The Man Who Destroyed Me Is Now Begging to Mend Me 105

Just as she was about to walk off, Richard reached out and caught her by the wrist. He glanced over, eyes lingering on the counter she’d just left.

“Was it the salesclerk who ticked you off?” Richard asked, his tone casual but unmistakably protective. “Come on, let’s go

show them who’s the boss.”

Sophia barely had time to protest before Richard draped his arm around her shoulders and steered her right back toward

the counter.

Back at the counter, Lucas caught sight of Sophia and let out a cold snort. “Acting all high and mighty, but at the end of the day, you still come crawling back to beg me.”

Sophia really didn’t want Richard caught up in her mess. She pleaded quietly. “Let’s just go.”

But Richard had clearly made up his mind to stand by her today. He gave her shoulder a comforting pat before letting go.

Lucas turned and saw Richard standing shoulder to shoulder with Sophia. Instantly, he jumped up from his seat. Just yesterday, they were together down by Grace Abbey, and now he bumped into them again while shopping.

Lucas sneered, “I heard the Sterling Group’s been expanding like crazy lately. Mr. Sterling, shouldn’t you be too busy to be hanging around here?”

Richard just gave a cool smile. “I also heard Yadel Group’s beauty products have been getting tons of complaints lately. Lots of malls are about to take your brand off the shelves. Mr. Westwood, how do you still have time to just hang around here?”

Lucas’s face went rigid. “Getting pulled from the shelves? Since when? Why am I just now hearing about this?”

Richard gave a cool, almost taunting smile. “Why not ring someone or just check the trending news yourself?”

Lucas whipped out his phone, frantically scrolling through the hot searches. Sure enough, the number one slot was plastered with headlines about Yadel Group’s products being yanked everywhere, and the topic was scorching hot.

His face changed abruptly, and he did not wait for Emily in the fitting room. He rushed out, calling to confirm the news.

Sophia couldn’t believe it. She’d only left Yadel Group for a month, and already the whole company had been turned upside

down.

She glanced at Richard, surprised. “Mr. Sterling, how’d you get wind of this so fast?”

Richard grinned. “Please, I’m the CEO of an investment bank. If I didn’t have eyes and ears everywhere, I’d be out of business before you know it.”

Sophia gave a little laugh. “Guess I forgot just how plugged in you are.”

The Yadel Group had been hit with scandal after scandal lately, and their stock was tanking day after day. They were counting on launching the regenerating cream to pull their reputation out of free fall.

If Pioneer Institute managed to secure the patent for the formula for skin regeneration first, Sophia could finally take back control and stop being at everyone else’s mercy.

Just as Sophia was lost in her own thoughts, Emily walked out of the fitting room and called out sweetly, “Lucas, does this dress look good on me?”

Before Emily could finish speaking, she saw the outstanding Richard standing beside Sophia. Of course, Emily recognized

him.

Richard always kept it low–key here in Jelasburg, and hardly anyone got to see him in the flesh. But in the finance world, he was Wallinton’s own living legend.

Emily had first met him at a friend’s dinner party; he slipped in quietly, dressed in a black suit, but no matter how discreet he tried to be, everyone noticed him. Emily was completely swept away the moment she saw him.

That night, she tried every possible way to get close to him, but without success. Instead, it was that brief, striking glimpse of him that night which left an indelible mark on her heart.

Emily’s eyes sparkled. She practically rushed over, beaming as she greeted Richard with eager enthusiasm.

“Hi, Mr. Sterling. Remember me? We met before, didn’t we?” she asked, trying to play it cool but totally giving herself away.

Richard kept his face blank. “I don’t know you.”

Emily’s smile faltered just for a moment, but she wasn’t the type to back down so easily.

She kept her sweet smile firmly in place. “I’m Emily, Sophia’s sister. Wow, I didn’t know you and Mr. Sterling were acquainted, Sophia.”

But beneath that sugary grin, Emily was practically boiling with envy. ‘Seriously, how does Sophia get so lucky? She gets to know someone like Richard, and I don’t?‘ she thought.

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