The Manipulated Villainess

When the luxurious silver Rolls-Royce Phantom car stopped at the location of the party, it was welcomed by the endless flashing of cameras and reporters. They hold their breath waiting for some famous and powerful person to step out of the lavish car.

A famous potter who was also the only son of the Prime Minister, Leon Jung stepped out of the car dressed like a perfect gentleman. He personally opened the door of the car for Nicole and offer his hand to her. The latter held his hand and stepped out of the car, one leg after another.

The couple walked towards the luxurious villa where the party will be held. Unfazed by all the continuous flashing of cameras and questions of the reporters, they calmly entered the villa, clinging their arms like a perfect couple.

It had been a few minutes since the lavish party started. Most of the powerful people in the country were present in the villa. From businessmen and businesswomen, politicians, celebrities and world-renowned musicians; the party had everything.

"Hey, dude! Have you ever seen that woman?" One young man who was at the party said to his friend. He was holding a glass of wine in his hand but tried hard not to drink it. If he gets himself drunk at this important party, he knows that he will surely regret it.

"Who?" Aston Kang eyes flew to the direction where his friend was looking at. When he saw a beautiful woman in a light blue gown, he raised a brow. "Are you interested in her? But it seems like she is taken." He pointed out the fact that there was a man next to the woman in question. They seemed to be a happy couple.

Samuel Yoo sigh at his friend. "It's not like that. How come you didn't know her? She's the Chairwoman of Yang Group, Nicole Yang. She is very well-known in the entertainment industry."

Aston Kang keenly scanned the woman one more time. Chairwoman? But she looked so young! He had never known a Chairwoman as young as her!

"She looks like she's younger than me." He commented without much thought.

Samuel Yoo resists the urge to roll his eyes at his lazy friend. "This is why I always tell you to pay more attention to other people. That woman is indeed the Chairwoman but she's only 25. I read it in an article."

Aston Kang eyes didn't leave the young Chairwoman for the whole time. It's not that he was interested but he had some doubt. A very strange one on top of that. He watched the woman's action for a while. The way she behaved, the way she talked and the way she smiled; he examined them all.

"What did you know about her?" Aston Kang asked his friend. He drank the glass of champagne on his hand but his gaze was still rooted to the young woman.

Samuel Yoo recalled the things he read about the Chairwoman. "She's Nicole Yang, the youngest Chairwoman in the country. The step-daughter of the Minister of Justice and the fiancee of Leon Jung, who is the only son of the Prime Minister. That's all I know."

When Samuel Yoo saw the woman's fiancee, he realized one thing. "Ah! I remember. The media labelled them as the most powerful couple who are under 30. They always create a huge buzz whenever they appeared before the public." He concluded.

After hearing out his friend, Aston Kang reluctantly brushed off the strange thought that occupied his mind. Such a successful and powerful woman won't have such worries. He turned his head away from the woman and instead focus on the party. He attends the party as the long time face of K Group anyway.

After hanging around the party for half an hour, Aston Kang leaves the party room and stepped outside for some air. Though he was an actor and a public figure for a few years now, he still hates crowded place. It always suffocates him but he can't avoid it completely. It was a part of his job.

He walked towards a small garden located next to the party room, hoping that nature could help him feel better. The moment he entered the small garden, his eyes landed on the familiar face who was sitting on a bench before a small tree. It's that young Chairwoman.

When he had a clear look at her, he noticed that she was in some trouble. The back of her dress was caught up with a branch of the small tree and the young Chairwoman seems to have trouble with freeing her dress from the branch of the tree. She cannot see it which made the task harder for her.

Aston Kang stood still on his place as the strange feeling resurfaced in his mind. While he was troubled by his thoughts, the woman's voice aroused him.

"Excuse me. I have a little trouble here. Can you please help me out?" Nicole Yang pointed the tree branch and look at him. She was never the type to speak to strangers but she didn't have a choice. She was already stuck there for minutes and she also can't afford to ruin her dress as the party was not over yet.

Aston Kang walked towards her without saying anything and release her dress from the branch of the tree.

"Thank you." Nicole Yang said to him with a slight smile.

When Aston saw her slight smile, he felt something strange inside him. Was he not wrong? Why did the smile seem different?

"Can I sit here?" The words unconsciously slipped from his mouth. He immediately pursed his lips the next second.

"Of course." Nicole Yang was a bit taken aback by the man's action. He didn't even respond when she thanked him but he instead asked to sit next to her. How strange.

The atmosphere was a bit cold due to the rain that pours in the evening. Nicole was feeling cold with only a half sleeve gown. She embraced her body and rubbed her arms repeatedly until the man next to him suddenly offers his coat to her.

"You can wear it. Unlike you, I don't feel cold." The man's voice was surprisingly warm.

Nicole Yang blankly stared at the man though the latter offered him a jacket with extending his arms. When she didn't bother to move, Aston Kang rose from his seat and covered her with his coat.

"Don't worry. This means nothing. I'm a man and I can't turn a blind eye when a woman shivered just beside me." He explained.

Nicole Yang decided to accept the man's kindness as she was in need anyway. She quietly sits on the bench and gazed at the stars. The mesmerizing glow of the stars provided her a little comfort.

Aston Kang tilted his head to her and fixed his gaze on her. He can't resist the urge to speak out anymore. "I heard from my friend that you are the youngest and successful Chairwoman. Then, are you happy?" He finally said the things that were on his mind.....