Industry rumors indicated that the Livingston Group was short\u00a0<\/p>\n
on cash and wouldn\u2019t be putting much effort into this bid.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Before, Edward might have believed it.\u00a0<\/p>\n
But now, whenever he closed his eyes, he could remember the\u00a0<\/p>\n
evasive things Madeleine had said at the party.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So, she really had fallen for someone else and was deliberately\u00a0<\/p>\n
saying those things to make him lower his guard.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So he would lower his bid without any preparation, letting the\u00a0<\/p>\n
Livingston Group swoop in and take the prize?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Edward\u2019s fingertips tapped lightly on the desk as his expression\u00a0<\/p>\n
grew colder.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just then, a subordinate knocked and entered.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSir, here are the recent financial movements of the Livingston\u00a0<\/p>\n
Group you asked for. He has indeed been privately contacting\u00a0<\/p>\n
several banks. This is the detailed report.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Edward took it and glanced through it, a sneer flashing across\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 167\u00a0<\/p>\n
his lips, his eyes filled with the satisfaction of seeing through\u00a0<\/p>\n
the scheme.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The subordinate\u2019s eyes were full of admiration. \u201cSir, you were right. This Roderick guy is trying to set a trap for us.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHe knows how valuable this bid is. If he gets this project,\u00a0<\/p>\n
becoming an industry leader in the future won\u2019t be difficult.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After Edward finished speaking, a cold smile touched his lips.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I have no intention of letting him get his way.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
He looked up. \u201cNotify the commerce department. Revise the bid\u00a0<\/p>\n
again. Increase the amount.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIncrease it again?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The subordinate was shocked. \u201cSir, our current budget is\u00a0<\/p>\n
already enough to cover the bid price. The Livingston Group\u00a0<\/p>\n
can\u2019t have the resources to compete, right? If we take out another loan, the financial pressure\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Edward let out a cold laugh. \u201cRoderick wants to play dirty? Then\u00a0<\/p>\n
I\u2019ll show him what absolute power looks like.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
His finger tapped heavily on the report on his desk.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 167\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this bid, the Carroll Group must have a crushing victory. I\u2019ll\u00a0<\/p>\n
make sure the Livingston Group isn\u2019t even in the running!\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
After work, Edward left the office. He sat in his car for five\u00a0<\/p>\n
minutes before driving off to find Fiona.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, just as he arrived at the Bell Corporation building,\u00a0<\/p>\n
he saw Fiona get into a car and drive away.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Edward frowned.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fiona hadn\u2019t come to see him lately. Could it be she\u2019d had a\u00a0<\/p>\n
change of heart?\u00a0<\/p>\n
On impulse, Edward drove after her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Half an hour later, he realized something was wrong.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fiona was going to Madeleine\u2019s house!\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine was at home reading, preparing to start her own\u00a0<\/p>\n
company. She was dressed casually, curled up on the sofa,\u00a0<\/p>\n
while Kevin, who had just finished his piano lesson, was practicing quietly beside her.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Kirsten walked over to answer the\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 167\u00a0<\/p>\n
video intercom.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMiss Bell?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Which Miss Bell\u2026 Please wait a moment, I\u2019ll go get the missus.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Kirsten ran over to tell Madeleine, who was stunned for a\u00a0<\/p>\n
moment after hearing the news.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fiona?\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cLet her in.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine put down her tablet, a pair of large, black\u2013framed,\u00a0<\/p>\n
blue\u2013light\u2013blocking glasses still perched on her nose.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When Fiona came in and saw her, she didn\u2019t even recognize her\u00a0<\/p>\n
at first.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Dressed like that, Madeleine looked just like a college student.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fiona\u2019s mind wandered for a couple of seconds before she\u00a0<\/p>\n
quickly snapped back.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cMiss Mosley, we meet again.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cCome in and have a seat.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 167\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine offered, asking Fiona what she\u2019d like to drink.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cJust water is fine.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine padded over in her slippers to get Fiona a glass of\u00a0<\/p>\n
water.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fiona gave her a surprised look.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was the wife of a CEO worth hundreds of millions, after all.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why was she getting water herself?\u00a0<\/p>\n
She looked around. On the coffee table were several finance\u00a0<\/p>\n
books and handwritten notes, next to a half\u2013finished cup of\u00a0<\/p>\n
herbal tea.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The room was warmly decorated, filled with a sense of home.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The faint smell of cooking drifted from the kitchen, and she\u00a0<\/p>\n
could vaguely hear a nanny humming a little tune.\u00a0<\/p>\n
So this was the kind of environment Madeleine lived in.\u00a0<\/p>\n
This was completely different from the venomous femme\u00a0<\/p>\n
fatale she had imagined, the one who would do anything for\u00a0<\/p>\n
Edward.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 167\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cHere, is warm water okay?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine walked over and handed her the cup. Fiona took it; it\u00a0<\/p>\n
was neither cool nor hot, just the perfect temperature to drink.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She nodded, at a loss for words for a moment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, what did you come to see me about?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine went back and sat on the sofa, casually grabbing a\u00a0<\/p>\n
throw pillow to hug.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Fiona snapped out of her daze when she heard the question\u00a0<\/p>\n
and said in a low voice, \u201cI\u2019m here to apologize.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cFor what happened at the restaurant last time?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Madeleine chuckled. \u201cDidn\u2019t I already say? You should be\u00a0<\/p>\n
apologizing to that lady.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
She nodded. \u201cThe lady\u2019s condition has stabilized. I made them\u00a0<\/p>\n
pay for all the expenses, and they\u2019ve received the punishment\u00a0<\/p>\n
they deserved.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Chapter 168\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u2019s storytelling style is immersive and addictive\u2014perfect for fans of heated romances and heart-pounding twists.<\/p>\n
Night Carved Paths Into Silence by Zyrel Ash 167 Industry rumors indicated that the Livingston Group was short\u00a0 on cash […]<\/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":[85],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-heart-surgeons-last-patient-novel"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29464","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=29464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29464\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}