Chapter 130


    “Rhett, I heard Nic and Vincent rolled into Harborside Haven ahead of time,” Hertha said with a sigh,


    a look of worry etched on her face for Rhett. “Eddie mentioned something about their assistant


    dropping off a gift worth three million. I know you don’t want to lose this project to Vincent, after all…


    Kris, what did you get for Eddie?”


    Hertha was fishing for augh at Kristin’s expense.


    If Kristin’s gift was less impressive than what Nic and Vincent had lined up for Eddie, she was sure


    to be


    the butt of the joke.


    “Uh… king crab,” Kristin muttered under her breath.


    “What?” Hertha thought Kristin might go for something modest, but king crab? She must have


    misheard.


    “King crab…” Kristin repeated, a bit louder.


    Hertha couldn’t help but cover her mouth to stifle augh. “Kris, are you serious?”


    After mocking Kristin, Hertha quickly looked at Rhett. “Rhett, king crab is hardly an adequate. gift. We


    can’t be outdone by Vincent. Luckily, I had the foresight to prepare something else. We would’ve been


    theughingstock.”


    Pretending to be relieved, Hertha gave Kristin a reproachful look. “Kris, next time you’re picking out a


    gift, ask me for help, okay?”


    Kristin lowered her head, silent.


    N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content.


    Kristin felt that, given Eddie’s wealth, the price tag wouldn’t matter to him. She had intentionally put


    thought into choosing the king crab.


    “Kristin’s choice of king crab is quite valuable,” Rhett said with a stern voice, clearly displeased.


    “Really? How much for a crab?” Hertha asked with a grin, eager to hear how much Rhett valued the


    crustacean.


    “Three hundred a piece,” Kristin barely managed to look up at Rhett.


    Hertha thought this was the funniest thing she’d heard all day and let out anotherugh. “Kris, you’re


    just too adorable.”


    “Do you think Eddie cares how much something costs? A billionaire like him? It’s not about the cash


    value but about the sentiment,” Rhett cautioned Hertha, warning her not to mock Kristin further.


    Hertha’s smile dimmed as she turned to greet Eddie, who wasing out of the hotel..


    “You’ve been rather poorpany today. You’re docked a day’s pay,” Rhett ‘threatened‘ Kristin, seizing


    the moment.


    1/4


    12:01


    Chapter 130


    Didn’t Kristin see Hertha had been all but draped over him a moment ago?


    Feeling wronged, Kristin asked quietly. “Mr. FitzGerald, since when are you allergic to women?*


    That wasn’t covered in the training except that Rhett had severe germophobia.


    “Before boarding the ne,” Rhett replied in a low voice, huffing and heading toward Eddie.


    Kristin stood frozen. Since before boarding the ne, he developed an allergy to women?


    “Sorry for dropping in unannounced,” Rhett said as he approached Eddie, shaking his hand.


    Eddie, giving Rhett due respect, came to the hotel personally. “Nonsense, I’ve been looking forward to


    meeting you.”


    As the two exchanged pleasantries, they beganplimenting Hertha. “She contacted me a month in


    advance and insisted I clear my schedule. My whole day is yours, lovebirds.”


    Eddie was obviously alluding to the news online. After all, the FitzGerald family had already weed


    Hertha as the future daughter–inw.


    “You’re too kind. Hertha has been quite diligent. She’s like a sister to me. If she ever marries, I’ll ensure


    a generous gift,” Rhett spoke courteously.


    Eddie was taken aback, casting a surprised nce at Hertha. A sister?


    Hadn’t Hob announced a union between the two families? Had Rhett not approved?


    Interesting.


    “Hertha is a fine young woman and I admired her back in college,” Eddieughed, shifting the topic.


    Hertha’s expression turned sour and her fingers clenched tightly.


    “Sorry for the haste of this visit without grand presents. Kristin arranged for the king crab to be sent in


    advance. Did your mother receive them? Were they to her satisfaction?” Rhett asked casually, his


    demeanor as cool as ever.


    At Rhett’s call, Kristin came over, visibly flustered. “Eddie, it’s been a while.”


    Eddie paused, the mirth in his eyes freezing over, then turning to shock. “Kristin?”


    Kristin smiled awkwardly.


    Hertha was also stunned. “Eddie, do you know Kristin?” she asked.


    “Kris and I went to the same school, she’s a financial whizz kid. She joined our department with top


    marks. As the student council president, I weed her personally,” Eddie said, clearly surprised.


    “What a coincidence that Kris is now with Mr. FitzGerald…”


    Rhett narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at Kristin with a deep intent. She always managed to surprise


    him. “My assistant.”


    *To think our department’s genius is now an assistant, only Mr. FitzGerald could manage that,”


    7/4


    12.01


    Chapter 130


    Eddie said, hisughter hearty, his guard down around Rhett. “Kris, how much is Rhett paying you? I’ll


    double it, what do you say?”


    Kristin stayed quiet, her head down.


    Eddie had been abroad for thetter half of his senior year and had only recentlye back to take


    over the family business. He probably didn’t know what Kristin had been through.


    The two years she knew Eddie were her most glorious times.


    “Trying to poach my assistant? I’ll have to make an effort to keep her,” Rhett said with a smile, clearly


    laying im.


    Eddie caught the subtext in his words and nced at Hertha, then at Kristin without another word.


    Both were seasoned yers in the business world, and they understood each other perfectly.


    “So it was Kris who picked out those crab legs, no wonder my mom was over the moon about them.


    She kept raving that getting such quality crabs this season really showed someone cared,” Eddie


    remarked with a bright smile, looking for an excuse to chat with Kristin.


    Hertha, who had asked Eddie out under the pretense of being an old friend, was feeling. increasingly


    ufortable on the sidelines.


    With a look of quiet resentment, Hertha flickered her gaze towards Kristin, sensing a threat in every


    possible way.


    Born into the Haywood family, Hertha had always been too proud. She couldn’t stand anyone


    outshining her, especially not another woman potentially taking what she deemed hers.


    “Mr. FitzGerald, would you mind terribly if I borrowed Kris for a ride? We haven’t caught up in what, six


    or seven years? I’m just thrilled to see her today,” Eddie suggested, inviting Kristin to leave with him.


    Hertha managed a smile. “Of course, that’s fine. I’m sure Kris must be dying to catch up with you.“”


    With Eddie putting it that way, Rhett couldn’t very well snub him without causing offense.


    Hertha was rather pleased. At least she could sideline Kristin, who she viewed as a burden.


    Alone with Rhett, Hertha felt assured of her special ce in his regard.


    Without Kristin’s presence, Rhett had shown remorse for past events and had promised to take


    responsibility, even offering to support the Haywood family in business matters.


    “Rhett, what do you think?” asked Hertha, smiling as she turned to him, while Rhett appeared visibly


    tense.


    Eddie and Kristin waited for Rhett’s response.


    “Mr. FitzGerald, I indeed have much to catch up on with Eddie.” Kristin said, sensing the


    3/4


    12:01


    Chapter 130


    awkwardness and volunteering to ride with Eddie.


    Rhett darkened his expression and shot Kristin a covert re, thinking that maybe docking a day’s pay


    was too lenient a punishment for stirring up such trouble.


    2/2