Chapter 163
Maxine had contacted Cleo in advance. Cleo timed her drive perfectly, picking up both Maxine and Jessica right on schedule.
Cleo raised her fist excitedly and called out, “You haven’t been back in ages! Come on, I’m taking you on a proper tour today!“Jessica chimed in eagerly. “Yay!”
Maxine shot her a helpless took and said, “Didn’t you already use up all your paid leave this year? Aren’t you worried your boss will dock your pay?”
Cleo clicked her tongue dismissively and said, “Who cares? I landed a major scoop earlier this year, he should be begging me to stay. I’ve got recruiters lining up for me.”
Over the years, Urban and Cleo had grown increasingly close. They occasionally attended high–profile galas together, and thanks to his connections, Cleo had scored numerous exclusive scoops on industry insiders.
Maxine arched an eyebrow. “So this is the result of you and Urban being partners in crime?”
Urban would bring Cleo to galas to dig up insider scoops, while she specialized in uncovering dirt on his rivals. This formidable duo became virtually unbeatable in the business world, earning them the whispered nickname “the Twin Titans of the business world” among industry insiders.
Just as their duo was truly gaining momentum, someone tried to sabotage Cleo’s career by threatening her boss to fire and blacklist her.
When Urban learned about it, he brought in the most professional legal team from his own entertainment company to help her win the case.
Cleo said, “After I won that lawsuit, suddenly everyone saw my star potential. Companies were fighting over me, so I just picked the one with the least annoying boss.”
Now she just needed to dig up scoops regularly and occasionally attend official events. She was living a far more comfortable life than Maxine ever did
abroad.
Cleo glanced at the two in the backseat through the rearview mirror. “Still not fully recovered from the car accident?” she asked with concern, “I saw you’re still wearing a bandage on your hand today.”
Maxine responded with a quiet nod, flexing her wrist slightly. “It’s just some lingering effects from the accident. It’s not a big deal. It only acts up when the weather turns bad. I wear thermal support for it. I’ve gotten used to it.”
Cleo’s face darkened with anger. “It’s all the Masons‘ fault! Now that you’re back, stay away from them!” she snapped.
Maxine paused for a moment, then asked quietly, “Does she know I’m still alive?”
Cleo huffed, “After you left the country, Sebastian came sniffing around for you. I chased him off. Haven’t heard from him in ages, but just to be safe, once you’re done here, leave as soon as you can. Don’t let him find out you’re here.”
Maxine nodded solemnly in agreement.
Actually, after the accident, Maxine developed PTSD. Although her memory of what happened was hazy, just getting into a car still triggered that same
fear.
To help with this, Urban even arranged for her to see a renowned international therapist. While she hadn’t fully recovered, she’d already been doing
much better.
It was as if her subconscious had chosen to blur out everything from before the accident. Their past entanglements now felt like they belonged to another lifetime.
The car pulled up outside Cleo’s place. She tossed the keys to Maxine. “You head back first. I’ll have someone look into that thing you mentioned. Got some other business to take care of, so I’ll head off now.”
“Don’t forget to come back early and take me out, Cleo!” Jessica called out eagerly.
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Chapter 163
Cleo flashed her a playful grin, then sped off in her car.
Both of them were absolutely exhausted after their international trip, the jet lag alone had them sleeping for more than twelve hours straight.
