Chapter 23
Yet Lina’s revenge extended far beyond this.
At the company–wide meeting, she sat in the chairman’s seat, fingers lightly tapping the table.
“Today includes a special segment,” she began smoothly, smiling at the audience. “Let’s welcome Mr. Chase to read a… business case study.”
Dominic stood in the corner, deathly pale.
In his hands, he clutched yellowed papers–the love letters he’d written to Emma at eighteen, each page saturated with his most sincere teenage vows.
‘Read,” Lina urged softly. “Let everyone study Mr. Chase’s writing style.”
The entire room fell silent.
Though Dominic’s fingertips trembled slightly, he opened the first page.
‘Emma, I saw you in that white dress today and my heart was racing so hard I thought I might actually die…”
His voice was dry, and by the third page, his Adam’s apple convulsed painfully.
‘When I turn twenty–two, shall we marry? I’ll love you forever, only you…”
His voice became unrecognizably hoarse, yet he read every word of all twenty pages.
By the time he reached the final sentence, you could hear a pin drop in the room. Several female employees had quietly reddened eyes.
fet Lin maintained her smile throughout, even applauding lightly at the conclusion.
‘A brilliant performance,” she commented. “Pity it was all lies.”
Dominic jerked his head up, something in his eyes finally shattering completely.
Later, this incident sparked intense discussion throughout the company.
Shane pushed open her door, slamming a stack of documents onto her desk.
Papers scattered, revealing a medical chart on top: Dominic Chase, severe depression, accompanied by gastric hemorrhage…
“Look at this,” Shane’s voice was ice–cold. “Continue this way, and he’ll die.”
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Lina glanced down, her fingertips involuntarily curling before quickly regaining composure. She sipped her coffee,
tone detached: “So?”
Shane stared at her, suddenly laughing without humor: “So? Emma, when did you become like this?”
He stepped closer, long fingers tapping the medical chart with a dull sound: “Isn’t taking everything from him enough? Making him report to you daily like a dog isn’t enough? Now you need to watch him enter intensive care to be satisfied?”
Lina’s eyelashes trembled, the coffee cup warming her palm.
“I didn’t force him,” she looked up, eyes completely cold. “He deserves this.”
“Really?” Shane suddenly leaned forward, hands bracing on her chair arms, trapping her. “Then why can’t you look
at me?”
Lina’s breathing hitched.
Shane’s voice lowered, carrying an indecipherable meaning: “Emma, could it be… you haven’t truly let him go?”
The moment his words ended, the office plunged into absolute silence.
Raindrops struck the glass outside, like some kind of countdown.
Lina set down her coffee cup, its base striking the surface with a faint sound.
‘I haven’t,” she finally spoke, her voice barely audible, as if these three words required all her strength.
Shane remained motionless, maintaining that oppressive posture, his gaze cutting across her face: “Then why can’t you admit you’ve gone too far?”
Lina abruptly stood, nearly touching his nose: “Shane! You know what I’ve been through! You know he…”
‘I know,” Shane interrupted, his voice suddenly softening. “But how are you different from Dominic Chase back
hen?”
This question struck Lina like a slap.
She stumbled backward, chest heaving.
Yes… when had she become like this?
For revenge, she could coldly watch Dominic wither day by day, could precisely calculate his every measure of suffering, even… enjoy his breakdown.
Wasn’t this exactly what Dominic had done to her?
“I…” her voice caught.
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Shane sighed, reaching to touch her cheek: “Hatred that burns too long will reduce even yourself to ashes,”
Lina closed her eyes, a tear silently falling.
BANG!
The office door burst open as her secretary rushed in: “Ms. Lina! Chase’s former executives have united with three private equity funds to hostile takeover our company’s floating shares!”
Lina instantly snapped alert: “When did this happen?”
Just thirty minutes ago! They’ve already acquired 12% of our shares and are continuing to buy!” The secretary handed over a tablet. “This is their leader.”
On screen, Chase’s former financial director gave an interview, smiling coldly: “E&I’s acquisition methods were already controversial. We’re simply restoring order, taking back what’s ours…”
Lina clenched her fist, nails digging into her palm.
Theodore Marsh–the financial director she had flipped to her side with promises and payoffs.
Just a Stand In?! My Billionaire Hubby’s OTHER Wife.
