Chapter 19
Vivian sat on the couch while Kingston stood not far from her, his gaze carrying a hint of superiority. Unwilling to remain in the lower position, she took a deep breath and rose to her feet, and met his eyes at the same level.
“Howard Group wants to break into the Baymoor market. Starting from scratch would consume considerable time. For someone like you, Mr. Howard, time is money.”
Kingston remained unmoved.
Vivian exhaled softly. She excelled at creating proposals and strategies, but negotiating at a business table had never been her strength.
Since she was already here, she pressed on, “Whitfield Group meets all the right conditions and perfectly fits your company’s criteria for rapid market entry into Baymoor. I don’t think you’d pass up such a good opportunity over our insignificant past history.”
“Insignificant past history?” he repeated slowly, savoring her words.
He pinched the cigarette in his hand, crushing the tip slightly.
Vivian nodded reluctantly. When she first learned about the arranged engagement with the Howard family, she had already returned to Baymoor with her mother.
Even when she severed ties with the Hartwell family and formally broke off the engagement, she had never met Kingston face–to–face.
There had never been any feelings between them. If not for that arrangement set by their elders, they would have been complete strangers. She didn’t consider their past an actual
grievance.
The cigarette in Kingston’s hand snapped, spilling tobacco onto the floor. He let out a wry laugh, then asked, “Ms. Hartwell, do you know what the three greatest grievances are in a
man’s life?”
Vivian looked somewhat bewildered and shook her head. “I don’t.”
He turned around and said coldly, “The murder of one’s father, the loss of one’s wife, and the
death of one’s child.”
Vivian said nothing.
“But we weren’t married,” she said softly, her voice weak and slightly guilty.
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Chapter 19
212
“A fiancee is still a wife,” he said indifferently, every word cutting deep.
Vivian fell completely silent, lowering her eyes, not daring to meet those deep, dark eyes of his.
What could she do? Apologize? But she didn’t think she had done anything wrong by breaking off the engagement. After all, they had no feelings for each other. To her, Kingston was just a stranger.
The atmosphere remained tense.
She pressed her lips together and finally spoke. “I’m sorry for disturbing you.”
Vivian felt that if this approach didn’t work, there were always other options. She turned to leave, and Kingston’s expression visibly darkened.
“Is that how you conduct business?”
She stopped in her tracks.
Kingston stared at her face for more than ten seconds, his expression a mix of amusement and derision.
“I thought Ms. Hartwell, who boldly declared she’d make her mark in Baymoor, would have strong persuasive abilities at the negotiating table. I didn’t expect you’d simply pay a brief visit and give up so quickly.”
Vivian had no comeback to his mockery. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt humiliated in his presence, so she decided to speak plainly.
“I know you don’t actually have any feelings for me, Mr. Howard. You simply can’t swallow the humiliation of having the engagement broken off back then.
“But now, you’re deliberately using this to embarrass me. If I don’t leave quickly, should I stay here and let you continue humiliating me?”
I Cancel the Engagement and Level Way Up
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