Chapter 12: The One Without a Clear Stance

Seeing the furious girl in front of her, Emilia said nothing. Just then, a voice full of sternness suddenly rang out: "Bella, what are you doing?!"

The girl, named Bella, was momentarily startled but quickly furrowed her brows as if dissatisfied with something.

At that moment, the person speaking had also arrived—a man in his senior years. Emilia recognized him as the Adonis Group's largest shareholder and her father's good friend, Mr. Stall. This adorable girl was probably his precious daughter, if she wasn't mistaken.

She distinctly remembered that when Bella was younger, she wasn't this rude; she wasn't sure what had happened over the years.

Mr. Stall also recognized Emilia. A look of surprise appeared in his eyes, and then he swiftly pressed Bella's head down, sternly saying, "Apologize right now. You have no sense of respect, Bella!"

This action only made Bella even angrier. She clenched her lips, and as soon as Mr. Stall let her go, she snorted coldly and ran off.

Mr. Stall couldn't help but look at Emilia with an apologetic expression. Still, Emilia waved her hand and smiled softly, saying, "It's fine. We're all familiar with each other, so there's no need to worry about these things."

Mr. Stall shook his head. "No, I'll find a chance to make her apologize to you. I've spoiled Bella too much."

Emilia said nothing further. At this moment, Mr. Stall hesitated before speaking again. "Emilia, where have you been these past days? Why haven't you returned to take control of the company?"

Emilia didn't answer directly but asked, "Is the company still doing fine?"

Mr. Stall could only sigh. "It hasn't collapsed yet."

Emilia didn't say anything more. Then, suddenly, Mr. Stall spoke again. "Emilia, you haven't changed—gentle and forgiving. I believe your talent is still there. You should return and take control of the Adonis family. Some people may seem trustworthy, but we can't rely on them, Emilia."

Emilia knew who Mr. Stall was referring to. Her gaze followed Matthew, but in the end, she shook her head and said, "No, I trust Matthew. I will return when ready, but now is not the time."

Mr. Stall looked at Emilia, knowing he couldn't further persuade her. He feared the Adonis family would fall into someone else's hands because of Emilia's decision, but he couldn't do anything about it. If he were asked to take the company, he wouldn't be able to do that.

Emilia watched Mr. Stall's retreating figure, feeling a little lost.

"Oh my, just at the beginning, the big shots are already trying to pull this girl towards them. She seems quite popular," Fiona said teasingly while holding a glass of champagne beside Matthew. "I wonder who she is."

Fiona already had an answer in her heart; she just wanted to confirm it.

Matthew looked at Fiona and said in a low voice, "Don't go after her."

Fiona shrugged. "Oh, don't say it like that. Rather than going after that girl, I'm more interested in you."

Hearing this, Matthew couldn't help but frown. Fiona was famous for being flirtatious, and her targets were always women. Matthew didn't sense anything unusual about Fiona; he wouldn't have been friends with her if he had.

Meanwhile, in a place where no one knew, Bella looked at her father and spoke in a low voice: "Sister Emilia is still as gentle as before. I miss her. It's just a pity that she's been captivated by Matthew! What's so great about Matthew?!"

At this moment, her cute face was filled with coldness, and her gaze towards Matthew was sharp and unkind. Mr. Stall, standing beside her, spoke in a low tone: "If you still care for Emilia this much, then make sure to keep your shares in your hands. It's best if you don't let Matthew get them."

Everyone at the party had their calculations and perspectives, but none showed it outwardly.

"Finally, please welcome today's main figure to give a speech!"

The MC's voice rang out, drawing everyone's attention. They knew the main event of the party had arrived.

All eyes turned toward the stage, and soon Matthew appeared, notably with the beautiful girl by his side. Many people began to whisper among themselves, almost starting to guess the girl's identity.

Sure enough, Matthew spoke: "As everyone knows, the Adonis family has just faced a tremendous loss with the assassination of both the current and former heads of the family by the Russian gang. I sincerely extend my condolences to the Adonis family, and I, using my reputation, guarantee that Robert's gang will pay for what they have done. Right here, I would like to introduce the last surviving heir of the Adonis family!"

At his words, all eyes were focused on Emilia. She stepped forward slightly, smiling, saying, "I hope to take the Adonis family to a new turning point. I look forward to receiving more help from everyone in the future."

Her beautiful face made many people doubt her abilities. Many of them had heard that Emilia was a genius, but if she indeed were a genius, there would be no reason for Mr. Adonis not to have made her the heir. Thus, questions about Emilia's capabilities lingered.

However, Emilia didn't mind because, after tonight's party, she would leave everything for Matthew to manage.

After announcing her identity, many people's gazes shifted between Emilia and Matthew, and they abandoned any thoughts of taking over the Adonis family for now. Just a glance told them that Matthew had undoubtedly taken control.

The party felt stifling, with countless scrutinizing gazes that made Emilia almost feel suffocated. She stepped outside into the garden to breathe in some fresh air.

Too many voices, doubts about her abilities, and comments about her—a woman blinded by love, foolishly handing over power—were overwhelming for her sensitive ears.

Emilia had never had strong opinions, nor did she have grand ambitions. She had even started to doubt her decision. Could she trust Matthew? She loved Matthew, but Matthew didn't love her. Could anyone resist the temptation of power?

At the same time, Emilia knew she couldn't take control. She wanted to take revenge quickly and then fade away; she didn't want to be caught up in the power struggle any longer.

The thoughts and speculations swirling in her mind almost made her head hurt!