5
11:48 AM
<
She continued, “Cora, you can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig. Someone like you should just find an ordinary guy and be a good little housewife. Phoenix is way out of your league.”
I was a bit surprised. This had to be the most ridiculous thing I’d ever heard.
“Out of my league?” I repeated incredulously.
“Aren’t you? Miss Cora, it’s important to know your place,” Lydia sneered, tapping her bright red nails against my chest disdainfully.
So she had gone to such lengths to ruin my wedding because she thought she was marrying up by getting with Phoenix.
I nodded and stepped forward, yanking the necklace off her collarbone and removing my ring.
“This ring I personally designed probably isn’t suitable for you,” I said.
“But Mr. Brown gave that to me!” Lydia’s face changed as she reached out to grab it, but I dodged her.
I tossed the ring into a nearby trash can.
Meeting her disbelieving stare, I said coolly, “Trash belongs in the trash can. If you want to fish my garbage out, be my guest. The same goes for Phoenix.”
I gave her one last contemptuous look, then turned and walked away without waiting for her reaction.
The next morning, someone was pounding on my door at the crack of dawn again.
Phoenix stood there with huge dark circles under his eyes, looking utterly haggard and dejected – a far cry from yesterday.
As soon as I opened the door, he put on an ingratiating smile and held up a takeout bag. “Cora, I bought your favorite red bean buns. Try them, they’re still warm.”
I stared at him calmly. Those heartwarming, sweet memories I had cherished had finally become nothing more than ammunition for him to
use after screwing up.
Suddenly, I found the whole thing incredibly pointless. I didn’t even have the energy to say the biting words I had prepared.
I shoved him away and tried to close the door, but he blocked it with his hand.
“Cora, please don’t be like this. It’s all my fault. I know I was wrong. Give me one more chance,” he pleaded anxiously.
“Lydia seduced me. It was just a moment of passion. You know I only like you. Please believe me,” he continued.
“Oh,” I nodded. Cheating was cheating, whether it was a passionate fling or falling in love. And he even had the gall to blame someone else!
At that moment, my mind was clearer than ever.
I should be grateful that I saw this man’s true colors before getting trapped in a marriage with him. Now was the time to cut all ties with him
completely.
My calm reaction seemed to make him feel threatened. Phoenix hesitated for a few seconds before speaking again: “Cora, we’ve come so far over these years. Please forgive me this once. I’ll never do it again.”
“But you disgust me, I said slowly and deliberately, staring him down coldly.
Phoenix was stunned for a moment. His eyes reddened, suddenly glistening with moisture. He blinked rapidly and looked away.
Then he exploded in anger and shame: “I just made a mistake that all men make! Do you have to keep harping on it?! I already said I’ll never do it again. What more do you want?!”
His tone softened again: “I was just momentarily led astray. You’re the only one I’ve ever loved.”
C
D
11:48 AM C
<
I shook my head, no longer wanting to hear his excuses.
“Forget it. After all that, is it really me you can’t bear to lose? Or is it my company’s contracts?” I asked.
Phoenix looked wounded and demanded, “How can you think of me like that?”
I smirked. “Good. Well, since there’s no chance for us anymore, I guess it’s no longer appropriate for my company to keep propping up your little business.”
Phoenix’s face instantly drained of color.
“What, you got used to handouts and thought it was all your own ability? Or did you start thinking my company belonged to you too?” I said mockingly.
I looked at him with disdain, feeling oddly satisfied seeing his angry yet helpless expression after having his motives exposed.
“Your company’s smooth sailing these past few years was all thanks to the stable projects from my company. With your company’s qualifications, you wouldn’t even be eligible to bid on our projects if I hadn’t deliberately supported you. Phoenix, I can take back everything I fed you just as easily as I gave it, I said mercilessly.
“I cared about you too much before, making you forget that I’m the one holding the purse strings!”
I didn’t mince words, each sentence hitting him where it hurt.
The blood drained from Phoenix’s face. His eyes were filled with panic and pleading. “Cora, please forgive me this once.”
“Phoenix, did you really think I couldn’t live without you?” I asked.
“A moment of passion?! That was our carefully prepared marital bed! What were you thinking while you were rolling around on it with your mistress? Was it thrilling? You’re so fucking filthy and disgusting.”
Phoenix’s lips moved, but in the end he couldn’t say anything.
I didn’t spare him another glance. I simply closed the door and went downstairs to head to the office.
The driver was already waiting. As soon as I got in the car, I called the project manager who dealt with Phoenix’s company.
“Don’t sign the contract yet. Yes, terminate cooperation on all projects.”
“You’re at their company? Wait for me there.”
“I’ll come handle the contract termination myself.”
For my family’s company, the projects with Phoenix were just small potatoes. But for Phoenix’s small company, they could mean life or death.
When I arrived at his company with my assistant, I immediately saw Lydia in her sky–high heels and bright red lipstick.
She probably thought I had come to make a scene with Phoenix. She actually ran over to block my way.
“Cora, have you no shame? If you want to throw a tantrum, at least pick the right time and place. This isn’t somewhere you can just act out!” she scolded.
She tried to grab me as she spoke.
I dodged her and continued towards the elevators.
She shouted angrily, “Stop right there! Where are the security guards?!”
Lignored her and kept walking, heading straight for the main conference room.
My assistant held Lydia back.
I pushed open the conference room doors.
11:48
<
The project manager from my company and the project leads from Phoenix’s company all looked over.
“Did you come to the wrong…” one of Phoenix’s people started to say.
But the project manager from my company had already vacated his seat for me.
Lydia had just caught up and burst in. Seeing me sit down so casually, she immediately protested.
“If you want to make a scene, at least pick your moment. We’re discussing the company’s biggest project here today. Who do you think you are to just sit down? I’m warning you…”
“Lydia!” Phoenix’s shout cut her off.
He had just received word that I had really terminated the contract signing and rushed over.
Lydia thought he was trying to protect me. She became even more agitated. “Mr. Brown, Cora is going too far. You know…”
By now, people from both companies had stood up and were greeting me respectfully.
“Ms. Smith, we didn’t expect you to come personally!”
Ms. Smith
“Quick, get some tea for Ms. Smith.”
Lydia stood there in disbelief. She looked questioningly from Phoenix to me, completely confused about the situation.
But Phoenix had no time to explain things to her. His face was ashen as he pleaded, “Ms. Smith, is there any way the project could continue…”
I waved my hand dismissively.
I had made a special trip here today to make my stance clear and cut things off decisively.
“Our company will not be renewing any contracts with your company. We are terminating cooperation on all ongoing projects. For any compensation that needs to be paid, Manager Zhang will liaise with our legal department to handle it,” I stated firmly.
Lydia blinked rapidly, stammering, “You… you’re the CEO of Fang Group?”
“Not the CEO – the Executive President and majority shareholder,” I smiled at Lydia, who was standing there with her mouth hanging open, not knowing how to react.
I continued, “I like to turn things I don’t want anymore into garbage before throwing them away. I hope you’ll still like it when the time comes, Miss Ye.”
