Was he eager to let everyone know they had broken up? To announce him leaving her?Jenny's heart ached."Good. He's an asshole." Max was glad to hear the news. Alec's unhappiness delighted him to no end. Though their relationship had softened recently, he and Alec would never be friends. Jenny moved past Max and readied to leave. "You don't have to tell me about him. I'm not interested.""Hey—"But Jenny had already driven away.Max hummed and walked into the building, heading straight for Jade's office."Do you know anything about Alec and Jenny's breakup?" he asked Jade, hoping to hear something from her.Jade shook her head. "I don't know. Jenny won't say anything either.""Weird. I wonder what led to their breakup." Alec wouldn't have broken up with Jenny, given how serious their relationship had been. So, she must've started it.But why?Jade shot him a look while he was deep in thought. "And why are you here again? Pearson Ltd. going bankrupt?""I'm here to invite yo
Jenny came out from the surgery room exhausted."Here." Christopher offered a bottle of water to her, but she didn't take it."Why are you here?" she asked, thinking if the man couldn't leave her alone for once."Just worried about you." He smiled, following her to her office.Jenny sat back in her chair, resting. "I'm fine. Nothing to worry about.""Are you sure you're fine?" Christopher sat down opposite her. "You don't need to act tough, you know."Jenny glared at him, too lazy to speak."Breakups are bound to hurt. But you know what they say, time and rebounds are the best way to make it through." Christopher grinned. "So why don't you reconsider being with me? I'm way better than Alec Faust, let me tell you that."Jenny wanted to hit him, but she held back. "How many times do I need to tell you? I don't like you. Have you never taken me seriously?"She hadn't been interested in Christopher once, and that wouldn't change even if Alec weren't in the picture."Things change
How did Yvonne have time to disregard her own problem? Wasn't Simone halfway through taking over her in-law's inheritance?Jenny stepped past her and took out her keys, ignoring Yvonne."You two broke up because you asked about that woman, didn't you?" Yvonne chittered like a magpie. Jenny said nothing, which she took as assent. "How silly of you, Jenny. Don't you know Alec will only get upset by those questions? No wonder he wanted to break up with you." She truly felt like she had finally won.Irritated, Jenny glared at her. "Why don't you spend the time tittering about whether we broke up worrying about what to do once Simone becomes heir to the Blooms instead."Yvonne paled almost instantly. "Even if she does, Sam still has shares in the company, so I don't have to worry about being in poverty," she gritted out.Jenny smiled. "I see. So not being poor is your goal. Then why pursue the inheritance? Haven't you been spoiled your entire life as Ms. Dickman?"If Yvonne hadn't sch
"It's me." The reply came through. Jenny could hear the warmth in Gilbert's voice, soothing her gentle heart."How've you been? When are you coming home?" she asked kindly, not asking other things like why he hadn't called her for some time or whether he had finally let her go."I've been well. The branch here's had a good start, so it'll be some time before I go back," he said. Jenny smiled and was about to speak when Gilbert asked, "I heard you broke up with Alec?"He didn't know when they got together; all he heard was they had broken up.Jenny's smile fell just the slightest at his question. "Oh, you heard about that too?""The news had even made it internationally, huh?" Jenny thought.Unbeknownst to her, Gilbert had actually been catching up with her life updates from overseas. He had instructed Zack as well as some bodyguards to watch after her from the sidelines, none of this made known to Jenny herself."It's really big news, Jenny. I couldn't have not heard," Gilbert t
"Gilbert?" Jenny asked after he had stayed silent for too long. "Does he know something?" she wondered."Maybe things aren't as complicated as they seem. He could just genuinely like you," Gilbert said after coming to his senses."But…""Seriously, you don't need to worry about this right now, Jenny. You need to get your rest, alright?" Gilbert said kindly, his warm tone a soothing balm to her anxiety.Jenny took a deep breath. "Alright.""Now get to bed. It should be well past midnight there now. Goodnight, Jenny." With that, Gilbert hung up the call.Jenny lay on her bed, her mind now clouded with thought. Sleep had long escaped her grasp.…The next day, after Vincent had brought Alec's breakfast, he said, "Mr. Faust, you can't sleep in the lounge forever."His boss had been a workaholic since he knew the man, but even then, he had retired to Perry Residence. Yet now...Alec looked at his breakfast, saying nothing. He didn't want to sleep there either, but it was his only
Morgan nodded, finding some truth in Jenny's words. "My dad wants me to let you know that things have settled down in the company, Jenny. We'll be sure to turn out profits for you with your investment."Jenny laughed. "Alright. I trust you guys.""Why don't we have lunch toge—""Done with work, Jenny? Let's have lunch," Christopher cut in, appearing from thin air like those weird gnomes in peoples' gardens.Morgan paused and glanced at him. It wasn't the first time she had seen this man. Her heartbeat increased in pace as she gazed at his face. She quickly shook her head, tossing that idea to the back of her mind. Christopher liked Jenny. She'd never dreamed of competing with her.Jenny didn't know what was going on in Morgan's mind, but her smile faded upon hearing Christopher's suggestion. "No need. I'm busy?""Busy? With what?" Christopher knew she was rejecting him on purpose. He wasn't upset, though. In fact, he was determined to stick around.It made Jenny's hackles rise.
Morgan didn't know what to say. She simply followed them into the car, not coming to her senses until they reached the café.When they were ordering, Christopher went to make a call, telling his grandfather about working with the Goldings."Jenny, you really don't have to bother about us if you don't like him. I'm sure my dad can find better clients to work with, not just with the Spades," Morgan said, feeling bad about the situation."I know, but…" Jenny eyed Christopher. "He's not going to give up even if we don't have lunch. So, I might as well squeeze some benefit from this." She had come to realize that Christopher wasn't going to let her go so easily after being followed around by him like a sick puppy. Given his tenacity, no wonder he became heir to his family.Just then, the man came back to the table. "Finished with your orders already? Remember, it's my treat, so just order what you like."He had been feeling great ever since Jenny broke up with Alec, feeling like his
The sudden question made Christopher stare fixedly at her for several seconds. "What?""Just tell me if it's possible," Jenny sighed. She just wanted this over and done with.Christopher gave it some thought before asking, "So you're willing to be my girlfriend?"The moment he asked this, Morgan spoke up, "Jenny, don—""Hell no!" Jenny huffed. "I mean, will your grandfather tell me the truth if I go to Bardoff City with you, not as your girlfriend." Christopher's frown wasn't hopeful. Jenny shrugged. "Alright. Let's pretend I never asked.""Hey, don't give up yet. There is a slight possibility." His grandfather might actually reveal the truth to Jenny if she came knocking on his door."You think so?" Jenny beamed. A trip to Bardoff wouldn't hurt. She'd even benefit by knowing the grand truth behind Christopher's hot-headed pursuit.Christopher nodded. "I know my grandfather, so yeah.""Alright. Give me a couple days to prepare for the trip to the city."This was great news for
That afternoon, Gilbert called off his engagement to the Silveras. He did not pick up a single one of Lottie's calls. When he found Marigold, she was taking Caleb on a stroll around the neighborhood. It had been a while since she'd taken notice of anything related to Gilbert. She suddenly felt how nice it was to have her mental energy spent somewhere else, no longer being so hung up on that man. However, when Gilbert appeared before her, her heartbeat quickened. "Why are you here?" Marigold said, snapping out of her reverie. Gilbert smiled lightly. Without saying much else, he pulled her into an embrace. "Didn't you say that I could come to see you once everything is settled?" Marigold was stunned. She was in disbelief. "So, what you're saying is it's all over?" "Didn't you read the news?" Gilbert was speechless. "No. I didn't want to care." Every time she saw anything about Gilbert and Lottie, she felt miserable. She'd rather save herself the pain and block out anything
In the end, Esther went with Gilbert's suggestion. However, she did not trade Bradshaw Operation's projects with Jenny. She went with the Silveras. For one, she did not trust the Walters. On the other hand, the Silveras and the Bradshaws were going to be united through marriage. They deserved to be trusted more. Gilbert didn't mind. After all, if anything happened to the Bradshaws, the Silveras would not help. With those projects in hand, they would only fall further into debt. The plan was going smoothly. Gilbert had not gone to see Marigold once. He knew that before subduing the Bradshaws, going to visit Marigold would only endanger her. After all, Marigold was safe. Nothing had happened, and Caleb was growing up healthily. One month later, things began to feel off in Bradshaw Operations. After Faust Group received their money, they did not start the project. No one knew what they were doing. Esther was feeling antsy. She prodded Gilbert to ask if there was anything wro
That very afternoon, Esther and Gilbert rushed to Faust Group to sign the deal. Gilbert said he was worried that Alec would change his mind, so he urged Esther to sign it. Only through a written contract would they be able to relax. Esther thought it made sense and agreed to rush to Faust Group with Gilbert.In the meeting room, Alec looked at the two people before him, expressionless. "You have a good son, Mrs. Bradshaw." "I'm flattered. My son had Bradshaw Operations' interests at heart. He'll inevitably be a little insensitive. Please don't hold that against him, Mr. Faust." Esther smiled. She didn't mind Alec's sarcasm because it didn't matter. As long as Bradshaw Operations could truly benefit from this, she didn't care how much Alec mocked her. Alec smiled coldly and slid the contract over to her. "You may flip through it." Esther took it and read through it seriously.If this project succeeded, they would reap massive rewards. However, it required a massive upfront inv
In the following days, Gilbert headed over to Faust Group infrequently during the day. To others, he was there to talk business with Alec. But in reality, it was a different scenario altogether. Vincent brought Gilbert a cup of coffee in Alec's office. Because of all the times he'd been there, Vincent knew what he wanted without having to ask. Alec had a cup of coffee placed before him, too. Everyone thought that Gilbert was trying to convince Alec to give him one of the shares, which was why he always came there, but that was not the case. The collaboration was a set-up. As long as the Bradshaws signed the deal on the project, they would not escape unscathed. Gilbert had planned this for a long time just to trick the Bradshaws into accepting the project. However, the scheme had to be executed perfectly. Since Gilbert buttered up the project in front of the Bradshaws, Alec had to feign disinterest in his collaboration. Otherwise, it would seem suspicious if Alec, a smart ma
After the engagement party, Gilbert officially had a stronghold in Bradshaw operations. Because he was already very capable, he had a lot of supporters. No one challenged him in the company. Most of them sucked up to him because they knew that if things went well, he would be the heir of the company.Gilbert didn't really care about that. He didn't even want to be there for long. He knocked on Esther's door and walked into her office."Come, sit." Esther was all smiles when she saw him. It was more sincere than before.She used to doubt him a lot, but now, although she still had her reservations, she mostly believed in him. In her eyes, no one would reject the chance to inherit Bradshaw Operations. This was basically manna from Heaven. Gilbert just didn't know it back then, and now he did. Gilbert sat down in front of Esther and began reporting the information he had gathered, as well as his thoughts on Bradshaw Operations and his plans for the future.When he presented the inf
Gilbert and Lottie's engagement party was held at Bardoff Grand Hotel on Saturday.A ton of people showed up to their engagement party. After all, the Bradshaws and the Silveras were pretty big names in Bardoff City, and plenty of the other families knew of their true wealth. They all came to attend the party. Jenny and Alec had both received invites. Jenny was Gilbert's sister, and on top of that, they represented the Walters and the Fausts. It was to be expected. At first, Jenny didn't want to go. The party held no meaning to it. It was just a show put on for Esther. It would be a complete waste of her time. However, she was talked into it by Alec. It would be weird if she didn't go. Zack brought Janet to the party. He found Jenny and was in a daze. "Wasn't Gilbert courting Marigold? Why is he engaged to Lottie?" Jenny rolled her eyes. "What have you been doing, Zack? You're really bad at keeping up." Gilbert had been courting Lottie for a while now. If Zack paid attention
Gilbert drove to Jenny's villa, but he was in no rush to get down. He didn't unlock the doors, either. He obviously wanted to talk to Marigold. But Marigold evidently didn't want to. "I want to take my child and leave." She was afraid. What if Gilbert and Lottie married and took her child away? She no longer believed in love. The only thing she believed in was her child. Gilbert tightened his grip when he heard that. "Marigold, the engagement is only for Esther to see. I have no feelings for Lottie." "Who knows? People change. You said you didn't have feelings for me, too." Marigold found this all very amusing. Perhaps this was fate. Gilbert wanted to keep explaining, but Marigold did not give him the chance to. "Just let me and Caleb leave. If what you say is true, you can come to find us once everything is over." And if Gilbert didn't come looking for her, the truth would unfold itself, and she would give up all hope. Gilbert understood that Marigold had already made
Marigold was miserable throughout dinner, but she persevered till the end without being too dramatic. After dinner, they walked to the entrance of the shopping mall.Gilbert went to get the car. Lottie stood with Jenny and Marigold. Watching Gilbert leave, she turned toward Marigold. "I heard that you used to like Gilbert very much." "It's all in the past. It's not worth mentioning." Marigold didn't want to talk about it. She was afraid that Lottie would see that she still liked Gilbert. Most importantly, she was afraid that Gilbert's plan would be ruined. Lottie smiled. "That's true. The past is the past. You're such a nice person. You'll definitely be able to find someone better suited for you in the future." Marigold pursed her lips. Gilbert soon brought the car over. Lottie was about to get into the car, but before she did, she suddenly turned to Marigold and said, "Gilbert and my engagement party will be in a few days' time. If you have the time, you're more than welcom
Everyone was shocked to hear her speak so suddenly. Lottie was stunned, and she explained, "You've misunderstood. That's not what I meant. I just think that if the child follows his father, it'll help him develop better, and you'll be less stressed." "I don't need your concern. I can raise my child alone," Marigold snorted. She did not hold back at all. Lottie looked unpleasant. Gilbert had no choice but to step in. "We'll have our own child together. And whoever likes it the most will get to keep it." Although they knew that Gilbert had meant this for Lottie to hear, Marigold found it extremely upsetting. She looked at Gilbert, and for a moment, she was unable to tell if he was being genuine. She thought of all that Gilbert had said to her last night, saying that he didn't like Lottie and had no intention of marrying her. But he looked to be truly in love. Marigold didn't think she could tell if he was faking it. "I'm sorry. I need to go to the restroom." Marigold didn't w