Rebirth of the Movie Queen: Mrs. Sinclair, Please Hug Me!-Chapter 474: Win-Win Cooperation

Ariana Lynch’s smile grew deeper as her identity was affirmed. She even went to the rare effort of brewing a pot of tea for Melody Shepherd and filled a cup for her, placing it in front of her.

Melody Shepherd watched Ariana Lynch’s actions with a slight lift of her lips, her eyebrows subtly moving.

"Miss Lynch, I’ll be direct."

"I invited you here this time not for corporate collaboration, but because I want to discuss a private cooperation with you." Melody Shepherd elegantly and slowly lifted her teacup and took a small sip, a gentle, refreshing taste spreading in her mouth.

As soon as Ariana Lynch heard that Melody Shepherd was not talking about corporate cooperation, her smile momentarily froze, but quickly returned to normal.

If Melody Shepherd hadn’t truly caught the subtle shift in Ariana Lynch’s expression, she might have suspected it was just her imagination. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"I’m not sure what Miss Shepherd wants to discuss..." Ariana Lynch held her teacup, looking doubtfully at Melody Shepherd.

"The leader of organization 0347 is your person, right? He was imprisoned by The Sinclair Family for attempting to harm Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair?" Melody Shepherd raised her eyes slightly to look at Ariana Lynch. Her voice was somewhat probing, but her expression was akin to a victorious figure holding the reins of power.

Ariana Lynch shuddered, dropping the teacup onto the table, and tea spilled out, trickling down the table and dripping onto her dress.

"Miss Lynch, are you alright?" Melody Shepherd feigned surprise, exclaimed softly, and quickly stood to fetch some napkins.

"Wait." Ariana Lynch stopped Melody Shepherd’s action just as she stood up.

Though she tried to calm herself, deep down she was immensely tense.

Ariana Lynch’s scrutinizing gaze fell on Melody Shepherd’s face, uncertain about what this woman truly knew and trying to test and lure her instead.

"What do you mean by that, Miss Shepherd? What 0347, who would want to harm Mr. Sinclair? That’s madness!" Ariana Lynch’s face betrayed severe turmoil, giving off an impression of pure innocence and ignorance to those unaware of the truth.

Melody Shepherd had a spectators’ look, even covering her mouth with a slight chuckle: "Miss Lynch, let’s not play theater. I know you are a professional actress."

"I know what you’ve done, and I can help you cover it up. If you keep pretending to be innocent, even Mr. Sinclair will soon find out about your involvement."

Melody Shepherd now stood with her arms crossed, her demeanor one of complete control, her tone laced with the confidence of someone certain of Ariana Lynch’s reactions.

"How do you know? What exactly are you trying to do?" Ariana Lynch saw that Melody Shepherd was not joking, so she ceased her act entirely.

Since the other party knew what she had done but hadn’t revealed it, she must be trying to get something from her.

Melody Shepherd curled her lips a bit, then leaned forward slightly, her red lips slightly parted: "I only want to help you."

"You know, with Elias’s power amidst the personnel shuffle at the Lockwood Group, it won’t stand against him for long. If he finds out you sent someone after his wife, what do you think he’d do?"

"You and the Lockwood Group will likely disappear from this world, or perhaps face a fate of utter devastation..."

Melody Shepherd said this while straightening the teacup Ariana Lynch had dropped and pouring her a fresh cup of tea.

"What do you want? Or what do you want me to do?" Ariana Lynch stared at Melody Shepherd, seemingly trying to read anything from her slightest expression.

Feeling a tightness in her throat, Ariana Lynch picked up her teacup and drained it completely.

She genuinely agreed with Melody Shepherd’s words.

Indeed, from the moment Melody Shepherd mentioned her involvement, Ariana Lynch had envisioned all potential consequences.

Joyce Kramer and Freya Caldwell’s fates were living examples.

Joyce Kramer and Elias Sinclair shared more than five years of school ties, and they worked together for several years. Yet, Mr. Sinclair showed no mercy in kicking her out, cutting off any chance of her working domestically.

As for Freya Caldwell, heiress of the vast Caldwell Group, dispatched to assassinate Quinn Lockwood only to be thrown into the underground casino by Elias Sinclair—her fate unknown—and the once-flourishing Caldwell Group collapsed overnight.

And Ariana Lynch, who hadn’t yet secured her place in the Lockwood Group...

Melody Shepherd took in Ariana Lynch’s expression, then smiled sweetly and elegantly: "Relax, I am just here to discuss collaboration with you."

"I want you to join forces with me against Savannah Lowell."

"She is an overly troublesome presence for me. You don’t need to pay any price or provide any benefits."

"I only want Elias Sinclair." Melody Shepherd leaned back on the chair, a mix of gentle and sweet expressions appearing on her face, like a white lotus blooming in a serene pond, untouched by the mud, beautiful and pure.

"You sure are greedy, wanting me to help you take down Savannah Lowell while monopolizing Mr. Sinclair..." Ariana Lynch raised an eyebrow, snorting inwardly.

No wonder Melody Shepherd could be Mr. Sinclair’s first love and maintain close cooperation for years after breaking up—she’s a tough opponent.

But Quinn Lockwood, that vile woman, indeed had her skills, enough to have such a calculating individual seeking collaboration.

"Going against Savannah Lowell is also your desire, and I’m helping you safeguard The Lockwood Group—it’s a fair deal for you."

"Now, while Elias is recovering from injuries and busy handling company affairs, he can’t focus on investigating you. I can even help you eliminate some evidence."

"Otherwise, with his ability, he’d have traced everything back to you already, and I wouldn’t have had the chance to find you." Melody Shepherd shrugged slightly, implying Ariana Lynch’s luck with raised brows.

Ariana Lynch knew from Melody Shepherd’s words that everything had been arranged before she arrived, allowing her suspicions to rest.

Nevertheless, she remained wary of Melody Shepherd, who had prepared the chessboard without contact—a truly dangerous individual.

But now, the two shared a vessel, and the only way to reach shore swiftly was to row together—if one deviated, neither would ever reach land.