyril couldn¡¯t match


    yet despite his sess.


    After waiting almost an hour downstairs, Sylvia finally emerged while talking on her phone, going to


    the front desk to retrieve a cake she had ordered. Cyril saw his chance.


    Catching sight of him, Sylvia inwardly groaned. Why did she have to run into Cyril while trying to


    enjoy a nice dinner? She ignored him, moving to brush past back inside. But Cyril kept blocking her


    way no matter where she tried to slip by.


    ¡°What do you want? If you¡¯re aspiring to be a bouncer, take it up with the manager instead of


    obstructing me,¡± Sylvia said irritably.


    They hadn¡¯t had an amicable conversation in a long while. Dialogue between them tended to be


    fraught nowadays.


    ¡°I saw you arrive with Bruce. What¡¯s going on there?¡± Cyril asked.


    Sylvia narrowed her eyes. ¡°Who I dine with is none of your business. Don¡¯t interfere.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not right for you. You¡¯ve no clue what Bruce is capable of. If he decides to torment you, you


    can¡¯t win against him!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is this your way of saying he could never desire someone like me? Well, sorry to disappoint,


    but Bruce is very taken with me and makes it clear. If you have objections, take it up with him


    directly,¡± Sylvia said cuttingly.

 Chapter 28

    Chapter 28


    Chapter 28 Mistress


    Sylvia spoke with great confidence. ¡°What joke? Bruce is my brother¨Cinw. Why wouldn¡¯t he care


    for me?¡±


    Besides, Cyril was meddling far too much. They were divorced with no rtion now. On what


    grounds did he keep monitoring her actions? Who she dined with was none of his business,


    Bruce or not.


    Cyril was only trying to warn Sylvia against foolishly getting embroiled with Bruce. But she clearly


    didn¡¯t appreciate his good intentions.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again ¨C we¡¯re divorced. I¡¯m nothing to you now. Leave me be!¡± Sylvia said


    derisively, shoving past him. She had to get back to her dinner, no time to waste chatting idly with


    Cyril.


    If he had time to trail her dates, he could spend it apanying his precious darling instead of


    bothering her!


    Cyril was genuinely angry, but he had meant well. Since Sylvia remained unreceptive, he shouldn¡¯t


    have wasted his breath. She would learn the truth eventually, one way or another.


    Having aplished his goal yet been rebuffed by Sylvia again, Cyril left in a fury, not inclined to


    linger any longer.


    Back in the private room, Bruce noticed Sylvia seemed upset and asked what had happened.


    ¡°That man Cyril osted me outside, can you believe it? He said you look down on me and I


    shouldn¡¯t be with you. What business is it of his anymore?¡± Sylvia fumed as she recounted


    the incident.


    Bruce¡¯s brows furrowed. It seemed Cyril had too much free timetely to be harassing Sylvia


    like this.


    ¡°Nevermind him. Don¡¯t let it ruin your appetite. Let¡¯s eat,¡± Bruce said, redirecting the conversation.


    Sylvia was happy to stop talking about that annoying man.


    Sylvia enjoyed a peaceful period focused between home and work. asionally she went out with


    Juliet for meals or shopping.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Free of Cyril¡¯s pestering, life was carefree. And under Bruce¡¯s wing at thepany, Sylvia was


    learning the ropes despite some initial skepticism from others about her credentials. She knew she


    had to produce results to earn their respect.


    Chapter 28 Mistress


    2/2


    But barely a month had passed before shocking news broke ¨C singer Karina had secretly been a


    rich man¡¯s mistress!


    No name was given, but detalls clearly indicated Cyril. Netizens instantly unearthed old social


    media posts where Karina hinted at a wealthy, generous boyfriend, Cross¨Creferencing details, the


    man matched Cyril exactly.


    Just as Karina¡¯s prior scandals had barely subsided, this sparked an explosive revival plus


    embroiled Cyril.


    As a rapidly rising entrepreneur, Cyril attracted much scrutiny. Many had been eager to partner with


    him. But such turmoil indicated instability and risk in affiliating with him. Several prospective deals


    were now paused until Cyril handled this situation.


    Preupied with Karina¡¯s mess already, this added headache blindsided Cyril. His chief concern


    was whether Sylvia¡¯s identity might be exposed. Though likely untraceable as his ex


    -wife.


    Still, he had to quash rumors of Karina being a homewrecker immediately. Failure to promptly


    address this could ruin not just her but him too.


    The news also reached his mother Michele. She promptly phoned Cyril demanding an exnation.


    ¡°What¡¯s all this online about that woman ruining your marriage? I never cared for Sylvia but don¡¯t


    like Karina either. If you had to pick one to help you, why her? Just look at the vitriol towards her


    now. However unrted she may be, ongoing ties with her still jeopardize this family!¡±


    Hearing his mother¡¯s words, Cyril felt somewhat sickened. He had sensed herck of


    ¨C


    warmth towards Sylvia long ago in Michele¡¯s eyes, Sylvia brought no valuable background


    or connections.


    Cyril knew his mother was pragmatic, yet was still surprised at how readily she cut ties with Karina


    over this scandal.


    ¡°You weed Karina quite warmly into our home recently, Mother. No need for your concern


    anymore. I will handle this,¡± Cyril said curtly before hanging up.

 Chapter 29

    Chapter 29


    Chapter 29 Apologize


    Michele worried after Cyril hung up, but didn¡¯t dare act rashly for fear of worsening things for


    her son.


    The situation was already bad enough. If not directly helping Cyril, she could still target Karina. This


    scandal was clearly the girl¡¯s fault for inappropriate entanglements over the years. Now she had


    dragged down Michele¡¯s son too. Unforgivable.


    With no hesitation, Michele immediately called to berate Karina.


    Karina had been anxious seeing the leaked information too. She hadn¡¯t expected their ties to


    surface so publicly. While harboring her own agenda, she knew better than to openly


    demonstrate designs on the still¨Cmarried Cyril.


    Yet now forced under intense scrutiny, her industry gossip had exploded into public contagion,


    reputation ruined.


    In a panic, she tried contacting Cyril repeatedly but he didn¡¯t answer. Did he n to abandon her to


    take the fall alone? Surely he wouldn¡¯t, given the past, Karina desperately hoped¡­


    Unable to reach Cyril, she saw an iing call from Michele and grew even more nervous. In a


    sense, they were cut from the same cloth, caring only about personal benefit. This call surely


    involved the scandal.


    Karina rejected it, already expecting threats and curses for embroiling Cyril. Just then she noticed


    Cyril had posted a statement under hispany¡¯s name.


    It was simple ¨C apologizing for the ongoing public distraction, stating they were swiftly investigating


    the rumor¡¯s origins. It also rified his rtionship with Karina was purely tonic friendship.


    During his marriage, Cyril fully respected his wife and bore no infidelity, hence Karina could not be


    considered a mistress.


    But despite the prompt statement with seemingly solid exnation, mostizens entirely


    disbelieved it. If truly unrted, why had Karina posted so many subtle hints about a rich lover for


    years? Surely implying special ties with Cyril!


    Now people sympathized with the wronged wife, imagining her deep anguish¡­


    Yet the supposedly devastated Sylvia was currently lounging with Juliette under the sunny skies


    without a care. With a rare day off, she had invited Juliette over to baskzily instead of going out.


    They chatted casually while sunbathing.


    ¡°Oh my god!¡±


    Chapter 29 Apologize


    2/2


    Juliette suddenly bolted up, whipping off her sunsses to stare incredulously at her phone screen


    which she swiped through rapidly.


    Her dramatic reaction made Sylvia jump too before asking nervously what had happened.


    ¡°You won¡¯t believe what I just saw! Someone exposed evidence of Karina being a


    homewrecker! Now Cyril¡¯s embroiled too! He just released a statement denying everything but


    people are saying poor you!¡± Juliette reported excitedly.


    Sylvia blinked. Was that all?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you reacting at all? This involves you too! Everyone feels so bad for you,¡± Juliette said,


    surprised at Sylvia¡¯s calmness.


    ¡°That¡¯s their opinion. How does this concern me though? I¡¯m divorced from Cyril so what use is


    sympathy from strangers? Can feelings change reality?¡± Sylvia replied neutrally.


    Upon hearing the news, she had already processed the situationpletely. So Karina¡¯s misdeeds


    were out along with Cyril¡¯s reputation. But she was already free of both, so why should it matter?


    Juliette considered then conceded the point. The scandal truly didn¡¯t affect Sylvia anymore. They


    laughed over it together the downfalls of the rumored adulterers were amusing


    karma.


    ¡°Fine, since you¡¯re unaffected, I¡¯ll let it go too. But still crazy stuff! Any guess who leaked this?¡±


    Juliette asked curiously.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia just shook her head. She didn¡¯t know nor care who did it. She was simply satisfied to see the


    culpable pair finally facing consequences.


    As the central figure, Sylvia conversed lively with Juliette about Karina¡¯s behavior over the years,


    yet seemed oblivious to personally being involved still.


    Karina had no one to me but herself for today¡¯s events. When she had no true ties with


    Cyril, it was unwise to coyly hint at a smitten, generous admirer for years, one who turned out to


    already have a wife. Truly a situation of Karina and Cyril¡¯s own making, Sylvia

 Chapter 30

    Chapter 30


    Chapter 30 Crisin


    Happily dissecting the scandal, neither Sylvia nor Juliette noticed Bruce return home until he was


    standing behind them listening silently.


    Hearing Sylvia mock Cyril as scum and recount Karina¡¯s suggestive posts over the years,


    Bruce rxed, having worried how the news might affect Sylvia and rushed back to check on her.


    Seeing her so at ease, he realized his unnecessary concern.


    With Sylvia determined to move on from Cyril, she likely wouldn¡¯t dwell on matters rted to him


    anymore.


    Bruce had hesitated over leaking the mistress story, fearing Sylvia¡¯s reaction. But deeming it proper


    punishment for Cyril¡¯s words to her during their dinner run¨Cin, Bruce had taken the risk,


    anonymously providing scious hints without hard proof. For scandals, evidence mattered less


    than insinuations expertly aimed where damage would ur.


    Noticing Bruce, Juliette instantly adjusted her bearing into perfectly poised student before an


    authority figure. Only her brother could elicit such reflexive propriety from the usually boisterous girl.


    Sylvia smiled wryly at Juliette¡¯s change in demeanor before greeting her brother, mentioning they


    were just discussing the news he probably saw.


    ??


    ¡°Yes, it was my doing. Are you angry?¡± Bruce asked.


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Why would she be mad? If anything, she felt gratified at the


    catharsis.


    ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m delighted you helped me vent my frustrations, brother. Thank you,¡± she said


    sincerely.


    It dawned on Sylvia that Bruce had likely acted out of anger from Cyril osting her at dinner. Her


    brother had stepped in when that man upset her yet again. Warm fondness for Bruce arose in


    Sylvia.


    Noticing Juliette¡¯s difort at his presence, Bruce genially made his excuses to leave and allow


    the girls their privacy. Only once he disappeared from sight did Juliette exhale heavily, gazing


    lingeringly after him.


    ¡°You¡¯re practically mooning over my brother. I¡¯ll help y matchmaker if you actually like him,¡±


    Sylvia teased.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Juliette flushed bright red. ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense! Why would I like that boring man? I have zero


    interest!¡±


    ¡°Uh huh, sure. That¡¯s why you wrote him love letters in high school asking me to pass them along,¡±


    Sylvia needled wickedly.


    Mortified at the resurfaced childhood antics, Juliette protested, ¡°Hey! I never bring up your past


    with Cyril either! Why poke at my history with your brother?¡±


    Dejected, Juliette added, ¡°Not that I¡¯d stand a chance with him anyway. You¡¯ve seen his reaction.¡±


    Despite her long¨Cheld affection, Bruce only regarded Juliette tonically as another little sister like


    Sylvia.


    since you harbor Seeing an opportunity, Sylvia piped up supportively, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, feelings, I¡¯ll help


    you out! I know my stoic brother seems dull on the surface but he¡¯s actually pretty amusing and


    considerate once you know him better.¡±


    ¡°No need to sing his praises on my ount. Having liked him for so long, I understand his


    personality fully already,¡± Juliette interjected wryly.


    Sylvia conceded she did tend to go overboard championing her brother. Settling back down, Juliette


    checked her phone for more entertainment news but bolted upright again.


    ¡°Oh my god! Guess what else I found? News broke of your marriage to Cyril! They exposed your


    identity as his ex¨Cwife! Haven¡¯t traced you back to the Evans yet but still ¨C what do we do?¡± Juliette


    asked frantically.


    Hearing herself entangled now, Sylvia quickly sat up and grabbed her own phone to check. Why


    was she suddenly embroiled in this?


    It turned out an unknown party had uncovered her brief marriage to Cyril after his denial. statement,


    even digging up old wedding pictures. Fortunately Sylvia¡¯s true background had remained


    concealed, with only public¨Cfacing details exposed against her will.


    Still, the unwee attention bothered Sylvia. Who would want aspects of private life randomly


    broadcasted?


    ¡°What is this? How did I get involved when it was Cyril¡¯s and Karina¡¯s mess? Your brother wouldn¡¯t


    have leaked additional stuff. Can you analyze the photo angle to guess the source?¡± Juliette asked


    as she tried vainly to solve the mystery.


    But even scrutinizing pictures from a wedding she hadn¡¯t attended, Juliette couldn¡¯t decipher the


    culprit¡¯s identity. Too much time had passed for Sylvia to sparse guest list of unimportant


    acquaintances.


    remember t


    A worrying thought urred to Juliette then. ¡°Do you think Karina dragged you into this to divert


    public fire?¡±

 Chapter 31

    Chapter 31


    Chapter 31 Wishing Them Happiness


    Sylvia was shocked when she heard this. She thought about it carefully and realized it was a


    possibility.


    However¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it could be her. Karina has always looked down on me. Over the years, she has been


    secretly scheming behind my back. Of course she wouldn¡¯t want me to have any connection with


    Cyril. As bad as this is for her, there¡¯s no way she would expose this herself. If my identity got out,


    the public outrage towards her would be even worse.¡±


    Now Sylvia was the biggest victim. As soon as her identity was exposed, there would be


    indiscriminate attacks on Cyril and Karina online.


    Especially Karina. She would likely get the worst of it.


    Even though they had never met in person before, they had shed numerous times over the


    years.


    Every confrontation made Sylvia realize how much Karina cared about her own status. If possible,


    Karina absolutely did not want anyone knowing about her rtionship with Cyril.


    So there¡¯s no way she would have exposed this herself. It¡¯s more likely it came from Cyril¡¯s side. But


    would Cyril really expose his own identity?


    ¡°Then who could it be? It can¡¯t be Cyril right? You two are divorced already. Dragging you into this


    would make things even worse for him. He¡¯s not stupid. Why would he do something like this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Neither Cyril nor Karina would have done this. That only leaves one person.¡±


    Sylvia finally realized who the most likely person was to have orchestrated all this. Julie didn¡¯t know


    who Sylvia meant, but she was curious since Sylvia seemed to have figured it


    out.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait until we find evidence before saying anything more. I think the guys will get to the bottom


    of this soon.¡±


    Sylvia just smiled without exining further. This didn¡¯t really affect her anymore. No one could find


    her if she didn¡¯t take a stance or appear herself. But the impact of this on both Cyril and Karina


    would be huge.


    What Sylvia didn¡¯t expect was that the truth woulde out so quickly.


    After taking a day off, Sylvia went back to work as usual.


    Her work efficiency had been pretty goodtely. Everyone could see her capabilities. They realized


    Sylvia was quitepetent, so some higher¨Cups took a liking to her and discreetly looked into her


    background, discovering she was the eldest daughter of the Ivan family.


    That morning when Sylvia was about to enter thepany building


    blocked her way.


    a group of reporters


    At first Sylvia didn¡¯t think much of it, since reporters woulde every day to interview her brother


    Bruce when he arrived at work. So she assumed they were here for him.


    ¡°Excuse me, are you Cyril¡¯s ex¨Cwife? We discovered some information about you online recently


    and wanted to interview you.¡±


    Sylvia was shocked. She didn¡¯t expect these people were here for her. Had her connection with


    Cyril already been exposed so quickly?


    She hadn¡¯t had a chance to check the online news that morning. It seemed things were worse than


    she imagined.


    ¡°What do you


    want?¡±


    Sylvia didn¡¯t intend to give an interview, but she realized if she turned them away today, the


    reporters would just keep staking out the office entrance for her. She had finally made some


    progress at work. If those stubborn executives found out, they might try to undermine her. again.


    The reporters were relieved when they saw how cooperative Sylvia was being. To be honest, they


    were quite surprised when they learned she worked at the Ivan family¡¯spany.


    The online information made it seem like Sylvia was a nobody who married into a wealthy family


    and didn¡¯t have any skills. But that didn¡¯t appear to be the case now.


    The Ivan family¡¯spany wasn¡¯t so easy to get into. You needed top grades, abilities, and to be


    exceptional in every area.


    Basically everyone in thispany was extremely capable.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°We received information that you were married to Cyril for three years. Is that correct?¡±


    Sylvia smiled and nodded slightly. The reporters were thrilled it was true and continued questioning


    enthusiastically.


    ¡°So regarding the online rumors of a scandalous rtionship between your ex¨Chusband and actress


    Karina, were you aware or unaware?¡±


    Sylvia carefully considered whether she qualified as aware or unaware.


    Seeing she couldn¡¯t answer, the reporters perked up. Her silence seemed to confirm things. But


    was she acquiescing or was she keptpletely in the dark?


    ¡°So since you can¡¯t answer that question, can we assume that Karen was part of the reason you


    and Cyril divorced?¡± the reporter asked pointedly.


    Sylvia let out a shortugh. ¡°You all should go into detective work instead of entertainment


    reporting.¡±


    So it really was because of Karen. The rumors of her being the other woman were true.


    ¡°Do you have anything you¡¯d like to say to the two of them?¡± Another reporter piped up. His


    colleagues looked at him incredulously. What kind of loaded question was that? Talk about


    an awkward situation.


    Sylvia was also surprised they¡¯d ask her something like that. She paused for a moment before


    responding simply, ¡°I guess if you¡¯re forcing me, I can only wish them happiness. They should stay


    committed to each other and stop causing harm.¡±


    That was Sylvia¡¯s true thoughts. She shouldered past the reporters and headed into her office


    building to start her workday.


    The footage of Sylvia¡¯s interview spread rapidly online. Seeing her words, public disdain towards


    Karen grew even stronger. To think that she could actually do something like this.


    In an instant, Karen and Cyril were thrown into the public hot seat again. Meanwhile,


    Cyril was urgently investigating who was behind leaking all this. Eventually the trail led back to his


    own sister, Bonnie. Cyril felt his blood pressure rising in anger. What was his foolish


    sister up


    to?


    Right on the heels of that discovery, Cyril saw Sylvia¡¯s interview. He was utterly shocked. He knew


    clearly that Karen had never interfered with their marriage. So why did Sylvia still think it was her?


    What was going on here?

 Chapter 32

    Chapter 32


    Chapter 32 Publicity Crisis


    Cyril wasn¡¯t foolish. He knew clearly that with things having escted to this degree, Karen must be


    involved somehow. If she wasn¡¯t, Sylvia would never say things like that.


    He felt utterly exhausted in this moment. Between his sister and Karen, the two kept causing all


    kinds of unpredictable trouble for him. It was giving him a pounding headache. Things were not


    supposed to spiral out of control like this.


    He had to get to the bottom of what exactly happened over the course of his marriage to Sylvia.


    Whether it was his sister, Karen, or even his mother Michelle, what roles did they y?


    As for Sylvia, after finishing up with the reporters she headed straight into the office building. The


    moment she stepped inside, she noticed her coworkers giving her strange


    looks.


    She didn¡¯t even need to guess ¨C they must have heard about this morning¡¯s fiasco. With the


    reporters camped outside the doors all morning, of course word spread about her inside.


    Unexpectedly, her identity was now exposed to them all.


    ¡°There you are! Do you know what¡¯s been happening? People are gossiping about you. Saying it¡¯s


    suspicious you still have a job here after your divorce,¡± Juliet said, grabbing Sylvia¡¯s arm and pulling


    her to the break room.


    ¡°They¡¯re even suggesting you must have an inappropriate rtionship with your ex- husband.


    Otherwise how could you still be working at his family¡¯spany?¡±


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help butugh after hearing Juliet¡¯s update. ¡°I figured they¡¯d talk behind my back. But


    I didn¡¯t realize they¡¯de up with such interesting theories. Anyway, what are you doing here?¡±


    At that question, Juliet¡¯s smile also faded. She snorted in irritation. ¡°What do think?


    you Since you went back to inherit the family business, my dad doesn¡¯t want me fooling around


    anymore. He¡¯s making me join thepany too to ¡®learn¡®.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know anything though! So he arranged for me to intern with you. He secretly met with your


    brother a few days ago and settled it all. Then he informed me this morning and sent me straight


    here.¡±


    Sylvia saw this as a perfect opportunity. ¡°That works out great! You can stay by my side and learn a


    lot. With me around, there will be less pressure than if you were under my brother.


    Chapter 32 Publicity Crisis


    Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re the only sessor for your family¡¯spany anyway.¡±


    Juliet understood that reasoning all too well. ¡°I know, I know. So here I am, obediently showing up.


    For this period I¡¯ll be your assistant, learning along the way.


    ¦°


    ¡°Oh right, when I saw your brother earlier he said to send you straight to the conference room when


    you arrive. We better hurry, it¡¯s almost time.¡±


    ncing at her watch, Juliet grabbed Sylvia¡¯s hand and rushed them up to the meeting. The two


    girls slipped in just in time, with Sylvia entirely unaware there was even a scheduled morning


    meeting.


    ¡°Causing such a major publicity crisis for thepany, yet sauntering inte. You two really are


    something else. Especially you, Sylvia. Do you not take this seriously at all?¡± The words came from


    Ingrid, an employee seated below Bruce.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Ingrid was also apany shareholder who harbored an intense crush on Bruce. Sylvia knew


    about it even before her own marriage. Ingrid adored Bruce and therefore refused to ept Sylvia


    staying by his side through illegitimate means.


    In her view, Bruce deserved someone better. She wouldn¡¯t stand to see him snatched away. Ingrid


    would even privately try to sabotage Bruce and Sylvia¡¯s rtionship.


    To Ingrid, Bruce was the one who should be inheriting thepany, not Sylvia. If Ingrid wasn¡¯t a


    shareholder, Bruce wouldn¡¯t spare her a second nce. Dealing with her endless pestering over the


    years had brought Bruce endless headaches.


    ¡°Did I cause any publicity crisis for thepany? All they know is that I work here. But as far as I


    can tell, no damaging connections to thepany were leaked online. If that counts as a publicity


    crisis, I may need to relearn the definition,¡± Sylvia smoothly retorted.


    ¡°If I remember correctly, it was you who created a huge scandal three years ago which embarrassed


    thepany and cost us nearly 30 million dors in damages. Have you paid that money back


    yet?¡±


    Sylvia would not back down to this woman¡¯s needling. Her every intentiontely has been to


    cause trouble.


    Ingrid instantly froze up at those sharp words, her expression growing stormy as she glowered at


    Sylvia. No one expected she would know so manypany secrets. Clearly Sylvia had an


    unusually close bond with Bruce.


    Seeing his little sister effortlessly prevail, Bruce also rxed. He wasn¡¯t worried either, fully aware


    that current public opinion was on Sylvia¡¯s side.

 Chapter 33

    Chapter 33


    Chapter 33 Promotion


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve called you here today not to listen to your petty arguments, but because Sylvia has


    made considerable progresstely. I¡¯ve decided to give her a promotion and have her spearhead a


    project independently. Does anyone have objections?¡± Bruce tapped the table lightly, redirecting the


    conversation to the real purpose of this meeting.


    He had wanted to give Sylvia a promotion for awhile now, just waiting for the right timing. With her


    sessfullypleting a recent project, Bruce felt now was the moment to give her more


    responsibility and develop her capabilities. For most employees, such a big meeting wouldn¡¯t be


    needed. But Sylvia was different ¨C as a future heir, Bruce had to get some nominal support from key


    stakeholders, meaningless as that was.


    Ingrid was quick to voice dissent. ¡°I disagree. She¡¯s just a lowly assistant. If all assistants started


    getting big projects instead of doing their jobs, we wouldn¡¯t need assistants at all!¡±


    The others stayed silent, rolling their eyes internally. Clearly Ingrid didn¡¯tprehend Sylvia¡¯s


    special status if Bruce was going through this much trouble for a mere promotion meeting. As


    businesspeople, what mattered was making money, not who exactly led what project. And they had


    faith Bruce wouldn¡¯t let thepany tank.


    ¡°I support Bruce¡¯s decision,¡± someone echoed..


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Well if you¡¯re having her lead a project, I assume you already decided which one Bruce?¡± another


    asked. Knowing Bruce, everything would be meticulously nned already before informing them.


    ¡°Yes, I have a project in mind¡­¡± Bruce went on to outline handing Sylvia a VP-level


    temporary role to tackle ongoing challenges with a South City development. Sess there would


    lead to a permanent VP promotion.


    Stunned silence followed. They hadn¡¯t expected Bruce to give such a senior position. But South City


    did require that level of authority.


    ¡°You really trust her to handle something soplex?¡± Ingrid fumed, envy written all over


    her face.


    Bruce just stared coldly back without answering. Why should he justify anything to Ingrid?


    If he didn¡¯t believe in Sylvia, no one would.


    As Bruce continued dressing down Ingrid, everyone else stayed mum¡­realizing again how


    uniquely high Sylvia ranked for Bruce. The meeting ended shortly after with Ingrid


    storming off while others shrugged, only caring about profit rather than who specifically


    was VP.


    Chapter 33 Promotion


    Afterwards, Sylvia and Julie gleefully went to decorate her new VP office,ughing over Ingrid¡¯s


    dramatics. For them, the office felt like a second home where they coulde and go freely based


    on Bruce¡¯s favor.


    Yet Ingrid soon arrogantly blocked their way, threatening Sylvia¡¯s role and credentials. Sylvia calmly


    retorted Julie was her new assistant, perfectly reasonable for a VP. Unable to find faults, a seething


    Ingrid stormed off again. The girls chuckled, anticipating Ingrid would now pester Bruce instead.

 Chapter 34

    Chapter 34


    Chapter 34 If she can do that, so can I!


    send me, I¡¯ll ¡°Why do I have to go? You¡¯re the one who caused this whole mess. If you be the


    target!¡± Julie refused. This had nothing to do with her and she didn¡¯t want Ingrid getting the wrong


    idea.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°At this point, she thinks we¡¯re in it together anyway so it doesn¡¯t matter who goes. And I¡¯m giving


    you an opportunity here,¡± Sylvia said with a wink, hinting for Julie to use it as a chance to impress


    Bruce.


    Julie flushed red, wondering how much Sylvia knew. But reading her friend¡¯s expression, there was


    clearly more happening behind the scenes. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll head over now. You get to deal with all this on


    your own!¡±


    Sylvia rolled her eyes as Julie rushed off eagerly, leaving her to arrange the office alone. She


    almost wished she could witness Julie confronting Ingrid too.


    By the time Julie arrived, Ingrid was already inside Bruce¡¯s office. Bruce had expected she¡¯de


    bother him after that ridiculous meeting. ¡°If this is about Sylvia¡¯s promotion, don¡¯t waste your breath


    because it¡¯s not changing,¡± he said, not even ncing up from his work.


    ¡°You called that meeting iming to respect us shareholders, then ignored my input! Don¡¯t you care


    what people will say about you favoring her?¡± Ingrid argued.


    Bruce finally put down his pen to scrutinize Ingrid. ¡°Frankly the gossip doesn¡¯t bother me if it stays


    outside this office. But tell me ¨C are you


    ¨C are you speaking as a shareholder worried about thepany or out of your personal interest in


    me?¡±


    Ingrid scrambled for words under his piercing gaze before insisting it was all for Bruce¡¯s sake and


    thepany¡¯s best interests.


    Bruce scoffed. ¡°Let¡¯s not pretend there¡¯s anything between us beyond profit incentives. That¡¯s the


    only metric in business.¡±


    Visibly upset, Ingrid changed tactics. ¡°Why her specifically? I can match her contributions. You know


    I¡¯ll always support you, even without mary gain!¡±


    Bruce was stunned into silence. As if he would ever choose an outsider over family! But before he


    could respond, Ingrid started removing her clothes, first the jacket then her


    blouse underneath.


    Bruce froze in dismay. Did she seriously think Sylvia used her body to get ahead? Just then, a


    knock preceded the door swinging open. Julie walked in, then stopped short at the sight of a half-


    naked Ingrid.


    Unsure what to make of this, Julie first closed the door again. But shouldn¡¯t she intervene instead of


    leaving? Steeling herself, Julie marched back in and pped Ingrid hard across the face for her


    audacity.


    Shocked by the sharp sting, Ingrid reacted angrily until Bruce inserted himself between the women.


    ¡°Enough! I won¡¯t tolerate violence in my office. Ingrid, get out! Julie, what did you want?¡±

 Chapter 35

    Chapter 35


    Chapter 35 Get rity


    As Ingrid geared up to retaliate, Bruce stepped forward to intervene.


    ¡°Why are you stopping me when she just hit me!¡± Ingrid shouted at Bruce. ¡°She¡¯s just an assistant


    daring to attack me!¡±


    Bruce showed no reaction, simply shoving Ingrid back and positioning Julie behind him.


    ¡°You deserved it after your behavior here. If those ps don¡¯t knock some sense into you, perhaps I


    should help the lesson sink in too,¡± Bruce threatened coldly.


    Seeing Bruce genuinely angry for once, Ingrid bit her tongue and left with onest re at Julie.


    ¡°Did Sylvia send you?¡± Bruce asked Julie.


    ¡°Yeah, she figured Ingrid woulde trash talk her so asked me to run interference. Turns out I


    arrived just in time before things got worse!¡± Julie replied, still furious about Ingrid¡¯s audacity.


    She also felt a pang of sadness realizing Bruce still saw her only tonically like a sister. Why


    couldn¡¯t their rtionship progress closer? Putting herself out there with unrequited emotions would


    be too awkward.


    ¡°Your timing was perfect, thanks for the help. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ve seen thest of Ingrid for awhile at


    least. You and Sylvia better get to work now,¡± Bruce dismissed.


    Julie opened her mouth to finally confess her true feelings, but Bruce had already brushed her off.


    Crestfallen, she simply nodded and took her leave, ncing back to see Bruce nonchntly


    continuing his tasks as if utterly unaffected by what just transpired.


    After she had gone, Bruce put down his pen and pressed his fingers to his temple wondering how


    situations had deteriorated to this point.


    Later after work, Sylvia worried over meeting her estranged friend Kelly again. ¡°Are you sure she


    wants to see me? I thought she wanted nothing more to do with me ever.¡±


    Losing touch after Kelly dered their friendship over if Sylvia foolishly married Cyril had stung


    deeply. Now that she had woken up, Sylvia desperately hoped it wasn¡¯t toote.


    ¡°Instead of fretting uselessly now, why didn¡¯t you just listen back when Kelly and all of us warned


    how toxic Cyril was?¡± Julie pointed out.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sylvia winced, acknowledging she had been too love¨Cblind at the time to consider consequences.


    How deeply she regretted that now after the fallout.


    Chapter 35 Get rity


    2/2


    ¡°The past doesn¡¯t matter. I just hope Kelly will truly talk to me again,¡± Sylvia worried.


    ¡°Well I wouldn¡¯t have arranged this if Kelly hadn¡¯t reached out herself. She wants to check if you¡¯ve


    gained sanity back. If so, you remain friends. If not, you¡¯re through for good.¡±


    Sylvia exhaled in relief. Back then she never cared about preserving friendships. My how perception


    changed.


    They soon arrived at their old haunt, the Tonight club. Kelly was already inside nursing a drink in an


    oversized white suit giving her an androgynous look entuated by her short blonde hair. With her


    boylish style and dominant energy, it was easy to mistake Kelly for a handsome young man at first


    nce.


    So you showing up means you¡¯ve wised up? Then take a seat. Otherwise don¡¯t bother entering


    again if I have to exin twice,¡± Kelly stated, putting out her cigarette.


    Sylvia quickly nodded. ¡°I absolutely have gotten rity. No more wasting time on losers!¡±


    Grinning widely, Sylvia rushed over to tightly embrace Kelly, who slowly smiled back signaling


    eptance of Sylvia¡¯s returned sensibilities.

 Chapter 36

    Chapter 36


    Chapter 36 No drunk, No fun


    Sylvia rushed to embrace Kelly, who quickly pushed her away in irritation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get so clingy with me. When you got married, I warned you plenty which you ignored. before


    cutting me off. Now you just waltz back expecting things to be fine?¡± Kelly said, still upset over


    losing touch after working hard to stop Sylvia¡¯s reckless wedding.


    Sylvia had blocked them all out, secretly getting her certificate before informing anyone afterwards.


    The utter betrayal had cut deeply.


    Sylvia winced, fully acknowledging her faults back then. ¡°You¡¯repletely right. I was too blind and


    stubborn, and I¡¯m so sorry I hurt you. Yell at me, criticize me all you want ¨C I totally deserve it and


    won¡¯t argue back.¡±


    Kelly studied Sylvia, then nced over at Julie. Clearly Sylvia was here to reconcile rtionships,


    but was it genuine?


    ¡°Are you truly repentant, or just pretending so we makeup? Even if you¡¯re over Cyril now, I can¡¯t


    excuse you severing our bond for him before,¡± Kelly said bluntly. After years of no contact, she had


    still been shocked hearing about Sylvia¡¯s divorce.


    Sylvia sighed heavily. How awful she had been to make her own friends distrust her sincerity now. ¡°I


    swear I really mean it this time. The divorce papers prove Cyril is out of my life for good!¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Kelly hesitated, still skeptical.


    Julie spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s true I saw the documents myself. And given the public nature of the Karen


    situation, no way Sylvia would still tolerate Cyril.¡±


    Kelly relented with understanding. As proud women, Sylvia staying with Cyril despite another


    tant affair would be impossible to abide.


    ¡°I thought you had woken up, but turns out you just reached your limit,¡± Kelly said, unable to keep


    some bitterness from seeping out. After relentlessly trying to sway Sylvia before, it stung that


    another woman seeded with ease it seemed.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that! I know I majorly messed up, but I sincerely regret it now. Please just give me


    one more chance,¡± Sylvia pleaded, hugging Kelly again.


    Kelly felt her resistance softening. She wouldn¡¯t have reached out otherwise if reconciliation. was


    impossible.


    ¡°Just once! Pull crap like that again and we¡¯re permanently through. Good men are plentiful


    ¨C we can find you off again.


    Sylvia gazed at Kelly gratefully.


    Eager to lighten the mood, Julie piped up suggesting they celebrate Sylvia¡¯s freedom with endless


    drinks and eye candypany. Sylviaughed while Julie quickly backtracked on her


    eagerness, insisting she held no special interest in Bruce whatsoever despite her transparent


    behavior suggesting otherwise. The three friends shared amusement over Julie¡¯s antics before


    wholeheartedly embarking on a night of carefree revelry.


    Chapter 36 No drunk, No fun


    979


    ¨C we can find you ten times better guys actually caring for you,¡± Kelly stated, pushing sylvia off


    again.


    Sylvia gazed at Kelly gratefully.


    Eager to lighten the mood, Julie piped up suggesting they celebrate Sylvia¡¯s freedom with endless


    drinks and eye candypany. Sylviaughed while julle quickly backtracked on her eagerness,


    insisting she held no special interest in Bruce whatsoever despite her transparent behavior


    suggesting otherwise. The three friends shared amusement over julle¡¯s antics before


    wholeheartedly embarking on a night of carefree revelry.

 Chapter 37

    Chapter 37


    Chapter 37 I¡¯m here for Sylvia


    Julie huffed, knowing denial was pointless with how obvious she had be. But still friends


    teasing her so bluntly for a crush was over the line!


    her


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to y anymore if you¡¯re going to be so mean. I¡¯ll drink by myself then,¡± she dered


    dramatically without actually budging from her seat. The hrious bluff just made Sylvia and Kelly


    laugh harder.


    Jokes aside, a years¨Clong bond allowed lighthearted ribbing. And while eager to ogle the eye


    candy, Julie now felt too self¨Cconscious with the others clued in. Sylvia and Kelly kept needling


    her, amusement growing.


    The second round of drinks arrived, momentarily distracting them. ncing outside, Sylvia¡¯s eyes


    met a familiar face passing by. Jonathan paused to greet her, but Sylvia looked away instantly, body


    language closed¨Coff.


    Surprised by the frigid brush¨Coff after their friendly history, Jonathan figured Sylvia¡¯s temper


    remained foul after the Cyril fiasco. Still, they should at least be cordial acquaintances able to


    exchange pleasantries.


    Just then, Jonathan noticed Sylvia leaning flirtily on another man, seeming extremely intimate.


    Shocked, could messy breakups with both Cyril and Sylvia stem from them not being exclusive after


    all?


    Unsure what was happening but wanting photographic proof, Jonathan stealthily pulled out his


    phone when the server next exited the room. Snapping a few quick pictures despite forgetting to


    disable his sh, Jonathan ducked away just in time before Sylvia noticed.


    Safely back in his own room, Jonathan examined the images with satisfaction. They clearly showed


    Sylvia cozied up without tonically with that unknown guy. Grinning, Jonathan sent them off to


    Cyril straightaway.


    ¡°Some ex¨Cwife you got there, already cuddling new men right after your split. Makes me wonder


    whose fault the divorce really was- maybe you both weren¡¯t so faithful, eh?¡± Jonathan mocked,


    eager to see Cyril¡¯s reaction.


    The sh alerted Sylvia and Kelly someone was photographing them. Checking the hall only to find


    it empty, they brushed it off without worry whoever it was would gain nothing


    from the harmless images.


    Meanwhile Julie, oblivious to the incident, just whined at them to keep drinking. The three friends


    continued their night ofughter and bondingte into the night before preparing to depart.


    Chapter 37 I¡¯m here for Sylvia


    Right as they stepped out, none other than Cyril stormed up furiously. Kelly bristled, ready to ignore.


    to unleash years


    of pent¨Cup violent urges at this infuriating man. But Sylvia choc Cyrilpletely, insisting they just


    leave.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Unwilling to be brushed off, Cyril aggressively grabbed Sylvia¡¯s arm to confront her privately. Sylvia


    shook him off in disgust.


    ¡°What the hell is wrong with you? If you have issues, go get help!¡± she snapped.


    Seeing Sylvia carefreely posing with another man so soon after their split had sparked jealous


    outrage in Cyril. He knew nothing about her social circles, having ignored them when married.


    Confused why he even cared post¨Cdivorce, Cyril had still impulsively rushed over upon getting


    Jonathan¡¯s pictures, unsure what he aimed to achieve.


    Yet Sylvia¡¯s open hostility provoked his simmering temper even more. How dare she act like he was


    a stranger and unt her intimacy with other men right in front of him! Did she think so little of him


    now?


    ¡°Who¡¯s that guy? Did you leave me for him? I told you there was nothing between Karen and I that


    should threaten your status. But you were the unfaithful one all along!¡± Cyril used angrily.


    ¨C you have zero say Sylvia justughed coldly. ¡°Let me make this crystal clear personal life now.


    Who I associate with is none of your business!¡± in

 Chapter 38

    Chapter 38


    Chapter 38 Targeted


    Sylvie would usually try to exin her rtionship with Kelly to Cyril, but now that they were over


    and she was so disappointed in Cyril, she didn¡¯t even want to bother.


    ¨C


    Cyril and Sylvie no longer had any rtionship, yet he came over demanding answers from her.


    There had never been an ounce of trust between them in their marriage theck of trust had been


    their biggest issue all along.


    Sylvie¡¯s reaction cut Cyril deeply. Furious that she was being so uncooperative and refused to


    exin what was going on, Cyril hadn¡¯t expected this from Sylvie at all.


    ¡°Wow, so you don¡¯t think you owe me any exnation huh? Tell me then, what role does he y in


    our marriage? Did he cause our divorce? What do you get out of being with him instead of me?¡±


    ¡°And what did I get out of being with you? You were always obsessed with Carina, causing


    problems in our marriage, never taking it seriously. Why should I take you seriously?¡±


    Sylvieughed bitterly. What nerve did he have interrogating her like this, when he was the one who


    had messed up their marriage?


    ¡°You can¡¯t even handle your own issues, so don¡¯te pestering me. Have you dealt with the


    Carina situation? You keep grilling me but never look at your own problems. Why did we get a


    divorce in the first ce? Do you have no self¨Cawareness?¡±


    Sylvie shoved Cyril angrily after her retort. She walked over to Kelly, deliberately putting her arm


    around Kelly¡¯s waist as they headed out.


    Kelly and Juliette nced back at Cyril as they left, enjoying his stormy expression after being put in


    his ce. It was too amusing seeing Sylvie¡¯s ex¨Chusband so worked up.


    ¡°Well well, look who can get Cyril all riled up. Now I really believe you¡¯ve moved on. But why


    did hee looking for you anyway? Was it because of me?¡±


    Kelly asked Sylvie as they walked away.


    Sylvie nodded. ¡°That photo must have been taken by Jonathan. He sent it to Cyril, who thought you


    were the third party in our marriage. That¡¯s why he came demanding if I divorced him for you.¡±


    ¡°Howughable. Cyril was the only one who had an affair in your marriage, yet he tries to me


    everything on you.¡±


    Upon hearing this, Juliette rolled her eyes. Whether Kelly was male or female wasn¡¯t the


    Chapter 38 Targeted


    issue Cyril¡¯s attitude was infuriating. He never examined his own faults first when


    ¨C


    problems urred, only seeking to assign me onto others.


    Sylvie sighed in agreement. ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t bother with him. He can¡¯t even resolve the Carina


    situation himself yet still wants to harass me. We¡¯re already divorced, why does he think I still owe


    him anything?¡±


    The three women vented about Cyril as they got into their respective cars and headed home.


    cause even mor But Sylvie had no idea that Jonathan giving those photos to Cyril would trouble.


    The next morning, she had just woken up when her phone blew up with calls from


    Bruce.


    ¡°You awake? What¡¯s with those online rumors about you? Is someone intentionally targeting you?¡±


    Still groggy, Sylvie had no idea what Bruce was talking about and struggled to grasp


    situation.


    the


    ¡°How much did you three drinkst night? I¡¯m asking about those online posts iming you were


    intimately close with another man. They¡¯re saying it was an affair, and that¡¯s why Cyril divorced you.


    Public opinion haspletely turned against you now.¡±


    Initially, many people sympathized with Sylvie over the divorce. But after this rumor emerged,


    instead of sympathizing, public sentiment was that Sylvie had gone overboard.


    Finallying to her senses, Sylvie hastily checked the posts on her other phone. Reading through


    them, she couldn¡¯t help butugh bitterly.


    She had really underestimated Jonathan. To think he would share those photos online and im


    she was improperly involved with another man, insinuating it had gone on for a long time, even


    during her marriage.


    It was practically stating outright that she and Kelly had an inappropriate rtionship, leading to her


    divorce from Cyril. The implications were clear, even if worded tactfully.


    ¡°Only we know Kelly is a woman, but whoever leaked those photos


    but whoever leaked those photos was definitely trying to target you. Who did you manage to upset?


    Do you need me to help resolve this?¡±


    ¡°No need. It¡¯s not as bad as you think. I can handle it myself.¡±


    If it was someone else, Sylvie might be more concerned. But since it¡¯s Kelly, she doesn¡¯t care. Kelly


    is a real woman after all, she just dresses more androgynous. Those people have no credibility in


    attacking her with this.


    ¡°So what¡¯s your n?¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Chapter 38 Targeted


    3/3


    ¡°I¡¯ll let this simmer for now. That way the eventual twist will have more impact.¡±


    Bruceughed ambiguously upon hearing Sylvie¡¯s scheme. He didn¡¯t expect his sister to be so


    cunning, wanting to stoke the mes for a while before putting them out.


    But that¡¯s not a bad idea when people keep targeting you.


    ¡°Well if you already have a n, I¡¯ll leave you to it. But you should check in with Kelly¡¯s family, see


    how they want to handle this.¡±


    After all, this impacted Kelly too. No telling how her family feels¡­

 Chapter 39

    Chapter 39


    Chapter 39 Scandal


    Who knows how angry Kelly felt seeing those photos this morning. She couldn¡¯t believe her


    rtionship with Sylvie was being distorted like this.


    What was that photographer thinking? You can clearly tell Kelly is a woman. Yet they take these


    misleading pictures to imply something inappropriate between them.


    What inappropriate rtionship? They¡¯ve known each other for so long. If anyone has an


    inappropriate rtionship, it¡¯s Cyril with someone else. What does that have to do with her? ¡°That


    jerk went too far insulting me like that. He must not be afraid of me teaching him a lesson!¡±


    Sylvie didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. She knew Kelly could be dramatic but didn¡¯t expect her


    to be this upset.


    ¡°Calm down, calm down. I just got a call from my brother. Do you want to deal with Cyril now or let


    this simmer more before we get back at them?¡±


    Sylvie tried to pacify Kelly.


    When Kelly first saw those photos she was ready to attack Cyril. Thankfully she had some self¨C


    control left and called Sylvie first. Hearing Sylvie¡¯s suggestion helped ease her anger slightly since


    she wasn¡¯t taking Cyril¡¯s side.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°What¡¯s your n? Also, you know the photographer right? Please tell me you have dirt on


    him.¡±


    Sylvie chuckled. More than just dirt, she knew a lot about Jonathan.


    ¡°I know plenty.¡±


    That short statement fully satisfied Kelly. If that was the case then she¡¯ll wait for Sylvie¡¯s


    counterattack.


    ¡°Fine. I expect a satisfactory answer from you. If not, don¡¯t stop me from taking matters into my own


    hands.¡±


    After they hung up, Sylvie mused over this wonderful gift from the heavens.. She¡¯ll have to take full


    advantage and not rush to resolve this immediately.


    She got ready and headed to work, though the rumors online were spreading too rapidly. All sorts of


    gossip about her was circting.


    The gossip grew increasingly outrageous from various sources. Though no one dared say


    anything to Sylvie¡¯s face, she chose to ignore the hearsay.


    Julie came to work today too. Furious upon hearing the rumors, she tried to confront the gossipers


    several times only to be held back by Sylvie.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you angry? What they¡¯re saying is way out of line. You can¡¯t just let this go!¡±


    Julie was exasperated. She knew Sylvie was waiting for the right chance to strike back. But even


    so, she can¡¯t just sit by watching her reputation get shredded, right?


    Sylvieughed wryly. Who said she was ignoring this? After the recent fermentation online, she¡¯d


    been bombarded with relentless verbal abuse. Meanwhile Cyril hadn¡¯t said a word, likely convinced


    that she was behind this whole fiasco.


    That¡¯s why Sylvie prepared a special gift for those two.


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    Sylvie grabbed Julie¡¯s hand and walked into her office. As Vice President she had her own office


    now instead of sharing with Bruce. Plus there were some things she didn¡¯t want Bruce knowing


    since she started this mess herself. Naturally she had to resolve it on her own.


    Julie was still upset but also curious what Sylvie had in store. So she followed her into the office.


    Sylvie took out a file and handed it to Julie.


    ¡°Take a look.¡±


    Julie flipped through a few pages before her eyes went wide. She didn¡¯t think it was a big deal


    before but this was shocking. Way more interesting than the current gossip about Sylvie online. She


    couldn¡¯t wait to see people¡¯s reactions when Sylvie releases this.


    ¡°When do you n on leaking this stuff?¡±


    ¡°I already did, half an hour ago.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Julie immediately whipped out her phone. She had to see what was happening


    online¡­


    After Sylvie leaked everything, Kelly immediately reacted to boost her response to the top trending


    posts, ensuring maximum visibility.


    For a while, they saw just how promiscuous Jonathan was, cavorting with other women even the


    day before his wedding. And after he married, he continued frequenting shady establishments,


    abandoning his wife again and again. He even forced her to get an abortion at one point.


    andale


    secure I resources for her,


    Chapter 39 Scandal


    and all kinds of things the leaked documents contained extensive details.


    3/3


    Especially during his marriage, Cyril went on several ¡°business trips¡± that turned out to be secret


    rendezvous with Karina instead. There were photos of them dining intimately like a pair of lovers,


    when he was supposed to be a married man.


    After the document dump, Sylvie posted a photo of herself with Kelly and wrote:


    ¡°I¡¯ve always believed people should have the freedom to choose whether to be a gorgeous girl or a


    handsome girl. If even that freedom getsbelled by others, then there must be some malice in their


    hearts¡­As for Mr. Jonathan secretly photographing us and spreading rumors without consent, Kelly


    and I have chosen not to pursue the matter this time. Consider this a mild warning. I hope Mr.


    Jonathan can mind his own business instead of


    scrutinizing others ¨C he¡¯s no cleaner. I also ask Mr. Cyril to have himself. Rumors fade


    before the wise any issue should be examined from one¡¯s own conduct first before ming others.¡±


    After posting this long tirade, Sylvie calmly logged off.


    But her reveal was too shocking. By dropping it at the peak of the public frenzy towards her, then


    methodically backing it up with evidence, shepletely turned the tables.


    Kelly instantly re¨Cposted it all, pairing the documents with photos of her evolution from long haired


    beauty to short haired handsome girl.


    She w


    She was effectively endorsing Sylvie¡¯s counterattack.

 Chapter 40

    Chapter 40


    Chapter 40 Everyone Condemning


    When these statements came out, it shocked everyone. They didn¡¯t expect the truth to be like this


    had they misunderstood Sylvia?


    In no time, public opinion turned against Jonathan. Everyone online was cursing out Jonathan and


    Cyril.


    Although they didn¡¯t really understand how this rted to Cyril, since Sylvia exposed it, it must have


    to do with him.


    So even though Cyril didn¡¯t do anything, because of Jonathan¡¯s reckless actions, he was caught up


    in the online bacsh too.


    The most obvious impact was on both families¡®panies, which faced direct consequences.


    Seeing all this, Cyril felt an immense headache. He quickly reacted, apologizing online.


    [Cyril: Regarding Ms. Sylvia¡¯s statements, parts of it are true. The fallout was due to my oversight,


    which led to the severe damage to Sylvia¡¯s reputation. I sincerely apologize here, and will learn from


    this incident and properly ask Jonathan to apologize.]


    Cyril didn¡¯t deny what happened in the past. But in his view, he and Caroline had no other


    rtionship. However, he knew that excessively exining their rtionship online wouldn¡¯t


    convince people.


    Cyril was used to handling things perfectly, never leaving any handles. So he wouldn¡¯t keep


    exining the past, as that could leave more negative impressions.


    He figured Sylvia was furious he didn¡¯t stop Jonathan¡¯s misdeeds despite knowing about them.


    That¡¯s why she exposed everything. But he truly never expected Jonathan¡¯s private


    escapades.


    Although many still cursed Cyril after his apology, his timely response salvaged his


    reputation somewhat. Plus, Cyril had solid business acumen, sobined with PR tactics, his side


    basically avoided further issues.


    While Cyril was fine, things weren¡¯t good for Jonathan at all.


    Seeing the online posts, Jonathan panicked. He admitted being scummy, keeping ties with certain


    women after marriage. But he never outright betrayed his marriage. Yet now his wife asked for


    divorce over this incident!


    Theirs was a business marriage; divorce would damage both families. But his wife requested it


    without hesitation, indicating she found the situationpletely uneptable.


    Since divorce was major, Jonathan expected her family would refuse. But not even 30 minutes after


    the news broke, they called saying they¡¯d terminate all cooperative ventures and partnerships ¨C the


    marriage was over!


    Jonathan was dumbfounded that they actually wanted divorce. Furious that he never wanted


    marriage in the first ce and now had no say in divorce either, he refused to agree no matter


    what.


    His wife¡¯s side was even more nonchnt. Disagree all he wants, they¡¯ll just drag things out until


    the divorce finalized.


    After this incident, Jonathan¡¯s familypany was also greatly impacted, not to mention his own


    reputation lying in tatters. He became the target of public vitriol.


    Everyone online hurled abuse at Jonathan, condemning him for bullying others with a mere photo


    and his past disrespect toward his wife.


    With the photos leaked, Jonathan had a pounding headache. Family and media endlessly called


    demanding what he nned to do.


    Left with no choice, Jonathan ran to Cyril. But apologizing was absolutely impossible.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to bow your head. You didn¡¯t even verify that photo before releasing it and causing


    this huge mess. Now you don¡¯t want to apologize?¡± Cyril was shocked hearing Jonathan refuse to


    back down, still convinced he did nothing wrong.


    saw it.


    No matter how Cyril apologizing was Jonathan¡¯s only option now. Yet he clung stubbornly to the


    matter. What¡¯s more, given Sylvia¡¯s other evidence, were Jonathan him, he would never provoke


    Sylvia right now. He would sincerely apologize so the matter could pass, since they were indeed at


    fault first here.


    Hearing Cyril say this, Jonathan stared in disbelief.


    ¡°What nonsense are you spewing?¡± Jonathon fumed. ¡°Don¡¯t you know I only did this for your sake?


    Did you see Sylvia gloating as if she¡¯d gained some leverage over me? So what if I have to divorce?


    I couldn¡¯t care less about this marriage anyway. And after all she¡¯s put you through, you just


    apologize at the drop of a hat? Aren¡¯t you selling yourself short? I¡¯m telling you, give her an inch


    and she¡¯ll take a mile. You absolutely cannot back down on this!


    Cyril rolled his eyes in exasperation. ¡°Look, if you don¡¯t want to apologize, fine. But


    don¡¯te crying to me. I just managed to smooth things over and now people will use us of


    scheming against Sylvia behind the scenes if you keep this up.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far. So what if you divorce? You can¡¯t stand to see her suffer a little? And


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Chapter 40 Everyone Condemning


    now you want me to apologize? I¡¯m telling you there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll apologize for this!¡± Jonathon was


    dead set on fighting Sylvia to the bitter end, not just for Cyril¡¯s sake, but for his own as well.

 Chapter 41

    Chapter 41


    Chapter 41 Continued Smears


    ¡°When you¡¯ve yed yourself, don¡¯te crying to me,¡± Cyril dismissed without even looking up


    from his work. ¡°Now if that¡¯s all, get out and stop bothering me.¡±


    Jonathon had reached his limit. Since Cyril refused to help, he¡¯d take matters into his own


    hands.


    ¡°Just you wait and see. I¡¯ll turn this around and unlike you, I¡¯ve got nothing to hide


    all these years. I¡¯ll dig up dirt on you!¡± Jonathon dered as he stormed off, determined to uncover


    Cyril¡¯s supposed misdeeds.


    But Cyril made no attempt to stop him, confident of his spotless history with Sylvia over their years


    of marriage. Her divorce request had shocked him enough without Jonathon¡¯s


    antics.


    That afternoon, Jonathon issued a public statement stubbornly refusing to apologize and using


    Sylvia of equally shady behavior¨Chow else could she have obtained so much evidence against him?


    The absurd excuse earned him another barrage of outrage. People now attacked both Jonathon


    and hispany without restraint. Conscious consumers even boycotted his products.


    Still undeterred, Jonathon hired a private investigator to tail Sylvia. But after considerable pressure


    and expense, the detective only confirmed her routine of home, work and asional mundane


    errands these past years, devoid of any scandalous entertainment.


    Jonathon was baffled. How could someone live such an abnormally uneventful personal life?


    Just then, he received an unexpected call from Bonnie. ¡°I can help get what you want on


    Sylvia if you¡¯re behind those online posts. Want to hear my idea?¡±


    Jonathon nearly dismissed Cyril¡¯s sister given her dodgy track record abroad that he¡¯d tactfully


    overlooked out of brotherly loyalty. However, Bonnie clearly shared his resentment of Sylvia. With


    no dirt from the investigator, perhaps she could provide ammunition against his sister¨Cin¨C


    law. Jonathon recorded the call just in case before responding.


    ¡°What have you got? Cyril wants me to apologize to Sylvia after the fallout, but I¡¯ve


    endured public outrage these past days tailing his wife only to find she¡¯s led an utterly


    dull life centered around him. Yet you want to target her? Quite interesting given she¡¯s


    treated you well enough.¡±


    Bonnie scoffed as though he¡¯d said something ridiculous. ¡°Treated me well? If so, she


    Chapter 41 Continued Smears


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    2/2


    wouldn¡¯t have exposed me and earned Cyril¡¯s rebuke. I¡¯m offering to help since I know


    you have evidence too. But if not, no need to continue this chat.¡±


    Jonathon itched to y Bonnie¡¯s words for Cyril. If he heard his own sister, he¡¯d surely flip the table


    in outrage. How could siblings of the same family differ so drastically? Cyril built his career while


    the only notable thing about his sister was herck of any redeeming quality.


    ¡°Using your brother¡¯s gun I see. But I understand your implication dear sister, no need to speak in


    riddles. I¡¯m not stupid to miss your meaning.¡± Jonathonzily rebutted.


    Flustered at being seen through, Bonnie gritted her teeth. ¡°So do you want the evidence or


    not? I¡¯ll give it to someone else if not.


    Eager to cut to the chase, she pressed Jonathon for a clear answer. Either he wanted her


    ammunition against Sylvia or they had nothing more to discuss.


    ¡°Show me first. If it¡¯s useful I¡¯ll take it, otherwise don¡¯t me me for not warning you. Digging up dirt


    on Sylvia is pointless once she gets pregnant. Don¡¯t drag me into your schemes.¡± Jonathon


    cautioned.


    Bonnie scoffed again at his cowardice before hanging up and sending over a file of photos. But


    Jonathon¡¯s brows furrowed when he opened it. His intelligence felt insulted.


    The images only showed Sylvia chatting innocuously with strangers in public, likely staged. Nothing


    remotely scandalous. Were all the brains in the family inherited by Cyril while Bonnie got only an


    empty shell?


    Jonathon swiftly deleted the useless pictures. But first he could show them to Cyril.

 Chapter 42

    Chapter 42


    Chapter 42 Sylvia¡¯s Warning


    The next day, more ¡°expos¨¦s¡± about Sylvia trended online, this time directly from


    Jonathon himself rather than the media. His petty revenge knew no bounds.


    When Sylvia saw it at her desk, sheughed in disbelief. ¡°Is he insane? How can he call this


    proof? It¡¯s a joke at best. Shameless to present this nonsense as evidence.¡±


    Juliette had shown her boss the posts, knowing Sylvia was too busy with work to notice such online


    drama herself. ¡°I know, right? Some gullible people actually believe his ims that you


    met other men and cheated on Cyril! Ridiculous. Aren¡¯t you going to do something?¡±


    Sylvia shook her head, unruffled. ¡°Jonathon couldn¡¯t have dug this up himself. Someone must be


    helping him. Find out who.¡± She had suspected Bonnie but wanted proof.


    Juliette grinned, having expected this and already prepared the information. ¡°Way ahead of you!¡±


    She presented her findings with relish. ¡°Interesting, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Seeing Bonnie¡¯s involvement, Sylvia decided Cyril needed a warning to control his sister, or she


    might take matters into her own hands. Juliette chuckled at the thought of Sylvia disciplining Bonnie.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia removed Cyril¡¯s number from her cklist and called him directly. He sounded when he


    finally answered, still dealing with Jonathon¡¯s fallout damaging hispany. Another call from


    Sylvia surely meant more trouble for him to resolve.


    weary


    ¡°Remember ourst chat? I said handle your people instead of always running to me. What¡¯s the


    deal with Jonathon? If those posts were only for my viewing, stop wasting time. Last warning¨Crein in


    your sister or I¡¯ll personally mentor her.¡± Sylvia gave an ominous ultimatum before hanging up.


    Cyril¡¯s frown deepened, recalling Jonathon¡¯s unread ¡°evidence¡± that he¡¯d now regret. Clearly, this


    went deeper than he thought. Opening the email, Cyril saw it contained a recording.


    Hearing Bonnie proposition Jonathon to target Sylvia using photos she provided, Cyril flushed


    angrily. His sister¡¯s vendetta over his rebuke was as foolish as her plot against someone out of her


    league. How had slippery Jonathon been outmaneuvered by Sylvia¡¯s unknown capabilities? Even


    her divorce terms exceeded Cyril¡¯s expectations.


    Realizing Sylvia¡¯s restraint with this final chance to avoid direct intervention, Cyril rushed out without


    finishing work, demanding updates from his assistant about his wife and sister¡¯s recent activities.


    Only Bonnie¡¯s unexined nightly absences bothered him now.


    Chapter 42 Sylvia¡¯s Warning


    2/2


    Overhearing of Bonnie¡¯s impudence, Cyril sneered. ¡°So she stays out all night now? Gone wild after


    years abroad it seems and forgotten her way home.¡± He strode off, assistant hurrying behind.


    Chapter 43 Obliterated


    When Cyril found his foolish sister Bonnie the next morning after her night out clubbing, his sudden


    presence made her shriek.


    Bonnie was furious at first for the rude awakening, ready to reprimand the intruder, until realizing it


    was her brother. Unlike others, she¡¯d feared Cyril since childhood, obeying his every word and


    avoiding anything he forbade. So Bonnie could read his expressions clearly. ¡°What¡¯s going on


    brother? You woke me up right after I got back from partying all night,¡± she asked


    nervously, clutching her nket to her chest and not meeting his eyes.


    Noting how she concealed herself, Cyril¡¯s brow twitched but he spared his adult sister¡¯s dignity by


    not yanking away the covers.


    ¡°Do you ever consider the damage your online antics with Jonathon could bring ourpany? The


    trouble it invites?¡± Cyril kept his voice calm, hoping to reason with his grown sister. But Bonnie


    seemed oblivious to the gravity of her deeds, even daring to talk back to her angry brother.


    ¡°It¡¯s just payback for them forcing you to marry years ago. And I don¡¯t see the issue with exposing


    the truth?¡±


    ¡°You consider everyone a fool? Those photos clearly show random polite exchanges, yet you


    present it as evidence? I think the booze has pickled your brain. As of today, you¡¯re confined home


    without ess to your cards or money until you¡¯ve reflected. I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t bother calling for


    help this time.¡±


    Cyril stormed off, fuming. His exit made him realize Sylvia had always acted strangely around his


    family, as if hiding something. He¡¯d dismissed it as mere ipatibility that led to arguments, never


    considering Sylvia¡¯s home life over the years.


    Now his own sister and friend targeted her with such practiced ease. Had Sylvia endured unseen


    troubles that shaped her retaliation? Cyril felt regret for the first time.


    Enraged at losing her freedom and cards, Bonnie threw a tantrum destroying her room. Finding the


    doors locked, she grabbed her phone to call Sylvia. How dare that woman run to her brother! She


    would put Sylvia in her ce!


    Sylvia was surprised to receive Bonnie¡¯s call, having forgotten to re¨Cblock her number. But she


    smiled as Bonnie¡¯s shrieking rant reminded her of the family¡¯s impending misery.


    ¡°Tell your brother I warned if he couldn¡¯t discipline you, I would. His family will now pay dearly for


    this call and your past behavior towards me.¡± Sylvia calmly promised

 Chapter 43

    Chapter 43


    Chapter 43 Obliterated


    When Cyril found his foolish sister Bonnie the next morning after her night out clubbing, his sudden


    presence made her shriek.


    Bonnie was furious at first for the rude awakening, ready to reprimand the intruder, until realizing it


    was her brother. Unlike others, she¡¯d feared Cyril since childhood, obeying his every word and


    avoiding anything he forbade. So Bonnie could read his expressions clearly. ¡°What¡¯s going on


    brother? You woke me up right after I got back from partying all night,¡± she asked


    nervously, clutching her nket to her chest and not meeting his eyes.


    Noting how she concealed herself, Cyril¡¯s brow twitched but he spared his adult sister¡¯s dignity by


    not yanking away the covers.


    ¡°Do you ever consider the damage your online antics with Jonathon could bring ourpany? The


    trouble it invites?¡± Cyril kept his voice calm, hoping to reason with his grown sister. But Bonnie


    seemed oblivious to the gravity of her deeds, even daring to talk back to her angry brother.


    ¡°It¡¯s just payback for them forcing you to marry years ago. And I don¡¯t see the issue with exposing


    the truth?¡±


    ¡°You consider everyone a fool? Those photos clearly show random polite exchanges, yet you


    present it as evidence? I think the booze has pickled your brain. As of today, you¡¯re confined home


    without ess to your cards or money until you¡¯ve reflected. I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t bother calling for


    help this time.¡±


    Cyril stormed off, fuming. His exit made him realize Sylvia had always acted strangely around his


    family, as if hiding something. He¡¯d dismissed it as mere ipatibility that led to arguments, never


    considering Sylvia¡¯s home life over the years.


    Now his own sister and friend targeted her with such practiced ease. Had Sylvia endured unseen


    troubles that shaped her retaliation? Cyril felt regret for the first time.


    Enraged at losing her freedom and cards, Bonnie threw a tantrum destroying her room. Finding the


    doors locked, she grabbed her phone to call Sylvia. How dare that woman run to her brother! She


    would put Sylvia in her ce!


    Sylvia was surprised to receive Bonnie¡¯s call, having forgotten to re¨Cblock her number. But she


    smiled as Bonnie¡¯s shrieking rant reminded her of the family¡¯s impending misery.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Tell your brother I warned if he couldn¡¯t discipline you, I would. His family will now pay dearly for


    this call and your past behavior towards me.¡± Sylvia calmly promised


    consequences before hanging up.


    Juliette walked in to find Sylvia reviewing an old proposal. ¡°I thought you said that project wasn¡¯t


    viable months ago due to unrealistic scope and venues. Why consider it again now?¡±


    ¡°I was leaving them room to save face after the divorce. But since they prefer no mercy, be it.


    Rather than tolerate their provocations, I¡¯ll just obliterate their entire family.¡± Juliette grinned


    wickedly. ¡°About time they got their color. y nice and they just remain shameless. Show them


    iron fists so they know who not to mess with!¡±

 Chapter 44

    Chapter 44


    Chapter 44 Snatching the Project


    In the conference room, several people sat discussing ns for uing projects.


    ¡°Thoughts on pursuing Jimmy Estate? I think we should make it our next main development if no


    objections,¡± Ingrid suggested while presenting documents outlining the proposal.


    ¡°Though thend area is substantial for demolition and rebuild, I rmend this alternative,¡± Sylvia


    countered, showing her own file. ¡°It¡¯s adjacent to the new train station, in an old housing district


    closer to downtown ¨C very attractive location for homebuyers despite the sluggish market. We


    considered this long ago when Bruce was avoiding conflict with Cyril¡¯s interests. But after all this


    time unable to secure the deal, it shows Cyril stillcks capability.¡±


    Ingridughed derisively. ¡°Are you joking? We looked into this before but couldn¡¯t make it happen


    for various reasons. Now you act like it¡¯ll be easy if we try again?¡±


    Sylvia looked puzzled. ¡°If you considered it once, why not revisit it? We¡¯d just be snatching a project


    from someone else. Does ourpany not have the capital to outbidpetitors?¡± Her daring


    words left them speechless. While possible for theirpany to acquire the development by


    oupeting opponents, it could appear malicious.


    Bruce finally spoke up. ¡°Stealing others¡® business could be seen as predatorypetition.¡±


    Everyone conceded he had a point. Such a massive undertaking was set to break ground with


    anotherpany soon. Hijacking it now seemed suspicious.


    But Sylvia knew the project should have begun construction a month ago. Cyril¡¯s efforts had stalled


    while distracted by Karena¡¯s scandals.


    ¡°Why assume predatory intent? The fact it hasn¡¯t started on schedule shows thatpany isn¡¯t


    capable. Why leave a project to those unfit to execute it timely?¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Her rationale made sense. Letting ipetents keep the lucrative deal helped no one. Who cared


    about ethical appearances when profit was at stake?


    Bruce eyed Sylvia meaningfully. ¡°Are you certain you want to seize this? It may require greater


    sacrifice.¡±


    He was surprised she¡¯d suggest a venture originally granted to Cyril. But Sylvia just smiled.


    ¡°It was already ours to begin with. We¡¯re simply reiming it by any means necessary.¡±


    Her confidence and determination marked a departure from the marriage. Bruce grinned,


    Chapter 44 Snatching the Project


    pleased at the positive changes in his once docile sister.


    2/2


    ¡°You have a point, it was ours first. Let¡¯s take it back then.¡± Bruce stated decisively after gauging


    the room. Though initially stunned, none could deny the value of resuming such a rewarding


    project.


    ¡°What do we think then? No issues taking this back under our control for greater profit?¡±


    They¡¯d evaluated immense earnings potential before abandoning it previously. Reviving such an


    advantageous scheme now would surely yield returns exponentially.


    ¡°I agreepletely.¡±


    ¡°What agreement? We¡¯d sacrifice more to seize this now. What¡¯s the point?¡± Ingrid alone objected.


    Sylvia eyed her calmly. ¡°If you have personal rather than collective, business¨Cminded


    objections, state them clearly. This guarantees profit well above costs for thepany. Don¡¯t let


    your grudge deny immense earnings at thepany¡¯s expense if you can shoulder the losses. But


    Jimmy Estate offers far too little.¡±


    Her irrefutable rationale left Ingrid speechless once more.

 Chapter 45

    Chapter 45


    Chapter 45 Going official


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Ingrid¡¯s ugly expression showed her displeasure at the group¡¯s disagreement. She was stunned


    anyone would oppose her suggestion, much less reject it outright.


    If resuming this venture was good now, why had no one spoken up when it was previously


    abandoned? They just kowtowed to Bruce and Sylvia¡¯s


    closeness, leaving others voiceless. Yet they readily fawned over Sylvia again now. Revolting.


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then, we¡¯ll proceed with this project,¡± Bruce concluded, hammering down the


    decision. Everyone else smiled agreeably, delighted at the prospect. Only Ingrid remained visibly


    unhappy as the meeting adjourned.


    Bruce asked Sylvia to stay behind and questioned her resolve once alone. ¡°I thought you¡¯d let this


    go. Pursuing it today seemed like a passing impulse. But you¡¯re truly set on snatching this from


    Cyril?¡±


    Knowing her temperament all too well, Bruce still doubted Sylvia¡¯s determination, fearing she might


    waverter and leave them stranded.


    ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind. Why shouldn¡¯t I reim what he gained from me over the years? I won¡¯t


    dwell on the past but do need to teach him a lesson after recent unsatisfactory handling. He must


    learn what forces not to provoke. Losing a couple projects he couldn¡¯t have gotten otherwise should


    serve as fitting retribution.¡±


    Cyril was no pushover but utterly overpowered by greater dynasties like theirs. This venture had


    been the Ivanovs¡® initial choice before tossed as refuse that Cyril picked up. He could prevail among


    peers but never up the hierarchy.


    Bruce grinned and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve set things in motion to seize the project. Also, your second brother


    announced hiseback concert tour this morning. imed it was just work schedules when I


    called but we know it¡¯s because he misses you and wants to visit.¡±


    Sylvia brightened at the news. ¡°Second brother is the best! But he called you first? Hmph. Ask him


    to leave me tickets for his show so we can go together.¡±


    Bruce quirked a brow skeptically. ¡°You sure he¡¯d reserve tickets for you under your name? Better


    call yourself or he won¡¯t bother.¡±


    Her estranged brother surely resented Sylvia now and wouldn¡¯t indulge requests through


    Bruce.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯ll call second brother then. But he won¡¯t yell at me for being crazy and


    marrying that man right?¡± Sylvia asked nervously. Her brother¡¯s acid tongue notoriously


    Chapter 45 Going fea


    ripped into anyone. His temper explosions left no bystanders unscathed, even passing


    dogs berated.


    Bruceughed heartily. ¡°Didn¡¯t he alreadyst time you nned that


    wedding? This will just be reruns of the same scoldings. Why so worried now when it


    never bothered you before? Guilty conscience?¡±


    Sylvia sighed reluctantly. ¡°Of course I¡¯m guilty now! Last time I could im insanity but I¡¯m sober


    and sensible so the criticism terrifies me.¡±


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll call him after work and hope he goes easier this time.¡± She braced herself for the


    inevitable confrontation.


    Seeing her resignation, Bruce onlyughed louder, drawing curious nces from employees


    outside the ss conference room unused to such mirth from the formidable tycoon.


    Sylvia scowled and threatened to make him stop but Bruce just kept shaking his head while trying to


    restrain his chuckles.


    ¡°Enough! Get back to work and call your brother already. Best strike early rather than waiting longer


    right?¡±


    Agreeing the sooner she called, the better, Sylvia exited Bruce¡¯s office and first noted their official


    website announcing the stolen development ns shrouded in diplomatic wording. Industry insiders


    easily inferred the Ivanovs¡® next ruthless move. But none daredment, knowing challenging


    them was beyond reckless.


    Settling into her office, Sylvia steeled herself and called her brother atst. He deliberately let it ring


    awhile, clearly intent on aggravating her more before answering with blistering profanity.


    Though initially stunned speechless, Sylvia started giggling at the expected vitriol, finding her


    brother¡¯s reliable temper as endearing as always.

 Chapter 46

    Chapter 46


    Chapter 46 Fair Competition


    ¡°What work? You imed nomitments when I called this morning. And if so busy,


    how¡¯d you answer my call instantly anyway? Just admit you still care despite the harsh front,


    ¡°Sylvia retorted affectionately.


    ¡°Believe whatever makes you feel better, sister. Know I¡¯m doing very well at the familypany


    now, already at VP level thanks to recent sess. Once established, I¡¯ll fund your biggest world


    tour ever!¡± She hoped to make her brother proud.


    Balk went silent, weighing her bold statement¡¯s authenticity before scoffing skeptically.


    ¡°You expect me to take your word as assurance of such a senior promotion? I¡¯ve learned not to


    trust your tall tales anymore. Besides, didn¡¯t you forbid any involvement from me back when


    insisting on that disastrous wedding? Consider us estranged.¡±


    Her thoughtless words still pained Balk. He had always doted on his beloved little sister, reserving


    front row concert seats facing him specially for her. Yet his cherished sibling cast family aside for


    another man, leaving him heartbroken.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry, brother. I was terribly rude and irrational back then. But I¡¯ve changed, focused solely


    on advancing my career to redeem myself.¡±


    Sylvia desperately wanted to make amends for wounding her most caring brother. Hearing her


    remorse, Balk regretted maintaining distance, though she had brought this upon herself.


    ¡°Well, since you im reform, I¡¯ll move past grievances. But obviously you didn¡¯t call just for


    apologies. Out with it then.¡±


    Trust her brother to see through any pretense to her underlying motive. He¡¯d spoken to Bruce that


    morning so likely guessed Sylvia¡¯s aim already.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Bruce mentioned your uing tour. Can you leave me front row tickets? I want to support you


    properly this time ¨C with banners, light sticks, cheers, everything!¡±


    Sylviaughed, expecting her brother¡¯s characteristic sarcasm before ultimate indulgence of her


    request.


    Sure enough, Balk scoffed, ¡°And why should I arrange anything for you? Go fight for tickets yourself


    if so eager.¡±


    Before Sylvia could respond, Balk hung up, leaving her shaking her head in amusement. She knew


    despite his prickly words, he¡¯d personally deliver tickets when her cherished brother inevitably


    relented, never neglecting her expressed wishes.


    Chapter 46 Fair Competition


    212


    After finishing that personal call, Sylvia resumed working, only to have an irate Juliette soon


    intrude.


    ¡°Jonathon not only refuses apology but attacked our website statement of stealing the


    development. Cyril also messaged querying our intent.¡±


    Sylvia nced up impatiently amidst her tasks. ¡°Ignore Jonathon. Those partnerships will shut down


    anyway. Tell Cyril it¡¯s just fair marketpetition. If he disputes, he¡¯s wee to contend openly as


    well. May the best bidder win. Otherwise, silentpliance.¡±


    Juliette left grinning, eager to issue those bold replies. Sylvia agreed to her informing the others


    about securing concert ticketster. But she declined wasting time meeting Ingrid, rebuffing the


    waiting woman¡¯s requested audience outside her office.

 Chapter 47

    Chapter 47


    Chapter 47 May the best win


    Ingrid seethed at being denied entry due to inadequate credentials. As former VP, she¡¯d essed


    Sylvia freely. Everyone kowtowed now that the scheming temptress had seduced Bruce into


    appointing her.


    Ingrid had expected that VP role after years of dedication. Yet Sylvia swooped in to steal the prize.


    She could never swallow such humiliation.


    Noting Juliette¡¯s exit, Ingrid hurried after her and insisted on an urgent business meeting. She¡¯d


    waited vainly long enough outside that office.


    Juliette made no pretense of pleasantries with this woman she disliked. ¡°Sorry, but she¡¯s too busy


    now for pointless chats. State your issue or just get back to work.¡±


    ¡°This concerns thepany so watch your tone! I¡¯ll report your insolence!¡± Ingrid threatened.


    Juliette scoffed, unintimidated. ¡°Company business my foot. But please, tell the big boss. Then we¡¯ll


    see who can¡¯t stay after all.¡±


    Rather than cower before Ingrid¡¯s backers, Juliette dared her toin. Juliette would readily


    tattle first to Bruce about any troublemakers. Why pretend her best friend wouldn¡¯t soon assume


    control? She had no qualms settling scores immediately.


    Recognizing Juliette indeed had such influence, Ingrid bottled her temper to avoid self- destruction.


    But she refused resigned eptance.


    ¡°Quite bold. Let¡¯s see how long thatsts once I remove Sylvia. Then you¡¯ll both stop strutting


    around!¡±


    Juliette paused, acknowledging Ingrid¡¯s prediction reasonable. Sylvia would hardly remain VP long


    before further promotion since Bruce clearly favored her.


    ¡°Correct, Sylvia won¡¯t keep this position long. But she¡¯d never be ousted by you. You¡¯re far from


    recing her.¡± Juliette just smiled slyly and returned to work, ignoring Ingrid¡¯s presence like the


    other unsympathetic employees. Most weed someone finally standing up to the insolent


    shareholder¨Cexecutive.


    Seething at Juliette¡¯s snub, Ingrid stalked off impotently. By afternoon, damning expos¨¦s about


    Jonathon¡¯s family andpany surfaced online, ensuring thorough humiliation.


    With his enterprise precariously positioned, Jonathon desperately called Cyril again for help. But


    Cyril just reiterated apologizing as the sole solution, else worse would follow.


    Chapter 47 May the best win


    2/2


    ¡°How did Sylvia be so ruthlessly capable after the divorce? She never


    demonstrated such skills before!¡± Jonathon couldn¡¯t grasp this overnight transformation.


    His puzzled statement also reminded Cyril of overlooking Sylvia¡¯s situation. Indeed, her amplified


    prowess hinted at long¨Cconcealed talents. Had hepletely misjudged


    her realpetence all this time?


    ¡°My only options now are apology or waiting this out?¡± Jonathon asked anxiously.


    ¡°You can try thetter,¡± Cyril conceded unconvincingly beforepsing into troubled


    silence. He couldn¡¯t predict when Sylvia might relent. What if she intended their utter copse first?This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    While Jonathon agonized over groveling for forgiveness, Cyril desperately strategized retaining their


    lucrative partnership. The Ivanovs clearly outmatched him ifpeting freely. Last month¡¯s dys


    left this opening for them to exploit.


    He must swiftly resolve this and satisfy stakeholders counting on the deal. Except the


    initial selection had defaulted to the Ivanovs, whoter permitted Cyril¡¯s involvement. Why suddenly


    revert?


    A startling realization crossed Cyril¡¯s mind about Sylvia¡¯s intimate closeness with Bruce. Had Bruce


    only abandoned the n for his sister¡¯s sake? Impossible for the pragmatic tycoon¡­unless


    romantic motives overruled reason.


    Cyril was at an utter loss. Progressing blindly could prove catastrophic.

 Chapter 48

    Chapter 48


    Chapter 48 A Public Apology


    Jonathan had always refused to apologize to Sylvia, which was causing their family


    company to deteriorate. Everyone wanted him to swallow his pride and apologize so that things


    could move past this incident.


    At the very least, apologizing could help salvage theirpany. Any grudges could


    be settled another time ¨C there was no need to fight for some fleeting satisfaction now.


    But Jonathan was an extremely stubborn man. The more people told him to do something, the more


    he resisted.


    During the years that Sylvia was married to Cyril, Jonathan had been meek and subservient, never


    daring to confront them directly.


    Needless to say, Sylvia had been so submissive in front of Cyril. Jonathan saw her as beneath him


    and could not bring himself to apologize to someone so pathetic.


    Plus, when they had gotten married, Jonathan had mocked and ridiculed Sylvia relentlessly. Now


    being asked to personally apologize to someone he had looked down on was too much for his


    pride.


    He felt his whole family was deliberately trying to humiliate him and make him lose face.


    Even Cyril came as a mediator, asking Jonathan to simply apologize to Sylvia.


    ¡°Why should I apologize to her? What exactly did I do wrong here? If she hadn¡¯t done those


    things, why would there be photos in the first ce? It just shows what kind of woman she is. I was


    standing up for you!¡± Jonathan insisted.


    In Jonathan¡¯s mind, Cyril had suffered immense grievances by marrying Sylvia. With Cyril¡¯s status,


    he could have found someone much better. Their marriage must have been Sylvia¡¯s


    machinations.


    Now that Sylvia felt she had the upper hand, she was targeting their family. As if Jonathan would


    swallow his pride and let that happen!


    Cyril¡¯s face darkened. He used to feel their marriage was a hardship to endure, but looking back


    over the years, it was not much different than not being married at all.


    In their marriage, Sylvia was more like a vase that obediently stayed in the home.


    ¨C


    a unimportant but indispensable decoration


    Sometimes Cyril would use Sylvia to resolve problems, both in business and at home. Bringing her


    out served to mitigate many issues.


    Chapter 48 A Public Apology


    So it wasn¡¯t entirely urate to say Sylvia waspletely useless to him.


    Jonathan¡¯s words were nothing Cyril hadn¡¯t heard before, but for some reason they


    rang false now. Perhaps because recently Cyril realized some things were not what he expected.


    ¡°If you were standing up for me, there¡¯s no need. I can stand up for myself if I want to get back at


    someone. You shouldn¡¯t get involved, especially since you created this situation yourself. Isn¡¯t it


    only right Sylvia would retaliate?¡±


    If Cyril was in Sylvia¡¯s shoes, he would definitely be angry too before the truth came out, and would


    strike back even harder.


    So he felt Sylvia¡¯s reactions now showed some restraint out of consideration for his face.


    ¡°How can you stand up


    for Sylvia now? You used to have such a different attitude about her. Just because you¡¯re divorced,


    suddenly you care about her feelings? Don¡¯t go too far!¡± Jonathan felt betrayed that Cyril had taken


    the other side when he was doing this for both their sakes.


    Cyril¡¯s face darkened further. ¡°If you had actual proof she wronged me, that would be one thing. But


    those photos you leaked clearly show her just greeting or helping a stranger. Do you take people


    for fools?¡±


    ¡°Listen, if you don¡¯t apologize now, things are only going to get worse for your family¡¯spany,¡±


    Cyril said inly, too tired to continue pleading. ¡°Sylvia is giving you a chance to save face. If you


    apologize, yourpany might not be theughing stock. You can¡¯t let it crumble just because


    of your stubbornness.¡±


    Jonathan wanted to argue more but knew the recent downturn at hispany was bad. If things


    kept declining, thepany would be in real trouble.


    ¡°Alright, I get it,¡± he said begrudgingly. ¡°No need to lecture me anymore.¡±


    Cyril felt unappreciated aftering to offer genuine advice. He should have just stayed


    away.


    ¡°Do it quickly ¨C Sylvia¡¯s at the Ivan Group now. They have a charity ging up that she¡¯ll


    probably attend. Apologize to her there, but don¡¯t make a scene. And mean your apology, got it?¡±


    Cyril felt drained from refereeing their messy conflict. He just wanted to help smooth things over but


    they keptplicating it.


    Jonathan waved dismissively, still annoyed that he had to humble himself with a public apology. But


    fine, if that¡¯s what it took to fix hispany¡¯s mess, so be it.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Chapter 48 A


    blic Apology


    3/3


    Cyril left after that, having said his piece. He had work to do and Jonathan


    was an adult, after all. No need to babysit him.


    The Ivan Group did have a charity g nned, holding one annually to donate significant sums.


    The g doubled as a fundraising event.


    Given the prominence of the Ivan name, everyone wanted ess once word got out. Whether to


    actually contribute or simplywork, attendees had personal reasons for going.


    The event day arrived and guests streamed in, mingling for business opportunities even amid the


    altruistic air.

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    Chapter 49 Tank his business


    Jonathan had been scowling ever since he arrived at the charity g, still fuming that he had to


    apologize to Sylvia at the prestigious Ivan event.


    He couldn¡¯t understand her luck in cozying up with the Ivan empire. She didn¡¯t seem


    particrly cultured or impressive in the years she was married to Cyril ¨C more like a


    housekeeper, obediently staying in her room and asionally going back home to cook. What was


    so great about her, other than being docile?


    Even though Jonathan knew he had to apologize, doing so to someone of Sylvia¡¯s station grated on


    him.


    Upon entering, he spotted Bruce with a woman on his arm ¨C none other than Sylvia herself. Bruce


    was carrying her bag, to the shock of onlookers unsure of her identity but surprised at their apparent


    closeness.


    Jonathan gritted his teeth, incensed that she had snagged Bruce so soon after divorcing Cyril. He


    had underestimated her cunning.


    ¡°Behave yourself!¡± his father hissed, noticing his son¡¯s threatening demeanor. Causing trouble


    around Bruce would have consequences.


    ¡°I know what I should and shouldn¡¯t do,¡± Jonathan huffed before stalking forward, his father unable


    to restrain him. This would not end well. The father hurried to find Cyril for


    help.


    Bruce and Sylvia observed Jonathan¡¯s approach, his re impossible to miss.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Bruce asked, deferring to his sister on handling the situation. She could let


    Jonathan off if she wanted, though Bruce would make sure he still paid a private


    price.


    ¡°If hees to apologize, I¡¯ll forgive him,¡± Sylvia replied. ¡°But he ruined several of my overseas


    deals and embarrassed me. He won¡¯t get off easy.¡±


    Bruce doubted Jonathan would intentionally sabotage things here, but soon realized he had


    underestimated the man¡¯s audacity.


    Jonathan came right up to them, surrounded by several business partners chatting with Bruce. The


    men were puzzled by this rude interruption.


    Jonathan bowed dramatically before Sylvia and Bruce, both taken aback.


    ¡°I sincerely apologize for spreading false rumors without knowing the facts. I was wrong


    Chapter 49 Tank his business


    and hope you can be the bigger person and forgive my family.¡±


    It was an earnest apology, apart from the audience of peers.


    Bruce saw now that Jonathan had deliberately made a spectacle. Sylvia likely expected this attempt


    to publicly disgrace her into forgiving him to save Ivan face.


    With a sharp smile, Sylvia responded, ¡°Since you¡¯ve acknowledged your mistakes, I will forgive


    you, of course.¡±


    Jonathan smiled too, confident she¡¯d have to take the high road surrounded by so many people.


    His intent was obvious.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Well, now that you¡¯ve apologized, I assume you can be on your way?¡± Bruce said coldly, irritated


    by the posturing.


    Inexplicably, Jonathan decided to further provoke Bruce. ¡°I¡¯d just caution you, sir, that thedy just


    divorced recently. You may want to console her.¡±


    A stunned silence followed, appalled at his daring to lecture Bruce about Sylvia¡¯s worthiness. ¡°Is


    divorce so shameful?¡± Bruce retorted. ¡°Wasn¡¯t your wife filing for divorce recently? A good woman


    not cherished shows faults in her past marriage, not herself. It¡¯s the ex- husband who likely needs


    consoling here.¡±


    Jonathan was shocked at Bruce¡¯s defense of Sylvia. Did he really favor her so strongly?


    ¡°I think that concludes today¡¯s event,¡± Bruce stated firmly before leaving with Sylvia and abandoning


    the g, no longer interested in charity facades.


    The remaining guests were confused by Bruce¡¯s dramatic exit and horrified at being left to deal with


    the fallout of Jonathan¡¯s troublemaking.


    Jonathan himself didn¡¯t know what to do. The others clearly med him for ruining things and


    expected consequences.


    When Cyril and Jonathan¡¯s father arrived to overhear Bruce¡¯s parting words, the father immediately


    copsed in rage and distress at his son causing such chaos.


    After the siblings left, Bruce made a call: ¡°Tank all of Jonathan¡¯s overseas deals.¡±

 Chapter 50

    Chapter 50


    Chapter 50 His attitude


    The day after copsing from the overseas deals falling through, Jonathan¡¯s father fainted again


    upon waking and hearing more bad news. He was already overwhelmed trying to salvage both


    domestic and foreign businesses. He couldn¡¯t believe so much fell apart


    overnight.


    He wanted to ask Cyril for help but found him even busier, not intending to meet at all.


    Finally, Jonathan cornered Cyril after work, unable to endure anymore.


    ¡°Instead of bothering me, think about resolving this yourself,¡± Cyril replied bluntly. ¡°You brought it on


    with your offensive behaviorst night.¡±


    Though unaware of the exact details from the g, Cyril knew enough from the aftermath about


    Jonathan¡¯s inappropriate actions. Bruce¡¯s retaliation made sense.


    ¡°But you never said anything when I bullied Sylvia before,¡± Jonathan argued. ¡°Now you¡¯re suddenly


    defending her over our years of brotherhood? Don¡¯t tell me you regret how you treated her after the


    divorce. I¡¯m telling you any regret is pointless. Sylvia is in this situation now regardless, and it¡¯s got


    nothing to do with you!¡±


    Cyril looked at Jonathan strangely. ¡°What are you talking about? I never let you mistreat her. That


    was your own doing, so don¡¯t me me for it.¡±


    ¡°But your


    attitude conveyed approval of how I acted,¡± Jonathan insisted. ¡°You made it clear she didn¡¯t matter


    to you either way. If it wasn¡¯t for that, who would have treated her like this?¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s words gave Cyril pause as he carefully considered his past behavior towards Sylvia. He


    hadn¡¯t thought anything was wrong with his treatment of her. But if even Jonathan was criticizing


    him, could his attitude have been an issue?


    Reflecting back, he mostly disregarded Sylvia, keeping her at arm¡¯s length. Those around him read


    his emotions clearly. Once they sensed her unimportance to him, their treatment of her changed


    ordingly. So was hergely responsible for her suffering today?


    Cyril¡¯s expression darkened at the prospect. It had never urred to him that his indifference could


    spur so many consequences.


    Seeing Cyril¡¯s sudden displeasure, Jonathan worried about having spoken out of turn. ¡± What¡¯s


    wrong? Did I say something incorrect? You don¡¯t need to take it so seriously. You didn¡¯t consider her


    worth caring about when you married anyway¡­¡±


    ¡°Regardless of how I saw her, Sylvia was still my wife,¡± Cyril interjected.


    Chapter 50 His attitude


    713


    When they married, divorce had never crossed Cyril¡¯s mind. Marriage was for life in his eyes, If he


    wedded her then his duty was to fulfill thatmitment.


    So even if he disregarded Sylvia, separating was never his intent. How had things deteriorated to


    this point? While others undoubtedly yed a role by worsening tensions, weren¡¯t the fundamental


    issues due to his own failings?


    Cyril dared not consider further, fearing a loss of self¨Ccontrol if he did.


    Jonathan gaped in disbelief that such words came from Cyril. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you make that clear


    before? At least saying so would have made people respect your wishes and be more considerate


    of her. How could anyone know you never intended to divorce? We all assumed you married


    unwillingly.¡±


    This was painfully awkward. Everyone thought Cyril disliked Sylvia, leading to her mistreatment. Yet


    now he imed he never considered leaving her. How preposterous!


    Unable to respond, Cyril had never realized his deficiencies before. Unsure how to resolve this, he


    deflected, ¡°Deal with your own matters first, then talk about others¡®.¡±


    He promptly left without ncing back at Jonathan, who felt something was off but couldn¡¯t pinpoint


    what. With Cyril gone, he had no choice but to figure things out himself, though Cyril¡¯s reaction


    seemed oddly suspicious.


    Rather than going home, Cyril headed straight for a bar, gued by unwee thoughts that liquor


    might drown out. He felt awful, on edge.


    Suddenly, a familiar figure entered that he couldn¡¯t stop watching approach and sit next to him.


    ¡°Sylvia¡­¡± he uttered without thinking.


    She flinched at his voice, neither confirming nor denying her identity.


    Somewhat inebriated, Cyril started to reach out but caught himself, slumping over the


    counter instead.


    Having finally tracked Cyril¡¯s location, Carina was shocked to find him drinking over Sylvia. How


    could he still care for someone he also despised? When Cyril hated Sylvia as much as she did, why


    would he call Sylvia¡¯s name now?


    Taking a deep breath to steady her roiling emotions, Carina focused on what mattered ¨C she was


    the one by Cyril¡¯s side right now, not Sylvia.


    And after years of marriage, Sylvia had failed to earn Cyril¡¯s love, proof of her inadequacy. If she


    lacked the capability, then she should step aside.


    Resolved, Carina helped Cyril up to a hotel room since they were above the bar. Cyril


    Chapter 50 His attitude


    awakened with a splitting headache and discovered Carina sleeping next to him.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 51

    Chapter 51


    Chapter 51 Uneptable


    Cyril was a little shocked to see Karina there. His eyes involuntarily darted to the nket ¨C nothing


    wrong, nothing happenedst night. That¡¯s a relief.


    Cyril¡¯s movement was a bit abrupt, and it woke Karina up. She rubbed her eyes and sat up to


    face him.


    ¡°Last night, I came to look for you and found you asleep at the bar, so I brought you up here,


    ¡°Karina exined straight away, her tone casual as if recounting a simple fact. ¡°I wanted to leave,


    but you kept holding onto me. I couldn¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    Karina was actually quite frustrated. She had hoped for something to happenst night, but Cyril


    hadn¡¯t given her the chance. However, there wasn¡¯t much she could do about it now.


    She needed to maintain some level of significance in Cyril¡¯s life, so she had to find a way to make


    him think they had some kind of connection.


    Feeling a tad embarrassed by Karina¡¯s exnation, Cyril couldn¡¯t believe he had clung to her. But


    the person he vividly remembered seeingst night was Sylvia, not Karina. Shaking his head, he


    decided not to dwell on it any further.


    ¡°Oh, I see,¡± Cyril said, trying to hide his awkwardness.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got work to do, so I should head out. And you should head home too. Things have


    and mostly settled; still, you should consider going abroad. It¡¯s a better fit for your career, staying


    here might give people the chance to hold things against you for the next couple of years.¡±


    Deep down, Cyril knew the issues in his marriage to Sylvia werergely linked to Karina, something


    he hadn¡¯t realized before. He wasn¡¯t quite clear on his motives, but he guessed he just wanted


    some things to gradually get back on track.


    Karina froze, feeling a sharp sting at his words. Was Cyril pushing her away? The decision seemed


    final and out of her hands. Grinding her teeth, she replied, ¡°I can¡¯t leave just yet. International pop


    star, Barker, ising for a concert soon, and mypany wants me to be a guest star. It might


    give me a boost, whether I stay here or go abroad.¡±


    ¡°I need to wrap up my work here before I can consider leaving. If I don¡¯t, I¡¯ll owe thepany a lot


    of money, and I don¡¯t want to trouble you any further.¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Cyril paused, then, without rejecting her reasoning, he simply agreed, ¡°Okay.¡±


    Karina¡¯s face could barely muster a smile. Cyril seemed heartless on one hand, but on the other, he


    was still looking out for her reputation. Yet if he really cared, he wouldn¡¯t be


    61


    Cyril dressed and left, his clothes still reeking ofst night¡¯s drinks. He decided to go home, take a


    shower, and change before heading to work.


    As for Karina, she had made the story up on the spot without much thought. The idea of her actually


    bing Barker¡¯s guest artist seemed daunting. Everyone knew Barker had a strong character,


    and thepany couldn¡¯t really control him due to the massive sess he brought them.


    Gritting her teeth, Karina realized since she had spoken, she must find a way to truly be a part


    of Barker¡¯s concert, or else she truly would have to leave, Gaining Barker¡¯s support would be ideal.


    Karina immediately called her manager, who had been dealing with her mess. Upon hearing her


    voice, the manager was irate.


    ¡°Why are you calling me? Don¡¯t you think you¡¯ve caused enough trouble? Do you have any idea


    how much I¡¯ve had to smooth things over because of you? From now on, you better behave. If you


    stir up one more problem, I don¡¯t care who¡¯s behind you, I¡¯m done with you for good.¡±


    Karina was stunned by her manager¡¯s harsh words but was resolute in her request. ¡°Can you get


    me on stage with Barker? If I pull that off, Cyril might continue to support me.¡±


    The manager couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re that important? Barker


    doesn¡¯t need you! He controls thepany and can boost any of the numerous talents under him.


    Why would he choose you, wrapped up in scandals?¡±


    ¡°And you think that simply performing with Barker will make Cyril divorce Sylvia? If you can pull it


    off, go ahead. But otherwise, don¡¯t bother me with impossible favors.¡±


    Karina was deeply ufortable with her manager¡¯s mocking tone but knew she had little choice.


    ¡°You¡¯d better find a way, or else I¡¯ll tell Cyril everything. Even if he¡¯s losing patience with me, he


    should know that you forced me into this, and you yed a part too. Let¡¯s see if he lets you off the


    hook then.¡± 1


    The manager panicked at the thought of Cyril finding out. This risk could spell the end of his career.


    He gritted his teeth and said with finality, ¡°Fine, you¡¯ve pushed me far enough. This is thest


    time I¡¯ll help you. But even if it works, I¡¯m not promising anything. This might be the end of our


    contract.¡±

 Chapter 52

    Chapter 52


    Chapter 52 Just Anybody?


    Katrina¡¯s agent really didn¡¯t want to help her. He was well aware of the trouble she had stirre up and


    that assisting her might tank his own career in the industry. But at the same time, he knew that


    most of the messes Katrina found herself in were actually orchestrated by thepany and him.


    Katrina always had her eyes on the prize, wing her way to the top was her main objective, and


    that¡¯s why she had gotten her hands dirty in the first ce.


    she was,


    afto


    Bulk me after him that


    all, just a fading starlet on the He wasn¡¯t really scared of Katrina herself brink of oblivion. It was her


    potential to spill the beans on Cyril and really worried him. And yet, if Katrina could team up with


    Bulk, maybe there was onest chance to exploit her fame¡­ 1


    While Bulk wasn¡¯t known for being a pushover, the agent couldn¡¯t shake the thought that maybe just


    maybe¨Cit was worth a shot to try and negotiate something. Bulk was stubborn and set in his ways,


    after all. If he found out they wanted to pair him with Katrina, a non- professional singer, he surely


    wouldn¡¯t be thrilled.


    Pondering the situation gave the agent a headache, but eventually, he decided he had no choice


    but to dial up Bulk¡¯s rep and test the waters. Agents had each other¡¯s numbers, so reaching Bulk¡¯s


    agent, Mike, wasn¡¯t unusual. Everyone knew that partnering with Bulk required the man¡¯s own


    approval, and without it, any dealings were dead in the water.


    ¡°Hello, what¡¯s up?¡± Mike answered, his tone far from inviting.


    Since joining the business, Mike had forged a path from obscurity to a top¨Ctier agent, always at


    Bulk¡¯s side, climbing to a rank where he was second to none.


    ¡ª


    she¡¯s eyeing ¡°I¡¯m sorry to bother you, Mr. Mike. It¡¯s about Katrina¡¯s concert appearances Bulk¡¯s


    uing show. Given her clout in the showbiz, I¡¯m sure you realize a coboration could be


    beneficial for both¡­¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Mike cut him off before he could finish.


    ¡°Hold your horses. You seem to be misunderstanding something. If Bulk is to coborate, it¡¯s got to


    be with another singer. You think we¡¯re just waiting for anyone from showbiz to waltz into Bulk¡¯s


    concert like some sort of charity case?¡±


    ¨C


    Back in the day, stars from all corners especially film and TV ¨C wanted to hop on the Bulk express,


    and it grated on him. Bulk had a rule: only real singers allowed on his stage. Otherwise, were they


    coming to coborate, or were theying to mess things up?


    The agent, sensing the growing awkwardness, tried to y it off, ¡°Well, you see, before moving to


    TV, Katrina actually started out as a singer. It¡¯s just that she realized her talents


    were more suited for acting¡­¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap,¡± Mike snapped, ¡°She just found out she can¡¯t sing. If that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got, then I don¡¯t


    see a point in talking further.¡±


    With that, Mike hung up. Who did they think they were, thinking they could work with Bulk without


    even fulfilling the basic criteria? It was a joke.


    After the call ended abruptly, Mike, fuming, threw his phone on the ground. The name Katrina rang


    a bell. He seemed to remember someone mentioning it to him before.


    Curious, he searched Katrina¡¯s name online, and what he found


    ¡°ade his stomach turn.


    she must¡¯ve been at her wit¡¯s end.


    No wonder she wanted a coboration so desperately ¨C she


    was happily writing songs, apparently sailing


    Mike didn¡¯t waste any time finding Bulk, who away from his troubles. Mike knew Bulk¡¯s family


    background, and so when he heard that Bulk¡¯s sister had gotten a divorce, he wasn¡¯t just surprised;


    he was pleased. Why should such an amazing woman stay with a lousy guy?


    ¡°Someone called about a cob at your uing concert,¡± Mike ryed.


    Bulk, in a good mood, nced over, ¡°Who¡¯s looking to team up? You know my rule ¨C they gotta be a


    singer first.¡®


    ¡°It¡¯s Katrina.¡±


    ¡°Any Tom, Dick, or Harry wants to work with me now? Who is this Katrina?¡­¡±


    Bulk was about to lose temper, but then the name clicked. Seeing Mike¡¯s expectant look, Bulk knew


    why. Fiercely protective of his sister, how could he just let it slide when she had been wronged?


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s her. Let here. I want to see who¡¯s bold enough to have messed with my sister.¡±


    A sinister smile spread across Bulk¡¯s face, and seeing his reaction, Mike knew Katrina was in for


    trouble. He actually relished informing Bulk, knowing it would spell disaster for her.


    ¡°So, it¡¯s settled? I¡¯ll make the arrangements for her guest appearance. Anything else you need me


    to prepare?¡±


    With a nod, Bulk gave the go¨Cahead, ¡°Get my brother to dig up some dirt on that woman. I want


    solid proof. If she dared to mess with my sister, she¡¯s about to learn what it feels like to be called out


    in public.¡±


    Bulk¡¯sugh was cold as ice. Anyone who crossed him learned that the hard way. If it weren¡¯t for


    Sylvia¡¯s stubbornness, he¡¯d have acted sooner.


    Chapter 52 Just Anybody?


    3/3


    Mike left to make the preparations, dialing up Bruce to get the ball rolling. Katrina¡¯s storm was just


    starting to brew.

 Chapter 53

    Chapter 53


    Chapter 53 Bruce¡¯s Arrangement


    Sylvia had been nailing it at worktely, despite the fact that her efforts to outdo Cyril in business


    were making her workload skyrocket. Yet, she couldn¡¯t help but revel in the whole affair; giving Cyril


    a taste of his difort after years of her own was oddly satisfying.


    ¨C


    Stepping out of a meeting, Sylvia received a call from Bulk ¨C she hadn¡¯t spoken to him since her


    chat with Bruce about attending Bulk¡¯s concert. It seemed neither had reached out since since their


    last encounter, and considering they hadn¡¯tmunicated in over three years Sylvia decided to get


    married it felt odd receiving a sudden call from her brother. Sylvia¡¯s heart raced with anxiety, unsure


    whether to answer or ignore the call.


    Juliet strolled by just then, finding Sylvia¡¯s panic¨Cstraight face. ¡°What¡¯s up? You look so tense.


    Something wrong?¡±


    Sylvia handed Juliet her phone,pletely at a loss, ¡°What should I do? Should I answer or not?


    What if he yells at me?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that kind of normal for your older brother, especially about your marriage? You know how


    much he disapproved,¡± Juliet countered.


    Sylvia opened her mouth but had noeback. What Juliet said was kind of like a punch in the gut,


    but not entirely incorrect. With a heavy sigh, Sylvia answered just before it went to voicemail.


    Bulk¡¯s voice came through,ced with sarcasm: ¡°Whoa, ying hard to get? Someone might


    mistake you for some high and mighty heiress.¡±


    Knowing her brother was still peeved, probably at her for answeringte, Sylvia scrambled, ¡± I¡¯m


    sorry, okay? I messed up. Just tell me what you need.¡±


    Taking a deep breath and lowering her guard, Sylvia went into apology mode. Push¨Cback was not


    an option unless she wanted to suffer the fallout.


    ¡°All right, let¡¯s cut to the chase. I heard about the divorce. Now that you¡¯ve improved your


    judgment, I¡¯ve set you up on a blind date. He¡¯s already on his way, and you better not stand him up


    or I¡¯ll deal with you. Remember the mess from three years back? That¡¯s still not settled,¡± Bulk¡¯s


    ultimatum left Sylvia¡¯s head spinning.


    ¡°Bro, can we talk this through? That was my bad, but you can¡¯t keep hanging it over my head,¡±


    Sylvia tried to reason. She had just escaped one matrimonial disaster only to be ushered towards


    another blind date by her brother?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your n is appropriate,¡± she finally mustered the courage to say, practically


    risking her life by defying him.


    Bulk¡¯s voice gained a yful edge, ¡°Too bad, I¡¯ve already invited him over, and if you bail, Dad will


    find out. He¡¯ll make you go anyway. Your move.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re serious?¡± Sylvia stared wide¨Ceyed at her phone. Inviting the guy homeplicated


    things ¨C implications? It would practically hand her father just what


    did Bulk not realize the he wanted, someone to marry her off to at the earliest.


    Bulkughed. ¡°So, are you in or out? If you¡¯re not going, be my guest and exin to Dad yourself.¡±


    Sylvia clenched her teeth, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go. But can you at least call him off? If Dad¡® up because of you,


    that¡¯s on you to fix.¡±


    gets wound


    ¡°I was just bluffing! He¡¯s not at the house. The location¡¯s set; I¡¯ll text you the address. Go and have


    a decent chat, got it?¡±


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    What choice did Sylvia have? Bulk had spoken, and he was clearly out for a little sibling revenge for


    past grievances.


    Reluctantly, Sylvia agreed. But shock hit her when she saw who she was meeting ¨C none other than


    Mike, Bulk¡¯s right¨Chand man, looking as awkward as ever. She knew precisely why ¨C Bulk was


    ying matchmaker with his own motives in mind.


    Sylvia could hardly contain her annoyance. ¡°Really? He sends his own right¨Chand man to meet with


    me? This is too much. And does your being here mean he¡¯ll be showing up too?¡±


    Mike didn¡¯t y coy, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s on his way. Maybe even home already. As for why I¡¯m here¡­ I¡¯m


    sure you can guess.¡±


    KR


    Sylvia exhaled in resignation. It was just like Bulk to pull something like this a ssic


    revenge move.


    ¡°I¡¯m so mad. What¡¯s he trying to pull now? What¡¯s next on his agenda?¡± Sylvia demanded, knowing


    full well her brother had more than just this meet¨Cup nned.


    Sometimes, big brother¡¯s arrangements were more troublesome than the problems they


    were meant to solve.

 Chapter 54

    Chapter 54


    Chapter 54 The Same Old Refrain


    Bulk knew his sister well enough to It was the typical understanding between siblings orchestrate


    this meeting, but not to set her up on a blind date. After one bad marriage, he had no desire to push


    her into another. Instead, he felt she should remain safe at home, inheriting the familypany.


    With their brothers to protect her, she could live a blissful


    life.


    Mike recalled Bulk¡¯s words before leaving the house that day and felt a headacheing on.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal: Bulk didn¡¯t arrange any business for you. He just mentioned that he¡¯ll be starting


    his concert tour next month and wants you there. He¡¯s got you a front¨Crow seat.


    And well, that night your identity might be revealed Bulk¡¯s beentely, a bit¡­ hesitant, you know.¡±


    that you¡¯re his sister. You know how


    Although Bulk had insisted on privacy at the beginning of his career, not wanting his sister caught in


    the limelight, that incident three years back had really set him off, driving him to want to pull her into


    his fold more than ever.


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the absurdity ¨C there was nothing much to fuss about, her identity


    woulde out eventually.


    ¡°Okay, I got it. Is there anything else?¡±


    After pausing, Mike decided to give Sylvia a heads¨Cup even though he hadn¡¯t nned on telling


    her. ¡°There¡¯s another thing. Yesterday, Katrina¡¯s agent called me, hoping to set her up as a guest at


    the concert. I initially refused, but Bulk agreed. It seems he¡¯s doing this to vent your anger toward


    her.¡±


    1


    Mike didn¡¯t mention that Bulk had already collected all sorts of dirt on Katrina, intent on bringing her


    down. It was all to shield Sylvia; she didn¡¯t need to know the details, just that Bulk had been


    harboring a grudge against Katrina for a long time.


    Sylvia blinked in disbelief. She hadn¡¯t expected her brother to go to such lengths.


    ¡°Katrina attending Bulk¡¯s concert as a guest? Doesn¡¯t she know her limits? Barely managing


    acting, now she wants to show up at a concert?¡±


    Regardless of her confusion, Bulk had made his decision. And the purpose of this concert wasn¡¯t to


    mingle with the likes of Katrina.


    ¡°I mean, using his concert to drag Katrina down¡­ Isn¡¯t that a bit much? Bulk¡¯s a global superstar;


    he doesn¡¯t need to stoop so low.¡±


    Despite feeling it might not be worth the fallout, Sylvia considered whether she should try


    Chapter 54 The Same Old Refrain


    2/3


    convincing Bulk otherwise. But considering how he hadn¡¯t


    calmed down since that incident three years ago, would he even listen?


    ¡°You know how hardheaded your brother is. Once he¡¯s decided, there¡¯s no changing his mind. He¡¯s


    already confirmed with them, probably going to officially announce it next week or just before the


    concert. I don¡¯t know why Katrina is doing this, but Bulk will not let this I chance to teach her a


    lesson slip by. He has always been willful. This isn¡¯t the first time he¡¯s


    stirred the pot.¡±


    Her friend¡¯s words rang true.


    ¡°Sylvia, what are you doing?¡±


    In the midst of her thoughts about Bulk¡¯s ns, Sylvia was interrupted by an angry voice behind her.


    Turning, she saw Cyril approaching with Jonathan trailing behind, wearing a look of eager


    anticipation to see Sylvia¡¯s misfortune.


    G


    Sylvia was at a loss for words why did she bump into Cyril and Jonathan everywhere she went?


    And every time, Cyril seemed to forget that they no longer had anything to do with


    each other.


    ¡°What are you doing? Do you know who this is? You¡¯re here dining with him, are you that desperate


    to associate with anyone?¡±


    Cyril could hardly contain his fury. Even though he knew Sylvia¡¯s presence here could merely be a


    friend¡¯s meetup or something of that sort, the sight of her with another man ignited a possessive


    rage as if something precious was being snatched away.


    ¡°Are you crazy? Who I associate with is none of your business. We have nothing to do with each


    other anymore. Let¡¯s get this straight ¨C we¡¯re divorced. I am free to socialize or befriend whoever I


    want. If you can¡¯t handle it, I wouldn¡¯t mind teaching you a lesson, in


    case Jonathan¡¯s teachable moments weren¡¯t clear enough.¡±This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia wondered if Cyril was just unbearable with a free schedule after she snagged that project


    from him. Why else would he be so obsessed with her?


    Cyril paled, confronted again with the reality that they had no rtionship. Yet, when she repeated


    those words, it still unsettled him; they didn¡¯t have to be foes.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing this on purpose, aren¡¯t you? Just because you can¡¯t stand what Jonathan is doing.


    He¡¯s apologized. If there¡¯s anything you¡¯re unsatisfied with, I¡¯m sure we can¡­¡®


    ¡°What can you do,pensate me? If I was after your money, why did I leave without taking a dime


    in the divorce? You know all I wanted was to escape our rtionship, and


    Chapter 54 The Same Old Refrain


    nothing more.¡±


    Sylviaid out her stance with a steely re. Did Cyril honestly think she was in need of money?


    Not likely. If there was anything Sylvia wasn¡¯tcking, it was bucks.

 Chapter 55

    Chapter 55


    Chapter 55 The Offer to Stay


    After their confrontation, Cy aivo


    abruptly realized Sylvia might truly be penniless since her and even after their divorce, she hadn¡¯t


    asked for a single penny from him. In fact, his family¡¯s near brawl over thepensation they


    assumed they owed to Sylvia wasughable, considering she had left empty¨Chanded, taking


    nothing with her. Compared to his family¡¯s behavior, it seemed almost ridiculous, and Cyril didn¡¯t


    know how to face Sylvia anymore, knowing he might not have done anything wrong.


    time


    on


    me, maybe


    ¡°You can¡¯t even articte a response,¡± Sylvia sneered, ¡°Stop talking and just stay home, will you?


    There¡¯s nothing between us anymore. Instead of wasting your me, you should figure out your own


    issues.¡±


    ¡°Instead of bothering me, why not help Katrina? I hear she¡¯s practically crawling to get on Bulk¡¯s


    concert lineup. After all she¡¯s done for you, you¡¯re wasting energy hassling me? Seems a bit


    heartless, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Sylvia¡¯sments caught Cyril off guard. He wasn¡¯t aware that news of


    Bulk¡¯s concert had reached her.


    Cyril, who didn¡¯t know Mike or his rtionship with Bulk, mistakenly thought Sylvia had gotten the


    scoop from Katrina herself. He¡¯d inadvertently discovered the messages Katrina kept sending to


    Sylvia over the years, and the photos led him to believe there was something more between them,


    though there wasn¡¯t. Frustrated and unable to stand the situation any longer, Cyril walked away, and


    Jonathan hastily followed, without uttering a word and leaving much unsaid.


    As Sylvia and Mike sat back in the peacefulness of the restaurant, Mike mused about something


    he¡¯d heard: Katrina was nning to move abroad. ¡°This must be Cyril¡¯s way of giving her an out.


    Perhaps he¡¯ll use this opportunity to negotiate terms with her. She¡¯s staying put, after all. It sounds


    to me like she¡¯s burned too many bridges domestically and her agency¡¯s ready to drop her.¡±


    Mike thought about Katrina¡¯s infamy and how the agency had a notorious reputation for pressuring


    their talent into unsavory acts. Mike dared not share this with Sylvia for fear of how Bulk might react.


    ¡°That¡¯s interesting,¡± Sylvia mused. ¡°If she wants to stick around, let them be together. They can stay


    out of other people¡¯s business.¡®


    Once Sylvia returned home, she found Bulk lounging, far from his superstar persona. As she


    dropped her bag and faced him, Bulk, avoiding eye contact, turned his back to her, signalling his


    desire to remain silent.


    Sylviaughed, frustrated. ¡°Hey, listen, you don¡¯t get to just ignore me. If you have


    Chapter 55 The Offer to Stay


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    something to do with me, why send Mike? Why can¡¯t you speak to me yourself?¡±


    2/2


    Bulk, visibly annoyed, finally turned around. ¡°And you, who do you think you are? After your


    marriage, you cut ties with me. What makes you think you¡¯re important enough to talk to me now?¡±


    The tense atmosphere took them back to the argument they had three years prior, making Sylvia


    nearly lose it.


    ¡°Still hung up on that, are you? Yes, I messed up, but do you really have to keep bringing it up? It¡¯s


    making me think my decision back then was incredibly foolish.¡± Her expressions shifted, eliciting a


    chuckle from Bulk.


    ¨C


    ¡°Oh, now even you can¡¯t stand the things you did back then. Look, I¡¯m not holding it against you I¡¯ll


    pin it all on Katrina. At the concert, make sure you perform well. Don¡¯t just go off with any man who


    sweet¨Ctalks you. Remember, you¡¯re the youngest daughter and the heir to the Ivans. Don¡¯t act


    foolish and get lost in ttery, alright?¡±


    Struggling with her pride, Sylvia had to admit she was in no position to argue, not with the actions of


    the past years under scrutiny.


    ¡°I was wrong, okay?¡± Sylvia said, exasperated, knowing Bulk wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook easily


    once he returned.


    ¡°Sure, admitting your fault is a start. Just follow my arrangement at the concert, and I¡¯ll forgive you.


    You¡¯ll join me for a song. If you don¡¯t show up, all bets are off.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s heart sank hearing Bulk¡¯s proposition. Singing on stage with Bulk? She¡¯d never survive


    being swamped by his fans.

 Chapter 56

    Chapter 56


    Chapter 56 The New Song


    Bulk was fully prepared for his uing concert, for which he hadposed two new songs.


    These songs


    celebrated his sister Sylvia¡¯s newly found freedom from her troubled marriage. When Mike saw the


    lyrics, he couldn¡¯t help but frown.


    ¡°Although I know you wrote these songs to celebrate your sister¡¯s divorce, don¡¯t you think the lyrics


    are a bit too pointed? Calling her ex¨Chusband a beast seems a bit much, no?¡± Mike questioned.


    Bulk nced at Mike and huffed, ¡°Whose side are you on, anyway? If you¡¯re with me, then don¡¯t


    question it. I wrote these songs to rub it in his face. If you have a problem, keep it shut.


    ¼ÒÀï


    Mike knew all too well about his boss¡¯s stubbornness. Bulk wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone else,


    and seeing the controversial lyrics had Mike worried.


    ¡°What about the music? How are you nning to write it, or are you bringing in someone


    else?¡±


    Bulk revealed his ns smoothly, ¡°I¡¯ll have Sylvia do it. The first songs she wrote were


    great, so why not let herpose the music for these two? Is there an issue with that?¡±


    Mike was taken aback. Writing a song that implied criticism about her ex¨Chusband was one thing,


    but having herpose the music was quite another, and seemed overly simplistic in its cruelty.


    Two dayster, Mike received a call from Sylvia.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°You¡¯re sure my brother doesn¡¯t want any changes to these lyrics?¡± she asked, baffled that their


    severed rtionship warranted songs with such content.


    Mike grimaced, realizing just how raw the lyrics were when faced with Sylvia¡¯s questioning.


    ¡°If you can get your brother to change his mind, I¡¯d be grateful,¡± he confessed. ¡°I think the lyrics are


    too harsh, but you know Bulk won¡¯t listen to me. It¡¯s best if you try talking to him.¡±


    Sylvia sighed, knowing full well the futility of such an endeavor, but decided to ept the songs as


    they were. If it meant releasing Bulk¡¯s lingering resentment and moving on, so be


    1. it.


    The songs came together quickly with Sylvia focused onposing the music. She spent two full


    days perfecting the melodies.


    Julietughed about the situation, ¡°I about died when I heard you were tasked with


    Kelly hadn¡¯t seen the lyrics, but she knew Bulk well enough to expect nothing ordinary from


    this concert.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you gonna try convincing him?¡± Juliet prodded.


    ¡°If I could, I would,¡± Sylvia replied resignedly, ¡°but let¡¯s be honest, the lyrics basically speak the


    truth.¡±


    With the conversation shifting, Kelly reminded Sylvia about an uing party Miranda and Duncan


    were throwing, to which Sylvia nodded, aware that their return after years abroad was a source of


    both excitement and trepidation.


    Juliet eagerly looked forward to their return, ¡°They left so abruptly, refusing even a


    goodbye, and now they¡¯re finally returning. When do they get back? We should go pick them up at


    the airport!¡±


    The backstory was that Duncan and Miranda, twins, were part of Sylvia¡¯s childhood. Duncan, in


    particr, had hidden feelings for Sylvia, and his decision to study abroad was partially in a bid to


    escape his unrequited love. Now, with Sylvia¡¯s divorce news, perhaps Duncan saw a


    second chance.


    Juliet teased Sylvia about Duncan¡¯s past affections, which Sylvia quickly dismissed, striving to


    maintain their friendship withoutplicating it further.


    With her business to run and the weight of her family¡¯s legacy on her shoulders, Sylvia knew


    romance was a distraction she couldn¡¯t afford. Kelly and Juliet could only sigh in agreement. For


    now, stability was Sylvia¡¯s priority.

 Chapter 57

    Chapter 57


    Chapter 57 Talent Scout


    They popped into their favorite little lounge bar with the live house band setting up to y. The trio


    were regrs here, so the owner gave them a friendly nod as they slumped into a cozy booth in the


    main hall instead of opting for a private room.


    Heads turned as the stunning trio walked in; they were used to the attention and shrugged


    it off with ease.


    ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Juliet pondered, remembering something important, ¡°When your brother¡¯s


    back in town and his concert¡¯s all set, we should totally snag some tickets.¡±


    ¡°When have I ever let you down with tickets? Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll get them,¡± was the reassuring reply.


    Their eyes drifted to the band warming up. Juliet pointed at the lead singer, ¡°If I remember correctly,


    wasn¡¯t that guy on the keyboard before? What¡¯s he doing as the lead now? Did the old singer


    leave?¡±


    Kelly, familiar with the scene, quipped, ¡°Yeah, their former lead took off with another groupst


    month, leaving them shorthanded. This guy¡¯s got the best chops of the bunch, so he stepped up to


    the mic.¡±


    Juliet turned to Sylvia, ¡°Hey, how about you give it a shot? With your brother being who he is, I bet


    he¡¯ll want more than just a new song from you. You might end up singing a duet.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened in utter disbelief. Juliet chuckled, caught off guard by her own guess which


    turned out startlingly urate. ¡°Wanna give it a try first?¡±


    Sylvia mulled it over but dismissed the idea. ¡°Nah, my brother¡¯s the main act, not me. I¡¯ve had my


    share of the spotlight,¡± she reasoned.


    ¡°Bute on, perform a couple of songs for them. Notice how their eyes are practically glued to


    you? You used to help them out with a song or two back in the day,¡± Juliet nudged.


    Back when they used to hang out here more frequently, they had watched the band for years. Sylvia


    asionally got the itch to perform, and whenever she did, the ce would make a killing.


    While Juliet and Sylvia were talking, Kelly noticed something off about the band members on stage,


    a single nce screaming untold stories. They weren¡¯t running a charity here; patience for problems


    wasn¡¯t in abundant supply.


    But because they knew each other, Kelly mentioned it. Catching the eye of the lead singer, a


    connection was made, and Sylvia felt a sudden urge to stand.


    As she approached the stage, the excitement among the band was palpable¨Cthey had thought


    Sylvia wouldn¡¯t bother with them anymore, not after so many years. But here she


    was, ready to step up.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Once on stage, Sylvia took the mic, and the regr lead humbly returned to his keys. The crowd


    was always here for a good time, not particrly fussed with who was performing. But swapping in


    a more morous lead singer definitely captured their attention.


    It¡¯s a lounge bar, a ssy joint. Nothing outrageous would happen here, everyone was just getting


    their dose of surprise entertainment.


    Sylvia figured singing someone else¡¯s songs could beplicated and decided to perform her


    brother¡¯s hits instead. The band, having backed her up countless times, knew exactly what to


    expect and yed along perfectly. As the music started, the crowd ignited in anticipation of Bulk¡¯s


    famed tracks.


    Bulk, a global megastar, had a massive fan following. And right here in this lounge bar, they could


    feel the magnitude of his stardom through just a song¡¯s intro. As Sylvia began to sing, her exquisite


    voice filled the room. The song, one she had crafted for Bulk, resonated perfectly with the


    audience, fans or not, stirring excitement all around.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s Bulk¡¯s pull for you¨Celectrifying every room, like we¡¯re at his concert or something!¡±


    someone marveled as Sylvia single¨Chandedly took the lounge¡¯s vibe to new heights.


    The owner, recognizing the familiar voice, hurried out from his office. Seeing Sylvia on stage, he


    nodded in understanding¨Cno wonder it¡¯s be so lively all of a sudden.


    After blessing the bar with two of Bulk¡¯s songs, Sylvia stepped down to a ripple of questions,


    confirming to the curious that indeed, she was a devoted fan. Within half an hour, she¡¯d exchanged


    contacts with at least twenty new friends, all bonded by their love for Bulk


    Cornered by the crowd, Kelly and Juliet watched, amused at Sylvia¡¯s newfound poprity.


    Finally, when thest of the excited fans dissipated, Sylvia, just about to quench her thirst, was


    approached by a gentleman with sses.


    ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am, I¡¯m Harold, a talent scout. I saw your performance¨Cthat was something special.


    Ever thought about breaking into the entertainment industry? With your talent, I can assure you


    could make waves in the music world¨Cyour sess could match even Bulk¡¯s,


    he proposed, seeing star potential in Sylvia¡¯s casual showcase.

 Chapter 58

    Chapter 58


    Chapter 58 Once a Street Punk


    After hearing Harold¡¯s words, Sylvia and the other two sat in silence. This was new territory for them


    ¨C Sylvia just came here to have fun, a break from the daily grind. She couldn¡¯t help butugh at the


    idea. If she didn¡¯t have a job, maybe, just maybe, she¡¯d consider such an enticing offer.


    ¡°Sir, I think you got one thing wrong,¡± Sylvia finally spoke. ¡°Outshining Bulk isn¡¯t a walk in the park.


    First off, matching his talent is a tall order, and don¡¯t even get me started on his looks ¨C he¡¯s got


    universal appeal. Plus, each of his songs has its ownposer, and you know the legend he works


    with. So, to match Bulk¡¯s achievements, you¡¯ll need a team even stronger than his. Do you have


    that?¡±


    Harold beamed, ¡°Of course, our boss is Bulk himself!¡±


    This revtion threw the three women into deeper silence.


    Seeing their confusion, Harold was puzzled until Sylvia burst intoughter.


    ¡°If you work for Bulk, then any coboration between us is even less likely. First, Bulk would never


    let me enter showbiz. And second, maybe you should get to know his family tree a bit better.¡±


    Harold was lost. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ve only been on the job for a week. I don¡¯t understand what you mean.


    Could you exin?¡±


    Sylvia smiled. ¡°You might want to ask your seniors at thepany. I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love to


    on.¡± clear things up for you. Thanks for the chat today, but I¡¯ve got my own career to focus on.


    As the party disbanded, each went their separate ways. Sylvia, who used to rock through all-


    nighters with ease, felt dizzy heading to work after just e night.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Why am I so tired after getting home before ten? I can¡¯t seem to find the energy,¡± Sylvia pondered


    out loud.


    Juliet, feeling sluggish herself, replied, ¡°Right? But hey, we got a partnership to talk about today. You


    ready?¡±


    Sylvia nodded with surety, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. We¡¯llnd this deal. The CEO and I he¡¯ll do me this solid.


    Plus, we¡¯re their best bet.¡±


    go way back


    This newpany they nned to partner with was just getting off the ground, and folks were wary


    due to the CEO¡¯s shady past. So the alliance was a shocker. Juliet kept asking why, but Sylvia


    yed coy, telling her to wait until they met him.


    Arriving at the conference room, the CEO from the newpany was already waiting. Their past


    hups in business meant trust was low, and survival was at stake. Just keeping thepany


    afloat was a struggle, let alone managing a staff dependent on their paychecks.


    After an anxious hour, Sylvia strolled in, apologizing for the dy caused by a road ident. Her


    tardiness signaled how much they valued this partnership.


    ¡°No worries at all,¡± their counterparts assured. ¡°Now, shall we dive into the partnership details?¡±


    Settling down opposite them, Ward from the newpany suddenly recognized Sylvia. Shocked,


    he recalled how she used to be a little street punk, and now here she was, engaging in corporate


    dealings.


    Sylvia noticed Ward¡¯s realization and chuckled, ¡°Long time, huh? You went from street punk


    to CEO. I believe in yourpany¡¯s potential, which is why I¡¯m here. But we need better terms if


    you want to make this contract happen.¡±


    Ward, staking his fortune on this, pleaded his case. He promised meticulous work nobody else


    could match, vowingly only top¨Ctier products, given his own family¡¯s background.


    He looked at Sylvia earnestly, all cards on the table, in this high¨Cstakes corporate gamble.

 Chapter 59

    Chapter 59


    Chapter 59 Fair Competition¡­ Yeah Right


    Sylvia understood why Ward was so insistent. His parents had died in a house copse


    due to shoddy construction, so now that he was in charge, he¡¯d never allow such a tragedy to


    happen again. Sylvia trusted himpletely.


    ¡°I trust you to handle this, and I¡¯m willing to give you this chance. Just don¡¯t let me down,¡± Sylvia


    said with a smile. Ward let out a sigh of relief but then Sylvia posed another question.


    ¡°I heard you were approached by another newpany yesterday morning. They¡¯re not in


    construction, but tech¨Cmore aligned with what ourpany might be interested in for the future. If


    we were to enter tech development, who would you choose to partner with?¡±


    Sylvia knew about this because Cyril¡¯spany, notorious for their astuteness, was the one


    wanting to coborate with Ward. Now she was curious ¨C under these circumstances, who would


    Ward choose?


    Ward caught the hidden meaning in Sylvia¡¯s question ¨C was there a hint ofpetition, even a whiff


    of hostility? In front of everyone, Ward knew he couldn¡¯t be explicit, so he stayed vague.


    ¡°Even though we¡¯re small, I believe in fairpetition. If the Ivans can offer more, no one would


    refuse a partnership with them.¡±


    But honestly, Ward thought, was there any real choice? There was no genuinepetition ¨C his


    loyalty was squarely with Sylvia.


    Sylvia grinned, thrilled by Ward¡¯s answer. ¡°Good, I hope we have more chances to


    coborate. Don¡¯t disappoint. A decision that could revive yourpany isn¡¯t a bad one at


    all.¡±


    Relieved, Ward was d Sylvia wasn¡¯t fixating on the potential conflict of interest.


    With that, Ward¡¯s team left and Sylvia headed off with Juliet. Midway, Juliet received a call from an


    unfamiliar number¨Cit was Cyril¡¯s assistant.


    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Juliet asked.


    ¡°We¡¯d like to discuss a partnership. Yourpany is moving into autonomous driving technology,


    and we have mature solutions in that domain. If we team up, both sides stand to gain,¡± the assistant


    proposed.


    Juliet couldn¡¯t help butugh. Theirpany indeed nned to venture into autonomous driving,


    but who¡¯s to say they needed Cyril¡¯s team? Still, in business, direct refusal wasn¡¯t always wise, so


    she kept her response open.


    Chapter 59 Fair Competition¡­ Yeah Right


    2/2


    ¡°I¡¯ll pass


    this on to my boss. If you¡¯re serious about coborating, I expect you¡¯ll be prepared,¡± Juliet said


    before ending the call.


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Sylvia inquired.


    ¡°It¡¯s Cyril¡¯s lot. They want to partner on driverless tech, but I¡¯m puzzled¨Cdidn¡¯t Cyril¡¯spany


    already start a project and secure a partner? Why suddenly propose coboration with us?¡± Juliet


    wondered.


    ¡°Because their chosen partner was gged for dishonesty, and their deal fell through. Now Cyril


    needs to find a recement quickly and the Ivans are venturing into the same tech. Hence, the call


    to us. But something doesn¡¯t feel right, I¡¯ll have to check with my brother,¡± Sylvia exined, aware


    of the morning¡¯s fresh news.


    ¡°Surely you don¡¯t think your brother¡¯s behind this?¡± Juliet expressed disbelief. Bruce always fought


    fair and square in business.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    Sylvia chuckled. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe it, then you might not really know my brother. Behind his shiny


    facade lie maneuvers not meant for daylight. It¡¯s likely his doing, so please check with him.¡±


    Juliet shook her head, trusting Bruce wouldn¡¯t stoop to such levels.


    Sylvia almostughed out loud at her naivety. ¡°Okay, have it your way. But don¡¯te


    crying to me when you find out you¡¯ve been yed by the big bad wolf!¡±

 Chapter 60

    Chapter 60


    Chapter 60 It¡¯s You


    Sylvia led a surprise visit to Ward¡¯spany with her team in tow. Ward was caught off- guard,


    in the midst of a meeting about securing the partnership, when he was told Sylvia and her


    entourage hade to assess the ce. The stakes were clear: pass the inspection and the


    partnership would proceed; fail, and it was all over.


    Ward was anxious, having no idea what Sylvia nned to inspect. He trailed behind her, watching


    nervously as she examined everything scrupulously, even plucking leaves from the potted nts


    they passed. Once they settled in the office, Sylvia didn¡¯t press about the partnership. Instead, she


    casually inquired about how things had been and what they had been discussing earlier.


    Ward exined everything candidly. There was a time when, as a street punk, he had run into


    Sylvia¡¯s brothers and endured a heavy reprimand from them. Since then, he¡¯d known Sylvia wasn¡¯t


    someone to be taken lightly.


    ¡°Can you give it to me straight? If there¡¯s something about what we do that you¡¯re not impressed


    with, you can tell me. I can handle it,¡± Ward finally said, bordering on desperation.


    Sylvia paused, thenughed softly. ¡°Calm down. The partnership will continue. I¡¯m here to see for


    myself what¡¯s going on. Frankly,pared to otherpanies the Ivans work with, you¡¯re small.


    But I¡¯m willing to give you a chance. The n you submitted impressed me, and that¡¯s why I¡¯m here.


    Now, you need to convince not just me, but the critics I¡¯ve brought along. And let me warn you¨C


    they¡¯re excellent at finding faults. If you can handle them, consider our partnership secure.


    Ward knew hispany wasn¡¯t the usual caliber Sylvia partnered with, but her willingness to give


    them this chance spurred him on. He was ready to give it his all.


    After the meeting, as Ward busied himself addressing the feedback, Sylvia stepped out to make a


    call to Bruce. They¡¯d received news this morning that Cyril wanted to partner with Ward, and Sylvia


    was determined not to let Cyril secure the deal without a fight. Besides, why should Cyril get first


    dibs on working with Ward?


    Perhaps there was a hint of retaliation in her actions; after all, the past three years hadn¡¯t been


    easy. It wouldn¡¯t sit right with her to just let bygones be bygones without making things at least a bit


    difficult for Cyril.


    Sylvia¡¯s next stop was to check out the rest of thepany. Despite its modest size, the overall vibe


    was promising.


    Juliet arrivedte, carrying a stack of documents which she handed to Sylvia. ¡°This is from your


    brother. There¡¯s an inspection at the mall this afternoon, and he wants you to oversee it,¡± Juliet


    exined. The files detailed a promotional event featuring Sylvia¡¯s second brother, aiming to make


    a ssh with this year¡¯s concert by starting with today¡¯s showcase.


    Realizing that this meant her brother was expecting arge turnout, Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but dread


    the chaos that might ensue. No wonder Bruce wanted her to be there.


    As Sylvia and Juliet approached the mall, they didn¡¯t announce themselves, choosing to blend in as


    ordinary shoppers. On a usual day, the mall wouldn¡¯t be this crowded ¨C but today, Brock¡¯s presence


    transformed it into a bustling hub.


    Having attended several of Brock¡¯s concerts before, they expected the energy, but the sheer scale


    of the excitement still startled them as they arrived.


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Goodness, imagine if this was at a bigger venue like a stadium; the fans would swarm your


    brother!¡± Juliet whispered, loudly enough for Sylvia to hear despite the din.


    Sylvia smiled ruefully; she¡¯d always known her brother was a favorite, but this outpouring of


    affection still amazed her.


    ¡°No wonder Bruce wanted me toe. He probably didn¡¯t want to deal with this crowd. Let¡¯s head


    to the central hall. I heard that¡¯s where the event is,¡± she suggested.


    As they edged through the throngs, a bright¨Ceyed girl with golden hair rushed up and grabbed


    Sylvia¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s you, I know you!¡±


    Sylvia was taken aback¨Cshe¡¯d never seen this girl before.


    ¡°Last time at the lounge, I saw you sing. You performed Brock¡¯s songs, remember? I wanted your


    contact then, but you were swamped. Can I get it now? It¡¯s fate, meeting you here again.


    Delighted, Linda was overjoyed to run into Sylvia after missing an opportunity to connect


    before.


    Sylvia chuckled, took out her phone, and willingly exchanged numbers.


    ¡°Are you here for the signing event? You might bete; they could be gone. But there¡¯s a good spot


    over there for pictures¡ªyou¡¯ll get a clear shot of his face.¡±

 Chapter 61

    Chapter 61


    Chapter 61  I Want It


    Linda pointed out the direction to the central hall, and Sylvia nodded her thanks. Though they hadn¡¯t


    exined what brought them there, encountering such an enthusiastic little fan made both Sylvia


    and Juliet happy. After a quick look, they decided to focus on their primary task¨Cknowing that the


    buzz of the event cruidn¡¯t be settled just by their presence, they didn¡¯t linger, valuing their own time


    over the spectacle.


    Their inspection didn¡¯t reveal anything out of the ordinary, aside from the fact that today¡¯s


    exceptional event made usual operations challenging. Still, they knew that it was precisely these


    times that demanded foresight and precautions.


    Havingpleted their rounds, Sylvia and Juliet found a spot topile their observations into a


    report for the uing meeting. While they understood the day¡¯s exceptions, they pondered how


    the mall would handle everyday issues.


    ¡°Today¡¯s showcase mightst three hours, followed by a meeting¨Cit feels a bit rushed, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Juliet nced at the makeshift stage where Brock was performing. His every note seemed to


    unleash waves of excitement, a testament to his importance to the fans.


    Sylvia turned away from the spectacle, yfully berating her brother in her thoughts. ¡°Forget him.


    He¡¯s acting like aplete show¨Coff,¡± she remarked dryly, elicitingughter from Juliet.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky he can¡¯t do anything about your teasing right now. If he could¡­ well, let¡¯s just say he


    probably wouldn¡¯t be too pleased,¡± Juliet said with a grin.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Sylvia just shrugged, well aware that she¡¯d never dare to tease him like this to his face.


    After discussing their findings, Juliet caught sight of a w machine nearby, but this one was


    unique¨Cit required ying a dance game to win prizes. She was clearly enthused butcked the


    coordination to give it a go herself, so her eyes inevitably turned to Sylvia.


    Sylvia knew exactly what her friend was thinking¨Cthey¡¯d grown up together, after all. For all of


    Juliet¡¯s talents, coordination was not among them. Despite their parents enrolling her in various


    dance sses, her instructors would invariably send her back with a message to its futility. Now,


    Juliet¡¯s hopeful eyes pleaded wordlessly for Sylvia¡¯s aid.


    ¡°Please, I really want it,¡± she begged with a look so pitiful it could soften the hardest of hearts.


    Sylvia tried to resist, feeling the activity was too childish and fearing it might tarnish her professional


    image. But Juliet¡¯s imploring gaze eventually won over. ¡°Alright, but just this once. Next time, just


    buy it. You have plenty of money, and you¡¯d probably save if you didn¡¯t keep getting me to win these


    things,¡± she conceded, draping her coat over her arm and heading to the dance game.


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it. Buying takes away the fun, it¡¯s the thrill of winning them that counts,¡± Juliet


    argued.


    ¡°But you¡¯re not the one winning.¡± Sylvia pointed out with a smirk, fully aware of Juliet¡¯sck of


    response to that contingent reality.


    Realizing she had noeback, Jullet shot Sylvia a re that only made herugh harder. It was


    all in


    good fun between friends.


    ¡°Alright, enough joking. Which one do you want? Sylvia asked, arriving at the dance game and


    turning to Juliet for her choice.


    Juliet couldn¡¯t decide¨Cshe wanted every single one. Sylvia understood, realizing this meant she¡¯d


    be dedicating the entire afternoon to this venture.


    ¡°Well, if it means that much to you,¡± she sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll try, just this once¨Cand there won¡¯t be


    a second time.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s acquiescence sent waves of excitement through Juliet. As Sylvia approached the machine,


    it was deserted; everyone was captivated by Brock¡¯s performance. The attendant barely nced


    Sylvia¡¯s way, taking her money with disinterest before returning attention to the stage.


    Sylvia tossed in her coins and steeled herself for the challenge, not expecting the game tounch


    with a song of stratospheric difficulty. Despite her best efforts, the first round ended in dismal failure.


    The abysmal score plunged both Sylvia and Juliet into silence, Juliet tentatively suggested, ¡°Maybe


    we should call it quits?¡±


    Celebrate World Book Day! Unlock amazing gift now!

 Chapter 62

    Chapter 62


    Chapter 62 Are You Regretting It?


    Sylvia wasn¡¯t happy when Juliette yfully suggested she might not be up for the challenge. ¡°What


    are you talking about?¡± Sylvia scoffed. There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t handle. Just wait, you want all those


    stuffed animals, right? Just watch me win them for you in no time.¡±


    The Ivans were known for their tenacity; they wouldn¡¯t quit no matter what, seen in how Sylvia


    insisted on marrying Cyril despite everyone¡¯s objections, driven by her deep love for him and her


    determination to


    have no regrets.


    But now, Sylvia sometimes wondered if she had made a mistake.


    Stepping up to the dance game for the first time in three years, Sylvia


    trusty. After marrying Cyril, she


    had set aside her passions to be an ordinary housewife, only to realize she had done herself a


    disservice. She used to be great at games like this, but now, even that seemed to have slipped


    away.


    Determined, Sylvia started with a simple song to warm up. As the music flowed through her, she


    began to move more confidently, her past skills igniting once again. Soon enough, she was ready to


    tackle a more challenging track.


    Standing on the dance tform, Sylvia was the center of attention. It wasn¡¯t just the game she was


    good at; her grace and agility made it look like a performance rather than a simple attempt at hitting


    the right steps. Onlookers couldn¡¯t help but be drawn towards her, some were even distracted from


    watching Bark, the main performer, as they watched Sylvia move.


    Sylvia had been a dancer from a young age, and it showed in her coordination and rhythm. And as


    more people gathered around her, the excitement grew.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Juliette, unable to contain her excitement, started recording Sylvia with her phone,pletely in


    awe. She had wondered if Sylvia would still be as good after all these years, but it was clear she


    hadn¡¯t lost her touch. After all, Sylvia had won the plush toy Juliette had wanted.


    Hugging Sylvia tightly, Juliette eximed, ¡°You¡¯re amazing! Every year I¡¯ve wanted to bring you


    along to win these prizes, and now you¡¯re finally back to help me again!¡±


    There was a bit of guilt in Sylvia¡¯s heart for neglecting her friend for so long, but now, she was filled


    with regret and a resolve to make amends. But wasn¡¯t it toote? All that had passed couldn¡¯t be


    undone.


    ¡°Come on, there are four more toys to win. If you want them all, just watch me,¡± Sylvia said, tapping


    Juliette lightly on her shoulder. Juliette jumped for joy and hugged Sylvia even tighter.


    Sylvia returned to the game, filled with fierce confidence. She knew nothing was beyond her reach.


    Upstairs, Cyril watched from the railing, his gaze fixed on Sylvia. He was mesmerized by this side of


    her that he had never known. He realized that during their three years of marriage, Sylvia had been


    ying down her true self to please him. Now, seeing her in her element ¨C vibrant, dynamic, alive ¨C


    Cyril felt


    something stir in his heart.


    Karina, who was with Cyril, felt ignored and fumed silently, biting her lip. She couldn¡¯t understand


    why


    Sylvia always seemed to steal Cyril¡¯s attention. She had worked so hard to get Cyril toe out


    with her,


    and yet here he was, captivated by his wife.


    ¡°Are you regretting it now?¡±


    Upon hearing those words. Cyril cast a nce at Karina, who was shadowing him, and remained


    silent. As his gaze settled back onto Sylvia, his fascination seemed to wane. He realized he may not


    know Sylvia as well as he thought.


    If he truly understood her, he would have known that she was quite skilled at these sorts of games.


    Yet, throughout their three¨Cyear marriage, Sylvia never indulged in them, and he was oblivious to


    her prowess.


    Watching Sylvia now, radiant and captivating on the dance tform, Cyril suddenly realized that


    over the years of their marriage, she had concealed her talents. Seeing the real Sylvia, seeing her


    shine in her element stirred feelings within him feelings he hadn¡¯t known he had for the vibrant


    woman he had married.


    Karina, noticing Cyril¡¯s indifference to her presence, fumed with annoyance. Clenching her teeth,


    she fixated on Sylvia below. It irked her how Sylvia¡¯s presence seemed to linger like a stubborn


    shadow. It had taken so much effort to coax Cyril out for a day of shopping ¨C to get him alone with


    her and now, he was captivated once again by Sylvia.

 Chapter 63

    Chapter 63


    Chapter 63 A Different Appearance


    Karina¡¯s heart seethed with frustration. How could the man she tried so hard to win over be


    charmed so effortlessly by Sylvia? Why did Sylvia seem to obtain everything she desired so easily,


    while Karina¡¯s own cherished wishes remained unattainable? She couldn¡¯t swallow her pride over


    this injustice.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Karina didn¡¯t see herself as inferior to Sylvia, so why did Cyril always only have eyes for Sylvia, and


    not for


    her?


    ¡°If you truly regret what happened, then why don¡¯t you just win her back?¡± Karina said with a


    purpose, knowing it would provoke a reaction from Cyril. ¡°I¡¯m sure she would take you back in a


    heartbeat. She wanted your marriage so badly she tried every trick in the book, and if you wanted


    to, she would definitely choose to marry you again.¡±


    Cyril¡¯s expression changed visibly as Karina spoke. ¡°Are you trying to upset me with those words? If


    so, I advise you to save your energy and stop wasting time on such talk.¡±


    Cyril was no o child; he could read between the lines of Karina¡¯s insinuations. But Cyril¡¯s pride was


    wounded by the memory of the underhanded things Sylvia had done to marry him. How could


    someone as proud as he admit to being manipted into marriage?


    He believed that marriage should be a choice, not a scheme, which was partly why he had been so


    dismissive towards Sylvia during their marriage¨Che had always felt trapped, believing it was not a


    happy union, and disliking the feeling immensely.


    But after their divorce, Cyril began realizing things weren¡¯t quite as he had perceived. He had never


    truly understood what Sylvia went through during their marriage, nor had he recognized the light


    she carried within her. Now, looking back, he saw how outrageous his obliviousness had been.


    Left speechless by Cyril¡¯s piercing gaze, Karina realized her words had backfired; she had only


    meant to divert his attention from another woman. She seeded, but not in the way she had


    hoped¨CCyril had no further interest in gazing at Sylvia, nor in keeping Karina¡¯spany.


    ¡°Are you leaving? Bark is here today, and I was hoping you¡¯d speak to him with me,¡± Karina said, a


    hint of desperation in her voice. For the first time, Cyril felt repulsed by her urgency.


    Once he had been lenient towards Karina, but it was never really about her¨Cit was about other


    people, and she seemed to have misconstrued her own importance.


    ¡°I understand the effort you¡¯ve put into linking up with Bark, and I know what¡¯s really on your mind. If


    you want to stay, keep it honest and avoid angering me further. You know the consequences if you


    provoke me,¡± Cyril warned her, not waiting to see her reaction before heading downstairs.


    He wanted to ask Sylvia why she had never shown the same radiance and joy during their marriage


    that she clearly disyed now. If only she had been real to him sooner, things would have been


    different.


    Even now, Cyril had never acknowledged any fault in his actions, always believing it was Sylvia who


    had failed to reveal her true feelings. If she had been open, he thought, their marriage might not


    have turned out as it did.


    Descending from the upper floor, Cyril arrived just as Sylvia had finished dancing Juliette was


    ecstatic, clutching the plush toys Sylvia had won for her with joy. Sylvia, now wearing her jacket,


    exuded a presence that made others hesitate to approach despite their previous eagerness to


    speak to her. Without the zer, Sylvia appeared approachable and beautiful; with it on, she


    commanded an air of authority


    Sylvia didn¡¯t care about the thoughts of those around her, she could feel their gazes and


    deliberately projected a bit of her inner strength to distance herself.


    Intending to find the manager with Juliette, Sylvia paused when she saw Cyril approaching them.


    His expression was earnest as he stood before her. Although they were divorced, it didn¡¯t mean


    they couldn¡¯t speak when they crossed paths.


    Seeing Cyril again, Sylvia felt her emotions slowly settling. I saw you dancing from upstairs. You¡¯re


    really different, not at all like the person I knew before,¡± Cyril remarked with a certain intensity.


    Sylvia paused, then nodded slightly. ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡±


    Cyril started to speak but was cut off by Sylvia, ¡°You seem to be mistaken about something. Our


    rtionship has always been different. Even if I had shown you this side of me before, you still


    wouldn¡¯t have given me a second nce. Our rtionship wouldn¡¯t have changed just because of


    one person¡¯s transformation. From beginning to end, as long as you refused to move forward, we


    were destined to remain in the same ce.¡±


    After the divorce, Sylvia had reflected on herself and their union. One person was too proactive


    while the other remained stagnant¨Cand that was where the issuey.

 Chapter 64

    Chapter 64


    Chapter 64 Magazine Cover


    ¡ª


    The Ivans¡®pany was doing incredibly well, not just in real estate development but in various


    lines of business. In short, they ventured into any industry that promised profits something other


    companies could hardly sustain,


    But the Ivans had both the power and money. Whatever industry they desired to dabble in was a


    matter of their fancy, owning not one but two mediapanies in the entertainment industry.


    Typically, matters rted to these subsidiaries wouldn¡¯t reach the headquarters, but early one


    morning, Juliette came to Sylvia with issues from bothpanies in hand.


    ¡°These things are naturally handled by those below. Why bring it to me? I have enough


    responsibilities. If I have to deal with every little problem from the subsidiaries, I¡¯ll work myself to


    death,¡± Sylviained.


    While these mediapanies fell under their corporate umbre, they weren¡¯t Sylvia¡¯s strong suit,


    so they had dedicated individuals managing them. There was no need for Sylvia to take on


    these issues.


    Juliette understood this as well but wouldn¡¯t havee to Sylvia if it weren¡¯t a special situation.


    Sitting seriously before Sylvia, she said, ¡°You must have forgotten, there¡¯s someone in thepany


    who¡¯s always been against you, right? These issues were dug up intentionally by them, and the


    people below can¡¯t handle it, so they¡¯vee to you. And you know, the subsidiaries¡® earnings are


    substantial, albeit notparable to headquarters.¡±


    Now Sylvia understood. Someone was deliberately creating trouble for her by cing these


    documents on her desk. After carefully reviewing them, Sylvia couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    ¡°What, is this some kind of joke? Just because two brand ambassadors left? Just find two new


    ones, and it¡¯s solved. Does such a trivial matter really warrant my attention?¡±


    Juliette had had the same initial reaction as Sylvia. Losing two brand ambassadors didn¡¯t seem like


    a big deal; thepany could find recements. But after digging deeper, Juliette found that for


    some reason, theirpanies were being cklisted within the industry. Apart from their signed


    artists, almost no one was willing to work with them.


    This had never happened before, and Sylvia was stunned. ¡°Someone must be targeting us


    specifically


    then.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely. And I¡¯ve looked into it ¨C the instigator is a major yer in the film and television


    industry. For them, taking aim at us like this is easy.¡±


    They were established giants, their connections unparalleled by Sylvia and Juliette¡¯s subsidiaries.


    Juliette couldn¡¯t fathom what theirpanies had done to warrant being cklisted. Sylvia thought


    for a moment and then suggested, ¡°Luke, my brother¡¯s assistant, could easily handle this if we call


    him over.¡±


    Juliette¡¯s mouth twitched in disbelief. ¡°Are you joking? Luke is your brother¡¯s right¨Chand man, and if


    I¡¯m not mistaken, he¡¯s helped resolve untold issues. You really think your brother would be happy to


    send Luke over to assist you?¡°,


    Sylvia pondered for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, that¡¯s why you should go talk


    to


    him. He certainly wouldn¡¯t agree if I asked.


    ¡°What are you thinking? Your brother would refuse even if I asked!¡±


    Juliette wasn¡¯t keen on getting involved in this thankless task, fearing it could backfire on her. But


    Sylvia said nothing, merely waiting and watching Juliette in silence until the office phone suddenly


    rang, Interrupting then standoff


    After hanging up, fiylvin donned her jacket and announced, ¡®Let¡¯s go to the subsidiary and see


    what¡¯s going on,¡± beckoning Juliette to follow.


    As they reached the lobby, they saw Luke waiting with a car. Now it made sense why Sylvia had


    reacted no oddly Luke had been preparing to join them.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying your brother actually agreed to let Lukee over to help with this?¡± Juliette


    whispered.


    ¡°Of course. If he doesn¡¯t handle this for me, who will?¡±


    To Sylvia, it made no difference; eventually, she would lead thepany, and perhaps her brother


    would still need to be involved. If in the meantime Luke could assist, all the better.


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Formalities exchanged, Luke drove them to the subsidiary, where everyone was stressed about the


    uing magazine cover shoot. The contracted artist had backed out at thest minute, leaving


    them. scrambling for a suitable recement.


    En route, Sylvia was briefed on the situation. The uing cover shoot was to be conducted by a


    renowned photographer, which was supposed to be a key selling point. However, their rivals had


    exploited this, and their intended cover artist pulled out as a result.

 Chapter 65

    Chapter 65


    Chapter 65 A Perfect Match


    This time, the master photographer they¡¯ve brought in is Jessica. She¡¯s insanely talented, getting


    her so shoot is usually super expensive. Plus, she¡¯s picky about her models. The biggest problem


    they have on into is that they can¡¯t find the right celeb model for her to shoot this time


    To lure Jessica into shooting this magazine cover, thepany has shelled out some serious cach


    Everything was all set, and then, at thest minute, they hit a snag¨Cthe celeb model dropped out if


    we don¡¯t fix this, there goes our money down the drain.


    And it¡¯s not just about the money. Their reputationls on the line too. If they mess this up, not only


    Jessica but other photographers might not want to work with them anymore.


    That¡¯s why folks at the subsidiary are freaking out. They reported it up to headquarters, and


    headquarters sent none other than Sylvia to handle this mess.


    After going through the details, Sylvia had a good bead on who Jessica was, but she knew she had


    to see for herself what was going on.


    But get this: when Sylvia arrived at the subsidiary, she ran into Cyril. Since theirst casual mall


    run¨Cin over two weeks ago, they hadn¡¯t crossed paths at all. Things have been smooth. But Cyril


    knew the Ivans family business was making big moves¨Csnatching up three projects recently, one of


    which was right out of his hands. It ate at him, knowing they were out of his league.


    Expecting someone else to take over the situation, Cyril was surprised to see Sylvia there. And with


    Sylvia were her best friend and Bruce¡¯s assistant. Cyril had always known Sylvia and Bruce were


    tight, but the appearance of the assistant for such a supposedly minor issue seemed out of the


    ordinary


    And then there was Luke, Bruce¡¯s right¨Chand man, now at Sylvia¡¯s side¨Cdefinitely fishy.


    Sylvia didn¡¯t give Cyril a second nce as she approached the manager, who had been notified by


    the head office about the iing fixer.


    He knew Luke. They had met atst year¡¯spany g, so he greeted him with familiarity. But


    Luke rified that Sylvia, thepany¡¯s vice president, was the one in charge. He was just there to


    support her.


    Sylvia, brief nod and all business, asked to meet with Jessica straight away. As she walked past


    Cyril, the manager brought up that Cyril was Jessica¡¯s good pal and that she insisted on him being


    the male model If she was to coborate. Now, with the female celeb a no¨Cshow, the manager was


    at a loss since Cyril¡¯s status made him a tricky figure to navigate around.


    The manager, savvy in entertainment politics, sensed the tension in the air and felt a need to


    exin.


    V Meeting Jessica, Sylvia found a woman full of funk and punk¨Ca style that screamed rebel girl


    rather than


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    world¨Cfamous photographer. But that was Jessica¡¯s charm,


    Jessica was nearly at her wit¡¯s end, finding today¡¯s shoot in jeopardy. She was on the cusp of


    storming off when she heard headquarters was sending someone to save the day. Curiosity piqued,


    she stayed to see what the headquarters exec would do.


    What Jessica didn¡¯t expect was to be smitten the instar Sylvia walived in


    ¡°Oh my gosh, you¡¯re gorgeous! is this who headquarters ser to for things? Excellent You¡¯re gonna


    be the model for this issue, and in fly off the shelves! Get dressed, we¡¯re starting now! Oh, and


    you¡¯ve met your co¨Cmodel, right? The super handsome guy outside, Cyril? Known him for years.


    You two together perfect


    match!*


    Jessica was clueless that Sylvia was there to solve the problem, not to model. But Jessica figured


    Sylvia¡¯s looks would make this shoot incredible, already envisioning the sess


    Caught up in the moment, Jessica dragged Sylvia off to prep for the shoot. Everyone was taken


    aback: Sylvia, Luke, and Juliet¨Call speechless.


    Cyril, meanwhile, had overheard the offer. He wanted to protest but found himself silently longing for


    the chance to partner with Sylvia in front of the camera.

 Chapter 66

    Chapter 66


    Chapter 66 Divorced But Still a Stunning Pair


    Thrown into the deep end without a chance to say no, Sylvia was hustled by Jessica into the


    makeup chair and wardrobe like a duck to water. Once in the outfit, Sylvia looked like it was made


    just for her Jessica was delighted, and everyone else was wowed.


    ¡°My word, you look incredible!¡± Juliet gaped, never having imagined Sylvia could look this stunning.


    Yet, something felt off knowing Sylvia¡¯s partner for the shoot wasn¡¯t some male heartthrob, but Cyril.


    Hearing this, Jessica, who had just walked in with a puzzled look, asked, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be


    suitable for Sylvia and Cyril to do the shoot together? Aren¡¯t you a celeb too, Sylvia? Or are you


    choosy with your partners? You two look absolutely perfect together. Trust me, I¡¯ve shot so many


    pairs, and I¡¯ve never seen a duo as perfect as you two. Did you two know each other before?¡±


    Sylvia had been swept up in the rush since her arrival, with no time to rify anything with Jessica


    until now. Sylvia finally said, ¡°It seems you never asked if I was here to find a solution for you or


    be the solution myself.¡±


    Jessica appeared lost. To her, both options simply meant resolving the problem.


    Sylvia exined, ¡°I¡¯m here from headquarters to find a solution, not to provide one by stepping in.


    And as for yourment, we¡¯re divorced¨Chave you ever heard of ex¨Cspouses posing


    together for such a shoot?¡±


    Not wanting to hide anything since her rtionship history with Cyril was out there for anyone


    curious enough to look, Sylvia made it clear she wasn¡¯t the solution Jessica was hoping for.


    Jessica gasped, realizing he¡¯d mixed up roles. She just thought Sylvia was the ideal fit for the


    theme, and after seeing many female celebs fail to measure up to Cyril¡¯s look, none had satisfied


    him¨Cuntil Sylvia


    walked in.


    With Sylvia looking just right and eager to not let this chance slip by, Jessica yfully said, ¡°If you¡¯re


    here to resolve a problem, as long as it gets resolved, that¡¯s all that matters, right? And what does it


    matter if you¡¯re divorced? You both look perfect together¨Ca divorced pair who are stillpletely


    stunning


    together.¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Jessica, unaware of their history, just saw a match made in heaven and hoped they¡¯d work together.


    To her, they were a photogenic pair that seemed a shame to have parted ways¨Cforget the emotional


    stuff;


    she was all about the visuals.


    Sylvia and Juliet were at a loss for words, perplexed by Jessica¡¯s bold attitude.


    ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s get started. When we begin shooting, just rx and don¡¯t think about your past. I¡¯ll


    make y sure you look fabulous,¡± Jessica told Sylvia, whisking her away to the set to start a new


    round of photos.


    Although she had other matters to address, Sylvia¡¯s current task was to finish this magazine shoot.


    After years of marriage with hardly any closeness, it was ironic that a magazine shoot was what


    brought them together so intimately.


    When Cyril found out he¡¯d be pairing with Sylvia for the day¡¯s shoot, he felt a rush of nervousness,


    unsure how to face her. It was crucial for him to be at his best around her. Yet, Sylvia appeared


    calm, unaffected


    by their history.


    During the shoot, Sylvia¡¯s natural poise shone through, while Cyril repeatedly fumbled¨Cafter all, he


    was not a professional, just someone Jessica had roped in to help after doing him a favor in the


    past. He hadn¡¯t expected to encounter Sylvia here.


    In the end, Jessica was thrilled with the shoot, despite Cyril¡¯s less¨Cthan¨Cperfect performance. As an


    observer, he could see Cyril still held feelings for Sylvia, hinting at a potential reconciliation, despite


    the


    divorce.


    As insiders, Jessica and Luke were dumbfounded, having no clue how the situation unfolded into


    this scenario. After shooting for several hours, Jessica was more than satisfied, convinced the


    magazine was going to be a hit and break past the industry¡¯s barriers.


    ¡°Goodness, I can¡¯t believe how things turned out. You and Cyril end up as magazine shoot partners,


    and by the time I process it, you¡¯re done! Cyril¡¯s gaze on you was so strange,¡± Juliet remarked, still


    trying to make sense of it all.

 Chapter 67

    Chapter 67


    Chapter 67 Who¡¯s the Better One


    Juliet wasn¡¯t kidding when she said something strat Cyril¡¯s reactions being odd. Honestly, she was


    as baffled as anyone about how things had spirated, but she had kept an eye on Cyril, and his


    responses to Sylvia were way out of the ordinary


    It was like he had changed into a different person after the divorce. Today, it seemed he wanted to


    chat with Sylvia time and again but she was giving him the cold shoulder, leaving Cyril¡¯s words stuck


    in his


    throat.


    ¡°Strange or not, let¡¯s figure out what¡¯s going down first,¡± Sylvia decided.


    She sought out the manager to get the lowdown on the situation. Turns out the cklist thing was


    mainly because their rivals were stirring up trouble. Sylvia figured it wasn¡¯t too big of a deal. If their


    opponents were exploiting their weak points, it meant there were indeed areas they needed to clean


    up.


    ¡°But really, how many celebs are squeaky clean? Ourpany¡¯s better than most, butpared to


    the big fish we¡¯re up against, we¡¯ve got our work out out for us, confided the manager.


    After thinking it over, Sylvia replied, ¡°Well, you said it yourself, not everyone in this biz is spotless.


    So let¡¯s dig up some dirt on them. If they¡¯ve done something shady, you guys can find out. Once


    you¡¯ve got solid proof, hand it over to the authorities. Oh, and you might want to go public about


    your connection to


    headquarters¡±


    After all, the subsidiary had made good profits for thepany, so of course, Sylvia was willing to


    help them set up some money¨Cmaking opportunities


    Hearing Sylvia¡¯s n, the manager¡¯s eyes went wide. He had thought about it before but taking on


    the rivals wasn¡¯t easy. Now with Sylvia green¨Clighting the exposure of their connection to the main


    office, the obstacles didn¡¯t seem so huge.


    He was thrilled and assured her he could handle it. He also checked if the magazine with Sylvia and


    Cyril could actually hit the stands, if not, he¡¯d need to pivot fast.


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t it be released? Of course, it can go out,¡± Sylvia affirmed.


    Although she hadn¡¯t anticipated teaming up with Cyril, they¡¯d done it for the money, and that was


    what


    counted.


    With a nod, the manager promised to hop on it and started organizing the next steps.


    After the wild ride of the magazine shoot, Cyril seemed to catch a wind of opportunity. He was


    pinging Sylvia with messages and emails left and right, sticking to her like glu


    Juliet lost count of how many times she¡¯d intercepted these emails for Sylvia. What was Cyril


    thinking? He used to barely acknowledge Sylvia, and now he was the one chasing after her.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you give him something else to do?¡± Sylvia wished Cyril would just move on. They were over;


    there wasn¡¯t any reason to keep in touch she wasn¡¯t up for being just friends.¡±


    ¨C


    dhatok or Wase the Heller rine


    Cyril was actually dying to know how Sylvin had so quickly climbed to the position of vice president.


    His recent encounters made him realize how little he actually kreu shout her. He wanted to


    understand Sylvia anew, although he insisted there was no other motive behind it. Others, however,


    sew it differently. Which is why he kept reaching out, never receiving a single reply to his emails or


    text messages.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°Man, you did a magazine shoot with Sylvin behind my back? Do you have any idea how much


    buzz this caused? Nobody expected you to pose with your ex¨Cwife! Everyone knew about Cyril and


    Sylvia¡¯s past. Their rocky marriage made the news of the magazine spread shocking.


    Cyril remained unnervingly calm, ¡°So what?¡± he retorted, leaving Jonathan speechless.


    ¡°Dude, do you know Katrina reached out to me this morning?¡± blurted Jonathan. ¡°She¡¯s asking


    what¡¯s going on between you and Sylvia. Everyone¡¯s freaking out online about the photo spread.


    They think you two should get back together.¡±


    In truth, they did look perfect in the photos. Jonathan, who knew the real score, doubted a reunion


    was on the cards considering how awkward things had be.


    Cyril stayed silent, a gesture Jonathan interpreted as telling.


    ¡°You¡¯re not actually considering getting back with Sylvia, are you? You might be open to the idea,


    but I seriously doubt Sylvia is. Oh, and, by the way, after your magazine went viral this morning,


    Bark released a childhood photo of him and Sylvia, outright asking who¡¯s better: him or you.¡±


    Jonathan whipped out his phone and pulled up Bark¡¯s post. Cyril¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°See for yourself.¡±


    Taking Jonathan¡¯s phone, Cyril saw the photo Bark posted¨Ca young Bark with his arm around


    Sylvia, who was hugging him tightly, both of them smiling at the camera like happy teenagers.


    Clenching the phone, Cyril thought, when the heck was this? How did he not know about it? Sylvia


    knew Bark since childhood? First it was Bruce, and now Bark. How many more men did Sylvia have


    unclear rtionships with? And Bark¡¯s post was a clear shot at him he was challenging Cyril!

 Chapter 68

    Chapter 68


    Chapter 68 What¡¯s Her Story


    ¡°What were you thinking? Everyone¡¯s dying to know. How do you go from being Cyril¡¯s wife to


    getting all cozy with Bark? You know the guy has major clout. You gotta exin this, don¡¯t you?¡±


    After work, Sylvin was ready to head home and rx, but her friends Intercepted her, intent on


    quizzing her about the current drama that had everyone glued to their screens.


    Feeling hopeless in the face of their questioning, Sylvia didn¡¯t know how to respond. Kelli¡¯s eager


    expression made things worse; Sylvia was the one in hot water, yet her friends were thriving on the


    gossip,


    ¡°Not only your brother but now Catherine¡¯s posted an old photo of you two on her profile,¡± Juliet


    said, showing the post on her phone to Sylvia, who just felt a headacheing


    a on.


    Passing the phone to Kelli, who looked intrigued, she remarked, ¡°This is getting juicy. Now


    everyone¡¯s even more curious about who you really are. Singer, actress¡­ What next? We¡¯ll find


    out you¡¯re the heir to the Ivans family empire?¡±


    Sylvia sighed deeply. ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I don¡¯t want my real identity out there. See the kind of


    attention a small matter gets on the inte? Now Cyril and I are being linked together again just


    because of the magazine. If I knew I¡¯d get dragged into all this hassleter, I wouldn¡¯t have done the


    shoot at all.¡±


    ¡°Your family owns Crown Entertainment, right? They¡¯re big shots in the industry. Do you really need


    to go through all this for some small subsidiary?¡± Kelli reasoned.


    Sylvia knew about her family¡¯s other entertainmentpany, that there was no need for such a


    sacrifice. But her willingness to go to such lengths wasn¡¯t for the subsidiary¡¯s sake¨Cit was for


    Jessica.


    ¡°Jessica, sure, I¡¯ve heard of him. He¡¯s a force in photography, has his own style and skills. If you got


    involved with Cyril just for Jessica, then it¡¯s just tough luck. But if you¡¯re seriously thinking about


    hooking


    up.¡± Kelli half¨Cjoked, half-


    Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    up with Cyril again, I might just have to throw my drink in your face to wake you


    serious.


    All Sylvia could do wasugh dryly, wondering what she could possibly do. If it weren¡¯t for Jessica,


    she wouldn¡¯t give Cyril a second look, let alone coborate with him.


    ¡°Look, none of that¡¯s the point,¡± Juliet interrupted. ¡°The real issue is your brother is steamed up over


    this. Better charm him back to a good mood, alright? And Catherine¡¯s on her way over¨Cwe should


    skedaddle before she arrives. Her influence is every bit as strong as your brother¡¯s.¡±


    Juliet remembered a time they went out with Catherine. Even though Catherine was incognito that


    day, she was still recognized as soon as she stepped out. That whole day they couldn¡¯t do anything


    fun; it was all about dodging Catherine¡¯s fans. They left in daylight and didn¡¯t get home tillte at


    night it was a real thriller of a day.


    ¨C


    Now, hearing Catherine was on her way, they were excited but also a little nervous¨Cthose fans of


    hers. could be intense.


    ¡°Maybe we should take off before it gets crazy here. If Catherine gets spotted, none of us will get


    away,¡± especially not you, Sylvia,¡± Juliet suggested, eyeing the door.


    Chapter 63 What¡¯s Her Story.


    Sylvia, stuck in the whirlwind of rumors, feared being dragged further into the fray. How would she


    manage if things got even more tangled up?


    ¡°You all thinking about ditching me, huh? I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m already here, and nobody¡¯s going


    anywhere!¡± announced Catherine, appearing just as they were contemting their escape. Clearly


    peeved at the thought of being abandoned, she wasn¡¯t letting them off the hook.


    Caught red¨Chanded, they felt a tad awkward, still worried about Catherine¡¯s fans, but as long as


    they didn¡¯t swarm in, they were fine.


    ¨C


    ¡°I was overseas filming when I heard you got divorced from that dog of a man. Here¡¯s my divorce


    gift for you congrattions on finally getting your head straight,¡± Catherine said, handing over a


    hefty gift box to Sylvia, who almost didn¡¯t catch it.


    Opening the box, Sylvia¡¯s mouth twitched¨Cthis wasn¡¯t exactly what you¡¯d call a reliable gift. Inside


    were stacks of Catherine¡¯s personal magazines, showcasing interviews and profiles, along with


    entertainment gossip on various male celebrities that Sylvia knew and didn¡¯t¨Ctall, strong, handsome,


    rich, poor, good, bad guys, you name it.


    It was like a who¡¯s who of the showbiz world. Sylvia had an ominous feeling about it.


    ¡°What¡¯s the idea behind this? Are you suggesting I pick someone out from this?¡± Sylvia ced the


    box down, skeptical about any of these being a good choice.


    Catherine nodded and sat beside Sylvia, thumbing through the profiles. ¡°Do you have any idea how


    much work I put into this for you? Trust me, I¡¯ve never shown this to anyone else. It¡¯s all very


    discreet, useful- and I wouldn¡¯t harm you. These are all good options, all privately vetted, all clean. If


    one¡¯s not enough, feel free to pick a few more. I won¡¯t judge.¡±


    Her words stunned everyone. They always knew Catherine was bold, but this was next¨Clevel. Juliet


    and Kelli couldn¡¯t help but nce at Sylvia¨Cwho could manage that?


    With her small frame, handling even one could be a stretch.

 Chapter 69

    Chapter 69


    Chapter 69 Are you living together?!


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t take the nces any longer. She set down the hefty gift box on the table, then turned


    to face her friends seriously


    ¡°Can you please stop looking at me like that? Whatever¡¯s going on, it has nothing to do with me. I


    wouldn¡¯t do something like that,¡± she protested


    What a joke. She had just freed herself from one man, and now she was supposed to tangle with


    another? She cherished her solo life¨Crunning a business, making her own money. Why on earth did


    she have to get involved with another guy? She wasn¡¯t crazy.


    Besides, even if she wanted to find someone new, she was sure her family, especially Bark,


    wouldn¡¯t agree. Bark was still fuming about her marriage, if she pursued another rtionship, he¡¯d


    probably lose it.


    1 do appreciate the gifts, even though they¡¯re not really helpful to me,¡± Sylvia said with a nod of


    thanks to Catherine, who watched her in disbelief. ¡°But I think you should keep them. Most of these


    guys seem more your type, so I won¡¯t take them.¡±


    Sighing, Sylvia pushed the box back toward Catherine.


    Catherine looked at her disdainfully. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how to enjoy the finer things? People beg me


    for just a nce at these magazines. I¡¯m giving you enough to admire my unbeatable beauty every


    day, and you¡¯re not even interested. And these men I¡¯ve handpicked for you¨Chow can you dismiss


    them without even a look? Don¡¯t be so ungrateful!¡±


    Sylvia was at a loss for words. They all knew Catherine was a bit narcissistic, but besides that quirk,


    she was alright¨Ca little too full of herself sometimes, which had caused its fair share ofughs.


    They had all started on the wrong foot, particrly Kelli, who couldn¡¯t stand Catherine¡¯s vanity and


    had shed with her more than once. It got to the point where they even came to blows until Sylvia


    and Juliet finally stepped in to break it up.


    That incident had somehow led to them all bing good friends, hanging out together ever since,


    their rtions growing ever stronger.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°If you¡¯re really set on giving this stuff to me, go talk to my brothers first. If they don¡¯t object, then I¡¯ll


    keep it,¡± Sylvia suggested, neatly passing the buck to her older siblings, assuming they wouldn¡¯t


    approve either.


    Catherine rolled her eyes in exasperation. ¡°Can¡¯t you be independent without using your brothers


    as a shield? Forget it. If you don¡¯t want them, I¡¯ll keep it for myself.¡±


    Snatching the box back up, Catherine rummaged through it and pulled out two red velvet boxes,


    them to Sylvia.


    tossing


    ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t care about all that stuff, so I got you something more your style,¡± Catherine


    told Sylvia as she handed her the boxes. ¡°Here are the rubies you¡¯ve always liked, and this sapphire


    ring I recently got feels just right for you. Brought them both for you.¡±


    Opening the velvet boxes, Sylvia was instantly amazed. Catherine really did have an eye for


    beauty. The


    Chapter 69 Are you fring togetherte


    rubies were stunning, and the sapphire ring was absolutely fitting.


    ¡°I heard the twins areing back soon, and it¡¯s gonna be even liveller. We should all get together


    for at meal then,¡± Catherine sald, loungingfortably. Their bond was from childhood, no need for


    pretenses


    with each other.


    ¡°That sounds great. If I¡¯m not mistaken, York has had a crush on you since school, right? But your


    older brothers guarded you so closely he never stood a chance. Maybe now¡¯s a good time to give


    him a shot- someone we all know well,¡± Kelli chimed in, nudging Sylvia yfully. Ever since Sylvia¡¯s


    divorce, Kelli couldn¡¯t resist teasing her about it, though it was all in good fun.


    Sylvia could onlyugh dryly. ¡°If you think it¡¯s such a good idea, why don¡¯t you try it?¡±


    ¡°Me? No way,¡± scoffed Kelli. ¡°I¡¯m more into the gentlemanly types, like your third brother. He¡¯s the


    real


    knight in shining armor in my eyes.¡±


    Hearing Kelli¡¯s words, Sylvia didn¡¯t know whether tough or groan. Her friends seemed to have


    staked their ims on all three of her brothers¨Cone charmed by the eldest, one intrigued by the


    second, and now Kelli pining for the third.


    Surrounded by her closest friends, Sylvia found herself at a loss for words at this sisters¡® gathering,


    which was meant to celebrate Catherine¡¯s sessful return from a movie shoot, supposedly about


    to receive a major award that would boost her career. They were all thrilled for her, enjoying the


    celebratory night.


    They partied until dawn before deciding to head their separate ways. Catherine, being a celebrity,


    left first but soon realized she had left her car keys back at the private room. She called Kelli, who


    was still around and quickly retrieved the keys to reunite them with Catherine. Little did they know, a


    sneaky paparazzo caught a snapshot of Kelli and Catherine sharing a ride back to Catherine¡¯s ce


    spark spection.


    na


    ¨C a photo that would


    As for Sylvia and Juliet, they took a separate car, nning to go to work together the next day.


    The next morning, the story of Kelli and Catherine riding together and the possibility of them


    cohabiting went viral online. Although others might be confused, Sylvia and Juliet knew the truth


    behind the photos. They looked at the snap for a good while and then shared a resigned chuckle.


    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s time for Kelli to grow his hair back,¡± suggested Juliet. ¡°This is the second time people


    have questioned his gender. If this keeps up, fans might start throwing eggs.¡±


    Fanatics did crazy things when it came to their idols. If they got angry enough, who knew what they


    might do to Kelli? It was a scenario both Sylvia and Juliet hoped to avoid at all costs.

 Chapter 70

    Chapter 70


    Chapter 70 Setting Her Up


    What a joke, Kelly would never let her hair grow out¨C


    that¡¯s just not her. But you know what? This situation is a bit unexpected. I guess we should let Catherine exin it. It¡¯s pretty weird.¡±


    If these two know about the rumor, then surely the other two involved in the scandal must too. Kelly got up bright and early only to be


    just about knocked over by this piece of gossip. First came Sylvia, and now Catherine¨Cis she really so easily suspected?


    This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Fuming, she took a direct approach and posted a photo: it was a group shot from yesterday where she deliberately blurred out Juliet. After all


    Juliet into this mess too.


    That¡¯s when everyone realized just how well¨Cconnected Sylvia was, and who would¡¯ve guessed she was buddies


    with a movie star like Catherine?


    Shortly after Kelly posted her photo, Catherine stepped out to clear the air, teasingly iming thatst night was just a friendly neighborhood


    Now, everyone knew these folks were all tight¨C


    knit. Sylvia¡¯s deep cover surprised many, but seeing how they rallied around her only made them adore Sylvia even more.


    Sylvia, having read thetest, went back to her business without much fuss.


    Bonnie saw the news too, and let¡¯s just say objects may have flown across the room in a fit of rage. Bonnie had long wanted to make a ssh


    his foot down, clipping her wings before she could take flight.


    She once shared her frustrations with Sylvia, who cautioned her that the glitter


    of showbiz wasn¡¯t all it seemed and advised her to keep it real and stay put at home. And now to learn that Sylvia and Catherine were besties?


    ¡°He¡¯s doing this on purpose, isn¡¯t he?¡± Bonnie seethed. ¡°He never wanted me to stir up


    trouble on his friends¡® turf in showbiz. That¡¯s why he never wanted me in!¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s room took the brunt of her temper before she stormed down to rant to Michelle. It was news to Michelle, too¨C


    he was shocked. Sylvia wasn¡¯t just indifferent; he was friends with the big shots.


    Michelle was fuming partly in sympathy. If Sylvia had just lent a


    hand, with Catherine¡¯s clout in the industry, Bonnie could have easily found her footing and maybe be basking in stardom by now.


    ¡°I knew it! When he married into this family, it was never for anything good. He¡¯s always had his eyes on my brother¡¯s fortune. Sure, he yed


    without a peep about money. Look at him, devoting all his


    craft and conniving to chase his own ambitions! And now we find out he¡¯s chummy with so many? After all that pretense of just being an ¡®ord


    Michelle, too, was upset and took Bonnie into her arms.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mad, honey. We¡¯ll think of something. We cannot let Sylvia get away with this!¡±


    Bonne was seeing red, too upset to care for her mother¡¯sfort. She briskly freed herself from Michelle¡¯s arms, stood aside, and said, heate


    How do you suggest we don¡¯t let him have it his way? I¡¯ll never let him off the hook, but I don¡¯t even have a chance to get to him right now. An


    but eyes for Sylvia¨Cused to even fight with me over him. What am I supposed to do?


    Michelle felt even more for her only daughter, ming Sylvia for all the wrongs. If only Sylvia had been willing to help, none of this would be h


    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t get all worked up. Listen to me, as long as we are determined, nothing is impossible. Don¡¯t you have lots of friends? Plus, your


    Bonnie hardly grasped the implications of Michelle¡¯s words, her mind racing with thoughts of vengeance. She wanted


    to craft the cruelest revenge possible, to show Sylvia the severity of the wounds he had


    inflicted.


    ¡°How do we set him up, now that he¡¯s¡­¡±


    Mid¨C


    rant, Bonnie remembered a recent visit to her brother. Cyril had mentioned attending a charity g which Sylvia was also going to, pondering


    lesson.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it!¡± Bonnie perked up instantly, and while Michelle wasn¡¯t sure what her daughter had in mind, seeing Bonnie happy made her happy


    ¡°I¡¯ll go find my brother right now.¡±


    With a devious sparkle in her eye, Bonnie hurried out. Michelle said nothing, trusting her daughter¡¯s judgement, and watched as Bonnie rushe


    the ce top to bottom. After all, Sylvia was actually not too shabby at keeping the house spick and span, and that had been free housekeepi


    Michelle regretted not making more of Sylvia¡¯s tenure. Now, even the memory of a


    clean house seemed Insufficient. Michelle pondered this but never considered Sylvia¡¯s perspective, focusing solely on what benefitted her, un


    Meanwhile, Bonnie, flustered and anxious to see her brother, didn¡¯t know the musings in her mother¡¯s mind. Eager to find Cyril, she arrived a


    and waited in his office, anguishing over the dy.

 Chapter 71

    Chapter 71


    Chapter 71 Making Her Comply


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Cyril¡¯s assistant, named Jack, usually helped handle business affairs and asionally dealt with


    Bonnie¡¯s requests as well. After all, Bonnie was Cyril¡¯s sister, and despite any disappointment he


    might have felt, Cyril couldn¡¯tpletely ignore his sister¡¯s welfare.


    During the meeting, aware that Bonnie hade to see him and wanting to prevent any


    mischief, Cyril had called Jack in to keep an eye on her.


    Bonnie looked at Jack with hopeful eyes. ¡°Jack, there¡¯s something I need help with. Make it happen


    and I¡¯ll make sure my brother gives you a raise.¡®


    She was confident about Jack¡¯s assistance, whatever the task, she knew he would find a way. She


    needed to understand which charity g Sylvia was nning to attend, whether or not she could


    also go, and what her role would be¨Can array of details best learned from a direct


    source,


    Hearing Bonnie¡¯s request, Jack felt a headacheing on. He had helped Cyril resolve


    several of Bonnie¡¯s past issues, and each time, the trouble seemed to grow exponentially. After


    sorting out each of her messes, it felt like he aged seven or eight years. Now, hearing her ask for


    another favor, Jack¡¯s head ached in anticipation.


    Swallowing hard, Jack put on an awkward face, unsure of how to proceed without the boss¡¯s


    permission.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how to help here, Bonnie. Without the boss¡¯s orders, it¡¯s not appropriate for me to get


    involved. Why don¡¯t you ask him directly? Some things are easier for him to handle,¡± he cautiously


    tried to deflect.


    Bonnie¡¯s expression darkened upon seeing Jack¡¯s reluctance. She red at him and threatened,


    ¡°Oh really? If you won¡¯t help me, I¡¯ll just tell my brother to fire you!¡±


    Jack, however, wasn¡¯t perturbed by her threat. If he really could be fired that easily, he wildn¡¯t have


    worked at Cyril¡¯s side for so long, and he was confident he couldnd an even


    alem where. Perhaps it was time Bonnie learned a lesson?


    ¡°I¡¯il- it again¡ªif you need my help, you should discuss it with the boss. As long as he agrees, I have


    no objections,¡± Jack maintained his stance.


    ¡°I simply want to ask you something, is it necessary to go over your head to my brother?¡± Bonnie


    chided. ¡°He mentioned attending a charity g ¨C does he need a date for it? Can I go with him? As


    his date?¡±


    Realizing she still needed Jack¡¯s assistance, Bonnie swallowed her fury, softening her tone


    21 Making Her Comply


    she addressed him again.


    Jack initially thought Bonnie was going to ask him to do something outrageous again, but it turns


    out she just wanted information about the charity g. It wasn¡¯t too much trouble, although


    he wasn¡¯t quite sure about the details of bringing a date.


    ¡°Generally, you can bring a date to a charity g, but the boss never seemed interested in


    attending such events before, so I¡¯m not sure if he ns to bring Liberty this time. If you¡¯re


    looking to attend, you might want to check directly with the boss. I think he¡¯d be open to it.¡±


    Jack spoke earnestly. As long as Bonnie didn¡¯t stir up trouble for Cyril, there shouldn¡¯t


    be a problem, but that was a big ¡®if¡®.


    Bonnie pondered for a moment before nodding. ¡°I heard Sylvia¡¯s also attending. What¡¯s his role


    there? It must cost a bit, and with Sylvia¡¯s current situation, I doubt he¡¯d chip in much.¡±


    What Bonnie really meant was that Sylvia couldn¡¯t afford it. She imagined how


    embarrassing it would be for him at the g¨Cif he even got in¨Cand she found the thought amusing.


    ¡°That, I don¡¯t know,¡± Jack replied cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s his business, not mine. The boss hasn¡¯t been


    keeping tabs on Sylvia. If you need specific details, you might want to ask the boss.¡±


    Mentioning Sylvia put jack on guard. He knew all too well what Bonnie and Michelle were


    capable of, having seen Sylvia on the receiving end of their bullying


    Bonnie rolled her eyes in exasperation. ¡°To think you¡¯ve been my brother¡¯s assistant for so long and


    know so little. Never mind, I never needed to ask you anyway. I just want to make Sylvia behave.¡±


    Although Jack didn¡¯t take Bonnie¡¯s attitude to heart, her words did resonate with him. First, she


    mentioned making Sylvia behave, then the g. Putting two and two together, Jack had a hunch


    she was up to no good, and it troubled him.


    Feeling a sense of urgency, he made an excuse to leave Bonnie, pondering whether to inform the


    boss. Ordinarily, such matters wouldn¡¯t warrant bothering Cyril, but he feared Bonnie


    nighme unmanageable trouble.


    Affe.moment¡¯s thought, Jack decided to tell Cyril. He approached the conference room and, vathout


    regard for the ongoing meeting, whispered to Cyril the details of his conversation with Bonnie and


    his suspicions, which were well¨Cinformed based on his understanding of Bonnie¡¯s character.


    Cyril¡¯s face darkened visibly after hearing Jack¡¯s concerns, leaving everyone else in the conference


    room wondering what had happened to change his mood so suddenly


    Chapter 71 Making Her Comply


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it,¡± Cyril said, his voice low. ¡°Keep an eye on Bonnie in my office. Until my meeting¡¯s


    over, she doesn¡¯t go anywhere.¡±

 Chapter 72

    Chapter 72


    reason to tolerate your behavior any longer. You think you can mess with him and get away with it?


    If you cause trouble, I won¡¯t hesitate to discipline you on behalf of ourte father.¡±


    1


    Cyril had a sinking feeling. If he continued to turn a blind eye to his sister¡¯s actions, she would only


    escte her drama¨Cpotentially beyond control.


    Bonnie couldn¡¯t believe what she was witnessing. She hadn¡¯t done anything yet, and already her


    brother wasing at her with threats.


    ¡°I honestly hadn¡¯t nned to do anything to him. But with what you just said, if I don¡¯t, it would be a


    disservice to myself after taking a p from you today. No matter how you try to stop me, I will make


    Sylvia pay. He¡¯s always targeted me, and now I have no intention of letting him off easy!¡±


    Cyril was furious but hesitated as he raised his hand. Bonnie stepped forward defiantly, looking up


    at him with stubborn eyes.


    ¡°Are you going to hit me over Sylvia again? Go ahead, I¡¯m not afraid. I might as well not even have


    a brother at this point. What does it matter? It¡¯s not like you¡¯ve been gentle with me these past


    years.¡±


    If Bonnie persisted in her defiance, Cyril knew he wouldn¡¯t strike her. Yet, her words cut deep, and


    he was genuinely distressed.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Why? If Sylvia did something wrong, you could have told me. Even if he were still my husband, I


    would never condone his misdeeds. Why must you act this way? Don¡¯t you see


    just creating problems for yourself but for our family as well?¡± 2


    th-


    Cyril had begun to calm down, longing to understand what was truly going on in his sister¡¯s


    mind.


    Yet Bonnie turned away, refusing to look at him. She thought about her disdain for Sylvia¡ªa mere


    status symbol, in her eyes. Sylvia, of humble origin, always carried an air of pride around them¨Cfor


    what reason? Plus, the activities Sylvia had engaged in while married to


    Chapter 221 Didn¡¯t Do Anything


    Cyril were less than honorable. So what If Bonnie wanted to shake Sylvia up a bit? She


    didn¡¯t Cyril seemed fixated on them. see any fault in her actions, bu


    ¡°I just don¡¯t like him. I hate him. Do I need a reason for that? I can¡¯t articte it, I just don¡¯t like the


    sight of him, and I will act on it. If you¡¯re willing to fight for him, then go ahead and hit me.¡±

 Chapter 73

    Chapter 73


    Chapter 73 The Grand Entrance


    Cyril was at a loss for words after hearing Bonnie¡¯s rant. He genuinely hadn¡¯t expected his sister to


    speak so bluntly.


    ¡°I¡¯m here trying to have a reasonable discussion with you. All I want to know is why you have such


    animosity towards Sylvia, and not just you¨CMom, too¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. You¡¯ve divorced Sylvia, and the two of you have no connection anymore. Can we


    leave these issues behind? Even if you¡¯re trying to understand the whole situation, are you


    intending to take Sylvia back? It¡¯s toote for that!¡±


    Bonnie¡¯s emotional dam broke, and sheshed out at Cyril before storming out of the office. Jack,


    concerned, hesitated between going after her and staying with his visibly upset boss.


    ¡°Boss¡­


    ¡± he began, but Cyril was already immersed in his thoughts, wrestling with why Bonnie was


    aggressively targeting Sylvia. He knew he hadn¡¯t let go and was hellbent on confronting Sylvia


    about it. With the charity g approaching, he feltpelled to find a way to warn Sylvia, perhaps


    as a form of penance.


    ¡°Forget about her for now. We need to make sure someone watches her at the g. Don¡¯t let her do


    anything drastic. Also, try to get in touch with Sylvia and give him a heads¨Cup. If he wants to take


    the warning, fine. If not, we¡¯ll just increase security.¡±


    Cyril dreaded the potentialplications Bonnie might create, her knack for stirring up trouble


    weighing heavily on him.


    Jack quickly agreed to do as asked but couldn¡¯t help thinking it wouldn¡¯t be so easy to resolve. He


    knew Sylvia¡¯s personality had undergone great changes recently, and even if nothing happened,


    Sylvia would not let Bonnie off lightly, especially with their


    conflicts.


    past


    Time flew by, and the day of the charity g arrived. The event was hosted by a prominent


    consortium aiming to bolster its reputation, drawing many high¨Cprofile guests.


    Svl


    d with Bruce. Juliet, too, was supposed toe along but as a representative of hei n family, she


    would make a separate appearance.


    Walking to the g with Bruce by her arm, Sylvia was surrounded by guests eager to greet Bruce,


    although nobody openly inquired about Sylvia¡¯s identity. They were unsure of the nature of the


    rtionship between Sylvia and Bruce and didn¡¯t want to risk a faux pas. Some things were better


    left unsaid.


    Chapter 73 The Grand Entrance


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    2/2


    ¡°I was wondering who would make the grand entrance tonight, and it turns out to be you.¡® Indeed,


    Bruce and Sylvia were the ones drawing attention, though slightly behind schedule. Sylvia had


    failed to find the right pair of shoes before leaving home, causing a brief dy while choosing a


    new pair. Other than that, there were no significant hold¨Cups.


    The Evan family was bound to attract attention due to their extraordinary stature, so when Sylvia


    and Bruce made their grand entrance towards the end of the evening, many eyes were drawn to


    them. Cyril noticed them but decided to wait for an opportune moment to approach Sylvia, as the


    issue between his sister and Sylvia had yet to transpire, and his involvement would be merely


    precautionary.


    Cyril stood by, observing Sylvia converse with the surrounding businessmen, exuding a sun- like


    radiance. She disyed a confidence, elegance, and generosity that Cyril had never seen in her


    before. He was taken aback by the transformation and wondered what could have triggered such a


    change in Sylvia.


    Once the mingling wound down, Cyril found his chance to speak with Sylvia. Sylvia was busy on her


    phone, handling work matters. It was evident that her life had be hectic but fulfilling, making


    her distinct from her past self. Sylvia, now intriguing and eye¨Ccatching, would not go unnoticed.


    Even in the short distance Cyril walked over, he could tell that at least ten people were watching


    Sylvia.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Thest time I saw you was in that magazine shoot I did to help Jessica out. I


    heard sales were pretty good, so congrattions,¡± Cyril started, using theirst coboration as an


    opener, unaware that it was a sensitive topic Sylvia would rather avoid. ¡°Thanks, but no need for


    congrattions. I didn¡¯t even want to do that shoot with you. Why are you here? Is there something


    you need?¡± Sylvia was skeptical about their interaction, certain that Cyril must have a specific


    reason to seek her out post¨Cdivorce.


    Cyril looked hesitant and somewhat embarrassed. The fact that no incidents had urred yet and


    he didn¡¯t know Bonnie¡¯s intentions made this approach feel awkward. However, he had to address


    the situation.


    ¡°Well, it seems my sister may be nning something against you, but I¡¯m not sure what it st wanted


    to warn you,¡± Cyril confessed, truly feeling ufortable with his


    is


    icions.


    117


    ****~11r sister is nning something against me?


    Chapter 73 The Grand Entrance


    2/2


    ¡°I was wondering who would make the grand entrance tonight, and it turns out to be you.¡±


    Indeed, Bruce and Sylvia were the ones drawing attention, though slightly behind schedule. Sylvia


    had failed to find the right pair of shoes before leaving home, causing a brief dy while


    choosing a new pair. Other than that, there were no significant hold¨Cups.


    The Evan family was bound to attract attention due to their extraordinary stature, so when Sylvia


    and Bruce made their grand entrance towards the end of the evening, many eyes were drawn to


    them. Cyril noticed them but decided to wait for an opportune moment to approach Sylvia, as the


    issue between his sister and Sylvia had yet to transpire, and his involvement would be merely


    precautionary.


    Cyril stood by, observing Sylvia converse with the surrounding businessmen, exuding a sun- like


    radiance. She disyed a confidence, elegance, and generosity that Cyril had never seen in her


    before. He was taken aback by the transformation and wondered what could have


    triggered such a change in Sylvia.


    Once the mingling wound down, Cyril found his chance to speak with Sylvia. Sylvia was busy on her


    phone, handling work matters. It was evident that her life had be hectic but fulfilling, making


    her distinct from her past self. Sylvia, now intriguing and eye¨Ccatching, would not go unnoticed.


    Even in the short distance Cyril walked over, he could tell that at least ten people were watching


    Sylvia.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while. Thest time I saw you was in that magazine shoot I did to help Jessica out. I


    heard sales were pretty good, so congrattions,¡± Cyril started, using theirst coboration as an


    opener, unaware that it was a sensitive topic Sylvia would rather avoid.


    ¡°Thanks, but no need for congrattions. I didn¡¯t even want to do that shoot with you. Why are you


    here? Is there something you need?¡± Sylvia was skeptical about their interaction, certain that Cyril


    must have a specific reason to seek her out post¨Cdivorce.


    Cyril looked hesitant and somewhat embarrassed. The fact that no incidents had urred yet and


    he didn¡¯t know Bonnie¡¯s intentions made this approach feel awkward. However, he


    had to address the situation.


    ¡°Well, it seems my sister may be nning something against you, but I¡¯m not sure what it is es


    1. ly. I just wanted to warn you,¡± Cyril confessed, truly feeling ufortable with his


    2. ns.


    Sylvia paused, prised by the warning. ¡°Your sister is nning something against me? What will she


    go?¡±

 Chapter 74

    Chapter 74


    Chapter 74 Taking a Gamble


    Cyril¡¯s face flushed with both embarrassment and uncertainty. He had no inkling what sort of


    scandalous act his sister might be nning, but he felt it was imperative to intervene.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly what she¡¯s nning against you, but bying here today, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s up


    to no good. Consider this a warning. Whether you believe me or not is up to you,¡± said Cyril, having


    said his piece and leaving the ball in Sylvia¡¯s court.


    Sylvia seemed slightly incredulous, questioning if Cyril had approached him solely to convey this


    vague caution. He knew Bonnie too well, and he doubted Cyril had any concrete notion of her


    potential schemes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know what she might do, but I¡¯m all too aware. How about we make a wager? Let¡¯s bet


    on whether your sister ns to ruin my reputation today,¡± Sylvia proposed, which left Cyril taken


    aback. He understood that Bonnie could be extreme in her actions, but to bring someone to the


    brink of ruin seemed far¨Cfetched.


    Sylvia noticed every nuance in Cyril¡¯s expression. Over the years, he had be adept at reading


    Cyril¨Cevery movement, every subtle sign, without ever misinterpreting them. It puzzled Sylvia that


    he could still pick up on Cyril¡¯s emotional shifts with such immediacy. Though they were no longer


    connected, his body¡¯s instinctive responses made it impossible to fake indifference. Sylvia sensed


    Cyril¡¯s repulsion to the idea of Bonnie causing serious


    harm.


    The realization that Cyril would naturally side with his sister, considering Sylvia a stranger, wasn¡¯t


    surprising. Cyril¡¯s apparent willingness to warn Sylvia was likely out of nostalgia for past affections


    rather than genuine concern.


    ¡°So, you reing to me with this because you believe she won¡¯t actually do anything to me Sylvia


    inhaled deeply, suppressing the bitterness emerging within. It made no sense to dwell on it. Cyril


    favoring his kin was natural, and Sylvia admitted he would do the same if roles were reversed.


    Cyril neither nodded nor shook his head. Truthfully, he had no idea if Bonnie was capable of such


    vindictiveness, yet he harbored a hope that she wouldn¡¯t ruin her own life.


    ¡°You need to understand something, Cyril. You don¡¯t want Bonnie¡¯s life destroyed, but that¡¯s


    contingent on her not derailing it herself. Since you brought me this warning, all I can


    say


    is thank you. As for the rest, I¡¯ll handle it. However, if Bonnie does cross the line, don¡¯t think for a


    second that I won¡¯t retaliate. The degree of my response, well, you¡¯ll just have to wait and see,¡±


    Sylvia responded with a firm resolve.


    Chapter 74 Taking a Gamble


    2/2


    Grateful for the warning, Sylvia was willing to give Cyril the benefit of the doubt, but she wanted to


    make it clear that her warning was based solely on what Cyril had offered.


    After speaking with Cyril, Sylvia took her belongings and left. She knew any nned actions from


    Bonnie wouldn¡¯t just be empty threats. She moved to a more secluded corner and sent a text


    message to Bruce to inform him. Bruce¡¯s face was grave when he arrived.


    ¡°Cyril actually warned you today? Should we do something in advance?¡± Bruce was suggesting that


    if Bonnie was nning something, perhaps they should nip it in the bud instead of waiting for things


    to escte, which could harm Sylvia¡¯s reputation.


    Sylvia shook her head. ¡°No, I want to see what she¡¯s capable of. If she¡¯s ready to strike, I want to


    know how far she¡¯ll go.¡±


    Bruce understood that Sylvia had made up her mind; she was determined to make Bonnie pay a


    price. Armed with foreknowledge, they could prepare themselves.


    Bruce nodded and discreetly arranged for additional security on his phone. It was crucial to protect


    Sylvia regardless of what Bonnie might attempt.


    While Sylvia was pondering Bonnie¡¯s possible actions, a server approached with several sses of


    champagne, likely tense from doing something like this for the first time. Asking if Sylvia wanted


    any, it was clear that the server¡¯s approach was unusual¨Cnormal servers wouldn¡¯t personally offer


    drinks when there was a tableden with beverages nearby.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Cyril watched as Sylvia epted a ss of champagne with a nod, prompting the server to visibly


    rx and move away, just as they passed Cyril, who was scowling.


    Sylvia held the ss without drinking, sensing eyes upon her¨Cresentful eyes that had been


    following her. With a small smile, she nced in Cyril¡¯s direction and took two sips of the


    champagne, right in front of him.


    I couldn¡¯t pin down his feelings, but there was an ufortable taste in his mouth seeing Sylvia


    take those sips.


    After downing the drink, Sylvia ced the ss on the table and headed outside. She grabbed


    some napkins from another table; the champagne she had sipped had never been swallowed and


    was promptly spat out the moment she turned her back.


    After disposing of the content, Sylvia rushed to the restroom to clear her throat. She had no idea


    what kind of substance might have been mixed into that drink, and taking any chances with her


    health was out of the question.

 Chapter 75

    Chapter 75


    Chapter 75 Vulnerable and Helpless


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    From the second floor, Bonnie witnessed with satisfaction as Sylvia finally drank the champagne. Knowing that Cyril was also at


    the event, she immediately arranged for


    someone to monitor his actions.


    As for herself, she quickly followed the direction Sylvia had gone. She had to


    make sure everything unfolded as nned since today might be herst chance to ruin Sylvia.


    However, to Bonnie¡¯s surprise, as she approached Sylvia, they both coincidentally headed towards the restroom at the same time. Caught off


    Bonnie,


    unaware of the severity of the situation, thought the drug had taken effect upon seeing Sylvia on the ground. She hastily pulled out her


    phone and summoned the people she had arranged beforehand. But little did she know that Bruce had already turned those very people, mea


    ¡°As we nned, take Sylvia upstairs and make sure to take those pictures. I want her scandalous photos to circte throughout the entire ev


    Even if Sylvia didn¡¯t care about the chaos, the judging looks and whisperedments from the crowd would be as sharp as daggers, woundi


    ¡°The job will get done, but we need the payment first,¡± one of the men stated boldly. ¡°This woman came with a big shot, someone we cannot a


    Eomie was annoyed at their insistence on receiving the payment first, but the thought of crossing Bruce made her apprehensive.


    ¡°I sent you a deposit before we started, and I promised the remaining million after the job¡¯s done. If you insist on getting the money now, I¡¯ll tr


    She hastily transferred $500,000 to them on her phone, and upon confirming the receipt, the men breathed a sigh of relief and proceeded to ca


    To detach herself from the pending deed, Bonnie didn¡¯t follow them. Instead, she made her way downstairs, mingling and greeting both acqua


    Chapter 75 Vulnerable and Helpines


    2/3


    ¡°Miss Bonnie, your brother is upstairs. He¡¯s asking for you,¡± a server approached Bonnie with a respectful demeanor, showing no sign


    of anything amiss.


    Bonnie felt a surge of anxiety. She hadn¡¯t told Cyril about her n, and she knew he would be furious if he found out. ¡°I understand,¡± she said


    After excusing herself from herpanion, she followed the server upstairs. But as they turned the corner on the second floor, several men s


    Bonnie recognized these men; they were the very ones she had instructed to take care of Sylvia. But why were they here now?


    ¡°Do you have any idea how close I came to death because of you? That man isn¡¯t someone you can mess with. How dare youy a hand on h


    11


    They dragged her, ignoring her struggle, towards the hotel room originally intended for Sylvia. Bonnie¡¯s body shook with fear as she realized


    Despite her desperate attempts to break free, she was no match for the group of men who tossed her into the room. As Bonnie tried to escape


    ¡°Why run? Isn¡¯t this what you prepared for me? Now that I¡¯ve turned the tables, aren¡¯t you happy?¡±


    Hearing Sylvia¡¯s voice, Bonnie was immobilized in shock. She turned to see a morous Sylvia sitting on a couch, two drinks before her¨C


    one touched, one untouched.


    ¡°People might assume you¡¯re weak and helpless, but how could someone truly vulnerable do what you nned? I was warned about your int


    Controlled and cornered, Sylvia, holding a champagne ss, approached Bonnie, who was terrified by the sight of the ss.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have you experience what you intended for me, see just how interesting it will be,¡± Sylvia said, forcing Bonnie¡¯s mouth open and pourin


    Bonnie didn¡¯t want to swallow the tainted drink, thrashing against the grip of the


    men who held her head, causing her to tear up from the pain. But Sylvia was indifferent¨C


    she had endured much more suffering than this and was not about to let Bonnie off easy.


    Without any lessons learned, Bonnie would likely continue her ways, potentially seeking revenge again. After


    all, some people¡¯s hearts are just that dark.


    Chapter 75 Vulnerable and Helpless


    3/3


    After the drink


    was forced down, someone covered her mouth before she could spit it out. Sylvia, with a hint of disgust, stepped back, watching Bonnie and


    is all your own doing your preparation. Aren¡¯t you willing to taste your creation? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t go as far as you, I won¡¯t broadcast the vi


    to your brother¡¯s inbox, let him see for himself what kind of person you really are.¡±

 Chapter 76

    Chapter 76


    Chapter 76 Don¡¯t Go Too Far


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Tears streamed uncontrobly down Bonnie¡¯s face; she had never imagined that Sylvia could be so


    ruthless. She knew well the substance she had prepared¨Call too well. She had effects made her


    panic internally; she didn¡¯t need to think hard to know the pain she would endure. All she wanted


    was for Sylvia to be ruined, not for her own downfall. She struggled fiercely, but it was to no avail.


    The men she recognized, whom she had sent to deal with Sylvia, now turned against her.


    intended it for Sylvia, not herself, and the thought of suffering It


    ¡°Do you know how close I came to death because of you? How dare you touch his woman; you


    deserve what¡¯sing to you!¡± As they spoke, they ignored her resistance and dragged her into the


    room prepared for Sylvia.


    Bonnie shivered from head to toe, suddenly fearing that the fate she had consigned to Sylvia would


    now be hers. She thrashed with all her might, yet how could she stand against four or five men?


    They shoved her into the room with ease.


    Coughing and wing at her throat on the ground, Bonnie tried to expel the drink she had been


    forced to ingest. ¡°Stop struggling. Did you ever think such a thing could happen to you when you


    nned it for me? This is retribution. Now, enjoy it,¡± Sylvia watched from above with a cold smile


    and then walked out, as the men prepared to carry out their part.


    ¡°You keep away from me, stay back!¡± Bonnie pleaded as the men drew closer, overwhelming her


    with terror.


    As Sylvia walked further away and the men closed in, Bonnie lived the saying about lifting a stone


    only to drop it on one¡¯s own feet. ¡°Sylvia, you won¡¯t have a good end either! If you do this to me, I


    will not let


    I will not let you off!¡±


    Stopping at the door, Sylvia turned at the sound of Bonnie¡¯s voice. Bonnie red at her.¡± You¡¯ll


    never win back my brother¡¯s heart by doing this. He doesn¡¯t care about you!¡±


    ¡°You deserve to be dumped by my brother. Did you think marrying him would make it all better?


    Because of your actions, you two will be finished!¡±


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You¡¯ve got it all wrong. First off, I don¡¯t want your brother. Secondly,


    a man who can¡¯t manage his own affairs and wavers in love isn¡¯t worth my time. If we¡¯re apart, that


    would make me happy. As for letting me off, let¡¯s see if I let you off.¡±


    Sylvia then instructed the men, ¡°Don¡¯t waste any more time. Whatever she wanted you to do to me,


    do it to her instead.¡±


    With thosest words, Sylvia exited, leaving the screams of Bonnie cut off by the closed


    door.


    Just a few steps after leaving, Sylvia¡¯s wrist was abruptly grabbed. Turning her head impatiently,


    she saw that it was Cyril and Jonathan holding her back. Jonathan didn¡¯t really understand why he


    was there, just following behind Cyril, but he sensed something off about the room Sylvia had


    exited- had he not been mistaken, he thought he heard Bonnie¡¯s screamsing from inside.


    ¡°You might be going a bit too far with this,¡± Cyril said, gripping Sylvia¡¯s wrist firmly, his voice


    trembling with disbelief at her ruthlessness.


    Sylvia met Cyril¡¯s gaze steadily, as if looking at a stranger, which only increased his difort.


    After a stalemate, Sylvia spoke first. ¡°You seem to have misunderstood. First, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve gone


    too far, and second, why would I do anything if it wasn¡¯t for your sister¡¯s actions against me? I¡¯m not


    as heartless as your sister¨Cto record such videos. I¡¯m merely teaching her a lesson.¡±


    She then turned to Jonathan. ¡°If you¡¯re sincerely worried about me going too far, you should go in


    and stop it, rather than conversing with me here.¡±


    Confused, Jonathan pieced together that Bonnie had nned something for Sylvia, but Sylvia had


    turned the tables. ¡°Are you saying Bonnie¡¯s inside? What have you done to her? No wonder we¡¯re


    not on the same page!¡±


    Annoyed, Jonathan rushed to the door and started ramming it with his shoulder, but the door was


    too sturdy for him to break open on his own.


    Unmoved, Sylvia watched them for a moment before walking away. Whatever would happen next


    was beyond her control. At least from the beginning, her intention was not to ruin Bonnie utterly; all


    she wanted was to give her a lesson and make her realize that causing trouble for Sylvia was a bad


    idea.


    As Sylvia drifted further away, Jonathan grew more desperate. ¡°Stop eyeing that woman and help


    your sister! How could she go so far? And even if Bonnie hasn¡¯t been seriously hurt, what she¡¯s


    doing to her is wrong!¡±


    Cyril snapped out of his daze at Jonathan¡¯s words, reached the door, and hesitated with his key


    card in hand.


    ¡°What are you hesitating for? She¡¯s your own sister!¡±


    Jonathan snatched the key card from Cyril¡¯s hand, opened the door with a beep, and stormed in. To


    his surprise, he found Bonnie tied to a chair¨Cher clothes slightly askew, but not overly harmed. The


    three men who had been loudly ying poker quieted down.


    Bonnie¡¯s tears kept falling as she struggled upon hearing them enter. Recognizing Jonathan,


    her eyes lit up, and she began to fight her bonds more fiercely.


    The scene was not as Jonathan had imagined. He was taken aback momentarily, then he hurried


    over to untie Bonnie. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here with your brother. We won¡¯t let you be hurt. I¡¯ll


    make him find Sylvia; she went too far. How could she treat you like this?¡°.


    Bonnie, sobbing, nodded vigorously. She had been so frightened by the men that she couldn¡¯t


    even form a coherent sentence.


    Cyril entered the room quietly after Jonathan, slowly taking in the sight before him, his gaze finally


    resting on the three men continuing their card game.

 Chapter 77

    Chapter 77


    Chapter 77 He Has Seen These People


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. It¡¯s not like we wanted to do this. We¡¯re just doing a job cause the


    pay is good. Your little sister gave us 300 grand to kidnap ady and ruin her. But then, thatdy


    turned out to be richer she gave us two million.¡±


    Previously, Sylvia had told them that if they ever got caught, they should juste clean


    right away.


    One of the men started talking, and the other two chimed in immediately.


    ¡°Yeah, we told her two million. She made it clear we just needed to give thedy a scare, tie her up,


    make her feel hopeless and desperate. We did nothing else ¨C see, we¡¯ve just been sitting here


    ying cards.¡±


    ¡°Man, whoever thisdy is from your family, she¡¯s ice¨Ccold wanting to wreck someone and then y


    the footage on loop on that big screen. I tell ya, we¡¯d steer clear of a woman like that.¡±


    As the three men divulged the truth, Bonnie¡¯s face grew paler. By the time they had finished, Sylvia


    and Jonathan had the full picture, and Bonnie waspletely bloodless.


    Jonathan stared at Bonnie in shock.


    Even though Bonnie was Cyril¡¯s sister, Jonathan had always treated her as his little sister as


    well. To find out his ¡®little sister¡® was capable of such venom was hard to stomach.


    Bonnie was untied, her hands shaking as she stood up and lunged for Cyril. But Cyril sidestepped,


    letting her fall to the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what it looks like, Bro! You¡¯ve got to believe me. They¡¯re lying! I didn¡¯t n any of this. I just


    wanted to teach Sylvia a lesson, I swear. I didn¡¯t mean to destroy her.¡±


    Bonnie was terrified, knowing all too well the kind of man her brother was. If Cyril believed the story,


    she was done for.


    Cyril looked down at Bonnie, making no move to help her up.


    He turned to the men, a memory sparking in his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen you guys before, two years ago, at my ce. You came for her then, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    As Cyril spoke, Bonnie shook even more, using the wall to pull herself up but not daring to reach for


    her brother. Jonathan was confused, unable to connect how Cyril knew these men.


    The three men hesitated, then remembered and nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s right. We did see you before. She paid us back then too. She wanted us to make


    trouble for a woman- not exactly payback, just pure hassle. We messed up her house, scared her,


    sent her dead animals for days. But man, thatdy was tough. She didn¡¯t cry or fuss, just calmly


    called the cops.¡±


    As they recounted the past, Cyril¡¯s expression darkened.


    Sylvia was far from unshaken during that time. She would often call Cyril, her voice cracking with


    tears, begging him toe back and keep herpany because she was truly frightened. She told


    him about the things being thrown into the house to scare her.


    How had Cyril responded back then? He had dismissed her concerns, telling Sylvia to stop ying


    games and just keep doing what she was supposed to do, without any wild expectations. He never


    considered that while he thought Sylvia was just making excuses for him toe home, she was


    actually enduring an immense psychological torment.


    Cyril¡¯s gaze upon Bonnie was icy as he realized he had thought Sylvia was lying, but all these


    events were connected to his own sister, orchestrated by her hand.


    ¡°Anything you want to say?¡± Cyril¡¯s calm voice was a sign that he was on the edge of anger, and


    Bonnie knew better than to push him further.


    She shook her head frantically, ¡°Bro, listen to me, it¡¯s not what it looks like! I never did anything to


    Sylvia. I¡¯ve never met these guys before and I certainly never paid them any money. For real!¡±


    ¡°The nerve of this woman to deny it! Look, when you paid us, we recorded it. Don¡¯t believe us? We


    can y the recording right now. Don¡¯t throw us under the bus; we have a reputation to uphold in


    our line of work!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, it was you who told us to scare that woman so bad she¡¯d want to leave her home. We just


    did what you asked. You should¡¯ve seen her; she was so scared she couldn¡¯t sleep for days.¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Cyril was extremely ufortable with this third¨Cparty confirmation. He couldn¡¯t bear to think of


    how Sylvia must have felt at that time alone in that big house with people purposefully frightening


    her.


    ¨C


    Now jonathan understood; these men were old acquaintances, although Bonnie could¡¯ve been more


    careful not to leave traces that could have implicated her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t me Bonnie entirely, after all, we all know what kind of person you are. She went


    through a lot to marry you. It was just a small lesson, nothing more. Look at Sylvia now, she¡¯s doing


    just fine. And Bonnie¡­ if we hadn¡¯t intervened, who knows what might¡¯ve happened?¡±


    Chapter 77 He Has Seen These People


    3/3


    Jonathan didn¡¯t hesitate tearing Sylvia down.


    Cyril remembered having heard simr remarks from Jonathan before, but today, they sounded


    especially grating.


    The three men were not pleased.


    ¡°We¡¯re professionals; we do what we¡¯re paid for, nothing more. She didn¡¯t go to the extremes you


    did, destroying someone¡¯s life. And someone with such a vicious heart, we¡¯d be fools to cross her it


    could ruin the rest of our lives!¡±


    They maintained their innocence, afraid of Bonnie¡¯s potential ruthlessness that might not even spare


    the three of them.


    In the hotel room, Cyril¡¯s expression turned more and more impassive, but those who knew him


    were aware that behind the calm facade, a storm of rage was brewing.

 Chapter 78

    Chapter 78


    Chapter 78 Boolding Forgiveness


    The charity g was more than halfway through, and Bruce had had a hefty sum for a few Items,


    earning apuse from the entire crowd. Yet, he was a bit worried about Sylvia. When he saw her


    return unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯te back soon, I would¡¯ve sent someone to look for you. How did everything go?¡±


    Sylvia grinned at Bruce. The emotional storm had passed the moment she saw her brother. She


    couldn¡¯t dwell on the past forever, using old wounds to torture herself, Wasn¡¯t that just aslding for


    trouble?


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty much handled. I wasn¡¯t trying to hurt anyone, just teach him a lesson to stop having such


    crooked ideas about me,¡±


    Sylvia lonew full well that what she had done this time was not too harsh. If he had any real


    intentions of getting back at her, there would surely be another time, But, this was an


    opportunity to let Cyril know that his sister


    under control instead of causing Sylvia trout ¡°As not a good person either and to keep her


    Bruce nced at Sylvia, aware of what his sister was likely thinking, She didn¡¯t want to go


    overboard today, but it also seemed like she hadn¡¯t considered how much others had done


    for her.


    ¡°At the auction, there was a ruby ne that I thought looked pretty nice, I want you to check it


    outter, see if it suits you. If you like it, keep it. If not, we can just keep it at the house, maybe for


    your future wedding.¡±


    Bruce¡¯sment made Sylviaugh despite herself.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about the future yet, and here you are nning my dowry.¡±


    ¡°You never know, you might meet someone good. But let¡¯s focus, the auction isn¡¯t over yet. See if


    there¡¯s anything else you like.¡±


    Bruce deftly changed the subject, casually mentioning a dowry, yet hoping Sylvia wouldn¡¯t enter


    what he considered the ¡®tomb¡® of marriage again.


    Sylviaughed and settled next to Bruce, seriously eyeing the remaining auction items. When


    something caught her fancy, she didn¡¯t hesitate to bid.


    Cyril had instructed someone to take Bonnie home.


    Chapter 78 Seeking Forgiveness


    The charity g was more than halfway through, and Bruce had bid a hefty sum for a few items,


    earning apuse from the entire crowd. Yet, he was a bit worried about Sylvia. When he saw her


    return unharmed, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯te back soon, I would¡¯ve sent someone to look for you. How did everything go?¡±


    Sylvia grinned at Bruce. The emotional storm had passed the moment she saw her brother. She


    couldn¡¯t dwell on the past forever, using old wounds to torture herself. Wasn¡¯t that just asking for


    trouble?


    ¡°It¡¯s pretty much handled. I wasn¡¯t trying to hurt anyone, just teach him a lesson to stop having such


    crooked ideas about me.¡±


    Sylvia knew full well that what she had done this time was not too harsh. If he had any real


    intentions of getting back at her, there would surely be another time. But, this was an opportunity to


    let Cyril know that his sister was not a good person either and to keep her under control instead of


    causing Sylvia trouble.


    Bruce nced at Sylvia, aware of what his sister was likely thinking. She didn¡¯t want to go


    overboard today, but it also seemed like she hadn¡¯t considered how much others had done


    for her.


    ¡°At the auction, there was a ruby ne that I thought looked pretty nice. I want you to check it


    outter, see if it suits you. If you like it, keep it. If not, we can just keep it at the house, maybe for


    your future wedding.¡±


    Bruce¡¯sment made Sylviaugh despite herself.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t thought about the future yet, and here you are nning my dowry.¡±


    ¡°You never know, you might meet someone good. But let¡¯s focus, the auction isn¡¯t over yet. See if


    there¡¯s anything else you like.¡±


    Bruce deftly changed the subject, casually mentioning a dowry, yet hoping Sylvia wouldn¡¯t enter


    what he considered the ¡®tomb¡® of marriage again.


    Sylviaughed and settled next to Bruce, seriously eyeing the remaining auction items. When


    something caught her fancy, she didn¡¯t hesitate to bid.


    Cyril had instructed someone to take Bonnie home.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Chapter 78 Seeking Forgiveness


    2/3


    Before sending Bonnie away, he demanded she find time to apologize to Sylvia ¨C


    sincerely. If Sylvia couldn¡¯t forgive her, then Bonnie wouldn¡¯t need to stay. She should prepare to


    leave the country.


    Bonnie was defiant deep down; bowing to Sylvia was absolutely out of the question. But after the


    day¡¯s debacle, she didn¡¯t dare defy Cyril while he was angry. Another misstep and she might not


    get a chance to apologize at all, instead being sent straight overseas.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t get her forgiveness, don¡¯t bothering back in this lifetime. I¡¯ll act as if I never had a


    sister,¡± Cyril said determinedly.


    To say Cyril wasn¡¯t pained by his sister¡¯s situation would be a lie. He never imagined she would turn


    out this way and still couldn¡¯t figure out where it had all gone wrong.


    Bonnie left red¨Cfaced without a word, escorted by the bodyguard. She was determined not to


    apologize to Sylvia, even if it meant never returning.


    Cyril watched her go, knowing too well she wouldn¡¯t simplyply. He also needed to apologize to


    Sylvia. Even if he hadn¡¯t known about the past events, they had hurt Sylvia.


    ¡°How can you treat Bonnie like that? To be honest, I don¡¯t think Bonnie¡¯s wrong. I wouldn¡¯t give


    Sylvia the time of day either.¡± Jonathan interfered. He couldn¡¯t stand it any longer.


    Whatever had happened in the past was past, and it wasn¡¯t as if Sylvia was harmed, was it? And


    the fact that Sylvia had been so determined to marry Cyril, even by maniption, was enough to


    anger him. He didn¡¯t see anything wrong with what Bonnie did.


    Cyril¡¯s face darkened at Jonathan¡¯s words. ¡°Why?¡±


    Caught off guard by the question, Jonathan was at a loss. He just didn¡¯t feel Sylvia deserved any


    better.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you reluctant when you married her? So why question it now? I thought I was just venting


    on your behalf.¡±


    Jonathan truly believed he was in the right. However, considering the tough years Cyril had been


    through in his marriage, he thought he was just letting off steam for his friend. And Sylvia¡¯s daily airs


    and graces irritated him to no end.


    ¡°Has she done anything bad?¡± Cyril persisted.


    Jonathan wanted to list Sylvia¡¯s transgressions, but found himself at a loss for words. Thinking it


    over, he couldn¡¯t recall Sylvia doing anything especially wrong. In fact, she had been quietly staying


    at home in recent years, and though initially challenging with Cyril, she had ended up beyond


    reproach. Thinking harder, Jonathan could only remember questionable things that Michelle and


    Bonnie had done.


    Chapter 78 Seeking Forgivenes


    3/3


    The more he reflected on it, the less sense his grievances made.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not about her doing anything bad. I just don¡¯t like her, okay? You saw how she married you


    to achieve her goal, and she¡¯s been ying her part all these years. Now the


    act¡¯s over.


    Jonathan blurted out a shaky justification, immediately sensing the weakness in his argument.


    Being bullied without striking back wasn¡¯t an option, and considering past events, Sylvia¡¯s patience


    seemed saintly.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ she deliberately released all that dirt on me, and I simply can¡¯t stand her. Anyway, you


    should stop asking; if you keep on, I¡¯ll just keep thinking she¡¯s no good.¡±


    He was really scraping the barrel, unable to point to any concrete fault in Sylvia and unsure how to


    proceed.


    After a moment of silence, they reached the door, and Cyril spoke up suddenly, ¡°So, she hasn¡¯t


    actually done anything to upset you over the years? It¡¯s just that you don¡¯t like her, so you¡¯ve been


    targeting her all along, right? Even now, if we hadn¡¯t found out she was being bullied, you wouldn¡¯t


    feel any sympathy, would you?¡±


    Cyril¡¯s words left Jonathan speechless. He¡¯d never seen Cyril defend Sylvia like this before. Now,


    with Cyril¡¯s staunch defense of her, Jonathan didn¡¯t know how to respond.

 Chapter 79

    Chapter 79


    Chapter 79 Not on the Same Path


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean it like that. The past is the past, and now is now, we¡¯ve got to keep them separate.


    Plus, you can¡¯t deny that Sylvia did use underhanded methods to marry you back then. You know


    this yourself,¡± Jonathan insisted, unwilling to ept any me and definitely not acknowledging


    any wrongdoing on his part. In his eyes, Cyril seemed let down by everything that had happened.


    ¡°And about today¡¯s incident ¨C Sylvia wasn¡¯t really harmed, was she? And since she


    discovered the plot in advance, why are you being so harsh with Bonnie? Don¡¯t you see that you¡¯re


    overreacting? We¡¯ve never been on the same path. If we¡¯re not, we shouldn¡¯t force ourselves to


    walk together.¡±


    More confident in his logic, Jonathan felt that since they had never been aligned with Sylvia, why


    should he care about this situation?


    However, Cyril felt a bitter taste in his mouth hearing Jonathan¡¯s words. Perhaps he had previously


    believed he and Sylvia were not on the same path, thus his indifference towards her, but even so,


    he had never thought about divorcing her.


    ¡°Just go home,¡± Cyril said, unable to articte the jumbled difort in his chest. It was as if


    something he had long ignored was now revealed as vitally important to him.


    He turned and left briskly, leaving Jonathan dumbfounded in his wake.


    ¡°Where are you going? Weren¡¯t we here for the charity g tonight? And don¡¯t you have several


    partnerships to secure here? What about them if you leave?¡±


    ¡°There are things to take care of at thepany. We¡¯ll discuss the partnershipster.


    11


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Currently in a sour mood, Cyril could hardly bring himself to think about those deals when he felt


    like he was losing much more valuable things.


    Grinding his teeth in frustration, Jonathan remained, knowing he hadn¡¯t said anything wrong. But


    with Cyril gone, despite his desire to leave, he begrudgingly turned back, thinking about the deals


    Cyril was close to finalizing. It felt like he owed Cyril.


    Cyril did not head back to thepany; instead, he returned to the marital home. Since the divorce,


    he had spent most of his time in the apartment near his office and had not returned until now.


    Stepping inside, he noticed how different the arrangements were from when he had initially left.


    Back in the day, this ce was just an empty space that Cyril had bought rather thoughtlessly.


    Sylv¨ªa, however, had decorated it beautifully, creating a warm and cozy


    Chapter 70 Not on the Same Path


    environment, even if she had taken many items with her when she left.


    213


    He recalled how Sylvia had spent a week choosing the sofa, diligently considering both material and


    comfort. During their early marriage, Sylvia was genuinely happy engaging personally in every


    detail of the house, even valuing his opinion, which he sadly had paid no


    mind to.


    Eventually, he had grown annoyed with Sylvia, feeling pestered by her persistent


    aspirations and his own responsibility. So he left, only to return six monthster, oblivious to the


    changes she had made. Now, realizing how much care Sylvia had put into making their home, he


    understood all toote.


    The moment had passed, and recognition hade far toote.


    Cyril sat on the sofa, thinking about how he had always been too busy with work, preferring to stay


    near the office rather thane home. Sylvia must have sat here too, waiting for him. What were


    her feelings like then? He couldn¡¯t understand. The more he pondered, the more stifled he felt.


    He hesitated before taking out his phone and opening Sylvia¡¯s contact. Since their divorce, she had


    refused to take his calls. It was the same now. As expected, the call went unanswered; she had


    long since blocked his number. The only chance he had to talk to her would be a chance encounter


    in public, but those encounters seldom went well.


    Putting down his phone in defeat, Cyril felt for the first time that his life was in disarray.


    Meanwhile, Sylvia was returning home in high spirits, having found several items she liked at the


    auction.


    ¡°You always make it seem like the house owes you something,¡± Bruce observed, noting Sylvia¡¯s


    spending habits. It wasn¡¯t the amount of money that concerned him; instead, he wondered if she


    had been too constrained all these years.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why you chose that path initially. You left a life offort for hardship and didn¡¯t


    gain much from it,¡± Bruce said, speaking of such matters rarely. Hearing him, Sylvia suddenly lost


    interest in the jewels she had bid on.


    ¡°Big brother, it was indeed a mistake on my part. Let¡¯s not dwell on it forever, or our second brother


    will have a field day scolding meter,¡± Sylvia responded, thinking she¡¯d better not let her second


    brother see her new jewelry, or he¡¯d use it as another reason to lecture her.


    Bruce sighed and affectionately ruffled her hair. ¡°I¡¯m just concerned about you. Anyway, now that


    you¡¯re back, let¡¯s pretend that none of that ever happened. Oh, and the twins will be back soon. I


    heard they¡¯re nning to start some small business ventures. Would you be interested in joining


    them for a bit of fun?¡±


    Chapter 79 Not on the Same Path


    3/3


    ¡°No way, they¡¯re always getting into some mischief. Plus, I haven¡¯t even got a handle on the


    company¡¯s affairs yet. I don¡¯t want to start dabbling in small distractions. Let me get a full grasp on


    our family¡¯s business first. And you know very well Duncan¡¯s intentions. not mix those


    up with business.¡±


    Just thinking about it gave Sylvia a headache. How had her good friend be soplicated?


    I dare


    With a twinkle in his eyes, Bruce replied, ¡°I thought you never noticed. Duncan may be a bit


    younger, but he¡¯s a decent guy. Still, we¡¯re not going to consider anything like that now. No worries.


    If you¡¯re not keen, let¡¯s not dwell on it. Just focus on enjoying our second brother¡¯s concert; he has


    prepared a lot of surprises for you.¡±

 Chapter 80

    Chapter 80


    Chapter 80 Sending Flowers


    Early in the morning, Sylvia was discussing the day¡¯s schedule with Jullet, when Ingrid


    barged into the room without even knocking. This action agitated Sylvia, whomented, ¡± Ever


    heard of knocking?¡±


    Caught off guard by Sylvia¡¯s directness, Ingrid¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment, ¡°I just forgot to


    knock. Is it worth making such a big deal about it? I¡¯ll remember next time. Now, look at this,¡± Ingrid


    said dismissively as she tossed some documents on the table and turned to leave.


    But as Ingrid took a few steps, the documents hit her back and then fell to the floor. Sylvia had given


    Ingrid an indifferent nce but hadn¡¯t paid any attention since. The sound of the documents hitting


    the ground turned the office eerily silent, with Jullet and Sylvia too engrossed in their work to bother


    looking up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far. Just because you¡¯re sitting in the vice president¡¯s seat doesn¡¯t make you any


    better!¡± Ingrid spat out.


    ¡°oy don¡¯t you try being vice


    Juliet couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Quite the aplishment, isn¡¯t it? president then? If you¡¯re not


    capable, stop whining here!¡± she retorted.


    In Ingrid¡¯s view, the VP position was meant to be hers until Sylvia swooped in and snatched it away,


    which was a bitter pill to swallow.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see how long you can keep that position. Just having good looks won¡¯t cement your ce.


    Lack of expertise, and you¡¯ll be ousted anyway!¡± Ingrid ranted before storming out without bothering


    with the documents.


    Sylvia ignored the papers on the floor, and if Sylvia didn¡¯t care, Juliet certainly wasn¡¯t going. to


    bother with them. It wasn¡¯t until Jack entered and saw the fallen documents that he picked them


    up, unsure if it would¡¯ve been better just to leave them on the ground.


    ¡°Vice President, you have a lunch appointment with the manager of Giri Company soon. It¡¯s about


    time to head out,¡± Jack informed Sylvia.


    Sylvia nodded, gathered her things, and was about to leave when she spotted Ingrid also preparing


    to apany them. She gave Ingrid an extra look.


    What are you staring at? I¡¯ve told you, don¡¯t think you¡¯re above everyone else just for having some


    charm. In the end, it¡¯s real capability that matters. That¡¯s the biggest difference between you and


    me,¡± Ingrid said with a hint of gloating.


    Sylvia remained silent as Ingrid thought Sylvia¡¯s silence was an admission of defeat,


    believing that she¡¯d secure the partnership this time and finally have the chance to bring Sylvia


    down.


    They set off, with Ingrid taking her own car, while the other three shared another vehicle.


    Soon, they arrived at the restaurant they had booked.


    As they reached the restaurant, Sylvia halted. She started to wonder if she was choosing the wrong


    times to go out since she seemed to run into Cyril overy time. And it wasn¡¯t just any meeting ¨C Cyril


    was there with the manager of Girl Company, and they appeared to be getting along quite well,


    ¡°Hello Sylvia, this is my good friend. We were ssmates overseas, and after running into each


    other this year, I invited them to join us for lunch, I hope you don¡¯t mind?¡± Henry said, introducing


    his friend,


    What could Sylvia say to that? She smiled and shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re not discussing business


    today, so it¡¯s like making a new friend,¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s demeanor was such that she seemed not to acknowledge Cyril at all. Cyril, wanting to greet


    her, couldn¡¯t well continue after her statement, so he simply nodded a hello,


    But Sylvia acted as if she didn¡¯t even notice his nod, settling into her seat.


    Once Sylvia sat down, everyone else followed suit, including Henry, the general manager of Gilli


    Company, who presented her with a dazzling bouquet of roses. Sylvia was taken aback. It was


    surprising enough to receive flowers, but roses were particrly suggestive.


    ¡°Thest time I saw you, I was impressed by your demeanor. During our time discussing the


    partnership, I¡¯ve discovered you¡¯re a very capable woman, and I¡¯d like to get to know you better,¡±


    Henry confessed, not hiding his true feelings,


    Sylvia paused for a moment beforeughing. ¡°Thank you, but there¡¯s something you might not


    know. I recently got divorced and am not currently interested in romance. So, these roses might not


    be the most suitable for me. If you feel bad about it, perhaps my assistant Juliet would appreciate


    your bouquet.¡±


    With that, she shifted the focus to Juliet, who reacted by yfully pinching Sylvia under the table. In


    response, Sylvia gave Juliet¡¯s hand a firm pat, all done without showing any reaction above the


    table.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°These flowers really are lovely, I¡¯ll share them with our office colleagues. Thank you, Henry,¡± Juliet


    said, standing up to graciously ept the flowers and cing them to the side, sparing Henry


    further embarrassment.


    ¡°I apologize for not being aware of your situation. I¡¯ve caused you trouble, but I still hope that maybe


    there¡¯s a chance for us to develop something more in the future,¡± Henry added.


    Chapter 80 Sending Flowers


    Sylvia offered only a smile, without a direct response. Ingrid, meanwhile, clearly struggled to watch


    the exchange in silence.


    ¡°She¡¯s quite busy with her career, having recently be the VP. If she got into a


    rtionship now, it could distract her from her responsibilities. Henry, you shouldn¡¯t let your own


    interests dy others,¡± Ingrid said with a backhanded tone, although no one called her out on it.


    Now Henry felt even more awkward. He didn¡¯t quite understand why Ingrid was tagging along, but


    since he had brought Cyril, having Sylvia bring someone didn¡¯t seem so strange.


    Chapter 80 Sending Flowers


    3/3


    Sylvia offered only a smile, without a direct response. Ingrid, meanwhile, clearly


    struggled to watch the exchange in silence.


    ¡°She¡¯s quite busy with her career, having recently be the VP. If she got into a rtionship


    now, it could distract her from her responsibilities. Henry, you shouldn¡¯t let your own interests dy


    others,¡± Ingrid said with a backhanded tone, although no one called her out on it.


    Now Henry felt even more awkward. He didn¡¯t quite understand why Ingrid was tagging along, but


    since he had brought Cyril, having Sylvia bring someone didn¡¯t seem so strange.

 Chapter 81

    Chapter 81


    Chapter 81 Effortless Grace


    The dinner went smoothly, without much incident. It


    was just a meal meant to solidify their partnership, where work conversations were to be had


    only if they came up naturally. Once the meal was over, they each went their separate ways.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s kind of funny,¡± Cyril mused, a hint of annoyance in his voice. ¡°I was just nning on


    having a simple dinner and maybe discussing some business matters. But with your


    meddling, I didn¡¯t even feelfortable bringing it up. I didn¡¯t want to make her think I was only


    after her connections.¡±


    Throughout the evening, Cyril had been as inconspicuous as could be, virtually blending into the


    background. This left Henry feeling a bit flustered, as not a single item on his carefully prepared


    agenda was discussed. He now had to find another time to meet for dinner, and after giving her that


    bouquet, he wasn¡¯t even sure she¡¯d ept.


    ¡°Why did you send her flowers in the first ce?¡± Henry asked, still fixated on the floral incident,


    Sylvia had refused Cyril with such ease and grace; it made one wonder how many times before


    she¡¯d had to turn someone down.


    It struck Cyril that he¡¯d never really noticed how much Sylvia attracted attention. Without any


    effort, she drew the eyes of those around her. The Sylvia he remembered had been


    in, unremarkable, while the Sylvia of today seemed like apletely different person.


    IF


    Henry gave Cyril an incredulous look. ¡°As far as I remember, you¡¯ve interacted with her in the past


    too. Didn¡¯t you meet at some event not too long ago? Don¡¯t you know? Everyone thought she only


    got the vice president¡¯s position by ying a certain angle. But as it turns out, she¡¯s really got the


    chops. Take our recent coboration, for instance. We were supposed to have arger share of the


    profit, but do you know what? The terms she proposed, the negotiation tactics she used, someone


    without at least a decade of experience couldn¡¯t havee up with that. If you¡¯re treating her like


    some trophy wife, then you¡¯re the


    foolish,one.¡±


    Cyril had never been aware of these details. In his eyes, Sylvia had always been a mere


    homemaker, not some business hotshot. Hearing Henry¡¯s ount, he was somewhat in disbelief.


    Every time he¡¯d seen Sylvia, she seemed to transformpletely. To Cyril, Sylvia was like a


    treasure wrapped inyers uponyers of silk, waiting to be unwrapped to reveal her true worth.


    A wave of panic washed over Cyril. He began to fear, wondering if he would regret his past behavior


    once Sylvia¡¯s true capabilities were fully revealed.


    But another thought struck him: why should he panic? This marriage was never on the right footing


    from the start. Ending up at this juncture was simply fate.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got to dash, got a ton of things to attend to at the office. Oh, and she mentioned she¡¯s heading


    to the shipyard today. Aren¡¯t you shipping goods from your port as well? You two should have a


    chat; a partnership with her could be quite profitable. Take it from me, you won¡¯t lose out working


    with her.¡±


    And with that, Cyril left Henry to ponder the possibilities, eager to see what the future might bring for


    an unnned coboration with Sylvia.


    Chapter Elfortless s


    Logically speaking, Sylvia, being a neer to the workforce, had done an exceptional job


    handling her responsibilities, let alone negotiating multi¨Cmillion dor deals and earning praise from


    Cyril was intrigued. A spark of curiosity ignited within him, and he found himself wanting to dig


    deeper to find out who Sylvia really was.


    After Henry left, Cyril noticed Sylvia speaking with a woman he had brought along, who didn¡¯t seem


    very pleasant, raising her voice at Sylvia. Juliet stepped in front of Sylvia to defend her and started


    arguing back. Cyril thought about interjecting, but seeing the situation, he felt it was not the right


    moment.


    The curiosity Cyril had felt moments before to


    ung and Sylvia


    better dissipated then and there.


    Observing her difficult interactions with a colleague, who needed a friend to intervene, didn¡¯t leave


    the best impression. After all, interpersonal skills are crucial no matter where one stands. Cyril


    began to feel that Henry¡¯s understanding of Sylvia was rather one¨Csided and didn¡¯t reflect her true


    reality.


    Cyril nced over and then turned away, leaving the scene behind. Throughout it all, Sylvia


    remained unaware that Cyril had been watching, and his thoughts about her were far from ttering.


    ¡°Do you realize how important today was? Instead of discussing coborations, you spent your time


    chatting about other things. You¡¯re supposed to be here making money and striking deals for the


    company, not expanding your social circle. Or is it that you can¡¯t resist flirting with every man you


    encounter? Do you always have to make the first move?¡± Ingrid was harsh and unforgiving in her


    comments, causing Sylvia no visible reaction. However, Jack and Juliet couldn¡¯t stand by any


    longer.


    Jack knew Sylvia¡¯s true status and had willinglye to help her, aware of herpetence. Juliet


    had long disliked Ingrid and had only held her tongue for Sylvia¡¯s sake, but that did not mean she


    was patient.


    ¡°If you spout any more nonsense, believe me, I¡¯ll shut you up right now. You speak without knowing


    anything¨Cwere you hired just to gossip?¡± Juliet snapped.


    Sylvia¡¯s silence only infuriated Ingrid further, and Juliet¡¯s swift defense made Ingrid¡¯s disdain grow.


    She smirked at Juliet, who, like Sylvia, was attractive and had been somewhat of an outsider at the


    company. Despite Sylvia and Juliet earning their ce through hard work and garnering much


    recognition within thepany, not everyone was on board, including Ingrid.


    ¡°I might not have what you two have, but I¡¯ve reached my position through my own merits. Let¡¯s see


    how long you can keep up your charade. If today¡¯s deal falls through, will you even have the face to


    stay in your


    job?¡±

 Chapter 82

    Chapter 82


    Chapter 82 Concert Guest Appearance


    Sylvia¡¯s phone lit up with a new message; it was from Bark, telling her that he had made the official


    announcement. The concert was set for the 12th of next month. Originally, there were ns for


    three shows, but Bark decided to perform just one. He had told his agent that, with his sister finally


    free from the chains of marriage, he wanted to spend time with her to help her heal her heart. And


    so, he wasn¡¯t


    a show which, with Sylvia as a guest, finally got interested in working beyond that single


    performance scheduled.


    Sylvia received Bark¡¯s message along with another one from her brother and his agent. He had no


    choice but to vent to her about Bark¡¯s approach.


    ¡°Are you even listening to me?¡± Ingridined, growing more exasperated. She had been


    speaking at length, and Sylvia hadn¡¯t said a word -instead, she was smiling over something on her


    phone. Why should she be so happy, especially when she had obtained her position through


    questionable means, as Ingrid believed? How could she possibly deserve to be here, being joyful?


    Sylvia tucked her phone away and stared at Ingrid as though she were a clown throwing a fit.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so capable, then why don¡¯t you go ahead and seal the deal yourself? Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t


    know why you came here today ¨C you wanted to take the credit for my work. Now, I¡¯ve given you the


    chance, why aren¡¯t you seizing it?¡± Sylvia¡¯s retort turned the tables on Ingrid, who was left open¨C


    mouthed and incapable of response as Sylvia left with Juliet and Jack in tow.


    Sylvia¡¯s car sped off, leaving only a trail of exhaust behind. Ingrid choked on the fumes and


    spitefully spat on the ground as she watched Sylvia¡¯s car disappear.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be smug about? Just you wait; I¡¯ll take over your position sooner orter. After all,


    you stole what was mine. We¡¯ll see how long you can stay pleased with yourself!¡± Ingrid always felt


    Sylvia had robbed her of her rightful ce, never once considering her own shorings. But


    Sylvia simply didn¡¯t care about Ingrid¡¯s outrage enjoying her victory.


    Once in the car, Sylvia and Juliet were immediately absorbed in the news on their phones.


    ¡°I thought your brother would wait a while longer before making the announcement. I¡¯m surprised it


    was so soon. And we don¡¯t even know if the twins can make it back by then. Oh, and remind your


    brother to save me a ticket ¨C I want one right in the center, where the interaction happens.¡±


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help butugh wryly at Juliet¡¯s list of demands. Bark could be stingy; getting tickets


    from him was already lucky enough, let alone tickets with audience interaction.


    ¡°Oh my god, your brother just posted a photo. Last time he did that, a lot of people started guessing


    about your identity. Now that you¡¯re announced as a concert guest, it¡¯s even more intriguing. What


    do you think theizens will say? Might they suspect some improper rtionship between you and


    your brother?¡± Juliet teased with a yful smirk.


    Sylvia pped the top of Juliet¡¯s head in mock annoyance.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know better than to spread such nonsense about me and my brother? Cut it out, or he


    really will get mad at you when he hears this,¡± Sylvia scolded.


    Chapter 82 Concert Guest Appearance


    Juliet covered her head, feigning hurt from Sylvia¡¯s tap. ¡°All right, all right, I won¡¯t say anymore,


    happy now?


    she said with a pout.


    Sylvia shook her head in exasperation and returned to scrolling through the onlinements.


    Everyone¡­ was stunned by Bark¡¯s announcement about the concert and the reveal that Sylvia


    would be a guest. No one in the entertainment world had ever heard of Sylvia before¨Cit was as if


    she had popped up out of


    nowhere.


    Of course, people came to know of Sylvia because of the highly publicized divorce with Cyril.


    Additionally, there was the incident where she was falsely used, and when the truth came out, it


    led to a twist where those who framed her ended up facing consequences. This sparked even more


    curiosity about whether Sylvia had some powerful backing¨Chow else could she always emerge


    unscathed from every confrontation and even turn the tables on her adversaries? Though the


    oue was satisfying, the process left people filled with wonder.


    Beyond the curiosity about Sylvia¡¯s identity, many were concerned about her appearance at the


    concert. Could she handle the spotlight? After all, Sylvia wasn¡¯t known as a singer, and the thought


    of her sharing the stage with Bark worried his fans. They feared a potential disaster and flocking to


    thepany¡¯s social media pages, pleading for Sylvia to be dropped from the lineup, fearing she


    wasn¡¯t suitable for the


    event at the moment.


    Sylvia scrolled through thesements with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. She wasn¡¯t


    expecting Bark to be so mboyant about it; she had thought her involvement would be revealed at


    the concert itself. Now, with the situation blown out of proportion, she half¨Cexpected a public outcry


    against


    her.


    Though Sylvia wasn¡¯t worried aboutizens discovering her true identity, the constant attention felt


    ufortably intrusive, like being under surveince.


    After browsing a while, her phone rang¨Cit was Bark calling.


    ¡°Seen all that buzz online? What do you think? Pretty impressive of your brother to stir things up,


    right?¡± There was a hint of swagger in Bark¡¯s voice; he wanted the whole world to know about his


    unique


    rtionship with Sylvia.


    ¡°Big bro, don¡¯t you think today¡¯s announcement was a bit too much? If you did all this just to dere


    our sibling rtionship, that¡¯s fine by me. But if not, I find it quite troubling,¡± Sylvia replied, her tone


    conveying


    her difort.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to be troubled about? I¡¯m on your side, and I did all this to let everyone know you¡¯re


    my sister. Prepare yourself, because at the concert, I¡¯ll make sure everyone knows that fact. But for


    now, just bear with the aftermath a bit. You¡¯ve dealt with things like this before, right?¡±

 Chapter 83

    Chapter 83


    Chapter 83 Identity Crisis


    Sylvia was betweenughter and exasperation¨Cshe had never been the center of such a public


    spectacle before. Her marriage to Cyril had hardly been in the limelight; being chased by the media


    waspletely foreign to her. She didn¡¯t see the need for any of this fuss.


    ¡°I called today just to let you know about this. And hey, you haven¡¯t practiced in years, so warm up


    those vocal cords of yours. Don¡¯t you dare embarrass me on the day of the concert. I won¡¯t let you


    off easy if you do,¡± Bark warned.


    He was a world¨Crenowned superstar. If his sister, unpracticed, turned out to be dead weight, he


    wouldn¡¯t mind, but it wouldn¡¯t be fair to his fans. They were spending good money to see him


    perform, and Sylvia¡¯s


    unreliability wouldn¡¯t sit well with anyone.


    Feeling helplessly caught in the situation, Sylvia could only agree to her brother¡¯s demands; there


    was nothing else she could do. Bark had already decided for her, so she¡¯d have toply.


    For several days, curiosity about Sylvia¡¯s identity surged online, and the digging into her


    background intensified. Some inte sleuths, despite not uncovering her full story, managed to find


    out where Sylvia


    worked and her job title.


    ¡°Theizens are too much, aren¡¯t they? You haven¡¯t said a word, and they¡¯ve already


    sniffed out your identity. Ourpany is going to be in the spotlight soon, and you might not be


    happy about that. You need to think about how to handle this situation,¡± Juliet put down her phone,


    eying Sylvia with sincerity. Dragging this issue out any longer could lead to furtherplications.


    Sylvia was well aware of the murmurings within thepany¨Cmany were dissatisfied with her since


    she hadn¡¯t secured any significant projects. Without the ability tomand respect with a notable


    achievement, she knew it was best to keep a low profile. However, Bark¡¯s high¨Cprofile


    announcement had thrust her into the storm, causing her immense stress. Having such a brother


    was both a blessing and a


    headache.


    ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Bark about itter. If it¡¯s really necessary, we might just have to reveal our rtionship


    openly, rather than let it impact thepany,¡± Sylvia contemted.


    ¡°But think it through. If the rtionship between you and Bark is disclosed, it will affect thepany


    even more. You¡¯ll be overrun with interview requests about you two, and they might even want to


    market you as a new entertainment sensation,¡± Juliet pointed out with greater rity.


    Sylvia felt cornered, as every option brought its own set of headaches. It was a difficult decision to


    make, but for now, she would just take it one step at a time. If there was a way to resolve the issue,


    she would find it; if not, it was Bark¡¯s mess to clean up. After all, he was the one who stirred it up. If


    the situation escted further, it could end up upsetting both Bruce and their father.


    The next morning, Sylvia knew she was thinking too simple about how Bruce and dad will react¨C


    The cries that echoed from downstairs made her heart jump, and she bolted from the second floor


    to the scene below


    There was her brother Bark, kneeling on the floor while their eldest brother, Bruce,shed him with


    a whip.


    Chapter 83 Identity Crisis


    Despite Bark¡¯s regr exercise as part of his singer lifestyle, mostly spent in recording studios, this


    physical punishment from Bruce was clearly too much for him.


    ¡°You damned fool, do you realize the trouble you¡¯ve caused your sister with your antics?¡± their


    father, Stanford, said with a grimace that made it clear he was far from pleased.


    That morning, Stanford had learned from his secretary that Sylvia was trending on social media.


    Curious masses were specting about her cloaked identity, some even nning to visit the


    company to dig deeper. Worse still, there were derogatory rumors and so-called ¡°evidence¡± making


    rounds online, questioning Sylvia¡¯s integrity.


    As a doting father, there was no way Stanford would swallow such nder. He dragged Bark out of


    bed early to teach him a lesson he wouldn¡¯t soon forget.


    ¡°You can¡¯t put all the me on me! If only he had listened to me in the first ce, I wouldn¡¯t have


    had to take such measures. Besides, revealing our rtionship will just clear things up, won¡¯t it? It¡¯s


    not thatplicated,¡± Bark protested from the floor, his pride shing with the reality of his


    recklessness.


    Bruce¡¯s face turned darker, his patience clearly worn thin. ¡°Do you not understand that revealing


    Sylvia¡¯s identity could significantly disrupt her life? Think of how many fans you have. Have you


    considered the consequences of your actions at all?¡±


    Bark countered, looking at Bruce unwaveringly, ¡°If we don¡¯t make it public, who will protect Sylvia?


    Cyril did all those things, yet I didn¡¯t see any of you taking action. You¡¯ve always just wanted to keep


    her identity under wraps. I know you¡¯re trying to protect her, but my identity is not out in the open


    either. What¡¯s wrong with letting the world know she¡¯s my sister? At least it¡¯ll make anyone think


    twice before they try anything.¡±


    Though Bark had Sylvia¡¯s best interest at heart, his approach wasn¡¯t sitting well with the other two


    men in


    ?


    the family. If they had wanted Sylvia¡¯s identity exposed, they would have done so from her birth.


    Until


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    now, the world only knew the Ivans had a daughter, but her true remained a mystery.


    dentit


    ¡°Stop it, Dad, Big Bro. Bark did this for me, and I knew about it. I agreed to it,¡± Sylvia interjected,


    descending the stairs to defend Bark.


    At her words, the stern looks on Bruce¡¯s and Stanford¡¯s faces softened to warmth¨Ca shift so swift it


    nearly gave Bark whish. They¡¯d been so harsh on him, yet became gentle in a heartbeat when


    facing Sylvia. There was no doubt about it: the little sister sat at the top of the family¡¯s food chain.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses for him. He did it on purpose,¡± Bruce insisted.


    Sylvia countered, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. If not for the events three years ago, I would already be


    apanying Bark at his concerts. The ns from three years ago just carried over to now.


    There¡¯s no difference.¡±

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    Chapter 84 Masquerade Ball


    Duncan and Miranda, fraternal twins who had spent several years abroad, had finally returned


    home. They¡¯d built careers in their respective fields of physics and chemistry, and with the family¡¯s


    comfortable financial situation, they were keen to throw a party upon their return.


    Sylvia and Kelly weren¡¯t too excited about the idea, but Juliet and Catherine were over the moon,


    especially Catherine, who seemed as if she couldn¡¯t wait for the party to happen.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you two excited? These past few months have been so stressful for me,¡± Catherine


    eximed, ¡°I¡¯m a public figure now, and I can¡¯t just go anywhere I please without careful


    consideration.


    Now that we¡¯re all together, I want to go out and have fun!¡±


    While everyone understood Catherine¡¯s desire for some freedom, they also knew attending such a


    gathering couldplicate matters. ¡°Do you really think attending this kind of party won¡¯t reveal


    your identity? And if people recognize you, can you imagine the online chatter?¡± Kelly yawned,


    voicing her thoughts to Catherine.


    Catherine paused, as if finally grasping the implications. A party would likely include many


    acquainted and unfamiliar faces, and her identity could easily be exposed, leading to unwanted


    attention on social media. Though it seemed trivial to her, waking up to news about herself every


    day was bing


    tiresome.


    Miranda, seeing the concern on their faces, reached into her bag and pulled out a mask, cing it


    in front of the group. ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? We¡¯ll just have a masquerade ball. No one will know who


    anyone is, and we can enjoy ourselves to the fullest.¡±


    Her suggestion sparked hope in Catherine, who hadn¡¯t considered the anonymity a masquerade


    could offer. ¡°That¡¯s actually a great idea, sis. Sylvia, why don¡¯t we join in? I just saw¡­¡±


    Before she could finish, Sylvia¡¯s phone rang with a call from the office. She excused herself from the


    group and stepped aside to take the call.


    Watching Sylvia move away to answer her phone, Duncan¡¯s heart sank. He hadn¡¯t even begun to


    express his thoughts, and already Sylvia was preupied with other matters.


    ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t hesitated three years ago, maybe things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way,¡± Duncan


    mused, feeling a pang of regret. He had originally decided not to study abroad, intent on pursuing


    Sylvia when he knew she harbored feelings for someone else. He wanted to fight for a chance.


    But that chance never came. Sylvia married another man before he could make his move.


    Heartbroken, Duncan had chosen to study abroad, hoping to mend his wounded heart. He had


    believed Sylvia¡¯s marriage would bring her happiness, only to be shocked upon learning of her


    divorce.


    ¡°Who is this man who couldn¡¯t cherish such a wonderful girl like her? I went abroad for love once,


    and now, I must stay for love!¡± Duncan resolved, his heart set on not letting Sylvia slip away a


    second time.


    Everyone knew Duncan had his heart set on Sylvia and now, more than ever, his intentions seemed


    tantly obvious; they had simply gone unnoticed before due to Sylvia¡¯s infatuation with Cyril. With


    those emotions now in the past, Sylvia saw situations more clearly than ever. However, her feelings


    for Duncan


    Chapter 84 Masquerade Ball


    hadn¡¯t evolved beyond friendship, and her position was unlikely to change.


    Miranda rolled her eyes, her cynicism barely veiled: ¡°You really do think highly of yourself, don¡¯t


    you? Have you considered what you actually have to offer Sylvia? Besides your face, what


    else? I¡¯ve seen the photos of the man Sylvia liked, and he is far more handsome than you. How do


    you evenpare?¡±


    Duncan, unfazed by Miranda¡¯s remarks, retorted, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you think Cyril is more


    attractive. In the end, he hurt Sylvia. Rather than her being with someone like that, she should be


    with me. I¡¯m different; I would treat Sylvia well for a lifetime.¡±


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    His conviction left no room for doubt among those present; Duncan was sincere in his sentiments.


    ¡°Alright, we believe you,¡± the group acknowledged, epting Duncan¡¯s earnestness.


    Sylvia rejoined the group after her phone call, noticing the secretive huddle.


    ¡°It¡¯s been years since we¡¯ve been together like this. Is there anyone in particr you¡¯d want to invite


    to the party? When ites to it, we can ask them to join us,¡± Duncan suggested, indicating he


    might have someone special in mind, but the rest of the group remained silent out of curiosity to see


    what Duncan had up his sleeve.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone specific to invite. It¡¯s great just us, but if you want to bring others, it¡¯s up to you


    and how big you want the party to be,¡± Sylvia responded.


    The twins, always eager for a grand event, would likely make the party grandiose by inviting a slew


    of both acquaintances and strangers


    There


    44no need for the others to extend their invitations since on the


    day, most attendees would probably be friends of the twins anyway.


    Duncan, who had been nning all along, announced after hearing the indifferent responses of the


    others, ¡°Since no one else has someone to invite, I¡¯ll take care of the invitations ording to my list.


    Remember, everyone, get ready for next week. We can¡¯t afford any slip¨Cups. Our first party back


    home must be grand and high¨Css!¡±

 Chapter 85

    Chapter 85


    Chapter 85 The Belle of the Bali


    No one present doubted Duncan¡¯s sincerity; it was well¨Cknown he was the kind of man who spoke


    from


    the heart.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    A weekter, when the masquerade ball kicked off, Sylvia¡¯s brothers and father were visibly excited


    about her participation. What was merely a small gathering of friends turned into an opportunity for


    the men in her family to shower her with extravagant gifts.


    ¡°Little sis, how about this mask? It cost a fortune,¡± Bark said, showcasing an ornate piece.


    ¡°And this dress? As the youngest daughter of the Ivan family, you must stand out. Your big brother


    had it custom¨Cmade just for you. Don¡¯t worry about the cost; wear it once, and we¡¯ll get you another.


    I¡¯ve had a bunch made,¡± Bruce smiled, his pride obvious.


    ¡°Our father spared no expense to provide you with a unique car for tonight, a one¨Cof¨Ca¨Ckind


    vehicle. Use it with confidence,¡± Stanford chimed in, handing her the keys.


    Surrounded by these generous offerings, Sylvia wasn¡¯t sure whether tough or cry, especially at


    Bark¡¯s unexpected generosity. Not long ago, she had thought he would remain angry with her, but


    the mask he presented, adorned with diamonds and precious stones, was exquisite and expensive.


    Unable to favor one gift over another, Sylvia graciously epted all three, knowing that their


    intentions were to make her feel loved and special.


    ¡°Thank you, Dad, Bruce, Bark. I¡¯ll go get ready now,¡± she said with sincere gratitude.


    As Sylvia went to prepare, the three men beamed with pride, each secretly believing his gift


    outshone the


    others.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you holding a grudge against our sister recently? Howe you¡¯ve changed your tune?¡±


    Stanford remarked, looking over at Bark.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be upset about. I see all the changes in her; I want our sister to have the best.


    Besides, those twins are back. I know Duncan¡¯s got his eye on her, and if it¡¯s right, it could be


    considered,¡± Bark said nonchntly,pletely unfazed by his superstar status.


    Stanford¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°What? That boy is interested in my daughter? No, no, I don¡¯t


    approve. He¡¯s immature and irresponsible!¡±


    Stanford¡¯s disapproval was expected, as Bruce and Bark shared his sentiment. Yet, there was no


    real urgency; things had not progressed to that point, and there was still room for negotiation. After


    all, there was no indication Sylvia had those kinds of feelings for Duncan. If she had, she wouldn¡¯t


    have ended up


    with Cyril in the first ce.


    As they continued their discussion, Sylvia descended the stairs, having changed into her outfit and


    revealing her stunning transformation. Her polish and elegance captivated them¨Cshe was indeed


    the Ivan family¡¯s star, capable of shining even in the humblest garb.


    ¡°Little sis will surely be the most dazzling presence tonight!¡±


    Chapter 33 The Belle of the Ball


    The twins were excited about the party they had organized to celebrate their return home. Despite


    its intention as a wee back celebration for them, they were ustomed to Sylvia stealing the


    limelight. It was just as well. After all, they knew even in rags, Sylvia had the


    power tomand everyone¡¯s


    attention.


    Sylvia, amused by the care put into the event preparations, was driven to the venue by a chauffeur.


    Upon her arrival, it was clear that Duncan and Miranda had invited a considerable crowd to the


    masquerade


    ball.


    Stepping out of the car, Sylvia recognized another vehicle parked nearby¨Cit unmistakably belonged


    to Cyril. She knew no one would have invited Cyril intentionally; his appearance must have been a


    mischievous idea conjured up by the group. Feeling somewhat helpless and not expecting them to


    do such a thing, she decided to act as if she hadn¡¯t seen the car and walked inside with Juliet.


    The estate revealed the true scale of the event¨Cwith at least five to six hundred guests, the party


    was a massively organized affair.


    ¡°These two have really outdone themselves, inviting so many people. Who exactly have they


    invited?¡± Catherine mused, a little surprised at the crowd size even though she was ustomed to


    grand events. She initially thought the party was meant to conceal its patrons¡® true identities;


    however, the presence of so many familiar faces made her wonder what the point of that was.


    Sylvia, als¨® feeling uneasy, wished she had known about the throng of attendees beforehand. She


    might have reconsidereding.


    ¡°By the way, I heard they invited Cyril and his brother Jonathan too,¡± Kelly whispered to Sylvia,


    lightly nudging her arm. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll bump into them? With so many people, it¡¯s probably


    unlikely.¡±


    Sylvia didn¡¯t mention seeing Cyril¡¯s car earlier and continued the conversation, using Kelly¡¯s words


    as a


    segue.


    Unbeknownst to Sylvia, as Cyril and Jonathan stepped into the venue, Cyril spotted her amidst the


    crowd almost immediately. He was astonished at himself for being able to identify Sylvia so quickly,


    especially considering the multitude of heavily adorned or masked faces, which should have made it


    impossible. But there she was; all other attendees dissolved around her, leaving only Sylvia in


    focus, as if all other voices had also been muted.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Jonathan asked curiously, following Cyril¡¯s gaze across the room. From


    his perspective, he saw only a regal gathering of guests in conversation¨Cexactly the sort of scene


    expected at a masquerade ball, with all kinds of costumes and borate disguises.

 Chapter 86

    Chapter 86


    Chapter 86 Dance Partners in the Dark


    When Cyril heard Jonathan¡¯s voice, he averted his gaze. He sneaked another look at Sylvia,


    reminding himself that he had no ties to her anymore. The reason he could spot her in a crowd was


    simply because they¡¯d once been husband and wife.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s go. Seems like a full house at the party tonight.¡±


    ?


    Cyril hadn¡¯t nned oning, but Jonathan was keen on attending, especially since he had heard


    that Duncan and Miranda were the hosts. So, after receiving spal invitation, Cyril felt obliged to


    show up, if just for appearances¡® sake. The guests were supposed to greet the hosts, but given the


    wild costumes around, picking Duncan and Miranda out of the crowd was no small task.


    They soon settled in, having been to simr parties before. Mixing into the throng, everyone talked


    freely, hidden behind masks, enjoying the anonymity.


    Suddenly, the lights dimmed, causing a stir till a spotlight hit center stage. Duncan and Miranda


    stepped up, and the chattering crowd hushed in anticipation.


    ¡°Wee, everyone, to our masquerade ball! Tonight is about fun and games. We¡¯re all here to let


    loose, but since it is a ball, we¡¯ve got something special nned.


    Soon, we¡¯ll turn off the lights. I want you all to find yourselves a dance partner, no matter who they


    are. When the lightse back on, whomever you¡¯re with is your partner for the opening dance.


    Ready to kick off the party!¡±


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The crowd buzzed with excitement at the prospect. They rose, stretching and prepping to ensure


    they wouldn¡¯t be lost when the lights went out.


    Jonathan turned excitedly to Cyril, only to find him heading towards a corner of the room. He


    paused, then shrugged it off, figuring Cyril was seeking a quiet spot, what with his dislike for


    commotion.


    As everyone began moving around, Duncan and Miranda decided it was time and switched off the


    lights.


    ¡°Remember to be quiet, folks! The calmer it is, the easier it¡¯ll be to find the one you want to


    dance with!¡±


    Their advice was taken, and an eerie silence fell. It wasn¡¯t pitch ck, though; a couple of


    emergency lights were on, giving just enough glow to make out shapes.


    Sylvia had slipped away to a corner early on, preferring to hide than seek a partner. But before she


    could melt into the shadows, someone grabbed her. Trying to wiggle free, she


    recognized Miranda¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Why are you running off? You¡¯re here to have fun at the party, remember? So what if you¡¯ve been


    married and divorced? It doesn¡¯t make you any less worthy of enjoyment. We invited you so you


    could lighten up and live a little!¡±


    Sylvia wasn¡¯t born yesterday; she caught the hint. Miranda was obviously ying cupid for her and


    Duncan.


    ¡°Alright, I get it. Maybe I¡¯ll just find a different spot, then,¡± Sylvia replied, her voice carrying a touch


    of surrender.


    Sylvia had no other choice but to mix into the crowd. She figured her luck couldn¡¯t be that bad; she


    could dodge people for a bit and then sneak to the side to hide.


    But things didn¡¯t go as smoothly as she hoped.


    As she made her way through the throng, her hand identally brushed against someone. That


    person quickly grabbed hold of her hand in response. Sylvia was startled¨Cit was that easy to find a


    dance partner?


    ¡°I¡­ um¡­¡±


    Before Sylvia could refuse, the lights turned on, eliminating any hope of escape. Blinded


    momentarily, she shut her eyes, only opening them once they adjusted to the brightness. The lively


    tango music started ying, and with a partner already in hand, Sylvia realized she had no choice


    but to dance.


    As she cautiously began to move with the rhythm, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that her partner¡¯s


    eyes looked familiar. It took her a moment, but the shock hit when she realized who it was¨CCyril.


    For Cyril, of all the possible partners, he didn¡¯t necessarily have to dance with Sylvia. But when he


    saw her, he feltpelled to approach. He knew her bumping into him was unintentional, but the


    second their hands touched, his heart skipped a beat. Without hesitation, he held on to her.


    Both knew who the other was, but neither spoke.


    ¡°The music¡¯s started. Let¡¯s dance, or we¡¯ll really stand out just standing here,¡± Cyril finally


    broke the silence.


    Sylvia, having preferred to avoid this dance with Cyril, found herself with no other option. As he


    said, just standing there would draw attention. It would be less conspicuous to join in


    -moving with the crowd would keep their interaction from appearing awkward.


    As they began to tango, Cyril worried Sylvia might not know the steps. But to his


    Chapter 86 Dance


    amazement, she was not only proficient; she danced exquisitely. Like a vivacious butterfly fluttering


    among the partygoers, Sylv¨ªa drew everyone¡¯s eyes to her, making it impossible to look away.


    In that moment, even if Cyril wanted to dismiss her as just another ex, the truth was undeniable ¨C


    Sylvia was mesmerizing. What he once underestimated, he now recognized: she was


    indeed a captivating woman.


    And now, with the music guiding them, Sylvia danced with a freedom she¡¯d always kept


    suppressed. As Cyril came back to his senses and matched her pace, it was then, in their first


    dance together, that a sense of regret started to dissolve inside her pers they were beginning to


    mend what had been lost between them.

 Chapter 87

    Chapter 87


    Chapter 87 Dream


    In truth, when Sylvia had decided to divorce Cyril, she cast aside not only their regrets but also the


    painful memories. Now, as some of those regrets were being reconciled, she could feel herself


    gradually letting go of her feelings for him.


    It¡¯s often said that it¡¯s hard to let go because one clings too tightly to the past, But once that fixation


    fades, you realize your feelings for the person weren¡¯t as intense as you thought. Sylvia felt that


    was precisely where she stood now.


    After the dance ended, Sylvia and Cyril immediately parted ways.


    ¡°I never thought you could dance,¡± Cyril remarked,


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot you never figured out because you never really knew me. Let¡¯s just act like strangers


    from now on,¡± Sylvia replied, eager to avoid any drama. She knew her friends had grown weary of


    Cyril, and she feared they might deliberatelyplicate matters if they realized he was there.


    Cyril could tell she was determined to distance herself from him, and it irked him. Weren¡¯t they still


    connected in some way through their past marriage, he pondered silently. His lips pressed


    together¨Cit wasn¡¯t how he wished things to be.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just enjoy the night separately. This party is for my friends, and I don¡¯t want any


    unpleasantness,¡± Sylvia said inly, and with that, she disappeared into the crowd.


    As she melded into the sea of people, Cyril followed her with his gaze until she was obscured by the


    multitude milling about. Eventually, he lost sight of her altogether.


    When Sylvia found her friends, she spotted Duncan lounging on a couch, looking reproachfully in


    her direction.


    ¡°Goodness, I knew you wouldn¡¯t want to dance. I didn¡¯t dance either because I was looking for you


    everywhere, and when I finally found you, you were dancing with someone else. Clearly, there¡¯s no


    room for me in your heart,¡± Duncan half¨Cjoked, half¨Cserious.


    Sylvia rubbed her temples. How had she forgotten about Duncan?


    ¡°Cut it out,¡± she said. ¡°You were never in that space to begin with. You were just insistent. And


    tonight you¡¯re the star. You can¡¯t just ignore all the guests. Go and tend to your party.


    Get up


    and go. Aren¡¯t you tired of sitting?¡±


    Luckily, Juliet intervened just in time, saving Sylvia from an awkward situation. Grateful, Sylvia


    smiled and appreciated her friend¡¯s help. She was relieved, for if she truly felt cornered, she


    wouldn¡¯t have known how to respond to Duncan.


    Chapter 817 Dreami


    She had never thought much of Duncan¡¯s intentions before, but now, realizing he had more than


    friendship on his mind, she found herself unsure how to face him.


    ¡°Fine, fine, I throw this grand party, and you all dismiss me like this,¡± Duncan huffed, pretending to


    be offended before making a move to leave. However, he shot Sylvia a lingering look¨Cone that


    revealed he had seen her dancing with Cyril.


    He had been ready to confront Sylvia about why she was dancing with Cyril, given they were


    divorced. But at thest moment, he checked himself. Regardless of their past rtionship, they


    were divorced now, and Sylvia was free to do as she pleased. It wasn¡¯t


    question her actions.


    ce to


    With a bitter taste in his mouth, Duncan understood he was just a little toote. Everything seemed


    out of reach, as if time kept slipping away from him. But there was some sce; a second chance


    had presented itself. Sylvia was single again, and that meant Duncan finally had an opportunity.


    As Duncan walked away, Sylvia let out a sigh of relief and slumped into the couch with a sense of


    release. Her friends couldn¡¯t help butugh at her disy of what they saw as ack of backbone.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°I¡¯ve just climbed out of the grave of marriage, and I¡¯m in no rush to dabble in romance again. If you


    guys are interested, be my guest,¡± Sylvia said, watching her friends take yful jabs at her.


    ¡°We sure don¡¯t want that,¡± Kelly and Juliet both crossed their arms over their chests, vehemently


    opposed to the idea of marrying, particrly after seeing the turmoil Sylvia had endured in hers.


    The party looked set to rage through the night. Cyril, feeling a bit worn out, was thankful that the


    hosts had prepared a resting room upstairs,plete with beds for anyone needing


    a break.


    Despite not nning to stay at the party, Cyril was surprised to encounter Sylvia there. Later, an


    urgent business matter called him away to the upstairs resting room. By the time he¡¯d wrapped up


    his work, it was the early hours of the morning.


    The festivities downstairs were still in full swing, but he found no energy to rejoin. Exhausted, Cyril


    leaned back on the sofa, closed his eyes to rest, and unintentionally drifted into sleep¨Cand into a


    dream.


    In his dream, he was back at the seaside where a life¨Cchanging incident had taken ce five years


    prior. He had gone there with a business partner to explore development opportunities when they


    inadvertently stumbled upon armed fugitives. Suddenly confronted and


    Chapter 87 Dream


    threatened at gunpoint, Cyril found himself facing dire straits. As the criminals fled from pursuing


    law enforcement, they decided to take a hostage¨CCyril.


    Just as he was contemting an escape, Sylvia appeared in his dream, looking as she did at the


    party, dressed to the nines, but this time wielding a gun. Without hesitation, she took aim and fired


    at the kidnappers.


    While the reality of the past event was different from his dream, what struck Cyril was the


    unexpected presence of Sylvia. In his mind¡¯s eye, she was approaching him, step by step, reaching


    out to clutch his suit jacket.


    Forced to look down, Cyril watched as Sylvia came ever closer, their lips almost meeting in a kiss.


    At that precise moment, Cyril¡¯s eyes snapped open, and he gasped for air, hands pressed to his


    forehead, bewildered by the surreal dream he¡¯d just experienced.

 Chapter 88

    Chapter 88


    Chapter 88 Well¨CMatched


    ¡°Did you not get a good night¡¯s sleep? You look especially worn out,¡± Jonathan remarked


    as he walked in and caught sight of Cyril¡¯s weary expression.


    Indeed,st night¡¯s party had dragged on a bit toote, prompting everyone to stay over at the


    estate for rest. However, Cyril had been one of the earliest to retreat for the night, so logically, he


    shouldn¡¯t have appeared so tired.


    Cyril lifted his head to respond when Jonathan suddenly leaned in close, his eyes wide with an


    eager gleam for gossip.


    ¡°By the way,


    I saw you dancing with adyst night. Boy, could she dance! Looked like a pro to me. And


    someone who can show up at that kind of party must be someone of status. Ah, you¡¯ve got it good,


    Cyril. You step away from a bad marriage, and you seem tond on your feet wherever you go.¡±


    There was a hint of envy in Jonathan¡¯s voice. He too had danced with someonest night, but his


    luck hadn¡¯t been as good; he ended up with another man as a dance partner, which made for a


    rather awkward situation. So he couldn¡¯t help but keep an eye on Cyril¡¯s much more appealing


    circumstances.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Do you


    think she was well¨Cmatched with me?¡± Cyril asked, somewhat surprised by Jonathan¡¯sment, as


    this wasn¡¯t something he¡¯d typically say.


    Jonathan nodded, genuinely believing they were a good match. Even behind a mask, she was


    evidently graceful and had an impressive poise. ¡°You¡¯ve built a sessful business over the years,


    and even if it¡¯s not quite at the scale of the Evans Corporation, you¡¯re still doing exceptionally well.


    So yeah, I think you two arepatible. What¡¯s so strange about that? She might not even be in


    your league.¡±


    After hearing this, Cyril shook his head with a smile, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t say that if


    who she was.¡±


    you knew


    This piqued Jonathan¡¯spetitive side. How could they possibly be ill¨Csuited? He was eager to


    find out exactly who Cyril had been dancing with.


    ¡°It was Sylvia,¡± Cyril revealed. Other than himself, it seemed no one at the party had recognized that


    the woman he was dancing with was Sylvia. That exined why Jonathan hade straight to him


    to chat about the previous evening¡¯s events.


    Jonathan¡¯s face momentarily crumpled with disbelief. He thought the pair were perfectly matched,


    and now he was told the woman in question was Sylvia? The realization made him doubt his own


    judgment.


    ¡°You¡¯re not pulling my leg, are you? The woman you danced with was Sylvia?¡± Jonarisan asked,


    taken aback.


    Cyril nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t you recognize her?**


    Jonathan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. How could anyone have recognized the guests under such


    heavy disguisesst night? With everyone so thoroughly masked, even their true faces obscured,


    how could he possibly distinguish who was who?


    And Cyril, he was nothing short of supernatural to have identified the amidst the crowd.


    ¡°Just how did you recognize Sylvia in that situationst night? Why couldn¡¯t I see it? And 1 heard


    many familiar faces were at the party, but when I went in, I couldn¡¯t identify a single


    person,¡± Jonathan questioned, perplexed.


    Cyril paused, struck by the question. Indeed, why was he able to spot Sylvia so easily in the crowd?


    It would be impossible unless you knew someone to a certain depth.


    He was on the brink of understanding something, just a bit more thought and he would decipher


    why, but his train of thought was abruptly interrupted by Jonathan.


    ¡°Never mind all that. The real reason I came today was to talk about something else. Someone


    wants to invite us to lunch. Are you interested?¡± Jonathan was eager to change the subject, feeling


    somewhat defeated by his failure to recognize anyone the previous night.


    The prospect of discussing the invitation seemed to intrigue him, and he gave Cyril a nudge


    and a wink.


    Cyril¡¯s reflections were disrupted, and he brushed off Jonathan¡¯s antics, turning his attention back to


    his own matters.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me, man. I¡¯ve really got something to say, and it¡¯s important. They¡¯re asking us out to


    lunch for business reasons.¡±


    ¡°All I ever hear from you is goofing around, not ¡°business,¡°¡± Cyril retorted with a tinge of


    skepticism.


    Jonathan, momentarily lost for words, felt his reliability was being questioned. He might appear a bit


    frivolous at times, but he considered himself quite dependable. Why couldn¡¯t Cyril trust him?


    ¡°Never mind. Forget it. By the way, you left earlyst night. Did you sort out everything with the


    company?¡± Jonathan shifted the topic.


    Cyril had indeed got some rest, although the dream had not allowed for a peaceful sleep, leaving


    him feeling particrly weary. The memory of the dream from the previous night


    Chapter 88 Well¨CMatched


    ¡°You¡¯re not pulling my leg, are you? The woman you danced with was Sylvia?¡± Jonathan asked,


    taken aback.


    Cyril nodded. ¡°Didn¡¯t you recognize her?¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. How could anyone have recognized the guests under such


    heavy disguisesst night? With everyone so thoroughly masked, even their true faces obscured,


    how could he possibly distinguish who was who?


    And Cyril, he was nothing short of supernatural to have identified Sylvia amidst the crowd.


    ¡°Just how did you recognize Sylvia in that situationst night? Why couldn¡¯t I see it? And I heard


    many familiar faces were at the party, but when I went in, I couldn¡¯t identify a single person,¡±


    Jonathan questioned, perplexed.


    Cyril paused, struck by the question. Indeed, why was he able to spot Sylvia so easily in the crowd?


    It would be impossible unless you knew someone to a certain depth.


    He was on the brink of understanding something, just a bit more thought and he would decipher


    why, but his train of thought was abruptly interrupted by Jonathan.


    ¡°Never mind all that. The real reason I came today was to talk about something else. Someone


    wants to invite us to lunch. Are you interested?¡± Jonathan was eager to change the subject, feeling


    somewhat defeated by his failure to recognize anyone the previous night.


    The prospect of discussing the invitation seemed to intrigue him, and he gave Cyril a nudge and a


    wink.


    Cyril¡¯s reflections were disrupted, and he brushed off Jonathan¡¯s antics, turning his attention back to


    his own matters.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ignore me, man. I¡¯ve really got something to say, and it¡¯s important. They¡¯re asking us out to


    lunch for business reasons.¡±


    ¡°All I ever hear from you is goofing around, not ¡®business,¡°¡± Cyril retorted with a tinge of skepticism.


    Jonathan, momentarily lost for words, felt his reliability was being questioned. He might appear a bit


    frivolous at times, but he considered himself quite dependable. Why couldn¡¯t Cyril trust him?


    ¡°Never mind. Forget it. By the way, you left earlyst night. Did you sort out everything with the


    company?¡± Jonathan shifted the topic.


    Cyril had indeed got some rest, although the dream had not allowed for a peaceful sleep, leaving


    him feeling particrly weary. The memory of the dream from the previous night


    Chapter 88 Well¨CMatched


    made him hesitant, but Jonathan¡¯s curious expression and knowledge of the incident five years ago


    made him reconsider sharing his experience.


    ¡°Do you still remember the ident I had at sea five years ago?¡± Cyril brought up,


    seemingly out of the blue.


    Jonathan¡¯s mind needed a moment to adjust to the sudden shift in conversation before nodding, he


    certainly remembered the events from five years prior.


    ¡°I remember. What about it?¡±


    ment of silence.


    Cyril decided to recount his dream fromst night to Jonathan atter Once he had finished,


    Jonathan¡¯s face took on a peculiar expression as if he wanted to say something but found himself


    unable to find the words.


    ¡°You usually have no problems speaking your mind around me. What¡¯s stopping you today? Is


    there something wrong with the dream?¡±


    ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a problem. First of all, the dream isn¡¯t real¨Cyou know that yourself, right? Five


    years ago, you had trouble at sea because there was an issue with your boat, and you were nearly


    lost. The rescue team made several attempts, and then you say you dreamt of Sylvia. I¡¯d find it


    eptable if you dreamt about anyone else, but dreaming of Sylvia¡­ that¡¯s just impossible.¡±


    Jonathan said.

 Chapter 89

    Chapter 89


    Chapter 89 An Impossible She


    ¡°Anyway, it could be anything, but it absolutely couldn¡¯t be rted to Sylvia. That¡¯s just impossible,¡±


    Jonathan stated emphatically.


    ¡°Why do you think it can¡¯t be connected to Sylvia? What if it was in fact her who saved me all those


    years ago?¡± Cyril countered, throwing a hypothetical that seemed to boggle Jonathan¡¯s mind.


    nt happened. You got married because she cornered you into it three years ago, and you know this


    well. Do you think it¡¯s possible for her to wear that morous party dress to the beach? That whole


    scenario is just unreal¨Cmaybe you were just dazzled by herst night¡­ Wait, why would you be


    dazzled by her?¡± Jonathan suddenly caught himself. It wasn¡¯t like Cyril to be captivated by Sylvia,


    considering their history.


    ¡°What are you even thinking? You didn¡¯t even know Sylvia when the


    Jonathan pondered Cyril¡¯s odd position, almost failing to conceal his disbelief. ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.


    And besides, wasn¡¯t it Carina who saved you back then?¡±


    Jonathan vaguely remembered the incident five years prior. When Cyril¡¯s boat ident urred,


    rescue teams searched tirelessly without sess, and all had feared the worst.


    Then, unexpectedly, a call came from Cyril a monthter, informing them that he had been rescued


    by locals and was sent to a hospital where he¡¯d been in aa for a month.


    They rushed to him, and when asked about his rescuer, Cyril mentioned it might have been Carina.


    They had inquired with Carinater, who did not deny it.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°Just because Carina didn¡¯t deny it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s true. After all she¡¯s done behind my back over


    the years, aren¡¯t you aware?¡± Cyril said, wryly noting the contrast between statement and action.


    Jonathan internally agreed as he was acutely aware of the schemes Carina had concocted against


    Sylvia. Some of those schemes, he had even aided a bit. Yet he couldn¡¯t tantly admit this to Cyril,


    as it felt improper to do so.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what I¡¯m getting at. Why can¡¯t you see what I¡¯m trying to tell you?¡± Jonathan sighed,


    exasperated.


    He wanted to make it clear to Cyril that anyone could have been his rescuer, but it definitely wasn¡¯t


    Sylvia.


    ¡°If it really had been Sylvia who saved you, do you think she¡¯d keep it a secret? Think about all


    these years of marriage. Wasn¡¯t there anything that stirred, even slightly, she would tell you about,


    desperately trying to impress and garner your attention?¡±


    Chapter 89 An Impossible She


    Jonathan began analyzing the events earnestly with Cyril. ¡°Justst year, when there was a


    plumbing issue in your marital home, didn¡¯t Sylvia make a big deal out of telling you about the


    repair? Was that trivial matter even worth mentioning to you? And if you think that¡¯s negligible, then


    think back on each event over the years¨Chow often has she bothered you with the minutest


    details?¡±


    In Jonathan¡¯s view, such inconsequential matters didn¡¯t merit bothering Cyril about, yet Sylvia did


    so anyway.


    frapped Cyril into


    Furthermore, if Sylvia had been devoid of cunning, she would nev marriage by exploiting


    opportunities that hade their way. All of these actions were calcted.


    If Sylvia had indeed been Cyril¡¯s savior, she would certainly have preserved the evidence and used


    it to disy her virtue, ingratiating herself to Cyril and securing his gratitude.


    Jonathan¡¯s analysis seemed to hold some weight, yet Cyril felt that something was amiss. His


    memories of the time when he wasatose were hazy, and he couldn¡¯t be certain whether it had


    been Carina who saved him. Everyone insisted it was Carina, but for some reason, Cyril found it


    hard to believe and never confirmed it.


    ¡°It was just a passing thought. Why shouldn¡¯t these matters be shared with me? The marital home is


    mine, shouldn¡¯t I be involved in any issue? Besides, why am I not aware of the things you¡¯ve


    mentioned?¡± Cyril shifted away from dwelling on the past. It might actually be that he had simply


    been caught off guard by Sylvia¡¯s stunning appearance the night before, which could exin her


    presence in his dream.


    What Cyril found more intriguing, however, was why Jonathan knew things that he was not aware


    of. In his recollection, Sylvia¡¯s calls were mostly to ask when he¡¯d be home or if he¡¯de back for


    dinner. Jonathan seemed to be lost for words, clearly awkward.


    ¡°Yeah, remember all those times we were together for gatherings? Sometimes when Sylvia would


    call and you weren¡¯t around, one of us brothers would answer and just happened to hear your stuff.


    Don¡¯t worry, we gave Sylvia a good lecture on the phone, telling her not to daydream, to not think


    about stuff she shouldn¡¯t. We¡¯re firmly on your side,¡± Jonathan stammered his justification.


    Cyril frowned, visibly displeased, causing Jonathan to shiver. Had he done something wrong by not


    informing Cyril about the calls?


    ¡°You answer my calls without my knowledge and now you¡¯ve grown bold,¡± Cyril said with a touch of


    annoyance.


    Jonathan became even more nervous, having meant to protect Cyril from needless upset,


    Chapter 89 An impossible She


    but he seemed to have caused the opposite. What was he supposed to do now that the situation


    had taken such a turn?


    ¡°I¡¯ve got¡­. other things¡­ I need to do, so I¡¯ll leave you to it,¡± Jonathan stammered, sensing trouble


    as he saw Cyril¡¯s anger. He headed for the door quickly, leaving his unfinished business with Cyril


    unspoken.


    Once Jonathan had left, Cyril was alone in his office, left to ponder over the past. The more he


    thought, the stranger things seemed. Everyone appeared to believe Sylvia was at fault, yet he didn¡¯t


    feel that way.


    Sitting there calmly, he began to sort through the recent revtions, feeling aplexity that was


    hard to articte. The rtionship with Sylvia had always been distant; this was no secret.


    Jonathan despised Sylvia, and Cyril knew it well. If Jonathan truly had answered those calls, the


    exchanges were likely not as harmless as he had conveyed.

 Chapter 90

    Chapter 90


    Chapter 90 Lewis Returns Home


    Sylvia¡¯s work was going rtively smoothly, apart from the asional trouble caused by Ingrid,


    there wasn¡¯t much that was a headache. That morning, she noticed that Bark was nowhere to be


    seen and learned that he had gone to the final dress rehearsal, gearing up for his concert next


    month.


    Stanford and Bruce were both in the dining room, and the family of three sat down for


    ¡®t Sylvia¡¯s phone was breakfast together. They didn¡¯t usually talk about work at the tabl incessantly


    ringing since she woke up, leaving no chance for it to stop.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you put your work aside for a moment in the early morning? Must it interfere at this hour? Is


    the day not long enough for work? You used to not be somitted to your job, but look at you


    now,¡± Stanford grumbled, feeling slightly frustrated. He rarely had the chance to have a meal with


    his daughter, and when he did, she was preupied with work.


    Sylvia tried tough off her father¡¯sment and put her phone down to eat her breakfast.


    Although she wasn¡¯t replying to any messages, her phone continued to ring persistently until she


    had no choice but to mute it. Stanford looked pleased with her decision.


    Stanford suddenly remembered something, ¡°Next week, Lewis ising back to the country. His


    artificial intelligence project is doing very well, and he¡¯s at the forefront with AI technology. What are


    your thoughts?¡±


    another Sylvia was momentarily freed from work concerns, only for Bruce to bring up business


    matter, much to Stanford¡¯s visible disappointment. He just wanted to have a normal breakfast with


    his children, without any talk of work. He didn¡¯t recall them ever being so work¨Cobsessed before.


    Sylvia looked up at Bruce in surprise. Why hadn¡¯t she heard of Lewis¡¯s return?


    ¡°I had Ingrid inform you about this. Did she not tell you?¡± Bruce replied, taken aback by Sylvia¡¯s


    clueless expression.


    The fact that it involved Ingrid exined Sylvia¡¯s ignorance of the news. Given Ingrid¡¯s


    dissatisfaction with Sylvia and her longing for Sylvia¡¯s position, it was no surprise she hadn¡¯t passed


    the message along.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t informed, but it doesn¡¯t matter now that I know. Are you sure about Lewising back?


    He¡¯s been abroad for years, focusing on AItely, which he only began preparing in recent years.


    Getting involved now might be toote for us,¡± Sylvia analyzed thoughtfully. She was aware of


    Lewis¡¯s leading AIpany and its impressive progress. His venture hadn¡¯tcked funds since its


    creation, which contributed to its sess.


    ¡°I remember recently he announced a concept aiming for fully autonomous driving, but reliable AI


    is essential for that. The technology isn¡¯t mature yet, so most industry experts are skeptical about


    his approach,¡± Sylvia shared, her mind racing. She understood the immaturity of AI technology. If


    they decided to invest or coborate at this point, there was certainly money to be made.


    Bruce nodded in agreement. ¡°You¡¯re spot on. AI isn¡¯t fully ripe yet, and there¡¯s a whole bunch of


    folks eyeing that slice. Now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯ve decided to start hunting for partnerships. After all, AI


    has made some sweet strides, and I¡¯m ready to push it forward while researching new AI tricks.¡±


    Researching two big things at once means shelling out a mountain of cash. Even if Louis was


    swimming in money before, he¡¯s probably got to think about the finance game now.


    Sylvia got the picture loud and clear.


    ¡°So, big bro, you want me to reach out to Louis, see if we can team up or something?¡± Sylvia asked.


    Bruce cracked a smile and nodded, ¡°There¡¯s no rush, because after the news broke, lots of folks


    tried to get in touch with Louis already. No word yet. Guess he¡¯s not keen on the


    attention.¡®


    ¡°Who knew Louis had such a backbone, huh? There¡¯s not much gossip about him, and I don¡¯t know


    him well. But turning down so many people? That¡¯s pretty cool. Maybe worth a


    closer look.¡®


    If he hasn¡¯t given a peep after all this time, it means he¡¯s either not impressed with the crowd or he¡¯s


    still picking his team.


    ¡°But let¡¯s circle back to thister. He¡¯s flying under the radar right now, nobody knows what he¡¯s up


    to. We¡¯ll talk when we hear something. For now, you should take care of things on Ingrid¡¯s end.


    Better sort it out soon, or you¡¯ll be caught in a tight spot.¡±


    Bruce was always keyed into Sylvia¡¯s progress and knew Ingrid kept stirring up trouble behind the


    scenes. He didn¡¯t step in because he trusted Sylvia to handle it.


    Sylvia nodded¨Cit was time to sort out Ingrid for good.


    After they wrapped up the big talk, the siblings dropped the business chatter.


    Seeing they finally paused, Stanford huffed loudly, ttering his utensils onto his te.


    ¡°I thought you two only had work on the brain, totally forgetting to eat. You¡¯ve been talking forever.


    Can we please just eat our meal now?¡±


    Chapter LOWIS Ketumis rune


    At Stanford¡¯s yful scolding, the brother and sister couldn¡¯t help but give a sheepishugh,


    promising to drop the topic for real this time.

 Chapter 91

    Chapter 91


    Chapter 91 The Hot Project


    The news of Louis returning to the states with his project spread like wildfire, as many had their


    eyes set on the prize. In an era driven by data and devices, everyone¡¯s betting that artificial


    intelligence and AI technology will carve out their own slice of the future. But to y ball in this


    league, you¡¯ve gotta have killer tech skills and deep pockets.


    Thing is, the stretch from research to ringing up sales is just too dang long for most. Business folks


    wanna see their cash stack up fast. Diving into development means pouring in serious coin without


    any promise of payback. And in the face of such high stakes, lots of them are more likely to ce


    their bets elsewhere.


    Or they might wait for reliable AI to hit the market before pouring dough into investments and


    partnerships¨Cthat¡¯s like earning money while snoozing.


    So when Louis brought his hot¨Cshot project home, everybody wanted a piece of the action. A whole


    bunch of businesses tried to buddy up to Louis in secret, but the guy wasn¡¯t spilling any beans. With


    more and more reaching out and none getting a clear signal, they started scratching their heads,


    wondering what Louis was really after.


    ¡°Everyone¡¯s scrambling to connect with Louis, and you seem way too chill. Didn¡¯t Bruce spill the


    beans to you?¡± Everyone¡¯s craving a slice of this lucrative pie. They¡¯re all hustling to get a word with


    Louis, but so far, Sylvia hasn¡¯t made a move. Juliet was puzzled by her friend¡¯s calm and a tad


    worried about it.


    Sylvia, buried in her work, just chuckled at Juliet¡¯s concern.


    ¡°No need to rush. Look, everyone¡¯s buzzing around Louis, but the guy hasn¡¯t budged. That means


    they¡¯re not who he wants to jam with. Instead of getting worked up over Louis, let¡¯s tidy up this mess


    with Ingrid first. Ingrid¡¯s been feeling bold, keeping big stuff under wraps


    from me.


    Sylvia knew dealing with Ingrid shoulde first, aware that an unresolved situation internally could


    trip them up big time, even if a brighter partnership beckoned.


    ¡°You¡¯re making sense. I¡¯ve been keeping tabs on Ingrid. Lately, he¡¯s been cozying up to some


    partners under the radar, hinting at going solo. But honestly, the guy hasn¡¯t got what it takes to strike


    out on his own. More like he¡¯s brewing some bad mojo.¡±


    Juliet could barely mask her disdain for Ingrid¡¯s sneaky ways. Slyly making the rounds with Sylvia¡¯s


    contacts, it was clear as day what he was nning.


    ¡°What¡¯s the word on the street at thepany?¡± Sylvia wanted the scoop. Sitting at the top, she


    didn¡¯t always catch the chatter down the ranks.


    ¡°How else would they think? Some reckon you¡¯re not right for the throne. But hey, your recent wins


    have made a lot of folks happy, and they figure ingrid¡¯s just biting off more than he can chew. But it


    alles down to what you wanna do about Ingrid.¡±


    Juliet felt it was simple¨Cif they decided to take on Ingrid, they¡¯d dig up more than enough to deal


    with him, no sweat.


    If someone¡¯s determined to find fault with you, then everything you do can be twisted into a mistake.


    Sylvia knew this all too well.


    ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m discussing a partnership, and I¡¯ve heard that this partner is pretty chummy with Ingrid¡¯s


    crew. Let¡¯s invite him to join us,¡± Sylvia mused, addressing Juliet.


    Juliet was taken aback, wondering if it really was a good idea to bring Ingrid so openly, especially


    alongside someone who was close to him.


    ¡°Along with talking business with Ingrid tonight, Louis will be there as well. Consider it a pre¨C


    meeting of sorts,¡± Sylvia added with a smile, making sure Juliet understood the full picture.


    Juliet burst intoughter, grasping the hidden meaning in Sylvia¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re pretty sly, you


    know? How do you manage to think ahead so well? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this tonight. Ingrid won¡¯t


    even know what¡¯sing.¡±


    Sylvia grinned, acknowledging the situation. Ingrid¡¯s antics were indeed irksome, yet he hadn¡¯t


    crossed any serious lines. Ultimately, he seemed to be looking out for thepany, which was


    something the higher¨Cups would take into ount. If she decided to make a move against Ingrid, it


    couldn¡¯t be for past trivialities. The irond stuff had to be current


    and critical.


    Like now, with the buzz around this hot project. If Ingrid slipped up here, it might give Sylvia the


    calm needed to deal with him, no hassle involved.


    Juliet approached Ingrid¡¯s office, finding him on his phone, venting and rolling his eyes. about


    everything Sylvia was up to, almost literally.


    ¡°Who are we whispering secrets about?¡± Juliet¡¯s voice made Ingrid jump, and his phone ttered to


    the floor. The chat history wasid bare for Juliet¡¯s eyes.


    With a slight squint and a smirk, Juliet scanned Ingrid¡¯s conversation. Caught red¨Chanded, Ingrid¡¯s


    face couldn¡¯t hide his unease as he snatched up his phone.


    ¡°What are you, nuts? Why¡¯d youe over and scare me like that?¡± he snapped.


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d catch you smack¨Ctalking. You¡¯ve got quite a bit to exin now. Tonight, we¡¯re


    meeting with Louis, and you¡¯re tagging along,¡± Juliet said, her voice


    ¡°How else would they think? Some reckon you¡¯re not right for the throne. But hey, your recent wins


    have made a lot of folks happy, and they figure Ingrid¡¯s just biting off more than he can chew. But it


    alles down to what you wanna do about Ingrid.¡±


    Juliet felt it was simple¨Cif they decided to take on Ingrid, they¡¯d dig up more than enough to deal


    with him, no sweat.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    If someone¡¯s determined to find fault with you, then everything you do can be twisted into a mistake.


    Sylvia knew this all too well.


    ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m discussing a partnership, and I¡¯ve heard that this partner is pretty chummy with Ingrid¡¯s


    crew. Let¡¯s invite him to join us,¡± Sylvia mused, addressing Juliet.


    Juliet was taken aback, wondering if it really was a good idea to bring Ingrid so openly, especially


    alongside someone who was close to him.


    ¡°Along with talking business with Ingrid tonight, Louis will be there as well. Consider it a pre¨C


    meeting of sorts,¡± Sylvia added with a smile, making sure Juliet understood the full picture.


    Juliet burst intoughter, grasping the hidden meaning in Sylvia¡¯s words. ¡°You¡¯re pretty sly, you


    know? How do you manage to think ahead so well? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this tonight. Ingrid won¡¯t


    even know what¡¯sing.¡±


    Sylvia grinned, acknowledging the situation. Ingrid¡¯s antics were indeed irksome, yet he hadn¡¯t


    crossed any serious lines. Ultimately, he seemed to be looking out for thepany, which was


    something the higher¨Cups would take into ount. If she decided to make a move against Ingrid, it


    couldn¡¯t be for past trivialities. The irond stuff had to be current and critical.


    Like now, with the buzz around this hot project. If Ingrid slipped up here, it might give Sylvia the


    calm needed to deal with him, no hassle involved.


    Juliet approached Ingrid¡¯s office, finding him on his phone, venting and rolling his eyes about


    everything Sylvia was up to, almost literally.


    ¡°Who are we whispering secrets about?¡± Juliet¡¯s voice made Ingrid jump, and his phone ttered to


    the floor. The chat history wasid bare for Juliet¡¯s eyes.


    With a slight squint and a smirk, Juliet scanned Ingrid¡¯s conversation. Caught red¨Chanded, Ingrid¡¯s


    face couldn¡¯t hide his unease as he snatched up his phone.


    ¡°What are you, nuts? Why¡¯d youe over and scare me like that?¡± he snapped.


    ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know I¡¯d catch you smack¨Ctalking. You¡¯ve got quite a bit to exin now. Tonight, we¡¯re


    meeting with Louis, and you¡¯re tagging along,¡± Juliet said, her voice


    dripping with 1


    Sarcasm.


    Ingrid felt awkward, but the thought of meeting Louis excited him. However, he content help but


    wonder why Sylvia was inviting him. Could there be a cath?

 Chapter 92

    Chapter 92


    Chapter 92 The Ideal Partner


    The banquet that evening was Louis¡¯s doing -a wee back affair calling together a host of


    attendees. Ivan Group, of course, was included in the invitee list, but upon arrival, they found the


    crowd far exceeded their expectations.


    ¡°Did he really have to invite this many people? He¡¯s just an AI guy. Is he really that popr? ¡± Ingrid


    grumbled as she and Sylvia walked in, surprised at the turnout. In her mind, AI was cool and all, but


    not enough to warrant such a crowd. Yet, it showed that everyone wanted a piece of the pie.


    ¡°Nowadays, we don¡¯t have proper Al over here. The mere fact that he¡¯s willing to bring his tech is a


    testament to its caliber. Why else would all these people show up? Besides, Louis isn¡¯t as simple as


    you think,¡± Juliet quipped with a roll of her eyes, clearly not impressed by Ingrid¡¯s remark.


    Sure, an AI developer might not typically pull such a crowd, but Louis wasn¡¯t just your average


    developer. His family¡¯s powerhouse legacy was well¨Cknown, even though he had broken away to


    avoid relying on their clout and to continue his AI research independently. However, he was still part


    of the family, and they all knew he¡¯de back to the fold someday. So, those rushing here were


    mainly angling to link up with Louis¨Ccoboration or not, having a chance in the future was a pretty


    sweet deal.


    Unaware of this backstory, Ingrid¡¯s face fell¨Cher casualment had brought on such


    censure.


    ¡°With so many folks here, it looks like his ideal partner could be in the crowd. Let¡¯s go mingle,¡±


    Sylvia suggested as they forged ahead. It wasn¡¯t just about making a connection with Louis¨Cthere


    were plenty of fish in the sea, and anyone here could be a future ally. The goal for tonight was


    clear: don¡¯t end up on the losing end.


    Juliet didn¡¯t have much to add, following Sylvia closely. Ingrid, on the other hand, was getting


    impatient. She didn¡¯t want to trail behind Sylvia; after all, any potential deals they came across


    wouldn¡¯t be hers alone. Besides, she and Sylvia were at odds,peting for the


    same prize.


    Ingrid veered off, and Sylvia and Juliet didn¡¯t mind. They weren¡¯t interested in tagging along with


    her, anyway. Besides, Ingrid was representing the whole Ivan Group; as long as she didn¡¯t


    embarrass herself tonight, it was all good.


    ¡°I kind of expected your brother toe with you tonight. Surprised it¡¯s just you here,¡± Juliet


    casually mentioned, and Sylvia¡¯s eyebrow twitched slightly. She remembered Juliet had her sights


    set on her brother but had never voiced it, so Sylvia avoided bursting that


    Chapter 92 The Ideal Partner


    bubble.


    2/3


    Sylvia teased with a twinkle in her eye, ¡°Are you asking if my brother didn¡¯te to talk business, or


    if you¡¯re disappointed he isn¡¯t here at all? If you¡¯re so eager to see him, I could just ring him up this


    instant.


    ¡°Oh, stop talking nonsense. 1 just thought¡­ with such a big deal on the table, your brother would


    personally be involved. I didn¡¯t expect everything to be left to you,¡± Juliet deflected.


    ¡°Aha, I get it now. You don¡¯t trust my expertise. Fine, let me call him up. Given how much you¡¯re


    missing him, he might even be willing toe over and see you.¡±


    Seeing Sylvia about to pull out her phone, Juliet panicked and quickly grabbed Sylvia¡¯s hand to stop


    her. No way could she let this happen; calling him now would be mortifying.


    ¡°Stop, you can¡¯t do this! If you go any further, I¡¯ll really get mad at you. Don¡¯t go over the line!¡±


    Juliet¡¯s face turned red with urgency, prompting augh from Sylvia. Even trying to hide her feelings


    like this, Sylvia¡¯s clever brother, sly as a fox, would have easily seen through Juliet¡¯s affections.


    What on earth was stopping them from taking the next step?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, alright? I might be his little sister, but I¡¯m your sis too. So right now, I¡¯ve got your back.


    I¡¯ll have a good chat with himter and figure out what¡¯s up. I¡¯ll make sure you two get a chance to


    be together,¡± Sylvia assured her.


    Juliet¡¯s face burned even redder. What was Sylvia rambling on about?


    ¡°Quit it already; I don¡¯t have those thoughts!¡± Juliet protested.


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Then forget I said anything. I was just about to give you a hand, but seems like you


    don¡¯t need any help,¡± Sylvia teased, leaving Juliet speechless. Juliet opened her mouth to argue,


    but couldn¡¯t find the words¨Cit felt like anyebacks were pointless.


    Juliet red at Sylvia. It wasn¡¯t all her fault; she wouldn¡¯t be in this mess if Sylvia hadn¡¯t started this


    conversation.


    Sylvia covered her mouth and giggled, and after their banter, they didn¡¯t forget the night¡¯s main


    event, starting to circte around the venue.


    Since Sylvia had taken charge, there were plenty who doubted him. But after nailing several


    projects, it turned out he wasn¡¯t just for show; the guy had real chops. So when people spotted


    Sylvia at the banquet, they lined up to greet him, and he exchanged pleasantries


    with a smile.


    That¡¯s when Sylvia spotted a familiar blond man ahead¨Cit was definitely Louis, whose photo he¡¯d


    seen before. Louis was deep in conversation with Cyril, looking like old buddies. Observing this,


    Sylvia paused to consider and then decided to walk in the opposite direction.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Chapter 92 The Ideal Partner


    3/3


    ¡°What¡¯s up? Not nning to head over?¡± Juliet inquired, puzzled. Weren¡¯t they there to meet Louis?


    Why walk away upon sighting him?


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the guy with Louis? His demeanor tells you everything¨Cthis is the partner he¡¯s been


    hoping for.¡±

 Chapter 93

    Chapter 93


    Chapter 93 Prejudice


    Sylvia wasn¡¯t na?ve. When she spotted Cyril mingling there, she knew there was more to the story.


    Louis and Cyril wereughing and chatting like old friends amidst the crowd. Clearly, their


    acquaintance wasn¡¯t just from today; it had history.


    This realization dawned on Sylvia¨CLouis¡¯s return was likely aimed at coborating with Cyril.


    Juliet was caught off guard by Sylvia¡¯s observation. She hadn¡¯t noticed earlier who Louis was


    speaking with. Looking back, she indeed saw Cyril standing across from Louis.


    ¡°So, this grand gesture might just be to pave the way for his future ns, huh? I wonder if he¡¯s


    nning to rejoin his family. But then again, I haven¡¯t heard about the Walker family announcing any


    heir.¡±


    ¡°The Walkers may not be revealing an heir, but Louis has no intention of returning to them. When he


    left, he never nned to go back. So today, he¡¯s probably just widening hiswork, scouting out


    potential partners for the future. If he everpetes with the Walkers, it¡¯ll be with the allies he


    makes now.¡±


    Juliet understood from Sylvia¡¯s exnation. While Louis might be the destined heir of the Walker


    family, he wasn¡¯t inclined to take on the entire legacy. If he already had his own business endeavor,


    then the goal was growth¨Cgrowth strong enough to eventually stand up to the entire Walker


    corporation.


    ¡°Well, he sure knows how to pick ¡®em. He¡¯s got Cyril, who built his empire from scratch and isn¡¯t far


    behind the Ivans now.¡± 1


    Setting aside previous interactions with Cyril, you¡¯ve got to respect what he¡¯s achieved business¨C


    wise. Not just anyone can be as formidable as Cyril has been.


    Sylvia nodded, acknowledging Cyril¡¯s sess without dismissing his questionable sess in


    rtionship matters. Recognizing their chance of partnering with Louis was slim, they decided to


    scout for other potential deals at the gathering. After all, the Ivan family had been mulling over an AI


    project for some time. Given the current circumstances, maybe it was time to push that forward.


    Sylvia vaguely remembered a subsidiary of the Ivan¡¯s that was dabbling in AI years back. She¡¯d


    need to check on its progress when she got the chance.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Ivan Group has a new Vice President¨Cmust be you. Your name reached my ears a while


    back. Wanted to drop by and say hi earlier, but got caught up. It¡¯s good to finally


    catch a moment.¡±


    Sylvia didn¡¯t intend to engage Louis, but he took the initiative, approaching her.


    283


    Sylvia nodded to meeting to a not africk 48 odd, as if if carried a hint of


    bias


    *¡î*


    ego nung people homem quew ww wow At real. found your perfect partner sewing them, Mi


    Tomie?*


    Loule singh grimused, towing he had we found a fing ally. Yet, seeing Sylvia here, he figured the


    male he trigued by the coboration opportunity.


    ww Find a great portree Indeed Towever, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s room for us to work tageftum. You are


    not my ideal coborator,¡± Louis stated inly.


    Sylvie was mildly taken aback by his forthrightness. In the cutthroat world of business, she had


    expected a more diplomatic approach, not such a direct rejection.


    Sylvia¡¯s smile didn¡¯t alter in the least, which seemed to unsettle Louis. He had spoken his mind, so


    why wasn¡¯t this woman getting angry? Herposure made it seem like his words


    were a mere joke to her.


    ¡°I saw who your ideal partner is already, so your words aren¡¯t surprising to me,¡± Sylvia calmly


    retorted. ¡°But I find it quite astonishing since I haven¡¯t even spoken a word to you


    Sylvia sensed the bias Louis held against her, and his premeditated words. Why should she show


    him any kindness if he harbored such prejudice? He didn¡¯t want to work with her, and the feeling


    was mutual¨Cthey were both not what the other was looking for.


    ¡°It seems what I¡¯ve heard is true. They say the new Vice President of Ivan Group has sharp wits¨C


    just a few sentences is all it takes to get under someone¡¯s skin. Has your way of


    doing things made enemies within your own n?¡±


    Sylvia didn¡¯t miss the underlying skepticism in his voice about her capabilities, partly due to her


    gender. If there was a better partner here besides Cyril, it had to be her. But Louis¡¯s remarks, one


    after another, were targeted at her, so naturally, Sylvia didn¡¯t hesitate to poke at his sore spots.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Internal matters of our n aren¡¯t your concern. As for someone who doesn¡¯t even want to return to


    his own family, giving me advice feels rather meaningless.¡±


    Chapter 93 Prejudice


    2/3


    Sylvia nodded to him. Something about his tone struck her as odd, as if it carried a hint of


    s.


    ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Louis.¡±


    ¡°Sylvia.¡±


    After a brisk handshake, they released their grip.


    ¡°So many people here seem quite taken with your AI tech. Found your perfect partner among them,


    Mr. Louis?¡±


    Louis simply grinned, knowing he had indeed found a fitting ally. Yet, seeing Sylvia here, he figured


    she must also be intrigued by the coboration opportunity.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found a great partner indeed. However, I don¡¯t think there¡¯s room for us to work together. You


    are not my ideal coborator,¡± Louis stated inly.


    Sylvia was mildly taken aback by his forthrightness. In the cutthroat world of business, she


    had expected a more diplomatic approach, not such a direct rejection.


    Sylvia¡¯s smile didn¡¯t falter in the least, which seemed to unsettle Louis. He had spoken his mind, so


    why wasn¡¯t this woman getting angry? Herposure made it seem like his words


    were a mere joke to her.


    ¡°I saw who your ideal partner is already, so your words aren¡¯t surprising to me,¡± Sylvia calmly


    retorted. ¡°But I find it quite astonishing since I haven¡¯t even spoken a word to you uponing


    here. To be honest, before today, I thought there might be a chance for us to coborate. Now, it¡¯s


    clear you¡¯re not my ideal partner either.¡±


    Sylvia sensed the bias Louis held against her, and his premeditated words. Why should she show


    him any kindness if he harbored such prejudice? He didn¡¯t want to work with her, and the feeling


    was mutual¨Cthey were both not what the other was looking for.


    ¡°It seems what I¡¯ve heard is true. They say the new Vice President of Ivan Group has sharp wits¨C


    just a few sentences is all it takes to get under someone¡¯s skin. Has your way of doing things made


    enemies within your own n?¡±


    Sylvia didn¡¯t miss the underlying skepticism in his voice about her capabilities, partly due to her


    gender. If there was a better partner here besides Cyril, it had to be her. But Louis¡¯s remarks, one


    after another, were targeted at her, so naturally, Sylvia didn¡¯t hesitate to poke at his sore spots.


    ¡°Internal matters of our n aren¡¯t your concern. As for someone who doesn¡¯t even want to return to


    his own family, giving me advice feels rather meaningless.¡±


    Chapter 93 Prejudice


    3/3


    Louis¡¯s expression tightened. He hadn¡¯t expected Sylvia to confront him like this.


    ¡°So, what if I haven¡¯t returned to my family? Everything that I have¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to im that everything you have is the result of your own hard work, are you?¡±


    Sylvia cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, though you may go by Louis, yourst name is Walker. Without that


    name above your head, do you think you would have had such a smooth ride? Even if you¡¯ve had


    nonstop investment, sess wouldn¡¯t havee so easily.¡±


    Those born into great families might venture out on their own, but they often carry the influence of


    their dynasty with them. His low profile couldn¡¯t hide the advantages of his lineage¨Cdidn¡¯t others


    notice?


    Louis struggled to maintain hisposure. He always believed his achievements were


    disconnected from his family background, yet Sylvia had just thrown that in his face, as if all his


    efforts over the years were nothing more than a joke.


    ¡°So you¡¯re suggesting that everything I own is thanks to my family, is that it?¡±

 Chapter 94

    Chapter 94


    Chapter 94 Potential for Coboration


    Sylvia simply smiled without affirming or denying Louis¡¯s point. She knew well that someone as


    arrogant as Louis would never admit to having family help.


    ¡°Your journey to where you are now¨Cdo you genuinely believe it was unsupported? How are you


    any different from me?¡± Louis retorted.


    Sylvia feigned surprise: ¡°I¡¯ve never imed that I reached my position without my family¡¯s support,


    but unlike you¡­¡±


    ¤Ç


    She firmly believed in acknowledging the family¡¯s contribution to her sess. Enjoying the


    privileges of family meant taking on its duties and responsibilities as well. What was so strange


    about that?


    Louis found himself speechless, his face darkening like the bottom of a pan. Juliet, who had been


    quietly observing the spirited exchange, couldn¡¯t help but let out augh at the sight of Louis¡¯s


    growing displeasure.


    ¡°Relying on your family isn¡¯t shameful, but you¡¯re trying to cast aside your family and im all the


    glory for yourself. Aren¡¯t you overrating your aplishments?¡± Juliet¡¯s family prestige wasn¡¯t far


    behind the Walkers, so she spoke without fear.


    Louis huffed, frustrated by the confrontation that hadn¡¯t gone his way, and stormed off. He


    had aimed to intimidate them and make a statement that coboration was out of the


    question. Instead, he ended up being the one provoked.


    As Louis left in anger, Sylvia and Juliet shared a look and chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s for the best that you weren¡¯t aiming to coborate with him. With his ego, definitely wouldn¡¯t


    make for a good partner,¡± Julietmented.


    he


    Sylvia shrugged it off: ¡°He¡¯s very smart, a former prodigy even. However, he¡¯s too obsessed with


    proving he¡¯s self¨Cmade, which just isn¡¯t possible.¡±


    No one can entirely escape their family¡¯s influence, especially those from eminent dynasties


    like theirs. 1


    Juliet nodded, and they rested for a while. Their conversations with others that evening revealed


    that several promising coboration opportunities awaited them. They could reconver to n


    further.


    Meanwhile, after his heated exchange with Sylvia, Louis returned to his initial spot. Cyril had been


    watching Louis approach Sylvia, only to see Louis¡¯s face grow increasingly grim while Sylvia


    remained unfazed.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Chapter 94 Potential for Coboration


    2/3


    ¡°What did you say to her?¡± Cyril asked, curious about the interaction.


    Louis snorted, ¡°What could I have said? I merely told her that her current status is founded on her


    family¡¯s influence, as if her business deals were nothing remarkable. Then she used me of the


    very same¨Cusing our family for my own gains. Don¡¯t I know better than anyone if our years of


    research relied on the Walkers¡® help? The team I¡¯ve assembled¨Cit¡¯s the result of my own efforts!¡±


    Desperate to validate his independence from his family, Louis continued, only to notice that Cyril¡¯s


    expression seemed oddly off¨Ckilter.


    Louis¡¯s expression changed in an instant.


    ¡°You¡¯re not implying that the people I¡¯ve attracted are actually connected to my family, are you?¡±


    ¡°What else could it be?¡± Cyril responded calmly. ¡°Those individuals are aplished in their own


    fields. Why would they abandon their current jobs to follow you? It¡¯s not just because you¡¯re offering


    better terms. There have to be additional benefits enticing enough for them to move. Even if you


    deny it, you must acknowledge that the Walker family has supported you in the background. Even


    without a public deration, if someone wants to, they can easily uncover the connection between


    you and the Walkers.¡±


    Louis was internally unsettled by these revtions. He had never heard such things before- not


    from anyone, not even from Cyril.


    ¡°Then why haven¡¯t you mentioned this before? Was your investment in me also because of my


    family ties?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t,¡± Cyril said. ¡°I invested because I found your technology intriguing and untouched by me,


    which is why I wanted to see how far you¡¯d take it. However, it was only after my investment that I


    learned of your connection to the Walkers. In other words, it was knowing your family ties that


    solidified my decision to continue investing in you.¡±


    Cyril didn¡¯t deny his initial interest in the technology, but the ongoing investment was indeed


    influenced by the Walker family name. Even if their rtionship seemed amicable, it was partly


    facilitated by the intermediation of the Walkers.


    Rendered speechless, Louis listened.


    ¡°The reason you want to coborate with me is that we have a mutual foundation for partnership,¡±


    Cyril continued. ¡°But beyond that, if you¡¯re looking to establish a solid presence here, I suggest you


    consider partnering with the Ivan family. Drop your subjective biases; the Ivans are indeed a


    valuablepany for coboration.¡±


    Chapter 94 Potential for Coboration


    33


    Cyril was speaking from a perspective of both fairness and business acumen. dynamics between


    him and Sylvia were trivialpared to corporate potential, Sylvia bod demonstrated her abilities by


    securing major projects swiftly within the Ivanp


    which spoke volumes¨Cshe was no mere figurehead.


    Though stung by Cyril¡¯s blunt truths, Louis was a man open to sound advice. His recent resistance


    was fueled by the realization that Cyril¡¯s words differed significantly from Sylvia¡¯s. If Cyril suggested


    cooperation, it somehow seemed more eptable.


    ¡°How can we coborate? I¡¯ve just had a falling out with Sylvia,¡± Louis noted, acutely aware that


    most would abandon all talks of coboration after such an argument.


    ¡°If you¡¯re open to it, I can help you,¡± Cyril offered, lifting his wine ss and gently swirling it as he


    addressed Louis.


    Indeed, Louis was tempted. Before returning, he had been eager to coborate with the Ivan family.


    After all, who wouldn¡¯t want to forge ties with such a prominentpanye

 Chapter 95

    Chapter 95


    Chapter 95 What¡¯s This All About?


    ¡°Most folks who came here today want to parme op you knd if not with you, then with someone


    else,¡± Cyril said, giving a friendly par on Louis¡¯s shoulder. You bang right I¡¯ll go have a quick word


    with Sylvia¡± He picked up his drink and soled toward where Sylvia was.


    Deep down, even Cyril couldn¡¯t quite pin down why be feltpelled to beb Louis. It wasn¡¯t just


    about giving Louis a leg up, he wanted to lend a hand to Sylvie too. She needed solid projects to


    keep her footing as the vice president, especially since that was her position from the get¨Cgo.


    Reflecting on their marriage, Cyril did feel a twinge of guilt towards Sylvia. He saw this as a chance


    to make it up to her.


    Sylvia finished up a conversation just as Cyril approached her. She had beenughing with Juliet


    but her smile vanished instantly when she turned to face Cyril.


    ¡°What can I do for you, Mr. Cyril?¡± Sylvia asked, maintaining herposure and a polite smile,


    even though they were in a public setting where too much interaction was thest thing she wanted.


    Especially when the whole room had eyes on them, curious to witness this unexpected chat.


    Conversations like this one, filled with gossip and spectacle, made Sylvia downright


    ufortable.


    ¡°I just had a chat with Louis. He seems pretty keen to work with you and would like to apologize if


    you¡¯re willing,¡± Cyril said.


    Sylvia paused, taken aback. Did an apology really matter? She didn¡¯t think Louis had said anything


    out of line.


    ¡°People make snap judgments without knowing the whole picture; it¡¯s just human nature. But why


    did you send him to apologize? Do you think he did something wrong earlier?¡± Sylvia said, cutting to


    the chase. She didn¡¯t see Louis as a good partnership candidate to begin with¨Cif they shed from


    the start, there was bound to be trouble down the line.


    As for Sylvia, she liked her life hassle¨Cfree. If partnering up meant inviting trouble, she¡¯d rather not


    start at all. Besides, it¡¯s not like she was short on partners.


    Cyril began to defend himself, ¡°You might have gotten the wrong idea; what I mean is¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you meant,¡± Sylvia interrupted. ¡°Beyond what he said, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re a good fit


    for coboration. And clearly, he¡¯s more interested in a partnership with you-


    Chapter 95 What¡¯s This All About?


    ¡°Most folks who came here today want to partner up with you. And if not with you, then with


    someone else,¡± Cyril said, giving a friendly pat on Louis¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You hang tight;


    I¡¯ll


    go


    have a quick word with Sylvia.¡± He picked up his drink and strolled toward where Sylvia was.


    Deep down, even Cyril couldn¡¯t quite pin down why he feltpelled to help Louis. It wasn¡¯t just


    about giving Louis a leg up; he wanted to lend a hand to Sylvia too. She needed solid projects to


    keep her footing as the vice president, especially since that was her position from the get¨Cgo.


    Reflecting on their marriage, Cyril did feel a twinge of guilt towards Sylvia. He saw this as a chance


    to make it up


    to her.


    Sylvia finished up a conversation just as Cyril approached her. She had beenughing with Juliet


    but her smile vanished instantly when she turned to face Cyril.


    ¡°What can I do for you, Mr. Cyril?¡± Sylvia asked, maintaining herposure and a polite smile,


    even though they were in a public setting where too much interaction was thest thing she wanted.


    Especially when the whole room had eyes on them, curious to witness this unexpected chat.


    Conversations like this one, filled with gossip and spectacle, made Sylvia downright


    ufortable.


    ¡°I just had a chat with Louis. He seems pretty keen to work with you and would like to apologize if


    you¡¯re willing,¡± Cyril said.


    Sylvia paused, taken aback. Did an apology really matter? She didn¡¯t think Louis had said anything


    out of line.


    ¡°People make snap judgments without knowing the whole picture; it¡¯s just human nature. But why


    did you send him to apologize? Do you think he did something wrong earlier?¡± Sylvia said, cutting to


    the chase. She didn¡¯t see Louis as a good partnership candidate to begin with¨Cif they shed from


    the start, there was bound to be trouble down the line.


    As for Sylvia, she liked her life hassle¨Cfree. If partnering up meant inviting trouble, she¡¯d rather not


    start at all. Besides, it¡¯s not like she was short on partners.


    Cyril began to defend himself, ¡°You might have gotten the wrong idea; what I mean is-


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what you meant,¡± Sylvia interrupted. ¡°Beyond what he said, I don¡¯t think we¡¯re a good fit


    for coboration. And clearly, he¡¯s more interested in a partnership with you¡ª


    everyone can see that.¡±


    At this point, it was clear to Cyril.


    Sylvia had considered a partnership but after getting a glimpse into Louis¡¯s true intentions, she


    quickly changed her mind.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s drop it then,¡± Cyril conceded. ¡°Originally, I thought this might be an


    opportunity to make amends for my part in our marriage mishaps. I¡¯vee to realize I¡¯ve made


    some missteps.¡±


    Sylvia was momentarily taken aback. Had Cyril actually started to reflect on their marriage?


    ¡°No need for that,¡± Sylvia replied icily. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about our marriage, then I think I was just too


    impulsive back then. We both made that decision without really thinking it through. And as for you


    admitting you haven¡¯t been at your best, well, you might be mistaken. Because from start to finish,


    you¡¯ve been nothing but a mess in this marriage. If you want to make it right, the best way to do that


    is to stay far away from me and never


    show


    your face again.¡± Her words were chilling.


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Trying to brush off years of issues with a simple ¡®I haven¡¯t been at my best?? Even strangers


    shouldn¡¯t be treated that way, let alone a husband and wife.


    Sylvia¡¯s smile was one of finality as she turned to leave, but Cyril stopped her with an unexpected


    question. ¡°Wait a second, did you go to the southern beach five years ago? Did you save


    someone?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Did Cyril remember something?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t really follow what you¡¯re saying,¡± she said, confused.


    me,


    ¡°That day, five years ago, I nearly died in the sea when my boat capsized. Someone saved and I¡¯ve


    always thought they looked a lot like you,¡± Cyril exined, his voice tinged with urgency. Ever since


    the dream, he¡¯d wanted to ask Sylvia, and now he had the chance, he looked at her, eager for an


    answer.


    ¡°What are you saying? If it was me who saved you back then, does that make you want to make


    amends with me now? And if that¡¯s true, what does that make all of this?¡± Sylvia¡¯s


    expression darkened.


    ¡°Are you trying to gross me out here? Forget whatever happened five years ago¨Cit has nothing to


    do with me. But even if it did, if you only now remember it and think you owe me a life debt, don¡¯t


    you see how disgusting that is?¡± she used, her voice sharp with disdain.


    Why only now? What had he been doing all this time, knocking her down without mercy and treating


    her invisibly, ignoring her existence?


    Chapter 95 What¡¯s This All About?


    3/3


    Taking a deep breath, Sylvia stepped closer to Cyril. ¡°Don¡¯t delude yourself here. I¡¯m sure someone


    must have told you, if it really was me who saved you, I¡¯d have told you without hesitation. After all,


    in your eyes¨Cand everyone else¡¯s¨CI¡¯m nothing but a scheming woman,


    With that, Sylvia walked away with Juliet, leaving Cyril standing alone, his spirits sinking, What did


    her words mean? Scheming? He had never really thought of Sylvia that way¡­ or had he? Sure,


    they married because Sylvia supposedly yed games, but why did his heart feel so heavy now?

 Chapter 96

    Chapter 96


    Chapter 96 On a Date


    Lately, Sylvia felt like her luck had turned south; she bumped into Cyril no matter where she went,


    and couldn¡¯t shake him off, much like a stubborn bit of gum stuck to her shoe.


    ¡°I thought we agreed to have lunch together today, and here you are, not paying any attention to


    me! That¡¯s a bit much, don¡¯t you think?¡± Duncan grumbled.


    It took Duncan nearly half a month to finally get Sylvia to agree to a date, and the hook was his


    family¡¯s new restaurant opening. Since everyone else was busy, he wanted Sylvia to apany


    him to check it out, see if there was anything that needed improvement. Despite her packed


    schedule, Sylvia carved out a bit of her lunchtime to stroll with him, expecting an easy outing.


    Instead, the moment they entered, Sylvia seemed disconnected, critiquing the decor and the


    guests, giving judgment on every waiter that passed by. In short, she saw everyone except for the


    guy right in front of her.


    Duncan felt like a failure. He had this rare chance to spend time alone with Sylvia, and it was


    fizzling out before his eyes.


    Finally, Sylvia¡¯s gazended on him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask for my advice? That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m doing,¡±


    she said, resigned. If it wasn¡¯t for Duncan making a big fuss that even her family found out


    about, she wouldn¡¯t be here.


    ¡°Hey¡­ can you at least show some respect for the meal in front of us?¡± Though Duncan was aware


    that the tactics he used to get her out weren¡¯t exactly honorable, it felt necessary. Besides, he had


    paid for this lunch with a good pummeling from Sylvia¡¯s older brother, Balk.


    Balk could be extreme, aiming his punches where clothes would hide the bruises. Thinking about


    how much he hurt even when he twitched, Duncan sighed.


    ¡°I am being respectful,¡± Sylvia retorted with a blink.


    Duncan opened his mouth to respond but found himself wordless.


    ¡°Fine, you can¡¯t sit still, can you? What is it, seeing Cyril here makes you not want to dine with me


    that


    urgency. He wasn¡¯t badly? Don¡¯t tell me you still have feelings for him!¡± Duncan¡¯s voice carried a


    note of urgency. He wasn¡¯t usually worried aboutpeting with others, but when it came to Sylvia,


    his nerves frayed easily.


    They¡¯d grown up together, but Sylvia had only ever had eyes for one man¨CCyril. Duncan couldn¡¯t


    help but regret¨Cif only he had met her earlier, maybe they could have avoided all this drama.


    The question made Sylvia pause, pressing her lips together tightly.


    ¡°We¡¯re divorced,¡± she reminded him.


    ¤¿


    ¡°Divorce doesn¡¯t mean feelings are gone. You haven¡¯t denied it; do you, still carry a torch for him?¡±


    Duncan pushed, his anxiety evident. When Sylvia started to show signs of standing up to leave, he


    let out a sigh of


    resignation.


    ¡°Duncan, I¡¯ve had feelings for him for many years. Those feelings don¡¯t just vanish; they¡¯re not


    something I can just pretend never existed. Even if it was just a dog, affection develops, and letting


    go takes time,¡±


    Chapie 96 On a date


    Sylvia exined earnestly.


    She wasn¡¯t kidding. She didn¡¯t deny still having feelings for Cyril. Years of umted


    disappointments had slowly eroded her love, and she knew moving on entirely would require time


    too.


    Duncan fell quiet, realizing his impatience.


    ¡°I understand. Should we go say hello?¡± he suggested tentatively.


    His question caught Sylvia by surprise, but before she could reply, he was pulling her along to greet


    Cyril and hispany.


    Cyril, Jonathan, and Louis had arrived at the restaurant earlier than Sylvia and Duncan and were


    already deep in conversation when the pair walked in. It was in to see that the three men knew


    each other well.


    Sylvia had her own agenda today and hadn¡¯t nned on acknowledging Cyril, so after a nce his


    way, she turned her attention to earnestly giving Duncan her opinions on the restaurant. She hadn¡¯t


    expected Duncan to boldly approach Cyril¡¯s table. What was he thinking?


    ¡°We¡¯re dining here today. The food¡¯s pretty good, right? But don¡¯t you think just the three of you is a


    bit dull?¡± Duncan began with a taunt. ¡°Unlike me, I¡¯m out here openly on a date with the girl I like.


    That¡¯s something you can¡¯t match.¡±


    Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g!


    Cyril¡¯s face darkened at Duncan¡¯s words, and seeing this gave Duncan a surge of satisfaction. After


    all, Cyril hadn¡¯t cherished Sylvia during their marriage and had even mistreated her. Now, it was


    Duncan¡¯s turn to take a jab.


    Sylvia understood that Duncan¡¯s real reason foring over was to provoke Cyril, but it still put her


    in an awkward spot. She didn¡¯t want any ties to Cyril, yet Duncan¡¯s actions had just made things


    ufortable.


    ¡°Unlike you who¡¯s always hitting on married women!¡± Jonathan rebutted as he stood up Cyril. But as


    he spoke, everyone could sense Cyril¡¯s mood growing even more sour.


    defensively for


    Duncan couldn¡¯t help but feel triumphant that ¡®Cyril¡¯s own friend had identally turned on him.


    ¡°See? It¡¯s not just me who¡¯s saying it; even your buddy here thinks you two are still an em,¡± Duncan


    taunted. ¡°Also, if you were so against marrying Sylvia in the first ce, why can¡¯t you let go now that


    you¡¯re divorced?¡±


    Duncan had managed to turn the tables on but instead gave Jonathan a sharp re.


    who was so taken aback he couldn¡¯t utter a single word


    Louis was so shocked by this revtion that his utensils ttered onto the table. He had known


    about Cyril¡¯s marriage and divorce, but not that the woman was none other than Sylvia. Had he


    known, he would never have spoken so carelessly that day.


    And now, it all clicked for Louis. No wonder Cyril had been speaking favorably about Sylvia¨Cit was


    for this


    reason.


    ¡°No one¡¯s holding on to anything. This is a restaurant; am I not allowed to have a meal here?¡± Cyril


    finally spoke up, feeling cornered by the trio andpelled to defend himself against Jonathan¡¯s


    mishap.


    ¡°Of course you can have a meal, but why are you staring so intently at the person I¡¯m with? She¡¯s


    got


    3/3


    nothing to do with you now,¡± Duncan retorted, relishing the moment. He couldn¡¯t understand why


    Cyril refused to even look Sylvia¡¯s way when they were married, yet now he seemed so fixated on


    her after


    their divorce.


    Sylvia gave a light tug on Duncan¡¯s shirt, signaling that enough was enough; the spectacle was


    drawing


    too much attention, and she had never felt so embarrassed. However, this subtle gesture was


    misinterpreted by Cyril and Duncan, furtherplicating the matter.

 Chapter 97

    Chapter 97


    Chapter 97 Bad Luck


    Duncan was feeling a touch of annoyance. What did this mean? Was Sylvia still taking Cyril¡¯s side?


    Hadn¡¯t go of Cyril crossed the line? Of course. Duncan knew it¨Ceven though they were divorced,


    Sylvia hadn¡¯t let Cyril, and she wasn¡¯t ready to admit it.


    As for Cyril, he was nearly at his limit for keeping aposed face. Although he was well aware


    that they were divorced and there was no rtionship left, he couldn¡¯t help feeling ufortable


    seeing Sylvia defend Duncan. Why was she protecting him?


    ¡°There are so many eyes on us, let¡¯s just finish our meal and leave. I¡¯ve got work this afternoon,¡±


    Sylvia said, her patience diminishing. She only had the lunch slot to spare and refused to waste it


    on Cyril.


    After hearing this, Duncan huffed and nodded, following Sylvia back to their table. The brief


    confrontation had made it all too clear that it was a deliberate dig at Cyril, an unnecessary unting


    of their closeness in the face of Sylvia¡¯s ex¨Chusband.


    Back at their table, Duncan casually draped his arm over Sylvia¡¯s shoulder. She felt like saying


    something about it, but seeing his smug look, she held back. After all, today was about finding Cyril


    and unsettling him; if she made Duncan drop his arm now, he might just kick up a fuss.


    Though Cyril didn¡¯t speak up, his darkened expression and the chill in the air around him were clear


    indicators of his foul mood to those at the table.


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite get it. Sylvia is attractive and has done some impressive worktely. For someone who


    parachuted into a VP role and secured so many partnerships, she must be quite capable. Why did


    you think of divorcing her?¡± Louis turned the conversation to Cyril.


    ¡°And why didn¡¯t you partner up with her then?¡± Cyril lobbed the question back at Louis, who now felt


    quite ufortable. He had initially thought Sylvia was just a pretty face and wasn¡¯t pleased with


    the idea of working with someone he perceived as a vase.


    If he had known her true capabilities back then, he would have definitely acted differently. After all,


    in business, if partnering up could earn a profit, who you work with doesn¡¯t particrly matter, and


    working with Sylvia might even mean a bigger slice of the profit pie.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that; I just mean, Sylvia seems like a decent person. Don¡¯t you regret divorcing her? If


    you two could get back together, it¡¯d be good, right? A merger of two powerfulpanies would put


    you both at the top,¡± Louis suggested, not fully aware of the dynamics within their previous


    marriage. In his mind, a reunion between two powerhouses was a winning scenario.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never marry her again, not in this lifetime. If you think she¡¯s a decent person, then consider


    partnering with her. Don¡¯t worry about my stance. When I talked to you about her, it was with the


    hope that you¡¯d consider a partnership. As for why I¡¯m doing this, it¡¯s simply to make reparations.


    When we divorced, she walked away with nothing,¡± Cyril said, not denying his reasons for helping


    Sylvia.


    Louis and Jonathan fell silent after Cyril¡¯s admission.


    Everyone had assumed Cyril only wanted to help Sylvia because there was profit to be made. They


    didn¡¯t expect he harbored any desire to make amends. If he felt this way now, what had he been


    doing all along?


    Chapte 97 Bad Luck


    ¡°To put it bluntly, running into us here probably made them feel unlucky, but trying to make


    amends with her now, isn¡¯t that a bitte? If you wanted to make amends, you could¡¯ve done so


    earlier, yet you didn¡¯t. It¡¯s really toote now. And she¡¯s the VP of the Ivan family¡¯s business, which


    pays generously. Her sry is hardly modest,¡± Louismented, not really wanting to undermine


    Cyril but feelingpelled to point out the folly of his friend¡¯s ways.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    When they had worked together all these years, Louis really felt like asking Cyril what had been


    running through his mind. Why did he want to make amends with Sylvia? Looking at her today, did


    she seem like someone needingpensation? She seemed quite carefree post¨Cdivorce.


    Cyril was well aware of how freely Sylvia had been living since their divorce. Every time he saw her,


    he witnessed a different side of her¨Ca side not seen in their years of marriage, as if she had been


    hiding her true self. Only after the divorce did Cyril realize Sylvia was quite a different person.


    But those realizations came toote and were utterly useless now. They were


    divorced, and up to this point, Cyril felt guilty but not regretful about the marriage. He had a hunch


    that if they¡¯d stayed married, his entire life would have continued much like those monotonous three


    years.


    He preferred divorce over a lifetime of the same dreariness.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t consider partnering with her initially mainly because the Ivan family had an edge in Al


    development and were ahead of us. They didn¡¯t seem to focus on it over the years, so I wasn¡¯t too


    informed about their department¡¯s sry details. Now that I¡¯ve returned, they might shift their focus


    to internal development. Partnering with them might lead to being swallowed up,¡± Cyril exined.


    Despite the technicalities being on par with hispany, when it came to connections and financial


    resources, even with Cyril¡¯s help and years of umtion, it would still fall short against the


    entirety of the Ivan family. It would be too disgraceful to cash in on the help from his family¡¯s Walker


    empire for the venture he started independently.


    After a moment of realization, Jonathan eximed, ¡°Got it, so you deliberately stirred things with


    Sylvia, huh? But aren¡¯t you afraid of Sylvia striking first if you¡¯ve riled her up?¡±

 Chapter 98

    Chapter 98


    Chapter 98 Rivalry and Resentment


    Louis had never before considered Sylvia to be a problem. But now, right after his


    arrival, he realized she was a formidable andplicated issue.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that in the future. For now, there are no conflicts between me and Sylv¨ªa; I


    just need to stabilize my position,¡± Louis mused. If he indeed offended Sylvia, and she mobilized


    her family against him, he might have no choice but to return to the Walker family fold.


    ¡°And you?¡± Louis prodded Cyril. ¡°Even though you started from scratch, your family background


    isn¡¯t exactly modest. Haven¡¯t you ever thought aboutpeting with Sylvia?¡± Louis was well aware


    of Cyril¡¯s past; his family had almost gone bankrupt before Cyril single¨Chandedly pulled them


    through. Cyril then forged his own path to sess, bringing his business back to its peak.


    Cyril looked at Louis strangely. He had divorced Sylvia, not be her sworn enemy. Why would


    he want topete with her? In business, there were no perpetual friends or enemies, only aligning


    interests that made partnerships.


    ¡°So far, there are no conflicts of interest between me and Sylvia, and even if there were, it would


    come down to strength and capability,¡± Cyril maintained. He was confident that with his ability, he


    could handle any challenge.


    Louis fell silent, acknowledging that Cyril seemed to have a broader perspective than he had


    anticipated.


    Meanwhile, as Sylvia and Duncan finished their meal, they stood up to head out. Cyril had a sense


    of reluctance but couldn¡¯t protest. He no longer had any right to, and as Sylvia walked away, she


    didn¡¯t once


    look back at him.


    Just as they were about to leave, Sylvia ran into a couple of familiar faces: Katrina and Cyril¡¯s sister,


    Bonnie. Seeing them together wasn¡¯t surprising considering their soon¨Cto¨Cbe familial ties, but their


    presence was still startling to Sylvia.


    Duncan, spotting Bonnie, promptly ced his hand back on Sylvia¡¯s shoulder, and this time Sylvia


    didn¡¯t shrug it off, allowing him to guide her out.


    ¡°Sylvia, You¡¯re shameless! You flung yourself at the president of the Ivan family, and now you¡¯re


    going after another man? My brother wasted his years on you and it disgusts me!¡± Bonnie spewed,


    her disdain for Sylvia well¨Cdocumented. She had tormented Sylvia throughout the marriage and


    hadn¡¯t let up even from abroad. Now, seeing Sylvia seemingly prosperous and with a handsome


    man by her side, Bonnie was boiling with resentment.


    In Bonnie¡¯s world, Sylvia was supposed to be weeping and regretting her divorce from Cyril.


    Instead, Sylvia¡¯s life seemed only to flourish, much to Bonnie¡¯s confusion and irritation.


    Sylvia and Duncan paused in their tracks, giving Bonnie a strange look. They couldn¡¯t help but


    wonder which door had hit her in the head for her to speak such nonsense.


    ¡°Don¡¯t delude yourself into thinking that clinging to this man will bring you sess. I¡¯m


    telling you, one day you¡¯ll be down on your luck,¡± Bonnie snarled, implying that Sylvia could only


    ascend thedder through unscrupulous means. She thought that once Sylvia reached the top, she


    would soon understand


    Chapter 98 Rivalry and Resentment


    the consequences.


    2/12


    Sylvia justughed it off, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry to disappoint, butpared to yourpanion, I don¡¯t


    think my approach to sess looks bad at all. What does it matter if I got a leg up via a shortcut?¡±


    Katrina remained silent throughout the exchange, not wanting to ruin the impression she hoped to


    leave on Cyril, who was still dining inside the restaurant. She wasn¡¯t about to make the same


    mistakes again and let Sylvia draw her into a heated debate.


    Bonnie was almost fuming with rage at Sylvia¡¯s response. She red viciously, but before she could


    retort, she caught sight of Cyril dining in the irritation she had felt toward her brother.


    estaurant, and her focus shiftedpletely, forgetting the


    Seeing that Bonnie had stopped talking, Sylvia deduced that she must have noticed Cyril and his


    friends. Letting the siblings have their reunion, Sylvia chose not to linger any longer.


    As Sylvia and Duncan walked out, Duncan mentioned having to return to work, and although he


    wanted to stick around Sylvia, hoping to learn from her, she firmly denied the request. Moreover,


    she suggested that if he was so eager to be of help, he should take it up with Bruce. But Duncan


    knew all too well that Bruce would never consent to him shadowing Sylvia after what Balk had


    done to him, which also served Bruce¡¯s


    interests.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Just a few steps out of the restaurant, they were momentarily blinded by a sh from a camera.


    Sylvia nced sideways, mulling over the implications, while Duncan rubbed his eyes incredulously.


    ¡°Are you kidding me? We can¡¯t even have a meal without someone snapping photos, thinking


    there¡¯s something going on between us?¡± he eximed, careful not to escte the situation,


    especially if it meant losing the approval of Sylvia¡¯s family. Without their blessing, Sylvia¡¯s marriage


    prospects could be imperiled.


    ¡°Keep an eye on the news these next few days, and let me know if anythinges up. Deal with


    what you can. I don¡¯t want to see anything rted to me online unless it¡¯s positive,¡± Sylvia


    instructed. She had been too visibletely and hoped to keep a lower profile given her future role


    within thepany. High visibility now couldplicate thingster.


    Duncan felt a sting at her words; she was clearly concerned about how their public perception might


    be


    misconstrued.


    ¡°I understand. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let any problemse your way,¡± he assured her, masking the


    bitterness of eptance.

 After Divorce Chapter 99

    After Divorce Chapter 99


    Chapter 99 How many are there?


    if he promised something, she knew he


    Sylvia had full confidence in Duncan¡¯s assuran would deliver, so she had no concerns


    about his ability to take care of the situation. Even if Duncan couldn¡¯t manage, she was sure her


    older brothers could handle it for her, leaving her without any worry or need to rush.


    That afternoon at work, Juliet approached Sylvia with secret excitement, teasing her with gestures.


    Sylvia, puzzled by her behavior and thinking Juliet might just have something in her eye, saw Juliet


    take out her phone and show her something.


    ¡°You can¡¯t fool me, that kid works fast. I thought he¡¯d wait for a better chance to make a move


    on you, but there it is. What do you think? I mean, we¡¯ve known you for years, and he¡¯s a couple of


    years younger, but he¡¯s a decent guy. Not to mention he ys the naive, sweet boy in front of you,


    but we all know he¡¯s sly like a fox,¡± Juliet said, her eyes lighting up. Duncan¡¯s intentions towards


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t have been more transparent to them, yet Sylvia clearly didn¡¯t take it seriously.


    Sylvia sighed and gave Juliet a helpless look. Why was she so excited about it when Sylvia herself


    wasn¡¯t?


    ¡°You¡¯re not excited because you don¡¯t take it seriously. Listen, he¡¯s been into you since forever, we


    all see it. It¡¯s just you being oblivious, always chasing after Cyril. And where did that get you?


    Heartbroken and harmed,¡± Julietmented. She genuinely liked Duncan for


    Sylvia¨Che may be a bit


    be a bit younger, but what did that matter when he was genuinely devoted to her?


    ¡°If you came just to show me this, save it. Besides, didn¡¯t he invite you all to his restaurant for a


    meal? None of you showed up, so I went. No, actually, he said everyone would be there that¡¯s why I


    went. And my family told me to get out more and not just focus on work. Do you think the media


    would get their hands on this otherwise?¡± Sylvia countered. She knew from a nce that this was a


    deliberate leak, and it definitely wasn¡¯t Duncan¡¯s doing.


    Bonnie and Katrina must have engineered this to tarnish her reputation. Upon hearing Sylvia¡¯s


    exnation, Juliet looked utterly confused: ¡°No, I had no idea you were going out to eat with


    him¡­ Don¡¯t me this on me. I came to ask how you n to handle this mess, not


    this.¡±


    After some thought, Sylvia replied assertively, ¡°If they think my position isn¡¯t justified, then I¡¯ll just


    ensure that it is. I hadn¡¯t nned on hiding my true identity forever, and with this kind of exposure, it


    would¡¯vee out one way or another.¡±


    Just the previous night, her father had gathered his children to discuss whether to go public


    wach Sydrhasadentity. He had abnurrent her stirnaby sess an thepany, knowing it ww just a


    matter of time before ver te status would be revuln Syta ad preferred to keep breidresat s?der


    wraps a bit longer, but imed that option was a long wable.


    * your n is to only reveall your karmnaz


    Jallet deciphered Sylvia¡¯s intent.


    Sylvia coded in agreement but decided to give the media something to chew on first. That very


    night, the media captured images of Sylvia arm¨Cin¨Carm with two influential mem: the p¨¢rt of the


    twan Group on one side and the popr music king, Balk, on the other.


    When the media and paparazzi caught the photos, they were ecstatic, eagerly following Sylvia into


    the hotel where they saw her be an older man as if they were very close The paparazzi were started


    just how many men were there in Sylvia¡¯s life? she seemed to havepanions of all sorts and


    ages,


    The whole family know about syba¡¯s n to reveal her identity, and despite the statwecessary


    Lantistatus, they were reluctantly cooperative


    ¡°You have to smule a big spectacle out of announcing your k¨¹mnesty?¡± tulle grumbin?, by exposing


    huy khentary, theirs would inevitably be sevented as well. Despite his ectance, Sylvia was his


    shelley, how could the sensed So here he was, caught as the whirlwind of expounds. The identity


    they had huhim for so many years could no longer hererslie?


    ¡± just want to thank out whom¡¯s trying to hurt me Som behind the women, in¡¯s


    exhausting to the constantly watched,¡± Sylua rement While he grint madr sme, the


    eres tes her family was a bit gut aut by this method of allowing her manu


    They were a family of tout¨Ctwo of them high profile and as they sat around the table dining and


    chatting, the pupincasat¡¯s caminas nearly owncheated from mapping so many photos thaw could


    they all! siti together, getting d¨´ng so well without a fight? wow sybeta¡¯s


    charms that captivating?


    Also oversight, Sylvia¡¯s limity See the falls of the towns,, a everyone was curious about how


    she managed such good rtions with several prominent man,


    This news shed up the trending chats, stocking royone while Sy¡¯s shensory was loomes to same,


    seeing her in such close rtions with varinis people was all cate brighting. The came empted with


    ertadams at S, feeling she was out of the for entangling herselff with both a father and son, and


    even inonding a top¨Clevel singer like


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sylvia, unaware of the uproar, decided to take the day off after the events of the previou night,


    expecting a deluge of news to follow the chose to stay at home, ying the role of an


    Bah while Beuce took care of everything at thepany


    Chapter 99 How many are there?


    While Sylvia enjoyed a restful day alone at home, Balk¡¯s phone rang incessantly with inquiries


    about the nature of his rtionship with Sylvia.


    Spin to im Your Surprise Reward!

 Chapter 100

    Chapter 100


    Chapter 100 Birthday Banquet


    Sylvia lounged on the sofa, savoring the bre


    the kitchen staff had carefully prepared


    for her, while Balk was the picture of frustration, his face crumpled with irritation. Call after call came


    in, and not a moment of peace seemed within reach. The contrast between Sylvia¡¯s leisure and


    Balk¡¯s agitation was stark.


    They both knew very well why Balk was so busy today. But Sylvia¡¯s rxation seemed a tad


    excessive given that the trouble was of her own making, and now the men of the house were left to


    shoulder the me.


    Finally, Balk couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He stormed over to Sylvia after hanging up another call,


    snatching a piece of fruit from her hand just as she was about to eat it.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re upset, but there¡¯s no need to vent your anger on the fruit,¡± Sylvia said, looking at her


    now empty hand, well aware of her brother¡¯s inability to curb his temper.


    Balk almostughed in irritation. Wasn¡¯t all this mess caused by Sylvia? If not for her, would he be


    swamped with these problems? He couldn¡¯t help but ruffle Sylvia¡¯s hair, which she protested with a


    startled yelp.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sylvia protested, her hair now in disarray.


    Balk¡¯s grim smile faded as he reached to ruffle her hair again, but Sylvia dodged it this time.


    ¡°What can I do? This mess is all to help you, yet you dragged me down with you. Do you have any


    idea how many years of reputation you¡¯ve destroyed for me? Do you know what people are saying


    about us? All sorts of nasty stuff!¡±


    Sylvia blinked, surprised. Hadn¡¯t they all prepared for such oues when they initially decided on


    this course of action? Why was Balk making such a fuss?


    ¡°If you think this isn¡¯t a good idea, we can always cancel,¡± Sylvia offered casually, which only


    infuriated Balk more. It wasn¡¯t just about messing up Sylvia¡¯s hair anymore; he tapped her head


    lightly, which didn¡¯t actually hurt her, but she felt somewhat helpless dealing with her brother.


    ¡°How can you casually suggest that? Do you have any idea how long everyone has been preparing


    for your birthday banquet? It¡¯s happening next week. If you tell me now to cancel it, do you think our


    father and our eldest brother won¡¯t be mad?¡±


    The entire family adored their little sister Sylvia, and Balk knew it. But he dreaded to think of the


    reaction this news would spark from his siblings.


    ¡°If you find fault with every solution, what do you suggest we do? If youe up with a


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    good solution, I won¡¯t say another word,¡± Sylv¨ªa reasoned. She understood that Balk was simply


    overwhelmed by the media and hade to vent to her. She wasn¡¯t angry but


    decided to continue the conversation based on what he had said.


    Balk felt near¨Cexploding with frustration after¡­.ng Sylvia¡¯s response.


    ¡°The birthday feast must go on, and it¡¯s time to officially announce your identity.


    Otherwise, you¡¯ll keep attracting all these bothersome people. By the way, I picked up a massive


    gem at the auction the other day; thought you might like it.¡± Balk pulled Sylvia away from her


    breakfast and led her upstairs to his room, where he ced arge box in


    front of her.


    ¡°How big is the gemstone you bought?¡± Sylv¨ªa asked, unsure what to expect.


    Balk gestured for her to open the box and see for herself. With some hesitation, Sylvia lifted the lid


    and immediately burst intoughter upon seeing a gemstone¨Cstudded tiara. Balk had obtained it


    thinking it was just a fancy stone.


    ¡°What do you think? Perfect for your birthday banquet, right? It suits your status. If you think it¡¯s not


    worthy of you, we can always find something else,¡± Balk offered. His financial sess over the


    years meant he didn¡¯t need family money to buy something that Sylvia


    would like.


    ¡°It is quite beautiful,¡± Sylvia admitted, given that the tiara looked stunning no matter how one looked


    at it. She ced it on her head, feeling its fit was just right, though she couldn¡¯t


    see herself without a mirror.


    Balk¡¯s gaze softened, and he nodded with approval.


    ¡°My sister makes it beautiful.¡±


    Sylvia smiled and carefully returned the tiara to its box. ¡°Then you¡¯ll help me wear it at the


    banquet?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Balk said, tapping the box with pride, prepared to ce the tiara on Sylvia¡¯s


    head himself when the time came.


    The Ivan family¡¯s sudden decision to host a grand birthday banquet for their seldom¨Cseen daughter


    sent ripples through high society. There had been many rumors surrounding the reclusive Miss Ivan


    ¨C everything from poor health to unfortunate looks. Yet, throughout the years, the Ivan family never


    stepped forward to rify these wild spections.


    Instead of providing exnations now, the Ivan family announced a birthday celebration for their


    daughter, inviting nearly the entire elite society to the event. When Cyril received


    his invitation, he was surprised, particrly because it made him recall Sylvia¡¯s recent scandal. He


    always saw her in a different light, not as someone to get involved with too many men. But to


    associate Sylvia with the Ivan family¡¯s mysterious daughter seemed far- fetched.


    ¡°My heavens, what could the Ivan family be thinking? After all these years of keeping her hidden,


    why reveal her now? What¡¯s really going on here?¡± Jonathan couldn¡¯t help but wonder,pletely


    befuddled by the unexpected turn of events.

 Chapter 101

    Chapter 101


    Chapter 101 Matters of Status


    Jonathan flipped the invitation over in his han


    ¡®merous times, still feeling bewildered by the unexpected development. It was unusual enough that


    the Ivan family was organizing a birthday party, but for it to be for their elusive daughter made it


    even more curious.


    ¡°Hadn¡¯t there been talk that the Ivan family was nning to hand over all their assets to the


    youngest daughter? The grand scale of this birthday party must be rted to that,¡± he pondered


    aloud. Although this rumor had circted throughout high society, most considered it far¨C


    fetched, given the three sons in the Ivan family. But now it seemed this might be the only


    exnation for the extravagance of the event.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, I should prepare something special. If I could build a rtionship with the Ivan family¡¯s


    youngest daughter, wouldn¡¯t my own family stand a chance at a partnership?¡± Jonathan¡¯s mind.


    raced at the thought. After all, an alliance with the Ivan family was coveted by many.


    Cyril nced at Jonathan, knowing his thoughts were shared by many. However, there was one


    crucial consideration: whether a girl born into such wealth was just a figurehead or truly capable.


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a shortcut, I can only wish you sess. Everyone wants it, but not everyone


    can achieve it,¡± Cyril remarked, deliberately provoking thought. His words carried weight, prompting


    a heavy sigh from Jonathan, who felt a sting at the reality of the situation.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to think of your own strategies than to rely on such dubious methods, which are unlikely


    to work,¡± Cyril advised finally.


    Jonathan nodded, though it seemed like there were few alternatives.


    Time flew by, and the day of the birthday banquet arrived. The invitation list included nearly every


    notable family, underscoring just how seriously the Ivan family considered this asion. Hosting


    such an event for their youngest daughter signified that she must hold an especially cherished ce


    within the family.


    Sylvia had nned to apany her brothers but ended up arriving alone due to somest-


    minute business at thepany. As she approached the venue, she saw someone waiting for


    her at the entrance. It was Duncan.


    His eyes lit up when he saw Sylvia, and he greeted her with a broad smile as he walked over.


    Sylvia, adjusting her dress, inquired, ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    ¡°Juliet was supposed to wait for you here, but she got called away by her family. She asked me to


    wait for you instead. She mentioned tha brother has arranged a surprise for you and didn¡¯t want you


    to get lost, so here I am,¡± Duncan exined, albeit the reason seeming a little contrived.


    Regardless, Sylvia didn¡¯t call him out on it.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Well, let¡¯s head in together,¡± Sylvia suggested.


    As they walked to the entrance, no one barred their path, evidently recognizing them. But just as


    they were about to enter, they were stopped by none other than Bonnie.


    Holding the invitation that had been scrutinized numerous times, Jonathan was still astounded. It


    was a rarity for the Ivan family to be organizing a birthday party, let alone for their secluded young


    daughter.


    ¡°Weren¡¯t there rumors that the Ivan family was nning to transfer all their assets to their youngest


    daughter? If they¡¯re putting on such a grand birthday event, it is probably for that reason,¡± he


    mused. While most considered this gossip to be just that¨Cgossip¨Cgiven the extent of the


    celebration, it seemed like an adequate exnation.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then what kind of gift should I prepare? Establishing a connection with the Ivan


    family¡¯s youngest daughter might lead to future coborations, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Jonathan¡¯s mind raced


    with the possibilities, eager at the prospect of an alliance with such a


    powerful family.


    Cyril nced at Jonathan, knowing that this notion must be urring to many others as well.


    However, one question lingered: how capable was this daughter, born into such


    affluence?


    ¡°If you¡¯re seeking a shortcut, then I wish you luck. But remember, everyone wants the easy path,


    and not everyone seeds,¡± Cyril said pointedly, his words resonating with a sobering reality that


    made Jonathan sigh deeply.


    ¡°Instead of fussing about coborating with the Ivan family, why not consider other strategies?


    Relying on underhanded means will get you nowhere,¡± Cyril added as a final piece of advice.


    Nodding, Jonathan realized that aside from this potential opportunity, there weren¡¯t many options


    left.


    As the birthday banquet drew near, the Ivan family¡¯s invitation list included virtually every


    distinguished lineage¨Cone could easily see the significance of this event. That they were


    throwing such a magnificent party for their daughter only stoked everyone¡¯s curiosity and


    spection about her true status.


    Sylvia nned to attend with her brothers, br


    ¨C


    ¡®ast¨Cminute snag at thepany meant


    she arrived alone. She was greeted at the entrance by Duncan.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Sylvia inquired, adjusting her attire.


    ¡°Juliet was supposed to meet you, but family obligations pulled her away. She asked me to wait for


    you instead. Your brother mentioned a surprise he¡¯s prepared for you, and didn¡¯t want you to get


    lost. So here I am,¡± Duncan exined, though his excuse seemed less than genuine. Nevertheless,


    Sylvia didn¡¯t challenge him.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in together,¡± Sylvia suggested as they proceeded toward the entrance without any


    obstruction. Everyone seemed to recognize the pair.


    But just as they were about to step in, they were halted by none other than Bonnie¨Cwho had no


    invitation and awaited Cyril to gain entry. She was irked to see Sylvia walk in unchallenged while


    she had to wait.


    you


    ¡°What ss do you belong to, thinking you cane here today? What business do have here? It¡¯s


    sickening to see people like you loitering around,¡± Bonnie snarled, unleashing harsh words upon


    Sylvia. Duncan was about to confront Bonnie when Sylvia stopped him.


    ¡°What ss I am and whether I can enter, what should it matter to you? Can you enter as freely as I


    can? If not, then I suggest you keep your mouth shut.¡± With that, Sylvia led Duncan inside, leaving


    Bonnie fuming in ce. She felt everyone¡¯s scrutinizing eyes upon her, adding insult to injury.


    ming Sylvia for her predicament, Bonnie suspected Sylvia must have ingratiated herself with


    someone even more powerful to unt her ess. But who couldpare to the Ivan family¡¯s


    influence?


    Standing there embarrassed, Bonnie readily followed Cyril when he finally arrived-


    business at thepany had dyed him, and the indirect result of histe arrival vexed


    Bonnie to near madness.


    ¡°Why have you just arrived? Do you know Sylvia came in with another man? What¡¯s there for her to


    show off? Without relying on men, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to step foot into a banquet like this,¡±


    Bonnieined bitterly to her brother, exaggerating the story she


    recounted to him.


    Cyril, hearing this, briefly pictured Duncan¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much. Let¡¯s just go inside, ¡± he


    urged, pushing the notion out of his mind. Sylvia apanying whomever enters had


    nothing to do with him.


    Disappointed by her brother¡¯sck of support, Bonnie knew better than to let her temper


    loose at this moment. Sheposed herself and followed Cyril into the venue, stepping into the


    lavishly decorated space that screamed annonce. Every adornment was a testament to the Ivan


    family¡¯s wealth.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they going overboard with just a little birthday party?¡± Bonnie¡¯s envy was palpable; her own


    celebrations had nevere close to this level. But there was little she could do- the host was the


    Ivan family¡¯s youngest daughter, after all.

 Chapter 102

    Chapter 102


    Chapter 102 A Public Disy


    Cyril nced at his sister Bonnie but said no before heading over to his business partners after a


    brief warning to her. Bonnie followed suit, feeling somewhat bored on her own. After being


    introduced to the partners as Cyril¡¯s sister, she watched him get engrossed in other matters.


    They mingled through the crowd, greeting almost everyone, and Bonnie soon felt tired. She sat


    down to rest just as Sylvia emerged. Sylvia hade down to greet her friends, though she was


    still waiting for Bruce to bring some jewelry, so she took the opportunity to check out the event.


    To her surprise, she encountered Bonnie before running into her friends Juliet and the others. Sylvia


    and Bonnie didn¡¯t get along, and sitting beside Bonnie were several youngdies who shared


    Bonnie¡¯s shock at seeing Sylvia there.


    ¡°Apparently, any Tom, Dick, or Harry can enter this ce. This is the Ivan family¡¯s birthday feast for


    their young daughter, you know. Who do you think you are, unting your associations with other


    men? Even if you¡¯re the Ivan family¡¯s vice president, so what? Stop thinking you¡¯re entitled to things


    that aren¡¯t meant for you,¡± Bonnie sniped at her, alluding to the known tension between Sylvia and


    Cyril from their past marriage, the details of which remained murky to outsiders.


    Ignoring Bonnie¡¯sments, Sylvia focused on her own business. After all, she had taken


    precautions to handle the earlier troubles by inviting the media. She wanted to finally resolve all the


    big issues surrounding her.


    Their conversation was soon interrupted by the arrival of the media, who had zoned in on Sylvia


    and Bonnie and hurried over with their cameras at the ready. Bonnie, spotting the media, couldn¡¯t


    help but feel a gleeful smugness as she looked down on Sylvia.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re plotting, using other men¡¯s power to win back my brother. Let


    me tell you, it was only out ofpulsion that my brother married you to begin with, and he


    certainly won¡¯t be fooled by you again,¡± Bonnie dered, making a scandalous allegation that left


    the onlookers stunned and skeptical of Sylvia¡¯s character.


    ¡°And while you were married to my brother, you were always trying to please us, weren¡¯t you?


    Cooking, cleaning¨Cacting like a maid. Don¡¯t fool yourself; your groveling got you nowhere then, and


    it certainly won¡¯t work now. In our eyes, you¡¯re no different from the help,¡± Bonnie continued,


    shocking everyone further.


    Sympathetic nces were cast Sylvia¡¯s way as people reflected on how she was perceived during


    her marriage¨Ca period when she was undervalued by the family. No one imagined


    the disregard was so profound.


    At this moment, Juliet and others happened by, infuriated by Bonnie¡¯s vitriol. Juliet impulsively


    tossed the contents of her wine ss at Bonnie.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Bonnie, caught off guard, was drenched in red wine, letting out a shriek from the surprise.


    Bonnie spat vitriol at Sylvia, who calmly took it all in silence as her friends at her side seemed


    unable to hold back any longer. Miranda, in particr, delivered a swift kick to Bonnie, who hadn¡¯t


    expected physical retaliation to such a degree.


    Bonnie¡¯spanions quickly helped her up as she looked disheveled and flustered by the


    altercation.


    ¡°Don¡¯t overstep your bounds! Dare to touch me and see if you aren¡¯t thrown out of here,¡± Bonnie


    threatened, attempting to reim the high ground despite the humiliation she felt at the hands¨Cor


    feet¨Cof the group.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Miranda scoffed, ¡°What kind of people does your family raise to be like this? Comparing you to my


    brother is an insult.¡±


    Sylvia, finding herself in the awkward situation of witnessing this exchange, felt it was getting out of


    hand.


    ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Bonnie retorted. ¡°Why not ask Sylvia what she thinks? To get married to my


    brother, she would¡¯ve gone so far as to bed him. Doesn¡¯t she find herself disgusting for that?¡±


    Previously, such usations against Sylvia might have been dismissed as nderous


    ramblings, but after witnessing her intimate meal with the Ivans, many found it difficult to disregard


    Bonnie¡¯s ims now.


    ¡°Bonnie!¡± The voice that silenced her was filled with suppressed rage. She turned to see Cyril, her


    brother, whose eyes were reddened with anger.


    Bonnie shifted her gaze, unable to confront him.


    Cyril was livid, having never expected his sister to stoop to such lows. He took a few steps closer to


    Sylvia, struggling to suppress his emotions.


    ¡°Everything Bonnie just said-¡±


    Throughout their marriage, Cyril had maintained an air of indifference toward Sylvia, never once


    inquiring about her well¨Cbeing or acknowledging the difficulties she faced at home. Even when


    whispers of Sylvia¡¯s plight reached his ears, he remained silent, feeling it was what she deserved for


    marrying him through deceit.

 Chapter 103

    Chapter 103


    Chapter 103 On a Pedestal


    elf aloof from Sylvia, showing as much


    Throughout their marriage, Cyril always hel warmth as a winter in ska. He never asked how her


    day was or if the cloudy moods at home rained on her parade. Even when gossip about Sylvia¡¯s


    tough times whispered in the wind, he stayed silent, figuring she got what she signed up for when


    she tricked her way into marrying him.


    But after the ink dried on their divorce papers, Cyril¡¯s mind started to buzz with second thoughts. He


    knew the real story behind their wedding better than anyone. Sure, Sylvia hade to him with a


    marriage proposition and a promise to lend him a hand. Still, the stories swirling around painted her


    as a desperate bride, which couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth.


    In Cyril¡¯s eyes, Sylvia wanted to help, but her methods were as messy as a kid¡¯s room. That¡¯s why


    he¡¯d always kept her at arm¡¯s length¨Cusing her to tick off his own boxes and nothing more. She


    hadn¡¯t asked for a single penny after the split. He thought it was just another one of her ploys, a


    tactic to win him back. But today, after hearing what Bonnie had spilled, he started to question


    everything.


    ¡°Do you have any idea what I went through after marrying you? You knew what was happening, but


    you let it all happen, just to see me pushed around by your family. Now the truth¡¯s out, and you can¡¯t


    handle it, huh?¡± Sylvia¡¯s life with the Cyrils had been as rough as a cactus garden. Everyone


    thought they could step on her, and she was done pretending Cyril was innocent.


    ¡°When we got married, you used me just as much to escape your own mess. I left with dignity,


    making no scene. And don¡¯t think I won¡¯t stand up for myself,¡± Sylvia said with that trademark calm


    in her voice. ¡°And if you can¡¯t keep your sister¡¯s sharp tongue in check, I won¡¯t hesitate to have


    someone teach her a lesson.¡±Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    It was a head¨Cscratcher, really. The Cyrils were big league, a powerhouse of a family. They¡¯d hit


    financial skids before Cyril took the reins and saved them from nosediving into bankruptcy. But


    raising a daughter to throw tantrums like a toddler in a candy store? That wasn¡¯t part of the


    ybook.


    And it wasn¡¯t just Bonnie causing a stir. Michelle, raised in a mansion with maids and money, had


    started out as smart as a whip. Somewhere along the line, though, she¡¯d turned into a firecracker,


    snappy and unreasonable just like her niece.


    Taking a long breath, Cyril looked at Bonnie like he was seeing her clearly for the first time, realizing


    she had crossed a line.


    ¡°Fly back overseas tomorrow. I¡¯ll have someone keep an eye on you. Stop making a spectacle


    of yourself,¡± he said, his words stinging sharper than a p.


    But Bonnie¡¯s pride was prickled. ¡°You think I¡¯m being embarrassing? Aren¡¯t you the one who let all


    this slide? You were just as unwilling to marry Sylvia as I was to wee her. Everything we did to


    her, you knew about it. ¡­ ad her days were, you must have known. Why are you throwing me


    under the bus now?¡±


    As the siblings turned on each other like a soap opera showdown, the media was having a field day.


    Reporters buzzed around like bees, snapping photos and rolling video, their recorders catching


    every word. These juicy bits would hit the headlines the next day, their ticket to the big leagues.


    Cyril¡¯s face was clouded with anger. He never plotted any harm against Sylvia; that was just the


    twisted fiction his family imagined. ¡°I never nned to get divorced when I got married. But how did


    you and the others fan the mes? Should Iy it all out for you?¡±


    His patience with Sylvia had been worn thin, whittled away by the constant dripping of Bonnie and


    Michelle¡¯s poison in his ear. Looking back, he couldn¡¯t believe how foolish he¡¯d been to trust their


    venom over the truth.


    Sylvia had had enough of watching the sibling spat. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Bruce


    making his way through the crowd. With a quiet word to her friends, she headed upstairs.


    As Sylvia ascended the staircase, the party buzzed with anticipation. The start of the birthday bash


    was ticking closer. Juliet and Miranda shot Cyril and his sister a curious look.


    ¡°This is a birthday celebration, and you two are messing it up,¡± they remarked before pulling away,


    eager to distance themselves from the drama.


    Cyril¡¯s tolerance for Bonnie had its limits, and she had scraped thest bit clean today.


    ¡°Tomorrow, you¡¯re going abroad. If I hear any whisper that you¡¯re cking off, I¡¯ll cut you off. Your


    allowance, gone. And don¡¯t even think abouting back,¡± he warned. Blood may be thicker than


    water, but it seemed there wasn¡¯t much of it to begin with between them. Cyril was a businessman


    at heart¨Cif his sister was nothing but trouble, he had no problem sending her to a ce where she


    couldn¡¯t cause any.


    Bonnie could see the caution in Cyril¡¯s eyes and quivered, shocked at how sternly he was treating


    her. She was afraid to speak up; she didn¡¯t want to go abroad, to be away from everything and


    monitored at all times.


    Cyril, however, didn¡¯t care about what she wanted. His decision was as solid as concrete- Bonnie


    was leaving, no turning back.


    The chatter and clinking sses hushed as Bruce descended the staircase, a smile lighting


    up his face. The party was about to begin.


    ¡°Thank you all for joining us at my sister¡¯s birthday celebration,¡± he announced warmly. ¡± As you all


    know, the heir to the Ivan family is my sister. Without further ado, let me bring


    her out.¡±


    Apuse rippled through the room as Bark stepped out, leading someone by the hand. When the


    pair appeared, the crowd caught their breath¨Cit was Sylvia. Her appearance, known only to a few


    insiders, left the rest staggered, especially Cyril and Bonnie, who watched in disbelief.


    Sylvia, once seen as unreachable as the stars, was now shining right before them as the cherished


    Ivan heiress.

 Chapter 104

    Chapter 104


    Chapter 104 Clearing the Air


    1/3


    Chapter 104 Clearing the Air


    Bark and Sylvia standing together caught everyone off guard. Nobody had pegged Sylvia as the


    Ivan family¡¯s youngest daughter, the little girl who had never stepped into the spotlight. The


    room was buzzing with disbelief. Some nced at Cyril, well aware of his past marriage to Sylvia.


    With this revtion, it seemed Cyril was the one who had reached for the stars in marrying her.


    There was a hint of mocking in the way people looked at him now.


    Cyril remained silent, his gaze locked on Sylvia who shone like the sun atop the grand staircase. To


    him, she became the only person in the room, an enchanting presence that made the world fade to


    a quiet hum.


    Sylvia felt the intensity of a gaze and turned her head slightly, locking eyes with Cyril before quickly


    looking away. What was the point of him looking at her like that now?


    As Sylvia and Bark made their way down to join Bruce, the crowd was abuzz with curiosity


    about their true connection.


    ¡°Originally, my father nned to be here today, but he had to handle some urgent business at the


    company. So he asked my younger brother and little sister to step in first. Please bear with us a


    moment longer,¡± Bruce addressed the crowd, satisfaction in his nod as he dropped a bombshell that


    sent ripples through the gathering.


    People were stunned to learn that Bark was also an Ivan, having carved out a name for himself in


    the entertainment world independently of his powerful family background. It was clear now that the


    Ivan family valued Sylvia tremendously, for them to reveal Bark¡¯s identity alongside hers.


    After a short while, Stanford finally hurried down the stairs, apologizing for the wait, his


    rush visible to everyone.


    ¡°My apologies, everyone, for keeping you waiting. Had to sort out a little snag. Today is all my about


    celebrating my daughter¡¯s birthday. I wanted you all to meet my little girl. As for son, you already


    know him, so no need for introductions. And about that story that circted online, I want to set the


    record straight once and for all. Our family went out for dinner, and someone snapped a photo,


    spinning all kinds of nasty tales. We understand the confusion about our family¡¯s rtionship, so


    we¡¯ll let it slide. But from now on, we expect the media to get their facts straight before broadcasting


    stories,¡± Stanford said with a warm smile that carried an undertone of warning and threat to the


    media in attendance. They had all covered the story he mentioned, and their hearts lodged in their


    throats.


    Chapter 104 Clearing the Air


    2/3


    Luckily for them, the Ivans didn¡¯t pursue the matter further. A collective sigh of relief whispered


    through the crowd, knowing full well that one more peep could mean disaster for them all.


    Stanford took pride in introducing Sylvia to everyone. The pride in his eyes was unmissable. In his


    heart, Sylvia was the best daughter anyone could ask for. As for past troubles, he figured it was


    best to leave those unmentioned¨Cthey were just bad for the heart.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Rumors had buzzed that the Ivan Group¡¯s reins would eventuallynd in Sylvia¡¯s capable hands, but


    no one really believed it until now. Some had schemed, but seeing how Bruce and Bark stood by


    Sylvia made it clear the siblings were tight¨Cknit. It seemed the only option was to y by the rules


    and build a solid rtionship with the Ivans, hoping for future cooperation.


    Sylvia was like a brilliant gem amongst the crowd, even more respected now that her true identity


    had been revealed. The admiration and reverence for her became palpable, with people


    instinctively lowering their own status in her presence.


    Her way of speaking didn¡¯t change despite their shifted attitudes; she stayed as poised and


    gracious as ever.


    Cyril, meanwhile, stood shell¨Cshocked. Jonathan nudged him, equally taken aback by the news.


    Before, Jonathan had felt Sylvia was from a different world, inferior to them. Now it became painfully


    clear¨Cit was they who didn¡¯t belong in her world.


    ¡°Bro, did you know about this?¡± Jonathan asked Cyril, who shook his head,ing back to


    his senses.


    Would things have turned out differently if he had known about Sylvia¡¯s true identity from the


    beginning? But specting on the past was pointless now. Even if he had known, would their


    rtionship have been any different? He wasn¡¯t sure.


    In reality, Cyril had resented Sylvia¡¯s status after their marriage; it felt like an


    inconvenience. From the get¨Cgo, he felt she wasn¡¯t his equal, which led to many subsequent


    troubles.


    Whether it was his neglect or various other issues, at the core, it was because he felt she didn¡¯t


    measure up to him. He was once the golden boy, his family noble, even though they met with hard


    times. Through his own efforts, he helped the family rise again. He even started his ownpany


    from scratch before merging it with the family business, paving a bright future for himself. That¡¯s


    why he often dismissed others and didn¡¯t value those around him.


    It was only now, seeing Sylvia¡¯s prestigious standing, that he realized just how foolish he¡¯d


    Chapter 104 Clearing the Air


    been all along,


    3/3


    ¡°You¡¯ve been married to her for years, and you didn¡¯t know about her background? She was your


    wife, after all. The way she married you, was it really as maniptive as you thought?¡± Jonathan


    questioned.

 Chapter 105

    Chapter 105


    Chapter 105 Like a Joke


    Hearing Jonathan¡¯s words, Cyril snapped back to reality, his eyes filling with bewilderment. ¡°Wasn¡¯t


    it you who said Sylvia married me using all sorts of underhanded tactics? Why the change of heart


    now?¡±


    Jonathan, slightly taken aback, replied, ¡°No, I mean, if it¡¯s Sylvia we¡¯re talking about, then we¡¯ve got


    it all wrong. Please, she¡¯s the younger daughter of the Ivan family. To put it bluntly, do all of our


    fortunesbined even stack up to theirs? Maybe she married you just because she liked you.¡±


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Jonathan, you¡¯re being hypocritical,¡± Cyril scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re talking about her like she¡¯s a


    whole different person from before. Your tune would bepletely different if her identity wasn¡¯t


    known.¡±


    Jonathan looked a bit sheepish; he hadn¡¯t wanted toe across that way. But thinking


    back, if Sylvia had been a nobody, then sure, she¡¯d have had to put in a lot of effort to marry Cyril.


    Now knowing she was the protected young daughter of the Ivan n, it hardly made sense she


    would stoop to deception.


    ¡°I did say some nasty things in the past, but look at it now. If Sylvia didn¡¯t actually like why would


    she go through all that trouble?¡±


    you,


    Different people, different statuses, led to entirely different conclusions. Cyril felt like a joke at that


    moment. Sylvia¡¯s status was lofty andplicated; why would she need to resort to such measures


    unless she did, in fact, have feelings for him?


    ¡°What does it matter if she is the daughter of the Ivan n?¡± Bonnie couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    Sylvia, the woman she once looked down upon, had transformed into the esteemed Ivan scion.


    How could Bonnie ept that? She used to boss Sylvia around, sending her to cook, to clean;


    treating her like a servant was standard. She thought Sylvia deserved it for tricking her way into


    their family. But now she was told Sylvia¡¯s status was higher than


    her own.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Jonathan wasn¡¯t pleased with Bonnie¡¯s outburst. ¡°Are you crazy? I didn¡¯t say anything when Cyril


    married Sylvia. It was you who kept yapping about her not being good enough for him. Without your


    constant nagging, I wouldn¡¯t have given it another thought. There¡¯s obviously more to that story.¡±


    ¡°And now you say there¡¯s an issue. Why didn¡¯t you say something before?¡± Bonnie retorted, her


    voiceced with scorn. ¡°You¡¯re just changing your tune now because of her status. If you had said


    this earlier, I might have thought better of you. Now, it¡¯s justughable!¡±


    Chapter 105 Like a Joke


    2/2


    Bonnie was disgusted with the flip¨Cflopping, pandering based on someone¡¯s standing. And when


    she had been kicking someone who was down, Jonathan wasn¡¯t any better than her.


    ¡°Well, even if you want to make it up to her now, it¡¯s pointless,¡± Bonnie sneered. ¡°Sylvia won¡¯t care


    about your so¨Ccalled niceness!¡±


    Bonnie was fuming. After a fierce shout at Cyril, she spun on her heels and stormed off, leaving the


    crowd shaken by her outburst. They couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of mncholy, thinking about


    how they had once looked down on Sylvia, only to be the ones struggling to ept her new status.


    Even Jonathan was having regrets. If he had known about Sylvia¡¯s true identity before, he would¡¯ve


    never acted the way he did. Looking back now, he realized his actions were quiteughable.


    ¡°So,


    what are you going to do now? Have you thought about getting back together with her? I mean, I


    doubt it¡¯s likely, but if she still has feelings for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just drop that topic,¡± Cyril cut him off, ¡°Sylvia and I are done. We¡¯re divorced and that¡¯s the


    end of it. All I feel towards her now is remorse.¡®


    Ever since their divorce, Cyril had been aware that his behavior had been harmful. He wanted to


    make amends, to offer Sylvia what he thought she deserved, but what could he possibly give her


    now that shecked nothing?


    Cyril¡¯s silence left Jonathan at a loss for words. They¡¯d all done Sylvia wrong without knowing her


    truth.


    ¡°So, what should we do now? Should we leave? People are giving us weird looks.¡±


    ¨C


    ¡°Do you


    find their stares odd? Have you ever considered that Sylvia endured much worse over the years?¡±


    Cyril suddenly found empathy for what Sylvia might have gone through he had only faced people¡¯s


    reactions after her identity had been revealed. Sylvia, on the other hand, had been on the receiving


    end of cold shoulders and unfair treatment for without voicing a singleint or using her status


    to press down on anyone. In that regard, he couldn¡¯t hold a candle to her.


    years


    Jonathan opened his mouth but found no words. He thought today¡¯s Cyril seemed like a stranger.


    The old Cyril would not have acknowledged their wrongs. Before, he could barely recognize his own


    faults¨Cnow, Sylvia¡¯s status had undoubtedly shaken him.


    The truth about Sylvia was indeed shocking, and Jonathan didn¡¯t know how to face her anymore,


    especially after everything they¡¯d put her through. He worried that she might harbor a grudge, one


    she¡¯d be fully justified to hold onto.

 Chapter 106

    Chapter 106


    Chapter 106 Like a Joke


    Sylvia never spoke to Cyril from beginning to end, even as the birthday party drew to a close.


    Everyone gradually dispersed, leaving Cyril silent and observant, his gaze fixed on Sylvia as she


    mingled and conversed with the other guests. He could never have imagined a day when her status


    would shift so dramatically. He had never genuinely looked at Sylvia, engaged in real conversation,


    let alone nurtured a connection with her. He had simply felt a duty to remain in their marriage, to be


    responsible, even if it meant staying together without love for the rest of his life.


    Yet, now as he watched her, he realized his feelings had evolved. Divorce had brought into sharp


    relief Sylvia¡¯s true character; she was vivacious like the sun itself. Her talent had steered the


    company to greater heights¨Cshe was capable and impressive, but he had never truly seen her that


    way. She had been within his reach once, yet there was no effort to treasure her. As the gap


    between them widened, only when it became too great did he realize the extent of his grievous


    mistakes.


    Regret was pointless now. They were no longer connected, and even if Cyril wanted to make


    amends, Sylvia would unlikely grant him another chance. A sense of destion took hold of him as


    he rose and began to head out. But he had barely taken a few steps before rmed screams from


    the backyard reached his ears¨Cscreams that sounded strikingly like Bonnie


    and Katrina.


    His heart lurched, and he hurried towards themotion.


    After only a couple of steps, Jonathan intercepted him, intent on speaking to Sylvia but finding no


    opportune moment. Upon seeing Cyril, Jonathan grabbed his arm and they raced


    forward.


    ¡°Cyril, something¡¯s happened! Your sister and Katrina are going at it. They¡¯ve created a huge scene


    outside¨Cthere are a lot of spectators, and Bark is there too.¡±


    Such a debacle on the host¡¯s property was more than just an embarrassment.


    Upon arrival, Cyril realized this situation couldn¡¯t be chalked up to just causing a scene- Bonnie and


    Katrina were physically fighting, pulling hair and kicking at each other. The sight brought on a


    headache he didn¡¯t need, and Jonathan was beside himself with worry.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I was about to pull them apart when they started to fight back fiercely. I got kicked out of the fray¨C


    you can even see their footprints on my shirt,¡± he said. ¡°What should we do, Cyril? If this keeps up,


    we¡¯ll be theughingstock of the year, not to mention your divorce from Sylvia¨CIvan family¡¯s already


    displeased. You saw how they looked at us today: like we¡¯re unworthy. If we don¡¯t settle this


    now, none of us will escape unscathed tonight.¡±


    Jonathan was dead serious. Cyril understood the gravity of the situation, hence the deep frown as


    he pondered over a solution. But resolving such a mess was not going to be easy.


    ¡°What on earth is going on? Why would they pick a fight like this out of the blue? And Katrina¨Cshe


    shouldn¡¯t have been able to get in here,¡± Cyril muttered, confusioncing his


    tone.


    Jonathan hesitated at Cyril¡¯s questions, ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who brought Katrina over? She told


    me you invited her, so I just brought her in. I had no idea they¡¯d end up causing such a scene.¡±


    ¡°When have I ever brought Katrina to this kind of event? Don¡¯t you know better?¡± Cyril massaged


    his temples in frustration. It was clear to him that bringing her was a bad idea from the start, but now


    that she was here amidst this turmoil, there was little else to do but try to handle the situation swiftly.


    Jonathan realized his mistake toote. Sylvia¡¯s birthday party was hardly the ce for a scene like


    this, given her standing with the Ivans. The two women obviously didn¡¯t get along, and Cyril


    wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to invite such trouble¨Cbringing Bonnie was embarrassing enough


    without adding Katrina to the mix.


    Feeling like the sword of Damocles was dangling over his head, Jonathan dreaded the fallout from


    his error. ¡°What should I do? Could I end up on the cklist for this?¡±


    While Cyril was contemting a solution, he caught sight of Bark smirking at the disgraceful disy.


    An idea¨Ca far¨Cfetched but faintly possible one¨Cshed through his


    mind. ¡°If I remember correctly, Katrina is supposed to take part in Bark¡¯s concert. Could it be that


    Bark invited her tonight?¡±


    Despite its usibility, Jonathan doubted that theory and shook his head. Yet, with no other likely


    reasons apparent, they stuck with it for the moment. It wasn¡¯t the time for spection


    anyway.


    Cyril moved forward immediately and managed to pull the two women apart from their tussle, with


    Jonathan reluctantly assisting, wary of the disgrace.


    you


    think


    Once the two were separated, Bonnie unleashed a tirade against Katrina. ¡°Who do you are? All you


    do is cling to my brother. Do you think I haven¡¯t noticed? I despised Sylvia because I thought she


    wedded my brother using dirty tricks. But you? You¡¯re no better. Already engaged and still


    obsessing over my brother. I¡¯ve never seen anyone as shameless as you. Showing up here tonight,


    with drugs, nning to trap my brother¨Cyou¡¯re utterly disgraceful.¡±


    Through Bonnie¡¯s words, the situation became clear. Katrina felt her status slipping and


    3/3


    cooked up a n to secure a lifeline by ensnaring Cyril. She hade prepared with drugs, but


    Bonnie caught her before she could act.


    Furious and ready to leave, Bonnie had noticed Katrina sneaking around and decided to


    investigate, only to discover her plotting.


    11 Spin to im Your Surprise Reward!

 Chapter 107

    Chapter 107


    Chapter 107 Seeking an Answer


    Though Bonnie might have her foolish moments, she knew there were certain lines not to be


    crossed; creating a scene like this was one of them. Their behavior today was embarrassing


    enough, continuing to make a spectacle of themselves would only worsen the situation. Bonnie


    realized Katrina was up to no good and intended to put a stop to it¨Conly to discover Katrina


    harboring impure intentions towards her brother. In her attempt to thwart Katrina¡¯s n, things


    escted to blows.


    Now, Bonnie wished to simply move past this disaster, but it seemed toote¨Cthe chaos had already


    unfurled.


    Katrina, adjusting her attire, hadn¡¯t foreseen how her life as an actress would lead to such a


    disgraceful


    public row. She had indeed entered the premises owing to Bark¡¯s invitation, but never intended


    things to


    spiral as they had.


    ¡°Do you have any proof I was going to drug your brother?¡± Katrina challenged with a hint of panic.


    ¡°You ask for proof?¡± Bonnie scoffed. ¡°The drug you were holding is the same as what¡¯s in my hand.


    If you¡¯re so confident, let¡¯s go get it tested and see if you¡¯ve done anything foul to my brother!¡±


    Catching this exchange, Katrina¡¯s eyes darted anxiously for Bark, but he was nowhere to be found.


    The


    confusion continued to grow until Bruce and Sylvia approached.


    Both were aware of Bark¡¯s machinations and felt a sense of helplessness at the pandemonium he


    had


    caused in their own home¨Cit was humiliating.


    Bruce spoke first, halting the turmoil. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s causing all thismotion at our house.


    Is


    there something you need help with?¡±


    All eyes turned to Sylvia and Bruce, waiting to see their reaction to the incident¨Cparticrly Sylvia¡¯s,


    given her indirect involvement.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Unexpectedly, Sylvia remained coolly detached as if she were an outsider, simply observing the


    drama


    unfold.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the disturbance. We were in the wrong, and I¡¯ll make sure to give you an exnation,¡±


    Cyril stated, acknowledging their mistake and epting the responsibility to address it.


    Bruce¡¯s demeanor, typically amiable with others, frostily shifted when it came to Cyril. His


    expression soured, and he was noticeably curt in his response.


    ¡°If you¡¯re nning to give us an exnation, then I expect it won¡¯t just be for tonight¡¯s issue. There


    are many things you need to rify for us. Are you really prepared to do that?¡± Bruce asked, making


    it clear the current situation wasn¡¯t the only problem on the table.


    Hearing Bruce¡¯s pointed words, Cyril understood that the issue of his marriage to Sylvia was being


    singled


    out.


    ¡°Bruce, what¡¯s past is past. There¡¯s no point clinging to it and making mountains out of molehills.


    Let¡¯s let Cyril handle this situation. After all, it involves his sister and that woman,¡± Sylvia said


    dismissively,


    Chapte 107 Seeking an Answer


    knowing all too well the media¡¯s eagerness to spread sensational news. The Ivan


    family couldn¡¯t afford such scandal, so she didn¡¯t want the incident leaked. Regardless, the Ivan


    family wouldn¡¯t be tarnished by


    it, as the incident had nothing to do with them directly. But Sylvia had noticed that


    complications seemed


    to follow any connection with Cyril¨Cavoiding trouble was preferable.


    When the gathered media heard Sylvia¡¯s request, they knew their hopes of explosive coverage


    were dashed. If Sylvia was against spreading the news, what could they do? When she spoke, it


    was as if she


    spoke for the Ivan family as a whole.


    With an annoyed huff, Bruce turned and walked away with Sylvia, effectively washing their


    hands of the


    messy event.


    Witnesses hadn¡¯t expected the situation to deteriorate to such an extent and now looked at Cyril


    with a


    mix of disdain and pity. He could have had afortable life with Sylvia and maybe even a


    connection to


    the Ivan family, but it was clear now that he had squandered those chances.


    After taking a deep breath, Cyril knew it was time to remove Bonnie and Katrina from the premises


    to


    avoid further trouble.


    ¡°It¡¯s all because of her that we¡¯re in this mess. Don¡¯t let her off easily. Have thepany ckball


    her; she¡¯s done nothing worthwhile right up to today,¡± Bonnie seethed, recalling her initial disdain for


    Sylvia. Yet, even her previous grievances with Sylvia paled inparison to today¡¯s


    embarrassment.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve handled today well? Go home, reflect on your behavior, and don¡¯t step foot


    outside for a month,¡± Cyril reprimanded his sister, his frustration and headache growing. Today¡¯s


    unresolved issues already weighed heavy on him, and the thought of facing the fallout from the


    many business connections at the event made his head throb.


    ¡°Take those two back; I need to talk with Sylvia.¡±


    Cyril left without another word, not bothering with further exnations.


    Jonathan stood dumbfounded. Why seek out Sylvia now? What could Cyril possibly want to say to


    her?


    Cyril needed an answer from Sylvia herself. With her stature, she could have easily rified the


    circumstances of their past. Yet, Sylvia had remained silent, not offering a word in her defense. He


    had always believed Sylvia incapable of the things she was used of, but her silence was


    deafening.


    Did this mean Sylvia had erred too? If Cyril had mistakes to ount for, should Sylvia not share the


    me for how things turned out?

 Chapter 108

    Chapter 108


    Chapter 108 Self¨CConstion


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    As Cyril returned to the venue, Sylvia was just emerging from the crowd, apparently about to leave.


    Her chauffeur had already opened the car door for her, waiting for her to get in. After a brief pause


    and a nce at Cyril, Sylvia resolutely settled into the vehicle.


    ¡°Wait a second,¡± Cyril called out, drawing on an unknown reserve of strength. Sylvia stopped, aware


    that Cyril hade looking for her and that he must have something to discuss. Rather than drag


    things out, she decided it would be better to address whatever was on his mid at once.


    ¡°You wait outside,¡± Sylvia instructed her driver, shutting the door and preparing to face Cyril.


    Cyril hurried over, questions flooding his thoughts. He wanted to ask Sylvia why she had hidden her


    true self, why she hadn¡¯t revealed the reality behind their past, and why she never spoke up about


    the injustices she faced¨Ccould it be that one word from her could have saved their marriage?


    ¡°Do you have something to say? If so, please be quick about it¨CI have a conference to get to soon.¡±


    Sylvia nced at the time, reminding Cyril of her tight schedule.


    Cyril, who had mentally rehearsed a litany of questions, suddenly found himself speechless.


    Despite


    having convinced himself that a simple misunderstanding had clouded their rtionship, confronting


    Sylvia¡¯s brisk demeanor made him realize there had never been any substantial conflicts or


    confusion to


    unravel between them. Any misunderstandings were his alone, born from a failure to see the truth.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been married for years. Why didn¡¯t you ever reveal your identity? If you had, maybe things


    wouldn¡¯t


    have ended up like this.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s initial reaction was stunned silence, but then she burst into a mockingugh, her eyes filled


    with


    both derision and irritation.


    ¡°Mr. Cyril, you¡¯re mistaken about one thing. I never intentionally hid my identity. My only aim was to


    keep our rtionship untainted. It seems, however, that you have persistently overlooked me; had


    you paid


    attention, you might have seen the truth.¡±


    In all her years married to Cyril, Sylvia had never actively concealed her background. She believed


    that as


    husband and wife, Cyril would inevitably learn of her true status. So what was the point in hiding it?


    With that realization, any notion of reconciliation faded. Sylvia had long epted her feelings for


    Cyril


    and her decision to move on¨Ca decision that now struck her as a mere self¨Cconstion, a


    realization


    that Cyril was only now beginning to grapple with himself.


    If only Cyril had been more observant, more willing to notice, he would have seen the truth. But it


    was clear to Sylvia that she had overthought things¨CCyril had never truly cared for her, so her


    identity,


    whether revealed or concealed, would have made no difference in the end.


    ¡°You know what your actions right now resemble? They¡¯re like a form of self¨Cdeception,¡± Sylvia


    retorted. ¡± You speak ofpensating me, but have you ever asked if I wantpensation? You


    say you owe me, yet from start to finish, you¡¯ve never acknowledged your mistakes. Your supposed


    debt is nothing but an. excuse for yourself. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything left to discuss


    between us.¡±


    Chapte 108 Sell Constion


    Sylvia understood the real reason behind Cyril¡¯s visit: his attempts at reconciliation were self¨C


    serving, spurred by a bted realization of the truth. But what could he rectify now? Had he been


    aware and willing to address the matters from the beginning, why would there be a need for such


    dramatic acts of


    contrition now?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my debts to you over the years. I never intended for us to divorce. Marriage is for life,


    and since the day we wed, I never thought about ending it. If we had only been honest with each


    other¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough,¡± Sylvia cut him short. ¡°If you wanted honesty, why didn¡¯t you ever tell me about your


    rtionship with Katrina? Maybe if you had, none of this would have happened.


    Sylvia interrupted him, her voice firm and her face nk with disbelief at the absurdity of his words.


    ording to him, he could do no wrong, which onlypounded the injustice she suffered over the


    years.


    ¡°Today¡¯s party must have made it clear to you; everyone thought you were out of your league with


    me, and they were right. I will act as if I never heard what you just said. From now on, let¡¯s act as if


    we don¡¯t know each other. I won¡¯t waste any more time on you or get entangled in any way,¡± Sylvia


    dered, resolute in


    her decision.


    She wanted nothing more to do with Cyril, fearing that any further engagement would only lead to


    her own suffering. Cyril, pale¨Cfaced and stunned, hadn¡¯t expected such a definitive rejection from


    Sylvia.


    ¡°After today, make sure you keep your people in line. Don¡¯t let them make a scene in front of me


    again,¡± Sylvia instructed coldly. ¡°I put up with a lot in the past, and I¡¯ve done nothing today only out


    of respect for what little we once shared. But if you push me, we are nothing.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s final words hung heavy as she stepped into the car without looking back at Cyril. Her


    resolve was clear; she no longer wished to be part of his life. Cyril watched her drive away, a


    sensation of loss overwhelming the hurt inside. In the end, it was he who owed Sylvia.


    Unfortunately for him, Sylvia was no longer willing to speak more than necessary, and his efforts


    today only served to sever theirst ties. Whatever bond they had was now broken, all because he


    failed to see the missteps that had led them to this moment.

 Chapter 109

    Chapter 109


    Chapter 109 Siblings Share the Stage


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    After a month of anticipation, Bark¡¯s concert finally arrived. The day before, he announced a list


    featuring a mysterious guest, igniting curiosity as no one knew who it could be. It was the first time


    Bark teased the appearance of a surprise act, prompting spection about whether it might be


    Sylvia or someone else.


    Despite theories, the answer remained elusive¨Conly the concert day would reveal the mysterious


    guest. Ticket sales for the sought¨Cafter concert sold out in under three minutes, a testament to


    Bark¡¯s immense poprity.


    On the day of the concert, the venue was filled to the brim with excited fans. When Bark, in full


    makeup, took the stage, cheers erupted. His appealing voice and striking looks¨Ca trademark of the


    Ivan family- had fans screaming with delight.


    Bark soaked in the adtion, performing five songs back¨Cto¨Cback, each one elevating the crowd¡¯s


    energy


    to a fever pitch.


    ¡°Last night, I posted a list with a special guest for today¡¯s concert. I believe you are all aware that I


    have a sister, and unfortunately, there have been those who looked down on her with disdain and


    sullied her name with their thoughts,¡± Bark told the audience, asserting his sister¡¯s innocence and


    hitting back at


    nderers.


    In his world, his sister can do no wrong. It¡¯s Cyril who¡¯s made mistakes. So he has always been


    standing before his fans unabashedly, defending Sylvia.


    Fans appreciated Bark¡¯s loyalty. They empathized with his hurt over rtionship rumors, which


    turned into praise for Sylvia once her kinship with Bark was revealed. Online criticism of Sylvia¡¯s


    marriage to Cyril gradually flipped, suggesting that he had married above his station. The narrative


    had changedpletely.


    Cyril had endured online ridicule, but for him and Sylvia, thesements were inconsequential.


    They both seemed indifferent to the chatter.


    ¡°Okay, now that we¡¯ve addressed that topic, let¡¯s move on to something else,¡± Bark continued,


    calming the energetic crowd, ready to reveal the mysterious guest who everyone now suspected


    was Sylvia.


    As the announcement approached, the crowd¡¯s anticipation grew. What started as guesses was


    now almost a certainty¨CSylvia was expected to join her brother on stage.


    Before Bark could finish his introduction, the crowd erupted into thunderous chants of ¡°Sylvia!


    Sylvia! Sylvia!¡± The audience had already guessed that Sylvia was the mysterious guest.


    Taken aback by their reaction, Bark couldn¡¯t help butugh at their premature discovery. Since the


    cat


    Meanwhile, those in the first row couldn¡¯t help but cover their was out of the bag, he decided to


    go with is


    ears amidst the fans¡® overwhelming enthusiasm.


    ¡°Even though we all guessed Sylvia would be here, this crowd¡¯s energy is something else! I feel like


    my ears are about to give in under the assault,¡± someonemented.


    ¡°I saw Sylvia¡¯s outfit and styling for today, and, oh my, absolute perfection. I¡¯m sure anyone would


    have


    trouble moving on after loving eves on her, another whispered with a knowing nod toward Duncan.


    Everyone knew Duncan had a soft spot for Sylvie, so it was no surprise he showed up in his most


    debonair suit and perfectly groomed hair, ready to impress her. Miranda, Duncan¡¯s sister, didn¡¯t


    seem too keen on susting her brother¡¯s crush Instead, she ribbed him, suggesting he might stand a


    better chance staving in Sylvia¡¯s friend zone than trying to woo her.


    be


    ¡°to that really the support get from my own sister? Don¡¯t you realize how happy it would make you if


    I brought Sylvia home? Duncan replied, exasperated at theck of sisterly solidarity, despite being


    twins.


    Ketty yfully wrapped an arm around Duncan¡¯s neck, jokingly tightening her grip when he


    protested her teasing Cut it out¡± she warned. ¡°Don¡¯t make things awkward between your sister and


    Sylvia, or else you¡¯ll have me to answer to


    ¡°Quiet down, look, Sylvia¡¯sing out now! Catherine interrupted, bundled up as if to hide from


    sight, with sunsses and a mask as though afraid to go unnoticed. People saw Catherine and,


    though unspoken, quickly shared photos online, sending social media into a frenzy.


    As everyone turned their attention to the stage at Catherine¡¯s signal, they indeed saw Sylvia


    stepping out. Her appearance was nothing short of stunning. Naturally beautiful, with the poise and


    grace of someone groomed for the spotlight from a young age, she captured everyone¡¯s attention


    the moment she stood on


    stage.


    Sylvia was dressed in a long ck gown that lent her a bewitching, morous aura.

 Chapter 110

    Chapter 110


    Chapter 110 Brother Sings, Sister Composes


    Balk always carried himself with a carefree swagger in front of others, but when Sylvia appeared,


    his smile spoke volumes about how much he cherished his sister. His face lit up with happiness as


    Sylvia stepped forward, cing her hand in his. The siblings captured the audience¡¯s attention upon


    their entrance, with cheers and screams weing them.


    The fans, once again, erupted with enthusiasm, certain that it had to be Sylviaing today. The


    sight of Balk and Sylvia together stirred up excitement.


    ¡°I know you all are aware that my sister is the future head of our family,¡± Balk announced, beaming


    with pride. ¡°But this is the first concert I¡¯ve hosted since revealing my identity, so of course, she¡¯s


    here to support me. The next song is my signature hit,posed and written by my sister. Oh, and


    by the way, most of my songs are actually created by her. What can I say? I¡¯m just lucky to have


    such a talented sis.¡±


    As he boasted about Sylvia, the audience couldn¡¯t help but be a bit envious of Balk. Anyone with a


    sister like Sylvia would be proud to show her off everywhere they went.


    The people sitting in the front row rolled their eyes; they¡¯d always known the Ivans cherished Sylvia


    immensely. However, they hadn¡¯t experienced such relentless boasting about her before.


    They were also surprised to learn that many of Balk¡¯s songs had been crafted by Sylvia. It was quite


    the revtion. They¡¯d always recognized Balk as a musical prodigy, but the idea that Sylvia could


    compose and write songs was a pleasant shock.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    The excitement was palpable as the intro music started. Balk had reached the pinnacle of sess


    from the moment he debuted, with his first song sweeping the charts. That trackid the foundation


    for his career, and subsequent albums and singles only elevated his stardom. Within just three


    years, he¡¯d swept all the major awards, and by his fifth year, he¡¯d secured his spot as the


    undisputed king of pop. And now, eight years into his career, his status was monumental.


    But it turned out that most of the songs had been Sylvia¡¯s work all along. The Ivans siblings¡®


    combined brilliance left the audience in awe, with some fans even tearfully murmuring about the


    ¡°duo of the century¡± -Sylviaposing and Balk singing was nothing short of a divine union.


    ¡°Imagine if Sylvia didn¡¯t take over the family business but instead debuted alongside Balk as a duo.


    Could they be even more sessful?¡± Catherine pondered aloud, chin in hand, to herpanion,


    Kelly,


    Kelly raised an eyebrow and nodded in agreement. Both Sylvia and Balk were talented and


    capable. Even without relying on their family name, they could make waves in the entertainment


    industry.


    ¡°You know how formidable their family is,¡± Kelly responded. ¡°If Sylvia chose to join the entertainment


    business instead of taking over the family business, I doubt we¡¯d even hear about Balk. Knowing


    him, he¡¯d dly give up everything¨Cthe title of king of pop included¨Cjust to give the best to his


    sister.¡±


    Kelly¡¯s assessment was spot on, everyone thought. That¡¯s just how Balk was; he would undoubtedly


    give Sylvia the very best of what he had.


    As Sylvia and Balk sang together, the atmosphere in the venue soared to new heights once more.


    Amidst the excitement and cheers, no one noticed a solitary figure sitting motionless in the


    stands, enveloped in


    silence. That person was Cyril.


    He must be crazy, he thought, for leaving behind a pile of work just to attend this concert. It was the


    first time he truly realized how multifaceted Sylvia¡¯s talents were. He had only seen her sharp,


    hurtful side after her divorce, and now he recognized her gifts ran deeper and were far mightier


    than he had imagined:


    Not only was Sylvia graceful in song and dance, but she also had a talent for writing and


    composing. Standing there next to Balk on that stage, she looked as if she was born to be in the


    spotlight, a star meant to be adored by all.


    The excitement among the audience grew; they shifted from shouting Balk¡¯s name to chanting


    Sylvia¡¯s. That¡¯s when Cyril understood that no matter where Sylvia was, she would always shine


    brightly. Regardless of her status or position, she had the power to be the most dazzling presence


    in any crowd.


    Sadly, Cyril had been oblivious to this all along, never taking it seriously until now. Realizing his own


    outrageous oversight, he felt a pang of regret.


    As the audience cheered, some noticed the peculiar man in the stands, not speaking, not even


    standing. They sneakily took pictures and posted them online,menting on the one calm


    individual amongst the tumultuous enthusiasm for Balk¡¯s concert. Some spected that he sat there


    heartbroken, as if deliberately seeking sce at the concert. Onceizens recognized the side


    profile, the whispers began, ¡°Isn¡¯t that Cyril?¡±


    On the same night when Sylvia and Balk created a historic onstage union, Cyril found himself at the


    concert venue, stirring up all sorts of wild theories amongst the inte crowd. Some said Cyril


    came seeking reconciliation, while others guessed he might regret the divorce from Sylvia.


    Whatever the theories, it was certain that his presence at this event was likely rted to a wounded


    heart.


    Cyril was unaware of the online chatter. Seated in the stands, he didn¡¯t have the clearest view of the


    stage, but for some reason, he could see every gesture Sylvia made as if he were right beside her.


    Watching her shine so brightly on stage, Cyril could feel his heartbeat speeding up.


    No one can resist the allure of someone who sparkles. Cyril admitted to himself that he had felt a


    certain fondness for Sylvia before, a feeling that had gradually worn away. But now, as he watched


    her be the radiant focus of everyone¡¯s attention, he could sense that old affection slowly


    rekindling.

 Chapter 111

    Chapter 111


    Chapter 111 Humiliation


    The sibling duo¡¯s performance on stage had everyonepletely stunned and overflowing with joy.


    They all wished that Sylvia could join every concert of ke¡¯s, but they knew that was a wishful


    thinking. Sylvia hadn¡¯t nned toe up and sing. It was ke who insisted repeatedly.


    With no other option, Sylvia agreed toe up and sing a couple of songs before stepping down.


    What she didn¡¯t expect was that her brother¡¯s fans would be so warm and enthusiastic that after


    hearing two songs, they even mored for more.


    So, the siblings sang two more songs, again harmonizing perfectly together. Even without any


    rehearsal and with just acape, their connection was unmistakable. Those two songs, sung without


    any instrumental backing, sounded even more extraordinary sung by them.


    Sylvia had crafted the lyrics and music specifically for ke, elevating these ssic songs to new


    heights with their shared rendition.


    After finishing, Sylvia intended to leave the stage, ignoring the fans¡® calls for an encore, What kind


    of joke would it be to upstage her brother at his own concert?


    Once Sylvia had left, some fans were still grumbling. They had adored ke, but after Sylvia¡¯s


    spellbinding performance that evening, some were ready to switch idols. Suddenly, ke seemed


    ¡°just okay¡® inparison. Despite being a global superstar, Sylvia¡¯s abilities as a songwriter,


    composer, and singer seemed just as impressive. They fancied that if Sylviaunched a singing


    career, she might even


    outshine ke.


    In their excitement over Sylvia, the fans had forgotten ke¡¯s own talent. Although Sylvia was the


    genius behind many of the songs, ke had also created some masterpieces himself.


    Unfortunately, at the moment, the fans only had eyes for Sylvia, leaving no room for ke.


    But ke wasn¡¯t upset. On the contrary, he was thrilled that his little sister was so well¨Cloved by the


    fans. Seeing her weed so warmly as she left the stage made him truly happy for her.


    ¡°All right, all right,¡± ke said after Sylvia¡¯s exit, amusing the crowd. ¡°Thank you for showing so


    much love for my sister. But let¡¯s not forget, she¡¯s the heir to our family business. If she were to


    debut as a singer, who would run ourpany? We¡¯d have to take to the streets!¡±


    It was unusual for ke to joke with the audience, but with Sylvia there, he was full of jest. The


    crowd was even more eager for Sylvia to stay on stage a bit longer.


    They were used to a very different ke¨Ca bit grumpy with his biting wit, ready to snap at anyone


    who crossed his path. Only today did they see the softer side he showed towards Sylvia.


    Having shared a light moment/the crowd looked forward to ke¡¯s next set. But instead of


    continuing the concert, he teased them with news of something else.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed,¡± ke continued on stage, ¡°apart from the unique performance we had


    today with a special guest, there¡¯s someone else who was invited to join us.¡±


    It was then that the fans suddenly remembered. Amidst the excitement of Sylvia¡¯s Impromptu


    Chapter 111 Humtion


    performance, they had overlooked the official guest performer of the evening.


    2/2


    The audience was fervently trying to recall who that invited guest was. Some were even scrolling


    through their phones, but people seated in the front row knew exactly what ke had in mind for


    today.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± Miranda chattered excitedly, rubbing her hands together. ¡°Their whole family has a knack


    for surprises. After that resounding p in the face to Cyril and his folks at the birthday bash, it


    looks like. Katrina¡¯s set to be the next ¡®star¡® of the show. Can¡¯t wait to see what happens!¡±


    There was an air of anticipation among the crowd. Some fans, having checked their messages,


    already knew who the expected guest was, and frankly, were a bit resistant to the idea. Although


    they hadn¡¯t been at Sylvia¡¯s birthday party, they had seen enough online to know about the beef


    between Sylvia and Katrina.


    And so, when ke was about to announce the official guest, Katrina was nowhere near eager to


    take the stage. She feared it would be a spectacr embarrassment, vastly worse than thest


    time. The thought


    alone was unbearable.


    ke didn¡¯t care if she was ready to face it or not; he turned stone¨Cfaced.


    ¡°Howe the person who shamelessly insisted oning to my concert won¡¯t step up to the


    stage? Are you scared because of the wrong you did to my sister? Oh, I must be wrong. Surely


    someone who could shamelessly lure Cyril wouldn¡¯t be afraid to show their face now!¡±


    The crowd gasped upon hearing ke¡¯s words¨Cwere they really supposed to hear this?


    Katrina, standing offstage, had gone pale. She hadn¡¯t expected ke to dishonor her publicly.


    Despite her international fame, why was she being treated like this?


    ¡°If I were you,¡± ke continued, his tone ice¨Ccold, ¡°knowing my connection with Sylvia, I would¡¯ve


    thought about paying off the penalty fee rather than showing up. You should¡¯ve known that I


    wouldn¡¯t let you leave here without facing consequences. Consider how you tormented my sister


    because you¡¯re about to find out how payback feels.¡±


    ke¡¯s message was crystal clear to everyone: this guest wasn¡¯t invited for honor but for a very


    public


    humiliation.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Katrina, close to tears, felt genuinely wronged now¨Cnot like earlier, when she had only been faking.


    She truly hadn¡¯t known about ke and Sylvia¡¯s rtionship, and upon discovering it, she did want


    to pull out of their agreement but couldn¡¯t afford the astronomicalpensation fee.


    After all, she had begged to be part of this concert¨Cit was not by ke¡¯s invitation. She had hoped


    to stick around and reap some benefits, but now it was impossible to stay.


    Not only could she not stay, but her reputation was also about to go down the drain.

 Chapter 112

    Chapter 112


    Chapter 112 Selfishness


    12


    When the fans realized that Katrina was the person scheduled to appear, their anger surged to its


    peak. Their affection for ke also extended to Sylvia, and knowing the extent of her mistreatment,


    not a single person could sit still. They began chanting Katrina¡¯s name, hurling insults at her.


    Already uncertain about how to take the stage, Katrina was further bewildered by their chants. She


    stood there, biting her lip, wishing she could just turn and leave, but the thought of the exorbitant


    penalty feet she¡¯d face left her stuck in ce. If only she had never gotten involved in that mess.


    ¡°Seems like Katrina isn¡¯t too keen oning up here, but no matter, tell the legal department that


    she¡¯s breached the contract. We¡¯ll proceed ording to the agreement,¡± ke said, and the crowd


    understood. From the start, ke had never intended to give Katrina a tform. All he wanted was


    to make her pay, in


    a different sense.


    Hearing his words, Katrina¡¯s head spun, her knees gave out, and she copsed to the floor, She


    couldn¡¯t believe the man on stage, basking in the adoration of thousands under the spotlight, could


    speak such


    frigid words.


    He had said they¡¯d follow the contract to the letter. Under those terms, she was ruined¨Cshe¡¯d have


    to pay


    an astronomical breach of contract penalty.


    Katrina seethed with rage, pinning all me on Sylvia. If it weren¡¯t for Sylvia¡¯s interference, none of


    this would have happened. All her woes, she was convinced, sprang from Sylvia. She wouldn¡¯t let


    Sylvia get


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    off easily!


    With gritted teeth, she resolved to face the situation head¨Con. She¡¯d try to mitigate the disastrous


    financial penalty, deciding she had to step up, regardless of the cost.


    Just as she was about to move, the next song started,pletely different from the one she was


    supposed to join. Katrina turned pale, instantly realizing this was a targeted move against her. She


    didn¡¯t get far before her own agent pulled her away, pping her across the face.


    ¡°I thought you could be of some help, but you¡¯ve only caused chaos,¡± her agent berated her. ¡°Do


    you have any idea how much effort I put into connecting with ke? And you ended up ruining it


    all!¡±


    With her face swelling from the p, Katrina turned incredulously to look at her agent, the person


    she had relied upon for smooth sailing throughout the years, never expecting he¡¯d raise a hand


    against her.


    ¡°Don¡¯t act so high and mighty,¡± he snapped. ¡°The higher¨Cups have already given up on you. Just


    come abroad with me, but know that doing so means the end of your career. Start thinking about


    your next steps.


    The agent spoke truly; he was thoroughly fed up with Katrina, who acted like a spoiled heiress,


    disying arrogance without the talent to back it up, and getting into trouble at every turn. Had it not


    been for certain backers, the agent would have washed his hands of her a long time ago. And now,


    after being abandoned by all, thest thing he intended to do was show her any kindness.


    concern i


    With those final words, the agent left, showing no what Katrina was thinking or going through.


    Katrina, feeling lost and dejected, left the concert and stood outside, unsure of her next move.


    Chapter 112 Selfishness


    2/2


    She knew that everything she had today was because Cyril had been supporting her. Without him,


    she¡¯d never have made it this far. But with the agent revealing that her backer had dropped her, it


    was clear Cyril had given up on her.


    ¡°You can¡¯t stay in the country anymore. It¡¯s best you go abroad; it¡¯ll be beneficial for whates


    next,¡± Cyril said without watching the concert anymore. Sylvia had left the event, and he saw no


    reason to stay. He hade out, pondering other matters that needed resolution.


    Tears streamed down Katrina¡¯s face as she saw Cyril. She stared at him intently, wanting to ask why


    he


    was doing this to her, but the words were stuck in her throat.


    ¡°All the things you did to Sylvia could have been ignored if you just stayed abroad and never came


    back.


    If you do return, I¡¯ll settle every new and old grievance with you,¡± Cyril stated.


    Katrina¡¯s tears fell uncontrobly as Cyril looked like a stranger to her¨Csomeone she had never


    known.


    ¡°What do you mean by new and old grievances? What have I done to Sylvia? I just sent some


    photos, and you knew about it but never stopped me. Now you want to pin this on me¨Cyou are truly


    disgusting. I¡¯ll tell


    you, you¡¯re the most selfish person in the world!¡± Katrina said with bitterughter. Everyone thought


    she


    was wrong, overbearing.


    But in her view, as excessive as her actions might have been, she was openly pursuing her own


    desires.


    Cyril was different -he knew what he had done, yet he stood by and let everything happen without


    ever trying to help Sylvia. And now he was defending her in front of Katrina¨Cwhat did that make of


    him and of


    her?


    ¡°Did you realize you liked her after the divorce? What were you doing before that? She loved you so


    much, gave up everything to be by your side. She swallowed all the bitterness from the way others


    treated her. and now you feel indebted to her¨Cwhat about before?¡± Katrina¡¯s questions left Cyril


    speechless. His


    sense of debt was now toote; the hurt he¡¯d caused couldn¡¯t be remedied even if he wanted to


    make


    amends.


    ¡°What happens between me and her is our business, and it has nothing to do with you anymore.


    Perhaps.


    you should spend your time figuring out how to survive abroad instead,¡± Cyril said, ready to leave.


    But as he turned to walk away, Katrina grabbed his sleeve, her hands trembling.

 Chapter 113

    Chapter 113


    Chapter 113 Dewitt Returns


    ¡°How could you never feel even the slightest bit for me after all these years?¡± Katrina stubbornly


    wanted to know. If Cyril had never felt anything for her, then all she had done was a cruel joke.


    But Cyril didn¡¯t respond, just pulling away from her grasp and walking faster, leaving her behind. His


    reaction spoke volumes to Katrina; from start to finish, he¡¯d never had any feelings for her.


    Everything she felt was just a delusion.


    Crushed, Katrina watched Cyril leave and then crumbled to the ground, sumbing to her tears.


    She had


    lost everything¨Cher career, her life was in ruins. Kneeling on the ground in tears, she looked back at


    the noisy concert arena and squinted her eyes. Fine, since Sylvia had taken everything from her,


    she wouldn¡¯t let Sylvia off easily either.


    She would make sure Sylvia suffered, even if everything Sylvia had was beyond Katrina¡¯s reach.


    She wouldn¡¯t let Sylvia go that easily.


    E


    At the airport, as the nended, a man with golden hair walked out, pushing back his sses


    and


    stepping into the sunlight, his coat tailored perfectly to his frame. A handsome face that made


    women around him take pause. Many wanted to approach him, but they were held back by his


    untouchable aura.


    Checking the time on his phone, he quickened his pace, expecting his older brother to be waiting


    outside However, stepping out, he saw no familiar face, which puzzled him. That¡¯s when his phone


    rang; it was his


    second brother, ke.


    ¡°Sorry, Dewitt, I was supposed to pick you up, but something came up at the agency, and I had to


    run. Our


    oldest said he arranged a driver for you; can you see them?¡±


    Dewitt looked around, no assistant was in sight. It seemed his eldest brother had forgotten about his


    return.


    ¡°Did you tell brother about my arrival today?¡± Dewitt asked on the phone.


    ¡°He already knew, didn¡¯t he? Why would I need to tell him?¡±


    Silence fell between them as they both realized that neither had informed their eldest brother of


    Dewitt¡¯s


    return.


    ¡°Never mind, I¡¯ll just grab a cab home. By the way, is our little sister at home?¡±


    Dewitt worked in ab abroad. Despite keeping a low profile, his reputation was widely known


    Internationally. He decided to return home upon hearing that his family was gathered and to take a


    break from his overseas endeavors.


    Besides resting, he nned to open ab in his homnd. The foreignb was great, but not his


    own, and he faced too many restrictions. He desired to do more, hence his decision to develop his


    career back home.


    It seemed that only ke among his family members knew of his return. Rather than notifying the


    others,


    Chapter 113 Dewitt Returns


    2/2


    Dewitt decided to take a cab. En route, his phone suddenly rang, and the number on the screen


    brought a soft smile to his face¨Che was aware of the situation between Cyril and Sylvia.


    Even though Cyril was unaware of their connection, Dewitt would still entertain him for Sylvia¡¯s


    sake.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, Mr. Dewitt. I know you¡¯re busy with your experiments, but I have a request I


    hope you can fulfill. My sister has been in a car ident, and the doctors are saying they can¡¯t save


    her hand. I hope you cane and operate on her. As for the price, just name it, and I¡¯ll pay


    whatever you ask,¡± came Cyril¡¯s anxious voice from the other end of the phone. Dewitt paused for a


    moment. Cyril¡¯s sister would be his sister¨Cinw, so if that was the case, he felt it was within his


    capacity to help.


    ¡°I justnded back in the country. Send me the address, and I¡¯lle right over,¡± Dewitt replied.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    After hanging up, Cyril promptly sent the hospital¡¯s address to Dewitt. Without hesitation, Dewitt


    caught a cab and headed to the hospital.


    Arriving at the hospital, Cyril was already waiting at the entrance. He quickly led Dewitt inside while


    exining the situation. Bonnie had been involved in an ident that day, and someone had


    intentionally rammed into her car on the overpass, causing her to lose consciousness instantly.


    Now in the hospital, a dy in her arrival meant her right hand could potentially be left with lifelong


    disabilities. However, with Dewitt¡¯s help, perhaps that wouldn¡¯t be the case.


    Dewitt nodded after hearing the details, and with a slight push of his sses, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.


    I¡¯ll go.


    and operate on her right aw


    The dy isn¡¯t too long, and the surgery is just a bit more intricate, meaning it might be more


    troublesome. A normal surgeon probably couldn¡¯t handle it.¡±


    Though Dewitt had primarily been working in theb in recent years, he had also established


    himself as a genius doctor. His surgical skills were exceptional, but not many had the clout to call


    upon him to operate, so his reputation as a surgeon wasn¡¯t widely known.


    Cyril knew of Dewitt because a few years back, after his own ident, it was Dewitt who had


    performed. surgery and saved his legs. They kept in touch, and this time after some hesitation, Cyril


    decided to reach


    out to Dewitt.


    After a brief exchange with Cyril, Dewitt entered the operating room, arranged by Cyril, ready to


    begin the


    procedure.


    Jonathan arrived a bitter, just as Dewitt was entering the OR. ¡°How¡¯s it going? You said you got a


    reliable doctor; where is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already inside. The doctor is the same one who operated on me that day. He happened to be


    returning to the country today and came straight here,¡± Cyril exined.


    Jonathan was well aware of Cyril¡¯s past ordeal and understood that having that doctor¡¯s assistance


    was invaluable. Relieved, he exhaled deeply, content that as long as Bonnie was in good hands, all


    would be Exwell.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.

 Chapter 114

    Chapter 114


    Chapter 114 Check the Net!


    The surgerysted a grueling eight hours. Dewitt had just returned from a long¨Chaul flight when he


    was whisked into the marathon operation, leaving him visibly drained as he emerged from the OR


    with a pale


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Cyril initially wanted to inquire about his sister¡¯s condition but seeing Dewitt¡¯s


    pallor, he immediately shifted his concern onto him, Dewitt smiled weakly but assured him he was


    fine.


    ¡°Rest easy, I¡¯m alright, and your sister will be okay too. She¡¯ll need to recuperate peacefully for a


    while, and the doctors here can handle her aftercare. I¡¯ll be heading back now, but if you need


    anything else, feel


    free to give me a call.¡±


    With a friendly smile to Cyril, Dewitt said his goodbyes and prepared to leave. Cyril wanted to


    show his


    gratitude to Dewitt, perhaps invite him for a meal, but seeing Dewitt¡¯s exhaustion, he decided to wait


    until


    Dewitt had adequately recovered.


    After the whole ordeal, it was already nighttime when Dewitt finally arrived home. The family was all


    there, except for him.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding, where have you been all afternoon? The big guy was about to send out a


    search


    party for you,¡± ke scolded his younger brother with affection, looping an arm around Dewitt¡¯s


    neck and ushering him to sit down.


    Despite his fatigue, Dewitt was ted to see his family, especially his sister Sylvia, whom he had


    not seen in years. Ignoring ke¡¯s chatter, he gently removed ke¡¯s hand from his shoulder and


    walked over to Sylvia, embracing her tightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯re doing well,¡± he said warmly.


    When Sylvia had gotten married, Dewitt was abroad. Although he had operated on Cyril and knew


    he was


    a good man, Dewitt had been reluctant about their marriage but had respected Sylvia¡¯s decision.


    Now, seeing her happy back at home brought him joy, and Sylvia was thrilled to be reunited with her


    brother


    after so long.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get to this afternoon? I¡¯ve been trying to call you,¡± Sylvia asked curiously. Knowing of


    her


    third brother¡¯s return, she had immediately tried calling him, but every call went unanswered, and


    she had


    no idea what Dewitt had been up to.


    Dewitt felt a bit embarrassed, as it seemed that no one had informed Sylvia of his arrival, intending


    it to be a little surprise for her.


    ¡°This afternoon, I was performing a surgery, so it¡¯s normal that you wouldn¡¯t know I was back. Don¡¯t


    worry about me, I¡¯m fine. Oh, by the way, do you want to go see your sister¨Cinw about the


    ident?¡± Dewitt suddenly remembered to inform Sylvia about Bonnie¡¯s situation.


    But as he finished speaking, the whole family fell silent, surprised by the mention of Sylvia¡¯s sister¨C


    inw. They all looked to Stanford, knowing if Sylvia did have a sister¨Cinw, it had to be


    connected to him


    somehow.


    Chapter 114 Check the Net!


    ¡°Why are you all looking at me?¡± Stanford protested. ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, our mother only had you


    three kids; there¡¯s no one else, so don¡¯t jump to conclusions.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not our fault for being confused,¡± Balk retorted. ¡°We just don¡¯t know where this ¡®sister¡® came


    from.¡±


    Dewitt exined to his confused family, ¡°I was talking about Cyril¡¯s sister. She was involved in a car


    ident today, and I performed surgery on her, which is why I was dyed. Since you were rted


    to him, shouldn¡¯t you visit her to see how she¡¯s doing?¡±


    In Dewitt¡¯s view, Sylvia, having been part of the family, should naturally want to check on Bonnie.


    But the mention of Bonnie caused a collective sour expression, especially from Bruce, who typically


    mastered the art of hiding his emotions in his role overseeing the family business.


    ¡°You performed surgery?¡± Sylvia was unaware of Bonnie¡¯s ident, and Dewitt¡¯s involvement was


    news


    to her.Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Sensing that something was amiss, Dewitt grew anxious. ¡°Yes, a few years back, I did surgery on


    Cyril, so when he called asking for help, I had justnded and went straight there. Did I do


    something wrong?¡±


    Sylvia opened her mouth to reassure her brother that he hadn¡¯t erred, but she remembered that as


    she and Cyril were divorced, there was no obligation for Dewitt to perform the surgery.


    ¡°Bruce, didn¡¯t you have inte ess in theb?¡± Balk¡¯s vexation with Dewitt was evident. He


    always knew Dewitt wasser¨Cfocused on his experiments, often to the exclusion of all else.


    ¡°Do I need the inte for something?¡± Dewitt was genuinely perplexed; his long research hours left


    little time for browsing online.


    Bruce approached and patted Dewitt on the shoulder, ¡°Since you¡¯re back, you should go online and


    catch up with what happened.¡±


    Their insistence made Dewitt sense that he had missed something significant. He immediately


    pulled out his phone and Googled Cyril¡¯s name. Numerous articles about the divorce between Cyril


    and Sylvia filled the screen. Dewitt scanned the headlines, shocked at the news of their separation.


    With eyes wide in disbelief, it dawned on him that he had been out of the loop for so long. Now that


    Cyril and Sylvia were no longer together, why he had agreed to operate on Bonnie at all!

 Chapter 115

    Chapter 115


    Chapter 115 A Drastic Measure


    After reading the news online, Dewitt¡¯s face instantly took on a look of extreme difficulty. Digging a


    scalpel out of his pocket, he unconsciously began fiddling with it, sending the entire family into a


    state of


    shock.


    ¡°What are you doing, Dewitt¡¯s?¡± Sylvia asked, noticing the scalpel in his hand and sensing


    something awry. Why had he taken out a scalpel? More importantly, why did he carry one around all


    the time, even on a ne?


    Realizing the gravity of what he held, Dewitt set the scalpel on the table and addressed his family,


    ¡°Would it be okay if I just ruined Cyril¡¯s legs and dismantled Bonnie¡¯s arm?¡± After all, he had been


    the one to fix Cyril¡¯s legs and Bonnie¡¯s arm in the past, so taking them back shouldn¡¯t be


    problematic, right?


    The family was speechless, so they all looked to Sylvia, waiting for her reaction. She sighed, ¡°I have


    no connection to them anymore; there¡¯s no need for you to do this. I know you¡¯re hurting for me, but


    these actions won¡¯t do any good.¡±


    Despite feeling irked that Dewitt had operated on Bonnie, Sylvia didn¡¯t want to linger on the past.


    She had severed ties with Cyril and was ready to let the matter rest as charity.


    Yet Dewitt was adamant, ¡°Given all that Bonnie and Cyril¡¯s inaction have done over the years, I


    won¡¯t let them off the hook so easily. Rest assured, sis, I¡¯ll make things right for you. He was hit by a


    car, right? And his arm is supposed to recover? Well, not if I have anything to say about it!¡±


    Though Dewitt was a doctor and engaged in medical research for the good of humanity, he wasn¡¯t


    someone to mess with. In fact, his temperament was a bit extreme, and when provoked, he


    wouldn¡¯t stop


    until he¡¯d made his point. If he said he was going to get even with Cyril and Bonnie, there was no


    doubt


    they were in for it. After all, it¡¯s never wise to offend a doctor, for sooner orter, you might find


    yourself at their mercy.


    Fuming more and more, Dewitt couldn¡¯t stomach that in trying to help Sylvia, he ended up aiding


    Cyril, whom he considered despicable in his treatment of her. And so, Dewitt resolved that today


    was the day he¡¯d ruin his work on Bonnie¡¯s arm.


    As he got up and hastened outside without even having dinner, his family realized something was


    seriously wrong. They rushed to stop him but were sternly rebuffed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for any of you to follow me. I know what needs to be done, and I won¡¯t cause any


    trouble for you. I just intend to take back what I¡¯ve done,¡± Dewitt dered with earnestness.


    Bruce grabbed his hand tightly, unable to believe what he was hearing. Not cause any trouble?


    Dewitt talked about taking back what he¡¯d given¨Cthose were limbs, legs, and arms. If he actually


    took those back, wouldn¡¯t that be causing a majormotion?


    As Dewitt¡¯s family tried to stop him, his phone rang. With some irritation, he checked and found it


    was Cyril calling. The timing of the call was bitterly ironic, interrupting just as Dewitt¡¯s anger reached


    a fever pitch.


    ¡°Mr. Dewitt, I¡¯m truly grateful for what you¡¯ve done for my sister. The doctors have said the operation


    was


    Chapter 115 A Drastic Measure


    2/2


    a sess, and she should recover fully with some rest. When you have time, I¡¯d like to take you out


    for a meal to express my gratitude for saving her, now and in the past.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Dewitt replied coldly. ¡°If you really want to thank me for saving your lives, then ju your leg


    and your sister¡¯s arm. I regret saving you both.¡±


    just give me


    Cyril was taken aback by the harsh contrast from the Dewitt he knew. ¡°Mr. Dewitt, is there some


    misunderstanding between us? Before this, we-


    ¡°There¡¯s no misunderstanding. I saved you because my sister asked me to, and now, I helped you


    because of her as well. Now that you and she have no rtionship and your family has treated her


    so badly, do you really think there¡¯s any misunderstanding? Sorry, but there¡¯s none. Either


    you can send me the limbs, or I wille and take them myself.¡±


    The threat left Cyril stunned. Only after Dewitt hung up did Cyril realize that Dewitt was Sylvia¡¯s


    brother and that it was she who¡¯d asked Dewitt to save him when everyone believed his legs were


    beyond hope.


    His mind reeled, never having known the extent of what Sylvia had done for him, and he could


    understand why Dewitt was so furious. If the roles were reversed, he would probably be more


    enraged than Dewitt


    was now.


    I


    ¡°You have one day to consider, and I hope you¡¯ll give me a satisfactory answer tomorrow. If not,


    once I¡¯m


    over the jetg, you can expect my retribution.¡±


    After Dewitt ended the call without giving Cyril a chance to respond, the family was left sighing in


    disbelief.


    ¡°Sis is right, let¡¯s just consider this charity,¡± Bruce admitted. ¡°If we¡¯ve cut ties with Cyril, his fate


    doesn¡¯t concern us; with all the things he¡¯s done, he¡¯ll face karma sooner orter.¡±


    Bruce had not anticipated Dewitt¡¯s stance, and now Dewitt seemed resolved to exact revenge by


    taking Cyril and Bonnie¡¯s limbs.


    Dewitt looked firmly at Bruce. ¡°Future karma is in the future. I demand they pay now. Since they¡¯ve


    wronged my sister, it¡¯s not weird for me, as her brother, to seek revenge, right?¡±


    Weird, no. But his idea of revenge seemed almost equivalent to taking their lives.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Sylvia remained silent as her phone suddenly rang, capturing the room¡¯s attention. She hesitated at


    seeing Cyril calling but decided to answer, considering the recent altercation.


    Chapter 115


    a sess, and she should recover fully with some rest. When you have time, I¡¯d


    like to take you out for a meal to express my gratitude for saving her, now and in the past.¡±


    ¡°No need,¡± Dewitt replied coldly. ¡°If you really want to thank me for saving your lives, then just give


    me your leg and your sister¡¯s arm. I regret saving you both.¡±


    Cyril was taken aback by the harsh contrast from the Dewitt he knew. ¡°Mr. Dewitt, is there some


    misunderstanding between us? Before this, we-¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no misunderstanding. I saved you because my sister asked me to, and now, I helped you


    because of her as well. Now that you and she have no rtionship and your family has treated her


    so badly, do you really think there¡¯s any misunderstanding? Sorry, but there¡¯s none. Either you can


    send me the limbs, or I wille and take them myself.¡±


    The threat left Cyril stunned. Only after Dewitt hung up did Cyril realize that Dewitt was Sylvia¡¯s


    brother and that it was she who¡¯d asked Dewitt to save him when everyone believed his legs were


    beyond hope.


    His mind reeled, never having known the extent of what Sylvia had done for him, and he could


    understand why Dewitt was so furious. If the roles were reversed, he would probably be more


    enraged than Dewitt


    was now.


    ¡°You have one day to consider, and I hope you¡¯ll give me a satisfactory answer tomorrow. If not,


    once I¡¯m over the jetg, you can expect my retribution.¡±


    After Dewitt ended the call without giving Cyril a chance to respond, the family was left sighing in


    disbelief.


    ¡°Sis is right; let¡¯s just consider this charity,¡± Bruce admitted. ¡°If we¡¯ve cut ties with Cyril, his fate


    doesn¡¯t concern us; with all the things he¡¯s done, he¡¯ll face karma sooner orter.¡±


    Bruce had not anticipated Dewitt¡¯s stance, and now Dewitt seemed resolved to exact revenge by


    taking Cyril and Bonnie¡¯s limbs.


    Dewitt looked firmly at Bruce. ¡°Future karma is in the future. I demand they pay now. Since they¡¯ve


    wronged my sister, it¡¯s not weird for me, as her brother, to seek revenge, right?¡±


    Weird, no. But his idea of revenge seemed almost equivalent to taking their lives.


    Sylvia remained silent as her phone suddenly rang, capturing the room¡¯s attention. She hesitated at


    seeing Cyril calling but decided to answer, considering the recent altercation.

 Chapter 116

    Chapter 116


    Chapter 116 Why Didn¡¯t You Tell Me?


    After Sylvia had divorced Cyril, she had blocked his number, determined to cut all ties with him.


    However, as there was still a business cooperation between theirpanies, Cyril found a way to


    circumvent the block and contact her directly. Sylvia suspected that Cyril had called her from the


    number she knew well, thinking that perhaps he was desperate or concerned that she would not


    pick up a call from an unknown


    number.


    Upon answering the call, her voice chilled, ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve just spoken with Mr. Dewitt, and he told me he is your brother. Is this true?¡± Cyril¡¯s voice


    sounded urgent, clearly shaken by what Dewitt told him earlier, prompting him to call and verify the


    truth.


    Sylvia remained silent, listening to his question, and suddenly found his ignorance slightly amusing.


    Why should she tell him? Why was it any of his business who her brother was, and why was he


    even calling? Was he questioning her?


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    ¡°Don¡¯t assume I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this? And that your


    brother saved me; you knew all along. I¡¯ve always been grateful to the person who saved me, but


    why didn¡¯t you say it was you?¡±


    Cyril couldn¡¯t ce his feelings, shocked upon realizing the rtionship between Dewitt and Sylvia


    while on the phone with Dewitt. It illuminated why Dewitt had been the surgeon to save him, despite


    it seeming impossible to have Dewitt called at that time. Who else but Sylvia would have the power


    to ask him to save Cyril¡¯s life?


    ¡°Mr. Cyril, you seem to have misunderstood something. First of all, it wasn¡¯t me who operated on


    you, so I¡¯m not the person you should be thanking. If you insist on expressing gratitude, thank my


    brother instead. The only reason he saved you was to repay a debt of rescue, which I have now


    repaid, so there is nothing between us anymore. If my brother had known we were no longer


    rted, he would never havee.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s voice was calm as she rified the past to Cyril, leaving him with a bitter taste. He realized


    that Sylvia¡¯s words implied she no longer wished to be entangled with him in any way. But how


    could he act as if these events never happened? If it weren¡¯t for Sylvia, he wouldn¡¯t even be able to


    walk. He owed her far too much, yet she wanted none of it to do with him.


    What Cyril couldn¡¯t understand was Sylvia¡¯s mention of having rescued him once, when he had no


    memory of such an event.


    Cyril was genuinely troubled. ¡°You just mentioned I owed you a debt previously, but I have no


    recollection of it. Could you tell me what happened? No matter what, I am indebted to you and


    would like to express my gratitude.¡±


    Sylvia heard the stirring of guilt in his voice. He seemed earnest in his desire to offer thanks,


    regardless of the state of their rtionship. Yet when she remained silent after his request, she


    wondered if there was any point in dredging up the past. It seemed meaningless to do so.


    ¡®There¡¯s no need to dwell on it,¡± Sylvia finally replied. ¡°What happened is in the past. Consider it as if


    it never urred. There¡¯s no need to thank me either; let¡¯s just stop here.¡±


    Chapter 116 Why Didn¡¯t You Tell Me?!


    ¡°But it won¡¯t stop here,¡± Cyril Insisted. ¡°You should tell me, and regardless of what you said today, I


    will


    remember it¡­¡±


    Before Cyril could continue, Sylvia cut the call short, not interested in indulging his rambling.


    Hanging up the phone, the family looked at her with a hint of oddness in their eyes.


    ¡°I thought you had cut off all contact with him. I didn¡¯t expect you to take his call.¡±


    ¡°It was a call to thepany line,¡± Sylvia sald, annoyed. ¡°If I didn¡¯t answer, he would keep calling;


    it¡¯s just less trouble this way.¡±


    Sylvia was internally vexed. Answering the call meant she might need to work out a way to


    permanently dodge Cyril in the future to avoid getting entangled again and facing further


    headaches.


    The family resumed their meal quietly, enjoying dinner despite Dewitt¡¯s unease. He was particrly


    ufortable after inadvertently aiding someone who had wronged his sister. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you guys


    tell me about this earlier? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m upset? I won¡¯t be able to sleep tonight. I have to get


    rid of that arm; otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to rest.¡±


    Dewitt was now fixated on the idea of removing the arm he had repaired, repulsed by the thought of


    his work being used for someone antithetical to his sister. He had intended to help her, not someone


    else, and the realization was gnawing at him.


    ¡°Who¡¯s to me for this?¡± Balk replied agitatedly. ¡°If you had kept up with the news, you¡¯d know. I


    thought you rushed back after seeing what was happening online, but it turns out you were clueless.


    So what exactly brought you


    back


    Indeed, the family was still in the dark about his reasons for returning.


    ¡°I came back to work here,¡± Dewitt exined. ¡°I was ufortable in theb abroad, so I¡¯m


    nning to set up my own here. Since Sylvia is working on artificial intelligence, I thought maybe I


    could integrate my medical expertise with Al.¡±


    That was something many people were seeking online, and he hoped this might be a way to assist


    Sylvia.

 Chapter 117

    Chapter 117


    Chapter 117 How to Repay What¡¯s Owed to Her


    After all his adventures abroad, Dewitt had no idea about the storms of drama that had raged at


    home. When his sister Sylvia yfully chided him for being too engrossed in his work to take her


    feelings into ount, Dewitt was taken aback, his cheeks turning a shade of red.


    ¡°Sylvia, honey, I swear I¡¯m back this time to set things right. They¡¯ve crossed the line,¡± he firmly told


    his sister, who couldn¡¯t help butugh at his earnestness.


    ¡°Now, Dewitt, don¡¯t sweat it! You¡¯ve been super busy, and the surgery was practically a charity act


    for their family¨Cit¡¯s no biggie,¡± Sylvia said, brushing off the incident with her characteristic grace.


    But Dewitt couldn¡¯t let it go. ¡°Charity? That implies there¡¯s something in return. We got nothing but


    grief from them, and I¡¯m not letting them off the hook this easily. Trust your big brother; I¡¯ve got this


    covered.¡±


    Everyone else exchanged wary nces. They trust just about anyone over Dewitt¨Che¡¯s the type to


    go to lengths when wronged. Bruce feltpelled to remind him, ¡°You¡¯re representing the Ivans


    family and your sister here, man. Try not to go overboard.¡±


    Dewitt brushed off the concern. ¡°I can handle this, really. Just sit back and leave it to me.¡±


    His insistence only raised their anxiety. Letting Dewitt loose was often asking for trouble, but holding


    him


    back might be worse.


    Meanwhile, Cyril, having just been hung up on, sat in a daze outside the hospital room without the


    will to step in. He was overwhelmed, trying to wrap his head around Sylvia¡¯s casual dismissal of the


    situation and the fact that Dewitt, the renowned scientist, was her brother.


    Jonathan joined Cyril shortly after, equally concerned to see him so out of sorts, especially since it


    was Bonnie who had been hurt. ¡°I called Sylvia, and¡­ she¡¯s willing to let everything slide. Did you


    know? Dewitt


    is her big brother.¡±


    Cyril raised his head, lookingpletely lost. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, right?¡± Jonathan was taken


    aback. The truth was undeniable¨Cthe Ivans owed Sylvia too much.


    ¡°How could that be? Dewitt¡¯s been overseas all these years. If he were her brother, why didn¡¯t he


    come back earlier? And why would he perform surgery on Bonnie, given the Ivans¡® attitude toward


    you?¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Cyril¡¯s disbelief mirrored the shock anyone would feel when the veils of the past were lifted,


    revealing the


    debts of the heart that were long overdue.


    Jonathan was at a loss, knowing that each of Sylvia¡¯s brothers was more formidable than thest,


    especially Dewitt. If Dewitt was indeed her brother, why would he choose today of all days to


    perform the


    surgery?


    Cyril¡¯s bitter smile said it all. ¡°I called to thank him, you know. Invited him to dinner. But Dewitt


    refused my thanks and¨Cwould you believe it¨Che said he might as well take back the limbs he fixed!¡±


    It dawned on Cyril that Dewitt had only now realized that his rtionship with Sylvia wasn¡¯t what it


    used to be and that she had faced unfairness. He was certain Dewitt¡¯s harsh words and actions


    were all for


    Chapte 117 How to Repay What¡¯s Owed to Her


    Sylvia¡¯s sake.


    212


    Jonathan¡¯s attempt atfort was cut short by Cyril¡¯s acknowledgment of his own misdoings. ¡°It¡¯s


    my fault. His anger is justified.¡±


    What could Cyril do? He could only ept the situation as it was.


    ¡°You know, Jonathan,¡± Cyril pondered aloud, ¡°how do I even start to repay what I owe? Sylvia


    always talks about repaying me for saving her life, but I can¡¯t remember doing anything for her. And


    now she wants to repay me when it¡¯s clear that I owe her so much more.¡±


    As an observer, Jonathan could see the shift in Sylvia¡¯s feelings toward Cyril and Cyrill¡¯s emotional


    rollercoaster in response to Sylvia.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how you n to repay your debts, but one thing is clear¨Cyou can¡¯t measure who owes


    who anymore. Maybe you should just talk to Sylvia, be honest. She¡¯d understand.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to console me,¡± Cyril replied, head bowed. ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know how Sylvia


    feels?


    She won¡¯t forgive me again. And truly, I owe her more than I can ever repay.


    For the first time, Cyril acknowledged he had wronged Sylvia, admitting that he shouldn¡¯t have


    neglected her at home to face his family¡¯s mistreatment alone. He¡¯d underestimated her once, but


    had told his


    family inly that divorce was out of the question after marrying Sylvia.

 Chapter 118

    Chapter 118


    Chapter 118 Too Late to Stop Him


    As Cyril reflected on the past years, he felt an overwhelming sadness. He sighed, realizing that if he


    wanted to make amends, he¡¯d have to try his best, but whether Sylvia would ept his efforts was


    another matter entirely.


    Following Bonnie¡¯s ident, Cyril had intended to be by her side, but the revtion about Dewitt


    had changed everything. Now, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to care for Bonnie, who had to face the


    consequences of her own actions.


    When Michelle arrived at the hospital, she found Bonnie furiouslyshing out in her room,


    mming


    things onto the table in a rage.


    ¡°Why? Why won¡¯t my brother help me? He says I owe someone a favor, but I¡¯ve never asked him


    for


    anything!¡±


    Bonnie was upset, expecting leniency from her brother after her mishap. Yet, he seemed indifferent


    to her plight, even believing she was indebted to others. No one had begged Dewitt to operate on


    her.


    ¡°Enough already! Do you realize how renowned the surgeon who operated on you is? Your


    brother¡¯s legs were saved by him. If it weren¡¯t for him, do you think you could sit here and throw a


    tantrum?¡±


    Michelle was furious. Her daughter was severely injured, and her son seemed to abandon them¨C


    although he had stayed during the surgery, he had been absent since. Bonnie was still Cyril¡¯s sister;


    he should at


    least show some concern.


    After Michelle¡¯s scolding, Bonnie felt wronged and confused.


    ¡°Mom, are you ming me? I didn¡¯t want any of this to happen. The ident was just that¨Can


    ident. Why won¡¯t my brother talk to me anymore? The way he looked at me today, it¡¯s like I did


    something wrong.


    ¡°Let it be. Don¡¯t worry about what your brother thinks. You should feel lucky to have had such a


    skilled doctor operate on you. Your brother has his hands full with thepanytely, and I¡¯ll find a


    nurse to care for you. I¡¯m going to see what he¡¯s so busy with at the office.¡±


    Michelle was exhausted. Her daughter was acting out like a shrew when she should be resting and


    recovering peacefully. Why was Bonnie so intent on seeing Cyril?


    Cyril¡¯s work was demanding enough without adding family drama, though he was reluctant to say


    so. The


    Bonnie, realizing the futility of arguing, fell silent. She knew she was supposed to go.


    if it weren¡¯t


    for the ident, she would¡¯ve been long gone by now.


    After a brief talk, Michelle left for the office to find Cyril, who was still avoiding her calls¨Clikely over


    their argument about Sylvia.


    ly still upset


    Michelle didn¡¯t feel she had done anything wrong. Sylvia had spent a lot of money to marry her son-


    wasn¡¯t she after something? And now, even after the divorce, Cyril was angry with her because of


    Sylvia.


    Chapter 118 Too Late to Stop Him


    Her son had lost all perspective.


    50/2


    Forsaking another call, Michelle headed straight to thepany to confront Cyril. Little did she


    know that shortly after she left the hospital room, a new figure slipped in¨Cit was none other than


    Dewitt.


    Bonnie didn¡¯t recognize Dewitt when he entered the room dressed in a whiteb coat. Assuming he


    was a doctor from the hospital, and frustrated from the scolding she just received from Michelle,


    Bonnie directed her anger towards Dewitt.


    ¡°My arm is killing me! You people said you¡¯d give me pain meds. Why haven¡¯t I received anything?


    Is this hospital nning to shut down or what?¡± she snapped at him.


    Dewitt looked at her with disdain. ¡°Foolish girl, don¡¯t you realize I¡¯m the one who saved your life? If


    you want to keep that arm, you better start showing some respect. Keep up this pointless chatter,


    and I might just take that arm off!¡±


    Dewitt hade only to check on this person he had never met before, only to discover she was


    nothing


    but trouble.


    Bonnie, stunned by his threat, quickly turned even angrier. ¡°It¡¯s all because of you! My brother called


    and said he wouldn¡¯te to see me because of you, pushing me to recover and then leave the


    country. Why should I go? You don¡¯t believe my arm will heal? Go ahead, try to remove it. Let¡¯s see


    if you can walk out of here unscathed. My brother wouldn¡¯t let you off the hook!¡±


    ¡°Using your brother to threaten me, how unfortunate for you. Those legs of his were saved by me as


    well. I take your arm off today, and I might as well ruin his legs too. Both of you are worthless!¡±


    Dewitt advanced step by step, and Bonnie, who had never been threatened this way before, began


    to feel a sudden wave of


    fear.


    She trembled, seeing his hand reach out towards her. ¡°What are you doing? What do you want?


    Don¡¯t you


    believe I¡¯ll call for help?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead, call. Scream. Let¡¯s see if anyone will bother to help you,¡± Dewitt sneered. The hospital


    was partially owned by hispany, so he could do whatever he pleased without interference, and


    this time, he hade alone, unnoticed. He was all set to disassemble her arm without causing a


    stir.


    ¡°Ah!!!¡±


    Sylvia rushed to the hospital room as soon as she heard the news, but it was toote; she couldn¡¯t


    stop


    Dewitt in time.


    Exclusive content ? by N?(v)el/Dr/ama.Org.


    Arriving at the room, she saw Dewitt walk out calmly, wiping his hands nonchntly as if nothing


    had happened. But Sylvia knew her brother all too well; that expression meant he had definitely


    taken Bonnie¡¯s


    arm off.


    Bonnie¡¯s scream had echoed throughout the entire floor. Sylvia, having run towards the source of


    the noise as fast as she could, was still just one step toote.

 Chapter 119

    Chapter 119


    Chapter 119 Once Expected


    ¡°Sister, surely you don¡¯t me me for doing something terrible, do you? I just wanted to teach her a


    lesson. If she heals properly, she can still use her arm¡­ just not as nimbly as before,¡± Dewitt said


    with a gentle smile, which oddly seemed like a devil¡¯s whisper.


    Sylvia knew she was toote. She had been keeping tabs on Dewitt for days, fearing he might do


    something drastic. Now that it had indeed happened, she didn¡¯t know what to say.


    *So, are you nning to remove Cyril¡¯s legs next?¡±


    I


    ¡°Of course,¡± Dewitt replied. ¡°I healed Cyril¡¯s legs back then, and now it¡¯s time I take them back.


    Since he treated you poorly, I will not let him off. When I operated on him, he vowed to never let


    down his wife. And since he has wronged you, why should I keep my promise? Clearly, he hasn¡¯t


    kept his.¡±


    This was Dewitt¡¯s greatest source of anger. When he first operated on Cyril, Cyril was unaware of


    Dewitt¡¯s rtion to Sylvia and had quietly mentioned being good to his wife. But looking at how


    things turned out, Dewitt felt betrayed.


    Sylvia was at a loss, her brother, once an angel d in white, now more akin to a demon iming


    souls.


    ¡°But I¡¯ve already said I¡¯d put the past behind us, to consider it my repayment for him saving my life.


    You


    know that¡­¡±


    ¡°What sort of repayment have you not already made? Marrying him, withstanding his family¡¯s


    mistreatment he owes you much more than you owe him. Besides, your debt is with Cyril. What


    does


    Bonnie have to do with it?¡±


    Dewitt had no interest in Sylvia¡¯s exnations; his mind was made up, and nothing could be


    undone.


    ¡°What are you two doing?¡±


    Cyril approached, carrying a box. Upon seeing Sylvia and Dewitt arguing at the door, he was


    puzzled about their quarrel.


    Dewitt¡¯s mood soured when he saw Cyril, and he suddenly wielded a scalpel, advancing towards


    Cyril. Sylvia, gued with a headache, quickly stepped in to stop


    Dewitt.


    ¡°I apologize; we were wrong today. I promise to make this up to you, but let¡¯s leave it at that for now.


    We¡¯re going.¡±


    Although enraged, Dewitt hesitated, not wanting to hurt Sylvia with the scalpel in his hand or make


    her lose face. Reluctantly, he packed up his things and left with Sylvia.


    However, as he passed Cyril, Dewitt shot him a dark look filled with warning.


    ¡°Today you¡¯re lucky, but remember, your luck won¡¯tst forever!¡±


    Chilled by Dewitt¡¯s words, Cyril rushed into Bonnie¡¯s room and was met by her wails of pain,


    sobbing


    bitterly.


    He promptly pressed the call button for help.


    Chapter 110 Orice Expected


    Bonnie cried out to her brother, ¡°It¡¯s all because of that ¡®great¡® doctor you rmended. Look what


    he did to my arm; he threatened to take your legs too. What kind of doctor does this? Why did he


    do this to me after performing surgery? I want him to pay, Brother, you can¡¯t just let this go!¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Cyril looked at Bonnie with a stoic expression, feeling that the sister he knew had be a


    stranger to


    him.


    ¡°Why did you have to do these things? Dewitt is not unreasonable by nature. It was your actions


    that


    provoked him. I told you to behave, I told you to go abroad, and you didn¡¯t listen. Who do you think


    is to me for what happened?¡±


    ¡°Are you even my brother? Look at the state I¡¯m in! You¡¯re defending him instead of me. He took off


    my arm. If he knew how to perform surgery, why would he do this?¡±


    ¡°He operated on you for Sylvia¡¯s sake and yours. I want to know the truth about what led to this.¡±


    When Cyril and Sylvia were about to get married, Sylvia unexpectedly said she no longer wanted a


    wedding. At the time, Cyril thought Sylvia was ming him for changing their ns so suddenly.


    Returning to their marital home recently, he found fragments of a wedding dress¨Ca dress Sylvia had


    designed and made herself, only for it to be destroyed by Bonnie. That was the real reason Sylvia


    called off the wedding¨Ca truth that Cyril had been oblivious to until now.


    Realizing that her brother had discovered the truth, Bonnie went pale and began to cry.


    ¡°Cyril, what are you implying? yo


    want to marry you!¡±


    think this has something to do with me? But she was the one who didn¡¯t


    With her excuse hanging in the air, Cyril pped Bonnie across the face.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I always say, when I married her, that I¡¯d never even consider a divorce? But what have you


    all done to her over the years? You think I¡¯m unaware? Bonnie, no matter the state of your arm,


    you¡¯re out.


    Don¡¯t evere back.¡±


    Cyril was done caring about the troubles Bonnie might have faced abroad. She had made her own


    choices, and now, she had to face the consequences alone.


    Growing up, Cyril was raised by his maternal grandparents, while Bonnie was raised with


    Michelle, resulting in very different upbringings and personalities. Their sibling bond was tenuous


    at best, and Cyril felt little affection; even if Bonnie met her end abroad, he suspected he would feel


    hardly any reaction at


    all.

 Chapter 120

    Chapter 120


    Chapter 120 Why Are You Here?


    Bonnie was genuinely terrified. Without anyone to look after her abroad, how long could she


    survive, especially after stirring up such trouble without informing her family? Why else would she


    have returned to her home country?


    ¡°You can¡¯t just send me abroad. Mom won¡¯t allow it. I¡¯ve just managed toe back; there¡¯s no way


    I¡¯m leaving again. Are you trying to keep the family wealth to yourself? I¡¯ll have you know I¡¯m Mom¡¯s


    child too. Whatever you have, I have a share in it!¡±


    After hearing these words, anyst shred of pity Cyril had for Bonnie vanished. He looked down at


    his sister with a sudden, coldugh.


    ¡°Do you honestly think you have any im to these things? I¡¯ll have you know thepany was


    bankrupt when I took over. It cost me a fortune to buy it out. Thepany is mine now, as is the


    money. I gave you what I did purely because we share blood. Without that, do you think you¡¯d have


    the audacity to stand before me and make demands?¡±


    Cyril was ready to cut ties even with his own mother if only it weren¡¯t for the potential market


    repercussions and the stability of hispany.


    ¡°Bonnie, do not test my patience any further. It¡¯s limited. If you¡¯re unwilling to leave on your own


    terms, then don¡¯t me me for being ruthless.¡±


    Cyril would likely have let Bonnie leave without further ado if she did so quietly. But if she continued


    to defy him, she¡¯d have no one else to me for the consequences.


    Realization washed over Bonnie¡¯s pale face; Cyril was dead serious. If she didn¡¯tply, he


    wouldn¡¯t. hesitate to act against her.


    ¡°And as for your arm, you brought it upon yourself.¡±


    After these final words, Cyril turned and left without another nce.


    It seemed he only came to see if Bonnie was still alive; beyond that, she was of no concern to him.


    Alone and shaking, Bonnie waited until Cyril had left the room before desperately grabbing her


    phone to call Michelle, only to find the line unreachable. Fear gripped her as she imagined being left


    to fend for


    herself.


    Exiting the hospital room, Cyril immediately went looking for Sylvia. He needed to clear up


    misunderstandings and reveal the truth about the past.


    the


    As he stepped outside, he saw Sylvia and Dewitt talking in the garden, seemingly at an impasse.


    Hesitating briefly, Cyril decided to approach them and speak his mind.


    *You really went too far today. Didn¡¯t we agree already? To consider this a charitable act. There was


    no need for what you did, and Bonnie and I don¡¯t have such big conflicts,¡± Sylvia said, clearly upset.


    ¡°Whether there¡¯s a conflict or not isn¡¯t for you to say. I act on what I see. If you hadn¡¯t shown up


    today, I¡® would never have let Cyril off the hook so easily. After how he treated you, you still speak


    for him. That life


    Chapter 120 Why Are You He


    -saving debt should have been settled long agol¡±


    ¡°Dewitt¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you been ming yourself all these years because you think our father died trying to save


    you? I¡¯ve Investigated, Sylvio. The incident with our father was an ident. You were at risk, and


    while saving his own son, he happened to save you too. Even if you hadn¡¯t been there, he would


    have died trying to save


    his son!


    You don¡¯t need to carry this burden. You¡¯ve done enough, been kind to him, wanting to repay that


    debt. You saved him five years ago on that yacht; you¡¯re the one who called me to perform the


    surgery. I did the surgery, but you know how he¡¯s treated you since then, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Dewitt had always been indulgent with Sylvia, but when she was hurt, his indulgence turned into a


    lethal weapon¨Cnot aimed at Sylvia, but certainly at Cyril.


    Cyril, nearing them just in time to hear their conversation, was stunned. His father had died when he


    was ten, saving him and a little girl¨Can act Cyril always believed was mainly for his sake, but he


    never knew that little girl was Sylvia. And the yacht incident five years ago, which he suspected


    might have been Sylvia but was told it was Karina.


    Now, he realized how foolish he¡¯d been.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    His mind buzzed, unsure of what to say, when Dewitt noticed him and roared furiously, ¡°Why are


    you here? What are you doing here? Do you want to hurt my sister again?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± was all Cyril could manage to say.


    Indeed, his father had saved Sylvia by chance, but Sylvia had more than repaid the debt with her


    actions Yet, Cyril had hurt her time and again.


    Hearing Cyril¡¯s apology and seeing his expression, Sylvia paused. She didn¡¯t need his guilt. All


    she¡¯d done was to ease her conscience, knowing well that she was only saved incidentally. That


    incidental rescue granted her the life she led now, and she was grateful to Cyril. She¡¯d wanted to


    repay him, but along the way, that debt of gratitude had turned into love. Now, she was


    disappointed.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more between us. You don¡¯t need to say these things,¡± Sylvia said firmly,


    straightening her posture. The past was past, the debts paid, and it was time for them to walk


    separate paths without any further contact.


    But upon hearing Sylvia¡¯s dismissal, Cyril panicked. It wasn¡¯t supposed to be like this!

 Chapter 121

    Chapter 121


    Chapter 121: Banquet


    Bonnie had been staying in the hospital for over two months, and during this time, she had be


    more subdued. Since thest encounter with Cyril, he had directly canceled her bank card.


    At that moment, Bonnie understood that Cyril was serious this time. He truly cared about Silvia, and


    it was because of her own actions that Cyril had canceled her bank card, trying to make her


    behave.


    If it were any other matter, Bonnie might have let it slide, but the fact that this was rted to Silvia


    made it hard for Bonnie to swallow her pride.


    She had been diligently resting and recuperating over these two months, but her resentment


    towards Silvia only grew stronger.


    ¡°There¡¯s a banquet tonight, your brother will attend. I know things haven¡¯t been great between you


    twotely, but you¡¯re siblings after all, bound by blood. Go to this banquet with your brother and try


    not to cause him any trouble.¡±


    Michelle was aware of the issues between the siblings, feeling a headacheing on. She didn¡¯t


    know


    what to do.


    Her son hadn¡¯t lived with her since he was young, so some resentment was normal, but this matter


    seemed to be affecting their family life. Michelle wanted to take this opportunity for the siblings to


    talk


    and resolve their conflicts.


    A hint of resentment shed in Bonnie¡¯s eyes. She didn¡¯t want to attend any banquet, and she knew


    Cyril didn¡¯t want anything to do with her anymore. He was just doing it for appearances.


    ¡°I understand, Mom. I¡¯ll talk things out with my brother and won¡¯t let you worry anymore. But will


    Silvia attend this banquet?¡±


    Michelle frowned. Despite her daughter¡¯s softened attitude, why did she have to bring up Silvia, that


    infuriating woman?


    Bonnie carefully watched Michelle¡¯s reaction. Seeing her growing impatient, she quickly exined,


    ¡°Mom, I didn¡¯t mean anything else. I¡¯m just concerned that there might be other issues at the


    banquet. If Silvia is there, I can help my brother handle any problems.¡±


    That sounded reasonable. After thinking for a moment, Michelle said, ¡°It¡¯s possible she¡¯ll attend. Her


    company is doing quite well.¡±


    Upon hearing Michelle¡¯s words, Bohnie¡¯s resentment towards Silvia deepened. Why did Silvia


    always seem to get all the good things?


    Despite her thoughts, Bonnie didn¡¯t


    witche continued to portray her delicate demeanor, promising to


    behave well at the banquet and help Cyril.


    Michelle felt somewhat relieved. After helping Bonnie with her discharge procedures, she left the


    rest to her staff.


    Tonight¡¯s banquet gathered many important figures. Almost everyone who was anyone was present.


    I didnt have toe to this banquet today. Big brother, you could have handled this


    matter yourself


    Silvia felt a headacheing on at suchrge gatherings. Though she had returned to the family.


    understanding her role as the heir meant attending such events would be routine. However,


    she wasn¡¯t keen on them, so she would avoid them whenever possible.


    Bruce, hearing Silvia¡¯s words, wasn¡¯t pleased. ¡°Wasn¡¯t cooperating with the Southern Group what


    you¡¯ve always wanted? The person in charge is already here. You can¡¯t just tell me you don¡¯t want


    toe when


    we¡¯re at the door.¡±


    Hearing Bruce¡¯s response, Silvia didn¡¯t argue further. She had indeed been wanting to establish ties


    with the Southern Group¡¯s leadership. Since they were already here, she had no reason to refuse.


    So Silvia shrugged casually, her tone light,pletely different from her earlierints. ¡°Well,


    alright.


    I was just talking nonsense.¡±


    Bruce shook his head helplessly and extended his arm for Silvia to hold onto as they entered the


    banquet hall together.


    The two of them, a handsome man and a beautiful woman, attracted almost everyone¡¯s attention as


    they


    entered, including Cyril¡¯s.


    Cyril watched the woman entering through the door, feeling his heart race. The uncontroble


    sensation left him oddly infatuated and immersed.


    ¡°Oh my god, is that Silvia? It feels like it¡¯s been ages since Ist saw her, and she looks even better


    now.¡±


    Jonathan trailed behind Cyril. He had been talking to others just now, but when he turned around,


    he was shocked to see Silvia standing


    Under the spotlight.


    They indeed hadn¡¯t seen each other for a long time, but it seemed Silvia had changed again since


    their


    Silvia¡¯s transformation was astounding, surprising everyone each time they saw her.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Just standing there, she seemed to be the center of the world¡¯s attention. Everyone, regardless of


    gender, couldn¡¯t help but focus on her, as if doing so would earn them a bit of her favor.


    Jonathan swallowed hard. He used to think Silvia being with Cyril was embarrassing, but now he


    realized he had been too narrow¨Cminded. He had never noticed this side of Silvia before.


    ¡°If we had realized earlier that Silvia was different, would things between you two be different now?¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s unintentional remark dropped like a pebble into Cyril¡¯s calm mind, causing ripples.


    Yeah, if they had realized Silvia was different earlier, would everything be different now?


    ¡°Hey, why so quiet? Oh wait, isn¡¯t the man she¡¯s holding onto Bruce? When did she be so


    close with Bruce? It¡¯s not easy to get involved with the Ivan Group.¡±


    Jonathan noticed that Silvia was tightly holding onto Bruce¡¯s arm.


    Although he didn¡¯t know the exact nature of their rtionship, this scene made people wonder.


    Chapter 121: Banquet


    Jonathan nced at the man beside him, letting out a soft sigh.


    In terms of appearance, the two men were evenly matched, but when it came to keeping a clean


    record, Cyril couldn¡¯tpare to Bruce.


    If Silvia were to choose someone else, it wouldn¡¯t be so surprising.


    However, since the man next to him was his good brother, Jonathan wouldn¡¯t say anything out of


    line. Yet, he couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for his brother.


    ¡°Well, in situations like this, ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to enter the banquet. Maybe she just


    wanted to get close to Bruce by any means necessary. After all, he¡¯s just like that. We¡¯ve known


    each other for so


    many years¡­


    ¡°What kind of person is she, really?¡±


    Cyril turned to Jonathan, gazing earnestly at him. He had never asked before, but what did the


    people around them think of Silvia?


    Act Fast Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 122

    Chapter 122


    Chapter 122: Flirting with a Few Men


    Jonathan was caught off guard by Cyril¡¯s question. He hadn¡¯t expected Cyril to ask something like


    that.


    Seeing Jonathan¡¯s stuttering response, Cyril didn¡¯t press further,


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got business to attend to tonight, so let¡¯s keep our focus there,¡± Cyril said, brushing off the


    topic.


    Thest time they were at the hospital, things got pretty unpleasant. Since then, Cyril had been


    eager to meet with Sylvia, but there was always something getting in the way¨Ceither Sylvia herself


    or other


    circumstances.


    Jonathan couldn¡¯t help but grumble, ¡°Yeah, Sylvia¡¯s quite unexpected. In such a short time, she¡¯s


    already flirting with another guy, and it¡¯s Bruce this time. Who knows, maybe she¡¯s flirting with


    others too.¡±


    Cyril shot Jonathan a chilling re after he spoke, making Jonathan shiver. What was up with that?


    ???


    ¡°Brother, isn¡¯t that the head of Southern Group? Look, Sylvia¡¯s heading over there. Is she going to


    confront you? Should we go over and have a chat with them?¡± Bonnie interjected, breaking the


    tense atmosphere.


    Actually, Bonnie found Jonathan¡¯s words quite rtable. She shared his sentiments.


    The tension dissipated as Cyril¡¯s gaze shifted to Bonnie. She felt a chill run down her spine, sensing


    Cyril had glimpsed her true thoughts.


    She stood there, silent. Cyril simply nced at her as though nothing had happened and then led


    Jonathan to the head of Southern Group.


    The head of Southern Group was a gentleman in his forties, adept at conversation but also quite


    cunning


    Since they arrived, Sylvia and Bruce had been trying to engage him in conversation about


    cooperation, but every time the topic turned that way, he skillfully redirected it.


    It was clear he had no intention of discussing cooperation here. It was as if they were attending a


    simple


    banquet.


    Realizing his intentions, Sylvia and Bruce stopped making futile efforts. If he didn¡¯t want to talk


    business here, they could always arrange another meetingter.


    Just when the atmosphere seemed lively, Cyril arrived with Jonathan.


    ¡°Mr. Walker, good to see you. I¡¯m Jonathan, we¡¯ve had some correspondence before,¡± Jonathan


    said, causing a slight tension among the group.


    #


    When Sylvia entered, she had noticed Cyril but chose to ignore him, not wanting to stir up trouble


    for herself. She hadn¡¯t expected them to approach.


    Mr. Walker noticed Cyril and Jonathan pause momentarily, then shed a smile and nodded at


    them.


    ¡°Long time no see. I did email Cyril some time back, though he didn¡¯t seem particrly interested in


    the cooperation I mentioned,¡± Mr. Walker said.


    Sylvia and Bruce noticed the change In Mr. Walker¡¯s attitude. It was clear he already had someone


    in


    mind for cooperation.


    Sylvia didn¡¯t find it surprising. Cyril was decisive and shrewd, likely anticipating Mr. Walker¡¯s


    thoughts.


    Seeing their apparent desire to chat further, Sylvia felt bored. If they already had a connection, what


    was the point of her efforts here?


    The siblings exchanged a nce, then received each other¡¯s signal. After bidding farewell, they


    left for


    another area.


    ¡°There have been rumors about Southern Group and Cyril¡¯s connection. I thought it was just a joke,


    but it seems Cyril has some skills. But it doesn¡¯t matter; Southern Group isn¡¯t our best partner.


    Compared to them, Southern Group might be safer, but if they¡¯ve already found a partner, we


    should focus on oveing the obstacles. What do you think?¡± Bruce asked.


    Bruce hadn¡¯t initially chosen Southern Group. He was uncertain whether Sylvia could handle the


    increased difficulty.


    Sylvia smiled, understanding her brother¡¯s thoughts. She nodded firmly. ¡°Sure, but Walker¡¯s


    approach is intriguing. Even though they¡¯ve decided to cooperate with Cyril, they¡¯re not intentionally


    revealing it. Perhaps they¡¯re waiting to see if there¡¯s a better partner than Cyril. Such partners aren¡¯t


    worth our time.¡±


    In Sylvia¡¯s view, Mr. Walker wasn¡¯t a desirable partner. They had already found a suitable candidate


    but were dying, possibly to explore other options before breaking off agreements. It was a risky


    move in their business circles, and no one would willingly take such losses.


    But Mr. Walker seemed quite discreet. From this situation, it seemed cooperation between him and


    Cyn was essentially sealed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go greet some partners over there. Wait here, and we¡¯ll head home togetherter,¡± Bruce said.


    Bruce spotted some familiar partners and had initially wanted to take Sylvia with him. But seeing


    herck of interest, he decided not to force her.


    As Sylvia snapped out of her thoughts, she nodded, watching Bruce head off to greet their partners


    while she strolled towards the backyard..


    As she entered the backyard, she bumped into Bonnie.


    Bonnie had been waiting here for quite some time. Initially, she had wanted to confront Sylvia, but


    she was worried about angering Cyril, so she dared not act.


    She hadn¡¯t expected Sylvia toe to her on her own. It was perfect.


    Seeing Bonnie, Sylvia¡¯s expression turned cold. She turned to leave, but Bonnie blocked her path.


    ¡°Why the rush to leave? We haven¡¯t seen each other in months. Don¡¯t you want to catch up? Oh,


    and thanks for my arm. It took three surgeries to fix. I should really thank you for that,¡± Bonnie said.


    There was no hint of gratitude in Bonnie¡¯s words, only resentment. It was clear that she hadn¡¯t


    forgotten what happened at the hospital.

 Chapter 123

    Chapter 123


    Chapter 123: p


    Sylvia had no idea what happened in the hospital afterward, but seeing Bonnie in her current state,


    she knew her days there weren¡¯t easy.


    But really, who could me anyone? If Bonnie hadn¡¯t gone too far in the first ce, none of this


    would¡¯ve happened.


    Bonnie¡¯s plight didn¡¯t really warrant sympathy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve suffered so much, who are you to swagger in here and attend this kind of gathering? Don¡¯t


    forget your ce; you were the one who shamelessly tried to cozy up to our family!¡±


    There weren¡¯t many people in the garden, but Bonnie was determined to embarrass Sylvia, so her


    voice was loud. D


    After hearing themotion between them, many people approached, curious about the recent


    developments.


    Most of the people there knew Bonnie and Sylvia; Bonnie had the entire Strong family behind her,


    and everyone knew her. As for Sylvia, she had gained some fame in the mall recently, so quite a


    few people


    knew her too.


    But no one expected them to still know each other, let alone not getting along.


    ¡°Why are you silent now? Feeling guilty, perhaps? I never thought you¡¯d be such a shameless


    woman, already with another man!¡±


    To an outsider, it might seem like Sylvia¡¯s achievements were all thanks to men.


    Bonnie¡¯s face contorted with anger, looking particrly horrified.


    But Sylvia remained calm as ever, as if Bonnie¡¯s words and actions wouldn¡¯t affect her at all.


    In fact, Bonnie¡¯s words didn¡¯t affect her much.


    When Sylvia decided to let go of everything, the past no longer affected her.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Why should I feel guilty? Why did your arm end up like that? Don¡¯t you have a conscience? If I¡¯m


    not mistaken, I think your brother should have warned you not to bother me unless necessary.¡±


    After knowing Cyril for so many years and loving him deeply, Sylvia knew his character best.


    She had noticed Cyril¡¯s changes recently, as well as his desire for reconciliation.


    So, to make her life morefortable, Cyril would surely warn Bonnie not to cause trouble.


    But Bonnie still came to confront her, clearly not taking Cyril¡¯s warning seriously.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to hang ont¨® me today just to say that everything I¡¯ve achieved is because of men,


    then your perspective is limited. You can¡¯t see beyond that.¡±


    iming to be from a prestigious family yet saying and doing such ridiculous things¨Cwasn¡¯t she just


    Chapte 123. p


    providing more fodder for gossip?


    After Sylvia said this, Bonnie could clearly feel the people around them subtly mocking her.


    Bonnie grew even angrier. Her pride and her family¡¯s prestige didn¡¯t allow her to be bullied by


    Sylvia. She raised her hand angrily, intending to teach Sylvia a lesson.


    As in the past, she could bully Sylvia without reservation. No matter the asion, no matter what


    Sylvia said or did, she would bear Bonnie¡¯s wrath.


    Just when everyone thought Bonnie¡¯s p was about tond on Sylvia¡¯s face, Sylvia grabbed


    Bonnie¡¯s


    wrist.


    The p nevernded on anyone¡¯s face; it was interrupted like that.


    Bonnie was surprised. She tried to pull her hand back, but after spending so long in the hospital,


    weakened as she was, how could she be a match for Sylvia?


    Sylvia held Bonnie¡¯s hand tightly, unmoving, her expression as calm as ever.


    Struggling and cursing, Bonnie said, ¡°Let go of me, you despicable woman, do you believe¡­¡±


    ¡°Believe what?¡± Sylvia coldly interrupted Bonnie, ¡°Do you want to say that once your brother


    arrives, I¡¯ll be


    in trouble?¡±


    What a joke. If she still cared about that man, Bonnie¡¯s words would have an impact, but she didn¡¯t


    care anymore. So, did her words hold any meaning?


    Before Bonnie could say what she wanted, Sylvia had already let go of her hand, stepped back, and


    created some distance between them.


    ¡°I suppose the two months of treatment overlooked your real problem, which is here,¡± Sylvia said,


    pointing to her head, mockingly looking at Bonnie.


    How could Bonnie endure such an insult? Just as she was about to say something, she saw


    someone


    behind Sylvia.


    Bonnie immediately covered her injured arm, took a step back, tears welling up in her eyes.


    Watching this series of actions, Sylvia wasn¡¯t surprised anymore. If everything went as expected,


    the person behind her should be Cyril.


    ¡°I thought Sylvia had changed, but she¡¯s still the same as before, shamelessly bullying people,


    regardless


    of the asion!¡±


    Jonathan hade with Cyril. He didn¡¯t know what had happened, but seeing Bonnie looking so


    wronged, he didn¡¯t hesitate to me Sylvia..


    After Jonathan said this, the whole scene fell silent. Sylvia silently turned around, calmly looked at


    Cyril, then shifted her gaze back to Jonathan.


    ¡°Did you just arrive? Do you know what happened just now?¡±


    ¡°Do I need to know what happened? Look at Bonnie, look at what you¡¯ve done to her. Do you know


    her


    Chapter 123: Stap-


    arm hasn¡¯t healed yet? She juste out of surgery!¡±


    ¡°So what? Is your standard for judging a situation based on who looks more like a victim?¡±


    Sylvia calmly countered, leaving Jonathan unsure how to respond.


    In this situation, many would naturally think Bonnie was wronged, but Sylvia¡¯s calm reaction made it


    seem like it wasn¡¯t a big deal.


    Jonathan felt something wasn¡¯t quite right, but he didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°What about you? Do you also think that way? Do you think I¡¯m just like before, bullying your sister


    regardless of the asion, even though she looks healthier and stronger than me?¡±


    Sylvia threw the question to Cyril.

 Chapter 124

    Chapter 124


    Chapter 124: Different from Before


    The scene before Sylvie suddenly reminded her of something that happened two years ago. It was


    eerily simr to what was happening today.


    It was another banquet, but not on such a grand scale, just a small gathering among friends.


    Originally, Cyril had intended to go alone, but for some reason, he ended up dragging Sylvie along.


    It had


    been a long time since she had been in such social circles, so Sylvie was feeling a bit nervous.


    She started preparing half a month in advance, trying her best to avoid any mishaps.


    But that day, things still went awry. Bonnie, who had returned from abroad, showed up directly at the


    gathering. Seizing the opportunity when nobody was paying attention, she got into an argument


    with Sylvie, just like today.


    Of course, in the end, Sylvie was the one who got pped by Bonnie. However, Bonnie yed the


    victim, using Sylvie of instigating the conflict.


    Cyril and everyone around him, unaware of the truth, chose to believe Bonnie.


    At that time, Sylvie had tried to exin to Cyril, but he didn¡¯t give her the chance. He even stared at


    her with an icy indifference.


    That cold gaze pierced her heart in that moment.


    Many sleepless nights followed, with Sylvie involuntarily recalling that day and Cyril¡¯s icy stare.¡±


    That was more painful than Bonnie pping her; Sylvie still couldn¡¯t forget it.


    But now things were different from before. Back then, she cared about this man in front of her, cared


    about everything he cared about, which is why she ended up in such a miserable state.


    But now, she didn¡¯t need to care so much anymore.


    When Sylvie suddenly asked Cyril, his throat tightened, as if there were words he couldn¡¯t bring


    himself to


    say.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think like that.¡±


    Before, he would have thought Sylvie was at fault, but since learning the truth, he realized things


    weren¡¯t


    as he had assumed.


    Including now, standing here, his initial reaction wasn¡¯t to think Sylvie was wrong, but rather that she


    was the one being unfairly treated.


    Why though?


    Upon closer examination, he¡¯realized it was because he had seen through his sister¡¯s true character


    lately.


    But before he understood his sister¡¯s true nature, Sylvie had suffered too much.


    Memories he had once ignored flooded back like a tide, recalling many instances where Sylvie was


    Chapter 124 Different from Before


    mistreated.


    The end result was always the same, with everyone standing up to use Sylvie, and Sylvie


    questioning herself, but the answers she got were always hurtful.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check the surveince footage to clear your name.¡±


    ¡°No need, it¡¯s not a big deal. There¡¯s no need to check the footage, it¡¯s just some old issues.¡±


    Sylvie raised her hand to stop Cyril. She didn¡¯t need the surveince footage, nor did she need


    anyone. else to prove her innocence.


    If she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, why did she need to clear her name?


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Now that your brother is here, do you n to tattle on me to him?¡±


    Sylvie felt like she was being overly understanding. She knew the other party was just trying to


    cause trouble for her, yet she still gave them the opportunity.


    ¡°Shall I help convey your thoughts to your brother then?¡±


    Seeing Bonnie remain silent, Sylvie continued.


    Bonnie¡¯s expression was extremely ugly. What Sylvie said was exactly what she wanted to say,


    because her injured arm was indeed rted to Sylvie.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that at all! I didn¡¯t intend to say that. You deliberately framed me! If not for your actions,


    how could my rtionship with my brother have be so strained!¡±


    Sylvie pretended not to hear her, treating their strained rtionship as if it had nothing to do with


    her.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s time for you to handle your family affairs. Let¡¯s forget about the past incidents as if they


    never happened. Let¡¯s treat each other as strangers. As for the trouble your sister caused me, I


    hope you can resolve it today.¡± 1


    After finishing her words, Sylvie prepared to leave. However, she suddenly turned back, walked up


    to Bonnie, and raised her hand high, delivering a hard p to her face.


    ? ? ??????? ??


    Bonnie¡¯s face twisted to the side from the impact, her mind nk, in a state ofplete disbelief.


    The people around were startled, they hadn¡¯t expected Sylvie to act at this moment.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve wanted to do this for a long time. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to vent


    today.¡±


    Sylvie put on a dignified smile. This time, she finally felt relieved.


    She turned and left, paying no attention to the reactions behind her.


    After she left, the people around gradually regained their senses.


    ¡°Is she insane? How dare she hit your sister directly! Doesn¡¯t she have any respect for you?¡±


    Jonathan was furious; he hadn¡¯t expected Sylvie to dare to act like this, especially in front of Cyril.


    Chapter 124: Different from Bre


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you reacting at all? Your sister got hit, and I¡¯m telling you, she¡¯s no good. Things were


    different before, but now, after all these years, people change!¡±


    Jonathan spoke loudly to Cyril. Why was he so calm when his sister had been hit?


    After a moment of shock, Cyril also gradually calmed down. His gaze was calm, even carrying a


    subtle.


    chill.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Things were different before, but now, people change.¡±


    Cyril repeated Jonathan¡¯s words, stepping closer to Bonnie.


    ¡°So, what about you? Should I say you¡¯re a person with a firm heart, or should I say you¡¯re


    someone whose heart is so cruel, it will never change?¡±


    That p Sylvie just delivered was surely years of pent¨Cup frustration. She had endured it all


    because of him, and that¡¯s why she hadn¡¯t acted before.


    ¡°Brother, that¡¯s not true, listen to me!¡±


    Bonnie, with a pale face, stepped forward, clutching Cyril¡¯s sleeve tightly, trembling with fear.


    Cyril nced down at his sleeve, pulled his hand away. ¡°Listen to you say what? Listen to you


    continue to nder her? Haven¡¯t you done enough of that over the years?¡±


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 125

    Chapter 125


    Chapter 125 Maintenance


    There was a moment when Cyril really wanted toe clean about his rtionship with Silvia, but


    he knew Silvia would never want to be associated with him in any way.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Plus, their past Interactions hadn¡¯t been great. Most people knew he had a wife, knew he was just a


    figurehead, not respected by others.


    Maybe it was possessiveness or guilt, but Cyril didn¡¯t want anyone else to know about it. He hoped


    that one day, he and Silvia could start anew, leaving all the rumors behind as if they never existed.


    ¡°I never thought you were like this. So, how did you mistreat her when I wasn¡¯t looking?¡±


    ¡°Bro, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. I never mistreated her. You know, I barely even saw her.¡±


    ¡°You sure didn¡¯t see her much. But whenever you did, you found ways to torment her. I just didn¡¯t


    know about it until now. Do you think I¡¯ll just pretend nothing happened?¡±


    Seeing his sister flustered trying to exin, Cyril realized how wrong he had been all these years.


    When they got married, he never thought about divorce. He thought Silvia was enjoying all the


    perks he brought. But recently, he realized Silvia hadn¡¯t enjoyed any of it; she endured endless


    torment.


    If he were the one suffering, how could he forgive the one who caused it?


    So, Silvia hating herself, avoiding him, that was understandable. It was all his fault.


    ¡°Remember this, Cyril. I won¡¯t tolerate this again. If it happens once more, even if Mom and Dad


    come begging on your behalf, I won¡¯t give you any mercy.¡±


    With that, Cyril left, leaving Bonnie behind.


    Jonathan saw Cyril leaving and Bonnie standing there, unsure what to do.


    He wanted to console Bonnie, but Cyril¡¯s reaction indicated something was wrong.


    If he followed Cyril, what about Bonnie?


    Leaving Bonnie here would only invite more ridicule. Even if they sealed all information tonight, the


    upper echelon would still gossip.


    Jonathan stood there, torn between options.


    Finally, he braved it and led Bonnie away from the garden. She couldn¡¯t stay at the party, it would


    only add


    to the mockery.


    After leaving the garden, Silvia was on her way back to the banquet hall when she ran into Bruce.


    Bruce had heard about Silvia and Bonnie in the garden and hurried over, worried about his sister.


    Seeing her unharmed, he sighed in relief.


    Chapter 125 Maintenance


    His concern faded, reced by his usual calm demeanor. ¡°Did they trouble you? Your brother¡¯s


    here.¡±


    Hearing Bruce¡¯s words, Silvia felt a warmth in her heart and smiled.


    Whenever she faced trouble, her brothers would stand by her, even if they didn¡¯t say anything. She


    knew. they¡¯d have her back when needed.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Bruce. I¡¯m not the same as before. They won¡¯t dare bully me again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about time. But you¡¯re my sister; I can¡¯t stand by doing nothing. Come with me.¡±


    Bruce gently put his arm around Silvia¡¯s shoulder, leading her back into the banquet hall.


    As they circled around the hall, they bumped into Cyriling from the garden.


    Cyril, seeing Silvia, felt guilty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t expect this to happen. If I had known¡­¡±


    ¡°Cyril, spare your apologies. Did you not anticipate such a thing happening? You let those people


    bully Silvia without any remorse. Only now, after realizing she saved your life, do you feel sorry? Do


    you it¡¯s toote? Or do you believe your bted defense erases everything?¡±


    Bruce cut Cyril off. Since Silvia had expressed her wish to marry Cyril, their family hadn¡¯t viewed


    him favorably. Especially considering all the grievances Silvia had endured over the years, most of


    which. resulted from Cyril¡¯s inaction.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡±


    think


    Cyril¡¯s expression soured. He wanted to question why Bruce was interrogating him, but he know he


    had lost that right and status.


    He didn¡¯t even have the right to inquire about their rtionship anymore.


    ¡°Of course, you didn¡¯t mean to. But every time Silvia suffered, you remained indifferent as if nothing


    happened. You¡¯re no different from those people.¡±


    Bruce referred to the ones who had hurt Silvia in the past. In a way, Cyril and those people were


    alike.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care what happened before. But from now on, I hope these mindless incidents cease. If they


    happen again, Mr. Streng, I hope you can bear the wrath of the Ivan Group.¡±


    Before, Bruce couldn¡¯t vent his frustration for Silvia, but now he had the chance, and he wouldn¡¯t let


    it


    pass.


    After saying this, Cyril remained silent, his gaze fixed on Silvia. He knew his efforts were toote,


    but he still wanted to make amends.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Silvia didn¡¯t care much for Bruce and Cyril¡¯s words. She felt it was time to move on and didn¡¯t want


    to waste more time on this matter.


    However, Cyril felt Silvia¡¯sck of a direct response sided with Bruce. He felt that Silvia also agreed


    with


    what Bruce said.


    Chapter 125 Maintenance


    Thinking about this, Cyril¡¯s heart ached with regret and pain.


    Watching Silvia and Bruce leave together, they looked sopatible. Once, he also had the chance


    to stand beside Silvia, just aspatible.

 Chapter 126

    Chapter 126


    Chapter 126 Opportunity


    ¡°So, I heard you gave Bonnie a p earlier. Must¡¯ve been building up for a while, huh?¡± Sylvia


    spoke up only after Bruce had walked away a bit, giving them some privacy. She pondered for a


    moment. Truth be told, the p wasn¡¯t something she had been holding onto for too long.


    She genuinely wanted to nip this rtionship in the bud, so she wasn¡¯t too bothered by the incident.


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to be pushed around anymore. The past is the past, now¡¯s now, big brother. We¡¯re


    here to talk business, not dwell on that stuff,¡± Sylvia replied, brushin


    off the topic. Whatever happened in the garden earlier, Bruce was already in the know.


    And surely, he understood her stance by now, didn¡¯t he?


    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t push you. Anyway, in a couple of days, Balke is scheduled for an interview,


    and he wants you to apany him. Dad and I think it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t attend such interviews,¡±


    Bruce changed the subject. Living under the spotlight wasn¡¯t all it cracked up to be; just look at


    Balke.


    Despite his wealth and resources, his reputation forced him to tread carefully in everything he did,


    which was rather stifling


    Even though Sylvia had been groomed from birth to inherit the family legacy, they still hoped she


    could lead a happier, simpler life.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I go to the interview with him? If I¡¯m really going to ept the Ivan Group¡¯s offer,


    interviews like these will bemonce. Can¡¯t I use this as an opportunity to hone my


    skills?¡± Sylvia looked at Bruce puzzled. She knew Balke had been famous before and had done


    numerous interviews. So couldn¡¯t she join him now?


    Bruce paused, realizing his sister¡¯s growth had taken him by surprise.


    They thought they were doing what was best for Sylvia, but she didn¡¯t need it. She could handle


    herself just fine.


    ¡°Big brother, you don¡¯t need to worry about me. I need to grow, so even facing the spotlight and


    media interviews, I¡¯ll manage,¡± Sylvia smiled confidently, just like before.


    Seeing Sylvia¡¯s smile, Bruce finally rxed.


    Indeed, it was time to let her make her own choices, knowing she had the vast Ivan family to fall


    back on..


    ¡°Alright then, go ahead. We¡¯ll talk to Balketer and see what he decides.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After a brief conversation, they went their separate ways.


    As Sylvia conversed with others, she could feel the weight of gazes fixed on her.


    Though it didn¡¯t hinder her, being constantly watched wasn¡¯tfortable.


    Finally, Sylvia found an opportunity to slip away from the crowd and into a secluded corner of the


    corridor.


    Chapter 126 Opportunity


    ¡°So, I heard you gave Bonnie a p earlier. Must¡¯ve been building up for a while, huh?¡± Sylvia


    spoke up only after Bruce had walked away a bit, giving them some privacy. She pondered for a


    moment. Truth be told, the p wasn¡¯t something she had been holding onto for too long.


    She genuinely wanted to nip this rtionship in the bud, so she wasn¡¯t too bothered by the incident.


    ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to be pushed around anymore. The past is the past, now¡¯s now, big brother. We¡¯re


    here to talk business, not dwell on that stuff,¡± Sylvia replied, brushing off the topic. Whatever


    happened in the garden earlier, Bruce was already in the know.


    And surely, he understood her stance by now, didn¡¯t he?


    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t push you. Anyway, in a couple of days, Balke is scheduled for an interview,


    and he wants you to apany him. Dad and I think it¡¯s best if you don¡¯t attend such interviews,¡±


    Bruce changed the subject. Living under the spotlight wasn¡¯t all it cracked up to be; just look at


    Balke.


    Despite his wealth and resources, his reputation forced him to tread carefully in everything he did,


    which


    was rather stifling.


    Even though Sylvia had been groomed from birth to inherit the family legacy, they still hoped she


    lead a happier, simpler life.


    could


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I go to the interview with him? If I¡¯m really going to ept the Ivan Group¡¯s offer,


    interviews like these will bemonce. Can¡¯t I use this as an opportunity to hone my


    skills?¡± Sylvia looked at Bruce puzzled. She knew Balke had been famous before and had done


    numerous interviews. So w


    couldn¡¯t she join him now?


    Bruce paused, realizing his sister¡¯s growth had taken him by surprise.


    They thought they were doing what was best for Sylvia, but she didn¡¯t need it. She could handle


    herself just fine.


    ¡°Big brother, you don¡¯t need to worry about me. I need to grow, so even facing the spotlight and


    media interviews, I¡¯ll manage,¡± Sylvia smiled confidently, just like before.


    Seeing Sylvia¡¯s smile, Bruce finally rxed.


    Indeed, it was time to let her make her own choices, knowing she had the vast Ivan family to fall


    back on.


    ¡°Alright then, go ahead. We¡¯ll talk to Balketer and see what he decides.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    After a brief conversation, they went their separate ways.


    As Sylvia conversed with others, she could feel the weight of gazes fixed on her.


    Though it didn¡¯t hinder her, being constantly watched wasn¡¯tfortable.


    Finally, Sylvia found an opportunity to slip away from the crowd and into a secluded corner of the


    corridor.


    Chaplegi25 Opportunity


    She knew Cyril would follow her.


    As expected, as soon as she reached the corridor, Cyril¡¯s footsteps echoed behind her.


    Tuming to face him, Sylvia felt a twinge of Irritation. Why was he still clinging to her? Hadn¡¯t he


    gotten


    what he wanted?


    ¡°Do you have something else to say?¡± she asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know about today, and I never considered before. You¡¯ve been through a lot, and I


    apologize. I hope you can give me a chance. I want to make up for what I¡¯ve done before. Can


    you?¡± Cyril suddenly lowered his tone, a gesture that Sylvia found unsettling.


    She turned her head not meeting his gaze directly.


    away


    ¡°So, you want a chance to make amends? But there¡¯s no chance left,¡± Sylvia said after a moment of


    silence, looking at Cyril seriously.


    Not everything can bepensated for. Like the things between them.


    Cyril felt a pang of urgency. How could there be no chance?


    If Sylvia would only give him a chance, he would stand still, no matter how difficult the path ahead.


    He would do whatever it took to bridge the gap.


    ¡°Have I not given you a chance all these years? Have I not tried to exin what I¡¯ve done to you?


    When your sister bullied me, didn¡¯t I give you a chance to hear me out?¡± Cyril¡¯s questions


    left him speechless.


    He couldn¡¯t answer. 1


    Yes, Sylvia had given him many chances, even pursued him, but he always treated her as a


    nuisance. He didn¡¯t want to listen to her, repeatedly refusing her approach.


    And in those repeated refusals, he lost many opportunities to understand Sylvia.


    ¡°Alright, there¡¯s nothing left to say between us. Let¡¯s leave it at that,¡± Sylvia sighed, realizing that


    Cyril, too, understood that there were no more chances left. Opportunities were finite; once missed,


    they were lost.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never realized how much you¡¯ve suffered.¡±


    ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t know. You¡¯ve never cared about me. But I understand. Someone who


    doesn¡¯t care won¡¯t bother to find out what I¡¯ve been through. It¡¯s normal. If you really want to repay


    me, then let¡¯s pretend we never met.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s tone was calm, her meaning crystal clear.


    She truly didn¡¯t want any more involvement with Cyril. It was best to call it quits.


    But that wasn¡¯t what Cyril wanted. If he truly wanted to end things, he wouldn¡¯t have followed her.


    He didn¡¯t want things to reach this point.


    ¡°Is there nothing else? If not, go take your sister to see a doctor. Check her arm, make sure there


    are nosting effects.¡±


    ?Chapter 126 Opport¨²hly


    With those perhaps final words of kindness exchanged between them, Sylvia walked past Cyril.


    Watching her retreating figure, Cyril realized that the gap between him and Sylvia seemed like an


    impassable chasm, with mes raging on one side. But he wasn¡¯t ready to give up. If he had made.


    mistakes, he wanted to make amends. Whether Sylvia wanted it or not, he wanted to show her his


    sincere


    desire to change.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    However, Cyril knew that rushing things wouldn¡¯t achieve his goals.


    Taking a deep breath, he followed after her.


    Around the corner, he spotted a stranger, intimately holding Sylvia¡¯s waist, their closeness


    resembling


    that of lovers.

 Chapter 127

    Chapter 127


    Chapter 127: A Grand Entrance


    So, these two must have just met, right? But Sylvia didn¡¯t shove this guy away from her, which


    means. they¡¯re closer than I thought.


    But Cyril doesn¡¯t have a clue about this guy standing in front of him.


    Cyril¡¯s itching to walk over and ask Sylvia about their rtionship, but he can¡¯t seem to take that


    step. He¡¯s just stuck there, staring at them both.


    Sylvia¡¯s been facing away from Cyril the whole time, plus she¡¯s focused on the guy in front of her, so


    she hasn¡¯t noticed Cyril lurking behind.


    ¡°Hey, howe you¡¯re here? Weren¡¯t you busy with Miranda doing something else?¡±


    Even though there¡¯s nobody around, Sylvia still lets go of Duncan¡¯s hand.


    They have this little clique, where they chat about all sorts of stuff every day. Duncan mentioned


    they might join after they finished up with Miranda. So Sylvia¡¯s kinda surprised, like, weren¡¯t you


    supposed to be busy? Howe you¡¯re here now?


    Duncan catches sight of someone standing nearby. He knows who it is and decides to edge closer


    to Sylvia. Even though he doesn¡¯t actually touch her, from Cyril¡¯s angle, it totally looks like they¡¯re


    close.


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re done with the other thing, so here I am, Heard this ce is pretty interesting,


    thought I¡¯d check it out. Aren¡¯t you happy to see me?¡±


    As Duncan speaks, he puts on this slightly hurt expression, leaving Sylvia at a loss for words. R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s not really up to me. After all, I didn¡¯t organize this event. But since you¡¯re here, you


    could mingle with the folks around, make some connections. Who knows, it might be helpful for you


    in the


    future.¡±


    As Sylvia¡¯s about to get all serious and start talking business with Duncan, he feels a bit


    exasperated. He just reaches out and covers Sylvia¡¯s mouth with his hand.


    ¡°Alright, alright, spare me the lectures. I know I shouldwork with them, but I¡¯m here to find you,


    not to listen to you preach. By the way, I bumped into Bruce on my way here, and he mentioned


    something. You two really are like siblings; you talk simrly.¡±


    Sylvia hears Duncan¡¯s words and bursts outughing. Duncan¡¯s the kind of guy who craves


    freedom and hates being tied down. So being here, he must be feeling pretty ufortable.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t talk about that anymore. My brother and I are about to leave. Are you leaving


    too?¡±


    They¡¯ve pretty much wrapped things up, and Sylvia¡¯s said what she needed to. There¡¯s not much


    else to discuss.


    Might as well just head home.


    When Duncan hears Sylvia saying they¡¯re about to leave, his eyes light up. He grabs Sylvia¡¯s wrist


    and starts pulling her towards the exit.


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush. I have something to tell you. Come on, I¡¯ve been nning this for ages.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s a bit puzzled. What could Duncan possibly have prepared?


    So she follows Duncan downstairs,


    Seeing the two of them heading downstairs so intimately, Cyril¡¯s eyes start to redden, feeling a pang


    of hurt deep inside


    At this moment, he feels like he can understand Sylvia¡¯s feelings over the years.


    Is this how Sylvia feels every time Cyril¡¯s with Karina?


    Feelings he¡¯s never experienced before are flooding him now that Sylvia¡¯s distanced herself from


    him.


    Apart from sadness, there¡¯s nothing left in his heart.


    Cyril lets out a sigh, almost like torturing himself, and joins the two downstairs, eager to see what


    they¡¯re


    up to.


    When they reach the ground floor, Cyril is shocked by what he sees.


    In the middle of the venue, there¡¯s a red carpetid out, surrounded by decorations, with soft


    romantic.


    music ying.


    All this in just a moment, showing how thoughtful and quick the preparation was.


    Duncan grabs Sylvia and leads her to the center of the red carpet. He snaps his fingers, and the


    music suddenly changes to upbeat dance tunes.


    People around them see what¡¯s happening and sh meaningful smiles, Clearly, they know


    something might happen next.


    Sylvia¡¯s speechless. This kind of setup is beyond her expectations.


    Little did she know, Duncan had secretly prepared all this. If she knew Duncan hadid out a red


    carpet here and coordinated with so many people, she wouldn¡¯t havee downstairs.


    Sylvia thinks she¡¯s been quite high¨Cprofiletely, but she never expected to be even more so


    here.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? Preparing all this here, it¡¯s like you¡¯re about to propose or something.¡±


    Sylvia lowers her voice, saying to Duncan.


    She doesn¡¯t want people around to misunderstand their rtionship.


    Duncan hesitates for a moment. He did have that idea originally, but seeing Sylvia¡¯s slightly


    reluctant expression, he realizes his efforts haven¡¯t made her happy, maybe even annoyed her.


    With an awkward smile on his face, Duncan bites his lip. ¡°I didn¡¯t really think that far ahead. I just


    heard you were here, and Cyril too. I didn¡¯t want you to feel embarrassed. If you don¡¯t like it, should


    I have it all removed?¡±


    Sylvia knows that¡¯s Duncan¡¯s mindset. He seems to be at odds with Cyril, popping up wherever


    Cyril is,


    Chapter 127 A Grand Entrance


    and always making a scene.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a bit toote to remove all this now, with so many people watching quietly as we walked


    in. Whatever ns you have, let¡¯s just get them over with quickly and leave. So we don¡¯t make it


    awkward.¡±


    Sylvia genuinely feels that way. With everyone¡¯s eyes fixed on them, leaving now might stir up even


    more. gossip. It¡¯s easier to just go along with Duncan.


    But the thought of what¡¯sing next makes Sylvia¡¯s head ache.


    Anyway, whether they leave or stay here today, there¡¯ll definitely be more trouble tomorrow.


    Duncan¡¯s eyes light up. He pulls Sylvia to the center of the red carpet, and with the music starting,


    they start dancing.


    Many others join in too.


    This rather dull business gathering instantly bes more interesting, all thanks to Duncan¡¯s


    unexpected


    move.


    Act Fast: Free Bonus Time is Running Out!

 Chapter 128

    Chapter 128


    Chapter 128: What¡¯s the Comparison


    Duncan¡¯s series of moves really set the whole atmosphere on fire, and many people here were


    happily Joining in the fun.


    While Sylvia was dancing with Duncan in the middle of the dance floor, she noticed Bruce was


    busy


    with others. Judging by Bruce¡¯s expression, he must have agreed on several coborations.


    That surprised Sylvia quite a bit. She hadn¡¯t expected such an asion to foster several


    coborations, but hey, it wasn¡¯t a bad thing.


    Duncan had other ns initially, but since Sylvia wasn¡¯t too keen on them, he settled for starting


    with dancing, and that was that.


    Everyone gathered at the center stage, dancing to several songs, and things gradually returned to a


    more


    formal tone.


    However, that little interlude of rxation made everyone quite happy.


    Sylvia was catching her breath, and Duncan guided her to sit down and brought her a ss of juice.


    Looking at the juice in Duncan¡¯s hand, Sylvia furrowed her brow. Everyone else was drinking


    alcohol, and here she was with juice. It felt a bit out of ce.


    Of course, the most important question was, where did Duncan get that juice from?


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. You know I¡¯m always very considerate. So when preparing for


    something, I always think it through. I know it¡¯s a party, and you¡¯d probably want to drink, but I


    figured Bruce wouldnt want to drink too much. So, I arranged for someone to get you this juice. How


    about that? Am I being particrly attentive? Do you feel like you¡¯re almost falling for me?¡±


    Some of the heartfelt words were wrapped in jokes, while others were directly expressed.


    Though Duncan seemed very rxed, deep down, he was quite nervous. He didn¡¯t know if Sylvia


    would take his joke seriously.


    Sylvia rolled her eyes directly, took the juice from his hand, had a sip, and put it aside.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, then I bet there are plenty of girls here feeling fluttery because of your


    thoughtfulness. But sorry to burst your bubble, that fluttery feeling definitely doesn¡¯t include me.


    Alright, if there¡¯s nothing else, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ve had enough of being the center of attention here.¡±


    Thatst remark genuinely gave her a headache. Sylvia was almost at her wit¡¯s end. People around


    her kept staring at her, even though she wasn¡¯t the one stirring up all these things.


    Duncan shrugged. He had done what he wanted to do, and now that he understood Sylvia¡¯s current


    mood, there was no reason to stay here any longer. Since Sylvia wanted to leave, he might as well


    just go.


    But Sylvia¡¯s reaction just now still made Duncan feel a little sad.


    He had always hoped to take things further with Sylvia, but she seemed unwilling. So their


    rtionship seemed to be stuck where it was.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go talk to Bruce for a bit.


    There was a hint of reluctance on Duncan¡¯s face, but Sylvia didn¡¯t notice any difference.


    Watching Duncan walk away towards Bruce after saying that, Sylvia took the opportunity to walk to


    aer with her ss. It was closest to the exit, and as soon as those two men finished talking,


    they could leave immediately.


    After a few more dance tunes, everyone resumed their conversations, and Cyril gradually regained


    his senses amidst the numbness.


    Seeing Sylvia standing in the corner, yfully sipping her juice, Cyril hesitated for a moment before


    walking up to her.


    ¡°Who was that guy just now? Is he pursuing you?¡±


    Sylvia, who had just put down her juice, heard Cyril¡¯s somewhat probing words and frowned, feeling


    a bit


    impatient.


    Whatever her rtionship with Duncan was, why did Cyril feel entitled toe over and ask such


    questions?


    ¡°Was it fun? I saw youughing so brightly while dancing with him, more fun than being with me,


    apparently.¡±


    Cyril endured the bitterness, speaking with a tinge of reproach to Sylvia. But in reality, he was just


    envious. Sylvia could dance with that guy so joyfully, even standing so close to him. The gazes from


    the surrounding people, filled with envy and jealousy, made him feel even more bitter.


    Throughout their marriage, whenever he and Sylvia appeared together, no one ever looked at them


    with such harmless eyes.


    In fact, Sylvia didn¡¯t get many opportunities to go out with him.


    ¡°What gives you the right to ask me that? Yes, being with him was indeed more interesting than


    being with you. But so what?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything else. I just want to know what your rtionship with him is now.¡±


    Cyril fell silent for a moment before speaking slowly.


    Yes, after they had separated, he had no right to continue meddling in Sylvia¡¯s life. Even Sylvia¡¯s


    rtionship with that guy wasn¡¯t within his scope of inquiry. And Duncan, just by being so


    conspicuous just now, had already outdone him.


    ¡°What¡¯s my rtionship with him? It¡¯s none of your business. Since we¡¯re divorced, let¡¯s not interfere


    with each other anymore. You¡¯re making me feel annoyed.¡±


    Sylvia said this with a frown, her eyes full of impatience and disgust. Cyril couldn¡¯t pretend he hadn¡¯t


    seen


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    1. it.


    Bruce and Duncan seemed to have finished their conversation and were walking over with a


    somewhat aggressive air.


    Chube: 128 Whats the Comparison


    Sylvia just wanted to avoid trouble, so she didn¡¯t want to make things moreplicated


    for herself and Immediately walked towards the two men.


    But just now when she was talking to Cyrill, she had already attracted the attention of the people


    around her with their ambiguous gazes, which made Sylvia even more irritated.


    She knew that having conversations with two men in one night, especially If It looked suspicious,


    would definitely lead to trouble, especially if one of those men was Cyril.


    ¡°I just had a chat with Bruce. Heard you guys are nning to integrate Al with the healthcare


    system. Maybe we could coborate on this. Tonight, I¡¯lle back with you guys, and we can


    discuss this project in detail. What do you think?¡±


    Duncan provocatively nced at Cyril, deliberately getting closer to Sylvia, cing his hand on her


    shoulder.


    Sylvia felt a bit speechless at Duncan¡¯s stance. It was something he often did during their usual


    interactions, so Sylvia didn¡¯t see any issue with it.


    But just because Sylvia thought it was okay didn¡¯t mean others did too.

 Chapter 129

    Chapter 129


    Chapter 129: The Determined Knight


    Bruce nced at Duncan¡¯s subtle movements, while also keeping an eye on the reactions of the


    people around. Seeing some curious nces directed their way, he raised an eyebrow ever so


    slightly.


    ¡°About corperating, we¡¯ll discuss it during work hours. Now¡¯s not the time for it. Sylvia and I are


    heading back. If you don¡¯t have anything urgent, you should head home too. Tonight¡¯smotion


    needs to be contained. I don¡¯t fancy seeing my sister¡¯s name stered across tomorrow¡¯s


    entertainment headlines.


    ¡°Oh, Bruce, your words really sting. Even if it¡¯s not about me today, Sylvia might still end up getting


    linked with Cyril somehow. Instead of seeing Sylvia¡¯s name in tomorrow¡¯s gossip, might as well think


    if it¡¯ll be sshed across the business section alongside Cyril¡¯s. That seems more likely.¡±


    Bruce simply didn¡¯t want Sylvia getting too involved with others, but with the events of tonight,


    making it


    to the headlines seemed unlikely anyway.


    Bruce sighed inwardly, but it was the truth.


    ¡°As long as you don¡¯t stir up trouble, there shouldn¡¯t be too many issues. Now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Bruce said, taking Sylvia¡¯s hand, ready to leave.


    Duncan saw the siblings leaving and promptly followed suit, like a determined knight, always


    guarding his princess, and for Duncan, Sylvia was his princess.


    The three of them left the banquet hall one after another, and the attention of the others returned. It


    was just a minor incident for them, nothing that would affect their matters.


    Cyril watched them leave and immediately followed suit, stepping out alongside them.


    As he


    walked out, he coincidentally ran into Jonathan, who was seeing Bonnie off.


    Jonathan brushed shoulders with Sylvia and Cyril, noticing Cyril¡¯s fixed gaze in Sylvia¡¯s direction.


    Duncan held the car door open for Sylvia, helping her inside before taking the passenger seat


    himself. They left together in a car. What was the deal with their rtionship?


    As Jonathan prepared to say something, he noticed Cyril¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t quite right, so he


    stopped


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    himself.


    ¡°Seeing how intimate they are, Sylvia and I won¡¯t reach that point again. Could we possibly see


    their names together on tomorrow¡¯s front page?


    It was more like he was asking himself, not expecting an answer.


    ¡®Their rtionship¡­¡±


    Jonathan racked his brain trying to figure out how to respond. He had just arrived and only saw


    Sylvia leaving with another man, no, two men. But what exactly happened, he truly didn¡¯t know. He


    could tell Cyril was triggered by the scene.


    *Seeing how many men flock around Sylvia after you left, going with two men tonight, what¡¯s there


    to


    The Detentn¨¦d Knight


    think about their rtionship? Clearly, Sylvia¡¯s not being cautious.¡±


    He didn¡¯t want his brother to be stuck in a failed rtionship, especially when they didn¡¯t see


    any merit in Sylvia. So, when he spoke, it was disparaging.


    He had heard this kind of disparagement too many times before, but today, hearing it, Cyril found it


    particrly grating. Why did they think Sylvia was reckless?


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear anything detrimental about Sylvia from you anymore. Sylvia and I have no


    rtionship. Who she chooses to be with is her own business, nothing to do with me.¡±


    ¡°God, your words really hurt and upset me. Look at you, looking like you¡¯ve been deeply wronged. I


    just want you to be happier, nothing else.¡±


    Jonathan felt extremely aggrieved. He didn¡¯t know what had happened, so he spoke from Cyril¡¯s


    perspective. But Cyril seemed oblivious to it all.


    So Jonathan added, ¡°Though I don¡¯t think you being with Sylvia is a good idea. When Sylvia


    approached you initially, she definitely had her own agenda. Don¡¯t let her bewitch you.¡±


    ¡°Enough, stop it. If there¡¯s nothing else, leave.¡±


    Cyril closed his eyes, interrupting Jonathan.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯ll stop. How about joining us for the party? You don¡¯t seem too happy today.


    Coming along might cheer you up. I¡¯ve already seen Bonnie off, so there won¡¯t be any disturbances


    for you tonight.¡±


    Jonathan noticed Cyril¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t great, so he suggested going out together. They had nned


    it but hadn¡¯t told Cyril beforehand, assuming he wouldn¡¯t agree. However, now might be a good


    chance.


    Cyril, however, was feeling extremely irritable. When he heard Jonathan mentioning the setup, he


    decided to go and see what was happening. He had something to prepare, and this might be the


    opportunity to


    resolve it.


    The atmosphere in the car on the way back became notably tense. Sylvia attempted to speak


    several times, but Bruce¡¯s cold gaze halted her each time.


    Halfway through the journey, the tension inside the car remained palpable. Nobody spoke. Even the


    driver seemed to speed up unconsciously.


    ¡°Why were you here tonight?¡±


    Bruce¡¯s first words carried a defensive tone and discontent, a stark contrast to how it all started.


    But when Sylvia turned to him, Bruce shed a bright smile that seemed devoid of concern for


    Bruce¡¯s


    anger.


    ¡°Nothing much, just came to have some fun. What about you? Enjoying tonight?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find anything particrly enjoyable tonight. At the next intersection, you can get off. Sylvia


    and I are heading home. If you¡¯re free, don¡¯t follow us anymore. You do have a car, it¡¯s been trailing


    us all this


    while.¡±


    Bruce¡¯s disdain and irritation were clear. He didn¡¯t want Duncan tagging along, and Sylvia had


    nothing


    more to say


    But Sylvia was curious, what had happened between the two of them?

 Chapter 130

    Chapter 130


    Chapter 130: What Are You Doing Here?


    As they reached the crossroads, Duncan wasn¡¯t too keen, but eventually, Bruce convinced him to


    get out, so he hopped into his car and headed home. The two cars parted ways at the fork in the


    road.


    Once Duncan exited the car, Sylvia felt the atmosphere Inside finally return to normal. Even the


    driver couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°I know you and Miranda are close, so naturally, your rtionship with Duncan is good too. That¡¯s


    why I want to ask about the status between you and Duncan. How far has it progressed? If your


    next step is to rekindle a romantic rtionship, I won¡¯t stop you. But if you¡¯re considering marriage


    again, I suggest you think it over carefully. Duncan is a decent guy, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s marriage


    material.¡±


    Bruce dropped a bombshell right off the bat, leaving Sylvia wide¨Ceyed and unsure of what to say.


    She only saw Duncan as a good friend, no different from her rtionship with Miranda. Why did it


    sound wronging from Bruce?


    ¡°Big brother, are you mistaken? My rtionship with Duncan isn¡¯t asplicated as you think.


    We¡¯re just friends, nothing more. You know he¡¯s always been a bit unreliable, prone to these kinds


    of situations. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s been abroad for years, so you¡¯re not used to it.¡±


    Sylvia tried to rify, but Bruce could see through her clear gaze that Sylvia hadn¡¯t thought much


    about it. But a man understands men best, and he knows Duncan¡¯s true intentions, both today and


    in the past. However, Sylvia seemed oblivious.


    If Duncan didn¡¯t show his hand, there wasn¡¯t much more to say to avoid involving Sylvia further.


    ¡°Alright, just a passing remark. It¡¯s just that his attitude towards you seems different. If there¡¯s no


    issue, then let it be. But whatever you decide, I won¡¯t stand in your way. However, there¡¯s one thing


    you must do -ept the entire Ivan family.¡±


    Bruce changed the subject, avoiding further talk about Duncan. He moved on to work matters,


    mentioning the discussions he had during their dance about potential coborations.


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but admire her brother¡¯s industriousness. Even in such settings, he


    remembered to discuss business. She couldn¡¯t recall such details.


    As they chatted, they arrived home. It waste, so they tidied up and retired to their respective


    rooms to


    rest.


    Early


    the next morning, Sylvia woke up and checked the headlines on her phone. True to her


    expectations, her name and Cyril¡¯s were prominently featured in both entertainment and business


    sections.


    She felt a headacheing on. Duncan¡¯s name wasn¡¯t mentioned; he must have done something.


    But seeing her name linked with Cyril¡¯s irritated her.


    Running her fingers through her hair, she decided against delving deeper into the content and shut


    her phone off to get ready.


    Chapte? TJL WERBAHe You Daing


    She had a lot on her te for the day¨Cvisiting the magazine¡¯s shooting location, checking on their


    artists, discussing uing coborations with partners, and catching up with her brother. Plus,


    there was a meeting regarding integrating Al with medical devices, something their senior


    researcher had been pondering.


    As she thought about her packed schedule, she descended the stairs to find Bruce had already left


    for his own engagements. They both had busy days ahead, with Bruce preparing for a trip in the


    afternoon.


    After breakfast, Sylvia had her driver take her to the magazine¡¯s shoot location. Little did she expect


    to


    encounter someone there.


    It had been a while since she¡¯d seen Karina. She had assumed Karina had left, only to find her


    here.


    ¡°What are you doing here? Are you aware Cyril¡¯s here today, so you intentionally came? Let me tell


    you, there¡¯s absolutely nothing between Cyril and me anymore. I wouldn¡¯t spare him a second


    nce. Quit wasting your efforts!¡±


    Karina¡¯s hostility was palpable as soon as they met. Sylvia halted, surprised. Cyril was here today?


    Why hadn¡¯t anyone informed her?


    Well, Cyril¡¯s schedule was always a mystery to her. Perhaps his visit was impromptu. After all, with


    Karina present, Cyril¡¯s sudden appearance wasn¡¯t far¨Cfetched.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking. I¡¯m here because my artists are shooting for the magazine. I just came to


    check on things. You don¡¯t need to be so hostile. I have no interest in that man anymore.¡±


    Sylvia tried to diffuse the tension before heading inside to find her artists. As she located them, she


    noticed Cyril wasn¡¯t far off, apanied by a handsome man, likely one of theirpany¡¯s artists.


    Sylvia nced briefly before focusing on her tasks, discussing arrangements and checking on the


    shoot¡¯s


    progress.


    Once she was done, she prepared to leave. ncing back to where Cyril was, she


    noticed he was gone. Good riddance, she thought, feeling relieved to avoid any confrontations.


    Just as she reached the door, Karina intercepted her again.


    Sylvia sighed internally. Wasn¡¯t Karina supposed to have other things to do today?


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°I¡¯m about to leave. I won¡¯t be bothering you further. If you have something to say, make it quick.¡±


    ¡°I have something I want to talk to you about. Can we find a ce to chat?¡±


    Karina¡¯s reluctance to let things go puzzled Sylvia. She had left the situation defeated, especially by


    someone she never saw as a rival¨CSylvia.

 Chapter 131

    Chapter 131


    Chapter 131: Is She Crazy?


    For a moment there, Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Karina was losing her marbles. Their


    rtionship was already on shaky ground to begin with.


    Plus, hadn¡¯t they covered all this ground before? They had made themselves clear. So, what was


    the point. of continuing this conversation today?


    ¡°I think there¡¯s really nothing left for us to discuss. Instead ofing to me to rehash old topics,


    have you thought about how to quickly get out of this mess? Being embroiled in scandals isn¡¯t


    exactly great for your career as an actress. It¡¯s practically torpedoed your future, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    For a long time, their rtionship had been akin to that of enemies. So, when they spoke, it was like


    wielding sharp knives, piercing each other¡¯s soft spots.


    After Sylvia finished speaking, Karina noticeably fell silent, her expression turning sour. But being in


    a professional setting, there were things she couldn¡¯t say, which ended up working in Sylvia¡¯s favor.


    Knowing Karina had nothing more to say, Sylvia chuckled. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve figured it out. If you¡¯re


    here to talk about Cyril, I advise against it. My stance is pretty clear. Don¡¯t involve me in your drama


    anymore.¡±


    With that said, Sylvia took out her phone, sent a few messages, and left. After all, there were other


    things to attend to. She couldn¡¯t spend all her time here.


    As for Karina, she stood there watching Sylvia leave.


    Despite feeling indignant, Karina had to admit that since Sylvia chose to leave and let go of


    everything with Cyril, Sylvia had changed. She wasn¡¯t dwelling on the past anymore; her focus was


    on the present


    The Sylvia now wasn¡¯t the same woman Karina used to disdain. She had be even more


    impressive, making Karina feel envious.


    But just as Sylvia had pointed out, Karina was deeply entangled in scandals now, almost ruining her


    entire


    future.


    Especially since she had offended Cyril. If she wanted to stand firm in this industry, regain her


    previous. resources and status, she needed to make some sacrifices.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Realizing this, Karina turned back to her work, ready to continue. However, as soon as she did, she


    was met with Cyril¡¯s somewhat displeased and guarded gaze.


    ¡°What were you talking to her about just now?¡±


    Cyril¡¯s protective tone caught Karina off guard, leaving her unsure of what to say.


    Cyril was indeed a good person. If he cared about you, he would hold your feelings close to his


    heart. But if you meant nothing to him, nothing you did would faze him.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d hurt Sylvia? You needn¡¯t worry. She¡¯s doing better now than you think.¡±


    Karina¡¯s words pained her deeply. Regardless of her rtionship with Sylvia, she was genuinely


    sincere towards Cyril.


    Chapte 131.1. She Crazy?


    Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t turn out as expected.


    Cyril narrowed his eyes slightly, not entirely believing Karina¡¯s words.


    Over time, he hade to realize that most of the harm Sylvia suffered was a result of his


    favoritism


    towards Karina


    While Karina might not directly harm Sylvia, she always found ways to hurt her, something Cyril had


    never noticed before.


    ¡°Whether you harm Sylvia or not, I warn you, if you dare to do anything to hurt her, I¡¯ll make you


    regret it. What you have now isn¡¯t easy toe by. Don¡¯t ruin everything you¡¯ve worked so hard


    for.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t like this before. Why, now suddenly you feel like you¡¯ve hurt her and want to make it up


    to her by destroying everything I have?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t do such a thing. Regardless, your future is in your own hands. I just don¡¯t want her to suffer


    any more harm.¡±


    Cyril didn¡¯t want to be ruthless. If Karina couldn¡¯t correct her attitude, then he would indeed take


    some


    measures


    At this moment, Cyril seemed particrly distant to Karina. She should have noticed that Cyril¡¯s


    feelings towards Sylvia had changed.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m not foolish. I know what¡¯s best for me now. No need for you to remind me here.¡±


    With that said, Karina sidestepped Cyril and returned to her workstation. Other matters were less


    important now. She just needed to hold onto what she had.


    For several days straight, Sylvia found herself bumping into Cyril at her workce.


    It irked her to no end. Had her actions been leaked? Why was Cyril trailing her like nothing was


    wrong?


    Today, Juliette apanied Sylvia. When their cars reached the city, they noticed a car following


    them. It was obvious who was inside.


    ¡°Do you want to talk to him? He¡¯s been following you these days. You two are all over the


    entertainment headlines. Even the hottest celebrities can¡¯t outshine you two.¡±


    After all, gossip and entertainment news drew more attention. And when it came to Cyril, who was


    once divorced and now possibly reconciling, Sylvia was even more intriguing.


    Sylvia had seen the entertainment news these past few days.


    The more she read, the more absurd it seemed. She and Cyril had nothing going on. How could


    those scandalous media outlets dare to specte about them remarrying?


    ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to say to him. Don¡¯t you think if I go to him now, tomorrow¡¯s headlines will blow our


    rtionship out of proportion, maybe even im we¡¯ve agreed to remarry?¡±


    Juliette pondered for a moment. Sylvia did have a point, but they couldn¡¯t let him keep trailing them.


    It was not only interfering with their work but also preventing Cyril from doing his.


    ¡°In that case, there¡¯s no need to approach him. But we do need to address those online rumors.


    They won¡¯t affect him much, but they certainly will you.¡±

 Chapter 132

    Chapter 132


    Chapter 132 Stay Away from Me


    These past couple of days, as they went about their work, it seemed like everyone had their eyes


    on them


    and Juliet felt the same way.


    to some extent. Silvia felt uneasy


    So, it was no surprise when Jullet uttered those words, asking Silvia to handle the current situation.


    But clearly, things weren¡¯t going to be easily resolved.


    Just as she finished speaking, she noticed some movement from the car behind them.


    Cyril stepped out of the car and started walking directly toward them, sending shivers down Juliet¡¯s


    spine.


    ¡°What do we do?¡± Juliet knew Silvia was growing increasingly impatient with Cyril and just wanted


    to get rid of him as much as possible.


    So when Cyril approached, Juliet subconsciously wanted the driver to start the car. However, they


    had already reached their destination and were about to meet with the person in charge. It wouldn¡¯t


    be appropriate to drive away now.


    Avoiding the problem wasn¡¯t Silvia¡¯s style either. These past few days, she had been tolerating Cyril,


    but today, she had had enough.


    ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll go sort this out,¡± Silvia said as she got out of the car. Cyril had intended to


    knock on the door, but seeing Silviaing down, he paused and took a step back, allowing Silvia


    to face him directly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to talk to you these past few days. That day on set, I saw Karina go to you. But


    that wasn¡¯t my idea. I didn¡¯t know she would approach you. Were you upset about it?¡± Cyril¡¯s tone


    unconsciously carried a hint of pleading and humility, much like a mirror image of how Silvia had


    once


    been.


    Silvia paused at Cyril¡¯s words, reminiscing about how she used to treat him and realizing how their


    roles had reversed.


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. The biggest grievance I¡¯ve had is marrying you. After divorcing you, I haven¡¯t


    suffered any further grievances. That incident has had no impact on me. There¡¯s no need for you to


    seek me out. But since you¡¯re here, I might as well make some things clear. We have no


    rtionship anymore. Remember that. So from now on, I want you to stay away from me. I don¡¯t


    want to be troubled by you anymore, and I don¡¯t want to be needlessly dragged into entertainment


    headlines.¡±


    Her tone was cold and calm, once again drawing a clear line between them. This time, she wasn¡¯t


    giving Cyril any face.


    ¡°You¡¯re only feeling guilty towards me now. But back then, saving you was my own decision,


    marrying you was also my own choice. You never betrayed me; you simply neglected me. Whatever


    I did was my own business. So, you don¡¯t need to lower yourself to face me.¡±


    Cyril felt a pang of anxiety listening to her words. He realized that his recent actions were indeed


    driven by a desire to make amends, but during this time, he had alsoe to understand his true


    feelings.


    His feelings towards Silvia weren¡¯t just about making amends; there was something more.


    He wanted to reconcile with her. But had he been too hasty with his actions?


    Had Silvia sensed his intentions and Immediately recolled, wanting to put even more distance


    between.


    them?


    ¡°In fact, I have many suitors around me. You¡¯re always like this, which is quite bothersome. I want to


    embrace a new romance, but not with you.¡±


    Cyril¡¯s actions were more driven by guilt, and Silvia knew it. So, she decided to y her trump card.


    Cyril froze upon hearing this. Without the baggage of their past, he could now see Silvia in a fairer


    light.


    He realized that Silvia wasn¡¯t just stunning in appearance; her abilities were exceptional as well.


    If they hadn¡¯t married but met in the business world, Silvia would undoubtedly have been his most


    formidable opponent.


    Of course, now he deeply admired having encountered such a rival. So, setting aside their past,


    Silvia was indeed formidable now, and having suitors was entirely normal.


    ¡°Since you have suitors, I suppose you wouldn¡¯t mind one more,¡± Cyril quicklyposed himself,


    realizing that Silvia had suitors was something he had seen before. So why couldn¡¯t he, now as one


    of those suitors, pursue her openly?


    Silvia frowned, and suddenly, a spark of insight shed through her mind. She followed that spark,


    but there was nothing there..


    However, having been in the entertainment headlines these past few days, Silvia knew exactly


    where th paparazzi were positioned. Clearly, she was being tracked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind other suitors, but if that suitor happens to be you, I very much do mind. Let me


    reiterate: stay away from me!¡±


    If Cyril continued to pursue her like this, she wouldn¡¯t hesitate to use other means to make him back


    off.


    With that said, Silvia tapped on the car window, signaling for Juliet toe out as it was time to get


    to


    work.


    Juliet stepped out of the car and nced at Cyril, who seemed somewhat lost. But she felt no


    sympathy; instead, she believed Cyril deserved whatever was happening to him now.


    ¡°We have a meeting in ten minutes. We need to hurry. Also, my assistant messaged me earlier


    saying there are reporters nearby. I¡¯ve instructed him to handle it, and tomorrow, I¡¯ll try to keep you


    off the headlines as much as possible.¡±


    As soon as she stepped out of the car, Juliet immediately briefed Silvia.


    Silvia raised an eyebrow. It seemed her earlier feeling was correct; she was indeed being followed


    by


    reporters.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Alright. When we get back, in the name of Ivan Group, you¡¯ll contact the media outlets that have


    reported on me. Tell them that if they spread any rumors about me without my consent, I¡¯ll sue them


    and make


    Chapter 132 Stay Away from Mel


    them face legal consequences.


    Previously, due to work, Silvia hadn¡¯t had time to deal with these matters. But now, she was quite


    displeased and willing to make time to resolve them.


    ¡°Understood.¡± Juliet nodded and continued contacting her assistant to handle the situation while


    leading


    Silvia into thepany.


    Cyril stood in ce, watching Silvia enter the building and effortlessly handle the situation. She was


    indeed different from before, and these were aspects he had never noticed.


    With a pang of bitterness, he wondered how he had been blind to such a gem.

 Chapter 133

    Chapter 133


    Chapter 133: Just Hype


    The efficiency of Ivan Group was through the roof. Sylvia had just finished discussing matters with


    Juliet, and boom! The group had already issued a statement, directly warning those entertainment


    companies


    not to cross the line.


    Within less than two hours, the group had already warned numerous newspapers privately, and


    some even found themselves facingwsuits.


    Clearly, that statement was just their final warning. Legal actions were definitely on the horizon.


    And guess what? The next day, the inte finally quieted down about Sylvia and Cyril. Sylvia didn¡¯t


    have to endure those heartbreakingments anymore, nor the rumors about them getting back


    together.


    Someone once told Sylvia that marriage is like a tomb, but she never really believed it. Now that


    she¡¯s out of that ¡°tomb¡°, would she be crazy to step back into it again? That would just be in


    foolish.


    With Cyril no longer by her side, Sylvia noticed a sudden surge in her work efficiency.


    ¡°So, the R&D department mentioned to me that the Al for the medical project is now undergoing its


    second round of testing. What are your thoughts?¡±


    After the usual morning meeting, Sylvia was on her way back to her office when Bruce snagged her


    for a chat about thetest developments in artificial intelligence.


    The integration of Al with medical projects was one of Ivan Group¡¯s major initiatives, and Sylvia was


    overseeing this project. She had received updates from the R&D department. Though the second


    fojnd of testing was about tomence, medical projects were different from others because each


    patient¡¯s


    case was unique.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already talked to Big Bro about it. His tak¨¦ is that, despite how advanced Al might be, it can¡¯t


    rece human intervention when ites to matters of life and death. So, while Al can assist


    initially, ultimately, patients will still need proper medical treatment in hospitals. Therefore, the


    results of the second testing round won¡¯t be indicative of the final oue.¡±


    Bruce nodded along. ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re thinking this way. Keep a close eye on it. The report for


    the second testing round will be out in a couple of days. We¡¯ll discuss our next steps after that. Also,


    there¡¯s another project. Take a look at this document.¡±


    This project had recentlynded on Bruce¡¯s desk. Sylvia had been handling her current projects


    excellently, which had solidified her position within thepany. But if she could take on a few more


    significant projects, it would greatly benefit her future within Ivan Group.


    The project in her hands was more of a charitable endeavor, not highly profitable but could earn


    them at lot of goodwill.


    ¡°Investing inbs?¡±


    They¡¯d been doing this all along; after all, they needed talent, and investing inbs was the best


    way to


    nurture it.


    Chapter 133 Just Hype


    ¡°Exactly. Investing inbs, but this time, it¡¯s a bit different. We¡¯re investing in individuals. If any of


    them excel in our experimental projects, we can bring them into thepany. So, this project


    serves as our talent pool. It depends on how you see it, but for now, there won¡¯t be much immediate


    profit. However, In the long run, it¡¯ll greatly benefit thepany¡¯s growth and, of course, your


    career.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any major objections to this. But what about the others in thepany? Do they have


    any


    issues¡±


    Sylvia thought it was a pretty good initiative. It would provide them with talent, which was always a


    plus. But just because she was okay with it didn¡¯t mean others would be.


    Bruce sighed, pointing to the document. ¡°Take a closer look. This is a personal project, not rted


    to thepany. I arranged it for you.¡±


    Sylvia understood, Essentially, she¡¯d be funding it, and the talents nurtured would be affiliated with


    the


    ¡°It sounds a bit of a loss, but I suppose it could work.¡±


    Sylvia took another look at the document. It seemed like a good project, and if they were going to


    do it,


    they had to get started soon.


    ¡°I¡¯m fuming!


    Just as Sylvia was about to bring up something else, the office door burst open with force.


    Balk stormed in, wearing sunsses and a mask, clearly furious, He mmed the door shut and


    flopped


    onto the couch.


    His sudden entrance left Sylvia and Bruce momentarily stunned.


    ¡°Is Karina out of her mind? Cyril¡¯s barely acknowledging her existence, and she shamelessly clings


    onto me! And her agency has the audacity to im it¡¯s all just hype? This is outright exploiting me!¡±


    Balk pulled off his mask and sunsses, tossing them onto the coffee table, as he


    vented his frustration


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    to the two.


    ¡°And those hical media outlets! Saying Karina and I aren¡¯t just part of some hype? It¡¯s absurd!


    What nonsense! I¡¯m not blind, why would I have anything to do with that woman, Karina!¡±


    Sylvia and Bruce listened, initially confused but instinctively reaching for their phones to figure out


    why Balk was so enraged.


    After a moment of browsing, they understood the reason behind Balk¡¯s fury.


    A few days ago, at an awards ceremony, Karina and Balk found themselves inexplicably linked


    together for publicity. Many online voices were iming they made a perfect couple.


    If it were someone else, Balk might have let it slide, treating it as just another publicity stunt. But it


    had to be Karina, and he just couldn¡¯t remain calm.


    Hence, Balk was beyond angry. Without consulting his agency, he went ahead andmbasted those


    Chapter 133, Just Hype,


    media outlets one by one online. Though his choice of words wasn¡¯t exactly polite.


    ¡°So, just because of this, you went ahead and cursed out all those media outlets? Karina¡¯s side


    already rified that it¡¯s all just a hype. Your current actions are only stirring up trouble for yourself.¡±


    Bruce offered a logical analysis.


    Karina¡¯s camp had already exined that it was all just a publicity stunt, and yet, the more Balk


    reacted, the deeper the ties between him and Karina seemed to be.


    And Balk¡¯s aggressive online responses weren¡¯t exactly winning him any favors.

 Chapter 134

    Chapter 134


    Chapter 134: Talent Match


    Baruk widened his eyes at Bruce¡¯s words. Hadn¡¯t he looked carefully at what the online news was


    saying?


    ¡°Bro, did you really check what those online rumors are saying? They¡¯re saying that Karina and I


    are a perfect match, like some kind of power couple! That¡¯s just insulting, man!¡±


    That was the part Baruk couldn¡¯t stomach. He couldn¡¯t ept being tied to Karina like that.


    ¡°When did my taste plummet so drastically? I mean, Karina? Am I out of my mind? I¡¯m not Cyril, I


    have


    normal taste as a guy!¡±


    Baruk emphasized.


    Seeing Baruk fuming. Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°Alright, bro, don¡¯t stoop to their level. You¡¯ve


    practically offended all the media outlets now.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal? Anyway, the media already knows I¡¯m backed by the Ivan Group. Get the


    company to handle this nonsense. I wasn¡¯t keen on using thepany or family influence before,


    but this is too much. How dare they say this about me!¡±


    Yes, this was the first time Baruk wanted to use thepany¡¯s power to deal with such matters


    since his


    debut.


    Bruce raised an eyebrow slightly but didn¡¯t say anything, simply turning to Sylvia. If Sylvia agreed,


    then he


    would too.


    ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll contact the PR department right away to help you sort this out,¡± Sylvia said as she


    took out her phone to get in touch with the PR team to assist Baruk.


    Baruk¡¯s anger subsided instantly. Sisters were the best, after all.


    ¡°Okay, enough about this. I didn¡¯t juste here for my own issues today; I have other matters too.¡±


    Baruk looked seriously at Sylvia. ¡°Everywhere I go these days for work, I keep bumping into Cyril.


    Can you tell me what¡¯s going on between you and Cyril? You¡¯re not thinking of rekindling things, are


    you?¡±


    The office fell into silence after he said this. Bruce scrutinized Sylvia with a probing gaze.


    Sylvia paused her typing, looking at Baruk incredulously. ¡°Are you crazy, bro? When did I ever imply


    wanted to go back to Cyril?¡±


    ¡°Do you know? Cyril¡¯s been acting like a different person these days. It¡¯s not that obvious, but


    clearly, he¡¯s trying to pull me in. Maybe because he knows we¡¯re siblings, he¡¯s trying to get to me.


    So, I need to know where you stand. If you have any thoughts about him, then maybe we should


    just put a stop to this sibling rtionship. If you¡¯re not interested, I can help you sort it out.¡±


    That was the message Baruk wanted to convey. Sylvia had already suffered a lot because of Cyril


    before. If she still couldn¡¯t see through him¡­


    Baruk would question his sister¡¯s judgment.


    Chapter 134 Talem Match-


    After a moment of silence, Sylvia said, ¡°I thought I¡¯d made it pretty clear recently. Didn¡¯t expect you


    guys to get the wrong idea. There¡¯s nothing between Cyril and me. You can do whatever you want;


    you don¡¯t need to consider me. And right now, he¡¯s mostly filled with guilt towards me. There¡¯s


    nothing else.¡±


    ¡°If I had known this earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have bothered saving him. Nearly got you dragged into it.


    What a waste Anyway, let me handle this. Don¡¯t meet Cyril for a while.¡±


    Baruk earnestly reminded Sylvia. Sylvia felt a bit helpless; when did she meet Cyril? It was always


    him wanting to meet her.


    ¡°Speaking of which, I suddenly remembered Duncan. These past few days after work, I¡¯ve seen him


    waiting downstairs for you. Looks like he¡¯s trying to pursue you. What do you think?¡±


    The three siblings gathered and began gossiping about Sylvia. Baruk didn¡¯t care about his own


    rumors, but when it came to his sister¡¯s, he was all ears.


    Bruce also looked pensive. Cyril was definitely a no¨Cgo, and Duncan was a bit too familiar. But


    compared to Cyril, Duncan was a decent guy. If Sylvia wanted to be with him, it could work. Plus, in


    terms of family background, Duncan was slightly below Sylvia, so if they ever decided to get


    married¡­


    Bruce¡¯s thoughts drifted off, and Sylvia noticed his contemtive expression, knowing he was


    probably mulling over various scenarios.


    So, she immediately reached out and tapped on the table, interrupting Bruce¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on in your mind, big bro, your expression just now seemed off.


    There¡¯s nothing between Duncan and me. I¡¯ve already told you before. Don¡¯t believe everything you


    hear.¡±


    Sylvia felt a bit exasperated. They were discussing business, and suddenly, her personal life was


    dragged


    into it.


    ¡°I think instead of worrying about my personal life, you guys should focus on your own. So far, both


    of you are still single. Dad was even asking me yesterday when you two n to get married.¡±


    Sylvia shifted her gaze to her two brothers, and Bruce and Baruk immediately avoided eye contact,


    ying dead one after another.


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. Why did their attitudes change so drastically whenever


    marriage was mentioned?


    ¡°Bro, I¡¯ve sorted things out with the PR department. You can leave it to them. As for Duncan, big


    bro, can you handle it for me? I¡¯m off to France this afternoon for a business trip. There¡¯s a medical


    company there I want to inspect. If it looks good, we could consider adding it as a stakeholder for


    our future medical Al service tform.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Sylvia stood up, addressing her two brothers. Then she swiftly headed out.


    Once Sylvia left, Baruk looked at Bruce. ¡°Big bro, what do you think about Cyril¡¯s recent actions?


    Don¡¯t you have any thoughts?¡±


    Baruk¡¯s mischievous gaze was too obvious; Bruce couldn¡¯t pretend not to notice.


    Ghapo, Tad, Talent Match


    ¡°What do you propose we do?¡±


    ¡°Give him a warning.¡±


    Bruce sighed. ¡°Little sis can handle this. She doesn¡¯t need us to worry. If she needs help, she¡¯ll tell


    us. But since she hasn¡¯t said anything, it means she doesn¡¯t really need our help. Plus, little sis has


    already shown her stance on Cyril. So, the root of the problem won¡¯t be solved just by us giving a


    warning. Besides, after all the hardships little sis has endured these years, letting Cyril face some


    hardships too isn¡¯t a bad thing.¡±


    S?arch the  website on G????gle to ess chapters of novels early and in the highest


    qualit

 Chapter 135

    Chapter 135


    Chapter 135: Business Trip


    Sylvia¡¯s trip to Country F wasn¡¯t a spur¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmoment decision; it had been in the works for quite


    some time. This time around, she wasn¡¯t just heading to F for that medicalpany, there were


    otherpanies waiting for her to assess the situation.


    Plus, she received some fresh news that in F, there¡¯s this smart techpany with remarkable Al


    capabilities. If they could strike a deal, their projects could really take off.


    Sylvia wasn¡¯t traveling alone this time, she had Juliet Ingrid apanying her. Originally, it was just


    Juliet tagging along, but upon learning about the trip to F, Ingrid insisted on joining, stating she


    could help Sylvia settle into the F branch¡¯s environment quickly.


    It was obvious to anyone with half an eye that Ingrid was deliberatelying along. Sylvia also


    wanted to see what Ingrid was up to, so she agreed.


    And so, they set off together.


    After a dozen hours of flying, they touched down in F.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take it easy today, tidy up these materials tomorrow, and the day after, we¡¯ll check out the


    subsidiary and then pay visits to those twopanies,¡± was their initial n.


    Originally, Sylvia nned to spend about half a month in F, but with Ingrid¡¯s arrival, she could


    extend her stay a bit.


    Of course, if their trip to F proved fruitful, they could extend it further.


    So with ample time on their hands, there was no need to rush into anything else. They had to get


    themselves settled first before tackling other matters.


    The F branch had already sent someone to pick them up and had arranged hotel amodations.


    They were driven straight to the hotel. Sylvia hadn¡¯t anticipated bumping into Cyril there.


    It had been a few days since theyst met, so seeing Cyril again didn¡¯t faze Sylvia. She thought he


    mighte over to chat, but unexpectedly, Cyril just nced at her, checked in, and headed


    upstairs with his


    entourage.


    Juliet was surprised by Cyril¡¯s aloof reaction. She leaned over to Sylvia and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s up?


    Did you two have a fight? He¡¯s unusually cold; it¡¯s not like him.¡±


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at Juliet¡¯s remark. Wasn¡¯t a little aloofness better?


    Their rtionship was what it was. Did Cyril have to keep being overly friendly? Sylvia couldn¡¯t


    ept that. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything else to it. I just made an offhandment. You know how


    Cyril was constantly pursuing you before. Now, suddenly, he¡¯s cold as ice. It¡¯s a bit strange to me.


    Maybe he¡¯s got something up his sleeve? Do you think our discussions on cooperation have


    something to do with him? Is he intentionally trying to throw a wrench in your ns?¡± Juliet¡¯s mind


    was already conjuring up various scenarios from just a brief encounter. Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but


    marvel at Juliet¡¯s active imagination.


    Chapter 125 HEINTES Tip


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. Hardly anyone knows about our trip to F, and it¡¯s not like Cyril has any


    connection to thepanies we¡¯re visiting. How could he know about my itinerary? Cyril being here


    must be coincidental. Maybe he¡¯s just here on business like us, but luck hasn¡¯t been on his side,


    ending up in the same hotel,¡± Sylvia reasoned. Jullet didn¡¯t press further, sensing there might be


    more to Cyril¡¯s presence.


    After checking in, Sylvia instructed the subsidiary¡¯s representatives to meet in two days and then


    retired to her room for some rest.


    Sylvia was a bit weary, but due to jetg, she found it hard to fall asleep. ncing at the time, she


    realized it was almost dinner time. Sylvia thought about calling Jullet to go out for a meal together.


    As she stepped out of her room to knock on Juliet¡¯s door, the adjacent room¡¯s door opened too.


    Sylvia instinctively turned, locking eyes with Cyril again.


    For some reason, Sylvia recalled Juliet¡¯s words from downstairs. If once was an ident and twice


    a coincidence, then Cyril living next door felt more than just that.


    They stared at each other for a moment before Sylvia broke the silence. ¡°Are you here on


    business?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there¡¯s some trouble brewing at thepany, so I¡¯m here to sort it out,¡± Cyril replied curtly, as


    if speaking to a stranger, then turned and left swiftly, preupied with a phone call.


    Watching him leave, Sylvia couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that Cyril¡¯s presence here was more than


    just a coincidence. She hoped he was genuinely here for business and nothing else.


    Just as Sylvia was about to knock on Juliet¡¯s door, Juliet opened it herself.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°I saw you talking to Cyril just now. Something¡¯s definitely fishy about his being here. Anyway, I¡¯m


    about to hit the hay. Did you need something?¡± Juliet said.


    ¡­I was thinking of going out for dinner together.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not hungry. Why don¡¯t you go alone? Leave me a midnight snack at the door for when I


    wake up,¡± Juliet suggested before hugging Sylvia and kissing her cheek, then retreating into her


    room, thanking her and shutting the door.


    Watching the door close, Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed. That¡¯s just how Juliet was.


    Since Juliet was off to bed, Sylvia didn¡¯t want to push. Dining alone felt a bit lonely, but she didn¡¯t


    intend to invite Ingrid either. So, she pulled out her phone to search for nearby restaurants.


    As she reached the lobby via the elevator, she bumped into Cyril again, who seemed to be agitated


    on the phone, furrowing his brows with an impatient expression.


    Things must be quiteplicated at hispany, Sylvia thought to herself.


    The subsidiary had arranged a driver for her, but since she was only going out for dinner, she didn¡¯t


    call for one. Instead, she found her way to a taxi stand using navigation, ready to head out.

 Chapter 136

    Chapter 136


    Chapter 136: The Mole


    It was around mealtime, and th1/3


    Chapter 136: The Mole


    ere were plenty of empty taxis outside the hotel. Sylvia had just hailed one and was about to get in


    when someone stopped the door from closing. She looked up and saw Cyril.


    Without giving Sylvia a chance to speak, Cyril squeezed into the car as well and gave driver an


    address.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Sylvia asked.


    the


    Cyril couldn¡¯t possibly be so broke that he couldn¡¯t even afford a cab ride and had to freeload with


    her, right?


    But as it turned out, Cyril¡¯s destination was the same as Sylvia¡¯s.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mole in thepany, and I¡¯m here to deal with it. But it seems it¡¯s not just mypany;


    yours seems to have the same problem,¡± Cyril said, exining why he had- hitched a ride with


    Sylvia.


    Sylvia was taken aback. When she heard the term ¡°mole,¡± her mind immediately jumped to Inglee.


    After all, the whole thing abouting to France was Inglee¡¯s idea, so there might be a connection


    ¡°If there¡¯s a mole in yourpany, why don¡¯t you just take a cab yourself? Why tag along with me?¡±


    Sylvia asked.


    ¡°If I take a cab, it¡¯ll draw more attention. They might be on guard. Following you, they won¡¯t suspect


    much. And if you feel I¡¯m causing you trouble, I¡¯ll treat you to dinnerter aspensation,¡± Cyril


    replied with impable manners, but Sylvia wasn¡¯t having any of it. Dining together would only


    complicate things further.


    ¡°No need. I can afford the cab fare. Consider it payment for the intel you provided,¡± Sylvia said,


    closing her eyes, opting not to engage further with Cyril. Having to share a car with him was already


    irritating enough.


    She could feel Cyril¡¯s gaz


    could feel Cyril¡¯s gaze on her, intense and affectionate. But Sylvia found it ridiculous What gave him


    the right to look at her like that?


    Fortunately, their destination wasn¡¯t far. A few minutester, they arrived. Sylvia got out and nced


    around. Through the window of a nearby caf¨¦, she spotted Inglee, confirming her suspicions.


    ¡°I¡¯ve received reliable information that there¡¯s a mole in ourpany. Though not in top


    management, they¡¯re in a mid¨Clevel position. They¡¯ve been sellingpany models and


    Chapter 136: The Mole


    2/3


    confidential files to otherpanies at high prices. I initially suspected yourpany, but it seems


    not,¡± Cyril exined his suspicions, rooted in their strained rtionship and that of their respective


    bosses.


    Sylvia raised an eyebrow. Suspecting theirpany of selling confidential files to hers was quite a


    leap.


    ¡°Any other thoughts?¡± Sylvia asked.


    ¡°Selling to anotherpany or sent by anotherpany,¡± Cyril calmly shared all his spections


    with Sylvia, based on usible scenarios.


    Sylvia nodded. If she were in his shoes, she¡¯d probably make simr assumptions.


    ¡°Well, if we both have matters to attend to, I won¡¯t disturb you further. I¡¯ll go see why she¡¯s here,¡±


    Sylvia smiled at Cyril before leisurely heading towards the caf¨¦.


    She spotted Inglee, who may or may not have seen her. It was probably Inglee¡¯s first time doing


    something like this, so she was extra cautious, ncing around frequently but failing to notice


    Sylvia.


    Until Sylvia approached, startling her.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Sylvia asked, disappointed to find only two cups of coffee and their


    phones on the table. She had hoped for an exchange of information, but apparently, it was nothing


    of the sort. Cyril also left in another direction.


    Seemingly panicked, Inglee hurriedly paid for the coffee and grabbed the man¡¯s wrist, intending to


    leave together. But he kept his eyes fixed on Sylvia, showing reluctance to depart.


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t ignore the man¡¯s gaze, too intense and suggestive to ignore.


    ¡°Looks like your friend here isn¡¯t keen on leaving. Making a new friend is nice, but I don¡¯t appreciate


    treacherous ones,¡± Sylvia remarked with a smile, making Inglee even paler. She didn¡¯t care what


    the man thought; she dragged him away from the caf¨¦.


    Seeing them leave, Sylvia narrowed her eyes and sneered at the coffee on their table.


    She took out her phone, about to report the situation to her big brother, when she noticed a


    message from Bruce three minutes ago, warning her about Inglee¡¯s recent activities, suspecting her


    of mischief.


    That was a wake¨Cup call. Sylvia clicked her tongue. It wasn¡¯t solitude she had found here but


    rather trouble.


    But considering the man from earlier, their mismatchedpanionship, and Inglee¡¯s


    Chapter 136: The Mole


    3/3


    willingness to humble herself, it was evident there was more to their rtionship. Sylvia couldn¡¯t be


    bothered to dwell further; she hadn¡¯t expected Inglee to reveal her true colors on the very first day


    in France. But what came next would surely be even more intriguing.


    urpany, why don¡¯t you just take a cab yourself? Why tag along with me?¡± Sylvia asked.


    ¡°If I take a cab, it¡¯ll draw more attention. They might be on guard. Following you, they won¡¯t suspect


    much. And if you feel I¡¯m causing you trouble, I¡¯ll treat you to dinnerter aspensation,¡± Cyril


    replied with impable manners, but Sylvia wasn¡¯t having any of it. Dining together would only


    complicate things further.


    ¡°No need. I can afford the cab fare. Consider it payment for the intel you provided,¡± Sylvia said,


    closing her eyes, opting not to engage further with Cyril. Having to share a car with him was already


    irritating enough.


    She could feel Cyril¡¯s gaz


    could feel Cyril¡¯s gaze on her, intense and affectionate. But Sylvia found it ridiculous What gave him


    the right to look at her like that?


    Fortunately, their destination wasn¡¯t far. A few minutester, they arrived. Sylvia got out and nced


    around. Through the window of a nearby caf¨¦, she spotted Inglee, confirming her suspicions.


    ¡°I¡¯ve received reliable information that there¡¯s a mole in ourpany. Though not in top


    management, they¡¯re in a mid¨Clevel position. They¡¯ve been sellingpany models and


    Chapter 136: The Mole


    2/3


    confidential files to otherpanies at high prices. I initially suspected yourpany, but it seems


    not,¡± Cyril exined his suspicions, rooted in their strained rtionship and that of their respective


    bosses.


    Sylvia raised an eyebrow. Suspecting theirpany of selling confidential files to hers was quite a


    leap.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Any other thoughts?¡± Sylvia asked.


    ¡°Selling to anotherpany or sent by anotherpany,¡± Cyril calmly shared all his spections


    with Sylvia, based on usible scenarios.


    Sylvia nodded. If she were in his shoes, she¡¯d probably make simr assumptions.


    ¡°Well, if we both have matters to attend to, I won¡¯t disturb you further. I¡¯ll go see why she¡¯s here,¡±


    Sylvia smiled at Cyril before leisurely heading towards the caf¨¦.


    She spotted Inglee, who may or may not have seen her. It was probably Inglee¡¯s first time doing


    something like this, so she was extra cautious, ncing around frequently but failing to notice


    Sylvia.


    Until Sylvia approached, startling her.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Sylvia asked, disappointed to find only two cups of coffee and their


    phones on the table. She had hoped for an exchange of information, but apparently, it was nothing


    of the sort. Cyril also left in another direction.


    Seemingly panicked, Inglee hurriedly paid for the coffee and grabbed the man¡¯s wrist, intending to


    leave together. But he kept his eyes fixed on Sylvia, showing reluctance to depart.


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t ignore the man¡¯s gaze, too intense and suggestive to ignore.


    ¡°Looks like your friend here isn¡¯t keen on leaving. Making a new friend is nice, but I don¡¯t appreciate


    treacherous ones,¡± Sylvia remarked with a smile, making Inglee even paler. She didn¡¯t care what


    the man thought; she dragged him away from the caf¨¦.


    Seeing them leave, Sylvia narrowed her eyes and sneered at the coffee on their table.


    She took out her phone, about to report the situation to her big brother, when she noticed a


    message from Bruce three minutes ago, warning her about Inglee¡¯s recent activities, suspecting her


    of mischief.


    That was a wake¨Cup call. Sylvia clicked her tongue. It wasn¡¯t solitude she had found here but


    rather trouble.


    But considering the man from earlier, their mismatchedpanionship, and Inglee¡¯s


    Chapter 136: The Mole


    3/3


    willingness to humble herself, it was evident there was more to their rtionship. Sylvia couldn¡¯t be


    bothered to dwell further; she hadn¡¯t expected Inglee to reveal her true colors on the very first day


    in France. But what came next would surely be even more intriguing.

 Chapter 137

    Chapter 137


    Chapter 137 Friends


    After strolling around outside for a while, it was almost nine by the time they returned to


    the hotel. Sylvia was still carrying thete¨Cnight snack for Juliet.


    Cyril and Sylvia had different agendas, so they split up after leaving the caf¨¦. But mysteriously, they


    bumped into each other again after having dinner.


    Once they crossed paths, Cyril silently trailed behind Sylvia, refusing to leave no matter what she


    did.


    Sylvia was at her wits¡® end. Cyril wouldn¡¯t budge, so what could she do? She just had to let him tag


    along.


    So, after wandering around a bit more and picking up a few things for Juliet, she headed back to the


    hotel.


    Having a guy follow you around like a shadow really killed the vibe.


    Juliet opened the door, looking a bit surprised to see the two of them standing there. How did they


    end up together again?


    ¡°Are you two nning dinner together or something?¡± she joked.


    Sylvia¡¯s expression remained calm as she handed the bag to Juliet and exined, ¡°No, we just ran


    into each other on the way and got sidetracked by some taffy.¡±


    ¡°Taffy, huh? That¡¯s fitting,¡± Juliet chuckled inwardly but managed to stifle it.


    ¡°Well, anyway, get some rest. Oh, by the way, I got a call from thepany here. They want us to


    come in tomorrow to check things out. So, get some rest early,¡± Juliet said.


    Sylvia frowned. They were supposed to go the day after tomorrow, weren¡¯t they? Oh well, tomorrow


    would do. She could just schedule it for the afternoon and sleep in.


    After exchanging a few more words with Juliet, Sylvia headed back to her room. But she noticed


    Cyril hadn¡¯t gone to his own room or said anything.


    He seemed low¨Ckey standing there, but once she noticed, it was pretty annoying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you have something to do?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, I just wanted to talk to you,¡± Cyril replied.


    Sylvia was speechless. What now? Why did everyone rted to Cyril seem to love having chats?


    First Karina, now Cyril.


    Chapter 137 Friends


    2/3


    Maybe they thought talking would magically solve all their problems.


    ¡°No need to talk. There¡¯s nothing left between us to discuss. Haven¡¯t we talked about this countless


    times before? We can¡¯t see eye to eye, so there¡¯s nothing more to say,¡± Sylvia said, too tired to


    engage with Cyril. After that, she went straight to her room and closed the door.


    Having gone to the subsidiarypany a day early to assess the situation, everything had been


    arranged in advance.


    Sylvia and Juliet didn¡¯t feel entirely satisfied with how things went after leaving the medical


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal? How do these people get their information? No matter what angle you look at it


    from, thispany isn¡¯t suitable for coboration. The medicalpany itself is fine, and it has


    several cooperating hospitals, but their attitude is just too much. If we coborate with them, we¡¯ll


    have a lot of trouble,¡± Juliet said.


    Determining whether to coborate with apany wasn¡¯t just about shared interests; it also


    depended on thepany¡¯s culture. Clearly, thispany¡¯s culture fell short.


    Juliet¡¯s attitude indirectly reflected Sylvia¡¯s thoughts. Sylvia agreed with her.


    ¡°The medical equipment from thatpany seems pretty good. Let the team here gather more


    information and see if there are any other good medicalpanies out there. Mainly, we need to


    gather information onpaniespeting with this one,¡± Sylvia suggested: Today¡¯s trip hadn¡¯t


    yielded much, but who knew what otherpanies might offer.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I already talked to the team before we left. They¡¯ll gather more information and we


    should have news in a day or two,¡± Juliet reassured.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Sylvia thought for a moment. If there was any news, she¡¯d have the team at the subsidiarypany


    check it out first. If they couldn¡¯t meet the standards, it would be frustrating.


    ¡°Oh, and about the techpany we¡¯re visiting next, you should pay attention. I just got word this


    morning that the CEO of thatpany is friends with Cyril¡­¡±


    Sylvia was surprised. Why did Cyril¡¯s shadow loom over everything they did? Why was he so


    persistent?


    ¡°Friends, huh? How close?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve gathered, their rtionship seems pretty good. They were college buddies, even


    roommates. Although they haven¡¯t been in touch for years since graduating, officially at least, they


    do run into each other on business trips. So, they¡¯re bound to meet here in F


    Chapter 137 Friends


    country. I just don¡¯t know if he knows about your situation with Cyril,¡± Juliet exined.


    3/3


    Juliet showed Sylvia a photo of Cyril¡¯s friend on her phone. Sylvia nced at it but quickly. looked


    away. Despite being with Cyril for so many years, she¡¯d never met this person.


    But that was normal. Cyril had no intention of introducing her to his friends, so it wasn¡¯t surprising


    that she hadn¡¯t met this one.


    ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡±


    ¡°Frank Davies. He¡¯s a self¨Cmade entrepreneur, and hispany has been doing pretty well over


    the years.¡±


    Juliet briefed Sylvia on what she¡¯d learned. Sylvia gradually pieced things together. Since he was a


    self¨Cmade entrepreneur, he¡¯d likely maintain a fairer attitude and wouldn¡¯t prioritize his rtionship


    with Cyril.


    ¡°By the way, wasn¡¯t Ingrid with us just now? How did she disappear in the blink of an eye?¡±


    They were about to head to meet Frank, but suddenly, they couldn¡¯t find Ingrid.


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but recall that day when she encountered that man. He didn¡¯t look particrly


    outstanding, nor did he seem like an elite worker. He seemed more like a nouveau riche.

 Chapter 138

    Chapter 138


    Chapter 138: How Much Does It Sell For?


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, let¡¯s just head out,¡± Sylvia said dismissively.


    Sylvia wasn¡¯t keen on bringing Ingrid along anyway. If Ingrid slipped up at this moment, it would be


    ideal. They could seize the opportunity to dismiss her, saving themselves from any potential trouble


    down the line.


    Juliet nodded in agreement and joined Sylvia in getting into the car, ready to head to the tech


    company.


    When they arrived at the techpany, their host was already waiting at the entrance. Frank¡¯s


    company seemed to be doing quite well. It was said that Sylvia¡¯s visit had prompted him to


    personally greet them.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Waiting outside, Frank greeted Sylvia and Juliet with a smile upon seeing them, introducing them to


    thepany before leading them inside.


    Since thepany was involved in smart development, heading to the development department


    revealed many interesting things, bothrge and small, infused with artificial intelligence, all


    incredibly intriguing.


    ¡°This rm clock is quite something. Besides its basic function, we¡¯ve integrated artificial


    intelligence into it. So, the way it wakes you up every mo..ing is quite personalized. If you don¡¯t get


    up after the first rm, the second time it might resort to nagging you, or even other tactics,


    depending on how early orte you wake up.¡±


    Juliet toyed with the rm clock, setting a time, and soon enough, it started ringing, followed by the


    AI¡¯s nagging mode.


    The AI was indeed relentless, almost never repeating itself for about three minutes and delivering


    its message rapidly, leaving no room for interruption..


    ¡°Oh my goodness, making this thing! It¡¯s like torture, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s terrifying,¡± Juliet. eximed,


    relieved that she had only set one rm. With this rm clock, she wouldn¡¯t fear oversleeping in


    the mornings anymore.


    Frank chuckled before moving them along to a doll. It was evident that this doll was also embedded


    with an artificial intelligence system.


    Resembling a teddy bear, this doll was capable of intelligent conversations with people, more like a


    nanny¨Ctypepanion doll.


    ¡°This doll is designed for children. Have you considered promoting it?¡± Sylvia inquired.


    Chapter 138: How Much Does It Sell For?


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯ve already started promoting it. Currently, we¡¯re in the process of upgrading the


    system. It¡¯s updated frequently, as technology evolves rapidly. We have to keep updating


    to maintain our market share.¡±


    After all, they were in the business of tech development, and staying at the forefront of technology


    was their mainpetitive advantage.


    Sylvia nodded in understanding. As they explored the development department further, they came


    across various items, starting with small toys and progressing torger objects, all incorporating Al


    systems.


    Overall, these Al systems were impressive. Sylvia couldn¡¯t help butpare thispany to theirs,


    recognizing that their technological development was superior. Coboration wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea


    if it came to that.


    ¡°Recently, our Ivan Group has been considering AI development systems. Do you have any interest


    in coborating?¡± Sylvia asked directly as they exited the development department. Over the years,


    Frank¡¯spany had indeed partnered with manypanies, but most of them weren¡¯t involved in


    Al.


    There were also some tech developmentpanies, with whom they had coborated on specific


    projects, but they hadn¡¯t directly integrated their systems.


    Frank understood Sylvia¡¯s intention from her words. They wanted to coborate on


    development.


    ¡°I have no objections, but I need to see if what you¡¯re doing aligns with what we¡¯re doing. If not,


    even if there¡¯s potential, we may not be able to coborate.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Our AI direction mainly focuses on healthcare. Yourpany¡¯s healthcare AI system


    seems impressive. We could coborate deeply on that.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, ourpany¡¯s uing direction isn¡¯t in healthcare. The AI system we¡¯ve


    developed isn¡¯t perfect yet, and it has only undergone one test. However, if your standards are high,


    we could share information and borate, not toy their cards on


    the table.


    Chapter 138: How Much Does It Sell For?


    3/3


    ¡°Oh, by the way, a friend of mine ising over today. Hispany is also quite good. Why don¡¯t


    we meet? There might be an opportunity for coboration,¡± Frank suggested.


    Sylvia and Juliet exchanged a nce. They both knew who Frank was referring to. But, being in his


    company, they didn¡¯t refuse. Soon enough, they came face to face with Cyril and Ingrid.


    Yes, Ingrid was apanying Cyril. When he saw Sylvia, he seemed uneasy, avoiding eye contact


    with her.


    Sylvia nced at him briefly before retracting her gaze. Was Ingrid here to meet Cyril today?


    ¡°He¡¯s my friend,¡± Frank said, unaware of the rtionship between Cyril and Sylvia. Although they


    did have some contact privately, Frank was unaware of Cyril¡¯s marriage. He simply thought that


    pulling Cyril in would make the coboration between the three parties more stable. But as they


    faced each other, Frank felt that something was off.


    ¡°Um, do you two know each other?¡± Frank nced between Cyril and Sylvia, noticing Cyril¡¯s intense


    gaze fixed on Sylvia, as if he couldn¡¯t look away.

 Chapter 139

    Chapter 139


    Chapter 139: Pursue if You Like


    1/3


    Frank had known Cyril for so many years, yet he had never seen Cyril lose his cool in front of a


    woman like this before. Suddenly, Frank found himself intrigued by Sylvia. What kind of person was


    she to make Cyril take notice like that?


    Oh, right, Cyril had recently gone through a divorce, could it be that she was the one he wanted to


    pursue?


    Well, if that was the case, it wouldn¡¯t be so bad.


    ¡°Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t know you.


    The two responses were different, and the atmosphere suddenly became a bit awkward.


    Frank and Juliette didn¡¯t know what to say. Funny how the more awkward it got, the more it seemed


    to highlight their rtionship, isn¡¯t it?


    Frank gave a knowing smile, choosing not to expose their little secret.


    Seemed like they had some sort of disagreement or something, but Frank didn¡¯t want to get too


    involved in their personal matters.


    ¡°Please, follow me.¡±


    With most of the people gathered, they should head to the conference room to chat. But Sylvia


    hadn¡¯t expected Cyril to follow them in.


    Seeing Sylvia¡¯s gaze constantly on Cyril, Frank quickly exined, ¡°Well, you see, Cyril is


    also a shareholder in mypany. He¡¯ll be involved in this coboration we¡¯re discussing. Normally,


    he wouldn¡¯t be, but he happened to be around these days, so he¡¯s here to take a look. But rest


    assured, I still have the final say on this matter.¡±


    After hearing this, Sylvia couldn¡¯t quite ce her feelings. She just didn¡¯t want to get involved with


    Cyril, but howe things seemed to be getting moreplicated?


    Should¡¯ve seen iting, Juliette had told her that Cyril and Frank were friends. If they were


    friends, then having shares in a friend¡¯spany wasn¡¯t that unusual after all.


    When Cyril first appeared, she thought he was here topete with her.


    Turns out it wasn¡¯t aboutpetition at all, but about the possibility of bing partners. Thinking


    about it, Sylvia felt a bit uneasy.


    Chapter 139: Pursue if You Like


    2/3


    ¡°Oh, I see. Yourpany¡¯s technology looks very impressive. Can I ask when you started?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been quite a while. I was really interested in this field when I was in college. Cyril was my


    roommate at the time, so he helped me a lot. His assistance yed a part in establishing the


    company, so I consult him on many decisions, as long as they don¡¯t vite our principles.¡±


    Frank exined.


    After listening, Juliette smiled and didn¡¯t inquire further. Just now, Frank had said he could decide,


    but now he was saying he would consult Cyril.


    Was that intentional? Clearly, it was to tell them that if they were to coborate, Cyril would


    also be involved.


    ¡°But in business, isn¡¯t it mainly about prioritizing interests over anything else?¡± Frank¡¯s words had a


    hint of meaning. Sylvia and Juliette fell silent, what did he mean?


    Did he think that because of Cyril, they wouldn¡¯t reach this coboration agreement?


    At the beginning, when they discussed this coboration, Frank didn¡¯t act this way. But seeing Cyril


    and Sylvia together seemed to change his mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. We need to carefully consider suitable matters. After all, it concerns the interests of


    twopanies. We¡¯ll be in touch about any further developments.¡±


    Sylvia continued Frank¡¯s words, also taking the opportunity to excuse themselves.


    Frank hesitated, wanting to say something to salvage the situation, but Sylvia and Juliette had


    already stood up and left, Ingrid following Sylvia out.


    When they left, Frank turned to Cyril.


    ¡°I¡¯m very willing to cooperate with her. But if this coboration fails because of you, how will you


    compensate me?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to cooperate with her?¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Cyril looked at Frank with some surprise, then he understood the meaning behind Frank¡¯s


    actions.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is there something wrong with that? That¡¯s Ivan Group. Anyone with a bit of sense


    wouldn¡¯t refuse such a good opportunity.¡±


    Frank made sense, Cyril didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°Of course, what I care about isn¡¯t h


    this coboration. I¡¯m more curious about your


    Chapter 139: Pursue if You Like


    3/3


    rtionship with her. What exactly is going on between you two? Your gaze at her seems quite


    intense. If you like her, you should hurry up and pursue her. A girl like her surely has no shortage of


    admirers.¡±


    Anyone who could secure a position in Ivan Group must be outstanding, especially as a vice


    president. This only highlighted Sylvia¡¯s capabilities.


    With such a status, there must be no shortage of suitors.


    Hearing Frank¡¯s words, Cyril was taken aback. ¡°You think there would be many people who like


    her?¡±


    Frank looked at him strangely. Wasn¡¯t that obvious? Of course, there would be plenty of admirers.


    Excellent women always attract attention. Wasn¡¯t this a strange thing to say?


    ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t want


    don¡¯t want to pursue her, then I¡¯ll go for it. Honestly, she¡¯s a really remarkable person.¡±


    ¡°You also think she¡¯s remarkable? Then why can¡¯t I see it?¡±


    Cyril lowered his head, hiding his true feelings. Frank looked at him, puzzled.


    With a woman as outstanding as her, why couldn¡¯t Cyril see it? What was going on in his mind?


    ¡°Seriously, is there something wrong with your head? You can¡¯t see how remarkable she is?


    Honestly, cooperating with her would only elevate ourpany. What are you thinking? If


    everything¡¯s fine, I¡¯m quite willing to cooperate with her.¡±


    ¡°She probably doesn¡¯t want to cooperate with us anymore,¡± Cyril said with a bitter smile.


    It was Frank¡¯s first meeting with Sylvia, but he already thought she was a very outstanding person.


    He felt that she deserved to be liked by many people. But all these years, he couldn¡¯t see it, and


    because of his repeated ignorance, Sylvia suffered so much. If it weren¡¯t for that, Sylvia might have


    shone brightly by now.


    Of course, if Sylvia were as radiant as she was now, he might not have been able to have her


    completely like he did before.


    It was such a pity. Now, because of his appearance, this coboration might never happen again.

 Chapter 140

    Chapter 140


    Chapter 140: Lovers


    Every word Cyril said, Frank understood. But when those words were all strung together, Frank


    couldn¡¯t quite grasp their meaning.


    ¡°What do you mean this coboration won¡¯t work out? Weren¡¯t things going well just now? Sure,


    there were some differences, but that didn¡¯t mean they couldn¡¯tpromise. After all, it was the


    Ivan Group.


    ¡°First, you need to rify something for me. It¡¯s not your first time meeting her, is it? Your reactions


    just now indicate otherwise. So, if you have some grudge against her, are you, trying to sabotage


    mypany? What¡¯s the deal here? And what exactly is your rtionship with her? You need to


    spill it out for me first, let¡¯s see if there¡¯s any room for salvaging this. ¡°Frank was genuinely anxious.


    Losing such a promising coboration right in front of him was just too disheartening.


    Cyril took a deep breath, but the words seemed stuck on his lips.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal between you and her?¡± Frank¡¯s impatience was showing. He paced around the


    office, asionally running his hand through his hair. The thought of this coboration falling


    through made him lose hisposure.


    ¡°She¡¯s my ex¨Cwife.¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ceves


    Frank froze, in shock as he turned to Cyril. Did he hear that right? His ex- wife?


    ¡°Wait, wait, hold on. You mean, she¡¯s your ex¨Cwife?¡±


    Frank was now stuttering. Was Cyril and Sylvia¡¯s rtionship like that? No wonder Cyril said this


    coboration couldn¡¯t proceed. With their history, it was impossible to continue.


    As an outsider, he could see how Cyril hadn¡¯t taken his marriage seriously all these years, so


    Sylvia¡¯s reluctance to continue the coboration was understandable. But it was frustrating


    for him.


    After sitting silently for a while, Frank looked up at Cyril with a resentful expression. ¡°So if I tell


    Sylvia that I have nothing to do with you anymore, and offer to buy back your shares at a high price,


    would she still want to work with me?¡±


    Cyril remained silent. Frank felt his idea was absurd.


    With Sylvia being backed by the entire Ivan Group, finding a new partner wouldn¡¯t be difficult.


    Although she was leading this venture, Cyril knew she would explore other options


    Chapter 140: Lovers


    once she learned about their rtionship. So, Frank¡¯s n wasn¡¯t viable.


    2/3


    ¡°You said it yourself, Sylvia has the entire Ivan Group behind her. Do you think it¡¯s difficult for them


    to find a partner? This was her initiative, so she¡¯s more invested. She¡¯ll just move on to another


    company once she knows about us. So, you might want to reconsider your n.¡±


    Cyril¡¯s words made sense, but they only fueled Frank¡¯s anger. It was all Cyril¡¯s fault. If it weren¡¯t for


    him, this situation wouldn¡¯t have arisen.


    ¡°Well, then it¡¯s on you. Anyway, I have to figure something out with my colleagues. You bettere


    up with a solution.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no solution. I¡¯ll leave now.¡±


    After saying this, Cyril stood up and left, leaving Frank unable to continue the conversation.


    Frank had been surprised when Cyril got married, but he had wished him well. However, Cyril


    hadn¡¯t taken his marriage seriously, and various rumors had circted. If Frank were Sylvia, seeing


    her husband involved in scandals would surely hurt.


    So their current situation was just Cyril reaping what he sowed. Now that Cyril regretted it


    and wanted to make amends, Sylvia might not even care anymore.


    Thinking about this, Frank couldn¡¯t help but sigh. Who would have thought Cyril¡¯s romantic life


    would be so tumultuous?


    But as an outsider, he didn¡¯t know the true extent of their rtionship. If they had a good. bond,


    maybe things could still work out.


    After leaving thepany, Sylvia and Juliet went straight back to the subsidiary. Ingrid, feeling


    uneasy for some reason, remained silent throughout the journey, trailing behind Sylvia obediently


    until they reached the subsidiary.


    ¡°You came with Cyril today. What¡¯s the deal between you two? Or have you be his mistress


    now?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s words were sharp, causing Juliet¡¯s hands to tremble, spilling some coffee from her


    cup.


    Juliet looked at Sylvia in disbelief. Was she insane to say something like that?


    Suddenly, a sense of crisis welled up in Ingrid¡¯s heart. If she dared to say yes, Sylvia might use her


    authority to fire her. But if she denied it, she wouldn¡¯t be able to exin her actions today.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t speak. You know, I was looking at the financial statements of the


    Chapter 140: Lovers


    3/3


    subsidiary yesterday and found something interesting. I think you should take a look.¡±


    Sylvia took out a document from the table and handed it to Ingrid. It was a record ofst quarter¡¯s


    transactions, showing some irregrities. Though it was only a part of the records, it was enough to


    reveal something fishy.


    Ingrid took the document, her face turning pale after reading it. She looked at Sylvia, trembling,


    unable to utter a word.


    ¡°Before you transferred to headquarters, you were stationed in France. The subsidiary¡¯s


    development there wasn¡¯t keeping up, which piqued my curiosity. Besides discussing coboration,


    I came here to investigate the situation. I never expected to find a rat hiding within thepany.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s words were harsh. The document revealed that Ingrid and some other employees had been


    embezzling funds and transferringpany assets.


    Of course, the ¡°other employees¡± referred to the finance department.


    After uncovering these irregrities, Sylvia didn¡¯t rush to take action. She wanted to investigate


    further because apany wouldn¡¯t have such issues without problems in its management.


    Hence, she intended to scrutinize the management as well.


    ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± Sylvia stared at Ingrid.


    Ingrid felt immense fear. She hadn¡¯t expected Sylvia to discover these issues. They had operated


    seamlessly for years,


    and she didn¡¯t think they would be caught.

 Chapter 141

    Chapter 141


    Chapter 141: Elevator Incident


    1/3


    Chapter 141: Elevator Incident


    No matter if Sylvia really had evidence or not, Ingle knew she wouldn¡¯t admit it now. If she did,


    things would go downhill fast for her.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to talk about it, huh?¡±


    Seeing Ingle¡¯s reaction, Juliet knew she¡¯d never admit to doing it herself. Who would willingly face


    such consequences?


    First off, she¡¯d have to pay back the money. And if things escted, there could be jail time. No one


    would be foolish enough tond themselves in that mess.


    ¡°Besides this, we have something even more interesting. Like sellingpany files to other


    companies. That¡¯s straight¨Cup industrial espionage, isn¡¯t it? How many years do you think you¡¯d get


    for that?¡±


    Juliet¡¯s face wore a gentle smile, but her words were as if only a devil could utter them.


    Ingle¡¯s face went pale. Her makeup couldn¡¯t hide her fear. If such words could be spoken, it meant


    the evidence was already secured.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do any of those things!¡±


    ¡°Of course, I know you didn¡¯t do any of those. You don¡¯t have the guts for it. At most, you might


    transfer somepany assets. But this level of corporate espionage? I don¡¯t think you have it in


    you, especially considering your family¡¯s situation isn¡¯t that great, from what I know.¡±


    Seeing Ingle so anxious, it was clear she didn¡¯t have the courage for such deeds. Someone with


    that courage wouldn¡¯t disy their fear so obviously.


    Ingle regretted her words as soon as she said them. She had indeed offended Sylvia, but that didn¡¯t


    mean she could afford to offend anyone else.


    And those behind her mightpletely abandon her, leaving her to bear such a heavy


    burden alone.


    ¡°I have a n now. If you keep listening to me, I won¡¯t pursue your responsibility. I¡¯ll give you time


    and opportunity to make up for thepany¡¯s transferred assets. Once you¡¯ve made


    up


    for it, you won¡¯t have to worry about the rest. How about it?¡±


    Sylvia offered a better deal at the right moment, Ingle was already nervous, and with Sylvia having


    more evidence now, she had no choice.


    s willing


    More importantly, Sylvia to give her a chance to make amends without pursuing


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Chapter 141: Elevator Incident


    further consequences.


    So, if she missed this opportunity, there wouldn¡¯t be another.


    ¡°Fine, I agree.¡±


    Sylvia smiled. Agreement was the best oue.


    After Ingle left, Sylvia and Juliet nned to grab a meal somewhere.


    2/3


    Juliet found a nice restaurant nearby. It was said to be popr, so she eagerly dragged Sylvia


    along.


    On the way, Juliet started asking Sylvia¡¯s opinion: should they coborate with Frank?


    ¡°Frank¡¯s attitude is quite interesting. I know he¡¯s friends with Cyril, but I didn¡¯t expect him to involve


    Cyril in our coboration. But without Cyril, coborating with Frank would¡¯ve been straightforward.¡±


    They had done their research beforeing. They knew Frank¡¯s personality well. So, they had


    nned their coboration with him beforehand, and it would¡¯ve worked out. Cyril¡¯s involvement


    made things a bit difficult.


    ¡°What do you think? If we coborate with Frank, chances are you¡¯ll have more


    opportunities to meet Cyril. Especially when you go back, Frank might give him the chance to


    interact with you under thepany¡¯s name.¡±


    After divorcing, why bother clinging on like a piece of gum? Sylvia had been good to Cyril before, no


    need to say more. Now that Cyril had divorced her, suddenly realizing her worth was quite


    laughable.


    ¡°I know, but Frank has a point. We¡¯re businessmen now. Profitse first. In the face of profits,


    everything else can wait.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re suggesting we continue coborating with Frank?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Frank¡¯s conditions were suitable for their coboration in all aspects. After looking at many


    companies, Sylvia decided to coborate with him for good reasons. As for Cyril, she could find


    other reasons to fend him off.


    Since Sylvia had made her decision, Juliet didn¡¯t say much. She knew persuading Sylvia wouldn¡¯t


    work. Once Sylvia made up her mind, she wouldn¡¯t change it.


    ¡°Well, since you¡¯re set on it, okay.¡±


    They arrived at the restaurant only to unexpectedly meet Frank and Cyril again.


    Chapter 141: Elevator Incident


    3/3


    Yes, Frank didn¡¯t n to dine with Cyril originally, but he thought it¡¯d be dull to dine alone. So, he


    decided to bring Cyril along. Cyril was feeling annoyed and decided to go out for some fresh air,


    hence he tagged along.


    Unexpectedly, they got a pleasant surprise.


    They could tell Cyril¡¯s eyes lit up the moment he saw Sylvia.


    Frank sighed inwardly, thinking if he hadn¡¯te along today, Cyril probably wouldn¡¯t have had the


    chance to talk to Sylvia.


    ¡°Miss Juliet, I¡¯d like to discuss something with you in private, do you have the time?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡±


    Juliet knew exactly what was going through Frank¡¯s mind and promptly refused. But Frank acted as


    if he didn¡¯t hear her and grabbed her wrist, pulling her away forcefully.


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Let go!¡±


    Juliet didn¡¯t expect Frank to forcibly drag her away like this. It was outrageous!


    Sylvia saw this and figured Juliet wouldn¡¯t be back for a while. She decided to wait upstairs.


    In the elevator, it was just Sylvia and Cyril. Cyril felt nervous, a feeling he had never experienced


    before. But being around Sylvia made him unsure how to speak.


    Just when he was preparing himself to speak, the elevator suddenly shook, and the next moment,


    all lights inside went out, plunging them into darkness.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Cyril was startled. Then, the elevator rapidly descended. Instinctively, he grabbed Sylvia¡¯s wrist and


    pulled her into his embrace.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid.¡±

 Chapter 142

    Chapter 142


    Chapter 142 Distress


    1/3


    Chapter 142 Distress


    Cyril quickly pressed all the buttons for ev. loor in the elevator, half crouching against the elevator


    wall, tightly holding Sylvia. The elevator was descending rapidly, showing no signs of stopping.


    Suddenly, there was a loud bang, and the elevator reached the bottom, shaking violently.


    The elevator seemed to have deformed, making it impossible for Cyril to open it. As he reached for


    his phone to call the maintenancepany, he felt the woman in his arms clutching onto his waist


    tightly.


    Sylvia¡¯s reaction was definitely off. Cyril paused, putting his phone away and embracing Sylvia,


    gently patting her back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡±


    After all these years together, Cyril had never realized just how afraid Sylvia was of enclosed


    spaces.


    He could feel Sylvia trembling in fear, clutching onto him tighter. Cyril held her waist firmly, feeling a


    pang of pain, but he ignored it, keeping Sylvia close.


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t even speak anymore.


    When she was a child, ying hide and seek with her brothers, she locked herself in the basement.


    Her brothers couldn¡¯t find her all day, and since then, she developed a fear of enclosed spaces.


    Now, she was terrified of this mercenary environment, so thepany had installed a ss


    elevator specifically for her.


    After undergoing psychological intervention and desensitization therapy, she could tolerate riding


    elevators, but only if there were other people inside to suppress her fear. But encountering such an


    ident with Cyril in the elevator was unexpected.


    Sylvia didn¡¯t know what she had grabbed in the darkness, but she held onto Cyril tightly, as if he


    were her lifeline. She could feel Cyril holding her too, but she couldn¡¯t hear his words anymore, only


    a buzzing sound in her ears.


    The next moment, she suddenly felt warmth on her lips and widened her eyes, meeting Cyril¡¯s gaze


    in the darkness.


    Cyril¡¯s method was somewhat effective; her attention was quickly diverted by his dominant kiss, and


    she couldn¡¯t focus on the strange situation in the elevator.


    After what seemed like an eternity, Cyril finally let go of Sylvia, holding her again in his


    but this time, they were seated in the elevator, enveloped in each other¡¯s embrace.


    arms,


    Sylvia now resembleu a


    ¡°Talk to me, distract yourself, okay?¡±


    Sylvia was torn. On one hand, she was repelled by Cyril, but on the other, she was terrified of


    the environment. In such conflicting emotions, she had to choose Cyril, who she could


    rtively ept.


    ¡°What should I talk about?¡± Sylvia¡¯s voice trembled, but she tried to suppress her fear, knowing that


    distracting herself was the only way to cope.


    She felt somewhat grateful for undergoing desensitization therapy all these years; otherwise, she


    wouldn¡¯t know how to handle this situation.


    ¡°These years have been tough on you.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Cyril suddenly spoke. He didn¡¯t know what to say to Sylvia, what topics


    she might be interested in. At this moment, he realized how little he knew about her.


    He didn¡¯t know what Sylvia liked, what her favorite food was, or where she liked to go.


    At this moment, Cyril had to admit that he knew nothing about Sylvia.


    ¡°I feel aggrieved too.¡± In a different situation, Sylvia probably wouldn¡¯t utter such words. She was a


    strong person who would never admit to being wronged.


    But now, in this situation, she couldn¡¯t control herself.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you day after day, hoping you¡¯d turn back to see me, to see my true feelings


    for you. When I married you, I didn¡¯t use any tricks or rely on past favors. I,never mentioned those


    things I did to save you because I didn¡¯t want you to develop feelings for me based on that. But you


    never gave me a chance. Over the years, you¡¯ve made me suffer all the grievances from my


    childhood to adulthood.¡±


    As Sylvia poured out her grievances, her voice trembled, choking up. Cyril didn¡¯t say anything, just


    holding her tightly.


    Yes, these years had indeed been tough on Sylvia. If given another chance, she would never want


    to be associated with him again. And he knew he would seize the opportunity to get to know her


    better, to change their rtionship.


    ¡°Would you give me another chance? I don¡¯t just want topensate you. During this time, I¡¯ve


    realized my true feelings for you. I¡¯ve been attracted to you for a long time, but I didn¡¯t want to admit


    it so easily.¡±


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Yes, proud people never wanted to admit that they had feelings for someone after being


    Chapter 142 Distres


    manipted. Cyril was no different. He had never really had much affection for Karina, either.


    He just wanted to emphasize hisck of interest in Sylvia, using this facade to hide the fact that he


    was falling for her.


    Unfortunately, by the time he realized it, it seemed to be toote.


    It might be too much to say such words now, but Cyril didn¡¯t want to wait any longer.


    Sylvia didn¡¯t reply. Though she felt aggrieved and had poured out her heart, she remained rational,


    not giving in.


    Giving another chance meant risking getting hurt again, perhaps even worse than before.


    So she didn¡¯t want to take another step forward. As for her rtionship with Cyril, it was fine the


    way it was.

 Chapter 143

    Chapter 143


    Chapter 143: Rescue


    The silence in the darkness was deafening,


    no response from Silvia for a long time.


    Cyril soon understood what he hadn¡¯t been getting an answer to. Silvia¡¯s silence was her


    answer.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve been in the wrong before. You didn¡¯t want to forgive me or give me a chance. That¡¯s


    normal. But I¡¯ll find a way to prove myself.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else¡­¡±


    Cyril tried to make his tone sound more uplifting, hoping to dispel the darkness in Silvia¡¯s heart. But


    when he actually tried to change the subject, he realized he didn¡¯t know what to


    say.


    The words faltered as soon as they left his mouth. What could he possibly say to S¨ªlvia?


    Talk about his dull work matters? He didn¡¯t want to bore Silvia with work talk; it would


    make him seem incredibly dull.


    But besides work, what else could he say that might interest Silvia?


    Silvia remained silent, but she kept waiting for Cyril to speak. However, after waiting for a long time,


    Cyril still didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°What do you want to say?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say to you. I want to say everything to you, but I¡¯m afraid that if I do


    like.¡± you you¡¯ll be upset. So, I want to say things you like, but¡­ I don¡¯t know what


    Cyril¡¯s tone was bitter. At that moment, he realized that trying to please someone wasn¡¯t as easy as


    he thought.


    Reflecting on his situation alongside Silvia made him realize how much Silvia had liked him before.


    Despite being around each other for so many years, Silvia knew what he liked and disliked, always


    trying to amodate him. But he had always taken it for granted.


    Now, he couldn¡¯t even manage to amodate Silvia, showing just how much he had failed.


    ¡­When I was a kid, I used to y hide and seek with my brother. They always found me easily. So


    one day, I locked myself in the basement, thinking my brother would find me quickly like before¡­¡±


    Silvia fell silent for a moment, then began recounting her childhood experiences. She could have


    avoided mentioning these things, but for some reason, she felt like this situation might resonate with


    Cyril, prompting her to speak out involuntarily, even though it wasn¡¯t


    Chapter 143: Rescue


    appropriate.


    2/3


    As Silvia slowly spoke, Cyril knew what she wanted to say and instinctively held her tighter.


    ¡°And then?¡±


    Bain, there was no light from the small


    ¡°And then, I spent a whole day in the basement, and my brothers never found me. I waited until I


    got tired and fell asleep. When I woke up window in the basement. That¡¯s when I felt scared, alone


    in the basement. I cried and


    shouted, but no one came.¡®


    At that young age, Silvia felt like the world was ending. No one found her. She locked herself in


    there, too small to open the door.


    So, she cried and shouted in the basement all night, not knowing that her brothers and family were


    outside, frantically searching for her.


    It wasn¡¯t until the next day that someone finally found her and brought her out of the


    basement.


    It was from that moment on that Silvia developed ustrophobia. She couldn¡¯t stay in dark ces


    for long periods.


    Later, she slowly underwent therapy, which helped her cope with dark environments to some extent.


    But she never expected to encounter such a situation one day.


    She had never told anyone about this childhood experience, but today, she involuntarily shared it


    with Cyril because she knew even if she didn¡¯t, he would notice that something was wrong with her.


    Cyril held Silvia, his eyes filled withpassion, but it was all obscured by the darkness. He,


    couldn¡¯t find the words to express his feelings, wondering if things would be different today if she


    hadn¡¯t suffered that ordeal in her childhood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Someone wille to rescue us soon.¡±


    Cyril didn¡¯t know what to say, so he just blurted out these words.


    ¡°I know someone wille to rescue us, but I¡¯ll still be scared. After we get out, can you promise


    not to tell anyone about this?¡±


    Cyril couldn¡¯t refuse. He felt that Silvia was so fragile right now, as if she could break at any


    moment. He wished he could embed her in his body, providing her with strength and protection.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this will be our secret. No one will know.¡±


    Chapter 143: Rescue


    3/3


    As soon as he finished speaking, there was amotion outside the elevator. Cyril instantly


    realized that someone wasing to rescue them.


    ¡°People areing to rescue us. Don¡¯t be¡­id.¡±


    He emphasized this again as the rescuers arrived at the elevator door.


    ¡°Is anyone inside?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is!¡±


    The people outside knocked on the elevator door. Cyril realized they were trying to find a way


    inside, so he knocked back to respond.


    After getting a response, the rescuers began discussing the rescue n.


    As Cyril had expected, the elevator had suddenly dropped from a great height, causing some


    deformation. It took the rescuers over half an hour to pry open the elevator door and rescue the two


    trapped inside.


    With the rescue team was Frank and Juliet.


    Both of them nervously looked inside the elevator and saw Cyril helping Silvia out.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Juliet rushed over. When she saw Silvia¡¯s extremely pale face, she felt deeply


    distressed.


    Though she didn¡¯t know what exactly happened, she knew about the sudden elevator drop She


    couldn¡¯t me Cyril, but Juliet was still very angry. If Frank hadn¡¯t pulled her away


    suddenly, maybe none of this would have happened.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°It¡¯s all your fault!¡±


    Juliet red fiercely at Frank, who felt unjustly used. How could he have known such a thing


    would happen? If he could predict the future, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have pulled her


    away.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just need to sit down for a moment.¡±


    Silvia struggled out of Cyril¡¯s embrace. Juliet hurried to support her as she sat down nearby, then


    went to fetch some hot water and ced it in Silvia¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Your hands are so cold. Put on this jacket. Did he do anything to you in the elevator just


    now?¡±


    Juliet looked at Cyril defensively, fearing he might have harmed Silvia during their time trapped


    together.

 Chapter 144

    Chapter 144


    Chapter 144: A Shared Secret


    Cyril didn¡¯t bother exining his apparen hostility towards Juliette. He figured, with the things he


    had done in the past, it wasn¡¯t unjust for Sylvia¡¯s people to treat him this way.


    But as he pondered the incident in the elevator just now, Cyril had no basis for exnation. He


    knew it was a shared secret between him and Sylvia, a sign of their rtionship deepening.


    Moreover, he had promised Sylvia never to reveal what happened inside the elevator. So, until


    Sylvia spoke up, he wouldn¡¯t disclose anything, even if it led to misunderstandings with Juliette.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. The elevator just suddenly dropped, and it startled me. He was quite caring, actually.


    Don¡¯t worry,¡± Sylvia said, trying to reassure Juliette. However, she had no idea how forced her smile


    looked.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. When the elevator malfunctioned just now, I was on the verge of losing it.


    The rescue team arrived promptly, though you were quick too. But I was worried something might


    happen to you inside the elevator. Let¡¯s forget about dinner and just head back,¡± Juliette said.


    Juliette regretted a bit instantly. If she hadn¡¯t insisted on taking Sylvia out for dinner today maybe


    none of this would have happened.


    Sylvia could easily decipher Juliette¡¯s thoughts. She tightly held Juliette¡¯s hand and said, It¡¯s not


    your fault. Even if you hadn¡¯t called me out today, the elevator would still have malfunctioned. It was


    just my bad luck to be in it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not your bad luck; it¡¯s clearly just encountering someone having a bad day. That¡¯s why things


    turned out this way. Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll buy you something else to eat,¡± Juliette said, giving Cyril and Frank


    a disdainful nce as they stood up to leave.


    Frank wanted to exin but couldn¡¯t bring himself to do so.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Although he felt unjust about the incident, he couldn¡¯t express how much.


    Thus, he could only watch as the two left. The aftermath would be for Cyril and Frank to deal with.


    So, neither of them chased after them.


    Only after sorting out everything concerning the elevator did Frank finally get a chance to ask Cyril


    what happened inside.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t had time to discuss what happened inside the elevator. What exactly happened? Why


    did you suddenlye out hugging her? She seems to really dislike you,¡± Frank asked,


    Chapter 144: A Shared Secret


    2/3


    curious.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯d be curious about what happened in the elevator,¡± Cyril replied.


    ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t want to know what hap d in there? It was so dark, and the two of you were alone.


    Moreover, you two used to be married. How could I not be curious about what happened?¡± Frank


    said.


    Frank was indeed curious, mainly because when Sylvia came out, she seemed off. Hence, he


    thought it was only natural to inquire further.


    ¡°Then be curious,¡± Cyril said with a smile before leaving, leaving Frank standing there puzzled.


    What had he said to make Cyril ask that?


    ¡°You can¡¯t just leave it at that. I¡¯m just concerned; I don¡¯t mean anything else. If there¡¯s something


    you can¡¯t tell me, just omit that part. Just tell me what you can,¡± Frank said.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t disclose any part of it. Let¡¯s go find a ce to eat. I


    want to check on her after dinner,¡± Cyril said, in a good mood. He couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with


    Frank. It was time for dinner, then he¡¯d get something extra for Sylvia.


    Frank thought Cyril must be crazy. Had he forgotten how much Sylvia disliked him? Wanting to


    bring her food? Not being left outside was already a win.


    But seeing Cyril¡¯s good mood, he must have not said anything hurtful. Whether he could deliver the


    food wasn¡¯t important. The important thing was the intention, right?


    Over the next two days, Sylvia, after adjusting and resting, resumed her busy routine.


    Besides the subsidiarypanies, there were many other matters to attend to. And


    because of Inglee, there were even more matters to deal with at the subsidiarypanies than she


    had imagined. So, she was busy all day long.


    Aside from being busy, Juliette was just as upied. Until this afternoon, they finally managed to


    leave work on time.


    As they walked downstairs from thepany building, they bumped into Cyril: Cyril was holding a


    bouquet of flowers and looked a bit nervous as he approached Sylvia when he saw hering out


    of thepany.


    Juliette tightly gripped. Sylvia¡¯s wrist, looking surprised at Cyril. What was he doing here, holding


    such a big bouquet of flowers? Was he trying to reconcile with Sylvia? Could she have agreed?


    Chapter 144: A Shared Secret


    might suddenly change her mind and forgive Cyril, especially since she hadn¡¯t had the chance to


    warn Sylvia yet, and now it seemed like her fear wasing true.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, don¡¯t be so foolish. You¡¯ve finally managed to get out of a grave; don¡¯t throw


    yourself back in,¡± Juliette warned, her voice full of urgency.


    3/3


    Hearing Juliette¡¯s words, Sylvia couldn¡¯t help butugh. Did she really need to be so guarded?


    She knew what she should do and what she shouldn¡¯t. As for Cyril¡¯s preferences, she couldn¡¯t stop


    him, could she?


    ¡°Alright, don¡¯t worry. When I divorced him, I never thought of turning back. You don¡¯t need to be


    concerned,¡± Sylvia reassured her.


    But Juliette wasn¡¯tforted by Sylvia¡¯s words. On the contrary, she became even more


    worried.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for what happened a few days ago, maybe I wouldn¡¯t worry so much. But with that


    incident, I¡¯m afraid you might act impulsively again. After all, you only wanted to marry him because


    of a sudden impulse. I absolutely won¡¯t allow such a thing to happen again, or else I¡¯d feel


    ashamed,¡± Juliette said firmly.


    Juliette had just finished reminding Sylvia when Cyril approached them. Cyril nodded slightly at


    Juliette and handed the bouquet to Sylvia.


    ¡°I thought this bouquet was beautiful and suited you, so I bought it. I don¡¯t have any ulterior


    motives,¡± Cyril said.

 Chapter 145

    Chapter 145


    1. Chapter 145: Like a Dream


    ¡°Are you implying something else with the statement?¡± Juliet¡¯s voice escted instantly.¡± You


    say there¡¯s no other meaning, but buying such a huge bunch of roses, isn¡¯t that implying


    something? You¡¯ve clearlyid out your intentions in as day!¡±


    ¡°You know, there¡¯s this saying online that fits perfectly here. Late affection is like weeds. You


    used to ignore her affection, and now you regret it and want to treat her nicely. Have you even


    thought about how much you¡¯ve hurt her over the years? And now you want to change your


    rtionship with her with just a bunch of flowers? Oh, and about the elevator incident, let me


    tell you, it was just luck. Don¡¯t read too much into it!¡± Juliet unleashed a torrent of words at


    Cyril, leaving him speechless.


    ¡°Let me tell you, pack up your cheap disy of affection. And this bouquet of roses, is that what


    shecks? If Sylvia needs flowers, there are plenty of people who can send them to her. Don¡¯t


    be a nuisance here!¡± Juliet continued, her words hitting Cyril where it hurt.


    ¡°And also, please convey to Frank that there¡¯s no need to consider the coboration between


    our twopanies anymore. We¡¯re notcking in potential partners, and we¡¯re not interested in


    debating the pros and cons with you. Even if we need to coborate, we¡¯d rather choose


    someone more reliable. After all, birds of a feather flock together!¡±


    Besides dealing with issues in their subsidiarypany, the two of them had been busy looking


    for other techpanies to coborate with. After today¡¯s incident, Juliet was determined not to


    coborate with Frank anymore.


    She initially thought she couldn¡¯t get rid of Sylvia, but unexpectedly Sylvia agreed after a


    moment of silence. Then, they started looking for otherpanies to coborate with.


    Due to their busy schedules these past few days, they hadn¡¯t had the chance to inform Frank of


    their decision. Now, Cyril was hearing it from them, which made no difference since Cyril


    and Frank were on the same side.


    Cyril seemed a bit agitated upon hearing about the coboration falling through. He turned


    to Sylvia, unsure of what to say.


    After a moment of silence, he could only awkwardly ask, ¡°Is there really no room for


    coboration? You¡¯ve spent so much time selecting Frank¡¯spany. Since hispany¡®


    principles align with yours, why cancel the coboration for other reasons? If it¡¯s just because


    you don¡¯t want to see me or have any contact with me, I can assure you, thepany¡¯s affairs


    will primarily be managed by Frank. I¡¯m just here to oversee, not to meddle in your


    cooperation.¡±


    ¡°This matter doesn¡¯t concern you much. Even if what you said is true and Frank¡¯spany


    shares our principles, making it the ideal partner, there may be other suitablepanies. It


    might take a little more time, but it¡¯s no big deal. Iv¨¢n Group isn¡¯tcking in time or partners.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s tone was cold, widening the rift between them.


    Cyril couldn¡¯t ignore Sylvia¡¯s rejection. He thought that after the incident, their rtionship might


    ease up a bit, but now he realized he had been overly optimistic.


    Despite sharing a secret with Sylvia, it didn¡¯t mean she would view him


    differently. If anything, she seemed more repelled by him because of it.


    ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯d like to invite you to dinner, as a way of repaying you for helping me in


    the elevator that day. Besides, I hope we can minimize our interactions in the future. Also, the


    choice of who to coborate with does have personal reasons behind it, but it¡¯s mainly for the


    greater good.¡± Sylvia¡¯s words sounded noble, but she knew rejecting Frank¡¯s coboration was


    indeed due to personal reasons.


    Even though it was because of her personal reasons, she didn¡¯t want to admit it to Cyril.


    Whatever she wanted to do, her brothers wouldn¡¯t oppose it. She just needed to find another


    way to resolve this matter satisfactorily.


    After Sylvia finished speaking, both Cyril and Juliet were left stunned. Juliet had thought Sylvia


    finally wouldn¡¯t shut Cyril out anymore.


    But she hadn¡¯t expected Sylvia to actively invite Cyril to dinner. Was she dreaming? How else


    could she exin this surreal turn of events?


    ¡°Uh, you¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. We¡¯ve already made a reservation, haven¡¯t we? One more person won¡¯t hurt.¡± Sylvia


    interrupted Juliet, leading the way. Cyril hesitated for a moment before following Sylvia, leaving


    Juliet feeling like she was in a surreal world.


    But she gritted her teeth and followed suit. After all, hadn¡¯t they agreed? It was just to repay


    Cyril for helping Sylvia in the elevator that day. Nothing more, nothing less.


    If she didn¡¯t keep an eye on things, what if something really did happen? Three of them sat in


    the restaurant, Cyrilpletely ignoring Juliet, his gaze fixed on Sylvia with unfriendly eyes.


    Juliet couldn¡¯t help but intervene.


    ¡°Can you please tone down the hostility? It¡¯s like you¡¯ve never seen Sylvia before. Haven¡¯t you


    known her for years?¡±


    Juliet¡¯s words hit Cyril hard, and he withdrew his gaze after a moment.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°You know, you didn¡¯t have to ept the dinner invitation¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine, if you think you don¡¯t need to join us for dinner, then leave. Why sit here and order food


    if you¡¯re just going to reject it now? Didn¡¯t you think of that from the beginning? Now that you¡¯ve


    already ordered, you say you don¡¯t need it. Aren¡¯t you being ridiculous?¡± Juliet interrupted Cyril,


    exasperated by his indecisiveness.


    ¡°Juliet, can you please calm down?¡± Sylvia was getting frustrated. She knew Juliet meant


    well, but it was unnecessary.


    Juliet finally toned it down a bit, but she still couldn¡¯t stand Cyril. ¡°Hmph, I was just saying. If he


    doesn¡¯t want to listen, he doesn¡¯t have to.¡±

 Chapter 146

    Chapter 146


    Chapter 146 Seeing Once, Beating Once


    Juliette definitely toned it down a bit for Sylvia¡¯s sake. Gotta admit, Cyril deserved a pat on the


    back for that day. Even though we don¡¯t know what Sylvia went through before, the scene in the


    elevator was definitely off.


    But being disgusted by Cyril and being thankful to him are two different things. So, after giving Cyril


    a piece of her mind, Juliette decided to keep quiet.


    During dinner, Juliette didn¡¯t say anything outrageous either.


    The main reason she didn¡¯t say anything over¨Cthe¨Ctop was that she was afraid she¡¯d end up giving


    Cyril another round of criticism from start to finish. And that¡¯s not what Sylvia wanted to see. So, she


    held back.


    As the meal was wrapping up, Juliette put down her utensils and said to Sylvia, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ve


    finished eating, let¡¯s go pay.¡±


    Originally, Cyril had nned to settle the bill halfway through, but Juliette grabbed his hand, and in


    the end, Sylvia didn¡¯t hesitate after hearing Juliette¡¯s words. She immediately got up to pay at the


    counter.


    Seeing Sylvia leave, Juliette turned to Cyril with a serious expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what suddenly made you regret and want to be good to her, but some things, once


    done,


    can¡¯t be undone. The hurt you caused her will never fade away. You don¡¯t need to keep appearing


    in her life. If you truly want her to be happy, you shouldn¡¯t do things that bother her. You know that


    every time you show up, it just brings back memories of the grievances she suffered when she was


    with you. This isn¡¯t about loving her, it¡¯s about satisfying your own selfish desires and making


    yourself feel better.¡±


    As an outsider, Juliette saw things very clearly. What Cyril did wasn¡¯t touching anyone else; it was


    touching herself.


    So, he didn¡¯t even consider the damage he was causing Sylvia each time he appeared, each time


    iming


    it was for her own good.


    ¡°Let¡¯s call it quits with the elevator incident. Whatever happened that day, you did save her, that¡¯s a


    fact. But everything has its limits. She¡¯s not holding onto the past, which is giving you both some


    dignity. You¡¯re smart, I hope you won¡¯t erase thatst bit of dignity. Otherwise, those around her


    won¡¯t let you off easy. You should understand that you¡¯re able to sit here peacefully with her


    because everyone pities her and


    doesn¡¯t want to do anything to you.¡±


    Sylvia would never say these things, because she¡¯d swallow the bad by herself.


    But as Sylvia¡¯s good friend, how could Juliette not feel for her?


    So, she spoke these words on Sylvia¡¯s behalf to Cyril.


    It was a mistake that got Sylvia into her current situation, and it was time to correct it. The


    prerequisite for this correction was for Cyril to understand his current situation and stop struggling


    and fantasizing


    needlessly.N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°In your life, there must be something more important than Sylvia. When


    that somethinges up, you


    Chapter 146 Seeing Unce, Beating Once


    won¡¯t choose Sylvia. When that dayes, delivering a painful blow to Sylvia, you¡¯ll stop dragging


    her


    around.¡±


    Seeing Sylvia had finished paying and was about to return, Juliette stopped talking.


    2/3


    Juliette had been stopping Cyril all along from paying because she knew that if Cyril seeded in


    paying today, there would inevitably be another chance for them to meet up for a meal in the future.


    And Juliette didn¡¯t want to give Cyril that chance.


    Now that the meal was over, they didn¡¯t need to meet up again in the future, so Cyril¡¯s lingering over


    yesterday¡¯s events was even more unnecessary.


    If he truly wanted to be good to Sylvia, then he should heed the words Juliette had spoken today


    and


    never bother Sylvia again. It would be good for both of them.


    ¡°We¡¯re done paying, let¡¯s go.¡±


    Seeing Sylvia approaching, Juliette put on a smile, took her and Sylvia¡¯s arms, and left.


    The two of them left quickly, not giving Cyril a chance to say goodbye. Of course, Sylvia had


    something she wanted to say originally, but now that she didn¡¯t have the chance, it didn¡¯t matter.


    The two of them left, and Cyril sat there, still in a daze.


    The words Juliette said made his brain pause for a moment.


    Just then, footsteps approached him, and he looked up hopefully, thinking it was Sylvia, only to find


    it was


    Balk.


    Balk had been wearing a mask, but after seeing Cyril, he didn¡¯t care about the mask anymore and


    came


    over.


    ¡°Shameless, pestering my sister?¡±


    After saying that, Balk grabbed Cyril¡¯s shirt and punched him in the face.


    Cyril¡¯s face instantly swerved, but Balk wouldn¡¯t stop there. He continued punching Cyril, one punch


    after


    another.


    Until his hands were red, and Cyril¡¯s face was swollen, with traces of blood, did Balk stop.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you, stay away from my sister from now on. Every time you show up, I¡¯ll beat you up.


    You¡¯ve been bullying my sister for so long, do you really think our family has no temper? Is Juliette


    right, that we¡¯re just feeling sorry for my sister, so we don¡¯t do anything to you? But if you keep


    pushing it, don¡¯t me us for not being polite!¡±


    After saying that, Balk took out a mask from his pocket, put it on, and left the restaurant.


    Balk¡¯s actions had already attracted the attention of the people around, but they didn¡¯t know


    whether they should step forward to stop¡¯it or take pictures first.


    Cyril, after being hit twice, finally began to sober up a bit. He realized that the reason he was still


    okay until now was also because of Sylvia¡¯s kindness.


    Chapte 146 Seeing Once, Heating Chen


    3/3


    He sat there with a bitter smile for a while before standing up and walking out in a daze.


    Should he really, as Juliette and Balk said, stop bothering Sylvia anymore? Would that give them


    both some dignity?


    But he wanted to give them both dignity, and he also hoped Sylvia would live a better life. He just


    wasn¡¯t willing to let go like this.

 Chapter 147

    Chapter 147


    Chapter 147: Afraid You¡¯re Being Deceived


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Balk¡¯s physical confrontation with someone quickly became the talk of the town. Juliet, a top¨Ctier


    surfer, couldn¡¯t believe it when she stumbled upon the news. She was utterly shocked as she


    opened the picture and then incredulously showed it to Sylvia.


    ¡°Oh my goodness, I never expected that when we went out to eat together today, your brother


    would be there too, and he¡¯d end up hitting Cyril! Do you think this will have any consequences for


    your brother? And I feel like there was really no need for him to hit Cyril. Sure, Cyril can be


    annoying, but¡­¡±


    Deep down, Juliet was secretly thrilled that Balk had taken matters into his own hands. But she


    couldn¡¯t


    shake off a sense of worry. What if he angered someone who wouldn¡¯t just take it lying down? And


    now


    that it¡¯s gone viral, opinions on this incident are all over the ce.


    Sylvia was equally taken aback by her brother¡¯s actions, especially since he took off his mask.


    After browsing through the trending topics, Sylvia was at a loss for words. ¡°Wait, let me call Balk


    first.¡±


    Feeling a bit exasperated, Sylvia reached for her phone to call her brother and figure out what


    exactly was


    going on and how to handle the situation now that it was blowing up.


    As a top celebrity, Balk hitting someone in public raised many eyebrows. And the fact that the


    person he hit was Cyril, someone connected to Sylvia, added anotheryer ofplexity. It¡¯s a


    convoluted situation that¡¯s sure to make onlookers sick of popcorn.


    Sylvia felt a headacheing on. She really didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Cyril anymore,


    but now, thanks to Balk, she might have to apologize to him?


    Soon enough, Balk answered the phone, probably waiting for Sylvia to call.


    ¡°Bro, care to exin why you hit someone?¡± Sylvia asked.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to exin? I just didn¡¯t like him. Plus, you two have been divorced for ages, yet he still


    chases after you like a lost puppy. Isn¡¯t he asking for it? By the way, don¡¯t worry about those online


    rumors; I¡¯ll take care of them. And about Frank¡¯s thing, since you don¡¯t want to work with his


    company anymore, I have someone else to rmend. Wanna meet him? It¡¯s just a meeting, we¡¯ll


    decideter if we want to coborate, okay?¡±


    Sylvia was puzzled. Since when did Balk care so much about these things? Normally, it¡¯s their


    eldest brother Bruce who handlespany matters. Buttely, Bruce has delegated them to Sylvia.


    Their other brother hardly ever gets involved in anything besides his own interests. So why the


    sudden interest in helping her and rmending coborators?


    ¡°Why are you suddenly so invested in all this? You never cared about these things before,¡± Sylvia


    said.


    Balk, realizing btedly that hitting someone might not have been the best idea, tried to justify


    himself.¡± Well, I was just worried you¡¯d be fooled by him. You know how smooth¨Ctalking he is. After


    all those years of deceiving you, and now bullying you, I couldn¡¯t just stand by.¡±


    Being worried about her getting deceived by Cyril? That reason sounded far¨Cfetched. But Sylvia


    didn¡¯t


    Chapte 147 Afraid You¡¯re Being Deceived


    press further. Since Balk said he¡¯d handle things from here, she decided to let it go.


    ¡°Fine, whatever. But you don¡¯t need to worry about the coboration; I¡¯ll handle it myself. I have


    other options. I just haven¡¯t decided yet,¡± Sylvia said.


    2/2


    ¡°I know you have other options, but just take a look at the one I¡¯m rmending. It won¡¯t hurt. You


    canpare and decide who¡¯s the best fit,¡± Balk insisted.


    Hearing Balk¡¯s rmendation made Sylvia suspicious. What was wrong with this person he was


    suggesting?


    After a moment of silence, Sylvia spoke up again. ¡°Bro, the more you push, the more I feel like


    you¡¯re up to something. Are you deliberately trying to set me up? I¡¯m telling you, if that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll


    call Bruce.¡±


    ¡°Come on, sis, I genuinely care about you. Trust me, meeting this person won¡¯t hurt, and it¡¯ll


    definitely give


    that guy a scare. Let him think twice before bothering you again,¡± Balk said.


    Sylvia¡¯s lips twitched. Lately, Balk seemed to be acting out of character. After today¡¯s incident, she


    doubted she¡¯d see him for a while.


    Sylvia really didn¡¯t want to meet anyone right now, but Balk¡¯s persistence eventually wore her down.


    She reluctantly agreed to the meeting.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll set it up for tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll have hime directly to the office. You two can talk


    there. Anyway, I¡¯ll let you go now. I need to deal with these online matters,¡± Balk said before quickly


    hanging up.


    Sylvia stared at the now disconnected call, pondering. Turning to Juliet, she asked, ¡°Has my brother


    been acting strangetely?¡±


    Juliet looked puzzled for a moment before shaking her head. ¡°Nah, it¡¯s probably nothing. He just


    wants you to meet someone. I doubt they¡¯ll actually do anything to harm you.¡±

 Chapter 148

    Chapter 148


    Chapter 148 A Bit Familiar


    Although what Juliet said was true, Sylvia couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that things weren¡¯t that simple.


    But without meeting the person, it¡¯s hard to draw conclusions. The next day, Sylvia sat in her office


    watching the aftermath of Bark¡¯s online handling, and the person he rmended had arrived.


    Sylvia put away her phone, ignoring the unofficial news. When she saw who walked in, she froze


    instantly.


    At first nce, Sylvia found this person in front of her somewhat familiar, but she couldn¡¯t ce


    where she had seen him before. After a while, she finally remembered ¨C he seemed to be Cyril¡¯s


    archenemy from


    a few years back.


    Cyril had a few toughpetitors on his entrepreneurial journey, and this one was the fiercest.


    It was said that the two of them fought tooth and nail from the start of their ventures. Even after


    establishing their ownpanies and achieving sess in different fields, their rivalry only grew


    deeper.


    Butter, she heard that this man had shifted his business overseas, ending the endless conflict


    and


    Sylvia knew about this because she had been very concerned about Cyril over the years.


    But she couldn¡¯t quite recall the name of Cyril¡¯s nemesis. After all, during that time, she had focused


    all her energy on Cyril, hardly paying attention to anyone outside of him.


    ¡°Hey, uh, you¡¯re my bro¡­¡±


    ¡°Long time no see! Why do you seem so distant? Don¡¯t tell me you forgot who I am. If that¡¯s the


    case, I¡¯d be heartbroken. After all, we used to have such a deep friendship.¡±


    The man interrupted Sylvia with a yful smile, clearly joking. Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened at his words.


    What


    did he mean?


    While it was true that she couldn¡¯t remember his name, her memory never indicated any deep


    friendship


    between them.


    The man sighed, a hint of disappointment in his voice. ¡°Seems like you really forgot. But it¡¯s okay.


    We were ssmates in middle school. I was your desk mate back then. My name is Benjamin.¡±


    Hearing that name, Sylvia remembered. Indeed, she had a middle school ssmate named


    Benjamin.


    She just hadn¡¯t expected her ssmate to be in such apetitive rtionship with her ex¨C


    husband. Their animosity had escted so much.


    After recalling, Sylvia immediately put on a smile and replied without missing a beat, ¡°Oh, I


    remember now. Your transformation is quite remarkable. Back then, I could hardly recognize you,


    and it¡¯s even harder now. If you hadn¡¯t mentioned your name and identity, I might not have


    associated you with my


    ssmate.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I¡¯ve changed a lot. I was quite chubby in middle school. Now I¡¯ve managed to slim down.


    When I walk around now, many people don¡¯t even remember me. Your brother has already


    discussed the


    Chapte. 145 A Bit Famo


    cooperation with me. What do you think about it?¡±


    Even though Sylvia knew he was her middle school ssmate, she wasn¡¯t exactly thrilled about


    discussing cooperation right away. She wanted to get to know him better first before considering


    any future ns. Understanding a person is crucial before embarking on any coboration.


    ¡°No rush. It¡¯s been so many years since we¡¯ve seen each other. Let¡¯s catch up on other things first.


    We can talk about cooperationter.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. By the way, I heard you and Cyril got divorced. Did our past rivalry affect your


    marriage? Or was it because of my actions that he neglected you, leading to your divorce?¡±


    Benjamin brought up their past rivalry. Sylvia didn¡¯t know how to respond objectively. She had very


    little insight into what had happened back then. However, she couldn¡¯t deny everything just because


    of a


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°It¡¯s not rted to you. It¡¯s our own issues. By the way, how have you been living abroad these


    years?¡±


    ¡°Pretty good, actually. You¡¯ve seen mypany. It¡¯s doing better and better. I realizedter that our


    competition was driven by our mutual interests. But when I moved to a different ce, I realized


    there¡¯s no point in clinging to one thing. Starting over somewhere else, I can achieve a different kind


    of sess. Look at me now; I¡¯m doing great, aren¡¯t I? And my current worth, including all I¡¯ve done,


    is many times


    more than Cyril¡¯s.¡±


    Sylvia thought he had let go of the rivalry with Cyril, but it turned out not to be the case. Although he


    didn¡¯t directlypare himself to Cyril, boasting about hispany implied he hadn¡¯t let go of the


    competition


    at all.


    Sylvia sipped her coffee, thinking about how to politely send him away.


    W


    ¡°When I contacted your brother, he assigned me a task. He said you haven¡¯t been feeling welltely,


    and knowing my way around, he wanted us to meet. If ourpanies can cooperate, that would be


    great. If not, at least it might improve your mood.¡±


    Benjaminughed, admitting his real purpose foring over.


    Sylvia realized his visit wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed. She hadn¡¯t expected him toe with a


    task. But how would improving her mood benefit him?


    A businessman never makes a loss, especially someone like Benjamin who knows how to win.


    ¡°Are you wondering what benefits I¡¯ll get? Don¡¯t worry about that. The reward your brother promised


    me is


    irresistible.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell me what reward he promised you? If possible, I might double it.¡±


    As Sylvia looked up, she saw the pressure in his eyes. She instantly understood why he was here


    and why


    he was rmended to her.


    Sylvia didn¡¯t want to invite trouble for herself, so she wanted to nip it in the bud.


    ¡°It¡¯s really sad to see you like this. But the reward your brother promised me is something ever if


    you triple it, you wouldn¡¯t be able to change it.


    ¡±

 Chapter 149

    Chapter 149


    Chapter 149: Big Brother¡¯s Idea


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    You can tell from the fact that the other party refuses to change their mind, just what Second


    Brother has put into this. Sylvia was really curious about it, but since Second Brother was dead set


    on keeping it under wraps, she gave up. ¡°Well,¡± she thought, ¡°if he doesn¡¯t want to spill the beans


    now, I¡¯ll just ask himter.¡±


    ¡°Well, I that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s talk about our coboration. Did my brother mention it to you? I¡¯m


    currently looking into a techpany. I don¡¯t know much about you, and I¡¯m not entirely clear about


    yourpany either. He just hastly arranged for us to meet. Frankly, it seems quite inappropriate,


    especially to meet at the office.¡±


    As Sylvia started talking business, her demeanor changed. Her serious look deeply intrigued the


    man across from her, but what she said left Benjamin a bit puzzled.


    ¡°Coboration?¡± Benjamin eximed, surprised. ¡°While it¡¯s true I came here with that intention, the


    coboration your brother mentioned wasn¡¯t about a techpany. Mypany isn¡¯t even in the


    tech sector.¡±


    Silence enveloped them both, neither expecting things to turn out like this. They had assumed the


    other¡¯s idea of coboration matched theirs. But now they realized that wasn¡¯t the case at all their


    companies didn¡¯t align, what was the point of discussing coboration?


    w that. So why bring in someone totally unrted?


    Sviva couldn¡¯t wrap ber head around it. She was clearly involved in the tech industry now, and her


    brother knew that Sov


    After a moment, Benjamin chuckled. He figured out what Sylvia¡¯s brother was up to. Frankly, it was


    a bit hical, but hey, when opportunity knocks, you¡¯ve got to seize it, right?


    ¡°think I¡¯ve figured out what your brother wants. Though I can¡¯t coborate with you directly, I do


    have contacts who could. You¡¯ve probably seen Frank¡¯s profile, you know about his connection with


    Cyril So, I assume you won¡¯t be coborating with him anymore. I have anotherpany in mind


    that could be a potential match. Let me organize the details and send them to youter. Let¡¯s


    exchange contact information.¡±


    His main goal was to exchange contact information, but mentioning the techpany piqued


    Sylvia¡¯s interest. She couldn¡¯t find a reason to object, so she reluctantly gave him ber work phone


    and added his contact details


    Benjamin noticed that Sylvia¡¯s phone was different from the one she usually used, but he didn¡¯t


    think much of it. ¡°It¡¯s all business,¡± he thought, seeing no harm in l.


    ¡°Well, in that case, let me treat you to a meal I really didn¡¯t expect my brother to put you in such a


    difficult position..


    ¡°It¡¯s not that difficult,¡± Sylvainterjected ¡°I¡¯m actually happy to be doing this. It¡¯s been a long time


    since west met, so I¡¯m d for the opportunity. And your brother also gave me a choice, I didn¡¯t


    refuse.¡±


    After a pause, Benjarin added, ¡°But if you¡¯re offering to treat me, I certainly won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Sylva reactantly took him out for lunch she had to admit, Benjamin was indeed a very considerate


    and gentle man


    He knew Sylvia might not be used to this kind of atmosphere, so he spoke patiently, always bringing


    up interesting topics to ease her nerves.


    After a pleasant meal, they parted ways to attend to their respective tasks for the afternoon.


    As soon as Benjamin lett, Sylvia¡¯s expression changed. She immediately called Balk.


    ¡°My dear brother, do you need to exin what¡¯s going on? Was the purpose of bringing this person


    today not about discussing coboration at all? Did you just want me to assess him and bring him


    home


    The way he looked at her was too suggestive. If this continued for too long, she might end up with


    another admirer around her.


    Sylvia was faming. She couldn¡¯t understand what her brother was thinking. He knew her well


    enough to know she wasn¡¯t interested in rtionships Could she really jump into another one so


    quickly after being hurt?


    Baik protested on the other end of the line, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault! It was Big Brother¡¯s idea. He said if you


    continued like this, your health would suffer. Seeing you unhappy makes us sad too. So, I thought


    of a way to help you rx Besides, this guy contacted me on his own. I just thought he might have a


    company that could coborate with yours. After all, we¡¯re just making rmendations within


    reasonable limits. You two were middle school ssmates; what¡¯s the harm in chatting?¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t normally do something like this. Are you trying to get back at me for not treating you


    well over the years? If so, can¡¯t you find a better way than using something like this to get back at


    me?


    Sylvia gritted her teeth. If this guy really was sent by Big Brother, Balk would definitely try to reject


    him. But now, with Big Brother and Balk working together, it was obvious they were up to


    something.


    Hearing Sylvia¡¯s words, Balk burst intoughter. ¡°Your brother isn¡¯t that over the top. I just thought it


    was time for you


    ou to start a new life. Yes, thepany is your responsibility, but that doesn¡¯t mean your whole life


    should revolve around it. You should do other things too. Even if you¡¯re not getting married, you


    should at least date. There are so many men in the world, take your time to choose. We¡¯re just


    making reasonable rmendations. In the end, it¡¯s up to you to decide.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t want to hear any more about this. I have work to do.¡±


    She hung up and walked to the office, feeling irritated. On her way back, she received another call


    from Big Brother.


    She didn¡¯t need to guess, it was definitely because Balk had run to tattle on her, or Big Brother had


    found out she met Benjamin. Reluctantly, she answered the call.

 Chapter 150

    Chapter 150


    Chapter 150: Sense of Crisis


    ¡°What do you think of the person your big brother set your up with? He¡¯s been into your slice


    childhood, you know? Then there was that thealty with Cyll, a lot of it was because of you. Butter


    on, realizing you might be stuck in the middle, he hacked off and went abroad Now seeing each


    other apain, how do you feel?¡±


    Usually, my big brother isn¡¯t this nosy, Who got him into this?


    Sylda felt a headacheing on. She saw Juliet staring at her with possip written all over her face,


    making her headache worse.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so many years since we¡¯ve seen each other, what¡¯s there to teel? Right now, my priority is


    sorting out thepany¡¯s collidiorations, other matters well, they¡¯re not on my radar. Plus, I didn¡¯t


    even recognize him back then, and now I¡¯m even less likely to. You two are making this really


    awkward for ine,¡±


    Syhia thought the guy cane to discuss business, so she brashed it off casually at first at Later, she


    realized things weren¡¯t that simple. Her two brothers were reallypleating things for her.


    ¡°All of this is your brothers¡® thoughtful concern. Anyway, you can think about itter. But it¡¯s true he


    likes you, and now that you¡® re divorced, you¡¯ve por to consider other options. He¡¯ll probably keep


    pursuing you for a while. Now, let¡¯s talk about thepany¡¯s matters. Frank¡¯s enmpany, Juliet has


    briefed me. If we don¡¯t coborate, so be it, but you have to find anotherpany, Otherwise, our


    people will need exnations. And how about the situation with the subsidiary?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s almost sorted. There are still a few puppeteers behind the scenes we haven¡¯t caught yet. Once


    we grab them, I¡¯ll be mostly done. As for the coboration, I¡¯m already considering it. Don¡¯t worry,


    I¡¯ve got things under control.¡±


    With the personal stuff out of the way, Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief and started discussing the


    recent state of thepany seriously.


    After discussingpany matters, the siblings hung up. Sylvia put down her phone and looked at


    Juliet. ¡°Did you secretly inform me about what¡¯s been happeningtely?¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on, don¡¯t me me! Your brother bombarded me with too much information. Plus, you


    know how irresistible he is when he¡¯s right in front of me. So, I had to spill the beans, sorry about


    that. How about I treat you to dinner?¡±


    Jubet hadn¡¯t expected Sylvia to catch on so quickly, leaving her with no escape. She had to


    awkwardly blurt out these words.


    ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. It¡¯s not that big eta deal¡±


    Even if it wasn¡¯t Benjamin today, it would¡¯ve been someone else. So, fussing over this didn¡¯t make


    sense at all.


    Anyway, once thepany matters were settled, she¡¯d be out of here soon. It wouldn¡¯t be wise to


    burn bridges now, especially since no one had done anything out of line. Let it be for now, future


    matters could be dealt with in the future.


    However, Sylvia had underestimated the situation a bit. The incident where Bark beat someone up


    had been trending for days, putting her in the spotlight as well.


    So, when Sylvia and Benjamin had dinner together, the media caught wind and spread the news


    online, Coincidentally, Barry saw it.


    Barry felt uneasy seeing the news. Just as he was about in pot away his phone, Cyril¡¯s voice


    sounded from behind him.


    ¡°Let me see your phone.¡±


    Startled by the sudden voice of the l


    the big boss, Barryplied, handing over his phone along with the news article. Cyril looked at the


    online buzz expressionlessly. No one knew what he was thinking, especially Barry, who was now


    even more nervous¡­


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Barry couldn¡¯t help butin inwardly. What kind of dead¨Cend question was that?


    Compatibility? What¡¯s the use of that now? They¡¯re divorced! If you¡¯re feeling jealous and insecure


    now, why didn¡¯t you do something earlier?


    Though he was thinking all of this, he didn¡¯t dare say a word. He nervously replied, ¡°Those online


    talks must have poor eyesight. Benjamin isn¡¯t a good guy.1 when he was against us weren¡¯t noble,


    it¡¯s just that there¡¯s noparison now. If there was, they¡¯d surely think you, boss, are better, more


    compatible.¡± ¡°You make a point. Find a way for me to meet Sylvia¡±


    The things he did


    Cyril did feel a hint of crisis. Back then, when he was at odds with Benjamin, part of it was because


    of Sylvia, Knowing their rtionship wasn¡¯t great, it not unfamiliar, it was Benjamin¡¯s actions that


    fueled his anger towards Sylvia.


    Now that this guy was reappearing, Cyril felt he needed to be cautious about him more than anyone


    else


    So, he had to find a way to appear in front of Sy and make sure she focused on him. As for


    Benjamin, he needed to stay on the sidelines.


    He hadn¡¯t realized how difficult his request was expecting Sylvia to meet him when she clearly


    didn¡¯t want to


    Barry felt helpless. He wanted to say something, but Cyril didn¡¯t give him the chance, walking


    away.


    As Cyril walked farther away, Barry felt even worse. Meeting Sylvia, now he had to figure out how to


    do that. It wasn¡¯t as simple as taking a car home like before. Even getting an appointment wasn¡¯t


    guaranteed now,


    And Syria, she probably didn¡¯t want to meet Cyril right now.


    But he had to follow the boss¡¯s orders. Barry had no choice but to try to arrange a meeting with


    Sylvia in thepany¡¯s name, but whether it would seed was uncertain.

 Chapter 151

    Chapter 151


    Chapter 151: Chance Encounter


    These days have been so hectic for thedies, barely any time to breathe, let alone worry about


    other matters. Sylvia had sorted out the issues with the subsidiarypany, thanks to the valuable


    information provided by Ingrid Sylvia kept her end of the deal and didn¡¯t give Ingrid a hard time.


    But the losses caused by Ingrid to thepany neededpensation, something no one else


    could help her with. Sylvia agreed that if Ingrid made up for those losses, she could stay at the


    subsidiarypany, but returning to the headquarters was out of the question.


    However, everyone knew that even if she stayed at the subsidiary, Sylvia wouldn¡¯t make it easy for


    her. She¡¯d find ways to dismiss her, but without taking direct responsibility


    ¡°The matters at the subsidiary are nearly wrapped up. How about we grab a bite to eat together?


    Listen, I¡¯ve found this fantastic restaurant recently, perfect for a romantic date. And I was thinking,


    maybe next time.¡±


    Juliet burst in excitedly, interrupting Sylvia¡¯s work chatter about dinner ns. But as she spoke, she


    realized it might sound off and quickly stopped.


    Sylvia nced up from her files, amused. ¡°Who else are you nning to dine with besides me?


    nning to use me as a test audience this time?¡±


    Juliet blushed, trying to cover up her slip ¡°Oh, I was just saying. What if I meet a handsome guy


    next time? It¡¯d be nice to have apanion who won¡¯t lead me to bad food, right?¡± Juliet¡¯s attempt


    at diversion was evident. She couldn¡¯t believe she had blurted out her inner thoughts so quickly.


    ¡°A handsome guy, huh?¡± Sylvia chuckled. ¡°I wonder if that handsome guy you¡¯re talking about is my


    big brother. If it is, I might just arrange for you two to meet. Oh, by the way, next time my brother


    Juliet stomped her foot in frustration, her face burning red. Since Sylvia already knew what she was


    thinking, why did she have to say it out loud?


    ¡°oh, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. Forget what I said. Are youing to dinner with me or not? If you


    want to eat, I¡¯ll make a reservation. Otherwise, I¡¯ll go alone¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ming. It¡¯ll be a chance for me to see what kind of dare my brother will be having


    next. Helps me n better to persuade him,¡± Sylvia said with augh, scribbling her name on the


    document and tossing it aside before grabbing Juliet¡¯s hand, pulling her out the door.


    During their journey, Sylvia teased Juliet from time to time.


    But it takes two to tango in matters like these. So far, Bruce hadn¡¯t shown any interest in Juliet.


    Juliet, on the other hand, hadn¡¯t mustered the courage to make a move yet. She was afraid of


    making things worse if she did.


    Sylvia had no say in this matter, considering her own disastrous love life didn¡¯t offer much advice


    However, pursuing love boldly wasn¡¯t wrong. Sylvia just didn¡¯t want to see Juliet hurt. So, in the car,


    she spoke earnestly to Juliet


    ¡°I know you like my brother, but I don¡¯t think he¡¯s aware of it yet. Regardless, I don¡¯t want you to


    end up on the same miserable path I did. If my brother doesn¡¯t like you, don¡¯t force yourself. Don¡¯t


    force him. In the end, the unhappy one will be you.¡±


    ¡°I understand. My feelings for him are my own business. If he doesn¡¯t like me, it¡¯s normal. I haven¡¯t


    said anything yet. Let¡¯s pretend I don¡¯t know anything. If one day I can¡¯t control myself and want to


    tell him how I feel, that¡¯s probably myst effort. It my efforts don¡¯t yield the desired result, it¡¯s okay,¡±


    Juliet said with a nonchnt tone, though Sylvia knew deep down it wouldn¡¯t be that easy when the


    time came


    But since Juliet said so, Sylvia didn¡¯t press further.


    When they arrived at the restaurant, Juliet had already made reservations, so awaiter escorted


    them to their table.


    As they settled in, another person joined them unexpectedly. Sylvia instinctively looked over and


    found Benjamin.


    Benjamin had a perfectly timed smile on his face, as if their meeting was purely coincidental.


    But Sylvia felt a pang of annoyance deep down. Although she hadn¡¯t received any messages from


    Benjamin these past few days, his appearance here at this moment made it hard to believe he


    wasn¡¯t informed beforehand and didn¡¯te here intentionally.


    Thinking this, Sylvia turned to Juliet, but Juliet was busy looking at the menu with excitement,


    asking Sylvia what she wanted to eat.


    Sering Juliet¡¯s obliviousness, Sylvia wondered who else knew about this besides her. Was it really


    just a coincidence?


    ¡°Our family¡¯s restaurant has excellent food. If you need rmendations, I can suggest a few


    dishes for both of you,¡± Benjamin suddenly spoke up, startling Juliet, who widened her eyes and


    looked between Benjamin and Sylvia, as if discovering a new continent.


    ¡°Are you two meeting up here? Am I intrading? Should I leave?¡± Benjamin asked with a smile.


    ¡°Stop imagining things. Just order your food,¡± Sylvia sighed, a headache building up. Juliet chuckled


    but kept stealing nces at both of them, though she remembered to ouder her food and didn¡¯t say


    much more.


    Turning to Benjamin, Sylvia said, ¡°We don¡¯t need rmendations. She had it all p when this ce


    is mostly for couples? Wouldn¡¯t you feel out of ce?¡±


    nned out before you came. And why are you here? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s odd to be here alone


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but the loud here is still good. Besides, besides couples, some peoplee hePublished by N?v''elD/rama.Org.

 Chapter 152

    Chapter 152


    Chapter 152: Roses


    Sylvia hadn¡¯t dined here before, so she wasn¡¯t sure how the food tasted. But seeing Benjamin


    looking sofortable, she figured the food here must be decent.


    While they were chatting, pallet had already ced the order with the walter and started chatting


    with Benjamin.


    ¡°You¡¯re dining alone, right? Why don¡¯t you join us? It would be fun to have a little trio,¡± juliet


    suggested.


    Benjamin was tempted to ept, but he knew if he did, Sylvia might not be too pleased. So, he


    politely declined, saying he had other ns and would leave right after dinner.


    Hearing Benjamin¡¯s response, Juliet didn¡¯t push further. However, she seemed more excited talking


    to Benjamin than she did with Sylvia, as if trying to build a rapport with him,


    ¡°Theard from her brother that you¡¯ve been working here for a long time. Have you ever thought


    about going back to your country for opportunities? Juliet¡¯s question intrigued Sylvia, but she didn¡¯t


    dare ask herself, fearing it might seem suspicious, especially considering Benjamin¡¯s not so


    innocent intentions towards her.


    Benjamin nced at Sylvia, his smile gentle Thave considered going back and have been


    preparing for ittely. But to fully rebar, it might take about half a year.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! If youe back, we could explore the possibility of coborating. There are plenty of


    projects at headquarters,¡± Juliet chimed in, extending the invitation Sylvia felt a headacheing


    on. They had no connection whatsoever, yet they were already talking about coboration. What


    were they going to coborate on? Was she supposed tomit her life to it?


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat, dishes are served,¡± Sylvia quickly interrupted Juliet, spooning some fruit into her mouth.


    She couldn¡¯t continue this conversation. The longer it went on, the more they might think she had


    ulterior motives.


    Benjamin remained silent, watching Sylvia with a warm, non¨Cthreatening smile.


    Honestly, Sylvia had no idea Benjamin had other intentions towards her. If they had met earlier,


    before Cyril, things might have been different. But now, she didn¡¯t dare touch the subject of


    rtionships, let alone get involved with Benjamin


    dback, grabbed a chair, and


    As they are, Benjamin indeed had somewhere to be, so he left soon after finishing dinner.


    However, just as he took a few steps away, he suddenly turned t ced it next to Sylvia


    Both Sylvia and Juliet were puzzled, not understanding why Benjamin did this. Then they saw


    someone approaching ¨C Cyril.


    Cyril held a bouquet of roses, heading straight for Sylvia.


    Now, both Sylvia and Juliet understood why Benjamin had returned and sat next to Sylvia.


    Besides Benjamin¡¯s affection for Sybia, there was alsopetition between him and Cyril So,


    seizing the opportunity to inconvenience Cyril, Benjamin wouldn¡¯t miss it.


    As Cyril approached, Benjamin leaned close to Sybta and whispered in her ear, ¡°Theard you two


    are divorced. I guess you don¡¯t want to be bothered by him. So, I took the liberty toe over. You


    wouldn¡¯t refuse, would your


    Benjamin wasn¡¯t wrong. Syhda indeed didn¡¯t want to be bothered by Cyril. Thus, she didn¡¯t object to


    Benjamin sitting next to her, remaining calm. N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    As Cyril approached, he saw Benjamin leaning in and talking to Sylvia, and Sylvia didn¡¯t move


    away


    Feeling a bit hurt, was be toote?


    ¡°why did you c


    Cyril ced the bouquet of roses on the table. Sylvia subtly moved away from t


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you trying to make me sick? Couldn¡¯t you just ask if it¡¯s okay? Why


    bring flowers when you know she¡¯s allergic to pollen? And don¡¯t you know roses are thest thing


    she likes? Who are you trying to disgust?¡± Juliet¡¯s reaction was strong as she moved the bouquet to


    another table.


    ¡°Are you sick? You obviously know I dislike roses and have pollen allergies. Yet, you brought this


    bouquet. Besides, you should know roses are thest thing I like. Who are you trying to disgust?¡±


    Sylda calmly interrupted Cyril¡¯s apology. Cyril didn¡¯t understand her dislikes about flowers and was


    trying to impress her. But up to now, everything he had done only made Sylvia more ritated..


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, L.¡±


    ¡°I know. You didn¡¯t know I disliked roses or had pollen allergies After all these years, you didn¡¯t


    know much about me. So, you brought this bouquet, which I detest, just as you detest me. Since


    you now know, could you leave with that in mind? Sylvia calmly interrupted Cyell again Cyell didn¡¯t


    understand her dislikes about flowers and was trying to impress her. But up to now, everything he


    had done only made Sylvia more irritated.


    Silenced, Cyril had nothing more to say.


    Indeed, whether it¡¯s love or hate, sometimes, there¡¯s no reason. If there had to be a reason for love


    or hate, then the reason Sybda hated roses was simply because Cyril had given


    them to her.


    T


    ¡°I remember when we were in middle school, your brother attended your awards ceremony and


    brought you a bouquet of tulips. You loved tulips, Benjamin suddenly spoke up.


    Chapter 153: Frank¡¯s Sincerity

 Chapter 153

    Chapter 153


    Chapter 153: Frank¡¯s Sincerity


    Sylvia was taken aback for a moment. The fact that Benjamin knew about her love for tulips was


    something her close friends knew, but she never expected Benjamin to know as well.


    Comparing this, Cyril¡¯s gesture seemed utterly insincere. After all these years of marriage, he


    seemed to know nothing about her, while even someone she hadn¡¯t seen in knew her favorite


    flower


    ¡°It¡¯s really tough on Cyril to hate what you like,¡± Sylvia mused.


    ¡°Yeah, I really like tulips. It¡¯s just that when my brother gave me tulips, they were artificial I¡¯m allergic


    to pollen, after all,¡± she exined.


    ¡°I know. Do you remember when you graduated from junior high, someone gave you a jar of tulips?


    That was me. I turned the tulips into dried flowers and put them in a bottle for


    Benjamin nodded. While others thought Sylvia received artificial flowers because her family couldn¡¯t


    afford real ones, he sensed there was a special reason behind it. Buying real flowers wasn¡¯t that


    expensive, after all.


    So, he observed carefully and found out about Sylvia¡¯s pollen allergy. When she graduated, he


    made dried flowers and put them in a bottle as a gift. He just wasn¡¯t sure if Sylvia remembered it


    Sylvia quickly searched her memories and indeed recalled the tulips. She loved them and still kept


    them in her room.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    ¡°It was you who gave them to me? I thought it was my brother¡¯s doing. But I guess my brother


    wouldn¡¯t have the patience to turn a flower into a dried one. You must have put a lot of effort into it.


    Thank you,¡± Sylvia said with a smile. The memory seemed to soften her attitude towards Benjamin.


    As these two reminisced, theypletely ignored Cyril


    Cyril felt thoroughly aggrieved at being ignored. He didn¡¯t know what to say. It seemed like Sylvia


    had been subjected to such disregard many times before, whereas he had only experienced a


    fraction of it. What right did he have to feel aggrieved?


    Benjamin and Sylvia foundmon ground in their conversation,pletely ignoring Cyril.


    Juliet was in a good mood and ate a little more. When she noticed Cyrill staring nkly at Sylvia,


    she rolled her eyes in exasperation.


    ¡°Why are you still here, Cyril? Can¡¯t you see they¡¯re having a good time? Why do you keep


    bothering them? Don¡¯t you find yourself annoying?¡± she scolded.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to.¡± Cyril¡¯s throat felt dry, struggling to express his emotions.


    Juliet rolled her eyes again. ¡°You didn¡¯t mean to? Then take your roses and leave. It Sylvia has an


    allergic reactionter, she¡¯ll have to find you. Is that your n? Make Sylvia allergic to pollen and


    then get close to her again? You¡¯ve hurt her countless times over the years, and this time is no


    different. You¡¯re disgusting¡±


    Juller¡¯s words hit Cyril hard. His face flushed with embarrassment as he lett, clutching the roses. It


    wasn¡¯t until he reached the door that he realized how impulsive his actions had been. He finally had


    the chance to see Sylvia, and Juliet had only said a few harsh words; she hadn¡¯t actually hurt him


    Yet, he left like a deserter, carrying the roses.


    Cyril sighed at the door. It was toote to turn back now. He nced back at Sylvia and Benjamin,


    who were chatting happily. The atmosphere was pleasant. His heart ached even more, knowing


    that all this should have been his. Even though he had lost it all


    His phone rang, breaking his reverie. Without looking at the caller ID, Cyril answered.


    ¡°Cyril, it¡¯s me. I called you today..¡±


    It was Karina. Cyril frowned, surprised that she was calling him.


    Cyril hung up without a word. He didn¡¯t want any contact with Karina now. Her betrayal in the past


    could be disregarded.


    But if Karina continued to pester him, he would have to seriously consider all the times she had


    deceived him over the years.


    Once Cyril left, Benjamin and Sylvia charted for a while before Benjamin left. He had onlye to


    help Sylda drive Cyril away, and now that he¡¯d aplished that, there was no need to linger


    ¡°Thave to say, he handled it quite gracefully. Honestly, you had met Benjamin earlier, maybe things


    wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this. What do you think? pullet remarked. Although Juliet had been


    neglected for a while, she didn¡¯t feel upset. On the contrary, having such a good friend around was


    not a bad thing, and Benjamin was indeed a nice guy. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense. There¡¯s nothing


    between us,¡± Sylvia replied, feeling a bit helpless. She had talked so much with Benjamin because


    she had recalled some things from junior high. Besides reminiscing about junior high, there wasn¡¯t


    much else they could talk about. Business talk over dinner was rather dull.


    ¡°Okay, okay, you two really have nothing going on. But I have some news to tell you. Do you want


    to hear it?¡± Juliet pulled out her phone. While they were chatting earber, she had checked her


    company¡¯s emails and saw a message


    Sylwia nodded and took a bite of her food.


    Jullet read the email aloud. As Sylvia listened, her brows furrowed more and more. When Juliet


    finished, she added, ¡°Frank wants to continue working with us and has voluntarily lowered his


    share by three percentage points. What do you think?¡±


    Their coboration was significant, so Frank was indeed at a disadvantage by conceding so much.


    Sybia couldn¡¯t understand why he suddenly chose to back down.


    ¡°What¡¯s there to not understand? Frank was our best option from the start, and they seemed eager


    to continue working with us. If it weren¡¯t for Cyril, this coboration wouldn¡¯t have been dyed for


    so long. Now that he has conceded, it¡¯s for the sake of coboration. Plus, you know, if we seal the


    deal this time, the subsequent coborations will also go smoothly, right? So, in the long run, his


    move makes sense,¡± Juliet reasoned

 Chapter 154

    Chapter 154


    Chapter 154: Why Him?


    You know, it¡¯s funny how things work out sometimes. Like, this whole idea, it¡¯s not really a problem,


    you know? If this coboration goes smoothly, then maybe the next one will too. There¡¯s this thing:


    the reason Frank is their best bet is because theirpany¡¯s philosophy aligns pretty darn well with


    theirs. So, there¡¯s a good chance for more


    coborations down the line.


    From a businessman¡¯s perspective, Frank¡¯spromise this time is actually setting the stage for


    smoother cooperation in the future. Plus, by not dragging Cyril into this round, it shows he¡¯s not


    looking to negotiate with Cyril right now. He¡¯s just trying to seal this deal on his own. Sylvia¡¯s pretty


    pleased about that, but¡­


    ¡°Let¡¯s not rush into saying yes to him. We need to discuss internally first. We¡¯ve been looking at a


    few other suitablepaniestely and need topare them. So, we can¡¯t guarantee working


    with them just yet. If it doesn¡¯t work out this time, we hope there¡¯ll be another chance in the future,¡±


    Juliette knows exactly what Cyril¡¯s been up totely. Shees up with this whole spiel about


    comparingpanies, and honestly, it¡¯s a decent excuse. It¡¯ll make Frank feel a bit


    *50, the reason you¡¯re saying all this is to double¨Ccheck if there might be any difficulties with this


    venture? Frank wouldn¡¯t pull something like that, would he?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve known each other for years. Last time, Frank even mentioned Cyril himself. It shows he


    wants to help Cyril. Even though he¡¯spromising this time, we still need to be prepared What it


    he mies to involve Cyril again?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s thinking ahead more than Juliette, Juliette nods seriously after bearing Sylvia our. Yeah,


    there¡¯s a real possibility of that. They¡¯re practically on the same boat, those two. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll reply to


    himter.¡±


    After chamring for a bit and finishing their meal, they head back to the office, each getting back to


    their own tasks.


    Even though sylvia¡¯s leaning towards working with Frank, she needs to mitigate some risks, past


    then, her phone rings. It¡¯s Bruce callin


    Seeing the call, Sylvia sighs. She knows it¡¯s probably Juliette waking off to inform her big brother


    again.


    She just wanted to see where Frank stands and wasn¡¯t nning on sealing the deal immediately.


    Why the need for this tattling?


    Sylvia sighs again and answers the phone, ¡°Hey, big brother.¡±


    *50, Julette just called me saying you¡¯ve decided to work with Frank. Why him? There are plenty of


    other options, logically speaking.¡±


    Bruce already knows about Frank and Cyril¡¯s connection, so he¡¯s curious why Sy picked Frank


    over others.


    Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    other options are great, but Frank¡¯s team has more mature technology. Plus, Frank¡¯s pretty easy to


    handle. Just pull out Cyn in a few things, and we¡¯re good. So, the risks are lower in this scenario.


    But haven¡¯tmitted to working with them right away. I just want to keep him hanging for a while.¡±


    ¡°So, the bottom line is you¡¯re still going with Frank. You know Frank and Cyril are connected. Why


    choose him? Can¡¯t it be Benjamin? Benjamin¡¯spany can also coborate with us, just not on


    this project¡±


    my


    Big brother, your intentions are a bit too obvious. If the projects are different, how could we


    coborate? If we do coborate, it¡¯ll be in the future. And if you keep prying into m lovelife like this,


    I¡¯ll call Dad and have him set you up on more blind dates,¡±


    Bruce goes quiet. He¡¯s not hell¨Cbent on Syhd getting into another rtionship, he just thinks


    Benjamin might be a safer bet than others.


    And Benjamin¡¯s more than willing to be that tall guy. If Benjamin¡¯s fine with it, what more is there to


    say?


    ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say anything more. You decide on this coboration yoursell. The


    subsidiary¡¯s matters are settled. How are you nning to handle Ingrid?


    Bruce doesn¡¯t want to continue discussing the coboration issue. Since Sylvia¡¯s made up her


    mind, there¡¯s not much more to say. Besides, Sylvia¡¯s right. Working with Frank does reduce some


    risks, and with Cyril¡¯s current situation well, let¡¯s just say they¡¯re holding the cards.


    Alter discussing work matters, they hang up it¡¯s still work hours, after all, and they both have plenty


    to do.


    As soon as she ends the call, juliste bursts in, all flustered ¡°Uh¨Coh, trouble¡¯s brewing! Karina just


    announced her pregnancy online, and guess whose baby she¡¯s carrying?


    Cyll¡¯s!¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s expression darkens instantly, Karina¡¯s pregnant? What does that make of the past few


    years for Syhta? And why now, when Cyril¡¯s in this mess?


    ¡°I told you this guy wasn¡¯t any good. Look at him, still tangled up with his ex, and now there¡¯s a


    pregnancy bombshell. What are we going to do?¡± Juliette looks at Sylvia, seeing her troubled


    expression, feeling for her. But the dead¡¯s been done.

 Chapter 155

    Chapter 155


    Chapter 155: A Sorry Sight


    ¡°You okay? Honestly, I didn¡¯t want to tell you about this, but now, this news is everywhere. If I didn¡¯t


    tell you, you¡¯d find out anyway. So, what are you thinking now?¡±


    Juliet was seriously worried. Initially, she didn¡¯t want to burden Sylvia with this news, but knowing


    Sylvia would find out eventually, she figured it was better to tell her and be by


    her side.


    Sylvia did have a moment of feeling temble, her expression sour, but she quickly regained her


    composure.


    She¡¯d known for awhile that there was something different about Cyril and Karina¡¯s rtionship.


    Now, hearing about Karina¡¯s pregnancy, it wasn¡¯t as hard to ept as she thought.


    just felt like she¡¯d wasted all these years on genuine feelings.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ve known for a while that Cyril and Karina were more than just friends. I


    just didn¡¯t expect Cyril to be two¨Cfaced about it. He¡¯s been chasing after me this whole time, and I


    thought.. never mind. Men are like that, and Karina being pregnant, isn¡¯t that a good thing? They


    were forced apart before, now they re together. It¡¯s fine¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to put it, but I¡¯m worried you might have a hard time with it. You know how


    annoying Karina can be, and she¡¯s been causing trouble for you for years. Cyrill, too. He can¡¯t


    seem to make up his mind. How about this? I¡¯ll call your brother, let¡¯s give Cyril a piece of our


    minds. How dare he mistreat you?¡±


    ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t bother scolding him. The more we scold him, the more he¡¯ll think I still care about


    him, I don¡¯t have any feelings for him anymore, so let him do what he wants. Let¡¯s just leave it at


    that. As for Karina, if she contacts me, I¡¯ll wish them both well. If not, then so be it.¡±


    Sybiachuckled. Despite feeling a bit angry, seeing Juliet angrier somehow eased her. Having a


    friend by her side made all the difference.


    Syhis hugged Juliet,forting her. ¡°I should be the one more upset about this, but why do you


    seem angrier? Come on, don¡¯t dwell on it too much.¡±


    Juliet thought of something else. She looked at Sylvia and asked, ¡°How did you know Karina would


    message you? She just sent an email saying being with Cyril was an ident and not to be mad.


    But it¡¯s all so obvious. If you can¡¯t see through that, I¡¯d be amazed.¡±


    Syhia burst outughing. She knew Karina¡¯s tactics too well. Over the years, Karina had used every


    trick to keep Cyril hooked. This time was no different ¡°Alright, since she¡¯se to unt it, let¡¯s just


    reply with best wishes for them both and be done with it. We don¡¯t need to stay in touch. Isn¡¯t that


    better?¡± ¡°Sigh, okay, okay. I was thinking of giving Cyril a piece of my mind, but if that¡¯s how you


    feel, fine. But I¡¯m still mad for you. They really crossed the line this time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the first time she¡¯s crossed the line. And I won¡¯t tolerate it like used to. Whatever they do is


    their business, but if they bring it to my doorstep, I won¡¯t let them off easy. Anyway, our work for


    today is almost done. How about treat you to dinner? Let¡¯s rx and forget about them.¡±


    Seeing Juliet so angry made Syhia unable to bear it.


    Joliet looked at Sylvia helplessly. ¡°No, I¡¯m just venting for you. Why do you always think I¡¯m the one


    angry?


    ¡°Are you not angry? Sylvia asked back. Jullet couldn¡¯t deny it. She was indeed very, very angry,


    In the afternoon, the two openly skipped work to go shopping. They spent the whole day outside,


    nning to hit the bar at night.


    However, Syhia had to go back suddenly for something, so they had to cancel that n.


    Sylvia owned a property nearby. As she returned, she noticed a severely disheveled man sitting by


    the bushes.


    Or rather, he seemed to have passed out, leaning against the flowerbed, his face dirty, clothes tom,


    as if he¡¯d been injured.


    N?velDrama.Org is the owner.


    Sylvia initially didn¡¯t want to get involved, but as she took a few steps, she caught a whiff of blood.


    She couldn¡¯t just let someone die like that. With a sigh, she approached the man and called for


    help.


    ¡°Hey, are you okay? Wake up!¡±


    She gently shook the man, but he remained unconscious, Blood still tricked from his body. In the


    dim light, Syhta didn¡¯t dare to examine his wounds, fearing she might worsen them inadvertently.


    Luckily, after about twenty minutes, an ambnce arrived. The paramedics loaded the man onto


    the vehicle, and Sylvia followed. After all, she had discovered him and made the call. She felt


    responsible.


    At the hospital, doctors tended to the man¡¯s wounds. They weren¡¯t deep, but there were many.


    Hence, the strong smell of blood.


    ¡°The patient doesn¡¯t have any major issues, but are you his family? If so, it¡¯s better to admit him.


    Oh, and while examining him, we found a tumor in his body.¡±


    Hearing this, Sylvia felt a headacheing on. She¡¯d only helped a stranger on a whim, but now it


    seemed his situation was far more dire


    ¡°Um, I¡¯m not his family. I just found him by the roadside. I¡¯ll contact the police to find his rtives.¡±


    The doctor looked puzzled, assuming Sylvia was the man¡¯s wife, But since she wasn¡¯t, it wasn¡¯t her


    concem. Plus, the tumor was still a mystery.


    im Bonus For Free Every Day¡°>

 Chapter 156

    Chapter 156


    Chapter 156: Irritation


    Sylvia was still in the hospital room with the man the next morning.


    He had woken up yesterday morning, and Sylvia was about to copse from exhaustion. She had


    managed to contact her assistant yesterday and asked him to investigate the man¡¯s identity. So far,


    there had been no news. Sy didn¡¯t know if it was because the man¡¯s identity was tooplex or


    if he simply wasn¡¯t around, making it impossible to find out who he was.


    Sy rubbed her temples wearily, ncing at the clock. It was almost time for her to start work.


    She decided to call a nurse to look after the man and then get ready as she was about to stand up,


    the man woke up.


    ¡°You¡¯re awake. I¡¯ll call the doctor toe and check on you.¡±


    Sylvia immediately called the doctor over, who began examining the man. Itis injuries weren¡¯t too


    severe, but the most important issue was the humor.


    y for work. Just


    ¡°You were luckyst night, I found you and brought you here. By the way, do you live any family?


    There¡¯s a humor In your body, and without your family, it¡¯s hard tomunicate.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. The tumor in my body is benign. I¡¯ve already made an appointment with the doctor for


    surgery. Thank you for saving mest night. My name is Miles.¡±


    The man¡¯s voice was hoarse, understandable since he had been unconscious for so long. It would


    take him some time to fully recover, which was perfectly normul Sylvianodded, ¡°Got it contact your


    family to take care of you have to go to work now. I¡¯Ee see you after work. If you need any


    help, here¡¯s my business card. You can call me *** Sylvia wasn¡¯t particrlypassionate, but


    since she had saved the man, she felt respons Ble until his family arrived.


    ¡°No need. I can take care of myself.¡±


    Hearing his distant words, Sylvia didn¡¯t say anything more. She just ced her business card on the


    table. ¡°call me if you need anything


    with that, Sylvia rubbed her shoulders and left the hospital room,


    After Sylvia left the room, the man¡¯s gaze fell on the business card lett on the table. He hesitated


    for a moment before reaching out to take it. He looked at the name and position on the card with


    deep eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m furious! Let me tell you, this morning, before you even arrived, Cyril came over, causing a


    scene, insisting on meeting you. He wanted to exin things between him and Carina. What¡¯s there


    to exin? Everyone knows what happened between them. Why bother exining to you? He even


    hoped you wouldn¡¯t be angry, saying he would immediately cut ties with Carlina and that child was


    just an ident¡±


    Today, Juliet was even more emotional than yesterday. Sylvia had spent the entire afternoon


    yesterday trying to calm her down, only to be irritated by Cyril so easily this morning Sylvia was


    starting to feel a headacheing on.


    ¡°Okay, okay. You know what kind of person he is. Why are you so angry? Look, I¡¯m not as angry as


    you, am I? stop being mad. Let¡¯s finish today¡¯s work. We haven¡¯t even finished yesterday¡¯s work


    yet. Think about it, dying work for two days because of a man. Is that appropriate?¡±


    ¡°Of course it¡¯s not appropriate, but you see how unreasonable he is. Do you know that many people


    are discussing the rtionship between you and Cyrill in private today? Some even say it¡¯s because


    of you. Guess what joke they¡¯re making about you two? How can you treat them kindly? If Cyril


    didn¡¯t agree at the beginning, he could have refused!¡± Juliet ranted on, her face turning red with


    anger.


    Sylvia had no choice but to go along with Juliet¡¯s words. The two of them cursed Cyril back and


    forth for awhile until pet¡¯s mood improved slightly


    When Juliet calmed down, she noticed that Sylvia was wearing the same clothes as yesterday.


    She looked at Sylvia strangely ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Don¡¯t you never wear the same clothes two


    days in a row?


    ¡°On my way homest night, 1 identally ran into an injured person and took him to the hospital. I


    stayed there all night, so I haven¡¯t changed clothes yet.¡±


    Sylvia sighed and briefly exined what had happenedst night to Juliet, who widened her eyes in


    surprise.


    ¡°No way! You saved a man? Could it be that he deliberately copsed in front of your house, waiting


    for you to save him? I¡¯ll go with you this afternoon to see. If this person has any ulterior motives, I¡¯ll


    help you!


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but smile. Juliet was taking it too seriously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him taking advantage of me. I sawst night that he was wearing custom¨Cmade


    clothes that cost a fortune. He must be someone¡±


    As Sylvia spoke, she realized something wasn¡¯t right. If the man looked well¨Cdressed and


    respectable, why was he hing there in such a miserable state? Could he have been set up just like


    she was?


    ¡°What are you thinking? Do you think his identity is suspicious? is someone trying to harm him?¡±


    Juliet asked curiously.


    Sylvia nodded seriously she regretted being so impulserst night. Just then, her phone rang,


    disying a standar umber Sylvia instinctively thought of the man in the hospital


    After hesitating for a moment, Sylvia answered the call. A hoarse voce came through the phone.


    ¡°Hello, Sylvia This is Miles. I¡¯ve contacted the people I needed to. I¡¯ll be leaving soon. As for the


    favor Lowe you and the money, I¡¯ll remember it I¡¯ll transter the money to your ountter. If you


    ever need anything, you can call this number.¡±


    He was leaving soon, which surprised Sylvia a bit. But she didn¡¯t want to get to involved with this


    person. ¡°It¡¯s okay, just go. Be careful on the road. As for the money, it doesn¡¯t


    ¡°What goes aroundes around I owe you this favor for saving me lepo you. And I¡¯ll the money


    you spent. It¡¯s amule


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Miles¡® voker was calm, but Salvirconda¡¯t help but shiver at the mention of roles and repayment What


    kind of le demanded repayment like this?

 Chapter 157

    Chapter 157


    Chapter 157: Time to Leave


    Sylvia¡¯s life continued on its usual track. Work was going smoothly on this end, but cooperation with


    Frank had hit a bit of a snug again.


    The reason? Cell. He had been trying to seize every chance to meet Sybia and exin the situation


    between him and Karina


    Sylvia was beyond annoyed. She ended up ming Frank for it, which made Frank feel unfairly


    targeted. After all, it was Cyril¡¯s own doing, yet Frank was being dragged into it.


    Frank was having a major headache over this but felt powerless.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the follow¨Cup tasks to someone else. I need to head back to headquarters, My brother is


    about to go on a business trip, and there¡¯s no one managing things there..¡±


    Technically, Sy shouldn¡¯t be burdened with headquarters matters for now. However, bruce had


    full faith in his sister¡¯s capability to handle it all, so he unhesitatingly passed everything to Sylvia


    Sylvia was overwhelmed but had no choice. She temporarily set aside the subsidiary¡¯s affairs and


    delegated her tasks to others. Since things were almost sorted with Frank, and he was willing to


    compromise, they were okay with it. All that remained was signing contracts and ironing out the


    details of their coborations.


    But headquarters still needed her attention.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Once Sylvia confirmed arrangements, she lett ahead. Juliet stayed behind to brief and


    finalizematters with Frank¡¯spany, with Sylvia gone, Juliet became the key figurein managing


    affales here.


    It took two days for Cyril to learn that Sylvia had returned.


    ¡°Right, the word I got is Brace is going on a business trip, so he handed overpany matters to


    Syria. And Sylvia has delegated everything here to her subordinates. Also, Miss Karina¡­¡±


    Barry belt really downcast. Each of these matters tested his patience greatly. Neither Karina nor


    Sylvia made decisions easy, especially Karina, who was now pregnant,plicating matters


    further. Paris was practically tearing his hair out dealing with her, as her demeanor hadpletely


    changed.


    ¡°Have you found out what happened that day?


    Cyril didn¡¯t believe he had rtions with Karina. He vaguely remembered meeting her two months


    ago in a public setting


    He had a few drinks that day and couldn¡¯t recall what happened afterward. But when he woke up,


    Karina was beside him, insisting nothing happened between them. Yet, how did she end up


    pregnant?


    ¡°We checked the surveince footage. It indeed showed Karina apanying you to the hotel,


    and she didn¡¯te out afterward. But before she left, another man entered the hotel. It¡¯s unclear if


    he had any connection with Barina, Shall we continue investigating?¡±


    ¡°Continue. I want every detall of this investigated thoroughly.¡±


    Cyril¡¯s expression turned extremely grim. He couldn¡¯t tolerate being deceived by Karina. If this child


    wasn¡¯t his, it meant Karina had crossed his boundaries repeatedly.


    ¡°Alright, boss. Do we need to reschedule with Sylvia? She¡¯s back in her country now.¡±


    Berry inquired again. Last time Cyril insisted on meeting Sylvia, but despite numerous attempts,


    they couldn¡¯t secure a meeting. The message from Sylvia¡¯s end was always she was too busy,


    Secretly, Barry was informed that Sylvia had instructed them to decline any appointments Cyril


    made, regardless of his avability


    So, no matter how hard he tried to schedule, Cyril couldn¡¯t get Sylvia¡¯s time,


    ¡°If we can¡¯t schedule it, won¡¯t you try again? Use your brain and think of other ways. Also, book a


    return ticket to her country. You¡¯ve done enough here.¡±


    ¡°Understood, boss.¡±


    When the boss spoke like that, what else could Barry say? He obediently booked the ticket and


    wrapped up thepany¡¯s affairs, notifying headquarters personnel that the boss would be back


    soon to sign documents.


    Upon her return to thepany, Sylvia dived headfirst into the hectic routine. Bruce had indeed


    taken care of most things, but there were still loose ends she needed to tie up. Syhta found herself


    drowning in work to the point where she didn¡¯t want to continue anymore.


    She messaged Bruce,ining about the excessive workload here. Bruce replied calmly, ¡°From


    now on, the entirepany is yours.¡±


    Seeing that message, Sylvia, rarely silent, pondered. If thispany was going to be solely hers,


    did it mean she had to deal with all this workload every day?


    If that were the case, she needed to reconsider her position as vice president. After all, it didn¡¯t


    matter who took over thepany within the family, the workload would be simr, right?


    ¡°Dad, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want toe back. Brace has handed over all the work to me, and I¡¯m


    swamped. Why don¡¯t you call him and ask him toe back, ore here yourself to help me out?


    I can¡¯t handle it all alone.¡±


    Sylvia headed upstairs, receiving a call from her father urging her toe home for dinner.


    She had been back from abroad for half a month, spending most of her time at the office she barely


    had time to go home for a meal Sylvia hoped her brother would rebar soo00. ¡°You muste for


    dinner tonight, no excuses. Grandpa Cyril is here, and you know how he is. He¡¯s definitely here to


    cause trouble¡±


    Manford understood his daughter was incredibly busy, but there was no way he could ask her for


    help. It he did, she would surely refuse. After all, she had finally taken over the roinguny, and he


    didn¡¯t want to bother her.


    ¡°Why did that old mane over?


    Sylvis never spoke so impolitely to anyone, but with Cyril¡¯s family, it was different.


    here to give you a hard time You know very well. All this fuss about Cyril and Farina recently.¡±

 Chapter 158

    Chapter 158


    Chapter 158: Clever Means


    Let me tell you, it¡¯s quite ridiculous. Cyril stirred up this whole thing, yet for some reason, that old


    man couldn¡¯t wrap his head around it. He insisted on thinking it had something to do with Sylvia.


    He¡¯s been pestering me for quite some time to meet up, which got me really annoyed. So, I finally


    decided to meet with him and see what he¡¯s up to.


    When you arrange to meet up, you gotta call in the main yers. So, Stanford called Sylvia over


    again. After all this time, nobody really knows the rtionship between Sylvia and Stanford, let


    alone what ties Sylvia has with Ivanov Group.


    ¡°I got it. I¡¯ll finish up work a bit early tonight and head back.¡±


    After Sylvia agreed, she hung up immediately and started dealing with today¡¯s tasks urgently.


    Finishing up work early meant leaving the office on time and not dragging


    tomorrow¡¯s affairs


    Sylvia managed to leave work rtively early, but by the time she got home, it was already half


    past six. As she reached her doorstep, she spotted two cars parked outside ¨C one belonging to the


    old man, and the other to Bonnie


    She had initially thought it would just be the old maning over tonight, but apparently, he¡¯d also


    invited Bonnie.


    ¡°Even though there¡¯s quite an age gap between the two of us, your son¡¯s upbringing has been really


    good. Bruce has been running thepany well these years, and we all see it. But these


    youngsters nowadays, they just can¡¯t sit still. They always feel like they can control everything. Look


    at how they¡¯re handing over the family business to others for management, even to a woman. What


    if something goes wrong in the middle of it?¡±


    The old man never directly mentioned Sylvia, but his words insinuated her. Sylvia stood at the


    doorway without cushing in, listening for a while to see how the frame her.


    he old ma


    man would


    ¡°Is there really any difference between what a man can do and what a woman can do? Whatever a


    man can aplish, a woman can do just as well. And during this time, his management of the


    company has been excellent. So, there¡¯s no need for the old man to worry. But old man, why


    exactly did youe here? just to tell me that a woman can¡¯t handle things as well as a man? If


    that¡¯s the case, I think it¡¯s unnecessary. I understand her better than you do.¡±


    Her own father wasn¡¯t mincing words, especially when he got serious. He didn¡¯t really like the old


    man, and Sylvia wondered if the old man could feel it. But the old man was quite a sly fox, probably


    could sense it, yet he remained silent.


    ¡°This woman¡¯s always been quite cunning What can you understand? Don¡¯t let her deceive you.


    She¡¯s turned yours


    son around her finger. She divorced my son, and now she¡¯s be the vice president of the


    company. Tell me, which woman has the ability to pull that off? But she did it. I didn¡¯te here


    today to say anything bad. Just wanted to remind you, she¡¯s not a good person. Back when she


    was in our house.¡±


    ¡°old man, why don¡¯t you borate on how I was back when I was in your house? Tell us how much


    I sacrificed for your family, and how your family repaid me by being ungrateful wolves.¡±


    Slowly walking in, Sylvia realized her mistake. It wasn¡¯t just Bonnie here; even Michelle hade.


    The whole family stood together, neatly arranged, ready to tarnish her reputation. What a slimy


    move.


    Sylviasat beside her father with a smile, the atmosphere between father and daughter quite


    pleasant.


    ¡°Back already. How¡¯s work going?¡±


    ¡°Not bad. I¡¯ve pretty much wrapped up today¡¯s tasks, but I¡¯ve got another meetingter.¡±


    ¡°Alright. When¡¯s the meeting? Do you want to have dinner earlier?


    ¡°No need for that. Let¡¯s have the meeting around ten tonightWe¡¯ve got to consider the time


    difference for the other party¡±


    ¡°Alright, make sure to rest early afterward. Don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡±


    The two conversed as if nothing unusual was happening, just like any ordinary father¨Cdaughter


    chat. But the three of them had suspected Sylvia of using underhanded means to enter the Ivanov


    family Seeing Sylvia charting with Stanford only fueled their doubts about her identity.


    ¡°See, I told you she¡¯s quite the schemer. Now, she¡¯s even getting cozy with you. Who knows how


    many secrets she has hidden.¡±


    With these words, Stanford¡¯s expression changed. Was there something wrong with him saying this


    to his daughter? It¡¯s normal to care about your child, right? Didn¡¯t the old man care about his own


    kids?


    ¡°Old man, since you¡¯re our guest, I didn¡¯t speak too harshly. But when you were i my house earlier,


    you should have respected my family, Whatever she¡¯s like, I know it very well. No need for yourUpstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    performance here. How much injustice has this child endured in your house? 1 lmow it too well.


    Your family has been treating others like dirt for years, and now youe here deliberately to


    tarnish her. Your family¡¯s hearts are cker than coul. No wonder your business can only go this


    far.¡±


    Stanford rolled his eyes. Now, he wasn¡¯t giving them an inch, neither in appearance nor in reality.


    Theirpany indeed had been doing quite well, but when it came to Stanford¡¯s generation, things


    started going downhill. The old man had his time of glory with thepany, but with a foolish child


    like his, thepany slowly declined, eventually going bankrupt if it weren¡¯t for Cyril¡¯s business


    acumen in starting his ownpany and gradually revitalizing the old one, their whole family might


    still be wandering the streets.


    Given this situation, they had the nerve toe and criticize his daughter. Regardless of what


    Sylvia thought, Stanford wouldn¡¯t let this family off the hool


    ¡°I was just giving you a heads¨Cup.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m really grateful for your concern. But if you have nothing else to say, it¡¯s probably best for


    you to leave. We¡¯re about to have dinner, and it¡¯s not appropriate for you to stay. We didn¡¯t n on


    inviting your family to dinner¡±


    After finishing, Stanford grabbed Sylvie¡¯s hand and walked into the dining room, paying no beed to


    the expressions of the other three.


    Bonnie and Michelle thought for sure that this time, the old man would give Syna a piece of his


    mind, but instead, Sylvia just made a few casual remarks, leaving them buming.


    ¡°Fools!¡± The old inam cursed under his breath, ring on his cane and walking out.


    Bound and Michelle hurriedly followed behind him.


    Chapter 159. Grand Banquet

 Chapter 159

    Chapter 159


    Chapter 159: Grand Banquet


    After abusy half month, things at thepany had settled down, and Bruce finally returned from his


    business trip, much to Sylvia¡¯s relict.


    ¡°You have no idea how diligently I worked every day while you were away. I didn¡¯t dare to ck off


    for fear of causing any major trouble for thepany. Thankfully, you¡¯re bark.¡± After this episode,


    Sylvia realized that although Broce could handle thepany matters, his experience far


    surpassed hers. Many tasks still posed headaches for her, as she was rtively Inexperienced


    compared to Bruce.


    Bruce had been involved inpany affairs since he was 18, whereas Sylda was just starting out.


    It was natural that she found it challenging to navigate through tasks with the


    same ease as Bruce.


    ¡°It¡¯s normal. You¡¯ll encounter more of these situations in the future. Eventually, I¡¯ll delegate all this


    information to you. You need to grow quickly. The workload is immense, and all I¡¯ve wanted these


    years is to have some proper test,¡±


    Bruce¡¯s expression was earnest. Over the years, he had dedicated himself to thepany, of


    course, he had also attended to matters at home diligently, but now with Sylvia willing to take over,


    he saw it as opportunity to rx.


    However, after hearing Bruce¡¯s words, Sylvia¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Are you nning to throw me into the deep end just like that? You know, I¡¯m not very


    knowledgeable about thepany¡¯s affairs.¡±


    ¡°Exactly because you¡¯re not well¨Cversed in thepany¡¯s matters, there will be hands¨Con


    experiences. Only through practice can you identify the issues you face. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll assist


    you gradually, I have another business trip next month, which will take about a month. During that


    time, focus on handling thepany¡¯s affairs well. As long as we don¡¯t go bankrupt, feel free to


    experiment with thepany. Of course, you still need to deliver results. There¡¯s a coboration


    next month, so prepare for it.¡± Given that Sylvia had recently taken over thepany¡¯s affairs, it


    was normal for her to encounter difficulties Bruce believed that as long as thepany didn¡¯t go


    bankrupt, there wouldn¡¯t be any major problems.


    After all, their family shared the same attitude towards Sylvia. If she made a mess, they would cover


    for her.


    Sylvia sighed, beeling the pressure mounting. Yet, she found satisfaction in the challenge; pressure


    fueled her motivation.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t bankrupt thepany. Oh, by the way, I received an Invitation yesterday from


    apany I¡¯m not familiar with. Should I attend?¡±


    Sylvia hadn¡¯t heard of thispany before, suggesting it might not be local. Since her assistant


    was busy and likely unaware, she turned to Bruce for advice. Depending on his response, she


    would prepare ordingly.


    Bruce took the invitation from Sylvia and nced at it before setting it aside. It seemed they were


    invited to quite a grand event.


    ¡°Thispany is a foreign one. They¡¯ve been transitioning into the medical field in recent years,


    previously engaged in real estate development and other projects, Including the IT industry.¡±


    Bruce briefly introduced the background of thepany. Sylvia nodded in understanding. It


    appeared to be a longstandingpany undergoing transformation. Their sudden


    invitation was likely an attempt to expand their market, hence the invitation to local enterprises.


    ¡°In that case, we should probably attend,¡±


    *Indeed. I¡¯ll call the stylist to prepare early. We¡¯ll head over in thete afternoon after work.¡±


    With ns set, Bruce returned to his work, and when they were almost done in the afternoon, they


    packed up and left together. Originally, Juliette intended to join them, but she had her family¡¯s


    obligations at the event, so she didn¡¯t apany them


    With many attendees, Bruce and Sylvia mingled with the crowd, exchanging greetings. Among them


    was Cyril, whom Sylvia didn¡¯t find surprising; such events brought diverse


    encounters.


    ¡°Keep some distance from Cyril.¡±


    Bruce, feeling uneasy, pulled Sylvia closer and earnestly cautioned her. Given Cyril¡¯s recent antics


    in France, Bruce wasn¡¯t sure what trouble he might stir up.


    ¡°I know, bro. You can rx.¡±


    As long as Cyril didn¡¯t approach her with his usual recklessness, Sylvia wouldn¡¯t engage in anything


    problematic.


    After chatting for a while, Sylvia spotted a familiar figure on the second floor staircase, briefly


    passing by. Struggling to recall where she had seen him before, she furrowed her brows, deep in


    thought.


    dancing at her, Bruce remembered bearing about her helping someone in France. Although he


    hadn¡¯t paid attention to who was on the second floor, it was likely the host


    ¡°It might be an employee. We¡¯ll find out soon. Don¡¯t wander around; the banquet is about to begin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a three¨Cyear¨Cold. I know what to do. Let¡¯s go chat with those two over there, they have


    some connections to our coborations.¡±


    In such settings, maintaining rtionships was crucial.


    Sylvia and Bruce busied themselves mingling with others, while Cyll also remained engaged in


    conversations, not letting his guard down


    ¡°I never realized Sylvia and Bruce had such a good rtionship. They¡¯ve been inseparable for so


    long. Oh, I heard your grandfather took your mother and sister to the var family recently. But it


    seems the head of the Ivanov family supported Sylvia.¡±

 Chapter 160

    Chapter 160


    grandfather took your mother and sister to the var family recently. But it seems the head of the


    Ivanov family supported Sylvia.¡±


    Chapter 160 Mouths Open, Calling Mom


    Jonathan was quite informed, as the matter hadn¡¯t been kept secret. After it happened, their family


    directly spread the word, trading to widespread knowledge that Sylvia had made some other


    considerations before entering the Ivan family.


    Cyrillfrowned upon hearing this. He had heard some gossip, but he hadn¡¯t expected the matter to


    spread so widely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pay attention to this. It¡¯s obviously not true, and where¡¯s the psychological judgment?¡±


    Rolling his eyes, Jonathan retorted. He indeed possessed judgment and knew at a nce that this


    matter wasn¡¯t genuine. However, with rumors rampant outside, it would surely affect Sylvia


    Moreover, he and Sylvia weren¡¯tpatible to begin with, so it was quite normal for their


    rtionship to be strained.


    ¡°Alright, alright. What¡¯s the use of being kind to her only when divorcing? I didn¡¯t see you defend her


    before. Now you¡¯re suddenly defending her. Take a look, isn¡¯t that Miles we¡¯re supposed to chat with


    later?


    After Jonathan mocked Cyril, he steered the conversation back to business. Cyril nced at


    Jonathan without retorting. These years had indeed been quite unfair to Sylvia


    And he knew deep down that the current efforts to make amends weren¡¯t of much use to Sybia. She


    had already suffered grievances, and casual attempts atpensation


    wouldn¡¯t suffice


    There was still quite some time before the banquet began, so they engaged in conversations


    around. Normally, the host should havee out earlier at this hour, but the assistant. conveyed


    that he had somest¨Cminute matters to attend to, which everyone understood.


    After all, prople always had matters to attend to, especially sudden ones upon returning from


    overseas, which were quitemon.


    Moreover, they weren¡¯t in a hurry. It was a good opportunity to mingle with those around.


    After walking around with Brace, Sylvia had greeted most people and found a ce to sit and rest.


    She started massaging her calves; the stroll had left her quite tired.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t been resting well these days, have you? Dad told me you¡¯ve been home less often


    lately, practically living at thepany. Dad urged me toe back soon just to ease your burden.


    Even though it was him who suggested you take over thepany, now he¡¯s treating me like a


    laborer.¡°¡±


    Though it sounded like aint, Bruce didn¡¯t mean it that way. He was just a bit concerned


    about his sister. Seeing her busy tillte every day, he couldn¡¯t help but worry, even though he


    knew that taking over the entirepany was inevitable.


    Syhta sighed. There was too much going on in thepany, especially with several new contracts


    she recently secured. She had to ensure everything went smoothly with these contracts, which


    required more effact


    As for going home, she had already discussed it with Dad. Yes, she was busier than before and


    visited home less frequently, but it didn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t go home at all. She had visited home just


    yesterday.


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to Dad. I went home yesterday. He said there was nothing urgent and that I should


    focus on work. Yet, he¡¯s quick toin when I don¡¯te home and even reports to you.¡±


    Sylvia was speechless. It was her father who urged her to rest properly and take over thepany.


    Now, seeing her exhausted and not returning home, he was stillining to Bruce. He was quite


    contradictory.


    Brucechuckled along. It was indeed the case. Both of them felt helpless..


    ¡°The boss cares about you. By the way, Little Third told you he¡¯s relocating here after the job


    transfer, right? You might consider signing a contract with him to take charge of the system here,


    especially the medical services.¡±


    Thinking of his younger brother, Bruce didn¡¯t hesitate to offer him up, regardless of his brother¡¯s


    busyness. Having his brother busy was quite troublesome.


    Sylvia had already heard about this and had been contemting how to persuade bez brother to


    agree. She knew her brother was busy, but she wasn¡¯t entirely at ease having someone else handle


    this, especially when it concerned Al and human lives. She had to be fully prepared.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taked to my brother. He said he¡¯lle over when he has time. It seems be¡¯s reluctant, but if


    he agrees, he¡¯ll spend most of his time here.¡±


    This statement was quite urate. Given their family¡¯s indulgence toward their daughter, if Little


    Third agreed to help, he would likely devote most of his time to Sylvia¡¯s affairs, neglecting his own.


    Bruce nodded after hearing this. ¡°Talk to him properly. If he agrees toe, it¡¯ll save us a lot of


    expenses. One person like Old Jan can handle a medical team. If hees, it¡¯ll save


    Sylda was momentarily stunned, then burst intoughter. She hadn¡¯t expected her brother to be so


    stingy when it came to family.


    ¡°Mama, I¡¯ve been looking for you for so long! Mama!


    Sylvia could hardly maintain herposure, a child suddenly appeared and called her mom¡®,


    adding a weight to her legs.


    Looking down, she found a five or six¨Cyear¨Cold child blinking at her, calling her mom¡® again.


    Sylvia widened her eyes. Whose child was this? Why did he call her ¡®mom¡® so casually? Wasn¡¯t he


    afraid of people misunderstanding?


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Bco, whose child is this? Why is he calling me mom?¡±


    Sylvia grabbed Bruce¡¯s clothes, feeling extremely nervous. She was afraid people would think she


    had kidnapped the child, but she genuinely didn¡¯t know the child. ¡°Mamma, I¡¯m your son! Mama!¡±


    The child¡¯s clear voice further confused Sylvia. Did she resemble his mother so much? otherwise,


    why would he call her ¡®mom¡®?


    The child¡¯s voice quickly attracted the attention of those around them. Everyone turned to look at


    Sylvia, who test trapped under their gaze, unsure of what to do next

 Chapter 161

    Chapter 161


    chapter 161 Longing for Children


    Some things are easier to exin, but some things are not so straightforward Sylvia wanted to


    exin that she had no rtion to this child, but sometimes exnations were futile and only made


    matters worse.


    The child indeed bore a striking resemnce to her, enough for him to run up and call her ¡°mom.¡±


    The looks she received from those around were unsettlingly strange.


    This child appeared to be about five or six years old, but Sylvia had only been married to Cyril for a


    little over three years. So where did this childe from?


    Sylvia didn¡¯t dare ponder what they were thinking just by observing their reactions, she could tell


    they were up to no good, which gave her a headache


    ¡°child, I¡¯m not your mother. You¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else. Besides, I don¡¯t have a son as


    old as you. I¡¯m not even married.¡±


    ¡°But you are my mother. I saw your photo on Dad¡¯s phone. He said my mom is the most beautiful


    woman in the world, and the most beautiful person I¡¯ve seen here is you. Haven¡¯t you noticed how


    much we resemble each other?


    Though the child was young, his mind was remarkably agile, and his logic flowed smoothly.


    But then he suddenly mentioned a father figure, and the expressions of those around changed.


    Sylvia found herself at a loss for words.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t know who your dad is.¡±


    Sylvia tamed to her brother for help, only to find Bruce looking at her with a searching gaze, adding


    to her confusion.


    Even her own brother had misunderstood.


    ¡°It¡¯s not what you think. I truly have no connection with him. I don¡¯t know him, or who his parents


    are.¡±


    Bruce sighed in exasperation. ¡°I know you have no connection with him, but I can¡¯t help but feel he


    looks familiar. And haven¡¯t you noticed how much he resembles you?


    *If he resembles me, perhaps he¡¯s more rted to you. After all, he would look even more like


    you.¡±


    Sylvia said this without hesitation, and it made perfect sense.


    If the child shared three simrities with her, then he shared four with Bruce.


    It wouldn¡¯t be so strange to say he was Bruce¡¯s son, but what everyone wondered more was if he


    was Sylvia and Bruce¡¯s.


    ¡°Sorry, did our child cause you any trouble?¡±


    Just as Sylvia and Bruce racked their brains to figure out who the child belonged to, a man¡¯s voice


    suddenly joined the crowd. Sylvia found the voice incredibly familiar and turned to see Miles, whom


    she had saved in country.


    Now she was certain, the figureshe sar on the second floor earlier was indeed Miles.


    ¡°Is this your son?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°He¡¯s my adopted son. His mother passed away early, so he¡¯s always wanted to find his birth


    mother. He must have thought you were very beautiful, which is why he called you¡® mom.¡® 1


    apologize for the trouble. Please don¡¯t take his words seriously, he tends to say things like that.


    Clearly, Miles was experienced in handling such situations. After apologizing and exining,


    everyone realized it was a misunderstanding


    Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Miles intervened in time and exined everything


    clearly. Otherwise, her reputation could have been tarnished. Especially since she had a previous


    marriage where they had no children together. Suddenly having such a big chill appear would raise


    suspicions.


    However, looking at the child, Sylvas felt moved. When she married Cyril, she had hoped for the


    chance to have their own children, but it never happened. Sylvia¡¯s lips curled into a bitter smile, but


    she quickly hid it. However, Bruce, sitting beside her, naturally noticed Sylvia¡¯s demeanor and


    sensed something amiss. ¡°Thank you for your help in F country. 1 was nning to move my


    company here, so I prepared this banquet specifically to thank you. And this gentleman beside you


    is..


    They looked quite alike, so Miles didn¡¯t jump to conclusions. They might be rtives


    Sylvia chuckled. ¡°He¡¯s my brother¡±


    Miles suddenly realized. ¡°I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a very capable CEO in the ban Group. I didn¡¯t expect


    there was also a daughter.¡±


    Bruce was the face of the Ivan Group, the supposed son, but in reality, the van Group had four


    children. However, it wasn¡¯t crucial; as long as there was someone managing tpany, the rest


    didn¡¯t matter much.


    ¡°I heard my sister saved someone in country recently. I didn¡¯t expect it was you. It seems fate


    brought us together. Let¡¯s have dinner together sometime.¡±


    Bruce smiled and conversed with Miles. It seemed they knew each other, and their rtionship


    seemed quite familiar for a while


    Curiously, Sylvia looked at the two of them, wondering when her brother had met Miles. She


    nned to askter


    As Miles had other people to greet, he spoke with Sylvia and Bruce for a while before buying


    himself with others. At that moment, Cyril and Jonathan approached


    the


    Cyril looked at Sylvia with aplicated expression. When he saw the child beside her, he felt


    angry, thinking Sylvia had betrayed their rtionship. However, when it turned out to be a


    misunderstanding, his anger dissipated, feeling it was unreasonable


    Didn¡¯t he know better than anyone? Sylvia couldn¡¯t possibly conceal anything from others,


    especially in recent years.


    After Cyrd and Jonathan approached, Sylvia¡¯s side faded a bit, carrying a hint of distance,


    was even less weing. He didn¡¯t like seeing the two of them together, with Cyrill putting his arm


    around Sylvia as if they were about to leave.


    ¡°You seem to like children, don¡¯t you?¡±


    dary prepand to leave, Cycll¡¯s sudden remark stunned everyone, especially Jonathan, who widened


    his eyes in disbelief. Was he out of his mind? Was he serious?

 Chapter 162

    Chapter 162


    Chapter 162: Pushing Her into the Water


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Upon hearing Cyril¡¯s words, Sylvia looked at him with a puzzled expression


    ¡°What does it have to do with you whether I like children or not? Even If I do like children, it¡¯s not


    like it concerns you. Anyway, even if I were to like children, it wouldn¡¯t have anything to do with you.


    I would find a way to handle it myself,¡± Sylvia said


    ¡°Does it concem you?¡® she added before walking away with Bruce.


    Cyril had been observing Sylvia and Bruce interacting with others for quite some time, almost an


    hour, However, he hadn¡¯t intended to approach Sylvia throughout.


    He found it difficult to understand what Cyril was thinking, Was he just going to stand by and watch


    as Bruce and Sylvia grew closer?


    Bruce was both powerful and attractive. If he exerted effort, they might indeed be a couple. In


    that case, what meaning did Cyril¡¯s sorrow and regret hold here?


    ¡°I think if you still care, you should try to win him back, of course, I¡¯m not profiting from this


    suggestion. I just feel he¡¯s not worthy of you at all. Moreover, the speed at which he found Bruce


    after leaving you it¡¯s suspicions. A woman who moves on so quickly probably never had genuine


    feelings for you. Don¡¯t act rashly and agree to things,¡± Cyril said.


    ¡°I know. You don¡¯t need to remind me of these things,¡± Cyril replied, closing his eyes briefly in


    moments like these, he became notably more rational, especially in such settings


    ¡°Forget to mention, Karina is alsoing. I don¡¯t know when she¡¯ll arrive. What¡¯s the deal between


    you and Karina anyway? I recall you met her once. Could it be rted to that incident? Did you two


    cause someone¡¯s death? Let me tell you, this matter isn¡¯t easily resolved Actually, Karina¡¯s


    pregnancy now has a significant impact on you, and thepany has suffered greatly,¡± Cyril¡¯s


    credibility was severely tamished by the unmarried pregnancy, especially with a former scandalous


    associate involved.


    Even Cyril and Sylvia¡¯s rtionship became a subject of gossip. Many believed their divorce was


    because Cyrill hadmitted some wrongdoing. While Sybia wasn¡¯t fully aware of these details, if


    she knew, she would undoubtedly see through everything What exactly was going on?


    Cyfelt ufortable at the mention of Karina¡¯s arrival. He had been manipted into having this


    child


    Just the thought of it soured his mood.


    Jonathan was aware of Cyril¡¯s discontent, but there was nothing to be done. The situation had


    already unfolded. Could they abort the child now? Even if Cyril considered it, Karina probably


    wouldn¡¯t agree.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t think like this, right? You and Karina were almost a family before. Isn¡¯t this the


    perfect opportunity? Phus, there¡¯s a child. If you marry, you¡¯ll have aplete family Isn¡¯t that


    better than with Sylvia? Besides, you and Sylvia are in the past. No matter how much you dwell on


    it, it¡¯s pointless, right? You should let go of the past, cherish the present, cherish your future wife


    and child,¡± Jonathan advised earnestly.


    Jonathan was genuinely hoping Cyril wouldn¡¯t continue entangling with Sylvia. Seeing them both


    still entangled after all this time wasn¡¯t productive.


    Cyrill remained silent, whether he hade to terms with it or not was unclear. His response was


    notably calm.


    ¡°Uh oh, someone fell into the water, and she¡¯s pregnant.¡±


    If it had only been someone falling into the water, Cyril and Jonathan might not have reacted much.


    But upon hearing that it was a pregnant woman, they immediately thought of


    Uncertain if it was her, they decided to check. If it indeed turned out to be Karina, it would be


    disastrous


    So, they hurried to the backyard and found Sylvia standing gloomily by the pool, and Karina, just


    rescued, lying in a disheveled state on the ground, her pregnancy slightly evident. ¡°Why did you


    push me? I know you and Cyril have a bad rtionship, but why me me? The child is innocent,¡±


    Karina said.


    Sylviaughed upon hearing this, but before she could speak, Cyril approached, draped his coat


    over Karina, and embraced her protectively, soothing her with a low, gentle voice. Sylvia had never


    witnessed such care from Cyril, at least not in front of her.


    ¡°Why did you push her into the water? What grudge do you have against her? Cyril used Sylvia


    without inquiring about the incident¡¯s details. Sylviaughed at this usation. What did be mean


    by ming her for this?


    Are you sure it was ines


    was ine who pushed her? Before you say such things, think logically. Everywhere here is under


    surveince. Even if I dislike her, have no reason to hari ber publicly. If I really wanted to do


    something to her, I¡¯d find a ce without cameras, maybe the her up and teach her a lesson. Why


    would I push her into the water in front of so


    e? To ndn my own reputation? Sylvia felt disappointed. She had known Cyril was biased for a long


    time, and it seemed he hadn¡¯t changed much, even now

 Chapter 163

    Chapter 163


    Chapter 163 Not the First Choice


    It was apparent to everyone that something was amiss. No one would tantly resort to physical


    violence, especially against a pregnant woman. Even if their rtionship was strained, such actions


    were unthinkable,


    If such a deed were to ur, it would have to be shrouded in secrecy, never to be discovered.


    in that moment, Cyril¡¯s gaze held a tinge of reproach towards Silvia, while towards Karina, it bore a


    hint of pity.


    This incident seemed to strip away the veil covering their past rtionship, exposing the rot within..


    Silvia stood tall, refusing to falter. He knew he would face embarrassment, but his pride forbade him


    from bowing down. Things were different now. In the past, he would lower his noble head out of


    affection, but that need no longer existed,


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t like that.¡± Karina attempted to exin, but her words faltered as she nced timidly


    towards Silvia, sensing his indignation.


    Silvia chuckled upon hearing Karina¡¯s words. ¡°Oh really? Then tell me, what happened? Are you


    absolutely certain it was me who pushed you? Let me warn you, if you dare to use nie, there are


    surveince cameras here, and many witnesses. If you can prove it was me, then we can discuss it


    with evidence. If not, I can easily sue you for defamation.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Silvia stood firm, locking eyes with Karina. She remained silent, biting her lip, her gaze pleading


    towards Cyril.


    At this point, Cyril too fell silent initially angered, he had immediately assumed Sibia was


    mistreating Karina. Yet upon reflection, Silvia¡¯s logic was wless. It was inconceivable that he


    wouldmit such an act


    Silvia had endured enough injustice over the years.


    ¡°I¡¯ll investigate this matter thoroughly. If it¡¯s his fault, I¡¯ll make sure he apologizes to you,¡± Cyril finally


    spoke, his posture unwavering, his gaze carrying a hint of remorse


    towards Silva.


    Silvia smiled at Cyril¡¯s words. What did he intend to convey with that remorseful gaze?


    ¡°In your mind, I have never been your first choice. Regardless of the circumstances, your initial


    reaction always mes me. Even though I am the greatest victim in these situations, you never


    consider my side, instead opting to use me. You want him to apologize to me now, but ask


    yourself, would you truly let him? Wouldn¡¯t making him apologize hurt him deeply?¡± Sihia¡¯s words


    left Cyril speechless.


    Cyril fell into silence once again, pondering over his rtionship with Silvia over the years. Indeed,


    as Sivia had pointed out, his first reaction in any situation was never in favor of Silvia. Despite


    knowing that Silvia had once saved him, this habit remained unaltered.


    Habits persisted because they were immutable.


    ¡°You know you¡¯re incapable of such an act. Why bother saying these things to me! Even if the


    surveince footage shows otherwise, you would go to great lengths to protect his reputation. This


    isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve done such things. I¡¯m simply too tired to argue with you anymore.


    Therefore, I demand the surveince footage be reviewed,¡± Silva asserted


    In the past, when he felt wronged, silvia would try everything to gain Cyril¡¯s support. However,


    realizing that he couldn¡¯t stir any emotions in Cyril, he chose to bury his grievances. Eventually, he


    endured silently, allowing everyone to perceive him as easy prey. But he wasn¡¯t that person. Since


    fairness couldn¡¯t be granted by others, he would seize it himself.


    ¡°Please inform Mr. Miles that the doctor might need his attention elsewhere tonight. Any losses


    incurred here will be borne by our van Group, Bruce intervened, clearly stating his allegiance to


    Silvia and his determination to resolve the matter Cyril¡¯s expression turned sour.


    He hadn¡¯t expected Bruce to wholeheartedly stand by Silvia¡¯s side. Didn¡¯t he worry about the


    consequences? If something went wrong, wouldn¡¯t Sihia embarrass him?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ve already had the surveince footage retrieved. If anyone wishes to know


    the truth, they can move to the main hall to view it¡±


    Although Miles wasn¡¯t present, as the host of the banquet, he was aware of everything transpiring


    Hence, without anyone¡¯s instruction, he had already obtained the surveince footage.


    Now that Bruce¡¯s intentions were known, he unhesitatingly sold out this favor. After all, Silvia had


    helped him both morally and practically; he ought to return the favor.


    Soon, everyone became curious about the surveince footage. They all gathered in the main hall,


    where arge screen had been set up, ying the footage from the nearbyputer


    The footage was clear, Silvia was the first to enter the garden, standing by the pool, seemingly


    engrossed in his phone. He then moved to sit on the side, maintaining a distance of three meters


    from the pool.


    Subsequently, Karina approached, engaging in a conflict with a waiter who kept apologizing before


    being dismissed by Karina


    After circling around, Karina noticed silvia seated nearby and approached him Silva nced at her


    but didn¡¯t respond, continuing with his task


    At this point, it was evident that Karina approached salvia. Otherwise, the subsequent events


    wouldn¡¯t have unfolded.


    People instinctively turned to Karina and Silvia. Silvia remainedposed, while Karina appeared


    somewhat flustered


    Shia also turned to see Karina, who was still d in damp clothes, a faint smirk ying on his lips.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you pregnant? Why haven¡¯t you changed your clothes? Are you nning to continue


    tarnishing my image after watching the surveince footage? Maybe even me your cold or


    miscarriage on me?¡±

 Chapter 164

    Chapter 164


    Chapter 164: Settling Debts in a Way


    Upon hearing Sylvia¡¯s words, everyone finally noticed that Carina was still wearing the same clothes


    as before. After this realization, one would normally prioritize changing clothes, but Carina didn¡¯t


    seem to have such intentions. Instead, she ran over to watch the surveince footage with everyone


    else. If Sylvia hadn¡¯t suddenly brought up the isso, they probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed anything


    amiss.


    ¡°L, I just want to watch the surveince. It shouldn¡¯t take long_¡±


    Carina didn¡¯t know how to exin herself. She didn¡¯t dare to leave now to change clothes. What if


    something happened in the surveince footage? She needed to be present to defend herself. If


    she wasn¡¯t there and something else appeared on the footage, how would she exin it?


    ¡°Whether you¡¯re here or not won¡¯t affect the fairness of this matter. I hope this youngdy will


    quickly go and change her clothes. Whatever happens here, I take responsibility. I don¡¯t wish to


    have any conflicts of interest with the gentleman beside you.¡±


    Miles suddenly spoke, his words seeming fair on the surface but subtly siding with Sylvia,


    Carina had no choice but to reluctantly go upstairs to change clothes, while the others kept their


    eyes on the surveince footage.


    As the surveince continued, Sylvia ignored Carina, and Carina didn¡¯t let up. She continued to


    engage Sylvia in conversation, but Sylvia remained calm. Finally, it was Carina who couldn¡¯t hold


    back her anger.


    Carina was furious. She pushed Sylvia, causing her to stumble, and her phone fell to the ground.


    Everyone expected Sylda to get angry, but she remainedposed. She calmly picked up her


    phone and lett


    After Sylvia left, Carina didn¡¯t relent. She followed Syhta, and when they were by the poolside, they


    both stopped. Carina was the first to reach out to Sylvia.


    It¡¯s unclear what Carina said, but Sylvia kept pushing her away, indicating she didn¡¯t want any


    connection with Carina


    Soon, Carina reached out to grab Sylvia again, but Syhta continued to avoid her, never once


    making physical contact with Carina.


    Suddenly, a few people appeared in the surveince footage Carina was originally going to grab


    Sylvia, but at that moment, she moved closer to Sylvia, positioning herself to fall into the pool.


    As Sylvia had her back to the approaching individuals, she was unaware of their presence.


    However, she kept her hands behind her back, ensuring no direct contact with Carina.


    The video ended there, malding it clear how the events unfolded


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for previous experiences, I don¡¯t think anyone would instinctively put their hands behind


    their back in such a situation.¡±


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    After the video ended, Miles spoke slowly, causing everyone to feel that something was amiss.


    Indeed, no one would instinctively put their hands behind their back in such a situation. It most have


    been due to past experiences that instilled fear, prompting them to do so immediately after the


    incident.


    ¡°Since from start to finish, Sylvia kept her hands behind her back and never made any physical


    contact with the youngdy, what did Sylvia use to push her into the water? Air? It sounds like a


    joke, but it¡¯s actually quite sarcastic, not only mocking Carina but also South.¡±


    Carina wasn¡¯t present, so Cyril¡¯s expression turned extremely unpleasant. Cyrill never imagined the


    truth of the matter would be like this. He subconsciously turned to l Syhda¡¯s direction, but Sylvia


    said nothing, as she already anticipated this oue.


    to look in


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you always want to repay my kindness? Now I¡¯m giving you the chance. You can settle the


    phone issue in one go. After this, there will be no debts between us.¡±


    After hearing Sylvia¡¯s words, Cyril didn¡¯t feel any reler but rather a heavier burden, even guilt.


    Would things have turned out like this if he hadn¡¯t wrongly used Sylvia?


    ¡°I won¡¯t pursue this matter today, but from now on, both you and Carina must disappear from my


    sight. I don¡¯t want to see either of you. If you appear in front of me again, I w meticulously settle


    every favor you owe me.¡®


    ¡±


    With this statement, Sylvia¡¯s resolve became firmer, She absolutely wanted no further ties with


    these two. The best solution was for them to stay away from her entirely.


    Cyril remained silent. Miles said, ¡°I think this should be a very good choice for you. You don¡¯t need


    to dwell on past matters and can let today¡¯s incident pass. Isn¡¯t that good? Since you¡¯re a


    businessman, you won¡¯t make a loss. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re hesitating about, or do you find it


    amusing to pretend to make amends while hurting the very person you im to want to


    compensate?


    Miles suddenly spoke again, and everyone felt his hostility toward Cyril. They were puzzled; wasn¡¯t


    today the first time Miles met everyone? Why was he defending Sylvia like this? ¡°When I was in F


    Country, I received Miss Sylvia¡¯s help. Without her, I might not have survived until now. I¡¯m very


    grateful for her assistance. I believe anyone who receives help from others would try their best to


    repay it, rather than continue to cause trouble for them. Don¡¯t you think so?!


    Miles revealed the truth, malding everyone realize the stark contrast. Both received help, but their


    reactions were vastly different. One had no intention of repaying the kindness and only thought


    about troubling their savior, while the other did everything to help Sybia. Thisparison made


    Cyril extremely ufortable but helpless. After all, what Miles said was undeniable.


    (never expected you to care so much about Sylvia¡¯s

 Chapter 165

    Chapter 165


    Chapter 165: True Pool or Disguised Intelligence


    Miles perceived O anger, though it was well concealed, he could see itatance.


    He calmly smiled, ¡°She sed my life. If she¡¯s unhappy, I won¡¯t let her be happy¡±


    Mes cleverly distanced himself from their rtionship, emphasizing only the distinction betwem


    rescuer and rescued.


    with this, others found it even harder to say anything.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite interesting, actually. To manage such argepany, one should be clear¨Cheaded. But


    from your current behavior, apart from ipetence and rage, one can hardly discern the wisdom


    of amanager.¡± Miles d


    He turned to Sylvia, ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about him before. I¡¯ve always wanted to know what kind of


    person such apetitors. Hut now I¡¯m beginning to wonder if he¡¯s truly foolish at merely


    pretending to be ignecant.¡±


    Sylvia was feeling a bit tired from standing. High heels were never herfort. She hooked her arm


    around bruce¡¯s, leaning her weight against him.


    ¡°be heard the saying? Sometimes you have to tight hard for main people. Obviously, I¡¯m not the


    one he¡¯s willing to light for.¡±


    Sylvia self¨Cdeprecated, realizing how foolish she had been all these your


    ¡°The truth hase to light. Have you made up your mind? Should continue pursuing


    responsibilities both present and past, or should we consider it settled from now on?¡±


    Sylvia didn¡¯three time to continue this standoff with Cyril. All she wanted now was to home and res


    This choice won¡¯t really a choke at all, it was almost be a multiple¨Cchoice question with only one


    option. Det Cyell clearly didn¡¯t see it that way.


    ¡°Ichoose nothing¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go Let thepany¡¯s legal team sue them.¡±


    If they won¡¯t take the olive branch, might as well bum the bridge.


    Aber Sylvia finished speaking, she gently nudged Bruce¡¯s arm, Truce instantly understood what


    Sylvia wanted toey and nodded


    ¡°Thank you for tonight, Mr. Miles. We¡¯ll take our leave now. Regarding my birther matters, feel free


    to contact us directly. Here¡¯s my card¡±


    Bruce was about to take out his card when Miles refused.


    ¡°Thest time we met, Sylvia gave me her card if there¡¯s anything needed, ¡®directly contact Sylvia


    Bruce paused for a moment, realizing the situation. He smiled and said nothing,pating Sya¡¯s hand


    gently


    The siblings nodded to the people around them and prepared to leave, putting an end to this face.


    However, at that moment, the boy came running down from the second floor again, throwing himself


    onto Sylvia¡¯s legs and clinging tightly, refusing to let go. ¡°Mommy, mommy, please don¡¯t go. Don¡¯t


    owe me behind, okay? I¡¯ll be good, I promise¡±


    The sudden burn of events shocked everyone.


    ¡°Timmy, she¡¯s not your mommy. I¡¯ve told you many times. Doing this will embarrass her. Come


    back


    Elias¡® face burned somewhat ugly. He had already told jimmy not to do this anymore. Rashing to


    acknowledge someone as his mother would only embarrass them, causing difort. But Jimmy,


    at this moment, chose to directly defy his advice. Things were pecting out of hand


    Jimmy pouted, looking sperleved, and let go of Sylvia¡¯s skirt.


    ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯m sorry!


    Jimmy obediently stood beside Miles, apologuing to Sylvia, ¡°Sorry, beautifuldy. I just think you¡¯re


    really beautiful and you match my dad very well. If you could be my mom. I¡¯d be very happy. Don¡¯t


    worry, I¡¯ll be a good lod and won¡¯t cause you any meuble.¡±


    He was really understanding Sylva smiled, ¡°Mr. Miles, your son is so lovely. If there¡¯s a chance, I¡¯d


    like to invite him to my house as a


    ¡°Really? Thank you, beanuldy!¡±


    Before Miles could say anything, Jimmy beat him to it, bringing up this matter again.


    With things having reached this point, what more could be said?


    Miles sanded helplessly, ¡°I hope that dayes, though he¡¯s just a very lively child. I hope he won¡¯t


    cause you any trouble¡±


    ¡°Of course Our family loves children very much. If he¡¯s wiling to, we¡¯ll be very happy to have


    him.¡±


    After ying a few rounds, Sylvia and celell my looked at Cyril with a big eye roll Children¡¯s


    emotions were the most transparent. Whether they hated or loved someone, they would show it


    openly


    Prople couldn¡¯t help but feel helpless at this turn of events. No one had expected fimmy to treat this


    divorced couples diferently.


    but if seed to make sense after all, Cyril behunder sometimes left much to be desired.


    Lapoluge sincerely to everyone for tonight¡¯s disturbance. The society will continue, but before that,


    I think 1 should help Miss Sylvia the issues she¡¯s facing Mr. Cyril, do you how time? We could


    discuss tebewhere¡±


    Miles was actually sincerely apologizing to everyone before asking Cyril. He said it was just an


    inquiry, but it was actually a notification Cyril to follow him Cyril¡¯s Lace darkened, and held with Mik


    ¡°Are you sure about what happened tonight? You want thepany¡¯s legal depart to ws won¡¯t


    you regret it at thest moment? Buddenly asked Sybian their way back


    Sylvia was stalled for mommt. She deli¡¯t expect Brace to say that was somewhat one to her. ¡°My


    dear brother, why would y


    d you think ¡°dregret it? Since I¡¯ve alrea? sublu,


    Charter 165. True fool or Disguised intelligence


    then it must be done. Moreover, you¡¯ve seen his attitude today. If I don¡¯t do something now, all the


    grievances I¡¯ve suffered over the years will be for nothing, won¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Although I know you¡¯ve suffered a lot over the years, every time we wanted to help you, you would


    regret it at thest moment. So, this time I have to ask clearly. If I don¡¯t ask on the way, and you do


    regret itter, I¡¯ll be helpless.¡±


    Bruce looked helpless, thinking about what happened before, worrying that this time Sylvia was just


    talking


    Sylvia was stunned for a while, suddenly realizing that until now, her entire family didn¡¯t believe she


    had truly let go of Cyril, thinking she might turn back.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much this time. I¡¯ve already let go. Besides, don¡¯t you think Miles is much better


    than Gyrl!?!


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Sylvia suddenly mentioned Miles, leaving Bruce stunned. What did she mean by that?

 Chapter 166

    Chapter 166


    Chapter 166: Venting


    ¡°No, why on earth would you suddenly bring up Miles? Though he¡¯s a decent guy, don¡¯t get me


    wrong, but you¡¯ve got it all mixed up. He has a child, even if not his own flesh and blood. If you end


    up with him, you¡¯d be a stepmother. You¡¯re our family¡¯s treasure, and we won¡¯t allow you to


    suffer like that.¡± Bruce couldn¡¯t stand the thought ofher getting involved with a man who had son


    He used to think highly of Bruce, but now he found him rather ordinary. Who could possibly be


    worthy of his sister?


    ¡°You mentioned rescuing him back in France, did he take alking to you then? If he¡¯sing here


    now, isn¡¯t it because of you?¡± Bruce¡¯s alertness skyrocketed instantly. ¡°No, no. Ineed to call our


    second and third schlings, tell them toe back quickly. If they don¡¯t retum soon, our own sister


    might be mistreated. And they¡¯re still out there, need to call Dad to teach Miles alesson. How dare


    he think about my sister!¡°.


    Because of Cyril, Bruce now harbored on goodwill towards anyone wanting to get close to his


    sister.


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but smile and sigh. ¡°Big boother, weren¡¯t we just talking about suing Cyril and


    Farina? Why such a big reaction to Miles? just mentioned him casually, without any other


    meaning¡±


    Sylvia looked at her brother with a sede that was not quite a smile. She couldn¡¯t help but find her


    brother amusing just a casual mention and he took it to heart like this? ¡°Oh, and besides the


    lawsuit, have some things in my hands Big brother, help me spread them all out. For the next


    period, Iwant to focus on my carent,¡±


    Sylvia had same things in mind that she hadn¡¯t wanted to bring up before, but now it was


    necessary.


    Bruce snorted, ¡°past a casual mention? I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple.¡± Why did he feel like there was


    more to it?


    ¡°you don¡¯t like him, it¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just that the child is a problem. Forget it, with our big


    company, it doesn¡¯t matter anyway¡±


    ¡°Si!¡± Sylvia called out, but Bruce fell silent.


    Yet Brace was seriously considering whether this could work or not


    ¡°Alright, forget it, let¡¯s not talk about it. What are the things you have in your hands rted to?


    ¡°They¡¯re rted to their whole family. After the divorce, that some investigate, and there¡¯s quite a


    bit. Nothing serious though.¡°|||


    Ma¡¯s tone was light, but it was evident she had been aware of this for some time. She just hadn¡¯t


    acted on it until now.


    Upon hearing Syria¡¯s words, Bruce finally believed that Sylvia hal truly let go of Cyr


    Braceughed. ¡°You should have said so earlier, thin 1 wouldn¡¯t worry about you Now, look, Miles


    seems alright.


    Sylvia  speechless. Didn¡¯t she say this before? But none of her family members new.


    And now suddenly thinking Miles was alright? Wasn¡¯t that bit tickle


    ¡°Forget it. I won¡¯t say anymore.¡± Sylvia didn¡¯t want to talk further, it was giving her a headache.


    Bruce chuckded and took out his phone, instructing his assistant to handle the remaining matters.


    Cyll never imagined that he had always thought Sylts was the one bullying other. Even though he


    knew Sylvia had surtered a lot in recent years, he didn¡¯t see Ragina as a victim Today, Miles came


    forward to help Sylvia, along with the surveince footage he still could understand, then he truly


    had been clueless all these years,


    ¡°The youngdy will be here soon. I wonder how the sir views today¡¯s went


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Miles poured a ss of water for Cyell with a smile, looking gentle


    ¡°Lean, Syria has suffered a lot today, and he proposal, think, is very good. Why not agree?¡± Mules¡®


    words male Cyril ufortable


    ¡°Why should agree? She wants to cut ties with me, but I don¡¯t want to. So why should ept?


    Besides, Karina did something wrong, she should bear the consequences.¡± Cyril spoke call?.


    If Sylvia wanted to bring up past issues, then so be it. Once everything was settled, he would start


    anew with her. This time, he wouldn¡¯t let you down.


    Miles could see Cyll¡¯s calctions, but if sylvia could easily burn around like this, today¡¯s events


    wouldn¡¯t have happened. And how could Bracelet Sylviasutter without doing anything?


    ¡°What did you say? Bear the consequences? Cyril, why do you say that? I¡¯m carrying your child


    right now. You and Sylvia have been history for a long time. Do you really believe the surveince?


    Why not say it was something Sylvia said that provoked me


    Karina was Vilily upset


    ¡°How much have endured these years? I haven¡¯t said a word to you about And Sylvia, we should


    have been together from the start!¡±


    Karina¡¯s emotions were unstable over the years. She had deeply loved Cyrill for so long, watching


    Chill many Sylvia. If she didn¡¯t do something yeil winddn¡¯t have nned to divorce Sylvia.


    She had been trying to establish a rtionship with Cyril in various ways, causing so much


    trouble. Cyril had always pretended not to see it, thinking Cyml had teelings for her


    it seemed he was just indifferent


    Not only that, but after learning the truth, he was ruthless towards her, and now, even


    w, even when she finallymanaged toe back, Cyril remained indifferent, even making her bear


    the


    at why her?


    ences.


    Clewely, all of this was because of Cyril.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Hylsia doesn¡¯t love you, not at all. Otherwise, why would she leave? Why purse this mater? she


    could have let it go, just like before. But she didn¡¯t. It¡¯s deliberate, deliberatel making me suffer,


    deliberately making me look bad! You¡¯re not bothering her, you¡¯re bothering me. Don¡¯t you think


    you¡¯ve gone too far?¡±


    Karina shouted, her face flushed, feeling cold. Although she changed her clothes after catching a


    cold, ber stomach began to ache.


    She held her stomach, stepping back step by step, looking at Cyril expectantly, but it¡¯s eyes were


    cold, showing no concen ¡°You can keep making asrene. This child was a mistake, losing it


    wouldn¡¯quate


    Chapter 166 Venting


    Cyril¡¯s icy attitude surprised not only Karina but also Miles. He hadn¡¯t expected Cyril to be so


    heartless.

 Chapter 167

    Chapter 167


    Chapter 167 Can We Start Over?


    Once, Carina thought that the arrival of this child would be a turning point in her and Cyril¡¯s


    rtionship. She soon realized that even without this child, there would never be a being point


    between her and Cyril


    She looked at Cyril with heartache. ¡°Have you never cared about this child from the beginning to the


    end, even though this child is your own?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, the existence of this child was a mistake from the start. Now, correcting this


    mistake is all there is to it. And all these years, you¡¯ve been deceiving me. Not holding you


    ountable for that is already generous enough.¡±


    Tears streamed down Carina¡¯s face. Of course, she knew she had been deceiving Cyril all these


    years. But she never imagined Cynl would be so ruthless towards her


    Even though she deceived him about the past, their feelings over these years were genuine. Didn¡¯t


    he feel anything about her feelings? Including this child, she was sincerely looking forward to iL


    But to Cyril, none of this mattered. He only cared about himself.


    He never wanted to get along well with Sylvia before, even if he thought they would never divorce.


    He never considered trying to get along with her.


    These changes now, in reality, touched him more than they did Sylvia


    As her pain worsened, Carina slowly slid down the wall and sat on the ground, clutching her


    stomach. She stared at Cyril, whose eyes remained cold,


    ¡°I loved you so much. Even if I deceived you, my feelings for you over these years were genuine.


    Why can¡¯t you see that? You can¡¯t see anyone¡¯s efforts except your own! You¡¯re selfish and


    hypocritical, heartless and unrighteous. You deserve it Sybia will never forgive you!!!


    After shouting this out, Carina realized her pain had intensified she felt like the life inside her was


    slipping away. Trembling, she tried to reach for her phone, but her hands were too weak. The phone


    slipped from her grasp and fell far away.


    Cyril stood up, ready to leave, but Miles intervened.


    ¡°If you¡¯re nning to leave now, I suggest you handle things here first. This woman has no


    connection to me. She suspects the child is yours, so you¡¯d better take him with you¡± Today, Miles


    witnessed Cyril¡¯s heartlessness and his cold heart. Even though this woman was carrying his child,


    he remained indifferent


    Miles couldn¡¯t help but wonder, who Cyril truly cared about the most. Perhaps, as Carina said, the


    person Cyril cared about the most was himself.


    Only after giving Miles a final nce did Cyril decide to take Carina and leave. As Miles said,


    regardless of their rtionship, this woman was now connected to him.


    Carina was quickly taken away. A pool of blood remained where she had fallen. Seeing this, Miles


    paused, feeling somewhat helpless. He then instructed his men to clean up the


    FICHE


    Carina was taken to the hospital. After seeing her rushed into the emergency room, Cyril hestrated


    and then sent a message to Sylvia.


    ¡°Can we start over?


    As Cyrill sent this message, his heart was filled with anxiety. He did want to start over with Syhta,


    but he didn¡¯t know what to do to make her change her mind. Perhaps, after settling all their old


    scores, they might have a chance to start anew, or maybe not.


    After sending the message, Cyril anxiously awaited Sylvia¡¯s response. But after waiting the whole


    night, Sylvia didn¡¯t reply.


    Not only did Sylvia not reply, but another message also reached Cyril¡¯s ears. Carina¡¯s condition was


    now critical. The child was fine for now, but she needed to be on bed rest for a long time Cyril


    probably couldn¡¯t leave the hospital anytime soon.


    The doctor, with a serious expression, told Cyril, ¡°During this period of bed rest, I hope you can


    spend more time with the mother. Bed rest is a very difficult time. Having loved ones around can


    make it much easier.¡±


    Cyril nodded. ¡°Tunderstand. I¡¯ll have his assistant called over.¡±


    The doctor was dumbfounded. What did he mean by calling the assistant?


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean calling his assistant. I mean calling his closest person.¡±


    The doctor was taken aback. Why didn¡¯t this man understand? Why call the assistant when you


    should be here to take care of Carina?


    ¡°But you¡¯re her husband, and she¡¯s carrying your child. You should stay here and take care of her.¡±


    ¡°We have no rtionship. If the child can¡¯t be saved, then so be it.¡±


    Only now did Cyril understand what the doctor meant. He wouldn¡¯t stay to take care of Carina, nor


    did becare about the child. Let whoever cared take care of them. Notifying Carina¡¯s assistant was


    already his greatest charity. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The doctor was astonished at Cyril¡¯s callousness. But before he could say anything, Cyril had


    already left, dialing his phone to call, indeed, Carina¡¯s assistant


    Sering this sore, the doctor telt angry but didn¡¯t know what to do, feeling a bit s


    sorry


    He had encountered a very unpleasant man. He had developed feelings for a man who had


    conceived a child with him, but this man didn¡¯t care at all, saying to disc and it it it

 Chapter 168

    Chapter 168


    Chapter 168 Cold¨Chearted


    Chil¡¯s prcent actions weren¡¯t particrly discreet, with a bit of investigation, one could easily


    uncover them. Sylviasat in her office, engrossed in her work, while Juliet held a tablet, scrolling


    through the news updates. She chuckled, then sighed involuntarily.


    The contrast was striking, prompting Syhia to nce at him more than once. What was he looking


    at today? He had been here for almost two hours without even intending to report to her. The


    documents were neatly arranged on his desk, already dealt with. Yet, he seemed oblivious to the


    fact that they needed to be taken elsewhere,


    ¡°What are you up to? I¡¯ve nearly finished my work, and here you are,ughing and crying. You don¡¯t


    seem quite yourself,¡± Sylvia inquired.


    Hearing Sylvia¡¯s words, Juliet finally set down her tablet, approaching Sylvia with a joyful


    expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s Cyril and Karina. You must see this. After thest banquet, Karina was rushed to the hospital.


    It¡¯s been days, and the word is her pregnancy is in jeopardy Cyril merely Instructed Karina¡¯s


    assistant to handle it. Rumors are spreading like wildfire, and it¡¯s even made headlines. Men, tell


    you, can be incredibly callous. I never thought he could be so heartless.¡±


    Juliet truly hadn¡¯t anticipated this turn of events. Given their intimate knowledge of Cyril and


    Karina¡¯s affair, one would expect Cyril to show more concern, especially since Karina was carrying


    his child Instead, Katina was left alone in the hospital to tend to her pregnancy.


    ¡°If I were in her shoes, I¡¯d never keep the child. When the father doesn¡¯t care, what difference does


    the mother¡¯s concern make? The child¡¯s future looks bleak,¡± Juliet remarked.


    Regardless, the birth of a child should ideally be a joyous asion both parents eagerly


    anticipate. Yet, this child¡¯s arrival seemed more like an ident. Karina saw the child merely as a


    means to secure her position, while Cyril showed no interest. Thus, one could easily predict the


    child¡¯s fate once born.


    Sylvia paused briefly, speakong frankly, ¡°Tarina¡¯s actions don¡¯t warrant sympathy.¡±


    However, the child in Karina¡¯s womb was indeed innocent. Faced with such circumstances, it was


    hard to determine who to me.


    ¡°What are your thoughts?¡± Sylvia asked, puzzled by Juliet¡¯s statement The child wasn¡¯t theirs, so


    why did it matter what they thought? Shouldn¡¯t Cyril and Karina¡¯s opinions take precedence?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t give it much thought. The other day, the host messaged me, asking if we could start over. I


    don¡¯t understand his intentions. He seems to believe there¡¯s a chance t


    re for us to


    reconcile.


    ¡°And what did you do?!


    ¡°Thad our legal team file awsuit against him.¡±


    What else could she do? Dealing with someone who only brought trouble upon themselves called


    for decisive action. She had already stated before, they could choose one of two options. Since she


    didn¡¯t want either, she acted ording to her own will.


    *Fair enough. It¡¯s about time someone dealt with him. Speaking of matters, Miles has been on your


    brother¡¯s mindtely. He¡¯s constantly calling


    calling him and even went golfing with him today.¡±


    Bruce¡¯s social standing no longer required him to invest much time inworking. Most people


    approached him for coboration, and he simply had to select who to work with However, Bruce¡¯s


    recent initiative to golf with Miles was surprising.


    ¡°He went golfing with Miles?¡± Sylvia was genuinely unaware of this development, feeling utterly


    astonished.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    Sylvia had a clear idea of Bruce¡¯s intentions. He likely sought this opportunity to get to know Miles


    better. However, Sylvia couldn¡¯t fathom why he would prioritize such matters over work. Shouldn¡¯t


    he focus on resolving work¨Crted issues first instead of ying gol!?


    Sylvia was at a loss for words.


    ¡°That¡¯s not the point. The point is, why dad Bruce go golfing with Miles? They have no significant


    ties. Even if they¡¯re discussing potential business ventures, golfing seems unnecessary. So, what¡¯s


    really going on between you and Miles? Given Bruce¡¯s intense reaction, it must be rted to you.


    What¡¯s the connection between you and Miles?¡±


    Juliet¡¯s eyes sparkled with curiosity, genuinely intrigued by the unfolding events. In just two or three


    days, the situation had escted to the point where even Sylvia couldn¡¯t decipher it


    She needed to inquire further to understand the situation fully,


    Sylvia felt a headacheing on. Not only did she not know how to exin Bruce¡¯s actions to


    Miles, but now Juliet was fixated on the issue, leaving her unsure how to proceed


    ¡°I have nothing to do with Miles. I merely saved him once in F country, as you know. Additionally, at


    the banquet, he assisted me with a minor issue. I made a casual joke with my brother, but it seems


    he took it seriously. It was all in jest.¡±


    Had Syda know this would happen, she would never have made such a joke. Now that things had


    escted, it was truly a headache¨Cinducing situation


    ¡°Your brother¡¯s concem isn¡¯t entirely unfounded. After all, Miles has a son, albeit not his biological


    one. If there¡¯s anything between you two, you¡¯d essentially be a stepmother. Bruce certainly


    wouldn¡¯t want that for you¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t reached that point yet. You both are overthinking this. I made a joke, just a joke. It¡¯s not


    right to cause someone unnecessary distress. Moreover, it we ever need to


    in the future, who would handle it? It¡¯s quite awkward¡±


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help bait feel exasperated Her harmless jolor had been blown out of proportion. How


    would she Lace Miles in the future!

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    Chapter 169 Jimmy¡¯s Thoughts


    Juliet paid no heed to Syria¡¯s words. She felt Sylvia¡¯s words were merely excuses. If it truly didn¡¯t


    matter, why didn¡¯t she tease someone else? Why single out Miles?


    ¡°As for cooperation, let¡¯s discuss it when the timees. Ampway, your brother has already gone


    to y golf.¡±


    There was no use in trying to stop it; she had to ept the inevitable oue


    Sylvia sighed, regretting she had foreseen the She wouldn¡¯t have made that joke if she knew it


    woulde to this.


    Sylvia continued to work on documents, when suddenly her phone rang. ncing at it, she found it


    was an unfamiliar number.


    Answering the call, Sylvia heard a child¡¯s woce, crisp and clear, Instinctively, she thought of Jimmy¡¯s


    cherubic face.


    ¡°Beautifuldy, do you have time toe out and y with me? My dad is ying gold, and they


    won¡¯t let me join. They say I¡¯m no good I¡¯m so bored.¡±


    It seemed Jimmy had taken Miles¡¯s phone. Otherwise, Sylvia wouldn¡¯t have received this call.


    Surprisingly, Miles had taken jimmy along for golf this time.


    ¡°Alright, where are you? Shalle over? Then we can go y together.¡±


    Sylvia suddenly had a good idea. She needed to see what Brace had been up to. It was best not to


    embarrass him.


    Also, Jimmy¡¯s call gave her a reason to go and check the situation. And it was perfectly legitimate.


    Upon hearing that Sylvia woulde to see him, Jimmy was delighted and quickly gave Sylvia the


    address. Sylvia asked Jimmy to wait; she would be there soon.


    After hanging up, she noticed Juliet staring at her with a probing look.


    ¡°What¡¯s with that expression? What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking, is there something wrong with this child? Look, he has so many people to choose


    from, yet he chooses only you. It¡¯s suspicious. And don¡¯t you think this child has some uteromotive


    toward you?¡±


    Being unexpectedly kind to a stranger, and not worrying at all that his father might be taken away


    by someone else¨CJuliet had never seen such a mature child. So, there could only beone reason:


    Jimmy wanted Syria to be his stepmother.


    ¡°Could it be that this child wants you to be his stepmother?¡±


    Realizing this, Juliet furrowed her brows and grabbed Sylvia¡¯s wrist, preventing ber from leaving


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t go now. You need to finish your work first. This child seems scheming. How can such


    a young child have such malicious thoughts of wanting you to be his stepmother?¡±


    Juller¡¯s words amused and puzzled Sy. If she were to be a stepmother, she would be a


    second wife. Looking at it this way,


    ww, there wasn¡¯t much difference between her and


    Miles. Besides, she just wanted to see Bruce


    Of course, she couldn¡¯t tell Jubet about going to see Bruce. Knowing Juliet, she would im


    ¡°Alright, maybe the child is just bored why don¡¯t you go? If you don¡¯t want to, I¡¯ll go alone.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sylvia said so. What more could juliet say? She hutted and sat down nearby.


    diately inform Brace. So, she would keep this to herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going If I do, who willhandle thepany¡¯s affairs? You go, and let me know the news as


    soon as possible. Also, about the matter between your brother and Miles, tel me quietly.¡±


    Sylvia found it amusing, Juliet wanted toe along, she could have just said so. But jullie refused.


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t force her, so she packed her things and left.


    When Sylvia arrived at the golf course, Bruce and Miles were still ying. Jimmy sat aside, kicking


    his legs against the bench out of boredom.


    Suddenly, Jimmy sensed something amiss and looked up, sporting Sylvia, Excitedly, he stood up


    and waved vigorously


    ¡°Beautiful sister!¡±


    The child¡¯s voice was sharp. Soon, both men noticed Sylvia approaching.


    Bruce was surprised for a moment, then turned to Miles, who also seemed astonished. They hadn¡¯t


    expected Sylviatoe


    ¡°thought you brought Sylvia over here. I thought you couldn¡¯t handle losing and wanted S to


    come over.¡±


    Miles felt helpless. He had came to meet Bruce today to discuss cooperation between their


    companies. But Bruce had no intention of discussing it; instead, he dragged him here to y gold


    Midway through the game, Jimmy came over. The boy then yed with his phone, probably calling


    Sylvia Miles felt helpless at the thought. But he didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m not


    unreasonable. Since we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s take a break and sit down. Let¡¯s not y anymore What do


    you think?¨C


    Bruce said this because he was wary of fimmy¡¯s cunning nature. This little boy was very scheming,


    if he was plotting something, like having Sylvia be his stepmother, it wouldn¡¯t be good. So


    now, he had to watch not only the adults but also the child it was exhausting


    Aner Bruce finished speaking, he didn¡¯t care whether Miles agreed or not. He just put his things


    aside and walked toward Sylvia


    ¡°Why are you here? Who¡¯s handling things at thepany?


    ¡°thepany, handling ewrything. trust him. Don¡¯t you?


    Dvered an eyebrow. If Juliet was there, there was indeed nothing to worry about. But would jullet


    really stay at thepany and not go anywhere? Especially Sylvia openly


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve arranged everything, I won¡¯t say more. But why did youe?


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing just came to y with you guys, What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you wee me?!


    Sylviatookout aplecat chocte from her bag, which she had bought on the way. She didn¡¯t know


    what kids fed, so she bought chocte.


    Jimmy took the chocte, delighted, and began to enjoy with relish

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    Chapter 170: Secretly Arrived


    Silvia nodded slightly towards Miles as a form of greeting


    ¡°So, you came here early in the moming to discuss cooperation with me. Don¡¯t tell me that your idea


    of cooperation is just to y gold here and leave all thepany matters to me. Do you really think


    that¡¯s appropriate? Bruce remarked.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with that. I think it¡¯s fine to leave thepany matters to you,¡± Bruce


    responded calmly.


    Bruce¡¯s reaction was ratherposed. Besides, wasn¡¯t it a form of cooperation toe here and


    discuss matters with his potential brother¨Cinw? There was nothing strange


    about it.


    y didn¡¯t mean to


    Silvia ignored Bruce¡¯s remarks and turned to Miles, ¡°Has my brother done anything particrly


    strange today? If he has, I¡¯ll apologize on his behalf. He probably Maybe his mind just didn¡¯t catch


    up.¡±


    ¡°Are you betting me in front of others? Silvia, you¡¯re really audacious. You dare say anything, don¡¯t


    you? Believe me, I¡¯ll have to give you a good lesson today!¡± Bruce retorted.


    ¡°Alright, alright. It was just a joke. I told you that day, but you took it seriously. You invited him here


    to y golf, iming it was for cooperation. I don¡¯t believe your character at all. Do you think I don¡¯t


    know you well enough? Siha countered.


    As the siblings bantered, both Miles and Jimmy were left bewildered. They had expected the


    siblings to get along well, but it seemed they were quite the opposite. Nevertheless, despite their


    opposing views, their sibling bond was evident.


    ¡°Let¡¯s forget about this. I do have a cooperation proposal in hand and would like to discuss it with


    you. Since my sister is here, you don¡¯t have to worry about your son, right? Let¡¯s go, shall we? We¡¯ll


    talk about the cooperation,¡± Bruce redirected his attention to Miles and gestured to leave with him.


    ¡°How did you end up here? if they¡¯re here today and he¡¯s here for cooperation, why did you follow?¡±


    Miles inquired.


    ¡°1 came secretly. My dad said he¡¯s meeting your brother today, and I felt things couldn¡¯t be that


    simple. So I came over, hoping to gather some intelligence. After all, my dad can be quite


    conservative sometimes,¡± Jimmy exined.


    Although young, Jimmy was not ignorant. There was much he knew, and Sita couldn¡¯t help but find


    him amusing.


    Sneaking over to gather information, Jimmy wondered what he had learned today


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find any particrly useful information. It seems your brother really dislikes my dad for


    some reason. But I don¡¯t know what my dad did to upset him so much. Is it because of me?¡± Jimmy


    pondered.


    Perhaps due to the absence of his biological father and the presence of his uncle as a father figure,


    Jimmy was particrly sensitive and quick to perceive others intentions.


    Silvia felt somewhat helpless. She hadn¡¯t expected her brother to behave so unfairly


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just a small disagreement between them. Don¡¯t worry, it has nothing to do with you. Shall


    we eavesdrop on what they¡¯re talking about?¡± Silvia suggested


    ¡°Forget it, I don¡¯t want to. They can go if they want.I don¡¯t understand their cooperation anyway,


    and adults can handle these matters. I¡¯ll stay here. But if you want to go, I can apany you,¡±


    Jimmy proposed.


    Silvia couldn¡¯t help but chockle at Jimmy¡¯s quick thinking. Although she wanted to go, she found it


    amusing that fimmy had so many reasons not to.


    ¡°Alright, alright, I want to go. You can apany me,¡± Silvia agreed.


    ¡°Of course, let¡¯s go now,¡± Jimny smiled, feeling pleased with himself


    Thus, the two casually walked past. Meanwhile, Bruce and Miles were engrossed in discussing


    business, much to Silda¡¯s disappointment. She had hoped they would talk about something else,


    but it seemed they were earnestly discussing cooperation, leaving her feeling somewhat unlucky.


    As for Jimmy, he couldn¡¯t understand a thing and lost interest quickly. He dragged Silvia to the side,


    eager to y golf,


    Silva yed golf rather well, and she guided Jimmy on how to y, and the two enjoyed


    themselves immensely.


    ¡°My sister is quite nice, but she had some bad luck before, ending up with a lousy man. Although I


    don¡¯t know much about you, I think you¡¯re a decent person, someone worth entrusting with a


    lifetimemitment. But I don¡¯t want my sister to rush into another marriage so soon,¡± Bruce


    observed as he watched Silvia and Jimmy getting along so well. He felt a pang of helplessness


    seeing his sister grow up beyond his control, and his impatience with Miles increased, ming him


    for his sister¡¯s impulsiveness.


    only joking


    At that moment, Bruce hadpletely forgotten that Silvia had repeatedly emphasized that she


    was


    After a moment of hesitation, Miles realized that Silvia¡¯s recent behavior towards him was


    influenced by Bruce. He pondered over what Silvia might have said to Bruce to cause such a


    misunderstanding


    ¡°This situation isn¡¯t what you think,¡± Miles began to exin.


    *Your son seems to really like my sister. Could it be intentional on your part to have your son get


    close to my sister, perhaps to find him a stepmother? Let me tell you, even though my sister has


    been married and divorced, she¡¯s not willing to be a stepmother. I don¡¯t want her to bear the


    responsibility of taking care of someone else¡¯s child, even if he¡¯s not yours,¡± Bruce continued, his


    words bing more and more inappropriate, causing Miles a headache.


    ¡°You may be misunderstanding things I don¡¯t have much contact with S, and I¡¯m grateful for what


    she did for me in country. Apart from that, I have no other intentions. It you think my actions are for


    personal gain, then perhaps our cooperation doesn¡¯t need to continue,¡± Miles rified, hoping to


    dispel Bruce¡¯s doubts by creating distance between


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ended to distance himself from Miles to alleviate his suspicions. That was what Miles hoped, at


    least.

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    Chapter 171 Dinner Invitation


    Two men gathered together, discussing some business matters, but there wasn¡¯t much else to talk


    about. Especially now, Bruce had strong opinions about Miles, believing that it was Miles¡® influence


    that had led his sister to entertain certain thoughts.


    So, Bruce¡¯s attitude towards Miles wasn¡¯t particrly friendly. Miles could sense Bruce¡¯s frustration,


    but he hadn¡¯t found the right opportunity to inquire about Sylvia¡¯s situation.


    Sylvia, feeling guilty, had casually mentioned somethingst time, and Brace had remembered it,


    which surprised her. So, she tried her best to avoid meeting Miles¡® gaze, fearing what might


    transpire.


    These matters between adults were iprehensible to youngmy. However, he noticed his father


    always casting nces at his beautiful sister.


    It seemed his approach was correct; his father indeed favored his beautiful sister. Would this


    beautiful sister be his mother, then?


    ¡°Beautiful sister, why does my dad always stare at you? Are you two going to get married?¡±


    They say childhood is carefree, but at this moment, Syhda felt otherwise. She could feel Bruce¡¯s


    gaze sharpen instantly. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that Jimmy was just a child, Bruce might have


    reacted differently.


    Sylvia was curious about Jimmy¡¯s words. They hadn¡¯t own Miles for long, and she wasn¡¯t even


    sure about his personality, let alone marriage.


    So, Sylvia smiled and asked, ¡°Why would you say that? Your father and I aren¡¯t that close. If he


    were to marry, he¡¯d choose someone he truly likes.¡±


    ys stare at her?


    Jimmy was even more puzzled. Wasn¡¯t his father¡¯s favorite person the beautiful sister next to him? It


    didn¡¯t make sense, otherwise, why would his father always


    But.


    Before Jimmy could say more, Miles intervened. If Jimmy kept going, he might upset Sylvia. After


    all, others might not understand, but Miles knew how much Sylvia was cherished at home.


    ¡°Jimmy, it¡¯s not polite to speak like that. You might cause trouble for your beautiful sister.¡±


    it wouldn¡¯t only cause trouble for Syhda but also for himself. When would his son learn to keep quiet


    and not utter such nonsense?


    Jimmy blinked, not fully understanding his father¡¯s words. However, he noticed the difort of the


    man beside his father, Sylvia¡¯s brother, and refrained from further speech.


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s not dwell on it. Let¡¯s go horseback riding together. It¡¯s boring watching them y


    golf here. There¡¯s a horse ranch nearby. Shall we go?¡±


    Jimmy had learned horseback riding since he was young. Watching golf was indeed dull for him.


    Miles hesitated, worried about Jimmy¡¯s safety, but seeing Sylvia¡¯s excitement, he agreed.


    As they left, Bruce dropped his pretense. He spoke frankly, ¡°Though I¡¯m not sure how you


    managed to influence my sister, let me tell you, bullying her is out of the question. Our family won¡¯t


    allow it¡±


    ¡°Ithink you¡¯ve misunderstood. I¡¯ve never had any intention of mistreating her. Moreover, I¡¯ve only


    known Sylvia for a short while ¡±


    Miles wanted to convey that forming feelings for someone in such a short time was difficult, and he


    wasn¡¯t one to believe in love at first sight. Bruce seemed to have misunderstood this point.


    Bruce thought Miles didn¡¯t appreciate his sister, which angered him more than if Miles had liked her.


    What was wrong with his sister that Miles didn¡¯t like her?


    ¡°My sister is wonderful. If you don¡¯t like her, it¡¯s your loss. I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re thinking.


    My sister is so good, yet you don¡¯t like her. What¡¯s the difference between you and Cyril?¡±


    Miles felt there was a misunderstanding but exining it to this brother fixated on his sister proved


    challenging. So, he chose silence, sometimes, saying nothing was better than saying anything


    wrong.


    ¡°Do you have time tonight? I¡¯d like to invite you all to dinner.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Miles proposed this, considering their families business interactions and his interest in coborating


    with the One¨CSall Group. However, Bruce¡¯s thoughts strayed again.


    ¡°Are you eyeing my sister? Let me tell you, my sister is an exceptional person. If you want to marry


    her, you¡¯ll have to pass our scrutiny. I won¡¯t let my sister marry as casually as


    The more he spoke, the more sadness he revealed. If they hadn¡¯t neglected their sister, none of this


    would have happened.

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    Chapter172: Spare Her


    Sylvia was oblivious to what had happened over by the golf course; she was preupied. Jimmy¡¯s


    proficiency in preparing the horses for riding was impressive, so they quickly selected their mounts.


    However, Sylvia hadn¡¯t expected to encounter someone here, someone she had no desire to see.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡±


    Seeing Sylvia bere, Cyril frowned slightly, feeling a bit displeased. He subconsciously thought


    Sylvia hade to find him.


    He couldn¡¯t believe his whereabouts had been leaked so quickly. He felt annoyed by whoever had


    divulged his location.


    Sylvia rolled her eyes impatiently. What was wrong with her being here? Did he own this stable or


    something?


    ¡°What does it matter to you that I¡¯m here? Or is this ce exclusively for you, and no one else is


    allowed?¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s tone irritated Cyril slightly.


    Sylvia had never spoken to him in such a manner before. Did she feel emboldened after the


    divorce, speaking to him like this?


    ¡°Whatever. It¡¯s none of your concern where I go. But what I want to discuss with you today is not


    about that, it¡¯s about Karina Do you know how miserable Karina is now?¡±


    Cyril¡¯s tone concerning Karina made Sylviaugh. What did Karina¡¯s state have to do with her?


    It wasn¡¯t like she forced Karina into anything. Karina willingly involved herself in Cynt¡¯s athairs, so if


    she faced consequences now, it was only fair


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t fathom why Cyril was bringing this up to her. Was it to make her forgive Karina?


    That was impossible. After enduring so much mistreatment from Karina over the years, forging her


    would be foolish.


    ¡°Do I have any connection to it? It seems like you¡¯re insinuating that Kirina¡¯s current plight is solely


    my fault. She¡¯s pregnant with your child now. If you truly don¡¯t want her to suffer, you can marry her.


    I¡¯ve already cleared the way for both of you. Remember how much she loved you back then, and


    how much you cared for her? Or have you forgotten?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve forgotten, I suggest you go online


    and check. I still have plenty of records about the two of you. Like when you picked her up from the


    airport, or when you took her shopping. Maybe you¡¯ve forgotten, but the media remembers viddly. If


    you still want to deny it, I can help you refresh your memory.¡±


    ¦§


    What did Sy care about Karina¡¯s well¨Cbeing? Karina brought her troubles upon herself, and it


    wasn¡¯t appropriate for Cyril toe here and discuss this with her. ¡°You¡¯ve changed. You¡¯re nothing


    like the person Tused to know. You never used to do soch outrageous things or be so ruthless. Is it


    because you¡¯re backed by van now that you feel entitled to hurt others without restraint?¡±


    Cyril felt Sylvia was incredibly unfamiliar at this moment. He had never seen her so antagonistic


    towards someone before. Was it because she didn¡¯t have the chance before, but now she did?


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sylvia thought Cyril¡¯s reasoning was wed Why didn¡¯t she target others before? Because she liked


    Cyril, led how he could blindly follow someone, unable to see if they were good or bad.


    ¡°I¡¯m not targeting her because I¡¯m magnanimous, it¡¯s simply because I led you back then. I didn¡¯t


    want to make things difficult for you. Even though numors about you and her were rampant, I never


    uttered a word. Everything I did was for you.¡±


    ¡°But now we have no rtionship, and I even dislike you In this sinuation, isn¡¯t it strange for me to


    do something against someone?


    ¡°Of course not strange. My father told me if someone bullies me without reason, I must fight back,


    as long as I¡¯m not at fault. Since you prettydy, are meless, why don¡¯t you fight back?


    Though young, Jimmy sometimes said things that pleased Sylvia gready.


    He always took his father¡¯s teachings seriously. His father said not to bully others but also not to let


    others bully you.


    ¡°Auntie, your previous actions were wrong. My dad told me we shouldn¡¯t bully others recklessly, but


    we also can¡¯t let others bully us. And since they are bullying you like this, why don¡¯t you retaliate?


    My dad said once someone bullies you, you must never back down


    Jimmy¡¯s serious expression amused Sylvia. It was such a simple principle she hadn¡¯t grasped


    before, but now she understood.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t understand before, but now I do. Don¡¯t worry, no one will bully me again in the future. If


    someone bullies me, Jimmy, would you help me?¡±


    Sylvia asked Jimmy with a smile Jimmy, feeling needed by Sylvia, paned his chest without


    hesitation, indicating he would.


    ¡°Of course, you can count on me. My dad says Cyril Han must protect girls. I¡¯ll protect you, and I


    hope you¡¯ll consider being my mom, boo?¡±


    As he finished speaking, Jimmy felt a bit embarrassed


    Sylvia couldn¡¯t help butugh. Jimmy was indeed adorable.


    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s make that our agreement.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s agreement filled her with immense joy, and jimmy hugged her tightly, calling her ¡°Mom¡±


    several times.


    Seeing Cyril¡¯s grim expression across from them, Sylvia and Jimmy were both taken aback.


    Clearly, they hadn¡¯t expected Cyril to say what he did. They exchanged nces for a while before


    Jimmy couldn¡¯t contain himself.


    ¡°Why must we forge? When someone has others, shouldn¡¯t they face consequences? Uncle, didn¡¯t


    your mom teach you that doing wrong must be punished?¡±

 Chapter 173

    Chapter 173


    Chapter 173 Adding Fuel to the Fire


    Jimmy¡¯s innocent words momentarily left Cyril somewhat at a loss. Even if it was a punishment like


    a multiplier, it seemed a bit excessive, especially since Syhda hadn¡¯t suffered any substantial harm.


    Instead, the one feeling most aggrieved now was Karina


    ¡°These years, I admit I haven¡¯t been very good to you, but that¡¯s my problem, it has nothing to do


    with Karina. He¡¯s already very upset, and now the child may not even survive. If it weren¡¯t for you


    and him in the garden that day..¡±


    Cyril attempted to reason with Sylvia, to make her understand where he had gone wrong. But Sylvia


    tuned our after a couple of sentences, willing to listen further. Who was he trying to persuade?


    ¡°Wait a minute. Firstly, this matter has nothing to do with me. Secondly, you should have already


    reviewed the surveince footage from that day. It clearly shows I never harmed your Karina, so


    there¡¯s no question of forgiveness. Furthermore, whether the child survives or not is your concern;


    I¡¯m not the child¡¯s father.¡±


    ¡°These years, you¡¯ve been targeting Harina, overtly and covertly. Do you think I don¡¯t low? I¡¯ve


    never said anything before, but now that we¡¯re over, you¡¯re still anxious. Is it bappropriate to cling to


    this matter?¡±


    Cyril was extremely angry. He hadn¡¯t intended to say these things when he saw Sylvia; in fact, he


    wanted to have a proper conversation with her. But seeing Jimmy and Sylvia so Intimate, he


    couldn¡¯t help himself


    ¡°What¡¯s inappropriate about it? He bullies me, I fightback I don¡¯t see anything wrong with what I¡¯ve


    done. If you think I¡¯m wrong, does it concern your


    Sylvia chuckled. He used to think it was his fault if Cyell ignored him, but now he realized Cyril was


    the one at fault. It was this couple causing trouble, they should stop bothering


    ¡°I¡¯ll warn you onest time. Don¡¯t think my leverage is limited to what I¡¯ve already disclosed. I have


    other cards up my sleeve. You can block me once, indefinitely?¡±


    block me


    but can you bl


    Sylvia did indeed have plenty of ammunition to silence Cell, but Cyell wasn¡¯t someone to be trifled


    with. So when Sylvia¡¯s messages were sent out, Cyril intercepted them all.


    This oue was within Sylvia¡¯s expectations, but it Cyril thought he could handle everything with


    what he had, he was sorely mistaken. After all, he had a lot in his arsenal, enough to shake their


    entire family. If push came to shove, he could always assert his innoceter; his status wouldn¡¯t allow


    anyone to question him.


    ¡°You should remember what was in those intercepted messages. Like what your sister did abroad,


    what your mother has been doing behind the scenes all these years, and how yourpany isn¡¯t


    as pristine as you imagine.¡±


    Sering Cyril¡¯s expression darken, Syhta felt satisfied. ¡°I¡¯m telling you this not to threaten you, but to


    remind you. I thought you¡¯d have learned your lesson after seeing those thingsst time, but


    apparently you¡¯re still as clueless as ever.¡±


    Sybia sighed. ¡°Let me remind you one more time. If you don¡¯t wise up, I can¡¯t predict what I¡¯ll do


    next.


    Honestly, he was in a good mood, but Sylvia had toe and ruin it. It he felt ufortable, he¡¯d


    make sure the other person felt the same.


    Watching Cyril¡¯s increasingly unpleasant expression, Sylvia felt increasingly content. As long as


    Cyril was unhappy, he could be happy.


    Sylvia held Jimmy¡¯s hand, ready to go horseback riding Just as they were about to leave, Miles and


    Bruce approached.


    Seeing Cyril here, Bruce¡¯s expression instantly changed.


    If asked who his greatest enemy was, Bruce would answer without hesitation: Cyril


    So when Cyril showed up, Bruce¡¯s expression turned extremely sour.


    ¡°Why are you here? Didn¡¯t thest lesson I gave you suffice?¡±


    The lesson Bruce referred to was the incident at the banquet, also rted to Karina


    Seeing both of them here, and both being rted to Sylvia, Cyril couldn¡¯t seem to find a pleasant


    expression.


    ¡°I was wondering why you chose to be here. So you¡¯ve already gathered everyone, huh? What,


    after we split up, you¡¯re so desperate you need two people at once?¡±


    After Cyril¡¯s nonsensical remark, Syhia¡¯s expression changed, and without hesitation, she pped


    him.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t speak sensibly, then don¡¯t speak at all. Don¡¯t unt your superiority in front of me. With


    your behavior, being married and still involved with other women, I don¡¯t know where you get the


    nerve to lecture me.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    One was his brother, the other had nothing to do with him. Yet Cyril couldn¡¯t help but speak out. Did


    he not consider what he had done before daring to lecture him?


    ¡°It seems you¡¯ve been quite idletely, with no one to give you a hard time. Do you even Imow your


    own worth?¡±


    Originally, Sylvia was going to let Cyril off the hook, but now there was no reason to spare her.


    Right now, all she wanted was to give Cyril a lesson; she had no idea what he might say next


    Bruce was also angry. Seeing his sister being bullied like this was infuriating.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. Looks like what you sent him wasn¡¯t enough to teach him a lesson


    Bruce suddenly found it pointless. If he had known Cyril would be here today, he would never have


    come.


    The three of them left, visibly angry Sylvia was still making a call while walking, seemingly about to


    deal with Cyril. But Bruce and Miles didn¡¯t intervene; after what Cyril had said, they felt equally


    affronted.


    After Sylvia finished her call and instructed her people to deal with Cyril, Miles


    es finally had the chance to speak.


    ¡°So, Cyril, you didn¡¯t know that you and Sylvia a


    are siblings?¡±


    Both siblings looked bewildered. Why would Cyril need to know that? Miles chuckled.


    ¡°you two lock so alike, anyone can tell you¡¯re rted at first nce.¡±

 Chapter 174

    Chapter 174


    Chapter 174: Birthday Gift


    Miles remark carried a subtle implication, leaving those who had seen them together to suspect


    they were rted. However, since neither of them had mentioned their connection, no one was


    foolish enough to inquire about it. Nheless, this didn¡¯t imply that people were naive.


    Yet, Cyril hadn¡¯t noticed anything amiss so far. It was evident that he wasn¡¯t paying much attention


    to this rtionship.


    otherwise, why hadn¡¯t Cyril realized by now that they looked remarkably alike?


    ¡°You can see it, but some people simply can¡¯t. I wonder what some people were thinking back then.


    Anyway, let¡¯s not dwell on that. We¡¯ll talk about our coborationter. Today, we¡¯re mainly out for


    rxation.¡±


    When it came to his sister, Bruce could sometimes be unreliable, but overall, he was quite


    dependable.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Though he did harbor same resentment towards Miles initially, it vanishedpletely upon


    discovering they sharedmon adversaries.


    After the three rxed, they parted ways. They had nned to have dinner together that evening,


    but Sylvia had to leave unexpectedly. Consequently, the dinner became an affair between Bruce


    and Miles alone. Sylvia remained unaware of what transpired during that meal. However, she noted


    a subtle shift in Bruce¡¯s demeanor towards Miles afterward, not as hostile as before, but rather with


    a sense of understanding


    ¡°I just remembered, it¡¯s Cyrill¡¯s grandfather¡¯s birthday in a couple of days. I received an invitation to


    send a gift. I don¡¯t particrly care for the old man and don¡¯t wish to bother with it. Both of you can


    represent me and present the gift.¡±


    Stanford brought up this matter unexpectedly during breakfast


    Both Bruce and Sylvia were taken aback. Were it not for Stanford mentioning it, they might have


    forgotten. Over the years, whenever the old man¡¯s birthday arrived, it was always celebrated


    extravagantly to highlight his states.


    ¡°I recall you two have sent quite a few nice gifts on his previous birthdays. What are you nning to


    send this year?¡±


    Stanford reminisced about thevish gifts his daughter had once sent to please the old man.


    However, there was no need for such gestures now; it was time to cut ties.


    Sylvia, understanding Stanford¡¯s unspoken meaning, chuckled lightly before replying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry,


    the gift is already prepared. 1 just forgot about it earlier. Regardless, it won¡¯t be anything to delight


    them overly. You¡¯ll see what I¡¯ve prepared tomorrow.¡±


    Stanford always trusted his daughter¡¯s judgment.


    As for Bruce sitting beside them, he knew exactly what Sylvia had prepared. His lips twitched


    involuntarily with a hint of worry. If things went wrong, the old man¡¯s birthday celebration might turn


    into a funeral That would indeed be troublesome.


    However, whether it tumed somber or not wasn¡¯t his primary concern. Over the years, his sister had


    endured so much injustice. All he could do was to return some of that Injustice, nothing more. Was


    there anything wrong with that?


    ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared most of the things for you. If you need anything, just let me know, and I¡¯ll


    assist you in preparing it,¡± Bruce offered.


    ¡°It¡¯s unnecessary. The items you prepared earlier are sufficient. I¡¯ll handle the rest myself. After all,


    this will be my final grand gesture for the old man. I won¡¯t be preparing any more gifts in the future.


    So, this time, I must leave asting impression.¡±


    Sylta¡¯s smile resembled that of a cunning foxx, leaving her family curious about what else she had


    in store.


    ¡°The matter regarding the President¡¯s grandfather¡¯s birthday celebration, would you handle it? He


    wants to invite all possible guests and wishes to sever ties with Miss Carina as soon as possible.


    Her status doesn¡¯t befit our family. Also, he asked me to give this to you, um, this thing.¡±


    Barry struggled to articte, feeling overwhelmed. Though he was just an assistant, the tasks he


    handled were often headache¨Cinducing. The old man¡¯s whims were unpredictable.


    For instance, handing Cyril this item this time. Cyril might get angry upon seeing it, but if he didn¡¯t,


    Barry wouldn¡¯t fulfill his duty, which was equally distressing. Barry pondered his sry; it wasn¡¯t as


    good as it seemed.


    Cyril was engrossed in his work but raised his head slightly upon hearing Barry¡¯s words


    ¡°What did the old man prepare for you? Why do you seem so troubled?¡±


    As Cyril perused the documents, his expression changed instantly upon seeing their contents. No


    wonder Barry felt conflicted; the tiles were detailed profiles of various wealthy heiresses. Clearly,


    preparations were underway for Cyril¡¯s marriage. As for Carina and Sylvia, they had never been


    favored. This was the old man¡¯s way of inviting all eligible candidates, intending to seize the


    opportunity for Cyril to select a suitable bride.


    ¡°I can¡¯t defy the President¡¯s wishes, especially with his recent health concerns. I¡¯m afraid saying the


    wrong thing might upset him, which would be disastrous.¡±


    Cyril understood Barry¡¯s dilemma, so he refrained from pressing further.


    However, he couldn¡¯t mask his displeasure, Barry felt the tension but couldn¡¯t do much about it.


    What could he do in such a situation?


    ¡°Understood. I handle this matter. You won¡¯t be bothered by anyone. Additionally, there¡¯s a


    coboration with a subsidiary. I need you to take care of it these days. You won¡¯t have to


    apany me to the President¡¯s birthday celebration.¡±


    Cyril spaced Barry the trouble of attending with him, sparing him from furtherplications


    Releed, Barry exhaled deeply. This arrangement suited him perfectly; he didn¡¯t want to case himself


    unnecessary trouble, caught between two dilemmas


    ¡°Alright, loss, I got it. Do you need anyone else to attend the President¡¯s birthday celebration with


    you?¡±


    ¡°No need I¡¯ll go alone. Oh, and keep an eye on the Ivanov Group. Any developments, especially


    regarding Miles.¡±


    Though Cyril didn¡¯t quite grasp the connection between the two matters, he wouldn¡¯t refuse his


    boss¡¯s instructions. He nodded in agreement and remembered another matter priated to these


    issues.

 Chapter 175

    Chapter 175


    Chapter 175 Sky High


    ¡°The Yitan Group has also received the invitation from the old man. This time, Sylvia and Bruce will


    attend In addition, the old man also invited Miles. The general idea is probably to hope for a


    cooperation opportunity with Miles¡±pany¡±


    Upon hearing Barry¡¯s words, Cyell sneered. Wanting to establish a cooperation with Miles? They


    must be out of their minds.


    Considering the current rtionship between himself and Miles, it was already good enough if they


    didn¡¯t openly confront each other. How could they possibly establish a cooperation?


    ¡°Ignore these matters. Also, didn¡¯t ask you to make an appointment with Sylvia? Did you seed?¡±


    Cyril recalled his ongoing attempts to meet Sylvia. However, he never got the chance. And


    whenever they did meet, it was always tense,


    During this time, Cyril had been wanting to sit down with Sylvia and have a serious conversation,


    whether about the past or the future. They couldn¡¯t keep butting heads forever; they needed to


    resolve these matters,


    But making an appointment with Sylvia was not easy. Besides her busy schedule, she simply


    refused to sice Cyril. So, each attempt ended in failure


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Barry had informed Cyril of this situation, but Cyril remained resolute. He had to meet Sylvia,


    whatever the cost.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I haven¡¯t tried, boss. It¡¯s just that their attitude is crystal clear. They refuse any


    appointments with you. And they¡¯ve stated that any appointment from you will be canceled outright.


    If it¡¯s apany appointment, Sylvia will never meet in person. So..¡±


    So, meeting Sylvia formally through an appointment was impossible.


    Cyril fell silent, thinking that his father¡¯s birthday gathering was approaching


    Sylvia would be there, right? Cyril could use that opportunity to talk to her properly. Surely, Syhda


    wouldn¡¯t refuse to show face at his father¡¯s event,


    ¡°Got it. First, go andplete the tasks I¡¯ve assigned to you. We¡¯ll discuss these matterster.¡±


    Barry quickly agreed and lett.


    The old man¡¯s birthday banquetmenced as scheduled. Sylvia started preparing early in the


    morning. Logically, she didn¡¯t need to fuss so much, but she wanted to present a grand gift. What if


    the media captured her poorly dressed? So, she spent the entire moming dressing up in different


    outfits and selecting jewelry to ensure her appearance would be perfect.


    By noon, Sylvia finally finished dressing and descended the stairs, where Bruce and Balk were


    anxiously waiting.


    Seeing Syhtae down, Balk yawned. ¡°One would think you¡¯ve been redoing yourself from head


    to toe all moming. It¡¯s just an old man¡¯s event. Do you really need to dress up like this? And those


    jewels you bought, saying you¡¯d keep them forever. Now, just for an event, you bring them out. Isn¡¯t


    that a bit too much?¡±


    The ne and rings around Sylvia¡¯s neck and fingers were a set she had bought, costing nearly


    nine figures.


    When they were gifted to Sylvia, she cherished them greatly, saving them for important asions.


    Little did she expect that this asion would he deemed important


    Sylvia snorted, ting her chin proudly like a proud ck swan. ¡°What do you understand? The old


    man loves grandeur. With media present at this event, my gift to him surpasses all. So, I must dress


    appropriately. If the media portrays me poorly, won¡¯t it bring disgrace upon our family? Tristead of


    letting them gossip, I¡¯ll shut down their thoughts before they even arise.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s reasoning was sound, and they agreed


    ¡°Since everything¡¯s ready, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll leave the matters at home to you, little brother.¡±


    The invitation only included Bruce, with Sylvia attending as hispanion. As for Balk, nobody


    knew about his rtionship with the Ivan family, so naturally, he wasn¡¯t invited. With both of them


    upied, Balk remained at home alone. He was idle and decided to call the third brother. However,


    the third brother was busy in theb and couldn¡¯t spare time for Walk¡¯s call


    The siblings arrived at the banquet, which was bustling with people, mostly fathers apanying


    their daughters¨Camatchmaking event.


    * seems this old man intends to use this opportunity to showcase his son. Imagine if he knew his


    son had fathered a child outside. How scandalous would that be?¡±


    onlyyn and a lew others knew about Karina¡¯s pregnancy. The family was oblivious. Sylvia seemed


    eager to reveal the news, anticipating the shock it would case dirure red around warily and


    warned Sylvis, ¡°Don¡¯t stir up too much trouble.¡±

 Chapter 176

    Chapter 176


    Chapter 176 Whose Child Is It?


    Things escted, and they couldn¡¯t exim it to Sylvia, Naturally, they knew Lee Yu would be


    obedient and agreeable. He didn¡¯t really want trouble, he just didn¡¯t appreciate being approached by


    the other teacher unhappily. So today, he needed to teach them a lesson.


    Sylvia and Bruce found a ce to sit casually, while Michelle, busy attending to guests, noticed


    them approaching.


    Michelle abandoned the others and came straight to them, looking down on Sylvia with disdain and


    contempt


    It was evident that Michelle still smw Syhda as someone to bully at will. But Sylvia wouldn¡¯t be


    easily bullied


    ¡°The invitation was for the Ivan family. I didn¡¯t expect you to shamelessly follow along. What, after


    leaving my son, you¡¯ve lost all sense of shame? Just find any man? And you, sir. Do you not know


    what she did during the time she was married to my son? You still look at her? I really don¡¯t know


    what to give you¡±


    Michelle seized every opportunity to belittle Sylvia, but Syhia remainedposed, while Bruce¡¯s


    face turned ugly.


    For years, his sister had been bullied like this at such events. If that was the case, he wouldn¡¯t let


    this family off.


    Michelle hadn¡¯t noticed Bruce¡¯s change in mood, attributing it not to Sylvia¡¯s past actions but to her


    current remarks, which had touched his


    Michelle took extra pleasure in recounting recent events, bing increasingly delighted. He


    degraded Syhia to the point of humiliation, wishing she would never litt her head again. But Sylvia¡¯s


    reaction remained calm, not giving Michelle any satisfaction


    Seeing Bruce¡¯s anger, she couldn¡¯t help but sigh. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t be angry. Anyway, aren¡¯t we here


    with our own purpose this time? It¡¯s not worth getting emotional over such


    marters.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be worth it?¡± Bruce was furious. Suddenly, he felt Sylvia¡¯s actions today were too


    mild. He stood up, took his phone, and walked away to make a call. Sylvia nced at his retreating


    figure, saying nothing. It seemed her brother wanted to went, which wasn¡¯t a bad thing. She was


    curious to see to what extent he would go for her.


    Michelle, assuming Bruce¡¯s anger was due to Sylvia¡¯s embarrassing actions during her marriage to


    his son, walked away to make a call, intending to seize the opportunity to discipline Sylvia.


    However, he didn¡¯t realize Sylvia¡¯s reaction was so calm, indicating she didn¡¯t care about these


    events.


    ¡°I advise you to be honest and not covet what doesn¡¯t belong to you. If you can¡¯t distinguish your


    position, don¡¯t me me for teaching you a lesson.¡±


    It was strange. Although Michelle couldn¡¯t understand what was going on in Sylvia¡¯s mind, it was


    clear to any disceming person. Bruce went to make a call, which had nothing to do with him. If it did,


    why was Sylvia so calm? Why no reaction?


    ¡°If you can discipline me, then forget what I said. But you should still hope that today¡¯s birthday


    party goes as you wish. As for whether Cyril will marry into another family ording to your wishes,


    that¡¯s even more interesing¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s words suddenly changed Michelle¡¯s expression. He realized something was wrong and


    immediately turned to leave. At this moment, Cyril arrived, along with Karina


    Interesting, these two came together. Sylvia suddenly didn¡¯t want to wait anymore. So, after sending


    a message, she leisurely sat back, waiting for Bruce to finish his call and continue watching the


    drama.


    Cyril had just greeted the old man when the big screen, supposed to y a birthday tribute,


    suddenly switched to a disturbing scene. The figure in the video was Karina, and beside her was a


    man, his face masked But judging from his body, it was unlikely to be Cyril, but rather another


    middle¨Caged man.


    Karina¡¯s face paled. What was happening? Where did this videoe from? Wasn¡¯t it supposed to


    bepletely destroyed? Why was it appearing here?


    ¡°Pregnant heard you¡¯re pregnant with my child, quite unfortunate. I¡¯ve never fooled around with a


    pregnant woman. You can fulfill my wish. As for this child, keep it if you want, if not, forget it I have


    heirs; I don¡¯t need another one.¡±


    The video paused there. Only then did everyone notice that Karina was pregnant. They also saw


    the man¡¯s grim expression. Did this child have something to do with Cyril again?


    Their thoughts were sharp Just from a video, they had already deduced so much, and it was only a


    part of the video..


    ¡°Whose child is this?¡±


    Cyril wasn¡¯t particrly concerned about the child¡¯s fate, but he absolutely couldn¡¯t tolerate Karina


    using this child to deceive him.


    ¡°You said this child is mine. Whose child is it really? Exin it to me today. If you can¡¯t, I¡¯ll make


    sure you leave this child here.¡±


    Cyril¡¯s methods were well¨Cknown to Sylvia, but she wondered if Karina understood, Karina, with


    tears streaming down her face, clutched Cyril¡¯s sleeve, wanting to exin, but Cyrd didn¡¯t want to


    hear her nonsense,


    ¡°Exin clearly whose child this is and whether it¡¯s mine¡±


    someone is deliberately framing ne. If you don¡¯t believe me,


    ¡°This child is really yours. That day, only had rtions with you. I really don¡¯t know who the person


    in the video is, so war in the clubf grows up a bit and then take a test to see whose child it really is


    Karina¡¯s tears poured down as she held cyn¡¯s arm, desperately trying to convince him that the child


    was truly his, with no falsehoods.

 Chapter 177

    Chapter 177


    Chapter 177 What¡¯s This?


    ¡°How long do you n on deceiving me? If this child is mine, then what¡¯s the deal with this video?


    You im someone set you up, but can anyone be fooled by your face?¡± Cyril was truly enraged.


    He never imagined he¡¯d be taken for a fool one day. He red at Karina fiercely, almost wanting to


    tear her apart.


    Karina also hadn¡¯t expected things to turn out like this. The incident was so discreetly handled, and


    she had already confirmed the child¡¯s paternity; it was absolutely Cyril¡¯s. So why was there this


    video?


    ¡°Everyone, look over there!¡±


    However, things didn¡¯t wrap up so quickly. Though it was the old man¡¯s birthday celebration, it


    inexplicably turned into a scandal for their family.


    From somewhere, a drone flew in, continuously shaking small scraps of paper. As everyone


    picked up the scraps, they found various pieces of gossip printed on them. These gossips seemed


    hastily printed, yet they brought considerable joy


    ¡°Lean¡¯t believe it. I didn¡¯t expect the daughter raised in such abig family to be like this, having so


    much fun abroad.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, look at this. Despite being wealthy, they still resort to loan sharks and even get


    themselves into trouble. What were they thinking?¡±


    ¡°And taking academic achievements too. He bragged about his grades, but they were all fake.


    Where does this woman get the nerve to say such things?¡±


    ¡°And it¡¯s not just that, even theirdy of the house. Look at this.¡±


    ¡°The old man isn¡¯t so clean either.


    Amidst the crowd¡¯s discussions, Cyril couldn¡¯t help but notice a card he picked up from the ground.


    Seeing its contents, his face turned incredibly ugly. He nced at his sister, mother, and


    grandfather, all wearing grim expressions.


    No one could tellid the contents of these scraps were true or false, but everyone¡¯s faces turned


    extremely unpleasant upon reading them.


    Cyril knew someone was deliberately targeting them, and these things seemed rted to Sylvia. He


    turned to look in Sybia¡¯s direction. Sylvia was also avidly reading a card, discussing it with those


    around her


    The people around didn¡¯t seem to realize Sylvia¡¯s identity as they discussed with her. In any case,


    their discussions were lively and joyous.


    Cyril took a deep breath.


    ¡°Both of you, care to exin what¡¯s going on? For years, our family has been discreet. Have you


    not had enough, not enough to eat or drink?¡±


    Cyril was furious. He never expected his sister and mother to be such people in private, engaging in


    secretive actions. Now that these things were brought to light, it was tndly embarrassing.


    Michelle was on the verge of going crazy. These things were all take. He had never done such


    things, never brought any disgrace to the family.


    ¡°These are all fake. Do you not know me? How could I do such things? I tried my best to cover up


    your sister¡¯s affairs. Do you not know some of these things were done by you? Now, everything has


    been exposed. Are you ming me alone?¡±


    Michelle was furious. His son actually used him, beleving these things to be true. How could


    these things be true?


    ¡°No, brother, believe me, I¡¯ve never done these things. And didn¡¯t you help me cover them up? It


    must be someone deliberately targeting me, surely it¡¯s Sylvia. She doesn¡¯t want our family to be


    well. And this video, it¡¯s clearly deliberate. She wants to disturb our peace!¡±


    Bonnie appeared particrly anxious. These things were extremely detrimental to him. His carefully


    maintained facade had crumbled in this moment.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    He was on the verge of tears but didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Cyl took a deep breath. Whoever did this, even if it was Sylvia, he could understand why she did it.


    Sylvia had suffered enough grievances over the years, so she might be taking this opportunity to


    teach them a lesson. It wasn¡¯t surprising. But why choose this day? He clearly knew it was the old


    man¡¯s birthday celebration, and so many people were invited. Was it because he didn¡¯t want to give


    himself any face, or did he never care about their rtionship over the years?


    ¡°Boss, something bad happened!¡±


    Berry rushed over, sweating produsely and holding a tablet.


    Cyril was impatient. What now? Why was he in such a hurry?


    ¡°There¡¯s trouble with thepany! We¡¯ve been reported for tax evasion, and now we¡¯re under


    investigation. Additionally, after this incident was exposed, our stock prices are plummeting¡±


    ¡°Several board members have also been arrested for investigation. They¡¯re said to be involved in


    several economic crimes. It¡¯s very detrimental to thepany.¡±


    ¡®s proven true, they might face imprisonment, and


    Hearing this news, Cyril telt his vision darken, Why were these things happening one after another?


    Was this all nned by someone, or was it just a coincidence? Cyril took a deep breath and walked


    up to Sylvia, wanting to question her about her intentions, Did she want to force their entire family to


    their deaths before she would be


    ¡°What¡¯s your intention? Did you deliberately do this? You knew it was grandpa¡¯s birthday today. You


    shouldn¡¯t have caused trouble at this time.¡±


    Looking somewhat surprised at Cyrill¡¯s angry expression, Sylvia burst intoughter. ¡°What does it


    have to do with me? I shouldn¡¯t have caused trouble at this time? But don¡¯t forget, in previous years,


    when it was grandpa¡¯s birthday, you were always out with Harina, taking pictures and having fun.


    Howe you didn¡¯t think about it being grandpa¡¯s Birthday then? And now, I¡¯m just repeating what


    you¡¯ve done before. Do you think I¡¯ve done something wrong? Don¡¯t be too harsh on people.¡± Sybia


    never thought what she did was excessive; after all, these were things Cyrill had done in the past.


    She was just doing them over again.

 Chapter 178

    Chapter 178


    Chapter 178 She knew the Truth


    ¡°It seems that today¡¯s events aren¡¯t enough to teach you a lesson, Cyril. You still want to bother me


    at this time. Do you think our tyan family is very easy to bully? You think you can keep bullying


    Sylvia without saying or doing anything? Today¡¯s incident is a lesson for you to know who you can


    pronke and who you can¡¯L¡± Bruce, upon learning of Sylvia¡¯s grievances, Immediately went out to


    make a call. His purpose for the call was simple: to give Cyril a harsh lesson today. However, Cyril


    seemed not to take this lesson to heart. He actually had the nerve toe and bother Sylvia. If he


    had known this earlier, he would never have let Cyrill off so easily.


    ¡°If you think these things aren¡¯t stimting enough, I have many more exciting things in my hands.


    It¡¯s up to you whether you¡¯re willing to ept and see them.¡± Bruce¡¯s words undoubtedly admitted in


    the car that he was responsible for these things. Cyril¡¯s face turned extremely ugly. As he was about


    to say something to Bruce, a sudden exmation came from the crowd, and Barry¡¯s voice suddenly


    shouted, ¡°loss,e quick, someone has copsed!¡±


    Today¡¯s events were quite stimting, and the most serious were not just Carina but also the old


    master. Under the spread of rumors, videos, and small cards, both of them couldn¡¯t bear it and


    passed out directly. The scene suddenly became chaotic. A perfectly good birthday banquet had


    turned into what it was now, which was unexpected by


    everyone.


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    But the most important thing now was not to dwell on these matters but to send them to the


    hospital, Eventually, the birthday banquet ended abruptly, and everyone rushed to the hospital.


    The old master suffered a sudden heart attack, so he fainted on the spot. As for Carina, her body


    wasn¡¯t in good condition, especially after the incident where she fell into the pool some time ago,


    which caused even greater harm to her body. At that time, the child was almost lost, let alone now.


    Everyone was frantic, but Cyril sat in his ce with a grim expression, starting to watch the video


    and those small cards disyed at the scene today. After looking through those small cards one by


    one, Cyril could be sure that most of the content on those cards was true, and only a small part was


    false. As for Carina¡¯s matter, it was probably true.


    ¡°Boss, I saw this thing when I was cleaning up. Miss Sylvia gave it to me and asked me to give it to


    you. But those days, it seemed like you were in a bad mood. When I gave it to you, you didn¡¯t want


    it. I just took a look, and there were many things inside that were actually rted to what was


    broadcasted today. At that time, she told me to make sure to give it to you and said if it wasn¡¯t


    handled well, there might be more troubleter.¡±


    This statement was entirely true. Sylvia had investigated some things a long time ago. For such a


    large family, although it seemed good, it was actually fraught with various troubles. After Sylvia


    noticed these things, she gave them all to Cyril early, hoping Cyril would take precautions or do


    something else


    However, during that time, Cyell didn¡¯t like Sylvia, let alone the things Sylvia sent over. So he didn¡¯t


    see these things until a few yearster.


    Cyril held the thing in his hand, his expression unclear.


    ¡°So, Sylvia knew about today¡¯s events early on, and she actually wanted me to handle these things


    in advance, right?¡°.


    Although he didn¡¯t want to admit it, this was indeed the case. Sylvia¡¯s intention in bringing out these


    things that day was like this. However, Cyril didn¡¯t care at the time, and now, having these things


    was of no use anymore.


    At this moment, Cyril couldn¡¯t say anything. All these things were caused by his own actions. Who


    could he me?


    Just then, Cyril¡¯s phone rang, and the caller was Sylvia


    Seeing this call, Cyril was somewhat excited.


    ¡°Hello¡±


    He answered the phone excitedly


    ¡°I want to exchange something with you.¡±


    Sylvia directly opened the conversation.


    When they divorced, Sylvia didn¡¯t ask for anything, just took what originally belonged to her. But


    today, Sylvia suddenly realized that she had forgotten something, and this thing couldn¡¯the easily


    retrieved.


    ¡°If you had known about these things at home early on, and also, why didn¡¯t you just ghee me that


    USB drive at the time?


    Cyril asked eagerly, as if he hadn¡¯t heard what Sylvia said.


    Sylvia passed for a moment, nced at her phone, and made sure she hadn¡¯t dialed the wrong


    number.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have bothered if you didn¡¯t believe me. Do I need to go looking for unhappiness again?¡±


    Sylvia said inly. ¡°I can choose not to sue you. I won¡¯t pursue the matter between you and Carina


    either. As you said, I¡¯ll let you go. But, when we got married, I gave you a ring. It was my mother¡¯s


    heirloom. You need to return it to me.¡°¡±


    Cyril was taken aback, trying to recall the memory of this ring in his mind.

 Chapter 179

    Chapter 179


    Chapter 179 Sent Away


    Cyril quickly remembered the ring, the one Sylvia solemnly gave him when they first got married. At


    that time, she said something to him when she gave him the ring, but be didn¡¯t listen carefully Now


    he knows that the ring was an heirloom Jett by Sylvia¡¯s mother.


    I won¡¯t care about anything else.¡±


    ¡°Have you heard what I said? The choice I¡¯m giving you now should be generous enough. As long


    as you return the item to me,


    Sylvia was getting impatient. What was this person thinking? The condition he offered was already


    generous enough. If he didn¡¯t agree to this condition, then he shouldn¡¯t me her for using other


    means to take what she wanted


    Of course, he wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would give in just because someone asked. Even if


    Cyril returned the item to her, she wouldn¡¯t let him off so easily. After all, these chines were


    supposed to be returned to her.


    However, even if Cyril returned the item, Sylvia had no intention of letting him off the book.


    ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have that item anymore. It was your mother¡¯s obligation, so I gave it away. Don¡¯t


    worry, I¡¯ll do my best to get it back for you as soon as possible. As for the other things you


    mentioned, I don¡¯t really care. Since we¡¯ve already settled the past, can we..


    Cyrildelt a headacheing on. He suddenly remembered how he had dealt with the ring, and it


    gave him a terrible headache. It probably wouldn¡¯t be easy to get the item back now. But if he


    couldn¡¯t get it back, his rtionship with Sylvia might really be over


    Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org.


    ¡°Gave it away?!


    Ma interrupted Cyril¡¯s words directly. He actually gave away the item. Sylviaughed. She had


    always known that Cyril didn¡¯t care about her, but she didn¡¯t expect him to be so


    Indifferent


    He never asked what the things she gave him were, and then he just gave them away to someone


    else. What was he thinking?


    Did he still hope to negotiate sincerely with her now? What a joke..


    ¡°To whom did you give it?¡±


    ¡°My sister.¡±


    When Sylvia heard that the item had been given to Bonnie, she was relieved. As long as it wasn¡¯t


    given to Carina, everything was fine. If it was given to Bonnie, she could still find a way to get it


    back.


    Thinking of this, Syhta directly hung up the phone. Cyril was no longer of any use now


    Shanxiang Lanzhou didn¡¯t have a chance to say what he wanted to say anymore. He could only


    watch as the phone was hung up, and he didn¡¯t even have the courage to make another call took,


    he had hurt Syhas so deeply. What could be do to make it up to her?


    ¡°What is Bonnie doing now?


    Cyril asked.


    Barry had juste in to report on the task. Suddenly hearing Cyril¡¯s question, he was taken aback


    for a moment, then immediately said, ¡°Miss has been at home these past two days. At this time,


    she should be shopping with Madam. Do you have any orders for her?¡°¡±


    ¡°Go back and go to her room to find a ring. It should be a grandmother¡¯s emerald ring.¡±


    Actually, Cyril didn¡¯t have much impression of that ring because when Sylvia gave it to him, he


    didn¡¯t pay much attention. Later, he just gave it away. As for what the ring looked like, he really


    couldn¡¯t say.


    Barry was surprised, ¡°You mean, the ring Miss Sylvia gave you before? I remember that ring


    seemed to be her mother¡¯s heirloom. When she was about to give it to you, I picked the box for her.


    She said it was something her mother left for her, to be given to her future husband, as a family


    heirloom.¡±


    Hearing Barry¡¯s words, Cyril treze. How did Barry know about this?


    ¡°How did you know about this?¡±


    ¡°When Miss wanted to give you the ring before, I asked her about it. She seemed very happy when


    she was about to give it to you. Butter, when you wanted to give it away, I also advised you, but it


    seemed you were too busy to listen.¡±


    He evenndly found a reason for Cyril. In fact, it wasn¡¯t that Cyril was too busy, but he simply


    didn¡¯t care about Sylvia. So he didn¡¯t care about anything Sylvia gave him. He just gave it away. At


    that time, Barry felt a little sorry. After all, it was a mother¡¯s heirloom, with good wishes. But when


    Cyril gave it away, Bonnie was also very assertive, wanting to take the item away. So Barry had no


    choice


    1. st. Every new piece of information


    Cyrill suddenly felt cold again. It seemed that after he and Sylvia separated, he learned more and


    more about the things Sylvia had done in the past. Every new deepened his guilt toward Sylvia.


    But now that he knew, regret and guilt were of no use. What mattered was how he could let Sylvia


    know that he was sincere and wanted to make up with her and be together again. ¡°I understand.


    Since you know what the ring looks like, go and get it back now. Oh, and don¡¯t let Bonnie know.


    After you get the ring, find a way to contact Sylvia and return it to her.


    Cyril could use the ring to threaten Sylvia, but he didn¡¯t want to do that. He felt that if he did, it


    would only push him further away from Sylvia.


    Barry modded without any hesitation and promised. After that, he immediately set off.


    After Cyril watched him leave for a while, he hesitated, then called his mother and asked her to call


    both of them to thepany, so that Barry could get the item, but he didn¡¯t want them to be


    surprised.


    ce he got there, the problem would be easily resolved.

 Chapter 180

    Chapter 180


    Chapter 180 Snatching Projects


    What Cyril did before, I have to give my eyes a check¨Cup. It¡¯s all things I experienced personally.


    How could I not know what Cyrill wants to do? Actually, when I heard that Cyril gave away this


    ring, Sylvia was quite surprised. Butter, she thought that it wasn¡¯t surprising given Cyril¡¯s


    personality. After all, he didn¡¯t care about her ring, so why would he


    Originally, she thought it might take some effort to get this ring, but she got it so quickly. Sylvia was


    q quite satisfied, nodding slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got the item. You can keep your mouth shut and leave now. Also, tell your boss that although


    I¡¯ve got my item back, the fact that he gave away my belongings won¡¯t be overlooked. He better


    prepare himself.¡±


    After saying that, Sylvia had the quest escorted out. Barry was thus kicked out. To be honest, he


    didn¡¯t expect Sylvia to turn hostile even after getting the item back. But this was normal. After


    suffering such grievance, if she didn¡¯t turn hostile, it would be as if she¡¯d seen a ghost.


    Holding the ring in her hand, Sy finally felt calm inside.


    This item was given to her by her mother. If she couldn¡¯t protect it, how could she face her


    mother?


    Sylvia tightly gripped the ring in her hand. Cyril actually gave away his belongings. He would have


    to settle ounts with her for all the things he had done in the past.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve got the ring back, what do you want to do next? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already talked to


    your brother. You know his attitude. He will definitely help you without besitation. Moreover, since


    he gave you such an important item, he won¡¯t let Cyril off easily.¡±


    Their family was so united and cared so much about their deceased mother. How could they ept


    her mother¡¯s belongings, which had been given away without hesitation?


    ¡°Iheard that you¡¯ve been quite busytely, with several projects waiting for you to handle. Is that


    true?


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true. He has several good projects in hand now. And it he can secure them, their


    company¡¯s market share will definitely be even bigger than before. Why? Are you thinking of


    snatching their projects back? Although we¡¯re not short of money here, wouldn¡¯t it be


    inappropriate?¡±


    Juliette thought seriously for a moment. Snatching projects from men¡¯s hands was not impossible,


    but doing so might put Sylvia in a difficult position since she hadn¡¯t officially taken over the entire


    company yer.


    If she directly started snatching Cy¡¯s projects now, those people might say something


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. There¡¯s nothing wrong with it. As long as this matter is sessful, no one will criticize me.


    Besides, this isn¡¯t something I alone want to do. My brother also wants to do this, but he didn¡¯t


    have a reason before. Now I¡¯ve given him one.¡±


    back from the


    Sylvia smirked mischievously, and jubette suddenly understood that this was a n they had


    already discussed as siblings. Since they were determined to get things ba men and snatch Cyril¡¯s


    projects, Juliette wouldn¡¯t say anything more.


    ¡°Alright, since you¡¯ve already discussed it, Thave no objections. Just tell me what you need me to


    do.¡±


    ¡°There is one thing you can help me with Cyril gave this ring to Bonnie, and now it¡¯s in my hands


    again. Bonnie must not know about this. So I need you to spread the word that Cyril has taken back


    this item.¡±


    Sylvia¡¯s cunning expression made Juliette pause for a moment. Considering Bonnie¡¯s personality,


    knowing that something she had barely obtained was taken away by men¡¯s clothing, and not even


    given a heads¨Cup before being returned to Sylvia, she would definitely be very angry. Who knows


    what trouble she might causeter.


    Juliette chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. Alright, lewe it to me. I¡¯ll definitely handle it for you.


    Tomorrow, let¡¯s see those siblings quarrel¡±


    Sylvia nodded in agreement.


    Since they had decided to take action against Cyril¡¯spany, they wouldn¡¯t sit idly by. So two days


    later, when they stirred up trouble for Cyril, there was trouble in thepany. Several projects were


    intercepted by others, and now several partners wanted to refuse to cooperate.


    Originally, these partners had not signed contracts, and it was only a matter of these two days. But


    after dying, the contracts were not signed, and now the projects were taken away. Although Cyril


    was a little surprised, he didn¡¯t say anything. After all, they didn¡¯t rely solely on these one or two


    projects to sustain themselves.


    ¡°Boss, something really happened. Although we¡¯re not short of this project, we¡¯ve lost these two


    projects now. And another problem is that the ones snatching these projects are the Dvanov


    family. It seems they want to show off¡±


    Barry came to Cyril¡¯s side and exined these words clearly to Cyril, who paused slightly.


    ¡°I see. Since these projects have been snatched away, let them be snatched away. Just make sure


    Sylvia knows about it. You know, I owe her a lot.¡±


    Cyril¡¯s words made Barry¡¯s eyes widen. Is he crazy? What¡¯s going on with the world? The projects


    were snatched away, and you think it¡¯s not a big deal, but how are the people below supposed to


    live? They rely onmissions for a living, and you just say it¡¯s not important.


    Forget it. After all, he was the boss. Barry didn¡¯t say anything. But he still felt a bit aggrieved in his


    heart


    They thought it was enough to snatch these two projects, but it wasn¡¯t.


    This time, Sylvia probably decided to reach Cyril a lesson, so besides snatching the projects, she


    also set her sights on several projects Cyril had already started. If these projects were snatched


    away, Ivanov Group would indeed lose arge sum of money. But it wouldn¡¯t only affect their


    reputation; even their subsequent working capital would be affected.


    At this point, Cyril still couldn¡¯t see that Sylvia was deliberately targeting him, then he was really


    clueless,


    ¡°Boss, why don¡¯t we go and meet Sylvia and have a good talk? This can¡¯t go on like this.¡±

 Chapter 181

    Chapter 181


    Chapter 181 Parent¨CTeacher Conference


    Recent events had Cyril and his team feeling overwhelmed. It wasn¡¯t just Cyril; even the group of


    shareholders around him was deeply concerned. They hadn¡¯t expected things to


    escte to this extent.


    ¡°We all know you¡¯re capable, but now that thepany is in this situation, it¡¯s definitely rted to


    you. You have to tell us how to solve this.¡±


    Initially, when a few projects were snatched away, the shareholders didn¡¯t pay much attention. After


    all, project snatching wasn¡¯t unheard of in the business world. But the subsequent events made


    them realize that things were not so simple.


    So this time, everyone came directly to seek an exnation from Cyril. His face was also very


    unsightly.


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve already taken on these projects, there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll be taken away just like that.


    You can rest assured; I guarantee it.¡±


    The projects that were snatched away, Cyril couldn¡¯t do much about. But if the things in his hands


    were snatched away again, then it would be a problem of capability. Cyril had managed to expand


    their family¡¯s originalpany to its current scale not just by luck but also by his abilities.


    The shareholders still believed in Cyril, so hearing him say this reassured them somewhat. After all,


    what they were more worried about was that if Cyril did nothing now, they would incur even more


    losses.


    ¡°What exactly is going on? We¡¯ve never had any conflicts with theirpany before. Even if we did,


    it should only be those things between you and Sylvia, right? It shouldn¡¯t escte to thepany


    level.¡±


    Actually, the shareholders were a bit undecided about this matter. There were indeed conflicts, but


    they had nothing to do with thepany. So why had things escted to this extent?


    After hearing this, one shareholder snorted discontentedly and spoke up, ¡°What else could it be but


    personal grudges? It¡¯s directly escted topany issues after private grievances. If you ask me,


    the problem lies with how you handled that matter in the first ce.¡±


    They were already married. If you¡¯re going to fool around outside, you should at least be more


    discreet. Making things so bad, now look, a big problem has arisen. After hearing this, everyone


    didn¡¯t say anything more. How should I put it, it was toote to argue about these things now. After


    all, thepany had already suffered losses. ¡°I know what you mean, but as I¡¯ve said, there are


    some things I absolutely won¡¯t let go of. Since the cooperation we¡¯ve secured now is ours, it won¡¯t


    be taken away by anyone. Instead of talking about me here, why don¡¯t you talk about what you have


    in Sylvia¡¯s hands? There are many things concerning you there. If she¡¯s not happy, you won¡¯t be


    safe either.¡±


    Cyril wouldn¡¯t agree to push all the conflicts onto himself. Moreover, these shareholders didn¡¯t seem


    all that clean either. He knew what they were doing behind the scenes, even though he didn¡¯t have


    absolute evidence like Sylvia did. But he was clear in his mind that these shareholders were not so


    clean behind the scenes.


    After hearing Cyril¡¯s words, the shareholders didn¡¯t speak anymore. After all, they had their own


    ambitions.


    ¡°It seems you don¡¯t have anything else to say. Since there¡¯s nothing else to say, let¡¯s each go our


    own way. You don¡¯t need to worry about the follow¨Cup; I¡¯ll handle it.¡± After Cyril finished speaking,


    the shareholders also didn¡¯t stay any longer and turned to leave.


    After fussing for several days, Sylvia finally had some free time to go shopping. Originally, she was


    supposed to go with Juliette, but Juliette was suddenly called away by Bruce, so Sylvia ended up


    going shopping alone.


    As Sylvia drove past an elementary school, she noticed that there were a lot of people today.


    Suddenly realizing that today was the day for new student registration, Sylvia waited at the entrance


    for a while. When most of the people had left, she prepared to leave. Suddenly, a child ran straight


    to her, startling Sylvia,


    When Sylvia reacted, she felt a bit frightened. Looking closely, she saw that the child blocking her


    car was Jimmy.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Seeing the child here, Sylvia was a little surprised. She looked around but


    didn¡¯t see Miles¡® figure, nor did she know where Miles had gone.


    ¡°My dad came to attend the parent¨Cteacher conference for me today. I saw beautiful Auntie from


    afar, but my dad doesn¡¯t know where he went. Can you call my dad? Or can you attend the parent¨C


    teacher conference with me? Dad said this school is very good, and I¡¯ll be studying here from now


    on.¡±


    Seeing Jimmy¡¯s expression, he seemed a bit unwilling. Sylvia didn¡¯t know if he was dissatisfied with


    the school or dissatisfied because Miles didn¡¯te today. When Sylvia saw his appearance, she


    imagined a little and was about to take out her phone to call Miles to ask about the situation. At that


    moment, Miles appeared.


    Miles nodded at Sylvia and then handed the bag he was carrying to Jimmy. With his free hand, he


    lightly tapped Jimmy¡¯s head, causing Jimmy to cover his head discontentedly. ¡°What are you doing?


    Stinky Dad, why did you hit me?¡±


    ¡°Why did I hit you? Then why don¡¯t you tell Auntie what you just said? What do you mean I don¡¯t


    care about you? Didn¡¯t you ask me to buy something for you? Now that the stuff is bought, you¡¯re


    still scheming behind my back. Who did you learn this from? Did I not teach you not to be two¨C


    faced?¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hearing Miles say this, Sylvia understood. So this kid, in order to stay, not only didn¡¯t let go of his


    own biological father but also came to her directly. It¡¯s no wonder Miles was


    angry.


    Sylvia smiled. These two were really funny. Although they weren¡¯t biologically rted, their


    rtionship was really good.


    ¡°He said it¡¯s the parent¨Cteacher conference today. You two must be very busy. You go ahead. I¡¯ll


    leave now and won¡¯t dy your time here.¡±


    Sylvia suggested leaving, but Jimmy stopped her after taking a few steps,


    ¡°Don¡¯t go, don¡¯t go. It¡¯s clearly my dad attending the parent¨Cteacher conference, and it has nothing


    to do with me. Sister, let¡¯s go out and y together.¡±

 Chapter 182

    Chapter 182


    Chapter 182 Romance


    1/1


    Sylvia looked at Jimmy without saying a word, making Jimmy feel a little guilty.


    This kid called her sister one moment and auntie the next. Anyway, Sylvia wasn¡¯t too concerned


    about the parent¨Cteacher conference, but she knew she couldn¡¯t just take Jimmy away like that.


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to work. Your dad is going to attend the parent¨Cteacher conference for you, so of


    course, you have to stay here. Plus, I have other things to do and can¡¯t take you with me. If


    something happens on the way, I can¡¯t just tape you up.¡±


    ¡°No, it won¡¯t. I can have my dad write you a guarantee. If anything happens to me on the way, it¡¯s


    my own problem, nothing to do with you, sister. Please take me with you. I really don¡¯t want to stay


    here alone.¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Jimmy resorted to using the ¡°pouting¡± tactic, but it didn¡¯t work on Sylvia because she used the same


    tactic on her brothers when she was younger.


    Sylvia smiled at Miles, gesturing with her eyes for him to handle the situation. After all, seeing how


    his son clung to her, shouldn¡¯t he, as a father, have something to say?


    Miles actually thought about it seriously for a moment, then took out his phone. Just when Sylvia


    thought the matter was about to be resolved, she suddenly heard Miles say into the phone, ¡°Come


    to the school, attend the parent¨Cteacher conference for my son. I have something to attend to.¡±


    Sylvia was stunned to hear this. What else did Miles have to attend to? And shouldn¡¯t he be


    attending the parent¨Cteacher conference himself? Why delegate it to someone else? This didn¡¯t


    seem quite right.


    ¡°Why that expression? Do you think there¡¯s something wrong with what I said?¡±


    After hanging up the phone, Miles looked at Sylvia with a amused expression.


    Sylvia looked at Miles seriously and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate to delegate your own matters


    to subordinates, especially when it involves your son. How can you not attend the parent¨Cteacher


    conference yourself? And it seems you don¡¯t have anything particrly important to do today.


    Besides, I have other things to do.¡±


    Sylvia subconsciously didn¡¯t want to be with the two of them, because she had a feeling that if she


    got more involved with them, things might spiral out of control beyond her expectations. Sylvia didn¡¯t


    want that to happen.


    Miles chuckled when he heard Sylvia¡¯s words. ¡°I made an appointment with your assistant today. He


    said you were resting and not epting any appointments. So most likely, you¡¯re going shopping


    today.¡±


    Miles gestured at Sylvia¡¯s casual outfit today. Sylvia¡¯s clothes today were very casual, indicating that


    she wasn¡¯t going to do anything very important, which was why he had said that just now.


    Sylvia sighed. Dealing with smart people was quite helpless because they were too smart. Some


    things you didn¡¯t need to say, they would understand the meaning behind them. Sylvia felt quite


    helpless.


    ¡°Okay, but do you really not need to attend the parent¨Cteacher conference? After all, he¡¯s a new


    student, and maybe the teacher would like to get to know him better. You never


    know.¡±


    Although Sylvia had never raised a child, she knew very well that taking care of a child was not an


    easy task. So she took the initiative to ask Cyril if he really needed to attend the parent¨Cteacher


    conference, so as not to dy his time because of her.


    Miles shook his head. ¡°No need. This school is funded by me. If there¡¯s anything, the teacher will


    inform me in time. That¡¯s why this kid doesn¡¯t want toe.¡±


    Sylvia understood. Going to school in one¡¯s own school, big or small matters, one¡¯s own father


    would be informed. Anyone wouldn¡¯t like that. It¡¯s no wonder Jimmy showed such a rejection today.


    This matter, no matter who it was, would probably be rejected.


    Sylvia smiled and suddenly her eyes shed with something.


    Sylvia¡¯s mind went nk for a moment, and suddenly she knew what had just happened.


    Miles was also shed by something, but he didn¡¯t think much of it, just feeling a little


    ufortable.


    ¡°It¡¯ste now. If nothing unexpected happens, tomorrow¡¯s headline will probably be the exposure of


    our rtionship, or that we have been together for a long time, and today we came together to


    apany the child for enrollment.¡±


    Sylvia knew too well how these unscrupulous media outlets would say and write, so she felt a


    headache. She was considering whether to ask her elder brother to suppress this news, but if she


    suppressed it, simr things would probably happen in the future. But if she didn¡¯t suppress it, it


    would be a nominal harm to herself.


    Miles had never experienced such a thing before, so when he heard Sylvia say this, he was quite


    surprised. Obviously, he hadn¡¯t expected it to be like this.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ve caused you trouble today. But if they really publish it, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s entirely wrong.¡±


    Miles looked at Sylv¨ªa seriously. Sylvia had just divorced Cyril, and her previous marriage had


    brought her nothing but unhappiness.


    Now Sylvia¡¯s mind was only thinking about how to make thepany make money as soon as


    possible, to soar in her career, and she had no intention of getting married again. Miles understood


    this. Although Cyril and Sylvia¡¯s affairs, he could easily know the whole process of the matter, but a


    failed marriage did not mean that the next marriage would


    also fail.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know telling you this might make you feel troubled, but the reason I said it was to let you


    see my determination.¡±

 Chapter 183

    Chapter 183


    Chapter 183 Thoughtfulness


    When Miles suddenly spoke these words, Sylvia felt a bit rmed. She hadn¡¯t expected Miles to


    develop feelings for her.


    Contrary to what Miles said, they hadn¡¯t actually known each other for very long. For Sylvia, the


    time she had known Miles could only be considered as barely more than strangers.


    Yet, here they were, inexplicably entangled as strangers. Miles even mentioned pursuing her, which


    Sylvia found absurd.


    ¡°This joke isn¡¯t funny at all, you know. Think about how long we¡¯ve known each other. I only see you


    as a friend, nothing more. It¡¯s not funny to say such things, especially with your son here. If your


    son starts to think of you as unreliable, it wouldn¡¯t be good.¡±


    Sylvia avoided the topic, brushing it off as a joke. Adult jokes were affordable, right?


    Miles paused, then chuckled. It seemed as if the previous conversation had been nothing but a


    casual exchange, like discussing the weather,


    However, Jimmy, sitting beside Miles, looked a bit bewildered. Were his dad¡¯s words just now all


    lies? What was so funny about it?


    ¡°But Dad, didn¡¯t you say if you really met someone you liked, you¡¯d bring her home? Isn¡¯t Auntie


    pretty? Didn¡¯t you say you wanted Auntie to be my stepmom?¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Children often spoke without considering the situation. Some words weren¡¯t meant to be said here,


    yet he blurted them out. Sylvia felt a bit embarrassed, and even Max felt a bit awkward.


    He nced at Sylvia and smiled, changing the subject with his phone. He gently tapped Jimmy¡¯s


    head, signaling him to stop talking. If they continued, it might be difficult for them to meet again.


    Jimmy felt a bit wronged. He had only said what his dad wanted to say. Why did his dad have to


    scold him?


    Forget it, let¡¯s not talk about these things.


    Sylvia wanted to go shopping, and Miles suggested getting something for Jimmy. He admitted he


    wasn¡¯t good at choosing things for children alone, so he asked Sylvia for help. Sylvia didn¡¯t refuse;


    shopping alone was boring anyway. The three of them set off together.


    When they entered the mall, Sylvia felt relieved that the paparazzi seemed to have lost interest. She


    couldn¡¯t help but sigh in relief. If they had followed, she wouldn¡¯t know what to do.


    ¡°Are you that afraid?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really fear. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve developed a psychological shadow over these years. I just want


    to live an ordinary life, but my status and everything I have don¡¯t allow me to.¡± That wasn¡¯t entirely


    wrong. Sylvia just felt a bit overwhelmed. After thinking for a moment, she decided to call her


    brother to suppress tomorrow¡¯s entertainment news. Without a doubt, if her outing with Miles was


    exposed, Bruce would be furious. But there was nothing she could do. She had stumbled into this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, today¡¯s events won¡¯t make tomorrow¡¯s headlines. Of course, if there are any


    unexpected situations, I can¡¯t guarantee.¡±


    Since Sylvia wasn¡¯t keen on these matters being exposed, Miles naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse. He


    smiled lightly.


    The three of them were supposed to help Jimmy choose some things, but Cyril suggested Sylvia go


    buy her things first. So Sylvia ran into various women¡¯s clothing stores, trying on clothes one by


    one.


    Miles and Jimmy became her audience. Every time Sylvia tried on an outfit, both of them would


    compliment her. Especially Jimmy, who would even p enthusiastically. This made Sylvia very


    happy.


    When someone responds to you so warmly, there¡¯s no reason to feel unhappy. Sylvia was in a


    great mood, so she ended up buying several sets of clothes, shoes, and bags. After buying these


    things, Sylvia still felt a bit unsatisfied. It was then she remembered she was supposed to buy things


    for Jimmy today. She felt a bit embarrassed as she looked at Miles.


    To her surprise, Miles was holding many of the bags she had bought, leaving her empty¨Chanded.


    She turned to talk to Jimmy but found him holding a bag almost half his size. Sylvia was taken


    aback, immediately taking the bag from Jimmy¡¯s hand, who was reluctant to let go.


    ¡°No, Dad told me boys should be gentlemen and not let girls carry heavy things. Sister, give me this


    bag. I can carry it, and when I grow up, I can carry even more than Dad!¡± Sylvia couldn¡¯t help but


    laugh at Jimmy¡¯s words. Miles was indeed a very thoughtful person, evident in how he educated his


    son.


    No doubt, when Jimmy grew up, he would surely be a very considerate gentleman.


    ¡°No need, I still have to buy you somethingter. If you hold this bag, how can you try on clothes


    later? Wait until we finish shopping, then you can carry it, okay?¡±


    Jimmy pondered Sylvia¡¯s words and found them reasonable. Although his dad didn¡¯t seem to know


    what to buy for him, since his dad said so, he naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse.


    So their next stop was the children¡¯s clothing store. At this moment, Sylvia noticed that although the


    paparazzi didn¡¯t follow them, almost everyone in the mall seemed to be paparazzi.


    Especially when they saw Sylvia and Miles walking together, everyone was a bit excited, secretly


    taking photos and posting them online.


    Of course, Sylvia and Miles werepletely unaware of all this. They were still helping Jimmy pick


    out clothes.


    As Sylvia helped with the clothes, she suddenly had a feeling that she was out with her husband


    buying things for their child, and Miles was clearly the suitable candidate.

 Chapter 184

    Chapter 184


    Chapter 184 Ran Away


    This feeling was really strange. Sylvia felt a bit embarrassed. Miles¡® attention was all focused on


    Jimmy, yet here she was, getting upset about something trivial. She quickly brushed away these


    unwarranted thoughts from her mind.


    Helping to choose several sets of clothes, Sylvia didn¡¯t refuse the current child, especially Jimmy.


    He was very cute and looked very handsome in the clothes she picked. Especially the clothes


    Sylvia picked for him, Jimmy liked them very much. This was much better than when his dad had


    the clothes sent directly to their house by those brandpanies. It made him happy.


    After buying clothes, it was almost time for dinner. Sylvia was about to leave, but she was stopped


    by the two of them, especially Jimmy.


    ¡°Sis, you helped me pick so many beautiful clothes today. I¡¯ll definitely make Dad treat you to


    dinner. Otherwise, if you don¡¯t want to eat with Dad, you can eat with me, okay? I¡¯ll use Dad¡¯s


    money to pay, and when I have money in the future, I¡¯ll treat you.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    Jimmy was willing to give up eating with his dad just to have dinner with Sylvia. Miles gave his son¡¯s


    head a firm knock. This kid was really something.


    ¡°Dad, can¡¯t you see? Beautiful sis doesn¡¯t want to eat with you. Look, since we came out, beautiful


    sis has been very nervous, always looking around. There must be someone secretly taking photos.


    So, you can¡¯t eat here. Let beautiful sis and me go eat together.¡±


    Sylvia was surprised. She didn¡¯t think her actions just now were so obvious, but Jimmy noticed


    them.


    Miles noticed Sylvia¡¯s reaction and, as they walked along the sidewalk, he took the opportunity to


    exin to her.


    ¡°His father used to be a very famous painter. After hemitted suicide by jumping off a building,


    the media hounded him incessantly. He lived under the spotlight for two years. That¡¯s why he¡¯s so


    sensitive to these things. He¡¯s been receiving psychological counseling all along, which has helped


    him a lot.¡±


    Sylvia nodded. She didn¡¯t expect such a young child to have experienced such things, but she also


    felt very sorry for him. Such a young child had lost his father.


    She said to Miles, ¡°Although he lost a father, he also gained a very loving father, didn¡¯t he? By the


    way, I know there¡¯s a very good private kitchen nearby. Shall we go together?¡±


    Without continuing the previous topic, it was not a big deal for adults, but for a child, it might be a


    wound that was hard to heal.


    After they agreed, Sylvia led the way to the private kitchen. Security was tight, and privacy was well


    protected. They didn¡¯t have to worry about someone suddenly taking out a phone to snap a photo


    and post it online here.


    ¡°The desserts here are delicious. Does Jimmy still eat sweets? I can rmend some ice creams.


    They¡¯re really good. Would you like to try?¡±


    Jimmy nodded vigorously. Of course, he wanted to. He was currently in the stage of changing teeth,


    so Miles strictly limited his sugar intake. But with Sylvia here, he wasn¡¯t afraid. He had to indulge


    himself at this moment.


    After Sylvia ordered a few dishes, she handed the menu to Miles, who also ordered a few dishes.


    Then they waited for the food to arrive.


    There wasn¡¯t much to talk about between them, but having Jimmy there made it less awkward.


    Soon the food was served. The three of them ate andughed. During the meal, Miles showed his


    thoughtfulness by constantly serving Jimmy and taking care of Sylvia.


    After finishing the meal, the sun was about to set.


    As the three of them walked out together, Miles suddenly reached out and tucked a strand of


    Sylvia¡¯s hair behind her ear.


    This gesture was a bit intimate and ambiguous. Sylvia instinctively stepped aside, feeling


    ufortable all over.


    ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to do that.¡±


    Miles quickly apologized. He didn¡¯t expect himself to suddenly tuck Sylvia¡¯s hair behind her ear like


    that. If he had known Sylvia¡¯s reaction would be so strong, he wouldn¡¯t have done it.


    Sylvia just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything, but she felt that the gesture with her hair had a strange


    power, making her feel particrly ufortable.


    ¡°Let me walk you home.¡±


    Although it wasn¡¯t a big deal, after what happened just now, Sylvia instinctively, almost like fleeing,


    shook her head and took two steps back. ¡°No need. I have a friend to meet. It¡¯s almost time. I¡¯ll


    leave now. You two take your time.¡±


    After saying this, Sylvia ran away faster than a rabbit, Miles was silent, and Jimmy was extremely


    curious.


    ¡°Why did sis react like that? Doesn¡¯t she want to be with us?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. She¡¯s just a little shy. It¡¯s okay. We¡¯ll see her more often in the future and talk to her


    more.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, should we go back too? But who is the friend she¡¯s meeting?¡±


    Miles thought about it. Probably Juliette and the friends around Sylv¨ªa,


    In fact, it was exactly as he thought. After Sylvia left, she immediately called the people around her.


    Although she called so many people, she excluded Duncan. If she called Duncan, things might not


    be so simple. ¡°Why did you suddenly call us all outte at night? The branch leader is still busy with


    nightlife at this time.¡±


    Mn yawned. When he went out today, Duncan was supposed toe with him. If it weren¡¯t for


    Sylvia¡¯s words, he wouldn¡¯t have dared to bring Dandan along. He really wanted


    to see the excitement.


    Kateughed on the side and raised her phone. ¡°I just saw you and Miles eating together, and now


    you¡¯re here. Did you just run away?¡±


    ¡°Online?¡± Sylvia was surprised. She took out her phone and flipped through it, and sure enough,


    she saw messages about her and Miles eating and shopping. Sylvia felt a headacheing on.

 Chapter 185

    Chapter 185


    Chapter 185 Out of Control


    The more you don¡¯t want something to happen, the more likely it is to happen. Sylvia didn¡¯t know


    how to exin to the two people around her. She just wanted to say that this wasn¡¯t the case at all.


    Finding herself in this situation, she definitely didn¡¯t want to see it happen.


    Their friends looked at Sylvia with a curious expression, and Sylvia felt a bit helpless. Nevertheless,


    she weakly exined, ¡°I really just bumped into him today. There was nothing else to it. I just


    wanted toe out and have some fun by myself. Originally, Juliette was supposed toe with


    me, but she had somethinge up at thest minute, so I had to go alone. I helped him pick out a


    few clothes for his son and then we had a meal together. There¡¯s nothing else to it.¡±


    ¡°Why would a perfectly fine person like him need you to pick out clothes for his son? Doesn¡¯t he


    have his own fashion team? Why did he have to go with you? What¡¯s your rtionship with him?¡±


    Miranda¡¯s words hit the nail on the head, directly pointing out the problem. Sylvia suddenly found


    herself in this situation. Why didn¡¯t she think that her clothes were usually delivered to her door?


    Logically speaking, Miles¡® family must be the same. How did it turn into this?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it easy to exin this? He must have taken a liking to you, so he wanted to hang out with you.


    What ¡®bumping into each other by chance¡®? How could such a coincidence happen? I think he¡¯s


    interested in you. Could it be that he wants to pursue you?¡±


    Kate took a sip of her drink and leisurely spoke. Sylvia was also drinking and almost choked. This


    reaction instantly stunned both of them. The next moment, Miranda tentatively spoke, ¡°Could it be


    true, Kate? Is he really pursuing you? If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s not a bad thing. Compared to Cyril,


    Miles is very reliable, and he¡¯s a good person.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it! I¡¯ve just finally freed myself from marriage. Am I crazy to want to go back


    to that confinement again?¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sylvia quickly shook her head to clear up the misunderstanding. Although Miles was indeed a good


    person, there was no way she would agree to be a family with him.


    ¡°If he wanted to pursue you, would you even know about it? Anyway, I think Miles is a really good


    guy. If you¡¯re considering marriage, you can consider him.¡±


    Kate shrugged.


    If it were someone else, they wouldn¡¯t say such things, but Miles was indeed a good person. They


    had more or less had some contact with him, and after getting to know him, they thought he was a


    good person. So they were quite willing to see Sylvia interact with him. Of course, if Sylvia didn¡¯t


    want to, there was nothing they could do.


    ¡®Can you guys stop saying these things? The more you talk, the more I get a headache.¡±


    Sylvia sighed. She had called them both over just to help her calm down, not to continue gossiping


    about herself and Miles or gossiping about Miles.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid we can¡¯t. Look, upstairs, there¡¯s someone about to lose control. I feel like they¡¯re about to


    come down and ask you why you were with Miles today, why you had dinner together, and why you


    went shopping together.¡±


    Miranda had been paying attention to them for a while, so she nced at Cyril. Cyril was tightly


    holding onto his ss, his eyes fixed on them without blinking. It was obvious which direction he


    was looking. He knew Sylvia was here and hade over because of that.


    It looked like Cyril was about toe down, but he kept controlling himself from doing so. Perhaps


    he was afraid that if he came down like this, he would quarrel with Sylvia. Sylvia didn¡¯t like him to


    begin with. If they quarreled, wouldn¡¯t they just drift further apart?


    Sylvia nced in Cyril¡¯s direction and then looked away. She had felt a bit annoyed just now, but


    now she felt even more annoyed. Before, she was annoyed because of the gossip about her and


    Miles, but now she was annoyed because of Cyril.


    ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, should we go up and say hello to him, or are you leaving?¡±


    To be honest, meeting Cyril here was something they hadn¡¯t expected. None of them liked Cyril, so


    if Sylvia wanted to leave, they had no objections.


    ¡°Why should I leave just because Cyril is here?¡±


    Sylviaughed directly. Why should she leave? Clearly, this was a ce she often came to, and


    why should she care about Cyril¡¯s opinion?


    ¡°We have nothing to do with each other now. He can think whatever he wants. Even if I¡¯m married


    to someone else today, what reason does he have toe down and question me?¡±


    ¡°Although that¡¯s what you say, he obviously regrets it. Speaking of which, how did you like him in


    the first ce? Now that he regrets it, are you sure you don¡¯t want to reconcile with him? Maybe


    after you two make up, he¡¯ll treat you better.¡±


    Miranda spoke with some disregard, clearly knowing that her brother liked Sylvia very much, but at


    this time, she didn¡¯t consider her brother¡¯s feelings at all.


    ¡°Listen to what you¡¯re saying! You obviously know how much your brother likes Sylvia, but now


    you¡¯re not helping your brother, you¡¯re helping Cyril. Do you think that¡¯s appropriate?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be appropriate? I think it¡¯s very appropriate. Even if it¡¯s my brother, so what?¡±


    Even if it was her own brother, she still had to think about Sylvia¡¯s happiness. Obviously, Cyril


    hadn¡¯t entered Sylvia¡¯s heart, which meant they weren¡¯tpatible. Since they weren¡¯tpatible,


    why hold onto this matter? It would be better to take this opportunity for each of them to find their


    own happiness.


    Miranda and Kate had different opinions on this matter. Unexpectedly, Kate was on Duncan¡¯s side,


    which caught Sylvia off guard.


    As they talked, they became more and more excited, almost about to argue. Sylvia felt that the


    situation was getting out of hand and immediately acted as the peacemaker.


    ¡°Or should we leave? I feel like Cyril¡¯s presence here is affecting not only my mood but also yours. If


    we continue like this, you two might end up fighting here.¡± After years of friendship, it would be


    meaningless if they argued because of a man.


    IWUDAR?

 Chapter 187

    Chapter 187


    Chapter 187 Trouble


    Silvia remained silent, so Cyril thought she was contemting her rtionship with Miles and


    Bruce.


    In that moment, Cyril¡¯s anger swelled like a balloon, growing bigger and bigger. He couldn¡¯t ept


    that a woman he had once been involved with was now involved with someone else.


    ¡°What kind of person is he? I should know better than you.¡± Cyril believed he had all the evidence


    to understand who Silvia truly was. After he finished speaking, everyone was


    stunned.


    ¡°The reason you wanted to divorce me, unwilling to discuss anything, was it because you felt guilty


    deep down? You¡¯ve been involved with other men behind my back, so why do you think everything


    is my fault? Are you so innocent?¡± Cyril¡¯s interrogation seemed increasingly advantageous, as if


    everything he said was unquestionably true.


    The expressions of the others became even more peculiar, especially those around Silvia, who


    looked at Cyril with confusion, seeming to want to ask him why he spoke that way, if he had


    misunderstood something.


    But this was not surprising; after all these years, Cyril seemed to have never truly understood


    Silvia¡¯s identity. He just assumed what Silvia¡¯s role should be and automatically believed their


    divorce was not his fault, and Silvia couldn¡¯t escape me either.


    Silvia couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°So you think the one not taking this marriage seriously is me?¡±


    ¡°Am I wrong? You must have been involved with these men before our divorce. Yet you still see


    Karina as your rival. I don¡¯t understand your thoughts. You know no one could threaten our


    marriage, including Karina.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long since our divorce, I don¡¯t want to say anything. But today, I¡¯ll tell you that our


    divorce has nothing to do with Karina or anyone else. It¡¯s because you, here, feel so self¨Crighteous,


    thinking you¡¯re justified in everything you do. Do you want to see what I¡¯ve done for this marriage


    over the years? Just because I don¡¯t talk about it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m foolish.¡±


    Silvia knew very well what she had done during their marriage. Cyril didn¡¯t say anything, even after


    the divorce. He didn¡¯t want to bring up past issues with Cyril, just wanting to maintain some dignity


    for both of them.


    But obviously, Cyril didn¡¯t want this; he dared to im that she was the first to betray the marriage.


    Maybe he should really investigate who betrayed first


    ¡°It seems there¡¯s nothing more to say between us. Since there¡¯s nothing left to say, let¡¯s end it here.


    Today, I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t see you, and I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear what you said. I don¡¯t want there to


    be a next time.


    If you keep bothering me like this, I wonder what I could do to you using Ivan Group. Yourpany


    has grown, and it won¡¯t be easy for you to exin to your shareholders if I snatch away many


    projects from you. So please, be rational, use your brain to think about what¡¯s really important.¡±


    Silvia no longer wanted to entangle with him. She had been entangled with Cyril for a while, and


    she started to doubt her own judgment. Cyril wasn¡¯t as good as she thought. Even up to now, he


    kept avoiding responsibility, not realizing the problemy with him. How foolish was she to marry


    him in the first ce and endure this marriage for so many years?


    Silvia didn¡¯t want to continue talking with him. She grabbed Miles¡® hand and left.


    Seeing Silvia leave, others nced at Cyril with disdain. If Silvia hadn¡¯t intended to end things, Cyril


    wouldn¡¯t have stood there and spouted so much nonsense.


    After leaving the bar, Silvia had thought about finding another ce, but now she didn¡¯t want to


    anymore. She just felt extremely annoyed.


    ¡°I feel like you two still have something to discuss, so we won¡¯t disturb you. We¡¯ll leave now. Let us


    know if you need anything.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Kate and Miranda exchanged a nce. Honestly, Miles¡® behavior today surprised them greatly. But


    it also showed that Miles was a good person. If the two of them could be together, it would be


    perfect.


    So they left, giving them time and space to be together. It happened so quickly that even Silvia,


    abandoned by her good friends, found it unbelievable. She watched them leave in silence.


    ¡°Did my appearance here today cause you any trouble? If it did, you can tell me directly. I didn¡¯t


    mean to cause you any problems with what I said that day.¡±


    Miles looked at Silvia earnestly. His feelings for Silvia were genuine.


    But if his affection for her would cause her any trouble, then he thought he should pursue her in a


    more indirect way.


    Losing herself in Miles¡® sincerity, Silvia fell silent. She didn¡¯t know how to respond to his words.


    But Miles didn¡¯t understand Silvia¡¯s meaning. What was her expression? Did she think he was


    wrong? Or was it something else?


    ¡°I know you probably don¡¯t like me now, especiallying out of that marriage. You probably don¡¯t


    want to enter another intimate rtionship so soon, and I understand. But I want you to see my


    sincerity. Whether you ept it or not is up to you, but I won¡¯t cause you any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡±


    Miles¡® words left Silvia feeling a bit helpless.


    To be honest, in all the years she had been with Cyril, she had never encountered someone so


    normal. Suddenly, someone was talking to her in such a normal manner, even pursuing her, which


    really surprised Silvia.


    Chapter 188 Years of Emotion

 Chapter 188

    Chapter 188


    Chapter 188 Years of Emotion


    Miles¡® perspective truly surprised Silvia. However, they hadn¡¯t known each other for long, and it was


    possible that Miles¡¯s words were just a passing interest.


    Surely, no one would pursue someone so recklessly, right? After all, they were all adults who


    considered the consequences before acting. Even Cyril¡¯s decision to marry her had been made


    after careful consideration of pros and cons.


    ¡°All these things, including the trouble you might cause me, as you mentioned earlier, I just got out


    of your not¨Cso¨Cgood emotional life. So, for a long time, I don¡¯t want to get involved in any emotional


    entanglements. I appreciate your liking towards me, but¡­ I can¡¯t give you any response right now. I


    suggest you seriously reconsider your feelings for me. In the adult world, besides emotions, there


    are many other things to consider.¡±


    Silvia looked earnestly at Miles. Over the years, she had learned a lesson: if she didn¡¯t like


    someone, she shouldn¡¯t give them any ideas. If a rtionship needed to end, it should be cut off.


    Miles paused for a moment, then smiled, ¡°I thought you would sharply reject me from getting closer


    to you. But since you said that, I¡¯ll definitely think about it. But if after thinking, my feelings for you


    are sincere, I won¡¯t easily give up.¡±


    Silvia nodded slightly. Since the words were spoken, and she believed apetent businessman


    like Miles knew what was beneficial for him.


    Oh, yes, she almost forgot. Miles now knew her identity, so perhaps his actions were influenced by


    that. With their simr backgrounds, if they were to unite, it would be beneficial for both their


    companies.


    In such a win¨Cwin situation, Miles pursuing her wasn¡¯t surprising.


    Thinking this, Silvia¡¯s mood lightened. How could the adult world be so straightforward?


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s about time. I¡¯ll leave now. We¡¯ll contact each other if there¡¯s anything.¡±


    After Silvia finished speaking, she headed towards the underground parking lot. She knew her


    friends were probably lurking nearby, so she needed to get to her car quickly. They knew each


    other so well; they couldn¡¯t resist gossiping.


    Sure enough, when she reached the parking lot, her friends emerged from somewhere and


    crowded around her.


    ¡°Tell us what happened. Forget about Cyril, what about you and Miles? What did you both say just


    now? And were you defending Miles just now? Weren¡¯t you uninterested in him? Yet you were so


    close. Is that appropriate?¡± they bombarded her with questions.


    ¡°And Miles, he seems like a decent guy. You should consider him, but be careful. He just came out


    of a marriage, and he has a son. Think it through. Anyway, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore. Do you


    want to go somewhere else for a drink?¡±


    Their eyes sparkled with gossip, and though they spoke for her benefit, Silvia could see through


    their intentions. They just wanted to pry information out of her.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Forget it. I have nothing to say to you two. You both have partners; what coulde out of my


    mouth?¡±


    Silvia crossed her arms, refusing to indulge their gossip. She didn¡¯t want to talk anymore.


    They exchanged a nce, sighing helplessly. What could they do? Silvia had learned to keep her


    mouth shut; their attempts to get information out of her were futile. ¡°We just care about your


    emotions over the years. How could you think of us like this?¡± they said, feigning innocence.


    Silvia chuckled bitterly, finding their pathetic act amusing.


    ¡°It¡¯s because of our years of friendship that I still don¡¯t know what you two are thinking. Dream on,¡±


    she retorted.


    In truth, even Silvia¡¯s mind was a bit muddled. She couldn¡¯t figure out the dynamics between them


    all, but there was no need to dwell on it too much.


    She believed Miles¡¯s interest in her was probably influenced by their backgrounds.


    Realizing this, Silvia felt she didn¡¯t need to discuss it further with her friends. Perhaps her previous


    pondering had been a waste of energy.


    Since Silvia didn¡¯t want to talk, her friends decided not to push it. Eventually, Silvia drove off, but her


    car was abruptly stopped.


    Miranda spoke up, ¡°Let¡¯s go out together in a few days. I¡¯ll send you the details.¡±


    They had been busytely, but if they had time to go out, Silvia wouldn¡¯t reject the idea. After


    agreeing, Miranda let her go.


    Kate looked puzzled, ¡°When did we decide to go out? Why wasn¡¯t I informed?¡±


    ¡°We just decided to go out. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a good idea to invite Miles after we go out? Silvia


    didn¡¯t say much just now, but her expression was off. Miles must have said something. We need to


    figure out what¡¯s going on,¡± Miranda exined seriously.


    Although they were curious about what had transpired between Silvia and Miles, they didn¡¯t want


    Silvia to repeat the mistakes of her past.


    Understanding Miranda¡¯s intentions, Kate had nothing more to say. She immediately took out her


    phone to search for a suitable ce for rxation.


    But then came the question: ¡°How do we invite Miles out?¡±

 Chapter 189

    Chapter 189


    Chapter 189 The Son of a Rival


    Since Duncan and Miranda returned, they had both been working in thepany. Although they


    were both employed there, Miranda¡¯s workload was always lighter than his. So while Miranda


    enjoyed herself outside, he was stuck in the office, unable to lift his head from work.


    ¡°Do you want to take a look at my workload now? And here you are talking about going out. Aren¡¯t


    you being a bit too much? Don¡¯t you care about your brother¡¯s well¨Cbeing?¡± Duncan looked at


    Miranda with resentment. With the amount of work in thepany, he didn¡¯t want to do anything


    after each day.


    Now Miranda was talking about going out again. He had to work so hard while she was out having


    fun. Did she expect him to go out with what? Was he supposed to go out with the half of his life that


    work had taken away from him?


    Miranda looked disdainful. When they returned to take over thepany, their father had given


    them the choice of who would lead. Duncan had decided to take over the entirepany at the


    time, but Miranda had no such intention. Now that he had taken over thepany, he felt that the


    workload was too much.


    ¡°You were the one who decided to take over thepany at the time. Now you¡¯re the one who says


    you don¡¯t have time to go out.¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°And let me tell you, we have an important mission this time we go out. I know you really like Silvia


    now, but does she have any feelings for you? So why don¡¯t you listen to your sister? Your sister can


    help you.¡±


    Duncan didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. Listening to Miranda¡¯s words, he couldn¡¯t help but wonder what


    help she could provide. What had she done for him over the years? And even if she did help him,


    how could he and Silvia have no progress at all?


    ¡°If you listen to your sister, you¡¯ll realize that we have no rtionship now. You¡¯re just my brother.


    And we have a good rtionship with Silvia. It¡¯s not easy to cross that barrier. You understand that,


    right? It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to help you, but our rtionship is very awkward. So if there¡¯s


    someone else to help you, it might make you look different from each other. Then when you pursue


    Silvia, your chances might be higher, right?¡±


    Miranda¡¯s argument sounded reasonable, but Duncan felt something was off.


    ¡°Wait a minute. You said you want someone else to help me, so who do you intend to help me with?


    You can¡¯t mean Cyril, can you? Does Cyril need to help?¡±


    Duncan thought about it seriously before saying this. Besides Cyril, there seemed to be no one else


    around Silvia who could influence his position.


    Hearing this, Miranda¡¯s mouth twitched. She didn¡¯t even dare to tell her twin brother that the most


    threatening person to Cyril was no longer Cyril, but Miles.


    And they all had a good impression of Miles, so if they had topare, Duncan was probably the


    one who looked different from Miles. But how could she tell her brother about this?


    ¡°Never mind who it is. Just tell me if you can do it or not. If you can, I¡¯ll find a way to make it happen


    now.¡±


    Miranda didn¡¯t want to continue arguing with Duncan. If they kept arguing, her n would be


    discovered. So she asked directly if he could do it.


    What a joke! Finally, her sister had a conscience and was willing to help her. How could Duncan


    refuse?


    ¡°Of course, no problem. You can rest assured that I can handle it. But there¡¯s nothing going on this


    afternoon anyway. Why don¡¯t I go and find Silvia?¡±


    Miranda blinked. It wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to go find Silvia now.


    After saying this, Duncan threw the work in his hands aside. His actions were fast; after all, there


    were so many people in thepany.


    He didn¡¯t have to stay here; he could solve these things without being here.


    Miranda didn¡¯t say anything. She started to sit down and deal with the documents Duncan had left


    behind.


    After leaving thepany, Duncan drove quickly and went directly to Silvia¡¯spany. On the way,


    he bought a bouquet of flowers, ready to give them to Silvia. Just as he arrived downstairs of her


    company, he saw a child tiptoeing and talking to the receptionist.


    He didn¡¯t know which employee¡¯s child hade so early and what the matter was.


    Probably out of a sense of empathy, Duncan felt a bit more sympathetic to the child. So he walked


    over and immediately asked what was going on.


    ¡°He wants to see the vice president, but the vice president is in a meeting now, and we don¡¯t know


    this child, so we dare not let him go up. If something happens, we can¡¯t exin it,¡± the receptionist


    said with a troubled expression. To be honest, she really didn¡¯t know what to do.


    Duncan seemed to recall something simr, so he squatted down and looked at the little boy with a


    very friendly smile, ¡°Why do you want to see Silvia?¡±


    Jimmy tilted his head and looked at the stranger in front of him, then spoke cautiously, ¡°Then who


    are you looking for? Are you here to see Silvia too?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Silvia¡¯s friend. I¡¯m here to see Silvia. If you tell me why you want to see Silvia, I can take you to


    see her directly. What do you think?¡± Duncan thought the condition he gave was very tempting, but


    Jimmy didn¡¯t respond, taking out his phone from his bag and calling his dad.


    ¡°Dad, I met your rival. He¡¯s here to see the beautiful sister too. Hurry up ande.¡±


    Hearing what the child said, Duncan was stunned. What did he mean? Was this child his rival¡¯s


    child?


    But why didn¡¯t he know he had a child? When did thise up? What happened during the time he


    was busy with work?


    Duncan was confused and started to ask his sister. But Miranda was busy with work at the moment


    and didn¡¯t have time to deal with Duncan.


    Without Micanda¡¯s answer, Duncan had no choice but to call Silvia. When Silvia learned that both a


    man and a child were downstairs, she felt a headacheing on.


    Chapter 190 ying Together

 Chapter 190

    Chapter 190


    Chapter 190 ying Together


    1/1


    41


    ¡°Bro, both Jimmy and Duncan are downstairs. Why don¡¯t you tell them that I¡¯m very busy and don¡¯t


    have time to see them? This is too much hassle.¡± Sylvia felt she couldn¡¯t show up here. If she did,


    trouble would surely follow. So without hesitation, she went straight to Bruce and asked for his help


    to handle the situation?


    But when Bruce heard this, instead of nning to help Sylvia, he began to think. If Duncan and


    Miles were to meet, who woulde out on top?


    ¡°What are you thinking, bro?¡±


    Seeing her brother¡¯s contemtive expression, Sylvia felt something was off. What was he thinking


    about?


    ¡°I¡¯m just considering a very important matter. You said both Miles and Duncan are interested in you.


    If you had to choose between them, who would you pick?¡±


    Sylvia frowned. She had juste out of the marriage tomb. What was her brother implying? Was


    he trying to involve her again? How could he dislike her so much?


    ¡°If you think I¡¯m here to fight for family assets, then I won¡¯t inherit thepany. Don¡¯t disgust me


    with such talk, okay?¡±


    Bruce chuckled, ¡°What are you talking about? I didn¡¯t mean that. I just said it casually. I was just


    asking what you meant. If you don¡¯t want to say, it¡¯s okay. But have you thought about how to


    handle these two who came to see you at the same time? Duncan has been your good friend for so


    many years, and Miles¡®pany is also nning to coborate with yours. What do you think of


    these two?¡±


    Bruce looked very serious. He had indeed been observing Miles, mainly because of the way Miles


    looked at his sister, which seemed suspicious.


    But now he began to think, if his sister really wanted to get involved emotionally again, whom would


    she choose?


    To be honest, after experiencing what happened with Cyril, their family didn¡¯t want Sylvia to be so


    impulsive and enter into another rtionship. They had a big family business, and there was no


    need to let Sylvia suffer again.


    ¡°We¡¯re all on your side, you must know that. Anyway, if you like anyone, we won¡¯t object. Just think


    it over.¡±


    Sylvia sighed helplessly. She knew best what her brothers were thinking. They were all afraid of her


    being hurt again, so she wouldn¡¯t refuse their kindness. But the problem now was whether they


    could help her solve these external matters.


    ¡°I have no feelings for either of them. My current thought is just to solve thepany¡¯s affairs first.


    So, bro, can you help me with this matter?¡±


    Bruce raised an eyebrow slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. Instead, he called the front desk


    and asked them to bring the two visitors, one big and one small, to his office.


    Seeing Bruce starting to help her with this matter, Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief and immediately


    ran into the office lounge to wait. After a while, sure enough, the visitors arrived, but it wasn¡¯t just


    one big and one small; it was two big and one small. Bruce was stunned to see Miles leading Jimmy


    in. He had thought only Jimmy hade, but he didn¡¯t expect his dad toe too.


    ¡°You¡¯re here too. I thought you wouldn¡¯te.¡±


    Miles nodded at Bruce. ¡°Originally, I didn¡¯t want toe, but this kid insisted on finding Sylvia to


    y and ran over here. I just found out about it, so I came to take him away. He didn¡¯t cause any


    trouble for you and Sylvia here, did he?¡±


    Bruce didn¡¯t know if they had caused any trouble for Sylvia, but they hadn¡¯t caused any trouble by


    coming here. If there was any trouble, it would probably only be Duncan¡¯s fault. Looking at the


    child¡¯s absent¨Cminded appearance, it seemed quite pitiful.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°Sylvia is busy and has left. She didn¡¯t have time to deal with this, so she called me. As for going


    out to y, I think it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m going on a business trip these days, so I¡¯ll leave thepany¡¯s


    affairs to Sylvia. If you want to go out and y, try to take your work with you. People can go out to


    y, but they can¡¯t forget about work.¡±


    Duncan was dumbfounded. Could you still take your work with you when you go out to y like


    this?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it inappropriate? After all, the purpose of going out to y is to rx. You still want him to


    work. Isn¡¯t that wrong?¡±


    ¡°Why not? When Sylvia wanted me to go out with her, I did the same thing. Doing work while


    ying won¡¯t dy anything. What¡¯s wrong with that? What I can do, can¡¯t he?¡± Bruce didn¡¯t think


    there was anything wrong with what he said. Besides, changing the workce while ying could


    increase work efficiency. In fact, he was very willing. Of


    what he said didn¡¯t represent Sylvia¡¯s thoughts. If Sylvia didn¡¯t want to, these tasks would still fall to


    him in the end.


    course,


    Duncan didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. He didn¡¯t expect this family to be so inward¨Clooking,


    making him feel a bit out of ce.


    ¡°Since you two have other things to discuss, I¡¯ll take the child and leave first. Sorry for the intrusion


    today.¡±


    Although Miles didn¡¯t know the identity of the person next to him, judging from their conversation,


    they seemed to have known each other for a long time. After nodding slightly at the two of them, he


    led Jimmy away.


    When Jimmy left, he still seemed a little unwilling. He wanted to y here a little longer. After all, he


    hadn¡¯t seen Sylvia yet. Wouldn¡¯t his purpose foring here be in vain?


    Duncan had no intention of leaving, so he simply sat down directly. ¡°Bro, do you want to go out and


    y with us? I think that person just now seems to like Sylvia. Is he Sylvia¡¯s admirer?¡±

 Chapter 191

    Chapter 191


    Chapter 191: I¡¯m Better


    Duncan carefully recalled the process of meeting Miles. Miles was indeed a very nice person, but


    Duncan had never dealt with him before and wasn¡¯t sure what kind of person he was. However,


    seeing him getting along so well with Silvia made Duncan feel a bit ufortable.


    Bruce was still working on his tasks when he heard Duncan¡¯s words. He looked up briefly, then


    lowered his head again to continue working as if nothing had happened.


    ¡°So what are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°What can I do? I just casually asked. But is Silvia¡¯s taste not good? Why would she be interested in


    Miles? That guy clearly has a son, and their standards seem to need some improvement.


    Comparatively, I¡¯m better.¡±


    Hearing Duncan¡¯s shameless words, Bruce finally put down his pen and looked at Duncan


    seriously. After scrutinizing him carefully, Bruce felt a bit creeped out and withdrew his


    gaze.


    ¡°Although I don¡¯t know why you feel this way, I must remind you, he¡¯s not inferior to you in any


    aspect. Also, that son is his brother¡¯s child. After his brother passed away, he has been taking care


    of the child. So, in terms of responsibility, Miles is indeed a good person. Additionally, I¡¯ll say


    something you might not like to hear: his face is actually better looking than yours.¡±


    What Bruce said before didn¡¯t matter much, but the most important thing was thest sentence. For


    Duncan, it was a devastating blow.


    ¡°So what if his face is good¨Clooking? That doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is the person¡¯s character.


    Look at Cyril, his face is quite good, isn¡¯t it? But what¡¯s the result?¡±


    Duncan emphasized, feeling a bit aggrieved. It was true that he couldn¡¯t do much about his looks.


    Although he wasn¡¯t bad¨Clooking,pared to others, he fell slightly short. But he couldn¡¯t ept it.


    Apart from that, appearance wasn¡¯t something he could change easily. He couldn¡¯t just go and


    make himself look better. And even if he did, it would deviate from his original appearance, which


    would probably make Silvia like him even less.


    ¡°Regardless of the oue, it was his face that initially caught my sister¡¯s attention. Now, he has


    caught Miles¡® attention with that same face, What¡¯s so surprising about it? Anyway, I won¡¯t talk to


    you about this anymore. Why did youe here today? Looking for my sister? She¡¯s not here.¡±


    Bruce was toozy to continue arguing with him.


    He straightforwardly asked why Duncan hade. If he was here to find Silvia, judging by the


    situation, Silvia wouldn¡¯te out. But if it was for something else, then he should go find Silvia


    himself. Bruce didn¡¯t want to deal with Duncan.


    ¡°Silvia isn¡¯t here? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? If I knew she wasn¡¯t here, I wouldn¡¯t have said all


    this. I¡¯m tired of talking so much with you. Oh, by the way, about that matter, we¡¯re nning to go


    outter. Do you want to join us?¡±


    Duncan asked.


    Bruce shook his head. He wasn¡¯t fond of participating in such activities. These so¨Ccalled young


    people¡¯s activities were almost irrelevant to him. Since the age of 18, he had been involved in


    company matters. Although he was well aware that these matters would eventually be handed over


    to his sister, he hoped that when his sister took over, it would be easier for her. Therefore, he had


    hardly rxed over the years.


    This led to his character being more reserved and introverted than others, and he basically didn¡¯t


    participate in such activities.


    Seeing him shake his head, Duncan wasn¡¯t surprised. Every time they nned to go out, he would


    refuse eight out of ten times. The remaining two times were probably when Silvia wanted to go out


    and cause trouble. Then he would go along, but his purpose was just to keep an eye on Silvia.


    ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want to go, forget it. Silvia really isn¡¯t here, right? She wouldn¡¯t be hiding and


    eavesdropping, would she?¡±


    Duncan looked around the office and then fixed his gaze on the door of the lounge. He had a feeling


    that Silvia must be inside, but he didn¡¯t dare to go and look. After all, it wasn¡¯t his office.


    ¡°If you want to know, go and see for yourself. Stop talking nonsense here.¡±


    Bruce said. Since Duncan didn¡¯t dare to do it himself, he certainly wouldn¡¯t. He smiled, said


    goodbye, and left. A few minutes after Duncan left, Silvia slowly opened the door of the lounge and


    walked out.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    She sat down in front of Bruce with a speechless expression: Bruce looked at Silvia with a half¨C


    smile, half¨Csneer.


    ¡°How was it? Do you feel that the quality of your peach blossoms has improved a lot after your


    divorce? If you really can¡¯t stand Miles, consider Duncan. At least Duncan is a very nice person. I


    still approve of him.¡±


    Silvia felt a headacheing on. She had heard their entire conversation in the lounge just now.


    Duncan¡¯s words sounded a bit shameless, but she knew Duncan very well after so many years.


    However, could her brother stop acting like this?


    ¡°Although I think Brother¡¯s words make sense, we grew up together since childhood. I don¡¯t think he


    has such thoughts. If he really did, how could I have waited until now? Don¡¯t say these things here


    anymore. It¡¯s quite annoying. And didn¡¯t you see? Even if I wanted something to happen with him, I


    wouldn¡¯t have stayed outside all the time.¡±


    Her words did make sense, so Bruce didn¡¯t say anything more. But with one Duncan, one Miles,


    and one persistent Cyril, these two weren¡¯t easy to deal with. Thinking about it, Silvia felt sorry for


    her sister. After all, in medicine and entertainment, there were plenty of opportunities for


    development. Why did they


    have to go abroad? They could do the same thing in the country.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call your two brothers backter and let them develop in the country. The environment here is


    also very good. Always fooling around outside, not even having time to protect their own sister,


    really useless. Also, think about whether you want to go out with uster. If you really don¡¯t want to,


    forget it.¡±


    Silvia sighed. If she had known earlier that Duncan would also go along, he would definitely have


    refused. But now that he had agreed, could he really not go?


    He had to go, but he would have to find a way to minimize contact with Duncan as much as


    possible. He didn¡¯t want Duncan to develop feelings he shouldn¡¯t have. After all, the current


    situation was already good, and he couldn¡¯t respond to Duncan¡¯s feelings. That would only hurt


    Duncan unnecessarily.

 Chapter 192

    Chapter 192


    Chapter 192: She¡¯s Gone Mad


    On the day of departure, Silvia realized how crazy her friends around her were when they actually


    invited Miles along. Today, she came out alone and didn¡¯t invite Jimmy.


    After asking, she found out that Jimmy had caused trouble at school a couple of days ago, so Miles


    punished him by making him stay home for two days to reflect and write a self- criticism. When they


    returned today, Jimmy would have to read it out loud in front of everyone. If his reflection wasn¡¯t


    deep enough, he would continue to stay home and not go anywhere.


    For a five or six¨Cyear¨Cold child, it was very difficult to stay still and not go anywhere at home. Jimmy


    comined a lot, but he had no choice. He couldn¡¯t argue and could only stay at home, trying his


    best to write his self¨Ccriticism.


    ¡°Why did youe out then? I remember you just returned to develop in the country not long ago.


    ording to reason, you should still be concerned about these domestic matters. Won¡¯t going out


    to y waste your time?¡±


    Silvia walked side by side with Miles, and the people around them were very tacit and didn¡¯t disturb


    them, except for Duncan. However, with Miranda blocking him, he wouldn¡¯te over to disturb


    them.


    But Duncan felt very angry. Why wouldn¡¯t his sister help him and had to help another outsider?


    Silvia and Miles didn¡¯t notice Duncan¡¯s situation over there. Miles thought for a moment about the


    things in his hands and smiled, ¡°If I want to be busy with these things, I definitely won¡¯t finish them


    all. But I can¡¯t do nothing just because I can¡¯t finish them all. Besides, I¡¯ve said I really want to


    pursue you, so I have to show my attitude. Time? Machines can have it, and I can always find time


    to deal withpany matters.¡±


    Silvia fell silent at his attitude. She felt like running away again. When she was with Cyril before,


    Cyril never had such thoughts. Everything was focused on his own affairs. Therefore, he wouldn¡¯t


    consider so many things. But when Miles put down all his affairs just to apany her and express


    his attitude, the contrast made Silvia feel a bit at a loss.


    Compared to his calm refusal of Duncan, Silvia always felt a littlecking in confidence when facing


    Miles.


    ¡°As long as it doesn¡¯t dy your matters, it¡¯s fine. If it does, you can leave anytime. Don¡¯t worry


    about them. We often hang out together.¡±


    Anyway, it was necessary to rify the situation first Miles nodded with a smile and continued


    walking forward with Silvia.


    This time, they nned to go mountain climbing, but as soon as they left, they encountered a


    situation.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    They met at Miranda¡¯s house, ready to set off, but found someone causing trouble at the door. At


    first, no one took it seriously, but when they heard the woman¡¯s voice, they realized something was


    wrong.


    ¡°Silvia, I know you¡¯re there. You¡¯ve ruined me like this. Do you just want to pretend nothing


    happened? Come out, you!¡±


    She was yelling there, and Silvia was surprised to hear the voice. She turned around and found it


    was Karina.


    Karina was wearing very thin clothes, her hair flying everywhere, and she looked crazy. She didn¡¯t


    seem very normal.


    ¡°I heard a few days ago that he went to the mental hospital for a check¨Cup. It¡¯s said that his mental


    state isn¡¯t very good, so he¡¯s been receiving treatment during this time. ording to reason, he


    shouldn¡¯t be here. It¡¯s estimated that someone let him out.¡±


    Miles stood by Silvia¡¯s side and exined to her. Duncan originally wanted to take this opportunity


    to show off in front of Silvia, but he didn¡¯t have the chance.


    So he gave Miles a fierce look. What¡¯s the big deal about this? Couldn¡¯t he investigate these things


    himself without selling information? Could he not?


    Silvia nodded. It turned out that he wasn¡¯t mentally normal, but he definitely wouldn¡¯t have known


    she was here if someone hadn¡¯t let him out.


    Thinking about it, Silvia decided to go and see how this former female star, who was now mentally


    abnormal, had be like this.


    Seeing Silvia walking towards Karina, Karina became even more frantic. She tried her best to break


    free from the hands of several security guards, but her strength was limited and she couldn¡¯t


    compete with these security guards. So she could only struggle weakly, and when Silvia stood in


    front of her, she couldn¡¯t do anything to her.


    ¡°What do you want to tell me? Do you think I¡¯m the one who caused you to end up like this?¡±


    Silvia looked Karina up and down and couldn¡¯t help but feel a little shocked. Karina¡¯s current


    appearance was indeed difficult to ept, but how should she put it? All of this was Karina¡¯s doing,


    she was reaping what she had sown. Could anyone be med for this?


    ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I me you? If it weren¡¯t for you, how could I have separated from Cyril? I should


    have been the one to marry him. I¡¯ve be like this now,pletely sealed off by him. Do you


    know? Do you know how cruel he is to me? It¡¯s all because of you!¡±


    Karina couldn¡¯t ept everything she was experiencing now. She felt that if it weren¡¯t for Silvia, she


    and Cyril wouldn¡¯t have reached this point today, and her good career and beautiful future wouldn¡¯t


    havee to an end.


    Of course, what she couldn¡¯t ept the most was that she clearly wasn¡¯t sick, but everyone said


    she was sick and wanted to send her to a mental hospital. And all of this was just because the man


    she deeply loved wanted to do so.


    Silvia looked at Karina¡¯s crazy appearance and didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°When we were together, I


    didn¡¯t know you liked him,


    and he never showed any intention of being with you. The scandals after marriage were between


    you and him. I never did anything to you. Later, after the divorce, I made room for you. It was your


    own failure to seize the opportunity. And do you really think I¡¯m the only one responsible for all of


    this, without anyone else?¡±


    Silvia had her pride. She would never do anything to ruin someone else¡¯s rtionship just because


    she liked a man. So what Karina said was simply untenable, and she hadn¡¯t really understood the


    true cause of all this. Thinking about this, Silvia looked at Karina with a hint of pity in her eyes.


    There was a time when she was as crazy as Karina, unable to see the truth of things.

 Chapter 193

    Chapter 193


    Chapter 193: Mountain Climbing


    Karina slowly calmed down, perhaps thinking of something, but the next moment, she became


    somewhat disappointed, as if unwilling to ept the truth.


    ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense here. Everything that¡¯s happened is because of you. If it weren¡¯t for you, it


    wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this. You¡¯ve ruined my life, ruined my future, I¡¯ll make you pay!¡±


    Silvia sighed helplessly. What was the use of continuing this endless argument?


    ¡°You¡¯ve got one thing wrong. The whole situation, which has turned out like this, has nothing to do


    with me or you. The one you should me is Cyril. If Cyril had been willing to rify things earlier, I


    wouldn¡¯t have pursued him. And if Cyril really liked you, he wouldn¡¯t have treated you like this. The


    most important thing in his heart has always been himself, not you or me. So everything he¡¯s doing


    now is in his own interest.¡±


    So, at this point, the only person to me was Karina. If she really wanted to find the culprit, it


    should be Cyril.


    ¡°I do think you¡¯re pitiful. You think I was pitiful before. There¡¯s no difference between your past and


    mine. But you¡¯re ming me for everything. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit ridiculous? If you really want


    to hold someone ountable, you should find the real culprit.¡±


    The conversation could only go this far. If Karina still didn¡¯t understand, then Silvia had no more


    options. Karina was in agony, wondering how things hade to this.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s anyone else¡¯s fault but yours!¡±


    Seeing Karina¡¯s disbelief, Silvia knew there was no point in saying more. When someone refuses to


    believe, no matter how much you say, they¡¯ll just think you¡¯re lying. So Silvia didn¡¯t want to waste


    any more words.


    ¡°Let me guess, the one who brought you here must be the old man, right? He¡¯s always trying to


    cause trouble for me, so he must have brought you out. And only he could do it.¡±


    Silvia could see through the whole situation at a nce. In the past, she was trapped in the game


    and couldn¡¯t see clearly. But now that she had freed herself from the game, she could see clearly


    what was going on.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself be used as a tool.¡±


    Silvia hesitated for a moment and said before leaving.


    After turning around and leaving, she paid no more attention to how Karina was yelling.


    Karina yelled loudly and was finally rudely asked to leave.


    The others sighed a little.


    Karina had really reached a miserable state.


    However, no one felt much sympathy for her because, apart from Cyril¡¯s issues, Karina herself was


    also to me.


    Soon they forgot about the whole thing and set off to climb the mountain.


    Seeing the high mountain, Silvia felt a bit lost.


    Usually, they were busy sitting in the office all day. When they finally had some free time, most of it


    was spent at home or in the gym. They thoughting out for a day would be more rxing and


    leisurely, but who knew they would decide toe mountain climbing.


    ¡°Whose brilliant idea was it to go mountain climbing?¡±


    Anyone could tell that Silvia¡¯s words were ironic. Although she said it was a great idea, in reality, it


    was far from great. It was simply exhausting.


    Everyone looked at each other, not wanting to speak. How should they put it? This idea was really


    terrible.


    ¡°Sitting in the office all day isn¡¯t enough for you guys, so you have toe out and make


    yourselves unhappy by climbing a mountain?¡±


    Although that¡¯s what she said, everyone still obediently climbed the mountain together.


    On the way up the mountain, Duncan kept trying to get close to Silvia, but no matter how hard he


    tried, he couldn¡¯t.


    Mainly because the people around him didn¡¯t give him the chance to get close to Silvia, so he felt


    miserable alone.


    Along the way, he nced at Miranda countless times, feeling resentful. But Miranda pretended not


    to see anything. Although she was his sister and they were twins, it was obvious that Silvia had no


    feelings for him.


    But if Silvia did show some interest in him, they wouldn¡¯t just stand by and watch.


    Silvia was forced to walk with Miles. Their rtionship wasn¡¯t that familiar, so they didn¡¯t know what


    to say when walking together. But his friends didn¡¯t care about Silvia¡¯s life or what she thought and


    just talked among themselves.


    ¡°How¡¯s Jimmy these days? Last time he messaged me saying you punished him and he came


    crying to me toin.¡±


    The two walked together in silence, and the atmosphere was unusually eerie. Silvia suddenly came


    up with a topic they could talk about, but after saying it, she felt it was a bit strange.


    Miles was also taken aback. He didn¡¯t expect Silvia to bring up Jiminy on her own. He smiled and


    talked about Jimmy¡¯s recent situation, ¡°He¡¯s alright. He caused a little trouble at school, so I kept


    him at home. But it¡¯s nothing major. By the way, you two exchanged phone numbers temporarily,


    which is quite strange to me.¡±


    ¡°It was just a temporary exchange, nothing particrly strange about it. How¡¯s your recent


    cooperation going? I heard from my brother that you¡¯ve been negotiating several cooperations quite


    well, but because they¡¯re not local brands, most people don¡¯t trust you.¡±


    Indeed, that was the case. Although he was very strong in the foreign market and doing well, it was


    still not the domestic market. So people still had some doubts about him. And Silvia could vaguely


    feel that the reason why Miles was struggling so hard in the domestic market was mostly because


    of Cyril.


    Thinking about this, Silvia felt a headacheing on. Cyril¡¯s actions to arge extent, were


    because of her, but normal businesspetition definitely shouldn¡¯t be like this.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°Thankfully, when I decided toe back for development, I had already considered this situation.


    But most of my industries are overseas, so I¡¯m not particrly concerned about the situation here.


    If there¡¯s a loss, then so be it.¡±


    When he decided to bring his industry back to the country, Miles had thought about many


    possibilities, and the current situation was within his expectations.

 Chapter 194

    Chapter 194


    Chapter 194: Contest


    They started a conversation, talking about work¨Crted matters. Originally, they had nned to


    chat with Silvia, but seeing her and Miles engrossed in business discussions, Kate and Miranda


    quietly walked away. These two were really crazy, clearly out here to rx in the snow, yet still


    thinking about work. When the two of them got together, nobody knew who was right or wrong.


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯re showing great teamwork? We¡¯re all out here to have fun in the snow and rx,


    but they¡¯re still discussing business matters. And look at them, they¡¯re clearly vying for dominance.


    Neither of them can convince the other.¡±


    Miranda nced back and saw Silvia and Miles in that situation. There was nothing much to say.


    The original purpose ofing out together was to rx, of course, and to respond to Miles¡®


    suggestion. But seeing them discussing business matters together, it was a bit unexpected for


    them.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it great? Putting all your focus on business, I think it¡¯s great. If things aren¡¯t going well in your


    personal life, at least let your career flourish. I don¡¯t know why you¡¯re so anxious to push them to do


    something. Silvia has her own thoughts. I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to rush.¡±


    Kate shrugged. She didn¡¯t care much about rtionships and hadn¡¯t even thought about getting


    married in the future. So when Silvia put her mind into her business, she agreed with it. Even now,


    she didn¡¯t really want Silvia to immediately get involved in another rtionship. It was better to


    focus on work for now, and as for other things, they could be consideredter.


    Miranda thought about it and realized it made sense. But they thought Miles was a nice person and


    worth getting to know, so they wanted Silvia to interact with him more. Whether there was any other


    meaning behind it depended on the two of them.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    As they chatted slowly, they finally reached the mountaintop. There were quite a few people out


    here for mountain climbing, most of them here for pics and barbecues. They were prepared for it


    as well. As soon as they reached the top, someone came to greet them. But they didn¡¯t expect to


    encounter a group of people they didn¡¯t want to see here.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Cyril and his good friends were also here.


    Jonathan even had two skewers of barbecue in his hand.


    Seeing Cyril, Duncan¡¯spetitive spirit was ignited. He went straight to Cyril¡¯s front and looked at


    him impatiently from head to toe. He couldn¡¯t understand why just because of this face, he was


    compared unfavorably. It was so infuriating.


    Cyril had seen this group of people before, not as Silvia¡¯s husband, but he had met them with this


    group in the mall before. But Kate was someone he had met before, and his rtionship with Silvia


    was quite good. They had even argued because Kate¡¯s appearance was too neutral.


    Cyril nced around and locked eyes with Silvia, who was discussing business matters with Miles


    at the back of the crowd. He had to admit, when she was seriously working, both men and women


    looked exceptionally handsome and charming. So at this moment, Silvia was exceptionally


    charming in Cyril¡¯s eyes. He remembered the days gone by and felt he should have observed her


    more carefully.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    Miles also noticed Cyril¡¯s gaze on Silvia, and it seemed a bit unusual, so he asked.


    ¡°Nothing, just didn¡¯t expect such a thing to happen. It¡¯s quite unlucky.¡±


    They were quite happy on the way here, but encountering Cyril here made their mood sour


    instantly.


    In fact, both sides were unhappy about suddenly bumping into each other. Whether it was Cyril or


    Silvia, they couldn¡¯t muster a smile.


    Jonathan saw the close rtionship between Silvia and Miles and nced at the man beside him.


    Cyril¡¯s expression was unusually dark.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. Some women always want something else, without


    considering whether they deserve it.¡±


    Jonathan¡¯s words hit Cyril right where it hurt. He couldn¡¯t say anything back, and he had to admit


    that he was indeed going through a divorce recently.


    He was indeed entangled with the women outside, but only the few of them knew about it.


    Now that it was known by this group of people with Silvia, it was torture.


    ¡°We should have investigated thoroughly before going out today. If we knew you would be here, we


    definitely wouldn¡¯t have chosen toe here. In my opinion, we should all go to an amusement


    park or something.¡±


    Theypletely disregarded the reactions of the others and expressed their disdain unreservedly.


    They didn¡¯t know how to put it.


    Jonathan was quite angry, but didn¡¯t know what to say. Unfortunately, whenever they spoke, they


    could urately hit his sore spots.


    Cyril didn¡¯t pay attention to what they were saying. He just stared at Silvia, as if trying to see


    through her.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡±


    Silvia looked calmly at Cyril. She didn¡¯t think there was anything wrong with what their friends were


    saying, and what they said was quite correct.


    ¡°So, are you already with Miles now? We¡¯ve only just separated, and you¡¯ve already chosen the


    next one. Will you not be with him for long before moving on to someone else again?


    ¡°1


    Silvia wasn¡¯t that kind of person, and her previous love was very passionate, which everyone knew.


    But just because this love wouldn¡¯t fall on him again, Cyril couldn¡¯t ept it.


    So he resorted to such words to insult Silvia, trying to make her angry. But he underestimated


    Silvia. When she heard these words, she showed no expression on her face, a bit puzzled, as if she


    didn¡¯t quite understand why Cyril would say such things,

 Chapter 195

    Chapter 195


    Chapter 195: New Affection


    Both sides fell into a moment of silence. It was obvious that uttering those words surprised them.


    Although the purpose of their outing this time was indeed to see what kind of person Miles was,


    they hadn¡¯t expected to encounter Cyril here.


    And Cyril¡¯s attitude towards them was extremely hostile.


    ¡°Cyril, Jonathan, what are you doing here? We¡¯ve been waiting for you for a while.¡±


    Just as everyone was silent, a woman¡¯s voice suddenly came over. The woman¡¯s voice sounded


    very crisp.


    She walked over in a yellow dress and went straight to Cyril¡¯s side, reaching out to link arms with


    him.


    Just by looking at them, it was clear that their rtionship wasn¡¯t simple. Everyone looked at Cyril


    with extremely unfriendly eyes.


    Just a moment ago, they were all pointing out various ws in Silvia, and now suddenly there was


    another woman. Who was pping whom in the face?


    Miranda rolled her eyes impatiently. She really didn¡¯t understand what this man was thinking. He


    was here criticizing Silvia in every possible way, and yet he was doubting Silvia. But what about


    himself? Why didn¡¯t he mention what he had done?


    ¡°Some people are too good to themselves, exaggerating everything others do, but not caring about


    their own actions at all.¡±


    Miranda hooked her arm with Kate¡¯s and leisurely continued, ¡°It¡¯s like they think the whole world


    owes them something.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they can only see others doing worse than themselves. When others do better, they get a bit


    defensive. Men always seem to be like this. Sigh, but birds of a feather flock together. If he¡¯s like


    this, then probably the people around him are too. Isn¡¯t your wife divorcing you? Haven¡¯t you


    forgotten that? After all, you have so many girlfriends outside.¡±


    Although they were initially targeting Cyril, as they continued, they targeted everyone around Cyril,


    making everyone¡¯s expression extremely ugly, but they didn¡¯t know what to


    say.


    There was no way around it. After all, the women in front of them didn¡¯t have much dirt to dig up, but


    these men didn¡¯t seem to have anything particrly clean. The more they dug, the more they


    found.


    The girl beside Cyril was a little scared as she approached him, not understanding what had


    happened.


    ¡°What are you talking about? We¡¯re just ordinary friends. There¡¯s nothing between us. You can


    suspect me, but you can¡¯t talk about the rtionship between the two of us like that. It¡¯s really not


    good.¡±


    The girl¡¯s attitude made everyone roll their eyes. Who was she trying to fool? Did she really think


    they couldn¡¯t see through her tricks? It was ridiculous.


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve found someone new, isn¡¯t it unnecessary to continue pestering Silvia here? After a


    divorce, you should handle the divorce matters properly. Haven¡¯t you heard a saying? A good ex is


    like dead, never to appear again.¡±


    Duncan¡¯s words were extremely sharp, making the group of people on the other side even more


    serious. And that girl¡¯s face was even more unpleasant.


    ¡°You¡¯ve really misunderstood the rtionship between me and him. I really¡­¡±


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°Alright, alright, there¡¯s no need to exin nonsense here. Do you think we can¡¯t see through your


    tricks? If you really like him, you could have been with him. We won¡¯t say much about it anyway.


    After all, it¡¯s all over.¡±


    Seeing the girl needing to exin the rtionship between her and Cyril, Kate directly interrupted


    her.


    The girl looked at Cyril with a look of grievance, wanting him to speak for her. But Cyril¡¯s face was


    also very ugly now, and he was only staring at Silvia, as if trying to see something from her face.


    Otherwise, he would have pushed the girl aside just now.


    After waiting for a while without Cyril speaking up for her, the girl felt a little sad.


    Originally, she thought their rtionship was different, otherwise Cyril wouldn¡¯t have brought her


    along. Or did Cyril know Silvia was here from the beginning, so he brought her along?


    ¡°Is that what you think too? Do you think I brought my new love out here just like you?¡±


    Cyril¡¯s words were unreasonable. After everyone heard them, besides being speechless, they were


    still speechless.


    Silvia didn¡¯t quite understand why he would say such things. Regardless of whether he was


    speaking to others or to her, one thing was clear: if he wanted to target a man, then he shouldn¡¯t


    focus his gaze on a woman. I would never be hispetitor. You can be sure of that. I¡¯m the kind of


    person who never looks back once I¡¯ve made up my mind, but I also don¡¯t go back on my word.¡±


    For him, Cyril was already in the past tense. Now was the past, so there was absolutely no


    possibility of turning back. Even if he let go, he would do it elegantly. He wouldn¡¯t linger and act like


    he didn¡¯t care. It wasn¡¯t his style.


    ¡°Also, if I was really just ordinary, why did he marry me in the first ce? That¡¯s just crazy. And if


    you want to belittle me, there¡¯s no need to use Cyril¡¯s mouth. Do you think Cyril won¡¯t expose you? I


    think what you¡¯re doing is just a bit foolish. He won¡¯t say anything to you now, but this person only


    loves himself the most, so what you said today wille back to haunt you in the future.¡±

 Chapter 196

    Chapter 196


    Chapter 196: Challenging


    Silvia had been by Cyril¡¯s side for so many years. In the past, she couldn¡¯t see clearly, couldn¡¯t


    understand anything, but now she had seen through it all. So when Silvia wanted to use Cyril to


    challenge herself, Cyril was already displeased with her in his heart. This had happened several


    times during this period, with Karina being the most prominent example.


    Look at Karina. She used to be so morous, but now she was like dust, fallen from the clouds. No


    matter how good their rtionship had been, how much affection they had, now there was nothing


    left.


    ¡°And Cyril, I think we¡¯ve already cleared up everything between us. Now that it¡¯s clear, there¡¯s no


    need to do disgusting things like this anymore. If there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t say, you can ask the


    men around you to do your dirty work for you. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s disgusting?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯re so great. In the end, you¡¯re just relying on your family and your own conditions.


    When your conditions aren¡¯t so good, do you think you can still stand on the moral high ground and


    criticize others?¡±


    Silvia actually didn¡¯t want to argue with them about these things, because addressing these things


    would make her seem very low¨Css. But if she hadn¡¯t been so angry today, she would never have


    directly confronted this group of people like this.


    The words Silvia spoke made her friends around her feel particrly relieved, but as for Cyril and


    the people around him, their faces became increasingly ugly.


    They did indeede from good family backgrounds, butpared to the top¨Ctier elites, they were


    stillcking, especially Jonathan, who was the most enthusiastic.


    ¡°To be honest, you¡¯ve been married to your wife for so long, but you treat her like this. Believe me,


    someone who is unfaithful in rtionships and doesn¡¯t take their wife seriously will sooner orter


    face retribution.¡±


    After saying these words, he put on a very formic smile, treating them as if they were the people


    he was negotiating contracts with.


    ¡°Alright, everything that needs to be said has been said. I don¡¯t know if you have anything else to


    say. If you don¡¯t, then let¡¯s leave it at that. In theing days, you can do your thing, and we¡¯ll do


    ours. I think as long as we deliberately avoid each other, we¡¯ll never meet again. Do you agree?¡±


    After Silvia finished speaking, no one answered her. Silvia didn¡¯t bother waiting for their response


    either. Anyway, she had already said what she wanted to say. Whether they paid attention to it was


    their business.


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t we have other ns for today? There¡¯s no need to dy what we want to do because of


    these people.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t easy for everyone toe out together to have fun. There was no need to worry about the


    feelings of a group of unimportant people.


    They all listened to Silvia¡¯s words and left in a grand manner. Watching them leave with Silvia at the


    center, someone suddenly asked.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Silvia¡¯s status isn¡¯t that great, is it? Shees from an ordinary family background. Now she¡¯s


    divorced and working in Ivan Group¡¯s mode. How could she have such good rtionships with so


    many people?¡±


    This question indeed left everyone in silence.


    If we don¡¯t count Miles, then how do we exin the people around her? Miles owed Silvia a


    lifesaving favor.


    As for the others, they were all born into top¨Ctier elite families, each with their own business circles


    that were simr. And someone like Silvia had never been able to fit into their circle.


    So how did Silvia manage to do it? It couldn¡¯t be by relying on men, could it? If she relied on men,


    how could these people be so protective of her? It just didn¡¯t make sense. Jonathan was the first to


    come to his senses. ¡°Can¡¯t you see how amazing she looked just now? This woman¡¯s methods are


    even more formidable than you imagine. Have you ever thought about how Cyril was forced to


    marry her in the first ce and how he¡¯s now being forced to divorce her? This woman will do


    whatever it takes to achieve her goals and make connections with these people. It¡¯s not that strange


    at all. You guys justck insight. If you had more experience, you would understand how formidable


    this woman is.¡±


    Although they felt that something wasn¡¯t quite right, they couldn¡¯t find another way or reason to


    exin it.


    Moreover, they preferred to believe what they saw rather than the truth. As for the real truth, that


    wasn¡¯t their concern. They would rather believe that Silvia could do all this because she relied on


    improper rtionships, rather than believing that Silvia and they were real friends.


    ¡°I really feel disgusted meeting them here today. But these people have never been very smart.


    They probably think that the rtionship between you and us is different. They may even think that


    you used some improper means to connect with us.¡±


    Duncan had done a lot of work before, treating Cyril as his rival in love, so he had analyzed Cyril


    and the friends around him in various ways.


    So when Duncan said these things, others also felt that they made a lot of sense, and Silvia wasn¡¯t


    surprised either.


    ¡°If they don¡¯t think like that, then I¡¯d be surprised. But it doesn¡¯t matter. The more they think like


    that, the happier I am.¡±


    After all, being taught a lesson by someone they had once looked down upon, and never being able


    to turn the tables again, that was the most interesting part.


    Of course, Silvia didn¡¯t have such strong ambitions. She knew very well that having hate or love for


    someone meant caring about them. Since she had decided to let go of the past and Cyril, she


    shouldn¡¯t have any feelings for him anymore. In fact, during this time, her work and life had slowly


    made her let go of her attachment to Cyril.


    ¡°They can think whatever they want. As long as I know it in my heart that¡¯s enough. And that girl,


    she¡¯s probably going to be abandoned by Cyril after this. Cyril only cares about his own face.¡±


    Although she said that, Silvia was still quite curious about how this girl ended up by Cyril¡¯s side.


    She couldn¡¯t figure out what Cyril really liked from this girl. It¡¯s also possible that his tastes changed


    after the divorce.


    fatentional Fall

 Chapter 197

    Chapter 197


    Chapter 197: Intentional Fall


    The unpleasant incidents were quickly forgotten as everyone began to enjoy themselves


    thoroughly. They had thought they wouldn¡¯t encounter them again, but after finishing lunch and


    deciding to y board games together in the afternoon, Cyril¡¯s group appeared again. However, this


    time they were very taciturn and didn¡¯t choose to disturb Silvia. And of course, Silvia¡¯s group had no


    intention of approaching Cyril¡¯s group either.


    However, the two sides were fundamentally ipatible, so their rtionship in ying together


    would also be affected, especially Cyril¡¯s side. It wasn¡¯t as simple as it seemed.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we change ces? I feel strange sitting with them. And don¡¯t you think it¡¯s likely that


    something else will happen?¡±


    Just a moment ago, they had an unpleasant encounter, and if they continued like this, wouldn¡¯t it


    escte into a fight?


    Jonathan rolled his eyes. ¡°Are you kidding me? Just because it¡¯s Silvia, we shouldn¡¯t care about


    these things? Forget about it. Silvia is just like that. We do what we need to do and


    don¡¯t bother with Silvia.¡±


    Anyway, if something really happened, they could deal with itter. At least for now, there were no


    problems, right?


    Everyone seemed to agree with this reasoning, so they didn¡¯t say anything and just went about their


    own business. Despite the somewhat awkward situation, they managed to maintain harmony as


    they continued to y for the rest of the afternoon.


    ¡°Alright, it¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s consider whether we want to have dinner together here or go back. If


    we go back, we can have another round, and you can book us a bar.¡±


    Everyone was a bit reluctant to stop ying, especially since their work was usually very busy.


    Being able to rx like this made them all very happy. So when the suggestion of having another


    round and going to a bar was made, no one objected.


    Miranda enthusiastically took out her phone to check the location and then called Juliet. Juliet


    couldn¡¯te because of work, but she would definitely have time after work.


    However, Juliet hadn¡¯t replied yet, probably because she was still very busy. So they continued with


    whatever they were doing.


    ¡°Silvia, can I talk to you?¡±


    They were sitting together, drinking, when suddenly the girl walked over, looking at Silvia with a


    grievance and a hint of stubbornness.


    Kate was a little annoyed. What did she mean? Wasn¡¯t the drama just now over? Now she was


    coming over to cause trouble again. This was asking for trouble.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Didn¡¯t we just say not to interfere with each other? Why are youing


    over now and pushing people? Are you okay? And don¡¯t you feel that there¡¯s nothing to talk about


    between you and Silvia? Or do you think you have the status to chat with Silvia? Don¡¯t overestimate


    yourself, okay?¡±


    The girl looked at Silvia with a look of grievance, ignoring Kate¡¯s words, just wanting to see


    something from Silvia¡¯s eyes. Silvia saw it, though. This person wouldn¡¯t stop until they achieved


    their goal. If she didn¡¯t go over, she might still be standing here, affecting everyone¡¯s mood.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Silvia decided to walk away with her to chat. Others were a little hesitant, but since Silvia said so,


    they had no choice. Only Miles silently took out his phone and started recording.


    Duncan saw it and was a bit puzzled. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Collecting evidence.¡±


    This way of collecting evidence was indeed something that people didn¡¯t really want to know about.


    Silvia and the girl walked to the side. The girl intentionally stumbled a little, almost leaning against


    Silvia, but Silvia had already sensed that the girl¡¯s actions were unusual.


    Just as the girl was about to fall, Silvia immediately took a big step aside, her hands barely touching


    the girl, while she stepped back several steps herself.


    From the side, it seemed like the girl fell by herself and had nothing to do with Silvia. But because of


    this little stunt, it still caused amotion on Cyril¡¯s side. Not for any other reason, just because


    when Silvia fell, she let out a scream that sounded extremely miserable.


    The girl¡¯s voice instantly attracted Cyril¡¯s attention. They immediately stood up and walked over to


    the girl. Cyril¡¯s guests gently helped the girl up.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I just identally fell just now. It has nothing to do with Silvia, and Silvia didn¡¯t even touch


    me.¡±


    Listening to this statement was like drinking the utmost in green tea. The more she denied it, the


    more righteous she seemed. They suspected that Silvia had done something.


    This scene looked very familiar, and Silvia sneered.


    She wanted to see what Cyril would do next, whether he would act the same as before, or if there


    would be any significant differences.


    As for the others, they had already seen that the girl fell by herself and had nothing to do with Silvia.


    All of the girl¡¯s actions just now were facing away from them. If it weren¡¯t for them, they wouldn¡¯t


    have known. But the more they didn¡¯t know, the more they could see how Cyril handled this matter.


    Then Duncan turned his head and looked at Miles, who was still recording silently, and fell into a


    moment of silence.


    Well, if Miles hadn¡¯t recorded the video just now, this matter might not have been so easily


    resolved.


    ¡°Are you crazy? Didn¡¯t we just say not to interfere with each other? Why are you pushing people


    now? Are you okay? It¡¯s one thing to bully Karina just now, but now you¡¯re bullying a girl who has


    nothing to do with you. Don¡¯t go too far. Just because you have someone to help you, doesn¡¯t mean


    you can harm innocent people recklessly!¡±


    Jonathan was already dissatisfied with Silvia. Now that he had the chance, he naturally wanted to


    retaliate fiercely. But when he retaliated, he didn¡¯t consider the true facts of the


    matter.


    For years, their attitude towards Silvia had been the same as Cyril¡¯s. They must have thought that


    Silvia was the bully because others seemed weaker than Silvia.


    ¡°Are you sure I did all those things?¡±


    Silvia chuckled, not bothering to respond to Jonathan¡¯s evaluation of herself; but instead looked at


    Cyril. With just one nce, Silvia suddenly felt a pang of pain in her heart. Even after all this time,


    she could still see through Cyril¡¯s true thoughts and what he wanted to express.

 Chapter 198

    Chapter 198


    Chapter 198: All the Same


    From now on, Cyril didn¡¯t need to say anything anymore, and thedy could feel that she was


    starting to suspect that she had done these things herself, and there was no reason to suspect


    herself.


    Silvia suddenly understood that, regardless of whether those girls who had followed Cyril for all


    those years were Karina or other girls, as long as they were the girls Cyril held dear, they would


    always be treated the best by him. And whenever someone got hurt, regardless of who the real


    culprit was, they would always bear the me.


    The person who did wrong must be herself.


    She had never noticed this before. She had stubbornly believed that Karina was different in Cyril¡¯s


    heart. But now Karina waspletely different in Cyril¡¯s heart, and there was another new girl.


    R¨ºAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    However, this new girl they encountered waspletely different from the others.


    ¡°But regardless of whether they are different, Cyril¡¯s attitude hasn¡¯t changed at all. He still treats this


    girl as¡­¡®


    11


    ¡°Is that what you think? You think I¡¯m still the same as before, bullying every girl who appears


    around you, regardless of whether she is innocent, a victim, or an aggressor?¡± In fact, in the past


    few years, Silvia had been very envious of Karina.


    Whether Karina did something right or wrong, she would always stand by Cyril¡¯s side.


    Just like now, Cyril would stand by different people.


    ¡°So you treat everyone the same way. As long as they matter to you, they will earn your trust. But


    once that person bes me, they will never earn even a bit of your trust, right?¡± Silvia was angry,


    but now Cyril didn¡¯t need to say anything; he understood everything.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything yet¡­¡±


    Cyril did indeed suspect immediately that Silvia had done this. But when Silvia said these words, he


    felt that these things couldn¡¯t have been done by Silvia. If it really was Silvia who did it, why would


    she say these things? Wasn¡¯t that just causing trouble for herself for no reason?


    Silvia shook her head. Sometimes, just one look was enough to understand the other person¡¯s


    thoughts.


    Whether you say it or not, there isn¡¯t much difference.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t bully people too much. Don¡¯t think that just because there are more of you, you can do


    whatever you want!¡±


    Duncan couldn¡¯t bear to see it anymore. He snatched the phone from Miles and walked up to Cyril.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go too far. Let me tell you, everything that just happened has been recorded. Do you really


    think the woman by your side is so simple?!¡±


    To be able to devote so much effort to stay by Cyril¡¯s side ande here, she was definitely not


    simple. So, did these people have any brains at all? Was their brain on top of their head for show, or


    was it there to highlight their pretty yet stupid empty heads?


    The phone was handed to Cyril, who opened the video. Others also crowded around, and the girl¡¯s


    expression instantly became somewhat ugly. But she thought about what she had just said; they


    said it wasn¡¯t Silvia who did it but Cyril. They didn¡¯t believe it themselves, so this matter couldn¡¯t be


    med on her, right?


    The video wasn¡¯t long, but after watching it, those people couldn¡¯t say a word. They wished they


    could find a ce to hide right away. Would the things they said now make these people hold a


    grudge against them?


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything now? Weren¡¯t you all so eager to me Silvia just now? You were


    all ming her, and now you know you were wrong, but none of you are saying anything, especially


    you, who shouted so loudly. You deserve your wife to divorce you. You don¡¯t deserve to get married.


    I think you should be alone for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t said anything yet. Moreover, even if this time it has nothing to do with Silvia, Cyril already


    has evidence of him bullying Karina¡­¡±


    ¡°He already has evidence of Cyril bullying Karina, doesn¡¯t he? If he didn¡¯t have evidence, why would


    Karina have such a miserable time? She¡¯s already been directly banned.¡±


    This was said by Miles. He took his phone back from Cyril and stood beside Silvia.


    He silently supported Silvia in this way. Silvia felt touched in her heart.


    Others might not know why Karina had be like this recently, but they knew very well. Besides


    Cyril, no one else could have made someone like this.


    Jonathan was stunned for a moment and subconsciously looked back at Cyril. Seeing Cyril¡¯sck of


    intention to refute, he realized that what they said was true.


    ¡°In the future, keep your eyes wide open. If there¡¯s nothing wrong, don¡¯t approach Silvia anymore.


    It¡¯ll only make you look more ridiculous. Without evidence, you shouldn¡¯t open your mouth. Even the


    police wouldn¡¯t handle things like


    you do.¡±


    f


    Miranda sneered repeatedly and forcefully pushed the girl.


    ¡°Did you see that? This is what it means to push someone down. If you don¡¯t understand what


    pushing down and falling down by yourself means, I can demonstrate it again for you, so you can


    see clearly what being pushed down is like.¡±


    It was unexpected that Miranda would suddenly resort to violence and push the girl to the ground.


    Then Silvia stepped forward again, looked down at the girl condescendingly, and raised her foot as


    if to step on her.


    The girl screamed in fear, thinking she was about to be taught a lesson by Silvia. But in fact, Silvia¡¯s


    foot never touched the ground. It was just a scare tactic.


    ¡°This is what it means to intimidate someone. Remember, next time I intimidate someone, I will


    force you to bankruptcy. If you don¡¯t believe it, you can try it. After all, in your minds, I¡¯m a very


    scheming woman who will use all avable connections to teach you a lesson.¡±


    Silvia looked coldly at them. Since they all thought of her as a person who leaned on a powerful


    backer, then she might as well let them believe that there was someone behind her who would


    make them behave and not provoke her.


    ¡°Manage the people around you. If there¡¯s another time, try to see who can oust whom, Ivan


    Group or yourpany.¡±


    Silvia finished speaking and retracted her leg. The girly pale on the ground, trembling


    uncontrobly.


    If she had known that these two people were so ruthless, she wouldn¡¯t have dared toe over just


    now to assert her dominance. These people were not ones she could afford to A provoke, including


    Cyril


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I just¡­¡±

 Chapter 199

    Chapter 199


    Chapter 199 Comfort


    Originally, he wanted to exin a bit more, but Silvia didn¡¯t give him the chance at all. What was


    there to exin anyway? What he intended to do was evident to everyone present.


    Because everyone had already seen what he was up to, so their expressions were filled with


    disgust and disdain.


    Of course, although they were angry with Cyril¡¯s reaction, Cyril¡¯s actions and attitude


    unintentionally exposed how Silvia had been wronged before. Originally, they were on Silvia¡¯s side,


    and now knowing how much Silvia had suffered, they couldn¡¯t bear it.


    ¡°In the past, because I liked you, I could tolerate all these things. But now that I no longer like you, it


    would be troublesome if you didn¡¯t manage those around you. I have a temper, as you know. I¡¯ve


    been living toofortablytely, so I don¡¯t want others to cause trouble in front of me.¡±


    Silvia looked calmly at Cyril, making him extremely nervous. Although Silvia only mentioned that his


    temper wasn¡¯t good and asked Cyril to manage those around him, Cyril had a feeling. If he couldn¡¯t


    control those around him and they continued to cause trouble for Silvia, she might actually take


    action.


    ¡°Do you remember the big gift bag I gave you on your grandfather¡¯sst birthday? No matter what


    you thought of me before or what you think now, you need to change your attitude. Don¡¯t let these


    people bother me anymore.¡±


    With that said, Silvia¡¯s face carried a hint of a smile,pletely different from the tough words just


    now. Those around them felt a bit uneasy seeing this transformation. They hadn¡¯t expected Silvia to


    be so tough, but the more ruthless she was, the better they felt.


    ¡°In the past, you didn¡¯t cherish it. Now that you¡¯ve changed partners, you¡¯re bullying again. How can


    there be such a person? And the bunch of hangers¨Con around you aren¡¯t good either. Mixing with


    them makes things even worse. Fortunately, we¡¯re all here today. If we weren¡¯t, who knows how


    we¡¯d be bullied?¡±


    ¡°The reason you can live so peacefully today and even bully Silvia is all because she used to like


    you. If Silvia didn¡¯t like you, do you really think you¡¯d be in such a good position now?¡±


    ¡°Blind as a bat.¡±


    Duncan, Miranda, and Kate each mocked before leaving, leaving Cyril and his group standing there,


    unsure of what to do. They looked at each other, feeling that what the three of them said wasn¡¯t


    entirely false. Silvia was indeed different from before.


    ¡°What should we do now? We can¡¯t just leave it like this, but what was that woman doing just now?


    Suddenly falling to the ground like that.¡±


    Although they didn¡¯t know why this woman was following Cyril, they thought she might be Cyril¡¯s


    new lover, so they didn¡¯t say anything. However, her sudden copse and the ensuing chaos made


    everyone ufortable, but what made them most ufortable was Silvia¡¯s attitude today.


    Cyril remained silent, his face dark. Up to this point, he had to admit that Silvia waspletely


    different from before. They could bully Silvia before because she was willing to back down, but if


    Silvia wasn¡¯t willing to back down, no one could make her.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing left to do but leave.¡±


    He didn¡¯t know if he was talking to the student behind him or to the woman on the ground. The


    woman looked at Cyril¡¯s merciless back with a pale face, knowing she was truly done for this time.


    When he came today, he had hoped to establish some rtionship with Cyril, but when he saw


    Cyril leave without a second nce, he realized how ridiculous his thoughts were.


    Cyril left so quickly, not even willing to look back at him. His future was already ruined today.


    The woman regretted it terribly. She now understood why she was able toe with the male


    photographer today¨Cit was because he resembled Silvia in some ways, especially his eyes. Seeing


    her eyes probably reminded Cyril of Silvia, so he could follow along. But it was toote for all this


    now.


    Now, the only way to think about it was whether she could keep what she had in her hands. If she


    couldn¡¯t, then it would truly be over.


    Thinking of this, the woman quickly stood up from the ground, stumbled down the mountain, and


    ran. She had to be faster, otherwise, with just one phone call from Cyril, all her years of effort would


    have been in vain.


    After Silvia and the others left, they each went to do their own things. Silvia had wanted to help, but


    they didn¡¯t want her to. They probably wanted to discuss something behind Silvia¡¯s back. Silvia


    didn¡¯t care. They had been holding back their anger for so many years, so it was best to let it out


    now.


    So, he prepared to get something else, but as soon as he turned around, he bumped into Miles¡¯s


    arms. Miles also reached out and hugged Silvia, making her stunned for a moment. What was he


    doing?


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean anything else. I just saw that you weren¡¯t in a good mood today, so I wanted to


    comfort you. If you think this position isn¡¯t good, then I¡¯ll take it back now.¡±


    Nars quickly withdrew his hand and even took two steps back, distancing himself from Silvia, so that


    she wouldn¡¯t feel ufortable.


    Silvia was indeed a little stunned. She hadn¡¯t realized it when Miles suddenly held her, but now that


    she reacted, Miles had also timely let go of her and distanced himself from her, as if the light


    embrace just now was an illusion.


    ¡°You¡¯ve spent money to report to me about these things. Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s toote now?¡±


    Silvia was a bit speechless. She understood Miles¡¯s meaning and could also feel Miles¡¯s desire just


    now. In fact, there was no meaning at all. Miles was just thinking too simply and too fragile. He


    wouldn¡¯t fight for life or death for a man, of course. But now he definitely wouldn¡¯t be like this


    anymore.


    Milesughed when he heard Silvia¡¯s words. It was indeed like this

 Chapter 200

    Chapter 200


    Chapter 200 Here Comes Again


    ¡°I actually know that you¡¯re a very serious person and won¡¯t be affected by these things, but I just


    felt that you weren¡¯t in a good mood and needed someone tofort you. Your friends are probably


    plotting how to help you vent, so I reluctantly offered somefort¡­¡±


    Miles said earnestly, as if he genuinely wanted tofort her.


    But Silvia felt it wasn¡¯t that simple. If Miles really just wanted to casuallyfort her, he wouldn¡¯t


    have held onto her like he did just now. However, Silvia didn¡¯t expose him.


    Even though he had let go of those things just now, Cyril¡¯s actions had still made him very upset. So


    Miles¡® hug just now, to be honest, along with the words afterwards, did make him feel much better.


    ¡°Anyway, thank you very much for yourfort just now. I¡¯m feeling much better now. Oh, how


    about going to the amusement park with meter? Bring your son along?¡±


    Silvia suddenly changed her mind, wanting to go to the amusement park. Sometimes when she


    wasn¡¯t feeling well, she liked to go out and have fun by herself. In the past, she would drag a few


    friends along.


    Butter they all thought it was quite childish, so Silvia started going alone. Now, she suddenly


    remembered Miles had a son, maybe the kid would like to go with her.


    And now the three of them were probably still plotting how to deal with Cyril, so they wouldn¡¯t have


    time to apany her.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Miles was stunned for a moment, seeing Silvia¡¯s expression was genuine, before taking out his


    phone to call home and ask about Jimmy.


    Originally unwilling in his heart, having the chance to go out and y at home was naturally very


    happy, so he agreed immediately.


    ¡°When we go backter, we¡¯ll just go directly. The folks at home will take Jimmy along. But your


    way of relieving stress is really unique. It¡¯s fortunate to have a child willing to apany you. If it


    were someone else, they might think your approach is very childish.¡±


    Silvia nodded seriously. They did indeed think their approach was very childish.


    ¡°Although it does seem childish, I still like it very much. Maybe in the future, I¡¯ll borrow your son a


    few more times to apany me.¡±


    Silvia¡¯s attitude made Miles feel amused. If it were for something else, Jimmy probably wouldn¡¯t be


    too willing, but if Silvia said she wanted to take Jimmy out to y, then Jimmy would definitely be


    very happy.


    ¡°He¡¯s always reluctant to hold up in school. If you¡¯re willing to take him out to y, he¡¯ll be very


    happy, and even eager for you to be his mother. Of course, bit silly. Only children would say


    such things.¡±


    Seeing Silvia¡¯s somewhat awkward expression, Miles quickly changed the topic.


    He naturally knew that now, taking a child to pursue Silvia would make her feel ufortable.


    Moreover, Silvia had just escaped from a marriage, so how could she enter into another rtionship


    so quickly?


    I know he¡¯s just a


    ¡°He¡¯s very smart, just like his father. And he loves drawing, he¡¯s very talented at it. If you take him


    out to y, you¡¯ll probably receive one of his drawings as a gift, and each time you go out, he¡¯ll give


    you a different one. Hopefully, you won¡¯t find it troublesometer.¡±


    This was about Jimmy¡¯s talent, and Miles had never interfered with it. He didn¡¯t need Jimmy to


    be too good. He just wanted him to be happy. Even if in the future, Jimmy didn¡¯t want to take


    over thepany and only wanted to do what he liked, Miles didn¡¯t mind.


    Silvia could see Miles¡¯s attitude. To be honest, although the two of them weren¡¯t biological father


    and son, Miles¡¯s attitude towards Jimmy was evident. He cared a lot about this child, not just


    because he was his brother¡¯s child, but because he genuinely liked him. If someone could be so


    good to his brother¡¯s child, they could probably be even better to


    their own child.


    Thinking of this, Silvia suddenly felt that her thoughts were a bit wrong.


    Clearly, she didn¡¯t have much to do with it, so why did she suddenly think of this? It was probably


    because Miles was just too good, which made her think such thoughts.


    ¡°You¡¯re a very good person. I think Jimmy would be very happy to live with you.¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. He always tries every means to distance himself from me. He always feels it¡¯s too


    tiring to be with me, and he always feels that I¡¯m pressuring him too much to study. He¡¯s too tired,


    so he always tries to make me angry.¡±


    Miles also showed a hint of headache when he said this, but it was just their way of getting along,


    and it wouldn¡¯t affect them too much. After all, even between biological father and son, there were


    still many more conflicts. What¡¯s more, they were just two people.


    Silvia heard him say this and smiled, not saying anything.


    The two of them took the opportunity to talk about other things. As they chatted, they found that


    they had some simr hobbies, so when the three of them from before came over, they found that


    Silvia¡¯s mood had improved a lot, and she evenughed and talked with Miles.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t they say they had no chance before? Look at Silvia¡¯s attitude now, it doesn¡¯t seem


    impossible at all. When did she ever chat with someone else so quickly?¡±


    It really made them feel very strange. Silvia always had a bit of distance when making friends, and


    she would only slowly get closer when she felt that the person was suitable to be


    friends with.


    This speed was a bit too much.


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s not the point. The point is, why did Cyrile again? How does he always manage to


    intrude? Didn¡¯t he just hear those unpleasant words we said to him earlier? Does he think what we


    said wasn¡¯t harsh enough and wants toe over to find trouble again?¡±

 Chapter 201

    Chapter 201


    Chapter 201 Sending Flowers


    The three of the felt a bit ufortable, preparing to go teach Cyrill a lesson, but Cyril went to


    Silvia and said a few words, then quickly turned and left before Silvia could react, asdfald Silva


    would chase after him.


    cyr¡¯s artitude, along with what he said, was heard by the others. He came just to apologize to Silva,


    something that was never even imagined before.


    ¡°Is he crazy? Cyril never does something like apologizing even if the heavens fall, and considering


    what happened today, I thought he¡¯d hold a grudge against you ande to give you a lecture. I


    didn¡¯t expect he just came to apologize¡±


    This made them all feel very strange about Cyril¡¯s attitude today. Wasn¡¯t what Cyril did today a bit


    beyond normal?


    However, although they were curious, no one continued to think too much about it. Since Cyril


    wasn¡¯t here, they had a great time ying. By the afternoon, Silvia parted ways with them and went


    to the amusement park


    ww Silvia getting off, he ran excitedly and


    Miles also arranged the time with his family. When they arrived at the amusement park, Jimmy was


    eagerly waiting for Savia. When he saw hugged her.


    ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so nice! Do you know I¡¯ve been bored at home, and Dad doesn¡¯t want to let me out


    to y? He even wants me to reflect on my mistakes. But now you¡¯re finally here to take me out to


    y. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go! I know so many fun things here. Do you want to go to the haunted house


    first? Let¡¯s take Dad in and scare him!¡±


    As soon as he said this, Jimmy¡¯s head was fiercely hit by Miles. When he was speaking ill behind


    someone¡¯s back, couldn¡¯t he see if there was anyone around? He said such things while he was still


    there, really not afraid of getting beaten?


    Jimmy held his head, feeling proud of himself, and nced at his father. Although he knew his


    father was there, he didn¡¯t expect his father to hit him so hard in front of Silvia. It really hurt just


    now.


    ¡°Dad, you¡¯re so mean! You just hit me like that. Do you know how ufortable 1 am?1 won¡¯t talk


    to you anymore. Sister, let¡¯s go, let¡¯s y.¡±


    After saying that, Jimmy couldn¡¯t wait to drag Sihda into the amusement park Miles followed behind,


    taking one step at a time. How could he not see through this kid¡¯s little thoughts?


    had too many tricks.


    After saying so much to Silva, Jimmy actually didn¡¯t want Miles to take Silvia away with them. But


    how could Miles let Silvia go with them directly? This kid had to What if he tricked silvia while they


    were in there? What would they do then?


    happy


    However, Miles was thinking too much in the next period of time because many didn¡¯t actually n


    to watch Salvia. Instead, he took Silvia around and made her very h


    As the sun set, the three of them spent the whole afternoon at the amusement park. Silvia and


    Miles sat on the side, each holding an ice cream, enjoying themselves.


    ¡°Sister, wait for me here!¡±


    Suddenly, Jimmy saw something and said to Sida, then ran to say a few words to his father. Seeing


    Miles nod, he happily ran away.


    Simia was a bit curious about what he was going to do.


    ¡°He¡¯s probably preparing a surprise for you.¡±


    Miles saw Silvia¡¯s curious expression and exined, but after exining, be didn¡¯t know it this


    exnation could be considered a surprise.


    via was quite curious, wanting to know what surprise jimmy could prepare for her. After waiting for a


    few minutes, Jimmy ran back. He still had a bunch of flowers in his hand.


    So this was the surprise Miles mentioned. To be honest, when Silvia saw Jimmy holding this bunch


    of flowers, she thought it was quite cute.


    Jimmy was st young, and the flowers almost blocked his way, but he still ran very fast, carefully


    holding the flowers as if they were something very important


    When he finally ran to Silvia¡¯s side, panting heavily, and handed her the flowers, his face was still


    full of happy smiles, and there was sweat on his forehead Silvia took out a tissue to wipe his


    sweat.


    ¡°Sister, these are flowers for you. Dad said roses shouldn¡¯t be given to you, but i think since you¡¯re


    so pretty, you should have roses. So, do you like these flowers? If you don¡¯t like them, I¡¯ll go buy


    another bouquet for you now, okay?¡±


    Jimmy was still young, but he knew roses were given to people you liked. He liked silvia very much,


    so he wanted to give her this bouquet of roses. There shouldn¡¯t be a big problem, right?


    Just as he finished speaking, Miles¡¯s mouth twitched. Where did this kid learn from? He even went


    to give flowers to someone.


    ¡°So, did you learn anything good at home today? Or just want to give flowers to someone? Are you


    used to giving things to people like this at school?


    Miles suddenly remembered a few days ago when he went to school and saw his hesitant


    expression. In the end, the teacher only sald politely that although children were young, their values


    formation was still very important. What did it mean for parents to lead by example? But when he


    saw the flowers in Silvia¡¯s hands just now, he suddenly understood the meaning behind the


    teacher¡¯s words.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°wonder why that little girl always has a bunch of flowers in her hands. It turns out it¡¯s from you,


    huh? What have you learned at school?¡±


    Like a little scoundrel at such a young age, Miles was not light¨Chearted. He grabbed Jimmy¡¯s ear


    and Jimmy winced in pain, wanting to look for Silvia, but Silvia couldn¡¯t help at all, Just burned her


    head away, not wanting to get involed in the father¨Cson matter


    Of course, even Siria didn¡¯t expect that Jimmy would know to give flowers to a girl at such a young


    age. This was quite interesting


    Fortunately, Miles did lewe some face for Jimmy, not letting him lose face here, after scolding him a


    bit, he let go of his hand,


    Timmy sat pitifully beside Silvia, holding onto her a


    tightly.


    ¡°Sister, why didn¡¯t you save me just now? Dad was about to throw me out just now!¡±

 Chapter 202

    Chapter 202


    Chapter 202 High Profile


    Silvia couldn¡¯t help but smile. If it weren¡¯t for this child doing something secretly to make Milles


    angry, Miles wouldn¡¯t have done something like this.


    ¡°Do you want to tell me what exactly you did at school to make your dad so angry? Only then will I


    know what to do.¡±


    Silvia blinked, seeming to coax Jimmy. After a moment of silence from Jimmy, she decided not to


    ask anymore. If she said it out loud, she¡¯d probably feel very unstable. It wouldn¡¯t be good if she


    looked down on Jimmy¡¯s father,


    ¡°I think it¡¯s better not to say. These things don¡¯t need to be talked about. What do you think, sister?


    Otherwise, let¡¯s just go out and y. I know many fun ces.¡±


    To prevent Silvia from continuing to ask, Jimmy grabbed her and wanted to leave. Silvia, of course,


    cooperated very well, knowing the kid didn¡¯t want to say much, so she didn¡¯t ask more After they


    yed around for a while, untill it was dark and the lights in the amusement park came on, they


    left.


    After ying around, they were both hungry. Miles had already thoughtfully made arrangements.


    He waited until they had enough fun, then drove them to the restaurant. This time, when they went


    to the restaurant, Silvia felt something was off. It seemed like they were bring followed


    Subconsciously, she turned her head and saw a car behind them, following them all the way,


    ¡°There were people staring at us in the amusement park just now. If nothing unexpected happens, it


    should be reporters wanting to dig out some news from us this time we came out to y. But don¡¯t


    worry, my people will handle it.¡±


    As soon as Miles knew that there might be reportersing in, he was ready. He had already


    instructed his people to handle these things, so there was no need for Shia to worry


    too moch.


    Silvia nodded. She believed Miles could handle these things. However, he owerlooked how fast


    those reporters spread news online and immediately posted the photos they took Now, everyone


    online was looking at pictures of Silvia and Miles ying with the child at the amusement park. They


    didn¡¯t expect their outing this time to be so high¨Cprofile Were they starting to date?


    Of course, not only did onlineizens see these photos, but also Brace Bruce happened to see


    this photo at home, and his face darkened for a moment, but he smiled the next second. Forget it,


    as long as his sister was happy, they wouldn¡¯t care too much about what his sister did.


    ¡°Whether those online news are true or false, it doesn¡¯t matter as long as you¡¯re happy. By the way,


    how has thepany been doingtely? Does your sister have any thoughts on thepany?¡±


    Stanford also saw the online news, but he didn¡¯t care much. After a casual smile, he asked about


    thepany¡¯s affairs. Bruce put away his phone and began to discuss the online andpany


    matters with his father.


    ¡°Little sister is very smart, so I estimate that in another year or two, she¡¯ll be able topletely take


    over all the affairs of thepany, not only domestic but also foreign. But if she¡¯s willing to slow


    down, it doesn¡¯t matter to wait a few more years. Besides, I can take this opportunity to pave the


    way for her a bit more¡±


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to pave the way for her deliberately. She¡¯s very smart and can handle these things


    on her own. So you just need to take care of your own affairs. By the way, how is the contract


    negotiation going with Miles? Their contract is quite good, and what about your development


    ns?¡±


    Stanford nodded. His children all had their own ideas, so he wasn¡¯t in a hurry.


    But he heard that several coborations in thepany had stalled for a while. He didn¡¯t know


    why, but he had left these things to his children to handle, so Stanford wouldn¡¯t ask too much. He


    just wanted to know why they hadn¡¯t moved for so long


    ¡°These things are all handled by my sister. She wants to take this opportunity to clean up some


    people in thepany, so everything will be slower. But don¡¯t worry, Dad, my sister can handle


    these things well¡±


    ¡°Icertainly believe that your sister can handle these things well, but I¡¯m a little worried about whether


    your recent actions are too rxed. Although your sister has the ability, you also need to help her


    handle these things well what if she¡¯s tricked by this group of people?¡±


    After hearing what Stanford said, Bruce fell silent. When he took over thepany, Stanford didn¡¯t


    care about his life or death at all. He struggled to get to where he was today. And why hadn¡¯t he


    helped his sister yet? if he hadn¡¯t helped, Silvia wouldn¡¯t know how long it would take to sort out


    those people, let alone clean up that group. That would take


    even more effort.


    Forget it. Since their whole family cares so much about Silvia¡¯s thoughts, they wouldn¡¯t pay too


    much attention to what their son does


    When the three of them finished dinner and came out, they met a group of reporters. The reporters


    saw Silvia extremely excited and rushed over. If it weren¡¯t for Stanford and the group of bodyguards


    around Silvia stopping the reporters, they would probably have to aim their cameras at them and


    take pictures.


    ¡°These reporters are really crazy, but will they delete these photos they took? Actually, I don¡¯t care


    about my data, but I think the child is still young. Doing this now, the news, it probably won¡¯t be


    good.¡±


    if it gets on


    Silvia had a terrible headache. She knew that with her current situation, news was amon


    urrence, so she had long since grown indifferent. But she just didn¡¯t want to Involer children in


    these maners. After all, Jimmy was still young. Exposing him to such things so early wouldn¡¯t be


    very friendly to him.


    Moreover, she didn¡¯t know what these peop/


    the inte would say about such a young child, so Silvia was more worried about this


    But Miles serned unusually can. ¡°I think if they really take pictures, they¡¯ll subconsciously delete


    Jimmy. After all, they don¡¯t want a third wheel¡±


    Hearing this, Jimmy posted on the side. Why was he the third wheel?

 Chapter 203

    Chapter 203


    Chapter 203 Interrogation


    The next day at work, Sylvia learned that the news of her following Miles yesterday had already


    spread.


    Although most of the news had been intercepted, Miles realized that some of it had already been


    leaked before being intercepted. So, whatever they did was already a bit toote. However, these


    news didn¡¯t have much impact on Syha. Regardless of how much these rumors spread online, they


    didn¡¯t affect her. She went about her work as usual. The only inconvenience was that there were


    paparazzi almost every time she went out.


    ¡°It¡¯s quite interesting, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re not even from the entertainment industry. A celebrity just goes


    out for a meeting, yet these people keep hovering around you,¡± Juliet said, ncing outside. Last


    time when Sylvia and Miles went out together, she didn¡¯t join them because of workmitments.


    Later, when she saw Sylvia and Miles leaving together, she thought they were going out alone.


    After contacting others, she found out that they went out together after the mountain climbing


    activity. Sylvia¡¯s energy was indeed impressive. Even in such circumstances, she could still go out


    ¡°They¡¯ve been hovering around me for quite some time, so it¡¯s not really surprising anymore. But


    you seem to be very curious about these things,¡± Sylvia remarked.


    ¡°How could I not be curious? Miles seems like a nice guy. Even though I realized something was off


    that day and wanted to get some information, I knew Miles had already taken care of it beforehand.


    We saved a lot of trouble,¡± Juliet replied,


    If Miles hadn¡¯t taken care of those things beforehand, they would have been in trouble by the time


    they found our


    Of course, the enthusiasm of these online people couldn¡¯t be stopped. They all wanted to know


    what the rtionship between Sylvia and Miles was. After all, Sylvia had divorced Cyril not long


    ago, and suddenly there was another person around her. How could they not be curious?


    ¡°But I am curious. What¡¯s the situation between you and Miles? Why were you together at that


    meeting, and he even brought his son? Do you really intend to steal someone¡¯s ount? I don¡¯t


    care what he thinks, but I think we should focus on our career now. You need to take over the


    company. Your brother¡¯s goal is for you to take over the entirepany within two years.¡±


    Taking over the entirepany meant a lot of work. It meant that for the next two years, Sylvia


    would probably have to work tirelessly before she could fully control thepany. After all, when


    Bruce took control of thepany, it took several years. Even though someone paved the way for


    her now, Sylvia would still have to work very hard for two years.


    Sylvia nodded. She knew her brother¡¯s n very well. As for the situation between her and Miles, it


    seemed like no matter how she exined it, nobody believed her, so she didn¡¯t bother exining.


    Anyway, even if she didn¡¯t exin, those who believed in her would still believe in her.


    ¡°There¡¯s a party tonight, and I¡¯ll go with you. But there might be a small problem. The people we¡¯re


    dealing with at this party are quite difficult, especially at the dinner table. They don¡¯t listen to reason.


    Be careful then. I¡¯ve also arranged nwo bodyguards for you. If it¡¯s really not working out, let¡¯s just


    tear up the agreement¡±


    Juliet was a little worried. If it were any other matter, it would be okay, but if Sylvia were to be


    harmed this time, it would be really bad.


    ¡°Oh, I see. Anyway, your arrangements are fine. Whatever you arrange, I¡¯ll follow,¡± Sylvia said.


    Syria didn¡¯t think there would be any major problems with these matters. After all, Juliet had


    arranged everything for her. When they arrived downstairs at thepany, they saw another car


    parked there. It was Cyril¡¯s car


    Ignoring it, they were about to go in when they were stopped.


    ¡°Do you have time? I want to talk to you properly. I know we have no rtionship now, but I still


    want to sit down and talk, shouldn¡¯t be a big problem, right?¡± Cyril said. Syhtaughed when she


    heard Cyril¡¯s words, Even if she had time, she didn¡¯t want to talk to Cyril.


    Moreover, wasn¡¯t there a big problem with their previous rtionship?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to talk about between us. And as for our previous rtionship, what


    rtionship do we have? What are you pretending to be emotional for?¡± Sylvia¡¯s words


    embarrassed Cyril, as he knew Sybia wouldn¡¯t give him any face.


    ¡°The things between you and Milles have caused quite a stir. Do you know the impact of doing this?


    Although I don¡¯t know how you got this job, I still hope you can live your life well Don¡¯t get involved


    with Irrelevant people anymore,¡± Cyrill said.


    Sylvia found Cyril¡¯s words amusing. Where did he get the face to say these things to her? Didn¡¯t he


    know what their rtionship was like before? Did he need toe here and say these things to


    her?


    ¡°Since you think everything I have now hase through illegitimate means, what¡¯s the point of


    saying these things to me now? I¡¯ll be with whoever I want to be with. What¡¯s it to you? Besides,


    who are you to me? What are you doing here talking to me? Don¡¯t you find yourself disgusting?¡±


    Sylvia rolled her eyes and pushed Cyril aside. With Juliet, she walked into the building, leming Cyril


    behind. What¡¯s wrong with him? He came here early in the noming, saying these things to her. Is


    his brain not working properly? Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    ¡°I heardst time be banned Karena, saying she¡¯s gonepletely crazy. What is he thinking?


    Clearly, he was very affectionate towards Karena before, but now he¡¯s turned his back on her.¡±

 Chapter 204

    Chapter 204


    Chapter 204 Banquet


    Isn¡¯t that right? Back then, how good he was to Karena, all these people saw it. But now, Karena


    says she¡¯s been banned, and it¡¯s all over. The new and naive, pushing someone to the brink, it¡¯s no


    wonder. Actually, he¡¯s not a good or kind person either. Yet, here he is, full of sorrow,ing to


    Sylvia and saying so many things.


    Honestly, it¡¯s quite surprising to see. Is he really capable of doing such things?


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother about him. He thinks he¡¯s angry now and all the things he¡¯s doing supposedly for me


    are just to satisfy himself. Let¡¯s just pretend we didn¡¯t see him. But today¡¯s headlines will probably


    be quite lively again. ¡±


    Although Cyril¡¯s actions did move him somewhat, Sylvia was still quite troubled by the trouble he


    brought aftering to seek sce.


    So, after discussing these matters with pallet, Sylvia immediately instructed her assistant to


    suppress all information about him and Cyril for today. If anyone dared to leak it, they would be in


    trouble.


    After handling this matter, Sylvia and Juliet immersed themselves in today¡¯s work. It wasn¡¯t until the


    afternoon that Sylvia finally stopped.


    ¡°Your brother won¡¯t be joining us for the afternoon party today. We need to leave together,¡± Juliet


    said as she came to find Syha early. They needed to change clothes before going out since it was


    quite an important asion. Sylvia was already prepared, so they could leave whenever. After


    packing their things, they left.


    Both of them changed into dresses before heading to the venue of the banquet.


    It must be said that there were quite a lot of people at the banquet today. Sylvia quickly found them


    and the person they were supposed to talk to. As she walked over, she noticed that the other


    person¡¯s eyes were extremely ally when he saw her. Sylvia lonew that today¡¯s banquet probably


    wouldn¡¯t go smoothly.


    ¡°This guy is famous in the circle for being a pervert. He doesn¡¯t even know your identity. If he really


    does something out of line today, you don¡¯t want to give him face. We don¡¯t have to seal the deal


    today, but we¡¯ve been set up this time, so we have toe¡±


    Juliet whispered in Sylvia¡¯s ear. They were indeed set up this time, and it seemed that someone


    among the shareholders didn¡¯t like Sylvia, so they deliberately left this trap. If they had known


    earlier, they wouldn¡¯t havee here to talk Unfortunately, it was toote now.


    Understanding Juliet¡¯s implication, Sylvia and Juliet went straight to greet the person. The other


    party didn¡¯t know Sylvia¡¯s identity but thought she was a woman close to Bruce, the shadowy


    woman. In such a situation, the man¡¯s gaze towards Sylvia was particrly disgusting. Sylvin wore


    an impable smile on her face, but when she noticed the man¡¯s gaze, her eyebrows couldn¡¯t help


    but twitch.


    ¡°Although Theard that Bruce is not interested in women, I didn¡¯t expect the women around him to be


    so¡­. Intriguing. Both you and Juliet really shine,¡± the man said, his gaze bing even more


    lascivious. Why did he dare to speak like this to her? It was probably because of Juliet¡¯s status that


    he didn¡¯t dare to offend her.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    ¡°I¡¯ve also heard that your wife is someone you can¡¯t afford to offend, so you¡¯ve been very obedient


    recently. But it seems that the rumors outside are a bit off, aren¡¯t they? Sylvia¡¯s words instantly


    made the man¡¯s expression extremely ugly. Although many people knew that he was afraid of his


    wife, not many dared to say such things to his face because they often mocked him behind his


    hack.


    Now, hearing Sylvia say this, his face became extremely ugly.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t even know why you¡¯re here today. How dare you talk to me like this? Aren¡¯t you


    afraid that if we don¡¯t reach a cooperation today, the people in yourpany won¡¯t let you off?¡± The


    man¡¯s tone became threatening


    Hearing the man¡¯s insinuations, Sylviaughed directly. Was he joking? Who was ying whom


    among the people in thepany? And what did it have to do with this man they couldn¡¯t reach a


    deal today?


    ¡°Then I¡¯m sorry. If we really can¡¯t reach a deal today, I¡¯m sure there won¡¯t be any problem on my


    end. But if you do something here today, and your wife finds out about it, then I¡¯m not sure,¡± Sy


    threatened lightly. Who wouldn¡¯t threaten others? Sylvia smiled lightly, causing the man¡¯s face to


    lose all its light.


    Sering this, Sybia felt that there was no need to continue socializing too much. She suddenly felt


    that it was meaningless. As she was preparing to leave, she suddenly saw someoneing from


    afar. This person was none other than a shareholder of thepany.


    Sering this person, Sylvia understood why she was talking to him today. It was probably because


    this shareholder deliberately set her up. Now that she¡¯se, if she doesn¡¯t give this shareholder


    the trouble he deserves, then hering here today would be in vain. Just as she was about to


    leave, she hesitated for a moment


    juliet still had other things to do, right? So she didn¡¯t follow Sylvia. Therefore, she didn¡¯t know what


    had happened on Sylvia¡¯s side, but she believed that with Syhta¡¯s character, she definitely wouldn¡¯t


    let herself be wronged


    Moreover, she had already told sylvia beforeing here how to handle things if something bad


    happened. So Sylvia must be able to handle these things well


    Therefore, she went about her own business confidently. When she saw the shareholder and then


    looked at Sylvia¡¯s expression, she knew that the shareholder was in for a rough


    today. But it didn¡¯t matter, anyway, that shareholder deserved it

 Chapter 205

    Chapter 205


    Chapter 205 Renclusion


    5


    1/T


    Chapter 205 Resolution


    That shareholder still didn¡¯t know what had happened exactly. He only knew Sylvia wasing


    today. Originally, he didn¡¯t want toe to this kind of banquet. But he thought about how he had


    tricked Sylvia intoing before, so he wanted to see how much trouble Sylvia would be in today.


    That¡¯s why he decided toe. As expected, many people recognized his identity, and when they


    saw him, they all wanted to chat with him, stroking his ego greatly.


    ¡°Sering you all here, I don¡¯t need to run anymore. I was worried I wouldn¡¯t find you today. Oh right,


    Sylvia, how¡¯s the cooperation you¡¯re supposed to talk about today? Thepany has high hopes


    for you. You must make this deal happen. Otherwise, even with Bruce, you might not be able to


    stay,¡± the man threatened as soon as he opened his mouth. Sylviaughed upon hearing this. Who


    was trying to intimidate whom?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This deal definitely won¡¯t happen today, But Bruce won¡¯t trouble me. As for whether


    he¡¯ll trouble you, I¡¯m not sure. Oh, and you usually wouldn¡¯te to events like this. Today¡¯s


    sudden decision toe must be to see me embarrassed, right? But you¡¯re toote. The joke


    s¡¯already over. Also, next time youe to bother me, at least investigate properly. This is a guy


    alcaid of his wife. If his wife hears about what happened today, you won¡¯t be able to escape. Wow,


    you really aren¡¯t afraid to offend me. I might as well take away all the power you have,¡± Sylvia


    calmly replied. These people all wanted to scheme against her, but did they even have the ability to


    do so


    50?


    After Sylvia said this, both the shareholder and the man¡¯s faces turned extremely ugly. They didn¡¯t


    expect Sylvia to say such things. Sylvia¡¯s words clearly showed she wasn¡¯t afraid of what might


    happen today.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯d dare to tell Bruce about what happened here today. If he finds out, do you


    really think he¡¯ll keep you? Don¡¯t forget, you only got into thepany through some shady means.


    Now, if you make him unhappy, don¡¯t think about staying here anymore. I won¡¯t care how much


    effort you put in to enter thepany,¡± the man continued, trying to threaten Sylvia, Sylvia


    remained silent. She knew what these people said was true. Bruce might be the sole decision¨C


    maker in thepany, but many people still wanted to pull him down from that position, and they


    would resort to disgusting means. This had happened before.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But with Bruce¡¯s current capabilities, removing someone¡¯s power was as easy as pie. Did these


    people ever think about what would happen if they got into trouble and Bruce decided to deal with


    them?


    ¡°If you think.¡±


    ¡°A group of people surrounding a woman here, using intimidation, doesn¡¯t seem right. Everyone


    knows the purpose of today¡¯s banquet. You brought people here, thinking Sylvia would be easy to


    manipte. But have you ever thought about whether she really is?¡±


    Just as Sylvia was about to speak, a voice interrupted her. She turned to see Cyriling over.


    Recently, she had seen Cyril much more often than before. Sylvia furrowed her brows slightly, not


    quite understanding Cyril¡¯s actions. However, she didn¡¯t dwell on it too much. If Cyril wanted to do


    something, let him do it. It didn¡¯t concern her much..


    But what Sylvia couldn¡¯t ept was why he always said he was by her side. Did he think this would


    improve their rtionship? Wasn¡¯t that a bit unrealistic?


    Seeing Cyril approaching, the others restrained the expressions on their faces. Although they dared


    to yell at Sylvia, they didn¡¯t dare to treat Cyril like that. After all, they couldn¡¯t afford to offend Cyril


    ¡°We didn¡¯t mean that. Actually, what we meant was¡­.


    ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯ve seen plenty of you before. You just want to sell a woman and gain some


    benefits. A man has to rely on a woman for profit. Don¡¯t you think your actions are ridiculous?¡± Cyril,


    already used to such things in this circle, quickly saw through their intentions. He just hadn¡¯t


    expected to meet Sylvia here. Did Sylvia really understand the nature of this banquet before


    coming? What if something really happened here? What should he do?


    Thinking of this, he felt a bit worried. Seeing Sylvia¡¯s expression, he hesitated for a moment,


    unsure of how to leave this ce.


    Pursing his lips, Cyril said to them, ¡°I can pretend I didn¡¯t see anything today and take these people


    away. But if you do anything dirty behind the scenes, I think Bruce¡¯s desk will be full of information


    about you tomorrow morning.¡±

 Chapter 206

    Chapter 206


    Chapter 206 Making Myself Miserable


    Beforeing here, you mentioned that you had thought about many things that could happen,


    such as being drugged at the wine table. But you never imagined you would be in trouble before


    even reaching the wine table.


    And it was Cyril who unexpectedly came to your rescue. You couldn¡¯t help feeling embarrassed


    about it. You could ept help from anyone, but you couldn¡¯t ept Cyril¡¯s help.


    ¡°Why are you here today? Cyril stopped in his tracks and turned to ask Sylvia directly. Her tone was


    somewhat unfriendly, which made Sylvia want tough. What does Cyril have to do with me? Who


    is he to meddle in my affairs?


    ¡°Why do you think I¡¯m here? Of course, I¡¯m here to discuss cooperation. How can¡¯t you see that? If


    you can¡¯t see it, I suggest you go to the hospital and get your eyes checked again,¡± Sylvia replied


    bluntly, her tone impatient. Cyril paused slightly after hearing this.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Originally, he came forward to help Sy, not to make her feel any dicerent. The reason he did this


    was actually to let Sylvia see the true face of this banquet. But Sylvia¡¯s current attitude was


    unexpected.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why thepany sent you here, but do you know this banquet has always been about


    sending women to these unclean people? They use women to gain benefits. Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re


    doing well on your own? Why did you make yourself so miserable? Cyril looked at Sylvia with some


    concern, but even he didn¡¯t notice the sudden pang of distress in his eyes.


    In the years of marriage with Sylvia, although they both had different feelings about this marriage,


    he knew Sylvia was indeed a wronged woman. But he would never let Sylvia experience such


    things. If being with Bruce meant experiencing such things, why continue with it?


    ¡°You have better choices. Why do you have to be with Bruce? If Bruce really cared about you, he


    wouldn¡¯t let youe to these things. And Miles, do you know Miles will alsoe here today?


    He¡¯s not good for you either!¡± Cyril looked at Syhta, wanting to speak urgently. But seeing Sylvia¡¯s


    impatient expression, he hesitated. Why was Sylvia always so indifferent to him? This made him


    feel a sense of powerlessness. Obviously, he did all this for Syhia¡¯s good, but why did Sylvia¡¯s


    attitude make him feel like the distance between them was growing?


    ¡°I might have made a mistake, but you seem to feel very miserable today. That¡¯s just how you feel,


    but I don¡¯t feel miserable at all,¡± Sylvia interrupted Cyril¡¯s words, not wanting to continue the


    conversation with him.


    ¡°Anyway, thank you very much for helping me out today, although I don¡¯t think it was necessary,¡±


    Sylvia added. Cyril looked at Sylvia and realized she really didn¡¯t care about these things, or even


    about what he said. Suddenly, he felt a little powerless. Clearly, he did all this for Sylvia¡¯s good, but


    Syhta¡¯s attitude made him feel like the distance between them was growing


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I just.. Cyril tried to exin, but Sylvia interrupted him.


    *Enough, I think you¡¯ve said and done what you wanted to today. You¡¯ve always wanted us to meet


    and talk about recent things. I¡¯ve given you the chance now. I¡¯ve said what I had to say. There¡¯s


    nothing else to discuss,¡± Sylvia interrupted Cyril¡¯s words. Every time she met Cyril, she felt her


    mood would be very bad. This time was no exception.


    Cyril didn¡¯t speak anymore. Since every time he said something, Sylvia would interrupt him, there


    was no need to continue talking


    ¡°Goodbye.¡±


    After waiting for a while and seeing that Cyril really had nothing more to say, Syria waved her hand.


    After today, there shouldn¡¯t be any reason for him to want to talk to her again. She went to the side


    and called Julie to let her know she hade out. Julie had been watching Sylvia bring taken away


    by Cyril just now, and she was stunned on the spot, not knowing what to say


    Then she immediately called Bruce to report the situation here. Bruce also had a puzzled


    expression. Now that Sylvia had taken the initiative to call, julle rushed over without hesitation,


    wanting to ask what was going on between Sylvia and Cyril, and why they ended up together


    again.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree when we left home? we should focus on our careers. Why are you getting


    involved with Cyril again? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re having second thoughts. I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯m the first


    one to disagree! Julle eximed anxiously


    ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it. I really didn¡¯t think Cyril would show up here today. Please calm down.


    There¡¯s no basis for what you¡¯re saying,¡± Sylvia replied, feeling a headaching on. Why did it


    feel like what Jolie was saying had happened a long time ago?


    Jelenbviously didn¡¯t believe Sylvia at first, after all, Sylvia had a history.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. I didn¡¯t know he would show up here today. He inexplicably pulled me over and


    said tonight¡¯s event was all about using women towork. But what does that have to do with me


    and him?¡±

 Chapter 207

    Chapter 207


    Chapter 207


    The two of them huddled together, feeling puzzled by Cyril¡¯s actions today, but they couldn¡¯t be


    bothered to think about it anymore.


    After finishing their tasks, they went their separate ways. After all, they still had a lot of work to do,


    and it wasn¡¯t worth wasting their time over such a small difference


    After several busy days, Bruce was about to go on a business trip again.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    The original n was for Juliette to apany him on this trip, but for some reason, on the day of


    departure, there was a sudden change, and Juliette took a week off, refusing to leave the house.


    At first, Sylvia didn¡¯t think anything was wrong until the third day when she suddenly saw a


    message from Juliette online.


    There was only a blue sky above, but the caption below was a crying emoji Seeing this expression


    and caption, Sylvia immediately realized that something was wrong, and she Immediately called


    Rate and the others to inform them. Kate and the others didn¡¯t know what had happened to Jullette,


    but when they saw the message she sent, they all looked puzzled


    So that night, they called Juliette out Juliette had been living aimlessly for the past few days,


    showing no intention of dressing up at home, looking extremely dispirited When they saw Juliette,


    they felt like they were seeing the wrong person. How could they have seen juliette in such a sorry


    state?


    When they saw each person¡¯s shocked expression, Juliette couldn¡¯t help but sigh. She didn¡¯t want


    this either, but what could she do? Secretly loving someone was really too painful


    ¡°Could it be because of my brother? He¡¯s gone abroad on a business trip, and originally, you were


    supposed to go with him. But somehow, it changed at thest minute, and he took someone else


    instead. That¡¯s not right. My brother always ns things in advance and never changes them. Your


    appearance has made me a little anxious.¡±


    Sylvia was just testing the waters because she knew that Juliette¡¯s change in mood over the years


    was rted to her brother, but what had happened between them? How could they change so


    much all of a sudden?


    Sylvia was puzzled, and not just her, even the others felt a bit awkward. Among them, it wasn¡¯t a


    secret that Juliette liked Bruce However, Juliette never said it to his face, and Bruce probably had


    no idea either.


    Originally, Juliette hadn¡¯t nned toe out today or tell them what had happened to her, but


    then she thought that she couldn¡¯t keep these things hidden for too long. Instead of waiting for them


    to findoutter and make things awkward, it would be better to rity things now,


    ¡°I was supposed to go on the business trip with him, but I drank a little too much before he left, and


    then I confessed to him. You should have noticed that Bruce never had thoughts about me. So


    when I confessed to him, he rejected me without hesitation. Or should say, he didn¡¯t reject me, I


    didn¡¯t say anything, he just said that I hadn¡¯t figured


    any


    things out yet, so he asked me to think it through before saying anything. Then he took someone


    else on the trip with him. He said it himself, isn¡¯t that a rejection? So what else is there for me to


    say?


    After saying this, everyone was shocked because they never thought it was because of this. They


    looked at each other, at a loss for words for a moment.


    They had known for a long time that Juliette liked Bruce, but it had been so many years, and Juliette


    hadn¡¯t said a word or shown any signs. So they thought that maybe nothing had really happened.


    But when Juliette said this, they realized that they had born too nave


    ¡°Sex you got d


    t drunk this time and made a mess of things. But I don¡¯t think my brother meant to reject you. Maybe


    he was just surprised and really wanted you to think it over. Maybe you¡¯re overthinking it a bit. It


    shouldn¡¯t be thatplicated.¡±


    Sylvia thought that her brother was indeed capable of doing such things. He wouldn¡¯t directly reject


    Juliette, especially after so many years of knowing each other. But to say that he rejected juliette


    seemed a bit off. However, Syria couldn¡¯t quite figure out what was missing.


    ¡°Why isn¡¯t it thatplicated? Don¡¯t you know my brother? If he doesn¡¯t like someone, how could


    he keep going around in circles with you? He just doesn¡¯t like me, so he transferred me away and


    didn¡¯t let me go on the trip with him. I¡¯ve known for a long time that he doesn¡¯t like me, so this


    confession was just my wish. I knew a long time ago that there was no chance between us. Well,


    that¡¯s it. I¡¯ve decided to hand over all my work in a few days and go home. My mom called me a few


    days ago and said that I can¡¯t keep fooling around like this, so I¡¯m thinking of getting married.¡±


    Juliette¡¯s indifferent attitude shocked everyone. They gasped, some looking incredulously at Juliette.


    Could such words reallye out of Juliette¡¯s mouth?


    In the beginning, Juliette didn¡¯t want an arranged marriage in her family, so she came to Ivan


    Group to work as Bruce¡¯s assistant. Now, she wanted to go back for an arranged marriage because


    of Bruce. To be honest, it was very difficult for anyone to ept.


    er all these years of knowing each other, and I really


    ¡°How about you think about it again? I¡¯ll call my brother and see what he thinks. I don¡¯t think my


    brother is that heartless. After all Think ¡±


    originally intending to deceive herself, Sylvia suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say when she thought


    about Bruce¡¯s attitude. There really wasn¡¯t much difference in how he treated them, mainly because


    Bruce treated them all like younger siblings, but since they were the same age as him, there wasn¡¯t


    really anything different in his thoughts.


    juliette smiled bitterly, em Sylvia didn¡¯t know what to say, so was it necessary for her to deceive


    herself here? It wasn¡¯t necessary at all. If he doesn¡¯t like me, he doesn¡¯t like me. I won¡¯t cling to him

 Chapter 208

    Chapter 208


    Chapter 208 Can¡¯t Let Go of You


    Juliette put on an indifferent front, but deep down, everyone knew she hadn¡¯t really moved on from


    this.


    She waved her hand with a smile and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about me too much. It¡¯s just a


    man, no big deal. I did like him, but it might have been just youthful foolishness, and after all these


    years, I was just eager to get an answer. Now that I have the answer, I have nothing to dwell on.


    You don¡¯t need to worry about me I¡¯m fine oh, I heard there¡¯s going to be an auction by the Woolood


    family in a while, Let¡¯s go check it out together¡±


    With the person involved speaking like this, what else could the others say? They could only nod,


    feeling a sense of regret in their hearts. Loving someone for so many years, to suddenly let go, how


    could one possibly move on?


    simr to Juliette¡¯s. So, over the years, they sympathized with each other and


    Sylvia understood this best. Just like how she had pursued Cyril for so many years, her feelings


    were si became the best of friends due to their shared secret.


    For anyone, choosing to let go was a very difficult decision. Sylvia understood this very well, so she


    understood where Juliette¡¯s sadness wasing from. She didn¡¯t say anything, just tightly held


    Juliette¡¯s hand. No matter what decision Juliette made, Sylvia would always stand by her side.


    Whether she liked it or not, it was ultimately a personall choice.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve really made up your mind like this, then we¡¯ll definitely be with you. After all, you¡¯re the


    most important to us. As for Bruce¡¯s side, Sylvia will have to worry about that.¡±


    Kate and Brenda directly expressed their attitudes. Duncan didn¡¯te today because they all felt


    Duncan was too unpredictable, so they didn¡¯t call him. In fact, their decision was quite right.


    Bringing Duncan here might have led to unpredictable consequences.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m the most important to you guys, so I told you about this. Well, my feelings for him have


    ended


    led anyway, so it¡¯s


    so it¡¯s time for me to start anew. I think it¡¯s fine. My mom sent me a photo this moming. I think the


    guy looks quite handsome Based on that, I think it¡¯s necessary to go on this blind date. How about


    we go together?


    When Juliette talked about handsome guys, her eyes lit up, leaving everyone unsure of what to say.


    But deep down, they felt relieved. If they could move on from this, it would be for the best. As for


    other matters, they could deal with themter. After all, they weren¡¯t particrly important.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going on a matchmaking date, you must bring us along. If the other person doesn¡¯t like


    you and likes one of us instead, where will we cry? Also, don¡¯t go causing trouble everywhere. You


    know about Sylvia¡¯s situation recently. She and Miles are making progress. Don¡¯t mess things up for


    them.¡±


    Kate butted twice. He didn¡¯t want to join in the fun. He wasn¡¯t at the age to get married yet, so he


    wanted to see what the other person was like. Watching the fun was fine, but getting involved


    wasn¡¯t something he would agree to.


    Upon hearing Kate¡¯s words, Sylvia was speechless. He had already said that he had nothing to do


    with Miles, so why didn¡¯t these people believe ham? Did his usual attitude really show that he cared


    so much about Miles? This made him a bit uncertain.


    ¡°You¡¯re always clinging onto Sylvia. If things don¡¯t go wellter, I want to see how and ward you¡¯ll


    be. Alright, let¡¯s not talk anymore. Today, I¡¯m going shopping. I have to dazzle at that auctionter.


    After all, this is my official debut to everyone. I can¡¯t afford to lose face.¡±


    When Juliette spoke, the others didn¡¯t say anything. They just obediently went out with her to pick


    clothes. The ces they frequented were all high¨Cend, so they didn¡¯t encounter any trouble along


    the way, leaving them all very satisfied


    After picking several outfits, Juliette felt much better, and everyone could sense her improved


    mood. It was just that the others felt a bit exhausted from following her around. ¡°Thad a great time


    shopping today. Thanks to all of you foring with me. So, to show my appreciation, I¡¯ve decided


    to treat you to drinks at the bar tonight¡±


    juliette¡¯s state didn¡¯t seem right, especially since she wanted to go to a bar. No one said anything,


    just apanied her. But when they arrived at the bar, they suddenly realized that today¡¯s n


    might not have been a good one.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Because they ran into Cyril here, along with his buddies. Suddenly, they felt a bit embarrassed.


    Because nobody had forgotten what happened on the mountain that day, especially Cyril and


    Jonathan. They were the ones who lost the most face that day, besides Cyril.


    Jonathan didn¡¯t want to see Sylvia and his group, so when he saw Sylvia approaching, he just


    turned and lett


    ¡°We¡¯re all here for a gathering, and he still follows over. It seems this woman still has a ce in his


    heart. Since she¡¯s with you, he caused so much trouble on the mountain that day. I think he¡¯s a bit


    confused about his identity. Don¡¯t give him any good looks, or he won¡¯t even know who he is.¡±


    Jonathan said this as he left, not afraid of Sylvis hearing. In fact, he said it so Sylvia could hear


    When Syria and the others heard this, they rolled their eyes. Jonathan and Cyril seemed to be


    taking themselves too seriously.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your bar, I¡¯lle if I want to. Saying 1st have him in my heart is the biggest insult to me.


    Also, have you been too idletely? Your wife wants a divorce, and you don¡¯t min care, do you?¡±


    Everyone knew where it hurt, so they hurt each other. Who was afraid of whom?


    Everyone knew about the recent trouble between Jonathan and his wide.

 Chapter 209

    Chapter 209


    Chapter 209 Gift for You


    Chapter 209 Gift for You


    Jonathan¡¯s face darkened when he heard these words. The fact that these people knew about his


    family affairs made him uneasy. If they brought it up openly now, he would truly


    be astonished.


    ¡°Now you¡¯re unhappy? If you know you¡¯re unhappy, then keep your mouth shut. Do you have no


    sense of what to say and what not to say? What¡¯s going on in your head?¡±


    Juliet was not in a good mood today. Anyone who approached her received a couple of harsh


    words from her. Jonathan¡¯s face didn¡¯t look good, and he got his share of rebuke as well.


    Afterwards, he kept quiet, not daring to speak again. These people seemed to escte things with


    just a few words..


    Originally, Cyril had something to say to Sylvia, but with the situation escting, there wasn¡¯t much


    left to say. So, they all went back to their seats, but Cyril¡¯s gaze asionally


    fell on Syhria


    In the end, this situation didn¡¯tst long, mainly because Cyril kept staring at Sylvia, making


    everyone ufortable. Why was he staring at her like that? It was all in the past.


    Initially, after the encounter at the bar, Cyril might have tried to approach Sylvia again.


    Unexpectedly, for more than half a month until Bruce returned from his business trip, Cyril


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    made no moves.


    However, in this month and a half, Juliet did have some other actions. She handed in her


    resignation. When Bruce received this resignation, he didn¡¯t react much because he knew Juliet¡¯s


    background and knew she wouldn¡¯tst long in thepany anyway. So, het resignation didn¡¯t


    surprise him.


    There was no attempt to retain her, so Juliet left. She felt extremely sad. That evening, she


    attended the auction in splendid attire, looking exquisite and beautiful, causing everyone¡¯s eyes to


    linger on her.


    When Sylvia saw Juliet dressed like this, she nced at her brother subconsciously. However, she


    was a bit disappointed that her brother had no reaction, acting as if he hadn¡¯t


    noticed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think Juliet seems a bit


    seems a bit different today? Why are you so calm?¡± sylvia said, somewhat puzzled.


    Bruce, hearing Sylvia¡¯s words, nced at Juliet and nodded. ¡°She looks very beautiful today. After


    all, she¡¯s here to show her true identity, so her attire is understandable. What¡¯s wrong? Do you think


    she doesn¡¯t look good today?¡±


    Seeing Bruce¡¯s expression, Sylvia didn¡¯t know what to say Was this what he meant?


    ¡°Forget it, you never understand what I¡¯m trying to say. You¡¯ll end up lonely someday if you continue


    like this. I wonder who could tolerate your personality,¡± Sylvia said, feeling exasperated.


    Sylvia didn¡¯t bother to argue with Bruce anymore. She turned around to find Juliet, Juliet was busy


    talking to a few other people whom she had befriended. Since everyone knew Juliet¡¯s identity, they


    were quite happy chatting with her. When Sylvia walked over, Juliet and Sylvia lett to talk privately.


    Though they weren¡¯t sure about Sylvia¡¯s identity, they could guess that she was friends with Jebet.


    Her identity couldn¡¯t be that bad.


    ¡°oh, let me tell you, on my way here today, I ran into Cyril. He was dressed quite nicely. It seems he


    came for you. Did Milese today? If he did, maybe he could help you with something.¡± Juliet


    said.


    Sylvia hadn¡¯t encountered Cyril on her way here, so she didn¡¯t know about the situation Jullet


    mentioned.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we handle things ourselves? Do we really need Miles to solve everything? Besides, what


    does Cyril have to do with me now? You think too much, and maybe he came today for other


    reasons. Besides, today¡¯s auction is quite substantial¡±


    Hearing Sylvia¡¯s words, Juliet stopped talking. She seemed a bit annoyed, as if she understood


    what Syhda meant.


    ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s not a big deal. I won¡¯t sit with you today. After all, I¡¯ve revealed my identity today and


    need to entertain others. By the way, when will you reveal your identity? Many people asked me


    about you today. Since they know they can¡¯t just approach you casually, they¡¯re curious. But if they


    find out you¡¯re the future heir of the Ivan tamily, will they be shocked?


    Juliet looked at Sylvia curiously. She was quite curious about what Sylvia would say. What would


    happen when Sylvia¡¯s identity was revealed, especially to Cyril, after knowing the gem be let go of?


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that. It¡¯s a matter for the future. Besides, people want to establish good


    rtionships with you now. Why do you keep dragging me into this? Anyway, let¡¯s stop here. I¡¯ll go


    up first. My dad really likes a vase today, so my brother and I must buy it for him.¡±


    Although Juliet had decided to let go of Bruce, she still felt very sad, especially when Bruce¡¯s


    wisdom was mentioned. She seemed a bit absent¨Cminded.


    Sylvia also realized she had said something wrong and looked nervously at Juliet, hoping her words


    wouldn¡¯t cause any reaction


    Juliet smiled, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. After all, I¡¯ve already decided to let go.¡±


    Hearing juler¡¯s words, Sylvia didn¡¯t feel relieved. Instead, she became more worried. She felt


    things weren¡¯t as simple as they seemed.


    After talking for a while, when they were about to return to their seats, Cyril came over holding a


    booklet. Sylvia immediately recognized it as the booklet used for today¡¯s auction. She wondered


    why Cyril was holding it.


    ¡°Take a look and see if there¡¯s anything you want. I want to give it to you.¡±


    Cyril¡¯s woods made Sylvia stop in her tracks, looking at him strangely. She thought Cyril might be


    seriously ill today, otherwise, why would he say such a thing?

 Chapter 210

    Chapter 210


    Chapter 210 Humiliation


    Sylvie and Juliet looked at each other, both silentlymunicating with their eyes, feeling that Cyril


    today was truly reaching the peak of absurdity.


    Sylvia nced at the auction booklet in his hand and calmly withdrew her gaze.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything, and there¡¯s not much between us. So, you don¡¯t need to think about giving


    me anything. I don¡¯t need these things. If I need something, I have the capability to obtain it


    myself.¡±


    Sylvia wasn¡¯t lying. With her current wealth and status, it would be quite difficult for her not to be


    able to purchase anything here. She wasn¡¯t foolish enough to wait for gifts from others.


    Cyril remained silent, gazing at Sylvia.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy for you toe bere either. I saw a ruby ne today that I thought would look


    great on you. So, I want to give it to you, if you don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°I do mind very much, so please don¡¯t give me these things. I¡¯ll say it again, what I want, I can


    obtain through my own status and position, far better than you imagine.¡±


    Sylvia said this eamestly to Cyril, but she wondered if he believed her.


    In reality, Cyril didn¡¯t believe Syhda¡¯s words. He thought she was pretending to be strong. He didn¡¯t


    believe she didn¡¯t want these things. He really wanted to help her obtain them.


    ¡°Enough, Cyril. She doesn¡¯t want them. Why do you insist on giving them to her? After all, she¡¯s


    already the vice president of the Yuan Group. She doesn¡¯t need our things. If you give them to her


    now, she¡¯ll just see it as you hindering her rtionship with Bruce.¡±


    Jonathan, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, spoke, making his words sound irritating. They


    didn¡¯t know about the rtionship between him and Bruce, so they always thought their contact with


    Brace was for advancement. Sylvia had never bothered to exin. What was the point?


    Belief is belief, disbelief is disbelief. He never felt the need to exin to these people, because he


    no longer had any rtionship with them. What was the point of exining? It was better not to


    exin at all.


    Juliet rolled her eyes beside them.


    ¡°Are you guys crazy? Sylvia doesn¡¯t need it now, so why do you keep insisting? is it to impress


    Sylvia or to impress yourselves? When we got married, I didn¡¯t see you care so much about Sylvia.


    Howe now, when she¡¯s divorced, you suddenly remember her good qualities? Now you want to


    start making amends. Have you ever thought about what you¡¯ve done over the years? And let¡¯s not


    talk about other things. Can I just ask, can we be so presumptuous to give you things here? Do you


    take yourself so seriously?¡±


    Juliet¡¯s words sessfully silenced Jonathan because they only found out today about Juliet¡¯s other


    identity. Indeed, with Zhou Lian¡¯s identity, there was nothing difficult for her to obtain. Besides, these


    people, who had no idea of juliet¡¯s identity before, always assumed that anyone who could y with


    Sylvia wasn¡¯t of high status. They looked down on people, and only now did they realize how


    absurd their actions were


    ¡°Your presumption is quite impressive. Not only towards Bruce but even towards women, isn¡¯t it?


    Why do you still feel unsatisfied after getting Bruce? Do you need to find someone else to maintain


    your position? Syhda, you are even more disgusting than imagined. I thought tricking Cyril into


    marrying you was the most despicable thing you could do, but now you¡¯re even more detestable.¡±


    These words from Juliet were clearly meant to humiliate Sylvia. But Sylvia took it as if it didn¡¯t


    matter because she had heard too much humiliation over the years. If she took every word they


    said to heart, she would have died of anger long ago.


    Moreover, ultimately, it was because of Cyril¡¯s indulgence. If Cyril hadn¡¯t indulged in these things,


    how could they say such things in front of her?


    In the end, it was because Cyril didn¡¯t value her. If he valued her, these things wouldn¡¯t have


    happened today. In fact, even before, they wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    So, after hearing these words, Sylvia remained expressionless, just looking at Cyril. She wanted to


    see what Cyril¡¯s attitude towards these matters was. When she turned her head, she found Cyril¡¯s


    face was dark and unsightly. Both Juliet and Sylvia were stunned by his expression. It was as if they


    suddenly realized that something was wrong. Wasn¡¯t it a bit boote now?


    ¡°That¡¯s enough. Do you always humiliate Sylvia like this? you clearly know that when I married


    Sylvia, I never considered divorce.¡±


    Cyril¡¯s face became exceptionally grim because he realized that the words Jonathan used to


    humiliate Sylvia today were words he had heard before. But back then, he didn¡¯t take them too


    seriously. But now, he realized that such humiting words had been sald many times before.


    Clearly, they knew that when they got married, they never thought about divorce, But they had


    never given themselves this face, let alone Sylvia in their eyes. Was Sylvia really so cheap? Of


    course, at this moment, she suddenly realized that they thought Sylvia was cheap because of her


    attitude. Before, it was because he didn¡¯t protect her properly. Now that he knew, he would protect


    Sylvia properly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend to be affectionate here. Who are you trying to impress with this act? Now that you


    know they¡¯re humiliating Syba, what were you doing before? Did you not know anything before?


    Enough, like you, who clearly knows these things, but doesn¡¯t want to intervene. Now you realize


    how wrong they are. Do you think you have no faults at all? What kind of man ignores his wife¡¯s


    feelings?¡±


    Juliet was really fed up. She kept highlighting her loving wife here. Didn¡¯t they find it disgusting?


    Even outsiders felt a bit intolerable.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about this. Don¡¯t we have other things to do today? Don¡¯t waste time on such


    trivial matters.¡±


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeing Juliet angry, Sylda gently patted her back, asking her not to be so angry. It wasn¡¯t worth


    getting upset over such trivial matters. Sooner orter, he would realize how wrong he was,


    Chapter 501


    Chapter 501

 Chapter 211 Respect

    Chapter 211 Respect


    Usually when we meet, you mostly ignore them, but this time is even more so. It makes several


    people feel resentful inside, but they don''t know how to express it. Cyril watched Sylvia leave, finally


    lowering his head silently. The old man said nothing.


    On the contrary, Jonathan was somewhat dissatisfied. He watched Cyril staring at Sylvia''s direction


    and after snorting, said, "What''s so great about her? He''ll realize how wrong he was when he


    comes back. Do you really think he''s a good person? Bruce on the left, Miles on the right, and who


    knows how many others behind? He just thinks he''s special because he''s Balk''s sister? Is being a


    singer such a big deal after all?"


    Jonathan''s words were full of disdain and contempt for Sylvia. Cyril had heard this kind of talk


    before, but if it weren''t for these words, he didn''t think Sylvia would be so angry. But it was toote


    to say anything now because Sylvia didn''t even want to talk to him.


    "Do you think it sounds good to say such things from the past till now? If you really think these


    words sound good to you, then forget everything I''ve said."


    Cyril''s sudden defense left Jonathan stunned. He had never seen Cyril so unwilling before when he


    talked about Sylvia. How could he speak to him like this after realizing Sylvia''s difference after their


    divorce? They had been together for so many years, couldn''t theypare to Sylvia, who had only


    been married for a few years?


    "If you think she''s so good now, why didn''t you think so before?"


    Today, Jonathan seemed as displeased as if he had eaten a bullet, and Cyril only nced at him


    once, saying nothing, with an expression ofplete indifference.


    "I didn''t say anything before, but I never thought of divorcing her either."


    Saying these things now was meaningless because the concept of divorce was still divorce, and


    there was nothing else they could do. They all knew that continuing the topic would probably lead to


    an argument, and they didn''t want to fight over such things. So, they said nothing and returned to


    their respective private rooms.


    Sylvia and Juliette returned to their box, still feeling somewhat upset about what had just happened.


    "Is there something wrong with that person? Why does he keep pestering you? Does he really think


    what he''s doing now is very sincere? What''s he up to now? Isn''t it a bit toote to want to make


    amends now?"


    "Don''t worry about him. It''s not worth getting angry over someone like him. How about I bid for that


    crown you wantedter to make you happy?"


    Seeing Juliette''s annoyed expression, Sylvia smiled helplessly. She remembered there was a crown


    on the car today that Juliette liked very much. It might be a good idea to bid for it and make Juliette


    happy.


    Juliette grumbled but eventually agreed. However, neither of them noticed someone passing by


    behind them while they were talking, ncing into their box. Cyril and Jonathan were surprised to


    see Sylvia sitting with Juliette on the second floor. Thisck of status was uneptable, but


    considering Juliette''s identity, it was somewhat eptable.


    Just as they were about to return to their adjacent box, the manager came over. After greeting


    them, Jonathan curiously asked, "You rarelye up to the second floor. Why today? Is there


    something special?"


    "Yes, a big shot came to the second floor today, and the boss told me to take good care of him. So, I


    came up to see if there''s anything I can do."


    Seeing the manager''s respectful demeanor, Jonathan became curious. Who on the second floor


    could be so distinguished? Even Cyril hadn''t been up here before.


    "Who is it?"


    The manager hesitated for a moment, then mysteriously said, "It''s the legitimate heir of the Ivan


    family. I don''t know why he suddenly came today, but we got the news and have been guarding


    here."


    The manager''s words stunned them. They had always thought it was Bruce who was the heir to the


    Ivan family, but now it seemed unlikely. This made them extremely curious.


    "In that case, we won''t disturb you."


    Cyril''s thoughts were all on Sylvia now; he didn''t care who the true heir of the Ivan Group was. After


    speaking with the manager, they returned to their respective rooms. They treated what had just


    happened as a minor incident and didn''t take it to heart. Therefore, they didn''t see the manager


    knocking on Sylvia and Juliette''s box after talking to them, then entering.


    "By the way, are you really going to bid for that ruby ne to give to Sylvia? I think Sylvia''s


    personality probably won''t ept such gifts. If he really wants to ept it, it''s impossible after what


    he said earlier."


    With the incident behind them, Jonathan looked at Cyril and snorted, then continued. He wasn''t


    looking for trouble, but Sylvia''s attitude just now clearly indicated that he wouldn''t easily ept such


    a string of nes from Cyril, so it would probably be useless if Cyril insisted on giving it.


    Cyril couldn''t be unaware that if he really gave this thing away, it would probably be useless. But he


    was clear that if he didn''t do anything now, there would be nothing between him and Sylvia.


    Cyril remained silent, but his gaze was firm. With just one look, Jonathan understood his meaning


    and rolled his eyes irritably, not saying anything.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Forget it, I don''t want to talk to you about this. If you want to bid, go ahead, but Sylvia said earlier


    that he could earn enough in a short time to buy whatever he wants. If it''s fake, his good friend will


    surely buy it for him. Anyway, you''re definitely going to be aughingstock today."


    Hearing these words, Cyril felt somewhat dissatisfied. "What''s it to you?"

 Chapter 212 Auction Begins

    Chapter 212 Auction Begins


    Jonathan justughed it off; it had nothing to do with him, so he kept quiet. Speaking too much


    would only invite annoyance.


    After exchanging pleasantries, the auction officially began.


    Today''s auction was primarily rted to charity, so most people weren''t particrly concerned about


    what they could buy. After all, it was mostly about gaining face, and since it was for a good cause,


    nobody wanted to cause trouble intentionally.


    Juliette looked at the list and found it somewhatcking. To be honest, she already owned many of


    the items listed.


    "Sigh, to be honest, I didn''t even want toe. If my brother hadn''t said it would be helpful for our


    company, I wouldn''t havee."


    Juliette was serious. She had only recently epted thepany''s affairs, and there were many


    things she didn''t understand. Coming here today was not only for rxation but also to establish


    good rtions with the authorities. There were many ways to do this, but the quickest was to leave


    a good impression through charity.


    Sylvia looked earnestly at the booklet in her hand, searching for items she could use temporarily or


    gift to others.


    "This ruby bracelet is quite nice, and this diamond hairpin is also lovely and delicate. Howe you


    don''t like any of them? Well, I guess you have high standards. How about looking at something


    else? This collection has quite a high value; you could give it to your dad."


    Sylvia analyzed the items seriously, suggesting what they could buy. Juliette clicked her tongue


    twice on the side.


    "No wonder my dad and brother told me to learn more from you, but not in matters of love. Your


    mind works so fast; I didn''t expect you to have thought of so much already. Alright, let''s go with what


    you said. Let''s bid on all the items you''ve selected. But you said you''d bid for the crown for me


    earlier. You can''t go back on your word; if you do, I won''t y with you anymore."


    Sylvia couldn''t help but smile wryly. There was no need to say this. Although she had been a bit


    impulsive in matters of love, it wasn''t entirely unreasonable. She simply liked someone, and in the


    end, she paid the price, didn''t she? Of course, after experiencing all this, she didn''t want her good


    friend to go through the same thing.


    After all, anyone who has been in love knows this bitterness very well. She certainly wouldn''t take it


    any further, and Juliette, who had clearly suffered, would step back now.


    "It seems like you''ve been scheming against me behind my back. But these years, my actions have


    indeed been a bit foolish, so it''s not surprising that you would say that about me. But next time,


    please don''t tell me, the person involved, about it. It''s awkward to hear."


    Sylvia said seriously to Juliette, who chuckled a few times. Then they both focused their attention


    on the auction.


    There was a slight adjustment in the auction order, and the first item to be auctioned was the ruby


    bracelet they had been eyeing.


    Juliette spotted the bracelet immediately and became excited. She grabbed Sylvia''s hand, insisting


    on bidding for it.


    "The starting price for this ruby bracelet is two million, with increments of one million."


    Hearing the starting bid, Juliette became even more excited. Two million was nothing, so she was


    thrilled. She expressed her desire to bid for it first. However, just as she was about to do so, Cyril''s


    voice came from beside her, and he immediately raised the bid to five million.


    "What''s wrong with him? Jumping straight to five million? Does he have to win this? If he''s going to


    do this, I definitely won''t let him have it so easily."


    Juliette was speechless. After saying this, she also raised her paddle, but she wasn''t as crazy as


    Cyril; she only added another million.


    The people downstairs and around them heard the bidding. To be honest, a bracelet had already


    reached six million, which was a bit ridiculous. Moreover, it seemed inexplicable that they felt both


    sides were deliberately prolonging the bidding.


    They were all smart people and didn''t want to get involved. So, those who were going to raise their


    paddles silently put them down, waiting to see who would ultimately win.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sure enough, as soon as Juliette put down her paddle, Cyril immediately followed up, this time


    jumping to eight million, adding another two million. This infuriated Juliette. What did this mean?


    Was it intentional? If it was, she wouldn''t be polite.


    "Just you wait. Today, I must make him bleed heavily and show him that not everyone can be


    messed with."


    Juliette was serious this time, determined to bargain hard. However, this time, she increased the bid


    by another two million. These two seemed to bepeting relentlessly, and the people around


    them remained silent.


    Sylvia didn''t know what to say to the two of them. Now they were going back and forth just for a


    bracelet. It wasn''t that important; they could buy it whenever. There was no need to keep fighting


    over it here.


    But the two parties didn''t think so. They felt that if they couldn''t win this, it wouldn''t do. Eventually,


    the price unknowingly rose to twenty million.


    Seeing Juliette about to raise her paddle again, Sylvia quickly pressed her hand down.


    "Enough, don''t be impulsive. Spending so much money on such a bracelet, you really think it''s


    worth it? If I think you should have it, there''s no need, and besides, I''m not just missing this


    bracelet. There''s no need to keep fighting over it."


    "What do you know? This is about face. This ruby bracelet is no longer important; what''s important


    is that he still wants topete with me to the end. I have to show him whether I have the ability to


    keeppeting with him. If I decide today, I must win this, and it''s not about the bracelet; it''s about


    my dignity!"


    Juliette emphasized again and again that she was doing all this just to save face. After all, being


    suppressed by Cyril so much, she was a bit annoyed. So, whatever he said, she had to win this


    bracelet for herself.

 Chapter 213 Contest

    Chapter 213 Contest


    There are better ruby bracelets on the market than this one, but I''ve never seen anyone fight over


    one like this before. Everyone remained silent as the price soared, and I bet the sellers behind the


    scenes wereughing like crazy.


    Juliette''s goal this time was simple: she wanted to reim her pride, so she raised the price again.


    Sylvia couldn''t stand it anymore and raised hers too.


    "Thirty million."


    Cyril couldn''t ignore Sylvia''s voice. After she spoke, Cyril, who had been intimidating earlier, fell


    silent. It wasn''t clear if he was hesitating or doing something else. Juliette, on the other hand,


    looked at Sylvia in shock. She never expected Sylvia to raise her paddle voluntarily.


    "This is only the first item, and you''re already bidding. Isn''t this inappropriate? Besides, this contest


    of pride has nothing to do with you. It''s just that I''m a bit displeased with Cyril, and I don''t want him


    to undermine my dignity."


    Juliette quickly regained herposure and said seriously to Sylvia. She was simply annoyed that


    Cyril wanted topete with her for this item, and she didn''t want Cyril to erase her pride.


    Sylvia looked at Juliette speechlessly. They had only just begun, and Juliette was already so


    impulsive. If her brother found out about this, Sylvia wouldn''t bail her out. Juliette fell silent. She


    knew she had acted rashly, but she was annoyed. Now that Sylvia had spoken, she wouldn''t


    compete anymore. In the end, Cyril didn''t speak up again, and the ruby bracelet ended up in


    Sylvia''s hands.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeing the bracelet in Sylvia''s hands, Juliette couldn''t help but sigh. "After all the back and forth, the


    bracelet ended up with you. I guess you two are really destined for each other. Of course, if I had


    known you were going to raise your paddle to suppress Cyril, I wouldn''t have bid so high. This thing


    isn''t worth that much."


    Sylvia was speechless. Knowing it wasn''t worth that much but still bidding, she didn''t know whether


    to call Juliette childish or what.


    In the following period, Juliette and Cyril seemed to be at odds. Whatever Juliette liked, Cyril had to


    snatch, and whatever Cyril liked, Juliette had to snatch. Not only was Sylvia speechless, but even


    Jonathan, who was with Cyril, also felt speechless. Was it necessary to fight over such trivial


    things? Would they still be able to do business together after making such a scene?


    "There''s no need. Do you have to keep fighting until you''re satisfied? What''s so good about this


    thing? It''s not like there won''t be another one today. Besides, the purpose isn''t topete for these


    items with Juliette."


    Jonathan knew very well that Cyril was dissatisfied because he didn''t manage to snatch the ruby


    bracelet initially. So, he satisfied himself by going against Juliette. But neither of them seeded in


    snatching anything, and it ended up being cheap for others. Was it meaningful?


    "It was him who wanted topete with me from the beginning, and it''s still the same now. All I


    have to do is follow his lead."


    With Cyril''s words, Jonathan had nothing to say. It was unclear who wanted to snatch whose things.


    Both of them seemed to have issues.


    However, there were also times when the two of them got along peacefully. That was when Sylvia


    started bidding. Neither of them spoke up, showing that they were dissatisfied with each other. But


    Jonathan could see that neither of them had anything to say to Sylvia. They wouldn''t take the


    initiative to bid against her. They just wanted Sylvia to be satisfied first.


    Under theirpetition, many items ended up with very high prices. But neither of them had


    anything to say, as this was their goal: to raise the prices and not let the other be satisfied.


    Apart from that, there was no other reason. So, in the end, Cyril ended up with only two items, and


    Juliette was the same. But they both felt satisfied with blocking each other.


    Seeing Cyril''s expression, Jonathan rolled his eyes. He couldn''t believe Cyril was so childish.


    "I''m speechless. Do you really have to fight over such trivial things and end up with nothing in the


    end, yet you''re still so happy? I don''t know what to say to you."


    "If you don''t know what to say to me, then don''t say anything. Let''s go. Let''s go find Sylvia. I want to


    give her the item I won today."


    Cyril was a bit excited as he stood up and walked towards Sylvia''s private room. Jonathan wanted


    to stop him.


    He thought Sylvia had also auctioned off quite a few items today, so she should have money in her


    hands. Why would she care about what Cyril was going to give her?


    But if Cyril wanted to go, let him go. Let him know how ridiculous he was today.


    Sure enough, when they got there, Sylvia was already signing contracts with someone. After all,


    she had bought so many things, so she had to pay. While Sylvia was signing the contracts, she took


    out her bank card.


    Jonathan had good eyesight, and he immediately noticed that the bank card Sylvia took out was


    clearly an unlimited ck card.


    Everyone had a ck card, so it wouldn''t be strange for anyone to take one out. But it was


    surprising that Sylvia took out a ck card. They didn''t expect Sylvia to have a ck card so soon.


    They just didn''t know whose card it was.


    Sylvia noticed themotion outside, nced at it, raised her eyebrows slightly, and continued to


    pay. She wasn''t affected by them. After paying, the two outside finally walked in.


    "These are the items I won today. I remember you really liked this wooden doll, but the master who


    made it has passed away, so these items have be rare collectibles."


    Cyril took out a box containing a wooden doll. The person who made it was an internationally


    renowned master who had passed away a few years ago.

 Chapter 214 Her Identity

    Chapter 214 Her Identity


    Compared to Cyril''s nervousness, Sylvia''s reaction was much calmer as she looked at the box in


    Cyril''s hand, showing no expression.


    "No need. I wanted this thing at the time just because it was made by my grandfather. But now I''m


    not interested anymore. Besides, this was something my grandfather made for me to y with


    when I was very young. I have many of them, so you can keep this one for yourself."


    Sylvia wasn''t joking. The master who made it was her own grandfather.


    Her grandfather was a skilled artisan, so the wooden dolls he made were very famous. Many


    people wanted to get their hands on them, and many came for this item this time.


    Unexpectedly, it was taken by Cyril. However, Sylvia didn''t care who got it in the end because she


    didn''t want many of these items, including the one Cyril held. So, it wasn''t as precious to her as


    others might think.


    After ncing at it, Juliette also withdrew her gaze. She also had many items that her grandfather


    had given to them, so they weren''t particrly interested in this.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    The reason Sylvia cared so much about this item over the years was simply because several items


    had been left outside, and Sylvia wanted to reim them. There was no other meaning behind it.


    However, Cyril seemed to have misunderstood. But it didn''t matter. If Cyril thought this item was


    good, then he could keep it for himself. They didn''tck such items anyway.


    Sylvia''s casual words made Cyril stunned. He didn''t know Sylvia had such a connection with the


    master woodcarver. He suddenly felt that he knew too little about Sylvia, and it had always been like


    this.


    Cyril remained silent, and the others didn''t know what to say for a moment. Who would have


    thought that Sylvia had such a connection?


    "Even if you have this item, it''s also my token of goodwill. Will you ept it? I know we didn''t get


    along well in the past few years, but after all, we used to be husband and wife, so I..."


    Cyril didn''t expect this item to be rted to Sylvia, so he paused for a moment before continuing.


    However, the manager walked over with a box in hand and approached Sylvia with a serious


    expression.


    "Miss Ivanova, this is what you asked for. We''ve packed it for you. Do you need us to deliver it to


    your home?"


    The manager''s words shocked Cyril and Jonathan. Obviously, they didn''t expect Sylvia''s identity to


    be that of the heiress of the Ivanov family.


    "What nonsense is this? When did the Ivanov family have another heiress? Isn''t there only one


    son? Stop joking around here. Even if there really is one, how could it be Sylvia?"


    Jonathan was the first to voice his disbelief, almost jumping up.


    Julietteughed when she saw their reactions. To be honest, she quite enjoyed seeing them both


    looking so incredulous. It was quite amusing.


    "Yeah, you two don''t know much at all. Who told you that the Ivanov family only has one child?


    That''s just to protect the other children. Besides, from the beginning, the inheritance of the Ivanov


    family has been in Sylvia''s hands. It''s just that a few years ago, when Sylvia was ready to take over


    thepany, she fell for a certain person, a wolf in sheep''s clothing."


    So the time when Sylvia took over thepany was dyed, and Cyril didn''t know any of this. Cyril


    had always thought that Sylvia''s status wasn''t that high, but now he knew that Sylvia was the


    heiress of the Ivanov family, which was quite shocking.


    Everyone fell silent at Sylvia''s identity. They had never known about it before. They used to think


    that Sylvia approached Cyril for his money. Bute on, did Sylvia''s family reallyck money?


    Especially since she was the heiress, they were the ones who might be short of cash.


    Jonathan''s expression changed several times, and he didn''t know what expression to make. He had


    to look at Cyril. Cyril should know about these things. After all, they used to be husband and wife.


    But when he looked at Cyril, Cyril also wore a puzzled expression. Obviously, Cyril didn''t know


    about this either.


    "You two used to be husband and wife. You didn''t even know she was an heiress to the Ivanov


    family. What kind of joke are you ying on me?"


    Jonathan''s voice wasn''t very loud, but the room was only so big, and everyone could hear it.


    Suddenly, Cyril felt a little embarrassed.


    Yes, they had been married for so many years, and he really didn''t know that Sylvia''s identity turned


    out to be the heiress of the Ivanov family. She had always hidden her identity from him.


    But when it came to hiding, it wasn''t actually much of a secret. Thinking back on what had


    happened before, there were some clues.


    For example, many of the clothes in Sylvia''s closet had no tags, and the quality was very good and


    expensive, not something an ordinary person could afford.


    But Cyril had never thought about it before. But now, looking at those clothes that were different in


    quality without tags, they were obviously custom-made.


    And Sylvia had never told him about it.


    "Why did you hide your identity? We''ve been married for so many years. Why didn''t you tell me


    these things?"


    Cyril took a deep breath and looked at Sylvia. He really didn''t understand why Sylvia didn''t want to


    tell him these things. They were husband and wife, after all. Wasn''t there anything they couldn''t talk


    about?


    Sylvia didn''t expect her identity to be exposed so quickly, but it didn''t matter. It had been many


    years, and her identity should have been exposed long ago.


    Otherwise, when she took over thepanyter, her identity would still be exposed. It wouldn''t


    make much difference whether it was earlier orter. Sylvia didn''t care much about it.


    "Even if I really told you, would you care about these things? Didn''t you already believe from the


    beginning that I approached you for your money? So what I say is important to you?"


    Cyril fell silent. Yes, as Sylvia said, they had already believed from the beginning that Sylvia was


    only after his money.


    So no matter how much Sylvia exined, they wouldn''t believe it.

 Chapter 215 Whose Money Are You After?

    Chapter 215 Whose Money Are You After?


    As Cyril looked back on the past, every little thing appeared before him, making him feel like a


    clown, stubbornly seeing someone as having ulterior motives.


    Though he never intended to part ways with Sylvia from the start, everything he did only pushed


    them further apart. That was an undeniable fact.


    Cyril''s silence at this moment was particrly awkward. Even Jonathan, usually so talkative, didn''t


    know how to speak up now.


    "You guys hated me from the start because of my status, even went so far as to suspect me with the


    worst intentions. But now that you know my true identity, you''re speechless. Is it because you think


    I''ve been too kind to you guys, so you feel entitled to bully me like this?"


    Ever since Sylvia realized Cyril approached her hiding his identity, she had expected this. Without


    her family background, nobody would value her much. But seeing this contrast again made Sylvia


    find it all so absurd.


    "If you''d just asked me a bit more about my interests, you''d know different things. I don''t know what


    you guys were thinking, assuming I''d marry him for his money."


    Sylvia chuckled, watching them unable to speak. She didn''t feel victorious; she just felt incredibly


    sad. Over these years, her efforts meant nothing to these people.


    And at the moment her identity was exposed, she realized how wrong she was.


    So, in the end, without status, these people wouldn''t care about you.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia took a deep breath, looking at them. She remembered there were many rumors outside


    about the true heir of the Ivan family not being Bruce. Bruce didn''t deny it then, but when they


    discussed it, they found itughable. They couldn''t believe Bruce would hand over thepany to


    someone else.


    Of course, they couldn''t believe such argepany had another heir either. From what they


    knew, the Ivan family only had Bruce as a child.


    But now, they realized those rumors weren''t false.


    "Was it you who spread that rumor back then? Did you want to tell us that you''re the true heir of the


    Ivan family?" Jonathan stared at Sylvia closely, trying to read something from her face. But Sylvia''s


    reaction was too calm, she didn''t seem to care about what he said.


    "I didn''t spread that rumor. It was my brother who wanted to tell you guys my true identity, hoping


    you''d treat me better. But obviously, my brother''s approach was wrong. Not only Cyril, but even you


    continued to ignore me. Even the girls around you still looked down on me. So whether my identity


    was exposed or not doesn''t really make a difference to you."


    At this point, the others didn''t say anything more. What else could they say? They indeed


    misunderstood Sylvia.


    "It''s ridiculous. Everyone says Sylvia is after Cyril''s money, but look at Sylvia''s background. The


    inheritance she''s supposed to receive is more than Cyril''spany, right? Or even several times


    more. You''re all just greedy for money. Whose money are you really after?"


    Juliet rolled her eyes. Now that they knew Sylvia''s identity, they realized how wrong they were.


    Instead of saying Sylvia was after Cyril''s money, at this point, it would be more urate to say Cyril


    was after Sylvia''s money. Unfortunately, some people just never learn.


    Suddenly, Juliet remembered something that happened years ago, around the first time Sylvia


    reunited with Cyril.


    "Do you remember a few years ago when the Ivan Group wanted to start a resort project and was


    looking for partners? Actually, they didn''t need partners at first; the group could handle it alone. Cyril


    wanted to coborate because Sylvia and Bruce discussed it, wanting to give the project to you."


    Thinking of this, Juliet found it somewhat amusing. When everyone else was bewildered that the


    project was being given to someone else, thinking Sylvia was joking, it was Bruce standing by


    Sylvia''s side that solidified the decision.


    Of course, Cyril and his group benefited a lot from this project. After all, they could have handled it


    alone but gave it to others. So Cyril made a tidy sum from it.


    "You see, whose money are you really after? You use Sylvia of chasing after Cyril''s money, but


    the one giving you money is Sylvia. You all benefited from Cyril and Ivan Group in one way or


    another. Sylvia made all these moves over the years, which I remember clearly. But it seems you


    guys forgot everything and believed she had nothing to do with it."


    The faces of several people were somewhat embarrassed. They did belittle Sylvia and


    underestimate her. But now they realized they were the ones who werepletely wrong.


    "That project wasn''t forced on Cyril by Sylvia. If he''s willing to ept it, it''s his own problem. So why


    me others now that you''ve made money? Isn''t that being ungrateful?" Jonathan refused to admit


    he had benefited from Sylvia''s association. He even thought he could have won the project on his


    own merits.


    Seeing his stubbornness, Juliet didn''t say anything. Some people could never be awakened when


    they pretended to sleep. He clearly knew these things were beyond him and even if Sylvia wanted


    to connect with him, it would have been impossible without her. Yet now, he refused to admit it.

 Chapter 216 Years of Watching the Joke

    Chapter 216 Years of Watching the Joke


    Sylvia saw the varied expressions on each of their faces¡ªsurprise, disbelief, but none willing to


    admit they were wrong. Suddenly, Sylvia felt like her efforts over the years were nothing but a joke.


    She had helped this group around Cyril without expecting anything in return. Yet, they had all


    benefited from her over the years without a single kind word to spare for her.


    Sylvia felt it would have been better to raise a couple of stray dogs outside. Maybe those dogs


    would remember her kindness and be willing to reciprocate, unlike these people who had given her


    nothing.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "No need to say anything more to them. Since they''ve already benefited, they won''t admit they took


    shortcuts. They think they''re so powerful, but in reality, they''re nothing special."


    Sylvia''s words made their faces incredibly ugly. They had repeatedly thought they achieved


    everything on their own merits. But only now, when Sylvia spoke these words, did they realize how


    wrong they were.


    "You''re going too far! You know your identity is different from ours, yet you''ve given so much and


    refuse to say anything. Are you doing this just tough at us? To mock us after all these years? It


    must be intentional! You''re just waiting for the right moment to humiliate us!"


    Jonathan was furious, ming Sylvia for everything. He believed Sylvia''s silence led to this


    situation. If Sylvia had been willing to talk, things wouldn''t have turned out this way, and they


    wouldn''t have thought she was a vain woman. It was all Sylvia''s fault.


    Sylvia looked calmly at him, not angry. But the more calm she appeared, the more embarrassed


    Jonathan felt. He felt like his tantrum meant nothing to Sylvia, as if arguing with her was no different


    from watching a joke.


    "Is it that I''m unwilling to tell you, or you''ve never cared in the first ce?"


    Sylvia couldn''t be bothered to say more. What had she done over these years? Seeing theirck of


    memory, Sylvia wondered if it was even worth mentioning.


    "But what you said makes sense. After watching this joke for so many years, it''s no longer


    amusing."


    The difference was that for all these years, they had beenughing at her expense. Now, she was


    the oneughing at them. Wasn''t it ironic? Sylvia had hidden her identity just to get close to Cyril, to


    please him, but it hadn''t earned her a single good word.


    Perhaps she had foolishly tried to please a man who didn''t deserve it. She had given up so much


    for him, even her family, just to get his attention. But if these people had any conscience, they


    wouldn''t have spoken so harshly. Yet, these topics had revolved around her for years. Sylvia could


    even imagine what would happen when her identity was officially revealed.


    "Now that everything''s been said, there''s nothing more to discuss. You''veughed at me for so


    many years, and now it''s my turn tough at you. Are you unhappy about that?"


    Sylvia smiled wryly at them. Seeing them unable to speak, she instructed her manager to finish


    signing the contracts and arranging payments. After that, she would prepare to leave.


    As she prepared to leave, Cyril still stood there, seemingly intent on bothering Sylvia. Now that he


    knew her identity, was he nning to pester her?


    "Has Miles already found out about your identity? Did you tell him?"


    Cyril suddenly remembered the strange look Miles had given him not long ago. He instinctively


    thought of this, wondering what could have made Miles react like that. Perhaps he had already


    learned about Sylvia''s identity, but why?


    They had been together for so many years, yet Sylvia had never told him directly. It had always


    been hints and suggestions.


    But those hints were so subtle that if one didn''t think carefully, they wouldn''t realize it. It was only


    now, after so many years, that Cyril realized Sylvia had hinted at it from the beginning.


    Sylvia looked at Cyril strangely, as if she couldn''t understand what he was thinking. Then she


    suddenly understood and smiled.


    "It''s quite interesting. I didn''t directly tell Miles about my identity, but he figured it out on his own."


    Sylvia watched as Cyril''s expression grew uglier by the moment, feeling somewhat satisfied.


    "You probably didn''t expect it, but Miles''s brain is much sharper than yours. Many people who''ve


    seen us together, after meeting Bruce, always ask if we''re siblings."


    Not for any other reason, but simply because they looked so alike that many people subconsciously


    thought they were rted.


    Yet, they had never revealed their identities publicly. So, everyone only knew that the Ivan Group


    had one heir, but in reality, there were four children.


    Seeing Cyril still unable to speak, Sylvia felt quite pleased. Then she continued, "Do you know why


    Karina has always targeted me over the years? It''s because she once noticed how much I resemble


    my brother. So, she suspected if we were rted. She guessed right."


    Cyril''s expression now looked even worse because he didn''t know about this at all, and the fact that


    even Karina knew surprised him.


    "You probably didn''t expect Karina to be smarter than you. And many people, after meeting me and


    Bruce, always ask if we''re siblings."


    They looked so alike that many people subconsciously thought they were rted. But they had


    never revealed their identities, so everyone only knew about one heir of the Ivan Group.


    Seeing Cyril still unable to speak, Sylvia felt quite pleased. Then she continued, "The first time we


    met wasn''t when I saved you. We first met when we were seven years old. At that time, I was


    kidnapped because someone leaked my identity. You happened to pass by and called the police. Of


    course, now that you''ve received arge sum as a reward, it''s considered repaying your debt. Even


    if it wasn''t enough, everything I''ve done since then has been to repay you for saving my life."

 Chapter 217 Big Brother

    Chapter 217 Big Brother


    Everything Sylvia said, Cyril had already forgotten. He genuinely couldn''t recall the events she


    mentioned, not even the suggestion to call the police.


    "Talking about this now won''t change anything since you don''t remember anything anyway."


    Sylvia waved her hand, too tired to continue.


    Juliet nced at the time impatiently, urging Sylvia to hurry.


    "Hurry up, I just got word that your brother ising. I really don''t want to see himtely. Hurry, we


    need to leave before he shows up, or I''ll lose my temper."


    Juliet''s urgency prompted Sylvia to quickly gather her things. Just as they were about to leave, Cyril


    came down from upstairs. Clearly, he had something to say to Sylvia, but she had lost patience.


    "He''s so annoying. Why does he have so much to say now? He never used to talk this much. Your


    judgment is seriously wed."


    Juliet''s resentful gaze made Sylvia feel unjustly med. But Sylvia couldn''t say anything. After all,


    Bruce was her big brother. Since Bruce rejected Juliet, she took her frustration out on Sylvia.


    "This has nothing to do with me. I''m not the one asking him to bother me. Is it fair to me me like


    this? Besides, my brother is already here, so we can''t avoid him."


    Juliet widened her eyes upon hearing Sylvia''s words. Following Sylvia''s gaze, she spotted Bruce


    not far ahead. His expression changed a few times before settling into indifference.


    "It''s not a big deal. He and I aren''t close anyway. It''s just that his confession failed. There''s nothing


    to worry about. Besides, apart from work, he doesn''t have anything else on his mind."


    Although Juliet said this, Sylvia could sense her sadness. After all these years, even working as his


    assistant in thepany was just to get Bruce to notice her. But Bruce never seemed to realize


    Juliet''s feelings.


    "That''s not entirely true. Over the years, my brother has been quite concerned about you. Maybe


    what you said shocked himst time, and he asked you to reconsider. You need to remember that


    your identity is different, and if you''re just ying around, what will happen? You know my brother


    always takes things seriously. If he thinks you''re just ying around, he won''t agree. So, think


    carefully before you speak. What if my brother actually likes you?"


    Sylvia tried to defend her big brother, but she was actually cursing him in her heart. How could


    Bruce not see the obvious? He thought he was so clever, but how smart was he really? None of this


    made any sense.


    Juliet huffed and said nothing, still feeling upset.


    While they were talking, Bruce had already gotten out of the car. When he saw Sylvia, he walked


    straight past her as if she wasn''t there, heading towards Juliet.


    Completely ignored from start to finish, Sylvia didn''t know what to say. Howe Juliet was the


    only one in his eyes? Did she not exist as his sister? Without her, where would Juliet go?


    "Don''t you have anything to say to me?"


    Bruce stared at Juliet intently. After Juliet snorted and shook her head, saying she had nothing left


    to say, Bruce suggested they schedule a time to talk if there were any differences between them.


    He doubted they had much to discuss.


    With a professional tone, Juliet replied, making Bruce chuckle. It seemed like he only just realized


    his sister was there.


    Seeing Sylvia give a subtle nce, Bruce also noticed Cyril following behind them. But right now,


    Cyril wasn''t the focus.


    "He''s learning all this from you. You''ve been by my side for so many years, teaching him all this.


    Why can''t you teach him anything good?"


    Sylvia widened her eyes in disbelief. What did Bruce mean by ming her for Cyril''s behavior? It


    had nothing to do with her! But she couldn''t say anything.


    "Big brother, if you have other matters to discuss, I can understand, but I won''t ept responsibility


    for this. It''s not my fault."


    Sylvia felt indignant. How could she be med for something like this? It had nothing to do with her.


    Juliet saw Sylvia getting scolded by Bruce and felt dissatisfied. She stepped forward and pushed


    Sylvia, but Sylvia didn''t budge. Surprised by Juliet''s sudden move, Sylvia felt something different.


    "I think you two..." Sylvia''s gaze shifted between her big brother and Juliet, hoping to spot


    something different about them.


    But one was clearly angry while the other''s expression gave nothing away. Sylvia silently cursed her


    cunning big brother.


    Despite being so well hidden, Sylvia couldn''t help but wonder if there was more to thatst action.


    But she didn''t dwell on it. These things weren''t worth worrying about. Just then, Cyril approached.


    Bruce''s expression changed slightly as he looked at him.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Why are you here? Haven''t you bothered my sister enough over the years, even after divorcing


    her? Are you still going after my sister? Aren''t you a bit too greedy?"

 Chapter 218 Shameless

    Chapter 218 Shameless


    Although Bruce didn''t know that Sylvia''s identity had been exposed, he felt that if he didn''t reveal his


    sister''s identity, this man might continue to be shameless.


    Feeling tightness in his throat from being spoken to like this, Cyril finally found his voice after a


    moment.


    "I didn''t mean that. I didn''t mean that before. I just wanted to have a chat with you."


    Seeing this, Bruce realized that Sylvia probably knew about her own identity. Since Sylvia showed


    no reaction, Bruce knew she didn''t care. He looked at Cyril and smiled mockingly, thinking there


    was nothing left to talk about between them. They had nothing to talk about then, and even less


    now.


    "What else do we have to talk about? Do you think I didn''t see what you did to my sister over the


    years? Our family didn''t agree when my sister wanted to marry you. If it weren''t for thinking you


    were decent, my sister wouldn''t have convinced us. Now that I''m divorced, stop doing these


    disgusting things."


    When Sylvia decided toe back, they actually wanted to expose Sylvia''s identity. However,


    Sylvia felt that since she hadn''t achieved anything yet, revealing her identity might not be epted


    by thepany, so she had been hiding it. But now there was no need to hide it anymore.


    Sylvia''s recent achievements were impressive enough to silence those people.


    Bruce nced at Cyril and the group behind him and chuckled. "You guys are really a bunch of


    friends. No wonder you''re so shameless. You all do the same things. Alright, today my sister is


    probably upset because of you, so I hope you stop bothering her."


    Being reprimanded like this made several people feel embarrassed, but they didn''t know what to


    say because they hadn''t forgotten what they did to Sylvia in previous years.


    Seeing that Sylvia probably had something else to say to Bruce, Juliet greeted Sylvia and prepared


    to leave. But this time, they hadn''te for Sylvia. Bruce saw Juliet leaving and chased after her,


    completely ignoring the car he had driven.


    Seeing the two of them, one running and the other chasing, Sylvia''s mouth twitched. She was sure


    that her earlier feeling wasn''t wrong; these two definitely had some issues, although Juliet hadn''t


    noticed anything. Bruce was too blinded to see anything besides what he wanted to see.


    After thinking for a while, Sylvia took out her phone and sent a message to her father, indicating that


    Bruce might be busytely and somepany matters needed his attention.


    Of course, her father wasn''t happy about it. He had finally gotten a break, so why did he have to


    deal withpany matters? Were his kids ipetent? Since they werepetent, why did he


    have to do it?


    Sylvia exined that Bruce was likely going to reconcile with his wife now. Seeing this message,


    Stanford reluctantly agreed to what Sylvia said.


    After doing all this, Sylvia felt much better. Although she wasn''t happy to see Cyril today, she felt


    better after seeing what happened between her big brother and Juliet.


    After putting away her phone, Sylvia called her brother''s assistant toe and take away his car.


    She just left without even caring about the car.


    Sylvia leisurely prepared to drive home, but Cyril kept blocking her, refusing to let her go.


    Just now, he had been mocked by his own big brother, and now he continued to block her way,


    asking to talk. Cyril''s thick skin really was unmatched.


    "I have something to tell you. Can you not rush to leave?"


    "I have nothing to say to you. Do you think my brother''s words weren''t enough? I have other


    brothers, too. Should I have them all call you one by one and give you a lesson?"


    Sylvia said while taking out her phone, ready to make calls. Cyril grabbed Sylvia''s wrist, stopping


    her.


    "Can''t we calm down and talk properly? Why does everything have to turn out like this?"


    Every time they met, Cyril would say something like this, but what exactly was there to talk about


    between them? Sylvia rolled her eyes.


    "No, there''s nothing I need to talk to you about. I have an appointment to meet someone else. Do


    you know that because of you, it''s hard for me to continue my rtionship with them? I''m so rich, so


    good-looking, and I still can''t find another man. You''re really annoying."


    Feeling annoyed, Sylvia began to think of ways to escape. Just then, her phone rang, and when she


    saw it was a call from Miles, she felt relieved. Thankfully, this call came just in time; otherwise, who


    knows how long she would have been stuck with Cyril.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    As soon as the call was connected, Jimmy''s crying could be heard from the other end. Sylvia


    immediately asked, "What''s wrong? Did something happen to Jimmy?"


    "Auntie, I want to see you. Can youe and y with me? My dad is about to beat me to death."


    Sylvia looked puzzled. "About to beat you to death? Where did you get this phone from? Why do I


    feel like you never tell the truth?" But she nced at Cyril and decided to go along with Jimmy''s


    story.


    "Of course, I can. Where are you now? Auntie wille find you right away. Don''t worry, if Ie,


    your dad won''t say anything to you."


    "Okay, Auntie. I''ll send you the address now. Do you want my dad toe pick you up? If my dad


    comes to pick you up, he''ll definitely let me off. Please, Auntie."


    Sylvia couldn''t help but smile wryly. "No need. If your dades to pick me up, it will take longer.


    Just have your dad send me the address, and I''lle right away. And stop crying. You don''t sound


    like you''re really crying."


    Jimmy''s voice instantly became a little embarrassed because he hadn''t expected his disguise to be


    seen through by Sylvia.


    "Okay, Auntie. I''ll send you the address. Pleasee quickly, Auntie. I''ve prepared lots of delicious


    food for you at home."


    Hearing Jimmy''s voice, Sylvia smiled. It was better to stop pretending. After hanging up the phone,


    she quickly received the address and then received a call from Miles again.

 Chapter 219 Resolved

    Chapter 219 Resolved


    When Miles called, Cyril had just walked up to Sylvia. He could hear Miles speaking to Sylvia in an


    unusually gentle tone.


    The thought that Miles knew Sylvia''s identity before him ignited a fire in Cyril''s heart. Why did Miles


    know something Cyril didn''t? Even though Sylvia was reluctant to admit it, Cyril couldn''t help but


    wonder what made Miles so special.


    In life, there''s supposed to be an order, but Miles got something Cyril had never gotten before.


    But Cyril knew he couldn''t say anything now. If he said anything to upset Sylvia, he would truly get


    nothing, and their rtionship wouldn''t progress any further.


    The reason for Miles''s call was simple: to exin why he suddenly called Sylvia. Sylvia was quite


    understanding because she knew what was on a child''s mind. Since she had promised the child,


    she wouldn''t go back on her word. Besides, she hoped this opportunity would help her escape.


    The call with Miles onlysted about a minute. After hanging up, Sylvia got into her car, leaving her


    big brother''s car behind. Someone woulde for itter.


    "Aren''t you leaving just like that? Your big brother''s car is still here. Aren''t you afraid of leaving his


    car here? What if something happens and you can''t exin?"


    Seeing Sylvia about to leave, Cyril suddenly felt anxious. He didn''t want Sylvia to leave like this.


    Suddenly, he had a feeling that after Sylvia''s identity was revealed, if she left like this now, he


    wouldn''t know when they would meet again.


    Sylvia didn''t turn back to look at Cyril. If he didn''t want her to leave, then why was he still here?


    After all, Juliet and her big brother had already left, so there was no need to waste any more words


    on Cyril.


    "I''m not always here. What''s the problem with leaving his car here? Besides, we have plenty of cars


    at home. Moneyes and goes. Compared to what''sing next, I think a car is insignificant."


    Hearing Sylvia''s words, Cyril was unusually silent. With Sylvia''s changed identity, he wouldn''t insist


    on taking the car. Even if the car was driven away by someone else now, they could still retrieve it if


    they wanted to. So there was no need for Cyril to worry.


    Cyril remained silent, not knowing what else to say. After waiting for a while and seeing that Cyril


    had nothing to say, Sylvia decided not to say anything more. It was better not to say anything.


    "It seems like you have nothing more to say. That''s fine. But there''s one thing I want to tell you all:


    don''t bother me anymore. You should have realized by now that our identities are different. Now that


    we all know this, just be honest and don''te to bother me anymore. I''m not someone you can


    just casually mess with."


    After saying this, Sylvia turned and left quickly, as if she didn''t want to have any rtionship with


    men.


    As she drove to Miles''s ce, she was surprised by the elegant surroundings of the area. This was


    where the wealthy lived, but they were all very low-key. The houses here had front and backyards.


    When she arrived, she found the front and backyards very beautiful, clearly not just decorated


    recently.


    As she admired the decoration style, Sylvia couldn''t help but wonder how long it took to renovate all


    this.


    As she observed, footsteps came from the building. Obviously, these footsteps belonged to Jimmy.


    Sylvia couldn''t help but smile at the sight.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "Sis, you''re finally here! I thought you''d nevere. What are you looking at? The yard outside?


    Let me show you. My dad nted a lot of flowers here, and there are many flowers in the backyard


    too. I''ve always wanted to tell my dad to keep two dogs here, but he says having dogs isn''t fun and


    won''t let me keep them. He says if I want to keep them, I have to share half of my meals. I don''t


    want to."


    Hearing Jimmy''s somewhatining voice, Sylviaughed. To be honest, this kind of thing


    seemed like something Miles would do. Seeing Sylvia, Jimmy was very excited, holding Sylvia''s


    hand and showing her around, not wanting Sylvia to see anything different about his home.


    Sylvia cooperated very well, taking a serious look around the yard.


    "Your family''s yard is decorated very nicely. It didn''t just happen in the past couple of months, did


    it?"


    Curious, Sylvia asked casually.


    Jimmy nodded, confirming that it wasn''t recent: "Dad wanted toe back a couple of years ago,


    but the house wasn''t fully renovated at that time, so it took a bit longer. Everything has been


    prepared in the past couple of years. How about it? Isn''t it beautiful? Let me take you to my room.


    There''s something really fun in there that you haven''t seen before."


    Just as Jimmy finished speaking, his excited attitude suddenly disappeared, because he suddenly


    remembered Sylvia''s identity. Sylvia, with her identity, must have seen everything he had. But Sylvia


    didn''t show any disinterest because she had seen or possibly seen his things before.


    "I thought you were going to show me around. Why are you still here? Let''s go. Let''s see what''s so


    good that you can''t stop thinking about it."


    Seeing this, Sylvia couldn''t help but feel a bit bemused. What good thing could there be that made


    Jimmy so eager?


    They entered Jimmy''s room, where Jimmy led Sylvia to the next room. When she opened the door,


    Sylvia saw that the entire wall was covered with his collection of racing car models and various


    books.


    To be honest, Sylvia was extremely surprised to see threerge bookshelves filled with serious


    literature books in a child''s room. And the racing car models on the other side were also very


    exquisite and beautiful, with no dust on them, indicating regr maintenance.

 Chapter 220 Cyril Again

    Chapter 220 Cyril Again


    After visiting Jimmy''s room, Miles finally finished his tasks and came downstairs. When he saw


    Sylvia and Jimmy sitting on the floor ying games, he was quite surprised.


    "I thought you wouldn''t bothering when Jimmy messaged and called you," Miles said casually,


    handing an apple to Sylvia, who shook her head in refusal as she was busy with the game.


    Sylvia''s eyes were fixed on therge screen in front of her. She replied, "I wasn''t nning toe,


    but Jimmy was just too enthusiastic. Besides, being pestered by someone can be quite endearing.


    So I thought it wouldn''t hurt toe. If I didn''te, I wouldn''t have seen how beautifully you''ve


    decorated your ce. When are you nning to have a party?"


    "No need for a party. We haven''t done much decoration at home, so there''s no need to fuss over it.


    But what happened today? It couldn''t be just because of Jimmy''s casual remarks that you decided


    toe, right? You''re not someone who easily epts invitations from others."


    Miles couldn''t believe that Sylvia came just because of Jimmy''s invitation. There must have been


    something else, but he couldn''t figure out what it was.


    Before Sylvia could answer, Miles guessed, "Is it Cyril? Besides him, I can''t think of anyone else


    who would make you suddenly want toe over to y. You''re not someone who would ept


    random invitations."


    Hearing Miles''s words, Sylvia''s game control went awry, and Jimmy easily defeated her character.


    Jimmy was ecstatic, while Sylvia looked at Miles with a hint of reproach. Seeing this, Miles quickly


    raised his hands in surrender.


    "Sorry, I didn''t realize that. Let me help you get back. I didn''t expect such a big reaction from you. If


    you don''t want to talk about it, there''s no need. I just mentioned it casually."


    "Of course, you just mentioned it casually, but what you said is true. The reason I came back here,


    besides Jimmy, is indeed because Cyril has been bothering me to no end. Today, I apanied


    Juliet to an auction, and Cyril happened to expose my identity there. His attitude and actions were


    disgusting."


    Now that Miles understood the situation, he wasn''t too surprised. Cyril''s attitude would definitely


    change after Sylvia''s identity was exposed. But this exposure would also bring trouble for Sylvia, as


    Cyril wouldn''t let it go easily. Sylvia might face even more trouble in the future.


    "Have you thought about cutting ties with Cyril?" Miles carefully chose his words, probing.


    "What a joke! Of course, I want to cut ties with Cyril, but he''s like a piece of chewing gum that you


    can''t get rid of. He''s really getting on my nerves."


    This was true. Sylvia had tried everything to avoid any rtionship with Cyril, but unfortunately, no


    matter what she did, Cyril always appeared. Whether intentional or not, seeing him always ruined


    her mood. So trying topletely sever ties with Cyril was not an easy task.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    And now, with her identity fully exposed, Cyril would have more things to do. He might take this


    opportunity to cause even more trouble for Sylvia.


    "What can I do to help you?" Sylvia''s expression became even more puzzled when she heard


    Miles''s question. She even forgot about the game. Jimmy also heard his dad''s words and stared at


    him with wide eyes. In the next moment, he felt that he shouldn''t be here in this situation.


    So he put down the game controller and immediately ran out, saying he wanted to y something


    else. But in fact, the adults had already seen through him; he just cleared the room for them.


    "Don''t say such things in front of children again. I''ll take it as a one-time thing. Don''t do it again,"


    Sylvia smiled, not taking Miles''s words seriously. She didn''t consider Miles''s offer as something she


    really needed help with.


    "Just felt like you were really troubled by this, so he wanted to help you solve it. If you don''t need it,


    just forget we ever talked about it. You don''t need to worry about any trouble."


    Miles''s face looked sincere, but there was something off about it. After thinking for a moment, Sylvia


    tentatively asked, "Honestly, are you joking with me? Are you trying to pursue me?"


    Sylvia didn''t mean to be narcissistic, but she found Miles''s actions extremely strange. She had


    learned a lot about Miles recently, and he wasn''t someone she could easily get in touch with. So his


    actions were indeed very strange.


    After hearing Sylvia''s question, Miles chuckled, "So you finally realized it. I always felt like I wasn''t


    obvious enough, and you never noticed. Now that you''ve noticed, I feel relieved. I''ve always wanted


    to pursue you."


    Sylvia widened her eyes in disbelief. She had always thought her feelings were misced.


    Otherwise, why would she think Miles wanted to pursue her? Now that Miles had said it, she felt


    incredibly shocked and couldn''t speak for a while.


    "Are you kidding me?" It took Sylvia a while to find her voice again. She felt like this whole situation


    was too surreal.


    "Was it him who joked with you before? I never joke about these things. You can think about it


    carefully. Of course, I''m just saying you need to think carefully; you don''t need to give me an answer


    right away. I think you''ve only just realized that I want to pursue you, so that''s my attitude. I''ll be


    more obvious."

 Chapter 221 Winning Her Back

    Chapter 221 Winning Her Back


    At this moment, Sylvia felt like she had walked into a wolf''s den, feeling incredibly awkward all over.


    If she hadn''t asked so many questions earlier, maybe she wouldn''t be feeling this awkward now. But


    Sylvia felt that if she hadn''t spoken up, Miles would have said these things sooner orter.


    But when Miles said he wanted to pursue her, she didn''t feel particrly repulsed. Perhaps this was


    just the difference between people. If Cyril had said the same thing, she would have definitely been


    disgusted.


    Sylvia didn''t say anything, and Miles realized that his words just now might have been a bit too


    forward, leaving Sylvia unsure of how to respond.


    So Miles smiled and said, "Sorry, maybe I''ve caused you trouble. That wasn''t my intention. If my


    words have caused you trouble, just pretend you never heard them. I don''t want to make you


    ufortable or force you into anything. Wanting to pursue you is just my personal thought."


    Miles''s guilt didn''t seem fake, and seeing the expression on his face, Sylvia felt somewhat relieved.


    She couldn''te up with a clear stance right now.


    "It''s nothing. Your sudden confession just startled me. But please don''t bring up such things again in


    the future. Oh, by the way, are you taking Jimmy out to yter?"


    "Nah, I''ve grounded him. He got hold of my phone and deliberately messaged you, causing all this


    trouble. He thought I''d let him off the hook once you came over. But I''ve made him stay home and


    behave. So, I won''t be taking him out."


    Miles rubbed his temples, feeling a bit frustrated. He couldn''t understand why his nephew, who was


    his brother''s son, was causing so much trouble. Back in his day, they never caused such problems.


    Of course, now his nephew had be his son.


    "Maybe he''s trying to get your attention this way. Kids his age can be very picky. But things will get


    better after a while. What do you think?"


    Sylvia hadn''t raised children herself, but she used to love kids and wanted one of her own. Now


    seeing Jimmy, she couldn''t help but imagine. Kids his age are probably noisy and mischievous.


    Milesughed at Sylvia''s words, acknowledging the truth. Kids at this age could be quite a handful.


    "Though they can be mischievous at this age, I really can''t stand it. The teacher keeps calling me


    every other day to report something he''s done, either breaking school property or bullying a


    ssmate. I''ve been going to the school more oftentely because of his antics."


    So this time, he had to discipline Jimmy a bit to show him that he couldn''t keep causing trouble.


    Sylviaughed, finding kids at this age really cute.


    Seeing Sylvia smile, Miles''s lips curved up slowly. "Though he can''t go out, would you like to have


    dinner with me? Would you give me that chance?"


    "I wonder whose chance you''re talking about. Is it for you or for the pursuer?" Sylvia made a


    distinction. After all, these were twopletely different attitudes. If it was from a pursuer, Sylvia


    might refuse, but if it suited Miles, then she didn''t have any reason to refuse. After all, if you were


    invited to someone''s home for dinner, could you still refuse anything?


    Miles hesitated for a moment, then smiled. "Which identity would you refuse? Then I won''t choose


    that identity. So now, I''m inviting you to dinner as your partner. Would you like to?"


    In this case, Sylvia naturally agreed. So they went out together, leaving Jimmy behind. When Jimmy


    wanted to ask about the oueter, the butler informed him that Miles and Sylvia had already


    left. Jimmy felt a bit unhappy; the butler didn''t say anything, thinking if he had really brought you


    along, it probably wouldn''t have worked out.


    ---


    After leaving the auction, Cyril went straight back to thepany. He locked himself in his office


    untilte at night, making everyone in thepany feel oppressed.


    Even though Cyril didn''t let anyone enter his office, everyone could feel the pressure emanating


    from him.


    Even Jonathan, who came today, left with a serious expression, leaving everyone feeling uncertain.


    They didn''t know what had happened, so no one dared to bother Cyril at this time.


    In the evening, Jonathan came again. When he saw Cyril still in the same position, sitting in his


    chair, he couldn''t help but feel angry. Was Cyril really struggling here because of Sylvia? Did he


    really think Sylvia could see him here feeling sorry for her?


    Indeed, none of them had discovered Sylvia''s identity before. Now that it was exposed, it was


    indeed difficult to ept. But Cyril''s attitude really made him wonder if it was necessary.


    Seeing Sylvia''s attitude today, she clearly didn''t care about what Cyril was thinking. But now Cyril


    seemed unable to recover.


    "I want to win her back."


    Cyril suddenly spoke these words, startling Jonathan. Now he wanted to win Sylvia back. Then


    what was he doing before? Oh wait, he did have such thoughts before, but he had never expressed


    them so clearly. Now suddenly expressing them like this really made people doubt his motives.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "You have to exin to me clearly. Do you want to win Sylvia back because you still have feelings


    for her, or is it because of Sylvia''s identity? If it''s because of Sylvia''s identity, I don''t think you need


    to do this anymore. Sylvia''s identity definitely won''t look at you."

 Chapter 222 A Slap

    Chapter 222 A p


    "Yeah, what the guy said was harsh, but it''s true. Sylvia probably wouldn''t even look at Cyril with her


    status. If she was interested, she would''ve shown it by now. Now that she''s about to be the


    heir to Ivan Group, this news will probably spread soon. Cyril wanting to pursue Sylvia and win her


    back at this point? That''s just wishful thinking. Normal people wouldn''t consider getting back with


    Cyril, especially now."


    The main goal for Cyril now must be inheriting thepany. But during this time, Cyril will face


    more obstacles, like Miles.


    Jonathan looked at Cyril expressionlessly, reluctant to crush him but had to speak the truth.


    "Firstly, you need to understand one thing: you two are divorced, and Sylvia has no feelings for you.


    Secondly, you have a powerful rival in Miles. Any sane person would choose him over you. It''s not


    that I''m not on your side, but that''s just how it is."


    Of course, Jonathan didn''t want Cyril to pursue Sylvia again. If they got back together, Cyril would


    have to deal with Sylvia''s conflicts, which wouldn''t be easy.


    There''s another possibility: Cyril might choose to help Sylvia without hesitation since it''s hard to win


    her back. But Sylvia won''t agree to Cyril.


    "You should know Sylvia won''t agree to you. Why bother? You''re just trying to make yourself feel


    better. Waiting until her identity is exposed to pursue her? She''ll definitely think you''re after her


    status. And Sylvia''s friends all dislike you. Not to mention, you haven''t even sorted things out with


    her brother, Bruce."


    It''s wishful thinking to believe that just saying you want to win someone back will make it happen.


    Why didn''t Cyril do anything earlier? Can''t he see Bruce''s attitude?


    "Forget it, if you want to pursue her, go ahead. But you won''t seed. It''s not me discouraging you;


    it''s the reality. Sylvia''s attitude today should be clear enough."


    Cyril''s subordinates are not fools; they can see Sylvia''s attitude. Cyril feels even more upset


    because he knows if he tries to reconcile with Sylvia now, his family won''t object, but Sylvia will.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    With everything that happened to Sylvia before, she definitely won''t agree to reconcile. Cyril knows


    this, but he can''t ept it.


    "Forget it, think it over yourself. If I were Sylvia, I wouldn''t look back. It''s not that I''m not on your


    side, it''s just the truth. Let''s go, I heard Sylvia and Miles are having dinner together. You need to


    understand your situation first."


    Though Jonathan didn''t want to help Cyril, he still understood Sylvia''s recent attitude. He didn''t want


    to provoke Sylvia and bring trouble upon himself.


    When Miles appeared, Cyril couldn''t sit still and immediately stood up, forgetting about the


    company''s matters.


    Jonathan was surprised to see Cyril so agitated. He had never seen Cyril so upset before,


    especially over Sylvia. But it wasn''t entirely unexpected. After all, he wanted to win Sylvia back and


    had to first understand his rival.


    ---


    As they arrived at the restaurant, Cyril''s expression turned sour. The reason? The restaurant was a


    couples'' spot, and inside, they saw Miles and Sylvia.


    Jonathan awkwardly scratched his nose. He didn''t realize Sylvia and Miles woulde here for


    dinner. If he knew they chose a romantic spot, he wouldn''t have brought Cyril.


    "Should we reconsider and not go over?"


    Before Jonathan could finish, Cyril rushed over as if he had discovered something significant. He


    hadn''t realized what was happening when he saw Bonnie with a hand on her face, looking at Sylvia


    in disbelief, seemingly unable to believe Sylvia had hit her.


    Cyril went over to Bonnie, who felt relieved when she saw her brother and sought refuge in him.


    "What''s so great about you? People outside think you''re so amazing, yet here you are, chasing after


    my brother and now another man. Howe I never realized you''re such a disgusting person?"


    Bonnie saw her brother approaching from afar and felt proud of herself.


    But when Cyril saw his sister here, he knew trouble was brewing. Sure enough, she had caused


    trouble again. He wanted to win Sylvia back, but how could he manage that when he couldn''t even


    handle family matters?

 Chapter 223 Making a Scene

    Chapter 223 Making a Scene


    Sylvia had been itching to do something for a while, but she never had the chance. Now, this person


    had practically handed her the opportunity to p him, and Sylvia couldn''t be happier.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Miles, sitting beside her, was surprised. In all the time he''d known Sylvia, he''d never seen her act


    like this. Now, when she finally did, the person on the receiving end turned red with embarrassment.


    At first, Miles didn''t know who the person was, but after hearing what he said, Miles quickly figured it


    out. Most likely, this person was Cyril''s sister.


    Both of them stared at Bonnie, but nobody spoke. Until Cyril approached, his expression ugly.


    Bonnie thought her brother hade to help her and didn''t realize he was about to p her until it


    was toote.


    Bonnie looked at her brother in disbelief. She never expected him to hit her again for this woman!


    "I''m your sister! Is it appropriate for you to keep bullying me for this woman? I''ll tell Mom about what


    you did today. She won''t let you off!"


    "Go ahead, tell her. Let''s see who won''t let who off!"


    Cyril was now in charge of thepany, and nobody could refute him, not even their mother.


    Besides, Cyril saw Bonnie making a scene, so he had to discipline her. If she got into trouble, it


    would be his fault. What did it have to do with Sylvia anyway?


    Cyril didn''t intend to speak up for Bonnie. After pping her, he remained silent, warning her with


    his eyes. Sometimes, Cyril felt he had done enough for his sister, but her behavior had nothing to


    do with him now.


    "Sorry, I didn''t expect him to cause you trouble. Let me take him away. Although we have nothing to


    do with each other anymore, I think we deserve a chance to start over."


    Cyril turned to Sylvia, seeking her approval. Before Sylvia could respond, Bonnie couldn''t hold back.


    "Are you crazy, brother? You want to reconcile with her again? Have you even considered our


    family? Besides, she was the one who did wrong first. She''s done so many bad things, why should


    she be allowed back into our family? She has nothing now, but she''s got her current position by


    cozying up to men. Why should she be allowed back?"


    Cyril didn''t care about Bonnie''s words. He kept his eyes on Sylvia, waiting for her response. Sylvia


    smiled, whether it was mocking Bonnie''s words or something else was unclear.


    "It''s clear our rtionship ended long ago. Since then, there''s been no chance for us to start over.


    So, whatever you just said, I''ll pretend I didn''t hear it. You don''t need to tell me anything."


    Sylvia looked at Bonnie, her expression implying that Cyril should deal with his own sister. If Sylvia


    had to handle Bonnie, it wouldn''t end with just a p.


    Cyril realized how embarrassing his sister was acting. He knew too well how she''d achieved her


    aplishments abroad¡ªthrough cheating or unting her achievements. He had nothing to be


    proud of.


    "Enough with this embarrassing scene. Don''t think people don''t know what you do outside. You''d be


    ashamed if you knew. "


    Cyril''s words were threatening, and Bonnie was angry but couldn''t say anything. She just stood


    there, feeling humiliated. But she couldn''t deny that Cyril''s words were true. She was silently


    nning how to deal with Sylviater.


    "Are you done? Then leave. You''re really bothering everyone here."


    Sylvia spoke earnestly, and Cyril didn''t know how to respond.


    "Oh, I forgot to mention, this hotel is ours. If you keep causing trouble here, I might have to cklist


    you. You know what that means¡ªall our hotels and restaurants won''t wee you anymore. Have


    you considered the consequences?"


    Sylvia kindly reminded them. She wanted to tell Cyril not to struggle anymore or act recklessly. Cyril


    could hear the warning in Sylvia''s words, and his expression darkened.


    "I got it."


    Cyril left with Bonnie, who was still nning her next move. Once they were gone, the anger


    disappeared from Sylvia''s face, leaving behind a rxed expression that surprised Miles.

 Chapter 224 Membership

    Chapter 224 Membership


    "It seems like your previous marriage only brought you harm. I''ve heard about his sister before. Her


    actions abroad weren''t exactlymendable, all trouble and no good deeds."


    Miles was quite well-informed. Since he was going to coborate with Cyril, he knew a lot about


    him. Sylvia wasn''t surprised by Miles''s knowledge. It would''ve been strange if he didn''t know


    anything.


    "It''s normal. His sister has been pampered since childhood, treated like a treasure by the whole


    family. So, whatever trouble she caused abroad, the family always turned a blind eye. It''s annoying


    to see Cyril letting his sister cause trouble here."


    Sylvia nodded seriously, fully agreeing with Miles.


    By now, Sylvia couldn''t stand Bonnie. Her dislike for Bonnie was evident, and she remembered all


    the past grievances clearly. So, whenever she had the chance, she wouldn''t let Bonnie off easily.


    Miles chuckled at Sylvia''s strong resentment toward her ex-husband. It hinted at the depth of


    Sylvia''s past grievances. But dwelling on these things wouldn''t do her any good. Continuing to hold


    onto the past would only hurt Sylvia.


    "But I never expected you to be the owner of this ce. You know? I got a membership here


    because Jimmy loved the food when we came here once. He insisted I get a membership, and now,


    it turns out this membership is making you money."


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Sylvia didn''t find it strange at all. Their restaurant wasn''t just local; they had branches in other


    countries too. So, it wasn''t surprising that Miles had memberships elsewhere.


    "And to think I was going to treat you to dinner. Now it seems like you''re treating me. Guess I''ll have


    to find another opportunity to treat you."


    Sylvia considered for a moment. Continuing to interact with Miles wouldn''t be bad. He was


    genuinely kind and considerate, both as a business partner and a potentialpanion. But the


    more she thought about it, the more reluctant she felt. She knew getting close to someone like Miles


    might lead to getting hurt. Sylvia had been hurt once and didn''t want to jump into another emotional


    minefield.


    Miles noticed the change in Sylvia''s demeanor. Did those people cause this?


    Suddenly, he felt a headache. Just when their rtionship seemed to be improving, today''s events


    had brought them back to square one. Miles realized that pursuing Sylvia was going to be a long


    and challenging journey.


    "But it''s okay. We''ll have more chances to dine together in the future, especially when our


    coboration seeds. We''ll definitely have opportunities to sit down together, right?"


    Miles skillfully changed the subject. Sylvia felt relieved. Eating together made her feel more


    comfortable than talking alone. So, Sylvia nodded politely. But after this meal, Sylvia couldn''t shake


    off the feeling that something wasn''t right. What was supposed to be a casual outing turned into


    something formal and forced.


    At first, they could talk about daily life, but it gradually shifted to work-rted matters. Sylvia felt


    they shouldn''t have chosen this ce for dinner. It should''ve been a more formal setting.


    She wondered if Miles felt the same, but regardless, Sylvia did.


    With nothing else to do, Sylvia prepared to leave. Just as she was about to, her phone rang. It was


    Juliet, yelling loudly. Clearly, she was extremely angry.


    "What''s wrong? Did something happen?" Sylvia was worried. Had Juliet gotten into trouble? What


    could have happened?


    "Of course something happened! Don''t you know your brother is acting crazy? He chased me to my


    house, and now he''s at my door, refusing to leave. The bodyguards came, and he knocked them


    down. Other people tried to intervene, and he ended up hurting them. When I talked to him about it,


    he told me to solve it myself. Why should I solve this problem? He rejected me when I confessed


    my feelings, and now he''s here bothering me. What does he want? Why don''t youe and take


    him away? I don''t want to see him again!"


    Juliet had harbored feelings for Bruce for many years. Now, Sylvia could feel her disdain for him.


    Sylvia didn''t know what to say.


    "I think you should talk to my brother. Maybe he''s willing to talk things through with you. There might


    be some issues between you two, but if you resolve them, you might have a good oue,


    whether it''s being together or not. At least there''ll be closure, right?"


    Sylvia said seriously. It was clear that they were both hesitant, but Juliet had been hurt too deeply to


    take another step forward. She stubbornly wanted to end their rtionship, but Bruce didn''t want to.


    With one unwilling party, the situation would remain at a standstill. To resolve this, they would both


    have topromise.


    Juliet''s attitude was firm. "No way. I won''t talk to him again. If I keep talking to him, I''ll be hurting


    myself. If you don''t want to take him away, I''ll ask the guards to throw him out. I''m sick of seeing


    him."

 Chapter 225 Fireworks

    Chapter 225 Fireworks


    After hanging up, Juliet fell silent, leaving Sylvia in a moment of awkward silence. She didn''t know


    what to say about her brother''s situation. It felt awkward to talk about it, yet she didn''t know what to


    do.


    "Is everything okay with your brother? Do you need me toe help?"


    Miles could hear somemotion on the other end of the phone, indicating something had


    happened with Bruce, but he wasn''t sure what. However, Miles knew one thing for sure: if you


    wanted to know about someone, you had to start with the people around them.


    You needed the approval of those close to them first, then build rtionships with others. And the


    next step would definitely involve the girl''s rtives and friends.


    Clearly, Bruce was in trouble now. If Miles could help him this time, Bruce would surely return the


    favor.


    Miles'' idea was good, but Sylvia didn''t agree. She knew this was a matter between Bruce and Juliet.


    Outsiders like them shouldn''t interfere.


    "No, it''s fine. There''s nothing too troublesome. They can handle it themselves. They both just have


    impatient personalities. Once they calm down, they''ll sort it out. You should probably go back to be


    with your son now. I won''t bother you anymore. I have some other things to take care of."


    Sylvia shook her head. She felt a bit uneasy but knew it was a matter between Bruce and Juliet. As


    his sister and friend, she couldn''t say much more.


    As Sylvia prepared to leave, Miles was the first to refuse. He didn''t want their time together to


    dwindle. Without substantial progress, what special rtionship could they have? Miles didn''t want


    Sylvia to leave like this. He didn''t want to give up this rare opportunity.


    "I know you''re probably upset with me because of what happened with Cyril today, but it''s not


    entirely my fault. I hope we can talk things out. What do you think?"


    Miles looked at Sylvia earnestly. If it wasn''t too far removed from himself, they could still chat.


    Sylvia hesitated. It wasn''t entirely fair to me Miles for Cyril''s actions, but she couldn''t help feeling


    reluctant. Remembering the grievances she had suffered because of Cyril, she couldn''t help but feel


    a bit unwilling.


    "I don''t think it''s necessary."


    Sylvia refused Miles without hesitation. Seeing her reaction, Miles didn''t know what else to say. But


    then, he took out two tickets from his bag and handed them to Sylvia.


    "Since that''s how you feel, then take these tickets. I was nning to invite you to watch a fireworks


    show together. But seeing how you''re rejecting me now, I think I''ll step back. Otherwise, it wouldn''t


    be fair to me, right? You can go watch the fireworks with your friends. I heard it''s beautiful."


    Miles had prepared these tickets specifically, but to avoid seeming too deliberate, he had made it


    into arger event and sold tickets externally. These two tickets were for internal use, meant to


    invite Sylvia. But now, ns had to change.


    Sylvia suddenly felt guilty. Even though this had nothing to do with Miles, she couldn''t shake off the


    feeling. Now that it hade to this, what else could she say? So, she took the tickets and left.


    Before leaving, she took a photo of the tickets and sent it to Juliet, asking if she''d like to join her.


    This was supposed to be a time for them to rx.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Already annoyed by Bruce''s behavior, Juliet quickly agreed.


    That evening, they arrived at the central square where the fireworks were set to begin. Many people


    had gathered, marveling at the disy. Sylvia and Juliet were among them, standing in the crowd,


    admiring the beautiful fireworks in the sky. They could tell a lot of effort had been put into organizing


    this event.


    "Thanks to you, I get to see this beautiful fireworks show. Shouldn''t I thank you properly? Besides


    thanking you, I should thank Miles too. I heard he prepared this fireworks show specifically for


    someone. Why didn''t hee with you? Why did he call me instead? Don''t tell me it''s to help me


    rx. I don''t need that. I just wanted to apany you."

 Chapter 226 Perfect Match

    Chapter 226 Perfect Match


    Juliet had already figured out what was going on. Miles probably wanted to invite Sylvia, but


    somehow it ended up being Juliet and Sylvia together. But Juliet was sure Miles was somewhere


    nearby.


    Miles wouldn''t miss this chance to get close to Sylvia. No one would let go of an opportunity like


    this.


    Juliet was curious about what had happened between them to turn the situation like this. Everything


    seemed fine before. How could they not even watch fireworks together?


    "It was just a small thing that happened. I didn''t feel like watching the fireworks with him after that,


    so he gave me these tickets as an apology. I''m not sure who he originally prepared them for, but


    since he gave them to me, let''s just enjoy the show. Why bother overthinking it? After all, I don''t


    have any rtionship with him. You guys keep connecting me with him, which isn''t a good thing."


    Sylvia exined earnestly, and Juliet couldn''t say much after that. It made sense. After watching the


    fireworks, they prepared to leave but spotted Miles with his son.


    Juliet, seeing Miles with his son, gave Sylvia a knowing look and nudged her arm, saying, "I''ll be


    nearby waiting for you. You might have something to say to him."


    With that, Juliet took Jimmy and walked away, leaving them alone. Sylvia felt a bit awkward


    standing there with Bruce. They had spent time alone before, but maybe the fireworks tonight or the


    atmosphere made things awkward.


    "I didn''t expect you toe today. If you had, we could havee together next week. Anyway,


    I''ve thought about it, and it''s not entirely your fault. The main problem lies with me."


    Sylvia felt uneasy, but she sincerely conveyed her thoughts.


    Seeing Sylvia earnestly exining, Miles couldn''t help but smile. He thought Sylvia would be angry


    or wouldn''t talk to him for a while. He didn''t expect her to get over it so quickly.


    "It''s not your fault. I didn''t consider your feelings properly. If you feel ufortable with me here, I


    can leave."


    "No, you''re not making me ufortable. Oh, there''s something else up ahead. Should we go


    check it out? Your son and..."


    Sylvia began looking around for Juliet and Jimmy, but couldn''t find them. She started to worry about


    what might have happened to them.


    "Wait, let me call them and see where they are."


    Sylvia felt nervous, especially with Jimmy. She immediately called Juliet to ask where she had taken


    Jimmy.


    "They''re just eating around here. I gave you two some space to talk. If there''s anything you need to


    rify, do it yourselves. If you can''t get along, then it''s better to part ways. Alright, I won''t bother you


    anymore. I''m taking him to y. You two talk it out."


    After quickly rifying things, Juliet hung up. Sylvia felt a bit embarrassed seeing the call end


    abruptly. Did she need to talk to Miles about something? Didn''t they already resolve things in the


    afternoon? If anyone was to me, it was Cyril.


    "They went to eat around here. Should we go find them?"


    Sylvia suggested, and Miles agreed. They leisurely walked, chatting and enjoying the scenery,


    unaware that a photo of them walking side by side had been taken by the media.


    Finally, they found Juliet after an hour. They had a great time ying, and when they saw Sylvia


    and Miles approaching, they greeted them warmly.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    In the end, the four of them continued to hang out together. They stayed out for too long, and Jimmy


    fell asleep on the way back. The others drove home.


    Sylvia rested for the next two days, but because she was so tired from the previous day''s activities,


    she couldn''t get up the next morning. Just as she was about to fall back asleep, a phone call woke


    her up. It was Miranda.


    "Oh my God, did you and Miles go on a datest night? I have to say, you two look amazing


    together. You know what people are saying online? They say you two look like a married couple,


    and you''re verypatible. They''re even starting to specte about your rtionship. If you two


    feel sopatible on an identity level, then you must be very happy together."


    Hearing Miranda''s words, Sylvia''s mind was still a bit foggy. Her phone wasn''t fully awake yet, so


    she groaned and rolled over, wanting to go back to sleep.


    "Oh, my God, did you two kiss in this photo? My goodness, you''ve already kissed. Is marriage next?


    Should I start preparing a bridesmaid dress for myself or give you a wedding gift? Hurry up and tell


    me!"


    Finally, Sylvia was awakened by Miranda''s scream. She rubbed her eyes and sat up in bed. "What


    are you talking about? Who''spatible with whom?"


    "They''re saying you and Miles are verypatible. Quickly check your phone. There are photos of


    you two all over the inte!"

 Chapter 227: Gift

    Chapter 227: Gift


    Mn was extremely excited on the phone, chattering away to Silvia. Silvia was somewhat lost in


    the conversation and ended up checking the news online. The more he read, the more he couldn''t


    believe how anyone could mistake his interaction with Miles as kissing. The distance between him


    and Miles was evident, and it was clearly a misinterpretation!


    Mn was ecstatic, as if he had seen Miles and him kissing with his own eyes. He even imagined


    some rather romantic scenes. Silvia was a bit bewildered; she had never seen Mn so worked up


    before. However, Mn''s excitement didn''tst long because Duncan came looking for him.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Normally, Mn would have hung up the phone to talk to Duncan, but for some reason, he didn''t.


    Instead, he tossed his phone aside, and Silvia could hear everything they were saying.


    "I just heard you shouting. Are you talking to Silvia on the phone? Are you trying to say that she and


    Miles are a great match? Come on, can''t you act a bit better? Where do you see yourself matching


    Silvia? Seriously,pared to me, who''s been with her for so long!"


    Duncan''s words sounded incredibly impatient. It seemed the online news had made him extremely


    anxious.


    "No, where do you see that you and Silvia are a match? Come on, if we''re talking about career,


    you''re not as good as him, and in terms of looks, you''re not as good either. Why should Silvia


    choose you over Miles?"


    Mn didn''t care at all about how his younger brother would react. He just kept belittling him.


    But Duncan was undoubtedly furious. Was this his sister? Listening to what he was saying, how


    could she degrade her own brother like this? How could this be good?


    "No, if I''m with Silvia, you can spend your life with her too. But now you''re pushing Silvia away.


    Have you ever thought about your brother? You''re always helping outsiders. Why don''t you help


    your brother?"


    But Mn was incredibly amused after hearing this. Although he really wanted to be a family


    with Silvia, the truth was, Silvia didn''t like Duncan at all. So he had no reason to help Duncan do


    anything.


    Instead of letting Duncan fall behind, and risking their rtionship with Silvia bing awkward, it


    was better to do nothing from now on. Helping Silvia find someone else wouldn''t be so bad, right?


    And regardless of who Silvia ended up with, their friendship wouldn''t change. If they tried to set


    Duncan and Silvia up and it didn''t work out, it would be embarrassing.


    "Forget it. What are you thinking? Do you think I don''t know? I won''t help you. If I really helped you,


    and Silvia didn''t end up with you, have you thought about how awkward it would be for me? And if


    you really liked her, she would have married you back then. And what about Cyril? You''ve already


    drifted apart from him. Why are youing back now? Do you really think Silvia wille back to


    you? Don''t even think about it. If you want your rtionship with Silvia tost, it''s better to maintain


    a friendship. Don''t always believe in nonsense. If you want me to help you, unless I see that Silvia


    truly likes you, otherwise, give up this idea now. I won''t help you with this."


    "What? Are you really my sister? You''d rather help outsiders than help your own brother? You''re too


    much! I''m going to tell Mom and Dad about this. Anyway, Mom really likes Silvia and will definitely


    help me."


    Duncan looked so angry that he seemed like he was about to report everything to their parents.


    This scene amused Mn.


    "Go ahead, tell Mom directly. I don''t want you to pursue Silvia. Let''s see what Mom''s reaction will


    be. I won''t tell you. Everything I''m doing now is approved by Mom. Mom said not to let Silvia jump


    into the fire."


    "What do you mean jump into the fire? You''re going too far! I''ll tell you, I''m really doing something.


    And I''ve prepared a lot of things for Silvia. Just wait and see..."


    Mn''s voice sounded a bit insincere, but he seemed angry. "I''m telling you, don''t do anything


    stupid. If you mess up my rtionship with Silvia, I''ll kick you out. Besides, our family only needs


    one heir. After you leave, no one dares to take my inheritance."


    With that, the call ended. Silvia was speechless after hearing Mn''sst words. Although Mn


    said he didn''t want to help Duncan, he didn''t hang up the phone when Duncan called. He wanted to


    hear what was going on, which meant he didn''t want to ignore his brother''s life or death. In any


    case, he was willing to help his brother.


    Silvia shook her head. Since she was already awake and couldn''t sleep anymore, she decided she


    might as well go to the office. Today was supposed to be a day off, but with so much going on, she


    felt it was necessary to go. After all, those stubborn old folks were still watching her every move for


    mistakes.


    Silvia packed up her things and headed downstairs, where she saw the butler holding arge box.


    As soon as he saw Silviaing down, he immediately handed her the box.


    "Miss, this is a package that just arrived. It''s addressed to you, but I don''t know what''s inside or who


    it''s from."


    Seeing the box, Silvia suddenly remembered the gift she heard about on the phone earlier. Could


    this be the thing Duncan sent over? Silvia felt a headacheing on, but she couldn''t just ignore it,


    so she epted the box.


    "I understand. Could you please find me some scissors? I want to see what''s inside."


    The butler was also curious about what was inside, so he quickly fetched some scissors. When the


    box was opened, various items were revealed. Silvia paused as she saw diamonds and various


    trinkets inside, some of which were things she had mentioned to Cyril before they got married.


    "Why would someone send so many things over?"


    The butler was also puzzled. Most of the items were not particrly valuable, and to be honest,


    their family didn''t need them, and Silvia wasn''t someone who liked such things.

 Chapter 228 Your Mom is Here

    Chapter 228 Your Mom is Here


    After a casual nce, Silvia guessed Cyril''s intention. He probably thought these things could fix


    everything, but that''s just a joke.


    Silvia simply closed the box and tossed it to the butler.


    "These things are useless. Just throw them away. They''re cluttering the house and bothering me. I


    don''t know why someone would send me these things. Are they trying to upset me?"


    The butler also felt these things weren''t suitable for Miss Silvia, so without a second thought, he


    tidied up the box.


    "Alright, Miss. Should I throw these things away or return them?"


    Initially, he wanted to say to throw them all away, but then he thought if he did, Cyril might think


    Silvia epted them. He didn''t want Cyril to get the wrong idea.


    "Send them back the way they came. I have no connection to him anymore."


    The butler looked puzzled as Silvia walked away, constantly pondering the words Silvia just said.


    She had no connection to whom? Could it be Cyril who sent these things? If that was the case, it


    was really unlucky. These things shouldn''t have ended up here.


    No wonder Miss Silvia was so angry. Anyone would be upset in such a situation.


    Feeling annoyed, the butler packed up the things and arranged for them to be returned.


    ...


    Arriving at the office, Silvia noticed that the atmosphere today was a bit off. Some people were


    giving her strange looks, but Silvia didn''t pay much attention. They probably knew about Silvia''s


    date with Miles, so they were curious but didn''t dare to ask directly.


    When Silvia entered the office, Bruce was already there.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Silvia was curious why Bruce was here. Normally, he didn''t meddle in her affairs too much.


    "The news online is quite lively. Don''t you think you owe me a reasonable exnation?"


    Bruce came in early today, even earlier than Silvia. Mainly because those people insisted he exin


    the rtionship between Silvia and Miles. If he couldn''t exin it clearly, they wouldn''t let him leave.


    And Silvia was the one causing him all this trouble.


    From Bruce''s tone, Silvia knew something was wrong. So, she smiled and leaned closer to Bruce.


    "All that''s just nonsense from the reporters. I definitely have no rtionship with him anymore. If


    there was any rtionship, you would have noticed it first, right? Besides, you know your sister''s


    personality. How could I possibly..."


    "Someone''s mother is here, iming to be Cyril''s mother and wants to see you. She said if she


    can''t see you today, she won''t leave and will cause a scene outside, talking about how you''ve


    wronged Cyril all these years. What should we do about this?"


    Silvia originally wanted to say a few more words to calm her brother down, but then her assistant


    rushed in and said Michelle was here.


    Both Silvia and Bruce looked displeased because they didn''t want to deal with Cyril''s family. Now,


    Michelle suddenly showed up to cause a scene. They wondered what she was holding back. Could


    it be that after her identity was exposed, Cyril spilled the beans? That would be bad. If Cyril did that,


    there would be no room for maneuvering between Cyril and Silvia.


    "I''ll make a call to the guys. You go see what she wants. I don''t want to meet with this woman. Who


    knows what else might happen if I do."


    Female Silvia was extremely irritated, and so was Bruce. But they both knew it was the best course


    of action. Bruce nodded, signaling for the assistant to take the woman to the conference room.


    Silvia started dialing Cyril''s number from behind the conference room, keeping an eye on what was


    happening inside.


    Michelle came in acting all high and mighty, as if they owed her a lot of money. Bruce couldn''t


    understand. Their family used to be quite respectable, both in heritage and manners. How did they


    be like this after Cyril joined the family?


    Apart from Cyril''s somewhat questionable behavior, his upbringing seemed fine. But his mother and


    sister, on the other hand, were simply unbearable.


    "Where''s Silvia? Why are you here instead of her? Tell Silvia toe see me. If she doesn''t, I''ll


    make a scene here, and everyone will know what Silvia has done."


    Bruce chuckled at this. He really wanted to know what Silvia had done to provoke them.


    "Oh, is that so? In that case, why don''t you tell me first what she''s done? I''d like to know what


    wrongs she''smitted. Maybe I''ll be pleased and fire her. After all, your purpose here is to ruin


    her reputation, isn''t it?"


    Although Bruce said it like that, he couldn''t be too obvious. Michelle''s eyes darted around, but that


    subtle avoidance was enough for Bruce to understand her intentions.


    "This is your only chance to exin. If you don''t, I''ll call Cyril right now, and he''ll have you escorted


    out. Thispany isn''t a ce you can just walk in and out of as you please. But I must admit,


    you''ve sparked my interest with your allegations. That''s why I allowed you toe in. Otherwise,


    why would I let you in at all?"


    Michelle found Bruce''s words reasonable. So, she began recounting all the things Silvia had done


    over the years, whether it was working hard for their family or other matters. After finishing her


    exnation, she stared at Bruce, expecting him to be satisfied. Little did she know, instead of being


    pleased, Bruce became even angrier.


    "So, you''re saying Silvia has been helping your family like a servant all these years? Is that it?"


    Even from behind the closed door, Silvia could tell Bruce was in a bad mood. Realizing that


    continuing the conversation would only make things worse for both Cyril and Michelle, she


    immediately dialed Cyril''s number. Cyril picked up quickly, sounding excited.


    "Your mom''s here."

 Chapter 229 Interview

    Chapter 229 Interview


    Cyril arrived quickly, but no matter how fast he came, he couldn''t match the speed at which Bruce


    was getting angry.


    Bruce was indeed very angry. He knew his sister''s life hadn''t been easy since she got married, but


    he never expected it to be this bad. To treat his sister like this, Pure had gone too far. No matter


    what his sister said, he wouldn''t let these people off the hook.


    "I''m sorry for the trouble my mother caused bying here. I''ll take her away now. If you''ve


    suffered any losses today because of her presence, I''ll take full responsibility."


    After learning Silvia''s identity, Bruce saw a hint of evasion and regret in Cyril''s eyes.


    However, when Bruce heard Cyril''s words, he just sneered and didn''t give Cyril any face.


    "Losses? Do you really think you can make up for the losses you''ve caused us so easily? How have


    you treated my sister all these years? Do you even have a conscience?"


    Cyril had nothing to say. He knew exactly what Silvia had gone through all these years, but he did


    nothing about it. It was no wonder Bruce was so angry. Anyone would be angry in his ce. Even


    Bonnie would be furious if she faced the same situation.


    "What sister are you talking about? What exactly are you saying? We''re talking about what Silvia


    has done over the years..."


    Cyril didn''t quite understand what was going on yet. When he heard Bruce mention his sister, he


    was extremely confused. When did Bruce get another sister? Why didn''t he know anything about it?


    "Enough already. Why are you here causing trouble? They''re already being lenient by not pursuing


    this matter further. Haven''t they made Silvia suffer enough over the years? Why do you have to


    come here and stir up more trouble?"


    Cyril took a deep breath. Sometimes he really didn''t understand why he was born into such a family.


    Both his sister and his mother were squandering everything they had.


    But Michelle didn''t like what Cyril said. What did he mean?


    "Why am I here? Haven''t you seen the news online? Silvia divorced you and left with nothing. She


    might have found another wealthy man by now. I''m here to show everyone her true colors and


    prevent them from being deceived. You''ve been deceived by her, haven''t you? You didn''t want to


    divorce her back then, but look at her now..."


    Michelle was about to start another argument, but Bruce couldn''t bear it anymore. "If you can''t


    control your mother, I''ll do it for you. You know my temper, and our family''s temper. It''s a miracle I let


    youe here today. Don''t push it. If you keep causing trouble, you''ll see the consequences."


    Cyril remained silent. He nced at the door behind him. He knew Silvia must be inside, but after


    what happened today, she probably wouldn''t want to see him again. So, he had no choice but to


    reluctantly take his mother away. But even then, she kept arguing and causing a scene until Cyril


    threatened her firmly to make her behave.


    "If you keep this up, I''ll make sure you stay overseas for the rest of your life. If you want to see your


    daughter again, you better behave."


    Michelle was shocked. She never expected her son, whom she raised, to say such things.


    "She''s your own sister, and I''m your mother. Are you threatening me like this? Do you even care


    about your family anymore? What has Silvia done to you? Did she drug you or something? She''s a


    disaster! She''s ruined our family!"


    "That''s enough. Silvia''s identity isn''t what you think. If you knew the truth, you wouldn''t say such


    things. You''d be begging her toe back. But let me tell you, the grudges between Silvia and us


    are beyond repair!"


    Just as he finished speaking, a video interview suddenly started ying on the big screen outside.


    Normally, the interview should have been conducted two months ago, but it was being shown now.


    When they saw who appeared in the interview, their faces turned pale. The title of the interview was


    "Exposing the Heir of the Ivan Family."


    Everyone had assumed that Bruce was the heir of the Ivan family. But when they saw who was on


    the screen, they realized how wrong they were.


    As they watched the interview, Michelle couldn''t focus anymore. All she could think about was how


    the person they used to look down upon, Silvia, had suddenly be the heir of the Ivan family.


    How could that be possible?


    Back then, Silvia didn''t have anything valuable. She was poor from head to toe. If she really was the


    heir of the Ivan family, why was she still doing so many chores at their house? Those weren''t things


    a wealthy heiress would do.


    "Son, have you seen this video? It''s all fake, right? How could Silvia possibly be the heir? They only


    have Bruce, don''t they? And we''ve never heard of any other children in their family. There must be a


    misunderstanding, right? Silvia couldn''t possibly be the heir with all the things she''s done for us


    over the years. And, you know, if we..."


    Michelle was starting to panic. She couldn''t bear to think about all the things Silvia had done for


    them over the years. If she really thought about it, she would realize just how angry Silvia must be.


    It was clear who owed whom.


    "What should we do, son? Can you find a way to talk to Silvia? She might already know about what


    I did earlier. Can you find a way to convince her to talk to me? She used to like you so much. IfContent ? N?velDrama.Org.


    you''re willing to reconcile with her, things will be different."

 Chapter 230 Rose

    Chapter 230 Rose


    Cyril didn''t say a word to his mother. Now he realized he had made a mistake and wanted to make


    amends, but how could he? Silvia''s heart had been broken long ago. Besides, if Silvia had wanted


    to reconcile with him, she wouldn''t have waited until now, would she?


    "Stop dreaming. There''s no way she''ll agree to reconcile, especially after everything you''ve done to


    her. Do you really think everything can be resolved so easily?"


    Michelle''s face turned even paler. Yes, considering what they had done to Silvia before, it was


    already generous of her not to hold a grudge. How could they expect her to treat them kindly now?


    "What should we do? He won''t let this go. What now? You need toe up with a solution."


    Now they needed a solution. When they had offended someone so thoroughly, Cyril hadn''t thought


    about solutions at all. He didn''t even feel like talking to them anymore; it was getting boring.


    Now that Silvia''s identity was exposed, many people were calling thepany, wanting to meet


    with her. But Silvia rejected all of them. She hadn''t wanted her identity revealed so soon, but in her


    anger, Bruce had made the call, exposing her identity.


    Sitting in her office, Silvia felt a headacheing on. Her phone kept ringing, and she didn''t know


    what to do. Her work phone was ringing off the hook, and her personal phone was no better.


    "I told you not to be impulsive. Now, so many people are calling me. What am I supposed to do?"


    Silvia was getting a headache. She didn''t need to deal with this. All because of one phone call, she


    now had to face all this.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    "So what? It''s normal for them to want to meet with you. You''re the heir of the family. Isn''t meeting


    with you normal? Shouldn''t they meet with you instead of me?"


    Bruce knew he had been too impulsive this time, but he couldn''t stand to see his sister


    discriminated against anymore. He felt happy that his sister wouldn''t be looked down upon


    anymore. He felt they had been pushed too far. They had no one left, so they bullied his sister?


    Silvia couldn''t help but smile wryly. She knew her brother was doing this for her, but it wasn''t


    necessary.


    "When Dad calls to ask what happened, what do we say? ording to our original n, your


    identity shouldn''t have been revealed now. But you exposed it first. Dad will want an exnation."


    Silvia remembered her father and suddenly felt a headacheing on. All these things happening


    at once were unbearable.


    Bruce knew it wouldn''t be simple when their father found out, but he couldn''t have done nothing,


    could he?


    "Do you still need to worry about that? I''ve already called Dad and exined everything. He''s angry,


    of course, but he agrees with me exposing your identity. They need to be taught a lesson and know


    who they can and cannot mess with."


    Silvia didn''t say anything. She should have known their father''s temperament. She knew he would


    agree with what Bruce had done. Bruce had nned everything well. In the end, she would bear the


    consequences alone.


    "Fine, since my identity has been exposed and Dad doesn''t object, what''s next? You can''t expect


    me to clean up after you. This shouldn''t have happened like this in the first ce."


    Silvia looked at her brother seriously. Since things had escted to this point, her brother must


    have had a problem, so he should solve it. She couldn''t handle everything.


    Bruce started to think seriously. Seeing his brother like this, Silvia felt even more helpless. Had he


    not thought about the consequences when he did this? In the end, he had sold her out.


    "Let Dad book a hotel, then just reveal your identity. And call back our other siblings."


    After thinking for a moment, Bruce came up with a solution.


    This was undoubtedly the best solution. Silvia didn''t say anything more.


    Although things shouldn''t have ended up like this, her brother really knew how to cause trouble


    without leaving any room for reconciliation.


    "Okay, let''s solve it your way. And by the way, there are many people who want to meet with me


    today. Go and handle this mess you made. After all, you caused all this trouble."


    After saying this, Bruce left. Seeing him leave, Silvia was annoyed. How could he me everything


    on her?


    He had only been impulsive because he wanted to vent his anger for Silvia. If not for that, he


    wouldn''t have been so impulsive.


    But there was no way around it. By suddenly exposing this matter today without telling anyone


    beforehand, it would be hard to exin. So today, they had to spend more time exining to others.


    After dumping everything on Bruce, Silvia returned to her office.


    Her phone was useless now; she couldn''t answer any calls from outside.


    Although her phone couldn''t be used, she could still make internal calls. Silvia answered an internal


    call from Miles, which surprised her.


    Why was Miles suddenlying to see her? Although she was a little confused, Silvia still asked


    Miles toe over. When Miles came in, he was holding a bunch of bright roses, which surprised


    Silvia. Why would he suddenly bring her so many roses? What was he thinking? The next second,


    Silvia remembered what Miles had said before ¡ª he wanted to pursue her.


    "Although your identity being exposed caught me off guard, I still prepared what I needed to."


    Miles said seriously, leaving Silvia at a loss.

 Chapter 231: Blame

    Chapter 231: me


    From the moment Sylvia''s identity was exposed, Cyril knew that the days ahead might not be so


    easy. Sure enough, that very evening, he was summoned back home by his grandfather. On the


    way back, he already had an idea of what his grandfather would say.


    As he walked through the door, his grandfather grabbed a cup from the table and threw it at Cyril.


    "You''ve been married to Sylvia for so long and didn''t even know her true identity. What use do I


    have for you?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    His grandfather was truly furious. Eli had never imagined that not only did Cyril not know Sylvia''s


    true identity, but Sylvia also kept her identity so secret.


    From the beginning, they had looked down on Sylvia, thinking she had ulterior motives for getting


    close to Cyril.


    But now, Sylvia had suddenly be the heiress of Yifan Group, while they felt like clowns,


    constantly worried about others coveting their possessions.


    "He loves you so much, yet you couldn''t even understand his feelings. What use are you to me?"


    His grandfather was extremely angry, venting his frustration at Cyril. The items on the table had


    already been smashed once before Cyril returned. Now they had been reced. Cyril looked at the


    new items on the table and chuckled meaninglessly. Now that you think you''ve done wrong, why


    didn''t anyone think they were wrong before?


    "Are you ming me for not knowing Sylvia''s identity in advance and not being able to keep her


    here?"


    "Shouldn''t the me be on you? Clearly, we have such a good daughter-inw. With her help, our


    company could have taken another step forward. But you gave up such an opportunity."


    "Grandpa, it''s not me who gave up this opportunity. From the beginning, you treated her badly. You


    know this better than anyone. You never thought about reflecting on yourselves but med


    everything on me. Do you think it''s appropriate?"


    Cyril was starting to feel frustrated. He had always known that his family could be unreasonable, but


    he never thought they would be so unreasonable.


    "Instead of thinking about these things, why don''t you think about what you''ve done to Sylvia?


    Treating her like a servant, even if she were from an ordinary family, she wouldn''t have been bullied


    like this, let alone someone like her. Now that he has reached this stage of hope, is it really my


    fault? Do you really think you''ve done nothing wrong? It''s not about whether you have anything to


    me."


    "So, you called me here today just to lecture us. Well, you''ve lectured us, if there''s nothing else, I''ll


    leave."


    Cyril didn''t want to continue talking to them. It was already impossible to reason with them.


    Moreover, the deed was done, and now there was no point in trying to salvage anything. Sylvia


    wouldn''t give them another chance.


    As he prepared to leave, Cyril knew what to expect today, but he still found himself disappointed.


    "Brother, don''t rush to leave. I know you care about Sylvia in your heart. You didn''t realize it before,


    but now we''re telling you all this not to me you, but to help you realize that you need to win Sylvia


    back."


    Bonnie hurried downstairs, looking anxious. She should have gone back, but after learning Sylvia''s


    identity, she hadn''t. Now she was here for Sylvia''s sake.


    Seeing his sister appear, Cyril frowned slightly displeased. After all, he had been involved in those


    things back then. Now, they were saying they hoped he could win Sylvia back. It would sound


    comfortinging from someone else, buting from Bonnie, Cyril couldn''t believe it.


    "Win her back, only to let you continue to bully her? Let me tell you, that''s absolutely impossible."


    Cyril''s tone was sharp, making Bonnie look extremely ugly.


    "I didn''t mean that. I genuinely hope that you and Sylvia can reconcile."


    Bonnie seemed sincere in her concern for Cyril, but Cyril knew his sister too well. He knew that


    what she said today was just lip service, and it was absolutely impossible for him to ept Sylvia


    without reservation.


    "Don''t dream. Based on what you did to Sylvia before, the fact that Sylvia hasn''t done anything to


    you already shows her kindness. Don''t hope to do anything bad to Sylvia anymore. If Sylvia doesn''t


    forgive you, I won''t forgive you either."


    Cyril said this because he also hoped to take this opportunity to make Sylvia look at him more.


    He had done too many wrong things, and he had always wanted to make amends. But he never


    had the chance. Maybe now he could make up for it a bit. At the very least, he didn''t want his family


    to harass Sylvia anymore.


    The whole family remained silent. When Cyril saw that his grandfather and sister stopped talking,


    he looked at his mother. She also had her own thoughts. Who knows what she was thinking,


    whether it was about bothering him or bothering Sylvia. So he wanted to hear what his mother


    would say.

 Chapter 232 Persuasion

    Chapter 232 Persuasion


    "Everyone is hoping Sylvia wille back. I know you''re thinking the same, Mom. So, what do you


    want me to do?"


    Michelle was still thinking about thest time Sylvia had dinner. She hadn''t really paid attention to


    what Cyril was saying. Suddenly, he called her, and she was still a bit dazed.


    "I don''t mean anything. I''m just echoing your sister and grandfather. Of course, it''d be best if you


    could win her back. But if you can''t..."


    "Don''t kid yourself. Do you really think they''ll forgive you for what you''ve done?"


    After a wryugh from Cyril, Michelle fell silent. Cyril knew he couldn''t win Sylvia back. She wouldn''t


    give them another chance.


    "You probably don''t have anything else to say. So, let me make it clear. Whatever schemes you


    have in mind, don''t disturb Sylvia''s life anymore. If you do, don''t me me."


    Since Sylvia didn''t want to see him anymore, Cyril didn''t want his family to bother her either. But


    after he said that, their expressions turned sour. What Cyril meant was to let everything go back to


    normal, but they didn''t see it that way.


    Seeing their silence, Cyril didn''t say anything more. Whatever they were thinking, he didn''t care


    anymore.


    After giving them a nce, Cyril left. As he reached the door, he received a call from Jonathan.


    Something seemed off about Jonathan''s tone.


    "Everyone''s telling me to divorce her. What about you? Do you also want me to divorce her?"


    Cyril was momentarily taken aback by Jonathan''s nonsensical question. How could he manage


    other people''s affairs when his own life was a mess?


    "If you want a divorce, go ahead. I won''t stop you. But let me warn you, if you regret itter, there


    might be no turning back."


    Jonathan chuckled at Cyril''s words. "You think I''m you? Regretting for a woman? No way. When we


    got married, it was just a convenience. We both knew it. I''m not going to regret losing a woman.


    Why would I?"


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Cyril''s expression turned grim. He didn''t want to listen to Jonathan''s rambling anymore. But


    Jonathan continued.


    "The divorce wasn''t my idea. He changed his mind, influenced by others, thinking there''s no future


    with me. It''s for the best. It was a mistake from the start. Now, I''ll correct it."


    Cyril sensed the destion in Jonathan''s words but didn''t say anything. Some people needed a


    hard lesson to realize their mistakes. Maybe Jonathan would learn.


    "Fine. If you''re done, don''t call me again. I''m busy."


    Cyril didn''t want to hear any more of Jonathan''sints. But Jonathan wasn''t done.


    "Don''t be in a rush to hang up. I remembered something. Since you regret it, don''t want to divorce


    Sylvia, go win her back. And hey, everyone in the family thinks the same. If you two remarry, don''t


    let the past repeat. Think about it. If you don''t act, someone else will."


    Jonathan was hinting at Miles. Everyone knew about Miles and Sylvia''s rtionship. And with Miles


    making moves, Sylvia might fall for him.


    Cyril didn''t reply. He was silent, contemting if he could win Sylvia back and what the chances


    were.

 Chapter 233 Connections

    Chapter 233 Connections


    After his identity was exposed, Sylvia''s work became even busier. He couldn''t understand why there


    was suddenly so much for him to do, and why his brother wasn''t willing to help share the load.


    He left home at nine in the morning and didn''t return until ten at night. It had been a week of non-


    stop busyness, and no one in his family seemed concerned enough to lend a hand.


    "Boss, these documents need your signature, along with a contract. This coboration was smooth


    sailing until recently when issues cropped up. After a thorough check, it seems the problem lies on


    our end."


    The assistant handed several documents to Sylvia. Hearing this, Sylvia paused. What


    coboration? He hadn''t been involved in many recent coborations, so he wasn''t aware of any


    issues.


    "What coboration?"


    After asking, Sylvia opened the documents and carefully went through them. It turned out that the


    problem arose from thework connections. The boss behind the coboratingpany was


    Cyril, whose rtionship with Sylvia was well known. Cyril seemed to be creating obstacles


    deliberately. Sylvia frowned.


    "Is there no otherpany we can coborate with? If the problem lies with me, isn''t there another


    solution?"


    They hadn''t taken any action because they were worried about upsetting Sylvia. So, they sought his


    opinion first. Seeing Sylvia''s reaction, the assistant could guess what he was thinking. It seemed he


    wasn''t keen on the idea.


    "We do have another solution. We could continue negotiating with them to resolve the issue or find


    another coborator. We don''t favor the first option since it seems they''re intent on causing trouble.


    The second option would take a bit more time and money."


    Sylvia nodded after hearing their suggestions. "Since you''ve got a n, go ahead with it. Also, you


    don''t need to consider my rtionship with Cyril anymore. We''re divorced, which means we have


    no ties. You don''t have to worry about what I think."


    The assistant sighed with relief. They feared Sylvia might cling to the issue, but it seemed he was


    willing to let it go.


    "Okay, I''ll get things sorted out. Another matter, Cyril has been insisting on meeting you. We''ve


    refused several times, but he mentioned resorting to other means to force the meeting."


    The assistant ryed Cyril''s words, finding the situation distasteful. Cyril had been the one to break


    things off abruptly, and now he was eager to reconcile. But Sylvia had made up his mind.


    "Really? He wants to resort to drastic measures to meet me? Where is he? Tell him toe to the


    office in three days if he wants to meet."


    Sylvia chuckled at the thought of Cyril''s desperation. He knew Cyril''s intentions¡ªprobably to


    discuss reconciliation¡ªbut there was nothing to discuss.


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    After the assistant left, Sylvia contemted the recent events. He decided to call Miranda and


    inform her about Duncan''s constant flower deliveries.


    Miranda answered quickly, and Sylvia exined Duncan''s actions. Miranda fell silent, which was


    unusual.


    "I''m not ignoring you, sis, but I honestly don''t know what to do. I didn''t know about this before, and


    everyone has the right to pursue happiness. I know you don''t have feelings for him, but if I keep


    rejecting him, I''ll be stuck in a difficult situation."


    Miranda''s words were sincere, and Sylvia realized she had a point. He couldn''t let Miranda get


    entangled in his personal matters just because he didn''t like Duncan. That wouldn''t be fair.

 Chapter 234 Whose Fault Is It Anyway?

    Chapter 234 Whose Fault Is It Anyway?


    Cyril was prepared to be rejected when he wanted to meet Sylvia. However, he didn''t expect Sylvia


    to agree to the meeting.


    On the day of the meeting, he woke up early and kept changing his clothes, dissatisfied each time.


    Jonathan''s bad moodtely kept him at home, unwilling to leave.


    Both of them were in a foul mood.


    "Why fuss so early in the morning? It''s just a meeting with her. Do you really need to bother so


    much? I''ve never seen you care so much about her before."


    Jonathan rolled his eyes. He genuinely felt it was unnecessary. It wasn''t their first meeting, and this


    one wasn''t going to end well anyway. Was it worth getting worked up over?


    Cyril ignored Jonathan. These days, it was hard to hear anything positive from Jonathan, and Cyril


    didn''t want to talk to him about this.


    "You''re unhappy yourself, yet you don''t want others to be happy. Are you sick? If it weren''t for the


    divorce, why would you keep hanging around my ce?"


    "It''s not like I want to. I gave her the house, so I have nowhere else to go. Otherwise, why would I


    come here? You keep thinking about Sylvia every day, but she doesn''t even give you the time of


    day."


    Cyril and Jonathan had been tormenting each other these days. They knew what bothered the


    other, so neither held back.


    Cyril sneered, "You weren''t so chummy before. Now that you''ve given her the house, do you want


    me to praise you?"


    "Mind your own business. I''m fine with it. At least I can still meet her, unlike you two."


    "Talking as if meeting her would make her care about you. Do you think you''re better than me?"


    Jonathan fell silent.


    Both of them were equally miserable now. There wasn''t much to say. Neither was better off than the


    other.


    Jonathan went silent and returned to his room, mming the door loudly as if searching for


    something.


    Cyril got ready and left.


    This time, he bought a bouquet of flowers and took them to the office.


    To his surprise, as soon as he arrived downstairs, he saw Sylviaing out of the elevator with


    Miles by her side.


    Lately, Miles seemed to be appearing more frequently. He always wanted to meet Sylvia, and Cyril


    couldn''t understand why.


    Did they have something important to discuss? Couldn''t they talk without meeting?


    While Sylvia talked to Miles, she suddenly felt someone staring at her. She looked over and saw


    Cyril.


    Her expression softened, and Miles noticed.


    "It seems you have other matters to attend to. I''ll leave the Jimmy matter to you. If you need any


    help, let me know."


    After Miles and Sylvia finished talking, he left, casting a provocative nce at Cyril on his way out.


    Cyril said nothing, just kept looking at Sylvia.


    "Come upstairs with me." Sylvia''s tone was businesslike, making Cyril feel ufortable.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    They rode the elevator together, but Sylvia didn''t take Cyril to her office. Instead, they went to the


    meeting room where she had met Michellest time.


    "Last time we met, it was unpleasant. This time, I..."


    "My grandfather called mest night. He told me these years weren''t intentional attacks on my part.


    It sounded like an apology mixed with a scolding, so I think it''s necessary to rify things again.


    We''re done, divorced, which means we have no chance of starting over. You and your family just


    feel like you''ve lost a lot of support without me. But we''re done."


    Sylvia looked at Cyril seriously. Since they were done, there was no need to keep dragging things


    on.


    Cyril had been causing trouble in unexpected waystely, and she couldn''t ignore it.


    She had been looking forward to the meeting, but the conversation afterward made it hard for Cyril


    to ept.


    He had thought this meeting might be a turning point between them, but it was indeed a turning


    point, just not the one he had hoped for. It was heading in an increasingly uncontroble direction.


    "I came to talk to you about my family''s affairs. It might trouble you in the future, but I''ll try to handle


    it. But after so many years of knowing each other and experiencing so much, do you really not want


    to be with me anymore?"


    He asked as if torturing himself, even though he knew Sylvia didn''t want to. But he still hoped for


    some reason.


    Sylvia nodded, looking puzzled at Cyril. She didn''t quite understand why he was asking.


    "Just as you said, we''ve been through a lot, but those things are in the past and don''t help us now. I


    hope you can look forward too. And our rtionship can''t go back to what it was. After what you did


    to Karina, you should know it''s not just your fault; it''s mine too."


    Sylvia thought carefully. Whose fault was it? Actually, nobody was at fault. She insisted on ying


    Cyril''s game, even though he had feelings for Karina. He tangled with her despite his feelings for


    Karina, and now she had willingly given up Karina, leaving her in a sorry state. In the end, no one


    got the best oue.


    "Anyway, we need to move forward."


    Sylvia looked at Cyril, who seemed earnest. Their story was over, and what happened with Karina


    showed her that Cyril''s heart had always belonged to himself alone.


    He could lift Karina up high before and now throw her down hard. There was nothing left to say


    between them.


    "Okay, I understand what you mean. But in business, we might still have some cooperation or other


    connections. I hope our personal rtionship won''t affect our businesses."


    "Don''t worry about that. Business is business. Our personal matters are over, so they won''t affect


    each other."


    Sylvia nodded. There was indeed no connection between her and Cyril anymore, but the matters


    between theirpanies weren''t something they could resolve with just a few words.


    Cyril left after less than half an hour. His face was grim, and to make matters worse, he ran into


    Duncan on his way out.

 Chapter 235: Provocation

    Chapter 235: Provocation


    When he married the female lead, he didn''t tell himself. Even in the years of their marriage, his friends never saw the female lead going out with anyone. So the male lead always thought that the female lead didn''t have many friends around her, and even if she did, they probably weren''t close.


    It wasn''t that the female lead had no friends from start to finish. It was that she actively kept her distance from her own friends, and her group of friends around her didn''t want her to marry him at all. So during the years of their marriage, the female lead took the initiative to cut off all her friendships until he became single again and she started reconnecting.


    From the first time the male lead saw Duncan, he knew Duncan liked the female lead. Duncan always looked at her with joy and possessiveness in his eyes.


    But when facing the female lead, the male lead subconsciously hid this feeling and didn''t want her to see his true thoughts. Otherwise, with their long history of knowing each other and their many years of friendship, how could the female lead marry him?


    He didn''t know about thister and couldn''t tell the female lead about these things, so he still couldn''t express anything up to now.


    Actually, when the male lead saw Duncan being able to walk into the female lead''s office without any hindrance and she always smiled at him, he felt unhappy deep down.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    But the male lead also knew deep down that he was the one who caused all this.


    Standing at the elevator door, the male lead wanted to rush in and ask the female lead what she thought during the years of their marriage, but in the end, his rationality stopped him.


    Just as the elevator opened and he was about to enter, the door of the office opened.


    Feeling something, the male lead turned around and saw Duncaning out of the female lead''s office, holding two cups. One was white, and he recognized it as the cup the female lead used.


    The female lead also liked using this cup at home, and he didn''t expect her to still use it at work, without changing it.


    In that instant of seeing the cup, Nanchi''s heart started beating violently. When the female lead bought this cup, she bought two, one ck and one white, saying she wanted to use them as a couple. But he had never used it, and now the female lead brought this cup to work, did it mean she hadn''t let go of that feeling? Was there still a possibility between them?


    "I bought this cup for him from abroad. He asked me to bring it back for him, saying he wanted to use it as a couple with you. But I haven''t seen the ck cup, so I guess he doesn''t use it anymore. I think this cup is not good, so I didn''t throw it away. Today, I bought him a couple of new ones. He likes blue. I don''t know if you''ve seen them. Probably not, since you''ve never really seen him. Oh, by the way, I told you, the probability of cooperation between you two is very low now. After all, the female lead has to avoid suspicion."


    Seeing the male lead''s gaze on the cup in his hand, Duncan suddenly smiled. He provocatively said these words to the male lead, and the male lead felt very ufortable hearing Duncan''s words.


    "Is that so? It''s only natural to avoid


    suspicion. However, you''ve been abroad for so many years, you


    probably don''t know, life is


    unpredictable, and cooperatio


    alway@possible. Today there may be no cooperation, but tomorrow, for other reasons, cooperation may happen. So I''m not worried about theck of cooperation with him."


    The male lead seemed indifferent, but in fact, it made Duncan extremely ufortable, because that''s how life was. Today you may have no cooperation with him, but tomorrow this cooperation maye.


    "Fine, although he is now thepany''s vice president, the big direction is not in his hands yet. And if I''m not mistaken, there was originally a cooperation with yourpany, but the female lead rejected it. Guess why."


    Both of them were smart people, so there was no need to be too explicit. In fact, they both knew very well. Even if the male lead was stupid, he could realize that the person who came to him today was here to provoke him, to show how good his rtionship with the female lead was. But what did it matter? Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "Seeing your appearance, you must like him very much. I just don''t understand why you''ve been by his side for so many years, but you''ve never been together. Is it because you didn''t want to?"


    With a light sentence, the male lead sessfully changed Duncan''s expression. This time, he sessfully won back a round. The male lead''s mood was very good, and he didn''t bother to look at Duncan again, going straight into the elevator.


    Duncan held the cup tightly in his hand, watching the male lead leave, but he was still unhappy inside.


    He knew what to say to make himself so angry. He didn''t stay away from the female lead because he didn''t want to, but because he never had the chance. Finally, when he had the chance, someone else appeared by the female lead''s side.


    Apart from the male lead, Duncan also knew very well that his rival in love was not just the male lead, but even someone who could be considered a rival was only Miles. Even his own sister was on Miles'' side, not caring about him, her own brother.


    "Aren''t you supposed toe in and help me get water? Why haven''t youe in after so long?"


    The female lead didn''t know what the male lead and Duncan had said to each other, but Duncan said he, woulde to get her water, and after a few minutes of not seeing a hime back, the female lead was a bit speechless, so she came out to take a look.


    Seeing Duncan holding her cup still standing at the elevator door, not knowing what he was thinking, the female lead suddenly felt a bit familiar with this cup. If she remembered correctly, she used this cup when she married the male lead.


    "Change this cup."


    It was because she was too anxious at the time, and there were no suitable cups. That''s why she left this cup behind. Now it had nothing to do with anyone, so there was no need to keep this cup anymore.


    The gloom in Duncan''s heart disappeared in an instant when he heard the female lead speak. He happily threw the cup aside and then went to the pantry to get another cup of water and entered the female lead''s office.

 Chapter 236: Meeting the Rival in Love

    Chapter 236: Meeting the Rival in Love


    Today, Duncan came to see the female lead because of some work-rted matters. Originally, someone from thepany was supposed toe, but he hadn''t had time to see the female lead, and he really wanted to meet her. So he used work as an excuse to see her.


    Aftering here, Duncan realized how clever his recent actions were. If he hadn''te, he probably wouldn''t have known that the male lead hade to see the female lead. And from the look of the male lead, he probably wanted to reconcile with the female lead. But how could that be possible? He would never give the male lead a chance to reconcile.


    He couldn''t prevent the female lead from marrying the male lead initially, but now he definitely wouldn''t give them a chance to reconcile. Also, it seemed like the female lead didn''t want any rtionship with the male lead anymore. But since the female lead reacted like this, he naturally stood on her side.


    "Today when I saw the male leading, he probably wanted to reconcile with you. What do you think? After all, you two have had many years of marriage and you are his savior. He also has no rtionship with Karina now. If you like him and want to remarry him, it shouldn''t be impossible. With your current status, no one would refuse to marry you. Maybe it was just that his judgment was bad before, but now..."


    However, interestingly, just as he wanted to test the female lead''s reaction, before he finished his words, the female lead''s sharp gaze fell on him.


    The female lead sighed helplessly. "I know you''re saying this now just to test my reaction, to see if I still like the male lead. I did like him back then and insisted on marrying him. But now, I''ve hit a wall and realized my mistake. So I don''t want any rtionship with him anymore. You don''t need to test how I feel about him. But just because I have no rtionship with him doesn''t mean I want a rtionship with anyone else. Right now, work is the most important thing for me. Besides work, I don''t want to consider anything else. As for rtionships, let them happen naturally. Whether they happen or not doesn''t matter to me. I''ve neglected my responsibilities for so many years, and now it''s time to pick them up."


    The female lead knew Duncan''s thoughts very well. In fact, he had been very clear about them for many years. It''s just that Duncan had never shown it so clearly. But ever since she divorced the male lead, he couldn''t control himself anymore. He would always appear in front of her, intentionally or unintentionally, constantly reminding her of the male lead.


    The female lead always understood what Duncan was thinking, but she couldn''t respond to him, so she never brought up this matter. But now that Duncan had brought it up himself, and the female lead felt it necessary to rify things with him, she couldn''t give him false hope.


    They had grown up together, and where couldn''t Duncan understand the female lead''s meaning? His smile became a bit awkward and stiff, but he understood the female lead''s meaning. She just wanted to tell him that even if she had no rtionship with the male lead, it didn''t mean she would give anyone else a chance. Even though they had known each other for so many years, Duncan also knew that the female lead always kept her word, and once she decided something, no one could change it.


    "I understand what you mean. I was just asking casually, with no other meaning. But since the male lead is chasing after you, who knows what he''s thinking? If you really get back together with him, I guess my sister and the others will be furious again. Speaking of Miles, I heard that you had dinner with him some time ago and someone took a photo of you. Now everyone is specting whether you''re going to marry Miles'' son and be his stepmother."


    Though Duncan felt sad inside, he smiled and changed the subject. Since the female lead didn''t want to hear about these things, he wouldn''t bring them up again. After all, he and the female lead had known each other for so many years. There was still a long way to go. Even if it wasn''t possible now, it might be possible in the future.


    The female lead also knew about these things, but she didn''t understand why Duncan was bringing them up now. Just because she had no rtionship with the male lead didn''t mean she would have a rtionship with someone else, did it?


    Meeting Miles was just an ident, and it didn''t mean anything else. Thinking about it now, she felt a bit of a headache about this matter.


    The news online couldn''t be


    exined away just because she wanted to. Because those people would only want to hear what they wanted to hear, without caring about the truth of the matter. They thought there was a possibility between her and Miles, so they would believe it without reservation. As for what their rtionship really was, who would care so much?


    "I thought you wouldn''t be curious about these things, but it turns out you''re even more gossipy than women. There''s nothing between me and Miles. You''re overthinking it. The media can say anything to get attention. You know how they were talking about you and your sister on those websites a few years ago. You''re not unaware."


    Yes, there had been a very speechless incident a few years ago when someone photographed the two of them going out together, leading to suspicions about their rtionship. But it waster proven that they were just siblings, and being twins made it easier for that incident to pass.


    Hearing the female lead''s exnation, Duncan felt a lot morefortable.


    "Well, I just asked casually, with no other meaning. Why bother about it? None of this is important. When shall we go out for a meal together?" Duncan nced at the time again. It was almost time for dinner now, but it seemed like the female lead hadn''t nned to leave work yet.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "We can go for dinner now. Today''s work is indeed a bit much, and I forgot about eating. It''s a good thing you came to remind me. What do you feel like eating? I''ll treat you today."


    The female lead tidied up her things. She had originally nned to just eat something random at the cafeteria today, but since Duncan hade to find her, she couldn''t just let him leave like that. So she took the initiative to suggest treating him to dinner.


    Duncan, of course, wouldn''t refuse such a good opportunity. So he immediately suggested a restaurant. The restaurant was one the female lead had heard of before and was currently very popr as a romantic spot. He knew what Duncan was thinking, so she readily declined.


    "That ce is too far. Can we find somewhere closer?"

 Chapter 237: Undercurrents

    Chapter 237: Undercurrents


    The hospital was just an excuse. In reality, he didn''t want to go to a ce like that with Duncan to eat. He felt that their rtionship wasn''t suitable for dining out in public.


    Duncan was just testing the waters, and seeing that the female lead wasn''t interested, he dropped it. So he suggested another restaurant, which was quite nice. This time, the female lead didn''t refuse the idea of going to the restaurant with him.


    As they stepped into the restaurant, they saw Miles and his son walking in as well. It seemed like they also nned to dine there today.


    Just when they finally got rid of one rival, another one popped up. Duncan''s first thought was to quickly leave and find another restaurant, but it was already toote.


    Miles'' son, Jimmy, was excited to see the female lead. He ran over to greet her, and she seemed to like him too, with a particrly gentle smile on her face.


    "Auntie, our luck is so good! I was just telling Dad that I wanted to eat here today. Dad said it might be crowded, but we unexpectedly ran into you. Shall we eat together?"


    Though Jimmy was young, he could see through theplicated dynamics between adults, especially the person beside the female lead, who clearly liked her. So he wanted to help his dad.


    Miles didn''t say anything, just lightly patted Jimmy''s head, seemingly reproaching him, but in reality, he didn''t say anything and tacitly agreed with what Jimmy said.


    The female lead felt a bit awkward. She had onlye to eat with Duncan, and now suddenly Miles and his son appeared. She instinctively wanted to refuse.


    Because she had a feeling that if they all sat together, the meal would be particrly awkward today. So, for the sake of everyone, it was better not to eat together.


    "Today won''t work. I''m treating someone to dinner, so let''s reschedule and eat together another time, just the two of us. How about that?" Although she couldn''t sessfully eat with the female lead, she did manage to get her to agree to another time.


    Feeling a bit happier, he nodded and nced at Duncan discreetly, noticing that Duncan''s expression wasn''t too good. But his own dad looked fine, wearing a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes.


    "Alright then."


    Jimmy obediently nodded. His docility delighted the female lead. She liked such a sensible child. If it weren''t for Duncan''s presence, she would have been willing to eat with them. After all, she really liked Jimmy, who was indeed very sensible.


    Once they found their respective


    seats and sat down, Jimmy kept running over to the female lead, constantly fetching things for her f there was water or anything else on their table, he would bring it over to her It was really too much, almost as if his behavior was more childish than that of an actual child.


    To the female lead''s surprise, Miles didn''t show any displeasure at all. Instead, he looked very happy watching Jimmy running around.


    "Now that it''s dinner time and the ce is crowded, shouldn''t Mr. Miles stop his son from running around so freely? What if he bumps into someone? We might be acquainted, but others might not be so understanding."


    As soon as he spoke, there was a palpable sense of oppression. The female lead subconsciously frowned, but before she could say anything, Miles spoke up.


    "I understand, but it doesn''t seem


    ??? 12


    that crowded today, and the child just wants to get closer to someone he likes. don''t think we need to make a big deal out of it. And, I believe the female lead doesn''t seem to mind. If you think disturbing your meal, I apologize. I''ll ask him toe back." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    son is


    With just a few words, he sessfully silenced Duncan. If he didn''te out, he would stare at Miles with a gloomy expression, while Miles wore a shallow smile.Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    Undercurrents flowed between the two men. Jimmy, however, waspletely unaware of the strange atmosphere between the adults, simply speaking ording to his own thoughts. After he finished speaking, the female lead could clearly feel that the atmosphere became even more strange.


    Duncan looked at the female lead with a resentful expression, and she didn''t know what to say. They had eaten togetherst time because of the circumstances, but it wasn''t the same now. Besides, she had promised to eat with Duncan, so how could she suddenly go eat with someone else? "I have a meeting this afternoon, so I''ll leave after eating."


    The female lead couldn''t take it anymore. It seemed like they were deliberately making her ufortable, so she took the initiative to suggest leaving.


    Only at this moment did Duncan


    notice that the female lead hadn''t eaten much from her te. He felt a bit embarrassed and guilty, but before he could say anything, she had already taken her bag and gone to the counter to pay. Duncan felt that something was off and immediately followed, but he was a moment too slow. The female lead had already paid.

 Chapter 238: Confession

    Chapter 238: Confession


    They grew up together, so every expression of the female lead revealed what she was thinking. His actions today were indeed wrong. He knew that the female lead hated this kind of situation the most, but he still did it. Now he regretted it deeply. If he had known, he wouldn''t have put himself on the same level as Miles.


    "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to do this today. I just didn''t expect Miles to show up here. I lost control a bit. I see you haven''t eaten, so let''s change ces. You have work in the afternoon, you can''t go hungry."


    Duncan was really anxious. He urgently wanted to exin to the female lead, but she was already toozy to listen.


    Today''s lunch was indeed not entirely Duncan''s fault, but the female lead didn''t expect it to turn out like this. She was indeed a bit of a headache, but more than that, she felt helpless.


    "I didn''t know he would be here for lunch today. If I had known he would be here, I wouldn''t have asked you toe with me. I don''t know why you have such a prejudice against him, but I always feel that as friends, we shouldn''t care too much about these things. Besides, children don''t have any malicious intent. I don''t understand why you did this today."


    The female lead looked at Duncan seriously, but Duncan felt a bit sad inside. Did she really not understand, or did she just not want to understand?


    "I may not understand, but you clearly understand what I mean. We grew up together, but I never just wanted to be friends with you. I''ve liked you for years, and everyone can see that, except you."


    He blurted out these words, though they shouldn''t have been said at this moment. He had been waiting by the female lead''s side for so many years, but now that she was finally divorced, didn''t he have a chance?


    Why could Miles have this chance, but he couldn''t? Just because they grew up together? If that was the case, he would rather not have grown up with her.


    "I know you just don''t want our rtionship to be awkward, but you have to give me a chance. Just because we grew up together doesn''t mean you can cut off my chance. My sister is on your side, everyone is on your side, but why isn''t anyone on my side? Is my love for you really that uneptable?"


    The female lead felt a bit embarrassed. She didn''t expect Duncan to confess at this moment, and she didn''t know how to respond. She suddenly felt at a loss.


    "I don''t mean that. I never thought about it like that before. I just saw you as my friend. My rtionship with Miranda is very good, and


    you''re her brother, so in my eyes


    you''re like my brother too. I don''t


    have any other thoughts about you, and I haven''t given Miles any chance either. I don''t want to give any of you a chance. I just want to focus on my career."


    She spoke very seriously, but deep down, she knew that her attitude towards Miles and Duncan waspletely different. Duncan was a childhood friend, and if things didn''t work out between them, it would be very awkward for everyone else, possibly even breaking up their social circle.


    As for Miles, they didn''t have much contact, so it would be easier to get along with him.


    Duncan forced a bitter smile, but he was still very persistent in waiting for an answer. "Then why can''t that person be me?"


    The female lead remained silent for a while before replying, "You know in your heart that if you said you liked me and wanted to be together, I would definitely refuse without hesitation. And what consequences would that refusal bring, you can imagine, just as I do. That''s why I don''t want it to happen."


    "I treasure this rtionship enough that I don''t want it to sour."


    The female lead looked at Duncan earnestly. She had never said these things to Duncan before because she felt he didn''t need to know. She thought he could understand her without her having to exin. She never expected Duncan to suddenly say these things today. He was probably just being impulsive, but this impulse seemed irreversible now.


    "Anyway, I hope that the next time we meet, we won''t be so awkward. But I think it will be a long time before we see each other again. That''s why I didn''t want to think about anything at this moment."


    Some things shouldn''t have been said, and now that they were, it only made both parties feel awkward.


    If they didn''t want things to be awkward, it would be best to pretend they didn''t know anything, just like before. But how long would it take for them to break free from this cycle? The female lead couldn''t imagine, and Duncan probably had no idea either.


    Now Duncan really couldn''t sayThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    anything. He had indeed been impulsive. Saying these things at this moment, he knew the female lead would reject him, but he


    still


    said it without hesitation. Now that the female lead had rejected him, he felt even more upset. But amidst the sadness, there was an inexplicable sense of relief.


    "I understand. I won''t appear in front of you for the next period of time. I''ll seriously consider our rtionship, but if after careful consideration, I still want to be with you, I hope you can give me a chance. Please don''t see me as just a friend from childhood, but as someone who''s pursuing you."

 Chapter 239 Going Out to Play

    Chapter 239 Going Out to y


    Duncan''s request wasn''t unreasonable, but Sylvia couldn''t give him an answer. He knew he couldn''t provide such an opportunity, and even if he did, his answer would be the same.


    Seeing Sylvia''s silent expression, Duncan understood what she meant.


    "So far, you''re still not willing to give me a chance. Our rtionship from childhood to now can''tpare to someone who just appeared. Forget it, maybe it''s destined that we''re not meant to be. I''ll just be a good friend to you, so we won''t feel awkward when we meet in the future."


    Seeing Sylvia''s intentions, Duncan didn''t insist anymore. He smiled, hiding his bitterness. He really liked Sylvia and enjoyed being with her, but since Sylvia wasn''t willing to give him a chance, it meant they had no future together.


    "Sorry, all this time, I''ve only seen you as a friend. I never thought you had feelings for me. But I think we should take some time to calm down. Your feelings for me are probably just because we grew up together all these years."


    Sylvia said this to Duncan after a moment of silence.


    Although Sylvia knew Duncan liked her, she still found a reason for him, giving him more reasons to revert to their original rtionship. But both of them knew deep down that they couldn''t go back to where they started. It wasn''t so simple to go back.


    "You''re right. Maybe it''s just like you said. Forget it, these things aren''t that important. I''ll leave now. You haven''t eaten much today. When you get back, have your assistant prepare something for you to eat. I might be away on a business trip for some time and won''t be able to see you. Oh, by the way, I heard your second brother ising back to develop. If he''s going to have a concert, ask him to save me a ticket. You know I''m his super fan."


    Duncan''s words sounded very casual, but in reality, Sylvia could sense that he wasn''t as rxed as he appeared. After all, it wasn''t easy to tell someone you''ve liked for many years that it''s over.


    Having gone through this herself, Sylvia didn''t want Duncan to feel sad, so she solemnly agreed to him. Actually, Duncan wasn''t such a big fan of her brother. The reason he liked her brother was because of Sylvia.


    Thinking of this, Sylvia felt a little sad. She didn''t want to lose such a friend, but it seemed that the more she didn''t want to lose him, the more likely it was to happen.


    After Duncan left, Sylvia stayed at home in a daze. Oh well, she was going to tell Miles, but at that moment, her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Bruce.


    Sylvia answered the phone, and there was a bit of noise on Bruce''s end, probably because there were still people around him.


    "Where are you now? There''s been a small problem with our international cooperation, and I need you to go on a business trip this afternoon to handle these contracts. Also, the third brother is there too. After you and the third brother resolve this matter,e back. Thepany needs the third brother toe over."


    Bruce''s tone wasmanding from the start. Sylvia, of course, didn''t refuse after asking him about the situation. She let her assistant buy her a ticket. However, her assistant knew about it ten days in advance, so the ticket was already bought without Sylvia saying anything.


    After all this, Sylvia hurriedly


    prepared to leave. She packed a few


    clothes and was about to set off.


    She knew that the reason her third brother was called back was because things at thepany were gradually improving, and the cooperation was almost settled. So, the next step was to star


    development.


    But development was not as simple as it seemed. There were also many things to prepare. So this time, besides solving the foreign cooperation, Sylvia also needed to bring back her third brother to help him with some things.


    "Are you leaving in such a hurry?"


    On the way to the airport, Sylvia received a call from Miles. Miles originally wanted to talk to Sylvia, but when he saw Sylvia answer a call at the door and then leave in a hurry, he knew she was busy, so he didn''t bother her. He only called an hourter to ask about the situation. Sylvia didn''t mean to hide anything, so she briefly exined what happened.


    "Oh, I see. Since you have other things to do, I won''t disturb you. If you need my help, just let me know."


    Miles understood that Sylvia probably had a lot to do next, so he didn''t want to bother her. He just said that if she needed his help, he would readily assist her.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024.


    Sylvia nodded and after a few words on the phone, she hung up and boarded the ne.


    "Boss, besides discussing cooperation this time, you can also take the opportunity to take a good rest. I heard there''s a small problem at thepany. The president wants you to solve it there."


    Sylvia understood what was left


    unsaid. She was supposed to go on


    a business trip to negotiate


    cooperation, but it was just a


    ve


    pretext. Actually, it was to let her escape for a while. After she handled thepany''s matters, she coulde back. Sylvia naturally didn''t refuse her brother''s kindness.


    In fact, she thought it was a good idea.


    Being able to use thepany''s affairs to take a good vacation, Sylvia was willing. Even though she was eager to build her career, it didn''t mean she didn''t want to rest. So, she immediately told her assistant on the ne.


    "After we finish handling the contracts, find a ce for me to vacation. Did he say how long I need to stay abroad?"


    "He didn''t say, but ording to my estimation, you''ll probably need to stay outside for about half a month."


    Half a month sounded pretty good. Sylvia became even more eager. After all, being able to travel on thepany''s dime, who wouldn''t want that?


    "I see. Send me the specific situation of the branchpany. The sooner we finish the work, the sooner we can rest. After we finish, I''ll give you a vacation too."

 Chapter 240 Praising Third Brother

    Chapter 240 Praising Third Brother


    This time, it wasn''t anything particrly big, so Sylvia managed to handle everything in less than two days. While sorting out those matters, she also met with the local business partners.


    Since Sylvia''s identity was revealed, many people wanted to meet her. However, she hadn''t had the chance until now. With Sylviaing out to resolve the issues at the branch office, many people naturally wanted to meet her. Since Sylvia couldn''t meet everyone individually, she arranged a time and booked a hotel to meet them all at once.


    She appeared in a high-fashion evening gown, attracting everyone''s attention.


    Her assistant followed closely behind her, quietly informing her about Devitt''s situation.


    "Sir, if nothing unexpected happens, Mr. Devitt will arrive in about 20 minutes. But there are many people here who hope he''ll stay longer, so you might be busy."


    Sylvia nodded. Everyone kept staring at her, curious about why the heir to such a bigpany was a woman. They had always assumed it would be Bruce. Now they knew it wasn''t the case.


    Sylvia talked to the people around her, getting closer to them. In just a few short exchanges, everyone understood why Sylvia was the family''s heir. To be honest, Sylvia''s way of thinking and her actions were excellent. There was no doubt she was suitable to inherit thepany.


    And in the business world, people cared more about the end results. So, they didn''t mind who the heir was, as long as it benefited them.


    "The boss has encountered a little trouble. Mr. Devitt had a minor ident on the way and might be a bitte. But the online reviews about page 32 are very positive."


    While talking, the assistant briefly exined the situation on the inte to Sylvia. Sylvia couldn''t help but furrow her brows upon seeing the news online. Her third brother was indeed impressive, attracting attention wherever he went.


    "They sure know how to praise my third brother. They''re saying all kinds of things. But I don''t think my brother cares about these things. By the way, keep an eye on things. My brother ising with me today, and there will probably be many people trying to stop him."


    As a genius doctor, no one would let go of such talent easily. But they also knew that Sylvia''s purpose for being here today was to bring back Devitt. So, this battle might not be as simple as it seemed.


    "Got it, boss."


    The assistant stood aside, carefully observing the situation. If anything went wrong, he would inform Sylvia immediately.


    Half an hourter, Devitt arrived.


    Everyone already knew about the unexpected event he encountered on the way, so no one med him. Besides, most of them were from medicalpanies and hoped Devitt would stay.


    "I met a guardian angel on the road. He saved my life, and he''s really handsome. I wonder where he works. I really want to have a chance encounter with him."


    "Wow, what kind of person is he? He''s so handsome, and his art skills are so good. He saved a life by the roadside. I was so scared when I saw it happening. I didn''t expect him to be so capable."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeing her third brothering over, Sylvia immediately mentioned twoments she read online. Devitt blushed. He didn''t know about the online incidents, but it seemed that what happened on the road was posted online byizens.


    "They''re just saying it casually. Why do you care so much? Besides, our brother always does things his own way. Don''t let them distract you."


    "But I think what they said is right. You''re already a very talented person. They praise your art skills and your appearance. I don''t think they''re wrong. Do you think you''re not good-looking? If you say that, I think we''ll both be very upset."


    Sylvia blinked mischievously, making Devittugh. Her sister was really interesting.


    "Alright, I won''t talk about those


    met


    things with you anymore. Did youe to find me today to take me back with you? Don''t worry, big brother. It''s already been arranged with me. Everything here is almost finished, so I can leave soon You don''t need toe and find me specifically."


    He really didn''t want to talk about those things with his sister anymore. The more they talked about it, the more embarrassed he felt. So, he took the initiative to change the subject.


    Sylvia saw her brother''s


    embarrassed expression and


    couldn''t help butugh. She


    continued, "know you''lle back.


    But I actually came here today to


    I


    hide for a while. Big brother told me that many people at thepany aren''t very happy with me, sohe helped me solve some of thepany''s problems. He also asked me toe and deal with some matters at the branch office before bringing you back. See? The most important thing in all this isn''t you. It''s that I''m here to have some fun."


    Sylvia''s serious exnation made Devitt somewhat helpless.


    Since his sister insisted that the most important thing wasn''t bringing him back home, he just went along with it. After all, he knew his sister said one thing but meant another.


    "After this event ends,e with me to discuss thepany''s matters. I''vee up with a preliminary n recently. You can take a look and see if it works. If it doesn''t, I''ll make changes. But I don''t think there should be any major problems."


    He was already prepared for this. Sylvia clicked her tongue. She trusted her brother to handle these things.


    "Don''t be too modest, Third Brother.


    me.


    I trust you''ll handle these matters well. You won''t disappoint me. Anyway, after today''s event, you''ll have toe back home with We can discuss the cooperationter. It''s not important anyway. Oh, by the way, I have to stay here for another half month."

 Chapter 241 Becoming Famous

    Chapter 241 Bing Famous


    After all, it was the first day of their vacation, and they had already mingled with everyone. The rest of the time would be much simpler; they just had to focus on having fun.


    But since they were here to have fun, they shouldn''t worry about work anymore. Work wasn''t important at all, and even if it was, it shouldn''t be on their minds right now.


    So, I just nodded and strolled around with Male Sylvia, chatting with the people around us all day. Everyone didn''t understand their rtionship, but walking together, they seemed quitepatible, almost like a married couple. So, after the event ended, they both became a hot topic online.


    The trend basically meant that they were both very good-looking, and after some couple photos were posted, everyone was surprised. Since everyone knew Sylvia''s identity, they were curious about Devitt''s identity. Some people checked Devitt''s information and thought that they would make a good match. No matter their status or background, everything seemed perfect.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    However, the two people involved werepletely unaware. They were just enjoying their hard-earned vacation. This news was first noticed by Balk, who had been paying attention to online trendstely. So when he saw his sister and brother trending together, he was shocked beyond words.


    Others didn''t know the specifics, but he did. How could these two be a couple? He couldn''t understand what these online people were thinking. Didn''t they realize that these two actually looked very much alike?


    So he immediately called his older brother to let him know about this ridiculous situation.


    Bruce had just seen the news, so when he received Balk''s call, he didn''t find anything strange.


    "Big brother, do you want to exin this? They are suddenly trending quite heavily, especially after our little sister''s identity was exposed."


    Balk was suggesting seriously because after Sylvia''s identity was exposed, the heat around this matter had increased several times.


    "Don''t you think I want to exin this? But Dad said that our little sister should handle this herself since it was something she and the third one got into. So he told me not to get involved. Besides, I''m very busy with my work right now. I don''t have time to deal with these things."


    After hearing his brother say this, Balk didn''t say anything. He thought about how busy his brother could be withpany matters. It''s not like there weren''t people to help him solve these problems. Moreover, this was their younger siblings'' matter. Why couldn''t he help them a bit?


    But Balk was someone who enjoyed watching drama. Although he said he wanted Bruce to help, he actually just wanted to watch the show. So, he hung up without intending to tell them about this matter.


    "You guys have a good habit. I could understand it before, it was to protect you, so you didn''t expose yourselves. But now that you''ve grown up, you can protect yourselves. Why are you still reluctant to be exposed?"


    Since Sylvia attended his concertst time, Balk''s manager knew Balk''s true identity. During this time, he had been repeatedly shocked by the situation in their family.


    Of course, he also didn''t understand why, with so many people in the family, only Bruce''s identity was exposed, while others were not affected at all.


    "That''s because when we were young, the third one was kidnapped, so Dad hid our identities. Later, we got used to it. We don''t like using the family''s power to gain anything."


    Balk said casually.


    The family provided them with very good living conditions, which was beyond doubt. But everything they got now was their own. It was something they could obtain without relying on the family. If their identities were exposed, people might think that everything they had was due to the family''s influence.


    "Well, if I had such a good family, I wouldugh in my dreams."


    Some people might strive for their whole lives to get what they have, but they have everything, yet they insist on relying on their own efforts.


    Balk''s manager had been with him since he debuted and knew him best. If Balk really relied on the family, his achievements would be even better than they are now.


    "Then what about your sister? From what you said, she''s the heir. Shouldn''t she be different from you when she was young?"


    Balk nced at his manager.


    "Nothing''s different. Whatever we


    have in our family, we give to my sister first. As for the family heir, we drew lots when we were young, and she lost."


    The manager fell silent.


    He thought it would be something thrilling, but it turned out to be so simple, which was something he hadn''t expected.


    "That''s good. Both my brother and sister are working hard. Let''s live our lives well."


    Balk was very satisfied with his current life. Anyway, everything should be left to his older brother and sister to handle.


    "Are you really not going to deal with the online news?"


    "No, since we''re siblings, it doesn''t matter when we exin. And if we do exin, won''t I be exposed?"


    "Wait a minute, didn''t your sister''s identity get exposed after she attended your concertst time? It''s just that no one realized it?"


    The manager suddenly remembered this.


    At that time, when the two of them went on stage together, everyone already knew they were family. Now that Sylvia''s identity was exposed, everyone probably hadn''t realized it yet.


    Balk fell silent and picked up his phone to message his sister. He hadn''t thought of this before, but now that he had, it shouldn''t be toote, right? He didn''t want their identities to be exposed.


    When Sylvia received the message, she had already heard her assistant telling her about the online news.


    She felt really speechless. Among


    their siblings, she and her third


    brother looked the most alike. Why didn''t anyone think about their rtionship being siblings? Or even


    siblings with that kind of


    retationship?


    "Shouldn''t we exin it? Second brother seems quite anxious."


    Devitt said seriously.


    But Sylvia shook her head. "Second brother doesn''t want our identities to be exposed. Let''s be a bit careful and not involve him in the exnation." "But he was the first one whose identity was exposed, right?"


    Devitt didn''t understand. Since their rtionship as siblings was the first to be exposed, why wouldn''t they think it would be discoveredter?

 Chapter 242 Collaboration Partner

    Chapter 242 Coboration Partner


    The siblings fell silent. There wasn''t much to say now.


    People online might have forgotten, but that didn''t mean they couldn''t rememberter. And when they did, it would be even more interesting.


    But for now, the most important thing was to deal with the online situation.


    "We still need to exin. We can say that you are our coboration partner. As for your identity, we''ll see how it goes. If someone manages to figure it out, that would be best."


    Sylvia nced at Devitt. Exnation was necessary, but they also had to consider their older brother. She wasn''t sure what he was thinking, and it was only a matter of time before their identities were exposed.


    "Okay, but can''t we just say we''re not siblings directly? This is really troublesome."


    Devitt scratched his head, feeling the hassle of it all.


    Sylvia agreed. It was indeed troublesome.


    Just then, the assistant called.


    "Boss, there''s breaking news online. Your and Third Young Master''s identities have been exposed, and Second Young Master''s identity too."


    Before Balk could say anything, cleverizens had already found out about their rtionship.


    "It seems Second Brother can''t hold back anymore."


    Devitt couldn''t help but smirk. Balk had been reluctant to expose their identities before, but now it seemed inevitable.


    Sylvia chuckled along. "Well, there''s nothing we can do. It was bound to happen sooner orter. Why struggle so much?" "Alright, let''s n to leave early. Now that they know we''re here, they might stake us out. Let''s go sooner rather thanter." "Sure, I''m okay with that. But Little Sister, won''t your admirers mind?"


    Devitt asked seriously.


    Sylvia looked puzzled. Where did admirerse from?


    "Third Brother, are you mistaken? I don''t have any admirers."


    Sylvia had been busy ying around these days, so she hadn''t noticed any admirers. Besides, she didn''t think she had any admirers in the first ce.


    Devitt looked perplexed. He had seen it himself the way that guy looked at his sister wasn''t innocent at all. If that wasn''t an admirer, then what was? "Shall I take you to see him?"


    Sylvia''s eyes widened. Could you actually go see admirers? Where would they go?


    "Third Brother, are you mistaken? How can you go see admirers?"


    "Yeah, I just saw him earlier. Let''s go."


    Devitt said as he prepared to take her over.


    Female Sylvia was curious. Who could make her brother see something? So she followed along.


    Soon, Devitt saw who his brother was referring to as Sylvia''s admirer-it was Miles.


    Although they didn''t know why Miles was here, it was surprising to see him.


    "You mean..."


    "Yes, it''s him. Looks like you guys know each other. Did I get it wrong?"


    Devitt couldn''t help feeling smug. He was confident that his judgment was correct-this guy liked his sister, and they even knew each other. Maybe he was already in the process of pursuing her.


    Sylvia didn''t know what to say. She wanted to tell her brother that he had mistaken someone, but she couldn''t deny that he was right. That person was indeed pursuing her.


    "Do you want to go say a few words to him? If you don''t, he mighte over and talk to you directly."


    Devitt suggested seriously.


    Sylvia stared at her brother, unsure of what to say. She wanted to tell him that their older brother already knew about this, and it seemed like their older brother was on Miles''s side. But maybe it was too much for her brother to handle right now.


    "Third Brother, your reaction isn''t right. Why can''t he have a child with him? And besides, it was you who asked me toe down here. They have all of this now because of you."


    Folk activities pushed everything onto her older brother. He was supposed to take care of the child.


    "No, I absolutely disagree with this. Last time, you were trapped here, and this time, I can''t allow this. I''ll tell Big Brother about this and let him educate you properly."


    Sylvia actually wanted to tell her older brother that he already knew about this, and it seemed like their older brother was on Miles''s side. But maybe it was too much for her brother to handle right now.


    "Alright, I''ll just go talk to him for a


    bit. Don''t scare him away when you go over. He might not have any ill intentions. And I forgot to tell you he''s our family''s coborator. So, don''t scare him off, or else I''ll make you work hard topensate for the money we''ll lose!"


    Sylvia red at her brother fiercely, making a serious threat.


    elkent


    Devitt didn''t say anything. Even their older brother knew about this. But their older brother''s judgment shouldn''t be that bad. As Sylvia to talk to the other party, he immediately went to the side to make a call to his older brother to find out what was going on. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    As Sylvia saw her brother busy making a call, she turned and asked, "Why did you suddenlye over? Is there any coboration happening here recently?"


    "There''s a coboration, but the


    el


    most important thing is that he wanted toe here to y, so I brought him over. I don''t know where he found out about your news, but he kept insisting oning, and he''s been causing trouble for the past few days. It''s better to bring him over to see for himself. Besides, he really wanted to see you, but this time, the reason for his visit is even more justified."


    Sylvia warmly looked at Jimmy, who smiled embarrassingly. He thought that if it weren''t for his old man wanting something, no matter how much he made a fuss, it would be useless, right?


    "Pretty sister, I haven''t seen you in a long time. Do you miss me? By the way, was the person I saw in the news that day your brother? Why didn''t the teacher''s group say that?"


    He could tell at a nce that they looked very much alike, so he could be sure that they were siblings and nothing else.


    Sylvia smiled. Even a child could see it. Why couldn''t so many adults see it?This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 243: Selling Siblings

    Chapter 243: Selling Siblings


    Adding two more people to the action didn''t elicit too much of a reaction from Devitt, but he still felt a bit unhappy inside.


    Along the way, even though he wasn''t speaking, his expression said it all. Sylvia felt extremely embarrassed watching him, but she didn''t know what to say.


    "Brother, could you please tone down your expression a bit? They haven''t done anything wrong. If you keep acting like this, you might scare the kids. Besides, they''re just here to discuss some cooperation. Your reaction makes it seem like they owe you a lot of money."


    "Sis, your words are quite strange. Is it weird for me to react like this when I know his intentions aren''t pure? And the reason I act this way is also for your own good, isn''t it?"


    "But after they came here, they didn''t do anything wrong. They just wanted to talk to me. Every time they approached, your face turned dark, scaring them so much that they didn''t dare to speak and just ran away. Isn''t this enough?"


    Sylvia was almost desperate. In just two hours, she saw her brother''s expression change time and again, and the kids were frightened. They ended up just staying by Miles'' side and didn''t leave.


    Devitt didn''t think he did anything wrong. He was only trying to protect his sister from being deceived by such men who brought kids to provoke her. It was too much. With their family''s good conditions, couldn''t they find someone else? Even if Sylvia was marrying for the second time, did she have to choose someone who was already married?


    "Brother isn''t trying to look down on him. He just thinks you can find someone better. Why stick to this one? Can''t you open your mind a bit? Stop worrying about these unnecessary things."


    He didn''t know what to say. He didn''t know if the others at home knew about this, and if they did, what their reaction would be. Probably the same as his, definitely not approving.


    For some time after that, Sylvia didn''t see Miles again. Miles had work to do here. He was busy with various tasks while Sylvia''s itinerary was over, and she was ready to return home early.


    When the two siblings returned home, they didn''t inform any media, only their family. They didn''t expect there to be more people waiting for them when they arrived, and to their surprise, it was Balk.


    Seeing this scene, how could the siblings not realize that they had been sold by their own second brother? Their rtionship had long been exposed. They were Ivan''s children, and now Balk was leading this group of people to pick them up. There was no way to cover it up anymore.


    "If we had known our second brother would bring so many people to pick us up, why bothering back early? It would have been better to spend some more time outside." Sylvia whispered to Devitt, feeling their arrival was a bit too ostentatious.


    Devitt also sighed. Nobody could have guessed that Balk would sneakily do such a thing.


    The two of them walked quickly, pretending not to recognize them, but their outstanding appearances made it impossible to pretend. As soon as they appeared, Balk''s face lit up, and he rushed over with a group of people.


    Originally, no one knew they wereing. It was just Balk''sst-minute notice that brought them here. They didn''t expect to be discovered. The less they knew, the better. It showed they weren''t prepared, making it more suitable for interviews.


    "You two are finally back! Do you know how long I''ve been waiting here? Fortunately, you didn''t disappoint me."This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Balk''s smile was impable. Sylvia couldn''t keep her expression anymore, and Devitt even hid behind Sylvia, refusing to face the camera.


    The different reactions of the three siblings delighted the media. They kept taking photos and recording videos, hoping to capture today''s headlines.


    "You two have really done a big thing


    this time. Big brother has told me about it. Little brother will help ourpany with cooperation when hees back. You two cooperate well, and you''ll make a lot of money. Then I can share more dividends."


    Balk was all smiles, greeting everyone in front of the camera and then leading them away.


    Sylvia was furious, but she couldn''t


    do anything in front of the camera. She could only wear a forced smile and greet everyone. After


    el


    exchanging greetings with everyone, she hurriedly got into the car. But as soon as the three of them sat down, Balk was firmly held inside the car and beaten severely by the three of them.


    "You two, don''t go too far! I rmended all the work today, and even big brother didn''te to pick you up. Only I remembered you two, and you still dare to hit me. Don''t go too far. I''m your second brother!"


    "But you''re really good, second brother. You sold both of us in no time. How can you bully your siblings like this? Otherwise, why did wee back early? Believe it or not, we''ll tell big brother and dad about this!"


    Sylvia was furious, kicking him in the leg, and Devitt didn''t say a word, just silently grabbed Balk''s hand.


    Balk, a famous singer, although he still managed his figure, when it came to hand strength, he was definitely not as good as his younger brother. He couldn''t understand why a doctor''s hand was so powerful.


    "You two are really bullying me too much!"


    Balk was furious, but he couldn''t retaliate. He was forced to endure a beating by his younger brother and sister.


    "Who''s bullying who? Second


    brother, my sister and I finally had a


    vacation, but we came back early. Our vacation time was already shortened a lot. Now you''ve dragged us in front of the camera to take a tour. Have you ever thought about how sad we are? I guess big brother and dad probably don''t know about this. If they knew, you wouldn''t dare to do such a thing."

 Chapter 244: Strange Dinner

    Chapter 244: Strange Dinner


    When it came to their elder brother and father, he remained silent because this was something they had done secretly, and by now, both of them probably knew about it.


    Douding knew that his brother and father would definitely not let this matter go, and thinking about it gave him a headache. If only he hadn''t done what he did.


    But unfortunately, it was toote now. They had been exposed because of their secretive actions. And ming everything on them wasn''t entirely fair. After all, nobody could escape responsibility.


    "What were you two thinking? Now that our whole family has been exposed, you''ve even arranged for someone''s bodyguard toe over. I went home a few days ago, and Dad wanted to arrange more bodyguards for my sister. As for you, Third Brother, since you''re always busy with surgeries, there shouldn''t be a problem. So, I arranged two for you, but definitely not as many as my sister''s."


    Regarding these arrangements at home, neither of them had any objections.


    Bodyguards needed to be arranged. Ever since the three of them had their identities hidden, Bruce had always lived under the spotlight. He had never been short of admirers, and their numbers only increased each year. After all, there was no way around it. Their identities were there for everyone to see, so what could they do?


    "Then let Big Brother handle it. This isn''t something you should be doing. You''re not reliable."


    After thinking about it seriously, Sylvia decided it was best to let their eldest brother handle the matter. Letting their second brother handle it would be disastrous.


    After discussing these matters, they went on to do what they needed to do.


    Now that the family was finally reunited, they definitely had to sit down together for a meal. But what was confusing was that even though this was supposed to be a family dinner, Cyril suddenly showed up, making the dinner instantly awkward.


    When Sylvia saw Cyril sitting in the room, she didn''t know what to say. She nced at her second and fourth brothers, both of whom clenched their fists. If she weren''t standing here, they probably would have rushed over and started fighting.


    "Didn''t Big Brother say it was supposed to be a family dinner? Why did you bring unrted people here? We''ve all finally met, and now you''re inviting this person over. Isn''t that inappropriate?"


    Balk walked in with a dark expression, giving Cyril no face at all. Although they didn''t know why Cyril was here, it was clear that he must have used some unsavory means. Otherwise, how could the family have agreed to let hime?


    Originally, these words were supposed to be spoken by Devitt, but now that his second brother had already said them, he remained silent, only pulling his sister to sit far away and asionally blocking Cyril''s gaze.


    "People haven''t even arrived yet. Do you know what it means to have a family dinner? Do we need anything more than to sit together for a meal now that everyone''s here?"


    This was said by Stanford.


    Now everyone felt bewildered. Who else wasing? After waiting for about ten minutes, another person came in. It was Miles. Everyone fell silent. Even Cyril''s presence didn''t matter now. How could Miles suddenly be invited here?


    Everyone sat together in silence, but it was definitely awkward.


    "Alright, now that everyone is here, let''s eat together. The dishes have already been ordered ording to what you siblings like. As for these two, I''ve also asked about their preferences, so there shouldn''t be any problem."


    Stanford spoke up, and everyone picked up their utensils. However, during the meal, it was obvious that there was tension between Cyril and Miles, even big problems.


    "Why did you invite both of them? Are they going to fight here andpete for you?"


    Although Devitt wasn''t very clear about what had happened during this time, he knew the general idea If these two were to be considered now, they could both be considered suitors for his sister. So their sudden appearance here must have been for his sister.


    "Brother, isn''t your imagination a bit too wild? I usually have no contact with them. During this time, Miles has been busy with work, and we haven''t been in touch. I don''t even know why they said you were here.


    DOThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    you think this could have been arranged by Big Brother and Dad themselves?"


    Thinking about it, it was very likely. But he had no idea what mischief they were up to, so they all remained silent, waiting to see what these two would do next.


    Surprisingly, even after dinner, they didn''t speak until they left. It seemed like a simple dinner, but it definitely wasn''t that simple.


    After everyone finished eating, they sat together. Miles said he had some work to do, and Cyril also said he had to leave. After they left, nobody paid any attention to what they were going to do next.


    Instead, the whole family sat together in silence.


    "Now that you''ve all decided toe back and stay, we''ll have more time to meet in the future. So, now let''s talk about Fourth Brother''s matter. What do you two think of these two men?"


    Sylvia looked up, puzzled, and looked at her father. What did he mean by asking what she thought? She hadn''t really thought about it. What rtionship did these two men have with her anyway?


    "It doesn''t really matter."


    After thinking carefully, Sylvia couldn''t see why it mattered. It seemed like it didn''t matter at all.


    "Okay, since you say it doesn''t


    matter to you, but these two men have bothe to me voluntarily. Their goal is the same: they want to develop a rtionship with you. We definitely won''t consider Cyril, but what about Miles? Recently, ove seen news about you and Miles


    every day online. If you still say there''s no problem, then I don''t know what to say."


    Stanford looked at his daughter and brought up Miles'' matter. Cyril was definitely not someone they would consider. After all, after what Cyril did, who would consider him?


    And after doing something wrong, now he wanted to turn back? Who would give him that chance? Their family wasn''t a waste collection site.

 Chapter 245: Walking Together

    Chapter 245: Walking Together


    They were truly rivals in love. Walking together felt strangely ufortable, and people around them looked at them with odd nces. Both men were extremely handsome, attracting the attention of most people.


    Cyril and Miles walked together without either of them speaking first. Today''s meal marked their official meeting.


    "I saw the news recently. When Sylvia and her brothers were traveling, they bumped into you and your son. I didn''t expect you to have such bold tactics, actually going after Sylvia. But you probably don''t have a chance anymore."


    "Hmm, that''s an odd thing to say. What do you mean I don''t have a chance? I think I do. If anyone doesn''t have a chance, it''s probably you. Haven''t you forgotten what you did to women over the years? Even if you''ve forgotten, their family won''t."


    It was ridiculous. After concealing his identity and marrying Sylvia for so many years, he didn''t treat her well and bullied her every day. Now that the whole family had called him over, did he really think it was to give him another chance? Of course not; they were definitely going to humiliate him.


    "If I were you, I wouldn''t have shown up at this event today. Don''t you realize you''re repulsive?"


    "Back then, it was Sylvia who saved me. No matter what, the past between me and Sylvia is something you can''t rece. As long as I show my sincerity, Sylvia will definitely see it. Then, the two of us will be back together, and you won''t have anything to do with it."


    Cyril''s expression was very unpleasant. How could he forget what he said? But being told this by Miles made him ufortable, of course he had to turn the situation around.


    But Miles justughed as if he had heard something very interesting. How could he think Cyril was so naive?


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Weren''t those things in the past your fault? By now, you should have cleaned up your act. If I remember correctly, Sylvia said she wouldn''t hold those things against you anymore, on the condition that you and her had nothing to do with each other anymore. How can you think that if you show your sincerity, Sylvia wille back to you? Their family doesn''t collect garbage, and even if Sylvia were willing toe back, do you think their family would agree this time? Probably not. Stop dreaming."


    "Even if I''m not the one, do you think it could be you? You''re still with a child. Don''t forget Sylvia''s status. How could their family ept the possibility of you still having a child?"


    "Whether they ept it or not is my business, not yours. But anyway, you don''t have this chance anymore."


    The way they looked at each other was particrly ufortable.


    But the next moment, they both turned away and ignored each other. After all, they both knew they couldn''t exin this matter, but they both understood that the other was their biggest enemy.


    In the end, they both remained silent and left separately in their cars.


    ...


    After Devitt returned, he indeed provided great convenience for their work. Sylvia''s current work required his help, and he was definitely helping his sister without reservation. Thepany''s progress was going very smoothly now.


    "I''ve noticed that since Third Brother came back, efficiency has greatly improved. All those people we hired before, were they useless, or is Third Brother just that good?"


    During lunchtime, the three siblings gathered together. Balk had another announcement to make before he had to leave temporarily. The three of them sat in thepany


    cafeteria eating together. When


    Sylvia and Bruce ate together before, there were always suspicions about their rtionship. Now, no one dared to say much, because they all knew the rtionship between the three siblings.


    Devitt had indeed been very busy these days. First, he had to deal with joining a new hospital, and then he had to help his sister with some medical procedures on this side. So he was extremely busy on both ends. Today was a rare asion when he had some free time to eat with them.


    Since they were eating together, it was inevitable that they would mention the recent busy matters. Regarding the medical procedures, it was indeed an important coboration recently, and everyone was very focused on it.


    Being busy was actually very effective, because they could clearly feel that the things they were doing had made significant progress. But now there was also a problem.


    Previously, progress had been very slow without Devitt, but after he returned, progress had elerated significantly. So Bruce always wondered if he hadn''t hired the right people, or if his younger brother was just too good.


    "Big Brother, do you really need to think about this? Third Brother is definitely very good. He''s always been a medical genius in our family, and you know that. He can do the work of three people alone. Bringing him back, of course, puts us at an advantage. And as long as we can develop this coboration, I think it doesn''t matter who does it. Why do you care so much about these things?"


    "I don''t care about this matter, can it work?"


    Bruce felt that although they needed money, if they couldn''t find these people, it wouldn''t work. But of course, he couldn''t expect everyone to be as good as his third brother. After all, genius was something you couldn''t demand; it was something you encountered by chance.


    "Alright, let''s not talk about these things. Let''s talk about something else. With Third Brother here, we don''t need to worry about this project specifically, but next month''s board meeting ising up soon, and it will be your first official appearance. Do you have any thoughts on what to say?"


    Although revealing Sylvia''s identityThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    had been a bit too quick, catching them off guard, fortunately, Sylvia had done nothing wrong recently,. there was nothing to worry about But it didn''t mean that others would ept it so quickly. After all, there were still many people in the


    company who sided with Bruce, and


    even wanted to sow discord


    between them privately. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    They all knew this, but no one said anything. This kind of thing couldn''t be avoided.


    "Whatever, Big Brother, do you have any good ideas?"

 Chapter 246: Checking the Situation

    Chapter 246: Checking the Situation


    Sylvia was familiar with the board members. Before, she had worked here under her father''s leadership, andter her older brother took over. There were quite a few issues at that time, but they were all resolved with her broader vision. Now it was her turn, and, well, whenever a new person takes over, there are bound to be various troubles.


    "I don''t have any specific suggestions for you. I''ve been through this myself. These people aren''t easy to deal with, especially since I''m not happy with the project. But now, I think it''s time to make some moves against these folks."


    Bruce continued eating with exceptional grace.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "These folks have been getting too greedy over the years. But, you know, it''s your turn now. Dealing with them now, while you''re in charge, is a good move. It''ll help you establish your position more quickly."


    Sylvia paused with her fork halfway to her mouth, looking at her brother. Was he doing this on purpose? He must have been waiting for her to clean up, right? So, the recent exposure of her identity was probably the happiest news for him because it meant she could tackle these issues earlier than expected.


    "Big Brother, were you nning to deal with them all along? You didn''t do anything before, and now you''re leaving it to me."


    "Well, you''re about to take over, so it''s only natural for you to deal with this now. It''s a good opportunity for you."


    Although she found her brother''s reasoning logical, she also realized that dealing with these troublesome people first would mean fewer worriester.


    "These folks won''t be easy to handle. It took you about two or three years to get to where you are now. How much time are you giving me to deal with these old foxes?"


    Sylvia looked at her brother. He had been nning this for years. He wouldn''t leave her unprepared to deal with these old foxes. After all, Dad had helped him a lot in the beginning.


    Bruce paused and looked up at Sylvia, blinking as if he were genuinely surprised. Suddenly, Sylvia felt a sense of unease.


    "Don''t tell me you never thought about this and want me to figure it out on my own?"


    "I talked to Dad about thisst month. He said he would help you deal with some of the people, and now he''s leaving it to you. Didn''t he tell you?" Sylvia felt a bit overwhelmed. Neither of them had told her their ns. It was a bit too much to expect her to handle this now.


    "Neither of you told me. Now you''re telling me to deal with this on my own? That''s a bit much."


    "You shouldn''t have that expression, little sister. Hasn''t Third Brother already helped you gather evidence against them? So, you don''t need to worry too much."


    Bruce thought his reasoning was quite sound.


    After finishing their meal, the three siblings went up to Bruce''s office, only to find Stanford hade over.


    "We hardly ever see you around. Did Sylviae over to discuss waterpany matters?"


    Mr. Du was almost speechless.


    Since he took over thepany, he


    hadn''t seen his dade over Now, it seemed like it was a regr urrence since Sylvia took over.


    n


    Stanford was obviously worried that his daughter wouldn''t be able to handle these matters. Although her olde brother was here to support her, he was still concerned


    "You don''t need to watch me. I just came to see what''s going on. You should be almost done with everything by now, right? Oh, and by the way, I came to deliver a


    document."


    He handed a file to Sylvia.


    "I forgot to give this to you the other day. I remembered today, so I brought it over."


    After ncing at the file, Sylvia''s eyes widened. With this document, dealing with those people wouldn''t be such a big problem after all.


    Bruce was almost grinding his teeth. Why didn''t he get such favorable treatment before?

 Chapter 247: Everyones Together

    Chapter 247: Everyone''s Together


    The thing Sylvia''s father gave her turned out to be quite useful. In just one or two days, she managed to investigate everything she wanted to find out. "You''ve been really busytely. I wonder what''s keeping you so upied."


    Everyone noticed Sylvia''s recent busyness but had no idea what she was up to.


    Today was a rare chance for her to spend time with everyone.


    "Things at thepany are starting to change, so I''ve been busy sorting outpany matters. You all seem to have plenty of free timetely. If you don''t have anything urgent, maybe you shouldn''t bothering to me."


    It wasn''t that Sylvia didn''t want to socialize; she was just incredibly busy. If she had the time, she wouldn''t havee out, but her schedule was packed.


    "We all know you''ve been really busytely. That''s why we made the effort to get you out. We also have something interesting prepared for you. Would you like to see?"


    They wouldn''t have just asked Sylvia out for a meal. If it were only about eating, they could have gone anywhere.


    "What is it?"


    Sylvia was curious, especially seeing their expressions.


    "You''ve been investigating those old foxes at thepany, right? Well, this ce is where they usually hang out. It''s right next door. Want to take a look?"


    Miranda winked, and Sylvia was genuinely surprised. They had found such a good spot.


    "Sure, let''s go."


    Since they had already prepared everything, there was no reason not to go.


    As they headed to the door, they hesitated.


    Sylvia pushed the door open, and the people inside were taken aback.


    "I didn''t expect everyone to be here. I hope my presence isn''t unwee."


    Sylvia smiled as she spoke to them, and they fell silent.


    Now that everyone was here, could they really say they didn''t wee her?


    "It''s a surprise to see you all here. I thought you didn''t keep in touch normally, but it seems you do hang out together sometimes."


    That was true. Some of them hardly spoke during normal asions, and when they did, it wasn''t always pleasant.


    But today, even those who rarely talked were chatting happily. They seemed to get along well, judging by the smiles and camaraderie.


    Sylvia''s gaze grew deeper as she looked around. After observing them for a while, she realized that their interactions were just for show. Privately, they got along quite well.


    Upon closer inspection, she began to doubt the uracy of the document she had. Perhaps there were some omissions.


    "You guys have been working hard. Since we''re all here now, why didn''t you tell me earlier? I''m right next door. If my friend hadn''t mentioned you were here, I wouldn''t have known. Now that we''re all here, how about we have a drink together?" This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia walked in without waiting for their reaction. She didn''t care if they weed her or not; she wasn''t leaving. Besides, she had already the person she wanted to see.


    seen


    She had wanted to spend some time


    with that person, but now she didn''t need to worry about it.


    After Sylvia entered the room, she didn''te out for half an hour. The others grew bored and left, assuming it would take a while to meet with such a group of old foxes on such short notice.


    "These days haven''t been easy. This group must have caused quite a stir. I heard Sylvia is here today. I''ve been wanting to find her, but haven''t had any luck. Maybe there''ll be some unexpected gains today."


    "Speaking of which, I''ve noticed a lot of news about Miles onlely. I wonder what''s going on."


    "Do you guys not know? Most of the news online about Miles is spread by Sylvia."


    Kate nced at the others and was surprised they didn''t know. She had only stumbled upon it herself recently. She hadn''t expected Sylvia to take action, but thinking about it, it wasn''t surprising. After all, Miles had seemed very deliberate from the beginning. So, Sylvia''s actions weren''t so unexpected.


    The others were surprised to hear Kate''s revtion. They hadn''t thought Sylvia would target Miles on her own. They hadn''t noticed any animosity between Sylvia and Miles during their interactions.

 Chapter 248: Not Looking for You

    Chapter 248: Not Looking for You


    "It''s not surprising. Miles seemed off from the beginning when he approached Sylvia. It''s not strange that Sylvia decided to take action at this time, right?"


    Duncan breathed a sigh of relief. Back when Cyril was around, he couldn''t shake off this emotion. Now with Miles back, he thought he''d have no chance again. But knowing that Sylvia took the initiative against Miles, he realized he still had a shot. After all, with so many people around Sylvia, he might be the better choice, right?


    Moreover, someone who usually has little to no contact suddenly reaching out to them at this time, that''s just weird.


    "Miles seemed off from the start when he approached Sylvia. Now''s a good time to investigate. By the way, haven''t some of you already investigated Miles? Any findings?"


    Duncan was excited. While others might not speak about it, if push came to shove, everyone in the room could im they''ve investigated privately. After all, with this group around Sylvia, who knows who''s genuine and who''s not, just like Cyril. They didn''t see any red gs until Sylvia got married and Cyril revealed his true colors.


    "Instead of asking if anyone has investigated Miles, why don''t you share what you''ve found? I find it hard to believe you haven''t done anything. You must have investigated Miles already. So, what did you find?"


    Duncan fell silent. How could he speak? If he did, wouldn''t it be intentionally targeting his romantic rival? Moreover, what he found about Miles actually painted him in a positive light. Sure, no one is without ws, but the more wless someone seems, the more suspicious they are. "What I''ve found is probably different from what you''ve found, so I''d like to know what you''ve discovered first. Let''s share resources." After Duncan''s words, Miranda was the first to flip out, and the others were even less inclined to speak.


    "Forget it. There''s no resource sharing with you. Clearly, you''re trying to take advantage. Let me be frank with you. Regardless of whether I''ve investigated Miles, if Sylvia has to choose, and if she chooses Miles, then I''ll support that. If Miles has ulterior motives, I''ll definitely stop it. You should do the same."


    Miranda made her stance clear. She wouldn''t do it because Duncan was her brother. Though she wanted her brother to be happy, she also wanted Sylvia to be happy. If her brother couldn''t make Sylvia happy, so be it.


    Better they be good friends,sting long, rather than be lovers, right?


    Duncan knew his sister''s mindset, so he didn''t push further. Whatever his sister said was final. He just sighed, feeling a bit sad. Why couldn''t they stand by his side?


    Meanwhile, the group was discussing Sylvia and Miles. On the other side, Sylvia was talking to the old foxes.


    Halfway through the drinks, Sylvia put down her ss, her smile fading. She looked around, and the others realized something wasn''t right.


    "Alright, since everyone''s had enough to drink, you uncles can leave now. We''re not here for you today."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia''s sudden change caught the others off guard, but they soon noticed who she was sitting next to, and their expressions turned sour.


    Sylvia''s smile deepened, but her


    eyes turned icy. "Why are you all so reluctant to leave when you notice I''m sitting in the wrong spot? But none of you said anything from the start. Alright, I''m not here just to catch up with you. You all know my purpose, so I won''t beat around the bush. Do what you have to do. As for me, I just want to chat with this person again. If you insist on staying here, then I''ll have to start with


    someone to make room." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Sylvia''s smile didn''t falter, nor did her tone change, but the threat in her words was unmistakable.


    The first person to be targeted would be the most miserable, and the others wouldn''t fare much better. They didn''t want to be the first, nor did they want to give Sylvia any leverage, so they left obediently. After everyone left, only Sylvia and another young man remained.


    This young man, whether it was his elder brother, father, or every document Duncan had investigated, his shadow was present. And his identity was even more intriguing.


    "I never knew Miles had prepared so many people for himself. I wonder how he recognized my identity so quickly. Even if I look like my brother, people usually don''t connect us. But you managed to figure it


    it sofa ==


    It shows you know the truth. And you must have told Miles about it. Do you belong to corporate espionage? Or something else?"


    After Sylvia mentioned Miles and what he did, the man''s face changed several times. In the end, he could only deny what he had done, as he knew once he admitted, things wouldn''t be simple.


    "I don''t understand what you''re talking about. I don''t know this Miles you''re talking about, and corporate espionage? I know nothing about it. I''m just acquainted with them. Don''t you know about old friends?


    "I know about old friends, but I didn''t


    know


    you were so close to every one of them. have several ns in my hands, and your shadow appears in each one of them. Who else would be the boss behind you, if not Miles? Oh of course, Miles probably won''t have it easy either."


    With a smile on her face, Sylvia took out her phone, opened a file, and ced it in front of the man. He nced at it, his face turning pale.

 Chapter 249: Ambush

    Chapter 249: Ambush


    "It seems you''ve understood my meaning. Since you understand, there''s nothing more to say. Give a message to your boss: if he wants something, he cane forward directly. There''s no need for sneaky tactics. I hate people who scheme behind others'' backs."


    After saying this, Sylvia stood up, but her wrist was grabbed by someone.


    "Now that you''ve figured out what we''re up to, do you think I can just let you leave like this?"


    Seeing the man''s furious expression, Sylvia knew his n had failed. The consequences of failure were clear to everyone; he couldn''t exin to Miles.


    But the more he panicked, the calmer Sylvia became.


    "Whether you ce an order or not is your business. Whether I can leave here is my ability. Why don''t you try to see if I can really leave from here?" After saying this, Sylvia snatched her hand back and gave the man a cold look before leaving. However, her speed couldn''t match his. Suddenly, he pulled out a handkerchief from his bag and covered his nose and mouth.


    The next moment, Sylvia was stunned. She had been outwitted by this man. She vowed to remember this and return the favor to Miles intact, showing him who to mess with and who not to.


    While he was still conscious, Sylvia wanted to call someone nearby, but he quickly lost strength. He couldn''t even grab his phone as it fell to the ground. His body felt numb, and he eventually lost consciousness.


    After losing consciousness, Sylvia didn''t know how long it had been. All he knew was that when he opened his eyes again, he found himself in a


    room.


    The room had a strong fragrance that made Sylvia feel ufortable. He frowned. He had nned to leave, but as soon as he stood up, he felt weak.


    He involuntarily fell back, knowing the effects of the drug hadn''t worn off yet. What kind of drug was this? It was so effective. But he noticed his phone was still next to him. What was going on? Did that person have a change of heart and leave the phone for him?


    But that didn''t make sense. Why would that man leave the phone for him? He would surely find a way to take the phone away, or leave it here to give him false hope.


    But the fact that the phone was here still gave Sylvia a glimmer of hope. He struggled to pick up his phone, only to find it had no signal. It seemed the man had left a signal blocker as well. Sylvia couldn''t send any messages to his people toe and get him.


    Sylvia didn''t even know where he was, but he couldn''t just sit and wait to die.


    If he kept waiting passively, he would be a sitting duck.


    Taking a deep breath, Sylvia bit his tongue hard to endure the pain. Even though his whole body was numb, he felt a surge of strength. He propped himself up, gasping for breath, and struggled to stand up, leaning against the wall as he walked out step by step. Could he get a signal once he left this room?


    He finally reached the door, about to open it and step out, but the next moment, someone opened the door from the outside. Sylvia''s heart skipped a beat when he saw who walked in.


    What a series of unfortunate events!


    ...This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "What''s going on? It''s been so long, why hasn''t Sylvia returned? I haven''t heard any noise from next door. Let''s go check it out."


    They had been sitting in the private room for so long without Sylvia returning. Duncan was getting anxious. Where could he have gone? Apart from being a little worried just now, the others also felt something was off. How could he be gone for so long without returning?


    "Let''s go. We need to find out what''s going on. It''s not like him to be gone for so long."


    Their reasoning made sense, but why would something happen when they were so close? It was puzzling. They packed up and headed outside, only to find the room next door empty and cleaned out. There was no one inside.


    At that moment, they had to admit that something was indeed wrong. Suddenly, they all became a bit anxious, but fortunately, they were in the first row. Duncan immediately nudged Kate, who took out her phone and called the manager. In a moment, the manager hurried over.


    The big boss usually wouldn''te here, but today, with something major happening, how could he sit still? Yu Sheng immediately came over.


    "Boss, I''ve already turned off the surveince ording to your instructions, but the surveince on this floor may not capture everything. It brokest month..."


    As he said thest sentence, sweat dripped from the manager''s forehead. What should they do? The surveince had brokenst month and hadn''t been fixed this month. The boss would surely be angry. Just as he expected, Kate was furious. She kicked the manager in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground.


    "The surveince brokest month and hasn''t been fixed this month, so why did I hire you? Are you just ying with my money? Let me tell you, if you can''t find the people in this room for me, none of you will have a good end!"


    Kate was indeed very angry, but her concern was mostly for Sylvia. After thinking for a moment, she told the others, "Sylvia''s situation must have happened suddenly, so we need to send people to look for him. We''ll also check the surveince around and inform Bruce and the others about this."


    After all, they couldn''t keep Sylvia''s absence a secret. Everyone had to find a way to spread the news.


    They had been good friends for so many years, and they all understood each other well. They immediately started making calls and each took on


    their own tasks, methodically. The manager watched with a pounding heart. Maybe he wouldn''t have too much trouble next.


    "Hurry, take me to find the surveince. Find all the surveince around here. If there isn''t any here, there must be some elsewhere."


    The manager didn''t dare say much and immediately led Kate to check the surveince. At the same time, he made calls to ensure that everyone who entered the room was ounted for.

 Chapter 250: Save Me

    Chapter 250: Save Me


    No one knew exactly what had happened. All they knew was that something had suddenly changed, and everyone started bustling around. Bodyguards and security guards entered the crowd one by one, investigating, but the surrounding people didn''t know what was going on.


    Kate was almost dizzy from watching the surveince footage. She couldn''t find Sylvia. Her face grew darker and darker. Could it be that these people deliberately arranged this gathering today?


    But that didn''t make sense. If they had arranged it, what was their purpose? They couldn''t have known what Sylvia would do, and Sylvia had been busy with business coborations recently, not targeting anyone.


    Another possibility was that Miles couldn''t take it anymore and wanted to do something to Sylvia. If that was the case, Kate dared not think further. She took a deep breath and ordered the manager again, "Continue to have people go over the surveince footage from start to finish. We must find the person. Every moment from when the people entered this room to when they left must be scrutinized. We also need to find the surveince footage from other floors."


    Kate''s expression was especially serious, and the manager dared not say anything. He immediately followed Kate''s instructions.


    After giving these orders, Kate immediately called Miles. As expected, Miles didn''t pick up.


    "I''ve called Bruce and the others. Bruce said he would be here in 20 minutes. How''s the surveince going on your end? I''ve found several people, but they haven''t left. They''ve just gone to other private rooms. They don''t know what Sylvia and that man said."


    "I''ve investigated that man. He''s Mark, one of Miles'' former men. He left Miles''pany five years ago, but it seems his resignation was just a trap. He has been in contact with these people privately. Sylvia''s disappearance might be rted to them. Has anyone checked on Miles'' end?"


    They began sharing the clues they had. All the clues pointed to one thing: today''s incident was likely impromptu, but it was definitely nned well in advance.


    "I''ve checked, but I haven''t found anyone. There''s no connection between Sylvia and the surveince footage. I suspect this was nned in advance. Although today''s incident is urgent, it doesn''t mean they weren''t prepared."


    After analyzing all this information, everyone fell silent. What should they do next? How could they find Sylvia?


    "Boss, we have a lead. I just asked an employee, and he said he saw Sylvia and a stranger leave from the back door and get into a car. The surveince at the back door was just reced and should be working fine. I''ve already had them turn off the surveince."


    Finding a clue atst, even before seeing the surveince footage, Kate immediately ran to report. They all breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. At least they had a lead now.


    "Let''s go, hurry up and show me the surveince footage."


    A group of people entered the surveince room and stared intently at the footage. Sure enough, they saw Sylvia being supported by a man as they left through the back door. It was clear from the footage that Sylvia was probably unconscious by now.


    "It seems Miles did all this. Let''s investigate him immediately. If we find Miles, we might find out where Sylvia is."


    The others agreed. They immediately went to make calls, and while they were on the phone, Bruce arrived. He had also received thetest news and entered with a grim expression. The others didn''t dare to speak.


    "Show me the surveince footage."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    As soon as Bruce came in, he demanded to see the surveince footage. The others didn''t refuse, and the manager immediately had the technicians pull up the footage. Bruce remained silent throughout, and after watching it, he turned around and started making calls.


    ...


    Sylvia felt something was off with her body. A hot feeling rose from the bottom of her heart, and she couldn''t help but sneer at the idea of breaking free from a cage. She-


    wasnt stupid; she knew exa


    what was happening with her body. But she didn''t understand who had orchestrated all this. Was it the man in front of her?


    "Did you bring me here?" Sylvia''s eyes were full of anger and disgust. She had no rtionship with Cyril anymore. Why would Cyril still want to scheme against her? Did he think she would change her opinion of him after this?


    "No, I just had something to do today and came over. I saw that person who looked a bit like you, so I came to take a look. I came to save you this time. I heard him making a call; it seems he was calling Miles. I''ll take you away from here first."


    As Cyril reached out towards Sylvia, she immediately stepped back, not believing him, especially when she wasn''t feeling well.


    "You''re saving me?"


    "Yes, judging from your condition, he must have given you something. I''ll take you to the hospital first, then I''ll call your brother and the others toe pick you up."


    Cyril''s mood was especiallyplicated. He wanted to take Sylvia away immediately, but he also knew that if he did, the distance between them would only grow.


    "Call my brother now. Call them while I''m here. Once you''ve called, I''ll believe you."


    Sylvia still had some concerns and


    precautions against Cyril. Cyril nodded and took out his phone to make a call. However, he found that there was no signal here. He paused, then looked at Sylvia. "There''s no signal here. They''ve probably blocked all signals on this floor. It''s toote. I''ll take you away first. Don''t worry, I won''t do anything to you. I''ll take you to the hospital first. When you have a signal, I''ll call your brothers."


    Cyril was worried about what those people might do, so he grabbed Sylvia''s wrist and started walking. Sylvia didn''t have the strength to resist and could only be pulled away by Cyril.

 Chapter 251: Why Cant It Be Me?

    Chapter 251: Why Can''t It Be Me?


    This ce was definitely not safe. Cyril moved quickly and took Sylvia away.


    While in the car, Sylvia was already feeling woozy. She had no idea where Cyril would take her next. But she couldn''t shake the feeling that she had been drugged. Otherwise, why wasn''t she reacting to anything outside?


    As she struggled in fear, the car suddenly stopped, amplifying Sylvia''s fear once again.


    Sylvia didn''t trust Cyril at all. Wherever he took her, she felt afraid. She was scared of what Cyril might do to her. With no strength left in their bodies, they couldn''t even struggle when Cyril lifted her up.


    "Are you insane? I''ve already told you, we have no rtionship anymore. Let me go!"


    "Your condition is very bad right now. Someone is chasing us. I need to hide for a while. Don''t worry, he hasn''t done anything to harm you. Otherwise, he won''t be able to answer to his boss."


    Cyril''s expression remained calm as Sylvia''s words fell on deaf ears.


    "Don''t worry, I won''t hurt you. I won''t do anything to make you unhappy. Trust me, I can do that much."


    As he spoke, he carried Sylvia into a hotel. Sylvia gritted her teeth, knowing Cyril was lying about taking her to the hospital. He hadn''t gone there at all. What was his motive for bringing her here?


    As soon as Sylvia wasid on the bed, she tried to struggle, but Cyril was faster. He covered her mouth, and at that moment, there was a knock on the door. Sylvia''s heart raced. What was happening? Had they been found so quickly?


    "Don''t be afraid. They won''t take you away."


    Sylvia noticed Cyril''s strange expression. Something was definitely bothering him. She started to struggle slightly, trying to muster up some strength, but it was futile.


    "Why do you keep refusing me? I''ve done so much for you. I''ve never hurt you. Why can''t it be me? Miles is also trying to get close to you, but you tolerate him. Why not me? Why are you always so epting of others but reject me?"


    Cyril saw Sylvia''s struggles, and his frustration boiled over. He didn''t understand why Sylvia wouldn''t give him a chance, especially when he was trying to change and mend their rtionship. He felt he had been kind to others but harsh on himself.


    "And Miles! Miles has his own motives for getting close to you. He''s even more extreme than me. Yet you ept him and reject me. Why? Is it because of our past? But Miles isn''t any better than me. Why can''t it be me?"


    Cyril''s grip tightened, and Sylvia frowned.


    She wanted to say something to calm Cyril down, but the situation was too tense. She liked Cyril a lot but she couldn''t calm him down now. She felt anything she said might provoke him further, and she didn''t want to worsen the situation. Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Let go of me. Let''s talk calmly. Besides, someone is looking for me outside. Whatever use you have for me here, it won''t end well. There are too many of them out there. I can''t resist in my current state."


    Cyril had said he would call his brothers, but he hadn''t. Now that they were in a safe ce, he probably wouldn''t call anymore. Sylvia might not be able to leave here intact today.


    Sylvia gritted her teeth. How had she not realized what kind of person Cyril was? If she had known, she would never have gotten involved with him. Cyril''s behavior was terrifying.


    "I''ve told you, it''s very safe here. You don''t need to worry about your safety. I''ll protect you. But can you give me a chance? You know how I feel about you."


    Cyril looked at Sylvia affectionately,


    but Sylvia broke out in a cold sweat. She felt Cyrit''s affection for her was justpensation. Since he couldn''t have her, he wanted her desperately. But once he had her, he wouldn''t care. Besides, she didn''t have any feelings for Cyril anymore. Why should she continue to be entangled with him? It was unnecessary.


    Sylvia gritted her teeth. Just as she was about to say something, there was a louder knock on the door, apanied by shouting. Sylvia couldn''t hear it clearly, but she felt it sounded like her brother''s voice.


    "There are more and more people outside now. In this state, we definitely can''t take them on. Let me go. Quickly call my brother and ask him to send someone over."


    Sylvia was truly worried now. Cyril was crazy enough. She hoped Cyril didn''t know it was still Miles out there. With two lunatics, she was afraid she wouldn''t survive.

 Chapter 252: Big Brother Arrives

    Chapter 252: Big Brother Arrives


    Balk did have a schedule for today, but he came back unexpectedly. He didn''t inform his family, but after finishing this schedule, he nned to immediately change to the next one. He was only here for about four hours in total, so he didn''t want to bother anyone at home.


    With an hour to spare, he didn''t want to head to the airport just yet. Instead, he had his agent book a nearby hotel for him to get some rest. Though he couldn''t sleep for long, at least it was some rest.


    However, he didn''t expect to see a man carrying a woman into the hotel just as he got out of the car. And from the back, it looked like Cyril carrying that person. Could it be his sister?


    With suspicions rising, Balk became more doubtful about whether that person was his sister. After informing his agent, he immediately used the authority of his family to inquire about the person who had just checked into a room and the location of the room.


    To his surprise, his suspicions were confirmed. Cyril had indeed checked in, and he was carrying his sister. Balk wondered how they ended up entangled again, but seeing his sister''s appearance, it seemed like she was being controlled.


    "Tell my eldest brother my exact location. It seems like my sister is being controlled by Cyril. Tell my brother to send someone over as soon as possible. The faster, the better. I''ll go up and see what''s going on."


    After quickly informing his agent, Balk rushed upstairs. His agent couldn''t keep up with what was happening. Balk disappeared before his eyes, leaving him cursing under his breath. But he didn''t dare waste any time. He immediately called Bruce to exin the situation.


    When Balk reached the upper floor, he saw many people knocking on the door. Without a doubt, they were from another group. He didn''t know who they were, but he managed to take them down. Despite being a singer and dancer known worldwide, he still had the ability to protect himself. Everyone in their family, except his sister who used to bezy about studying when she was younger, had the ability to protect themselves. So dealing with these people wasn''t much trouble. After subduing them, Balk listened at the door, but there was no sound inside, whether due to soundproofing or something else.


    "Is that you, Cyril? What are you doing bringing my sister here? You bastard, open the door!"


    "You bastard, if I bring someone hereter, I won''t let you off. Your family''s wealth won''t save you. I''ll make sure you never hold your head up again!" "Cyril, you bastard! If you dare do anything to my sister, I won''t spare you. I''ll break every bone in your body!"


    "Sister, are you okay? Sister, if you''re okay, say something to your brother!"


    "You slut! The people I''ve told areing. I won''t let you off!"


    Balk was extremely anxious. He didn''t know what was happening inside. No matter how hard he shouted and knocked, the people inside remained silent. Indeed, Cyril had already made up his mind about what to do with his sister. How could he care about what was happening outside?


    Balk regretted not taking the room key earlier. Now he couldn''t get in.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Balk, I''ve found the room key!"


    It had to be said that the agent was very efficient Knowing that Balk was in a hurry, he didn''t waste any time bringing the room key. He borrowed the strength of Ivan Group and quickly got the key. As he handed it to Balk, he felt relieved. Thank goodness for the agent.


    As Balk opened the door, he asked, "Did you inform my eldest brother?"


    "Don''t worry, I''ve already told Bruce. Bruce has received the message and is on his way. The people he sent are already on their way. Don''t worry. Your third brother is alsoing. We''re just worried about your sister."


    Hearing this, Balk finally felt relieved. Fortunately, he reacted in time.


    BUT T


    Otherwise, who knows what would have happened. He opened the door and rushed in, with his agent following closely behind. As they entered, they saw Sylvia''s clothes torn by Cyril. Cyril was like an exposed lion,pletely out of control.


    Seeing this scene, Balk''s eyes turned red. This bastard, he really intended to harm his sister!


    "You bastard, let go of my sister!"


    Balk rushed forward, pushing Bruce aside, and kicked him hard. Then he followed up with several more kicks. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Balk took off his own clothes and put them on Sylvia. Then he carefully picked her up and held her in his arms.


    Seeing her big brother arrive, Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. She was trembling all over. If her brother hadn''t arrived in time, she didn''t know what Cyril would have done to her. Tears flowed uncontrobly down her cheeks.


    Seeing his sister''s fragile appearance, Balk''s heart broke. His sister, whom he had raised in the palm of his hand, was now being treated like this by someone. How could he bear this?


    "Don''t be afraid, don''t be afraid. Big brother is here. No one will hurt you with big brother here. Don''t worry, big brother and the others areing. They won''t let this person off."


    Sylvia gently nodded, but she hadn''t forgotten about Miles.


    "Big brother, and Miles."


    Sylvia''s light words made Balk furious. How could Miles be involved in this? He had known that Miles wasn''t a good person. Sure enough this guy had evil intentions. Balk nodded, then carried Sylvia out while telling his agent, "Once my eldest brother arrives, hand these people over to him. I''ll take my sister to the hospital first, then contact my third brother. Let''s meet at the hospital."


    The agent remained calm. After all, this didn''t happen to him, so he couldn''t genuinely care. He had already arranged everything.

 Chapter 253: The Insider

    Chapter 253: The Insider


    After arriving at the hospital, Sylvia was taken in for examination.


    Devitt hurried to the hospital, while Bruce, after confirming Sylvia was undergoing tests, went to the hotel to handle the uing matters. He couldn''t pass the day if he didn''t personally sort things out.


    By the time Bruce finished the tasks, Sylvia hadpleted her examination.


    "Don''t worry, big brother. Little sister Sylvia is fine. She was just drugged and feeling weak. Once the effects wear off, she''ll be okay. I''ve given her some medication, and she should recover faster by 10 o''clock. We still need to investigate what happened tonight. Little sister Sylvia is too cautious to let something like this happen."


    Devitt wiped the sweat off his forehead, knowing how nervous he was when he found out about Sylvia''s situation. It was a relief she was fine now. If anything had happened, they wouldn''t have forgiven themselves.


    After hearing Devitt''s reassurance, Bruce breathed a sigh of relief. Thank goodness nothing serious happened.


    Sylvia was now in a deep sleep after taking the medicine, her body exhausted. Other family members hurried over upon hearing the news.


    Seeing Sylvia sleeping on the bed, they felt upset and puzzled about what had happened.


    "I''ve informed Miles, and he''ll be here soon. Most likely, he''s involved in this, considering the man involved was his employee. He couldn''t have been unaware."


    Sitting together, they discussed


    Sylvia''s condition. Although they were relieved she was okay, they brought up Miles. They all wanted to punish him for what he did to Sylvia. How dare he plot against her likeContent ? N?velDrama.Org.


    this? But they were also curious why Miles, who could have cooperated in better ways, resorted to this. He knew Sylvia''s status was


    extraordinary. If he had done


    something irreversible to her, they


    wouldn''t let him off. Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    "I''ve investigated the man''s identity. After leaving Miles''spany, he worked with otherpanies, but they quickly went bankrupt. I don''t know if it was on Miles''s orders, but besides intentionally getting close to Sylvia, he didn''t do anything wrong recently. Even his past business dealings were clean."


    Kate, being calm and thoughtful,


    pondered the situation. If Miles was behind this, why would he take such a big risk? The man had already left hispany; there was no need to continue using him. And if he was involved in illegal dealings, wouldn''t otherpanies have reacted? Theck of any news over the years was suspicious.


    "I''m sorry, but I''m indeed involved in this. I just found out about it. The man, Henry, is indeed my former employee. He was fired for leaking business secrets. Later, he worked in otherpanies, and I didn''t bother to keep tabs on him. But I know he''s been doing simr things in private to make money."


    Miles arrived in a hurry, sweat dripping from his forehead, showing how urgent the situation was for him.


    Seeing the disdainful looks from the others, he knew he couldn''t escape this time. After all, he was definitely involved in this.


    "I know you probably won''t believe


    me, but what I''m saying is true. I started contacting you as soon as I found out about this, but none of you answered. I have the call logs to prove it. Maybe someone tampered with my phone. As for Henry he was cklisted from the industry after being fired, so I didn''t know what he was up to. I apologize for what happened."


    Miles''s apology seemed sincere, but no one in the room was easily fooled.


    "What was your intention in getting close to my sister in the first ce?"


    These pieces of evidence could be easily forged, but there were some things that couldn''t be faked, like his true intentions towards Sylvia.

 Chapter 254: Unwillingness

    Chapter 254: Unwillingness


    When Miles heard Bruce''s words, he paused. Indeed, getting close to Sylvia was advantageous for him.


    "As businessmen, you should understand that our goal is to make money. I admit I used some means to investigate his identity, but I didn''t harm him. You can investigate freely; I''m not afraid."


    This was undeniable. His initial intention in approaching Sylvia wasn''t pure. His feelings for her changed over time, and he was willing to tell them. But after saying this, Miles realized they saw things differently now.


    "I''m sorry, I didn''t know about today''s events. Henry''s actions were driven by his desire for a stable job, not to harm Sylvia. I didn''t expect him to target her."


    Miles exined earnestly, but they were skeptical.


    "I know you''ll investigate. I hope you won''t interfere with Sylvia anymore. If you do, we won''t spare you."


    Bruce spoke firmly.


    Sylvia''s safety was paramount. Bruce could deal with Milester. Besides, why rush to settle scores now?


    Cyril''s role concerned Bruce. Cyril hadn''t taken Sylvia to the hospital or contacted them directly. He seemed to have his own agenda.


    So, Bruce wouldn''t let them off easily. First, they had to ensure Sylvia''s safety. Once that was assured, they could deal with the others. Miles sighed. He knew the investigation wouldn''t end here. He decided to cooperate, hoping his innocence would be proven.


    "I know you need my cooperation for your investigation. Feel free to ask. I haven''t done anything wrong."


    Miles''s response seemed sincere, easing their tension. But they knew his involvement tainted the situation.


    Worried, Miles nced at Sylvia in the hospital room before leaving. Bruce then remembered Cyril.


    "What about Cyril? He''s been busy with Miles and Sylvia. What''s his role in all this?"


    Everyone involved wasn''t clean.


    Cyril''s intentions were clear - heet


    wanted Sylvia. If not for Bark''s discovery, things would''ve spiraled out of control.


    "We''ve found him. He''s at the hotel under our control. He seems upset, probably not epting the situation." Bruce''s assistant provided updates. Hearing this, they couldn''t help but scoff. What did Cyril have to be upset about? He had the chance to be with Sylvia but didn''t cherish it. Now, after their divorce, he regretted it. Wasn''t that toote?


    "Take care of Sylvia here. I''ll talk to Cyril and see what he wants."


    After informing them, Bruce left. He needed to have a serious conversation with Cyril to understand his intentions.


    Cyril had the opportunity to leave but stayed silent in the room until he heard the door open. Seeing Bruce, he forced a smile, but it quickly faded.


    "What role do you y in this? You §Ö didn''t cherish Sylvia when you were married. Now that she''s in trouble, you''re the first to show up. Do you think we''re easy to deal with?"This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Bruce looked down on Cyril, his disdain evident from the beginning. It only deepened now.


    "I just want to correct my mistakes


    and make things right. Sylvia and I were married. Why can''t we give it another chance? Why won''t she give me a chance, even after I''ve


    vel


    changed? Why doesn''t she give me a chance?"

 Chapter 255: Thought You Wouldnt Come

    Chapter 255: Thought You Wouldn''t Come


    Sylvia woke up in the evening. When he opened his eyes, there was no one in the room. But when he looked to the side, he saw a bouquet of flowers on the table, along with a thermos lunch box. It was probably food someone had brought for him. Sylvia nced at it and closed his eyes again, wondering which brother was taking care of him.


    Just as he closed his eyes, the door to the ward opened, and Sylvia opened his eyes again, looking towards the door.


    To his surprise, the person who entered was Miles.


    "I thought you wouldn''te here today, especially after such a big deal. My brothers must be very angry," Sylvia''s voice was hoarse, and there was a hint of vignce and anger in his eyes as he looked at Miles.


    Miles noticed Sylvia''s reaction, paused slightly, then nodded.


    "Indeed, my brother''s opinion of me is significant. This incident was indeed unexpected, and I didn''t expect it to turn out like this."


    Seeing Sylvia lying on the hospital bed, Miles did feel guilty. After all, he didn''t expect things to turn out this way. How could he not feel guilty?


    Sylvia''s mouth twitched slightly. Was he really guilty? Howe he couldn''t see that Miles wasn''t actually that guilty? Or maybe this incident would be even more helpful to him?


    "Regardless, this incident should still bring you some benefits, right? You can get some information from that man''s mouth and get closer to me more smoothly. Isn''t that better?" Sylvia asked.


    "Why would I do that? Aren''t we good now? I don''t need to rely on outsiders for such things. It''s just unnecessary for me," Sylvia''s expression changed when he saw Mark Marls'' face. To be honest, Mark''s actions did surprise him greatly, but after the surprise, it wasn''t that surprising. He had known what kind of person Mike was a long time ago. He only did things that benefited himself.


    "I''ve never had the time to ask you, what exactly is your purpose in getting close to me? I always thought we were good friends, so I didn''t ask about these things. But now it seems like I was a bit naive. How could you just casually approach me like this and talk about pursuing me? How long have we known each other?" Sylvia asked.


    Sylvia had never asked before, and he hadn''t said that both of them knew it without saying anything. The other party''s approach was definitely not a good thing. Originally, if this incident hadn''t happened, Sylvia could have ignored it, but now that he had been drugged and almost harmed by Cyril, how could he pretend that it didn''t matter? In fact, if we were to really count, the culprit of this incident was Miles, so Miles had to give himself an exnation.


    "It''s been a long time. Shouldn''t you give me an exnation? No matter how you behave in the outside world, I know you''re definitely not as simple as you seem," Sylvia said.


    After hearing Sylvia''s words, Miles smiled. Sylvia was indeed very smart. He had seen through his true intentions in just a few words. He didn''t know how to respond. If he said that Sylvia was wrong, it wasn''t true, but if he said that Sylvia was wrong, it didn''t seem right either.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "You should have figured it out by now. I approached you for a reason, but my purpose in getting close to you is definitely not to harm you.


    You can rest assured about this


    Besides, I''m not the kind of 0.76


    who would harm women. Even if I have some purposes, the premise of those purposes is definitely not to harm you."


    Sylvia nodded at this point, saying that it wasn''t wrong. If Miles really wanted to harm him, he didn''t need to spend so much effort getting to know him.


    But even so, Sylvia couldn''t ept being deceived for such a long time without any reaction from himself.


    "So, what exactly is your intention in getting close to me? What do you want from me? Or do you want something from our family?"


    Sylvia had known for a long time that after these people outside knew his identity, getting close to him would definitely be profitable for them. They all wanted something from him. Miles was no exception. So he really wanted to know what Miles wanted from him.


    "You might find it a bit ridiculous, but I approached you not for your family''s money or anything. My original purpose in getting close to you was just for you as a person."


    This answer was beyond Sylvia''s expectations. He looked at Miles in surprise, clearly not believing Miles'' words.


    "You see, I knew that after I said my true thoughts, you wouldn''t believe me. In fact, no one can just casually believe what I say. But the truth is, I approached you just for you as a person. Of course, it''s not entirely because of you. It''s also because of my son."


    Hearing this, Sylvia nodded. As a


    father, and a very qualified father at that, he naturally didn''t have anything particrly special for his children. Sylvia nodded slightly and he became even more curious. So what was the real purpose of Miles getting close to him?


    "You know, my son is not my own. He''s my brother''s child. But because of the impact of his father''s death when he was young, he once didn''t want to talk to anyone. Later, under the intervention of a psychologist, he improved a lot. But then one day, I found that he was willing tomunicate with me. This surprised me a lot. The doctor told me that the reason he had such a reaction was because of external difficulties. So I started to


    investigate what caused him to have such a reaction."


    Here Miles paused, and it was obvious that what he said next was rted to Sylvia. Sylvia also understood this principle, so he remained silent, wanting to hear what Miles would say next.


    And Miles couldn''t help but think of what happened to Jimmy when he was a child. He really didn''t expect that his son would go online and see Sylvia. Even now, Miles still remembered that picture. Sylvia in the picture was very young, probably only in his teens.


    But even after seeing that picture, the impact on Jimmy was huge. He held his own hand and wanted to say that he knew Sylvia and even wanted Sylvia to be his mother.

 Chapter 256: Marriage

    Chapter 256: Marriage


    The incident had a huge impact on him. After his younger brother passed away, Lumi didn''t want to talk to him anymore, let alone make such a proactive request. So, while Miles was surprised, he was also very happy.


    At least he had a request. That was better than having no request at all. So, he immediately tried every means to find Sylvia''s whereabouts. But most of Sylvia''s identity information had already been concealed, so he could only find very little information.


    However, for the sake of his son, he began to investigate. Gradually, he discovered that Sylvia''s rtionship with the Ivan Group was different.


    Then, he found photos of Sylvia with other members of the Ivan family.


    From that moment on, he could be sure of Sylvia''s identity.


    "So, what you''re saying is that you knew my identity from a long time ago and deliberately approached me, and your purpose was just to find a stepmother for your son?" Sylvia heard this and couldn''t help butugh. He was lying on the hospital bed, unable to exert any strength, but hearing this made him inexplicably angry. He didn''t know what he should be angry about. Perhaps it was because he never expected that someone would approach him with such a simple purpose.


    "Don''t say it like that. Instead of saying that I approached you to find a stepmother for my child, it''s better to say that I approached you for a marriage alliance."


    Miles thought for a moment and changed his wording. He felt that saying "finding a stepmother" sounded a bit harsh, but if he talked about the reason, it would be much better. Besides, both his and Sylvia''s family conditions were quite good. If they really wanted to form an alliance, it wouldn''t be a bad thing.


    After hearing this, Sylvia rolled his eyes in annoyance. This was the first time he had heard someone say something so infuriating.


    "There are many people who want to contact me, but the premise of their contact is because of my identity. Obviously, you knew my identity from before, and now you''re saying all this. The truth is, your purpose is still the same: to find a stepmother for your son."


    A marriage alliance would definitely be profitable, but Sylvia couldn''t help butugh at the idea of finding a stepmother. Before, they had warned him to be careful, saying that Miles might be trying to get him to be a stepmother for his son. At that time, he didn''t think much about it. He didn''t expect himself to be so foolish, to be tricked by a man again. Moreover, it seemed that this group of people around him had been deleted from the beginning. Thinking of this, he couldn''t help but feel annoyed.


    He couldn''t even see through something that everyone else could see through. If it wasn''t for this incident, would he have never realized Miles'' intentions and still be as naive and foolish as before, falling into a man''s trap again?


    Thinking of this, a cold smile


    appeared on Sylvia''s face. He didn''t know if he was mocking Miles or himself for being foolish. Although he easily believed a man''s lies, it'' seemed that he hadn''t suffered enough. He actually believed a man''s words again. How stupid could he be?


    "A businessman definitely wouldn''t only do such things. Even if I believe that what you''re doing now is for the sake of your son, you must have other purposes. Just say it. What other purposes do you have in approaching me?"


    Sylvia stared straight at Miles, making Miles feel a bit nervous. Although he only had this one purpose, after seeing Sylvia''s gaze, he felt that this one purpose wasn''t enough.


    "Whether you believe it or not, my only purpose is this. And he is my brother''s only child, and the rtionship between me and my brother..."


    "Enough. You have a good


    rtionship with your brother, but what does that have to do with me? If you want to plot against me, then I can only say that you have


    seeded halfway. If it weren''t for this incident, I would never have thought of your true purpose in


    approaching me. Even ifs


    something from me, it''sThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    want


    understandable. After all, this is such a big scheme. You''ve been investigating me for so many years, and you''ve even found out about the things my family has been hiding. It''s clear that you''ve put in a lot of effort. This kind of father-son rtionship does touch me, but it doesn''t mean that I''ll forgive you for what you''ve done to me."


    Sylvia sneered at him, not wanting to continue with him. After all, he had been used. Regardless of the purpose, that fact would never change. So what else was there to say?


    Now, Miles fell silent. Indeed, no matter what, he had made a mistake at the beginning. It wasn''t surprising that Sylvia would say this. He nodded slightly, thinking that if Sylvia didn''t want to, what should he do about his son?


    "I have one more presumptuous request. I hope you can agree. If you''re willing to agree, I won''t bother you anymore."


    Sylvia was really amused by this. Couldn''t this person understand what he was saying?


    "Miles, don''t push your luck. You clearly understand what I mean, yet you want me to agree to your conditions. Why should I agree to your conditions? What you''ve done doesn''t deserve me giving you any more chances!"


    Sylvia was very angry. Why did Miles still want him to help, and why did he give such a condition? Did he think the people in his family were all decorations? He wanted to


    el.ne


    approach him, so he could al


    him. If he didn''t want to, he didn''t


    have to. There was no such good thing.

 Chapter 257: The Child Isnt Wrong

    Chapter 257: The Child Isn''t Wrong


    Seeing Sylvia so angry, Miles didn''t think much of it because he knew that if he made another request, it would surely upset Sylvia. However, it was all within his expectations. But when he thought about his little map, to be honest, he didn''t think Sylvia would ept it.


    "My request is actually very simple. I hope you can have lunch with my son."


    His gaze was sincere and clear, seemingly genuine without any bad intentions. But the more sincere he appeared, the angrier Sylvia felt. If he had just straightforwardly talked about his interests, Sylvia wouldn''t be so angry. But now that all his intentions had been exposed, yet he still made such a request, it was simply shameless. Sylvia was furious and didn''t even bother to acknowledge him, saying directly,


    "I refuse. Even if you don''t want to see me in the future or whatever, I won''t agree. What does it have to do with me if it''s a matter between you and your son? Do you think you can still use me after you think I''m of no use anymore? Dream on. I won''t give you any more chances to use me. Besides, I''ll skip having a meal with your son. We''ve already had so many meals together before, and there''s no need to continue. Regarding your son''s identity, I do feel very sorry, but I''m not a saint. I can''t cure him!"


    After saying these words, Sylvia closed his eyes, clearly indicating his intention not tomunicate further. Miles saw this scene and felt a headacheing on. Well, being rejected at this point was something he had expected. There wasn''t anything particrly surprising about it. He just felt a bit sad when he thought about his son''s disappointed face, but he couldn''t me Sylvia.


    "Sorry, it was indeed presumptuous of me to make this request. It''s right for you to refuse. I''ll give you a satisfactory exnation for this matter. Rest well. If you need anything in the future, you can call me. Consider it my..."


    Sylvia didn''t want to hear him continue bbering. None of the men who approached him had good intentions. They always wanted something from him, which made him extremely angry.


    Regardless of his status or appearance, Sylvia wasn''t bad. But among the people he came into contact with, besides friends and family, everyone else had ulterior motives.


    "That''s enough. I don''t want to hear your long speeches anymore. I don''t want to listen to anything you have to say. If there''s nothing else, just leave. I won''t contact you anymore in the future."


    Sylvia pointed to the door and yelled. Miles nodded and left. In the end, he had managed to make Sylvia angry. When Miles left, Sylvia gradually calmed down. Regarding Miles'' actions and what he wanted to achieve, it wasn''t a big deal. The reason why he was angry was that even though Miles could have straightforwardly made this request, he didn''t. Instead, he made Sylvia suffer from such unfounded usations, which was the most uneptable thing for him.


    Also, it wasn''t a problem to just have lunch with Jimmy. In reality, the child wasn''t wrong. It was the adults whose minds were dirty, whose actions were wrong. Children would only speak out your thoughts and wouldn''t do so many things.


    Thinking about this, Sylvia couldn''t help but feel angry. He couldn''t help but wonder why he was angry about these things. They weren''t particrly important, nor were they important people. Why did he care so much? He had already said what he wanted to say, so what was the point of brooding over it now?


    The more Sylvia thought about it, the more irritated he became. He covered himself with the nket and decided to sleep first. He would think about these thingster when he woke up.


    But it was hard to fall asleep. After a while, Sylvia couldn''t sleep. He hesitated for a moment before taking out his phone and sending a message to the rtively rxed Miranda.Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Miranda seemed to be busy with something because she didn''t respond to the message, as if she had disappeared. After waiting for a while and not receiving a response, Sylvia became even more irritable. Well, it seemed destined to be an oue that he couldn''t wait for. So he stopped worrying and stopped thinking about it. The truth woulde out eventually, so he would wait and see. There was no need to think about it now.


    After convincing himself, Sylvia finally fell asleep. But it wasn''t peaceful. He dreamed about what had happened to him today and final encounter with his second brother Thinking about this, he was awakened in the middle of the night again. Then he called his big brother. If everything went as expected, his big brother should handle the matter concerning Cyril.


    "Calling me in the middle of the night, can''t you sleep?"


    At this time, Bruce''s voice sounded particrly clear, indicating that he should still be busy with work.. Thinking about this, Sylvia breathed a sigh of relief. He was worried that he would disturb his brother''s rest.


    "Brother, how did you deal with Cyril''s matter?"


    Bruce made a sound of acknowledgment, seeming somewhat surprised that Sylvia suddenly asked this question.


    "Can''t sleep in the middle of the night, just to ask me this? If you''re calling me just to ask this question, then I think it''s unnecessary. Why do you care so much about how he ends up?"


    "Of course I have to care. He almost caused harm to me. Shouldn''t I care about how he ends up in the end?"


    "That''s true, but I''m worried that you and the family will fall out again because of this. It''ll be hard to say then."


    "That''s not the point. The point is, how did you deal with him in the end? Do you need me to take revenge for myself?"


    Bruceughed when he heard this, and then teasingly said,


    "True, if you put it that way, he did save you today. If he hadn''t saved you, you might have ended up with Miles. Who knows what Miles would have done to you? Then I can''t guarantee what the oue would have been."


    That was the gist of what he said, but Sylvia still felt ufortable.


    "That''s not the point. The point is, how did you deal with him in the end? Do you need me to take revenge for myself?"

 Chapter 258: Whats Mine

    Chapter 258: What''s Mine


    Bruce was a bit confused at this point, unsure if Sylvia really wanted to vent her anger on him or if there was another reason. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke.


    "I''ve already dealt with the people bothering you. They won''t continue to harass you in the short term. Also, their family''s cooperation has several issues. He should be busier now. You canpletely trust this. Of course, if you want to vent your anger, I won''t say anything. You can do what you want. But there''s another thing I want to ask you about, you and Miles..."


    "Brother, there''s nothing between me and Miles. I found out today that he approached me because he wanted to marry into our family. He wants to find a stepmother for his son."


    There was no need to hide such things from Bruce. After hearing this, Bruce fell into silence for a while. To be honest, among all the business people he had dealt with, this request was quite straightforward.


    "What I mean is, if you really like him, it''s not impossible. But if you''re going to be a stepmother, we definitely won''t allow it."


    Sylvia was speechless. The point wasn''t about being a stepmother at all!


    "Big brother, did you miss the point? The point isn''t about being a stepmother, the point is..."


    "Alright, your point and my point are not the same. There''s nothing more to say. As for you and Cyril, how you want to deal with it is your business. We won''t interfere. And as for you and Miles, it''s up to you. Whatever you want to do, our family won''t stop you."This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Why did it sound so strange? Sylvia couldn''t figure out what was strange for a while. It just felt strange, but she couldn''t pinpoint exactly what it was. Bruce probably had other work to do. After speaking with Sylvia, he hung up the phone. Feeling a bit annoyed seeing the disconnected call, Sylvia decided to bother the second eldest brother, Balk.


    Balk''s phone was quickly answered, but it wasn''t him who answered, it was his agent. He said that his brother was busy and couldn''t answer his call. Feeling helpless, Sylvia hung up the phone. Originally, he wanted to call the third brother, but he remembered the nature of the third brother''s work, so he didn''t make the call. Feeling a bit annoyed, he closed his eyes and went to sleep.


    Bruce did cause Cyril a lot of trouble. Cyril felt overwhelmed, and he had been busy for several days. Although that day''s incident seemed to have passed, they both knew deep down that it wasn''t over.


    With more and more problems in thepany, the old man finally noticed that something was wrong. He called Cyril early in the morning and summoned him to the old house. As soon as Cyril arrived, the old man made him kneel down and mercilessly struck him with his cane. The people around could hear it clearly.


    "What have you been doingtely? You''ve been running thepany into a mess. If you keep this up, I think you don''t need to continue managing thepany!"


    The old man''s words were extremely severe. Cyril just sneered and didn''t answer.


    "And your affair with Sylvia has caused quite a stir. Since you and Sylvia have no rtionship anymore, you shouldn''t continue to pursue her. You''re embarrassing our family."


    Cyril seemed to find something amusing, looking at his grandfather and said, "Embarrassing? Grandfather, what''s there to be embarrassed about? Our family''s current actions have nothing to do with dignity."


    "Back then, when you went to trouble Sylvia, you didn''t say that this matter would lose face. Now that what I''m doing affects thepany, you think I''m losing face. Why didn''t you say so much before? Before, you didn''t like Sylvia, Now that Sylvia''s status has changed, it seems like you think I''m not worthy of Sylvia. How ridiculous!" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "I think you''re going to rebel. Are you speaking to me like this? Is this how you talk to me? Let me tell you, the sess of thispany isn''t solely your doing. If it wasn''t for me, do you still think..."


    "Grandfather, you say thispany has nothing to do with me. The achievements are not mine. Then what belongs to me?"


    Cyril looked somewhat bewildered. He couldn''t understand why things had developed to this point. What belonged to him now?


    Since childhood, he had always


    gotten what he wanted. But when Sylvia left him, he suddenly realized that what he thought was his, wasn''t really his at all. Just like how he had always wanted to hold onto the lifeline that once saved him, which was Sylvia. But now he had to let go. Why did he have to let go? Because if he didn''t, he would lose everything he had now.


    "And one more thing, grandfather, you seem to have forgotten. Thispany was originally bankrupt. If it weren''t for me back then, you wouldn''t be living in such a nice house now."


    This was true. If it wasn''t for his efforts back then, their family wouldn''t have the life they had now. It was miraculous.


    The expression on the old man''s


    face was extremely ugly. He didn''t know what Cyril was thinking, to actually say such things. He just wanted to tell Cyril that the past was the past, whether their family did right or wrong, it was in the past. People had to look forward. But Cyril seemed to be still fixated on the past, unwilling to turn back. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "Whatever you want. You''re old enough to have your own ideas. I can''t control you anymore. Do whatever you want, but I''ll say this once. Don''t back yourself into a corner."


    The old man still cared about his grandson. Seeing him look so lost, how could he not feel sad? But he had to walk his own path, bear the consequences of his actions. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have admitted that he didn''t like Sylvia back then because of her status. Now, he had changed his view of Sylvia because of Sylvia herself.


    But at his age, he could see things more clearly. Since he had done this, he had to bear the consequences.


    "And one more thing, thepany''s performance isn''t very good. It''s time for you to get married."

 Chapter 259: Forced Blind Date

    Chapter 259: Forced Blind Date


    For several days in a row, Cyril had met countless daughters of various families under the guise of


    dinner parties. Their purpose ining here was only one: to find a way to marry him. Despite his


    past marriage and entanglements with other women, Cyril was still considered a prime candidate for


    marriage not only for his appearance but also for his wealth. It was the best choice.


    Cyril was well aware of this, but he didn''t want to marry for convenience. He had someone he


    wanted to marry and his own thoughts. He didn''t want to ept anyone''s maniption. However,


    what he didn''t expect was that even with his good intentions, he couldn''t resist his grandfather. Over


    the years, Cyril''s grandfather had seen and experienced much more in the business world than


    Cyril.


    So Cyril''s continuous resistance was seen as nothing more than child''s y by his grandfather. His


    grandfather had ways to deal with Cyril.


    Today, Cyril was supposed to meet the daughter of another family, and he had learned about it early


    on. He didn''t want to go.


    His grandfather was well aware of Cyril''s resistance. If this coercion continued, it would only


    backfire. So this time, Cyril didn''t want to continue, and his grandfather didn''t force him. This


    surprised Cyril a bit, but at the same time, he was also cautious of his grandfather''s actions.


    "What should I do next, boss? The old master''s intention seems to be relentless until he achieves


    his goal. You didn''t go this time, but he might ask you to go next time. Besides, I''ve investigated this


    family''s daughter. Their family conditions are simr to ours. And it seems like she''s liked you for


    many years. When you were entangled with Karina, she was very fond of you."


    The investigation was indeed very thorough, but Cyril hated hearing about these things.


    "So what does my grandfather mean?"


    "The old master hopes you can get married sooner. As for who you choose, he hopes you consider


    your family more."


    These words shouldn''t have been spoken by the assistant, but the old master''s attitude was very


    clear. He wanted Cyril to make a choice himself. After hearing this, Cyril sneered.


    He didn''t want to listen to his grandfather''s thoughts at all. Did he have to do what his grandfather


    wanted him to do? Thispany had reached this height with his hard work. Marrying for


    convenience was to secure his position, but now his position was very stable, and he didn''t need


    any more marriages.


    This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Got it. From now on, you don''t need to tell me about these things from my grandfather. You need to


    understand that you are my assistant, not my grandfather''s assistant. If you always listen to my


    grandfather, then I suggest you go directly to him and be his assistant."


    The assistant felt extremely sad, he didn''t want to do these things either, but he had no choice. He


    was caught in the middle. Although his boss was Cyril, could he really not listen to his grandfather''s


    words? His grandfather had ways to cause trouble for him.


    "But what about the old master..."


    "I''ll talk to the old master. From now on, as long as you follow my instructions, you''ll be on my side


    instead of always thinking about solving problems for my grandfather."


    Cyril''s words gave the assistant a peace of mind. As long as Cyril said so, he wouldn''t have to worry


    about rejecting his grandfather''s requests in the future.


    Cyril definitely wouldn''t attend tonight''s party. He had another very important engagement. When he


    walked over, it was almost time, but he found Sylvia and Bruce here.


    The two siblings were talking together, and Cyril didn''t know what they were talking about. Sylvia


    seemed a little angry, and Bruce seemed to be coaxing her. Their rtionship as siblings was very


    good, which everyone around could see. Cyril stood at a distance and looked at Sylvia''s vivid


    expression on her face, feeling a little sad in his heart.


    Sylvia''s face could also have such vivid expressions. Both of them had missed out on these before.


    Sylvia didn''t know about Cyril''s thoughts at all. After finishing talking about some work matters with


    Bruce, she was ready to go find her friends to chat. As for tonight''s engagement, it was all handed


    over to Bruce to handle. Bruce didn''t want to take care of so many things at first, but since his sister


    said so, what else could he do? Of course, he had to help his sister honestly.


    The two of them went to do their own things without disturbing each other. Everyone could see that


    Bruce was mainly responsible for the engagements tonight, so no one went to find Sylvia. Sylvia''s


    status was different from theirs. Before, they could go to find Sylvia because they didn''t know


    Sylvia''s identity, but now that they knew, where would they find Sylvia?


    Cyril quietly watched Sylvia talking to her friends, not interrupting. However, what Cyril didn''t notice


    was that he was also being watched by Bruce all the time. Bruce''s gaze never left him from the


    moment Cyril appeared. After all, in their family''s heart, Cyril was an unforgivable sinner. As long as


    he dared to believe his sister, Bruce would not hesitate to take action.


    But after watching for a while and seeing that Cyril was just standing there watching his sister from


    a distance, Bruce rxed a bit. But his gaze still fell on Cyril, and everyone around could see what


    Bruce was looking at. No one spoke to disturb them, just silently talking about other things with


    Bruce.


    Suddenly, Bruce saw Cyril move. His purpose was very clear. He walked towards his sister. Bruce


    immediately cursed, then handed the things in his hand to the secretary behind him, and


    immediately walked towards his sister''s direction.


    Everyone could see what was happening in front of them. Cyril''s past actions had really angered


    their family, so even a slight movement from him now could make Bruce change so much.


    Indeed, Bruce''s expression was very ugly. When he walked over, he happened to see Cyril


    grabbing his sister''s wrist and leaving. He felt even more annoyed in his heart. Just as he was about


    to move forward, several people suddenly rushed to his front and stopped him.

 Chapter 260: Explanation

    Chapter 260: Exnation


    The purpose of this group of people stopping him was probably to prevent him from going after


    Cyril. It seemed like Cyril had nned this. Thinking about it, Bruce felt quite annoyed. He didn''t


    expect Cyril to be so well-prepared. Apparently, he had prepared quite a bit to insult Sylvia today.


    "Are you all sent by Cyril? Do you know who I am? How dare you attack me like this? Aren''t you


    afraid I''ll retaliate against each of you? Can your families withstand my anger? You better think it


    over."


    Bruce suppressed his anger and said to the group of people around him. They smirked at Bruce.


    They were not people with respectable identities.


    "I know you''re very wealthy, but honestly, we''re not here with any respectable identity either. We''re


    just here to help Cyril. We owe Cyril a favor, and now we''re just returning the favor. Hope you won''t


    give us a hard time. We''ll only block you here for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, we won''t stop you


    no matter where you want to go."


    How could Bruce tolerate this? These people had been messing around and blocking him from


    passing for 10 minutes. Obviously, they wanted Cyril and Sylvia to finish their conversation. How


    could he tolerate such a thing happening?


    And so much could happen in 10 minutes. Plus, this ce was so big that it would take more than


    10 minutes for Bruce to find them. Instead of thinking about it, he immediately turned around, called


    his other secretaries and bodyguards, and had theme over right away. He also contacted the


    organizers here to have them find Cyril and Sylvia.


    It didn''t matter how the people around him searched. What mattered was that they had to stop


    Bruce. That was their task. So when Bruce made the call, the people blocking him didn''t have any


    special reaction.


    ...


    On the other side, when Sylvia was pulled away by Cyril, she hadn''t reacted yet. She looked at Cyril


    and suddenly felt a little angry.


    "Are you crazy? Don''te looking for me when there''s nothing wrong. Don''t you know we have no


    rtionship anymore? If youe looking for me again, I''ll find you disgusting!"


    They had no rtionship anymore. They had divorced, done and said everything that needed to be


    done and said. What else did they have to say? Cyril had actually dragged her away again, and in


    front of so many people. People would start to suspect if they still had a connection. What was she


    supposed to do?


    "I just want to exin some things to you. After I say what I need to say, I''ll leave."


    Cyril had been busy withpany matters and being forced to meet daughters from various


    families. It was all very annoying. He had finally seen Sylvia, and he just wanted to talk to her.


    Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But Sylvia didn''t want to hear Cyril say anything. They had no contact or rtionship anymore.


    There was nothing to say.


    "I''m sorry. Over the years, I''ve hurt you. Everything was unintentional. I know you liked me a lot, but


    I never wanted to use your feelings to hurt you. I just didn''t want to settle for a marriage that was


    calcted between us. So I did some wrong things, but to you..."


    Cyril took a deep breath, feeling like he couldn''t go on. He used to like Sylvia, but he never realized


    it. The reason he had gotten so close to Karina was that he thought she was his savior, so he


    wanted to repay her. He had no other thoughts about Karina.


    "You may not be very clear about the situation between me and Karina, but I really didn''t have any


    other thoughts about her. There was only a rtionship of gratitude between us. I didn''t know it was


    you who saved me, so I thought it was her. I wanted to repay her kindness, so I did those things to


    her. I always turned a blind eye to what I did to you. I never thought my actions would hurt you.


    When we got married, although I wasn''t very satisfied, I never thought about divorcing you. I really


    wanted to spend my life with you sincerely. That''s true. I hope you know that."


    Hearing Cyril say these things, Sylvia felt a little ridiculous. What was wrong with her today? She


    actually came here to hear Cyril exin things to her. As for the rtionship between her and


    Karina, Sylvia didn''t care anymore. When she did care, Cyril didn''t give her any feedback or


    exnations. Now that she was gone, he rushed over to exin so much. What was the use?


    "Anyway, those are your own business. It doesn''t have much to do with me. You''reing to


    exin so much to me now, I think it''s toote. I''ve been trying to understand you for so many


    years, but I never got any exnation. Now I don''t need you to exin anything more to me."


    Although these exnations were a bitte, Sylvia felt like she had finally let go of a stubbornness


    in her heart. She couldn''t understand why the person who had been left behind had always been


    the one worrying. She had never understood it before when facing Cyril. But now that these things


    had been said, she felt that her dissatisfaction and resentment towards Cyril had dissipated. She


    could face Cyril calmly now, without love or hatred, just treating Cyril as an ordinary stranger.


    "But I don''t want to treat you as a stranger."


    This was the most important thing for Cyril. When he brought Sylvia out of the hotel room that day,


    he didn''t cry, wanting to take Sylvia away and have sex with her, settling the dust between them.


    Butter, he couldn''t bear to do it because he knew if he really did that, Sylvia would never forgive


    him.

 Chapter 261: Many Troubles

    Chapter 261: Many Troubles


    Later, when he saw Sylvia lying weakly on the hospital bed, it made him inadvertently think of the several times during their marriage when he had seen Sylvia looking frail like this. But at that time, he hadn''t taken it seriously, or only now did he realize how outrageous his actions had been. Sylvia must have been very ufortable back then, but as her husband, he hadn''t said or asked anything. He just went about his business and flirted with other women.


    Thinking about it carefully, why did he flirt with those other women outside? Actually, it was to see Sylvia get angry and jealous for him. But he had never seen Sylvia jealous because of him. Sylvia always remained so calm, as if nothing could provoke her.


    So he became more and more outrageous, wanting to contact more women, get closer to them, just so Sylvia would get angry for him. But now he realized that Sylvia didn''t react that way because he hadn''t given her enough security.


    So, in the end, although Sylvia seemed indifferent to him, she had actually given him all her sincerity.


    "The past is in the past. There''s no need to be tense anymore. I''ve heard everything you wanted to exin to me. There''s no need for you to emphasize anything anymore. I heard you''re very busytely. You probably have your own matters to attend to here today. I won''t disturb you anymore. I''ll leave now."


    After Sylvia finished speaking, Cyril smiled and turned to leave. Watching him leave, Sylvia felt even sadder. If only he had realized his feelings for Sylvia earlier, would things havee to this? But it was toote for him to say these things now.


    After watching Sylvia walk away step by step, Cyril could only force a bitter smile. It seemed that all these troubles were caused by himself.


    When Sylvia returned unharmed, Bruce breathed a sigh of relief. But she scolded Cyril fiercely in front of Sylvia. Seeing her brother so out of control, Sylvia couldn''t help butugh. She had never seen her brother so angry before. She didn''t expect Cyril to make him so angry.


    "Alright, brother. There''s nothing left to say between him and me. We''ve said everything we need to say. There won''t be any more contact between us in the future. Don''t be so angry. Don''t let yourself get upset over these unworthy matters. We have a business trip tomorrow. Have you prepared everything?"


    Hearing Sylvia''s words, Bruce nced at her. She was quite audacious. Despite the situation, she was still thinking about the business trip. He was almost driven crazy by these matters, but it was good that he could stay calm. There was no point in getting sad over these matters. That was the best way.


    "I''ve prepared everything for the trip. But there''s one thing I forgot to tell you. Dad said you won''t be going on this trip. He wants you to manage things at thepany. You also need to deal with the aftermath of the other shareholders. They''ve gone to Dad andined about what you''re doing. They don''t think it''s what apany president should do. So, the trip has nothing to do with you."


    Bruce understood the mindset of those shareholders very well. They thought Sylvia bing thepany heir meant less for them, so they wanted to hinder her. But Sylvia also knew what they were thinking.


    Originally, he nned to deal with these matters after returning from this trip, but they seemed to be in a hurry to settle scores. That was fine too. He could help them sort things out.


    "I was nning to deal with these


    things after we came back from the trip, but since they''re so eager, I''ll take care of it ahead of time. You''l have to manage the trip yourself, big brother. Also, I''ve almost finished the research on the Shan Ge project." This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The siblings discussed some morepany matters, and then Bruce continued to entertain guests, while Sylvia prepared to leave. However as she reached the door, ready to call the driver to pick her up, a car suddenly stopped in front of her. Before she could react, someone covered her mouth and took her away.


    In the moment of fainting, Sylvia couldn''t help but think that she had really been through a lot during this time. This was a sedative, and it was the same as thest time. She felt her thoughts were a bit absurd.


    But now she couldn''t struggle anymore. After fainting, when she woke up again, she found herself on the rooftop.


    Sylvia was startled. Her wrists were


    tightly bound, indicating that the person didn''t want her to escape easily. But why would they bring her to the rooftop? Did they think it would be even worse if she jumped off the roof?


    Carefully observing her surroundings, Sylvia saw no one around. She didn''t know who had kidnapped her, and her belongings had been taken. Thest time she went out, most of her belongings were equipped with trackers, so her kidnapping would probably be known soon. Sylvia wasn''t worried.


    After a while, she heard footstepsing towards her. Sylvia turned her head and was surprised to see Karina.


    "Are you surprised to see me? Didn''t expect to meet me here, did you? To be honest, I''m also very surprised. I thought I''d never see you again. I didn''t expect to have another chance to meet you."


    Oh no, today she was wearing a bright red dress, and her essories were very expensive. She walked step by step to Sylvia, talking andughing with her. Sylvia shivered all over.


    "What do you n to do by kidnapping me?"


    Karina was crazy now, and Sylvia didn''t know what crazy thing she would do next. She dared not provoke her and could only calmly inquire about the purpose of her abduction.

 Chapter 262: Karinas Madness

    Chapter 262: Karina''s Madness


    "Don''t worry, I don''t actually have that much malice towards you. At least now, it''s not entirely my fault. If you want to me someone, me me for not controlling Cyril''s heart properly. Cyril''s heart has always been focused on you. But why? What makes you so special? Just because you saved him when you were kids? Or because he gradually realized he loved you? But what about me? Haven''t I loved him enough? I''ve been good to him!"


    Karina couldn''t ept the fact that she had been abandoned by Cyril like this. He even drove her to a mental hospital. He wanted topletely ruin her. But why?


    After she achieved something, did everything have to be destroyed? Although these achievements had helped her somewhat, it was mostly because of her efforts.


    But Cyril, without hesitation, turned all her efforts into ashes.


    "I''ve worked hard for so many years, striving to climb up, striving to gain all the fame, wealth, and status I have now. Just because I liked him, I wanted to marry him. I used some means, so what? It''s clear that you couldn''t remember to tell Cyril these things yourself, and Cyril med me for them."


    Karina couldn''t help but emit a venomous light in her eyes as she recalled what had happened before. She didn''t understand where she had gone wrong. In reality, she didn''t think she had done anything wrong.


    "If you had told Cyril about this earlier, he wouldn''t have looked at you, but it''s your fault. It''s both yours and Cyril''s fault. Both of you didn''t say anything, didn''t ask. You''ve made me like this now. Why are you the esteemed heir of the Ivan family, while I have nothing? Everything I''ve worked hard for years has turned to ashes. Why treat me like this?"


    To say that Karina was pitiful was true, but it was impossible to say she had done nothing wrong. Karina knew very well that she had done these things herself, but she pretended otherwise. Was she really so in love with Cyril?


    Not necessarily.


    The person he loved most was definitely herself. Everything he had gained now was to continue climbing up with Cyril''s help. This woman might not necessarily love Cyril the most, but the person she loved most would definitely be herself.


    "So now you''re kidnapping me like this, what do you want from Cyril?"


    There was no need to think about it. The purpose of kidnapping herself today was definitely rted to men. So, what did Karina want to do to her now?


    Karina suddenlyughed. She always knew that Sylvia was very smart, but she didn''t understand why Sylvia could tolerate her even after knowing what she had done. Did she really love Cyril so much?


    "You''re right, everything I''m doing today is for Cyril. But I thought you would really love Cyril. It turns out I was just overthinking it. You don''t really love Cyril that much. You know very well that I''m different from Cyril, but you didn''t say anything."


    Sylvia didn''t bother arguing about whether she had loved Cyril before. She knew that what Karina wanted to know now wasn''t whether she loved Cyril or not.


    "So what do you want to say now? Cyril and I have no rtionship anymore. If you want me to delete Cyril from my life, I don''t think it''s necessary. You just want to regain what you once had, and you don''t need Cyril for that. I can help you achieve it."This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Besides the rtionship between Karina and Cyril, Karina''s own strength was also very formidable. That''s why she could do these things so well, there was no doubt about that.


    If Karina could kidnap herself so crazily, and even bring herself to the rooftop, it was definitely rted to men. So, what did she want to do to herself now?


    "Why should I let you help me regain these things? Clearly, these things are owed to me. But the person who owes you these things is not me. I''m a man, you like Cyril, and you''ve given everything you have to


    Cyril


    What does it have to do with me? I enjoy every bit of your kindness, yet you say I haven''t gotten anything. Why should I return these things to you? If you want Cyril toe over, then hurry up and call him.


    Otherwise, he should be going on a blind date with someone else soon."


    He knew exactly how to provoke Karina. In the past, provoking Karina only required Cyril''s daily life, and now it was the same. Indeed, when Karina heard that Cyril was going on a blind date with someone else, she became even more excited and crazy. Karina''s mental state didn''t


    seem right at all.


    Suddenly, Sylvia understood why Cyril had sent her to a mental hospital. He said that she had clearly gone crazy.


    Sylvia knew that she couldn''t provoke Karina now. If she provoked her, anything could happen.


    "A blind date? When he was with me,


    he said that the person he loved the most would definitely marry him. But you''re just a tool to him. Now you tell him to believe someone else. Why did he hurt me so much? If he doesn''t love me, why say so? Take away everything from me, take everything away, regardless of whether I worked hard for them. Why does he have to hurt me like this?"


    Tears streamed down Karina''s face, her expression bing even more insane. She pushed Sylvia''s chair to the edge of the rooftop. Seeing her like this, Sylvia''s heart pounded. Could she be crazy, pushing herself off the roof?


    "Do you know where this is? It''s the rooftop of hispany. I was thinking, this rooftop is so beautiful. If you fell from here, he should be able to see it, right? He likes you so much."


    Now Sylvia was sure that she was crazy. She really pushed herself off.


    "I''ll tell you, if you really push me down, you won''t be better off. Even without Cyril, my brother won''t let you off!"

 Chapter 263 Paranoia

    Chapter 263 Paranoia


    Although Silvia knew it wasn''t wise to provoke someone at a time like this, she also knew that if she didn''t say anything, she couldn''t stop Karina. In her current state, Karina might impulsively push her over the edge.


    Karina''s movements suddenly halted, confirming that she had stopped. She turned to look at Silvia with a paranoid and crazy look in her eyes, making Silvia feel a bit uneasy.


    "You haven''t said anything, but if I push you down now, Cyril won''t let it go, and neither will your brother. But why? You already have everything, so why do you still want topete with me for someone?"


    Seeing Karina''s crazy yet not crazy demeanor, Silvia still felt uncertain.


    Although she had managed to calm her down now, how long could this calmst? So Silvia tentatively spoke up.


    "If your goal is still to be a family with Cyril, then I can help you. Only I can do that, and you should already know that I divorced him. There''s no possibility between us anymore."


    Silvia''s voice slowed down as much as possible. She knew she couldn''t provoke Karina in this situation. Karina''s paranoia towards Cyril was evident. Although Silvia didn''t know what Karina''s attitude towards Cyril was, she understood that now was definitely not the time to anger her.


    Upon hearing Silvia''s words, Karinaughed directly, her voice chillingly indifferent.


    "You''re talking nicely. Do you have no other rtionships now? Are you joking with me? If there''s really no rtionship, why does Cyril keep chasing after you? He''s clearly infatuated with you, and his infatuation has caused me to lose everything I have now and even pushed me to the point where I can''t live anymore. But don''t worry, he''lle overter, and then you two can meet."


    Silvia wanted to curse in her heart. Karina was truly a lunatic. She didn''t even know when she contacted Cyril. If Cyril really came over, one of them would undoubtedly die today. Karina''s affection for Cyril meant that if anyone had to fall, it wouldn''t be Cyril, it would definitely be her. So no matter what choice she made, she would end up dead.


    And there was also the uncertainty of whether Cyril would inform her brother if he found out about her and Karina. Cyril''s current state didn''t seem very normal. If he didn''t inform her brother, then she would undoubtedly die today.


    "What are you thinking? Are you wondering if Cyril will tell your brother about this? Cyril''s current situation is probably not going to tell your brother. After all, if he does, what will happen? How will he show his heroism and make you fall in love with him again? How will you two be connected again?"


    It had to be said that Karina was right. She had already grasped Cyril''s thoughts. Silvia fell into a moment of silence, not knowing what to say.


    "It doesn''t matter if you don''t speak now. Whether you speak or not won''t change these facts. Cyril wille overter. Do you guess who he''ll choose between you and me when he''s here?"


    There was a hint of sadness in Karina''s words. Obviously, Cyril didn''t need toe over; he had already guessed the final result. Given Cyril''s current feelings for Silvia, he would undoubtedly choose to push her off without hesitation.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "In fact, you really don''t need to struggle so desperately for a man. No matter how important he is, it''s your own business, whether it''s your career or your life. You really don''t need to exclude everything for him. I said, if you need it, I can help you return to your former glory. I can also erase all your past, which won''t affect your future."


    Silvia''s words were sincere. Speaking of which, Karina was quite pitiful. She fell in love with a man who didn''t care about her at all. Even though that man verbally expressed his affection for her, Silvia saw clearly that if he had to choose, Cyril would undoubtedly choose every decision and step he took for the


    sake of his future, not for her.


    If she were Karina, there was no need to be entangled in whether this man liked her or not. Love was the most unreliable thing, and what was held in hand was the most steadfast.


    But it seemed that Karina couldn''t imagine this. When she heard Silvia''s calm tone, she became angry. Silvia didn''t understand why Karina was so angry when everything she said was for Karina''s own good.


    "You don''t understand at all. I finally gained all this because of Cyril''s help. Even if you can help me, can you help me for a lifetime? Impossible. Only if I marry him and get everything he has now will it be permanent. He will always help me, let my career and life continue to rise, but you can''t do that."


    Karina became a little excited again. Silvia saw the true situation of this matter in her excitement. The reason why Karina was so excited was because she only wanted to gain without effort.


    It was no wonder she was so excited and unwilling to let go. She also said that Cyril used to be a big fool. He had always helped her bring her vows


    to fruition. Now, everything was gone, and Karina was unwilling to strive. How could she willingly let Cyril have nothing to do with her anymore?


    Silvia could help with other things, but when it came to getting something for nothing, Silvia really couldn''t do anything about it.


    "I always thought that what you can


    hey


    do now is based on your own efforts, but I didn''t expect you to just want to gain without effort. If that''s what you think, then I don''t think anyone has an obligation to help you for a lifetime. Even if it''s Cyril, it''s the same, right? Even if you two really get married in the future, can you really be sure that Cyril will help you sit in this position for a lifetime? What makes you think he will help a vase like you?"

 Chapter 264: Taking My Place for Her

    Chapter 264: Taking My ce for Her


    They both understood Cyril''s character. Cyril had helped Karina before because she had saved his life. Under this filter, he was willing to help her step by step rise to the top. But when Karina''s true identity was revealed, Cyril immediately withdrew his support.


    If Karina had been willing to hold onto those things herself, Cyril wouldn''t have pushed her to this extreme. Pushing someone to the brink could lead to unpredictable consequences.


    Apart from Cyril''s instigation, Karina was also to me for her own actions. She had pushed herself deeper into the abyss step by step, and Cyril couldn''t be med for that.


    "You don''t understand anything at all. You''ve never had to work hard for anything since you were young. Everything has been handed to you on a silver tter. But I''ve had to struggle for everything I have now. Why wouldn''t I ept someone willing to shelter me from the storm and put in effort for everything I have now? Why should I exhaust myself with hard work? Others may struggle for years to get what they want, but I can get it overnight. Why should I tire myself out?"


    Silvia didn''t want to argue with him anymore. There was no point in continuing the conversation. His only desire now was to gain without effort. No matter how reasonable she was, he would choose not to listen. So why bother continuing to talk to him? Silvia remained silent.


    Besides, she had a purpose now, so her own safety was guaranteed. Silvia was no longer worried.


    "You''re not saying anything because you think I won''t really push you down, right? Let me tell you, I will push you down, even if Cyril or your brother doesn''te. I won''t let you live peacefully."


    Before knowing Karina''s true intentions, Silvia might have been afraid. But now that she knew what Karina really wanted, she didn''t think Karina would push her down. If Karina did, it would mean losing everything she had now, including her current situation, which would only get worse.


    "Then go ahead and push me. A selfish person like you wouldn''t want to turn everything you have into ashes. If you push me down, not only will you lose everything you had before, but you won''t even be able to save your own life. You can try it if you''re brave enough."


    Karina fell silent because she knew Silvia was right. If she really did something to Silvia, Silvia''s brothers wouldn''t spare her, let alone the men. Karina stopped talking, and Silvia couldn''t be bothered to say anything more to her. They didn''t need to continue talking. The door to the rooftop opened, and they both turned to see Cyriling in.


    When Silvia saw Cyriling alone, her heart sank. It was really over now. She thought Cyril would call her brothers, but he didn''t. So was she still doomed today? Thinking of this, Silvia felt speechless. Since you two want to hurt each other, can''t you leave me out of it? It was too miserable for her.


    "Karina, what exactly do you want to


    do? I told you before, if you want I


    what you have now, then you should


    use your own abilities to get it. But you''ve been doing dirty things behind my back. Do you really think I don''t know? I used to turn a blind eye, but now I know everything. Are you still pretending to be innocent? You brought Silvia here today, thinking you could control me?"


    v


    Cyril looked angry. Although he said he didn''t want to have anything to do with Silvia anymore, his actions showed otherwise. He was very worried about Silvia''s safety. Silvia felt helpless. Since Cyril had solidified his position like this, there was no need to say more. The more she said, the more Karina would have a hold over them.


    "Is that so? If you really didn''t care, why did youe here today? You say you don''t care, but deep down, you still can''t let go of me. My request is simple: marry me, and everything I wanted before must be returned intact. Only then can ensure Silvia''s safety. I think you came alone today because you didn''t notify Silvia''s other family members."


    Cyril didn''t speak, and Karina couldn''t help but smile. She smiled triumphantly, realizing that she understood Cyril well. In this situation, how could Cyril possibly give this opportunity to someone else?


    "Let Silvia go and take me instead. I can give you everything you want, but if Silvia is still in your hands, I won''t."


    Cyril tried to negotiate with him, trying to get Silvia out of danger first, but Karina''s only bargaining chip was Silvia. How could Silvia really let herself leave?Content ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Don''t dream. If you really let Silvia go, then I won''t get what I want now. Don''t think I''m stupid. Only by holding onto Silvia can I get what I want now. Call now and arrange everything from before, and then I''ll let Silvia go."


    They both understood that this was just Karina''s bluff. She really wouldn''t let it go so easily. For Karina, Silvia''s current life was rted to Silvia, and since she had grievances with Silvia, how could she let Silvia off the hook?


    "Are you stupid? In this situation, wouldn''t you notify my brother? If my brotheres, none of this will happen today. And what Karina is doing now is clearly directed at you. You''re thest person who should be here."


    Silvia was really speechless. Howe Cyril had be so determinedtely? She began to doubt her previous judgment. This matter could have been resolved best by telling her brother earlier, but Cyril didn''t say anything. Did he really think he could handle it well himself?

 Chapter 265: Understanding Each Other

    Chapter 265: Understanding Each Other


    "Tell your brother, if I told him about this, what''s in it for me? Besides, you know my purpose, I would never tell your brother. And if your brother finds out about this, we''re done. Why would I be so stupid to let your brother handle these things?" Cyril seemed a bit irritable. Karina hadn''t expected this change in his mood. In her interactions with Cyril, he always appeared as a gentleman, never getting this angry. She nced at Silvia and realized that Silvia was perceived differently by men. Even their emotional changes were different.


    "Before, he always pretended to be a gentleman and easygoing in front of me. Now, this is his true self. I have to say, he''s different. Look at him, he doesn''t even want to say a word to me, but now he''s willing to do something like this for you. This must be something he used to disdain doing." After sneering, Karina became even angrier. Even if she couldn''t get Cyril today, she still wanted to regain everything she had before. "Call now. If you don''t, I''ll push Silvia down. You like Silvia so much, yet you''re about to be my aplice. Do you think his brother will spare you?"


    While saying this, Karina pushed Silvia closer to the edge of the rooftop. Cyril, seeing this, tensed up, while Silvia started cursing.


    "I knew you were sick! If you had told my brother about this, none of this would have happened today. You didn''t say anything. What are you trying to prove? You''ve ruined my life!"


    "What was I thinking? I thought you were someone I could trust for life. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn''t have saved you in the first ce. I should have let you die there."


    "I''m telling you, if anything happens to me today, I won''t let you off, and neither will my brother. Think about it, Cyril!"


    Silvia''s curses became harsher, making Karina unable to bear it. She pped Silvia hard across the face, leaving a red mark.


    "Stop talking nonsense! If you keep it up, I''ll push you down!"


    After Karina pped her, Silvia fell silent, but her eyes were still fixed on Cyril and Karina, showing signs of brewing animosity. Karina felt a bit relieved at the sight.


    "Wait, I''ll call now. Just stop pushing!"


    Cyril took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, and said to Karina. Karina decisively stopped and turned to look at Cyril. Silvia, on the other hand, remained with her back to them. Unhappy, he was just two meters away from falling. Silvia cursed Cyril''s unreliability in her heart, as well as Karina''s madness.


    "Don''t keep me waiting." Karina urged, watching Cyril take out his phone and dial his assistant''s number in front of her.


    The call was on speaker, so Karina could hear the conversation between Cyril and his assistant. She waited eagerly for everything she wanted to return within 10 minutes, feeling excited. But she didn''t notice Silvia trying to loosen her grip behind her.


    "But Karina''s previous actions are not so easy to suppress now. Moreover, if we do this, thepany may easily fall into a crisis of trust..."


    The assistant sounded hesitant. He really wanted to advise Cyril to calm down and not do such things. If he identally angered someone, it would be bad.


    Cyril seemed impatient. He knew how crazy Karina could be. So he yelled at his assistant, "Forget about those things. I want to see results


    now.


    No matter how much money or effort it takes, everything from


    before must be resolved. I''m giving


    you only 10 minutes." Content


    belongs to


    The assistant stopped talking. He hung up and started working. Karina''s hand pressed against Silvia''s shoulder, startling Silvia. She thought her movement had been detected by Karina.


    "You''re really different. You never cared about Silvia as much as you do now. You clearly said you didn''t like Silvia, but what you''re doing now ispletely different from what you said before. I thought you had deep feelings for me, but it seems not."


    Karina''s sarcasm made Cyril''s face slightly ufortable. He only thought Silvia had used some means that made him ufortable, but that didn''t mean he would be unfaithful in marriage.


    As for the rtionship between him and Karina, it was just a temporary expedient He knew Karina was a star, and he knew Karina had done a lot of things using him, but Cyri didn''t think much about it. It was just some normal operations for a star to maintain their poprity.


    "I''ve called the assistant as you requested. Everything you want will be back in 10 minutes. But I''m telling you, if you hurt Silvia now, you won''t get anything you want."


    "I know that. I just need to get what I want, and I''ll spare Silvia."


    Karina nodded, feeling very sad inside. She didn''t expect that in Cyril''s heart, Silvia was still so important. She was important enough for Karina to say she''d return everything she''d done before, just to ensure Silvia''s safety.


    While Karina was distracted, she didn''t notice that Silvia had already managed to break free from her grip and kicked Karina aside.


    At this moment, Cyril immediately rushed forward to subdue Karina on the rooftop. The door to the rooftop was opened again, and Bruce rushed in with his men, pinning Karina down forcefully. Karina, seeing this, began to scream and yell in frustration.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "You''ve been deceiving me all along, haven''t you? You never wanted me to regain everything I had before. You really don''t care about Silvia''s life, do you? If you had pushed Silvia just now, how would you exin yourself?"

 Chapter 266: Your Favor

    Chapter 266: Your Favor


    Karina screamed, but Cyril and Silvia acted as if they didn''t hear. Bruce walked over to Silvia and helped her up, his eyes still somewhat unfriendly. He nced at Cyril, ming him for the trouble today.


    "If it weren''t for Cyril, my sister wouldn''t have been brought here by Karina. So, this is his fault."


    "Today, I owe you a favor. This favor actually counts on me. Don''t try to make my sister ufortable with your actions today."


    Bruce noticed that Silvia didn''t have any serious injuries, which relieved him a bit. So, he turned to Cyril and said so. Indeed, today''s events were thanks to Cyril.


    Of course, he hadn''t expected Cyril to only notify him. He had thought Cyril would handle this himself. He notified Bruce because he was worried about Silvia''s safety with his own power. If something happened, what would Silvia do?


    But the favor owed must be remembered by him. He would never burden Silvia with this favor. If all the favor was attributed to Silvia, Cyril might take this opportunity to get closer to Silvia, which they both didn''t want to see.


    Cyril just nced at Silvia affectionately. Silvia nodded to Bruce, understanding that her brother didn''t trust her because of her past actions. And what he did today was truly out of concern for her, with no ulterior motive.


    "Silvia should be taken away by you now. I''ll handle the rest."


    "No need. I''m very dissatisfied with your previous handling methods. I''ll take care of the rest. You can rest assured, I''ll have someone send my sister to a safe ce. As her brother, I will never do anything to harm her."


    This was true. After all, Silvia was his biological brother. He would never harm her. Cyril reluctantly left, knowing he couldn''t stay. He looked at Silvia several times in the early morning, but Silvia kept her head down, avoiding eye contact. So, he couldn''t tell what expression Cyril had on his face.


    The siblings descended from the rooftop. Silvia moved her wrist, and Bruce noticed that it was red from the rope. He had seen it earlier but hadn''t said anything. He felt angry but also felt more pain.


    "You''ve been wronged in this matter."


    "This woman is crazy. Didn''t we send her to the mental hospital before? Why is she here causing trouble again?"


    Silvia couldn''t understand. She had been sent to the mental hospital. Normally, such incidents wouldn''t happen. Why did it happen now?


    Cyril couldn''t be so careless. He had sent her to the mental hospital, but she still managed to escape. It seemed that the mental hospital wasn''t as clean as it seemed. He needed to investigate it again.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll help you resolve this


    1


    matter. Let''s go to the hospital first to apply some medicine to your wrist. This matter will be investigated thoroughly, and I''ll- exin it to youter. But don''t think you owe Cyril anything just because he saved you today. If you can''t figure it out, don''t me me for teaching you a lesson."


    Silvia was speechless for a while. Although Cyrit had saved her today, it was indeed unexpected. But she wasn''t stupid. She knew whatThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    should be kept in mind and what et


    shouldn''t be. Cyril saved her life, but that couldn''t offset everything he had done to hurt her before. It was ridiculous to think that saving her life once would erase all the harm he had caused her.


    When Silvia arrived at the hospital, her third brother had also arrived. He saw Silvia''s red wrist and felt extremely distressed. After gently applying medicine to her, he began to inquire about what had happened.


    Bruce exined the situation to Dwight briefly, making Dwight furious.


    "Let me handle this matter. If you''re not at ease elsewhere, then go to the ce I arranged. Such incidents won''t happen there."


    Since Dwight was also a doctor, it was best for him to handle this matter. Bruce didn''t refuse. Silvia nodded, indicating that she hadn''t expected her brother to have such extensive connections.


    Besides researching some difficult medical cases, he could even send people to a mental hospital.


    "As for Cyril''s favor, I n to offer him two coborations as a token of gratitude. Those coborations are enough to make up for his previous losses and ensure profits for the next five years without any losses."


    Bruce thought for a moment and began discussing with his siblings. Dwight had no opinion on this matter since he didn''t understand business matters. So, he nodded. He believed that his older brother wouldn''t make a reckless decision.


    Silvia thought it was a good solution. After all, both sides were hurt. Prioritizing interests was the best way to handle the situation.


    "I think it''s a good idea. Let''s do as you say."


    Seeing that they had no objections, Bruce nodded and went aside to make a phone call, giving orders. It was best to repay favors as soon as possible; the longer it dragged on, the more troublesome it became.


    Seeing Bruce making a call, Silvia began to ask Dwight how to deal with Karina. This wasn''t an easy problem to solve.


    "You don''t need to worry about this matter here. I have a way to handle it. I won''t let my sister be hurt again because of Cyril''s unreliability. It seems that separating my sister from Cyril was the right decision."


    Dwight wouldn''t give Cyril another chance to hurt his sister. Cyril was really unreliable. It seemed that separating his sister from Cyril was the right decision.

 Chapter 267: Sneaking In

    Chapter 267: Sneaking In


    Silvia didn''t feel like she had any serious injuries. She only had a red mark from the rope on her wrist, so after lying in the hospital for a day, she was ready to go back. But her family was worried and insisted that she stay in the hospital and not go anywhere.


    Silvia felt her brothers were overreacting. There wasn''t really anything wrong with her, but they were treating her as if she had a terminal illness and was about to die. None of them agreed with her objection, so she had to agree to stay in the hospital.


    Lying in the hospital was a bit boring, but the upside was that she didn''t have to deal with thepany''s affairs. However, while lying there, she noticed that there were rumors circting outside that weren''t quite right. Her phone kept showing fake news about her being seriously injured and unconscious. She wondered what the purpose of spreading such rumors was. Many people wanted toe and see if she was really unconscious. As Silvia yed with her phone, waiting for someone to bring her food, she heard the door open and assumed it was her third brothering to bring her food. So, without turning her head, she spoke.


    "Brother, what''s the current situation with those rumors outside? What''s Big Brother nning to do? Did he set his sights on any coborations?" "No, your three brothers think that Karina alone couldn''t have caused all this trouble. There must be someone helping her behind the scenes. They want to see who''s behind it."


    Hearing a strange voice, Silvia put down her phone and turned her head, locking eyes with Cyril.


    Thest time she saw Cyril was on the rooftop. After that, she hadn''t seen him again. Her brothers had been handling things, and although people hade to see her, neither Cyril nor Miles had entered her hospital room. So, how did this man get in today?


    "I sneaked in. Your brothers are very cautious about me, so it took quite an effort to get in. But don''t worry, I have no ulterior motives. I just wanted to see how you''re recovering. I''m not sure if the online news is true, so I need to see for myself to bepletely reassured."


    Cyril immediately sensed what Silvia was thinking and exined. After he finished, he realized how well he knew Silvia. Silvia didn''t say anything, but just a nce from her was enough for Cyril to understand what she was thinking. So, from the beginning, they were a perfect match without needing to say much. Cyril couldn''t understand why he had been so confused before, thinking he had to distance himself from Silvia at all costs. Now he realized how ridiculous his actions were.


    "If you don''t need anything, I''ll leave."


    Before, Silvia could afford to be impatient with Cyril, but now, after he had saved her, she couldn''t just show annoyance towards him anymore. Silvia''s expression was a bit awkward, and Cyril couldn''t help butugh when he noticed it. But when Silvia heard Cyrilugh, she became a little displeased. What was so funny?


    "Why are youughing? Do you find it amusing to see me lying here alone? I didn''t expect you to be like this..."


    Silvia hummed, unintentionally sounding a bit coquettish. Cyril paused for a moment, and Silvia also paused.


    "When we used to hang out together, it didn''t seem as rxed as today. Since you don''t have any major health issues, when are you nning to go back?"


    "I don''t know. It depends on what my brothers think. If they want me to go back earlier, then I''ll go back earlier. If not, then I''ll just lie here. It doesn''t matter to me."


    Since her brothers wouldn''t harm


    her, lying here was fine. Cyril nodded slightly, not saying much, and just continued to sit silently beside Silvia. They remained silent, not speaking a word. They had rarely had such peaceful moments together before. Even though they had had a few, today they sat together without feeling awkward.


    I


    "As for Karina''s matter, I heard that your third brother sent her to a mental hospital. The hospital is owned by your third brother. He seem to have unique insights into people''s psychology. Maybe he''s nning something."


    Silvia wasn''t very clear about these matters, including Karina''s final oue, but she felt a bit sad when she heard Karina''s name.


    "What about you? You know, Karina has liked you for so long. Haven''t you shown any reaction at all? Or do you think her liking you has caused you some trouble?"


    Actually, Silvia wanted to ask Cyril what he thought of Karina and if he had ever felt a bit soft-hearted towards her, given that Karina had liked him for so long.


    Cyril hesitated for a moment, then shook his head silently. He was mostly grateful to Karina, and there was no other feeling. So, what he was doing now might seem to heartless to others, but he didn''t think he was being heartless.


    "Do you think I''m being too ruthless in doing this? But I don''t think what I''m doing is ruthless."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Silvia felt a pang of heartache, but Cyril didn''t feel the same way. She didn''t know how to respond. Cyril seemed to think he wasn''t being ruthless, so maybe he wasn''t.


    "My brother will be here soon to change my bandages. If you don''t need anything, you can leave. If my brother sees you here, he''ll probably argue with you. My third brother can be unreasonable sometimes."


    Actually, her three brothers were the most reasonable among them. But she didn''t want to continue talking to Cyril. She found that they had very little to say to each other and it was better not to say anything at all.

 Chapter 268: Soft-hearted

    Chapter 268: Soft-hearted


    Cyril didn''t catch the implication behind Silvia''s words and didn''t say much more. After nodding, he left.


    Not long after Cyril left, the door of the room was pushed open again, much to Silvia''s surprise. She thought it was Cyril again, but to her surprise, it was Miranda and Duncan.


    Obviously, Duncan wanted to visit Silvia but didn''t want toe alone, fearing Silvia would be unhappy. So, this time he brought Miranda along. Seeing both of them here made Silvia very happy, and she smiled at them.


    "I''ve been in the hospital for so long, and neither of you came to see me. Why did you suddenly decide toe today? It''s not like you two." Silvia looked perfectly healthy, with no issues at all.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    She wondered what rumors were spreading outside, making it seem like she was on death''s door, about to meet God.


    "We''re usually very busy with work. It''s not easy to find time toe and see you. But when we heard those rumors about you being on your deathbed, we got really worried and decided toe check on you. Seeing that you''re fine now, we can report back to them. They''re also very worried about you, but work has been keeping us upied."


    After Miranda sat down, she picked up a piece of fruit and started eating without offering any to Silvia. Silvia remained calm and used to Miranda taking her own things.


    "I don''t know what our brothers are thinking, but it doesn''t matter. If it''s their arrangement, then I won''t say anything. They''re all quite shrewd, so there''s no need for us to worry."


    The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense when Duncan mentioned Cyril. Duncan''s eyes shed with a hint of paranoia. It was clear to everyone that he liked Silvia, and his words seemed somewhat usatory.


    Silvia felt conflicted. It seemed that whenever something involved Cyril, her brothers would always think she had feelings for him, no matter how much she denied it or how much she distanced herself from him. This contradiction made Silvia uneasy.


    "You don''t need to be so nervous. I''m not stupid enough to let things go that far. I know what to do and what not to do."


    "Your mind has never been clear, and we knew that before. Anyway as long as you''re okay, that''s all that matters. Do you want toe out with us tonight? You don''t have anything else to do."


    After lying in the hospital for several days, Silvia was indeed a bit tired. It might be nice to go out with them. So, she nodded, nning to inform her brotherster and then go out. Silvia''s prompt eptance made Duncan and Miranda happy


    O


    Miranda even secretly stomped on Duncan''s foot for his earlier words.


    Feeling the pain from Miranda''s stomp, Duncan red at her, but their reactions made Silvia pretend not to notice. Sometimes, they really seemed like a pair of clowns.


    ...


    That night, they gathered again.


    Thest time Silvia had an ident, they were all extremely worried. They had wanted to visit Silvia, but her three brothers sternly refused, saying Silvia was severely injured and not suitable for visitors. Now, looking back, they realized how unnecessary their worry had been.


    "Karina really got herself into trouble this time. I heard your third brother has been giving her a hard timetely."


    Silvia felt like she had been isted from the world during her time in the hospital. She didn''t know about any of these things until she heard them from her friends.


    As for Karina, she was in a pitiful situation. She had fallen for someone she shouldn''t have, despite knowing that Cyril''s heart belonged only to Silvia. "But that''s not important. What''s shocking is that Big Brother has initiated a contract with Cyril. You don''t know how much money he''s practically handing to Cyril."


    Seeing her friend''s shocked expression, Silvia couldn''t help butugh.


    "My big brother owed him a favor, so he''s giving Cyril two contracts to repay it. There''s no need to make such a fuss about it."


    So that was the reason. They had thought her big brother had been traumatized or something.


    They just came to check on Silvia''s condition. Seeing that she was fine, they weren''t worried anymore and left after a short while, each going back home.

 Chapter 269: Its Snowing

    Chapter 269: It''s Snowing


    As they were leaving the gathering, they noticed snowkes falling from the sky. It was then they realized that winter had arrived earlier than expected.


    "Snow this early in the year? Let''s hurry back home; it''s getting really cold."


    Kate, who had worn a coat for style, was now feeling the chill and suggested they leave. The others agreed, feeling the cold too. They were about to ask Silvia if she wanted to walk together when they noticed a familiar car approaching. It stopped in front of them, and Miles stepped out.


    It had been a while since theyst saw Miles, and they wondered what he had been up totely.


    They exchanged nces with Silvia, understanding that Miles had something to discuss with her. Silvia had her own thoughts to share with Miles too. "You guys go ahead; Miles and I have something to talk about."


    Silvia''s words made the others realize they should leave. After bidding Silvia goodbye, they departed. Once they were gone, Miles spoke to Silvia, "I''ll drive you home."


    Silvia didn''t refuse and got into the car. With the heater on, she didn''t feel the cold at all.


    "Are you okay after what happened? I heard about it and was worried."


    Despite having his own motives, Miles was generally a good person. Silvia knew this and understood his intentions. Besides, she didn''t see anything wrong with Miles having ulterior motives; after all, everyone looks out for themselves. She herself had initially had intentions toward him.


    "I''m fine. My brothers just worry too much about me and don''t want me to go anywhere. But I''m not as weak as they think." "That''s good. I wanted to ask if you''d like to watch the fireworks together since it''s snowing today."


    Silvia hadn''t seen Miles aroundtely and had thought he had given up. His persistence made her want tough. Sometimes Miles''s actions were quite amusing.


    "I thought after ourst conversation, you wouldn''te looking for me again. Some people lose face after a scare and nevere back." "Although I initially had intentions towards you, after spending time together, I think being family wouldn''t be so bad. Plus, my son really likes you." Miles spoke sincerely, and Silvia didn''t reply.


    Silvia''s silence didn''t surprise Miles; if she had replied, it would have been more surprising.


    After dropping Silvia off at home, Miles didn''t rush to leave.


    "Do you have something else to say?"


    Silvia looked at Miles, not understanding what else he had to discuss.


    "My son''s birthday ising up in a few days, and I''d like you to apany us."


    Silvia paused for a moment,


    surprised that it was for this reason. It wasn''t a big deal, so she agreed. Seeing Silvia agree, Miles breathed a sigh of relief.


    He had been worried because Silvia had refusedst time, but her agreement now was a relief.


    Back at home, Silvia saw her brothers and father standing by the window, staring at her.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    She was startled and couldn''t understand what her three brothers and father were thinking.


    "What are you all doing? You''ve been standing at the door for so long, why


    didn''t youe in? If you want to


    talk to


    to him, why not invite him in?


    You can talk inside; isn''t that better?"


    Hearing Silvia''s words, her family was wide-eyed. They hadn''t expected Silvia to say something like this.


    "If you''re just going to stand here


    and talk, why bother? If you wanted to talk to him, you should have invited him in earlier. You stood here for so long, and now that everyone''s gone, you''re talking to me. When did you be so overbearing at home?"


    The three brothers were taken aback by Silvia''s words. They hadn''t expected her to speak like this.


    "We didn''t know what to say since you and he were having a conversation. Wasn''t it better for us to wait and see?"


    Her eldest brother''s exnation made Silvia roll her eyes.


    "What''s done is done. You''ve already discussed everything before. Is there any need to bring it up now? I''m speechless at how you''re acting."


    With her father speaking up, the three brothers didn''t say anything further. However, they each held their own thoughts, nning to deal with Miles


    later.

 Chapter 270: Amidst the Crowd

    Chapter 270: Amidst the Crowd


    After spending several days in the hospital, Silvia finally returned to work. Upon her return, she found herself swamped with work tasks left by thepany. She wondered what her brothers had been thinkingtely, as they had caused quite a stir for her.


    She had thought staying in the hospital was to help them handlepany matters, but to her surprise, nothing had been done during her absence. Her brothers really were something else.


    Silvia busied herself for three days to tackle the workload, and finally managed to sort things out temporarily. However, finishing all those tasks left her exhausted.


    "Boss, you''ll need to leave work early today. ording to your schedule, you''re supposed to attend Jimmy''s birthday party. However, I checked, and he''s not one of our business partners. Is this a private event?"


    Her assistant approached Silvia, reminding her about hermitment to Bruce. Silvia nodded in acknowledgment.


    "Yes, I''ve almost sorted out everything at thepany. If there''s nothing urgent, please don''t call me tonight."


    The assistant understood the importance of this event and made a note of it. Most of thepany matters had been settled, so Silvia didn''t need to worry about work for now.


    After finishing her work, Silvia set off. As she reached downstairs, she saw Miles''s car parked by the roadside, waiting for her.


    As Silvia walked towards Miles, she noticed another person nearby.


    Among the crowd, Cyril stood to her left, while Miles stood to her right, effectively sandwiching her in between. Silvia couldn''t help but feel a bit awkward at that moment.


    She had never encountered such a situation before. Two men standing on either side, as if she hadmitted some grave offense, made her feel trapped. When her phone rang, she hesitated to check who was calling.


    As Silvia nced at both of them, she noticed they were both holding their phones. She couldn''t figure out what they were up to.


    Just as she felt torn between the two, someone tapped her shoulder. She turned around to see her eldest brother.


    "You seemed in such a hurry earlier. I forgot to mention, you might bump into Cyril when youe out today. It seems he specifically came to see you."


    Seeing his sister caught in such a situation, her brother found it somewhat amusing yet felt sorry for her at the same time. It seemed a bit too much for her.


    "Why didn''t you tell me this earlier, big brother? Don''t you realize how awkward it is to be stuck in the middle like this?"


    "So, who are you going to choose now? They''re both here, and whichever you choose, you''ll hurt the other. Do they both hold a ce in your heart?" His words left Silvia feeling torn. She actually wanted to express that neither of them had much impact on her, but being confronted by both at the same time made it an extremely difficult choice.


    "Can''t I choose neither?"


    Hearing her sister''s response, her brother chuckled. Choosing neither was probably the best option, so he didn''t force her to make a decision.


    He then called Miles to inform him that Silvia would be joining him for dinner tonight instead, as something urgent hade up, and they couldn''t attend Jimmy''s birthday.


    Although they postponed the birthday celebration, it wasn''t a big deal. The situation seemed moreplicated now.


    The two siblings left, and as they did, Silvia couldn''t help but nce back.


    Both Cyril and Miles were still standing in their original positions, but now Miles was on the phone with her brother. They soon ended the call. "Although I''m reluctant to involve you in these matters, you did agree to it earlier. So, I think you should still go and see him."


    Seeing his sister caught in such a situation earlier amused him, but now Miles turned the car to meet up with the location they had agreed upon earlier.


    Two blockster, they saw Miles again. He smiled when he saw Silvia, and as they drove past, he joined them.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "I thought you wouldn''te today."


    Seeing Cyril earlier in the crowd, he had thought as much. He knew theirplicated rtionship and was worried about the encounter.


    Silvia smiled but didn''t say anything. To be honest, she would rather not choose either of them. Being stuck in the middle was just too awkward. They soon arrived at Miles''s house, where Jimmy was eagerly waiting for Silvia to celebrate his birthday. He was ecstatic to see her.


    He hugged Silvia tightly, refusing to


    let go. When her father said that Silvia wouldn''t have any rtionship with her anymore, he felt extremely sad. But now, seeing Silvia back, he was overjoyed.


    Although there was an extra person, it didn''t dampen Jimmy''s spirits. He clung to Silvia and chatted with her.


    After spending Jimmy''s birthday, the siblings finally left.


    "If you really have to make a choice, I think you should choose Miles. At least he seems like a decent guy."


    Suddenly, on the way back, her brother''s tone changed. Silvia was speechless.


    "You didn''t say this before. Did he do something for you recently? You''re surprisingly speaking up for him. That''s not like you."


    "There are too many things I don''t


    want to mention. Just because of this, you think I''m not myself? Actually


    the reason I said that i


    simply because I think he''s a decent person. So, I don''t think it''s a bad idea if you choose him."


    Silvia had no response. She couldn''t help but feel a headacheing on when she thought about everything that had happened today.


    Bruce''s tone changed again in the


    el.i


    next moment "Forget it, it''s up to you anyway. But when I saw those two standing together just now, and you had to choose, I knew you, wouldn''t. You can''t bring yourself to hurt either Miles or Cyril. Since that''s the case, just choose someone you think is reliable."

 Chapter 271: Good Morning

    Chapter 271: Good Morning


    When Silvia woke up in the morning, she found a strange text message in her palm, containing a morning greeting. She was puzzled for quite a while, not understanding who would send her such a message.


    Silvia couldn''t figure it out. In her memory, no one ever sent her a morning greeting voluntarily. So, she began to wonder who could be behind this.


    But no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn''t figure out who it was. This continued for a whole week.


    Every morning at 8 o''clock sharp, she received a morning greeting, and another one at 10 o''clock at night. She had no idea who it was from; it felt like someone was clocking in with her every day without fail. One day, Silvia couldn''t bear it anymore and went to her second brother with the message in hand.


    "I know you haven''t been working for a week and have been at home, but you can''t treat your sister as a pastime. Why are you sending me these messages when there''s nothing wrong? Good morning and good night. I''ve never seen you sleep and wake up so early before."


    When a pillow was thrown at him, Balk didn''t understand what was going on or why his sister suddenly became so angry until he saw the message in her hand. Then he looked bewildered.


    "Could you please investigate this phone number before asking me? It''s not mine, and do you think I''d do something so boring? Why would I send you good morning and good night messages? Maybe I would do it for someone else, but for you? There''s no need."


    Feeling bewildered by being hit with the pillow, Balk finally felt speechless. But as he regained his senses, he realized that someone had been sending his sister morning and night greetings continuously. It was like a school crush scenario where someone liked his sister but didn''t know how to express it, so they secretly sent her greetings every day.


    "Seriously, who could be so desperate to send you these good morning and good night messages?"


    Balk sounded a bit disdainful, but in reality, he was already nning to memorize the phone number and investigate who dared to send his sister messages like this. An anonymous sender could make one drop their guard.


    Seeing her brother''s reaction, Silvia knew it probably wasn''t him. If it wasn''t her brother ying a prank, then who could it be sending her these messages?


    "Send me that message, and I''ll have our eldest brother investigate. Who could be so shameless as to send you good morning and good night messages every day? Are they admiring your beauty or eyeing our family''s wealth? If it''s because of your looks, it''s not a big deal, but if it''s because of me and our family''s wealth, then we''re in big trouble."


    Hearing her brother''s words, Silvia had nothing left to wonder about. She was furious, gritting her teeth as she kicked her brother hard.


    It all stemmed from a stupid thing she had done before: nning to date Cyril. But in her brother''s eyes, it seemed unforgivable, as they always brought it up whenever they could, making Silvia extremely frustrated. She knew her brother was right; he had indeed done it.


    "I don''t even know how many times I have to say it for you to believe that I''m now very rational and know what I should and shouldn''t do. Do you need to be so sarcastic towards me?"


    Silvia regretted bringing the message to her foolish brother. What on earth was going on?


    Their conversation ended on a sour note, but Balk managed to get the phone number from Silvia and called his eldest brother. Together, they investigated the number and found out it was Cyril who had been sending the messages.


    Learning this, the three brothers sat down for a family meeting to discuss whether they should tell Silvia about it and what to do if they did.


    "I think you two are overthinking it. Although it''s just messages every day, it hasn''t caused any trouble. I don''t think we need to worry too much. Besides, little sister doesn''t know, but Cyril has already promised not to make the same mistake again."


    Devitt rubbed his eyes and spoke seriously.


    Although Cyril''s actions were indeed unexpected and had caused some trouble for their sister, he was just sending her morning and night greetings, which seemed harmless. However, it still bothered their sister a bit.


    But after this trouble, Cyril hadn''t done anything more excessive. And now that they knew it was Cyril, they didn''t know whether to do anything about it, because if they did something to Cyril, Silvia would definitely find out. Once she did, things wouldn''t go smoothly.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Even if little sister says that, there''s one question: do you really believe what she said?"


    Bruce''s concern was different.


    Last time, Cyr had helped, so things had gone smoothly. But they still owed him a favor, and if Cyril wanted to get closer to Silvia now, Silvia would definitely not refuse. After all, they owed him a favor, and


    it wouldn''t be too much. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "Now Cyril''s intentions are clear. He wants to get along well with little sister, but little sister will definitely not agree. So now we need to think about how to make Cyril give up this idea."


    Balk seemed a bit annoyed, saying it was simple, but how exactly were they going to do it?


    "Big brother, what you said is too simplistic. If we could really dispel his thoughts, we wouldn''t be sitting here having a family meeting."


    After Balk finished speaking, the three brothers fell into silence. If they had a way to make Cyril give up, they wouldn''t be sitting here having a family meeting.

 Chapter 272: Just Like Myself

    Chapter 272: Just Like Myself


    The three of them remained silent, unsure of what to do. Just then, Silvia came downstairs and saw the three of them sitting together in silence, their expressions all looking grim. She knew something was up.


    "What''s wrong with you guys? You all look a bit off."


    Seeing Silviae down with a puzzled expression, the three brothers forced a slight smile. They couldn''t exactly say it was because of what was happening with Silvia''s phone that had silenced them all.


    "Little sis, regarding the messages you''ve been receiving on your phone recently, what do you think about them?"


    Since the other two brothers remained silent, the responsibility fell naturally on the youngest brother. He looked at Silvia with a serious expression, as if asking her about a very grave academic issue.


    Silvia understood. They were here to discuss the things happening with her. She felt a bit helpless.


    "I know who''s been sending those messages, so you don''t have to worry too much. I know what I should and shouldn''t do. I won''t do anything I shouldn''t."


    At first, Silvia couldn''t figure out who would send her such boring messages every day.


    But this morning when she woke up and saw the message again, it hit her. It reminded her of how she used to exchange morning and night greetings with Cyril when they were in contact. His current actions were exactly like what she used to do, so there was no doubt it was Cyril.


    The three brothers were stunned. They didn''t expect Silvia to figure out who was behind it.


    "Now that you know who''s behind this, do you have any other thoughts?"


    Since they knew who it was, there was no need to continue questioning her here.


    Silvia remained calm. "I know you''re worried that I might develop other feelings for Cyril because of this, but you''re overthinking it. Even though Cyril saved me, it doesn''t mean I''ll develop other feelings for him. You can rest assured. Besides, I haven''t told you guys this yet. He seems to be doing all this to impress me, but I know what I truly feel, so you don''t need to worry too much."


    Cyril was repeating the things Silvia had done before, trying to impress her.


    But Silvia wasn''t naive. She had done those things before because she wanted Cyril to understand her feelings. Now that they were no longer together, there was no need to dwell on these things. It was pointless.


    "Okay, I won''t talk about this anymore. I have other things to do. I''ll leave first. We''ll talk about itter if there''s anything."


    After giving birth, Silvia went to work, not wanting to see how her brothers reacted to all this. She truly felt there was no need to worry so much about these things.


    What she had done for Cyril in the past was more than just sending morning and night greetings. Cyril''s actions now, whether they were to impress her or for some other


    reason, didn''t change Silvia fet


    feelings. She was certain she wouldn''t develop other feelings for Cyril because of this.


    Those unresolved feelings from the past were slowly dissipating as she saw Cyril treading the same path again. Thinking about this, Silvia felt a wave of relief. She had never thought about these things before. After the divorce, she didn''t want to see Cyril again, partly because she hadn''t let go of herself, but also because she hadn''t let go of Cyril. Now she had decided to let go of herself and Cyril, so she didn''t want to continue struggling with these things.


    Feeling rxed, Silvia worked particrly quickly. Everyone could feel her change, and regardless of what that change was, it was a good one.


    Cyril had changed his phone a few years ago. One day, when the maid was cleaning, she found his old phone and asked if he still wanted it. If not, she would throw it away. Cyril decided to keep the phone.


    For some reason, he decided to charge it and turn it on. Inside, he found countless messages, all from Silvia.


    Seeing the messages, Cyril felt aplicated mix of emotions. In the past, he had never noticed Silvia''s feelings for him.


    Every day, Silvia would send him morning and night greetings, among other things. She would even forward messages she received to him. Cyril couldn''t describe the feeling in his heart, but he felt like something was slipping away from him.


    Especially during the time when Silvia was tied up on the rooftop, he felt a sense of pain in his heart. At that moment, he could clearly feel how much he liked Silvia, but he had never admitted it to himself.


    Now he regretted it. He wanted to start over with Silvia, but he also knew that it wouldn''t be easy. Apart from tolerating the people around him hurting Silvia before, he himself had hurt Silvia many times.


    Just the things he had done in the past made him realize that it wasn''t easy to re-establish a rtionship with Silvia.


    "You''ve been staring at your phone for almost two days. What''s so special about it that you don''t even want to blink your eyes and keep staring at it?"


    Jonathan looked at CyrilThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    speechlessly. Cyril had gathered them all today, which surprised everyone because Cyril rarely participated in such activities with them, But now that he had gathered them, he wasn''t saying anything, just sitting in his ce, ying with his phone. Everyone couldn''t


    understand. What was so interesting about his phone that he couldn''t stop staring at it?

 Chapter 273: Meeting Your Wife

    Chapter 273: Meeting Your Wife


    Hearing what everyone was saying, Cyril finally put down his phone and looked at them seriously.


    "I want to win Silvia back. Do you have any ideas to help me?"


    Cyril''s words shocked everyone to the core. They never expected him to say something like this, and his behavior waspletely out of character. Most of the people in the private room didn''t have a very good rtionship with Cyril, just average at best.


    But most of them knew about Silvia and Cyril''s rtionship and how Cyril used to look down on Silvia. Now, to hear that he wanted to win her back was like hearing something unbelievable.


    "Are you out of your mind? You, of all people, saying you want to win Silvia back? This ispletely unlike you. What happened? Tell me everything. Let me guess what''s going on with you."


    Jonathan was particrly shocked.


    Back when Silvia and Cyril were together, he was the first to disapprove. Now Cyril was saying he wanted to get Silvia back. How were they supposed to face Silvia after this?


    Seeing their expressions, Cyril knew they weren''t exactly thrilled about helping him win Silvia back. But so what? He was determined to do it, no matter what it took.


    "It''s not that important, but there''s something I want to tell you. There''s a new guest downstairs today. He used to be a business partner of yours. When you couldn''t seal the deal before, it was said that Silvia helped out. Maybe you could talk to him and see if it changes your mind?"


    One of the rich kids suddenly spoke up like this. Cyril hesitated for a moment before following his gaze downstairs, where he indeed saw a young man in a suit drinking.


    He recognized the man.


    There was a time when he tried to negotiate a deal with him, but the man wasn''t interested. It made Cyril ufortable, and he didn''t understand why the man didn''t want to work with him.


    But Cyril didn''t dwell on it too much at the time and shifted his focus elsewhere until one day the man reached out to him and said he wanted to coborate. Cyril was surprised and asked why, but the man just smiled and said he had talked to someone and decided to work with him.


    Now, hearing what the rich kid said, Cyril was curious. What exactly happened?


    Cyril hesitated but decided to go downstairs and find out. He met with the familiar man.


    "Long time no see, n."


    Cyril greeted the man, who was surprised to see him but smiled in response.


    "It has been a while indeed, Cyril. Where''s your wife?"


    n had been living abroad for a long time and rarely had the chance toe over. Every time he came, it was for business, so upon seeing Cyril, he asked about Silvia.


    n didn''t know anything about what had happened to Cyril recently, so Cyril''s expression froze for a moment. He didn''t know what to say.This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Oh, I forgot to mention. Do you remember our discussion about cooperation? Have you figured out why I wanted to work with you back then?" Cyril shook his head. That was precisely why he came to see him.


    "I didn''t want to cooperate with you back then because I had many other options. There was some risk involved in working with you. So my initial thought was to find someone else to work with. But then your wife approached me and talked about the benefits of working with you. I was surprised by how capable she was in business. You''re really lucky to have such a wife. I envy you."


    n spoke highly of Silvia, his eyes full of admiration. He had met many women before, but none were as impressive as Silvia. So when he mentioned Silvia, his surprise and admiration were evident.


    "You mean you''ve met Silvia?"


    Cyril paused, realizing that what n was saying was exactly what the rich kids upstairs had said. They had indeed met before, and Silvia had even helped seal the deal for Cyril. Cyrihad no idea about any of this, and no one had told him.


    n nodded with a smile. He wasn''t concerned about the titles between them. After all, every couple had different terms of address, which was normal.


    "Yeah, don''t you know about this? I


    thought your wife had told you. Your


    company has been doing so welltely; it must have been with youre` wife''s help, right? I''ve been paying attention to yourpany for a while and noticed many projects that could only have been done by your wife. Of course, I don''t know if you''ve noticed."


    Cyril looked bewildered. Obviously, he had no idea about this. If n hadn''t told him, he probably wouldn''t have known for a long time. But now that it was brought up, Cyril couldn''t help but wonder how much Silvia had done behind his back.


    "There may not be a chance."


    Cyril''s expression was somewhat subtle, and n noticed that something seemed off.


    "What''s wrong?"


    n asked cautiously.

 Chapter 274: Proof

    Chapter 274: Proof


    He didn''t tell n about what had happened to him, just smiled and changed the subject.


    n wasn''t dumb; he knew Cyril was diverting the topic, so he followed suit. But deep down, he did want to know what was going on and nned to have his people investigate itter.


    After chatting with n for a long time, Cyril was already drunk and didn''t n to leave. It wasn''t until n couldn''t bear it anymore that he came down from upstairs and forcibly took Cyril away.


    n wasn''t as drunk and, before leaving, nced in Cyril''s direction. Seeing Cyril''s expression, he knew it was probably because of emotions. Thinking about this, he couldn''t help but sigh. Love was truly unpredictable.


    "Boss, are we leaving?"


    "Yeah, by the way, investigate what happened between Cyril and his wife recently. I feel something''s off about their rtionship."


    The secretary didn''t refuse and nodded before driving away.


    Feeling exhausted after the hangover, Cyril''s body felt weary.


    When he woke up again, he saw various messages on his phone. Some were apology messages from n, while others were messages from Jonathan about how embarrassing he wasst night. But Cyril didn''t care. He was only thinking about the things Silvia had done for him in the past. He wondered if he should redo those things to move their rtionship forward.


    There were many things he didn''t know before, and these were things his friends knew well.


    Thinking about this made him feel sad. The more he learned about what Silvia had done in the past, the more he could feel her deep love for him. Each action was evidence of her love.


    After hesitating for a moment, he sent Silvia a "good morning" message from a new number he had acquired. Silvia didn''t know about it.


    After sending the message, Cyril''s heart raced. He didn''t know how Silvia would react when she received it.


    He waited for a while but didn''t get a reply from Silvia. But considering it was from an unknown number, Silvia probably didn''t pay much attention to it. He wasn''t disappointed, but thinking about his rtionship with Silvia made him feel sad.


    However, life had to go on. There were still many things he needed to do. Cyril thought maybe if he focused on improving himself first, he would have a better chance when he met Silvia.


    Meeting n again after so many years made Silvia feel a bit nostalgic. Thest time she met n was to help Cyril negotiate a deal and handle some matters for n. It was surprising to meet n again after so long.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    After n''s people investigated what happened between Cyril and Silvia, he knew what had happened between them. He didn''t mention Cyril''s situation and only focused on catching up.


    "It''s been a long time. Last time we met, we talked about other people''s matters. I didn''t expect that after so long, we could still catch up on each other''s lives."


    When he found out Silvia''s identity, he was extremely shocked. He didn''t expect Silvia to be the heiress of the Ivan Group.


    Silvia also smiled. Perhaps being away from Cyril made her feel relieved.


    "It has been a long time indeed. How have you beentely?"


    Since Cyril''s incident, she hadn''t paid much attention to n''s situation. She only knew that n''spany was doing well. So she was curious about n''s current situation.


    When n talked about hispany''s recent situation, he couldn''t help but thank Silvia for helping him out. If it wasn''t for Silvia, hispany wouldn''t have progressed so well. Silvia smiled when she heard about n''s situation. She did help n, but only because she knew n''spany had potential online. It was just a matter of timing.


    "These are samples from ourpany. I hope you''ll take a look. If possible, I think we can cooperate again, this time between ourpanies."


    n''spany was in the medical field, and they were quite powerful in that area. He proposed to cooperate with Silvia because he was interested in her medical artificial intelligence.


    "It''s been a long time since I met your brother. kproposed cooperation to him back then, but he rejected me outright. couldn''t understand why he refused so quickly. I thought maybe T didn''t offer enough, so enhanced the offer. Later, I found out he rejected me because he had promised you. But this time, I genuinely want to cooperate. I just don''t know if we''ll have the chance to work together again."


    Looking at what n brought out, Silvia smiled. n''s offerings indeed proved his sincerity in wanting to cooperate. Silvia wouldn''t refuse such an opportunity.


    But whether it was suitable recently, she needed to observe carefully.


    "Indeed, I didn''t expect you to propose cooperation with me. But I can''t give you an immediate answer. I need to discuss with my colleagues first. After all, our medical artificial intelligence project is currently our top priority. We can''t take this project lightly, so we need to assess the risks. I hope you can understand and wait."

 Chapter 275: Digging Someone Right in Front of Them

    Chapter 275: Digging Someone Right in Front of Them


    n had a clue about what was going on, so he and the other person decided to talk more in theb. When they entered, n saw someone busy at the operating table. De Witt''s expression changed instantly.


    He couldn''t care less about n; he just rushed past with Sylvia to talk to someone.


    Sylvia twitched her mouth, sighed, and followed.


    De Witt didn''t even remember n. Suddenly, someone came up so enthusiastically to talk to him, which made him a bit confused. He had to turn to his sister for help.


    Of course, Sylvia noticed De Witt''s confusion, so she walked over.


    "n, even if he''s technically my third brother, isn''t it a bit inappropriate to try to recruit someone in front of me?"


    "Though it might seem a bit inappropriate, who doesn''t like talent, right? Besides, back then, when you wanted to coborate with Cyril, you didn''t hesitate to take partners from me either."


    n didn''t see anything wrong with what he did. Sylvia had also taken partners from him in the past, so he thought it was fair game. Plus, he made it clear that it was Sylvia''s brother, so he didn''t think he had the ability to snatch her own brother away.


    "I know you. You''re n. My sister talked to you for days about coboration, and she even helped you with a coboration n. She stayed up several nights to write that n."


    At this moment, De Witt remembered who n was. After all, Sylvia had done more than one foolish thing in the past, so he remembered it vividly. n was somewhat surprised, even ttered, that someone knew so much about him. He thought his identity waspletely unknown, but not only did they know, they knew a lot.


    "I didn''t expect you to know so much about me. But your sister was indeed very talented back then. The coboration n she came up with helped me establish myself in no time. Mypany''s smooth development owes a lot to her."


    Since this person had a rtionship with Cyril before, De Witt didn''t treat him kindly.


    "So, you said all those things just to recruit me through my sister? Well, I don''t think you need to bother here. I won''t help you anyway."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    n looked at him expressionlessly, feeling a bit hurt by his harsh words. He turned to Sylvia helplessly, "Is your third brother always like this? I haven''t said anything yet, and he already rejected me outright. Can''t he at least give me a chance to exin?"


    "You don''t need my sister. When you were negotiating with Cyril back then, my sister helped you. You got her drunk all night, and I had to take care of her. I remember that clearly. So, I won''t help you. Even if you start cooperating with my sister officially in the future, I won''t deal with you directly."


    Leonard''s words shut down n''sst hope. He had thought that if they could cooperate in the future, he could mend things through the coboration. But now, he didn''t even have that chance.


    n didn''t know how to react.


    The two siblings were utterly speechless.


    "Forget it, I won''t say anything more. After I came to visit today, I thought we could discuss cooperation, but I guess it''s not the right time. What do you think?"


    Sylvia had considered cooperation before but seeing her brother''s reaction, she felt she needed to reconsider. After all, cooperation wasn''t just about her, it also involved the family.


    "I''ll think about it. After all, my third brother is the technical head of the project If he doesn''t agree, it''ll be difficult. So, let''s discuss it further after we sort things out here What do you say?"


    It seemed like that was all there was to it. After nodding, n chatted with them for a while, and it seemed they both wanted to cooperate. With nothing more to say, they went their separate ways to attend to their own affairs.


    De Witt still had work to do, so he wouldn''t linger to chat.


    After seeing n out, De Witt returned to find Sylvia.


    "Brother, although he got me drunk that night, that wasn''t right, but he''s actually a nice person. There''s no need to hold such grudges against him."


    De Witt nced at Sylvia but didn''t say anything. However, Sylvia understood his meaning perfectly-it was a refusal to cooperate.


    Facing her brother''s expression, Sylvia didn''t know what to say for a moment. Since her brother was behaving like this, she could only try to persuade him in some other way.


    Although De Witt wasn''t entirely satisfied with n, he couldn''t let his sister suffer. So, he took out a business card from the drawer and handed it to Sylvia.


    "I know many people in thisb, including some seniors. If you need help, you can approach them. They''re good atmunication and more reliable than the people you find."


    What did he mean by "more reliable than the people she found"? She didn''t think the people she found were unreliable.


    However, when it came to research, her brother was undoubtedly better than her, so Sylvia nned to get to know these people better. Perhaps there would be opportunities for coboration in the future.


    Though Sylvia didn''t n to leave immediately aftering, she first caught up with her brother about recent events before leaving with him.


    When they reached the door, they ran into their troublemaking second brother.


    "Why am I being stopped from going in when I''m also part of the family? Why can''t I go in, but these two can do experiments inside? The gap is too big. I feel really ufortable."


    "Let''s go. Big brother said he wants to have dinner with you two."


    The siblings rarely gathered for meals, so there must be something important today. That''s why they gathered.

 Chapter 276: A Childhood Sweetheart

    Chapter 276: A Childhood Sweetheart


    Although you know there''s something to discuss, you wouldn''t expect your big brother to suddenly bring it up as soon as you sit down.


    "Do you know Cyril has had a childhood sweetheart living abroad all these years, and their rtionship is really close?"


    Just when they were enjoying their meal, hearing this voice caught Sylvia off guard. She didn''t know whether to say her brother cared too much about her or if he was just off the mark.


    "Big brother, why bring this up out of the blue? Don''t you think it''s a bit ominous?"


    Balk couldn''t stand hearing about this, and neither could De Witt.


    Bruce knew perfectly well that bringing up this topic would upset everyone, but he had to. He''d received news that Cyril''s childhood sweetheart had returned.


    "He''s always had feelings for Cyril since childhood, even more troublesome than Karina. I just wanted to warn you about this person. You might know him; Mia, your junior from school."


    The name sounded somewhat unfamiliar to Sylvia; she couldn''t recall. So, she brushed it off, deciding to deal with it when she meets the person. For now, her priority was finishing her tasks and avoiding Cyril until things settled down. She couldn''t afford to waste more time.


    Bruce felt relieved seeing Sylvia''sck of interest in the matter.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "You know what''s up next. By the way, how''s the development of the medical Al going? Hasn''t little brother been spending all his time in thebtely?"


    Bruce was curious about De Witt''s recent activities.


    They delved into this topic, going further and further, discussing both business and future medical advancements.


    Except for Balk, who was a singer and had no idea what they were talking about. He sat there, utterly clueless, feeling like he shouldn''t even be there. They might as well have organized a conference.


    "If you''re inviting me for dinner just to discuss these things in front of me, then next time, you can leave me out. You know I don''t understand any of this. Why keep me here as if I''m just a ceholder?"


    Balk scowled at the other three. Instead of feeling embarrassed, they found his point valid. They needed all four of them during meals.


    "Anyway, let''s drop it. Oh, sister, I''ve got a reality show to participate in. Why don''t you join me? They need a partner."


    "No time."


    "Why not? With big brother and little


    brother here what''s keeping you? Come and rx with me. By the way,


    we''re going to a science ene


    You''ve heard about it from


    brother, right? He used to work there, and many seniors are there."


    De Witt dangled a bait, making it hard for Sylvia to refuse. Initially reluctant, she considered the business card her brother gave her and Balk''s reality show offer. Maybe she should go to boost her brother''s poprity.


    S


    "I can''t figure you out. You insist on dragging me along. Aren''t you afraid I''ll steal your spotlight?"


    "What''s the big deal? It''s just one


    time. And it''s not like I''m going alone. I''m doing this for you. It''s a


    perfect chance for you to mingle. Nobody will notice, and you won''t have to worry. Sounds good, right?"


    Initially hesitant about epting the offer, Sylvia finally agreed. If her big brother was okay with it, then why not?


    "Since you put it like that, I''ll go. When are we going, and do I need to prepare anything?"


    "No need to prepare; juste with me when the timees. I''ll take care of everything. But if you n to poach someone, be ready. Those people are as stubborn as your big brother."


    "If you want to badmouth someone, please do it when I''m not around, okay, Second Brother?"

 Chapter 277: Encounter

    Chapter 277: Encounter


    As I just mentioned, Cyril''s childhood sweetheart showed up in the blink of an eye. She came straight to my door, talking about cooperation. Sylvia couldn''t just ignore her.


    Mia observed Sylvia seriously, and Sylvia observed Mia in return. Seeing Mia''s face, Sylvia was reminded of a middle school ssmate. They''d spent just half a semester together. She was cute, and everyone liked her.


    Back then, she wasn''t popr with girls because many thought she was trying to attract boys.


    Sylvia never cared much about these things; she was too focused on studying. She knew she was the future heir of the family, so she had a lot to learn and no time for distractions. Later, when she met Cyril, all her attention was on him, and she disregarded everything else.


    Thinking about it now after so many years, Sylvia felt a bit surreal. She smiled sincerely at Mia. They were once ssmates, after all, so they could have a civil conversation.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "You''re divorced from Cyril. Why not stay away from him? We grew up together, and I''ve never seen him so troubled. If you don''t like him, you should keep your distance. As the heir of the family, why stay here?"


    Sylvia realized she was overthinking. Maybe that''s why many girls didn''t like her back then. Boys liked her because of her caring nature, but girls didn''t appreciate it. And maybe her stern expression didn''t help either.


    But why should she leave? She didn''t like Cyril, but why did she have to go? If she recalled correctly, Nan Shi''spany started abroad. So logically, Mia should ask Cyril to leave. Then Cyril could expand on Mia''s family territory, with Mia''s support. Wouldn''t that be better?


    Sylvia threw the question at Mia, who was taken aback. The possibility of taking Cyril back with her made Mia realize her naivety.


    "No, his home is here. If anyone should leave, it should be you. Do you know how much criticism he faced because of you being abroad? My father wouldn''t let me near him because of you. It''s your fault he''s in this state. If anyone should leave, it''s you!"


    Mia''s simplicity surprised Sylvia. But Sylvia''s family members were clear-headed. They didn''t want her near Cyril because of his actions over the years.


    "If you''re here just to talk about


    these things, then I think we don''t need to continue this conversation You came to discuss the medical Al project. If you''re here to flirt with Cyrinthere''s no need to continue. I''ll have my secretary escort you out."


    Sylvia gestured to call her secretary, but Mia stopped her, realizing Sylvia''s intentions.


    "You''re boring. If that doesn''t work, let''s talk business. I''m interested in your medical Al project, but I don''t want to coborate directly. I want to buy it for independent research."


    Mia''s face changed from innocent to assertive. She was genuinely interested in the project.


    Sylvia was surprised someone wanted to buy the project outright.


    "How much are you offering? We''ve invested billions into this project can''t just hand it over. We''ve been researching Al for years. If your offer isn''t enough, there''s no point in discussing further."


    "I''ll offer one trillion."


    Sylvia''s casual response caught Mia off guard. Her confident demeanor shifted to shock.


    "Are you kidding? Is it worth


    spending so much on just one


    project? Even if I agree, I''ll only


    reimburse you for the initial


    l


    investment, and I might invest even more in the future. Why should I pay so much?"

 Chapter 278: Rolling Eyes

    Chapter 278: Rolling Eyes


    "You said it yourself just now, right? You told me to just offer money, and now that I have, you''re reluctant to take it. Do you not have money? If you''re broke, don''t pretend to be rich in front of me."


    Mia was stung by Sylvia''s words. She wasn''t broke, but she felt this deal wasn''t worth it anymore.


    She truly believed in the potential of the research project. But if it required so much money, she might as well develop it herself. Who knows, she might gain more that way.


    "You''re just trying to get back at me, aren''t you? You think Cyril and I have a better rtionship, so you want me to back off. Well, let me tell you, that''s not happening. I''m determined to be with Cyril."This belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    Mia quickly understood why Sylvia said what she did. Sylvia sounded so confident, leaving Mia at a loss for words.


    "You''re probably mistaken about something. First, Cyril and I divorcing proves we have no feelings for each other. And Cyril''s past affection was for Karina, not me. If you see me as your rival, you''re mistaken. Cyril''s true love has always been himself. Whether it''s me or Karina, in his eyes, his own interests matter more. As for this project, you told me to name my price, and now you think I''m asking too much. Don''t you find that ridiculous?" Unable to make a call, Sylvia messaged her secretary toe and escort Mia out. There was no need to continue the discussion; Mia clearly didn''te for genuine cooperation. She was probably spoiled by her family, thinking they''d always bail her out.


    "I think you have time to meet Cyril. If you meet him, sort out your issues yourselves. Don''t drag me into it. If you do, I''ll take away his resources, and he''ll be at my mercy."


    After saying this, Sylvia signaled for her secretary, who promptly called two security guards to escort Mia out of the office.


    Feeling embarrassed as she was escorted out, Mia stood there, shouting, but no one paid attention to her.


    Once the office was quiet again, Sylvia rolled her eyes, wondering why these things alwaysnded on her. Shaking her head, she resumed her work, but her phone rang. It was a call from Miles.


    She hadn''t contacted Miles in a while, and she wondered what he was up to. His sudden call meant he had something important to discuss.


    "Do you have time tonight? I''d like to invite you for dinner. I have a coboration opportunity I want to discuss with you."


    Miles was a businessman, and Sylvia knew he was genuinely interested in coborating.


    Checking her schedule, Sylvia found she was free tonight. She usually went home for dinner, but if there was a coboration opportunity, she could make an exception.


    "Of course, I''m avable. Once you arrange the ce and time, let me know."


    "Great."


    After hanging up, Miles sent Sylvia the details. Dinner was at 6 PM, giving her three hours to finish her work.


    As she hastened to finish her tasks, Sylvia remembered she had a meeting scheduled. It might take longer than expected, so she informed Miles. He understood and told her to contact him after she was done.


    n


    As she was about to enter the meeting room, her phone rang again. It was a number that always greeted Ker with morning and evening messages - Cyril''s number. She hadn''t blocked it, thinking there was no need. Seeing his call, she guessed it was about Mia,


    As expected, Cyril sounded annoyed on the phone.


    "Mia is your ssmate, and she genuinely wanted to discuss cooperation with you. Why did you have to be so harsh? The medical Al project is meant for coboration


    with others. Why not Mia? Is it


    because of me?"


    Sylvia sighed internally. She now realized Mia held a special ce in Cyril''s heart.


    This made Sylvia wonder. If she had faced Mia instead of Karina in the beginning, would her marriage with Cyril havested this long?


    "While I''m not entirely sure what


    bet


    Cyril told you need to make one thing clear. Who we choose to coborate with is our decision. And this joint venture has taken a lot of time and effort to develop. If you think I''d casually sell it at a low price, you''re mistaken."


    Normal people wouldn''t make such a loss-making deal, let alone Sylvia. After saying this, she hung up and blocked the number. Then, she entered the meeting room, where everyone noticed her displeased expression.


    They all felt uneasy. Was something wrong? Were they going to be scapegoated?


    Uncertain, they sat quietly in their seats.


    "Let''s begin the meeting. The marketing department will first discuss the cooperation status of the past three months."


    Sylvia had gathered herself, but her expression remained grim.

 Chapter 279: Going to the Resort

    Chapter 279: Going to the Resort


    Sylvia and Miles met, and this time Miles talked to Sylvia about a resort development project, which many people were eager for.


    "This development project, you can choose someone more suitable to develop with you. Why do you have to make me do it? And ourpany is now undergoing transformation and upgrading, focusing on technology-rted areas. If you want toe to us, I suggest you find more professional people to cooperate with."


    Sylvia looked very serious as she finished reading the cooperation n and handed it back to Miles. She exined the current situation very seriously to him, analyzing her strengths and weaknesses again.


    "Of course, I know this, but what I trust more here is you. Instead of finding other unfamiliar people, it''s better to choose you to do this with me. Also, I think what I''m going to do next may not be epted by others."


    Miles shrugged and told Sylvia about his n. He did intend to develop the project, but besides the development, he also nned to introduce some artificial intelligence. After all, a more intelligent way of life is definitely people''s first choice, whether for living or traveling. And it can also save onbor costs.


    After hearing this, Sylvia understood us''s meaning. He wanted her to join the project development because she could integrate the artificial intelligence project into it.


    Theirpany already had several artificial intelligence products on the market, such as household robots and some home appliances, which greatly facilitated people''s lives. However, Sylvia still felt that there was something she didn''t quite understand.


    "Wait, if you''re only interested in ourpany''s artificial intelligence, we can discuss itter. Now we''re talking about project spending, and you bring this up to me. Why do I feel like you have some conspiracy going on?"Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia frowned at Miles. Miles chuckled, "Originally, I wasn''t nning to tell you about this now. I was going to wait until you finished reviewing these projects, but since you asked, I''ll tell you now. This ce is meant for developing a tourist project, which isn''t very suitable. It''s actually better to build an ecological park for tourism here. However, the government requires it to be a project vige, and my project is a coboration with the government. But I think this matter isn''t that simple and requires someone to share the risks with me."


    After hearing this, Sylvia couldn''t speak for a long time. So in the end, someone needed to share the risks with him, that''s what he meant. "You''re not hiding anything, just outright saying you want me to share the risks with you? Honestly, I''ve heard of this ce before, and as you said, it''s best to build an ecological park for tourism here. The reason why this project hasn''t been taken over before is that it''s always unclear with the government. So it''s been dyed until now. If you want to take it on, I think it''s actually a very good opportunity. It depends on how you choose. Of course, regardless of your choice, it''s up to you. I can only offer an opinion for now, and as for what you think, it depends on you. I can only temporarily give you this opinion."


    This project is now in cooperation with the government, so there''s actually not much to worry about because no matter what they do, the government will bear the risks, and they don''t need to worry too much about it.


    "However, although you showed me this project, I can''t give you an answer. First, we need to conduct a risk assessment, and I have to discuss it with thepany''s employees before giving you an answer. Secondly, you have to be mentally prepared. If the risk assessment of this project is too high, we won''t take it on. You can find someone else to take it on."


    Miles nodded, understanding Sylvia''s meaning. He wasn''t surprised at all. Sylvia had indeed considered this, and he was also evaluating the risks. He did want to do this project, but if the project''s risk was very high, he would consider whether to proceed or not.


    After discussing these matters, the two started eating. Halfway through the meal, Sylvia suddenly felt something was wrong. If Miles only came to talk to her about these matters, he didn''t need to go through all this trouble. A phone call could have cleared things up. Why bother asking her out for dinner?


    "Wait, your purpose today isn''t to talk to me about these matters at all, is it? You just asked me out for dinner. When did you be so fast- thinking?"


    Sylvia put down her utensils, looking serious at Miles, who smiled.


    "There''s no other way. You didn''t want toe out when the school invited youst time, so I had to think of another way. Obviously, this method is pretty good. What do you think?"


    He did want to ask Sylvia out for


    dinner, but because of thest incident, when Sylvia didn''te out to the school, he thought it wouldn''t be easy to ask her out for dinner this time, so he had to think of another way. Obviously, he thought this method was quite good, and at least it was effective.


    "I don''t think so."


    Sylvia had a dark expression on her face. "Come on, who wants to have dinner with someone who has plotted against them?"


    Miles just shrugged at her words, neither confirming nor denying them.


    After that, the two didn''t talk about work anymore and started eating. Although Miles had toe up with a way to have dinner with Sylvia this time, Sylvia didn''t particrly reject Miles.


    So the meal was quite pleasant, but while they were enjoying themselves, some people weren''t happy. This news quickly reached Cyril''s ears.


    After knowing this news, Cyril''s first reaction was to have someone investigate. What''s going on? He had to figure out what was going on. "Didn''t you tell me that they have nothing to do with each other anymore? Since they have nothing to do with each other, why can they sit together for dinner and chat so happily?"


    Last time he heard that Miles and Sylvia had fallen out, he was quite happy. Now he''s being told that they haven''t fallen out yet. He could bear this only when pigs fly.

 Chapter 280: Investigation

    Chapter 280: Investigation


    "Boss, give me one more chance. I''ll go investigate. I''ll find out what''s going on and give you a satisfactory answer. But they''ve been meeting for dinner together. Before this, I really didn''t know anything about it. And didn''t you say you wanted to bring them back? If you keep hesitating like this, aren''t you afraid they won''te back?" During this time, his workload has been increasing, and even though he got a raise, he still feels upset. It''s clear he didn''t need to go through all this trouble.


    Barry''s pitiful look made Cyril chuckle.


    "When you chose between two jobs and investigating their rtionship, that was your decision. Now you''re telling me you can''t bring them back. Do you feel embarrassed saying that?"


    Cyril''s words sessfully silenced Barry. Alright, he chose this path himself, and he has to stick with it.


    "And there''s another thing, Miss Mia. Miss Mia has tried to invite you to dinner three times since she came back. Following your orders, I''ve declined them all. But Miss Mia said if you don''t agree, she''lle personally to invite you to dinner next time. What do you think we should do about this?"


    Thest time Mia invited Cyril to dinner, it caused a scene at thepany, and everyone knew about their rtionship. So these days, everyone is curious about it.


    Although Cyril has always had Barry decline for him, some people aren''t so easy to refuse.


    Like Miss Mia, if you reject her, she''ll keeping until you agree. Although he always tries to stop her, every time he sees Mia looking upset, he feels like if he continues to refuse, she might grab him and scold him. For the sake of his own safety, he decided to let the boss handle this annoying matter personally.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    But when Cyril heard this, he frowned directly and said, "Didn''t I already tell you before? I don''t want to have dinner with her. Tell her the same thing every time shees. If she continues like this, tell her I''ll tell her father everything about her stay here."


    With the boss''s words, Barry felt relieved. After nodding, he followed Cyril''s instructions and messaged Mia.


    Sitting in the car, Mia was feeling resentful. Why was she rejected again?


    Since she came back, she had only seen Cyril once, and even then, it was brief, and Cyril''s assistant quickly chased her away.


    When she came, she investigated Cyril''s work during this time. Where was he so busy? Obviously, he still has Sylvia in his heart, so he doesn''t want to eat with me. What''s so good about Sylvia anyway?


    Mia was really upset, so she made a call and asked her subordinates to investigate Sylvia''s recent situation, to see what Sylvia was up to and why she could upy Cyril''s mind like this.


    Sylvia''s recent work projects mainly revolve around thepany and the research institute. On one hand, she needs to monitor the progress of thepany, and on the other hand, she needs to look at the development projects at the research institute.


    Before Devitt returned, the entire


    research institute was in a


    bottleneck, and everyone was trying to find a way out. With Devitt''s help during this time, there has been


    significant progress, and everyone is very happy. So Sylvia has beening here more frequent sometimes bringing gifts to


    tely,


    everyone, sometimes justing to check on things. But every time she looks at him at home, she feels very happy.


    "Artificial intelligence still has some ws. For example, although artificial intelligence can quickly diagnose a person''s illness, everyone''s illness is different. It''s best for professionals to make judgments. So, no matter what, this project can only serve as a tool."


    However, from a doctor''s perspective, although artificial intelligence is indeed very good and can quickly identify a person''s illness, everyone''s condition is different, and the diagnosis varies ording to the individual''s condition. It''s impossible topletely rece a doctor with artificial intelligence.


    Sylvia was aware of this idea


    beforehand and nodded, "I know. I never intended for this project to rece the role of doctors because some people don''t take their illnesses seriously when they''re sick, so they miss the best treatment period. With this artificial


    intelligence, maybe we can prevent such situations to some extent, which was my initial idea."


    And over the years, a lot of money and effort have been spent on developing this artificial intelligence. Even if it can only serve as an auxiliary project, its role is still significant. Sylvia understands this very well, and if she can do this well, she can also cooperate with hospitals, which would reduce the pressure on doctors.


    After Sylvia said this, Devitt nodded, agreeing that it made sense.


    "It''s good that you can think like this. I was worried you might have gotten things backwards. Since your idea was always meant to be auxiliary, then I have no problem. Also, many people have been contacting me recently for cooperation. When the timees, carefully evaluate the situation and then proceed with the cooperation."


    Sylvia nodded, indicating that she understood. Indeed, more and more people have been wanting to cooperate with her recently, and Sylvia has been carefully paying attention to the situation.


    Because no matter how you look at this project, it''s bound to make money in the future, and since it''s a profitable project, no one would be unwilling to participate.


    But now that she''s already invested so much money, she won''t easily let someone elsee in and take a piece of the pie.


    Of course, she needs to observe carefully and make a careful evaluation before considering cooperation.


    "And there''s the matter Second


    Brother mentioned. He said the project you''re supposed to attend


    seems to be next week, right? It''ll be


    for three days. During these three days, it''s best to hurry up and see if anyone ising over. Although the people from your research institute are very good, I''m still not used to it. It would be best if they coulde over."

 Chapter 281: Youre Here Too

    Chapter 281: You''re Here Too


    Sylvia didn''t refuse his request; to be honest, she was quite curious herself. If the researchers from that institute could be persuaded to join, that would be great. Over the past few days, she had diligently investigated the specific situation of these researchers, knowing their strengths and weaknesses, and then set off with her brother.


    "Although this is just a reality show, you don''t have to put too much pressure on yourself. In other words, since our family invested in this project, yourfort is the priority. If you''re not happy, we won''t do it."


    In order to get his sister to participate in this event, Balk had put in a lot of effort. He even approached Bruce to get him to invest, and Bruce, seeing Sylvia''s involvement, invested arge sum of money, instantly bing the biggest sponsor of the entire reality show.


    The directors understood this very well. So when they saw Balk and Sylviaing, they were almost beaming with joy. They greeted them warmly, because whoever pays the piper calls the tune.


    "Why are you here?"


    Before Sylvia and Balk could speak to the director, a sharp voice came from afar. They looked in the direction of the voice and saw Mia. Sylvia frowned when she saw her.


    Because she had been very busytely, Sylvia hadn''t paid attention to who would be participating in this reality show. When she saw Mia, she felt ufortable.


    "Why do I have a feeling that you invited me to participate in this reality show just to expose me to desensitization therapy? And howe everyone is here?"


    This sentence left Balk speechless because he didn''t know why Mia was here. There was no mention of Mia in the information he received, which meant that his initial information was true, but there had been changester on.


    Feeling a bit guilty, Balk touched his nose. He hadn''t double-checked the personnel at the end, and he didn''t expect such a big change.


    Seeing Balk''s reaction, Sylvia knew that he hadn''t paid much attention to who would being to participate either, and she felt a bit speechless. "Never mind, these things aren''t really important. What''s important is, if I''m not happy, can I ask him to leave?"


    Sylvia asked sincerely. Sometimes, the best way to avoid conflict is to prevent it from happening in the first ce.


    So how can we prevent conflicts? By not giving them a chance to arise. Since she came here with a purpose, she could only push Mia out, considering that her family was the biggest sponsor.


    Hearing Sylvia''s words, Balk also


    seemed to have found a good solution. He nodded, but also looked at Sylvia strangely. "Of course, there''s no problem with that. We''ve spent so much money, if you''re still unhappy here, then all this money would be wasted. Anyway, if you''re willing to stay, just treat ibas a joke. If you''re not, we can let him leave now."


    "Then let''s keep him here for now, just treat it as a joke for now."


    Knowing her family''s attitude, she didn''t care anymore. She didn''t consider Mia to be a particrly troublesome person. She came here only for theboratory researchers. As for Mia''s participation in one or two seasons, it had nothing to do with her.


    The siblings ignored Mia''s presence, and Mia could feel their disregard. She was very angry, but she didn''t dare say anything. When she came, she knew that the biggest sponsor of this project was the Ivan Group, but she didn''t expect Sylvia to be here. Originally, she thought she might get some information from her brother, but when she saw Sylvia here, she dismissed that idea.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Seeing the reaction of the three of them, the director felt a headacheing on. He didn''t expect them to have such a history. If he had known earlier, he wouldn''t have agreed to Mia''s participation. But now that she was here, what could he do?


    "Director, my sister doesn''t have any special requirements, she just has one request, to try to reduce her screen time."


    Balk said this in front of the other guests. The other guests had originally thought that the biggest sponsor of this event was the Ivan Group, so their screen time would be pitifully little. But they didn''t expect the heiress of the Ivan family to take the initiative to reduce her screen time. This was quite strange.


    "But if the screen time is reduced, then your performance here may be very inadequate. My suggestion is to give you as much screen time as possible. After all, you are the biggest sponsors here."


    "No need. I came here for other things, not just to participate in the reality show. You can allocate my screen time evenly to others. Focus on my brother and me, if we''re together, put us together. If we''re not together, try not to show me on camera."


    With Sylvia''s words, the director had


    el


    nothing more to say. Although he felt a bit regretful, after all, people like Sylvia and Balk, two good-looking siblings, were rare, and they were also the biggest sponsors. Sylvia''s participation in this reality show was quite a spectacle: Now, suddenly reducing her screen time, he didn''t know how the audience would react.


    But the director had to consider the wishes of the client''s father. The opinions of the audience were not the most important. After all, the client''s father had invested real money, so his enjoyment should take precedence.


    After sorting out these matters, Balk took Sylvia to meet the other guests. The other guests knew that the Ivan family was the biggest sponsor this time, and they knew the identities of the two of them. They greeted them respectfully, and based on Balk''s previous performances in the circle, they were enough to win their respect.


    But not everyone in this group would show them respect, like Mia.


    Mia had never liked Sylvia, and now that Sylvia appeared with such an identity, she rolled her eyes and expressed her difort.

 Chapter 282: Setting a Trap

    Chapter 282: Setting a Trap


    Regarding Mia''s unfriendliness, others chose to turn a blind eye, especially Sylvia, who didn''t take it seriously at all. To him, Mia seemed more like a pampered little girl from a wealthy family. Such girls didn''t need much attention in his eyes.


    "Alright, guests, wee to our show. You should already know the theme of this episode: we''re going to coborate with a research institute. This institute is one of the top-notch research facilities, with highly skilled staff. Our task is to assist them andplete their daily tasks. Besides that, there may be additional tasks."


    After the director finished speaking, there was a chorus of groans. They were entertainers, not researchers. Making them work in a research institute as assistants felt like torture. And if they were sessful in assisting, it might hinder their careers in the entertainment industry.


    Some groaned, some remained expressionless, and Sylvia was one of them.


    "Alright, no more talk. Let''s get started. First, let me introduce everyone."


    The director led them into theboratory, where several people were already there to greet them. Clearly, this had been arranged in advance. Although these researchers were somewhat reluctant to have their daily lives disrupted, they had toe.


    Seeing their unwillingness but still having to greet them, Sylvia couldn''t help but feel curious. How did they end up agreeing to participate? "Because we''re broke."This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Such a simple reason. Project research requires a lot of money, and without funding, their projects would grind to a halt. Clearly, they were in a financial bind, which was why they reluctantly agreed to the arrangement by the production team. Despite their reluctance, they had to stand here and act as tools.


    Sylvia nced at Balk, feeling that all this had been nned by Balk and Bruce. They must have known they were short of manpower, so after learning about their situation, they immediately invested money and sent her over to do these things.


    "Sis, why are you looking at me like that? What I said is true. They really agreed because they''re broke. And when I got this information, the show was already being prepared. So our appearance is just adding to the mix. Moreover, if this project is sessful, there will be no shortage of people giving them titles. And you''ve practically poached them. Well, not exactly poached, more like seconded, right?"


    After giving it some serious thought, Balk nodded, feeling that what he said was perfectly reasonable. Sylvia''s lips twitched, but she didn''t say anything.


    After all,boratory work was not their forte, so these guests stumbled at the beginning. In order toplete a project, they had to cooperate. Theboratory staff sighed incessantly, regretting that they had allowed themselves to be so troubled for the sake of money, and they weren''t sure if today''s work could bepleted smoothly.


    "Hello, I''m Sylvia, and my brother is Dewitt. He sent me here to say hello to you all."


    During a break, Sylvia approached


    these researchers to greet them.


    When they heard Sylvia''s name, they felt a bit familiar, but when they heard Dewitt''s name, their eyes lit up instantly. They stood up eagerly and looked at Sylvia excitedly.


    "We know you! You''re Dewitt''s sister, right? Dewitt used to boast to us all the time about having a very beautifuKand smart sister. So it''s you! By the way, since you''re here, will Dewitte too? To be honest, you guys have dyed our research progress."


    Seeing the researchers'' excited faces, Sylvia was rare at a loss for words for a moment. Then she exined the current situation to them seriously.


    "My brother is currently helping me with artificial intelligence development He used to work here and knows how capable you all are so he sent me over tomunicate with you and see if you''re willing toe with me. My brother is mainly working on medical-rted artificial intelligence development. Your Al projects are very impressive. If you''re willing toe with me, I


    think my brother would be very happy to cooperate with you again."


    At this point, the camera was focused on the guests, but there was also a camera on Sylvia. Hearing Sylvia talking to these researchers, both the guests and the researchers were stunned.


    Yes, they came here to work, so they were doing research. But Sylvia''s reason foring here was also for work, just to poach these researchers.


    "Of course, we can''t give you an answer on this right away. Let''s discuss with the director, and we''ll give you an answer tomorrow. Is that okay?" These researchers were quite tempted. Their current projects were indeed impressive, but if they could coborate with Dewitt, it would be even better.


    "Okay, we''ll wait for your answer."


    After saying this to them, Sylvia returned to her position and continued to be busy. The people around her stared at Sylvia, looking incredulous. After noticing their expressions, Sylvia turned and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    The guests shook their heads and continued with their work. They knew that a reality show featuring an heiress wasn''t that simple. The main purpose was to poach talent.

 Chapter 283: Someone Has Ulterior Motives

    Chapter 283: Someone Has Ulterior Motives


    While everyone else was busy with experiments, many things here were unfamiliar to them. After all, they weren''t in this field, so how could they know all the stuff the researchers do? So, the whole day was spent learning from them, how to use these things. After learning, the guests couldn''t help but marvel when they sat down to rest.


    "Indeed, there''s a gap between people. Look at all these things; I can''t even understand them. People can use them so proficiently, even predict future events using them. How impressive! And that artificial intelligence, I never imagined it could be soplex. I can''t understand any of that code. I used to studyputer science, and now I feel like it was all in vain."


    "It''s not just you who feels that way. Even I do. I feel like I''ve wasted so many years studying. I was a top student, graduated with a PhD, and started venturing into the entertainment industry smoothly. But today, I realize there''s really a difference between people."


    As they spoke, they couldn''t help but look at Balk and Sylvia. As the behind-the-scenes investors of the entire program and from wealthy backgrounds, they seemed even more at ease than this group. Many things in thisb they didn''t need others to teach them; they could use them proficiently and evene over to teach others.


    Thinking about what happened earlier, they couldn''t help but sigh. The gap between people was indeed toorge. People from wealthy backgrounds could understand so much, while they knew nothing about these things.


    "Well, it''s no wonder they''re rich. We don''t usually study this stuff, and they can use it so well. And I heard Sylvia''s family is developing a medical- rted artificial intelligence. Howe their brains are so good? Maybe they''re in theb every day, while I can''t even understand these things. The difference is really huge. If I had known, I would have studied harder back then."


    "Forget it. Even if you studied harder, you wouldn''t be able to match their brains. You don''t want to know what they do. You''re just doing your own thing. If you want topare, the gap is too big."


    Their conversation, while they were venting to each other, was also captured by the director. The director thought it was excellent material. Seeing the luxurious life of wealthy people wasn''t just about money; they were also very capable. This group of guests was already proving this very well.


    While they were chatting, they didn''t notice that there was another person who hadn''t said a word from beginning to end. This was quite strange, but since everyone was focused on their own business, they didn''t pay attention to it.


    However, someone in theb did notice the reactions of this group. When Sylvia was talking to Balk, he approached her.


    Sylvia knew thisb coat; he was the most emotionally intelligent among these researchers and could talk to them. Plus, he could help with trantions.


    Yes,munication between them actually required trantion, because sometimes the researchers'' speech was really iprehensible to them. So, they needed someone to trante how to use these things and how tomunicate effectively with them.


    So, he remembered this person''s name; his name was Henry.


    For this kind of potential ally who could cooperate with them, Sylvia alwaysmunicated with a very good expression. Balk also understood Sylvia''s meaning, so he was very polite to the other party, and since the other party was doing research, he was naturally more capable than them. "Do you have anything to say?"


    Henry nced at the group ofText ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    celebrity guests, then said to Sylvia, "I just want to remind you that there are some people among them with impure intentions. I''m afraid you might be deceived, so I came to tell you But you don''t need to think too much. The reason I''m telling you this is just because of Devitt''s face."


    Sylvia was stunned for a moment. Before she could react, the other party had already left after saying this sentence. As for Balk, after hearing the other party''s reminder, he was almost infuriated. What does it mean? Someone actually dares to covet his sister?


    "Let me see who''s so clueless! He even dares to keep an eye on my sister? She really doesn''t fear death! Sister, rest assured, with me here, I absolutely won''t let them do anything to you. You can rest assured."


    Balk''s protective stance made Sylvia somewhat helpless. He wasn''t worried about those people doing anything to her, and she was very clear that those people probably had such thoughts, but they didn''t have the guts. After all, if they wanted to do something to her, they had to think carefully whether they had the ability to do so.


    "Alright, brother, you know it in your heart. We don''t need to worry too much."


    While they were learning how to use those devices just now, Sylvia had actually noticed that some people were looking at her strangely, but she hadn''t said anything because she felt it wasn''t necessary. But now, it seemed she had to pay attention.


    Balk was a little angry, but when he heard his sister say so, he knew that his sister understood, so if his sister knew about it today, he wouldn''t say anything more.


    "You know in your heart what''s going on. I won''t say much."


    §ï§Ý§Ö


    secretly


    If his sister didn''t know, Balk would definitely deal with these things properly, but now that his sister knew, let''s see who is so clueless and still dares to have evil intentions. The two of them finished their conversation and went to do their own things, not taking what happened just now too much heart. But in fact, they we observing who among this group had bad intentions. They also noticed that one man''s eyes seemed a bit erratic. After ncing in Sylvia''s direction several times, he quickly averted his gaze, as if nothing had happened.

 Chapter 284: Late Night Visitor

    Chapter 284: Late Night Visitor


    There wasn''t a need for recording at night, so Sylvia was back in her room dealing withpany matters. She was here today just tomunicate with the researchers and hopefully bring them to herb. As for other matters, they were not on her agenda. With her brother handling the variety show matters, Sylvia believed the fans would be happier seeing him anyway.


    She remembered this very clearly, so she felt rxed as she began sorting outpany issues in her room. After just two meetings and finishing all the work, she had a phone call with her brother to discuss the follow-up arrangements before hanging up.


    After this busy period, when Sylvia finally stopped, it was almost midnight. She rubbed her stiff neck and prepared to take a shower and sleep. But as soon as she entered the bathroom with her clothes, she heard a knock on the door. Sylvia nced at the time; it was already 2 AM. Who could be disturbing her rest at this hour?


    She was curious, not just about thete-night visitor, but also about why someone would still be awake at this hour. What were they up to?


    Curiosity led her to open the door, revealing a handsome man standing outside the same man she and Balk noticed earlier that day.


    Before Sylvia stood a well-known actor in the entertainment industry.


    He had been making quite a buzztely, and Sylvia had seen some of his TV dramas. Though she wasn''t particrly impressed, she had a vague impression of him. However, she hadn''t paid much attention, as she was more concerned about herpany''s profits than TV shows.


    So far, she didn''t even know his name.


    "What brings you here sote? I remember you staying downstairs. Why suddenlye upstairs?" Sylvia asked, puzzled.


    If he had a problem, he should have sought help on the second floor or directly approached the director on the first floor, rather thane all the way up to the third floor to find her. Her room was the least likely to be disturbed by others, so his actions seemed suspicious.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    The man smiled shyly and introduced himself first, knowing people like them probably wouldn''t notice him: "Hello Sylvia, I''mn. I''ve been following you for a long time, and your performance today surprised me. So, I want to be friends with you. Do I have a chance?"


    Sylvia burst intoughter upon


    hearing this unconventional


    greeting. "Sorry, I''m not usually keen. on making friends, especially with


    ??


    people have no connection with t


    I


    I''m even less inclined to greet


    strangers. Do you have anything else to say? If not, I suggest you go back to your room quickly. Coming to my room in the middle of the night to say this kind of thing will only make people think too much."


    The man didn''t hide his intentions; he directly stated why he hade.


    "Your thoughts aren''t that


    complicated. I think you should understand why I''m here. Since you understand won''t beat around the bush. I know you recently got


    divorced and took over the fam


    business. I think you must need someone understanding and capable to help you in times of trouble. Although I don''t know much about thepany''s affairs, I can provide you with emotional support. Besides, I''ve never been involved in any bad rumors in the industry..."


    Sylvia watched him incredulously as he undressed in front of her. She was stunned. Would someone really do such a thing? She looked horrified, then watched as he was about to take off all his clothes. Sylvia quickly intervened.


    "Wait, are you mistaken about something? First of all, I have no feelings for you. Secondly, don''t you think it''s embarrassing to take off your clothes at the door? Besides, don''t need a man to provide me with emotional support. And do you know that your current actions are like soliciting? Your resources are quite good; why do you have toe to me for this? Moreover, with your personality, after so many years in the industry, you shouldn''t be doing something so foolish, right?"


    Sylvia really couldn''t understand. If this person''s resources weren''t good, and he wanted to offer himself for stic surgery, that would make sense. But clearly, this person was quite impressive in many aspects. It was said that his talent agency also greatly valued him, so advancing to a higher level shouldn''t be difficult for him. Why did he have to find her?


    "I know you don''t understand my current actions, but I really like you sincerely. So, I''m willing to take this step. Also, I''m well aware that if I can be with you, I''ll gain more. So, why would I miss such a good opportunity?"


    Sylvia finally understood. He came to her for resources and a smoother path ahead. Sylvia didn''t reject hard work, but she did reject people who wanted to climb up without effort.


    At this moment, Sylvia took out her phone, opened the camera, and aimed it at the man in front of her.


    "It''s quite interesting. No one has evere to me in the middle of the night asking to be kept. So, I want to see what exactly makes you think I should do all this for you."


    Sylvia really couldn''t fathom what he was thinking. He thought she would really be interested in him, and she was here for work. This was something everyone could see. But he wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to climb up, which was truly astonishing.

 Chapter 285: Obedient Dog

    Chapter 285: Obedient Dog


    Whenn saw Sylvia taking out her phone, he thought she was going to expose him. He was about to put his clothes back on when Sylvia spoke, making him feel like he still had a chance.


    "I know you rich folks y around a lot. So, whatever you want me to do, I won''tin. Even if you want me to be your dog, I''ll happily bark a few times for you. As long as you take a liking to me, I''ll do anything. I''ll be more obedient and sensible than any man you''ve met before. Just give me a second nce, and I believe you won''t need any other man. Because no one else will be as obedient and charming as me. You can count on that." The crucial thing was Sylvia started to wonder how he obtained these things. Was it really through the means he mentioned, step by step? But his appearance was decent; he could have achieved all this through proper means. So, Sylvia couldn''t understand why he chose this path.


    "I''m curious about something. Did you gain all those things by this method? If so, why didn''t you seed earlier?"


    Sylvia was well aware of the shady dealings in the industry. Some people preferred these murky waters.


    A person with money and another with influence could aplish anything together. Ifn had started this way, he wouldn''t have struggled for years to get ahead.


    Moreover, if he hadn''t seeded before, whye to her today? There should have been other options, not taking a risk with her. He might have faced rejection.


    At this point,n''s expression changed. He had never sought out people before, but recently, his career had suffered a severe setback, making him realize the importance of having connections. He had considered several people, but they already had their own ythings and didn''t need him.


    He hadn''t nned anything when he came to participate in this variety show. If he could establish a rtionship with Sylvia, he could soar to new heights.


    "I''ve never done anything like this before. This is my first time. So, trust me, I''m clean. As I said, as long as you''re willing, I can kneel down and be your dog right now."


    "You''re crazy! Coming to my sister''s room in the middle of the night and saying such things?"


    Balk had been watching him closely.


    Hearing the man''s words, Balk almost burst outughing. Did he really think his sister would want someone like him? Sure, if Sylvia liked him, it was fine. But Sylvia was currently focused on her work and not interested.


    Seeing Balk appear, the man became visibly nervous. He hurriedly tried to put his clothes back on, but Sylvia kicked him away. She looked at him with a smile. He had been so confident earlier when taking off his clothes, so why was he nervous now?


    "My brother is quite reasonable. YouThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    don''t need to be in such a hurry. And I don''t think my brother said anything wrong. You''ve never done this before, so why now? You could have climbed up on your own. If this gets exposed, it won''t affect me, but it won''t be good for you."


    "You don''t understand. Living in a wealthy family like yours, you wouldn''t understand. Without resources like mine, I can''t survive I''ve been declining in recent years. Even if be famous, it won''t change. I just want to fight for myself. What''s wrong with that? If you don''t need me, you can say it directly. There''s no need to humiliate me like this."


    With both Sylvia and Balk present, the man knew his n had failed. He regretted offending Sylvia.


    "I was wrong. I was temporarily confused and took this path. Please, since I haven''t done anything yet, can you let me go?"


    He hadn''t done anything, and Sylvia had no intention of doing anything either. She just nced at him and threw the phone to her brother. After all, she didn''t want to get involved in entertainment industry drama. Her brother should be able to handle it.


    "Let''s go, let''s have a chat alone."


    Balk nodded at Sylvia, took the phone, and dragged the man away. As Sylvia closed the door, she couldn''t help but notice Balk''s displeased expression. It seemed her chances had just gotten slimmer. All her years of effort were probably wasted.

 Chapter 286: Need Any Help?

    Chapter 286: Need Any Help?


    The next morning, the program recording continued as usual. Sylvia had to have another chat with them to secure cooperation. It wasn''t easy because these people were stubborn. So, Sylvia had to put in extra effort to persuade them.


    What surprised Sylvia was thatn was still around after yesterday''s incident. He even obediently stayed by Balk''s side, not daring to nce around. She wondered what they had discussedst night. By the time Sylvia got her phone back, the video had been deleted. But she knew Balk wouldn''t let it go.


    She didn''t care how Balk had handled it; she just focused on her tasks and continued chatting with them.


    The director knew Sylvia was here for business, so the camera barely focused on her. It was a pity because she looked stunning, especially when working with her brother.


    After finishing most of their work, Henry approached Sylvia.


    "I know you''re here to coborate with us. Do you need my help? I have some influence here, and I can help you maximize your benefits. I know everything about how things work here."


    Sylvia had to put in a lot of effort to convince these people. She wondered if things would have been lessplicated if she had brought her brother along today.


    Unexpectedly, Henry offered to help.


    Usually, people like him had ulterior motives. Sylvia wanted to know why he was helping her, even if it was for cooperation or money.


    "I''m curious. If so many people don''t want to work with me, why are you offering to help?"


    "They don''t understand, but I do. You won''t stop until you achieve your goal. Since they''ll agree sooner orter, why not gain some favor with you now? Maybe you''ll reward meter when distributing profits. I''m just a researcher, and I want to earn a bit more. It shouldn''t be a big problem, right? Oh, and besides, I can also help persuade our team leader, Dr. Cyril."


    It seemed he was doing it for money, but Sylvia had dealt with many rich kids like him. Despite what he said, his actions didn''t seem motivated by money.


    "You don''t have to lie to me. Your actions aren''t just about money. What''s your real goal?"


    Henry thought he had hidden it well, but Sylvia saw through him and smiled knowingly.


    "I didn''t n to reveal it so soon, but since you''ve figured it out, I''ll tell you. My actions aren''t about money. I have a good rtionship with Cyril. He knew you wereing and asked me to help you. You need a project, right? Well, I..."


    "Thanks, but no thanks."


    When Sylvia heard Cyril''s name, she immediately refused. Regardless of Henry''s capability to convince others to coborate, she couldn''t choose him because of his association with Cyril.


    Henry was stunned. Sylvia had interrupted him before he could finish his exnation. Did he have to reject every opportunity just because of Cyril?


    "No, did you misunderstand? I might


    be friends with Cyril, but I know what


    I should and shouldn''t do. You''ve offered so much money; I don''t have a reason to refuse it. It''s all about making money. As long as I''m making money, it doesn''t matter Where ites from."


    Henry hurriedly exined, realizing his mistake. He had promised Cyril to handle things well.


    Now he understood why Cyril had emphasized not revealing their rtionship. Sylvia wouldn''t ept his help once she knew.


    "I''m telling you, your mindset isThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org.


    wrong. Even though we''re friends, I won''t refuse money. Understand? So, I''m offering my help. What''s wrong with coborating with me? At least you know me. And


    you can


    trust that Cyril''s rmendation won''t lead you astray." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Seeing Henry''s anxious exnation, Sylvia couldn''t help butugh. He obviously hadn''t taken Cyril''s words seriously. Now he realized Cyril''s warning was valid. Sylvia wouldn''t ept his help once she knew about their connection.


    "Stop, don''t say anything more. I


    understand what you mean. But there''s something you seem to have forgotten. Although Cyril and I know each other, our rtionship isn''t good. Especially after the divorce, don''t consider him at all. So, I wouldn''t dare to use anyone he rmends. Even if it''s for money, I dislike using his rmendations. After all, his identity is something I avoid the most. If you hadn''t mentioned Cyril''s information, I might have considered you. But now, with the guy you mentioned, there''s no way I''ll let you join my team."


    Sylvia''s serious expression made it clear that Henry''s efforts were in vain. He regretted his decision now. If he had known this would happen, he wouldn''t have revealed his identity.

 Chapter 287: Here Comes Another One

    Chapter 287: Here Comes Another One


    Henry felt really unfair. He was just here to help Cyril with something, nothing special. But Sylvia''s attitude was crystal clear - she wouldn''t cooperate anymore. That wasn''t just about him; it involved the interests of the whole institute.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "You can''t say that. As a businessman, your priority should be making money. If I''m helping you, there must be some profit in it, right? Plus, don''t forget you came here because your brother rmended you. If your brother rmends, you should trust it, right? Also, besides my rtionship with Cyril, think about my rtionship with your brother. If he rmends me, it means I have a clear conscience about important matters. Although this time, I did agree to Cyril that I would talk to him, it''s also for the sake of our institute..."


    Henry''s anxious exnation seemed futile to Sylvia. If he wasn''t guilty, why would he exin so much? Seeing Sylvia about to leave, Henry wanted to chase after her to talk things over properly. But the director approached Sylvia, so he couldn''t say anything more. He didn''t want toplicate things further.


    The director approaching Sylvia was also a headache. Another person had joined, Cyril, the main investor. The director needed to consult Sylvia''s opinion. He invited Cyril because Cyril had also invested money. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have gathered them together. Having them together made the show more interesting.


    "I''m not really keen on having him here either. You know, this project is about research and development. Your discussions as business tycoons are interesting, but you''re too unstable. I''m hesitant, but because he invested, I have to consider your opinions. You two are the biggest investors now, right?"


    The director''s cautious demeanor was clear. Sylvia understood. He wanted to exploit the tension between her and Cyril to make the show more intriguing. She spoke up.


    "Since he has invested, why refuse the money? My rtionship with him isn''t that big of a deal. If he wants to invest, take the money. Even if we have conflicts, I''m here, and you control the editingter. Whether I go or he goes, it''s up to you. If he doesn''t want to investter, you still have our investment. What''s to fear?"


    The director was panicking about Cyril''s arrival. Nobody wanted trouble. But Sylvia''s words made sense. Regardless of Cyril''s behavior, his family had invested real money. Why worry about non-investors?


    "You''re right. I was unclear. Don''t worry; I''ll handle it. By the way, do you still want minimal screen time for you two?"


    Sylvia nodded. She didn''t want much involvement with Cyril. But she thought of something else.


    "Reduce my screen time, but give


    more to Cyril Also, Mia and his rtionship.is noteworthy. If we can get some details from them, your show will be more interesting. I''m telling you this privately. Your rtionship with him is stil ambiguous."


    Sylvia spoke softly but earnestly. The director, initially skeptical, believed her instantly.


    "Got it. Don''t worry, boss. Since you''ve invested, I won''t let your money go to waste. I''ll make sure you profit in the end."


    Sylvia nodded, satisfied. She thought


    she''d meet Cyril tomorrow, but


    surprisingly, he arrived in the


    vel.ne


    afternoon. Seeing him, Balk''s


    expression turned sour. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    If Sylvia hadn''t approved, Balk would''ve thought the director was plotting. He looked terrifying.


    "Hello, everyone. We have a new partner here, but I think you all know him. Lately, we''ve seen him often in the news..."


    The director regretted saying that.


    What they saw in the news wasn''t good. He shut up, leaving Cyril''s


    inction unfinished. Then he


    hastily left to prepare the next tasks.


    With only a few left, Cyril approached Sylvia, but before he could speak, Balk interrupted. He didn''t want Cyril near his sister.

 Chapter 288: Like Enemies

    Chapter 288: Like Enemies


    "Is everything alright? First, your people tried to block my sister from discussing cooperation. Now you''re here yourself. Couldn''t yourpany continue without trying to snatch work from my sister? And your childhood friend is here too. What''s your business with my sister? You and I are done. Let me tell you, if you keep bothering my sister, my brother will snatch away all yourpany''s deals!"


    Balk''s guarded demeanor left Sylvia bemused. But he didn''t want to engage with Cyril either, so he just let him stand there. His phone rang, and he moved aside to answer, ignoring Cyril''s presence even more.


    Seeing Sylvia had left, Balk warned Cyril again before walking away. Cyril then approached Sylvia to talk. Other people, having finally spotted Cyril, came over to greet him, hoping Cyril would remember their interactions for future smooth dealings.


    "Why did youe over, Cyril? Was it because you knew I was here? I know seeing me here must be irritating for you, but I didn''t expect Sylvia to be here either. I wonder why he''s here when his brother is already doing research here. It''s really annoying, he''s clearly doing this on purpose, knowing you''re also cooperating here."


    Mia''s angry tone made Cyril pause. His eyes held a hint of danger as he looked at Mia.


    "How do you know so much about mypany''s affairs? You shouldn''t know who I''m coborating with next. Who told you all this? Did you intentionally send someone to spy on mypany? I don''t want to say anything harsh, but considering our rtionship, you need to understand one thing: your actions could be seen as stealingpany secrets, and I have the right to report you."


    Hearing Cyril''s words, Mia was stunned. She didn''t mean any harm, but perhaps her father had different intentions. She began to panic. Did Cyril really suspect her?


    But she hadn''t done anything to betray Cyril''s trust. The thought made Mia want to cry.


    "I''m only here for one season. But let


    me warn you, think twice before


    doing anything to Sylvia. Can you handle the consequences? If not, suggest you don''t do anything. This is advice from someone who cares about you for so many years."


    el


    Initially, Mia didn''t have strong feelings towards Sylvia. But after this incident with Cyril, she developed a strong opinion. However, Sylvia didn''t know about this or that Cyril had inadvertently brought an enemy upon himself.


    "My brother told me thisb is really good, but some people here have connections withpanies in the South. If we can''t coborate with them, it''s fine. He''ll find other people."


    After hanging up the phone, Sylvia told Balk. Balk sighed. He thought Sylvia would stay for a few more seasons, but it seemed like she was preparing to switchbs.


    "But they do a great job with artificial intelligence. After seeing this, I have some ideas. I''ll discuss them with my brotherter. Maybe we can upgrade theb."


    Sylvia had her own thoughts. After hearing this, Balk didn''t know what to say. He wasn''t sure whether to be proud of his sister''s prowess or worried about her actions.


    "After this season, I''ll step back. Then you can handle the show properly, little brother. After all, so much money has been spent at home. Don''t let it all go to waste."


    Seeing his sister''s determined look to leave, Balk reluctantly agreed.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    After chatting for a while, the siblings prepared for today''s filming projects. Sylvia seemed more rxed now, observing the team''s work without much pressure. She noted areas for improvement in her ownb as well.

 Chapter 289: Battlefield

    Chapter 289: Battlefield


    Since Henry and Cyril''s rtionship had already been exposed in the previous episode, they didn''t bother hiding it anymore. They chatted and interacted naturally, though the Chinese staff sensed something amiss, they didn''t say anything.


    When the day''s filming ended, another person arrived in the evening. The director felt like he was going to lose all his hair from the stress. It was only a three-day shoot, yet so many troublesome people showed up. Seeing the three of them living together, he joked that it looked like a battlefield.


    "Balk, you didn''t tell me before the official recording started that your sister was so popr. First Cyril showed up, now Miles. How am I supposed to film this? We can''t use most of these shots. What am I going to do?"


    The directorined to Balk, who shrugged. He didn''t know why Miles was here either. Most likely, Miles came because Cyril did.


    "It''s no use telling me this. They''re not here for me. Talk to my sister. Besides, they won''t stay long. After all, you only have one more day of filming. Did my sister tell you anything? Just follow her instructions. And don''t worry about Miles. He won''t cause you trouble. If he doesn''t leave tonight, he won''t appear on camera tomorrow."


    Balk knew his sister well and had already made arrangements based on what she had told him. If he didn''t tie Cyril and Mia together properly, it would be interesting. Miles''s sudden appearance surprised everyone. But Miles seemed to know a lot; he immediately followed Cyril when he arrived.


    Sitting together, Sylvia felt a headacheing on. Mia looked at her with hostility, even though Sylvia hadn''t done anything wrong. After Cyril arrived, he hadn''t even said a word to her. Did she deserve this hostility? And Miles, when did he arrive? Why didn''t she know?


    "Why are you here? Isn''t there enough work for you at thepany? You had toe here?"


    Sylvia had been busy with both the variety show andpany matters these days. Many meetings were held at night, and she was exhausted. Seeing Miles show upte at night, she couldn''t understand why he woulde. Wasn''t there enough work at thepany? Did he have toe here and give her more to deal with?


    Miles smiled gently after hearing Sylvia''s words. "I''m done with work at thepany, so I came. Will I be disturbing your work?"Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    The variety show had already finished filming for the day. Why would he be disturbing her work? Sylvia wanted to leave to handlepany matters, but with the three of them around her, she couldn''t just walk away.


    "Jimmy called the other day and said you wereing to film the show, so he asked me toe and see you. He also made these cookies himself and asked me to bring them to you. He heard you might not have time to eat properly while filming, so he made these cookies for you, hoping you''d have something to eat."


    Jimmy was still young and didn''t


    quite understand what variety


    shows were about. He thought


    Sylvia might not have time to eat et


    properly during filming, so he


    learned how to bake cookies from their nanny and asked his dad to bring them to Sylvia. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Sylvia was touched by Jimmy''s gesture. She hadn''t expected him to prepare something like this for her.


    "I can''t understand what you told the kid. When do I not have time to eat? Sylvia felt warm inside, although she was annoyed by Miles''s sudden presence, she appreciated Jimmy''s innocence.


    Balk also felt helpless. He had exined to Jimmy several times that Sylvia wouldn''t go hungry while filming. With Sylvia''s status and their family being the biggest investors, there was no way she wouldn''t be fed. But kids are stubborn. They thought their parents were lying and didn''t want to share their stuff with Sylvia.


    "But Jimmy is still young, so what he made might not look good. If you mind, you can eat this instead. I bought it on the way here, it''s your favorite vor."


    Miles remembered seeing Sylvia buy pastries from this shop when they went out together, so he bought some for her this time. Sylvia smiled when she saw the pastries. It was considerate of him.


    After epting both items, Sylvia felt happier chatting with Miles. Meanwhile, Cyril and Mia were ignoredpletely.


    Strangely, Cyril sat quietly, not saying a word, looking like an outsider. Even Mia, who was genuinely an outsider, felt sorry for Cyril. Despite Cyril''s fondness for Sylvia, things had turned out like this.


    "You''ve been busy all day, and the staff shouldn''t have time to work, right? Okay won''t dy you any longer. I''ll leave after delivering these things. When I get back, I don''t know if you have time to have a meal with me. Well, mainly Jimmy He''s worried you won''t have enough to eat here and will feel


    ufortable."


    Miles used his son as an excuse again. After all, they had just made cookies with Miles''s help. Sylvia didn''t think too much about it. Even if she guessed it was deliberate, she didn''t refuse.


    "Okay, I''ll probably be leaving the day after tomorrow. After I get back, I''ll take care ofpany matters for a while. We can schedule a meal then." After getting a positive response, Miles left contentedly. Before leaving, he provocatively nced at Cyril.

 Chapter 290: Sorting Things Out

    Chapter 290: Sorting Things Out


    When Miles left, Cyril followed him outside, and they stood at the door. Nobody knew what these two big shots had to discuss, but nobody dared to eavesdrop either, fearing they might get dragged into something they shouldn''t.


    "You''re quite impressive, making Sylvia change her attitude towards you with just a few words, using your son as a shield. You''re quite something as a father."


    "Whether I''m something or not is none of your concern. At least I''m better than you. You came all this way and can''t even get a word out of Sylvia. Anyway, now I''m talking to Sylvia. Do you have a problem with that? And you''re here to help her, right? But look at how she''s treating you. She doesn''t even want your help. So why are you still here?"


    The two men were immediately at odds when they met. Both Cyril and Miles didn''t like each other, especially Miles''s actions towards Cyril. Today, it was clear that Miles had the upper hand, leaving Cyril speechless.


    "What''s it to you why I''m here? Don''t forget, Sylvia and I were married before. She''s so ruthless she won''t even look at me. Compared to that, you should be worried that one day she''ll see through you and refuse to talk to you. Why are you so sure Sylvia will choose you in this situation? Are you overestimating yourself?"


    After hearing Miles''s words, Cyril turned around and saw Mia not far away. He sighed inwardly. Although he had no rtionship with Mia, she had been around him because their families had some connections. But he had no feelings for her, and Mia knew it. Yet, she insisted on staying close to him.


    "Back then, you didn''t cherish Sylvia. Now that you''re divorced, you suddenly realize you love her. Don''t you think sitting here is foolish? If I were a woman, I''d cherish Sylvia from the start, not wait until I lost her to regret it. And let me tell you, regretting now won''t change anything."


    Indeed, regretting now was pointless because Sylvia wouldn''t give him another chance.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    After saying these words, Miles left with a smile. Regardless of whether his actions today were right or wrong, he had achieved his goal, which was good enough.


    Watching him leave, Cyril still felt ufortable. Mia walked over at this moment, wanting to talk to Cyril. But one nce from Cyril made Mia swallow her words. She couldn''t understand why she was inferior to Sylvia Back when they were


    e


    students, Cyril wasn''t worsevern


    than


    Sylvia. They came from simr family backgrounds. Just because she wasn''t a robot, did Cyril have to treat her like this? Would Cyril pay


    more attention to her if she were an


    heiress?


    "I know you''re upset because Sylvia ignored you. But now Sylvia is the heiress of a bigpany. Does that mean I''m not? If you''re willing to marry me, you won''tck anythingpared to what Sylvia can offer."


    fet


    Mia chased after Cyril for two reasons: she genuinely liked him, and a marriage between them would benefit both theirpanies. So, Cyril was a rational choice for her besides being someone she liked. He also knew that if he wanted hispany to thrive, having Mia by his side would be advantageous. Despite their different backgrounds and businesses, mutual help and mutual benefit were nothing to frown upon. Ultimately, it was just a matter of exchanging benefits.


    Hearing this, Cyril chuckled.


    "No need. I understand your intentions. But I don''t need any of this. I''ll handle things with Sylvia myself. You don''t need to say all this to me."


    Cyril''s attitude towards Mia had


    ??.


    been considered beforehand, knowing how much Cyril liked Sylvia. So, his refusal wasn''t surprising. What was difficult for him to ept was that even after the divorce, he still clung to Sylvia. What was the point?


    "One day, you''ll regret this choice. But I''m willing to give you a chance. Because you know that if our families join forces, it will elevate both ourpanies. No one would refuse such a good deal, right?"

 Chapter 291 Visiting the Teacher

    Chapter 291 Visiting the Teacher


    After finishing the variety show recording, Silvia returned to thepany. Although she had been dealing withpany matters these past few days, she hadn''t been on-site, so there was still a lot of work to catch up on. Silvia became very busy as soon as she returned.


    For a whole week, Silvia was basically thest person to leave the office. By the time she finished her work, there was no one else left in thepany. But all this busyness was paying off.


    Especially the progress in theboratory renovation was very significant. After implementing all the good points he had observed, the efficiency in theb improved quite a bit. Devid wouldn''t stop talking about it over the phone.


    "Although we can''t continue to coborate with theb, I want to take you to meet my teacher. He''s very curious about you. He said if it weren''t for you, I would have continued on the path of being a doctor. But he''s thinking too much. Even without you, I wouldn''t have continued with research. If I were to do research, it wouldn''t be just because of you."


    Devid and Silvia carried gift bags, ready to visit their teacher. Devid was a bit helpless about his teacher. He knew his family situation and how much he cared for his little sister. He thought Devid didn''t want to continue the path of a doctor because of his sister, but it had nothing to do with her. From the beginning, he just wanted to be a good doctor and never nned to do research.


    "Actually, your teacher is a very nice person. I''ve read a lot about him in the papers. We were all quite surprised at the time. You being his student... Your dream has always been to be an excellent doctor. Suddenly venturing into research made everyone feel a bit ufortable."This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Silvia felt a bit helpless. Devid suddenly delving into research was indeed shocking to the whole family. They had always known that Devid''s goal was to be a good doctor. When he entered a researchb, everyone felt like he was changing his path. But no one said anything. Everyone has their own path, and Silvia''s job was something she had to insist on. She had to take over the entirepany.


    "So, my teacher may be a bit old-fashioned and may not be particrly friendly to you, but don''t mind him too much. He''s just a bit regretful, thinking I''m a good seed gone to waste."


    Talking about his teacher and then talking about his own abilities made Devid couldn''t help but feel a bit proud. Silvia smiled. Sometimes her big brother seemed quite rigid and old-fashioned, but sometimes he was interesting.


    He nodded, and the two of them finally arrived at Devid''s teacher''s house. The teacher lived in a two-story cottage.


    The yard was very clean, with many flowers nted. It was clear that the owner loved life. Devid and Silvia introduced his teacher, who had a very caring wife. However, his wife passed away three years ago due to cancer, so now only the teacher lived here alone. asionally, his children and grandchildren woulde to apany him, and sometimes it would be students like them.


    As they walked to the door, they heard voices inside. Devid and Silvia didn''t think much of it, assuming it was someone visiting his teacher.


    It wasn''t until they entered that they


    saw Cyril, unexpectedly the one


    visiting his teacher. Cyril''s


    appearance. here surprised them.


    They never thought Cyril would have any contact with their lives. But now, not only did Cyril have contact with their lives, but also with their teacher. Thinking of this, Silvia couldn''t help but nce at her big brother, noticing the strange expression on his face.


    "You two are here. This must be your sister, right? Cyril just told me about her. He said your sister is a very good woman, and now it seems to be true. By the way, it seems like your sister is working on medical artificial intelligence recently, right? | think that''s a very good project. When it''s sessful, you must tell me. Of course, if you need my help, you can call me. I don''t have much to offer other than having many students. But if you need anything, I can have theme over to help you."


    The teacher''s name was Danny, and he was already very old. But he seemed like a very amiable old man,pletely different from what


    Devid had described earlier. Silvia et


    sel.


    was a bit surprised, then she thought of something and nced at Cyril. Cyril wore a smile on his face, appearing indifferent to praise or criticism. But the more he acted this way, the more they believed what had just happened. It must be rted to this person. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "Alright, teacher, I brought my sister over to visit you. You always used to say that my sister''s existence hindered me from entering research. But you probably got it wrong. I really never intended to do research. From the beginning, I just wanted to be a good doctor and wanted to improve myself in medicine."


    Devid directly ignored Cyril''s expression, and with Silvia, he approached Danny and greeted him. Danny smiled when he saw the two of them, as if he had always known Devid''s situation and Silvia''s situation. He had seen a lot of news about Silvia recently. Now, seeing Cyril, it could be said that almost everyone rted to their family had been seen by him.


    "First of all, I had some prejudice against you, but now those prejudices are gone. Don''t worry, I''m very easy to talk to. You don''t need to be too nervous. Your brother should know me the best. By the way, did you two eat? My daughter brought me a lot of cookies this morning. You two should try them. I remember that those cookies are your brother''s favorite."


    Danny warmly invited them to sit down and eat, and Silvia naturally wouldn''t refuse.


    The few of them sat together, chatting andughing, eating snacks.

 Chapter 292 The Surgery Was Done by Your Brother

    Chapter 292 The Surgery Was Done by Your Brother


    They stayed at Danny''s house for the whole afternoon until it was almost dinner time before they proposed to leave.


    Originally, Danny intended to keep them all and have dinner together. But suddenly, both of them had some things to attend to, so they had to leave. Seeing that they both had their own matters to attend to, Danny didn''t say much and just let them go to do their own things.


    When Silvia and her brother left, Cyril paused for a moment. Silvia took the initiative to pull Cyril aside, obviously to discuss today''s events. Devid didn''t interfere and waited for his sister, observing when they would finish talking.


    "Why did youe here today? This is my brother''s teacher''s house. Normally, you wouldn''te here," Silvia said, feeling strange about Cyril''s sudden appearance.


    Cyril didn''t hide his intentions. He came here for Silvia.


    "I remember many years ago, your brother was the one who operated on me when I had an ident. So, today, I came here to understand what kind of person your brother really is. After all, your brother saved my life. So, I want to thank you. Is there any problem with your brother? If you think there is, then I''ll try toe less often in the future."


    The implication of Cyril''s words was that he would oftene to visit Danny in the future. This was extremely strange to Silvia. When would he care so much about a surgery? Moreover, Danny was her brother''s teacher. What did Cyril have to do with him? Why did Cyrile here for no reason?


    "Are you sick? Or are you not in your right mind,ing here to find my brother''s teacher for no reason? Do you think it''s appropriate?" If the situation hadn''t been so off, Silvia really would have called an ambnce to take Cyril away to see if there was something wrong with his head. How could he say such strange things and insist oning to see? What was there to see? The old man lived well by himself here. Why disturb his life for no reason? Silvia couldn''t understand what Cyril was thinking. Seeing that Silvia was not very happy, Cyril stopped talking. It seemed that his actions had made Silvia somewhat dissatisfied.


    "Sorry, I just think that since the person who performed the surgery is your brother, I should thank both of you for saving my life. So, I want to see and understand what kind of person your brother is. So that when I want to repay your brother in the future, I know what to do, right?"


    Cyril''s attitude seemed humble, but the more humble he was, the stranger Silvia felt. In her understanding, Cyril was never such a person. Even though he knew Devid had helped him and even performed surgery, he never talked about cooperating with them before. Now,ing to Danny''s house and actively wanting to understand Devid, no matter from which angle you listened to this, it was full of strangeness.


    Even feeling disgusted with what Cyril was doing, clearly this matter had nothing to do with him, but he still insisted on doing these things. Wasn''t this annoying?Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Silvia spoke seriously, and Cyril felt ufortable all over.


    "That''s not what I meant. I''m not doing these things to pressure you. I just want to thank both of you for your kindness to me. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t have been able to secure many coborations. During this time, I''ve learned a lot of things that you didn''t tell me before Now that I know, no matter what, I owe I you both a debt of gratitude. So, I want to see and understand what kind of person your brother is. This way, when I want to repay your brother in the future, I know what to do, right?"


    Cyril spoke earnestly, but it made Silvia feel something was off all over. Could Cyril really say such things? Why did everything feel so strange? "Although I feel that what you''re doing is just moving yourself, and it feels particrly strange, if you''ve decided to do this, then I won''t say much. No matter what, don''t cause trouble to others. If you cause trouble to others, it will only make people feel helpless."


    After saying these serious words, Silvia turned and left. She really had nothing more to say to the man. After all, everything that needed to be said had been said. Continuing to say more would only waste her time.


    Watching Silvia walk away, Cyril felt indescribable Clearly, his rtionship with Silvia shouldn''t be like this. But when did it be like this? He couldn''t say for a moment, just feeling that he couldn''t let things continue like this. He had to change everything. But the only way to change was to start with Silvia''s family.


    Seeing Silvia and Devid leave, Cyril slowly sat in his car and prepared to leave. But on his way back, he received a call from his mother, Michelle. Seeing Michelle''s call, his first reaction was to hang up and not answer the call.


    But there was always a feeling that if he didn''t answer the call here, it would keep ringing. In the end, Cyril reluctantly answered the phone.


    The call was finally answered, and Michelle burst into tears on the other end of the phone, making Cyril feel a terrible headache. What had happened again?

 Chapter 293 A Different Person

    Chapter 293 A Different Person


    "Son, where are you? Come back quickly! Your sister is out of her mind. She actually wants to marry a man. Her main goal right now should be studying. How can she just go and marry a man casually? What is she thinking?"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "And that man''s family background is nowhere near as good as ours. What is she thinking? Hurry back and stop your sister from doing this stupid thing. How could our family encounter such an unlucky thing?"


    "Your grandfather and I have already advised her, but she doesn''t listen to us. She usually listens to you the most. As long as you advise her, she''ll definitely listen. The person she wants to marry is really not suitable. His family background is inferior to ours, and his temper isn''t that good either. If your sister marries him, she''ll definitely be unhappy. Hurry back and advise your sister not to do this."


    Michelle was crying and shouting on the phone, clearly stimted by what her daughter had done. That''s why she urgently called Cyril to talk about these things.


    Cyril was stunned when he heard Michelle''s words. He hadn''t been paying attention to the family matters recently, so he didn''t know what his sister had been up to. Suddenly receiving a call saying that his sister wanted to get married was quite unexpected.


    But everyone chooses their own path. Could he stop his sister from doing this foolish thing today, and could he prevent her from doing it again in the future?


    "Mom, I can''t control this matter. Since she''s decided to do it herself, let her bear the consequences alone, no matter what those consequences are, she''ll bear them alone."


    Cyril suddenly remembered his own experiences. When Sylvia wanted to marry him, were his brothers and parents also against it? Even his parents didn''t agree to let Sylvia marry him. After all,pared to Sylvia''s family, his family background was much lower. But under such circumstances, Sylvia still resolutely married him.


    "Are you crazy? That''s your own sister, your own blood sister, and you''re letting her walk into the fire like this? Don''t you know? If she marries that man, her whole life will be ruined. That''s your own blood sister. You two are rted by blood. By ruining her like this, you''re really heartless!" Hearing Michelle''s words, Cyril felt even sadder. He remembered Sylvia''s past. When Sylvia wanted to marry him, were all the family members against it? But now, he wasn''t Sylvia. He didn''t know what Sylvia had been through. Just thinking about these things made him feel sad. "Mom, do you think you''re going too far? Yes, she''s my sister, that''s true. But can one person''s fate really depend on another person?" Even if he could stop her today, what about in the future? If she was willing, she would find a way to marry that man.


    "Enough, don''t call me anymore. I can''t help you with this matter. Find someone else to help you if you want."


    After saying this, Cyril hung up the phone and left. He didn''t want to continue receiving these calls anymore, whether it was Bonnie or his own mother. He didn''t want to deal with these things anymore. Everyone''s fate was their own business.


    Seeing the disconnected call, Michelle sat on the sofa and cried. The old man beside her frowned, obviously both of them were troubled by Bonnie''s situation. And now, there was another person, Michelle.


    "Stop crying. You don''t usually treat your son well, now that something''s happened, you want your son''s help. It''s no wonder your son doesn''t want to help you. Besides, if you can''t take care of your daughter properly, can you control who she wants to marry? If you can, then control it. If you can''t, then just let it be. I''m telling you, we don''t have such a shameful daughter in our family!"


    "Grandpa, you can''t say that. She''s your granddaughter too. And if she wants to marry someone else, it''s obviously because she''s been deceived by that man. That man is nothing, how can hepare to my daughter? And now, her brother


    seems to have be a different person. He never used to ignore his sister''s life or death, but look at what he''s doing now. Obviously, he doesn''t n to care about his sister anymore."


    Seeing the old man''s attitude, Michelle realized that even the old man didn''t intend to intervene in Bonnie''s affairs anymore. If no one helped her, then her whole life would be ruined. She was her own biological daughter, how could they look at her like this? Why would they let her daughter walk into the fire?


    "What should we do then? If your daughter insists on marrying that man, and no one can persuade her, what should we do? So many people have tried to persuade her, but she just won''t listen. What should we do? If you want to persuade her now, then you go and persuade her. Anyway, I won''t bother with her anymore!"


    The old man mmed his cane on the ground heavily, then stood up and walked upstairs. He was old, and he wouldn''t live long. Let these children do it themselves. Michelle didn''t even bother to care about Cyril''s life and death before. Now that she has her own daughter, she still has one son left.


    It''s no wonder Cyril didn''t do anything, and he didn''t want to think about it either. This matter was just like what happened to Sylvia back then. Now he''s here, feeling sorry for his daughter. Why didn''t he feel sorry for his daughter-inw back then?


    But now it''s toote to say anything. Whether it''s Bonnie or Sylvia, one has realized it, and the other is about to enter the fire pit.


    Seeing that no one cared about her daughter''s life or death, Michelle cried bitterly, but she also knew that if she didn''t find a solution herself, there would be no solution.


    Thinking of this, she got angry. She couldn''t just let her daughter''s future end like this!


    If her son wasn''t willing to help, then she would do it herself. Anyway, she would never let her daughter''s future end like this!

 Chapter 294 Taking the Initiative to Make Amends

    Chapter 294 Taking the Initiative to Make Amends


    Cyril didn''t pay much lip service to Bonnie''s affairs, but in reality, he still paid special attention. He knew his sister had been dating that mantely, a man who didn''t care about Bonnie''s situation at all.


    Most of the time, Bonnie was the one deeply invested in this rtionship, spending money on everything for this man. She seemed like a replica of Sylvia.


    Cyril did try to call Bonnie and exin the situation, but every time he tried, she hung up, indicating that she wasn''t interested in listening.


    Understanding Bonnie''s stance, Cyril didn''t struggle much. After informing his mother over the phone, he decided not to interfere anymore. It was clear that no one could stop Bonnie, so there was no point in continuing to try.


    Cyril didn''t know what Michelle did next. He only knew that the situation at home had be tense. Even the old man had moved out and found a vi to live in, enjoying his own life.


    Seeing this, Cyril knew his mother must have put in a lot of effort to stop his sister, but how could Bonnie, with her personality, ever ept it?


    Cyril didn''t deliberately observe what happened next because he was busy making contact with Bruce.


    Bruce probably thought Cyril had gone mad. Recently, Cyril seemed to appear wherever Bruce went, like a sticky gum, always following him around. Was he trying to befriend Bruce?


    On the evening of a party Bruce attended, Sylvia didn''te along. She was supposed to, but Bruce refused to let here, worried she might feel sorry for Cyril given recent events. So, he didn''t let here.


    Sylvia happened to have some free time, so she went to the office to check on things.


    "What exactly are you thinkingtely? Don''t you have work to do? You have so much time to follow me around. And your intention to follow me is obviously because of my sister. But let me make it clear to you, if you want my sister, I''ll never agree. You can forget about it."


    Bruce said seriously, and Cyril was briefly stunned before realizing Bruce had misunderstood him.


    "You''ve misunderstood. I don''t mean that. I just want to get along with you, build a rtionship. After all, we often encounter each other in the business world, and sometimes cooperation is necessary. It''s better to benefit ourselves than to benefit others."


    Cyril spoke sincerely, but Bruce thought Cyril had lost his mind. Otherwise, how could he say such things? Bruce understood every word, but he couldn''t grasp the true meaning behind them.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "You must be mistaken. First of all, we don''t cooperate. Secondly, we''re not on the same side. Since the day you divorced my sister, we''ve been strangers. And our rtionship is only based on my sister''s attitude towards you. Otherwise, you''re just an enemy to me. Not to mention, just because you went to see my sisterst time, it doesn''t mean you have the right to approach me!"


    Cyril fell silent. From the moment he approached Bruce, he knew Bruce would never ept him.


    Even when he thought about what he had done before, Cyril realized he had no reason to do so. How could Bruce ever ept him? But Cyril believed that with effort, Bruce would change his opinion of him.


    "No matter what you think, I sincerely want to repent. Whether it''s for Sylvia or for myself, I really want to change our rtionship. I''m serious about Sylvia, and you''ll see my sincerity."


    After hearing Cyril''s words, Bruce felt a chill run down his spine. He shuddered, thinking Cyril must have gone mad. Otherwise, why would he say such things?


    "Let it go. Your words are terrifying. Whatever you''re thinking or nning, I''m telling you, don''t hurt my sister again. Our family isn''t to be trifled with. Although we''ve let go of past events, it doesn''t mean we''ll let go in the future. If you have nothing else to do, just do whatever you want. Don''t try to approach me again. Your path won''t lead anywhere with me, or anyone else for that matter."


    After saying this, Bruce turned and left. He had said what needed to be said. What Cyril would do next depended on Cyril''s own thoughts But if Cyril were Bruce, he wouldn''t do these things again. It was all a thankless task, and they would never forgive Cyril, especially for what he had done to Sylvia in the past.


    But Cyril seemed oblivious to these thoughts. He still believed that with enough effort, he could change their minds.


    But these thoughts were Cyril''s alone.


    Watching Bruce walk away, Cyril felt a little sad. Bruce''s attitude sometimes represented the attitude of their family. It seemed like trying to win Sylvia back wouldn''t be an easy road, especially now with Miles as his biggest rival.


    But Cyril also felt it was impossible to give up.


    As he prepared to leave, Cyril''s phone rang. He nced at it and saw it was his sister calling.

 Chapter 295: Almost Bullied

    Chapter 295: Almost Bullied


    Lately, Cyril had been dealing with a lot because of his sister. He wasn''t eager to pick up the phone, but thinking about what his mother had said made his head ache a bit, so he reluctantly answered.


    As soon as he answered, he heard his sister crying and screaming as if she had been terribly wronged. Hearing her like that made Cyril frown. "What''s wrong? Why are you crying and shouting again?"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Brother, pleasee and save me! He wants to sell me for money! I''ve never been so mistreated before! Please, you have toe and save me! Mom said you would help me. Please, for the sake of me being your sister,e and save me!"


    Bonnie''s words left Cyril confused. He didn''t quite understand what she meant.


    He knew his sister had been infatuated with another mantely and didn''t know what to do about it. But he didn''t expect her to be sold. That just didn''t make sense. Why would anyone want to harm her?


    "What are you talking about? I can''t quite understand. Exin this clearly. Who''s doing this?"


    Bonnie was sobbing heavily on the other end of the line, making it hard for Cyril to understand. He was getting impatient, but because she was his sister, he restrained himself and told her to calm down before exining.


    After a while, Bonnie managed to exin the situation. She had fallen for a guy named Jack, whom she met at an art exhibition. She chased after him until they got together. However, after being with him, she realized Jack wasn''t genuine. He only approached her because he knew about her wealth and wanted to exploit it.


    "I didn''t know at first. I thought he truly loved me. You know, brother, someone like me isn''t easy to find. But he said he loved me, that he


    wasn''t with me for money. I reamet


    liked him, but I never imagined he''d try to sell me just for a chance to exhibit his paintings. Even though he told me I could help him achieve his dreams."


    Bonnie was even more upset now. She couldn''t understand why she did so much for him, yet he couldn''t see her worth. She cried and yelled on the phone, a mix of sadness and anger. Cyril realized Bonnie wasn''t just venting; she needed help.


    "So, you called me just to tell me you almost got bullied but didn''t? Since you weren''t, why keep calling me? Can''t you handle this yourself? Do I need to remind you of what you did abroad?"


    Cyril didn''t want to dismiss his sister''s troubles, but he knew what Bonnie was capable of. Most of her problems abroad, she solved on her own. He didn''t see why this should be any different.


    "If there''s nothing else, don''t call me again."

 Chapter 296: Liking Someone Else

    Chapter 296: Liking Someone Else


    Cyril knew this well, and so did Barry. He hesitated for a moment but nodded in agreement. There were things that needed to be done. So, after agreeing, he immediately arranged for them.


    Fortunately, Sylvia was attending a party soon, and Cyril was going with her. This gave them a chance to meet. But before heading to the party, Barry earnestly reminded Cyril not to be too hasty. If Sylvia got upset, their ns would fail.


    Cyril understood, especially after seeing what Bonnie went through. His perception of Sylvia had gradually changed. He realized how sincere her feelings were when she wanted to marry him against her family''s wishes. Seeing what happened to Bonnie made Cyril realize how excessive he had been in the past.


    "Do you think I''ve been too harsh on Sylvia?" Cyril suddenly asked before they left. Barry wasn''t sure how to respond. He did think Cyril was being too harsh, but he couldn''t say it outright. He was just a subordinate.


    "I don''t think it''s fair to judge. Maybe there''s a positive side to it. After all, Sylvia liked you once. She made a lot of effort to marry you back then, even though it didn''t work out..."


    Barry trailed off, feeling uneasy. He felt like he wasn''t defending Cyril but instead advocating for Sylvia. He stopped himself, realizing he might anger Cyril. Cyril just chuckled. Even his doctor felt he was being excessive. What about Sylvia and her friends?


    Finally, Cyril managed to meet Sylvia at the party. However, she was busy talking to others.


    Cyril watched from the sidelines, not wanting to disturb her. After a while, he approached her, but Sylvia was still busy. She finished talking to one person and moved on to another. Cyril realized something was off.


    "Boss, I don''t think you''ll get a chance to talk to Sylvia tonight. She doesn''t seem interested. Maybe it''s better to find another time to talk. Timing might be better."


    Cyril nced at Barry. Couldn''t he see what was happening?


    "I understand."


    Feeling helpless, Cyril walked away. Soon after, Bonnie called.


    Bonnie had been calling more frequentlytely, more than she had in the past three yearsbined. Cyril didn''t want to answer, but Bonnie would keep calling until he did. He picked up to see what she wanted.


    "Where are you, big brother?"


    Cyril expected Bonnie to be shouting, but she sounded unusually calm.


    Her calmness surprised Cyril, but he sensed something was wrong. If she was angry, he could handle it, but this calmness was unsettling. He didn''t reveal his location and instead asked what she needed. If she needed help, he could send his people.


    "Help me? How can you help me? Do you know why Jack tried to sell me? He did it for a chance to exhibit his paintings. He''s short on money, but there''s another reason: he likes Sylvia. Do you know that? He saw Sylvia from afar and fell for her. He said Sylvia was his muse, inspiring him. So, he wants to pursue her. But why Sylvia? If he likes someone else, why does it have to be Sylvia? Why does she have to stand in my way? Brother, tell me why!" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.OrgThis is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Bonnie''s voice grew sharper, showing that her earlier calmness was just a fa?ade. Cyril was surprised to hear that Jack liked Sylvia. Bonnie''splex emotions were evident as she nced in Sylvia''s direction. She didn''t notice her sharp voice on the phone.


    "Calmdown. I''ll handle Bonnie''s situation. Where are you now? I''ll send someone to help. As for Sylvia, I''ll deal with it."


    "Deal with it? How will you handle it?


    You just want to side with Sylvia. You like Sylvia, and now that you''re divorced, do you like me at all? I''m your sister, but you don''t care about me. And that man, he promised to love me forever, but he turned around and fell for the woman I hate the most. Why are you all treating me like this? You''re my brother, and you fell for the woman I hate the most. The man I love also fell for her. You don''t care about me at all, do you? Well, you''ll pay the price for it!"


    l


    Bonnie''s call seemed to be just a warning. After saying what she needed, she hung up. Cyril felt uneasy and worried. He couldn''t focus on anything else. He was talking to others when he heard a sharp scream. Following the sound, he found his sister. Cyril''s heart sank, and a bad feeling swept over him.

 Chapter 297: Why Dont You Die

    Chapter 297: Why Don''t You Die


    Cyril knew his sister was a bit crazy, but he didn''t expect her to be this crazy. It gave him a headache. He immediately rushed over and restrained Bonnie, but she still insisted on making a scene.


    "Why are you stopping me? It''s all because of Sylvia, destroying my life, ruining everything. I''ll make Sylvia pay. Why does she get to live happily while I suffer? I''ll make her pay, I''ll kill her!"


    Her voice was piercing. Sylvia frowned nearby, unsure why Bonnie was acting like this. Cyril tightly held Bonnie''s wrist, preventing her from harming herself. It was frustrating.


    "What''s wrong? I haven''t seen you in ages. Why do you want to make me pay? Don''t me me for everything unfair that happened to you."


    Sylvia''s words seemed to agitate Bonnie even more, and she screamed again when she saw Sylvia.


    "It''s all because of you! You stole the man I loved. He looked at you once, why do you like him? When you married my brother, you were like a servant, begging on your knees. How could you forget that? Now that you''ve left my brother, you''re treating me arrogantly. Are you trying to take everything I love? I''ll make you pay!"


    Bonnie couldn''t get close to Sylvia, surrounded by several bodyguards. Everyone saw the conflict but didn''t intervene, feeling speechless at Bonnie''s behavior.


    "You''re crazy. What did Sylvia do to you? If you me everything on her, isn''t that unfair? Does she need to go through all this trouble?"


    Sylvia''s status had changed, and if she wanted to deal with Bonnie, she had numerous ways. Yet, she showed restraint. Bonnie seemed oblivious, continuing to shout and even throwing a knife in Sylvia''s direction.


    But the knife didn''t hit Sylvia. It dropped harmlessly to the ground. Sylvia calmly dialed the police.


    "You''re out of your mind. Let the police handle this. They''re more experienced."


    "I''ll kill you! Why don''t you die? Why did you take everything from me? You''re a disaster, anyone who gets close to you suffers!"


    Bonnie kept yelling, ming everything on Sylvia without considering her own actions. Sylvia didn''t even know who Bonnie liked.


    Sylvia walked away, calling the police. Bonnie struggled, but with the presence of the bodyguards, her efforts were futile. Soon, the police arrived and took Bonnie away.


    "Don''t worry, ma''am. We''ll handle this."Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Though Cyril was only mildly shaken, Barry''s behavior was uneptable. Cyril felt embarrassed. After apologizing to Sylvia, he left with the police to see what his sister had done.


    The party continued, but Sylvia


    couldn''t focus on socializing. After greeting everyone, she left. Despite not knowing the full story, people couldn''t help but suspect Sylvia because of Bonnie''s behavior.


    Soon, Sylvia had the situation thoroughly investigated. It wasn''t a big issue, but once she learned everything, she couldn''t help butugh. Bonnie was worse at handling emotions than she thought.


    Separated from Cyril for so long, Sylvia called him for the first time. Cyril wasn''t surprised; he knew Sylvia called him because of his immature sister.


    "No need to apologize. I won''t let this go easily. You understand what I mean."


    Sylvia shook her head. She didn''t intend to target Bonnie further, but she knew Bonnie''s actions today would harm her in the future. She wasn''t going to let Bonnie off the hook.

 Chapter 298: Blowing Up

    Chapter 298: Blowing Up


    Understanding Sylvia''s feelings, Cyril didn''t know what else to say. After all, his sister was clearly in the wrong.


    "I know you must be ufortable, but she''s my sister. Can you give her a chance to make things right? If she doesn''t, then you can do whatever you want."


    "I don''t think what she did today deserves me letting it slide just because of you. Firstly, if it wasn''t for that knife, I could have been the one in the hospital today, not to mention, if no one had stopped her, I could still end up there. Also, considering her past actions towards me, I''m sure you''ve investigated. Whether it''s your mother or your sister, they both caused me a lot of harm during our marriage."


    Sylvia was serious. If not for today''s incident, she could have overlooked the past. But now, if she let this slide, it would seem like she had no backbone and invite further mistreatment.


    "I''m not someone without a backbone. I do have one, and I won''t let this go easily. I think it''s clear that I want to hold her ountable. You should know that. So, if I''m to pursue this, it shouldn''t be a problem. After all, I haven''t even brought up everything from the past. If I did, your family wouldn''t be able to escape."


    After Sylvia''s sarcastic remarks, Cyril fell silent. If Sylvia insisted on holding Bonnie ountable, nobody in the family could escape me. It was Cyril''s fault, but also their family''s fault. Still, he hoped Sylvia would give his sister a chance. Despite their strained rtionship, she was still his sister. He couldn''t just abandon her.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Even if Bonnie was wrong this time, aren''t you at fault too? Jack, the man she liked, was hurt because of you. So, if we''re talking about ountability, you''re not meless either. Since both sides are at fault, why can''t we just let it go? I''ll talk to Bonnie and make her apologize to you."


    Sylvia found Cyril amusing. Who was this Jack Bonnie mentioned? Why did she think this was Sylvia''s fault? Even if it was, they had no evidence. Why should Sylvia admit to something she didn''t do?


    "Firstly, this has nothing to do with me. Secondly, even if it did, why should I admit to it? This mess was caused by your sister. Why should get involved? And you''re mistaken; our issues aren''t limited to


    incident. So, don''t the Seene


    you


    brush it off. If you keep pushing, I''ll have to bring up everything from the past. Then you''ll see my true anger."


    With that, Sylvia hung up. She had said her piece. As for whether Cyril listened or not, it was up to him. Sylvia had already taken action by contacting herwyer to deal with the situation. Her only demand was to make Bonnie face consequences.


    Though Sylvia hadn''t been physically harmed, ignoring Bonnie''s actions would be foolish. Her stance was clear.


    With Sylvia''s instructions, thewyer


    began working. Sylvia didn''t need to oversee everything personally; thewyer could handle it. Besides, with the high sry Sylvia paid him, he was obligated to help her. So, after discussing with Sylvia, he started investigating and holding Bonnie ountable.


    As for Cyril, he was at the police station, looking grim. As both his sister''s brother and apany boss, this incident had a significant impact on hispany. In just half an hour at the station, he received numerous calls saying they wanted to suspend cooperation, concerned about potential risks. And it was all because of Bonnie.


    He didn''t want to deal with his foolish sister anymore, so he called his mother to handle the situation.


    When Michelle learned of her daughter''s distress, she rushed over, caring only about Bonnie. Cyril was annoyed; despite knowing his mother''s bias, seeing it firsthand still bothered him. He even felt some resentment towards Sylvia.


    From start to finish, Sylvia hadn''t done anything. Why should all the consequences fall on her? At this moment, he realized he had to confront his sister and get to the bottom of things.


    "You''re her brother. With such a big issue involving her, are you just going to sit back and do nothing? Or do you only care about Sylvia? You''re so oblivious; do you need to see your sister suffer before you realize your mistakes?"

 Chapter 299: Losing What You Want

    Chapter 299: Losing What You Want


    Seeing her daughter so distressed, her first instinct was to me her son. Turning to him with anger and fury was nothing new for Cyril; he had grown ustomed to it. Hisck of reaction only made her more ufortable. How could he be so indifferent? His own sister, his flesh and blood, was going through so much, yet he showed no emotion.


    "You don''t say anything. Do you think it''s okay for your own sister to go through this? Don''t forget, she''s your sister, and you''re her brother. Can''t you take better care of her? What good is it to ignore her? Look at what she''s be because of Sylvia. I told you, Sylvia isn''t a good person. I warned you to cut ties with her after the divorce. Now, look, you insist on associating with her, and your sister ends up like this. Do you even have a heart?" Michelle yelled, but Cyril remained unmoved. Even his assistant felt a bit sorry for him. What did Cyril have to do with any of this?


    "Madam, this doesn''t concern the boss much. This is mostly the Miss''s doing. If she had focused on her studies overseas like she should have, none of this would have happened. ming the boss isn''t fair. It''s your daughter''s fault too."


    Michelle couldn''t take it. She was furious at the way she was being spoken to. ring at her assistant, she continued her tirade.


    "Why do you suddenly be so rude after mentioning Cyril? Regardless, we''re family. If he had listened to me, none of this would have happened. But he insisted on going against my wishes. Look at what''s happened to his sister! He''spletely ignoring her suffering!"


    With tears in her eyes, Michelle sat by her daughter''s side, berating Cyril and Jack.


    Seeing his mother focus solely on his sister, Cyril felt a strange mixture of emotions. Things shouldn''t have turned out this way.


    "I don''t think my assistant said anything wrong. Yes, she''s my sister, but she''s also your daughter. You failed to take care of her. Instead, you me me. If anyone''s to me for her situation, it''s you."


    With that, Cyril left, leaving Michelle stunned. She never expected her son to say such things.


    Seeing him leave, Michelle immediately tried to stop him.


    "Stop right there! What do you mean by that? Exin yourself! If you don''t, I won''t let you leave!"


    "What right do you have to stop me? Don''t forget, everything you have now is because of me. I''ve never depended on you, and my life isn''t yours to control. If you didn''t take care of your daughter, it''s your fauft. Don''t me me. And our? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    rtionship isn''t as good as you think. Just because she''s my sister doesn''t mean I have to look after her. This has nothing to do with you. Your daughter got herself into this mess. If I find out you''re causing trouble for Sylvia because of this, I''ll take everything back from you. You''ll go back to the life you never wanted."


    For Cyril, this was the ultimate punishment: taking away everything they had. Michelle had struggled for years, and it was Cyril who had built thepany that afforded them their current lifestyle. If he took it all away, they would have nothing.


    Michelle''s face paled. She never imagined her son could be so heartless.


    But now she had no chance to speak. She feared her words would only anger Cyril further, and he would truly abandon them.


    Gritting her teeth, Michelle returned to the hospital room. Her son might be unreliable, but she still had her daughter. She would take care of her daughter and pin her hopes on her.


    As Cyril left the hospital, he looked at the sun in the sky and realized he had lost what he had always wanted.


    Before, he didn''t care about Sylvia''s feelings towards him because he was certain she would never leave him. Now, he realized how foolish he had been. Nothingsts forever. They would all leave, even if he was certain. Sylvia would leave him after each hurtful incident.


    He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.


    "Let''s go. Back to work."


    He put on a nonchnt fa?ade and returned to the office. His assistant, worried about his state, wondered what would happen if something went wrong.

 Chapter 300: Will You Save Me?

    Chapter 300: Will You Save Me?


    Working continuously for several days, Cyril showed no signs of trouble, so his secretary and assistant gradually rxed.


    They thought everything was fine, as such headaches were not umon, but when Cyril copsed at work, they realized how naive they had been.


    Cyril was supposed to be attending a meeting when he suddenly fainted for no apparent reason. His copse shocked everyone, and he was rushed to the hospital. The doctor''s diagnosis revealed that he had fainted due to low blood sugar from skipping meals for too long.


    It was then that the group of Sylvias btedly remembered that Cyril had been immersed in work, neglecting his meals. They realized his body couldn''t handle it anymore.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    The words spoken to Cyril by Michelle during theirst meeting seemed harmless on the surface but had deeply wounded him.


    While such incidents had urred before, Sylvia had always resolved them quickly. Now, without Sylvia, they didn''t know what to do.


    "Should we call Sylvia and ask her toe? If Cyril continues like this, I''m worried he''ll end up living in the hospital."


    They had been by Cyril''s side for years, working with him since he started thepany. Cyril was a good boss who paid well. So, they genuinely cared for him. Despite his wealth, his family always seemed problematic.


    Clearly, thest line of defense in Cyril''s family had been breached. Thus, Cyril couldn''t handle the copse.


    "That sounds good in theory. But what can Sylvia do? Don''t forget, she and Cyril are practically estranged after the divorce. You were there with Cyril at the neighborhoodmittee meetings. Didn''t you notice Sylvia''s disdain towards him? Do you really think she''lle?"


    Paris was the most aware of Cyril and Sylvia''s rtionship. He knew Sylvia would never agree, even if they asked her. Everyone fell into a silence. What now? They couldn''t do nothing. What if Cyril copsed again?


    "We need to find someone to watch Cyril closely. He hasn''t been eating properly for days.''


    With no other option, they decided to focus on ensuring Cyril ate regrly. They nodded in agreement and prepared to leave to get Cyril''s medication when they saw Sylvia.


    Paris was surprised to see Sylvia here, as she was born here.


    "Miss Sylvia!"


    1


    He called out to her from a distance, and when Sylvia heard the familiar voice, she turned around. Seeing Paris, she was momentarily surprised, then realized he must be here because something had happened to Cyril. It must be Bonnie.


    "Why are you here? Is Cyril hurt or is it Bonnie?"


    Paris hesitated for a moment, then said helplessly, "Both of them are in trouble. Are you hurt?"


    "No, my brother is here for something. I came with him. What''s going on?"


    "Well, I hope you cane and see my boss. He''s been stressedtely and is hospitalized. He hasn''t eaten for days, and we''re worried he''ll make himself worse. We hope you''lle. It''s a favor. He just needs a nce, nothing more."


    Though Paris had initially opposed Sylvia''sing, seeing her now, he couldn''t help but put all his hopes on her. Sylvia had witnessed Cyril''s situation firsthand, and maybe she''d show him some mercy?


    Sylvia was stunned. She hadn''t expected Cyril to be in the hospital, let alone copse. They were divorced, so there was no obligation, but seeing Paris''s pleading expression, she couldn''t say no.


    "I''ll go see him, but it''s only because


    of you. You''ve been by his side for so many years, and it must have been exhausting. If he recovers sooner, it''ll make your job easier As for Cyril''s family matters, don''t tell me I don''t want to know. I''ll just take a book at him and leave when he wakes up."


    Sylvia''s agreement made Paris particrly happy. He quickly led her to Cyril''s room. When they entered, Cyril was already awake, staring at the ceiling, saying nothing. He wanted to know where he was.


    Hearing the door open, Cyril turned to look, and suddenly, without rhyme or reason, he blurted out, "Will you save me?"


    Everyone froze, especially Sylvia. She looked at Paris, bewildered by Cyril''s behavior. Was he insane?


    Paris was also taken aback. He hadn''t expected his boss to suddenly say something so strange.


    "Uh, Miss Sylvia came because she had something to do. I asked her toe and see you."


    Paris reminded him.

 Chapter 301: Just Jump Down

    Chapter 301: Just Jump Down


    "Oh, I see."


    Cyril turned his face away again, not even ncing at them anymore. Seeing Cyril awake, Sylvia prepared to leave.


    Seeing Sylvia about to leave, Paris panicked. Although Cyril was awake now, everyone could tell something was seriously wrong with him. If Sylvia left now and something happened to Cyril again, what would they do? Paris didn''t think they''d have another chance to ask Sylvia toe, and Cyril''s condition was really worrying.


    "Miss Sylvia, could you stay here with my boss for a while? I need to go get his medication. If anything happens during this time, no one else will be able to handle it. Please, can you stay a bit longer?"


    Paris pleaded, and Sylvia couldn''t bring herself to refuse. She nodded and went in. Paris breathed a sigh of relief and quickly left, instructing others not to enter the room.


    "Are you sick?" Cyril finally turned his head to Sylvia''s presence, trying to appear normal, but after days of working without rest and irregr meals, he looked terrible-weak and sickly.


    Sylvia shook her head. "I''m just here to apany my brother."


    "Oh, it''s nothing much, really. They''re just overly worried I might do something stupid. There''s nothing serious. You don''t need to worry too much. If you have things to do, go ahead. I can handle this."


    "Your health is in bad shape. I heard you ended up in the hospital because you hadn''t been eating properly. Is everything okay at home?" "Yeah, there''s a small issue, but I can handle it. It''s just that work has been busytely, so I couldn''t eat properly. Thanks foring today." "It''s not much trouble, really. I just felt bad for Paris. I didn''t want to bother him too much. I''ll just sit for a while until he gets back with the medicine, and then I''ll leave. I might not even wait for him. I have a lot of work to handle."


    Sylvia didn''t want to continue talking about Cyril''s problems. She made up an excuse and changed the subject. Cyril didn''t press further, and they both fell silent again.


    Even in silence, they each had things to do. Sylvia took out her phone to handlepany matters, while Cyril remained lost in thought, staring out the window. Suddenly, he said something out of the blue.


    "The other day, my sister was hospitalized because of a man. When my mother found out, she med me. She thought I hadn''t taken care of my sister properly, so she suffered. But shouldn''t a mother take care of her own child first? She didn''t even care about her own child but put the me on me. That day, when I looked at the moon, I couldn''t help but wonder, would things have been better if I just jumped from the building? Should I have never started thispany in the first ce? Did I bring all this trouble upon myself?"


    Cyril''s sudden statement startled Sylvia. It took her a while to realize he was talking to her, but she didn''t know how to respond.


    To be honest, none of them were good people back then, and Sylvia had long felt that way. Cyril''s plight did make her feel a bit sorry, but what could she do? These were things Cyril should face himself. She might have helped before, but it didn''t mean she would help him now.


    "Well, considering you haven''t taken


    care of me for a day, it''s my responsibility toe now. As for helping you, it''s your business. By the way, m sorry for what


    out


    happened earlier. I didn''t know he would do something like that to you. Also, I''ve investigated that man. He just saw you in the news and thought you were his muse. Most of what happened was just his imagination. And he''s not a good person either."


    Cyril exined, finally getting the chance to exin to Sylvia. Sylvia didn''t really care about these things. Even if Cyril didn''t say anything, it wouldn''t matter to her.


    "I know. I know all of this. You should rest now. I''ll leave."


    It seemed like Cyril had a lot more to say, but Sylvia didn''t want to hear it. She said her goodbye quickly and left. Cyril watched her go, feeling a pang of sadness. He never realized how much he took family for granted until Sylvia left.


    "I''m sorry for what happened before. If you hate me, you can me it all on us."


    "I don''t hate you. I don''t even hate any of you. Well,ing to see you today is probably enough to repay our friendship. Rest well. I''ll leave now."


    Sylvia didn''t want to say more and


    left quickly. Cyril was left alone in the room, smiling bitterly. Some things were beyond his control now. He


    closed his eyes, thinking it might be


    better not to wake up. Seeing Sylvia ergot


    again only stirred up a sense of longing in him. What was he hoping for? He med himself for pushing Sylvia away and not cherishing her. Now, he realized how foolish he had been.


    "Why are you alone, boss? Why did Sylvia leave?"


    Paris walked into the room and saw Cyril alone. He was surprised Sylvia had left too. Why did she leave him alone like this?This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 302: Caught

    Chapter 302: Caught


    Hearing his voice, Cyril knew what Paris was thinking. Paris''s actions weren''t the issue; the problemy with Cyril himself.


    "I know what you''re thinking, but don''t trouble Sylvia anymore in the future. Sylvia has her own life, and I have mine. We both need to live our lives well. What you''re doing now is causing trouble for Sylvia. Don''t forget, Sylvia has several older brothers."


    Even if Sylvia did nothing after returning home, her three brothers were not to be trifled with. If Cyril''s condition worsened due to his own actions, and then he ended up in the hospital, it would only lead to further dissatisfaction from Sylvia''s brothers.


    Every word from Cyril was meant for Sylvia''s benefit, but Paris felt somewhat helpless. Why prioritize others over oneself? Of course, when Sylvia took pictures for him before, he didn''t mind. But now, he just had to ept whatever came his way.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Alright, boss, I understand. You rest well today. We''ll take care ofpany matters. Also, the doctor has already said your body can''t continue to deteriorate like this. Although you''re young and strong, you still need to eat. If you don''t, you''re not far from death. Even if you don''t care for yourself, at least think about the tens of thousands of people in ourpany. They''re all waiting for you to eat."


    Knowing this persuasion might not be effective, Paris couldn''t think of any other way to calm his boss down. So, he could only say this. Hearing this, Cyril was speechless.


    "If you could use a different reason to persuade me, I might be more willing to ept. Anyway, if there''s nothing else, you can leave now. Remember to bring me food tonight. Also, apart from particrly important matters, handle everything else yourselves. Call me if there are any problems. I want to rest for a few days."


    Paris nodded. Of course, he thought it was best for his boss to rest well, so he immediately agreed.


    "Don''t worry, boss. We''ll take care ofpany matters. You don''t need to worry. Rest well here."


    After dealing with hospital matters, Paris left.


    Downstairs, Paris saw Sylvia talking to someone. He had only seen the person in photos; it was Sylvia''s third brother, Dwight.


    Dwight was a very skilled doctor who had performed surgery on Cyril before. Cyril''s current health wasrgely thanks to Dwight. Seeing them together, Paris felt something was off and instinctively wanted to avoid them. He knew Dwight probably guessed what Sylvia had just done. If Dwight found out, he wouldn''t have a good time either.


    So, he quickly moved away.


    "What were you thinking? Why did you go see Cyril for no reason? What does Cyril have to do with you? When you''re so wronged, Cyril barely even looks at you. Now you''re worried about him like this. What''s going on in your head?"


    "I know what I''m doing isn''t right, but


    I saw Cyril''s assistant was in a difficult situation, so I just went to check on him. Besides, I didn''t do anything Brother, don''t be angry. Also, aren''t you here to negotiate cooperation with the hospital? You''re also going to work in the hospital, right? Can you stop bringing this up? I know what I should and shouldn''t do. Male God


    and I really don''t have anything between us. You can rx."


    "Rx? How can I rx? You just ran to see Cyril for no reason. Do you still think of yourself as a savior? Can you save everyone? Do you not know Cyril''s family background, his mother, and what kind of person his sister is? You''ve experienced it all yourself. Why are you still worrying about Cyril? Are you crazy? Or have you messed up your brain over the years? How many times have we advised you to stay away from Cyril, but you don''t listen to a word? Do you think you can be Cyril''s savior again and pull him out of this mess? Let me tell you, the only way to pull him out of this mess is to fall into it yourself. If you can''t do that, you can''t save him. So, stop trying to catch him again."


    Dwight was very angry. He cared deeply for his sister and didn''t want her to suffer any injustices. Clearly, today''s events had made him extremely anxious. If something really happened to his sister, how would he exin to his family?


    Seeing her brother so angry, Sylvia stopped talking. She knew she had done something wrong this time.


    "I understand, brother. Don''t worry. This won''t happen again."


    Sylvia had no choice but to repeatedly assure her brother that she wouldn''t have any sympathy for Cyril anymore. After saying this, the two siblings left in the car. But in the car, Sylvia couldn''t help but send Cyril a text message. She felt


    §Ö


    something was seriously wrong with Cyril''s current state. Even if she couldn''t help him, she couldn''t just


    stand by and watch Cyril get into trouble. If something happened to Cyril, she would be thest person to see him. How would she exin that?


    She quietly sent the message, thinking Dwight wouldn''t know, but Dwight had already seen everything. He didn''t say anything, but he was furious. He nned to talk to the other twoter ande up with a solution. They couldn''t let Sylvia go down the same old path again.

 Chapter 303: Cant Bear to Refuse

    Chapter 303: Can''t Bear to Refuse


    After returning home, Sylvia was surprised to find both her older brothers there.


    The way they looked at her wasn''t exactly friendly, and Sylvia immediately understood what was going on. She nced helplessly at her third brother, Dwight, who didn''t think he had done anything wrong. To him, his actions were just about protecting his sister from potential harm.


    "Our family has never seen anyone as devoted as you. If Dad knew how devoted you are, he''d probably be amused. And Mom probably never imagined her darling daughter would end up like this, repeatedly acting foolish for a man. Sylvia, tell me, what''s your reason this time?"


    Bruce sat on the sofa and directly questioned her. Sylvia felt a headacheing on. It wasn''t really a big deal, but being questioned by her brothers made it seem moreplicated than it was.


    "I just couldn''t bear to refuse him. After all, he''s a patient, so I felt a bit of sympathy. Besides, considering what he''s going through right now, well, I can understand. After all, it''s my sister..."


    "And why does that concern you? We''ve never seen you so considerate before. Now, just because of Cyril, you''re showing so much concern?!" Balk interrupted her, realizing Sylvia''s exnations wouldn''t convince them. His tone was particrly harsh. Seeing their intense reactions, Sylvia knew this situation wasn''t going to be resolved easily.


    "I know you''re worried about me, but you really don''t need to be. I''m well aware of the situation. Although I''ve said I want to cut ties with Cyril, you both know it''s not that easy, especially since Cyril is still a patient. I feel a bit sorry for him, and isn''t that normal? You both don''t need to be so sad about it. I know what I''m doing."


    Sylvia earnestly began exining why she wanted to see Cyril this time. It was mainly out of sympathy for Barry, who had been by Cyril''s side for so many years without doing anything wrong. But now, because of Barry, Sylvia had ended up in trouble. She regretted going in the first ce.


    "I no longer have any feelings for Cyril. So even if he stands in front of me, I won''t feel much. But when I see him in such a miserable state, I can''t help but feel a little sympathy. Isn''t it like seeing a wounded animal on the roadside and taking it to the vet?"


    The three brothers were stunned by Sylvia''s words. Was this the point? What they were discussing and what Sylvia was saying werepletely different things. And how could shepare humans to animals?


    "You''ve never been this eloquent before. Looks like you''ve learned toe up with excuses after being trained in thepany for some time. But have you ever thought whether your reason is valid?"


    Bruce''s eyes became threatening. Sylvia stopped talking. She knew these excuses wouldn''t convince her brothers, but what else could she say?


    "Alright, alright, I was wrong this


    time. I swear won''t meet Cyril


    alone again if I want to see him, I''ll make sure one of you apanies me. That way, you can make sure i don''t mess up. And I find it strange that you keep reminding me not to get hung up on Cyril, yet you agree to let Miles get close to me. You''re really strange."


    Sylvia shrugged. Seeing her brothers'' reactions, she immediately softened her tone and surrendered.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Seeing Sylvia''s words, they all knew


    she was trying to reassure them, but


    at least they got a promise from


    Pet


    Sylvia. They were just too worried, and scared that Sylvia might repeat her mistakes. Despite Sylvia''s repeated assurances that she wouldn''t get involved with Cyril again, they had seen more and more entanglement between Sylvia and Cyriltely.


    Of course, they couldn''t me their sister. She was also a victim. The mey with Cyril. If he hadn''t been so calcting, none of this would have happened, right?


    "Alright, let''s not talk about this anymore. It''s gettingte. You should rest early."


    Obviously, the three of them had


    their own meeting to attend to, and they didn''t want to disturb Sylvia anymorez They knew their next topic of discussion would likely involve her, but there was nothing they could do. Sylvia''s trust in front of her brothers was too low. Sylvia slowly returned upstairs.


    As Sylvia had imagined, the three of them sat down to discuss today''s events. They were all aware of what Cyril had been through recently and were worried that he might be using another method to get closer to Sylvia again. So, they had to nip this situation in the bud.


    "To solve this, the best solution is to first resolve the situation with Bonnie, because she''s the core of the whole thing. And Sylvia feels soft because of what Bonnie is experiencing now. So ultimately, this is all because of Cyril. We have to deal with Cyril."


    After Balk''s random analysis, the conclusion was that to resolve the situation, they needed to address Bonnie and Cyril first.


    "Second brother, everyone wants to hear your opinion on this, but the problem is, even if we solve it, we can''tpletely change Bonnie and Barry''s feelings. So, I think we should let the neer dilute the old love. Therefore, I still support Miles."

 Chapter 304: I Understand

    Chapter 304: I Understand


    Regarding this matter, the two brothers had their own thoughts, and they argued incessantly. Bruce listened nearby without interrupting them. Regardless of whose side they were on, Bruce felt both had valid points. However, having a valid point didn''t necessarily mean sess.


    "Firstly, Miles approaching Sylvia is obviously for a certain purpose, and Sylvia has already sensed that. So, getting Miles to approach Sylvia isn''t as simple as it seems. Additionally, solving your issues with Cyril is also something we need to do, but the problem is, Bonnie is just as stubborn as she was before, ignoring everything once she gets worked up. Even if she''s being deceived, she doesn''t care."


    This was the most annoying thing for Bruce so far. He couldn''t understand why, even though his sister had no rtionship with Cyril anymore, he still had to help Cyril resolve these issues that Cyril had caused. Why should he help him?


    Thinking about these things made Bruce extremely irritated. Not only was he annoyed, but Miles and Dwight were also feeling ufortable. They already despised Cyril, and now they had to help him deal with these issues, which made them all feel uneasy.


    "Anyway, let''s not talk about this anymore. The more we discuss it, the more troublesome it seems. We need to figure out what Cyril is thinking first. We need to help him solve this problem, but he might not even need our help. But before that, we need to distract Sylvia''s attention. We should get Miles to help with this. Who''s going to contact Miles and exin the situation to him? Though, I doubt Miles will agree."


    Balk believed that if they wanted to resolve the matter, they first needed to divert Sylvia''s attention. Therefore, they needed to find Miles. However, since Miles had other intentions regarding Sylvia, letting him approach her might lead to problems.


    "I''ll contact Miles about this matter. Then we can resolve it."


    After some thought, Bruce decided to meet with Miles and discuss the issue thoroughly. If Miles genuinely wanted to introduce Sylvia to him, he wouldn''t refuse. But if he had other intentions, Bruce couldn''t agree.


    After finally reaching a consensus on this matter, the three brothers went their separate ways. They had their own things to take care of, so they didn''t want to waste any more time here.


    Sylvia didn''t care what exactly her brothers were doing. They were doing it for her own good, so Sylvia didn''t bother to ask further questions. Who did what and why? It didn''t matter.


    For the next period of time, Sylvia went about her daily routine-work, meetings, and business trips. Life was pretty much the same, except that she was bing more stable in her job at thepany and could now hold her own against those old foxes.


    One evening, she suddenly received a call from Miles, whom she hadn''t been in contact with for a long time. Sylvia had promised her three brothers not to get involved with Miles unless it was rted to them. She wondered what her brothers were thinking.


    Sylvia didn''t refuse her brothers'' good intentions. After answering the phone, she heard Miles saying he was waiting for her at the door.


    "Why are you waiting for me at the door? Is there something you want to tell me?"


    "There''s something I want to


    discuss with you, but it''s mostly


    rted to your brothers. Since I want


    to establish a deeper cooper


    with you, there are some things can''t hide from you. So, I want to talk to you alone to discuss this matter thoroughly. It''s to reassure your brothers and let you know


    what''s going on. What do you think?"


    Sylvia didn''t reject Miles'' suggestion, so she asked him to wait for her at the door. After she finished preparing, she went outside and saw Miles talking on the phone. He quickly ended the call when he saw Sylvia.


    "Thest time you met with Cyril, your brothers contacted me about it, so I have a bit of an understanding of what''s going on between you two. I also understand themon. ground between you and Bonnie on this matter. I want to ask if there''s anything I can help with. Your brothers have been calling me


    non-stop about this matter, hoping I can help you resolve it."


    Miles got straight to the point as soon as they met. Sylvia felt a bit overwhelmed. Her brothers had been looking at Miles with suspicion, but now they were letting him help her. It was like seeing a ghost.


    "Sorry, I didn''t know my brothers had told you about these things. But really, you don''t need to worry so much about this matter. I know how to handle it."


    "I understand, but knowing and doing are two different things."


    After a pause, Miles continued, "The reason your brothers contacted me is because they''re worried about you. Otherwise, they wouldn''t have contacted me on their own. They''re all very concerned about you, so they think anyone who approaches you must have ulterior motives."


    Sylvia sighed in resignation. "You


    used to be charming, but it seems


    your charm hasn''t been sessful in resolving this issue. Anyway, let''s not talk about this anymore.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Regarding Cyril, I''ve already told


    them many times that they shouldn''t worry about me. But if you''re willing to help me, it''s probably because they promised you some benefits. So, what exactly made you want toe here?"

 Chapter 305: Fragile Feelings

    Chapter 305: Fragile Feelings


    Sylvia was indeed very smart; she quickly understood what was going on. Miles had been clear from the start¡ªhis reason foring here today was to help Sylvia with her problems. So, when Sylvia mentioned the issue, Miles didn''t find it strange at all.


    "You''re right. Your brothers did inquire about some benefits, like cooperation between our families, which is a very good thing. So, I agreed to cooperate with your brothers. But don''t worry, I''m a person of principle. Even if we cooperate, I don''t want to offend any of you. I know you''re the heir apparent, so it''s best to make things clear with you. Also, there are some things you might not have taken seriously, but I''m serious when I say I want to pursue you."


    Once again hearing Miles talk about pursuing her, Sylvia felt like she was dreaming. She smiled and shook her head, not taking Miles'' words seriously because there were too many people in her life wanting to pursue her.


    From the beginning, their meeting and interaction had been purposeful. Now, Miles talking about knowing her feelings made Sylvia feel like Miles was calcting again.


    "I hope you won''t bring up these things with me again. You know, no matter how many times you say it, I won''t believe you want to pursue me. Besides, in my opinion, feelings are extremely fragile. They can be intense and passionate one day and disappear without a trace the next. No matter how many years of feelings, they always end up like this every day. So, I don''t believe in feelings anymore."


    After a period of unhappy rtionships, Sylvia dared not hope for the benefits that feelings might bring. She told Miles earnestly that even if he spoke sincerely, it was still a man-woman matter. If Cyril hadn''t been careless before, leading to everything now, he wouldn''t be having such a headache pursuing Sylvia.


    "I''m sincerely telling you about this. I truly want to pursue you. I''m not joking. Whether you agree or not, believe it or not, I''ll show you my sincerity. And you say feelings are fragile, but I don''t think so. I don''t think feelings are the most important thing now."


    If feelings were really that fragile, Miles wouldn''t like Sylvia, nor would he treat her daughter as his own. Despite experiencing a very bad rtionship before, Miles still had trust and expectations for future rtionships. And this trust and expectation were only because of Sylvia.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "I know you probably don''t believe what I''m saying now. You don''t have to rush to reject me. I''m telling you these things now just to let you see my sincere attitude. As long as you''re willing to believe and give me a chance, I''ll make you see everything clearly."


    Sylvia remained silent. She neither said she believed nor disbelieved. Her attitude was clear; she simply didn''t believe in sincere feelings. Seeing Sylvia''s silence, Miles understood that Sylvia wouldn''t believe him no matter what he said.


    "Never mind, let''s not talk about it.


    You''ll see what I''ll doter. So, do I have the honor of inviting you to dinner tonight? This time, I don''t think we''ll run into Cyril again. After all, every time I tried to meet you before, something unexpected happened. But this time, it


    shouldn''t."


    Miles knew that Cyril was currently in the hospital and wouldn''t be causing any trouble. So, this time, dinner with Sylvia shouldn''t have any headaches or troubles.


    Why did Miles feel it was feasible?


    Since Miles had already said so, Sylvia didn''t refuse. With a helpless smile, she nodded, then left with Miles.


    As they sat down for dinner, Miles


    magically produced arge bouquet of roses and handed it to Sylvia. Sylvia felt a bit embarrassed because Cyril had also sent her roses before. Subconsciously, she refused them, so the employees knew she didn''t need the roses. So, they would help him get rid of them without hesitation. How could they know that Miles had been sending flowers to her so earnestly all this time?


    "Do you know? Sometimes, the things you do need to be made known to the other person. If you don''t know, many things will be self-indulgent."


    Sylvia looked at Miles seriously as


    he spoke. Although she didn''t know if Miles pursuing her was true or false, there were some things she needed to make clear to him. For example, if Miles wanted to pursue others in the future, he needed to know that some things didn''t end just because they were done; they needed to be done and said to make others believe.


    After hearing Sylvia''s words, Miles smiled. He hadn''t said it before because he felt the timing wasn''t right. Now, since Sylvia brought it up, it meant the time hade.


    He looked at Sylvia with a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes and remained silent. Sylvia suddenly understood Miles'' intentions and felt a little annoyed.

 Chapter 306: Discomfort

    Chapter 306: Difort


    It turned out that I used to think Miles was a simple person, not someone who would scheme against others. Now it seems I was thinking too much. Miles is also a businessman, a sly old fox. How could he not have any ulterior motives?


    "So, this matter was also within your calctions. When to tell me the truth, when not to, it''s all under your control. But I have to admit, your exnation now does make sense. If you had told me before, I definitely wouldn''t have believed you. But now, hearing it from you, I might think you''re genuine. However, your approach still upsets me."


    Miles shrugged. Of course, he knew Sylvia wouldn''t be pleased with what he did. But what could he do? From the very beginning, when he approached Sylvia, it was with a specific purpose in mind. Now, if he were to tell Sylvia that everything he did was for her, she wouldn''t believe it.


    Not only would she not believe it, she might even think he did everything intentionally. So, he could only wait for Sylvia to discover it on her own. Otherwise, what he did would clearly be seen as having ulterior motives.


    Although Miles did have ulterior motives in one thing he did, there was a reason behind it. It was just to let Sylvia gradually feel her doubts about him. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have needed to do so much.


    "Let''s eat first. Before inviting you to dinner, I contacted your brothers to know what you like and don''t like. Take a look at these. If there''s something you don''t like, we can change it."


    This time, Miles had truly made preparations. Both the food and drink were what Sylvia liked. It was evident he was earnestly preparing for each of their meetings. After Sylvia chuckled, she didn''t refuse.


    The atmosphere during their dinner this time was much better than before, probably because there were no interruptions.


    After dinner, Sylvia suggested leaving. Miles didn''t refuse since he knew Sylvia was busy with work. He drove Sylvia back to thepany building. He had asked Sylvia earlier, and she mentioned there was an international meeting at thepany.


    When they said goodbye, Miles suddenly held Sylvia''s hand.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Sylvia turned back, puzzled, wondering why Miles suddenly grabbed her hand. She looked at Miles, confused. Miles pursed his lips and looked at Sylvia earnestly.


    "I just wanted to tell you, no matter how much Cyril hurt you before, I''m willing to help you heal those wounds bit by bit. I know you''re unhappy with rtionships right now, but I believe one day you''ll believe in my sincerity. I''ve said this to you before, but you didn''t believe me. Now I think the timing is right, so I want to say it again. Whether you believe it or not, I want to express it to you."


    Sylvia was stunned, looking into Miles'' serious eyes. She didn''t know what to say for a moment. She nodded randomly and hurried back to her somewhat messy office. Miles'' words had a significant impact on her.


    After seeing Sylvia run off, Miles couldn''t help but smile and shake his head. Sometimes, Sylvia was quite adorable. After taking a deep breath, he got into his car. As soon as he sat down, Jimmy called, asking why he hadn''t returned yet.


    "I just had dinner with Sylvia as you''ve been suggesting. Now that I''ve spent time with her, you''re calling me nonstop. Do you want me to spend time with Sylvia or not?"


    This questioning stunned Jimmy.


    "Before, when I suggested you spend more time with Sylvia, you ignored me and said it''s none of a kid''s business. Now you say you met Sylvia, so of course, I''m skeptical about the truth of your words. But are you really meeting Sylvia? Did she mention me? I miss her."


    Jimmy asked with some anticipation. As a father, he shouldn''t disappoint his son, but clearly, Miles wasn''t a good father in this regard.


    "Unfortunately, since our meeting


    started, I''ve been talking about my own affairs to her, without mentioning you at all. I don''t think she thought about you when she left just now. But I can guarantee that in the future, she will rememberme. Moreover, we''ll have more chances to meet. As for making Sylvia think about you, you''ll have to figure it out yourself."


    After saying this, Miles hung up the phone. He still had about half an hour to go home. In this half-hour, it


    would be enough to make Jimmy


    feel anxious. Jimmy would definitely try various ways to contact Sylvia, but not knowing how to reach her, he would end up feeling conflicted and ufortable, just as Miles intended.


    Jimmy had no idea what his old father was holding back. He did want to contact Sylvia, but he was afraid that contacting her now would disturb her. So, he was conflicted: Eventually, after struggling for a while, he decided to call Sylvia. But


    Sylvia was in a meeting at the time and didn''t pick up.


    It could be said that this proactive move made Jimmy not dare to act again.


    But as Miles said, after this meeting, Sylvia would always remember Miles. In fact, for several days afterward, she kept pondering over what Miles had said. Even in some public situations when she met Miles, she felt ufortable but couldn''t pinpoint why.


    "What''s wrong with you? During today''s meeting, I saw you ncing at Miles several times, wanting to say something but hesitating. Did he do something to upset you?"


    Balk, walking beside Sylvia, noticed Sylvia''s reaction and curiously asked.


    "Why would you say that? There''s nothing between him and me. I just wanted to tell him something, but it seems now isn''t the best time."


    Sylvia rushed to exin, but the more she tried to exin, the more she wanted to prove something.This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 307: The Strange Woman

    Chapter 307: The Strange Woman


    Balk could tell something had happened between Sylvia and Mars. Otherwise, his sister wouldn''t react like this. But he didn''t know what exactly had transpired between them. He wanted to ask, but decided against it. Asking might embarrass Sylvia. What to do if that happened? He didn''t know what had caused his sister to look like this.


    "Never mind, I won''t bother you. But I need to tell you something. A few days ago, I went to Big Brother''s office and saw a strange woman there. She seemed odd. Have you seen anyone like that?"


    Hearing his elder brother''s words, Sylvia snapped out of her daze. She hadn''t paid much attention to who came and went from Bruce''s office. Generally, it was either business partners or employees. She figured it was probably a business associate.


    "No, it wasn''t a business partner. That woman was really, well, very unfamiliar. If I had seen her before, I would have told you. But this one was different, her gaze toward Big Brother was like a wolf eyeing a rabbit. Do you get what I mean?"


    After pondering for a moment, Balk described the woman in detail to Sylvia.


    Today, Balk had some urgent matter to discuss with Bruce, so he hadn''t thought much about it. When he entered the office, he saw a strange woman sitting there. Her gaze was fixed on his elder brother, and Bruce seemed oblivious or indifferent. It seemed like such encounters weren''t umon. Balk was taken aback when he saw her, thinking she might be Bruce''s girlfriend whom he hadn''t mentioned before.


    Just as he was wondering how to address her, Bruce abruptly ushered the woman out. His manner was rather brusque, leaving Balk puzzled. He couldn''t fathom the situation and was curious about their rtionship. So now, he was eager to ask Sylvia if she knew anything.


    Sylvia earnestly racked her brain. There wasn''t anything unusual at thepany recently. Her and Bruce''s offices were only two doors apart, like neighbors. While she rarely left her office, she couldn''t be oblivious to what was happening there.


    "No way. If there was such a person, my assistant would have told me. But she hasn''t mentioned anything. Could this be a hoax? If it''s true, why am I clueless? Please don''t specte about Big Brother like this. About Big Brother''s..."


    Sylvia wanted to earnestly talk to Balk, to dissuade him from entertaining such absurd notions. Then she lifted her head and saw another woman standing beside Bruce, which shocked her.


    "I didn''t know Big Brother would bring a woman here today. He didn''t inform us she wasing to the party."


    Hearing Sylvia''s surprised tone, Balk and even Sylvia turned to look in that direction. Then Balk eximed.


    "That woman, the one standing next to Big Brother, she''s the one I saw that day! Her gaze toward Big Brother was really unsettling, and his reaction was strange too. See, I wasn''t wrong!"


    Balk''s excitement made Sylvia take the matter seriously. She confirmed she hadn''t seen the woman before despite scrutinizing her. So, she likely wasn''t a business associate. Since she wasn''t, she must have some connection to Bruce. But what was it?


    "I really haven''t seen her before. Should we go ask Big Brother?"


    el.n


    After considering for a while, Sylvia tentatively suggested to Balk. Balk was eager to know who this woman was, especially since she was associated with Bruce. So, he quickly agreed to Sylvia''s proposal. With a clear purpose, the siblings walked towards Bruce.


    Bruce was in conversation with the woman when he noticed something amiss. He looked up to see his siblings approaching. Before he could say anything, they had reached him.


    "Big Brother, who''s this person beside you? Care to introduce her? I saw her in the office that day, but you hastily sent her away without an introduction."


    Before Bruce could speak, Balk preemptively asked about the woman''s identity. Hearing this, the woman smiled politely, then turned to Sylvia. In that instant, her gaze underwent a sudden change.


    Sylvia couldn''t quite pinpoint why the woman''s expression changed, but it made her uneasy, as if sensing danger.


    "Rein in your gaze. Don''t look at my sister like that!"


    Bruce intended to address Balk''s question first, but he noticed the woman''s demeanor and her gaze towards Sylvia, which was far from innocent.


    Upon hearing Bruce''s words, the woman pursed her lips, then resumed her previous polite demeanor. But this sudden change startled Sylvia, leaving her wondering who this person really was.


    "Big Brother, what''s going on here?"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia''s gaze kept shifting between


    ???


    her brother and the woman, hoping Bruce would understand her concern. How could he not grasp the implications of his siblings words? He sighed helplessly not knowing what to say.


    "She''s just a friend of mine. I came to help her with something. You two do whatever you need to do, don''t mind me."

 Chapter 308: Feeling a Bit Scared

    Chapter 308: Feeling a Bit Scared


    The siblings were displeased upon hearing Bruce''s words. How could they not care? With their brother apanied by such a woman, unknown to them, how could they possibly rx? Sylvia sensed that her initial reaction wasn''t fake; there was definitely something off about this woman.


    "We don''t have anything else going on, so why don''t I apany you?"


    Sylvia suggested, casting a cautious nce at the woman. The woman wore a soft smile, especially gentle when facing Sylvia. Bruce didn''t like this overly friendly demeanor. He firmly tapped the woman''s head.


    "I''ll say it again, don''t look at my sister like that. If you keep giving her that look, I won''t bother with you today. Don''te looking for me in the future." "Why are you so petty? I just nced at your sister, I didn''t do anything. Friends shouldn''t bully each other''s siblings. Trust me, I understand. And I know you''re protective of your sister, but if I had ill intentions, I wouldn''t wait till now, right? You''re just too tense. I''ve already told you, I won''t do anything to the people around you. Since you''re not busy, let your sister apany me."Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    After being reprimanded, the woman became discontented and started arguing with Bruce. Their sudden change in demeanor puzzled Sylvia and Balk. So, were they on good or bad terms?


    "Bro, if she''s your girlfriend, can''t you discuss things calmly? Why argue? And why does this involve my sister? Oh, by the way, I saw Miles here earlier. If you''re busy, I can go find him now."


    Balk nced at the woman and then at Bruce. He had watched many videos of Bruce in the entertainment industry and had a bold guess, but couldn''t confirm its truth.


    "Hey, I just think your sister is pretty, so I wanted to pursue her."


    After saying this, both Sylvia and Balk were stunned. Bruce remained silent with a grim expression, which already hinted at the seriousness of the matter. They were both shocked by this unexpected turn of events.


    "Um, I''m not really against LGBTQ+ stuff, but my sister''s recent rtionship hasn''t been smooth. Besides, she likes someone else. So, it''s not appropriate for you to pursue her. Plus, I always imagined her with a guy she likes. If you chase after her, I think it''s not right."


    Balk''s mouth was dry, feeling a bit scared. Not only Balk, but Sylvia also felt the same. Although they didn''t dislike LGBTQ+ individuals like their brother, they found it a bit strange when it involved them personally. And suddenly, seeing Miles here today felt like a relief.


    "Um, I think I should go find Miles first. You two can chat slowly. I''m leaving."


    Sylvia hurriedly left, as if someone was chasing her from behind.


    "Hey, I was just joking. I like your sister, not just because she''s pretty. It was just a passingment, nothing more. Why are you overthinking it? How am I supposed to face you and your sister now? You''re making this such a big deal. What do I do?"


    Seeing Sylvia run off, the woman felt annoyed and kicked Bruce.


    In this situation, even Balk was stunned seeing the sudden outburst from both of them. He could confirm their rtionship was probably very close, or else this situation wouldn''t have happened.


    "This isn''t right. When I was in your


    office that day, it was just the two of


    you. What''s going on between you two? Do you need to exin it to me? Sylvia was nearly scared out of her wits. And you know, her recent rtionship hasn''t been smooth. If you say something like this now, it''ll scare her even more. Plus, your friend seems overly enthusiastic, don''t you think?"


    Balk took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, then looked at Bruce seriously, asking for an exnation.


    Bruce felt a bit of a headache. It wasn''t such a big deal, but the woman had blown it out of proportion.


    "I said earlier, I''m just here to help her out, nothing more. Go tell Sylvia not to be nervous. She likes someone else, who''s not her type. So, just take it as her talking nonsense."


    As Bruce said this, the woman


    nodded beside him, confirming she already had someone she liked. She had only been teasing Sylvia intentionally, and she felt quite guilty now. She hadn''t expected to stir up such a big reaction.


    "I should''ve exined it to you two earlier. I didn''t expect Sylvia to get so scared."


    "It''s not about being scared, it''s just that my sister likes someone here too. If you cause a scene like this, it''ll lead to misunderstandings."


    Balk shrugged, then nced at Sylvia and Miles. They were talking intently, with Sylvia looking a bit anxious. Miles'' gaze shifted oddly, then looked in their direction.


    "See, something''s off. I knew this wasn''t right. Sylvia must have told Miles about this. How do we resolve this?"


    Balk looked at his brother earnestly, wanting to know how to handle this situation.

 Chapter 309: Crossing the Line

    Chapter 309: Crossing the Line


    Bruce''s face turned dark. He had onlye to help this woman out, never expecting it to stir up so much trouble and scare his sister. Just when he finally met a woman, she immediately mentioned pursuing her. Who could ept that? No wonder his sisterughed like that and then ran off to find Miles.


    "But why do I feel like there''s some ambiguity between your sister and that guy? You two don''t need to go over there and say anything. It only makes things worse. If I were you, I''d just stay here and do whatever needs to be done. Don''t bother with the prettydy''s affairs."


    The woman grinned mischievously, ncing in Sylvia''s direction.


    Hearing her words, both Bruce and the woman didn''t know what to say.


    "Forget it. Between my sister and Miles, they have their boundaries. But you seem to have no boundaries at all. You scared my sister like this. Tomorrow,e to my house for dinner and apologize to my sister properly. If after apologizing, my sister still refuses to forgive you, I won''t help you with that thing you mentioned."


    "Seriously? I was just joking with your sister earlier. I''m already going to apologize. Do you have to set such difficult conditions? If your sister won''t forgive me and you won''t help me, aren''t you being too much? Seriously, your attitude is uneptable!"


    As the two argued, Balk couldn''t understand, but he didn''t n to ask further. He felt the more you knew, the faster you died. So, it was best to act like nothing was happening.


    Initially intending to find Sylvia, Balk stopped when he saw Sylvia talking to Miles. Well, no matter where he went now, he would be seen as suspicious. So, he decided to find a ce to sit and wait until Sylvia finished talking, then act as her driver to take her home.


    Sylvia had indeed told Miles about what had just happened, making him a bit nervous. He had encountered women who liked him before, but none had looked at him so boldly, as if they wanted to devour him. That''s why Sylvia was scared and ran away.


    "Back in school, I''ve had girls confess to me before, but none looked at me like that. I couldn''t continue. Also, she seems to have a special rtionship with my brother. I wonder what kind of cooperation they''ll have."


    "I don''t know about that, but what I do know is if you keep talking about her like this, I might get a little jealous."


    Just as Miles and Sylvia met, before they could exchange a few words, Sylvia started talking about what had just happened. This piqued Miles'' curiosity about the woman''s identity. He felt Sylvia came here not to greet him, but to share her feelings with someone.


    Sylvia looked at Miles strangely, not quite understanding why he said that.


    "Um, did I say something wrong?"This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    "Miles, are you feeling jealous?"


    As jealousy came out of Miles'' mouth, things became increasingly strange. Sylvia wanted to ignore this weird feeling, but Miles didn''t give him the chance. They both felt the atmosphere turning a bit


    ambiguous, even though there were many people around. The atmosphere between the two of them was gradually heating up, with Sylvia feeling like there were pink bubbles floating around, especially around them.


    "I think you should calm down a bit. Let''s talk properly about what''s going on."


    Sylvia took a deep breath, feeling that the atmosphere was getting ufortably weird. He wanted to break this awkward atmosphere, but as soon as he mentionedics, Miles suddenly stepped forward, forcing Sylvia to take a step back.


    With one person stepping forward and the other stepping back, their movements wouldn''t attract others'' attention. But who could sense that there was something off between them.


    "Let''s go somewhere else."


    After saying this, Miles grabbed Sylvia''s wrist and led him away.


    Sylvia was pulled away by Miles, not even having the chance to say goodbye to his brothers. But when he turned around, he saw his second brother looking at him without


    need to say anything now; hel.ne


    saying anything. Well, there was no


    brothers already knew about him and Miles meeting up. At this point, Miles was probably going to take him home.


    Miles led Sylvia directly to the rooftop, which had been


    The


    transformed into a rooftop garden with various beautiful flowers. Surprisingly, many of them were blooming at this time. Sylvia was momentarily stunned, then saw the lights above them turned on beautiful ss house was illuminated, making the vibrant flowers even more beautiful. Sylvia felt like he had stepped into a fairnd.


    "This ce hasn''t officially opened yet. If it does, it could be a great ce to visit. Not only as a tourist spot but also for proposals or derations of love. What do you think?"


    Sylvia paused, then looked at Miles. Seeing how familiar Miles was with this ce, Sylvia suddenly had a thought. Could this ce belong to Miles? Before he could ask Miles if that was what he meant, Miles smiled and said, "I guess you''ve already guessed. Yes, this ce is mine. Do you like it?" Hearing Miles'' question, Sylvia felt a tingling sensation. It was as if Miles was about to propose to him when he asked that. But what did his liking have to do with anything? As long as this ce had many uses, that would be enough.


    "Others are others, you are you. Although I know this ce has many uses, I still want to base my decision on whether you like it or not."

 Chapter 310: Kiss Her

    Chapter 310: Kiss Her


    This sentence made Sylvia feel a bit puzzled; he didn''t understand why Miles would say something so ambiguous.


    "I think this ce... is beautiful. Your original n was already great, and this ce is really beautiful. I don''t know what else to say. If I give more opinions, it might justplicate things. By the way, how did you manage to have so many flowers here at this time?"


    Sylvia awkwardly changed the subject. Seeing Sylvia''s attempt to steer the conversation, Miles couldn''t help butugh, then began exining how they managed to have flowers bloom at this time. They used various methods like light and temperature to influence the flowers'' blooming.


    Sylvia didn''t really care about these details; he just randomly picked a topic to divert attention from the situation. But Miles seemed unsatisfied with this topic being brushed aside. He looked at Sylvia with a drifting gaze and started talking about something else.


    "I actually thought you wouldn''te today. Didn''t expect you to show up. When you mentioned that woman earlier, I did feel a bit jealous. But I guess it''s okay. It just proves how charming you are."


    Miles suddenly said this, making Sylvia feel a bit embarrassed. He didn''t mean it that way. Although he did have some charm, hearing it from Miles felt strange. Sylvia couldn''t pinpoint why but felt something odd about it.


    "I was just speaking casually. Don''t take what I said too seriously. Just consider it nonsense from me. That woman seems to be a friend of my brother''s. I''m not sure what they''re doing here. Anyway, let''s not talk about these things. If I don''t have anything else to do, shall we go downstairs? This ce is indeed beautiful, but I''m worried our presence might disturb the flowers from blooming."


    Sylvia felt the atmosphere was getting more dangerouspared to before. Earlier, it was just the woman''s gaze that made him feel uneasy. But now, being with Miles, he felt uneasy everywhere. When Sylvia suggested leaving, Miles didn''t refuse; he nodded as well. Sylvia sighed with relief inwardly; thankfully, Miles also wanted to leave.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    "Before that, there''s something I haven''t had the chance to do."


    Miles suddenly said, making Sylvia''s heart jump again. What else did he have to do? Wasn''t everything settled?


    Sylvia looked up at Miles, and before he knew it, Miles had grabbed his waist, and his face was getting closer and closer. Sylvia instinctively held his breath, then felt Miles'' lips on his own. It was soft, and Sylvia knew it was Miles kissing him. It felt strange, and he couldn''t quite describe the feeling, but it made him feel a bit floaty.


    Not only did he feel floaty, but he also felt like he was being held high by the person in front of him. That''s why he felt a bit floaty, but it wasn''t a bad feeling. Instead, it felt oddly real, like he was going crazy. Why did he feel this way?


    Miles only lightly touched Sylvia''s lips and didn''t do anything excessive. But Sylvia remained rooted to the spot for a while, until Miles gently tapped his head, snapping him back to reality.


    "Sorry, that was inappropriate. Did I scare you? If I did, I apologize."


    Miles looked at Sylvia earnestly, and Sylvia shook his head, then btedly realized something.


    "But I feel like this apology won''t change anything. You''ll probably still do it in the future."


    Sylvia''s words caught Miles off guard again. He couldn''t find the right words. Sylvia felt his own words were quite strange.


    He only wanted to express that Miles sometimes acted unexpectedly due to his thoughts. But after saying it, everything seemed to change. It made Sylvia feel a bit ufortable.


    It was as if he was expecting


    something to happen between him and Miles, but Sylvia knew it was impossible. Today was probably just a mistake. Just a mistake. Sylvia kept telling himself that except for being a mistake, it could only be a mistake.


    After a moment of nkness, Sylvia chuckled awkwardly. He didn''t dare to look at Miles. If he wanted to go offline, he would definitely see the profit in Miles'' eyes.


    "You''re right. Even if I apologize to you now, I probably won''t change in the future. There will probably be many more times like this for us. It''s normal for you to feel shy now, but you''ll get used to it eventually."


    Sylvia felt his face burning up. How could he say something like that? It was so strange.


    Without looking at Miles again,


    Sylvia turned and walked downstairs, with Miles following behind at a steady pace. The


    rtionship between two peopl mentioned it. It was as if novel


    could clearly feel different from before. But neither of them


    the


    matter was brought up, some rtionships couldn''t go back to how they used to be. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    When Sylvia returned, Balk immediately approached, pushing Miles aside, looking at him anxiously, as if Miles had done something to his sister just now. Well, he did do something.


    "What were you two doing just now? Big brother left earlier, and he asked me to take you home safely. But you suddenly went with him to


    somewhere I didn''t know for so long. Do you know how scared I was? What if that guy did something bad toyou? How do I exin to big brother?"


    Seeing Balk looking worried and anxious, Sylvia couldn''t say anything. He didn''t know what to say about his own actions. Well, could it be considered unexinable?

 Chapter 311 Major Intel

    Chapter 311 Major Intel


    "Do you know what I just found out? It''s a big deal. You probably didn''t notice it earlier, but the woman with Big Brother is actually a lesbian. Can you believe it? She''s a lesbian! I couldn''t even imagine Big Brother having a girlfriend who''s a lesbian. I mean, it''s not like being a lesbian is bad, but what Big Brother is doing now really shocks me. This isn''t something I thought Big Brother would do, you know what I mean?"


    Balk, as a top-tier celebrity, was gossiping to Sylvia, and it was getting tiresome. Sylvia looked at Balk speechlessly while he kept rambling about his recent discovery.


    "That girl''s name is actually Taoleisi. When I was talking to her just now, she mentioned you and said she wanted to pursue you. Big Brother sternly rejected her, thank goodness. If he hadn''t, I would''ve gone crazy. Can you believe this? What''s going on?"


    "Oh, and she has another girlfriend, did you know? She has a girlfriend now, and yet she''s so close with our Big Brother. I''m starting to suspect she''s deliberately targeting Big Brother. What if she has some ulterior motive? I''m terrified just thinking about it. If she''s really scheming against Big Brother, he''ll be in big trouble. Look at him, he seems like he''s being controlled by someone."


    Balk kept going on, not giving Sylvia a chance to speak. Sylvia wanted to interrupt Balk several times, but Balk wouldn''t let her.


    "We have to tell Mom and Dad about this. I wonder how they''ll react when they find out. Do you think Big Brother will copse because of this?" Sylvia tried to signal Balk with her eyes, but Balk was too absorbed in his recent discovery to notice Sylvia''s attempts to stop him.


    When Balk finally noticed, Sylvia was blinking so much she could hardly keep her eyes open.


    "What''s wrong, little sis? Your eyes keep blinking. Are you feeling okay? Do you need to see a doctor? Or should I call Third Brother over?"


    "Um, I don''t think it''s necessary to go through all that trouble. Besides, I think you should worry about yourself. I think you''re in more danger right now."


    After saying this, Sylvia silently stepped back. Although they were siblings, Sylvia couldn''t help feeling helpless. What could she do? She could only me her brother for not valuing himself.


    Before Balk could understand what Sylvia meant, someone familiar patted his shoulder. Instantly, his hair stood on end, and he felt like he was in deep trouble.


    Balk didn''t dare to turn around because he had a feeling that if he did, things would get even worse.


    "Can you tell me now if the person standing behind me is our Big Brother?"


    As Balk said this, his voice became weaker. Sylvia looked at him pityingly and nodded, leaving Balk no way out.


    "Second Brother, haven''t I taught you not to talk behind people''s backs? It''s easy to get caught doing that, you know."


    Bruce''s voice made Balk shiver involuntarily. How unlucky could he get to be caught like this? If only he hadn''t said so much earlier, and if only his sister had warned him. Now, he was caught by Big Brother.


    Balk forced a smile as he turned back, feeling incredibly guilty. He regretted it deeply now. If only he hadn''t said so much earlier, he wouldn''t have given his brother something to hold against him.Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    "No, Brother, I was just sharing my recent discovery with my sister. I would never say anything about you. I believe you. I know you must have your reasons for being with her, tabsolutely trust you. If anyone dares to say anything bad about you, Pconfront them first!" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Balk was now trembling with fear. He no longer looked like the world-ss celebrity he was. Sylvia couldn''t believe her brother could be so timid.


    Hearing Balk''s words, Bruce just smiled. He was about to say something when Taoleisi approached them.


    "Why haven''t you three left yet?


    Didn''t you say you had something urgent to deal with today? I thought you''d be ready to go by now, but here you are. It''s quite unexpected. What''s the matter? If there''s


    anything, tell me, I can help you."


    Taoleisi had no idea what had happened earlier. She thought they were here because they had something else to deal with. So, she thought since Bruce had helped her, she could also help them. But after she said that, no one spoke.


    It''s quite a headache-inducing situation, isn''t it? Apart from being a headache, it''s also somewhat scary. How should I put it?


    "It''s okay, they were just curious about our rtionship. I can handle it. You guys should go wherever you need to go. Don''t linger here, understand? Because of your actions, I''ve been greatly affected."


    Bruce''s gaze towards Taoleisi was ufortable, and after hearing his words, Taoleisi felt a bit unhappy. Could she be med for this? Bruce could have easily refused her, and now that he agreed, she was getting med. It was unfair! Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "You''re such a person. How could you just betray me like that? Am I not good enough? I''ve always been thinking about you!"


    Bruce rolled his eyes and sighed. He didn''t see this person as being nice to him; instead, he felt like she was just using him endlessly.

 Chapter 312 Third Brother Got Hit by a Car

    Chapter 312 Third Brother Got Hit by a Car


    The way these two interacted seemed off. Both Mr. Tang and his own big brother had this innocent look in their eyes that didn''t sit right. If there was something fishy going on, it just wouldn''t fly. But they couldn''t quite put their finger on what exactly felt off. Balk and Sylvia couldn''t help but feel a bit suspicious and curious.


    But since they were in front of them, they couldn''t say anything further. They''d have to wait a bit until they were out of earshot to ask what was really going on.


    "Alright, forget it. I won''t bother telling you more. You siblings chat amongst yourselves. I''m heading to your ce for dinner."


    After saying this, Taoleisi left without bothering about what was going on between the siblings. She didn''t care about their matters, but the other two were itching with curiosity. So, what exactly was happening? They were dying to know.


    Bruce had noticed the looks his siblings were giving each other early on and didn''t feel like saying anything more. Their expressions were practically screaming gossip.


    "Let''s go. We''ll talk about this once we get home. But you have to promise me one thing: don''t tell Dad. If Dad hears about this, he might faint."


    When Bruce said this, both siblings fell silent. They couldn''t help but think, if you''re doing something like this, and you''re worried Dad will faint from hearing about it, isn''t that a bit much? But they didn''t know what else to say.


    "Okay, let''s go."


    Though both of them had plenty to say in their minds, they held back out of respect for their big brother. They decided they''d ask about it properly once they got back home. They needed to understand what was going on with their brother. What was he thinking?


    Once the three siblings were back home, Balk and Sylvia wasted no time pulling Bruce into the study. It waste, and there was no one else in the house, so they didn''t mind discussing things there. They weren''t afraid of being overheard.


    "Alright, let me just say it straight. He''s just a friend of mine. He''s gay, and he has a girlfriend. He came to me for help. He''s the heir to his family''s business, but his father''s will states that only if he gets married can he inherit thepany. If he doesn''t marry, he has no im to it."


    Bruce only said part of the story, but Balk and Sylvia immediately understood what he meant. They were just pretending to be a couple; they had no real rtionship. The reason for all this was to help Taoleisi secure the inheritance of her family''s business.


    It seemed like a good idea, but there were some downsides to it. After thinking for a while, Sylvia raised some concerns.


    "But big brother, if you''re really going through with this, how can you ensure it won''t backfire? After all, he still has a girlfriend. What if she''s not happy with you two pretending to be together? And there''s also the possibility of them paying her off to leave. How can you be sure nothing will go wrong?" Sylvia''s questions were based on practical concerns, and Balk nodded along. Sylvia had a point. So, what exactly was the situation?


    "Yeah, and if you do end up marrying him, Dad will eventually find out about both of you, won''t he? You won''t be able to hide this forever."


    Balk chimed in with a serious tone.


    Bruce couldn''t help but rub his temples. How could he not know this? In fact, this situation was giving him a massive headache.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "I know. So, before anything else, I


    need to find a way to make Dad trust me first. If he doesn''t trust me, this whole thing is risky. Before that, need your help, but Dad can''t find out about this. If he does, it''ll be a problem."


    Even though they didn''t know what his n was, they were still willing to help their brother.


    "Big brother, just tell us what you need. We''ll help you no matter what, but this situation..."


    They felt the risk was too great. If Dad found out about this, what would happen? After all, their father wasn''t the type to let things slide.


    "Wait a minute, big brother, is Taoleisi the heir of that family?"


    Sylvia suddenly had a realization and kept blinking at Bruce, who nodded in response.


    Seeing her big brother nod, Sylvia couldn''t help but gasp. Each of the siblings seemed to have their own rebellious streak.


    "Big brother, you''ve got guts. If Dad finds out about this, he might really faint."


    Hearing Sylvia''s words, Bruce''s mouth twitched. What could he do? After all, his friend was Taoleisi.


    Balk still had no clue what they were talking about. Just as he was about to ask,his phone rang. He picked it up, confused, only to find it was a call from the hospital.


    "What''s wrong with Third Brother? Why is the hospital calling me? Has something happened?"


    Balk''s tone was light at first, but when he heard what the person on the other end said, he couldn''t sit still.


    "What? You''re saying my brother got into a car ident?"


    That bombshell of news made the other two also sit up, looking at him seriously, wanting to know what was going on.


    Balk''s face turned a bit grim, but he knew it wasn''t the time to panic. He needed to calm down first and find out the whole story before making any ns.


    "Which hospital is he at? We''lle right away."


    After getting the location, the three siblings immediately set off.

 Chapter 313 Second Brothers Scandal

    Chapter 313 Second Brother''s Scandal


    Even though it waste at night and they didn''t know what was going on, suddenly their second brother got into a car ident. They knew they had to be extra careful at this time. So, they rushed to the hospital as fast as they could. When they arrived at the hospital, Dewitt was still in the operating room, not yet out.


    They knew they couldn''t keep this matter a secret, so they immediately called their family members, informing them as quickly as possible.


    Their elderly father was alone at home when he received the news of his son''s car ident, and it scared him quite a bit. He rushed over as fast as he could. Now, the whole family was gathered at the door, anxiously waiting for news. They didn''t have time to think about how the ident could have happened; their minds were consumed with worry about their brother.


    "Dad, don''t worry. There''s definitely something fishy about this. We''ll get to the bottom of it."


    "I know you''ll get to the bottom of it, but I just can''t understand why something like this would happen all of a sudden. This shouldn''t be happening to our family, and he just called me this afternoon, saying he''d be staying in theb and wouldn''t being home. But suddenly, he''s back. Don''t you find that strange?"Text ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org.


    Hearing their father''s words, they all understood. It did seem a bit off. Why would someone who should have been in theb suddenlye back?


    But right now, they were all extremely worried. They didn''t spend much time pondering the matter; all they could think about was how to get their brother better. What if they couldn''t save him?


    The surgerysted from midnight until morning. Well, when it was daylight, they finally considered it over. While everyone didn''t exactly breathe a sigh of relief, they did rx a bit.


    "Don''t worry, Dad. Third Brother will be fine. The surgery''s over now, and besides, he''s a doctor himself. If anything happens, he''ll know how to handle it. We might even be causing him trouble by staying here. I''ll go find out what happened yesterday. I promise to give you all an exnation."


    Bruce was the first to calm down. He patted Second Brother''s shoulder and went to deal with things, leaving the rest of them here, still extremely worried.


    Bruce immediately went to handle the situation, leaving the others in the hospital, not straying an inch. They didn''t know when their brother would wake up, but this matter wasn''t as simple as they thought. They thought it would be over, but in reality, it was getting moreplicated.


    "Boss, I''ve been calling you so many times, and you finally answered. Do you know there are rumors about you all over the inte now? What''s going on? Didn''t I tell you before, if there''s something wrong, you should tell me. Why do you keep messing with girls? Do you know the inte is filled with criticism about you? And that girl keeps saying you forced her. I don''t know what to do."


    The manager started calling early in the morning, and after so many attempts, he finally got through. He had been waiting for a long time.


    As soon as the call connected, he quickly blurted out these things.


    But Balk listened in confusion. When did he do such things? And how could he even do something like that? His upbringing wouldn''t allow him to do such things. If he really did something like that, his family wouldn''t let him off easily; they''d break his legs.


    "Why are you calling me so early in the morning about these things? When did I ever force a girl? I could never do such a thing, and you know my personality."


    Dewitt was still lying in the hospital, not knowing what was going on. Now, suddenly, he was being used of having some scandal with a girl. It all sounded absurd.


    "I know this whole situation is ridiculous, but just saying it''s ridiculous won''t solve anything. You''re facing the public''s outcry online. They all think you bullied that girl..."


    But as he said this, something felt off. The manager''s voice trembled slightly. "Oh my God, just tell me now, are you in a rtionship? If you''re in a rtionship, just tell me. What you''re doing now is


    v


    challenging my heart. I can''t take it anymore. Tell me clearly what''s


    going on with that girl. Did you really do something wrong?" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "What''s gotten into you? I don''t have time to discuss all this right now. My brother is still in the hospital in critical condition. If you keep making baseless usations, I won''t be polite."


    The more Balk listened, the more he felt Crystal was being unreasonable. There was no way he could bully someone, let alone get into such a ridiculous situation where he had a child with someone.


    Second Brother was on the phone with the manager, while Sylvia and their father sat beside him. They heard the conversation, and as they looked at him, they saw him shaking his head repeatedly, indicating that he really didn''t know anything about this matter. If he had known, he wouldn''t have been so passive.


    "Second Brother, give me your phone."


    This matter was rted to him after all, so he felt that his Second Brother couldn''t handle it calmly. Sylvia took the initiative to offer to take the call, and Balk didn''t refuse, handing his phone to Sylvia.


    "What''s going on? Calm down first and tell me the whole story."


    After Sylvia answered the phone, she quickly got to the bottom of the matter, exining it clearly and concisely. She learned from the manager that her brother had done something wrong, and now it had be a scandal.


    But the more she listened, the more absurd it sounded. If someone else had done it, it would be one thing, but if it was her brother, it was absolutely impossible.


    "You''ve worked with my brother for so many years. You should know his character. He could never do something like this. So, there must be someone stirring up trouble behind the scenes. You need to investigate it immediately."

 Chapter 314 Retaliation from Bonnie

    Chapter 314 Retaliation from Bonnie


    In the past, the manager might not have been so worried because he thought it wasn''t that big of a deal. After all, there was something fishy about it. He knew this kid too well; he would never do such a thing. If he did, his family wouldn''t let him off. So, he also thought someone was deliberately framing him. But framing someone required evidence. Without evidence, who knew what really happened?


    "I understand. Don''t worry, I''ll have someone investigate right away. But the public opinion is really strong now, so you need to be prepared. Also, I just noticed there''s another piece of news online that''s very unfavorable to you. Plus, you''re all shady businessmen, and I know that''s not true, but not everyone online believes otherwise."


    The manager exined the online situation to Sylvia again, and she was somewhat surprised. She didn''t say much, just nodded slightly.


    "I understand. Be careful with Second Brother''s schedule now, and don''t let others know. Also, if anyone asks about his situation, don''t say anything. I''ll have someone assist you in investigating these matters."


    Sylvia began instructing her subordinates with her phone. From start to finish, Balk had no idea what was going on. His mind was still focused on his brother.


    After hanging up the phone, he realized he might have a problem too and asked what was going on.


    "You''re being ckened pretty badly. They''re saying you''re ying with girls'' feelings and that you''re a downright liar."


    After Sylvia exined the specifics, Balk and their father were stunned. This kind of thing couldn''t possibly happen to Balk.


    "How can you two not believe me? I could never do something like this. If I did, Dad would break my legs. Plus, I''m always so busy. Where would I find time to date? Don''t you find it very coincidental? Third Brother just had an ident, and then I''m suddenly in trouble. You really can''tpletely suspect me of this."


    Sylvia looked at him strangely, as if she didn''t quite understand why he was so anxious.


    "We know you well. You would never do such things. Since you haven''t done it, why are you so nervous? Do you think we''ll wrongly use you? That''s unnecessary. After all, we know what kind of person you are."


    "Yeah, what your sister said is right. You''re exining so anxiously as if you really did it. If you didn''t do it, you don''t need to exin so much. We''ll definitely believe you, unless you really did it..."


    "Don''t joke!" Balk widened his eyes. How could he possibly do such a thing?


    "How can you say that? I never did such a thing. If you say I did, I''ll really get angry. I didn''t do it. You can''t just nder me like this."


    Both of them stopped talking. They had wanted to ask more, but then the doctor came over, and they immediately rushed to ask what was going on. "Don''t worry, the person was brought in very timely. Although they''re still in danger, rest assured, there won''t be any major problems."


    Hearing the doctor''s words, they finally breathed a sigh of relief. Until Third Brother was fine, they could finally calm down. After all, no matter how big the matter, it couldn''tpare to a matter of life and death.


    Now that everyone was seated, they could seriously think about what was going on.


    The situation with Balk was escting, and everyone wanted to know what was going on. The overwhelming online rumors were threatening to destroy all of Balk''s efforts over the years. But Balk had noints.


    He would never admit to something he didn''t do. But were these people just too foolish, blindly following the rhythm set by someone else?


    "Wait a minute, isn''t someone


    deliberately setting me up,This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    deliberately trying to trap me? Little sister, you need to figure out a way to clear your brother''s name. I didn''t do this, and I can''t let everything be med on me."


    Sylvia rolled her eyes. Now was not the time to panic.


    "I know, don''t worry. I''ve already sent someone to investigate what''s going on. We''ll soon find out the truth. If


    someone is really ndering youret


    won''t let them off. But don''t you think this situation is a bit strange? It''s like someone is targeting you deliberately, and our family too."


    Sylvia began to analyze the situation seriously. Meanwhile, their father sat quietly on the side, messing with his phone. They discussed and discussed, but didn''t reach a conclusion, so their father took his phone back.


    "Your mother is so useless. She


    hasn''t figured out this little thing yet. Alright, I''ve already investigated. This was done by Bonnie. She''s


    been holding a grudge against


    ever since her boyfriend''s incident, and now she''s taken it out on our entire family."


    After hearing his father''s words, both Sylvia and Balk fell into silence. They had thought of many possibilities, but they hadn''t thought it would be to this extent.


    "Dad, don''t joke about this. This joke isn''t funny at all. If you say Bonnie did it, you might as well say Cyril did it. Is he going to do these things while he''s still in the hospital?"


    "In the hospital? Doesn''t he have a brain or connections? Can''t he get someone to help with these things?"


    Well, that rhetorical question left them speechless. It wasn''t an impossible thing.

 Chapter 315: Exposure of Tracks

    Chapter 315: Exposure of Tracks


    They really didn''t initially think this had anything to do with Bonnie. They didn''t see how it rted to helping you. But turns out, it does. "If he did this, it means he nned it. So, he wouldn''t want you guys finding out. Think about it, did you do anything to offend him?" Dad''s words made the siblings shake their heads. Offend Bonnie? Ridiculous. If anyone was offended, it was probably them. This was all twisted. "I''ll call to find out more. But does Cyril know? If he does, he might side with his sister. Familyes first for him."


    Balk wanted to clear things with Cyril. But they knew, with Cyril''s loyalty to his sister, it might not go well. They hesitated. "Why do you guys alwaysplicate things? Can''t you find evidence yourselves and confront Bonnie?"


    "No need for that. We can just investigate who he''s been with. He''s in the hospital now, dealing with rtionship issues..."


    As he finished, he realized the odd timing of the rtionship issue. Even if it were real, it didn''t seem like something he''d do. Seeing Sylvia halt mid-sentence, the siblings knew she noticed something. They waited for her to figure it out.


    "You guys stay here. I''ll handle this. Once I know more, I''ll fill you in."


    Sylvia smiled when she grasped the situation. Interesting.


    She knew Bonnie had issues with her. Keeping quiet didn''t mean she was clueless. Now, being med for this? If she acted oblivious, that''d be foolish.


    She calmly told her family she''d handle it and prepared to leave. But at the door, she heardmotion. Outside, reporters crowded, heading their way.


    "Oh no, how did they find out? We keptst night''s incident under wraps! Could Bonnie be behind this? When did his brain start working so well?" Balk was stunned. He never thought Bonnie capable of this. Bonnie wasn''t known for being smart.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Why even think? This isn''t Bonnie''s style. You know he''s not that bright. Someone must have set him up. When did you be so naive?"


    Sylvia found Balk''s reaction baffling.


    After rolling her eyes, she went back inside, arranging for their escape. If reporters were here, someone must have tipped them off. They had to be cautious, especially after De Witt''s ident. It was orchestrated. They had to be careful.


    "Let''s call Big Bro. If they''re onto us, he''s probably in trouble too. Dad, tell us if we''ve made enemies. This isn''t just about me, it''s about all of us." Sylvia looked at her father. He nced at them, then nodded.


    "We''re in business. Offending someonees with the territory. But things have been calmtely. Your brother''s fine. Don''t worry too much of there''s a real issue, he let you know. If he hasn''t, it''s not that serious."


    S


    "But Dad, can''t you see the severity now? It''s not just me or Big Bro. We''re all targets. Why didn''t you say something sooner? We''re in deep trouble, and you''re partly to me!"


    Balk''s headache worsened, realizing the connection between their family''s affairs and this mess. They were clueless, and now their work was in turmoil. What now?


    Hearing Balk''s frustration, Dad had no response. Business matters were mostly handled by their older brother, Bruce. They needed answers from him.


    This had been dragging on for a while. Asking themselves what happened wasn''t going to cut it. They needed answers, and Bruce had them.


    Sylvia, after informing her team, tried


    calling Bruce But his line was busy. Clearly, he was dealing with this mess to They were caught off guard. Everyone had issues, and now they didn''t even know who their adversary was. In business, there were plenty of rivals. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org

 Chapter 316: Ill Protect You

    Chapter 316: I''ll Protect You


    "I''ll head back to thepany first to see what''s going on. The other three can''t be moved casually. He''s notpletely out of danger yet. And about those people outside, I''ve arranged for someone to deal with them. But bro, you better not wander aroundtely. There are plenty of rumors online targeting you."


    Arko knew he shouldn''t go out now. Even though he hadn''t done anything, the online usations stuck. Trying to exin would onlyplicate things. Unless he had solid evidence proving his innocence, going out would only cause trouble for the family. So, he readily agreed to stay. Plus, he could help take care of De Witt here.


    After the siblings talked, Sylvia left under the escort of security. The reporters wanted to follow, but Sylvia had already called security, and the sight of the intimidating guards made them back off. They could only watch Sylvia leave. While Sylvia was gone, De Witt was still at the hospital, unable to know what was happening outside.


    Sylvia sessfully made it to thepany under the escort of guards. Upon arriving, she saw Bruce organizing a meeting, busy as ever. She joined in to help Bruce with the workload.


    Coming back, she realized things were getting worse.


    Overnight, several of thepany''s coborations were taken by others. Due to Balk and De Witt''s issues, thepany''s stock was plummeting. Sylvia observed closely and realized it was deliberate.


    "What are you thinking?"


    After the meeting, Bruce seemed agitated, adjusting his tie and sipping water.


    Since the incident, Bruce knew things were getting serious and wanted to know what was going on.


    Sylvia took a deep breath, recalling their father''s words earlier. She frowned, "Dad said we''ve offended many people. Why didn''t I know about this before?"


    Bruce was stunned. "Really? Howe I didn''t know about this?"


    Seeing Bruce''s reaction, Sylvia knew he wasn''t lying. But if Bruce didn''t know, then where was the problem?


    "If you don''t know, then why hasn''t Dad told us?"


    It was possible their father didn''t think it was a big deal, so he didn''t say anything. But now, the situation was dire. "I''m not sure, but the problem now is, who''s behind Bonnie?"


    Neither of them knew the answer to that. Bonnie was clearly set up. Otherwise, there wouldn''t be these issues.


    "I..." Sylvia was about to suggest an investigation when her phone rang. It was Bonnie.


    The siblings exchanged a nce before Sylvia answered, "Surprised? I''m calling to arrange a meeting. Once I sort things out with you, your family''s problems will be solved."


    Hearing Bonnie''s words, Sylvia raised an eyebrow. After all that''s happened, she''s still targeting her?


    "If you want to talk about my


    boyfriend, it''s unnecessary. Our family''s business can handle this. But remember, now your brother has the authority to speak for your family. If you mess with me, see how your brother reacts." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "Don''t be so cocky. If it weren''t for you telling my brother, how could he ignore me? It''s all you, you''ve ruined me!"


    Sylvia sneered, "You''re amusing. Do you think your brother knows about this?"


    If they could find out, Cyril could too. If Cyril knew but remained silent, it might be to save face for his sister. But if he didn''t intervene despite knowing, that''s impossible.


    "It doesn''t matter. Your family won''tst long."


    She seemed confident. The siblings exchanged a look, starting to understand.


    "Well, you''d better be able to finish me off. Otherwise, you''ll be in trouble. Your brother isn''t easy to deal with, right?"


    After saying that, Sylvia hung up, deciding to find Cyril now.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    "Cyril probably doesn''t know about this. But now, everything ising after us. Be careful."


    Bruce understood Sylvia''s thoughts


    and didn''t stop her. Instead, he


    silently arranged for more protection for her. If something happened to Sylvia, what would they do?


    Sylvia nodded and left with her phone.


    She was cautious when she left. Not many people noticed, but the reporters did and rushed over.


    As Sylvia retreated, she heard Cyril''s voice. She paused, "What are you doing here?"


    "I know something''s wrong. I''m here to protect you," Cyril said seriously, but Sylvia found it amusing.


    "No need. This is rted to your sister. You should ask her how to solve this."


    Sylvia wasn''t keen on involving Cyril. After all, the problem was rted to Bonnie. Who knows if Cyril had any involvement?


    "I can''t reach her right now. She''s missing."


    Cyril''s words left Sylvia speechless. How could someone just disappear like that?


    "What do you mean, missing?" Sylvia felt exasperated. How could someone just vanish like that?


    Since the person wasn''t here, Sylvia didn''t want to talk to Cyril anymore.

 Chapter 317: There Are Many Ways to Protect

    Chapter 317: There Are Many Ways to Protect


    "Miss, let''s go, the people are gone," the bodyguard urged Sylvia as they walked.


    Sylvia nced at Cyril, said nothing, and walked quickly.


    Cyril hesitated for a moment, looked around, then left.


    "Sylvia,e here."


    Sylvia got into the car and saw someone waving not far away-it was Miles.


    Miles was driving ahead, so Sylvia instructed the driver to follow.


    As they drove, more people arrived and took away the journalists directly.


    Sylvia nced back and called Miles, "What do you think? Taking them away like that?"


    "These people aren''t just journalists. Come with me. I''ll take you to meet someone."


    Miles was prepared from the moment the incident happened. He even found out the truth faster than expected. Surprisingly, he brought the people here immediately. Soon, Sylvia met Miles, who said he''d take her to someone.


    "If your sister couldn''t be found, then why is she here?"


    Sylvia nced at Cyril. He frowned tightly, not expecting his sister to be missing.


    Soon, he understood why she was here.


    "You brought her here and didn''t even tell me? Aren''t I her brother?"


    "Why should I tell you? Even though you''re her brother, don''t you have a sense of what you''d do? Cyril, we''re siblings, but what''s done is done. I won''t let Bonnie meet you."


    "Why is she doing this? Just because of her boyfriend? We''ve already exined that matter. There shouldn''t be any problems now. It''s hard to understand why she''s causing all this trouble."


    "I guess you can sense she''s being manipted. Clearly, she''s being targeted, and this is directed at your family. You should ask your family if there''s anyone you''ve offended."


    Since yesterday''s ident, Miles had felt something was off. So, he investigated and found the problem. Although he didn''t directly say it, he nced at Cyril. After all, if something happened to Cyril here, no one would know.


    "I understand. But leaving her here is like giving someone a handle. If they find out, we won''t know where they''ll strike next."


    Sylvia felt it was risky. Doing this might expose something wrong.


    "But what if they don''t even know she''s here?"


    Miles chuckled. He knew doing this wasn''t ideal, but it didn''t mean he wasn''t prepared.


    Sylvia understood. He was prepared, which is why he spoke like this.


    "So, what did you find out?"


    Sylvia asked directly. Miles had indeed investigated a lot, but he didn''t say directly. After all, he also nced in Cyril''s direction, worried that something might happen to him.


    "I came here with you. Doesn''t that show my stance? What about you?"


    Cyril felt ufortable. He came here today to protect Sylvia. He knew the trouble his sister caused Sylvia, and he wanted to help. Whether it was out of guilt or for another reason, he wanted to assist Sylvia.


    But his protection seemed futile.


    "There are many ways to protect, and you chose the least effective one. If you really wanted to protect her, why didn''t you keep an eye on your sister from the start? You she was upset with Sylvia. You should''ve prepared earlier. You didn''t do anything, and now you im you''re protecting Sylvia?"


    The two men looked at each other, neither willing to back down. Sylvia found them both


    headache-inducing. She didn''t expect Cyril toe with her. She didn''t want to say much to them and went inside. As for Bonnie, she was still unconscious and lying in bed.


    Sylvia looked at him lying there motionless, extremely weak. She couldn''t reconcile this image with the person who spoke to her on the phone. Maybe Miles discovered her whereabouts during that phone call?


    Sylvia sat by Bonnie''s bedside, watching him.


    Bonnie heard themotion and looked up.


    "Why are you here? Where am I?"


    Being in an unfamiliar ce made him nervous. He wanted to struggle, but Sylvia didn''t give him a chance.


    "Why are you here? Don''t you have any idea?"


    Sylvia''s voice was icy. Bonnie screamed, "You''re the reason I''m like this! Do you still think this is all my fault? I''m telling you, as long as I''m alive, I won''t let you near my brother. You''ve ruined me!"


    Sylvia frowned, unable to


    understand why Bonnie had be


    el


    like this. Firstly, his condition wasn''t right, and he faced Sylvia with extreme hostility. This hostility. couldn''t be exined. If it was just because of her rtionship with Bonnie''s boyfriend, it was ridiculous. She didn''t even know who he was. As for the incidents that followed, they were all Bonnie''s own doing. Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "It''s all because of you! It''s all your fault!"


    Bonnie screamed and cried, tears streaming down his face. Sylvia watched calmly, wondering how far Bonnie would go. So, she didn''t say anything.

 Chapter 318: Dont Even Think About Bribing Me

    Chapter 318: Don''t Even Think About Bribing Me


    Seeing himpletely out of control, Sylvia furrowed her brow. She felt something was off with his mental state, but she didn''t press further.


    Exiting his room, Sylvia nced at Miles, who gestured that things were just as they appeared. "At the beginning, I sensed something off with his mental state, but I couldn''t figure out what it was. Now, can you feel it too? He''s really not doing well. I don''t know what else to do. Do you have any ideas?"Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "It''s obvious his mental state is the problem. As his brother, shouldn''t you be concerned about what''s going on with your sister? This situation is hard to exin."


    Sylvia nodded in understanding and turned to Cyril.


    Cyril remained silent. Honestly, he wasn''t very concerned about his sister. She was more trouble than she was worth. This time, she''d caused him a lot of headaches. Just thinking about it made him annoyed, and he didn''t want to deal with it.


    "Even though she''s my sister, she''s also an individual. Her actions are not my responsibility. I can admit that some of the harm she''s caused to you is my fault, but not everything. Ultimately, it''s her own business."


    This statement was cold and ruthless, but Sylvia understood Cyril''s character well enough not to be surprised.


    "Alright, arguing here won''t solve anything. Let''s talk about something else."


    Since things had reached this point, there was no use dwelling on who was to me. It was toote for that.


    "Now that she''s in your hands, just keep her with you for now. I''ll handle the rest myself. As for you two..."


    Sylvia nced at Cyril and then at Miles, unsure of what to say. These two were quite frustrating.


    "Given the current situation, you both probably have other things to do. I won''t disturb you any longer. You can chat amongst yourselves."


    After finishing their conversation, Sylvia didn''t bother to see the expressions on their faces. She immediately left, needing to take care of things urgently.


    After she left, Cyril and Miles couldn''t stand each other. Although they didn''t say anything in front of Sylvia, their usual behavior was already clear enough.


    "Today''s mess is clearly your sister''s fault. I don''t understand what your family is thinking. You bully Sylvia, and now your whole family is after her. Even though you''re not involved anymore, you still won''t let Sylvia go. Do you all think Sylvia is easy to bully?"


    Miles suddenly threw a document on the table. "Take a look at this document. If there''s nothing you want to change, sign it. It''s not a big deal for you anyway."


    Cyril found it strange and frowned as he nced at the document. After reading it, he sneered. What''s the meaning of this? Are you trying to bribe me? But it''s unfortunate. Miles indeed has apany, but so do I. Since we both havepanies, why should I listen to this nonsense?


    "What''s this? You want me to take this offer and leave?"


    "Isn''t that the idea? It''s not a bad deal for you."


    "You''re a businessman, and from your recent behavior, I can see you''re not particrly invested in this matter. So, if you suddenly


    change your mind and hurt S


    it''s all for profit. Since your goal is money, why not cooperate with me? There''s no need to stoop low and do things you don''t like. It''d be much better for you."


    The document he presented was indeed different. It showed profits almost within five years, with even more afterward.


    A normal person would know how to choose in this situation. Especially since Cyril had no feelings for another woman, cooperating with Miles wouldn''t be a problem.


    "I''m sorry, but if it''s just about


    cooperation, I''m not interested. I can


    handle these things on my own. Even if I don''t cooperate with you, l can still profit over the years. So, I''ve been pursuing Sylvia because I like her. Don''t forget, we once had an engagement. So, considering that, is there a problem with me being ahead of you with Sylvia? If you''re dissatisfied, you can take back your dissatisfaction because I won''t care about what you say." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Cyril threw the document back to Miles, showing he didn''t care. Miles didn''t get angry seeing him return the document. He just smiled.


    "I hope you won''t regret your decisionter You should see by now that we''repetitors. Since we''repetitors, I won''t give you any chance to harm Sylvia. This time, won''t let your sister go so easily. Of course, I know if you care about Sylvia, you won''t let your sister go either."

 Chapter 319: Shes Not Clean

    Chapter 319: She''s Not Clean


    For several days, Sylvia was incredibly busy, and Bruce was no different. They were both swamped with tasks, dealing with unexpected troubles caused by others. It made Sylvia ufortable, but there wasn''t much he could do about it.


    He had to resolve these matters quickly. If he didn''t, more trouble woulde their way.


    Both Sylvia and Bruce were overwhelmed.


    They took turns meeting with reporters to discuss recent events. No matter how you looked at it, these events had a significant impact on them. Sylvia hadn''t had a moment to rx in days.


    After Dwight was transferred to the hospital, no one could get information about him. And as for Balk, he was stuck at home due to the scandal. Sometimes, he''d call Sylvia to vent about the online rumors.


    "It seems like our family is being scapegoated for this. And I feel like this situation is aimed at all of us. Little sister, what do you think?"


    Balkined, but he was serious about analyzing the situation at home. Sylvia didn''t react much to what he said. He''d known about these things for a while, especially since it involved Yingziing from their family. He didn''t find it particrly surprising.


    "I don''t have any thoughts. Right now, the most important thing is managing this PR crisis. You should talk to Dad and find out who he''s offended. We still don''t know who our enemies are, and that''s a big problem."Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Sylvia had been busy these past few days, and they''d been conducting private investigations. But strangely, despite all their efforts, they still didn''t know who was behind these events. They had many enemies, but this seemed different.


    Balk had already talked to their father about this, but his reaction was odd. He refused to discuss who might be behind it, as if there was something he couldn''t reveal. They couldn''t understand why he was being so secretive.


    "Dad won''t say anything. You know his personality. If he doesn''t want to talk, there''s no point in worrying about it. Right now, the most important thing is Third Brother''s health. He needs to recover quickly."


    Sylvia agreed. No matter the rumors or the pressure, they could handle it. But if someone''s life was in danger, that was irreversible.


    "I understand. In the next few days, you should talk to Dad again. It''s best to get useful information from him. If not, it''ll be bad for us."


    "Don''t worry, I know what to do. You and Big Brother focus on handlingpany matters. You don''t need to worry about these things."


    After hanging up, Sylvia returned to work anxiously. He realized these recent events were more troublesome than he initially thought. He had to find a solution quickly.


    Halfway through his busy day, his phone rang. It was unexpected - Miles was calling.


    "There''s been a lot of news about


    bet


    you onlely. I know you probably haven''t noticed, but it''s having a big impact on you. So, I''m calling to inform you about recent events. You need to be aware. If you cane up with a way to deal with them, it''d be for the bestContent


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Miles''s words were confusing. Sylvia didn''t understand what was happening. He knew his family was embroiled in a PR crisis, but he wasn''t sure of the details.


    "You might not be fully aware, but the problem is that they''re saying you''re not clean. They''re bringing up. your marriage to Cyril again, iming it wasn''t pure from the


    start. Besides that, they''re sayi


    your rtionship with Cyril isn''t as good as it seems. They''re even suggesting you married him for his family''s wealth. I know none of this is true, but some people believe it. You need to figure out how to resolve this. If you can''t, it''ll be a big problem for you."


    Sylvia couldn''t help butugh at what Miles said. It was amusing to hear someone speak about him like that. But aside from finding it funny, he thought these people''s imaginations were too naive. Why would he bother fighting with Cyril?


    "I understand. I''ll find a way to handle it. But have you been helping us a lot recently? Will it affect you negatively?"


    Miles''s situation hadn''t been great


    these past few days. Since he


    started helping Sylvia, someone seemed to be watching him closely. If anything happened, they''d notice. So, Sylvia was worried that Miles might get dragged into trouble because of his family''s issues.


    "Don''t worry. While this seems directed at you, anyone connected to you is also under scrutiny, whether it''s me or Cyril. It''s been tough for us all recently, so you don''t need to worry too much."


    Miles''s reassurance made Sylvia feel relieved, but he still felt a bit scared and worried about what was happening. He feared something might go wrong.

 Chapter 320: Who Is Being Targeted?

    Chapter 320: Who Is Being Targeted?


    Sylvia didn''t pay any attention to the online rumors. Neither did anyone else. It wasn''t anything new for their family. With so much going on, if they had to worry about every single thing, they wouldn''t have any peace. So, fussing over these matters wasn''t necessary. Whatever these people wanted to do, they would do it anyway.


    "It seems like this isn''t just about us. Obviously, it''s aimed at people associated with us. So, Dad''s situation is more crucial. It''s clear he knows something but refuses to share."


    Every day, the siblings made time to visit Dwight. His condition wasn''t improving much. Though he was out of danger, he hadn''t regained consciousness. The doctors said it wasn''t good, and they should prepare themselves for the worst.


    "But big brother, have you noticed something? Everyone''s been targeted except you. Initially, I thought it was just me, but now I see it''s not. Everyone''s being targeted, except you."


    Sylvia was serious. Suddenly, they realized it was true. Everyone was being targeted except Bruce.


    Balk kept his face concealed behind a mask and sunsses as he entered the room. He didn''t dare take them off because he knew too well what might happen if he did. So, he kept them on.


    "Little sister, that''s very true. I''ve been monitoring onlinements. Most of them are about us, but you haven''t been affected at all. Something doesn''t seem right."


    "Also, in ourpany recently, you might not have noticed, but I have. Someone''s been quietly helping us. Although they haven''t said anything, I can sense it. Have you noticed? It''s rted to Bonnie and Thelma."


    It was a bold guess, considering there was no evidence to support it. But it seemed usible.


    After a moment of contemtion, Sylvia suddenly realized something. Balk''s suggestion wasn''t entirely baseless. So, he turned to his brother.


    "Big brother, what Second Brother said makes sense. Have you thought about Thelma''s family? They''ve never liked us, and now you''re openly helping them. Maybe this is their way of testing you. Your rtionship with them isn''t exactly pure, is it?"


    Thinking about Thelma''s family made Sylvia feel a headacheing on. The rtionship between their families had always beenplicated.


    Years ago their fathers were rivals, and that enmity had carried on. They had no contact outside of official events. Seeing Thelma made Sylvia anxious because her family'' identity could greatly affect them.


    "I''ve considered that, but if it''s rted to Thelma, it''s unfair to her. She''s never been involved in any of this. But if someone''s been helping us in secret, it''s likely her."


    "No, big brother, maybe you


    misunderstood. I never said this was


    about Thelma. I''m suggesting it


    might be rted to Thelma''s family. Maybe they''ve discovered your rtionship and are testing you. After all, your rtionship with her isn''t exactly honest." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Balk started analyzing seriously. It was possible that Thelma''s family had found out about Bruce''s rtionship and was testing him. This situation had a significant impact.


    Sylvia handed his phone to Bruce. "Big brother, call Thelma and ask her. But right now, she won''t pick up."


    The situation was suspicious. If Thelma received such a call, there might be danger. It was better to be cautious and find out what was happening before making any decisions.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    After hesitating for a moment, Bruce decisively took out his phone and dialed. The call connected quickly.


    As soon as Thelma''s voice came through the phone, she immediately apologized to Bruce.


    "I''m sorry. These recent events have caused trouble for you. If I had known would never have asked for your help. I''ll talk to my father and make things right. I won''t trouble you anymore."


    Their earlier spection had be a reality. They were now certain that this matter was indeed rted to Thelma''s family.

 Chapter 321: Family Mission

    Chapter 321: Family Mission


    The phone call didn''tst long. Once they understood the situation, there was no need to dwell on it. The most crucial thing now was to resolve the matter.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    After a brief conversation, the call ended. Thelma immediately set out to address the issue. She had been worried about how it might affect them, but now that they knew what was going on, they could breathe a little easier.


    When he had asked Bruce for help earlier, he had hesitated. But now, he was worried about how this might affect Bruce. Nevertheless, he had to resolve this quickly. He didn''t want to be controlled by the family forever, so he had to act.


    Little did he know that even though he didn''t want to involve certain people, he still did. When he realized this, he felt guilty. As he entered the study, he saw his father on the phone, instructing his subordinates to target the Ivan Group.


    "Father, what''s going on? Why are you doing this when it has nothing to do with them?"


    Once his father hung up, Thelma approached him, wanting answers. But seeing Thelma''s determined expression, her father seemed angry.


    "You''re so foolish! Don''t you understand our family''s duty? You must marry into royalty. It''s not just your own affair; it''s our family''s obligation. How do you think we''ll exin this to the royals?"


    "That''s not my family''s duty! Why should it fall on me? I don''t want to marry into royalty, especially when I already have someone I like!"


    Hearing this, her father''s anger only worsened. He had raised her to be a future queen, only to hear that she had feelings for someone else. What had all their efforts been for?


    "You''re confused. You don''t seem to understand what should be done and what shouldn''t. You say you don''t want to marry into royalty, but do you know how much we''ve praised the royals over the years? It''s impossible for you to refuse. Consider this a warning. If this continues, think about whether your friends will still support you!"


    Thelma understood the threat in her father''s words. He wanted her to obediently prepare for a life she didn''t want. But she could''ve off her desire for freedom.


    "Think carefully. Before you act, consider not getting involved. And don''t underestimate the Ivan family. If this continues, they might me you." After saying this, Thelma realized it was herst chance. She knew the best way to resolve this was to submit to her family''s wishes and marry into royalty.


    As the head of the family, her father knew everything. He knew Thelma''s thoughts and wasn''t going to let her ruin their ns.


    "Our families have never had a good rtionship. You knew that from the start. Yet, you still went ahead. If there''s anyone to me, it''s you!"


    Thelma felt like she was falling into


    n


    a deep abyss. She knew this mess was of her own making, but it didn''t ease her pain. She regretted her decisions now. Why had things turned out like this? She couldn''t understand.


    "Think carefully. This isn''t too much trouble for them to solve. But whether they''ll me you for it, that''s another story."


    After saying this, Thelma understood. This was herst chance. If she wanted the best oue, she had toply with her family''s wishes and marry into royalty.

 Chapter 322: Making Friends

    Chapter 322: Making Friends


    ?


    While there was still no word from Thelma''s side, troubles were piling up on their end. Sylvia wasn''t too bothered by the online rumors, but Cyril couldn''t sit still.


    He kept trying to find ways to resolve the issue, reaching out to the media frequently in an attempt to help Sylvia. However, Miles had a point - there were many ways to protect oneself, not just the ones Cyril was pursuing.


    Sylvia didn''t care much about what Cyril was doing. She focused on her own tasks. Though Cyril''s actions didn''t directly affect her, she noticed his restlessness.


    Rtions between them had improved somewhat since the incident, but it still had ties to Russia. To resolve it, they needed to start with Thelma. However, Thelma seemed particrly averse to the idea, never offering any specific conditions.


    Three dayster, Devitt woke up, much to the relief of his family. They had been worried sick about him, and now that he was awake, they were overjoyed.


    "What happened? How did you end up in an ident like that? Do you realize how worried we were during this time? What if something happened to you?"


    Devitt was still very weak, but he smiled, appreciating his family''s concern. He began recounting the events of that day.


    "I was on my way back when I received a call from father, asking me toe home urgently for an important matter. I didn''t think much of it at the time. I just wanted to see what was going on. I rushed back."


    Initially, there wasn''t a big issue. He had been working at the institute and had informed his father that he wouldn''t being back. Suddenly, his father called, saying something important hade up. He didn''t anticipate what awaited him upon his return. It was all so unexpected and frustrating.


    "Then, I got into the ident on the way back. You know the rest. It wasn''t my intention."


    Indeed, idents weren''t something anyone wished for. Despite the trouble it caused, everyone was relieved that Devitt was safe. They advised him to rest properly since he had just woken up and didn''t need any furtherplications.


    "Alright, we know what happened now. Just focus on resting. If there''s anything we can do, we''ll figure it out. The most important thing is to take care of your health. If that''spromised, it''ll be even worse."


    Devitt nodded, still unsure of what was happening at home.


    Seeing everyone''s anxiety, he knew something serious had happened. Otherwise, they wouldn''t look so worried.


    But things were about to change.


    A weekter, Sylvia, busy with herpany matters, received a call from Thelma. He wanted to meet her. Seeing that she had nearly finished her work, she agreed to the meeting. She was curious about what Thelma wanted to discuss. When they met, Sylvia noticed


    Thelma seemed exhausted. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    "I''m sorry for causing you so much trouble. At first, I just wanted your brother to help me out with something. I didn''t think it would escte like this. Also, I''ve already talked to my father, and they won''t target you anymore. Don''t worry, I''ll make things right."


    Seeing his demeanor, Sylvia felt something was off. "What''s wrong? If something''s bothering you, we can help."


    "It''s nothing. From the start, they wanted me to marry into royalty, but I don''t want to. That''s why I asked your brother for help. At first, he refused, saying it wouldplicate things between us."


    "If I knew things would turn out like this, I wouldn''t have asked Bruce for help. I''m sorry. If you wantpensation, I won''t refuse."


    "I''m telling you all this because if you don''t want to, I can help you. I mean it."Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "No need. I appreciate your willingness to help, but since it''s my family''s duty, I''ll do it. However, after this incident, I find you interesting. How about we be friends? There won''t be any deeper rtionship between us anyway."


    Hearing this, Sylviaughed. It was true. They hade this far, and there was no turning back. They might as well be friends.

 Chapter 323 A Little Bit of Bullying

    Chapter 323 A Little Bit of Bullying


    After meeting with Taoleisi, Silvia went back. He didn''t hide the fact that he met with Taoleisi from his brother. So when he returned, everyone gathered around and asked Silvia what happened. Although Dewitt was still lying in bed, they didn''t think about hiding anything.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "So, what happened? After meeting with Taoleisi, did she say anything to you? I find this whole thing really strange. We don''t really have any special rtionship with Taoleisi. If anything, it''s just that our big brother and Taoleisi have known each other for many years, and they used to be ssmates. Little sis, you might not know, but when our big brother was studying outside, Taoleisi was his ssmate. Taoleisi helped our big brother a lot, so it''s only natural for our big brother to help Taoleisi this time."


    These things were all investigated by Laosi during this period when Silvia hadn''t arrived yet. He had already told Dewitt about them.


    At first, Dewitt was very surprised to hear this news. He didn''t expect there to be such a reason. Now that Silvia hade here, he couldn''t wait to tell Silvia about it. After Silvia heard this, he couldn''t help but sigh. So that''s the reason.


    No wonder why his big brother suddenly acted like he lost his mind and went to help someone, even though he knew the rtionship between the two families was very bad. Wasn''t he just handing them a weapon?


    But before helping with this favor, he thought his big brother should have already figured it out. No matter who it was, Taoleisi''s family would never agree, as they only intended to integrate Taoleisi into the royal family from the beginning.


    These things weren''t a big deal because if they investigated carefully, they would definitely find out. Otherwise, Taoleisi wouldn''t havee to ask for help in the first ce. Bruce didn''t hide anything about this matter and straightforwardly exined it. After everyone heard it, they realized that they could be consideredrades in the revolution.


    "When I met with Taoleisi today, she decided not to continue fighting with her family. But it''s indeed a bit too much for me to follow their family''s lead, so my point is we can''t just leave it like this. I don''t know what you brothers think. If you have no objections, I''m ready to go and have a good talk with them. It''s not good to be dragged along like this."


    They hadn''t done anythingtely, but that didn''t mean they couldn''t do anything. They could do anything; they were just preparing for their n. Now that they had all the evidence, could they not handle this?


    So Silvia came to ask for their opinions. If they had no objections, then they could take action against them. They couldn''t keep being bullied as if they were easy targets.


    Silvia''s idea had been discussed


    briefly by the three brothers before he arrived. They were indeed initially bullied. Both Balk and Dewitt were deeply affected, especially Dewitt, who was severely injured this time. Moreover, Dewitt was determined to be a doctor, and he had great skills in this area. If something happened to him, they would never let that family off.


    Now that all these things had been said, they couldn''t just let it go. So when Silvia suggested going to trouble that family, each of them agreed.


    Dewitt lying on the bed suddenly thought of another thing. Although they had agreed on how to handle this, what about Dad?


    For a moment, the siblings fell silent. They had indeed nned to do this, but it seemed none of them had told their dad about it. They didn''t know how he would react. So everyone''s gaze turned to Silvia. Being looked at like this made Silvia feel a bit ufortable. What were they expecting from him? As if he could handle this kind of thing easily.


    "Don''t look at me like that. This matter doesn''t have much to do with me. Although I do want to do this, we shouldn''t rely solely on me. You guys can just forget about this whole thing. But if we talk about it like this, I''m the least affected. If I tell Dad about this, he probably won''t agree. But if you guys teff him, I think Dad will agree."


    Silvia looked seriously at his brothers. Although he wanted to do this, there was a certain risk in what he said. Because he was the least affected in this whole thing, their dad would definitely not allow him to do something so dangerous.


    But if Balk or Dewitt mentioned this, the effect might be different. After all, the impact on them was the most direct and significant. Therefore, letting them handle this matter was the best option.


    "Although what you said makes sense, you might have forgotten one thing. Ourbined status is still not as high as yours in Dad''s heart. So instead of letting us do this, it''s better for you to handle it. You have to trust me; this matter is difficult for anyone to handle, but if you do it, it will definitely seed. Trust me!"


    Balk looked very serious as he spoke to Silvia. He felt that Silvia should handle this matter because only Silvia could make the most significant impact.


    "Okay, I see you guys are stuck here, and you can''te up with a unanimous decision. Then let''s not tell Dad about this matter. Let''s inform him after we finish it."


    Finally, Bruce made the decision. Everyone hesitated for a moment when they heard Bruce''s words, but then they felt it was the best solution. Instead of letting the old man know, they might as well finish the matter first and then inform him.

 Chapter 324 Negotiation

    Chapter 324 Negotiation


    Since they had already decided to proceed, there wasn''t much more to say. What needed to be done had to be done quickly. During this time, they had collected quite a bit of evidence, so they would soon find a way to deal with them.


    "What are your thoughts on the next steps?"


    After sorting out all the evidence, they sat down together to discuss the next steps. Silvia''s idea was to take the evidence and confront that family. If their big brother were to handle this, it probably wouldn''t be easy, so it was best for Silvia to do it. After all, he was the heir apparent now, so it made more sense for him to handle this.


    Bruce continued to oversee thepany since there were still many matters to attend to. Letting someone else handle it wouldn''t be very reassuring, so it was best for Bruce to handle it.


    As for Balk and Dewitt, one couldn''t go out, and the other was injured, so it wouldn''t be good for either of them to handle it. The best solution was for the two siblings to resolve the matter themselves.


    "Sis, since you''re going over, I suggest you bring bodyguards. That family can be unreasonable sometimes. You''ve got to be careful, especially considering what they''ve done recently to force their daughter into doing something. If you go, be cautious and don''t get dragged into trouble."


    Bruce reminded his sister seriously. After hearing this, Silvia nodded earnestly. Of course, he would bring enough people and then go handle the matter. So when they set off, Silvia was apanied by a group of people.


    When Silvia arrived with her entourage, Taoleisi''s father''s face turned extremely unpleasant. He hadn''t expected Silvia toe over like this.


    "I thought the oneing over today would be your brother. I didn''t expect him to send you. Is there really no one else in your family to handle things? When I heard that your family''s heir was you, I found it quite amusing. Your father''s vision must be failing, letting a daughter take over thepany."


    Silvia didn''t find anything strange about this statement. He had heard simr things before. People always said their family had so many people, and Bruce had been running thepany for so long; it was best for Bruce to handle things. Why did it have to be Silvia?


    Silvia never exined anything, nor did Bruce. These matters between them had been settled from the beginning. Bruce taking over thepany didn''t have much impact. The only reason Silvia was being scolded now was because it was his turn, so he couldn''t avoid it.


    Having no choice was actually the best choice. After taking over thepany, Silvia realized he could do much more. Since he could do more, why bother about others'' opinions?


    The man in front of him didn''t make Silvia angry at all. Instead, Silvia looked at him with a slight smile.


    ???Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Yes, what you said makes sense. There are so many people in our family, and it doesn''t have to be me taking over thepany. But just because there are many people in our family doesn''t mean you can bully us. My brother has other things to do like getting back at you for what you''ve done to our family r¨¦cently. As for negotiation, it''s best for me to handle it. After all, if I negotiate, it''ll be easier than if my brotheres. If my brotheres, there probably won''t be any need for negotiation. Whatever you''ve done to us recently, we''ll return it to you without hesitation."


    Silvia spoke with a smile, showing that these matters didn''t make him angry. Even the recent events didn''t seem to affect him. For their family, it wasn''t a big deal either.


    The man''s eyes narrowed slightly when he heard Silvia''s words. So, this wasn''t a negotiation at all.

 Chapter 325 No Need for Your Protection

    Chapter 325 No Need for Your Protection


    Ten percent of the shares amounted to tens of billions, but when Silvia mentioned it, he didn''t seem greedy at all. They had already calcted it. In fact, their losses during this time were not just tens of billions but hundreds of billions.


    And this loss was just the current situation. If this continued, their losses would only increase. Even though they could eventually make up for these losses, no one wanted their family to suffer like this.


    When the man heard Silvia''s words, his expression changed instantly. No one had ever dared to ask him for so much money. But Silvia asked for ten percent of the shares, showing great courage.


    "Do you know that no one has ever dared to ask me for so much money? Just because you brought it up doesn''t mean I''ll agree. You mentioning it just gave you a chance to speak. Whether I agree or not is my business."


    Seeing him say this, Silvia wasn''t surprised at all. He had already thought it through beforeing. If he directly asked for ten percent of the shares, the man wouldn''t agree. But their family wasn''t unprepared.


    In other words, asking for ten percent of the shares was just their bottom line. In fact, if they really wanted to argue about it, ten percent of the shares might not evenpensate for their recent losses.


    "I know you''re not satisfied with our family now because my father used to consider us rtives. But other than that, there shouldn''t be any problems between our families. And if we calcte, your family''spany is not as good as ours. The reason I ask for so much money is because of the old rtionship between our families. Even though it may seem like a lot, it can''t make up for our recent losses."


    As Silvia spoke, his smile widened with unmatched confidence. This confidence made the man ufortable. He couldn''t stand seeing someone so smug, especially the daughter of his former rival.


    "Your mother must have been blind to choose your father over me. If she had chosen me, none of this would have happened. Look, after giving birth to you, he just walked away. Now, as his daughter, youe to bother me. Do you know? If your father hadn''t appeared back then, your mother should have married me. The things I''m doing now..."


    "Alright, uncle, don''t bring up the past. I''m not interested in what happened between you before. Regardless of whether my mother chose you or my father, at least for now, I think my mother''s choice was correct. From the time this happened until now, my father had already figured out that it was you, but he never told us anything. Even though he knew, he didn''t me you, even when thepany suffered such a big blow. From this, you can see the difference in character. My father was protecting you, but you''re denying everything around you, including denying my mother."


    If you really like someone, even if you can''t have them, you wouldn''t hold onto it forever. It''s clear to see that he didn''t actually like his mother that much. Rather than saying he didn''t like her, it''s more like he was dissatisfied. His mother chose his father, and now, looking at the current situation, theirpany is even better, which makes it even harder for this man to ept.


    "I''ve said so much now, which might make you very ufortable, but the conditions I''m giving you now are the best for you. I''ve already considered you bying here to negotiate. If you''re unwilling to ept these conditions, then be prepared for my brother''s revenge. Believe me, my brother''s reprisals are something you won''t want to face."


    After saying these words, Silvia put down the documents. If he epted this document, all the recent events would be forgotten. But if he refused to sign it, then they would have a lot to talk about.


    "Uncle, take your time to think about


    l.n


    it. I''m giving you three days, which should be enough. Three dayster I''lle again to ask for your opinion. If you still think the same way, then I guess there''s nothing more to say."


    After politely greeting the people around him, Silvia turned and left. When he reached the door, he ran into Cyril Cyril also held a leather bag in his hand, seemingly here for something. After nodding at Cyril, Silvia was about to leave.


    But just as he reached the gate, Cyril followed him out, looking like he hade for him today. This made Silvia feel a bit strange. "What''s up?"Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "I came here today to find you. Has he done anything bad to you?"


    Cyril looked nervous, as if he wanted to know if Silvia had been wronged here. Silvia looked at Cyril, not quite understanding why he would think he would be wronged here.


    el?


    Especially with his current status, there were hardly any people who could wrong him.


    "Thanks for your concern, but I''m fine. I''ve already dealt with recent events. Why are you here?"


    Cyril hesitated for a moment, thinking that since Silvia''s status had changed, he wasn''t used to speaking this way. After hesitating for a moment, he told Silvia the purpose of his visit.


    "I know these things are rted to him, so I came here to protect you and help you solve these problems."


    Silvia paused for a moment, not expecting Cyril toe in this way.


    "No need, thanks for your help, but I don''t need your protection. I''m different now from before."

 Chapter 326 Give Me Back My Daughter

    Chapter 326 Give Me Back My Daughter


    Yes, Silvia waspletely different now from before. In the past, when faced with such a situation, Silvia might have been unable to handle it, and might have actually asked Cyril for help. That''s because his identity here didn''t give him much power. But now that his identity had returned to its original state, he didn''t need anyone''s help anymore. After all, his identity was predetermined, and he didn''t need to endure too much suffering. Cyril should understand this better than anyone.


    Silvia didn''t care much about what Cyril was thinking right now. After saying these words to Cyril, he was ready to leave. Three dayster, he could already guess what would happen. He had given a choice. If he didn''t want to choose, then waiting three more days wouldn''t hurt. But waiting a few more days would mean more losses for them.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "I know you probably don''t need my help much now, but I came here sincerely wanting to help you. I know I did some wrong things before, but I hope you can give me another chance. I really want to make it up to you."


    Seeing Silvia about to leave, Cyril caught up to him and earnestly said these things to him. But Silvia didn''t need to hear these things anymore.


    "I don''t need anypensation from you. First of all, everything I have now, including my brother and the love my father gave me, is enough to heal the wounds in my heart slowly. And as for the matter of marrying you before, I''ve already told you before. I don''t regret it, and I won''t deny what I did. Because denying it would mean denying my own feelings. I''m not that foolish. I don''t want to deny what I did, and I have no regrets about what I did to you. If anything, you''re the one who owes me. And the person you rmended wasn''t me, it was you."


    Silvia felt somewhat helpless. She didn''t know how many times she had said these words to Cyril. But every time, it seemed like Cyril didn''t understand. He kept appearing in front of her, saying he wanted to make it up to her, but in reality, he wasn''t really trying to make amends.


    "Alright, now these matters are almost settled. Wait three more days. If he still can''t make a better choice, then we''ll start what we need to do. By then, we''ll release your sister. It''s been hard on your sister during this time. But what she did to me, I hope she can exin. After all, I''ve never done anything to hurt her, whether in the past or now."


    After making these things clear, Silvia prepared to leave Cyril. Watching him leave, she felt particrly sad. She didn''t want to be what she was now, but somehow things had gotten out of control. This kind of change was really hard for her to ept, and she felt extremely upset.


    Even though Silvia kept saying that what she was doing now was only about herself, Cyril knew in his heart that he really wanted to make up for the time he and Silvia were apart. He gradually realized that the time he spent with Silvia was the happiest time for him, despite his indifferent attitude. But it was because he had never had these things before. No one had taught him how to love, so he didn''t know how to do it.


    "Can''t you give me another chance? No one ever taught me how to face the person I love, so I didn''t know. But now... I''ll try to learn."


    Silvia understood what Cyril had been through, so after marrying Cyril, she had given him her greatest love, wanting him to know that he couldpletely trust her with his heart, that he wouldn''t abandon her like Michelle did. But she had given him this chance, and she had given him this chance for three years. But the one who gave up this chance was Cyril.


    Silvia looked at Cyril''s face and silently shook her head. The chance she gave, including the feelings she gave, couldn''t be given again and again. It always made her feel especially tired.


    "There''s nothing more to say. The things between us have already ended a long time ago. If you insist on holding onto that matter, I think it''s really meaningless."


    Seeing Silvia''s attitude, Cyril understood that it was toote for everything.


    He smiled bitterly. It was all his fault.


    The two walked side by side, neither of them speaking along the way.


    Cyril felt that this was actually quiet


    good. Although he couldn''t say. anything to Silvia anymore, at least the distance between him and Silvia couldn''t be as far as it used to be.


    Just as Silvia was about to get into the car, suddenly someone rushed up to her, grabbed her hand, and then pped her in the face. This p came too suddenly, so suddenly that Silvia didn''t even have time to react.


    "Give me back my daughter!"


    "Mom, are you crazy? What does this have to do with Silvia?"


    Seeing Silvia stunned by the p, Cyril immediately stood in front of Silvia, not expecting his own mother to be so unreasonable, directly attacking Silvia. But this matter really had nothing to do with Silvia. The one who did this was Miles.


    "Get out of my way! You see how much your sister has suffered, but you''ve never cared about her. And now you''re standing here helping this woman speak. Do you even care about your sister at all?"

 Chapter 327 She Is Not My Mother

    Chapter 327 She Is Not My Mother


    Michelle had been filming here all along, and people around were gathering as if they were watching a show. Everyone thought they were either agreeing or arguing. It was embarrassing.


    "Do you even care about your sister? Look at how much she''s suffering now. If I were you, I would treat my sister well. You shouldn''t have done this. You show no remorse. I don''t know what you''re thinking. Can''t you see your sister''s well-being? Or is this woman the only thing you care about? Don''t forget how she treated you and your sister. She never had any sincerity!"


    "He hid something and did so much in our house. Who knows if he came to our house to get something. You caused such a scene in the family because of this woman. You''re out of line!"


    "If I had known you were like this, I shouldn''t have given birth to you. After giving birth to you, you couldn''t help me with anything. You made your own sister like this. If I were you, I would just die now!"


    When people heard these words, they couldn''t help but feel a chill, even Silvia couldn''t bear it. Honestly, he didn''t have a great rtionship with Cyril and Cyril''s family, but he didn''t expect Michelle to say such things. When he said these words, it didn''t seem like something a mother would say, more like an enemy.


    Thinking this, Silvia pulled Cyril behind her and looked at Michelle.


    "Since he''s your son, but you say such things to your son, I don''t know what kind of mother you are. Is Bonnie the only one who''s your daughter? Isn''t he your son? And the reason why your daughter is in this situation now is because of his own actions. If I were you, I wouldn''t let such a thing happen."


    Silvia stood in front of Cyril with a protective tone, which made Michelle''s face hard to hold. He couldn''t understand why these two things were not rted, and Silvia obviously didn''t like Cyril, yet she still stood by his side and spoke to him. Why?


    "Did I not raise him well? If I didn''t raise him well, then what is he?"


    Michelle was upset. Seeing Silvia siding with Cyril made him even more ufortable.


    "Just because he said a few words to you now, your mood has changed? Don''t forget, no matter what you do, he won''t bother with you anymore." Seeing Silvia defending Cyril like this, Michelle subconsciously felt that Silvia''s purpose today was to make Cyril care about her again, and they would get back together. It would never happen in front of him, especially since Silvia harmed her own daughter; she would never let such a thing happen.


    "I think you have a problem. I''m not interested in what''s happening in your family just don''t like what you''re doing now. How can a mother do such things? Even if Cyril did something wrong, have you ever thought about whether your daughter did anything wrong? If you investigate what he''s doing now, you''ll find out it''s him."


    Silvia felt embarrassed to bring up what he had done before. Now he was being used by someone else, like a fool. But it seemed like Michelle couldn''t see it.


    Seeing Michelle still about to speak,Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    el


    Cyril interrupted him without hesitation, "Enough, don''t talk about these things anymore. I won''t listen to what you say. And what Silvia said, I don''t think there''s anything wrong. It''s always been your daughter''s fault from the beginning. You''re standing here questioning me, have you ever thought about what you''ve done to me since I was a child, and what you''ve done to him? Your favoritism towards him and your indifference towards me. Do you think I should still have any affection for you?"


    Cyril''s face darkened as he directly questioned Michelle. Michelle couldn''t say anything. In his opinion, although his son wasn''t raised by him, he was still his flesh and blood. So he should help him, and he and Bonnie were siblings. Why couldn''t he help with these things?


    Cyril used to never bother exining anything. He had never had much thought about this family. The reason why his rtionship with Silvia hade to this point was actually because of the family. If it wasn''t for the family causing this, he wouldn''t have be like this.


    Today, Silvia standing in front of him to help was indeed unexpected. She was very grateful that Silvia would mend the situation regardless of past events, but these things had nothing to do with Silvia originally. There was no need to involve her.


    "If you want your daughter to go back well, I advise you to be honest now. Don''t make pointless struggles anymore. If you provoke me again, you should know that I have all the power now. I can make everything you have now disappear."


    Cyril threatened ruthlessly, making Michelle truly afraid. He knew everything now was caused by his son. Last time his son had told him, but he didn''t take it seriously, or now he realized his son was serious.


    "Not even caring about your own sister, now not even caring about your own biological mother, you''re quite something."


    "Not as much as you."

 Chapter 328 Soft-heartedness

    Chapter 328 Soft-heartedness


    After the mother and son ended with such gloomy faces, Silvia saw Cyril looking particrlyplex. He shouldn''t have spoken up for Cyril just now. He knew he had a soft spot, but when he saw Cyril like that, he felt he had to say something. Cyril had never encountered such a situation in his family before, and Silvia didn''t know how Cyril had coped with it.


    "Don''t look at me like that. Actually, I haven''t suffered any grievances since I was a child. I was raised by my grandfather, and he educated me well. But all these years, you have suffered a lot. My grandfather is old, so he always thought I should have a better family. But he didn''t expect me to marry you, nor did he think about divorcing you. Maybe he couldn''t ept it for a moment."


    Cyril exined to Silvia his feelings. He had never talked to Silvia like this before, and they hadn''t even met often. But now, it seemed like they could look at their rtionship from another angle.


    Silvia nodded and nced around. The crowd that had gathered to watch had dispersed, but it was obvious that today''s events would surely make headlines. What would Cyril do then?


    "Do you want me to help you? Today''s events have indeed had a big impact on you, and I''m also deeply involved. Helping you is actually helping myself. Also, the rtionship between you and your mother, if it can''t be resolved, both of you will have trouble in the future."


    Cyril had always felt something was wrong with his rtionship with his mother. They would argue, and various things would happen. So he had to find a way to stop this from affecting their future life.


    "I know. I''ll handle this. Thank you very much for helping me today. It''ste now, you should go back. I can handle these things."


    Cyril insisted that Silvia not interfere anymore, so Silvia had nothing more to say. Since it was his decision, he would understand. Otherwise, it wouldn''t be good to meddle too much, and it might make the situation worse.


    After Silvia left, Cyril stood still for a while before calling his assistant to pick him up. As for what happened here, it needed to be resolved quickly. They couldn''t continue like this, or it might really affect Silvia. Originally, today''s events had nothing to do with Silvia. They were all things Silvia did to protect herself.


    ...After Silvia got in the car, he immediately called his elder brother. Today''s events would definitely cause trouble. After informing his brother, Bruce, about the situation, he knew he was going soft-hearted for Cyril this time. Of course, he knew this softness wasn''t because of past events, but because Cyril''s recent experiences made him feel sorry for him. And this feeling ofpassion could happen to anyone.


    But when he told Bruce about it, Bruce burst intoughter on the phone and then scolded him directly.


    "Are you crazy? You can do anything. You know the situation now, yet you still want to help Cyril with these things? Don''t forget, you and Cyril have nothing to do with each other anymore. Do you think you''re doing well now? If I were you, I wouldn''t do such a thing."


    "No, if today''s situation happened to


    you, you would definitely feel that Cyril is being treated unfairly. Because these things have nothing to do with Cyril, but they are still being pushed onto him. Compassion and soft-heartedness aren''t my fault. Besides, if I don''t do anything, I won''t feel good."


    Silvia earnestly exined his reasons for today''s actions to Bruce, but Bruce didn''t want to listen. To Bruce, this was simply an extremely foolish move. Was it necessary to involve himself like this?


    "If it were someone else today, I


    ????


    would definitely not do anything. But since it''s Cyr, I will never agree. Give up on this idea. I definitely won''t help you. And if this makes headlines, you''ll have to figure out how to exin it to Dad. The most important thing now is to solve the problems thepany is facing, not to make more trouble for the


    company!" ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    After saying this, Bruce hung up angrily, leaving Silvia biting his lip. He knew there was no way out of this situation now.


    What if there''s no way out? The soft-heartedness has taken over. It always has to be dealt with. Just as he was hesitating about what to do, he suddenly received a message on his phone. Cyril had taken action. He paused for a moment and guessed that Cyril had probably prepared for this a long time ago, but had never done it before. Maybe he was too disappointed this time and decided to take action against his family.


    Seeing that Cyril had taken action, Silvia didn''t say anything more. Since he already had a n, there was no need for him to feel sorry or soft- hearted anymore.


    But besides this, he felt he still had to find a way to solve this matter separately. Now that Michelle thought Bonnie''s situation was rted to him, he couldn''t just let it go.


    But he couldn''t handle this matter alone. He decided to call his second brother, Balk, to join him. As he drove, he looked around carefully, making sure no one was following him, and then breathed a sigh of relief.


    Watching him act like a guilty thief, Silvia couldn''t help but want tough.


    "What are youughing at? You don''t know I''m taking a big risking out now. If someone finds out I sneaked out, I''ll definitely get scolded!"

 Chapter 329 Visiting Grandpa

    Chapter 329 Visiting Grandpa


    Even though their family was prepared to fight back, it still had an impact on Balk, and it wouldst for a long time. So, he had to be prepared first. If it weren''t for his sister''s involvement in this matter, he probably wouldn''t even leave the house. He was only going out now because his sister needed his help. Yet, his sister was mocking him. Balk couldn''t ept this.


    "If you''re going to be like that, then I won''t even see you."


    After saying this, Balk sat in the car with Carl Silvia, not moving at all. He knew Silvia wouldn''t leave now. After all, if he left, he might be discovered. It was better to sit in the car and resolve the matter first.


    "Don''t be too much. After all, I''m your elder brother. I''m taking a big risking here to help you. And you''re just going to ignore me like this?" Silvia couldn''t help but be annoyed. He knew what was going through Balk''s mind, so there was no need to persuade him with nonsense.


    "Okay, I get it, brother. You''re doing this to help me. I appreciate it. But you know that what I''m doing now might not please big brother. But I can''t just sit back and let him think he can bully me. You know the things I''ve done to help you and the familytely, so I have to take action first."


    Hearing Carl''s words, Balk rolled his eyes. He knew exactly what his sister was thinking.


    "Don''t try to deceive me. Even though I''m not the eldest brother, I know why you''re doing this. It''s all because of Cyril, right? Why do you need to help him like this? And did you miss the news today? Cyril has already taken action against his own family. Do you still need to get involved?"


    "Whether I need to get involved or not, I have to show my attitude. I can''t stand himing to bother me again and again. At least now, I''m not wearing the same shoes as you. So, I''m going to take care of this first. And this is something I can''t tell big brother. If big brother knows about this, he''ll be angry with me."


    Carl''s honest appearance annoyed Balk. He knew what was going on, but why did he still do it? Now, even he might get scolded by big brother. "I hope nothing happened to the youngest. Then we wouldn''t have to involve him. Then, none of us would have any problems."


    They stopped talking, but their goal


    was clear. They drove directly to see Grandpa because they knew if they only went to see Michelle, it wouldn''t have any effect. Michelle had already caused a


    e today.n


    probably wouldn''t listen to reason. So, they had to intervene from Grandpa''s side. After all, Grandpa''s attitude would determine the


    oue of the situation. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Seeing Carl driving, Balk''s expression was somewhat meaningful. He thought his sister was Linda, and it seemed she had nned everything in advance. She just hadn''t found the opportunity before.


    "If big brother finds out how much you care about this matter, I wonder what he''ll do to you."


    After saying this, Balk closed his eyes to rest. Carl had indeed been prepared for a long time but hadn''t acted because he didn''t think it was necessary. Now, it was necessary because Michelle had gone too far.


    Carl and Balk quickly arrived at the old mansion. Grandpa was acting as the steward today. When they told Grandpa about their visit, he was surprised. He hadn''t expected Carl toe at this time. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Thinking of thest incident, Grandpa felt a little uneasy.


    "Why are you here? Don''t you think our family has caused enough trouble? Do you want to make things even messier?"


    When he saw Grandpa treating him like he wasn''t wee, Carl couldn''t help but want tough. He wasn''t here to chat with Grandpa; he was here to make trouble.


    "Grandpa, that''s not fair. Last time when I came to cause trouble, you scolded me. Now, what you did ising back to you."


    Hearing this, Grandpa became breathless with anger.

 Chapter 330 Hospitalized from Anger

    Chapter 330 Hospitalized from Anger


    Just one sentence was enough to make Grandpa so angry that Balk couldn''t help but look at his sister more.


    He thought his sister had been suffering all these years, but he didn''t expect her to know exactly what to say to make Grandma so mad. After all, Grandpa''s reputation was the most important thing to him at this age. Being talked to like that by Silvia made him very unhappy.


    "Come on, just say it. What''s your purpose foring here? I didn''t invite you, andst time I didn''t even know who you were. So, it wasn''t appropriate for you to say those things. But what does that matter? If you hadn''t hidden our identities first, none of those things would have happened. Besides, our families haven''t had any conflicts recently."


    Grandpa lived in the vi and rarely went out, so he wasn''t very aware of what was happening outside.


    He thought Silvia hade today to cause trouble, but Silvia shook her head. She didn''te to make trouble for Grandpa. She came to exin the situation clearly.


    "Grandpa, you''ve got it wrong. Last time when you came to our house to talk to my dad, it was because you wereining about me. But this time, I''m here to tell you something that our family doesn''t want to tell you. I know you''ll be very angry when you hear it, but there''s no other choice. They''ve been bullying you so much, not telling you anything. So, I had toe and tell you these things. Do you want to see what your granddaughter has been up to? You probably don''t know. She''s been involved with several people privately, and she''s done something bad. Take a look. I wasn''t nning to bring it up, but your daughter-inw has been too much recently, always ming us for everything. So, I brought a little gift to see you. I hope you don''t mind."


    Silvia took out a document and handed it to Grandpa. Balk''s eyes widened when he saw this. He thought his sister was just acting impulsively, but now it seemed she had everything prepared. But had she been nning this for a long time? The family didn''t know about this.


    "I didn''t want to bring up these things before because I thought the rtionship between our families wouldn''t deteriorate to this point. But now I can''t help it. If it weren''t for what you''ve done, I wouldn''t have done this. Everything in this document is true. You can investigate it slowly. If you find anything fake, I''llpensate you. But if everything is true, I hope you can give me an exnation. After all, I''ve been affected a lot by your familytely."


    Though Grandpa was old, his mind was still clear. After reading the documents, he became even more upset. His face turned pale, and it seemed he was about to faint. The butler was anxious and quickly brought some medicine. After taking the medicine, hisplexion improved slightly, but he was still upset. He couldn''t believe his granddaughter could be so foolish.


    "Just because you brought these things, does that mean they''re true? Let me tell you, just because you brought these things doesn''t mean I''ll believe you."


    Hearing this, Silvia wasn''t surprised


    at all. She had already thought it through. If Grandpa believed her words so easily, that would be strange Grandpa wouldn''t easily believe her, so she knew she had to make him angry. Once he was angry, seeds of doubt would be nted in his mind. If Grandpa doubted this matter, it would make it even more interesting.


    "You can feel that these things are true in your heart. After all, you know what kind of person your granddaughter is. Also, take a look at what Michelle did today. These things can''t be made up by me."


    Silvia took out her phone and yed


    a video she had found on her way here today. After watching it, Grandpa couldn''t help but throw the cup on the table and handed the shaking phone back to Silvia. He had never expected Cyril to suffer so much injustice, and what did


    Michelle mean by ming


    everything on Cyril?


    "Cyril is someone you raised


    yourself. You know his character better than anyone. So, what he''s


    doing now is really excessive, rightContent protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Not only that, but now he''s also fighting for fairness for his daughter. But does his daughter really deserve any fairness?"


    Silvia knew that once she brought out Cyril''s actions, along with previous incidents, Grandpa would be even more angry. Now, she didn''t need to make Grandpa believe her actions; he would already be certain that they were true.


    "Fine, you''ll know how angry I am after seeing these things. Okay, I''ll make an appointment with you to properly deal with these people. But let me tell you, I remember that you came here to make trouble today, and I''ll get back at you someday."


    Grandpa''s face was extremely unpleasant. Silvia couldn''t continue to provoke him like this, or he would end up in the hospital. After nodding, she left with her brother.


    But as soon as they left, the butler called the driver, saying that Grandpa had fainted and needed to be taken to the hospital immediately. "Seriously, sis, you have too much firepower. Just a few words and you''ve put Grandpa in the hospital."


    Balk couldn''t believe it. He didn''t even get a chance to say anything when they went in. It was all his sister talking. He hadn''t expected his sister''s fighting power to be so strong. What use was he there?

 Chapter 331 Desperate

    Chapter 331 Desperate


    After Grandpa was rushed to the hospital by Silvia''s actions, the situation quickly escted and spread throughout the city like wildfire. When Balk saw the news, he felt anxious. He wondered how the news spread so quickly, especially since it happened on their turf.


    "Sis, this situation is getting more and more tricky. Although you kindly told Grandpa the truth, now everyone is pointing fingers at us, thinking we''re responsible for all this mess. It''s not good. And if big brother finds out about this, I''ll definitely get an earful. You''ll have to have my back when that happens."


    Balk was genuinely scared. This situation was dangerous. He didn''t know what to do.


    "I knew something like this would happen before I did it, so I''m not surprised. Don''t worry. I''ve thought about the next steps, so you can trust mepletely."


    "Trust you? How can I trust you? I can''t rx at all. Look at how this situation has turned out. Everyone''s ming us. Before, you were rtively clean, but now you''re in hot water, and we''re in the hospital. This is a mess we can''t exin away."


    Balk was panicking, ready to call Bruce to handle the situation, but Silvia stopped him. She gave him a disapproving look. She had anticipated what might happen, so she wouldn''t let Balk make that call.


    "There''s really no need to panic. And why do you think this is automatically my fault? Instead of worrying about whether this will backfire on us, why don''t you think about who would be so bold as to station reporters outside our house?"


    Silvia''s reminder calmed Balk down. He had been stressed about recent events, fearing someone would uncover his identity and harm his family. Now, he realized there might be more to the situation.


    "What should we do? Should we just let this go? We can''t do that. If we ignore this, it''s impossible."Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Somebody nned this


    beforehand. Even if we didn''t show up today, this would have happened sooner orter. So instead of letting them catch us off guardter, let''s take control now. Think about who would ce reporters at our doorstep."


    Silvia''s calm demeanor made Balk realize that there was indeed something suspicious about the situation. She started to think about how to handle it.


    "Who do you think it is? Maybe it''s Bonnie. She''s probably been manipted by someone. But why would they do this? They can''t escape responsibility either."


    "You''re not the only one who can


    think of these things. Others can too. But even if they know this will hurt their own families, so what? As long as they can drag us down, they''ll achieve their goal. They''ve always targeted us from the start, and now their n is halfway sessful. If I hadn''t been prepared, this would have been over."


    Silvia held several pieces of evidence that could ruin them if revealed. She calmly smiled, but Balk felt a cold sweat down his back. He hadn''t expected his sister to be so ruthless and well-prepared.


    "My dear sister, next time if you have such a n, please tell me in advance. My heart can''t take it. I was really worried you''d do something to scare me. I almost called big brother."


    Why didn''t she tell him earlier? He was prepared. If she had told him earlier, he wouldn''t have been so nervous now.


    Silvia chuckled, starting to look forward to that person''s arrival. She already had an idea in mind.


    After waiting for a while, they were surprised to see Bonnie as the first person to arrive. Considering his current situation, he shouldn''t have been running around randomly. But his appearance here was unexpected.

 Chapter 332 Courting Death

    Chapter 332 Courting Death


    It wasn''t just him showing up here; there were more than him. Everyone who came today was prepared. This whole thing was part of his n. When he saw Silvia, a look of satisfaction and pleasure shed in his eyes. Finally, he could get back at Silvia for what she did to him. He wouldn''t let Silvia off the hook for what she did.


    "You guys! Right after you left my house, my grandpa ended up in the hospital. Are you trying to kill my whole family? I''ve already called the reporters toe and see your true colors. You married into my brother''s family just for our wealth, right? Although your Ivan Family is powerful, we''re not weak. But to swallow us up, you''ll resort to anything. And now, you''ve put my grandpa in this state!"


    "I''ll make you pay, especially you, Silvia. The things you did are beyond shameful. But you still did them. I''ve never seen anyone like you!"


    Bonnie used Silvia vehemently, as if Silvia hadmitted some unforgivable crime. And the group behind him, who had been arranged toe here upon learning the news, immediately aimed their cameras at Silvia and Balk.


    Among the crowd, Balk was quickly recognized. He had a notorious reputation online.


    So when they found out that besides Silvia, Balk was also involved, all the cameras turned to Balk, bombarding him with questions about his connection to the incident.


    "Balk, can you exin why you and your sister are here? Are you two responsible for what happened today? Did you upset Grandpa andnd him in the hospital? Is this your doing or someone in your family''s doing?"


    "Balk, can you exin what happened?"


    "Mr. Balk, you haven''t given a direct response to the rumors online and have been avoiding the media''s questions. And now you''re involved in this with your sister. Are you feeling pressured?"


    "Mr. Balk, Miss Silvia, could you please answer our questions? What''s the reason behind this? Miss Silvia, did you do this just to take over their family''s wealth? But why? You''re the heir of the Ivan Family; you shouldn''t be doing such things."


    Everyone was staring at them,


    hoping to understand why they would do such a thing. But both Balk and Silvia remained calm. Balk was annoyed by the online rumors, but it didn''t mean he was afraid of them. He had nothing to do with this. However, his gaze turned cold when he looked at Bonnie because he knew Bonnie was behind all this, recklessly courting death.


    "Instead of asking us why we''re here, why don''t you think about what could have made Grandpa so upset? If a couple of words from me could make Grandpa faint, then I guess I have quite the power."


    Normally, they should have


    exined why they were there and that they had nothing to do with the incident. But Silvia didn''t. She calmly told the reporters that there was a reason behind what happened. The reporters were curious, so when Silvia mentioned it, they looked at her eagerly,pletely ignoring Bonnie''s nervous expression.


    "You''re talking nonsense. This is your doing. You did this to hurt my grandpa. So what if you''re denying it now?"


    "I''m not denying anything. On the contrary, because some things happened, it made your grandpa so upset. Oh, right, when I went today, I brought a gift for your grandpa. It''s about you and your mother. Of course, I''m not sure if your grandpa will ept it after reading it. At first, I was worried, but seeing how good his health is, I thought it wouldn''t be a big problem. But it seems I was too naive. Your grandpa couldn''t ept the document. You must be curious. So here it is. I''ll show you the document. After you read it, you''ll be very interested in this whole thing."


    Silvia suddenly took out two documents. Just by looking at them, it was clear they were prepared in advance. She was ready for what was going to happen today. So when the reporters asked, she showed them. The reporters'' eyes lit up upon seeing the documents. They didn''t know what had happened, but now they were excited.


    Bonnie didn''t know what the documents were, but after a nce, his whole expression changed. How could Silvia have so much evidence? These documents contained not only his own dark secrets but also his mother''s. If investigated further, they would reveal some unsavory deeds done by their family, which would be a devastating blow to their family. No wonder Grandpa fainted after seeing them.


    "So, do you still want to know what happened? This is why Grandpa suddenly fainted and ended up in the hospital." Silvia spoke slowly.? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.

 Chapter 333 Cyrils Tactics

    Chapter 333 Cyril''s Tactics


    The way this situation was unfolding was unexpected. Initially, when they received the news, they only knew that Silvia and our family had pushed Grandpa into a corner, causing him to faint. Now they realized it wasn''t as simple as they thought. It wasn''t Silvia who made Grandpa faint; it was actually their own children who forced him into unconsciousness.


    "Besides what you can see in your hands, I have a lot of information about their family. Any of these things could make Grandpa faint from anger. So, you don''t need to worry. If needed, you can contact my secretary. She has a lot of information too."


    Seeing the excitement of the reporters and how they all turned their attention to Bonnie, Silvia knew she had seeded. Bonnie wanted these reporters to question her, but now he had to deal with the consequences.


    "Another thing, you''ve been asking me if I married Cyril for his family''s wealth. Well, let me give you a formal response here today, although the setting isn''t very formal."


    These rumors had been circting since her divorce from Cyril, and they only increased after she inherited her position. She had never paid them any mind before, but now she felt the need to exin. At least she didn''t want to cause trouble for herself.


    "From the beginning, I never cared about their trashy wealth. If I did, I would''ve married him in a different way. I married him because I really liked him. You might find this funny, given my wealth and status, but it''s true. But now, I don''t like him anymore. Even after our divorce, I didn''t touch hispany. If I wanted to, I would''ve done it from the beginning. But I didn''t. I''ve never done anything like that, even though I suffered a lot during our marriage."


    "The reason I didn''t do anything isn''t that I wanted to harm hispany. It''s because I simply don''t care about hispany."


    Everyone was surprised to hear Silvia''s analysis. Although Cyril''spany wasn''t as big as the One Fan Group, it was still very powerful. Silvia''s im that she didn''t care about hispany seemed arrogant to them. It was like she was looking down on them for using such a smallpany to measure her feelings for someone.


    "Yes, you heard me right. I really don''t want to touch hispany. Ourpany creates twice as much value as theirs every year. Am I stupid enough to do something to hispany? Also, why would I? Don''t forget, ourpany is seen as a cash cow by most people. They wouldn''t dare offend us; they''d rather find ways to cooperate with us. So, why would I do something like this when there''s a good chance Cyril would cooperate with us, and with better reasons? "


    After Silvia finished her analysis, everyone felt that she made sense. Previously, they thought Silvia did it because she didn''t like Cyril, but now they realized that it wasn''t about her feelings at all. Silvia had never cared about this matter from the start.


    "If you hadn''t brought up this matter today, I wouldn''t have bothered exining it. Anyway, that''s all I haveContent is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    to say. If you want to know motact


    about thisdy here, you can contact my secretary. She''ll give you more interesting stuff."


    After saying this, Silvia saw that Cyril and Michelle had arrived. She didn''t want to deal with them anymore, so she gave Balk a look, and he escorted her away.


    As soon as they left, Michelle and Cyril arrived. Seeing Bonnie surrounded by the reporters, constantly being questioned about the authenticity of the documents and Grandpa''s condition, Michelle became furious.


    "What are you doing? Why are you all surrounding my daughter? Silvia didn''t do anything wrong. It''s Silvia and those documents you''ve got that aren''t real. He''s been trying to frame us from the beginning. Are you all brainless?"


    Although these reporters had been invited here, they were excited after hearing such sensational news. Now, hearing Michelle''s words, they became a bit displeased.


    They hadn''t forgotten how stimting it was when Silvia presented those documents, many of which were about the woman in front of them.


    "Where are the security guards? Didn''t they see what''s going on here?"


    In a matter of minutes, the reporters were all gone. Michelle and Bonnie breathed a sigh of relief, but Bonnie''s face was still grim. He knew Silvia''s


    evidence against Cyril was the most significant threat to him.


    "It seems I''ve been too lenient with you. From now on, I hope you will reflect for a while. If you''re feeling ufortable here in the country go abroad. I''ve arranged


    el


    amodations for you. Just live a quiet life. This is not a negotiation; it''s a notice."

 Chapter 334 Who Are You

    Chapter 334 Who Are You


    Cyril had always avoided getting involved with them, even though they did many wrong things. He never intended to harm them. But today''s events made him realize that his inaction had led to all these troubles.


    To live peacefully in the future, he decided it was best to send these two troublemakers away, preferably never to return. Keeping them here would only bring endless problems.


    Anne was lost in her own world and didn''t notice the cold tone in Cyril''s words. But Michelle, after hearing what Cyril said, widened her eyes in disbelief.


    This was her son. And now he wanted to force her to leave the country and live abroad. Wasn''t this pushing her into a corner? How could he be so heartless as to make her leave?


    "I''m your mother! I gave you life, otherwise, how could you have grown up like this, with so much? And now you tell me you want me to leave the country, that I''m obstructing your path with my presence here? Let me tell you, as long as we''re here, neither me nor your sister will leave!" Michelle''s eyes turned red as she yelled at Cyril. But Cyril wasn''t surprised by her reaction; he had suggested them leaving before, and Michelle''s reaction had been even more intense than now.


    At that time, Cyril just thought it was troublesome and didn''t want to bother himself with it.


    He always believed that even if his mother and sister caused trouble, he could find a way to solve it. Now he realized it wasn''t as easy as he thought. His family didn''t give him a moment''s peace. Even Silvia, who had no rtion to him, was defending him, while his mother only wanted to squeeze out hisst bit of value.


    "That''s right, you are my mother. But I''ve already told you, you''re not just my mother. I didn''t grow up with you; you didn''t treat me as well as you treated my sister. I''ve grown up and learned not to mind it. Now, my only request is for you not to cause me any trouble. But recently, you and my sister have caused me nothing but trouble. Even today, Grandpa ended up in the hospital. Can you say that this has nothing to do with you? I''ve seen Silvia''s documents long ago. Since the day of our divorce, she sent them all to me. She said there were no feelings between us, and she didn''t want to do anything to me. She can consider your harm to her as canceled, but she has backups of those documents. If you do anything to hurt her, she won''t hesitate to bring them out."


    Cyril knew that once Silvia brought out those documents, it meant she was officially fighting back against their family. And what they were doing now was just what he had anticipated.


    When he first saw those documents, Cyril was confident that something like this would never happen to his family. But now, he realized everything was messed up.


    "I''m not negotiating with you; I''m informing you. I''ve arranged everything. You''ll leave in two hours. You better behave now, or you''ll have a hard time on the way."


    After saying this, Cyril walked into Grandpa''s hospital room. As for the other bodyguards, they dragged the mother and daughter away.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Michelle screamed in frustration, but


    Cyril couldn''t hear her. She was so noisy that the guards stuffed a towel in her mouth and took her away. The hospital staff was stunned; they never expected the situation to end like this.


    S


    They were sent out of the country overnight, to the ce where Bonnie used to study Cyril didn''t have high expectations. Everything they needed was prepared for them, and he just hoped they would live quietly there. Cyril wouldn''t cause them much trouble, but it was on the condition that they behaved


    themselves. If they crossed the line, he wouldn''t be the only one deciding their fate.


    Once they arrived abroad, Bonnie locked himself in his room, ignoring everyone, even Michelle''s cries outside. He began to ponder over recent events. How could he have lost?


    Silvia was clearly no match for him, yet she still won, putting him in this situation. That person had told him that everything would go as he. imagined as long as they


    vel.ne


    cooperated. But it wasn''t true he


    didn''t get what he wanted. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Bonnie couldn''t ept it and yelled in his room, startling Michelle outside. She was desperate to see her daughter, but she couldn''t get in.


    And then, Bonnie''s phone rang. He hesitated to answer, but something inside told him he had to. Answering this call would bring about a big change.


    So, Bonnie answered the call. There was static at first, then a hoarse voice that could hardly be distinguished as male or female came through the phone.


    Bonnie felt a sense of danger rising within him, his heart pounding heavily. He asked, "Who are you?"

 Chapter 335 Apology

    Chapter 335 Apology


    "It doesn''t matter who I am. What matters is that I can help you, Bonnie. Your brother sent you abroad, right? Well, I''m also abroad now. I know you''re not happy with your current situation, and you think it''s all Silvia''s fault. As long as you''re willing to cooperate with me, I can help you with whatever you want to do."


    Hearing this, it''s hard not to be tempted. But why would someone want to help him? If it wasn''t to get something from him, why help?


    "What do you want from me? I have nothing now. If you''re looking to gain something from me, it''s impossible. My rtionship with my brother is terrible, and my mom has been abandoned by him. So anything you want from me is out of the question. And if you''re trying to go after Silvia, I advise you not to bother. You can''t handle the people around her."


    Even though Bonnie was very impulsive, he had be quite calm after experiencing these events. He could talk about the current situation and had been used so many times. If he didn''t wise up, he''d be too foolish.


    "I know Silvia''s situation now is not something everyone can mess with. I''m not as foolish as you think. But don''t worry, I don''t just want to target Silvia. You need my help now, and I can help you, right?"


    "You want to help me, but what can you do? The situation is irreversible now. I can''t contact Silvia or my brother. What can you do for me? Even if you help me, I might not get anything. Are you still willing to help me in this situation?"


    After hearing the other person''s words, Bonnie found them particrly ridiculous. If they wanted to help him, what could they do? He couldn''t even take care of himself now, let alone help.


    "Since I dare to say so, it means I have the ability to help you. You just need to say whether you need my help or not. If you do, I can make your life better than it was before. If you don''t, then forget I ever called. You should know there are many people who want to cooperate with me. You''re just one of the more suitable ones I''ve found, but being suitable doesn''t mean perfect."


    After saying this, the other person hung up.


    Having the phone abruptly hung up without any buffer was something Bonnie couldn''t ept at first. He really couldn''t ept his current situation. Even though his life now wasn''t much different from when he studied abroad, the thought that he had beenpletely abandoned by his brother, even if he died here, he couldn''t ept it. And what he couldn''t ept the most was Silvia.


    Why did his life have to be so miserable while Silvia could act like nothing happened? He wanted to live freely, why did he have to suffer? Everything that had happened was because of Silvia, and that made him feel particrly bitter.


    "Damn it, why did they hang up on me? If it''s still such an important matter, would you dare to hang up on me like this? You have the nerve to say you''re here to help me, but you can''t even ept it yourself. Do you really need my help, or are you just trying to show me attitude? Who are you, really? If I catch you, I won''t let you off."


    Bonnie threw a tantrum at home, but after venting his anger, he immediately calmed down. If the other party needed his help, it meant he still had some value. But why did they have toe to him?


    Was there really something they needed him to do? But after thinking about it, he couldn''t figure out why.


    Just as he didn''t know what to do, his phone rang again. It was the same number as before. This time, Bonnie was calmer, and his tone was much better than before.


    "What''s up? I''ve given you some


    time to calm down and think about


    what I''ve said I was really angry before, and I shouldn''t have said those things if I need your help. But you need to understand, the only person who can help you get out of this mess right now is me. We can achieve things together. Think carefully about whether you need my help. If you don''t, I won''t call youOriginal from N?velDrama.Org.


    again."


    "I know. If you want me to take your call, you need to show me some sincerity. I want a better life, but if you can''t even do that, then I think we don''t need to talk anymore."


    "You''re a smart girl. Don''t worry, I''ve


    already arranged it. Just agree to what I want, and you can have whatever you want. You have half an hour to pack your things and leave with your mother. My people will be waiting downstairs, and they take you away. Whether you believe it or not is up to you. My people will only wait for you for half an hour. If you''re not there, our cooperation is over."


    For the past couple of weeks, Silvia had been busy with herpany''s affairs. Sometimes she met Cyril; after all, Cyril had helped her a lot, especially with Bonnie and Michelle Silvia had softened towards them a bit, so she always met Cyril. The atmosphere between them had improved a bit. Today, they were on their way to see Grandpa,when Cyril suddenly received a call from Bonnie. Seeing it was Bonnie calling, Silvia subconsciously prepared to step aside, not wanting to disturb them.


    The next second, the call was answered, and Bonnie''s apology came through.


    "I''m sorry, bro."

 Chapter 336 Counterattack

    Chapter 336 Counterattack


    After such a long time, the first thing Bonnie said when he called was to apologize. This surprised Cyril, and even Silvia found it unexpected. They had been in contact for a long time, so they knew his character well. It was unlikely for him to do such a thing, and Bonnie couldn''t possibly do it.


    "You''re calling to apologize so that I won''t hold you ountable for what you did, right? Let me tell you, that''s impossible. Just tell me, what do you want now? Or do you want things to go back to the way they were? I can tell you, that''s absolutely impossible."Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    When Cyril received the call he had previously suspected it was his sister calling with some other intention.


    "I didn''t mean it like that. I''ve been having a terrible time abroad. I''ve been thinking about what I did wrong. I really want to change. Can you give me another chance, bro? This time, I not only want to apologize to you but also to Silvia. I was too impulsive this time. I just felt that Silvia''s current situation is somewhat rted to our family, so I didn''t think clearly. Can you give Silvia another chance, please? I''ll really change."


    "Didn''t I give you chances before? I''ve given you countless chances, but you never seized them. Now you want another chance from me? Do you think that''s possible? Bonnie, I can''t believe anything you say now. You know, you''ve been raised poorly by our mother. You know that yourself. Even knowing that I don''t trust you, you still call me to talk about this. Obviously, you want to see how I''ll react and how much I care about Silvia. If you feel that I care about Silvia, you''ll go after her, right?"


    "How could you think like that about me? Even though we didn''t grow up together, I''m still your sister. I couldn''t do such a thing. When Silvia was at home before, she did those things herself. I didn''t force her. If she didn''t want to do it, she didn''t have to. But now, you me everything on me. Is that fair?"


    Just a few sentences revealed his true nature. Cyril realized that Bonnie didn''t call sincerely to apologize. So, he wondered what the real purpose of Bonnie''s call was. Hearing him shouting like this made Cyril feel ufortable.


    Cyril didn''t want to waste any more time talking to him, so he hung up the phone and blocked his sister''s number.


    This series of actions surprised Silvia. She thought her siblings could have a good chat, and Cyril wouldn''t really ignore his sister''s actions. But Cyril''s reaction caught her off guard.


    "Aren''t you going to continue to care about him? If he''s suffering abroad and can''t contact you, you might regret it. After all, he''s your sister. You can''t really ignore him, can you?"


    Silvia hesitated for a moment but decided to say so. Although she thought Bonnie''s previous actions were too much, she was still a girl abroad. What if she was in danger?


    Cyril looked at Silvia as if he had never known her. Her words surprised him. He thought girls would be very angry in such situations, but he didn''t expect Silvia to be so considerate of her sister.


    "Don''t worry about him. I''ve arranged for him. Nothing will happen to him. If there''s a problem, they''ll let me know. After what he did to you, you still want to forgive him?"


    "I''m not insisting on forgiving him. But I will fight back. But I''ll do it alone. I just think you shouldn''t do anything that makes you regret."


    After hearing Silvia''s words, Cyril


    shook his head. He wouldn''t regret it because he had wanted to do this for a long time. Whether it was


    Bonnie or their mother, keeping


    them around would only cause trouble. It would have been better not to keep them around from the beginning.


    The call didn''t affect them much, but Silvia found Bonnie''s attitude very strange. She felt something was off but didn''t ask further. She decided to let her people investigate Bonnie''s current situation. His sudden call to apologize was suspicious, and Cyril suspected someone had told him what to do.


    After they finished visiting Grandpa, who was stable, but a bit unfriendly due to Silvia''s previous actions, Cyril left directly after informing Silvia. As soon as he stepped out of the ward, he received a call from his assistant saying that all the evidence had been prepared, and they were ready t¨¦counterattack. After this counterattack, those who had been bullying them would have to reconsider. Their family wasn''t so


    easy to mess with.


    "Now that everything''s ready, let''s get started."


    After Silvia finished speaking, the other party immediately agreed and hung up.


    Silvia looked up at the sky, feeling that the weather today was nice, and her mood was good. After being bullied for so many days, she was finally going to fight back. She couldn''t let others think her family was easy to bully.

 Chapter 337 Forced Apology

    Chapter 337 Forced Apology


    Silvia had her people gather all the dirt on the Tao Le family, not just their shady business dealings but also their personal lives. Each piece of dirt could cause a huge scandal online and with the authorities investigating theirpany, things were getting serious. Their stock prices were plummeting, and it was nerve-wracking.


    "If we had known, we should have done this earlier. They''ve caused us so much trouble. If we don''t reflect on this, they''ll think we''re easy targets. Little sis, don''t worry, I''ve got your back this time. And there are my own issues too. Can you help me with those? I can''t even go out now without everything I do being blown out of proportion. I don''t mind, but it''s getting annoying, especially for the captain and our third brother. Look at his situation, it''s pretty bad. I wanted to visit him, but with our current situation, I''m too scared to go anywhere. I''ve been cooped up at home going crazy these past few days."


    Balk had been stuck at home for the past few weeks, unused to being idle. Though he had written some new songs, he felt restless. He needed to sort things out, starting with the family issues.


    "Don''t worry about it. We''re at the final stage. The authorities are already investigating their family. If they don''t want to go down, they''ll have to apologize to us. Otherwise, it''s over for them."


    Silvia was ready for them toe and apologize, and they had no choice but toe.


    But when the apology came, it was clearly forced. They sent their father to handle it, while they watched from upstairs, feeling vindicated.


    "Last time, this guy met with the boss and hinted not to mess with our girl. Now, he''s here to apologize. Look at how ashamed he looks. Dad must be thrilled."


    Balk chuckled as he watched his father maintain a serious demeanor despite his obvious happiness. It was amusing how he had to pretend to be serious even though he was pleased.


    "After all, they were rivals in love. Dad might have won, but it still bothers him after all these years. If this hadn''t happened, who knows when he would have had his revenge. Anyway, Dad benefits from this."


    Seeing their father''s


    el


    hard-to-suppress smile, both siblings remained silent for a moment before calling Bruce to inform him of the day''s events. Bruce had been preparing for this, and how they would proceed with their ns after the apology. However, they needed to see how sincere the apology was first.


    "Now that that''s over, how about sorting out my issues? Mine seem moreplicated, and I don''t know what this person''s problem is. Why do they keep spreading these rumors about me? Can gossip even be called gossip when it''s


    completely baseless?" Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    With the family matters resolved, their recent losses would soon recover. However, dealing with the Tao Le family would take longer. But they had no choice; they couldn''t continue with them anymore.


    Now, it was Silvia''s turn. She


    seemed a bit anxious. She had


    nned to sort out her brother''s issues while dealing with their family problems. But her brother''s situation seemed moreplicated than expected, as someone seemed


    intent on dragging him down.


    "I just received word that there are more rumors about you circting."


    Silvia showed Balk thetest rumors on her phone. He was shocked to see a photo of him with several girls from high school being used as evidence. How could they twist that into a scandal?


    "How can they turn this photo into a scandal? It''s ridiculous. But who''s behind this? Do they want me dead or something?"


    Balk felt really ufortable. Once he regained hisposure, he vowed to go after those intentionally trying to tarnish his reputation.Original content from N?velDrama.Org.

 Chapter 338 Rumored Girlfriend

    Chapter 338 Rumored Girlfriend


    "There''s someone iming to be your rumored girlfriend. I don''t know if it''s true or not, but I''ve seen that person before. It seems like they really have some connection to you. Weren''t you chasing after them in high school? They''ve always been a bit dim, but now they''ve released this photo just to link themselves to you. They probably want to use your reputation to do something for themselves. Do you want to meet with them and resolve this? But be careful, if they arrange reporters in advance, it might not end well. Think it over before you do anything."


    Silvia analyzed the situation seriously with Balk. It seemed that the person intentionally released the photo to associate themselves with her father. Now, everyone believed they were Balk''s girlfriend, and there was probably more to it.


    Hearing his sister''s words made Balk ufortable. He didn''t want to meet with this person, but if he did, he needed to know their intentions. If they were seeking fame, he could use his resources to help, but there would be a price. He could assist now, but they''d have to pay him backter.


    "Find out who this person is. I''ll meet with them alone and see what they want. But anyone trying to outsmart me won''t have a good ending. Just because I''ve been singing and dancing in the group doesn''t mean I can''t handle things."


    Balk wasn''t usually angry, but when he was, it was intimidating. They all knew that, so they didn''t push the matter further. After sending all the investigation details to his brother, he prepared to go to work. After resolving this mess, he had to go to the main office for some more cooperation. They couldn''t afford any more dys.


    When they reached downstairs, the person had already left, leaving only their father happily humming off-key tunes on the sofa. Seeing his childrene down, he waved at them happily.


    "Are you twoing with meter? Bruce seems busy at thepany. You two don''t seem to have much going ontely, especially you, second son. You''ve been doing nothing at home all day. You''re actually looking decent today, though. Maybe it''s because I''ve finally beaten you at something."


    His father''s happiness was palpable, but his words stung Balk. Had he really done nothing at home? Why did his father find fault with him? But now wasn''t the time to argue with his father. He agreed to go see his younger brother first. After all, with such big family issues, he needed to inform Devitt and make sure he could rest peacefully.


    At the hospital, they unexpectedly ran into Miles.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Miles greeted a few people before pulling Silvia aside to talk. They didn''t know what they were discussing, but they could tell it was serious from their expressions.


    "Why did you suddenlye to see me today? Is something wrong with thepany?"


    They hadn''t been in touch muchtely. Miles mentioned he found something interesting and nned to investigate. It had been over a week since theyst saw each other, so his sudden return likely meant he found something.


    After seeing what Miles discovered, Silvia''s expression turned grim. She asked, "Bonnie''s missing. If I hadn''t checked, I wouldn''t have known. Cyril should be uncertain now. Have you thought about who could have taken her?"


    Silvia was surprised by this news. If


    Cyril didn''t know, thenst time when Bonnie called him to apologize, was it part of her ng But if Bonnie wanted topletely break free from Cyril''s control someone must have helped her. But Silvia didn''t know who would help Bonnie like this.


    "What are you thinking?"


    "I''m thinking thatst time when Bonnie called Cyril to apologize, was it also part of her n? But if she wants topletely break free from Cyril, someone must have helped her. But I don''t know who would help Bonnie like this. Whoever helped her must have some agenda against us."


    As they pondered this, Miles suggested informing Cyril since it was his sister after all. Silvia agreed, although she didn''t want to involve Cyril. But since it concerned his sister, it was necessary to inform him and see what he thought.


    Just as Miles was about to call Cyril,


    ???


    his phone rang. It was Cyril. He must have heard about Bonnie''s disappearance and wanted to discuss it. If Bonnie didn''t recognize the voice on the other end, it would greatly affect them. Where had she gone? What was she nning to do?


    "Don''t worry. No matter what Bonnie wants to do, I''ll always stand by your side to protect you. If she wants to hurt you, she''ll have to deal with me first. And Cyril, this is also his fault. He can''t just do nothing."

 Chapter 339 Grandma

    Chapter 339 Grandma


    When Silvia and Cyril were on the phone, Miles didn''t bother to approach. He could guess what Cyril would say to Silvia without even trying - it was probably about his sister being gone and advising Silvia to be careful and contact him if there were any problems. However, Cyril still hadn''t grasped Silvia''s personality. If anything happened, Silvia would handle it herself. Why would she seek help from someone else?


    Even if she needed help, she could ask anyone but Cyril. However, it seemed Cyril hadn''t quite understood this yet. But these things weren''t his concern anyway.


    All the problems were Cyril''s doing, so Miles didn''t need to worry too much. He waited until Silvia finished her call before approaching to ask about her situation.


    "Cyril just called me. He said his sister received several strange calls recently, and he suspects they might be rted to her disappearance. So, he asked me to be careful when going out and to have a bodyguard with me. His sister might be nning something against me. But honestly, I''m curious. It''s not my problem, yet they always me everything on me, whether it''s his father or Bonnie."


    Silvia chuckled when she talked about it. She had concealed her identity to marry Cyril, but it didn''t mean she had done anything wrong. In fact, she had helped Cyril a lot over the years, but it seemed these people were oblivious to it.


    They always assumed she would do something harmful to Cyril, but if she really wanted to, she could have taken over thepany during their three-year marriage. Yet she hadn''t. However, they couldn''t seem to grasp this. Even Cyril''s father suspected her more and more.


    "Don''t worry about them. Being in YX Club brings its own troubles. Let them think what they want. If something happens to thepany, it''s their own mismanagement. But Cyril is right. If his sister received strange calls before her disappearance, you need to be cautious. It might be someone trying to manipte her into doing something wrong, leading to what''s happening now."


    Miles'' thoughts echoed Silvia''s. He nodded, understanding the need to handle this situation carefully. If they didn''t, who knew what could happen? If it went beyond what Silvia could handle, it wouldn''t be good.


    "I understand. I have everything under control. You probably have other things to attend to. I won''t keep you. Go ahead and do your own stuff." Silvia now had some information about Bonnie and nned to discuss it with her brothers. She couldn''t just sit idle. As she was about to leave, Miles'' phone rang. Seeing it was his grandmother, he suddenly felt a headache.


    "What''s wrong? Is there trouble with this call? You look a bit off."


    Before Silvia could say anything, she noticed Miles'' expression change. She didn''t know who was on the other end of the line to cause such a reaction.


    "It''s nothing. A rtive from home called. I should go. We''ll talkter when we have time."


    Silvia shrugged, not knowing who the rtive was. But seeing his expression, she figured it wasn''t someone easy to deal with. Everyone had their own business to take care of, after all.


    After Silvia left, Miles quickly called his grandmother. She had been waiting for his call, and her tone was particrly unpleasant. She asked why he took so long to call back, as if he didn''t care about her.


    "Why did you suddenlye back? You didn''t want toe back before. You didn''t even tell me in advance What if something


    rage,


    happened on the way? At your you should have everything nned before returning. If something really happened, I couldn''t bear the consequences."


    Miles wasn''t sure why his grandmother had returned. He felt a bit worried. Her sudden return might mean there was something she needed him to do.


    Hearing his grandson''s response, his grandmother became even more dissatisfied and scolded him over the phone.


    "It''s all your fault. If you could handle


    your wife, I wouldn''t have had toe back have so many things to do. I made ns with many people, and now Thave toe back


    l.n


    because of you. Even Jimmy called toin. He still can''t meet the girThe likes because of you. I''m really curious who this girl is that both of you like so much." Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Miles was used to his grandmother''s criticism. If she ever stopped, it would be truly strange.

 Chapter 340 Jimmy is Fine

    Chapter 340 Jimmy is Fine


    He noticed what Grandma had just said. The reason she came was probably because Jimmy called her. But why would Jimmy call Grandma and bring her here? Was it just to help him win Silvia back? But didn''t he realize that the more he did this, the more distant Silvia might be from him?


    "Never mind, I won''t talk about these things with you. You''re not as sensible as Jimmy. How''s Jimmy beentely? He sounded very lively when he called me. He must have gotten over the past. I wonder what happened to make such a big change in him. I used to worry a lot, thinking about how you two would get along."


    Grandma''s concern wasn''t unfounded. When Jimmy''s father passed away, he used to be very hostile towards anyone, especially Miles, because he resembled his father so much. But Miles insisted on taking care of Jimmy, and over the years, something changed. Grandma had been unwell for some time and had been in the hospital. Now that she was better, she had time toe and check on them. She was worried about their situation. If they kept shing, who knew what would happen?


    "Jimmy''s doing fely. But have you noticed his change is because of a girl he likes? Jimmy really likes her, and under her influence, he''s be more cheerful. But don''t you think your sudden visit might cause me some trouble? If you''re here, it might push Silvia further away. She might think I''m pressuring her. After all, I haven''t won her back yet. By pulling this stunt, I don''t know how to face her."


    His rtionship with Silvia was delicate. It wasn''t clear what it was, and just getting them to meet was a challenge. Grandma''s arrival only made it moreplicated.


    When Grandma was younger, she was very impulsive. If she wanted something, she made sure to get it. If she wanted to change something between him and Silvia, Miles worried about what she might do. But Grandma didn''t react much to his concerns. In fact, she seemed a bit annoyed. Miles knew that his presence here wasn''t appropriate, especially if nothing had developed between him and Silvia. His decision toe was mainly to check on Jimmy''s condition. If Jimmy wasn''t doing well, he nned to take him back to take care of him for a while.


    "You two sort out your own matters. I didn''te here for you two. I''m just worried about Jimmy. But if you want me to meet that girl, I can. I''m thankful to her. If it wasn''t for her, Jimmy wouldn''t be feeling better now. You haven''t considered thanking her. Did Jimmy change like this all because of you?"


    Grandma''s words made sense.


    Miles had considered it before but couldn''t move forward with Silvia. If he tried to take her out now, she might suspect his intentions. Miles couldn''t say much with Grandma around. He asked where she was, intending to meet her first before discussing further. When he


    returned home, Jimmy was already there.


    ????


    Originally, Jimmy was supposed to stay at school until the end of the day, but Grandma missed him too much. She had the butler call the school and request a leave for Jimmy. Now that Jimmy was back, Cyril understood Grandma'' concern, although he didn''t say anything. His brother''s departure had a big impact on both of them.


    "Your health looks much better now. But has your dad won that person over yet? By the way, can you tell me who she is? I worry about doing something that might upset her. I''ve never seen your dad act this way before."


    Grandma and Jimmy didn''t notice that Miles had returned. They chatted about what had happened with Cyril. When Silvia was mentioned, they spoke highly of her. Grandma seemed to understand a bit more after hearing everything.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "Don''t talk behind my back about me and Silvia. Jimmy, if I were to say the same about you, it would be rude."


    Cyril suddenly spoke up, surprising them both. Jimmy stayed quiet. Grandma was a bit displeased. They weren''t talking badly about anyone; she was just curious about the girl. But Cyril acted as if they had done something wrong.


    "Okay, I won''t say anything more.


    You look so nervous. If you''re really worried about her, why didn''t you win her over earlier and keep her close? Now that your son has a a few


    nice words for her, you''re


    happy.


    Even when it''s praise, you''re still unhappy. I understand what you''re thinking."

 Chapter 341 Grandmother and Grandson Chat

    Chapter 341 Grandmother and Grandson Chat


    Grandma''s habit of finding fault with Miles was something he had gotten used to. If one day she stopped nagging at him, he''d think something was wrong in the world.


    It had been a long time since they had seen each other, so there was a lot to catch up on. But Grandma hade all the way from abroad, and her health wasn''t what it used to be. After chatting for a while, she started feeling tired and decided to rest. Jimmy went back to his room to do his homework, while Grandma retired to her room. But just as she was about to lie down, she called Miles over.


    "We haven''t had a proper chat in years. Now that we have the time, let''s talk. You''ve grown up by my side, always willing to share everything with me. But now that you''re older, you don''t talk to me as much. It makes me feel like we''re growing apart."


    Grandma looked at Miles seriously.


    It was true that with his busy work and study schedule, there wasn''t much time for chatting with Grandma. His parents had passed away in a car ident when he was 18, and before that, he had spent most of his time with Grandma, developing a deep bond with her.


    After the sessive problems, Grandma''s health deteriorated, and now that she wanted to talk, Miles didn''t refuse. He sat beside her, eager to hear what she wanted to say. Whatever it was, he wouldn''t refuse, and he wanted to talk more with Grandma.


    "Your work keeps you busy, and you''ve neglected some of your feelings. Your return this time took me by surprise. Also, what you said to Jimmy... our rtionship hasn''t progressed at all. I''m worried that what I''ve done is too much and might upset her, so I haven''t done anything."


    Miles brought up his rtionship with Silvia, hoping to warn Grandma not to approach her privately. And that''s exactly what Grandma wanted to talk about. Seeing Miles mention it, her expression became more serious. Seeing her expression, Miles knew what she wanted to talk about.


    "I''m not sure what your rtionship with that girl is like, but I know you like her. If your intention to pursue her isn''t genuine, then there''s a problem."


    "I don''t know what you''re thinking,


    but let me be clear. First, about Jimmy. If he likes that girl, I wouldn''t object. On the contrary, I''d be happy. If you don''t feel the same way, then you should drop the idea. Don''t do something that would hurt someone else."


    Although Grandma was equally concerned about them both, she knew what should and shouldn''t be done. The way they were handling things now wasn''t right, and Grandma emphasized this point.


    "I understand. But you can rest assured that I''m serious about her. I wouldn''t do anything to hurt her just because Jimmy likes her. My feelings for her are genuine."


    Miles was surprised that Grandma brought this up, but he exined earnestly. He admitted that there were other reasons for getting close to Silvia before, but now his feelings for her had changed.


    "I wouldn''t hurt Silvia, and I wouldn''t hurt your feelings either. But if both Jimmy and I like her, I think I have the right to pursue her. However, she seems reluctant, and she even finds my closeness to her a headache."


    Grandma was surprised to hear this but understood. If he had approached her with ulterior motives from the start, how could she not notice? But since it was their affair, Grandma didn''t say much more. There was no point in talking about it. They both knew where they stood.


    "That''s fine. You know what you should and shouldn''t do. I''m just worried you might do something you shouldn''t. Now that you understand, I feel relieved. I''ll stay here for a while and watch over Jimmy. I''m happy to see he''s doing well. But take care of yourself too. There are others in the family you need to take care of, and we wouldn''t want anything to happen to you." Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    With Grandma getting older, her health was the most important thing. Miles understood what she meant and didn''t argue. He knew he needed a strong body to carry on with life.


    After chatting for a while, Grandma felt too tired and went to sleep. Miles didn''t disturb her; he let her rest and then left for his study to handle some work. Jimmy came over just as Grandma fell asleep.

 Chapter 342 Never Asked You

    Chapter 342 Never Asked You


    "Dad, I''m having trouble with some of the questions. Can you help me? And I want to talk to you for a bit. Your work has been really busytely, and I never get a chance to talk to you."


    After chatting with Grandma earlier today, Jimmy now wanted to talk to his dad. Cyril was a bit surprised, but he also felt guilty. He had been so busy with work that he had neglected Jimmy''s feelings. He decided to put aside work for now and have a good chat with Jimmy, because father-son rtionships needed to be maintained.


    "Sure, just wait for me a moment. I''ll tidy up here and thene find you. You go do your other homework."


    Jimmy nodded and went to do his other homework, while Miles quickly finished up his work and then went to Jimmy''s room.


    Jimmy was struggling with a math problem and hadn''t noticed Milese in until he was reminded of how to solve it. He then realized his father was there teaching him.


    "I''ve always struggled with this problem, but your method, Dad, is so simple. If my teacher taught me this way, I''d have gotten it ages ago."


    Miles couldn''t help but smile at Jimmy''s words. The methods taught in school were useful, but not all problems had solutions taught in ss. This method was something he hade up with himself while solving problems. He found it effective and straightforward, so he thought it was a good method.


    "There''s something I''ve never asked you. You''ve always liked Silvia very much, but I''ve never asked if you want her to be your mother. And all this time, it seems like we''ve been imposing on Silvia, forcing her to make a choice, without giving her any good reasons or conditions."


    Under these circumstances, being seen as using her wasn''t surprising. But when Jimmy heard this, he paused. Clearly, he hadn''t expected his father to say this. And they hadn''tmunicated much between them over this matter during this time. They only asionally felt the need to chat. "Wouldn''t I pursue her if I didn''t like you, Dad? It''s obvious you like her."


    Jimmy was genuinely puzzled. If he really liked her, why would he do all this? Anyway, he thought Silvia was really nice, and there was nothing wrong with living with her.


    "It''s not like that. Our liking is based on our emotional needs, so we act this way. But do you know what Silvia thinks? Does she like us? Why do we always impose our thoughts on others?"


    Jimmy had never considered these things before, and now that he heard them, he fell silent.


    "But it''s okay. You can take your time to think about these things. If you''re not sure, we have more time to think."


    Seeing Jimmy''s puzzled expression, Miles advised him to calm down and not rush to give an answer. The answer was important, but it was also important to consider whether one would regret itter.


    "I understand, Dad. But before you asked me, I already knew. I really like Silvia, so even if you didn''t ask me today, I would still tell you. I really hope Silvia can live with us. But if she doesn''t want to, I won''t force


    her I''ve always known that personal


    Will is also very important Content


    belongs to


    Jimmy''s words were serious, and after a moment of silence, Miles smiled. He realized that even in this situation, Jimmy had his own standards and wouldn''t make things difficult for others, nor would he feel awkward himself.


    "Okay, I understand. I''ll try to find a way to pursue her back. But if I fail in the middle, then I''ll really have no way."


    Miles spoke sincerely. After all, with a girl like Silvia, who wouldn''t like her? Pursuing Silvia was not an easy or simple matter.


    "I know, so Dad, you have to work hard. If you can''t pursue her, it''ll be really embarrassing, and you can''t let other people take advantage of it, right?"


    There was a joking tone in Jimmy''s words, which made Miles feel a bit helpless. He shook his head and didn''t say anything more.


    After discussing this important matter, Jimmy continued to lower his head to do his homework, while Miles asionally reminded him of what kind of problems to focus on and what methods were best suited for them.


    Until he finished all his homework, Miles finally had time to handle his own work. Although his workload wasn''t much, he found it hard to concentrate in his study. He couldn''t help but think about Grandma and Jimmy''s conversation. If he really wanted to have a rtionship with Silvia, what should he do? Thinking about it made him feel particrlyplicated, and after hesitating for a moment, he decided to call Silvia to chat.


    After a while, Silvia''s phone finally connected. When she received his call, Silvia was quite surprised.


    "Why are you calling me suddenly? Didn''t you say you had rtives visiting? I thought you''d be busy entertaining them now. It''s unexpected to receive a call from you at this time."


    There were sounds of papers beingOriginal from N?velDrama.Org.


    el


    shuffled on Silvia''s end, and Miles knew she was still busy working. After all, her workload was very heavy now. Last time, she was tricked by someone, and although she fought back now, she still needed to reim what she lost, so she was very busy.

 Chapter 343 Strange Reminder

    Chapter 343 Strange Reminder


    "Indeed, some rtives have already arrived. I just finished talking with them and had a chat with Jimmy. Suddenly, I realized that I haven''t had the chance to talk to you about something. So, I called to ask if you''re busy tonight. If not, let''s have dinner together. There are some things I feel like I need to discuss, but it''s quite troublesome to exin over the phone."


    After thinking for a moment, he said this to Silvia. He actually felt that some things would be better exined face-to-face. He feared Silvia might misunderstand over the phone, especially since she was busy with work.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    "I can''t tonight. It''s a family gathering. I have to attend. Also, the situation with the three is much better now. We''re nning to move them to another hospital for further treatment. If there''s anything, just say it over the phone."


    Silvia found it strange to take this call considering her busy schedule. She didn''t have much time to talk, yet there was so much to discuss over the phone.


    "Okay, since you have a lot to say, I''ll just tell you over the phone. Here''s the thing: my rtives who came today are very interested in you because they already know that I want to pursue you."


    Miles could sense Silvia''s hesitation on the other end. He couldn''t hear any papers shuffling or footsteps anymore, indicating that Silvia had stopped talking to her employees. Now, with everyone gone, the office became quieter.


    Silvia remained silent, and Miles didn''t rush. He had to give Silvia some time to process. After a while, Silvia finally spoke up.


    "I don''t quite understand what you mean. What do you mean your rtives know you want to pursue me? Did you actually tell them? But what''s there to say about this?"


    Silvia was puzzled for a while before finding her voice and expressing her confusion. She genuinely couldn''t see how these things were connected. "Well, I didn''t need to say anything special. Don''t forget, there''s someone in our family who''s particrly interested in you. Because of that, he always can''t help but talk about you to others. He really likes you, so when he talks about these things, there''s no hidden agenda. I hope you don''t mind." The reason the olddy came over was because Jimmy had called. The olddy''s information was quite urate. She was worried about Jimmy while also curious about Silvia''s affairs. So, she rushed over without dy. When Silvia met the olddy, she realized things might not be so simple. Though the olddy said she wouldn''t disturb Silvia''s life, who could guarantee she wouldn''t bother others?


    Silvia understood now. The reason Miles'' family knew about these things was because of Jimmy. And she didn''t really mind Jimmy''s actions. Children tend to show off their achievements to adults; Silvia didn''t find it strange at all.


    "It''s okay, he doesn''t mean any harm. So, what''s the point of your call today?"


    Silvia was curious. Was this just to tell her not to me Jimmy for this?


    "No, I wanted to say that you might receive some strange calls recently. If those callers are unfamiliar to you, don''t pick up. It''s not necessary. Do you understand?"


    The reminder was both subtle and strange. Silvia couldn''t help butugh on her end of the phone.


    "Okay, I get it. I know what to do now. I have another meeting to attend, so I''ll hang up."


    After reminding Silvia, Miles hung up. Then, he got back to his work as if he hadn''t put much thought into the call. But Silvia could understand that the call did matter to him.


    Now that Silvia had been reminded, Miles rxed a bit. He started attending to his other tasks; he had several meetings lined up for the day.


    After the busy day, Silvia hadpletely forgotten about what Miles had said.


    After finishing up withpany matters, she hurriedly prepared to go abroad for a business trip. But for the first few days of her refusal to go abroad, she needed to attend a charity auction.


    "You''ve attended this kind of charity


    event before why bring me along this time? Plus, those online rumors


    haven''t died down yet. Alth


    we''ve found a lot of evidence


    solve these issues, if you think about it, Im still in big trouble." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Today, apanying Silvia was Balk, who appeared with her for the first time after the turmoil.


    "Those online issues have almost been resolved. But if you still stay hidden, how will those online


    matters regard you? In situations et


    like these, you shoulde out more, so everyone feels morg assured. Don''t forget, you have a huge fan base."


    After Silvia''s reminder, although Balk was reluctant, he got ready. The siblings left together. Before they left, Bruce caught them and earnestly reminded them, especially Balk, not to be too impulsive. He instructed Balk to stay rational in any situation and let Silvia handle things first. Otherwise, things would get even moreplicated and troublesome.


    Indeed, in some situations, Balk could get anxious and act rashly, doing things wrong. So, when he heard Bruce''s words, he wasn''t surprised at all. He promised to behave.


    The siblings left and went straight to the venue.


    "Why do I feel like there are so many people here today? I''ve attended such events before, but never have I seen so many people like today."


    Balk felt that there were unusually many people today. While there were usually some attendees at charity events, it was rare to see such arge crowd from different circles.

 Chapter 344 Kind Old Lady

    Chapter 344 Kind Old Lady


    Silvia nced meaningfully at Balk, realizing why there were so many people here because of Balk''s influence.


    "I thought you had found out something, but it seems you haven''t found anything at all. They''re all here because of you."


    News had been circting early that Balk would apany Silvia to this charity event and auction. Upon hearing this, everyone rushed here, eager to meet Balk and know about his recent activities. Many were Balk''s fans, so after the recent controversy, they all wanted to meet him.


    After listening to Silvia, Balk found it hard to believe.


    "Seriously? Are you saying all these people are my fans? That''s impossible. Our circle isn''t that big, and everyone knows each other. Are you joking with me?"


    "Why would I joke with you?"


    Silvia had been working hardtely and had introduced many people. Many would instinctively ask about Balk''s situation. At first, Silvia thought they were asking for a purpose, butter she realized they were genuinely concerned about Balk. They were his loyal fans.


    So Balk didn''t realize his own influence.


    "I didn''t expect to have so many fans. Should I wear a mask today so they won''t recognize me? After all, we''re here for charity."


    "Bro, are you really that naive? Today''s purpose isn''t just about charity. You''re here to rify things with the public. You have no trouble now, and you should focus on your work. You''ve been online all this time and bored, right? I''m helping you out."


    Silvia was speechless. She thought Balk understood her intentions, but apparently he didn''t even now.


    "I thought you just brought me because you couldn''t find anyone else toe with you. I didn''t expect all this. When did you n all these things with your brother? Why didn''t you tell me earlier? If I had known, I would have prepared seriously."


    "Forget it. Anyone can prepare for today''s event seriously, but if it''s you, I don''t believe it. Just behave and don''t cause any trouble for me. You''ve been in this circle for so long, and you think I don''t know what kind of person you are? You''ve caused enough trouble for your agent."


    Hearing his sister expose him like that, Balk felt a bit ashamed, but he couldn''t deny that what she said was true. He had indeed caused trouble for his agent.


    "You know, I didn''t rely on the familyOriginal from N?velDrama.Org.


    background to make my way. If I don''t show some attitude, won''t everyone think we''re easy targets? Look at the situation now. Even though everyone knows I don''t have family backing, not many dare to bully me. Let''s go. I''m embarrassed enough with you exposing my ws."


    "What''s there to be embarrassed about? With all those things you just did, what''s there to be embarrassed about? Let''s go. If you meet your fanster, be careful not to show too much of your charm. Don''t turn today into your personal fan


    meeting, got it?"


    Silvia reminded again, worried that her brother might get too excited and turn the charity event into his own fan gathering, which would be embarrassing.


    Balk nodded half-heartedly, looking very indifferent. Silvia finally understood why Balk''s agent sometimes felt so frustrated. How could they not when dealing with someone like him?


    As they were talking, they didn''t realize someone else had been listening. When they were about to go upstairs, they met an olddy holding a ss of wine, smiling at them.


    "Do you know that olddy? I''ve been in school for so long, but I''ve never seen her."


    Balk found it strange. He didn''t know the olddy who had just greeted them, but he could tell she meant no harm. She just casually greeted them, although they didn''t know each other. It was odd.


    "I don''t know her either. I thought she was the one who greeted you earlier. But it seems she just casually said hello. Well, there are many people here we don''t know. Let''s go upstairs. The auction is about to start, and we have a mission to aplish today."


    Silvia hadn''t seen the olddy either, but she suddenly felt the olddy looked somewhat familiar. However, she couldn''t remember where she had seen her before.


    Since she couldn''t recall, she decided not to dwell on it. They still had a lot to do next.


    As they reached upstairs, they heard somemotion, like a young woman screaming. Although they didn''t want to interfere, they couldn''t help but think of the kind olddy they had just seen.


    "Shall we go and see? That olddy seemed kind and gentle."


    Balk hesitated for a moment, wondering how to tell Silvia. Silvia nodded without refusing.

 Chapter 345 Trouble

    Chapter 345 Trouble


    The two siblings passed by like this. Just as they did, they saw a youngdy throwing a tantrum. Her dress was stained with red wine, making her look quite disheveled. And for them to be here, the dresses they were wearing were mostly for one-time wear.


    Some people even borrowed their dresses for this asion. If that''s the case, they would either have to pay or rece the dress since it got dirty.


    Anyway, except for essories, there was no other way out. So, it was understandable why Yihefei was upset. But in this situation, it was best to minimize the conflict. Making a scene like this was just not appropriate.


    "I knew it was him! He''s quite infamous in our circle. He loves causing trouble. Be careful if you know him."


    Balk whispered to Silvia. He didn''t have a good impression of this person because they had encountered him before. So, he emphasized keeping a distance.


    "He''s really troublesome in our circle. But look, the olddy on the other side, she''s the one we just met. He''s deliberately making trouble for her. I bet his dress is borrowed. He''s not doing well now. He''s almost being cklisted in the circle. He''s probably here to make ast attempt to regain his former status. If he can''t, he''ll face embarrassment."


    Balk and Silvia quietly discussed the specific situation of this person. She was indeed a well-known actress in the circle, but her acting had declined in recent years, resulting in dissatisfaction with her works. Online, she was heavily criticized. Being here probably meant she was looking for a new path. But she shouldn''t cause a scene over a dress. Also, she needed to understand that the people here weren''t easy to mess with.


    "I see. I''ll be careful. But I still think I should help her."


    After saying this, Silvia immediately went up. Balk''s eyes widened when he saw his sister go. Was she crazy? Helping out at a time like this? What if something happened? What could he do?Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    But now that his sister had gone, what else could he do but follow her?


    "Do you even know how expensive my dress is? Have you thought about what I''m going to do now that my dress is ruined? And who are you, anyway? How can you act so rudely? Can you even enter this box?"


    The other person was shouting, showing none of the gentleness Silvia had seen on TV. Suddenly, Silvia remembered watching several movies and TV shows about this person. Indeed, their acting had gotten worse, and it was no wonder they couldn''t make it in this circle anymore. They needed to find another way out.


    If she wasn''t mistaken, this box should belong to somepany''s boss. But for some reason, it had changed hands, so seeing the olddy here caused such a big reaction.


    "This box is mine. Is there anything strange about me being here? And what did you just say? I''d rather not say it."


    The olddy had seen all sorts of


    people in her youth. Faced with such an unreasonable person, she remained calm but showed a hint of disgust in her eyes. She hadn''t forgotten what had just happened. When she entered the box, she saw this woman suddenly undress, almost fainting from shock. If it weren''t for her experiences from previous years, she would have fainted.


    Hearing what the olddy said, the


    woman couldn''t keep her


    composure. She thought the person entering was Miles, not the olddy, so she had put in so much effort.


    She didn''t expect the old ort.


    lady to


    reveal her true colors.


    If she didn''t correct this situation promptly, her reputation would suffer even more.


    "I''m talking about my dress. Why are you saying all this? Shouldn''t you bepensating for my ruined dress? Do you know how expensive it is?"


    "Your dress isst year''s style. It shows you either borrowed it or bought it cheap. If it''s cheap, I can afford topensate. And why don''t you think about the people here? Do you think everyone herecks money?"


    The olddy''s words made everyone nod. Most of the people here came from wealthy families or had businesses and assets. How could theyck money for a dress?


    "Are you insulting me? Even if this dress isst year''s, so what? Isn''t clothes meant to be worn? Why do you have the right to insult me?" The woman couldn''t ept what the olddy was saying. After screaming, she seemed ready to attack the olddy.


    At this critical moment, Silvia rushed over and grabbed the woman''s wrist, pushing her aside.


    "I know you''re here to find a new


    path, but you need to understand, no one here is someone you can easily offend. By pushing someone, you have to think whether you can afford to be cklisted. If I remember correctly, you''re in a very awkward position right now. Think about whether you want to do this. It''s not worth it for a dress." Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    Silvia stood in front of the olddy, looking at the actress. The woman still wanted to explode, but seeing Silvia, she suppressed her anger.


    "But what about my dress? Can it just be forgotten? Even if it''sst year''s style, it''s still a dress!"

 Chapter 346 Really Like

    Chapter 346 Really Like


    Silvia looked at the dress the woman was wearing. It was indeed fromst year''s collection, but most people wouldn''t admit to wearingst year''s outdated fashion because it''s embarrassing. Yet, it was clear that this woman was in dire straits recently, so she wore this dress.Content is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    "I''ve seen this dress you''re wearingst year. I have a simr one in my collection. Yours is the basic version, and mine is the designer version. If you don''t mind, I can have it sent over right now. I haven''t touched it since I bought it. That shouldpensate you."


    Regr dresses are affordable for most people, but designer dresses are customized and not something everyone can afford. Silvia''s suggestion made the woman feel uneasy, but she also felt ashamed. She had caused such a fuss over a regr dress, and now she was offered apensation that made her feel embarrassed.


    "Are you intentionally humiliating me?"


    "Why would I? If you think your dress is dirty, I''llpensate you. If you want me topensate you at full price, that''s fine too. But the price might not match the value of my designer dress. You need to think carefully about what''s best for you now."


    Sometimes Silvia didn''t want to make things too explicit. If she talked about money, it might not change the woman''s situation. But having another designer dress could open up many opportunities for her. Even if she sold it, it would definitely fetch more than thepensation she received today.


    After hearing Silvia''s words, the woman''s face turned pale and green alternatively, but she felt tempted. If she only got money, it wouldn''t mean much. But if she could get a designer dress, it would be different. Even a regr designer dress was something she couldn''t easily afford now.


    "It seems you''ve made up your mind. Take this card. Contact my assistantter, and he''ll exin everything about the dress and the next steps." The other party didn''t say anything, but Silvia knew what decision they had made. So, without hesitation, she handed over her business card. The other person''s face felt hot, but they still epted the card.


    "Sorry, madam. I was wrong today. I was a bit agitated. I hope you won''t hold it against me. But, did youe to the wrong box?"


    Now that the matter was resolved, he wasn''t nervous anymore, but he couldn''t let this matter go. But he had investigated whose box it was before. Now seeing an olddy, his first reaction was that she must have entered the wrong ce too.


    The olddy smiled and looked at Silvia, then nced at the woman before exining, "I didn''te to the wrong ce. This is my grandson''s box. He''s busy today, so I came first to take a look. After all, I''m doing charity work. I''m old, but I still want to contribute."


    Silvia nced at the box, not knowing who the person was. The olddy''s eyes seemed to fall on her intentionally or unintentionally, which felt strange. The woman''s expression changed after hearing this, and she apologized to the olddy again. This time, her attitude was much more humble than usual.


    Afterpleting these tasks, it was time to go back to their respective rooms. When Silvia was about to return with Balk, the olddy stopped them. "You''re Silvia, right? I''ve heard about what happened here recently. I didn''t expect you to be so young and handle thepany''s affairs so well. I''m really surprised. And for you to help me today, I''m also surprised. The money for that designer dress isn''t cheap, how much is it? I''ll have it transferred to you."


    The olddy really liked Silvia. She didn''t expect Silvia to help her at this time. After hearing the olddy''s words, Silvia immediately declined She didn''t want any rewards from the olddy. She just felt that what the woman did earlier was a bit too much, and it wasn''t good for them to create such a scene as guests on someone else''s territory. Content


    belongs to NovelDrama.Org


    The woman was almost pushed to desperation, and the more desperate people are, the more unpredictable they be. So, Silvia had decided to step forward to help. And she knew that even if she didn''t help, the olddy could still handle the situation.


    If it wasn''t for the woman about to use violence earlier, she probably wouldn''t have done anything.


    "No need. I really liked that designer


    dress when I bought it, but then I found out I had gained weight and couldn''t fit in it anymore. It''s good to give it to her now. Plus, I think She can fit into it. Did you get hurt today? And your grandson shouldn''t leave you alone here. At least, he should have his secretary apany you."


    Thinking that the olddy hade alone, Silvia didn''t expect that she hade early, but there should still be someone from the family with her. And if anything happened halfway, what should they do?


    After hearing Silvia''s words, the old


    lady couldn''t help but smile. "He did arrange for a secretary to


    apany me, but I found it


    troublesome to have him with m


    And he has a lot of things to docke


    so I


    let him do his own thing. It''s not a


    bad idea for me to walk around here


    alone. Thank you for today''s


    incident."


    If it was just Jimmy saying he really liked Silvia, the olddy wouldn''t have such a deep impression of Silvia. But today she found out she really liked Silvia.

 Chapter 347: The Pretty Girl

    Chapter 347: The Pretty Girl


    Silvia wasn''t usually one to meddle or interfere, but this time, the other party was just a hair away from getting physical and harming the olddy. If it weren''t for that, she wouldn''t have intervened. Now that the other person acknowledged it, Silvia felt a bit embarrassed.


    "In that situation just now, anyone else watching the movie would have intervened to help. You don''t need to thank me. But is everything alright with you?"


    The olddy today dressed exceptionally low-key, her clothes not overtly shy but still noticeably custom-made. Not just custom-made, but the whole outfit would easily cost millions.


    If only that woman hadn''t recognized her. If she had, she wouldn''t have been so impulsive.


    The olddy''s smile faded a bit upon hearing Silvia''s concern, then she shook her head, indicating she was fine. Seeing her alright, Silvia felt relieved.


    "Then, we''ll head back."


    Since the other party was fine, Silvia and her sister followed their brother back to their respective rooms. As they turned to leave, the olddy suddenly approached and stopped them.


    "Regardless, I want to thank you for helping me just now. Whenever you have time, let''s have a meal together. Consider it my thanks for standing up for me today. Please don''t refuse, after all, if it weren''t for you, I might have been in a bad situation today."


    Today''s incident was just a small effort for them, not requiring any dinner invitation. The two of them wouldn''t agree to it.


    Before Silvia could speak, her brother, Balk, couldn''t help but interject, "You don''t need to worry about this. My sister always loves to help others. Even if it were someone else today, she would have done the same. You really don''t need to go out of your way to thank us. Just forget about it."


    No matter what they said, the olddy insisted on treating them. Eventually, she reluctantly epted their refusal. Seeing her off, the siblings didn''t need her thanks. They returned to their rooms. However, Silvia noticed Balk''s odd expression when they got back.


    "What were you thinking about just now? You looked so absorbed in thought."


    Balk felt like he recognized the olddy from somewhere, but he couldn''t recall. Most people he knew were around his age or slightly younger. This olddy seemed out of ce.


    Silvia didn''t pay much attention. She hadn''t particrly noticed the olddy''s appearance earlier. She just found her pleasant and easy to talk to.


    "Why do you always find everyone so familiartely? Anyway, don''t worry too much. Just focus on the tasks our brother assigned. This is your chance to redeem yourself. If you mess this up, don''t me us for not helping you."


    "I know what to do next. But that olddy did seem familiar. Maybe it''ll be useful for us in the future."


    Silvia nodded absentmindedly. She didn''t think it was that important.


    As the siblings chatted, the olddy went back to her room and called her grandson to ask if he had arrived.


    "I met a very kind girl today. Not only is she pretty, but she also has a good personality. If you meet her, you''ll like her."Original content from N?velDrama.Org.


    Miles, her grandson, felt a headacheing on. What was she talking about?


    "Whether I like her or not isn''t something I can decide in a moment, and you know my current situation."


    "I know your situation. Why don''t you ask about the girl I met? Maybe her name will ring a bell, and you''ll understand what I''m talking about."


    The olddy deliberately didn''t tell


    Miles that the girl she met today was Silvia. If she told him now, he would probably rush over in a panic. He didn''t have much work today but refused toe over and chat with these people. She found it amusing.


    Miles wasn''t interested in asking who it was. But the olddy seemed very concerned about this girl.


    "Whoever you like must be great. Anyway, I have other things to attend to. I''ll pick you up tonight."


    Miles could only awkwardly end the call. The olddy realized he wasn''t too concerned about the girl she met, feeling a bit speechless. She hung up, thinking that when they met tonight, Miles would understand how wrong he was. Content belongs


    to NovelDrama.Org


    Sure enough, when the night ended, Miles arrived on time, and the olddy, with the help of her assistant, came down. They bumped into the siblings who were also preparing to leave.

 Chapter 348: She Likes Him

    Chapter 348: She Likes Him


    A few people gathered together, and Silvia suddenly realized why Balk always seemed so familiar whenever she saw him. It was because of this, wasn''t it? The olddy and Miles standing together looked like a family.


    "See, little sister, I told you I''ve seen them before. Look, isn''t this it?"


    "Alright, alright, you have good eyes to recognize them at a nce."


    Silvia was speechless. She hadn''t even considered such a rtionship existed. But because of what happened today, she couldn''t help but wonder if it was all part of a scheme. But seeing the surprised expression on Miles'' face, it seemed he didn''t know much about it either.


    "So, you two are here at the charity event tonight too. I thought I wouldn''t see you here."


    Miles suddenly realized who the person his grandmother had mentioned on the phone was. It must have been Silvia. At that time, he hadn''t cared much about who his grandmother had met, so he didn''te. Now knowing it was Silvia, he felt a bit helpless. If he had known Silvia was here this afternoon, he would havee without hesitation. But obviously, his grandmother didn''t give him that chance.


    The olddy almost burst intoughter. This was what she wanted, for Miles to regret noting. Since he didn''te, now they couldn''t meet. She had to make the most of this chance.


    "I invited you toe with me tonight, but you didn''t. If it weren''t for this girl helping me today, I might have been bullied by someone else."


    The olddy saw Miles'' anxious look and recounted today''s events seriously. Miles was surprised after hearing it all. He looked at Silvia seriously. "Anyway, thank you very much for today. I had something prepared for you. Consider it my thank-you instead of my grandmother''s. But..." He stopped halfway because he knew some things were not appropriate.


    He went to the passenger seat, opened it, and took out a small bag. He handed it to Silvia, who recognized the brand instantly.


    This brand specialized in jewelry, especially beautiful ruby nes and bracelets, which Silvia loved. Miles unexpectedly bought one for her.


    "I know you like their jewelry, so I bought a bracelet for you. They made it in the shape of a rose. I think you''ll really like it. Originally, I nned to give it to youter, but because of what happened today, I''m giving it to you now. I hope you''ll ept it."


    Silvia was surprised that something


    she liked would be given to her by


    Miles. Even if he asked around a little, he could have found out. She held the bag Miles gave her, feelingplicated. She initially thought everything was nned, but now she realized it was just an ident.


    Apart from this unexpected incident, when she received the bag, her emotions became even moreplicated. She hadn''t wanted too much interaction with Miles because she knew his initial intentions. But now, it seemed there was something else.


    "Since you two know each other, it''s much better. I''ve been wanting to thank him, but he''s always refused. Now that he''s given this, I can breathe a sigh of relief. You two should go home and rest early."


    After politely greeting them, Silvia drove away with Miles. As they drove off, Silvia couldn''t help but turn back and look at her grandmother, feeling helpless.


    "Why didn''t you tell me you met Silvia tonight? If you had, I would havee. Now I''m struggling to prepare something, which I wasn''t nning to give away now."


    "What''s the big deal? Since you bought something to give her, it doesn''t matter when you give it. Besides, how can you guarantee that what you give her is what she likes?"


    The grandmother saw through his


    thoughts. She knew Miles must have chosen the bracelet for Silvia. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have known that brand, let alone pick the right


    style.


    Saying this, she just wanted to test Miles'' thoughts, especially his feelings towards Silvia.


    Hearing what his grandmother said, Miles looked at her seriously. "Grandma, the bracelet I gave her is definitely what she likes. I can guarantee it." "I can''t believe it. I didn''t expect you to understand her so well. If you really understand her, go after her quickly. I think she doesn''t hate you much. It''s probably something you did before that made her a bit wary. Be careful from now on."Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    "I know, grandma. Let''s go. Jimmy has been waiting for you at home. He said he wanted to go out with you today, but you came out by yourself."


    "Why bring him to this kind of asion? Besides, these people here are just superficially nice. I don''t want him to have any contact with them so early. Let''s go."


    After exchanging a few more words


    with Miles, the two of them got into their respective cars. The olddy couldn''t help but think back to when she saw the two of them together. As for Miles, after hesitating for a while, he prepared to send a message to Silvia but was seen by his grandmother.


    "You''re about to message Silvia, right? Let me tell you, you don''t understand what girls like. If you like her, you wouldn''t make her suspicious from the start. You''ll have a lot to deal with in the future."

 Chapter 349: Sending Gifts

    Chapter 349: Sending Gifts


    Hearing what the olddy said, Miles paused for a moment, feeling a bit helpless. He didn''t even know what to message anymore. The olddy was right; he probably didn''t really understand what girls were thinking. His initial actions might have made Silvia wary of him.


    "You''re a good kid, truly taking care of your brother''s child as your own. But consider this, just because you can ept something doesn''t mean others can. You didn''t approach Silvia purely out of your own intentions, right? There must have been some ulterior motive, which is why she''s wary of you. If I were you, I''d have shown my intentions from the start to avoid all this trouble. Now, changing things will probably be difficult."


    "I know it''splicated. Looking back, what happened before doesn''t matter. She''s already wary of me. Now, the only way is to dispel her doubts. Don''t worry, since I like her, I''ll definitely pursue her. I''ll respect her and won''t give her any reason to resist."


    Whenever Karl mentioned Silvia, his gaze softened. He couldn''t quite pinpoint when he started to like her, but every time he thought of her, it made him happy.


    Even though their first meeting was embarrassing, with Silvia saving his life, he couldn''t forget about her since then. Every meeting afterward, whether deliberate or idental, refreshed his understanding of her. Especially after investigating Silvia''s past, his perception of her changed.


    "Grandma, this time I''m giving something on your behalf. I n to give her something elseter. Do you have any suggestions for what Silvia might like? I might not be very good at understanding what girls like, but I want to give her the best, the most suitable."


    Miles decided to ask his grandmother for help. He wanted to give Silvia something she liked. He had thought about it for a long time, and now he wanted to meet Silvia to make her feel that both he and his grandmother genuinely liked her.


    The grandmotherughed when she heard Miles. His sincerity showed that whatever he chose would be good. Although she didn''t know how long it took him to choose the bracelet, she could tell he put a lot of thought into it. As long as someone''s heart is in the right ce, the value of the gift doesn''t matter, especially for people of their status. The key is whether the gift is carefully chosen. She was confident that what Miles chose was something Silvia would like. As for what happens next, who knows?


    "The gift you chose this time is very good. Next time, choose with your heart. Whether it''s expensive or not doesn''t matter. Just choose something you think she''ll like."


    The grandmother didn''t give a specific suggestion but let Miles think for himself. Miles knew he wanted to give Silvia something heartfelt; he just wasn''t sure what yet. But his grandmother''s words reminded him to think carefully about what Silvia would like.


    Early the next morning, Miles arrived at Silvia''s door with a bento box. Silvia wasn''t working today, as she~~~ had agreed to meet Miles to discuss potential coborations. He didn''te empty-handed; he brought a few things with him. However, what he didn''t expect was to run into Cyril.


    "Why are you here?"


    Cyril also had something in his hand, though Miles couldn''t tell what it was. But seeing his expression, Miles felt something was off.


    "I also wonder why you''re here. I agreed to meet Silvia this morning. What about you? Have you dealt with your family''s affairs, or have you found yourself? You haven''t exined anything yet, but you dare Come here to see Silvia. Are you afraid you haven''t caused enough trouble for Silvia, so you want to show off your abilities now that you''re divorced?"


    to


    Miles noticed what Cyril was holding and realized he was probably here to give Silvia a gift too. However, he wasn''t sure if Silvia would like it, given their history as a married couple.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    "If that''s how you see it, then what does this have to do with you? Since it doesn''t concern you, don''t waste your breath. Do I need your permission to give Silvia something? You''re just here to show off your current status in front of Silvia."


    "So what? What''s it to you?"


    Both of them were doing well in their


    respective business sectors. If they were pitted against each other, neither could immediately im victory. But neither of them was


    really a winner or a loser in this


    matter. Silvia never showed favoritism to either of them. If she did, maybe the situation would be different now. However, neither of them could truly get close to Silvia. She was always wary of both of them.

 Chapter 350: Fight

    Chapter 350: Fight


    Right from the start, they couldn''t stand each other. It wasn''t just because they were romantic rivals, but also because they were businesspetitors. So, how could they possibly like each other? Therefore, from the first nce, they didn''t get along. And this time, it seemed like their longstanding grievances had umted, making them unable to resist the urge to fight.


    Finally meeting face to face, they couldn''t help but start throwing punches at each other.


    Their goal in fighting was very clear - they both aimed for each other''s faces andnded the first punch on each other''s faces.


    Themotion outside immediately attracted attention, and even those inside could hear it. Silvia was still upstairs and hadn''t paid much attention to the noise downstairs. So when the housekeeper came to knock on her door, she was a bit puzzled.


    The housekeeper had initially intended to intervene, but when he saw Cyril and Miles outside, he knew he couldn''t handle this alone. He had nned to find the young masters of the house, but they weren''t home, so he had no choice but toe to Silvia.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Well, Mr. Miles and Mr. Cyril are fighting at the door. They seem to havee to see you. I was going to ask the other young masters for help, but unfortunately, they''re not here, so Miss, you need toe down and resolve this yourself."


    The housekeeper exined the situation to Silvia, who was left stunned. She never expected that one day, Miles and Cyril would start fighting right at her doorstep.


    This waspletely unexpected. Silvia immediately ran downstairs. She didn''t understand why they were fighting, but when she opened the door, they were still at it, with bruises already forming on their faces. Their fight was clearly aimed at each other''s faces, and now they both looked bruised and swollen. They probably wouldn''t be able to work in the office for two weeks with those scars on their faces. Having such obvious injuries would not only make their employees ufortable but also make others think something was wrong with them.


    "Stop it, both of you! Enough!"


    Seeing them fighting at her doorstep left Silvia speechless. She immediately called for the bodyguards, who forcefully separated them. However, they both resisted and still wanted to determine a winner.


    "Are you two okay? Did he take a


    bath and thee to my house to pick a fight with me? If you need to release your extra energy by fighting, I suggest you go to a gym. If you can''t find a good gym, then find another ce. Do you really have nowhere else to go but my doorstep?"


    Seeing these two ring at each other, Silvia felt somewhat exasperated. If they couldn''t stand each other, why did they sit together in the first ce? Couldn''t they just fight it out directly? Of course, their sudden fight took her by surprise.


    "I''m sorry. I was a bit impulsive today, which made you


    ufortable. But rest assured,


    this won''t happen again. The issues between me and Cyril will be


    resolved by us. You don''t need no


    worry about us. You''re not dressed yet. Hurry up and put some clothes on. The weather has been too coldtely. Be careful not to catch a cold outside."


    Miles quicklyposed himself, showing regret and tenderness on his face. He walked up to Silvia, draped his coat over her, and pushed her inside.Original from N?velDrama.Org.


    In just a short while, Silvia''s hands had be very cold. If she stayed outside any longer, she might catch a cold.


    Silvia was pushed inside directly, feeling a bit surprised. Seeing that Miles wasn''t embarrassed at all, she didn''t mind anymore. She didn''t need to dwell on this matter any further.


    As for Cyril, seeing Silvia leaving with Miles, openly carrying his belongings inside, made him feel ufortable. He wanted to follow, but the butler stopped him.


    "Sorry, Mr. Cyril. Mr. Miles had already made an appointment with Miss Silvia to meet today. So today''s meeting was approved by Miss Silvia. She didn''t agree to meet you, so I hope you don''t barge in."


    The butler was already giving Cyril face. If it were Bruce or Balk standing here today, either one of them might have scolded Cyril from head to toe and then thrown him out. The butler was just doing what she was supposed to do, even though she also disliked Cyril. However, she had to maintain her demeanor.


    Hearing the butler''s exnation, Cyril''s lips curled in frustration. Now that he was reluctant, he could only wait here. Since Silvia wouldn''te out for a short while, the butler instructed the staff not to let Cyril in and then went inside, closing the door.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!