“Madeline…”
Mabel wanted to console her, but Madeline interrupted sharply, “Mabel, Auntie, you don’t need to comfort me.”
“In Flynn’s eyes, I’m just a bad woman-useless, foolish, selfish.”
“Not a single redeeming quality!”
“You should leave. Just treat everything I’ve done as worthless nonsense!”
With those words, Madeline turned and walked away.
Mabel softly urged Flynn, “Madeline isn’t a bad child at heart, just too self-centered.”
“Take my advice, pay a bit more attention to her.”
“A young woman with no family or friends in Slatin… it’s quite pitiful, really.”
“Alright, I’ll get the car,” Flynn replied dismissively, heading straight to the parking lot.
“Mabel! What are you doing? What good does matchmaking them do for us?” James grumbled, visibly annoyed.
He had just been pushing for his daughter to get closer to Flynn, and now his wife was creating opportunities for Madeline.
Mabel simply shook her head and sighed. “Although I haven’t known Flynn long, I can tell it’s impossible between them now.”
“Even if I forced them together, it wouldn’t work. Asking Flynn to take her home was just to avoid things becoming too awkward. Matteo is caught in the middle, after all.”
She had seen nothing but indifference in Flynn’s eyes earlier.
Extreme indifference.
It wasn’t the look one would give a stranger, nor was it the look one would give an enemy.
That coldness-it was the expression of deep disappointment, a chill that carried no trace of other emotions.
If Flynn still showed anger or frustration, it would have been better than this indifference.
Indifference meant that Madeline’s joys, sorrows, anger, and laughter no longer registered in Flynn’s eyes.
There was no possibility between them anymore.
Flynn drove the Duffy family back to Bellevue Gardens.
Meanwhile, Madeline hailed a cab to Titan Holdings.
Before coming to Slatin, she had already known that to establish herself in an international metropolis, she needed tangible results.
After today’s gathering, that feeling became even stronger.
Madeline decided to represent DreamDollars Investments and try her luck at Titan Holdings.
The only redeeming quality of a proud woman like her was her courage.
Titan Holdings-a goal that 99% of Slatin’s enterprises wouldn’t even dare to dream of-but Madeline dared to take the plunge.
Failure was fine; she wasn’t afraid.
Although her actions were reckless, at least they weren’t as far-fetched as Flynn’s pipe dreams!
At least she had the title of Vice President of DreamDollars. What did Flynn have?
He actually thought he could meet Lord Valerian Nox-pure fantasy!
After dropping off the Duffy family at Bellevue Gardens, Flynn didn’t go upstairs.
He planned to visit Titan Holdings to meet its chief executive, Lila-the attendant personally assigned to him by The Raven King.
Before heading there, he sent Lila a message to confirm her presence at the office. Once he received her reply, he drove toward Titan Holdings.
—
On the third floor of Titan Holdings.
This was Lila’s daily morning office space. She specifically chose such a low floor because the sheer number of companies coming to discuss partnerships was overwhelming. If she conducted meetings on higher floors, even four elevators wouldn’t suffice.
Lila had also established a rule: companies with a market value under $50 billion weren’t even qualified to enter the building.
Even so, as Titan Holdings’ sole office in Ostrad, it still received over 300 corporate representatives from across the country daily.
The reception area was divided into three sections to record the visitors’ information into a computer system.
Lila would then screen and decide whom to meet in person.
For companies she wasn’t interested in, she would simply decline outright.
Madeline had already waited for over half an hour. She sat nervously, staring at the office at the end of the hallway.
But she wasn’t alone-everyone else was just as anxious.
After all, this was Titan Holdings-a global financial powerhouse with a market value of trillions. Truly trillions!
Its assets spanned the globe, and anyone who could step into Titan Holdings would feel a sense of pride, even heirs to wealthy families.
Working here meant learning the most advanced management practices and networking with countless elites and dignitaries.
Becoming part of Titan Holdings-or even becoming its partner-meant earning its protection.
And who stood behind Titan Holdings?
The Raven King and his Asura Palace, with its 300, 000 loyal followers!
Being associated with Titan Holdings was a badge of honor.
It was rumored that when Titan Holdings first opened its Ostrad branch, it had fifty vacancies in addition to employees from its Nordic headquarters.
Those fifty positions attracted over 50, 000 applicants, all top-tier professionals from globally renowned companies.
Fresh graduates from prestigious universities weren’t even considered.
Only exceptionally talented individuals with at least ten years of management experience were eligible to apply.
Fifty vacancies for 50, 000 applicants-only the creme de la creme made the cut.
Some of the successful candidates were so ecstatic that they fainted on the spot.
Madeline’s eyes were practically glued to the office door.
How she wished she could work at Titan Holdings!
But even the role of a receptionist here required impossible qualifications: a minimum height of 5’9″, a figure and appearance rivaling supermodels, fluency in eight languages, a master’s degree, and more than a dozen other stringent criteria.
Madeline didn’t meet any of them. Let alone being an employee-every person here was an elite among elites.
Any random staff member could easily serve as an executive in a billion-dollar company.
Before she could finish dreaming, the doors of all four elevators leading to the top floors opened simultaneously.
Fifty men in black emerged.
They were tall, imposing, and exuded an air of cold determination and sharpness.
Each one carried an aura of overwhelming power, like a towering wave crashing down.
The entire third floor seemed to feel the suffocating pressure, leaving everyone gasping for air.
“It’s Titan Holdings’ Dragon Team!”
Someone exclaimed in shock, and the crowd erupted, standing in unison, their faces filled with fear and awe.
Dragon Team-members of the Asura Palace-each possessed the strength of a Lesser Sovereign or above.
They were divided into five units, each led by a Greater Sovereign, safeguarding Titan Holdings’ security.
It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that the Dragon Team could effortlessly obliterate any family in Slatin.
Even the fearsome Dario Bragg wouldn’t dare to challenge them.
The Dragon Team rarely appeared in public, yet here they were, all assembled on the third floor. What was happening?
As everyone speculated, the Dragon Team formed two lines on either side of the CEO’s office door.
A stunning woman emerged.
She wore a black, tailored blazer that accentuated her perfect, slender figure.
Her features were exquisite, her gaze like cold gemstones, radiating decisiveness and authority. It was as if her eyes could pierce through lies, leaving no room for deceit.
She exuded an aura of confidence and pride. Her shoulders were slightly raised, and her steady, purposeful steps showcased unmatched dignity and command.
A devilish beauty with the presence of an empress-dominant and regal.
Madeline and everyone else stared at her in awe.
She was radiant, captivating, and commanding.
A queen among queens, a crimson storm of elegance and power.
Her presence eclipsed even the Dragon Team, suffocating everyone in the room.
This woman was the most formidable and flawless person Madeline had ever seen.
Her aura and demeanor surpassed any woman she had encountered-even Layla paled in comparison.
“She’s Lila, the global CEO of Titan Holdings, the Commercial Queen of Haralu’s eight provinces, the heiress of Haralu’s most powerful family, the Duffy family!”
The whispered exclamations around her exploded like thunder in Madeline’s mind, leaving her frozen in place, her eyes wide with shock.
Wave after wave of astonishment surged through her.
No wonder… no wonder!
This was what a woman should aspire to be!
Madeline was spellbound.
From this moment on, her goal was no longer Lila… no, she corrected herself. She would stick with Layla.
After all that had happened, Madeline had calmed down considerably.
She knew that no matter how hard she tried, she could never become someone like Lila.
This woman was too perfect.
A true empress.
Unreachable.
Even becoming someone like Layla would already be an achievement to bring glory to her family.
To dream of becoming someone like Lila? She could live for a thousand years and still fail.
Lila didn’t speak. She didn’t even glance at the crowd. Surrounded by the Dragon Team, she strode briskly downstairs.
“What’s going on? The entire Dragon Team is mobilized, and Miss Lila is heading downstairs. Are they welcoming some big shot?”
“My God! What kind of person deserves such a grand reception from Titan Holdings? Even Miss Lila is personally stepping out! Could it be The Raven King?”
“Even if it’s not The Raven King, it must be someone on his level. No one else could command such respect!”
Driven by curiosity, the crowd followed the Dragon Team downstairs.
Who wouldn’t want a glimpse of The Raven King or someone of his caliber? It would be an honor of a lifetime.
Madeline was no exception-she followed them down as well…