CHAPTER 5 An opportunity to approach
Four years later, Swiss media was flooded with news about young businesswoman Emma Wilson.
Emma Wilson sat in her office, leisurely sipping a glass of wine.
She closed her eyes, playing a soothing piece of music. The melody filled the large room, mournful and sorrowful.
She hadn't had a good night's sleep in years. Every time she closed her eyes, the nightmare from four years ago returned, reminding her never to forget her father's injustice.
"Lucia, Lucia, Daddy's taking you out!"
"Lucia, your father is dead!"
"Lucia, you must live. Only by living can your father's name be cleared."
"Lucia, Lucia..."
Emma jolted awake, her forehead damp
with sweat. Yes, how could she forget? How could she forget how her father died tragically and how her mother, a prestigious university lecturer, was driven mad by the events four years ago?
She had given up so much, moved to a foreign land, undergone plastic surgery, changed her name, all for one purpose: revenge.
Emma was Lucia, and Lucia was Emma, a fact she would never forget!
Lost in thought, a knock on the door startled her.
"Director, may I come in?"
It was her secretary, Charlotte Taylor.
"Come in."
"Our cosmetics facility in Tomasso City is doing very well. We expect profits to double next month." Charlotte placed a stack of reports on the desk.
"And what about the investigation I asked you to conduct?"
"I found the information. The person Director Smith mentioned in the interview is Ricard Anderson. The documents are here."
Emma nodded, signaling for her secretary to leave.
Anna Smith had risen to the position of director at Lenozo. A few days ago, during an interview, she mentioned her fiancé, Ricard Anderson.
Emma flipped through the documents on her desk, finding detailed information about her enemy's fiancé.
Ricard Anderson:
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Age: 30
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Background: Eldest son of the Anderson family, the wealthiest in Tomasso City.
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Occupation: CEO of Anderson Corporation and heir to the company.
The documents also detailed that Lenozo was a major partner of Anderson Corporation. Their relationship was largely based on mutual benefits. In other words, their marriage was politically motivated.
"That's even better!" Emma's lips curved into a smile.
For the past four years, she had never stopped gathering information about Anna Smith. Upon hearing about her engagement to Ricard, she knew her chance had come.
Emma called her secretary:
"Charlotte, I'll personally oversee our new project in Tomasso City."
"You want to go to Tomasso yourself?" Charlotte asked.
"Book me a flight to Tomasso today!"
Although skeptical, Charlotte had no choice but to comply:
"Yes, I understand."
Hanging up, Emma's smile widened. It was time to return! She would make Anna Smith regret not killing her four years ago!
Quickly, Emma Wilson returned to Tomasso City.
Tomasso City, The Overlook Hotel.
Emma Wilson applied meticulous makeup, changed into white sportswear, donned a cap, and went out.
Her destination was the largest horse racing track in Tomasso City, the Lazert Racetrack.
According to her secretary's information, Ricard Anderson's only hobby was horse racing, and he would be at Lazert today.
In less than fifteen minutes, Emma arrived at Lazert Racetrack. Her first task was to locate Ricard.
Soon, she spotted her target. As always, Ricard was alone.
He looked even more handsome in person. Standing about 1.90 meters tall, with short, neat hair, tanned skin, and sharp features, Ricard was stunning, like a male lead straight out of a novel.
Emma inquired with the ticket seller, offering double the price to get a seat next to Ricard. She nonchalantly took her new seat.
Her presence quickly drew attention. Men couldn't take their eyes off her, while women watched her warily, as if she were about to steal their husbands.
When Emma sat down, Ricard glanced at her, then quickly looked away.
The race began, and the favored white horse, Alas, took the lead. Everyone started betting, all confident Alas would win.
Except for Emma, who quietly bet on a skinny black horse. Her action drew murmurs, with people calling her a brainless beauty.
At the betting table, she was the only one "out of the ordinary."
"Miss, what's the reason for your unusual choice?" The man behind her turned to ask.
Emma remained relaxed, focusing on her skinny black horse.
"Don't you see its potential?"
"Potential?" Ricard couldn't help but look at Emma, his eyes showing interest.
Emma felt a surge of triumph. The first step of her plan was successful. She remained calm.
"The black horse looks weak, but it's a strong American breed, known for its endurance. Moreover, I researched before coming here. It wasn't trained at Lazert; its previous owner was world champion jockey William Jasper."
"But that doesn't mean it's better than Alas." Ricard said, a hint of disdain in his eyes.
"That's not certain. You seem to understand little about horse psychology!" Emma turned to Ricard, her lips curling into a smile.
She was sure the black horse would win. Why? Was it because she had profound knowledge of horses? No, of course not. Before the race, Emma had secretly injected the black horse with a stimulant. Graduating top of her class from a prestigious medical school, she knew the exact dosage to ensure the horse's peak performance. Not even Alas could compete.
"Horse psychology? That's a first!"
Emma's eyes sparkled as she looked at Ricard.
"If I lose, I'll give you 2% of Alens's shares. But if I win, you owe me a favor. Do you dare to bet?"
"Do you dare to bet with me, Mr. Anderson?" Emma repeated.