INICIAR SESIÓNAt the York house, Roger sat slumped on the couch, looking as if he had aged ten years overnight. His hair was a mess, his eyes were sunken, and a cigarette hung from his mouth. But beneath the exhaustion, his eyes still burned with anger and resentment.Gloria came downstairs from the second floor. Even now, she still couldn’t wrap her head around it. How had a company that seemed perfectly fine suddenly ended up on the verge of collapse?Roger was on the phone. The moment the call connected, he immediately dropped his pride and started pleading.“Hello? Roy, you finally picked up. Can you help me with some short-term bridge financing? Once my company gets back on its feet, I’ll pay you back right away.”“Mr. York, I’m really sorry, but I can’t help you.”“Roy, come on. For old times’ sake...”“Mr. York, I’m sorry.”And with that, the line went dead.Roger slammed his hand against the table with a bang and roared, “A bunch of ungrateful bastards. A few months ago, they were al
After Miranda came out of the lab, she went back to her office. Coco poked her head in. “Miranda, did you see Mr. Gibson earlier?”Miranda had just reached for her water when she paused. “He was here?”“Yeah. About half an hour ago, he went into the lab observation room. He stayed for more than twenty minutes, then left. You were probably all too busy to notice,” Coco said.Miranda really hadn’t noticed.But it made sense that Felix would be closely watching the progress of the experiment. The pressure he was carrying was coming from somewhere much bigger than himself.It was from the national level.There had been some encouraging progress today. Miranda checked the time. It was already three-thirty, and she still had to go to Zion’s lab for another meeting. She picked up her phone and sent Felix a message.“I have a meeting tonight. Do you have time to watch Mia?”His reply came quickly, as direct and efficient as always.“Focus on your work. I’ve got Mia.”Seeing that, Mir
Back in her car, Fiona’s mind was still blank. The desperation that had driven her to claim that kind of connection to Felix had now turned into nothing but burning humiliation.That icy look in his eyes still lingered in her mind like a curse she couldn’t shake, and the shame only kept growing.How had Xena ever managed to stay on his good side for so long? He had even given her Gibson Corporation’s stake in York Corporation. Wasn’t that proof that he cared?Then again, six hundred million dollars was pocket change to a man like Felix.Only now did Fiona fully understand that whatever had once existed between Felix and Xena was completely over. Xena’s dream of becoming Mrs. Gibson had gone up in smoke.And somehow, that realization brought Fiona a grim sense of satisfaction.Back when she first found out about Felix and Xena, she really had been jealous. She could never accept the idea that an illegitimate daughter might marry better than she ever would.And the disgust Felix h
Fiona was just about to keep pleading when she suddenly heard a group approaching from the elevator lobby. She looked up at once.A cluster of men in suits was coming out, surrounding a young man with a commanding presence. The man at the center stood tall and straight, and his silver hair made him instantly recognizable.Who else could it be but Felix?He was listening to the man beside him, his gaze sharp and his stride steady.Fiona’s heart started pounding wildly. Almost on instinct, she broke into a run toward him and cried out, “Felix!”Her voice rang out so suddenly that it shattered the polished calm of the lobby.Everyone stopped and turned to stare at her.Felix stopped walking. He turned toward the front desk and looked at Fiona rushing toward him. His deep, icy gaze landed on her like a blade, cold and utterly without warmth.A chill ran through Fiona, but she forced herself to keep going.“Felix, please. You’re practically family. Please, for my sister’s sake, sav
Fiona bit down hard on her lip and headed for the restroom, planning to collect herself. But the moment she stepped into one of the stalls, she heard a few coworkers walk in.“Did you see the news about York Corporation? I heard the whole family’s about to go under.”“With all the scandals that came out before, I’m still surprised they ever made it onto the market.”“It’s not just bankruptcy. The reports are saying there may be serious financial crimes involved. Somebody could end up in prison.”“So much for Fiona’s little heiress image. Look how full of herself she used to be.”“She used to act like she was above everyone else. Now? She’ll be lucky if she doesn’t end up drowning in debt.”Inside the stall, Fiona clenched her jaw and fought to keep it together. These were the same people who used to flatter her and envy her.Now they were taking cheap shots while she was down.And she didn’t even have the nerve to step out and argue with them.Once she got back into her car, s
Mrs. Young called Mia off to take her bath, and Miranda started downstairs as well. By the couch, Felix had already picked up his suit jacket and draped it over one arm, clearly getting ready to leave.As Miranda came down, she said, “Thanks for staying with Mia.”Felix looked at her quietly. His voice was low and serious. “Miranda, from now on, I’ll take care of Mia. I want you focused entirely on your work.”Miranda stopped short. She caught the unusual weight in his words at once. Standing a few steps away, she looked straight at him. “Tell me the truth. Does this project involve someone very important?”Felix met her gaze. He was silent for a moment, as if weighing how much to say. In the end, something heavy settled into his expression.“Yes.”Miranda’s pupils tightened almost imperceptibly. “Who?”“The former vice president,” Felix said quietly. Then he added, “You can’t tell anyone.”Miranda went still.When the former vice president had suddenly vanished from public vi
“An academic exchange at the National Military Medical University?” Miranda’s eyes lit up.She quickly replied, “Alright.”“It’ll be about three days,” Dr. Lewis texted back. “Do you have anyone to look after your daughter?”Miranda hesitated, glancing at Mia. The only person she truly trusted to
“Mira, you’re the star tonight. Don’t dress too casually,” Sophie teased.Miranda laughed softly. “I know, I’ve already called the boutique. Their makeup team will be coming over and they’ll help you get ready too.”“Oh, no thanks,” Sophie said with a grin. “Tonight’s all about your admirers, not
“Brilliant!” Professor Leonard exclaimed, slapping the table in excitement. “That line of thinking is absolutely right.”Dr. Zeller chuckled and joined in. “See, Leonard? Didn’t I tell you this young woman is remarkable?”“Remarkable is an understatement,” said a female professor from across the t
“Grandma, you definitely have better taste than I do,” Miranda said with a smile.Mrs. Gibson Sr. placed the vase where she thought it looked best, then took Miranda’s arm warmly. “You know, my parents used to live around here. When I was a girl, I often came to play in this neighborhood. The lady







