Chapter 16 The First Showdown

Dressed in Vivian's clothes and using Vivian's makeup, Yolanda's attitude towards Vivian was incredibly hostile. So, after Yolanda spent several hours putting on her makeup and put a lot of effort into redecorating the bedroom, Vivian finally said with an innocent look on her face. "Oh, sis. It just came to me, that Mr. Handsome hasn't been home to sleep for a few days now, and he won't be back tonight." "What! Why didn't you spill the beans earlier?" Yolanda, who was usually a sucker for the good life and idled her time away, was already worn out from changing a full set of bedding all by herself. Right now, she felt like tearing Vivian apart, "What should I do now? Do you know I've dolled up all for nothing?" "Maybe we should go look for Mr. Handsome." "You make it sound like a piece of cake. Do you think he would let a simpleton like you into Benton Group? The reason he's not sleeping at home is because he can't stand you!" She hadn't even set foot in the Benton Group before, and the mere thought of it made her seethe with anger. But what really got Yolanda's goat was still to come. Vivian nonchalantly dialed Ethan's number, her voice dripping with honey, "Hello, Mr. Handsome, can Vivian come over to the office to keep you company? Vivian is so lonesome at home. Okay, see you soon, Mr. Handsome, Vivian will bring you some sweet candies." "Just like that? Ethan agreed to let you visit him at the office?" Three days! It took her three days to accomplish what this simpleton Vivian managed to pull off in less than a minute! Yolanda gazed out the bedroom window, a sudden urge washing over her. She wanted to push this simpleton out of the window. If not to her death, then at least to a life in a wheelchair! But she eventually bit back the urge, however, the venom in her eyes was not lost on Vivian. Yolanda thought of a new plan "Vivian, you mentioned you're bringing Ethan some sweets, what else does he like? Should we bring more? How about some juice?" "Sure," Vivian answered with a naive grin. Then, Yolanda dismissed the kitchen staff and squeezed a glass of orange juice herself. From her hiding spot, Vivian watched as Yolanda dropped a white pill into the juice. So, that's how she's so confident about bagging Ethan. She had even prepared a drug. She must have learned this from her mother, considering how Fiona had snatched someone else's husband back in the day. Vivian had arranged it with Ethan in advance, so she was met by a company representative when she arrived at the Benton Group building. This was Yolanda's first visit to the Benton Group. She used to think their own Swain Group was impressive enough. But stepping into the Benton Group today made her realize what true high-end luxury looked like. Swain Group and Benton Group were just not in the same league. Gazing at this luxurious edifice, Yolanda made up her mind. She was determined to become the lady of the Benton Group! The secretary escorted Vivian and Yolanda directly to the CEO's office. However, Ethan wasn't there. The secretary told them he was in a meeting and asked Vivian and Yolanda to wait. Checking the time, Vivian realized it was already 5 PM. She had an appointment with the head of Regal Investments at 7 PM that night, and she needed time to get ready, so she had to hit the road now. The staff here were not like the servants at Lakeside mansion, constantly watching her. She made up an excuse about needing the restroom and slipped out of the CEO's office. The car she had rented in advance was now parked in the basement garage of the Benton Group building. Everything she needed was already prepared in the vehicle, thanks to the money she had spent. At 7 PM, the night was deepening. A bar named " Moonshine Junction " was starting its business for the evening. But, undoubtedly, tonight was a special one. Three days ago, the bar owner had announced that a grand masquerade party would take place tonight. The only rule was that anyone entering the bar must wear a mask; otherwise, they would not be admitted. Without a doubt, all of this was Vivian's doing. Because she wasn't ready to reveal "Crocodile" to the world, she couldn't appear in her true persona in front of anyone. Not even a camera would be able to capture her face. Dressed in a low-key black beaded bodycon dress that was nothing to write home about, her barely styled wavy hair, and a half-face mask that had lost a few rhinestones, Vivian was nothing if not understated. Her entire outfit couldn't have cost more than five hundred bucks. Yet, even so, the moment she walked into the neon-lit bar, she drew all eyes to her. Regardless of gender, everyone in the room stopped what they were doing and couldn't help but turn their gaze towards her. Although her dress was cheap, she wore it like it was the epitome of understated luxury. Under the stark contrast of the generic black, she seemed to glow a radiant white. And her hair, thick and black as seaweed, flowing smoothly down her back, was an object of envy for every woman in the room. Even though only her chin and mouth were visible beneath the mask, it was enough to stun everyone. She'd barely been there a minute before she was surrounded by a crowd of men and even some women, all clamoring to buy her a drink. But Vivian had no time for them. She pushed through the crowd without a second glance, which made a short distance into a ten-minute journey. When she finally made it to the private room, the head of Regal Investments was already there. The room was dimly lit, but Vivian could clearly see that the man was seated in a wheelchair. "A disabled man!" Vivian was surprised. However, judging by the man's proportions, if he weren't disabled, he would have to be nearly six feet three tall when standing. "Miss Crocodile, you're late," he said. His voice came out altered, a little offbeat. Coupled with the mask covering the lower half of his face, Vivian realized instantly that the man was using a voice changer to communicate with her. Interesting. It seemed he wasn't eager to reveal his true identity either. She too had a voice changer installed, "Apologies for the slight delay, there was a minor commotion outside. How should I address you, sir?" "My surname is Regal," responded Ethan, seated in his wheelchair, sizing up the woman known as "Crocodile". He hadn't expected "Crocodile" to be a young woman. There was a familiar glint in her eyes that he couldn't quite place. “Mr. Regal,” she sat down opposite him, "I believe Nathaniel has already talked to you. Our target this time is Swain Group." Her lips, small and diamond-shaped, suddenly reminded Ethan of Little Simpleton's mouth. But Little Simpleton's lips were a tender pink, while the ones before him were coated with makeup and marked by a tiny mole beneath them. "To be honest, Swain Group doesn't offer much appeal to me. But I'm curious as to why an industry bigwig like 'Crocodile' would take an interest in such a small fish. I hope Miss Crocodile can provide a heartfelt answer, or I'm afraid I'll have to pass on this collaboration."