Scott turned to see Steve walking toward them, his face annoyed.
When Steve recognized the casually dressed man facing away from him as Scott, his expression immediately changed. His eyes widened, and his pupils dilated. Steve had been informed by Lombard that Scott was an extremely powerful man. If he offended Scott or made him uncomfortable, not only would his career as CEO of Dominion Group be over, but his life could be as well. Steve was about to greet Scott with a deep bow when Scott gave him a slight shake of his head. Steve understood. For reasons unknown, Scott didn’t want anyone to know the nature of their relationship. That explained why he was dressed so casually, even though he was at the Dominion Group office. “Mr. Steve!” Wayne called out, pushing Scott aside and stepping forward to approach Steve. Steve was a well-known businessman in Mildenbrough. Many people knew him, including job applicants like the bearded man. Then he added, "It looks like this woman applied for a job but had a rough interview. Her application was likely rejected, and I think that was the right decision. A whore clearly doesn’t deserve to be an employee at Dominion Group or work for you." Wayne grinned broadly, confident he had said what needed to be said. With this, Steve would surely throw Scott and Luisa out harshly. However, Steve glared at him in fury. Who the hell are you? he asked coldly. “I’m Wayne, Mr. Scott. Wayne Bottlehood. I’m one of the applicants for the project officer position here. My uncle, Oliver Bottlehood, works here as the Marketing Manager,” the bearded man replied. Steve glanced at Scott and the beautiful woman in a scarf standing beside him. He knew the beautiful woman was Luisa Grandier. The HR Manager who had just interviewed Luisa had sent him a photo of her. “What did you just call these two, Wayne Bottlehood?” Steve asked, turning his gaze back to Wayne. Wayne was slightly confused by Steve’s question but answered anyway, “One’s a bum, and the other’s a prostitute.” Thud! Suddenly, Steve delivered a hard punch to Wayne’s face. Caught completely off guard, Wayne was knocked to the ground, his nose bleeding. His friends behind him were shocked. They wanted to help him up but didn’t dare to move, especially with Steve standing right there. “How dare you say that! Get lost! Your application is rejected! And your uncle will be fired today as well!” Steve shouted, his eyes bulging with anger. “And while I’m at it,” he continued, glaring at Wayne before shifting his gaze to his friends, “we’ve decided to hire Luisa as our new project officer. All of you should leave. Take this insolent fool with you!” Wayne and his friends were stunned. They stared at Luisa in disbelief, then looked back at Steve. It was hard for them to process this shocking news, but it came directly from the CEO himself. “Luisa, you start working today. I want you to assist in organizing our tender auction this afternoon. The event begins in an hour, so prepare yourself,” Steve said, his gaze sharp as it landed on Luisa. Luisa’s eyes widened slightly, her mouth falling open a bit. Her job application was accepted? Is this really happening? But her interview earlier... She then looked at Scott, finding him smiling and nodding. "See? I told you they’d hire you. Congrats!" Scott said. Luisa took a deep breath. The news was so unexpected, she wasn’t ready. She needed time to accept this as reality. Then, she turned to Steve, bowed respectfully, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Steve, for entrusting me with this. But, to be honest, I’m not sure if I’m ready to handle such an important task on my first day..." At that moment, she felt a reassuring pat on her shoulder. She turned to see Scott nodding and smiling gently. “You can do this. Trust in your abilities. Okay?” he said. As if hypnotized, Luisa nodded. Scott’s smile widened, and Luisa felt something warm grow inside her. Seeing how Scott supported Luisa, Steve realized just how important she was to him. He knew he had to do whatever it took to make Luisa feel comfortable working at Dominion Group. He then turned his attention back to Wayne, who was still sitting on the floor, wiping the blood from his nose and mouth with a handkerchief. “Get out of my sight before I call security to drag you out!” Steve said coldly. “You too! Get lost! Take this fool with you!” he added, this time addressing Wayne’s friends. They quickly moved to help Wayne up and hurriedly escorted him out of the building. Wayne glanced back at Steve with a questioning look, but when Steve returned his gaze, Wayne quickly looked away. Now, only Scott and Luisa were left standing in front of Steve—the driver had already taken the black limousine to the designated CEO parking spot. “Scott, I think I need to go to the restroom for a moment,” Luisa said quietly. “Okay. I’ll wait here,” Scott replied. He could tell that Luisa was nervous about starting her new job in just an hour. Luisa excused herself and walked away briskly. As she disappeared down one of the hallways, Steve approached Scott. “Mr. Scott, there’s something I need to inform you about,” Steve said. Now that they were alone, he felt he had to show proper respect to Scott. “What is it?” Scott asked. “About half an hour ago, a representative from the Winterbourne family contacted me, asking me to convey their warm regards to you as the new owner of Dominion Group. They also extended an invitation to host you for lunch today. They wish to have a private conversation with you after the tender auction,” Steve explained. The Winterbourne family was one of the four most influential families in Mildenbrough. It was common for them to host important people who could potentially become their business partners. Scott knew this but wasn’t interested at all. “Tell them I don’t have time to meet. You can figure out the wording. I’m sure you know what to say,” Scott replied. “Understood, sir,” Steve responded. “Anything else?” “No, sir. That’s all. I apologize for interrupting your time.” “No problem.” At this point, Luisa reappeared, walking toward them. Steve took his leave, nodding at Scott before focusing on Luisa. “What were you two just talking about?” Luisa asked, curious. “Nothing, just some pleasantries,” Scott said, shaking his head. ... At the prestigious tender auction held on the second floor, about an hour later... Tables were neatly arranged, filled with people who exuded an air of elegance and sophistication. These attendees were all prominent businessmen from Mildenbrough, representing families ranging from the first-tier to the fourth-tier families in the city. The representatives of the first-tier families sat at the front tables: the Winterbournes, the Beaumonts, the Vanderhelms, the Ravenwoods. James and the Grandiers—Lisa, Daniel, Lucas, and Jacob—sat at the tables at the back. Lisa and James shared a table. Despite the large size of the round table, Lisa sat right next to James, clinging to him. Occasionally, she would deliberately press her chest against his arm, flashing that fake smile of hers. Her father had already reminded her to stay close to James so that he would fulfill his promises to them. At this point, the door at the back of the room opened, and two people entered—a man and a woman. Lisa and James turned to look at them, and their expressions immediately darkened. There was no mistaking it; the man was Scott. And the woman, despite her hastily wrapped scarf, was unmistakably Luisa. ‘How on earth is she here? Isn’t she supposed to be at the brothel?’ Lisa thought. She was just about to say something when James suddenly stood up and walked toward Scott and Luisa, blocking their path. Scott and Luisa stopped in their tracks. Luisa stepped back, hiding behind Scott, looking visibly frightened. "How dare you just barge in here. You know, Scott, this tender auction is for the elite. Commoners like you aren't welcome here," James said, lifting his chin and glaring at Scott with pure contempt. Scott merely smirked, raising his eyebrows as if daring James to insult him further. He then said, “Well, that’s the reason why I’m here.” “Tch! You’re probably here to apply for a janitor position, aren’t you? If that’s the case, head down to the basement. I hear that’s where they process applications for menial jobs like that. A lowly job like that suits you, Scott. Fits right in with that face of yours that reminds me of a toilet!” James sneered. Scott’s eyes twitched. He stepped forward, stopping just inches from James, leaving only a few centimeters between them. “You’re the one who should be cleaning toilets, James. Not just your face, but your hands are perfect for the job. How about we head to the restroom now? You clean the toilet, and I’ll record the whole thing on my phone,” Scott said with a mocking smile. James’ face turned beet red. He snorted like an angry bull and grabbed Scott’s shirt with his right hand. “Yesterday, you broke my fingers, and today you insult me. Are you ready to face the consequences?” James growled, glaring at Scott. ...“Get your hands off me!” Scott snapped, shaking off James’s grip on his shirt with a quick flick.“Ouch!”James yelped, shaking his right hand as if it were stinging. It seemed like Scott's shove had been gentle, yet James felt a sharp twinge in his hand.“You son of a bitch!” James spat.Scott took a step forward, ready to teach James a lesson, but suddenly Lisa splashed wine from her glass directly onto Scott's face.“Watch yourself, Scott! If you hurt James again, I swear I’ll never forgive you for as long as I live!” she exclaimed.Scott wiped the wine from his face with a handkerchief, slowly opening his eyes. He glared coldly at his former fiancée.“Do you think I care? Don’t get ahead of yourself, Lisa. Whether you’re in my life or not means nothing to me,” he said.Lisa's eyes widened in shock. Reflexively, she hurled her empty wine glass at Scott's face.Swoosh!Scott caught the glass effortlessly. Lisa was astonished. How could he move his hand that fast?Frustrated that her
"And by the way, the villas in the northern part of Oval Enclave are the cheapest among the hundreds of villas in that area. How funny that you brag about it. It just shows how low your standards are. Don’t you realize that?” Scott added, smirking.Lisa’s face flushed red. “Shut up, Scott! What do you know about the villas in Oval Enclave, huh? You might not even get a foot in the door!"“And stop pretending to be someone great! I know your past. You served in the military, but only as a guard for a general. That was your highest rank before you were dishonorably discharged for drinking and gambling.“I also know about the gifts Mr. Lombard brought yesterday. He did that because the general, your former boss, ordered him to, didn’t he? There’s no real connection between you and the general.“Oh, come on, Scott. I’ve done some research on you, and I found nothing special. You’re pathetic!” Scott furrowed his brow. Everything Lisa said matched the false information spread years ago to
Indeed, with Luisa bent over like that, Quint had a clear view of her cleavage.Luisa had a slim figure with ample breasts. It must be tempting for someone with a twisted mind like Quint's."Lift your head, beautiful," Quint said, still smiling with a sly grin.Slowly, with a tense face, Luisa straightened up. She glanced at Quint for only a moment before dropping her gaze to her shoes.“You want me to forgive the man behind you?” Quint asked.“Yes, Mr. Quint. Please forgive him just this once,” Luisa replied.“Well, if you want me to forgive him, you’ll have to sleep with me tonight. That’s your only chance,” Quint said.Luisa gasped again, stepping back in shock at Quint’s words. Fortunately, Scott was right behind her and caught her, his eyes locked onto Quint’s. “Get lost, or you'll regret it.” The people in the room were once again stunned. Earlier, they thought Scott was being disrespectful to Quint because he didn’t know who he was dealing with. But just now, when Scott sho
Everyone in the room, including Luisa, was stunned by what Scott had just done. How could he be this reckless? Didn’t he know by now that Quint was the son of the richest businessman in Mildenbrough? “Hey, you! Do you even realize what you’re doing? Drop that knife and let Quint go!” shouted the Beaumont family representative, his voice booming. “Are you insane? Let Quint go now or I’m calling the police!” the Vanderhelm family representative chimed in. Among all the top-tier families attending the auction, only the Ravenwood family’s representative didn’t pressure Scott to release Quint. In fact, a beautiful woman in their entourage seemed amused. Lisa, on the other hand, had been riding a wave of anxious thoughts since just a moment ago, when a gust of wind made her feel at ease for a brief second. Now, that unease was back, gnawing at her. What if Scott really did cut off Quint’s hand like he threatened? That would surely infuriate the Winterbourne family, right? And wouldn’
Scott glanced at the woman. She was with the Ravenwood family.Briton also turned to her, but his glare was full of rage.“This gentleman is innocent, Mr. Briton. Quint started this mess. He demanded the woman with this gentleman sleep with him. That alone is outrageous. No wonder this gentleman got angry,” the blonde woman said.Scott narrowed his eyes, a faint smile appearing on his face. He hadn’t expected anyone in the room to defend him and Luisa.Bang!Suddenly, Briton fired a shot into the air. The blonde woman flinched.“Stay out of my business, you little brat! If you stand up for the scum who cut off Quint’s hand, I’ll have my guards deal with you too!” Briton threatened.Francesca Ravenwood, the blonde woman, froze and took a step back. Was this really what Briton Winterbourne was like when enraged—ignoring anyone who dared speak and ready to crush anyone standing in his way? John Ravenwood, her father, rushed forward with a panicked expression. Standing beside Francesca,
Seeing Steve enter the room with a furious expression, Briton wasn’t worried—in fact, he smiled. He assumed Steve was on his side. After all, Winterbourne Group had maintained a strong partnership with Dominion Group for years, and Briton was certain that relationship still held strong. “What’s going on here? How could an auction that’s supposed to be classy and elegant turn into such a mess? Why is there a table flipped over? And what was that sound I heard earlier? A gunshot?” Steve demanded as he walked toward the crowd. The guests quickly made way for Steve. Even though he wasn’t from one of the wealthiest families in Mildenbrough, his position as CEO of Dominion Group commanded respect and fear from everyone in the city. Even the most powerful families in Mildenbrough wouldn’t dare cross him. The only exception was Briton. As the richest man in Mildenbrough, Briton never saw himself as beneath Steve. The only person he considered his equal was Dominion Group’s Chairman. “
Scott turned to her and said, "If the CEO of Dominion Group says so, then he must be here with us." Luisa covered her mouth with one hand, her eyes widening. "I... I’m embarrassed, Scott. That means he saw how people ridiculed and insulted me earlier," she said. Scott gave her a soft smile, his gaze warm and reassuring. "Don’t worry about that," he said. "Whatever those fools said about you, it doesn’t lessen your value in the eyes of the new chairman of Dominion Group. Trust me, okay?" Luisa nodded, still feeling unsure but choosing to believe Scott. After all, everything he had said so far had been spot on, including the prediction that Winterbourne Group would lose the bid for Dominion Group’s prestigious project. With Scott by her side, standing up for her like this, Luisa found herself feeling safe. While Luisa was calming down, Briton was growing increasingly anxious. After hearing Steve confirm that the new chairman of Dominion Group was indeed in the room, his eyes
Lisa was one of the curious ones. Threatened by the possibility of losing out on projects from James, she began considering an alternative approach: getting close to this new project director. Maybe she could use her seductive body to sway him/her in her favor.At this point, Steve locked eyes with Luisa and gave a single nod, a clear signal for her to step up to the podium.Luisa was stunned. She never expected the CEO to give her such an honorable spotlight. Was this normal? And wasn’t she still in the dark about who had won the Dominion Group’s project tender?“Go on, step up,” Scott urged gently, giving her a light push on the back.With hesitant steps, Luisa moved forward, her head still lowered, unsure of what she was supposed to say.Nearly everyone in the room, including Lisa, stared at her in shock. Then, almost by instinct, Lisa cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted:"Hey, you slut! Know your place and get out of here! You belong in some filthy brothel, not here!"Li