‘Everyone knows that Nolan is a VIP who the royal family of Stoslo once received, and he’s also friends with the princess of Stoslo. It’s only natural that he’s seen the commemorative medal of the royal family. He’ll see through her tricks even if she were to be able to show him something!’
Maisie scoffed. “Why would I show you such a precious item?”
This implied that she was unworthy!
Willow was trembling from the wrath, but there was still a smirk on her face. “Does this mean that you don’t have the guts to do so?
“Just look at her, Nolan. She’s a liar. She clearly knew that you were once received by the royal family and would recognize the medal. That’s why she doesn’t dare to take it out.” Willow’s attitude toward Nolan was totally different.
Nolan’s thin lips were raised coldly. “The payment of $150,000,000 is my idea. Hiring Zora as our designer is also my idea. Hence, I’ll let today’s affair slide if you can prove that you’re indeed Zora.
“But if you were to fail to do so…” Nolan approached Maisie and uttered word by word, “You won’t survive another day in Bassburgh.”
A faint fragrance coming from a cologne stunned Maisie when Nolan approached.
‘It’s Gucci cologne!’
‘Why is he applying the same cologne as the man from that night six years ago?’
Looking at her pale face, Nolan straightened his posture and did not provide her with another chance. “Since you can’t prove it, then leave by yourself. Don’t make me ask someone to chase you out.”
Willow sneered triumphantly.
‘Maisie, oh, Maisie. It’s been six years, why even bother to come back here just to dig your own grave?’
Maisie lifted her head abruptly and smiled brightly. “Sir, are you sure about that?”
Nolan squinted as he stared at her silently.
“Sir, then what would you do about the slap that I just took cheek-on from Miss Vanderbilt if I can prove my identity?”
Willow’s expression changed again as she glanced at Nolan cautiously.
Although she was now Nolan’s lover, he had not even touched her throughout all these years. If it weren’t for her flawless scheme and her choice to reserve the room with her own ID from six years ago, he would have doubted her since long ago.
“Nolan…”
“I’ll get her to apologize to you,” Nolan replied indifferently.
Maisie’s hands, which were searching through her handbag, stopped moving, and she raised her head. “I just got slapped, and you’re only going to make her apologize?”
Nolan’s eyes dimmed slightly. “Then what do you have in mind?”
Maisie raised her eyes. “We’re all born and raised in a country of etiquette and courtesy, and we uphold the teaching of returning gifts. So don’t you think that I should slap her in return in order for me to feel reconciled?”
The people around did not dare to speak. They were even a little suspicious.
‘This woman has the guts to make such a promise to Mr. Goldmann, could she really be…’
Seeing Maisie’s arrogant attitude, Nolan pressed his thin lips together.
‘This woman is the first person in Bassburgh who dares to speak to me with this tone.’
After a split second, he opened his lips with slight embarrassment. “You, don’t push your luck.”
“Then, you should find yourself another designer. I’m not someone who lets things slide so easily.” Maisie took the medal out and showed it off in front of him. “Since you’ve seen the royal commemorative medal, take a good look at it.”
She then placed the medallion back in her bag and walked away unconcernedly.
Willow lowered her head and gnashed her teeth hatefully.
‘How could this be? How could that b*tch be…
‘Zora is the designer that Nolan poached from Luxella through his own name. I wouldn’t be able to offer the price if he hadn’t offered the payment of $150,000,000.
‘Who would’ve expected that the designer turned out to be Maisie!?
‘Did I just embarrass Nolan while I treated Maisie like that earlier?’
“Nolan, I…”
Willow stretched out her hand, hoping to wrap it around his arm. However, he retracted it away from her, turned around, and glanced at Willow indifferently. “You’ll solve this by yourself.”
He then left without looking back after saying so.
Nolan walked out of the building, and the bodyguard in black who was waiting for him beside a Rolls-Royce helped him open the car door.
He then said to the man sitting in the front passenger seat after getting into the car. “I want all the information you can get on the designer Zora on my desk in two days.”
At Seaview Villa…
“Hmph, Willow Vanderbilt is really detestable!”
Daisie held her doll in her arms, leaned closer to Colton together with Waylon, and stared at the computer monitor. They looked at the woman being displayed on the monitor with the same expression. “She looks so ugly.”
Waylon turned his head and glanced at his younger brother and sister. “This woman harmed Mommy. We can’t let her go.”
Daisie supported her chin with her hand. “But what are we going to do with her?”
“We have to think of a way to hide it from Mommy.”
Waylon cracked his brain, then snapped his fingers and said, “Didn’t Godmother tell us that she has a sugar daddy? Let’s start with the bigshot by her side!”
“What’s the man’s name according to Godmother?” Daisie looked up and thought.
“Nolan Goldmann!” Colton typed the name on the keyboard, and the webpage came out very soon.
The three rugrats froze in place for a long time as soon as they saw Nolan’s photo when Colton clicked on Nolan’s information. “This man… Why does he look so much like us?”
Waylon was very surprised as he stared at the photos for quite some time.
‘Mommy has never told us about Daddy. Could this man… be our daddy?’
Colton hummed, and a hint of slyness flashed across the bottom of his eyes. “If he’s indeed our daddy, then this will be a piece of cake.”
Waylon was puzzled. “But how can we approach this man?”
“Don’t worry, my brothers, leave it to me. Isn’t it a children’s clothing brand under the Blackgold Group looking for a spokesperson? I‘ll definitely be able to secure the position!” Daisie patted her chest. She had always been the quirkiest among the three rugrats, so the plan would surely be fail-safe.
“Sweethearts, I’m back!”
The three rugrats close the webpage on the browser immediately upon hearing their mother’s voice.
“Mommy! Your Royal Highness!” The three rugrats walked out of the room one after another and threw themselves on her.
Seeing that they stayed at home obediently to welcome her, Maisie squatted down with a smile. “You three didn’t cause your godmother troubles, did you?”
“Mommy, do you think that we’d bully Godmother?” Colton asked while tilting his head.
Daisie nodded. “That’s right, why would we bully our godmother? Godmother will even bring us cakes when she returns!”
Maisie smiled bitterly.
‘I’m the one who gave birth to these three rugrats. Can I not know them any better?’
The most mischievous kid among the three children had always been the second child Colton. He definitely had not inherited his cynical and scheming personality from his mother. The eldest had always been more dependable and warm-hearted, but he would still be brave while protecting his younger brother and sister.
And Daisie, the youngest, had always been the abnormal and unorthodox one. She was already on the brink of leading her brothers astray with her love for quirky ideas.
“Mommy, you look upset. Did someone bully you?” Waylon, who was extremely observant, realized that something was wrong with Maisie instantly.
Maisie was stunned. She had been wondering why the man that she met earlier today made her feel so familiar, especially his looks and the unique smell of cologne that she got from the man six years ago.
“Mommy, you’re hiding something from us!”
Maisie forced the corners of her lips upward, smiled, and stood up upon seeing that Waylon was able to see through her once again. “Children should leave such matters to the adults. I’ll go make you some food.”
She was about to go into the kitchen when her cell phone rang.
Looking at the unknown phone number, her lips curled up into a smile.
‘It’s indeed Willow Vanderbilt.’
Maisie took the cell phone to the balcony and answered the call. “What happened, is Director Vanderbilt regretting your action now?”
Willow gnashed her teeth furiously when she heard this. “Maisie, don’t try your luck. It’s your honor that we’re willing to pay $150,000,000 just to hire you!”
“Oh really? You make it sound like I’m in urgent need of your millions.” Maisie leaned against the rail of the balcony with a faint smile on her face. “Since this isn’t a sincere collaboration, then don’t call me again.”
“Wait a minute!” Willow yelled, sat on her office’s desk, and smirked coldly. “Maisie Vanderbilt, don’t you forget that I still have that video in my possession.”
Maisie’s expression dimmed gradually ever since the word “video” was mentioned.
Willow smirked when she did not hear any response over the call. “If you don’t want me to expose the matter that took place six years ago, I advise you to come over and have a discussion with me tomorrow morning.”
Maisie took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, I’ll go over tomorrow.”
She then hung up the call as soon as she said so.
Daisie, who was eavesdropping from behind, ran back to the room with her tiny feet and said to her brothers, “That vicious woman called and threatened Mommy!”
Waylon then suggested immediately, “Then we’ll initiate our plan when Mommy goes out to meet her tomorrow.”
Colton showed an ‘okay’ gesture and uploaded Daisie and Waylon’s personal information and resume to the official “Young Faces” website, a children’s clothing brand under the Blackgold Group.
‘It just so happens that the brand was looking for two young models, and we’ll definitely be selected!
‘We’ll be able to get close to that man as long as the brand belongs to the Blackgold Group. We have to figure out whether Nolan is our daddy or not!’
The next day…
Maisie reached Vaenna Jewelry, and the secretary led her to Willow’s office. As expected, Willow was waiting for her on the couch.
Willow smiled, got up, and walked toward her as soon as the secretary went out. “I thought you wouldn’t come.”
“The video is still in your possession. Could I not come?” Maisie smiled. “By the way, I’m very thankful to you for not leaking the video through all these years.”
Willow looked slightly embarrassed.
‘It’s not that I didn’t want to leak the video. I was worried that Nolan would discover that the woman from that night isn’t me if I were to do so.’
‘However, judging from Maisie’s attitude, she probably doesn’t know that the man from that night is Nolan. Thus, I just so happen to still be able to threaten her with this video.’
“Okay, let’s not talk about anything else. I've prepared the contract for you, and the $150,000,000 will be yours as long as you sign it.” Willow went to her desk, picked up the contract, and handed it over to Maisie.
Maisie did not grab it from her. “It seems that you really need me.”
“Heh, do you really think that I want you to stay in Vaenna?”
“Yes, after all, the man who wants me to stay in Vaenna is the man who’s going to pay me that $150,000,000 on your behalf. You did find yourself quite a rock during these six years, huh?” Maisie mocked her sarcastically. “It’s a pity that you still owe me that slap from yesterday. Wouldn’t this be my loss if I were to sign it now?”
Willow’s face turned sulky as soon as she heard this. “Don’t you push your luck.”
Maisie walked up to her, leaned close to her, raised an eyebrow, and smiled. “I suffered such a loss in your hands six years ago. I won’t allow you to manipulate me into doing anything else six years later. Will you go down on your knees and apologize to me if you want me to sign this?”
Seeing Willow lifting her arm, Maisie intercepted her action swiftly by grabbing onto her wrist. “Still planning to hit me?”
“Maisie Vanderbilt, I would advise you to sign it now. Otherwise, I’ll leak the video so that
everyone in Bassburgh will know just how slutty the world-renowned Zora is.”
Maisie backhanded Willow on her cheek.
Willow was dumbfounded. She gnashed her teeth after returning to her senses. “You f*cking b*tc—”
“Does Miss Zora treat others like this in Luxella too?” A faint voice sounded from behind.
Nolan entered the room with his personal assistant and just happened to witness this scene.
He had experienced the arrogance of this woman first-hand, but he did not expect her to be so presumptuous.
Maisie murmured to herself, “What a coincidence.”
Willow was delighted deep down as Nolan had come at the right time and bit her lower lip to act pitiful. “Nolan, don’t blame Miss Zora. It’s all my fault. Maybe I’ve done something wrong.”
Nolan walked up to Maisie and warned her with an indifferent tone, “I have ways to eradicate all the opportunities that might lead you back to Luxella if you continue to give me this attitude.”
“Are you threatening me?” Maisie raised her head. She hated being threatened the most in her life!
Nolan frowned slightly upon seeing the abhorrence in her eyes. “So what if it’s a threat?”
Maisie burst into laughter. “You guys are the ones who want to hire me. But not only did you neglect me at first, but you also hit me after that. Do I look like easy meat to you?”
“She should apologize to you for her wrongdoing.” Nolan approached her. “But shouldn’t you apologize for your wrongdoing too?”
“What have I done wrongly?” Maisie spread both her hands out. “I was just returning her the hospitality and courtesy that I got from her yesterday. I’ve only gotten even with her with that slap. So why is it my fault?
“Isn’t this the same as you saying that I’m disrespecting the elderly when I want to lodge a police report after being conned by a granny who I helped cross the road?”
Nola’s glacial eyes looked stern. “Don’t justify your actions with excuses.”
Maisie snorted, turned around, and waved. “Then I’ll stick to what I’ve been saying all this while. There’s nothing worth discussing now.”
Maisie’s arm was abruptly hauled when she was walking toward the elevator. She was then dragged to the stairway.
Maisie struggled to break free. “What are you doing? Let me go!”
Nolan lowered his gaze and said sombrely, “You’d better go back and apologize.”
‘Apologize? He wants me to go back and apologize to Willow?’
Maisie scoffed and glared directly at him. “Over my dead body.”
Out of Nolan’s expectation, not only was this woman presumptuous and atrocious, but she was also very stubborn. His facial features stiffened. “If you don’t apologize, Zora’s name will disappear from the fashion and jewelry field tomorrow.”
He did not want to make it difficult for her at first, but Willow was considered his life savior. He would have been set up six years ago on that night if it weren’t for her.
Although he did not have any feelings for Willow, he had still been keeping her by his side these few years and had been satisfying her materialistic needs unconditionally.
Vaenna Jewelry had really been in a downturn these years, and that was why he would pay $150,000,000 to hire Zora on her behalf.
He knew that Willow was at fault for slapping her at first, so he was going to get Willow to apologize to her.
He did not care how they would resolve this issue in private, but he could not allow any other woman to make a move at Willow in front of him.
Maisie’s hand, which was being grasped, hurt as if it had been dislocated. Her eyes drooped, however, she would never shed a single drop of tear in front of her enemy despite her grievances! “I didn’t do anything wrong. I won’t apologize!”
Seeing that her attitude was still so rigid, Nolan snorted. “With the Goldmanns’ influence in the business circles, not only will your reputation go up in flame in Zlokova, but the people of Stoslo will also no longer hear of the name of Zora. Are you sure that you still want to do so?”
‘The Goldmanns...’
Maisie gnashed her teeth.
‘I’ve been wondering just how this man would have the ability to threaten me. It turns out that he’s from the Goldmanns!’
Maisie was not afraid of being banned or isolated in the field, but her children still needed to study in Bassburgh, and she had to regain her mother’s “Vaenna Jewelry”.
‘I should bear with such a petty setback for the sake of the bigger scheme. There’s no need for me to haggle over such a teeny-tiny humiliation with this man.’
“Let me go first.”
Nolan released his grasp and glanced at her. “You’d better think this through.”
“Isn’t it just an apology?” Maisie raised her brows, turned around, and walked out of the stairway.
She approached Willow when she returned to the office, and her bright red lips opened and closed in a split second. “I’m sorry.”
Willow did not expect Maisie would apologize, but she knew that Nolan must have acted for her.
She felt extremely complacent deep down but smiled politely on the surface. “It’s okay, as for the contract…”
Maisie took a glance at the man standing outside the door and signed the contract with a pen. However, no one saw the slight curvature on her mouth.
‘I’ve been forced to return to Vaenna Jewelry “without putting up any fight”, even though I’ve insisted that I don’t want to do so.
‘I’ll teach them a good lesson about what it means by “nurturing a snake in their bosom” from now onward.’
She then put down the pen and left immediately without creating any more stir after signing the contract.
Nolan strode up to the desk, picked up the contract, and took a glimpse at it while Willow walked to his side. “Nolan, thank you so much.”
“Don’t come into contact with her alone.” Nolan’s tone was faint. He then left with his personal assistant after putting down the contract.
Willow picked up the contract with a triumphant gaze after Nolan had left. “Maisie Vanderbilt, you’ll still die by my hands in the end.”
A Maybach was parked directly in front of the entrance, and Nolan’s personal assistant, Quincy Lawson, opened the car door for him.
Nolan asked immediately after getting into the car. “Did you gather all the information that I asked for?”
Quincy nodded, turned around, and handed a tablet to him. “Sir, it’s all saved in here.”
Nolan tapped on the screen to go through the information, but his attention was captured by the “Maisie Vanderbilt” that occupied the full name column. And the address found on her ID was exactly the Vanderbilts’ current address.
His eyes dimmed slightly.
At the Blackgold Group…
Daisie and Waylon stood outside the entrance and looked up at this iconic building, which looked extremely worthy of being the largest company in Bassburgh.
The two rugrats walked into the lobby while smart-looking men and women in suits hurried by. Some were holding documents while others were receiving foreign clients in different languages.
The two small figures attracted the attention of many people amidst this hectic scene.
The lady at the front desk noticed the two cute kids, so she stepped forward politely and asked with a gentle attitude, “Hi there, cutie pies. Who are you looking for?”
Daisie took her personal information out of her little yellow duck backpack and replied with her childish voice, “Miss, we’ve been selected as the endorsers of the brand ‘Young Faces’. The man at the entrance told us to come here for an audition.”
The receptionist almost fainted when she heard such an adorable voice. “Then didn’t your parents bring you here?”
Waylon responded immediately. “We don’t want to bother Mommy. We can do it ourselves.”
“Wow, you two are such sensible kids. Okay then, I’ll take you there now.”
“Thank you, Miss Beautipul!” The two rugrats bowed and thanked the receptionist.
The receptionist held their little hands and walked them toward the studio. ‘Young Faces’ was a luxurious children’s clothing brand under the Blackgold Group. It was indeed planning to recruit two young models, who were very photogenic and not afraid of being in the spotlight, to be their spokespersons.
The receptionist brought them outside of the studio. In addition to clothes hangers, there were also several cameras and background boards in the studio. Many children entered and exited the studio for the audition while they were waiting for their turn.
A stern-looking middle-aged woman, who was dressed very decently, seemed to be exceptionally dissatisfied with the results of all the photos and was losing her calm for a bit. “How am I going to shoot this? They have to be photogenic, photogenic! Do you understand me?”
“Sis’ Nova, these two children—”
“Argh, don’t bother me…” Nova Daniell was about to say something when she suddenly saw the two children standing next to the receptionist.
She was taken aback, her expression one of extreme shock. Her gaze was fixed on both of them.
‘How can these two kids resemble Mr. Goldmann so much!?’
