Chapter 30
When Matilda first heard that Lola was sick, worry tugged at her. But after thinking about everything that had happened lately, she quickly calmed down.
“Your dad and Shelby aren’t home, huh?” she asked flatly.
Lola’s voice turned sugary sweet. “I just want you to stay with me. Mommy, tell me stories. Can you come over now, please?”
Matilda paused, then asked, “Do you remember what you said two days ago? Lola, don’t treat people like toys you can call
you don’t. over when you want and toss aside when
“If you want me to come take care of you, you should first make me forgive you for what you did before.”
Lola grew impatient. “There you go lecturing again. Fine, don’t come back then, Ms. Warren.”
She hung up, still frowning. Turning to Brandon, she asked, “Daddy, did Mommy figure out I was faking?”
Brandon said nothing. In the past, no matter how busy Matilda was, whenever she heard that Lola was sick, she would drop everything to be by her side.
She would sit up all night, never leaving the bedside for even a moment.
But this time, she ignored Lola because of her interview at Lurith Tech. Brandon couldn’t understand why she was so determined to go work for someone else.
In the taxi, Matilda felt uneasy and called Tully.
“Lola has a fever?” Tully was confused. She clearly remembered that just that morning, during breakfast, Lola had been laughing and chatting happily with Shelby.
“Thank you for checking,” Matilda said. “Please let me know if anything happens.”
“Okay,” Tully agreed quickly, then went upstairs to see for herself.
Not long after, Brandon answered a call from his secretary and rushed off.
Lola huffed, “Aunt Shelby, why did you make me call Mommy? You ruined my good mood.”
Shelby coaxed her gently, “Just wanted to test if your mommy still cares about you.”
“She didn’t come, so that means she doesn’t love me, right?” Lola asked.
“If I were your mommy and heard you were sick, I’d definitely panic and come running home,” Shelby said.
“I get it. Mommy doesn’t love me, so I don’t love her either,” Lola muttered, though she felt uncomfortable inside.
‘If Mommy doesn’t love me, who does she love? That new classmate Jolene? Why should she?’ she wondered.
When Tully discovered Shelby had told Lola to fake being sick, she cursed Shelby silently.
Then she texted Matilda: [Don’t worry. Lola is perfectly fine.]
Matilda felt a wave of relief as soon as she read the message.
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Chapter 30
The taxi pulled up in front of Lurith Tech, now owned by Horton Group.
After getting out, Matilda adjusted her silk scarf-always slipping loose-and walked inside.
Someone was waiting and led her straight to the vice president’s office.
She assumed that since the company had just been acquired, the new person in charge would be a sharp, efficient middle- aged executive.
Instead, she found herself staring at an elderly man with white hair. His name was Rufus Keller.
When she walked in, Rufus was leaning back on the sofa, dozing, while Tom and Jerry played on the TV.
His assistant woke him, and he calmly looked Matilda over twice.
With a kind expression, he patted the seat beside him. “Ms. Warren, come sit. Let’s watch together. I’ve got coffee and cookies.”
Matilda sat down, still in disbelief.
Rufus poured her coffee and pushed the cookies toward her. He crunched a few bites, then sipped coffee with obvious enjoyment.
Watching him, Matilda suddenly felt as if she were looking at her own grandfather.
Three cups of coffee and three Tom and Jerry episodes later, she finally shifted in her seat. “Mr. Keller-”
Rufus glanced at her with a smile, still chewing. “What is it, Ms. Warren?”
“You can just call me Matilda,” she replied with a smile.
“That won’t do. This is business. You’re the chief chip engineer I hired. I need to show respect,” Rufus said.
That settled it-she really was hired. Composed, Matilda handed over the hundred-day integration plan she had prepared.
Rufus set down his cookie, accepted it with both hands, put on his reading glasses, and nodded. “Nicely written, except I don’t understand a word of it.”
Matilda was stunned into silence.
“But whether I understand or not doesn’t matter,” Rufus went on. “As long as you know what you’re doing, that’s enough. Horton Group’s rule is simple: everyone does their own job.
“We don’t meddle unless it’s necessary, and we talk things over when problems come up. As a leader, I always trust the people I choose completely.”
Matilda blinked in surprise, then nodded.
Rufus picked up another cookie. “Ms. Warren, our chip production line doesn’t have a name yet. You’re the one in charge, so you decide.”
“Me?” Matilda gave a nervous laugh. She wasn’t the owner of Lurith Tech, nor a fortune teller. She didn’t dare take that on.
“Alright, I’ll make a call,” Rufus said.
And he really did-without even getting up, he dialed the phone right in front of her. His trust was absolute.
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the dig vite, only the num of the air conditioner filled the silence.
Matilda listened to the man’s voice on the other end-gentle, yet commanding. Something about it felt oddly familiar. Soon, Rufus hung up and smiled at her. “How about Coreline Eternity? Do you like it, Ms. Warren?”
The name, powerful and unforgettable, struck her, “I really like it,” she said honestly.
“As long as you like it, from today on, Coreline Eternity is yours. Do with it as you see fit,” Rufus said warmly.
It felt like sunlight breaking through clouds, flooding her world with light. Hope stirred inside Matilda. Everything suddenly seemed brighter.
All day, Matilda walked through the departments, getting to know every corner of Lurith Tech.
That evening, she asked Tully if Lola still had a fever. Tully told her Lola was fine-she had even gone to school.
Matilda was doubtful. In the past, even the slightest discomfort made Lola refuse school. Yet now that she was gone, Lola seemed to behave better.
Back at Maple Heights, Matilda spotted Allen holding Jolene’s hand as they headed toward Building 3.
Jolene was carrying her camera and looked upset.
Matilda was about to call out to them when Samuel’s call came through. “Ms. Warren, because Mrs. Tessa Maxwell offended Mrs. Stuart, Mr. Maxwell locked her in the family chapel. It’s been twenty-four hours now, and she hasn’t had a drop of
water.”
Matilda’s brow furrowed deeply. “Where is Zack now?”
“At Starlight Club,” Samuel replied.
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