Meanwhile, in a private room at one of the luxurious restaurants in the Imperial city...
Achoo! Achoo!
"Seems like someone is cursing you, Justin," said the platinum blond man sitting opposite him at the dining table. "Definitely a woman."
Rowan Lawson, Justin's close friend and the son of the influential Lawson family, was known for his wit and charm. The Lawsons were among the four most powerful families in the Imperial city. Rowan and Justin had studied abroad together, but unlike Justin, Rowan had returned home to manage the family business.
Justin had come to the Imperial city on a mission for his grandmother—to find a woman.
Ignoring Rowan's comment, Justin focused on the file in his hands. With his sharp features and dashing good looks, Justin exuded an undeniable air of nobility and elegance. He closed the file and handed it to his attentive assistant, Noah, who stood beside him.
"Get me every possible piece of information about her as soon as possible," Justin ordered.
Noah accepted the file. "Yes, Mr. Harper."
"Her?" Rowan exclaimed, his curiosity piqued. "Who is this 'her'?"
Justin turned to him, his gaze intense. "You live in this city, so you must know about the daughter of the Ford family, Natalie Ford. Tell me whatever you know about her."
"What's gotten into you to take an interest in a woman like her?" Rowan's expression clearly showed his disdain for Natalie.
Justin raised a brow. "What do you mean by a woman like her?"
"Don't you read the news? See for yourself," Rowan spoke impatiently, as if the topic was beneath him. "If you're interested in her in any way, forget it! She's a troublemaker!"
"I saw the news. But did you know her personally to say this about her?" Natalie belonged to a well-known family in the city, and like any daughter from a wealthy family, she was a subject of gossip.
"I don't, and frankly I don't want to know her," Rowan made a disgusted face. "Her image among the elite circle isn't just bad; it's downright awful. That Ivan Brown—I don't know what he saw in her to want to marry her, but in the end, she played him badly," Rowan chuckled mockingly. "Already married and still trying to marry another man. I wonder what she's made of to be this awful. I pity her family for having a daughter like her. No wonder they sent her away for years, but sadly she didn't change."
Justin stayed quiet. So far, he hadn't heard a single good thing about her and wondered if his grandmother would be disappointed. But he still wanted to meet Natalie personally before he made any decisions.
"We haven't seen each other in so long, and we're talking about that nuisance," Rowan said, trying to change the subject. "Let's talk about you. I'm excited you'll be handling business from this city instead of Bayford. We can catch up on things we missed. I'll inform Seth and Nathan as well."
Justin hummed in response, his mind still on the matter at hand. If that girl was as bad as the rumors said, then for the sake of his grandmother, he needed to turn her into an obedient and refined person. He had many ways to turn even a devil into his submissive dog, let alone one stubborn, spoiled girl.
"You'll be taking over as the global CEO of the Harper empire now, and it will be difficult for you not to show publicly in our own country. When do you plan on revealing yourself?" Rowan asked.
"Not yet. Once I take care of some important matters, I will."
"Alright."
—-
Once Natalie was entirely calm and back to her senses, Mia asked, "What are you going to do about your job? Still gonna continue working for the Browns?"
"I will resign after I finish the current project. It's not right to leave it at the last moment."
"That means you still want to work with that asshole Ivan, who didn't show even an ounce of trust in you despite knowing you for so many years and claiming to love you?"
"Mia, any man would be angry to see the woman he loves already married. He must have felt betrayed. Who in the world is going to believe that I'm married without even knowing it?"
"You still trust that jerk, don't you?" Mia cursed under her breath. "I'm telling you, he would not wait to get rid of you, forgetting everything you have done for him and his company over the years."
"He won't do it. He knows how to separate personal and professional relationships. He knows the company needs me."
Just then, Natalie's phone rang. It was a call from her office.
Mia looked at the cellphone screen. "They know what happened yesterday and can't wait to call you back to work—or should I say, to mock and insult you."
"It's my workplace, and I have to report anyway." Natalie answered the call and heard a voice. "Miss Ford, you have been asked to report to the office."
"I'll be there in a while," she said before hanging up.
"Natalie, I think you should resign."
"I'll decide once I get there," Natalie replied, quickly straightening her dress, fixing her hair and face, and then leaving.
A white, ordinary car stopped in the parking lot of Brown Industries. Natalie stepped out, only to see a familiar red luxury car pass by and park nearby. Determined to avoid trouble, she headed toward the elevator and waited for it to arrive.
"Nat," a sweet voice called out. A woman stood next to her, waiting for the elevator.
"You're not close enough to call me by my nickname," Natalie replied coldly, eyeing her sister, who wouldn't budge until acknowledged.
Briena always maintained herself like a perfect lady. She was beautiful, wore expensive designer dresses, and acted sweetly in front of everyone, earning her the title of one of the most desired young ladies among the elites. Today, she wore a beige trench coat, her chestnut curls falling over her shoulders, highlighting her delicate features. Her sparkling eyes and smooth skin, every frown and smile exuding elegance. In contrast, Natalie always wore professional-looking, work-appropriate clothes, which had become a habit even in her daily life.
Natalie was undoubtedly beautiful, but she consistently wore the same clothes and kept the same hairstyle. Hers was one of those cases where even the most beautiful woman can look unremarkable if she doesn't put any effort into dressing up and focuses solely on work.
"Despite how you are, you are my sister, Natalie," Briena spoke softly. "I will always care for you. I didn't sleep the entire night worrying about you. This morning, when you came home…"
"Spare me the theatrics," Natalie interrupted. "You might consider becoming an actress."
The elevator arrived, and Natalie stepped inside, followed by Briena. Natalie pressed the button for the seventeenth floor and stepped aside.
A light smirk appeared on Briena's lips. "Will you press the thirtieth floor for me?"
"I see your hands are still attached to your body," Natalie replied indifferently, knowing what Briena was trying to do. The thirtieth floor was Ivan's private space, where no one was allowed without his permission.
"Never mind," Briena pressed the button herself. "I know you must feel hurt seeing that Ivan allows me in his private place."
Natalie didn't respond, focusing on the elevator's ascent. Briena's words were meant to provoke, but Natalie had learned long ago not to give her the satisfaction of a reaction.
Her indifference had always bothered Briena, and this time she was not willing to give up, especially since she finally had something that could truly hurt Natalie.
"By the way, how many times have you been there? What did you do there? I'm asking so I'll know what can be done there…"
The elevator door opened to the seventeenth floor, where the research and development department was located. Natalie stepped out and turned to look at Briena, her gaze cold, her lips curved in a mocking smile. "You should ask those questions to your fiancé. You might like to hear from him what exactly we did there."