Elliot smiled, “That’s not the case here.”Hamish also smiled and added, “He just wanted to show how much of a gentleman he is. Don’t worry about it, Janine. Let's give him a chance to do just that.”Janine grinned and looked at Elliot, “Well. Don’t mind if I do. I’d hate to hear you claiming that I asked you out just to make you pay for lunch.” She proceeded to order more dishes.He gave her a sidelong glance. “We’re business partners. Don’t you think it’s only right that I buy you lunch?”Her smile grew wider. “You know just what to say, Elliot. As a matter of fact, I’ve gone over the details with Hamish and we’ve finalized most of them. I merely wanted to see you in person today.”He responded calmly, “Since you asked to see me, I just had to accept the invitation to show you how serious we are with this collaboration. Truth be told, you’ll have to finalize the remaining details with Hamish. I’ve always been behind the scenes. So, I’m not very good when it comes to this stuff
Wylie sat across from him and said timidly, “Did you meet up with my sister for the collaboration today, Elliot?”He responded, “Yeah.”She asked hastily, “Is Prosper Peak Ventures going to develop a mobile game with Shaw Corporation?”“Mm-hmm.” He said casually again.His indifferent tone didn’t bother her. This was just temporary. They'd have more chances to be together if she could be in charge of the collaboration. Who was to say that he wouldn’t fall for her all over again?She decided to go with the proven method and adopt the persona of a lady who needed his help and protection. That was what he liked in the past. With measured precaution, she asked, “Um. Can you persuade Shaw Corporation to let me oversee this project, Elliot?”His brows furrowed at that. He was already trying to keep a distance from her. On top of that, she had barely spent any time in the company. What did she know about leading a team and developing a mobile game?“Do you know how to develop a mobile
Phoebe couldn’t help but smile/ “Given the inspiring speech you gave earlier, I don’t think you think much of men.”Pouting, Sophia said, “I’m married while you’re single. How is it the same for both of us? Furthermore, Elliot hasn’t done anything wrong to me. If I step over the line and fool around with men, then that’d be a massive disrespect to him.“Elliot once said that being in love is promising your partner that you’ll love him, while marrying one another is swearing you’ll never love another person. I might envy the kind of lifestyle Xena has, but I’m not going to squander my marriage unless I’m single again someday. Just like you.”Phoebe stared at Sophia. She felt as if she was seeing a side of Sophia she had never known was there. Sophia had always been a quirky, intelligent lady to her. Needless to say, Sophia was a little arrogant too, but in a cute way. So, imagine her surprise when Sophia uttered something this mature and philosophical. Just what did Sophia go throu
Chuck’s face grew dark. “Do you have to be so nasty, Sophia? I know you blame me for what happened all those years ago. We were young back then, after all. It was just a stupid joke. Do you have to hold on to your grudge for so long?”Sophia sneered. “I think you’re overthinking it. Scumbags like you don’t deserve to occupy my mind.”Amber was so pissed off, she rose sharply and charged at Sophia. “You asked for it, Sophia!”Not aware that Sophia knew her way around combat, Baxter was concerned she might get hurt. So, he stood in front of her and glared at Amber. “Do you want to see what happens when you lay a finger on her?”Amber yelled angrily, “Out of my fucking way, Baxter!”He didn’t move an inch. Instead, he said coldly, “I’m the one who toyed with your love. You can do anything you want with me, but she’s not someone you can afford to antagonize.”Putting everyone else aside, Benny wouldn’t have let anyone pick on Sophia!His actions surprised Sophia. He was in a miser
Sophia said, “I heard it from Charles. Somebody kidnapped Chase and Chester. They asked for a hundred million dollars in ransom, but the Morgans were only able to prepare fifty million dollars. So, the kidnappers promised they’d release only one of them.“However, the Morgans chose to save Chase first. Chester ran away from the kidnappers on the night you rescued him. No one knows what he went through in the escape attempt, but I remember you telling me that he looked miserable. “So, there must’ve been a lot of close calls. That would explain why he still isn’t opening up to his parents, but he stands fast by the fact that Elizabeth saved him. “Come to think of it, every nice thing he did for her was actually meant for you. It’s a shame he got the wrong lady and let Elizabeth take advantage of him. I’m going to say all of you bear some responsibility for that. “Otherwise, Elizabeth wouldn’t have been able to stir up that much trouble. I think Chester realized something was wrong
Sophia rubbed her chin. "Why should I help you?""We're friends, plus you're on vacation now and not busy with other things. It's just for one episode, so it won't take much of your time.""Who says I'm not busy? I'm very busy.""Help me out, and I promise to fulfill any request you have."Sophia laughed. "Let me think. It seems like you haven't registered on TikTok, right? Then join and endorse it for us."Chase was surprised, "What? Is TikTok yours? Are you the boss?"Sophia hummed, crossing her arms. "Doesn't it seem like it?""Oh, I wasn't aware of it. You're quite formidable.""Are you looking down on me?"Chase smiled and immediately took out his phone. "I'll register now. If you had told me earlier, I would have done it sooner."Sophia was very satisfied. "When is the shoot? I want to check if I have time.""Next Thursday. It's not a shoot. It's a live broadcast."Sophia furrowed her brows slightly. "What kind of stuff do you have to do?"Chase explained, "I don't k
Janine looked at her with a face devoid of expression. "What do you need?"Wylie walked over and acted affectionate. "I just heard that you're going to meet that designer with Elliot tomorrow."Janine responded again, "That's right.""Sis, can you let me go with Elliot?""Do you understand the project?""I can learn if you give me a chance to go out and practice. Besides, Elliot will be there."Janine looked at her for a while, then smiled. "You just want to spend time with Elliot, right?""You know me so well. I realized that Elliot is getting more handsome. I want to be with him."Janine shook her head at Wylie. "Since you like him, why did you say you wanted to study abroad when he came to propose back then?"Wylie pouted. "I didn't think he was so handsome back then."Janine chuckled. "Do you only find him handsome now because his legs are healed?""I'm not that shallow!""How do you expect me to help you if you don't tell me the truth?"Wylie pursed her lips. "Oka
Sophia also lived up to her word. Since the matter with Phoebe was resolved, she had been accompanying Dorothy in the hospital almost every day. When Dorothy asked about Phoebe’s situation, Sophia did not hide anything and explained their situation.After hearing the whole story, Dorothy said, "How unjustly these two must have been treated, separated by a misunderstanding. No matter what happens between husband and wife, they should sit down calmly and communicate. That goes for you, too. You’re too impatient and don't give people a chance to speak when you're angry.""Grandma..." Sophia frowned. Why did she always say that about her? "I suspect I'm not your biological granddaughter."At her words, Dorothy's face changed, and her heart sank. She looked at her in surprise. "What did you say?"Sophia did not notice Dorothy’s abnormal shift in mood and continued, "Elliot is your real grandson."Dorothy’s heart quietly sank, and she glared at her playfully. "You naughty child!""Ar
“Ah, no!” Sophia instinctively reached out to catch it, but the phone narrowly missed her fingers. So, she just watched as he tossed the telephone into the bushes.Sophia was infuriated. "Brother, you haven't sung for me yet?"Kyle looked at her. "Time's up.""Time's up for what? You big liar."As she spoke, she balled her fists and attacked him.Although she was no match for Kyle in martial arts, he couldn't fight her in such a confined space. So, Kyle found himself somewhat helpless in this narrow space.He grabbed both her hands with his big hands and pinned her legs with his, leaving Sophia unable to move her limbs.Frustrated, she aimed her head at Kyle and lunged forward. Kyle instinctively dodged. Sophia's little head directly hit his chest.Thud.It felt like a forty-pound hammer hitting his chest, causing Kyle to start coughing on the spot. He was truly at a loss. She was too much to handle, using every trick in the book.With one hand rubbing his sore chest and the
At that moment, it seemed like the world came to a standstill. The man and the woman at the door were so scared they hardly dared to breathe. How dare this woman. How could she slap Kyle?They sneakily glanced at Kyle's reddened face, wishing they could disappear. They were afraid they'd face his wrath, too.Kyle also couldn't believe what he was seeing. This little drunkard in front of him wasn't speaking gently or acting cute, and instead of calling him brother, she slapped him. He was furious. At that moment, he had already thought of where to bury this woman.However, Sophia didn't seem to realize the seriousness of hitting someone. She suddenly jerked her wrist and broke free from the man's grasp. Whether it was because she used too much force or because she was drunk and couldn't control her strength, she stumbled and fell on her rear.This fall was solid, and she couldn't help but cry in pain, "Ow!"Tears streamed down her face.Kyle was bewildered for a moment. The anger
Sophia felt helpless. This man's schemes ran too deep. He didn't reveal anything useful. The two drank one glass after another from seven in the evening until ten at night. Sophia's head was spinning.She had been trying to limit herself, taking small sips each time. Unfortunately, her tolerance for alcohol was quite poor. Her gaze was unfocused, and the man opposite her seemed to blur into duplicates. She knew deep down that she was drunk. It was frustrating. When would her tolerance improve?"Are you deliberately trying to get me drunk to see me embarrass myself?" Kyle lounged carelessly. "I didn't know your alcohol tolerance was so poor."Sophia snorted softly in her heart. Ignorance was truly unbelievable. She even suspected that this man had seen her drunk before. Otherwise, why insist on drinking with her? She needed to control herself now; otherwise, her stingy husband at home would be infuriated.So she just slumped onto the table, motionless.Kyle chuckled. "Are you dru
Kyle compromised, "Alright, I won't touch you."Sophia sternly commanded, "Get off."Kyle slowly got up from her.Sophia's piece of porcelain against his neck remained unmoved, her little face tense.Kyle sat up and waved to remove the hand threatening his neck, "Alright, if I bleed, you lose your life. Do you think I'm afraid of such a broken thing like you?"He knocked away the piece of porcelain in Sophia's hand, but she didn't pick it up. Instead, she said softly, "I know you're not afraid. As the top boss of the Netherworld Palace, what kind of woman can't you have? But it's not worth it to ruin the mood just to sleep with a woman, don't you think?"Kyle looked at her and smiled. Far from diminishing with Sophia's various rudeness, the interest in his eyes only intensified.He stretched out his long arm and grabbed Sophia's nape, pulling her closer. The two were close enough to hear each other breathe.There was a determined smile in his eyes. "I like smart girls."Sophia
Kylie smirked. "So, how else do you want me to repay you?"But Sophia couldn't shake the feeling that his smile seemed somewhat sinister.Kyle wasn't the kind of person to easily agree. Could it be true that she had saved him?After contemplating, she said, "For example, a substantial monetary reward, a direct increase in shares and equity, or at the very least, treating me to a meal would suffice.“But instead, you kidnapped me, restricted my movements, and now you're telling me it's repayment? Did I perhaps drown your son in a well in a past life, prompting you to repay me in such a unique way?"He was left bewildered by Sophia's rapid-fire words. What was this woman talking about?After a good while, he finally grasped the gist of her words. "Alright, let's go. I'll treat you to a meal."Sophia looked at him, surprised that he was so easy to persuade. She took advantage of the situation and added, "Then first, give back the phone to your lifesaving benefactor."Kyle replied,
Elliot searched the inside and out of the car. He indeed found a box of acupuncture needles tucked away in a corner. His wife always had a habit of carrying a box of acupuncture needles with her, not for self-defense, but for saving others.However, this box had yet to be opened, proving that the skills of the person they were dealing with surpassed hers. Otherwise, she wouldn't have missed the chance to use the needles.It seemed that this car was indeed the right one.He looked at the dirt road ahead, with tracks from two vehicles. One was a regular sedan, and the other looked like an off-road vehicle.But no more surveillance cameras were ahead, so they wondered if the cars had turned back or continued forward.He relayed the situation to Avery once again. Avery began to investigate, checking every detail of the vehicle information provided by Elliot. At this point, the police, Samuel, and his team arrived one after the other.Since there were no surveillance cameras in this a
Avalon said, "It perfectly matched the Meng family's expertise. They've been collaborating for several years, and my family even gave up some minor collaborations because they trusted in them.“But this time, under their instigation, my family paid an advance payment of 1.8 billion for goods, but the goods weren't delivered according to the contract date. They kept stalling, and when my family went to check, they found the company deserted.“After my elder brother had someone investigate, he found out the company was leased, and the company's CEO was nowhere to be found.“After reporting to the police, they kept investigating, but there was no result. That person disappeared. Helpless, my parents, elder brother, and second brother all went to find Patel.”“But Patel, apart from the initial matchmaking, wasn't involved in the subsequent cooperation. So, my brother and others didn't dare to do anything to him. But after struggling for a few months, the bank started demanding loan rep
"Mary," Paisley called out each word, but then her throat seemed to constrict, and she couldn't say anything more. Tears welled up in her eyes.Lucas also felt anguished. "We're sorry, Mary, but we haven't wronged you."Mary sneered, "If you haven't, how did I end up in this situation today? You both are incompetent parents. What's the point of arguing? You only have two daughters. Can't you treat us equally?"Paisley was truly enraged by her words. "How have I not treated you equally? Mary was just being clever. Perhaps I inadvertently praised her, but I never said you were bad, did I? Just because of this, you want to abandon Mary?“Are you even human? After you went missing, I couldn't eat or sleep peacefully. Every night was spent in tears. I knew you suffered a lot, and surviving wasn't easy, so when I found out it was Mary who made you disappear, I resented her deeply.“I did everything to make it up to you, even at the cost of hurting Mary. I sided with you unreasonably. Is
Xena viciously grabbed her by the collar, preparing to take her back for further interrogation. However, many policemen suddenly burst in through the door.The secretary followed closely behind, explaining, "Officers, hurry and arrest Xena. She forced her way in."Xena frowned. Assessing her situation, she forced Mary to sit in the boss's chair, a dagger held against her sister's neck. The room was marked with signs of struggle, with blood spattered across the floor.In this situation, she could hardly argue her innocence. But she instinctively explained, "She locked up my parents and wouldn't tell me where they were. I just wanted to question her."The police officers' expressions hardened, their tone brooking no refusal. "Take her away!"Two officers stepped forward and seized her. Xena complied, offering no resistance or excuses, obediently following the police.Another officer glanced at Mary. "Are you alright?"Mary seemed shaken, clutching her neck. After calming herself,