The Psychotic Girl’s Revenge

“…”

Paige recalled the night in River Town when Emery cut off his little finger, initially thinking him mad. Now, she thought he was not only mad but also pitiful and… deserving of his fate. Perhaps, this was the tragedy of being part of the Gustin family.

If not for the grudges of the previous generation, the two brothers wouldn’t have started out with nothing to say to each other.

She lowered her head, eating the rice in her bowl, and said, “In one week, the highest-level financial summit in country A will take place. I’ve heard they’ve already started tightening security.”

This financial summit, much like the presidential election, happens every five years, always held just before the election begins. It’s often seen as an indicator of the future power dynamics in the country, its significance impossible to overlook.

Enrico lifted his eyes to look at her. “So this is why you’re in such a hurry to return to the Capital?”

“Rachel has been frequently leveraging your father’s name, strengthening relationships with several influential people. I’ve checked-most of them will be attending the financial summit,” Paige smiled. “So, I suspect she’s planning something big for the summit.”

“…”

“I’m afraid if I don’t return, her plan might fall apart,” Paige added.

She didn’t elaborate on the details, but Enrico immediately understood her intentions. He stared at her deeply and asked, “Are you really ready for this?”

It would be a tough battle.

“To be honest, I’m not invincible. I’m not at the level where I can fearlessly stand against the united front of all the powerful families and financial groups. But… now that I have you, I don’t need to wait any longer.”

Paige looked at him, openly asking for his help.

Enrico raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair with his arms crossed. “Oh? You’re actually asking for my help?”

The sun must be rising in the west! Back then, she went to great lengths to avoid him, even willing to endure punishment at Gangnam Hall rather than seek his assistance.

“So, will you help or not?” Paige rested her chin on her hand and gazed at him.

Enrico, maintaining his air of refinement, replied, “That depends on the terms you offer. I’m a businessman, Paige. I don’t do unprofitable deals.”

Paige smiled, adjusted her hospital gown, and looked at him seriously. “The Gustin Group isn’t what it once was. You’re aware of your past methods, and not many people are rooting for your return.”

“…”

Enrico squinted at the woman in front of him-she sure dared to speak bluntly.

“Therefore, if you wish to grow again, you’ll undoubtedly face many obstacles. Moreover, with the election approaching, there’s no guarantee Rafael will win another term. That’s an unstable factor for you.”

Paige continued confidently, “But it’s different if you work with me. I’m consolidating scattered projects and pushing Temple in Heaven to the forefront. That’s my leverage. Over the past three years, I’ve studied the major financial families and groups, and I know their weaknesses inside and out. That’s my skill.”

“…”

As Enrico listened, his attention gradually shifted to her soft lips.

“The Gustin Group and Temple in Heaven joining forces would be a strong alliance. You can fend off the unrest from the financial powers, and I’ll help you regain your position as the leader of the financial world. It’s a win-win, Mr. Gustin,” Paige said with a smile, articulating every word clearly.

Enrico’s eyes remained fixed on her lips as he casually remarked, “It sounds pretty good.”

“Then shall we celebrate our cooperation?”

Paige stood up and extended her hand in partnership.

Her delicate, slender hand lingered in the air.

Seeing her so serious, Enrico’s face darkened. He raised his hand and swatted hers away. “You’re my woman, not my business partner!”

She always seemed to misunderstand her role!

“…”

Paige withdrew her hand, which now stung, and asked, “So are you cooperating or not?”

Enrico also stood, resting one hand on the table and leaning toward her, his face so close that it nearly touched hers. His deep, bottomless eyes fixed on her as his seductive lips slightly parted. “And what if I choose not to cooperate?”

Paige knew he was teasing her, but she wasn’t upset. Her clear eyes looked directly at him, and she smiled. “Temple in Heaven is my dowry, Mr. Gustin.”

“…”

Enrico’s eyes flickered with shock as he stared at the woman before him.

She gave a slight flutter of her long lashes, and it felt like his soul was being pulled away. His throat suddenly felt dry.

“How about reconsidering?” Paige suggested with a faint smile.

It took Enrico a moment to recover. Then, his lips curved into a mischievous smile. “Paige, are you tempting me?”

“Can Mr. Gustin resist temptation?”

Paige asked calmly.

Resist? Who could resist?

Enrico tilted his head and leaned close to her ear, whispering, “Paige, remember this: This time, you threw yourself into my arms. If you ever try to fly away again, I’ll break your wings. Don’t expect any mercy from me.”

Not flying away. Not anymore.

Just as Paige was about to speak, Enrico’s large hand cupped the side of her face gently, his warmth spreading over her skin.

He kissed her delicate earlobe, his husky voice brushing against her ear like a feather.

“Pleasure doing business.”

…

Back in the Capital, news of Artisans receiving a coffin quickly became a trending topic. Reports of the internal strife within the Gustin family were circulating all over the internet.Original from NôvelDrama.Org.

While Artisans was trying hard to suppress the news, there was little movement from the Gustin Group.

Speculation grew among the public: Had Enrico, after three years of illness, returned just to send Artisans this “gift”? Was there some hidden motive behind it?

The bigger news, however, was the revelation that Emery had been the mastermind behind the River Town terror attack. This development led people to dig into Artisans and the Gustin family, though they didn’t uncover much. However, demands for an explanation from the family were growing louder.

“Slap-”

In a rest area, Rachel was slapped to the ground by Jeremy.

“Cough, cough…”

Rachel lay on the floor, clutching her face in pain, unable to stop coughing.

“At first, I thought you had finally made something of yourself. But watching you manage Artisans over the past few months, it’s clear-you may know how to scheme, but you have no real business acumen. There’s no way you’ve gotten this far without someone backing you.”

Jeremy, furious, grabbed Rachel by the collar and yelled, “Tell me-what power have you and Emery aligned yourselves with? How else would he have ended up in River Town? Where did he get the resources to orchestrate a terrorist attack?”

Jeremy understood Enrico to some degree-he was cold-blooded and ruthless, but he wouldn’t lie about something this serious.

Now that he thought about it, Jaden’s words weren’t without merit. His youngest son had been agitated before leaving for overseas; there was no way he could have focused on his studies. He must have been plotting revenge against Enrico.

As for Rachel, she had always been frail, relying on medication every day just to keep going. How could she have the energy to establish Artisans so quickly? She simply wasn’t cut out for it.

Rachel propped herself up from the ground, covering her face as she looked at Jeremy. “Father, this is Artisans. I am now the CEO of Artisans. Please show me some respect…”

“Slap-“