The night before his engagement, Hale didn't break up with Daisy but threaten her to be with him in secret. As a result, she became his mistress. To help fulfill his plan, she sacrificed herself but got nothing. When she gave him up and married another man, he spoiled her wedding and announced that she belonged to him, only and forever.
"Listen, I don't care about the process. I just want the result. If you fail to get this case, all the people in the planning department will be fired!" With a cup of coffee in my hand, I slowly walked towards my father's study. I just came back from a business trip in Sanya, exhausted both physically and mentally. But now I had to throw myself into work without a rest for the investor was eager to see the business proposal of the cooperation case. The planning department had been as busy as a staple.
"I've already discussed the project with the man in Hainan. I'll send you an email later. Sort it out carefully. No matter how late you work, I need the result tomorrow."
"Don't complain to me about your tiredness? Everyone was tired. No one slacks off. Come on. After tonight, our efforts will be paid off. I'll treat everyone a big meal when the things are done." On the phone, I kept comforting my fatigued subordinates. They were all caught off guard by this work and were lack of a good sleep for half a month. After hanging up the phone, I couldn't help but feel furious. When I entered the study, I kicked the door frame.
A playful male voice came to my ear, "How angry you are. It seems that you care about this competition very much. Haven't the delicious food and attractive scene in Sanya made you relax?"
In the study, I met a person I hated to see. It was the one who usually mocked me in the company, Hale. 'Why didn't the Butler tell me that he was here?'
"Hi, Daisy. Please excuse me for coming to your home without calling you in advance."
He liked doing in this way and I have been used to it. I ignored him and walked to my father's desk to take the documents I needed.
"Hey, I'm here to tell you, don't waste your time on that case. My people have already had it, but seeing that you work hard on the case, I will speak for you in front of the old lady."
I sneered, "You? How could it be possible?"
He was idling about every day and only knew how to go against me.
However, he opened a document in his hand, and I saw it clearly: the business plan of the case and all the information I gathered through investigation. This plan was the outcome of more than a dozen people of the planning department who spent more than half a month in the office. But.... He raised it high in his hand.
My pupils contracted all of a sudden. "You.... This is my business plan. Why is in your hand?" I reached out to grab it, but he raised his hand even higher. The sixteen year old boy was more than half a head taller than me, let alone his long arms. I gave up snatching.
Hale rolled his eyes and said, "But it's mine now."
I have realized that someone in the planning department must have been bought off by him. Otherwise, such a confidential document would never be exposed to the competitors.
"Hale, if you have guts, show me your true ability. Don't only do some shady things. I'm ashamed of you!"
"True Ability? Haw-haw-haw, Daisy, stealing other people's fruit is nothing, but someone is so powerful that he can steal other people's life. What do you say? It's just an unimportant case. As a lady of the Millers, do you have to work so hard?"
There was an underlying meaning in his words. I was a little confused.
But this was not insignificant for me. This task was a test for us arranged by my Grandma. It was the first project I've taken over in the company. It was about my prestige in the company in the future.
The Miller Group was one of the leading enterprises in the country. In this era of survival of the fittest, the relatively conservative research and development technology of the Group lagged behind the market. Our traditional formulas had been gradually eliminated by the times, and we had to introduce new technology.
This project that father was working on was one of the biggest projects of the Miller Group in this year, which was to make a cosmetics with ingredient of pure plant. Unfortunately, we encountered a problem. There were many cosmetics of this kind in the market, and this newly launched product had a mediocre effect.
I.... No, the case Hale got was a cooperation with another domestic company. They were interested in our formula, and we wanted their technology and reputation. It was just that the other party had been playing tricks on me for a long time before the result came. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
But I didn't expect that someone took advantage of it. My chest was so stuffy. I really wanted to rush up and tear up the fake smile of Hale.
But the next second, he stopped smiling. He covered his upper lip with his right hand and coughed to cover up his indiscreet remarks. 'This robber!' I put a new label on him in my heart.
I was staring at him.
The air was frozen, but in a moment, Hale patted me on the shoulder and said, "Grandma asked me to pick you up. You have to deal with a lot of things at the banquet."
I was still angry and couldn't stand his intimate contact, so I slapped his hand away. "I'm not going to attend the party. You can go back now."
"Daisy Miller, enough!" He smiled at me with unprecedented pressure, and I suddenly couldn't speak.
I felt that smile was dazzling. He was only sixteen years old. Why did I always feel weak before him, like an ignorant child facing a rogue?
I didn't know where Hale came from. I only knew that he had lived in my family for six years.
I was wondering why Grandma asked him to study in the company with me. I bore in mind that one should care his own business. So, no matter how dissatisfied I was, I wouldn't speak out. Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the company, he blatantly went against me. Taking Grandma as his backer, he made fun of me all the time. If not that Grandma was inclined to hand over the company to me before and some people were sensible, I would have been collapsed. Yes, I hated him very much. It rooted in a thing happened long time ago.
I detested him for the first time he appeared with Grandma. It was ridiculous to think of it.
At that time, we were only ten years old. Grandma taught us family business management every day, so I didn't experience the childhood that an ordinary child had. In puberty, I became rebellious. I felt that Grandma's house was like a beautiful cage, and I was some kind of a canary trapped in it, looking forward to the blue sky and the sea day and night. I didn't have many friends. The arrival of Hale undoubtedly made me feel the preciousness of friendship. I took him as a friend and told him everything. Unfortunately, at that time, I was short-sighted and didn't notice that this man had a dirty heart under his delicate skin.
Grandma lived in the old courtyard. Simplicity was everywhere and the flowers was blooming all year round. Gradually, I discovered the secret hidden behind the thickest bunch of roses in the courtyard--an old small door. After careful observation, I found that this was the gate to my freedom. I cared less how old it was and if the freedom was hidden behind the thorny roses, because these were nothing compared to my determination to leave. I told this secret to Hale and he promised to help me escape from here.
I planned to sneak away at a night when everyone in the house fell asleep. After all, no one knew this place, so I could do whatever I want. I began to make plans for my future.
But when I sneaked away with the flashlight and coins, the sharp thorn on the rose root pierced my arm, and blood dripped down from my face. I flinched again. Because Grandma has protected me well since I was a child. At least I had never been hurt like this. Tears gushed out, but when I thought that the free world was waving at me, I calmed down and braced myself to face the difficulty. The shabby small door was in front of me, and all I need to do was to push it.
"Right here. I saw her coming from here." I recognized the young and firm male voice. He was Hale who had reached a consensus with me!
To my astonishment, Hale led a group of servants to the corner where I hid. The faint light of the fire reflected the beads of sweat on my forehead. There was only one thought in my mind, 'I'm over!'
I'm still in the mood to curse Hale, 'Traitor!' The next second, the light shone on me, making me unable to open my eyes. I heard Grandma's sullen voice, "Daisy, why are you here in the middle of the night?"
I betted Hale must had exaggerated something.
An old servant pulled me out. My clothes were badly cut. Grandma's eyes swept across me, and then fell on Hale. My eyes were blazing with fire. I wished I could punch that abominable betrayer hard. I didn't know why Hale betrayed me at that time, nor did I know it now. But from then on, I didn't take him as a friend that I can talk to.
Living together for many years, I still couldn't accept him. All I could do was to ignore him.
When I came to my senses, I ignored him, took the books, turned around and was about to leave the study.
He shouted behind me, "Daisy, it's about the project. Are you sure you won't attend? After all, you have been working for this project for so long."
To be honest, if there was a chance, I would never let it be stolen by others.
I turned around and looked at him. "I'll go."
But I didn't expect that the consequence of attending the banquet would be a sudden humiliation.
Their first encounter was nothing like the ones you would see in the movies-- an unexpected turn of events or a casual glimpse across a busy coffee shop. Wendy met Sam for the first time in a hospital... Wendy wasn't one of those girls who believed in love at first sight, but when she locked eyes with Sam, she realized how wrong she had been all along. She fell for him at that very moment. She decided to follow her heart, and that stubbornness led to her bloody trek through nursing school. Yet, it seemed like fate wasn't in her favor. Sam never took her seriously, and Wendy was stuck in an infinite loop of unrequited love. Where would her romance take her? How would their story end?
Madisyn was stunned to discover that she was not her parents' biological child. Due to the real daughter's scheming, she was kicked out and became a laughingstock. Thought to be born to peasants, Madisyn was shocked to find that her real father was the richest man in the city, and her brothers were renowned figures in their respective fields. They showered her with love, only to learn that Madisyn had a thriving business of her own. "Stop pestering me!" said her ex-boyfriend. "My heart only belongs to Jenna." "How dare you think that my woman has feelings for you?" claimed a mysterious bigwig.
After three secretive years of marriage, Eliana never met her enigmatic husband until she was served with divorce papers and learned of his extravagant pursuit of another. She snapped back to reality and secured a divorce. Thereafter, Eliana unveiled her various personas: an esteemed doctor, legendary secret agent, master hacker, celebrated designer, adept race car driver, and distinguished scientist. As her diverse talents became known, her ex-husband was consumed by remorse. Desperately, he pleaded, "Eliana, give me another chance! All my properties, even my life, are yours."
Rosalynn's marriage to Brian wasn't what she envisioned it to be. Her husband, Brian, barely came home. He avoided her like a plague. Worse still, he was always in the news for dating numerous celebrities. Rosalynn persevered until she couldn't take it anymore. She upped and left after filing for a divorce. Everything changed days later. Brian took interest in a designer that worked for his company anonymously. From her profile, he could tell that she was brilliant and dazzling. He pulled the stops to find out her true identity. Little did he know that he was going to receive the greatest shocker of his life. Brian bit his finger with regret when he recalled his past actions and the woman he foolishly let go.
After being kicked out of her home, Harlee learned she wasn't the biological daughter of her family. Rumors had it that her impoverished biological family favored sons and planned to profit from her return. Unexpectedly, her real father was a zillionaire, catapulting her into immense wealth and making her the most cherished member of the family. While they anticipated her disgrace, Harlee secretly held design patents worth billions. Celebrated for her brilliance, she was invited to mentor in a national astronomy group, drew interest from wealthy suitors, and caught the eye of a mysterious figure, ascending to legendary status.
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
In her previous life, Kimberly endured the betrayal of her husband, the cruel machinations of an evil woman, and the endless tyranny of her in-laws. It culminated in the bankruptcy of her family, and ultimately, her death. After being reborn, she resolved to seek retribution against those who had wronged her, and ensure her family's prosperity. To her shock, the most unattainable man from her past suddenly set his sights on her. "You may have overlooked me before, but I shall capture your heart this time around."