Chapter 2

I did not sleep all night, but when I pushed open the bedroom door, my face looked normal in the mirror, even showing a trace of tiredness from staying up late.

The smell of butter toast and freshly ground coffee drifted from the kitchen. Julian stood in front of the counter, wearing that soft light gray loungewear. For five years, this picture of a "perfect partner" was my only safe haven during my family's cold winter.

At this moment, I only felt nauseous.

"I did not hear you come back last night," he said without turning his head, elegantly pushing an engagement anniversary gift in front of me with concern, "Did you sleep well?"

This was his "deep affection script" played out for our fifth anniversary.

"I slept very well," I smiled softly, and the lie slipped down my throat with an addictive thrill, "Julian, I have figured it out. You are right, and I should not lose my mother forever for that little bit of pride."

Julian's hand paused for half a second. Although it was only a moment, I sharply caught the wild joy flashing in his eyes—he finally got what he waited for.

"I am really so happy you can think this way," he turned around and put his hands on my shoulders, his eyes full of fake deep affection, "Tomorrow is Eleanor's birthday, and with her personality, she will definitely put Mercer on the final partner list for the hotel project if you are willing to yield."

"As long as we get the long-term operation rights of that hotel, Mercer will no longer be today's Mercer."

He acted so real, as if his every action was to help me return to the top.

I lowered my eyes to hide the coldness in them: "I will contact her."

Julian smiled with satisfaction. Next, he casually pushed his phone to my hand, and the screen was showing the contacts interface with a clear note: Hale.

Hale is Julian's most important client, but that was built on the Whitmore family background. For the past three years, Hale was willing to renew the contract entirely because he still remembered the old friendship with my father and treated me as half an heir.

"Hale has a renewal contract to discuss today, and you know he cares most about face," Julian looked at me and naturally made a demand, "Make a phone call for me and tell him I am your fully supported partner."

He was forcing me to act as a "chip" one last time to stamp his business empire.

I picked up his phone, and the metal case still held the warmth of his palm.

"Okay."

I dialed the number and turned on the speaker right in front of Julian. Hale's hearty laughter came from the phone, and Julian gave me an encouraging look like a man admiring a carefully crafted weapon.

I looked at Julian and spoke into the microphone with the gentlest tone of my life:

"Mr. Hale, do you remember the last sentence my father said to you in the study five years ago?"

The phone went dead silent instantly, just like a mute button was pressed. Julian's smile froze on his face, and although he did not understand this hidden hint, he instinctively sensed something wrong.

I hung up the phone and pushed it back to him, smoothly adjusting his tie with a force as light as tying a noose.

"What did he say?" Julian frowned.

I opened my eyes wide innocently: "He said, let him handle it as he sees fit."

That night, when Julian pushed open the door, his meticulously styled hair was messy, and his expensive leather coat was crumpled into a ball.

"Hale terminated the cooperation," his voice shook with anger, and his usually perfect hypocritical face became fierce due to the collapse of his interests, "Claire, I need an explanation."

I sat on the sofa, and my heartbeat was terribly steady.

I slightly widened my eyes and looked back at him with his expected "panic" while my fingertips trembled slightly.

"Why?" I squeezed out a shocked voice, "Could it be... because they found out when I contacted my mother just now?"

Julian stared hard at me, and he was examining me.

But he ultimately did not dare to drop his act because he still needed me in this chess game to trick Eleanor out of that authorization.

He took a deep breath to calm his frantic breathing, forcing out a twisted and comforting smile:

"Do not be afraid, Claire. I will handle it well. Even if we lost Hale, we can still win as long as we get the Whitmore hotel project."

I looked at him, and he thought this was merely losing one chip.

He did not know the truth at all, and this was just the first foundation stone of his so-called "empire" that I pulled out with my own hands.