Filed to story: Unmasking the Billionaire: Don’t Mess with the Ex (Victoria & Carter) Book PDF Free
Landon glanced back down at the resume and scanned it again.
He went through everything carefully – from her resume to her design drafts.
“Honestly, her application info isn’t impressive. If her name wasn’t Victoria Lewis, I wouldn’t have looked twice.” Landon shook the design draft in his hand. “But this… this has my attention. If she really designed this herself, then yeah, she’s got skill.”
Landon might come off as a flirt, but when it came to work, he was all business.
Eugene smirked and glanced at Bruce. “Tell HR to process her onboarding. Standard procedure.”
“Yes, Mr. Rosewood.” Bruce took the documents and left.
Landon watched him go, then grinned playfully. “Hey, Eugene, Victoria’s divorced now. She’s single!”
Eugene raised an eyebrow but didn’t reply.
Still clueless, Landon went on, “If Victoria joins Cosmos Group, I’ll see her at the office every day. You think I’ve got a shot? Maybe ask her out, make her my girl?”
“Not a chance.”
A stern voice cut through the air, but Landon was still lost in his thoughts. He was planning to show up when Victoria started her new job at the company. A newly divorced woman must be craving some attention. This would be the perfect chance for him to swoop in and win her over.
The thought alone pumped him up.
Wait – did he just hear something?
Landon turned, confused, and stared at Eugene. “Eugene, what did you just say?”
Eugene took a slow drag from his cigarette, his eyes fixed on Landon as he exhaled a wisp of smoke.
“I said… you don’t stand a chance.”
Landon leaned in, heard him clearly, and was choked by the smoke.
“Why not? I’m a big shot in Capaville! I’m way better than her ex. Money, assets, skills – I’ve got double what Carter has. You really think I can’t win her over?”
“No shot,” Eugene repeated, shutting him down flat.
“Why…” Landon was speechless. It wasn’t often he took interest in a woman, and just as he was getting excited, Eugene poured cold water all over his hopes.
Eugene put out his cigarette, stood up slowly, and patted Landon’s shoulder. “Because… I’ve already made my move.”
“Stop joking. Your move? What move…” Landon started laughing, but then his expression froze as he met Eugene’s gaze. “Eugene, you mean… you? Seriously??”
Eugene smiled faintly. “That’s right.” He didn’t deny it. He’d been interested in Victoria from the beginning – first out of curiosity, but now it was more than that.
“I need a favor from you,” Eugene said, pressing down slightly on Landon’s shoulder. “Step in as Cosmos Group’s executor for a bit.”
With that, Eugene turned to leave.
Landon stood there, dazed, unable to snap out of it for a long time.
Back at Eve Restaurant, he’d mistaken Victoria for the other woman and called her out – only to end up embarrassing himself. That was when he started getting curious about her and looked into her background.
Now, hearing her name again, he was ready to make a move… but Eugene had beaten him to it.
What the hell?
“Eugene!” Landon called out.
Eugene had just reached the door but stopped at the sound of his voice.
Landon turned and looked at him, completely serious. “Are you being real right now?”
Eugene raised an eyebrow. “When have I ever joked with you?” Then he turned and walked away, cool as ever.
Landon stayed where he was. That one simple sentence said it all.
He felt totally defeated. There was no point competing – he’d already lost.
After all, that was Eugene. The outcome was decided before the game even began.
*****
In the Myers Manor, Isabella had cooked dinner herself and brought the dishes to the table. When Carter came downstairs, he saw her busy setting things out.
“Isabella, let the housekeepers handle this. You don’t need to do it yourself,” Carter said gently.
“Carter, I just learned this recipe. Try it and tell me what you think,” Isabella said, pulling him over to sit down.
Soon, Jenarth came running down the stairs and plopped into the seat beside Carter.
“Daddy Carter, this soup smells so good! Mom made it just for you,” Jenarth said, bouncing excitedly. “Mom, you’re the best!”
A gentle smile touched Isabella’s lips as she approached Carter. She lifted the ladle and carefully filled a bowl with soup for him.
“Give it a try, Carter. Tell me what you think. I can always adjust the seasoning.” Her eyes sparkled with anticipation. The truth was, she’d discreetly ordered these soups from a master chef at an upscale hotel while pretending to do grocery shopping. They were guaranteed to be delicious.
Carter stared at the steaming soup. Though it looked and smelled perfect, he felt no desire to eat.
“Go on, Carter, taste it!” Isabella urged beside him.
He lifted the spoon reluctantly. The thick, creamy chicken soup felt heavy on his tongue – too rich for his liking. Suddenly, he found himself remembering Victoria’s clear chicken soup – light, delicately flavored, and never greasy.
“Well?” Isabella’s voice broke through his memories. Forcing a smile, he met her expectant gaze. “Not bad at all.” He lowered his head and took several more sips.
Before long, half the bowl was empty.
Pleased with his response, Isabella began serving Carter more dishes. Her staff had prepared everything – she’d only needed to add the final touches to make them seem homemade.
Watching Carter sample each dish, Isabella finally felt satisfied.
She returned to her seat. The three of them – Isabella, Jenarth, and Carter – now sat together at the table. To any observer, they appeared to be the ideal happy family. The scene was picture-perfect.
Carter shifted uncomfortably. This family meal felt wrong somehow. In his mind’s eye, he could almost see Victoria sitting across from him, with Robert in the adjacent chair. How long had it been since they’d shared a proper meal together?
Victoria and Robert had been gone for days.
Carter kept reminding himself that this was her own doing. She’d brought this on herself. Why should he care what happened to her?
Once Victoria ran out of money, she’d come crawling back.
And when she did, he’d make sure she understood her place. The Myers family wasn’t some revolving door she could come and go from as she pleased.
Carter tried to concentrate on his food, but his thoughts kept drifting. The mounting frustration suddenly shattered when his phone rang.
Donald’s name flashed on the screen. Carter’s expression tightened. Was there news?
