Winning Her Heart Back

 Wearing an Extra Layer Before Going Out

Emelie had brought only her driver that day. She stood casually by the side of the car, waiting for William to get out, and greeted him with a smile. "Mr. Middleton."

William was dressed in dark colors, as usual. He had on a black jumper and a long coat. His expression was stern and serious, but there was a slight softening of his demeanor when his eyes met hers.

"Are you here to see Ms. Thornton?" William asked.

"Are you here to see Mr. Undvike, Mr. Middleton?" Emelie asked in return.

William replied, "I was just passing by Pearl Bay and thought I'd stop by to see Ms. Thornton."

His eyes then wandered over her somewhat thin clothing. "It should be colder in Capebatt City than it is in Baliz. You should wear an extra layer if you are going out."

Emelie smiled but didn't respond to his comment. Instead, she said, "I won't keep you then, Mr. Middleton. I'll be on my way."

And with that, she got into the car. Just as the door closed, she heard William cough twice.

She turned to look back, but William was already walking toward the villa. As always, he stood straight and tall. He seemed to have no sign of discomfort.

If there was one thing that was different, it was the fact that he was dressed more warmly.

Although it was a bit chilly, she remembered that William used to dislike wearing scarves. He thought they were suffocating and made it hard to breathe. It hadn't even snowed in Capebatt City, and he was already wearing one.

Emelie tapped her knee contemplatively before instructing the driver to start the car and drive away.

After giving the public two days to adjust, Xanther Group officially announced its partnership with Filo Group on Thursday morning.

From then on, Filo Group would replace Aurora Group and continue to support Xanther Group financially. Xanther Group and Filo Group even held a signing ceremony. This time, Xanther Group live streamed the event on its official social media account, away from the intense scrutiny of the media.

As expected, the event quickly became a hot topic.

The viewers noticed that the representative of the Filo Group was none other than the woman in the case of the murdered woman, Emelie Hoven.

Now, of course, she was known as Mandy Pierce.

Still, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that they were one and the same person. Her presence as a representative of the Filo Group signing the agreement with the Xanther Group further confirmed that there was no animosity between her and William. They seemed to have parted amicably as former lovers. Wait a minute.

Speaking of which, where was William?

The audience scanned the screen for him. William used to be the one to represent the Xanther Group when public events were held. Why wasn't he there this time?

There was a banquet after the signing ceremony.

Emelie wore a Faldoria-style velvet dress. Cool, elegant, and sophisticated, the deep blue vintage design was a perfect match for her current aura.

The dress had a square neckline that was decorated with a circle of precious stones. The back of the dress was open, draped only with strands of gemstone beads, which gave the design a slender and sensual appeal.

With so many precious stones on her dress, she kept her hair in a simple style, pinned up and without any additional accessories, to achieve the perfect balance.

She already had what was universally recognized as a beautiful face. Three years on, she had matured into a beauty that gave off an air of nobility meant to command respect and distance.

Although she represented the Filo Group, one of Faldoria's leading conglomerates, few people dared to approach her and strike up a conversation.

Meanwhile, she took the initiative to ask Charles, "Why isn't Mr. Middleton here today?"

"Alas, he's been busy with his father's affairs lately and hasn't gotten any rest. After the funeral, the strength he had been holding on to finally gave way, and he collapsed. But it's nothing serious. He just needs to stay at home for a couple of days and get some rest," Charles explained.

"I see." Emelie smiled.

Charles asked out of curiosity, "Ms. Pierce, is there anything you need from Mr. Middleton?"

Emelie looked around at the blossoming banquet around her. Her lips curved into a gentle smile as she spoke slowly.

"Mr. Davis, you may know that I didn't have the happiest of childhoods. My family wasn't well off. It is through my studies that I have had the opportunity to change my fate. After all, without a certain level of knowledge, I wouldn't have been able to serve as Chief Secretary of the Cloudex Corporation.

Charles wondered why she was bringing this up out of the blue. Still, he kept a serious, attentive expression on his face. "Mm-hmm."

"Recently, due to the trending news of Mr. Middleton and the Xanther Group, the attention of the public has been drawn away from another important event that took place at the same time. There was a landslide in Veloria that not only left over a hundred households homeless but also crushed the town's only elementary school."

Emelie sighed. "The children who attend this school are all abandoned children. There aren't many of them, just a dozen or twenty. It was their only source of education during their elementary and secondary school years. Now that the school is in ruins, they have no place to do their studies.

Charles interjected, "Is that so? But there will be funds for its reconstruction, won't there?"

"The amount of money is limited, and it goes to the most urgent needs, such as mountain protection, road construction, and house reconstruction. A small school with only a dozen pupils isn't a priority, so it might not be rebuilt." Emelie shook her head.

"But if the school isn't rebuilt, these children will have nowhere to study. They may end up having to stay at home to help on the farm and grow up with only the basics before they have to go out to work or get married. If they had access to education, maybe even a college education, their lives could be very different."Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.

Charles couldn't see her point. "It's true that they're pitiful. So, Ms. Pierce, what are you trying to say?"