Chapter 8
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The cool breeze helped clear my head a little.
In the blink of an eye, ten years had passed and this small city had grown a lot. Skyscrapers had been built and roads and infrastructure had been repaired. Perhaps I could build a career here.
The next day, Corrie called me and said, “Declan had fainted at my bar yesterday.”
Her tone was a bit reproachful, “If I had known he couldn’t hold his liquor, I should have stopped you from pouring him wine yesterday.”
“I don’t know how he even handles business meetings like that.” She then continued, “For someone who climbed from nothing, I assumed he could hold his liquor.”
I let out a small chuckle. Declan had always disliked the utilitarian nature of social gatherings. He believed he shouldn’t get caught up in the pursuit of wealth and power. So, I was the one who took the role of socializing.
After countless times I had to drink so much that I threw up on the street, I numbed myself to the look of disgust in Declan’s eyes.
I had spoiled him into a man–baby. These past seven years, I have been utterly exhausted.
I thought after getting out of the hospital, he’d finally pack up and go home, but he blocked my way again. At that point, all I felt was irritation.
He looked at me and said, “I think we need to have a real talk. There’s got to be some kind of misunderstanding.”
“Misunderstanding? What exactly is the misunderstanding?” I sneered.
“Was it a misunderstanding that you don’t believe me about the miscarriage, or a misunderstanding that you gave away all the shares I worked so hard for over the past seven years to someone else?” I asked. “No one force you all those things!”
Intimidated by my intensity, Declan said dryly, “Alice, I’ve known Sadie ever since we were kids. After my business failed and I had nothing left, she left me and I can understand her reasoning.”
“I just wanted to give her some compensation. I have no hidden feelings for her. Not at all.” “Compensate her… with my shares?” I raised an eyebrow. “Wow, how generous of you… with someone else’s money.”
Hearing the sarcasm in my voice, Declan suddenly dropped down to his knees on the busy street and said, “I know everything I did before was wrong.”
“The baby has gone and nothing I say can change that.”
“Forgive me, come back with me and I’ll double your compensation, okay?”
“No,” I said instantly. “If you need a housekeeper, go hire one at a high salary. I’m not playing that role anymore.”
“Seeing you now makes me sick.”
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12:17 Fri, 20 Jun Mmm
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The moment I said it, Declan froze like a statue. He didn’t get up until the afternoon, then he headed to the airport.
Several people encountered him along the way and Declan looked completely distracted.
I thought that would be the end of everything, but at dusk, Corrie called me multiple times in panic, “Alice, is Declan out of his mind? He is actually planning to move Harrison Group to our small city!”
I immediately checked the trending topics and while he was still on the plane, Declan impatiently made a public announcement.
The news spread like wildfire. Even the ongoing projects were halted.
Facing the cameras, he said slowly, “I want the Harrison Group to be surrounded by the people I love.”
In the past, every step Declan took was based on my advice. Let’s see how far Harrison, Group would go without me.
After this incident, I began to pay close attention to the trending news.
To my surprise, before the news of the Harrison Group’s bankruptcy, there was news about Sadie. In front of the camera, wearing her wedding dress, she wiped the tears from her eyes as she accused Declan of betraying her.
“We’ve known each other since childhood. I never thought he’d do something like this,” she
said.
The surveillance footage from the wedding venue had been edited. It only showed the part where Declan choked Sadie.
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