Tristan Grayson’s fist clenched and unclenched, again and again. He didn’t know how many times he repeated the motion before he finally managed to compose himself, forcing himself to appear indifferent to the person and the situation before him.

"Mr. Lockwood, I think you’ve made a mistake. I came here today to meet with Miss Joyce."

When Archie Lockwood heard Tristan Grayson’s words, he clenched his fists, ready to charge forward and beat the bastard. Seeing this, Mika Summers grabbed Archie’s arm and said with a cold smile, "Brother, there’s no need to get angry over someone irrelevant. It’s not worth getting your hands dirty."

Archie Lockwood, who had been simmering with rage, was taken aback for a moment when he heard her. Then, his voice dripped with scorn as he said, "You’re right, Mika. Getting our hands dirty over someone like him would just be disgusting."

A wicked smile touched Mika Summers’ lips. She let go of Archie Lockwood’s arm and walked toward Tristan Grayson.

Tristan Grayson’s eyes filled with a storm of complex emotions as he watched her. ’She’s really alive. She’s really here, right in front of me.’

’But... it seems like she truly hates me. It’s like she’s become a completely different person. This version of her... even I find her to be a total stranger.’

Mika Summers stopped in front of Tristan Grayson. With a faint smile, she extended her hand. Her red lips parted as she said coldly, "Mr. Grayson, long time no see. I imagine we’ll be seeing each other often from now on. I hope you’ll take good care of me in the days to come."

Staring at her hand suspended in midair, Tristan Grayson found he couldn’t lift his own. That single address—"Mr. Grayson"—had already classified him as an outsider, a stranger, someone completely irrelevant to her.

He swallowed down the tumult of his emotions and forced himself to shake her hand. "Miss Summers, long time no—" Before he could finish, Mika Summers abruptly withdrew her hand, leaving Tristan Grayson’s frozen in midair.

His expression darkened, and a bitter ache spread through his chest.

"Oh, my apologies, Mr. Grayson. I forgot. I never shake hands with people I despise."

Tristan Grayson heard her words, but instead of getting angry, a bitter smile touched his lips.

’Someone she despises? So that’s what I am to her?’

Unable to watch any longer, Aria Joyce strode forward and shouted, "You! You’ve gone too far!" 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝔀𝓮𝒃𝙣𝓸𝒗𝒆𝒍.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"Aria Joyce, this has nothing to do with you." Fearing Mika would be at a disadvantage, Archie Lockwood reached out and blocked Aria.

"What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? Tristan Grayson is my guest! He’s with me! Of course I’m going to step in when someone is bullying him!"

Hearing Aria Joyce’s furious words, Mika Summers sneered in contempt. "Birds of a feather flock together. Tristan Grayson, your taste in people is as terrible as ever." ’Just thinking about my earlier assessment of this woman is nauseating,’ she thought.

Tristan Grayson’s brow furrowed tightly. He shook his head and hastily explained, "That’s not it. I have nothing to do with her."

"You don’t have to explain anything to me. Your affairs are none of my concern. Brother, let’s go."

Watching Mika Summers and Archie Lockwood leave, Tristan Grayson wearily raised a hand and pinched the bridge of his nose. He took a few steps back until he was leaning heavily against the wall.

"That woman was just awful! And Archie Lockwood, how dare he threaten me over her," Aria Joyce said angrily as she walked to Tristan Grayson’s side.

"That’s enough, Aria Joyce! Haven’t you said enough? If you have, then shut up!"

Aria Joyce had been trying to defend Tristan Grayson from an injustice, so she never expected him to be so ungrateful and yell at her. Her eyes instantly reddened with anger. "Tristan Grayson, you dare to yell at me, too?"

"Aria Joyce, if you feel it’s still necessary for our companies to work together, then we will continue. But if you don’t, then we’re done here!"