Their Queen's Back - Chapter 54: Chapter 54

Lauren watched as Ms. Sky rubbed her temples, concern flickering in her sapphire blue eyes. After a brief hesitation, she asked gently, "Ms. Sky, you haven't had proper rest in days. How about getting a spa treatment to help you relax? Would that be alright?"
Skye shook her head slightly. "I'm fine. Just keep Jessica under close watch. Head back to the office—David's coming."
Lauren swallowed the words she wanted to say, and could only manage a quiet "Alright."
"Ms. Sky, why don't we just teach Linda and Mr. Richard a lesson directly?"
"Richard doesn't deserve to be called a father!" she thought angrily. "Sure, Linda's been poisoning the relationship all these years, but he's just too damn short-sighted to tell good from bad. That's why Ms. Sky's sister had to suffer so much for it."
Skye lifted her gaze—her cool, detached eyes flashing with a trace of ruthlessness—yet her voice remained calm and steady.
"Lauren," Skye's lips curved slightly. "With some people, the real satisfaction comes from peeling away their layers bit by bit. Killing them outright would be such a waste. Remember—breaking someone's spirit is far more interesting than anything else."
Understood, Ms. Sky.
Lauren opened the car door and held it respectfully as Ms. Sky stepped out. "Ms. Sky, there's one more thing," she reported. "Anna told me that Miss Sophia will be going to the hotel tonight for a business meeting. She insisted on going alone and declined Anna's offer to accompany her."
"Which company is it?" Skye asked.
"Ms. Sky, nothing unusual—just a small company called Lee Group that does business with Brown Group. What's noteworthy is that Lee Group is actually a subsidiary of the Phoenixes."
Skye fell silent. "The Phoenixes... Rachel, are you alright?" she thought.
Skye ordered, "Look into someone for me. I want a full report on her by tomorrow."
Lauren: "Ms. Sky, your instructions, please."
Skye's long phoenix eyes fluttered slightly, her usually indifferent voice laced with restrained sorrow. "The eldest daughter of the Phoenixes, Rachel."
Skye simply replied, "Yes."
David had been waiting for half an hour when Skye finally arrived at the company. He stood up and greeted her, "Ms. Sky, good to see you."
David stood up and extended his hand. The moment he saw Skye's face clearly, his breath caught in his throat—he was unmistakably stunned. "It really is her," he thought in disbelief.
"It really is her," he thought, stunned.
"Hello, Mr. Quinn." Skye extended her hand for a brief handshake, then quickly withdrew it.
"Mr. Quinn, my apologies for keeping you waiting. I was delayed on the way."
Skye wore an elegant vintage white dress, its sleeves and hem embroidered with delicate gold-pink threads that shimmered like flowing water. She radiated noble detachment, like an unattainable beauty atop a snowy peak—yet her eyes were cold and piercing, sharp as ice.
Her commanding aura was impossible to ignore—powerful and intimidating.
Not at all, Ms. Sky. Here are the terms Quinn Group is proposing.
David was thirty-three years old. His dark eyes behind his glasses held a gentle yet powerful gaze. Dressed in a tailored brown suit, his warm demeanor radiated through his spectacles, while the luxury watch on his wrist unmistakably declared his status.
Lauren, still wearing her mask, quietly withdrew from the room and closed the door behind her. In a flash, Rowan threw herself into Lauren's arms, pressing her face against Lauren's chest.
Rowan threw her arms around Lauren in a tight hug. Without batting an eye, Lauren grabbed her by the scruff of the neck, lifted her up, and tossed her aside.
Lauren asked sharply, "Have you finished the task I assigned you?"
Rowan pouted, her eyes lingering longingly on Lauren's chest. With a sigh, she pulled out a lollipop and popped it into her mouth.
Rowan complained, "Come on, you only gave me fifteen minutes' notice! Lauren, you're being way too strict—I didn't even have time for a sip of water. Hey, who's that guy? He's kinda cute."
Lauren straightened her clothes. "That's David Quinn, CEO of Quinn Group and heir to the Quinn family."
Rowan nodded, took the lollipop out of her mouth, and held it out to Lauren with a grin. "Want one? It's watermelon-flavored."
Lauren reached out and grabbed Rowan's ear. Rowan yelped, "Ouch! Lauren, I'm sorry! I won't say anything stupid again—let go of me!"
Howard was late again today. Lauren notified Human Resources to deduct his entire month's salary. Howard stormed into Lauren's office, fuming, and demanded, "On what grounds are you docking my pay?"
Howard slouched in, wearing baggy ripped jeans and a shirt splattered with chaotic patterns, but Lauren couldn't be bothered to even glance his way.
"Howard, this is your final warning," Lauren said sternly. "If you're late again, you're fired."
Haihao clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "Fine, I'll come to work—but at least give me some real work to do! Every day you've got me fetching coffee, mopping the floors, cleaning the bathrooms—what the hell is this? I came here for a real job, not to be your damn janitor!"
Lauren said coldly, "I've made myself clear—either do your job or get out."
Howard yelled defiantly, "I demand to see Ms. Sky! I demand to see Ms. Sky! Lauren, you're just an assistant—who gave you the right to treat me like this?"
Lauren gave him a look as if he were an idiot and let out a mocking laugh. "Want to see Ms. Sky? Howard, I told you—you're not even close to being qualified."
Howard felt utterly humiliated. Gritting his teeth, he spat out each word: "Who are you to decide if I'm qualified, Lauren? You're nothing but an assistant! Hughes Corporation is just a second-rate company—do you really think you're all that? And Skye, that woman not only stole her father's position, but also—ah!"
Before Howard could finish speaking, Lauren delivered a vicious kick to his chest, sending him flying across the room. He landed, writhing in agony, as if every nerve in his body was about to snap. "Damn woman!" he cursed inwardly.
"Where did she get such strength?" Lauren advanced step by step, her 5'9" frame amplified by 3cm heels, utterly overwhelming Howard, who stood a mere 5'11".
"Howard, have I been too soft on you lately?" Lauren asked coldly.
For the first time, Howard felt like prey cornered by a tigress—frozen in place under Lauren's contemptuous, domineering glare.
Howard swallowed hard, unable to utter a single word.
Mr. Quinn, it's been a pleasure doing business with you.
It's been a pleasure working with you, Ms. Sky. Thank you for this opportunity.
Skye: "You're too kind."
Skye and David were not exactly strangers—they moved in the same elite circles and had crossed paths a few times over a decade ago.
The Quinns were no pushovers—plagued by numerous illegitimate heirs and internal chaos. But after David took charge, he whipped the family into shape. No one who can rise to the top of such a clan is any kind of innocent lamb.
David got into the car, and his assistant eagerly asked, "Mr. Quinn, what does Ms. Sky look like? Is she... well, old?"
David took off his glasses and began polishing them methodically. "What makes you say that?"
"Mr. Quinn, ever since Hughes Corporation changed hands, no one's actually seen the new CEO. People don't even call her Ms. Hughes—they call her Ms. Sky instead. All we've heard are rumors: she spent ten years abroad, so she's probably married with kids by now. And since she's the eldest daughter, she must be pretty old by now, right?"
The assistant rarely saw Mr. Quinn smile, especially with such genuine warmth as he did today.
David chuckled. "Don't believe the rumors. She's every bit as dazzling as she was back then—if not more so."
She was even more dazzling—more flawless, more powerful, and more breathtakingly beautiful than ever before.
Just like eleven years ago, when he first laid eyes on this young girl. Back then, he was still the bookish, uptight PhD student in his family.
His father once took him to a business forum, where he first met Skye.
Dubbed as the foremost young mistress of Beijing's elite circles, Skye lived up to her name—unrestrained, dazzling, yet coolly aloof.
At just seventeen, she was already the CEO of Hughes Corporation.
That was the first time he could hardly believe it—a seventeen-year-old girl, still so innocent and full of dreams, still in school, was already the CEO of Hughes Corporation.
Steeped solely in academia, he couldn't fathom how anyone could balance so many pursuits. Yet the scholarly honors he prized so dearly were, to her, nothing more than an afterthought—attained with effortless ease.
He had read her papers and published works—each so profoundly moving that they lingered in his mind long after he finished reading.
Perhaps the gods did envy such brilliance—ten years ago, an accident appeared to claim the young prodigy's life... yet against all odds, she has resurfaced.
The assistant finally caught on, grinning as he teased, "So that's why you were up so early today, Mr. Quinn—all that preparation was for Ms. Sky!"
David's expression turned slightly awkward. "Just focus on driving," he said.
After work, Skye headed home early. For once, Linda and Jessica were quietly doing their chores, while Wendy gave Skye a detailed rundown of everything she'd had them do that day.
Emily trudged in with her backpack, a stubborn cowlick drooping over her short hair—her bad mood written all over her face.
When Linda saw Emily, it was as if she'd found her lifeline. Day after day, she'd been stuck at home, deliberately targeted by the housekeeper and the maids—they barely treated her like the mistress of the house anymore.
Linda rushed over the moment she saw Emily, her face lighting up. Throwing her arms open, she cried with exaggerated warmth, "Emily, you're finally back! Mommy missed you so much!"