The Legend of Cinderella's Counterattack

The conversation between my stepmother and stepsister was like a bucket of cold water, extinguishing the last shred of hope in my heart. Their cruelty was far beyond my imagination. It turned out that in order to deal with me, they were even colluding with Lawrence Lu's competitors! I clenched my fists, my nails digging deep into my flesh, but I felt no pain.

I returned to the room and saw Lawrence Lu waiting anxiously. I told him what I had overheard, and after hearing it, his face turned extremely grim.

“How dare they…” Lawrence Lu gritted his teeth, his anger evident in his words, “Lolo, don’t worry, I will definitely protect you and won’t let them hurt you in the slightest!”

I shook my head, suppressing the uneasiness in my heart, and said, "Yuxuan, now is not the time to act rashly. We must calm down and think carefully about what to do next."

Lawrence Lu took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down: "You're right, we can't lose our composure. Since they want to play, then we will play with them to the end! I have someone secretly investigate that competitor, and I believe there will be results soon."

For the next few days, we remained calm on the surface, but secretly we were making intensive arrangements. Lu Yuxuan used his connections and resources to gather evidence against his competitors. I pretended to obey my stepmother and stepsister's orders, extracting more information from them.

Everything was going according to our plan, and the scales of victory seemed to be tilting towards us. However, at this moment, an unexpected person appeared and completely disrupted our rhythm.

That day, I was discussing the show venue with my bestie in a cafe when a tall, elegant woman walked right up to us. She was wearing sunglasses that covered most of her face, but from her red lips and delicate makeup, it was clear she was someone who paid close attention to her image.

"Hello, Miss Lin, I'm here to discuss cooperation with you." The woman's voice was low and magnetic, with an irresistible charm.

I was stunned for a moment and asked doubtfully, "Excuse me, who are you..."

The woman took off her sunglasses, revealing a familiar face. My eyes widened, speechless with surprise.

"You are... Sophie?"

Sophie, an internationally renowned fashion designer, has been my idol for years! I've always dreamed of collaborating with her, and to my surprise, she actually came to me!

Sophie smiled and said, "I know you've been through some trouble recently, but I believe these difficulties can't hinder your talent. I hope you can join my team and work together to complete next season's fashion show."

I couldn't believe my ears. Sophie's invitation was undoubtedly a timely help to me! However, before I could respond, Sophie continued:

"Of course, my help is not unconditional. I hope you can work with Mr. Lu to help me deal with someone."

My heart skipped a beat. Could the person Sophie was talking about be...

"Who?" I almost blurted out.

Sophie's lips curled up into a meaningful smile: "Mr. Lu's competitor." Sophie's words were like a bomb, exploding between my bestie and me. My bestie and I looked at each other, and we saw shock and confusion in each other's eyes. Why did Sophie help us? Why did she want to deal with Lu Yuxuan's competitor?

"Ms. Sophie, I don't understand what you mean..." I tried to keep my tone calm, but my hand holding the coffee cup tightened involuntarily.

Sophie elegantly placed her sunglasses on the table, folded her hands in front of her, and stared at me sharply. "Ms. Lin, I believe that neither you nor I are stupid. I have long heard of your talent and potential. And I also have some understanding of your situation. I can help you, and I can also help Mr. Lu, but the premise is that you stand by my side."

"What do I need to do?" My heart began to beat faster. Sophie's proposal was undoubtedly a huge temptation to me, but I knew very well that there is no free lunch in the world, let alone someone like Sophie.

Sophie seemed pleased with my reaction. She smiled faintly. "It's simple. I want you to continue with your design. I will provide you with the best resources and platform to make you the most dazzling star. And you just need to help me fulfill a small wish at the right time."

I took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. Sophie's offer was tempting, but I needed more information. "What do you need from me?"

Sophie didn't answer my question directly. Instead, she turned her gaze out the window and said meaningfully, "Mr. Lu's competitor, what's his name? Oh, right, it's Zhao Tianyu, right? I heard that he's recently preparing a grand fashion show, hoping to use this opportunity to enter the international market. What great ambitions..."

There was a hint of sarcasm in Sophie's words, and I wondered, could it be that Sophie's target was Zhao Tianyu's fashion show? I was about to ask, but Sophie stood up and put her sunglasses back on. "Ms. Lin, I hope you will consider my proposal carefully. I believe that cooperation between us will be a win-win situation."

After saying that, Sophie turned and left the cafe, leaving my best friend and I looking at each other in bewilderment.

"Lolo, what do you think?" My best friend looked at me worriedly. Sophie's appearance made the already complicated situation even more confusing.

I was silent for a moment. Sophie's proposal was undoubtedly a lifeline for me, but it was also fraught with unknown risks. I watched Sophie's retreating figure outside the window and silently made a decision: "Promise her." Sophie's appearance was like fate dropping a crucial piece on the chessboard of my life, instantly changing the course of events. She kept her word, providing me with the best resources and platform. My design drafts, which had been maliciously shelved, finally had a chance to see the light of day and were given new life.

With Sophie's help, my work was shown at international fashion weeks and won numerous accolades. My name also changed from an unknown design assistant to a rising star in the fashion world.

In this war without the smoke of gunpowder, Lu Yuxuan also demonstrated his vigorous business skills. He mobilized all resources to expose Zhao Tianyu's misdeeds to the public and successfully dismantled his business empire.

We fought side by side, like two trees supporting each other in the wind and rain, relying on each other and keeping each other warm. This sudden storm not only did not break us down, but made our relationship stronger and more unbreakable.

I'll always remember how peaceful and happy I felt when I took my bow on the catwalk and saw Lu Yuxuan's proud and doting smile under the spotlight. At that moment, I knew I had won the gamble. I had gambled on my future and our love.

However, just when we thought everything was settled and we could enjoy the joy of victory, a sudden piece of news broke this rare peace.

"What did you say? Zhao Tianyu is missing?" I looked at Lawrence Lu in disbelief, and the coffee cup in my hand almost slipped.

Lawrence Lu nodded solemnly, “Yes, he has been out of contact for several days. The phone is unreachable, there is no one at home, and the people at the company can’t contact him.”

My heart sank, and a wave of unease washed over me. Zhao Tianyu's failure was inevitable. No matter how unwilling he was, he wouldn't just run away. Furthermore, given his character, he wouldn't easily bow to fate.

"Could it be Sophie..." I hesitated to speak, and Sophie's beautiful and mysterious face appeared in my mind.

Lawrence Lu was silent for a moment and shook his head. "I've already sent someone to check on Sophie. She's been abroad recently and has no record of returning. Besides, with her status and position, there's no need to kill off an already defeated opponent."

My brows furrowed tightly. If it wasn't Sophie, then who was behind Zhao Tianyu's disappearance? Was there any connection between his disappearance and everything we'd experienced before?

A strong premonition tells me that Zhao Tianyu's disappearance is no accident. There must be a larger conspiracy behind it, and we may have just touched the tip of the iceberg... In the center of the laboratory, there is a huge glass container, filled with a strange blue liquid. Within the liquid, something is suspended...