Her grand departure was not a bluff. It was a firm declaration that, from this moment on, she was cutting all ties with him.
“I hope Ashton Group thrives.” Her voice was steady, almost emotionless, as she left those final words hanging in the air before turning to leave.
As she passed by him, Bruce’s hand shot out, seizing her wrist with a desperate grip. His voice, hoarse and raw, barely escaped his lips.
“Corrine, please don’t leave.”
“Should I stick around to watch you and Leah make my skin crawl?” Corrine scoffed, her eyes narrowing as she fixed her gaze on Bruce.
“The fact that I haven’t thrown up just from looking at your face is the most respect I can offer you.”
“Bruce,” Leah’s voice echoed from outside.
“Look, your true love is here,” Corrine said, her lips curling into a mocking smile as she locked eyes with him.
“Are you really sure you don’t want to-“
Without hesitation, Bruce let go of her hand.
Corrine’s lips twisted into a sarcastic grin as she turned on her heel, striding out without a second thought.
The moment Bruce had abandoned her at the wedding, Corrine had realized that no matter how hard she tried, she could never take Leah’s place in his heart.
At that moment, her heart had shattered.
But some pain only needed to be felt once. There was no need to keep reopening old wounds because of Bruce’s mistakes
There were plenty of men in the world-without Bruce, she could still move forward.
As she pushed open the door, ready to leave, she almost collided with Leah entering.
Leah’s eyes met hers, a slight arch in her brow and a flash of challenge in her gaze.
Corrine remained unfazed, walking past Leah without a single glance, as if the other woman didn’t exist.
Leah, feeling completely dismissed, felt a sting of humiliation creep in. Her perfectly made-up face now carried a hint of jealousy and anger. She couldn’t stand Corrine’s condescending air, as if she were above everyone. In Leah’s eyes, Corrine was just some country girl pretending to belong, and the sight of her smugness was unbearable.
But then again, the only thing Corrine really had to brag about was Bruce-and that had been taken from her. So what if Corrine had spent three years by his side, or made waves in Ashton Group? Leah was confident that Corrine could never compete with her in Bruce’s heart.
Corrine was always destined to be the one left behind, the loser in this game.
“Why aren’t you resting at home? Why did you come out all of a sudden?” Bruce looked down at Leah, his eyes soft with concern and a trace of affection.
Leah blinked, her mind snapping back to the present, and she offered him a gentle smile.
“I know the Brooks family’s withdrawal of investment is stressing you out. I might not understand the business side of things, but I wanted to help. So, I went to my dad and asked for his support.”
She held up a folder, the weight of it seeming to change the atmosphere between them.
“This is the investment proposal he drafted. He’s willing to back the Bayside project. If everything checks out, you just need to sign it.”
“Really?” Bruce’s face finally softened, a smile breaking through the cloud that had been hanging over him. He grabbed Leah’s hand, pulling it to his lips for a tender kiss.
“Leah, you’re my good luck charm.”
Leah’s eyes flickered with a subtle shift, and she gently steered the conversation.
“Bruce, Corrine just got out of the hospital. Even with everything going on, you should be kinder to her.”
Mentioning Corrine seemed to douse Bruce’s mood like cold water. His smile faltered, and his gaze drifted toward Corrine’s retreating figure, a sense of emptiness settling in.
She walked away without a second thought, severing ties with him completely, leaving no chance for reconciliation.
He exhaled, briefly mentioning Corrine’s resignation, his voice turning cold and sharp.
“If she wants to leave, that’s her choice. I just hope she doesn’t regret it later.”
Even though he’d walked away from her at the wedding, Bruce had never intended to push Corrine out of the company. He didn’t have feelings for her, but he had to acknowledge her work ethic-decisive, efficient, relentless
Her sudden resignation threw him off, but there was no part of him that was bothered by it. If she was determined to leave, he saw no reason to try to keep her.
Now, he found himself curious-how would Corrine fare without Ashton Group, without him?
Just as Corrine exited the Ashton Group offices, she noticed Waldo, who was straightening his tie and holding a briefcase, radiating intense determination. Had she come out just a minute later, he likely would have charged in, ready to confront everyone inside.
When Waldo’s eyes met Corrine’s, the stern expression on his face softened slightly, and he showed a flicker of concern. He examined her carefully before asking, “Did that jerk give you any trouble?”
He sounded as protective as a lion with its cubs.
Corrine felt a surge of warmth and managed a slight smile, a rare break from her usual composure.
“No, I handled it. It was nothing significant.”
Waldo cast a scornful look toward the Ashton Group headquarters.
“Leaving you for a second-rate star? The CEO of Ashton Group really isn’t as great as people think.”
Corrine’s eyebrow arched at Waldo’s remark about Leah.
A second-rate star…
Leah had fought her way up to nearly reach the pinnacle of the entertainment industry, becoming a celebrated actress. Despite her fame, she hadn’t made an impression on the prestigious Ford family.
The Ford family, after all, commanded immense wealth, influence, and unmatched status within Lyhaton.
“Let’s head home,” Waldo said, taking Corrine’s hand as they moved toward the car.
“Your grandfather called earlier; he’s worried about you.”
Acknowledging with a nod, Corrine bent down to enter the car and dialed a number.
“Ensure all surveillance footage at Ashton Group is secured.” She was determined not to leave any clues for Bruce to discover her real identity.
The Corrine that once acted recklessly out of love would no longer be visible. From now on, she would be known as a member of Lyhaton’s wealthiest family.
And it wasn’t just Carl who was worried about Corrine; Nate, too, felt a deep concern from his position within Brighton Group’s conference room.
In the conference room on the eighty-eighth floor, the tension was thick, as if a storm were about to erupt.
The department executives sat rigidly upright, their silence driven by the fear that any noise might anger their boss, who dominated the room from the head of the table. New leaders were known to shake things up, and this young CEO, famous for his ruthlessness and decisiveness, had quickly made an impact. On his first day, he had boldly let go of those who were complacent.
His actions had rapidly reshaped the company’s perception of him.
Currently, one of the department managers, having just delivered his performance report, stood anxiously on stage, awaiting the CEO’s critique. As the seconds dragged on, the tension seemed to slice through his composure. Sweat dotted his forehead, and his jaw twitched with nervous tension
As the department manager teetered on the brink of pleading for leniency, he caught sight of Matias standing next to Nate, looking like the answer to his prayers.
Matias pushed up his glasses and leaned in, murmuring, “Sir…”
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.