NovelEnglishThe driver kept his eyes on the road, occasionally glancing at the rearview mirror to observe the tense standoff in the backseat.
It was a familiar scene - tensions boiling over to the point where knives were sometimes drawn. He swallowed hard, feeling that
this high-stress job would be the death of him.
He remembered first seeing Felix at the Miller Group. President Miller had made it clear he didn't want Felix dating his daughter. So
Ms. Miller had Felix start as a grass-roots employee, but the guy was a standout.
Standout was an understatement. Within a month, Felix's boss had promoted him, breaking all the usual protocols. Looking back, it
all seemed like a whirlwind, happening far too quickly.
Zoey, slumped in the passenger seat, stirred uncomfortably in her sleep, her head thumping against the windowpane with a soft
whimper of pain.
The car pulled up outside her apartment, and someone was already there to help her inside. Wilma had been dropped off earlier;
Mr. Colby was only interested in her, but he wouldn't dare mess with a top-tier celebrity like Wilma.
Zoey was a nobody; no fans to raise a fuss if she was wronged.
Being supported into her place, Zoey felt the room spin. She hadn't even managed to greet Carol.
In the bathroom, she tried to vomit but nothing cup.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtCatching her reflection, she was startled by her gaunt appearance, only now realizing how much weight she'd lost.
She wanted to shower but her body was limp, alcohol still burning through her system. She curled up on her bed and fell into a
deep sleep.
Waking up the next day with a pounding headache and a stabbing pain in her stomach, Zoey forced down a piece of toast before
heading to the office.
"Elvis, lock down Shawn Walsh for the car endorsement and send the contract over to Mr. Colby."
"I thought we hadn't settled on a face for the new energy vehicle?"
"It was decided last night."
Zoey sat in her office chair, still pale. The contract reached the automotive headquarters only to find out Mr. Colby had resigned.
A resigned man's promises meant nothing. Zoey was frustrated. She'd drunk the wine, endured a harrowing night, and now this.
She couldn't go to the police. As the head of Star Movie Group, any scandal, whether Mr. Colby had succeeded or not, would tarnish
her reputation in the circle.
Rubbing her temples, she played back the recording from last night and sent it to the current president of the company's local
division.
The recording featured her and Mr. Colby's conversation - Colby promising the endorsement if she drank with him.
The reply was swift, "Sorry, Zoey. Mr. Colby was let go for personal conduct issues. His commitments are void. If your talent wants
to endorse, they'll have to compete like everyone else."
Zoey's temples throbbed with anger. If only Mr. Colby had been fired a day later, the deal would've been hers.
Resting her forehead on the desk, she took deep breaths slowly. The pain in her stomach persisted. Her phone rang at the moment
- it was the police.
"Miss, your mother wishes to see you. The Bennitt family won't pursue the poisoning incident. If you post bail, your mother can be
released without charges."
Wendy had been destroyed, and the Intepublic opinions had subsided. The Bennitt family's dropping the matter was in hope
that Zoey wouldn't keep dragging Wendy through the mud over the Ozzy incident.
"No need. Just follow the procedure," Zoey hung up and then started vomiting into the trash can beside her desk, though she
hadn't eaten enough to bring anything up.
Later that afternoon, a call from an unknown number cthrough. It was Murray.
"Zoey, I've got your mom out. You should csee her; she's not in a good place."
Hearing his voice made Zoey's stomach churn. She popped an antacid from her drawer and was about to hang up when Belinda's
voice cthrough, "Zoey, I'm sorry. It's all my fault."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmIt had been so long since Zoey had heard Belinda speak like that. All she could remember since becoming an adult were the
criticisms and insults, as if she was never really her daughter, even though she was.
Zoey's lashes were lowered; she was unwilling to engage.
"lI want to see you one last time. I'll leave this place. I've finally realized | can't rely on your dad."
Zoey only felt she had illusion. After all, Belinda had always clung to her stepfather, and loved him dearly despite his worthlessness
and good-for-nothing.
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