A week had passed. Yvonne was busy helping Andy and Nicole with the QT handover. They had finally smoothly handed everything over to Nicole.After signing the last piece of document, Andy raised his hands and stretched. He let out a long sigh. "I'm finally free! I'm going to have a long holiday! I'll fly out tonight!"Yvonne chuckled. "Are you that anxious to run off?""Of course! Ever since you left QT to me, I've been worked to death. I prayed to the stars that you would quickly take it back!"Andy smiled widely."I finally have my wish. It's not too late. I’m still young! I can still party!"Andy patted Nicole on the shoulder. "I'm not worried at all with QT in Nicole's hands. She will surely manage it better than me.""By the way," Andy gave Nicole a pitiful look. "Ms. Princeton, after I spend my savings, can I return to QT to earn a buck or two?""Of course!" Nicole smiled. "I'd love it if you would design for QT!"Andy winked. "Alright, then."Yvonne was truly delight
"No. I informed Claude."Yvonne chuckled. Then, she teased, "Stephen, how could you? Ms. Ford came all the way to Northerna because of you. How could you stab her in the back?""Claude surely won't want her staying in Northerna. If I hadn't informed him, I might have offended him," Stephen calmly replied."Were you hoping that I had made her stay?"Yvonne was surprised. She pretended to stay calm and said, "I can't control her. It's not up to me. Furthermore, I'm busy. I don't have the time to care about her.""Is that so?" Stephen asked vaguely. He hadn't really been expecting an answer.Instead, he brought up something else. "Will you still be busy next month?""I'm not sure …" Yvonne hugged her pillow and rolled around in bed. "Do you need me for something?"Stephen was silent for a while. "No, nothing. I was just asking.""Oh." Yvonne didn't give it much thought, but she could somehow sense disappointment in his tone.Before she could ask, Stephen gave her an excuse to
Three days later, Philip's plane landed successfully.He was still weak and needed to be in a wheelchair. A care worker pushed him out of the airport. He immediately noticed Stephen standing nearby. He sighed. "Stephen still found out in the end."Stephen walked over to Philip and took over the wheelchair from the care worker. "Grandpa, I had to find out your return from Yvonne. So you treat her as a family now, but you treat me as an outsider?""I didn't tell her …" Philip grumbled. "Hope is her territory. I was living under her watch, wasn't I?""You should have told me that you were coming back."Philip asked with an even softer voice, "If I were to tell you, would you have let me return?""You're right. I wouldn't have," Stephen replied firmly. His reply left Philip a little surprised.Then, Stephen pushed Philip's wheelchair over to the car. He handed the wheelchair to the driver to put in the trunk.When he took his seat in the car, Philip asked tentatively, "You're
Hazel was the first to notice Stephen behind Philip. She furrowed her brows. "Why did you bring him here?"That made Philip frown immediately. William quickly stepped in and said, "Father, Hazel didn't mean anything by it. You know as well that Noah and Stephen don't get along. Noah has been down recently. He won't be happy to see Stephen.""They are cousins. Do you want them to not get along for the rest of their lives?" Philip asked sternly.William immediately nodded. "You're right. They are cousins …"Hazle wanted to chime in, but William pulled her back. She shut up reluctantly.Philip ignored them and asked, "Is Noah still in his room? Didn't you tell him that I had returned?""We did." William looked troubled. "But Noah isn't willing to let anybody go near him. We have been at home all the time, and we haven't seen him at all."Philip furrowed his brows. "Take me to his room.""Okay." William was just about to take over Philip's wheelchair when Stephen stopped him.
"I meant what I said." Noah swept a glance at Stephen before looking at Philip once more. "Ever since I was young, no matter how hard I tried, all you ever saw was Stephen. I knew that I could never be as good as him in your eyes. "Which is why I had long given up on getting your approval. I'll fight for the things that I want."Noah sniggered. "Setting you up to hurt you was my choice. It's only a pity that it wasn't successful. If not, I would surely have had the last laugh."A slap landed on Noah's face. William yelled, "You bastard!"Noah smirked and wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth. "I'm just telling the truth. I've lost. I'll admit it, but if you want me to beg for mercy, you can dream on!"William raised his hand once more, but Hazel stopped him. She pleaded through her sobs, "S-Stop it. Noah is already an adult. How humiliating would it be for him if you slapped him?"She turned to look at Noah. "Noah, you should stop too. Just apologize to your gr
In the study, Philip sat in his wheelchair, quietly looking at the scenery out of the window.Stephen stood not far away from him with a darkened gaze.After a while, Philip finally spoke up. His voice made him sound like he had aged many years in a short time."Is there nothing you would like to say to me?""Nothing," Stephen replied. "You wanted to give Noah another chance. I can understand, but that doesn't mean I agree with you."If Noah had asked for forgiveness and had wanted to join Anderson Group once more, Stephen most likely would have stopped him. However, Noah hadn't done that.That was what Stephen couldn't understand either. Knowing Noah, he wasn't one to give up on any opportunity, yet his reaction a moment ago was as if he had given up on everything. He no longer wanted anything.The last time he had made a deal with Yvonne, he had still been very ambitious. That hadn't been too long ago.Had Noah completely given up already?Stephen furrowed his brows. Thi
As the sky darkened, the bar came to life with alcohol and worldly desires, accompanied by a cacophony of loud music, glasses clinking, and people chatting.A group of people were sitting by the corner booth, happily chatting away, when a strange lady plopped down in their booth, interrupting their fun.One of the guys looked at her strangely. "Do you have the wrong seat? We don't know you.""Have you forgotten me so quickly?" The lady leaned in closer so that they could have a better look at her face. "I just joined Anderson Group together with you all. Have you all forgotten?"Another lady soon recognized her. "You’re the one who got kicked out on the first day of the job. You were asking me about Mr. Jacobs the other day."Jane looked at her and smiled. "You don't have to add the first sentence."Hearing the warning in her tone, the other lady was a little unhappy. "You've been fired. Why are you still trying to get close to us?""Who says I don't have a chance of returning
"Bring me another glass." Noah slid the glass forward and laid on the bar drunkenly.The next second, a hand gently tapped on his shoulder.He had already rejected a few ladies' advances that night. At that moment, he was just utterly annoyed. He pushed her hand away. "Fuck off!"However, not only did the lady not go away, but instead she sat down next to him."Mr. Anderson, it's too boring to drink alone. Let me accompany you."Noah turned to see a young blonde lady. He furrowed his brows. "Are you even of legal age? You should be in school.""I came of age two years ago." Jane raised her hand at the bartender. "I'll have what he's having."Noah still looked unhappy. "Little girl, getting drunk at a bar isn't good for you. Also, I'm not in the mood to have fun with you.""I only want to talk." Jane turned to face Noah, resting her elbow on the bar. She smiled and said, "I know Stephen and Yvonne. I'm quite familiar with them."Noah sneered. "What does that have to do with