I looked at her helplessly, seeing her aggrieved look."How am I the bad guy?" I asked, puzzled."Ah! If he gives me a way out, should I just take it? Do you think I’m that cheap? Am I really what people say I am? Am I just a pushover?" Lauren said indignantly.I could only say that I wasn't her and couldn't fully understand her feelings and current state of mind.But I thought, sometimes, you just need an olive branch.Just as I was thinking that, I heard someone talking at the door. The office door burst open, and Ivanna rushed in.She exclaimed, "This has become an internet sensation. The whole place downstairs is filled with reporters."After finishing her sentence, Ivanna noticed Lauren sitting on the sofa, looking dejected. She asked, "Why are you here so early? Isn't it—?"That sentence immediately drew a sharp gaze from Lauren.Ivanna added belatedly, "I didn't mean anything. I just thought you must have reconciled by now."She awkwardly chuckled and coughed. "That's
She couldn’t bear to revisit all those haunting memories and overcome the hurdles in her heart.Oliver had complied with all her requests, giving her exactly what she needed. Honestly, only he could give her that. Lauren had become accustomed to the lifestyle she shared with him. How could she forget all that?"That settles it! What I mean is, you can play it cool, but make sure to handle it delicately. Don't let Oliver waste all the effort he’s put in and make him think you've already made up your mind to leave. That would be a loss for you," Ivanna spoke the absolute truth, which was precisely what I was concerned about."Ivanna’s right, Lauren. There's a balance in everything. You really need to navigate this carefully," I added."There's a time for everything in life. If he can't endure this, it’ll mean he's not sincere. So why force it?" Lauren set down the cup in her hands.Ivanna and I were left speechless.After a moment of silence, I asked, "Didn’t he catch up with y
I sighed as I put down my phone. Ivanna looked at me."We need to come up with a plan to reconcile those two. They need to patch things up and move on with their lives. I can’t stand seeing them like this. They're not getting any younger, and if we delay things further, Lauren might end up an old hag."I chuckled. "You're quite something. You’ve thought so far ahead.""Well, what do you think? Doesn't Lauren want children?" Ivanna said.I nodded. Lauren had mentioned it. It was a sensitive topic for her."If you think about it, Oliver is still a man, and he and Lauren are a good match. Let's not forget, they were doing well together before. They were always in the public eye and widely accepted. We can't just watch them fall apart like this."I nodded."We should think of a solution. But Oliver needs to step up too! To be honest, Lauren's not wrong at all. What he did back then was very hurtful," I added."Well, better late than never," Ivanna remarked.At that moment, Eleanor
I needed to hurry and finalize all this so it wouldn't affect any upcoming events. After all, David had already called for me twice, and I feared he might want to meet sometime soon. That could potentially cause a delay.To my surprise, Dominic actually arrived at the company with Fred. They had taken the same flight.In fact, they had met once before. This time, they had bumped into each other on their flight to Foswood.Dominic told me about it only after boarding the plane, which pleasantly surprised me.Plans changed fast, indeed.They were dedicated men, and we reached Bourdamun the same evening.Before leaving, I called Atlas, who was supportive and assured me he would return home on time to spend time with the kids. I felt relieved.Lauren came to Bourdamun with me to help manage the itinerary.On the way there, I received a call from Arnold, adding more certainty to my plans. I instructed him to stay at Pleca Park and, if possible, invite Rose to stay over. Since our
I felt more confident after my discussion with executives from the two nearby cities the day before. We needed influential people to join us if we wanted to expand the company. Their presence would enhance the company's strength and credibility, and they’d help the company management as well.It had been a long-standing wish of mine to invite Dominic to join us.He didn't immediately answer my question.These two men had different inspection targets and criteria. Fred was interested in the architectural area of Bourdamun, while Dominic had a broader perspective. He was interested in overall planning, future urban capacity, differences and similarities with the old city, and material-related matters. It was clear that he was keen on what I had to offer.We stayed in Bourdamun for two full days before preparing to return to Foswood.As it was late, Lauren suggested staying in Bourdamun and returning to Foswood the next morning.Lauren had booked a table at the distinctive Duca
My gaze met the dark eyes of a man seated at a table across from us.The young man sitting there didn't shy away from our eye contact, and I had no intention of avoiding it either.He looked handsome in a fresh way, with a square face and well-defined features. However, those deep eyes were like the bottom of a pond. They were dark and seemingly calm, but shrouded in mystery.I studied his face for a moment, feeling a sense of deja vu. But I was sure I didn't know him.Lauren called my name, and I quickly turned to her. She asked, "Do you want to go to the cafe here after dinner?"I looked at Dominic and asked, "Mr. Dominic, would you like to take a stroll to the cafe later?""No, I'm not used to drinking tea. You guys go ahead. I'll head back to rest," he said, decisively declining my invitation.I wasn't surprised at all. After all, he was a scholar, and such social events didn't interest him."How about Mr. Fred? Anything you'd like to discuss with me?" I suggested, looking
The familiar face turned out to be none other than Oliver, accompanied by Noah.It seemed that Noah had close ties with Oliver, which was not out of the ordinary. After all, the construction of New Bourdamun required substantial funding. These two were closely connected.Oliver didn't appear surprised to see us. Perhaps it was due to familiarity, but he didn't shy away and kept his eyes fixed on Lauren's face.However, I also noticed that Oliver's eyes wouldn't stray to anyone else as long as Lauren was present.I introduced Dominic and Fred to them.Noah warmly said, "Let's go together."After a round of laughter, we all headed toward the hotel. Oliver naturally stood beside Lauren.Although they walked together in silence without much conversation, I knew this might be the opportunity Oliver had been waiting for.At the hotel entrance, Noah bid farewell, and Dominic went back to his room to rest.I had matters to discuss with Fred, and Lauren quickly said, "I'll go back to
I spoke frankly to Fred, "You know your brother. He's a person without principles and insatiable."Fred leaned back on the couch. "You're right. I used to give him some leeway because of Grandpa. After all, Grandpa is getting old, and his heart isn't in great shape. This year, he even experienced symptoms of a stroke. I've always been afraid that he wouldn't be able to handle a shock."So, I've been indecisive. I never really dealt with Hugo. It's just warning after warning, but he kept getting worse. Plus, his mother is always instigating him behind the scenes. She supports him in deceiving Grandpa."I could completely imagine that situation."In reality, Grandpa knows everything. What Hugo wants is not the factory. It's the shares in Grandpa's hands. To achieve this, he recently got involved with a pregnant woman as another part of his scheme. "Before I came, Grandpa was hospitalized again. I suspect that this time, Grandpa's hospitalization isn't that simple." Fred looked