"Claire's new job... that was you, wasn't it?"

Seth didn't deny it. "I told you, I have to bribe my little mother-in-law."

He used that ridiculous nickname for Claire so often that Noreen had honestly just given up trying to correct him. But she was fiercely protective of her best friend, which meant Seth's feelings had to take a back seat for now.

"Claire jokes about wanting to be a trophy wife, but she actually cares deeply about her career. You can tease her all you want, but please, do not get her hopes up for nothing."

"I know," Seth promised. "As long as she doesn't stand in our way, I'll personally hand her an Oscar."

Since Claire had an early flight, she had told Noreen not to wake up to see her off. But when Claire walked out of the building the next morning, a sleek black car was already idling by the curb.

A uniformed driver stepped out respectfully. "Ms. Chase, my boss asked me to drive you to the airport."

"And who is your boss?"

"Mr. Seth Harcourt."

Sugar-coated bullets! Still, it was freezing, and she'd have to haul her luggage three blocks to catch a cab. After a brief internal struggle, convenience won. She slid into the back seat.

"Ms. Chase, my boss also arranged breakfast for you. Please enjoy." The driver handed a warm bag over the seat.

It was a box of fresh tarts from her absolute favorite Cantonese bakery.

Tch. He definitely knew how to play the game. If she didn't know about his ruthless past, she might have actually liked the guy.

Munching on a tart and enjoying the luxurious ride, Claire leaned forward. "Do me a favor and tell your boss that I can't be bought with pastries. I have a terrible memory. I'll forget about this the second I digest it."

The driver offered a polite smile. "Understood."

With a full stomach, Claire leaned back and admired the Rolls-Royce Starlight Headliner. "I'll admit, this car is incredibly comfortable. The roof is gorgeous."

While looking around, she

accidentally brushed a button on the armrest. With a soft mechanical

hum the heavy privacy partition slowly rose, completely separating the front and back cabins,

Claire jumped in surprise, tentatively knocking on the solid soundproof glass.

So luxury cars really had these things?

No wonder those two were parked outside for thirty minutes last night...

You could get away with murder back here.

Claire landed in Northcrest at 8:00 AM. It had been over two months since she left Harborview City. In all that time, she hadn't spoken a single word to Felix. It was as if the man had been completely erased from her life. And honestly at didn't hurt at all.

She took a cab straight to meet her agent, Sandra, and they headed directly to the jewelry brand's headquarters.

To her absolute shock, the executives treated her like royalty. They practically begged her to list her demands.

Even Sandra was stunned. For a high-end luxury brand, celebrities usually had to endure a grueling observation period starting at thể bottom as a mere Brand Friend Dictating terms to the executives was unheard of.

Yet not only did they agree to everything, they handed her the ultimate prize right

out of the gate: Global Ambassador. A complete, unexplainable fast-track to the top.

Walking out of the building, Claire felt like she was floating on a cloud.

"Sandra, pinch me. Tell me this is real."

Sandra held up her phone, showing the massive advance payment that had just hit the agency's account. "Does that look real enough for you?"

It was real. It was time to celebrate.

She booked a VIP suite at Northcrest's most exclusive club for her entire five-person team. The drinks flowed, and everyone was in high spirits.

Halfway through the night, Claire stepped out to take a phone call. On her way back down the hall, she passed a private room with the door slightly ajar.

She wouldn't have cared, but she suddenly heard her own name. Her feet glued themselves to the floor.