Recently, the Clifford family of Manchester ford a notable association with one of Birmingham’s wealthiest families... the Chen family. The Chens were known throughout the Kingdom for their vast influence in the dia industry and their widespread involvent in various import businesses. Although they had immigrated from China a few generations ago, they had established a firm and influential foothold in the Kingdom.
The Clifford family had invested in several new ventures in partnership with the Chens. Many in the Manchester business circle believed the Cliffords were on the verge of ascending to new heights. The alliance between the two families was largely due to the growing friendship between Benjamin Chen, the CEO of Chen IT, and Jas Clifford, the fourth son of the Clifford family. They had initially beco acquainted through a mutual friend, but after Benjamin relocated to Manchester to directly manage Chen IT’s operations, their friendship deepened. Jas had been instruntal in helping Benjamin gain entry into Manchester’s elite youth business circle.
Previously, Jas had lived in the shadow of the first son, Jacob Clifford, who had been managing the family business for years and was widely expected to succeed their father, Jonathan Clifford. However, in recent tis, the family patriarch, Nicholas Clifford, had begun favouring Jas... largely because of the advantages that ca from his connection with the Chen family. Many mbers of the Clifford family now believed Jas might ultimately beco the successor, thanks to the old man’s backing.
As the CEO of Chen IT, Benjamin Chen naturally received an invitation to the prestigious GMITCC annual banquet. Jas accompanied him to et prominent business leaders and forge new connections. They were casually chatting with a group of second-generation elites in a quiet corner of the venue when Eleanor entered the banquet hall with Edward Miller.
The atmosphere shifted instantly. As one of the most breathtakingly beautiful won they had ever seen walked into the room, the group’s casual conversation quickly devolved into stunned silence... followed by a flurry of hormone-fuelled comntary.
"Wow! She is hot!" one of the young n, who happened to be facing the entrance, blurted out.
"Where?" another asked, craning his neck. Without waiting for an answer, he followed the first man’s gaze.
"Damn! I’ve never seen a woman like that before..." he whispered, almost reverently.
"Mr. Chen, you should take a look," another said quickly, hoping to curry favour with Benjamin.
In monts, all eyes in the group turned to the entrance.
"Beautiful!"
"Fuck!"
"I’m willing to drop a million for just one night with her."
"Holy shit! Where did she co from? She’s definitely not from around here. Otherwise, I would’ve noticed her."
"This kind of beauty is out of your league," soone joked. "Among all of us, only Young Master Chen has the skills to get her into bed."
Benjamin remained composed, although he had indeed already imagined a few explicit scenes in his head. Unlike the others, however, he was careful. He ntally noted her appearance and planned to investigate her identity later. He had no intention of getting into trouble over a woman, no matter how beautiful she was.
Among the group, such discussions were common. They were all habitual womanizers... sothing they were well aware of, and had even been known to exchange won among themselves like commodities.
"Why is she walking beside Old Man Edward?" one of them asked, squinting toward the entrance.
"She could be his daughter or maybe a secretary."
"No way," another said confidently. "I know every mber of the Miller family. I even went to a family function a few weeks ago. She wasn’t there. Also, all of Chairman Miller’s secretaries are n. He doesn’t like having won around him at work."
"Then maybe she’s his new girlfriend or..." soone paused dramatically, "his concubine?"
"Don’t talk like that. Everyone knows Edward Miller is a family man. He’s never had a scandal."
"Oh, shut up! All n are innocent... until they get caught," soone quipped, earning a round of laughter.
"Well said."
"Maybe the old man brought her to rub our noses in it."
"Damn, I hate him even more now!"
"Alright, alright. Calm down. Don’t lose your minds over one beauty. There are others here."
"Did you notice Heimdall’s two beauties?"
"Yes, that Teresa Li is insanely hot. The other one’s face isn’t as striking, but that body..." he trailed off with a smirk.
"Young Master Chen, what do you think about Miss Li? She’s Asian, like you. I’ve heard rumours she might actually be the CEO of Heimdall Technologies. Officially, she calls herself just a representative, but that’s clearly a cover. She’s made high-level decisions on the spot... sothing only a CEO or board mber would be authorized to do. No one even knows who the real CEO is."
Trying again to gain favour with Benjamin, one of the n leaned closer. But Benjamin only chuckled.
"I can’t date another Asian," he said with a sigh. "If my family finds out, they’ll force into marriage right away. That’d be the end of my freedom. Besides, with her status and the kind of moves Heimdall’s been making lately, she wouldn’t agree to anything casual."
"Don’t worry. I’ve spotted several other beauties here. Look at the far-right corner... what do you think of her?"
While the group continued with their discussion, one mber remained notably silent... Jas Clifford. Normally, Jas would be among the loudest voices in such conversations, but today, he couldn’t get a word out.
No one in the group noticed his abnormal behaviour.
Jas was in the middle of a private storm. The mont Eleanor walked in, he had felt a strange pull... an intense familiarity that left him unsettled. It took a few seconds, but when he finally recognized her, his mind went blank.
"Eleanor Whitmore!"
She looked completely different from the last ti he saw her. Her skin was now pale and glowing, her hair had transford to a soft silver hue, and her once brown eyes had turned a sharp erald green. Even her posture had changed... she had grown taller, more graceful, and infinitely more alluring. But more than her appearance, her aura had changed. She no longer looked like the ek, frightened girl he once knew. Instead, she moved with calm confidence, exchanging words with business tycoons in such grace as if she belonged among them.
Eleanor Whitmore. His first love.
Though that love had long since curdled into hate... and though he had convinced himself he was over her... Jas now found himself in emotional chaos. Watching her walk beside Edward Miller and laugh so freely with others pierced sothing deep inside him.
"Am I... jealous?" he wondered briefly, before imdiately rejecting the idea.
Impossible. How could he be jealous of a woman he had dumped? A woman he had once wanted dead?
"Regret? No. Never."
But still, the sight of her, transford, radiant, desirable beyond imagination... it hit him harder than he expected.
It was as if the caterpillar he had casually discarded had transford into the most dazzling butterfly in the world.
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