Chapter 414
Chapter 414:
Such business interviews were typically paid for by the company. The media’s role was simple: show up and sing their praises without a second thought.
In short, it was nothing more than a glorified advertisement.
No journalist with any self-respect would want to touch this kind of assignment. It was clear that Donn was trying to push Helena aside. But she had figured him out long ago, so she didn’t argue. Instead, she grabbed her camera and left.
The winery was small, and most of the guests at the launch weren’t particularly impressive—just descendants of once-rich families who had seen better days.
However, one young woman stood out. Her makeup and clothes oozed the kind of old-money sophistication that made her seem like she came from another world. Every move she made reflected her privileged upbringing.
Helena found out from others that her name was Liliana Harrison. What she didn’t expect, though, was to run into someone she recognized at the event.
The moment Helena saw the man, a flicker of disbelief crossed her face. She narrowed her gaze, studying him over and over until she could no longer deny it—this gaunt, hollow-eyed figure was Terry.
Once, despite all his vices, Terry had been towering and sharp-featured, a man who turned heads wherever he went. Now, though… It was hard to fathom how just a year could strip him of that commanding presence, leaving behind a shell of what he used to be. The vibe he gave off now dripped with something oily and cold, almost unsettling in its creepiness.
Seeing Terry mingling, putting on airs like he still mattered, Helena felt an itch to melt into the crowd before he spotted her. It wasn’t fear that made her want to storm off—she simply had zero patience for narcissistic losers like him. Unfortunately, the universe had other plans.
“Helena? No way, it’s really you!” Before she could slip away, Terry’s booming voice blasted from behind, slicing through the noise of the crowd. Heads turned, curious stares locking onto her, and Helena felt a flush of irritation at being thrust into the spotlight.
Cornered by the attention, she forced a thin, detached smile, barely masking her impatience as she pivoted toward the exit.
Terry hadn’t stumbled across her by coincidence that evening. He’d recently learned—through sheer luck—that his uncle Donn held a job at Genie TV, and had hounded him relentlessly to pull some strings for a meeting with her. And what occasion was better than tonight’s fancy winery banquet?
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 @
After the breakup, Alden had come down on him like a hammer, leaving the Marshall family’s business in ruins and Terry himself a washed-up joke. In the year since, he’d dated his share of women, but no matter how gorgeous or accomplished they were, none held a candle to Helena.
Every time he took one of them out, Helena’s delicate, radiant face haunted him, slipping unbidden into his mind like a cruel ghost he couldn’t exorcise. And now, staring at that same face—more breathtaking in person than memory had dared to preserve—Terry clenched his fists, swearing to himself he wouldn’t let her vanish from his life again.
“Helena! Helena, wait up!” Terry called after her, his voice cutting through the chatter. Without sparing another glance at the people he’d been mingling with, Terry abandoned his wine and chased after Helena.