She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 453

Yet, everyone held their breath and kept their mouths shut.

They weren't stupid. They could all tell that holding Aria accountable for a bad background check was just the catalyst.

At its core, this was a ruthless battle for corporate control between the legitimate eldest daughter and the current wife's illegitimate daughter.

In other words, this was Nathaniel's family drama, and no outsider had the right to intervene.

Nathaniel remained silent for a long, heavy moment.

His gaze stayed fixed on Melanie.

Melanie stared right back, her eyes completely unyielding.

"Alright. We'll do it your way."

"Dad!"

Aria stared at him in sheer disbelief.

But the firm look on Nathaniel's face made it perfectly clear he wasn't going to change his mind.

When the meeting finally adjourned, Melanie walked out of the conference room with a satisfied smirk playing on her lips.

Aria followed close behind, her face pale with fury and looking absolutely miserable.

"Melanie, you're a vicious bitch."

Aria's venomous hiss came from behind. Melanie paused, glancing over her shoulder with a raised brow.

"When it comes to being vicious, I can't hold a candle to you."

"What the hell does that mean?"

"You know exactly what it means."

Dropping the icy response, Melanie turned and headed toward her office.

She wasn't naive enough to believe Aria had genuinely been duped by fake internet articles.

That entire business trip to MD had clearly been a setup meant to eliminate her.

However, with Aria's limited capabilities, there was no way she could have orchestrated a hit with a local militant group in MD.

If there was anyone else who hated her enough to want her dead, the only person who came to mind was Evelyn.

Once back in her office, Melanie's smile faded, replaced by a grim, somber expression.

She had nearly died in MD, and she absolutely wasn't going to let this slide.

With Everett staying there, Melanie finally felt a sense of peace.

"Excuse me, are you Ms. Royce?"

Before Melanie could reach the parking lot, a figure suddenly blocked her path.

It was a middle-aged woman. She was incredibly well-maintained, giving off such a youthful glow that Melanie couldn't pinpoint her exact age.

But one thing was obvious—she came from old money.

She was draped in head-to-toe understated luxury, opting for elegant couture pieces completely devoid of flashy designer logos.

Her posture was impeccable, radiating the natural grace of someone heavily cultured and refined.

However, Melanie had absolutely no idea who she was.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?"

Melanie asked directly.

The woman offered a polite, unbothered smile and answered smoothly:

"I am Preston's mother."