Chapter 2

Miranda gazed in that direction and indeed saw Xavier alone. His dull gaze reflected his drunken state as he leaned against the chair and dozed off. Despite that, he appeared as cool as ever without a hint of dejection. Miranda had nothing to say, while Naomi became exasperated at the sight of Xavier. After letting out a cold snort, she sneered. "I thought that scumbag had a new girlfriend. Why isn't she here? "I heard his mother introduce the girl to him. She's a top student, and she's nice. "Although her family is poor, she has a notable background. Xavier, that condescending scumbag, is so loving toward her. Should I give him a lesson, Mira?" Miranda's thoughts trailed off. "A top student, nice girl, and has a notable background, huh? She's very different from me," she mused. In the last seven years with Xavier, she had never pretended in front of him, be it when discussing projects or in bed. As such, pride and dignity weren't something she could demand. "Forget it. We broke up amicably." Miranda lost her appetite and uttered softly, "Go on. I'll head to the washroom." It didn't take long for her to come out of the washroom. When she turned the corner, a strong scent of alcohol hit her as a figure stepped into view. Before she could react, Xavier's lips crushed into hers eagerly and aggressively. He pressed her against the cold concrete wall and bit her lips as if he were trying to devour her. Once she snapped back to reality, she became angered. She pushed his chest and forcefully shoved him away before swinging a slap at his face. "You're mistaken, Mr. Schneider. I'm not Yovanna." Her voice was as calm as the still lake. Under the faint light, Xavier finally regained his composure upon sensing the pain signals sent to his cheek. He lit a cigarette, frowned, and leaned against the wall with annoyance. "Why are you here?" "It's none of your business." Miranda's voice remained cold. Immediately after, Yovanna arrived from a distance. Her expression shifted somewhat awkwardly as soon as she saw Miranda. Her demeanor changed when she clung to Xavier's arm, all sweet and smiles. "What a surprise to see you here, Ms. Jennings." Her movement screamed, "That's my man." In response, Miranda explained, "Mr. Schneider mistook me for someone else. I have somewhere else to be, Ms. Yates, so goodbye." Once she left, Yovanna looked concernedly at Xavier's face. "Xavy, what happened to your face?" He lowered his eyes and lightly uttered, "Got a cat's scratch." Yovanna bit her lip as her eyes reddened. Not a word of complaint or criticism came out of her mouth, making her seem even nicer and more compliant. As if realizing something, he squeezed her hand and assured her with a soft, deep voice. "I had a little too much to drink and mistook her for you while you were gone." His low coaxing settled her anxious heart. She tugged at his sleeve and said, "As your girlfriend, I'm a little bit upset that you're still close with your ex." "She's not an ex." Xavier said softly, "You're the only one." It was only then that Yovanna realized that was the truth. No matter how wild the rumors spread, nobody had ever said he dated Miranda. Immediately, it felt like she had tasted something sweet, like honey. She then followed Xavier into a private room, where he introduced her to his group of friends. A few of his close friends had returned to the country, and they met up to have a few drinks. When she arrived earlier, Xavier had gotten drunk and sat outside alone to get some fresh air. Now, he had regained his sobriety. His friends were all intrigued by Yovanna, much more than when they met Miranda. Miranda was like a weed. During her toughest times, she found herself in a remote village, managing a project alone, wielding a machete to outsmart a group of petty thugs. Her resilience and tenacity often made her seem almost superhuman. While many doubted her relationship with Xavier, there were still those who admired her spirit and determination. One of them had gotten drunk and blurted out, "Anna, you look quite similar to Miranda." Yovanna seemed rather upset. "Do I?" The man scratched his head and replied, "Actually, not really. Miranda is more alluring, while you appear more innocent, Anna." He then suppressed his volume. "To be honest with you, I kinda want to pursue her, but I'm not sure if Vee will be okay with it." Yovanna blinked. "If that's the case, why don't you give me Ms. Jennings' number, and I'll ask her what she thinks?" Miranda's dinner quickly concluded. In reality, Naomi was reluctant to see her leave. Despite that, she knew Miranda's departure paved the way for a greater future. Even if Xavier was heartless to Miranda, Schneider Corporation was still a leading enterprise at the end of the day. With Evergreen Ventures, a new environment, and her capabilities, Miranda was bound to soar to new heights sooner or later. After their meal, Naomi seemed to be drunk and tugged at Miranda's sleeve. "I know you're bitter deep inside, Mira… Since the downfall of your family, you're left all alone to shoulder everything. Then there's Xavier, who basically betrayed you. "Why must the future of the Jennings family rely solely on you…?" Miranda stayed silent and only assisted the drunk Naomi into the car. She asked why. Well, after seven years of hard work went down the drain, she had no choice but to rely on herself. Luckily, Naomi stopped babbling after entering the car. Miranda was relieved and ready to pay the cab driver when a text message from an unknown sender popped up. "Hi, I'm Yovanna."