She Outshines Them All

She Outshines 12

Chapter 12 Isaac, trembling with fury, felt his vision blur as he struggled to breathe. Regina clung to his arm, fears threatening to spill. “Honey, maybe we should go and beg Vission Group. I’ll go with you. an “We have to convince them to give us back our management rights, no matter what-even if it means making only a fraction of what we used to She knew that nearly ninety percent of the Kennedy family’s wealth came from their partnership with Vission Group. Losing that partnership meant losing their status and financial security, a thought Regina couldn’t bear. Isaac clenched his jaw and finally nodded. “Fine. We’ll go together.” “If they refuse. I’ll end it right there in front of them,” Isaac said, abruptly getting to his feet. He pointed at his assistant, Micah Barnes. “You’re coming with us. And if we don’t get those rights back, you’re out.” Micah, a 25-year-old distant relative, hadn’t made it into any decent universities and ended up at some shady diploma mill abroad Since graduating, he had been working for Isaac, fully aware that his limited skills made him dependent on the Kennedy Group. If they sank, he’d go down with them. Micah scrambled to gather his tablet and belongings. “Yes, Mr. Khnedy,” he said, rushing after Isaac and Regina. Just as they reached the door, they ran into Zoe and Andrew. Isaac waved them off, saying, “Make yourselves at home. I’ve got urgent business to handle, but I’ll be back soon.” After a few steps, he paused and turned back to Zoe with a reassuring smile. “Zoe, let your parents know there’s been a small misunderstanding with Vission Group, but we’ll have it sorted out soon. Nothing to worry about.” Zoe forced a smile. “Of course, Mr. Kennedy.” In Kitmore City, wealthy families often arranged marriages to secure their social positions. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

The Kennedys had started out middle-class but had risen fast in the past decade, becoming the second wealthiest family after the Harpers-and they were poised to overtake them. If the Kennedys lost their main source of income, it was unclear if the Murray and Harper families would still be interested in a marriage alliance. From that angle, Zoe was just as anxious about the Kennedys’ chances of winning back Vission Group. Once Isaac and Regina left, Zoe and Andrew moved into the living room, exchanging uneasy glances as they reflected on the humiliation they’d faced earlier and the Kennedys’ impending crisis. After a moment, Andrew pulled out his phone. “I’ve made a lot of connections since I got back. I’ll see if anyone can help us get in touch with Vission Group.” Zoe smiled sweetly. “You’re a rising star. I’m sure plenty of people would love to do you a favor. Though Andrew was still an up-and-coming actor, he carried himself with the confidence of an A- lister. He flashed her a c**y smile at her words and stepped out into the garden to make his calls. Watching him go, Zoe muttered, “If only your brains were as sharp as your looks, but…” Zoe sighed, her frustration mounting as thoughts of Athena crept into her mind. “Vission Croup won’t even notice you. People will laugh at how clueless you are if you try to reach out can’t even bring myself to tell you that 68% Chapter 12 “Every time I run into Athena, everything goes wrong! I almost Had a car accident on the way here, and now the Kennedys are in crisis. She’s a jinx! Everyone who crosses her path suffers! “If I’m going down, she’s coming with mel” Zoe’s eyes gleamed with malice as she pulled out her phone and sent an anonymous email to a private investigator she had hired before. The reply came quickly: [I’ll have photos and videos of the Donovan family within three days.] Zoe deleted the emails, a wicked smile spreading across her face Back in school, everyone praised Athena as the inost beautiful and intelligent girl.

She had no shortage of admirers, but once pictures and videos of the Donovans’ poverty started circulating. Zoe was confident no affluent family would still consider her a suitable match. ‘Of course, some might play around with her. But marry her? Their families would never allow it, Zoe thought, smirking. When news broke that Vission Group had severed ties with the Kennedy Group, Matthew Graham was the first to be informed. “Mr. Graham, should we reach out to Vission now?” Louis asked Matthew remained calm. “No need to rush. First, find out why Vission made this move.” Everyone’s scrambling to contact Vission Group Aren’t you worried we might miss our chance!” Louis pressed. Matthew crossed his arms, his gaze steady. “Vission Group is notorious for being unpredictable. They work with those who catch their eye and discard those who don’t. The key to securing their partnership is understanding and catering to their interests.” Louis nodded. “Understood. I’ll investigate the reasons behind their break with the Kennedy Group.” Matthew turned his attention to the window. “In the meantime, go to Harmony Hospital.” In the VIP ward at Harmony Hospital, Athena sat by her grandmother’s bed, meticulously reviewing the medical reports from the past few days. Her grandmother remained unconscious, occasionally waking but only briefly and mumbling incoherently. Athena had instructed the caregiver to alert her whenever her grandmother showed signs of waking. However, these brief moments of consciousness were so fleeting that her grandmother was usually asleep again when Athena arrived. Considering this, Athena contemplated moving into the hospital for a while. She was lost in thought when the attending physician Jack Kingston entered. “Miss Donovan, Jack greeted her politely. “Mr. Matthew Graham would like to see you.” Athena blinked in surprise. “Matthew Graham? The renowned Matthew Graham?” she asked, her mind immediately picturing the prominent figure. Jack nodded. “Yes, that’s right.” Athena wasn’t flustered or excited about meeting such a prominent figure. Instead, she was

puzzled. “Why does he want to see me?” Jack explained. “He learned that Dr. Annie personally led the team that performed surgery on your grandmother a month ago. He’s hoping you can help him reach out to Dr. Annie for treatment for a family member” 2/3 3/3 Chapter 12 681 Athena had dealt with similar requests recently and immediately shook her head. “Dr. Annie mentioned she wouldn’t be taking on new patients for a year. You know this, Dr. Kingston, so I’m afraid I can’t help him.” Jack nodded in understanding. “I did explain that to him, but he’s still hoping you’ll give him ten minutes of your time. If you still decide not to help after those ten minutes, he promises not to trouble you again.” Jack hesitated before adding earnestly, “Mr. Graham has donated over 20 million dollars to Harmony Hospital, saving the lives of countless children and elderly patients. He’s been a tremendous benefactor. “If it’s not too much trouble, Miss Donovan, I hope you can spare him those ten minutes.”