Chapter 72: Chapter 72
"Not yet confirmed, but I just visited him at the hospital, brought the divorce agreement along, and he might have had a conscience awakening, signed it swiftly. We’ll handle the formalities once he’s discharged."
Saying that, my tone was light and easy, as if one foot had already stepped out of the confines of marriage.
"That’s good, congratulations, you’re almost free from the sea of misery."
I heard someone speaking on his side, presumably still busy with work, and immediately said, "You go ahead and busy yourself. I’m driving, catch up later."
"Alright, stay safe."
I hung up the phone and was almost at the company.
After parking the car, reflecting on the conversation just now, I inexplicably felt like I was having an affair.
I don’t know if it’s my illusion, but Daniel seems quite concerned about when I get divorced.
Reporting the divorce progress to him felt more like pacifying a lover eagerly waiting for me to become single...
A round of failed attempts at divorce made me inexplicably guilty towards him, as if I was holding him back.
Spit, spit! What am I thinking!
I suddenly cleared my mind, immediately banishing those chaotic thoughts.
Daniel is such a noble and elegant person, akin to The Exile untouched by mortal influences, to be so tainted by my filthy thoughts.
Scolding myself internally, I grabbed my things, got out of the car, and locked it.
It was from a local unknown landline number.
I suddenly had a premonition—it couldn’t be—
"Hello, is this Ms. Lily Miller? I’m a faculty office teacher from Elmore University’s Fashion Design Institute, calling to invite you to participate in our centenary celebration series events next month. I’d like to know if you can attend?"
Gripping the phone, I seriously suspected Daniel had tipped off the school.
"Yes, I’m working in Fallhaven."
"Great, I’ll make a note of that. Later, we’ll add you to a WeChat group with alumni from this institute attending the celebration for sending notifications."
"Alright, thank you, teacher."
Hanging up, I felt a rush of excitement.
Walking towards the elevator, I separately shared the news with Daniel and Wennie Lane on WeChat.
Wennie replied instantly.
Daniel replied an hour later.
I stared at his WeChat message, in a daze.
His WeChat avatar is quite grand—a warship heading towards the sun on a sea illuminated by the rosy glow.
Uncertain whether it was an image found online or shot personally by him in some circumstance.
But since it can be used publicly as an avatar, it likely doesn’t involve military secrets.
I looked at that little image over and over, feeling it perfectly matched his demeanor and essence.
Full of youthful vigor, dignified and robust, isolated yet guarding the nation’s borders and ensuring peace for thousands.
Anything related to him, in my eyes and heart, had its own filter.
In the late stages of a love-obsessed mind.
Over the past two months, amidst various troublesome issues of mine, finally settled with Jason Miller’s arrest.
I’m unsure if Adrian is genuinely aiding him, but from my lawyer inquiries, Jason Miller’s case has reached litigation phase.
I also learned that in efforts to mitigate penalties, Jason Miller is actively paying back taxes and late fees.
For this, the Miller Family has been liquidating assets, including selling off the newly established trading company.
This isn’t enough; it still seems short by fifty million.
Upon hearing this, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Jason Miller has finally lifted a stone only to drop it on his own foot—karma at work.
When one’s mood is pleasant, work efficiency tends to increase.
I was flooded with inspiration, completing a series of couture designs, entrusting the specific tailoring and production to assistants under my name to manage.
But for Melissa Chandler’s performance attire, I took on the crafting personally.
This period, I’ve been so busy there hasn’t been time to spare for insomnia—each day opens with work that never ends.
Only after discovering a fitting career manager to comprehensively manage my fashion company did I slightly catch a breath.
But before I could even relax, new problems surfaced unexpectedly.
Early in the morning, I was busy in the private studio above the company, Cherry came up to report: "Ms. Lily, Lady Turner has come again, insisting on seeing you."
I stepped aside from behind the model, instinctively sensing trouble: "My stepmother?"
"Yeah, looks like she’s here with bad intentions. President Yance is currently attending to her, saying you’re not at the company today, yet she’s still hanging around, refusing to leave. Should we have security escort her out, or do you want to meet her?"
The "President Yance" Cherry speaks of is the career manager I recently hired, Calvin Yance, a senior industry expert with years of experience overseas in the fashion circle.
I could probably guess the reason for Shirley Turner’s visit, thought about it, and sighed: "Let’s see... Have her wait in the café downstairs in the company, tell her I’m rushing back from outside and have her wait."
"Okay, I’ll handle it right away."
Cherry walked away, I continued with my work, but my mind was contemplating how to handle the upcoming encounter.
After Jason Miller paid the taxes and late fees, Zephanor Trading Company’s crisis was resolved and could continue generating profits.
However, his newly opened Quadalon Trade was sold to someone else.
He also no longer holds shares in Zephanor Trade, so any profits made by the company no longer benefit him.
Meaning Jason Miller’s attempt at shedding responsibility completely failed.
Intending to frame me, making me take the fall instead—not only did it not succeed, but also dragged himself down, leaving him with nothing, heavily indebted.
Leaving him with nothing was bad enough, but he inadvertently paved the way for me. Read full story at novel_fіre.net
Because I am now the largest shareholder in Zephanor Trade, not involved in managing operations but able to enjoy dividends yearly.
With it all, I emerged victorious while Jason Miller suffered total defeat, a classic case of losing out while trying to trick someone else.
Thus, Shirley Turner’s visit today is inevitably about requesting money or shares.
After Cherry handled the matter, she sent me a WeChat message, and I continued working for another half-hour before slowly heading downstairs.
By the time I arrived at the café, Shirley Turner was clearly impatient from waiting, giving Cherry a hard time.
"Is Lily Miller coming or not? Now that she’s become all high and mighty, starting to pull rank on me? Deliberately trying to show me up, huh? I’ve been waiting for half an hour!"
"Mrs. Miller, you know our President Miller is busy every day... She’s got two companies under her name, so many wealthy ladies seeking custom appointments with her, she works tirelessly without breaks, it’s tough for her."
Cherry certainly knows how to subtly frame things for others.
Upon hearing this, Shirley Turner grew increasingly furious!
"Lily Miller is a robber! She seized Adrian Gordon’s fashion company, then took her own father’s trading company, insatiable as a serpent trying to swallow an elephant! She’s nothing but a bandit robber!"
Cherry gently reassured, "Mrs. Miller, it shouldn’t be spoken this way. You’ve always sought favors from us, willingly transferring company or shares to President Miller. She was bullied so much by you, almost left without a path..."
"You—you little brat, quite an eloquent tongue! Just like Lily Miller!"
I stood outside the café window, listening to this dialogue clearly, with a smirk in my heart.
I stepped into the café, raised my voice, "Mrs. Miller, thank you for your recognition of my employee. Cherry, I’ll give you a pay raise, bump you up a level."
Cherry was about to jump for joy, "Thank you, President Miller, that’s wonderful!"
Cherry and I wore smiles, while Shirley Turner’s face twisted in anger, growing pale with fury.
"Lily Miller! You’ve finally arrived, I thought you wouldn’t dare face me!" Shirley Turner shot me a sideways glance, immediately unleashing full force.