Chapter 3

In her other hand, Erika carried a white gift box, a confident smile playing on her lips.

As they walked over, they greeted people along the way.

The executives all nodded politely at Tom, but when their eyes landed on Erika, their gazes shifted subtly.

With her arm in arm with Tom, Erika approached me. Her smile was gentle and composed. "Hello, Mrs. Baxter."

I looked at her, but stayed silent.

Erika offered the white gift box with both hands. "Mrs. Baxter, I made these flowers myself. Happy birthday."

Inside was a bouquet of handcrafted paper white lilies, all white and tied together with a matching ribbon.

I stared at the bouquet, but didn't take it.

The people around us exchanged awkward glances, the air thick with tension.

Erika held the bouquet out, her smile never faltering. "Mrs. Baxter, this is just a token of my appreciation. It may not be as expensive as the other gifts, but I folded each flower myself, to show my respect for you."

White lilies, seriously? Did she think it was my funeral?

I stayed silent, and my assistant stepped forward to take the bouquet. "Thank you, Miss Harris."

Erika smiled, her eyes sweeping over me. "Mrs. Baxter, that dress looks lovely on you. But pink is such a delicate color. Maybe it's not suitable for your age anymore."

The hall suddenly fell silent, and everyone turned to look at us.

She kept smiling, looking all innocent. "I mean, you're already thirty. Pink might seem a bit too youthful for someone your age. But you can still pull it off."

She tilted her head, her smile sweet and innocent. "Men always go for the younger women. Once you're past thirty, you kind of lose your charm."

Tom stood nearby, his expression awkward. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but ended up staying silent.

Everyone in the room gasped, not daring to make a sound.

I looked at her pretend-innocent face and gave a cold laugh. "You're right."

Erika froze for a second.

I reached out, took the bouquet from my assistant, plucked one of the paper roses, and stepped forward to tuck it into Erika's hair.

I said, "This flower suits you. A white lily, just right for you."

Someone nearby burst out laughing.

Erika bit her lip, her eyes welling up with tears, looking just as pitiful as she did at the wedding.

She glanced at Tom, who was frowning and looked like he wanted to say something, but I raised my hand to shut him up.

"Don't rush, I'm not finished," I said, sizing her up. "You claim I'm not attractive anymore at thirty. So, how old are you?"

She bit her lip and said, "Twenty-two."

"When I was twenty-two, I was already running Vortex Group. What about you? Junior year, right? Shouldn't you be out hunting for an internship? Or are you just planning to let someone else's husband foot your bills?" I shot Tom a look.

Erika's face flushed even deeper. "That's not true!"

I laughed and said, "Oh, really? Then what do you call showing up with white lilies and telling me I'm trying too hard to look young? That's not just rude. It's downright classless!"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "Mrs. Baxter, I didn't mean it that way, I just..."

I stepped closer, and she instinctively backed away. "Erika, I know exactly what you're up to."

She looked up at me, a flicker of panic in her eyes.

I leaned in close, whispering in her ear so only the two of us could hear. "I've seen many pretentious and shameless girls like you."

I let out a soft laugh. "You think being young and pretty, acting all pitiful, will let you snag Tom, get ahead, and walk all over me? Please. You're way too green."

I shot her a look full of contempt. "Let me tell you, Tom won't betray this marriage for you. Don't you believe me?"

I didn't say it because I trusted our relationship. Everything here belonged to me. If Tom ever cheated, he'd be kicked out of the CEO chair before sunrise.

"Focus on your studies instead of wasting your time on nonsense," I said, straightening up and speaking in a normal tone as I gently smoothed her hair. "Getting a good job after graduation. That's the real path forward."

Erika wiped her tears and looked up at me, her voice shaky. "Mrs. Baxter, you make it sound so noble, talking about how women need brains and telling me to study hard, but aren't you just relying on men yourself?"

Her voice got louder. "Your dad handed you Vortex Group, Tom runs Baxter Group, and the only reason you get to stand here and celebrate your birthday is that you've got a rich dad and a perfect husband, right?"

Tom's face darkened, but he still kept quiet.

I didn't get mad. Instead, I just laughed. "Erika, do you even understand what it means to take over a legacy?

"My dad founded this company, and I stepped up to run it. That's succession. My husband built his own business, and I invested both my money and energy to support him. That's partnership. I'm standing here as the CEO of Vortex Group, not just someone's wife."