Grace nodded slightly. "Yes, I am!"Unbeknownst to them, their conversation was making everyone around them gawk in surprise. The crowd could clearly see Xander's affection for Grace. The intense way he looked at her made them seem like a couple in love. Everyone's curiosity was immediately aroused, especially because the two of them were wearing matching outfits in the same color!"Are they really a couple?" someone in the crowd asked, igniting the flame of gossip at once. Benjamin was standing nearby, and his expression darkened at once. He stared at the two of them, his eyes seeming to burn a hole in them. "Mr. Fulton, have you two met before?" one of Celia's lackeys asked. Xander looked at Grace and said, "Yes, we've known each other for many years."The crowd started whispering again at that. They had known each other for many years?That would mean that they had grown up together!That wasn't unexpected. After all, Grace was the heiress of the Lewis family, which
Xander only stopped when they had reached the end of the corridor. "Go in. The answer is inside." Then, he gently pushed the door open and entered. "Mr. Lewis Senior, I brought Grace."Grace was startled. Following Xander's line of vision, she saw Harold sitting on a chair. "Grandpa!" Grace was happily surprised. She ran over without hesitance and dove into Harold's embrace. "Grandpa, why didn't you tell me that you were coming to Pamore?""I told him to keep it a secret because I wanted to give you a surprise." Hestia's voice rang out, making Grace even more shocked. "Aunt Hestia, you're here too!"Hestia came forward and tweaked Grace's nose. "How could I stay away? We know all about that rousing speech you made to the board of directors!"Grace was embarrassed. "Your bet with Mr. Walker isn't a secret anymore. What do you plan to do next?"Grace stuck out her tongue sheepishly and said, "Work hard and try my best to achieve my goal.""That's great! You're not givin
"Ben!" He hadn't even taken two steps before Celia blocked his path.Benjamin's expression was cold and impatient. "What?"Celia had been mocked by her lackeys for bragging, so she needed Benjamin to help her regain her dignity. As far as she could see, only he could help her. After all, everyone in Pamore had to show respect to their family. "Ben, how's your relationship with Mr. Fulton from Futurelink Corporation?"At the mention of Xander, Benjamin's gaze chilled further, and his lips curled. "I don't know him well, but there's someone who has a pretty good relationship with him."Celia was startled and followed his line of vision. Immediately, she saw Grace and Xander in the crowd. The fire of jealousy flamed up in her immediately, and she clenched her fists. "That bitch, Grace! It's been such a short time since she left you, and now she's getting involved with Futurelink Corporation's president! She's shameless!"Not to mention that it was with a man as outstanding as
Xander's eyes turned colder when he heard Grace. He swirled the highball glass in his hand, making the bright red liquid inside ripple.He had always held a grudge against the Hawkins for how Grace's mother-in-law and sister-in-law had mistreated her."It's nice to meet you, Mr. Fulton!" Celia didn't seem to notice the change in atmosphere and extended her right hand toward Xander.Even after a while, her extended hand received no handshake from him.Somewhat embarrassed, Celia withdrew her hand. "Mr. Fulton, you've become the president of Futurelink Corporation at such a young age. "I'm honored to meet you today and hope that Hawkins Group can have the opportunity to work with Futurelink."Xander smiled, but it didn't seem sincere. "I appreciate the compliments, Ms. Hawkins, but let's skip the collaboration."His response completely humiliated Celia.People around were surprised that the newcomer, Xander, would treat the Hawkins family—the local bigwig—in such a way.They se
After saying that, Xander released Celia, leaving her looking furious."Don't be so smug, Grace. One day, I will kick you out of Pamore and ruin you."Grace found Celia's threat amusing and casually glanced over at Benjamin, who wasn't far away.She then said, "Mr. Hawkins, it seems that Ms. Hawkins has had a bit too much to drink and is talking nonsense. Could you please take her home?"Benjamin approached quickly with an unpleasant expression and grabbed Celia's arm firmly. "Come with me!""Ben! I was just teaching this woman a lesson for you. Why are you dragging me away?""Have you not embarrassed yourself enough?" His words made Celia realize the judging looks people around them were giving her.She felt embarrassed and blushed at her actions earlier.In the end, they left the banquet hall with Benjamin forcefully pulling her away.Once they had left, Xander asked in concern, "Are you okay?"Grace gently shook her head. "I'm fine.""Did she use to bully you like this be
Grace smiled graciously and declined. "There's no need, Ms. Snow. Someone will be picking me up shortly.""Then, I'll walk you to the door." Linda gestured, not giving Grace a chance to refuse.After a nod, Grace left in her high heels.At the entrance, Xander was talking with a few of Futurelink's partners. He casually glanced over and saw Grace approaching them."Alright, then, Mr. Leroy. We'll discuss the new nanotechnology project tomorrow at your office.""Sure, Mr. Fulton. I'll be waiting for you."After seeing the partners off, Xander hurried over to Grace. When he saw her bare shoulders, he took off his coat. "It's cold outside."As he said that, he draped it over her shoulders.As she watched this scene, Linda remained calm on the outside, but she was actually surprised by Xander's unusual tenderness for Grace."My driver is here." Grace spotted the familiar license plate. "I'll see you tomorrow, Xander."Xander made a hum of acknowledgement and waved his hand afte
Just as Grace took her seat, a woman in her early 30s walked in with high heels, wearing black-framed glasses, and exuding a serious air.Holding a stack of folders in her hand, she greeted Benjamin as soon as she entered. "Mr. Hawkins, it's been a while."Hearing that, Benjamin looked up and raised an eyebrow, clearly recognizing her. "Ms. Gardner."Nexa Group's director, Wendy Gardner, nodded slightly and turned toward Grace. Her eyes were filled with undisguised scorn. "This must be Ms. Lewis, right?"Her tone was dripping with disdain.Sensing her hostility, Grace frowned. As far as she knew, she had never met this woman."Hello, I'm Grace Lewis."Grace spoke politely, but Wendy crossed her arms arrogantly. "I know you. You're Mr. Hawkins' ex-wife."As her words fell, the atmosphere in the conference room turned cold."Ms. Lewis, at such a young age, you've managed to secure the position of Amirate's president. It seems your capabilities are quite exceptional. I'm just cur
Wendy couldn't help but think that Grace had strong tactics to have managed to gain Xander's support so quickly. It was no wonder that her cousin, Yvonne, had mentioned Grace's interference in her relationship with Benjamin.She thought, "Yvonne was right. This woman isn't easy to deal with."With these thoughts in mind, she reluctantly humbled herself and quickly offered an apology. "I'm sorry, Mr. Fulton. I shouldn't have said that. Please forgive me."However, Xander replied, "I'm not the one you should apologize to, Ms. Gardner."Wendy was flabbergasted, for she couldn't bring herself to apologize to Grace.In her eyes, it was Grace's fault that the Quines had gone bankrupt and Yvonne had been imprisoned. She had come here today to teach Grace a lesson."Mr. Fulton, I …"Xander stared at her and rhythmically tapped the table with his fingers. The atmosphere in the room became tense. His patience had its limits. Seeing Wendy's hesitation to apologize, he stood up and adju
"Well, it's just that since Mrs. Jarvis introduced me to Ms. Lewis last time, I haven't had the chance to say thanks."The elevator doors opened then, and Dexter left after saying this.…After two hours of emergency treatment, Diana clung to a thread of life. Grace walked out, exhausted, and saw the angry figure of Dexter.Coincidentally, Dexter saw her as well. He turned and called out to her, "Ms. Lewis."Dexter, known for being stern and upright, suddenly smiled, which surprised Grace. "Mr. Hamilton.""You don't need to address me like that outside of work. Just call me by my name."As he had a higher seniority than her, Grace didn't dare be casual. "Are you here visiting a patient?"The weather was nice today. Standing in the sunlight, Grace's complexion was shining, seemingly hovering between youthfulness and freshness. She seemed even more beautiful than the flowers.Dexter suddenly recalled something Orson had said, and his expression darkened momentarily."I must ask
"Mr. Fulton, this.."The guard looked hesitantly at Benjamin lying on the ground and frowned."Isn't this a hospital? He won't die."As Xander said this, he coincidentally met the gaze of a nearby doctor. The doctor flinched and instinctively took a step back."Xander—" Benjamin's call suddenly came from behind as Xander took a step forward."Even if you deal with me, can you handle Alexander?"Benjamin's voice was filled with resentment and self-mockery. He lay flat on his back on the ground, staring at the ceiling. "My elder brother seems to avoid fighting, but if he does, you're no match for him."Xander paused momentarily, then continued to walk away without looking back or responding.Hazel followed closely. "Benjamin doesn't seem to be joking. Could there be a backup plan?""Someone needs to take over to completely deal with the Hawkins family. Let's see if the eldest son of the Hawkins family is willing to step up."As Xander entered the elevator, he coincidentally met
At the entrance, the police saw what was happening and moved to intervene but were stopped. A signal to hold back was given. "Don't worry. Mr. Fulton won't cause any fatalities.""Especially since you dared to make a move against Grace." Xander gave a cold laugh. "She spent a few days in prison, so I'll make sure you repay that a thousand times over.""Xander—"Grace brought this on herself. She even dared to investigate the Hawkins family, to dig into the past of the previous Mrs. Hawkins, to investigate Alexander!" Benjamin endured the pain he felt and was on the verge of a breakdown. "By the way, do you know who Alexander is? And the person he loves the most."Xander's face turned ashen, and he applied more force, causing Benjamin to scream in agony."If you were in my position, you would do the same." Benjamin struggled to speak. "Besides, don't you want Alexander to disappear? Don't you want Grace to be yours and only yours?"Xander remained silent, looking around disdainful
A commotion broke out again outside the hospital room. At the same moment, the medical equipment started beeping urgently. Reina's face turned pale with fright as she threw herself onto Diana. "Di Di! Doctor! Someone come quickly!"In a panic, Grace rushed out and pounded on Cael's office door. "Bed 24, Dr. Simpson! Di Di is not doing well!"Cael immediately hurried over with the nurses.Grace was pushed into a corner by the crowd. She leaned against the wall, her face filled with melancholy. This scene did not escape the eyes of someone hidden in a corner, who also felt a sense of wistfulness.She didn't notice the figure cast long shadows in the light, with her being the sole focus in their view.…Meanwhile, in another building, police stood guard at the hospital room door where Benjamin was confined. His face was haggard and unshaven, and he no longer looked like the well-dressed Benjamin Hawkins.Instead, he resembled a prisoner.Before entering, Xander asked, "What's the
"If it were as usual, working for these wealthy families would keep money in my hands. But after Di Di's incident, our whole family got crushed. Her father wanted to give up, but I couldn't, so we divorced.""When I worked at the Hawkins family, both Mr. Hawkins and Mrs. Hawkins treated me well. Mrs. Hawkins knew about Di Di's situation and kept giving me money, but it was never enough. One day, I accidentally stumbled upon Mr. Hawkins having an affair with Susan…"Reina recalled the past with a look of melancholy on her face. "Susan gave me hush money and promised another payment if I did something for her."Grace had a hunch after hearing this. "She wanted you to frame Mrs. Hawkins, who was pregnant at the time.""I didn't want to." Reina shook her head, clearly pained. "But I have a daughter. I couldn't lose Di Di. I needed that money."Even as a mother herself, she could actually harm Felicia Wilson, Alexander's mother."The Hawkins family is wealthy. If you had told Mrs. Haw
Grace thought about it. So that's what happened."So you had someone beat him up?""I forgot to ask. Which hand did he touch you with?" Xander asked seriously.She thought for a moment. "The left hand? I can't remember exactly.""No problem. Both hands were hit," Xander said casually as if discussing the weather. Grace remembered the content of that video. Orson was clearly heavily injured and beaten mercilessly.Luckily, he got what he deserved. Xander had fiercely avenged her.The coat slipped off, revealing her outfit for the day. Xander glanced at it and said, "You're going out."Grace didn't deny it. She thought of today's matter with Celia. "Benjamin was released for medical treatment. I want to see him."Since it had come to this point, a meeting with him was reasonable.Xander leaned back on the couch, not speaking for a moment, his jaw clenched tight. He seemed to be contemplating something, or perhaps he was angry.Grace couldn't be sure, but she was resolute. "I
An hour later, Xander concluded the negotiations, with the partnership successfully sealed and the contract signed that day.He personally escorted the clients to the elevator and then returned to his office. Hazel approached cautiously with a cup of coffee. "Mr. Fulton.""Speak." Xander didn't look up from his documents."Ms. Lewis came by."He looked up at Hazel, his expression shifting. "Where is she?""She wanted to see you directly, but since the contract wasn't finalized, I didn't dare let her in to disturb you, so I…""I asked where she is."His gaze was icy, cutting her off mid-sentence.Hazel immediately lowered her head. "She's in the lounge."He stood up abruptly and headed straight for the lounge, leaving a stern warning, "If you take matters into your own hands again, resign."Hazel was left stunned.Grace hadn't left. Exhausted from the sleepless night, she lay on Futurelink's large couch, lost in thought.When Xander entered, he saw her fragile figure, as if
"What is it?""Ms. Lewis, I just received news that Orson from the municipal bureau is in trouble…"Grace's expression changed. She had just seen him last night. How could something have happened so suddenly? Her first thought was of Xander.Luke sent her a video.It was night time In the video, the street outside a bar was brightly lit, and neon signs flashed from the tall buildings. The place was bustling with people. The videographer had been capturing the night scene when suddenly, the sound of roaring engines was heard—Orson stepped out of a car, dressed formally, and entered a club discreetly. But within minutes, he was kicked out, landing heavily on the ground.Approaching him were five or six masked men in black, clearly part of an organized group of thugs. Orson screamed in fear, "Who are you?"Two men grabbed him, while the others began beating him badly. His screams echoed through the street, and it was clear they were showing no mercy.Blood pooled on the ground.
With nothing better to do, Grace nodded. "Let's watch."Caleb led her out the door.The leading actress of the film they were heading to was a friend of Caleb's in the industry, which allowed him to visit the set under the guise of catching up. As their car parked at the entrance, they saw a throng of reporters pushing their way inside.Celia wore a hat and mask. She was dragging a suitcase, and she looked disheveled and desperate. "You can't fire me! I'm the second female lead! The film is almost finished! You're breaching the contract!""You caused a scandal. That's the real breach of contract. It's a good thing we're not asking you for damage compensation! Get out, get out!"The staff were shoving her out.Reporters swarmed her. "Celia, how do you respond to the video online?""Is it true you have a sugar daddy?""Celia, Celia!""Shut up!" Celia screamed, her hair a mess. "It's fake, all fake! I'm an actress, how could I do such things?""But the video…"Celia lashed out,