Kendrick?" Manuel exclaimed as he wrapped an arm possessively around Camilla's waist.
He shot Camilla a subtle smirk, silently urging her to play along.
"I see you're still single," Manuel remarked casually, though his words were deliberately chosen to provoke.
For a fleeting moment, Kendrick's expression darkened, but he quickly masked it with a forced smile.
"Yes, I am," Kendrick replied. "In fact, I'm planning to start a business with your sister."
He paused, his eyes fixed on Manuel.
"One that involves cocaine and…" he deliberately trailed off.
Manuel narrowed his eyes.
"And what?"
Kendrick's lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Your favorite pastime—sex."
The air between the two men instantly grew cold.
Manuel's fists clenched as fury flashed across his face.
"Let's go," he said through gritted teeth, taking Camilla by the hand and leading her away before Kendrick could utter another word.
Neither of them spoke until the SUV had left the villa.
"What was that all about?" Camilla finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Nothing," Manuel replied flatly, his eyes fixed on the road. "I don't want to talk about it."
Realizing she would get no answer, Camilla let the matter drop.
When they arrived at her house, Manuel stopped the vehicle.
Without saying goodbye or even wishing her good night, he drove away.
Camilla stood there for a moment, stunned.
She had expected at least a farewell.
Feeling strangely disrespected, she walked into the house and went straight to bed.
The following morning…
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Camilla jolted awake.
"Who is it?" she groaned, burying her face back into the pillow.
"Camilla! You have to see this!" Charlie shouted, already barging into her room without waiting for permission.
"What is it?" Camilla asked sleepily as she sat up.
Charlie grabbed the television remote and switched through several news channels.
Every single station was broadcasting footage from the previous night's gala.
Headlines flashed across the screen.
MYSTERY WOMAN CAPTURES MANUEL MERSACE HEART !
WHO IS THE FEMALE GENIUS BESIDE THE BUSINESS TYCOON?
LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN MANUEL MASASI , KENDRICK, AND DESIGN ICON CAMILLA PIERCE?
Camilla's eyes widened.
Photos of Manuel holding her by the waist, walking arm in arm with her, and escorting her down the red carpet had spread across every major social media platform.
Although the design industry had long recognized Camilla as the "Da Vinci of Design," the rest of the country now knew her as the woman who supposedly had two influential men competing for her affection.
Camilla slowly sat back on her bed, struggling to process everything.
This was the last thing she had ever wanted.
Romantic rumors.
Public attention.
Media scrutiny.
Meanwhile…
Manuel was already dressed for work, calmly sipping a cup of aged black tea when the doors to his villa swung open.
His father and younger sister walked in without warning.
"Brother!" his sister exclaimed. "You had a girlfriend all this time and never told us?"
Manuel looked at her without the slightest change in expression.
"What are you talking about?"
Before anyone could answer, Ernest hurried into the room carrying an iPad.
"Sir," he said respectfully, "the internet is flooded with news about you and Miss Pierce after last night's event."
Manuel set his teacup down and took the tablet.
As he scrolled through the headlines, his face hardened.
"Find the paparazzo who leaked these photographs," he ordered coldly. "I don't care what it takes."
"Yes, sir."
Ernest immediately left to carry out the command.
Silence filled the room.
Finally, Chairman Mersace spoke, his voice heavy with regret.
"Manuel… when will you let go of the resentment you have toward me?"
Manuel looked at his father for only a second.
"I don't resent you."
He stood up, adjusted his suit jacket, and picked up his briefcase.
"I simply have work to do."
As he walked toward the entrance, he added dryly,
"I'm off to the prison people insist on calling an office."
"Manuel!" Chairman Masasi called after him.
"Manuel!"
But he never looked back.
Outside, the black SUV was already waiting.
Just as Manuel was about to enter it, his secretary approached hurriedly.
"Mr. Mersace," she said respectfully, handing him an envelope embossed with the Mersace family crest. "Your father asked me to give you this."
Manuel accepted the letter with an unreadable expression before walking into his office.
The moment the door closed behind him, he picked up the telephone.
"HR," he said coldly.
"Yes, sir?"
"Terminate the secretary who just delivered that letter."
A stunned silence followed.
"Sir… may I ask why?"
"Because I no longer want her working for me."
He hung up without another word, leaving the office in complete silence.
Kendrick?" Manuel exclaimed as he wrapped an arm possessively around Camilla's waist.
He shot Camilla a subtle smirk, silently urging her to play along.
"I see you're still single," Manuel remarked casually, though his words were deliberately chosen to provoke.
For a fleeting moment, Kendrick's expression darkened, but he quickly masked it with a forced smile.
"Yes, I am," Kendrick replied. "In fact, I'm planning to start a business with your sister."
He paused, his eyes fixed on Manuel.
"One that involves cocaine and…" he deliberately trailed off.
Manuel narrowed his eyes.
"And what?"
Kendrick's lips curled into a wicked smile.
"Your favorite pastime—sex."
The air between the two men instantly grew cold.
Manuel's fists clenched as fury flashed across his face.
"Let's go," he said through gritted teeth, taking Camilla by the hand and leading her away before Kendrick could utter another word.
Neither of them spoke until the SUV had left the villa.
"What was that all about?" Camilla finally asked, breaking the silence.
"Nothing," Manuel replied flatly, his eyes fixed on the road. "I don't want to talk about it."
Realizing she would get no answer, Camilla let the matter drop.
When they arrived at her house, Manuel stopped the vehicle.
Without saying goodbye or even wishing her good night, he drove away.
Camilla stood there for a moment, stunned.
She had expected at least a farewell.
Feeling strangely disrespected, she walked into the house and went straight to bed.
The following morning…
Knock! Knock! Knock!
Camilla jolted awake.
"Who is it?" she groaned, burying her face back into the pillow.
"Camilla! You have to see this!" Charlie shouted, already barging into her room without waiting for permission.
"What is it?" Camilla asked sleepily as she sat up.
Charlie grabbed the television remote and switched through several news channels.
Every single station was broadcasting footage from the previous night's gala.
Headlines flashed across the screen.
MYSTERY WOMAN CAPTURES MANUEL MERSACE HEART !
WHO IS THE FEMALE GENIUS BESIDE THE BUSINESS TYCOON?
LOVE TRIANGLE BETWEEN MANUEL MASASI , KENDRICK, AND DESIGN ICON CAMILLA PIERCE?
Camilla's eyes widened.
Photos of Manuel holding her by the waist, walking arm in arm with her, and escorting her down the red carpet had spread across every major social media platform.
Although the design industry had long recognized Camilla as the "Da Vinci of Design," the rest of the country now knew her as the woman who supposedly had two influential men competing for her affection.
Camilla slowly sat back on her bed, struggling to process everything.
This was the last thing she had ever wanted.
Romantic rumors.
Public attention.
Media scrutiny.
Meanwhile…
Manuel was already dressed for work, calmly sipping a cup of aged black tea when the doors to his villa swung open.
His father and younger sister walked in without warning.
"Brother!" his sister exclaimed. "You had a girlfriend all this time and never told us?"
Manuel looked at her without the slightest change in expression.
"What are you talking about?"
Before anyone could answer, Ernest hurried into the room carrying an iPad.
"Sir," he said respectfully, "the internet is flooded with news about you and Miss Pierce after last night's event."
Manuel set his teacup down and took the tablet.
As he scrolled through the headlines, his face hardened.
"Find the paparazzo who leaked these photographs," he ordered coldly. "I don't care what it takes."
"Yes, sir."
Ernest immediately left to carry out the command.
Silence filled the room.
Finally, Chairman Mersace spoke, his voice heavy with regret.
"Manuel… when will you let go of the resentment you have toward me?"
Manuel looked at his father for only a second.
"I don't resent you."
He stood up, adjusted his suit jacket, and picked up his briefcase.
"I simply have work to do."
As he walked toward the entrance, he added dryly,
"I'm off to the prison people insist on calling an office."
"Manuel!" Chairman Masasi called after him.
"Manuel!"
But he never looked back.
Outside, the black SUV was already waiting.
Just as Manuel was about to enter it, his secretary approached hurriedly.
"Mr. Mersace," she said respectfully, handing him an envelope embossed with the Mersace family crest. "Your father asked me to give you this."
Manuel accepted the letter with an unreadable expression before walking into his office.
The moment the door closed behind him, he picked up the telephone.
"HR," he said coldly.
"Yes, sir?"
"Terminate the secretary who just delivered that letter."
A stunned silence followed.
"Sir… may I ask why?"
"Because I no longer want her working for me."
He hung up without another word, leaving the office in complete silence.