"Be quiet!" Mr. Wesley suddenly exclaimed, causing Maricela to be startled. It was rare for her uncle to become so angry. She glanced at Kathy and expressed, "Did you hear that? He told you to be quiet!"
Kathy raised an eyebrow in surprise. Mr. Wesley then turned and struck Maricela across the face. "I told you to be quiet!" He then faced Kathy and apologized, "Miss Kathy, this inexperienced employee doesn't know any better and has unintentionally offended you. If you can find it in your heart to forgive her, please overlook it."Maricela stood there in shock, covering her face, unable to comprehend what had just occurred. Her eyes welled up with tears and streamed down her cheeks. This unexpected turn of events left not only Maricela but also their other colleagues in the office astounded. The typically arrogant Mr. Wesley had an unusually humble moment?!Kathy glanced at Maricela and calmly questioned, "What if I insist on taking offense?" Mr. Wesley held his breath, unwilling to confront Kathy. Considering his age, losing his job at Henderson Corp would make it challenging for him to secure a better employment opportunity. Instead, he turned to Maricela, who remained in a state of shock, and demanded, "Why are you just standing there? Apologize!"Maricela lifted her head, revealing the prominent mark left by the slap on her face. Despite her limited understanding, she now comprehended the gravity of the situation. The woman capable of making her uncle submit must possess a powerful background. With a sense of humility, she meekly forced a smile and uttered softly, "I'm sorry." Her face burned with pain, and she couldn't help but feel that everyone in the department was mocking her. Kathy cast an indifferent glance at Maricela and instructed, "Get back to work. Copy all of these materials today. And remember, you have to do the copying yourself." She gestured towards the stack of materials she had just handed to Maricela. It was Maricela's first day on the job, and Kathy didn't want to escalate the situation with Mr. Wesley, but that didn't mean she couldn't teach Maricela a lesson.Mr. Wesley glanced at the substantial pile of materials and furrowed his brow. "Isn't this excessive?""If I recall correctly, Miss Maricela specifically asked me to copy these materials. Can't she handle it herself?" Kathy retorted."No, no, Maricela, go and complete your task!" His niece had always been coddled, but as long as he kept an eye on her, nothing untoward happened in the company. He didn't anticipate encountering Kathy today.Maricela clenched her teeth, picked up the materials, and made her way to the copying room. Once Kathy and the others had departed, the colleagues in the office began to whisper and engage in discussions. Numerous new employees who had previously been bullied by Maricela felt a sense of relief.…Alexia, adorned with delicate makeup, held a gift box in her hand. She knocked on Xavier's office door, noticing that since her return, Xavier seemed to be treating her even more poorly than before.Contemplating this, Alexia glanced at the gift box in her hand, and a smile graced her lips. With this gesture, she believed Xavier would experience happiness. She had even gone through the trouble of finding someone to imitate it. In the past, Alexia wouldn't have gone to such lengths to please Xavier. However, Xavier's status had changed. He was no longer the impoverished boy of yesteryears. With his wealth, talent, and attractiveness, he became the object of desire for many women. Not to mention others, even Kathy made Alexia feel threatened."Come in," Xavier's voice emanated from inside the room.Alexia flashed a sweet smile and cautiously poked her head in. "Xavier, it's me."Xavier was engrossed in company matters and hadn't anticipated seeing Alexia. He hadn't even had a moment to conceal his impatience. "Why are you here?" His tone lacked enthusiasm. With the company currently facing difficulties, he naturally wasn't in the mood for romantic affairs. Now, Xavier found himself regretting why he had slapped Kathy in the hospital that day. Kathy, being a proud woman, was likely enraged because of his actions. In the past, he wouldn't have cared whether she was angry or not, but now it was a significant concern for the company! Contemplating this, his annoyance grew, and even seeing Alexia dampened his mood slightly.Alexia's smile momentarily froze, but she swiftly recovered and reached out to hold Xavier's arm. "Xavier, look at what I have here." She presented the gift box with a smile.Xavier furrowed his brow. He had little interest in the gift box in Alexia's hand, and he impatiently stated;"Don't be silly. I still have company matters to attend to. You should go back for now. I'll reach out to you when I have the time."Alexia felt a twinge of dissatisfaction, but she managed to suppress her temper due to Xavier's current standing. "Xavier, I understand your concerns for the company. I heard you were in search of artwork. Take a look at this. You'll love it."Xavier glanced at her before opening the gift box and discovering a lifelike oil painting inside. His eyes sparkled as he recognized the signature—it belonged to none other than Mr. Gordon."This is Mr. Gordon's artwork. How did you get it?" Xavier examined it multiple times. With this painting, negotiating with Topcom would be much smoother.During his last visit to Mr. Gordon, Xavier not only failed to obtain the artwork but was promptly kicked out upon entering. The old man was a difficult character! He even munched on some buns and refused to accept the expensive gifts Xavier had brought.Xavier had worried about how to persuade the old man to create a piece for him, but now it had been delivered to him. He gazed at Alexia with a tender expression. "Alexia, I appreciate your gesture. It seems like you must have made a significant investment for this. I will transfer the funds to your account at a later time." Upon hearing the mention of money, Alexia's desire was stirred, but she yearned for more than just the meager sum in front of her. "I'm willing to work hard for you," she confessed, her eyes shimmering with anticipation as they locked onto Xavier's gaze. The truth was, obtaining this artwork hadn't required much effort on her part. She had merely stumbled upon a skilled imitator who replicated it for her, albeit at the hefty price of nineteen hundred talents, which left her feeling burdened.Xavier embraced Alexia with tenderness, drawing her close into his arms."Alexia, I will ensure your well-being from this moment onward."Nestling against Xavier's chest, Alexia responded with unwavering obedience, "I trust you."Filled with eagerness, Xavier swiftly arranged for a meeting with Martin Hubbard, the man responsible for Top Company Brand. "Xavier, where are you headed? Can I tag along?" Alexia's eyes gleamed with anticipation. She yearned to interact with influential figures, but lacked personal connections of her own. If Xavier agreed to take her along, her prospects would greatly improve. Additionally, she sensed a slight aloofness from Xavier lately, and worried that other women might exploit the situation.Initially inclined to decline, Xavier's resolve softened as he beheld Alexia's delicate countenance. Besides the artwork, he harbored a debt of gratitude towards her. "Alright, but we will be meeting with the head of Topcom brand. When we meet, please don't embarrass me.”“I'm all ears!" Her eyes brimmed with excitement, convinced that given the opportunity, she could forge friendships with anyone. It reminded her of her college days when she was always surrounded by a vibrant group of people. She cherished the feeling of being encompassed in such a way.As Xavier gazed upon Alexia's captivating presence, a sudden image of Kathy's beautiful face flashed across his mind for no apparent reason. In an instant, his countenance darkened. He couldn't shake the feeling that one day this woman would deeply regret her choices.Xavier's footsteps suddenly came to a halt as he observed the scene before him. He tightly pressed his lips together, his eyes fixed on the two figures in front of him. During his time at the company, there had been widespread rumors about Kathy attempting to win over influential business partners. Initially, he had dismissed these whispers as mere jealousy, refusing to believe them. However, now, witnessing Kathy engaged in a friendly co
Xavier stood up momentarily, only to quickly sit back down with a displeased look on his face, making the situation quite uncomfortable. He hadn't anticipated Alexia behaving childishly during such a crucial moment, and in comparison to the consistently generous Kathy, she fell short.Mr. Martin cast a glance at Xavier, feeling rather content with Xavier's company in the past. However, today's version of Xavier left him somewhat disappointed. Doubts began to creep into Mr. Martin's mind regarding Xavier's competence in handling significant matters at work, especially considering that he had brought his girlfriend and their romantic entanglements into such an important meeting.Initially, Mr. Martin had intended to award this opportunity to Xavier's company. After all, they had previously presented an impressive planning proposal and had demonstrated their ability to devise effective strategies for their brand, which had sparked Mr. Martin's interest in collaborating with them. However
Xavier pressed his lips, fully aware that prolonging his presence would only result in further self-defeat. "Mr. Hubbard, I shall depart now. I settle this on another occasion."Filled with rage, Xavier's anger reached a boiling point, causing his chest to tighten. He marched to the apartment at a reckless speed.The sound of the doorbell echoed, interrupting the somber atmosphere. Alexia's previously despondent expression changed into a triumphant one. She was certain that it was Xavier coming to offer his apologies.In light of this, she deliberately delayed opening the door. After all, who was responsible for Xavier's mistreatment of her just moments ago? She intended to teach him a lesson and demonstrate her temper.Making her way to the mirror, Alexia meticulously touched up her makeup, altering her facial expression. Her eyes glistened with tears as she prepared herself, finally approaching the door to greet her unexpected visitor.SLAP!*A resounding slap struck her left cheek
"Kathy, you work too much," Bridgette sighed. If she hadn't called her, Kathy would have likely worked late into the night."It's mainly because I have so many ideas that I lose track of time," Kathy explained. Since her rebirth, she had been filled with numerous ideas and was eager to incorporate them into her work, causing her to forget about the passage of time.Meanwhile, Dominic, who was waiting in the CEO's office, patiently awaited Kathy's call. However, half an hour had passed, and there was still no sign of her.Eventually, Dominic's patience wore thin, compelling him to personally venture to Kathy's office. Observing Dominic's departure from the office, April breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that she would be spared from working overtime that day.Upon Dominic's arrival at Kathy's planning department, everyone else had already left, save for the five individuals Kathy had brought with her. Upon catching sight of him, Bridgette and the others swiftly addressed him as "Si
Abigail and Bridgette caught sight of Xavier dragging Kathy away and swiftly maneuvered through the crowd, pushing aside people in their path to give chase. Just as they were about to reach them, Dominic intervened and halted Abigail and Bridgette in their tracks. "You two wait here," he asserted, "I'll bring Miss Kathy back."Though Abigail and Bridgette still harbored concerns for Kathy's safety, they reluctantly agreed and proceeded to call Janette and the others. As Xavier continued to drag Kathy, her steps grew increasingly unsteady, exacerbated by her wearing high heels. Consequently, it came as no surprise when she twisted her foot under the forceful pull of Xavier.Kathy's foot throbbed with pain, causing her to grimace and triggering an immediate surge of anger. In an irritated tone, she shrugged off Xavier's hand and demanded, "Xavier, what do you want?"Already unsteady on his feet, Xavier nearly stumbled after Kathy shook him off, but he managed to grasp onto the nearby
Unaware that Xavier was behind her, Kathy proceeded towards their original seats in the corner, taking small steps. Upon reaching the sofa, she saw that it was vacant, as Bridgette and her friends were engrossed in the company of wealthy and attractive men at the bar. Kathy's expression turned sour as she felt the discomfort in her feet due to the walking. Just as she was about to sit down and rest, Xavier abruptly seized her arm.Caught off guard, Kathy spun around and found herself face-to-face with Xavier."Xavier, let go of me," Kathy uttered aloud, struggling to break free.“You were so eager to be by my side before. And now you want to discard me? Do you think I'm a mere puppet to be thrashed?" Xavier tightened his grip on Kathy's arm.With regret etched on her face, Kathy uttered;"I confess, I was foolish and oblivious to have fallen for you. You turned out to be a deceitful person disguised as someone trustworthy. And what did I receive in return? Homelessness and destitution
However, Xavier refrained from taking action because he still had leverage over Kathy, which was the Harvard Group. Although the group technically belonged to him, it was Kathy who had built it from the ground up. He doubted that she would easily abandon the Harvard Group.Dominic noticed that Xavier was using his company as a bargaining tool and became concerned that Kathy might be influenced by him. "Kathy, there's no need to worry about anything once you join our Henderson Corp. You're free to propose new plans and suggestions, and we'll give them serious consideration. Our company is different from those that stifle your ideas. You have the freedom to pursue whatever you desire." He assured her."What do you imply, Dominic? To whom are you referring?" Despite being intoxicated, Xavier could discern the sarcasm laced within Dominic's statement."Whoever matches the description is precisely who I'm referring to." Dominic responded bluntly.If Kathy hadn't been present, he would hav
"Can't you fit in the passenger seat?" He asked with a frown, ignoring her question when he saw that she decided to sit in the back seat instead. Kathy couldn't hide her exasperation with Dominic and rolled her eyes."Mr. CEO, we don't have the same status. I don't have the right to sit in your passenger seat," Kathy replied, leaving Dominic shocked by her words. The implication was that they weren't as close as he had believed. He felt helpless, having just defended Kathy, only to have her reject his support.Kathy was unaware of Dominic's thoughts, as her focus was on her swollen left foot. She attributed the swelling to Xavier's erratic behavior, believing that if he hadn't acted out, she wouldn't find herself in such a wretched state. As she gently touched her foot, a sudden intense pain shot through her, causing her complexion to turn pale. Observing Kathy's face turning pallid through the rearview mirror, Dominic questioned her in confusion;"What's the matter with you?""I'm