"Stock prices rise and fall all the time. They've been rising every day. What's so surprising about them dropping? If it drops a bit, so what? Charlotte is not available. What is she doing? She needs to cook and do laundry for me. She's busy!" Charlotte bit into a bun, listening to William answering a call. Astonished, she felt that even Bruce might be unable to handle William's sharp tongue."Don't guilt trip me with our familial ties. If you continue to force me, I'll expose all the disgusting things you've done. Then, it won't end well for everyone. She won't go back. If Grandpa misses us, he can come to Griffith's mansion himself. Me, defiant? Bruce, to tell you the truth, my fists are pretty 'defiant' too."Charlotte looked up at the sky. The little boy had grown up and was strong-minded now. She suddenly felt tearful, feeling that at this moment, she wouldn't be afraid no matter who came to cause trouble.William angrily hung up the phone. Charlotte took her phone back, sigh
When Charlotte went downstairs, she received another call from Bruce and hung up.However, he kept calling persistently, causing her annoyance. After seven or eight calls, a call from Madeline came through."Hey, Madeline.""Are you getting ready for the board meeting?" Madeline asked.Charlotte responded with an affirmative sound."Do you need me to come and help you deal with it?"Charlotte replied, "If you can perform soul possession, I hope you can go for me."Madeline laughed. "It sounds like you're in good spirits.""There's no other way. I'm just unlucky," complained Charlotte."Handle it carefully. You don't need to worry about things at home. I'll handle that," Madeline assured.Charlotte thanked her and hung up.At the dining table, William, Julie, and Li'l Harry sat in a row, each with crab roe soup in front of them. While the younger two were not old enough to fully understand, they could sense something was amiss, their heads drooping solemnly.Li'l Harry poute
"Good afternoon, Director Scott."A series of greetings made Charlotte feel light on her feet and break into a cold sweat at the same time.A voice came from behind as she was about to enter the elevator. "Wait one moment."She turned to see that it was none other than the well-dressed Simon. In times like this, Charlotte felt excited whenever she saw Simon, as if she were meeting an old friend in a foreign land. She almost shed tears. Simon didn't come alone; he brought two secretaries, looking quite official.There were only a few people inside the elevator, as it was reserved for high-level executives. Thus, they spoke openly.Charlotte said, "Why are you here?"Simon, holding a hand against the smooth wall of the elevator, gazed at himself in the mirror."Here to raid Griffith's base. Can't you tell?" Simon turned his head, raised his eyebrows at her, and said, "And you?"Charlotte pointed to the space above her head, "Can't you see the words 'Director Scott'?""Oh…" Simon
Francine claimed to be unwell and didn't attend the meeting; instead, she appointed a professional manager to represent her.As the attendees observed this, they had various thoughts, suspecting whether Francine was considering changing sides. After all, Mariah had Stephen's support, while Charlotte represented Griffith. Stephen was her son, and Griffith was her grandson. With emotions wavering, it was possible that she might switch allegiances.Consequently, the atmosphere in the meeting room grew more cautious.Charlotte, positioned at the head of the table, felt as though she was perched on pins and needles. Mariah had occupied the role of CFO at Wilson Corp for many years, and her tactics and schemes were not something Charlotte could easily contend with, especially without the burden of Michelle's scandal to give her a clear advantage.For hours, Mariah refrained from launching any attacks. Instead, she meticulously reviewed the recent group dynamics and offered potential solu
Mariah had no intention of getting into a pointless argument with Charlotte. Her objective for this meeting was clear-cut: she aimed to bring Charlotte down at any cost, seeking retribution for what had unfolded with Michelle not long ago."Irrespective of my status as a stepmother or any considerations for Wilson Corp, it's unmistakable who has jeopardized the corporation's interests." She scanned the room of shareholders and continued, "I believe everyone has witnessed the current situation and is well aware of it. Francine's age has endowed her with a compassionate heart, which, unfortunately, can lead to irrational decisions for the younger generations. Allowing an individual without management experience to infiltrate the board of directors is unprecedented!"She finally approached the heart of her argument.Charlotte composed herself and took a deep breath, stealing a glance at Arthur. Arthur reciprocated with a supportive smile, as though encouraging her to proceed. Charlotte
Putting aside all other concerns, Charlotte's handling of Michelle's situation had been her initiative, and now it was coming back to haunt her.If Mariah had indeed caught wind of this, it could spell significant trouble for Griffith.The meeting room buzzed with chatter as Mariah pressed on, "Dr. Shepherd possesses the detailed medical records from that day, which can confirm that Mrs. Charlotte was not pregnant."She shot a cold glance at Charlotte and added, "Of course, whether or not she was pregnant, I believe Mrs. Charlotte knows best."Despite the unease churning inside her, Charlotte maintained a composed exterior.She chuckled softly. "What a joke.""Whether it's a joke or not, everyone will discern the truth when Dr. Shepherd arrives and we interrogate him. If you disagree, Mrs. Charlotte, why not present a medical examination report?" Mariah suggested."Those who make claims bear the burden of proof," Charlotte retorted, glancing at her. "Unless you can provide evide
"Madam, please speak with a clear conscience. It was undeniably you who approached me to frame Mariah," Dr. Shepherd said.Mariah's countenance soured momentarily, but her years of cultivating self-control allowed her to maintain composure. She calmly addressed Dr. Shepherd, "The weather is quite warm today; perhaps you're experiencing the effects of heatstroke, leading to confusion. Why don't you take a seat, rest, and let the assistant present the prepared materials?""I...""You just mentioned that physicians possess 'compassionate' hearts. Let's not lose sight of that."Dr. Shepherd's forehead glistened with a thin layer of sweat, and his gaze flitted around as if grappling with a challenging decision.The atmosphere in the meeting room became tense, hovering between somber and cheerful. Charlotte discerned that Mariah was subtly pressuring Dr. Shepherd.Amidst this standoff, commotion from outside disrupted the silence. All heads turned in that direction, and the double door
"Having dinner?" Charlotte asked absently, her attention momentarily drifting. The rhythmic tapping of the man's fingers on the keyboard halted, filling the room with silence.She pursed her lips, nuzzling against the 'pillow,' then turned her gaze toward the remarkably handsome man's eyes. Inhaling deeply, she caught a faint whiff of shampoo from his neck."Griffith..." She mumbled, half wondering if she was in a dream. Glancing out of the window, she realized that night had fallen.What was happening?Lost in thought, a tissue suddenly covered her face."Wipe off your drool."Charlotte exclaimed and promptly sat up, instinctively using the tissue to dab her mouth. Looking down, she found the tissue dry. What drool?Speechless, she turned to give Griffith a cold look.Griffith glanced back at her, and she made a face in response. He hummed softly, his lips curving. It felt like they hadn't seen each other in ages, though it had only been a few days.Charlotte scratched her he
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