Chapter 3

Logically speaking, Wynter, as an intern, had no business accompanying the CEO at important functions like this.

In my previous timeline, when Wynter taunted me in this way, I didn't even think twice before giving her two tight slaps.

I had slapped many of Constantin's lovers before, and he had never once interfered.

However, that time back then, Constantin responded by slapping me hard in retaliation, all because of that girl.

That was the first time he had ever hit me.

Based on that timeline, tonight was the night Constantin was supposed to help me buy up my family's company shares.

That would throw a lifeline to my family's business and keep it afloat for another decade.

Now, in this present time, I didn't want to stir up any trouble. Thus, I simply handed the freshly pressed suit to Wynter.

"This is the backup suit. Since you're here, I won't hang around," I told her flatly.

Wynter's smile froze. Constantin's face turned sinister, and he crushed the wine glass in his hand with a loud crack.

"Lydianne, where do you think you're going? You should be playing your part as Mrs. Ligier in this kind of event!" he growled through clenched teeth.

The three of us stood there in an awkward silence.

At this point, the auction started. Constantin kept putting in bids for several sets of jewelry.

But when it came to the big finale involving my family's company shares, he didn't even look up. Instead, he was totally focused on putting the jewelry he had just bought on Wynter.

My eye twitched a few times. Finally, I couldn't help myself anymore. "Constantin, you promised to help me," I reminded him curtly.

However, he only cast me a desultory glance. "What's the rush?"

Wynter, who was leaning against this man coquettishly, stuck her tongue out at me cheekily and said, "Mrs. Ligier, it's my birthday today. Mr. Ligier only wanted to give me a present."

With that, she stroked the gemstone necklace around her neck with a smug expression.

My heart gradually sank in the cacophony of bidding voices.

When the auctioneer was about to close the final bid, I reached out in a panic and tugged at Constantin's sleeve.

"If you don't bid now, it'll be too late! This company means everything to my family. I'm begging you, please!" I pleaded with him.

Constantin's eyes flickered with a hint of triumphant amusement now that I had capitulated.

He gave a scornful snort before saying, "I thought you were going maintain that stony face forever."

Although he was still being mean, he did raise his bidding paddle before the final call.

After the auctioneer announced that Ligier Corp had won the bid, the weight on my shoulders was finally lifted.

But before I could sigh in relief, an auction staffer rushed up to us urgently. "Mr. Ligier, during the verification, we found that your funds are insufficient for the bid."

Constantin appeared genuinely surprised. However, Wynter suddenly covered her mouth. "Constantin, I'm such an airhead. I think I forgot to get you to sign the forms from finance."

Wynter was working as an intern in the finance department at Ligier Corp.

Every financial transaction required Constantin's signature, without which not a dollar could be transferred.

In the blink of an eye, the auctioneer slammed the gavel down, and the shares ended up with another bidder.

This time, my heart truly sank to the bottom of the pit of despair.

Constantin frowned at first, but after that, he patted Wynter gently on the head. "Little airhead, when will you stop being so scatterbrained?"

Everything around me started to appear distorted and unreal.

Constantin's face became blurred, and I couldn't even make out what he was saying.

At this juncture, someone pushed out a trolley with a gigantic cake while the crowd broke into a chorus of "Happy Birthday."

Wynter's laughter sounded like nails scratching on a chalkboard.

When I recovered my senses, my hands were already gripping the edge of the table with the cake.

With a single flip, I overturned the cake and sent the champagne tower crashing to the floor.

I shoved Constantin aside and pushed Wynter straight into the mess of shattered glass and debris.

"If you want to act like a bitch, then you can forget about this birthday celebration!" I shouted.

"Lydianne, are you out of your mind?" Constantin yelled in fury.

In the next second, he lashed out and slapped me hard across the face.

Wynter lay on the floor, clutching her belly. When she saw blood running down her legs, she screamed in horror, "My baby! My baby!"

Constantin immediately carried her up and rushed off, leaving me standing there alone while everyone around stared at me like I was some lunatic.

In that instant, it felt like I was back in the nightmare of ten years later.

In that timeline, my family's company went bankrupt, and my parents took their own lives by jumping off a building.

Thereafter, Wynter sent a bunch of thugs to assault me, and images of the aftermath spread all over the internet.

In the end, Constantin had me locked up in a psychiatric ward, where I was tormented until I died…

Everything was supposed to be different this time.

I grabbed my head as the pain became unbearable. Things were supposed to be different this time!

I shoved away anyone who tried to help and ran out of the hall without looking back.

I went straight to the hospital and booked myself for a psychiatric evaluation.

The test result indicated I was perfectly sane. Just when I was feeling totally lost, a scheduled email landed in my inbox.

The contents read, "Lydianne, you're not the only one who has come from the future."

I stared at those words, reading them over and over.

Then my eyes caught sight of the sender's name, "Wyn."

I laughed bitterly at the irony of it all. So my memories weren't messed up after all.

It turned out that I wasn't the only one who came back from ten years in the future…