THE GIRL WHO TOOK MY LIFE

THE PRESS CONFERENCE

The press conference began at eleven in the morning.

The main conference hall at Vale Group had been transformed for the occasion.

Rows of journalists filled the room, their cameras already positioned toward the stage. Television crews stood behind them with their equipment, while company photographers moved quietly between the seats, checking angles and lighting.

At the center of the stage stood a long table covered in white linen.

Behind it was a large screen displaying the Vale Group logo.

This was Amara's first official press conference as the future head of the company.

She had attended countless business meetings with her father over the years, but those meetings had always been different. She had been introduced as Richard Vale's daughter, the young woman learning the family business.

Today, she was being introduced as something else.

The next person expected to lead Vale Group.

Amara stood backstage with her father.

She wore a dark emerald suit with a fitted blazer and straight-leg trousers. Underneath was a cream silk blouse with a modest neckline. Her hair was pulled back neatly, leaving a few soft strands around her face. A pair of small diamond earrings caught the light whenever she moved.

Richard adjusted his cufflinks.

"You don't have to be nervous."

"I'm not."

He looked at her.

Amara glanced at him.

"I'm really not."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I know."

He had raised her well.

Amara understood that the press conference wasn't simply about answering questions. Every word would be examined. Every expression photographed. Every hesitation interpreted.

She knew how these things worked.

The event coordinator approached them.

"Mr. Vale, Miss Vale, we're ready."

Richard nodded.

"Let's go."

They stepped onto the stage.

The room immediately came alive with camera flashes.

Amara kept her expression composed.

Richard took his seat first.

Amara sat beside him.

The company's communications director stepped forward and welcomed the journalists before introducing Richard.

He spoke briefly about Vale Group's expansion, its recent international partnerships and the company's plans for the coming year.

Then he turned toward Amara.

"And today, we are also pleased to officially introduce Miss Amara Vale, who has been working closely with her father and the company's executive team as she prepares to take on greater responsibilities within Vale Group."

Another wave of camera flashes followed.

Amara smiled politely.

She had expected the attention.

Still, seeing dozens of cameras pointed directly at her made her realize how different this moment was.

The first question came almost immediately.

"Miss Vale, you're still relatively young. Do you believe you're prepared to eventually take over a company of this size?"

Amara leaned slightly toward the microphone.

"I believe preparation is something that never really ends. My father has given me the opportunity to learn from people with much more experience than I have, and I'm still learning every day. But I wouldn't have accepted this responsibility if I didn't believe I could handle it."

Several journalists wrote something down.

Another raised his hand.

"Your father has been described as one of the most influential businessmen in the country. Do you feel pressured to live up to his reputation?"

Amara smiled.

"I think my father would be more disappointed if I tried to become him instead of becoming myself."

Richard glanced at her.

There was quiet laughter in the room.

The next question came from a woman near the front.

"There's been a lot of discussion about Vale Group's relationship with TALE Company. Can you tell us anything about the partnership?"

Amara's expression remained calm.

"TALE is one of our most important business partners. We've had a long-standing relationship with them, and we're looking forward to expanding our cooperation."

At the mention of TALE, Amara's thoughts briefly wandered.

She remembered one of her father's meetings from several years ago.

She had been sitting beside him at a long mahogany conference table, listening while he negotiated a major investment agreement.

She remembered the man sitting opposite them.

He was difficult to forget.

He was completely bald, with a broad forehead and a round, carefully shaven face. His eyebrows were thick and dark, and a pair of rectangular glasses rested low on his nose. He had a heavy build and always wore expensive dark suits, usually with a silk pocket square tucked neatly into the breast pocket.

His name was Mr. Han. he was the Owner of TALE Group's brother.

Also one of TALE's senior executives.

Amara remembered how he had laughed loudly during the meeting, slapping his palm against the table whenever he found something amusing.

Beside him had been several other members of the company.

An older woman with short silver hair who rarely spoke but seemed to notice everything.

A younger man with a narrow face who spent most of the meeting taking notes.

And another executive who had kept adjusting his expensive watch while listening to Richard negotiate.

Amara had met them more than once.

Her father had taken her to countless meetings like that when she was younger.

At the time, she hadn't understood why he wanted her there.

Now she did.

He had been preparing her.

The journalist's voice brought her back.

"Miss Vale?"

Amara blinked once.

"Yes?"

"Would you say you're confident about the future relationship between the two companies?"

"Of course."

She answered without hesitation.

"The two companies have worked together successfully for years. I don't see why that should change."

The journalist smiled and sat down.

Then another question came.

"There's also been speculation about a closer relationship between the Vale and TALE families. Is there any truth to those reports?"

Richard's expression changed slightly.

Amara noticed.

She had heard the rumors before.

She simply hadn't expected someone to ask about them publicly.

Before she could answer, Richard reached for his microphone.

"Business relationships between the two families have existed for many years. We value our relationship with TALE."

The answer was deliberately vague.

The journalist wasn't satisfied.

"What about a marriage between the two heirs?"

The room suddenly became much quieter.

Amara slowly turned toward her father.

Richard remained composed.

The communications director looked slightly uncomfortable.

The question was no longer about business.

It was about her.

And everyone knew it.

TALE Company was considerably larger than Vale Group. The original name was “STALE”. but Eli's father had described to change it , because he hated the meaning STALE.

Its influence stretched across several industries and multiple countries. A partnership between the two families would be valuable enough to make headlines.

The idea had been discussed privately.

Amara and Eli.

The two heirs.

An arranged marriage that would strengthen the relationship between the companies and eventually unite their families.

Amara had met Eli only a handful of times.

She remembered him vaguely.

Tall.

Well-dressed.

Quiet.

Polite enough.

But she couldn't say she knew him.

She didn't know what he liked.

She didn't know what he did when he wasn't attending family events.

She didn't know whether they would even get along outside a formal setting.

And yet people were already discussing them as if their future had been decided.

Amara looked back at the journalist.

"We'll leave family matters to our families."

The room filled with a few restrained laughs.

Her answer gave them nothing.

The communications director quickly moved on to another question.

But the topic had already been planted.

After the conference ended, Amara stepped away from the stage while photographers continued taking pictures.

Several executives approached her.

"Excellent job."

"You handled yourself very well."

"You're becoming quite the public figure."

An older board member shook her hand.

"Your father must be very proud."

Amara smiled politely.

"Thank you."

Another executive laughed.

"Look at how much you've grown. I remember when you used to sit quietly beside your father during meetings."

Amara gave him a small smile.

"I remember."

"And now look at you."

He shook his head approvingly.

"You're more than capable of taking over."

Amara glanced toward her father.

Richard was speaking with two TALE representatives across the room.

One of them was Mr. Han.

Even after all these years, he looked almost exactly the same.

The bald head.

The broad face.

The expensive black suit.

The heavy gold watch on his wrist.

He noticed Amara looking at him and smiled.

He said something to the man standing beside him before walking toward her.

"Amara."

"Mr. Han"

He laughed.

"You've grown so much."

"I've heard that a lot today."

"Because it's true."

He looked toward Richard.

"Your father has done a very good job preparing you."

Amara smiled.

"He's tried."

Mr. Han laughed again.

Then his expression became more serious.

"I hope our families will become even closer in the future."

Amara understood exactly what he meant.

She didn't respond.

There was no point.

She wasn't opposed to Eli.

She simply wasn't interested enough to have an opinion.

If her parents wanted to discuss marriage, they could discuss it.

If they wanted her to meet Eli again, she would meet him.

But she wasn't going to lose sleep over it.

Marriage was not something she had ever planned for at this stage of her life.

Her career was more important.

Her father's company was more important.

And there was still too much she wanted to accomplish before allowing herself to become someone's wife.

Later that afternoon, Amara sat in the back of her father's car as they drove home.

Richard looked over at her.

"You handled yourself well."

"Thank you."

"You know the question about Eli was coming eventually."

"I know."

"And?"

Amara looked out the window.

"And what?"

Richard sighed.

"Do you have any feelings about him?"

She thought about it.

"Not really."

Richard raised an eyebrow.

"Not really?"

"I barely know him."

"He seems like a good young man."

"I'm sure he is."

"And you don't object to the idea?"

Amara shrugged.

"I'm not saying yes. I'm not saying no."

Richard laughed quietly.

"That's very like you."

Amara continued looking through the window.