Chapter 181
It came as no surprise to Tony that Myra wouldn’t attend Bradfort City’s Road to Success Conference hosted by Bradfort University. He had dropped her off at the entrance of Stark Group that morning, and as she was about to exit the car, a sudden thought made him pause.
“Wait,” he said, pulling her back just as she was about to get out. “Give me a kiss.”
“Huh?” Before she could react, Tony leaned in and pressed a swift kiss to her lips. At the same time, the click of a camera sounded in the air.
Myra was caught off guard, a bittersweet feeling tugging at her as she gazed up at the man who had leaned over to kiss her. The heat in his eyes made her want to stay and embrace him, but instead, she smirked playfully and leaned forward, pressing a kiss to his lips in return. “Why’d you have to take a photo secretly?”
“No reason. I just want to keep this moment as a memory,” he replied, his face now serious. He fiddled with his phone for a moment, then looked up at her, noticing she hadn’t left the car. “Why haven’t you gone to work yet?”
Myra shot him a pointed glare, feeling a little offended by his nonchalance. “Hypocrite,” she muttered under her breath.
He raised an eyebrow at her and pulled her back by the waist before she could open the door. “A hypocrite?”
His voice dropped dangerously as he narrowed his eyes at her, and Myra blinked, her heart skipping. She pursed her lips before responding, “When you want me at night, you’re as sweet as honey, coaxing me with all your lies. But after you get what you want, you turn cold and indifferent. What else would you call that if not hypocrisy?”
Tony’s eyebrows arched in amusement, but then a devilish grin tugged at his lips. He leaned in closer, lowering his voice to a teasing whisper. “Who begged who last night, hmm? Am I the only hypocrite here, Miss Two-Face?”
His teasing tone made her cheeks turn a bright shade of red. She shot him a pointed look, her patience thinning.
She crossed her arms, clearly annoyed, but as she was about to get out of the car, he leaned in and kissed her again, this time on the lips, making her head spin.
The minty scent of his breath, mixed with the aftershave, intoxicated her, making her almost lose control. She quickly gripped the seat cushion and, with a flush of embarrassment, pushed him away. “Yes, yes. You can be a hotshot. No one in Bradfort City is more suited for that title than you!”
He smirked at her playful words, his eyes narrowing as if searching for the truth behind her teasing. “Are you humoring me?”
Myra felt a sudden urge to show everyone that Tony wasn’t always the cold, heartless businessman people thought he was. With a sly smile, she leaned in and gently kissed the corner of his lips. “Call me when you’re done at noon. It’s Saturday, remember? How about I spend the afternoon with you?”
Her soft words, filled with promise, seemed to calm his growing irritation. He kissed her lips again, this time with more intensity. “You better call me in the morning, Myra. And don’t ignore my texts,” he added in a low murmur.
She gave him a surprised look. “Why?”
“No reason,” he said casually, already motioning for her to get out of the car. “Now go. Don’t keep me waiting.”
A smile tugged at her lips despite herself. “Okay then.”
After watching her leave the car obediently, Tony’s playful smile softened, replaced with a quiet satisfaction as he drove off to the conference.
The Bradfort City’s Road to Success Conference was being held in the largest auditorium at Bradfort University, and even though the event hadn’t started yet, the place was already packed.
Tony arrived thirty minutes late, but as soon as he entered through the VIP entrance, the principal, Ian Jones, let out a relieved sigh. His face immediately brightened as he quickly rose and approached Tony with deep respect. “Director Hart! Director Hart! You’re finally here. Please forgive me for not greeting you at the door. Let me show you to your seat.”
Tony, reverting to his usual cold and aloof demeanor around outsiders, wore a tailored Italian suit, complete with a crisp white shirt and a dark blue tie. His stone-cold expression remained as he nodded curtly at the principal. “You’re too kind, Mr. Jones.”
“Please, Director Hart, take the seat I was sitting in earlier,” Ian said, leading Tony to the best seat in the house. “You’ll have the best view of the entire auditorium from there.”
Since Tony had arrived later than expected, many had assumed he wouldn’t show up at all. But with his presence, the room’s atmosphere shifted, and all eyes subtly gravitated toward him.
Tony didn’t refuse the offer and sat down with a quiet, composed air.
In the seat next to him, Sean observed the principal fawning over Tony with an expression of barely-contained disdain. The corner of his mouth curled into a slight sneer.
After Tony had settled in, he turned briefly to acknowledge Sean with a curt nod, before returning his focus to the stage, clearly disinterested in the man beside him.
Sean, however, couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off.
The day before, when Richard had mentioned the conference and invited him to attend, Sean had been quick to refuse. But for some reason, the thought of Myra attending had lingered in his mind. Remembering how she and Ian had once been close, he’d asked Richard to inquire if Myra would be there. When he learned she wasn’t coming, and Tony would be attending instead, Sean reluctantly agreed to attend as well.
But when he arrived, Myra’s absence weighed heavily on him. And now, as he watched Tony, the man who seemed to have everything Myra once had, Sean couldn’t ignore the surge of jealousy and resentment that crept into his chest.
He had spent the night outside the Hart Residence, his fists clenched so tightly in anger that his knuckles had turned white. The sound of Myra’s voice on the phone, soft and affectionate with Tony, had filled him with rage. The thought of her blooming under Tony’s attention made his blood boil. He had always believed she was his—she had to be, didn’t she?
When they had been married, he had convinced himself that even though they were divorced, she still had feelings for him. He had imagined that when she grew tired of Tony, she would come back to him, maybe even as his mistress. But that wasn’t happening.
Instead, Myra was with Tony.
Sean shot a glance at Tony’s impassive profile. This man knew about his past with Myra. He knew everything, and yet, he acted like it was nothing—treating him with the same casual indifference as everyone else.
Sean’s eyes darkened. He had heard of Tony’s ruthless reputation. He knew that if Tony ever turned on him, he would have no chance of winning.
How could a man like Tony ever truly love Myra? Bringing her back to the Hart Residence meant nothing. Was he just holding on to her? Saying anything to keep her? Tony’s words, his actions—they all seemed calculated.
But the deeper question gnawed at Sean’s mind: When did Tony become interested in Myra? What role had he played in their marriage?