Chapter 160 The Blacklist and the Bottle

Chapter 160 The Blacklist and the Bottle
"Madam CEO, should I process the distributor refunds?" Chloe asked, holding her tablet over the stage railing. The question pulled Sarah from her shock.

"Stop, do not process those cancellations!" the supermarket director shouted, rushing forward with outstretched hands.

Sweat dripped down his face. Minutes earlier, this man had demanded lawsuits and accused Zenith Beauty of selling fake formulas. Now, staring at a global superstar, his arrogance turned into desperate panic.

"We made a terrible mistake, Mrs. Quinn," the director pleaded, bowing repeatedly toward the podium. "Our store chains want to double our original wholesale order."

Sarah looked down at him with disgust.

Opportunists had tried to destroy her company the moment Lucy walked out. Now that Yuri stood on the platform, these same retailers wanted to crawl back for profit. The corporate world showed its ugly face.

"Zenith Beauty does not reward cowards," Sarah announced, her voice booming through the sound system. Every reporter in the hall turned their cameras toward her.

"Chloe, refund every single deposit requested today."

"Add a five percent interest penalty to each payment as compensation for their wasted time," Sarah instructed, stepping closer to the stage edge. "Then permanently blacklist every single business that demanded their money back." Future partnerships were completely canceled.

Chloe hesitated, her fingers hovering over the financial ledger. "Madam CEO, five percent interest across all those accounts will cost thousands."

"Execute the transfers immediately," Sarah ordered without looking back.

The digital tablet clicked as Chloe authorized the mass payout. Retailers in the front rows gasped, clutching their receipts in horror. They had lost exclusive distribution rights to the product line.

The supermarket director fell to his knees on the carpeted steps. His retail chain was locked out of the market forever.

Yuri turned away from the groveling merchants, stepping to Sarah's side.

"Mrs. Quinn, where is your husband?" Yuri asked in a low tone. The question cut through the noise of the auditorium. Sarah blinked, realizing Luke had been missing throughout the confrontation.

Chaos on stage had consumed her attention. Now that the crisis had passed, she needed to find him and share the good news.

Sarah pulled her smartphone from her pocket to dial his number.

The heavy backstage curtain parted before her finger touched the screen. Luke walked onto the wooden platform, moving with relaxed steps. His dark suit looked crisp, his hands resting inside his pockets.

Yuri spotted him the instant he stepped into the light. Her shoulders dropped as she began to lower her body into a respectful bow.

Luke shot her a sharp, warning glance across the platform.

The subtle signal caught the singer instantly. Yuri halted, straightening her back before the press noticed. She extended a manicured hand toward him with professional poise.

"Mr. Luke, it is an honor to meet you," Yuri said, keeping her tone light. Flashing cameras captured the polite handshake between the international artist and the quiet company employee.

"Thank you for helping my wife's business today, Miss Yuri," Luke replied, shaking her hand briefly. He spoke with the quiet gratitude of an ordinary husband. The crowd saw nothing beyond a standard greeting.

Helena Frost watched the exchange from her seat in the central VIP box.

The billionaire president kept her arms crossed, her expression cool and motionless. She knew Luke lived under a strict civilian cover to protect his family. Only the Supreme Commander possessed the authority to deploy a global icon on five minutes of notice.

Helena had deliberately kept her distance from Luke during her birthday celebration. Public recognition would expose his true identity to Sarah.

Sarah hurried across the stage, catching Luke by his arm.

"Where were you during all of this?" Sarah asked, searching his eyes with mixed relief and frustration. "The entire launch was about to collapse." Luke smiled gently down at her.

"My stomach acted up," Luke explained smoothly, pointing toward the rear corridor. "The restrooms in the back took longer than expected."

He had prepared the simple excuse before stepping onto the stage, anticipating her exact question.

"You need to tell me before wandering off next time," Sarah scolded softly, though her grip on his sleeve tightened with affection. "Do not disappear during an emergency again." Luke nodded in agreement.

"Understood, Madam CEO," Luke promised, his tone teasing. A quiet nod followed as he stood at her side.

The launch event proceeded with overwhelming success once Yuri took center stage. Product orders flooded the digital network, crashing regional servers. Over half of the multi-million-dollar wholesale bookings came directly from international buyers overseas.

Zenith Beauty had achieved the largest commercial launch in provincial history.

Night arrived across the city hours later. Streetlights flickered along the narrow roads of the downtown entertainment district.

Deep inside a dim basement bar, heavy bass rattled the wooden booths. Smoke hung low beneath amber lights, wrapping around the noisy crowd. Chloe sat alone at the far corner of the counter, slumped over a round barstool.

Her suit jacket hung crookedly across the chair back. Dark circles ringed her red, swollen eyes.

She lifted a small glass, swallowing the amber liquor in one painful gulp.

Muttering into the empty glass, Chloe cursed the broken contract. Alcohol slurred her words as she remembered the morning disaster. "I broke my own heart so that actress could take our stage," she whispered, slamming her small fist against the wood.

The sacrifice had yielded nothing but heartbreak and betrayal. Bitter hatred toward Lucy and that manipulative manager burned inside her chest.

"Bring another bottle over here right now!" Chloe shouted toward the bar staff.

Several customers at nearby tables turned to look at the disorderly woman. Chloe ignored their stares, slamming her empty glass onto the sticky counter. The bartender hurried over, placing a fresh bottle of liquor in front of her.

A sharp vibration suddenly rattled the surface of the wooden table. Her mobile phone lit up inside her open purse, buzzing with an incoming call.

"Who is bothering me.. while I am drinking?" Chloe stammered, pulling the phone out with trembling fingers.

Blurry vision prevented her from focusing on the glowing screen. White letters danced across the glass, showing Zarik's private number. An alcohol-soaked brain could not recognize the glowing contact.

Her heavy thumb dragged clumsily across the red reject button, ending the call on the spot. The mobile display went completely dark.

"Hurry up and pour the drink!" Chloe yelled at the server, pushing her empty tumbler forward.