True Tycoon Her Empire, Her Rules

Delia’s interest piqued instantly as she pulled Winnie aside to inquire further, her fingers flying over her phone to check the latest antics of that playboy. Since he had begun to date Yolanda, Delia had taken to following his social media exploits religiously. 

Now, as she scrolled, she stumbled upon a recent post from him–a snapshot of him at a bar, arms wrapped around a girl, looking cozy. Such posts were no rarity on Chad’s feed. 

But Delia remembered that during his pursuit of Yolanda, this guy had toned down his usual flamboyance, with his posts becoming uncharacteristically tame. 

The brazen display of intimacy in this new photo seemed to scream surrender. 

Delia was puzzled. 

Following Delia’s gaze to the picture on the phone, Winnie blinked in surprise. 

“That’s not the guy Yolanda’s been seeing,” she said. 

Delia was taken aback, her eyes wide with disbelief. She had been so sure she’d been following the right drama. 

“Really? But he was all over Yolanda just last week.” 

Winnie pursed her lips thoughtfully before asking. “Do you have his birthday?” 

Delia quickly retrieved the guy’s profile which conveniently listed his birthday. She had heard that astrologers from the Mystical Sects required precise birth details for their readings. Unsure, she asked, “Will this do?” 

Winnie nodded, glanced at the birthdate, and effortlessly deduced his astrological sign. Though not precise to the hour, it was enough. 

With the guy’s star sign in mind, Winnie did a quick calculation before revealing. “This guy isn’t the one causing Yolanda grief, but he does seem to have a karmic connection with the actual troublemaker.” 

In other words, the two men might know each other, perhaps even share some bad blood. 

Delia, not one for a quiet life, instinctively thought of a love triangle. Perhaps this guy had a bone to pick with Yolanda’s actual suitor and had intended to steal her away just to spite him. A failed endeavor, no less. 

Such dramas were commonplace in their circles. 

Delia wasn’t shocked, just amused at the thought of Yolanda caught in this web. 

“You mentioned Yolanda’s love life is in full swing. Does that mean she’s already dating this guy?” 

Winnie nodded in confirmation. 

12:137 

Delia hadn’t expected Yolanda’s problematic suitor to have made such rapid progress right under her nose. She whipped out her phone, her fingers tapping away with the determination of a detective on the trail of a suspect. 

Winnie understood Delia’s “enthusiastic attitude” all too well. She herself wouldn’t miss Kathryn’s drama if there was any to witness. 

Meanwhile, Yolanda was oblivious to her stepsister’s concerns about her love life. Seeing that it was getting late, she excused herself from the Lopez’s with a casual pretext and left early. 

Instead of heading home, she detoured to an apartment in the heart of downtown. After ringing the bell and adjusting her hair, the door swung open, revealing a handsome, fair–skinned young man in his twenties. 

The man had the soft features of a K–pop Idol, which wasn’t far from the truth–he had recently debuted on a reality show for aspiring pop stars. While not a sensation, he had a dedicated female fanbase. 

Yolanda had followed the show, not for him but for another contestant. She remembered asking Samuel’s help to sneak in backstage with her friend for photos with the cast. 

Naylor was one of the contestants she had taken a photo with by chance. It was this 

serendipitous meeting that led to their swift friendship when they bumped into each other later in the real world. 

For Yolanda, the concept of fate when it came to connections was magical. But what really swept her off her feet was Naylor’s attitude. Despite being a rising star and heartthrob, he made no secret of his fondness for her. Yolanda’s heart raced at the memory of their recent flirty encounters. 

Surprised to see her, Naylor’s eyes flickered with a hint of panic, quickly subdued as he composed himself, “Yolanda, what brings you here? Didn’t you have a banquet tonight?” 

Yolanda’s reply was simple and teasing. “Missed you, so I came to see you, silly! Or is it that you don’t want me here? I’ll just leave then.” 

Pretending to walk away, she was immediately stopped by Naylor’s warm hand around her wrist, sending a rush of warmth up her arm that flushed her cheeks red. 

“You know I didn’t mean it that way. Yolanda.” 

Naylor’s voice, naturally magnetic, was now laced with tenderness. Coupled with his handsome visage, Yolanda couldn’t stay mad at him. She stepped inside, but to her surprise, Naylor hesitated at the door. 

Her feelings for Naylor made her acutely sensitive to his every move. “What’s wrong? Are you hiding someone inside?” 

Her tone shifted from coquettish to mildly annoyed. Before Naylor could respond, Yolanda pushed past him. The small apartment was almost entirely visible at a glance. 

2/3 

12:13 

It was empty except for the freshly baked cookies cooling on the kitchen counter. 

Naylor chuckled with a hint of embarrassment, “I… I wanted to surprise you with homemade cookies tomorrow, but I wasn’t sure if you’d think a guy who bakes is too… girly.” 

With his eyes cast down and his fair cheeks tinged with bashful frustration, Yolanda’s heart melted. The misunderstanding was as clear as day. 

In that moment, all the grumbles and discontent vanished, replaced by an overwhelming sense of warmth as she saw the effort he had put into baking cookies just for her. 

In the past, she might have scoffed at the idea of a man baking, thinking it wasn’t manly enough. 

But it’s funny how we have a different set of rules for the ones we care about. 

Now, the thought of him baking didn’t bother her in the least. Instead, it felt like his affection was reaching out and touching her heart. 

Yolanda’s demeanor softened almost instantly. 

“I don’t mind at all.” She reached out, took his hand in hers, and held it tight, “I love your 

cookies.” 

When Naylor heard her words, a spark seemed to light up in his eyes, and he looked at Yolanda with even deeper affection. 

“The cookies just came out of the oven and need to cool. How about we go for a walk?” he suggested. This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.

Yolanda was about to ask why they should go out when he continued. “The smell of cookies is all over the house, and it might stick to you.” 

Realizing that the scent of her perfume might mix with the aroma of freshly baked cookies, she no longer objected. 

They quickly put on their masks and left the apartment. 

Unseen by Yolanda, Naylor cast a fleeting, chilling glance towards the master bedroom as they exited. In his eyes flickered a hint of coldness. 

Inside that very room, a young woman was bound and gagged, her eyes filled with despair. She watched helplessly towards the door until she heard it close, and at that moment, she could no longer hold back her tears. 

“Mmmph! Mmmph!” she cried out, muffled by the tape over her mouth. 

3/3