Chapter 14
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Chapter 14
Axel appeared stunned for a couple of seconds before he put on an ingratiating smile. “Mr. Schmidt, I apologize for not handling the conflicts between these women well.”
“Conflicts? Over you?” Hubert asked. While he curled his lips into a smile, he narrowed his eyes ominously.
Fear filled Axel’s heart. He wasn’t sure how he had offended this big shot in the business
world.
“Everyone, please allow me to make this official announcement for the first time here today.”
Hubert scanned his surroundings, his gaze pausing momentarily on Paul and Margaret, who appeared pale. “Everyone, this is my only daughter and Schmidt Group’s sole heir-Cora Spade.”
He gestured at Cora, who had a graceful and modest smile on her face as she nodded at the people around them.
In a bright voice, Hubert continued, “Today, she will represent Schmidt Group and be fully responsible for the partnership strategies in the Azon-Brontee region at this summit meeting.
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Cora maintained the smile on her face as she added, “I will also be responsible for the
decisions for all of Schmidt Group’s significant investments in Axeholt City moving forward.’
Right after she said that, there was a deafening uproar all around them.
Meanwhile, Axel was the only one who was frozen to the spot, as if he had been struck by lightning. The shock in his eyes turned to terror, before finally becoming blank.
Hubert’s eyes glinted with amusement as he mocked, “Oh, right. What were you saying earlier? Conflicts, over you? Don’t flatter yourself.”
Axel couldn’t bring himself to say a word. His lips turned pale, trembling slightly.
Margaret smiled as she scrambled to mediate the situation. “Mr. Schmidt, they’re just a bunch of young people fooling around…”
Nonetheless, her words were of no use at all. On the contrary, it made the situation even more
awkward.
The smirk on Hubert’s face disappeared slowly. He harrumphed coldly before striding toward
the event venue.
During the summit meeting’s entire duration, Axel sat stiffly in the last row, like a puppet that
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had its strings cut.
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Meanwhile, Cora looked like she was miles away from him. She was on the stage, having a deep conversation in fluent Mallish with the top financial technology expert in the world. Although she carried a candid and calm posture, every word she said was invaluable.
Through the microphone, her voice was amplified with clarity throughout the hall. “Thus, if property developers over-rely on technologies to market themselves, they would be subject to immeasurable losses due to the chain reaction that follows once the valuation bubble bursts.”
The sharp-witted meeting attendees directed their attention toward Axel, who was looking more and more upset by the minute. After all, he had really hyped up that “Smart City” of his before the summit meeting commenced.
During intermission, Hubert was surrounded by a group of big shots in the financial technology industry. Cora stood by his side, demonstrating her insights on the industry through the way she spoke while maintaining the humility of someone younger.
That gave others the impression that she was warm and approachable, but should not be
underestimated at the same time.
Suddenly, a woman from a leading enterprise, Christina Ray, teased, “You are both talented and beautiful, Ms. Spade. It makes me wonder how outstanding a man has to be to be good enough for a star like you.”
While Christina sounded like she was joking, she was actually sounding Cora out. The marriage of an heir to one of the wealthiest families was a crucial indicator of capital flow.
Axel stared straight at Cora’s lips. He tightened his grasp on the wine glass in his hand till his
knuckles turned white.
At this moment, as untimely as it was, he was reminded of the time when he saw her approaching him for the first time.
Back then, she wore a regular, white T-shirt. Her smile was full of confidence as she extended her hand to him in a poised manner. “My name is Cora Spade. Nice to meet you.”
At that moment, he noticed Cora glancing toward him slowly, her eyes twinkling with delight, though he couldn’t be sure if he was just seeing things.
Instantly, it lit up a fire within him. Perhaps she would walk toward him once again so that she could take him by the hand and announce that she was his wife.
Subconsciously, he straightened his back, and his heart pounded.
“You’re too kind, Mrs. Warburton,” Cora replied in an elegant posture and with a modest smile. “Thank you for all your concern, but I’m still single at the moment.”
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Axel held his breath as his heart sank.
“Schmidt Group is now going through a crucial time of transformation and expansion. My sole focus at the moment is on helping my father with managing the business,” Cora explained.
She paused, her gleeful gaze sweeping across Axel’s face, which had gone pale in an instant. After that, she directed her gaze elsewhere, as if nothing had happened.
“I am not considering marriage at the moment,” she added.
Axel’s head spun. His shirt was now soaked in sweat.
The few women around Cora exchanged shocked but knowing looks. They then chimed in with smiles on their faces, “It’s good to know that a young person like you has such ambitions. Schmidt Group’s future is bright indeed!”
Some of the people who had witnessed the commotion earlier turned their eyes toward Axel with a tinge of mockery in their eyes.
He shot to his feet before wobbling hastily away from the crowd, as if he was escaping from
them.
Cora glanced at him briefly from behind. The grin on her face widened.
This was only the beginning.
