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Whether it was the threatening tone that sent shivers of terror down his spine, or the heavy pressure coming from the palm pressing on his shoulder, Gildroy felt like if he really dared to be impulsive at this moment... the outcome would definitely not be in his favor.
While his strength may no longer be what it was back in the day, it was still hard to accept that the child he once disregarded as being worthless trash would one day surpass himself. But as much as he hated to admit it, it was impossible to deny the possibility of this so-called daughter being even stronger than himself.
Noelle smiled in satisfaction when saw the man helplessly remain seated while gritting his teeth in rage and disgust.
She never knew until today just how much she enjoyed watching smug, arrogant, and self-important douchebags get a taste of their own medicine, feeling the same helplessness they'd made others go through all their lives. 'Maybe Emilia's personality is rubbing off on me...?'
Surprisingly enough... she didn't really mind.
Of course, this was far from enough. Since her little boss had gone through so much trouble setting it all up, wouldn't it be a pity to not even make these two wallow in the depths of despair?
She gave the man a pointed look. "I know you hate me, and the feeling is mutual, but since there is someone both of us hate more than each other, there is no harm in temporarily joining hands, right?"
Noelle's father was naturally not dumb enough to miss who she was talking about. Other than his bitch of an ex-wife, who else could he hate more?
He snorted. "If you think you can trick me into saying something I shouldn't, you're overestimating your wit a bit too much."
Noelle just gave Emilia a nod, and the crimson-haired girl immediately burst into giggles. "Mr. Whatever-Your-Name-Is, do you really think you're important enough to make Noelle waste so much of her time?"
The man was clearly unphased by the little girl's 'low-level taunt', assuming that she was just making a pathetic attempt to rile him up… until he saw the title of the document on the tablet she pushed over.
'Noelle Nightingale - Chief Executive Secretary, White Deer Corporation'
The photo and the details on the file clearly matched the girl beside him to the tee!
Gildroy's first thought was that it must be fake.
After all, anyone could have made this document to throw him off. The official-looking background and terms could easily fool someone who wasn't familiar with the organization's conventions.
But such doubts immediately flew out of the window when he looked up again to sneer at the 'little girl', only to almost faint from shock.
"Y-Y-You are—!" He stuttered for almost a minute before he managed to spit out the name on the tip of his tongue. "E-Emilia White?!"
Even if he didn't keep up with the news outside too frequently, the girl in front of him had created a bit too much commotion over the past few years for him to mistake her for anyone else.
Not to mention, once someone had seen her face, regardless of the type of feeling she invoked in their heart, it was almost impossible to completely erase her image from their mind.
A hundred and one doubts kept bouncing around in his head.
Why was she here? How did she appear right in front of him without him even noticing? Was he that lost in thought? And where did that little girl go?
The crimson-haired beauty was clearly in no mood to satisfy his curiosity, however, and just gave him a cold smile. "Listen to my girlfriend's offer seriously, alright?"
Noelle's father was so dumbfounded that he subconsciously nodded without even thinking about it, and it was only after the gray-haired girl behind him was halfway through her 'offer' that he came back to his senses.
Emilia White called his worthless daughter her... girlfriend? What did THAT mean?!
Even if the term wasn't used for lovers, but very close friends, didn't that still make that little serpent someone who could have all the riches, luxuries, and resources in the world at her fingertips?!
The more he thought about it, the uglier his expression became.
After all, this was no filial daughter who would share anything with him.
He was just about to start cursing uncontrollably when Noelle's 'offer' finally registered in his mind, and Gildroy's thoughts came to a grinding halt.
"W-Wait… y-you want me to WHAT?!"
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Although she was technically confined to her home along with her son, Noelle's so-called 'step-mother' had still learned of her husband's 'detention' within minutes of the event taking place.
She was never one to put all her eggs in one basket and then wallow in regret when things went south, after all.
The moment her husband had started showing signs of changing his mind about their relationship, as far as she could tell, she'd already started making plans of her getaway.
But even if she was prepared to abandon it all to stop her losses in time, it still hurt to lose so much in such little time.
The moment she left the Nightingale clan's compound, she would no longer be a dignified lady respected and admired by hundreds of elites, after all.
Even if she would still be set for life with the wealth she would be taking with her, it was impossible to not feel bitter about it in her heart.
It was all her husband's fault!
If only he hadn't been overly greedy and just accepted her as his wife instead of going to that frigid whore he had already abandoned back in the day, wouldn't everything have been fine?
Clearly, that dumb woman who operated on emotions and grudge would never take him back!
"That useless piece of shit!" She cursed. "How could he fuck everything up now?!"
She was so furious that she didn't even notice that her son was now shivering in terror as he watched his mother behave in a way that was definitely not 'herself'.
Well, even if she noticed, she would not have cared.
After all… she did not intend to leave any 'loose ends' behind.
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