It had been a while since I visited the Vanderberg Pce, and its serene atmosphere still captivated me.


    Of course, beneath the facade of tranquility and elegance, I was well aware that each room held its fair share of hidden intrigues.


    As we entered, the receptionist greeted us with a smile. "Ms. Chloe, Ms. Lauren, long time no see!"


    I smiled back, asking, "Is Be around?"


    "She is. However, Mrs. Liora is waiting for you in the Diamond Hall on the second floor." The receptionist smiled and said, "She said that once you arrive, you can head upstairs."


    Lauren and I exchanged nces. She gestured for me to proceed, saying, "You go upstairs. I''ll see Be. We''ll have lunch togetherter."


    "Alright." I nodded and headed upstairs.


    Having been here countless times, I navigated the familiar paths easily. When I reached the door of the Diamond Hall, I was about to knock when I heard a voice from inside say, "Come in. There''s no need to knock."


    I raised an eyebrow and pushed the door open.


    There, Liora was seated at the table, preparing tea. Without looking up at me, she remarked, "Very punctual."


    "Naturally. It''s basic etiquette for a businesswoman," I replied, walking over and taking a seat without hesitation.


    I wasn''t in a hurry to speak. She was the one who invited me here, after all. There was no way she would not have an intro.


    Sure enough, she couldn''t hold it any longer and looked at me. "Don''t you want to ask why I called you here?"


    "Since I''m already here, why don''t you tell me?" I replied.


    She ced the freshly brewed tea in front of me. Taking a sip from her cup, she closed her eyes in contentment. "Hmm... Good tea! I''ve never taken the time to appreciate the tea here before. Surprisingly, it lives up to its reputation."


    I didn''t feel the need to offer a superficial response. I was just lounging in the chair and observing her. It seemed a bit absurd watching her perform this one-woman show.


    "Chloe, maybe we should have talked long ago." She finally leaned back in her chair, facing me directly.


    "I''ve never felt the need to," I stated inly.


    "You''ve never?" She asked, smiling with a touch of bitterness. "It''s not good to lie."


    "What''s your definition of a lie?" I countered.


    "You''ve always been honest with me..."


    "Wrong!" I interjected. "You said it


    wrong. It''s you who should be


    honest with me. It seems your memory isn''t too sharp, Ms. Lora. But, that''s fine. You''ll have plenty of time to reflect on this matter."


    "What do you mean?" She looked at me, her eyes devoid of any goodwill.


    "It''s simple. You''ll have quiet time to contemte these things," I rified.


    "Chloe, I underestimated you. I didn''t expect your luck and abilities to be


    so formidable. I admit, I''ve been too


    careless in the past." Coen too


    I could tell she was speaking the truth.


    "Well, now you understand. It''s never toote. So, don''t provoke anyone


    too fast. Learn to stay low-key. There''s no harm in that!" I said


    nonchntly, ncing at the tea she


    brewed for me. I had no desire to


    drink it.


    The more I got to know this person, the more I felt she was dirty. No wonder everyone who knew her had a poor opinion of her.


    I reached for arger ss and poured myself a ss of water.


    "Speak up. What''s the real purpose of inviting me here?" I asked candidly. "Otherwise, we have nothing to talk about."


    "Haha!" She gave a coldugh and resumed her previous posture. "You think highly of yourself, don''t you?"


    "Not really. It''s just that you invited me here," I retorted.


    Liora''s eyes narrowed for a moment. Sheposed herself and continued, "Fine, let''s get down to business."


    I remained silent, simply observing her.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    Examining me, she continued when she saw I wasn''t speaking, "I invited you here to discuss how you will take in Ardora."


    Now it was my turn tough. I sat up and asked, "Did I hear that correctly? Take in Ardora?"


    My expression caught her off guard, and she stared at my face, unsure of what I meant. "Is that such a surprise?"


    I looked at her intently and questioned, "Where do you get your confidence from?"