"Is this all it takes to break you?""A little trick, and you're already trembling?" Calliope's lips curled in mockery. "And here I thought you were so strong, Sofia. Wasn't that why you dared to go against me?"She pushed herself up from the table, her eyes raking Sofia from head to toe with unveiled disdain."Such pitiful strength, yet you thought you could challenge me? You truly don't know your place."Sofia clenched her teeth, seething with rage, but words failed her.She had been too arrogant. Too confident.She had believed Calliope couldn't touch her. That she was untouchable.All because she had Finn's money to fall back on.She had taunted Calliope, provoked her, thinking she could get away with it.Calliope watched as realization flickered across Sofia's face-the color draining, the weight of her mistake settling in.With slow, deliberate steps, she closed the distance between them, smiling coldly."So? Have you come to your senses, darling?""Do you still want to defy me?
In the office, Finn was staring intently at his computer screen, barely blinking, completely absorbed in the upcoming project. Max knocked politely before stepping in, as always carrying a thick stack of documents in his hands."Boss, I think we need to talk right away."Finn lazily tore his gaze from the screen, took a sip of coffee, and then looked up at Max."What is it? Is something important?"Max studied Finn as if searching for the right words. After a brief pause, he let out a sigh."I don't know if Sofia has gone through some kind of shock recently or has an agenda, but she's been coming here every single day-just like before.""Every day, she shows up flawlessly made up, playing the role of a devoted fiancée, bringing you lunch. She even subtly probes me about the company's current business situation."Back when Sofia had finally stopped showing up, the one who felt the greatest relief was none other than Max. After all, every time she appeared, Finn would leave him to handl
After Sofia entered Finn's office, Max frowned in confusion and asked him,"Boss, why are you indulging Sofia like this? Letting her into your office-what if she causes trouble?"His brows furrowed as he clenched his fists, looking as if he was ready to march in and drag Sofia out himself.But Finn remained calm. He took a leisurely sip of his tea, his voice unhurried."So what? I want to see exactly what she's up to.""Instead of constantly worrying about Sofia and Hubert's schemes, why not give them the chance to act? That way, we can figure out a countermeasure more quickly."Only then did Max finally grasp Finn's intentions. He let out an "Oh" of realization, impressed by his boss's foresight. Finn merely smiled, offering no further explanation.His gaze, however, remained fixed on the surveillance feed displaying Sofia's figure in his office.Sofia didn't make any immediate moves. Instead, she strolled around the room, casually taking in the arrangement of the furniture-playing t
Hubert put on a sycophantic smile, carefully laying out his plan to Sofia."What do you think about becoming my fiancée after Finn fails this project? Although we don't have real feelings for each other, we can always build them over time."He gazed at Sofia, trying to appear deep and affectionate."Not to mention, I'd love to see Finn crumble under everyone's scrutiny. Losing such a crucial project and his fiancée simultaneously-now that would be a devastating blow."Hubert reveled in the thought, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. His excitement grew, his voice rising unconsciously-completely oblivious to Sofia's expression, which had turned from indifferent to outright disgusted.She regarded Hubert with unveiled contempt."If that's your plan, then forget it. I have no interest in playing a fake couple with you."At the very least, Finn was handsome and wealthy-pretending to be his fiancée would at least have some prestige to it. But Hubert? He had absolutely nothing going for h
Sometime later...After announcing the project, Finn became engrossed in his work, preparing for the upcoming product launch press conference. He was so busy that he barely paid any attention to Hubert. However, Hubert's absurd antics were impossible to ignore.Manipulating the media, continuously steering public attention toward his own product launch, and-most audaciously-scheduling it exactly three hours before Finn's company's event.The intention was obvious.Hubert was laying a trap.Convinced of his own superiority, he believed he had already secured victory. That was why he deliberately set the timing this way-so that when Finn discovered the leaked project plans and realized that Hubert's new product was a replica of his own, it would be too late to react.A flawless scheme-if only it hadn't been flawed from the very beginning.Finn, however, was in no rush to expose the truth. There was still a week before the press conference, and in the meantime, he remained focused on wha
Finn went ahead with the press conference as if nothing had happened. After all, he knew perfectly well that Hubert was watching him with smug satisfaction, hoping to see him fail.Unfortunately for Hubert, he would be disappointed.The press conference was conducted swiftly and efficiently. The host merely greeted the attendees, gave a brief introduction to Finn's company and the purpose of the event, then invited Finn to the stage to speak.Finn casually adjusted his collar, stepping up with a composed air. The camera flashes lit up the room like a storm of starlight, a clear sign of just how much attention the journalists were paying to this conference. He narrowed his eyes, waiting until the photographers had had their fill before offering a faint smile and beginning his speech."Good afternoon, everyone..."He opened with a calm, steady voice, slowly recounting how he and Kay had begun collaborating to craft the first designs and eventually moved on to bring the project to life.
In the private lounge of the bar,bathed in the warm glow of amber lights and wrapped in a tranquil atmosphere,Mike clinked glasses with Finn, the sound laced with unmistakable excitement."So? Feel any better now that you've beaten Hubert?""Well, someone had to teach that idiot a lesson-make sure he knows better than ever to try hurting you again."Mike looked thoroughly pleased. He had watched the media gradually turn against Hubert, relentlessly pressing him for explanations about his recent troubles. Yet Hubert remained silent.And rightly so.He had originally planned to strike first with a press conference, hoping to catch Finn off guard. Then, after Finn launched his product, he would plant stories accusing Finn of plagiarism and theft.But in the end, Finn countered brilliantly, delivering a blow Hubert couldn't recover from.Hubert, ever the arrogant one, had never even considered a backup plan. He was too confident that he could crush Finn.Watching it all unfold, Mike cou
And so, over two months,Sofia and Finn played the role of passionate lovers before the public eye. Most of the intimate "sightings" reported by the media were, in fact, discreetly leaked by the two of them.From lavish dinners at upscale restaurants to glamorous appearances at elite high-society parties-everything was carefully orchestrated to convince the world that they were hopelessly in love.During that same period,Sofia pulled every string she could, tapping into her network of friends to secure a new job and a place to stay within the country. After all, if she was going to break away from Calliope entirely, she needed to meticulously arrange every detail."A whole month's gone by. At the very least, don't you think you owe me an update on Annie's situation?"Only when the fabricated romance had grown convincing enough to fool the public into believing they were madly in love, did Finn begin to let his guard down. He looked at Sofia, displeasure written clearly across his fac
After Annie finished showering and returned to her room, she hadn't even had the chance to go online and catch up on the latest scandal when her phone suddenly rang.It was Sofia. The person Annie had been unable to reach all day finally made the call herself.Annie paused for a moment, took a deep breath to steady herself, and only then answered."What do you want?"Her voice was cold as ice, stripped of the warmth it once held. Yet Sofia wasn't surprised. Instead, she let out a soft, mocking laugh."How does it feel, Annie? Being attacked from all sides... Not so pleasant, is it?""That's exactly what you deserve," Annie replied, her tone sharp.Sofia chuckled maliciously, her words laced with venom. She lay sprawled across a king-sized bed, clearly relishing every moment.Annie remained composed, though her fingers curled into tight fists."Why?" she asked quietly. "What did I ever do to you to make you treat me like this?"She had gone over everything in her mind, again and again
The crowd was like a mob gone mad, flooding the comment sections with relentless attacks. When Amber read through the venomous words, she hesitantly turned to Annie."Annie, please don't let it get to you. The public's just misunderstanding you right now, that's all," she said gently."I'm still here with you. When the truth comes out, everything will get better. So don't worry, okay?"Annie offered a faint, strained smile. Of course, she knew. The public had already been swayed by Sofia's fabricated story about her. She understood-these people didn't know her personally. They only saw the staged photos and were easily manipulated by the press.Still, she couldn't help the discomfort gnawing at her.She wasn't anyone special-not an actress or a famous singer. Why were they so intent on tearing her apart like this?She'd chosen the life of a manager precisely because she wanted to stay in the background, to live quietly, away from the spotlight.Was that really too much to ask?Under t
The Next DayWhile Finn was deeply focused on his work, his secretary, Max, entered the room, looking visibly uneasy."Boss, this isn't a work-related matter, but it's important. I think I need to let you know right away."Finn glanced up, a faint sense of foreboding tightening in his chest. He gestured for Max to come in, and Max cautiously locked the door behind him.Only then did he approach Finn's desk, letting out a heavy sigh."Boss, Sofia has made a public statement to clarify that rumor. But honestly... I think it would've been better if she'd said nothing at all."Max couldn't help but express his frustration, and Finn immediately sensed something was wrong. He pulled his gaze from the screen and asked sharply,"What happened? Did she say something reckless?"Max looked at Finn, momentarily at a loss for words. After a brief pause, he handed over an iPad, sighing again with growing exasperation."I think you should just watch this cut of the interview the reporters released.
After hearing Sofia say she could handle it, Annie visibly relaxed. With a lighter heart, she stepped outside again, continuing to watch over Amber and quietly tending to her until the scenes were finally wrapped up.It had been a long day of filming, and by the time Amber completed her final shot, night had already fallen. Accepting Annie's warm cup of water, she took a small sip before speaking in a low voice."Is everything alright? You still seem so calm and at ease-does that mean there's nothing serious to worry about?"Annie nodded, briefly filling her in on the situation."Sofia said she'll take the interview tomorrow to handle it. It should all be resolved soon."Amber's brow furrowed slightly."But what exactly is she planning to say in the interview? Didn't she tell you?""And based on what you've told me about Sofia in the past, she doesn't exactly strike me as the kind-hearted type. Are you sure she won't take this chance to throw you under the bus in front of the media?"
A few days later,While Annie was on set watching Amber film a scene, a staff member suddenly approached her, holding out a phone."Annie, there's a scandal just breaking-something about a billionaire's fiancée caught cheating. Super famous. Have you seen it yet?"Normally, Annie paid no mind to gossip or celebrity news, so she shook her head.Unexpectedly, the staff member grew even more eager."This one-you have to see it, Annie. The girl in the photos looks exactly like you. I seriously thought it was you-you-the fiancée of that billionaire!"The staff lowered their voice, eyes wide with intrigue."Do you have a long-lost twin or something? It could really be that girl."Their excitement only deepened Annie's confusion. She took the phone hesitantly, her fingers cold with a strange unease, and glanced down at the screen.The headline was striking, splashed in bold across the top of the page:"Is the Brilliant CEO of Company X Engaged to a Faithless Woman?"Even Annie furrowed her b
Annie stood motionless, like a statue, as Amber dragged her out of the house when her makeup was done."Auntie, I'm taking Annie out to have some fun. I'll bring her back this evening-or maybe later tonight," Amber called cheerfully, waving at Isolde with a bright grin.Isolde offered them a gentle smile in return, even wishing them a good time.As for Annie, she had already given up on resisting. Amber, practically bouncing with excitement, tugged her outside and ushered her into the front passenger seat of her friend's car."Come on, get to know each other! This is Annie-the talented artist manager I told you about," Amber said excitedly from the back seat, leaning forward to make the introduction."She's even prettier in person than in the pictures, right?"Her friend offered Annie a warm smile, his gaze lingering with a trace of fascination."Hi, Annie. I'm Lay, Amber's friend. I'm two years older than you and currently the CEO of a furniture company in Country A."Out of courtesy
At first, Sofia kept up the pretense of confusion."What do you mean? What did I sabotage, exactly?"She shrugged, her expression all innocence."I really was being followed by some man. That wasn't something I asked for.""As if I'd put myself in danger just to mess with you two? I'm not crazy."Sofia tried to convince Finn, but from the beginning to the end, he said nothing. If she didn't want to admit it, there was no way he could force her.Still, from now on, he wouldn't believe a single word from her mouth."Fine. If you want to keep lying, be my guest. I have no interest in listening to your nonsense any longer."Without another word, Finn turned and walked away. Annie was no longer here-he had no reason left to keep talking to Sofia.Sofia watched his retreating figure, a faint smirk curling at the corners of her lips. So what if Finn doubted her?As long as she got what she wanted, nothing else mattered....As for Annie-After she left, just as mentioned before, she returned
Annie glanced at Finn before they both hurried inside. She hadn't even had the chance to press the doorbell when Sofia swung the door open, her face a mixture of panic and worry."Annie, Finn, you're here. I was really so worried," she exclaimed, voice trembling slightly.Annie stepped in, her eyes sweeping around the house. Noticing the absence of anyone else, she looked at Sofia with a hint of suspicion."Where are the police? Why are you here alone?"Sofia's pale face revealed a flicker of discomfort. Clearing her throat, she replied somewhat awkwardly,"They came and searched the area. When they didn't find anything suspicious or dangerous, they left."A spark of surprise flashed across Annie's eyes."That quickly...?"Before she could dwell on it further, Sofia swiftly changed the subject."Thank goodness you and Finn made it in time. I honestly don't know what I would've done otherwise. You have no idea-just a little while ago, I even heard someone trying to enter the wrong pass
"I'll ask one more time-who is he?"Finn frowned, repeating his question with a sharp edge, clearly irritated by Annie's stunned silence. But Annie, still frowning deeply, only stared at him in confusion.Thankfully, Nathan reacted swiftly. He pulled Finn's hand away from Annie and stepped in front of her protectively, his eyes fixed on Finn with wary intensity."And who the hell are you to ask?" Nathan shot back. "As far as I know, she doesn't have a boyfriend or a husband. So what gives you the right to control her?"The easygoing air Nathan had carried before was now gone, replaced by a cold, guarded demeanor. He didn't forget to gently pat Annie's hand in reassurance either-an action that only fueled Finn's growing anger.By now, Annie had regained some of her composure. She leaned slightly forward, giving Finn a displeased look."That's exactly what I was about to ask you." Her voice was cool, clipped."Who are you? What right do you have to interfere in my business?"She couldn'