\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 37\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 37\u00a0<\/p>\n
1\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
If Zachary swallowed this humiliation, then everything he had just built on that stage would turn into a joke in a matter of\u00a0<\/p>\n
seconds.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He stared at Tristan, then flicked a glance at Genevieve, who had been watching coldly from the start.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He understood right away. It seemed that Tristan and Genevieve were on the same side.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Seeing how close Zachary was to losing it, Genevieve quietly moved aside, deliberately keeping her distance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Her silence landed harder than any insult.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A commotion rose near the entrance to the ballroom. Then, a woman\u2019s voice carried clearly across the room. \u201cIt seems we arrived a little late. Did I miss something interesting?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Everyone turned toward the entrance.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A Frencian woman in her 50s walked in at an unhurried pace. She wore a deep navy bespoke wool suit, her silver-gray hair styled with immaculate precision.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Several attendants followed closely behind her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Someone in the crowd gasped under their breath. \u201cOh my God! That\u2019s Armandine Brunet, Modernis.m\u2019s global CEO! Why is she here?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zachary\u2019s twisted expression stiffened, the blood draining from his face in seconds. He had never imagined that Armandine would show up that night.\u00a0<\/p>\n
His plan had been simple. He would use the information gap to stage a spectacle, force Genevieve to give in, and then slowly negotiate with Modernis.m\u2019s Eastridge Division afterward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But the real decision maker had arrived.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Armandine\u2019s gaze swept the room. It quickly settled on the three of them near the stage.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When she saw Zachary\u2019s pale face, her brows drew together in displeasure. Then, her gaze slid past him and locked onto the woman with the cool, unmistakable presence.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A second later, before dozens of stunned witnesses, the luxury powerhouse who could shake the global fashion world with a single decision broke into a warm, genuine smile.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Armandine strode through the crowd, ignored Zachary entirely, and stopped right in front of Genevieve. She said, \u201cMy dear Cen, it\u2019s been too long.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She opened her arms and greeted Genevieve with a cheek kiss, as if she were greeting an old friend.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Genevieve replied in Frencian, \u201cMs. Armandine, welcome. I didn\u2019t expect to see you here.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I didn\u2019t come, how would I know that my muse has been harassed by someone so rude?\u201d Armandine let go of her, her blue eyes shining with unmistakable appreciation and concern.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Then, she turned to Zachary and spoke in flawless Aurelian, her tone icy. \u201cMr. Lambert, am I right? You said that Lambert Group would facilitate the partnership between Modernis.m and Cen, correct?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zachary\u2019s heart sank. \u201cMs. Armandine, there\u2019s been a misunderstanding. I only meant to express Lambert Group\u2019s sincerity\u2014\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u0397\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u2018Sincerity?\u201d Armandine cut him off. \u201cThree years ago, when Cen and I worked together in Portvaux on the limited edition fragrance called Dawn\u2019s Heart, where were you?\u00a0<\/p>\n
X CLOSE\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 37\u00a0<\/p>\n
2\/2\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThat fragrance is still the most coveted legend in Modernis.m\u2019s private bespoke line. Do we need you to facilitate the partnership between us?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
A wave of murmurs swept through the room.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? They worked together three years ago?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cDawn\u2019s Heart! I know that perfume! They say it\u2019s impossible to get! It sold for a fortune at an auction!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, Cen doesn\u2019t need the Lambert family at all. Modernis.m specifically wanted her!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWas Mr. Lambert just bragging onstage? No, he was trying to steal the credit and pass Cen\u2019s reputation and resources off as Lambert Group\u2019s achievement!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Zachary staggered backward, barely managing to stay upright.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The leverage he had tried to use to force Genevieve\u2019s hand was reduced to a joke by just a few words from Armandine.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Chapter 37\u00a0 Chapter 37\u00a0 1\/2\u00a0 If Zachary swallowed this humiliation, then everything he had just built on that stage […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-211","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-you-chose-her-so-i-married-better"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=211"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":238,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/211\/revisions\/238"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=211"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=211"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=211"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}