She Left She Thrived She’s Worth Billions novel Chapter 766

With the almighty Whitmore empire backing him, bottomless wealth, and god-tier looks, Marjorie refused to believe Melanie wouldn't want him back.

A temporary fight and breakup meant nothing.

Young couples broke up and got back together all the time in the modern dating scene.

While trying to reassure herself, Marjorie also knew that as Preston's mother, she had to play wingman.

Which was exactly why she was currently sitting in Melanie's office.

Seeing Marjorie lost in thought and completely silent, Melanie took the initiative.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of a personal visit, Ms. Kent?"

Faced with Melanie's impenetrable corporate armor, Marjorie purposefully dropped the formalities.

"Melanie."

Melanie blinked, caught off guard.

"Melanie, you did Stellaris a massive favor at the metabolic drug launch. Preston's father and I would love to take you out to dinner to properly express our gratitude."

"It was nothing. You really don't need to go out of your way, Ms. Kent."

Melanie's tone remained perfectly polite, yet completely walled off.

Until she uncovered the truth about her mother's murder, getting cozy with the Whitmore family was off the table.

"Melanie, we officially terminated Elara Bennett. Preston fired her himself."

Hearing Elara's name suddenly drop, Melanie quickly pieced things together. It became glaringly obvious that Marjorie had absolutely no idea why she and Preston had broken up.

She was heavily emphasizing that Preston had personally destroyed Elara's career.

Marjorie clearly assumed the breakup was just petty jealousy over Elara.

When Melanie remained entirely silent, giving absolutely no ground, Marjorie's tone shifted into something much more earnest.

"Melanie, I know you and Preston split up. But inviting you to dinner was entirely my and his father's idea. Preston has nothing to do with it."

"You saved our empire. If we don't properly thank you, we won't be able to sleep at night."

"And frankly, whether you're Preston's girlfriend or not, you are the CEO of the Royce Group. You are a highly valued strategic partner of Stellaris. A dinner between corporate allies is standard business etiquette."

Seeing Marjorie brilliantly pivot from emotional guilt-tripping to corporate networking, Melanie couldn't help but laugh internally.

It looked like she wasn't getting out of this dinner.

Melanie slid into the backseat before Marjorie.

Behind them, waves of Royce Group employees clocking out for the day watched their CEO get into the ultra-luxury vehicle.

"Did you see that?! She's getting picked up in a Rolls-Royce!"

"Just goes to show, it doesn't matter how hot a guy is—once he goes broke, he gets dumped."

"Ugh, Ms. Royce's ex-boyfriend is kind of pathetic."

"You feel bad for him? If it were you, would you pick the broke loser or the Phantom?"

"Duh! Hesitating for even a second is intensely disrespectful to the Rolls-Royce."

Safely insulated inside the Phantom, Melanie heard absolutely none of her employees' vicious gossip.

A short drive later, the car pulled up to a newly opened Michelin three-star restaurant.

Melanie was actually surprised Marjorie hadn't picked some garish, over-the-top banquet hall, but instead chose a highly exclusive, intimately scaled venue famous for its avant-garde culinary art and Mediterranean aesthetic.

The restaurant was stunning. Instead of solid doors, the private booths were sectioned off by flowing blue drapes.

Melanie swept the curtain aside and stepped in, instantly freezing as her eyes locked onto a very familiar face.