Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Men are all unreliable, but money is the most dependable thing.

Simon, ever the astute observer, immediately seized the opportunity.

"Sir, shall I check on the lady?"

"Transfer the downtown apartment to her name and give her some money."

Simon nodded at once.

"I'll handle it immediately."

"Alright, you may leave."

Rayan dismissed his assistant, pulled out a lighter, and lit the incense himself.

Only when the familiar scent filled the air did he finally drift off to sleep in the lounge.

****

Kathy had already returned to the studio, appearing much more withdrawn than before. The plagiarism incident had hit her hard.

Everyone understood she needed time to recover.

"Let's go. Dinner's on me tonight!"

Elaina gathered the staff for dinner. With the studio's bankruptcy crisis averted, it was time to celebrate properly.

Hazel temporarily set aside her gloomy mood and joined the group in drinking and chatting.

By the end of the meal, the atmosphere was cheerful and harmonious.

Hazel hadn't drunk much and remained perfectly sober.

After the gathering ended, she prepared to head home with Elaina.

As soon as they stepped outside, they spotted a familiar figure-Simon.

"Madam, do you have a moment? I'd like to discuss something with you."

Hazel frowned slightly. "Don't call me 'Madam.'"

"My apologies. I haven't quite adjusted to the new form of address yet."

"If you have something to say, just say it here. It's getting late."

Simon looked at Elaina standing nearby, her eyes sharp with curiosity, and could only agree.

He pulled out a set of property transfer documents and handed them to Hazel.

"Miss Foster, this is per Sir's instructions. There's an apartment downtown he wishes to transfer to you, along with a blank check. You may fill in the amount you desire."

The blank check bore Rayan's signature-it was fully valid.

Hazel didn't even take it. "What does Rayan mean by this?"

"Sir said that since you left with nothing, you probably don't have much money. This is a form of compensation."

Hazel let out a soft snort, her face flushing with disdain. "I already said I don't want anything from him."

"Miss Foster, please accept it. The transfer papers are complete. You can move in immediately. I'll handle the relocation for you."

Simon had thought through every detail. If Hazel refused, his task would remain unfinished.

As the two stood in awkward stalemate, Elaina stepped in and took the documents and check.

"Why refuse? Hazel, you're being foolish! For three years, you worked like a housekeeper for the Knight family. With all the assets Rayan possesses, what's this small amount of money?"

Simon, seeing his chance, quickly added,

"Miss Foster, please accept it. It's a token of Sir's goodwill."

"Men are all unreliable, but money is the most dependable thing. Money will never betray you." Elaina crossed her arms and snorted. "Mister, go back and tell Rayan that Hazel has accepted it. Tell him not to bother her anymore. Hazel will definitely find a better man in the future."

Simon rubbed his nose awkwardly. He certainly wouldn't dare to repeat those words.

"Elaina, I really don't want to take it."

"Are you stupid? This is what you deserve. Just accept it and keep the check safe. Don't be a fool and let yourself get cheated again!"

After Elaina's persistent persuasion, Hazel had no choice but to give in.

"I'm free tomorrow. I'll help you move and pick out some furniture you like. Soon you'll be a rich lady with a downtown apartment. just don't forget to spoil me!"

The two women laughed and joked as the night grew brighter.

After moving into her new home, Hazel threw herself into developing her career.

Dream High Studio was small, so she invested the money Rayan had given her.

She compiled her previously unpublished design sketches into a cohesive collection, preparing to launch her own jewelry brand.

Dark Hunter sent daily updates on the progress-everything was proceeding smoothly.

Oliver, meanwhile, was still riding high, selling her designs at even higher prices.

Launching a jewelry brand required substantial capital. While Elaina fretted over funding, Hazel had already devised a solution.

That solution was to fleece someone-and that someone, naturally, was Oliver.

When the timing felt right, she and Dark Hunter devised a public relations strategy aimed at leveraging Oliver's alleged plagiarism.

Designers feared offending RK Corporation and dared not speak up.

Creating public opinion required only anonymity-there was no fear of being traced.

Leveraging her connections, Dark Hunter secured cooperation from several designers.

When the incriminating materials were anonymously sent to Oliver's phone, she nearly smashed it to pieces.

"What the hell is going on? Didn't we already settle the plagiarism issue with money? Why is there still so much evidence left behind?"

Her male assistant looked utterly bewildered, unsure why his boss was suddenly losing her temper.

"Miss Howard, I was extremely careful. What happened?"

"You have the nerve to ask me? Look at this yourself!"

Oliver flung her phone across the room. The assistant picked it up and froze in shock.

Such detailed evidence-backed by overwhelming public opinion-was laid out clearly, even the potential consequences after exposure.

"Miss Howard, should we inform Mr. Knight? Maybe he can handle this-"

Oliver grew even angrier. "Idiot! Tell Rayan I'm a plagiarist?"

She needed to maintain her image in front of Rayan. There was no way she would let the man she liked know about such sordid affairs.

The assistant fell silent, deciding to say nothing more to avoid further scolding.

"What are you still standing there for? Go investigate who sent me that message! They had the guts to do it but not the guts to own up to it!"

The assistant uttered a quick "Oh," then hurried away.

Oliver looked at her reflection in the mirror, her face twisted with fury.

She had planned to dress up and meet Rayan for lunch, but now she couldn't even summon the energy.

Minutes later, another anonymous text arrived:

(Ten million dollars. These documents won't be exposed. You have two days to prepare. Not a moment more.)

Oliver cursed under her breath, this time actually smashing her phone. The screen shattered into pieces-a clear sign of her fury.

If the plagiarism scandal broke, the carefully cultivated "genius designer" persona she had built would crumble completely.

She hadn't reaped enough benefits yet-how could she accept that?

But ten million? Surely the other party's demand wasn't that excessive.

Dark Hunter waited patiently for her reply, not rushing her.

If Oliver wanted to maintain her current status, she'd have to swallow her pride.

After some deliberation, he messaged Hazel to inform her that the matter was settled and she need only wait for the funds to arrive.

They had already agreed on a ten-million-dollar deal, to be split 40/60.

Dark Hunter would provide an offshore account, making it untraceable for Oliver-a foolproof arrangement.

Giving Dark Hunter 40% was more than reasonable.

Hazel replied with a simple "OK" and settled in to wait for the payment.