Rachel Foster didn't walk far. She stood on the street corner, watching the flow of cars and people. In that moment, the world seemed to stand still, with only her heart pounding incessantly.
She didn't know where to go until a familiar Bentley passed her. The dark tinted windows prevented her from seeing inside, but as the car sped past, it left a chilling breeze that seeped into her bones.
Her cold fingers brushed against her pale lips, still feeling the forcefulness and dominance of his kiss. Her heart gradually cooled, and she slowly sank to the roadside, feeling powerless.
The pristine white hem of her wedding dress became tainted with the street's dust, making her appear disheveled. Some passersby began to notice her, but she lowered her head, burying her face in her knees.
Her nose felt stuffy, her heart heavy with bitterness, and she wanted to cry, yet no tears came. She couldn't understand why she wanted to cry or why she should.
If he demanded that kiss as repayment, she didn't mind. It wasn't the first time he had kissed her. She wouldn't mind if this could sever all ties with him.
But why did it hurt so much? Was it because of his words?
"I don't know why, but every time I see you, I feel a sense of déjà vu... This wedding dress suits you. It's how I imagined my beloved would look in a wedding dress when I was young... Maybe it's this feeling that drew me in here..."
Her heart ached unbearably.
Fate loved to toy with people. She once thought she would wear a pure white wedding dress and marry him. She never imagined that when she stood before him in such a beautiful dress, he wouldn't be her groom, nor his bride. They each had their paths, diverging in opposite directions...
The sky began to drizzle as if mourning the passing of youth.
She slowly stood up, clutching the hem of her wedding dress like a mechanical doll implanted with a chip. She walked step by step back to the bridal shop, each step leaving a trail of heartbreak.
The shop assistant saw her and quickly brought out an umbrella.
One encounters many moments of joy and sorrow in life, but as time passes, these moments become insignificant, like that day in the bridal shop when she met him. She had chosen to let go.
The car stopped at the entrance of the Hilton Hotel. Sam got out to open the door for Jasper Reed, who then walked around to help Rachel out of the car. She wore a regal sapphire blue gown, as today was the government-hosted real estate business summit, and she couldn't dress casually.
She walked arm in arm with Jasper towards the hotel's steps under the watchful eyes of the crowd. The hotel staff had come out to greet them, and a few reporters waiting outside rushed over.
"Miss Foster, you look beautiful today. We heard Mr. Reed has proposed to you. When will the wedding take place?"
"Mr. Reed, can you share the details of your proposal with us?"
Facing the reporters' sweet questions, Jasper and Rachel exchanged knowing smiles but remained silent. Just then, someone shouted, "Mr. Scott is here," in an instant, the reporters interviewing them hurried down the steps. A swarm of reporters seemingly appeared out of nowhere, rushing towards Kingsly Scott.
Kingsly, dressed in a dark suit, stepped out of his car with Helen following. Surrounded by three bodyguards and hotel security, he ascended the steps like a noble king, indifferent to everything around him. He offered no response to the relentless questions from the pursuing reporters. It seemed as if the entire world lay at his feet.
The appearance of Kingsly Scott drew all eyes, instantly reducing Rachel Foster and Jasper Reed, who were being interviewed a moment before, to unimportant supporting roles.As Kingsly ascended the steps towards them, Rachel's face stiffened slightly, her nerves taut, and she involuntarily tightened her grip on Jasper's arm.
She knew Kingsly would attend this business summit and had been hoping all night to avoid crossing paths with him. But now, it seemed unlikely.
Rachel lowered her head slightly, knowing it was futile, yet hoping Kingsly hadn't noticed her.
Jasper sensed her tension and nudged her gently. "What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"
"No..."
"You don't look well."
"I..." Rachel forced herself to look up just in time to see Kingsly's tall, dark figure stride through the hotel doors, and she exhaled a sigh of relief.
It seemed fate was on her side; thankfully, he hadn't seen her. He had mentioned feeling a sense of déjà vu with her, yet they had been just a few steps apart, and he hadn't even glanced her way. It was now clear that his words at the bridal shop were his usual tactics for pursuing women. Fortunately, she hadn't harbored any fantasies about him nor taken him seriously.
With her head held high, Rachel regained her composed elegance and softly said to Jasper, "Let's go."
"Alright."
Rachel finally breathed easy, unaware Jasper had observed all her subtle expressions when she saw Kingsly.
As expected, like every year, the government-hosted business summit was a front for selling land.
The land in question was the Shallow Bay Waste Disposal Site, notorious for its barren and desolate landscape. As large as twenty football fields, it had the potential for endless redevelopment opportunities. However, due to its remote location, it would not be lucrative for commercial purposes regardless of how developed it may become, presenting a challenge for the real estate industry.
Seated near the entrance on the right side of the makeshift central stage, Rachel and Jasper exchanged a knowing smile. They remained silent when the government announced the sale of Shallow Bay.
Whether it was past summits, today's prime city center plots, or the most barren outskirts, Silverstone Holdings, a moderate real estate group, was destined to remain spectators. However, Rachel was curious about which corporation would bid on this land this year. With this thought, she couldn't resist glancing at the central position.
Kingsly sat in the most prominent position at the venue, a person even the City government was cautious not to offend.
She wondered whether Kingsly, who never left a summit empty-handed, would be a mere spectator this year. If not, with his usual precise business acumen, would he bid on this unprofitable land?
Leaning back in his chair, Kingsly's dark, handsome figure relaxed, his legs crossed. He watched the stage with a faint smile as he leaned in to speak with someone beside him. Some people exude endless charm effortlessly in this world, and Kingsly is one of them.
Rachel's attention was entirely on Kingsly, and she completely overlooked the person beside him, the one Kingsly had just been conversing with, until the final government call for bids. That was when the young man beside Kingsly stood and raised a bidding paddle.
As all eyes turned to this young man, Rachel stood in shock. "Noah?"
"First, I would like to thank the government for hosting this business summit... As everyone knows, Shallow Bay is the most barren piece of land in town. Still, we at Titans Group are confident we can turn decay into magic, transforming Shallow Bay into the city's first golden commercial center." Noah Foster, dressed in a well-tailored iron-gray suit, exuded youth and confidence, with every gesture showcasing his vigor and assurance as a young talent.While everyone below the stage whispered about this new talent representing Titans Group, Rachel Foster exchanged a glance with Noah on stage, her face stiffening as she got up to head to the balcony.
The business summit finally concluded.
Kingsly Scott took Noah with him to accept media interviews. Noah quickly became a rising star beside Kingsly, gaining instant fame in business.
Rachel stood on the hotel balcony, watching through the glass as various elites surrounded Noah, her expression growing increasingly grim.
"Don't be upset. Noah will come over and explain everything," Jasper gently draped his suit jacket over her shoulders, speaking softly.
Rachel took a deep breath to control her emotions until—
"Big Sis."
Noah finally came over.
Rachel immediately turned around, looking at her brother, who was dressed sharply in a suit and radiating confidence. She frowned. "Give me an explanation. Why aren't you studying in the U.S.?" If she remembered correctly, her brother still had a year before graduating from university.
Noah approached his sister, speaking earnestly. "I told you I had a surprise for you."
Rachel recalled her brother mentioning a surprise before, and she exasperatedly slapped her forehead. "Your surprise is giving up your studies to work?"
"I haven't given up my studies... I did well at Stanford, which allowed me to graduate a year early. I've already received my diploma."
Rachel was surprised. "Then you..."
"Big Sis, you should know that my goal since childhood has been to go into business. Mr. Scott, who graduated from Stanford and became our city's wealthiest person at a young age, has always been my role model. So, once I got my diploma, I sent my resume to Titans Group... I'm lucky Mr. Scott valued the American real estate projects I mentioned in my resume. He interviewed me and allowed me to develop at Titans Group."
Rachel temporarily relaxed, relieved that her brother hadn't neglected his education. "But I've told you before if you want to go into business, Silverstone Holdings has plenty of opportunities."
Noah turned to Jasper with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, Jasper." Then he looked back at Rachel. "Big Sis, you can call me ambitious or say I'm aiming too high, but I, Noah Foster, don't want to settle for mediocrity. If I do something, I want to be like Kingsly Scott, at the top of the world's pyramid, so I wanted to join Titans Group... And it turns out my choice was right, as Mr. Scott values my abilities and has entrusted me with the Shallow Bay project."
"Noah, Kingsly Scott's way of doing things doesn't suit you, and besides, the Shallow Bay project carries many risks; he..." Rachel couldn't pinpoint what was wrong, but she felt uneasy. "No, I have to go see him. You can't stay at Titans Group."
Jasper reached out to try to stop Rachel, but it was too late; she had already lifted her gown and hurried out.