Chapter 13
Three days later came the bidding meeting–another pivotal moment.
Minna and I holed up in the office for seventy–two hours straight, polishing our proposal until it was flawless.
When the public tender finally took place, there wasn’t a hint of suspense. We landed the contract without breaking a sweat.
As the winning company was announced, I stood up from my seat and met Daniel’s stunned gaze from across the room.
“You! Corinna!”
A slow smile curved my lips. “Long time no see, big brother.”
When everything wrapped up, he chased after me, cornering me in the hallway.
His voice still trembled with disbelief. “M&C is your company?”
“And after Minna vanished–you were hiding her, weren’t you?!”
“You’re impatient, Daniel.” I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. “What do you mean, hiding her? You barely even know her. Why are you so obsessed with tracking down a perfectly healthy woman?“8
Leaning in, I dropped my voice to a teasing whisper. “You’re not planning on committing a crime, are you?“”
The look he shot me was sharp enough to cut, but I just laughed harder and strolled away.
This time, I made sure my return home was anything but subtle. With the contract in hand, I started working the social circuit, meeting all the big names in business. Holding the exclusive rights to Minna’s patent–and having just snatched a major project from the Gardner family–I became everyone’s new favorite. The respect and courtesy I received were beyond anything I’d ever experienced, even during my years as a triple Oscar winner.
People, I mused, really do need to control the means of production.S
I raised my wine glass and sighed.
Lynda, standing next to me, turned and gave me a slow once–over. “You know, it’s only been four years, but you look like you’ve aged a decade–in the best way.”
I laughed. “That’s what happens. When you’re eighteen, you can get away with being reckless. But now that I’m a college graduate, you have to put on a little polish before you bare your fangs.”
With that, I lifted my paddle. “Two million.”
Julie, sitting in the first row, whipped her head around to stare at me. Beside her, Trevor’s attention snapped to me as well.
For a fleeting moment, his expression went blank when our eyes met. I noticed the faint scar on his forehead and found it oddly amusing.”
“…Two–point–six million,‘ he countered quickly, raising his own paddle.
I knew exactly what was going on. Trevor was determined to win that diamond–encrusted bracelet for Julie’s birthday, which was just around the corner.
Despite all his maneuvering, the most he’d managed at Everett Corp was a seat at the table–nowhere near Daniel’s absolute control of the Gardner family fortune. If he wanted to stay in Julie’s favor, he had to find other ways to impress her.”
So, I kept bidding, pushing him higher and higher, until he finally won the bracelet for six million.
“True love runs deep, I see,” I said with a smile.
Trevor clutched the bracelet, staring at me in silence. After a moment, he quietly said, “Corinna.”
“Oh, please. Don’t make me gag.” I took an exaggerated step back, giving him an appraising look.
After a beat, I let out a soft snort. “You’ve got more guts than your mistress–at least you managed to claw your way up. I wonder, though, how do you and my brother split your time? You take Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, he gets Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, then you all have brunch together on Sundays?“}} I didn’t bother lowering my voice as I spoke.!!
Sure enough, the moment the auction ended, a few business acquaintances sidled up, eager for the inside scoop.
I put on an innocent face: “Oh, it’s nothing! My brother and the Everett family’s bastard son both fell for the same little starlet. Happens to the best of us, right? Who hasn’t done something crazy for love?”
And it wasn’t just gossip I spread. With my new capital, I dove into the film industry, backing fresh–faced actresses and snatching up several of Julie’s most important roles from her past life.
Daniel, of course, couldn’t stand to see his delicate flower treated this way and struck back at me without hesitation.
Which was exactly what I’d been waiting for.
After all, if he never made a move, how was I supposed to catch him off guard?
