| Body |
“Harmonia, why is the floor covered in blood?”
Absalom’s eyes were icy cold. He looked at Harmonia in disgust.
Harmonia’s ears were buzzing. The man she had loved for five years now made chills run down her spine.
Today was Absalom’s uncle’s welcome home party.
Three hours ago, she received Absalom’s text about a welcome home party at Northriver estate. She was to decorate the place in advance.
The moment she stepped into the estate, Absalom’s childhood friend, Luna Woods, took a pill that induced to lose the baby in front of her!
By the time she realized this was a scheme to frame her, she turned to run away. But it was too late.
“I’ll say it again. I didn’t do it!”
Absalom laughed coldly, “Villagers are supposed to be honest and kind-hearted. How can you lie so remorselessly? I saw Luna covered in blood, and I heard her beg you to not harm the child! Are you still going to deny it?”
“Absalom, you were the one who cheated in this marriage. You are the one in the wrong! Even if I hated you and Luna, I wouldn’t need to use such despicable ways to get back at her and harm her unborn child!”
“I told you earlier that what happened between Luna and me was just an accident! I would handle things after she delivered the child! But you actually forced her to take a pill?”
“She took the pill herself! It has nothing to do with me!”
She kept defending herself, but only Luna and she were at the estate at the time. She could not clear her name no matter what.
“What a joke! So, Luna harmed her own child? Harmonia, would anyone even believe you?”
Yes, he did not believe it. Neither would anyone else.
Luna was the heiress to the Woods family. Even if the Woods family were not as rich as before, they were still rich. Meanwhile, Harmonia was nothing. In their eyes, she was just another bumpkin from the hills.
Just based on this, no one would believe her.
Moreover, everyone knew that no matter how bad a mother was, she would not willingly cause harm to her own child. Luna was a sweet, loving girl who would cry at a trodden ant. How could she be cruel enough to harm her unborn child?
She had to admit, her strategy was ruthless. Still, it worked like a charm.
“Harmonia, you’re just too cruel!”
Absalom gritted his teeth, grabbed Harmonia’s neck, and held her against the wall.
Harmonia’s face went pale. It felt like she was sinking into the depths of the ocean. It was getting harder to breathe.
She had asthma!
“Medicine…” She quickly searched her pockets for her inhaler. Her hands could not stop shaking; even opening the inhaler was hard.
However, the second she opened it, Absalom slapped the inhaler away.
The inhaler fell on the floor.
“Enough! Harmonia, stop faking your illness!” Absalom let his hand fall to his side. His face was sullen.
Harmonia’s whole body became limp, and she slumped onto the floor!
She needed her inhaler!
Staring at the inhaler on the floor, she pushed herself up while struggling to breathe and crawled forward.
“Harmonia, how long are you going to keep up this act?”
Absalom was livid. Clenching his teeth, he rushed over. He stepped on the inhaler before he stomped on the back of Harmonia’s hand!
Harmonia gasped from the pain. Her breathing became even worse. She gasped with difficulty, but the pain brought her mind exceptional clarity.
It was precisely because of this clarity that she sensed just how cruel this man was.
Absalom bent down to grip her chin, then he said coldly. “Clean the blood off the floor before my uncle reaches the estate! Otherwise, you’ll have to pay!”
He left and did not even spare her a single glance.
Over the past five years, when had he ever looked her straight in the eye? She was the stubborn, delusional one who insisted on marrying him.
Outside the door, Absalom was calling to check on Luna’s condition. He spoke urgently, and his words were full of concern.
Soon, she heard him leave in a great hurry. It showed how much he worried about his childhood friend turned mistress.
Chuckling to herself, she wanted to pick up the crushed inhaler. However, she did not have any energy left.
“Save…”
Slowly, her breathing faded away. Her consciousness was becoming fuzzy.
Swiftly, the door opened. Someone walked in.
Had Absalom come back?
Chapter 2 Let’s Get a Divorce
Harmonia clung to her last shred of hope until the unfamiliar scent of sandalwood reached her. The scent extinguished her faint glimmer of hope.
A portable oxygen tank appeared. An oxygen mask was placed over her mouth and nose.
The remnants of her will to survive drove her to inhale the oxygen deeply. She held onto his wrist tightly and gripped the string of rosary beads wrapped around it as if it were her sole hope to stay alive.
All around her was utter silence, except for the rapid sound of breathing.
She was forcefully pulled back from the brink of death. At that moment, Harmonia came to see her situation clearly.
Once her breathing had become steady, he placed the inhaler in her palm before turning around and walking away.
Harmonia struggled to raise her head and saw his imposing back, along with the hand that was wearing the string of rosary beads she had clung to moments ago.
Harmonia put the inhaler over her mouth and took a puff. Using a dry powder inhaler felt dry and scratchy, just like her marriage over the past five years.
She looked at the puddle of blood left by Luna and scoffed. She used the cloth to wipe away the dried bloodstains. Along with the blood, she wiped away the love she had held for Absalom.
Their encounter at Green Hill had destined them for this unfortunate outcome. In these five years, she had made enough mistakes.
People had to always move forward. If she continued to live in the past, what was the point of living then?
As night fell, the relatives of the Terran family arrived at the old mansion.
They were already aware of the pill incident. They were gossiping and pointing fingers at Harmonia.
From their hushed conversations, Harmonia learned that Luna did lost herunborn child. It was a masterful move that ended two birds with one stone.
Harmonia smiled. There was no rush. Luna would have to pay for what she had done one day.
At this moment, the car she had been waiting for finally arrived.
Absalom stepped out of it.
Harmonia picked up a cake from the buffet table and walked toward him with a smile.
Absalom, who saw Harmonia approach with a cake in hand, thought that she had genuinely realized her mistakes and had come to appease and apologize to him.
However, the next moment, he realized he was completely wrong!
She smashed that cake into his custom-tailored suit!
There was a collective gasp of shock from the onlookers. They all began to comment on how Harmonia, a girl from the countryside, did not belong in high society and had even gone completely insane!
Harmonia, on the other hand, seemed unfazed. She was wearing a nonchalant smile.
“Absalom, I’ve cleaned up the mess of your child’s blood. That’s the last thing I’ll ever do for you.
“Now, let’s bid farewell to our thoroughly ruined marriage with a piece of cake I borrowed from your uncle’s party!
“Let’s get a divorce.”
She delivered the words with brutal directness. Her tone was devoid of any affection.
The onlookers present were completely shocked!
After all, it was common knowledge that Harmonia loved Absalom very deeply, humbly, and with great devotion.
And yet now, in front of the entire Terran family, she embarrassed Absalom and even demanded a divorce!
Before anyone could react, she turned and walked toward the courtyard.
Absalom frowned and wiped away the smeared cake with a handkerchief. He spoke softly with patience, “Harmonia, what have you ever done for me? And why are you making a fuss? Is this the right occasion for you to do that?”
“I’ll see you at the courthouse tomorrow morning at nine,” she said without glancing back. She had said what needed to be said.
Absalom’s eyes widened in anger. “Do you even know what you’re talking about, Harmonia? Once we get divorced, there’s no turning back for you!”
Chapter 3 Arrive at the Courthouse, Divorce
“I never thought about turning back, nor do I intend to. Not to mention, you aren’t worth turning back to.”
Harmonia’s tone was indifferent. She had her back to Absalom and made no attempt to turn around to look at him even once.
Words escaped through Absalom’s clenched teeth, one at a time. “Well, very well, I hope you won’t regret it!”
Harmonia chuckled. She did regret something. She regretted losing her heart to the wrong man. She wished she had never done that.
She could not hold back her tears any longer. They streamed down her face, one drop after another. Then, they vanished without a trace and left only dried tear tracks on her cheeks.
Since she had loved him deeply, how could she feel nothing when it had come to this?
However, since she knew nothing would come out of it, what was the point of persisting?
Five long years… Even after five long years, she could not make him love her back. After she had opened her eyes, she decided to love what she had gained.
It was time for a showdown.
…
Not far away, inside the dilapidated Empyrean Tower, a man smiled.
“Mr. Martinez, what are you smiling about?”
Mr. Martinez’s slender fingers lightly tapped on the mahogany railing. “Dominic, between them, who do you think will regret it first?”
“Mrs. Terran would undoubtedly regret it first.”
“Really?” He chuckled.
…
Harmonia walked out of the Northriver estate. A car was parked not far away.
In front of the entire Terran family, she got into the car.
“Mr. Smith, couldn’t you have chosen a more low-key vehicle?”
“Oh, Milady, this is already the... the cheapest car in your garage.”
Harmonia rubbed her forehead in a speechless manner. “Mr. Smith, where is the divorce agreement I asked you to prepare?”
As they were stopping at a red light, Mr. Smith handed the divorce agreement to Harmonia.
She glanced at it. “Why should I leave him without taking a penny? After five years of marriage, I believe I’m entitled to at least one or two billion from him. Did my brother draft this agreement?”
“Yes.” Mr. Smith appealed to her with reason. “Miss Harmonia, you’re not short of money. Even the cars in your garage alone are worth more than six billion.”
While it was true that Harmonia was not short of money, she understood that her brother was worried she might change her mind and return to Absalom. That's why he wanted her to have a clean and swift divorce.
Still, Harmonia believed that she deserved to get one or two billion from Absalom.
“Mr. Smith, who in the world would complain about having too much money?”
After five years of effort and involvement in three groundbreaking construction projects that were globally acclaimed, taking away a substantial chunk of Absalom’s wealth seemed quite reasonable.
“Tomorrow morning at nine, Absalom will definitely show up, and our marriage will be over for sure,” Harmonia stated confidently and left Mr. Smith puzzled.
“Mr. Smith, I’m transferring a billion to you. I want you to invest it in all the paternity testing facilities in Nilus City, no matter what the method of acquisition is.”
Immediately after that, Harmonia made another phone call.
“Alessia, do you still need to meet your KPIs for the month?”
Alessia Clark was Harmonia's high school friend. She founded Aureole Media, which was dedicated to uncovering the various scandals within the upper classes. It was often referred to as the “upper-crust watchdog.”
“It’s the end of the month. I was just about to dig up something big. Do you have any scoops for me? But considering you’re in the upper-class circles yourself, forget I asked. I know you’re fond of me, so I won’t put you in a tight spot.”
Harmonia managed a smile in resignation. “I’ve got some personal intel I can share with you.”
“Personal intel? What kind of intel?”
“I’m divorcing Absalom.”
On the other end of the call, Alessia was silent for a few seconds before letting out an exclamation.
“You’ve finally come to your senses? Good for you! As they say, a wise person doesn’t fall in love.”
“Is this a big enough scoop for you then?”
“Hahaha, with this massive piece of gossip you’ve given me, it’s definitely big enough!”
After the call ended, Alessia acted swiftly.
News of Harmonia and Absalom’s divorce spread like wildfire!
Today, she made Absalom lose face by taking the initiative to propose a divorce in front of the Terran family’s relatives.
At the moment, news of their divorce was spreading like wildfire. It even reached Luna’s ears. She was bound to put on a show of crying, cause a commotion, and even threaten self-harm. It was a two-pronged approach!
In order to preserve his pride and also to appease his childhood sweetheart, Luna, Absalom would undoubtedly proceed with the divorce.
Although the Internet was flooded with skepticism about her, with public opinion overwhelmingly favoring Absalom, the tides would soon turn in her favor!
…
The next day at nine in the morning, just as she expected, he appeared at the entrance of the courthouse!
“Here’s the divorce agreement.” Harmonia’s tone was indifferent. Her movements were composed as she handed him the agreement.
Absalom stared at the agreement she handed over. The emotions in his gaze changed a little.
“Give me a few minutes.” With those words, as the traffic lights turned red, he quickly crossed the road.
Harmonia furrowed her brow in puzzlement.
What was Absalom planning to do? Was he having second thoughts? That was not possible.
Chapter 4 Special Divorce Gift to Teach the Two-Timer a Lesson
Soon, Absalom returned and handed Harmonia a tube of ointment.
“This is for your hand. Remember to apply the ointment.”
He had noticed the swelling and bruising on her hand, so he bought her some medicine. But what was this? A carrot and a stick approach? He seemed to have forgotten that he was the reason she got injured!
Harmonia snorted. “Awww, I’m so touched.”
“Since you’re so touched, maybe you should reconsider so that you won’t regret it.”
“Reconsider what? Adding an injury to my other hand?”
Harmonia’s tone carried a hint of sarcasm. She even tossed the tube of ointment into the nearby trashcan right in front of Absalom.
“Harmonia, what is the meaning of this?”
“Oops, my hand slipped.”
Absalom’s gaze turned icy, and his expression darkened. “You don’t know what’s good for you!”
He was right. She really did not know what was good for her. Otherwise, how could she have wasted her affection on him for a whole five years?
“Take a look at the agreement. If it’s acceptable, go ahead and sign it,” Harmonia said in an emotionless tone.
As Absalom looked through the agreement, his sharp eyes caught a particular detail.
“A billion? You’re asking for quite a lot.”
“A billion is just pocket change for you, Mr. Terran.”
“You married me for my money. Now that we’re getting a divorce, I’ll give you what you want.” As he said that, he signed the divorce agreement.
They walked into the courthouse.
Due to his identity, Absalom drew many curious glances. After all, he was the well-known and assertive CEO of Nilus City, who had impeccable looks and a good family background. Naturally, he would capture attention wherever he went.
As for Mrs. Terran, Harmonia, she was relatively unknown. With glasses and a mask, her appearance was unremarkable. Yet, she exuded an indescribable sense of aloofness.
The next moment, a photo of the two of them at the courthouse was posted online, and it confirmed the trending rumors of their divorce.
As the crowd of onlookers grew larger by the minute, their divorce process was expedited.
In no time, they completed the divorce proceedings, with their divorce certificates stamped and sealed.
Harmonia still remembered how excited and thrilled she was when she received her marriage certificate five years ago. Back then, had she ever imagined that they would end up getting a divorce? Of course not.
Even though they never consummated their marriage, and their bond was never deep, she had never considered divorcing him.
However, holding the divorce certificate in her hands, she felt a sense of relief.
Absalom was like an unresponsive void. He was not worth taking a leap of faith for.
“A billion, thank you.” Harmonia looked at Absalom. Of course, she did not forget about the money. After all, it was only right and proper to be paid for services rendered.
Absalom frowned. His gaze turned cold. He took out a bank card and handed it to her.
“The PIN is on the back of the card.”
Harmonia readily accepted the bank card. She was not worried at all about whether there was money on it. After all, they had signed the agreement in black and white.
Then, she handed him an envelope.
“Consider this my separation gift to you, Mr. Terran.”
“We’ll meet again.” They would cross paths again!
Harmonia turned around and walked away without looking at him.
The way she called him “Mr. Terran” as well as her swift departure made his grip on the envelope tighten. He felt a heavy lump in his throat.
However, upon further thought, their divorce was probably for the best.
She was a woman who coveted his wealth. She was ruthless and unscrupulous. If he had stayed married to her, she would always be a potential threat to him.
Absalom looked at the crumpled envelope and let out a sigh of relief. Despite the thought, he still felt frustrated.
His secretary had already arrived and was waiting for him. He had to get to the company to chair a meeting.
As the car smoothly moved forward, Absalom sat in the back seat and opened the envelope from Harmonia.
Chapter 5 Went on Trending, Exposing the Cheating Couple
In front of him was a paternity test report! The person who had conducted the test was Luna!
The report stated that based on the available information and the results of the DNA test, Absalom was not the biological father of the child!
Absalom’s pupils dilated in an instant!
This envelope contained not only the paternity test report but also a series of medical documents!
These documents indicated that Luna had undergone an exanmination to determine paternity when she was sixteen weeks expecting!
Thump!
Absalom’s expression turned fierce as he pounded his fist heavily against the front seat of the car.
“Take me to the hospital,” he ordered in a cold voice.
The secretary, driving the vehicle, hesitated for a moment. “Sir, there’s an important meeting regarding the Empyrean Tower's restoration next.”
“I said, take me to the hospital! Is that so hard to understand?” Absalom roared.
”Yes, sir.” The secretary swiftly turned the car around and headed to the hospital.
…
Harmonia exited the courthouse and headed to a nearby parking lot. The sunlight filtered through the trees and cast a warm glow on her.
It turned out that all the hardships of the past were just paving the way for a better future.
She smiled a little. She removed her reading glasses and let her long hair down. She flicked her hair and exuded a sophisticated allure.
Then, she took out her phone and called Alessia.
“Alessia, it’s time to release the second wave of revelations.”
“Got it!”
After the call ended, the news of “Absalom had an affair with Luna, but he was not the father of her child” spread like wildfire. Media outlets and social media influencers were going crazy with reposts and shares. The Internet exploded with gossip!
Several videos showed Absalom accompanying Luna to maternity check-ups, while Luna acted cute and sweet to him. They appeared to be quite intimate.
However, what followed was a paternity test report that left everyone stunned. It revealed that Luna’s child had no biological relation to Absalom!
Previously, Luna gained fame online for a viral short video where she wore a traditional English gown while passing through the Empyrean Tower.
After that, the revelation of her being the daughter of the Woods family, coupled with her identity as the most beautiful girl of the Nilus University’s architecture faculty, garnered her even more fans.
Who could have thought that their beloved “traditional English gown muse” would turn out to be a shameless homewrecker?
The online community was now in an uproar, with public sentiment strongly siding with Harmonia.
People understood the reasons behind the divorce. There was an outpouring of criticism directed at the cheating man and his mistress. It was a moment of satisfaction for her.
Harmonia cruised down the street in her car and blasted high-energy rock music on her way to the Nilus City International Trade Center.
The center consisted of six towering skyscrapers that were iconic structures in Nilus City. They were all privately owned by the Marsh family.
Upon arriving at the consortium building, she pulled aside at the grand and imposing entrance.
Mr. Smith, seeing the car pull up, approached with a cheerful smile.
Harmonia handed him the divorce certificate.
The next moment, Mr. Smith burst into genuine laughter. He quickly took out his phone and snapped pictures of the certificate from the front, the inside, and the back, as if it were some priceless treasure.
“Mr. Smith, is my brother back?”
“He just set foot on Nilus City soil just under an hour ago.”
“Is he in his office? I’ll go find him.”
Harmonia knew how much her brother, Hector Marsh, hoped she would come to her senses and give up that scoundrel, Absalom. She could not wait to show him her divorce certificate.
“Miss Harmonia!” Mr. Smith stopped Harmonia. “Mr. Hector is in the conference room. Today is the monthly shareholders’ meeting.”
At that moment, two employees were chatting in a low voice.
“Who knows what those old shareholders are going to demand at today’s shareholders’ meeting.”
“Last month, they wanted us to prepare sashimi and hand-brewed coffee for them.”
“They come here every month and always give Mr. Hector a hard time. What can he do? Everyone knows he’s an illegitimate child, and that makes him inferior in status.”
Mr. Smith was taken aback and quickly rebuked them. “What nonsense are you all talking about? Get back to work!”
The two employees lowered their heads and hurried away. As Mr. Smith turned around to speak to Harmonia, he found she had already taken off her oversized coat and tossed it on the table.
With a black tank top and tight-fitting pants and her long hair swaying with each step, she exuded an intimidating aura.
The aura left Mr. Smith momentarily stunned in place. He was so relieved that tears welled up in his eyes. He thought to himself. “The once awesome and formidable Miss Harmonia is back!”
Harmonia took the elevator straight to the meeting room.
She could hear the shareholders making mocking remarks from outside.
“Hector, being the illegitimate child of the Marsh family, the fact that you’ve managed to secure the position of CEO and get to where you are today is a favor bestowed upon you by me. So, you'd better not choose the wrong side!”
Thud!
Chapter 6 Harmonia Roasted Shareholders to Protect Hector
The meeting room door swung open. Harmonia yanked a chair back and placed both hands on the conference table. Even though she wore a gentle smile, she gave off a chilling vibe.
“Mr. Kurt, as the legitimate child of the Marsh family, how come I’ve never heard that my brother’s position as CEO was bestowed upon him by you as a favor?”
Harmonia’s words were like a bombshell. They shattered the calm atmosphere and created waves of shock.
“You... You’re Harmonia?” Kurt Ivanov seemed surprised as he was unable to recognize her immediately.
After all, she had been out of the public eye for five years and had not been seen in the Marsh Consortium.
“It seems like your eyesight has deteriorated over the past five years, Mr. Kurt. Perhaps I should arrange for a specialist to give you a check-up tomorrow.”
Harmonia’s demeanor was overbearing and imposing.
Her words were sharp and aggressive.
Her demeanor was pleasing to the eyes, and her words were satisfying to the ears!
“Harmonia, you’re being rude! You have no manners!”
“Well, I am the legitimate child after all. I was born with all the privileges, and I enjoyed being doted on by all. I’m not obedient and well-behaved like my brother. He has always given you all the respect a senior deserves, but I never expected you to be so shameless.”
Harmonia was clearly the master of sharp retorts. She relentlessly delivered her words and left Kurt dumbfounded.
The other shareholders were well aware that Harmonia was not to be trifled with. She had been known to be overbearing and aggressive since she was little.
They gave Kurt advice. They stepped in and tried to smooth things over. It was nearly lunchtime, so they suggested heading to the cafeteria together for a meal.
“Mr. Warren, any special additions to the menu for the shareholders today?” Harmonia inquired.
“Yes, there are,” he replied.
“May I see the menu?” Harmonia reached out her hand.
Mr. Warren glanced at Hector for approval.
Hector gave a subtle nod, and Mr. Warren understood. He then handed the menu over to Harmonia.
King salmon? Australian lobster?
They were already making a fortune! Despite that, every month they would come in for a shareholder meeting just to go through the motions, and still find a way to indulge in some good food before leaving!
They sure knew how to make the most of their positions!
“Hector, how about this? From now on, shareholder luncheons will follow the same standards as those for employees. The money saved will be donated to an orphanage in the name of the board of directors every month. This will be a little act of kindness from our shareholders.”
It would not hurt for these unscrupulous folks to accumulate some goodwill, wouldn’t it?
Hector suppressed a laugh. “I think we can do that. That’s a good idea.”
“Well, all you gentlemen are very kind; I’m sure you’ll agree to this!”
With the conversation reaching this point, even if they were reluctant to agree, how could they possibly say no? Especially when Hector, the CEO of Marsh Corporation, had already given his approval.
“I think Harmonia’s suggestion is very commendable,” one shareholder chimed in, and naturally, the others followed suit.
Harmonia flashed a playful smile. “Mr. Kurt, now this is the right side to be on, don’t you think?”
Kurt was so enraged that his face turned various shades of red and white. He snorted. Then, he stood up and left the conference room.
“Bye, Mr. Kurt. See you next month.”
The other shareholders began to leave. Soon, only the two siblings were left in the spacious conference room.
“Harmonia, you really know how to get under Kurt’s skin.” Hector chuckled as he recalled that scene earlier.
“The expenses for their monthly meetings could cover an entire department. It’s completely unnecessary. We should save as much as we can."
Hector, however, was the head of the consortium. He could not be too thrifty with these matters.
“You’re always right. You do everything right.”
“Except for the choice to marry Absalom,” Harmonia interjected.
Hector smiled. He was clearly unaware of Harmonia’s divorce as he was in the meeting.
“No matter what your decisions are, I’ll always support them.”
“Then continue supporting me,” Harmonia said as she held up Hector’s hand and placed the divorce certificate into it.
Hector looked at it, and his face lit up with a smile. “It’s for the best. When should we visit Mom and Dad at Green Hill? I’ll clear my schedule so we can go together.”
“Let’s wait until after the Nilus University graduation ceremony.”
Hector paused for a moment. As he looked into Harmonia’s shining eyes, he seemed to have understood her intentions.
“As you wish,” he said, confirming his status as a doting brother.
Harmonia felt warmth bloom in her heart. There was truly nothing like family.
“Hector, Kurt mentioned something about not choosing the wrong side. What did he mean? Did something happen?”
Chapter 7 Ex-husband Fell Out With Mistress, Continues to Be a Trending Topic
Hector furrowed his brow and said, “It’s about the restoration of the Empyrean Tower. I plan to have Marshtown Studio compete with Terran Construction in the bidding. However, Kurt is against this idea.”
Marshtown Studio was a gift from Hector to Harmonia after her graduation, but over the years, it had made no significant progress.
As the Marsh family did not make their fortune doing construction, the studio’s existence had become a thorn in the eyes of some shareholders.
Furthermore, she had secretly made negotiations and then handed over all of the three groundbreaking construction projects, which amazed the world, to Absalom and Terran Construction.
Looking back, Harmonia realized how fsilly she had been in the past.
Now, with Marshtown Studio stagnating, she felt responsible for the situation.
“Is Kurt against it because the Terran family is a heavyweight in the construction industry? And he thinks Marshtown Studio stands no chance and it would embarrass Marsh Consortium?”
Hector nodded. “Yes.”
“Hector, when does the bidding for the Empyrean Tower start?”
“On Monday at 1 p.m., in South Pearl Hall.”
Monday? That was the day before the graduation ceremony at Nilus City University.
There would not be any scheduling conflicts. In fact, it seemed quite convenient.
“Hector, entrust the team to me in secret. I’ll lead the bid this time!”
Hector was pleasantly surprised. He smiled and affirmed. “Your divorce was worth it.”
His confident and radiant sister had returned!
…
At this moment, inside the hospital, Absalom placed the paternity test report in front of Luna.
“Have you come up with any explanation for this?”
On his way here, the news had already spread across the Internet. Luna, being involved, must have heard about it.
Luna grasped his clothing. With a pleading gaze, she said, “Harmonia must have fabricated this. She’s trying to sabotage our relationship!”
“Relationship? Do we even have a relationship? I wasn’t aware of that," Absalom’s expression was indifferent, and his tone was cold.
Luna’s face was as white as a sheet. She was trembling. “Ab, please… You have to trust me. The baby really was your child.”
“I’ve asked for a testing.”
As soon as he said that, Luna’s eyes widened in shock. She was utterly taken aback.
Seeing her reaction, Absalom knew that there was no need for a second test.
“Since you had the guts to lie to me, you should have been prepared to bear the consequences!”
He was ruthlessly decisive as he turned and left.
Luna’s shoulders quivered, and her body went limp. It was as though her core had been ripped away from her. She slumped into the hospital bed.
She could not understand how this report had leaked when she had chosen the most private paternity testing facility in Nilus City.
If it was indeed Harmonia’s doing, how could she have such capabilities?
However, she could not dwell on these thoughts now.
After the bankruptcy of the Woods family, it was through Absalom and the support of the Terran family that she was able to live a comfortable life and secure her position in high society.
At this moment, she had to find a way out and secure her future.
She quickly dialed her mother’s number. “Mom, please help me. Implore my godfather to help me.”
…
The Absalom and Luna scandal continued to escalate!
In order to prevent it from affecting their stock prices, Terran Construction’s PR department immediately issued a statement denying any involvement.
The statement emphasized that the child was never Absalom’s and that he had always treated Luna as a sister due to their families being close, with no improper relationships whatsoever.
Harmonia had anticipated this and had instructed Alessia accordingly.
Soon after, Aureole Media’s paid Internet trolls sprouted up like mushrooms after rain.
Chapter 8 Harmonia, What Game Are You Playing Now?
“Terran Construction’s statement basically explained nothing! It is the same as using duct tape over a burst water pipe! It only caused the scandal to explode!”
“What a load of crap! The fact that his wife has become his ex-wife already explained it all!”
“I bet that sister he mentioned is actually his lover! Sometimes, she’s his sister; sometimes when he has needs, she’s his lover!”
“Poster above, very well said!”
…
As it turned out, Terran Construction would have been better off choosing to stay silent!
They probably thought the decline in share prices the next day would not be that bad. So, they released the statement and just made things worse!
Bang!
The intercom was smashed to pieces.
Absalom’s eyes were filled with rage as he shouted, “The entire PR department is fired!”
…
Harmonia remained calm after going through the trending topics, as everything had gone as she had anticipated.
She set her phone aside and began handling the transfer of Marshtown Studio’s work in secret.
The entire proposal prepared by the team for the bidding was rejected by Harmonia, and they had to start from scratch.
The lights in the studio stayed on for several consecutive nights as she and her team worked tirelessly.
…
On Monday, Harmonia, along with her team and a thick bidding proposal, headed to South Pearl Hall.
Five years ago, the Empyrean Tower had been engulfed in a huge fire. The western wing was almost reduced to ruins.
Despite being privately owned, it was one of Nilus City’s renowned historic buildings. It represented Nilus City’s identity. Restoring it to its former glory presented an enormous challenge.
Most companies would not dare to take on the project. As a result, only two companies were bidding on-site.
One was the well-known industry leader, Terran Construction, which was known for its three groundbreaking projects that had amazed the world.
The other was the relatively unknown Marshtown Studio, with its sole noteworthy aspect being its affiliation with the wealthy Marsh Corporation.
“Marshtown Studio was founded six years ago. Where did they find the courage to compete with Terran Construction?”
“The client probably wants to avoid us being the sole contractor and is trying to create some competition. But even so, they should’ve chosen a more credible contender in the industry, right?"
“Mr. Terran himself is here. We’ve got this in the bag. Marshtown Studio is just here to make up the numbers and gain some visibility.”
The discussions continued in the audience before the bidding had even started.
What was more, this bidding event was being live-streamed. Even the viewers in the online chat room were mocking Marshtown Studio’s audacity.
Suddenly, the doors on one side of the conference hall swung open!
Harmonia, in her high heels, walked in with her team. She caught everyone’s attention.
She took off her sunglasses and swayed her flowing hair. Her bold red lips combined with her long wavy hair made quite the entrance!
The crowd was dumbfounded. They started nudging each other.
Before long, apart from Absalom, all eyes in the hall were fixed on Harmonia.
Harmonia remained calm as she led her team toward Absalom’s direction. She took a seat to his right.
There was an empty row of seats between them.
She gave a wry smile and said, “Mr. Terran, we meet again.”
In the past five years, Harmonia had rarely made public appearances. The outside world knew little about Absalom’s wife, and those who had actually seen her were few and far between.
The recent buzz had rekindled people’s memory of Harmonia as Mrs. Terran.
However, Harmonia had undergone a significant transformation!
Who could have imagined that by removing her glasses, changing her loose attire, and perming her hair, she would transform into this astonishing figure?
Others might not recognize her, but Absalom, who had been married to her for five years, could not possibly fail to recognize her.
Seeing Harmonia in this new style made him feel an impulse to take off his suit and wrap it around her!
His brows furrowed as they were separated by an empty row of seats.
Yet, disregarding the occasion, he leaned down and grasped her wrist. He narrowed the distance between them.
“Harmonia, what game are you playing now?”
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