Chapter 99 The Meeting
Ophelia had been quietly nursing her injuries at home for a few days. When she heard that the boss of Star Rise agreed to meet with the collaborators, a smile curled at the corner of her lips.
She would finally get to see her target.
The company, Star Rise, had been a thorn in her side for many years. She had sent several groups to investigate, but all came back with nothing. The identity of the owner was a mystery, and the perfumer was equally elusive, as though deliberately kept secret.
Shrouded in such mystery, she was eager to see just who this boss really was.
...
At the entrance of the Grandeur Hotel, two cars came to a stop one after the other.
A bellhop hurried over as Elysia, dressed in a chic suit, stepped out of the car and quickly went to assist Ophelia who was getting out of the other side.
Ophelia's leg injury had worsened, making her limp noticeably as she walked.
The night they were both ejected into the suburbs, Elysia had fared better than Ophelia. She emerged unscathed, able to walk without issue, unlike the disheveled state Ophelia found herself in.
Sitting in the following car, Cecily watched the two women, her bright eyes narrowing slightly.
The engine cut off, and Cecily emerged from the car. She was adorned in a sleek and fashionable suit, featuring a snug black blazer atop a simple silk blouse, its ribbon tie cascading gracefully at the front, complemented by tailored pants accentuating her long, slender legs.
The bellhop had seen many elegant women, but even he was momentarily taken aback by her. Cecily handed over her car keys to him, politely saying, "Thank you."
The two women in front, hearing the voice they loathed so deeply, paused in their steps. Turning around, they saw Cecily striding confidently toward the hotel interior.
Cecily was aware they had seen her; she had no desire to interact and continued directly inside.
"Ms. Cecily, how come you're here?" Ophelia called out with a gentle voice, trying to stop Cecily.
Cecily, as if deaf to the call, paid no attention whatsoever. She couldn't stand being around them. When they were alone, they'd almost run her over with a car, but in public, they acted like they were best friends.
Cecily wanted nothing to do with their fake pleasantries.
"Hey, Cecily, didn't you hear Ophelia calling you?" Elysia stepped forward, blocking Cecily's path with a haughty demeanor that suggested ignoring her princess was a capital offense.
Cecily almost laughed out loud at Elysia's audacity. Despite being pampered by the Watson family for years, Elysia preferred to hang around Ophelia like a handmaiden, which was ironic.
"What do you want?" Cecily snarkily asked.
Ophelia limped forward, her eyes cold, her face deceptively friendly. "Nothing much, just that we keep bumping into each other everywhere. It seems a little too coincidental."
Cecily swept her gaze across Ophelia with indifference. She knew for a fact that it wasn't a coincidence. This was exactly what they had contrived to make happen. "Are you suggesting I'm stalking you?"
"Of course not," Ophelia quickly retorted. "I'm just curious why you would suddenly show up here."
"Where I appear doesn't require your approval, does it?" Cecily's voice was icy, offering no quarters.
Ophelia forced a smile but her eyes blazed with hatred.
Elysia rolled her eyes, showing her resentment openly. "Cecily, Ophelia is speaking to you nicely and yet you respond with this attitude?"
Cecily's gaze landed on Elysia. "What else? Should I fawn over you?"
Elysia started to retort, but Ophelia stopped her. "Let's go, Elysia." She wasn't there to argue with Cecily; she had come to meet the owner of Star Rise.
Before leaving, Elysia scoffed at Cecily's outfit. "You think wearing a fancy suit makes you the boss or something."
Cecily blinked slowly. Well, she was indeed the boss.
A cold smile played at the back of Cecily's mind as her phone rang. She stepped aside to answer, "Mm... No worries, not urgent, just be safe."
After hanging up the phone, Cecily glanced at the time and stepped into the elevator. Today, she was supposed to be accompanied by a project manager, initially responsible for liaising with the partner company, but currently stuck in traffic.
Elysia led Ophelia to the designated private room where several individuals from the partner company had already gathered. Since introductions had been arranged earlier, their arrival didn't catch anyone off guard, and they were welcomed with courteous nods and handshakes.
The private room was adorned with a decorative room divider to one side.
Behind the divider, Elysia stood by Ophelia, waiting for someone from Star Rise to arrive.
Elysia's expression twisted with confusion as she questioned, "Ophelia, do you think she'll actually come? She's been extremely secretive in the past, never showing up to any gatherings. Perhaps she's just very unattractive; otherwise, why would she avoid being seen?"
Ophelia smirked, her smile tinged with contempt. "Whether she's hideous or not, as long as we find out who she is and dig up her background, bringing down a small-time CEO is something my father could do in a heartbeat."
Elysia laughed joyfully and responded, "You're right, Ophelia. She's no match for us."
"By the way, did you find out anything about the woman who got out of Darian’s car the other day at Star Rise's building?"
Elysia nodded, took out her smartphone diligently, and handed it to Ophelia. "I took the initiative to ask around. Someone did manage to capture a photo of that woman’s back, but unfortunately, it’s kind of blurry and hard to make out the details."
Ophelia took the phone and zoomed in and out, examining the image closely. No matter how she looked, it seemed familiar. "Don't you think this person looks like Cecily?"
"Cecily?" Elysia scoffed disdainfully, "Ophelia, you're giving her too much credit. She’s been unemployed since she returned to the country. There’s no way she'd be working at Star Rise."
Ophelia’s gaze turned cold. "It doesn't matter who she is. Anyone who tries to seduce Darian, I’ll expose her."
Cecily was a tough opponent to deal with on the fly, but a woman like that - she was easy to handle.
"Sure, I'll have someone look into it further when we get back," Elysia responded.
After chatting for a while, Elysia crossed her arms unhappily and said, "Where is that person? I hope they aren't leaving us hanging again."
Ophelia began to worry as well. If the person they were waiting for failed to show, their efforts would have been in vain.
Just then, the partially closed door creaked open, and everyone in the private room turned to look at the entrance.
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