Grace didn't give Xander a direct answer, but it was already written all over her face.Without hesitation, Xander stepped forward and pressed the intercom. "Have Ms. Snow from the sales department come to my office.""Yes, Mr. Fulton.""Also, get a few security guards over here.""Yes, Mr. Fulton."Grace sat on the couch without saying a word.In just five minutes, Linda hurriedly arrived and pushed open the door. "Mr. Fulton, did you ask for me?"As her words fell, she noticed Grace sitting on the couch. She was momentarily distracted, but quickly composed herself.However, this subtle change didn't escape Xander's notice.Hestia had mentioned before that Linda, despite her innocent appearance, wasn't as pure as she seemed.That was why she had been forcibly transferred from the president's office to the sales department as a manager.Xander had initially thought his mother might be biased against Linda, but now it seemed there was some truth to it."Ms. Snow, I need an e
Grace lifted her gaze and met Xander's eyes. As their eyes locked, she could see her reflection clearly."Happy birthday, Xander."Xander smiled affectionately and reached out to ruffle her hair. "Thank you."Grace quickly got up and walked to the desk. Clearing away the previous gloom, she lifted the birthday cake as though she were presenting a treasure to Xander."I made this cake, Xander. Make sure to finish it."Smiling, Xander looked at her and replied, "Okay."Grace opened the cake and put some candles on it. After she lit them with a lighter, she sang softly, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you …"Xander, make a wish."Xander stared at her face and then slowly closed his eyes. He clasped his hands together and made a wish. When he opened his eyes, she was standing in front of him.In sync, the two of them blew out the candles.Grace handed the knife to Xander. "Here, Xander. The first cut must be made by the birthday boy."In the past, Xander had had many f
Benjamin sat in the car, staring at Grace through the car window, not daring to approach.After some time, Grace and Xander finished their dinner happily. Then, they paid the bill and left.Benjamin witnessed their whole interaction. Even when they had disappeared from his sight, he still hadn't come back to his senses.Just then, his phone rang again. On the other end, Susan sounded somewhat angry. "Benjamin, where are you? Ms. Carter waited for you for so long and didn't see you. Do you know—"Benjamin hung up on her again and turned his phone off before throwing it out of the window. He then immediately started the car and drove away.…In a private club, Frederick was enjoying himself. But the next moment, the door of the private room was suddenly pushed open."Who the hell doesn't know—" Before he could finish his sentence, he met Benjamin's eyes.He quickly swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue and asked, "Bro, what brought you to me today?"Benjamin hadn't been t
Benjamin smiled, seemingly knowing what to do. "Thanks, bro."With that, Benjamin stood up and left, leaving Frederick puzzled.…Early the next morning, Grace arrived at the office. It was the semi-annual board meeting. All of Amirate's directors and top executives had already gathered in the top-floor conference room.As soon as she entered the office, Luke handed Grace a document, saying, "Ms. Lewis, this is the financial statement for the past six months and the financial accounting for the same period."In the first half of the year, our company has accumulated profits that have already surpassed last year's total profit by 10%," Luke said with obvious excitement.They had not only achieved last year's annual performance but also exceeded it by 10%. This would be a significant accomplishment for any leader, but Grace had achieved it in just half a year."Ms. Lewis, if we present this data to the old folks on the board, they will surely admire and respect you. Your bet with
The conference room door opened, and Grace walked in. As soon as she appeared, the room fell silent.All eyes focused on her until she took her seat at the head of the table.Beside her, Samuel said with a smile, "Ms. Lewis, you've worked hard during this period."Grace looked at him and smiled in return. "You're too kind, Director Walker. It's all for the sake of the company."Samuel chuckled awkwardly. "Since you're here, let's start our meeting."At his words, everyone nodded, as though Samuel were in charge.Though Grace noticed it, her expression didn't give away anything.After a pause, she continued, "In the first half of the year, the company undertook many projects, all of which achieved good results. Now, let each project manager provide a summary—"Before she could finish speaking, a director interrupted."Ms. Lewis, since today is the semi-annual board meeting, I believe everyone has already seen the financial statements for the first half of the year. Why don't we
Seeing that Luke's words had served their purpose, Grace timely stopped him.She spoke calmly. "There's still half a year to go. Please be patient. When the time comes, everything will be clear. We'll know who's the winner by then."Samuel nodded cooperatively. "Ms. Lewis is right. It isn't time yet. Everything is still uncertain. Let's look forward to the good news Ms. Lewis will bring us."Though the other directors weren't optimistic about Grace, they echoed Samuel's words."We'll look forward to your good news, Ms. Lewis.""We hope you won't disappoint us.""But if you do lose the bet, you should be willing to accept it and step down sooner."Grace scanned the room. She knew that the current board was corrupted, and most of them listened to Samuel. It was clear that Samuel was their central figure.To rectify the situation with the board of directors, she needed to start by dealing with Samuel.Once the meeting was over, a group of people approached Samuel as soon as Grace
After Grace finished speaking, she gestured to Luke. "Bring all the documents for the new projects we're considering."Seeing Grace so composed, Luke also calmed down. "Yes, Ms. Lewis. I'll get them right away."In a short while, he returned with a stack of files.He flipped through the most recent projects worth considering and handed them to Grace. "Ms. Lewis, these projects are all promising. Take a look.""Put them there."Grace casually took a file and carefully examined it. Soon, she pointed to one of the projects in it. "This acquisition case seems to have room for negotiation."Luke had also noticed that project. "Ms. Lewis, the feedback from the evaluation team for this project isn't bad. But all their factories are on an island. If we decide to work with them, we may need to visit the island for inspection."Grace thought for a moment and asked, "Where's the island?""It's in Azure Bay, about 186 miles along the west coast of the city. If we want to inspect them, we'l
The group greeted Grace loudly, startling her. Puzzled, she looked at them. "Max, what's going on?"Max patted his stomach, comfortably sitting on the couch. "Ms. Lewis, we came over to see you."Hearing his answer, Grace felt speechless.She spoke straightforwardly. "You won't come without a reason. Spit it. What's the matter?" Max quickly moved closer to Grace, looking very eager to please her. "You're indeed smart, Ms. Lewis."He continued, "Well, I've been studying chess recently and figured out some new tricks. I just wanted to find an opportunity to play a round with you."Grace raised an eyebrow and asked, "Youre here just for this?"Max nodded repeatedly.Since losing to Grace last time, he had accepted defeat, but his desire to win against her had intensified.So he had been practicing at home during this time, and now he had found a chance to come and go against Grace."Ms. Lewis, can you give me a chance?"Max looked at her pleadingly, showing no signs of a gangs
"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,