Jeremiah hurriedly walked over with a smile. "Oh! Ms. Chloe, you're punctual!"It seemed like he was in charge of hospitality today, just like when Chad took the lead in hosting me.It amused me. These so-called cousins had no shame in repeating the same mistakes. It looked like Jeremiah was going to follow in Chad's footsteps today.There was no way around it. What could I do when they just never learned?I looked closer. Four people were seated around a round table.In the main seat was Martin, and next to him was Chad. There was also someone I didn't recognize, but I figured he was one of their associates.Jeremiah was pleased to see that I was punctual. He had efficiently handled things and successfully invited me. Moreover, I had come alone."Ms. Chloe, I must introduce you to these people now that you're in Bourdamun." Jeremiah approached me, extending his hand.Without looking at him, I walked straight inside to the round table. I glanced at the people at the table and
I calmly replied, “Mr. Martin, do you have other intentions?”“Haha… I have no ill intentions, Ms. Chloe. I want to express my hospitality, especially since I’ve always had a soft spot for beautiful women like you.”“You’ve flattered me enough, Mr. Martin. What did you want to discuss?”“Jeremiah, tell them to serve the food. We can chat while dining,” Martin ordered. “Ms. Chloe, you’ve been discussing business all day, so you must be hungry. Let’s eat first and then talk later.”He had a gentle expression, as if he were my old friend.Jeremiah rushed to the door and signaled a waiter to bring the food. I took my bag, rummaged through it, and casually turned on my recording pen.I noticed Martin watching me, so I took a pack of wet wipes and placed it on the table to avoid suspicion. Immediately after, I calmly put my bag behind my chair.I pulled out a wet wipe and wiped my hands, but Jeremiah seemed dissatisfied. “What is the meaning of this, Ms. Chloe?”I looked at him and f
As their displeasure grew, I maintained my composure. "What's wrong? Did I say something inappropriate?"Martin’s face darkened. He was quite unpredictable.Jeremiah felt compelled to intervene. "Ms. Chloe, this is Bourdamun, not Foswood. Don't—"Before he could finish, Martin slammed the table. He yelled at Jeremiah, "Who do you think you are? Do you have the right to speak here? Don't pretend to be something you're not!"I shivered at his sudden outburst and involuntarily looked at Martin. I could tell that his words were actually aimed at me. Martin was quite arrogant.The room fell silent. The other three dared not breathe, and my heart raced.I chuckled, breaking the tension. Leaning back in my chair, I glanced casually at Martin and remarked, "Looks like you have quite the temper, Mr. Martin."He raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. He’s short-tempered."I forced a strained smile. "It seems dinner isn't coming." The unidentified man
Jake spoke again, "After signing the agreement with us, the contract for Bourdamun's new district will be handed over to you for construction, Ms. Chloe."My heart skipped a beat. He finally said it. I pretended to hesitate and said, "So, you mean I'll be signing the contract with Mr. Martin for this project?"Jake burst into laughter. "Martin, see? Ms. Chloe is a smart person."Martin chuckled, too. "I can assure you, Ms. Chloe, that there won't be any obstacles for you in Bourdamun. This collaboration can go smoothly.""So, if I don't sign this contract with Mr. Martin, I'll be stuck?" I smiled comfortably. "Mr. Martin, are you trying to scare me?"Jake grinned meaningfully. "Absolutely not!"I glared at him, silently cursing. He boldly treated this project as if it were theirs and treated me like a puppet.This time, I looked at Martin. "Does this mean I'm taking over a second-hand contract?" "You can't put it that way. This is your guarantee in Bourdamun, and..." Martin pa
I was at a loss as I looked at Kimberly, mainly because I had never dealt with someone like her. I initially thought Trinity would match Kimberly’s description. However, I realized Trinity was much more sophisticated than what I had imagined after the real showdown.The woman before me was an actual troublemaker. She noticed me lost in my thoughts and tapped her spoon on my plate, saying, “I’m talking about you! Stop looking so indifferent!”“Kim!” Martin reprimanded her.Kimberly rolled her eyes and pursed her lips before continuing to eat.Jake intervened, “The dishes are finally here, Ms. Chloe. Please, have some.”Martin put aside his act and said, “Ms. Chloe, let’s talk while we eat.”I glanced at Kimberly, and no longer had an appetite. It felt like I would be eating someone else’s leftovers. I calmly said, “I’m sorry, everyone, but I don’t have much of an appetite. Please proceed with eating.”My words offended Kimberly. She stared at me and asked, “What do you mean by th
I looked toward the source of the familiar voice I thought I would never hear at this moment. I was shocked when he appeared. Atlas approached in his well-tailored suit with the stern-looking Dylan behind him.The once-arrogant Kimberly now looked dumbfounded. She gawked, captivated by Atlas’s presence. She had forgotten everything while staring at him.Atlas extended his hand to me, and I instinctively held it. His expression was cold as he said, “We don’t have to continue this discussion if it’s unpleasant. No one can stop me from doing what I want.”Martin was initially stunned by Atlas’s sudden appearance. He only returned to his senses after seeing Atlas pulling me into his embrace. Martin’s expression darkened, and a standoff seemed imminent.“That statement might be exaggerated, sir.” Apparently, Martin didn’t recognize Atlas. “No one has dared to speak so boldly in my presence.”Atlas’s reply was imposing, “You’ll hear it a lot more from now on.”Meanwhile, Chad whispered
Upon hearing Martin’s words, Atlas’s expression brightened. He turned and strode toward the table, but his tone lacked warmth as he said, “What rules?”Martin stood up and glared at Atlas. The former gritted his teeth and feigned composure, saying, “The rules of Bourdamun and the Terrels.”“Unfortunately, you can’t represent Bourdamun, and your family’s rules can’t constrain me.” Atlas was firm, and the glint in his eyes made Martin uneasy.The man before Martin exerted immense pressure.Jeremiah was eager to protect Martin, stepping forward and pointing at me. “Chloe, you ungrateful bitch! You don’t appreciate kindness, do you? Since you’ve come here, it won’t be so easy to leave.”He suddenly grabbed my wrist. A moment later, Atlas snatched a fork from Kimberly and jabbed it into Jeremiah’s hand.Jeremiah squealed and instantly released my wrist. He clutched his hand in terror, with blood flowing from his wound. He looked at Atlas fearfully and retreated.“What made you think
Dylan smirked upon hearing Martin’s words. The former exclaimed, “Come in!”A squad of cops entered and lifted Martin’s injured men off the ground. Dylan handed a stack of documents to the squad leader, saying, “These are the evidence of their crimes in Bourdamun over the years and the list of the injured. The detailed process of the incidents is all there.”Martin finally understood the true meaning of fear at that moment. “Atlas, you… Brandon, who authorized you to come here? Why didn’t anyone inform me?”“Sorry, Martin, this is an order from the people above. You have no right to question them.” Brandon, the squad leader, did not even glance at Martin.“Fine. You ungrateful little—”“Take him away!” Brandon interrupted, sensing Martin might speak further. He could not allow Martin to blabber because he knew how scary Atlas could be.“How dare you?!” Martin roared, “My father is still in the hospital, and I must tend to him!”“Your father is not at the hospital but at the stat