Crater Lanterns Glimmered Over Tidelands by Axton Reed 7
Chapter 7
The plane touched down in England. As I looked out at the unfamiliar landscape, it felt like a lifetime had passed.
At the arrival gate, I saw my father.
The once high–spirited business tycoon now looked like an ordinary older man, with a slightly hunched back, hair graying at the temples. The moment he saw me, his eyes reddened.
Years ago, the Todd Group had moved its operations overseas. But for Orlando’s sake, I had stubbornly stayed behind, at the cost of defying my father and cutting ties with him.
It had been six years since we last saw each other.
“Dad…”
I threw my arms around him, voice choked.
“I’m sorry. I was so foolish–I turned my back on my own family for that jerk.”
My father held me tightly. He didn’t scold me for my stubbornness. He simply said, “Welcome
home.”
Tears welled in my eyes.
I finally understood- in the end, one’s parents were the only ones who never left.
I really had been a fool, thinking Orlando–the man who divorced me seven times for another woman–was my destiny.
In the car, my father told me, “I’ve acquired seventeen percent of the Wagner Group’s shares.”
I shook my head. “Dad, you don’t have to punish him because of me.
“This is between him and me. I’ll handle it myself.”
“This isn’t about punishment.”
He looked at me earnestly.
“It’s my welcome gift. You’re back now, and it’s time for you to take over the family business.”
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12:18
Chapter 7
Three years later.
288 Vouchers
“Ms. Todd, here is the earnings report for the third quarter. Net profit is up sixty–five percent year–on–year.”
My secretary handed me the documents respectfully.
Dressed in a custom–tailored suit, I stood by the floor–to–ceiling window, looking out over the entire financial district.
Over the past three years, I had started from the ground up and was now the one in charge of the Todd Group.
The company’s market value had tripled in that time, and even the Financial Times had declared I possessed the “Midas Touch.”
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In contrast, the Wagner Group had been in a steady decline.
The plummeting stock prices weighed heavily on Orlando.
He had never stopped looking for me all these years.
Then one day, he saw me at the Todd Group’s annual press conference–I was there representing my father and the company.
He stared dead ahead at the 2.2–meter LCD screen on the wall.
It had been three years. The woman on screen wore the latest Jimmy Choo heels and a sharply tailored Max Mara suit that gave her shoulder line a razor–sharp edge.
As the camera zoomed in while she signed a document, there was no trace of the wedding ring he had once custom–made for her.
“Book me the nearest flight to London.”
He knocked over his coffee mug as he grabbed his suit jacket. The dark liquid stained the third- quarter loss report, leaving a glaring mark.
“No, wait. File a flight plan. Use my private jet.”
His assistant, stunned, tried to stop him. “But you have a meeting with the bank-”
“Out of my way!”
His roar instantly silenced the entire secretarial pool.
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12.18)
Chapter 7
288 Vouchers
He stared at the screen, where I was shaking hands with officials from other countries‘ ministries of commerce, his Adam’s apple bobbing heavily.
“Tell the Finance Department–increase the interest rate on the shares mortgaged to the bank by another two percentage points.”
As his Gulfstream G650 soared into the sky, I was in the executive lounge of a luxurious hotel, receiving a special delivery.
When I unwrapped the shock–absorbent foam, seven marriage certificates and seven divorce certificates lay inside, gleaming coldly under the light.
Among them was a note from Kristen, sent from back home. “He says if he collects them all, he’ll get you to have a change of heart.”
I pressed the call button. When the waiter appeared within seconds, I smiled and said, “Please shred these. Thank you.”
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Cedella is a passionate storyteller known for her bold romantic and spicy novels that keep readers hooked from the very first chapter. With a flair for crafting emotionally intense plots and unforgettable characters, she blends love, desire, and drama into every story she writes. Cedella’s storytelling style is immersive and addictive—perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.
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