when she left he went crazy (Hope and Christopher)

Chapter 165: The Valence Group Declares Bankruptcy

The next day, the sun rose as usual, but the rumor mill was in overdrive. Even a few junior employees at the office glanced my way curiosity.

Last night, Elissa had come over, handed back my bag and phone, and apologized profusely.

with

heightened

She explained that she had reported the incident to the police immediately, but as soon as they heard it involved the Harris family, they made excuses and dragged their feet, Without concrete evidence, there was little hope for action.

"The power and helplessness of ordinary people," Elissa had sighed. She confessed that if she'd known the disparity in influence, she wouldn't have insisted on breaking up with Ivan. "Even if it meant being a mistress," she muttered, "I wouldn't have felt so powerless when you needed help yesterday."

Now, as Elissa walked into the office carrying two cups of coffee, she placed one in front of me and sat down with the same somber expression as the night before. As I sketched Grace's custom design, curiosity got the better of me. "What's wrong? Who's got you down?"

Elissa hesitated before saying. The Valence Group declared bankruptcy."

My pen sli

Hadn't

slipped, creating an unintended mark on the paper. I was stunned. "Bankruptcy?"

they just celebrated an engagement with the Harris family? Now they were bankrupt? The shift was incomprehensible.

Elissa nodded gravely. "Yes, their cash flow dried up. The news broke just five minutes ago. I bet the Harris family is reeling. Investors are already circling, looking to snatch up shares at low prices. Christopher Valence might end up with nothing

I quickly checked my phone and found the news Elissa mentioned. In mere moments, the internet was abuzz with speculation.

The bankruptcy of the Valence Group signaled a significant upheaval for Jacquar. And Christopher? A man used to reigning at the pinnacle suddenly falling...

I frowned, feeling that things weren't that simple. "How could they suddenly go bankrupt?"

"It seems a research project drained their funds without yielding any results. Coupled with recent failed collaborations, their cash flow couldn't recover," Elissa explained.

I murmured, "It still feels of

Despite the fractures in my relationship with Christopher, I knew his business acumen well. Such a swift collapse didn't align with his meticulous nature. He always had contingencies, often multiple ones. An unexpected bankruptcy was decidedly uncharacteristic,

Elissa scoffed. "What's strange about it? Sometimes even jerks get what they deserve. She leaned forward, bubbling with the latest gossip. "Do you know who Christopher Valence is most likely to sell his shares to?"

I met her gaze. "Who?"

"The RF Group," she said, gleefully sharing an online article. "Apparently, he's been having private meetings with Daniel Martinez."

Feeling vindicated on my behalf, Elissa chuckled. "Who'd have thought Mr. Valence would see his empire crumble like this."

The RF Group, already a behemoth, would quickly usurp the Valence Group's place as Jacquar's new titan. Their sudden, bald entry into the domestic market was nothing short of audacious.

After Elissa left, I stared out of the floor-to-ceiling window at a skyscraper piercing the clouds, Could it be that this long-standing monolith was about to change hands?

The sudden ringing of my phone pulled me back to reality. It was Cecil calling-

a smile. "Cecil-

1 answered with a

"Hope." Cecil's voice trembled slightly before he composed himself. "Are you okay? I heard it was Jerry Hammer who saved you yesterday?"

1

I admitted honestly, "Yes, it was him. I'm fine. But you, are you okay? You sound a bit off."

Chapter 165: The Valence Group Declares Bankruptcy

Cecil's voice carried a gentle warmth. "I just stepped outside; it's a bit colder than I expected. Did the Harris family give you any trouble?"

"No!" I quickly reassured him, aware of his genuine concern but also conscious of his precarious situation.

Cecil's silence spoke volumes. That's good," he finally said, his voice as gentle as ever, though tinged with a trace of disappointment.

Before the call ended, the ever-composed Abigail appeared at my office door. I nodded in acknowledgment, though my attention remained on Cecil's

voice.

"Hope, one day, I'll be able to protect you, Cecil vowed, sincerity woven through every ward. It felt like he was laying bare his heart.

Just then, Abigail stepped inside, and any tender moment I might have shared with Cecil dissipated. Regret gnawed at me, but there was no point dwelling on what its'. "Cecil," I said softly, "I will become stronger. One day, no one will be able to bully me."

Cecil seemed to catch the underlying meaning of my words. "Hope..."

But Abigail was here, and she wasn't going to wait. She pushed the door open further, her presence insistent. I had to cut our conversation short. "A client just arrived. I need to go."

Hanging up quickly to avoid hearing his inevitable disappointment, I turned to face Abigail. "Ms. Lewis, how can I help you?"

Her eyes were steady as she addressed me. "You were speaking with Cecil, weren't you?"

There was no point in hiding it. "What has Mrs. Lewis done to him now?"

Abigail's calm facade remained unbroken. It wasn't my mother this time. It was my grandmother. My mother no longer has the courage. From the moment you had trouble yesterday until just before he called you, Cecil was confined in an unheated altar for a whole day and night."

I frowned deeply. "In this cold?"

The Lewis family's altar was notoriously drafty, a relic of old architecture. No wonder Cecil's voice had been trembling.

"This is the price he has to pay for loving you," Abigail stated with a chilling rationality. "If you can't make him stop, he'll face even harsher consequences."

Silence hung between us before the continued. "Ms. Royston, we are both women. I have no desire to be harsh, but you cannot marry him. No matter his feelings, it will never happen. Unless," she added, "you are willing to be a mistress."

I looked up at her, a wry smile forming. "You've had feelings for him for a long time, haven't you?"

I'd sensed it on my last visit to the Lewis family. Abigail's feelings for Cecil were cautious, hidden under layers of propriety.

For once, a flicker of surprise crossed her usually composed face. She didn't deny it, a bitter smile playing on her lips. "Yes, but like you, I can only be his friend. I can only be his sister."

Cecil's marriage was predestined for strategic gain, not for love-certainly not with Abigail or me. She sighed, resigned. "Ms. Royston, neither of us has the luxury of choice. So make him give up as soon as possible."

Without waiting for my response, Abigail departed, her resolve unshaken. She was convinced of my eventual decision.

By evening, as I rode home with Avery, the snow from the previous day had been pushed aside, mingling with muddy water, no longer pure white.

"Bye, Hope!" Avery waved as the elevator opened at her floor.

Smiling. I walked toward my place. As I turned a corner, I saw a tall figure that hadn't graced this spot in a long time.

Christopher stood with his back to me, a faint red glow between his fingers flickering in the cold air.

The city lights outside shimmered in the background. He turned at the sound of my steps, his handsome, chiseled features displaying an uncharacteristic mix of relaxation and tentative caution. "You're back?"

When she left. He went crazy