The Unlucky Turn by Mark Twain 212

“You two oddballs. One is publicly trying to poach someone’s partner, and the other is strutting around like she owns the place. It’s not easy to find two people so equally dysfunctional at the same time. Since you two have such great chemistry, why don’t you just get together? It would save you the trouble of scheming against others all day and doing immoral things.”

Both of Micah and Zoey choked on their words simultaneously. Their faces turned a mix of green and white, looking like they had swallowed a lemon.

Leilani didn’t bother to engage further. She picked up the wooden box and turned to leave. Behind her, Zoey’s exasperated voice rang out. “Leilani! Don’t get too arrogant!”

To Leilani’s ears, Zoey’s roar sounded like nothing more than the proof of her impotent rage. Leilani shook her head with a chuckle, pushed open the door, and walked out in a good mood.

Just as she stepped out of the backstage area, she saw Callahan leaning against the hallway wall waiting for her.

Hearing the movement, he looked up at her, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes. “Handled it?”

Leilani raised a brow. “You heard?”

Then why did he stay outside?

Callahan didn’t answer directly. Instead, he naturally reached out, took her wrist, and gently pulled her closer to him.

“Next time, let me go in with you.” His voice was deep. “To avoid being harassed by irrelevant people.”

Leilani shook the wooden box in her hand and teased, “Are you doubting my combat capabilities, Mr. Langley?”

Callahan chuckled low. “It’s not that I don’t trust you.” His fingers slid down, interlocking with hers. “I just don’t want you wasting your time on them.”

Leilani paused, the warmth from his palm making her heart rate accelerate slightly.

After Leilani left, the door to the VIP room slowly closed.

The fake smiles on Micah and Zoey’s faces vanished simultaneously. The two looked at each other, recalling what Leilani had just said…

A chill ran through them both. By tacit agreement, the two losers began to peck at each other.

“Hah.” Micah sneered first, straightening up lazily and casting a contemptuous glance at Zoey. “Ms. Yetman, your acting is too exaggerated. No wonder Leilani can’t be bothered with you. After all these years, how is it that you’ve only grown in height but not in brains? Spending eighteen million on a lousy mushroom… no wonder your father refuses to hand over the company’s inheritance to you. He’s probably plotting to find someone to marry you off to, isn’t he?”

Micah had a poisonous tongue. Everyone was in the same social circle. They knew the general situation of each other’s families. He knew exactly what words hurt the most, stabbing Zoey right

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where she was most insecure.

Zoey’s face turned black. Not one to show weakness, she retorted sharply. “You don’t seem to be doing much better, Mr. Locke. Your poaching lines sound like they were copied from some trashy romance novel. Utterly tacky! Do you really think you’re some kind of domineering CEO? Someone like you can’t even compare to a single finger of Callahan’s! You actually want to compete with Callahan? Anyone with eyes knows who to choose!”

“I never said I wanted to compare myself to Callahan.” Micah raised an eyebrow, deliberately looking her up and down. “What’s this? Domineering CEOs? Trashy novels? You seem to know them like the back of your hand, Ms. Yetman. No wonder… Your brain must have rotted from reading that

garbage.”

Micah dragged out his tone, glancing pointedly at her chest. “All curves and no brain, indeed.”

Zoey exploded instantly. “Micah! Watch your mouth!”

Micah spread his hands, smiling a punchable smile. “Just telling the truth.”

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