Devil's Prisoner of Love by Prefer

Gemma was truly a skilled negotiator. She took a situation that was entirely

unfavorable for her and elevated it to an unexpected height, leading everyone to unconsciously follow her logic. It felt as though denying her reasoning would make you appear foolish.

Mona, however, twirled her pen between her fingers, her expression indifferent, as if she hadn't heard a single word. Compared to her, Heather's reaction was worlds apart. Heather was so enraged her chest heaved violently, her face flushed red. She shook her head repeatedly.

"That's not true! The manager isn't like that. She's lying," Heather exclaimed.

"I'm not lying, Heather," Gemma countered smoothly. "If you were really such a good person, why were you fired by Montgomery Group? I trust that a large, reputable company like Montgomery Group wouldn't dismiss an employee without a valid

reason."

Gemma was clever. She instantly shifted the conversation to another topic, even dragging Heather's past into the spotlight. Her goal was simple: to cast doubt on Heather's character and make her seem less innocent than she appeared.

in her mind. Aurora was always composed, always collected. Heather forced herself to suppress the anger rising in her chest. If she

advice from the past: "You need to become stronger-stronger than everyone else. Only then will you rise above them. You may not want to hurt others, but at the very

Her expression at the time had been utterly

Walker. This time, Heather wouldn't need Aurora to step in and save her. Heather knew no one was born a strong leader-not even Aurora. She had endured countless hardships and climbed step by step to reach her current position. Heather couldn't afford to let

Heather opened her eyes, her gaze

and Heather were her chosen allies, her future support. Mona herself had no plans to stay here indefinitely. The New York branch had only Asher, and Mona had intended to return once Aurora's side was on track. But before leaving, she needed to ensure everything was in order, mentoring Heather and Ian along

test for Heather. A leader had to be decisive. Over the past few days, Mona had observed Heather closely. Heather was smart, a quick learner, and incredibly hardworking. For a company, having

moments would become a fatal flaw in leadership. As such, Mona had

herself, Mona noticed the change in her eyes. She was no longer the girl who lost her temper over a few words, no longer

the truth. If, as you claim, I was as terrible as you say, why would Miss Montgomery hire me? Not only that, but she entrusted me with

be suicidal. How could

continued, her voice steady. "My past has nothing to do with you. Who I am as a person is something the general manager and Miss Montgomery are fully aware of. Today, we're here to discuss your deliberate actions-causing Candy's allergic reaction and sabotaging the launch event. You've been arguing endlessly, thinking I have no

herself unable to counter. Hearing that Heather had evidence made her break out in a cold sweat, despite the room being warm. "Evidence? What evidence could you possibly have?"

food, that it was all prepared by the staff. That's fine. We'll simply find the server from that night and hear their side of the