Chapter 4

I finally understood. Leo Stone wasn't so much a capable right-hand man as a fawning sycophant.

He knew exactly how to twist his words to get into Charlotte Thorne's head.

This perception of me as "useless" definitely stemmed from him whispering in her ear.

Charlotte Thorne was used to being flattered. Playing along with her seemed the easiest way to solve the problem.

I glanced at her, feeling a surge of weariness.

“What kind of compensation do you want?”

She scoffed. “I want you to personally call my mother and tell her that you’re the one who wants to break off the engagement.”

I nodded sharply.

“Fine.”

With that, I pulled out my phone and opened my contacts.

Charlotte Thorne looked at me in surprise, pursing her lips.

“Think carefully. Once you make that call, all the prestige and wealth of Thorne Corp. will have nothing to do with you.”

I didn’t reply. I just found Mrs. Eleanor Thorne’s contact and pressed the call button.

“Not only that, I want him to kneel down and apologize to me in front of everyone!”

Leo Stone’s tearful, exaggerated voice cut in.

“Ms. Thorne, I’ve worked for Thorne Corp. for so long. Everything I’ve achieved is based on my work ability.”

“To be bullied and insulted like that just now, I really can’t bear it.”

“Unless he apologizes to me, I will absolutely not forgive him.”

I actually laughed.

Those security guards were still standing there. Who was bullying whom, exactly?

“Leo Stone, you just casually twist the truth, do you think everyone’s an idiot?”

“You instigated the security guards to restrain me, and you even tried to hit me. Now you’re saying I bullied you?”

Charlotte Thorne stepped in front of Leo Stone.

“You must have provoked Mr. Stone first. He was just trying to protect himself.”

“If you have any basic human dignity, then apologize to Mr. Stone.”

“Otherwise, I’ll have to force you to apologize.”

She glanced around, and the security guards received the unspoken instruction, eyeing me menacingly.

“Asher certainly has dignity. I, on the other hand, think you and your male assistant have completely lost all shame.”

A clear voice echoed from behind Charlotte Thorne.

It was Seraphina Hayes, CEO of Hayes Industries. She walked gracefully, the beauty mark beneath her phoenix eyes gleaming.

Hayes Industries was Thorne Corp.’s rival, with many overlapping business areas.

Seraphina Hayes had taken over her family’s business early on, and her company was thriving. She and Charlotte Thorne had always been like two queens who avoided each other’s direct sight.

However, thanks to my patent technology, Thorne Corp.’s recent product upgrades had subtly put them ahead of Hayes Industries.

Charlotte Thorne was quite surprised that Seraphina Hayes had come to the engagement party at all.

“Ms. Hayes, you must be quite闲, to not only attend a rival’s engagement party but also interfere in my private affairs?”

Charlotte Thorne said, displeased.

I, too, was a bit surprised to see Seraphina Hayes shielding me.

I’d discussed collaborations with her before, and our interactions had been pleasant enough.

I just hadn’t expected that halfway through our dealings, she would actually try to use her charm on me, which scared me into fleeing back to my lab overnight.

It was the same with this patent. Since my mentor and Mrs. Eleanor Thorne had been good friends for years, I had licensed the patent to Thorne Corp.

I hadn’t expected Seraphina to actually step forward and help me.