A tense silence hung in the air as Blake met Eva's gaze. A ghost of a smile played on his lips, a flicker of something unreadable in his eyes. He extended his hand, the unspoken words "I wish us a pleasant cooperation" hanging between them. Eva's expression remained a mask, her emotions carefully guarded. Slowly, deliberately, she turned to Irish, offering a firm handshake and a genuine smile. "Wish us a successful collaboration, wouldn't you agree?"Irish's smile faltered slightly as she grasped Eva's hand. A ripple of disquietude seemed to emanate from Blake, a subtle shift in the atmosphere that sent a prickle of unease down Irish's spine. She offered a polite, "Absolutely, a successful collaboration is what we all aim for."With a furrowed brow, he retreated into his thoughts. The weight of the issue pressed down on him, leaving him paralyzed by indecision. He yearned for a simple solution, a way to navigate this crisis without further complications.Eva signed the contract, b
"Mom," he began, his gaze fixed on some invisible point in the distance, "have you reached a decision? Going to court is a gamble we might not win. In all likelihood, it'll just cost us more in the long run."Jackie's heart broke when she realized she would lose more money. After all, she didn't want to give a single penny to Eva.Swallowing her pride and apologizing in public felt like a humiliating defeat. She'd rather take the blame silently than risk losing face.Jackie felt losing money was better than carrying the humiliation for the rest of her life."Fine. How much does that woman want?""Twenty million dollars." Blake said indifferently."Twenty million dollars?!" Jackie exploded, her voice echoing through the room. "Is she out of her mind? This is highway robbery, not a lawsuit! Everyone will know what she's doing - this is pure blackmail!""There's another factor to consider, Mom," he began, his gaze fixed on a point beyond her shoulder. "If this goes to court, the potent
Eva felt a prickle of unease crawl up her spine. Diego Chen's gaze lingered on her a beat too long, a subtle judgment in his narrowed eyes. She stifled the urge to address it, channeling her focus back to the meeting at hand.As the meeting commenced, Eva took center stage, her voice radiating confidence as she unveiled her concept for the urban construction project. She then meticulously outlined the anticipated outcomes of the design, ensuring everyone grasped its potential impact.Heads nodded in unison, captivated by the elegant simplicity and ambitious scope of her design. Detailed explanations of the intended outcomes flowed effortlessly from her lips, painting a picture of a revitalized cityscape.All eyes were on her, except for Mr. Chen.No matter how meticulously Eva explained her design, Mr. Chen remained unmoved. His sharp interjections punctuated her presentation like unwelcome discord. A dismissive shake of the head followed every explanation, his voice dripping with co
The past few days had been a simmering pot of emotions for Eva. On the surface, she remained quiet, a mask of composure hiding the turmoil within. But beneath it all, her mind raced with strategies, waiting for the opportune moment to strike back.Diego misinterpreted Eva's quiet demeanor as weakness. Emboldened by her perceived submissiveness, his arrogance inflated with each passing meeting. His comments grew increasingly pointed, his tone laced with a newfound condescension. Yet, Eva remained an enigma.Diego and Eva's plan was difficult to implement. He constantly asked her to revise it and began bossing her around."The complete removal of trees is unacceptable! This project needs to prioritize sustainability. We absolutely must replant trees and find ways to make this space environmentally responsible. Revise it!""To break up the monotony, consider incorporating diverse entertainment venues. A rooftop bar with a stunning city view or a multi-purpose ballroom could be great addi
Diego, shaken but regaining his composure, picked up the document. He examined it closely and muttered, "There seems to be no issue here."Irish's composure faltered upon hearing that. "Ms. Lowes, perhaps you could explain this to him why we agree to your plan."Eva cleared her throat and provided a detailed explanation of why Diego's suggestions were ridiculous."Mr. Chen asked us to keep the trees in the development area to retain green space, but he overlooked that their growth would affect construction and damage the buildings. Considering costs, he designed straight roads without accounting for the basic topography. Additionally, he wanted to add more bars and ballrooms, placing them next to the school and the library."Everyone at the meeting had relevant experience in architecture, and Eva's explanation enlightened them.Even a novice architect wouldn't make such glaring mistakes. It was appalling that Diego, a supposedly experienced engineer, made such errors.Everyone turned
A dark glint flickered in Diego's eyes as Eva brought the glass of beverage to her lips. It wasn't excitement, not entirely. There was a hunger in his gaze, a predatory quality that sent a shiver down Eva's spine despite the warmth of the liquid. Her hand paused mid-air, the glass hovering inches from her mouth.Eva raised the glass to her lips, her eyes flitting nervously between Diego and the window across the room. With a practiced flick of her wrist, barely perceptible, she nudged a ceramic ornament on the table's edge. It tumbled with a clatter, shattering on the floor.The fork beside her fell to the floor.Eva yelped, a perfectly executed cry of surprise that momentarily filled the room. "Oh, no! I am so sorry, Mr. Chen," she gushed, her voice laced with faux-mortification. She set the untouched beverage down with a theatrical clatter "Such a klutz, am I right?" she cast a playful glance at Diego, her bright smile failing to reach her eyes. A predatory glint flickered in Dieg
The next day, Eva attended the project meeting as usual. To her surprise, Diego was conspicuously absent. The room buzzed with the usual chatter, but she couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that something was amiss."Eva, have you seen the video in the group chat?" Julie asked urgently, tugging at Eva's arm to capture her attention. "I had no idea Diego was so wild in private!""What video?" Eva responded, her curiosity piqued. She pulled out her phone, sensing that whatever Julie had seen was bound to stir up more intrigue in an already tense situation.She pressed play, her eyes widening as the video unfolded. Diego was performing a shockingly vulgar striptease in front of the camera, his usual reserved demeanor nowhere in sight.Eva's mind raced. Was Blake behind this? Or could it have been Mr. Smith? The possibilities swirled in her head, each one more troubling than the last.Yesterday, after Eva had left, Blake, Irish, and Blake's subordinates had stayed behind in the room. N
Tally punched in Blake's number for the tenth time that day. The rhythmic dial tone mocked her, a constant reminder of the silence since their last, unsettling phone call. Three days had crawled by since her release from the hospital, each one punctuated by unanswered calls and a gnawing fear. The forced stillness felt suffocating compared to the adrenaline rush of the incident itself.Desperate for a plan, Tally dialed Diego's number. As the phone connected, a sliver of hope flickered to life. But when Diego answered, his voice was laced with an icy indignation that sent shivers down her spine."Tally, how dare you call me after the mess you got me into? You assured me that Blake didn't care about Eva, and look where that's gotten me. My reputation is in tatters, and Blake has blacklisted me. How am I supposed to move forward in this industry now? This could ruin everything I've worked for!"Diego complained non-stop, his incessant whining grating on everyone's nerves. Every word h