CHAPTER 149: CHAPTER 149: BLAKE SINCLAIR’S CALCULATED SCHEME

Zion Pence’s words made Holly Crowe’s outstretched hand freeze in mid-air.

The elevator doors automatically ascended, the numbers continued to jump.

Zion Pence looked at Holly’s stiff back, his eyes complex.

After that fiasco at the hospital, Mia Chapelle was detained by the police, only released the day before yesterday.

In front of the entire online audience, he was cuckolded, and the Pence family could no longer accommodate her.

During this time, he truly regretted it, especially when it came to Holly.

It’s only after losing something that you cherish it. Now, he finally realized Holly’s worth.

Recently, many of the company’s partners have successively canceled collaborations, and even the largest investor since the company’s founding withdrew all funds without any warning.

The company’s cash flow was completely cut off, as if overnight, he turned from Beldon’s rising enterprise into a sunset red.

Later, after much effort, he found out that the mysterious investor was actually a subsidiary under Sinclair Group.

At that moment, Zion Pence felt a chill down his spine.

Five years ago, when the company was just starting, why did Blake Sinclair choose to invest?

It wasn’t until he married Holly that he started to have suspicions.

Perhaps, as early as then, that man had already set his plan in motion and had intentions towards Holly.

"Holly, did you know that Blake Sinclair once dated Shannon Yarrow!"

He threw out this statement, hoping to see Holly’s panicked expression.

But Holly’s face showed no shock as he had anticipated. She turned to look at him calmly, even with a hint of sarcasm.

Holly found it quite amusing.

In one day, this was the second person to remind her of Blake Sinclair and Shannon Yarrow’s past.

"So what?" she asked back.

Zion Pence was somewhat choked by her response.

"You... you’re not angry?"

He was a bit indignant, "Shannon Yarrow couldn’t have achieved her current fame without Blake Sinclair’s resources and help. Now she’s suddenly back in the country, don’t you wonder why? There’s no guarantee they won’t rekindle their past relationship, you..."

"That’s none of your business." Holly coldly interrupted his provocation.

Zion Pence looked at her obstinate appearance, consumed by jealousy and revenge, he spat out the most vicious words, "But Blake Sinclair only sees you as a substitute!"

Holly looked at him blankly, somewhat not understanding.

Zion Pence appeared heartbroken.

He pulled out his phone, tapped a few times, and handed it to Holly.

On it was a video, a bit pixelated, the shooting angle shaky, as if it were from a long time ago.

The beginning had a voiceover with an accent, "Hey, Shu, what are you doing?"

The camera slowly panned and focused on a workstation by the window.

Shannon Yarrow, wearing a brown apron, was engrossed, carving into the clay on the table.

Only when she heard the voice did she look up and smile at the camera, blocking it as if keeping a secret, "Surprise."

"Surprise? Oh, it’s a little bird!" The camera clumsily leaned towards the table.

Shannon reluctantly put down her hands, lightly touching the edge of the clay, her voice softening, "It’s a birthday gift."

"Is it for your loved one?"

Her ears turned red, and she shyly nodded.

"Why a bird? Is it because of your name?"

"He’s very busy now, we can’t see each other often." Her voice carried a hint of melancholy, "This is a little bird I made with my own hands, hoping that when he sees it, he’ll think of me."

"So romantic. So you specifically learned pottery for him, just for this reason? I’m sure he’ll love it!"

Shannon, flush with praise, looked even more bashful, but the smile in her eyes was more pronounced.

"I must record this well, so that when you get married, this will be your documentary."

Saying so, the camera circled around the half-finished bird.

Though not completed, its wings and body had started taking shape.

The bird’s expression was lively, its demeanor endearing.

The video ended, and Zion retrieved his phone.

Looking at Holly’s ashen face, he revealed a more brutal truth, "Holly, don’t you think this little bird resembles your graduation project?"

Holly felt her head grow heavy, pinching her palm tightly to stay alert.

Her graduation work "Lone Bird" was now housed in the Beldon Crestview Art Museum.

And the bird Shannon made in the video shared some resemblance to her project.

Though Shannon was probably a beginner, the technique was a bit immature, the form and spirit were similar.

Her project was collected by the museum half a year after graduation, while Shannon was still in Brelond.

At that time, she hadn’t even met Blake Sinclair.

So, after breaking up with Shannon, did Blake see her project in the country and consider her a substitute for Shannon?

No wonder, during the "Success" program, Shannon’s pottery skills were so proficient; that was the reason.

She used to wonder why Blake favored her, why he treated her so well.

Now, everything had an explanation; he was always looking at another woman’s shadow through her.

Fireworks, confessions, gifts.

Their past truly was spectacular.

Holly felt life was so absurd.

Before, she dedicated seven years of feelings, only to find she was cheated on for four, like a complete fool.

Now, she thought she escaped the pit of fire and met Blake Sinclair, believing it to be a rebirth, a mercy from fate.

But it turned out to be just another refined, cruel trap.

The genuine feelings she cautiously offered again were once more shattered on the ground.

Ultimately, it was all an illusion, a vain joy.

Tears fell uncontrollably, something twisted her heart, making it difficult to breathe.

Zion put away his phone, glancing at the elevator floor numbers, calculating the time in his mind.

Seeing Holly’s breakdown, he knew he’d mostly succeeded.

"Recently, most of the company’s partners withdrew, even the major investor supporting us since the beginning left." He said self-deprecatingly.

Holly’s eyes were vacant, uninterested in his company affairs.

"Holly, after checking, I found out that the person behind the investment was Blake Sinclair. Have you ever wondered why he invested in my company five years ago?"

Zion deliberately led on, "At that time, you had just joined the company, and Blake Sinclair was already the heir of Sinclair Group, you’d never even met. It’s not a coincidence! There’s only one possibility: he invested in my company, perhaps to better control us, to ultimately take you away from me!"

Holly looked at him with disbelief.

Five years ago?

Did he think he was filming a commercial war movie?

She was almost impressed by Zion’s imagination, feeling he would do anything to sow discord.

"Holly, now you understand, right? Blake Sinclair deceived you, he wasn’t sincere; he either saw you as a substitute or had premeditated plans. What’s the point of such a marriage?"

He stepped forward, attempting to take her hand, coaxing, "Come back, will you? Divorce him, let’s start anew. I swear, after all of this, I know you are the one I should treasure, I’ll make it up to you, be good to only you."

Zion appeared confident of victory.

Just as his fingers touched her wrist, the elevator door happened to open.

Outside, Blake Sinclair took in the entire scene.