Chapter 7
Annie was startled by the yelling and dropped straight to the floor. Her lips were trembling, and she couldn’t utter a single word.
Hugo took a deep breath and turned to Matteo, his eyes
full of disappointment. “Matteo, do even know who she is?
you
“I didn’t tell you the truth before because I was worried it would weigh on
you.
“That’s why I was planning to tell you after the engagement.
“But you…” His words ended with a sigh.
Matteo’s fingers were shaking slightly. He opened his mouth, but no
words came out.
I stood up, smoothed out my latte–stained dress, and said calmly, “Sir Karridge, there’s no need to put him through this.
“If the Karridge Group doesn’t want me here, I’ll just leave.‘
With that, I headed toward the door.
“Wait!” Matteo’s father, Eric Karridge, hurriedly stopped me, his tone bordering on pleading. “Isabelle, this matter is the Karridge family’s fault. Please give us a chance to make amends!”
I stopped in my tracks and glanced back at Matteo.
His face was pale, his eyes filled with shock and confusion.
“A chance?” I let out a soft laugh. “Eric, do you think the Karridge Group
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Chapter 7
still has the qualifications to talk to me about chances right now?”
As soon as the words left my mouth, the projection screen in the conference room suddenly lit up, displaying a real–time financial news
headline.
“Breaking News! The Karridge Group’s stock price plummets 30%, market value evaporates by nearly ten billion!”
xe
The executives erupted in an uproar. Some even collapsed straight into their chairs.
Matteo suddenly looked up at the screen, his eyes widened.
I slowly pulled out another phone and made the call. “You can stop now.
A minute later, the stock price on the screen suddenly stopped dropping.
screens Then it started to climb back up.
The whole conference room went completely silent. Everyone was staring at me like I was some kind of monster.
Eric took a deep breath, then suddenly spun around and slapped Annie across the face.
“You idiot! Get down on your knees and apologize to Ms. Akre!”
Annie was hit so hard that blood started dripping from the corner of her mouth. She spun around twice, and one of her front teeth had even been knocked loose.
Seeing how beaten up she looked, Matteo couldn’t help but feel a sharp pang of pain and quickly stepped forward to hold her up.
“Dad, we can talk it over. Why did you hit her?”
I watched coldly from the side.
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Chapter 7
Matteo’s usually calm and handsome face was now red with anger.
The way he was defending Annie reminded me of all those times he had turned me down for her.
“Eric, forget it.”
I slowly rolled up my cuffs, staying completely composed.
“If Mr. Karridge is so set on protecting her, there’s no need for an apology.”
Eric turned pale with rage and swung another slap.
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This time, Annie fell directly to her knees. The sound of her knees hitting the floor made everyone present
S their necks.
“Matteo! Get out of my way!” Eric foa
“Do you know who it is you’re
protecting? Do you know who it is you’ve offended?”
Matteo stood his ground stubbornly, his slender arms outstretched like a hen protecting her chicks.
“No matter who she is, no one can bully people like this!”
He turned to glare at me, anger flaming in his eyes.
“Isabelle, you rely on having some background to humiliate people like this. Shameful, despicable!”
The conference room went completely silent.
On the screen, the Karridge Group’s stock price was still fluctuating, reminding everyone of what just happened.
I walked over to Matteo.
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A light whiff of men’s cologne hit me; it was the one Annie had gotten him. I remembered clearly.
Three months ago, on his birthday, I gave him a watch that was worth tens of millions.
He thanked me politely, but I never saw him wear it.
But that cheap perfume from Annie? He wore it every single day.
L
