Violet turned her head to look at the car behind them and said to her father, "Dad, is Lia's schoolmate going with us too?"

Tom Aiken followed her gaze, then turned back, replied coolly, "That young girl is here specifically to pick up your sister. Just let her follow us into the city district, and once we're there, we'll let her off."

Violet pouted, but said no more.

The car drove for about an hour and a half and reached the city district. Tom Aiken called Lia, and when she answered, he instructed her in a gentle yet authoritative tone, "Lia, ask your schoolmate where she'd like to get off? We're going for business matters, and we can't take her with us." 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Lia tilted her head to look at Lena, who was the Horne Family's young lady, and the Valence Group's doors were always open for her. Could she just leave her behind?

Lena, being perceptive, caught on to the situation as soon as Lia looked at her and whispered to Lia, "Tell your dad that my brother works at the Valence Group. I'll go with you and wait for my brother to get off work."

Lia lightly tapped this little schoolmate's forehead. This young girl was set on embarrassing Violet; Violet always held her head high, completely looking down on both Lia and Lena. Lia had no capability to humiliate Violet, but Lena did.

Thus, following Lena's guidance, Lia responded to her father and spoke on Lena's behalf, "Dad, since my schoolmate's brother works at the Valence Group, let's take her there with us."

Tom Aiken frowned but reluctantly agreed, though he still said, "Let her get off at the Valence Group's entrance, though."

Lia looked at Lena again, and Lena's pretty large eyes were twinkling continuously. She smiled again, affirmed with a hum, and hung up the phone.

The car drove for another twenty minutes and arrived at the Valence Group.

Per Tom Aiken's request, Lena Horne was let off at the entrance of the Valence Group. Before getting off, she discreetly said to Lia, "Just go inside and don't worry about me. At my own family's company, no one will dare trouble me."

Lia believed her words.

Yet, little did she know Lena Horne was very well protected, and few knew her real identity, not even many in the Valence Group.

She had been to the Valence Group before, but it was when she was a kid; now she was a teenager, grown up, and the staff at the company had changed, so who would remember her face?

After Tom Aiken led the group inside the office building, Lena Horne finally called Ivan Horne.

"Brother, I haven't brought Sister Lia home. They're inside now, and I'm at the company entrance. Get your secretary to come out and get me, lest they don't let me in, or have your secretary call the intercom."

Ivan Horne frowned, "Weren't you supposed to bring Lia home?"

"Something came up, so I adapted and changed my mind to follow them here."

Ivan Horne, holding the phone in one hand, pressed the intercom button with the other to notify the secretary to call downstairs and let Lena in. However, he didn't clarify who Lena was, and the secretary didn't dare ask. Anyone let in by the CEO personally must have some background.

"What came up? I've already instructed, you'll be allowed in soon."

Lena Horne laughed, "Sister Lia's troublesome younger sister came too."

Ivan Horne's dark eyes flickered; he knew Tom Aiken had two daughters. Lia was the daughter of the first wife, not favored. Tom especially cherished the children with the second wife, now he's even brought the younger daughter along—is he trying to get Ivan to change his mind?

"Here to watch a show again?" He could easily guess his sister's intentions.

Lena Horne didn't admit, "I followed because I'm worried about Sister Lia, not to watch a show. What kind of show is there to watch at the Valence Group? It's a company, a workplace. Everyone's busy to death, even timing their restroom breaks, who has the time to act out a drama? If I wanted to watch a show, I'd just go to our entertainment company."

"Say one thing, and you retort with a string of responses," Ivan Horne said affectionately, "Sister Lia and the others probably arrived, so I won't talk to you for now."

Lena Horne murmured in acknowledgment.

With Ivan Horne's instructions, Lena Horne was respectfully ushered inside.

As she walked into the Valence Group, the secretary also led Tom Aiken and his group into the top-floor VIP Room, with little secretaries serving tea and water; Ivan Horne's secretary walked out of the VIP Room, back to the CEO's Office door and knocked, waiting for Ivan Horne to let her in before she opened the door and entered.

The VIP Room on the top floor was specifically for Ivan Horne's business meetings with particularly important clients. The ones deemed most important would meet Ivan Horne directly in the CEO's Office.

Aiken Family clients, like this one, proactively sought after, aren't considered particularly important in Ivan Horne's eyes.

The fact that Tom Aiken could schedule so quickly was still because Ivan Horne had told his secretary in advance that if the Aiken Family made another reservation, they should be organized first, pushing others back a bit. The secretary thought it was because Ivan Horne was prepared to cooperate with the Aiken Family, unaware it was to promptly and openly meet Lia.

Seated in the VIP Room, Violet couldn't help but take in the surroundings, thinking the Valence Group's VIP Room was twice the size of theirs at Aiken Family—truly lived up to Valence Group's name.

Shortly, that secretary returned.

Violet immediately adjusted her posture.

Inner nerves mounting, she was about to see the widely acknowledged heartthrob. Violet discreetly adjusted her dress, contemplating pulling out a small mirror after the secretary left to check her makeup.

Being younger than Lia, with similar looks, Violet imagined as long as Ivan Horne saw her, he'd surely favor her and forsake Lia, ensuring Lia wouldn't use Ivan Horne to turn the tables.

Having bullied Lia habitually, witnessing their father's tolerance toward Lia since last night, hearing him caution her against bullying Lia anymore urging sibling affection and love, Violet seethed with resentment.

Her mother advised absolute prevention of Lia's rise.

Lia could only marry someone like Ethan Aibileen, the playboy.

"Mr. Aiken, please follow me with Miss Lia." The secretary informed Mr. Aiken's group after escorting them into the VIP Room and went on to report to Ivan Horne as he instructed.

This further convinced the secretary that the CEO intended to collaborate with Aiken Family, with particular emphasis.

Upon hearing, Violet promptly asked, "What about me?"

Why call Lia but not allow her along?

The secretary politely replied, "This young lady, please wait here. The CEO only instructed Mr. Aiken and Miss Lia to enter." Even Mr. Aiken's secretary wasn't permitted inside.

Violet grew anxious, grabbing Tom Aiken's arm, pleading, "Dad."

Tom Aiken pried her hand away, ordering sternly, "Wait here, your sister and I are going to discuss business with Mr. Horne." He stood up, signaling the secretary to hand over the documents they brought.

"Why can Lia go in and not me? I want to go too; I don't want to wait here." If she waited here, how would she meet Ivan Horne? Without meeting Ivan Horne, how could she take him away, preventing Lia's rise?