Chapter 351

Without a doubt, Winnie's intuition was telling her that this man was related to Sidney and Oscar's kidnapping.

"Mars?" Winnie slightly halted her footsteps.

Mars squinted his eyes and smiled. "Are you interested in having a chat?"

In the hidden corner of a café next to Triton, Mars, with a hint of arrogance in his gaze, didn't beat around the bush and directly asked, "Winnie, do you hate Lawrence?"

Winnie felt like he knew a lot. She scrutinized him while pressing her lips together.

"You're quite wary of me." Mars smirked, leaning closer. "Well, I've been paying attention to the grudge between you and Lawrence for a while now. You've made quite the moves, like taking back Triton from his hands and retaliating against the Ordelia Group. Is your intention to stay at Alan's company a deliberate plan against your ex-husband?"

"Are you insinuating that Mr. Rodriguez has some ideas in mind?" Winnie shifted her sitting position.

Mars narrowed his eyes and burst into laughter, lowering his voice in an instant. "Talking to intelligent women is effortless."

"Please, go on."

"There's a shortcut for revenge against Lawrence and Darcy. Would you like to take it? The one that deals a fatal blow." Mars mysteriously pointed at himself.

Winnie's expression remained unchanged.

Mars continued, "I happen to be going after him too. You're working on a project for his company recently and for this plan to work, timing is everything. How about forming an alliance? I can teach you a few easy steps to get back at him. Think about what he has done to you in the past, treating you worse than pigs and dogs, especially now that you have to watch him marry Darcy and give away all his fortune to her."

"Why do you want to ruin Lawrence?"

"You don't need to be curious." Mars pursed his lips, a mischievous expression flashed across his face. "Just tell me, do you want to be my ally?"

Winnie pondered for a few seconds and looked up at him. "Give me some time to think about it."

Mars raised an eyebrow and smiled deeply. "I really want to get to know you, Winnie. I am genuinely trying to help you."

He expressed a desire to get acquainted with her, a sentiment that left Winnie perplexed. At that moment, she was preoccupied with her own agenda. Rising without hesitation, Winnie offered a faint smile without lingering. "We'll be in touch later, Mr. Mars."

"Farewell, my beautiful lady." Mars blew a kiss.

Winnie controlled her annoyance as she scrutinized the unfamiliar man. It was evident that he wasn't a good person.

After Winnie left, Mars's subordinate entered the private room. Mars glanced at him and sneered. "Do you not understand why I approached her for help?"

The subordinate nodded. "Actually, having Darcy as an insider would've been enough."

"Yes. But if Winnie truly is the illegitimate daughter of the Blanchet family, wouldn't it be beneficial for me to form an alliance with her in advance and establish some familiarity?"

Mars chuckled darkly once more, emphasizing, "Moreover, if Winnie falls for it, this strategy would be highly effective. Just picture Lawrence's reaction when he discovers his ex-wife has been pretending all along, secretly seeking revenge. Wouldn't that enrage him?" His plan was ruthless and cunning.

Meanwhile, Winnie got back in her car and called Olivia to discuss.

Olivia had her computer open, fingers dancing across the keyboard, and her eyes filled with curiosity. "This Mars person, why did he want to form an alliance with you? All I could uncover is that the Rodriguez family, the country's foremost family, owns West Iron Group. His background runs deep, and this person is far from simple, with unknown origins. Did you really agree to his proposal?"

Winnie had another plan. "I suspect that Darcy was behind the kidnapping. Now, with Mars being involved in the case, what do you think? Could Mars be connected to Darcy?"

"Are you planning to follow this lead with Mars?" Olivia detected a hint of something intriguing.

"Yes, I cannot let go of Mars as a clue if I want to uncover evidence of the kidnapping. Olivia, can you help me investigate his recent activities in Lymington? Be cautious when you're at it."

Inside the Electronics group meeting room, shareholders and senior executives sat in rows, the atmosphere tense. The large screen for the teleconference was turned on, and everyone's gaze was fixed on the cold and imposing man in the chairman's seat.

Lawrence slowly manipulated the holographic image, his eyes grave. "The latest 'Power Saving' chip will be developed and launched next month. Simultaneously, the group has been planning a major merger and acquisition for six months, acquiring the technology giants, Magic Aviation Company and Splendid Energy. I intend to use the 'Power Saving' chip to impress their bosses and successfully complete this significant acquisition."

The shareholders were on edge, a mix of excitement and apprehension filling the room. It was crucial to highlight that Magic Aviation Company specialized in aviation research, while Splendid Energy was dedicated to new energy research. Lawrence's potential acquisition of these companies would form a powerful alliance, propelling Island Electronics to the top globally. Despite this, Island Electronics already ranked second in wealth among domestic companies, trailing only behind the Trento City Rodriguez family and the Blanchet family consortium.

A conservative shareholder stood up and spoke, "But Lawrence, the Power Saving chip is still in the final and most critical stage of development. If you sign contracts with these two companies in advance and fail to deliver on time, it may anger the bosses of these two giants and result in unpredictable breach of contract and losses!"

Lawrence closed the project page, expressionless. "Such a thing will not happen on my watch."

No one dared to question him due to his imposing presence. "Meeting adjourned." Lawrence stood up, loosening his tie, and walked out of the meeting room.

Upon returning to his office, he saw Sidney sitting coolly on the couch, clearly having just returned from kindergarten, with a homework book in front of him. Lawrence raised his head, and glanced at Sidney. "Not a single word written?"

Sidney rolled his eyes and pouted. "Come on, I just wanted Mommy to teach me how to write. I have yet to write anything!"

Thinking about Winnie and Darcy coming to the company that day, Lawrence furrowed his brows, realizing that he was about to get married again. He sat down, pursing his lips. "Sidney, Daddy is about to get married; it's not appropriate to keep taking you to see her over and over again."

Whether he was reminding his son or himself of his increasingly waning self-control remained uncertain.

"Do you really want to get married?" Sidney was very angry.

Lawrence turned his head and looked out of the large floor-to-ceiling window. The evening was fiery and splendid, with orange clouds on the horizon resembling Winnie's lips, painted in a shade of orange lipstick. This sight momentarily stunned him, leaving his heart cold and bitter. "Sidney, she killed your brother. You are actually twins, but I couldn't bear to tell you. It was too painful, and I didn't want you to harbor such intense hatred toward your mother. But the animosity between me and her is unforgivable. Darcy had saved me. She sacrificed her youth for me, so this wedding can only be for her."

In reality, Sidney knew that Oscar wasn't dead. However, bound by his promise to his mother, he remained silent. Oscar had been alive all along, residing overseas with his mother before returning to the country. Moreover, Darcy's intentions were questionable, given her attempt to murder both him and Oscar. But without evidence, Sidney couldn't confront his father directly. His father always believes that Darcy was a good woman.

Sidney couldn't stand it anymore, so he grabbed his small backpack and ran away, angry and determined. "I don't have the power to control your affairs, but I won't give you and her my blessings!"

Lawrence furrowed his brows and reluctantly got up to chase after Sidney when his phone rang. It was Benjamin's voice on the other end, "Mr. Rodriguez, where are you? Are you still working overtime at the company like a workaholic? Guess who I saw at the bar? It seems like Winnie, and she's drinking with Alan. Compared to you, who's about to get married, she seems much more carefree, already enjoying the single life."

There was silence for a few seconds, and the phone line turned cold. Lawrence pressed his lips and said, "Send me the address."

Benjamin chuckled softly. "Are you jealous?"

Contrastingly, it was precisely because she wasn't jealous that Lawrence felt heartbroken. "Who's jealous? You don't even know how to help Sidney with his homework after work. Yet you have the audacity to go out, flirt, and drink. I'll teach her how to be a mother."

"Fuck, you're the only one who believes that excuse." Benjamin sighed and added, "I'll send it to you."

Winnie and Alan were attending a jewelry exhibition project and happened to pass by a bar. They weren't planning to stay, but Olivia had sent her a text message earlier which said, "There's a hotel nearby where Mars often stays. He seems to bring a woman to spend the night there. Do you want to check it out?"

While Winnie was investigating Mars, hearing the phrase "he brings a woman" made her squint her eyes involuntarily. She called out to Alan and entered a quiet bar, but her eyes were fixed on the hotel across the street.