Chapter 98 Rivalry and Resentment
Louis had never before considered Sylvia to be a problem. But now, right after his arrival, he realized she was a formidable and complicated issue.
“We’ll see about that in the future. For now, there are no conflicts between me and Sylvía; I just need to stabilize my position,” Louis mused. If he indeed offended Sylvia, and she mobilized her family against him, he might have no choice but to return to the Walker family fold.
“And you?” Louis prodded Cyril. “Even though you started from scratch, your family background isn’t exactly modest. Haven’t you ever thought about competing with Sylvia?” Louis was well aware of Cyril’s past; his family had almost gone bankrupt before Cyril single–handedly pulled them through. Cyril then forged his own path to success, bringing his business back to its peak.
Cyril looked at Louis strangely. He had divorced Sylvia, not become her sworn enemy. Why would he want to compete with her? In business, there were no perpetual friends or enemies, only aligning interests that made partnerships.
“So far, there are no conflicts of interest between me and Sylvia, and even if there were, it would come down to strength and capability,” Cyril maintained. He was confident that with his ability, he could handle any challenge.
Louis fell silent, acknowledging that Cyril seemed to have a broader perspective than he had anticipated.
Meanwhile, as Sylvia and Duncan finished their meal, they stood up to head out. Cyril had a sense of reluctance but couldn’t protest. He no longer had any right to, and as Sylvia walked away, she didn’t once
look back at him.
Just as they were about to leave, Sylvia ran into a couple of familiar faces: Katrina and Cyril’s sister, Bonnie. Seeing them together wasn’t surprising considering their soon–to–be familial ties, but their presence was still startling to Sylvia.
Duncan, spotting Bonnie, promptly placed his hand back on Sylvia’s shoulder, and this time Sylvia didn’t shrug it off, allowing him to guide her out.
“Sylvia, You’re shameless! You flung yourself at the president of the Ivan family, and now you’re going after another man? My brother wasted his years on you and it disgusts me!” Bonnie spewed, her disdain for Sylvia well–documented. She had tormented Sylvia throughout the marriage and hadn’t let up even from abroad. Now, seeing Sylvia seemingly prosperous and with a handsome man by her side, Bonnie was boiling with resentment.
In Bonnie’s world, Sylvia was supposed to be weeping and regretting her divorce from Cyril. Instead, Sylvia’s life seemed only to flourish, much to Bonnie’s confusion and irritation.
Sylvia and Duncan paused in their tracks, giving Bonnie a strange look. They couldn’t help but wonder which door had hit her in the head for her to speak such nonsense.
“Don’t delude yourself into thinking that clinging to this man will bring you success. I’m telling you, one day you’ll be down on your luck,” Bonnie snarled, implying that Sylvia could only ascend the ladder through unscrupulous means. She thought that once Sylvia reached the top, she would soon understand
Chapter 98 Rivalry and Resentment
the consequences.
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Sylvia just laughed it off, “I’m really sorry to disappoint, but compared to your companion, I don’t think my approach to success looks bad at all. What does it matter if I got a leg up via a shortcut?”
Katrina remained silent throughout the exchange, not wanting to ruin the impression she hoped to leave on Cyril, who was still dining inside the restaurant. She wasn’t about to make the same mistakes again and let Sylvia draw her into a heated debate.
Bonnie was almost fuming with rage at Sylvia’s response. She glared viciously, but before she could retort, she caught sight of Cyril dining in the irritation she had felt toward her brother.
estaurant, and her focus shifted completely, forgetting the
Seeing that Bonnie had stopped talking, Sylvia deduced that she must have noticed Cyril and his friends. Letting the siblings have their reunion, Sylvia chose not to linger any longer.
As Sylvia and Duncan walked out, Duncan mentioned having to return to work, and although he wanted to stick around Sylvia, hoping to learn from her, she firmly denied the request. Moreover, she suggested that if he was so eager to be of help, he should take it up with Bruce. But Duncan knew all too well that Bruce would never consent to him shadowing Sylvia after what Balk had done to him, which also served Bruce’s
interests.
Just a few steps out of the restaurant, they were momentarily blinded by a flash from a camera. Sylvia glanced sideways, mulling over the implications, while Duncan rubbed his eyes incredulously.
“Are you kidding me? We can’t even have a meal without someone snapping photos, thinking there’s something going on between us?” he exclaimed, careful not to escalate the situation, especially if it meant losing the approval of Sylvia’s family. Without their blessing, Sylvia’s marriage prospects could be imperiled.
“Keep an eye on the news these next few days, and let me know if anything comes up. Deal with what you can. I don’t want to see anything related to me online unless it’s positive,” Sylvia instructed. She had been too visible lately and hoped to keep a lower profile given her future role within the company. High visibility now could complicate things later.
Duncan felt a sting at her words; she was clearly concerned about how their public perception might be
misconstrued.
“I understand. Don’t worry, I won’t let any problems come your way,” he assured her, masking the
bitterness of acceptance.