Mia Kane’s words were so harsh, no one dared to argue.

’Take my own life...’

She was actually betting her own life.

"Fine. You’re ruthless. I’d like to see how you’re going to win after this."

The vice chairman stormed off in a rage.

Shannon Preston stared at her stomach in shock and disbelief.

"You’re pregnant? Mia Kane, you’re lying, aren’t you? I’ve never heard my brother mention..."

"Theo Thorne, let’s go."

Mia Kane didn’t spare Shannon Preston a single glance. She turned and left, letting Shannon scream and shout behind her.

The two of them arrived at the CEO’s office.

Theo Thorne had a worried expression on his face.

"Ma’am, how could you joke about your own life like that?"

"Didn’t you say it yourself? I have to have faith in Adrian Preston. Since I believe he’ll come back, I won’t die."

Theo Thorne pressed his lips together. ’Those were just words of comfort. How could Mia Kane believe them so completely?’

"Don’t worry, I would never kill myself. I only said that to stabilize the situation and shut the vice chairman up. I deliberately said I was pregnant to make him focus his energy on me. I was afraid he’d continue to cause trouble within the company."

"Theo Thorne, you keep a close watch on the group. Don’t let anyone make a single mistake. Keep everything stable for me. Adrian Preston isn’t dead yet, but they’re all so impatient. It’s truly disheartening. I’m going to hold the fort for him. Not even God himself can come and take what belongs to Adrian Preston!"

Mia Kane’s words were firm and resolute, and Theo Thorne was inspired by her conviction.

He considered Adrian a hero, and Mia Kane was proving to be one as well.

"Yes, Ma’am! I’ll get on it right away!"

Mia Kane didn’t take a break, either. Instead, she started going through various documents.

Although she hadn’t studied finance, she had been with Chase Lockwood for three years. She’d learned a lot through osmosis, and now that knowledge was proving useful.

Just as she was exhaustedly dealing with the Preston Group’s internal strife, Chase Lockwood showed up unexpectedly.

’What is he doing here?’

’The Preston Group is already in chaos. If he’s here to take advantage of the situation, we’re really done for.’

She stood up hastily, wanting to go out and see, but she got up too quickly. A wave of dizziness washed over her, and she nearly collapsed.

Fortunately, she managed to grab the desk in time to steady herself.

"Ma’am, are you alright?"

Theo Thorne looked at her with concern.

"I’m fine. Take him to the reception room. I’ll be right there."

She looked at herself in the mirror. The person staring back had a pale face and a gaunt figure, as if she could be blown over by a gust of wind.

She forced herself to pull it together and touched up her makeup to look a little healthier.

She went to meet Chase Lockwood, watching him warily like a small animal in the jungle.

"Chase Lockwood, what are you doing here? Adrian Preston has been your friend for years. Are you going to kick him while he’s down, too?"

She looked him straight in the eye, her gaze poised and dignified, yet filled with hostility.

Chase Lockwood looked at her, his fists clenched tightly.

His expression was complicated.

Back then, he had hesitated for a few seconds before choosing to abandon Mia Kane.

He knew that a woman who fell into the hands of kidnappers could never return "untainted."

Even if she did return unscathed, people wouldn’t believe it. The gossip alone would be enough to twist the truth and turn white into black.

Vivian Lynch was his wife. Their fates were intertwined, for better or worse, so naturally, he chose to protect Vivian Lynch.

He had assumed Adrian Preston was the same kind of man he was—that he would sacrifice Mia Kane to save his sister.

But he never expected that after ensuring Shannon Preston was safe, Adrian Preston would rush over without a moment’s hesitation.

He took the ransom and walked into the lion’s den alone.

Chase had even tried to talk him out of it.

"Going there now is suicide! I looked into it. Carter King wants to side with William, and you’ll be his ticket in. She’s just a woman. No matter how reluctant you are, you have to let her go."

But instead, Adrian Preston had grabbed him by the collar.

"Chase Lockwood, are you even human? I can’t tell you what to do. If you don’t want to save her, that’s your business, but don’t you dare stop me. What did she ever do wrong? Why does she keep getting abandoned, especially twice by a piece of trash like you?"

After saying that, Adrian Preston left without a backward glance.

To this day, Adrian Preston’s words still pounded in his heart.

’What did Mia Kane do wrong? Why did I abandon her time and time again?’

’In the beginning, Mia Kane had truly entrusted her heart to me.’

Thinking of all this, seeing Mia Kane now made his heart feel like it was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe.

"Mia..."

He thought of their beautiful past and called her by her pet name, only to be cut off mercilessly by Mia Kane.

"President Lockwood, are we that close? Don’t use such an intimate name. Your wife might get the wrong idea and think there’s still something between us."

At that moment, Mia Kane was like a hedgehog covered in sharp quills.

She stared coldly at Chase Lockwood, her fists clenching silently.

She would never forget the pain Chase Lockwood had caused her—it was even worse than what her captors had done.

"I’m here to help you. The Lockwood Group is willing to deepen its partnership with the Preston Group. If I take your side, those vultures circling outside won’t dare make a move."

After all, the Lockwood Group was a corporate giant second only to the Preston Group.

If the two joined forces, outsiders would naturally be afraid to act rashly.

Mia Kane frowned, not believing that Chase Lockwood would be so kind.

"Don’t look at me like that. I really am here to help you. Mia Kane, consider this my way of making it up to you for what I did."

Mia Kane wanted to refuse out of pride, but these were desperate times. If Adrian Preston came back to find the Preston Group in shambles, it would only cause him more stress and work. She couldn’t let him escape death only to be thrown into a corporate power struggle.

She clenched her fists tightly. ’What does my own pride matter right now?’

"Fine."

Seeing her agree, Chase Lockwood breathed a sigh of relief, and his guilt lessened slightly.

The two parties signed the contract.

Chase Lockwood put away his copy and looked at her. "What are your plans?"

Mia Kane frowned but didn’t say anything.

"I mean... if Adrian Preston really doesn’t come back..."

Before Chase Lockwood could finish, Mia Kane cut him off coldly.

"He will come back."

"Mia Kane, stop deceiving yourself. Everyone knows he’s not coming back. I can only help you stabilize things temporarily, so you should start making plans for the future. Your backer is gone, but... for the sake of our past, I’ll help you."

"Help me? Are you planning to keep me on the side as your mistress?"

Chase Lockwood didn’t answer. He did indeed have that thought.

"Then I might as well kill myself. Chase Lockwood, I would rather die than be a homewrecker. No, even if I did become a homewrecker, I’d do it for anyone but you!"

"I accept your kindness today, and I’ll repay you when I have the chance. As for anything else, don’t even think about it."

Chase Lockwood wasn’t angered. He slowly stood up and looked at her deeply.

"Mia Kane, you’re too headstrong. Being so rigid and unbending will only make you suffer. I still miss the old you. Even if it was an act, you were gentle and obedient. That version of you was much cuter and more beautiful."

Hearing his disgusting words, Mia Kane wanted nothing more than to grab the teacup and hurl it at him.

She suppressed the urge and turned to leave.

The moment she returned to the CEO’s office, she couldn’t stop coughing.

Her body was still weak, yet she had to take charge and make crucial decisions. She was reaching her limit.

She was so dizzy it took her a moment to get her bearings.

He had been missing for almost twenty-four hours.

’Adrian Preston...’

’Are you really coming back?’