Chapter 6

“Mr. Howe.”

Percy stepped in front of him, blocking his path with an abruptness that bordered on rudeness, drawing the attention of those nearby.

Shane smiled faintly, sizing him up.

“Mr. Moore, is there something else you need?”

Percy felt an unprecedented sense of humiliation.

He, the esteemed president of Moore Enterprises, had never been in a position where he had to practically grovel for a partnership. But this project was critical to Moore Enterprises' performance next quarter. He couldn’t afford to let it go.

Hiding his frustration behind a practiced smile, Percy said, “Stellar has never worked at Moore Enterprises. She didn’t even finish college. Whatever skills she has, she picked up from being around me. Mr. Howe, I strongly encourage you to reconsider this partnership.”

Shane, a veteran in this industry, had always avoided working with Moore Enterprises, mainly because he disliked Percy as a person.

The moment he heard Percy’s words, Shane’s lips curled slightly.“Are you questioning my ability to assess people and projects, Mr. Moore?”

“No, no,” Percy quickly denied, his back straight as he maintained his refined demeanor.

“I just wanted to clarify. I know Stellar well. She’s persuasive, but the company she mentioned, Riverside Corporation, cannot compare to Moore Enterprises. I’m worried she might leverage Moore Enterprises’ reputation to mislead you into signing a contract with a relatively unknown company.”

“An unknown company?”

Shane’s polite smile faded.

“Mr. Moore, you really do live like a detached nobleman, don’t you? So much so that you can’t even gather proper intel on your competitors.

“Miss Rivers certainly has a talent for negotiation, but if you claim she can spin lies into truths, then what about all the partnerships she previously secured for Moore Enterprises? Were those all scams orchestrated by your company?”

Percy’s face turned a deep shade of red. Shane cast him a final, ambiguous glance before continuing his words.

"Mr. Moore, you have impressive credentials. No wonder someone as capable as Stellar devoted herself to accomplishing so much for you. However, the most important thing in life is self-awareness.

“Go back and investigate carefully. Can you name a single partnership Moore Enterprises secured that wasn’t thanks to her expertise?"

After delivering those sharp words, Shane didn’t linger.

He hadn’t lowered his voice, and combined with Percy’s earlier disruptive behavior, many in the vicinity overheard the exchange.

Percy’s face darkened, his anger simmering to the point of boiling over.

That damn Stellar!

If it weren’t for her, how could he have suffered such humiliation? Suggesting that Moore Enterprises couldn’t have secured those deals without her?

Without Moore Enterprises’ vast resources, those potential partners wouldn’t have even spared Stellar a second glance!

Not far away, Stellar witnessed the entire scene unfold. She found it deeply ironic, though not unexpected.

No matter. This only solidified her resolve. If they became rivals in the future, she would have no reason to hold back.

With the deal resolved, she had no intention of staying in the banquet hall any longer. After sending a brief update to Claude, she headed out.

However, before she could leave the hotel lobby, her arm was yanked roughly from behind.

"Stellar, what exactly did you tell Mr. Howe?"

It was Percy.

The sudden force caused her to stumble. She looked up to see the furious man glaring at her. Gritting her teeth, she wrenched her arm free.

Her wrist, now bruised with an alarming purple mark against her pale skin, went unnoticed by the man who had inflicted it. His voice was sharp and cold.

"Answer me!"

Stellar’s chest tightened with an inexplicable wave of emotion. Her lips curled into a sarcastic smile as she sneered at him, her voice laced with icy disdain.

“What happened between you and Mr. Howe has nothing to do with me. Percy, we’ve broken up. I don’t owe you anything.”

Even though she had rehearsed this confrontation countless times in her mind, her eyes still reddened from the pressure.

However, Percy seemed convinced of his own assumptions. Beneath his anger was an icy, mocking tone.

“Quite the strategy you’ve got. Trying to force my hand like this? What is it? Are you that desperate to marry me?”

Stellar was at a loss for words.

For the first time, she realized just how vile this man truly was.

The infatuation and hope she had once harbored vanished completely at that moment.

Her silence only reinforced Percy’s smug certainty. His cold smile deepened, and he slipped his hands into his pockets, resuming his usual air of arrogant indifference.

“Come on, tell me. What deal did you make with Riverside Corporation to stage this little act? And what’s the story behind this no-name company anyway?”

He was convinced it was all part of Stellar’s scheme.

But before she could respond, a calm, commanding voice interrupted him.

“Riverside Corporation is my gift to my dear Stellar. Is there a problem with that?”

Stellar looked up in surprise to see Claude approaching from the entrance. His long black coat trailed behind him, carrying the night’s chill, his imposing presence filling the space. He strode over confidently and pulled her into his protective embrace.

“Are you alright?”

Stellar’s heart warmed instantly. She obediently shook her head but discreetly hid her bruised wrist behind her back. She didn’t want to involve her uncle in her problems.

“What are you doing here?”

“I was worried about you. I came to pick you up.”

The tall, handsome man lowered his gaze slightly, his eyes filled with tenderness and affection.

Percy felt provoked. He didn’t know the man standing in front of him, but the overwhelming aura of authority emanating from him was impossible to ignore.

So, this was the man who had escorted Stellar into the Maybach?

He let out a cold laugh and reached out to grab Stellar, only for Claude to swat his hand away mid-air.

“Mr. Moore, what do you think you’re doing?”

Having already investigated Stellar’s situation over the years, Claude knew exactly who Percy was. He had long despised the man who had caused Stellar so much pain. If she hadn’t been there, Claude wouldn’t have hesitated to throw him to the ground with a single kick.

But for her sake, he held himself back, fixing Percy with an icy glare as he questioned him.

Percy’s anger only intensified.

Even if this was a performance, there had to be a limit to it. This was going too far!

Unable to hold back any longer, he snapped, “Stellar Rivers, I’ll count to three. Get back here immediately!”

His arrogant tone was like he was summoning a loyal dog, just as he had done in the past.

But today, Stellar refused to play along. She wouldn’t deceive herself any longer.

“Mr. Moore!”

Her voice was calm and distant as she locked eyes with him.

"I told you, we’ve broken up. Stop doing things that make me lose all respect for you. As for the partnership with Brighton Group, let’s compete on our own merits."

With that, Stellar calmly hooked her arm around Claude’s and turned to leave, not sparing Percy another glance.

But just as she pivoted, Percy grabbed her roughly.

"Come back with me!"

He was furious, but a flicker of caution crossed his eyes as he glanced warily at the man standing beside her.

"This is between us. We’ll talk about it when we get home!" he demanded, his tone forceful as he attempted to drag her away.

Stellar yanked her arm free with a sudden burst of strength.

"Mr. Moore, are you deaf?"

The thought of returning to the arms she had once longed for, now tainted with the lingering scent of Yvonne’s perfume, made her feel physically sick. Her expression darkened further.

Percy, caught off guard, stumbled back a few steps from the force of her rejection. Being humiliated repeatedly in public left his face twisted with rage.

Just as he stepped forward again, unable to tolerate the slight any longer, Claude suddenly positioned himself between them.

With one swift motion, Claude slapped Percy’s hand away.

"Lay a hand on her again, Mr. Moore, and I’ll make sure your company’s days of smooth sailing come to an end."