Chapter600NicoIsAFanOfCedrick


    Cedrick trod lightly, carefully following the two men who had their arms around each other’s shoulders.


    Nico answered Neville’s question seriously, “Four hours is indeed hard. I didn’t think I could do it. I


    basically forced myself to hold on. Mr. Jenson’s really harsh when ites to punishing people.”


    Neville clicked his tongue and pinched Nico’s arm, making him grimace and hiss in pain.


    Cedrick’s face fell as he continued following them.


    Nico continued, “Mr. Jenson might be ruthless, but he’s really kind. When he noticed I was struggling


    during the handstand, he reduced the duration to two hours and even poured a ss of water for me.”


    The more he recounted, the more emotional he got. “He actually cared for me. D*mn. I was so moved


    that I almost teared up. I’ll never be able to forget that ss of water he gave me. It tasted so sweet!”


    Neville eyed Nico as if thetter was a weirdo. “Surely you’re exaggerating.”


    “You’ve got no idea. As long as Mr. Jenson doesn’t deduct our sry, he’s the best boss in the whole


    world. No one can argue with me on this.”


    “Fine. Mr. Jenson’s the best,” Neville went along with him half–heartedly.


    The thought of Cedrick pouring him a ss of water yesterday excited Nico to no end. He looked so


    overjoyed that the words “Mr. Jenson’s biggest fan” were basically written all over his face.


    Cedrick was baffled.


    I just poured him a ss of water, that’s all. Does he have to be this touched? Was I too stern in the


    past?


    Just as he was thinking about it, a police officer passed by the corridor and spotted the trio from afar.


    Immediately, the officer saluted and greeted each one of them respectfully, “Hello, Mr. Jenson, Nico,


    Neville!”


    Nico and Neville stopped dead in their tracks, blinking in confusion.


    Mr. Jenson? Mr. Jenson’s here, too?


    Neville drew his hand back from Nico’s shoulder, and the two turned around dubiously to find Cedrick


    standing a distance away from them.


    Neville stammered, “M–Mr. Jenson, we didn’t hear you walking behind us.”


    From N?velDrama.Org.


    The color drained from Nico’s face. “Cedrick, when did you arrive? Did you hear everything we talked


    about earlier?”


    Cedrick nodded in aposed manner, making it hard to tell whether he was furious.


    Noticing how they were gulping nervously, Cedrick mischievously said, “Mr. Nico, I heard you talking


    about how severe my punishment was. If you’re not happy about it, you can alwayse to my office


    and talk to me in private.”


    Nico tensed up. Hisplexion, which had turned dark after he returned from the sunny bordends,


    concealed how paie he had gone from fear.


    “Cedrick, I mean, Mr. Jenson! The wise and brilliant Mr. Jenson, I was wrong!” He yielded instantly and


    desperately exined, “I didn’t mean toin. What I wanted to say was that you did well! The


    punishment was a genius move!” It was indeed a great punishment that left him aching all over.


    Amused by his antics, Cedrick stifled augh and snorted. “That’s enough. Save the ttery ande


    with me to my office.”


    It was nothing more than an ordinary order, but to Nico, it sounded as if the world wasing to an


    end.


    Oh no! I should’ve just shut up. I’ll surely be given another punishment in his officeter. My arms are in


    so much pain already, though. How long can Ist if he makes me do another handstand?


    No matter how miserable and hopeless Nico felt, he could only follow behind Cedrick while wondering


    how he should plead for mercyter. Maybe I’ll just grovel at his feet and burst into tears when I enter


    the office.


    Neville cast his friend a look that said “You’re on your own” before scurrying away lest he got involved.


    Meanwhile, Nico walked into Cedrick’s office, his head hung low in dejection. At the same time, he


    fixed his gaze on the ground, wondering how he should grovel at Cedrick’s feetter to beg for mercy.


    It was not until Cedrick waved his hand in front of Nico did thetter snap out of his thoughts. “Yes,


    Cedrick?”


    Frowning in annoyance, Cedrick questioned, “What are you thinking about? Did you hear what I said?”


    Frustrated, Nico smacked his head and lied, “I didn’t sleep wellst night, so I’m having a hard time


    focusing today.”


    Nheless, Cedrick could not be bothered to nitpick and changed the topic. “How’s Yael doing? Did


    he behave himself?”


    Nico shook his head. “I heard he made a fuss throughout the night in the private room. He demanded


    to talk to you and even called you a disrespectful and ungrateful person. He quietened down when he


    got tired in the middle of the night and realized no one was paying him mind.”


    Cedrick listened in silence. “Looks like the punishment wasn’t enough. How dare he throw a tantrum


    and scold me when he’s in my territory? He just thinks I wouldn’t dare to touch him because he has a


    trump card.”


    “A trump card? Did he threaten you?” A grim expression crept over Nico’s face.


    Looking solemn, Cedrick took a deep breath and sat down before his desk, “I have an important task


    for you. It’s about an old case of a car ident from more than a dozen years ago. I need you to find


    the news article about that ident and look for anything suspicious.”


    Nico nodded obediently. “Okay, got it.”


    Humming gently, Cedrick said, “Go ahead.”


    “Huh?” Nico was stunned. Is he letting me off just like that? Is he not punishing me?


    When Cedrick saw that his subordinate was not leaving, the former feigned a serious expression and


    rapped the table with his knuckles. “Aren’t you leaving? Do you want another hundred rounds of push–


    ups as a warm–up? Or will another two hours‘ worth of handstand clear up your brain fog?” he teased.


    Nico felt a chill run down his spine, and he hurriedly shook his head. “No, no. The task you assigned


    me is


    more important. I’ll get to it right away.”


    Nico turned on his heels and fled the office without hesitation as if Cedrick woulde up with different


    ways to torment him if he stayed a second longer.


    “What a timid rascal,” Cedrick remarked with a chuckle, staring at Nico’s retreating figure and shaking


    his head.


    He quickly got to work as soon as Nico disappeared from his line of sight.


    Half an hourter, Cedrick summoned Neville. “Get a few men to track Xander down and arrest him as


    soon as possible. Don’t let him leave the country.”


    “Got it, Mr. Jenson.”


    At noon in thepany’s cafeteria, Gwendolyn didn’t have the appetite to enjoy her lunch as she


    thought about the death of Cedrick’s parents.


    Both Xander and Yael had their sights set on the position of the head of the family, which was why they


    plotted against Cedrick several times before that.


    However, Cedrick never punished the duo severely because they were Valentino’s descendants.


    Previously, Xander was merely demoted to an insignificant position at a subsidiarypany in a tiny


    district and was. not allowed to return to the headquarters. That was already a hugepromise on


    Cedrick’s part.


    Regardless, Valentino still brought Xander back to Salinsburgh under Yael’s imploration.


    Unfortunately, Xander was the most troublesome nuisance Cedrick had ever encountered. The former


    had just returned to the city, yet he had already harmed Valentino. Xander would never learn his


    lesson. and behave himself if he was not punished severely.


    If Cedrick agreed to let Xander go, that would be equivalent to losing his authority and letting Yael take


    control.


    It was not a minor matter as it involved Cedrick’s parents. Thus, Gwendolyn needed to find a way to


    help Cedrick resolve the situation.


    As she thought about that, she swallowed half of her lunch and rushed to Valentino’s vi while she still


    had some time.


    Valentino was sensitive about the death of Cedrick’s parents, so, naturally, he would not talk if


    Gwendolyn brought it up. She needed to approach someone else.


    First, she popped by the room to check on Valentino. He was looking much better after recuperating for


    the past few days. In fact, he had gotten healthy enough to get into a wheelchair and have Logan push


    him around the garden.


    Delighted to see her drop by, Valentino chatted with her and let Zoey bring the two kids out to bask in


    the sun.


    The sight of themughing and chattering away in the garden painted a blissful picture.


    Both Benedict and Zendaya wore vibrant smiles, which put Valentino in great spirits.


    The children yed for a few hours until they got tired. Gwendolyn then asked Zoey to bring the


    children. upstairs for a nap.


    Meanwhile, she walked with Logan as he pushed Valentino to his room to get some rest.


    After tucking Valentino in, Logan walked Gwendolyn out of the vi. As they descended the stairs, she


    finally remembered her purpose for visiting and asked nonchntly, “Logan, you’ve been working as


    the Jenson family’s butler for quite some time, haven’t you? How many years has it been?”