Chapter 40
Chapter 40
It was a video that showed Merlin and I dancing and kissing. I had no idea who it was that took a video of us and uploaded it online, but I knew how much of a damage it could cause the Felix Corporation. It seemed like the only believable way out of this mess would be to announce to the public that Merlin was my new lover.
A wave of helplessness began to hit me as I watched the video. I was a public figure that lived under public scrutiny because of how big a business the Felix Corporation was. My divorce had been one of the trending topics as well, and I wasn't even a celebrity!
However, instead of worrying about how the video might affect the Felix Corporation, I watched the video on repeat many, many times. In the video, Merlin was wearing a white dress shirt, and he didn't have his necktie on as the two buttons on his collar were undone. His passionate dancing was nothing like his refined-gangster appearance, but he was so good-looking that there weren't a lot of fans who dissed him.
Oddly enough, the side of me in the video was one I had never seen before.
I was as passionate as a burning flame that was slowly consuming those around me as well.
I was truly beautiful in the video.
Merlin had indeed allowed me to experience new and different things.
I clicked in to check the comments left under the video, and they were mostly about how shameless I
was to be involved with another man right after my divorce. Some of them also said that I had gone all the way to Eldham to give myself to a man. Anyway, none of the comments they left mentioned anything positive. It seems that the keyboard warriors had their fill, typing out every possible bad comment about me that they could.
I carefully considered it for a moment, and finally decided not to give any response in regard to the video.
Wrapped up in my blanket in bed, I was constantly in a daze as I drifted in and out of sleep. It was only until the afternoon when I received a panicked call from my assistant that I was fully awake.
"President Felix, we won the bid against the Yates Family in Ashere yesterday, but they had a sudden change of mind in terms of the collaboration with us… They have canceled it and have gone to the Adams instead! This collaboration is crucial for our company!"
I knew who the Adams Family were. We had come in contact numerous times before. The Adams Corporation was one of the top companies in Bryxton, ranked just behind the Felix Corporation and Forger Corporation. I hadn't expected at all that the Yates would terminate our contract and go to the Adams Family instead.
After all, the Adams Corporation was not on the Felix Corporation's level.
As I started to wonder why the Yateses would choose to do something like this, I asked my assistant, "Did you find out why they did it?"
My assistant hesitantly told me, "It seems that the Forger Corporation has been up to something."
"I don't understand what you are trying to say here."
Hearing that, he quickly added, "The Forger Corporation has provided funds to the Adams Corporation this morning. They even tried to put in a good word or two for the Adams Corporation to th eYates Corporation. The Yates have taken the negative effects of the online news into consideration, and they decided to make a last-minute termination and went for Adams Corporation instead."
Since Chairman Forger was not someone who would snatch clients away from the Felix Corporation, Nicholas was the only person who could possibly do something like this.
Out of nowhere, I suddenly recalled the words he had said before I left Bryxton. "I am not trying to butt heads with you, but it seems like you think of me as a joke if I don't go against you."
Was now his act of 'going against me' he had promised me before?
"I will be heading to the company tonight." I eventually sighed.
"Understood. As for the comments on the Internet…"
"Don't bother yourself with them. Don't believe them, and don't add fuel either. Just pretend that we haven't seen them."
"Understood, President Felix."
Suddenly recalling something else, I asked again, "Right, are the Yates still in Bryxton?"
"Yes. They will be leaving by plane tomorrow morning."
Upon hearing that, I instructed my assistant to make an appointment with them tonight for a face-to- face discussion.
…
I left Bryxton for a temporary escape, but what I got in return was more stress. Then again, the time I had spent at the place Merlin brought me to that night was the only time I had ever relaxed in my life. My trip to Eldham hadn't been a complete waste after all.
My assistant was the one who picked me up from the airport when I landed in Bryxton. There was a one-hour delay because of a heavy rain, which unfortunately made the Yates wait for me for more than an hour before I rushed over to the appointed hotel straight from the airport.
As soon as I entered the private room, I saw a beautiful woman who I didn't recognize sitting in a chair. She didn't stand up when her eyes fell on me and instead, she arrogantly sighed. "You are the president of the Felix Corporation? You probably haven't hit your 30s, I believe?"
I didn't answer her as I only turned to my assistant with a frown on my face. "Where is Ms. Yates?"
From what I remembered, the person-in-charge of Yates Corporation in Bryxton should have been the daughter of the Yates, Alice Yates.
My assistant leaned close to me and whispered in my ear, "We have just received an update that Ms. Yates has to make her leave due to some circumstances. She said that she will be here again
tomorrow to have a discussion with you. This lady who is with us is Josephine Yates, Ms. Yates' cousin.
"And why is she here?" I asked.
"She probably stayed behind for you, President Felix."
Josephine didn't look like she was here for good reasons.
Seeing that, I smiled at her. "And how old are you? In your 40s?"
"What nonsense are you spewing?!" Her face had turned white from anger.
Not wanting to waste more of my energy on her, I said to my assistant, "Let's go."
I had never held myself back when it came to handling people like her.
She immediately stepped forward to stop me from leaving when she saw me turn around, but my assistant swiftly stopped her from getting closer to me. I then took the car keys from my assistant's hand before I headed to the garage myself.
My assistant had driven the Rolls-Royce when he came to fetch me. I had always been generous with myself when it came to leisure. Everything I used or ate was the best of the best. I mean, where else would I spend all that money I had earned through the Felix Corporation?
I drove my way back to Felix's Villa and just as I had reached the entrance, I received a message from May.
'Are you still in Eldham?'
Upon seeing that, I replied, 'Nope. I am in Bryxton.'
She sent me another message again when I got out of my car. 'I was just about to tell you that I am planning to spend some fun time with you in Bryxton.'
I sent a sticker with a question mark to her. 'You got extra time on your hands?' Owned by NôvelDrama.Org.
May should be busy accompanying Alba at this time.
'I might have been dumped.'
Her reply prompted me to send a few more question marks to her. She then sent me a dejected-looking sticker before she started explaining her circumstances to me. 'Alba disappeared right after he left me a note a few days ago. He told me to stop thinking about him.'
I thought that their relationship had gotten more stable. Just why was something like this happening again?
What was that man with those clear eyes thinking?!
I only sent her another reply after a while. 'Should I get Gary to investigate for you?'
'No, it is alright. Come on out. Let's have a meal together.'
I wasn't planning to go at first, but the thought of May feeling down made me agree to it.
After I got into my home to change into a different outfit, I put on light makeup before I took my car keys and went out once more.
The car I used was still the Rolls-Royce I was driving earlier. May couldn't stop praising how I was a wealthy woman as soon as she saw my car. It was then that I noticed Olivia beside May. Seeing her immediately brought back the words Nicholas had said to me about how Olivia liked Christopher.
I lightly shook my thoughts away and with a smile, I asked, "Want me to give you a ride?"
"I don't want charity," May swiftly rejected me before she continued with Olivia's introduction. "This is Olivia Parker. I am sure you both have met before. I wanted to buy you both a meal since I have time today."
"You are right; we do know each other," I smilingly answered, my eyes on Olivia.
Olivia then reached out her hand to shake mine as she returned me a sweet smile. "Nice to meet you, Renee."
I wasn't that much older than she was but still, she so politely called out my name. I rather casually threw her a question as I held her fair and elegant hand. "Where do you live, Olivia?"
"I live with my brother."
"Which brother?" I asked again out of sheer curiosity.
I must have sounded too probing with my series of questions, which was why Olivia jolted in surprise.
Seeing how she looked like a deer caught in headlights, I quickly apologized to her for how insensitive I might have been.
She let go of May's hand and came to hug my arm instead. "Chris doesn't let me stay with him," she grumbled. "I am staying with Nick now! Chris is such a cold-hearted person who doesn't even care about his family."
Everyone talked about how cold Christopher was, and yet I couldn't help but recall what Nicholas said about how what Christopher felt might not even qualify as sympathy.