During this time, the entertainment sections of New York’s news were busier than ever.

The previously rumored "photo scandal" involving the Yan wife, the Jiang daughter, had been reversed.

A video suddenly circulated online—the same setting, with the same dazed, intoxicated woman acting intimately with many men.

But in the video, they called her "Summer."

Netizens tore through Summer’s information until it was laid bare, and everyone was shocked to realize this woman was not the Jiang heiress, but another woman who looked exactly like her.

Flora’s reputation was instantly cleared. It turned out everything before had been a misunderstanding, and she gained a massive wave of sympathy and affection.

On the other side, in the basement of the Yan villa.

Julian was dressed in a suit and tie, hands in his pockets, his expression stern.

Before him stood a massive cage.

The woman lunged forward, her body slamming against the iron bars with a deafening crash.

She reached out to him desperately, weeping:

"Julian, I was wrong. Julian, please let me go."

"I know I was wrong. You told me to replace her, and I did. My reputation is completely destroyed, and I was even..."

"I’ve already paid the price. Please, let me out. I’m going insane..."

Julian looked down at her coldly:

"I told you not to use her face to make such disgusting expressions."

Summer paused, a look of tragic fury appearing on her face.

Begging didn't work, so what did he want from her!

She regretted it so much her guts felt like they were turning green. To have tangled with such a monster, all while being arrogant enough to overestimate her own importance in his heart.

The housekeeper leaned into Julian’s ear and whispered:

"Mr. Yan, she is pregnant."

Julian looked down indifferently: "Then lock her up for another two months, then throw her into the cold storage."

The doctor had said that the child in Flora’s womb had already been three months along at the time.

Summer gripped the iron bars tight, her eyes bloodshot:

"No... Julian, you can't do this to me..."

"I won't keep this child; I’ll abort it! Please, don't send me to the cold storage, I beg you..."

Julian ignored her and turned to leave.

She slammed against the cage with all her might, the iron shrieking:

"Julian! You were the one who killed her child! You were the one who locked her in there! I didn't even know she was pregnant!"

"Everything is your own evil doing! Why take it all out on me! No matter how you torture me, Flora isn't coming back! Her child isn't coming back!"

Julian stopped in his tracks, a sudden pang of agony tearing through his heart.

He turned his head and shouted fiercely: "Everything that happened was caused by you!"

Summer laughed hysterically: "Stop brainwashing yourself, Julian. You didn't believe her; you never valued her life or her as a person!"

"You had a thousand ways to part on good terms, but you chose the cruelest one! You deserve this! You killed your own child! Hahahaha!"

Julian knitted his brows in fury and walked quickly out of the basement.

Even his back seemed to carry a sense of frantic desperation.

Summer laughed and cried as she cursed, finally clutching the bars and wailing.

Even from a distance, Julian could still hear those soul-piercing, desperate screams.

Back then, he hadn't even had the patience to stay and listen to Flora’s despair.

When she had been alone, in that cold storage room with a child whose survival was uncertain, she must have been so cold, so terrified, so hurt.

Not a single person believed in her innocence.

Not even him.

And he was the one who was supposed to be her support.

Julian sat alone in his room, his heart aching in waves.

"Flora, where on earth are you."

"I’ve avenged you. Please, come back and see..."

He murmured in a low voice.

It was as if he were speaking to Flora, and as if he were speaking to himself.

17

"Mr. Yan, the Xu family from Beijing has recently reached into New York, snatching our company's clients and core business, encroaching on our market share."

"They have a massive scale and are a long-standing enterprise, possessing a significant advantage in both capital and influence."

The assistant lowered his voice: "It has already caused our stock price to fluctuate, and several major partners have walked away."

"This wave feels like it’s aimed directly at the Yan Corporation."

Julian didn't even look up: "First, provide advances and offer concessions to retain the clients. Tell the technical department to headhunt top talent and increase investment in R&D to stabilize our technical edge."

The assistant took his orders and hurried off to handle it.

Julian didn't take this matter to heart.

Having held the reins of the Yan Corporation for years, he had lost count of how many similar attacks he had faced. This time, it was likely just another local titan, blind to the stakes, wanting to come to New York for a slice of the pie.

It was a pity that not everyone possessed the ability to snatch meat from the tiger’s mouth.

However, less than half a day later, the assistant called back.

His voice on the other end was filled with terror:

"Mr. Yan, all the accounts under your name—the assets have been wiped to zero!"

Julian froze for a moment, thinking he had misheard.

"What did you say?"

The assistant’s voice trembled: "It’s true, Mr. Yan. I contacted the bank, and the situation is confirmed."

"It seems... it was taken away by Madam. Would you like to check if there are any issues with the agreement signed during the divorce with Madam?"

Julian knitted his brows and immediately drove to the notary office, locating the records from that day.

The staff member placed a copy of the agreement in front of him. Julian flipped it open and only then discovered there was an additional property division agreement beneath it.

The clauses above, word for word, reflected with absolute clarity.

Every single one was in Flora’s favor.

Julian stared for a long time before suddenly laughing softly.

He rested his forehead on his hand, his shoulders shaking with laughter, and the others in the room began to look at him strangely.

"Oh, Flora, Flora," he said, his voice strained, "I truly underestimated you."

The assistant stood before him, carefully observing his face:

"Mr. Yan, then should we... should we sue her to recover the funds?"

"No need." Julian closed the agreement coldly.

He was too proud to fight a woman over this bit of divorce compensation.

Besides, it was something he owed her in the first place.

With his private capital for advances gone, Julian had no choice but to try and find investors for financing.

Yet, this time, it proved far more difficult than he had imagined.

He hit wall after wall with investors, and the banks refused to lend unless he mortgaged the company.

That was a joke—there was no way the Yan Corporation would ever reach that point.

Julian refused without a second thought.

Coincidentally, at that moment, an overseas venture capital firm contacted him.

They were optimistic about the Yan Corporation and were willing to place their bets, but only on the condition of signing a valuation adjustment mechanism (VAM) agreement.

Julian flipped through the agreement they had mailed over; the conditions were harsh, but the investment figure was enough to resolve the immediate crisis.

What lay before him wasn't just a VAM agreement, but both risk and opportunity.

Having galloped across the business field for years, Julian was confident he could easily pull it off.

He finalized: "Sign it."

18

Soon, new capital was injected, temporarily stabilizing the situation.

The new concept conference released by the Xu Group was their biggest competitor for the next quarter, and Julian decided to go to Beijing personally for an undercover investigation.

He stayed at a seven-star hotel in Beijing.

The top floor housed a Michelin-starred restaurant with an elegant atmosphere.

Julian sat by the window, eating listlessly; even the top-tier, tender, and juicy foie gras tasted like nothing in his mouth.

A moment later, the revolving door of the restaurant was pushed open.

A graceful, slender figure walked in.

Julian looked up, and the fork in his hand dropped onto the plate with a loud clatter.

...

It was Flora.

She hadn't been seen for a long time. Her skin was fairer, her complexion was better, she looked cheerful, and her eyebrows and eyes carried a smile.

She was wearing a red dress and small high heels, her skin dazzlingly fair, her thick, seaweed-like hair cascading down to her waist.

She was still just as radiant and stunning, born to shine, exactly as she had been back then.

Flora was there having fun with Luna and Leo.

This seven-star hotel had every conceivable entertainment facility, and the food was top-tier.

The three of them had played crazily all day, and Luna was so exhausted she collapsed in the suite, lazily refusing to come to the restaurant.