"We're upstairs, Mr. Saladino. If you need any assistance, feel free to reach out to us," Katie said before preparing to leave.Paul expressed his gratitude and instructed his assistant to accompany her. However, the assistant didn't return for a while."This matter can be significant or minor. Your contributions to the company in recent years have been substantial, and I don't see a major issue," Paul reassured them.Just as he finished speaking, a phone call came in. Paul briefly apologized and answered the call. Upon seeing the caller ID, he had an unusual expression. Charlotte and Ava weren't naive; Katie had just left, so they remained on edge. They exchanged glances and suspected it was Paul's assistant calling. The reason for the call would depend on what Katie had said outside the door. After Paul concluded the call, he glanced at Charlotte, making it clear he knew she was Mrs. Wilson.He hung up the phone, his expression slightly strange."Mr. Saladino, regarding this..."
After receiving the call, Paul knew Charlotte's identity and began to weigh his options. Compared to offending Charlotte, he was even more reluctant to offend Katie. After all, Griffith was upstairs.But he didn't expect Griffith to appear in his room a few minutes later."Mr. Wilson."Griffith responded indifferently, saying, "You injured your leg, Mr. Saladino?"Both were sophisticated men, but the weight of their statuses was vastly different. Paul was just an executive of a foreign company, while Griffith was the CEO of the Wilson Corp. The Wilsons held significant influence in the city, and very few could gain face in front of him.Paul was somewhat surprised and quickly replied, "It's just a minor injury. I'll be able to leave the hospital soon."His gaze briefly flickered towards Charlotte's face but then turned to Ava."I also had to trouble Ms. Bishop to come and visit me. I feel ashamed."Ava responded, "You're too kind."Watching Griffith's expression, Paul smiled a
The elevator quickly reached the ground floor. Ava leaned against the wall and sidestepped her way out as the doors opened.Charlotte turned around, put on a forced smile, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Griffith. You've been very helpful. Goodbye, Mr. Griffith." With that, she walked out.Griffith stepped out of the elevator door and grabbed her arm."I'll decide if it's goodbye or not."Charlotte remembered Katie's hypocritical face and felt irritated. She maintained her fake smile and met Griffith's gaze head-on."Try not to smile so grotesquely," he commented.Charlotte pulled her arm away, returned to a neutral expression, and said, "Thank you for your help.""Just a 'thank you' after all this?" he said.After being kept awake by her for half the night, she didn't even say thank you, and now she was dragging him out, displaying this unattractive expression on her face.Charlotte sighed. "Mr. Griffith, let me remind you that if it weren't for Katie meddling, I wouldn't have need
After leaving the hospital, Charlotte went straight to the old mansion. Francine's birthday was in two days, but the house was already bustling with activity. It was different from previous years, and this year was especially lively.Starting from the main gate, she made her way through the garden, passed by the library, and finally arrived at the main house. Not only were there distant relatives from the family but even a few shareholders had come.As she entered, Francine was sitting on a mahogany bench, surrounded by a group of young girls, with Michelle sitting closest to her. When they saw her, the girls fell silent for a moment. Then, one by one, they greeted her out of politeness. Francine beckoned to her. "Charlotte, come here."Charlotte smiled and walked forward, and the others had no choice but to make way for her, allowing her to sit on the right side of Francine. Michelle sat on the other side, her eyes filled with disdain. The others lost interest and quietly dispers
Michelle sneered, "What, do you want to make amends with me?" She crossed her arms, leaned on the railing, and looked down at Charlotte, saying, "Stop dreaming. Let me tell you, you and your lowly friend will not have it easy!""Aren't you afraid I'll tell Grandma?" Charlotte asked.Michelle laughed. "Do you think buttering up that old woman will help? Apart from having some shares and property, what else does she have? Can she stop me from joining the board of directors?"She took a step closer, lowered her voice, and sneered. "Moreover, when I marry into the Lewis family and my father returns, Griffith will sooner or later slink away in disgrace. By then, I'll make the two of you kneel together! And as for your little brother, don't think he can escape either!"Charlotte remained silent, her gaze turning colder. She had no intention of running away, nor did she need to. Having said her piece, Michelle had vented her anger and was in a better mood. Seeing that Charlotte couldn't u
Inside the living room. Griffith sat at the edge of the dining table with an unsightly expression. Charlotte led Ash and Julie to discuss secrets in the bedroom not far away. Griffith closed his eyes and took a deep breath, suppressing his anger.The door opened. Charlotte walked out and left without so much as glancing at him. Griffith was left both speechless and furious with her attitude. Meanwhile, Ash came out of the room, followed by Julie."Julie, bring the dishes out. It's time to eat.""Okay!"The two of them started bustling about.After a while, three large bowls of dishes were placed on the table. Julie picked at her food and Ash ate heartily, but Griffith didn't touch his plate. He was watching Ash."What did she say?" he asked.Ash looked up. "Sorry, young master, I can't tell you."Griffith remained expressionless. "Are you defying me?""Sorry, young master, I have my privacy.""Privacy?""Two people establishing non-public social relationships is normal."Gr
After dinner, Charlotte sat in the living room and sent a message to Simon.Charlotte: [Are you free the day after tomorrow?]Simon replied immediately.Simon: [You're inviting me?]Charlotte: [Yes, I am.]Simon: [Wow.]He called her and casually asked, "Is Griffith going to die?"Charlotte popped a grape into her mouth and replied, "Don't you think it's more exciting to meet up while he's alive?"Simon laughed. "Where are we meeting?""At the Wilson family's old mansion, the day after tomorrow."Simon fell silent."Are you afraid?" she asked.It remained quiet on the other end. After a long while, she started to feel uncertain. "I just had someone check, and Griffith is actually still alive. Are you out of your mind?""Answer me, yes or no?"Simon wasn't stupid. He could tell she was trying to provoke him. However, an invitation that was so obviously suspicious was more intriguing than a straightforward one.He didn't hesitate and replied, "Alright, I'll be there on t
Since Alana's passing, Francine hasn't hosted a grand banquet like this in over a decade. This was the first time in more than ten years.Charlotte sat in the car, observing the people outside. Every one of them was a leader in their respective fields, including both white and black individuals. At a glance, she had the feeling that people from all corners of the world had gathered here.The car stopped in front of the main residence, and she got out of the car with Griffith. Suddenly, she found herself facing a wall of cameras.She froze for a moment, her breath caught in her throat. Then, a hand reached out and covered half of her face, pulling her gently, and she was pressed into someone's chest. A faint fragrance filled her nose, and her forehead touched his chin.In the next second, the camera flashes went off, creating a barrage of blinding lights. Charlotte's body stiffened. She hadn't realized there would be reporters here.Griffith hadn't noticed her unease. She hadn't ap
Tanya's previous full-length mirror was still usable, but because it was small, she had to walk a bit farther every time she used it. Eli had long wanted to replace it.Little did he know, she got rid of many things in the house to make room for the new large sofa for him, including that old full-length mirror."How do you like it? Surprised?" He patted the mirror.Tanya smiled wryly and pointed to the large sofa. "And you? Surprised?" Only then did Eli notice fewer small items in the living room and a large new sofa. He suddenly chuckled. It was quite nice.He thought of her, and she thought of him. This winter was truly warm.Tanya abandoned the egg tart and hugged him again. "Oh no, this mirror is so big. There's nowhere to put it."Eli carried her with one hand and moved the mirror to the corner with the other. Sitting on the sofa, he thought for a moment, then hugged her and said, "Tanya, let's move to a bigger place."Tanya knew he had been thinking about this all along.
Eli found it amusing. He pushed the head of the small money jar and couldn't help but say, "You gold digger! You love money so much, then why did you give the check I gave you to Soraya?"Tanya blinked and chuckled. "I only acquire wealth in the proper way. To be honest…" She pondered for a moment, then turned to look at him. "Probably because, at that time, I was just too fond of you like I am now."Hearing this, Eli felt a pang of heartache and leaned down to kiss her forehead. Tanya smiled, moved the gifts aside, and made some space for him.Just as they were about to talk, Eli's phone vibrated continuously. It turned out that Bridget was sending over the detailed preparation process for the wedding.Tanya scrolled through it and suddenly felt overwhelmed. Eli looked at it and also felt a headache coming. The two glanced at each other, sighed simultaneously, and leaned back.After they publicly disclosed their relationship, life continued as usual but became busier due to the w
Eli being married was shocking enough, but then his wife was hiding right in the office. In the next half hour, Tanya heard wailing from all around.The atmosphere in their office was quite good, and everyone got along well. After coming clean, everyone joked around and teased each other."Nia, don't forget Mr. Ted, he's been cursing at you all along!""Yeah, he's been calling you a fool!""I heard it, I can testify!"Ted was furious and rushed out to hit someone. Tanya followed with laughter.Before leaving work, Amy indeed brought the cake and candies, sharing them with everyone in the building. Thus, the entire group gave them their blessings.From the office to the parking lot, Tanya received blessings. When she got into Eli's car, her heart was still pounding.Eli was happily eating his candy, feeling good. Especially now that he didn't have to sneak around anymore, he even turned the steering wheel effortlessly.Tanya, holding the cake, asked him in surprise, "Were these
Tanya walked out of the room with her guard down and came face to face with Ted's sneaky expression. She paused.Ted gasped, his brain instantly turning blank.He looked at Tanya, covered his mouth with his left hand, and placed his right hand over the left with his eyes gradually widening.God! This was insane!Tanya regained her composure and glanced in Eli's direction. Eli remained calm, glanced at the fruit plate on the table, and said, "Should we take some down to share with your colleagues?"Tanya nodded. She glanced at the still-disheveled Ted and kindly handed him a tangerine."Sir?"Ted swallowed, looked at Tanya, then at Eli. Finally, he settled his gaze on the tangerine in her hand, mechanically accepting it.Tanya turned to look at Eli. 'Look, you've scared my superior.'Eli shrugged."I'm leaving," she said.Eli nodded and escorted her to the door.Ted followed them out and was sent into the elevator by his boss. As the elevator doors closed, he let out a long
The deep blue bedsheet was neatly spread out. But the two pillows lacked pillowcases, exposed in a sorry state.Eli placed his hands on his belt and turned to look at Tanya. "Is this also your doing?"Tanya leaned against the door frame, only poking her head in, smiling sheepishly."I accidentally drooled while sleeping that day and dirtied the pillowcase. Knowing that you're a neat freak, I took them all off to wash," she said. She raised her hand and swore, "The pillowcases have been washed and are in the cabinet at home."Eli wasn't interested in the pillowcases' whereabouts. He remembered when Amy called him, saying Tanya missed him and wanted to touch the sheets and pillows after waking up.Nonsense!He took a deep breath, then turned his head to Tanya with a frightening smile. Tanya realized the danger and tried to run, but he grabbed her by the waist."Hey, what are you doing?" she said.Eli tossed her onto the bed and followed suit."What are you doing?!""Collecting
Tanya sat upright in the office. Eli stood before her with his hands behind his back. "Come on, explain."Tanya's eyes darted around. "Do you believe me? It's because I missed you too much. When I came to your place, I couldn't help but take away everything related to you." Eli scoffed. "Including the toilet paper?"Tanya pondered seriously.Eli tapped the coffee machine and pointed to the plug that had been pulled out, saying, "If the coffee machine wasn't too heavy, would you have taken that too?"'This brat has no conscience at all. Does she even understand what a cold shoulder is?'While he was reminiscing in her room, she made a fortune in his office!Tanya blinked and gave him an embarrassed smile. "If you think about it from another angle, I love you deeply. If we couldn't reconcile and you came back to see all this, you would hate me. Hate represents love, and love means you can't forget me. My obsession is so deep; I want to stay in your heart forever."Eli fell silen
"You should buy something while visiting. Do you have enough money in your account? If not, I will transfer some to you," Mrs. Moran said on the phone.Tanya didn't want money; she just wanted to hear some advice. She knew her parents' financial situation wasn't good. Due to illness, her stepfather had retired from his position as a butler of the Sterling family. Although the Sterlings provided a retirement package, Mr. Moran was getting old, and he had a son. She heard that his son's business had lost a considerable amount of money in recent years. As a stepdaughter, she had already received enough help from them, so how could she ask for more money?During her university days, she didn't ask her family for money. If she could find a part-time job, she would, and if not, she would endure it just to avoid causing her mother trouble."Mom, I don't need money. I have enough."When Mrs. Moran heard this, she felt even more sorry for her.Since her ex-husband was useless, Tanya suffer
After breakfast, Eli called Bridget."Why did you send her a check? Do you have nothing better to do?"Bridget had just arrived home and begun playing poker with a few old friends.She threw out a card, rolled her eyes, and said, "It's the first time I've met my daughter-in-law! What's wrong with giving her some money!"Eli was speechless."Madam, you came up and threw 500,000 dollars just like that. Aren't you afraid of scaring people?""What should I do? Throw 50,000 dollars instead? That's too stingy."Eli was speechless. Holding onto the railing, he glanced downstairs and saw Tanya ironing her coat in the living room."I almost got dumped because you caused a scene," he joked.Bridget threw the cards while chuckling. "It's good to be dumped. With your unruly behavior, someone should make you suffer a bit.""Are you really my mother?""If you still want to be a good son, hurry up and go through the procedures, live a proper life with Tanya, and try to give me a grandson n
"What did Her Majesty tell you?"Tanya nearly lost her composure, fighting back laughter.Bridget said nothing more as she left with Benjamin, leaving Tanya and Eli to return to the apartment. The journey back was silent, with Tanya deep in thought. Upon entering, Eli halted her at the entrance.Exhaling deeply, Tanya reached into her pocket and withdrew a check. Eli's gaze fell upon it, noting it was only for $500,000. As he moved to take it, Tanya tucked it back into her pocket. On the bar, a spread of breakfast awaited them - fried eggs, sausages, fruits, and vegetables. Despite the inviting display, Tanya's attention was on Eli."Don't you want breakfast?"With the situation still unclear, Eli's appetite waned. Nonetheless, knowing Bridget's nature, he remained calm. Seating himself opposite Tanya, he nibbled at a sausage, noticing her lack of interest."Is everything alright?" he asked, concerned.Tanya shook her head.The oversized sandwich Bridget had ordered had already