The sound of footsteps drew nearer, and Magnus felt his heart tightening, as if it was about to leap out of his throat. He had discussed partnerships with women before, but he had never felt like this.
What was happening to him?
The door opened slowly, revealing a pair of delicate, pointed high heels, followed by the sight of long, beautiful legs. A slender waist that could be encircled with a single hand, and a perfectly proportioned bust.
Wasn’t this business partner supposed to be forty years old? How could someone her age keep such a fine figure? From her figure alone, one might think she was a young girl in her teens, until his gaze finally landed on her face.
He had been stirring his coffee with a small spoon, but it slipped from his grasp. He stood up abruptly, so fiercely that he knocked over the coffee on the table. Some of the coffee stained his suit, and his secretary had never seen the company’s CEO so flustered before.
“Victoria! Is it you, you’re back…”
Magnus didn’t care about the coffee stains on his suit and moved directly towards the woman in black.
However, before he could reach her, he was stopped, “Mr. Montgomery, what are you doing?”
“Victoria, you’re alive, you didn’t die?”
Magnus exclaimed with both shock and joy, his eyes flashing with myriad emotions.
The woman looked at him calmly, “You are the CEO of Montgomery Group? I am Tina, nice to meet you.”
Hearing her cold voice, confusion appeared on Magnus’s face, “Tina? You’re not Victoria? Impossible, no one else looks exactly like her, even down to this teardrop mole.”
“Mr. Montgomery, it is our principal’s first visit to Clothville; it seems you have mistaken me for someone else. We are here to discuss a maritime project today. If you are not interested, we will have to look for another partner.”
Magnus calmed down slightly and observed the woman in front of him. Her dress and demeanor were completely different from the person he knew before, exuding a cold and distant aura.
“Mr. Montgomery, I have traveled thousands of miles from Chicago to discuss this contract, are we talking or not?”
“We’ll talk, I will talk,” Magnus mumbled, unable to describe his mixed feelings of happiness, excitement, and confusion.
“If we are to talk, then please sit down and let’s discuss properly. If Mr. Montgomery acts improperly again, I will cancel our cooperation immediately,” Tina said as she brushed past him and took her seat.
“Have someone clean this up,” Tina instructed, observing the spilled coffee on the table.
“Alright, just a moment,” Magnus said, sitting back down. Tina handed him a napkin, and he wiped the coffee stains somewhat gratefully.
He carefully observed the person in front of him. Although she looked similar, her actions and behavior were entirely different from those of the past. If it had been her, she would never have bothered a waiter for such a thing; she would have handled it herself.
Magnus composed himself and tentatively said, “Tina, I apologize. You look incredibly like someone I once knew, which is why I was so agitated just now. Please forgive me.”
“A person from your past? Given your reaction just now, what was your relationship with this person?”
Tina asked, her tone still cool but slightly inquisitive.
“She was my wife, but I did some foolish things that made her leave me,” Magnus’s eyes revealed a trace of sadness. Now, whenever he thought of the past, his heart was filled with remorse.
“Really? I heard Mr. Montgomery’s wife is young and beautiful. Why would she leave?”
Tina implied, clearly referring to Genevieve, eager to see how this person would respond.
“The wife you speak of is not the one I mentioned.”
“Oh, so Mr. Montgomery is quite the charmer, having many wives. I was under the impression you had just one,” Tina retorted sarcastically.
“It’s not like that, Tina, I…”
Magnus began anxiously, attempting to explain himself, but Tina showed no interest in listening further.
“Mr. Montgomery, I’m not interested in your family affairs. Let’s get back to business. Since your company wishes to collaborate with us, you should demonstrate your sincerity,” she shifted the conversation back to business matters.
“Here is the plan my company has developed. Take a look.”
Tina took the document, casually leaning against the soft sofa, legs crossed in a pose of effortless languor. Her makeup was immaculate, revealing well-maintained skin that barely showed signs of aging beyond thirty, with hardly any wrinkles.
She seemed every bit the successful career woman, especially noticeable by the ring on her index finger she was the head of the R family!
At that moment, Magnus was bewildered. The woman before him, while identical in appearance to another, shared no other similarities.
If she really was Victoria, how had she become the heir to the mysterious R family, about which he had only heard rumors?
“Tina, here’s the mocha I ordered for you. Try it,” Magnus offered.
The old Victoria had a sweet tooth, but what about her?
Tina stirred the milk foam with a small spoon, elegantly lifting the coffee cup, her red lips leaving a mark on the rim. Her movements were graceful and natural, clearly of noble birth, especially noticeable from the lipstick mark on the cup, which quickened his heartbeat inexplicably.
Tina tasted the coffee and set down the cup, her expression calm. Magnus, slightly nervous, asked, “Don’t you like it? There are some desserts available as well.”
“These things are more suited for young girls, not for me,” she said indifferently, pushing the coffee aside.
“But you used to…”
“Mr. Montgomery, I thought my servant had made it clear enough to you. I have never been here before, and I have only seen Mr. Montgomery in documents. This is our first meeting in person.
I am not your old acquaintance. Please realize this, Mr. Montgomery. My return to the country is solely for business discussions,” she stated calmly.
“I apologize. I’ll control myself.”
“I had already reviewed the project proposal before; your company’s plan aligns well with our development goals. I have also drafted a preliminary agreement for us to review,” she continued.
“Alright, I’ll take a look.”
The cafe was very quiet, filled only with the sound of melodious music and the rustling of papers, as if time had reversed.
Back then, he would review documents in his study, and she would knit beside him.
Magnus and Aurora’s sweaters were all crafted by her, stitch by stitch, beautifully designed and warm.
Now, with her legs crossed and body languidly leaning on the sofa, hand propping her head, her eyes cold, she was a queen reigning supreme.