Marcus forcefully slammed the letter of authorization onto the table, making a heavy thud. Frustration hit him like a strong punch to the head.He yelled, "Does Grayson Corp actually mean business here?"Confused, Joshua asked, "What are you talking about?""Is Grayson Corp messing around with me? I might be over 50, but I won't let a youngster like you play games with me!" Marcus vented his frustration.Confusion clouded Joshua's expression."You can take this piece of garbage and leave. Havenfield doesn't welcome you!" Marcus declared.As his words faded, a group of bodyguards entered and positioned themselves sternly beside him.A sense of unease gripped Joshua. "Could it be that the letter of authorization is fake?"Marcus let out a derisive snort and tossed the authorization letter onto the table in front of Joshua."No need for pretenses. I used to believe in Grayson Corp, thinking you guys were always dependable. I never thought you'd turn out like this!"Joshua's face
"This way, please," Harriet spoke with a softer tone.Joshua's face was clouded with tension, and he responded with another hum. He took a step forward. This was the first time he had ever been subjected to such questioning.Everything about this situation was new to him, and a bunch of feelings rushed in—shock, embarrassment, suspicion, anger, and disappointment.Most folks would probably be super embarrassed or eager to explain themselves, maybe even begging for forgiveness from Havenfield.Offending the best hospital in Oceanville could seriously hamper a pharmaceutical company's success.Still, Joshua remained calm and reserved, his face unmoved even as emotions stirred inside him. His demeanor revealed the composure often seen in those born into privilege."Apologies for the trouble," Joshua politely extended those words as a courtesy of his own. "There might be some issues with the letter of authorization, and the reasons are a bit tangled."Once I sort it out, I'll explai
Joshua stubbed out the cigarette, started his car, and sped like a bullet until he reached an apartment building. Looking all grumpy, he stomped up the stairs and knocked on a door.Gina opened it and asked, "Mr. Grayson, what brings you here?"Joshua shot her a chilly glare, saying nothing.Gina quickly called for Natalie, "Ms. Lovelace, Mr. Grayson's here."Gina knew Joshua could be a bit aloof, but his unusually serious expression caught her off guard.Natalie quickly came over as soon as she heard Joshua was there."Josh, why the surprise visit? You mentioned coming after sorting out the hospital collaboration. I thought it'd be a while before you showed up! I'm so happy to see you," Natalie exclaimed.She couldn't shake the thought that her charm must have been irresistible, leading to Joshua's sudden visit. With a smile, she ushered Joshua into the living room.She was too caught up in her excitement to notice his solemn expression."Josh, it's pretty warm in here. Why n
Feeling the weight of her mistake, Natalie blurted out, "It's Natasha's fault!"All she wanted was to avoid Joshua thinking poorly of her."Natasha! She…" Natalie stammered as she tried to conjure up excuses.Memories rushed back, reminding her of how Joshua had been disappointed in her due to Natasha in the past.Fortunately, Natalie had fabricated a lie back then, explaining that her mother had fallen seriously ill and passed away overseas. This left her in a financial bind, compelling her to work hard to make ends meet.This tale managed to prevent Joshua from continuing to get angry, but Natalie was aware that each excuse she created chipped away at Joshua's affection for her.She knew she couldn't tarnish the cherished image of being Joshua's first love in his heart.Joshua quirked an eyebrow and questioned, "What did Natasha do this time?"Natalie anxiously tugged at her dress hem, still scrambling to come up with an excuse. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as nervou
"Natasha made me believe the letter she sent was fake on purpose. She knew I'd destroy it, but the one she sent was actually real, and the fake one remained in my possession."She knew everything but dropped me confusing clues. She planned to make you doubt me and make you think I was a liar."All of that was so that you'd see me as dishonest, and you wouldn't want to be around me," Natalie explained.Joshua thought deeply, his lips pressed together.Natalie added, "And there's more to it—Natasha despised the idea of Grayson Corp getting that authorization letter."She wanted it torn up in your hands and hoped it would lead to Grayson Corp's downfall. She wanted you to feel regret!"It's a kind of twisted love-hate thing she has for you. She's dead set against Grayson Corp getting that authorization, no doubt!" Natalie covered her mouth in shock. "Natasha can be pretty scary."As Joshua listened in silence, a wave of anger welled up within him. His face grew intensely somber as
Natasha stood at the doorway, gazing into Joshua's eyes for a long moment. His face seemed indifferent, but a closer look revealed a touch of anger.Joshua was all dressed up in an elegant outfit—a white shirt, black waistcoat, and a gold-speckled tie."What's up?" Natasha didn't sound too friendly.It was only when she spoke that she noticed how tired Joshua looked, with a touch of redness in his eyes. He seemed like he had been through a rough patch."Why not let me in for a bit?" Joshua's voice stayed calm.Natasha had no patience for it. "Seriously? This is my place, and we're finished. There's no tie between us anymore. Why on earth would I let you in?"Joshua gave a little smirk with a touch of mockery in his eyes. "Are you getting mad? You were the one who made me sign those divorce papers, and now you're regretting it?"The divorce was a relief for Natasha. She scoffed. "I'm not mad, and I don't regret a thing. I just don't want strangers in my space."Joshua sensed Nat
"Let's say you did find Professor Nancy. How on earth did you manage to sneak into the lab in the first place?" Joshua questioned.Natasha stayed composed as she had expected Joshua's question. She sent the package under her own name instead of Ryan's because Joshua had already spotted her in the lab.Plus, the second time he came across her there, she was already inside before he entered the building. It ruled out any chance of him thinking she was tailing him into the lab.Knowing Joshua's meticulous nature, it was clear he might have harbored suspicions. Sending the letter of authorization under her own name was a strategic move.This choice naturally explained why she appeared in the lab before him—she had returned to seek the letter of authorization."I depended on the bodyguard, simple as that," Natasha replied casually.Joshua studied her as if trying to uncover any deception.Natasha met his gaze confidently and showed no hint of fear. She had already dismissed the bodyg
Natasha noticed a change in Joshua's face. His emotions seemed complicated, and his sharp features looked even more serious in the light.It felt like Natasha might have said something that upset him. Maybe she had gone too far in the heat of the moment.Jacob had told her about Joshua's childhood and personality, and Lorelei had brought it up recently. The scars from his past haunted Joshua, and Natasha tried her best not to bring up those painful memories."I've sent you the letter of authorization. Does it matter where it came from?" Natasha kept her emotions in check, trying to sound calm.Joshua remained silent. Natasha wondered why he cared about the letter of authorization's source. After all, they were already divorced, so it shouldn't matter to him.Even after their marriage ended, Natasha kept working hard to help the Graysons through tough times, holding onto the memories they shared.Instead of asking questions, Joshua should see and value the effort she was putting i
He didn't know where this sense of loss came from, but it hung over Joshua like a low-pressure system and seemed impossible to dispel. His expression visibly darkened. Yet, he seemed to want to maintain his dignity and didn't want Natasha to discern his sense of loss. So Joshua pursed his lips, forcefully suppressing the feeling and putting on a blank expression. He seemed indifferent to Natasha's proposed condition."How about it? Does Mr. Grayson need more time to consider?" Natasha sat calmly in her chair, tilting her head slightly. She was confident this time that Joshua would definitely agree. Although she felt a bit uneasy about using Philip's life as leverage against Joshua, she believed it was the best option at the moment. Given Joshua's personality, using trivial things as leverage wouldn't pose any threat to him. Besides family members' lives, everything else was insignificant to him. She had no other choice.As Natasha spoke, her eyebrows furrowed lightly, and her
As soon as Joshua heard Natasha mention there were conditions, he instantly had a bad feeling. Although Natasha didn't explicitly state the conditions, Joshua understood that they definitely wouldn't be easy."What conditions are you talking about?" He propped his chin up with his hand, looking at Natasha seriously.Natasha smiled and raised her lips. "What are the conditions? You should know."Joshua was slightly stunned. He knew what the conditions were?He furrowed his brows earnestly, trying hard to figure out what conditions Natasha was talking about.Could it be…"Are you trying to make it a condition to drive Natalie away from the Grayson Villa?" Joshua raised an eyebrow. Considering recent events, Joshua couldn't think of any other conditions.As soon as this was said, Natasha was momentarily dumbfounded.What was he talking about?Natasha tried to find a word to describe Joshua's thoughts, but after a long time, she couldn't bring herself to say it. Joshua's train of
Natasha blinked her eyes. It seemed that Joshua was anticipating her rejection in advance."Since you can enter the Sullivan residence, your relationship with them must be extraordinary."It's not like people with Joshua's and Natalie's status could enter. But Natasha could, which undoubtedly indicated that she still had something to hide from him."Since you have this relationship with the Sullivans, helping Grandfather should be a simple matter."As soon as these words came out, Natasha sneered, "Simple matter?""Although I do have some connection with the Sullivans, it's not to the extent where I can freely arrange the Sullivans miracle worker's schedule."The position of the Sullivan's miracle worker is well-known. Since you are aware of it, you shouldn't say such things. You're overestimating me."Natasha was blatantly lying and trying to deceive Joshua."Someone with the status of the Sullivan's miracle worker would only save someone if he wanted to. If he doesn't have th
As soon as Joshua said the name "Jacob", Natasha felt like her throat was being choked, and was unable to breathe properly.Her breathing became somewhat erratic."What's wrong? Do you know him or not?" Joshua spoke, narrowing his eyes. His pupils contracted, and he looked sharp and almost menacing.It seemed like any slight movement from Natasha couldn't escape his gaze."I…" Natasha began.She seemed a bit hesitant but also seemed not at all. Finally, she calmly spoke, "I don't know him.""Don't know him?" Joshua raised an eyebrow.He seemed somewhat incredulous, repeatedly confirming, "You really don't know him?"Natasha nodded, her expression very firm. "I don't know him."She looked somewhat puzzled, her tone confused as she asked, "Who is Jacob? Is he also from the Graysons?"Joshua stared at Natasha motionlessly, as if trying to find a flaw on her face.But Natasha remained calm. Her expression was very normal and without any flaws.Joshua stared for a long time. Eve
"Please help us remove all these dishes and replace them with some new ones." Natasha pointed to the dishes on the table.The waitress was startled, instinctively asking, "Is there any problem with these dishes? Please point them out, and we will correct them immediately."Natasha smiled gracefully. "No, there's nothing wrong."It was just that these dishes accidentally touched Joshua's nerve."Is it because the dishes don't suit your taste?" the waitress continued to inquire."Not really." Natasha shook her head.Although, she hadn't even taken a bite. She didn't even know if these dishes were good or not.If Joshua's gaze hadn't been so intimidating, she would have tried them so as not to waste them.Next time, she had to bring Austin to try the dishes at this restaurant."So what's wrong with these dishes? We can convey your feedback to the kitchen, or we can replace them with new dishes for you free of charge. Would that be acceptable to you?" the waitress asked.The wait
Joshua had been the president for a long time, and his whole demeanor was daunting, seemingly suffocating others with his pressure.Natasha sat in her seat. Even if she deliberately avoided looking up at Joshua, she could still feel the scalp-tingling sensation.His gaze was just too sharp. She couldn't ignore it even if she wanted to."Uh… Didn't you just say you don't like these dishes? Do you want them all removed?" Natasha awkwardly changed the subject."I'll listen and remove it now. I'll call the waiter in to take them away." After saying that, Natasha lowered her gaze and pressed the button on the table to call the waiter outside on standby.Joshua remained silent. His gaze fixed on Natasha without wavering.It made Natasha feel even more trapped.Her mind was already in a mess at the moment. She regretted that she had spoken too hastily earlier without thinking.She had never let slip of anything during her time in the Grayson Villa.What was happening now? Just a few
She was trying hard to change the subject.But Joshua looked at the dish, his mind filled with the image of Jacob's face and the various rejections he had faced during his youth.This made him very uncomfortable."I won't eat it. Take it away," Joshua said coldly with disdain."This dish… actually tastes very good. You can try it. Don't have a prejudice against it." Natasha tried to calm Joshua's mood.But he clearly had little patience. He roared angrily, "Take it away!""I don't want to see this dish!"The sound made Natasha's hand tremble as she held the plate."Alright, alright, I'll take it away. Why are you so fierce?" Natasha bit her lip, took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her rising anger, and then withdrew the dish of delicious cheese curds."Then have some other dishes." She gestured to the several dishes on the table.But unexpectedly, Joshua's face turned even worse. His gaze swept over the dishes on the table, his brows deeply furrowed, looking very dissati
Joshua's tone sounded casual and his expression indifferent, as if discussing something unrelated to him. Yet, it gave the impression that he was talking about his own affairs."Is it worth it?" Natasha murmured, repeating the question.Perhaps because Joshua exuded a melancholic air, Natasha stopped in her tracks and earnestly answered the question. "If this mother is willing to do it, then it must be worth it."Upon hearing this, Joshua looked at her, his melancholy seeming to deepen."Is that so? Do you also think that everything this mother does is worth it?"The sorrowful expression in his eyes seemed so thick that it was unbreakable.Natasha was surprised to see Joshua like this. She didn't understand why Joshua had suddenly changed."A parent's love for their child involves careful planning. Every mother who selflessly sacrifices for her child is great…"Natasha considered her tone carefully. "A mother who wholeheartedly loves her child would do this, wouldn't she?"Bef
They were different people.In a flash, Natasha instinctively pushed him away.She stood up straight, her tone serious as she said, "Joshua, please behave yourself." Her gentle fingers brushed against Joshua's shirt, seemingly carrying her fresh fragrance with it.The sudden push caught Joshua off guard.Looking up, he found Natasha wanting to keep her distance from him as if he were a ferocious beast.This look even made Joshua doubt himself. Was he that bad to warrant such a reaction from her?Before he could come to a conclusion, Natasha had already picked up her bag, seemingly ready to leave."If Mr. Grayson has nothing else to do today, I'll be taking my leave first."Joshua's behavior just now caught her off guard.Anyway, from the looks of it, he probably wouldn't agree to a divorce.Since Joshua had made up his mind, it was pointless for her to linger here. It was better to go home and avoid hearing any more of Joshua's "seductive" words."Wait," Joshua called out