Chapter 300 Insufficient Affection
Fadlining tus crategii dislogue, a glimmer of hope sparked in Shilley’s heart. Their plan to publicly humiliate Redse seemed faxless. The pots of public opinion, a force that could strike fear into the hearts of all, regardless of their stature, wat tot to he underestimated. Consider the owner of Emerald Isle–could the trail Control the whispers of the masses of steer the societal coments of opinion?
Even Malcolm, despite his formidable abilities, was not impervious such pressure. With a reputation at stake, not everything could be manipulated by sheet will or skill alone.
Treese, a woman of flesh and blood, possessed a heart. It was difficult to fathom that under such immense stress, she could remain anwavering, adhering to her original intentions without faltering.
If she could, it would only serve to underscore her formidable strength, perhaps even bordering on terrifying.
Everly extended a card to Shirley, A hundred grand resides within. I should sustain your for a while. However, I have one stipulation
you must vow that under no circumstance, even if matters deteriorate, will you disclose my involvement.”
The choice of Shirley was logical to all, given the well–known animosity between her and Reese. Had it not been for Reese, Shirley would not have found herself in such a dire predicament.
The mention of a hundred thousand dollars ignited a spark in Shirley’s eyes. Once, such a sum would have been insignificant to her, but now, her harsh reality had brought her to this juncture.
It all traced back to the detestable Reese–with her mere thought, a bitter taste filled Shirley’s mouth.
Shirley reassured Everly, “Rest easy, my lips are sealed. Even if Malcolm himself were to inquire, I swear I will not reveal your
involvement.”
Everly responded with a derisive chuckle, “If Malcolm were to interrogate you, I suggest you steel yourself. He possesses a knack for unsettling people. Sometimes, without uttering a word, a mere glance from him can unnerve you. Imagine if he were to actually speak–you’d be completely disoriented.”
Everly, having been outwitted before, hoped Shirley would prove more cunning. With the right moves, even if Malcolm decided to investigate, it wouldn’t be easy for him to identify the puppeteer amidst a sea of suspects.
Shirley, now blinded by the allure of wealth, was not in a position to refuse any proposition from Everly.
“Rest assured, Miss Everly, we could even collaborate again in the future. Anything to ensure that vile Reese gets her comeuppance -I’m prepared to pay any price!”
Witnessing such hatred for Reese in Shirley’s eyes, a heavy sensation settled in Everly’s heart.
“Just remember how Reese treated you back in the day.”
“I understand.” Shirley was eager to witness Reese’s downfall.
After they parted ways, Shirley, with the money in hand, immediately immersed herself in a life of luxury–it had been far too long since she’d last indulged in such extravagance.
Once Everly returned, she had an associate tip off the media. She understood that without an audience, there could be no spectac
Her hands clenched her purse, her gaze fixed on their door, her eyes filled with malice.
Just wait a few days, she thought. The show will commence, and with Reese’s family present, she’d have to witness how Reese would
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Chapter 300 Insufficient Affection
handle this colossal blunder in front of everyone.
At this moment, Reese was oblivious to the trap Everly was laying for her. Her mind was preoccupied with the quest to find her biological father and her return to the organization–how she’d confront those who were neither friends nor foes in the past.
But before departing, Reese had to resolve Alyssa’s issue. She was a woman of her word; if she made a promise, she usually saw it through.
Two days later, Reese located Alyssa.
“So, any progress?” she inquired.
Alyssa seemed far from despondent these days–in fact, she appeared to be thoroughly enjoying herself.
Teasingly, Reese asked, “Feeling like a blessing–in–disguise now, huh
Beaming, Alyssa responded triumphantly, “I should’ve asked for your contact much sooner. Reese, you know, great things should be shared, not hoarded.”
“Is that what you think I’m doing, hoarding? I haven’t been in touch with him for a long time. If you hadn’t stirred up all this
drama, I wouldn’t have reached out.”
Reese despised being indebted to anyone, especially since King was always occupied. Having been a part of the esports team, she was intimately familiar with their grueling routine. They trained relentlessly, day in and day out, mastering each character until it was almost sickening to observe.
Only for the glory of the team, only for their own dreams, would anyone endure such rigorous training. One could easily surmise how much they detested revisiting such topics during their personal time.
Alyssa nodded in understanding. “But King’s skills are undeniable. He may not be quite on your level, Reese, but from what I’ve seen, he’s impressive. He’s clinched so many victories for the team. His gameplay is slick, and his ability to predict the opponent’s moves is spot–on.”
For the past two days, Alyssa had been fervently practicing with King. She wished she could train with him for a few more days, but her fans were growing restless.
Tapping Alyssa lightly on the forehead, Reese advised, “You better address your fans‘ situation promptly. At the rate things are going, you’re about to become a trending topic on social media.”
“Seriously? I’ve been completely out of the loop these past few days, just noticing people ragging on me. But, Reese, I apologize for dragging you into this mess, really. It’s my own drama, and here I am bothering you with it. To top it off, I even got in the way of your date with Malcolm. He’s been giving me the cold shoulder.”
When had Malcolm become so petty? She couldn’t comprehend why such a trivial matter had irked him.
That thought piqued her curiosity again, and she leaned in to quiz Reese, “Hey Reese, can ask you something?”
Reese, sensing the intrigue in her approach, gently pushed Alyssa back. “You know what? I think it’s better if you don’t ask. It never sounds like it’s going to be a good question with you.”
Alyssa smirked, “Classic Reese, seeing right through me. But I’ve gotta ask, do you ever, you know, leave Malcolm… wanting?
It seemed like he was always so starved for affection.
Reese’s expression darkened, “What are you even talking about all the time?”
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Alyssa was genuinely puzzled,Am I way off base here? But why has Malcolm been so dismissive toward me lately?
Reese believed Alyssa was overthinking it. The real reason Malcolm Bad been distant was that he was preoccupied with planning a trip out of town. She had only shared part of that information, which naturally led him to think more about it..
This was already a significant change for her, considering her old self wouldn’t have disclosed anything. Snapping back to reality, Reese decided not to divulge too much to Alyssa.
“Forget about Malcolm for now. Focus on resolving your fans‘ drama While I’ve got some time, let’s have a round and see what you’ve learned from your recent training.”
