Chapter 19
The carved door shut slowly. Through the crack, Ciara caught a glimpse of that cold face. Her blood ran cold–it was Hayden.
She held Michael up, her frail body swaying limply, her eyes vacant. ‘No way. How could Lydia possibly have any connection with the famous heir to the Leonard Group?‘
The sound of sweeping broken glass echoed through the empty hall, sending a chill down people’s spines.
The bleeding on Michael’s forehead had stopped, but the dried blood near his eye looked terrifying. The anger in his eyes dimmed, his voice flat. “Let’s go.”
Ciara was still fixated on the closed conference room door, her long, sharp nails digging into her dress hem. The delicate fabric instantly tore under her tight grip, leaving a ragged hole in the crumpled skirt.
‘Lydia’s just a rival I already took down. So what if she’s hooked up with the Leonard Group?‘ she thought. ‘If I could steal Michael from her, I can just as easily get them to dump her. It’ll only take a little effort.‘
Michael walked forward a bit and noticed Ciara acting weird. His sharp features turned icy as he snapped, “Aren’t you leaving? Or do you want to make a fool of yourself again?”
If Ciara hadn’t gone after Lydia, he wouldn’t be in this mess. This was his last shot at the urban renewal project, and she’d blown it.
Ciara felt his anger and hurried to catch up. “I’m sorry, Michael. I messed everything up.” Her eyes were red, her voice wobbly, making her seem hard to stay mad at.
Michael stayed silent, his gaze fixed downward, cold and distant.
Ciara sensed his shift in mood and felt a wave of panic. “Michael, I know this is hard for you,” she said. “But Lydia went too far. What she did was clearly meant to block you from the bidding conference.
“You’ve known her for years,” she pressed, immersed in her role as his defender. “Even when she’s acting out, she shouldn’t humiliate you in public like that. You’re a big shot in Raventon–pegple will be gossiping behind your back.”
Michael stayed quiet, dabbing at the blood on his forehead with a handkerchief as he walked.
As he remained silent, Ciara bit her lower lip and continued, “Think about it. Lydia’s appearance here can only mean one thing: she, or whoever’s pulling her strings, wants the Leonard Group project. Obviously, she doesn’t want anyone else getting it.”
She knew Lydia was likely there because of Hayden, the big shot who ran the whole Leonard family empire. But she kept that information to herself, not daring to breathe a word to Michael.
Michael turned toward the glass entrance door, swiping dirt off his face. His voice was steady, cool. “Not everyone’s an idiot, you know.”
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Chapter 19
Sunlight broke through the clouds, and the air smelled fresh after the rain.
In the meeting room, everyone waited, tense with anticipation.
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“I’ve got all your proposals and need time to go through them,” Hayden announced. “For now, I’d like our VP to walk us through the project details.”
Hayden wore gold–rimmed glasses. The light hit his profile just right, making him look far out of reach.
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But there was an exception. Rachel elbowed Lydia and murmured, “Soon you’ll be Mrs. Leonard for real. Don’t forget who helped you get here.”
Lydia got it right away. She stood up quietly and made her way to Hayden.
Hayden, who’d been reading, seemed to sense her. He looked up to find that Lydia had settled beside him. But just glanced back down and turned the page. “What can I do for you, Mrs. Leonard?” he asked, his tone neutral.
Lydia still wasn’t used to that title. She glanced around, fidgeting. When she saw no one was paying attention, she relaxed a little.
“What’s your plan?” she asked. Rachel had pressured her into this conversation, and while she was hesitant, she still came -she was curious too.
Hayden had said he’d announce the bid winner today. But after everyone packed into the conference room, he didn’t reveal anything. Instead, he collected proposals from each company, deliberately keeping everyone in suspense.
Hayden cracked a faint, amused smile. “The Hollander family sent you to me, so I won’t let them down.”
He passed a bid document to Lydia and leaned in, his voice low in her ear. “Wanna watch a family fight?”
That hint of mischief in his tone told Lydia someone was about to get burned. She flipped open the document, saw “Hollander Group” printed in bold, and instantly got what he meant by that “family fight.”
Lately, the Hollander family branches acted chummy on the surface, but underneath, they were tearing each other apart.
“Every branch in the Hollanders is eyeing this project,” Hayden said. “Ruffle their feathers a little, and each one’ll start thinking they’re the ones who’ll land it.”
Lydia used the bid document to shield herself from the occasional curious glance. She kept her voice soft, piecing together his plan out loud.
“So you’re not gonna hand the project over to Finnian Group like the rumors say. Your real plan is to set the Hollanders against each other,” she frowned slightly, realizing Michael was nothing but a tool.
She lifted her gaze to meet Hayden’s calm stare over the rim of his glasses. “Finnian Group’s just a decoy. Your real play is to weaken the Hollander family.”
After all, the Hollander family was a long–established powerhouse in Jettridge, with a stranglehold on countless key
resources.
Hayden looked at Lydia, his eyes intense–the kind that could make anyone’s skin crawl. “Smart girl,” he said, his voice
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Chapter 19
carrying a hint of genuine admiration. “But this plan needs you to work, Mrs. Leonard.”
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Lydia’s furrowed brow didn’t relax even after she learned the truth. If anything, her expression got more complex as she looked at Hayden–maybe Michael wasn’t the only tool in this game.
AD
