Can't Win Me Back (Isabella and Nathan)

"Alright then." Victoria knew when to advance and retreat, which made Nathan quite pleased with her understanding.

He pulled her into his embrace and comforted her, "Victoria, for you, I will work hard and reach the top of the pyramid. When that time comes, no one will be able to stop our love."

Victoria looked at him with fervor. "Nathan, I believe in you."

After a long period of decline, the Crown Nathan was returning to the workforce, with the resolve of cutting off a limb to save himself. At the shareholders' meeting, he declared: "In six months, I will lead our new company to a successful IPO.

Given his impressive past achievements, the company's shareholders still had great trust in him and expressed their full support.

Alaric, seeing his effort, slightly softened his previous harshness. He also occasionally returned to the Hill family villa to strengthen ties with Mrs. Hill and even spent a large sum to have Nathan removed from all trending searches.

Nathan's skies, once filled with storms, now calmed, shielded by the support of his benefactor, his father. Everything seemed to be moving in the right direction.

Meanwhile,

Thea's design work had been completed perfectly. The thirty best designs were pushed directly into the production phase. The next priority was to handle the publicity and promotions.

Theo brought in the list of potential collaborators. When Thea saw the major names at the top-*the Browns, the Sanchez, and the Hill family*, all powerful conglomerates her expression darkened. "The Hill family hates me to the bone; they will never cooperate with me," she said coldly and rationally. "And the Sanchez family's core power lies in your father's hands. He favors your brother, so he won't allocate good resources to you."

"The Browns, perhaps we can give it a try."

Theo smiled and corrected her. "Big sis, your analysis is a bit one-sided, but your conclusion is quite sharp."

Thea raised an ear in curiosity. "What's one-sided about it?"

Theo replied, "Businessmen care only for profit, not emotions. The Hill family has Nathan, and the Sanchez family has Guillermo-both of them control the fashion and jewelry industries of their respective families. They share the same business interests as us, so they can't be our partners; they will only be our competitors. That's the real reason we're not seeking their cooperation."

Thea mumbled, "I'm a competitor to him?"

"Yes, big sis, we'll be fighting Nathan head-to-head for a share of the limited market." Thea's gentle and captivating eyes suddenly turned fierce. "So, it's either him or me?" Theo nodded.

"Theodore, I can't lose," Thea declared firmly.

If she couldn't punish Nathan through legal means, she would make sure he faced consequences in ways the law couldn't touch.

Theo said, "Big sis, if you don't want to lose, there's only one choice: cooperate with the Browns."

The Browns, a family notorious for their military-business combination, was a force to be reckoned with. Thea was admittedly intimidated by the rumors surrounding the formidable Mr. Brown, the old man who ruled the political world. But in order to defeat Nathan, she overcame all her fears.

"Is your grandfather... easy to get along with?"

To secure the Browns' collaboration, Thea, who usually rejected shortcuts, surprisingly began to ask Theo for advice on how to navigate relationships.

Theo noticed her nervousness and reassured her. "Big sis, my grandfather's temper may be eccentric, but he's a good person. Besides, he's a softie when it comes to my grandmother."

Suddenly, Thea cupped Theo's face in her hands and studied him. "You're so handsome; you must have inherited your mother's extraordinary beauty. Your grandmother must really like you, right? How about you represent *TheaEver* and negotiate with the Browns?"

Theo smiled charmingly. "Big sis, I'll follow your lead on anything, but not this."

Thea was confused. "Why?"

Theo's eyes twinkled with wisdom. "Big sis, if I step in, everyone will know that I'm the man behind you." Thea furrowed her brow. She couldn't quite figure out why his words felt odd, but after considering them carefully, there didn't seem to be any problem.

"Right, right. I was being silly. You're the boss of the company. Such small matters shouldn't require your involvement."

In the end, Thea decided to take matters into her own hands and personally visit the Browns to meet with the old man.

On a Sunday morning,

Theo unexpectedly returned to the Browns' residence, and Mrs. Brown was overjoyed.

She quickly instructed the chef, "Today my precious grandson is back. Prepare extra dishes for him. I need to make sure he's well-fed."

She also told the butler, "Call Grandpa and tell him Theodore is home. He should come back quickly."

From the moment he entered,

Theo's hand was firmly gripped by his grandmother, as though she feared he might run away. She

pulled him to the sofa and sai net

"Theodore, you rarely come home, so stay and chat with your grandmother."

Theo smiled. “Grandma, don't worry. I'm not in a rush today. We can take our time." Something seemed off.

His grandmother eyed him closely. "You little rascal, what's going on in that head of yours?"

Theo feigned innocence. "I just missed you and Grandpa so much that I couldn't even eat. I came back to see you, and now you're misunderstanding me."

Mrs. Brown laughed joyfully.

"You used to be so introverted, never

willing to talk to anyone. We were all worried you might have autism. Even your mom said that if you didn't meet someone good, your personality might never change."

Her tone suddenly turned melancholic.

"Your mother was once a rare beauty, and all the young men who tried to flirt with her were countless, but she ignored them all. She was deceived by your cold and heartless father..."

Theo silently squeezed his grandmother's hand. "Grandma, my luck will definitely be better than my mom's."

Mrs. Brown forced a smile, suppressing her sadness.

"Theodore, after your grandfather saw you last time, he said your personality had become much livelier. Tell me honestly, have you fallen in love?"

Theo replied, "Grandma, if I have a girl I like, I'll bring her back to you for approval right away."

Mrs. Brown smiled. "That's best. After all, I've eaten more rice than you've walked roads. I can easily see through any girl's intentions with you."

Theo smiled but said nothing.

At that moment, the butler entered with a visiting card.

"Madam, a young lady named Thea has come with a visiting card."

Mrs. Brown muttered, "Thea?"

She waved her hand. "I rarely get to chat with my grandson today, so I won't meet any guests."

But Theo said, "Grandma, Thea and I have such a strong connection. Why not meet her?"

Mrs. Brown was taken aback. "When did you become so sentimental? Alright, since my precious grandson wants to meet her, let her in.'