Ch. 721..730

Chapter 721 Unrepentant

Nathaniel’s palm could feel the warmth of Christina’s body through her knitted sweater. It was as if he could already touch his unborn child.

As the frosty look in his eyes melted away, a gentle air descended upon him. In spite of that, he remained firm in his rejection of her request.

“No, the doctor has instructed you to only consume nutritious food. You have to avoid anything that’s too spicy, cold, or strong.”

Unable to fulfill her desire, Christina broke into a frown. “Can I not just have a few mouthfuls?”

Nathaniel stood firm. “No.”

Finally, Christina replied in disappointment, “Fine.“

Unable to bear the sight of her being upset, Nathaniel coaxed her patiently, “Once our child has been born and your body has recovered, I’ll buy you anything you want.”

Even though Nathaniel had made similar promises countless times in their relationship, it still worked like a charm.

“You promised it. I’ll not let you forget what you said.” Christina gave him an earnest look.

“I’ll draft a contract the first thing we get home, Nathaniel answered affectionately.

A smile emerged on Christina’s face. “There’s no need to go that far. I still trust you enough to keep your word.

If Nathaniel doesn’t keep his promise, I’ll just satisfy my cravings behind his back.

Although Nathaniel could read her mind, he didn’t expose her thoughts upfront.

He was more inclined to express himself through his actions. For the subsequent period of her pregnancy, Christina’s diet became healthier and more disciplined under Nathaniel’s watchful eye.

Upon returning to Scenic Garden Manor, Christina went back to the bedroom to catch up on her sleep because she had gotten up earlier than usual.

Once she entered deep slumber, Nathaniel headed to the office together with Sebastian to deal with the morning’s backlog.

Despite Christina’s best efforts at covering up the news about Timothy, those who were keeping an eye on him quickly learned about his movements after he had regained consciousness.

Azure, who refused to give up on her desire to meet him, was the first to visit.

Meanwhile, there were bodyguards stationed outside Timothy’s ward. Even after she told them who she was, she was given the same treatment as Yerek—both were barred from entering.

Unwilling to let her effort of coming go to waste, Azure began to shamelessly kick up a fuss.

“I’m Timothy’s mother. What right does Christina have to stop me from seeing my own son? If you know what’s good for you, you had better step aside and not waste my time.”

“Old Mrs. Gibson, we’re just following Mrs. Hadley’s orders, so don’t make things difficult for us. On top that, we’re in a hospital. You’ll disturb the other patients by causing a ruckus here.”

Despite Azure’s desperate efforts to push aside the bodyguards blocking her way, they didn’t budge an inch.

Just as she was panting heavily, an idea flashed across her mind.

Her eyes subsequently rolled up as her body–slumped weakly to the ground.

The sudden turn of events caused the bodyguards to come forward to check on her.

She then opened her eyes abruptly and pushed the bodyguards aside with all her might. Upon springing to her feet, she barged into the ward in a single breath.

Bam!

The opening of the door was so sudden that it woke Timothy from his deep slumber. Shocked, he looked toward the entrance.

Timothy had never seen Azure in such a haggard condition. In fact, her appearance was so filthy that he could barely recognize her.

Cognizant of their dereliction of duty, the bodyguards rushed frantically into the room to apologize.

“We’re sorry we failed to stop her, Mr. Gibson.”

Timothy didn’t blame them for it. “Wait outside. I’ll talk to her.”

Even if Azure didn’t see him today, he would seek her out sooner or later.

After all, he had to personally put an end to certain matters once and for all.

The bodyguards shot Azure a hesitant look before leaving the ward. Nevertheless, they left the door slightly ajar as a precaution for any eventualities.

It was a detail that Azure missed due to how focused she was on her upcoming charade.

“Timothy, I finally get to see you.” She walked up to his bed, teary–eyed. “Christina refused to let me come in. A lot has happened when you weren’t around…”

Azure proceeded to relate her own sob story before shamelessly accusing Christina of being someone cruel. To cap it off, she even indirectly begged for mercy on Nigel and Yerek’s behalf.

In response, the scowl on Timothy’s face gradually deepened. Right when Azure maligned Christina by blaming her for Anya’s death, Timothy could no longer hold back his rage:

“Enough!” he roared in a soft yet forceful voice before leveling a grim stare on the stunned Azure. “If you barged into my ward and disrupted my rest just to hurl baseless accusations against my daughter, you should leave. You’re definitely not welcome here.”

Azure couldn’t fathom what Christina did to Timothy to have him believe in a devious girl who preferred to side with outsiders instead of his very own mother.

Even at that point, Azure was convinced that she could shackle Timothy with familial bonds.

“Timothy, I don’t blame you for refusing to acknowledge Nigel, the brother whom you grew up with. You can accuse me of playing favorites or not being rational, but you can’t continue to have your judgment clouded!”

As if he could guess what Azure was going to say next, he pointed at the door and thundered, “Get out!”

Refusing to leave, Azure continued stubbornly, “I have no objection to Christina taking over Gibson Corporation, but there’s something you’re not aware of. She disregarded everything and moved Gibson Corporation from Hallsbay to Jadeborough due to Nathaniel’s influence. In truth, Nathaniel is the one running the show at Gibson Corporation, while Christina is nothing but a puppet. If this continues, Gibson Corporation will be officially taken over by Nathaniel. The company you and your wife spent half your lives building will be ruined by Christina’s hands!”

Timothy calmly replied. “When we first established Gibson Corporation, it was meant to be a gift to Christina. Now that it has been given to her, she naturally has full ownership of it. Whatever she wants to do with it is her decision and something that no one else has the right to interfere with.”

Timothy wasn’t going to tolerate those who maligned Christina to sow discord between him and his daughter on the pretext of saving Gibson Corporation.

He made no exceptions even if it was his very own mother.

“Timothy, I know you resent me, but I’m doing this for your own good and that of Gibson Corporation. There’s more to Christina than meets the eye. Considering that she is capable of murder, there’s nothing else she won’t dare do!”

Staring coldly at Azure, Timothy no longer felt the urge to save someone who was unrepentant.

“You keep saying that you’re doing this for my own good, but your words and actions clearly demonstrate otherwise.

Chapter 722 Cheap Provocation

When Azure recalled her words in detail and realized that she had struck a nerve with Timothy, she stuttered in an effort to explain. “Timothy, 1-”

Having lost his patience with her, Timothy put his foot down. “Christina is my daughter. Regardless of what she has done, you, as my mother and her elder, have never shown her any respect at all.”

At that very moment, Timothy’s hatred for Azure surged out like water that had burst its dam.

“There’s no need for you to lower yourself for Nigel’s sake. You appear to be admitting your mistake, but the reality is that this is one of your tricks. Evidently, you don’t feel as if you have done anything wrong. On the contrary, you think that those who are responsible for your current predicament are the ones who have betrayed you. Familial bonds that are insincere mean nothing to me. In fact, I don’t think Christina has done anything wrong at all. Regardless of the decisions she makes and their ensuing consequences, I will always support her unconditionally, even if it puts the future of Gibson Corporation at risk.

“There’s also one thing I must emphasize. Even though I don’t know Christina as well as Nathaniel does, I firmly believe that she’d never break the law. Also, given the Hadley family’s position, Nathaniel has no need to further crown his success with the addition of a mediocre company like Gibson Corporation. I don’t mind you feeling pessimistic about their marriage, but it’s wrong for you to sow discord between me and them. I’m no longer the same clueless cripple from fifteen years ago who is easily manipulated.”

In the end, Timothy didn’t give Azure the chance to defend herself as he coldly kicked her out of the ward.

“Going forward, there’s no need for us to see each other unless it involves a matter of life and death. That said, I will still carry out my responsibility of taking care of you in your old age as required by the law.”

The words struck Azure like lightning, causing panic to set into her.

Timothy truly wants to sever ties with me!

“Timothy, you can’t do something as heartless as this!”

As Azure’s pleas fell on deaf ears, Timothy called out to the bodyguards stationed outside, “Please escort the guest out. I want to get some rest.

Both of them were just waiting for Timothy’s cue. “Please leave, Old Mrs. Gibson.”“”

Azure realized she was powerless against the two bodyguards. There was no way she would win in a fight, regardless of whether it was physical or verbal. Now that Timothy wanted her gone, she would only end up embarrassing herself by staying.

Nonetheless, she questioned him defiantly, “Timothy, aren’t you worried about being condemned by others? Sooner or later, you’ll live to regret your decision.”

The resolve Timothy felt was unprecedented. “I already have my answer. The biggest regret I have was to trust you unconditionally and foolishly hand over Gibson Corporation to Nigel.”

Cognizant that they had reached the point of no return. Azure stormed off without looking back.

Thereafter, Timothy instructed the bodyguards, “Don’t tell Christina about her visit. I don’t want her to worry as stress is bad for the baby.”

After a brief hesitation, the bodyguards nodded in agreement before reporting the matter to Nathaniel.

Timothy only told them not to let Christina know but didn’t say anything about not telling Nathaniel.

Even after returning to her ward for some time, Azure’s frustration continued to eat at her, causing her to pace back and forth in the room. Feeling the need to seize the initiative, she tried many ways to

locate Barnaby and set off at once to see him.

Meanwhile, Christina had slept till the evening.

After waking up and having dinner, she sat on the living room couch with a tablet in hand. She chatted with Lucas and Camila on video while waiting for Nathaniel to come home.

The children were trying to cheer her up by sharing the interesting events they encountered in school.

As Nathaniel had yet to come home after a few hours, Christina coaxed the children to go to bed.

It wasn’t until she promised to visit them that they reluctantly ended the video call.

Thereafter, Christina tried to contact Nathaniel, but no one answered. Left without a choice, she called Sebastian instead.

Finally, Sebastian answered her call right before she was about to give up. The deafening music in the background was unmistakable.

“Mrs. Hadley, is there something you need?”

“Is Nathaniel with you?”

“Um, yes. He has an important event tonight. We were just about to leave as it’s almost ending. Mr. Hadley had a lot to drink and is probably drunk. Do you want me to pass the phone to him?”

“It’s fine. I was just worried when I couldn’t reach him. Be careful on your way back.”

“All right, Mrs. Hadley. See you later.”

Upon ending the call, Christina continued to wait for Nathaniel’s return with a cup of milk in hand.

While doing so, she gradually drifted into sleep unknowingly.

Fortunately, the house was adequately warmed by the heater, so she didn’t get a cold.

The next morning, she was awoken by the butler. Rubbing her sleepy eyes, she inquired in a daze, “Did Nathaniel come home last night?”

The butler shook his head. “No, he didn’t. You can’t sleep here, Mrs. Hadley, as you’ll get a cold easily. Do you need me to give Mr. Hadley a call?”

Since it was rare for Nathaniel not to come home, Christina furrowed her brows.

“It’s fine. He’s probably busy with work, and it’s not urgent anyway. There’s no need to bother him. I’ll be going back to my room to catch up on sleep.”

The butler nodded in acknowledgment. “All right then. Mind your steps on your way up.”

Christina yawned as she returned to her room.

After a short nap, her hunger woke her up and sent her downstairs for food.

It was then that a ping on her phone heralded the receipt of a message from an unknown number

Within the message was a single high–definition photo. Even though there were no words, the image itself was self–explanatory.

There were two figures in it. One was Nathaniel, who hadn’t come home, and the other was a beautiful woman with a stunning figure. Both of them were in an intimate embrace as they walked into a hotel

Christina couldn’t help but let out a snort.

#‘hoever sent this should feel ashamed of themselves for threatening me with such a badly taken photo.

Although the sender had done so anonymously. Christina endeavored to find out who it really was

Coincidentally, the sender was the woman in the picture. Her name was Melanie Steele. She was a budding star within Hadley Entertainment’s stable who had made her name in an online drama.

Christina responded to Melanie’s provocation calmly: State your demands.

Melanie’s reply was immediate: Give me five million, or will release this scandalous photograph to the public. I’m sure a scandal involving Nathaniel cheating would be a huge shock to the world.

Chapter 723 The Capability To Bully

Christina sneered and sent: Five million? I’m shocked that you actually dared to name an amount.

Is Nathaniel not even worth five million to you? the other woman retaliated, continuing to provoke Christina.

Christina slowly typed: What I’m trying to say is that you’re asking for too little. Just like you said earlier, considering Nathaniel’s wealth and status, if you were to expose this photo, the rewards you’d receive wouldn’t be limited to a measly five million. In fact, you’d also gain the fame and attention you crave the most.

Christina had easily read Melanie’s mind. Perhaps her straightforward approach angered Melanie, as the latter’s response was clearly angry.

Melanie: Mrs. Hadley, this is the choice you’ve picked. Since you won’t pay this amount, I’ll grant you your wish! You’ll only have yourself to blame for this!

Right as Christina was about to reply to Melanie’s message, Victoria suddenly called her.

“Christina, where are you? I need your help!” Victoria’s voice was quivering and laced with despair. “Sebastian hasn’t responded to my message since last night. When I went to his place this morning, the security guard said that he never came home. What’s worse is that… I tracked him down, and it turns out he’s at a hotel with some other woman!”

-The vein on Christina’s temple throbbed. “What do you want me to help you with?”

Victoria snarled, “I want you to catch him red-handed with me!”

Like Nathaniel, Sebastian had not come home the night before. Both had supposedly brought someone to a hotel and stayed there overnight.

As Christina tracked down Melanie’s current location, she asked Victoria, “Which hotel is Sebastian at?”

Victoria told her the name of the hotel before gritting out, “If he dares to do anything to betray me, I’m going to show him hell!”

Sure enough, Sebastian and Nathaniel were in the same hotel.

“Okay, I’ll come with you, but come and pick me up.”

“Thank you, Christina.”

Christina then went to the walk-in closet.

Since she was going to be accompanying Victoria to catch Sebastian red-handed, she was going to have to look good too.

With that thought, Christina picked a limited edition new dress of the season to wear while putting on light makeup. She also took the prettiest and most expensive jewelry she could find before leaving the - house with the priciest bag she owned.

When Lyle saw her, he froze before blurting out, “Mrs. Hadley, are you on your way to attend a banquet?”

Christina smiled at him, exuding confidence as she said, “No, no. I’m going to be playing a game with someone. Come on. I’m inviting you to watch a drama unfold.”

Lyle was bemused, but he followed Christina out of the mansion nevertheless.

“Mrs. Hadley, I’ll drive the car over.”

“We’re not driving today. Someone’s going to be picking us up.”

Lyle did not voice his confusion about that.

Around ten minutes later, Victoria’s bright-red Mercedes-Benz stopped right in front of the two of them. Christina got into the backseat while Lyle sat in the front passenger seat.

“What do I do if this turns out to be real, Christina?” Victoria was no longer as aggressive as she was earlier in the call. She hugged Christina tightly as if Christina was her lifebuoy in the ocean. “I’m scared.”

“I don’t think Sebastian is the kind of man to do something like that,” Christina told her. “Think about it. It took such a long time for him to realize his feelings when you were courting him. He’s usually preoccupied with work, and the people he comes into contact with are mostly coworkers and clients. If he’s a playboy, he wouldn’t have been single until he met you.”

With his conditions, women would flock to Sebastian if he was interested in starting a romantic relationship.

However, Victoria was not as confident in her own charms. “I have a bad temper, so he’ll get sick of me eventually, but I can’t change it…”

She hammered her thigh in frustration, her mood changing faster than Christina could blink. The sorrow that was present on her face earlier was gone, giving way to fury.

“If he dares to cheat on me, I’m going to teach him a lesson he’ll never forget!”

The vicious way she uttered those words even made the driver and Lyle, who were sitting in front, shudder.

I knew it. Jealous women aren’t ones to be trifled with!

When the car came to a stop by the hotel, Victoria pushed the door open and dashed to the reception despite wearing high heels. Even Christina had trouble catching up with her.

Smack! Victoria slammed her phone onto the counter and questioned, “Which room is the man in this. photo in?”

The receptionist glanced at the photo and politely replied, “I’m really sorry, Miss, but answering you will breach our guest’s privacy, and I can’t do that.”

Victoria became even more livid and snapped, “I want to see your manager!”

She then tossed a gold card on the counter. That was the VIP card for the upscale hotel, and the receptionist swiftly nodded.

“Please give me a moment. I’ll contact the manager right away.”

Christina-was watching Victoria the entire time.

Even though Victoria seemed like a bully, the actions she had taken were the fastest way to get to Sebastian.

Hence, Christina quietly stood behind Victoria, waiting for the manager to appear.

Meanwhile, the manager hurried down from his office upon receiving the news. He could recognize Victoria, so he knew that she was not someone he could afford to cross. Moreover, he noticed how elegantly Christina was dressed and sensed trouble brewing.

The manager tactfully skipped the pleasantries and said, “Ms. Lesley, it’s not that we are unwilling to assist you, but that it’s against hotel policy for employees to disclose customer privacy without proper authorization. Please don’t put us in a difficult position.

Victoria retrieved her phone, but she left the conspicuous gold card lying on the table. “Well, then, I’ll find out on my own, but don’t get in my way!”

With that said, she turned to head toward the elevator.

The manager wiped the cold sweat off his forehead and hastily ran after Victoria. “Ms. Lesley, openly searching for someone in the hotel could disturb the other guests’ rest…”

Victoria was in a foul mood, so what others felt was not any of her concern. “Then just tell me his room number so I don’t waste time searching around!”

The manager was still using the same old polite and diplomatic way to talk to her, so Victoria was not going to heed his words.

“Calm down, Victoria,” Christina calmly intervened. “Being rash won’t solve anything.”

At that, Victoria suppressed her anger.

When the manager turned to Christina, he looked at her as if she was his savior. However, his delight did not last for long, for what Christina said next made him resentful.

Christina went straight to the point by saying, “Lyle, I remember that this hotel belongs to the Hadley family, right?”

Lyle replied, “Yes, ma’am. This is indeed one of the Hadley family’s businesses.”

Ma’am?

The manager began studying Christina. The longer he looked at her, the more familiar he found her. The receptionist beside him was first to realize it, however. She whispered to the manager, “Oh my god, isn’t she Mr. Hadley’s wife?”

No wonder she looks familiar! She’s our employer’s wife!

The manager’s attitude changed immediately, and he was abruptly far more efficient than before.

“Oh, so you’re Mrs. Hadley, and she’s your friend. I apologize for our inadequate service. Let me handle things for your friend right away.”

A knowing smile crept upon Christina’s lips. It sent chills down the spines of those who saw it.

“By the way, find out for me which room Mr. Hadley is in too,” she added casually.

Chapter 724 Premonition Came True

As soon as those words were spoken, Victoria and Lyle looked at Christina at the same time, each harboring different thoughts in their mind.

Nathaniel is also staying in this hotel? Did I misunderstand Sebastian? Victoria was shocked.

Lyle appeared much calmer. However, his thoughts were poles apart from Victoria’s. He was adept at quickly grasping the key points in a conversation.

Upon further pondering, Lyle realized he seemed to have unintentionally discovered some significant secret.

Victoria moved to Christina’s side and asked in an undertone, “Christina, since you’ve known all along that the person staying with Sebastian in this hotel is actually Nathaniel, why didn’t you tell me earlier?”

Christina gazed at Victoria calmly and uttered meaningfully, “Even if Nathaniel and Sebastian stay in the same hotel, it doesn’t explain everything. Figuring out the truth isn’t hard, either. We’ll know what exactly is happening once we go upstairs and see for ourselves.”

Victoria was yanked back to reality in less than two seconds after feeling relieved from her assumption. Anger surged within her as she turned to look at the hotel manager and snapped, “You’re taking forever to check the room number of a guest. If I were your boss, I would definitely fire you!”

The manager wiped the cold sweat off his forehead, looking somewhat hesitant.

“My friend has a bad temper. She bears no ill will despite her harsh words. Just continue with your job and do your best,” Christina said indifferently while sweeping her gaze over everyone present. “Just tell us what we want to know. If Mr. Hadley and Mr. Taggart ask later, I’ll deal with them.”

Upon hearing Christina’s reassurance, the manager abandoned all doubts, smiling more brightly and relaxedly. “Mrs. Hadley, Ms. Lesley, Mr. Hadley and Mr. Taggart are staying in room nine hundred and

ninety-nine and room nine hundred and ninety-eight, respectively.”

“We’ll go up ourselves so as not to delay your work,” Christina uttered politely and strode toward the elevator.

Seeing that, Victoria hurriedly followed.

Lyle tried to tip off Sebastian but couldn’t find the right time to do it. He even had a surreal feeling that Christina was monitoring his every action.

Christina stared at the changing numbers on the elevator panel with a poker face as the atmosphere inside the elevator gradually grew tense and silent.

Even the carefree Victoria could sense something odd about Christina’s state of mind. She discreetly approached Lyle and whispered, “Hey. Don’t tell me Mr. Hadley is fooling around with another woman and has been found out by Christina?”

The more Christina appeared calm, the more terrifying she seemed.

Perhaps it was the shared sixth sense among women at work, but Victoria felt that the person who was there at the hotel to catch their partner cheating was Christina instead of her.

Lyle shook his head, indicating that he knew nothing.

Unable to acquire the answer she desired, Victoria pouted in disappointment,

When the elevator arrived on the top floor, Victoria instantly became invigorated. Her eyes gleamed like a radar detector. After stepping out of the elevator, she paused for a few seconds, then stormed toward the right.

She accurately found room nine hundred and ninety-eight and pressed the doorbell forcefully.

Christina stood before the door of room nine hundred and ninety-nine. Before she could do anything else, Victoria had already fallen into a frenzy, raising her leg to boot the door.

“Sebastian, open up!” Victoria glared at the closed door, wishing she could immediately have someone come and break it down.

The next moment, Sebastian’s room door remained still, but someone opened the door in front of Christina.

She instinctively looked up and came face-to-face with Nathaniel.

His bathrobe hung loosely on him, and his hair was dripping with water. Hot, damp air blew straight at Christina’s face when the door opened.

“Christina, why are you here?” Nathaniel looked at the person before him in surprise. Then, when he noticed Victoria making a fuss in front of Sebastian’s room, he knitted his brows. “What’s going on?”

Nathaniel left his door wide open, allowing Christina to clearly see some of his room’s interior decoration. Nonetheless, she didn’t find the woman named Melanie as she expected.

“Victoria hasn’t been able to contact Sebastian all night, and she’s worried something happened to him. She asked me to come with her to find him,” Christina halfheartedly explained with a made-up excuse. “Did you both stay here alone last night?”

Nathaniel sensed the hidden questioning in Christina’s words. Just as he was about to explain, the room next door opened up from the inside with a click.

However, to Christina’s astonishment, the person who opened the door wasn’t Sebastian, but Melanie! Melanie and Sebastian shared a room! In that case, why did she send me the provocative text? I’m confident Melanie is trying to pick a fight with me, not Victoria.

Adjusting her sexy nightgown, Melanie arched her brow and said, “Miss, don’t you think you’re going too far for disturbing other people’s sleep early in the morning?”

Victoria shoved aside Melanie, who was blocking the entrance, and strode inward. Then, the scene she least wanted to see entered her sight.

Clothes were scattered across the floor, and an ambiguous atmosphere permeated the air inside the room. All the signs indicated what had happened there the night before.

Sebastian was woken up by the commotion and sat up. His vision gradually cleared as he regained consciousness. Noticing the person who had barged into his room, he fell into a daze.

Victoria grasped Sebastian’s collar, pointing at Melanie at the door. “Tell me the truth. When did that woman start messing around?”

Sebastian looked bewildered. “Victoria, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

After he ended the call with Christina last night, he returned to the private room and was forced to consume a lot of alcohol by his business partners. He didn’t even have any recollection of how he ended up at the hotel.

Victoria glowered at him as if wishing she could skin him alive. Overwhelmed by anger, all her wrath eventually turned into utter despair. “You even slept with her, yet you tell me you don’t know what happened. Sebastian, do you think it’s fun toying with me?”

Sebastian turned to the woman at the door. He vaguely remembered she was one of the relatively popular female celebrities under Hadley Entertainment.

Melanie was also one of the attendees at the gathering last night, tagging along with the director’s crew. However, Sebastian couldn’t recall her name.

Nevertheless, he wasn’t a fool. Swiftly wrapping his mind around the situation, Sebastian said with a frown, “I don’t know how she ended up in my room. I drank too much last night and don’t remember what I did.”

Melanie walked over and uttered coyly, “Mr. Taggart, you were the one who clung to me and insisted I stay to keep you company. Don’t tell me you’re going to deny all that now?”

A cold and stern glint flitted across Sebastian’s eyes. “I have enough confidence in my own capacity for alcohol. I would never lay my hands on another woman.”

Melanie brushed the long hair beside her ear and smirked. “Mr. Taggart, you told me last night that I was your favorite woman and how you fell in love with me at first sight. You even said many sweet and touching words while holding me.”

Victoria glared at Melanie.

On the other hand, Melanie continued wearing an infatuated expression. “You also mentioned you would marry me and bring me a lifetime of happiness. Have you forgotten everything you said?”

Before Melanie could speak further, Victoria lifted her hand and repeatedly slapped Melanie with all her might. The crisp smacks echoed inside the room. “Do you think you’re worthy of competing with me?”

 

Chapter 725 The Crafty Celebrity

Melanie was utterly dumbfounded. She would have thought she was dreaming if her cheeks were not burning in pain.

She screeched, “I’m telling the truth! Why did you hit me?” Years of experience in show business had hardened Melanie’s character, and she hardly feared Victoria’s family background.

Melanie continued, “I have evidence. I recorded all the sweet-nothings that Mr. Taggart said to me yesterday!”

With that said, Melanie grabbed her phone off the bedside table and began playing a recording in front of everyone.

The voice in the recording had barely uttered two words when Victoria rushed forward like a mad woman. She wrenched the phone from Melanie’s hand, flinging it onto the floor and trampling it.

Victoria was far from done. She smashed a nearby vase and clenched her right fist around one of the ceramic shards. Her eyes were bloodshot as she glared at Melanie and shrieked, “A recording? The thing I hate the most in this world is other people touching my things. I’ll teach you a lesson. Then, it’s his turn!”

Christina sensed that Victoria was on the verge of losing control. She immediately shouted at Lyle “Hurry! Hold her back!”

Alas, Victoria had already launched herself nimbly at Melanie.

“Victoria!” Sebastian acted on reflex, placing himself in front of Melanie. Victoria’s shard-wielding hand was forced to a stop just half an inch away from his heart.

Disbelief filled Victoria’s gaze. She stared at her boyfriend through tears and accused him, “How can you defend her?”

Hastily, Sebastian explained, “I don’t want you to be blamed for harming someone else.”

Fury had clouded Victoria’s judgment. She could not calm down and consider his concerns rationally. Tumultuous emotions welled in her chest, fueling her urgency to get rid of the vixen behind Sebastian.

She waved the shard in her hand and gave Sebastian an ultimatum. “I’ve never been a clingy person, Sebastian. Give me an answer now. Who will you choose? Me or her?”

A fearless Melanie fanned the flames by goading, “What man would ever fancy a shrew like you?”

“Shut up! You have no right to speak here!” Victoria retorted furiously.

Melanie’s expression soured. She replied scornfully, “Don’t think you can erase what happened between Mr. Taggart and me because you’ve destroyed my evidence. They say alcohol is a truth serum. I believe Mr. Taggart is indeed interested in me.”

Her claims were immediately refuted by Sebastian, who said coldly, “I’m not the least bit interested in you. In fact, I don’t even know your name. Why would I confess to you while drunk?” He turned to Victoria and pleaded, “I didn’t touch her, Victoria.”

While Sebastian was not a hundred percent sure if he had uttered any flirty words to Melanie, he was confident that he had never bedded her.

He never did anything outrageous when he was drunk. Alcohol turned him into a quier, unsociable man.

And when he was drunk out of his mind, it was near impossible to wake him up.

Melanie clenched her fists angrily. With her evidence gone and Sebastian insisting on his innocence, she was rapidly running out of options.

That was, unless, she took a risky bet.

She made up her mind and asked, “Are you trying to wash your hands of this, Mr. Taggart? Fine. We’re all adults here, and I can’t force you to admit to your actions. We both got what we wanted out of our one- night stand. I may have failed to win the affection of someone as wonderful as you, Mr. Taggart, but I no longer have any regrets after spending a night with you. I’ll leave now before I bring you more trouble.”

After that, she turned and collected her clothes and things off the floor, making a move to leave.

Before she could leave, Christina stepped forward, stubbornly-blocking Melanie’s path.

Bewildered, Melanie demanded, “What are you doing?”

“Shouldn’t that be my question to you?” Christina stared at her probingly and dropped her bombshell. “You sent me a bunch of provocative texts and photos, demanding five million to keep you quiet. When you realized you couldn’t blackmail me, you changed your mind and set your sights on Mr. Taggart instead of Mr. Hadley. Just what are you trying?”

Mélanie replied calmly, “What photos? I have no idea what you’re talking about. I know who you are, but we’ve never had any past interactions. I know my place, and I would never try to steal something that didn’t belong to me.”

Christina promptly whipped out her phone and scrolled through her text history. She displayed her screen to everyone in the room and declared, “You’re the texter. Did you think I wouldn’t be able to track you down if you pretended to be a tabloid reporter?”

Still, Melanie insisted, “I lost my phone a while back. Someone’s using my phone to do horrible things; I’m a victim here too! I’m a celebrity, and I value my reputation more than anyone else. I didn’t send you those texts, and that’s that! Don’t try to accuse me of false crimes to help your friend!”

Her words elicited a scoff from Christina. “You go on and on about valuing your reputation, but here you are, taking advantage of someone else by implicating them in a scandal. Do your fans know what a scheming liar you are?”

A fall from grace was every celebrity’s worst nightmare. Melanie was no different, and she reacted viciously to Christina’s accusations.

Melanie argued, “Being the Hadley family’s daughter-in-law doesn’t give you the right to bully others! I’m not afraid to admit I fell for Mr. Taggart at first sight. He was managing the entertainment company for Mr. Hadley, and I entered showbiz for him. I like him, and I want to grow closer to him. There’s nothing wrong with that. We had a one-night stand, but I’ve never thought of becoming a mistress that would ruin someone else’s relationship. I’m not forcing him to take responsibility for what happened last night.”

Her ability to distort her scheming ways into the pining actions of an admirer disgusted Christina to no end.

“If you want to destroy me, go ahead and spread the news. The worst that’ll happen to me is my departure from the entertainment industry.” Melanie added, “I like Mr. Taggart; I just like him too much! There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that!”.

Every word out of her mouth drove Victoria closer to madness.

Victoria cried hoarsely, “I won’t let you off for this! I swear I’ll ruin your reputation so you’ll never make a comeback in showbiz!” Sebastian, who was trying his best to restrain her, took a scolding as well. “Let go of me! Don’t touch me!”

Since her verbal protests fell on deaf ears, Victoria began scratching and biting Sebastian.

He allowed her to vent her frustrations on him and continued to apologize profusely, “I’m sorry I upset you. You can hit and scold me as much as you want, but please don’t leave me.”

Victoria bit him so hard that she drew blood. Though the wounds were on Sebastian’s body, her own heart ached with pain. He really was her biggest weakness.

She stared at him with red-rimmed eyes and stopped hitting him.

Nathaniel, who had remained stoically silent throughout the confrontation, suddenly piped up, “Lyle, tie her up and bring her with us.

 

Chapter 726 Helpless

Upon hearing that, Melanie dropped her belongings and turned to run. Lyle anticipated her intention and swiftly dashed forward, catching up and restraining her.

At that moment, several men in business suits appeared in the hallway, casually chatting and looking for their room numbers. They paid no attention to the situation unfolding in room nine hundred and ninety- eight.

Melanie heard the voices and exerted all her strength, struggling to rush out the door. She fell onto the thick carpet. With her red silk nightgown disheveled and Lyle’s relentless pursuit, anyone who took in the scene would easily misunderstand what was happening.

“Help! Help me! Someone is trying to force himself on me!” Melanie screamed. Lyle wanted to cover her mouth but was too late.

The few men turned their heads in her direction after hearing her shrieks. Seeing a towering man restraining a woman struggling to escape, they could tell she was being coerced.

Dragging their luggage, those men hastily approached Melanie, whose eyes were gleaming with triumph.

For an instant, Christina felt the scene before her was all too familiar. Isn’t this the same despicable tactic Mrs. Lazuli used against me?

The past often eerily overlapped.

If it weren’t for the difference in behavior, appearance, and temperament between Melanie and Emilia, Christina would’ve suspected Emilia actually impersonated Melanie.

“Oh Isn’t this Mr. Hadley?” A man in a dark blue suit noticed Nathaniel, and his eyes lit up at once. Focusing solely on Nathaniel, he eagerly introduced himself, “Mr. Hadley, my name is Hendrick

Labarge. We met at the international business conference previously. You even asked me if I was willing to collaborate with Hadley Corporation to provide construction materials.”

After that day, Nathaniel had given no response, causing Hendrick to lose sleep and be haunted by the empty promise made by Nathaniel. He dreamed of doing business with Hadley Corporation, but one had to make an appointment in advance to meet with Nathaniel. Unfortunately, Hendrick was scheduled for a meeting with Nathaniel that would take place only half a year later.

Seeing that the matter seemed to have fizzled out, Hendrick had no choice but to give up.

Unexpectedly, he encountered Nathaniel there while accompanying his clients to check in at the hotel.

Naturally, Hendrick wasn’t going to let that rare opportunity slip through his fingers. Still, the current circumstances weren’t suitable for discussing business.

“Mr. Hadley, what’s going on?” Hendrick approached. He recognized Melanie as soon as he saw her face. clearly. “Oh? Isn’t this Ms. Steele? Are you guys filming a scene?”

What a small world! Melanie cursed inwardly. Of all the people I could’ve run into, it had to be Hendrick. This guy once tried to exploit me. He’s a cunning man. There’s no telling what kind of stories he may spread about me in front of Nathaniel.

Figuring that ensuring her survival took precedence above her grudges against Hendrick, Melanie swiftly made a decision, using her superb acting skills to try to win Hendrick’s sympathy. “Mr. Labarge, can you please help me? I beg you.”

Hendrick smiled faintly. “I see. You’re not filming a scene. In that case, I must apologize for accidentally interrupting your business, Mr. Hadley.” He shifted his gaze onto Melanie. “Ms. Steele, Mr. Hadley isn’t someone who likes to trouble others. If you haven’t done anything wrong, why would he send someone

after you? This is a matter between you and Mr. Hadley, so it’s not appropriate for an outsider like me to intervene. I have something else to attend to, so I shall take my leave now.”

Before leaving, Hendrick turned to look at Nathaniel ingratiatingly. “Mr. Hadley, Jadeborough is a big city. The fact that we can encounter one another again proves that we are meant to cross paths with each other. I’d like to invite you for a meal when you’re free next time. I wish to discuss the construction materials business between our companies in detail. I’ll even offer you the most competitive price.”

Nathaniel found Hendrick and his clients a nuisance.

Nevertheless, it was customary for one not to reciprocate another person’s kindness with hostility. Hendrick had regarded Nathaniel with utmost courtesy the whole time, and Nathaniel could’ve ignored Hendrick, but he wasn’t going to give up a potential business opportunity with a greater profit margin when it was presented to his face.

Nathaniel nodded. “I remember you. You can contact my secretary afterward. He will arrange a meeting for us.”

Hendrick was ecstatic. “Excellent. I’ll get in touch with your secretary as soon as I get back. I shan’t disturb you further, then.”

Then, he quickly left while dragging his luggage.

As she watched her lifeline slipping away, Melanie’s face turned ashen. “Mr. Hadley, I’m an artist under your company. If I suddenly disappear, and my agent can’t get in touch with me, I could be sued for breach of contract by the brands I’m endorsing. That would mean a significant loss for the company.”

Nathaniel uttered carefreely, “I’m not short on money.””

Nearly half of the top celebrities in the entertainment industry were cultivated by Hadley Entertainment. Any of their artists could’ve easily earned the amount that Melanie brought in within an hour.

Nathaniel wouldn’t risk ruining the confidant he had painstakingly nurtured for such a small profit.

“Lyle, why haven’t you taken her away yet?” An impatient look flashed across Nathaniel’s countenance.

“Yes, sir,” Lyle responded. He casually picked up a piece of cloth from the floor and stuffed it into Melanie’s mouth to prevent her from causing unnecessary trouble with her shouts.

However, even after Melanie was led away, the tension between Victoria and Sebastian remained palpable and hadn’t eased at all.

“Let’s go back first and allow them some privacy to talk this matter out,” Christina whispered while reaching out to tug at Nathaniel’s bathrobe.

“Okay. Let’s go to the room next door to rest for a while. I need to take another shower and change into clean clothes.” Having no intention of getting involved in Sebastian’s love affairs, Nathaniel escorted Christina back to his room.

Hè seated her on the couch in the living room and thoughtfully had the hotel send some fruits and snacks to his room before turning around to enter the bathroom.

Christina took a walk around the spacious and luxurious suite.

Besides Nathaniel’s lingering scent, she found no signs of a woman staying inside the room. That meant that the provocative photos Melanie had used to threaten her were likely tampered with using some image editing software.

Still, Christina was baffled by why Melanie had suddenly changed her target from Nathaniel to Sebastian after she had set her eyes on the former.

Lost in her thoughts while staring at the messy bed, Christina didn’t sense Nathaniel approaching her.

“Are you checking up on me?” He held her from behind, wrapping his muscular arms around her waist and placing his warm lips on the skin of her neck. “Did you find any worthwhile clues after searching for so long?”

Christina felt guilty while simultaneously blushing crimson because of Nathaniel’s teasing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to suspect something was going on between you and Melanie.” She bit her lower lip in dissatisfaction and spoke aggrievedly. “It’s all because you didn’t come home last night and were unreachable through the phone. Moreover, I even received those pictures and provocative messages from Melanie, so I couldn’t help but assume the worst.”

Nathaniel didn’t blame her. Instead, he kissed her earlobe. “You were provoked into coming to the hotel, but what about Victoria? What’s her story?”

 

Chapter 727 Lost In Love

Christina carefully explained Victoria’s side of the story to Nathaniel.

With a frown, she added, “Something still feels off to me. If Melanie’s initial target was you, why did she appear in Sebastian’s room instead of yours?”

She was intent on figuring out why Melanie had suddenly changed her plan.

Nathaniel promptly arched a brow in displeasure. His attention swiftly locked onto her mention of changing targets. He asked drily, “Did you want me to be involved with other women?”

His words took Christina aback, though she quickly recovered and shook her head vigorously. “Not at all.”

In fact, her demeanor took an immediate one-eighty as she declared, “Listen up, Nathaniel. If you ever cheat on me with another woman, I will divorce you and make sure you never see your children again. I’ll take your money and your children to find another man.”

A frightening expression flashed through Nathaniel’s deep gaze. He replied warningly, “I would never fault if anyone touches my woman, but I’ll hunt them down and make them wish they were never born.”

The room heating was switched on, yet Christina felt a chill running down her spine.

-She shivered and turned toward Nathaniel, pulling his face down for a kiss.

It was a tried-and-true method to calm him down.

As expected, Nathaniel’s expression instantly eased, and the suffocating aura he had exuded earlier also dissipated.

He wiggled his brows at her and taunted, “Oh, so now you’re scared?”

“You know I’m a scaredy-cat, yet you still said those things to threaten me,” Christina protested. Still, her smile widened as she cautioned, “If I leave you out of fear one day, that’s entirely on you, Nathaniel.”

“You won’t be able to run.” Nathaniel wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his palm on the bump on her belly. “You’re my wife, and no matter where you hide, I will have a way to find you.”

His gaze glinted with determination.

Christina did not doubt the truth of his words at all. She could not bring herself to leave Lucas and Camila behind, so she was destined to spend the rest of her life entangled with Nathaniel.

Christina decided to cajole Nathaniel a little more and offered, “Don’t think I’ll give an easy time to all those vultures waiting to sink their claws into you, either. Anyway, let’s get back on topic. What do you think of Melanie?”

Nathaniel replied honestly, “I don’t know her.”

After Hadley Corporation’s entertainment arm went live, Nathaniel had left its operations to his trusted subordinates. He was only involved in its major projects and events.

He would have remained clueless about the goings-on in the entertainment industry if not for Emilia’s scandal.

The only person who could compel him to change his nonchalant attitude about his entertainment company was Christina.

Meanwhile, his curt denial exasperated Christina, who clarified, “I’m not trying to make you slip up and admit anything. You don’t need to hurry and draw a line between yourself and Melanie.”

Nathaniel replied seriously, “I’m not interested in managing the entertainment company side of things. If you want to know more about Melanie’s background, you can ask Sebastian. He’ll know better than me.”

The dinner last night was his first encounter with Melanie. Even if the production team had urged Melanie to approach him for more investment money, his aura was intimidating enough to turn her into a stuttering fool. She would never have had the confidence to conquer Nathaniel.

Sebastian was different.

Everyone knew that he was Nathaniel’s right-hand man. Winning him over was as close as it got to winning Nathaniel over.

On the flip side, Nathaniel and Sebastian were in the same boat. If one of his men ran into trouble, Nathaniel would not be faring any better.

Nathaniel uttered lightly, “Maybe someone is targeting me through Sebastian.” This was not the first time something like this had happened to him. He added, “Melanie is the next Anya.”

He was referring to how Anya had posed as the Ludwig family’s heiress to approach him at the international business conference.

Christina asked, “Do you think Anya and Melanie are working under the same person’s orders? If so, why is that person intent on harming you? They seem obsessed with ruining your reputation.”

“No. They’re not just after me; they’re after the entire Hadley family.” Nathaniel’s guess hit the bulls- eye. To clear up Christina’s confusion, he explained more simply, “The Hadley family’s business is sprawling./ have too many enemies. Perhaps one of our competitors is using dirty tricks to target me. I’ll have someone investigate it properly. Don’t worry about it.”

While Christina trusted Nathaniel’s ability implicitly, she knew he was deliberately playing down the severity of the situation. She replied, “Okay. Let’s check on Victoria and Sebastian. She has a fierce temper, and I’m worried they’re arguing again.”

“Let me change.” Nathaniel turned to the wardrobe and changed into a new suit.

Then, they made their way to the room next door. A forlorn Sebastian sat alone on the couch. The room was a mess, with things scattered across the floor. Christina looked around, but Victoria was nowhere to be found.

“Mr. Taggart, where’s Victoria?” she asked.

Sebastian was a ball of dejection as he mumbled, “She left. She said… she hoped both of us could take some time to calm down. Away from each other.”

He would much prefer Victoria throw a tantrum or vent her anger at him instead of ignoring him.

His moping infuriated Christina, who demanded, “So what? Are you just going to let her leave like that?”

“I’m sorry. She doesn’t want to see me, so I don’t know what to do,” replied Sebastian weakly.

“Victoria has always been rash. People who are agitated tend to do more extreme things. Did you consider her safety when you let her leave alone?” Christina continued fiercely, “It hadn’t been easy for you and Victoria to make it to today. Preston only just changed his mind about you. If you’re going to back off at this little obstacle, why promise Victoria the moon and the stars? Why get her hopes up?”

Sebastian clenched his fists tightly as his eyes grew red-rimmed with tears.

Nathaniel added coldly, “The car’s downstairs. Use it as you see fit. Remember we have a meeting with Lesley Group tomorrow. Don’t let your personal affairs affect your work.”

“Thank you for your advice, Mr. and Mrs. Hadley. I’ll look for Victoria now.” Sebastian seemed reinvigorated with a sense of purpose. He grabbed his suit coat off the floor and dashed out of the room.

“I hope they can make up and return to how they were before, or my studio’s first fashion show is as good as dead,” Christina uttered with a sigh.

Nathaniel stared at her and asked, “Are you short on manpower at your studio?”

Worried that he would try to offer another talent from his company to help, Christina immediately said, “Not at all I just wanted to rebrand my studio’s works, and Victoria’s designs are perfect for that. I thought showcasing her designs at the first show would be a good idea!”

Of course, that was not Christina’s only motive.

Chapter 728 Think Too Highly Of Yourself

Even though Nathaniel did his best to put a stop to Sebastian’s and Melanie’s scandal, the Lesley family still caught wind of it.

Sebastian couldn’t catch up to Victoria on the day the news broke.

The Lesley family had sent someone to pick her up. Since then, Sebastian lost all contact with her.

Nathaniel’s and Preston’s business talks didn’t go smoothly. Although Nathaniel planned to offer forty percent of the profit to Preston, the latter still didn’t take the offer and even mocked Nathaniel’s terms and conditions.

Nathaniel knew Preston was taking his anger out on him on Victoria’s behalf. He saw through Preston’s intention to make Sebastian break up with Victoria by intentionally ruining the collaboration between the two companies.

Naturally, Nathaniel wouldn’t let himself be put in a disadvantageous position. However, since Preston didn’t want to collaborate with him, he had no intention of forcing the former.

He immediately had his secretary withdraw the collaboration proposal and contract and told Preston forthrightly, “If you think the Lesley Group collaboration with Hadley Corporation is humiliating for the Lesley family, then the partnership between the two companies will end from this day forward, Mr. Lesley. I’ll send someone to follow up on the details regarding compensation. Since I have other tasks to see to, I’ll be taking my leave. Sebastian, please help me see Mr. Lesley off. I think he wants to talk to you privately too.”

Preston rose to his feet with a dark look. Without another word, he turned to leave the room, with Sebastian following closely behind.

“Bring a few assistants with you and follow them. Don’t let them get into an altercation.” Nathaniel glanced at the assistant beside him.

“Yes, sir.” The assistant whirled around and left.

Preston’s stride halted in front of the elevator. Swinging his cold gaze to Sebastian, he said, “I’ll drop the matter about your indecisiveness and be honest with you. Victoria will be leaving the country in a few days. That marks the end of your relationship, so don’t contact her again. She’s worth better.”

Sebastian’s expression turned grave, but his eyes were filled with conviction. “Mr. Lesley, this is between Victoria and me, so I hope other people don’t interfere with our relationship. I’ll tell you directly that I won’t break up with Victoria, and she won’t look for another man.”

Preston laughed from the overwhelming anger coursing through him. He grasped Sebastian’s collar and raised his fist.

Noticing the assistants standing a distance away were keeping their eyes on him and Sebastian, he suppressed his raging impulse, lowered his fist, and shoved Sebastian away since he didn’t want to cause an -uproar on Nathaniel’s turf.

“Your sweet talk was how you got Victoria to be with you in the first place. It blinded her, but now that she sees you for who you really are, she knows to cut her losses.” Preston looked personable, but the words out of his mouth were vicious. “She’s the one who decided to go abroad. No one forced her.”

Sebastian felt a sharp blade stabbed into his heart at the news. The shooting pain radiated throughout his limbs and bones.

“Impossible! Victoria would never do such a thing!” His voice quivered.

Satisfaction flooded Preston at Sebastian’s losing his composure. “Victoria hates being betrayed and lied to the most. Her partner’s loyalty is important to her. Yet, you did everything she was sensitive about. How can you be such a thick face and expect her to stay by your side? Sebastian, you’re Nathaniel’s confidant. Others might respect you for that, but the Lesley family hasn’t succumbed to that level where we pave our prospects by walking on eggshells around you. You think too highly of yourself.”

Submerged in a feeling of loss, Sebastian couldn’t register anything Preston told him after.

A voice in his mind beseeched him to search for Victoria and stop her from leaving.

“You’re on your own!” With that, Preston turned on his heels and stepped into the elevator.

Suddenly, Sebastian lunged at him, grabbed his collar, and dragged him into the elevator.

The assistants standing not far away wanted to stop them but were too late, for the elevator doors had slid shut.

“Hurry! Let’s take the other elevator down! Someone inform security on level one to stand by. They must not let Mr. Taggart and Mr. Lesley fight,” the assistant urgently ordered his subordinates.

Within the elevator, Sebastian had pinned Preston in a corner. “Where is Victoria? Where is she right now?”

Preston’s expression was glacial as he uttered coldly, “Release me, Sebastian!”

How dare a mere assistant treat me like this? I won’t be able to show my face to the public if news about this spreads.

Victoria was the only thing on Sebastian’s mind at that point. Not only did he not release Preston as requested, but he also shifted his grip from the latter’s collar to his throat.

The stifling tension blanketed the air within the narrow space. Preston sensed the hostility radiating from Sebastian.

Having experienced many situations, he wasn’t intimidated by Sebastian’s threatening actions and words.

“If you hurt me, Victoria will never forgive you. Even if you kill me today, you still won’t get a chance to meet her.”

The elevator dinged, indicating their arrival on the first floor. When the doors slid open, the crowd outside the elevator was stunned by the scene in front of them.

Preston and Sebastian were exchanging punches.

The security guards arrived late but quickly got to work and dispersed the crowd.

“Mr. Lesley, Mr. Taggart, let’s talk with our mouths and not fists. We’re at the office. If words about your brawl spread, it won’t look good for any of us,” the head of security advised.

Sebastian realized his loss of control and quickly reined back his temper. He took a few steps back at the same time he unhanded Preston.

Preston smoothened the wrinkles in his attire with a scowl. “You’ve misunderstood. Mr. Taggart and I were just sparring a little. I wasn’t a match for him since he had me pinned down. I apologize for the scene.”

Despite his explanation, everyone knew what actually happened but said nothing.

“I won’t be as merciful the next time we meet, Mr. Taggart.” Preston stepped out of the elevator and stormed out of the building.

Sebastian sucked in a deep breath.

He didn’t return to his office. Instead, he went to the balcony alone and started calling Victoria relentlessly.

Unsurprisingly, all his calls went to voicemail. Her phone was turned off.

Does she really intend to leave me?

His heart clenched at the painful thought. His hand holding the phone shook fervently.

At his wit’s end, he called Christina and pleaded, “Mrs. Hadley, I can’t reach Victoria. Can you help me?”

When she received Sebastian’s call, Christina was on her way to the mansion Melanie was confined at.

Panic washed over her at the news of Victoria leaving the country.

Firstly, she was worried that Sebastian and Victoria would break up for real, with no hope of ever getting back together. Secondly, the reopening of her fashion studio was also one of her concerns. Her studio had already advertised the chief designer début event in which Victoria would appear.

Out of the blue, she was informed about Victoria’s departure. Wouldn’t that just set her studio up for public ridicule?

Since her studio had a few disputes with several celebrities, many netizens were waiting for a chance to mock her.

Even though she didn’t want to get involved between Sebastian and Victoria, she had no choice but to meddle in their mess.

“I’ll go and talk to Victoria. In the meantime, I hope you prepare yourself to face the obstacles heading your way.”

Chapter 729 Are You Trying To Lecture Me

All Sebastian wanted now was to see Victoria as soon as possible. As for everything else, he couldn’t care anymore.

“Yes.” Sebastian’s voice was hoarse. “If you see her, please tell her that I haven’t gone back on our promise.”

“Wait for my message.” Christina hung up the call and dialed Victoria’s mobile number, only to find that the latter’s phone was turned off. “Lyle, let’s not go to the studio. Head to the Lesley residence instead.”

Lyle turned the car around steadily and headed toward the Lesley residence.

About half an hour later, Christina stood in front of the Lesley residence. After ringing the doorbell for a few minutes, a middle–aged maid finally arrived.

The maid didn’t immediately open the intricately carved iron gate. Instead, she asked about Christina’s identity through the gate.

“May I know who are you looking for?”

“I am Victoria’s friend. I can’t reach her, so I’m here to see if something happened to her.”

The maid cautiously glanced around as she whispered, Sorry, Ms. Lesley hasn’t been feeling well these past few days. I’m afraid she’s not available to meet you. You should go back first.”

“Victoria signed a contract with me. My studio is about to open in a couple of days, and she hasn’t completed the work she promised. I must see her today. Please convey my message,” Christina said coldly. Deducing that Christina was someone of significance, the maid hesitated for a moment before truthfully saying, “It’s not that I don’t want to inform her. Mrs. Lesley has given orders that she doesn’t want Ms. Lesley to meet anyone. I’m just an employee. Please don’t make things difficult for me.”

Even so, Christina had no intention of returning empty–handed.

After all, with the relevant work arrangements prepared, her studio still needed Victoria to function.

Christina sincerely hoped that Sebastian and Victoria could have a happy ending instead of losing each other regretfully.

“I am just acting according to the contract. I don’t want to make things difficult for Victoria because of these matters. Her negligence can cause significant financial losses to my studio,” Christina said sternly. “Although the Lesley family doesn’t lack the money for the compensation of a breach in contract, the news of their breach of trust would be detrimental to Victoria’s reputation. Does Mrs. Lesley really want to ruin her daughter’s future?”

The maid’s expression changed drastically.

Christina calmly added, “If Mrs. Lesley asks about my identity, you can tell her that I’m Christina Steele, -also known as Mrs. Hadley.”

The maid hurriedly replied, “Please wait a moment. I will go in and ask Mrs. Lesley.” She quickly rushed into the villa.

A few minutes later, the maid returned to Christina and opened the intricately carved gate respectfully. “Mrs. Hadley, Mrs. Lesley invites you in.”

“Lyle, wait for me in the car,” Christina instructed, then followed the maid into the villa.

Sitting on the couch in the living room was a beautiful lady. She was wearing a green designer gown made of silk, which complemented her refined elegance.

Brenda, also known as Mrs. Lesley, glanced at Christina and took a sip of warm tea. As she slowly put down the cup, her lips curved into a gentle smile.

“Thank you for visiting, Mrs. Hadley. I apologize for my housekeeper’s lack of manners. It is not my intention to let you wait outside in the cold for so long. I truly feel sorry about it,” Brenda said, then turned to the butler behind her. “Quickly bring a warmer for Mrs. Hadley and turn up the heater.”

The butler nodded and turned to leave when Christina stopped him timely. “Mrs. Lesley, there’s no need for the trouble. If you really feel sorry, let me see Victoria. I have something to discuss with her face–to- face.”

Brenda’s smile slightly stiffened, but her good upbringing prevented her from shutting her guests out of the house directly.

“I’m afraid you’re here at the wrong time, Mrs. Hadley, Victoria has been ill for the past two days. She just took medicine and went to sleep. It will be a while before she wakes up. Why don’t you come back another time?”

Christina didn’t believe Brenda. If she left now, it would be even harder for her to meet Victoria the next time.

Ever since the Lesleys were aware of Victoria’s relationship with Sebastian, they intended to sever the love between them. They would certainly do everything possible to hide Victoria’s whereabouts.

“It’s not a problem. I can wait until Victoria wakes up.” Christina smiled faintly. “This is my first official meeting with you, Mrs. Lesley, so why don’t we have a chat to pass the time?”

Christina made it clear that she wouldn’t easily give in,

As the smile on Brenda’s face gradually faded, her gaze toward Christina was no longer friendly, and her tone became serious. “Mrs. Hadley, you’re here to speak up for Sebastian, aren’t you?”

“I’m here for work–related matters,” Christina replied calmly. “Victoria is the chief designer of my fashion studio. In a few days, there will be a fashion show specially organized for her, and she cannot be absent.”

Upon hearing this, Brenda chuckled lightly, her eyes filled with disdain.

“Victoria’s design talent is renowned in the fashion industry. There are countless people who want to recruit her. It’s quite surprising that she chooses to work in your small clothing studio,” Brenda said. “When she was twenty years old, we invested in her own studio abroad, and she gained a lot of fame from her own brand.”

“I don’t know what Sebastian has done to her to make her willing to cut off ties with her family for the sake of an unknown man. She would rather give up a promising future and be with him! How foolish.” Brenda paused before continuing, “Victoria is my only daughter. I will never allow her to make one mistake after another. A marriage that isn’t compatible in terms of social status and family background cannot last with love alone, which can easily deteriorate. You are a smart person, Mrs. Hadley. You should know that not everyone is as lucky as you to marry an exceptional man like Nathaniel Hadley.”

Brenda didn’t want to sound too harsh, but whenever she thought of Victoria risking her life to go on a hunger strike for Sebastian, she felt hatred in her heart.

She also heard that Christina played a part in matchmaking Victoria and Sebastian.

Since Christina was protected by the title of Mrs. Hadley, Brenda couldn’t do anything to her directly. However, she could still mock the former subtly.

“Mrs. Lesley, you shouldn’t only focus on appearances,” Christina replied calmly. “Have you personally interacted with Sebastian? Have you made a sincere effort to understand him? I don’t think because you believe that Sebastian’s status doesn’t match the Lesley family, and you’re not humble enough you

have to make acquaintances with an ordinary person. You keep saying that you’re breaking them up for Victoria’s own good, but you overlook a crucial point–you don’t really know what Victoria truly wants.”

Brenda felt challenged by Christina’s words. Her expression turned sour.

Suppressing her anger, she raised her voice, saying, “Are you trying to lecture me on how to do things?”

Chapter 730 A Face Down

Brenda’s menacing voice echoed loudly in the silent and spacious living room.

Christina calmly stared at the elegant Brenda and replied slowly, “Mrs. Lesley, you have misunderstood me. How can I dare to lecture you, an elder? I am merely considering my own and Victoria’s future.”

Brenda sneered, “Don’t bring Victoria into this.”

The status of the Lesley family attracted flatters from many people, but since Christina married into the Hadley family, she lacked neither status nor wealth and power. The only thing she was worried about was the reputation of her studio.

Brenda believed that the reason Christina hired Victoria as a chief designer was simply because she valued Victoria’s fame. Therefore, when Victoria had conflicts with her family and lost the wealth and status provided by the Lesley family, Christina took advantage of the situation and deceived Victoria into signing a so–called contract.

“The contract that Victoria signed with you is null and void starting today. The liquidated damages will be borne by the Lesley family,” Brenda declared as she raised her head proudly. “I have only one condition. Victoria and Sebastian must completely sever ties. After that, I request that you stop disturbing her new life.”

Brenda appeared resolute and unyielding.

Christina’s gaze instantly turned cold. “Mrs. Lesley, you may not yet be aware of the true consequences if Victoria breaches the contract with the studio.”

Brenda snorted coldly. “First, you tried to lecture me on how to handle things, and now you’re resorting to threatening me? To put it bluntly, Mrs. Hadley, when I was your age, I had already built a thriving

beauty salon business. Being sensible and knowing when to advance and retreat is the best way to success.”

Came prepared, Christina smiled gracefully as she revealed her trump card. “Mrs. Lesley, I’ve long heard the inspirational story of your entrepreneurial journey when you were young.”

A disdainful smile appeared on Brenda’s lips. She had long grown tired of flattery and adulation. Christina continued, “But I heard that you have had a few more troubles recently. There was a medical accident at your most reputable beauty salon, and the client involved is said to come from a significant background. After using the products from your salon, she experienced serious facial skin problems.” Brenda’s face suddenly turned pale. This was the biggest problem she had encountered ever since she became a successful businesswoman. She had already tried to suppress the news. How did Christina find out about it?

“Now the customer wants to sue you and your beauty salon, and due to the political background of that young lady, all the beauty salons under your name are under investigation. If these problems are not handled well, both your career and the Lesley family will suffer severe consequences.”

Brenda struggled to control her anger. She nearly splashed the tea in her hand onto Christina’s face. Eyes filled with murderous intent, she fixed her gaze on Christina’s throat.

“You investigated my secrets thoroughly just to negotiate with me, didn’t you?” Brenda seethed with anger. “I’m very curious about how capable Sebastian is since he can persuade the esteemed Mrs. Hadley to intervene personally on his behalf.”

The sarcasm in her words was evident.

Christina responded, “I’ve said before, Mrs. Lesley. I’m not here to threaten you. On the contrary, considering my relationship with Victoria, I can help you solve the difficulties you’re facing.”

Brenda had approached almost everyone who could be of help, but they didn’t agree to help her because they were all worried about getting involved and potentially causing trouble for themselves. While Brenda was busy trying to resolve her career problems, she also had to deal with Victoria’s relationship. She was already stretched thin.

Of course, there was a more important reason Brenda strongly opposed Victoria being with Sebastian.

She attempted to arrange a marriage between Victoria and a young man from a political family she targeted. If the marriage succeeded, her problems would naturally be solved, and no one would dare to provoke her again.

Brenda believed her plans were foolproof and thought that no one could see through her true intentions. Little did she know that ever since Victoria’s relationship with Sebastian was exposed, the actions of the Lesley family were being closely monitored by Christina and Nathaniel.

Upon hearing that Christina could help her alleviate her problems, Brenda scrutinized her carefully.

If it were anyone else, Brenda wouldn’t be swayed easily. However, Christina had married a capable husband, and whatever Christina couldn’t achieve could be accomplished by Nathaniel better.

Sensing Brenda’s hesitation, Christina decided to play her trump card.

“Even if I can’t help you myself, Sebastian is there to help. He is a prominent figure around Nathaniel, and Nathaniel intends to train him to take over the company’s business overseas. At such a critical moment, Nathaniel will definitely not let any problem affect Sebastian.”

Christina continued, “Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. Nathaniel actually supports Sebastian and Victoria’s relationship fully. You know very little about Sebastian and haven’t had much contact with him. You probably don’t know how popular he is among other girls. All those prominent and influential families want to recruit Sebastian as their son–in–law. But Sebastian is quite stubborn. Once he sets

his mind on someone, he won’t easily change. His loyalty has caused Nathaniel some distress for a while because those who wanted to recruit Sebastian lost the opportunity to collaborate long–term with the Hadleys.”

It was common knowledge that the Lesleys were slightly inferior to the Hadleys in various aspects. Unaware that the collaboration between Preston and Nathaniel had gone south, Brenda proudly said, “I believe Mr. Hadley is not driven emotionally at work. You don’t need to go out of your way to speak well of Sebastian, nor do you need to use my weaknesses to threaten me. I will never agree to them being together.”

Christina stood up and smiled.

“You’re overthinking it. The things I’ve told you are not meant to show how outstanding Sebastian is or how he can’t live without Victoria. It’s about Victoria needing Sebastian. You know better than I do about Victoria’s stubbornness. She’s your daughter. What I hope for is that you can let go of prejudices and try to understand things beyond your social circle sincerely.”

Tap! Tap! Tap!

Just then, footsteps could be heard coming from upstairs.

“Ms. Lesley, Mrs. Lesley is mecting a guest. You can’t go down!” The butler’s urgent voice came through. “Step aside, all of you!” Victoria’s deep and powerful voice suddenly rang out.

As Victoria rushed to the living room from upstairs instantly, the butler and several housekeepers followed in fear. They were afraid of being dismissed because of this.

“Christina, you’re here!” Victoria pounced on Christina and grabbed her wrist. “Take me away quickly. I’ve had enough of being controlled.”

With that, Victoria held Christina’s hand and began to leave with her. Behind them, Brenda’s angry yells could be heard.

“Victoria, where do you think you’re going? Stop right there!”

Victoria dragged Christina along and didn’t look back.

Furious, Brenda glared at the butler and servants. “Are you all dead? Stop Victoria from leaving at once!”