[I’m not. I have a summit tonight. It’s about to go live.]
[Oh… Am I disturbing you? My apologies.]
She sent the message in a rush, then quickly added another before he could respond: [Don’t let me keep you. I should get some rest as well.]
Better to end the conversation gracefully before she became a nuisance.
This time, Nick didn’t reply.
Yet, his brief words had piqued her curiosity.
Sleep was now the furthest thing from her mind. Instead, Khloe opened her laptop and searched for his name.
Cheater 24
The initial results were sparse-until she remembered what Oscar had said: Nick was a towering figure on the international business stage.
Switching to a global network, she soon found what she was looking for.
An international finance site was covering the Global Business Summit, an event hosted by the world’s leading financial conglomerates. The attendees were a who’s who of industry titans and banking giants.
And Nick, as the head of the multinational Hunt Group, was listed as one of the summit’s keynote speakers.
Intrigued, Khloe found the live stream. She waited for nearly half an hour before he finally appeared on screen.
He stood near the main stage, tall and commanding in a perfectly tailored dark suit, an assistant at his side. His presence radiated a restrained authority-sharp, steady, and impossible to ignore.
Even through a camera lens, the aura of long-honed dominance was palpable-striking and intensely magnetic.
When it was his turn to speak, Nick took the podium. In flawless, fluid foreign language, he delivered his address with precision and power, sparking a wave of lively discuss on across the auditorium.
His voice was deep and resonant, smooth as velvet yet underpinned with steel, more captivating than any financial commentator she had ever heard.
Khloe often enjoyed watching public speaking events, but his performance was in a league of its own. Within moments, she was completely captivated.
Even his impromptu responses during the Q&A were masterful-concise, eloquent, and brimming with sharp insight.
Every time Nick finished speaking, thunderous applause swept through the auditorium. Even Khloe, watching from her screen, found herself clapping before she realized it.
There was no denying it-professional excellence had an irresistible allure all its own.
Nick was cold and aloof, like some untouchable marble statue. Yet, to Khloe, he radiated a powerful, almost overwhelming magnetism.
When the livestream ended, she finally understood his reticence. With someone that brilliant, silent admiration was enough. There was no need for small talk, and certainly no room for frivolous romance.
Her phone stayed dark. No new messages appeared.
Eventually, sleep claimed her, and she pulled the covers over her head.
The following evening, Khloe attended the charity gala. Oscar accompanied her at first but was soon pulled away to handle urgent business.
Michael, too, was constantly in demand-either on his phone or cornered by associates eager for a word.
In contrast, Khloe received little more than polite nods, the occasional handshake, or a business card pressed into her palm. Though she bore the Morrison name, few sought her out for anything beyond a cursory greeting.
She understood why. Everyone here was a titan of industry. Their respect for the Morrison family was genuine, but it was reserved for Niel and the acknowledged members of his household.
To them, Khloe-the newly arrived, “illegitimate” daughter-wasn’t worth their serious attention.
Oscar had warned her this would happen.
The attendees valued Clarice and Ethan far more. In their eyes, Khloe was incapable of steering Niel’s empire, and eventually, the Morrison fortune and power would return to its “rightful” heirs.
No one wanted to offend Clarice or her son prematurely, so they kept their distance, preferring to watch and wait.
Khloe didn’t mind. She was here to represent the Morrison family, that was all. Still, with billions at stake, she couldn’t afford to fade into the background.
She had prepared meticulously for her speech.
The draft had been written by professionals Oscar hired, bu she had refined and polished every line herself.
Just before her segment, Michael noticed her tension. He leaned in close, murmuring that if she lost her nerve, he could deliver the address for her. 1
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.