The Manipulated Villainess

"Wake up, Shara! Can you hear me?" Leon was overwhelmed with anxiety when he couldn't wake up Shara. With her high fever and haunting nightmares, he was afraid that her condition might get worse.

While he was thinking of this, Ryan just made his way to the room and he darted his eyes to his subordinate. "Prepare my car. We should go to the hospital."

Ryan didn't need to be told twice. He instantly rushed out of the room to comply with the Young Master's order.

Leon carried Shara and walked out of the room. He placed her in the backseat of the car and sat beside her. Ryan drove the car and they left for Westview Hospital.

* * *

When Director Colin Park stormed inside the Chairwoman's office with anger written all over his face, it was 11 in the morning. Despite the Director's angry face, Nicole Yang was calmly sitting in her chair.

"Judging from the look on your face, I think you have heard about the news." The Chairwoman calmly said, without sparing the Director even a single glance.

"You should explain this, Chairwoman. For all the recent years, Yang Construction which is under my supervision is always the core of Yang Group. It's also the oldest among all other wings. How can you decide to shift the center of Yang Group to Yang Group of Hotels? This is not right!" Director Park growled. He stood before the desk, fiercely narrowing his eyes at the Chairwoman.

"Mind your manners, Director Park. Do you think you are in your office? This is the Chairwoman's office." Nicole paused and her lips curved into a smile. "My office." She added.

"The Minister also permit the Construction business to be the core of Yang Group. By doing this, you are defying your step-mother. Did she even agreed to this?" Director Park completely disregarded the Chairwoman's words and he keeps on raising his voice at her.

"You making a fuss here won't make a difference. Why don't you just return to your office and do a better job in supervising the construction business?" Nicole simply said. Unlike Director Park, she maintained her composure very well and this even surprised the former.

What had happened to the weak Chairwoman who can't do anything whenever her step-mother was concerned?!

"You will regret this, Chairwoman. If the Minister heard this - "

"Minister. Minister. Is that all you can say?" Nicole snapped and it was followed by a smirk. She gradually rose from her seat and met the Director's gaze. "Do you know this, Director Park? Right now, you look like a little kid who threatened other kids by using his parent's power. You are nothing without my step-mother's power."

"You! How - "

"Why? Do you miss your owner that much? Is that why you keep on mentioning her? Alright. I will call her for you." Nicole said and instantly called Garcia Han while the Director was staring at her with a confused face, trying to process what he heard and saw.

After a minute, Nicole put down her phone and smiled at Director Park. "It must be your lucky day. When I call her, she is currently on her way here. She will be here in no time." She informed Director Park.

Without saying anything, the Director turned around, attempting to leave the office but Nicole stopped him.

"She also ordered you to stay here in my office until she reached here." Nicole's words instantly halted the Director while she sat down and simply continued working.

Trying hard to suppress his anger, Director Park turned around and sat on the couch, waiting for the arrival of the Minister. He wondered why the Chairwoman was so confident today. However, the fact that she already obtained real authority didn't even cross his mind!

Five minutes later

"Do you have any problem, Director Park?" Garcia Han was sitting on a single couch in Nicole's office. Her gaze fixated on the Director who was sitting in the left. Nicole was also calmly sitting in the right.

"Ever since the establishment of Yang Group, Yang Construction is always the core. But today, the Chairwoman make a decision to shift the core to Yang Group of Hotels. As a senior executive who supervised the construction business for many years, I cannot accept this decision." Director Park said to the Minister. His tone was very respectful unlike a few minutes ago.

Hearing out the Director, Garcia Han turned to Nicole who seemed to be very bored by the Director's talking. "Why did you want to change the core, Nicole? Is there a problem with it?" She asked.

Nicole opened her mouth but Director Park outspoke her.

"There is no problem in the construction business, Minister. Besides, you already allowed Yang Construction to be the core. That's what you promised me." The Director argued.

"I'm well aware of that. However, if my daughter wants to change the core, there might be a good reason. She is not the type to do things recklessly." Garcia Han snapped. "So, keep quiet for now and listen to what the Chairwoman have to say."

Director Park could felt his jaw dropped to the floor! It's the company matters yet the Minister was trying to side with her step-daughter? He was the one who helped the Minister in managing the company for the past years!

Nicole quietly handed a file to Garcia Han. "That's the record of Yang Construction's performance in the last five years. It's the core of our company which always have the highest budget. However, it's behind the Group of Hotels in terms of income and everything." She explained.

"That's - "

"If the Group of Hotels receive a bit more support and other funds, it will immensely increase the profits of our company." Nicole continued, interrupting whatever the Director was trying to say.

"You always said that the construction business has the best performance, Director Park. This means that you always showed me a fake record. Did you lie to me just because I'm more than busy with political matters?" Garcia Han voice was dangerously low.

"No! It's not that -"

"Many of the cash that was supposed to be the funds for construction was always corrupted by Director Park. That's why he couldn't give you the real report. If he did, it will be the same as exposing his own crimes." Nicole chimed in. There was a shadow of a mocking smile on her beautiful face.

"I never did that!" Director Park argued. His eyes were burning with rage but he couldn't do anything, not in the presence of Garcia Han.

Nicole simply turned her head away, her eyes sweeping around her vast office as if she was feeling bored. Her impassive act made the Director gritted his teeth in anger!

Garcia Han sighed. She put the file on the table and turned her attention to Nicole. "Didn't you tell him that I already handed the authority of the company affairs to you?" She asked which made the Director's face turned pale. She gave her step-daughter the authority? That's nonsense!

Nicole sat straight and turned to Garcia Han. She slightly lowered her head, putting on an act of an obedient daughter. "No, Mother. I don't have the chance to." She responded, faking an apologetic face.

"Why?" Garcia Han asked, much to Nicole's joy. It's the question she was waiting for.

"Director Park stormed in and started yelling at me due to my decision. It's too hard to have a normal chat with him." Nicole said, acting as if she was nervous. Just as she expected, her words instantly triggered the devil's rage!

Garcia Han shifted her gaze to Director Park. Meeting her fierce eyes, the latter could tell right away that she was burning with rage! He was stupefied at how the tables had turned!

"No!" Director Park waved both his hands at his chest level to say that it's not the truth. "She's lying, Minister. I don't... " He paused right away as something interrupted him. His eyes grew wide when he finally realized what was happening.

The Chairwoman was playing a voice recording which was recorded just minutes ago! Listening to the recording, it was clear that Nicole was not lying. He indeed barged inside the office and confronted the Chairwoman with a very high voice!

In the past, the Minister had already warned him to show respect to the Chairwoman. He had once faced the devil's rage due to this matter! And now, with this clear evidence, Director Park felt helpless. He was cornered with no way out!

Nicole didn't know why Garcia Han hated it when anyone besides her disrespected her. The devil never let it go when such a thing happened. Nicole didn't know the reason but she knew one thing. She could use it to her advantage. Director Park needs to be taught some lesson anyway!

With the Chairwoman's top-notch acting, Director Park was tight-lipped. Seeing the devil's rage in her eyes, he felt his throat run dry! Somehow, he felt like a criminal waiting for the Emperor's edict in the historical times! He almost flinched when he heard the Minister's cold and deadly low voice.

"Is this how you always treat her behind my back? I have warned you many times not to disrespect her. It's more than enough." Garcia Han said while Nicole calmly sat still as usual.

"Minister -"

"Shut up." Two words from Garcia Han instantly shut the Director's mouth. "Just because I trust you, it doesn't mean that you are above my daughter. I will prove that to you right now." Garcia Han paused and pointed at the floors. "Get on your knees and apologize to my daughter. Right now."