Chapter 282
“Absolutely
ly not! You’re not allowed to quit” When Andy returned home from school and heard Molly mention about quitting while Scott remained calm without saying a word, he rushed into the study and voiced his strong opposition in his childish tone.
Molly turned to glare at him. ‘Andy, who asked for your opinion?
Ignoring her, Andy threw himself around Scott’s leg, raising his little head with bright, questioning eyes. “Dad, she signed that contract, didn’t she? The one that says she can’t leave?”
Scott raised an eyebrow slightly, giving Molly a meaningful glance.
Molly felt a mix of heartache and frustration. What a schemer!
She had rushed into signing that contract earlier as she was more concerned about gathering information on the Wellington family and Dominick for Stephanie. Hence, she hadn’t bothered to scrutinize the contract details before signing
She sighed deeply and tried to explain in a sincere tone, “Well…I’ve found another job that suits me, so I hope you won’t make things difficult for
me,”
“Do you feel pressured here!” Scott suddenly countered.
Molly looked up, meeting his thoughtful gaze. Her expression turned awkward, and she quickly looked away, avoiding meeting his eyes.
Andy couldn’t accept it and was visibly upset. “How can you secretly find someone else out there? What about Dad and me!”
What kind of logic was that?
Molly hesitated for a second, unsure how to respond to Andy’s questioning.
Andy frowned deeply, pouting and hanging his head low. Despite being only five years old, he usually seemed so sensible and composed, and Molly hadn’t expected him to suddenly be so restless
The matter was left unresolved in the end.
As Molly left, she glanced back at Roberts Villa with mixed feelings.
She had stayed before for Stephanie’s sake. Now, she wasn’t sure whom she was staying for anymore…
It was foolish of her to waste her prime years this way. In the end, she pushed the matter to the back of her mind for the time being and drove
away.
“What’s your real reason for insisting on making this tim?”
Meanwhile, in Harlington, Stephanie had just been scolded by the director and sat disheartened by the fountain. Vincent approached her with a smirk, full of curiosity. “Is it true love you’re pursuing? Are you doing it for Dominick?”
Stephanie remained expressionless, looking at his smug grin.
Through gritted teeth, she replied icily, Vincent, would you like a refreshing bath in the fountain?”
Vincent shivered at her words, quickly stepping back from the fountain. Getting thrown in would completely ruin his image.
“Ingratitude! Don’t forget who’s been secretly helping you all along. Otherwise, Ms. Reed, you wouldn’t have been able to stay here?”
Stephanie, still barding a cold which clouded her thoughts, regarded him with disdain. “How exactly am I supposed to express my gratitude to you, Mr. Hayes?” Her tone emphasized “Mr. Hayes” with biting resentment.
Vincent appeared to contemplate seriously for a moment. “Stephanie, with your lack of diligence and scattered focus, it’s truly challenging for you to repay me.
“Should I offer myself to you then? Stephanie retorted, her frustration evident.
Vincent looked genuinely taken aback, momentarily rendered speechless.
Stephanie had intended to continue the argument, but her phone in her coat buzzed several times. Concerned that something might be wrong with Molly in the afternoon, she quickly glanced at her phone.
However, when Stephanie’s eyes fell upon the screen, her expression immediately turned grave
11:55 AM
Chapter 282
It was a test message from Lucy-
“Who’s texting you!”
Vincent, curious, leaned in to look at her phone screen. Stephanie swiftly covered the screen with her hand, a reflexive action
He noticed her heightened vigilance, his brow furrowing slightly with unease.
After a brief silence, Vincent adopted a more serious tone. “Stephanie, is something troubling you?”
Still seated beside the fountain, Stephanie had turned off her phone screen. Lowering her head, she suddenly asked, “Vincent can you really help me secure this advertising endorsement?
“The director mentioned you were the weakest performer among the four, he replied truthfully, sensing she was concealing something important Stephanie gripped her phone tightly and rose, declaring. I’m heading back to the hotel to rest. Got a cold to recover from.”
Vincent made no attempt to follow her, watching her departure in silence. He dialed a number on his phone. “Help me retrieve all communications records for a specific phone number”
Stephanie returned to the hotel and quickly fell into a deep sleep, perhaps due to her recent troubles or the lingering effects of her cold.
Booking hotels in downtown Harlington was difficult, and the Innovate Group’s rushed advertising shoot left Stephanie’s team short of rooms. The original single rooms had to be converted into shared double rooms or suites
Stephanie understood the unfairness of being an outsider in this advertising shoot but felt she had no choice. Reluctant to always rely on Vincent, she had been diligently studying, setting alarms on her phone, and avoiding long hours of sleep
The suite was spacious, and Stephanie shared it with another model named Eloise Hall. Despite her reservations, Eloise stood out as the best performer among them. However, her ambitious nature meant her mind was not fully focused on securing this advertisement alone.
At 8 p.m., the director summoned them all. Thus, Stephanie woke up at 7 pm, feeling somewhat refreshed after her rest
She stepped into the bathroom to wash up, when suddenly, the door emitted a soft beep and was opened with a swipe of a card.
Stephanie didn’t pay much attention, assuming it was Eloise returning
“Before this, I heard they were planning to reserve this suite specifically for Stephanie. She’s really something,” said someone with a sharp, mocking voice. It seemed Eloise wasn’t alone she had brought other models with her.
“Do you think they’ll end up choosing her for the ad this time?”
“This is disgusting. Even if Mr. Hayes favors her, it’s not possible. The Innovate Group values this new product launch, and such a big company wouldn’t mess around.”
Stephanie could hear their conversation from the bathroom. Feeling uneasy, she quickly turned off the tap, trying her best to remain unnoticed.
Eloise, who had been silent until then, suddenly chuckled, “If the prince charming behind the scenes steps in, who knows what could happen?”
Another woman sounded furious. It won’t matter who steps in. If they really choose her. I’ll hire a private detective to dig up her r past and online to see how she manages.”
“If Mr. Wellington had called the shots, you wouldn’t dare say anything then, Eloise said.
The atmosphere inside the room seemed to become lively suddenly “You mean that guy from the Innovate Group!”
expose it
“It seems besides the Innovate Group, he also holds a lot of property rights himself. If she really snags him, she won’t have to worry for the next ten lifetimes. But someone like him is hard to meet once
“What kind of woman do you think a man like him would like? Their conversation heated up.
“Dominick was raised in a wealthy environment from a young age, and no one can just imitate that kind of demeanor,” she said, growing more animated as she spoke, her voice dropping. “He’s genuinely noble and aloof, with great genes and an amazing physique. I once saw him at Flaming Bar. He was shirtless by the pool, and his chest muscles were so delined.
She became shy as they discussed in low voices, “I wonder how he is in bed?”
“‘”I know that.”
Stephanie walked out of the bathroom, looking at the three astonished women before her. Initially, she had wanted to avoid an awkward situation, planning to wait until they left before exiting herself. But hearing footsteps approaching the bathroom, she decided it was better to come out on her own terms than be caught off guard