If Peter hadn't arrived in time, and if Aaron's call had come a little later…Xander didn't dare to think about what would have happened."Why did you come back to Frenda?"Grace held onto his coat tightly as she said softly, "I came to see you.""You came to see me without telling me?" Xander couldn't control his temper. "Do you know what kind of person Sean is? How could you just go in?""I don't know. I just wanted to give you a surprise. Hazel said you were at Fortress, so I came over." Grace felt wronged.Upon seeing her pitiful expression, Xander calmed down at once. He raised the temperature in the car and took off her coat. "Where are you hurt?"She had specially chosen this white dress, but now it was stained with blood. Xander embraced her and carefully checked her for injuries. He was relieved when he found none."The blood is Sean's."Xander tightened his grip around her waist and buried half of his face in her neck. In a muffled voice, he murmured, "I'm sorry."G
Half an hour later, the driver hurriedly returned. "Mr. Fulton, here."He held out a bag. Inside was a white dress, identical to the one Grace was wearing. While she changed, Xander leaned against the car and lit a cigarette.Peter stood respectfully by his side. "The subway project is ready to start at any time. Are we being too impulsive by terminating the contract with Sean?""He's not the only material supplier in Frenda. If not for my respect for the older generation of the Brookes, I would have terminated this contract long ago."Otherwise, Xander wouldn't have been struck by Jake with this move."What about the directors and the committee?""I'll handle them." Xander took a deep drag from his cigarette. "Inform Hazel that she should go to the branch office from today on. There's no need for her to come back to the headquarters."Peter was taken aback. He hadn't expected Hazel to receive such a severe punishment.…The lights were on in Lewis Manor. Xander parked the c
It was widely believed that the future of the Fulton Group rested on Xander's shoulders.In a circle like this, it was rare to find someone who was not corrupt.Xander picked up his cup, the warmth radiating from his fingertips. "I pursued Grace with the intention of having a future with her."One sentence reassured Aaron.When smart people conversed, they just needed a few words to get the whole picture. Aaron seemed satisfied."You must always remember what you said tonight. If Grace ever gets hurt again, I'll hunt you down."Xander gently placed the cup back on the saucer with a soft clink.…The next day, during the morning meeting at Fulton Group, two changes were announced.Firstly, the contract with Brooke Group had been terminated. After the compensation, Brooke Group would be blacklisted. So, they had to select a new material supplier.Secondly, Hazel was demoted for withholding information.These two changes immediately stirred up a storm. No one had expected Hazel
Unable to find common ground in conversation, they decided to play poker instead.Wanting to liven things up, Isla made phone calls inviting more people to join. During the waiting period, Grace filled in for two rounds."Mrs. Brooke isn't answering her phone. Is something wrong?""You don't know? Last night, Mrs. Brooke stormed into Fortress, wielding a knife. It's said that when she arrived, the screens in the lobby were playing a loop of her husband with a woman," Jean recounted excitedly."What video?""You know, that kind."The ladies burst into laughter."Did she offend someone? The Brooke family has a solid background. Isn't this a slap in their face?""Fortress doesn't easily disclose client privacy. Whoever did this must be a big shot."Grace gazed at the cards in her hand, smiling but saying nothing.Bored of the women's chatter, Victor excused himself for some fresh air. He sent a text to Grace. "I'll wait outside. Come out after two rounds."That was her plan,
It was normal that Priscilla didn't know Grace. In this circle, the line between the original wife and the mistress was clear. Men were smart. They knew who could be brought out in front of whom and who couldn't.Although Raymond and Hestia had divorced long ago, he had never given Priscilla a title in all these years. She could only mingle in the circles of these wealthy ladies because of Jake and a lot of money.Others respected her for two reasons. Firstly, because Hestia was aloof and never participated in their activities. Secondly, they speculated whether Jake would ascend to power and hence give her a boost in status."Oh, Aunt Priscilla. I'll address you as you wish for Uncle Raymond's sake," Grace responded casually.It wasn't for Priscilla. It was for Raymond.Priscilla wasn't angry. "I've heard about you from Jake.""What did he say about me?""He said you were the Lewis family's youngest daughter and that you are bold and charming. He really likes you."Grace sudd
Xander knocked on the door, and an attendant opened it. Isla looked up and saw the good-looking man.Xander gestured with his finger, indicating for her not to make a sound.At that moment, Grace had already won over a dozen rounds. Another lady at the table understood the situation well and kept folding her cards. Combined with Grace's sharp wit, Priscilla and Jean were utterly defeated.A pile of chips lay on the table.Priscilla was visibly upset. After finishing the last round, she conceded. "You're really clever, Ms. Lewis. I admit defeat."Even from the back, Grace seemed delighted. "Okay. Losing isn't scary. It's being afraid to admit defeat that's scary. Aunt Priscilla, you need to practice your poker skills."Priscilla remained silent.After collecting the chips, Grace bid farewell and turned to leave. But as she did, she stumbled into a man's arms, hurting her nose. When she looked up, she saw Xander. "Xander?"Everyone looked over.Smiling, Xander gently rubbed
They finally decided on who to work with to supply the raw materials. Before signing the contract, Xander smiled lightly and said, "We will not tolerate any deception or shoddy work for these projects. I won't show mercy if I discover anything wrong." The older man was somewhat intimidated by Xander's presence. He wiped his sweat nervously. "Of course, I understand." With everything settled, Xander rubbed his temples to relieve fatigue. The new secretary handed him a cup of coffee. "Mr. Fulton, the car is ready. Where would you like to go?" Xander's eyes were bloodshot. "I don't drink coffee." The secretary quickly withdrew his hand. "I'll get something else."Xander took his coat and headed out. He didn't want to make things difficult for the secretary. "Forget it. I'm going back to my mother's place." Peter waited by the car, ready to report to him. Xander stopped to a still and unbuttoned his shirt collar, revealing his muscles under the night breeze. "Wha
"Despite the improvement in our performance, the after-sales issues in e-commerce remain our top priority. All departments need to put in more effort to identify and resolve these problems," Grace said calmly, feeling a bit parched.Aaron handed her a glass of water.She mouthed "thank you" to him.Luke waited until everyone finished reporting before speaking, "As the end of the year approaches, it's time to arrange the annual meeting for Amirate Corporation. Ms. Lewis, how do you think we should proceed this year?"When Grace had been with the Hawkins family, she had handled many annual meetings, most of which were very dull. They mainly involved preparing the programs and buttering up to leaders. She thought it was boring, so she suggested, "Since we've done so well this year, why not throw a party and let everyone have some fun?"The video conference immediately buzzed with excitement, "That's a great idea!""What's the theme?" someone asked.Grace pondered for a moment and