She was a real sweet tooth, her plump cheeks reminiscent of freshly baked dinner rolls, framing a pair of big, sparkling eyes.
"Staying with your Aunt Karen, huh..." Everett's voice sank, speaking more to himself than anyone else, "You'll see her soon." The first time Heather laid eyes on Lane, she was struck with a moment of stunned silence, quickly followed by a surge of jealousy.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtWhy did all the men around Dorothy have to be so outstanding? On her way over, she had done her homework on Lane. Although his background and assets couldn't touch Everett's, he was still considered a rising star, with a chiseled face of mixed heritage, a tall and slender frame, and a resume that was nothing short of impressive.
And there she was, having hit the books hard for over a decade, striving for perfection in everything, confident that in both appearance and capability she was no less than Dorothy. So why wasn't there a man out there scheming to court her? "Ms. Garcia, pleasure to meet you." Lane had secured a private booth, and even booked the surrounding areas just to ensure their conversation remained confidential.
As Heather took her seat, she offered a polite smile, "Hello." "I've heard about Mr. Lopez's chief legal eagle, tirelessly dedicating herself to the Lopez Corporation. | never imagined I'd have the honor of meeting you today." "There's no need for all that flattery. We both know why we're here. Just get to the point," Heather said, her mind cluttered with a myriad of issues, leaving no room for small talk.
Lane smiled, pulled out his phone, and showed her a photo.
"This is Dorothy's daughter. She visited the office once, and one of my employees snapped this picture without her knowing." Heather took the phone and examined the photo closely. Indeed, the girl had Dorothy's features, and there was a hint of Everett in her eyes as well.
"I want this picture.” "That's not possible," Lane replied. He came to propose a partnership, not to make charitable donations. "The condition of our collaboration is that you do not harm Dorothy or her daughter.” His intention might have been to snatch Dorothy from Everett, but certainly not at the cost of hurting her.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmHeather bristled at his protective stance towards Dorothy.
"So how do we collaborate? To split them up, there has to be a party that gets hurt! If you're planning to harm Everett, | won't stand for it!" "Ms. Garcia, our aim is to separate them, not to push either to their demise! It seems you're the one considering extremes," Lane observed Heather's malice towards Dorothy. "Once they part ways, you'll have Everett, and I'll whisk Dorothy and her daughter away. From then on, she'll be mine, and I'll certainly have to protect her- just as you're defending Everett now." Heather scoffed, "Do you know who Dorothy really is? She never should have come into this world! Her mother was a homewrecker, and she's following in her footsteps, trying to seduce Everett!" Lane straightened up, his thick brows furrowing slightly.
"I have the ability to judge Dorothy’s character for myself. | don’t need your concern in that regard. | came here today to discuss a potential partnership and showed a photo of her daughter as a gesture of goodwill. However, if your intention is solely to speak ill of Dorothy, then this meeting serves no purpose,” he said, beginning to rise from his seat.
Heather clenched her fists, gritting her teeth. "Do you genuinely like her that much? Even after she caused you to lose East Star Enterprises and offended the Lopez Corporation, you're not angry?" "| was raised abroad, where the importance of a good life partner surpasses all wealth and fame. To me, Dorothy is the ideal choice."