Noelle had not expected Xenia to move this fast. She thought for a moment before saying, "So I guess Donovan decided you were deadweight—more of a liability than an asset.
"That's why he's kicking you out and replacing you with Xenia. Which means that even if I don't go live or expose anything, you were already going to face the consequences of the law."
That was Donovan's real goal all along. After all, he had poured massive investments into the entertainment industry. There was no way he would let everything go to waste. If he was already dividing things up now, that meant he had officially given up on Blake.
Blake's voice cracked with frustration. "Damn it, you're right. I've fallen this low... It's worse than jail. Are you happy now?"
He had never thought Donovan would actually throw him away, and he definitely had not expected that a driver's daughter like Xenia, under Donovan's protection, could not only steal everything from Noelle—but now take what was his, too.
Noelle let out a cold laugh. "Yeah, pretty satisfied, actually."
She thought nothing was more satisfying than seeing them suffer the same fate she once had.
Blake took a deep breath. "Then you should agree to work with me. If you don't, it'll be too late to do anything once Xenia gets her hands on all your assets."
Noelle burst out laughing. "Oh, now you're panicking? But back when Xenia stole everything from me, you stood on the sidelines and told me to just 'let it go.' Now that she's taking your company, suddenly it's unacceptable?"
Her words were sharp, slicing straight through Blake's pride. For a long moment, he did not say anything.
Eventually, he muttered in a low, unsteady voice, "I finally understand what you went through. I know how unfair it was—"
Noelle scoffed, cutting him off before he could say anything else. "Yeah? Well, you deserved it!"
Blake finally lost it. "Noelle, I'm sorry. I really am. I was selfish and arrogant—it was my fault."
His voice was hoarse, even trembling slightly, as if he truly regretted everything.
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