Chapter 6
The night in Paris was dazzling with lights.
The head of the overseas division for Hardy Group came rushing from the airport
gate.
“SU, it’s great to finally meet you in person! I didn’t expect you to be so beautiful.” The well–dressed man in a suit took my luggage with his large hand. “The industry always assumed SU was a sharp middle–aged man, but you’re so young.”
I took off my sunglasses and shook his hand confidently. “Mr. Smith, please call me by my real name, Manvi Nelson. Your English is excellent, and I look forward to a successful collaboration.”
He returned the handshake with a delighted
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Chapter 6
smile. “Thank you for the compliment. I’m the chief in charge here in Paris, and we’ll have many opportunities to work together. To show my sincerity, I made a special effort to brush up on my English.”
He escorted me to the apartment and thoughtfully brought me a late–night snack, reminding me to rest early.
“There’s a press conference tomorrow morning. Get a good night’s sleep, and I’ll come pick you up.”
Looking at the Eiffel Tower through the window, my restless heart settled, and a wave of excitement washed over me.
I had finally said goodbye to ten long years as a housewife and re–entered the workforce, reclaiming my identity.
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Chapter 6
I had once sneaked a look at the chat logs between Ewen Wood and Felecia Ford, where Ewen complained to Felecia about how, as the kids grew older, I only focused on mundane household matters and kept talking to him about trivial family stuff, which he found boring.
Felecia laughed slyly and remarked, “What a coincidence! Our nanny is just like that.”
At the time, Demir Wood had pneumonia, and I was taking him to the hospital alone every day. I did often talk to Ewen about the kids, hoping for some comfort from him.
I thought I was carrying the burden for the children so Ewen could work without
worries.
Who knew he only saw dullness and monotony.
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I sat by the window for a long time, trying to convince myself not to wake Ewen for a confrontation.
Trying to reason with a heartless person is futile. I could stop him from speaking ill of me in my presence, but I couldn’t control the fact that he no longer loved me.
During that time, I was engulfed in deep self–doubt, the once vibrant me had vanished, replaced by exhaustion, depression, and overwhelming anxiety.
Fortunately, those days were behind me. I returned to doing the work I loved most and found an even bigger stage.
I shone at the press conference, signing a partnership agreement with Smith.
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Hardy Group gave me a grand introduction and showcased some of my other project achievements.
News of the day dominated the headlines: “SU Revealed! A Young Asian–American Female Designer” “Hardy Group and SU Join Forces to Create a World–Class Art and Business Center, “Industry Giants Predict Hardy Group to Win Next Year’s Industry Awards.””
Every photo featured me shaking hands with Smith.
Ewen Wood never believed I was SU, but now he finally did.
He called me frantically, but since arriving in Paris, I only kept my phone in the apartment, never taking it with me.
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After dozens of unanswered calls, a worried Ewen texted me: “Honey, some things are really just a misunderstanding. Can we talk? Please give me a chance.”
Even Felecia Ford messaged me: “Sis–in–law, I never intended to ruin your family. Please answer Ewen’s call.”
I ignored them and blocked both numbers.
The new project kept me overwhelmingly busy, with barely a moment to spare.
For the new commercial center, I introduced the theme of “Time” symbolizing the flow of history and future. In the mall’s center, I created a massive installation where a rushing river starts from a vintage clock and finally flows into a sunken garden representing the future.
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As soon as this concept was unveiled, it received unanimous praise from the whole industry.
“SU, your idea is a marvelous surprise; you truly are a genius. However, we need a top–notch company to execute this flawlessly. You can choose the contractor”
I nodded slightly. The project was enormous and would require several competent teams for execution.
That’s why, after the news broke, Ewen Wood and Felecia Ford were so eager to contact
- me.
Given Ewen Wood’s company strength, they couldn’t handle the entire project, but they could still be a significant executing team.
They feared losing this qualification because
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of what happened.
Yet, everyone must face the consequences
of their actions.
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