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“Thank you,” Shadow whispered, her voice carrying a faint undertone of danger. Lisa, although grateful for the gratitude, couldn’t help but feel a shiver crawl down her spine. There was something unsettling about Shadow’s smile, something that hinted at a deeper understanding, as if her cat-like eyes saw through to the very core of Lisa’s being. Holding her chopsticks unsteadily, Lisa fumbled and dropped them to the ground.
Bending down effortlessly, Shadow retrieved the fallen utensils and spoke with a slow, gentle tone, “Mother, you must learn to hold the chopsticks steady. If you drop them again, I may not be able to help you pick them up.” Despite her seemingly polite demeanor, Lisa couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a hidden message behind Shadow’s words.
Putting on a forced smile, Lisa replied, “I was just being careless.”
“Is that so?” Shadow’s smile remained as she straightened up. “I am satiated now. I shall take my leave.”
In truth, Shadow barely touched her food.
Observing Shadow’s retreating figure, Jason furrowed his brow, a strange sense of unease settling over him. There was something off about her, something he couldn’t quite put his finger on.
As Shadow exited Jason’s office, her expression faded, leaving behind a frigid coldness that pierced the bones. Lisa’s attempt to please her had been observed, but it held no sway over Shadow’s heart.
For years, Lisa had deceived herself, thinking that if she showed enough love, Shadow would reciprocate. Yet, if Shadow truly cared, she would have bought Lisa clothes and never begged her to marry Alpha Kilian in Jessica’s place.
This kidnapping had shown Lisa her true worth in Shadow’s eyes, and it left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. She had sought to please, but Shadow’s indifference remained unshaken.
From now on, Lisa would no longer waste her efforts pleasing Shadow.
No one could pretend that nothing had happened when the pain kept recurring.
Walking to an isolated spot, Shadow sent a message to the paparazzi Hazel had introduced her to, revealing damning information about the Eden Group’s latest product, a kitchen cleaning towel laced with harmful toxins.
The Eden Group primarily dealt in household goods, and recent years had exposed their faulty products. However, the news had been swiftly silenced.
Back when Shadow was still in high school, she had visited the Eden Group’s factory and witnessed the truth firsthand. Something was undeniably wrong.
The paparazzi, known for their professionalism, quickly confirmed the news, their message reading, “Are you certain?”
“I am. But you must go to the factory and capture evidence. I will send you the address.” Disguises and photographic skills were the paparazzi’s expertise.
“Okay, I’m on it!”
Because of the marriage connection between the Eden Group and the Lance family, exposing the Eden Group’s misconduct held significant news value. The paparazzi readily agreed to the task.
Putting away her phone, Shadow made her way back to her desk. En route, she crossed paths with Jessica, returning from an outing.
While Lisa often cooked for the company, Jessica had grown tired of her meals and preferred dining out.
Arrogantly, Jessica blocked Shadow’s path. “Still want to learn from me? When I have a meeting later, you can join and learn.”
Shadow smiled casually. “Alright.”
…
In the meeting room, Shadow sat beside Jessica, feigning interest in the proceedings. Though she struggled to comprehend the content, she could sense that Jessica was just as clueless as herself.
Observing Shadow’s confusion, Jessica’s satisfaction grew. She believed she understood Shadow well enough. If Shadow had known the truth, she wouldn’t be so composed. Yet, Jessica couldn’t be entirely sure, prompting her to keep Shadow close and under scrutiny.
Shadow paid no mind to Jessica’s gleeful arrogance. Soon, all the Eden Group’s projects would come to a grinding halt.
As the meeting concluded, Jessica left Shadow behind, taunting her, “You can’t even understand such a simple meeting. I suggest you return to your marketing department promptly!”
Smiling nonchalantly, Shadow glanced at her and made her exit without a word.
Shadow’s lack of regard irritated Jessica to no end. Her eyes glinted with malice, convinced that sooner or later, she would bring Shadow down into the depths of despair.
Returning to her desk, Shadow accessed the internet and came across a headline related to the exposed shady business practices of a prominent daily necessities company.
Startling: Reporters delve into major household goods company, exposing factory’s deceitful practices.
“When discussing daily goods companies in Herton Pack, one cannot help but think of the Eden Group. Today, our reporters risked their lives to investigate the factories under the Eden Group’s control. Their findings reveal that the majority of their products are recycled from trash dumps, posing grave health risks to consumers.”
Quickly perusing the article, Shadow scrolled to the comments section.Text © by N0ve/lDrama.Org.
“I’ve been using their towels and mops for the past decade, but I stopped two years ago. Anyone who used them would understand why.”
“I just bought their products. Can I get a refund?”
“Do you all remember the scandalous video? It seems the main lady is the CEO’s daughter. If he can raise such an immoral child, what sort of products can we expect from his company?”
“I agree!”
“I agree too!”
“I agree too. I knew this company would be exposed sooner or later!”
The comment referencing Jessica’s scandalous video sparked tens of thousands of comments, intensifying the readers’ skepticism towards the Eden Group.