"Come on, Mr. Dyer. I''m only doing this for work." Elena''s voice was sweet as she practically pressed herself against Carl.


    It was just a dinner with clients-no big deal. She had been through worse.


    Besides, this was a chance to get closer to Hastings Group.


    Back home, she rummaged through her closet until she found the ck slip dress that ttered her figure. With her makeup done to perfection, she looked at herself in the mirror and finally smiled in satisfaction.


    Tonight, she had to win over the clients.


    The dinner was lively, filled with the clinking of sses and the scent of expensive perfume.


    Carl introduced her to a potbellied man wearing a thick gold chain-Wayne Simpson.


    "Mr. Simpson, this is Elena Harper, ourpany''s newest employee. She''s young, beautiful, andpetent," he said.


    Wayne''s eyes gleamed as he sized Elena up, his fat hand squeezing her waist. "Not bad, not bad. Come on, Elena. Have a drink with me."


    Suppressing her disgust, she downed the ss in one go. But inside, she was cursing Serena with every fiber of her being.


    One ss turned into another, and Wayne was visibly drunk before long. His words slurred as he asked, "Elena, I heard you''re close with the heiress of Hastings Group, Serena?"


    Elena''s heart skipped a beat, but she maintained herposure. "Yes, I''ve known Serena for a long time. We''re very close."


    Wayne let out a drunken belch, his breath reeking of alcohol. "Serena? Heiress? Her mother was just a maid who wed her way up! If it weren''t for that old fool from the Hastings family losing his mind for a while, she would never have "


    Elena froze. A maid who climbed the ranks? This was a huge piece of news. He rambled about Nicole''s "dark past", but Elena had already stopped listening.


    A maid who climbed her way up? That old fool from the Hastings family losing his mind?


    She suddenly recalled how Julian had once said that she and Serena came from different worlds. So... this was why he didn''t choose her?


    A bitterugh slipped from her lips as she thought, "Julian, your taste is truly... unique."


    A wave of resentment surged within her. She tilted her head back and downed another shot, but the burn of the alcohol did nothing to quell her jealousy.


    Meanwhile, Wayne''s hands grew bolder, creeping higher from her waist to her thigh.


    "Mr. Simpson, you sure know how to joke," Elena said with a forced smile as she refilled his ss. "Here, a toast to your continued sess!"


    He grabbed her wrist, spilling some of the liquor onto her dress, darkening the fabric.


    "Elena, you''re such a smart woman," he slurred, breathing heavily. "Stick with me, and I''ll ensure yound the best projects."


    His eyes were hazy, filled with drunken desire.


    Elena smiled. "I''ll have to thank you in advance then, Mr. Simpson."


    With a few more drinks, he waspletely uninhibited, pulling her into his arms


    as he mumbled incoherently. His hands roamed freely.


    "Elena,e upstairs with me, and we''ll have a good ''chat'' about the project," he said as he began to drag her out.


    She put on an act, feigning hesitation. "Mr. Simpson, this... doesn''t seem appropriate..."


    "What''s inappropriate about it? Don''t worry.


    livingick with me, and you''ll be et?


    gring


    high life!" Hened


    her, nearly


    his


    her.  ''


    ...


    Meanwhile, I was in the middle of final negotiations with Alex.


    "Mr. Hickman, the proposal we''ve put forward is already very sincere. If you have any other requests, we can discuss them further," Alex sald while leaning slightly forward with his fingers inteced.