Married to the Cold CEO

Chapter Sixteen

@SterlingJewelsOfficial: In light of the recent plagiarism scandal—and given that the organizers of the Star Brilliance Jewelry Competition, without even determining the cause, have blacklisted designer Scarlett Brooks—we at Sterling Jewels hereby announce that, effective immediately, any designer who has participated in the Star Brilliance Competition will no longer be eligible for the Century Jewelry Competition, nor will they be considered for employment at Sterling Jewels!

No sooner had Sterling Jewels issued their statement than the Century Jewelry Competition organizers immediately re-posted it.

Scarlett stared at her social media feed in disbelief, her voice almost dry with shock, “Is this... Sterling’s doing?”

Lynn Xi replied coolly, “They’re doing it to help you.”

Scarlett nodded repeatedly, “Of course I know. The Century Competition is the gateway to the World Jewelry Competition, and Sterling Jewels is the company every designer dreams of. This statement from Sterling practically cuts off the Star Brilliance Competition’s future—if this were the entertainment industry, it’d be like a complete ban!”

Lynn Xi glanced at her, “I didn’t expect you to see through it so clearly.”

Scarlett let out a dry laugh. It wasn’t that she saw through it; she was utterly shocked. She never imagined that Maxwell—even though he was angry with her—would be willing to help her counterattack the Star Brilliance officials.

The Star Brilliance Competition, which had once vowed to promote Tiffany as its rising star by blacklisting Scarlett permanently, was now facing a reversal of fortunes. Sterling Jewels had swiftly followed up with their own statement, delivering a powerful blow to the Star Brilliance organizers. It was... incredibly satisfying!

Scarlett couldn’t believe it—Maxwell, who always appeared so hard-edged, actually had a soft spot; a man whose words often belied his true feelings.

Seated at her computer, Scarlett giggled foolishly as Lynn Xi nudged her, “Dumbfounded? Or is there more?”

Scarlett quickly shook her head, her eyes sparkling as she replied, “There’s more!”

Lynn Xi clicked around on her laptop, and Scarlett immediately saw a trending topic. The headline read: “Sterling Jewels Speaks Out Three Times in a Row.” Clicking through, Scarlett saw screenshots from users—one showing a direct rebuttal to the Star Brilliance officials, another announcing that Scarlett would be joining Sterling Jewels with Sterling covering any breach fees from leaving OceanSky, and a third declaring legal action against Tiffany’s two years of infringement.

Reading these posts, Scarlett felt her emotions surge. She knew that without Maxwell’s guidance, none of this would have been possible.

At that moment, Scarlett’s heart was in turmoil. Originally, she had only intended to leverage Maxwell’s influence to free herself from her father’s control, but Maxwell—both overtly and covertly—had assisted her, making her revenge even more perfect.

Then, out of the blue, Lynn Xi asked, “Why is Sterling Jewels suddenly helping you so much?”

Scarlett paused, looked at Lynn Xi, and finally admitted everything.

Lynn Xi narrowed her eyes, “What do you think his motive was for marrying you?”

Scarlett hesitated, “Maybe... perhaps he just found me attractive? After being stood up, he was so angry that he rushed to get married to me?”

Lynn Xi slowly shook her head, “No... I actually think he might have fallen in love with you at first sight. Otherwise, if he had simply married any random woman, why would he help you like this?”

Scarlett was taken aback. “That can’t be—plus, I don’t believe in love at first sight; it’s all just lust!”

Lynn Xi gave her a cool look, “Whether it’s love at first sight or just lust, it means he’s definitely interested in you.”

Lynn Xi’s words left Scarlett’s mind in a whirl—could it really be so?

That afternoon, shortly after parting with Lynn Xi, Scarlett received a call from Maxwell. “My assistant, Travis , will be coming over shortly to help you move—start packing your things.”

Travis was Maxwell’s small-time assistant. Scarlett was startled, “Move? To where?”

Maxwell’s tone turned slightly mocking, “What, do you want to keep living in a hotel with me forever?”

Scarlett immediately shook her head, “No!”

Maxwell snorted, “Then do as I say!”

After saying that, Maxwell hung up. Not long after, Travis called again, but Scarlett, hearing that he was still on duty at Sterling Jewels, decided to return to her family home first.

When she arrived, the house was empty. Scarlett went upstairs to pack her belongings. As soon as she finished and was coming downstairs, her father, William Brooks, walked in, his gaze heavy and disapproving. Standing behind him were her stepmother, Lucy, and Tiffany.

William asked sternly, “What do you think you’re doing?”