Overwhelmed with guih, Mason swore he would never let Chloe down.

“Alright, Lily, you can both leave now,” Chloe said, giving her sister a pointed look. Understanding the signal, Lily and the doctor, who was also ber husband, made ba /bswift exit.

Chloe’s pale face broke into a radiant, gentle bsmile/b. “Mason,” she said, her voice soft and full of understanding, “I never wanted byou /bto feel like you had to brepay /bme. I saved you because it was the right thing to do!

She coughed before continuing “I would have saved anyone. You don’t owe me anythingb. /bbYou’ve /bbeen so good to me these past few years, and I’ve been very bhappy/b. Even if I don’t live past thirty, it’s been enough”

Her words were like a knife to his heart. He grabbed her hand, his voice urgent. “Chlor, don’t say things like thatb. /bYou’re just a little bweak/b, that’s al I’ll go get Vivian and bbring /bher here for the transfusion. You just wait.

Chloe shook her head. “No, Mason, I found out yesterday. bVivian /bever wanted to give me her blood in the mace.

“What? You saw Vivian? When? Mason’s first thought wasn’t concern, but suspicion. He couldn’t believe Vivian had gone to Chloe instead of him. Clearly, she was up to something probably trying to bully Chloe again.

Did she do anything to you?” he demanded.

At his question, Chloe’s eyes reddened, and she looked away, bunable /bto meet his gaze.

That was all the confirmation Mason needed. Her silent, wounded expression told him everything. He denched his fists, his reeds grinding. I knew it. That woman is despicable. I’ll make her apologize to you personally.”

bHe /bstormed out of the room. Chloe, trying and failing to look like she bwas /bstopping him, was left with her hand frozen in bmid/b–air. Once his footsteps faded, a triumphant smule spread across her face.

Vivian you

| self–righteous fool, she thought with a smirk. “In the end, you’ll stille crawling back bto /bapologize. So bwhat /bif you’re a Hart? I can twist you around my little finger. You can’tpete with me. You’re nothing

Meanwhile, Vivian had gone back home and clunged listo a sman, professional outfit, transforming herself into the image of a corporate elite. She had a pure, gentleury, though her eyes always held a hint of sorrow Returning to thepany, Richard, seeing her new look, was extremely pleased. With this image, he believed she couldmand a room.

“Vivian,” he said, “this is all on you. Don’t mess this up. If wend this deal today, you’re getting a promotion.”

The promise lit a fire in Vivian. She would nail this deal. She would prove to everyone–and to herself–bthat /bshe was capable. She wouldn’t let Sienna dawn.

They walked into the hotel, but as luck would have it, they ran right into Sophie. Noticing Vivian, Sophie was taken aback. The timid, fearful Vivian bshe /bknew was gone, reced by a woman with a confident aura.

She nced at the ponly middle–aged man beside Vivian and sneered, ‘So, she’stched onto Richard. No wonder she’s suddenly so bold

She waited for Vivian to greet her as before, but Vivian walked past her without a second nce.

Vivian, Mop right there.” Sophie snapped.

Vivian didn’t break her bstride/b, but Richard paused, offering Sophie a cating bsmile/b. “Miss Quinn, is there something I can help you with?” “I was talking to Vivian, not you. Get lost, Sophie bshot /bhim a disdainful look, then turned to Vivian. “You dare to ignore me? You think because you’ve snagged this guy, you’re on your way to the top? How pathetic”

Vivian’s fists tightened. In the bpast/b, she would have tolerated it. She would have endured the insults, all bbecause /bshe loved bMason /b

He had been a flicker of light in her endless darkness. But then Sienna came back and ripped open the roof of her prison, letting the real sun shine in. She finally understood what real love, what real warmth, felt like

String her silence, Sophie pressed on. “I hear you want to end the engagement. You’ve really mastered the art of ying hard to get, haven’t you! Too bad for you, we’re not falling for IL

bVivian /bturned, bher /bexpression unreadable, her eyes like ice.

“Are you finished The Quinn family are byou /bsome kind of priceless treasure I should be desperately crawling towards?” she snicered. “Let me be clear, Sophie: even if your whole family begged on their knees, I wouldn’t step foot in your house. You’re arrogant and bugly/b–and not worth my time. A morally bankruptb, /bssless waste of space.

Sophie stared, utterly speechless. She didn’t expect to be cursed by bVivian/b. But by the time she recovered, Vivian and Richard were gone.

“You’re dead. Vivianb,/b” she seethed. “You just wail”

“Mr. Wood. I’m sorry you had to see bthat/b, on the other side, Vivian said quietly. “If she tries to cause trouble, I’ll take full responsibility” Richard just waved his hand. “If we sign this contract today, we’ll be under the protection of a giant. Do you understand what you need to do?”

bVivian /bnodded firmly. Soon, they met the representative from SIE in the hotel room,

“Hellob, /b

, we’re from bDynastis/b” Richard spoke up to greet “Are you with SIE Corporation?”

“Yes,e in,” the representative said. “Our superior would like to meet with one of your employees. This miss cane with usb.” /b

Richard pulled bVivian /baside, his voice a low, urgent whisper. “Be careful. Watch what you say. Don’t offend anyone. If things go bsouth/b, just tell them

to blet /bme m.

b“/bbDon’t /bworry, Vivian said. “bI /bwon’t let you down.” With that, she walked into the room.

bAs /bthe meeting dragged on. Sienna kept an eye on the security feed from her desk. When she heard Richard’s words to Vivian, her gaze shifted to the file lying in front of her.

From b

here, she knew Richard Wood was former university professor who started his own business. No major scandals,

“Miss Enna” Lana said, “bMiss /bVivian is now speaking with our representative, Shall I have Mr. Wood sent up?”

Sienna nodded. Understanding what she meant, Lana went down personally.

Richard was a nervous wreck, pacing back and forth. When the beautiful blonde woman approached him and handed him a business card, he nearly fainted.

“Mr. Wood, it’s good to see you,” said Lana “My name is Lam Yost, executive assistant to the president of SIE. Our president would like to see byou /bbAre /byou avable now!

Richard could hardly believe his cars. The President of SIX Corporation wanted to see him! He thought. A small–time business owner, a minnow in the corporate ocean. Had a lifetime of bgood /bluck just fallen into hisp?

?