The Manipulated Villainess

"You handle the pressure well, Nicole. I\'m proud of you." Staring at his lover, Aston Kang was beaming with pride.

The couple just left the conference room and Aston\'s mood seemed to be changed completely in comparison to the time they entered the room.

"The same goes for you," Nicole said. She lifted Aston\'s hand and entwined his fingers with hers. "I\'m glad that I chose to hold this hand that night."

Aston Kang chuckled and peck her on the lips. "You say that you have something to pick up in your office, right? Shall I go with you?"

"Wait here. I\'ll be right back," Nicole calmly replied to which Aston nodded. Then she rode up the elevator that will directly take her to her office on the top floor.

While Aston was alone, some of his acquaintances from the media came to him and strike up a conversation with him. As he was an actor who was on the top for a few years now, he had connections with people from all aspects.

The one who was currently chatting with him was the reporter who asked Nicole about her engagement being the political tool of her stepmother and Peter Jung a few months ago. It occurred when she signed a deal with Carson Jun. Aston was the one who asked the reporter to do that.

"I already know that it\'s strange when you ask me such a favour," the reporter said to the actor with a light chuckle.

"With your great hunch, I thought that you will already figure out our relationship," Aston jokingly said. He knew the reporter who reported his relationship with Nicole and it wasn\'t the one who was standing right before him.

"I already guessed," the reporter said. "However, I refused to be the one to reveal it. You have helped me so many times." There was a menacing grin on his face when he added, "That\'s why I don\'t plan to expose the Minister of Justice too. You don\'t want that anymore."

Aston nodded. "She\'s changed. So, she deserves a second chance too. Besides, it\'s Nicole\'s wish." He briefly glanced at his wristwatch, wondering what took Nicole so long.

"Chairwoman Yang is surely amazing. It won\'t be easy to let go of such crimes against her," the reporter remarked and gently punched Aston on the left arm. "I think it makes sense now."

"What do you mean?"

"I used to wonder how a playboy like you managed to fall in love, head over heels on top of that!"

Aston laughed at the comment. "Everything\'s in the past, Jacob. Besides, I was never a playboy."

"Then what was it then?"

"I don\'t take relationships seriously. That\'s all," the actor explained. "I never cheat on anyone."

"Hmm... that makes sense," Jacob Lee remarked. However, his phone went off before he could say more. He simply answered the call with easiness.

"Jacob Lee speaking."

Aston glanced at his wristwatch again but... the stupefied face of the reporter distracted him. Then he glanced at him, wondering what was going on.

"Alright. I\'ll be right there," Jacob Lee quickly said and ended the call as he looked at Aston. "Peter Jung escaped from the detention centre! It had been two hours!"

All at once, the actor\'s eyes grew wide open in shock! Who escaped?!

Peter Jung?!

"I have to go, Aston," Jacob Lee promptly added. "You should be careful, just in case." He firmly patted Aston once on the left arm before he rushed out of the company building.

Peter Jung escaped? How? What was his intention?!

Many probabilities crossed Aston\'s mind in a split second! Then Nicole crossed his mind. It\'s more than time for her to come down by now! What took her so long?!

As he couldn\'t be at ease, he quickly boarded the elevator to go to her office.

When Aston reached the top floor, he rushed inside the Chairwoman\'s room, but... there was no one.

Where was Nicole?!

A possibility entered the actor\'s mind and it made his eyes grew wide in fear! Then he rapidly shook his head. No! It won\'t be!

He took out his phone and tried calling Nicole, only to find out that... her phone was in her bag which was still placed on her desk!

Her bag and all other belongings were still here! Where did she go?!

The actor started panicking! With the escape of Peter Jung on his mind, anxiety took the best of him! His face turned pale and his hands started to shiver!

When he suddenly realized that it wasn\'t time to behave like this, he tried his best to keep himself in check. Then he stormed out of the office to look for her. Soon, his phone went off and he abruptly halted his steps. However, he was feeling a bit relieved when he looked at the caller ID.

"Hello, Chairman Jun."

"Is everything all right? I\'m in the garage of Yang Group building and I just see Peter Jung\'s subordinate entering a car."

Aston raised a brow when he heard the Chairman! Peter Jung\'s man? The information somehow gave him hope. "Nicole disappeared from her office. Can you please follow the car? I will come right behind you."

Carson Jun\'s eyes grew wide in shock! However, when he noticed that the car started to move, he quickly nodded. "Alright. Don\'t hang up the call and I\'ll update you from time to time."

"Alright." Aston boarded the elevator down to the garage in a hurry and started driving his car while Carson Jun updated him on the location.

* * *

Carson Jun followed the car where he saw Daniel Gu entered. He recognized the man as Peter Jung\'s right-hand man.

Why would he be in the garage of Nicole\'s company now of all times? With Peter Jung\'s escape, he was sure everything was intertwined.

The Chairman wanted to stay close to the car but he didn\'t want Daniel Gu to spot him and as such, his situation was quite complicated.

Meanwhile, Daniel Gu who was driving the car often glanced at the front mirror of his car where he noticed another car following him. Then he briefly shifted his gaze to the back seat of his car where Nicole Yang was lying, unconscious.

When he entered the Chairwoman\'s office a few minutes ago, she was alone and he easily out strength her. He was also told about an infrequent path that would directly lead him to the garage. That made everything easy for him.

After Daniel Gu glanced at the car behind him a few more times, he took out his phone and made a call.

"Someone is following me," he reported to the person on the other line.

"Yes, I\'m on my way."

"Rest assured, sir. There will be no mistake this time."

"I understand."

He ended the call and continued driving for a while. When he finally reached a quiet road, he suddenly pulled over the car. He noticed that the one who followed him also did the same. Then he gets off the car.

Carson Jun realized that he was spotted. As such, he gets off his car to face Daniel Gu.

"It\'s you, Chairman Jun. I don\'t expect you," Daniel Gu remarked in a rather cold tone.

"Nicole is with you, right?" the Chairman asked. "You should let her go."

Daniel Gu simply smirked. "I can\'t do that. But... " he swiftly takes out his handgun and pointed at the Chairman. "I can kill you right here," he continued.

His expression and everything about him proved that he was more than serious. Soon, he put his index finger on the trigger, ready to shoot anytime.....