In truth, Zoe Lancaster was quite surprised herself. Almost all the attendees at this international bidding conference were industry titans she could never cross paths with at her usual level. Miles Yates had handed her the ladder to climb into this exclusive circle.
The opportunity to accompany him on this business trip shouldn’t have fallen to her at all.
Now, she had the platform to showcase her abilities and network with renowned entrepreneurs and executives, laying a solid foundation for her future career. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in the financial world. She didn’t dare slack off for even a moment and cherished the chance deeply.
Seeing Martin Lancaster and Wendy Lawrence in the main hall today hadn’t surprised her much. Because of the scandal with Riley Lancaster, Sean Sheffield had been intentionally making things difficult for them. The Lancaster family had lost numerous major projects and was practically bleeding out. With so many foreign enterprises attending this conference, Martin naturally wouldn’t pass up the chance to catch his breath.
Crystal Hayes had fed her some firsthand gossip from Kingsford just yesterday.
Martin and Wendy had officially gotten their marriage certificate. After spending so many years without a proper title, there was no way Wendy could hold herself back anymore. She was practically itching to beat gongs and drums to announce to the world that she was now the legitimate Mrs. Lancaster.
Zoe lowered her gaze, gently swirling the wine in her glass. She felt completely unfazed.
The lawsuit withdrawal was still being processed, and signing the divorce papers along with the division of assets would take some time. She made a rough estimate: her shares could be cashed out for about ten million—after all, she only held eight percent. If she sold the house later on, getting around twenty million shouldn’t be a problem.
"You see your father and don’t even know how to greet him? Zoe, do you have any manners?"
Her thoughts were interrupted by an arrogant, sharp voice coming from beside her.
Zoe slowly turned her head. Wendy and Martin had already walked over to her. Martin kept his mouth shut, his expression dark, while Wendy wore a pleasant smile. Onlookers could only see her friendly facade, completely deaf to her sharp, biting words.
"I don’t. My mother has been in a coma since I was little. Weren’t you the ones who raised me?" Zoe’s lips curled up. When her breathtakingly gorgeous face broke into a smile, it was almost impossible to look away.
A flash of annoyance crossed Wendy’s face.
Martin frowned. "Keep it down. Haven’t we made ourselves enough of a laughingstock?"
Intimidated by her husband’s temper, Wendy had no choice but to swallow her anger. Still, she added shamelessly, "I saw you chatting quite comfortably with several executives. You’re swimming along like a fish in water just by relying on your looks. Since you have the connections, why don’t you introduce them to your father?"
She spoke in a completely entitled tone. She was even slinging mud, overtly insulting Zoe by calling her the gold-digging seductress of the investment world.
A mocking smirk curled Zoe’s cherry-red lips. Just a few days ago, this woman had cursed her to a miserable end. Yet now, she was pretending nothing had happened and trying to boss her around like a beast of burden?
"You seem to have forgotten why the Lancaster family is in this state. It’s because your daughter did something absolutely shameless—trying to sleep her way to the top—and offended someone she shouldn’t have. Everyone knows about the Lancaster family’s reputation now and exactly who you crossed. Who would dare work with you?"
"Zoe Lancaster!"
Wendy’s composed facade cracked, her expression twisting in fury for a brief second as she prepared to lash out.
"Oh my? Miss Lancaster."
An elegant-looking woman walked over. Zoe immediately recognized her as Mrs. Carter, the wife of Director Carter, whom she had met earlier.
She smiled warmly, her greeting poised and disarmingly comfortable. "Mrs. Carter, there’s quite a draft where you’re standing. Please, come step over here."
Mrs. Carter’s smile brightened. She tilted her head to glance at Martin and Wendy. As part of the same social circle, they obviously recognized one another.
"My husband overheard you talking about that project earlier and found it quite intriguing. It’s truly rare for someone your age to be so insightful. Plus, President Yates is notoriously strict about his work. For him to personally bring you along and introduce you means your capabilities are beyond doubt. Just look around—who doesn’t know that you’re President Yates’s right-hand woman now?"
Mrs. Carter was clearly making an effort to establish a good relationship.
Zoe smiled, handling the compliment with practiced ease. "You flatter me. Earning your appreciation is truly my honor, Mrs. Carter."
Beside them, however, Martin and Wendy latched onto a crucial piece of information.
President Yates? Miles Yates?
In this circle, there was only one man with the surname Yates who commanded that level of respect.
Wendy looked utterly astonished. "You changed jobs?"
And she was highly regarded by her new boss, no less! Just how lucky was this girl? She had coasted on pure luck to snag a supervisor position back at the Hawthorne Group, and now she was thriving at a completely different company?!
Mrs. Carter cast a sidelong glance at the couple. "Did you not know? Miss Lancaster is highly valued by President Yates, and I’d say a major promotion is only a matter of time. Lance Langley is one of the top corporations in the country; her future is truly limitless."
She had, of course, heard all the sordid details about the other daughter of the Lancaster family. Naturally, she looked down on a mistress like Wendy who had schemed her way into a marriage. Women like her were the ultimate taboo in high-society wives’ circles. Homewreckers who slept their way into power were universally despised!
Martin’s heart skipped a beat as he listened. He hadn’t expected Zoe to climb so high so quickly. He knew perfectly well how much weight the name Miles Yates carried. If she was truly valued by him and made it to upper management...
Wendy, however, felt completely differently. She ground her teeth in seething resentment, feeling an overwhelming sense of injustice. Her own daughter had completely lost face and still needed psychological counseling, and now, not a single respectable family was willing to take Riley in as a daughter-in-law!
Why did Zoe get to have it so easy?
Zoe couldn’t care less about what was going through their heads. She focused all her attention on Mrs. Carter, happily accompanying her to network with the other executives’ wives. She knew the complex realities of the industry well: building a good rapport with a potential partner’s family greatly increased the chances of landing a deal. She navigated the social waters methodically.
Staring at Zoe’s slender, retreating figure, the resentment in Wendy’s eyes grew stronger and stronger.
*
The VIP lounge was expansive, bustling with attendees.
After wrapping up his discussion with the Italian executives, Miles Yates sought out Zoe in the crowd. She was weaving through the room with a radiant smile, charming everyone she spoke to. It was obvious she was well-liked.
Her dark, wavy hair cascaded over her snow-white shoulders, framing her delicate face and highlighting its flawless features. A glossy cherry-red lip tint gave her an alluring blend of innocence and seduction, making her as breathtaking as a spring begonia.
Miles stood still, watching her for a long moment.
He was a man who knew exactly what he wanted. He had maintained a clear plan for his life since childhood, though he wasn’t rigidly bound to it—he ultimately let his intuition guide him. The desires and affections of an adult were often straightforward. He was keenly aware of his racing heart; his desire burned like fire, and an undeniable greed was slowly rising within him.
But that was fine. He possessed boundless patience, and he had never allowed societal conventions to tether him. Mason Sullivan had once vaguely hinted that even with a divorce, Zoe would still be a previously married woman. Yet Miles couldn’t care less about labels like "previously married" or "having children." To him, they were merely evidence of past love—they could never be grounds to devalue or judge a woman. Life was long and complicated; mutual affection was the only thing that truly mattered.
After a long while, a faint smile graced his lips. He finally stepped forward, heading in her direction.
But he had barely taken two steps when a sudden commotion broke out in the crowd.
Seemingly out of nowhere, a young man burst into the area. He charged straight toward Zoe with clear intent, pointing a finger at her with a look of agonizing resentment. His voice rang out high and furious, easily carrying across the room:
"You fickle, cheating tramp! We were together for so long! We were pregnant and about to get married, but you dumped me and aborted the baby just so you could sleep your way to the top! You just wanted to latch onto someone rich and marry into a wealthy family!"