Beauty's Rebirth: Queen Of A Business Empire

It was a cold spring in March, but the grand hall of the Yokohama Hotel was filled with red and white roses.

Estelle Chi stood under the luxurious, exquisite crystal light, wearing a pure white wedding dress. She smiled sweetly to the guests present and said,

"This is my big day. I wish to surprise my husband by transferring thirty percent of my share of the Chi Group to him. From today, the Chi and Gu families will be bonded forever."

The lawyer team in the front row didn't make any move. It seemed that they still had some misgivings about her decision.

A slight frown appeared on Estelle Chi's forehead. Just as she was about to say something, there was a loud bang from the entrance. She immediately looked up to see what was going on.

A woman, also in a white wedding dress, was standing at the door.

The Gu family had booked the entire Yokohama Hotel for the wedding. Who was this woman who had dared to intrude the grand wedding, showing up in a wedding dress on purpose to embarrass the bride?

The woman didn't seem fazed by the surprised looks of the crowd. She walked forward slowly, passing by the guests, to the front of the platform.

As she passed by them, the guests saw that the wedding dress on this person was not brand new. The edge of the white dress was covered in dust, and even the sleeves were torn in places.

She was a young woman, and even without any makeup, her delicate features were still beautiful.

When the woman's face became clear, the expression on Estelle Chi's face changed. She took two steps backwards, and could barely stabilize herself.

The young woman smiled in satisfaction when she saw Estelle Chi's astonished look, and said loudly, "Long time no see, my dear sister. Do you still remember me?"

Estelle Chi looked like she had seen a ghost. Her hands and voice trembling, she stuttered, "Who-who are you? Why are you here in that wedding dress?"

Ada Chi had wondered thousands of times how Zed Gu and Estelle Chi would react when she came back, but she hadn't anticipated that her sister would even deny knowing her.

She smirked and replied, "I didn't mean to come in this dress on purpose. This is just the same clothes that I was wearing a year ago when I was kidnapped on the day of my wedding. And now, I'm back."

The crowd burst into an uproar at her words.

A year ago, Zed Gu was engaged to the eldest daughter of the Chi family, Ada Chi. But before they could get married, the two of them were kidnapped and Ada Chi was proclaimed dead. One year had passed since that incident, and now, here was a woman who claimed to be the dead daughter of the Chi family.

Estelle's face turned even paler. She began to tremble, but she still tried to hold on to her wits. "Even if you were really my sister, you can't just crash my wedding as you please! In the year you had disappeared, Zed fell in love with me!"

"Oh, I am not here to destroy your wedding. Like I said, this is the only dress I had. After all, you didn't come looking for me. Either way, I have no idea that you are marrying my fiance." Ada Chi smiled and apologized perfunctorily, "I'm sorry for interrupting your dream wedding."

Estelle's face darkened. "What do you mean we didn't come looking for you? How would you know? And it's obvious that you had been hiding somewhere till now. You were safe and alive, but you never returned to the family all this time."

"Ha! So, that's how you like to think. No wonder you are marrying the man who pushed me down the cliff." Ada revealed the truth casually.

Estelle's breath hitched and she scolded in a low voice, "You fell down all by yourself! How dare you frame Zed?"

"Yes, yes. I was kidnapped along with Zed. And while we were being rescued, I politely asked him to push me down the cliff and send me to my death. But unfortunately, I ended up surviving and was clearly unwilling to come back to my family. And here I am, messing with your wedding. Right on time." Ada gave a snort after making up that story.

However, the guests were not stupid. Hearing what Ada said, they looked at Estelle in shock and doubt.

The look on Estelle's face became gloomier. Just as she clenched her palm, ready to drive Ada out, Zed Gu's surprised voice came from the side of the platform. "Ada? Is it really you?"

Ada fixed her eyes on Zed Gu, who had come out from backstage.

They hadn't seen each other in a year, but he didn't seem to have changed at all. He was wearing a white suit and perfectly matched Estelle.

When Estelle saw Zed Gu, she ran to him for backup. Grabbing his arm, she said frantically, "Zed, I don't know where she came from, but she insists on destroying our wedding."

"You are still alive." Zed's eyes were still fixed on Ada. He looked her up and down to make sure that it was indeed Ada Chi. Then, he frowned. "If you weren't dead, why didn't you come back sooner? Why did you show up now? To embarrass your sister?"

This was probably the coldest words Ada had ever heard in her life.

She had spent a long time pulling herself together, and pretended to be cold and self-controlling. However, when she heard Zed's words, it felt like she was being stabbed by someone fiercely in her heart. She gritted her teeth and said, "I escaped from death and have appeared in front of you. Is that all you have to say to me, Zed? Why won't you ask me how I survived this past year?"

There was panic in Zed's eyes now.

It was not that he didn't want to ask. He was curious, but he couldn't dare.

Ada looked at the man in front of her with a sad smile. It seemed like yesterday that she was in this very same wedding dress, about to marry her loving fiance. But on their way to the venue, the car suddenly changed route. She and Zed were kidnapped together, and the kidnappers called for ransom, but the Gu family insisted on calling the police. They were both taken to a cave on the edge of a suburban barren cliff, and were trapped there for a day and night, hungry and cold. When they were desperate for their lives, the rescue team finally arrived.

The rescue workers dropped a rope from the top of the cliff to the cave entrance.

Just as Ada was relieved to be rescued, Zed stretched his hand out and pushed her down the edge.

As she fell to her death, he swiftly grabbed the rope to safety. Ada hit her head on a rock when she touched the ground, and when she woke up, she had no memory of who she was. She had gone completely insane.

Ever since she had regained her memory a few months back, there was a question on her mind that she had wanted to ask Zed in person.

But now, even without asking, Ada knew the answer.

She chuckled sourly, her eyes fixed on the man she had once loved. She asked hatefully, "Did you do that on purpose?"

"I- I don't know what you are talking about!" Zed panicked. He subconsciously held Estelle's shoulders and said hastily, "Today is our wedding. If you have something to talk to us about, we can do that another day!"

This was the most important day of their lives. They had waited for so long.

To their surprise, Ada didn't seem to mind. She turned to the lawyer team and smiled brightly. "This is more than Estelle's marriage to Zed. This is the union of the Chi family shares with the Gu family."

Zed and Estelle glared at the intruder at their wedding. The couple's expression darkened.

The guests had started to gossip amongst themselves.

And it seemed like Ada wasn't aware of the sensation she had caused among the crowd. She walked slowly to the lawyer team and said, "The reason behind this grand wedding ceremony is mainly to announce the transfer of the Chi family shares in public, isn't it? But it's a pity that I'm still alive. Estelle's words don't carry any weight at this point.

But..." With a slight smirk, Ada continued, "The wedding may still go on. I have no qualms."

"Zed! Look at her arrogance! She is obviously here to destroy our marriage on purpose!" Estelle was so anxious that she shoved Zed with an extremely aggrieved look.

Zed frowned and held on to Estelle. He stared at Ada and asked coldly, "What do you mean?"

Ada smiled sweetly, but her heart was cold as ice. She glanced at the couple who was now engulfed in an embrace. Ignoring the weight in her chest, she turned around and said to the guests, "A year ago, I was kidnapped by some gangsters and had lost my memory after I missed the rescue attempt. The first thing I did after I regained my memory was to rush back to the place where I was supposed to get married, but since my fiance has already fallen in love with another woman, I guess I will have to choose another husband. I'm the heir of thirty percent of the shares of the Chi family. If someone is willing to marry me, I'll give my shares to that person."

"Ada! You are going too far!" Zed's face turned completely cold. "Even though it has been a year, you are still my fiancee! No one will marry you! Give up this charade now!"

"You are mistaken." Ada turned around and looked at Zed. "I might not be of much interest to any man, but surely the shares that I hold is tempting enough."

The more Ada talked about the shares, the angrier Estelle and Zed became.

They had planned to hold such a grand wedding only in order to transfer the shares publicly. The more powerful a noble family was, the more they cared about their faces in front of the society. Ada's actions undoubtedly tore off the fig leaf off their faces.

Zed was furious and forgot all about the guilty feeling he had felt earlier. He stepped forward and declared, "I'd like to see who here would dare to marry you!"

The Gu family was a prestigious family with a history of a hundred years. The guests at the wedding relied on the Gu family and their futures were at stake here. How could anyone contradict Zed at this point?

And sure enough, as soon as those words came out of his mouth, the hall fell silent. The guests looked at each other, but no one dared to speak up.

The quieter the air was, the more Zed couldn't help smiling. He said arrogantly, "Ada, even though you are back, it doesn't change the fact that your father has passed away and the Chi family has declined. You'd better not embarrass yourself here any longer."

At the mention of her father's passing, Ada clenched her fists in anger, but maintained her composure. She stood stubbornly in front of the man, as if she were waiting for something to happen.

Zed sneered, figuring that Ada was just pretended to be strong. "Well, Ada, even if I marry your sister, we are still family. I will take care of-"

Before he could finish, a calm voice came from the entrance of the hall. "There will be no need for that. I can take care of her."

Zed looked towards the door, angrily wondering who had dared to speak against him.

The tall figure had his back to the light, and Zed couldn't see his face clearly.

But he recognized the man at once and shouted in astonishment, "York? When did you return to the country?"

At the door, York Gu smiled and took a few steps, coming into people's view.

The man had sharp features-deep, handsome eyes. There was a slight sneer on his thin lips. He walked to Ada's side with an imposing aura and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He sneered at Zed, "Did you really think that she broke into this heavily-secured hotel all alone?"

Ada had managed to put up a strong front in front of Zed and Estelle till now. But with York Gu by her side, she was instantly set off as a lovely, obedient little rabbit.

Zed, standing at 1.78 meters, was not short among men, but he had to rise his head up to look at York Gu.

Zed's face darkened, and couldn't help but take a step back to keep a distance from the imposing man. "What do you mean by this, York?"

The two Gu men faced each other. The guests began to chatter, "Is that the adopted child of the Gu family? There are rumors that he is an ignorant hooligan. But honestly, he looks even better than Zed Gu."

Zed hated it when people pointed it out, that he was somehow inferior to York, so he glared at them fiercely.

The guests shut up in an instant, and the hall fell silent again.

The atmosphere was getting colder. Zed's eyes met with York's, turning the air intense.

However, Ada wasn't bothered by their stand-off. Breaking the silence, she exclaimed, "Oh look, someone is willing to marry me after all."

"Ada!" Zed squeezed the word out of his clenched teeth.

He wanted to kick her out, but couldn't do it because of York's presence by her side.

Seeing Zed's embarrassed face filled Ada's vengeful heart with joy. She gave York a look, indicating him to let go of her. Then, she walked to the lawyer team. "Help me draw up a share transfer contract."

The lawyers looked at each other and nodded quickly.

Estelle, who had been silent all this time, fumed in anger. She still remembered the hesitation on their faces when she had asked them to draw up the share transfer contract earlier.

Seeing how the lawyers quickly took out the contract papers for Ada, Estelle clenched her fists. She had worked hard for so many years to get to this day. She couldn't let Ada ruin her life.

Estelle stepped towards her sister, facing the strong pressure coming from York. She said, "Do you really think it's going to be that easy? Ada, don't you want to see your mother?"

Ada turned her head in an instant, staring at Estelle fiercely. She asked in a hoarse voice, "Where is my mother?"

She had already lost all the hope for the Chi family, and she didn't covet her thirty percent of the shares. The strength which had finally turned her from a mad person to a normal human, bringing her back here after going through all kinds of hardships, was her mother, Jenny Zhou, who was still alive but seriously ill.

Startled by Ada's sharp eyes, the courage Estelle had summoned vanished in an instant. She took a step back and said timidly, "She is not here. If you want to see her, you should come with me."

The hall froze again, and even the lawyers stopped moving.

After a moment's silence, Ada nodded stiffly and said, "Fine, I'll come with you. We can talk about the shares later."

Estelle breathed a sigh of relief. She threw a quick glance at Zed and then turned to Ada, "Come with me."

Ada turned to follow her,

but York grabbed her hand gently.

He asked with a frown, "Are you sure?"

Turning around to look at him, Ada nodded slightly.

She thanked him for saving her from the roadside, for helping her find a doctor to regain her memory, and finally, for bringing her to the wedding.

But this was something she had to solve by herself.

Although York was still worried, he let go of her hand.

The Chi sisters left the hall in their similar white wedding dresses.

After walking around the hotel for a while, Estelle finally stopped in front of a door and turned to hint Ada to open the door and get in.

Ada was suspicious. "Is my mother in here? Are you trying to trick me?"

Sweat trickled down Estelle's forehead. She looked nervous, but still said indifferently, "You must have investigated your mother's whereabouts before you came here. If you don't believe me, you can continue to look for her by yourself."

As her father's legal wife, Ada's mother was the last obstruction that stood in Zed's way of inheriting the shares of the Chi family. In the beginning, Ada just wanted to leave the family with her mother. But after some poking around, she found that Estelle had her mother hidden away somewhere.

She had no choice but to crash the wedding and make a big deal out of the situation.

Seeing Estelle's calm face, Ada finally made up her mind and opened the door. She didn't believe that Estelle would do anything to her under York's watchful eyes.

Ada walked in and saw that the room was an ordinary hotel suite. Her mother was nowhere to be seen.

She gritted her teeth in disappointment and then heard a click from the door. Estelle had locked the room.

Turning around, Ada saw Estelle standing in front of her. Nervously holding up the phone in her hand, Estelle bit her lower lip and said in a trembling voice, "Transfer the shares to me, or I'll cut off the medical supply for your mother!"

Ada burned with fury. After a short pause, she sneered, "Do you think I will respond to your threats?"

Looking even more nervous, Estelle held the phone tightly and warned, "I am the only one who knows where Jenny is! She is in the advanced stage of cancer and relies on dialysis every day. If I call the hospital and cut off her treatment, she will die in less than ten minutes. Would you really kill your mother for thirty percent of the shares?"

Ada snorted in disgust. "You were more than willing to kill your sister for the same thirty percent. And now, you are threatening to kill my mother as well."

"I did no such thing!" Estelle yelled. Her pupils dilated in anger and fear. She raised the phone and waved it in front of Ada, threatening her again, "Will you give it to me or not? If you refuse, I will call the hospital right now!"

Estelle's finger was almost on the dial button, and Ada's heart tightened. But she pretended as if it didn't bother her and said, "If something happens to my mother, not only will you not get the shares, I will also have you thrown in jail for murder!"

The shares were the only bargaining chip she had. If she handed it over, Estelle and Zed would kill her immediately. So, Ada clenched her teeth and hoped that her mother was safe.

As the two stood in a stalemate, they heard the sound of footsteps coming from outside the door. Estelle turned around, but before she could put away her cell phone, someone kicked the door open. Unable to dodge, Estelle was hit by the door and fell backward.

The phone in her hand was flung into the air.

Ada rushed over to Estelle, but not to help her. She picked up the phone in a hurry.

On the screen was a phone number saved as Billy Hospital, and there was an address written down in the phone book too.

A bright smile appeared on Ada's face. She quickly put away the phone.

York rushed into the room. Ignoring the wailing Estelle on the ground, he quickly walked to Ada's side and held her in his arms. He asked in a gentle tone, "Are you hurt?"

Being in his embrace made her blush bright red. She struggled slightly and tried to get out of his grasp.

Noticing her try to wiggle out of his arms, York held her even tighter.

Ada blushed and whispered, "I'm fine. Let go of me now."

He looked at her reddened earlobe. This woman always had a cold attitude while she was receiving rehabilitation at his side. And earlier, she had been so strong and domineering at the wedding. But at that moment, in his arms, she was flustered.

Although he knew that it was not the right time, York couldn't help but lower his head deliberately towards her. His lips touched her ear softly, as he asked in a husky voice, "I beg your pardon. I didn't hear you."

His voice was hoarse and low, and she felt a surge of electricity go through her entire being. Her body trembled and her legs became weak. "I... I said I was fine."

Her face turned a tomato red.

York smiled and released her.

Ada was about to push him away in anger when York suddenly let her go. She was embarrassed and was about to rebuke him when she remembered that Estelle was still lying on the ground. Tears were flowing down the woman's face. Seeing Ada looking down on her, Estelle was even more aggrieved. "I don't owe you anything, Ada! I have been suppressed by your existence all my life, and now, you have destroyed my wedding too! Why wasn't you dead? Why did you come back?"

Ada looked at her sister pitifully. Estelle had always been this way. She loved to play the victim card all the time.

Not in the mood to engage in a conversation with her, Ada handed the phone that she had snatched from Estelle to York and said hopefully, "Take me to this address!"

"Alright," York said, without even looking at the information on the phone.