Chapter 81 – Dinner of Schemes

Jeslyn sat hunched over her desk, eyes fixed on her laptop screen. Her fingers moved across the keyboard, but her thoughts remained tangled with the scene in the elevator earlier. From time to time, she let out a long sigh, trying to suppress the storm of emotions inside her.

Tok! Tok!

A soft knock came at the door. One of her secretaries stepped in, carrying a beige folder.

“Sorry to disturb you, Ms. Jeslyn.”

Jeslyn lifted her head and forced a faint smile. “Yes, what is it?”

The secretary handed her the folder. “There’s an invitation for a dinner from one of our important clients. They want to discuss a potential new partnership with us. The dinner is scheduled for tonight at eight.”

Jeslyn opened the folder and skimmed through it. Her heart tightened. She knew how crucial this meeting was—and she couldn’t attend alone.

“Alright, thank you,” she replied softly.

The secretary excused herself and left the room. Jeslyn stared at the invitation in her hands. “A business dinner? I doubt I’m the only one invited.”

She was certain Leonel would also be there.

Quickly, she reached for her phone on the desk, dialing a number she knew by heart.

“Yes, Jes? Wow, we just saw each other earlier, and now you’re already calling me. Do you miss me that much?” Jefran teased on the other end.

“Come on, Jef. Don’t joke around right now,” Jeslyn said firmly, her voice struggling to stay steady.

“Alright, what is it?” he asked.

“There’s a business dinner tonight. I want you to come with me,” Jeslyn said without hesitation.

There was a brief silence before Jefran responded, his tone holding back a smile. “Do you need me to accompany you as your business partner… or as your fiancé?”

Jeslyn hesitated for a second. “As my fiancé.”

“Oh wow, looks like tonight will be quite the spectacle. Considering this isn’t just any ordinary client,” Jefran teased again.

“Stop teasing me, Jefran,” Jeslyn sighed.

“Fine, fine. We’ll go together. I’ll pick you up at your apartment,” he offered.

“Alright.”

When the call ended, Jeslyn slowly lowered her phone. Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath. Yes, this was the right decision—to push Leonel away from her.

She leaned back in her chair, gazing at the ceiling above. Am I really doing the right thing? she thought. But the memory of Leonel standing with that woman in the elevator earlier came back, stinging like a slap. The pain was enough to harden her resolve.

Meanwhile, on another floor of the same building, Leonel had just received a similar folder from his assistant. He opened the invitation, his expression shifting to ice. He immediately knew who else would be there.

“Jeslyn will be attending too,” he muttered under his breath, barely audible. His lips pressed into a hard line.

Beside him, Clarissa was busy chatting on the phone, completely unaware of the sudden change in Leonel’s demeanor.

His gaze sharpened, and he closed the folder with deliberate force before setting it down on the table. A storm churned inside him, though his face remained stoic. Will she be going… with Jefran? His jaw clenched tight at the thought.

“Welcome, Mr. William Clovies, Mr. Dimitri. How are you?” greeted a man in a luxurious suit.

“Jordan Valchev, it’s been a while,” William said with a broad smile as they shook hands warmly.

“Good, good. Please, sit down. We have much to discuss—especially about our cooperation,” Jordan chuckled.

“Indeed,” Dimitri replied.

The three men settled into their seats. William had sought out the help of Clovies’ long-time rival—the powerful Valchev family company—to bring Leonel down.

“Tonight marks the beginning of our move,” Jordan said, gesturing for his attendant to close the meeting room door.

William leaned back, his expression calm yet his eyes burning with an old grudge. “Leonel has stood at the top for too long. He believes Clovies is untouchable. But with Valchev’s support, I’m confident we can tear him down—and humiliate him in front of everyone.”

Jordan chuckled, lighting a cigar. “Leonel is tough, I’ll give him that. But every man has a weakness. And from what I’ve heard, his weakness… is a woman.”

Dimitri smirked knowingly. “Jeslyn Hydra.”

William leaned forward, his eyes sharp. “Exactly. She’ll be our leverage. If Leonel is dragged into personal matters, he’ll lose focus. I’ll make sure Jeslyn is pushed farther away from him.”

Jordan blew out a stream of smoke, grinning. “Perfect. I prefer a game played with emotions—not just numbers and contracts.”

Dimitri opened the folder he carried. “Behind this supposed partnership, we’ll plant a trap. A contract that looks profitable on the surface, but riddled with hidden clauses that will bind Clovies. Once Leonel lowers his guard, everything will collapse.”

William clenched his fist against the table. “I don’t just want his business ruined. I want his pride shattered. Everyone will see that without Clovies, without me, Leonel is nothing. And with him gone, Clovies will fall.”

Jordan crossed his legs, tapping his cigar ash into a crystal ashtray. “Hmm… interesting. So you want to strike from both sides—emotion and business. Let him waste his energy protecting the woman, while we tear apart his empire piece by piece.”

William’s eyes burned with hatred. “Exactly. Leonel discarded me, treated me as nothing. He forgot I was the one who helped build Clovies into what it is today. Now I’ll take it back—everything. Even if I have to make him kneel before the world.”

Jordan gave a slow nod, his smile faint yet dangerous. “Very well. I’ll send my people to ensure tonight’s dinner goes as planned. The restaurant, the guest list, even the seating arrangements—I’ll have them all under control. We’ll leave Leonel with no escape.”

Dimitri eyed William seriously. “Are you sure this will work? Leonel isn’t easy to deceive. He always reads contracts carefully, every small detail. If there’s a flaw too obvious, he’ll spot it instantly.”

William’s expression hardened. “I know. But this time, we have the upper hand—his emotions. If there’s one thing that can make Leonel lose focus, it isn’t numbers or reports. It’s Jeslyn Hydra. We’ll play with his emotions until he breaks.”

Jordan smirked, exhaling another plume of smoke. William and Dimitri exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.

***