"Adam, can you please not talk nonsense?" Tessa's voice trembled slightly, her face a mix of anger and frustration. She turned swiftly to Adrian, attempting to maintain her composure. "Mr. Gregory, please excuse Adam. He can be... outspoken at times, but there's no need to engage with him. I apologize on his behalf."Adrian raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a faint smirk. "Ms. Tessa, while I respect your loyalty, I can't help but feel you’re wasting your potential. A woman of your caliber deserves a partner who can match your brilliance—not someone who’s clearly beneath you."Tessa’s expression darkened. "He is not beneath me," she said firmly, her voice edged with restrained anger. "There are reasons for his condition, reasons that involve me. I would appreciate it if you refrained from making such assumptions about him.""Trash, trash, trash!" Brenda chimed in mockingly, her tone dripping with contempt. She snorted, folding her arms. "What are you going to do about it, huh?"

"Get lost!" Daniel barked, his patience with Adrian nonexistent. He brusquely shoved him aside and marched directly toward Tessa.Adrian stumbled, shocked, but Daniel’s focus was solely on her. He stopped a few steps away, bowed deeply, and said with reverence, “Madam, please forgive my delay. I beg your pardon.”Tessa’s eyes widened in alarm. Her hand instinctively moved to shield the Cursed-Idol amulet hanging from her neck.A wave of dread washed over her. He recognizes it. That was her immediate thought, though she knew the pendant she wore was merely a counterfeit. If Daniel realized the truth, she’d be in grave trouble. Regret bubbled within her—she should’ve removed the fake amulet before coming to Bulgart Industry.The others were stunned into silence.Adrian broke it first, his voice laced with confusion and disbelief. “Uncle Daniel, you must be mistaken! She’s just the daughter of the Armand family, and that loser over there is her husband. Why are you calling her ‘Madam’?”

“Wendy, are you sure about this?” Gerald asked anxiously, his tone filled with anticipation. His hands trembled slightly as he leaned forward, eyes fixed on Wendy. If her guess was correct and the Supreme General had truly taken an interest in her, it would be a monumental breakthrough for the Armand family.Wendy crossed her arms and huffed proudly. “Of course, I’m sure. That old man I met had white hair and looked to be around the rumored age of the Supreme General. And, as the rumors say, he was hideously ugly. At first, I wasn’t certain, but now everything lines up perfectly.”She paused for dramatic effect, casting a mocking glance at Tessa. “The Supreme General must have taken an interest in me, which is why he sent Mr. Sebastian to greet us earlier. Clearly, Mr. Sebastian mistook Tessa for me.” She sneered, stepping closer to Tessa. “Did you really think someone like the Supreme General would be interested in a married woman like you?”Tessa, unfazed, shook her head. “I’ve neve

Tessa smiled bitterly, a deep sadness lingering in her heart. She wished her family could see Adam as more than an outsider, as someone who belonged to them too. But it was a foolish wish. Even she was little more than a tool to her family—a pawn in their endless games of power and ambition.Adam broke the silence. “I have to go for a checkup later. You don’t need to wait for me. The bidding will be held in a few days, so you should prepare the necessary documents.” He smiled, trying to lighten the mood.Tessa chuckled, but the sound lacked warmth. “I’ve been demoted to vice president. Wendy is the president now, so she’s in charge of the bidding.”Adam frowned, clearly taken aback. “How is that possible? You just secured the bidding qualification. It’s bad enough they didn’t reward you, but to demote you? That’s outrageous!”“Well, I only got the bidding qualification because of Wendy,” Tessa said quietly, her tone resigned.Adam’s confusion deepened. “What does that have to do with

“What does this have to do with me?” Adam said, finding Eleanor’s accusation absurd.Eleanor’s face turned red with anger as she jabbed a finger at him. “It’s all your fault! If it weren’t for you, Tessa would’ve married Mr. Blackwood instead. With the Blackwood family supporting us, we wouldn’t be in this mess!”Tessa sighed, already tired of the argument. “Mom, stop blaming Adam. I wouldn’t have married Mr. Blackwood even if Adam wasn’t in the picture.”“You brat!” Eleanor snapped, crossing her arms tightly. “You’re going to give me a heart attack someday with that attitude!”Adam decided to step in before the argument escalated further. “The bidding event is about to start. Let’s go inside,” he said, his tone calm but firm.Tessa hesitated, still anxious. “Can we really get in?”“Don’t worry.” Adam flashed her a confident smile.Encouraged by his demeanor, Tessa quickly stepped forward, nudging Adam ahead of her. Eleanor followed reluctantly, keeping a few steps behind. She glanced