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Chapter_68
Whitney returned to Banyan City the following day, only to find the Valentine Corporation in total turmoil. The company was on the brink of collapse. Banks were demanding loan repayments, the stock price had plunged to rock bottom, and partners were abandoning ship. The entire organization seemed to be falling apart under the strain. To make matters worse, Preston had yet to return home, and no one knew where he was—he was likely off somewhere, avoiding the chaos he had left behind.
Yvonne was beyond frustrated. She looked pale and haggard from the stress, her eyes full of anger and helplessness. In the midst of this corporate disaster, she had to watch helplessly as everything she had worked for unraveled.
Meanwhile, things were even worse at Skye Gem Ltd. Since Monica had taken control, her impatience for success had led her to take on a flurry of jewelry orders in a short amount of time. However, this only resulted in inconsistent product quality, which tarnished the company’s reputation. On top of that, her poor decision-making, combined with accusations of plagiarism and bribery, had caused numerous partners to pull out of their contracts. Skye Gem Ltd. was now left facing a huge financial burden in penalty fees. Shareholders were furious and regretted siding with Monica over Whitney, feeling that they had made a grave mistake by not believing in Whitney’s ability to lead the company.
Faced with these mounting problems, the shareholders were left with no choice but to strip Monica of her position as chief designer and force her out of the company in order to distance themselves from the scandal. This was an unthinkable move, especially considering Monica’s position as the second-largest shareholder. Yet, during an emergency shareholder meeting, Simon shocked everyone by allowing the decision to proceed. Monica, devastated, couldn’t believe it. If she lost control of Skye Gem Ltd., she would lose her position as a major shareholder as well. She was furious, but she had no idea where Simon was hiding. He was avoiding her, staying out of sight.
After several days of stalking, Monica finally caught a glimpse of Simon. He was at a posh French restaurant, on a date with a debutante from one of Banyan City’s top families. Monica’s blood boiled with rage. She stormed in, livid with jealousy and betrayal. She screamed at Simon, “What are you up to behind my back? Flirting with other women and ready to discard me so soon? I, Monica, am not defeated yet!”
In her fury, she grabbed a bottle of wine and threatened to throw it at the woman sitting next to Simon. Simon’s expression turned icy. He signaled to his bodyguard, who swiftly took action. Before Monica could make a move, she was knocked to the ground by the guard. Simon didn’t even bother to look at her as he had the bodyguard carry her out of the restaurant. Monica was left humiliated, thrown unceremoniously out of the upscale venue, where the other patrons couldn’t help but snicker. The debutante, no doubt pleased with the situation, looked at Monica with disdain.
As Monica lay sprawled outside, a crowd gathered, snapping unflattering photos of her, which soon made their way online. Some onlookers even tried to strike her. Monica, defeated and embarrassed, ducked her head and scurried away, her heart pounding with fury. She couldn’t believe how quickly everything had fallen apart.
Back at the Valentine Mansion, things were equally grim. Monica threw herself into Yvonne’s arms, seething with anger. “Mom, Simon is courting a debutante behind my back. He doesn’t want me anymore! And now, the shareholders at Skye Gem are siding with Whitney and kicking me out! I won’t let this happen. The company is mine, and I need your help. I can’t lose it to Whitney!”
Yvonne, who had been so confident in her family’s ability to weather the storm, was now faced with an uncertain future. She too was frustrated by Preston’s absence. In times of crisis, he should have been there to seek her support, but instead, he was nowhere to be found. This made Yvonne’s heart ache with even more anger. Her greatest hope had always been for Monica to marry into one of the top families, so they could finally defeat Whitney. But now, it seemed like all her dreams were collapsing in front of her eyes.
Meanwhile, Whitney received a formal letter from the shareholders of Skye Gem, inviting her to return to the company and take up a leadership position. The letter made it clear that they were eager for her to help steer the company out of its crisis. Whitney was intrigued, especially when she saw that Simon had personally signed the letter.
Simon had also called Whitney numerous times, but she had ignored every attempt. Finally, he sent her a message with an unusually warm tone: “Whitney, they sincerely ask you to return. Honestly, I’m pleased and looking forward to your return too. If you’re willing to accept me and don’t want to give up your grandfather’s legacy, I’ll keep the general manager’s position open for you.”
Had he really ousted Monica? Whitney sneered inwardly. She couldn’t believe Simon’s coldness. It was clear to her that he was just another manipulative player in this game.
Still, Whitney was determined to reclaim Skye Gem and her grandfather’s legacy, and she wasn’t going to let Simon stand in her way. She sent him a cold reply: “Of course I’ll return. Now, let’s talk about when you’ll relinquish your shares!”
Simon paused before responding. Despite his initial frustration, he couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of joy. Maybe he still had feelings for Whitney, after all.
Meanwhile, Tiana congratulated Whitney, recognizing her strategic brilliance. “Whitney, congratulations on getting what you wanted. No wonder you let me trash Skye Gem on Twitter. You were pressuring the shareholders into a corner, weren’t you? Clever fox. But what about Yvonne? Why hasn’t she made her move yet?”
Whitney smiled wickedly. “Yvonne’s at odds with Preston right now. She’s done a lot of deals for him over the years, which is why she’s been able to hold onto her position. But it won’t last. We need to turn up the heat and force her to make a move. Once we know how deep her influence goes, we’ll take her down completely.”
With that in mind, Whitney decided to make her next move. She sent incriminating videos to the Valentine Mansion—videos exposing Preston’s affair with Roselyn and their secret love child. And she didn’t do it anonymously.
When Yvonne saw the videos, she was struck with disbelief and rage. Monica was equally shattered. “Mom, Dad has been with Roselyn! He even has a love child on the side! Whitney knew all of this and did this to provoke you!”
Yvonne’s face twisted in fury. Preston, her husband, had betrayed her with Roselyn. And now, the existence of an illegitimate child was the final blow that shattered her world. But Yvonne wasn’t one to break easily. Despite the shock, she quickly regained her composure. In a fit of rage, she ordered her men to drag Roselyn out from wherever she was hiding, beat her senseless, and force her to star in a humiliating video that she immediately uploaded to the internet.
But Yvonne wasn’t done. Just as Preston was considering using the chaos at the Valentine Corporation to push her out and make room for his mistress and their love child, he received a call that froze his blood.
His son had been kidnapped. By none other than Yvonne herself. In a shocking act of cruelty, Yvonne had cut off one of the boy’s pinky fingers.
Preston rushed back to the Valentine Mansion in a panic, filled with dread and fury. He found Yvonne in the living room and confronted her, grabbing her by the throat. “You she-devil, release my boy at once!” he screamed.
“If you don’t let go, I’ll cut off his second finger,” Yvonne spat back coldly, her eyes burning with hatred.
Preston, overcome with anger, threw her to the floor, but his face was ashen with horror. Yvonne’s twisted actions were the final sign that he had underestimated her. He was no longer just dealing with a manipulative woman—he was facing someone who would go to any length to retain power.
As Yvonne lay on the floor, laughing maniacally, she spoke through clenched teeth. “Preston, don’t think for a second that I don’t know what you’re trying to do. You want to get rid of me and bring in your mistress and your love child. But you forget that I have an Auntie. My uncle is on his way. Monica and I won’t fall so easily. And remember, I know the secrets Whitney’s grandfather left behind. Don’t forget, Whitney has an uncle. You think you can get rid of me?”
Preston’s anger was replaced by a flicker of fear. He realized just how dangerous Yvonne had become—and how much she knew. This was no longer just about corporate power—it was a fight for survival.
