Chapter Three - Vivian's POV

I angrily tried to snatch my phone back, but he held it up high with one hand. Damn it, why is he so tall!

"It wasn't a secret recording. You said you'd give me a guarantee and voluntarily opened your phone for me to record. You even said you didn't look good at the moment and that a voice recording would be fine."

Maxwell played the voice recording from the beginning, and sure enough, it started with me constantly asking if he had started recording.

I covered my forehead, already shocked numb.

Did that drug have hallucinogenic effects? How could I have said those things?

Maxwell took my hand and pulled me into his embrace. Smelling the woody cologne on him, some scattered fragments popped into my mind.

I had grabbed him wanting more, he made me promise, and also... Oh God! Dear God!

I felt so ashamed. I abruptly pushed Maxwell away and quickly ran out of his house.

A car was parked at the door. The driver gave me a professional smile. "Miss Vivian, sir asked me to drive you to the company."

I politely thanked him and got in the car.

In the car, I found the decorations somewhat familiar. Suddenly, images of Maxwell and me kissing flashed through my mind. As if electrocuted, I quickly withdrew the hand that had been touching the car.

Damn it! Just how crazy was last night?!

I secretly observed the driver's reaction. He was seriously focused on driving, seemingly completely oblivious to me.

I secretly let out a breath, mentally cursing everyone involved in drugging me. And whoever tried to harm me - I would definitely find out!

Walking into the company, people kept greeting me along the way.

As the heir of Haomeng Group, my abilities were beyond question. I started from the bottom right after graduation, learning the business processes and independently developing projects that significantly increased the company's revenue.

Whenever my work achieved success, I would miss my mother even more. She was the founder of the group. Her careful cultivation of me allowed me to achieve what I have today.

Even though she died in an accident, I had her office preserved. So when I saw Selina's photo appearing in her office, my fury instantly reached its peak.

Less than six months after Mom died, my so-called father immediately brought home two women - Selina and Chloe.

He said this was his cousin and her daughter.

But when I saw that cousin Selina walking out of my father's room, I understood everything.

So disgusting. Seeing them made my stomach involuntarily churn.

I wanted to explode, wanted to scream.

And I did exactly that. I directly stripped off all the jewelry Selina was wearing, including the silk nightgown on her body.

"These are my mother's things. If you dare touch one more item, I don't mind killing you with my own hands!"

I swear, at that moment I really wanted to take down the gun in my room and shoot that woman dead.

Unfortunately, my dad stopped me. He tried to suppress me with his authority as a father, but when he saw the look in my eyes that showed I wouldn't mind giving him a shot too, his momentum suddenly weakened.

In the end, he awkwardly helped the collapsed and pitifully crying Selina up and took her away.

As he turned around, I saw Chloe hiding in the corner, looking at me with terrified eyes. She was only a year younger than me, but always felt she was still young. She always tried to use naivety to cover the greed in her eyes.

When she noticed me looking at her, she turned and ran upstairs like a rabbit seeing a hunter.

I thought she would behave herself, and that I could deal with her after handling Theodore's matter.

But I didn't expect her to be so impatient to trample on my bottom line.

In that case, I'll deal with her first!

I rushed in and smashed Selina's photo frame, then threw all her belongings out the door.

My assistant came running over and reported to me, "It was Manager Victor's request. I couldn't stop him."

"Go call HR."

The assistant acknowledged and turned to leave, also having the cleaning staff come in.

"Throw all this garbage out."

The cleaning staff acknowledged and began tidying up.

A cry of alarm came from the doorway: "What's going on? Why are all my things thrown on the ground?"

I looked up to see Selina holding coffee and shouting angrily. When she saw me, her voice unconsciously lowered.

"Vivian, you're here. Why did you throw all my things on the ground? How did I offend you?"

My eyes were cold. "Who told you to come?"

She unconsciously stepped back two steps. "I... I came in through the normal interview process. What's... what's wrong?"

Employees around us had already started slowly gathering and whispering. Selina nervously scanned the surroundings and hurriedly entered, planning to close the door. "Vivian, you..."

"Get out! You're not worthy to come in!"

I shouted angrily at Selina, scaring her so much that her hand preparing to close the door froze. Tears fell from her eyes. "Your dad said I just started and was worried I wouldn't be familiar with things, so he let me use this office as a transition. I didn't know."

"This is my mother's office. No one is allowed to enter, no one is worthy to touch her things. You're fired!"

I said to the cleaning staff who was tidying up: "No need to clean. She'll pack up her own things and leave."

Selina screamed in protest, "I'm not leaving! I was hired by your father. You have no right to fire me!"

I knew it was that man. For his so-called interests, he was testing my bottom line step by step.

Anger and sorrow kept intertwining in my heart, suffocating me.

My fingers clenched tightly, trying hard to control my temper.

HR arrived in a hurry at this time. I pointed at Selina and asked her: "Did she come in through the normal process?"

HR quickly glanced at Selina and answered with difficulty: "No, it was your father, the general manager, who brought her directly, saying he wanted her as his assistant."

"Since she didn't come in through the normal process, she doesn't even need to pay breach of contract fees. Make her leave immediately!"

Selina's expression turned pale, sweat on her forehead drawing white streaks on her face. She resisted, pressing her body against the wall. "I'm not leaving! I was hired by your dad. You can't fire me!"

A wave of disgust and irritation rose in my heart. Why have there been so many frustrating things lately!

"If you don't leave, I'll have my lawyer sue you for entering the company through illegal means to obtain benefits. I can sue you!"

Selina's expression became defeated, and she stopped speaking.

She slowly squatted down and began packing her things, occasionally looking at me with venomous eyes.

When she finished packing and was about to leave, Victor, that father of mine, arrived.

He was already over 50, but with regular exercise and attention to maintenance, he looked younger than his peers.

At this moment, he was furious, blocking Selina and immediately challenging me.

"When did I need to report to you about hiring my own assistant?"

I looked back at him coldly, completely without the intimacy between relatives, as if looking at a stranger.

"She doesn't meet company regulations and damaged company property. If you keep blocking me, I'll sue you too, for abuse of power, and some other matters..."

Of course I knew he had plenty of dirty projects - kickbacks and commissions. An investigation would turn up everything.

Previously, I thought he truly loved my mother. When she died, he was so grief-stricken he was hospitalized.

I thought that even though he often argued with my mother, they still loved each other.

But in just six months, he not only fell in love with someone else, he also wanted to take away everything that belonged to my mother!

This was my last act of tolerance toward him.

"You..."

Victor's chest kept heaving as he breathed heavily. He wanted to say more, but probably fearing it would really implicate him, he could only suppress his anger and help Selina carry her things and leave.

I instructed my assistant, "Clean this room thoroughly and restore it to its original state!"

"Have Maya come find me in the office."

"Okay!"

After returning to the office, I made myself a cup of coffee. Savoring the coffee's aroma, my emotions gradually calmed down.

Many things had happened from yesterday until now, and only now did I have time to sort through them.

Why did Theodore suddenly want to break up with me? Did he suddenly find me tiresome? Or was he just afraid of marriage?

Regardless of the reason, the wedding couldn't happen.

I had my assistant come in. "Stop all wedding arrangements. Cancel the appointment for the wedding dress fitting, and cancel the church and pastor reservations too."

The assistant was surprised and asked me: "What about Mr. Theodore's side..."

"Oh right, help me check if Theodore has made any unusual moves recently."

The assistant nodded, then carefully comforted me: "Miss Vivian, if you're feeling bad, I'm available to listen anytime."

"Or, do you need me to pour you a drink?"

Alcohol? Some not-so-pleasant images were instantly triggered.

"No need, I don't want to drink for a while. Go ahead with your work. And thank you for the comfort, I'm fine."

After the assistant left, Maya came in.

As soon as she entered, she naturally sat on the sofa across from me, her tone as casual as if chatting about the weather.

"You finally broke up with Theodore?"

Finally? Did she never like Theodore all along?

This lady with big wavy curls and fashionable attire kept looking at her freshly done manicure, completely unlike a senior lawyer with an incredibly high win rate.

"Do you know something?"

"I told you before, I saw him outside Theodore's house being intimate with a woman. I told you, and you insisted she was his sister. Please, what kind of sister kisses on the lips?"