Gabriel was a little surprised and chuckled. “Vivi, howe you can’t handle a fork properly?”


    He took a spare fork and handed it to Violet, but she seemed a bit dazed and did not take it..


    Megan noticed that something was wrong with her and immediately spoke up. “What does his return have to do with us?”


    Skyler looked at Megan and said, “I remember you telling me about him back in college.”


    Megan-noticed that Violet took the fork from Gabriel and ate her meal. silently with her head down. She turned to Skyler and


    said, “Wasn''t he very famous back in college? | was just curious and admired him at the time. Let’s not bring him up now. That


    kind of person is too far from us.


    Megan was usually reserved and did not talk much, so this was the first. time Skyler had seen her so emotionally charged. He


    could not help but chuckle. “Megan, are you by any chance fond of Freddie? | was just making a casualment. Why are you


    so worked up?”


    Megan had been worried about Violet and wanted to change the topic about Freddie. Now, hearing Skyler’s words, she became


    genuinely agitated and blurted out, “How could | possibly like him!” Her voice carried a hint of aggrieved anger.


    Skyler furrowed his brow and sounded a bit helpless. “If you don’t like him, you don’t. Why are you getting so upset?”


    Megan looked at Skyler with slightly reddened eyes. She was just upset that Skyler did not realize she liked him and said such


    things. She bit her lip and said, “Freddie is the heir to the Stanton family, he already has a fiancée. I’m just annoyed by unclear


    rtionships. With someone like him,


    would not even consider it!”


    Upon hearing this, Patrick raised an eyebrow, casting a slight frown in Megan''s direction. However, he refrained from saying


    anything at the


    moment.


    1423 Thu En E


    Skyler had thought Megan disliked being a third party, which was why she was so emotional. He quickly apologized. “I’m sorry, |


    did not expect this when | was speaking earlier. Don’t be mad.”


    Hearing him say that, Megan suddenly lost all her emotions, her voice turning soft. “Why would | be angry about it!”


    She was only concerned that Violet might be upset and ufortable. Violet had definitely been affected. Otherwise, she would


    not have dropped a fork just now. Megan could not help butin internally. Violet had almost forgotten about Freddie, so


    why did he have to return


    now?


    Throughout the meal, Violet remained silent, eating her food with her head down. Gabriel, who had initially been talking,


    eventually fell silent when he saw that no one else was speaking. It was an unusually quiet meal.


    -During the meal, Gabriel received a phone call and left early.


    Back at thepany, there were finally only Megan and Violet left in the office. Megan was quite worried. “Violet, are you okay?”


    Violet shook her head. “I’m fine.”


    Megan looked concerned. “Don’t hide it from me. | know you. You even dropped your fork earlier!”Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org.


    Violet bit her lips. “I... was just too shocked at the time!”


    Megan pursed her lips. “He just said he’sing back, but he has not returned yet. Don’t let it bother you so much!”


    Violet nced at Megan. “Do you think | would be bothered?”


    Megan was taken aback. “I... | just hope you won''t let him affect you!”


    Violet continued working on her design sketches. “You can go back to work. Don’t worry. | could handle it two years ago, and I


    can handle it


    now.”


    Megan still looked a little concerned. “Alright, if anythinges up, make sure to let me know.”


    143


    Violet nodded.


    In the afternoon, just as Violet had finished her design sketches and was about to ask Patrick when to submit the original


    manuscript to thepetition judges, she received a message from him.


    It was a simple two-word message. [Come upstairs!]


    With the design manuscript in hand, Violet went to Patrick’s office. As soon as she entered, Patrick handed her a transfer receipt.


    “Take a look.”


    Violet lowered her head and saw an Eisish ount name and 200


    thousand dors had been transferred to Laurie’s ount.


    She looked up. “Whose ount is this?”


    Patrick’s expression was unclear as he looked straight at her. “Gabriel’s!”


    Violet was taken aback and instinctively shook her head in denial. “It can’t


    be him!”


    Patrick’s eyes shed with a hint of darkness. “How can you be so sure that it’s not him? Just because he’s trying to be nice to


    you?”


    Violet shook her head. “No, | just think that, given Gabriel’s personality, if he wanted to target me, he woulde directly at me


    instead of  double game!”


    Patrick sneered. “I did not expect you to think so highly of him!”


    Violet furrowed her brow. “Mr. Hersey, I’m just looking at the facts. objectively!”


    Patrick snorted and spoke with a hint of sarcasm, “So you''re saying you think I’m wrongly using him?”


    Violet sighed in frustration. “Mr. Hersey, we should not approach this issue


    with emotions!”


    Patrick’s face showed signs of annoyance. “So you think I’m unfairly targeting him?”


    Violet did not understand why Patrick did not like Gabriel so much. Even if they were rivals, it should not be this intense. She


    exined and said, “I don’t mean that. | just think that even if this ount belongs to Gabriel, there must be something going on


    behind this!”


    Patrick also realized that he had let his emotions get the better of him. carlier, but some things seemed beyond his control, and


    his emotions. seemed to change involuntarily with the conversation.


    He looked at Violet with a mix of emotions. “Violet. Do you really trust. Gabriel that much?”


    Violet patiently exined, “It''s not about trusting him. It''s about trusting my own judgment. | don’t believe Gabriel is foolish


    enough to leave such clear evidence for us to find. Besides, why would Laurie help him?”


    Patrick let out a disdainful short and leaned back in his office chair.


    “Laurie’s father is seriously ill and needs money for medical treatment.”


    Upon hearing this reason, Violet''s mouth twitched, and her expression became somewhatplicated.


    Everyone had their own hardships in life.


    She said, “Even if Laurie has her reasons, it doesn’t necessarily mean that


    Gabriel is behind this.”


    Patrick’s gaze darkened. “Alright, I''ll continue the investigation. Le he lives up to the trust you have in him.”


    Violet remained tight-lipped and did not speak.


    Observing Violet’s demeanor, Patrick suddenly recalled her unusual


    reaction when they discussed Freddie during lunch. He raised an eyebrow and looked at Violet. “Do you know Freddie Stanton?”