The Manipulated Villainess

"Do you have any place in mind? I'm not very familiar with this area," Aston said to Nicole while they were riding down the elevator.

"There are many great restaurants nearby. We can just pick one," Nicole simply said with a little smile.

"Is that so?" Aston asked with a playful smile. "Then what about your company's cafeteria?"

Nicole frowned at him. "Do you want to create more crisis? I don't think I can have lunch while having all eyes on us. It would be such a headache."

Aston laughed at her comment. By this time, they already gets off the elevator and walked on the ground floor of the company. "I'm just kidding. All I want is to have a quiet and normal lunch with you. Did you know that we rarely have lunch together?"

Nicole nodded. However, when she sensed how all eyes were now on them, she tightened her grip on Aston's arm. Some even take photos of them with their phones. Whenever she attracted attention in the company, the reason was always a negative one. She always has to brace herself and act normal in such a time.

Even now, she was still feeling uneasy despite knowing that the reason wasn't a negative one like it always was.

"Are you feeling nervous?" Aston asked her. Unlike her, he appeared unfazed by the immense attention they received. Even the security guards had to step up to stop some female employees from approaching them!

"A bit," she replied. "It brings back bad memories."

"Things changed, Nicole. That memory will be soon replaced by a new and pleasant one. Just like today," Aston said to her while they both maintained their pace. "Everyone will soon know that you're not what they think. They will see your true and beautiful nature, just like what I saw the night we first met."

"Do you really mean that?" Nicole asked and Aston nodded.

"I won't lie to you."

His words comforted her a lot and she finally flashed a carefree yet genuine smile. Then they walked out of the company building and go to a luxurious restaurant which was just five minutes walk from Yang Group main building.

For the first time in a while, they only talked about themselves. Putting aside all their worries, they had a light lunch together and gained the energy which would be much needed to go through troubles that will arise in the upcoming days.

* * *

It was evening and Cassandra finds herself in a small metal workshop. She was there to fulfil the promise she made to Aston. Her right-hand man, Jaxon was also sitting inside the car which was parked a few metres away.

Inside the metal workshop, one man who must be in his late 40s was doing some metal works. When he saw Cassandra who was walking inside, he put down what he holds and approached her. He slightly bowed before the Moyan Boss but he knew her purpose. So, he wasn't pleased to see her.

"I came again, Uncle Joshua," Cassandra Lim muttered with a faint smile.

"You shouldn't waste your time coming here, Cassandra. I won't change my mind." Joshua Kim, the former right-hand man of Cassandra's late father said in an unyielding voice. His voice might be firm but he still maintained a formal tone and demeanor.

"Can't you help me out just this once? This is very important for me," Cassandra insisted. She might not be as worse as her father, but she was so used to getting what she wanted even by means of violence. So, she always struggled to be patient.

However, this man was whom she always respect ever since she was a child. She didn't have the heart to be rude to him. He was her mentor and the teacher who taught her everything.

Joshua Kim remained quiet for a while before he said, "You should know how I feel. Take Jaxon as an example. He is the subordinate you trust the most. Do you think he will become disloyal just because you weren't around anymore?

"If I help you, I'll be the same as a dog who bit the hands of its owner. I know that I never lived a decent life but... I'm not that ungrateful. I'm still indebted to your father." He made a deliberate paused before he muttered, "You shouldn't do this either."

"I know," Cassandra Lim promptly said. "My father took me in and I have no right to go against him. I'm well aware of that."

Joshua Kim let out a sigh when he saw her downhearted expression. "Then why are you doing this?" he asked. He watched her grew up and he cared for her as if she was his daughter. He worked for Cassandra's father throughout his prime and he never got married. So, this young woman always had a special place in his heart. It was fatherly love.

"Because it's suffocating," Cassandra murmured. Her demeanor right now had no resemblance to the proud and arrogant Boss of the Moyan Gang. The middle-aged man standing before her was one of the very few people whom she could talk to without raising her guard.

Joshua Kim was taken aback by how desperate she sounded. What's wrong with her?

"That incident destroyed the life and family of my friend and... my father was the one who made it happen. How can I just sit still?" Cassandra paused and said, "That would also be shameless of me."

She met Joshua Kim's gaze and squeezed her dress. "I decide to do this and accept whatever punishment I might face for backstabbing the father who took me in and raised me."

For the first time, Cassandra expressed her burden of shouldering all her adoptive father's crimes. It was never easy yet she never showed anything! She thought of it as a way of repaying her adoptive father's kindness towards her and she never once complained. Thanks to him, an orphan like her was able to grow up in luxury and finally have a life.

But... what this really a life? She described it using two words. 'Lifeless life.'

Seeing her pain through her eyes, Joshua Kim turned away. "You should leave. I can't let you push yourself to do that."

"Uncle Joshua -"

"You should stop tormenting yourself, Cassandra. You are different and you should live that way. So, leave. Don't come here again," Joshua Kim firmly said to her. He returned to where he sat before and started working again.

After standing still for a while, Cassandra gets hold of herself and looked at the man. "I will come again," she said and walked out of the metal workshop.

The moment she turned around, Joshua Kim stared at her back and his eyes trailed to her until she entered the car and leave the place. He recalled her expression when they talked and it made him shook his head. "What a pathetic child," he murmured.

*

Cassandra Lim was quietly sitting in the backseat of her car. Blankly staring out of the windows, what Joshua Kim said repeatedly echoed in her ears.

'You shouldn't do this either.'

She knew that but... she can't continue living that way. 

Jaxon who was driving the car would glance at her through the front mirror once in a while. His boss didn't say anything ever since she came out from the metal workshop. It was clear that things didn't go well. However, she never acted this way no matter what happened. Why did she suddenly behave like that?!

"Do you think I'm doing the right thing?"

He almost flinched when he suddenly heard her voice. However, he maintained his composure again very soon.

"I know that it's the right thing but... do I have the right to do this?" She paused and said, "No human being would backstab their saviour like this."

Jaxon gave a quick thought and said, "I'm in no position to talk about whether you have the right or not, but I know this. If there is anyone who can do this, it's you."

Cassandra thought about it and she realized that what Jaxon said was true. If anyone else did this, the members of the Moyan Gang won't be still! However, if she, their current leader did, they won't be able to criticize her. "You're right," she muttered, briefly glancing at Jaxon.

For a few seconds, silence fell upon the car. Cassandra was lost in her thoughts again and just like before, Jaxon would glance at her once in a while. The situation remained that way until...

Jaxon suddenly pulled over the car and they both leaned forward with a huge force. The moment he realized what happened, Jaxon quickly turned to the backseat. "Are you alright, Boss? I apologize for that," he uttered.

"It's fine. What happened?" Cassandra promptly asked.

"I'm not sure. It seemed like a motor vehicle sudden appeared from the right," Jaxon said and they both looked around their surroundings.

Much to their surprise, two cars were already parked in their back and front, blocking their car in both ways. What's more, they were now on a quiet road which people didn't frequent as Joshua Kim's metal workshop was located in the countryside!

Three men get off the car that was parked in front of them and another three men from the car in the back. They were all approaching the car which the two rode.

"I think Peter Jung make a move," Cassandra uttered in a cold voice.....