Ch. 171..180
Chapter 171
Christina tensed up as she screamed in panic, “Who are you people? Let go of me!”
What’s going on here? Are these people muggers or something? The car stopped right in front of me, though. Were these people waiting for me?
Christina was snapped out of her train of thought when a pungent smell filled her nose. The next thing she knew, her vision went black, and she passed out.
“This woman sure looks hot!” said one of the men with a leer.
“Cut the chit–chat! Let’s get her out of here!” said another man.
The car then sped off and disappeared behind a corner.
The employees of Radiant Corporation were preparing to open the new store up for business the next morning.
It wasn’t until they started working that they realized Christina was absent.
“Ms. Tanner, I can’t get through to Ms. Steele, What should we do?” asked one of Christina’s colleagues. Gina got worried as she knew Christina wasn’t the type to go absent without leave, especially on such an important day.
This is the new store’s first day of operation, so there’s no way she’d miss out on it!
“I’ll try calling her. You guys stick to the plan and carry on as usual.”
Having assigned everyone their tasks, Gina stepped aside and called Christina a few times. However, all of her calls went unanswered.
Fearing that Christina could be in danger, Gina hesitantly called Nathaniel to inform him of the situation. She then went back to check on the work progress after ending the call.
Nathaniel, who was busy handling some urgent documents from overseas, phoned Scenic Garden Manor after hanging up.
The butler answered the phone and told him that Christina had not returned since last night. When he heard that, Nathaniel’s eyes filled with anger, and he realized Christina was in trouble.
The look on his face turned incredibly gloomy as he ordered, “Check the footage from all of Radiant Corporation’s surveillance cameras and find out what happened last night!”
Sebastian had never seen Nathaniel look that scary his entire life.
“I’m on it!” He didn’t dare waste another second.
Meanwhile, a man easily carried Christina, who was still unconscious, into an old and abandoned warehouse.
Christina groaned in pain when he tossed her onto the floor. Her mind was still a little foggy as she slowly came to her senses, but the sight of the thugs standing in front of her shocked her so much that it cleared
her head instantly.
The thugs were all eyeing her from head to toe with disgusting, lecherous grins on their faces.
“Whoa! Her skin is milky smooth!”
“She’s got a really pretty face too!”
The guys snickered as they commented on Christina’s body, much to her disgust.
It became clear as day what the thugs wanted to do to her. Christina got so scared that she was trembling
all over.
Stay calm! Don’t panic! You need to figure something out as quickly as possible! You can do this, Christina!
Christina clenched her fists tightly in an attempt to calm herself down.
One of the men reached out to grab her by the shoulder.
Christina tried to move out of the way, but he still managed to tear a piece of her jacket off, revealing the silky smooth skin of her slender shoulder.
“Please don’t hurt me! I’ll pay you guys any amount of money you want!” she exclaimed in an attempt to negotiate with them.
The man leading the group let out a disdainful snort. “Hmph! An office worker like you can’t possibly have a lot of money! I doubt you even have a few thousand in your bank account!”
The person who sent the thugs had told them that Christina was a nobody, so they didn’t have to worry about any repercussions.
Having initiated a conversation, Christina calmed down a little and said, “Don’t you guys do your research before kidnapping people? I may not be rich, but my husband is!”
Noticing that she had piqued their curiosity, Christina continued, “My husband is Nathaniel Hadley, the CEO of Hadley Corporation. You guys can ask him for any amount of money you wish. However…”
She then narrowed her eyes and imitated Nathaniel’s displeased gaze as she continued, “If you guys so much as lay a finger on me, then you can forget about leaving Jadeborough alive!”
The men exchanged glances as they realized she could be telling the truth.
Although these thugs were from the lowest class in society, anyone from Jadeborough would have heard of Hadley Corporation’s CEO and his reputation.
They knew that nobodies like themselves could not afford to mess with someone as powerful as Nathaniel.
The person who hired them had only paid them a little over a hundred thousand, and that money was definitely not worth offending Nathaniel over.
Fearing Christina was just bluffing, the man leading the group hesitated briefly before asking, “Is that
true?”
Christina nodded confidently. “Absolutely!”
The man then handed her an old phone and said, “Call him. If you turn out to be lying about your
husband… Hmph!”
That short was a threat in itself.
Christina quickly punched in Nathaniel’s phone number, and the warehouse fell into complete silence as everyone waited to see what would happen.
Christina was anxious as Nathaniel had a habit of rejecting calls from unknown numbers.
Fortunately for her, the call got through after a few rings.
“Hello?” Nathaniel’s icy–cold voice echoed throughout the empty warehouse.
As though she had found her savior, Christina yelled, “Nathaniel! It’s me, Christina!”
The man quickly snatched the phone over and exchanged surprised glances with the other thugs. My goodness! It really is Mr. Hadley of Hadley Corporation!
After taking a moment to think about it, he cleared his throat and said, “So, you’re Mr. Hadley? Your woman is in our hands. You’ll have to pay us five million if you want her back!”
The other thugs were beaming when they heard that.
Five million? We could never make that much money even if we worked the rest of our lives away!
Nathaniel snorted in disdain. “Five million? I’ll pay you guys fifty million!”
Christina froze up and broke out in a cold sweat.
What? This has got to be the first time I’ve heard a victim offer to increase the ransom
The men’s eyes lit up with joy when they heard that.
“If any of you dare lay a finger on her, however, I will be sure to kill each and every one of you!” Nathaniel threatened in an icy–cold voice.
For a second there, it felt as though he was the one who held all the cards.
The man leading the group quickly read out an address for the delivery of the ransom and hung up the phone immediately after.
The thugs then glanced at each other, feeling relieved that they had not raped Christina, as it would have gotten them killed.
“You’re a lucky one, woman! We won’t hurt you as long as you don’t try to escape!” said the man leading
group as he whipped out a rope and had his men tie Christina up.
the
“We’ll let you go once we receive the money, so just behave yourself!” said the thug as he tightened the rope around her wrists.
Phew… Looks like they’re not going to hurt me anymore. After all, fifty million is worth a lot more than a momentary pleasure. It sure is great having someone I can count on! Hmm… Now that I think about it, these thugs did not know my identity when they kidnapped me. It doesn’t look like they grabbed me at random, either. They were clearly aiming for me, so they must’ve been acting upon someone else’s orders.
With that in mind, Christina mustered her courage and asked, “Who sent you guys after me?”
The thugs froze in surprise as they weren’t expecting her to figure out that much. The man leading the group said with a vicious expression. “I suggest you not ask questions you shouldn’t know the answer to. It won’t do you any good.”
That confirms it! These thugs were indeed acting upon someone else’s orders! Who could it be, though? Who would
want to do this to me?
Chapter 172
Since those thugs were greedy for money, Christina decided to use it to her advantage. “If you guys tell me who sent you, I’ll have my husband add ten million to the ransom.”
What? We can get ten million simply by answering such a simple question?
One of the thugs asked excitedly. “Really?”
“Of course! My husband is filthy rich so paying an additional ten million is nothing to him!” Christina replied confidently,
The thug’s eyes lit up with glee when he heard that. He was about to say something when the phone started ringing again.
As Xander was the man leading the group, he answered the phone, “How are things?” asked the person who hired them.
The rest of the thugs simply glanced at Christina, who was completely unharmed. None of them dared say anything.
“We’ve done what you told us to do,” Xander replied with a snort.
“Good! Send me some pictures of her! I want to see that b*tch suffer! I’ll pay you guys another fifty thousand once this is over.”
Fifty thousand? What a cheapskate!
Even so, Xander didn’t say no to her. “No problem.”
The other thugs waited until he hung up the phone before gathering around. “Are you sure it’s a good idea to lie to that person like that?”
That woman sounded incredibly arrogant and claimed to have someone powerful backing her up. On top of that, she told them to go after Christina without worrying about the repercussions.
That led them to assume she was not someone to be trifled with.
Xander narrowed his eyes and said coldly, “This woman nearly got us all killed!”
Had they abused Christina like they were instructed to, Nathaniel would probably have them all chopped into pieces.
The mere thought of that potential outcome sent shivers down their spines.
Xander was not in the mood to entertain the woman who hired them. “Just send her a few pictures.”
One of the thugs then whipped out his phone and made his way toward Christina, who was still bound in the corner.
Nathaniel had someone prepare the money immediately after ending the call.
He then dropped the money off at the designated location and walked away.
A few suspicious–looking men showed up some time later and found the black suitcases filled with cash.
“Whoa! I’ve never seen this much cash in my entire life!”
“Let’s just grab the money and get out of here! Hurry!”
The men then grabbed a suitcase each and were about to leave when bodyguards came swarming in from
all directions.
In just a matter of seconds, the bodyguards had the thugs surrounded like fishes in a net.
Nathaniel exuded a terrifying aura as he made his way through the middle.
“W–We had a deal, Mr. Hadley! You deliver us the money, and we hand your woman over to you safely, remember? You’re not going back on your word, are you?” Xander stammered in his state of panic.
The other thugs were so scared that they trembled all over while holding the suitcases.
One of the bodyguards walked up to Xander, snatched the phone from him, and handed it over to Nathaniel.
The look in Nathaniel’s eyes grew cold and vicious as he replied, “I never take back money that I give away. You guys had the audacity to kidnap my woman, so you should not expect to just get off scot– free.”
While Nathaniel did promise to pay the ransom, he did not say anything about letting them off without punishment.
The thugs‘ legs gave out beneath them as they tossed the money aside and pleaded, “Please forgive us, Mr. Hadley! We don’t want the money anymore! Please just let us go!”
At that very moment, all they wanted was to stay alive.
There was no point in keeping the money if they wouldn’t live to spend it.
Unfortunately for them, they had messed with the wrong person.
“As I said, I never take back money that I give away,” Nathaniel repeated coldly with a disdainful snort.
He had so much money that he didn’t even want it back. All he wanted was to get his revenge on those who wronged him.
After all, it would be bad for his reputation if people could get away with attacking his woman.
“Break an arm and a leg each!” Nathaniel turned around and left after saying that.
The bodyguards then rushed forward and rained blows upon the thugs despite their pleas for mercy.
All they could do was scream in pain and agony as their blood sprayed all over the ground.
The bodyguards were vicious and ruthless, but they were careful to cripple the thugs without killing them.
After what seemed like forever, the bodyguards let go of the thugs, who collapsed to the ground like ragdolls.
“Mr. Hadley says you guys can use the money to pay for your medical bills. You guys won’t be so lucky if you mess with him again,” said one of the bodyguards before they left the scene.
Xander’s heart was filled with rage as he glanced at his broken arm and leg.
This is all Emilia’s fault! She tricked us into kidnapping Nathaniel’s woman! She’ll pay for this!
Christina was sitting there with her arms and legs bound when they found her.
She looked just like a helpless chicken waiting to be slaughtered.
Nathaniel quickly untied her and held her in his arms.
“Are you hurt?” he asked with a pained look on his face.
Christina shook her head and clung to him tightly without saying a word.
Although the thugs did not hurt her in the slightest, she was still traumatized by the incident.
As Nathaniel carried her in his arms, she buried her face in his chest like a scared kitten.
“You’re safe now. Everything is going to be all right. I’m going to take you home.”
It wasn’t until Christina took a shower and changed into a fresh set of clothes in Scenic Garden Manor that she finally calmed down a little.
Her slender figure still looked as though it would topple over at any moment, and her hair was still dripping wet from the shower.
Nathaniel placed a huge white towel over her head and gently wiped her hair before blow–drying it.
A faint fragrance filled the air as he ran his fingers through her hair.
“I’m sorry. It’s my fault for not protecting you well enough,” Nathaniel said while holding her face with both hands.
His heart felt as though it had been pierced by needles.
Ever since he witnessed his own family fall apart, he became incredibly possessive toward anything that he liked.
Christina shook her head. “It’s not your fault. Those people were targeting me.”
Nathaniel whipped out a pendant with a dragon carved onto it. It looked really exquisite and intricate. “This is a charm my mother gave me when I was little. It helps keep me safe from harm. I want you to
have it. Hopefully, it will keep you safe as well,” he said while putting it around Christina’s neck.
Christina felt a warm sensation fill up her heart when she touched the pendant, and whatever feelings of insecurity she had were gone in an instant.
She got on her tiptoes and kissed Nathaniel on the chin.
Christina had wanted to kiss him on the lips, but she realized she wasn’t tall enough after getting on her tiptoes, so she gave him a mischievous nibble on the jaw instead.
Nathaniel grabbed the back of her head and sealed her lips with his.
Chapter 173
Christina didn’t suffer any serious injuries, and her mental state recovered as well.
Nonetheless, Nathaniel still requested that she rest at home for two days before returning to work.
In order to accompany her, he had arranged all his company affairs to be taken care of at home.
As a stream of yellow light illuminated the study, Christina could be seen sitting next to Nathaniel, taking up one–third of his desk.
Holding a tablet in her hand, she browsed through the news website, occasionally taking notes of useful information she came across.
Just then, a light knock sounded on the door, and Madison walked in, holding some files. “These documents contain the key points for the next meeting. I have organized them all.”
It was evident she was as competent as Sebastian in terms of efficiency. Coupled with the fact that she had more experience, she was able to produce more thorough work.
As Nathaniel skimmed through the files, he simply gave a slight hum in responsé.
Madison’s gaze finally fell on Christina, and she noticed that the young woman was propping her chin with both hands. Leaning slightly forward, the pendant on her neck had slipped out and was dangling in
the air.
With the help of the light, Madison could recognize that the pendant belonged to Nathaniel.
Even though she had only seen it a few times, she had heard that it was a pendant that Julia had obtained from a temple to protect Nathaniel’s safety.
Nathaniel has always cherished the pendant, so why is Christina wearing it? Those people really are a bunch of idiots. I can’t believe they can’t even handle a woman.
Tamping down the jealousy that was surging within her, Madison asked in concern, “Mrs. Hadley, I heard you were in danger. Did you get hurt?”
Christina turned around, and with a distant look in her eyes, she replied softly, “I’m fine. Thanks for your
concern.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” Madison squeezed out a smile.
Although she had put on her most dazzling smile, Christina thought that it looked insincere.
Why is she suddenly asking about this?
Still propping up her chin, Christina’s gaze flashed with curiosity as she said, “You know, I think I heard the kidnappers saying that there were two people who instructed them to do this, and they also said that their backer is very influential.”
She narrowed her eyes and continued, “Ms. Taggart, you’re knowledgeable and a person of high status, aren’t you? Would you know who would have the ability to order those kidnappers to abduct me?”
Guilt swirled within Madison when she heard that. She didn’t expect the young woman, who looked to be of average intelligence, to come up with so many thoughts.
Those incompetent fools… I can’t believe they let so much slip.
As various thoughts and emotions flooded her mind, she forced herself to keep her calm and replied, “There are a lot of powerful and influential people in Jadeborough, so I can’t think of anyone who would
fit that description. Perhaps it’s someone who has a connection with Hadley Corporation. Or maybe they just said that in the heat of the moment. In any case, I heard the people who did it have already been severely punished. Besides, everyone in Jadeborough has heard about this incident, so I doubt anyone will dare to harm you again in the future, Mrs. Hadley.”
Trying to stop Christina from delving into the matter further, she added, “Mrs. Hadley, you don’t have to worry about your safety, and I think it’s better for you to stop dwelling on it.”
Stop dwelling on it?
Christina raised her brow, surprised that Madison could say something like that.
The outcome would have been different if I hadn’t been quick–witted at the time.
www
Christina had been deliberately probing Madison from the beginning, and the way the latter kept shifting the focus of the conversation had undoubtedly raised her suspicion.
However, since she had no substantial evidence, and she didn’t want to tip Madison off yet, she could only smile and say, “You’re right. Thank you for your input on this, Ms. Taggart.”
Relieved to see that Christina believed her words, Madison uttered, “Well, if there’s nothing else, I’ll head back to the company first.”
After saying that, she turned around and left.
Nathaniel gave a sidelong glance to the young woman beside him. “Are you really going to let the matter go?”
He was aware that those people were intending to kill her.
Christina got to her feet, her doc–like eyes shining with a hint of slyness. “Of course not. I want revenge, but I’m going to need your help.”
Nathaniel smirked and rubbed her head in response. In a tone thick with adoration, he said, “I’ll help you in any way I can.”
Sitting in the dressing room doing her makeup, Emilia was cursing under her breath as she stared at some heavily photoshopped pictures on her phone.
A single glance was enough to tell her that those pictures were spliced with Christina’s head.
Those b*stards lied to me! Not only did they take my money, but they didn’t even deliver what they promised!
Just then, her phone rang.
-The moment she answered the call, she was greeted with angry cursing on the other end, “Didn’t you say
you know people who could handle this matter properly? Well, those people you found were all beaten up by Nathaniel’s men!”
Emilia exclaimed, “What? Are you saying that Christina was rescued?” Now it makes sense why those thugs haven’t been replying to my messages since yesterday. And here I thought they simply took the money and ran.
“With how stupid you are, I don’t think we should work together anymore. You’d better keep your mouth shut. If you leak any information about me, I won’t let you off the hook.”
With that, the caller ended the call.
Infuriated, Emilia felt like she should not be the only person to blame for how things turned out. After all, she was upset that the plan had failed as well.
She angrily deleted the number.
A moment later, her assistant knocked on the door before saying, “Emilia, it’s time for your audition.”
Emilia had received an invitation from the production team and came to audition for the role after signing the contract. She thought that it was the perfect opportunity for her to rise to fame again.
Putting away her phone, she got up and left.
When she arrived at the audition room, she could see two directors sitting in the front. An assistant handed her the script and said, “You can start in one minute.”
After taking a quick glance at the script, Emilia was stunned.
I have to play the role of a villainous second female lead who instructed some bad guys to kidnap the female lead?
Without giving her much time to think, a minute soon passed.
The director called for her to start, leaving her with no choice but to cooperate and play the role as written in the script.
As Emilia got into character, a vicious look soon spread across her face. “I want you guys to grab that brat and teach her a lesson using the most brutal means. Don’t worry. She’s a nobody. Once the job’s done, I’ll pay the remaining amount to you. Oh, make sure to tear her clothes and take pictures for me as well!”
The fierce expression on her face was so intimidating that even the crew members present felt frightened.
When Emilia was done saying her piece, a slender figure walked in through the door.
Clapping her hands, Christina commented with a tone full of mockery, “That is some stellar acting for a performance that’s less than two minutes.”
“What are you doing here? Get out!” Emilia’s expression darkened, her face twisting with rage.
What the hell is Christina doing here? Did she overhear the words I said when I was reenacting the phone call with the kidnappers?
Christina’s eyes were cold, and her delicate face was giving off a chilling aura as if she could see through Emilia’s act.
“Director, I think Emilia did a great job for this role, so let’s give it to her,” she said.
Emilia’s expression turned grim when she heard that, and she growled, “Who the hell do are to be ordering people around here? You need to leave immediately.”
you
think you
The director stood up and explained, “Ms. Christina is an investor in this show and has the right to decide who will play which role.”
“What? You’re an investor?” Emilia felt a chill run down her spine.
She then glared at Christina and snorted. “So what if you’re rich? I’m not going to act in this show anymore!”
Christina sneered, “Didn’t you already sign the contract beforehand? It’s just that the role you are going to play has not been determined yet. Well, now that it’s been decided, you’re going to have to pay for breach of contract if you refuse to play the role.”
Chapter 174
Emilia was stumped. When she returned to her senses, she uttered through gritted teeth, “Christina, you’re so vicious. How dare you set me up?”
B*tch! What gives her the right to have dealings with such a huge production team? Nathaniel must be behind this.
Christina looked annoyed and snorted. “This is nothing compared to what you did to me!”
She was lucky to have narrowly escaped that incident.
It was a major grudge, so there was no reason why she should just let it go.
“Christina, what the heck do you want?” Emilia started to look frightened…
Christina was not of good breeding, so Emilia did not expect the former to be any better than her.
“I don’t want anything. Seeing that we are sisters, I will tell the director to give the show more fight
scenes!”
An icy smile appeared on Christina’s face before she continued, “The type that will get you a few slaps!”
When the director heard what she said, he chimed in, “I will do as per your instruction.”
“Christina, why are you only targeting me?” Emilia was caught between a rock and a hard place. If she terminated her contract, she would have to compensate. If she continued filming, she would have to put up with Christina.
It was Madison’s idea to kidnap Christina and not hers.
All she did was take the money and execute the deed. Yet, Christina put all the blame on her and her alone.
That thought alone upset her.
A dark glint flashed across Christina’s eyes as she asked, “So, are you telling me that there are more people involved in my kidnapping? Do you have any accomplices? Speak!”
She knew things were not as simple as they appeared to be.
Recently, the Steele family encountered a number of difficulties, so how did Emilia get the money to hire people?
“I don’t know what accomplices you are talking about. You’re sick. Go and see a doctor!” With that, Emilia ran away guiltily
She did not expect to be questioned by Christina in that manner even after the incident had been exposed!
Most importantly, she could not disclose that the mastermind was Madison because of a lack of evidence.
Madison had transferred the funds from abroad, so there was no evidence linking Madison to the incident. If she attempted to expose Madison, she would only suffer in the end.
Therefore, she had no intention of giving Christina the chance to slaughter her like a lamb.
Even though Emilia did not say anything, her panicky expression told Christina everything.
When she left the set, she saw Nathaniel’s car waiting at the front entrance.
Christina got in, and the car drove off.
The ambiance in the car seemed a little gloomy.
Christina inched closer to him and asked, “I thought you had a meeting. How do you have the time to come and fetch me?”
“The meeting has been postponed,” replied Nathaniel.
Christina acknowledged softly before leaning on him. The lazy way in which she lay on him made him look like a pillow.
Cold sweats were running down the back of Sebastian, who was sitting in the front passenger seat and looking through the meeting information.
Mr. Hadley was worried that Mrs. Hadley wouldn’t be able to handle being bullied. That’s why he personally came to fetch her. He doesn’t even care about the meeting.
They drove to Hadley Corporation.
Once they were in Nathaniel’s office, Christina found a place and sat down.
Just then, Madison walked in with some important documents. It was obvious that she had something to
discuss with Nathaniel.
“Who told you to sit there?” said Nathaniel with a grumpy face to the person who was sitting about ten feet away from him.
Christina was taken aback and stood up immediately.
She looked at the couch. I usually sit here, though.
With a distant gaze, Madison turned around and said coldly, “Mrs. Hadley, we will be discussing some important matters of the company. It’s not ideal for outsiders to know about it. I hope you can understand…”
that we
We will be going through some of the most important projects for the second half of the year. There is no way can allow Christina to know about them. No matter how well Nathaniel treats Christina, there are some things that he does not want her to know.
Madison was secretly thrilled. Finally, there were things that were sacred between Nathaniel and her, even though they were only work–related matters.
Christina was not interested in their work, but she was uncomfortable when Madison stared at her warily.
“Come over here.”
Just as she was about to leave, she heard Nathaniel’s deep voice ring out.
confusion
Christina turned around and looked at him in confusion. “Are you talking to me?”
A while ago, he was questioning me on why I was seated on the couch, no?
When Sebastian got the gist of the situation, he stepped in.
What Nathaniel meant was that Christina was seated too far away from him!
He quickly got a chair and placed it next to Nathaniel. “Mrs. Hadley, Mr. Hadley wants you to sit next to him. Please come over here. The meeting is about to start.”
Nathaniel stared at her and beckoned, “Come here now.”
Christina acknowledged briefly before going over to him.
When that slender body of hers was on that spacious chair, she looked like a cute, furry pet.
Madison was embarrassed. It felt as though Christina had given her an invisible slap.
Earlier on, she had told her to leave. Right now, Christina was seated in front of her.
The atmosphere felt tense at that instant.
Sebastian took out the documents and began reporting. At last, the tense atmosphere in the room eased.
The three of them had a professional discussion on a few critical issues. There were still some aspects of the project that needed solutions.
When Nathaniel heard the problems, he came up with the solutions on the spot. He even resolved the issues that had been overlooked.
Nathaniel had a deep and powerful voice, and he was quick in his thinking.
Sebastian was busy typing the minutes of the meeting.
As for Madison, she was also very focused. If she got distracted, she would fall behind in the discussion.
Looking at Nathaniel’s serious face, her heart was beating very fast.
It was difficult for her not to fall for such an outstanding man.
While Madison was mesmerized by her boss, Christina was observing her. Christina could tell from her instinct that Madison admired Nathaniel.
When the meeting was over, Madison said as she was tidying the documents, “Mr. Hadley, why don’t we go to Shelby Restaurant for a meal? It has been quite some time since we last went there.”
In the past, the three of them used to go there to take a break.
However, ever since Nathaniel came back from abroad and started seeing Christina, things had not been the same. He did not spend as much time with them anymore.
Other than work, they had no other interaction.
Christina was curious. “Is the food at Shelby Restaurant good? I haven’t been there.”
“Do you want to go?” asked Nathaniel as he looked at her.
From his height, it looked as if he was looking at her like she was some kind of small furry animal.
Chapter 175
Christina blinked. “I would like that.”
“Let’s go, then.” Nathaniel said.
Noticing the exchange, Sebastian felt a tinge of admiration.
Mr. Hadley did not want to go just a second ago. A mere word from Mrs. Hadley was sufficient to change his mind. Nobody spoils their wife as he does.
Madison, too, managed to deduce the reason. “I’ll make the reservations,” she said with a small smile.
Later that evening, the four of them were seated in a private room.
The table was filled with various delicacies, many of which Christina had never seen before.
Curious about the new, unfamiliar food, she ate most of it.
Halfway through, Madison ordered the manager to open a bottle of red wine. “You must try the wine. here, Mrs. Hadley. It’s sweet and tangy.”
She poured Christina a glass as she spoke.
Although she was not particularly fond of drinking, Christina did not decline the offer. After a few sips, she found it delectable.
Madison poured her another glass, smiling as she did so. “You must not drink very often, Mrs. Hadley.”
“Almost never,” Christina admitted.
Madison smirked. One who does not drink often will behave most interestingly when drunk.
Suddenly, she was seized by an impulse to see Christina drunk.
After several glasses, Christina began to feel dizzy.
Intoxication by wines of that nature would start off slow as the aftereffects built up into a powerful kick.
She sipped less than half of another glass, then handed Nathaniel the rest. “I can’t drink–hic–anymore.”
Christina’s voice was soft. Her ruddy cheeks were puffed up, and her large eyes were slightly red. She looked adorable.
Nathaniel took the glass from her and set it aside. “That’s enough for tonight.”
She had downed the wine as if it were grape juice. He was worried for her, as it had only taken three glasses to get her drunk.
Christina stood up and stumbled toward the door. “I’m going to the ladies‘ room.”
Still worried, Nathaniel ordered a female server to accompany her. Then, he turned to Sebastian. “Get the
bill.”
“Right away,” said Sebastian before exiting.
Suddenly, only two people were left in the private room.
Madison gazed at Nathaniel. She was unable to discern any emotion in his glacial features.
She downed her glass and, mustering her courage, stood up.
She was a young woman of about twenty–five. Her consistent self–care and training regimes had whipped. her figure and confidence into excellent shape.
Madison thought she deserved to stand beside Nathaniel as his equal, given what she had to offer.
She leaned closer. Her voice lost some of the professionalism it had in the office and instead sounded meek like Christina’s. “I’m feeling a little dizzy after the drinks. Could you send me home?”
To remain close to Nathaniel, Madison had moved to a luxury condominium in his vicinity.
“Sebastian will send you,” Nathaniel replied bluntly.
Even during a casual meal, Sebastian, the consummate professional, never drank on the job without permission.
Madison was disappointed. I could not have hinted any less subtly, yet Nathaniel still turned me down.
“A man with your success will need a woman who helps you instead of one who burdens you for everything, Mr. Hadley.”
With my skills, I can provide Nathaniel with all the assistance he needs to take his legacy to greater heights. Why would he lower himself for Christina, who doesn’t know a damn thing, than to even spare me a second glance?
Nathaniel’s chiseled features remained cold and unmoving. “I like her, and that’s all that matters.”
It doesn’t matter how capable she is or what she looks like.
Madison stared at the cold and handsome face. Just like that, he rejected all of my love in the cruelest manner. There is nothing more I want than to leap into his arms, kiss him, and tell him I love him, but I cannot. Another mistake and I’ll be out of the position by his side for as long as I live.
Christina returned that moment.
She was quite drunk. She could not even walk straight.
After a short stumble, she fell ungraciously into Nathaniel’s arms. The fall made her even dizzier.
Clenching her fists, she pounded his chest and grumbled, “What are your muscles made of? Steel? They hurt like hell!”
Nathaniel gazed at the demure woman in his arms and caressed her hair. “You’re drunk. I’m bringing you home.”
Bending over, he picked Christina up and left.
Madison watched the pair depart, her gaze filled with envy. Her heart seared painfully as if it had been stabbed.
Suddenly, her phone rang.
She picked up, irritated. “Didn’t I tell you to never call me again?”
In her dressing room, Emilia was holding a bag of ice to her swollen right cheek, tears streaming down her face. “Christina found out what we did. Because of her, I have taken a dozen slaps to the face tonight.”
Her face was comically swollen. It pained her to even talk.
After mulling it over, she decided she would not suffer the indignity alone.
Madison sneered, “So what? I told you, don’t ever contact me.”
“You’re a part of this too. Don’t you dare think you can dismiss me so easily.” Then, Emilia decided to go all in. “If you hang me out to dry, I will see Mr. Hadley tomorrow and tell him everything about you! I’ll tell him what a vicious woman his assistant is. We’ll see if he keeps you by his side!”
Emilia projected the pain of her humiliation onto Madison. If I’m going down, I’ll drag you with me!
Madison shook with anger.
How dare this goddamn woman threaten me? Even if Nathaniel won’t believe the words of a nobody, his suspicions will undoubtedly be roused.
“What is it that you want?” she asked after thinking it through.
Emilia smiled. She had gotten what she wanted.
“I know about the new beverage Hadley Corporation is preparing to launch, and I want to be its ambassador. I’m sure such a small request is easy for the assistant to the CEO.”
Madison thought scornfully of the scheming woman but did not turn her down. “Fine. I’ll take care of it.”
“Then I’ll wait for your good news.”
Emilia hung up in satisfaction.
Madison, on the other hand, was livid. “Who do you think you are?” she fumed. “A third–rate actress trying to be a spokesperson for Hadley Corporation?”
She put her phone away, deeply regretting her choice of her partner.
After getting the bill, Sebastian returned to the private room to send Madison home just in time to hear every word she said from outside the door.
Although he did not know who Madison had spoken to on the phone, he was certain they had something on her; she would not have given in to the demand otherwise.
He had once heard Madison suggest making Simone Taggert, a cousin of hers in the entertainment industry, the spokesperson.
Madison walked out when the servers entered to clear the table.
As their eyes met, Sebastian began, “Mr. Hadley asked me to send you back.”
“Thank you.” I did have too much to drink. It would not be safe for me to return home on my own.
The pair entered the car, and Sebastian drove off.
Chapter 176
Throughout the journey, neither of them spoke. Aside from the necessary conversations from their jobs, they never discussed their private lives.
Sebastian knew Madison was the heiress to the Taggart family. Rumor has it that she came to Hadley Corporation for a job just to get close to Mr. Hadley, but I know that for a fact.
Just before they arrived, Madison spoke. “There are still a few slides I need to put together on the project we have discussed today. I’ll send them to you once I’m done.”
“No hurry. Look at the time! You don’t have to stay up to do it,” Sebastian said.
She is a hard worker who can easily start a company on her own.
Madison rested her chin in her hand. Her gaze was fixed on the night sky. “Mr. Hadley is concerned about this project. I would like to get it done quickly.”
Everything concerning Mr. Hadley is a priority to her.
Soon, the car pulled up outside her home.
“Thank you for the ride back.” Madison alighted from the vehicle and left without another word.
Sebastian gazed at her departing back, a strange feeling arising in his chest.
Given how fond Madison is of Mr. Hadley, I don’t think she will do anything to harm him. I must be overthinking.
Several days later, Christina saw Emilia’s beverage commercial on TV.
Having thought that nobody would approach Emilia to endorse their products anymore after the last time, she wondered what measures Emilia had employed to gain Hadley Corporation’s support.
Somehow, Emilia managed to restore her fame with a single commercial.
Nobody knew why she had suddenly been blacklisted a while ago, but the change in her persona made her
much more likable.
That day, Emilia took on another gig to convey the youthful appeal of a new store under Radiant Corporation. Many within the department were tasked to be onsite for the photoshoot.
Having gone out to survey their new competitors, Gina left managing the design department to Christina.
After a mere glance through the shots, Christina deemed the quality unsatisfactory.
The brand was going for a certain vivacious charm, which Emilia’s photos seemed to lack.
Christina sent the photographs to Gina, who also felt dissatisfied with the outcome.
At last, they agreed to redo the shots.
Upon hearing the news, Emilia refused. She was under the impression that Christina was deliberately making things difficult for her.
The staff’s cajoling fell on deaf ears. Left with no other choice, they sought Christina’s help. “We did all we could, Ms. Steele, but Emilia still won’t cooperate. Her manager, in particular, is very pushy. She looks
down on us.”
Seeing that her colleagues could not handle it, Christina went over personally.
As soon as she pushed open the door, she was greeted by a billow of cigarette smoke. Caught off guard, she choked and coughed a few times.
Her gaze
fell on Emilia, who was exhaling in her direction.
Scowling, she said in a warning tone, “Our product is trying to convey youthful innocence. Please watch your image during the period of your endorsement.”
Emilia’s
gaze darkened with disdain. “On the contrary, my image is well suited for the brand’s vision.” Rising to her feet, she arrived before Christina. “Isn’t the basis of these apparel to act sweet and innocent to hide your true, wicked nature?”
Christina turned crimson, although she looked more disappointed than angry. “As an ambassador, don’t you think it’s inappropriate to disparage the brand like this?”
Emilia flashed a disdainful smile. Instead of replying, she blew another puff at the other woman.
Christina was choked with anger. She found it challenging to contain her emotions at the blatant provocation.
I want to give her a tight slap, but the job remains a priority. It’s the easy way out to throw a tantrum. I know what I must do. I need to solve the problem instead of starting a fight.
Christina collected herself and suppressed her anger. “Put that cigarette out, then get your makeup done and finish the shoot.”
Emilia ignored her. Instead, she answered coldly, “It is past the hours we agreed on. I’m not working overtime. We’ll shoot tomorrow.”
Without another word, she led her manager out of the studio.
Fraught with worry from having witnessed Emilia departing before completing the shoot, the crew filed in to ascertain the situation.
As soon as they opened the door, they detected the lingering acrid smoke. It was obvious that the previous occupant had lit up half a pack there at the very least.
“I wonder how Emilia got the job. Her image doesn’t suit our product at all,” a colleague grumbled.
“I think so too. Well, such is the entertainment industry.” Another colleague sighed.
With the departure of the star, the matter was put on hold and deferred to the following day.
Early the following morning, the film and makeup crews arrived on time to begin shooting preparations.
Then, they waited for three hours. The star only arrived after the staff tasked with contacting her left several urgent calls.
Emilia plopped down on the makeup chair the moment she arrived. “I’m going to take a nap. We’ll do my lashes later.”
Feeling helpless, the makeup artist could only listen to her.
After everything was ready, Emilia awoke to change and headed to the shooting location.
The photographer only realized something was wrong after taking several shots. “Your makeup doesn’t look complete, Emilia. Would you like to touch it up?”
Already in a foul mood, Emilia became so angry that she slapped the makeup artist in the face when she got a glimpse from the mirror she had her assistant bring her.
“What is wrong with you? Look at how awful you made me look!”
Emilia’s eyelids had not been drawn as she had been asleep earlier. The dark circles around her eyes were. particularly obvious.
She looked haggard and dispirited, like the female lead of a horror film.
The makeup artist clutched her cheek, her tears falling unbidden. “I did mention we have to touch it up but you went out in such a hurry!”
“Are you saying it’s my fault?”
Emilia raised her hand again to strike, but somebody caught her by the wrist.
“This is a tiny matter. There’s no need to resort to violence, is there?” Having dashed over after a meeting. Christina had arrived just in time to witness the scene.
Without another word, she stepped out to block Emilia.
The atmosphere grew awkward. The crowd exchanged glances but nobody said a word.
Loosening her grip, Christina announced, “Stay on schedule. Give Emilia a touch–up.”
The makeup artist hurriedly dried her tears. Although she felt indignant, she did not utter a word.
She took out her tools and redid Emilia’s makeup carefully.
Then, the photoshoot commenced. The photographer still could not find the energy he was looking for, so he had Emilia make increasingly exaggerated poses.
After two more hours of shooting, the effect still fell short of demand.
Emilia grew impatient. “Working with other photographers doesn’t take this long. Do you know what you’re doing?”
The photographer scowled. Emilia is the one who fails to convey the feeling we need, and she’s blaming me?
“Please cooperate with me. I want to go home too.”
Emilia’s manager appeared and whispered something in her ear.
“I’ve given you two days‘ of my time for a job that was supposed to take one. Use something from the shots you have already taken.”
As she spoke, Emilia removed her head accessory and prepared to leave.
Chapter 177
The photographer lowered his dignity and implored, “Please work with me here. I’ll do everything else. Let’s try another set?”
Although there were two days‘ worth of photographs, none were remotely usable. Furthermore, shots that were overly edited looked awkward.
The greatest taboo of fashion photography was inauthenticity.
“It’s too late for you to start taking things seriously. I don’t care. I’m leaving.” Emilia said coldly.
She changed back into her own dress, flung the apparel aside, and prepared to leave.
The crew looked angry yet did not dare say a word.
Christina stopped her. “Before the day’s work is done, Emilia, you will not leave.”
It’s because of her that we are behind schedule.
Emilia sneered, “I insist on leaving. What are you going to do about it?”
I’ve signed the contract and received the endorsement fee. What can she do about that?
Christina’s gaze remained steady, “I’ll replace you if you leave.”
“Do as you wish.”
With a contemptuous scoff, Emilia turned and left without a backward glance.
The studio fell silent. In the aftermath of the confrontation, the crew was left uncertain.
The photographer returned to his workstation and turned on his laptop to search for any satisfactory photographs, but every single one failed to achieve the desired effect.
The entire department felt utterly deflated.
“What do we do, Ms. Steele? Tonight is the last night to send the photographs to the printing house, or we won’t be able to meet the deadline.”
“Even if we renegotiate everything, we won’t be able to start work quickly enough.”
“That’s right. We might not have the time even if we looked for somebody else.”
At a complete loss, the female colleagues took turns to offer their thoughts on their predicament.
They turned their pleading gazes at Christina as they awaited her verdict.
Christing bit her lip as she tried to think of something.
An instant later, she ordered, “Set everything up here. I’m going to make a phone call.”
As if receiving a jolt of energy, the crew leaped into action at her command.
Christina gave Coco a call. She thought the person most embodying the youthful spirit they were looking
for was Coco.
As soon as Coco heard about the job, she immediately had her assistant check her schedule.
“I’m still on set, but we’re finishing up soon. I can spare two hours for your shoot before I rush back here.”
Despite her packed schedule, Coco still made time for Christina at her
request.
“Thank you so much, I have everything prepared here. We can start shooting as soon as you arrive.”
After ending the call, Christina had the photographer set up a new backdrop–a pink wall–and put out some accessories in the style of young trendy women.
The makeup artist was stunned when Coco arrived. “A–Aren’t you Coco Lynch, who recently starred in some television series?”
Upon hearing that, the crowd flocked over for a glimpse at the famous face.
Coco was dressed simply. She removed her cap to reveal a pixie–like face. “I’m in a hurry. Thank you all for the trouble.”
“No trouble at all. This way, please.”
The makeup artists and stylists were starstruck and giggly.
Christina was about to lend a helping hand but knew she had nothing to worry about upon seeing how welcoming they were.
Soon. Coco’s shoot officially began.
There was practically no need for the photographer’s instruction, as she grasped the concept quickly.
Possibly due to the charisma she exuded, in addition to the accentuation of her accessories, she instantly became the subject on everybody’s lips.
The shoot went so smoothly that it was even completed half an hour ahead of schedule.
Taking advantage of the window of opportunity, the crew stood in line to take pictures with Coco
As she had to rush back to continue shooting her series, she departed after changing and bidding Christina a hasty farewell.
After Coco left, Christina’s crew surrounded her. “What a lovely person Coco is. She was smiling and chatty the whole time,” they said with sly smiles, hoping to unearth further information.
“She’s better than Emilia, yet even more polite.”
“How are you so close with Coco, Ms. Steele?”
They huddled around Christina so tightly that she could not move. “It’s a long story. We go way back.”
She remembered when Coco was a relative unknown, with a gig only as a second female lead, and when she was still fresh in the industry. They had begun their careers together, which was why they treasured their friendship.
“You got Coco to come over really quickly, Ms. Steele. Didn’t you discuss the endorsement fees?” a female colleague asked curiously.
Christina had not thought that far. She had been more preoccupied with solving the problem.
“Leave that to me. Enough chitchat. Let’s finish up here.”
Judging by her response, her crew surmised that their relationship must be close for them to come to agreements so candidly.
Thus, they headed off to handle their respective tasks instead of asking further.
Coco’s shots debuted at the malls the following week and on Radiant Corporation’s blog.
Sweet and ebullient, Coco was undoubtedly the idol of many young women. In a few short days, almost all her fans had made her their screensaver.
Due to the excellent promotional shots, the products under Coco’s endorsement sold like hot cakes.
Sales of the other series were not too bad, either. It was a new record for the company.
During a morning meeting. Zachary praised Christina for her decisiveness.
After the shoot, an agreement was negotiated with Coco’s manager, resulting in an endorsement fee surpassing the initial estimated amount.
As for the agreement with Emilia, Radiant Corporation was planning on asking for eighty percent of their expenditures back.
Before they could issue the letter to do so, Emilia’s lawsuit arrived.
It claimed a violation of their agreement by not using her photographs.
Zachary dismissed the executives of the other departments with the exception of Gina and Christina to discuss the matter.
“Emilia’s lawsuit is giving me a headache. They actually want us to pay them for damages! This is a hell of an endorsement fee.” He massaged his brow.
Christina felt puzzled by the extent of his dilemma.
He looked as if he was afraid of something and did not wish to displease Emilia.
If we were to further investigate this. Emilia would undoubtedly be found at fault.
After a moment’s silence, Christina asked, “May I ask how you arrived at having Emilia be the spokesperson. Mr. Sacchetti?”
“She was recommended by a good friend of mine, Madison Taggert. I thought she was a good fit, so I went with it. I never expected something like this to happen! It’s tough to be stuck in the middle.”
Unaware of the matter between them, Zachary told the full story.
At that moment, he was worried about burning that bridge by being too demanding, as Madison’s recommendations were mostly powerful, well–connected people.
Frowning, Christina fell deep in thought.
How did Madison get involved with Emilia?
Chapter 178
For now, the most important thing to do was to deal with the lawyer’s letter from Emilia.
No one would hope for the situation to spiral out of control. Besides, it wouldn’t be advantageous for one to waste money on that matter.
As the boss, Zachary prioritized his interests by saying, “I will make my decision before the meeting tomorrow morning.”
Gina and Christina walked out of the office. They had thought that the small matter could be solved. internally. Never had they expected the drama to spread like wildfire on the internet
Emilia’s fans were angrily bashing Coco for her underhanded trick to snatch Emilia’s endorsement deal.
That was why Emilia’s promotional photos could not be published. Such a dirty trick of Coco to get her hands on Emilia’s endorsement deal was something that the public could not tolerate.
Emilia had also posted a video of her shooting for Radiant Corporation on her social media account. Seeing that, everyone naturally picked her side and believed in her.
What surprised Christina the most was seeing the netizens swarming the comments section of Coco’s social media accounts with insults.
I feel so sorry for her. She was kind enough to lend me a hand. I didn’t expect to drag her into this mess.
She gave Coco a call and was relieved to know that her jobs weren’t affected by the online feud.
“The nasty comments are mostly from ghostwriters. I have more fans than her ghostwriters, anyway. Don’t worry
about me,” comforted Coco.
Coco officially debuted long ago. She had never had any scandals over the years, and she believed that the small drama wouldn’t have much impact on her.
Coco had the plan to dispel the rumors in due course.
Now that I’m in the limelight, it’s best for me to remain silent now. Or else, I might be giving Emilia a chance to chase
the clout.
Worried that the situation would spiral out of control, Christina said, “I will clarify the matter for you.”
With that, she ended the call.
Coco wanted the stop her. After all, Christina was an outsider. There was nothing much she could do.
Before Coco could return the call, the filming was about to start, so she went off to get busy.
Christina feturned to the office. She turned on her computer and saw the drama being stirred up on the internet,
It was at that moment she recalled Emilia leaving in a hurry after answering a call that day.
If I’m not mistaken, she seemed as if she was going to attend a party that day. Everyone’s accusing Coco of her bad reputation. Perhaps I should prove to the public that Emilia is the one who has a bad image.
After work, Christina called for a taxi and waited outside the Steele residence.
The sky was turning dark. Emilia went out wearing a sexy black dress while carrying a branded bag.
Christina ordered the driver to tail Emilia’s car. Shortly after, they arrived at a bar in a remote area.
I have to capture her photos inside to show the world her bad side so that I can help Coco clarify the scandal.
Upon seeing Emilia enter the bar. Christina alighted from the taxi and followed her.
However, she didn’t expect to be blocked by the security guard outside. “Minors are not allowed to enter.”
Huh? Minors? I’ve been married for years!
That rendered Christina speechless.
Feeling exasperated, Christina fished out her ID card to prove her identity.
The security guard took the ID card and scanned it over a machine for verification. His expression suddenly turned solemn as he uttered, “You still can’t enter. We only allow our members to go in.”
How private of the bar to only serve its guests? No wonder Emilia doesn’t have to worry about getting photographed when she’s outside.
Christina was determined to exercise her plan that day. “How much is it to become a member? Can I not just spend money inside?”
The security guard shot her an aloof glance and replied, “No, you can’t do that. The only way to get in is through a member referral.”
After saying that, he shooed Christina out.
A vortex of anger immediately swirled inside Christina. What a lame bar! Did he just chase away a potential customer? This bar won’t survive long!
Despite her fury, Christina had to think of a way to go in.
Knowing that it was impossible for her to enter through the entrance, she started thinking of another plan.
Christina had experience working in a bar before. Putting her experience to good use, she found the back door soon. The door was left open as the workers were moving some frozen food.
She quickly sneaked into the staff changing room and got changed into waiter’s clothes.
After getting changed, she put on a mask.
As soon as Christina walked out of the room, she thought of checking Emilia’s room number through the
computer.
“Hey! You there, where are you going? Hurry and help out in the kitchen!”
She was interrupted by the manager behind her as she walked in the corridor.
The manager furrowed his brows. Why are the newbies so dumb? They just can’t recognize the way here.
Reluctantly, Christina turned around to follow the manager to the kitchen. It was fortunate for her that the manager did not recognize her.
Upon preparing the dishes, Christina pushed the small cart and walked out.
The rooms were arranged in an ordered fashion. It didn’t take her long to find the room.
After circling the entire place, Christina was astounded by the surrounding. I get it now why they only allow members here. This place is specially reserved for those famous people and celebrities. It’s scary how they party so wildly here.
She was almost done delivering the dishes on the cart, but Emilia was still out of sight.
Unable to find her target, Christina couldn’t help but feel dejected. Where is Emilia? If I can’t find her, it will be a huge loss for me! I don’t want to be a free laborer here!
“Newbie, send this bottle of wine to VIP Room 9,” commanded the manager.
Hearing that, Christina had no choice but to grab the wine from him and head to the second floor.
She found the room, knocked on the door, and entered straight away.
That room was similar to the other rooms. It was filled with smoke in the air.
She pul down the wine bottle. As she glanced up, she finally spotted Emilia. At that moment, Emilia was sitting on top of a middle–aged man. They were chatting and laughing.
The atmosphere in the room was noisy beyond words. Christina tried to eavesdrop on their conversation but to no avail. Nonetheless, the suggestiveness in their interaction inexorably sparked speculation.
No wonder I couldn’t find her. She’s here on the second floor all this while.
She pushed the cart to the corner, then took out her phone to snap a photo of Emilia.
Just when Christina was about to leave with the evidence, someone approached her and blocked her way.
“Are you dumb? Why didn’t you open the wine bottle for us?” The man spoke in a loud voice and reeked. of alcohol.
To avoid complications, Christina said, “Okay, I’ll do it now.”
She turned around to the bar table and poured the wine as told. The next moment, the man raised a glass of wine and grabbed her neck.
“Come and have a drink with me!”
Everything happened so suddenly that panic swamped Christina. Just when her mission was almost completed, she got interrupted by an alcoholic.
“I don’t drink. Let go of me.”
The man expressed his intrigue as he curled the corner of his lips into a malicious sneer. “Drink it. I’ll tip you.”
At once, he pulled down Christina’s mask and poured the wine into her mouth.
Christina almost choked on the drink. Her eyes turned red as she started coughing.
After catching a breath, she gave the man a hard slap across his face and pushed him away.
The man crashed straight onto the ground, letting out an agonized scream.
The noise attracted the others‘ attention and they swarmed over in curiosity.
Christina widened her eyes in shock. She wanted to pick up the mask from the ground, but it was impossible.
A crowd was starting to gather around them. Worried that Emilia would notice her, Christina swiftly lowered her head.
Chapter 179
Suddenly, a man with long arms shoved the crowd aside, took off his coat, and put it over Christina.
He wrapped his arm around Christina’s shoulders and brought her out of there.
The people in the private room dispersed after she left.
The man brought her out of the club, and they arrived at the parking lot. He took away the coat, and she saw the man’s handsome features right away.
Christina wasn’t surprised to see Francis because she knew who he was when she caught a whiff of his perfume.
“Thank you,” she said.
“I’ve helped you again. Don’t you think I deserve something in return?” Francis smiled. I didn’t even want to join the gathering tonight, but my friends forced me to come. Who would’ve thought I would run into such an interesting incident?
Christina also thought she needed to do something to express her gratitude. “What do you suggest?” she asked.
Francis thought about it for a while and replied, “Have supper with me. Get in the car.”
Francis brought her to a beach.
Prior to that, he had already ordered takeout, so they were both eating under the night sky and enjoying the sound of waves on the beach.
Since it was dark at the beach, Francis wasn’t worried about getting spotted by the passersby.
Christina had headed out in a rush earlier that day without having a meal beforehand. She was famished. As she was chomping on her supper, she looked like a hamster with her mouth filled with food. Francis felt inexplicably satisfied when he saw her cat. For some reason, watching her eat made him feel
calm.
He opened a can of beverage and passed it to her. “Eat slowly. Is Nathaniel such a cheapskáte? Has he not been feeding you?”
“As if! I’ve been eating well and sleeping well at Scenic Garden Manor. My life is rather blissful.” Christina glared at him and gulped her drink.
After she was done eating, she leaned backward and lay on the beach.
As the wind swept past her, she felt as relaxed as she had ever been. “How did you know about this place?”
Francis lay next to her and answered, “When I was younger, I used to quarrel a lot with my mom due to my identity. Whenever I felt moody, I would leave home. I actually found this place by accident. Now, I’ll just come here and enjoy the wind whenever I’m unhappy or want to relax.”
He shut his eyes. Due to how close they were lying next to each other, he could smell Christina’s scent. She smells amazing.
Christina didn’t know how to respond to that. Although I’m not an illegitimate child, the treatment I got from the Steele family is as cruel as how Francis is treated by his family. Essentially, we’re the outcasts.
For the sake of money, Gideon had given her away to the Hadley family without batting an eyelid.
The two left the beach after a while.
Christina was eager to get out of the car as Francis was approaching Scenic Garden Manor.
“Did we do anything wrong? Why are you so afraid?” Francis flashed a faint smile.
Christina unbuckled her seatbelt and uttered, “I’m not afraid. I just want to avoid being misunderstood.”
She knew exactly how jealous Nathaniel could get.
“You’re acting so guiltily as though we were out on a date without Nathaniel knowing about it,” Francis said. firmly.
Christina blushed, and she seemed to have also realized something was wrong with the atmosphere in the car. “Thanks for helping me out today. Bye.”
She jumped out of the car and ran toward the entrance of the manor.
In the car, Francis stared at Christina’s retreating figure, wishing he could stop her from leaving.
The next day, Coco became a trending figure on the internet.
Needless to say, the netizens were accusing her of snatching someone’s endorsement deal. Although some were ghostwriters, most of the netizens actually felt bad for Emilia.
In a fit of anger, Radiant Corporation’s Public Relations Department uploaded the promotional photos Emilia had taken in the past.
Once those photos were compared to the ones Coco had taken, the differences were night and day.
Those photos caused another stir on the internet, and the netizens were quick to point out how ugly Emilia’s photos were. At the same time, they thought Radiant Corporation was right to change their
ambassador.
Besides, they said they wouldn’t have bought the outfits if Emilia’s photos had been used instead.
Those photos were uploaded in the morning, and Emilia played the pitiful card by uploading a video of herself on the internet.
She said she had given her best during the photo shoot, but the photographers had intentionally made her look ugly. According to her, Radiant Corporation had planned to slander her since the beginning.
She also told the netizens how she hadn’t been eating well and had lost a lot of weight due to the matter.
At the end of the video, she said she would never cooperate with Radiant Corporation again in the future.
Emilia was very emotional in the video, so the netizens were quick to show sympathy for her.
In the digital age, sympathy and anger were the best tools for influencers to gain attention. Emilia knew that very well and used it to her advantage. Just like that, the netizens took her side.
The matter was the talk of the town, and it showed no signs of subsiding.
A lot of netizens would show their support in the comment section of Emilia’s social media account before condemning Coco on Coco’s social media account,
Emilia was over the moon when she saw how the netizens heavily criticized Coco. How dare you snatch the endorsement from me? You’re regretting it now, aren’t you?
In Radiant Corporation, Christina was fuming as the netizens were throwing baseless accusations at Coco. These people have no idea what’s going on! How could they insult Coco?
Soon after that, Christina contacted a media company and sent the video she recorded in the club to a reporter named Gary Chamberlain.
Gary was stunned when he saw the video. I was Emilia’s supporter just a second ago!
Christina said over the phone, “I’m not asking for much. I just want you to reveal the truth and clear
Coco’s name.”
“Don’t worry. You’ve given me such an exciting video. I won’t disappoint you,” Gary promised.
With that, he hung up the phone and started writing his article.
Upon completion, he uploaded it on the internet right away.
The moment the video was uploaded, it garnered hundreds of thousands of views within minutes. Before long, the video was viewed by tens of millions of netizens.
The scene of Emilia sitting on a man’s lap and flirting with him was all over the internet.
If the two were single, they could claim to be a couple.
However, the netizens were quick to notice that the man in the video was a rich and married businessman. He was an influential individual in the entertainment industry because of his wealth.
Emilia was doomed.
She had accused Coco of being a scheming and greedy woman. After the video was uploaded, however, those accusations seemed to fit her like a glove.
There and then, everyone could tell who was in the right.
All of a sudden, Radiant Corporation’s photographers and makeup artists went public with the fact that Emilia had always been acting haughtily during the photo shooting sessions and preventing those sessions from going smoothly.
When the netizens saw those statements, they immediately deleted the insulting comments they wrote on Coco’s social media account.
social
After all, it was a crime to slander others on the internet.
Despite the chaos, Coco had been graceful enough to avoid getting caught in the arguments on the internet.
Consequently, her fanbase grew exponentially, and her new show was bound to be well–received.
Chapter 180
Emilia didn’t expect the tables to turn so drastically, and she was surprised to learn that someone had recorded a video of what she was doing in the club.
The endorsement deals she had just signed were canceled shortly after the fiasco, and Radiant Corporation also demanded she returned eighty percent of the endorsement fee she received.
To Emilia’s dismay, the deals she had worked so hard for were all gone.
Enraged, Emilia sobbed and called Miranda to complain, “Mom, Christina doesn’t give a hoot about me! She took an outsider’s side and bullied me!”
At that moment, Miranda was panicking because she had just seen the news on the internet. Emilia was so close to stardom, but Christina just had to mess things up!
“It took me quite an effort to calm your dad down, so it isn’t wise to cause a ruckus now,” Miranda said helplessly.
“What am I supposed to do, then? Are you asking me to swallow this anger?” Emilia thundered. If even Mom is too afraid to oppose that brat, she’ll only become even more arrogant!
Miranda’s gaze darkened, and she said cunningly, “No. I’ll avenge you this time!”
Christina arrived home that night and browsed the news while sitting on the couch.
Although she wasn’t in the entertainment industry, she enjoyed watching celebrities on the red carpets to see the gowns those celebrities wore.
Obviously, as a designer, she was very intrigued by the gowns.
Right then, she heard the sound of a car engine from outside.
Christina’s eyes lit up, and she immediately got up from the couch and ran out.
The moment Nathaniel alighted from his car, she threw herself at him.
Christina’s scent warmed his heart at once.
While leaning against his chest, Christina said coyly, “You’re back, Darling!”
They had both been hard–pressed recently, so they hadn’t seen each other in five days.
Nathaniel’s hostile and frightening demeanor faded instantly when Christina appeared. He wrapped his arm around her slender waist and led her into the house..
“Have you had your dinner?” he asked in an alluring tone.
Christina shook her heard aggrievedly. “I haven’t.”
Upon hearing that, Nathaniel shot Raymond a cold look.
Raymond was so frightened that he felt his knees going weak. “Mrs. Hadley said she wanted to have dinner with you. The cooks have already prepared the dishes, but Mrs. Hadley said she wanted to wait for your return. The chefs also made some snacks to prevent Mrs. Hadley from going hungry. Mrs. Hadley has just finished a plate of macaroons a few minutes before your arrival,” he quickly explained.
As soon as those words fell, Christina burped and glared at Raymond. Why did he say that? I’ll be too embarrassed to eat more for dinner later!
However, there was nothing Raymond could do. If he didn’t explain himself, Nathaniel might blame them for not looking after Christina.
Upon hearing the explanation, Nathaniel caressed Christina’s check and said, “Tell the chefs to prepare whatever you want to cat. If you don’t eat more, you’ll become skinny.”
Silence ensued in the living room right away because everyone was staring at Christina.
Others might not know it, but Rayniond and the housekeepers were all aware of Christina’s appetite. Mrs. Hadley never had trouble eating full meals, and we’ve also stocked up the living room, study, and bedroom with snacks. Does she really need more food? Everyone here knows how much Mr. Hadley pampers Mrs. Hadley. Heck, they’re always displaying their affection for each other publicly!
After dinner, Nathaniel went to the study. The project they had was about to get started, so all the necessary documents must be prepared before the start of construction.
It was undoubtedly taxing to go through the thick stack of documents.
Sebastian had two cups of coffee beforehand, but he was dozing off in the late hours of the night..
“You can leave first,” Nathaniel said.
Sebastian shook his head in response. “I’m all right. We still have so many documents to-”
He was interrupted by Nathaniel’s warning gaze,
He knew Nathaniel well enough to know that Nathaniel didn’t want him to stay if he couldn’t focus. If he were to stay, he could end up making a mistake instead.
“Okay. I’ll go home first, then,” Sebastian said.
After Sebastian left, Nathaniel remained in his seat as he went through the documents.
He only went back to the bedroom to take a shower at the break of dawn.
Standing under the hot running water, he felt refreshed once his muscles were relaxed.
When Nathaniel was walking out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist, Christina bumped into his muscular chest.
“Ouch…” Christina whimpered.
Nathaniel grabbed her hand and wrapped his other arm around her waist immediately. “Where did it
hurt?”
Christina was still half asleep. When she saw his muscular chest the moment she opened her couldn’t help but gasp. She caught a whiff of his masculine scent.
The air was filled with steam, so her vision was rather blurry.
Isn’t it a bit too early for such a sensual atmosphere?
Christina’s cheeks reddened. “I’m fine. Perhaps you should put on a shirt first.”
eyes, she
Nathaniel hummed in response and left.
When Christina came out of the bathroom, Nathaniel already had a shirt on.
He was wearing a tailored and slim–fitting shirt, and he was answering the phone with one hand and buttoning the buttons with the other. With the sunlight shining in from the opposite direction and falling on his body, he looked utterly handsome.
Christina walked up to him to help him button his shirt and put on a tie that matched his trousers.
“Got it,” he said to the person on the other end of the call and hung up the phone.
“Are you leaving already?” Christina stood on tiptoe and folded his collar for him.
“Yes. The driver will send you to your office later.” Nathaniel brushed her fringe aside and kissed her forehead.
Christina nodded. Before she could say a word, she was kissed on the lips.
Upon arriving at Radiant Corporation, Christina prepared her documents as usual and attended the meeting.
Since Zachary had already settled the issue concerning the endorsement deal, the company’s performance was on track to meet that year’s target. It was estimated that the target could be reached by the end of the year.
In order to reward the employees, Zachary wanted to hold an outing to help everyone loosen up.
The Public Relations Department would be responsible for deciding on the location.
After the meeting, Christina went back to Team B to find Miranda sitting in her office.
“Why are you here?” Christina frowned. I bet something bad is about to happen.
Miranda snorted coldly and walked up to Christina to size her up.
“You’re doing well, aren’t you? Have you been doing so well that you’ve forgotten about your mother?” Miranda sneered. This brat was merely a server in a bar back then! Yet, she has her own office now. She deserves none of this!
Christina narrowed her eyes and shot Miranda a cold glance. “Do you really consider yourself my mother? You’ll get struck by lightning for saying such nonsense!”