In a villa owned by Eric.
Eric was reclining on the bed, holding his phone. The screen displayed a chat with Miranda.
He quickly typed: “Shall we try the new Japanese restaurant tomorrow? It just opened, and I’ve heard great things.”
After a few minutes, Miranda replied with a smiley face.
She followed up with another message: “Send me the address of the restaurant.”
Eric smiled.
He promptly reserved a table, then opened a familiar news website to browse the latest headlines.
A trending post caught his eye:
[Episode 221] OMG! Stunning Beauty! Who is the mysterious guest on Tony Clark’s live stream yesterday?
Eric rarely paid attention to entertainment news, but the familiar name piqued his interest. He clicked on the post and was startled to see screenshots of Tony and Miranda interacting closely.
His grip on the phone tightened, his expression darkening.
In the post, countless netizens speculated about Miranda’s identity. Despite scouring social media platforms, they found no trace of anyone resembling her. Frustrated, some users even suggested crowdfunding an effort to uncover the identity of this beautiful and mysterious guest.
Eric scrolled through the comments, his eyes narrowing at the most popular ones.
A user with a default avatar commented: “Remember how Tony reacted to those proposal live chats? That dude was so mad, he almost bit his iPhone!”
Another user with a green avatar chimed in: “Exactly. And when you combine that with these screenshots, it’s pretty obvious-this woman must be Tony’s girlfriend!”
As the two confidently declared their theory, most of the replies echoed their sentiment:
“That’s it. She’s definitely his girlfriend.”
“No wonder we couldn’t find her-Tony must be keeping her hidden!”
“Actually, they look pretty good together. Blessings to them.”
“Can’t wait for the day they announce their wedding.”
The comments unintentionally stoked Eric’s jealousy.
After tearing his gaze from the screen, Eric immediately called his assistant.
“Kaiser, drop everything. By Friday evening, I want to see a complete acquisition plan for LiveHive.”
Kaiser’s hesitant voice came through the speaker: “If I may, sir, this seems rather abrupt?”
“Just do it,” Eric replied, his tone icy.
“Yes, sir!” Kaiser responded immediately.
The next day, Eric’s eyes were bloodshot-he hadn’t slept well all night.
Still, he went about his routine, stepping into the garage and selecting a luxury car. He dialed Miranda’s number.
“Meet me downstairs in ten minutes.”
“No need,” Miranda replied. “I just dropped Winnie off at a friend’s house. I’ll drive myself over later.”
As the call ended, an inexplicable sense of loss crept into Eric’s chest. He couldn’t understand why Miranda’s refusal stirred such complex emotions within him.
At the sushi restaurant, Eric’s mind wandered.
Perceptive as always, Miranda noticed. Smiling, she suggested, “Let’s order some of your favorite sea urchin sashimi.”
Eric nodded. “Sure.”
The two fell into silence again, eating a meal that felt utterly tasteless.
Maintaining his gentlemanly demeanor, Eric signaled for the check and then turned to Miranda. “Let me drive you home. It’s not safe to drive in this weather.”
Miranda glanced outside. At some point, heavy rain had begun to pour. Considering she had only recently gotten her driver’s license and wasn’t very confident in her driving skills, she nodded. “Alright, thank you!”
Miranda got into the car. Eric reminded her to fasten her seatbelt before starting the engine and driving off smoothly.
Large raindrops pelted the windshield, carried by the fierce wind, creating a rhythmic drumming sound. Aside from that, the car was eerily silent, as if no one were inside.
Miranda turned her gaze to Eric’s taut jawline. “Something on your mind?”
“Just the acquisition,” Eric replied, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. “The final negotiations for LiveHive.”
Miranda’s pupils widened slightly-wasn’t that the platform Tony had signed with?
In that moment, she understood the source of Eric’s reaction.
Clearly, her live stream with Tony had triggered Eric’s possessiveness.
Miranda chuckled. “So, after the acquisition, your first order of business will be… banning a certain woman from live streaming?”
The engine roared as the car accelerated, the speedometer needle swinging sharply to the right.
“Rewriting streamer contracts,” Eric said coldly, “especially the clauses on dual live streams.”
“How terrifying.” Miranda laughed softly. “Mr. Wilson, are you jealous?”
Silence filled the car, stretching until Miranda suddenly leaned in, her fragrance enveloping him.
“Freshly divorced men are dangerous,” she murmured, her red lips brushing against his ear. “And women…”
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Even more so.”
Eric slammed on the brakes, the tires screeching against the wet road. He turned to her, his eyes smoldering with a dark intensity.
“Do you know what I’m best at?” he asked, his voice low. “Turning danger… into my exclusive collection.”
The car soon arrived at Miranda’s building.
Before stepping out, Miranda left him with her thoughts. “You’re quite the charming domineering CEO today, but I still prefer the old you.”
She unbuckled her seatbelt, opened the door, and walked straight into her building without looking back.
Inside the car, Eric watched her retreating figure, a faint smile curling his lips.