She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 471

But a frontal assault was no longer an option.

She needed a detour. A more insidious strategy.

She would launch her own studio, using it as a beachhead to slowly bleed the Royce Group dry.

So what if Melanie was the COO of the Royce Group?

By the time she was done, the entire corporation would be nothing but a hollow shell.

And once Melanie was stripped of everything, Preston wouldn't look twice at her.

As for Dominic...

He wanted to ruin Melanie just as much.

Dominic knew that only when she was thoroughly broken and destitute would he be able to swoop in, play the savior, and lock her away by his side.

They both shared the exact same goal.

It made sense to form an alliance.

Outside the villa, a gentle evening breeze swept through the trees.

Indian summer had lingered for a few days, but the autumn chill was finally setting in.

It was especially crisp tonight.

Preston shrugged off his suit jacket.

Melanie assumed he was just going to drape it over her shoulders. Instead, as he settled the warm fabric around her, he smoothly pulled her tight against his chest.

The sudden press of his body radiated heat against the cool night air. Melanie couldn't hold back a quiet laugh and murmured,

"Sneaky."

Preston paused, asking softly,

"Are you talking about me?"

"Who else?"

Melanie playfully pinched his nose.

"You're so considerate, you know exactly how to play the hero, and you're ridiculously handsome... Tell me, did I save the universe in a past life to score you as a boyfriend?"

Hearing the blatant praise, Preston offered a rare, slightly bashful smile.

He didn't know if she had saved the universe in a past life.

But he knew for an absolute fact that she had saved him in this one.

If it wasn't for her, the man standing in front of her right now wouldn't even exist.

"By the way, why did you purposefully show up at my dad's house?"

Melanie's voice pulled his thoughts back to the present.

Absolutely beautiful.

Catching her drift perfectly, Preston let out a low chuckle. His tone remained casual, but a deep, predatory confidence bled into his words.

"Consider it done. I'll make sure you're thoroughly satisfied."

Melanie giggled, wrapping her arm around his waist as they walked toward the car together.

The night deepened, but the autumn wind didn't feel so cold anymore.

Across town, in a rundown apartment complex.

The building was practically falling apart.

By this hour, Lila was already fast asleep.

But Evelyn was still wide awake.

She was typing furiously on her phone, carefully drafting a resume. She proofread it several times before finally hitting submit.

The application was for a nursing intern position at a high-end care facility owned by Stellaris PharmaTech.

In the pitch-black room, the harsh glow of the screen illuminated Evelyn's face, casting terrifying, ghoulish shadows across her features.

Her eyes were blown wide, a vicious, calculating malice shining through her otherwise hollow stare.

"Everett... don't blame me for what I have to do..." she whispered to the empty room. "You're the one who just had to marry me."