Chapter 48
Charlie held a unique place in Heyton.
In terms of business acumen, Vincent was undoubtedly among the most gifted people Diana had ever met. But Charlie had taken something far more extraordinary by playing a losing hand to dazzling success.
That kind of brilliance and tenacity was rare. If Vincent had been given the same circumstances, he might not have achieved what Charlie had.
Charlie was also decisive to the core. After discovering that his father, Peter, had cheated on his mother, leading to her eventual death at the hands of the mistress, he severed all ties with the Scotts. He abandoned Peter’s last name and took his mother’s instead.
Over the years, Diana had heard bits and pieces about him. There were rumors that he had once nearly strangled his stepmother in a fit of rage. Some said he had left Scott Corporation during a violent storm, breaking all ties with Peter. Peter had tried everything to get him back for years, but he never returned.
Now, sitting in the passenger seat, Diana kept glancing sideways at him. She couldn’t imagine the gentle–looking man beside her would nearly kill his stepmother out of anger.
“Ms. Gyleon, you don’t have to sneak glances if you want to look,” Charlie said. His hands were resting on the steering wheel, the corners of his lips lifting into a teasing smile.
Caught in the act, Diana quickly averted her gaze and coughed twice in an attempt to mask the awkwardness. She schooled her expression into cool indifference as she looked straight ahead.
It was strange. Diana wasn’t someone who judged people by their appearance, nor was she the kind to let a pretty face blur her judgment. Looks, in her eyes, had little to do with a person’s character. She had never drawn conclusions about someone’s morals or principles based solely on how they looked. But for some reason, ever since meeting Charlie, her eyes just had a mind of their own.
Charlie seemed to notice. With a subtle shift of his brow, he lowered his voice and said, “Is Citrus Bless still looking for celebrities? What do you think of me?”
He chuckled as he continued, “I’ve never had formal training, but I think I could play the part of a decorative figure pretty well.”
Diana’s head jerked up in surprise. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard.
Charlie had built his empire from scratch, without relying on a single connection from the Scott family. His company was still in its growth phase, but anyone with an eye for business could see its immense potential.
He was a star on the rise in Heyton’s fiercely competitive market. Whether or not he carried the Scott name, Charlie commanded attention as a rising titan of industry.
His ventures had flourished overseas, and it wasn’t until two years ago that he started expanding domestically. Yet, in that short span, he had already carved out a formidable presence in Heyton.
It was no surprise that he had become a rising name in the business world.
Diana had once viewed this with concern, fearing the growing rivalry between Hendrix Corporation and the companies under Charlie’s control. Though his current reach paled in comparison to the Hendrix empire, she had a bad feeling about all of this.
At the rate Charlie was rising, it was only a matter of time before he became a true contender. Hendrix Corporation might not be able to hold its ground against him forever.
Back then, Diana had been in love with Vincent. As his wife, Hendrix Corporation’s prosperity had mattered deeply to her. She treasured his life’s work more than anyone.
However, that love had now withered to dust. Once Jason passed, everything tied to the Hendrix family would mean nothing to her, and the business world’s intricate power plays would no longer concern her.
The Gyleon family had never been Diana’s refuge. So, once the divorce was final, she needed to secure something she could rely on.
An alliance with Charlie might just be what Citrus Bless needed to rise to the next level.
“You flatter me, Mr. Jackman,” Diana said calmly, meeting his gaze with a measured smile. “But perhaps there’s an even better way for us to collaborate.
