Chapter 29 Reverse

An early snowfall turned Winslow into winter ahead of schedule.

The weather grew colder, and a scandal exploded in Winslow's commercial district.

It became a trending topic within half an hour, but three hours later, no information related to the incident could be found online.

Soon, the entertainment circle became lively as well.

A self-proclaimed loveless star was exposed for having secretly married and having a child. A national heartthrob was photographed in bed with a wealthy patron, and an aloof female star was caught on a live stream while engaging in an affair...

One scandal after another involving well-established celebrities kept the online spectators busy with gossip.

In less than a week, the woman who jumped off the Harper Group building was forgotten.

Yvonne knew that Elijah played a significant role in orchestrating such a major event.

She had the privilege of seeing a few seconds of that video.

A bloodied woman, holding a newborn baby, desperately leaped from the twenty-eighth floor.

Men with the surname Harper were truly ruthless!

Yvonne didn't go to Bird Hills again, and Joseph called her every day to chat.

Since watching the video of the jump, Yvonne held a grudge against the men of the Harper family, which also affected her feelings for Joseph.

Joseph was perceptive and would ask before ending each conversation, "Auntie, do you not like me anymore?"

Yvonne comforted him against her true feelings, "I've been in a bad mood these days, it has nothing to do with you."

On Monday, Yvonne officially joined the design department of FA Center Company.

The design department had its own floor, and Yvonne, being a newcomer, was assigned to the drafting team.

In less than half a day, Yvonne became familiar with the work environment and got to know her colleagues in the team.

The oldest members of the drafting team were only in their early thirties, and two of them were recent college graduates hired last year.

Sitting at her desk, Yvonne felt a youthful energy that she didn't experience at the Brooks Group.

She went to the cafeteria for lunch and noticed a group of young colleagues chatting merrily together.

She took a photo of a plate filled with food, with the words "FA Center Company" printed on it, and posted it on WhatsApp and Instagram.

[First day at work, let's work hard!]

Lily was the first to like it, and she called to congratulate her.

After chatting for a while, Yvonne asked if she had applied to Carlos's company. Lily whispered that she wasn't planning to switch jobs.

The Brooks Group is burdened with debt, and bankruptcy is imminent.

Lily, being so young, wouldn't rely on a company that is about to collapse for her career.

"Did someone invest in the Brooks Group?" Yvonne could only think of that as a reason.

"Last Friday, Star Company acquired the Brooks Group, and this morning they laid off half of the old employees. The ones who stayed signed new employment contracts. I'm now considered an employee of Star Company."

Lily continued, "Thomas and James got laid off, Susan got demoted and became a designer at the same level as me."

Yvonne felt a bit sad.

In just a few days, there have been so many changes. The law of the business world has always been about survival of the fittest. If you're going to blame someone, blame George for mismanaging the company!

The Brooks Group didn't take on many projects in a year, but there were too many staff, many of whom were hired through Mary.

There were only a few who truly contributed to the company. With limited funds, they had been relying on loans for many years. Bankruptcy was inevitable.

"Yvonne, guess what, Grace's situation has turned around!" Lily's voice was filled with shock.

"What turned around? Is she acquitted?" Yvonne had been waiting for the police station to call her for questioning since last Monday, but there had been no news.

"Mrs. Brooks took all the blame upon herself, and Grace was acquitted." Lily paused for a moment. "Do you know who helped Grace? It's Edward, the CEO of Star Company. They are getting married the day after tomorrow!"

Yvonne had heard of Edward's name before.

In his forties, he started from scratch and now manages over a hundred chain hotels. He can be considered a successful businessman in Winslow.

Because he had polio, he relied on a wheelchair for transportation. Ordinary women couldn't catch his attention, and beautiful ones didn't find him appealing. He is still single to this day.

"Is it true?" Yvonne asked.

Grace, who is proud and arrogant, is going to marry a man who could be her father!

"Of course, it's true! We all received wedding invitations. Grace is now the lady of Star Company. Apart from the fact that her husband is disabled, there are no other problems with this marriage..."

After ending the call, Yvonne began to contemplate her current situation.

Grace is not one to easily give up, and after suffering such a huge loss, she will surely come back with vengeance.

Now that Edward is supporting Grace, she needs to be even more cautious.

Yvonne thought about George. After running the company for over twenty years, the change of ownership must have been hard for him, especially seeing his daughter, raised as a socialite, sacrificing herself to save him and ending up with a cripple.

"It's their family affair and has nothing to do with me!" she thought to herself.

If Elijah hadn't saved her that night, she would have been dead by now.

Yvonne quickly pushed away the negative emotions and started eating.

Back at her workstation, she picked up her phone and realized that she hadn't contacted Elijah for several days.

The most recent interaction between them was a transfer of $1,050.

At that moment, George's call came through.

It was not yet time to start work, and the other colleagues were taking a rest at their workstations.

Afraid of disturbing them, Yvonne walked into the stairwell with her phone.

She answered the call and immediately heard George's furious voice.

"Yvonne! Listen carefully to me. From now on, I only have one daughter, Grace! I have already issued a statement on the media, severing the father-daughter relationship with you! From now on, whether you live or die has nothing to do with me!

"Grace sacrificed her own happiness and married a cripple to save the Brooks Group! Besides undermining the Brooks Group, what else have you done? I won't have such an unfilial daughter like you!" George was very angry, cursing and banging on the table.

Yvonne smiled, her laughter filled with sarcasm and helplessness. "George, Grace is not that noble! You should know better than me why she married Edward. He could have saved the Brooks Group and your presidency with a direct infusion of capital, but instead, he acquired the Brooks Group! You have been ousted but still in denial, truly pitiful."

"You are not allowed to come between Grace and me!" George's confidence was clearly shaken when his weak spot was exposed.

Yvonne's smile faded. "Grace married Edward only for his money. Whether you can spend Edward's money is still unknown."

George on the other end was furious. "Grace is someone I watched grow up, she is totally different from a backstabber like you! She said she would be filial to me and treat me like her biological father!"

"Now that you have voluntarily cut off the father-daughter relationship with me, from now on, you only have one daughter, Grace. I am an orphan." Yvonne didn't wait for his response and blocked his number.

Her world fell silent. Sitting on the stairs, a few tears inexplicably rolled down her cheeks.

She should be happy to start working at FA Center Company.

Yvonne opened her phone and saw George's statement on Winslow website announcing the severance of their father-daughter relationship.

Even before making that announcement, George had never fulfilled his duties as a father.

Now, making the announcement only left her completely heartbroken, as her life remained unchanged.

The first person to call and comfort her was Mrs. Winston.

Mrs. Winston rambled on and on, while Yvonne kept zoning out, only remembering Mrs. Winston's words, "Others may not recognize you, but I do."

Yvonne's current job was rather monotonous, as she was only responsible for drawing pictures. Her team consisted of young people, and their team leader was easygoing, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

After work, Yvonne made plans to meet Hannah at a trendy bar. They chose a bar with an artistic vibe.

Yvonne had something on her mind, and as soon as they arrived, she ordered a beer.

Hannah was anxiously awaiting the results of her job interview, which would be announced next Monday. As they chatted and drank, they unknowingly became slightly intoxicated.

"George and I have severed our father-daughter relationship," Yvonne said, embracing Hannah, her voice trembling with a hint of tears.

Hannah patted her back and sighed, "Don't worry, Yvonne. Oliver and I grew up without a father, but we're doing fine now, aren't we?"

"But you still have a mother! Mine left me when I was seven to go abroad. I still don't know if she's alive or dead."

Yvonne leaned her head on Hannah's shoulder, her crying occasionally interrupted by sobs.

"Those who could go abroad over ten years ago were capable individuals. Your mom must be doing well. It's highly possible that she has a family and children now, making it inconvenient for her to contact you." Hannah always comforted Yvonne with this reasoning.

Yvonne grabbed a tissue and wiped her tears. "They don't want me anymore, so why should I bother myself with thinking about them? Come on, let's get drunk tonight."

The waitress brought four more bottles of beer. Hannah could tell that Yvonne was in a bad mood and tried to stop her, but Yvonne took the initiative and opened a bottle.

"I called you twice, but you didn't pick up. So, you were hiding here, having fun!" came Philippe's teasing voice from behind them.

Both turned around simultaneously, and Philippe had already cleared several bar stools to sit in front of them.

Elijah had also arrived. He was wearing a light-colored plaid shirt and dress pants, giving off a cold and refined aura.

Instead of rushing to sit down, Elijah glanced at Yvonne, his gaze deep and meaningful.

Hmph, go ahead and pretend! She knew all about the wild side he had in bed!

Yvonne was already annoyed, and seeing Elijah only reminded her of his self-righteousness.

She ignored Elijah and greeted Philippe instead.

Elijah waved over a server, ordered some drinks and snacks, then walked over to Yvonne's side.

Philippe signaled to Hannah with his eyes, and she quickly stood up and moved to sit across from them.

"What are you trying to do?" Yvonne asked, as Elijah took the bar stool that Hannah vacated.

"Nothing much. I just wanted to be closer to you so we could have a chat," Elijah smirked. "You promised me you would spend more time with Joseph, but you only went twice and then disappeared."

Yvonne coldly snorted, "Your son is fragile and precious. I'm afraid I'm not capable enough to take care of him."

"You're so sharp-tongued. You always manage to absolve yourself of any responsibility," Elijah said, stretching his arm.

He took the beer from Yvonne's hand.

Yvonne tried to snatch it back, but Elijah sidestepped and teased her, gazing at her swollen eyes, "Did someone mock you until you cried on your first day of work?"

"Nonsense! Do you think there are people like Grace everywhere?" Yvonne taunted him. "But you, I bet there have been plenty of troubles at home, yet you still have the mood to drink. Truly unbelievable!"

Elijah frowned.

Their banter was filled with subtle messages.

Hannah, who was clueless, could only remain silent.

After the event ended, Hannah and Philippe, who both lived in the southern district, left together in a car.

Yvonne had had a bit too much to drink. She opened a ride-hailing app but couldn't successfully book a ride after a few attempts.

Someone came to pick up Elijah, and he pulled Yvonne into the back seat.