Chapter 1

Hendrick Shaw's hand hovered in mid-air, still raised from the slap he had delivered me just now. His chest heaved violently as he stared at me like I was some enemy.

"If something happens to Lena, I'll definitely make you pay!"

My hand flew up to cradle my cheek as I stared at him in disbelief. "Hendrick Shaw, did you really hit me because of a mere assistant?"

"So what if I did?" Hendrick's fury deepened. "Noelle Turner, just look at yourself right now! Your petty jealousy truly makes me sick!"

"That's 200 million, not 200 dollars!" I retorted shrilly. "Besides, that's the company's money—a result of everyone's hard work! You shouldn't be using it to pay for Lena's stupidity!"

"The company's money? Where would the company be today without me?"

Hendrick looked down at me with a superior expression and asked, "Other than the meager investment you gathered at the beginning, what else have you done? How dare you tell me what to do!"

Fury coursing through me left my whole body trembling. I bit down hard on my lip as I glared at him.

Hendrick and I had been together since our college years. Back then, he was a prodigy of the finance department, but also the poorest of them all.

Nonetheless, he was willing to live frugally for a month just so he could buy me a bouquet of sunflowers—my favorite flowers.

Back then, I was worried about putting pressure on him, so I lied and told him I came from an average family. I didn't mind eating at roadside stalls with him and would be overjoyed even at the cheapest gifts.

Later, when he started his own company, he would go around all day begging people for investments, then coming back looking utterly worn out.

I couldn't stand seeing him like that, so I begged my older brother, Noah Turner, for help.

At first, Noah scolded me for being a fool, but he finally gave in after I pleaded with him relentlessly. He posed as a foreign investor named Michael Finks and invested in Hendrick's company.

As a startup company, Hendrick needed something solid to vouch for its credibility. Hence, I spent another three whole months wearing down my grandfather before he finally relented and lent me the family heirloom—the diamond, Starlight.

When I handed Starlight to Hendrick, his hands had been shaking with excitement.

"Elle, I'll definitely buy you a diamond bigger and brighter than this in the future! Then, I'll hold a glorious wedding and marry you!"

However, that was now all nothing but empty words of the past. So many things had changed.

A sudden ringing brought me back to the present. At the same time, the hint of regret that had flashed in Hendrick's eyes swiftly vanished.

He checked his phone, and when he saw the name "Lena" on the screen, he instantly took the call. In a voice dripping with gentleness, he said, "Hey, Lena."

In the next second, he cried out, "Don't do anything rash! I'll be right over… Listen to me! Be good and put down the knife, okay? Nothing's more important than you…"

He was already rushing out as he spoke, slamming the front door shut with such force that the loud bang reverberated in the house for several seconds.

Finally, the world fell silent, broken only by my heavy breathing and the sudden chime of my phone, indicating I had a message.

I checked the message and saw it was a video from Selena Suther.

I played the video. It showed Selena sitting languidly in the CEO's chair at Hendrick's office. The man himself was in front of her, holding out Starlight in offering.

In a careful, sycophantic tone I had never heard before, he said, "My dear Lena, I've already used the company's prized treasure to design a necklace for you. Are you still upset? Please stop being angry, alright?"

Selena's red lips quirked up slightly, the smug arrogance of a victor practically oozing from her.

That was where the video abruptly stopped.