《Impulsive Vow to an Enigmatic Husband》 Chapter 1 Chapter1 Riverton. The scorching sun of summer feels like it could roast a person to a crisp. Cornelia Stewart took half a day off from her boss, left the office, and went straight to the city hall in Waterside District to get her marriage certificate. She knew that her grandma was still upset about what had happened three years ago, thinking she didn¡¯t protect Cornelia well, which led to her bad reputation and inability to go home. With Granny Reba getting older, Reba worried about not being able to take care of Cornelia anymore. So, she found Granny Luisa from Riverton, hoping she could introduce a suitable man to Cornelia. As it happened, Granny Luisa¡¯s grandson was an eligible bachelor. The older generation always felt that a girl¡¯s ultimate goal should be to get married, no matter who the husband was, as long as she got married, it was likepleting her mission. Having experienced what happened three years ago and witnessing so many broken marriages around her, Cornelia didn¡¯t have high hopes for marriage. She believed that if she met the right person, she could get married, but if not, being single for the rest of her life wasn¡¯t bad either. But to put her grandma at ease, Cornelia agreed to marry Granny Luisa¡¯s grandson. She quickly arrived at her destination and, as she got out of the car, she saw a tall man standing at the entrance of the city hall. He wore a in white shirt and ck cks, but his appearance was striking, and women couldn¡¯t help but stare at him. He was on the phone, not looking sideways. Cornelia checked her phone and found the photo her grandma sent her. The man was the one in the photo, but he was even more handsome in person. She approached him, and when she was close, he hung up the phone and asked, ¡°Cornelia?¡± Not only was he good¨Clooking, but he also had a deep and sexy voice. She nodded, ¡°Are you Jeremy Artis?¡± Jeremy nodded and turned to walk into the city hall. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. He took big strides, walking fast, and Cornelia had to jog to keep up with him. ¡°Um, are you sure you want to get married?¡± Jeremy stopped and checked his watch, ¡°Do you have any concerns?¡± Cornelia wanted to ask if he knew her, if he knew her past. But she thought that he might be like her, forced to get married by the pressure of the older generation, not because of true love, so knowing each other wasn¡¯t essential. Just like her, she only knew he was Granny Luisa¡¯s grandson, not even knowing his upation. Cornelia shook her head, ¡°Let¡¯s go then.¡± They finished it quickly. When she saw the newly issued marriage certificate, she could hardly believe it. At that moment, Jeremy handed her a bank card. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with worktely and won¡¯t have time to take care of you. Take this card, the password is six 6s, and use the money inside as you wish.¡± Cornelia was stunned, and by the time she recovered, Jeremy had already left in a business car. She looked at the bank card in her hand, feeling like it was burning her. She worked in the branch of the Hartley Group, and had opened aic book studio with her friend. With a lot of ie every month, sheould live a good life without spending men¡¯s money. Her ideal loveless marriage was to get a certificate to deal with the elders at home, not to interfere with each other after marriage, and to live as usual. However, if Jeremy Artis is willing to live a peaceful life with her, she would also manage this marriage with her heart. By thinking that, Cornelia sent a photo of the marriage certificate to her grandma, ¡°Grandma, we¡¯ve got our marriage certificate.¡± Her grandma replied, Good thing. You¡¯d better have some children with him as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Replying with one word, Cornelia put away her phone, feeling somewhat heavy¨Chearted. That¡¯s how it was in Cornelia¡¯s hometown. If a woman was still single, she would be urged to get married, and once married, she would be pushed to have children. It was as if women couldn¡¯t have their own lives. Comelia¡¯s marriage seemed to have no influence on her life. After getting married, that man never reached out to Cornelia again. Cornelia¡¯s life didn¡¯t undergo any changes whatsoever and she continued tirelessly working day and night. A year passed quickly, and Riverton weed its hottest season again. During that year, Cornelia, due to her outstanding job performance, had been transferred to the secretary¡¯s office at the Hartley Group headquarters. The president of the Hartley Group returned from a year abroad today, and everyone in thepany was very nervous, especially Cornelia, who may be transferred to the president¡¯s side to continue her work. As everyone was expecting the president to appear, the president¡¯s exclusive elevator door opened, and two men and a woman exited. The man in the lead wore silver¨Cframed sses and was at least 6 feet tall, with an impable physique and face. Cornelia thought he looked familiar and couldn¡¯t help but observe him for a few more moments¡­ ¡°Cornelia, that¡¯s our president, President Hartley,¡± her colleague Ynda whispered in her ear. ¡°A girl in our office once had some thoughts about President Hartley and was fired.¡± Cornelia hadn¡¯t seen the president in her less than a year working at the headquarters. She knew he was only 28 years old but didn¡¯t expect him to be so attractive and well¨Cbuilt. Just as she was feeling a bit flustered and about to exin, a scoff came from behind, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re worthy of him?¡± The speaker was Eden Petersen, who had asked Cornelia out and often made things difficult for her after being rejected. Cornelia never harbored unrealistic fantasies, and she didn¡¯t care about such petty people thought However, Eden thought he had guessed Cornelia¡¯s thoughts and continued sarcastically, ¡°Women these days are always aiming too high. Just because they¡¯re a little attractive, they want to marry a rich man.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± the president¡¯s assistant, Helena, came over and looked at them coldly. ¡°Cornelia, Ynda, Eden,e with me to the president¡¯s office.¡± Helena was a senior employee of thepany. She had worked for the previous president and then for Marcus Hartley for many years. She was about to be transferred to the West Region, so someone needed to rece her position. Cornelia, Ynda, and Eden were among the outstanding talents selected from the president¡¯s office staff of over twenty people. It was up to the president to choose who would rece Helena. They entered the president¡¯s office, which was elegantly decorated with floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows overlooking half of Riverton.. The man known as President Hartley wore a white shirt and ck trousers, standing tall and graceful by therge window. Helena respectfully said, ¡°President Hartley, everyone is here.¡± The guy turned his head to look at them, and his aura was so strong that everyone was too scared to breathe. Eden gathered up the courage to take a step forward, ¡°President Hartley, my name is Eden, and I¡¯ve been working in the CEO¡¯s office for five years. My uncle Matt Petersen also asked me to say hi to you on his behalf¡­¡± The man nced at Eden, his expression unchanged, but those who knew him were aware that he had no respect for this kind of ass¨Ckissing behavior. He turned to Ynda, who immediately straightened up, ¡°President Hartley, my name is Ynda, and I¡¯ve been working in the CEO¡¯s office for three years.¡± She tried to appear more confident, but her trembling voice betrayed her nervousness. Finally, the an looked at Cornelia, who was also looking at him¡­. This time it was even closer, Cornelia could see the man¡¯s face, which was like a work of art carefully sculpted by an artist, even more clearly. She still thought he looked kind of familiar¡­. How could Cornelia possibly know that Marcus was actually Jeremy, the husband she had only met once on the day they picked up their marriage certificate? The year Jeremy was born, the Hartley Group was unstable internally, and to protect their only heir, his family arranged for him to have two identities. The name announced to the public was Marcus Hartley, and the name used in life was Jeremy, and only his family knew about it. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Chapter 2 When Marcus noticed the girl staring at him without any hesitation, he frowned slightly. Even ignoring his position as the president of the Hartley Group, his good looks attracted many women to approach him, which made him feel annoyed. Helena noticed this and nudged Cornelia, ¡°What are you daydreaming about?¡± Z I OF I Cornelia snapped back to reality, adjusting her mood quickly, ¡°President Hartley, nice to meet you, I¡¯m Cornelia. I¡¯ve been working at the Hartley Group headquarters for less than a year.¡± Her self¨Cintroduction was full of power, making her stand out more than the previous two people. ¡°Comelia?¡± Marcus silently repeated the name, feeling somewhat familiar. He looked at Cornelia again, and she didn¡¯t stare back this time, making him feel much more comfortable, ¡°Let her stay.¡± Helena agreed and then led the three out of the office, ¡°Cornelia, go move your stuff to the special assistant¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia returned to her desk, starting to pack her personal belongings. Working alongside the president meant their sries would at least double. All three of them were the winners of a series of selection rounds, all wanting this promotion. But the good promotion ultimately fell on Cornelia, the one with the least experience, which made the other two somewhat dissatisfied. However, Ynda soon realized this wasn¡¯t right. Cornelia¡¯s abilities were well known, and they couldn¡¯t deny her skills just because she was young and inexperienced. She smiled and gave Cornelia a hug, ¡°Cornelia, congrattions!¡± Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Cornelia replied, ¡°Thank you!¡± But Eden wasn¡¯t so generous. He sarcasticallymented, ¡°Ynda, you should learn more. It¡¯s not just strong work abilities that get you promotions, you also need to learn how to seduce people.¡± He didn¡¯t name names, so whoever jumped out to refute would seem guilty. He thought Cornelia couldn¡¯t do anything about his nder. Cornelia nced at him, her eyes cold, ¡°Eden, do you think you¡¯re qualified to nder President Hartley?¡± This made Eden realize the implications and his face turned pale. Ynda also chimed in, ¡°Eden, seeing a woman more outstanding than you and then maliciously ndering her really is shady.¡± ¡°Ynda, I¡¯ll head over there now.¡± Cornelia gave Ynda a grateful look, then left with her box. Cornelia arrived at the special assistant¡¯s office, and Helena watched her for a moment, ¡°President Hartley chose you today, but whether you can work by his side for a long time will depend on your abilities.¡± She continued, her voice somewhat serious, ¡°Remember, President Hartley really dislikes subordinates with ulterior motives. Don¡¯t ruin your own future.¡± Marcus never showed his face in the media, and the public didn¡¯t know what he looked like. But for many years in a row, he topped the list of Riverton¡¯s most eligible bachelors. Cornelia had no inappropriate thoughts about Marcus, but saying so wouldn¡¯t necessarily be believed. She thought it would be more convincing to excel at work than any exnation. She said, ¡°Thank you for the reminder, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Helena saw her sincere attitude and softened her gaze, ¡°I¡¯ll hand over the work to you now.¡± The staff of the Hartley Group president¡¯s secretariat was numerous, but only two special assistants were with him ¨C Helena and Ben, both with different responsibilities. Helena was more like his private assistant, caring about all details in his life. Knowing the president¡¯s personal preferences, habits, taboos, etc. were essential for the president¡¯s secretary, and Cornelia had already memorized them. Helena and Cornelia spent the morning handing over work, so Cornelia had to face the president alone in the afternoon. After lunch, Cornelia made a cup of iced Americano and knocked on the president¡¯s office door. A deep and pleasant male voice came from inside, ¡°Come in.¡± Cornelia entered and saw Marcus sitting at his desk, reading a document. She ced the coffee thirty centimeters to his left, ¡°President Hartley, the meeting with Digital Sports Technology is at 2:10, in ten minutes.¡± Chapter 21 Marcus didn¡¯t even lift his head, urately picking up the coffee and taking a sip, ¡°Mm.¡± Ten minutester, the other special assistant Ben and Cornelia followed Marcus to the meeting. During the meeting, Ben was responsible for recording the content, and Cornelia prepared the materials the president needed. Marcus rarely spoke, mostly just listening to his subordinates and the other party. asionally he¡¯d interject, always hitting the nail on the head. With just a raise of his hand or a change in his gaze, Cornelia knew what he wanted and promptly handed him the necessary materials. The two were so in sync at the meeting that even Ben couldn¡¯t believe it. If he didn¡¯t know Cornelia had just been promoted, he¡¯d think she¡¯d been working with President Hartley for many years. More than three hourster, the meeting ended sessfully, and Cornelia and Ben followed Marcus back to his office. They were about to report on their uing work when Marcus¡¯s private phone rang. Upon answering the call, Marcus heard Granny Luisa¡¯s weak voice, ¡°Marc, now that you¡¯re back in the country, hurry up and bring your wife home. You can¡¯t let her live outside alone anymore. If you don¡¯t bring her back, I¡¯m going to stay at Southern Summer Garden until I die, nevering home.¡± Marcus adjusted his silver¨Cframed sses on his nose, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t say anything, I was nning on picking her up today.¡± Granny Luisa got so excited when she heard the news that she totally forgot she was pretending to be sick. Her voice instantly raised a few notches, ¡°I¡¯ll send you her address, and you go pick her up in person after work!¡± Marcus agreed and hung up the phone, then listened to the reports from his two assistants. No one expected that after hearing the reports, Marcus would ask, ¡°What do you think I should prepare to meet a girl?¡± Ben, who had been with Marcus for many years, usually spoke casually, ¡°Well, that depends on what kind of girl you¡¯re meeting.¡± Marcus smiled, ¡°My wife.¡± When they registered their marriagest year, the French branch of the Hartley Group encountered some problems. After finishing the paperwork and receiving their marriage certificate, he rushed to the airport to fly to another country, and it had been a busy year ever since. During this time, she never contacted him, and he was so busy that he didn¡¯t have time to get in touch with her either. If it weren¡¯t for his granny constantly nagging, he would have forgotten that he was married. Now he¡¯s back to live a good life with her and to make it up to her. Ben knew that their boss had registered his marriage with a woman a year ago, but he hadn¡¯t been in contact with her for the entire year. He assumed that the boss was just trying to appease his granny. But it didn¡¯t seem to be the case now. Ben suddenly had an idea, ¡°Sir, before you came back to the country, you specifically spent 30 million dors in Paris to buy a ne called ¡®Constetion¡®. Is this a gift for your wife?¡± Marcus responded with a ¡°What else could it be?¡± kind of look and said, ¡°I¡¯m asking you guys a question.¡± How could Ben, someone with no dating experience, give good advice? He said, ¡°With a ne worth 200 million, do you need to prepare anything else?¡± Marcus looked at Ben coldly, and Ben shivered in fear, pushing Cornelia forward, ¡°To find out what young girls like, Mr. Marcus, you should ask a young girl, of course.¡± Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Cornelia just found out that her boss was already married. Every time he mentioned his wife, he¡¯d have a gentle smile on his face. Comelia guessed that the couple must be deeply in love. Rich, fit, good¨Clooking, and madly in love with his wife, Corne¡¯s admiration for her new boss grew by the day.- From the perspective of an ordinary girl, she thought carefully before answering, ¡°President Hartley, I think most girls like jewelry, but what¡¯s really important is the thought behind the gift. Like giving her a bouquet of flowers, taking her out for dinner, or watching a movie together.¡± Marcus had no experience in dating. All he knew was to treat the girl well after marrying her. So he instructed Cornelia, ¡°Alright, you go prepare.¡± Upon receiving the order, Cornelia immediately contacted the flower shop that the Hartley Group often worked with and personally chose red roses that represented love. As for suitable dating restaurants and movie theaters, it wasn¡¯t difficult for Cornelia, even if she had no dating experience. She was able to climb step by step to work alongside the president, with unimaginable effort behind her. She remembered the specialties of all high¨Cend restaurants in Riverton, knew which was suitable for dating, which was suitable for treating clients to dinner, and even remembered the preferences of all past clients. the presidents After delivering the roses and the dating address to the president¡¯s office, Cornelia¡¯s work for the day was over. Today¡¯s work seemed easy and went smoothly, but only Cornelia knew how tense her nerves had been throughout the day. Returning home, she could finally rx andzily copsed on the couch, dozing off. make Marcus arrived outside Cornelia¡¯s neighborhood and was about to make a call when he realized that his wife was not in his contact list. He felt deeply guilty for neglecting his wife after they got married, not caring for her for a year, and not even saving her phone number. Marcus secretly decided to treat her better in the future. He found a phone number from his grandmother¡¯s chat history and dialed it. A soft and somewhat drowsy voice came through, as if just waking up, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡± His wife didn¡¯t even save his number? Marcus smiled slightly, ¡°This is Jeremy.¡± ¡°Mr. Jeremy, hello. What can I do for you?¡± Her voice was polite but unfamiliar, as if she didn¡¯t know him at all. Just as Marcus was about to say something, a man¡¯s voice came from the other end of the call, ¡°Honey, wake up ande eat¡­¡± Marcus suddenly realized something, and his eyes behind the sses sank as he hung up the phone. He looked at the gift box and bright red roses beside him, and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his eyes. He looked away, lit a cigarette, and took a few puffs before instructing the driver, ¡°Start the car, head to Southern Summer Garden.¡± Cornelia was half¨Casleep and, coupled with her non¨Cstop busy work schedule, she had long pushed the marriage registration to the back of her mind. She truly had no recollection of the name ¡°Jeremy.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t pay attention to the phone call, as it was probably not a client calling her. She put down the phone, walked into the kitchen, squeezed between Abigail Young and Zack Ruck, and said softly, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up when you two got back?¡± Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Abigail gently tapped her nose, ¡°You looked so tired, like a worn¨Cout puppy. I didn¡¯t want to wake you up.¡± Zack, while serving food, said, ¡°Hurry up and wash your hands, it¡¯s dinner time.¡± The three of them grew up together, went to college in Riverton, and originally nned to start a business together after college. But during their sophomore year summer, Cornelia had an ident and almost couldn¡¯t continue her studies. After that incident, they decided to stay in Riverton and develop their careers together. After graduation, the three of them opened aic studio, rented a three¨Cbedroom apartment, and worked and lived together, having a close rtionship. Cornelia looked at the table full of dishes, ¡°Is this feast because our studio made a lot of money?¡± Zack poured each of them a ss of red wine, ¡°We heard you got promoted to the president¡¯s assistant, so we prepared this celebration feast for you.¡± Abigail squeezed next to Cornelia, full of gossip, ¡°The president of the Hartley Group never shows his face in the media, and there are so many nobledies lining up to marry him. Is he really handsome?¡± 1/2 Chapter 3 Zack thought women were superficial and said unhappily, ¡°Just richness doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s good¨C looking. Maybe he never shows his face in public because he¡¯s ugly?¡± Corneliaughed and joked, ¡°He is indeed handsome, but whether he¡¯s handsome enough to make people swoon, you¡¯ll have to ask his wife.¡± Abigail eximed, ¡°Wait, he¡¯s married?¡°. Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yes, he is. And he seems to love his wife very much. But I always feel like he looks familiar, and I can¡¯t remember where I¡¯ve seen him before.¡± Abigail said, ¡°You always feel familiar when you see handsome guys. You have the potential to be a heartbreaker.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°It¡¯s not bad to be a heartbreaker, no need to take responsibility.¡± Zack rolled his eyes, ¡°Miss, you¡¯re already married!¡± Abigail immediately retorted, ¡°Can¡¯t married people have crushes? Do you want Cornelia to stick with that man who disappeared after marriage for the rest of her life?¡± Cornelia shrugged, looking calm, ¡°I don¡¯t need a man with you two by my side.¡± When they first registered their marriage, Cornelia did entertain the thought of building a good life together with that man. However, as time went on and he disappeared without a trace, and even his granny, whom she had met a few times before the registration, didn¡¯t contact her again, she lost any remaining thoughts she had. But her grandmother would often mention her husband and nned to visit the couple in Riverton this Christmas. Abigail and Zack chimed in, ¡°Right, lousy men are nothingpared to us.¡± The meal was finished amidst theirughter, and after they cleaned up the table, they worked on their comics together. Life was both beautiful and fulfilling. The next day, Cornelia went to herpany early. The new boss was very busy, and working with him meant a doubled sry, but it also required more time and effort. Cornelia had just gotten out of a taxi when she saw a luxurious ck Bentley slowly stopping in front of thepany¡¯s entrance. She hurried over to open the door for her boss, ¡°President Hartley, good morning!¡± Marcus nodded, looking a bit under the weather. Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to think too much, and followed him into the CEO¡¯s private elevator, dutifully reporting today¡¯s schedule to him. In the morning, they had a golf appointment with the CEO of Digital Sports Technology. Marcus¡¯splexion had returned to normal, and he was all chummy and elegant with the CEO of Digital Sports Technology. However, Ben and Cornelia, who were waiting nearby, still felt some pressure. Ben had been with Marcus for many years and rarely saw the CEO show his emotions. Today was an exception. ¡°Cornelia, what do you think is going on with our CEO?¡± Cornelia shook her head. ¡°If you don¡¯t know, how would I know?¡± Ben thought for a long time. There were no issues with their work recently, so the CEO¡¯s worries must be about his personal life. He suddenly had an idea. ¡°Could it be¡­st night President Hartley didn¡¯t get what he wanted from his wife?¡± Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Comelia was speechless. Was this really something they should be discussing?¨C But she then thought about her boss¡® upset appearance, It was possible though. Comelia sneaked a nce at Marcus, who elegantly swung his golf club and got a hole¨Cin¨Cone. However, the president of Digital Sports wasn¡¯t as smooth, swinging several times without getting any balls in.. After a few rounds, the president of Digital Sports waved for someone to bring water. Seeing this, Comelia immediately handed Marcus a bottle of water and a towel. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. The president of Digital Sports looked at Cornelia, his eyes tantly scanning her body¡­ Comelia was dressed in a white shirt and knee¨Clength skirt, her long hair tied up in a bun, revealing her slender neck. Her makeup was light and elegant, and she looked clean and professional ¨C a typical office attire. However, the president of Digital Sports kept staring at her chest, his gaze so lewd it was as if Cornelia wasn¡¯t wearing anything. ¡°President Hartley, your new assistant is not only young and beautiful, but her figure is top¨Cnotch as well.¡± Marcus responded indifferently, ¡°Mr. Ducler, you tter her.¡± The president of Digital Sports chuckled and asked Cornelia, ¡°Miss, do you know how to y golf?¡± As the president¡¯s assistant, Cornelia did know a little, but she wasn¡¯t an expert, and it wasn¡¯t her ce to y in this situation. ¡°Mr. Ducler, I don¡¯t.¡± She hated the way he looked at her, but to avoid making everyone ufortable, she didn¡¯t react. She took the empty water bottle from Marcus and prepared to step aside. However, Mr. Ducler reached out and directly touched her butt, then wrapped his arm around her waist. ¡°Miss, if you don¡¯t know, let me teach you.¡± Cornelia instinctively stomped hard on Mr. Ducler¡¯s foot, causing him to let go of her due to the pain and re at her angrily. Once free, Cornelia immediately stepped aside, anxiously looking at Marcus¡­. In such a business negotiation, she had offended a partner and might be fired. What Cornelia didn¡¯t expect was Marcus suddenly speaking up, ¡°Mr. Ducler, she¡¯s mine.¡± He looked at Mr. Ducler, his face expressionless, but his eyes revealed his displeasure. Mr. Ducler appeared to have an epiphany and quickly apologized, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m sorry, I apologize to you.¡± Mr. Ducler continued speaking to Marcus but never took his eyes off Cornelia, ¡°I really thought President Hartley was like the rumors said, not interested in women. Since you haven¡¯t gotten tired of this one, I¡¯ll wait a little longer.¡± ¡°Mr. Ducler, apologize to her immediately!¡± Marcus yed with his golf club, his face sporting a faint smile, making it hard to read his true emotions. Mr. Ducler paused, thenughed, ¡°President Hartley, we¡¯re partners, she¡¯s just your ything¡­¡± The word ¡°ything¡± was like a poisonous needle stabbing into Cornelia¡¯s heart, bringing up some unpleasant memories. She had obtained her job through her own abilities and earned money through her own skills. Why was she being humiliated just because she was a woman and happened to be pretty? This time, Cornelia didn¡¯t wait for Marcus to speak. She stood up for herself, ¡°Mr. Ducler, don¡¯t you have any women in your family? Weren¡¯t you also born from a woman after ten months of pregnancy? Or do you think you need to humiliate a woman to prove your strength?¡± She stood tall, neither humble nor arrogant, and spoke eloquently. Ben also came over, ¡°Mr. Ducler, the Hartley Group doesn¡¯tck partners like you, but ourpany respects and cares for every employee.¡± Hearing both assistants speak up, Mr. Ducler finally realized the seriousness of the situation. ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m truly sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have treated your employee like that¡­¡± He paused, ¡°Miss Cornelia, I¡¯m very sorry!¡± Marcus swung the golf club forcefully, and the white ball flew out, hitting a nearby tree trunk before flying back towards them, nearly hitting Mr. Ducler¡¯s head. Mr. Ducler¡¯s legs went weak, almost dropping to his knees. ¡°President Hartley, it was my bad, please forgive me¡­¡± Marcus didn¡¯t respond, his cold gaze sweeping over Mr. Ducler¡¯s right hand before turning away. 1/2 Chapter 4 Cornelia grabbed herptop bag and hurried to catch up. ¡°President Hartley, thank you for helping me out!¡± Marcus walked ahead of her, his 6¡¯2¡± height towering over her 5¡¯6¡± frame. Cornelia couldn¡¯t see his expression but heard his deep and powerful voice. ¡°The ones who are wrong are those who sexually harass you, not you. Stand up against bullying in the workce, no matter the situation. You don¡¯t have to suffer in silence. The entire Hartley Group is behind you.¡± It was the first time Cornelia had heard him talk so much. His deep, powerful voice telling her that the harasser was wrong, not her, giving her a sense of security. She said, ¡°Thank you, President Hartley. I know what to do now.¡± Marcus looked back and saw her reddened eyes. She hadn¡¯t shown any fear when she was being bullied just now, but now she finally felt wronged. He couldn¡¯t help but soften his tone, ¡°You¡¯re working by my side and you represent me. You don¡¯t need to be afraid of anyone.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cornelia nodded, her voice nasal, not from fear, but gratitude. Back then when she was bullied, if there had been someone like him to stand up and say the abuser was wrong, not her, the victim, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up homeless and with a bad reputation.. Marcus added, ¡°You did a great job just now.¡± Cornelia felt a warmth in her heart, ¡°Thank you!¡± At that moment, Ben caught up and said, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ve informed the relevant departments to cancel the coboration with Digital Sports.¡± The Hartley Group had been working on developing chips for several years and had achieved great results. However, because the patents were not yet approved, thepany still had to coborate with mature chip manufacturers like Digital Sports for some of its products. Now that the coboration was suddenly terminated, it would cause some losses for the group. Although Cornelia knew Marcus did this not only to protect her, his employee, but also to uphold the company¡¯s dignity, her respect for him grew even more. In this cold and indifferent era, being able to work for such apany with a boss who protects his subordinates, she felt very lucky. Because of the interruption of the partnership with Digital Sports, the Hartley Group had to find a new chip supplier. In the afternoon, Cornelia and others flew to the Capital with Marcus for a business trip, to negotiate with the new chippany. After two weeks of intense negotiations, they finally reached a cooperation agreement with the new supplier. They would take a flight back to Riverton the next morning. After dinner, Cornelia found she still had some time and decided to buy some local specialties for Zack and Abigail. When Ben heard she nned to go shopping alone, he asked, ¡°Cornelia, do you need me to apany you?¡± A beautiful girl, alone in an unfamiliar city at night, might be a bit dangerous. He turned to his boss, ¡°President Hartley, do you want to get some gifts for your wife?¡± Marcus thought of the man¡¯s voice on the phone that night and frowned slightly. But after thinking about it carefully, just hearing a man¡¯s voice on the phone couldn¡¯t prove anything, maybe it was just a misunderstanding¡­. He nodded, ¡°You guys decide.¡± Cornelia also offered a suggestion, ¡°President Hartley, choosing a gift for your wife personally would be more sincere.¡± However, Cornelia soon regretted it because shopping alone with her boss made her feel very ufortable. Originally, the three of them came together, but because the parking lot at the mall was full, Ben had to drive around looking for a parking spot, leaving Cornelia and Marcus by themselves. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Her CEO didn¡¯t seem like the type to buy cheap stuff, and Cornelia wouldn¡¯t be buying anything too expensive either. Considering their needs, Cornelia decided to prioritize her boss¡¯s preferences and took him to a luxury store. Cornelia watched Marcus walking ahead of her. He kept walking without showing any interest in going into a store. They might end up not buying anything if they just wandered around aimlessly. Cornelia sped up to catch up with him. ¡°President Hartley, wanna check out some stores?¡± Marcus nodded and headed to the nearest store, only to be stopped by the staff at the entrance. ¡°Sir, please line up over there.¡± Usually, big luxury brands would actively cater to someone like Marcus. He probably wouldn¡¯t even bother looking and would have no idea that they needed to queue up to buy a purse. Cornelia quickly took out thepany¡¯s VVIP card. As soon as the staff saw it, their attitude changed instantly, and they ushered them into the VIP room. The staff serving VVIPs were as polite as if they were weing royalty, even bringing out bags that regr customers had to wait months to buy. ¡°Sir, madam, please feel free to choose.¡± Hearing this address, Cornelia felt embarrassed. ¡°He¡¯s my boss.¡± Marcus also frowned. Although he hadn¡¯t been able to see his wife since returning to his country, he didn¡¯t want others to misunderstand. It was rare for him to rify, ¡°She¡¯s helping me choose a gift for my wife.¡± ¡°Sorry!¡± The staff dealt with all sorts of people daily and shouldn¡¯t have made such a basic mistake. But when they sat together, they looked like they belonged together, and their vibes matched so well that people subconsciously assumed they were a couple. Not knowing what kind of handbags girls like, Marcus decided to buy them all. There must be one his wife would like. ¡°Wrap up these bags.¡± Four bags, totaling over a hundred thousand dors. Next, Cornelia apanied him to a high¨Cend jewelry store. The staff immediately took them to the counter. ¡°Sir, this ne is our special release this year. Your wife will look stunning wearing it.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Alright, wrap it up.¡± The staff loved decisive customers like him. She smiled at Cornelia, ¡°Madam, would you like to try it on?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my boss.¡± Cornelia patiently exined while seething inside. What was wrong with these people¡¯s eyes? Was there anything about her and Marcus¡¯s behavior that went beyond a boss¨Cemployee rtionship? She was clearly just his little sidekick, always cautious and afraid of doing a bad job, losing her high¨Cpaying position. How could she resemble a CEO¡¯s wife? Cornelia looked at Marcus. This time, he didn¡¯t exin, and his expression didn¡¯t change. But she could clearly sense his displeasure. They ended up choosing two nes and spent several thousand more. When Cornelia helped swipe the card for payment, she felt like her heart was bleeding. She tirelessly works day and night to earn money. Up until now, she hasn¡¯t been able to save up enough for a down payment on a house. The amount of money she has saved over these few years is still less than what others spend on buying a few designer bags or jewelry pieces. The gap between the rich and poor was truly heartbreaking. After the items were packed, Cornelia naturally took charge of carrying them since Ben hadn¡¯t found a parking spot yet. Upon leaving the mall, Marcus led the way and casually asked, ¡°Do you still have things to buy?¡± Cornelia pointed to the left, ¡°What I want to buy isn¡¯t in this mall. We need to walk a bit.¡± ¡°Lead the way.¡± Although Marcus said this, he walked in front. Although the bags and jewelry they bought weren¡¯trge, the packaging boxes were huge. Cornelia carried two big bags in one hand, looking like a Christmas tree loaded with gifts. It was not only tiring but alsoical. Since her strides weren¡¯t as big as Marcus¡¯s, she fell behind him. When people mistook them for a couple, Cornelia felt that Marcus¡¯s attitude towards her had be much colder. Maybe he was worried about being mistaken again or concerned that she might develop unrealistic thoughts about him. Regardless, Cornelia appreciated his awareness as a married man. 1/2 Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. 12:46 Chapter 5 After about ten minutes, they finally arrived at Cornelia¡¯s destination a boutique gift shop. Abigail had always wanted to buy a teddy bear from this store, but she never had time toe to the Capital. Cornelia ran over to greet Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, I need to buy something here.¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± Comelia thought she definitely shouldn¡¯t make Marcus wait too long. So she first bought Abigail¡¯s gift, then randomly picked out a few essories she liked. Seeing all kinds of cute little things, Cornelia stopped and began to carefully choose. Marcus was not a patient person when waiting for others. He only agreed to wait for Cornelia because she had helped him choose gifts. He stood by the roadside, leisurely smoking a cigarette, watching the girl picking out essories in the store through the smoke and ss window. He noticed that Cornelia seemed happier in this small shop than in the high¨Cend stores. Her eyes sparkled, as if she was selecting extremely precious treasures. Do all girls like these trinkets? Would his wife like them too? Marcus decided to go into the store and picked up a fluffy toy, trying to imagine his wife holding it. However, he couldn¡¯t remember what his wife looked like, just that she had a delicate face. He subconsciously looked at Cornelia, and the faces of the two women ovepped in his mind. But Marcus quickly dismissed this absurd idea. He rarely paid attention to women¡¯s appearances, and many people were forgettable. He thought he might have subconsciously reced his wife¡¯s face with Cornelia¡¯s just because she was often around him. Cornelia saw Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, do you want to buy a toy for your wife?¡± Marcus said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll like it.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°President Hartley, girls usually don¡¯t care about the gift itself but the thought behind it. Since you¡¯re putting so much effort into it, she¡¯ll like anything you buy.¡± ¡°Really?¡± His wife didn¡¯t even save his phone number. Would she like the things he bought? Marcus thought long and hard about it. He had ditched his wife after they got married, not caring for her for a whole year. And now, he thought he could just call her and expect her toe home? That shouldn¡¯t be how things work. He should buy her more gifts and pick her up in person¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll do the choosing,¡± he said. He took the task very seriously, but he had no clue what young girls liked. So, he told Cornelia, ¡°Just buy everything that girls would love.¡± Cornelia knew that Marcus was loaded and that buying a few trinkets was no big deal. Heck, he could even buy an entire store with just a word. But as his assistant, she couldn¡¯t just let him go wild like that. Cornelia gently persuaded him to buy a little less, but Marcus still went all out. So, she had no choice but to buy an extra suitcase to hold all the prezzy¡¯s the big boss got for hisdy. After all, there couldn¡¯t be any damage to the gifts from the boss to his wife. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Chapter 6 The next day morning, they went back. Traveling with the big boss, they were all seated in business ss. Marcus was by the window, Cornelia was by the aisle, and Ben was right behind them. As soon as they took the seats, the flight attendant came over, ¡°Sir, ma¡¯am, would you like something to drink?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Two bottles of mineral water, please.¡± Her boss was super picky about his drinks, only having hand¨Cground coffee and specially supplied mineral water. With limited options on the ne, mineral water was the one. The flight attendant said okay, but didn¡¯t leave. She was practically glued to Marcus, asking, ¡°Sir, we have coffee on the ne, do you want any?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t even look at her and said to Cornelia, ¡°I¡¯m taking my wife out for dinner tonight. Make a reservation.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± The flight attendant¡¯s smile wavered a bit as Cornelia looked at her. Feeling awkward, Cornelia smiled and said, ¡°Could I have a newspaper, please?¡± As the boss¡¯s secretary, staying updated was a must. With no inte on the ne, a newspaper would have to do. After reading a few articles, she came across a piece about Digital Sports Technology. ¡°Digital Sports Technology CEO investigated for corruption, he had an ident on the way to the airport and suffered a severe fracture of his right hand. Cornelia nced at Marcus, who was resting with his eyes closed. She could see his long eyshes under his silver¨Cframed sses, looking like pretty little fans. Feeling her gaze, Marcus lifted an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Carefully, she asked, ¡°President Hartley, did you hear about Mr. Ducler¡¯s ident?¡± Marcus scoffed, ¡°He should be d it was only his hand that got injured.¡± He sounded so casual, like they were just chatting. But Cornelia felt a chill down her spine and swallowed nervously. Rumors about the young leader of the Hartley Group were everywhere ¨C ruthless, indifferent, immune to women¡¯s charm. Twelve years ago, when he was still underage, many thought he was just a naive kid. But he managed to take control of the Hartley Group with a tough hand, saving it from the brink and making it a world leader once again. Since then, many in the business world shuddered at the name ¡°Marcus of the Hartley family.¡± He had be synonymous with ¡°terror.¡± Marcus slowly opened his eyes, coldly staring at Cornelia. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Feeling a bit flustered, she nodded and shook her head, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He clearly didn¡¯t believe her but didn¡¯t press the issue, closing his eyes again. Cornelia, ¡°¡­¡± No matter what others said about him, she couldn¡¯t deny that the Marcus she knew would gently smile when talking about his wife, make time for her no matter how busy, and protect his employees. She was his assistant, not his enemy. Why should she be scared? Realizing this, she breathed a sigh of relief and closed her eyes to rest. The ne soon reached cruising altitude. As she dozed off, she vaguely heard a deep voice, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m frivolous, or that I¡¯m a man you can have?¡± The icy tone made Cornelia shiver, and she opened her eyes to see the flight attendant who had tried to flirt with Marcus awkwardly taking her phone back¡­. Handsome and rich, yet he could resist all temptation and stay pure. Quite rare. Suddenly, Cornelia became curious about Marcus¡¯s wife, wondering what kind of woman could make a man like him never give other women a second nce. After a two¨Cand¨Ca¨Chalf¨Chour flight, they arrived in Riverton and went straight to work. Besidespany matters, Cornelia also had to handle Marcus¡¯s personal affairs, like buying flowers, making dinner reservations, and arranging after¨Cdinner entertainment. 19-46 Chapter 6 She put even more effort into it this time, knowing that the boss¡¯s wife¡¯s satisfaction with the date would directly affect his mood, and in turn, her job. After work, she handed Marcus the bouquet of flowers and watched him get into the car and leave. Her job for the day was done. She let out a sigh of relief and was about to call a cab when her chat group lit up. Abigail sent a message, ¡°Cornelia, we¡¯re having cod tonight. Could you grab a bottle of white wine for cooking from the supermarket downstairs?¡± She replied, ¡°Sure.¡± As Marcus¡¯s car drove towards Cornelia¡¯s ce, Granny Luisa called again. ¡°Marc, ever since you got married and went abroad for work, you¡¯ve neglected your wife. I¡¯ve been too ashamed to face Cornelia this past year. If you don¡¯t go and bring her home, I¡¯m going to drop dead.¡± Granny Luisa rambled on, but Marcus only caught one key point, ¡°Granny, what did you say her name was?¡± Granny Luisa yelled, ¡°Cornelia! Her name is Cornelia! You bastard, you don¡¯t even remember your own wife¡¯s name! Are you trying to kill me?!¡± ¡°Cornelia?¡± Marcus repeated the name, and Cornelia¡¯s face appeared in his mind. No wonder he thought that name sounded familiar when he was picking a new assistant. It was the same as his wife¡¯s. He smiled, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m on my way to pick her up. Once I do, I¡¯ll bring her to see you first.¡± Granny Luisa¡¯s heart leaped, ¡°You better keep your word this time. If you can¡¯t bring her, don¡¯t bothering to see me. Let me tell you, Cornelia is a wonderful girl. You¡¯re lucky to have her, and you better cherish her.¡± Marcus had only met his wife once and they barely exchanged a few words. He didn¡¯t know her personality, but he trusted his grandma¡¯s judgment. Plus, since they were married, he was determined to cherish her. He nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± After ending the call, the car driven by the driver stopped outside the residentialplex where Cornelia lived. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve arrived. Do you want me to pick up your wife, or¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll pick up my wife myself.¡± Marcus got out of the car, holding a bouquet of roses in his hand, and walked towards the residential complex. Theplex had a high proportion of tenants, so the security wasn¡¯t very strict. Maybe it was because Marcus¡¯s aura was too strong, but the security guard didn¡¯t ask any questions and let him in directly. Marcus found building number 10, unit 1, took the elevator straight to the 15th floor, and came to the door of apartment 1501. He knocked on the door. After a while, the door opened, and a man wearing floral shorts and a bare upper body appeared at the door. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± The man was holding the doorknob with one hand and a T¨Cshirt with the other. His hair was a bit wet, like he¡¯d just taken a shower. Marcus frowned slightly, but there was no change in his expression. He asked, ¡°Does Cornelia live here?¡± The man nodded nkly, ¡°Yes.¡± Marcus¡¯s tone suddenly became cold, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with her?¡± Before the man had a chance to answer, a female voice came from behind him, ¡°Zack, who¡¯s at the door?¡± Then, a decent¨Clooking woman appeared in Marcus¡¯s line of sight. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The woman was wearingfortable home clothes, and her hair was also wet. Clearly, she had juste out of the bathroom. A man and a woman showering together was definitely not just a simple shower. She stretched her neck to see what was going on at the door, and when she saw him, her eyes lit up. ¡°Who are you? Who are you looking for?¡± Marcus coldly looked at the woman in front of him. It was apletely unfamiliar face, but this woman was his wife. Not only was she involved with another man, but she didn¡¯t even recognize him¡­. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Marcus¡® eyes suddenly turned cold, and he gave off a strong oppressive vibe. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship?¡± The man straightened up and hugged the woman tightly. ¡°What¡¯s our rtionship to you? I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t bother us again, or I won¡¯t let you off.¡± After that, the man mmed the door shut. Marcus stared at the closed door, thinking about their actions in the room just now and the man¡¯s affection for the woman, a strong wave of disgust surged in his heart. He could make excuses for her and deceive himself if he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes. Now that he had seen it, even if he didn¡¯t want to believe it, he had to admit that his wife had a rtionship with another man, and he had been deceived by his cheating spouse. He turned around, threw the roses into the trash can, and walked straight into the elevator Zack watched Marcus leave through the peephole, nervously patting his chest. ¡°Abby, do you know that guy?¡± Abigail shook her head violently, whispering, ¡°That was so scary! So scary!¡± ¡°Shoot, Comelia should be back from the supermarket outside the neighborhood by now¡­¡± They both rushed out of the room, and another elevator opened just in time. Cornelia, carrying groceries and a newly purchased bottle of white wine, saw them flustered. ¡°What are you guys doing?¡± Zack nced at Cornelia and sighed in relief when he confirmed she was okay. ¡°You didn¡¯t meet any weird people, did you?¡± Cornelia looked confused. ¡°No, what¡¯s going on?¡± Zack pulled her into the room and closed the door. After looking through the peephole again, he said, ¡°A man just knocked on our door, and he seemed to be trouble. I honestly answered his questions, but luckily I was alert enough to drive him away.¡± Abigail nodded vigorously. ¡°Right, that guy looked at me like he wanted to eat me alive. It¡¯s so scary! Good thing Zack reacted quickly.¡± Cornelia hugged Abigail. ¡°Our neighborhood has a lot of people, and I heard there were thefts a few days ago. We have to be more careful from now on.¡± Zack pulled out his phone. ¡°I¡¯m going to buy a surveince device online and install it at the door. If you workte, call me in advance, and I¡¯ll pick you up downstairs.¡± Cornelia nodded. ¡°Okay.¡°, Abigail sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a shame he¡¯s so good¨Clooking.¡± Cornelia and Zack said at the same time, ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be blinded by a man¡¯s good looks.¡± Abigail, ¡°But that man was really good¨Clooking.¡± Cornelia and Zack, ¡°¡­¡± Marcus got back into the car and told the driver to head to Southern Summer Garden.. After more than two hours of driving, it waste when they arrived at Southern Summer Garden. The lights in the vi were still on. Marcus hadn¡¯t even gotten out of the car when he saw the unsteady figure in the yard. Granny Luisa saw his car enter the yard and excitedly shook off the butler¡¯s support, walking towards him. Marcus immediately got out of the car and quickly helped Granny Luisa up. ¡°Granny¡­¡± ¡°Marc, where¡¯s Nelly?¡± Granny Luisa craned her neck to look behind him into the car but didn¡¯t see the person she wanted to see. Her eyes immediately dimmed. ¡°She didn¡¯te with you. What¡¯s the point of youing alone?¡± ¡°Granny, I came to talk to you about our rtion.¡± Marcus helped Granny Luisa into the house and asked the butler to leave. Granny Luisa felt something was wrong and was a bit nervous. ¡°Is Nelly mad at you and doesn¡¯t want to see you? Should I call and help exin things to her?¡± Marcus¡® sexy thin lips curved into a cold smile. ¡°She has another man.¡± ¡°What? What nonsense are you talking about?¡± Granny Luisa angrily threw a pillow from the sofa at Marcus. ¡°Nelly isn¡¯t that kind of person; she would never do such a thing. Don¡¯t ruin her reputation.¡± Marcusughed coldly. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes. Could it be fake?¡± Hearing this, Granny Luisa was stunned. ¡°Marc, is there a misunderstanding? Should I call and ask?¡± Marcus spoke in a low voice. ¡°I called her the day I returned to the country and heard a man¡¯s voice next to her. I stupidly thought it Chapter 7 might be a misunderstanding. Today, I went to her house to pick her up and saw her and that man being intimate. Do you think this is still a misunderstanding?¡± No one can ept their partner cheating, especially Marcus. Even though his marriage to Cornelia wasn¡¯t based on love, Granny Luisa knew he couldn¡¯t ept this. Granny Luisa closed her eyes and, when she reopened them, her emotions had calmed down. ¡°What do you want to do now?¡± Marcus replied coldly, ¡°Get a divorce.¡± Divorce was thest thing Granny Luisa wanted to see, but if the girl already had someone else she liked, what could they do? She continued, ¡°Marc, I know you¡¯re angry right now, but I hope you can think from Cornelia¡¯s perspective. A girl gets married in a sh to a man she¡¯s only met once, and after the marriage, her husband disappears. With no feelings between her and her husband, it¡¯s not wrong for her to be with someone suitable during that time.¡± Marcus raised his eyebrows. ¡°So what?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait for her to initiate the divorce, giving each other some dignity?¡± ¡°Dignity?¡± Marcus took off his sses and gently wiped them. ¡°Granny, if it weren¡¯t for you, I would have made that man and woman disappear from Riverton. You still want me to give them dignity? Did she think of giving me dignity when she was with another man?¡± Granny Luisa sighed, ¡°I met Nelly a few times before your marriage, and she¡¯s an excellent girl. I thought you two would be happy together, so I arranged for you to be together. I made a mistake. I shouldn¡¯t have forced you to get married just because you were getting older. Otherwise, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡± Once a fierce and fearless businesswoman, she went through countless hardships and faced even the strongest opponents with ease. But now, she found herself apologizing to him, her own grandson, all because of that young girl. Marcus felt heartbroken, and the anger he tried to suppress red up again. ¡°Granny, no one can force me, and no one can betray me.¡± He had lived for over twenty years without ever meeting a girl he liked, let alone ever thinking about falling in love. Granny wanted him to get married, so he figured it didn¡¯t matter who he married and agreed. This marriage wasn¡¯t for love, but from the moment they decided to marry, he was determined to spend his life with that girl, never even considering betraying her. But what about her? He never imagined that when he excitedly brought a car full of gifts to pick her up, he¡¯d be greeted by her living with another man. Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org. Granny Luisa knew him well and took the me upon herself, all to protect the girl. ¡°Marc, I promised Cornelia¡¯s granny that my grandson would treat her granddaughter well, and that¡¯s why she agreed to the marriage. I don¡¯t want to face my old friend with shame. Just promise me one more time, and I won¡¯t interfere with your future marriage choices.¡± Marcus couldn¡¯t bear to see his granny humbling herself before him, so he reluctantly agreed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll let her keep her dignity.¡± With the crisis averted, Granny Luisa hadn¡¯tpletely rxed when she saw Marcus call his privatewyer. ¡°Help me prepare a divorce agreement.¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°Marc, you¡­¡± She didn¡¯tpletely understand him. Marcus hung up and said, ¡°Granny, you should rest. I¡¯m going back to Riverton.¡± As she watched his tall, lonely figure, Granny Luisa realized for the first time that she might have made a mistake. She didn¡¯t want her grandson¡¯s marriage to be like his parents¡®, just an exchange of benefits. So she arranged an innocent girl for him, hoping their feelings would be pure. But she neglected the fact that a good marriage requires the presence of emotions. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Late at night, Cornelia¡¯s sweet dreams were shattered by a phone call. Groggily, she found her phone and saw ¡°Marcus¡± disyed on the screen, instantly waking her up. Cornelia sat up and answered, ¡°President Hartley, hello!¡± It was a strange man¡¯s voice, ¡°Your President Hartley is drunk,e to Shimmer Club and pick him up¡± ¡°Who are you?¡± At this time, Marcus should be with his wife. How could he get drunk at Shimmer Club? And who was this stranger calling from his phone? ¡°I¡¯m Leonardo Wilson, hurry up and get over here.¡± The other party hung up after speaking. Cornelia knew Leonardo was Marcus¡¯s friend, and his family was one of Riverton¡¯s four major families. It was part of Cornelia¡¯s job to pick up Marcus if he was drunk. Cornelia quickly changed into her work clothes and rushed to Shimmer Club by taxi. Shimmer Club was Riverton¡¯s most exclusive membership club, not open to ordinary people. Leonardo had already informed the staff, and someone greeted Comelia as soon as she got out of the car, leading her to the private room, ¡°Miss, they¡¯re inside.¡± Cornelia thanked the staff and knocked on the door, immediately seeing two couples drinking on the couch, with only Marcus sitting alone in the corner, holding a nearly finished cigarette in his hand. All four pairs of eyes turned to Cornelia, unabashedly sizing her up. ¡°So you¡¯re Marc¡¯s new assistant? You¡¯re too pretty to be wasted working for someone like him,¡± said Leonardo, whom Cornelia recognized from pictures online. Leonardo came from a wealthy home and was good¨Clooking; he always made headlines and had dated countless female celebrities, earning him the reputation of being a notorious yboy in Riverton. Despite his frivolous words, Cornelia politely greeted him, ¡°Mr. Wilson, hello! I¡¯m here to pick up President Hartley While hugging the woman next to him and swirling his wine ss, Leonardo asked, ¡°Do you have a boyfriend?¡± He eyed her up and down like an item for sale, which Cornelia found repulsive, ¡°Whether or not I have a boyfriend is my private business.¡± Leonardo chuckled, ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t have a boyfriend, I can be your boyfriend.¡± ¡°Sorry! I¡¯m not interested in you. Cornelia didn¡¯t like these spoiled rich kids who tried to pursue every girl they met. If he weren¡¯t Marcus¡¯s friend, she wouldn¡¯t even bother with him. Being rejected so directly, Leonardo didn¡¯t seem to mind, insteadughing, ¡°So you¡¯re not interested in me, are you interested in Marc then?¡± Hearing this, Cornelia worried that Marcus would misunderstand and affect her job. She subconsciously nced at Marcus, but thankfully he was just focused on smoking and didn¡¯t seem to notice her arrival. Leonardoughed, ¡°you are not saying no, so I guessed right?¡± ¡°Mr. Wilson, do you not know how to respect people?¡± People like him were too narcissistic, thinking all women would be attracted to rich kids like them. If it weren¡¯t for his family background, his life might be worse than hers. ¡°Marc, your assistant is quite bold. Who gave her the courage?¡± Another man chimed in, his eyes on Cornelia not friendly. Cornelia didn¡¯t know him, but she guessed he was the son of the Reese family, one of the four major families, Cameron Reese. Riverton had four major families: the Hartley family, the Reese family, the Wilson family, and the Petersen family. Marcus, Leonardo, and Cameron were all around the same age and were said to have been friends since childhood. ¡°I did. Is there a problem? Marcus¡¯s deep voice cut through the chatter, and everyone looked at him as he slowly extinguished his cigarette. Leonardo quickly yed peacemaker, ¡°No problem, no problem¡­¡± Cameron gave Cornelia a cold stare, full of hostility. Cornelia was puzzled; it was their first meeting, and they didn¡¯t know each other. Why was he treating her this way? Cornelia ignored them and went straight to Marcus, who smelled of alcohol but had clear eyes, not looking drunk. Chapter 8 In a low voice, she asked, ¡°President Hartley, shall we go?¡± Marcus looked up at her, ¡°Who asked you toe?¡± Cornelia honestly replied, ¡°Mr. Wilson told me to pick you up.¡± Marcus looked at Leonardo, whoughed and said, ¡°Marc, life is short. You should enjoy it while you can, or it¡¯s a waste¡± Marcus gave him an unhappy nce, and Leonardo immediately turned serious, ¡°You asked me to call the driver earlier, but I got it Wrong.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t believe him but didn¡¯t bother arguing, got up to leave with Cornelia following closely behind. As they were about to leave, Leonardo called out loudly, ¡°Miss Cornelia, you should find a handsome man like me. Your President Hartley is just a pretty trophy.¡± Cornelia was speechless. She couldn¡¯t help but feel that Leonardo was trying to make Hartley angry. Outside the club, Cornelia saw a ck Bentley parked at the entrance. She opened the car door for Marcus, and once he was seated, she got into the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°President Hartley, where to?¡± Cornelia knew that Marcus had several high¨Cvalue mansions in Riverton. Marcus, ¡°Blueshell Mansion.¡± Blueshell Mansion is a famous seaside residential area in Riverton, with sky¨Chigh prices per square meter that makes many people green with envy. And Marcus owns several of them. ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia immediately started the car and drove out of the nightclub. The night was quiet, and there were few vehicles on the streets, making it a smooth ride to Blueshell Mansion. Cornelia parked the car in the parking space and opened the door for Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, we¡¯re here.¡± Marcus got out of the car, and almost stumbled and fell¡­ Cornelia quickly held him up. When she touched his hot body, she was startled, ¡°President Hartley, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Upon closer inspection, Cornelia discovered that Marcus¡¯s face was abnormally flushed, not the redness from being drunk, but more like an allergic reaction. ¡°Help me get back, I have medicine at home.¡± Marcus had no strength to stand straight, and all his weight fell on Cornelia. Cornelia, who was much smaller than him, used all her strength to help him walk to the elevator. Luckily, the elevator went directly to the front door, so they arrived quickly. Cornelia helped Marcus into the house and let him sit on the sofa, ¡°President Hartley, where¡¯s the medicine?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Marcus pointed, ¡°Over there, the second drawer, red pills.¡± Following his direction, Cornelia quickly found the red pills he mentioned and poured him a ss of water, ¡°Take it quickly, you¡¯ll feel better soon.¡± Seeing her anxious appearance, Marcus suddenly smiled, ¡°Cornelia?¡± He rarely called her by her name, and his voice was already pleasant. Now, with a hint of drunkenness, it sounded even more intoxicating. Cornelia nodded, ¡°Mr. Marcus, what can I do for you?¡± Marcus, ¡°Why does your name sound so unlucky?¡± Cornelia roller/her eyes. Her name was given by her grandmother, and she always thought it was beautiful. She didn¡¯t understand why Marcus suddenly thought her name was unlucky. 5 She thought he might be drunk and was talking nonsense, ¡°Mr. Marcus, you should take the medicine first¡­¡± Marcus took the medicine and asked again, ¡°Do you know how to make a hangover soup?¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Chapter 9 Comelia wasn¡¯t good at cooking, but Marcus didn¡¯t give her a chance to say no. ¡°There¡¯s a recipe and ingredients for hangover soup in the kitchen. Make it and call me when it¡¯s ready¡± With no choice, Comelia took on the task. Luckily, she had done a lot of chores since she was a kid, so it wasn¡¯t too hard for her. She found the ingredients ording to the recipe, washed and chopped them, and soon a steaming bowl of hangover soup was ready Comelia carried the soup out of the kitchen, but Marcus was nowhere to be seen in the living room. She looked around and saw the bedroom door slightly ajar, with light spilling out from the crack. She put down the soup and texted Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, the hangover soup is ready. If you don¡¯t need anything else, I¡¯ll head out.¡± Just after she sent the message, the doorbell rang, startling her in the quiet of the night. Her gut told her it must be the president¡¯s wife at thiste hour, and she panicked a bit. Although there was only a pure working rtionship between her and Marcus, being alone together in the middle of the night could easily lead to misunderstandings. As she hesitated, the bedroom door opened, and Marcus, wearing only a bathrobe, came out. ¡°Go open the door.¡± He had just taken a shower, with the bathrobe loosely hanging on his body and water dripping from his hair. Combined with his handsome face, he was like a walking male hormone. Anyone who saw this scene would probably think too much. Cornelia nervously swallowed, ¡°President Hartley, should I hide?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Marcus, ¡°Why would you hide?¡± Cornelia, ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be good if your wife misunderstands.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t misunderstand, and I¡¯m not interested in you either. Marcus threw back at her the words she had said to Leonardo earlier. Of course, Cornelia knew he wasn¡¯t interested in her, she just didn¡¯t want to cause unnecessary misunderstandings. If he wasn¡¯t worried, then what was she afraid of? She went to the door and opened it. A man and a woman were standing outside. The woman was carrying a medical bag and looked about forty years old. The man was tall and muscr, with dark skin and a thick scar under his left eye. Because of his distinctive appearance, Cornelia immediately remembered seeing this man when she was shopping at the Capital a few days ago. At that time, he was not far from Marcus, but she hadn¡¯t seen him again after they entered the store, so she never thought the man had anything to do with Marcus. The woman looked surprised to see Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, what are you doing here?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t recognize the two, but they seemed to know her, ¡°Who are you?¡± The woman said, ¡°I¡¯m Dr. Dawson, President Hartley¡¯s personal doctor. This tall guy is my son, Ayden.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± Cornelia stepped aside and let them in. Dr. Dawson smiled at her, changed her shoes, and went straight to Marcus. She quickly opened her medical bag, prepared a syringe, and gave Marcus an injection. After that, she said, ¡°Marc, you know you can¡¯t¡­¡± She stopped and looked back at Cornelia. Marcus was lounging on the sofa, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if she dares to reveal my weakness, I¡¯ll have Ayden throw her into the river to feed the fish. Cornelia,¡± She wanted to curse. What had she done to deserve this? She was sleeping soundly when someone called her, rushed to Shimmer Club, drove him home, and made him hangover soup¡­ After being busy for most of the night, she hadn¡¯t heard a word of thanks, and he still wanted to throw her into the river to feed the fish. ¡°President Hartley, the hangover soup is on the table. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll leave first.¡± The less you know, the safer it is. Cornelia cared about her life and prepared to leave. Marcus ignored her, and Cornelia tried to leave by herself, but the tall, muscr man was standing at the door, blocking her way out. Chapter 9 Comelia looked back at Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, I don¡¯t want to know the weakness you don¡¯t want outsiders to know. Please let me go.¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow, ¡°You are an outsider?¡± Staying by his side and working, yet trying to stay out of it, she wasn¡¯t stupid at all. Comelia, As his personal assistant, she didn¡¯t seem to be an outsider. Comelia had no choice but to sit quietly to the side, ying on her phone, not wanting to get involved in their business. However, their conversation still entered her ears without missing a word. Dr. Dawson chattered, ¡°You know you can¡¯t drink mixed alcohol, yet you still did. You really don¡¯t care about your life.¡± Marcus, ¡°I was upset, so I had a few drinks.¡± Dr. Dawson, ¡°Why were you upset?* Comelia also wanted to know why the president was in a bad mood, so she listened carefully, but Marcus didn¡¯t answer. Last time he went to see his wife, he was in a bad mood the next day. And this time too. Did he really have a conflict with his wife? Also, why wasn¡¯t Marcus¡¯s allergy to mixed alcohol mentioned in the mandatory course for the Hartley Group president¡¯s special assistant? Comelia thought about it and immediately understood that only a fool would write their weaknesses in the manual for others to read. As the helmsman of the Hartley Group, his position meant there were many dangers surrounding him. He had to be more careful and cautious than ordinary people. All the taboos she had learned about Marcus from the manual were probably written for those with ulterior motives. Dr. Dawson suddenly waved her over, ¡°Miss Cornelia, could you pleasee over and help?¡± Cornelia quickly put away her phone and walked over, ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Dr. Dawson, ¡°Marc, take off your clothes and let Miss Cornelia help you apply the medicine.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t even bother taking off his clothes, and instead tightened his cor, as if he was afraid that Cornelia would take advantage of him. ¡°I¡¯ve taken the medicine you gave me, and I¡¯m already feeling better. There¡¯s no need for any ointment.¡± Dr. Dawson said, ¡°You know your body better than I do, but if you don¡¯t use the ointment, that rash ain¡¯t going away for at least a week or two. If you don¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll have to call Luisa¡­¡± Marcus shot Dr. Dawson a cold re, but Dr. Dawson wasn¡¯t afraid of him. He even muttered under his breath, ¡°You don¡¯t take care of yourself and won¡¯t let others say anything about it.¡± ¡°President Hartley, maybe you should listen to Dr. Dawson¡¯s advice.¡± Although Cornelia didn¡¯t really understand his situation, she believed that patients should always listen to their doctors. Marcus gave Cornelia an unhappy look. ¡°Ayden,e here.¡± Dr. Dawson said, ¡°Marc, Ayden¡¯s hand is injured and hasn¡¯t healed yet. Let Miss Cornelia do it.¡± This time Marcus didn¡¯t say anything else and directly took off his robe. As his clothes came off, his perfect abs were definitely eye¨Ccatching, but what was even more attention¨Cgrabbing was the red rash on his body, which looked like a baked red pancake. Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit freaked out. Dr. Dawson handed Cornelia some medicated cotton. ¡°Miss Cornelia, please apply the medicine to the rash.¡± Comelia nodded, but since she rarely did this kind of thing and was worried about hurting Marcus, her hands became clumsy. ¡°President Hartley, please bear with me. I¡¯ll try my best not to hurt you.¡± Marcus looked at her, and his eyes were filled with undisguised dissatisfaction¡­. Cornelia thought to herself, ¡°¡­¡± Did he think she wanted to apply the medicine to him? If it weren¡¯t for the double pay, she wouldn¡¯t help him even if he begged her on his knees. Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Dr. Dawson was busy mixing up some topical meds, while Cornelia was busy applying them to Marcus. She was super focused and serious about it. Even though she had never been this close to a guy before, she didn¡¯t feel awkward since. he was her patient. Marcus¡¯s face turned slightly red, but luckily, his redness from the severe allergy made it hard for others to notice his uneasiness. After being married for over a year, he had only seen his wife on the day they registered their marriage. He had never been in such close. proximity to a girl before, so he felt a bit awkward and unsure of what to do. After applying the meds to his back, Cornelia started applying them to his chest. Her smooth forehead moved in front of his eyes, and. her faint scent filled his nostrils¡­ ¡°I can do it myself,¡± he suddenly said in a deep voice, startling Cornelia. Cornelia looked at him, puzzled. ¡°President Hartley, did I hurt you by pressing too hard?¡± Marcus kept a straight face. ¡°Ayden, take her home.¡± Cornelia nced out the window and saw that it was already getting light outside. She didn¡¯t want to bother anyone. ¡°it¡¯s okay, I can just grab a cab home.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Suit yourself.¡± Cornelia, Man, guys are so hard to understand. After Cornelia left, Dr. Dawson couldn¡¯t help but blurt out, ¡°Marc, Cornelia seems like a great girl.¡± Marcus, ¡°You want her to be your daughter¨Cinw?¡± Dr. Dawson, ¡°Is that what I said?¡± Marcus, ¡°What did you mean then?¡± Dr. Dawson went silent. She didn¡¯t even know why she had said that.. Next few days, Cornelia suffered a lot in thepany. Cornelia reviewed her work from the past few days, and couldn¡¯t find anything she had done wrong. But President Hartley kept finding fault with her and suddenly became this scary devil boss. Not only did Cornelia feel his dissatisfaction, but Ben also noticed it. At lunch with Cornelia, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What did you do to piss off President Hartley?¡± Cornelia sighed, wanting to share her troubles with someone. ¡°If I knew what I did wrong, I could fix it, but I don¡¯t even know what I did. to upset him.¡± Ben had been with Marcus for many years and had never seen him act like this. In the past, he would just fire employees who made mistakes, and he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to kick out any female employees who coveted the position of Mrs. Hartley. The problem was that Comelia was doing an excellent job and didn¡¯t harbor any ill intentions. It was Marcus¡¯s attitude toward her that was baffling. Ben thought for a moment and patted Cornelia¡¯s shoulder sympathetically. ¡°Think about it carefully, maybe you can figure out what made him unhappy.¡± Cornelia, ¡°¡­¡± She thought hard and realized that Marcus¡¯s dissatisfaction with her began the day she helped him apply the meds. Could it be that the news of her taking Marcus home had reached Mrs. Hartley, and she didn¡¯t want him to get too close to a young assistant like her, so he was giving her the cold shoulder? Of all the guesses, Cornelia thought this one was the most likely. With this idea in mind, Cornelia became more careful about her behavior and made sure never to have any contact with Marcus outside of work. In the afternoon, as usual, Cornelia ced a cup of coffee on Marcus¡¯s desk. ¡°President Hartley, this afternoon¡­¡± Marcus interrupted her abruptly. ¡°Let someone else bring me coffee from now on.¡± Cornelia confirmed her guess and dutifully informed him of the uing schedule. ¡°President Hartley, you have a West Region investment meeting at 2:30. Tonight, you¡¯re attending the Wilson family¡¯s anniversary banquet. I¡¯ve prepared the gift list; please review it 1/3 12-17 Chapter 10 Without looking up, Marcus said, ¡°Put it here.¡± As Cornelia handed over the list, she said, ¡°Since it¡¯s an anniversary, it¡¯s customary to bring a partner. Will you be attending with your wife, or should I arrange a femalepanion for you?¡± As Cornelia was speaking, Marcus suddenly looked up at her, his gaze cold as ice. ¡°Get out.¡± Cornelia, ¡°¡­¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Little did she know that Marcus¡¯s sudden anger was because she had mentioned his ¡°cheating¡± wife again. Cornelia left the president¡¯s office, nning to go to the restroom to wash her face and calm down. Unexpectedly, she ran into Eden in the restroom. He was blocking the entrance, as if waiting for her on purpose. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Your beauty trap didn¡¯t work on President Hartley?¡± ¡°Eden, you never have anything nice to say,¡± Cornelia snapped back. She was afraid of Marcus, who paid her sry, but she would never allow others to bully her. Eden chuckled, ¡°You have quite the skill of insulting people without using a single dirty word. Impressive. But Cornelia, we still have a long way to go in the future. Let¡¯s wait and see who will win in the end.¡± Siliang returned a radiant smile, ¡°Sure, let¡¯s wait and see.¡± The afternoon meeting went smoothly. Afterward, Marcus received a call from hiswyer. ¡°President Hartley, the divorce agreement you requested is ready. I¡¯ve sent it to your email. Please review it and let me know if there are any changes needed.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Alright.¡± Marcus¡¯swyer would never let him lose out. Not only would his wife leave with nothing, but she would also have topensate him for the emotional distress she caused. Honestly, Marcus didn¡¯t care about the money, but he still felt satisfied. Anyone who betrayed him had to face the consequences. After reviewing the agreement, Marcus called hiswyer back. ¡°Contact her tomorrow and have her initiate the divorce.¡± He had promised his grandma that he would wait for his wife to initiate the divorce, but he never said he couldn¡¯t have hiswyer remind her to be proactive. Feeling better, Marcus looked at Cornelia more kindly. ¡°Tonight,e with me to the Wilson family¡¯s golden anniversary banquet.¡± Cornelia was thrilled. ¡°President Hartley, are you not mad at me anymore?¡± Marcus, ¡°Was I ever mad at you?¡± Cornelia, ¡°No?¡± He had just given her the cold shoulder for a few days. In his mind, that probably didn¡¯t count as being mad. The old man and olddy of the Wilson family don¡¯t dig throwing big feasts. There ain¡¯t many guests invited, but with their status and all, loads of people wanna crash the party, so there¡¯s still quite a crowd. No matter how many people, Marcus¡¯s arrival was still the center of attention. Moreover, he rarely attended any social gatherings with a femalepanion, but today, he made a rare exception and brought a femalepanion along. And so, Cornelia got noticed too. Cornelia¡¯s been to quite a few fancy events with Marcus, so she could kinda deal with all the gawking. Marcus had to go meet the Wilson family¡¯s old couple, and Cornelia sneaked off to a quiet corner to munch on some snacks. Leonardo, holding a drink, walked up to her and said, ¡°Miss Cornelia, may I have the pleasure of dancing with you?¡± Cornelia smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Wilson, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not good at dancing.¡± As an executive assistant, how could she not know how to dance? But this was just Cornelia¡¯s way of turning Leonardo down, and they both knew it. Leonardo pretended not to understand, ¡°I can teach you, you know.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Last time you asked me if I had a boyfriend, how about I give you an answer today?¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°You want to use the excuse of having a boyfriend to reject me?¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t have a boyfriend.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°So, can I ask you out?¡± Chapter 10 Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯m married.¡± Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Leonardoughed, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard someone turn me down with such a reason.¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°Should I feel honored then?¡± Leonardo said, ¡°You know, the more you act like this, the more interested I am in you.¡± ¡°Well, you know what, the more you act like this, the more I dislike you.¡± Cornelia¡¯s smile disappeared, and she said seriously, ¡°Mr. Wilson, I have absolutely no interest in you, not now, not ever. Don¡¯t waste your time on me.¡± Her words amused Leonardo even more. ¡°Cornelia, you and your President Hartley are quite alike. You never consider others¡® feelings. when you reject them. It¡¯s really embarrassing.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°But I don¡¯t see it.¡° Leonardo: ¡°¡­¡± Oh my god! He actually lost to a woman in this war of words. ¡°You should be entertaining your guests as the host, but instead, you¡¯re hiding here, chatting with my assistant.¡± Marcus¡¯s deep voice suddenly sounded behind them. Cornelia turned around and saw Marcus standing not far behind them. She didn¡¯t know how long he had been there or how much of their conversation he had heard. Her arrogance instantly vanished, and she obediently walked over to him. ¡°President Hartley¡­¡± Seeing Cornelia be so well¨Cbehaved in an instant, Leonardo found it even more interesting. ¡°Marc, your assistant is always bullying me. You should do something about it.¡± us¡¯s tone s ¡°Did you bully Mr. Wilson?¡± Marcus¡¯s tone sounded like a question, but a careful look could reveal the smile on his lips. ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± Cornelia shook her head frantically. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare bully him in his own home.¡± as up again ¡°Marc, who do Leonardo started stirring things up again. ¡°Marc, who do you believe, her or me?¡± ¡°Tonight you¡¯re the host, and she¡¯s the guest.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t directly say who he¡¯d side with, but his words clearly implied that even if Cornelia bullied Leonardo, as the host, he should endure it. Leonardo teased, ¡°Marc, you¡¯ve changed. You¡¯re actually bullying your friend for a woman now.¡± ¡°Marc has his priorities mixed up?¡± Cameron walked over with a wine ss and joined the conversation. When he saw Cornelia, his eyes darkened. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Cornelia: ¡°¡­¡± She didn¡¯t seem to have offended this guy. Every time they met, he gave her a cold look, as if she had done something terrible to him. Marcus raised an eyebrow. ¡°Do I need to ask for your opinion on whom I bring with me?¡± Cameron awkwardlyughed. ¡°Marc, I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± Leonardo quickly tried to smooth things over. ¡°You¡¯re finally here. Let¡¯s go have a drink.¡± ¡°President Hartley, you can¡¯t drink tonight.¡± Marcus had just stopped taking his medication today. Before coming to the banquet, Dr. Dawson called Cornelia several times, telling her to keep an eye on Marcus and absolutely not let him touch alcohol. Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to be negligent. Leonardo teased again, ¡°Marc, why is your assistant so strict with you, almost like a Cornelia red at him. ¡°Mr. Wilson, maybe you should just shut up.¡± Leonardo pretended to be hurt. ¡°Marc, look, she¡¯s bullying me again.¡± Marcus said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink tonight. Let¡¯s do something else.¡± Hearing this, Cornelia finally rxed. Leonardo asked, ¡°Dancing? ying cards? Or do you want to do something more exciting?¡± Marcus wasn¡¯t interested in any of those things, but since it was an important asion, he couldn¡¯t leave too early. ¡°Whatever.¡± Leonardo: ¡°Okay then.¡± The four of them left the noisy banquet hall and entered the card room. Leonardo seemed excited. ¡°How big do you want to y tonight?¡± Chapter 11 Comelia had seen rich people y games and lose a house in one night, which was not umon. She still hadn¡¯t saved enough for a down payment on a house, so she couldn¡¯t afford to lose. ¡°President Hartley, I don¡¯t want to y. Can you find someone else?¡± Leonardo quickly responded, ¡°Marc, you can¡¯t spoil her in everything. Otherwise, it¡¯ll be hard to deal with her in the future.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything, and Cornelia understood his meaning. She had to participate. Cameron¡¯s eyes kept darting towards Cornelia. ¡°Let¡¯s y Truth or Dare tonight.¡± Leonardo said, ¡°I agree. It all depends on whether Marc dares to y.¡± Marcus nced at Comelia, and Cornelia nodded vigorously. ¡°As long as we don¡¯t y for money, I¡¯ll be up for any game.¡± Leonardoughed at her again. ¡°So you didn¡¯t want to y earlier because you were afraid of losing money. Who cares about winning your money?¡± Comelia: ¡°¡­ She knew they were very rich, but was there a need to rub it in her face? Everyone started drawing cards, and Cornelia immediately got a task card. Leonardo looked at Cornelia and asked with a grin, ¡°Truth or Dare?¡± Comelia: ¡°Truth.¡± Leonardo: ¡°Is what you told me tonight true, or just an excuse to reject me?¡± Comelia: ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Cameron said, ¡®I was the one who suggested ying this game, so I should be the one to ask. Ms. Stewart, how do you feel about your President Hartley¡­ Leonardo interrupted him. ¡°Cameron, I¡¯ve already asked my question. You can ask yours next time.¡± In the second round, Cameron drew a card, and Marcus stared at him intently. He directly asked, ¡°So, Truth or Dare?¡± Cameron: ¡°Truth.¡± Leonardo opened his mouth to ask, but Marcus¡¯s warning look stopped him. He then turned to Cornelia. ¡°Ms. Stewart, why don¡¯t you ask the question?¡± Comelia didn¡¯t hold back. ¡°Cameron, we didn¡¯t know each other before. Why do you have a problem with me, an ordinary assistant?¡± Cameron didn¡¯t expect her to be so straightforward, his face turning dark with embarrassment. ¡°How on earth did you get that idea?¡± Cameron didn¡¯t want to answer, and Cornelia didn¡¯t get an answer either. She was just reminding Cameron that she was just a little assistant, not a threat to him, and that there was no need for him to have an issue with her. The game continued, and it was Leonardo¡¯s turn. Leonardo, fearless, said, ¡°I¡¯ll also choose truth. Whatever secret you guys want to know, I¡¯ll tell you honestly.¡± Marcus and Cameron weren¡¯t interested in his truth, so they both looked at Cornelia. Comelia was more than happy to take on this task. ¡°Mr. Wilson, there are rumors saying that you¡¯re dating a pure goddess from the entertainment industry. Is that true?¡± The main reason she asked was that the rumored girlfriend was Zack¡¯s dream girl, so Cornelia wanted to ask for him. Leonardo: ¡°I just got out of her bed this morning. What do you think?¡± Comelia: ¡°¡­ That answer was a bit too direct. Just now, that actress¡¯s studio was going to sue those who spread rumors. Turns out, you really can¡¯t trust what¡¯s said in the entertainment industry. Leonardo: ¡°Are you asking this because, even though you say you¡¯re not interested in me, you secretly like me?¡± Comelia: ¡°Heh heh¡­* After that, Leonardo was bombarded with many gossip questions by Cornelia, and she was thrilled. Marcus looked at her a few times, not understanding what she was so happy about. Leonardo muttered, ¡°Let¡¯s go again. I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m this unlucky.¡± In the end, Leonardo lost miserably and started to be a sore loser. ¡°I don¡¯t care, Marc, you have to answer one of my questions too, topensate for my suffering.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. 2/3 Chapter 11 Without waiting for Marcus to agree, Leonardo asked, ¡°So, tell us, how are things with you and your wife?¡± Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Chapter 12 Not many people knew about Marcus¡¯s shotgun marriage, except for his family and a few close friends, including Leonardo and Cameron In the past, when Leonardo asked him about it on the phone, he would always answer with a smile, ¡°When I go back to my country, I¡¯ll bring her home.¡± Ever since he got cheated on, Marcus could only feel disgusted when thinking about that woman, and didn¡¯t want to talk about her with anyone. ¡°What do you think?¡± Leonardo begged, ¡°Marc, please satisfy my curiosity¡± ¡°Leon, don¡¯t you know Marc¡¯s personality? If he doesn¡¯t want to talk about it, it must not be a big deal.¡± Cameron seemingly answered casually, but every word was probing the real situation between the couple. Comelia was also curious about what was going on between the president and his wife. Because his boss didn¡¯t talk about his wife in the past few days. Marcus could easily see through Cameron¡¯s little schemes, but he lost interest and looked at Cornelia, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Leonardo, ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡± Marcus, ¡°Not in the mood anymore.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°Besides work, what else can you be interested in?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t answer, just got up and walked out, with Cornelia hurriedly following. As they reached the hall, they were surrounded by a group of people, all holding up their wine sses to toast Marcus. Cornelia finally realized why he hid in the room. Attending other people¡¯s banquets and dealing with these people was indeed annoying. ¡°Sorry! President Hartley is feeling unwell and can¡¯t drink today.¡± Cornelia stood in front of Marcus, blocking anyone who dared to toast him. If she couldn¡¯t block them, Cornelia would drink for Marcus. Marcus was too eye¨Ccatching, and everyone wanted to build a rtionship with the Hartley Group¡¯s president. People kepting over to toast him, as if he was the protagonist tonight. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia apanied him in exchanging pleasantries with so many people, her head getting dizzy from drinking. ¡°President Hartley, why does it feel like we¡¯re escaping?¡± ¡°Dummy.¡± Marcus replied. She blocked so much wine for him, and he still called her stupid. Cornelia felt wronged but didn¡¯t dare to show it. ¡°If President Hartley thinks I¡¯m stupid, then I¡¯ll be stupid.¡± Marcus looked down at her¡­. For tonight¡¯s banquet, she changed out of her usual simple work clothes and wore a sky¨Cblue dress, her hair still tied up in a bun. The dress was in, but her figure was good enough to show off her perfect body curves. Because of the alcohol, her delicate face and slender neck were flushed, making her look innocent and sexy at the same time, very different from her usualpetent image at work. At first, those men came to toast Marcus, butter many were toasting her, their gazes greedy and lewd. She didn¡¯t notice and kept drinking one ss after another. He could have stopped them, but he didn¡¯t. He wanted to see how foolish she could be. If she didn¡¯t improve, she would eventually be eliminated. He looked away, ¡°Do you think everyone is worthy of drinking with me? If I don¡¯t want to drink, who can force me?¡± Cornelia, a little drunk and emboldened, said, ¡°President Hartley, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? You let me drink so much.¡± ming herself for not being smart enough, she also med him. Marcus raised an eyebrow and asked, ¡°Are you the assistant, or am 17¡± Cornelia had no answer. She had only thought that he absolutely couldn¡¯t drink, so she stood in front of him, not letting anyone get close. But she forgot that one look from him could make those people back off.. Sheughed, covering her embarrassment with a smile.. Ayden was already waiting in the car at the door. Seeing theming out, he hurriedly got out of the car. 1/3 12:48 Chapter 12 Marcus sat in the back seat, and Cornelia took the passenger seat. Marcus nced at the empty seat next to him and said, ¡°Where do you live? Let Ayden drop you off on the way.¡± Cornelia burped and waved her hand, ¡°Thank you, President Hartley, but there¡¯s no need. Someone is picking me up. Just drop me off at the main road.¡± Last time she took a taxi alone at night without telling Zack and Abigail, they gave her the cold shoulder for a day. So when she found out she was attending the banquet with Marcus today, she quickly messaged them. Zack said he would pick her up in the evening. Marcus casually asked, ¡°Your husband?¡± Cornelia was stunned, realizing he heard her conversation with Leonardo earlier. Her husband in name only had disappeared long ago. There was no way he would pick her up. Cornelia smiled and didn¡¯t say anything, so Marcus took it as a yes. The car quickly left the vi area, and Ayden found a spacious spot to park. ¡°Ms. Stewart, do you want to get off here?¡± Cornelia nodded, opened the door, and waved goodbye, ¡°Goodbye, President Hartley! Goodbye, Ayden!¡± The car window slowly lowered, and Marcus ordered, ¡°Throw away the stuff in the trunk.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia, a little tipsy and unsteady, walked to the back of the car and opened the trunk.. The trunk was filled to the brim with beautifully wrapped gifts, some of which she had personally wrapped. They were all gifts that her boss had intended to give to his wife. These gifts should have been given out earlier, but now they were all piled up in the trunk, untouched. Cornelia came back and asked, ¡°President Hartley, aren¡¯t these gifts for your wife? Why didn¡¯t you give them to her?¡± Marcus lit a cigarette and took a drag, ¡°I won¡¯t need them anymore. Throw them away, sell them, or use them yourself, whatever you want.¡± Cornelia felt a sour feeling in her heart, ¡°President Hartley, what happened between you and your wife? You love her so much, don¡¯t let a momentary impulse ruin your rtionship.¡± He used to look at his wife with such tender and firm eyes, but in just a week or two, his eyes had changed when he mentioned her cold and disgusted. Something must have happened. ¡°Take the s Marcus¡¯s voice suddenly turned serious, ¡°Take the stuff and don¡¯t mention her in front of me again.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t wanna spill the beans, and Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to probe further. She went to the back of the car to move some stuff. As she bent down, she felt dizzy and her stomach started acting up. Cornelia tried her best to hold it in, as his personal assistant, she couldn¡¯t afford to embarrass herself in front of him.. Taking a deep breath, she was about to lift the stuff when Ayden came over and said, ¡°I got this.¡± He was tall and strong, and quickly moved the stuff from the trunk to the ground. Cornelia was super grateful, ¡°Ayden, thank you!¡± Ayden nced at her expressionlessly, then turned back to start the car. Marcus said, ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ll have another cigarette.¡± He could smoke while the car was moving, but Ayden didn¡¯t question Marcus¡¯s decision to stop for a cigarette, he just followed orders. Marcus lit a cigarette but didn¡¯t take a puff, his hand resting on the car window, tapping lightly¡­ Cornelia couldn¡¯t pretend she didn¡¯t see, so she held in her nausea and walked over, ¡°President Hartley, is there anything else?¡± Marcus looked up at her, ¡°Has your ride not arrived yet?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°There¡¯s a traffic jam today, he¡¯s been stuck for a while, but he¡¯s almost here.¡± As she spoke, a regr sedan approached from the oppositene. Cornelia¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°President Hartley, my ride¡¯s here, goodbye!* She happily walked towards the car, her gentle voice ringing out clearly in the quiet night, ¡°Zack, I¡¯m here.¡± Marcus nced towards the sedan¡¯s driver, but the night was too dark for him to make out the man¡¯s face. He threw away the cigarette and ordered Ayden, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ayden started the car and drove a few meters, then looked in the rearview mirror to see the man who came to pick up Cornelia. His back was facing them, blocking Cornelia, and it seemed like he was hugging her. Ayden said, ¡°President Hartley, Ms. Stewart and her husband seem to have a great rtionship.¡± 2/3 Chapter 12 Marcus didn¡¯t respond, but every word Ayden said reached his ears. It seemed like he could hear Cornelia¡¯s gentle voice when she was talking to her husband,pletely different from the s¨¦rious tone she used with him. ¡°Hmph¡­¡± he sneered. Ayden didn¡¯t understand why. He secretly nced at Marcus through the rearview mirror, but his expression was calm, and nothing. seemed out of the ordinary. Meanwhile, on Cornelia¡¯s side, Zack gently patted her back, ¡°Silly girl, if you need to puke, just do it. You¡¯ll feel better afterward.¡± Cornelia felt so dizzy she could barely stand, so she leaned against Zack, ¡°Is my boss gone?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Zack poked her forehead, annoyed, ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re gonna run yourself ragged just for double the sry.¡± ¡°But money gives me a sense of security,¡± Cornelia looked at him and smiled. As she smiled, tears inexplicably flowed out of her eyes. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°Take care of your health, though. Since Cornelia became the president¡¯s assistant, no one knew better than Zack and Abigail how much stress she was under. A lot of times, they would hear her talking in her sleep about work when they woke up in the middle of the night. hey had advised her multiple times not to work so hard. Their manga studio was doing well, and she didn¡¯t need to work as the CEO¡¯s special assistant. She could still live afortable life. But she didn¡¯t dare to let herself rx. She was afraid that having too much free time would make her overthink and remember those bad experiences from the past¡­ She could only keep working non¨Cstop and making money. Seeing her bank ount bnce grow bigger and bigger would make her feel a little more at ease. Wiping away her tears, Cornelia said, ¡°Ugh, I really can¡¯t drink. It makes me cry¡± Zack rubbed her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay to cry, no shame in that.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Zack patted her back, ¡°How much did you drink, anyway?¡± Having not eaten much that night, the burning sensation in her stomach made Cornelia feel like throwing up, ¡°Not too much, just had a bit of white wine, red wine, and champagne¡­¡± Zack was so mad he didn¡¯t even want to scold her, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go home.¡± Cornelia agreed, still tipsy but not forgetting the task the president assigned her, ¡°Help me carry those things on the ground to the car.¡± ¡°What are these?¡± Zack helped her into the passenger seat, fastened her seatbelt, and then went to move the stuff. ¡°These are gifts my boss didn¡¯t send out. He asked me to handle them. I n to sell them all and give him the money? With the items being worth millions, she couldn¡¯t just throw them away. Selling them and giving the money back to Marcus was the best option. After loading the stuff, Zack got back in the driver¡¯s seat and wanted to curse, ¡°He left you like this but still asked you to do things for him. What was he thinking?¡± Even though Cornelia was drunk, she didn¡¯t forget about the money, ¡°The workload is a bit much, but the sry is really high. If I do well, a million annual sry is no problem.¡± Zack didn¡¯t want to deal with her money talk and texted Abigail, ¡°Abby, Nelly¡¯s drunk. Can you make some hangover soup for her when she gets back?¡± Abigail replied quickly, ¡°Sure. Keep an eye on her.¡± While driving, Zack asionally nced at Cornelia in the passenger seat. She was staring nkly ahead, her eyes empty and pitiful, ¡°Nelly, what are you thinking about?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking about my parents. If my mom hadn¡¯t left my dad after giving birth to me, maybe my dad wouldn¡¯t have taken on extra jobs driving at night to give me a better life. Then he wouldn¡¯t have had that car ident, and maybe my life would have turned out differently.¡± That was what Cornelia was thinking, but she never liked showing her vulnerable side to others, not even her best friends. She smiled, ¡°Zack, the stars are so bright tonight. Do you still remember the days when the three of us were lying on the roof watching the stars when we were young?¡± Zack knew that she was changing the subject and didn¡¯t expose it. He said, ¡°That is the most precious memory of the three of us. How can we forget it? Cornelia continued, ¡°When I save up a bit more, let¡¯s go on a road trip together. I heard the stars in the fields are beautiful.¡± As she mentioned money again, Zack thought of some good news, ¡°Nelly, your romanceic has been very well¨Creceived, and several film and TVpanies want to buy the rights.¡± Cornelia¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Whichpanies?¡± Zack mentioned one of thepany names. ¡°Really? Really?¡± Cornelia excitedly asked several times. That film and TVpany was very reputable in the industry, with great ratings and box office records, as well as excellent word of mouth. Zack continued, ¡°They want to meet with us to discuss it. We know you¡¯re very busy and only have time on weekends, so they¡¯re willing to meet with us on a weekend. They¡¯re really sincere.¡± 1/2 12:49 Chapter 13 ¡°Okay. When are we meeting them?¡± ¡°This weekend. If you agree, I¡¯ll have Abby book the tickets, and we¡¯ll fly there after you finish work on Friday.¡± Cornelia thought about Marcus¡® schedule for the next two days, and since he was free on the weekend, she agreed, ¡°Alright.¡± The next day, Cornelia refreshed. As she walked into the office, Cornelia felt that everyone¡¯s gazes were a bit strange. She greeted her colleagues warmly, but they avoided her like the gue, with some whispering behind her back. The familiar colleagues in the president¡¯s office were the same, huddling together and whispering. When she appeared, they quieted down immediately. Just as Cornelia was feeling confused, she received a message from Ynda, ¡°Cornelia, go check the company chat group.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cornelia replied with her phone, not noticing Eden approaching her head¨Con, nor his malicious actions and stare. When she sensed danger, she instinctively dodged to the side. The boiling water from Eden¡¯s cup didn¡¯t ssh on her face, but her ear and neck couldn¡¯t escape. The scalded area turned red instantly, and Cornelia shuddered from the pain. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t notice, did I burn you?¡± He apologized loudly, but his hands were trying to tug at Cornelia¡¯s wet cor. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Cornelia pped his hand away and scolded him. ¡°I want to ruin you!¡± He leaned in close to Cornelia¡¯s face, his smile sinister and vicious, ¡°Cornelia, I warned you not topete with me for the president¡¯s assistant position, but you didn¡¯t listen. Now I have to make you leave in the most humiliating way possible.¡± ¡°With you? You¡¯re not worthy!¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t bother arguing with him and turned back to her office to open herputer. She didn¡¯t have to search for the post Ynda mentioned; it popped up as soon as she opened thepany¡¯s intr. [Cornelia¡¯s Shameful Secrets] She clicked on the post and saw that there were no text descriptions, only pictures. The first three were of her and Leonardo chatting at the Wilson Manorst night, their backs to the camera. Due to the angle of the shot, the distance between her and Leonardo, which was actually enough for two people to stand between them, looked as if they were whispering closely together in the photos. The fourth picture showed her falling into Zack¡¯s arms, with Zack leaning down as if kissing her. The fifth picture was of Zack affectionately touching her head. } In the sixth picture, Zack was standing outside the passenger seat, while she was sitting inside. At first nce, it seemed like they were kissing, but in reality, Zack was just helping her fasten her seatbelt. The background of the seventh photo is a supermarket. She¡¯s picking out soy sauce, and there¡¯s a random guy pushing a shopping cart next to her, who¡¯s also mistakenly thought to be one of her many male friends. In all these photos, none of the guys have a clear front view, but her face is super clear, even the red mole on her earlobe is visible. Compared to these photos, what freaked Cornelia out even more was thements that follow. Those who didn¡¯t know the truth thought they knww everything and threw shade at her. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Chapter 14 [Comelia looked so innocent, but turned out her private life was such a mess.] (Who knew how many people she¡¯d been with, maybe she did something to get transferred to the HQ] JA CEO¡¯s assistant was supposed to represent ourpany¡¯s image, we can¡¯t keep someone like her] This scene was just like the one from a few years back. It¡¯s easy for these people to ruin a hardworking, somewhat pretty gir , just making up stories about her being promiscuous, humiliating her, and then everyone will me her. Vaguely, Cornelia felt like she was being cornered in her home again. Some people pulled her hair, hitting her while doing it. Others pointed at her nose, constantly cursing her ¡°You¡¯re so young and you¡¯re doing such shameless things.¡± ¡°Let her go, let her go far away, nevere back She kept trying to exin, but no one believed her. They only wanted to believe what they had already decided. ¡°Cornelia, is this true?¡± Ben¡¯s voice pulled Cornelia out of her unbearable memories. He had only worked with Cornelia for a little over a month, and he wasn¡¯t too familiar with her. He remained neutral about today¡¯s events. Ben didn¡¯t just read those messages and assume she was a promiscuous woman like the others. He came to ask her, and Comelia was already grateful for that. Cornelia forced a smile, ¡°Has President Hartley arrived?¡± Ben, ¡°He just got here.¡± Cornelia took herptop with her cold hands and went to Marcus¡¯s office. He stood by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, smoking with his back to the office door. Cornelia couldn¡¯t see his expression, only his tall and straight silhouette. She gently ced herptop on his desk, ¡°President Hartley, someone in thepany is spreading rumors about my private life, and 1 need to take two minutes of your time to exin.¡± Marcus replied without turning his head, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your private life, but if there¡¯s a chance it will affect thepany¡¯s image, then I¡¯m sorry, we can¡¯t keep you.¡± Cornelia felt like she had fallen into an ice cave because of his words, ¡°President Hartley, please let me exin before¡­ Before she could finish, Marcus coldly interrupted, ¡°You say it¡¯s a rumor, then provide evidence to prove it. §±l give you two hours to handle it, or how can I trust your ability?¡± That was all Cornelia wanted to hear, ¡°Thank you, President Hartley!¡± Marcus had hit the nail on the head. If she couldn¡¯t master her own affairs, how could she merit the position of the CEO¡¯s assistant? She had to approach him, making the first move, cutting off any chance for him to lend credence to the circting rumors. Otherwise, she risked not only her livelihood, but also tarnishing her professional reputation irreparably. Back then, she was young and had no way to fight back against the nder and humiliation. Now, she couldn¡¯t be the little girl who let others bully her anymore. After leaving the CEO¡¯s office, Cornelia immediately went to thepany¡¯s information security department, asking the relevant staff to find the person who posted the message as soon as possible. Thanks to Ben¡¯s call, they cooperated with her. In just a few minutes, the staff found the name of the person who posted the message. The person who posted it wasn¡¯t Eden, as Cornelia had guessed, but she was sure it had something to do with Eden. With the list in hand, Comelia immediately called the police¡­ The police were quick to respond, and within half an hour, they found the poster¡¯s residence. The poster soon confessed that Eden was the mastermind behind it. The police found many photos of Eden stalking and secretly taking pictures of Cornelia in hisputer, catching him red¨Chanded. When the police came to arrest Eden at thepany, Comelia nced at her watch. It had been exactly two hours, and she finally Chapter 14 breathed a sigh of relief. Then, she strode towards Eden and pped him twice in front of the police. After hitting him, amid everyone¡¯s surprised gazes, Cornelia rubbed her hand andughed, ¡°As a man, you¡¯re bullying a woman, and all you know how to do is nder and defame. Don¡¯t you have any other tricks?¡± ¡°Cornelia, this isn¡¯t over between us.¡± Eden gritted his teeth in anger, but he had no strength to fight back and was taken away by the police. Cornelia called the HR manager in front of everyone, ¡°Notify everyone in thepany, anyone who dares to nder and spread rumors about others will never be hired by the Hartley Group.¡± After saying that, not caring if the other party had heard her clearly, Cornelia hung up the phone. She then swept her gaze over the twenty or so people in the CEO¡¯s office, ¡°You all saw what happened today. I can kick Eden out of the Hartley Group for ndering me, and I can kick out anyone else who does the same because I have President Hartley behind me.¡± ¡°President Hartley!¡± ¡°President Hartley!¡± Everyone looked behind her, and one by one, they called out President Hartley. Cornelia turned around and saw Marcus standing right behind her, proving her words, [I have President Hartley behind me]. She stiffened for a moment, then tried to look natural, ¡°President Hartley!¡± Marcus¡¯s gaze swept over her, not saying anything, and walked away. Following him was Ben, who said, ¡°Cornelia, hurry up.¡± Cornelia caught up and listened to Ben, ¡°It¡¯s lunchtime, let¡¯s go to the cafeteria together.¡± Marcus was very picky about his food, and his meals were usually prepared by a special person. All the vegetables, fruits, and meat that he ate came from their own farm, and he rarely ate outside food. Cornelia had been working by his side for a month, and this was the first time she saw hime to thepany cafeteria for lunch. It wasn¡¯t lunchtime yet, so there were no other employees in the cafeteria. Cornelia eyed a window seat, but Marcus snagged the middle spot. So, she relented and sat with him. Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Although it was just thepany cafeteria, the facilities and dishes were much better than many high¨Cend restaurants. Almost anything you wanted to eat could be found here. Faced with so many delicious options, Cornelia was at a loss for what to eat. Just then, Marcus¡¯s personal chef brought out a feast of dishes, filling the table with mouthwatering food. Ben couldn¡¯t help but drool and said, ¡°Man, we¡¯re in for a treat today.¡± Cornelia, a bit distracted, said, ¡°I¡¯m gonna go wash my face.¡± She went to the restroom, sshed cold water on her face, and then practiced smiling in the mirror until she nailed the perfect smile. Only then did she leave. As she walked out of the restroom, she bumped into Ben and said, ¡°Ben, thank you!¡± Ben, a bit puzzled, asked, ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your phone call, the information security department might not have listened to me.¡± Cornelia had only recently been promoted to special assistant and was still on probation. After the scandal, many people thought that Marcus, a perfectionist, would definitely kick her out. As a result, no one would take her opinions seriously because of her position. Ben exined, ¡°That call was actually from President Hartley. You should thank him.¡± At this point, Ben felt guilty because at the time, he had believed the post and hadn¡¯t thought about helping Cornelia. Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Ben¡¯s words echoed in Cornelia¡¯s mind¡­ She used to think that Marcus, like others, had doubted her private life, so when she went to him, he was so ruthless. She believed he gave her the opportunity to scrutinize and clear the facts out of pity as her superior. She dared not imagine that Marcus had believed in her innocence from the beginning, and he asked her to find evidence to fight back against the rumors¡­ Back then, only her grandma, Zack, and Abby trusted her unconditionally. Marcus, the leader of a top corporation, an awe¨Cinspiring figure, had worked with her for a month and three days, yet he trusted her as much as those closest to her, unconditionally. Because of this, Cornelia decided that even without a high sry, she would remain loyal to Marcus and be his most capable subordinate. Back at the table, Marcus was drinking soup, and Cornelia was quietly watching him¡­ If temperament was an art, no one couldpare to her President Hartley. Even drinking soup, he looked so elegant and noble, like a beautiful world¨Crenowned painting. Marcus felt her gaze, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Cornelia showed a ttering smile, sincerelyplimenting him, ¡°I just think President Hartley is the best boss in the world.¡± Ben gently nudged her, reminding her that President Hartley only valued his subordinates¡® abilities and didn¡¯t ept brown¨Cnosing. Marcus didn¡¯t react much to her words, coldly saying, ¡°talk less at the dinner table.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Soon, employees trickled into the dining room, jovial and chatting. But upon spotting the prominent figure in the center, their demeanor turned serious, exceeding even their work seriousness. However, they couldn¡¯t help but cast their eyes on their table. Cornelia boldly guessed¡­ Marcus, who never came to the employee cafeteria, suddenly showed up, perhaps to show everyone that Cornelia was still his special assistant and the recent news wouldn¡¯t change anything. Cornelia quietly asked her guess, ¡°President Hartley, did youe to the cafeteria to help me?¡± Marcus elegantly wiped his mouth and coldly replied, ¡°I¡¯m not here to help you, but your ability and efficiency today showed me your value.¡± His answer was cold, but it was the highest affirmation of Cornelia¡¯s abilities. He never doubted her and even helped her. This was the biggest kindness she received today. Cornelia sincerely said, ¡°President Hartley, I really appreciate you!¡± Marcus nced at her impatiently, unintentionally seeing her scalded ear and neck, feeling annoyed for some reason, ¡°Dr. Dawson will be here in a bit, ask her for some medicine.¡± With his reminder, Cornelia felt the pain from the scald, ¡°Alright.¡°| Cornelia had just returned to the office after lunch and hadn¡¯t had time to contact Dr. Dawson when she arrived with a medicine box. Dr. Dawson didn¡¯t ask about Cornelia¡¯s condition, directly applying two ointments to Cornelia¡¯s neck, ¡°Your skin is blistering and will peelter. You need to apply these ointments mixed together, twice a day. When your skin starts to peel, it may itch, but don¡¯t scratch.¡± The cool ointment made Cornelia feel much better, and she smiled, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Dawson!¡± Dr. Dawson gently rubbed her head, ¡°No need to be so formal, girl.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say much, just remembering the people who helped and showed kindness to her today. In the afternoon, Cornelia adjusted her mood, attending an international video conference with Ben and Marcus. The meeting discussed many issues, and by the time it ended, it was time to get off work. Afterpleting the meeting summary, Cornelia and Ben went to the president¡¯s office to submit the report, seeing Marcus on the phone. Cornelia couldn¡¯t decipher the words spoken from the other end, only catching Marcus¡¯s icy retort, ¡°What? Must I guide you on how to locate people?¡± Chapter 15 Not only was his voice cold and scary, but his eyes were also gloomy and frightening. Ben and Cornelia exchanged nces, asking each other with their eyes, ¡°What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s wrong with President Hartley?¡± ¡°No one¡¯s answering the phone, can¡¯t you go find them?¡± After saying this, Marcus hung up and looked at Cornelia with a bad expression, ¡°Go make me a cup of coffee.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cornelia immediately left. Marcus nced at the phone on his desk. Just now, hiswyer told him that his wife in name only was unreachable. Thinking about not being able to cut ties with the woman who betrayed him made him irritable, he pulled his tie and lit a cigarette. Cornelia came in with the coffee, saw Marcus smoking, and quietly stepped aside after putting down the coffee. Marcus casually flipped through their work report, and before he finished, his phone rang again. Cornelia saw Marcus answering the phone, still not knowing what the person on the other end said, only seeing Marcus¡¯s face getting worse. He cursed, ¡°Useless guy,¡± and mmed the phone on the desk. Cornelia was startled, what was wrong with President Hartley? Why was he so angry? Marcus¡¯s mood had reached a boiling point. Hiswyer just told him that the woman couldn¡¯t be found at her registered address and asked if she had moved. What was she up to? Did she expect him to contact her personally? Aggravated, he snatched his personal phone, shooting Cornelia a message, ¡°Hey, it¡¯s Jeremy, the guy you marriedst year. Get here ASAP, we need to discuss our divorce!¡± The next second, in the quiet office, Cornelia¡¯s phone suddenly went off in her pocket. ¡°You got a new message.¡± Marcus¡¯s gaze immediately turned towards her. Chapter 16 Cornelia silently cursed she¡¯s screwed! Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Chapter 16 She usually didn¡¯t carry her personal phone during work hours, and only put it in her pocket because it was almost time to leave. Why did it have to ring now? Cornelia was so nervous she could hardly breathe. She sneakily took out her phone and turned off the sound. But by ident, she saw the message was from her husband who had disappeared after they got married! However, Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to look closely, she just turned off the screen and stood quietly. Luckily, Marcus didn¡¯t make things difficult for her. ¡°You guys can leave now.¡± Cornelia and Ben replied, ¡°Yes,¡± and escaped the CEO¡¯s office at lightning speed. Because Marcus had dyed her, Cornelia didn¡¯t have time to check her personal phone and rushed straight to the airport. Zack and Abigail took her luggage and went to the airport to handle the baggage check¨Cin. When she finally arrived, they hurriedly went through security together. They only had a few minutes left before boarding. Zackined, ¡°In the past month, how many days haven¡¯t you worked overtime? Your boss is such a jerk!¡± After today¡¯s events, Cornelia had be Marcus¡¯s most loyal subordinate. She wouldn¡¯t let anyone badmouth her boss. ¡°Don¡¯t talk about my boss like that, he¡¯s the best boss in the world.¡± ¡°Wow¡­¡± Abigail clicked her tongue a few times. ¡°Nelly, you¡¯re suddenly defending President Hartley so much. Is there some story between you two?¡± Hearing this, Zack joined Abigail, and they both sniffed around Cornelia like little dogs. Cornelia shrank back, ¡°Abby, Zack, what are you guys doing?¡± Abigail said, ¡°We¡¯re checking if you have any men¡¯s scent on you.¡± Zack added, ¡°No men¡¯s scent, just a smell of medicine.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. That¡¯s when they noticed Cornelia¡¯s burn. Abigail immediately put away her yful expression and asked seriously. ¡°What happened to your burn? Did someone bully you?¡± Zack was even angrier, ¡°Who¡¯s the bastard that bullied you? I¡¯ll kill him!¡± Cornelia was touched by their worry. She smiled, saying, ¡°No need for help, I¡¯ve already sent him to the police.¡± Since they¡¯d keep asking, Cornelia told them everything that happened today. After listening, they both gained a bit of goodwill for her jerk boss. Instead offorting her, they each held one of her hands to support her in their own way. ¡®Sweetie, you¡¯ve got a new text message¡­¡± Cornelia¡¯s phone reminded her of another new message, so she took it out. There were over a dozen missed calls from unknown numbers. And two unread messages. The first one was sent over half an hour ago: ¡°I¡¯m Jeremy, the man you registered to marry a year ago. Come out and meet me. We need to talk about getting a divorce!¡± Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Chapter 17 The second message just came in, ¡°Where are you? Why aren¡¯t you replying to me?¡± Zack and Abigail were right next to Comelia, and when they saw the message from that guy, they nervously grabbed her subconsciously, ¡°Comelia¡­¡± They wanted to say something tofort her, but they didn¡¯t know what to say. That husband who disappeared after getting married reappeared a yearter, only to ask for a divorce. And it was at a time when Comelia was being ndered. It was hard for them to believe that her husband didn¡¯t file for divorce because he heard bad rumors about Cornelia. They still clearly remembered, when Cornelia was in trouble back then, that boy who once promised to protect her for a lifetime, proposed to break up with her with determination and indifference. That incident had a significant impact. Cornelia considered using legal means to protect herself, but the other party had many more people and even called the school, nearly getting Cornelia expelled. To continue her studies, Cornelia had topromise with those people, and had to leave Rosenberg with a dejected look. It¡¯s been several years now, and she still can¡¯t go home. They apanied Cornelia back to Riverton to deal with school affairs. That night, it was pouring rain, and that guy said he would pick them up at the airport. Upon hearing this, they were ted for Cornelia. Despite the general misunderstanding, at least one soul had opted to trust her. They came out of the airport and saw that guy, dressed in designer clothes with two bodyguards by his side. They thought he was here to console Cornelia, but he said instead, ¡°Cornelia, I know what you did back in our hometown. Our family can¡¯t lose face like this. So, let¡¯s break up. If we meet again in the future, please pretend you don¡¯t know me.¡± After saying that, he didn¡¯t even wait for Cornelia to say anything and turned to leave. Zack, furious, rushed over to give him a piece of his mind but was beaten up by his two bodyguards. At that time, Cornelia didn¡¯t have any extreme reaction. She even smiled at his retreating figure and said ¡°okay.¡± But Abigail and Zack knew that once back in the dorm, Cornelia would be in a daze all day, not eating or drinking, lonely and fragile. For a long time afterward, Cornelia couldn¡¯t sleep peacefully, always waking up from nightmares. That guy then went abroad to study and never heard from again. The three of them never mentioned him again, as if he had never existed. But they knew that Cornelia¡¯s agreement to marry a stranger for her grandma¡¯s sake wasn¡¯t just to ease her grandma¡¯s worries. That guy who made her lose faith in love was also one of the reasons. Was she going to relive that pain this time? They looked at Cornelia worriedly, but she just smiled calmly and typed quickly on her phone, ¡°I¡¯m busy today. Let¡¯s meet Monday night at 8. You choose the ce.¡± Abigail felt it was unfair for her, ¡°Seriously, guys are so unreliable.¡± Zack, ¡°Not all guys are unreliable, just those irresponsible ones.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Stop talking about guys, it¡¯s ruining the mood. Let¡¯s go have a nice meal at Harbor City, and meet with the film company¡¯s person in charge tomorrow. Hopefully, we can negotiate a good price.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Who cares about a husband in name only? Making money is more important! The filmpany¡¯s attitude was very sincere, and the price they offered was quite high, even exceeding their expectations. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 Chapter 18 The two sides have already agreed on the price, and the other details were not hard to discuss, so they quickly signed a contract and just waited for the other party to pay. Once the money came in, it¡¯s not a problem for the three of them to buy a house in Poverton, After finishing their business coboration, they had a whole day left, so the three of them indulged in having fun. They went crazy all day long and didn¡¯t return to Riverton until 10 p.m. on Sunday nig Abigail and Zack remained uncertain if Comelia was truly okay, for after the incident, she had mastered concealing her emotions. ¡°What are you two up to? Don¡¯t worry about me, I¡¯m really fine Comelia punched them both yfully, ¡°Once we get the copyright money, let¡¯s go house hunting. Well buy a house in the samemunity, and continue living together Zack and Abigail agreed, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s work hard to buy a house and have our own home in Riverton ¡°Then let¡¯s go to sleep? Comelia yawned, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, and I need to get up early for work tomorrow Zack and Abigail said, ¡®Good night.¡± The next morning, as soon as Cornelia crawled out of bed, her personal phone buzzed on the bedside table. Having learned from the experiencest week, she had set her personal phone to silent mode. She reached for her phone, still half¨Casleep, and didn¡¯t forget to greet the caller, ¡°Hello, hi A strange male voice came from the phone, ¡®Ms. Stewart, I¡¯m the representativewyer for Mr. Jeremy? Her husband, who had been ¡°missing¡± for over a year, suddenly contacted her for a divorce a few days ago, and now there¡¯s a representativewyer. Could he be in trouble? Maybe he owed a bunch of money he can¡¯t pay back, and the authorities had found her, knowing she had money, and wanted her to pay for him. Comelia hugged her phone tightly, afraid that someone would take the money from her phone directly, ¡°I don¡¯t have any money, don¡¯t Merlin hesitated, ¡°I¡¯m not after your money. I just wanted to remind you that your marriage to Jeremy is practically over, and dragging it on won¡¯t do either of you any good. Tonight at 8 o¡¯clock,e to Spice Avenue, and well talk.¡± As long as she didn¡¯t have to help her husband in name only to pay back the money, everything was negotiable. Comelia agreed, ¡°Okay, tonight at 8. Merlin hung up and immediately called Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ve contacted your wife and arranged a meeting at 8 tonight. Do you want toe?¡± ¡°What do I need you as awyer for then?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t even want to nce at the woman who betrayed him. He hung up the phone, looked at his watch, and sent a message to Comelia and Ben, ¡°You two don¡¯t have to go to thepany, just head straight to the airport.¡± This scenic development project was actually a key government project. So his investment was more about earning prestige than making money. Manypanies, especiallyrge ones, are paying more and more attention to this issue. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. After a three¨Chour flight, they arrived at a big city in the West Region, then took another hour¨Clong flight to a small airport. Golden autumn, beautiful scenery, but cold to the bone. Combined with the long flight, Cornelia soon felt dizzy after getting off the ne. Marcus nced at her and asked, ¡°Are you not used to the climate here?¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Cornelia felt a terrible headache, but when she heard Marcus¡¯s question, she immediately said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, President Hartley, my work won¡¯t be affected at all.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t pay attention to her anymore and got on the business van heading to the scenic area. A driver and Helena joined to pick them up, making it a party of five in the car, including the trio. Helena sat next to Marcus, chatting him up about the scenic area¡¯s info the whole way. Cornelia and Ben sat in the back, taking notes on theirptop about their conversation. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. During the hour¨Clong drive, Helena kept talking, and Cornelia and Ben kept taking notes. By the time they arrived at the scenic area, it was already evening. Thepany had arranged dinner, but Cornelia wasn¡¯t feeling well and had no appetite, so she decided to check in first. The Hartley Group¡¯s own hotel was fully equipped. It was quite a rare find to have such a hotel in such a rtively remote ce. After taking a shower and changing into her pajamas, Cornelia went to bed. Just as she fell asleep, she was woken up by the ringing of the phone. The call was from Merlin, her tone not very friendly, ¡°Ms. Stewart, it¡¯s already past eight, why aren¡¯t you here?¡± Cornelia suddenly remembered that she had made an appointment to meet with awyer tonight, but she was so far away from Riverton that it was impossible to go back immediately, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m pretty busytely and don¡¯t have time to meet with you.¡± Merlin asked, ¡°When will you have time to see me? Give me a definite time, please.¡± This job was a temporary arrangement, and how long it wouldst depended on Marcus¡¯s decision, Cornelia really wasn¡¯t sure when she could go back, ¡°Helena, I¡¯ll contact you when I have time.¡± If she couldn¡¯t get her divorce agreement signed this time, Merlin was worried that Marcus would get angry and he might lose her job. He angrily asked, ¡°Are you too busy, or do you not want to get a divorce?¡± Cornelia¡¯s headache was too severe. She didn¡¯t have the energy to argue with him, so she hung up the phone, turned it off, and prepared to get some good rest, hoping to adapt to the local climate when she woke up in the morning. Just as she was about to close her eyes, the doorbell rang again. Cornelia thought, ¡°Will th¨¨se people ever let me rest?¡± She got up impatiently and went to open the door. When the door opened, Helena was standing there with a smile on her face, ¡°Cornelia, I noticed you weren¡¯t feeling well, so I brought you some medicine.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t refuse her kindness and took the medicine, ¡°Thank you, Helena.¡± Helena looked at her but didn¡¯t seem to want to leave, ¡°Can Ie in and talk to you for a bit?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want her toe in, but she let her in anyway, ¡°Helena, what do you want to talk to me about?¡± Helena looked at Cornelia, ¡°Do you know that President Hartley is married?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°I know.¡± Helena continued, ¡°Since you know, you should be more cautious with your words and actions to avoid causing misunderstandings between him and his wife. Cornelia frowned unhappily, ¡°Helena, is there anything inappropriate about my behavior?¡± Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Helena thought for a moment and replied, ¡°Well, no.¡± Cornelia immediately retorted, ¡°No? Then what¡¯s the point of you telling me all this?¡± Helena didn¡¯t expect Cornelia to be so straightforward and was momentarily speechless. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest now.¡± Cornelia opened the door to her room, clearly hinting for Helena to leave. As Helena exited Cornelia¡¯s room, she drew out her phone, cing a call, ¡°Ma¡¯am, Hartley¡¯s new assistant may be youthful and attractive, but to what end? He¡¯s no stranger to beauty. As a woman, I discern no hidden agenda towards Hartley on her part. Even if there was, he wouldn¡¯t allow her to linger.¡± The person on the other end of the line said something, and Helena nodded repeatedly. Before hanging up, she said, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll keep a close eye on her these next few days.¡± Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Heh¡­¡± As she put away her phone and prepared to leave, a coldugh suddenly came from the balcony behind her. She turned around and saw Marcus standing in the darkness, casually holding an unlit cigarette. Helena¡¯s face turned pale with fright, ¡°President Hartley, you¡­¡± With a flick of his finger, Marcus snapped the cigarette in two, ¡°That woman told you to spy on me, and you actually dared to listen to her.¡± Helena knew exactly who Marcus was referring to, ¡°President Hartley, I think thedy is just concerned about you, so¡­¡± Marcus interrupted her, ¡°Concerned about me? Do I need her concern right now? Concerned about my rtionship with Cornelia?¡± Faced with Marcus¡¯s oppressive presence, Helena didn¡¯t dare lie, ¡°As you know, your mom Courtney likes Ms. Reese and has always hoped that you two could be together, so she¡¯s worried you¡¯ll be charmed by other women.¡± ¡°Heh¡­¡± Marcus lit his lighter, ¡°Instead of worrying about my wife, she¡¯s worried about my assistant.¡± Helena said, ¡°Your mom know that you married initially for the sake of the olddy, and you never paid any attention to that woman after the marriage. Your mam also didn¡¯t regard that woman highly. However, Cornelia is different. She is young, beautiful, and by your side every day. Feelings may develop over time. Most importantly, Cornelia has only recentlye into your life, and now you are considering divorce. It¡¯s natural for your mom to have more thoughts and concerns.¡± Lighting a cigarette, Marcus said indifferently, ¡°No matter why I married that woman, as long as our marriage contract remains, she is mine. You should all be grateful that you haven¡¯t touched her, or I would make her regret it for the rest of her life.¡± His face showed no emotion. Helena felt a chill, ¡°President Hartley, what about me¡­¡± Marcus: ¡°Allowing you to stay in thepany is already the greatest kindness I can show you.¡± Helena had once believed she was appreciated, leading to her transfer here. Now, she recognized that Marcus had been aware of her maneuvers all along. Fear surged through her heart, and she broke out in a cold sweat. She was also grateful that she had only ryed insignificant information over the years, or the consequences would have been unimaginable. ¡°Cornelia is now mine!¡± Marcus put out his cigarette and, leaving this remark, went into the room next door. Helena was stunned. She had been careless and hadn¡¯t noticed that Marcus was living right next to Cornelia. After taking her medication, Cornelia slept well that night, not having any dreams until the rm went off in the morning. Feeling well¨Crested, she was much more energetic. After washing up, Cornelia went to the dining room for breakfast. Since she had woken up early, the spacious dining room had only Marcus in it. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Cornelia walked up to Marcus and greeted him respectfully. ¡°Morning. Marcus!¡± Marcus was enjoying his breakfast gracefully and didn¡¯t respond to her greeting Corn was used to his indifference and didn¡¯t take it to heart. She stopped a few meters away from him and said, ¡°Marcus, there¡¯s something I need to make clear to you¡± Marcus finally looked up at her after finishing his breakfast, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Cornelia stood straight with her hands hanging by her sides, ¡®Marcus, my feelings for you are just respect from a subordinate to a superior. I have no other thoughts about you¡± He wasn¡¯t a fool and he could naturally tell if she had other thoughts about him. Marcus couldn¡¯t help but want tough, ¡°You think I would have other thoughts about you, a married woman?¡± Cornelia hadn¡¯t thought so, ¡°Marcus, don¡¯t make fun of me. I know my ce. I¡¯m saying this because I don¡¯t want people around you to misunderstand me and affect my ¡°Cornelia ¡± His voice was really nice, and her name sounded even more poeticing from his mouth. Yet, he used his mellifluous voice to utter something heartless. ¡°It¡¯s due to this disagreeable name of yours that I could never entertain further thoughts about you.¡± Cornelia. ¡°¡­¡± Last time he said her name was unlucky, she thought he was drunk. This time he was sober. How on earth did her name offend him? ¡°Morning, Marcus!¡± Ben and Helenas arrival eased the tension between them Helena nodded awkwardly to Cornelia as a greeting Ben approached Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, how¡¯s your recoverying along?¡± ¡°I had a good night¡¯s rest, and I feel great now,¡± Cornelia replied with a smile, then went with him to get some breakfast Marcus, ¡°Humph¡­¡± future work In front of him, Cornelia always maintained the reserve of a married woman, keeping a certain distance when talking to him, but with other men, she had no problem chatting away After breakfast. Cornelia and the others followed Marcus to wee the visiting leader today. Cornelia had never seen such a high-ranking leader and was a bit nervous. But her nervousness disappeared when she saw that leader talked to Marcus so respectfully. Helena was in charge of this project, so she personally led them on a tour There was a beautiful greenke next to the hotel, and the sunlight on theke was very nice In the distance, there was a snow-capped mountain that made people feel refreshed. Helena introduced the situation of the scenic area to Marcus, and Cornelia and Ben were responsible for taking notes. After the basic introduction, everyone took a sightseeing bus to visit the entire area. The senior leader said to Marcus, ¡°Marcus, the scenery in this area is beautiful, but due to the inconvenient transportation, it¡¯s difficult for people inside to leave the mountains and for outsiders to enter. This has always been a key area for us to focus on. Your Hartley Group¡¯s investment in building roads and developing this scenic area has really helped us a lot Marcus responded, ¡°Helping more people be prosperous is what ourpany should do.¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Chapter 22 That guyughed and said, ¡°Mr. Hartley is not only young and talented, but also cares a lot about the general public.¡± His topic suddenly shifted. The locals here have been living off farming and raising sheep for generations, and they just don¡¯t get how to run a B&B or something like that¡± The locals here were very simple, but many sppoke dialects, so it¡¯s quite challenging to run a restaurant or B&B. Marcus had been exploring the business world for many years and knew exactly what the other person was thinking, ¡°The Hartley Group has arranged a professional team that will teach them step by step so that everyone here can live and work in peace and contentment¡± The leaderughed again, this time very pleased. After lunch After sending off the leader, Cornelia didn¡¯t idle around, and together with Ben and Marcus, they inspected the situation around the scenic area. There¡¯s only one road, going straight from the airport to the scenic area, surrounded by rugged mountain roads and some shabby houses. The vigers¡¯ homes were s****d all over the mountain, and although it looked close from one house to another, it took at least half an hour to walk back and forth along the mountain road Marcus didn¡¯t mind the tiredness and dirt, he visited each household to learn more about the situation that he couldn¡¯t learn from Helena. Just as they were about to return, a loud noise suddenly came from the mountain As the earthquake struck, loose soil and stones smashed towards them. ¡°Mr. Hartley, watch out!¡± Cornelia shouted If something happened to Marcus, the entire Hartley Group would be plunged into chaos, and her high- paying job might not be secure. Her body reacted faster than her brain, and she quickly pounced on Marcus, trying to block the stones with her body. Marcus was facing away from her to her left, noticing the dangerter than she did. When he heard her shout, he turned around and saw Cornelia spread her arms and pounce on him. Instinctively, he reached out to catch her, and her soft body mmed into his arms, then he felt a stone hit her shoulder and fall to the ground. If it weren¡¯t for Cornelia blocking the stone, it might have hit him in the head. A few secondster, the surroundings became quiet Cornelia immediately backed away, ¡®Mr. Hartley, are you okay?¡± Marcus felt something sticky on his hand and looked down to see blood. His eyes suddenly turned cold, ¡°Where did you get hurt?¡± Cornelia¡¯s left arm hurt badly, but she still managed to smile, Tm so lucky I didn¡¯t hit any vital spots, just a bruise on my arm.¡± ¡°Dont talk!¡± Marcus¡¯s expression darkened, and he carried her to a rtively safe ce nearby, ¡°Ben, call a doctor right away¡± In the just passed danger, Ben instinctively protected himself, and now he was still hiding behind a huge rock. Seeing Cornelia get hurt to save Marcus, he felt very ashamed, ¡°Mr. Hartley, I¡¯ll make the call right away¡± He pulled out his phone, but it was void of any signal. ¡°Mr. Hartley,¡± he said, ¡°There¡¯s no reception here, I can¡¯t ce the call¡± ¡°Go to the hotel for help After calmly instructing, Marcus quickly tore off his white shirt, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m going to help you take off your coat and give your wound some initial treatment. Try to endure the pain¡± Cornelia knew her injury was severe, and stopping the bleeding was crucial, so she didn¡¯t pretend to be weak, ¡®Marcus, don¡¯t worry, I can bear the pain.¡± She has always been afraid of pain since she was young, but she didn¡¯t want him to think she was pretending to be weak. At the same time, she was also afraid of the cold, wearing a long down jacketBelongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. outside, and a sweater and bottoming shirt inside. She unzipped her down jacket with her uninjured right hand, but it was difficult to take it off, so she had to leave the task to Marcus Marcus originally nned to help her take off only the left side of her clothes so that he could treat the wound, and she wouldn¡¯t feel cold. But since she couldn¡¯t move her left hand, it was impossible to take off just one sleeve Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Marcus had no choice but to take off her right sleeve first, then carefully remove the left one The down jacket and cardigan sweater were easy to take off, but if he took off her undershirt, she¡¯d be completely exposed. Marcus looked at her and said, ¡°I¡¯m gonna have to tear your sleeve off Cornelia blinked, ¡°Can you really do that?¡± Marcus steadied her wounded arm with one hand while the other tugged harshly, ripping the sleeve at its seam. He disyed a strength far greater than Cornelia had anticipated In an instant, the wound on her fair arm was exposed It was about the size of a fist, her skin all smashed up, and blood kept flowing out. Marcus was shocked, but Cornelia was still smiling, like a fool, as if she didn¡¯t know pain. ¡°President Hartley, you¡¯re quite strong.¡± Without hesitation, Marcus tore open his white shirt and wrapped her wound round and round Cornelia clenched her teeth in pain, and tears began to flow because of the pain¡­ Marcus said, if it hurts, just scream. No one willugh at you.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia¡¯s lips were bitten red, but she still tried to smile. This pain is nothing. I can bear it.¡± Ever since he met her, she always seemed to be smiling, rarely showing any other expressions. She was very suitable to be his assistant. But at this moment, Marcus found her smile very irritating Why do you have to endure it?¡± Why endure it? It seemed that no one had ever asked Cornelia this question. She vaguely remembered that after her father died in a car ident, people around her often mocked her as a jinx. That¡¯s when she learned to endure, she guessed Her grandmother had been taking care of her, in addition to her own son, and it had been tough. She didn¡¯t want to cause her grandmother any trouble, so she learned to endure. Cornelia just smiled and didn¡¯t answer. Marcus asked again, ¡°Are there any other injuries?¡± She was wearing thick clothes, and Marcus couldn¡¯t visually confirm if there were any other wounds on her body. Cornelia shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Marcus helped her put on her down jacket. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now, and have a doctor check you outter.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Cornelia nodded, and Marcus scooped her up. When they had just teleported, he had carried her so fast that she didn¡¯t even have time to react before he put her down. Now it seemed he intended to carry her all the way back to the hotel Cornelia was startled and struggled to get down. ¡°President Hartley, we¡¯re both married. This isn¡¯t right. Please put me down.¡± Marcus¡¯s handsome face was cold. ¡°So by your logic, male doctors cant treat female patients?¡± Cornelia said. ¡°That¡¯s not the same thing at all¡± Marcus ignored her and continued to carry her forward. Cornelia spoke again, ¡°President Hartley, you may not care about your reputation, but I do. It¡¯s different for girls and guys. When a man does some things, it¡¯s called being flirtatious. But when a woman does it, shes called a slut.¡± Marcus stopped in his tracks. He just wanted to get her back to the hotel quickly so a doctor could treat her wounds, but he hadn¡¯t thought about all that. He reluctantly put her down. ¡°Can you walk on your own?¡± Cornelia smiled and said, ¡°I hurt my arm, not my legs. I can walk just fine.¡± Marcus reached out to help her, but she immediately dodged to the side, still wanting to keep her distance from him. Marcus was a little angry ¡°Cornelia, am I really that scary to you?¡± ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m not scared of you. I¡¯m scared of my husband getting jealous.¡± Mentioning her husband at this time was a smart move. That way, she wouldn¡¯t have toe up with any other excuses In fact, Cornelia was scared¨Cscared of gossip behind her back, scared of people around him warning her again not to have unrealistic thoughts about him. Initially, she harbored no sentiments for Marcus, but as tongues wagged, some might ept the rumors as truth. This would unjustly paint her as a womancking integrity. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 She swore she¡¯d never let herself get into such a mess again. Up in the hignds, the temperature difference between day and night was huge. A cold wind blew, and Cornelia shivered instantly Marcus quickly took off his coat, wanting to hand it to Cornelia, but she refused President Hartley, I¡¯m already wearing a thick down jacket. If I take your cost, you¡¯ll basically be left without any clothes and youll freeze¡± Marcus knew that even with a strong physique, wearing only a worn-out white shirt wouldn¡¯t be enough to withstand the cold. Besides, he was just saved by Cornelia, if he got hurt due to hypothermia, wouldnt her efforts be in vain? He wanted to hold her or take her hand, but she firmly refused. She insisted on walking by herself, and her strong, independent character was even annoying at times. After more than half an hour of rough mountain roads, they kept a proper distance from each other, never getting too close. Finally, they reached the paved road and saw a few cars with headlights on approaching It was Ben who brought the doctor over. As soon as the doctor got out of the car, he surrounded Marcus. President Hartley, please get in the car immediately. We¡¯ll give you a full-body checkup.¡± Marcus coldly nced at the doctors, thinking if they were blind. Couldn¡¯t they see who was injured? ¡°Cornelia is the one who¡¯s hurt. Give her a full checkup, no mistakes allowed¡± Marcus was very concerned about Cornelia¡¯s injuries, so the doctors didn¡¯t dare to be careless. They immediately helped Cornelia into the car and drove them back to the hotel¡¯s infirmary Cornelia knew she only had an injured left arm, but Marcus didn¡¯t believe it, so the doctor didn¡¯t dare to believe it either. After treating her arm, they gave her a full-body checkup and only let her go after confirming there were no other issues The medical examination was lengthy, and Cornelia assumed Marcus had departed. However, upon exiting the examination room, she found him patiently waiting for her He was holding a cigarette, and put it out when he saw hering out. If you feel unwell, just say so. Don¡¯t hold it in.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Thanks for your concern, President Hartley. But I¡¯m really fine.¡± Marcus said, ¡°You should go back to your room and rest. I¡¯ll have someone send dinner to your room.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for the staff because of her minor injury. ¡°President Hartley, there¡¯s no need for that. I¡¯m really fine.¡± She insisted on going to the restaurant, and Marcus didn¡¯t say much more.. Just as they arrived at the restaurant, Marcus received a phone call that put him in a bad mood. Cornelia rarely heard him swear. He was usually able to control his emotions even when angry, but this time he was cursing someone. ¡°The Hartley Group never needed useless people!¡± The one who called him was exactly Merlin. He didn¡¯t see Cornelia yesterday and worried about her all night. But he told Marcus this afternoon. Just as he expected, Merlin was fired. In theory, with his abilities and experience at the Hartley Group, many bosses would be eager to hire him if he sent his resume to otherpanies. The problem was that he was fired by Marcus¡¯ order, and no one in the industry would dare to hire him. Marcus was furious, not only because Merlin hadn¡¯t done what he asked, but also because of the inexplicable irritability in his heart. Cornelia and Ben were both frightened and tense. They didn¡¯t dare to breathe, and chose seats far away from him while eating Ben whispered, ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s wrong with President Hartley?¡± He spoke too softly, and Cornelia didn¡¯t hear clearly. She leaned closer to him, ¡°Ben, what did you say?¡± Ben was about to repeat it when Marcus¡¯ gloomy voice suddenly came, ¡°Ben, bring today¡¯s inspection records to my office.¡± Ben immediately put down his utensils, ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia got up as well, wanting to go with him. Then she heard Marcus say, ¡°He¡¯s alone; he can¡¯t even handle this simple task, and you still need to apany him?¡± Cornelia, ¡°It¡¯s not like that..¡± Marcus, ¡°Then what is it?¡± Cornelia, ¡°¡­¡± She was actually just scared by him and wanted to escape somewhere far away from him Marcus retorted without a pause, ¡°So, while you¡¯re with me, you remember you¡¯re a married woman. Yet, you maintain distance from me but not from other men?¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Chapter 25 I¡¯ve been hanging out with Ben, first, because he¡¯s single, and second, because no one¡¯s talking smack about us, so I don¡¯t have to worry about gossip getting to me¡± Cornelia really wanted to shout this at Marcus, but in front of the high and mighty CEO of the Hartley Group, she was just a small assistant. He could crush all her efforts with a single word, and she had no power to argue with him. Cornelia didn¡¯t say a word, just staring at him as he stared back. Though he was the one who got mad at her for no reason, now he looked at her as if she had done something wrong, waiting for his judgment Even from a few meters away. Cornelia felt like she was going to be burned¡¯ by his anger. She quietly sat back down and focused on eating After a long silence, Marcus spoke again, his voice much softer this time, Finish up and go back to rest. If you feel unwell, see a doctor¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia obediently nodded. ¡°Yes¡± Usually, Marcus was scary enough, but an angry Marcus was like a terrifying demon. Staying in the same space with him for even a second was torture Cornelia ate a little and quickly returned to her room. Back in her room, her smile vanished the moment she closed the door, and the pain from her injured arm made her grit her teeth. She didn¡¯t want others to see her weakness, nor did she want to see their pity or sympathy. Only when she was alone did she dare to take off her mask and reveal her true emotions Her arm injury had been treated with care by the doctor, but the wound wasrge, so how could it not hurt? Herughter earlier was just a cover. Now, it wasn¡¯t just her arm that throbbed. Cornelia also felt a pang in her abdomen, akin to menstrual cramps. However, her cycle was always punctual, and it was still over a week away Cornelia went to the bathroom and found out she indeed had her period. She immediately called the hotel front desk for help, but since the hotel wasn¡¯t open yet, personal items werent fully stocked. So, Cornelia endured the pain, put on a down jacket, and left the hotel. There were few streetlights outside, and it was drizzling, making it hard to see the road. Walking alone on the dark, damp path, listening to the strong wind, Cornelia felt scared. She quickly tightened her down jacket, as if it would make her feel safer. Seeing the supermarket not far ahead, a stray dog suddenly appeared and rushed towards her, startling her. Fortunately, she had quick reflexes, crouching down and pretending to pick up a stone, which scared the dog back a few steps. Seeing this method worked, she repeated the action, and the dog retreated again. But soon, the dog realized it had been tricked and rushed at Cornelia like crazy. Just when Cornelia thought she couldn¡¯t escape, she closed her eyes in fear. However, the expected pain didn¡¯te, and instead, she heard the dog¡¯s shriek. In the rainy night, such a scream sent shivers down her spine. Cornelia opened her eyes to see Ayden, his eyes filled with terrifying murderous intent, holding the dying dog. Both the man and the dog in front of her scared her. Cornelia instinctively took a step back, ¡°Ayden, why are you here?¡± She recollected that Ayden hadn¡¯t joined them on their West Region venture this time, yet now, he surprisingly materialized before her, piquing her curiosity. As was his norm, Ayden regarded her with an impassive face, remained silent, and ambled away cradling the ailing dog. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Chapter 26 ¡°Ayden, thanks a bunch!¡± If he hadn¡¯t shown up just in time, Cornelia felt like she might¡¯ve been in big trouble. Ayden didn¡¯t pay her any mind and vanished into the night. After Ayden left, Cornelia still needed to continue shopping. She walked cautiously, scared of running into another stray dog Luckily, she didn¡¯t encounter any more danger and managed to buy the products she needed, then made it back to the hotel safely. When Cornelia returned to the hotel, she saw Dr. Dawson waiting by her door, seemingly for quite some time. She remembered that Dr. Dawson hadn¡¯te with them, but now he was here too. The mother and son duo were like two peas in a pod Dr. Dawson said with a smile, ¡°Marc was worried about your injury and asked me toe check on you¡± Cornelia invited Dr. Dawson into her room, ¡°Sorry to trouble you again, Dr. Dawson¡± As Dr. Dawson carefully examined Cornelia¡¯s wound, he said, ¡°You were really quick on your feet this time, saving Mare. If he¡¯d been hurt, the consequences could¡¯ve been severe. From now on, don¡¯t be shy with me. If you want me or my son to do something, just say the word.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Dr. Dawson, when did you guys get here?¡± When Dr. Dawson first met Cornelia, she thought she was a great girl, and she even saved Marcus. So, she didn¡¯t treat her like an outsider at all, ¡°Our mission is to serve Marc. Wherever he goes, we follow.¡± Cornelia understood that they had been with Marcus all along, just out of sight. Dr. Dawson treated Cornelia¡¯s wound again and noticed the products she bought, ¡°Your period started?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yeah, it came early by almost two weeks.¡± Dr. Dawson previously thought Cornelia¡¯s pale face was due to her arm injury, but now she realized the real reason, ¡°It¡¯s your first time in a high-altitude area, your body might not be used to it yet, causing yourOwned by N?velDrama.Org. period to be irregr. I¡¯ll prescribe you some pain relievers, but don¡¯t take too many.¡± Cornelia nodded, her arm and stomach both aching so much that she didn¡¯t have the energy to speak. Dr. Dawson poured her a cup of hot water. ¡°You take the medicine first, then try to rest as soon as possible. If you still feel unwell, don¡¯t hesitate to find me.¡± ¡°Okay¡­¡± After taking the medicine, Cornelia, clutching her stomach, listlessly crawled into bed. ¡®Rest well. Dr. Dawson tucked her in and left the room. Exiting Cornelia¡¯s room, she addressed the right side of the balcony, ¡°Cornelia¡¯s injury is stable. Her pallor might be from the scare from the stray dog earlier, and difort from her menstrual cycle In the darkness, Marcus slowly emerged, ¡°Since when do I need to know about my assistant¡¯s period?¡± Dr. Dawson replied, ¡°Consider it me being nosy¡± It was actually someone who saw Cornelia¡¯s pale face and asked Ayden to follow her, then called Dr. Dawson to wake him up, but now he was ying dumb. Marcus said, ¡°You worked hard tonight.¡± Dr. Dawson replied, ¡®Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll stay by her side until dawn to ensure her safety.¡± Ayden also arrived, his face devoid of emotion, stating, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ve confirmed that the landslide resulted from the vigers setting off fireworks, not an intentional attack on you¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything else, lit a cigarette, and gazed at Cornelia¡¯s door Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Cornelia was half asleep when her personal phone started buzzing on the nightstand I was a video call from her grandma. She immediately picked up. ¡°Granny, why aren¡¯t you asleep yet? It¡¯s sote!¡± Her grandma¡¯s face was full of worry, ¡°I couldn¡¯t keep contact with you, and I was freaking out!¡± Cornelia noticed several missed video calls from her grandma, ¡®Granny, I went out to buy something and forgot to bring my phone¡± Her grandma let out a sigh of relief, ¡°Nelly, have you had dinner? Is work too stressfultely? If it is, just switch jobs, don¡¯t overwork yourself¡± Cornelia felt a lump in her throat and replied softly. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me. What about you? Have you been teaching otherstely?¡± Cornelia¡¯s grandma was a retired teacher but was rehired by the school for a few years due to her excellent teaching reputation. She had just retired again earlier this year but couldn¡¯t stay idle and started tutoring people 1 have nothing to do at home, so tutoring not only gives me some extra cash but also keeps my brain active. It¡¯s great!¡± Her grandma always had a happy face when talking to Cornelia, ¡®Nelly, is your husband still super busy?¡± In just a few sentences, her grandma had shifted the topic to her husband. Cornelia knew how much her grandma wanted that guy named Jeremy to take care of her, so she couldn¡¯t bear to tell her that he wanted a divorce. For the past year, whenever her grandma inquired about her spouse, Cornelia would casually dismiss it, stating he was tied up, never revealing that she and Jeremy had only encountered each other once on their wedding day. Cornelia mockingly pouted, ¡°Granny, since I married, it¡¯s always about him. Did you stop adoring me?¡± Her Grandma also smiled and said, ¡°How could I not adore you? I just want you and Heremy to live a good life together. I know you both are busy with work. I¡¯ll go to see you two and also catch up with my old friendster.¡± Once her grandma arrived in Riverton, she wouldn¡¯t be able to keep the divorce a secret. Cornelia felt it necessary to prepare Grandma in advance. Otherwise, if Grandma came here, didn¡¯t see her son-inw, and heard the news of their divorce, it would surely upset her. ¡°Grandma, many people don¡¯t get married nowadays, but they still lead good lives.¡± Her grandma said, ¡°I don¡¯t care about other people¡¯s marriages. You¡¯re married, and you two should live a good life together.¡± Cornelia felt stifled in her heart. Marriage is a matter between two people. If one person wants to live well together and the other doesn¡¯t, then there¡¯s no way to continue this life. ¡°But what if he doesn¡¯t want to continue with me?¡± ¡°Nelly, you¡¯re a good girl. Jeremy is lucky to have you. Why wouldn¡¯t he want to live a good life with you?¡± In her grandma¡¯s eyes, Cornelia was the best child in the world. Cornelia asked, ¡°What if he really doesn¡¯t want to?¡± Her grandma suddenly became serious, ¡°Nelly, has he been mistreating you?¡± Cornelia quickly shook her head, ¡°No, he¡¯s been really good to me.¡± Her grandma continued, ¡°Granny Luisa is my old friend. I trust her grandson¡¯s character, which is why I agreed to your marriage. If he¡¯s really not treating you well, just divorce him. I don¡¯t care whose grandson he is, I won¡¯t let him off easy.¡± Hearing her grandma say the word ¡°divorce,¡± Cornelia knew even more how much she was loved. Cornelia gave her grandma a sweet smile, ¡°Granny, I love you!¡± ¡°I love you too, Nelly ¡°The two happily chatted for a while before ending the video call. Cornelia put down her phone, nning to sleep, but she just couldn¡¯t fall asleep. She had been busy all day and injured, her body was exhausted, but her mind was wide awake. Lying in bed, she sent a message in the group chat with the three of them: ¡°Are you guys asleep yet?¡±Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Zack: ¡°I¡¯m spending the long night all alone, dude.¡± Abigail sent a photo of a man: ¡°Nelly, Zack, what do you think of this guy who¡¯s into me?¡± Abigail had always had many suitors, but after all these years, she¡¯s never really been with anyone She often said, ¡°I guess I¡¯ve watched too many dramas and movies I always dream of a young, handsome CEO falling for me, so none of the real life guys can satisfy me.¡± Cornelia took a closer look at the photo. The man was wearing a thick pair of ck-framed sses, looking like a nerdy, honest guy- definitely not Abigail¡¯s type Cornelia knew that Abigail would prefer someone like Marcus, looking like he just walked out of a movie. Even though Marcus also wore sses, his silver-rimmed ones don¡¯t make him look dull at all. Instead, he looked like a debonair business hunk from a book¡­. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia didn¡¯t know why she suddenlypared Marcus to others. She quickly droped the thought and looked at the man in the photo again. ¡°Abby, are you nning to ept his advances? What does he do for a living?¡± Abigail ¡°He¡¯s a typical programmer, working in the software development department at The Hartley Group. He¡¯s a bit introverted and has no bad habits. Although he¡¯s far from my ideal boyfriend image, he treats me well, and I¡¯ve been watching him for a while I think I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Almost simultaneously. Cornelia and Zack texted: ¡°Don¡¯t rush to say yes. Bring him to meet us first.¡± This girl was impulsive and easily moved by others. Maybe she¡¯s just touched and that¡¯s why she agreed to date this man, Abigail ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll introduce him to you guys first. If you don¡¯t think he¡¯s right, how can I let him be my boyfriend?¡± Zack: ¡°Sigh, my two beautiful flowers I¡¯ve been protecting since we were kids are being plucked by others. How will I live alone in the future?¡± He even added a sad expression. Corneliaughed: ¡°We¡¯ll buy houses in the same neighborhood in the future. After we start our own families, we can still hang out often. Don¡¯t cry!¡± Before the three friends finished chatting, Cornelia¡¯s phone received a new message. She picked it up and saw it¡¯s from Marcus: ¡°Still awake?¡± How did he know she¡¯s still awake? Maybe he wanted her to workte again. Cornelia quickly replied, ¡°President Hartley, what can I do for you?¡± No response from Marcus, but the doorbell rang Ate-night visit from a male boss to a female employee wasn¡¯t very elegant. Cornelia sent another message to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, if you have anything to say, just call me. No need to knock on my door.¡± Marcus replied with a ¡°?¡± Cornelia felt awkward. Could it be that the person knocking on her door isn¡¯t Marcus? Cornelia quickly put on her coat and open the door to find Helena standing there. Helena looked distraught, her appearance suggesting recent tears. Her eyes were puffy, ¡°Cornelia, I shouldn¡¯t have spoken to you like thatst night. I¡¯m sorry Could you please ask President Hartley not to expel me?¡± Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 7 ept your apology Cornelia looked coldly at Helena, not sure what she was up to. ¡°But, Marcus decided to let you go from the Hartley Group You¡¯ve known him for so many years, you should know better than me that his decisions are unchangeable¡± ¡°Cornelia, you can change his decision, because everything Marcus does is for you¡± Helena seemed to lose her sanity, grabbing Cornelia¡¯s arms tightly Her hands gripped Cornelia¡¯s injured arm, unable to tell if it was intentional or not. ¡°Cornelia, I beg you, please help me. You¡¯re the only one who can. If you don¡¯t plead for me, I have nowhere to go but death¡­ ¡°Helena, let go first, you¡¯re hurting me ¡°Cornelia tried to push her away, but a normal person¡¯s strength couldn¡¯tpare to someone who had lost their sanity. Helena clung to Cornelia, shaking her frantically I won¡¯t let go! If I let go of you, I¡¯m done.¡± Let her go! Marcus¡¯s deep voice suddenly sounded. Helena, frightened, immediately let go of her hand, her face covered in snot and tears. ¡°Marcus, I¡¯ve already apologized to Cornelia Please forgive me, don¡¯t make me leave Marcus quickly stepped forward, protecting Cornelia behind him. ¡°Ayden.¡± Hearing Marcus call his name, Ayden appeared by their side like a ghost, carrying the irrational Helena away on his shoulder Marcus turned his head, seeing Cornelia¡¯s pale face and the beads of sweat rolling down her forehead He reached out to wipe her sweat, but stopped just before his fingers touched her forehead. Cornelia¡¯s flushed lips moved slightly, whispering, ¡°It hurts.. Marcus, no longer caring about anything, picked her up in his arms. ¡°Dr. Dawson!¡± Dr. Dawson had been here all along, holding her medical kit, but hesitated to interrupt the two standing so close to each other Marcus carried Cornelia inside, and Dr. Dawson immediately followed ¡°Cornelia, are you okay?¡± How could she be okay? She was in so much pain! Cornelia was in so much pain that she couldn¡¯t speak, and kept taking deep breaths. Marcus coldly said, ¡°What are you waiting for? Hurry up and check her wound.¡± Cornelia, At this critical moment, Marcus was still more rational, not asking her if she was okay. He settled her on the sofa, gently supporting her shoulder, feeling her shivering from the pain. He impatiently yelled again, ¡°Hurry up!¡± Although he yelled at Dr. Dawson, Cornelia shrank back in fear. Dr. Dawson said, ¡°You scared Cornelia.¡± Marcus,¡± Cornelia had a coat nonchntly thrown over her, under which she donned easy¨Cto¨Cremove loose sleepwear. When Dr. Dawson tried to help Cornelia remove her sleepwear, Marcus consciously turned away, only to hear Cornelia cry out in pain with a hint ofughter. He quickly turned back to see Cornelia¡¯s arm wrapped in thick bandages, already stained red with blood Cornelia¡¯s eyes and nose were red and swollen, looking very pitiful Marcus sought to offer someforting words, but struggled to find them. Eventually, he turned to her and stated, ¡°Helena¡¯s exit from the Hartley Group bears no rtion to you.¡± Cornelia pouted in grievance, I¡¯m not as stupid as her.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Cornelia didnt understand why Helena foolishly thought Marcus was risking his life for her. If Helena had any brains, she wouldn¡¯t have thought that way Cornelia felt that she had been particrly unluckytely, with everything happening to her Marcus added, ¡°Helena hasn¡¯t been in the West Region for long, but she¡¯s already bribed a lot of money¡± Cornelia, No wonder the scenic area¡¯s streetlights hadn¡¯t been installed yet, and the hotel¡¯s management was a mess Fortunately, Marcus arrived early and investigated the surroundings, learning the truth. This Helena looked very honest, but she had no idea that Marcus was even more terrifying than a tiger. Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Marcus said. ¡°The environment here is pretty harsh, and I n to stay here for a while longer. If you can¡¯t adapt to the climate here, I have Ayden take you back first¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°No problem, I can handle these difficulties.¡± Marcus called her name deeply, ¡°Cornelia¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Marcus said, ¡°If something like today ever happens again, you need to protect yourself first¡± Cornelia went silent. She didn¡¯t really want to do that, it was just her instinctive reaction at the time Maybe it was because she had been working under his leadership for so long that she always considered his feelings first in everything she did. After a moment of silence, Marcus spoke again, ¡°You¡¯re hurt, does your husband know?¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Why?¡± Cornelia exined, ¡°I don¡¯t want him to worry Marcus understood that it was due to psychological difort. He thought if his wife hadn¡¯t betrayed him and they had maintained a normal husband¨Cwife rtionship, if she got hurt and hid it from him, he would definitely be upset. Marcus threw a nce at Dr. Dawson, who was still preupied. Left with no alternative, he kept Cornelia engaged, diverting her from the difort. ¡°I¡¯m slightly hungry, let¡¯s grab dinner together later.¡± Cornelia hadn¡¯t eaten well that night, and hearing him say that made her even hungrier. She said, ¡°Alright.¡± Marcus immediately made a phone call to have the chef prepare dinner Dr. Dawson had finished treating Cornelia¡¯s wound by then, ¡°The bleeding has stopped, and the wound has been re¨Cbandaged.¡± The water brought in the dinner just in time, and she tactfully said, Tm not hungry, you guys eat, I¡¯ll go back to my room and clean up.¡± After Dr. Dawson left, only Cornelia and Marcus were left in the room. She couldn¡¯t move her left hand, so Marcus helped her serve a bowl of soup. Cornelia felt a little embarrassed, ¡°President Hartley, I can move my right hand, let me do it myself¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. I don¡¯t like owing people favors.¡± Since he said that, Cornelia didn¡¯t refuse any further and enjoyed his service. She had eaten and drank her fill, but Marcus hadn¡¯t taken a single bite, President Hartley, didn¡¯t you say you were hungry? Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°1 suddenly lost my appetite.¡± Cornelia thought of something and asked directly, ¡°Did youe here specifically to take care of me?¡± Marcusughed, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid your husband will be jealous?¡± Cornelia replied. That¡¯s why I wanted to ask and make sure¡± Marcus asked. ¡®Do you love your husband very much?¡± He recalled the night when her husband hade to fetch her, the sweet smile gracing her face, and her soft voice. An ufortable tightness seized his heart. Cornelia smiled at him. ¡°Yes, I love him very much.¡± She couldn¡¯t even remember what her husband looked like. How could she say she loved him very much? However, she didn¡¯t intend to exin ¡°I¡¯m leaving now, you should rest early ¡°Marcus got up and took the dining cart with him. He went out onto the balcony, lit a cigarette, and took a few deep puffs, but he still couldn¡¯t figure out where the trouble in his heart wasing from Cornelia might never know that after witnessing Helena¡¯s harassment of her that night, Marcus¡¯s room light stayed on all night, and Dr. Dawson in the next room never slept either. After dinner, Cornelia had a great sleep Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Her rm clock couldn¡¯t wake her up at six o¡¯clock. When she woke up, it was already 9.30 in the morning There was light rainst night, and now the sun was shining brightly outside the window. Cornelia looked out from the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window and saw the greenke and golden snow¨Ccapped mountains. She suddenly felt very happy Beforeing to the teau area, Cornelia had read many posts online saying thating here could cleanse the soul She didn¡¯t believe it in the past, but now she had to admit it after experiencing it herself City folks are busy with work, studying, and watching short videos on their phones. asionallying to such a ce to rx is indeed nice As Cornelia was daydreaming, the doorbell rang, startling her. She was worried it was Helena, but after confirming it was Dr. Dawson, she opened the door. Dr. Dawson brought a hearty breakfast and a nutritious soup. Dr Dawson said with a smile, ¡°Cornelia, I made this soup especially for you. Drink it before having breakfast. After you finish, Ill help you change your dressing. Marc said you should focus on healing first, so you don¡¯t have to follow him around before you¡¯re better.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Cornelia agreed. She needed to heal properly to work better. After about a month of rest, Cornelia¡¯s arm wound slowly grew new flesh, which was so itchy that she couldn¡¯t sleep at night., Unable to sleep, she decided to go for a walk. When she opened the door, she smelled a faint minty cigarette smell. This was Marcus¡¯s exclusive cigarette vor, not as strong as ordinary cigarettes, and it wouldn¡¯t cause difort. Cornelia looked up and sure enough, it was Marcus, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a month. He retained his customary attire, donning a white shirt and ck trousers, with a ck coatyered atop, enhancing his already upright appearance. President Hartley,¡± Cornelia called out to him, and he slowly turned his head to look at her. The white light shone on his face. He looked more tired than a month ago, but it didn¡¯t affect his handsome appearance. He frowned slightly, seemingly troubled. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia politely greeted him, President Hartley, good evening!¡± Marcus extinguished the cigarette in his hand and asked coldly. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Cornelia answered sincerely. The new flesh on my wound is itchy, and I can¡¯t sleep. I¡¯m nning to go downstairs for a walk.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Marcus responded and turned his head away, ignoring her. He seemed to be in a bad mood, and she didn¡¯t know why Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to ask more and silently walked towards the elevator. Assistant¡­¡± Marcus called her again, and Cornelia had to stop, ¡°President Hartley, do you need anything?¡± He said, ¡°Apany me to check on the work.¡± ¡°Okay ¡°After a month of rest, Cornelia was finally able to work and was very excited. ¡®President Hartley, please wait, I¡¯ll change my clothes.¡± She was wearing a long down jacket over her pajamas, which was fine for a walk but not suitable for work. ¡°No need ¡°After saying this, Marcus walked towards the elevator first, and Cornelia followed closely The hotel was the same one Cornelia had stayed at before, but many changes had taken ce in the past month. The previously iplete facilities were now all in ce. Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Chapter 32 The lights outside the hotel were already oh, and as we walked about a hundred meters to the right, a new shopping street appeared This street had supermarkets, shops selling local specialties, and various snack bars. The bright lights now werepletely different from the darkness a month ago Cornelia sincerely praised, President Hartley, you¡¯re really awesome!¡± It seemed Marcus was amused by her words, the corners of his eyes smiling. ¡°Oh, how am I awesome?¡± Cornelia gestured towards the bustling shops around them. When we arrived here initially, this ce was practically deserted Yet, within a mere month, it has transformed into a thriving shopping street We can find all sorts of everyday essentials and savor a wide array of delectable cuisines. You truly have worked wonders.¡± ¡± Marcus said. ¡°You¡¯ve learned to tter people in just a month.¡± Cornelia retorted. ¡®Am I not telling the truth?¡± Marcus exined. ¡°Creating a shopping street like this is not difficult, the real challenge is to keep it running continuously, allowing the residents here to truly get out of poverty and live a stable life¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°President Hartley, what are your ns for the future?¡± Before Cornelia always thought that Marcus was wasting his talents building a scenic spot here, with many more profitable jobs waiting for him. But seeing the changes in this scenic spot and listening to Marcus¡¯s words, Cornelia realized that Marcus was not just a businessman, but also cared about the lives of the general public. However, Marcus continued, ¡°Nowadays,panies value their reputation The Hartley Group wants to go further and earn more profits, so we must be impable Cornelia, ¡°¡­. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Business people still wanted to make money after all. But who isn¡¯t doing it for the money? How can you live without money? Investing in such a big project, Marcus was already considered to have a conscience. They walked from one end of the shopping street to the other and back, and Cornelia roughly understood Marcus¡¯s troubles. ¡°President Hartley, the scenery here is indeed beautiful, but to retain tourists, it¡¯s not just about the scenery, the supporting facilities and services must also keep up¡± Marcus nodded for her to continue. Cornelia went on, ¡°If I were to go to a ce for a trip, the first thing I would consider is the cost, then the safety and whether the transportation is convenient¡­¡± Cornelia said a lot, and after listening, Marcus gave her an appreciative look. Receiving Marcus¡¯s appreciation, Cornelia felt very happy Although she knew that Marcus¡¯s team must have considered these issues, he might just want to see if her ability to think about problems had improved after taking a month off As they were walking, Cornelia¡¯s phone in her pocket rang In their group chat, Zack sent a picture of himself eating barbecue and a voice message, ¡®Nelly, we¡¯re having a barbecue¡± Cornelia turned on the speaker, and Marcus next to her heard Zack¡¯s words too, the smile on his face instantly disappearing, Cornelia¡¯s attention was all on the barbecue picture, and she didn¡¯t notice Marcus¡¯s mood change at all. Worried that her wound might get infected, Dr. Dawson had been restricting her diet, and she couldn¡¯t eat barbecue or anything like that. Now, just looking at the picture, Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but drool She turned to Marcus, ¡®Mr. Hartley, can I try some of these snacks? After all, the taste of the snacks in the scenic area can also affect tourists¡¯ evaluations.¡± ¡°You want to eat barbecue?¡± Marcus felt like he saw through Cornelia¡¯s thoughts in an instant Did she love her husband that much? He¡¯s eating barbecue, and even though they¡¯re far apart, she wanted to share that moment with him? Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Chapter 32 The lights outside the hotel were already oh, and as we walked about a hundred meters to the right, a new shopping street appeared This street had supermarkets, shops selling local specialties, and various snack bars. The bright lights now werepletely different from the darkness a month ago Cornelia sincerely praised, President Hartley, you¡¯re really awesome!¡± It seemed Marcus was amused by her words, the corners of his eyes smiling. ¡°Oh, how am I awesome?¡± Cornelia gestured towards the bustling shops around them. When we arrived here initially, this ce was practically deserted Yet, within a mere month, it has transformed into a thriving shopping street We can find all sorts of everyday essentials and savor a wide array of delectable cuisines. You truly have worked wonders.¡± ¡± Marcus said. ¡°You¡¯ve learned to tter people in just a month.¡± Cornelia retorted. ¡®Am I not telling the truth?¡± Marcus exined. ¡°Creating a shopping street like this is not difficult, the real challenge is to keep it running continuously, allowing the residents here to truly get out of poverty and live a stable life¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°President Hartley, what are your ns for the future?¡± Before Cornelia always thought that Marcus was wasting his talents building a scenic spot here, with many more profitable jobs waiting for him. But seeing the changes in this scenic spot and listening to Marcus¡¯s words, Cornelia realized that Marcus was not just a businessman, but also cared about the lives of the general public. However, Marcus continued, ¡°Nowadays,panies value their reputation The Hartley Group wants to go further and earn more profits, so we must be impable Cornelia, ¡°¡­. Business people still wanted to make money after all. But who isn¡¯t doing it for the money? How can you live without money? Investing in such a big project, Marcus was already considered to have a conscience. They walked from one end of the shopping street to the other and back, and Cornelia roughly understood Marcus¡¯s troubles. ¡°President Hartley, the scenery here is indeed beautiful, but to retain tourists, it¡¯s not just about the scenery, the supporting facilities and services must also keep up¡± Marcus nodded for her to continue. Cornelia went on, ¡°If I were to go to a ce for a trip, the first thing I would consider is the cost, then the safety and whether the transportation is convenient¡­¡± Cornelia said a lot, and after listening, Marcus gave her an appreciative look. Receiving Marcus¡¯s appreciation, Cornelia felt very happy Although she knew that Marcus¡¯s team must have considered these issues, he might just want to see if her ability to think about problems had improved after taking a month off As they were walking, Cornelia¡¯s phone in her pocket rang In their group chat, Zack sent a picture of himself eating barbecue and a voice message, ¡®Nelly, we¡¯re having a barbecue¡± Cornelia turned on the speaker, and Marcus next to her heard Zack¡¯s words too, the smile on his face instantly disappearing, Cornelia¡¯s attention was all on the barbecue picture, and she didn¡¯t notice Marcus¡¯s mood change at all. Worried that her wound might get infected, Dr. Dawson had been restricting her diet, and she couldn¡¯t eat barbecue or anything like that. Now, just looking at the picture, Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but drool She turned to Marcus, ¡®Mr. Hartley, can I try some of these snacks? After all, the taste of the snacks in the scenic area can also affect tourists¡¯ evaluations.¡± ¡°You want to eat barbecue?¡± Marcus felt like he saw through Cornelia¡¯s thoughts in an instant Did she love her husband that much? He¡¯s eating barbecue, and even though they¡¯re far apart, she wanted to share that moment with him?Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Chapter 33 1 just wanna test out the BBQ for the guestsing from far away in the future Cornelia stared at the barbecue stand not far away, her eyes sparkling She was just craving for some BBQ but came up with a fancy sounding mason Hearing that she really wanted to eat barbecue, Marcus softened a bit but didn¡¯t want to give in to her, ¡°I don¡¯t eat that kind of unhealthy food.¡± Cornelia knew he never ate such food, and she didn¡¯t ask him to join her She smiled. President Hartley, you can go back and rest Ill eat by myself¡± Marcus, She was just an assistant, but she wanted to boss him around and make him leave. No way! Marcus walked to the barbecue stand and sat down at a random spot. His outfit looked ordinary, but sitting here, he still seemed out of ce Cornelia ordered some of her favorite dishes and turned around, bumping into a man in an orange windbreaker. Cornelia immediately stepped back, ¡°Sorry!¡± ¡°No problem.¡± The man blushed and smiled at her, ¡°Hey, beauty, which team are you from? Howe I¡¯ve never seen you before?¡± Cornelia was a bit confused, ¡°What team?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not part of our club. No wonder I haven¡¯t seen you I¡¯d definitely remember a pretty girl like you.¡± The man took out his phone, blushing, ¡°Since we¡¯ve met, it must be fate Can we exchange contact info?¡± His firting made her ufortable, but he seemed unaware. Cornelia smiled, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t usually exchange contact info with strangers¡± ¡°Come on, just give me a win this time.¡± The man¡¯s face turned even redder, 1 just yed Truth or Dare with my friends and lost. They dared me to get a girl¡¯s contact info¡± Cornelia looked around, ¡°There are many girls here. You can ask someone else. If others dont agree,This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. you can ask the store owner for their contact info.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t understand why this man was using such an old trick to get her contact info. The man blushed andughed awkwardly, ¡°Actually, I just thought you were really pretty, so I wanted your contact info. If it makes you ufortable, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Because of his honesty, Cornelia¡¯s impression of him improved a bit, 1 can give it to you, but you have to do me a favor first.¡± The man now was very happy. ¡°What do you need me to do?¡± Cornelia, ¡°I¡¯ll ask you a few questions, and you just need to answer truthfully.¡± The man nodded, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Cornelia, ¡°How many of you came here for a trip? What transportation did you use? What do you think of the environment, amodation, and food here? Would youe back again?¡± The manughed, ¡°Are you doing a survey, beauty?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yes, I work for this scenic spot. This is part of my job.¡± The man continued. ¡°We are members of Bombshell. This time there are more than a hundred of us who came by tourist bus. The scenery here is really beautiful, and everyone who didn¡¯t experience altitude sickness said they¡¯d like toe back again. However, today we ate at a restaurant that initially gave us a clear price but then charged us an extra 100 yuan at the end Though it¡¯s not much to charge an extra 100 yuan per table, it¡¯s not good once word gets out.¡± Cornelia firmly said that such a situation shouldn¡¯t happen again, ¡°How many restaurants have done this?¡± The man replied, ¡°Just one, the others were all fine.¡± Then he took out his phone, ¡°Can you give me your contact info now?¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Chapter 35 President Hartley sorry! I went too far just now, I be more careful in the future¡± Cornelia apologized, and quickly walked past Marcus with her head down On the way back to the hotel, Cornelia thought deeply As her contact with Marcus increased, she found that he was different from the rumors. She believed that he was a good person, so she became bolder in front of him and lost some sense of propriety. She needed to be more careful in the future. Marcus extinguished his cigarette and trailed after Cornelia, quietly observing as she made her way back to the hotel, ensuring her safe arrival from the roadside Dr. Dawson suddenly appeared, ¡°Marc, Ayden has answered Courtney ording to your instructions She shouldn¡¯t bother Cornelia anymore¡± ¡± Marcus nodded Dr. Dawson continued, ¡°Helena also said that the reason why Courtney has been so active recently is because Briana and the Miss Reese are about to graduate and return to the country. and she wants to clear the obstacles for Miss Reese in advance¡± Marcus it a cigarette and smiled, ¡°She doesn¡¯t have to make decisions for me¡± ¡°After all, she¡¯s your mother. Doing this will affect your reputation.¡±Dr. Dawson had watched Marcus grow up, and she knew that his rtionship with his parents was not good, even ipatible Back then, he personally pulled his father down from the high position and reorganized the Hartley Group, and the outside world rumored that he was ruthless and decisive, regardless of family affection. ¡°Reputation?¡± Marcus never cared about his own reputation. As long as he cared, he could find a way to change public opinion. Dr. Dawson looked at him hesitantly and finally decided to ask the question in her heart, ¡°Marc, do you have special feelings for Cornelia by protecting her like this?¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow, ¡°Do you think I would let anyone bully you and Ayden?¡± Marcus didnt answer directly, but Dr. Dawson understood his meaning. Cornelia was the same as her and Ayden in his heart, both were people he cared about. So, no one could bully her The next day. Cornelia went back to her work life. While she hadn¡¯t been gallivanting alongside Marcus during this period, Cornelia had not fallen behind in her duties. As his assistant, she efficiently aplished all the assigned tasks, swiftly matching Marcus¡¯s work pace. About half a monthter, the scenic spot officially opened. After the ribbon cutting, everyone returned to Riverton, This time they took Marcus¡¯s private ne, which saved a few hours of transfer time, and it was still daylight when they arrived in Riverton. Cornelia had just picked up her luggage when Zack called, ¡°Nelly, Abby and I areing to pick you up at the airport. We¡¯ll be there in a few minutes. Come out of the VIP exit and wait for us¡± ¡°Okay, see youter. Cornelia smiled and hung up the phone, turning to see Marcus looking at her. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. He nced at her and then walked ahead. Cornelia and Ben each pushed tworge suitcases behind him. The car to pick up Marcus was already waiting at the exit Marcus got in directly, and Cornelia and Ben still needed to load his luggage Sinceher of them wanted to sit next to Marcus, Ben quickly upied the co¨Cpilot¡¯s seat after putting the luggage away. Cornelia walked towards the back seat of the car, and Marcus saw hering and made room for her But Corne smiled and said, ¡®Mr. Marcus, I won¡¯t go back with you Someone ising to pick me up¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Marcus silently let the diver start the car, and it just so happened to brush past a not¨Cso¨Cexpensive looking car¡­. Marcus felt like he recognized the car, and his gaze lingered on it for a few seconds before he saw Cornelia walking towards it with a huge suitcase A man got out of the car, and as soon as he saw Cornelia, he immediately took her suitcase.. Before Marcus could get a good look at the man¡¯s face, the driver had already sped away. Marcus, feeling annoyed and flustered, loosened his cor and made a phone call, ¡°How¡¯s the situation?¡± A careless voice came from the other end of the phone, ¡°Marc, with so many excellentwyers in the Hartley family, why did you choose me? Is it true what the rumors say that your wife betrayed you?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°Ugh, they had been interfering in each aspect, not even sparing the olddy¡¯s side Without asking, Marcus knew who spread the rumors, ¡°How many people know about this?¡± ¡°All four major families know. You¡¯ve really lost face this time.¡± The man on the phone smacked his lips, ¡°Cameron is from a distinguished family and beautiful. She deeply loves you, but you¡¯ve been blind to it, listening to your grandmother and marrying an ordinary girl, and now you¡¯ve been cuckolded * Marcus said sharply. ¡°Get to the point.¡± The man on the phone immediately dropped his frivolous attitude and said seriously. ¡°Don¡¯t you trust me? As long as you give the order, I can make your wife sign the divorce agreement tonight¡± Marcus nced at his watch, Tll give you two hours. In two hours, I want to see the signed divorce agreement.¡°. After Marcus hung up. Cornelia¡¯s private phone rang as soon as she got in the car. She answered the call, and the voice on the other end stated, ¡°Ms. Stewart, I am the newly appointed attorney for your husband Jeremy. Your divorce agreement requires your signature Would you prefer to meet in person, or shall I visit your location?¡± The other party¡¯s tone was very strong, and the meaning was clear either she met up with him, or they woulde to her. Cornelia was furious, but it was true that her work had dyed this matter, Il meet you. Name a ce.¡± The other party gave her an address not far from where they were staying. Cornelia told Zack, ¡°Zack, I need to go to the Moshang Coffee Shop¡± Abigail said, ¡°It¡¯s sote, and you¡¯re still going to drink coffee? Aren¡¯t you afraid of not being able to sleep tonight?¡± Corneliaughed, I¡¯m not going to drink coffee; I¡¯m going to sign the divorce agreement.¡± Zack and Abigail said. ¡°You just got off the ne and now have to sign the divorce agreement. Your husband is really bad. We¡¯ll go with you.¡± Cornelia wanted to say it wasn¡¯t necessary, but they didn¡¯t listen to her, so they sat at the table next to Cornelia and thewyer, listening to their conversation. Thewyer was young, neatly dressed, and looked like the excellentwyers seen in TV shows. He politely handed Cornelia a business card, ¡°Ms. Stewart, my name is Ryan Colwell, and I will be handling your divorce from Jeremy.¡± Cornelia took the card, which read ¡°Chief Lawyer Ryan of X Law Firm.¡± She was familiar with the firm and knew that it had a strong reputation in the legal world Ryan then handed over a divorce agreement, Please read this divorce agreement carefully, and if there are no issues, please sign it.¡± ¡°Do I still need to sign a divorce agreement?¡± Cornelia took the divorce agreement and nced at it. ¡°I¡¯ve never been divorced before, so I¡¯m not familiar with this. I need to read it carefully.¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Chapter 37 This woman¡¯s got a wicked sense of humor Ryan chuckled, ¡°No rush, take your time¡± As Cornelia read through the documents, Ryan couldn¡¯t help but stare at her. She was surprisingly gorgeous Ryan sighed to himself, thinking how clueless Marc was when it came to rtionships. He married such a beautiful woman and still left her alone and went abroad. If he were to marry such a stunner, he wouldn¡¯t just build her a golden house and hide her away, he¡¯d keep her by his side every day, not giving other men a chance Now, Marc left her alone, and other men got a head start. Captivated by Cornelia¡¯s beauty, Ryan didn¡¯t mind the leisurely pace at which she read and relished every subtle expression that adorned her face Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. As Cornelia perused the divorce agreement, she encountered uses regarding the absence of shared life or assets after their marriage, aligning precisely with her intentions. She didn¡¯t want to give away her money, nor did she want his. However, when she saw the part about she having to pay a hundred grand for emotional damages, she couldn¡¯t help butugh Their marriage was arranged by their elders, and they hadn¡¯t even met in almost a year and a half. Their divorce should have been amicable, but she didn¡¯t expect him to make such a demand. Smiling, Cornelia pushed the divorce agreement back, ¡°Mr. Colwell, what¡¯s with the hundred grand in emotional damages?¡± ¡°You know what you¡¯ve done, Ms. Stewart ¡°Ryan looked at her, thinking she must be a pro in love affairs. He almost pointed out her affair, but she remained calm. Cornelia, ¡°What did I do?¡± ¡°Ms. Stewart, we both know what¡¯s going on. If you keep pretending, don¡¯t me me for being rude.¡± Ryan pushed the divorce agreement back to Cornelia, ¡°You have to sign this, no matter what.¡± He was very firm, but Cornelia wasn¡¯t scared. After spending six months with Marcus, she wasn¡¯t even afraid of him, let alone Ryan She smiled and calmly responded, ¡°If I don¡¯t sign, what can you do to me?¡± Her expression didn¡¯t change, but the pressure was felt. Ryan softened his tone, ¡°Ms. Stewart, just sign the agreement, and we can talk about anything.¡± ¡°Do I look stupid?¡± Cornelia became a little unhappy. ¡°Tell Jeremy, if he really wants a divorce, we can set a time and bring the necessary documents to the Civil Affairs Bureau. No need for aplicated divorce agreement. He won¡¯t get a dime from me.¡± Ryan had seen all kinds of situations, but Cornelia¡¯s transformation was not to be underestimated. For some reason, he thought of Marcus when he was angry and shivered involuntarily, ¡°Wait for me for two minutes.¡± Ryan found a quiet corner and called Marcus. Marcus just came out of the shower, ¡°Any problems?¡± Ryan said, ¡°Marc, your wife is really beautiful!¡± No matter how beautiful that woman was, in Marcus¡¯s eyes, she was just an unfaithful wife, and he was determined to end this marriage. Marcus frowned, ¡°Ryan, you have half an hour left.¡± Ryan had no choice but to tell the truth, ¡°Your wife refuses to sign the divorce agreement.¡± Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Marcus said ¡°She doesn¡¯t wanna sign? Who does she think she is?¡± Ryan replied. ¡°It¡¯s not that she doesn¡¯t wanna sign, she just doesn¡¯t wanna pay that 100k for mental distress¡± Marcus could make that woman sign, but since she was introduced by his grandma, he just wanted to get rid of the disgusting woman who betrayed him as soon as possible. ¡°Forget about thepensation¡± As soon as Marcus let it go, Ryan immediately had a new divorce agreement printed and handed it to Cornelia, Ms. Stewart, please have a look again.¡± His attitude was much better this time. After carefully reading the agreement, Cornelia signed her name and pressed her fingerprint where needed, ¡°Is there anything else I need to do?¡± Seeing her actually sign, Ryan found it unbelievable, ¡°Do you even know what your husband does?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°What does it have to do with me?¡± Ryan was thrilled, she really didn¡¯t know Marcus¡¯s identity. He would tell her the truth after their divorce and make her regret it. Ryan took the signed divorce agreement and said with a bit of schadenfreude, ¡°Leave the rest to us, just go to the Civil Affairs Bureau with Jeremy to process the divorce in a month.¡± Cornelia knew about the one¨Cmonth cooling¨Coff period for divorce, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll wait for your notice. As soon as Ryan left, Zack and Abigail rushed over, ¡°Our Nelly is awesome, she was so calm facing someone like Ryan. The way you talked back to him felt so satisfying¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°You guys should know who I¡¯ve been dealing with every day.¡± Abigail alsoughed, ¡°Does being close to Marcus make you stronger?¡± Zack said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s have a good meal.¡± The three of them happily went to a restaurant, and she did not affected by the divorce at all After getting Cornelia¡¯s signature, Ryan hurried to Marcus¡¯s ce. But he was ten minuteste. Seeing that he hadpleted the task well, Marcus didn¡¯t hold it against him. Ryan continued to engage in conversation by Marcus¡® side,menting, ¡®Marc, your wife is undeniably stunning. It¡¯s unfortunate that she has been taken by another man. However, I must say she¡¯s quite resilient as well. She managed to maintain herposure when I probed her.¡± Marcus ignored him, looking at the word ¡°Cornelia¡± on the divorce agreement. The signature was so different from his assistant Cornelia¡¯s He handed the divorce agreement back to Ryan, ¡®Finish this as soon as possible¡± Ryan said, ¡°I¡¯ve done everything I can, you just need to go to the Civil Affairs Bureau in a month to process the divorce with her.¡± ¡°Another month?¡± Marcus had never thought about getting a divorce before, so he hadn¡¯t paid attention to the news about it. Now he didn¡¯t want to wait any longer and wished he could process the divorce right away. If he could let someone else do it, Marcus would even ask someone to help him with the divorce, because the more he looked at that woman, the more he worried it would affect his mood. Ryan smiled. ¡°The divorce is already halfway done, no need to rush.¡± Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Marcus pushed his silver-rimmed sses up his nose and lit a cigarette ¡°You can go now¡± How can you treat me like this? I did you a favor, and now you¡¯re kicking me out without even offering me a drink?¡± Ryan plopped down on the couch. Tim not leaving today¡± Marcus said ¡°Ava, please get a ss of water for young Mr. Colwell Does young Mr. Colwell want water? I don¡¯t think he¡¯s thirsty.¡± Ava chimed in. Her tone was quite unfriendly. Ryan replied. ¡°Ava, even you¡¯re picking on me now?¡± Ava was her fifties, and she had raised Marcus. He and his friends never treated her like a s***t. They treated her more like an elder who nagged at them asionally She brought him a bottle of mineral water. ¡°Young master, if you¡¯re going to mess around, don¡¯t drag him into it. The marriage is half over. You don¡¯t want the olddy wille back and scold you¡± A year and a half ago, when Ava heard that Marcus was getting married, she was so happy she had the vi decorated festively, even preparing a baby crib. She had no idea he would go. abroad for a year after the wedding Since the olddy was the only one who liked the girl, she thought the marriage would end. However, on the night Marcus returned, he asked her to redecorate the house to wee his wife His tone was the gentlest she had ever heard as if he intended to give all his gentleness to that girl Hearing that they were to wee the mistress, Ava happily redecorated the house to make it appealing to a girl. But the next night, Marcus didn¡¯t bring his wife home Meanwhile, due to his busy work schedule, he hadn¡¯t returned to the vi, and she had yet to hear any news about this Mrs. Hartley, who she was really looking forward to meeting Now! Ryan came here, saying nonsense like that they were divorced, she was irritated and couldn¡¯t force herself to be pleasant to him. ¡°Ava, you can¡¯t me me for this.¡± At the mention of the olddy of the Hartley family, Ryan got scaredOwned by N?velDrama.Org. and nned to leave. ¡°Marc, I¡¯m going abroad tomorrow. Sorry I can¡¯t stay with you for your birthday, but I did get you some very special gift. Gonna have someone bring it to you in a few days.¡± ¡°No need ¡°Marcus turned to go upstairs when Ava called out, ¡°Marc, can I ask you a question?¡± Marcus stopped. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Ava asked. ¡°Are you seriously divorcing Mrs. Hartley? Are you not bringing her home?¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be a Mrs. Hartley in this house anymore, so stop bringing it up.¡± Marcus¡¯ phone dinged with a local car ident news alert as he finished speaking. As Marcus was about to swipe open the notification, he saw the delicate face on the news coverage. He anxiously grabbed his car keys and rushed out, leaving a puzzled Ava behind. Marcus sped to Riverton First People¡¯s Hospital and, following the address from the news, found Cornelia¡¯s room. He had just reached the door when he heard Cornelia¡¯s voice, ¡°Zack, it¡¯s just a little scrape, don¡¯t worry.¡± As he looked through the small window in the door, he saw Cornelia half-lying in bed, with a man sitting beside her, his hand on her forehead, gently asking, ¡°Are you okay?¡± Do you want me to get up and walk around so you can see I¡¯m fine?¡± She pretended to get up, but the man pressed her back on the bed. ¡°We¡¯re staying in the hospital for observation tonight, no matter what. You have to listen to me on this.¡± The man had his back to the door so Marcus couldn¡¯t see his face. A sudden urge surged inside Marcus to barge into the room. He needed to see the man who had earned her loyalty and to understand why he deserved all her attention. ¡°Sir, who are you looking for? A nurse checking in on patients interrupted his thoughts. Marcus nced at the nurse and walked away. He went to the parking lot, lit a cigarette, took a puff, and suddenly let out a coldugh. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Chapter 40 He¡¯s just her boss and she got into a minor car ident with her husband by her side to take care of her. What¡¯s he doinging to the hospital? Then he called Leonardo, Wanna grab a drink?¡± Leonardo said, ¡°Sure thing¡± Marcus was in a bad mood tonight! Leonardo could tell right away when he saw him After drinks, he said, ¡°Marc, you and your wife have no connection. Let her cheat if she wants to. You don¡¯t need to feel bad for such a fickle woman¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Marcusughedcoldly, ¡°Does that woman even deserve my sadness?¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°So why are you in a bad mood?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Am I in a bad mood?¡± He¡¯s upset but still pretending not to be. It¡¯s embarrassing for a man to get c****d, so Leonardo didn¡¯t want to keep poking at his wounds He changed the subject. ¡°You¡¯ve been in the West Region for over a month, and I haven¡¯t seen your assistant in ages. Wanna call her up to join us for a drink?¡± Marcus¡¯ voice suddenly became heavy. ¡°She¡¯s a married woman. Why can¡¯t you let it go?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being married?¡± Leonardo smirked confidently, ¡°Her husband isn¡¯t as handsome or wealthy as me. If I wanted her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape my grasp. With a loud bang, Marcus mmed his ss on the table, ¡°She¡¯s mine! Don¡¯t you darey a finger on her!¡± He¡¯s so drunk, with his emotions showing. Leonardo teased, ¡°Yours? What do you mean? She¡¯s your assistant, not your wife. If I pursue her and she¡¯s willing, what business is it of yours?¡± Marcus knew very well that Cornelia was just his assistant and not his wife, and her personal feelings were none of his concern. When she was injured trying to save him in the West Region, he had no right to be by her side. Now with the car ident, it¡¯s her husband by her side, not him. Leonardo says again, ¡°Marc, if you want her, just take her regardless of her marital status. I don¡¯t believe any woman can resist your charm.¡± Those words awakened the devil¡± buried deep within Marcus¡¯ heart. For a moment, he thought it might not be a bad idea. But does he want her? He doesn¡¯t know! He felt highly displeased when he saw her being intimate with her husband. Maybe it¡¯s because his marriage involved a cheating woman, and he envied her husband for having a woman¡¯s wholehearted devotion. Leonardo took out his phone, snapped a photo of Marcus, and sent it to Cornelia. ¡°Cornelia, your President Hartley¡¯s wife cheated on him, and he¡¯s so upset he¡¯s crying. Maybe you should come and take him home.¡± After sending the message, Leonardo quickly put his phone away and casually continued drinking. He thought he¡¯s so clever for calling the beauty over. Whether sparks would fly between them now depended on Marcus¡¯ performance. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Cornelia had to pull out all the stops to convince Zack and Abigail to let her s**p the hospital stay, and now they¡¯re all in the car heading home Abigail was still nagging, ¡°Nelly, what if you have internal injury? I¡¯ve got all supplies for you, but you still wouldn¡¯t stay in the hospital¡± Cornelia pinched her face. There was no need for the hospital. Their beds are nowhere near asfy as the ones at home. I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep in a month and a half I miss my bed so much¡± Still shaken. Zack gripped the steering wheel tightly. ¡°You got fortunate tonight. It was so close. We could¡¯ve lost you.¡± After having barbeque tonight, Zack went to get the car from the parking lot, Abigail went to the restroom, and Cornelia was waiting outside the restaurant when suddenly, a car came speeding towards her. Thankfully, Cornelia reacted quickly and dodged behind a nearby tree, avoiding serious injury However, she still took a fall and scraped her elbow The car crashed into the tree, causing significant damage to both the vehicle and the driver. Fortunately, the ambnce arrived in time, and the driver¡¯s life was not in danger A notification from her phone interrupted their conversation. Cornelia picked it up to see a message from Leonardo. She couldn¡¯t believe it when Leonardo mentioned Marcus¡¯ wife cheating on him. But on second thought, it didn¡¯t seem impossible. Before, whenever Marcus mentioned his wife, he had a gentle expression, butter, he forbade them to bring her up. Cornelia sighed, ¡°Zack, drop me off at Shimmer Club when we pass by¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Why? Are you going to be the driver for your heartless boss again?¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m his assistant, can¡¯t avoid these things.¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to get the copyright fee. You¡¯re not short of money. Can you quit?¡± Zack tried to persuade her, but they all knew work gave her a sense of security As her best friends, they had to support her work ¡°Well go with you. Well drop him off and pick you up to go home together.¡± ¡°This is my job, you can¡¯t always be with me¡± Cornelia patted their shoulders, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of myself.¡± They didn¡¯t want to put too much pressure on Cornelia, so they didn¡¯t insist and dropped her off at the entrance of Shimmer Club, watching her go in before leaving Cornelia quickly found the private room where Marcus was Seeing her, Leonardo lit up with a bright smile and opened his arms for a hug, ¡°Ms. Stewart, it¡¯s been ages! I¡¯ve missed you.¡± ¡°Mr. Wilson, hello!¡± Cornelia dodged his hug and nced around the room, seeing only him, ¡°Did you lie to me?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare ¡°Leonardo pointed to the balcony. Cornelia looked over and saw Marcus on the phone. She hadn¡¯t noticed him before because the balcony light was off. Leonardo said, ¡°Cornelia, have you ever considered using your advantage to get ahead?¡± Cornelia raised an eyebrow, Leonardo, what do you mean?¡± Leonardo moved closer to Cornelia conspiratorially. The news of President Hartley¡¯s wife cheating on him has spread like wildfire in our circle. Many women want to take advantage of this and snatch President Hartley for themselves, but they can¡¯t even get close to him. You, on the other hand, are with him every day. It is your chance¡± Cornelia wanted to punch Leonardo. Could this guy think about anything other than rtionships all day? ¡°Leonardo, you better shut up.¡± Leonardo couldn¡¯t believe any woman could resist Marcus, ¡®Marcus is rich, handsome, fit, and he doesn¡¯t fool around outside. Haven¡¯t you ever thought about being with him?¡± ¡°Not at all. Not even a little Cornelia answered sensibly, ¡®Mr. Wilson, if you don¡¯t want me to lose my job, please don¡¯t mention things like this.¡± 1 Just as she finished speaking, the sliding door to the balcony opened, and Marcus walked in. His ordinarily neat hair now had a few strands hanging down messily. Beads of water dotted his face And his eyes behind his silver-framed sses looked a bit hazy. He looked like hed had a bit too much to drinkOwned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Chapter 42 ¡°What, you again?¡± When he saw Cornelia, there was a hint of joy in his eyes, but it was extinguished instantly with her response, ¡°Just doing my job.¡± Heughed coldly. You go back, have the drivere pick me up¡± If it were in the past, Cornelia would have obediently left, but now, in her eyes, Marcus was no longer the aloof big boss. He was just an ordinary person who had been hurt by love, and she couldn¡¯t bear to leave him alone. Leonardo tried to persuade him, ¡°Marc, if you¡¯re drunk, don¡¯t talk. Let Ms. Stewart take you home.¡± Cornelia took the initiative to grab the car keys, ¡°President Hartley, let¡¯s go¡± Marcus sat in the back seat as Cornelia drove, squinting at her profile. She was serious about driving and didn¡¯t say a word to him. ¡°Heh ¡°He sneered Just doing her job? Half an hourter, they arrived at the vi. Cornelia had been here twice before to deliver some documents, so she was familiar with the ce. Marcus sat in the car without moving, his slender fingers resting on his forehead as if he felt ufortable. Cornelia was quite worried, ¡°President Hartley, are you having an alcohol allergy again?¡± Marcus closed his eyes and didn¡¯t respond. Cornelia turned on the backseat light, and the light shone on his face. His skin was a bit red, but it wasn¡¯t the usual symptom of an allergy She reminded him again, ¡°President Hartley, we¡¯re home.¡± Marcus opened his eyes, aplex look on his face, ¡°Can you go make me a hangover soup?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t like other people living in his space, so Patricia didn¡¯t stay in the vi at night. Cornelia knew this as well. Cornelia made the hangover soup from memory. She thought Marcus had gone upstairs to shower, so she left after preparing the soup. But he had been quietly sitting on the living room sofa, holding an unsmoked cigarette while gazing out the window with a look that would make anyone feel pity for him. Having experienced betrayal herself, Cornelia knew the feeling all too well. It was like someone had dug a hole in her heart with a knife, and the pain was unbearable. She thought Marcus must be feeling the same way right now. Cornelia handed him the hangover soup and whispered, ¡°President Hartley, drink this first, and then get some rest.¡± Marcus looked at her and noticed the scrape on her elbow, ¡°Did you hurt your elbow?¡± Cornelia was wearing a long-sleeved white shirt, and when she rolled up her sleeves while making the soup, Marcus saw the scrape on her elbow. ¡°It¡¯s just a scratch¡± Cornelia quickly pulled down her sleeve, not wanting to talk about the car ident. Since she didn¡¯t mention it, Marcus pretended not to know and drank the hangover soup. He often had to socialize and drink, but he never had the habit of drinking hangover soup before. The only two times he did were when Cornelia made it for him. It was sweet and sour and tasted pretty good. Seeing him finish, Cornelia felt relieved, ¡°President Hartley, you should get some rest now; I be leaving ¡°Just sleep here tonight, don¡¯t go,¡± he said.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Cornelia was so startled by Marcus words that she instinctively backed away, quickly widening the gap between them. Seeing how she avoided him. Marcus eyes turned a bit cold it¡¯s hard to get a taxi around here at night. There are guest rooms on the second floor, so you can pick one and stay for the night¡± Cornelia So that was what he meant Cornelia was overthinking Marcus got up and found a first aid kit, taking out a green ointment. ¡°Apply this on your wounds after taking a shower.¡± ¹¼ Thanks, President Hartley!¡± Cornelia graciously epted the ointment. As for staying over, she didn¡¯t think it was necessary. Even if they stayed on separate floors, it wasn¡¯t appropriate for a man and a woman to be alone together. I¡¯m afraid I might disturb your rest, I won¡¯t stay here¡± Marcus, 1 sleep on the third floor, and you would sleep on the second floor. How could you possibly disturb me? Are your legs that long, that they can reach the ceiling?¡± Cornelia,** Marcus continued. ¡°It¡¯s 2 AM now, and you must return tomorrow morning. Are you sure you want to leave?¡± After he reminded her, Cornelia realized that she still needed toe over early tomorrow morning to discuss the details of Marcus¡¯s birthday decoration with the nningpany. She nodded, ¡°Then I go rest first. Boss, you should also get some rest The vi had three floors Marcus¡® room and study were on the third floor, while the second floor was usually empty, though the housekeeper would clean it regrly. There were two guest rooms on the second floor. Cornelia chose the one further inside. The room was cozy and clean, with brand¨Cnew bedding. It was as if no one had ever stayed there. The bathroom had a newly stocked bathrobe and all the toiletries she might need, just like in a five¨Cstar hotel. That day, Cornelia had flown from snowy West Region to short¨Csleeve weather in Riverton, signed a divorce agreement, had a minor car ident, and ended up being Marcus driver. She was exhausted. After the shower, she fell into bed and was asleep within minutes. Cornelia always had a regr schedule, and even though she went to bed fate the night before, she still woke up at 6 AM If only she knew that Marcus had been up even earlier than that. She opened the curtains and could see the swimming pool in the backyard. A man wearing only swimming trunks was standing by it He was tall, with an eight¨Cpack, a face like a sculpture, and a pair of indifferent yet captivating eyes It was the first time Cornelia realized that Marcus¡® body, hidden beneath his white shirt and ck trousers, was even more attractive than his face. What woman would cheat on such a high¨Cquality man? Not unless- Suddenly, Cornelia recalled Leonardo¡¯sment ¨C President Hartley may look good, but he¡¯s truly not that great.¡± Could it be that Marcus couldn¡¯t satisfy his wife in bed, so she cheated on him? Cornelia was shocked by her indecent thoughts. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g How could she think of President Hartley like that? She quickly closed the curtains so she wouldn¡¯t have any more wild thoughts. After washing up, Cornelia changed into the clothes she had washed and driedst night. Then she went downstairs to make breakfast/ As she reached the stairs on the second floor, Patricia happened to walk in. Seeing a young, beautiful girl suddenly appear in the house made Patricia feel both surprised and delighted ¡°Mrs. Hartley, you¡¯re back?¡± *Patricia, it¡¯s me, Cornelia ¡°Cornelia quickly exined, ¡°President Hartley had a few drinksst night, so I drove him home. It waste, so I stayed in a guest room on the second floor¡± To avoid any misunderstanding, she emphasized that she stayed in the guest room on the second floor, Patricia came closer and recognized Cornelia, cheerfully saying, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Cornelia! I thought the young master had brought Mrs. Hartley back.¡± Cornelia felt incredibly awkward! Patricia didn¡¯t seem to mind this She continued, ¡°Ms. Stewart, do you have a boyfriend?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯m already married¡± Patricia seemed a bit disappointed, ¡°You got married so young?¡± Cornelia nodded in confirmation As Patricia prepared breakfast, she asked, ¡°What would Ms Stewart like to eat?¡± ¡°Patricia, can I make something myself?¡± Cornelia suddenly craved some homemade food, so she decided to cook a dish herself Patricia was very enthusiastic, ¡®Of course! President Hartley rarely eats at home, so I usually make him breakfast. You can treat this ce like your home and use the kitchen however you like¡± ¡°Thank you then ¡°Cornelia began to prepare the ingredients she needed Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Ingredients were all set, and Cornelia started to whip up the sauce first The pot of water was already boiling on the side Cornelia threw in the pasta, and once they were ready, she took them out and rinsed them in cold water Finally, the pasta was ready, and she poured the sauce Patricia was amazed by Cornelia¡¯s smooth moves. Nowadays, many girls didn¡¯t know how to cook, let alone cook well. And someone as beautiful as Cornelia who could also cook well? That¡¯s like finding a needle in a haystack! Patricia¡¯s mouth was watering when she saw the aromatic pasta ¡°Ms. Stewart, your husband is one lucky man! Marrying a girl who¡¯s so good at cooking¡± Not wanting to talk about her annoying husband, Cornelia changed the subject. I made a lot, Patricia. Do you wanna give it a try?¡± ¡°Oh, Cornelia, you made some for me too?¡± Patricia was thrilled. ¡°Later, tell me what you put in it so I can try making it myself when I crave it.¡± ¡°Sure thing¡± Cornelia said confidently with a smile. ¡°Many people can make it, but this is my grandma¡¯s secret recipe. You won¡¯t find anything like it in a restaurant¡± Patricia rubbed her hands excitedly. Then I gotta learn it well¡± Marcus entered the room and smelt something different. It didn¡¯t smell like his usual breakfast. He¡¯s drawn to the aroma and saw Cornelia and Patricia happily chatting in the kitchen. His eyesnded on Cornelia¡¯s tall, slim figure, and a terrifying thought came to mind. If only he could see her every morning¡­ Patricia spotted him first, ¡°Marc, want some pasta?¡± Marcus never ate pasta for breakfast. ¡°No thanks¡± Patricia nced at Cornelia, who whispered, ¡°He doesn¡¯t want any. I¡¯ll eat some more.¡± Cornelia turned to see Marcus, who was wearing his usual white shirt and ck pants, but all she could see was his abs She shook her head quickly to forget those inappropriate images. At the dining table, Marcus had a nutritious breakfast, which was healthy but nd. In front of Cornelia were two tes of mouth-watering pasta, smelling and tasting great. Marcus noticed the two tes in front of Cornelia, wondering how such a slender girl could eat so much in the morning without bursting. ¡°Are both yours?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yep, these are the pasta I cooked. I don¡¯t want to waste them, so I eat two.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything, but his eyes remained on the untouched te. Cornelia got the hint and cautiously asked, ¡°President Hartley, would you like to try some?¡± That¡¯s what Marcus was waiting for. ¡°Maybe.¡± Cornelia immediately handed him the bowl, ¡°President Hartley, please enjoy!¡± Marcus took a bite with his fork. He¡¯s very picky about the taste of food, and wouldn¡¯t take a second bite if he did not like it.. Cornelia was overjoyed to see him finish the entire te. His empty bowl was proof of her cooking skills. ¡°President Hartley, my cooking is not bad, right?¡± Though her pasta was not quite as good as those made by professional chefs, Marcus didn¡¯t hold back his praise when she¡¯s expecting it. ¡°Yes, very good.¡± ¡°Thank you for thepliment, President Hartley!¡± With the praise, Cornelia¡¯s face was full of genuine smiles for the whole morning. After confirming the birthday party decoration n with the event nningpany, Cornelia handed the tablet to Marcus and said, ¡°President Hartley, please take a look and see if theres anything else that needs to be changed¡± Marcus took the tablet, and Cornelia waited quietly beside him. The two sat close together at the bar counter. Patricia watches the handsome man and beautiful woman from a distance. They seem like a picture- perfect scene. For a moment, Patricia wisheed Cornelia would be Mrs. Hartley, but then- ¡°Marc, I¡¯m back!¡± A young, crisp voice broke the afternoon silence, followed by a lively girl appearing before them. The girls face was full of radiant smiles, but her expression instantly changed when she sees the woman next to Marcus. She yelled without hesitation, pointing at Cornelia, ¡°You shameless woman! How dare you show your face here!¡±This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Chapter 45 ¡°Why do you always bother my brother? Don¡¯t you know you¡¯re embarrassing him? Just get out of here!¡± Cornelia was stunned by the girls scolding Luckily, Marcus quickly stepped in, ¡°Briana Hartley, do you know what you¡¯re talking about?! Apologize right now!¡± His voice was deep and earnest, full of authority and toughness ¡°Bro, you want me to apologize to this shameless woman?¡± For the first time in her twenty¨Csomething years, Briana saw Marcus being so harsh with her. She felt wronged, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve never been angry with me before, but now you¡¯re angry with me because of a disloyal woman.¡± Briana sobbed ¡°Bro, this woman has already hooked up with other men. Are you just going to pretend nothing happened?¡± It was then that Cornelia realized Briana had misunderstood her true identity. Corneliaughed self¨Cmockingly and said, ¡°Ms. Hartley, I¡¯m just Marcus¡® assistant. What does it matter to him who I¡¯ve been with?¡± She was right. She was just an assistant. He had no right to interfere with her rtionships But Marcus didn¡¯t understand why he felt so ufortable about it. Almost instantly, Briana¡¯s tearful face broke into a bright smile, as if she hadn¡¯t been the one crying just moments before ¡°Oh, so you¡¯re Cornelia, the assistant. I¡¯m so sorry! I wasn¡¯t trying to yell at you. Actually, I was talking about my cheating sister¨Cinw.¡± Cornelia was puzzled, ¡°You can¡¯t even recognize your sister¨Cinw?¡± Briana was about to say something, but Marcus interrupted her. ¡°Why did youe back early?¡± Briana said wrongly, ¡°Of course, Ie back to celebrate your birthday, but you scolded me.¡± Marcus sternly scolded her, ¡°You insult people without knowing the facts. You haven¡¯t learned anything besides insulting other people in all these years, have you?¡± ¡°Bro, I¡¯m very sorry! I was just worried that a bad woman was deceiving you¡± Briana yfully grabbed his clothes, but it had no effect. ¡°So you think it¡¯s okay to insult people just because you¡¯re worried about me?¡± Marcus said emotionlessly, exuding authority. ¡°Can you just insult anyone around me?¡± Briana had never seen Marcus so strict before, and she was truly scared of him. She turned to Cornelia for help, holding her arm. ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry. Can you forgive me? If you do, Ill help you with anything you need from now on¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if you weren¡¯t insulting me ¡°Cornelia got scolded for no reason, but she wasn¡¯t that angry. Besides, Briana was Marcus¡® sister, and as a brother, Marcus had the right to discipline her. Cornelia, an outsider, had no right to be angry at Briana. Briana and Marcus shared some simrities. She¡¯s beautiful like a little elf, and Cornelia was attracted to beautiful things. Briana hugged Cornelia tightly, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re beautiful and kind. From now on, you¡¯re my friend.¡± The little girl¡¯s enthusiasm was quite overwhelming. ¡°Briana, Marcus¡­¡± A sweet female voice came from the doorway. Cornelia turned to see a beautiful young girl. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g The girl had a delicate face. She wore a white dress, with her ck hair draped over her shoulders. She looked like a college student She walked towards Marcus with a smile, ¡°Brother Marcus, long time no see. I¡¯ve missed you!¡± Marcus nced at her, ¡°Who are you? Why would you miss me?¡± Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Chapter 46 You guys all seem so chummy with Marcus, yet he acts like he doesn¡¯t even know you Cornelia felt that Marcus¡® cold attitude was once again eye opening His approach was simple, straightforward, and rude, leaving no room for illusions. The girl bit her lip sadly, her eyes filled with tears ¡®Marcus, don¡¯t you remember me?¡± Seeing her friend treated this way, Briana felt heartbroken. ¡°Marcus, this is Natalia, Natalia Reese If it weren¡¯t for that woman showing up, Natalia might have been your wife¡± Marcus said coldly, ¡°My wife? Who told you that? If you keep talking nonsense like this, stay home ¡± Briana, In fine. Dont argue with Marcus.¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes were full of tears, but she still tried to stay strong Her wounded appearance might make any man feel sorry for her, but Marcus remained unmoved. ¡°Briana, take your friend and leave. Don¡¯t bring anyone here again ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll leave, hmph Briana said in anger, ready to leave but turned back and asked, ¡°Marc, I¡¯m hungry. Can leat first and then go?¡± Marcus loved his sister and couldn¡¯t let her go hungry, so he didn¡¯t answer and just walked away Since Marcus didn¡¯t object. Briana assumed he agreed. ¡®Patricia, is there still lunch?¡± Patricia greeted her with a smile, Bri, you seemed to have grown taller again.¡± ¡°Patricia, I stopped growing ages ago. Only you think I¡¯m taller every time we meet.¡± Briana acted spoiled, hugging Patricia ¡°I¡¯m starving; is there food?¡± Patricia patted her head, ¡°If Bri wants to eat, how could there not be?¡± ¡°Patricia, you¡¯re always the best to me ¡°Briana told Natalia, ¡°Natalia,e on, let¡¯s eat.¡± Natalia smiled at Cornelia, ¡®Ms. Stewart, nice to meet you!¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia politely smiled back, ¡°Ms. Reese, hello!¡± Although Natalia was polite in words, her eyes were full of unkindness, just like her brother Cameron. Cornelia used to get confused about Cameron¡¯s hostility towards her, but today, meeting Natalia, she suddenly understood. Natalia liked Marcus, and the Reese family naturally wanted to be rtives with the Hartley family. However, they didn¡¯t resent Marcus wife but targeted Cornelia, the little assistant. She was Marcus¡® assistant, a position many people in thepany wanted, and many worried that she would rece Mrs. Hartley due to her closeness to him. Didn¡¯t those who doubted her know what kind of person Marcus was? He couldn¡¯t possibly be in love with his little assistant! Cornelia looked at Natalia¡¯s unfriendly eyes and asked with a smile, ¡°Ms. Reese, is there something on my face?¡± Natalia smiled and said, ¡°I think you are stunning; I couldn¡¯t help but stare. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Innocent Briana didn¡¯t understand Natalia¡¯s implied words and agreed, ¡°Cornelia is so beautiful!¡± Natalia continued, ¡°Ms. Stewart, being so beautiful, you must have many suitors, right?¡± ¡°Um, indeed I do!¡± Cornelia replied generously. ¡°Ms. Reese, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m already married, and I love my husband very much. I definitely won¡¯t get in the way of your pursuit of President Hartley.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Cornelia didnt wanna y dumb. She had no family in Riverton, while Natalia had the backing of the Reese family, one of Riverton¡¯s four major families, If Natalia wanted to hurt her, it would be as easy as killing an ant Past experiences taught her that being flexible was often the key to protecting herself better Cornelia¡¯s straightforwardness took Natalia by surprise. 1 She hesitated for a moment, then leaned in and whispered, ¡°Ms. Stewart, you sure know yourself well. As long as you don¡¯t mess with my business, I won¡¯t give you any trouble¡± Natalia acted sweet and innocent in front of Marcus but showed her true colors as soon as he left. Cornelia was d her judgment was on point and didn¡¯t fall for this seemingly sweet but dark hearted girl ¡®Knowing myself is my biggest strength¡± After getting a satisfactory answer, Natalia gave Cornelia a disdainful look and left with Briana Cornelia didn¡¯t quite understand girls like Nat Was it worth it sacrificing yourself for a man who doesn¡¯t love you? ¡°Seems like you didn¡¯t remember a single word I said ¡± Marcus voice suddenly came from behind her, startling Cornelia. She turned around to see his deep gaze. She was very focused at work, and being suddenly dismissed like that left a bad taste in her mouth. President Hartley, if there¡¯s anything I¡¯m not doing well at work, please point it out directly I¡¯ll do my best to satisfy you.¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow, ¡°Did I say you¡¯re not doing your job well?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Cornelia had no choice but to follow him to the restaurant. At the dining table, Briana and Natalia were chatting non¨Cstop Briana said, ¡°My brother has always been so cold to you. I don¡¯t know why you like him.¡± Natalia replied, ¡°Does liking someone need a reason? I¡¯ve wanted to be Marcus bride since I was little. In this life, besides him, I won¡¯t marry anyone else¡± The two stopped talking and behaved as soon as they saw Marcus enter. The dining table was huge, and everyone ate their meals separately. Marcus sat at one end of the table. Cornelia consciously chose the furthest spot from him and silently ate her food. Cornelia had eaten a lot in the morning, so she wasn¡¯t too hungry. She finished eating when she saw Marcus hadn¡¯t touched his meal yet. He lit a cigarette and looked coldly at Natalia, ¡°You honestly think you can marry me just because you want to be my bride? If you don¡¯t want to embarrass the Reese family, you better give up on those unrealistic thoughts.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°Marcus, I¡¯m sorry¡­ Natalia bit her lip, tears filling her eyes again, I know it¡¯s because that woman betrayed you. That¡¯s why you want a divorce. My feelings for you might make others think you¡¯re divorcing because of me. I shouldn¡¯t have expressed my feelings at this time, but I can¡¯t help but love you so much that I want the whole world to know. You don¡¯t have to like me, but please don¡¯t hurt my sincerity, okay?¡± That was too dramatic, but a lot of men just happened to like girls like this. However, Natalia¡¯s act didn¡¯t move Marcus, ¡®Don¡¯t y this game with me. You think you¡¯re qualified just because of a divorce?¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Marcus took a deep puff of his cigarette, Briana, get this person out of here right away, and don¡¯t get close to this kind of person in the future¡± ¡°Natalia, let¡¯s get out of here¡±Marcus seemed extra scary today. Briana pulled Natalia away from the vi as if they were fleeing Once in the car. Briana patted his chest nervously, ¡°Natalia, I have told you this before, my brother values his personal space. I didn¡¯t tell him beforehand that I was bringing you over, so he¡¯s not pleased Natalia looked back. The car was speeding away, getting further and further away from the vi she had always dreamed of She couldn¡¯t get the image of Marcus and Cornelia together out of her head. She knew better than anyone how much Marcus disliked girls. She had tried countless ways to get close to him before, but he had always rejected her sternly. Cornelia was the only young girl she had seen that could get so close to Marcus. The more Natalia thought about it, the more annoyed she became. ¡°If he values his personal space so much, why can that womane and go in his house as she pleases? And be so close to him?¡± Briana was stunned and asked, ¡°Which woman? My sister-inw? Even though she cheated, they¡¯re still married, so isn¡¯t it normal for her to enter their house?¡± If she didn¡¯t know Briana was such a fool, Natalia would have thought she was deliberately trying to annoy her, ¡®Briana, are you trying to piss me off on purpose?¡± Briana scratched her head. ¡°Natalia, why are you suddenly so angry? How did I annoy you?¡± Natalia red at her, ¡°I¡¯m talking about Marcus¡¯ assistant.¡± Briana said, ¡°His assistant works with him, so it¡¯s no big deal for her to enter his house¡± Natalia was so angry that her chest hurt, and she spoke even more rudely, ¡°His previous assistant was a middle-aged woman named Helena, and now it¡¯s a young and beautiful girl. Do you honestly believeThis content is ? N?velDrama.Org. she has no intentions toward your brother?¡± Briana said, ¡°But Ms. Stewart hasn¡¯t done anything wrong, has she?¡± Natalia said, ¡°You¡¯re my friend, and if you won¡¯t support me, why are you supporting someone else?¡± ¡°I support you, but we can¡¯t simply ignore what is right and wrong.¡± Briana and Natalia grew up together, went to school together, and had been friends since childhood. She cherished the friendship very much.. In the past, Natalia would tell her what to do, and she would do it, even the nasty words she had taught her before. But the old Natalia wouldn¡¯t get angry with her and would listen to her opinions. She didn¡¯t know what was wrong with Natalia today. ¡°Briana, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault.¡± Natalia hugged Briana and apologized in time. Before bing the lady of the Hartley family, Briana was still important to her. 1 forgive you ¡°Briana smiled, and the two went back to their old rtionship. Inside the vi, Cornelia saw Marcus¡¯ way of rejecting women again and couldn¡¯t help but secretly admire him. Men could recognize hypocritical women; they just knowinglymitted the wrong actions. Marcus asked, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Cornelia quickly stopped smiling and replied, ¡°Was Iughing?¡± Marcus paused for a moment. Then he said, ¡°I have nothing to do with that woman.¡± Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Cornells didn¡¯t understand why Marcus had to exin himself to her, feeling a little nervous, ¡°President Hartley, this is your business, no need to tell me Marcus was also clueless but didnt want her to misunderstand To break the ice. Cornelia quickly changed the subject to work stuff, President Hartley, the n is set. I need to go check out the site¡± Marcus said. ¡°Ive already handed that over to Ben. Come with me to a ceter¡± Cornelia knew Marcus had no work today. She was unsure of where they were going but agreed anyway. They went to the garage, where more than a dozen luxury cars parked. Marcus didn¡¯t call a driver. Cornelia thought he wanted her to drive, so she headed straight for the Bentley he usually rode in. But Marcus walked towards another dark gray sports car, ¡°We¡¯ll take this one today, and I¡¯ll drive.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t dare let the boss drive himself, and besides, the sports car only had two seats. She would have to sit in the passenger seat if he drove the car. She once heard that women shouldn¡¯t casually sit in a guy¡¯s passenger seat. A spouse or girlfriend usually sat there Considering this, she was even more reluctant to let him drive, ¡°President Hartley, wouldn¡¯t it be inappropriate for you to drive?¡± Marcus said, ¡°I will be dealing with personal matters today. I need your help. But don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll pay you triple the sry.¡± Cornelia heard ¡°triple sry,¡± and her eyes lit up. She immediately sat in the passenger seat. ¡°President Hartley, just tell me what you need me to do, and I¡¯ll get it done.¡± Seeing her so excited, Marcus cracked a slight smile. Not long after the car left the vi area, he drove onto the highway. The car sped along the road, both fast and steady. Cornelia was amazed, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ve been working with you for half a year, and this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you drive. I di expect you to be such a good driver.¡± He said, ¡°I used to love racing. I was a race car driver.¡± ¡°You were a race car driver?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know that. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my family needing me, maybe I¡¯d be a top race car driver right now.¡± He chuckled, and Cornelia saw the bitterness in his smile. So, he had his dreams too, but they were less important than the family business. Cornelia believed that someone like him, who excels at everything, would be a top racer if he pursued it. About an hourter, they arrived at Opulent Oasis. The car passed through winding mountain roads, and stopped at a roadblock. When the police saw Marcus¡® car, they let them through. After the roadblock, they drove for another ten minutes, and suddenly a stunning scene of blooming flowers appeared before them. Behind the sea of flowers were pavilions and towers shrouded in mist, like a fairnd. They parked the car, a young and handsome valet took it away, and an attendant led them into the courtyard. They passed the front yard, then walked along a cobblestone path. The backyard had apletely different vibe There were flowers, rockeries, and fountains The sound of men and womenughing and ying cards came from behind a folding screen. It was a lively scene. Walking around the screen, they saw three couples sitting around card tables. These three gorgeous couples seemed like prominent people because of their distinctive demeanors. Cornelia quickly searched her memory for their information, but couldn¡¯t recall any of them. Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g They looked at her and Marcus and said, ¡°Marcus, you finally made it.¡± Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Marcus chuckled. ¡°Sorry for keeping you all waiting!¡± The guy on the left alsoughed. ¡°We get it. You two haven¡¯t seen each other for a while, so you must have lots to catch up on ¡± They seemed more interested in Cornelia than Marcus. Introduce us to your partner. This is my friend Cornelia, Marcus said. He said friend instead of an assistant. All three men asked simultaneously, ¡°Friend? Just a friend?¡± Cornelia miled, ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Hartley¡¯s assistant.¡± Marcus heard Cornelia eagerly exining her identity, and his eyes dimmed slightly. He introduced her, ¡°Cornelia, this is Zavier Rivera from the Capital and his wife, Skyler Steven Doron from Harbor City and his wife, Hannah. And Lucas Duncan from Serenity Bay and his wife, Rosie Cornelia hadn¡¯t met these people before, but she could tell from their names that they were all important people Indeed, influential people have influential friends and good¨Clooking people have good¨Clooking friends. There had been rumors that the Hartley Group and Steven from Harbor City had conflicts. However, judging from their conversation, they were old friends. After greeting the three people. Cornelia heard Steven, who sat in the middle, say, ¡°Marc, we all brought our wives. What¡¯s the deal with you bringing your assistant?¡± Yeah Why would Marcus bring his assistant to such a private gathering? Can¡¯t he see how awkward she is now? Marcus gave a straightforward answer. ¡°My wife and I aren¡¯t getting along, and were preparing for a divorce. But you insisted I bring a femalepanion, so I had to ask a friend for help! Upon hearing the news, everyone showed surprise, and finally, Steven asked on behalf of everyone, ¡°You¡¯re getting a divorce? Last time you specifically went to Paris and spent 20 million on a ne for her. Now you¡¯re getting a divorce?¡± Marcus¡® answer was still simple, ¡°We¡¯re not getting along¡± He didn¡¯t want to say more, and no one else asked further. Seeing Cornelia¡¯s embarrassment, Hannah kindly helped her out, ¡°We all know each other here, Ms. Stewart, no need to be nervous.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. How could Cornelia rx at such a private event? Nevertheless, she nodded and said, ¡°Alright ¡°Dear, you guys chat. Well take Cornelia to get some food.¡± The three young and beautifuldies took Cornelia to the dining area. There were only a few guests at the restaurant, but there was a lot of food. Cornelia hadn¡¯t had much lunch, so she was indeed hungry. She picked up some of her favorite snacks and asked the chef to prepare a lobster. Watching Cornelia enjoy her dessert, Hannah said enviously, ¡°Cornelia, how do you manage to eat so much without gaining weight?¡± Hannah only had a small steak, a small piece of fruit, and vegetables. She didn¡¯t even dare to think about sweets. As long as you burn more calories than you consume daily. You won¡¯t gain weight.¡± Cornelia looked up at her, feeling she looked familiar. After thinking carefully, Cornelia finally remembered who she was, ¡°You¡¯re the super popr star, Hannah, right?¡± Hannahughed, ¡®Oh my, I¡¯m ttered you could recognize me without makeup.¡± ¡°You look even more beautiful than on TV Cornelia was a big fan of Hannah¡¯s TV shows. She was young, pretty, and talented. Cornelia remembered her public image as single, and there had been rumors that she had found a rich boy friend. She didn¡¯t know she was already married, and that her husband¡¯s filmpany ranked first in the country. Steven came over and sat down next to Hannah as they were chatting. He wrapped his arm around her slender waist and kissed her. After the kiss, Hannah picked up thest piece of steak and fed it to him, their actions sweet and intimate. Cornelia had never seen such a scene, instinctively turning her head away, but inadvertently met Marcus¡® gaze. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Cornelia quickly looked away, but no matter where she looked, she saw couples get all lovey dovey It was obvious to anyone that these three couples were madly in love. Cornelia felt awkward again. This kind of couples¡® gathering wasn¡¯t suitable for her, an assistant, toe. She had no idea what Marcus was thinking All three men sat next to their wives. Marcus and Cornelia sat at opposite ends of the long wooden table Steven had his arm around Hannah¡¯s waist and kissed her passionately in front of everyone. ¡°Sweetie, why are you so sweet? I cant get enough of you¡± Hannah blushed and pinched him hard. ¡®Steven, everyone¡¯s looking. Stop messing around¡± Steven kissed her on the cheek again. ¡°Alright, alright, I stop Although Cornelia was married, she had never been this intimate with her husband. She felt embarrassed and wanted to hide somewhere. However, everyone else seemed used to such scenes. Zavier even joked, ¡®Marc, are you jealous?¡± Marcus, eating leisurely from his te, remained unfazed and unaffected by others. ¡°Marriage is just for procreation. What¡¯s there to be jealous of?¡± Steven was the first to argue ¡°Marc, when you¡¯re with your wife, is your mind only on having kids? If it is, you two should divorce early and not waste each other¡¯s time! The three wives were also shocked by Marcus¡® statement, and their eyes turned to Cornelia in unison. ¡°Ms Stewart, what do you think?¡± Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Cornelia, who had been trying to keep a low profile, thought carefully about this profound question. She had seen many couples wanting to divorce due to a broken rtionship but continue to live together for the sake of their children. With this in mind, Cornelia thought Marcus made some sense. However, she didn¡¯t want to dampen the mood, so she found a euphemistic way to say, ¡®Men and women get married to live legally as husband and wife. Married life can fulfill physical needs, but the ultimate result is still having offspring.¡± Wow..¡± Lucas was dumbfounded ¡°Marc, your assistant thinks like you.¡± Everyone was surprised by Cornelia¡¯s opinion, and their gazes at her became more curious. Marcus also looked at Cornelia curiously, wondering if she thought that way or was only echoing him. Steven hugged Hannah and said, ¡°Honey, I love sticking to you because I love you, not because I want to have kids. Don¡¯t listen to these two weirdos.¡± Hannah red at him. ¡°If you don¡¯t talk, nobody would think you¡¯re dumb.¡± Steven immediately shut up, and the room quieted down. Hannah looked at Cornelia. ¡®Ms. Stewart, you don¡¯t have a boyfriend, do you?¡± Her tone was curious but very assuring. Cornelia understood what Hannah meant she was implying that Cornelia¡¯sck of rtionship experience led to her opinion. ¡°I¡¯m already married.¡± Hannah looked at Cornelia in surprise. ¡°Do you and your husband have a good rtionship?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± Cornelia smiled, not wanting to continue the topic After dinner, they started ying cards. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Thedies yed cards while their husbands sat and watched. Only Cornelia sat quietly about a meter behind Marcus, ying with her fingers, seeming out of ce. After a round, Marcus turned to Cornelia ¡°Cornelia, why don¡¯t you y?¡± Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Cornelia knew this card game differed from the one they had yed before, so she didn¡¯t bother joining As she was about to decline, Marcus said. ¡°Just y for fun. It doesn¡¯t matter if you win or lose.¡± Cornelia had no choice but to join, but she dared not to y. She was afraid of identally losing a house. Steven said. ¡°Marc, life is only a few decades long, be good to yourself while you¡¯re young, and have a proper romance Marcus ignored him, only hearing Cornelia¡¯s barely audible cry for help, ¡°President Hartley, are you going to bet?¡± Marcus stretched out his hand and pushed out a stack of chips. ¡®Don¡¯t worry, just y casually¡± Because he was very close, Cornelia smelled the faint woody fragrance on him. She was a little stunned for a moment. Steven noticed their little interaction and teased with a smile, ¡°Marc, do you have a crush on someone that¡¯s causing trouble between you and your wife?¡± Steven deliberately nced at Cornelia, hinting very clearly Marcus gave him a stern lock, ¡°You can say that about me, but don¡¯t damage the girl¡¯s reputation.¡± Steven shrugged. ¡°Just go for it if you like someone!¡± Marcus said, ¡°Focus on the game¡± Steven said, ¡°Alright, alright¡± They spent the whole afternoon at the card table. Everyone had a great time except for Cornelia. She felt like each minute was torture In the end, Marcus lost all his chips because of Cornelia Steven was cheerful. ¡°Marc, you finally lost. We need to figure out how much you should pay.¡± Marcus gently pushed the silver frame of his sses up his nose. ¡°What do you want?¡± Steven didn¡¯t hesitate, ¡°Just give me the CREST project.¡± The CREST project was the Hartley Group¡¯s biggest end of the year project. They had already invested a lot in the early stages. Cornelia was terrified. It was not just a house at risk, but billions of dors! She looked at Marcus with an apologetic expression. She would never have participated if she knew the stakes were so high. ¡°I urged you to y. I¡¯m not afraid to lose.¡± Marcusforted Cornelia. He then took out his phone and called someone. ¡°Well withdraw from the CREST projectpetition¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Steven gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Marc, you¡¯re so generous.¡± He continued, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s go for dinner. After dinner, I still have to have ate night snack with my wife.¡± At this point, Cornelia didn¡¯t know that Steven¡¯ste¨Cnight snack was not what she thought of. She only understood the meaning after she checked in. The guest rooms here were in a three¨Cstory wooden building, which Marcus used exclusively for entertaining friends and never hosted foreign guests. The three couples stayed together. Cornelia was in room 202, Marcus in room 201, and Steven and Hannah in room 203. The nights in the mountains were quiet, and the temperature was several degrees lower than in the city. Staying alone in an empty environment made Cornelia feel scared. She was about to call Abigail and Zack when she heard some suggestive soundsing from next door. Cornelia awkwardly covered her ears but could still clearly hear those noises. Ten minutes went by, half an hour, or even longer. The noises finally stoped, and Cornelia thought she could sleep peacefully. Suddenly, the rhythmic sounds started again after a short while She couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. Cornelia put on her coat, nning to hide in the courtyard for a while ande back after the couple next door finished. However, she didn¡¯t expect to see Marcus calmly smoking a cigarette at the door of room 201 as soon as she walked out. Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Cornelia notice Marcus, and he saw her as well. Both of them were disturbed by the noise from room 203. At this moment, Cornelia wished she could turn invisible. However, Marcus remained calm and collected. He was not affected by the couple next door at all. Cornelia wanted to pretend she hadn¡¯t seen him and snuck away, but Marcus stopped her. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep because of Steven and his wife?¡± President Hartley! Isn¡¯t it best to pretend we didnt see each other at this time? How can you still ask such a question so calmly? Are you even a normal human being? Marcus seemed unaware of how awkward Cornelia felt. He walked towards her, ¡°Since you can¡¯t sleep, join me for a drink at the bar Cornelia nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± Anywhere but here would be fine. The stairs were on the side of room 203, and they walked one after the other towards the stairway, passing the door of room 203. They could hear the couple¡¯s conversation clearly. Finally, it was quiet when they got outside Corne was confused, but her mind gradually cleared. She realized that agreeing to drink with Marcus might have been a mistake. Marcus abruptly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want to drink. How about just taking a walk together.¡± ¡°Can you read minds?¡± He could guess everything she thought. Marcus smiled, ¡°Look at your face. I can tell you don¡¯t want to go for a drink with me¡± Cornelia touched her face. Her expression was not that bad. ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Marcus¡¯ deep voice, apanied by the rustling sound of leaves in the evening breeze, was delightful on this fantastic night, Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°President Hartley?¡± Why was he apologizing to her? He continued, ¡°The three of them are my college ssmates, and we have business dealings, so we¡¯re pretty close. We agreed to have this gathering before I returned to my country. nning for us to attend with our wives. It was only because of some problems in my marriage that I thought of bringing you without considering that you might feel awkward It was awkward, but Cornelia didn¡¯tin, ¡°I¡¯m your assistant, I get paid by you, and I do everything ording to the work contract, you don¡¯t need to apologize to me.¡± Marcus¡¯ gaze moved away from her face, and the gentleness in his eyes disappeared in a sh, ¡°Walk with me?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Sure.¡± There were many flowers in the garden, and the fragrance of flowers wafted through the night breeze. The two of them walked silently, with Cornelia trying several times to break the silence but not knowing what to say, and in the end, she said nothing. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Ding dong ding dong Cornelia¡¯s phone received a Skype request It was Zack calling Cornelia answered the call, and before adjusting the volume, she heard his loud greeting. ¡°Where the heck are you? Aren¡¯t youing home tonight?¡± Cornelia quickly lowered the volume. ¡°Oops, my bad I meant to tell you guys earlier, but I got sidetracked by some stuff.¡± Marcus couldn¡¯t hear the other side of the call, but he heard Cornelia patiently soothing the person on the other end Could her marriage not be as happy as he thought? Corneliaforted them for a while before Zack and Abigail finally rxed. After the call ended, she faced Marcus¡® gaze again. She felt a cold murderous intent in his eyes. Marcus it another cigarette and slowly said in the flickering light, ¡°Has that person always been so nasty to you?¡± ¡°Well¡± Cornelia shook and nodded, ¡°Not really It¡¯s just a way wemunicate with each other. The better our rtionship, the more we act like this. We¡¯re polite to those we don¡¯t have a good rtionship with.¡± Polite when the rtionship wasn¡¯t good?This content is ? N?velDrama.Org. Like how she treats him now? She always greeted him with a smile, no matter when or where they were. Realizing this, Marcus felt even more annoyed, ¡°How did you guys meet?¡± He didn¡¯t mention names, but Cornelia knew whom he was asking about, ¡°We met through a blind date.¡± ¡°A blind date?¡± Marcus thought of his marriage, which also started with a blind date. If things hadn¡¯t gone wrong in the States, and he hadn¡¯t abandoned that person, would his marriage not have been such a failure?. ¡°Nowadays, young men and women are busy with work and have no time for dating. Blind dates are the fastest, most direct, and most effective way to enter marriage.¡± Perhaps because they were chatting happily, Cornelia temporarily forgot about Marcus high status and boldly asked him about his personal life, President Hartley, how did you meet your wife?¡± He didn¡¯t want to bring her up, but since Cornelia asked, Marcus still answered, ¡°I met her through a blind date as well.¡± ¡°You¡¯re so superb and still needed a blind date?¡± Cornelia asked, then realized that it was because he was so exceptional that he participated in a blind date. Families like theirs are all about powerful alliances and strong partnerships. ¡°But don¡¯t be upset, President Hartley. My grandma once told me that two people break up because that¡¯s their fate for this life. If they are meant to be, they¡¯ll be husband and wife again in the next life or the one after that.¡± ¡°Really?¡± He puffed his cigarette, slowly exhaled the smoke, and then called her seriously. ¡®Cornelia, remember what I told you.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Marcus put out his cigarette, looked at her, and said, ¡°Whether it¡¯s life or work, don¡¯t forget you¡¯re my assistant. No one will bully my people. You don¡¯t have to be afraid of Natalia, nor the Reese family behind her.¡± Suddenly, something seemed to gently knock on Cornelia¡¯s heart, a strange feeling she couldn¡¯t describe, It¡¯s bittersweet. ¡°As long as you¡¯re working by my side, the Hartley Group will always protect you. He said again, his voice still low and powerful, ¡°Got it?¡± ¡®Got it. Thank you, President Hartley!¡± Cornelia remembered this clearly. No wonder he got angry at lunch today, saying she had never really remembered what he said. He had heard everything Natalia said. Marcus suddenly reached out to touch her hair but eventually held back because of his status and withdrew his hand. Marcus cleared his throat and said, ¡°It iste, go back and rest.¡± Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Cornelia said goodnight to Marcus and then headed back to her ce She heard a woman sobbing a few meters away from the wooden building. In the deep mountains, in the dead of night, with the rustling sound of leaves in the wind and a woman¡¯s crying. All these elements together made a typical horror movie scene Cornelia got goosebumps all over her body and was about to run away, but her curiosity made her nce toward the sound. Not far away, the crying woman was sitting under a tree, with weak light shining on her through the branches. Cornelia gecognized her as Skyler. Zavier¡¯s wife, who spoke sweetly and had a precious smile that made people want to protect her. Why was she crying alone in the middle of the night? Didn¡¯t Zavier care about her? ¡°Stop crying Tears are useless.¡± From the shadows Zavier¡¯s deep voice sounded He was by the tree trunk, but Cornelia didn¡¯t see him at first nce because it was too dark. His tone when speaking to his wife was colder and more distant than that of a stranger. He was completely different from the loving and doting Zavier she had seen during the day Skyler wiped her tears as if gathering courage. Zavier, let¡¯s get a divorce!¡± ¡°Divorce?¡± Zavier sneered, grabbing Skyler¡¯s chin and lifting her head slightly so she could look him in the eye. ¡°Skyler, do you think you have a say in ending this marriage? You¡¯ve been mine since you schemed your way into marrying me.¡± What an authoritative and strong man! Cornelia silently sighed and slipped away. This afternoon, she had been envious of their seemingly sweet rtionship, but who knew they were arguing about divorce behind closed doors? With more and more people getting divorced nowadays, why do so many still want to get married? Cornelia returned to her room That night, she couldn¡¯t sleep well, and the next day she woke up close to noon, sporting tworge dark circles under her eyes. Steven and Hannah had too much energy, making noise until midnight, seriously affecting her sleep. However, Steven was still energetic the following day and even joked, ¡°Ms. Stewart, what¡¯s the deal with those dark circles under your eyes?¡± Did he not know what happened? Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Steven looked at Marcus, ¡°Marc, you should know why, right?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t want to deal with him, ¡°You¡¯d better shut your mouth.¡± Steven raised his hands in surrender, ¡°Alright, alright, I won¡¯t say anything. But after such a tiring night, you should let Cornelia sleep briefly. Why get up so early?¡± His insinuation was too obvious. If Cornelia didn¡¯t speak up, the gossip would be the truth. President Dixon, I¡¯m just President Hartley¡¯s assistant. Please mind your words.¡± Unexpectedly, Marcus spoke almost simultaneously with her. His voice was low, assertive, and profound. ¡°Steven, don¡¯t make that kind of joke about a girl.¡± ¡°You two aren¡¯t what I thought?¡± Steven still didn¡¯t believe nothing was going on between them. Even if there weren¡¯t now, there definitely would be in the future. He had known Marcus for so many years and had never seen his gaze linger on a woman for more than three seconds. The way Marcus looked at Cornelia was very gentle, though he probably hadn¡¯t realized it yet. Steven apologized promptly. ¡°Ms Stewart, I¡¯m very sorry!¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to deal with him anymore. Hannah pulled Cornelia aside, apologizing profusely. ¡°Cornelia, I apologize on Steven¡¯s behalf. He doesn¡¯t usually joke around with people he doesn¡¯t know well. He made that joke because you came with President Hartley. He assumed you two were a couple.¡± ¡°Mrs. Dixon, it¡¯s okay¡± Cornelia knew what kind of gathering this was. Her arrival was a mistake, not anyone else¡¯s fault. She would rather not have the triple sry if she had known Marcus would bring her to this kind of private friends¡® gathering Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Hannah took out her phone, ¡°Cornelia, can I add you on WhatsApp? I like you and want to be friends with you¡± Cornelia already liked Hannah, so how could she say no when Hannah asked to be friends? They exchanged contact information, and Hannah immediately added Cornelia to a group chat with Skyler and Rosie. Hannah said, ¡°From now on, this is our secret base for the four of us. We can¡¯t let those annoying quys know about it.¡± Rosie said, ¡°Got!¡± Skyler chigned in, ¡°Got it!¡± Cornelia stayed quiet.¡± Meanwhile, Steven was chatting with Marcus, ¡°Marc, we¡¯re such good friends. Just tell me the truth. Do you have any other thoughts about Cornelia?¡± Marcus lit a cigarette and puffed, ¡°She¡¯s already married¡± Steven patted his shoulder andughed, ¡°So what if she¡¯s married? As long as you want her, anything¡¯s possible.¡± His thoughts were shockingly simr to Leonardo¡¯s Marcus didn¡¯t say anything more, just sat there silently smoking and thinking about Steven¡¯s words, ¡°As long as you want her, what¡¯s marriage got to do with it?¡± On the way back to the city, Cornelia didn¡¯t speak. Marcus tried to say something a few times but didn¡¯t know what to say, and they remained silent until they reached downtown Cornelia mentioned a random spot and asked Marcus to drop her off. As soon as she unbuckled her seatbelt, she heard Marcus say, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry!¡± Cornelia smiled at him, ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s fine. But can you please not take me to these parties full of wives next time?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g ¡°Okay,¡± he said, his eyes slightly lowered. ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± After saying goodbye, Cornelia turned and left without lingering Marcus watched her disappear from his sight before driving away. At breakfast, Abigail leaned over to her and sniffed, ¡°Tell me the truth, does your boss Marcus have a crush on you?¡± Cornelia red at her, ¡°Are you overvaluing me or undervaluing Marcus? With his experience, he has seen all kinds of women. Why would he be interested in me?¡± Abigail and Zack were very defensive, ¡°Our Nelly is amazing, and many guys would dream of even pursuing you. Why couldn¡¯t Marcus fall for you?¡± Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 The two amused Cornelia, and sheughed, saying. ¡°You guys keep mindlessly praising me like this. Are you trying to stroke my ego?¡± Abigail replied, ¡°You¡¯re so awesome. Cant wepliment you a bil?¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Zack chimed in, ¡°Exactly!¡± Cornelia suddenly became serious, Why does being with someone of the opposite gender always lead to such negative assumptions? Zack and I have been living together for over 20 years, has there ever been any love between us?¡± Abigail replied. ¡°Can Zack even be considered a man?¡± Cornelia responded, Definitely not.¡± Zack said, Ladies, please watch your words!¡± Cornelia thought for a moment, ¡°Why do you guys think something might be happening between me and my boss?¡± Abigail asked, is there?¡± Cornelia red at her, ¡®Don¡¯t joke around. I¡¯m seriously asking you.¡± Abigail answered. Because I like the plot of powerful CEOs falling in love. Imagine a handsome and wealthy CEO falling for a beautiful young secretary, dating and working together. Just thinking about it feels so wonderful!¡± Cornelia red at her again, ¡°You¡¯re in dreand, yikes! Zack, your turn.¡± Zack said, Tm afraid if I say it, you¡¯ll get angry¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Just say it. I promise I won¡¯t get mad¡± Zack said, ¡°I¡¯m also interested in the scenario Abby mentioned¡± Cornelia was speechless. She wanted to get angry. Although she didn¡¯t get a helpful exnation from them, Cornelia still found many reasons people might think she and Marcus were a couple from their jokes. First, because of work, she was the closest female to Marcus. Second, she was pretty attractive, and when a good¨Clooking man and woman are together, people tend to overthink and assume. She would do the same. She always took a second look when she saw a beautiful young couple on the street. After breakfast, Zach and Abigail went to the studio. As soon as Zack drove away, two burly men jumped out of a parked business car and blocked Cornelia in the middle, ¡°Ms. Stewart, thedy wants to see you. Pleasee with us.¡± They were aggressive, not asking for her permission but trying to take her away by force. Cornelia quietly reached for her phone in her bag, ready to call for help, ¡°Who is thisdy you¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°Ms. Stewart, you¡¯ll know when you get there.¡± The burly man saw Cornelia¡¯s actions, snatched her bag, and put her in the car before she could react. The two burly men sat on either side of Cornelia, and she struggled but couldn¡¯t break free, ¡°Who are you guys? Do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡± One of them said, ¡°Ms. Stewart, as long as you cooperate with us, we guarantee not to hurt you.¡± Who would believe a kidnapper¡¯s words? Cornelia looked at the speaker, ¡°This is kidnapping, an illegal act. If you let me go now, I can pretend this never happened. Otherwise¡­¡± ¡°Heh¡­ The man nced at Cornelia as if she was a fool. Cornelia knew that talking about thew with these people would be useless, but it was the only thing she could think of to save herself. Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Her phone and purse were on the passenger seat so she couldn¡¯t get them Cornelia watched helplessly as the car drove out of town onto the coastal highway About an hourter, the car arrived at the beach, and they switched to a speedboat. After a dozen minutes on the speedboat, they arrived at Pacific Ind. Everyone in Riverton knew that Pacific Ind was the Hartley family¡¯s private ind, with a world famous luxurious estate After twists and turns, the two burly men brought Cornelia to a small building From one side of the building, you could see argewn, which ended at a cliff, and beyond that, the endless sea On thewn was arge tent with chairs under it, and a woman was leisurely drinking tea. Before seeing this person clearly. Cornelia guessed that this woman might be Marcus¡® mother, Courtney Kamp¨CHartley. But why would Courtney want to see her? The two men brought Cornelia to the woman, ¡°Mm, we¡¯ve brought her ¡°Alright, you may leave now ¡°Courtney looked at Cornelia and smiled. ¡°Ms. Stewart, you don¡¯t mind me inviting you to my home in this manner, do you?¡± Her skin was well¨Cmaintained, her makeup delicate, and she looked elegant and beautiful. You couldn¡¯t tell she was already in her fifties. ¡°Mrs. Kamp, what do you want with me?¡± Cornelia did mind being ¡°invited¡± like this, but what could she do? Some rich people think they can do whatever they want because of their money. Cornelia even believed that if she angered the woman before her, she could easily have her thrown into th Sea Courtney smiled and said. ¡°Ms. Stewart, please have a seat.¡± She was smiling, but her eyes showed no sign ofughter. Cornelia didn¡¯t want to stay with her any longer. ¡®Mrs. Kamp, just say what you want.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Courtney pointed to an empty chair. ¡°Sit down and have some tea first. We can talk slowly.¡± Cornelia had no choice but to sit down, but she didn¡¯t take the tea Courtney offered. ¡°You¡¯re afraid I¡¯ve poisoned the tea?¡± Courtney¡¯s voice was gentle. ¡®Ms. Stewart, do I look like a bad person to you?¡± Cornelia said bluntly, ¡°If you¡¯re not bad, why would you invite someone like this?¡± Her words didn¡¯t offend Courtney. ¡°I just want to hear your thoughts on my son Marc What kind of person do you think he is, and would any girls like him?¡± Courtney had someone ¡°kidnap her just to ask this question? Cornelia didn¡¯t believe it, of course. Her mind raced, and she could only think of one possibility: Courtney might also think she had improper thoughts about Marcus. She calmly replied, ¡°President Hartley has always been one of the most wanted men in Riverton. Most single women want to marry him. How could there be no girls who like him?: ¡°Do you have feelings for him? Would you like to be his wife?¡± Courtney looked at Cornelia with a smile, giving her a kind and elder¨Clike feeling. ¡°You can tell me the truth. If you have feelings for him, I will support him marrying you, and we can be family.¡± Cornelia was not a neer to society. She knew this was a trap. Besides, she had never thought about marrying Marcus. ¡°Mrs Kamp, I am President Hartley¡¯s assistant. Our interactions are work¨C rted, and I have no feelings for him beyond our professional rtionship.¡± ¡°What do you mean, Teelings beyond a professional rtionship?¡± Courtney sighed. ¡°Love is the most wonderful thing in the world and an uncontroble emotion. How can you descri as something beyond a professional rtionship?¡± How often did she have to say it before she would understand that she had no feelings for Marcus? Cornelia had no choice but to bring up her husband again. ¡°Mrs. Kamp, I am married and love my husband very much.¡± Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Chapter 59 ¡°Do you love your husband that much? Do you even believe yourself when you say that?¡± Courtney¡¯s grin grew wider but also more suspicious ¡°Last Friday night, you signed the divorce papers and then spent the night at Marc¡¯s ce. On Saturday you two went to a friend¡¯s party and had a romantic night Oh, you love your husband, don¡¯t you?¡± Cornelia¡¯s heart skipped a beat at these words. Have you been spying on me?¡± Courtney smiled. ¡°Not just spying on you I know everything about you, including how you seduced your neighbor¡¯s husband in your sophomore year Courtney said these cruel words in a casual tone. Each one was bike a sharp de stabbing the freshly healed wounds of Cornelia¡¯s heart, ripping them open and making them bleed again. Cornelia clenched her fists, trying to bear the suffocating pain in her heart. Mrs Kamp, what do you want?¡± Courtney¡¯s smile remained. ¡°Resign immediately, leave Marc, leave Riverton, and never return¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, but I won¡¯t resign, and I wont leave Riverton!¡± Cornelia said firmly. Courtney scoffed ¡°You¡¯re not ugly, but plenty of girls are prettier than you Are you sure you can keep Marc¡¯s heart?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡®Keeping his heart isn¡¯t my job¡± Courtney got up, circled Cornelia, and looked her up and down. 111 give you two choices now. One is to leave Riverton right away. The other is to leave in disgraceter¡± Seeing Cornelia¡¯s face turn pale for a moment, Courtney smirked ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re a smart girl, you know how to choose.¡± The woman dressed exquisitely, and her every move exuded authority. It seemed as if she could crush the insignificant Cornelia with just a flick of her finger. Cornelia knew that her dignity and life meant nothing in the face of such power She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, nor had she harmed anyone. Why were people still targeting her, even wanting her out of Riverton? This time, Cornelia didnt want to back down. She had to face the storm bravely, for she had nowhere else to go. Seeing Cornelia¡¯s eyes change from despair to determination, Courtney stabbed at her wounds again. ¡°You should remember how you left Rosenberg back then.¡± Cornelia, indeed, never forgot. It reminded her never topromise again. I¡¯ve already said I won¡¯t resign, and I wont leave Riverton, Mrs. Kamp, if you want to hurt me, go ahead. I¡¯ll fight you to the end!¡± With that, Cornelia turned to leave, but a burly man blocked her after only two steps. Cornelia turned her head and looked coldly at Courtney ¡®Mrs. Kamp, your family has great power, but does Mr. Hartley know about this? Will he ept that you are hurting the people around him? I¡¯m just an assistant, but you should know that hurting me is the same as offending Mr. Hartley!¡± ¡°You overestimate yourself. Do you think my son would turn against me because of a little assistant like you?¡± Courtney¡¯s tone didn¡¯t change, but Cornelia noticed a subtle shift in her eyes. Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chapter 60 ¡°Mrs. Kamp, you should know Mr. Hartley¡¯s personality better than I do. And what the heck are you so afraid of? Why are you treating me, a tiny little assistant, like this?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know that her words hit Courtney¡¯s sore spot, she just felt that there must be a deeper reason for Courtney to find her And she remembered what Marcus told her yesterday, as long as she was working by his side he would be her support With Marcus as her support, who else should she be afraid of? Cornelia broke Courtney¡¯s facade She stared at Cornelia briefly, then sneered, ¡°Billy, take Ms. Stewart back.¡± Billy obeyed, ¡°Alright.¡± After they left, Helena came to Courtney¡¯s side, ¡°Ma¡¯am, are you worried that Mr. Hartley would fall out with you because of an assistant?¡± ¡± Courtney was so angry that she smashed a teacup, ¡°What assistant? This assistant is the woman the olddy told Marc to marry, and now she¡¯s still Marc¡¯s legal wife! The truth would eventuallye out if I did something to her.¡± ¡°What?¡± Helena was shocked. She never thought Cornelia was Marcus registered wife, ¡°Cornelia is the woman we¡¯ve been looking for but couldn¡¯t find?¡± ¡°The olddy was worried that I would find trouble with that woman, so she has been protecting her very well. For more than a year, no matter what methods I used, I couldn¡¯t find out who Marc married to Courtney took a sip of tea to calm herself down, Tronically, when I was investigating Marc¡¯s assistant, I found out that this woman¡¯s husband is Marc This news was too shocking, and Helena couldn¡¯t believe it. Was Cornelia Mr. Hartley¡¯s wife? So why didn¡¯t she tell Mr. Hartley her identity? Courtney said. That¡¯s the terrifying aspect of this woman. She went to great lengths to get close to Marc, making him develop feelings for her. And when the time came, she nned to reveal her true identity, securing her position as the wife of the young master of the Hartley family However, she miscalcted. She didn¡¯t expect that Marc genuinely wanted to live a peaceful life with his wife. It was onlyter when Marc mistook someone else for Cornelia and misunderstood his wife¡¯s infidelity that he wanted a divorce.¡± Finally understanding. Helena asked, ¡°Ma¡¯am, what should we do now?¡± They¡¯ve already signed the divorce agreement, and will go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to get a divorce in a month. They¡¯re bound to meet then, and I guess Cornelia is just waiting for that day ¡°Courtney was worried about this, so she had to find Cornelia today. This month, either we find a way to let them not meet and get the divorce done, or we confirm her affair¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ll arrange it right away.¡± Helena turned around and saw Marcus standing a few meters away, frightening her, ¡°President Hartley¡­¡± Not only was Helena scared, but Courtney was also very nervous. How long had Marcus been here? How much of their conversation had he heard? Courtney looked at Marcus seriously. They hadn¡¯t seen each other for at least two years. He looked more mature, and she couldn¡¯t tell how much he heard from his micro¨Cexpressions. Marcus gave Helena a cold nce, ¡°Ayden, send this woman away.¡±Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Helena, scared and trembling, knelt on the ground, ¡°President Hartley, please forgive me. I promise I will never disobey your orders again. Mydy, please help me¡­¡± This time. Helena wasn¡¯t lucky. Ayden obeyed the order and took her away directly. Seeing Helena was brought out, Courtney just smiled, Marc, it¡¯s your birthday today. Happy birthday! And I wish you to shake off that bitch who cheated you!¡± Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Bitch? Marcus locked at Courtney with an icy stare as if looking at a stranger. No one could tell that they were mother and son When Marcus looked at Courtney, she couldn¡¯t even lock eyes with him. This man before her was her son. The one she had given birth to after carrying him for ten months. She hadn¡¯t cared for him since he was young, so they were estranged. He was nothing like her Everyone has the right to criticize her, but not you. I know what you did all these years. And if you mess with my people again, I don¡¯t mind showing you what I¡¯m capable of ¡°With that. Marcus turned and left. Spending another second with Courtney would make him nauseous. ¡°Marc, did youe all this way today just to warn me not to get close to your assistant?¡± Courtney said, testing her son. Marcus didn¡¯t answer her, but Courtney got the answer she wanted anyway. He had not heard her entire conversation with Helena. If he knew his wife and assistant were the same person, he wouldn¡¯t act like this right now! Maybe he didn¡¯t have feelings for his assistant. He came to look for her only because she had reached out to his people. He was simr to her even if he had to discard his things, he would never give them to others. As soon as Marcus left, Courtney returned to her arrogant posture ¡°Willy, he knows we¡¯re going after his little assistant. Handle this discreetly, and don¡¯t involve us.¡± Willy respectfully replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am. I¡¯ve already arranged everything. She brought this upon herself, so today, well make her leave Riverton in the most humiliating way possible¡± When Cornelia returned to the city, it was already 3 PM. She didn¡¯t know that Marcus had been following her in his car back to the hotel Cornelia exited the car, collected her thoughts, and immediately smiled when she saw Ben approaching her. ¡°Ben¡­¡± Ben questioned her as soon as he saw her. ¡°Cornelia, we agreed to meet at the banquet hall at 9 AM. Why are you justing now? I called you many times, but you didn¡¯t answer¡± Cornelia had always been diligent and responsible at work. Ben had never seen herte in the more than half a year they had worked together. Ben thought that maybe Marcus had asked Cornelia to do something else, so he didn¡¯t pursue the matter. Now that Cornelia was back, he couldn¡¯t help but nag her a bit. Cornelia apologized with a smile, Tm sorry, just some personal matters held me up. Are all the guests here?¡± ¡°All the guests are here, but President Hartley hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡± Just as he finished speaking, Ben saw Marcus¡® tall figure approaching ¡°President Hartley ¡°They both greeted Marcus as he approached.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Marcus nced at Cornelia but didn¡¯t say anything, heading straight inside Cornelia and Ben immediately followed him The banquet hall was brightly lit, with the sound of conversation everywhere Marcus dealt with his business partners individually, with Cornelia and Ben close behind him. Talking with other business people took two hours. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Chapter 62 When Marcus was hanging out with his buddies, Cornelin and Ben didn¡¯t need to stick around, so the two finally had a chance to take a break. Cornelia ordered a juice from the waiter, found a quiet corner, took off her high heeled shoes, and decided to chill As soon as she sat down, she felt some not¨Cso¨Cfriendly eves staring at her She looked up and saw Nataba Tonight, Natalia was wearing a red evening gown, looking quite eye¨Ccatching among the crowd. Before Marcus arrived, many people thought she would be Marcus future wife, so they hung around her However, when Marcus arrived, everyone¡¯s attention shifted to him and his assistant Natalia always looked at Marcus, but he didn¡¯t pay her attention. Marcus ignored her but kept looking at Cornelia, who was always by his side Natalia thought she was way better than Cornelia in every way. Cornelia was just a little assistant, so she didn¡¯t understand why she could always be with Marcus, enjoying everyones admiring nces This distance from Marcus made Natalia angrier, and when she saw Cornelia alone, she followed her She sat beside Cornelia, raised her foot, rubbed her ankle, and arrogantly ordered, ¡°Cornelia, my feet hurt. Go get me some juice¡± Corneliapletely ignored her and continued to sip her juice leisurely. Natalia was spoiled and never treated with such indifference. She angrily pped the juice cup in Cornelia¡¯s hand, ¡°Bitch, are you deaf?¡± Cornelia grabbed her wrist, leaned in close, and whispered, ¡°Ms. Reese, what gives you the right to order me around?¡± Natalia was startled by Cornelia¡¯s attitude and yelled, ¡°You¡¯re just an assistant. Don¡¯t you know I can kick you out of Riverton?¡± Another person wants her to leave Riverton! N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Corneliaughed, Tm Mr. Hartley¡¯s assistant, and I only serve him. If you want to order me around, try bing his wife first. Then, you can even ask me to polish your shoes, no problem.¡± Natalia was about to retort but suddenly saw Marcus standing in a corner behind them from the corner of her eye. She had a quick idea but soon came up with a countern She blinked, tears rolling down her cheeks, ¡°Cornelia, I promise I won¡¯t bother Marcus anymore. Can you let go of me? My wrist hurts so bad. Cornelia didn¡¯t look back, but she knew someone must havee, and it was very likely Marcus She turned around and saw Marcus standing behind them, his arms crossed, seemingly watching a good show. Cornelia let go of Natalia¡¯s hand, ¡°Mr. Hartley¡­¡± ¡°Marcus¡­ Natalia¡¯s voice choked, ¡°Don¡¯t me Cornelia. She didn¡¯t mean to hit me¡­¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t help butugh. She thought Natalia was brilliant, but she was as dumb as a pig. ¡°I won¡¯t me her. Even if she hit you on purpose, what¡¯s the big deal? Be grateful you didn¡¯t hit her back. Otherwise¡­ Marcus nced at Natalia¡¯s right hand, then lit a cigarette and started smoking slowly Marcus only said one sentence, but it carried a lot of information. Natalia¡¯s face turned pale in fright, and she instinctively hid her right hand behind her back- ¡°Natalia, the game is about to start. Why did youe here? Briana arrived just in time. Seeing Marcus and Cornelia there as well, she smiled warmly, ¡°Marcus, Cornelia, good evening!¡± Marcus didn¡¯t even look at her as he smoked his cigarette. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Cornelia smiled at her, ¡°Ms. Hartley, good evening! Briana enthusiastically grabbed Cornelia¡¯s hand, ¡°We¡¯re gonna y a role ying game. Marcus, Cornelia, wanna join?¡± You guys go ahead I dont wanna be a party pooper¡± Cornelia just wanted to find a ce to chill and think about how to deal with Courtney Marcus t¨Cout refused. ¡°Not interested¡± ¡°Alright, well go y then.¡± Briana dragged a stiff Natalia away, ¡®Natalia, why are your hands so cold?¡± Nat said nothing Cold? She almost lost that hand! Cornelia and Marcus were the only ones left in a rtively quiet corner. President Hartley, thank you!¡± He said she didn¡¯t have to be afraid of anyone, nor the Reese family. Today, he showed her with his actions that she could believe every word he said Why not join the game?¡± Marcus¡® deep and sexy voice rang in Cornelia¡¯s ears as his tall figure sat beside her. He was close to her, separated by only about two fists width. She could smell the faint fragrance of his cologne. Cornelia felt a bit nervous and subconsciously moved to the side Marcus noticed her little movement and thought about how Natalia threatened her and she had to put on a brave face today Feeling slightly displeased, Marcus said, ¡°Is there anything you want to tell me?¡± Cornelia wanted to but didn¡¯t dare. On the way back, she remembered how Billy threatened her, ¡°Ms. Stewart, before you tell President Hartley about the madam looking for you, think about your grandma far away in Rosenberg. You have someone protecting you, but she doesn¡¯t.¡± Cornelia shook her head, put on her high heels, and said before she took off, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ll go check on the guests and see if they¡¯re having fun.¡± As Cornelia got up to leave, Marcus Tm sorry¡± stopped her. Cornelia turned around abruptly, and their gazes met. He stubbed out his cigarette, his voice heavy, ¡°I¡¯m sorry about what happened today, but I¡¯ve taken care of it. She won¡¯t bother you again. You can work in peace¡± The fear in Cornelia¡¯s heart, the overwhelming sense of helplessness, was shattered by Marcus¡® words. Her eyes got teary. She quickly blinked, forcing the tears back. Her eyes and nose were red, but she stubbornly refused to cry in front of him. Marcus thought that if he were her husband, he would hold her tight and tell her not to be afraid as long as he was there. But he was just her boss, and the man who had the right to embrace her would never be him. ¡°Thank you!¡± Cornelia quickly hid her emotions and said just one sentence. Hearing her much lighter tone, Marcus felt better too. He once again subconsciously reached out to ruffle her hair but stopped himself. Again, he was about to lose control and forced himself to restrain from inappropriate behavior. Marcus looked up. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to participate, I can call a driver to take you back.¡± want to join. The fear and anxiety in her heart disappeared, and Cornelia¡¯s mood brightened after being concealed all day, President Hartley, have you ever yed a murder mystery game?¡± ¡°No, but we can give it a try. ¡°He seemed to have forgotten that he just said he wasn¡¯t interested in the game. 1 They joined a group of people ying the murder mystery game, all close to Marcus, like Cameron and Natalia, Briana, Leonardo, and a few rich kids whose names Cornelia couldn¡¯t Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! remember Everyone was happy when they heard they would y together, especially Leonardo, ¡°Bri said you guys weren¡¯ting. I was so disappointed.¡± Briana said. ¡°The happiest person just now seemed to be you.¡± The event nning staff suggested the murder mystery game. Cornelia knew young people liked to y this game at parties, so she agreed. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Chapter 64 The hotels top floor had over a dozen rooms, all set up for this murder mystery game. The event company said it was a real life scenario built ording to the script. After the staff briefly introduced the game rules, everyone drew their characters. Cornelia became a housewife, while Leonardo got awyer, and they acted as a married couple in the script. Once everyone confirmed their roles. Leonardo walked over to Cornelia, gently patted her shoulder, and said, ¡°Wifey..¡± During the role y, everyone had to address each other ording to their character Cornelia¡¯s lips moved, but she couldn¡¯t say ¡®hubby¡± Leonarda told her, Wifey, no worries. When we get back to our roomter, you can call me whatever you want, as loud as you want.¡± As he finished speaking, he fet a chill on his neck. He looked up to find the source of the chill, and sure enough, he saw Marcus¡® stern gaze. He smirked provocatively. ¡°Geez, I¡¯m so lucky to have such a gorgeous wife.¡± Marcus eyes narrowed, his gaze unfriendly. Leonardo pretended not to notice Once everyone was assigned a character, they returned to their roorns Cornelia walked ahead and quickly found her room. Leonardo purposelygged, and after everyone else was in their rooms, he grinned at Marcus, ¡®Wanna y Cornelia¡¯s hubby?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°She¡¯s my assistant.¡± Leonardo snatched the script from Marcus hand and handed him his own, ¡°In the script, I can help you, but in real life, who can?¡± Marcus took the script and strode towards Cornelia¡¯s room. Leonardo happily watched his eager steps, ¡°Oh my, my little Marc has finally grown up.¡± When Marcus entered the room, Cornelia was engrossed in the script and didn¡¯t look up. Cornelia had excellent shorthand skills. She read line by line, and quickly memorized the content of several pages. After finishing the script, she noticed someone else in the room, ¡°Mr. Collins¡­¡± She looked up and saw not Leonardo but Marcus. He wasn¡¯t reading the script but looking at her, ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s you?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Leonardo took my script.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to read the script?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Marcus answered, 1 already finished.¡± Cornelia was speechless. As expected of Marcus, he started reading the scriptter but finished earlier than her. After the awkward conversation, they sat on opposite sides of the room. Not sure if it was theck of airflow or feeling ufortable alone with Marcus, Cornelia felt unbearably hot and sweaty. ¡°It¡¯s so hot¡­¡± sheined, tugging at her cor to reveal her fair neck. Marcus nced at her and felt his mouth dry like a fire burnt near him. The announcement suddenly came on, ¡°Participants, the game starts now. The door of fortune will only open when you find the murderer.¡± Marcus realized something was off. He immediately tried to open the door, but nothing happened. He checked his phone, but there was no signal. ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± her voice was as usual, but it became soft and enchanting as she spoke, like a deadly poppy flower. Marcus deeply breathed, ¡°I think someone has drugged us¡± Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Marcus would never stoop to low as to hurt others with dirty tricks, but in the circle he was in anything and anyone were capable of using tricks Has buddy Zavier ended up marrying Skyler after being drugged and identally sleeping in bed with her Corn¡¯s life was way simpler. When she wasn¡¯t working she¡¯d mostly stay at home painting, charless about all that shady stuff. ¡°Drugged? What kind of drug?¡± She asked ¡°Aphrodisiac ¡°Marcus gritted his teeth to say d, his eyes dark and terrifying behind his silver sses Whoever dared to use such low means on him would pay the price ¡°Aphrodisiac Cornelia was so shocked she almost bit her tongue and could hardly speak. Now she understood why her body was reacting so strangely It wasn¡¯t just the heat, it felt like countless bugs were crawling inside her, itching her so much she wanted to scratch her entire body with her nails. President Hartley, who drugged us? When? Why would someone target you and me specifically?¡± Cornelia had no clue, with so many questions in her head Did you smell something strange in the room?¡± Marcus guessed that the weird scent might be the issue. smelled it when I entered the room. I thought it was air freshener Before she finished, Cornelia suddenly realized something ¡°President Hartley, if that¡¯s the case the scent was there before we entered the room. Could it be that the person who drugged us wasn¡¯t aiming for you and me?¡± The scent had been ced in the room beforehand, which originally belonged to her and Leonardo. if Leonardo hadn¡¯t swapped roles with Marcus before the game started, he would have been the one to enter the room. If she had lost control to Leonardo due to the drug, someone would have ¡°identally witnessed it, spread the news, and ruined her reputation. It would force her to leave Riverton in the most humiliating way Corne quickly concluded that Courtney, the terrifying woman, must be the mastermind behind all this! Thinking of Courtney, Corne hurriedly backed away from Marcus, even looking at him with a touch of fear in her eyes. ¡°You suspect me?¡± Her fearful eyes were like a sharp de piercing Marcus¡¯s heart, making his voice colder. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m so desperate for a woman that I¡¯d use such dirty tricks on you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not suspecting you, I¡¯m suspecting your mother ¡°Cornelia exined. ¡°President Hartley, I suspect she wants to frame me, and Leonardo is just her pawn. But no one could have predicted that you would switch roles with him before the game started.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no coincidence!¡± Marcus knew his mother well, if Courtney had nned this, it couldn¡¯t have been random There were ten people ying the murder mystery game tonight, five men and five women. Cameron was the current head of the Reese family, and the Reeses had always been close to the Kamps, so naturally, Courtney wouldn¡¯t target him The other two were too timid and wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to Marcus¡¯s assistant. Leonardo was a member of the Wilson family but had no inheritance rights. He had a bad reputation over the years, and everyone thought he was a typical yboy who¡¯d sleep with any woman, so Courtney chose him. If Leonardo hadn¡¯t swapped roles with Marcus, he would have been the one to enter the room, and by now. Marcus didn¡¯t even dare to think about it any further. Araging fury exploded in Marcus¡¯s chest, but he still spoke gently to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let you suffer this injustice for nothing¡± ¡°Okay ¡°Cornelia wanted to say thank you, but her head was fuzzy, and the drug was gradually eating away at her rationality. Marcus was in a simr situation, especially his enchanting eyes, which seemed to be filled with blood at this moment. For a split second, he even thought about giving in to lust, but his strong rationality desperately held back his unbearable evil thoughts. As Comelia was confusedly tugging at her clothes, he rushed over and grabbed her hand. ¡°Cornelia, listen to me.¡± He said. Before he could finish, he himself was the first to sumb. Cornelia¡¯s hand was so soft and smooth that it could bepletely wrapped in hisrge palm, and he wanted to hold it for just a little longer However, he was a man, not a beast. He would never take advantage of someone in distress, especially Cornelia Marcus let go of Cornelia and immediately stepped back, organizing his words again, ¡°Cornelia, the door is locked, and we can¡¯t leave for the time being Just hang on a little longer. When Dr. Dawson gets here, we¡¯ll be fine. To prevent anything bad from happening before Dr. Dawson arrives, I go to the corner farthest from you, and we won¡¯t look at each other, okay?¡± Cornelia obediently nodded. ¡°Okay¡± He said everything would be fine when Dr. Dawson arrived, and she believed him. Marcus pushed up his silver sses, struggling to look away from Cornelia, and sat down in the corner on the right. He turned his back, not daring to look at Cornelia again, knowing that one more nce and he would lose his senses Simrly, Cornelia also had her back to him, afraid she couldn¡¯t control herself. Whenever a voice in her head told her that there was a ¡°cure¡± for her in the room, she would forcefully scratch a bloody mark on her arm. She used pain to keep herself rational, and before she knew it, both of her arms were covered with various sized bloody marks. Cornelia didn¡¯t know how much longer she could hold on, or even if she could wait for Dr. Dawson to arrive Meanwhile, Billy rushed to Courtney with a tablet, panic¨Cstricken, ¡°Ma¡¯am, something¡¯s gone wrong¡± ¡°What the heck made you freak out like this?¡± Courtney grabbed the tablet, and when she saw Marcus in the video, she lost her cool instantly. ¡°Why is it Marc?¡± Billy wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. ¡°Leonardo and President Hartley swapped roles¡± ¡°Drop everything, get to the airport now!¡± Courtney didn¡¯t dare to waste a second, and immediately rushed to the airport On the way to the airport, Courtney still held the tablet, watching every move of the two people in the room. She knew her son¡¯s self¨Ccontrol very well, no method could affect him if he wasn¡¯t interested in the woman. On the contrary, it was that woman named Cornelia who was impressive Shed rather get hurt herself than do anything inappropriate Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! This was a massive threat! She couldn¡¯t rx until the eliminated this threat, but she definitely wouldn¡¯t act so hastily in the future Chapter 66 Chapter 66 They didn¡¯t know how long it had been, but it felt like a century had passed when the door was suddenly pushed open, and Ayden rushed in, President Hartley Following him was Dr Dawson ¡°Check on Cornelia first Marcus¡¯s voice was hoarse, as if his throat had been scorched Di Dawson hurriedly took out two pills from her medical kit, ¡°Take these first.¡± Dr. Dawson was Marcus¡¯s personal doctor and her medical kit was stocked with various precious medicines. She also carried the antidote for this kind of sedative, just in case Marcus was ever framed. Then, she walked over to Cornelia and was shocked by the numerous scratches on her body. ¡°Cornelia, how could you do this to yourself?¡± Dr. Dawson, you¡¯re finally here¡± Cornelia said with a smile before passing out in Dr. Dawson¡¯s arms. They didn¡¯t know she could only regain a little sanity through self¨Charm to prevent herself from falling into an abyss again. Cornelia had a long nightmare in which she was tied to a stake and roasted while people around her pointed and mocked her, calling her cheap and shameless. ¡°I¡¯m not like that!¡± she roared and screamed, but no one paid her any attention. In the blink of an eye, the stake turned into a cliff N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Familiar faces threw stones at her, yelling. ¡°You slut, go to hell!¡± Cornelia dodged the stones and slipped, falling once again into the abyss in her dream. ¡°Cornelia, wake up, you¡¯re having a nightmare Amidst the insults, a gentle female voice called her name. The unfamiliar yet gentle voice woke Cornelia from her nightmare. Startled, she mumbled, ¡°Mom?¡± Dr. Dawson stroked her head, saying softly. ¡°Silly girl, if you miss your mom, just take a break and go home. Don¡¯t suppress your feelings.¡± ¡°Dr. Dawson, it¡¯s you¡± Cornelia immediately put on a standard smile, not wanting to mention her dream or her mother. Since Cornelia didn¡¯t want to talk about it, Dr. Dawson didn¡¯t ask further. She took a potion from her medical kit, ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten in a day, drink this first. Cornelia only remembered being locked in a small room with Marcus, then everything went nk, ¡°Have I been asleep this long?¡± Dr. Dawson watched her drink the glucose, then rubbed her head again, ¡°Yes, how do you feel now?¡± ¡°Probably just weak from not eating, but everything else is fine.¡± Cornelia thought of Marcus, ¡°What about President Hartley? Is he okay?¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry ¡°Dr. Dawson said reassuringly, but thought, ¡°With that kind of nasty drug, no one woulde out unharmed!¡± But Marcus had instructed her not to tell Cornelia. The person who drugged them was ruthless, using ten times the normal dose. Dr. Dawson¡¯s homemade antidote couldn¡¯tpletely neutralize the effects. The only way was to take her specially formted medication and then receive a sedative injection, sleeping for an entire day. But Marcus would rather take multiple cold showers than be sedated. He said he was too busy and couldn¡¯t sleep that long. He had many subordinates and not every issue required his personal attention. He could sleep for a day without causing any dys, but he was stubborn. It wasn¡¯t until Marcus asked about Cornelia¡¯s condition again that Dr. Dawson realized the reason that he insisted to stay awake was probably Cornelia. He worried about her, but didn¡¯t want toe over and visit her. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Ugh, he thought that by not visiting her, no one would notice how worried he was about her? When Dr. Dawson arrived yesterday. Cornelia felt dizzy and leaned against her in a faint. Dr. Dawson quickly gave her medication to help her feel better. But this girl Cornelia was super guarded. Even when she was unconscious, she was still clenching her teeth tight, and there was no way to get the antidote into her mouth It wasn¡¯t until Marcus kept calling her name softly that she finally loosened her jaw. At this moment, Dr. Dawson couldn¡¯t help but shiver when he recalled the look in Marcus¡¯s eyes as he saw the scars on Cornelia s arm. Dr. Dawson had been with Marcus for so many years. She had seen him stay calm and collected even when he was almost killed in an ambush. But she had never seen him like this before Dr Dawson, where am I?¡± Cornelia finally realized that she was in apletely unfamiliar room. It was huge but sparsely furnished, and it didn¡¯t look like anyone lived there regrly Dr. Dawson replied. This is another house Marc has in Blueshell Mansion¡± 1s President Hartley at the office?¡± Cornelia remembered that today was Tuesday ¡°Crap, I still have to go with him to sign a contract.¡± Cornelia wanted to get out of bed, but Dr. Dawson held her down, it¡¯s already nighttime. What contract are you going to sign? Just focus on getting better, and well deal with everything elseter.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to be a burden and stubbornly said, ¡°I¡¯m fine, really.¡± You wanna try getting up and jumping around a bit to see how fine you are?¡± Dr. Dawson was getting a headache with this stubborn girl. ¡°Let me take a look at your arm first.¡± Dr. Dawson had already treated Cornelia¡¯s armst night, and since she was young and had a fast metabolism, the wound had already scabbed over. ¡°Ill give you another tube of this medicine. Remember to apply it every day so you don¡¯t end up with a scar.¡± Dr. Dawson said. Cornelia nodded, ¡°Okay¡± Dr. Dawson packed up the medicine box, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go prepare some food. You can wash up and then come out and eat.¡± As soon as Dr. Dawson left, Cornelia immediately found her bag and took out two phones. She checked her work phone first, no missed calls. But her personal phone had a bunch of missed calls and video calls They were all from Abigail and Zack. Cornelia immediately called them back, and they picked up right away. Zack angrily said, ¡°Nelly, where did you run off to again? Why didn¡¯t you answer your phone? Do you know how worried we were?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want them to worry, so she lied, ¡°1 got drunkst night and stayed at a hotel. I was busy with work during the day and didn¡¯t have time to answer your calls ¡± Abigailined, ¡°Your boss is too much, it¡¯s already 9 pm. Where are you now? We¡¯lle to get you.¡± Cornelia said, I¡¯m near Blueshell Mansion¡± Zack said, ¡°Find a coffee shop to sit in, and don¡¯t wander around. We¡¯reing now¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up, Cornelia dragged her weak body to the bathroom, freshened up, and changed into her work clothes Dr. Dawson had already washed her work clothes for her, and they were clean and tidy. After getting ready, Cornelia came out of the room and into the living room. To her surprise, Marcus was also there, holding a tablet and seemingly looking at some documents. ¡°President Hartley¡­¡± She greeted him, but he just grunted without lifting his head. Dr Dawson handed Cornelia a bowl of oatmeal, asking. ¡°Why did you change your clothes?¡± Cornelia smiled and answered, ¡°My friends areing to pick me up and take me home.¡± Dr. Dawson instinctively looked at Marcus¡­.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Dr. Dawson instinctively nced at Marcus, who was staring at his tablet without any reaction, as if it didn¡¯t matter to him whether Cornelia left or not Dr. Dawson shook his head helplessly. ¡®Cornelia, have the oatmeal first, then we¡¯ll talk.¡± ¡°Alright ¡°Cornelia also nned to eat first before leaving, otherwise, Zack and Abigail would worry about her current state. The oatmeal was soothing andforting. Cornelia had one bowl and wanted another. Seeing hier like this, Dr. Dawson said with a grin, ¡®Being able to eat means you¡¯re getting better.¡± It¡¯s mainly because of Dr. Dawson¡¯s cooking skills. After two bowls of oatmeal, Cornelia felt much more energetic and refreshed. President Hartley, Dr. Dawson, I be going Before Cornelia could finish her sentence. Ayden entered carrying arge box. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s a birthday gift from Ryan. He insisted that you personally open it. I¡¯ve checked it, and there are no dangerous items Would you like to open it?¡± Marcus nodded impatiently Ayden quickly unpacked the box and severalyers of wrapping, only to find some adult items inside. Ayden blushed, ¡°President Hartley, how could Ryan¡­ Dr. Dawson covered his mouth, ¡°Well¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything Rumors had it that the president of herpany never showed interest in women, and there were even gossip about his wife¡¯s infidelity within the four major families. Could it be that he preferred to touch an intable doll rather than a real person? If that were the case, President Hartley might have some unspeakable hidden issues. Cornelia didn¡¯t know whether to feel sorry for President Hartley or his wife. Marcus nced at the item, not blushing or skipping a beat, and calmly said, ¡°Wrap it in clear packaging and send it to his office when Ryan returns.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ayden quickly put away the doll, afraid of embarrassing his boss Cornelia could only pretend she didn¡¯t see anything and said calmly. ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ll be leaving then.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Hmm.¡± Marcus still didn¡¯t look up. When he heard Cornelia walking towards the door and the sound of the door opening and closing, he began to cough violently after making sure she har left. Dr. Dawson said, ¡°You better go back, I¡¯ll continue the infusion for you¡± He had rushed over as soon as he heard Cornelia had woken up, but after arriving, he ignored her and no one knew what he wanted to do. ¡°No need for that. I have to meet my grandma after a while.¡± Dr. Dawson knew he couldn¡¯t change his mind but couldn¡¯t help nagging, ¡°If you don¡¯t go this time, the olddy won¡¯t me you¡± Mansions were different, with fewer residents and private elevators, it was hard to run into neighbors Corne quickly reached the first floor, left theplex, and found a conspicuous spot to wait for her friends. Ayden appeared out of nowhere, ¡°Ms. Stewart, Mrs. Hartley has flown abroad, and her minions have been dealt with. No one will bother you again.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Thank you!¡± Ayden didn¡¯t say a word and turned to leave. Cornelia turned around and saw Zack¡¯s car arriving Back upstairs, Ayden told Marcus, President Hartley, Ms. Stewart¡¯s husband picked her up, so I didn¡¯t follow.¡± Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Marcus took a drag of his cigarette, his fingers hesitating for a moment. The cigarette burned slowly, inching towards his fingertips, but he didn¡¯t seem to feel the pain He knew full well that Cornelia didn¡¯t belong to him. After mistakenly taking an aphrodisiac and passing out for a day and night, he didn¡¯t even have the right to stay by her bedside and take care of her. He could only get updates on her condition through the doctor Dr. Dawson watched from the side, feeling a sudden pang in her heart. This was probably what they called ¡®meeting the right person at the wrong time When Cornelia said she wanted to go home all he had to do was say one wond to make her stay But he didn¡¯t Marcus had always been the type to get what he wanted, by hook or by crook. But when it came to Cornelia, he had been holding back. Marcus it another cigarette, and Dr. Dawson jumped up, anxious ¡°Young Master, your fever hasn¡¯t gone down, and your throat isn¡¯t getting better yet. You can¡¯t smoke anymore¡± Marcus continued to smoke, calming his emotions before saying slowly, ¡°Take me to Southern Peak.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t dare tell Zack and Abigail about what happened the night before, worried that they would be concerned for her. Because of some exceptionally good news today, the two of them didn¡¯t notice Cornelia¡¯s physical condition. Zack drove, while Abigail excitedly said, ¡®Nelly, the copyright fees are in! Let¡¯s go house hunting this weekend.¡± This was the best news Cornelia had heard in days, and it cleared the gloom from her heart, ¡®My bass is busy these next two weeks Well go after that¡± Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! ¡°Alright,¡± Abigail took out some property brochures and picked one. ¡°We used to really like thiskeside community, but we couldn¡¯t afford it. Now that we have money, how about we buy a ce there?¡± Thekesidemunity was an upgraded residential area withplete amenities, good greenery, and ake view, but the price was indeed high. However, with the copyright fees in hand, plus ther savings, they could afford a 50% down payment. The remaining 50% could be paid off with a mortgage over thirty years. With their current ie, it should be easy Cornelia nodded, ¡°Okay. Once we have our own ce, I bring grandma to Riverton to retire. The winters here aren¡¯t cold, and it¡¯s more suitable for the elderly.¡± Zack and Abigail agreed. If their parents were willing, they could also move here. For the next two or three weeks, Cornelia was busy traveling to several cities with Marcus. The day they returned to Riverton, Marcus told Cornelia, ¡°I have some personal matters to take care of tomorrow. You two have been running around with me for so long, take a few days off ande back to work on Monday¡± Upon hearing this, Cornelia and Ben were ecstatic, ¡°Great!¡± It was still early, so Cornelia went straight to the studio instead of going home. Abigail was in charge of studio management, operations belonged to Zack, and Cornelia took care of content creation. The three of them worked together, each doing their job well. Compared to the other two, Cornelia spent less time at the studio, usuallymunicating with her colleagues in the content team through chat software, Seeing Cornelia suddenly appear in the office, Abigail wanted her to go back and rest, ¡°You finally have a chance to rest, why not go home and rx instead ofing to the studio?¡± Cornelia yfully hugged her and said, ¡°I get to rest for several days this time.¡± Abigail said ¡°Your boss finally realized how hard you work?¡± Cornelia poked her forehead and said, ¡°My President Hartley is great, he doesn¡¯t bully me. Don¡¯t be so prejudiced against him.¡± Abigadughed. ¡°My President Hartley, huh? What a cheesy title! Tell me, what have you two been up to these past three weeks?¡± Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Abigal had got such a dirty mind, always thinking about stuff that was not kid friendly Cornelia didn¡¯t want to chit chat with her. ¡°Wheres Zack? Get off work early today. I¡¯ll treat y¡¯all to dinner ¡°She asked Abigail asked, ¡°Wow, suddenly so generous! Did President Hartley give you a bonus?¡± Cornelia nodded, Yeah Although it¡¯s been a bit lining these past few months, I¡¯ve made more than I did the wholest year, so all the hard work¡¯s worth it.¡± Abigail was happy for Cornelia, Then we¡¯ve gotta have a good meal to celebrate, just the three of us.¡± ¡°How about vor Fusion?¡± Cornelia had been wanting to try this ce for a while but hadn¡¯t had the time Abigail said, Tve been wanting to go there too¡± The three of them made more money than most people, and they didn¡¯t spend a lot on fancy stuff. Their biggest shared passion was good food Abigail continued, ¡®Oh, by the way. Nelly, I sold all those things you asked me to. The two nes didn¡¯t fetch much at the pawn shop, and the three pricey bags were hard to sell to average customers. But I got a total of 150k dors for them, and I¡¯ve transferred it to your ount. Check it out.¡± Cornelia had totally forgotten about it with all the work she had been doing. As soon as she got the money, she transferred it to Marcus and sent him a message: [President Hartley, I sold those gifts you wanted me to handle. Got 150k for them, and I¡¯ve transferred it to you. Please check.] Marcus was at Ryan¡¯sw firm having tea when he got the message Seeing Marcus expression after reading the message, Ryan asked, ¡°What¡¯s up, Marc?¡± Marcus scoffed, ¡°Do I look like someone who needs 150k dors?¡± Ryan asked, ¡°What¡¯s this about 150k dors?¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g Marcus said, ¡°I asked my assistant to take care of some stuff, and she sold it all and transferred the money to me.¡± Meanwhile, Cornelia and her friends had arrived at the restaurant vor Fusion was famous for its local dishes, great atmosphere, delicious food, and expensive prices. It was considered a high¨Cend dining spot. The three of them rarely went out for a fancy meal, so they didn¡¯t worry about the prices and just ordered whatever they wanted. After ordering. Cornelia went to the restroom and bumped into someone she recognized. The guy already greeted her with a smile, Ms. Stewart, what a coincidence.¡± Cornelia remembered. ¡°Mr. Colwell?¡± Ryan said, ¡°I¡¯m d you remember me, Ms. Stewart. Are you here alone?¡± Not really wanting to engage with him, Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯m here with my boyfriend. Got a problem with that?¡± Ryan was taken aback So she really did cheat! Cornelia went into the restroom, and Ryan went to the service desk to request a song called ¡°Love Affair¡± for Marcus As ¡°Love Affair¡± started ying, Ryan returned to his seat and asked Marcus, ¡°Do you like this song. Marc?¡± Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Marcus was like, ¡°Just spit it out if you have something to say ¡± Ryan approached Marcus, whispering all mysteriously. ¡°I saw your wife and her boyfriend chowing down at this joint too, wanna go say hi?¡± Marcus turned his head and sure enough, there they were, the couple he couldn¡¯t stand, chatting away all happily Tm outta here ¡°Marcus bolted up and left, no way he could dine with them around Ryan quickly followed, smirking like a jerk, ¡°C¡¯mon Marc, you guys were once married, just break up and make peace. You ain¡¯t the only cuckold out there, no need to be embarrassed Marcus snapped, ¡°Did you tell her about the divorce proceedings tomorrow?¡± Ryan whipped out his phone, 711 do it now. Chill, as long as she¡¯s in Rosenberg, she ain¡¯t going anywhere¡± Cornelia was having a st with her buddies when her private phone suddenly rang She picked it up, it was Ryan, ¡°Ms. Stewart, I forgot to tell you earlier, you and Mr. Artis have an appointment at 9 am tomorrow at Waterside District for your divorce proceedings¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Cornelia replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Abigail and Zack asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Cornelia grinned, ¡°One of the three best things in life.¡± Abigail blurted out, ¡°A promotion, a raise or your husband kicking the bucket?¡± Cornelia broke out augh, ¡°Well, thewyer told me to get the divorce down tomorrow. I¡¯m about to get single!¡± Zack chimed in, ¡°These good news just keeping! We gotta celebrate big time tonight.¡± Cornelia agreed, ¡°Sounds good, let¡¯s have a couple drinks!¡± ¡± Before they even started drinking, Cornelia¡¯s private phone rang again. She saw it was her grandma calling and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Hey grandma, I¡¯m out having dinner with Zack and Abby¡± An unfamiliar voice came through the phone, ¡°Is this Cornelia? Your grandma is seriously ill, she¡¯s in Rosenberg Hospital right now.¡± There were no flights to Rosenberg that night, so Cornelia booked the first flight the next morning. After a two¨Chour flight, the nended safely at Rosenberg Airport. Cornelia had been worried sick all night and now her mind was a mess As soon as she got off the ne and turned on her phone, a call came through. Scared it was bad news, her hand shock as she answered, ¡°Hello¡­¡± It was Ryan¡¯s voice, ¡°Ms. Stewart, you and Mr. Artis were supposed to be at Waterside District at 9 a m. for your divorce proceedings. It¡¯s past 9 now, where are you?¡± Ryan was really worried, if this got screwed up, Marcus would definitely me him. Cornelia let out a sigh of relief, as it wasn¡¯t bad news about her grandma. It took her a few seconds to remember she had agreed to the divorce proceedings today, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve been really busytely, let¡¯s reschedule another day.¡± Ryan thought he was screwed. Marcus nced at his watch, Tm giving you one hour. If she¡¯s not here in an hour, you figure it out.¡± Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Cornelia quickly grabbed her suitcase and hopped into a taxi rushing to the hospital On the taxi ride, Ryan¡¯s call came through again, like a nagging reminder, ¡®Ms. Stewart, we were all goodst night, what the heck are you doing today?¡± This was indeed Cornelia¡¯s fault. ¡°Mr. Cowell I¡¯m so sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to bail, but something came up at home and I have to deal with it. Can we reschedule the divorce after I¡¯m done with this The divorce won¡¯t take long. Youe and get the paper work done, and then I¡¯ll drive you wherever you need to go, how¡¯s that?¡± As long as Cornelia woulde to get the divorce, he was willing to do anything, even beg her on his knees. Tm not in Riverton right now, please stop calling me, I¡¯ll contact you when I¡¯m done ¡°With that, Cornelia hung up and turned off her phone At this moment, all she could think about was her grandma¡¯s condition, her heart was in a mess, and she had no mood to deal with the divorce. Ryan looked at his phone dejectedly, realizing that she wasn¡¯t in Riverton, and there was no way she could make it to the divorce within an hour. ncing at Marcus again, this time without any confidence, he said, ¡°Marc, your wife said she¡¯s not in Riverton.¡± Marcus sneered, ¡°You really believe a woman like that?¡± Ryan thought he was right, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go find her myself. As long as she¡¯s in Riverton today, I drag her here, even if I have to tie her up.¡± When Cornelia arrived at the hospital, her grandma was still in the ICU, and she couldn¡¯t see her yet. She had to learn about her grandma¡¯s condition from the doctor first. Her grandma had uremia, and the best treatment was a kidney transnt, but it was hard to find a suitable kidney donor, especially considering her grandma¡¯s age. So, for now, dialysis was the only option. The medical facilities in Rosenberg were mediocre, and the doctor said that Riverton Hospital was the authority in this field, but it was more expensive. Cornelia only had her grandma as family, and no matter how expensive the treatment was, she couldn¡¯t give up. She made up her mind, ¡°Dr. Lopez, Ill take my grandma to Riverton for treatment Hearing Cornelia¡¯s decision, Dr. Lopez nodded approvingly, ¡°You¡¯re more reliable than your uncle and aunt. The olddy didn¡¯t cherish you for nothing¡± Looking through the ss window at her grandma with various tubes attached to her, Cornelia felt suffocated with heartache, ¡°Has grandma been thinking of me all this time?¡± Dr. Lopez said, ¡°When she¡¯s in a daze, she mumbles about her Nelly. When she wakes up briefly, she¡¯s looking for her Nelly, and something like Jay, too?¡± It wasn¡¯t a surprise that her grandma was thinking of her, but Cornelia didn¡¯t expect her to think of Jeremy as well. If her grandma knew she was supposed to get a divorce with Jeremy today¡­ Cornelia¡¯s face turned pale with fright, not daring to think further. Seeing Cornelia¡¯s pale face, Dr. Lopez patted her on the shoulder, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry too much, as long as the olddy can make it through today, shell be fine once she¡¯s transferred to the general ward. But, you can¡¯t let her live alone anymore. Elderly people are prone to idents when living alone, and you need to pay more attention. If it wasn¡¯t for the worker who regrly delivers water to the olddy, noticing her copsed at home and calling an ambnce, the oue could have been much worse.¡± Just imagining it, Cornelia was already scared. If no one had discovered her grandma¡¯s copse, her grandma might have left her forever, just like her dad.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Cornelia was filled with regret, ¡°It¡¯s all my fault if I had brought Grandma to Riverton to live with me earlier, this wouldn¡¯t have happened¡± Suddenly, the sound ofining and quarreling came from the hall interrupting Cornelia¡¯s conversation with the doctor The old woman is on herst legs, and she still won¡¯t give me her bank card and password¡± ¡°She¡¯s not giving you the card because she wants to leave the money to that little bitch, Cornelia You have to get the password somehow once the old woman wakes up. We can¡¯t let that little bitch get her way¡± Cornelia immediately recognized the voices of her uncle Robison and aunt Cristina Instead of thinking about how to save her grandmother, they were eyeing her savings What a heartless pair! Hearing the two people¡¯s voices, Dr. Lopez frowned in disgust, ¡°Cornelia, getting your grandmother transferred to Riverton for treatment might not be so easy¡± Cornelia was puzzled, ¡°Dr. Lopez, what do you mean?¡± Dr. Lopez stood up, ¡°You¡¯ll see. Just follow me¡± Cornelia followed Dr. Lopez out of the ICU and saw Robison and Cristina yelling at several medical staff, ¡°We¡¯ve already told you we have no money, and you still put the olddy in that expensive ICU Everyone knows the daily cost there is very high. Move her out now, and don¡¯t think you can scam us.¡± Cristina continued, ¡°She is so old, and it¡¯s a waste of money and food to spend hundreds of thousands on her treatment. It would be better to leave the money for us, so we can buy a house for our son to get married.¡± Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g The medical staff had seen all kinds of weird patients¡® families, but the remarks of these two still shocked them. A male intern was so angry that he pointed at them and yelled, ¡°The patient is your mother, how can you say such things? Aren¡¯t you afraid your son will treat you the same way in the future?¡± Other medical staff quickly held back the impulsive young doctor. He was still too young and inexperienced to deal with such shameless people Robison and Cristina immediately became agitated, ¡°You¡¯re a doctor, and you¡¯re treating the patient¡¯s family like this. We¡¯re going toin about you and demandpensation for our mental distress¡± Dr. Lopez said, ¡°Last night when the olddy was sent to the hospital, these two refused to sign the consent form and kept asking for her bank card password.¡± Cornelia¡¯s eyes were red with anger at these two unscrupulous people. They had been living off her grandmother for years and had spent a lot of her money, yet they could still do such a thing Cornelia stepped forward and stood in front of the young doctor, ¡°Comint? You two have the nerve toin? Which part of what this doctor said was wrong?¡± Who are you?¡± Robison and Cristina stared at Cornelia for a while before recognizing her. They hadn¡¯t seen her for several years, and the girl had be even more beautiful and attractive. If they could keep her in Rosenberg and find her a good husband, they would surely get a generous betrothal gift, which would help their son get married without worrying about the expensive wedding gifts Robison and Cristina exchanged a nce, immediately changing their greedy expressions to a ttering smile, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Nelly! We¡¯ve missed you so much since you haven¡¯t been home for years.¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Chapter 74 ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to our ce, well treat you well Robison and Cristina said, as they moved closer to Cornelia, trying to put their arms around her Corne saw right through their intentions. They thought they were hiding it well, but the greed in their eyes was undeniable Cornelia didn¡¯t avoid them. Instead, she stared at their reaching hands with determination and said coldly, ¡°What are you two up to now?¡± Not only had this girl be more beautiful, but she also had an aura that warned people to stay away, making it hard to look her in the eye. Cristina was a bit scared but didn¡¯t want to give up this opportunity ¡°Why do you have to be so sarcastic? We just wanted to invite you over to our ce N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Corneliaughed, ¡°Go to your ce? Likest time when I couldn¡¯t leave once I got there?¡± They assumed Cornelia knew nothing but in reality, she understood it all. She was just too young and scared back then to gather evidence to bring them to justice Cornelia brought up the past, which made Cristina and Robison give uppletely. They didn¡¯t pretend anymore. ¡°You shameless person, we were willing to let go of the past for family harmony and kindly invite you over. And now you bring up the past, do you really think everyone forgot?¡± Cristina shouted, ¡°Everyone,e listen and see what disgraceful things this woman has done!¡± The hospital was crowded, and Cristina¡¯s shout quickly drew a big audience. Dr. Lopez worriedly said, ¡°Cornelia, we should avoid these people, let¡¯s go.¡± But Cornelia didn¡¯t want to back down anymore. She smiled at Cristina, ¡°Who are you talking about?¡± Cristina pointed at Cornelia¡¯s nose and yelled, ¡°Who else? I¡¯m talking about you, you slut! You and your mom are both born whores, learning how to seduce other people¡¯s husbands at such a young age.¡± Robison told the crowd, ¡°Remember that college student who seduced a married woman a few years ago and got caught by the wife? That was a big deal in Rosenberg¡± This matter caused a great sensation in Rosenberg at the time, and whenever it was mentioned, everyone remembered it. Robison pointed at Cornelia, This indecent woman right here is the one from that scandal You all should remember how she left Rosenberg back then. It¡¯s only been a few years, and she¡¯s back thinking we¡¯ve all forgotten¡± The uninformed spectators began to gossip about Cornelia, who remained silent, just listening to their whispers. Cornelia¡¯s silence made Robison and Cristina think she was still the same pushover, and their insults grew worse, even making up stories about her seducing others. The onlookers were enjoying the drama, and Dr. Lopez pulled Cornelia aside, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to my office.¡± A young doctor came out to defend Cornelia, ¡°We¡¯ve only heard about those past events, not witnessed them. We should make our own judgments instead of blindly believing others¡± ¡°Only heard about it? There are videos of her getting caught in the act! If you want to see, I can show you for free,¡± Robisonughed slyly ¡°You¡¯re always defending this bitch. Did she give you some benefits? Did she sleep with you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re making stuff up!¡± The young doctor¡¯s face turned red with anger. He nced at Cornelia, who still had a smile on her face, as if she wasn¡¯t the one being insulted. ¡°The police are here!¡± Someone suddenly shouted, and everyone hurriedly made way. A few officers walked up to Robison and Cristina, ¡°Robison, Cristina, you¡¯re suspected of disturbing medical order and defaming others. We¡¯re taking you two in for questioning¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Robison and his wife didn¡¯t realize how serious the situation was They made a fuss, saying. When did I ever nder anyone? You guys are detaining me for no reason I¡¯m gonna sue you for defamation¡± A man in a suit stepped out from the crowd, Officer, this phone contains videos of this couple harassing and ndering others¡± Robison sneered, ¡°So what if I cursed at people? It¡¯s my own business. It has nothing to do with anyone else.¡± Cornelia walked up to them with a smile, ¡°Robison, Cristina, I¡¯m not the same Cornelia I once was. But you guys haven¡¯t changed one bit, not worthy to be my opponents at all¡± ¡°You little tramp, just you want ¡°Robison tried toy a hand on her, but the police didn¡¯t give him a chance and took him away After the couple was taken away, the crowd dispersed, and the area finally returned to peace The medical staff who had been harassed by the couple all looked gratefully at the man in the suit. The man in the suit approached Cornelia, ¡°Ms. Stewart, your prediction was really urate¡± It¡¯s not that my prediction was urate, it¡¯s that the Robisons never change¡± Cornelia closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. When she opened them again, her gaze was sharp. ¡°Five days detention is too light for them. I will make everyone who has ever schemed against me pay the price.¡± Mr. Chester nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get on it ¡± Before returning to Rosenberg, Cornelia had anticipated that someone would bring up old grudges and try to cause her trouble. So she had made arrangements in advance through some connections in Riverton She had mentioned the past just now to lure the Robisons into her trap. This time, she wouldn¡¯t let any bad guys off the hook. In the evening, Grandma¡¯s condition improved, and she was transferred to the general ward. The grandmother and granddaughter finally met Seeing her grandma¡¯s thin appearance, Cornelia¡¯s eyes were full of tears, ¡°Grandma¡­¡± The olddy craned her neck and looked behind Cornelia, but saw nothing. Her eyes were full of disappointment, ¡°Nelly, didn¡¯t my grandson¨Cinwe with you?¡± Jeremy had been urging for a divorce, but Grandma wanted to see her grandson¨Cinw. Cornelia knew that she should prioritize her grandma, so the marriage couldn¡¯t be dissolved for now, ¡°Grandma, he hasn¡¯t had time toe see you. You shoulde with me to Riverton to see him.¡± If she suggested that Grandma go for medical treatment, the olddy might not be willing to spend the money. But if she suggested visiting her grandson¨Cinw, she would definitely Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! agree Grandma¡¯s eyes brightened up. ¡°But my health condition¡­ Cornelia held her grandma¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Grandma, do you want to see your grandson¨Cinw?¡± Of course, she agreed, ¡°I have so much to say to him, but I¡¯m afraid he won¡¯t want to listen to me rambling on.¡± Cornelia smiled gently, ¡°You¡¯re the elder, and if he doesn¡¯t listen, I teach him a lesson.¡± But how could she convince Jeremy, who was set on a divorce, to cooperate and y along with her n? Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Chapter 76 ¡°It seems like my granddaughter has quite a position in the family ¡°The olddy¡¯s spirits brightened at the thought of her granddaughter and grandson inw living a good life. ¡°Alright. III follow your advice. Let¡¯s go to Riverton.¡± Her grandma agreed right away, and Cornelia was super happy inside, ¡®Grandma. Il start arranging it right now? ¡°Hold on, I¡¯ve got something for you ¡°The olddy reached into her pocket, but found nothing. She realized she was wearing a hospital gown and looked around anxiously. ¡°Nelly, where¡¯s my jacket?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Grandma. I¡¯ve already put it away ¡°Cornelia immediately handed the jacket to her. The olddy opened the jacket and found a big patch inside. She tried to tear it off but couldn¡¯t, ¡°Nelly, help me take this patch off¡± Cornelia obediently did as she was told, and found a hidden pocket inside, where a bank card was ced. ¡°Grandma ¡°Cornelia¡¯s eyes welled up with tears as she looked at the worn¨Cout bank card in her hand, ¡°I can earn my own money I don¡¯t need yours I just want you to be healthy¡± ¡°Silly girl what you earn is yours¡± The olddy patted her head. This money is partly your father¡¯s inheritance and partly your wedding gift from me. You should ept it.¡± ¡°Alright, Grandma, Itake it ¡°Cornelia knew her grandma¡¯s personality, and if she didn¡¯t ept, her grandma would keep worrying about it. She carefully put the bank card in her bag, thinking about how she could return the money to her grandma in another way. Thats more like it ¡°The olddy smiled, not caring about her own illness at all In her heart, as long as her Nelly was doing well even if she died, there was nothing to be afraid of. As they were chatting, the olddy suddenly changed the subject and started talking about her grandson¨Cinw, ¡°Nelly, your and Jay have been married for a year and a half now, why haven¡¯t you gotten pregnant yet?¡± Cornelia was drinking water and choked on it, coughing at her grandma¡¯s question, ¡°Grandma, we¡¯re still young, we don¡¯t need to rush to have a baby¡± ¡°Jay is 28, and you¡¯re almost 24. How can you say you¡¯re young?¡± Grandma said seriously, ¡°Although I trust that Granny Luisa raised a good kid, men are naturally yful. Having a baby sooner will settle him down.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation, ¡°Grandma, it¡¯ste. You should get some rest The olddy asked, ¡°Are you annoyed by my meddling or are you embarrassed about something?¡± Cornelia fell silent. She and Jeremy hadn¡¯t consummated their marriage, how could she possibly be pregnant? She said, ¡°Grandma, you know I got promoted less than half a year ago. I¡¯m always busy with my boss. How can I have a baby at this time?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. The olddy thought about it, ¡°You have a point. Family is important, but girls should also have their own careers and be able to make money so they have a say at home.¡± Cornelia nodded vigorously, ¡°Exactly, Grandma, you¡¯re a teacher, so you have a different perspective. The olddy pinched her face, ¡°You¡¯re ttering me now, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Can¡¯t I praise my amazing Grandma?¡± The olddyughed, and in fact, just having Cornelia by her side, even if she didn¡¯t do anything, would make her really happy The grandma and granddaughter chatted for quite a while, and eventually, the olddy grew sleepy Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Chapter 77 After making sure the olddy was sound asleep, Cornelia took out her personal phone. As soon as she turned it on, she saw several missed call notifications, all from Ryan Corn stepped out of the hospital room and called him back. The moment the call connected, she heard Ryan¡¯s frustrated voice, Ms Stewart, what the hell are you up to?¡± Cornelia took a deep breath,posed herself, and replied. ¡°Mr. Colwell, please tell Mr. Artis that I can¡¯t go through with the divorce right now¡± Ryan yelled in anger. Ms. Stewart, we agreed on this! The divorce papers are signed, and we settled on finalizing the divorce today Why are you backing out now?¡± Cornelia responded. Tjust want to postpone the divorce, not cancel it altogether.¡± Ryan questioned, ¡°Why the dy?¡± Corn quickly exined. ¡°My grandma is sick, and she¡¯s been longing to see her grandson¨Cinw. If I tell her I¡¯m getting a divorce now, shell be devastated Once her condition stabilizes and she can handle the news, well proceed with the divorce.¡± Ryan snorted. ¡°Ms Stewart, can we have some decency here? If your grandma wants to see her grandson¨Cinw, just bring your boyfriend. Why does Mr. Artis have to be involved?¡± ¡°What boyfriend?¡± Cornelia said, only then remembering that she had impulsively imed to have a boyfriend while arguing with Ryan at the restaurant yesterday. It was like fretting in her own grease Ryan firmly believed that her grandma¡¯s illness wasn¡¯t the real reason Cornelia was reluctant to divorce. He suspected that she might have found out about Jeremy¡¯s true identity and wanted to get more money out of him by stalling the divorce. ¡°Just name your price!¡± he said. Cornelia was taken aback, ¡°What price?¡± Ryan retorted, ¡°What do you want? Don¡¯t you know?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°All I want is for my grandma to recover¡± Ryan scoffed. ¡°Do you really believe that? You don¡¯t love him, so why are you being so stubborn?¡± His arrogant and sarcastic tone irritated Cornelia, ¡°Our marriage wasn¡¯t built on love. What does it matter if I love him or not?¡± Ryan was infuriated by her response, ¡°Just tell me how much money you want to get this dworce done.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care about his money!¡± Cornelia fet frustrated talking to awyer for the first time and hung up the phone. She could make her own money. Who needed his?! When they got married, it was just to please their grandparents. She had asked him if he wanted to reconsider, but he never did. She thought that even though their marriage wasn¡¯t based on love, they should at least pretend to make their families happy But he disappeared after the registration and only reappeared when he wanted a divorce. And that was when she was being treating like shit by her uncle and aunt. She didn¡¯t need a husband like that!Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Not knowing how to handle Cornelia, Ryan had no choice but to call Marcus again, ¡°Marc, your wife is really unreasonable. She¡¯s done something scandalous, and now she¡¯s lying about her grandma being sick so she can dy the divorce. But don¡¯t worry, this time I¡¯ll make sure she¡°¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow, ¡°Her grandma is sick?¡± Ryan confirmed, ¡°That¡¯s what she said.¡± Marcus knew his grandma and that womans grandma were friends, and they both got married for their grandmas sake. That woman might not have been cautious in her personal life. but she wouldn¡¯t use her grandma as an excuse He said, ¡°I transfer some money to her so she can take care of her grandma without any worries. As for the divorce, well talk about it when her grandma gets better¡± Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Ryan didn¡¯t think Marcus was that a good quy, and he asked doubtfully. ¡°Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Marcus hung up the phone decisively. He didnt sympathize with the woman, but he had a grandma too, which made him empathize with her Thinking of his grandma, he called Granny Luisa right away. Her mental state had been badtely because of his divorce The housekeeper answered the phone, Marcus, she said she doesn¡¯t want to hear your voice¡± Marcus shook his head helplessly. ¡°Tell Granny that that woman¡¯s grandma seems to be sick ¡°What? You¡¯re saying Cornelia¡¯s grandma is sick?¡± Granny Luisa¡¯s voice came through, ¡°When did this happen? You should¡¯ve told me sooner.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t know how to respond. He had called her as soon as he found out. Cornelia sat by her grandma¡¯s bed, quietly looking at her, her gray hair, her wrinkled and thin cheeks. Her heart ached. A few years ago, when she left Rosenberg, her grandma looked much younger than now. In just a few years, her grandma had aged so much. Her grandma had a pension and didn¡¯tck money but she still went out to tutor others at such an old age. Cornelia always thought her grandma¡¯s hard work was not just because she couldn¡¯t be idle, but also because she had an ungrateful son. But today, when her grandma put the bank card into her hand, she suddenly realized that grandma tried to make money for her, for her to live a better life Thinking of all this, tears uncontrobly rolled down Cornelia¡¯s cheeks. She had no mother, and her father had already passed away, but the love her grandma gave her was never less than that of other children Because of her grandma, she was able to go to school like other children, get into her dream university, and do the job she loved But it seemed she never really cared for her grandma¡­ Her phone suddenly rang, and Cornelia quickly wiped her tears, picked up her phone, and walked out of the room. Seeing that it was Granny Luisa¡¯s call, she still sweetly called out. ¡°Granny¡­¡± Granny Luisa heard Cornelia¡¯s crying. ¡°Nelly, are you crying? Is it because your grandma¡¯s condition is not good?¡± Cornelia immediately took a deep breath andposed herself, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my grandma is out of danger now. The doctor said that as long as she receives proper treatment afterward, she will recover soon¡± Granny Luisa didn¡¯t believe it, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your grandma? Does she need toe to Riverton for treatment? If she needs toe to Riverton, I can ask Jeremy to arrange it.¡± Cornelia didnt want Granny Luisa to worry or rely on Jeremy. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing.¡± Since Cornelia didn¡¯t want to say, Granny Luisa didn¡¯t press further. After a moment of silence, she said, ¡°Nelly, I¡¯m sorry! I failed your grandma¡¯s trust and you. It was me who let Jeremy marry you. I promised your grandma back then that he would take good care of you, but now.¡± Cornelia guessed that Jeremy had told Granny Luisa about the divorce, ¡°It¡¯s a decision between the two of us, you didn¡¯t let anyone down. Please don¡¯t me yourself.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. In her heart, Granny Luisa was like her own grandmother, both kind and gentle. She hoped Granny Luisa could be healthy and happy. The kinder and more understanding Cornelia was, the more guilty Granny Luisa felt, ¡°Nelly, I didn¡¯t contact you during the year after you married Jeremy, not because I didn¡¯t care about you, but because I cared too much about my rtionship with your grandmother. Jeremy went to work after getting married and neglected you, not fulfilling my promise, so I was afraid to face your grandma and contact you¡± Cornelia had many guesses about why Granny Luisa didn¡¯t see her back then, but she never thought it was because of this. Her doubts were cleared, ¡°Granny, don¡¯t worry, no matter what happens between Jeremy and me, it won¡¯t affect the rtionship between my grandma and you¡± Granny Luisa sighed with a heavy heart, ¡°You¡¯re a good kid, my grandson just doesn¡¯t have good luck.¡± Corneliaughed and said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just not our time yet¡± Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Cornelia had to stay with her grandmother for a while until her condition stabilized enough for her to be transferred to another hospital. Marcus granted Cornelia a four¨Cday leave, but it quickly passed, so she had to take her ten¨Cday annual leave as well. With Cornelia not at thepany, her work fell on Ben¡¯s shoulders. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Ben brought coffee to Marcus office bike usual while Marcus was looking at some documents. President Hartley, about this morning¡¯s progress.¡± Marcus suddenly looked up, scanning the room behind Ben. ¡°Where¡¯s Cornelia?¡± There was no obvious change in Marcus¡® expression, but Ben still felt a chill, ¡°Cornelia is on her annual leave.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Taking annual leave during the busiest time of the year?¡± Ben didn¡¯t respond. If he remembered correctly, Marcus didn¡¯t have any important schedules during these days, and the important work had already been dest month and early this month. Marcus said, ¡°The coffee is cold. Go get a new one Ben answered, ¡°Alright.¡± He wondered if Marcus took the wrong pills today. However, Ben had no idea that not only did Marcus take the wrong pills today, but he would continue to do so for the next few days. Every day, he nervously hoped that Cornelia woulde back to work soon so that someone else could share Marcus¡® anger. After a week of hell, Ben apanied Marcus to the Capital for Zavier and Skyler¡¯s wedding anniversary. Everyone in their circle knew that Zavier was forced to marry Skyler due to someone¡¯s scheming, and there was no real affection between the couple, but they still had to follow the rules. Zavier and Skyler appeared very affectionate in front of the guests, exchanging smiles from time to time. Who knew what they were really thinking? That was the fate of the children of wealthy families; often, they had no choice. ¡°Marc, we¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± Zavier came over with Skyler and noticed Ben behind Marcus. ¡°Brought Ben today, huh? Didn¡¯t bring your pretty little assistant? Afraid someone might steal her away?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t want anyone making jokes about Cornelia, ¡°Mind your own wife and don¡¯t worry about others.¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Ben politely greeted them, but had a small question in his mind. He had been with Marcus for many years and had met all of his old friends, but he didn¡¯t remember any of them meeting Cornelia. How did they know about her? Meanwhile, Cornelia was celebrating her birthday at the hospital. On December 14th, she turned 24. These days, Cornelia was busy taking care of her grandmother and contacting the Riverton hospital, so she hadpletely forgotten about her birthday. Her grandmother secretly asked Dr. Lopez to order a birthday cake and flowers for her. Her grandmother patted Cornelia on the head with a smile, ¡°Nelly, you¡¯re another year older today. Make a wish.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Chapter 80 The olddy had just finished speaking when a group of people barged into the ward, looking furious. At a nce, it was obvious that the leader was Robison, who had been detained for ten days, ¡°That¡¯s the little bitch. Take her away now¡® The young male doctor immediately stood in front of Cornelia, What do you guys want to do? Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! Robison red at him, ¡°How many times have you slept with this woman, huh? So addicted to her that you alwayse out to help her The male doctors face turned red and then pale with anger at Robison¡¯s words. You really can¡¯t say anything nice, can you?¡± Robison sneered, ¡°This woman has hooked up with by many men. You thought you found a treasure, huh?¡± The grandmother, hearing this, coughed angrily ¡°Robison, you.¡± This time, Cornelia didn¡¯t want to waste any more energy She stepped forward and pped Robison hard across the face, ¡°Robison, say one more insulting word about me, and I swear kill you¡± Her eyes were sharp and terrifying, and her tone was icy cold, making everyone shiver with fear Cornelia locked at each of them and said sternly, ¡°Rosenberg is not awless ce Robison was locked up for ten days for ndering me before. If you follow his orders and take me away now, that¡¯s kidnapping Do you know how long the sentence for kidnapping is?¡± Seeing the hesitation in the people who rushed in, Cornelia continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, by all means, give it a try. But I must remind you, maybe you¡¯re not afraid of going to jail, but have you considered the elderly and children in your family?¡± At this, the men hesitated even more Robison shouted, ¡°This little bitch has a sharp tongue. Don¡¯t listen to her nonsense. She hit me first today. I¡¯m her uncle, so don¡¯t be afraid of her.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°Mr. Chester, please show Robison the documents in your hand.¡± Mr. Chester handed a file to Robison and said. Take a good look.¡± Robison¡¯s face turned dark with anger when he saw it, ¡°You little bitch, you actually made up such fake evidence to deceive the olddy¡¯s money and try to sever our mother¨Cson rtionship with me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not her doing it¡¯s me who asked Mr. Chester to do so.¡± Grandmother didn¡¯t know about it before, but she analyzed what was going on from Robison¡¯s words and unconditionally stood on Cornelia¡¯s side Cornelia looked back at her grandmother, who gave her aforting smile, indicating she could do whatever she wanted. With the support of her grandmother, Cornelia had no more concerns, ¡°Robison, my granny adopted you out of pity and raised you, but look at how you¡¯ve treated her all these years. I¡¯m telling you, from this moment on, you¡¯re no longer her son.¡± ¡°You think you can sever our adoption just by saying so? Dream on!¡± Robison touched his aching face, gritting his teeth. ¡°But if you want to sever ties with me, fine. First, transfer the olddy¡¯s house to my name and give me half of her savings.¡± There were many shameless people in this world, but only a few were as shameless as Robison. If Robison hadn¡¯t been so indifferent to the olddy¡¯s condition when she was sick, Cornelia wouldn¡¯t have been so ruthless. ¡°You want the grandma¡¯s property? Fine.¡± Cornelia took out the medical bills for the olddy¡¯s treatment. Then you pay for her treatment now, and when she passes away, the house and the remaining savings will be yours.¡± Robison looked at the bill and threw it on the floor like a hot potato. He knew that the olddy¡¯s illness would cost a lot of money, but he didn¡¯t expect it to cost more than thirty grand in just a few days. The olddy¡¯s savings probably wouldn¡¯t be more than that, and the old house wasn¡¯t worth much either. Selling it wouldn¡¯t even cover the medical expenses Robison definitely wouldn¡¯t make a losing deal, ¡°That¡¯s it; Ill have nothing to do with her from now on.¡± Cornelia signaled to Mr. Chester, ¡°Just talking won¡¯t do. Mr. Chester, please take him to go through the procedures.¡± Robison hesitated, fearing that Cornelia was deceiving him, but he didn¡¯t dare to take the risk. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 If they didn¡¯t cut off their mother-son rtionship, he was gonna have to cover his mom¡¯s medical bills Thinking about it, he pped his hands, Let¡¯s go right now, the sooner the better¡± Robison took off, and the others followed sut After the troublemakers left, Cornelia slumped back into her chair She had prepared fake bills in advance, taking advantage of Robison¡¯s greed to settle the dispute. She won this time, but she still couldn¡¯t be happy She never understood why some people in society have such malice towards women, especially slightly prettier women. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She and the young doctor weren¡¯t even close. The young doctor was just trying to help her out of the goodness of his heart, but to people like Robison, it meant she had an affair with him. Cornelia nced apologetically at the male doctor, Tm sorry you got dragged into this because of me The doctor said, ¡°I don¡¯t care what they say about you or what your private life is like¡± In the end, he seemed to think her private life was promiscuous too. Corneliaughed it off, ¡°Indeed, my private life is none of your business.¡± The doctor was speechless. Dr. Lopez and the others were still in shock. They never expected Cornelia to be so decisive at such a young age. Her Grandma interjected, ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s not us who did something wrong, and it shouldn¡¯t be us who feel embarrassed. Let¡¯s continue celebrating your birthday, and you can make a wish.¡± Cornelia¡¯s wish was simple, the same every year, hoping for her grandmother¡¯s health and longevity, and for her and her friends to have their wishese true. After making her wish, Cornelia invited everyone to have cake. The young doctor handed Cornelia a giftbox, ¡°I got this for you. Hope you will like it.¡± He stared at Cornelia, his face flushed red, his intentions obvious Cornelia was getting a headache. They weren¡¯t even familiar with each other. What did he want? Cornelia wouldn¡¯t ept the gift, and the young male doctor became anxious, ¡°Cornelia, I really don¡¯t care about your past. Please ept my gift, okay?¡± He didn¡¯t care about her past. Her past should never have been a stain on her life. Cornelia looked at him coldly, not sure how to refuse the gift, when her grandmother spoke up again, ¡°Young man, you¡¯re handsome and have a good job. If Cornelia wasn¡¯t married, Id definitely let you be her boyfriend.¡± The young male doctor was surprised, ¡°She got married so young?¡± Granny Reba nodded, ¡°Yep, she¡¯s been married for over a year. If it weren¡¯t for them being so busy with work and not in a hurry to have kids, I¡¯d have a great-grandchild by now¡± The young doctor said with disappointment, ¡°Well, congrattions!¡± Granny Reba. ¡°Thank you!¡± After everyone left, Cornelia looked at her grandmother, who opened her arms, ¡°Cornelia, if you want to cry, just cry. You don¡¯t have to hold it in around me.¡± Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Cornelia dove into her grandma¡¯s arms and snuggled up. ¡°Granny, Lain¡¯t gonna cry for those jerks¡± ¡°Nelly, looks like you¡¯ve really grown up¡± Granny gently patted her back ¡°Nelly, can you help me sell the house? Let¡¯s move to Riverton and nevere back to this crappy ce But, Granny ¡°Cornelia looked up at her grandma This was where her grandma was born and worked. It was her roots. If they sold the house her grandma wouldn¡¯t have a home anymore. Granny ruffled her har. ¡°There¡¯s nothing more important to me than my Nelly. Wherever Nelly is, that¡¯s my home¡± Cornelia (et the same way Where her grandma was, that was her home But they couldn¡¯t sell the house. They had to leave a way out for Granny The next day they left for Riverton. Zack and Abigail came to meet them at the airport. Zack said with concern, Cornelia¡¯s too strong for her own good. She wants to handle everything herself, and she won¡¯t let us help her.¡± They were worried that Cornelia would be bullied in Rosenberg, so they originally nned to go back with her. But Cornelia insisted on going alone, so they didn¡¯t ¡°She¡¯s asking for it!¡± Abigail said through gritted teeth, but tears were in her eyes. ¡°Her grandma¡¯se to Riverton, and she can¡¯t hide the fact that her lousy husband wants a divorce. wonder what she¡¯ll do then?¡± Zack rolled his eyes at her, ¡°You¡¯ve been mad for days. Aren¡¯t you over it yet?¡± ¡°A few days? I¡¯m gonna be mad for a whole month.¡± As Abigail spoke, she spotted Cornelia pushing her grandma out and immediately ran over to help. Zack followed and took over pushing the wheelchair, ¡®Granny, it¡¯s been a while. Wee to Riverton.¡± ¡°Hello, you guys ¡°Granny Reba greeted them, but her gaze was searching around. Everyone knew she was looking for her grandson¨Cinw. ¡°Granny, it¡¯s your first time in Riverton, right? When you¡¯re feeling better, well take you around ¡°Zack pushed Granny Reba out first, trying to divert her attention. Cornelia and Abigail were pushing luggage behind them. Abigail pinched Cornelia hard, ¡°You knew it was dangerous for you to go back to Rosenberg, but you didn¡¯t let us go with you What if you got bullied again?¡± Her grip was strong, and Cornelia winced in pain, trying to dodge, I know I was wrong. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Marcus had just returned to Riverton from the Capital after attending the Rivera family¡¯s wedding anniversary celebration. His luxury car happened to pass by and he saw a familiar slender figure. He didn¡¯t know his assistant had such a cute side. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°President Hartley, isn¡¯t that Cornelia?¡± Ben also spotted Cornelia and waved at her with a smile. ¡°Cornelia, what a coincidence to run into you here.¡± Hearing her name, Cornelia looked up and saw Ben and Marcus¡¯s car. She thought she should go up and say hello. As Marcus watched Cornelia approach, he could see her more clearly with each step. Only when she was closer did he notice that she looked a bit tired. He wanted to ask if she was feeling unwell, but then he heard her say, ¡°Hello, President Hartley! Hi, Ben!¡± Her voice returned to its usual tone when she was at work, showing no sign of vulnerability. Marcus nodded and looked away Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Ben asked. ¡°Where did you go for your vacation?¡± Comel replied. ¡°Just wandered around aimlessly¡± Ben said, ¡°We¡¯re also heading back to the city, wanna join us?¡± ¡°My friend picking me up ¡°Cornelia said with a smile, ¡°See youter, President Hartley, Ben!¡± ¡°Bye¡± Ben watched Cornelia leave and then mumbled to himself after getting back in the car, Tve never seen Cornelia dressed like this before, so soft and delicate, makes me wanna Before he could finish, he felt a chill down his spine and a murderous aura behind him He turned around to see Marcus eyes under his silver¨Crimmed sses, dark and terrifying. Ben was stunned What did he say that was so wrong? Zack drove Granny Reba to the hospital and helped her with all the admission procedures. Abigal stayed by the olddy¡¯s side to take care of her With ther help. Cornelia was able to rx and got more time to find a caregiver In the evening, Granny Luisa arrived, and the two olddies hugged each other, crying andughing at the same time. Corne tactfully left the room to give them some space to chat. After a long conversation, Granny Luisa pulled Cornelia aside and said, ¡°Nelly, there are a few things I want to tell you.¡± ¡°Go ahead. Granny ¡°Cornelia said Granny Lusa looked at Cornelia with a steady gaze. This child not only looked beautiful, but also had a pair of clear eyes that made people like her more and more. ¡°If you need anything. you tell me. We are family And as for my grandson, if you need anything, just ask him. You two are still husband and wife until the divorce is finalized, and he should help you.¡± ¡°Alright ¡°Although Cornelia agreed, deep down she didn¡¯t want to trouble Jeremy and owe him any favors. After sending Granny Luisa away, Cornelia returned to the ward, and her grandmother started talking about her grandson¨Cinw again, ¡°Nelly, has Jay¡¯s work finished? Can I see him tomorrow? This matter couldn¡¯t be dyed any longer, and she had to contact Jeremy sooner orter. Cornelia thought for a moment and mustered up the courage to send her husband a message [Jeremy, I¡¯m sorry for upying the title of your wife. My grandmother is seriously ill and wants to see you every day I cant upset her any further, so I can¡¯t divorce you for now. If it¡¯s convenient for you, I¡¯d like to ask you toe to the hospital to see her, just pretend to be a loving couple with me. Once her condition improves, I¡¯ll definitely divorce you.¡± After sending the message, Cornelia waited for a long time for Jeremy¡¯s reply, but her grandmother kept asking. ¡°Nelly, have you called Jay?¡± Granny hes busy with work and spends more than half of the month away. It¡¯ll probably be a couple more days before he cane back.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to call him, fearing she might disturb Jeremy and also because she could tell he didn¡¯t want tomunicate with her. The divorce matter was being handled by hiswyer Granny Reba lowered her head in disappointment, ¡°I see Feeding helpless, Corne cent another message to her husband: [Mr. Artis, when you see this message, could you please give me a reply?] Marcus had just finished his work and caw the message He rubbed his forehead after reading it. Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDra/ma.O(r)g! He really didn¡¯t want to have any more involvement with that woman, but for the sake of both their grandmothers, he replied with a simple¡± Okay¡± As soon as he sent the message and hadn¡¯t even put down his phone, another message came [Thank you for agreeing to see my grandmother. When are youing so I can make arrangement) Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Marcus frowned irritably and quickly replied. 1 can go see your grandma, but I don¡¯t want to see you¡± His words were filled with strong disgust for her, and Cornelia didn¡¯t understand why he hated her so much, nor did she want to know. All Cornelia cared about was that as long as he came to see her grandma, it would help her feel better. She replied [Then let¡¯s set a time, and Ill stay out of your way when youe ] Marcus replied Tomorrow afternoon] Cornelia type [My grandma¡¯s in room 1003 of the third building at the Second Hospital. When you come, please don¡¯t tell her about our ns to get a divorce. Thanks a lot!] After sending the message, Cornelia waited for a while without receiving a reply, so she put her phone away and told her grandma, ¡°Granny, Jeremy said he¡¯lle see you tomorrow afternoon¡± ¡°Good, good.¡± Granny Reba was delighted at the news, but then became a little nervous, ¡®Nelly, should I dress up a bit? I want to make a good impression on my grandson¨Cinw¡± Cornelia smiled and said, ¡°Granny, he¡¯s your grandson¨Cinw, not your big boss.¡± Her grandma replied. In my heart, he¡¯s more important than any boss.¡± The more her grandma valued her grandson¨Cinw, the greater the pressure Cornelia felt. And she was afraid that tomorrow Jeremy would spill the beans. Every time she thought about this, it felt like there was a huge weight on her chest, making it hard to breathe. Seeing that it was gettingte, her grandma said, ¡°Nelly, you have work tomorrow. You should go back and rest. Don¡¯t let your personal life affect your work.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± During the ten days or so in Rosenberg, Cornelia had been staying at the hospital every day without getting a good night¡¯s sleep. Her body couldn¡¯t handle it anymore, and with work tomorrow, she really needed to go home and rest. After discussing some precautions with the nurse, Cornelia left the hospital N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Unexpectedly, she bumped into Ryan at the hospital entrance. Ryan greeted her first, ¡°Ms Stewart, I thought you were lying to me earlier, but it turns out your grandma really is sick and in the hospital¡± Who would joke about their own grandma? Cornelia didn¡¯t even want to talk to him, ¡°Mr. Colwell, do you need anything?¡± Ryan said, ¡®I¡¯m here on your husband¡¯s behalf to check on your grandma. If you need any help, just let me know, and I do my best to assist you.¡± Marcus had only asked him to call the hospital and arrange for the best doctor, regardless of the cost, to treat Cornelia¡¯s grandma He hadn¡¯t asked him toe to the hospital in person. Ryan came in person for two reasons: first, to verify the situation, and second, in his eyes, Cornelia was like a princess who needed to be pampered and appeased. Otherwise, if she wasn¡¯t happy, she might refuse to divorce again. If that happened, his reputation as Riverton¡¯s topwyer would be ruined by Marcus. Cornelia said, ¡°Just help me remind him toe to the hospital tomorrow afternoon to visit my grandma and remind him not to let slip any information¡± Ryan said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, if he promised you, he¡¯ll definitely do it.¡± ¡°Please thank him for me!¡± Cornelia replied and tried to leave, only to be blocked by Ryan again, ¡°What do you want?¡± Ryan asked, ¡°I¡¯m just curious, how could you be interested in other men when you¡¯ve had such a great husband like Jeremy?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just be interested in losers?¡± Cornelia snapped back and walked away She took a taxi home, nning to get a good night¡¯s sleep so she could be refreshed for work the next day. However, the more she wanted to fall asleep early, the more awake her mind became, and she didn¡¯t fall asleep until the early hours of the morning. As usual, she didn¡¯t get enough sleep and woke up early, feeling exhausted. To make herself look more energetic, Cornelia applied heavier makeup than usual. She arrived at thepany on time and prepared hand¨Cground coffee in advance. As soon as Marcus arrived, she promptly served him the coffee. After giving him a routine update on his schedule for the day, she was about to leave when Marcus, who was reviewing documents, called her, ¡°Postpone the afternoon itinerary.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Chapter 85 The original n was for Marcus to go on a work inspection with the boss of Silver Edge Co. in the afternoon, but since it wasn¡¯t that important, it could be postponed Cornelia nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll get in touch with Silver Edge Co. right away to reschedule.¡± Marcus lifted his head from the stack of documents and looked at her. He had noticed yesterday at the airport that she seemed m***y exhausted, and even after a night¡¯s rest, she still didn¡¯t appear well. He frowned a little, confused, ¡°You don¡¯t have to work anymore today.¡± What did that mean? ¡± Cornelia was surprised, ¡°President Hartley, are you firing me?¡± When did he say he was going to fire her? He thought she did an excellent job; although she had only been working with him for half a year, their rapport was as good. Even if she wanted to resign one day, he might not be able to let her go. He added, ¡°Do you think you¡¯re in the right state to meet clients now?¡± Cornelia felt guilty. Tm sorry, President Hartley, I¡­¡± Marcus didn¡¯t give her a chance to finish, Tm giving you a paid day off, aren¡¯t you satisfied?¡± So it was just a break, not being fired Cornelia breathed a sigh of relief. She smiled, ¡°Thank you, President Hartley, for your concern!¡± Her boss was indeed the best boss in the world! Marcus said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you looking so tired tomorrow.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Okay¡± When Cornelia got home, she went straight to bed and slept deeply, probably because the pressure was relieved. In the afternoon, Marcus came to the hospital and brought some supplements out of respect for the elder. as that with Ben, who had been by his side for ten years Ryan had already arranged the best doctor for Granny Reba ording to his instructions, changed her to a single VIP room, and found an extra caretaker to take turns looking after her Marcus knocked politely on the door and entered after hearing pleasee in He walked into the room, where the caregiver was peeling fruit for Granny Reba. Seeing him, the young female caregiver¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t look at her, and went straight to Granny Reba¡¯s bedside, calling her grandma in a deep voice. Although he didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with that woman anymore, he still had to show respect for the elder. Granny Reba quickly adjusted her reading sses on her nose, stared at him for a few seconds, and said, ¡°Jay, you¡¯re Jay, right? Ah, you¡¯re much more handsome than in the photos. I almost didn¡¯t recognize you. Sit down; let me take a good look at you.¡± Granny Reba¡¯s enthusiasm made the usually calm Marcus somewhat at a loss He handed the supplements to the caregiver, then sat down on the chair next to the bed, looking as respectful as a student meeting a teacher. Granny Reba was more and more satisfied with him, ¡°Jay, I heard from Nelly that you¡¯re very busy with work and often travel. How do you two maintain your rtionship in your daily life?¡±Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Her first question left Marcus speechless. Granny Reba thought he was shy because there were others around, so he was too embarrassed to talk to her. She chuckled and said to the caretaker, ¡°Id like to have a chat with my grandson¨Cinw alone, you go on and do your thing¡± Granny Reba emphasized the term ¡°grandson¨Cinw¡± to assert Cornelia¡¯s sovereignty, letting other women give up on their intentions sooner. The caretaker knew she shouldn¡¯t overthink, but before leaving, she couldn¡¯t help but take an extra look at Marcus, who was just too handsome. Marcus, qn the other hand, never nced at the woman next to him, which made Granny Reba very satisfied. The more she looked at him, the more she liked him, and she couldn¡¯t help butugh. Her face wrinkling with joy and she said, ¡°Jay, I¡¯m so d you could make time to see me¡± Marcus politely replied. ¡°It¡¯s my pleasure.¡± Granny continued, ¡°You and Nelly got married before you fell in love, so you need to spend more time building your rtionship and not neglect your family because of work.¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Yes¡± Since he didn¡¯t talk much, Granny Reba had to keep the conversation going. ¡°Nelly is a strong girl who won¡¯t show her vulnerability easily. She keeps a lot to herself, so you need to taki care of her more in the future¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Granny Reba said a lot, and Marcus¡± answers were always simple, ¡°Alright¡± After a while, Granny Reba began to sense something was off, ¡°Jay, are you and Nelly not getting along? Or is there some other problem?¡± ¡°Granny, don¡¯t worry, we haven¡¯t had a disagreement. As you just said, we didn¡¯t have a foundation before getting married, and after marriage, we¡¯ve been apart more than together due work We¡¯re still getting used to each other. This was the best answer Marcus coulde up with to avoid worrying Granny Reba It had been over a year since they got married, and they were still getting used to each other, which meant there was no love between them. Granny Reba understood this point well, realizing that despite the long years of marriage between the two children, she had never seen them together. Cornelia had never mentioned Marcus in front of her, and coupled with various hints from Cornelia before. Granny Reba realized that the marriage wasn¡¯t as perfect as she thought It wasn¡¯t umon for couples who once passionately loved each other to have their rtionship break down after marriage, let alone a couple with no foundation.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Granny Reba wanted Cornelia to get married and have children because she hoped Cornelia could find a man who loved and cared for her, allowing her, who lost her parents at a yo age, to have a happy family, not just marrying for the sake of it. But now it seemed that the marriage she had worked so hard to arrange didn¡¯t bring Cornelia happiness, but pain and pressure instead. Since they had no feelings for each other, Cornelia had to make up one white lie after another to put her mind at ease. Thinking of how hard Cornelia had been trying to please her over the past year, Granny Reba felt heartbroken, ¡°Jay, just tell me straight.¡± Tell her straight? Tell her that her granddaughter had been cheating on him, could she ept that? ¡°Did you two divorce already?¡± Granny Reba asked, holding back her pain, the one question she least wanted to ask. Since she already guessed, Marcus felt there was no need to hide it anymore, ¡°We haven¡¯t divorced yet, but we¡¯re preparing to.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the reason for the divorce? Is it because of theck of feelings or another reason?¡± Reba asked. ¡°Another reason.¡± Marcus said Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Chapter 87 ¡°Is there really no chance of saving it?¡¯ Reba asked ¡°Nope ¡°Marcus¡¯s answer was clear and firm Thanks for being straight with me ¡°Granny Reba thought for a moment, then said, ¡°Talready knew you guys were getting a divorce. Don¡¯t tell Nelly now, just wait until I figure out how to break it to her¡± Marcus said, ¡°Alright¡± After Marcus left, Granny Reba thought for a long time in bed. Once she had made up her mind, she called Cornelia. Êí Cornelia was woken up by the phone call and heard her grandma¡¯s cheerful voice, ¡°Nelly, Jay came to visit me. He¡¯s very handsome and considerate. He had me moved to a private room and arranged for two nurses to take turns looking after me. He¡¯s thought of everything. You can rest after work today, no need toe to the hospital¡± ¡°Okay, just remember to eat on time, grandma. Ile see you after work tomorrow¡± Jeremy was still a reliable guy, Cornelia thought. She sent him a thank you message [Mr Artis, thanks for visiting my grandmal She¡¯s really happy now!] After sending the message, Cornelia received a new message. Hannah [Cornelia, it¡¯s Hannah. I¡¯m in Riverton now and I want to invite you to dinner. Are you free?] Feeling hungry and considering Hannah to be a good person, Cornelia agreed: [Where should we meet? I¡¯ll be right there.] Hannah immediately replied with an address and said: [I¡¯ll wait for you here] Marcus saw the message his wife had sent and sneered, thinking. ¡°What a fool!¡± Steven handed him a cigarette. ¡°Marc, which girl has p*** you off?¡± Marcus put his phone down, ¡°What¡¯s for dinner?¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Steven said. ¡®Ill ask my wifeter. Whatever she wants to eat.¡± Marcus smiled faintly. ¡°You really let your wife call the shots, huh?¡± Steven said, 7 just want my wife to keep me in check. Unlike you, your marriage is like you¡¯re not married at all. You want your wife to control you, but she doesn¡¯t.¡± Hannah arrived at Riverton today to promote her new drama. The event had just ended, and she approached Steven and nted a kiss on his cheek. ¡°Honey, I have ns to have dinner with a friend tonight, so I won¡¯t apany you. You and Marcus can enjoy some alone time together.¡± Hearing this, Hannah said, ¡°You guys go ahead. I¡¯m having dinner with someone else.¡± Steven gritted his teeth, ¡°Hannah, I put down such important work to apany you to Riverton for the promotion of the new drama, and you want to ditch me to have dinner with someone else?¡± Hannah said, 7 didn¡¯t ask you toe, you insisted on following me.¡± Steven said, ¡°Hannah, if you leave me, I¡¯ll be upset!¡± Hannah nced at him and walked away. Steven immediately followed her, ¡°Honey, I¡¯m sorry, can you take me with you?¡± Hannah said, ¡°No, I made ns with Cornelia. She definitely doesn¡¯t want to see you, so you can¡¯t come with me.¡± Steven said, ¡°Cornelia? Marc¡¯s assistant?¡± Hannah said, ¡°Yes Steven said, ¡°When did you guys be so close?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin the friendship between girls to you guys,¡± Hannah shook off his hand. ¡®Don¡¯t follow me, or I¡¯ll be upset.¡± Steven helplessly watched his wife sneak away and turned to Marcus, ¡°Marcus, have you ever thought about going to check it out?¡± Marcus calmly smoked, ¡°I don¡¯t have a wife, what am I going for?¡± Steven replied, ¡°Then let your assistant be your wife¡± Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Steven pped Marcus on the shoulder, ¡°You¡¯re gonna say she¡¯s married again, right? So what if she¡¯s married? Cant married people get divorced? Give her husband some money, ask him take the money and go as far away as possible, then she¡¯s all yours¡® Marcus bent down to put out his cigarette, giving Steven a cold look, ¡°She¡¯s not someone you can just joke about Stevenughed. ¡°Are you really protecting her like that?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Marcus said, ¡°Protecting her? I just don¡¯t like people making jokes about women.¡± Steven said, ¡°Alright, whatever you say. I won¡¯t mention her anymore, let¡¯s go eat Marcus was a stubborn man. He couldn¡¯t stand anyone saying a bad word about his assistant but he wouldn¡¯t admit it. Maybe it was not that he didn¡¯t want to admit it, but he had never had any experience in love, so he didn¡¯t know how to love someone, nor did he know what it felt like Hannah was a popr actress, and wherever she went, she caused quite a stir. So this time, she chose the privacy¨Cfocused Epicurean Eatery for their dinner. Epicurean Eatery was members¨Conly. To be a member, one had to meet certain conditions. After several rounds of screening, only the very wealthy or influential could be members, so diners no longer had to worry about being photographed. Hannah was very enthusiastic, giving Cornelia a big hug as soon as they met, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯ve missed you!¡± Cornelia was more introverted and not very good at socializing Compared to Hannah¡¯s enthusiasm, she was more reserved, ¡°Thank you for inviting me, Mrs. Dixon¡± We¡¯re friends, no need to call me Mrs. Dixon, just call me Hannah.¡± Hannah pulled Cornelia to sit down and looked at her carefully, ¡°I feel like you¡¯ve lost a lot of weight sincest month, an yourplexion isn¡¯t as good as before. Are you overworking yourself?¡± Tm fine.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to talk about her personal life and quickly changed the subject, ¡°I saw in the news that you¡¯re in Riverton to promote your new show. I hope it¡¯d be a hit!¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Hannah replied, ¡°Take a look at the menu and order whatever you like. My treat tonight¡± Tve already ordered Steven walked in, went straight to Hannah and sat down, ¡°Ms. Stewart, do you mind if I join you for dinner?¡± ¡°President Dixon, how could I refuse?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know Steven would be there, or else she might not have agreed toe to dinner, as no one wanted to be the third wheel. Hannah nudged him, ¡°I already told you not to follow, get out of here!¡± Steven put his arm around her waist, ¡°I really didn¡¯te for you. Marcus and I happened to choose this restaurant too. Since we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s eat together.¡± Hearing that Marcus was there, Cornelia instinctively looked back at the door and saw Marcus, dressed in a ck coat, walking in gracefully. He was holding his phone, apparently just having finished a call. Cornelia immediately stood up. ¡°President Hartley, good evening!¡± Marcus nced at her, ¡°You¡¯re here too?¡± Steven couldn¡¯t help but roll his eyes. This guy really knew how to y it cool.. Cornelia honestly replied, ¡°Hannah invited me to dinner.¡± ¡°Well, eat more then.¡± Marcus took off his coat, and Cornelia immediately took it and hung it on the nearby coat rack. Even after work, she didn¡¯t forget her role as an assistant. It wasn¡¯t until Marcus sat down that Cornelia returned to her seat. When the waiter came over to add tea for Marcus, Cornelia stopped him and said, ¡°Just give him a ss of mineral water.¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Hed only sip drinks that Cornelia picked out for him, and she¡¯d try her best to avoid putting in front of him any foods he didn¡¯t like During the meal, Cornelia was busy taking care of Marcus. By the time she got a chance to eat, the food was already cold, and her stomach started to feel upset. Marcus was used to having Cornelia, his assistant, take care of everything for him, so he didn¡¯t think anything was wrong with her looking after him tonight Hannah angrily pinched Steven hard. It was all this annoying guy¡¯s fault. The dinner was supposed to be a treat for her friends, and now it had turned out like this. Steven grabbed her hand. ¡°What do you guys wanna do after dinner?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Whatever.¡± Hannah looked at Cornelia. ¡°Cornelia, what do you wanna do?¡± 1 don¡¯t wanna Just as Cornelia was about to speak, a wave of nauseae from her stomach, and she immediately rushed to the restroom. Marcus¡¯s gaze followed her, and a hint of worry shed in his eyes behind his sses. Seeing this, Hannah hurried over, ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I feel a bit nauseous, but I can¡¯t throw up.¡± Hannah asked, ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Pregnant?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Hannah said, ¡°Yeah, pregnant. I noticed you don¡¯t look as good asst month, and you seem to have lost weight. Maybe you¡¯re pregnant.¡± Cornelia quickly shook her head, ¡°No way.¡± Hannah said. ¡°You and your husband don¡¯t want kids right now? If you don¡¯t n on having children, you should make him take contraceptive measures. He can¡¯t just think about himsel and not consider you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not¡­¡± Cornelia¡¯s face turned red, not knowing how to exin that she and her husband hadn¡¯t had sex yet, so how could she be pregnant? Hannah continued, ¡°Not what? Men should be responsible in this matter. If Steven got me pregnant by ident, I¡¯d definitely be mad at him. Couples should have a consensus on having children. If you don¡¯t n on having kids, but he gets you pregnant anyway, it¡¯s better not to have a man like that.¡± Steven looked at Marcus with a smile, wanting to say something sarcastic, but when he saw the coldness in Marcus¡¯s eyes, he chose to shut up! Marcus lit a cigarette, took a puff, then put it out in the ashtray. He got up and picked up his coat, ¡°I¡¯m leaving.¡± Steven said happily, ¡°Can¡¯t handle the news of her pregnancy?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t answer him and just left. Walking out of the restaurant, a cool breeze hit his face. In the city of Riverton, even the coldest winter wasn¡¯t too cold, but today Marcus felt particrly cold, as if there was a chill lingering in his heart. This feeling came suddenly and was inexplicable. There was no denying that when he heard Cornelia might be pregnant, all sorts of thoughts shed through his mind that even he was afraid of. However, he knew that this girl who had always been with him, was just his assistant and nothing more. She was already married, she had her beloved man and her own family. They would only rte to each other in terms of their respective roles as superior and subordinate, Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Hannah cooked up some drama in her head, and Cornelia didn¡¯t know how to exin it to her, so she decided not to Just now, her stomach feht upset, like she was going to puke, because she identally ate a snack with peanut butter in it She had been allergic to peanuts since she was a kid, and she couldnt touch any food with peanuts in it. But luckily, there wasn¡¯t a lot of peanut butter in the snack, so her allergic reaction wasn¡¯t severe Cornelia had a ss of water, and her stomach quickly felt better. Worried, Hannah said, ¡°Cornelia, maybe we should go to the hospital¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia smiled, ¡°Chill out, I¡¯m fine Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Hannah still wasn¡¯t reassured, ¡°Then let¡¯s take you home.¡± Before Cornelia could refuse, Steven stopped Hannah, There are so many paparazzi outside, how can you take her home? It¡¯s safer for Ms. Stewart to go home by herself.¡± ¡°President Dixon is right, so I leave first.¡± Cornelia liked Hannah, but she didn¡¯t want to have too much contact with her. Hannah was a big star, the wife of the Dixon Group¡¯s president Steven, and a friend of Marcus, while she, Cornelia, was just Marcus¡¯s assistant. They werepletely from two differer worlds They shouldnt have any intersection and couldn¡¯t possibly be friends. Hannah watched Cornelia leave, then turned and punched Steven, ¡°Steven, you not only interrupted my date with Cornelia but also didn¡¯t let me take her home. Are you trying to piss m on purpose?¡± ¡°If you take Cornelia home, then Marcus can¡¯t take her home.¡± Steven grabbed her hand, gently kissed it, ¡°Give Marcus a chance. Hannah knew what Steven was thinking, ¡°Cornelia is already married, and maybe even pregnant.¡± ¡°So what?¡± Steven sneered, lowered his head, and gently bit her earlobe, ¡°As long as Marcus likes her, how can she escape from his palm?¡± Hannah shuddered all over, and memories of the past came flooding back into her mind. She should know better than anyone, that when these rich and powerful men desired something, ordinary girls like them could never escape their control. Steven hugged her, ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s go back to the hotel for ate¨Cnight snack.¡± Hannah hid the destion in her eyes, scolding him yfully, ¡°You pervert!¡± Cornelia checked the time and decided to visit her grandma in the hospital on her way home. She went to the side of the road, ready to hail a cab, when a luxury car slowly drove up and stopped beside her. Marcus, sitting in the back seat, rolled down the window, ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll take you home on my way.¡± He sat in the car, with no lights on inside. The streetlights shone on him, his handsome features vaguely visible to Cornelia. In the dim light, his face looked so good that it seemed unreal. A man being this handsome was really troublesome. ¡°President Hartley, I can go home by myself.¡± After work, Cornelia didn¡¯t want to get too close to this troublesome man, so as not to leave a bad impression on others Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Marcus nced at her t tummy wanting to say something but couldn¡¯t, and let the driver drive away. Cornelia took a taxi to the hospital and found out that her grandma had been transferred back to the general ward and had dismissed the caregiver arranged by Jeremy Grandma¡¯s reason was that she didn¡¯t want to waste money, but Cornelia still sensed something unusual. ¡°Grandma, what did you and Jeremy talk about this afternoon?¡± Grandma held Cornelia¡¯s hand, gently patting it. ¡°Nelly, if you decide to divorce, just do it. Grandma supports you.¡± Since her grandma mentioned it, Cornelia wanted to be honest with her about her real situation with Jeremy, but she didn¡¯t dare to take the risk, ¡°Grandma, Jeremy is just busy with work, we¡¯re actually doing well¡­¡± Seeing Cornelia trying so hard tofort her,, Granny Reba felt even more distressed and regretful. ¡°When I asked you to marry Jeremy, I thought he was someone you could trust for a lifetime. I hoped you¡¯d have aplete and happy family, and that someone could protect you in my ce.¡± Cornelia understood her grandma¡¯s good intentions Grandma, I understand.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Granny Reba wiped away her tears. You got married for my sake, struggled to maintain this broken marriage, I never wanted to see that. My only wish is for you to be happy. Since this marriage brings you both pain and stress, why not end it?¡± ¡°Grandma, do you really think so?¡± Her grandma¡¯s enlightenment and support made Cornelia very happy. It turned out she had misunderstood her grandma¡¯s good intentions all along Granny Reba patted her head, ¡°You tell Jeremy now, set a time to get the divorce procedures done.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia quickly took out her phone and typed a message, ¡°Mr. Artis, I can go through the divorce procedure, and when should we schedule it?¡± After sending the message, Cornelia didn¡¯t wait for Jeremy¡¯s reply but received a call from Ryan. ¡°Ms. Stewart, at 2 pm tomorrow, City Hall, bring the relevant documents. This time I hope you can be on time.¡± ¡°Grandma, I need to go back and prepare the files. Lilian, please take more care of my grandma.¡± After saying that, Cornelia quickly left, and Granny Reba hadn¡¯t seen her so happy for a long time. Lilian said, ¡°Granny Reba, your grandson¨Cinw doesn¡¯t seem like an ordinary person, isn¡¯t it a pity?¡± Granny Reba smiled with relief, ¡°So what? My Nelly¡¯s happiness is what matters most.¡± Cornelia went home and, without greeting Zack and Abigail who were watching TV in the living room, rushed into her room to look for files. Zack and Abigail were startled, ¡°Cornelia, what are you doing?¡± ¡°My grandma finally agreed to let me divorce, I can get a divorce!¡± Cornelia¡¯s voice was excited, and her face was full of smiles. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. They both helped Cornelia to searchthe whole house up and down, but still couldn¡¯t find the marriage certificate. Abigail wondered, ¡°Could it have been identally thrown away?¡± Zack asked, ¡°Are you sure you brought it home?¡± Cornelia thought for a moment. ¡°Is it true that I can¡¯t get a divorce without a marriage certificate?¡± ¡°Let me look it up online¡± Zack quickly found some information, ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s okay if you lost yours, as long as your husband¡¯s marriage certificate isnt lost.¡± Cornelia breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That scared me; I thought I wouldn¡¯t be able to get a divorce again.¡± Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Due to being overly excited, Cornelia didn¡¯t sleep well that night However, the next day, she was still full of energy. When she left in the morning, she checked her documents in her bag again, for making sure everything was good to go before rushing off to thepany After a busy morning work, Cornelia casually asked Marcus for some time off, ¡°President Hartley, I have something to do in the afternoon, so I need to take a half¨Cday off¡± Her mood was exceptionally good, to the point where Marcus could sense it even without looking at her. She looked so happy; could it be that she¡¯s really pregnant? This thought made Marcus feel a little irritated, and he unconsciously tugged at his shirt cor. You just take the afternoon off¡± Cornelia, ¡°President Hartley, you¡¯re giving me time off again?¡± Under Marcus¡¯s leadership, thepany had reached heights that manypanies couldn¡¯t, and the heads of all departments are dedicated to their duties and have done a very good job. Marcus didn¡¯t have to worry too much. However, Marcus himself couldn¡¯t find any idle time as he worked tirelessly day and night. Now, whenever he took a brief break, it made those around him feel even more uneasy Marcus, ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Nope.¡± Ben asked the question that Marcus wanted to ask but didn¡¯t, ¡°Cornelia, you look really happy today, did something good happen?¡± Cornelia was indeed in a great mood today, but she didn¡¯t show it too obviously, ¡°Do I look that happy?¡± Ben, ¡°You look super happy! What happened? Let us have fun for you too. !* Cornelia said with a smile, ¡°One of the three greatest joys.¡± Ben, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Overall, it¡¯s a good thing President Hartley, Ben, I¡¯m going to eat first. See you tomorrow!¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t give Ben a clear answer, and Marcus, who had been listening on the side, didn¡¯t get the answer he wanted either. It is now 12:00 noon, and there were still two hours left until the agreed time. Cornelia ate a quick lunch in thepany cafeteria and then rushed to the destination, fearing that herte arrival would disrupt the divorce process again. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Thest time she was here was for their marriage registration, a year and seven months ago. Now, returning again, surprisingly, their mood was much more rxed than on their wedding day Ryan picked up Marcus in his car with the documents, and they went to a restaurant for lunch before leisurely heading to their destination. ording to Ryan, why should they always wait for her? This time, they¡¯d make her wait for a while. So when they arrived, it was ten minutester than the agreed time. Ryan parked the car in an open¨Cair parking lot not far away, looked up, and saw that Cornelia had been waiting at the entrance of the registration hall for a while, ¡°Mare, your wife is real proactive this time, looks like she¡¯s been waiting for us for a long time.¡± Marcus looked up and didn¡¯t see his wife Cornelia, but his assistant Cornelia instead. She didn¡¯t change her clothes and was still wearing her work attire, a white shirt with a ck suit and trouser. Why would Comelia be here? Ryan, ¡°Your wife is really beautiful, even ordinary work clothes can¡¯t hide her beauty. It¡¯s a pity that the one who truly has her is not you, but another man.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Marcus suddenly realized something, and his heart was filled with various emotions, ¡°The woman in work clothes at the entrance is my wife?¡± Ryan seemed to have heard the funniest thing in the world, ¡°You¡¯re not going to tell me that you don¡¯t even recognize your own wife, are you?¡± Marcus, He never doubted that he would meet two Cornelias at the same time. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Marcus took out his phone and scrolled to a contact marked that woman¡± but hesitated to call the number. He worried that once he dialed, it wouldn¡¯t be Cornelia who answered. Under Ryan¡¯s urging. Marcus finally made the call. The moment the phone was connected, he looked up and stared at Cornelia not far away, praying silently in his heart, hoping that Cornelia would answer his call, The phone rang a few times, and while he was waiting nervously, he saw Cornelia take her phone out of her bag. A familiar female voice came through the speaker, ¡°Mr. Artis, I¡¯m here. Are you guys here yet?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t dare respond and hung up quickly. Then he said to Ryan, ¡°Give me the marriage certificate.¡± Ryan took it out of the file bag and handed it to him. In the photo on the marriage certificate, Cornelia was wearing his familiar white shirt, even her bun hairstyle hadn¡¯t changed. After a brief moment of surprise, a wave of joy surged in Marcus¡¯s heart¡­ For the first time, he felt his heart beating so fast, as if it would burst through his chest. She turned out to be his wife! His little assistant turned out to be his legal wife! He was the only man who could legitimately own her! No matter what she was thinking or whose child she was carrying, it couldn¡¯t change the fact that she was his wife. Marcus suppressed his inner joy and quickly made a call, I want all the information on Cornelia and everyone around her within an hour.¡± Ryan urged, ¡°Marc, get out of the car, man. What are you waiting for?¡± Marcus reached out and gently poked the bun on Cornelia¡¯s head in the photo, I won¡¯t get a divorce¡± Ryan was puzzled, ¡°Marc, are you two messing with me? Last time she didn¡¯t want a divorce, now you don¡¯t want one.¡± As he spoke, Cornelia¡¯s call came in, ¡°Mr. Colwell, when are you arriving?¡± Ryan¡¯s phone was connected to the car¡¯s Bluetooth, so Cornelia¡¯s crisp and pleasant voice filled the car, and Marcus could hear it too. Ryan nced at Marcus, who didn¡¯t give any instructions, so he had to say, ¡°Uh¡­ Ms. Stewart, I¡¯m sorry! Mr. Artis says he doesn¡¯t want a divorce anymore¡± Cornelia¡¯s exasperated voice came, ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Ryan replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t Ms. Stewart y with us like this before? You each y once, and now it¡¯s bnced¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia said angrily, ¡°Are you guys crazy? Can divorce be a joke?¡± Ryan said again, ¡°You go back first. When he wants a divorce, I will inform you again.¡± Cornelia said anxiously, it was my fault for noting before, and you guys didn¡¯te today, let¡¯s call it even. Let¡¯s set another time, what about tomorrow or the day after tomorrow? Ryan replied, ¡°That depends on Mr. Artis.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°He¡¯s the one who wanted a divorce, and now he¡¯s the one who doesn¡¯t want one. What the hell does he mean?¡± Hearing Cornelia¡¯s angry words, Ryan quickly looked at Marcus, who not only wasn¡¯t angry, but had a subtle smile on his lips. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Chapter 94 ¡°He¡¯s probably just being unreasonable ¡°Ryan looked at Marcus and deliberately said, ¡°Ms. Stewart, don¡¯t bother arguing with him Your marriage is in name only, so you can still date other guys Before he could finish his sentence, Marcus grabbed his phone and ended the call Ryan said, ¡°You know she has a boyfriend too, why are you getting angry?¡± Marcus suddenly remembered the conversation between Cornelia and Ben at noon, ¡°What are the three greatest joys in modern society?¡± Ryan replied. ¡°For men, it¡¯s getting promoted, getting rich, and outliving their wives. For women, it¡¯s getting a raise, climbing the careerdder, and outliving their husbands¡± It dawned on Marcus that Cornelia¡¯s earlier excitement was because she was nning to divorce him! This made Marcus¡¯s face even darker, ¡°You can shut up now.¡± Ryan,¡± Marcus got out of the car and sat in his own chauffeur¨Cdriven car, ¡°Drive, let¡¯s pick up Cornelia and go back to Celestial Chateau.¡± Cornelia walked to the side of the road angrily,, cursing under her breath. That man was crazy¨Che wanted a divorce, but now he doesn¡¯t want one anymore Is he just ying games? Not paying attention, Cornelia almost collided with a car on the side of the road ¡°If you can¡¯t drive, don¡¯t! What would you do if you hit someone?¡± Afterining, she finally saw the luxury car in front of her. There weren¡¯t many of these cars in the world, Riverton, no one else would own one except Marcus. Cornelia looked at the back seat and, as expected, met Marcus¡¯s deep andplicated gaze. He looked at her as if he was sizing up a stranger¡­ Cornelia immediately squeezed out a perfect smile, ¡°President Hartley, why are you here?¡± ¡°Just passing by Marcus got out of the car, seeing her being angry but still forcing a smile. ¡°You¡¯re so happy at work, but why are you still angry during your break?¡± It was her personal business, and Cornelia didn¡¯t want to talk to him about it. ¡°President Hartley, If you¡¯re okay, I¡¯ll go first.¡± Seeing her eagerly wanting to escape him, Marcus felt very unhappy. ¡°Who said I¡¯m fine?¡± Cornelia, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Get in the car.¡± Marcus opened the car door and gestured for her to get in first. Cornelia took a step back and walked around him to the passenger cab, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯d take the front seat.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t stop her. After getting in the car, Cornelia tried to control her emotions. Her principle was to never bring her personal feelings into her work. ¡°President Hartley, where are we going? Let me know sol can be prepared.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t respond, his heart filled with various emotions. Was she like him, not knowing they were husband and wife? Or maybe she knows everything, but had another man in her heart and didn¡¯t want to acknowledge his identity? Thistter guess made him even more irritable, but he tried to control his emotions for fear of scaring her. ¡°Cornelia¡­ Hearing him call her name, Cornelia immediately turned around and met his deep gaze again His voice was deep and pleasant, and the gentle way he looked at her made Cornelia¡¯s ears turn red. ¡°President Hartley, please just tell me what you need.¡± ¡°Cornelia ¡°He didn¡¯t say anything, just called her name several times. Cornelia said. ¡°President Hartley, please don¡¯t do this. Just tell me what you want.¡± Marcus suddenly smiled, ¡°What ami to you?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t understand why he suddenly asked such a strange question but answered honestly. ¡°President Hartley, you are my boss.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Marcus asked, ¡°Anything else?¡± Cornelia looked baffled. ¡°What else?¡± Not getting the answer he wanted, Marcus went silent for a bit, ¡°Nothing¡± Cornelia Her boss seemed really off today She turned back around and obediently sat in the passenger seat. About half an hourter, the car drove into the vi area. The nearby vi area was close to the city and had a sea view Celestial Chateau was the most luxurious part of the area, taking up a vast amount ofnd After entering the vi area, they drove through a few kilometers of tree¨Clined roads before entering the Celestial Chateau area. First, they saw the gardens, and further in, there were several small buildings. The outermost one was for the servants to live in, while the others were for hosting family and guests. The small building where the owner lives is located at the highest position in the N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Celestial Chateau area Every rooms balcony in the main house had a sea view, and you could even see your own golf course. In short, In Cornelia¡¯s eyes, this was the residence of a mega¨Crich person! After the driver parked the car, Cornelia hurriedly got out the car to open the door for Marcus, but this time Marcus got out of the car before her. He nced at her, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Normally, he would walk ahead with Cornelia following behind him. However, today he deliberately slowed his pace to walk alongside her. But Cornelia was used to following behind him. If he slowed down, she¡¯d walk even slower, making sure not to walk side by side with him Seeing this, Marcus sped up, and Cornelia followed closely Patricia greeted her warmly as usual, Ms. Stewart, you¡¯re here. What would you like to drink?¡± ¡°Patricia, I just have some water, please.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to trouble others too much, but Marcus jumped in, ¡°Give her some hot water, and be mindful of the food.¡± Patricia: ¡°Yes¡± Marcus then called out to the confused Cornelia, ¡°You sit first.¡± Marcus was acting weird today, and Cornelia felt uneasy. She just wanted to get her work done quickly, ¡°President Hartley, please give me your instructions.¡± From the moment he picked her up until now, she had hardly spoken to him about anything other than work. Couldn¡¯t they talk about something other than work as husband and wife? ¡°Who said there¡¯s work?¡± ¡°No work?¡± If there¡¯s no work, why did he call her to his house? Cornelia thought to herself but didn¡¯t dare say it out loud. At that moment of silence, Dr. Dawson and Ayden arrived. ¡°Dr. Dawson is here; let her check you out.¡± Marcus got up and walked upstairs, with Ayden following him. Cornelia was still confused, ¡°Check what?¡± Dr. Dawson sat down next to Cornelia, took her pulse, and asked with a smile, ¡°When was yourst period? Did you fail to take contraception and identally get pregnant? Did you take any hormonal drugs during that time?¡± Patricia got excited upon hearing this, ¡®Ms. Stewart, are you pregnant? Congrattions!¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Dr. Dawson, who said I¡¯m pregnant?¡± Dr Dawson You¡¯re not?¡± Dr. Dawson was Marcus¡¯s friend, and Marcus was at Hannah¡¯s partyst night, so the one who loves to gossip was Marcus He, a grown man, actually believed the rumors and spread unverified information, tarnishing her reputation. If this news reached her nominal husband, and he mistakenly believed the rumors, she would be at a huge loss if he demandedpensation for his mental distress. Cornelia rarely revealed her true emotions in front of strangers, but this time she was genuinely angry, ¡°No! We haven¡¯t reached that stage yet. Where would the chulde from?¡± Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Dr. Dawson was taken aback, but thenughed even more happily. ¡°Well, since you¡¯re not pregnant, that¡¯s even better. You and Marc can have your own kids in the future. You¡¯re both so good looking your kids will definitely be super good¨Clooking too.¡± Although Marcus didnt mind raising someone else¡¯s child, after all, he was the helmsman of the Hartley Group, and his child would surely inherit the Hartley Group in the future If his child wasnt of the Hartley family¡¯s blood, thepany would inevitably fall into chaos again, which was something no one in the Hartley family wanted to see N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Dr. Dawson, what do you mean by that?¡± Cornelia¡¯s eyes turned red with anger. ¡°Who do you think I am? Do you think anyone can just humiliate and trample on me?¡± Dr. Dawson realized she had said something wrong and quickly apologized, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to insult you. I¡¯m just happy for you She had just found out that Cornelia was Marcus¡¯s registered wife, and even though Marcus knew that Cornelia might be pregnant with someone else¡¯s child, he still didn¡¯t divorce her. He even said that as long as Cornelia insisted on giving birth, he would take care of her child. This news surprised both her and Ayden, and they didn¡¯t dare to think too much about it. So, when Dr. Dawson found out that Cornelia wasn¡¯t pregnant, she got so excited that she misspoke. ¡°Happy for me?¡± Cornelia looked coldly at Dr. Dawson. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what you¡¯re so happy about?¡± Could it be that Cornelia didn¡¯t know she was Marcus¡¯s wife? As Marcus hadn¡¯t told Cornelia the truth, and he might have other ns. Dr. Dawson thought she couldn¡¯t let the cat out of the bag. ¡°Dr. Dawson, I¡¯ve always respected you. Please show me the same respect. With that, Cornelia picked up her bag and left. Yes, she was Marcus¡¯s assistant, just a small assistant. Marcus could make her lose this job with just a word, but she wouldn¡¯t let him or his friends humiliate her like this. The more Cornelia thought about it, the more angry she was, so she took out her work mobile phone to call Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, I always think you are the best leader I have ever met, and I respect you from the bottom of my heart. If you don¡¯t like me, just fire me. Why humiliate me like this?¡± After venting, she hung up without waiting for Marcus¡¯s reply, the first time she had ever hung up on him. She put away her phone and walked out quickly, but the vi area was sorge that it would take at least an hour to walk out. After walking for a while, she heard the roar of a car behind her. Cornelia quickly stepped aside, and the car moved closer to her again. Immediately afterwards, Marcus¡¯s deep, sexy voice came, ¡°Get in, I¡¯ll take you back.¡± Cornelia was still angry and even thought about quitting her job, so she didn¡¯t speak kindly to him. ¡°President Hartley, are you trying to p me in the face and then give me a candy?¡± Marcus got out of the car, walked up to her, and looked down at her. He had a lot to say to her, but in the end, all he could say was, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry!¡± He shouted her name loudly and apologized sincerely. Because this apology was not only for today¡¯s offense, but also for not fulfilling his duties as a husband and for his misunderstanding of her cheating. He had read through all the information Ayden brought, and every piece of information about her had deeply hurt his heart. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Cornelia¡¯s mom, ir Dennis, took off and ditched her dad, Hawthorne Stewart, after giving birth to Cornelia. She left Rosenberg, and has not been heard from since. Her dad died in a car crash when she was five, so her grandma raised her all by herself, and she suffered a lot of bullying in her childhood. Since her family situation was pretty messed up, she matured early, often helping her grandma with chores. At the age of sixteen, she was admitted to the University of Riverton with excellent grades She thought everything would get better once she got into college, but in her sophomore year, she got framed and had to leave Rosenberg, but she did not return to her hometown for several years. Back to Riverton to deal with affairs, the boy who had promised to protect her for the rest of his life also dumped her at the airport. For the next two years, she juggled school and part¨Ctime jobs, so when she graduated, she had enough money to start a studio with her buddies. At the same time, she joined a branch of the Hartley Group Soon after, thanks to some matchmaking by both their grandmas, she got a marriage certificate with Jeremy with apprehension and anxiety, and became his legal wife. Before getting married, she had experienced all the misfortunes, and considering that he was not her husband, it was understandable that he did not do his best to protect her But after getting married? When she got ndered at work, he was right there, but all he did was coldly tell her to find proof of her innocence. Where was he when she went back to Rosenberg and got picked on? Her friends were the ones there for her when she needed help, while her husband not only didn¡¯t help her but pushed her deeper into the abyss. What¡¯s the difference between him and the guy who dumped her years ago when she needed help the most? Feeling guilty and ashamed, Marcus couldn¡¯t bring himself to tell her his true identity and just said, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m really sorry!¡± Since Marcus apologized sincerely, Cornelia let it go, ¡°President Hartley, I forgive you. Please, you and your friends, stop saying weird stuff to me. You¡¯re married, and so am I. I¡¯ve never thought about reaching for someone like you.¡± Even though she had no clue what her husband looked like, she never thought about hiding her marital status. She¡¯d be faithful to her marriage, even if her husband threatened to divorce Little did she know that Marcus was desperately wishing for her to have even a tiny thought of ¡°reaching for him. ¡°Can I give you a ride home?¡± Marcus instinctively reached out to hold her hand, but he had to restrain himself because of their official rtionship. ¡°No need to trouble President Hartley. I¡¯ll walk out and get a cab.¡°Even though she was mad at him today and he apologized, Cornelia didn¡¯t dare forget how scary his true side was. No way she¡¯d let him be her driver. When she refused, Marcus had no choice but topromise, ¡°How about Ayden takes you home?¡± ¡°Thanks¡± Cornelia agreed right away. She wasn¡¯t dumb enough to walk out when it¡¯s dark. Marcus had always known that Cornelia kept a proper distance from him outside of work, but it still made him ufortable to see her reject him decisively and happily ept Ayden to send her back.N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Chapter 98 After watching Ayden drive Cornelia away. Marcus got into the car driven by his chauffeur and headed straight to the Hartley Mansion Granny Luisa has been living here since she came backst time because she is worried about Granny Reba¡¯s condition. Seeing Marcus, Granny Luisa felt annoyed, ¡°What are you doing back here? Are you trying to see if I¡¯m dead from anger because of you?¡± Marcus pushed his sses up on his nose, ¡°Granny, how did I anger you?¡± ¡°Jeremy, how dare you say you didn¡¯t anger me?¡± When she called him that name, it approved she was really p***d off. Marcus helped her, 7 came here to calm you down. Please listen to what I say first¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Granny Luisa didn¡¯t listen at all, keptining. ¡°How did you promise me back then? Look at what you¡¯ve done again! I just found out today that all the big families are talking about your wife¡¯s cheating You spread the news, not only ruining Cornelia but also trying to kill me This matter was spread by Courtney Kamp-Hartley, who was that woman¡¯s son, and he was also involved. So Marcus didn¡¯t bother to exin, ¡°Granny, I will handle this matter, and no one will dare to nder Cornelia again.¡± Granny Luisa didn¡¯t even have lunch today after hearing about this from the butler, ¡°You¡¯re a man, don¡¯t you know how important reputation is to a girl in this society? If you want to divorce, just do it, but you have created such a drama, how will Cornelia get marriedter? Hearing that Cornelia might marry someone else, Marcus¡¯s voice suddenly sank, ¡°She is my wife, who else do you want her to marry?¡± ¡°You only thought of her as your wife after the divorce? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s toote?¡± Granny Luisa covered her chest, ¡°Get out of here, don¡¯t bother metely. Seeing you makes my chest hurt.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not divorced ¡°Marcus emphasized heavily, ¡°Cornelia is still my wife and will always be my wife. This is a fact that no one carr change¡± Granny Luisa thought what she heard was wrong. ¡°What did you say?¡± Marcus emphasized again, ¡°I won¡¯t divorce. Cornelia can only be my wife.¡± Granny Luisa stared at him, sizing him up and down, ¡°What made you change your mind so quickly?¡± Marcus helped Granny Luisa into the house to sit down, ¡°Because I just realized that you were right, Granny. Cornelia is indeed a very good girl, and it¡¯s my blessing to marry her This kid¡¯s change was too drastic; before, he was disgusted when mentioning Cornelia, but now, he called her his wife as if he was afraid someone would take her away ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re not just saying this to annoy me?¡± ¡°I misunderstood her before, but now I¡¯m very clear about what kind of woman she is. I want to protect her and live a good life with her,¡± Marcus paused and continued, ¡°However, she doesn¡¯t seem very willing to be with me.¡± ¡°Do you think Cornelia is a pet or something?¡± His Granny Luisa poked his forehead, ¡°If I were Cornelia, I wouldn¡¯t want anything to do with you in this life or the next,¡± That¡¯s why Marcus didn¡¯t dare reveal his identity, Cornelia seemed gentle on the surface, but she was actually very strong If she knew Jeremy was Marcus, who once misunderstood her for cheating and even ruined her reputation, she would definitely not ept him and might even choose to resign and leave thepany. Before she knew his identity, he had to change her perception of him to have a chance to keep her. Hearing this, Granny Luisa also understood Marcus¡¯s purpose foring to her this time, ¡°What do you want me to do? But let me make it clear first, you have to chase your own wife, I can¡¯t help you with that.¡± Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chapter 99 7 want to arrange the best doctor and hospital to take care of her grandma, so she can recover quickly, and Cornelia won¡¯t have to worry¡± This was the best way Marcus could think of to make it up to Cornelia. If he did it himself, Cornelia won¡¯t ept it, so he had to ask her grandma for help. Granny Luisa said. This problem is easy to solve, I¡¯m nning to bring Cornelia¡¯s grandma to live with me anyway. I¡¯ve been looking for an excuse, and now that you¡¯re not getting divorced, I can do it without any fuss¡± Marcus breathed a sigh of relief, Thank you, Granny!¡± Granny Luisa added, ¡°But I must warn you, if you do anything inappropriate again, I won¡¯t let you off the h****k.¡± 7 wont ¡°This time, he had determined to take on the responsibility of being Cornelia¡¯s husband and never let her get hurt again. But would Cornelia give him a chance to make up for it? For the first time in his 28 years, Marcus was unsure about something, and it maked him feel helpless. Granny Luisa had always been an impatient person, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the hospital now and deal with this matter as soon as possible, so that I can feel at ease.¡± Marcus thiought the same way Meanwhile, Cornelia was wandering outside the hospital. She couldn¡¯t get a divorce, and her seriously ill grandma would definitely worry about her when she found out. She didn¡¯t want her grandma to worry, but she couldn¡¯t think of a good solution After hesitating for about half an hour, Cornelia decided to tell her grandma the truth. To tell one lie, she needed countless lies to cover it up, and her grandma would find out sooner orter. Her grandma was indeed a smart person, and even though Cornelia adjusted her expression, her grandma saw through it, ¡°Nelly, did you have trouble with the divorce?¡± ¡°Jeremy changed his mind ¡°Cornelia watched her grandma¡¯s reaction, ¡°But don¡¯t worry, whether heText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. divorces or not won¡¯t affect our lives.¡± Her grandma was very calm, even calmer than Cornelia, ¡°Did he say why he changed his mind?¡± Granny Luisa still remembered that day when the young man stood in front of her and firmly said there was no possibility of their marriage being saved. But on the day of the divorce, he suddenly changed his mind. Something must have happened during this time Cornelia shaked her head, ¡°He didn¡¯t say why.¡± Cornelia asked why, but it was hiswyer who answered, and those answers were unpleasant. She dared not tell her grandma that it was Jeremy¡¯swyer who had beenmunicating with her, and that Jeremy had never appeared. She also didn¡¯t dare say that after registering their marriage, Jeremy disappeared, and only reappeared to ask her for a divorce. She and Jeremy only met once on their wedding day. If she said this, her grandma would surely think Jeremy didn¡¯t care about her and would be heartbroken for a long time. ¡°Nelly, even though we have no one to rely on and you don¡¯t have your parents to support you, as long as I¡¯m still breathing, I won¡¯t let that guy Jeremy bully you.¡± Her grandma found her phone, ¡°I¡¯m going to call Granny Luisa right away to give her a piece of my mind. Her grandson may be her treasure, but my granddaughter is also the apple of my eye, raised with all my love and care..¡± Chapter TUU Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Chapter 100 ¡°Reba, you¡¯re right. I have to give you and Nelly an ount of this matter.¡± Granny Luisa pushed the door and entered with a loud voice, ¡°Jeremy is not human!¡± After entering the room Granny Luisa continued ranting. At first, he wanted a divorce, but now he doesnt want one anymore What does he think of Nelly? This ungrateful guy, if he dares to show his face in front of me again, I break his legs. He¡¯s driving me nuts!¡± Granny Luisa¡¯s scolding made Granny Reba hesitant to say anything else, even trying to calm her down, ¡®Luisa, don¡¯t worry, sit down and have a drink of water, dont get too upset¡± Granny Luisa walked over to Granny Reba¡¯s bedside, tightly holding her hand, and shedding a few timely tears, ¡°Reba, I know you¡¯re soft-hearted. But I cant take advantage of your kindness and just let this slide¡± Seeing her old friend in tears, Granny Reba also started crying, ¡°It¡¯s not the kids fault, it¡¯s ours. If we hadn¡¯t tried so hard to get them married, none of this would¡¯ve happened¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Nelly is a great girl, it¡¯s my fault for not teaching that ungrateful Jeremy better.¡± Granny Luisa wiped her tears away. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t hold it against him, I won¡¯t let him off the h***k. Reba, pack your things ande with me to recover, well spend all that guy¡¯s money together. Cornelia, who had been ignored by the two olddies, immediately stepped in when she sensed something was wrong, ¡°Granny, I can pay for my grandma¡¯s medical expenses, there¡¯s no need to use Jeremy¡¯s money.¡± ¡°Cornelia, that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.¡± Granny Luisa said indignantly. ¡°As long as that little jerk hasn¡¯t divorced you, I am his grandmother. It¡¯s only right for me to spend his money¡± ¡®Granny, I have money. Although still married, Cornelia really didn¡¯t want anything more to do with Jeremy. She didn¡¯t want to be controlled by him in the future because of financial reasons But Granny Luisa wouldn¡¯t listen, ¡°He suddenly insists on not divorcing now, who knows what devious thoughts he¡¯s having? In case he¡¯s plotting something evil again, Nelly will be the one to suffer. You guys just listen to me, since he¡¯s not divorcing, let him pay for it and make him pay for his stubbornness¡± Granny Luisa spoke with righteous indignation, as if Jeremy was a heinous viin in her eyes However, it was still up to her own grandma to make the final decision. Cornelia looked at her grandma, ¡°Grandma, what do you think? Granny Reba thought for a moment, ¡°Nelly, I think what Granny Luisa said makes a lot of sense. Ill go with her to Southern Peak to recover) Cornelia became anxious, ¡°Both of you, please calm down. This is not a small matter, can we discuss it more carefully?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Calm down? That unfilial son is about to drive me mad, how can I calm down? Reba, Nelly, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of this for you.¡± Granny Reba also chimed in, ¡°Actually, Jeremy is a good kid, but marriage can¡¯t be forced.¡± ¡°What¡¯s good about him? He¡¯s already 28 years old and has never been in a rtionship. I had to convince him to get married reluctantly, and then he made a mess of his married life.¡± Granny Luisa said this, appearing to scold him, but actually praising her grandson. As the two olddies argued, Cornelia couldn¡¯t get a word in and helplessly watched Granny Luisa lead her grandma away. Granny Luisa had obviously made full preparations, with an ambnce and apanying doctor waiting outside the hospital. Watching her grandma get in the car, Cornelia felt reluctant to let her grandma go, ¡°The two grandmas¡­¡± Both grannies waved their hands and said, ¡°Jeremy has hired a caregiver for us who knows better how to take care of people than you do, so hurry back and do what you¡¯re supposed to do.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Then both of you take care of yourselves. I¡¯lle to see you when I have a break.¡± Granny Luisa added, ¡°You¡¯re still young, you should be dating, don¡¯t always worry about us. Cornelia was speechless. Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Geez, she¡¯s already married, how can she date again? She doesn¡¯t want to be mistaken for cheating. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Granny Luisa ¡°Alright, here we go, you go back.¡± ¡°Goodbye, grannies!¡± Cornelia Stewart reluctantly watched the car slowly drive away, not taking her eyes off it for quite a while. Deep down, Cornelia knew that Granny Reba and Granny Luisa were going to Southern Peak not because they wanted to spend Jeremy Artis¡¯s money, but because they didn¡¯t want to cause her trouble and affect her work. Not far away, an ordinary business car was parked, with Marcus Hartley sitting inside. Seeing Cornelia¡¯s dispirited look, he lit a cigarette, snuffed it out without taking a puff, pushed the car door open and walked towards her ¡°Cornelia ¡± Cornelia was startled by her name being called suddenly. Seeing it was him, she was puzzled but still managed to put on her standard smile. ¡°President Hartley, why are you here? Where do you feel unwell to see a doctor?* Marcus: ¡°Just passing by What about you?¡± Bumping into her twice in one day while passing by seemed too much of a coincidence, so much so that Cornelia couldn¡¯t believe it. Did he have some purpose for her? It wasn¡¯t that Cornelia thought too highly of herself, but his behavior was indeed suspicious. She decided to be cautious. I¡¯m also just passing by and getting ready to go home. Goodbye. President Hartley.¡± As she finished speaking and was about to leave, Marcus stopped her. ¡°Thaven¡¯t had dinner yet. Let¡¯s have dinner together?¡± Even inviting her to dinner, President Hartley was really acting strange today. She apologized with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Hartley, but I already have ns with my friends ¡°Nelly, why are you standing outside in the cold wind?¡± Zack Ruck and Abigail Young had just arrived at the hospital when they saw Cornelia talking to a man by the roadside. They couldn see the man¡¯s faceText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. as his back was facing them. The two of them arrived just in time. Cornelia hurriedly went up to them and said, ¡°I told you guys to wait for me at the restaurant. Why did youe here?¡± Zack didn¡¯t catch her hint, shaking the thermos in his hand. ¡°Abby and I got off work early today and made some soup especially for Granny Reba Cornelia: ¡°Granny Reba won¡¯t be able to enjoy it The two of them were shocked. ¡°What did you say?¡± Cornelia realized her words were misleading and quickly exined, ¡°Granny Luisa took Granny Reba to Southern Peak to recuperate¡± Abigail ¡°Granny Luisa took Granny Reba to recuperate? You and that Jeremy guy are already divorced, why are they still so kind?¡± Cornelia shrugged helplessly. ¡°We didn¡¯t get divorced.¡± Abigal ¡°Why not?¡± Cornelia: ¡°He changed his mind Abigail shouted angrily. That man insisted on divorce when you were most vulnerable, and now he doesn¡¯t want to anymore, he even took Granny Reba to Southern Peak to recuperate. He must have no good intentions¡± Zack nodded, ¡°Yeah, that guy must be up to no good.¡± At this point, Marcus, who was being scolded right in front of him, felt gloomy inside. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Cornelia¡¯s friends all called Marcus a d**g, and Marcus didn¡¯t even argue. He actually agreed with them, admitting he was indeed an irresponsible guy When his wife needed him the most, he not only didn¡¯t help, but caused her more trouble Her friends were so resentful towards him, you can imagine how much Cornelia must hate her husband ¡°Jeremy¡± The three of them totally ignored Marcus, Marcus had to call out to remind himself of his existence, ¡°Cornelia, are these your friends?¡± Cornelia,¡± C***p, she had forgotten Marcus was still around when Zack and Abigail stirred things up, and now he¡¯d heard her personal business. Abigail finally noticed Marcus and got excited, ¡°Wow, handsome guy! Have we met somewhere? Nelly, is he Jeremy? If he¡¯s Jeremy, don¡¯t get a divorce it¡¯s great to have such a good-looking guy, even if he doesn¡¯t do anything, just taking him out for a walk would be a good look¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Marcus, Cornelia quickly pulled the excited Abigail back and awkwardly introduced, ¡°He¡¯s not Jeremy, he¡¯s my boss, President of the Hartley Group, Marcus President Hartley, this is Abigail, and this is Zack my childhood friends.¡± Zack also thought the guy looked familiar and remembered after a few nces, President Hartley, have we met?¡± Marcus said without changing his expression, ¡°Yeah, I saw you two once when I went to find Cornelia, but you guys shut me out.¡± Hearing this, Abigail also remembered, ¡°Right, right, right! But President Hartley looks even more handsome today¡± Cornelia, ¡°When did it happen? Why didn¡¯t I know?¡± Marcus interrupted her, I heard you guys are going to have dinner, do you mind if I join?¡± Eating with such a good-looking man, she can eat two extra bowls of rice, Abigail wished for it, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, of course I don¡¯t mind.¡± Cornelia and Zack, ¡°Ahem, Abby.¡± Abigails attention was all on Marcus good looking face, not caring about Cornelia and Zack, President Hartley, what would you like to eat?¡± Marcus, I¡¯m easy, anything is fine.¡± Abigail ¡°How about BBQ?¡± Marcus, ¡°No problem.¡± Cornelia,** Didn¡¯t he dislike greasy food? And usually, when other women stared at him, Marcus would have a disgusted look. But today, he had a good temper and kept up a conversation with Abigail. What was going on with him today? Before Cornelia could figure it out, a cold breeze blew by, and she, dressed in her work clothes, shivered. Zack quickly took off his thick coat and draped it over her, ¡°It¡¯s windy, let¡¯s get in the car and decide where to eat. Cornelia sniffed her red and cold nose, Zack, your coat smells a bit sweaty How long has it been since you washed it?¡± Zack red at her, ¡°Give it back if you don¡¯t want it, go freeze¡± Cornelia quickly wrapped the coat tightly around herself and smiled, it might smell a bit, but it¡¯s still warm.¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 Chapter 103 She had a very happy smile, a smile that came from the bottom of her heart, nothing like the standard smile at work. Marcus really wanted to rip off Zack¡¯s coat and throw his own over Cornelia, but reason held him back. Watching another man care for his wife while he couldn¡¯t do anything was eating him up inside Abigail asked President Hartley, can you drive?¡± Ayden was waiting in his car nearby, but Marcus shook his head, ¡°Nope.¡± Abigail said, ¡°If you dont mind, you can ride with us¡± The cheapest car Marcus went out was worth a million dors, Cornelia worried that he was not used to it, ¡°President Hartley, why don¡¯t you just wait for the driver to pick you up ¡± No need ¡°Marcus got into Zack¡¯s car first, choosing the passenger seat to prevent Cornelia from sitting next to Zack. Abigail also followed into the car, but Cornelia quickly grabbed her and whispered, ¡°Abby, that¡¯s Marcus, and he¡¯s married Watch what you say, okay?¡± Abigail didn¡¯t care, ¡°What¡¯s his marriage got to do with me? I¡¯m not trying to be the other woman. I just want to chat with a handsome man for once to add some excitement to my boring life¡± Corn said, ¡°This guy isn¡¯t as easygoing as he seems. think he¡¯s pretty nice, actually. He doesn¡¯t act all high and mighty around us regr folks.¡± As Abigail spoke to Cornelia, she kept her eyes on Marcus, ¡°This man is gorgeous, both in looks and physique. He¡¯s way better than any male celebrity I¡¯ve ever seen¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Girl, you¡¯re hopeless¡± Abigail said, ¡°Nelly, I¡¯m notplimenting you. You are the only one who can keep calm with such a handsome man every day. If I were you, I would have already figured out a way to pursue him ¡± Cornelia quickly covered Abigails mouth, ¡°Please, have some restraint! I still have to work with him tomorrow.¡± ¡°Ugh, I want to be restrained, but I just can¡¯t!¡± Abigail got into the car and kept trying to make conversation with Marcus. Since she was Cornelia¡¯s good friend, Marcus didn¡¯t totally ignore her, but his answers were brief. The most Cornelia heard him say was a simple ¡°Mhm,¡± Even though he was being cold, Abigail continued to pry. ¡°President Hartley, I heard from Nelly that you¡¯re married?¡± Hearing Abigail bring up this sensitive topic, Cornelia feared Marcus would get angry. But the anger Cornelia expected never came. Instead, Marcus said in his pleasant voice, ¡°Yep, I¡¯am married. My wife is a great girl. I misunderstood her before, which caused some distance between us. I want to make it up to her now, but I don¡¯t know if she will forgive me?¡± He turned to face Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, would you forgive me if it were you?¡± Abigail immediately answered, ¡°Of course she would! You¡¯re so good-looking, what¡¯s a little misunderstanding? Even if you had a bunch of mistresses, she¡¯d still forgive you.¡± Marcus nced at her, and Abigail suddenly felt a chill. This man seemed kind of scary He looked back at Cornelia, wanting her answer. Cornelia had nned to just brush it off But she thought about her own experiences and how the rumors about his wife¡¯s infidelity were spreading, causing damage that couldn¡¯t be undone with just a simple misunderstanding Could he really solve everything with just one word, misunderstanding¡±? Did he ever consider what his wife had gone through during this time? Cornelia wouldn¡¯t forgive him, but she didnt know the depth of their rtionship, President Hartley doubted her because he didn¡¯t trust her enough. He spread unconfirmed rumors, causing her even more pain. Whether your wife will forgive you is something you should ask her yourself. It doesn¡¯t matter what we sayBelongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Cornelia didn¡¯t want to answer, but Marcus could probably guess her thoughts and insisted on her saying it out loud, Tm asking you now¡± Zack didn¡¯t like his girl being bullied by others, so he nced at Marcus, President Hartley, whether your wife will forgive you or not, you should ask her My Nelly¡¯s words indeed don¡¯t count.¡± Marcus eyes under the silver rimmed sses were sharp and menacing. ¡°Your Nelly?¡± When did Corn, his wife, be someone else¡¯s? Some hostility was only noticeable between men, and Zack saw Marcus as a dangerous guy. ¡°Yeah, my Nelly, we¡¯ve known each other since we were kids¡± Abigail who was too distracted by Cornelia¡¯s beauty, didn¡¯t notice the tension between the two men and continued, ¡°President Hartley, do you want to know how Nelly got her nickname?¡± Cornelia was getting a headache. Abby, President Hartley is so busy, so that he doesn¡¯t have time for this.¡± However, Marcus was very interested in everything about Cornelia, ¡°Go on¡± Abigail excitedly said, ¡°When Nelly was about five or six years old, she was thirsty and identally drank Granny Reba¡¯s medicinal alcohol. She got drunk and crawled around the house like a caterpir That¡¯s when we started calling her that ¡± ¡°Abby, if you don¡¯t shut up, I¡¯ll show you what¡¯s what tonight,¡± Cornelia threatened. If Abby kept talking, Marcus would know all her embarrassing childhood stories Abigail leaned into Cornelia¡¯s arms, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind, but aside from punching me a few times, what else can you do?¡­ But we can go out and have some fun together¡± Cornelia hurriedly covered her mouth Abigail had never even had a boyfriend, but her mouth was fierce, and there was nothing she wouldn¡¯t say. Usually, when the three of them were together, joking around was harmless, but now there was Marcus Zack deliberately said, ¡°I heard The Dive Bar has some new people. I¡¯ll take you both there sometime.¡± Were these two crazy today? Cornelia quickly interrupted him, Zack, have you decided which BBQ ce we¡¯re going to? I need to reserve a seat.¡± ¡°Just the one we always go to up ahead, we¡¯ll be there in a minute.¡± Zack parked the car by the BBQ ce and let them get out first while he looked for a parking spot. Before even entering, they could smell the strong aroma of grilled meat. Cornelia looked at Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, are you really able to eat this?¡± Marcus, if you can eat it, why can¡¯t I?¡± Cornelia, *_* The three of them entered the restaurant, they missed the peak dining hours and there were not many diners in the restaurant now. Cornelia chose an eight-person table in the corner She pulled out a bench and wiped it over and over with a paper towel, making sure it was clean before saying, ¡°President Hartley, please sit down.¡± Marcus actually sat down, and Cornelia sat to his left, gesturing for him to use the hot towel brought by the waiter first.. After wiping their hands, Cornelia began to order. She knew Marcus couldn¡¯t eat greasy food, so she nned to order some light dishes. Just as she was about to order, Zack came over ¡°What¡¯s the point of eating BBQ if you¡¯re going to order light dishes?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Zack, President Hartley can¡¯t eat greasy food. Let¡¯s just order some light dishes.¡± Zack looked at Marcus provocatively, ¡°If President Hartley really can¡¯t eat greasy food, then let¡¯s order some light dishes to go with the BBQ.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Whatever you guys eat, I¡¯ll eat.¡±Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Cornelia wanted to stop him, but Zack was quicker He quickly ordered some dishes they liked After ordering, he passed the menu to Marcus, President Hartley, what would you like to eat?¡± Cornelia tried to take it, but Zack didn¡¯t let her, Tordered what you like, let President Hartley see what he likes¡± Marcus was very picky, not eating this or that. With limited choices in the restaurant, he couldn¡¯t find anything he liked. He put down the menu and said, ¡°Whatever Cornelia eats, Ill eat¡± Anyway, his purpose of following her was not to eat, but to get to know her better. Zack smiled, 1 ordered a lot, President Hartley, don¡¯t be shyter¡± After ordering, the water brought the seasonings. Because the three of them were regr customers, the waiter was familiar with them and added fish mint andtro to each serving. which they especially liked These were things Marcus would never touch. Corne asked the waiter. ¡°Can we have a serving of seasonings without fish mint andtro, please?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Zack said, ¡°He said hed eat whatever you eat, but changing the seasonings would make it different from yours.¡± Marcus said, ¡°No need to change. I¡¯ll eat this.¡± Alright, your wish is mymand,¡± the waiter couldn¡¯t help but take a few more nces at Marcus, ¡®Ms. Stewart, your boyfriend is so handsome, you two make a perfect match¡± Cornelia wanted to exin, but Zack was even more anxious, ¡°This man is married, how could he be my Nelly¡¯s boyfriend? Don¡¯t talk nonsense.¡± Cornelia also exined, ¡°He¡¯s my boss, not my boyfriend.¡± For some reason, strangers always mistook her and Marcus as a couple She secretly observed Marcus¡¯s reaction, and this time he didn¡¯t seem upset, but who knows what he was thinking Soon, the dishes were served, and Zack, as always, prepared food for Cornelia and Abigail first. Usually, Cornelia and Abigail only had to eat, but today Cornelia also had to take care of Marcus. Cornelia President Hartley, would you like this lean meat?¡± Before Marcus could answer, Zack jumped in, ¡°Nelly, are you underestimating President Hartley? With such lean meat, there¡¯s no way he can¡¯t handle it.¡± With Zack¡¯s words, how could Marcus admit defeat? Especially since the dishes were personally picked by Cornelia, it was her first time preparing food for him. He ate the meat one bite after another, each bite of meat and strange vors severely stimting his taste buds. He wanted to spit it out but remained expressionless. Everyone thought he could eat it. Zack continued, ¡°If President Hartley can eat, then eat more.¡± Seeing that he could eat, Cornelia kept preparing food for him. The greasy food entered his stomach, making Marcus¡¯s stomach churn, but he still looked calm and collected ¡°Nelly, you eat too,¡± Zack put more meat on Cornelia¡¯s te Marcus didn¡¯t want to lose, so he also picked up some dishes and put them on Cornelia¡¯s te. She said, ¡°President Hartley, just eat by yourself, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± The great leader of the Hartley Group was actually preparing food for her, Cornelia worried that this would bring bad luck to him. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Chapter 106 But Marcus didn¡¯t care at all. It was like apetition with Zack. The two prepared dishes for Cornelia. The dishes on Cornelia¡¯s te piled up quickly, and che couldn¡¯t eat them at all Cornelia thought the two of them were strange, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint why It wasn¡¯t until Zack proudly said, Tve been taking care of Nelly for over 20 years. Our rtionship runs deep. It¡¯s not something you canpare with just a couple of pinces of meat * Cornelia almost choked on that sentence. Zack and Abigail were her childhood ymates, and Marcus was her boss. Of course, the three of them had a closer rtionship, but she still shouldn¡¯t say that in front of Marcus Cornelia secretly nudged Zack, who realized that he had gone too far. He immediately started preparing food for Abigail¡¯s te, Abby, eat more, make sure you¡¯re full Abigail who had been ignored for a long time, pouted, ¡°You finally remembered me?¡± The meal was consumed in a tense atmosphere. After dinner, Cornelia asked Zack to take Abigail for a drive, while she walked Marcus to the roadside, ¡°President Hartley, if my friends offended you tonight, please don¡¯t hold it against them¡± Marcus looked at her, ¡°Answer my question seriously, and I won¡¯t hold it against them¡± Cornelia was confused, ¡°What question?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t mind asking again. If you were my wife, would you forgive me?¡± Cornelia had already forgotten about the matter, and didn¡¯t expect him to ask again. She thought for a moment, ¡°If it were me, I might not forgive you, I guess. But it depends on the specific reason¡± She said it would depend on the specific reason, and Marcus knew it was a tactful answer Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. He asked in a different way, ¡°Today I heard you guys talking about your husband. He doesn¡¯t seem to treat you well. Now he doesn¡¯t agree to divorce you, so what are your ns for the future?¡± Cornelia realy didn¡¯t want to discuss her personal life with him, ¡°President Hartley, can I not answer questions that are unrted to work?¡± Marcus smiled helplessly. ¡°Do I scare you that much?¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s not that I¡¯m afraid, I just think it¡¯s better to distinguish between public and private.¡± What a clear distinction between public and private, it seemed that it is not easy for him to enter her private life. ¡°Nelly, let¡¯s go.¡± Zack had already driven out and honked the horn to hurry her. ¡°President Hartley, see you tomorrow!¡± Cornelia got into the car, and after closing the door, she punched Zack and Abigail, ¡°What were you guys doing today? Especially you, Zack, do you want me to lose my job?¡± Zack muttered. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I just feel like he has ulterior motives towards you, like he wants to snatch you away from us.¡± ¡°Zack, that¡¯s why you¡¯re out of shape.¡± Abigail, a typical person who values appearance, judges people solely by their looks, ¡°he¡¯s Marcus, at the helm of the Hartley Group. He¡¯s not only ric but also has an amazing figure and face. Do you know how many women can¡¯t even imagine him having any intentions towards them? if he has any intentions, that means Nelly is really outstanding. ¡°Nelly, do you know how aesthetically pleasing the picture of you and President Hartley is?¡± Abigail became more excited as she spoke, ¡°Tonight, I¡¯ve imagined countless scenes of you tw together.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsensel¡± Cornelia¡¯s face turned red, ¡°Marcus is a great boss, a true gentleman. He¡¯s never had any behavior that goes beyond a boss towards a subordinate ¡°If only he wasn¡¯t married.¡± Abigail sighed, ¡°Otherwise, with your looks, I could imagine a restricted novel.¡± ¡°Please stop talking.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to deal with her, so she looked out the car window. But her mind began to think of some scenes with Marcus and his wife. Marcus had a good figure. Last time she stayed at his house, she saw him without clothes. His eight¨C pack abs were so beautiful that people wanted to touch them. His wife must be very happy Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Cornelia had no idea that Marcus had been tailing their car all along It wasnt until they were safely back in the neighborhood that Marcus told Ayden, Take us to Southern Peak¡± Ayden replied, ¡°You got it Marcus asked, ¡°What kind of ce is The Dive Bar?¡± Ayden said look it up real quick * ¡°No need ¡°Marcus took out his phone and texted Leonardo Wilson, ¡°What¡¯s the deal with The Dive Bar?¡± The message was sent out, and Leonardo quickly replied, ¡°Marc, I haven¡¯t seen you in a rtionship for so many years, you are not really interested in men, are you?¡± Marcus frowned, ¡°huh.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Leonardo replied, ¡°You should be into ces with lots ofdies, not The Dive Bar¡± Hetyped a few more words, ¡°Spill the beans, man¡± Leonardo exined, ¡°Well, to put it nicely. The Dive Bar is a ce where women spend their money. To put it bluntly, it¡¯s the most famous male model club in Riverton. You a big man, are suddenly interested in this kind of ce. Can I not be curious about your sexual orientation?¡± Male model shop? Cornelia frequents ces like that for fun? Marcus¡¯s face darkened, and he threw his phone aside in annoyance. It would take several hours to drive from Riverton to Southern Peak. Marcus had already made arrangements for Granny Reba, so he didn¡¯t have to be there He rushed over night, partly to ease Granny Reba¡¯s worries about her health, and partly to keep her from interfering in his marriage to Cornelia. By the time they arrived at Southern Peak, it waste. The two elderlydies had already gone to bed, so Marcus rested in the guest room for a couple of hours before getting up early and waiting for them in the dining room. Older people do not sleep well and wake up early in the morning. After six o¡¯clock, the two olddies got up with the help of the housekeeper and the nurse Seeing Marcus there, they were both surprised Granny Luisa spoke first, ¡°You little rascal, are you here to get on my nerves again?¡± Marcus stood up, greeted the two elders, and said, ¡°I was worried Granny Luisa might not be used to Southern Peak, so I decided toe and check on her.¡± Granny Luisa replied, ¡°Who asked you toe? Get out of here, nobody wants you around¡± Granny Reba was a perceptive woman and could tell the two of them were putting on a show. But that didn¡¯t matter, at least they were making an effort. She said, ¡°Jeremy, I understand your intentions. I came to Southern Peak to let you know that I won¡¯t hold a grudge about what happened before. But I also want to make my stance clear: whether or not Nelly divorce you is up to herself.¡± Granny Reba liked Marcus¡¯s figure, appearance, and demeanor. If the two children could continue their rtionship, she would be happy to see it However, it all depended on Cornelia¡¯s wishes in the end. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Thanks for backing me up, Granny Reba! From now on, you just focus on getting better, and don¡¯t worry about Cornelia, Il take good care of her Marcus finally fet a weight lifted off his chest after getting Granny Reba¡¯s support. Granny Luisa said. ¡°You can¡¯t let him off the h***k so easily Granny Reba chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s not up to us to decide anyway. Let the youngsters handle their own matters. We don¡¯t have many years left, so let¡¯s not worry too much¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll stay out of it. ¡°Granny Luisa then warned Marcus, ¡°But you, young man, if you ever dare to mistreat Nelly again, I be the first one toe after you.¡± Don¡¯t worry, nothing like that will happen again.¡± After saying goodbye to the two olddies, Marcus hurried back to Riverton. On the way back, Ayden noticed that Marcus looked off, ¡°President Hartley, you don¡¯t look so good. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Marcus pressed his stomach and leaned back in his seat, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just head straight to the airport¡± Ayden didn¡¯t ask any further but discreetly contacted Dr. Dawson After a night¡¯s rest, Cornelia rushed to the airport early in the morning, as she was flying to the Capital with Marcus to attend the 3033 Global Technology Conference. This conference was crucial for the Hartley Group¡¯s chip research and development sector, and both Marcus and the P&D team took it very seriously What Cornelia didn¡¯t expect was that the usually punctual Marcus almost arrivedte, and she only spotted him at the veryst moment before boarding ended. Seeing that he looked unwell, she immediately asked a flight attendant for a cup of hot water, President Hartley, you look pale. Please drink a ss of water first.¡± ¡°Thanks¡± Marcus took the cup but didn¡¯t drink it. Instead, he just stared at her without saying a word. Feeling self-conscious, Cornelia touched her face, President Hartley, is there something on my face?¡± ¡°No.¡± He just wanted to look at her. It shouldn¡¯t be illegal to look at his own wife, right? ¡°If not, then don¡¯t stare at me.¡± There was nothing on her face, so why was he staring at her, which made her flustered. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Marcus suddenly smiled, ¡°As your boss, can¡¯t I have a look at my little assistant?¡± Cornelia was speechless. Fine, he was the one who paid her sry after all. If he wanted to look, let him look. It¡¯s not like he could eat her. As she sulked, Marcus¡¯s gentle voice reached her ears again, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal when talking to me from now on.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t understand why he suddenly said that. She looked up at him abruptly, and their eyes met once more. His gaze was aggressive, like a beast wanting to devour her. Instinctively, Cornelia moved away from him, ¡°President Hartley¡­ Seeing her frightened expression, Marcus looked away, disappointed, and took a sip of water before closing his eyes and resting in his seat. Cornelia closed her eyes too, nning to catch some sleep on the ne. As she dozed off, she seemed to hear him say, ¡°Just be more casual around me, no need to be so uptight.¡± ¡°Mhm ¡°Cornelia mumbled softly, agreeing before sinking back into sleep. Chapter Toy Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Chapter 109 She had no idea that Marcus eyes were always on her, and when her thin nket slipped off, he gently covered her up again. About two hourster, the group arrived in the Capital and went straight to Sunset Bay Resort Sunset Bay Resort is a high end multifunctional area in the Capital thatbines business, leisure, and vacation The Hartley Group team rented a total of five vis, with Cornelia and Ben staying in the same vi as Marcus The vi had three floors, with Marcus living on the top floor and Cornelia and Ben each having a room on the second floor. Just as Cornelia put her luggage in her room, she received a call from Marcus, ¡°Cornelia, put your luggage away ande with me to meet someone.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. President Hartley, who are we meeting? I¡¯ll see if I need to prepare any materials.¡± All the attendees of the conference were top people in the industry, and thepany¡¯s leaders had scheduled meetings with each other. Marcus didn¡¯t have any meetings scheduled for today. Marcus said, ¡°No need to prepare, just going for lunch.¡± ¡°Alright Cornelia tidied up a bit and went to find Marcus, but as soon as she opened the door, she saw Marcus waiting for her outside He was actually waiting for her, a small assistant, which made Cornelia panic, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m sorry for keeping you waiting!¡± Marcus called her name softly, ¡°Cornelia.¡± She said ¡°President Hartley, what can I do for you?¡± He continued, ¡°Today, I¡¯m going to meet a very close friend of mine, who has been a mentor to me in life. He¡¯s very important to me. Recently, his health has worsened, and he probably doesn¡¯t have much time left. He told me that his greatest wish is for me to bring my wife to see him and show him that I¡¯m happily married. As you know, my wife and I had some misunderstandings, and she¡¯s still mad at me. Sol was hoping you could pretend to be my wife and meet my friend to fulfill his wish.¡± ¡°President Hartley, this Before Cornelia could finish her refusal, Marcus interrupted her, ¡°Of course, if you don¡¯t want to, you can refuse. Anyway, he hasn¡¯t seen my wife before. You can find another woman to pretend to be my wife¡± Cornelia understood Marcus¡¯ meaning either she pretended to be his wife, or she found a woman for him. Either way, she couldn¡¯t stay out of it Instead of finding another woman cluelessly, Cornelia thought it would be more time-saving to do it herself, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ll go. Do we need to prepare any gifts?¡± ¡°No need. Just seeing him will make him happy.¡± Marcus led Cornelia downstairs and got into a luxury sedan that had been waiting outside the vi On the way, there was a driver sent by his close friend, and the two of them didn¡¯t have much to talk about besides work. They barely spoke on the way. More than an hourter, they arrived at an old vi area in the Capital. As they entered the yard, Marcus naturally reached out to hold Cornelia¡¯s hand, which startled her. She tried to shake him off but couldn¡¯t, ¡°President Hartley, this isn¡¯t appropriate, is it?¡± Marcus held her hand tightly. ¡°Tm sorry, but I need your help. We can¡¯t let Old Mr. Abner find out.¡± Cornelia asked in confusion, ¡°Old Mr. Abner?¡± Marcus patiently exined, ¡°Yes, my good friend is 92 years old, so I call him Old Mr. Abner. He is a very smart old man, and he will notice if we have any ws Since he said so, and she had already agreed to pretend to be his wife, she had to y the role well. Cornelia stopped resisting and let him lead her inside holding her hand. His palm was thick and warm,pletely enveloping her hand and making her feel less cold in the chilly winter. ¡°Marc, I¡¯ve been waiting for you toe. A white-haired old man walked up to them with a smile, ¡®No need to say, this must be your wife, I always used to wonder what kind of girl could stand by your side without being overshadowed. Now I finally met her¡± Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Marcus, holding Cornelia¡¯s hand, greeted Old Mr. Abner with a smile. ¡°Thanks for thepliment, Old Mr. Abner This is my wife, Cornelia Cornelia, this is Old Mr. Abner, a good friend of mine and my life mentor¡± It¡¯s really an enviable friendship for the two to be close friends despite their age gap of over sixty years In the face of this beautiful friendship, Cornelia¡¯s embarrassment of holding Marcus¡¯s hand vanished, and she sweetly said, ¡°Hello, Oki Mr. Abner¡± ¡°Cornelia, my dear, it¡¯s nice to meet you¡± Old Mr. Abner, who is almost a hundred years old, sees Cornelia as a young childpared to his granddaughter if you don¡¯t mind, feel free to Im happy to meet you too!¡± Cornelia shook hands with Old Mr. Abner, only to have her hand taken by Marcus again. Cornelia thought. Do real couples always need to hold hands like this? Isn¡¯t it a bit too obvious and likely to give us away?¡± Old Mr. Abner looked at the couple holding hands tightly and cheerfully said, ¡®Kids, it¡¯s cold outside. Come in quickly Old Mr. Abner genuinely liked Cornelia After entering the house, he took out a gift box he had prepared earlier ¡°Cornelia, my dear, this is a gift for you. I hope you two have a happy marriage Cornelia wanted to refuse, but considering her role as the president¡¯s wife at the moment, she had to ept it. Thank you, Old Mr. Abner!¡± Old Mr. Abner continued, ¡°Open it and see if you like it. If you dont like this gift, tell me what you want, and I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Cornelia felt embarrassed to open the gift meant for her boss¡¯s wife, so she looked to Marcus for help ¡°Old Mr. Abner wants you to open it, just do it. Don¡¯t be shy Marcus took the box and opened it himself. Inside the boxy a beautiful and transparent jade bracelet. Cornelia could tell it was valuable at first nce Fortunately, the gift didn¡¯t really belong to her. ¡°Thank you, Old Mr. Abner 1 really like it.¡± Old Mr. Abner smiled and said. ¡°Then put it on.¡± Cornelia fett even more embarrassed and looked to Marcus for help again. But instead of helping her out, Marcus took the bracelet and put it on her wrist himself, nodding in satisfaction. ¡°Hmm, it looks great on you.¡± Cornelia thought, ¡°Next time there¡¯s an event where I have to y the role of his wife, Ill definitely hire a professional actress, regardless of the time it takes. I can¡¯t do this myself just to Save time¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to eat ¡°Old Mr. Abner led them to the backyard cabin, where a roasting table was set up in the middle with a pot of wine warming on it and ingredients ready to be grilled. Eating grilled meat and drinking wine around a roasting stove in the cold winter is indeed a wonderful thing. Before going to college, Cornelia used to celebrate Christmas with her grandmother, eating grilled meat and chatting around a stove in the living room. But after she went to Riverton University, she hadn¡¯t spent Christmas with her grandmother for several years, and she hadn¡¯t enjoyed those moments since. Now, seeing each other again feeled like they¡¯ve been apart for a century. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. The warm¨Chearted Old Mr. Abner said, ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s just the three of us today, so feel free to make yourselffortable¡± Old Mr. Abner was very considerate, worried that the couple might not feel at ease at his home. So after the servants prepared lunch, he let them go home and rest. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 Chapter 111 ¡°Alright Cornelia took off her coat, rolled up her sleeves, and prepared to grill the meat. But Marcus beat her to it and took over the grilling He picked up the tongs and ced the sliced beef on the grill, one piece at a time. ¡°You always take care of me, so today, you just sit back and enjoy Coa quickly said, President Hartley, I can¡¯t let you do that¡± ¡°You¡¯re my wife, why not?¡± Marcus interrupted in time Cornelia thought he was worried about her letting something slip, so she didn¡¯t think much of it Old Mr. Abnerughed, ¡°You two have an interesting way of addressing each other. If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d think she was your subordinate¡± Corn was speechless She was just Marcus¡¯s assistant, after all Marcus smiled, ¡°Old Mr. Abner, she¡¯s shy, don¡¯t tease her.¡± ¡°You are protecting your wife?¡± Old Mr. Abner picked up the wine jug and poured three sses. Let¡¯s have a toast to your evesting happiness¡± Marcus raised his ss, ¡°Thank you for your blessings¡± Cornelia had no choice but to follow suitText ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. After the toast, Marcus cut the grilled meat into small pieces and ced them on Cornelia¡¯s and Old Mr. Abner¡¯s tes. Since Marcus said her only job today was to eat, Cornelia didn¡¯t hold back and started eating heartily Old Mr. Abner, being older, couldn¡¯t eat much usually. But seeing Cornelia enjoying her meal, his appetite improved. The three of them gathered around the grill, eating and drinking, chatting as they ate. Through their conversation, Cornelia learned that Marcus had gotten lost as a child and was found by Old Mr. Abner, who happened to be on a business trip in Riverton The two of them, who were sixty¨Cfour years apart in age, had became close friends ever since. From then on, Old Mr. Abner yed an important role in Marcus¡¯s life. Cornelia also found out that Old Mr. Abner¡¯s only child had passed away due to illness the year before, and his granddaughter was busy with work and could onlye to see him during holidays. Old Mr. Abner said with a smile that he understood his granddaughter¡¯s busy work schedule and couldn¡¯te home often, but Cornelia didn¡¯t miss the hint of sadness in his eyes when he said this. Her grandmother always had the same attitude, telling her to take care of herself and not to be too tired from work, rarely mentioning that she missed her and wanted her toe home. As children grow up and have families and children of their own, there¡¯s less time to think about the elders who still need their care. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Marcus¡¯s deep voice brought Cornelia back to reality. She smiled and said, ¡®Nothing, I¡¯m just listening to you guys chat.¡± Marcus could tell she was feeling down, but he didn¡¯t pry further. He took her wine ss and downed the half¨Cfilled ss himself. You can¡¯t drink anymore.¡± Cornelia was speechless This was just an act, and Marcus didn¡¯t need to be so convincing, even drinking from her ss Old Mr. Abner chuckled, ¡°I never thought I¡¯d have the honor of seeing you drink for someone else.¡± Marcus casually replied, ¡°She¡¯s my wife, of course I have to protect her. What if someone else steals her away?¡± Old Mr. Abner, ¡°it¡¯s great that you have this awareness, young man. Cornelia married you at a young age and formed a new family with you. You should indeed be her strongest support, always stand by her side and protect her.¡± Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Chapter 112 ¡°You¡¯re totally right. I didnt take good care of her before and let her suffer a lot I swear won¡¯t make that mistake again Marcus said, then turned to Cornelia and apologized His eyes were deep and hazy, and Cornelia quessed he might be drunk. The apology was probably meant for his wife Cornelia wanted to tell him not to me himself too much. They just needed to live a good life together in the future But she wasnt his wife, and she hadn¡¯t experienced what his wife had gone through She didn¡¯t know what had happened between the couple and wasn¡¯t qualified to give advice She remained silent, and Marcus chuckled and raised his ss for another drink. Old Mr. Abner said ¡®Marc, you two seem a bit awkward. Did you guys have a fight beforeing to see me?¡± Cornelia shuddered when she heard this, but Marcus responded quickly, ¡°Yeah, we had a fight. If it weren¡¯t for your sake, she probably wouldn¡¯t even want to talk to me today¡± Old Mr. Abner nodded knowingly. Tcould tell by the way you held hands that you had a fight. But there¡¯s no couple who doesn¡¯t fight. When my wife and I first got married, we often fought because of our different personalities Once, I even made her cry Seeing her tears, I felt so bad that I swore never to make her sad again and to make her happy for the rest of her life I also promised never to leave her, but sadly, she left me first. Thinking of histe wife, tears welled up in Old Mr. Abner¡¯s eyes. Don¡¯t think that you¡¯re young and have a lifetime ahead Life is short, and before you know it, decades have passed Cherish every day you have together¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°I will¡± Cornelia also nodded, suddenly thinking of her nominal husband, Jeremy. Their marriage seemed like it never happened She hadn¡¯t thought much about him before he appeared, and getting the marriage certificate felt like it just happened yesterday. However, upon calction, it had been a year and seven months since she and Jeremy got their marriage certificate. How many years and seven months can one have in a lifetime? When she returned to Riverton, she must talk to Jeremy about their marriage and not divorce impulsively or refuse to divorce out of spite. With that thought, Cornelia took out her private phone and sent a text to Jeremy,¡± ¡°Let¡¯s meet and have a good talk¡± As her message was sent, Marcus¡® phone beeped. Old Mr. Abnerughed. ¡°You two are sitting together, and you¡¯re still texting each other. Is there anything I, an old man, can¡¯t hear?¡± Cornelia hurriedly said, ¡°No, I¡¯m not texting him, I¡¯m texting my friend.¡± Marcus slowly took out his private phone, and indeed, it was a message from Corne. She wanted to talk, but about what? His slender fingers tapped quickly, typing a few words: ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± Cornelia replied ¡°About our marriage. Whether we divorce or not, we need to meet and talk it through, and we shouldn¡¯t waste each other¡¯s youth,¡± Marcus read the message, typed a few words, and then deleted them one by one. It wasn¡¯t time to reveal his identity yet. He put some food on her te. ¡°Eat your meal and don¡¯t y with your phone.¡± Since the boss had spoken, Cornelia, who hadn¡¯t received a reply from Jeremy, had no choice but to put away her phone. But she still couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Jeremy¡¯sck of response meant he was avoiding something. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. By the time they finished eating and the driver took them back to Sunset Bay Resort, it was already dinner time. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Chapter 113 N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Cornelia wasn¡¯t too drunk and still pretty sober. She nned to take a shower and go to bed early so she could have enough energy to handle tomorrow¡¯s meeting As she was undressing, she realized that the bracelet Old Mr. Abner gave to her boss¡¯s wife was still on her wrist Cornelia immediately took off the bracelet, wiped it clean, put it back in the box, and went upstars to find Marcus. She knocked on the door, President Hartley, Twant to give you the gift that Old Mr. Abner gave to your wife, is it convenient for you toe out and get it?¡± No one in the house answered Cornelia guessed that he must be drunk. He drank a lot during dinner and leaned back in the car with his eyes closed on the way back, not saying a word. She hurried downstairs to make him some soup, and then carried it back upstairs. She knocked on Marcuss door again, but there was still no answer. Could it be another alcohol allergy? Worried, Cornelia pushed the door open. It was ajar, and opened easily. The room was dark, with the curtains drawn and no lights on it was so dark that Cornelia couldn¡¯t see what was going on inside. President Hartley, can Ie in?¡® Cornelia turned on the light and looked up to see Marcus half¨Clying on the sofa. He was pale, with cold sweat on his forehead, and seemed to be unconscious Cornelia was startled, ¡°President Hartley, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t respond, and Cornelia thought about calling for help, but she didn¡¯t have her phone with her. She was about to go downstairs to get it when Marcus suddenly grabbed her, Tm fine.¡± Cornelia worriedly said. Look at your face, how can you be fine? Get your phone, let¡¯s call for help, or have Dr. Dawsone over right away¡± Marcus said. ¡°There¡¯s medicine Dr. Dawson prepared for me in my suitcase, a white bottle with yellow pills. Can you please get it for me?¡± Cornelia did as she was told, quickly got the medicine, and poured him a ss of water, Do you know what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± He took the medicine and smiled faintly. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. I¡¯ll be fine after I take the medicine and rest for a while¡± But he didn¡¯t lock fine at all, and Cornelia was still worried, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t need to go to the hospital?¡± ¡°No need. You go do your thing, don¡¯t worry about me ¡°He closed his eyes and didn¡¯t want to deal with her anymore. Cornelia had no choice but to leave Marcus said he was fine, but Cornelia wouldn¡¯t believe him. She called Dr. Dawson when she went downstairs, ¡°Dr. Dawson, President Hartley is feeling unwell. Can youe and take a look?¡± Dr. Dawson said on the phone, ¡°It¡¯s his stomach acting up. I prepared medicine for him this morning. Just remind him to take it on time. Please keep an eye on his diet these days, absolutely no greasy food or alcohol¡± Cornelia¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°Dr. Dawson, he drank alcohol at noon.¡± ¡°What?¡± Dr. Dawson raised his voice in rm, ¡°He had a stomachache this morning because he ate something badst night, and he still drank at noon? Is he trying to kill himself?¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Ts there something wrong with his stomach¡± Cornelia asked worriedly. This wasn¡¯t mentioned in the training course for the presstents special assistant, otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have let aty barbecuest night Dr. Dawson said, ¡°You probably don¡¯t know how busy he was when he took over the Hartley Group. He was working day and night for a few years, with irregr steep and diet, and his stomach issues were quite serious. Just around this timest year he was busy with the branch office stuff, his stomach started bleeding, but he insisted on working¡± What people saw of Marcus was the shining overlord in the business world, with vigorous actions and decisive means. However, very few people knew how much effort he put in to get where he is today During the campaign for the president¡¯s special assistant. Cornelia locked up a lot of information about Marcus and even naively thought she knew everything about him However, the longer she followed him, the more she felt that she didnt really know him, just like everyone else, and had no idea what he had gone through over the years It was all my fautst night. I took him to eat barbecue¡± Cornelia felt extremely quilty. Dr. Dawson, since he doesn¡¯t want to see a doctor. I have to bother you toe and take a look¡± Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. ¡°He didn¡¯t let me and Ayden go to the Capital with him this time Dr. Dawson paused and continued, ¡°He¡¯s an adult, and what he eats is his own decision. It¡¯s not your fault. If possible, please give him some porridge and let him eat that for the next couple of days.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia agreed and wanted to hang up, but Dr. Dawson stopped her. ¡°Cornelia, Marc has a strong personality and never lets others see his vulnerable side. His actual condition may be worse than what we see. You need to take good care of him these days, his stomach can¡¯t take any more stress¡± Dawson, rest assured. I¡¯ll take care of him¡± Cornelia went to the kitchen, checked the fridge, and found the ingredients she needed. She quickly prepared the ingredients, as making porridge takes some time. She couldn¡¯t help but go upstairs to check on Marcus again He was still lying on the living room sofa, with one hand on his stomach. He already fell asleep, but his eyebrows furrowed. Cornelia didn¡¯t want to wake him up, so she went to his room and grabbed a thin nket to cover him. Just as she was about to leave, he grabbed her hand tightly again. He used so much force that it hurt Cornelia¡¯s wrist. ¡°President Hartley, you¡¯re hurting me.¡± She thought he was awake, but when she looked down, his eyes were still closed, and the action of grabbing her seemed to be a subconscious one ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± He muttered softly, his voice sounding like gently plucked strings, pleasant, but also heart¨C wrenching. Cornelia thought to herself, ¡°What¡¯s the point of apologizing to me? You should say that to your wife¡® She assumed he mistook her for his wife and tried to pull her hand away, but couldn¡¯t, so she let him hold it His stomach must have been really ufortable, as he frowned and showed a painful expression she had never seen before in his sleep. But she had to admit, even being sick, this man was still handsome, with a kind of morbid beauty that made people want to get close Cornelia was frightened by this terrible thought in her heart, quickly looked away and stopped looking at him. But with her hand held by him, she couldn¡¯t ignore his presence. His hands were also good¨Clooking, slender, with distinct joints, much better¨Clooking than those of hand models. She didn¡¯t know how long it had been, but the night was approaching and the light from outside illuminated the room. Her wrist had gone numb from his grip, and she was almost leaning against the sofa, falling asleep when she heard Marcus¡¯s deep and pleasant voice, ¡°Cornelia?¡± Half¨Casleep Cornelia suddenly raised her head, and saw his usually pretty and charming eyes full of doubt. Cornelia quickly exined, ¡°President Hartley, you¡¯ve been holding my hand and I couldn¡¯t pull away, so I had to sit here with you.¡± So that¡¯s what happened! Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Chapter 115 He originally thought she had discovered something so she took the initiative to go upstairs to apany him, but he didn¡¯t expect that he was thinking too much Cornelia moved slightly reminding him that he was still holding her wrist. President Hartley, you should let go of me first¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Marcus let go of her hand with a hint of disappointment. ¡°Sorry!¡± ¡°I know, you must have thought I was your wife when you grabbed my hand.¡± She could see the vulnerability in his eyes, probably because of the troubles between him and his wife Corn thought for a moment and decided to say something President Hartley, if you care so much about your wife, just talk to her. Don¡¯t keep everything to yourself¡± ¡°Can it really be resolved just by talking? Marcus had thought about having a heart to heart chat, but he didn¡¯t dare to take that risk Cornelia said, ¡°You have to try everything. If you don¡¯t try how will you know if it will work?¡± ¡°True you make a lot of sense ¡°He smiled, ¡°When we get back to Riverton, you can pick a restaurant you like, and I¡¯ll invite her to have a good talk¡± ¡°Alright prepare when I get back. ¡°Cornelia genuinely hoped that he and his wife could make up soon, so her job would be easier. She remembered the porridge still cooking in the pot, ¡®President Hartley, I¡¯ve got porridge simmering in the pot. Ill go get you some, and then you should rest early.¡± Marcus, Thank you!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me¡± Cornelia lowered her head, feeling a bit down, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have eaten such greasy foodst night, and your stomach wouldn¡¯t be upset. President Hartley. I¡¯m sorry!¡± Don¡¯t me yourself, it¡¯s not your fault Marcus reached out and gently rubbed the bun on top of her head. This was the first time he had touched her bun, her hair was smooth and ck, and it felt nice. He pulled back his hand and sniffed it. The fragrance was light but refreshing Cornelia was startled by his sudden overstep, but when she met his calm andposed gaze, she felt like she was overthinking it again, President Hartley, I¡¯ll go get the porridge¡± Marcus, ¡°Alright¡± Cornelia quickly left his room. Marcus sniffed his fingers again, the scent of his little wife still lingering, not only fragrant but also sweet Cornelia scooped up the porridge and turned around, only to find Marcus, who should have been resting in his room, standing at the door, President Hartley, why did youe down?¡± Marcus asked without answering. ¡°Are you good at cooking?¡± Cornelia thought she had quite a few signature dishes, and those who had tasted them said they were good. However, the only people fortunate enough to eat her dishes were her grandmother, Zack, and Abigail. No matter what she cooks, the three of them think it is the best food in the world, so her true level of cooking has yet to be verified. She humbly said, President Hartley, I can only make a few dishes, nothing fancy, and definitely not comparable to your chef.¡± ¡°Dishes should have a taste of home. Chefs can make all kinds of delicacies, but they¡¯ll never have that feeling of home.¡± Marcus looked at her earnestly, ¡°Could you teach me how to cook?¡± Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Cornelia was taken aback by Marcuss request, widening her eyes and saying. President Hartley, you really want to learn how to cook?¡± For someone as high-ranking as him, all he had to do was snap his fingers and an international top chef would make him whatever dish he wanted There was no need for him to cook himself But then she heard Marcus say calmly. 7 want to learn a few dishes so I can cook them for my wife one day¡± So, that¡¯s why he wanted to learn how to cook! Cornelia guessed that Marcus might want to express his love for his wife through this ordinary gesture Even if he was rich and had a high status, he was first and foremost an ordinary man who wanted to live a happy life with his loved one. Cornelia sincerely hoped that Marcus could live a sweet life with his wife President Hartley, you¡¯ll have to tell me what kind of taste does your wife like?¡± She smiled with her eyes curved, and Marcus could tell that she was genuinely happy for his wife she didn¡¯t even know She was over the moon if he and his wife would make up. This meant that she had no ulterior motives towards him Marcus fet a bit stifled in his heart, ¡°Just do it ording to your taste¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°No, I can¡¯t do it ording to my taste. I like s***y food, which may not be suitable for most people.¡± So she liked s***y food. He had just found out after nearly two years of marriage Marcus felt ashamed and said in a somewhat low tone, ¡°My wife is also from Rosenberg, so her taste should be simr to yours.¡± ¡°Oh, I see ¡°Cornelia hadn¡¯t expected his wife to be her fellow townsman, and now she was even more confident in her ability to cook Rosenberg¡¯s home-cooked dishes ¡°Alright. I write down a couple ofText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. recipes my grandma passed down to me tonight, and I make sure you can learn them to satisfy your wife¡± Marcus said, ¡®t want to learn now.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°President Hartley, you should have some soup first, get some rest, and take care of your stomach ¡°She looked him up and down, wondering if he was delirious from being Sick? He was still sick, so why was he thinking about cooking? Marcus said, 1m fine now.¡± His face was so pale, how could he be fine? He was clearly just putting on a brave face Cornelia couldn¡¯t stand people who didn¡¯t take their health seriously. President Hartley, even if you don¡¯t think about yourself, you should consider your wife. She must be worned and upset if you¡¯re sick. Can you bear to make her worry every day?¡± If she and her husband Jeremy had a normal marital rtionship, and he ignored his health and continued to work even with a bleeding stomach, she would definitely have scolded him. He needed to understand that after getting married, his body belonged not only to himself but also to her. Fortunately, she didn¡¯t have to worry about that Marcus asked. ¡°Would you worry about me?¡± Comelia nodded, very affirmative. ¡°Of course I would¡± He was her boss, and her sry depended on him. If he was bedridden, she would be out of a job, and where would she get the money to pay her mortgage? Marcus was satisfied with her answer, and to not make her worry, he decided to follow her advice, ¡°Ill learn another day¡± Cornelia smiled happily. Then, President Hartley, please enjoy your meal¡± Marcus responded, ¡°Alright¡± Cornelia also served herself some food, then sat down at the dining table to eat with him. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 hapter 117 Haven¡¯t had a few bites, Ben led five or six people from the chip project team and came over Everyone at the door said in unison, Tresident Hartley. Cornelia, good evening! Cornelia, ¡°Good evening!¡± Marcus raised his eyebrows, and his eyes under the siver¨Crimmed sses clearly showed displeasure, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ben immediately handed over the documents. We reviewed the project n again this afternoon and found a loophole. We need President Hartley to take a look Marcus nced through the documents and quickly found the loophole Ben mentioned without his guidance. ¡°The Hartley Group¡¯s self¨Cdeveloped chip has already been approved and is about to go on the market. The purpose of this meeting is to let everyone know that we the Hartley Group, no longer rely on other people¡¯s mobile phone andputer businesses ¡± Ben probably understood Marcus¡¯s meaning. ¡°So you mean we don¡¯t need to hide our strength this time, and we just want to show our cards to our opponents?¡± Marcus nodded, his sexy thin lips slightly raised, revealing his confidence and ambition, ¡°Many times, showing your cards can actually achieve a different effect Hearing Marcus say this, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They were all shocked when they found out that the ¡°card data¡± appeared on the project n, thinking that there was a mole in the team. Fortunately, it was not, otherwise all their efforts would have been wasted Ben said again, ¡°Everyone, go back and rest early. In the next few days, everyone needs to stay energized so that everyone can see the strength of the Hartley Group¡± ¡°Okay¡°The others came quickly and left even faster. Soon, there were only the three of them left. Cornelia asked Ben, ¡°Ben, have you had dinner? Do you want to have some food?¡± Ben saw that Cornelia and Marcus were eating quite well, ¡®did you make the food?¡± Cornelia nodded. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s still some in the pot ¡± ¡°Your homemade soup! I have to eat it even if I¡¯m not hungry¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Ben felt a chilling from his side, making his spine cold. He turned his head and met Marcus¡¯s gaze Ben felt that Marcus¡¯s gaze was like a poisoned arrow, and if he didn¡¯t run away, he could be killed by it. He nervously swallowed his saliva. ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯ve already had dinner, I won¡¯t have the soup. President Hartley, you take your time eating. Im going to go upstairs and rest¡± With that, he ran away, even faster than a rabbit Cornelia was a little confused, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Ben?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him ¡°Marcus added the remaining soup from the pot to his bowl If he doesn¡¯t eat it, I will¡± Did Ben deserve to eat the soup his wife made? Marcus didn¡¯t have a big appetite, especially for dinner. Plus, his stomach was ufortable, so Cornelia was worried he would eat too much, President Hartley, don¡¯t eat anymore. Its not good to eat too much at night¡± Marcus was full, but he couldn¡¯t bear to waste the soup she made, ¡°Am I a three¨Cyear¨Cold child?¡± Cornelia,¡± She thought to herself, Marcus always bullied her just because he was her boss,pletely unreasonable. After finishing the food, Cornelia naturally wanted to clean up the dishes, but Marcus grabbed her hand, ¡°I¡¯ll do the dishes.¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t believe her ears, ¡°President Hartley, you said you will do the dishes?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°You cooked the meal, Fl do the dishes. That¡¯s how it should be divided, right?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Marcuss parents didn¡¯t have a good rtionship, and he had never had the chance to live with them or see how other couples got along. So, he felt that he couldn¡¯t let Cornelia take on everything. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Chapter 118 Asking the CEO of the Hartley Group, Marcus, to do the dishes? Even if Cornelia had the guts of a lion, she wouldn¡¯t dare let him wash them. She said, ¡°Mr. President Hartley, I can do it, don¡¯t worry about it¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Marcus insisted, i do the dishes, and you go take a break¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to argue. ¡°But President Hartley Marcus had to show his bossy side to suppress her, ¡°Just do as I say and don¡¯t argue with ma ¡°Alright ¡°Since he insisted on washing the dishes, she¡¯d let him do it, and he couldn¡¯t me herter. Marcus grabbed the dishes and pans and went to the kitchen, and Cornelia followed him. She couldn¡¯t just leave him alone and go rest. Maybe people as capable as him were good at everything, even things they¡¯d never done before. He looked like a pro washing the dishes. Marcus locked back at her with a frown. ¡°What are you still doing here? It¡¯ste go get some rest ¡°Okay¡°Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but feel like crying. This was just another form of torture for her. Cornelia went upstairs and had to pass Ben¡¯s room to get to hers Ben had been watching through the crack of his door and saw Corneliaing up. He quickly opened the door, ¡°Cornelia,e here for a second, I need to talk to you¡± Comelia approached him, ¡°Ben, what¡¯s up?¡± Ben asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think President Hartley has been acting really weird today?¡± Cornelia nodded vigorously, ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s been super nice to me, so nice. It¡¯s actually scary.¡± Ben ¡°He¡¯s nice to you but not to me. Did I identally do something to piss him off?¡± Cornelia disagreed, ¡°Don¡¯t you think his sudden change is even scarier?¡± Ben thought about what if Marcus suddenly became super nice to him. The thought of it made Ben shiver, ¡°Did we do something wrong, and that¡¯s why he¡¯s torturing us like this?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t think she had done anything wrong. On the contrary, she had been treating Marcus like a boss, making sure he was never cold or hungry. ¡°Let¡¯s both go to our rooms and think about it¡® Ben: ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask him what we did wrong?¡± Cornelia: ¡°Are you trying to push me into the fire?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s pushing you into the fire?¡± They were so absorbed in their conversation that they didn¡¯t notice Marcus hade upstairs until his deep voice sounded behind them. Ben, startled, quickly retreated to his room, pretending not to see Marcus Cornelia wanted to pretend she hadn¡¯t seen him either, but it was toote. Marcus had already walked up to her, ¡°What were you two talking about just now?¡± What were we talking about?¡± Cornelia scratched her head, trying toe up with a lie, ¡°We were talking about.. Marcus: ¡°Are you nning to lie to me?¡± Cornelia: Could he read minds? How did he always know when she was trying to lie to him? Marcus gave her the answer. ¡°You¡¯re terrible at lying. When you lie, you panic and don¡¯t know what to do with your hands and feet¡± Cornelia:¡± Didn¡¯t he understand that some things are better left unsaid? Marcus smiled, ¡°It¡¯ste, go get some rest.¡± President Hartley, wait a moment.¡± Cornelia quickly ran back to her room and grabbed the bracelet box, This is the bracelet Old Mr. Abner gave to your wife, I¡¯m returning it to you now¡± Marcus looked at the box she handed him it had originally belonged to her, but now she wanted to give it back to him. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Chapter 119 She was supposed to be his wife, but he couldn¡¯t tell her, and that made him feel really ufortable He gave this to you, so just take it Cornelia corrected him. It¡¯s not for me it¡¯s for your wife¡± Before she could finish, Marcus took the box, pulled out the bracelet inside, and quickly put it on her wrist No one is more suitable to ept this gift than you¡± He was so fast that Cornelia didnt even have time to react before the bracelet was already on her wrist She hurriedly tried to take it off, but Marcus said. ¡°She went wear something someone else has worn.¡± Cornelia knew who she was. So he didn¡¯t ept it because she had worn the bracelet She felt her heart was stabbed by something very painful, but the pain came and went quickly Belongs to ? n0velDrama.Org. Marcus and her were just in an employer¨Cemployee rtionship It was normal for the boss not to like things worn by subordinates. How he treated her didn¡¯t really matter She showed a bright smile. Then I thank President Hartley for the generous gift¡± As she smiled and used words like ¡°generous gift,¡± Marcus couldn¡¯t tell if she was serious or joking Itste, get some rest After saying that, he turned and went upstairs. Cornelia started to walk back, then remembered something, ¡°President Hartley, don¡¯t forget to take your medicine¡± Marcus paused, then gently replied, ¡°Okay¡± No matter how she cared for him, she couldn¡¯t deny that she did care him. Back in her room, Cornelia looked at the bracelet on her wrist, being unsure of what to do with it As she was struggling with how to handle the gift that didn¡¯t belong to her, Ben sent her a message, ¡®Cornelia, what did President Hartley give you?¡± Annoyed. Cornelia replied, ¡°He wants to send me to meet God¡± Ben, ¡°Rest in peace!¡± The next day was the opening ceremony of the 3033 Technology Conference, and Marcus was one of the speakers. All the other guests had brought their manuscripts, but he didn¡¯t. Cornelia sat in the audience, and it was hard for anyone to notice an assistant like her. But Marcus, standing on stage, was like a shining star, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. With his every move he showed off the charm of a mature man. Cornelia had to admit, Marcus indeed had the ability to drive women crazy But being the woman of such an outstanding man must be tiring His woman would be themon enemy of all those women who wanted to marry him, and others might evenpare their looks and backgrounds. If their looks and status were a good match, people would praise them as a perfect couple. If there were some differences in their looks and status, others might say some unpleasant things. But if he loved his wife enough, what did it matter what others said? ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Cornelia was so lost in thought that she didnt notice when Marcus finished speaking and returned to her side. She shook her head and said, 1 wasnt thinking about anything. Marcus said. ¡°If there¡¯s something bothering you, just tell me. No need to keep it inside. Cornelia replied, ¡°7 just hope that you and your wife can be together forever, and not let other people¡¯s gossip affect your rtionship.¡± Marcus smiled and asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind of man who would easily change because of other people¡¯s gossip?¡± Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Cornelia didn¡¯t think too much and blurted out, ¡°You might not, but what about your wife? Have you ever considered the pressure she has to bear to be with you? Your brothers used to talk about her cheating on you right in front of me. Do you know what that means for a woman if such rumors spread? It would stain her reputation for life and people would never stop attacking her with it¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡± Faced with Cornelia¡¯s angry questioning. Marcus couldnt defend himself and was filled with quilt But he still wanted her to know. ¡°Cornelia, first of all, you¡¯re not an outsider to me Secondly, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle these matters, and no one will dare to gossip about this in the future He had said she was his assistant, knowing many things about him that others didn¡¯t, so she was indeed not an outsider But why did he want her to feel at ease? What¡¯s the point of her feeling at ease? Shouldnt he be reassuring his wife? Shouldn¡¯t he be apologizing to his wife? Having calmed down, Cornelia realized that her emotions had been a bit excessive, President Hartley, I¡¯m sorry! It¡¯s none of my business.¡± Marcus loved his wife so much, so there was no need for her to worry You¡¯re not meddling, and feel free to tell me anything you think in the future ¡°Marcus not only had never dated, but he also had scarce contact with women outside of work Hedidn¡¯t understand girls thoughts at all. At this moment, he realized how much his unintentional mistake had hurt her. Fortunately, Cornelia was willing to tell him everything directly, so he could address the problem ordingly, ¡°Why did you suddenly bring this up?¡± Cornelia wanted to brush it off casually, but under his gaze, her mouth didn¡¯t cooperate with her brain, and she spoke her mind, ¡°When you were speaking on stage just now, those women were looking at you like hungry wolves, as if they wanted to gobble you up. I don¡¯t know why, but I just felt worried for your wife N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Especially that young woman sitting to Marcus¡¯s right, who was still staring at him The woman was beautiful and dressed in high¨Cend clothes. She didn¡¯t seem to be a staff member but probably a rich girl who came to find her ideal man. Cornelia felt that if Marcus got any closer to that woman, she would pounce on him and devour him. That was what she was worried about! Marcus smiled and gently said, ¡°What does it matter how others look at me? My eyes are only for my wife.¡± Cornelia, See? She told herself she was worrying too much. As Cornelia had expected, after the opening ceremony, as their group was about to leave, Mr. Lacy from DigitalX Technologies approached them with that woman, ¡°President Hartley. hello!¡± Marcus politely said, ¡°Mr. Lacy, what can I do for you?¡± Mr Lacy smiled and led the woman next to him to Marcus, ¡°This is my daughter Alvina Lacy.¡± ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you¡± Alvina Lacy said without hesitation, ¡°May I have your contact information?¡± Marcus turned to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia¡± Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Cornelia asked. President Hartley? ¡°Leave a contact for Ms Lacy¡± President Hartley, I want your personal contact.¡± Alvina Lacy thought to herself Who wants his work contact? What¡¯s the point of getting in touch with his assistant? Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Mr Lacy politely said, President Hartley, my daughter admires you a lot Why don¡¯t we have lunch together and chat while we ea17 Marcus understood what the father and daughter meant. Mr Lacy, I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m having lunch with my wife Mr Lacy was surprised. President Hartley is married? Why haven¡¯t I heard any news?¡± Marcusughed ¡°We¡¯ve been registered for marriage for almost two years, but we¡¯ve been too busy with work to have a wedding. When we do have our wedding, well definitely invite you Mr Lacy felt it was a pity, but still had to keep a smile on his face, ¡°Alright, then I wish you and your wife a happy marriage!¡± ¡°Well be going then!¡± Cornelia felt that Marcus¡¯s way of refusal was direct and effective, not offending his business partners and also cutting off other people¡¯s thoughts about him. She thought the matter was over, but in the afternoon after work, Alvina Lacy invited her to meet alone. The meeting ce was a western restaurant. Alvina Lacy was as straightforward as her father, ¡°Ms. Stewart, I invited you here for President Hartley.¡± Cornelia liked dealing with direct people, not having to waste time guessing their thoughts 7 know, but I don¡¯t think I can help you with anything¡± Alma Lacy smiled. Tm going after the man I like myself, I never thought of asking you for help.¡± Cornelia was a bit confused. Then why did you need to talk to me?¡± ¡°President Hartley said he was having lunch with his wife, but he was actually having lunch with you, and there was no other woman I just want to know if he¡¯s really married?¡± Marcus¡¯s stomach problems hadn¡¯t improved, and Cornelia was worried he might feel unwell, so she apanied him at lunch. ¡°He didn¡¯t lie to you guys, he¡¯s really married, and he loves his wife very much.¡± Alvina Lacy sighed. ¡°So he really is married?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°He really is. Ms. Lacy, you are outstanding. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll meet an even better man. Alvina Lacy felt her Mr. Right hadn¡¯t arrived yet, ¡°I know I¡¯m great, but good men arent that easy to come by. Please tell President Hartley for me that I wish him happiness too.¡± Cornelia sincerely praised. Ms. Lacy is truly wise.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of being wise? If he wasn¡¯t married, as long as I liked him, I wouldn¡¯t let him go. But I¡¯m also a precious daughter to my parents, raised under their care. I wouldn¡¯t stoop to being someone¡¯s mistress¡± Alvina Lacy¡¯s views were upright Pursuing someone bravely when you like them, and cutting your losses when you know they¡¯re married, no one gets hurt this way. Cornelia really appreciated this kind of girl who could let go when necessary, and her fondness for Alvinia Lacy rose quickly, toast to Ms. Lacy¡± Alright, toast to you too ¡°Alvina Lacy raised her ss and drank it all down in one gulp. This bold move contrasted sharply with her delicate appearance, ¡°But honestly, President Hartley is the best man I¡¯ve ever met, I¡¯d give 9.9 out of 10.¡± Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Cornelia, of course knew how awesome Marcus was, and giving him full marks was totally justified Ms Lacy, why not a 107 The only w is that he¡¯s not my man ¡°Alvina Lacy thought for a moment and used a metaphor only a gel could understand it¡¯s like you have your eye on a limited edition bag, but when you¡¯re about to pay, you¡¯re told it¡¯s been bought by someone else. Can you still give that bag a 107¡± It was the first time Cornelia heard someonepare Marcus to a bag, and she couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Ms: Lacy, keep talking, I love listening to you¡± *Just call me Alvina ¡°Alvina Lacy refilled Cornelia¡¯s wine ss. ¡°Cornelia, you know I really like you too. Today, at the opening ceremony. I looked at you for so long but you never gave me a response¡± Cornelia was ttered ¡°Are you sure you were looking at me during the opening ceremony, not at President Hartley?¡± ¡°Of course I looked at him and you I¡¯m just an ordinary person. What¡¯s wrong with enjoying good- looking guys and gals?¡± 1s Ms Lacyplimenting me?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms Lacy!¡± ¡°Cornelia, your skin is so good. Which skincare brand do you use? Rmend it to me, and I give it a try.¡± Cornelia was not shy. Any skincare product works for me.¡± The two chatted more and more, not only about men and skincare but also about entertainment gossip. They talked about everything girls could chat about. While chatting and drinking, the two bottles of red wine quickly emptied, and Alvina Lacy ordered a bottle of champagne. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Cornelia rarely chatted so much with people she wasn¡¯t familiar with, but she and Alvina Lacy really hit it off. They not only exchanged contact information but also made ns for ther next meeting When they were full, Cornelia was already too drunk to tell direction Alvina Lacy, who was also struggling, supported her. ¡°Cornelia, let me take you home.¡± Cornelia hupped ¡°Okay, you take me home first, then I¡¯ll take you home, deal?¡± The hotel staff couldn¡¯t bear to see the two drunk women helping each other. ¡°Ladies, we can arrange a shuttle car to take you back: ¡°We are not drunk. Why do you need to arrange a car for us?¡± Alvina Lacy hugged Cornelia and suddenly kissed her cheek. ¡°I like Cornelia, and I¡¯want to walk her home. No one can stop me¡± Cornelia, who had been kissed, was not angry but echoed, ¡°Right, we are sober. You can¡¯t fool us out of our money.¡± At this time, you think of money?¡± Marcus¡¯s deep and pleasant voice, with a hint of sternness, reached Cornelia¡¯s ears, and she found it familiar. Who are you?¡± She was not only drunk enough to be kissed by another woman but also drunk enough not to recognize him. Marcus pulled her into his arms and smelled the strong alcohol on her. ¡°how much did you drink?¡± Cornelia had disappeared after work in the afternoon, and he had waited for her all evening without seeing her. He called her, but she didn¡¯t answer. Worried about her safety, he went out to find her and saw her looking tipsy. Im not drunk! I can walk just fine.¡± Cornelia could indeed walk on her own, but her steps were unsteady, and she would surely fall if she took a few more steps Alvina Lacy, who was also unsteady on her feet, mocked her. ¡°Cornelia, you walk like a penguin, hahaha.¡± ¡°You guys arrange for someone to take her home After instructing the staff to send Alvina Lacy home, Marcus carefully held the unsteady Cornelia in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go home¡± Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Chapter 123 It was the night before a snowy day, and the weather was extra cold. Yet, his body was so warm, like a portable heater Cornelia, with her frozen nose snuggled closer to him. Her face was right against his heart, and Marcus¡¯s heartbeat uncontrobly quickened It was the first time a girl had been so close to him, close enough for him to feel her breath, heartbeat, and touch her soft body Luckily, this girl was his registered wife, the one he was meant to protect for the rest of his life Marcus hugged her a little tighter and involuntarily slowed down so he could hold her a little longer But the girl in his arms mumbled, ¡°Abby, you¡¯re so warm?¡± She was drunk which was why she snuggled up to him and mistaken him for someone else Anger rushed to Marcus¡¯s head and he said, ¡°No more drinking¡± Twas happy today, so I had a few more drinks. I won¡¯t drink anymore, except for social events ¡°She rubbed against him, ¡°Abby, Zack, I have to tell you, I made a new friend today¡± As she spoke, she let out another drunken hup Marcus frowned, ¡°Who¡¯s the new friend?¡± ¡°How cold¡± She shivered in his arms and didn¡¯t respond, as if what she had just said was sleep talk Worried about her getting too cold, Marcus didn¡¯t waste any more time and sped up As he carried Corn back to the vi, Ben happened toe out of a room. Seeing this, Ben wished he was blind, President Hartley, I didn¡¯t see anything.¡± Marcus shot him a nce and carried Cornelia back to their room. Ben hid back in his room, patting his chest in fear. It took him a while to remember something. He had smelled alcohol just now, but Marcus looked sober, so the one who had been drinking was Cornelia, and she might even be ckout drunk He had been with President Hartley for so many years and had never seen him have any inappropriate thoughts towards any woman. Ben had always thought that President Hartley was a gentleman who could resist temptation even if a beauty threw herself at him. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. But now? He wanted to take advantage of Cornelia when she was drunk? How was that any different from a beast? Ben thought he should bravely stand up and stop him, not letting the two¨Cfaced President Hartley take advantage of the situation! With courage, Ben approached Cornelia¡¯s door, thinking he should kick it open like a hero and rush in to scold President Hartley. But when he got to the door, his legs were shaking For the first time, he realized how cowardly he was. It wasnt that he was a coward, but if it had been anyone but President Hartley in that door, he would have rushed in to save Cornelia. While Ben was lost in thought outside, Marcus was indeed busy in the room. Cornelia was afraid of the cold, so she wore a lot ofyers. Marcus took off her thick down jacket, revealing a thick sweater underneath. The sweater was a pullover, not easy to remove. He identally touched her soft chest while taking it off, and his usually calm face instantly turned red. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Marcus didn¡¯t dare to move recklessly, so he quickly tucked Cornelia into bed. Then he went to the bathroom to soaked a towel with hot water, and came back to gently wipe her face When he got to the part that had been kissed by Alvina Lacy, he scrubbed a bit harder, as if to wash away the traces left by someone else on her She was his wife and he hadn¡¯t even kissed her face Why should anyone else be allowed to? ¡°Abby, Zack¡± Cornelia suddenly grabbed his hand without even opening her eyes, you guys are so good to me. When will ever be able to repay you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to repay them I do it for youter ¡°Marcus held her hand, ¡°Sleep now I¡¯ll be here for you from now on.¡± Cornelia asked in a daze. ¡°Who are you?¡± 7 want to say I¡¯m your husband, the man who will stand by your side for the rest of your life¡± Marcus really wanted to tell her that, but what right did he have to say these things to her now? He ruffled her har and whispered, ¡°Who do you want me to be?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Cornelia opened her eyes and looked into his, feeling both farmiliar and unfamiliar, ¡®Are you a magician? Can you be whoever I want you to be?¡± Her eyes were zed with drunkenness, but the brightness in them was still unmistakable. She looked so beautiful and adorable. Marcus¡¯s heart softened, ¡°Yeah, you can tell me Suddenly and unexpectedly, Cornelia opened her arms wide and yelled, ¡°Mom, hug me!¡± ¡°Mom?¡± Marcus was both annoyed that she saw him as her mother and unable to resist her request for a hug. He opened his arms, embraced her, and gently patted her back, ¡°Sleep now, sweetheart¡± Marcus had seen her background information and knew that her mother had left when she was just a few days old. There should be no memory of her mother in her mind He thought that normal people wouldn¡¯t miss someone they had no memory of, but he had overlooked the power of blood ties. Every child longs for the love of his or her mother and father ¡°Hold me tight, and I¡¯ll be good.¡± She curled up in his arms, rubbing against him like a newborn panda cuddling with its mother, ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything wrong, I¡¯m really good. Please dont leave me and my dad, okay?¡± A tear rolled down her cheek without warning, and Marcus¡¯s breath was caught, ¡°You¡¯re great, no one would ever want to leave you.¡± The Cornelia he knew was an outstanding assistant who could handle any task given to her with ease and efficiency. She had been working with him for a long time and had never made a mistake on the job He could see that she had a very strong personality, never allowing herself to make even the slightest error, and never showing her vulnerability to others. But did that mean she wasn¡¯t vulnerable? She was a young girl around the same age as his sister Briana Hartley. When Briana was still pampered and spoiled in their mother¡¯s arms, Cornelia had already taken on responsibilities that no one at her age should have to bear These responsibilities were given to her by her family, and she had no choice but to endure them, hiding her vulnerability deep in her heart and licking her own wounds. Marcus tightened his embrace, wanting to say something but not knowing what to say Cornelia whispered, ¡°I have a headache and I¡¯m thirsty¡± Marcus was about to let go of her to get some water, but as soon as he started to loosen his grip, she clung to him even tighter, ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t leave me.¡± Im not leaving you. You¡¯re thirsty, and I¡¯m just going to get some water.¡± He tried to exin patiently, but she wouldn¡¯t listen. She firmly held onto his clothes and refused to let him go. So, Marcus went along with her. He sat by the bed, quietly keeping herpany. Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Chapter 125 She just cried, her eyshes still had teardrops, and her nose was a bit red It made his heart soften He gentlyforted her, and after a while, she gradually fell asleep Outside the door there was a knock Marcus was afraid that Cornelia, who had just fallen asleep, would be woken up, so he immediately covered her ears After confirming that there was no more knocking he withdrew his hand and went to open the door As the door opened, Ben poked his head out looking very cautious ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ben gritted his teeth. President Hartley, Cornelia is drunk, and she¡¯s probably not in her right mind If someone does something to her at this time, it might be illegal¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Ben, you¡¯ve been with me for so many years, but it seems like it¡¯s been for nothing ¡°Marcus¡¯s tone was heavy, but his eyes were gentle ¡°Go back to bed, it has nothing to do with you¡± Ben had always been cautious in front of him but now he stood up for Cornelia, which was pretty good. Hearing Marcus say this. Ben finally felt relieved ¡°Alright, I go back to sleep. President Hartley, you¡¯re the best boss in the world.¡± ¡°Get going¡± Ben returned to his room with a happy heart Marcus turned and went downstairs He made some tea and brought it to Cornelia¡¯s room. Cornelia was restless in her sleep, and she rolled out of the covers, half of her body hanging off the bed. Marcus rushed forward and held her back onto the bed. ¡°Cornelia, wake up, drink the tea first, or you¡¯ll have a headache tomorrow.¡± ¡°Stop it¡± She refused tomunicate. Marcus had no choice but to feed her the soup bit by bit. He found that this girl had a particrly cute trait. Even when she was asleep, if he fed her something to drink, she would taste it first and make sure it wasn¡¯t bitter before drinking it like a ittle squirrel After drinking it, she even licked her lips, as if inviting him to taste her beautiful red lips. Marcus¡¯s leaned down, inch by inch, close enough that their breaths intertwined, close enough that he could see nothing but her in his eyes. Just a little more, a little more, and he could kiss her red lips. She was his wife, so he could kiss her, but there was a voice in his heart saying no. He controlled his desire for her, and gently ced a kiss on her forehead. As soon as he touched her forehead, Cornelia suddenly opened her eyes. Marcus felt a little embarrassed, like a child caught doing something wrong She closed her eyes again, murmuring softly. ¡°Abby, am I crazy? How could I dream that President Hartley wanted to kiss me?¡± Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Chapter 126 ¡°Could it be that I really have the potential to be a bad girl like you said? I mean, I find some guys really attractive at first sight, and now I¡¯m having such scary dreams?¡± She seemed to think of something funny andughed. Tm not gonna have weird dreams again, am 175 No wonder she stared at him on her first day with him, finding him familiar but couldn¡¯t remember who he was He almost missed her back then, but luckily he decided to keep her around in the end ¡°Abby, tell me, am I really annoying?¡± ¡°Who said you¡¯re annoying?¡± f I¡¯m not annoying, then why does everyone leave me?¡± She frowned, as if plunged into painful memories, ¡®My mom, my dad, that person, and Jeremy Hearing her mention his name, Marcus felt a mix of emotions He stroked her forehead. Don¡¯t worry, Jeremy will never leave Cornelia, never¡± She didn¡¯t listen to him, just kept spilling her deepest secrets, Ive been studying and working so hard, I didn¡¯t do anything wrong, so why does everyone me me?¡± ¡°You did nothing wrong It¡¯s those who hurt you are wrong.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Hearing the affirmation, her furrowed brows rxed, and she gradually drifted off to sleep. Marcus sat by her bed, ying with her soft hair. After a while, she seemed startled by something and snuggled into his arms. N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared ¡°He whispered soothingly, staying with her in that position until dawn. Only when he thought she might wake up did he get up and leave Who would¡¯ve thought he¡¯d bump into Ben from the room across the hall? Ben¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, President Hartley¡± Marcus gave him a cold nce, not bothering to exin anything, and went upstairs. President Hartley said he wouldn¡¯t take advantage of people when they were down, so Ben felt relieved to sleep Now that the deed was done, what could he do? If Cornelia woke up and called the police, should hee forward to testify? Ben paced anxiously As aw¨Cabiding citizen, he shouldn¡¯tpromise his principles for a high sry. He should bravely step forward to expose President Hartley¡¯s shameful behavior ¡°That¡¯s right, no matter who breaks thew, don¡¯t be afraid.¡°Ben kept building himself up mentally After Marcus went back to his room, washed up, and changed clothes, he saw Ben still pacing on the second floor, ¡°What are you mumbling about?¡± ¡°You despicable scoundrel, you¡¯d even hurt your own subordinate. You don¡¯t deserve to know what I¡¯m thinking!¡± Ben really wanted to curse at Marcus but as soon as he met Marcus¡® gaze, he chickened out, ¡°No, nothing, President Hartley, I¡¯ll get back to work.¡± As he tried to escape on his weak legs, Marcus called out to him, ¡°Cornelia is someone I want to protect, I won¡¯t hurt her.¡± Ben believed him again, as long as Marcus said so, he would trust him. After all, following Marcus for so many years, he had always been very upright in these matters, 1 knew President Hartley wouldn¡¯t do such a thing. I was just being overly suspicious¡± Marcus ¡°Get lost!¡± Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Not long after Marcus left, Cornelia woke up She had a bunch of messed up dreamsst night, dreaming about a lot of people, and weirdly enough, Marcus was in every one of them Coa quickly got up and sshed her face with cold water in the bathroom to wake herself up She told herself that she could dream about anyone in the future, but the should never dream about Marcus again. After getting ready. Cornelia went downstairs, thinking she was the first one awake. To her surprise, Marcus was already having breakfast in the dining room on the first floor She immediately greeted him, ¡°Good morning. President Hartley!¡± Hmm Marcus nodded and pointed to the untouched food on the table, That¡¯s yours¡± Thanks, President Hartley Cornelia didn¡¯t hold back and started eating as soon as she sat down. Marcus finished eating first, elegantly wiped his mouth, and noticed that she had resumed her professional attitude towards him, which made him feel a bit stifled, ¡°Where were youst night?¡± Last night? Cornelia, who had a bit too much to drink, thought for a moment before recalling. ¡°Alvina Lacy invited me to dinner, so I went out with her Whos Alvina Lacy?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Mr Lacy¡¯s daughter Yesterday, they invited you to lunch, remember?¡± He actually forgot the name of the person he had just met yesterday Luckily, Alvina Lacy had already given up on pursuing him Marcus didn¡¯t remember people¡¯s names, but he didn¡¯t forget what happened to Cornelia yesterday So, the woman who sneakily kissed Cornelia in front of himst night was Alvina Lacy. Did that woman want to steal his girl because she couldn¡¯t have him? He looked at Cornelia worriedly. ¡°Did she do anything to you?¡± Cornelia had no idea about the twists and turns in Marcus¡¯s mind and kept praising Alvina Lacy, ¡°Ms. Lacy is great, we got along really well, and like her a lot.¡± Marcus frowned. ¡°You¡¯ve only just met her, and you already like her?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s friendship or love, I think it¡¯s about the feeling, not depends on how long you¡¯ve known each other? ¡°So she just wanted to be friends with you?¡± ¡°She asked me if you were really married ¡°Cornelia put down her fork, looked up at him, and said seriously, President Hartley, if you don¡¯t have any other intentions, why not announce th you¡¯re married?¡± ¡°Why should I tell others about my private affairs?¡± Marcus always thought that getting married was his own business and didnt make it public. Cornelia murmured, ¡°it¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know how many admirers you have.¡± ¡°So what?¡± He actually said. ¡°So what?¡± Cornelia was fuming She was d he wasn¡¯t her husband, otherwise, she would have been driven crazy by his rotten attitude Why are you not talking now?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°President Hartley, you said that we should not talk while eating ¡°Cornelia didn¡¯t know where she got the courage to talk back to him Fortunately, he didn¡¯t ask any further. She quickly finished her breakfast, President Hartley, I¡¯m done eating. I¡¯ll go prepare the meeting materials now.¡± Marcus lit a cigarette, casually said. ¡°Once you¡¯re done, finish the conversation we were having just now.¡± Cornelia was speechless What else could she say? She wasnt his wife, so his messed¨Cup love life was none of her business. ¡°Hmm?¡± His question was full of pressure Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Cornelia sighed and reluctantly continued the topic, ¡®Thavent even worked with you for a year, and I¡¯ve already seen women shipping you notes, flirting with you, getting close to you, and chasing you like Alma Lacy¡± With Marcus¡¯s status, even if his reputation for not being interested in women has spread far and wide, there are still people trying to throw women at him every day mistake and someone gets a hold of him, hell be at their mercy To put it nicely, they¡¯re offering him women to y with but actually it¡¯s all temptation and traps Once he make Over the years, Marcus has be experienced in dealing with these situations, but no matter how he deals with those people, there are always others who take their chances So far, he hasnt found a foolproof way to stop people from throwing women to him He was curious to hear what good advice Cornelia could give, ¡°Go on Well then, Cornelia boldly said ¡°If you announce that you¡¯re married, itil put off a lot of people. Not only will it save you a lot of trouble, but it¡¯ll also make your wife happy Why not? Cornelia saw the issue too simply not knowing how dangerous it was around Marcus and the pressure his wife might have to bear But since she wanted it to be public, he would make it public Now, he had the ability to protect herpletely Marcus immediately picked up his phone and dialed the head of PR for the Hartley Group, ¡°Draft a press release announcing my marriage.¡± Cornelia was shocked Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Why would he listen to her? He really announced it just because she told him to do so? Marcus looked at her, the corner of his lips lifting in a barely noticeable smile, ¡°Satisfied?¡± Cornelia whispered. ¡°You should call your wife and ask if she¡¯s satisfied.¡± Marcus chuckled. ¡°If you¡¯re satisfied, she will be satisfied¡± As soon as the news of Marcus¡¯s marriage was announced, it caused a huge stir, and the Hartley Group¡¯s stock price skyrocketed until trading was halted. A rising stock price is a good thing, but when it goes crazy because of Marcus¡¯s marital status, it¡¯s not just a good thing ¨C it bes a binding act If Marcus¡¯s marriage were to have problems in the future, it would have a huge impact on the Hartley Group¡¯s stock price. Considering this, Cornelia didn¡¯t know if announcing the marriage was a good thing or not, ¡°President Hartley, did I cause you trouble again?¡± ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°You must have had your reasons for not announcing your marriage earlier. Today, the Hartley Group¡¯s stock price soared because of the news of your marriage. What if something bad happens between you and your wife in the future¡­¡± Marcus interrupted her. There will be no what if. My wife will always be the only one, and that will never change¡± That¡¯s good ¡°Cornelia felt relieved and immediately threw herself into her work. Meanwhile Courtney Kamp¨CHartley saw the news and clenched her teacup in anger. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapter 129 After the drugging incident, all her spies in the country were wiped out by Marcus, so she couldn¡¯t get any updates on Marcus and Cornelia Surprisingly, the next news about Marcus was that he was already married Since Marcus announced his marriage, it meant that he already knew his registered wife was his little assistant. Courtney looked out the window at the snow and sighed. Do we really have to let that good for nothing woman into the Hartley family? Billy, who was by her side replied, ¡°You dont have to worry so much. Although our people have been withdrawn, there are definitely others who don¡¯t want to see Cornelia seed, so someone will take care of her¡± ¡°Just say what you know ¡°Do you remember the Petersen family?¡± Courtney nodded The Petersen family has fallen on hard times these years There¡¯s a person named Eden Petersen who used to work in the president¡¯s office of the Hartley Group and was the most likely candidate to be President Hartley¡¯s special assistant, but then Cornelia came along and took the position. Eden has always been resentful about this and tried to pull some tricks on Cornelia, but was caught and sent to jail for a few days. After getting out, Eden even staged a car ident, but Cornelia was lucky enough to survive it.¡± At this point, Courtney roughly understood, ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see. Marchas a big issue with me this time, and if our mother son rtionship gets worse, his grandmother will benefit.¡± Right¡± Willy handed over a phone, ¡®Ms. Reese is calling¡± Hearing that it was Natalia Reese on the line, Courtney¡¯s eyes shed with disgust, but she took the phone anyway. Nataka¡¯s sweet voice came through, ¡°Auntie, I miss you. When are youing back to Riverton?¡± Courtney had been to Riverton once before, but her visit was so brief that many people didn¡¯t know she had been there. Courtney was extremely impatient, but her voice remained gentle, ¡®Do you miss me or do you want me to help you?¡± Natalia yfully replied, ¡°Auntie, don¡¯t tease me I just don¡¯t understand what Marcus is thinking. His wife has slept with other men, so why would he announce his marriage?¡± Courtney knew everything, but she couldn¡¯t tell the tactless Natalia, ¡°He doesn¡¯t ever tell me his thoughts, so I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s thinking either. But don¡¯t worry, I only like you in my heart¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Natalia was still worried, ¡°Marcus is always running around with his little assistant, and I¡¯ve only seen him once since I got back to Riverton We barely even talked ¡± Courtney was getting more and more impatient, and if it weren¡¯t for the Reese family, she wouldn¡¯t bother dealing with this stupid girl, ¡°His assistant has to follow him, why do you need topete with someone like her? She¡¯s not even worthy of being your rival.¡± Hearing Courtney say this, Natalia felt more at ease, as if the position of the Hartley Group¡¯s president¡¯s wife was already beckoning her. They chatted about family matters for a while before hanging up Courtney handed the phone back to Willy. Try to decline her calls in the future. I don¡¯t need to take every single one! Alright¡± On Natalia¡¯s end, she wasn¡¯t alone. Her brother, Cameron Reese, was also there. He had asked her to make the call loud enough for him to hear, so he knew the content of their conversation Natalia looked at the darkened phone screen and cautiously nced at Cameron, ¡°We all know about the rtionship between her and Marcus. The more she likes someone, the more Marcus will dislike them. Why do we still have to win her over?¡± ¡°Are you questioning my methods?¡± Cameron pped Natalia hard across her face. You useless fool, how dare you question me.¡± Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Natalia covered her aching face not daring to make a round. She was the only daughter of the Reese family, and everyone thought she was the precious baby that the fleese family had pampered and raised. But how many people knew what she had really been through in this family? She kept silent, and Cameron¡¯s anger burned even more. He raised his hand, wanting to p her again, ¡®say something¡± Natalia trembled and backed away. Don¡¯t worry, Ill keep in touch with her. Whatever you ask me to do, I¡¯ll do it. I won¡¯t ask questions anymore¡± Cameron withdrew his hand. ¡°You¡¯re so close to Briana, can¡¯t you find out from her who the hell Marcus¡¯s wife is?¡± Natalia shrank into a ball, shaking with fear, Tasked, but Briana hasn¡¯t met Marcus¡¯s wife yet. She doesn¡¯t know what she looks like or her name¡± Cameron wanted to p her again. If she hasn¡¯t seen her, why don¡¯t you push her to meet her? She¡¯s Marcus¡¯s own sister, he wont hurt her, will he?¡± 11 contact her right away and try to get her to take me to see that woman¡± ¡°Remember you also need to get Briana to find out why Marcus suddenly announced his marriage. If he doesn¡¯t divorce that woman, then you¡¯ll never even have a chance to marry him¡± ¡°Yes¡± Cameron poked Natalia¡¯s forehead hard, ¡®You useless thing, if you had half the skill your mother had back then, it wouldn¡¯t be this hard for you to handle a man.¡± Cameron left. Natalia was still shaking, and immediately picked up her phone to call Briana Hartley The 3033 Technology Conference was in full swing During the break, Cornelia went to the restroom to wash her face, keeping herself in the best working condition After washing her face and on her way back to the conference room, Parrish, the head of TechNova Industries, stopped her, ¡°Ms. Stewart, I¡¯d like to ask for your help if it¡¯s not too much trouble¡± Cornelia wanted to say it was inconvenient, but basic socializing is necessary. ¡°Parrish, what can I do to help you?¡± Parrish smiled. ¡°I heard you don¡¯t have your own house in Riverton yet. Ourpany just bought some fully furnished houses in Serenity Heights recently. You can move in with just a little bit of tidying up. If you don¡¯t mind, I can transfer one to your name¡± A sudden generous gift must mean trouble. Cornelia wasn¡¯t stupid enough to think she¡¯d just hit the jackpot, ¡°Parrish, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help you with that.¡± ¡°Ms. Stewart, if you don¡¯t like the big house in Serenity Heights, we also have vis in Harmony Hills Estates that are also nicely decorated and brand new. As long as it¡¯s transferred to your name, you can move in with your luggage¡± Parrish was confident that he had found Cornelia¡¯s weakness and was sure she would agree, ¡°Can you help me with this?¡± Parrish invested so much capital, it was obvious he wanted her to be in trouble. However, Cornelia wanted to know what he really needed her help with, ¡°Parrish, as the saying goes, there¡¯s no gain without pain. How can I ept such a valuable gift?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡°Ms. Stewart, if you can help me with this, it¡¯d be a huge favor. How can you say there¡¯s no gain without pain?¡± Cornelia smiled, Tm too timid to handle big things.¡± Parrish thought Cornelia was tempted, so he revealed the truth, ¡°This may be difficult for others, but for an assistant like you, it only takes a word or two¡± Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Corn rated her eyebrows, is the thing that Parrish wants me to do rted to President Hartley?¡± Dealing with smart people is nice Parrish gave her an appreciative look, ¡°After the dinner tonight, find a way to get my people into President Hartley¡¯s room You just need to get them in there, and whether it works or not, the Harmony Hills Estates vi is yours Marcus had already announced his marriage, and yet someone still wanted to use such despicable means to push a woman on him. How could there be such bottomless people in this world? Parrish, President Hartley is already married¡± Parrish didnt care, With Marcus status, what¡¯s the big deal if he¡¯s married? As long as he snaps his fingers, countless women will still throw themselves at him. Ms. Stewart, there¡¯s no man in this world who doesn¡¯t love money, power, and beauty Just help me out, and there will be plenty of benefits for you in the future¡± 1 do want the benefits, but ¡°Cornelia wanted the benefits, but she wanted them to be earned through hard work and not by doing illegal things, I believe in President Hartley¡¯s abilities, and if I betray him, I be in deep trouble¡± Parrish¡¯s face darkened. ¡°So you¡¯re not willing to help me?¡± ¡°Parrish, sorry, but I¡¯m afraid I go to hell if I help you with this Cornelia tried to walk away, but Parrish grabbed her, ¡°give it a second thought¡± Cornelia looked down at the hand that was grabbing her wrist and said coldly, ¡°Parrish, let go of my hand.¡± Before Parrish could let her go, Marcus came out of the smoking area with a cigarette, ¡®Parrish, what do you want to do to my assistant?¡± He seemed to be smiling, but it made people feel a chill down their spine Parrish never thought Marcus would be there, and he immediately let Cornelia go, President Hartley, I just admire Ms. Stewart and wanted to invite her to lunch.¡± Cornelia rubbed her sore wrist She didn¡¯t escape Marcus¡® view even with this small gesture, Cornelia, go back to the venue. Cornelia nodded Watching Cornelia leave, Marcus looked at the hand with which Parrish had grabbed Cornelia and slowly approached him.. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. His aura was too strong, and as he got closer, Parrish couldn¡¯t help but back away. Marcus took a leisurely puff on his cigarette and asked with a smile, ¡°are you interested in my little assistant?¡± At this point, Parrish wouldn¡¯t dare say otherwise, President Hartley, Ms. Stewart is not only capable at work, but also very beautiful. Many people at the conference admire her and I just happen to be one of them.¡± ¡°Oh, really?¡± Marcus took another puff, ¡°Parrish, please extend your right hand.¡± Parrish didn¡¯t know what Marcus was up to, but he obediently extended his right hand. The next moment, Marcus pressed the cigarette butt into his palm. Parrish felt extreme pain and was furious, ¡°Marcus, you¡­¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Marcus sneered, with his eyes shing with a sharp murderous intent, ¡°Who do you think you are, daring Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Parrish couldn¡¯t help but grit his teeth in pain. ¡°Marcus, don¡¯t push your luck man Otherwise, no one¡¯s gonna end up happy¡± You think you¡¯re a match for me?¡± Marcus red at Parrish and walked away with disdain. Parrish clenched his fists in anger, ¡°We¡¯ll see!¡± Once Marcus returned to the meeting room, Cornelia sneaked a few nces at him, unable to read his emotions, ¡°President Hartley, you must have heard our conversation earlier. I wasn¡¯t persuaded by him ¡° Marcus looked at her. Is it because youte afraid of me?¡± Cornelia shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s because I respect you. And I would never do anything to hurt your wife. No one can ruin the rtionship between you two¡± As they were talking, Marcus suddenly asked, ¡°Which house in Riverton do you like?¡± Cornelia liked both houses that Parrish had mentioned, but whether she could afford them was the most important question. She smiled and didnt answer. ¡°President Hartley, the meeting is starting¡± Not getting an answer from Cornelia, Marcus sent a message to Ryan Colwell, ¡®At 6:30 tonight, ask Cornelia which house in Riverton she likes. I¡¯ll buy it for her.¡± Ryan quickly replied, ¡°Mare, are you out of your mind?* What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°First, you wanted a divorce, then changed your mind on the day of the divorce, and now you want to buy her a house. You either have too much money or too much time on your hands¡± ¡°She¡¯s my wife, and we¡¯re legally married. What¡¯s wrong with buying a house for her?¡± ¡°Alright, no problem. As long as you¡¯re happy¡± 6.30¡± ¡°You know what¡¯s most important for uswyers? Time! Time! If you say 6:30, I cant make it 8:00, can 17¡± Marcus didn¡¯t reply and continued with the meeting. At 6:30 in the evening, as the meeting ended and Cornelia was packing up the materials, her personal phone vibrated twice Seeing it was a call from Ryan, Cornelia was excited, ¡°Mr. Colwell, has Jeremy agreed to the divorce?¡± Upon hearing this, Marcus¡¯s face darkened. How could he change her impression of Jeremy? Ryan cleared his throat, ¡°Ms. Stewart, Mr. Artis doesn¡¯t n on getting a divorce. He asked me to find out which house in Riverton you like, so he can buy one for you.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. ¡°Are you sure he wants to buy a house for me?¡± This was the third person today asking her about the houses Cornelia suddenly had a bad feeling. Could it be that Jeremy was bought by TechNova Industries¡® Parrish and wanted to use her to gain favor with Marcus, so he decided not to divorce her? But that was just spection Cornelia didn¡¯t want to use someone without evidence, ¡°Mr. Colwell, why does he suddenly want to give me a house? What does he do for a living?¡± Ryan ryed Marcus¡¯s words to her, ¡°You two are legally married. He made money in business, so whats wrong with giving you a house?¡± Cornelia had never thought of relying on a man, especially one she was about to divorce, ¡°I can earn money and buy a house myself. I don¡¯t need his help¡± ¡°Refusing a free house is a waste. Think it over and let me know your answer tomorrow.¡± Tve made up my mind. I don¡¯t need anything from him.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let him know¡± After her call with Ryan, Cornelia was still worried, so she sent Jeremy a message: ¡°Jeremy, Mr. Colwell just told me you want to give me a house. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but i want to tell you I don¡¯t need you to give me anything. Anyway, let¡¯s set up a time to meet and talk.¡± Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 After typing. Corn checked again and was about to send when Marcus¡¯s deep voice suddenly rang in her ear ¡°Your hubby got you a house, why not take it? Cornelia jumped, ¡°Ah. President Hartley, you¡¯re still here?¡± They were the only two left in the venue ¡°Answer my question¡± Marcus was domineering, but Cornelia had her ways to deal with him. ¡°President Hartley, that¡¯s my private matter. Please don¡¯t interfere¡± Marcus fell silent He suddenly felt hke teaching her a lesson for her sharp tongue Due to Marcus¡¯s interruption, Cornelia forgot to send the message she had written After dinner and washing up, shey in bed, picked up her phone, and was about to chat with Abigail and Zack when she saw the unsent message Cornelia immediately hit the send button, and Marcus received it too. He had just finished taking a shower and was lying in bed when he read the message from Cornelia He replied. ¡°We¡¯re legally married!¡± Cornelia looked at the reply, and for some reason, her heartstrings were slightly plucked Athough she couldn¡¯t remember Jeremy¡¯s face, she had to admit one fact legally, Jeremy was her closest person. ¡°Can we meet and have a good talk?¡± ¡°Can I add you on Whatsapp?¡± ¡°Sure¡± Soon, Cornelia received a friend request She clicked on it and saw it was a white avatar with the name ¡°he¡± and epted the request. They added each other as friends one year and seven months after their marriage Cornelia looked at the unfamiliar avatar in her contacts and didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. As she was staring at the avatar, Jeremy sent a long message *Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry for leaving you alone after our marriage. But please believe that from the moment I agreed to Granny Reba¡¯s request to register our marriage, I decided to live a good life with you On our wedding day. I had some important matters to attend to, so I went straight to the airport from the city hall and didn¡¯t return to Riverton until a yearter. The day after I came back, I called you. You didn¡¯t recognize me, and I heard a man¡¯s voice on your end, so I thought you had found someone else and proposed a divorce On the day of the divorce, I realized I had misunderstood you, so I didn¡¯t want to divorce. I would like to ask you to give me a chance to change After reading this long message, Cornelia only cared about one question, which was her most important concern: ¡°So you thought I cheated on you?¡± She sent the message, and after waiting for a while, she finally got Jeremy¡¯s reply: ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing the word ¡°yes,¡± Cornelia smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s set another time to go through the divorce process¡± She could ignore any other reason he mentioned, but she could never tolerate this one.Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Chapter 134 He didn¡¯t even bother to ask her or give her a chance to exin, just assumed she was unfaithful With no basic trust between them. Cornelia felt there was no need for their marriage to continue Before waiting for Jeremy¡¯s reply, Cornelia texted back ¡°Jeremy, thanks for telling me the truth! Actually, this mess isn¡¯t just your fault, I¡¯m to me too. Marriage ain¡¯t a game, but we both messed up and treated it like one Let¡¯s just put an end to this mistake¡± After sending the message. Cornelia put down her phone and stared nkly at the ceiling. Her mind drifted back to that rainy night years ago, remembering the cold and emotionless voice of that man ¡°Cornelia, I know everything you¡¯ve done. Our family can¡¯t take this shame if we ever meet again, just pretend you don¡¯t know me! Suddenly, Corneliaughed What did these people take her for? Someone they could toss away at will? They¡¯d throw her away like trash when they thought she was dirty, and pick her back up for fun when they thought she was clean again. All these years, she had worked hard to be independent, to live a good life without relying on a man No one could hold her hostage with their so¨Ccalled morals anymore, Just as Marcus said, she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong Meanwhile, after reading Cornelia¡¯s message, Marcus smoked one cigarette after another. From the day he found out Cornelia was his wife, he knew she wouldn¡¯t easily forgive Jeremy. Now that his prediction hade true, he felt a deep sense of helplessness. This was the first time he wanted to protect a girl, but he never expected it to be in this situation. After thinking for a while, he texted Steven Dixon: ¡°If I remember correctly, your wife didn¡¯t want to marry you at first. How did you manage to make your rtionship so harmonious now?¡± Instead of replying to the message, Steven called ¡°Marc, are you finally wanting to pursue your little assistant? Congrats to the 28¨Cyear¨Cold bachelor who¡¯s finally catching feelings!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Marcus neither confirmed nor denied, just said, ¡°Answer my question.¡± Steven proudly shared his secret of winning his wife over: ¡®First, you gotta seal the deal in bed. Then use your manly charm and a harmonious life to make herpletely submit. My wife can¡¯t live without me now. It¡¯s not easy to find a guy as great and healthy as me, especially those unreliable male celebs in her circle.¡± Feeling like he asked the wrong person, Marcus cut him off: ¡°Enough.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rush? Are you really after your little assistant?¡± ¡°I want to make up with my wife¡± ¡°You can¡¯t be ying both sides.¡± Marcus disagreed with Steven¡¯s usation, ¡°ying both sides? When did I ever waver?¡± He had always wanted to live a good life with his wife. If not for the misunderstanding of mistaking someone else for her, maybe he would have already brought her home instead of living separately in the same building. Stevenughed, ¡°You¡¯re attracted to your assistant while trying to make up with your wife. If that¡¯s not wavering, what is?¡± ¡°The feelings I have for my assistant are not what you think,¡± Marcus exined that his appreciation for his assistant, Cornelia, was due to her impable work ethic. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Chapter 135 In this case, ofter finding out that Cornelia was his wife, Marcus became even more determined to live a good life with her ¡°Alright, if you say there¡¯s nothing, then there¡¯s nothing ¡°Steven had reason to suspect that Marcus, who had never been in love before might not understand some things, and maybe he just had a tiny crush on his little assistant, but it wasnt love yet Since Marcus wanted to continue with his wife, there was no reason for him, as a friend, not to support them ¡°Tell me about the conflicts between you and your wife, and 11 help you figure things out¡± Marcus was silent for a while, so long that Steven had to urge him before he finally whispered, ¡°I just found out not long ago that my little assistant is my registered wife¡± ¡°Wow! Such a dramatic plot! I cant believe this happened to you¡± Marcus was speechless ¡°So you wanted to divorce because you fell for your little assistant, but now you don¡¯t want to since you found out she¡¯s your wife Marcus, you really sound like a jerk! ¡°My wanting to divorce before had nothing to do with Cornelia¡± You mentioned your registered wife before you came back to the country, saying you wanted to live a good life with her. Last month at the party, you brought your little assistant if that¡¯s not being a jerk, what is?¡± To protect Cornelia¡¯s reputation, Marcus had to mention the embarrassing truth 1 mistook someone else for my wife before and thought she was with someone else¡± Steven eximed again, ¡°Wow!¡± However, this time Steven quickly figured out the situation without Marcus¡® exnation. ¡°Does your little assistant know now that you¡¯re her husband?¡± 1 can¡¯t tell her yet¡± You¡¯re so decisive at work, but why are you so indecisive with personal feelings? Go sleep with her tonight, and tell her the truth afterward. You¡¯re legally married, what can she do to you?¡± Marcus hung up the phone and went back to the chat with Cornelia. He quickly typed a few words, ¡°Cornelia, I won¡¯t let you go!¡± After sending the message, before Cornelia could reply, the group chat suddenly became lively Steven, Zavier Rivera, Lucas Duncan,e out!¡± Zavier Lucas, ¡°I¡¯m putting my wife to bed, do not disturb!¡± Steven, ¡°Breaking news! Marc¡¯s assistant he brought to meet usst time is his wife who he¡¯s been registered with for almost two years!¡± ¡°Really?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°The key is he only found out that a few days ago.¡± Zavier, ¡°Gosh, when ites to rtionships, out of the four of us, Lucas is the most reliable.¡± Steven, ¡°Am I not reliable?¡± Zavier, ¡°You didn¡¯t know that?¡± Lucas, ¡°How could Marc make such a mistakel Even if a man can¡¯t recognize his wife, he should recognize her by her smell.¡± Steven, ¡°Please understand this man who has no experience in love.¡± Marcus immediately turned his personal phone on silent mode and threw it aside. Then he used his work phone to call Cornelia. Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Cornelia¡¯s work phone is always on, and shell pick up right away whenever Marcus calls, tonight being no exception President Hartley, hello She was always so polite and courteous with her first line when answering the phone, making it impossible for him to detect her mood from her tone. He coughed Twice, and immediately heard Cornelia¡¯s worried voice, President Hartley do you have a cold?¡± This was Assistant Cornelia caring for her boss Marcus, not Wife Cornelia caring for her husband Jeremy Marcus didn¡¯t really need this kind of care ¡°It¡¯s going to snow soon. Remember to close the windows ¡°Finally, he said this line and hung up. He took out his personal phone, and the three people in the group chat reminded him one by one, ¡°Marc, say something¡± Marcus typed a few words, 7 want to walk the future path with her.¡± Lucas replied. ¡°Yeah, a man should be good to his wife¡± Steven, ¡°Let me know if you need any help¡± Zavier. ¡°After the 3033 Tech Conference, Skyler Blue and I will treat you and your wife to dinner.¡± Marcus, ¡°Okay¡± For the next few days, Cornelia and the Hartley Group team were fully devoted to the tech conference, working from morning till night, even meal times were tight. Not only did Cornelia have to focus on work, but she also had to keep an eye on Marcus¡¯s health. Thankfully, Marcus was very obedient. Whatever she said, he followed without causing her any trouble. Four dayster, the 3033 Tech Conference came to a sessful end, and the New Year¡¯s Day holiday arrived. Cornelia booked flights back to Riverton for the team that night so everyone could go home for the holidays. However, due to weather conditions, the flights were canceled, and everyone was stranded at Sunset Bay Resort. Cornelia sat in the living room, holding her tablet, constantly checking the weather and flight information. ¡°Cornelia, take a break¡± Ben handed Cornelia a bottle of water and sat down beside her, saying, ¡°Honestly, I respect no one but you.¡± ¡°Why me?¡± ¡°A few months ago, when you first started working with President Hartley, you adapted to his work intensity. That¡¯s when I first admired you. This high¨Cintensity conference, you make sure President Hartley eats on time, which makes me even more impressed. I¡¯ve been with President Hartley for seven or eight years, I know he has a bad stomach, but I can¡¯t make him eat on time amidst his busy schedule¡± Cornelia knew Marcus¡¯s obedient was not because of her, ¡°The person you should admire is not me, but President Hartley¡¯s wife¡± ¡°Before, President Hartley didn¡¯t let us mention his wife. Why did he suddenly let the PR department announce his marriage?¡± ¡°Because President Hartley and his wife resolved their issues, and he loves his wife so much, of course, he should announce it. These days, when he didn¡¯t eat on time, I brought up his wife to talk to him, and he really was obedient ¡°So President Hartley¡¯s wife has such an influence? I¡¯ll learn from that next time!¡± Cornelia was also very curious, ¡°Ben, do you know what she looks like?¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Tve never seen her, how would I know what she looks like?¡± Cornelia was surprised, ¡°You¡¯ve been with President Hartley for so many years, and even you haven¡¯t seen his wife?¡± ¡°Actually, you don¡¯t know, President Hartley¡¯s marriage is not¡­. Halfway through, he realized he had said something he shouldn¡¯t have He quickly changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s not discuss this anymore. With the snow so heavy now and unable to go outside, how should we spend our afternoon?¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Chapter 137 ¡°I wanna build a snowman.¡± Cornelia¡¯s hometown, Rosenberg. used to have snow every winter and Granny Reba would always take her to build snowmen Riverton is in the south where it never shows, so she hasn¡¯t built a snowman in years Ben ain¡¯t got a romantic bone in his body. ¡°We ain¡¯t kids anymore, why build a snowman?¡± ¡°Ben, you must not have a girlfriend¡± Ben stepped back in fright. ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t even think about hitting on me I¡¯m a bachelor for life, I aint ever getting married¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it ¡°Ben, take ten steps to your right, Marcus¡¯s voice suddenly came from the staircase. They turned around to see Marcus, dressed in a white shirt and ck pants, gracefully descending the stairs. The great thing about winter in the north is that it¡¯s snowing outside, but it¡¯s warm inside, so you don¡¯t need to wear heavy clothes. Ben, not knowing why did as he was told. After ten steps to the right, he saw a full¨Clength mirror. The more he looked at himself in the mirror, the more he felt he wasn¡¯t as good¨Clooking as before He wasn¡¯t ugly, even kinda good¨Clooking, but he often saw Marcus¡¯s perfect and wless face, and naturally felt inferior inparison. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Marcus. Did you see it clearly?¡± Ben looked around and saw nothing ¡°President Hartley, what am I supposed to see?¡± If you didn¡¯t see it clearly take a good look here. Tell me when you see it Ben forced a smile. ¡°President Hartley, please enlighten me.¡± ¡°Marc, you¡¯re bullying Ben again!¡± Zavier walked in from outside, with his head covered in snowkes. Ben and Cornelia immediately greeted him, ¡°Hello, Mr. Rivera!¡± ¡°Hello!¡± Zavier took an extra nce at Cornelia and said to Marcus, ¡°Marc,e to your study, I have something to discuss with you¡± Marcus led Zavier to the study on the third floor. Cornelia remembered Zavier and his wife Skyler Blue Last time at Opulent Oasis, she identally saw the couple arguing. Ben whispered to Cornelia. This is Zavier. What¡¯s more interesting to people in the circle than his background is his wife, Skyler Blue.¡± What¡¯s up with Skyler Blue?¡± Skyler Blue¡¯s first impression on Cornelia was that of a gentle and sweet girl, the kind everyone wanted to protect. Ben mysteriously said, ¡°The Rivera family and the Blue family were originally two great families. After Zavier and Skyler Blue were born, the two families intended to be inws When Skyler Blue turned eighteen, the families arranged their engagement and sent Skyler Blue to the Capitals Rivera family to develop their rtionship¡± ¡°Many wealthy families do this, what¡¯s so special about it?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be impatient, and let me finish. Less than two years into this marriage, the Blue family¡¯s business would decline because they picked the wrong side? The gap between them and the thriving Rivera family grewrger andrger.¡± Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Chapter 138 Ben went on. ¡°The elders of the Rivera family don¡¯t want the heir to marry a woman who can¡¯t help his career, so they want to break off the engagement When Skyler Blue found out, she drugged Zavier and slept with him. Even worse, she contacted the media to take secret photos, forcing Zavier to marry her.¡± Ben, you cant just say stuff like that.¡± Cornelia, who had experienced a simr situation, didnt want to see another girl being wronged like she was It¡¯s a well known secret in our circle. If the Rivera family hadn¡¯t tried to suppress this back then, everyone would know by now.¡± ¡°Did you see this yourself, or did you hear it from someone else?¡± Although Cornelia had only met Skyler Blue once, she had a feeling that Skyler wouldn¡¯t do such a thing Ben was very certain, ¡°Although I didn¡¯t see it myself, everyone is talking about it, so it must be true¡± ¡°There are fake things even if you see them with your own eyes, let alone rumors ¡°Cornelia still remembered how fast month Skyler Blue had cried, saying she wanted to divorce Zavier, but he refused If Zavier was the man Skyler Blue had worked so hard to get, why would she so easily propose a divorce? There must be more to this story! It¡¯s just that society is too harsh on women. Once something supposedly indecent happens, people naturally me it on the woman. Ben wanted to say something else, but Cornelia interrupted him. ¡°What did President Hartley ask you to do just now?¡± Ben cursed himself internally and quickly returned to the full length mirror. He stared at it for a while, and suddenly a thought crossed his mind. Could it be¡­? He looked back and saw Cornelia holding a tablet, curled up on the couch. She had a slight smile on her lips as she watched something, looking like a cute little elf. Ben had always known that Cornelia was beautiful the only girl hed ever seen who could stand in front of President Hartley and not be overshadowed. Now, with herzy and cat¨Clike demeanor, she was even more stunning. Cornelia was checking messages in the group chat. Zack said that the romanceic they sold had entered the scriptwriting stage, and he hoped she could give some input Although she didn¡¯t have a say in the adaptation after selling the film and TV rights, the fact that they still wanted her opinion showed their recognition of her work. Cornelia was naturally happy. ¡°Cornelia?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She was busy replying to Zack¡¯s message and responded without looking up, ¡°Hm?¡± After hesitating for a few seconds, Ben asked the question that had been bothering him. ¡°Do you think President Hartley wanted me to take a good look at myself?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cornelia looked up at him and suddenly found it funny ¡°Ben, what are you thinking about?¡± Then what do you think President Hartley wanted me to see?¡± ¡°Cornelia!¡± Skyler Blue, wearing a white down jacket, walked in from the entrance. Her cheeks and nose were red from the cold, making her look delicate and beautiful, and even more in need of protection. Cornelia immediately got up to greet her. ¡°Skyler,e in and sit down. Mr. Rivera and President Hartley are upstairs discussing things, so it might be a while.¡± Skyler Blue hesitated for a moment. ¡°Is Zavier here too? But I¡¯m not here to see him. I want to invite you to go out and have some fun, then have dinner together tonight. Would you like to join me?¡± Her eyes were clear and bright, full of anticipation. Cornelia couldn¡¯t refuse such a gentle Skyler Blue. ¡°Wait for me for two minutes, and I¡¯ll go upstairs to get a coat.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Skyler Blue watched Cornelia go upstairs, then turned to nod at Ben as a greeting. Ben was a bit flustered. ¡°Mrs. Rivera, do you know Cornelia?¡± ¡°Yes, I do I really like her.¡± Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139 How did Cornelia and Skyler Blue be friends? He had just mentioned Skyler Blue to Cornelia, if she tells Skyler n what he said, he¡¯ll be so embarrassed in the futurel Immediately Ben sent a message to Corn Cornelia, don¡¯t mention what I just told you to Skyler Blue, okay?¡± Cornelia had already put on her coat and was heading downstairs ¡°Ben, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t b like you Skyler Blue, let¡¯s go.¡± Skyler Blue nodded, and they walked out hand in hand Ben thought. ¡°Ugh, what did I do to deserve this?¡± ¡°What did you do this time? Marcus saw Ben stomping his foot and sighing as he reached the top of the stairs, but his eyes were involuntarily searching for Cornelja ¡°Where¡¯s Cornelia?¡± ¡°Cornelia was picked up by Mrs. Rivera.¡± At the mention of Mrs Rivera, Zavier¡¯s eyes darkened slightly as he followed Marcus down the stairs, but he didn¡¯t show it He patted Marcus on the shoulder, ¡°Marc, they have their own activities, and we¡¯ve got ours. Let¡¯s just rx and have fun. But if you can¡¯t stop worrying, we can go find them. After all, the Capital isn¡¯t that big, and they can¡¯t escape my grasp no matter where they hide.¡± You can hold onto her, but what about her heart? Marcus always had a knack for hitting Zavier Zavier scoffed and smirked, ¡°Hearts? There aren¡¯t many hearts worth taking for me, Zavier.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything else and walked away with Zavier, leaving poor Ben to find other colleagues to go out for food. In the car, Cornelia continued discussing the script on her phone: ¡®Skyler Blue, I have some work stuff to deal with, can we chatter?¡± Take care of your work first, so we can have funter.¡± Skyler Blue was really envious of Cornelia and her friends, who could still be carefree and work hard even after getting married. But her, she felt like a caged canary with no career, no personal preferences, and no freedom. It seemed like she was living just to please others since the moment she was born. Many times, she wondered when she would finally be free Divorce Zavier? Or death? Skyler Blue didn¡¯t know, and could only continue to rely o Chapter 139 How did Cornelia and Skyler Blue be friends? He had just mentioned Skyler Blue to Cornelia, if she tells Skyler n what he said, he¡¯ll be so embarrassed in the futurel Immediately Ben sent a message to Corn Cornelia, don¡¯t mention what I just told you to Skyler Blue, okay?¡± Cornelia had already put on her coat and was heading downstairs ¡°Ben, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t b like you Skyler Blue, let¡¯s go.¡± Skyler Blue nodded, and they walked out hand in hand Ben thought. ¡°Ugh, what did I do to deserve this?¡± ¡°What did you do this time? Marcus saw Ben stomping his foot and sighing as he reached the top of the stairs, but his eyes were involuntarily searching for Cornelja ¡°Where¡¯s Cornelia?¡± ¡°Cornelia was picked up by Mrs. Rivera.¡± At the mention of Mrs Rivera, Zavier¡¯s eyes darkened slightly as he followed Marcus down the stairs, but he didn¡¯t show it He patted Marcus on the shoulder, ¡°Marc, they have their own activities, and we¡¯ve got ours. Let¡¯s just rx and have fun. But if you can¡¯t stop worrying, we can go find them. After all, the Capital isn¡¯t that big, and they can¡¯t escape my grasp no matter where they hide.¡± You can hold onto her, but what about her heart? Marcus always had a knack for hitting Zavier Zavier scoffed and smirked, ¡°Hearts? There aren¡¯t many hearts worth taking for me, Zavier.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything else and walked away with Zavier, leaving poor Ben to find other colleagues to go out for food. In the car, Cornelia continued discussing the script on her phone: ¡®Skyler Blue, I have some work stuff to deal with, can we chatter?¡± Take care of your work first, so we can have funter.¡± Skyler Blue was really envious of Cornelia and her friends, who could still be carefree and work hard even after getting married. But her, she felt like a caged canary with no career, no personal preferences, and no freedom. It seemed like she was living just to please others since the moment she was born. Many times, she wondered when she would finally be free Divorce Zavier? Or death? Skyler Blue didn¡¯t know, and could only continue to rely on Zavier for her life. After finishing her script discussion, Cornelia looked up and saw Skyler Blue¡¯s empty eyes. Not long ago, her eyes were still bright and clear, so why did they be lifeless in such a short time? Cornelia immediately thought of Ben¡¯s words, and whether they were true or false, they must have caused great harm to Skyler Blue *Skyler Blue¡­¡± Cornelia called her softly, calling her name several times before pulling her out of her daze. N?velDrama.Org ? content. Skyler Blue blinked, and her eyes quickly became clear and bright again, as if the earlier episode had never happened. Skyler Blue smiled, ¡°You have done with your stuff?¡± n Zavier for her life. After finishing her script discussion, Cornelia looked up and saw Skyler Blue¡¯s empty eyes. Not long ago, her eyes were still bright and clear, so why did they be lifeless in such a short time? Cornelia immediately thought of Ben¡¯s words, and whether they were true or false, they must have caused great harm to Skyler Blue *Skyler Blue¡­¡± Cornelia called her softly, calling her name several times before pulling her out of her daze. Skyler Blue blinked, and her eyes quickly became clear and bright again, as if the earlier episode had never happened. Skyler Blue smiled, ¡°You have done with your stuff?¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Chapter 140 ¡°Yep, where are we going to hang out¡± Cornelia subconsciously held her hand, secretly transferring her strength to Skyler Blue Skyler Blue enjoyed the warmth from Cornelia and held her hand tightly, ¡°The Rivera family has a private vi in Northern Resort with a natural hot spring pool We can enjoy the hot spring while admiring the snowy scenery. Since it¡¯s snowing today and Hannah Dixon, Rosie Duncan, and you are all in the Capital, I thought Id invite you guys to hang out Those two sneaked into the Capital without President Hartley knowing, so I didn¡¯t mention it eather. I don¡¯t have many friends in the Capital, and nobody to go with usually, so Skyler Blue spoke softly, almost emotionless, but Cornelia felt a pang of sympathy She held Skyler Blue¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Skyler Blue, whenever Ie to the Capital, I¡¯ll definitely hang out with you. If you¡¯re free, you can alsoe to Riverton to hang out with me. I have two really good friends who will definitely like you too Skyler Blue nodded gently. ¡°Alright, I definitelye.¡± Having been in the same shoes before, Cornelia wanted to support Skyler as much as she could. She suddenly hugged Skyler Blue, ¡°If you ever have any worries, you can talk to me I¡¯m willing to be your most loyal listener¡± This sudden hug caught Skyler Blue off guard. For a moment, she wanted to reveal her secret buried deep in her heart, but in the end, she didn¡¯t. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Northern Resort is located north of Sunset Bay Resort, only a dozen kilometers by car up the mountain. As the two talked, the driver had already parked the car in front of the vi The vi in Northern Resort was the Rivera family¡¯s private garden, with the best hot spring in the Capital, avable only to the Rivera family Hannah and Rosie were already waiting here, greeting Cornelia warmly with hugs Hannah was still as enthusiastic as ever, ¡°I¡¯ve always heard that the hot spring service at the Rivera family¡¯s Northern Resort is fantastic. I¡¯ve been wanting to try it for a long time but never had the chance. Thanks, Skyler Blue, for giving me this opportunity¡± Skyler Blue smiled, ¡°We¡¯re all good firends. There is no need to be so polite The attendant led them into the changing room to change into clean swimsuits and bathrobes before entering the hot spring pool. They chose a pool with a higher temperature, and as soon as they got in, they felt all their fatigue vanish. Beneath them was the hot spring, and above them, snowkes danced in the sky. Cornelia sighedfortably, ¡°Soaking in a hot spring while watching the snow is such a pleasure. It¡¯s so soothing¡± Hannah eximed, ¡°What¡¯s even more soothing is that it¡¯s just the four of us, without any annoying men.¡± Rosie chimed in, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about them. I¡¯m afraid Lucas will chase after me in a bit.¡± Hannah teased, ¡°You two have been childhood sweethearts, known each other for almost thirty years, aren¡¯t you tired of each other yet?¡± Rosie pouted, ¡°Who says we¡¯re not? Otherwise, why would I sneak off to the Capital alone?¡± Skyler Blue, not one to talk much, sighed softly, ¡°It¡¯s a rare fate to have someone who loves you and whom you also love, and then the two be husband and wife. You should cherish Rosieined, ¡°It¡¯s just that he can be so annoying sometimes, worrying about everything for me. I¡¯m his wife, not his child.¡± Hannah reassured her, ¡°Silly girl, just be content. Lucas loves you and cares about everything for you, but he won¡¯t force you to do anything you don¡¯t want to do, unlike Skyler Blue and Tie¡­¡± Skyler Blue just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. Cornelia listened quietly, not knowing much about their marriages since she hadn¡¯t known the three of them for very long and didn¡¯t know what to say. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Chapter 141 She didnt expect that even the seemingly harmonious couple. Hannah and Steven, would have insues Being single ain¡¯t so bad after all, saving you all this lovey¨Cdovey headache Now that they¡¯ve hit this topic, how could they possibly let Cornelia off the hook? ¡°Cornelia, how about you? How¡¯d you and your husband meet?¡± With all eyes on her, Cornelia had to give an answer. We met through a blind date¡± The three of them chimed in simultaneously ¡°Seriously? A blind date?¡± Cornelia, on the brink of divorce didn¡¯t really want to discuss Jeremy But they were all waiting for her answer, so she had no choice, ¡°Our grandmas are old pals, they really wanted us to get married So, we tied the knot ¡± Hannah chimed in again, It doesnt matter how you met What matters is whether he truly cares about you, whether he loves and respects you If not, you¡¯d better call it off. Don¡¯t let the elders call the shots for your happiness.¡± Cornelia found this very reasonable, ¡°Mmm, thanks for the advice!¡± ¡°Miss Awater arrived with a fruit tter and hot drinks, interrupting their chat. ¡°The young master asked what you and your friends would like to eat tonight, so he can prepare it¡± Skyler Blue shuddered at his words. The hot spring water suddenly felt like ice, sending chills down her spine. ¡°Zavier¡¯s here?¡± Cornelia, sitting closest to Skyler Blue, was the first to notice her change of mood. She grabbed Skyler¡¯s hand, ¡°Skyler¡­¡± Skyler Blue shook her head, Tm okay¡± The waiter confirmed, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s in the next spring with a few friends.¡± Hearing about the few friends, Hannah, who was originally trying to console Skyler Blue, visibly sunk, Friends? Is Steven there too? Wherever we go, they¡¯re always tagging along. What are they a bunch of puppies?¡± Zavier¡¯s unexpected arrival had spoilt the mood. Nobody was in the mood to chat anymore Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cornelia, who had assumed her man would never show up, had to step up as the mood maker, ¡°Ignore them, let¡¯s have our fun.¡± Hannah grumbled, ¡°As long as they¡¯re not too creepy!¡± Rosie nodded furiously, ¡°My hubby usually seems like a teddy bear, but can be scary when he¡¯s mad. Some dude thought I was single the other day and asked for my contact. Then my husband almost punched his lights out.¡± The conversation about their men¡¯s misdeeds perked Hannah up, ¡°Steven¡¯s the same. Acts all understanding in front of others, but in reality, he¡¯s totally domineering Super possessive too, won¡¯t even let me do a kissing scene with another actor¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know Jeremy¡¯s personality. She looked down, not daring to join the conversation Hannah finished talking about her man and then turned to Cornelia with a mischievous grin, ¡°Cornelia, how¡¯s your man to you?¡± This topic waspletely beyond Cornelia¡¯s understanding of her husband, but maybe because of soaking in the warm water, she started seriously thinking about it. In her distant memory, she vaguely remembered Jeremy being tall and well¨Cbuilt. Cornelia didn¡¯t spend much time with him, but handsome men usually pull the strings in a rtionship, right?Corbelia Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Hannah had been hustling in the celebrity circle for years, so she¡¯s naturally easygoing ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t just think about yourself: Chat with us about your man first Rose, who¡¯s usually under Lucas¡¯s control was also very interested in this topic since she finally got to have some fun. ¡°Come on, I wanna know if all guys are as bossy as Lucas and his friends¡± Only Skyler Blue quietly watched Cornelia, not urging or asking The hot spring water was too hot and Cornelia¡¯s cheeks were steamed bright red. She was embarrassed to say she didn¡¯t know Jeremy at all. ¡°My husband is probably quite bossy. I Quess All three asked at the same time you guess?¡± The gazes focused on Cornelia again, not asking any further, but they wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook ¡°Cornelia was too embarrassed to say she hadn¡¯t spent time with him, but luckily she was quick¨Cwitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know how other men treat their wives. I have noparison, so how can I know what kind of person he is?¡± Anyway, they didn¡¯t know the real situation between her and Jeremy, and they wouldn¡¯t meet Jeremy, so she could make up stories however she wanted Hearing this, Rosie nodded vigorously ¡°Cornelia, I think you¡¯re absolutely right. We¡¯ve never had the chance to know other men, so how can we know whether our husbands are good or bad?¡± Hannah shook her head andughed. ¡°Rosie don¡¯t be so picky. Lucas¡¯s personality is better than all three of theirsbined. If you¡¯re still not satisfied, think about Marcus¡¯s personality He¡¯s so cold and must be a boring person in real life. No wonder his wife divorced him.¡± Mentioning Marcus, Rosie shaked her head in fear. ¡°Don¡¯t joke about him. I don¡¯t have the guts to mess with him.¡± The jokes got bigger and bigger, even extending to her boss. Cornelia felt that as a qualified assistant, she should maintain her boss¡¯s image in a timely manner. ¡°President Hartley and his wife won¡¯t divorce. And President Hartley is a great person You¡¯ll know once you get to know him.¡± All three were very shocked, especially Rosie ¡°Cornelia, say it again. Who¡¯s a good person?¡± Cornelia was firm. ¡°President Hartley.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Rosie scooped up water and sshed it at her. ¡°What blinded your eyes? Was it his looks or money?¡± Corneliaughed. ¡°Although he has both, if I had to choose one, I¡¯d choose money¡± She worked for Marcus, and Marcus paid her sry, so she had to maintain his image, of course, being blinded by money. The three of them were amused by her answer,ughing so hard they didn¡¯t notice an extra person behind them. Not until Lucas¡¯s faint voice came, ¡°Ladies, what¡¯s so funny that you¡¯re allughing like this?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ Seeing him, Rosie angrily sshed water at him. ¡°Who let youe here? And eavesdropping on our conversation too.¡± Hannah¡¯s smile disappeared instantly. Since Lucas was here, that annoying Steven must be nearby too. How terrible! Why couldn¡¯t that damn man just let her and her friends hangout alone? He followed her everywhere, thinking she couldn¡¯t escape his grasp ¡°if I don¡¯t show up, youll be taken away by someone else.¡± Lucas directly picked Rosie up from the water, threw her over his shoulder, and pped her butt gently Rosie, you¡¯re so greedy I¡¯ll teach you a lesson today Rosie bit his shoulder angrily, ¡°let me go, you¡¯re not allowed to touch me anymore¡­¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Chapter 143 ¡°Domestic violence is illegal Cornelia was worried and wanted to catch up to take Rosie back, but Hannah held her Hannahughed at her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her. Even if all men were abusive, there¡¯s no way Lucas would be ¡± ¡°My wife is the smartest and can tell that they¡¯re just flirting ¡°As expected, Steven really came to the Capital, and even followed them here. Hannah really didn¡¯t want to deal with him, not at all ¡°Steven, can you please leave? I want to chat with my girls.¡± ¡°You and your girls are taking about us men anyway Imright here, you can ask me anything you want to know¡± Not caring that there were three giris in the hot spring he got in and hugged Hannah, with his big hand even groping her a few times, ¡°It¡¯s been so long since Ist saw you, I missed you¡± Hannah grabbed his wandering hand, ¡°Steven, you¡¯re a human, not an animal, stop touching me.¡± Steven sniffed her, each movement of his hands dering his ownership, baby, you dare to say you don¡¯t miss me?¡± Hannah¡¯s eyes turned red with anger, ¡°Steven!¡± ¡°You want to reject me?¡± He looked at her with his eyes fierce like a wild beast but insisting on using Natalia¡¯s pitiful tone. Hannah bit her lip and looked at Cornelia for help. Cornelia got the signal and quickly escaped with Skyler Blue. Cornelia believed Steven would probably kiss Hannah in front of everyone. Hannah pushed him, ¡°Steven, what am I to you?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. You¡¯re my wife Steven sniffed her beautiful corbone, ¡®It¡¯s been so long since we enjoy a hot spring together, it feels great.¡± Hannah didnt refuse him anymore and closed her eyes, letting him do as he pleased. Only when he couldn¡¯t see her, she would secretly wipe away the tears rolling down her cheeks, stubbornly refusing to let him see her cry Because she knew better than anyone that, on paper, she was his wife, but in reality, Hannah was just a ything he could toy with at will. It¡¯s just that he liked ying the loving couple with her, and after ying for so long, not only did outsiders believe it, but he probably believed it too. Cornelia pulled Skyler Blue to the farthest pool where a building could block their view, so no matter what Steven did, Hannah wouldn¡¯t be embarrassed. Just before they rounded the corner, she had no idea that Marcus and Zavier were in the pool behind it. Marcus was here too! Marcus actually came too! Cornelia pretended not to see Marcus and tried to leave with Skyler Blue. But Zavier knew they wereing and didn¡¯t n on letting them go so easily, ¡®Ms. Stewart, since you¡¯re here, let¡¯s all have fun together. We all know each other, and this pool is big enough, so it shouldn¡¯t be inconvenient¡± Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Chapter 144 ¡°Mr. Rivera, President Hartley, you guys must have some important stuff to chat about, so we won¡¯t bother you¡± The thought of staying in the hot spring with Marcus made Cornelia uneasy, especially after seeing his naked body N?velDrama.Org ? content. The man was casually lying by the hot spring pool with his arms spread out, showing off his well toned and attractive muscles. It looked like he was opening his arms to wee his loved one Cornelia identally caught a glimpse of his muscles, and they seemed to be etched in her mind, unforgettable. She secretly admired him wondering how disciplined he must be to maintain such an impressive physique despite his busy work schedule. ¡°We don¡¯t have anything important to discuss, Marcus said, lifting his head to look at Cornelia Seeing her shivering in a bathrobe, unwilling to get into the pool, he suddenly got angry. ¡°You guys, get in how His voice was deep and authoritative, and Cornelia was startled. Her body moved faster than her brain, and she quickly took off her bathrobe and jumped into the hot spring, heading for the farthest corner from him. The water in the hot spring pool was warm, instantly making her body feel cozy, but she couldn¡¯t feel happy about it: She felt the hot spring water wasnt as fragrant as before, the snowy scenery not as beautiful, and her good mood was ruined in this moment. It was difficult enough to find some free time to rx and hang out with friends, only to run into her boss, who invited her to bathe together. This was probably a feeling that all workers could rte to Cornelia felt like she was working overtime in a different way. Marcus¡­ Zavier looked at Skyler Blue, honey,e here¡± Normally, Skyler Blue would obediently walk over to him, but today she didn¡¯t feel like listening to him. Skyler Blue got out of the pool and sat with Cornelia in the farthest corner from the two men, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t expect today¡¯s gathering to turn out like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s not your fault¡± Cornelia had heard about Skyler Blue¡¯s situation and saw the sadness in her eyes. She wanted to help her, ¡°Skyler Blue, can I tell you a story?¡± Skyler Blue nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Corneha began. There was a girl who lost her mother when she was young, andter her father passed away too. Everyone said it was because of her that her parents died, and she believed it, thinking she was doomed. She felt that every day she lived was a waste of air. Until one day, her grandmother firmly told her it wasn¡¯t her fault and that she should live for herself, not caring about what others said and not carrying the burden of a responsibility that didn¡¯t belong to her.¡± Live for oneself? Skyler Blue silently repeated these simple words, which she craved the most. These words were easy to say, but for her, they were hard to achieve. She smiled, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m d I met a friend like you¡± Cornelia. ¡°Me too.¡± The two of them whispered to each other,pletely ignoring the two men nearby.. Marcus looked at Zavier discontentedly, 1 want to spend some time alone with my wife. Take your wife and leave first¡± Zavier tutted, ¡°Marcus, I don¡¯t expect you to act like Steven, but at least act like Lucas. You want to talk to your wife alone, and you need my help? Why don¡¯t you ask me to help you chase her directly? Marcus, Tm giving you five seconds¡± Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Chapter 145 Zavier suddenly got serious and said, I¡¯m trying to make a baby with hertely Maybe having a kid will make things easier Marcus asked, ¡°A kid?¡± He hadn¡¯t really thought that far ahead, let alone thought about having children. It wasn¡¯t because his parents left him a big trauma, he just didn¡¯t want to be like them having kids but not being able to take care of them But if it¡¯s with Cornelia, he thinks it¡¯s okay Zavier said. ¡°You can use the child to maintain the rtionship between you and her.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°First, she¡¯s an independent person, and second, she¡¯s my wife, not an object. I will respect and love her, and I¡¯ll never force her to do anything she doesn¡¯t want to ¡°I hope you stick to your word and don¡¯t go back on what you said today,¡± Zavier said, immediately turning around ¡°Skyler,e with me. I have something to say to you He easily took her away In therge hot spring pool, only Cornelia and Marcus were left. Cornelia was wearing a conservative swimsuit, butpared to her work clothes, she still felt like she wasying it all out there in front of Marcus Especially since Marcus was only wearing swim trunks and showing off his nice and toned upper body. Cornelia didn¡¯t want to be alone with him for even a second, so she got up to leave. ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m done, and I¡¯ll see you around.¡± Marcus took out a tablet from the side table. ¡°Come and take a look at this contract.¡± As soon as work was mentioned, even in a hot spring pool, Cornelia immediately pulled out her professional spirit. She moved closer to Marcus,pletely ignoring their attire. Cornelia took the tablet and sat next to Marcus, carefully checking every word. She soon discovered a major mistake The contract had the wrong revenue-sharing data, which was the most basic mistake ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m sorry! This is my mistake. I fix it right away.¡± Cornelia admitted her mistake, but she still had doubts in her mind. She not only remembered the revenue sharing data by heart but had also checked the contract several times yesterday How could it suddenly go wrong today? if it wasn¡¯t her mistake, then at what point did it go wrong? Only she, Marcus, and Ben had the authority to modify the contract. If it wasn¡¯t her or Marcus, then it must have been Ben But Ben wouldn¡¯t make such a basic mistake unless¡­ Cornelia asked in surprise, ¡°President Hartley?¡± Marcus immediately took his eyes off her body. ¡°Go ahead¡± She was talking, but he wasn¡¯t really listening His mind was filled with images of her. N?velDrama.Org ? content. After learning that she was his wife, Marcus found her more and more beautiful and cuter with each look. She asked, ¡°President Hartley, what¡¯s your opinion?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t react immediately. What did she just say? Cornelia said again, President Hartley, I checked this document many times before handing it over to you, and the original data was fine. But it went wrong in your hands, which could be due to an insider.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to suspect Ben, but since this happened, they had to find out the truth to prevent any internal problems. She was indeed too serious about work, and he shouldn¡¯t approach her in this way. So President Hartley said, ¡°Uh, actually, I changed those data¡± Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Cornelia was taken aback for a moment, and it took her a while to understand his words ¡°Why would you do that?¡± ¡°Just to find an excuse to chat with you ¡®Of course. Marcus couldn¡¯t tell the real situation, so he coughed lightly just wanted to test your ability to handle things¡± Testing her ability to handle things meant that if she hadn¡¯t discovered the w, she could have been fired by him In the past few months with him, Cornelia felt that she had done her best in every task and had never made any mistakes However, her abilities still hadn¡¯t gained his approval This realization made Cornelia feel a little ufortable, so she lowered her eyebrows and just said. ¡°Oh¡± Marcus didn¡¯t notice her difort and put the tablet back. ¡°What do you want to eat tonight?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to feel depressed, nor did she want to be constantly on edge because of this job. So, she had to ask, ¡°President Hartley, is there anything about my work that you¡¯re not satisfied with7- Marcus immediately countered. Did I ever say you¡¯re not doing a good job?¡± Cornelia replied you have noints about my work, then why suddenly test me?¡± Marcus Unintentionally, he saw the scar on her left arm. It was a reminder of when she had risked her life to save him in West Region. Although he had asked Dr. Dawson to use the best treatment, the wound was too deep, and a piece of flesh was missing When new flesh grew, there were still some traces left The scars spread out thinly, like a blooming blood rose Does it still hurt?¡± he asked T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia regretted it and followed his gaze to her arm. It hasn¡¯t hurt for a long time, President Hartley. You don¡¯t have to worry about it. It was a polite answer, but it made Marcus feel ufortable. He wanted to say something else but couldn¡¯t find a topic. President Hartley, I have a spa appointment, so I won¡¯t keep youpany¡± Cornelia walked ashore, put on her robe, and strode away, giving Marcus no more chances to bother her Rosie was taken somewhere by Lucas, and Hannah¡¯s side probably wouldn¡¯t end soon. Fortunately, Skyler was there to apany Cornelia at the spa The two of them eachy on a small bed, and because there were therapists around, they didn¡¯t talk much Near the end, Skyler sent Cornelia a message on her phone. ¡°Cornelia, let¡¯s run away!¡± Cornelia looked at her, and since they couldn¡¯t talk, she replied via Whatsapp. It¡¯s dark outside, and the snow hasn¡¯t stopped. It¡¯s dangerous to drive down the mountain.¡± Cornelia could see that Skyler really didn¡¯t want to be with Zavier. She hoped that Skyler could escape Zavier and gain freedom, but she couldn¡¯t risk her life for it. ¡°Skyler, let¡¯s go down the mountain when the sunes up. You cane with me to Riverton then.¡± Skyler gently touched her belly and murmured, ¡°Can I wait until dawn? Will the sun rise? When the sun rises, can she escape? Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Chapter 147 Except for death, it seemd that there was no ce in this world that could amodate her ¡°Miss, are you having your period?¡± The technician noticed the white sheet under her was already stamed red with blood while massaging Skyler¡¯s waist At first, the technician thought Skyler was on her period, but then realized it was too much blood for that ¡°No, it¡¯s not my period. The blooding from my body is probably Zavier¡¯s child¡± As she said such cruel words, Skyler¡¯s voice remained gentle and emotionless ¡°Skyler, you ¡°Cornelia jumped out of bed when she saw the bloodstain. Her heart beat almost stopped. Simr images kept shing through her mind¨Csomeone lying in a pool of blood, reaching out to her. She wanted to see who it was, but the face in the blood was blurry, and she couldn¡¯t see anything clearly Cornelia tried to shake off the strange images in her mind, ¡°Go get Zavier! No, get Marcus and have him arrange for a doctor right away!¡± The technician, shocked, only snapped out of it when Cornelia yelled. She ran out, ¡°Hurry up, inform the young master! Something¡¯s happened to the youngdy! Hurry!¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. ¡°Corn, there is no need to see a doctor All this today is what I asked for Blood was still flowing from her body, but Skyler spoke calmly, as if she didn¡¯t feel any pain 1 wanted to spend a day with you guys and leave with the child after today. But that demon Zavier still came after me, not willing to give me even half a day of peace.¡± ¡°Skyler, don¡¯t say anymore¡± Cornelia held her hand tightly. ¡°If you don¡¯t like him and don¡¯t want to live with him, you can choose to divorce him. Let¡¯s not y with our lives. Remember, we only get one life, and it¡¯ll nevere again. You need to be strong¡± ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to be strong, I¡¯m just too tired ¡°Skyler suddenly smiled, a mix of relief and emotional release, ¡®Ever since I found out I was pregnant, I haven¡¯t had a good night¡¯s sleep. Today, I can finally sleep well¡± Cornelia was trembling in fear but tried tofort Skyler, ¡°You can¡¯t sleep! Everyone in the world can give up on you, but you must never give up on yourself!¡± Skyler shook her head ¡°He wants me to have his child. Once the baby is born. I¡¯ll never be able to escape.¡± ¡°Skyler!¡± Zavier¡¯s tall figure was the first to rush in. When he saw the blood beneath her, his body swayed slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, the doctor ising¡± ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Skyler, who had always been gentle, suddenly burst into a hysterical scream. ¡®Don¡¯t touch me, or I¡¯ll die right in front of you!¡± Zavier, stay away from her!¡± Cornelia suddenly gathered her courage and pushed Zavier away. ¡°Stay away from her. Thest person she wants to see right now is you.¡± Zavier wanted to approach her but was too afraid to move forward He was afraid Skyler would do as she said, afraid of her escaping from his grasp, afraid of not having her in his future. Cornelia held Skyler tightly. ¡°As long as you live, I promise to let him let you go.¡± ¡°But I don¡¯t want to go anymore.¡± She smiled, closed her eyes gently, and said, ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you!¡± Cornelia turned to the door. ¡°Where¡¯s Marcus? Where the hell is that bastard? Why isn¡¯t he here yet?¡± Tm here, I¡¯m here ¡°Dr. Dawson hurried in with her medical kit. ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t panic. I¡¯ll stop Skyler¡¯s bleeding right away.¡± Dr. Dawson entered, but Marcus didn¡¯t follow. He was outside the door. ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t worry. With Dr. Dawson here, Skyler will be fine.¡± Maybe it was the power in Marcus¡¯s voice, or maybe Cornelia just believed there wasn¡¯t a problem he couldn¡¯t solve In any case, with him around, she wasn¡¯t as scared Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Chapter 148 ¡°Cornelia, stay here Everyone else, get out¡± Di Dawson said with authority, and no one dared to disobey her However one person didnt understood just standing there in a daze Comelia saw Zavier not moving and shoved him. ¡°Now you¡¯re worried about her? What were you doing before?¡± He didn¡¯t know if she was using too much force, or Zavier was too weak and was almost pushed down by her. Zavier steadied himself but still didnt n to leave ¡°President Hartley please take him out. Don¡¯t let him get in the way here,¡± Cornelia said, not realizing she was using amanding tone His wife rarely asked for help, so Marcus would definitely handle this ¡°Zavier, you should leave for now!¡°. After Zavier left, only Cornelia and Dr Dawson were left in the room. Dr. Dawson said, ¡°Skyler¡¯s will to survive is weak. You find a way to wake her up, and handle the rest¡± Com sobbed, 1 must make sure she lives! I won¡¯t let anything happen to herl Shell be finel Dr. Dawson nced at Cornelia, thinking she was acting strange today Usually, she was calm andposed, even when injured. What¡¯s going on with her today? But there was no time for Dr. Dawson to think, saving Skyler was the most important thing. Time was ticking away Everyone outside held their breath, especially Zavier. Every little sound in the room affected his fragile nerves. Marcus handed him a cigarette, ¡°She¡¯s your wife. Why would she rather die than be with you? What have you done to her? Zavier tried to take the cigarette, but his hand was trembling too much. The normally steady man was now as fragile as a helpless child. After a while, he hoarsely said, ¡°She wanted a divorce, and I disagreed. I thought I could use a child to the her down, but I didn¡¯t expect.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Marcus felt there was more to it ¡°What else?¡± Zavier suddenly yelled emotionally. It was her who drugged me, slept with me, and forced me to marry her. I helped the Blue family through tough times. Now that they¡¯re doing well, she wants a divorce. What does she think I am? A pet that she can summon whenever she wants?¡± No matter the reason for marriage, Marcus believed that once you promise to marry someone you should treat them well. No reason can justify/mistreating a spouse. ¡°So what have you done to her?¡± Zavier didn¡¯t answer. Whatever he did, Skyler deserved it, and he couldn¡¯t be med Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. That woman, trying to escape him like this, he would never let her go. Zavier didn¡¯t say anything, and Marcus didn¡¯t ask further He thought of his own marriage. Corne was looking forward to divorcing Jeremy every day, but he disagreed Would Cornelia also choose to go to extremes like Skyler? Marcus didn¡¯t dare to think more. No matter what, he and Cornelia couldn¡¯t end up like Zavier and his wife At that moment, two other couples arrived Rosie wore a high cor, but it still couldn¡¯t cover the red hickeys on her chin, her eyes were also red, and she didn¡¯t know if she was made to cry by Lucas, or because she was worried that Skyler would be sad. Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Steven nced at the door and then at Zavier¡¯s trembling face, he basically understood ¡°How did you let your wife end up like this?¡± ¡°When a person has no way out, there¡¯s nothing they can¡¯t do Maybe death is better than living ¡°Hannah sighed faintly, drawing everyone¡¯s attention Steven shot her a sidelong nce, What about her family? Hannah¡¯s face turned pale and she lowered her head, not saying another word. After all these years, this was still his only way After what felt like an eternity, the door finally opened, and everyone¡¯s hope, Dr. Dawson, emerged Zavier immediately tried to rush in, but Dr. Dawson quickly closed the door, ¡°Skyler is fine, but the baby couldn¡¯t be saved. She needs to be taken to the hospital for a cleaning procedure ¡°As long as she¡¯s okay Ill take her to the hospital now ¡°Zavier¡¯s goal was never the baby. It was just a means for him to tie Skyler down. Dr. Dawson stopped him, ¡°Skyler doesn¡¯t want to see you. Marc, Cornelia wants you to go in.¡± Zavier was furious, ¡°My wife had a miscarriage, and you won¡¯t let me in, but you let him in? What for?¡± Dr. Dawson didn¡¯t say anything just staring at Marcus. ¡°If you want to protect Skyler, keep quiet for now ¡°Marcus patted Zavier¡¯s shoulder and stepped into the room. As soon as he entered, the room was not only filled with a strong smell of blood, but he also saw Cornelia¡¯s red and swollen eyes. She had definitely just cried. He didn¡¯t understand why Cornelia, who had only met Skyler twice, cared so much about her. Cornelia hurriedly closed the door, ¡®President Hartley, could you do me a favor?¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Sure¡± His response was quick and firm, leaving Cornelia¡¯s prepared speech to persuade him unused, ¡°You didn¡¯t even ask what favor I need, and you just agreed Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll hurt you?¡± Marcus, ¡°Would you hurt me?¡± Cornelia immediately shook her head. Even if she wanted to hurt him, she didn¡¯t dare to act. He said. ¡°Tell me what you want me to do¡± ¡°Take Skyler back to Riverton and keep Zavier away from her. Because only in this way could Skyler survive.¡± Cornelia knew she couldn¡¯t fight Zavier¡¯s influence, so the only one who could help her was Marcus Marcus, Dont worry, Ill handle this matter.¡± Cornelia¡¯s eyes turned even redder with gratitude, ¡°Thank you, President Hartley, you¡¯re such a good person!¡± He was just doing what a husband should do for his wife. Cornelia wanted to apany Skyler, and Dr. Dawson had toe too. With a car that could only fit four people, plus the driver, there was no seat for Marcus, so he acted as a temporary driver, Marcus had toe along because the snow was heavy, and the wind was strong. The road down the mountain was covered with thick snow, and even with anti-skid chains installed it was very dangerous. He didn¡¯t want to entrust Cornelia¡¯s safety to anyone else. The snow on the road was thick, and the wheels made a hissing sound as they crushed it, every sound was a reminder of how dangerous the downhill journey was. Cornelia, sitting in the passenger seat, looked worriedly at Marcus. As the boss of the Hartley Group, he was taking such a great risk for his friend¡¯s wife He must know that if anything happened to him, the consequences would be severe. Marcus noticed her gaze, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Cornelia had a lot to say in her heart, she says whatever came to her mind. ¡°You actually didn¡¯t have to come down the mountain tonight Why take the risk?¡± ¡°Because I can¡¯t let you take the risk alone¡± Marcus wanted to say, but swallowed the words. You know I used to be a race car driver¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Cornelia was so grateful that she didn¡¯t know what else to say besides thank you. She looked back at Dr. Dawson, who gave her a reassuring nce, ¡°Skyler is already asleep. She¡¯s fine.¡± Dr Dawson, thank you tool¡± When Skyler was in danger, Cornelia thought of Marcus first because she knew wherever Marcus went, Dr. Dawson would follow Luckily, Dr. Dawson was really there tonight, or else it¡¯s hard to say whether Skyler could have woken up. The way down the mountain was tough, and it took twice as long as usual to get down Fortunately, they still managed to get Skyler to the hospital safely The surgery wasn¡¯t major, and Cornelia could have rested during the operation, but she insisted on staying outside the operating room, not wanting to leave for a second She was waiting, and Marcus kept herpany while waiting. After the surgery. Skyler needed to stay in the hospital for observation overnight. Lying in bed with an IV drip. Cornelia rubbed Skyler¡¯s head, ¡°Skyler, President Hartley has agreed to help me get you out of Zavier. Tomorrow, you cane with us to Riverton¡± ¡°Can I trust him?¡± Marcus was Zavier¡¯s good friend, and they had known each other since college. Skyler didn¡¯t believe Marcus would sincerely help her After a few months together, Cornelia trusted Marcus character, President Hartley is a good person, and he keeps his word. If he promises to help, he will definitely do it¡± Skyler tried to smile, ¡°Cornelia, thank you! And thank Marcus for me too.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me. Just get better and live a good life. That¡¯s the best way to thank me¡± Cornelia was worried that Skyler might disappear from the world, ¡°Skyler, promise me you wont do anything stupid anymore, okay?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°When I felt the baby disappearing from my body bit by bit, I regretted it.¡± Skyler gently put her hand on her lower abdomen, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, from now on, I will live well for myself ¡°That¡¯s the right mindset Cornelia covered her with a nket, ¡°Get some sleep. When you wake up, it¡¯ll be a brand new day.¡± After Skyler fell asleep, the sky was almost bright. Cornelia walked out of the ward, her once determined eyes now empty and lost. ¡°Cornelia, I had someone prepare some food for you. You¡¯ve been busy all night, eat something before you sleep ¡°Before Marcus could finish, Cornelia¡¯s body swayed, and she felt straight towards the ground. Fortunately, he was right by her side. He quickly reached out and caught her, ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Dr. Dawson was also there, rushing forward, ¡°Let the doctor check her with some equipment first.¡± Soon, the doctor performed a full¨Cbody check on Cornelia, finding no problems with her body, ¡°She might just be too tired.¡± ¡°Maybe?¡± Before the doctor could finish, Marcus coldly interrupted him, his eyes under the silver sses frame looking ominous and terrifying. Do you doctors treat patients by guessing?¡± Chapter 151 Chapter 151 Chapter 151 ¡°Marc, don¡¯t get excited. ¡°Dr. Dawson signaled the other doctors to leave In here to tell you what¡¯s going on ¡°Go ahead¡± His tone was icy, as if to warn Dr. Dawson that he wouldn¡¯t be polite to her if she couldn¡¯t give a reasonable exnation Dr. Dawson said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed that Cornelia has been acting weird since Skyler¡¯s ident?¡± Of course, Marcus had noticed. Cornelia didn¡¯t know Skyler very well but she was overly concerned about him, even more so than Zavier Seeing that his mood had stabilized. Dr. Dawson continued, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, I think Skyler¡¯s incident triggered some bad memories for Cornelia ¡°Blood, so much blood, no no,¡± Cornelia suddenly cried out in fear from the hospital bed Her hands were iling around unconsciously. ¡°Don¡¯t grab me, don¡¯t grab me This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Her reaction seemed to confirm Dr. Dawson¡¯s words Marcus grabbed her iling hands and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Cornelia. I¡¯m here Nothing is going to happen.¡± Marcus concern for Cornelia was beyond Dr. Dawson¡¯s understanding. She needed to pay more attention to Cornelia¡¯s situation. ¡°Cornelia¡¯s father died in a car ident Maybe you can ask her grandma about the details. We need to find the root of her nightmares and solve the problem.¡± Marcus gently patted Cornelia¡¯s back, his voice as soft as if he wereforting a child. ¡®Don¡¯t be afraid, Cornelia I¡¯m here. Nothing will happen.¡± She was asleep and couldn¡¯t hear what he said. Marcus thought for a moment, took out his personal phone, and texted Cornelia as Jeremy, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t be afraid of anything from now on. I¡¯ll be your strongest support¡± After typing the message, Marcus checked it one letter at a time, making sure it was correct before sending it. Dr. Dawson was right there, witnessing Marcus¡¯ actions. She wasn¡¯t sure if he had heard all she had said earlier. ¡°Marc, why don¡¯t you tell Cornelia that you¡¯re Jeremy?* ¡°Because she doesn¡¯t like Jeremy at all.¡± Marcus answer was simple. Dr. Dawson nodded, left the room, and almost bumped into Ayden, who was about to enter. His hair was wet, and he must have been out handling business. What have you been up to?¡± Facing his biological mother, Ayden showed no emotion. ¡°I went to look into Cornelia¡¯s situation.¡± Dr. Dawson had been by Marcus¡¯ side and didn¡¯t see him make any calls. When did Marc ask you to look into it?¡± Ayden replied, ¡°Before we left the mountain.¡± Dr. Dawson sighed, ¡°So he noticed something was off with Cornelia and asked you to investigate early on. I guess I just wasted my breath.¡± Ayden didn¡¯t say anything more, went straight into the room, and handed Marcus some photos. ¡®President Hartley, I¡¯ve found all the details you asked me to investigate. Cornelia¡¯s father died in a car ident, and not only was she at the scene, but her father died protecting her. I think the problem you¡¯re worried about lies here.¡± Marcus took the photos, and each one was filled with blood. In the pictures, the many in a pool of blood, his body almost crushed, but he still protected the little girl in his arms. It was an ordinary father¡¯sst effort to protect his daughter. Marcus felt very ufortable and returned the photos to Ayden. ¡°Destroy the photos and never mention this again¡± Chapter 152 Chapter 152 Chapter 152 ¡°Alright!¡± Ayden took the photo without asking any questions and left as soon as possible He was like Marcus right¨Chand man, doing whatever Marcus asked without questioning why After Ayden left. Marcus checked the time it was already 7 am and the two grannies at Southern Peak should be awake by now After some thought, he called Southern Peak, and once the butler answered, he passed the phone to Granny Luisa. Perhaps because she hadpany, Granny Luisa sounded very energetic. ¡°Marc, today is the holiday. If you want to keep living with Nelly, remember to call your Granny Reba. Of course, not just on holidays, you can call her more often and chat with her. She¡¯s soft hearted, a few kind words will make her happy.¡± Granny Luisa finished in one breath, and Marcus found a chance to speak, ¡°Granny, happy holidays! Actually, I called today mainly to talk to Granny Reba¡± Granny Luisa¡¯s mood dropped instantly. ¡°You little brat, you¡¯ve forgotten about your granny since you got married, huh?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Granny, I have something important to ask her.¡± Granny Luisa wasn¡¯t unreasonable, she was just a little jealous. She grumbled while personally handing the phone to Granny Reba, who was having her therapy Jeremy¡¯s looking for you, do you want to take the call?¡± 1 cant ignore him if he¡¯s looking for me¡± Granny Reba took the phone and heard Marcus say, ¡°Granny, happy holidays!¡± Granny Reba happily replied, ¡°You tool¡± Marcus got straight to the point, ¡°Granny, I came to you today because I actually wanted to ask about Cornelia¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°I told you, I won¡¯t get involved in you young people¡¯s affairs anymore. It¡¯s up to Nelly whether she wants to get back together with you¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. Marcus said, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m asking about Cornelia¡¯s father and the truth about the car ident back then.¡± Mentioning the car ident, Granny Reba¡¯s face turned pale instantly, ¡°Did something happen to Nelly? Did she remember something?¡°. Marcus asked, ¡°Doesn¡¯t she know her father died in a car ident?¡± ¡°She only remembers that her father died in a car ident, everything else is forgotten. She was too young back then. It¡¯s better that she doesn¡¯t remember the details, otherwise. ¡°Granny Reba was still heartbroken when talking about the past. It¡¯s been almost 20 years, but that car ident was still vivid in her memory. Her own son¡¯s bones were crushed, and he died on the spot. Her five¨Cyear¨Cold granddaughter was also lying in a pool of blood. She survived, but for a long time afterward, she couldn¡¯t even speak. The doctor said it was post¨Ctraumatic stress disorder and that unless shepletely forgot about the incident, otherwise she might never speak again, Granny Reba¡¯s voice was hoarse, Jay, I¡¯m begging you, please don¡¯t mention this in front of Nelly. The past is the past. The most important thing is that she can live a good life.¡± Marcus reassured her, ¡®Granny, don¡¯t worry, Nelly¡¯s fine, and I won¡¯t do anything to hurt her.¡± Although Granny Reba didn¡¯t give many details, it was enough for Marcus to confirm his suspicion. Cornelia was only five at the time, and children that age would have some memories, especially of impressive events. If Cornelia couldn¡¯t remember anything, there was only one possibility. After her PTSD, her brain¡¯s self protection mechanism was triggered, and she chose to selectively forget that part of her memory. She had forgotten, but encountering specific situations might trigger that buried memory again. That memory was like a ticking time bomb, ready to strike her hard like it did today. After ending the call, Marcus couldn¡¯t calm down for a long time. He had toe up with a foolproof n to secretly help Cornelia eliminate this hidden danger. Next, he called Steven, 1 remember you have a friend who¡¯s a PTSD expert. Get in touch with him as soon as possible Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Chapter 153 Steven called out, I¡¯m just out here in the corridor, who are you on the phone with?¡± Then he pushed the door open and walked in, ¡°Zavier¡¯s wife hasnt recovered yet,, and now your wife is sick too?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What brings you guys down the mountain too?¡± Steven rolled his eyes. ¡°You can¡¯t bear to leave your blind date wife, let alone Zavier leaving Skyler behind. He¡¯s probably hugging a sleeping Skyler and bawling his eyes out¡± Marcus asked, ¡°How about the person I¡¯m looking for?¡± Steven replied, ¡°He¡¯s overseas at a psychology conference, won¡¯t be back until around the 10th Get his travel expenses ready, and Fill have him fly straight to Riverton when he¡¯s done.¡± Marcus simply responded, ¡°Alright¡± Steven¡¯s gaze shifted to Cornelia, nestled in Marcus¡¯s arms. Marcus quickly covered Cornelia with his jacket. ¡°Are you asking for a poke in the cye?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Steven smirked, ¡°See how nervous you are. I¡¯ve got a wife, I¡¯m not eyeing yours. But I didn¡¯t think in my life, I would be able to see you nervous about a woman.¡± Marcus, with a stern tone, shot back, ¡°Get out.¡± But instead of leaving. Steven took a seat on the couch, ¡®Marc, tell me, is being married better than being single? Marcus remained silent. Is being married better than being single? Perhaps no!! When you¡¯re single, you only look out for yourself, never having to worry about any woman. But since being married, every move Cornelia makes seems to tug at his heartstrings, his mind no longer fully under his own control. Having his emotions controlled by someone else is a major no¨Cno for the boss of the Hartley Group. It¡¯s something that should never happen to him, Marcus. Yet, here it is happening. It¡¯s not a pleasant experience, but as a man, he has to step up to the responsibility of taking care of and protecting her Steven asked, ¡°What¡¯s with the furrowed brow?¡± Before Marcus could respond, Cornelia shifted slightly in his arms, he immediately covered her ears, ¡°Steven, quit yapping, she¡¯s trying to sleep. Beat it!¡± Steven didn¡¯t need a verbal answer from Marcus; he already got the response he was seeking. Shaking his head, he chuckled, ¡°Keep ying it cool, mate. I¡¯d love to see how long you can keep it up.¡± He wouldn¡¯t want to end up like Zavier. That he would definitely make fine of him Just as Steven left, Cornelia¡¯s phone started vibrating in her bag. Not wanting to disturb her, Marcus quickly pulled it out, intending to hang up the call. But when he saw the iing video call was from ¡°Granny¡°, Marcus had to answer it for Cornelia, to prevent the old woman from thinking wildly. Once the call was connected, Granny Reba asked anxiously, ¡°Nelly, are you okay?¡± Just as he thought, Granny Reba became suspicious because of Marcus¡¯s phone call, so she called Cornelia to make sure everything was fine. Marcus replied, ¡°Granny, it¡¯s me. Nelly was exhaustedst night and she¡¯s still asleep.¡± Marcus was half¨Clying down with Cornelia in his arms, and the camera captured Cornelia¡¯s face snuggled against his strong chest. This view looked more and more ambigoust Chapter 154 Chapter 154 Chapter 154 The young couple got back together, and the two grannies at home were super happy about it. However, the old people¡¯s thinking is rtively conservative, so they thought things should go step by step. They never imagined the young couple would move in together so quickly ¡°You guys go ahead, I will call backter Granny Reba quickly hung up the video call Then, excited, she called out to Granny Luisa, Luisa, I¡¯ve got some great news for you¡± Granny Luisa was exercising when she heard Granny Reba¡¯s call, so she hurried over, What¡¯s the good news?¡± Granny Reba said with a big grin, ¡°By this time next year, we should be holding our great¨C grandchildren!¡± Granny Luisa pouted, ¡°Great¨Cgrandchildren? The couple hasn¡¯t even gotten back together yet! Where do we go to hold great¨Cgrandchildren? Anyway, I only want to hold the baby they have together, not from someone else I don¡¯t know¡± Granny Reba, ¡°Of course it¡¯s the baby from the two of them. I just saw them living together in the video call. How could they not be back together? it¡¯s just that young people are shy and dont want to tell us olddies everything¡± Granny Luisa¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°Are they really living together?¡± Granny Reba nodded vigorously, ¡°I called Nelly¡¯s phone, and Jay answered: He even told me Nelly was tired and still sleeping¡± Granny Luisa said happily. ¡°That¡¯s my grandson! He may not talk much, but I didn¡¯t expect him to win Nelly back so quickly¡°, Granny Reba, 11¡¯s because Nelly is so kind hearted. Just a few nice words from him and she¡¯s back* This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Granny Luisa, ¡°good good good, it¡¯s all thanks to you and how well you raised your granddaughter.¡± Granny Reba. ¡°Your grandson isn¡¯t too bad either¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°He said he tired Nelly out. He¡¯s such a big guy, he should¡¯ve taken better care of her. I need to find a nutritionist to help Nelly get her strength back.¡± Granny Reba. ¡°There you go worrying again. Young people nowadays arent like us back in the day. They know how to find bnce¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°True Let¡¯s just wait to hold our great¨Cgrandchildren¡± The grandson they were talking about was actually frowning at the moment. Once Cornelia woke up, shed definitely call her granny back, who would definitely mention Jeremy being with her. Cornelia wasnt stupid. After thinking about it, she might connect the dots and figure out that Jeremy was him Before she epted Jeremy, he couldn¡¯t reveal his identity, so he had to make ¡°Jeremy¡± appear at the hospital to protect himself. How could he make ¡°Jeremy naturally appear at the hospital? Marcus looked down at Cornelia, who had a furrowed brow, and couldn¡¯t help but gently smooth out the wrinkle with his hand Cornelia didn¡¯t wake up until 5 pm. As soon as she opened her eyes, she saw Marcus sitting by her bed. She was startled and sat up quickly, President Hartley, what are you doing in my room?¡± ¡°This is a hospital room. You fainted this morning ¡°Marcus reached out and touched her forehead, his movements natural and practiced Cornelia didn¡¯t know that he had done this countless times already ¡°Did I faint?¡± Cornelia held her head and tried to remember. Herst memory was of chatting with Skyler after his surgery. She couldn¡¯t remember anything that happened after that ¡°How¡¯s Skyler?¡± She woke up and asked about Skyler first. Why didn¡¯t she ask why she fainted? Wasnt she more important than Skyler? Marcus frowned slightly. Do you feel unwell anywhere else?¡± Cornelia shook her head, Tm fine¡± Marcus pressed a button on the bedside table, and the head of the bed slowly rose. ¡°Sit up and have something to eat first.¡± Seeing President Hartley taking care of her personally. Cornelia felt very apologetic, Tresident Hartley, Im so sorry for troubling you to take care of me¡± Marcus lied. ¡°Im not the one taking care of you, it¡¯s your husband whas been with you. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Cornelia, My husband?¡± How could Jeremy be in the Capital? How did he know she was here? Cornelia was full of questions, President Hartley, do you know my husband?¡± ¡°After you fainted, a man came and said his name was Jeremy, your husband, and asked us to leave you in his care. He¡¯s been with you since this morning, and before he left, he prepared food for you ¡°Marcus pointed to the thermos on the bedside table, ¡°You woke up just a few minutes ago, and he found me, saying you might not want to see him, and asked me to take care of you before he left¡± Marcus said such a long sentence without any pause, looking casual, but in fact, he had silently recited it dozens of times in his heart, and his palms were still sweating Marcus had faced so many powerful opponents and had always been able to ovee them with his strong psychological quality He hadn¡¯t been this nervous even during his first World Business Conference Why was he so nervous when lying to Cornelia? Cornelia fet that something was off, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint what it was Marcus could see her inner confusion, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, check your phone. I saw him send you a message¡± Cornelia took out her phone, opened Whatsapp, and saw nine unread messages. She opened them and read them. The content of the nine messages was simr, basically telling her not to worry, as he would take care of everything After reading the messages Cornelia replied. ¡°Jeremy are you in the Capital? Did youe to see me today?¡± Marcus¡¯s phone in his pocket vibrated, and he knew it was a message from Cornelia, but he didn¡¯t dare to take it out and look He opened the thermos on the bedside table and took out one small te at a time, cing them in front of Cornelia on the table. He then picked up a spoon and tried to feed her, ¡°Open your mouth¡± This was way too intimate, and Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to open her mouth. ¡°President Hartley, I can do it myself ¡° ¡°Alright, you eat first. Marcus handed her the spoon and left the room, taking out his phone to reply to Cornelia¡¯s Whatsapp message happened to be in the Capital on a business trip, and then I ran into you at the hospital. I know you might not want to see me, so I leave first ¡± Ahhough Corn didn¡¯t quite believe in all these coincidences, she still repled with two words ¡°Thank you!¡± Jeremy ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife, you don¡¯t have to be so polite with met Cornelia: ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you took care of me this time, I¡¯ll change my mind.¡± Jeremy: ¡°How many times do I have to take care of you for you to change your mind?¡± Cornelia: ¡°No matter how many times, it won¡¯t work!¡± Seeing Cornelia¡¯sst message, Marcus silently lit a cigarette and took one drag after another. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 Chapter 155 In the ward, Cornelia was chatting on Whatsapp, but was interrupted by a call from grandma. She picked up right away, ¡°Grandma, happy holidays!¡± Granny Reba happily replied. ¡°Happy holidays!¡± Just by hearing her grandma¡¯s voice, Cornelia could tell she was in a good mood today. ¡®Grandma, did something good happen today?¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Nothing much, just wanted to call and tell you that no matter what decision you make, I will support you.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Grandma, why are you suddenly saying this?¡± 1 called you with a video this morning, and I saw everything if you really want to be with Jeremy, Grandma won¡¯t object. You don¡¯t have to hide it from me Anyway, no matter what decision you make, Grandma will support you.¡± Since the young people were shy and embarrassed to say it, she, as an elder, would make it clear She just wanted to tell Cornelia that no matter whether she decided to divorce or continue, she should go for it without any hesitation Cornelia thought ¡°So, Jeremy really dide over and even answered my grandma¡¯s video call ¡± N?velDrama.Org ? content. After ending the call with her grandma, Cornelia immediately opened Whatsapp and indeed found a video call record with her grandma, which Jeremy had picked up for her Cornelia was angry and immediately sent Jeremy a questioning message, Jeremy, why are you messing with my phone?¡± Marcus had just lit a cigarette and saw her message. Before he could think of a reply, she sent several more messages in a row. ¡°Why are you always silent when I ask you something?¡± Jeremy, answer me!¡± ¡°Do you think silence can solve the problem?¡± Marcus thought for a moment and replied to her, I hadn¡¯t picked up, your grandma might have worried.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Do you know that my grandma now misunderstands that we¡¯ve made up?¡± Of course, Marcus knew, and he had deliberately shown that scene to her grandma, but he couldn¡¯t say that He replied. ¡°That should be good news for me since I don¡¯t want to get divorced.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You¡¯re so annoying!¡± Marcus didn¡¯t respond Annoyed, Cornelia put away her phone and took big sips of soup. After finishing a bowl of soup and some greens, she hurried to the next ward to see Skyler. 10 After a day of rest, Skyler still didn¡¯t look very energetic, but she perked up a bit when she saw Cornelia. ¡°Cornelia, where did you go today? I was scared you¡¯d find me a burden and stop caring for me¡± No one had told her about Cornelia passing out, so as not to worry her ¡°How could I not care for you? I just got busy with some other stuff.¡± Cornelia rubbed her head ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about anything right now, just focus on getting better Tm fine now. Can we leave the Capital now?¡± Skyler grabbed Cornelia¡¯s hand tightly. She couldn¡¯t wait to escape from Zavier and didn¡¯t want to stay in this city for a moment longer. And the only person who could help her escape the Capital was Cornelia¡¯s boss Marcus Therefore, Cornelia was her only hope at this moment, her life¨Csaving straw.¡°Skyler, wait, let me ask the doctor if your body can handle a long journey first ¡°Cornelia wanted to take Skyler away from this dangerous ce immediately but couldn¡¯t risk harming her health. ¡°Skyler¡¯s health is fine, she can leave now¡± Dr. Dawson walked in, ¡°President Hartley has already arranged for it. We¡¯ll all be heading back to Riverton tonight.¡± Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Chapter 156 Dr Dawson was really impressed with Marcus¡® actions. He had anticipated that the first thing Cornelia would be concerned about when she woke up would be Skyler, so he had made preparations in advance. As long as Cornelia wanted to take Skyler with her, they could set off at any Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. time Cornelia didn¡¯t want to make Skyler wait any longer if she could leave right away Waiting a second longer would be a torment for Skyler ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head back to Sunset Bay Resort to pick up our luggage and then head to the airport.¡± Dr. Dawson said. Your luggage has already been packed and sent to the airport Dr. Dawson was so thoughtful Cornelia was extremely grateful. Thank you, Dr Dawson!¡± Dr Dawson just smiled. ¡°It¡¯s all done by Marc, you can thank him if you want.¡± Cornelia went silent Marcus again! Without his help, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to take Skyler with her. She should really thank him properly. But he was so rich, he didn¡¯t need anything. Any gift she gave him would probably be dismissed. So instead, shed improve her cooking skills and teach him, so he could cook for his wife and win her back as soon as possible in just over half an hour, they all arrived at the airport, checked in, and boarded the ne smoothly Four business seats Dr. Dawson was taking care of Skyler, so he sat with him in the row behind. Naturally, Cornelia could only sit with Marcus in the two seats in front. After sitting down, Marcus started a conversation. ¡°I¡¯ve had a house prepared for you in the Blueshell Mansion. You and Skyler can stay there when we get back to Riverton¡± Anything she thought of, Marcus had already done. Anything she hadn¡¯t thought of, Marcus had thought of in advance. He was too considerate, far beyond what a boss should be to a subordinate. Cornelia felt a little uneasy. President Hartley, why are you so good to me?¡± Because she was his wife, and as her husband, it was only natural for him to treat her well. However, Marcus still couldn¡¯t tell her the truth ¡°Am I good to you?¡± ¡°Yes, you¡¯re too good to me. I¡¯m starting to get scared.¡± If she were his wife, she¡¯d definitely be jealous of how considerate he was to his assistant. ¡°You¡¯re scared now?¡± Marcusughed. ¡°When you were swearing at me before, you didn¡¯t seem scared.¡± ¡°Did I swear at you?¡± Cornelia had no memory of cursing Marcus, and even if she had the guts, she wouldn¡¯t dare curse her boss. ¡°President Hartley, you can¡¯t le She had called him a bastard when Skyler was in trouble, and he thought she had grown bolder. But now she was denying it. ¡°You dare to swear but not admit it?¡± ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m sorry! I shouldn¡¯t have cursed you.¡± If he said she had cursed, then she must have. She couldn¡¯t keep arguing with her boss. Marcus just wanted to tease her, but he didn¡¯t expect her to apologize so quickly. It made him feel bad instead. He suddenly realized that Cornelia¡¯s behaviors on Whatsapp and in person werepletely different Cornelia said seriously, President Hartley, I asked for your help before because I couldn¡¯t take Skyler away from Zavier. Now that Zavier is willing to let go, he shouldn¡¯t cause any trouble for Skyler in the short term. So you don¡¯t have to worry about Skyler anymore.¡± Marcus felt upset again He didn¡¯t understand why Corne could always easily affect his mood. Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Do you really think that letting Skyler leave the Capital would stop Zavier from going after her?¡± Marcus knew Zavier cared about Skyler, so he agreed to let her go, but Cornelia didn¡¯t know that. Cornelia felt something was off, ¡°President Hartley, what do you mean?¡± Marcus continued. ¡°This time. I personally took her away, and Zavier allowed me to do so. But you should know what kind of person Zavier is. If you¡¯re not sure, you can ask Skyler if she wants to stay at the Blueshell Mansion. Ask her, and then tell me the answer¡± Cornelia had heard a lot of rumors about Zavier, the most important of which was that he was a very vengeful person If Zavier only let Skyler go temporarily because of Marcus, then as soon as Skyler was out of Marcus¡¯s protection, Zavier could take her back at any time. Skyler almost lost her life trying to escape Zavier, and Cornelia couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch her be taken back to the Capital The only person who could help Skyler settle down in Riverton was Marcus, and he was willing to lend a hand Cornelia didn¡¯t see any reason to refuse She said, ¡°No need to ask, let Skyler stay at the Blueshell Mansion. Please continue to protect her, President Hartley¡± Marcus said, 1 brought my friend¡¯s wife to Riverton and arranged for her to stay at my house. What do you think my wife would think?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°So what¡¯s the point of you saying all this?¡± Marcus¡¯s goal had always been Cornelia, ¡°Like I said before, you two live together in the Blueshell Mansion¡± Marcus was so clear that unless she didn¡¯t want to help Skyler, there was no reason for Cornelia to refuse, Then after I move in, Ill pay you rent monthly She even wanted to pay him rent! Although his wife was a bit silly, she always found ways to make him ufortable He asked, ¡°Do you know how much it costs to rent a ce at the Blueshell Mansion per month?¡± After hearing the price, Cornelia instantly regretted what she had just said. 1 know, President Hartley, you don¡¯t need the rent money. But if you don¡¯t charge rent, I won¡¯t stay for free From now on, the sanitation of all the houses in the Blueshell Mansion is on me And if you¡¯re tired of the chef¡¯s cooking, I can cook for you and your wife¡± She was just called silly, but when it came to money, she was very clever. She didn¡¯t want to pay rent and came up with so many excuses No matter what method was used, Marcus¡¯s goal was achieved, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s do it as you say ¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Thinking she didn¡¯t have to pay such a high rent andpletely unaware of the trap, Cornelia was thrilled. ¡°Thank you, President Hartley! You¡¯re so kind!¡± Marcus thought to himself, ¡°Fool!¡± She fell for his trap so easily. If it wasn¡¯t him who tricked her this time, but another man, would she be easily taken home by other men as well? Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Chapter 158 The thing Marcus was worried about happened as soon as the ne arrived in Riverton Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cornelia told Zack she wasing back to Riverton today and brought a female friend So. Zack drove to the airport to pick them up. When Cornelia came out of the airport, Zack not only gave her a hug but also naturally took her suitcase, just like an old friend would All of this happened right in front of Marcus! In front of him, Zack told Cornelia, Theard you were bringing a friend back, so Abby immediately booked a table with great food and drinks at Savor Symphony¡± ¡°Abby knows me too well¡± Cornelia immediately introduced them, ¡°Skyler, this is my good friend Zack. Zack, this is Skyler. Treat her just like you treat Abby and me Zack responded right away. ¡°Your friends are my friends. Skyler, don¡¯t worry, I got your back in Riverton¡± Skylerughed, ¡®Nice to meet you!¡± President Hartley Skyler and I will take Zack¡¯s car back to the city¡± Cornelia informed Marcus and then walked towards Zack¡¯s affordable car with them,ughing and chatting without noticing Marcus¡¯s mood change Marcus it a cigarette, silently watching Cornelia walk towards Zack¡¯s car. Dr. Dawson looked at Marcus, feeling sorry for him, ¡°Marc, Cornelia is your wife! Can you stand another man taking your wife away right in front of you?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t rush, calmly taking a puff from his cigarette, ¡°Skyler is still weak, you¡¯re the doctor.¡± He was so subtle that Dr. Dawson understood, but couldn¡¯t this man be more direct in pursuing his wife? Dr. Dawson immediately stopped them, ¡°Cornelia, Skyler needs to rest well these days. She better not eat outside food.¡± Dr. Dawson mentioned Skyler¡¯s health, so Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to take it lightly. She had heard that miscarriages could cause great harm to a woman¡¯s body So, she said, ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t eat out then Zack just take us straight back to the Blueshell Mansion.¡± ¡°Skyler is used to fancy cars. Will she get used to your friends car?¡± Dr. Dawson didn¡¯t say it outright, but everyone understood that she thought Zack¡¯s car was too cheap and ufortable She didn¡¯t mean to look down on Zack¡¯s car, she just wanted to find a way to get Cornelia into Marcus¡¯s car. But it turned out this way. Skyler felt a bit awkward. Tm fine¡± Zack also felt ufortable, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my car? Does it have two fewer wheels than your boss¡¯s car?¡± Dr. Dawson looked awkwardly at Marcus, who was still calmly smoking. ¡°Let her go.¡± ¡°Dr. Dawson, see you at the Blueshell Mansion.¡± Cornelia still got into Zack¡¯s car, ¡°Zack, let¡¯s talk to Abby about whether we should change to another official car. It would be more convenient for you to go out for business¡± This car was purchased by their studio and was shared by the three of them. Usually, Zack needed to go out for work, so he drove most of the time. Zack said, ¡°As long as the car can drive, that¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s buy a house for the three of us first. Correct, Abby and I checked out ake house. Apart from the slightly high price, everything else is pretty good. When you have time, let¡¯s go take a look together.¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Chapter 159 ¡°Let¡¯s do it tomorrow then ¡°Because of her busy work schedule. Cornelia had been putting off buying a house But she decided to finally go through with it this time Once she got a house, she could bring her grandma to live with her and finally forget about Jeremy. Zack said, ¡°Alright, I talk to Abbyter¡± Half an hourter, they arrived at Blueshell Mansion Marcus had several apartments in Blueshell Mansion, all of which wererge, single¨Cstory units with 360¨Cdegree view balconies and top¨Cnotch amenities He usually lived on the 26th floor, but the apartment on the 27th floor was vacant, and only Cornelia lived there once. The apartment had a master bedroom and two guest rooms Cornelia and Skyler naturally chose to stay in the guest rooms. Dr. Dawson followed Cornelia, she always tried to persuade Cornelia to live in the master bedroom ¡°Cornelia, this bedroom seems a bit small for you The master bedroom is empty anyway, so you can stay there if you¡¯d like.¡± ¡°Dr. Dawson, this guest room is bigger than my home! How is it small? Cornelia was shocked. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t convince Cornelia, Dr. Dawson gave up and didn¡¯t push further, fearing that Cornelia would be suspicious After several hours of running around, Skyler was really tired and went to rest after having some soup. Cornelia had slept all day and was now full of energy With Marcus¡¯s permission, she took Zack on a detailed tour of the apartment. This was Zack¡¯s first time in such a luxurious ce, and he felt like he was dreaming. He couldn¡¯t help but keep praising it. ¡°Nelly, let¡¯s work hard to make money so we can buy a ce like this someday¡± Corneliaughed and said, Zack, you really dare to dream, huh?¡± Zack replied, ¡°Life would be too boring without dreams.¡± Cornelia agreed, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right¡± Although the idea wasn¡¯t very realistic, there was no harm in thinking about it. Besides, their studio¡¯s performance was getting better and better. If they worked hard for another ten or twenty years, they might really be able to afford it. Zack suddenly said mysteriously, ¡°Your boss lives just downstairs. Doesn¡¯t he live with his wife?¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cornelia replied, ¡°They¡¯ve had some misunderstandings recently, so they seem to be living apart.¡± ¡°Men should spoil their wives after marriage. He¡¯s really not a good husband.¡± Zack didn¡¯t like Marcus from the start, so he wouldn¡¯t miss any chance to badmouth him. Cornelia defended, ¡°President Hartley is not bad, you just don¡¯t know him well enough.¡± Zack had a strange thought, ¡°Does he have some health issues?¡± Cornelia quickly covered Zack¡¯s mouth, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! Besides, I¡¯m not his wife, so how would I know if he has any health problems?¡± Zack pushed Cornelia¡¯s hand away, ¡°You said he had ws¡± Cornelia exined, 1 meant that he¡¯s very capable at work, but he might be a bit slow in dealing with emotions, resulting in marital discord.¡± Zack said, ¡°ording to research, more than 50% of marital discord is due to ack of harmony in the couple¡¯s sexual life¡± Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Cornelia had nothing to retort Oops!! She actually thought Zack¡¯s analysis made sense Chapter 160 Rumor has it that Marcus doesn¡¯t like women, and Cornelia has been following him for seven or eight months without seeing him get close to his wife To be honest, it¡¯s possible that he really has some issues, and that¡¯s why he¡¯s afraid to get close to women Zack said, ¡°Nelly, let me tell you, these kinds of guys with issues can be real freaks in private. Since you¡¯re living in his house, you better be careful Cornelia replied, ¡°You can say he has physical problems, but you can¡¯t question his character¡± ¡°Cornelia, President Hartley has prepared dinner and invited you and Mr. Ruck to join him.¡± Dr. Dawson¡¯s voice suddenly sounded behind them, starting them, and when they turned around to see Marcus there, Cornelia was immediately frightened How long had he been there? Did he hear her conversation with Zack? If he knew she was gossiping about his private life behind his back, he would definitely fire her in anger. Cornelia sneaked a nce at Marcus, he looked as calm as usual, and he didn¡¯t even give her an extra look. Cornelia quietly breathed a sigh of relief. The food is ready, let¡¯s go to the dining room first ¡°If Cornelia had given just a little more attention to Dr. Dawson, she would have noticed the awkwardness behind his enthusiasm The four of them began to eat, and the food on the table catered to everyone¡¯s tastes. Especially the stewed oxtail in red wine, Cornelia¡¯s eyes were immediately attracted She immediately said, ¡°Zack, you have to try this dish.¡± ¡°Alright, let me try it ¡°Zack suddenly felt a murderous intenting towards him, and instinctively thought it was Marcus, the one who made him feel threatened. Zack looked up at Marcus, but Marcus was eating intently and gracefully, not looking at him. Marcus was very concerned that Cornelia was only talking to Zack, but as long as he was willing to hide his emotions, no one could tell. Not only did his wife discuss the topic of whether he had problems with other men, but she also took care of other men at the dinner table and ignored him. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. After the meal, Zack leaned back in his chair,zily took out a cigarette, and put it in his mouth. Before he could light it, Cornelia snatched it away. You quit smoking already? When did you start again?¡± Zack said. ¡°1¡­¡± Cornelia, ¡°We¡¯ve told you so many times not to smoke, but you still do.¡± Zack¡¯s grandfather used to be a smoker, and even after being diagnosed with lung cancer, he continued to smoke. He could have lived a few more years, but because of smoking, he died within three months. That¡¯s why Cornelia and Abigail wouldn¡¯t allow Zack to smoke. Zack said, Thave quit smoking. It¡¯s just that sometimes I feel like having one. Don¡¯t be mad, I promise I won¡¯t smoke again.¡± Cornelia coldly said. ¡°If you dare to smoke again, I won¡¯t care about your health anymore.¡± Zack replied, ¡°I promise I won¡¯t smoke again.¡± Marcus nced at Cornelia unhappily. Why didn¡¯t she care when he smoked? She seemed to care a lot about other men smoking. Marcus couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. If he couldn¡¯t care for her, at least he wanted her to care for him. So, Marcus also took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, then took out a lighter. With a snap, the me lit up, but he didn¡¯t light the cigarette. He was waiting for Cornelia to snatch the cigarette from his hand¡­ Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Chapter 161 Cornelia didn¡¯t even try to grab his cigarette, let alone look at him. Could it be that Cornelia didn¡¯t notice he was smoking? This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. He pressed the lighter harder a few times, making a clicking sound, finally caught Cornelia¡¯s attention Marcus leaned forward slightly, making it easier for her to take the cigarette from his hand. Cornelia handed over Zack¡¯s lighter with both hands, President Hartley, your lighter¡¯s broken, use this one first¡± Zack was going to smoke, and she was in such a hurry to stop him. And when Marcus wanted to smoke, she not only didn¡¯t stop him but also handed over a lighter He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she wanted to get rid of him so she could start over again? Marcus looked at the lighter handed to him and asked, ¡°Did I ask you to hand me a lighter?¡± Was it wrong for her to hand over a lighter when his was broken? Zack shivered with fear but didn¡¯t back down, ¡°Why are you picking on my Nelly, man?¡± ¡°Your Nelly? She¡¯s mine,¡± Marcus said with a straight face and left. Zack asked, ¡°Nelly, does he bully you all the time?¡± ¡°Howe!¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know what was up with Marcus, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. You should go home. Well go house hunting together tomorrow morning¡± Zack agreed, ¡°Alright, Abby and I will pick you up tomorrow morning¡± The next day, Cornelia got up early. Dr. Dawson was even earlier. Just as she finished washing up, Dr. Dawson knocked on her door, holding a delicious breakfast. Seeing her staring at the breakfast, Dr. Dawson said cheerfully. ¡°This is the nutritious breakfast I prepared for Skyler. Your breakfast is on the 24th floor, hurry and go eat.¡± The 24th floor was also Marcus¡¯s ce, where Dr. Dawson and Ayden lived. Marcus hated the smell of cooking, so the chef cooked for him on the 24th floor and sent it to the 25th floor when it was ready. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m going now ¡°Cornelia went to the 24th floor for breakfast, not expecting Marcus to be there. He was sitting by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window at the bar, holding a cup of coffee in one hand and flipping through a document with the other. Cornelia greeted him, ¡°President Hartley, good morning!¡± Marcus put down the document and looked back at her. Even though it was a day off, she still wore her hair up and her work clothes were reced with a coat. She looked no different from usual, but somehow seemed different. Marcus looked closely. It seemed that her makeup and lip color were different from usual, making her look several years younger than her usual office look, less mature and more yful, ¡°Your makeup looks nice today¡± Corne touched her face. Did she put on makeup? Howe she didn¡¯t know? She would wear makeup during work hours but rarely on her days off. Firstly, it wasn¡¯t necessary, and secondly, it gave her skin a break. But since the boss said she was wearing makeup, she must be Corneliaughed and said, ¡°Thank you for thepliment, President Hartley!¡± He just casually praised her and she was so happy. Marcus thought he should praise her more in the future. He stood up with his coffee and walked with her to the dining room, ¡°Are you going out?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Well, there are some things to doter.¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Chapter 162 Marcus asked, ¡°Is there anything you need help with? Cornelia replied. Thanks for your concern, President Hartley, but it¡¯s just some personal stuff¡± The conversation between the two ended with this answer. Just then, the chef brought in breakfast Marcus sat down first, and Corneha took a seat across from him. Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The breakfast is very rich Marcus had specifically asked the chef to prepare it for her, but Cornelia didn¡¯t touch it, ¡°Not to your liking?¡± ¡°I had ate dinnerst night, and I¡¯m not very hungry now My appetite isn¡¯t great. I just want some porridge ¡°Cornelia scooped herself a bowl, and it tasted even better than she had imagined Both dishes were from the same recipe, so Cornelia wondered how the chef¡¯s version could be so delicious. Cornelia asked, President Hartley, could I learn how to make this from your chef?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°If you want to eat it, let her cook it for you. If you want to learn, let her teach you.¡± Finally, there was something that suited her taste, and Marcus abandoned the idea of changing chefs Cornelia said, ¡°Thank you, President Hartley!¡± Hearing her cheerful tone, Marcus smiled and said nothing more. The two ate quietly until Cornelia¡¯s personal phone rang, breaking the silence Cornelia thought it was Zack and Abigailing to pick her up so she happily took out her phone. But when she saw the caller ID as ¡°Mr. Colwell,¡± her expression changed instantly. ¡°Mr Colwell, what¡¯s up?¡± Ryan said, ¡°Ms Stewart, your husband has picked out a house to give you Today, I¡¯ll apany you to transfer the ownership.¡± 1 can buy my own house. Who cares about his gift, let him give it to someone else.¡± She had already refused very directlyst time, couldn¡¯t these people understand humannguage? Ryan said, ¡°Do you have a problem with your brain? Your husband wants to give you a house, not someone else. What reason do you have to refuse such a good thing?¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°The one with the problem is Jeremy, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ryan agreed with this point of view, 1 also think he has a problem¡± ¡°Then you should persuade him to seek treatment, instead of always trying to give me a house. I don¡¯t care for it.¡± After speaking, Cornelia hung up the phone directly. Marcus thought to himself, all he wanted to do was give her a house, why was that considered a problem? Anyway, Marcus knew about her and her husband¡¯s situation, and Cornelia didn¡¯t feel embarrassed after he heard it, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m done eating I take my leave first Marcus asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Fearing that she would dismiss him with the word ¡®personal again, Marcus added, ¡°I happen to be going out too, I can give you a ride¡± ¡°No need to trouble yourself, President Hartley, my friends areing to pick me up. Cornelia said and prepared to leave. Marcus said, ¡°Tonight, I¡¯m taking my wife to dinner. Please book a restaurant ording to your preference.¡± Cornelia agreed, ¡°Okay¡± Since Marcus had mentioned that his wife was also from Rosenberg, she didn¡¯t give it much more thought. After getting into Zack¡¯s car, Cornelia thought for a moment. There were many restaurant options in Riverton, but the top two were Pinnacle Pte and Culinary Crest. Both had very high prices, perfect for wealthy people like Marcus. Cornelia had never been to either of these restaurants, so she didn¡¯t know which one had better food. So she asked, Zack, Abby, Pinnacle Pte or Culinary Crest, which one do you think is better?¡± Abigail replied, ¡°Richdy, did your boss give you another bonus? Are you treating us to such an expensive ce?¡± Cornelia rolled her eyes and said, ¡°A meal there costs tens of thousands. I¡¯m not an idiot. I don¡¯t have that much money to throw around anyway, so why would I go to such a ce? I¡¯m just helping my boss and his wife book a restaurant.¡± Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Chapter 163 Zack said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s go for the more expensive one Cornelia said. ¡°But I really want to try Culinary Crest I want to taste the difference between such an expensive and ordinary restaurant¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Abigail said, ¡°Too bad it¡¯s not you who¡¯s going¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Can¡¯t I just daydream about it? Abigail said, ¡®I work hard to make money, and when I do. Il treat you both to it¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Alright, whether I can eat or not depends on you¡± After booking the restaurant, they arrived at their destination for the day. Zack and Abigail had visited the property a few times before and had a pretty good understanding of its pros and cons, which they shared with Cornelia Lakeside Haven had greatyouts and a lovely environment. As Abigail said, it was perfect except for the high price. All the houses in themunity were fully furnished. With this, she and her grandmother could finally settle down in Riverton The three of them followed the sales consultant to visit a 230¨Csquare¨Cmeter model house. It had a huge double balcony, a separate study, a spacious cloakroom, and both the living room. balcony and master bedroom hadke views Cornelia was very satisfied with it, but her bank ount couldn¡¯t handle the price. The 160¨Csquare meter four¨Cbedroomyout also had arge balcony. The only w was that it didn¡¯t have ake view, but the price was within Cornelia¡¯s budget. Faced with the choice between preference and affordability, Cornelia had to choose thetter The 160¨Csquare¨Cmeteryout was actually quite nice. Cornelia nned to have one room as the master bedroom, one as a study, and one as a guest room. She would arrange for her grandmother to stay in the room near the balcony, where she could sunbathe in the future. After a thorough review, the three of them unanimously agreed to buy the 160¨Csquare¨Cmeter one, in the same building and on the same floor, so they could live together in the future. As they were about to sign the contract, Abigail received a call from her boyfriend, Trevor After the call, Abigail said, ¡°Nelly, Zack, I agreed to try dating Trevor a couple of days ago. He heard I was house hunting today and wanted toe over ¡°Sure. We can help you see if he¡¯s the one for you ¡°Two months ago, Abigail had mentioned him. Cornelia hadn¡¯t met him yet since she was busy working, so today was a good opportunity to meet him. Zack agreed, ¡°I want to see your boyfriend¡± Abigail smiled gently. ¡°Im dating seriously for the first time because I want to get married. Do you think my idea is too conservative?¡± Cornelia gently poked her forehead, ¡°Silly child, just get married when you find the right person. It doesn¡¯t matter how many times you¡¯ve been in love before¡± Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Chapter 164 Abigail said, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve decided. As long as he treats me well, I¡¯ll treat him even better We¡¯re going to live our lives well and definitely not learn from you¡± Cornelia made a fierce face if you mention my marriage again, watch out, I might hit you¡± Abigail surrendered immediately ¡°Alright, alright, I wont say it anymore. But Trevor is still on his way, let¡¯s sign the contract first Cornelia nodded ¡°Okay We need to get the loan sorted out soon too, so hurry up.¡± Unexpectedly before they finished signing the contract, Trevor arrived, much faster than they expected. Not only him, but also a woman in her fifties was following him. Before Abigail and Trevor introduced each other, the woman walked straight to Cornelia, sizing her up: ¡°Not bad¨Clooking, pretty well¨Cmatched with our family¡¯s son. But you¡¯re a bit thin, and your butt isn¡¯t big. I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t be easy for you to have a boy. You have to know that, Trevor is the only child in our family, and he needs to have a son in the future¡± Cornelia managed to control herself and didn¡¯t curse Lady, maysk if your family has a fortune of billions waiting for your son to inherit?¡± What era is it now, and there are still people who want to have sons? The woman looked at Cornelia warily: ¡°What? Thinking about our family¡¯s money before you even enter our door?¡± Trevor pulled the woman¡¯s sleeve ¡°Mom, she¡¯s not This is my girlfriend, Abigail¡± The woman red at Cornelia, then looked at Abigail, frowning ¡°Just average¨Clooking, but quite scheming. Buying a house before getting married, do you think it¡¯s only your house? Let me tell you, either we don¡¯t buy this house today, or you give it to my son. Otherwise, don¡¯t even think about marrying him¡°¡¢ The woman said such nasty things, and Trevor not only didn¡¯t stop her, he even tried to persuade: ¡°Abby, my mom is just looking out for you. As long as you listen to her, you can marry me, and she won¡¯t treat you badly.¡± Cornelia and Zack were angry: ¡°Who are you people looking out for? Do you think Abby is stupid?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Abigail pulled them both. I¡¯m not worried, why are you guys?¡± Cornelia worried about Abigail: ¡°Abby, wake up. It¡¯s not hard to find a two¨Clegged man, let alone a four¨C legged toad.¡± Zack ¡°Yeah, you don¡¯t need a shitty guy like this.¡± The woman: ¡°Still trying to y tricks on me?¡± Abigail nced at the woman, didn¡¯t say anything, and pulled Cornelia and Zack: ¡°Let¡¯s go make the payment.¡± Trevor hurried to catch up with her and said. ¡°Abigail, don¡¯t listen to them. They¡¯re just jealous that you can marry well.¡± Abigail turned around abruptly, squinting her eyes slightly as she looked Trevor up and down, ¡°Trevor, are you really stupid, or do you think I¡¯m stupid? I used to think you were just a nerd with a dull personality. But now I finally see your true colors. Thank you for bringing your mother here, otherwise, I would have wasted my precious time if I found out your true nature after investing my feelings Trevor asked, ¡°What do you really want?¡± Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Chapter 165 Abigail replied, ¡°I agreed to try dating you because you were nice to me. But we haven¡¯t officially started yet, so it¡¯s no big deal to end it now Trevor felt wronged, ¡°You know I¡¯m so good to you, why won¡¯t you listen to my mom?¡± Abigail couldn¡¯t help butugh at his question, ¡°Why would I listen to your mom? She¡¯s not my family. Even though you¡¯re not my boyfriend yet, you want me to buy you a house And you won¡¯t even let me buy my own house. Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Seeing her son being bullied, the woman hurried over and said, ¡°You¡¯ve always been spending my son¡¯s money. Now you want to break up? Then give back the money you spent Abigail asked Trevor, ¡°When did I ever spend your money? I don¡¯t remember that.¡± Trevor replied. ¡°The other night, I bought you a burger and you didn¡¯t pay me back¡± Abigail had gone out to eat with him three or four times, and they always split the bill. She didn¡¯t think it was necessary to pay him back for the few bucks he spent on a burger the other night, because she later treated him to coffee, but he still had the nerve to mention it. She was d he brought his mom to make a scene today, or she would have fallen into a trap, ¡®Fine, I¡¯ll pay you back for the burger. You pay me back for the coffee Trevor said. ¡°I didn¡¯t even want to drink it, you forced me to.¡± Abigail felt there was no reasoning with him. She took out her phone and transferred ten dors to Trevor, then blocked and deleted him with practiced ease, ¡°There, we¡¯re even ¡°Son, is that it? Didn¡¯t you buy her a coat that cost thousands?¡± The woman winked at Trevor, obviously trying to extort some money Trevor actually listened to her, ¡°Yeah, that coat you¡¯re wearing is the one I bought you.¡± ¡°Oh boy, you¡¯re really talking nonsense now¡± Zack couldn¡¯t stand it any longer, he felt they were too easy to bully. But Abigail held him back and whispered to them, ¡°Just wait and see how I deal with her.¡± She smiled and walked up to the woman, whispering, ¡°Olddy, if you make one more scene here, I¡¯ll tell everyone your son is impotent, and no one will dare to marry him.¡± It worked, the olddy was speechless with anger, ¡°You, you, you just wait, I want to see who would dare to marry someone like you.¡± The woman cursed non¨Cstop, dragging her precious son away. Abigail reminded her, ¡°Walk slowly, don¡¯t let people know your son is impotent!¡± Suddenly, there was apuse and a male voice, ¡®Ms. Stewart, your friend is as unconventional as you.¡± This voice, Cornelia was very familiar with, she looked back, and sure enough, it was Leonardo and Marcus! Why was Marcus here? Cornelia still greeted them, ¡°President Hartley, Mr. Wilson! But I want to ask, why are you guys here too?¡± Leonardo said, ¡°We just bought twoke view apartments. We were about to leave when we saw you guys and wanted to say hello.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Theke view apartment was what Cornelia liked but couldn¡¯t afford. They easily bought two houses, just like buying two sets of clothes. It was really depressing Cornelia said. ¡°Oh, then you guys go ahead, we won¡¯t bother you.¡± Leonardo replied, ¡°Were not busy. How big of a house are you nning to buy? Why not buy a 230 square meter one, so we can live closer to each other in the future.¡± Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Chapter 166 ¡°Mr. Wilson, don¡¯t think everyone¡¯s like you¡± Cornelia said with a smile, ¡°We have to go get our mortgage sorted, so we won¡¯t be hanging around with you guys¡± Marcus, who had been quiet, spoke up. ¡°Cornelia, Ilwait for you outside Come find me when you¡¯re done¡± ¡°Sure ¡°As a personal assistant, she didn¡¯t have regr days off. She was always on call for her boss, but sometimes, her boss would let her take a break when he¡¯s in a good mood After they left, Marcus took out his personal phone to text Cornelia but didn¡¯t know what to say When they got married, he gave her a card with enough money to buy a house by theke, but she never used it. She was serious about keeping boundaries and didnt want to use his ¦°¦±¦¯¦°¦¯¦´ This realization made Marcus feel uneasy Leonardo suddenly thought of something. Marc, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re buying a house here because of Cornelia?¡± He guessed right. Marcus didn¡¯t expect an answer, but he told him anyway, Tm buying a house here because of my wife¡± Leonardo, Your wife wants to live here? Speaking of her, I wanted to ask you, you were about to get divorced, but then you suddenly announced your marriage and cleared up rumors about her among the four major families. If you really want to be with her, why don¡¯t you bring her out to meet the guys?¡± Marcus. ¡°You¡¯ve already met her.¡± Leonardo, When? I didn¡¯t know about it¡± ¡°Just now!¡± Marcus mumbled in his mind. He took out a cigarette, lit it, took a puff, and put it in the ashtray next to him, thinking that Cornelia probably wouldn¡¯t like the smell Leonardo, ¡°So why are you waiting for Cornelia instead of being with your wife? You¡¯re not trying to be like me, are you?¡± Marcus red at him. Leonardo thought he had guessed right and continued, ¡°The women I¡¯ve slept with are only after my money. They¡¯re very clear about their goals, as long as you have money. But Cornelia is different. She¡¯s a good girl. If you and your wife are getting along, don¡¯t mess with her ¡± Marcus, I know Cornelia is a good girl. Do I need you to tell me that?¡± Leonardo, ¡°Are you just trying to get close to good girls?¡± Marcus. ¡°This has nothing to do with you. You can go now.¡± Leonardo, ¡®Fine, Ill go. It¡¯s not like I want to be with you.¡± After Leonardo left, Marcus waited for about an hour before Cornelia finished her paperwork. He drove her today, and after she got in the passenger seat, he asked, ¡°Did you buy the house?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yes¡± He continued. ¡°If you need any helpter, just let me know.¡± Cornelia, Thanks, President Hartley! But no need. It¡¯s a fully furnished house.¡± Marcus, ¡°If you need anything else, just tell me.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. His recent concern for her was obviously more than what a boss should have for an employee, and Cornelia was worried, ¡°President Hartley, I can handle my personal life. We should talk about work instead. Where are we going?¡± Marcus said, ¡°To buy a gift for my wife. Her taste is simr to yours, so you can help me pick something you like.¡± It was normal for Marcus to ask his assistant to help pick a gift since he didn¡¯t know what girls like. But Cornelia felt it wasn¡¯t appropriate, President Hartley, I think it¡¯s better for you to ask your wife directly about what she likes. Or you can go shopping together, which might be better for your rtionship.¡± Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Chapter 167 ¡°You¡¯re right, I was thinking the same thing.¡± Marcus looked at her, his deep eyes carrying a hint of loneliness. ¡°But she hasn¡¯t forgiven me yet. Can you help me figure out what I should do?¡± Ah, so that¡¯s what¡¯s going on! Cornelia felt a bit foolishtely, naively thinking that the president was deliberately trying to spend time with her alone She thought for a moment. President Hartley, if you really want to make up with your wife, then don¡¯t worry about your pride. Apologize, buy gifts, just do whatever it takes to get her to forgive you¡± Let¡¯s just go pick out a gift first ¡°Marcus smiled helplessly, stepping on the gas to speed up the car Finally, they arrived at Riverton¡¯s famous Creative Art Park. This area used to be a factory. As the city developed, the factories moved to the neighboring city, and the original n was to demolish these old factory buildings, but for some reason, they were preserved. Art enthusiasts turned the area into what it is now, a famous tourist attraction in Riverton Cornelia knew about this ce, but she had been too busy to visit in recent years. The moment she stepped into the area, she was amazed by the renovated buildings around her. The old, dpidated factory buildings had been turned into colorful little houses, with flowers nted in front of them and unique shops, making it feel like they had entered a fairy tale world Marcus led Cornelia to a two¨Cstory building and rang the doorbell. After a while, the heavily graffitied wooden door was opehed from the inside, and a young, beautiful woman appeared before them. With just one nce, Cornelia was captivated by the attractive and elegant woman in front of her. If she wasn¡¯t mistaken, this woman should be Marcus¡® wife However, the next second, the woman said, ¡°President Hartley, you know how hard it is to get a dress from me. If it weren¡¯t for your wife, I wouldn¡¯t do you any favors.¡± The woman nced at Marcus and then turned her attention to Cornelia, ¡°Your wife is even prettier than I imagined.¡± Marcusughed. ¡°She is pretty.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯m President Hartley¡¯s assistant, not his wife.¡± Both spoke at the same time. The woman looked confused. Marcus cleared his throat, ¡°Let me introduce you. This is my friend Cornelia. Cornelia, this is Sallie¡± Sallie! Cornelia was very familiar with this name. Sallie was a super¨Cguru in the fashion world, famous for her dresses. Everyone in theiric circle knew her. it was said that Sallie had a quirky personality, and she only sold her dresses to those she felt connected with. No matter how much money was offered, her dresses couldn¡¯t be bought by those she disapproved of ¡°Ms. Sallie, hello!¡± Cornelia greeted politely. But Sallie wasn¡¯t courteous at all, grabbing her and heading inside,pletely ignoring Marcus, ¡°Cornelia, can you do me a favor?¡± ¡°Ms. Salle, what do you need me to do?¡± ¡°Help me try on a dress¡± Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Chapter 168 Before Cornelia could refuse, Salle dragged her into a room filled with dresses, even more than a specialized boutique. Sallie picked out a deep blue dress from the many options. It had no decorations but looked very ssy ¡°Go on, give it a try.¡± Sallie handed the dress to Cornelia ¡°Alright ¡°Salle¡¯s dresses were rare and valuable. This one surely wasn¡¯t cheap, so Cornelia was extra careful while trying it on, afraid of getting it dirty or damaged. Cornelia didn¡¯t know what fabric it was made of, but it felt very delicate and almost weightless on her body, withoutpromising the quality After changing, she stepped out of the dressing room Sallie¡¯s eyes widened. Tve been waiting for the right persoh toe along all this time, and you just waltzed right int Cornelia, ¡°What?¡± Salle circled around Cornelia, bing more and more satisfied. This dress was made by myte master and me. She said it was destined for someone special I used to worry that id die before finding the right person for this dress, but now you¡¯re here. Cornelia, only you can bring out the charm of this dress.¡± Feeling a bit embarrassed by thepliments, Cornelia said, ¡°Ms. Sallie, you¡¯re too kind¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s show your man, I mean, President Hartley Sallie practically dragged Cornelia to the living room. ¡°President Hartley, are you satisfied?¡± Marcus looked up and saw Cornelia, whose skin was already great, looking even more wless against the deep blue color The perfectly tailored dress hugged her curves, and she looked stunning All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. He had seen Cornelia in a dress before and knew she had a great figure. But at this moment, his calm heart was like ake disturbed by a huge rock, creating ripples of passion. Cornelia felt ufortable under his gaze. But due to her professionalism, she stood still and let him look. Being a personal assistant was like that she had to take care of everything for him, and trying on clothes was nothing. But after a long time, he was still staring at her withoutmenting on the dress¡¯s suitability Cornelia had to speak up, ¡°President Hartley, have you made a decision? Do you want me to try other styles?¡± So she thought he brought her here to help try on clothes? Although he knew she might think so, hearing her say it still made Marcus a bit unhappy ¡°You look great. No need to try on anything else.¡± Sallie added, ¡°Cornelia does look fantastic. I¡¯ll give this dress to her. President Hartley, choose another one for your wife¡± ¡°Ms. Sallie, I¡¯m just a fitting model. It¡¯s such a precious dress. President Hartley¡¯s wife should be more suitable than me¡± Cornelia asionally wore dresses, but she usually went for something casual and comfortable. It would be a waste if this dress, made by two generations, is handed over to someone who does not know how to appreciate it. But Marcus insisted, ¡°Take it. A good dress should find its rightful owner¡± Sallie agreed, ¡°I make the clothes, so I decide who suits them best.¡± The two of them managed to convince Cornelia to ept the expensive dress When Cornelia went back to change, Marcus poured Sallie a cup of tea and said, Thank you for helping me with the act.¡± Sallie replied, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t seen how well Cornelia wore the dress today, I might not have given it to you. Now, consider it as you paid a high price for my prized possession, and I¡¯ve found the right owner for the dress No one owes anyone anything¡± Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Marcus didnt say anything more. He knew Cornelia looked great in skirts, so he thought of getting her a precious gift from Sathe After a moment of silence. Sallie asked, ¡°Do you really n to spend the rest of your life with her? Marcus chuckled, ¡°She¡¯s my wife, if I am not with her, who else can be with??¡± Sallie gave a bitter smile, 1 chased after you in college, but you said you didn¡¯t want to date when you were young, and you didn¡¯t have feelings for me I asked you what kind of girl you¡¯d hke, and you said you probably wouldn¡¯t find one in this lifetime. I actually believed you It wasn¡¯t until I saw the news a few days ago that I found out you got married I wasn¡¯t even mad yet, and you called me asking to buy the skirt I made with my master. I didn¡¯t even agree, and you showed up with her. President Hartley, are you trying to piss me off on purpose? Marcus ¡°I didn¡¯t be to you. As long as my grandma is happy, it doesn¡¯t matter who I marry¡± This made Salle feel better, ¡°So you don¡¯t really love her?¡± Marcus wasn¡¯t sure if he loved her or not, but he knew he was happy when he found out Cornelia was his registered wife, I¡¯m really d Cornelia is my wife.¡± He didn¡¯t say he liked her, but his expression and tone all showed how much he liked that girl. Salle didn¡¯t know where she fell shortpared to Cornelia, but she knew she had no chance now, ¡°I have no hope in this life, how about reserving you for me in the next life? ¡°Sorry! No! Marcus was a firm materialist and refused decisively If a person really had a next life, the only one who could reserve him would be his wife. ¡°Should I call you heartless or devoted? As Sallie was talking there was the sound of a door handle turning, and Cornelia must being out after changing. ¡°Marc¡± Sallie cooed his name and flung herself into his arms, pretending to kiss him. Luckily, Marcus reacted fast enough to push her away, ¡°What are you doing?¡± He looked very serious Sallie was scared, but she couldn¡¯t hold back the resentment of liking him for so many years and getting nothing in return, ¡°Of course, to make Cornelia misunderstand Cornelia really misunderstood! Without knowing the whole story, Cornelia came out and saw the two of them hugging, seemingly unable to separate from their kiss. This wasn¡¯t a scene she should be watching. Cornelia hurriedly closed the door, retreating back into the room. At first nce, she thought Sallie was Marcus¡¯s wife. The two of them were putting on a show in front of her, making her lock like a clown. As Cornelia was fuming, Marcus¡¯s voice came from outside the door, ¡°Why are you hiding? Come out!¡± Cornelia had toe out, seeing Marcus looking unhappy, she thought he was ming her for interrupting his private matters, President Hartley, why don¡¯t I leave first, and you guys can This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. continue?¡± She saw such a misleading scene but wasn¡¯t angry and even let them continue. Marcus¡¯s face darkened even more, ¡°Continue what?¡± He was actually asking her to continue what! Was she supposed to say. ¡°You guys continue making out?¡± Cornelia awkwardly scratched her head, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll just go first.¡± ¡°We should indeed go.¡± Marcus grabbed her hand and walked out. When they came in, she was dragged in by Sallie, and now she was dragged out by him. Did both of them like pulling people around? Soon they arrived at the parking lot, and Marcus decisively let her sit in the passenger seat. Cornelia looked back, Sallie didnt chase after them, President Hartley, are you really just going to leave like this? Aren¡¯t you going back to appease your wife?¡± Marcus was really pissed off by her, ¡°Who told you she was my wife?¡± Chapter 170 Chapter 170 Chapter 170 You two were already making out, do you need to talk about it? Am I seriously that dumb? Cornelia thought to herself Of course, she only dared toin in her heart and didn¡¯t confront them directly Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°No one told me. I just guessed¡± Marcus said, ¡°Don¡¯t make wild guesses anymore, she¡¯s not my wife¡± If she¡¯s not your wife, then why were you two¡­ Cornelia realized she was asking too much and quickly shut her mouth. He didn¡¯t want her to misunderstand him as an irresponsible man, so he patiently exined, ¡°She pursued me before, but I didn¡¯t agree. She deliberately wanted to make you misunderstand, so she threw herself at me when you came out. She wanted to kiss me, but I pushed her away in time, and she failed¡± He was looking at her while speaking. She could see his sincere eyes, he definitely wasn¡¯t lying. But why was he exining this to her in such detail? He should be exining this to his wife. He suddenly reached out and gently stroked her hair, saying, ¡°I won¡¯t cheat on you, you have to believe me.¡± Cornelia looked confused after hearing this. The development of this situation seemed a bit weird and off. He¡¯s not her husband. They won¡¯t be sleeping together at night, so what does it have to do with her if he cheats outside? Just as Cornelia¡¯s thoughts were in disarray, Marcus leaned closer to her. He¡¯s not going to try and kiss her, is he?! T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia got scared and pressed herself against the chair, not daring to move. However, he just helped her buckle her seatbelt and didn¡¯t do anything inappropriate Cornelia thought, ¡°Am I overthinking this? What am I even thinking about?¡± ¡°Sit tight, let¡¯s go.¡± He seemed to be holding back augh, his voice almost bursting withughter. Marcus didn¡¯t say where they were going, and Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to ask. When they arrived at their destination, she found out this was the dinner ce she had booked for him and his wife ¡°President Hartley, I hope you and your wife enjoy your dinner. I¡¯ll be going home now.¡± After getting out of the car, Cornelia wanted to leave. Her thoughts were all over the ce now, and if she stayed with him any longer, she would think even more ¡°Do you really want to leave me alone at a couples¡® restaurant?¡± Marcus looked at her and said, ¡°My wife still doesn¡¯t want to forgive me. I have no one to eat with, why don¡¯t you join me?¡± He knew it was a couples restaurant and still asked her to eat with him. Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but doubt his intentions, ¡°President Hartley, can say no?¡± Marcus wanted to say she couldn¡¯t refuse, but he didn¡¯t want to force her to do something she didn¡¯t want to do: ¡°If you don¡¯t feel like eating, forget it. Let¡¯s just go home.¡± President Hartley, you go ahead. I need to go to my house and get some clothes. After saying that, Cornelia turned around and ran away, hailing a taxi to get home as quickly as possible When she got home, it was just in time for dinner. Zack and Abigail were eating while watching a TV show. Seeing her return, both of them were surprised, ¡°Your stingy boss actually let you off this early today?¡± Cornelia took off her coat and hung it on the rack, then squeezed in between them and sat down, ¡°I think the president is nuts¡± Zack and Abigail asked in unison, ¡°How so?¡± Cornelia leaned on the table, mumbling. ¡°I think he wants to pursue me!¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 Chapter 171 ¡°Then let him chase you!¡± Abigail poked her forehead in frustration, ¡°Why are you so clueless? The guy is so handsome. It¡¯s not a loss to be pursued by him! Cornelia wished she could p her, ¡°He¡¯s a married man, if I let him chase me, I¡¯m the third wheel I refuse to be the other woman¡± Abigail was very good at focusing. From the sound of it, if he was unmarried, you¡¯d let him chase you?¡± It was not impossible if both of them were unmarried Cornelia was startled by the thought that popped into her head and quickly waved her hands, ¡°impossible Abigail If I could spend a night with such a handsome man, even if it¡¯s just one night, I could die in peace.¡± Zack kicked her, ¡°Get some ambition, missy¡± Corne knocked on both of them, ¡°Quit fooling around, I¡¯m serious, help me think of a way out¡± Zack, ¡°He just announced his marriage not long ago, and now he wants to pursue you, he¡¯s obviously a scumbag The further you stay from this kind of man the better, just quit your job.¡± ¡°With the high mortgage I have to pay every month, I can¡¯t afford to quit now ¡°On the way back, Cornelia thought, if Marcus really wanted to chase her, she could only quit. She would never submit to his authority. But thinking of the mortgage, she had to give up this idea. Abigail, ¡°Are you sure he wants to chase you?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Am I sure? I¡¯m not so sure!¡± Abigail, Tell me, what did he do to make you think this? Did he kiss you forcibly or suggest he wants to sleep with you?¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°No such overstepping behaviors. It¡¯s just that I feel he¡¯s being too good to me. Especially the things he said to me today, those should be said to his wife, not me¡± Abigail had a bright idea, ¡°Could it be that hes being nice to you to show off to his wife?¡± Cornelia, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Abigail, ¡°He¡¯s using you to make his wife jealous. If his wife loves him and sees him spending time with a young and beautiful assistant, she¡¯ll definitely be jealous. If she¡¯s jealous, it means she still loves him. Then it¡¯s easier for him to make up with her¡± Abigails words made Cornelia understand all at once, ¡°You¡¯re so smart, why didn¡¯t I think of it?¡± How could she be so naive to believe that Marcus wanted to pursue her! She was just a tool to him. If Marcus had told her this earlier, she would have put on the best performance to make his wife jealous. Abigail, ¡°This is all from experience. It has nothing to do with intelligence.¡± Zack thought Abigail¡¯s analysis was unreliable, Your only romance ended before it even began, where did you get your experience?¡± Abigail, ¡°That¡¯s how it¡¯s written in novels.¡± Zack, ¡°Oh boy, don¡¯t listen to her ramblings.¡± After confirming that Marcus had no inappropriate intentions towards her, Cornelia felt much more rxed, ¡°Alright, as long as Marcus doesn¡¯t really want to pursue me, I¡¯m not worried. Let me eat something. I have to go back to the Blueshell Mansion after.¡± Zack asked. ¡°You¡¯re going back?¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°Skyler Blue lives there alone, I¡¯m worried about her¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. After dinner, Cornelia packed two sets of clothes and returned to the Blueshell Mansion The mansion was huge but no lights were on. She thought Skyler had rested, so she didn¡¯t think much of it. When Cornelia returned to her room and was ready to go to bed after a shower, she noticed an envelope on her pillow. Chapter 172 Chapter 172 Chapter 172 The words ¡°Letter to Cornelia¡± were written on the envelope Cornelia opened it to find a letter from Skyler [Dear Cornelia, d to meet you as a friend! Thanks for giving me the strength to keep on living when I needed it the most From now on, I won¡¯t be doing anything stupid. But Zavier Rivera, he¡¯s a control freak He won¡¯t let me go that easily. If I want to get rid of him, I can only go to a ce he doesn¡¯t know. I know what you¡¯re going to say, that President Hartley could protect me But depending on others is not a long term solution. Growing up. I depended on my family and then barely survived by relying on Zavier. It was rough. I don¡¯t want to rely on others anymore I want to follow my heart, live my life my way. Life might be tough from here, but it¡¯s what I want. Don¡¯t worry about me. Also. Zavier installed a tracker on my phone. He can check my location anytime. So, I can¡¯t take it with me. Please remember to keep my phone charged. Try to dy others from finding out I¡¯ve left, to buy me some extra time. Don¡¯t worry about me running away. I had it nned a year ago. As long as I get out of Riverton tonight, Zavier won¡¯t find me easily. When I settle down, when Zavier forgets about me, I¡¯ll find a way to contact you. Cornelia. I hope the next time we meet, we will be living our lives the way we want! Skyler Blue] Skyler had been nning her escape a year ago? She had just married Zavier a year ago. What kind of life had she been living? Cornelia rushed into Skyler¡¯s room and found the phone she¡¯d left behind. Skyler told her not to worry, but how could she not? Skyler had just miscarried and was physically weak. She couldn¡¯t use her bank cards to avoid Zavier. How was she supposed to escape with nothing? Cornelia suddenly realized that finding a safe ce in this world wasn¡¯t easy for Skyler. Meanwhile, on the 25th floor, an uninvited guest showed up in Marcus home. Marcus let him in ¡°You¡¯re in Riverton, and now in my house. Are you worried Skyler doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re here, or did she not run far enough?¡± Zavier lit a cigarette, took a few puffs, ¡°Tell your wife to mind her own business. Skyler has no one to rely on, shell naturallye back to me.¡± Marcus sneered, if it wasn¡¯t for my wife, yours would be dead by now. You messed up, don¡¯t me it on my Cornelia¡± ¡°Your Cornelia?¡°Zavier looked at Marcus like he was a stranger, ¡°She hasn¡¯t even epted you as her husband and you¡¯re defending her? That¡¯s not how you Marcus treat women.¡± ¡°First of all, Cornelia is not just any other woman, she¡¯s my wife. Of course, I¡¯ll protect my wife. Do I need to wait until she¡¯d rather die than be with me to regret, like you?¡± Marcus shut Zavier up with one sentenceThis text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chapter 173 Chapter 173 Chapter 173 After a long pause, Zavier finally said slowly. Despite all the opposition from the Rivers family, taking a huge rink and pressure. I spared no expense and effort to help the Blue family g back on the feet took care of all of Skyler Blues worries, why does the still hate me so much?¡± Marcus replied casually. You¡¯re asking me? How should I know?¡± Marcus answer made Zavier feel stuck ¡°Can¡¯t you help me analyze this? Why would the rather die than stay by my side? Marcus said ¡°What you did to her you know better than anyone Zavier¡¯s tall figure slightly swayed at these words, yes, no one knew better than him what he did to Skyter He stubbed out his cigarette, and then it another one. Tve known Skyler for ten years, a whole decade. We first met when she was fourteen, she moved in with me when she was eighteen,wways thought she couldn¡¯t leave me Until the day she had an ident. I realized it wasn¡¯t her who couldn¡¯t leave me, but me who couldn¡¯t leave her¡± Marcus just listened quietly, as for matters of love and rtionships, he who was inexperienced had no good advice to give And other than Marcus. Zavier didn¡¯t know who else to turn to for answers, ¡°Marc, tell me, what should I do to get her back?¡± This question really stumped Marcus Ask him how to make money, he could give you hundreds of ways. But how to win back your wife, that was a problem he was facing himself He also it a cigarette. ¡°Cornelis would rather take out a loan to buy a house, paying most of her sry every month for the mortgage, than ept the house I gave her Today, despite all my efforts, I still couldn¡¯t get her to agree to have dinner with me¡± Mentioning Cornelia, Zavier seemed to see a glimmer of hope. ¡°How about you call Cornelia over, I¡¯ll ask her to find out what Skyler is thinking?¡± Marcus gave him a look, Dont think about using Cornelia Bang bang bang- The urgent knocking on the door broke the silence in the room. Ignoring the doorbell and knocking like this, Marcus frowned in displeasure But when he saw from the monitor that it was Cornelia standing at the door, his displeasure vanished instantly. He immediately got up to open the door As the door opened, Cornelia uttered ¡°President Hartley¡°, seeing another man in the room, she swallowed the rest of her words. Why is Zavier here? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. How did he get here? Does he know that Skyler ran away? Was Skyler, who had barely escaped, going to be caught again? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t miss Cornelia¡¯s trembling hands at her side. ¡°Nothing ¡°Cornelia turned to leave, but Marcus grabbed her, ¡°Cornelia, tell me, what happened?¡± Cornelia bit her lip tightly, unconsciously nced at Zavier in the room, and Marcus immediately understood her concern. He stepped outside, closing the door behind him, ¡°do you want to tell me about Skyler Blue?¡± Cornelia was still a little worried, worrying that Zavier would eavesdrop from inside the room, ¡°President Hartley, can youe with me to the 26th floor?¡± ¡°Sure ¡°Marcus followed Cornelia to the 26th floor, as soon as they entered the room, she closed the door and even remembered to bolt it Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Mr. Harley can trust you?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know what Skyler Blue had been through only that if Zavier got his hands on her theid probably not survive Marcus raised his hand and gently ruffled her hair answering with certainty. ¡°Absolutely Since he said so she decided to trust him ¡°Skyler Blue took off without her phone. I¡¯m worried sick about her Can you arrange for someone to tall her and discreetly escort her to the pover she wants to go, without Zavin finding out?¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Cornelia knew this was requiring too much and would waste a ton of time and resources But Marcus was the only one with enough clout to go head to head with Zavier and help Skyler escape his clutches ¡°Don¡¯t worry whatever it costs. I pay for in ¡°Before Cornelia could finish her sentence, Marcus dialed a number. Have someone follow Skyler Blue and help her get to when she wants to go Make sure Zavier¡¯s people don¡¯t find out With Marcus word Cornelia instanth felt relieved. ¡°Mr Hartley, thank you!¡± He gently patted her shoulder, saying softly. ¡°Cornelia, no need to thank me Whatever you need, just let me know if it¡¯s within my power. I do my best to make it happen His words brought back all the worries she thought shed brushed off. Not wanting to dwell on it, she decided toy it out straight. Mr. Hartley it¡¯s just us here Your wife can¡¯t hear un You can stop the act¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow. ¡°Oh7¡± Cornelia went on. 7m sorry, I misunderstood your intentions today. I thought you were hitting on me. It was only after a friend helped me analyze that I realized you were using me to get a rise out of your wife. Mr. Hartley, my marriage is a mess too, but I want to give you some advice Are you willing to hear it?¡± Marcus was all ears, ¡®Go ahead¡± Cornelia said ¡°believe sincerity andmunication are crucial in a marriage if you love your wife, you shouldmunicate properly with her. Using another woman to provoke har in my opinion, is not a smart move¡± Marcus replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t use you to provoke anyone. Every word I said to you was genuine¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°So you really want to.¡± wasn¡¯t trying to hit on you ¡°He wasn¡¯t trying to hit on her, he was trying to pursue her. As a husband, he should help his wife carry her burdens. Thats a relief Cornelia patted her chest, repeating that¡¯s a relief¡± a few times. Then she said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t have any other intentions towards me, please refrain from saying things that could be misunderstood. It¡¯s not fair to your wife.¡± She was such an innocent girl in her personal life, always speaking her mind, not beating around the bush. It was a stark contrast to her serious and meticulous work persona Marcus was d to see her good qualities, d that his wife was her. ¡°My wife is the best girl in the world. Marrying her is my good fortune. I¡¯ll never let her down in this lifetime. Same goes for you. Focus on your work and stop overthinking¡± ¡°Okay¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Skyler Blue I¡¯ll keep you updated.¡± ¡°Thank you Mr Hartley!¡± ¡°Go get some rest. I¡¯m heading downstairs.¡± With that, he turned and left. As he stepped outside, Ayden was standing at the door. ¡°Mr. Hartley, we¡¯ve got people in ce for the Skyler Blue situation.¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Make sure she¡¯s safe. Zavier can¡¯t find out where she is.¡± ¡°Yes¡°Ayden took the order but didn¡¯t leave right away. Marcus Anything else? Ayden knew better than to overstep, but he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°President Hartley, is there something wrong with Cornelia? Why do you take a fancy to your friend¡¯s wife?¡± Marcus gave him a look, ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Ayden was speechless. Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Chapter 175 Marcus returned to the 25th floor, Zavier stubbed out his cigarette and looked up at him. ¡°Huh, you have to tell your wife something shameful, and you have to hide at from me¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Zavier asked. ¡°How¡¯s Skyler Blue doing now?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°You go back to the Capital, she¡¯s no longer in Riverton¡± Zavier jumped up, his voice trembling. What do you say?¡± Marcus calmly said. ¡®Forcing her to stay could kill her. Letting her go, she could live. Her life and death are in your mind, you choose your self¡± His words struck a chord with Zavier, who understood the consequences of keeping Skyler Blue Suddenly, he felt like all his strength was drained Zavier heavily sat on the couch, then slowly stood up and said, ¡®I¡¯m leaving¡± Through all these years, it was the first time Marcus had seen Zavier looking so lost. Heforted, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll arrange for for someone to keep her safe Zavier didn¡¯t say anything, he stumbled out of Marcus house. After Zavier left, Marcus¡® private phone chimed, a message from Cornelia Jeremy Artis, are you in Riverton? If so, let¡¯s meet tomorrow and talk about us¡± Without asking, Marcus knew that Cornelia wanted to talk about divorce. How could he possibly agree? Marcus replied, Tm not in Rivertontely, tell me what¡¯s up on WhatsApp¡± Comelia replied, ¡°It¡¯s hard to exin over WhatsApp, let¡¯s talk when you return to Riverton.¡± Marcus asked. What are you up to? Had dinner yet?¡± After sending the message. Marcus gaze never left the phone screen, waiting for Cornelia¡¯s response However, after waiting for several minutes, there was no reply from Cornelia All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. He thought for a moment, took his work phone and called her directly. Cornelia quickly answered. ¡°President Hartley, anything else?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Come downstairs.¡± ¡°Alright ¡°With Skyler Blue gone, Cornelia felt there was no need for her to stay at the Blueshell Mansion. She was packing up to leave when Marcus called, so she had to attend to his matter first. When Cornelia arrived at the 25th floor, Marcus was waiting for her at the door. He beckoned her over. Cornelia was puzzled, but obediently moved to where he pointed. As soon as she stood there, the Al voice said, ¡°Your face has been recognized, from now on, just look at the camera to open the door.¡± Cornelia looked at Marcus in confusion. Marcus exined, ¡°From now on, let yourself in when youe to my house, I don¡¯t want to wait at the door every time¡± Cornelia was speechless. He added, ¡°I haven¡¯t had dinner yet, I¡¯m hungry. You promised me in the Capital that you¡¯ll teach me to cook, how about today?¡± He had just done her a big favor, Cornelia had no reason to refuse ¡°Alright, I go to the supermarket downstairs to buy some groceries.¡± Marcus said, ¡°No need to buy anything. I¡¯ve already had someone prepare the ingredients and put them in the fridge, see if anything is missing?¡± Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Chapter 176 Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Cornelia waltzed into the kitchen and popped open the fridge to find it stocked to the brim with food It looked like he was gearing up for his wife¡¯s return She pulled out a prime cut of ribeye steak from the fridge, President Hartley, how about ribeye pasta for tonight?¡± ¡°Sure. You guide me. I¡¯ll do the cooking¡± Marcus turned around to tie on a fresh apron. He was originally d in a grey and white homely outfit, but even with the apron on, a didn¡¯t affect his beauty at all. Cornelia was skeptical that this man, who probably couldn¡¯t even boil water, could pull off this dish, ¡°President Hartley, why don¡¯t you just stick to boiling the pasta?¡± ¡°The quickest and most effective way to learn a new skill is to do it yourself ¡°Marcus grabbed the chopping board and knife, ¡°Should I cut the meat first?¡± Insistent on doing it himself, Cornelia didn¡¯t want to stand in his way. ¡°You should start by marinating the steak.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Marcus obedientlyplied. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± ¡°Pour some olive of into the pan, wait till it starts smoking a bit, and then add the steak¡± She said he did Marcus looked focused andmitted, his movements still elegant as if he were not learning to cook but handling business deals worth billions. Cornelia was slightly dazed watching him. Afterpleting the steps as per Cornelia¡¯s instructions, Marcus looked up to find her gaze on him. Suddenly, he felt a wave of satisfaction. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What am I doing wrong?¡± His deep, soothing voice jotted Cornelia back to reality. She blushed, ¡°After frying one side for five minutes, it¡¯s time to flip the steak.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As he replied, he effortlessly flipped the steak with a spat. Cornelia was taken aback by his proficiency. ¡°President Hartley, do you know how to cook?¡± Marcus responded while keeping an eye on the pan, ¡°Though I seldom have the time to cook, I wouldn¡¯t let myself be totally clueless about these basic life skills¡± The man who helms the Hartley Group, worth billions and topping the list of global billionaires, knows that cooking is an essential life skill. Meanwhile, some not¨Cso¨Cgood¨Clooking men never cook at home, iming that it¡¯s a woman¡¯s job and men are meant for bigger things. Cornelia suddenly found herself envying Mrs. Hartley. Observing that the steak was almost done, Cornelia added. ¡°Take the steak out and let it rest before you slice it.¡± She handed Marcus the tomatoes, olives, and capers she had prepared. ¡°Now add these to the pan. After about two minutes, add the pasta and water.¡± As Marcus added the ingredients to the pan, the unexpected heat wave fogged up his sses, blurring his vision to the point he couldn¡¯t see anything, ¡°Cornelia, ¡°help me take off my sses¡± Marcus was so tall that he had to stoop a little to get close to her Chapter 177 Chapter 177 Chapter 177 His sses were all fogged up, and from Cornelia¡¯s angle. It looked like he had two white eyeballs on top of his head it was hriously funny Cornelia, trying not tough reached out to take off his sses Because she was holding back augh, her fingers trembled slightly and identally touched his face Up close like this, Cornelia could see his features more clearly His face was sharply defined, each part like a finely crafted work of art Just right, no matter which part you looked at Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Especially the long eyshes, which are thick and curled, are very beautiful. A ridiculous idea suddenly popped into Cornelia¡¯s head she wished if she had a kid one day, it would be as good looking as Marcus This thought scared the bejeezus out of her If Jeremy insisted on not divorcing, she could only have children with him in this lifetime. If she and Jeremy had a child that looked like Marcus, that would be a real pickle. But Marcus focus waspletely different, ¡°Why are your hands so cold?¡± Cornelia hadn¡¯t expected him to notice, as she wiped his sses clean and put them back on him, ¡°Girls¡® hands are always like this in winter.¡± ¡°Are all girls like this? Marcus wasn¡¯t sure if all girls were like this, but he couldn¡¯t let her be cold. ¡°You go rest, leave the rest to me.¡± As if she could leave him alone in the kitchen, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m fine.¡± Marcus ¡°That¡¯s an order¡± He pulled rank on her, and Cornelia had toply ¡°Can you handle it alone? Dr¡­¡± He cut her off, remember everything you just said. If there¡¯s anything I don¡¯t understand, I¡¯ll ask you.¡± ¡°Alright ¡°As Cornelia left the kitchen, she turned back to remind him, ¡°You decide how much salt and pepper to put in, whatever you like Hearing her nitpick, Marcus wasn¡¯t annoyed at all, instead, he chuckled, ¡°Alright, I got it. You go rest in the living room, don¡¯t worry.¡± Cornelia felt if she didnt leave now, Marcus might literally throw her out of the kitchen When she stepped out of the kitchen and the door closed behind her, it was suddenly quiet. Alone and bored, Cornelia picked up her phone and texted in their group chat, ¡°Babes, are you asleep?¡± Zack, ¡°Who among us ever goes to bed this early?¡± Abby, ¡°Nelly, I just finished another novel. The male lead really uses his female secretary to provoke the female lead, and the secretary stupidly thinks he¡¯s really into her, so she brags in front of the female lead. Guess what happens?¡± Cornelia, ¡°What happened?¡± Abby. ¡°The female lead ps the secretary in front of the male lead, the secretary looks to the male lead pitifully, but he only cares if the female lead¡¯s hand hurts. After confirming her hand is okay, the male lead has the secretary raped by someone else.¡± Cornelia shivered after reading the message. Thank God President Hartley is normal. He said he hasn¡¯t been using me to provoke anyone, and that I should stop worrying and work peacefully.¡± Abby said. ¡°You silly! Can you ask such things directly? Even if he did have such intentions, would he tell you the truth?¡± Cornelia quickly replied, I beheve whatever he says.¡± Abby replied, ¡°You¡¯re such a fool, but you won¡¯t admit it. But speaking of which, his only fault is that he¡¯s married¡± Zack, ¡°Why do you two guess a man¡¯s thoughts without asking for a man¡¯s opinion?¡± Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Cornelia said, ¡°No one¡¯s stopping you from talking¡± Zack said, ¡°To be honest, from the first time I saw Marcus, I felt something that he had ghosts on your mind. Be careful not to be used Abby said, ¡°Zack, you¡¯re just jealous that he¡¯s richer and better looking than you¡± Zack said, ¡°You can criticize me, but don¡¯t attack me personally¡± Cornelia said. ¡°In my heart, our Zack is the most handsome¡± Zack said, ¡°Nelly is the best Abby said. ¡°Nelly, aren¡¯t you afraid your nose will grow from lying? In my heart, Zack may not be the most handsome, but aside from my dad, he¡¯s the most important man to me¡± Zack said, ¡°Hmph, at least you have some conscience¡± Cornelia then changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s go to FurniMart tomorrow. I want to decorate my new home as soon as possible, so grandma can move in.¡± Abby said, ¡°Sure¡± Zack said, 1 have a date tomorrow. Ican¡¯t make it.¡± Cornelia and Abby almost simultaneously typed. ¡°You have a girlfriend? How old is she? Where¡¯s she from? What does she do?¡± Zack replied, ¡°I met her at Comic¨CCon a few days ago. She¡¯s a big fan of our studio¡¯sics, especially Nelly¡¯s She¡¯s a great girl, I want to pursue her, but whether I can snag her is still up in the air¡± Cornelia said cheerfully, ¡°Go for it, Zack!¡± Abby said, ¡°Honestly, Zack has been with us for so long, I thought he turned into a girl himself. I didn¡¯t expect him to have a crush this fast.¡± Zack said, ¡°Neither did I. You know, the moment I saw her, my heart started racing, like it was going to leap out of my throat. I even dreamt about her that night, and I keep thinking about her, looking forward to seeing her again.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Zack is growing up.¡± Abby said, ¡°Want us to help you chase the girl?¡± Zack said. ¡°Nah, forget it. One of you ended it before it even started, the other one¡¯s been married for almost two years but it¡¯s as if she isn¡¯t. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll just mess it up.¡± As they were in the heat of the conversation, Marcus¡¯s deep voice came from the kitchen, ¡°Cornelia, come here for a moment.¡± Cornelia thought Marcus needed her help, she dropped her phone and rushed to the kitchen, only to find that Marcus had not only made ribeye pasta but also a seafood sd. It looked appetizing just at the sight of it. Marcus said, ¡°Try it.¡± Cornelia took a bite of the pasta, the ribeye was cooked just right and the seasoning was spot on. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Little did she know, Marcus¡¯s request for her to teach him cooking was just an excuse to spend some alone time with her. He had spent two days learning in advance, and today was the day to test the results. Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Chapter 179 Thanks for doing me a solid today. If you think the food is alright, my wife should dig it too¡± Marcus said sincerely, with Cornelia not sensing any ulterior motives from him Thankfully, she didn¡¯t stuff herself at dinner, so she had room to sample his cooking Once they were seated, Cornelia expected Marcus to eat first, but he nudged the sd bowl towards her, ¡°Give this a try¡± Since she was his taste tester, Cornelia didn¡¯t hold back She picked up her fork. Being allergic to shrimp, she left it on the side of the te and only ate the veggies ¡°You dont like shrimp?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not that,¡± Cornelia exined, Tve been allergic to it since childhood¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Marcus immediately pulled the sd back to his side, not letting her eat any more, ¡°Are there any other foods you¡¯re allergic to?¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°No¡± Without asking any more questions, Marcus made a mental note of this He pushed some pasta towards her, ¡°Try this.¡± ¡°Sure¡± The tender rib¨Ceye steak with the richly vored tomato pasta was delectable. Watching her enjoy her meal, Marcus raised his eyebrows slightly, his eyes twinkling behind his silver¨C rimmed sses, ¡°If you fancy it, just let me know next time, and I¡¯ll cook it for you.¡± Cornelia was so engrossed in her food that she didn¡¯t quite catch what he said and nodded subconsciously. It seemed like his wife was subconsciously willing to get closer to him. This thought cheered Marcus up quite a bit. Before long, all the pasta had found its way into Cornelia¡¯s stomach. Marcus looked up at her, noticing a bit of sauce on the corner of her mouth, and naturally reached out to wipe it off. The move seemed suggestive, and Cornelia almost jumped off her chair in surprise. Marcus casually extended his finger, ¡°Sorry! I¡¯m a bit OCD. I saw some sauce on your lip and couldn¡¯t resist wiping it off.¡± Cornelia was speechless. What¡¯s gotten into her recently? Why is she always love to think about things? He¡¯s a married man and he¡¯s made it clear that he harbors no feelings towards her. Why¡¯s she still overthinking it? If she keeps this up, it¡¯s bound to affect her work. Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Chapter 180 To ease her own embarrassment, Cornelia quickly shifted the topic onto Marcus¡¯s wife, President Hartley, your cooking is really delicious, and with your wholehearted effort, I think your wife must love your dishes¡± ¡°Well, as long as you like it ¡°Marcus chuckled, ¡°How about you teach me another dish tomorrow?¡± President Hartley, if I hadn¡¯t seen you cooking myself tonight, I would¡¯ve thought this was made by a professional chef Your cooking skills are way better than mine, there¡¯s no need for me to teach you ¡°Cornelia thought Marcus¡¯s culinary skills were already pretty top¨Cnotch, no need for further teaching Marcus paused for a moment, realizing he might have outdone himself. Shouldn¡¯t a beamner in cooking make a mess in the kitchen? He figured he could give it a shot next time. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. After dinner, as Cornelia began to clean up, Marcus stopped her again, ¡°You¡¯ve already done me a huge favor, take a break, I do the cleaning up.¡± Did she do him a great favor? Cornelia felt like she was more like mooching a free meal. But since he was willing to clean up, she let him, ¡°President Hartley. I leave first then.¡± ¡°Wait for me in the living room, I have something to talk to you about.¡± After saying that, Marcus started cleaning up and went into the kitchen, leaving Cornelia to wait in the living room. Just as Cornelia sat down, the doorbell rang She opened the door to find Dr. Dawson standing outside. Seeing her there, Dr. Dawson wasn¡¯t surprised at all Cornelia let Dr. Dawson in She looked around but didn¡¯t see Marcus, ¡°Cornelia, where¡¯s Marc?¡± Cornelia pointed at the kitchen, ¡°We just finished dinner, he¡¯s cleaning up.¡± Dr. Dawson seemed shocked, her face twisted in disbelief, ¡°He let you cook here? And he¡¯s cleaning up after dinner?¡± Cornelia corrected her, ¡°I didn¡¯t do the cooking, it was all President Hartley. He initially asked me to teach him a couple of home¨Ccooked dishes so he could make them for his wifeter, but turns out President Hartley is a natural, his cooking is even better than mine.¡± Dr. Dawson couldnt believe the person Cornelia was talking about was Marcus. He hated the smell of cooking oil and never let anyone cook in his house. And shed watched Marcus grow up, never heard of him cooking before She guessed he must¡¯ve secretly learned to cook, mastering it in no time. But did he really need to go to such lengths to impress Cornelia? With his looks, wealth, and status, what woman couldn¡¯t he have? Surely, he wasn¡¯t so desperate just because Cornelia was his wife. Knowing the truth, Dr. Dawson felt obligated to help Marcus, Tve watched Marc grow up. Never seen him cook before, didn¡¯t think the first time would be for his wife. I hope his wife appreciates his effort and treats him with the same sincerity.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Regardless of President Hartley¡¯s character or personal love life, he¡¯s beyond reproach. Mrs. Hartley will definitely cherish him.¡± When a clueless man meets an even more clueless woman, even Dr. Dawson felt anxious for them, ¡°Marc is slow to warm up in terms of feelings, it¡¯s hard for him to fall for a woman, but once he does, he¡¯ll treat her well for the rest of his life. Cornelia, do you understand?¡± Hearing her hame suddenly, Cornelia thought Dr. Dawson was reminding her of her own status, so she smiled, ¡°Dr. Dawson, don¡¯t worry I have no interest in President Hartley now, and I absolutely wont in the future? Dr. Dawson became anxious, ¡°Cornelia, that¡¯s not what I meant. I¡¯m saying you can have feelings for Marc, any feelings at all.¡± Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Chapter 181 Cornelia cut her off, ¡°Dr. Dawson, quit talking nonsense¡± Dr Dawson choked up. Did she mess up again? She really wanted to tell Cornelia straight that she¡¯s Marcus¡¯s wife, that he was doing all this for her. She should treasure him and not let his sincerity go to waste, and stop trying to push him onto others. Forget it. Let them handle their affairs by themselves. She¡¯d better deal with important things first, ¡°Cornelia, I heard you have cold hands and feet in winter Do you want me to check it out?¡± Cornelia asked in confusion, ¡°How did you know that?¡± Of course, it was Marcus who told her, even asked her to rush here overnight, tomorrow wouldn¡¯t do. Dr. Dawson couldn¡¯t tell the truth, so she made up an excuse. Yesterday, when I was taking care of Skyler Blue, I noticed her hands and feet were extremely cold, so I thought of you. Girls nowadays don¡¯t pay attention to maintenance, and many of them have these problems. Thanks, Dr Dawson, but it¡¯s not necessary¡± Dr. Dawson was Marcus¡¯s personal doctor, and Cornelia didn¡¯t want to trouble her with her trivial problems. if she wants to check, just do it. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s gonna cost you. Marcus¡¯s deep, appealing voice suddenly rang out. Cornelia turned her head, locked eyes with him, and saw the tenderness in his eyes. As if bewitched, she found herself unable to look away, that fluttery feeling was back She wanted to decline, to leave this ce that was messing with her head right away, yet under Marcus¡¯s powerful aura, she involuntarily said, ¡°Alright, check then.¡± Dr. Dawson held Cornelia¡¯s hand, seemingly arbitrarily pressing a few points. Cornelia felt like something was piercing through her head, the pain making her hiss. Just she was so weak from the pain, a strong arm wrapped around her waist. ¡°Im not in pain!¡± Cornelia, flustered, shook off his arm and threw herself into Dr. Dawson¡¯s arms. ¡°Dr. Dawson, let¡¯s go upstairs¡± Cornelia had no idea that going upstairs wasn¡¯t up to Dr. Dawson Dr. Dawson looked at Marcus, who didn¡¯t say anything, which meant no. Mrs Hartley has the same problem. Marc wants to learn my massage technique¡± Dr. Dawson felt she was really something,ing up with such a perfect excuse under such high pressure Cornelia remained silent. So this was the real reason they insisted on treating her cold hands and feet. Tonight, she had to be both the taste tester and his massage model. Cornelia could actually handle this, after all, if she wanted to earn a million¨Cdor sry, she naturally had to put in more effort than the average worker. She had to give up her personal time, be ready to answer to her boss at all times, and asionally help her boss¡¯s wife solve problems T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. After the massage, Cornelia returned upstairs to continue packing the luggage she hadn¡¯t finished before. Then, she went downstairs to catch a cab home. On the ride, she sent a message to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m heading home first. Please take care of Skyler Blue¡¯s issue. Sorry for the trouble.¡± Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Just as she sent the message, Marcus¡¯s call came through. Cornelia hurriedly answered, President Hartley¡± Where are you?¡± Marcus¡¯s voice carried a hint of resignation Cornelia checked her GPS, ¡°I be home in two or three kilometers¡± ¡°Alright, hang up when you get home. Then his voice disappeared from the earpiece If it werent for the call duration ticking away on her phone screen, she would have thought he had hung up. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. The 3¨Ckilometer journey didn¡¯t take long. The taxi driver stopped the car across the street from the northern gate of her neighborhood, ¡°Miss, they¡¯re doing roadwork ahead I can¡¯t turn the car around. You¡¯ll have to go by yourself¡± ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia got out of the car. The driver kindly helped her with her suitcase and then drove off. To the right of the northern gate was Riverside Park With its lush vegetation and scarce traffic at night, it always gave off an eerie vibe Corn, dragging her suitcase, was about to cross the street when a van sped by, forcing her to retreat to the curb, She decided to wait for the van to pass before crossing Little did she know, the speeding van screeched to a halt before her. Two men wearing baseball caps and masks jumped out and forcefully dragged her into the van ¡°What are you doing?¡± Cornelia barely managed to get the words out before a calloused hand covered her mouth, and her phone ttered to the ground. ¡°Cornelia, Cornelia. ¡°Marcus¡¯s anxious voice rang from the phone, but the kidnapped Cornelia couldn¡¯t hear him anymore Inside the van, the hand covering Cornelia¡¯s mouth was removed and reced with duct tape. ¡°Just behave. No one¡¯s saving you tonight.¡± Cornelia, unable to speak, observed with her eyes, three men in the van, one driving, two holding her. Their actions were too practiced, they must do this often She had never crossed any thugs, so this was likely someone¡¯s revenge Who could it be? Courtney Kamp¨CHartley? Cornelia quickly dismissed this possibility. Marcus himself had said that Courtney wouldn¡¯t bother her again, and she trusted him. Who else could it be? Who had she pissed off during her time in Riverton? Who would be bold enough to go to these lengths to harm her? Suddenly, a name popped into Cornelia¡¯s head ¨C Eden Petersen! Eden had hated her to the bone and she had once sent him to jail. He must want revenge after getting out. Buzz Buzz Buzz- Cornelia¡¯s personal phone in her bag started to vibrate, the sound echoing loudly in the van. One of the men snatched Cornelia¡¯s bag and pulled out her phone. Out of the corner of her eye, Cornelia saw the name ¡°Jeremy¡± on the screen. The man tore off the sent from her mouth, ¡°Who¡¯s on the phone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my husband.¡± In an instant, Cornelia felt a glimmer of hope. She had never expected Jeremy to call at this moment ¡°Sir, let me answer the call, I just told him I was almost home. If he doesn¡¯t hear from me, I¡¯m afraid hell call the police.¡± Chapter 183 Chapter 183 Chapter 183 This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°If we dare to kidnap you, do you really think we¡¯d be scared of you calling the cops?¡± The man sneered, hanging up the phone. This time they didn¡¯t just tape up Cornelia¡¯s mouth, but also covered her head with a ck cloth, extinguishing all hope for her. These people were not even afraid of the police. They must be some desperadoes who have committed serious crimes Such desperadoes might not be afraid of legal sanctions, but they would be afraid of people who are more ruthless than them. The only person Cornelia knew that could fit that bill was Marcus. Her call with him had still been ongoing when she was kidnapped, would he have noticed something was off? Would he risk his neck for her, a mere assistant against these ruthless thugs? Cornelia had no idea! All she knew was that even if Marcus was willing to save her, it would take him a while to find her She had to figure out a way to save herself, or at least let him know where she was Blinded by the cloth, Cornelia could only rely on the movement of the car to guess where they were heading The van sped along the roads, darting through one street after another, finally pulling into an underground parking lot. On the way, the car made one left turn and one right turn and then went straight ahead. During the ride they encountered about eight traffic lights, slowed down slightly three times, and stopped five times Based on her knowledge of Riverton, if she wasn¡¯t mistaken, they should be at Skyline Tower now. Skyline Tower was in Fairfort, Riverton. It was a border area between the city center and the suburbs, with lots of slums. Skyline Tower was the heart of this area. Two years ago, a homicide urred in the building. A young girl jumped from the eighteenth floor and died on the spot. After that, many tenants moved out. The ce was then taken over by a mysterious person and the whole building was transformed into an entertainment venue. Cornelia remembered the date of the girl¡¯s incident very clearly, as it was the day she officially joined the Hartley Group. Before the car had evene to a stop, Cornelia was dragged out and then hauled into an elevator. She counted the seconds to calcte which floor they had reached. The elevator ascended floor by floor. Finally it stopped on the eighteenth. The elevator doors opened, the ck cloth was removed from Cornelia¡¯s head, and she was greeted by a carpeted corridor and flickering lights. Next, Cornelia was pushed into a room. There were a dozen or so men and women in the room, all crazily twisting their bodies, shouting and screaming like a bunch of wild animals. As soon as Cornelia was pushed in, the room fell silent. All eyes were on her. The man behind her ripped off the tape from her mouth and gave her a hard shove. She almost lost her bnce and fell, but luckily she managed to steady herself on a coffee table in front of her. Everyone crowded around her. The man in the middle took off his baseball cap and face mask, revealing an annoying face, ¡°Cornelia, you remember me, right?¡± Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Chapter 184 ¡°It¡¯s you!¡± The puppet master behind the scenes was Eden, just as Cornelia had spected She quickly regained herposure, ¡°Eden, if I¡¯m not mistaken, you just got out of jail not long ago, right?¡± Upon hearing this, Edenughed hysterically as if he¡¯d just heard the funniest joke. ¡°Cornelia, do you really know me? You thought that petty crime wouldnd me in jail for months? To be honest, the day you sent me in, I was out before dinner I didn¡¯t mess with you before out of respect for President Hartley¡± Cornelia admitted her oversight in not keeping up with Eden¡¯s affairs, ¡°Eden, no matter who you are, you can¡¯t stand above thew ¡°Hahaha!¡± Edenughed wildly. ¡°My uncle is Matt Petersen, the head of the Petersen family, one of the four major families in Riverton. My cousin is Riverton¡¯s topwyer, Ryan Petersen Who dares to lock me up in Riverton?¡± ¡°Ryan¡± Corn repeated the name Eden was Ryan¡¯s cousin! Ryan was Jeremy¡¯swyer Could she seek help from Ryan to get out of this predicament? Many thoughts raced through Cornelia¡¯s mind, but none seemed practical. For now, she could only take one step at a time, ¡°Eden, does Ryan know about your deeds? As far as I know, Ryan¡¯s way of doing things isn¡¯t as arrogant as yours¡± *What he did is none of your business!!¡± Eden approached Cornelia, gripping her chin tightly, ¡°Cornelia, I warned you, messing with me leads only to a dead¨Cend. Today, I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead¡± Cornelia pped his hand away, sneered, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of President Hartley? I¡¯m his assistant, you should know what kind of person he is. Let me go now, and there¡¯s still room for maneuver Just hearing Marcus name gave Eden chills He was indeed fearful, but he wouldn¡¯t leave himself vulnerable. He¡¯d make Cornelia jump from the eighteenth floor just like that girl two years ago. Marcus wouldn¡¯t bother to investigate why a small assistant would jump off a building ¡°Cornelia, you think just because you¡¯re pretty, President Hartley will do as you say? If he truly valued you, why would he announce his marriage a few days ago?¡± Before Eden had some reservations about dealing with Cornelia, but those were gone the day Marcus announced his marriage. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. He guessed that Marcus¡¯s sudden announcement was to tell those around him not to harbor any illusions. ¡°Eden, that woman¡¯s husband called again.¡± The man who had brought Cornelia handed Eden her phone. Eden looked at the screen disying ¡°Jeremy¡°. ¡°You¡¯re already married, yet you¡¯re seducing President Hartley. You little slut, I really underestimated you.¡± Trapped in a bind, Cornelia had to go for broke, ¡°Even if you¡¯re not afraid of President Hartley, do you know who my husband is?¡± ¡°No matter who he is, you won¡¯t escape tonight. ¡°Eden feared no one as long as Marcus stayed out of it, ¡°You want to answer the phone? I¡¯ll let you. I¡¯ll let your husband hear exactly how I forment you Eden swiped the green button, and the call was immediately connected. He put the phone on the coffee table next to him, so Cornelia couldn¡¯t hear Jeremy¡¯s voice. Cornelia couldn¡¯t hear, but she could speak, 03212020 ¡°What the hell are you bbering about?¡± Eden pped Cornelia, leaving a clear handprint on her face. Despite the p, Corne had conveyed vital information. The p was well worth it. Now, she only hoped Jeremy could catch her drift. With a wave of Edens hand, someone brought a murky liquid, ¡®Drink up, I promise you¡¯ll be happier than a fairy tonight.¡± ¡°Eden, you have no idea who my husband is, yet you treat me like this. Have you considered the consequences?¡± Cornelia took the ss and swirled it slightly in front of her eyes ¨C every minute of dy was a minute. Chapter 185 Chapter 185 Chapter 185 ¡°Anyone outside the Hartley family, the Wilson family, and the Reese family, I dont need to investigate at all Edenughed smugly Cornelia sneered and sshed her drink at Eden, ¡°Eden, if you dare to hurt me again, I can guarantee that someone will make your life worse than death ¡°Having worked with Eden for a while, Cornelia had a fair understanding of this disgusting man He was the kind of guy who bullied the weak and feared the strong If she could make him believe she had powerful backing, he would send someone to investigate, and she could buy herself more time But what Cornelia didn¡¯t expect was that Eden had tried to kill her more than once. Eden wiped the water off his face and had someone bring him another mysterious drink, ¡®Little bitch, if your husband is as powerful as you said, why didn¡¯t he find out that I was behind the car identst time?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Cornelia¡¯s calm face showed a trace of panic Having known Cornelia for so long, it¡¯s the first time Eden had seen her look so terrified. He felt an unprecedented sense of aplishment He said, ¡°Not long ago, when you were going home after a meal with friends, a car suddenly rushed towards you. That was no ident. I nned it all. Too bad you¡¯re lucky enough to have escaped¡± After a short period of panic, Cornelia quickly regained herposure, ¡°You¡¯ve done a lot of bad things, I¡¯ll remember them all and pay you back double someday¡± ¡°Another day? You think you¡¯ll have a someday?¡± Eden approached her with his cup, ¡°Drink it yourself, or have my men feed you, your choice.¡± With every step he took towards her, Cornelia took a step back. The people in the room were extremely excited, some even doing disgusting things in public. Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but suspect the drink might beced with drugs. No matter what, she couldn¡¯t drink it! Watching her dodge, Eden wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He seemed to enjoy the game of cat and mouse, ¡®Run, keep rurining, let¡¯s see where you can runt to.¡± The door was locked, the open window was the only exit from this room, but Cornelia hadn¡¯t forgotten this was the 18th floor. If she jumped out the window, she¡¯d end up dead like the girl from two years ago. A light bulb went off in Cornelia¡¯s head, Skyline Tower, 18th floor, the girl who jumped¡­ Everything that happened today was eerily simr to the incident two years ago. Could it be that the girl didn¡¯t jump from the 18th floor two years ago, but was forced? Because of this spection, Cornelia felt a chill down her spine. ¡°Did the girl who jumped from here two years ago have anything to do with you?¡± Edenughed. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to figure it out, you¡¯re really smart. But what does it matter if I forced that girl to her death? The police didn¡¯t find any evidence at the time, let alone now its been over two years¡± ¡°Eden, do you really think the Petersen family can do whatever they want?¡± Murder, kidnapping, causing public disturbances, drug abuse, any of these charges would be serious, yet Eden could talk about them so casually. Eden didn¡¯t want to waste any more time, ¡°Hold her down.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Several people obeyed the order and stepped forward, Cornelia had no way to retreat and was pressed against the wall. Before she could struggle, the cold cup was pressed against her lips Cornelia clenched her teeth and red defiantly at Eden Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Chapter 186 Eden couldn¡¯t pour the liquid into her mouth and angrily squeezed her jaw tightly, wishing she could pry her mouth open Cornelia all of a sudden gave a forceful shove, and the water ss in Eden¡¯s hand was knocked to the ground ¡°Get me a syringe Eden was pissed off, forcefully pushing Cornelia against the wall Cornelia struggled but couldn¡¯t break free, watching as her sleeve was ripped off and a cold needle was jabbed into her body Cornelia could feel the liquid from the syringe rushing into her body. ¡°What medicine did you inject the with?¡± ¡°The medicine that will make you feel like crying tonight ¡°Eden pulled out the needle, grinning wickedly ¡°So tell me, how do you feel?¡± At first. Cornelia fet a bit hot, and then her head started to feel foggy The figures in front of her gradually became blurry, and she could only make out their outlines If the person in front of her didn¡¯t speak, she couldn¡¯t even tell if they were male or female. Eden licked his lips. Take her to my room Once I¡¯ve had my fun, you guys can do whatever you want with her.¡± Bang- The sturdy door suddenly shattered onto the floor, making a loud noise Following that was a tall, muscr man standing in the doorway. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Before Eden could even see who it was, he started cursing. ¡°Who the hell are you? Do you know who I am? You¡¯re making trouble here, don¡¯t you want to live?¡± Cursing and cursing, Eden was terrified when he saw the tall man appearing behind Ayden. Marcus is here? Marcus actually showed up! Is there some secret love affair between Marcus and Cornelia? Marcus didn¡¯t say anything, didn¡¯t do anything, but his presence alone was like the Grim Reaper, casting a looming shadow over everyone He coldly scanned the room, walking straight to Cornelia who could barely stand. He pulled her into his warm, strong embrace. ¡°Cornelia.¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t see or hear clearly, ¡°Are you Jeremy?¡± Seeing the injury on her face, Marcus¡¯s breath hitched, ¡°I am Jeremy. I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte.¡± ¡°Jeremy, thank you foring ¡°Jeremy had aforting scent about him, easing her fears. She let the drugs take over her mind and fainted in his arms ¡°Im your husband, how could I note?¡± Marcus scooped her up, gently cradling her head Tm taking you home.¡± Finally snapping back to reality, Eden fell to his knees in front of Marcus, President Hartley, please spare me. I promise I never hurt Cornelia again Marcus didn¡¯t even acknowledge him, carrying Cornelia out of the room. ¡°Ayden, clean up this mess Eden begged for forgiveness in regret. ¡°President Hartley, please have mercy. I won¡¯t do it again¡± ¡°Roger that.¡± Ayden picked up Eden as if he were a mere chick, then chucked him against the wall. The impact left Eden¡¯s bones feeling disjointed, hey on the floor, too scared to move. Ayden grabbed Eden by the throat, holding him up with one hand as if he could easily crush him, ¡°Do you know who she is? You dared toy a hand on her!¡± Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Chapter 187 Eden was scared shitless, ¡°No matter who she is, I dare not ¡°She¡¯s President Hartley¡¯s wife Ayden emphasized every single word as if they were bullets shooting straight into Eden¡¯s heart, ¡°Tell me, why did you hurt her?¡± ¡°What? You¡¯re saying Cornelia is President Hartley¡¯s wife?¡± If he had known earlier that Cornelia was Marcus¡¯s wife, he would¡¯ve never dared toy a finger on her. Ayden clenched his fist, Tasked you, why you hurt her?¡± Eden, Because she snatched the position of President Hartley¡¯s special assistant. I held a grudge against her and wanted to give her a piece of my mind ¡± ¡°You still want to mess with her?¡± Ayden picked up Eden again and smashed him heavily against the wall. Everyone present was shivering in fear, with no one daring to say a word. Not until Eden was battered and bloodied, unable to even whimper for mercy, did Ayden stop. Then, he dialed a number. ¡°You cane up and arrest him now.¡± Eden breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that as long as it wasn¡¯t Marcus who dealt with him personally, he still had a chance. Soon, the police arrived. Before leaving, Ayden added, ¡°Check thoroughly what he has done.¡± Marcus carried Cornelia out of Skyline Tower. The guards and police at the door didn¡¯t dare to make a sound when they saw the murderous intent in his eyes. Everyone instinctively stepped aside, making a path for him. He carried Cornelia to the car and instructed the driver, ¡°To Reese¡¯s Hospital¡± Dr. Dawson quickly checked Cornelia¡¯s condition and soon found a pinprick on her arm, ¡°Marc, look¡± The sight of the needle mark made Marcus¡¯s blood boil, ¡°Regardless of what it is, I want her to be alright. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cornelia will be fine ¡°Dr. Dawson pulled out an ointment, ¡°We need to take a sample to the hospital to find out what Cornelia was injected with. Lay her down, Ill apply the ointment to the wounds on her face.¡± ¡°I do it ¡°Marcus held Cornelia tightly as if she were a rare treasure that would slip through his fingers the moment he let go. He scooped a bit of ointment with his fingertip, gently applying it to the bruise on Cornelia¡¯s face. When Marcus touched the clear finger marks on her face, even unconscious, Cornelia winced slightly in pain Her pain was his pain. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The journey to his current position was a million times harder than anyone could imagine. Over the years, countless people had used all sorts of dirty tricks on him. Most of the time he managed to turn the tide, but asionally he was caught off guard and wounded. But he had never been afraid One year abroad, someone hired a hitman to kill him. He was ambushed by a dozen men, and even when bullets pierced his body, he wasn¡¯t scared. He didnt think getting shot was a big deal. After his wound was stitched up, he even attended a meeting. Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Chapter 188 But today, he was truly terrified! When he heard through a phone call that Cornelia was in trouble, when he didn¡¯t know who had taken her, when he couldn¡¯t find her, an unprecedented panic soaked into his guts like poison, making him feel the suffocation of nearing death ¡°Cornelia¡°, he croaked, tightening his grip around her, ¡°Trust me, I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you again.¡± ¡°Marc, we¡¯re here Dr. Dawson called out No response, so she continued, ¡°Marc, we¡¯re at the hospital, let¡¯s get Cornelia onto the stretcher.¡± The name ¡°Cornelia¡± jerked Marcus out of his thoughts, and he walked into the hospital carrying Cornelia The best doctors from all departments had gathered, all because Marcus had dered, 1f anything happens to her, you can all piss off.¡± The look in his eyes and tone of his voice as he spoke made everyone believe that if anything happened to Cornelia, they¡¯d be out on their asses Some even thought Marcus might blow up the hospital Her blood was drawn, and the tests were run, all as quickly as possible, but results still took some time. During this time, Marcus stood by Cornelia¡¯s bed, not taking a single step away. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. ¡°President Hartley, the test results are in,¡± Dr. Dawson burst into the room,b report in hand. The drug Eden gave Cornelia seems to be some kind of sedative, it can make people lose consciousness and forget everything after. If used excessively, it can even cause death. You got here just in time, Cornelia is safe now, she¡¯s out of danger.¡± Dr. Dawson felt relieved, at least Cornelia was saved. But Marcus didn¡¯t feel relieved at all. A good husband would never let his wife face such danger. ¡°You can leave now,¡± he said. As soon as Dr. Dawson left, Ayden came in ¡°President Hartley, Eden imed it was because Cornelia took your assistant position, that¡¯s why he held a grudge and wanted revenge. I¡¯ve looked into it, the real reason is Eden pursued Cornelia and was rejected. He¡¯s been giving Cornelia a hard time ever since, this assistant thing was just the spark.¡± ¡°He pursued Cornelia? He wishes ¡°Marcus scoffed. ¡°Continue to follow up on your side, and he must be severely punished by thew.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Ayden spoke again, ¡°Matt and Ryan from the Petersen family are here, do you want to see them?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t speak any more.. Ayden understood and silently left the room. Meanwhile, far away in Cndria, Courtney received a phone call from Natalia Reese. She had just finished her yoga and was a bit tired, not really wanting to take the call. But considering it was midnight back home and Natalia never sleeps thatte, she knew it must be urgent Sure enough, as soon as she picked up. Natalia said, ¡°Courtney, I just heard from my brother, something big happened over at Marc¡¯s.¡± Courtney took a sip of her lemonade before asking, ¡°What happened?¡± Natalia replied, ¡°Eden from the Petersen family kidnapped Marc¡¯s wife in name. We don¡¯t know the specifics, only that Marc is furious, he¡¯s not even considering the whole Petersen family¡¯s reputation The Petersen family¡¯s reputation?¡± Courtney chuckled, he didn¡¯t even care about his own parents¡® reputation, let alone the Petersen family. Natalia continued ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s serious, let me tell you, Courtney.¡± ¡°Got it. I¡¯m a bit tired today, let¡¯s talk more another time.¡± Courtney hung up the call, waved for Billy. ¡°Did that Eden guy you mentioned get anywhere?¡± Billy responded, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ll try to find another way¡± Courtney asked, ¡°You¡¯ve seen that woman. Tell me, how did a man like Marcus, who never shows emotion, get so enchanted by her?¡± Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Billy said, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ve given it some thought Instead of saying President Hartley is charmed, it¡¯s more like he wants to take responsibility for that person You know Hartley¡¯s personality very well, he either doesn¡¯t do something, or he does it to the best of his ability Marriage should be the same for him. Since he promised the olddy hed marry, he¡¯ll definately take responsibility for his wife¡± ¡°Really?¡± Courtney didn¡¯t dare to im she truly understood him. During the crisis the Hartley family was facing, everyone thought the family power would fall into other people¡¯s hands. However, Marcus, who was still underage, bravely stood up and took back the family power in a sh No one saw iting, not even her, his mother. Billy nodded, ¡°That¡¯s what I believe¡± Courtney scoffed. The Hartleys have ambition in their bones, they have dreams, but theyck a sense of responsibility for their wives. His father never thought of taking responsibility for me his wife¡± Billy continued, ¡°He wasn¡¯t responsible to you, but in the past few decades, he has cherished that woman. That¡¯s another kind of responsibility, I guess.¡± Courtney¡¯s face turned cold, ¡°You¡¯re even making excuses for him¡± Billy hurnedly exined, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m not making excuses for him, I just don¡¯t want to see you upset over these things. His heart was never with you, and yours wasn¡¯t with him either Over the years, you both lived separate lives, not bothering each other.¡± Even though this wasmon knowledge, hearing Billy say it so bluntly still made Courtney feel ufortable ¡°So I¡¯m just supposed to roll over and admit defeat?¡± Courtney knew she couldn¡¯t win her husband¡¯s heart, nor control Marcus¡¯s fate, she was just not willing to admit defeat. Billy said. ¡°Maam, there¡¯s something I¡¯m not sure if I should say.¡± Courtney looked out the window at the snow, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Billy said, ¡°President Hartley is your biological son. No matter who he marries, no matter how good he is to that woman, it can¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s your son. Why are you torturing yourself like this?¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯m torturing myself?¡± No, she wasn¡¯t torturing herself, she was just fed up with the Hartley family getting better and better, everyone living better lives than her. While her family, the Kamps, were gradually declining She wasn¡¯t willing to admit defeat, but reality forced her to ept failure, ¡°Fine, since I¡¯m no match for Marc, I guess I¡¯ll just have to ept it. But that woman named Cornelia, she¡¯ll never get my approval* Billy didnt say anything more, but he knew very well that Marcus hadn¡¯t even mentioned his marriage to Courtney, whether she epted his wife or not, he probably didn¡¯t care The snow outside was getting heavier and the heating in the room wasn¡¯t enough to dispel the chill in Courtney¡¯s heart. Hospital T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. It was almost dawn, and Marcus was still by Cornelia¡¯s side, not leaving for a moment. Dr. Dawson was a little worried, after some thought, she decided to enter the room, ¡°Marc, you should go rest a bit, I¡¯ll watch over Cornelia.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t respond, his eyes could only see Cornelia on the bed, any outside noise couldn¡¯t reach his ears, no one could enter his sight. Dr. Dawson called out a couple times, but didn¡¯t get any response. She didn¡¯t dare to forcefully pull him away, and in the end she could only leave the ward helplessly Ayden was keeping vigil outside the ward, he saw Dr. Dawson came out with her head down, ¡°Mom, is Ms. Stewart okay?¡± Dr. Dawson replied. ¡°Cornelia will be fine once she wakes up, I¡¯m worried about Marc¡± Ayden was very puzzled, ¡°What happened to President Hartley?¡± Chapter 190 Chapter 190 Chapter 190 N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Dr. Dawson gently jabbed Ayden¡¯s head. You¡¯re no spring chicken anymore, but you still haven¡¯t given me a grandchild, don¡¯t even have a girlfriend. It¡¯s a waste of breath talking to you about this stuff.¡± Ayden ¡°What¡¯s that got to do with me?¡± Dr. Dawson ¡°You asked me first¡± Ayden looked innocent. I just want to know why you¡¯re worried about President Hartley. If you know something, tell me, so I can n ahead¡± ¡°You can¡¯t help with this matter. He¡¯s got to sort it out himself ¡°Dr. Dawson rolled her eyes, ¡°Marc¡¯s got feelings for Cornelia.¡± Ayden: ¡°So what if he likes Cornelia? Cornelia is his wife, she has no ill intentions towards him, it¡¯s perfectly normal for him to like Cornelia.¡± Dr. Dawson wanted to knock him, ¡°He likes Cornelia, likes her to the point of losing control because of her, that¡¯s not normal. Think about tonight, how terrifying his eyes were when he found out Cornelia was kidnapped. For someone in his position, having a weak spot is a scary thing, don¡¯t you think?¡± Ayden didn¡¯t think so much, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, today was an ident, President Hartley definitely won¡¯t let something like this happen again.¡± Dr. Dawson roared in anger, ¡°Can you guarantee there won¡¯t be a second, a third ident?¡± Ayden What are you getting at?¡± Dr. Dawson: Tm just worried about Marc, worried that he¡¯ll be manipted, worried that he¡¯ll lose his mind. He can be good to Cornelia, he can give her the best things in the world, but he can¡¯t lose his mind and disregard his own safety for Cornelia.¡± Ayden: With me around, who can get near him?¡± Dr. Dawson was speechless. She regretted wasting her breath, she shouldn¡¯t have expected this strong but simple¨Cminded guy to understand her point. In the hospital room, the drugged and unconscious Cornelia suddenly convulsed a couple of times, murmuring, ¡°Jeremy¡± Tm here, Ive always been here.¡± Marcus tightly held her hand, the other gently pushing her damp hair behind her ear, ¡°Cornelia, Jeremy¡¯s always here, don¡¯t be afraid.¡± She opened her mouth and spit out a string of numbers, ¡°03212020¡± ¡°I know you want to tell me about the girl who jumped off the building, I¡¯ve already sent people to collect evidence, Eden will be brought to justice If it weren¡¯t for Cornelia giving him this string of numbers tonight, allowing him to instantly look up the incident of the girl jumping off the building two years ago, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to find her exact location so quickly. If he had been a few minutester, the consequences would¡¯ve been unthinkable. It was her quick thinking that saved herself. Perhaps because she heard what Marcus said, Cornelia¡¯s furrowed brows gradually rxed, and she slept more peacefully than before. She didn¡¯t wake up until ten o¡¯clock the next morning. She could feel someone had stayed by her bedside the whole time, not leaving for a moment. The person by her side asionally fed her water, asionally held her hand and told her, he would defely protect her in the future. When she opened her eyes and saw Marcus by her bedside, she looked disappointed, ¡°President Hartley, you are you here again?¡± Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Chapter 191 Cornelis was sure the person who saved her was Jeremy She even heard him talking to her before she cked out Why did he disappear after waking up? Seeing her awake, Marcus, who hadn¡¯t slept a wink all night from worry, finally settled down. Who else did you think it was?¡± He didn¡¯t expect himself to be so worn out that he lost his voice Cornelia propped herself up and looked around The man she wanted to see was still nowhere in sight, which added to her disappointment. ¡°President Hartley, when did youe? Have you seen Jeremy¡°¡± He thought, ¡°He is me, I am Jeremy ¡°The urge to tell her the truth almost overcame Marcus, but he still didn¡¯t have the courage. He never thought he could be so cowardly. ¡°He took care of you all night and left just now.¡± ¡°He stayed all night and then left?¡± Cornelia retracted her searching gaze, disappointed. Jeremy had risked his life to save her, so why couldn¡¯t he wait for her to wake up? Was it because he didn¡¯t want to see her, or because he thought she didn¡¯t want to see him? No matter what, they were still legally married, and it wasn¡¯t right for him to keep avoiding her. They should really sit down and talk things through to decide if they wanted to divorce or continue their marriage. Cornelia¡¯s sulky expression extinguished Marcus¡¯s joy at her awakening ¡°You seem disappointed that it¡¯s me who¡¯s been taking care of you.¡± Cornelia thought of a tactful response. You¡¯re my boss, and I¡¯m your assistant. It¡¯s my job to take care of you. How could I feel relieved when you take care of me?¡± Marcus snorted ¡°So Jeremy can take care of you?¡± Cornelia found his question strange Jeremy is my husband, of course he should take care of me.¡± Suddenly. Marcus felt a wave of resentment towards Jeremy. Even though he was the one by her side every day, he wasnt even qualified to take care of her because of his identity He continued, ¡°Jeremy is my friend. He can¡¯t see you right now, so he asked me to take care of you.¡± Cornelia asked in confusion. ¡°Since when were Jeremy and you friends? Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t know him before?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know him, would I trust a stranger and leave you who was unconscious to him?¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia asked. Then why did you lie to me before?¡± Marcus hesitated, and said, ¡°It was him who said there was some conflict between you couple and you hadn¡¯t forgiven him yet. He was afraid you would resent me too, so he asked me to keep it a secret from you.¡± How dare Cornelia had a grudge against him, and she was not such a stingy person ¡°He is him, you are you. You¡¯re twopletely different people. How could I take out my anger on you because of him?¡± What she said was normal, but they felt like daggers to Marcus. Each word was like a thorn, piercing his heart. Tll get the doctor to check you again. If everything¡¯s fine, we¡¯ll check out and go home.¡± Go home? Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Chapter 192 He told her to go back home so naturally that anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think they were married. Cornelia declined, ¡°President Hartley, I am sorry for causing you so much trouble 111 just go home¡± 1 promised a friend I¡¯d take care of you. If you don¡¯t go, are you trying to make me lose my trust with my friends? Marcus didn¡¯t want to force her into anything, but he didn¡¯t feel good about leaving her alone in her rented apartment She used to be safe living with her friends, but now that people knew she was his wife, some might try to use her against him She was kidnapped by Eden because he was careless. He wouldn¡¯t allow anything like that to happen again His firm tone annoyed Cornelia, ¡°I¡¯m an adult, not a child who needs looking after. Didn¡¯t Jeremy think to ask for my opinion before entrusting me to you? How strange is it for a grown man to entrust his wife to another man?¡± It did seem pretty weird, so Marcus relented. Tve had your stuff moved back to Reese Mansion. If you really want to go back to your rented ce, I¡¯ll have them send it over* Thank you. President Hartley!¡± Cornelia said ¡°Do you need a lift?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°No need to trouble yourself. I have some stuff to take care of before going home.¡± Cornelia hadn¡¯t forgotten about Eden. She had to make copies of her evidence and send them cut What do you need to do? Do you need my help?¡± Marcus asked Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She trusted him, so she told him the truth, 1 need to go to the police station to hand over the recording. I want the police to know that Eden has done way more than just what he did to me Whatever Eden did, the police will sort it out. He might end up in jail for the rest of his life. You won¡¯t have to fear him anymore, Marcus assured her Eden¡¯s crimes were enough to get him locked up for life, but Cornelia was worried about the Petersen family stepping in, ¡°He said he had the Petersen family backing him up, and no one would dare touch him.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Marcus chuckled before dialing Ayden, ¡°Ayden, if the Petersens are still here, ask them to come in.¡± The Petersen family had arrived the night before and didn¡¯t dare leave without seeing Marcus. When they heard Marcus calling for them, they hurried over. Matt Petersen was even older than Marcus¡¯s father and was a big shot outside, but he had to be deferential in front of Marcus, ¡°Marc, I heard aboutst night. Eden is my cousin¡¯s son, yes, but he needs to be punished by thew for his outrageous actions¡± Matt had waited all night to rify the Petersen family¡¯s stance. He wanted Marcus to know that Eden¡¯s actions were his alone and had nothing to do with the Petersen family. He hoped Marcus wouldn¡¯t misunderstand the Petersen family because of Eden. The Hartley family and the Petersen family had been friends for decades. As long as the Petersen family wasn¡¯t involved with Eden, Marcus had no ns to fault them, ¡°Mr. Matt, since you¡¯ve said as much, I¡¯ll leave Eden¡¯s case to the police. We won¡¯t interfere¡± Hearing what Marcus said, Matt was finally relieved, and the smile on his face became more sincere. This time, your people were wronged. You decide how to handle it. If there¡¯s anything you need in the future, just let me know.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go slowly.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t want to waste any words and sent them off. Ryan, who came with Matt, didn¡¯t get to say a word. In such a situation. Ryan knew it wasn¡¯t the time for personal feelings, so he left with Matt. ¡°Mr. Ryan, please wait a moment Cornelia said suddenly, which shocked the Petersen family father and son. Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Chapter 193 Matt nced at Ryan, who first eyed Marcus before daring to look at Cornelia, ¡°Ms. Stewart, anything else you want?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Mr. Ryan, could you please tell Jeremy that Id like to meet him, no matter if we¡¯re getting a divorce or not.¡± ¡°What? The man you¡¯re talking about is right in front of you¡± Ryan hadn¡¯t even finished his sentence when he caught a warning look from Marcus If the situation was right, he would¡¯ve definitely made fun of Marcus. But today, he could only obediently reply, ¡°Alright, Il tell him right away¡± ¡°Thanks¡± Cornelia wanted to say something else as she watched Matt and Ryan leave, but then she heard Marcus start speaking first, Feeling better now?¡± ¡®Does the Petersen family really ignore Eden?¡± Even though she heard it straight from Matt, Cornelia still had her doubts She was worried that the Petersen family was lying, trying to lull them into a false sense of security before finding a way to save Eden. ¡°The Petersen family is not ignoring him, they¡¯re scared to meddle¡± Marcus knew Matt very well. He¡¯s a businessman, where profit is king Eden was nothing more than a distant rtive of the Petersen family, why would Matt risk ruining his rtionship with the Hartley Group over him? ¡°Mr Hartley, I don¡¯t even know how to thank you ¡°Cornelia was very clear that the Petersen family only backed off because they were afraid of Marcus Marcus only chuckled. ¡°As long as you¡¯re alright, and I can exin things to your husband, that¡¯s thanks enough for me.¡± ¡°Mr. Hartley, the recording I mentioned earlier has every single word Eden saidst night, including his admission that he personally admitted that he forced the girl to jump off the Skyline Tower two years ago Cornelia pulled out a small recording device from a hidden pocket in her clothes and handed it over to Marcus. She handed over such important evidence to him, that is, she trusted him, and Marcus instantly felt better after being stuck all night, ¡°You did a very good job, but you can¡¯t do such a dangerous thing again in the future. ¡°If Cornelia was just his assistant, he would¡¯ve appreciated her courage that she could still record in such a dangerous situation. But Cornelia was also his wife, and he couldn¡¯t bear to let his wife take such risks. Cornelia said, ¡°This recorder is small, and voice¨Cactivated, it¡¯s hard for the person being recorded to find out there¡¯s no danger.¡± The recorder was shaped like a button, if you didn¡¯t take a close look, you wouldn¡¯t even realize it was a recording device. Marcus examined it, I have Ayden hand this over to the police He¡¯ll continue dealing with Eden¡¯s case. From now on, you just focus on your work, don¡¯t worry about this.¡± ¡°Please express my thanks to Ayden.¡± With Eden¡¯s case resolved, Cornelia finally rxed. Her stomach grumbled, signaling her hunger. Cornelia had a big appetite, even bigger than his. These were things Marcus learned from spending time with her, so he had food prepared beforehand. ¡°Eat something if you¡¯re hungry Cornelia was slightly embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯m causing trouble for you again.¡± Marcus said, ¡°It¡¯s no trouble¡± Marcus handed her a bowl of soup first. Cornelia started eating right away and choked because she was eating too fast. ¡°Slow down, no one¡¯s fighting you for it ¡°Marcus reached out to pat her back, but Cornelia quickly moved aside to avoid his hand. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus¡¯s hand was left hanging in the air. Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m really fine. You don¡¯t have to take care of me for Jeremy.¡± ¡°Alright Marcus cleared his throat, got up and left the room, handing the recorder to Ayden who also hadn¡¯t slept all night, ¡®Listen to what¡¯s on it first, if there¡¯s no problem, hand it over to the police¡± Ayden said, ¡°Alright¡± Marcus added, ¡°From now on, you¡¯re in charge of Cornelia¡¯s safety behind the scenes.¡± Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Chapter 194 ¡°President Hartley, what about your safety? For the first time, Ayden questioned Marcus¡¯s job arrangements for him, not for himself, but out of concern for Marcus Marcus. ¡°I make decisions Do I need to exin them to you?¡± Ayden wanted to say something else, but all he managed was a ¡°yes¡°, because he knew he couldn¡¯t change anything Marcus had decided. Perhaps sensing Ayden¡¯s reluctance. Marcus added. If she gets hurt again, you know what the consequences will be * Ayden, 7 understand¡± He was Marcus¡¯s subordinate, but Marcus had always been polite to him. This was the first time he had been so harsh. At that moment, Ayden seemed to understand Dr. Dawson¡¯s concern from the night before He had been by Marcus¡¯s side for many years, dealing with many troubles and dangers for Marcus, and now he was being sent to protect Cornelia. Cornelia was just a little assistant, Marcus¡¯s enemies would definitely not be interested in her, there was absolutely no need to send him to protect her. Ayden didn¡¯t understand, but he had to ept the order, Tl go and arrange your security work first.¡± Marcus. No need, I already have arrangements.¡± ¡°Yes¡± Ayden was a little disappointed as he let himself do nothing. Over the years, many people had said that Marcus had a sharp sword hidden behind him, a sword that could appear at any time Marcus needed it and clear all obstacles for Marcus Ayden was that sword. He was a sword when he was with Marcus, but once he left Marcus, he was just a scrap metal. Cornelia had just finished eating when she received a call from Abigail, ¡®Smelly Nelly, we agreed to go to FurniMart today. Why aren¡¯t you here yet?¡± ¡°Ah, you¡¯re there? Then you go shopping first, I¡¯ll take a cab right over.¡± Because of what happenedst night, Corneliapletely forgot about her appointment with Abigail. She put on her own clothes, quickly washed up, and was ready to leave, when she found Marcus, who she thought had already left, still at the door of the ward. Seeing here out, he immediately got up, ¡°Why are you in such a hurry? Where are you going?¡± Cornelia, President Hartley, you haven¡¯t left yet?¡± Marcus, ¡°Are you eager for me to leave?¡± Cornelia, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant ¡± Marcus. Then I¡¯ll drive you home.¡± Cornelia. Im not going home¡± Cornelia really didn¡¯t want to have too much contact with Marcus outside of work. He¡¯s a married man, why did he agree to Jeremy, to look after her? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. That jerk Jeremy, entrusting her to another man, what the hell was he thinking? Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Seeing Corn clearly didn¡¯t want to hang around with him, Marcus scowled and stormed off in a huff. Watching Marcus¡¯s retreating figure, Cornelia breathed a sigh of relief and quickly hailed a cab to FurniMart. In the taxi Cornelia received a text from Jeremy Cornelia,¡± it read Just calling her name and not saying anything else, there is something wrong with Jererny! Cornelia quickly tapped out a message with her finger. You saved mest night, why didn¡¯t you wait till I woke up before leaving? Why did you leave me in the care of another man?* After sending the message, she waited for what seemed like forever for Jeremy¡¯s reply. She quickly tapped out another message, ¡°Jeremy, answer me Stop ducking the question¡± It took a while, but Jeremy finally replied, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your boss taking care of you?¡± Cornelia rolled her eyes. ¡°Are you nuts? He¡¯s a married man, I¡¯m a married woman, aren¡¯t you afraid I might cheat on you?¡± Jeremy replied, Im not scared.¡± Corn, ¡°do you believe that I won¡¯t cheat on you?¡± Jeremy didn¡¯t reply to her message this time, and Cornelia furiously dialed his number. She got through, but he declined the call and sent a message instead, ¡°I¡¯m dealing with some business matters. I can¡¯t take calls right now.¡± Cornelia had no choice but to continue messaging him, ¡°Get on with your stuff, we¡¯ll talk about meeting upter¡± After a while, Jeremy replied, ¡°Sorry! I¡¯ve run into some trouble, can¡¯t meet up with you for now.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What kind of trouble have you run into? Tell me, I¡¯ll help you figure this out.¡± Jeremy replied quickly this time. ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll swindle you out of your money?¡± Cornelia retorted, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid Jeremy did not respond. Cornelia messaged again, ¡°You didn¡¯t rack up a massive debt, did you?¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°Uh¨Chuh.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t reply to this one. Just how much did Jeremy owe? Tens of thousands? Hundreds of thousands? Or more? If it¡¯s a few thousand dors, she could help him out. But if it¡¯s in the millions, she¡¯s out of options After some thought, Cornelia asked him, ¡°Jeremy, just how much do you owe?¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°You want to help me pay off my debt?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Tell me the amount first. If it¡¯s not too much, I can help you.¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°Ten million US dors.¡± Ten million! He said he owed ten million dors! To Cornelia, it was astronomical She messaged him again, ¡°Just pretend I didn¡¯t say anything just now¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Jeremy replied, ¡°just now you said you would help me, but you backed off so soon?¡± Corn replied. Ten million, how can I pay that off?¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°Just kidding. Do you think just anyone can have a debt of ten million?¡± Cornelia was speechless So, he was just messing around with her Jeremy ¡°Cornelia.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Hmm?* Jeremy. ¡°Can we consider not getting divorced?¡± Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Beforest night, Cornelia was dead set on divorcing Jeremy. Butst night, she was in a jam and Jeremy came to her rescue. At that moment, she felt an unprecedented sense of security, as if no one could hurt her as long as he was there. From that moment on, her determination to divorce began to waver. She had hastily married Jeremy and they hadn¡¯t lived together after the wedding. He mistakenly thought she was having an affair and wanted a divorce, but he was totally off base. Put herself in his shoes, if she suspected Jeremy of cheating, she would definitely propose a divorce too. T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Having figured this out, Cornelia replied. ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, but let¡¯s talk about it when we meet.¡± Seeing this message from Cornelia, Marcus¡¯s clouded face suddenly cleared up. Cornelia¡¯s attitude towards Jeremy was changing, so he should be able to tell her soon that Jeremy and Marcus were the same person. He texted her back with a smile, ¡°Once I¡¯ve sorted out my business affairs, I¡¯lle see you In the meantime, I hope we can text each other every day.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Okay ¡°As no more messages came in, she stared at their chat window for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until the taxi driver told her they had arrived at FurniMart that she put her phone away. By the time she arrived, Abigail had already reached the second floor sofa area, ¡°Smelly Nelly, I¡¯ve been shopping alone for an hour, and you¡¯re just showing up. How are you going to make it up to me?¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°How about I get you a couch set?¡± Abigail, Then its a deal, no regrets!¡± Cornelia generously said, ¡°Pick whichever you want today, and it¡¯s yours.¡± Abigail, Tll pick the most expensive one and see if it doesn¡¯t break your heart.¡± Cornelia, Ive got plenty of money Abigail knew how much money Cornelia had left after paying the down payment on her house. ¡°Yo yo yo, is your stingy husband actually a big shot who¡¯s secretly given you a lot of money to spend?¡± Cornelia huffed, ¡°1d be grateful if he didn¡¯t ask me to help him pay off his debts. I wouldn¡¯t dare to expect him to give me money to spend.¡± Abigail looked at Cornelia in surprise, ¡°Something¡¯s off! Nelly, there¡¯s something going on!¡± Cornelia, ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡± Abigail leaned in. ¡°Your eyes sparkle when you mention your husband. Did something happen between you guys that I don¡¯t know about?¡± Was she that obvious? Cornelia immediately took out her phone and took a selfie. Abigail wasn¡¯t lying, her eyes were sparkling. Sigh, she couldn¡¯t hide any good mood from Abigail, ¡°Jeremy asked me if we can consider not getting divorced, and I agreed to think about it.¡± Abigail poked her forehead, ¡°Nelly, you can¡¯t go soft. You can¡¯t be fooled by a man¡¯s sweet talk.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have my own measure.¡± ¡°No matter what decision you make, I¡¯ll support you ¡°Cornelia was already an adult and mature in her thinking Abigail was willing to support all her decisions, but she was still worried. Cornelia hugged Abigail, ¡°I haven¡¯t made a decision yet, let¡¯s not talk about this for now, let¡¯s go look at furniture.¡± FurniMart was thergestprehensive furniture mall in Riverton, offering everything from hard furnishings to soft furnishings The entire second floor was a sofa area, with hundreds of sofa brands, both mid range and high end, offering a wide variety of choices. After browsing many brands, Cornelia took a particr liking to a brand of solid wood fabric sofas The floor of her new home was wooden, so she wanted a sofa with a solid wood frame to match the style of her home Cornelia preferred a natural wood style of decoration. It might not look very upscale, but it was very cozy. She believed that home should be a ¡®cozy¡± ce Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Just as Comelia was hesitating. Abigail suddenly thought of a critical issue, ¡°Oh, wait a minute, we haven¡¯t even made our cabs yet, should we hold off from buying the sofa?¡± That¡¯s right. Maybe we should really get a grip on the process of home renovation?¡± Cornelia realized, they were both novices at this. They were clueless about the renovation steps, let T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. alone the details Abigail suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t we go online and look up some renovation tips first?¡± Cornelia nodded in agreement Abigail continued, ¡°Our sales rep told us that banks usually disburse loans faster at the beginning of the year. If we¡¯re lucky, our loan may be disbursed tomorrow or after tomorrow Once we get the loan, we can take possession of the apartment and start the renovation. Then we wont have to rent anymore.¡± The thought of owning their own cozy nest in Riverton brought a smile to Cornelia¡¯s face, ¡°Yeah, we will soon have a ce of our own. However, a voice spoiled their good mood. ¡®Ms. Stewart, I didn¡¯t expect to see you here. You didn¡¯t buy a ce in Riverton, did you?¡± It was Natalia from behind them, with a fashionably dressed woman by her side. Cornelia smiled. Is it so strange that I bought a ce in Riverton?¡± Natalia still looked envious, ¡°Strange or not, you know best. You¡¯ve been in Riverton for so many years without being able to afford a house. Yet, you managed to buy one within a year with Marc Just how much have you taken advantage of him?¡± ¡°Just because you think a woman needs a man to buy a house, doesn¡¯t mean all women are like you,¡± Cornelia shot back, leaving Natalia speechless. ¡°And stop calling Marc like you¡¯re buddies Does President Hartley even know who you are? He¡¯s a married man, and you¡¯re throwing yourself at him. I¡¯m embarrassed for you¡± When it came to quarrels, Cornelia thought that few people could win her. True enough, her words infuriated Natalia, who turned red with anger, Lucia, don¡¯t do business with this woman. Her money is dirty¡± Lucia replied, ¡°Yes, if you say not to sell, we won¡¯t.¡± Natalia was still not satisfied, Inform all the businesses here not to deal with her.¡± Cornelia then remembered that this mall was owned by the Reese family. Luckily, she hadn¡¯t paid a deposit yet, or she¡¯d be in trouble Cornelia pulled Abigail towards the exit, ¡°Abby, let¡¯s shop somewhere else.¡± Abigail purposely said loudly, ¡°Who is that, so uncivilized, not putting their dog on a leash, and it barks at anyone. Such bad luck!¡± Corneliaughed. ¡°Why bother arguing with a dog?¡± Outside, Natalia couldn¡¯t be bullied like this. With an idea, she shouted to the security guard at the door, ¡°Stop those two women! My diamond ne is missing, I suspect they stole it¡± The Reese family¡¯s shopping mall, there must be no one who doesn¡¯t know Natalia. The security guard immediately stopped Cornelia and Abigail, ¡°Ladies, please wait!¡± The guard said ¡°please,¡± but his attitude was very firm, as if he had already decided that Cornelia and Abigail were thieves. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Chapter 198 Abigail¡¯s got a bit of a quick fuse, and when she¡¯s tiled up, she had to let it out, ¡°You¡¯re talking rubbish, you¡¯re framing mel ¡°Calm down, let me handle this ¡°Cornelia grabbed hold of Abigail facing the bossy security guard, she kept her cool What seems to be the problem?¡± The security guard nced at Natalia, and taking the hint from her, said, ¡°We suspect you guys of nicking stuff from the shoppers here, we need to search you¡± With a smirk, Cornelia retorted, ¡°Search us? By what night?¡± The guard didn¡¯t care much about thew. he was just trying to curry favor with Natalia, not realizing they¡¯ve got no right to search, ¡°If you¡¯re not going to cooperate, then well have to take you to the security office¡± Abigail protected by Cornelia, jumped in front of her, ¡°Td like to see you try!¡± Natalia strolled over, thinking she¡¯s got the upper hand, ¡°If you¡¯re not letting us search, it just proves you¡¯re quilty!¡± Corneha looked around, there were cameras all over the ce, any lies would be quickly exposed, ¡°Ms. Reese, just because you¡¯re family owns this ce doesn¡¯t mean you can make up stories about your customers¡® Themotion had drawn a crowd, all with their phones out, initially wanting to capture a thief, but now, the cameras were on Natalia. The rich kid taking advantage of her power to frame a customer, and the customer standing up for herself caught more attention. Soon, people started to take Cornelia¡¯s side, demanding the mall to check the surveince More and more voices joined in. With the strong demand from the public, the mall had no choice but to check the CCTV, proving Cornelia and Abigails innocence. Cornelia, backed by public opinion, gave Natalia a p in the face Natalia could only fume helplessly What¡¯s even more surprising was that someone posted the video online and created a hashtag Ms. Reese Framing Customers In Her Own Mall In the video circting online, the faces of Cornelia, Abigail, and the bystanders were blurred, Natalia¡¯s face was the only one clear Lots ofizens started bashing Natalia, then turned their anger toward the Reese Group, causing the stock price of the Reese Group¡¯s home furnishings business to plummet, losing billions in one afternoon All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Natalia, not knowing the severity of the situation, stepped into the Reese family¡¯s door, only to have a water ss flying towards her, hitting her squarely on the forehead Then she heard Cameron Reese¡¯s furious voice, ¡°You have the nerve toe back?¡± Natalia, holding her throbbing forehead, looked at Cameron pitifully, ¡°Bro, I just wanted to warn that woman to stay away from Marc, I didn¡¯t expect so many people to bash me.¡± ¡°Useless¡® Get out and knee!! You¡¯re not allowed to eat tonight Cameron stormed upstairs after throwing his words. The servants in the house all kept their heads down, pretending they didn¡¯t see anything, no one dared to speak up for Natalia. The butler approached Natalia, ¡°Miss, you better go out and kneel. Don¡¯t let him repeat himself.¡± Natalia knew better than to disobey Everything she had was given by Cameron, and he could take it all away with just a word Upstairs, Cameron was on the phone with Marcus, Marc, this is just a small quarrel between girls, why blow it up into an issue between the Hartley Group and the Reese family?¡± Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Chapter 199 ¡°use Cornelia of stealing just because of some disagreement?¡± Marcus¡¯s icy voice came through the phone, ¡°Cameron, keep your Reese family in check. If she dares toy a finger on Cornelia again, I won¡¯t let her off the hook¡± After saying this, Marcus hung up the phone Cameron, listening to the dial tone, felt his face getting darker and darker, anger making him smash his phone He and Marcus were born in the same year, he was even a few months older than Marcus. They were both heirs of their families, but because the Hartley Group had been doing better and better under Marcus¡¯s leadership, he had been at a disadvantage. He couldn¡¯t stand it He wanted Marcus to kneel before him one day. So he tried many ways to change the status quo, but all to no avail. Instead, he pushed himself and the Reese Group towards a crisis T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Cameron¡¯s frustration lessened considerably when he saw Natalia kneeling in the garden. Outside, he had to put up with Marcus¡¯s mood, but in this house, he was the absolute ruler. If he said to Natalia to go left, Natalia wouldn¡¯t dare to turn right. Whatever he said. Natalia would obediently do, never daring to disobey his orders Meanwhile, Cornelia and her friends Abigail and Zack, were discussing renovation matters at home. Although the house was fully furnished, they still needed to put in some effort for the wardrobe and the overall home decor style. Zack, feeling overwhelmed, suggested, ¡°How about we find a reliable interior designer and let them take full charge?¡± They were all busy with work and didn¡¯t have much time to think about the renovation. Cornelia thought it was a good idea, Then let¡¯s find a reputable independent designer in the next few days¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Abigail agreed. Let¡¯s stop the renovation talk for today. Let¡¯s go change and go out for dinner¡± ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia headed back to her room. Her phone on the bedside table chimed with a new message. It was from Jeremy, ¡°Cornelia, have you had dinner yet?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯m about to go out for dinner with friends. How about you?¡± Jeremy. ¡°Dress warmly when you go out, don¡¯t catch a cold¡± Cornelia, ¡°Got it.¡± Jeremy. ¡°Did anything fun happen today? Share it with me?¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°Nothing fun happened, but something did happen. It¡¯s a long story. If you have time to listen, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Jeremy, Tm all ears¡± Since Jeremy was willing to listen to these trivial matters, Cornelia was also willing to share, Today I went to FurniMart with my friends and ran into Natalia, who used us of stealing her ne. Luckily, I cleverly defused the situation. Unexpectedly, someone recorded our confrontation and posted it online, causing quite a stir The Reese Group¡¯s stock even fell because of it Jeremy. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the Reese family. With Marcus there, they wouldn¡¯t dare to do anything to you.¡± Cornelia. ¡°Why are you bringing up another man while we¡¯re chatting? Even though Marcus is awesome, he¡¯s just my boss. I can¡¯t depend on him for everything.¡± After sending this message, Cornelia waited for a while, but she didn¡¯t receive a reply from Jeremy Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Chapter 200 Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She was licked off. He asked if she had any interesting things to share, but when she did, he acted all aloof. Was this his idea of having a good chat? Cornelia had no idea that Marcus was at his wit¡¯s end. He didn¡¯t expect that Cornelia didn¡¯t want to mention him in her personal life He thought he was doing pretty well as a boss Why did Cornelia reject his presence? Marcus was stumped, so he turned to Leonardo Wilson, who he thought was a love guru. ¡°I pissed off my wife while chatting What should I do?¡± Leonardo sent back a long voice message ¡°Marc, Im getting more and more intrigued by your wife. I¡¯m dying to know what charms she has that makes you so into her.¡± ¡°Because she¡¯s my wife ¡°Marcus¡¯s answer was simple but powerful. Because she was his wife, he would protect her till the end. Leonardo, who changes girlfriends quickly, didn¡¯t understand Marcus¡¯s rigid thinking, but he knew a thing or two about sweet¨Ctalking women, ¡°Apologize! No matter whose fault it is, you should apologize first. Women are soft¨Chearted creatures. Say a few sweet words and she might end up feeling sorry for you.¡± Marcus, ¡°Just an apology will do?¡± Leonardo, ¡°Or you could give her a gift.¡± After hearing Leonardos advice, Marcus thought for a while and sent Cornelia a message, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I shouldn¡¯t have left you in the care of other men, and I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned other men when we were chatting¡± Just when Corne thought Jeremy wouldn¡¯t text back, her phone pinged. It was a message from Jererny, apologizing. Comelia was still mad, so she deliberately didn¡¯t reply, letting him taste the frustration of being ignored. After a while, Jeremy sent another message, ¡°I¡¯ve sent you a small gift to show my apology. The delivery guy is at your door, please ept the gift. Cornelia replied, somewhat peeved, ¡°I don¡¯t want your gift!¡± Jeremy. This is a gift I¡¯ve wanted to give you for a long time. I was unable to do so due to various reasons. Please ept it.¡± ¡®Fine ¡°Seeing his sincerity, Cornelia texted back and went to collect the gift.. At the door was a tall man in a ck suit, with a great figure and an even better attitude, ¡°Are you Mrs. Artis?¡± Cornelia was taken aback, Tm not Mrs. Artis.¡± The man asked again, ¡°Do you know Mr. Jeremy Artis?¡± Cornelia suddenly realized, ¡°Oh, then¡­ I guess I¡¯m Mrs. Artis.¡± The man handed a beautifully packaged box to Cornelia, ¡°This is a gift from Mr. Artis, please sign for it. I wish you a good day every day¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Cornelia took the box and watched the man leave. Before she could shift her gaze, the box in her hand was snatched by Abigail from behind, ¡°Since when did delivery guys be this hot?¡± Cornelia patted her chest, ¡°When did you appear? You scared me!* ¡°If you haven¡¯t done anything guilty, you wouldn¡¯t be scared of someone suddenly showing up.¡± Abigail looked at the exquisite box in her hand, ¡°Hey, can you tell me what you¡¯ve been up totely? Someone¡¯s even giving you gifts.¡± Cornelia took the box back, unting it in front of Abigail, ¡°This is a gift from my husband. What¡¯s the problem?¡± Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Chapter 201 ¡°Your husband? You¡¯re so affectionate with him, anyone who didn¡¯t know better would think you guys were close¡± Abigail said sarcastically. ¡°You¡¯ve been married for so long and he¡¯s just now giving you a gift? I¡¯m dying to see what he got you I hope it¡¯s not some cheap crap from the market, that would be hrious¡± ¡®Do you really need to be so sarcastic? Just wait and see what the gift is Cornelia opened the gift box in front of Abigail Inside the gift box was an even more delicate box, and inside that, there was a beautiful ne The ne had a star¨Cshaped pendant, which appeared to be made of diamond Cornelia picked it up and felt it. ¡°Abby, do you think this is ss or diamond?¡± Abigail examined it carefully. The craftsmanship is very nice, but there¡¯s no brand mark. It¡¯s not from a well known brand, so it probably didn¡¯t cost much.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Even though it wasnt a designer plece, Cornelia was still very pleased, ¡°Whether or not it¡¯s a designer piece, it¡¯s the thought from Jeremy Artis that counts.¡± Abigail held the ne up to the light, and the diamonds refracted a beautiful sparkle. It was as if they had stepped into a dream world. They were both stunned, especially Abigail, ¡°Oh my god, this ne is absolutely gorgeous. I take back what I said earlier. Even without a brand, just based on the material and craftsmanship. Id say this ne is at least worth a hundred grand. If it was a designer piece, it could be worth even more. Jeremy must really care about you to give you such an extravagant gift¡± ¡°A hundred grand? Really?¡± Cornelia immediately put the ne back in its box, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to ept something so expensive. She messaged Jeremy. ¡°I got the ne, is it really that expensive?¡± For many people, the ne was indeed very pricey. But for Marcus Hartley, it was just a drop in the bucket. He replied from Cornelia¡¯s perspective. ¡°Yes¡± Cornelia, ¡°Even a hundred grand?¡± A hundred grand? The smallest diamond on the ne was worth more than that. Marcus chuckled at the number on the screen, ¡®A hundred grand¡± If he told her that he bought the ne on a whim before he came back, at a cost of thirty million dors, would she think he was lying? Marcus replied with a single word, ¡°Yes¡± Seeing Jeremy¡¯s reply, Cornelia felt a pang of guilt, ¡°Spending a hundred grand on a ne, isn¡¯t that a bit much? We¡¯re not rich. Money should be spent where it¡¯s needed, not wasted on things that aren¡¯t necessary¡± Jeremy, Well, I guess I could be considered rich¡± Cornelia was speechless. Granny Luisa once said that Jeremy had his own business. It seemed like it was doing quite well. A hundred grand might be a lot for her, but it probably wasn¡¯t for Jeremy She shouldn¡¯t think that just because she wouldn¡¯t buy something so expensive, that other people would only buy it to show off Cornelia was about to apologize, but before she could send the message, Jeremy sent her another one, ¡°You¡¯re my wife, what¡¯s mine is also yours. You can use the bank card I gave you any way you want.¡± Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Chapter 202 Jeremy stashed his bank card in his marriage certificate but then lost it, so now he had no clue where his card was Even though they were married, he and Cornelia weren¡¯t living together and Cornelia didn¡¯t want any favors from him She told him, ¡°Keep your money to yourself, dont even think about spending it on me. I can earn my own money. In my opinion, a healthy marriage isn¡¯t about one person being the breadwinner, but the two of us working together to better our lives. If one of us loses their job, the other should be able to hold the fort.¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m with you on that¡± Cornelia said, ¡°11l hold onto this ne for now, and give it back when we meet.¡± Jeremy asked, ¡°Why?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°We¡¯re not back together, so don¡¯t think you can buy your way out of the doghouse with gifts. Anyway, I¡¯m off to grab a bite with friends¡± After reading Cornelia¡¯s final message, Marcus called Leonardo and said, ¡°Who said you can smooth things over with gifts?¡± Leonardo innocently replied. ¡°My method always worked before I didn¡¯t expect it to flop with you¡± After the holiday, Cornelia and Marcus headed to Marsnd Haven for a field trip on their first day back at work. They were joined by the CEO of Silver Edge Co, Mr. King, who¡¯s in his fifties and always hand in hand with his wife, Mrs. King. They originally nned to walk around Marsnd Haven, but Mr. King suggested they take the sightseeing car considering his wife is in heels. Cornelia, also in heels and with her feet blistering after half an hour of walking, was happy to take the car. The sightseeing car could hold seven people, excluding the driver. The person in charge of the area sat next to the driver. Mr. King¡¯s secretary was in the second row, Mr. and Mrs. King w in the third row, Marcus was alone in the fourth row, and Cornelia and Ben were in thest row. As they tour, the person in charge gave them a detailed introduction to Marsnd Haven, and Cornelia and Ben took diligent notes. By the time they finished their tour, it was lunchtime Cornelia had arranged for lunch at a nice restaurant in the area, but they had to walk about a hundred meters along a cobblestone path to get there. Mr. King, fearing his wife would twist her ankle, carried her on his back to avoid the cobblestones. Even Marcus, usually indifferent to others¡® marriages, couldn¡¯t help but notice, ¡°Mr. King, you love your wife so much.¡± T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Mr. King, carrying his wife effortlessly as though he did it all the time, said, ¡°When I was younger, I was all about work and often overlooked her feelings. We had a lot of fights and were close to divorcing. Luckily, wemunicated, understood each other¡¯s thoughts, and resolved our issues.¡± Excited, Marcus asked, ¡°Can you teach me how tomunicate effectively with your wife?¡± Mr. King nced at his wife on his back, his eyes softening, and said, ¡°If there¡¯s a problem, don¡¯t hide it, put it out there. Also, solve today¡¯s problems today, don¡¯t put them off till tomorrow No matter how heated the argument, never say things that hurt each other, never attack each other¡¯s weaknesses¡± Thanks for the advice, Marcus said, nodding his head in agreement. Mr. King then asked, ¡°You announced your marriage status a while ago, and everyone¡¯s been guessing who your wife is. Can you tell us about her?¡± Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Chapter 203 When the topic of his wife came up. Marcus subconsciously nced back at Cornelia. He couldn¡¯t help but notice that something was off about her walk. Looking closer, he spotted a fair trace of blood on the back of her heels. Cornelia had no one to lean on, she had to walk on her own Every step she took probably felt like a stab to her feel, but she kept a poker face This girl was stubborn and tough! Marcus wished he could just pick her up and spare her some of the pain. But his identity wouldn¡¯t allow that. All he could do was slow down, giving her a chance to keep up. Mr. King, not waiting for Marcus¡¯s response and oblivious to his thoughts, continued. ¡°President Hartley, is it inconvenient to talk about your wife?¡± ¡°Not at all ¡°Marcus kept an eye on Cornelia as they finished walking down the cobblestone path. ¡°My wife isn¡¯t from a noble family, but she¡¯s a good girl. Stubborn, resilient, and full of prid She¡¯s deserving of all the praise in the world.¡± Mr. King chuckled. The rumor has it that you¡¯re a cold¨Chearted man, but I don¡¯t buy it. A man who can see and appreciate his wife¡¯s virtues can¡¯t be heartless. If you¡¯re up for it, bring your wife along for a meal sometime¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Sure thing¡± After they entered the crowded restaurant, Cornelia booked a private room to iste from the public. Before the food arrived, a staff member stopped Cornelia, ¡°Ms. Stewart, could you step outside for a moment?¡± Cornelia walked out of the room, asking. What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Our doctor is here and she would like to treat the wound on your heel The staff member led Cornelia to the medical room, where a female doctor was waiting. The doctor started by disinfecting the wound, ¡°Ms. Stewart, this might sting a bit. Bear with it.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°No worries, do your thing. I¡¯m not afraid of pain.¡± The doctor chuckled, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen a young girl who wasn¡¯t afraid of pain. Pain is a normal reaction. If it hurts, just say so. There¡¯s no shame in that.¡°. This stranger, with onement, seemed to touch the secret in Cornelia¡¯s heart. Yeah, Cornelia admitted, no girl likes pain. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She said she wasn¡¯t hurt because as an orphan, she didn¡¯t want to be a burden on her elderly grandmother. From a young age, no matter what injuries she suffered, she told herself to suc it up, to never show pain, to grit her teeth and bear it. After the doctor disinfected the wound, applied some ointment, and bandaged it, she handed Cornelia a pair of t shoes, ¡°Wear these this afternoon. You can¡¯t wear heels anymore.¡± ¡°Thanks, doctor!¡± Cornelia smiled in gratitude, but didn¡¯t take the shoes. The dress code for an executive assistant was strict, and she couldn¡¯t wear cloth shoes during work hours. Wearingfy ts might cost her the job The doctor asked. ¡°You¡¯re not going to wear them?¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°You¡¯ve bandaged it up, it won¡¯t rub against my heel anymore.¡± The doctor just smiled, not saying anything else, but she texted Marcus, President Hartley, I¡¯ve treated Cornelia¡¯s wound. As long as she doesn¡¯t irritate it, it should be fine. You need to find a way to get her in these ts¡± Marcus texted back, ¡°Get a pair of ts for Mrs King, too. Well send them over after dinner.¡± Chapter 204 Chapter 204 Chapter 204 T¨ºxt ? N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia returned to the private dining room, where everyone else had already found their seats The only spot left was the one on Marcus¡¯s right, so she took it As soon as she sat down, the water started serving the dishes Everything on the menu was ordered by Cornelia, who had done her homework about Mr. and Mrs King¡¯s food preferences beforehand. When Mrs. King saw some dishes from her hometown at this specialty restaurant, she couldn¡¯t help but take a second look at Cornelia. Sheplimented, ¡°Mr. Hartley, Ms. Stewart is a thoughtful young lady¡± Marcus nodded. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s doing a great job¡± Cornelia politely replied. ¡°Mrs King, you¡¯re ttering me.¡± Then, out of the blue, Mrs King asked, ¡°Mr. Hartley, who do you think is better, your wife or your assistant?¡± Cornelia was both amused and puzzled Why was she beingpared to Marcus¡¯s wife? How could they even bepared? Just when Cornelia was sure Marcus would say his wife was better than Ms. Stewart, Marcus¡¯s deep and pleasant voice rose slowly, ¡°They each have their own strengths Both are excellent women I don¡¯t think we should be discussing this over dinner¡± Cornelia was touched Her boss, Marcus, was a good man who never made her feel awkward in front of others. ¡°You¡¯re right, I didn¡¯t think about that,¡± Mrs King, moved by Marcus¡¯s words, didn¡¯t feel embarrassed Instead, she seemed even happier. She had attended many social gatherings with Mr. King, where many men had said offensive things, especially when talking about women. Their words were as disgusting as shit. Men who respected women like Marcus were rare. It would be great if all sessful businessmen could be like Marcus. Then she added, ¡°Mr. Hartley, even though we have just met, I¡¯m confident that you and your wife will grow old together.¡± Marcus was pleased by her words and his face lit up with joy. ¡°Thank you for your blessings¡± Everyone enjoyed the meal, and Cornelia¡¯s thoughtful arrangements were appreciated by all. At the end of the meal, the waiter brought over two pairs of cloth shoes, ¡°Ladies, considering you might be tired from walking around the scenic area in heels, we¡¯ve prepared these for you. Would you like them?¡± Mrs. King replied, ¡°How can we refuse your kindness?¡± Since Mrs King had epted, it would be impolite if Cornelia didn¡¯t. She turned to Marcus for assistance, who said, ¡°This isn¡¯t a formal asion, it¡¯s okay to dress casually¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Hartley!¡± Cornelia put on thefortable shoes, instantly feeling relief. Seeing the bandage on her heel, Marcus felt a pang of sympathy, ¡°Wearing heels must be painful, right?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯m used to it, it¡¯s not too bad¡± Marcus asked. ¡°I¡¯m considering changing thepany¡¯s dress code. Do you have any suggestions?¡± Upon hearing Marcus¡¯s question, Cornelia didn¡¯t hesitate to propose her idea, ¡°Could we perhaps cancel the rule that female employees must wear high heels in less formal settings? Actually, some lady¡¯s shoes with a slight heel are also very nice.¡± Before Cornelia could finish her sentence, Marcus agreed, ¡°Sounds good. You can start by selecting some suitable andfortable styles. Once you¡¯ve found some, let the administration department know so they can update the dress code.¡± Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Hearing this, Corneliaughed heartily. President Hartley, on behalf of all the long term high heel wearingdies in thepany, thank you!¡± Marcus could easily change thepany¡¯s dress code, but he didn¡¯t really need to sweat the small stuff But when he saw her heels chafed from her high heels, he instantly decided to change the rules Cornelia had to give props again, she really did have a boss who cared for his employees Marcus couldn¡¯t understand why such a small thing could make her so happy But seeing her happy, he also feh cheerful ¡°No need to thank me, thank my wife if you must* Cornelia was a reasonable person. Then thank your wifel¡± Mrs. King was particrly fond of these young people, the more she saw Marcus, the more she liked him. She said to her husband, The young ones these days are way more reliable than you were at their age Look at President Hartley, not only does he spoil his wife, but he also goes above and beyond for hispany employees.¡± Marcus politely responded. You¡¯re too kind, Mrs King I¡¯m still a far crypared to Mr. King I have a lot to learn from him.¡± Mr Kingughed President Hartley, no need to be modest Wave been around you today, we can tell what kind of person you are.¡± Both Mr. King and Marcus knew each other¡¯s reputation, but neither could figure the other out. He had always heard about how ruthless Marcus was, but meeting him in person, he realized that was just hearsay N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. This young man was calm and reserved in his actions and his personal life was devoid of any mess. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was already married, Mr. King would¡¯ve wanted his daughter to marry Marcus. After finishing their meal, they continued their afternoon inspection work. At the end of the inspection, Mr. King formally invited ¡°President Hartley, our wedding anniversary is on May 10th. I sincerely inviteyou and your wife to join us.¡± There were still four months until May 10th. If Marcus remembered correctly, he and Corne also got married in May, and in the blink of an eye, they were approaching their two¨Cyear anniversary Marcus did not expect Cornelia to ept him in such a short time, but he would do his best, ¡°Sure, my wife and I will be there.¡± Upon receiving a positive reply. Mr and Mrs. King were very happy and they chatted for a while before saying goodbye. Marcus was in a great mood today, and both Cornelia and Ben could tell On the way back Ben quietly sent a message to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, have you noticed that ever since President Hartley announced his marriage, he¡¯s been a lot softer? Ben was in the passenger seat, Cornelia in the back, and Marcus was right next to her. When Ben¡¯s message came, Cornelia¡¯s phone in her bag buzzed. Marcus nced over as she took out her phone. Cornelia saw Ben¡¯s message Ben also noticed that Marcus had be gentlertely, so it wasn¡¯t only her that President Hartley was being nice to Marcus was nice to all his subordinates, and she had naively thought that Marcus was trying to woo her. Cornelia reminded herself internally not to let her imagination run wild. She replied, ¡°A happy marriage gives a man a certain charm.¡± Ben said, ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be meeting President Hartley¡¯s wife soon.¡± Cornelia replied with augh, ¡°It seems so¡± Chapter 206 Chapter 206 hapter 206 There were four of them in the car. The driver was focused on the road, Cornelia and Ben were giggling over something on their phones, and Marcus seemed like he was in a different universe. His two assistants were in the same car, but they were chatting away on their phones Especially Cornelia who wasughing so much, it made Marcus frown, ¡°Rent¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. There was a chill in his voice that startled Ben, who was deeply engrossed in his chat, President Hartley?¡± Marcus nced at his watch and looked at him icily through his silver timined sses. ¡°I want today¡¯s inspection report in half an hour¡± He was only giving him half an hour, which meant Ben had to prepare the report before they reached the office. ¡°Alright ¡°Half an hour was a tight deadline but Ben didn¡¯t dare to protest ¡°Cornelia, President Hartley was in a good mood just now, but something¡¯s off now. Be careful¡± After replying to Cornelia¡¯s message. Ben immediately whipped out hisptop to start on the report. Cornelia was closer to Marcus and could feel his icy aura. She put away her phone and subtly moved away to put some distance between them Suddenly, Cornelia¡¯s personal phone started buzzing She nced at Marcus before picking up the call ¡°Abby, ask your friends and colleagues about it. I¡¯ll ask around here too, to see if anyone knows a good interior designer¡± It was still office hours and the boss was right beside her, so Cornelia quickly ended the call. Marcus didn¡¯t know what the call was about, but he could tell from Cornelia¡¯s short response that she was looking for an interior designer. He took out his phone, found a number he hadn¡¯t contacted in a while and sent a message, it¡¯s me, Jeremy. My wife wants to renovate our house. Can you help?¡± The reply came quickly. I¡¯m busy and my rates are high.¡± Marcus responded, ¡°Name your price¡± The other party replied, ¡°I like your style¡± On thetter part of the journey back, Ben was busy with work, and Cornelia started dealing with her own stuff. So, the car was eerily quiet, save for the sounds of typing. Luckily, both Ben and Cornelia managed to submit their reports before they reached the office. As soon as Cornelia got back to her office, the call from the supplies department came in, ¡°Ms. Stewart, yourpany car is ready. Pleasee and sign for it.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right there ¡°The Hartley Group provided cars for senior management and both Cornelia and Ben were eligible. Cornelia was surprised to find that thepany car assigned to her was a Porsche Cayenne. Cornelia walked around the car, feeling like she was dreaming. ¡°Mr. Evans, are you sure this is the car assigned to me?¡± Mr. Evans responded, ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised All the executives eligible for apany car will get a Porsche¡± After confirming. Cornelia patted the car. ¡°Ive always known that the Hartley Group is generous, but I didn¡¯t expect this.¡± Mr. Evans chuckled, ¡°Ever since President Hartley took over the Hartley Group, thepany¡¯s earnings have been increasing Our employee benefits have also been improving. That¡¯s why so many people are eager to join the Hartley Group.¡± Cornelia could rte. When she interviewed, there were over 200 candidates but only two got in. It just goes to show that even the most hardworking individuals might not make it into the Hartley Group Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Chapter 207 ¡°Check out your car first. If there¡¯s no problem, we¡¯ll get the paperwork done and the ride¡¯s all yours,¡± Mr. Evans proposed again. ¡°Well, I only have the right to use it. I can¡¯t really say it¡¯s mine,¡± Cornelia knew that the whip the Hartley Group provided for its executives was more of apany loaner, the minute you walked out the door, thepany snatched back the keys Whatever rights, as long as you¡¯re the one behind the wheel that¡¯s all that matters,¡± Mr. Evans replied. Fair enough.¡± Cornelia responded After giving the car the once¨Cover, they sorted out the paperwork. Only then did Cornelia realize that the car was registered under her own name, not the Hartley Group¡¯s. ¡°Hold on a sec. Mr. Evans Why is the ride registered under my name?¡± This wasn¡¯t supposed to be the case ¡°Well, it¡¯s thepany¡¯s new way to keep top talent on board Work hard for us, and well not only throw in a set of wheels, but maybe even a new crib. This kinda stuff happens all the time, no biggie, Mr Evans exined Hearing it was pretty much par for the course, Cornelia didn¡¯t push it. With the car keys in her hand, Cornelia made a beeline for the boss¡¯s office President Hartley, thank you so much!¡± Marcus, buried in paperwork, didn¡¯t even look up ¡°What¡¯re you thanking me for?¡± ¡°The car¡® N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Finally lifting his eyes from the pile of documents, Marcus looked at her. ¡°I don¡¯t need to bother with such trifles. If anyone deserves thanks, it¡¯s yourself for being a good worker¡± His tone was as aloof as when she¡¯d first started working for him. This made Cornelia very happy. It felt like a normal boss employee rtionship. ¡°Right, Cornelia responded, then left the office with a smile Watching her retreating figure, Marcus wondered if she realized he was the one who gave her the car? Pulling out his personal phone, he sent a text to Cornelia as Jeremy, ¡°I sent you a little gift. It¡¯s already at yourpany. Let me know what you think.¡± Another gift! Getting presents always made her feel indebted She was willing to give Jeremy a second chance because he seemed like a good guy, not because she wanted his money. ¡°C¡¯mon, Jeremy. Are you trying to buy me off with your money?¡± Cornelia texted back ¡°Could I even buy you off with money?¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°No¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯re legally married. We didn¡¯t sign any prenup, so half of my property is technically yours. What¡¯s wrong with giving you a few small gifts?¡± ¡°Our rtionship isn¡¯t exactly like a normal married couple¡¯s.¡± ¡°But we could be if you wanted us to.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know how to respond to that. Back at her desk, there was a fancy gift box waiting for her. That¡¯s a gift from your hubby,¡± Ben said. Cornelia looked at the card. Sure enough, it was from Jeremy Before she could even open the box, Jeremy texted her again. ¡°Heard that your heel gets injured easily. I¡¯ve sent you a pair of shoes and some ointment. Hope you like it.¡± Inside the box were two tubes of ointment and a pair of ck chunky heel leather shoes. Like the ne she¡¯d received the day before, the shoes were brandless, but the leather felt soft and delicate. Since it was just a couple of tubes of ointment and a pair of shoes, it probably didn¡¯t cost too much. So, Cornelia decided to ept this gift. She tried on the shoes. They were just the right size and superfortable. Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Marcus isn¡¯t the chatty type. He surely wouldn¡¯t spill the beans about such a small thing to Jeremy, would he? N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She replied swiftly, ¡°Jeremy. thanks a lot! The shoes are a perfect fit and superfy But how on earth did you know my shoe size?¡± Jeremy answered, Toverheard Granny saying you often wear heels to work and that they usually give you blisters at the back of your feet. So, I thought of getting you a pair. As for the size, Granny must¡¯vetipped me off* His exnation was pretty solid and also addressed Cornelia¡¯s unasked question Cornelia said, ¡°You¡¯re very considerate¡± Jeremy responded. 1 also heard from Granny that you bought a house. I have a friend who¡¯s a whiz at interior design. Do you want to give him a shot?¡± She was on the lookout for a designer, and Jeremy just happened to rmend one. Talk about perfect timing! Cornelia responded, ¡°Okay But, whether he¡¯s your friend or not, if his designs aren¡¯t up to scratch, I won¡¯t ept them¡± Jeremy shot back a sure thing.¡± then sent over Trent Brown¡¯s contact details. Cornelia said, ¡°You¡¯ve suddenly turned all caring and it¡¯s kinda freaking me out Just so you know, I¡¯m not some naive girl you can easily fool.¡± Jeremy replied. Thave no intention of fooling you I genuinely want to build a home with you.¡± Though not exactly sweet nothings, his words touched Cornelia. Cornelia was suddenly flustered and didn¡¯t know how to respond She pretended not to see his message and sent Trent a friend request. He epted almost immediately and sent over a greeting. ¡°Ms. Stewart, hello, this is Trent Brown.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Hello, Mr. Brown!¡± Trent said, ¡°If you have time, you can send your floor n to me and tell me your preferred style. I can prepare a couple of drafts for you¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°What¡¯s the price?¡± Trent replied, ¡°Mr. Artis will cover the costs. All you need to do is state your preferences and requirements.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Ill pay for the bill myself. If you won¡¯t take my money, I find someone else.¡± It took a while for Trent to reply, After I¡¯ve checked out your house in person and prepared the drafts, I¡¯ll give you a quote.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Okay¡± After wrapping up the chat with Trent Brown, Cornelia stared at Jeremy¡¯sst message for a while before responding. ¡°Let¡¯s have a good chat when we meet.¡± Jeremy responded, ¡°Sure thing¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Where are you now? When can we meet?¡± He was actually just next door in the CEO¡¯s office. All she had to do was turn right out of her door to see him. But Marcus couldn¡¯t respond that way He pondered for a moment with his phone in hand, ¡°I¡¯m not in Riverton right now. Wait for me toe back.¡± Cornelia teased, ¡°Hmmm, if you don¡¯t show up soon, I might fall for another man. My co¨Cworker Ben is great. He¡¯s handsome, earns a fat paycheck, and doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend.¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± Cornelia taunted. If you don¡¯te back to see me soon, I dare!¡± Jeremy asked, ¡°Why have you picked Ben over Marcus?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Firstly, Marcus is already married. Secondly, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m in his league.¡± Marcus, in the office next door, felt pretty bummed out upon reading this message Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Ben is so ugly, and yet he¡¯s in the running to be Cornelia¡¯s boyfriend. Why not Marcus? Ben,pletely clueless, was called to the president¡¯s office, President Hartley, you wanted to see me?¡± Marcus just stared at him, not saying a word, which gave Ben the heebie jeebies, President Hartley, is there something wrong with the report?¡± Just after saying he was in a good mood, Ben got into trouble twice in a row, seems like he needs to watch his mouth in the future Ben couldn¡¯t figure out what on earth had upset President Hartley. After a while, Marcus finally spoke, ¡°Why don¡¯t you have a girlfriend?¡± The boss, who never meddles with his employees private affairs, suddenly showed interest in Ben¡¯s. Ben smelled a rat, ¡°President Hartley. I¡¯m a bachelor 1 like being single ¡± Marcus stared at Ben, as if he was ready to rip him apart if he said the wrong thing, ¡°Why do you want to stay single?¡± Afraid to touch a nerve. Ben didn¡¯t dare to tell the truth, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m okay at work, but my personal life is a hot mess, I don¡¯t want to drag a good girl into it.¡± Marcus gave a cold snort. ¡°You better not have any other ideas.¡± Ben thought Other ideas? Could he possibly think I¡¯m gay? Or that I have some sort of crush on him? Ben quickly rified, terrified, President Hartley, I have no other ideas, I wouldn¡¯t dare¡± ¡°You better not¡± Marcus suddenly changed the subject. ¡®Cornelia is married.¡± 1 know ¡°Of course Ben knew Cornelia was married, but what did that have to do with him? Marcus¡¯s sharp gaze swept over him again, and Ben felt like the end was near Luckily, a light bulb went off in Ben¡¯s head, and he realized this might have something to do with Cornelia. President Hartley may be worried that he would make a move on a married woman, which would tarnish the Hartley Group¡¯s reputation, so he wanted to warn him. Once he figured out what was going on, Ben wasn¡¯t scared anymore, ¡°President Hartley, Cornelia and I are just colleagues, I have absolutely no other feelings for her. Don¡¯t worry, Cornelia N?velDrama.Org is the owner. is a good girl, she would never do anything to betray her husband. We definitely won¡¯t do anything that would harm thepany¡¯s image¡± For the first half of Ben¡¯s exnation, Marcus thought he finally got it, but the more he listened to the rest, the more it didn¡¯t sit right with him. However, he got the answer he wanted. ¡°You can leave now Tell Cornelia toe to my office.¡± ¡°Yes¡± Ben left the president¡¯s office, taking a deep breath of relief. President Hartley is always fair and impartial, not only warning him, but Cornelia couldn¡¯t escape either. ¡°Cornelia, President Hartley wants to see you¡± Ben knew Cornelia was capable, but she was still a girl, and he worried she might be intimidated by the president¡¯s aura, so he warned her, ¡°President Hartley might be a bit stern with us, don¡¯t let his attitude scare you¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Ben replied, ¡°You¡¯ll understand when you get there¡± Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Chapter 210 Cornelia walked into the CEO¡¯s office, respectfully asking ¡°Mr. Hartley, you needed something?¡± Marcus snuffed out the barely lit cigarette in his hands, ¡°At future formal events, thedies of the company need to wear shoes Ever thought about what kind of shoes you¡¯d be wearing?¡± Comelia was touched that he remembered such a seemingly trivial matter, ¡°Boss, thanks for caring about us girls!¡± It¡¯s tough for women in the workce A lot ofpanies have some pretty stringent rules for female employees. Rarely does a big shot boss like him consider the difficulties faced by female employees The longer she worked with Marcus, the more she believed that the rumors about him were pure hogwash. He¡¯s such a nice guy, there¡¯s no way he¡¯d do anything to hurt his family She quickly pulled up a photo on her phone and showed him, ¡°Boss, I think this style is great It¡¯s simple and elegant, andfortable to wear¡± The shoes in the photo were the ones he just gave her. Seeing her high praise, Marcus was delighted, ¡°You picked them that quickly?¡± ¡°Jeremy just gifted me a pair of leather shoes. They¡¯re both good looking andfy, I thought our female employees could wear something like this Cornelia didn¡¯t realize how proud she sounded mentioning Jeremy, but Marcus noticed His mood improved even more, and when he¡¯s in a good mood, he¡¯s ready to make big moves, ¡®Let¡¯s go with this style then. Also, thepany will custom make two pairs of these shoes for each female employee Get the relevant department to collect their shoe sizes Considering the size of thepany, ordering two pairs for each woman, even at wholesale prices, would be a huge expense. This wasn¡¯t just showing his generosity, but also his understanding and respect for women. Alright, I¡¯ll shoot them an email right away¡± As Cornelia was about to leave, Marcus stopped her, ¡°Write the email here, let me see it before you send it ¡°Sure¡± Cornelia focused on her email,pletely oblivious to Marcus¡¯s gentle yet firm gaze on her. He silently repeated her name in his heart, as if trying to etch ¡°Cornelia¡± deep within him, never to be forgotten. Cornelia finished her email, and when she looked up, she was startled by Marcus¡¯s intense yet gentle gaze, ¡°Mr. Hartley?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Marcus¡¯s gaze quickly returned to its usual calm, making Cornelia wonder if she had imagined it all. She just reminded herself not to overthink, and here she was, overthinking again! N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Cornelia quickly snapped out of her own thoughts Marcus calmly said, ¡°Great job, send it to the admin department. Let them handle it, you don¡¯t need to worry anymore¡± Cornelia immediately hit the send button. The admin department quickly replied. ¡°This is great news for our female employees. We¡¯ll let everyone know right away.¡± Soon after, the Hartley Group¡¯s admin department released a new dress code, cancelling the requirement for female employees to wear high heels. At events where high heels were previously required, female employees could now choose to wear high heels or t leather shoes. News of this made the female employees very happy Even in the soundproof CEO¡¯s office, they could hear some cheering Cornelia said with a smile, ¡°Mr. Hartley, can you hear that? Those cheers are all because of you.¡± Marcus stared into her bright eyes, softly asking, ¡°Are you happy?¡± Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Chapter 211 Cornelia was noodling over how to keep thedies at the office happy. As long as they were in high spirits, she was happy. However, Marcus, the guy¡¯s a business shark through and -through. For Marcus, raking in the dough was always priority one. He didn¡¯t have the heart to break a sweat for all thedies. Everything he did, every sweet word he spun, was just because Cornelia was his better half He would move heaven and earth just to see her smile. Under his gaze, Cornelia felt a bit sheepish, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m happy.¡± As long as she was happy. Marcus cracked a smile, ¡°It¡¯ste, clock out.¡± ¡°Alright Cornelia nced at the time, rarely clocking out this early. She was about to squeeze into the subway ride home when she remembered thepany¡¯s new whip, so she dashed back to drive home On the way home, shed pass a mega mall Thinking of the gift from Jeremy, she thought she should return the favor, so she parked in the underground garage. At the mall, Cornelia was in a pickle over what to buy. So, she sent a message to Zack Ruck, Zack, what kind of gift do guys like?¡± Zack shot back, ¡°Are you already shopping for my birthday gift?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°It¡¯s for Jeremy.¡± Zack responded, ¡°Damn, how¡¯s he higher up than me in your heart?¡± Abigail butted in, ¡°OMG, you¡¯re really going to keep seeing him? Don¡¯t forget how he left you high and dry before.¡± Cornelia kept mum. She shouldn¡¯t have brought this up with these two. They were still bantering in the group chat, but Cornelia gave them the cold shoulder Checking her contacts, she didn¡¯t have many friends. The guys on her list were all clients, after some digging, there were only two she could ask. One was Ben, old school views, not much help. The other was Leonardo. So, Cornelia shot Leonardo a message, ¡®Leonardo, what kind of gift do guys like?¡± Leonardo shot back, ¡®Depends on whos for Cornelia answered, ¡°From a wife to a husband.¡± Leonardo responded, ¡°Ahem, if you really want to know, I¡¯ve got a ton of ideas, are you sure you want to hear them?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Never mind, thanks anyway, bye.¡± She shouldn¡¯t have expected a straight answer from Leonardo. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. With her friends striking out, Cornelia turned to Google, ¡°best gifts for a male friend.¡± The search results were all ads, some of them downright ridiculous. Cornelia nixed the ad suggestions and headed straight to a men¡¯s store. After some window shopping. Cornelia decided to get Jeremy a pair of running shoes. Hopefully, he¡¯d get more exercise when he wasn¡¯t on the clock and stay fit. But she didn¡¯t know Jeremy¡¯s shoe size No biggie, she could ask the two grannies at Southern Peak. During the video call, the grannies were in the middle of dinner. Hearing from her, they both dropped their forks and fought to squeeze into the screen, ¡°Nelly¡± Cornelia greeted them cheerily. Seeing the grannies tively and kicking on the screen made her day, ¡°Grannies, why do I feel like you guys are having a st when we¡¯re not around?¡± Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Chapter 212 Granny Luisa replied with a chuckle, You know, life¡¯s been a breeze without you nagging me all the time¡± Cornelia pouted, asking. Does that mean you guys don¡¯t love me anymore? What should I do now? The two grannies burst intoughter at her adorable act. After a lively chat, Cornelia finally spilled the beans, ¡°Granny, do you know what shoe size Jeremy wears?¡± On hearing this, Reba quickly nced at Luisa, as if to say. ¡°See, I told you those two would patch things up, but you wouldn¡¯t believe me¡± Granny Luisa was grinning from ear to ear but didn¡¯t want to embarrass Cornelia, so she didn¡¯t dig too deep and just gave her Jeremy¡¯s shoe size Cornelia saw the little exchange between the grannies, but she yed dumb, not wanting them to feel let down, ¡°Alright You guys carry on with your meal, I call in a few days¡± ¡°Okay, sweetheart, remember to eat on time and don¡¯t overwork yourself, Reba said. Before Cornelia could reply, the video call ended abruptly After the call ended, the two grannies were as giddy as kids with new toys. Luisa excitedly said. Did you hear that? Did you hear that Cornelia is buying shoes for Jeremy!¡± Reba rolled her eyes. ¡°They¡¯re already living together, what¡¯s the big deal in buying a pair of shoes.¡± Luisa said. Then let¡¯s hope they quickly give us a grandchild.¡± Reba replied. ¡°I need to get back in shape fast so I can help them babysit.¡± Luisa agreed, ¡°Yes, let¡¯s babysit together.¡± While the grannies were nning about babysitting, Cornelia was worried if Jeremy would like the shoes she bought. All the guys she knew wore formal shoes to work, she wasn¡¯t sure if sports shoes would be apt. After much deliberation, she finally picked a pair of white running shoes priced at $800, which made her a little hesitant. She wasnt extravagant and the most expensive pair of shoes she ever bought didn¡¯t even cost a grand, so a price tag of $800 was a bit daunting. Seeing her hesitation, the salesperson quickly pitched in. These shoes are endorsed by a famous sports star. Not only do they look good, but they¡¯re also made with advanced tech which makes them super light and bouncy. They¡¯re perfect for running and provide ultimatefort and safety.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t care about the celebrity endorsement, but the safety andfort part convinced her. She asked, ¡°Can I try them on?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Of course,¡± the salesperson quickly fetched a pair of women¡¯s shoes for Cornelia to try on. She tried them on and found them indeedfortable She decided to buy them. ¡°Okay,¡± the salesperson smiled, ¡°Are these for your boyfriend? How about you buy a pair for yourself too? They¡¯d look really cute on couples.¡± I¡¯m okay,¡± she was okay spending on Jeremy but she didn¡¯t want to splurge on herself, so she firmly declined. Just as Cornelia was about to pay with her card, Marcus got a call from Ayden, ¡°President Hartley, your wife just bought a pair of men¡¯s running shoes.¡± Marcus retorted coldly, ¡°I asked you to ensure her safety, not to spy on her every move.¡± Ayden replied. ¡°Understood.¡± Marcus warned, ¡°If you invade her privacy again, I won¡¯t let you off easily.¡± Even though Marcus disapproved of Ayden¡¯s actions, he couldn¡¯t help but ponder who Cornelia was buying shoes for Zack? Or someone else? As he was contemting, his private phone lit up with a message from Cornelia, ¡°Jeremy, I have a gift for you too. Send me your address and I¡¯ll mail it to you.¡± Chapter 213 Chapter 213 Chapter 213 A single message cleared all Marcus¡¯s worries and a strange Joy surged in his heart. Cornelia bought him a gift, indicating that his recent efforts were not in vain. She must have felt his determination to spend the rest of his life with her. He quickly typed a message. Where are you? I¡¯lle to pick it up right away¡± Just as he was about to send it, Marcus remembered that Jeremy was not in Riverton at the moment and couldn¡¯t meet Cornelia for now He deleted the text and typed again, ¡°How about waiting till I get back to Riverton and you give it to me in person?¡± After a while, Cornelia replied, ¡°Ah, okay then Her reply reeked of disappointment Marcus didn¡¯t want her to be disappointed, so he said, ¡°If it¡¯s not too much trouble, you can send it to my house. Il wear it as soon as I get back¡± He then sent an address, which was a house he bought under Jeremy¡¯s name but never lived in himself. The house was moderately priced and Cornelia wouldn¡¯t suspect his identity because of it Cornelia was surprised for a few seconds when she saw the address Marcus sent She wanted to buy a property in this development, but had to give up because she didn¡¯t have enough money just after graduation. The environment was average, but there were good schools nearby, so the house prices were very high. The current resale price in thismunity is very high, far exceeding the value of the house itself. It seems Jeremy has a long term vision. This kind of house is convenient for kids to go to school if you live in it, and if you don¡¯t live in it, you can make a lot of money by selling it. Cornelia called a courier and sent it directly from the mall After sending the courier, Cornelia messaged Jeremy. ¡°It¡¯s a pair of shoes I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like them.¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°As long as it¡¯s from you, I¡¯ll love it.¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. This sudden confession made Cornelia blush. You really know how to woo a girl! Do you do this with all girls?¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°I only like the things you give me.¡± Marcus was telling the truth He had never made an effort to please any girl before and didn¡¯t know how to talk to women to please them. He just wanted to be nice to ner instinctively. But Cornelia thought he was too good at talking with girls If a man is so good at making girls happy, he must have had a lot of girlfriends. Because of this thought, Cornelia suddenly felt a gloom, ¡°I¡¯m going home first.¡± ¡°Okay ¡°Marcus didn¡¯t notice the change in Cornelia¡¯s mood and sent her ast message before rushing to get the shoes This was the first gift his wife had given him and no matter the value, he wanted to get it immediately. Just as the car arrived, Cornelia returned to the neighborhood and parked the car in the underground garage. Just as she parked the car, a familiar car drove past her. Cornelia immediately honked the car¡¯s horn The driver, Zack, nced sideways but didn¡¯t respond. He didn¡¯t respond, but the other party didn¡¯t stop and kept honking Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Chapter 214 Zack grumbled, ¡°Why the hell is he honking? We¡¯re not in his way. Just because he¡¯s got a fancy car, he thinks he¡¯s hot shit.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Our car probably isn¡¯t even worth one of his tires. He really does have the right to be arrogant.¡± Comelia couldn¡¯t get their attention by honking, so she rolled down her window and called out a few times, still no response. She had no choice but to get out and call them, ¡°Why are you guys ignoring me?¡± ?? ?? Abigail said, ¡°We¡¯ve sent so many messages in the group chat, advising you not to waste money on unworthy men. It¡¯s you who are ignoring us.¡± Comelia waved at them, ¡°I mean right now, look back.¡± Abigail turned around and saw her, ¡°Why are you in the parking lot?¡± Cornelia patted the car next to her, wanting to share this gem with them, ¡°I came to park.¡± Abigail hung up the call and ran over, circling the car, feeling it up and down, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t tell me this car was gifted to you by your husband.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want his car.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°This is apany car. As long as I don¡¯t quit, I get to drive it.¡± Abigail got in the driver¡¯s seat, fondling the steering wheel, ¡°Cornelia, I suddenly really want to work at yourpany! If they can get me a car like this, I¡¯m willing to work overtime every day, even work for Marcus.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°You always said Marcus was a jerk, now you think he¡¯s a good guy?¡± Abigail said, ¡°That was before I knew how handsome he is, and how generous he is. Have you heard me bad¨Cmouth him after meeting him?¡± Zack, who had just finished parking, made a face, ¡°It¡¯s just a car. We can buy one ourselves if we earn the money. Can you guys have some ambition?¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Are you saying you don¡¯t want to test drive it?¡± Zack said, ¡°Of course I want to, but I won¡¯t give in. I¡¯m telling you, Marcus is definitely not a good guy.¡± Cornelia suddenly said seriously, ¡°Zack, Marcus is my boss. I genuinely respect him, so I don¡¯t want to hear either of you bad¨Cmouthing him anymore.¡± Cornelia is rarely this serious with them, so when she is, they don¡¯t joke around, ¡°Alright, we won¡¯t say it anymore.¡± Abigail quickly lightened the mood, ¡°Why keep bringing up other men. The three of us rarely get to go home together, let¡¯s go grocery shopping and cook together.¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Cornelia nodded, ¡°Okay, tonight each of us will make a dish we¡¯re good at.¡± They went to the supermarket and picked out the ingredients they needed for their dishes. After buying the groceries, they went to the snack section to pick out snacks to munch on while painting in the evening, Abigail grabbed a huge pile of chips in various vors, Zackmented, ¡°These things have no nutritional value and are unhealthy. You guys should eat less junk food.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°We know chips aren¡¯t nutritious, but they are delicious and that¡¯s enough. Life is short. If we don¡¯t eat what we enjoy, what¡¯s the point of living?¡± Abigail agreed, ¡°Cornelia is right!¡± Zack said helplessly, ¡°I can¡¯t control you guys. Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Chapter 215 Abigail chimed in, ¡°Exactly, life¡¯s too short, we gotta have fun while we can.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Every time they argue, Zack always finds himself outnumbered and outmaneuvered. He has smartened up and just goes, ¡°Alright, alright, whatever you guys say is right.¡± Abigail retorted, ¡°You¡¯re just paying lip service.¡± Zack asked, ¡°What else do you want me to do?¡± They allughed and chatted on their way home. Once they got home, they each started cooking their signature dishes. In no time, a feast was ready. Zack brought out three cans of fruit wine, ¡°I¡¯m not a big fan of that dude, but we should still celebrate for Cornelia today.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Let¡¯s wait until I can afford my own car, otherwise I¡¯ll always be worrying about damaging it.¡± Zack assured her, ¡°No worries, we¡¯ll have our own cars sooner orter. When we three first came to Riverton years ago, we had nothing. But after years of hard work, we¡¯ve secured stable jobs and ie, even bought our own house. Our future is only going to get brighter.¡± Cornelia joined in the toast, ¡°Absolutely, our life is only gonna get better.¡± Suddenly, Zack remembered something. ¡°Cornelia, your anime film project has been approved, they are now casting for actors. They have their eyes on some actors for the male leads, but they¡¯re still unsure about the female lead. They asked if you have any actress in mind.¡± The first person Cornelia thought of was Hannah Dixon. She¡¯s seen Hannah¡¯s photoshoots, her physique, demeanor, and aura are all perfect fits. Besides, Hannah is about the same age as the female lead in the anime, and she¡¯s a top¨Cnotch actress, a perfect candidate for the role. Cornelia said, ¡°I have an actress in mind for the female lead, but her asking price is high and she¡¯s picky about scripts, she might not be interested in my anime.¡± Zack asked, ¡°Who¡¯s your pick?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Hannah.¡± Abigail eximed, ¡°Hannah? The award¨Cwinning actress Hannah?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Abigail frowned, ¡°Hannah is a great actress, but she has a bad reputation. You should stay away from people who trade their bodies for sess.¡± ¡°Not everything you read on the inte is true.¡± There have been rumors about Hannah on the inte, not just these negative ones, but also even more outrageous ones, like she¡¯s not even a woman. In theory, with a powerful backer like Steven Dixon, whose PR team could easily clear any negative image of an artist, as long as Steven is willing to help, all the negative news about Hannah could disappear overnight. Cornelia didn¡¯t understand why he hadn¡¯t done anything. Zack said, ¡°The production team just wants to know if you, as the author, have any suggestions. They won¡¯t necessarily cast whoever you rmend, so I suggest you just let it be.¡± Abigail said, ¡°I agree with Zack.¡± Zack continued, ¡°I have another piece of really good news. You guys wanna hear it?¡± Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Chapter 216 Comelia chuckled, ¡°The more good news, the merrier, right? Are we on a lucky streak or what? So many good newstely!¡± Abigail responded, ¡°That¡¯s what they call ¡®after a stormes a calm, I guess.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I hope my good luck rubs off on you guys too.¡± Zack chipped in, ¡°Hold on, let me speak.¡± Comelia and Abigail responded, ¡°Sure, you go ahead.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Zack revealed, ¡°Youric about college life that you drew back in university is suddenly a big hit.¡± Cornelia asked in disbelief, ¡°Isn¡¯t that series just a side project of ours? How did it be so popr all of a sudden?¡± Zack exined, ¡°When I first saw the stats, I thought there was some glitch in the system. But then I figured it out, theic is so rtable that it resonated with a lot of students. It¡¯s gone viral on the inte, the digital sales alone in a month are this much.¡± Zack shed a number with his fingers, Cornelia could hardly believe her eyes, ¡°Are you for real?¡± Theic was a chronicle of her college life, recording all kinds of stuff that happened between her and her ssmates on campus. She never thought she¡¯d make a dime off it, let alone a big chunk of change, considering it was just a filler for the studio¡¯s catalogue after graduation. Zack said, ¡°Why would I lie to you? You think I can pull that kind of money out of thin air?¡± Abigail reassured, ¡°there¡¯s no need to doubt, it¡¯s real. You gotta believe in your talent.¡± Cornelia mused, ¡°Feels like I¡¯m dreaming. If we keep making money like this, we could pay off the mortgage early and retire in advance.¡± Abigail suggested, ¡°Aren¡¯t you working on thatic about getting hitched on a whim? I think you should put your story with Jeremy online, who knows, it might be a hit.¡± ¡°I only draw to record my life, I¡¯m not going to publish it.¡± Cornelia liked to record her life in this way. In hertestic, not only Jeremy, but also characters like Marcus and Ben made an appearance. The character Marcus in theic was drawn ording to the real¨Clife Marcus. But of course, the 2D character couldn¡¯t match the 3D reality. As for Jeremy, Cornelia couldn¡¯t recall what he looked like, so she tried her best to make him even more handsome than Marcus. Even if Cornelia didn¡¯t agree, Abigail respected her decision, ¡°That¡¯s okay. Our studio has already signed with several excellentics and made a great deal of ie. In a few years, we might be able to buy Porsches for ourselves.¡± The ie of the studio was getting higher day by day, which made all three of them very happy. Next up was to renovate the house. Cornelia said, ¡°Jeremy rmended this interior designer who he said is really good. The designer suggested that he should visit the house with us when we take ownership. He will provide two design ns for us to consider.¡± Abigail and Zack both agreed, ¡°Sounds good. We have nothing to lose here, let¡¯s choose the best one. If everything goes smoothly, the bank should release the funds tomorrow. Then we can take the designer to see the house over the weekend.¡± Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Chapter 217 The three of them chatted and ate dinner, then teamed up to clean up. One took care of the table, one did the dishes, and one tidied the kitchen. In no time, everything was spick and span. After tidying up. Cornelia went back to her room to draw. As soon as she got out her tablet, Abigail and Zack burst into her room and asked her seriously, ¡°Comelia, are you really giving Jeremy a shot?¡± Comelia nodded, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Cornelia, whatever you decide to do, we¡¯ll back you up. But there are some things we have to tell you.¡± Cornelia knew what they were worried about, ¡°Just spit it out. What can¡¯t we talk about among us?¡± Zack sat next to her, clutching her hand tightly, ¡°After you guys married, Jeremy disappeared. The next time he showed up, he wanted a divorce, followed by a series of actions. You were so eager to divorce him before, what happened that made you change your mind so quickly?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s a decent person, and I want to give us both a chance.¡± Not wanting to worry Abigail and Zack, Cornelia didn¡¯t mention her abduction by Eden Petersen and how Jeremy saved her. Comelia didn¡¯t understand why, but she felt an inexplicable sense of security staying with Jeremy.. This feeling made her believe that he was a man worth trusting. He¡¯s been saying he wants to live with her, and she believes he¡¯s sincere. So she was willing to give their rtionship a fresh start. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Abigail said, ¡°Just watch your back, take care of yourself.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°You guys worry more than my grandma.¡± She hugged Zack and Abigail, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m an adult, I know how to protect myself.¡± Although Abigail and Zack knew this, they couldn¡¯t help but worry about her, they only hope that she¡¯ll be happy, ¡°You need to keep us posted.¡± Cornelia¡¯s phone suddenly rang. It was a message from Jeremy. Abigail and Zack immediately crowded around, ¡°Is he bothering you again?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°It¡¯s not bothering, it¡¯s called chatting.¡± Zack asked, ¡°Can we see what you guys are chatting?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s my privacy!¡± Abigail and Zack felt like they were hit hard, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯ve changed. You¡¯re not the Cornelia we know. We used to see your messages, but now you say it¡¯s your privacy.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°If you guys start dating in the future, would you let me see your chat history?¡± The word ¡°dating¡± was obvious! Abigail asked, ¡°Are you admitting you¡¯re dating? Are you guys online dating or what?¡± ¡°So what if it¡¯s online dating?¡± Cornelia angrily kicked them out and then checked the message Jeremy sent. He just sent a sentence: ¡°Cornelia, thank you for the shoes you sent me, I really like them.¡± Cornelia asked in confusion, ¡°How did you know so quickly what I sent you?¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°Because a friend of mine happens to be a courier, I asked him to pick up the package and send me a picture.¡± ¡°Jeremy: Cornelia said, ¡°Jeremy¡± Jeremy asked, ¡°Yes?¡± Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Comelia said, ¡°I¡¯m not quick to trust people, but once I choose to, I go all in. I fully trust every word you say now, I hope you can prove you¡¯re worth it.¡± Marcus felt a bit awkward after reading this. When he found out she was his legal wife, he didn¡¯t immediately tell her who he was. It was like he¡¯d nted a ticking time bomb for their rtionship. Now that she¡¯s starting to like this ¡°Jeremy¡± persona, if he tells her now that Jeremy and Marcus are same person, she might not be able to take it. After thinking for a bit, he replied, ¡®As long as you trust me, I genuinely want to live a happy life with you.¡± Comelia replied, ¡°Got it. I¡¯m gonna take a shower and go to bed, goodnight!¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°good night.¡± Sure enough, the next moming Cornelia received the loan notice from the bank. The sales department also informed them that they coulde in on a workday to handle the paperwork. Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. With things being a bit slow at thepany recently, Cornelia decided to ask Marcus for a half day off, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯d like to take a half day this afternoon.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°The loan for my house has been approved, I want to get a jump on the paperwork.¡± Marcus nced at his watch, ¡°I was nning to do the same, want to go together?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t object, ¡°Sure.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t call his driver, so by default, Cornelia became his chauffeur. In the car, Marcus casually asked, ¡°How do you like driving this car?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°Pretty good.¡± That ended the conversation. Marcus didn¡¯t know what else to talk about, so they drove in silence. As they were nearing the sales office, Cornelia asked a question she¡¯d been meaning to, ¡°President Hartley, you already have so many properties, why would you want to buy here?¡± Marcus chuckled, giving her an answer she didn¡¯t seeing, ¡°Because my wife likes thisplex.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Have you and your wife made up?¡± ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve been getting along pretty well.¡± Cornelia being willing to give Jeremy a chance, to chat with him, even bought him a pair of sneakers, it was a sign of their improving rtionship. This morning, he¡¯d jogged happily around the vi in the shoes she¡¯d given him, even thought about wearing them to work. Hearing that they¡¯d made up, Cornelia was genuinely happy for them, ¡°President Hartley, congrats!¡± Marcus smiled but didn¡¯t say anything. Cornelia parked the car and they walked towards the sales office. To avoid any misunderstanding, Cornelia stopped at the entrance, ¡°President Hartley, you go ahead, I have to wait for my friends and the designer.¡± Marcus nodded, walked a bit, then turned back to ask, ¡°Did you get a professional to inspect the house?¡± This was Cornelia¡¯s first time buying a house, she wasn¡¯t clear on a lot of the details, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Marcus knew she was clueless about this, so he¡¯d made arrangements in advance, ¡°The houses in this complex are all fully furnished, the wiring, plumbing and stuff need to be checked. It¡¯s a bitplex, I¡¯ve already got someone on it, I¡¯ll have hime overter to inspect your house too.¡± Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Thanks, President Hartley!¡± As soon as Marcus walked into the hall, Cornelia quickly whipped out her phone to do some searching. Who would¡¯ve thought? Turns out there are heaps ofpanies these days that specialize in inspecting houses, and a basic once¨Cover is less than a grand. For a big city, that price isn¡¯t too shabby, something that Cornelia could totally swing, but she felt awkward about turning down Marcus¡® good intentions. Abigail and Zack showed up too, both looking super pumped. ¡°Cornelia, we¡¯re gonna have our own ce!¡± Comelia cracked a smile. ¡°That¡¯s right. One life goal down.¡± Zack said, ¡°Let¡¯s get the paperwork sorted.¡± ¡°Sounds good.¡± After the three of them wrapped up the formalities, the designer, Trent Brown, arrived. Trent didn¡¯t match his name at all. The bloke was tall and burly, sporting a pair of chunky ck sses, a long beard, and looking every bit the artsy type you see around town. Trent gave Cornelia the once¨Cover. ¡°Looks like my Jeremy¡¯s got great taste. His wife is quite the looker.¡± This rubbed Cornelia the wrong way. ¡°Your Jeremy?¡± Trent chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m fond of him. Nothing wrong with that, right?¡± Cornelia was taken aback. ¡°He¡¯s a guy, and you like him?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with being a guy?¡± Trent shrugged nonchntly. ¡°I like him, but he¡¯s not into me. He hasn¡¯t been in touch for a while, and when he finally does, it¡¯s to ask me to help you with house renovations. Guess I don¡¯t rank too high in his books. You¡¯re his one and only.¡± Abigail and Zack were startled by his words and quickly pulled Cornelia aside. ¡°Cornelia, do you think Jeremy might be gay, and married you to cover it up?¡± Cornelia was also thrown by Trent¡¯s words but chose to trust Jeremy. ¡°I believe Jeremy wouldn¡¯t lie to me.¡± Abigail and Zack looked disappointed. ¡°Just watch out, okay? Don¡¯t let a guy like that fool you.¡± Seeing the three of them looking worried, Trent looked mighty pleased and continued to stir the pot. ¡°You guessed right. Jeremy and I do have ¡®that kind of rtionship. He married you just to throw people off.¡± Abigail and Zack were disgusted. ¡°If you love each other, just be together. Why hurt an innocent girl?¡± Trent was smug. ¡°We don¡¯t mean to hurt anyone. Cornelia just got the short end of the stick.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to hear any more of his nonsense and texted Jeremy straight away. ¡°Jeremy, what¡¯s your rtionship with the designer Trent Brown you rmended?¡± Jeremy replied promptly, ¡°He¡¯s a long¨Ctime friend.¡± Cornelia, ¡°He says he¡¯s into you and hinted at a special rtionship with you. He says you married me to cover up your rtionship.¡± Jeremy, ¡°Do you believe him?¡± Cornelia, ¡°If you say it¡¯s not true, I¡¯ll believe you.¡± Jeremy, ¡°It¡¯s not true.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Cornelia, ¡°Okay, I trust you?¡± And just like that, Cornelia chose to trust him. Just when she thought he wouldn¡¯t exin further, Jeremy sent another message. ¡°Trent is a bad joker. He is straight, he and his wife are happily married, and he respects her a lot.¡± Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Jeremy¡¯s exnation was so thorough that Cornelia was over the moon, ¡°I get it now.¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°Comelia, thanks for your unwavering trust in me.¡± Comelia retorted, ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife, if I can¡¯t trust you, who else can I trust?¡± Hearing her words, Marcus was grinning from ear to ear, he was so delighted that he didn¡¯t know what to do next. After Marcus confirmed his feelings, Cornelia felt a lot more stable, ¡°Mr. Trent Brown, saying things like that not only tarnishes Jeremy¡¯s reputation, but how do you think your wife would feel if she heard about it?¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Mentioning his wife, Trent quickly changed his tune, ¡°I was just joking around, don¡¯t take it to heart. Let¡¯s go, show me your house.¡± Abigail and Zack asked with a hint of suspicion, ¡°Nelly, you really believe he was just joking?¡± Comelia replied, ¡°Of course I believe him.¡± 1 Seeing Cornelia¡¯s unwavering trust in Jeremy, Abigail and Zack didn¡¯t say anything more. The three of them took Trent to inspect the house, only to find someone already waiting, ¡°Ms. Stewart, I¡¯m the inspector sent by President Hartley.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Please, go ahead.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± The inspector took out a bunch of tools and left them on the balcony, then started inspecting each room. Trent, casual as he may be, was very professional when it came to work. He started measuring the dimensions of the house with the floor n in hand. Soon, he had all the measurements, ¡°Ms. Stewart, tell me what style you like and what each room will be used for.¡± Cornelia was clueless about home decor. Of the four rooms, aside from the master bedroom and the granny suite, one room she decided to make into a dressing room, and another into a study. Cornelia liked minimalist and wooden styles, simple and cozy. But she knew achieving such an effect wouldn¡¯te cheap. Upon hearing this, Trent immediately had an idea, ¡°I¡¯ll whip up a couple of design renders for you. You can make any requests you like, after all, you¡¯re Jeremy¡¯s wife, I should put more heart into it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cornelia was a bit skeptical about Trent¡¯s design skills, but she¡¯d have to wait and see his proposal to know whether it was any good. ¡°I¡¯ll head off now, I¡¯ll get in touch when the ns are ready.¡± After leaving Cornelia, Trent called Marcus, ¡°Jeremy, you know my design. fees are steep, designing for a ce like this is a waste.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°don¡¯t worry about the money.¡± Trent said, ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re the boss. But your wife may look a bit dim, but she¡¯s not easy to pull the wool over.¡± Marcusughed, ¡°You¡¯ll pay a price for your wilfulness today.¡± After that, he hung up. Trent sneered, ¡°Hmph, you need me, not the other way around. What price can you make me pay?¡± Not long after, his phone rang again, it was his wife. The moment he answered, he was met with loud sobbing, ¡°Trent Brown, you promised to love me forever, but look at what you¡¯ve done!¡± He received numerous messages, all containing very explicit pictures. The man in the photos was him, but he didn¡¯t recognize the woman! Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Even knowing the photos were fabricated, Trent Brown was still shaking like a leaf. ¡°Babe, those photos are fake; someone¡¯s trying to frame me. I swear I didn¡¯t do anything to hurt you.¡± His wife¡¯s sharp voice came through the phone: ¡°Trent Brown, do you think I¡¯m an idiot? You¡¯re just an interior decorator, not big shot; who would bother framing you?¡± Trent Brown felt like words were useless: ¡°Honey, you have to believe me. Someone is trying to pin this on me. I swear, if I did anything to betray you, I¡¯ll get what¡¯sing.¡± His wife snapped back, ¡°Trent Brown, not only do you not admit your mistake, but you¡¯re arguing with me. I¡¯m telling you now, I¡¯m not living with you anymore!¡± ¡°Darling, I swear, Trent Brown started, but was cut off. ¡°If you won¡¯t admit it, then don¡¯t bothering home.¡± No matter what Trent Brown said, he couldn¡¯t convince her that he was being framed. He didn¡¯t have any enemies; who would want to frame him? Without much thought, he figured it must be Jeremy Artis, whom he had just called. He dialed a number and said, ¡°Jeremy, I was just joking with you; no need to take it so seriously.¡± Marcus Hartley responded coolly, ¡°What?¡± Trent Brown, ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. Those photos my wife received must have been sent by you. I¡¯m sorry. I apologize. Can you exin this to my wife? If you don¡¯t, she¡¯s going to divorce me.¡± Marcus chuckled. ¡°What did you do wrong?¡± Trent Brown, ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said I liked you, and I certainly shouldn¡¯t have teased your wife. I screwed up, and I won¡¯t do it again. As long as you exin to my wife, I¡¯ll decorate your house beautifully at an unbeatable price.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t really want Trent to divorce; he just wanted to teach him a lesson: ¡°I¡¯ll let it slide this time, but if there¡¯s a next time, you and your wife will likely split.¡± Trent Brown, ¡°This time is already serious enough; I¡¯m not an idiot; how could there be a next time?¡± ¡°Hmm, good that you realize your mistake.¡± Satisfied with the answer, Marcus hung up and had his people handle the situation. The house inspection took longer than Cornelia Stewart expected, checking not only the plumbing and electricity but also every single tile in the house. It took more than two hours, but thankfully the developer was decent, and only two tiles were found to be hollow. It was already seven o¡¯clock. Cornelia prepared a thank¨Cyou fee ording to market rates, but the professional refused. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Out of options, Cornelia went down with him to a small shop and bought him a Coke, which he happily epted. After he left, Cornelia bought three bottles of mineral water. As she was paying, Marcus suddenly appeared behind her and said, ¡°Cornelia, get me a bottle too.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Cornelia knew that Marcus only drank a specific brand of water, but the shop didn¡¯t carry it. So she bought him the most expensive water in the shop and asked, ¡°President Hartley, is this water okay for you?¡± Marcus took the bottle, twisted the cap off, and took a sip. ¡°I¡¯m probably not as picky as you think.¡± Not picky, you sure? Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Chapter 222 In this world, it¡¯s hard to find another person as fussy about food as he is. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Cornelia always remembered how picky Marcus was about his food when she first began working with him. He wouldn¡¯t touch food that was slightly too cold or too hot.. He also wouldn¡¯t eat food that was a bit greasy or too nd. In general, the food had to be prepared exactly to his liking, almost driving the chef in charge nuts. But then again, Marcus seemed to have be less pickytely. Perhaps it¡¯s because he¡¯s been hanging out a lot with his wife, who loved spicy food, that his eating habits had changed. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Marcus¡¯s voice gently rang in her ear. ¡°Nothing.¡± Cornelia wanted to drink some water to cover up her embarrassment, but she twisted the bottle cap twice without opening it. Marcus took the bottle from her hands, effortlessly opened it for her, and handed it back. ¡°Thanks, President Hartley!¡± After drinking a few sips of water, Cornelia felt much better. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone home yet? It¡¯ste.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been checking the house, spent some time, and discussed some renovation matters with the designer, so I¡¯ve been busy till now. All these trivial matters could be delegated; he just needed to give orders. He stayed because of her. ¡°I see.¡± Not knowing what else to say, Cornelia turned her head and said, ¡°President Hartley, I have friends waiting for me to bring water back; I¡¯ll go first.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t try to keep her. He watched her leave, then continued to deal with the rted paperwork. So, when Cornelia and her friends went to deal with the house transfer procedures, they unexpectedly ran into Marcus again. Zack Ruck was the first to notice him and grumbled, ¡°Howe we bump into this guy everywhere?¡± Cornelia lightly punched Zack, saying, ¡°Zack, how could you say that? Can¡¯t he be here? He also bought a house here; we might run into him often.¡± Zack said, ¡°He¡¯s a billionaire; he bought such a house all of a sudden; I can¡¯t believe he doesn¡¯t have any other motives.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°So, you get ufortable when you see a man who¡¯s more handsome and richer than you?¡± Zack said, ¡°Are you kidding? How is that possible?¡± Abigail Young said, ¡°I think Zack might be onto something. Do you guys think Marcus bought a house here because of me?¡± Cornelia and Zack said at the same time, ¡°What kind of dream are you having?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just joking; why are you guys taking it so seriously?¡± Abigail checked her face to make sure her makeup wasn¡¯t messed up, then she approached Marcus and said, ¡°President Hartley, what a coincidence, we meet again.¡± Marcus wasn¡¯t fond of women hitting on him. He didn¡¯t even bother to look up at her; he just wished she would leave soon. Luckily, he nced up just in time and saw that she was a friend of Cornelia¡¯s. He politely said, ¡°Hello!¡± Abigail said with a smile, ¡°President Hartley, are you also dealing with house procedures? We are too; we¡¯ve been busy till now and haven¡¯t had dinner yet. Would you like to join uster?¡± Marcus instinctively looked towards Cornelia, who was standing behind Abigail. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Seeing that Cornelia didn¡¯t want to have dinner with him bummed him out. In Marcus¡¯s view, he hadn¡¯t done anything to upset Cornelia. Why was she so against hanging out with him alone? Marcus thought he¡¯d better get to the bottom of this; otherwise, she¡¯d continue to avoid him like the gue. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Before he could open his mouth, Comelia walked up and said, ¡°Abigail, President Hartley is swamped every day. He has no time to eat with us.¡± She didn¡¯t want to have dinner with him, but she made it sound like such a big deal. Marcus, who originally nned to turn down Abigail¡¯s invitation, immediately changed his mind: ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not particrly busy today. If Cornelia doesn¡¯t mind, let¡¯s have dinner together.¡± How could she refuse him after he said that? Unless she didn¡¯t want her job anymore, ¡°I¡¯d be delighted. How could I mind having dinner with President Hartley?¡± Zack snorted, ¡°Cornelia isn¡¯t willing to have dinner with you. She¡¯s just forced by her job.¡± Cornelia gently pushed Zack, telling him to cut the bull. Zack reluctantly closed his mouth. Marcus was well aware of Zack¡¯s hostility toward him. If it were someone else, he would have dealt with them differently, but since Zack was someone Cornelia cared about, he wouldn¡¯t do anything to him. Despite Zack¡¯s repeated offenses, Marcus pretended not to hear, ¡°Where do you guys want to go? I¡¯ll pick up the tab.¡± Upon hearing this, Abigail got excited and said, ¡°Cornelia, since President Hartley is so generous, we should eat something fancy. How about Culinary Crest?¡± Marcus¡¯s gaze never left Cornelia. When she heard Culinary Crest, her clear eyes lit up, proving she indeed wanted to go. He remembered that thest time he asked her to book a restaurant, she chose that one. In the end, he asked her to dine with him because his wife couldn¡¯t make it, but she still declined. Just when Marcus thought she would ept the invitation, she refused again, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s forget about it.¡± Zack was very much in agreement with Cornelia¡¯s decision: ¡°Yes, let¡¯s forget about it.¡± Abigail pulled Cornelia aside and said, ¡°You silly goose, what¡¯s wrong with you? Your boss invites you to dinner, and you turn him down. Are you spoiled or what?¡± Hearing the word ¡®spoiled¡®, Cornelia began to stutter, ¡°Spoiled? How could you think that? How can you say he spoils me?¡± Abigail rolled her eyes at her. ¡°Do you think Marcus agreed to treat us because I invited him?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Abigail poked her forehead and said, ¡°You dummy, he epted my invitation entirely because of you. Think about it; I¡¯m your friend. If I invite him to dinner and he t¨Cout refuses, wouldn¡¯t that be disrespectful to you?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°If you understand, why do you bother him?¡± Abigail replied, ¡°Do you think I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m doing? I just want to get a few more nces at him; after all, he¡¯s so handsome.¡± In Abigail¡¯s eyes, Marcus was like an untouchable piece of art. She would always talk about wanting to do something with him, but it was all talk. She knew better than anyone the distance between. her and Marcus. If it weren¡¯t for Cornelia, Marcus probably wouldn¡¯t even want to exchange a word with her. Chapter 224 Chapter 224 Chapter 224 ¡°Comelia, are you suggesting I say yes and let him treat us to dinner tonight?¡± asked Cornelia. ¡°Hey, if we get to dine at that fancy ce we¡¯ve always wanted to go to without coughing up a penny, why the heck not?¡± Abigail replied. Comelia felt persuaded by Abigail and decided to ept Marcus¡® dinner invitation. The prices at Culinary Crest are sky¨Chigh, and it¡¯s always packed, so you have to book ahead of time. Cornelia had to pull some strings. using President Hartley¡¯s VIP status to score a private room. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. After booking the restaurant, she still had to deal with the move¨Cin procedures for the new house. Being clueless about these things, she just went along with the property management¡¯s instructions. Out of nowhere, Marcus showed up and took over, checking the list and the items provided by the property management. ¡°You¡¯re missing an ess card. You should check with the person in charge. They¡¯ll charge you next time you need one.¡± He was dealing with these petty things with the same focus he¡¯d give a billion¨Cdor contract. Comelia watched him with a pang, wondering why it was Marcus beside her instead of Jeremy at such a moment. I¡¯m talking to you. What are you thinking about?¡± Marcus seemed a bit stern, clearly unhappy with her constant distraction. When Marcus was angry, Cornelia felt terrified. ¡°Um, I wasn¡¯t thinking about anything.¡± Seeing her scared look, Marcus softened his tone. ¡°Details matter. One misstep could lead to big trouble. Make sure the property management fixes whatever issue we found today.¡± Cornelia obediently nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± Seeing Cornelia looking so well¨Cbehaved and understanding, yet somewhat wronged, Marcus not only didn¡¯t have the heart to reprimand her, he didn¡¯t even want to speak harshly. ¡°Silly girl, I¡¯m just reminding you. Why are you feeling wrong?¡± He not only called her a silly girl, but his tone was also full of indulgence. This was not how a boss should speak to an employee. Cornelia felt a little ufortable. She couldn¡¯t get along with this version of Marcus. ¡°President Hartley, I, I¡­¡± ¡°Alright, I can only help you so much. You have to handle the rest. Nobody can help you forever.¡± Just when Cornelia felt that Marcus¡® tone was somewhat ambiguous, he coldly said this and then walked out. ¡®I¡¯ll wait for you outside.¡± Cornelia, ¡°¡­¡± Why can¡¯t she stop overthinking things, no matter how many times she told herself not to? The more she overthought, the more awkward she felt around Marcus privately. This can¡¯t go on anymore. Abigail and Zack were on the other side, oblivious to the little incident between Cornelia and Marcus. Cornelia, blushing, continued with the procedures. Marcus stepped out of the property management office, lit a cigarette, and took a couple of deep drags. The awkwardness between him and Cornelia was all because he didn¡¯t handle their rtionship well. All he had to do is tell her that he¡¯s Jeremy, and then he can do anything for her openly. But he didn¡¯t dare take that risk. He can¡¯t be sure whether Cornelia will ept the fact that he¡¯s gone from her direct boss to her husband. So he dared not to admit his identity lightly. Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Chapter 225 Marcus, feeling lost as hell, lit up a cigarette, and the more he puffed, the more his head spun. The more he tried to figure out how to make his marriage with Cornelia work, the more clueless he felt. People had been teaching him how to do business since he was a kid, and he had a knack for it. He¡¯d never failed in his business ventures, and because of that, everyone considered him a big shot in the business world. But no one ever taught him how to hold a marriage together. He wasn¡¯t some love guru. In the face of common marital problems that most people could handle easily, he was like a kid lost in the woods, not knowing where to start. He gazed up at the moon in the sky, and a memory from years ago popped into his head. He couldn¡¯t remember how old he was when it happened, but he remembered clearly that his mom was with a man he didn¡¯t know, and he walked in on them. He was too young to understand that this was betrayal or infidelity, but he knew it wasn¡¯t right. He tried to kick the man out angrily, but the man provoked him by pinching his face and saying, ¡°What can you do, you little runt? When you grow up and get tough, thene find me.¡± He was so pissed off that he bit the man, who in turn tossed him aside, hurting him badly. His mom, Courtney Kamp¨CHartley, was there but did nothing to help him; instead, she med him for messing up her n. He never forgot that man¡¯s words, found him when he grew up, and in a short time drove the man¡¯s company to bankruptcy. The man couldn¡¯t handle the hit and tried to off himself, but ended up crippling his legs instead. Sitting in a wheelchair, the man med Courtney for not teaching her son properly. Courtney, seeing the man be a cripple, cut off all ties with him immediately. Since then, there have always been different men around her. That¡¯s why Courtney was always pissed at him, considering him the disgrace of the family. His parents¡® marriage was such a hot mess, so he never thought about getting married before. If it wasn¡¯t for making his Granny happy. he wouldn¡¯t have married a stranger in a heartbeat. But since he promised his Granny to get married, he decided to make it work with this girl. He thought all he needed to do was hand her a credit card, let her not worry about money, and live a carefree life, but it seemed like it wasn¡¯t that simple. Cornelia came out after finishing up her paperwork and saw Marcus spacing out in the yard. His lonely figure was heartbreaking. She walked up to him and said, ¡°Mr. Hartley, can we leave now?¡± Marcus snapped back to reality and looked at her, his eyes filled with a bit of despair. ¡°Yeah.¡± Cornelia noticed, ¡°Mr. Hartley, you seem troubled.¡± Marcus sighed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m trying to figure out how to make a marriagest.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Is there a problem between you and your wife?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°We¡¯re okay for now, but just solving the current problems isn¡¯t enough. I hope to spend the rest of my life with her, which means I need to think long¨Cterm. But I have no clue what to do due to ack of experience.¡±N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Chapter 226 His voice was nice, full of sincerity but also tinged with helplessness and vulnerability. This was a side of him Cornelia had never seen before, and it stirred up a sense of sympathy within her despite herck of experience with marriage. She said, ¡°President Hartley, I think your mindset is the key to a sessful marriage.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Marcus paused before asking. ¡°What do you girls look for in a husband?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t speak for others. As for me, I don¡¯t care how much money my husband has, but he must respect me, my family, and my job and always discuss things with me. It takes two to tango in a rtionship.¡± Cornelia asserted. She felt that Jeremy had met all these criteria, which made her willing to date him. Even when he misunderstood her, he was willing to visit her sick grandmother, which proved that he respected the elderly. Listening to Cornelia¡¯s standards, Marcus realized he could meet all of them except for the part about not needing money. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying he has to be broke?¡± Corneliaughed, saying, ¡°President Hartley, you got it wrong. I don¡¯t need him to be loaded because I can make money myself. If he can bring home the bacon, that¡¯s even better. We¡¯re both grown¨Cups, and as a couple, having finaricial stability can make a family more harmonious.¡± Marcus nodded. ¡°I see.¡± Cornelia felt a bit embarrassed by his words. She felt like a poser and quickly deflected: ¡°President Hartley, you should ask people with more experience. I¡¯m just shooting the breeze.¡± ¡°You make a good point. Let¡¯s go grab a bite.¡± It was only then that Marcus noticed Cornelia¡¯s friends were missing. ¡°Where are your friends?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve gone to the basement. They asked me to call you. I got carried away chatting.¡± Cornelia laughed awkwardly. ¡°Do you want to ride in my car, or should I call a driver for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ride with you, Marcus replied. Since both Cornelia and Zack had cars, all four of them couldn¡¯t fit in one. Abigail wanted to ride with Cornelia, but Zack dragged her back to his car and said, ¡°Abby, Nelly¡¯s car ispany¨Cissued. It¡¯ll make us look bad if you ride with her.¡± Abigail retorted, ¡°Even if the car is from thepany and not Nelly¡¯s, what¡¯s the problem? You¡¯re usually not this petty, why do you dislike Marcus so much?¡± Zack said, ¡°I¡¯m just worried Nelly might get hurt.¡°. Abigail said, ¡°Nelly said he¡¯s a good guy.¡± Zack said, ¡°That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m worried. Have you ever heard Nelly praise any other guy except me in all these years?¡± Abigail thought for a moment; indeed, she hadn¡¯t. ¡°But he really is a good guy.¡± Zack: ¡°You little nitwit, what I¡¯m trying to say is that if Nelly really likes him, she¡¯ll believe anything he says. If he wants to deceive Nelly, it¡¯ll be a piece of cake.¡± Abigail: ¡°Why would he necessarily want to deceive Nelly?¡± Zack: ¡°It¡¯s a gut feeling as a guy.¡± Abigail: ¡°You doofus, just drive. If you keep badmouthing Marcus, Nelly might actually get mad at you.¡± Zack: ¡± Zack truly believed that Marcus was out to trick Nelly! N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Why did no one believe him? Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Zack and Abigail were arguing up a storm, while Cornelia and Marcus were as quiet as mice. With her boss in the car, Cornelia was driving with her full attention, not daring to ck off. Marcus, in the passenger seat, tried to strike up a conversation a few times but couldn¡¯t find the right topic. He knew that if he wanted Cornelia to answer, it had to be work¨Crted, or she might dodge him with the excuse of not wanting to talk about her personal life. Sometimes he felt that even though he was her boss, he still needed her, his assistant, to arrange his daily affairs. Thinking about this, he shook his head helplessly. Well, it couldn¡¯t be helped. After all, Cornelia was his wife. Comelia noticed his small movement and asked, ¡°Marcus, what¡¯s up?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Marcus chuckled. ¡°I just thought of something funny.¡± Comelia, ¡°Oh really?¡± Marcus, ¡®Don¡¯t you want to know what it is?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Can I ask?¡± Marcus: ¡°You can ask anything in front of me. Treat me as a friend; no need to stand on ceremony.¡± Cornelia gave a smallugh but didn¡¯t ask further. Treat him as a friend? She thought about it and decided it was best not to entertain such thoughts. Marcus had been nice to her recently, but she couldn¡¯t forget her role as his assistant. The mostfortable rtionship between them was that of boss and assistant. She just needed to work for him without mixing in any personal feelings. Otherwise, if he didn¡¯t pay her one day, she would feel embarrassed to ask. Of course, Marcus had no idea what Cornelia was thinking. He quietly waited for her to ask, but when she didn¡¯t, he had to find a topic himself. ¡°By the way, Skyler Blue has safely reached her desired location. Zavier Rivera won¡¯t bother her for now.¡± Upon hearing Skyler Blue¡¯s name, Cornelia¡¯s attitude changed. ¡°Marcus, thank you for helping Skyler Blue. She doesn¡¯t have a phone and doesn¡¯t dare use her bank card. Could I trouble you to have someone deliver my bank card to her?¡± Marcus smiled, wanting to ruffle her hair but holding back. ¡°Silly, Skyler Blue isn¡¯t as naive as you. She was well prepared to run away. carrying enough cash tost a while. She also got a new phone and a new SIM card. She thought of everything you didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°She¡¯s so well prepared, that puts my mind at ease.¡± Cornelia took a deep breath. ¡°Sigh, Skyler Blue started nning to run away right. after getting married; do you know what Zavier did to her?¡± Marcus believed that Zavier loved Skyler Blue but just had the wrong approach: ¡°We, as outsiders, don¡¯t have a say in someone else¡¯s personal affairs.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Cornelia nodded, then after a while, she said seriously, ¡°Marcus, could you do me a small favor?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± He was always looking forward to her making requests, and finally, it came. Cornelia turned to look at him very seriously and asked, ¡°Could you please stop calling me silly all the time? You should know that if someone keeps being called silly, they might end up bing silly. If you don¡¯t want your assistant to be a dimwit, thenpliment m¨¦ more. That way, I¡¯ll be smarter.¡± Marcus couldn¡¯t help butugh at her words. Chapter 228 Chapter 228 Chapter 228 This little chick held a grudge, eh? Just kidded around and called her a silly goose and she got mad. He chuckled and said, ¡°If not silly goose, what should I call you? Little smarty pants?¡± Comelia was speechless. Marcus continued, ¡°You¡¯re very bright, you need to believe in your abilities. Hartley Group doesn¡¯t keep ckers. You¡¯ve climbed up thedder all by yourself, which says a lot about how capable you are. Don¡¯t ever let anyone, including me, belittle you, alright?¡± ¡°I get you.¡± What he said made sense. If she didn¡¯t trust her abilities, she wouldn¡¯t have had the guts to ask those questions. But his response was another pleasant surprise. He was never stingy with his praise for his subordinates. Recognizing their capabilities is something only a real leader can do. This was different from some bosses who spent their time tearing their subordinates down, iming that no one else would want them if they left thepany. After a half¨Chour drive, they arrived at the restaurant. Coincidentally, they ran into an acquaintance, Leonardo Wilson, in the underground parking lot of the restaurant. Leonardo was with ady with heavy makeup. Her makeup was so borate that it was impossible to guess her real age. Seeing them together sote for dinner, Leonardo¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°¡®Marc, Cornelia, you two¡­. The woman with him was wide¨Ceyed when she saw Marcus. ¡°Mr. Wilson, can you introduce me to your friend?¡± Leonardo pinched her cheek and said, ¡°Darling, he¡¯s out of your league; stop daydreaming.¡± She pouted, ¡°I just want to know more about your friends.¡± Leonardo was ruthless. ¡°You¡¯ve already snagged me, and now you want to meet my friends? You can leave; I¡¯ve gotpany for dinner tonight.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She tried to get closer to him, but Leonardo pushed her away. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? I said leave.¡± Seeing that he was serious, she had no choice but to leave, but not before throwing ast nce at Marcus. Once she was gone, Leonardo lowered his guard and asked, ¡°Marc, Cornelia, are you two having a secret date behind your spouses¡® backs?* Corneliaughed, saying, ¡°Mr. Wilson, not everyone is as free¨Cspirited as you, changing dating partners as frequently as you change your socks. Do you think everyone is like you?¡± Leonardo refused to believe that nothing was going on between them and pressed on, ¡°So you guys can go on dates, but I can¡¯t even mention it?¡± Marcus gave him a cold look and asked, ¡°Do you still want to go out?¡± Marcus¡¯s greatest strength was his ability to shut someone down in a single sentence. Leonardo immediately changed his tune: ¡°I was just joking; you guys don¡¯t have to take it so seriously.¡± ¡°A joke is only funny when both parties find it amusing. You¡¯re being disrespectful. We four agreed to have dinner together, you can¡¯t just assume they have a secret affair because you saw them first.¡± Abigail arrived a bitter, and right after she got out of the car, she heard Leonardo teasing Cornelia. She might seem careless usually. but she would defend Cornelia without any fear once she was bullied. Leonardo asked, ¡°Where did this little Missye from?¡± Abigail retorted/If you call me little Missy again, you¡¯ll regret Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Leonardo wanted to argue, but Marcus¡¯s icy stare made him zip it. Zack, who had just parked the car, walked over and asked, ¡°Picking on a girl, are you even a man?¡± Abigail scanned Leonardo with a disdainful look and said, ¡°You only look like a man on the outside; otherwise, youck any masculinity.¡± That was a major bum. Leonardo was pissed. ¡°Marc, you heard that; they¡¯re ganging up against me; you can¡¯t keep defending them, can you?¡± Marcus retorted, ¡°Why are you, as a man, arguing with a girl?¡± Leonardo considered himself a man with a backbone and knew when to back down: ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you; I, as a man, shouldn¡¯t be arguing with a little girl.¡± He didn¡¯t forget to throw a contemptuous nce at Abigail after his words. Abigail asked, ¡°Who are you calling a little girl? You scumbag!¡± Abigail, furious, tried to hit Leonardo, but luckily Cornelia quickly grabbed her and said, ¡°Abby, cool it.¡± Leonardo may be bold, but he had never hit a woman, let alone encountered such a hot¨Ctempered one.. When Abigail charged at him, he nervously hid behind Marcus and said, ¡°Marc, control your friend.¡± Marcus kept his cool: ¡°You brought this upon yourself, deal with it.¡± Leonardo went silent. Why should he bear it? When had he ever experienced such humiliation? He silently swore to himself that if he ever bumped into this girl again, he¡¯d make her pay. Cornelia, less physically strong than Abigail, had to struggle to hold her. ¡°Abby, chill out. Don¡¯t stir up more trouble.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know Leonardo well, but she knew such people were not easy to deal with. Today, with Marcus around, Leonardo could be kept in check, but what about when Marcus wasn¡¯t there? Whether Leonardo had thoughts of revenge or not, Cornelia needed to be prepared. Leonardo remained silent. Whatever, he¡¯d be the bigger man and not squabble with this rude girl. He said, ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t argue with her. It¡¯s alreadyte; let¡¯s go eat.¡± Cornelia asked with a smile, ¡°Mr. Wilson, are you joining us?¡± Leonardo responded matter¨Cof¨Cfactually, ¡°I have no one to eat with; if not with you guys, am I supposed to eat alone? I might not have an appetite if I eat alone. Marc, you wouldn¡¯t have the heart to leave me alone, would you?¡°. Leonardo¡¯s best trait was his shamelessness, which guaranteed he always had a meal. They all headed to the restaurant; Cornelia had already ordered food on the way, taking everyone¡¯s tastes into ount. The portions were generous; even with an extra Leonardo, there¡¯d be plenty. Once seated, Leonardo grabbed the drink menu, eager to see what good drinks were avable since he wasn¡¯t paying anyway. He ordered two bottles of vintage red wine and asked, ¡°Who¡¯s treating tonight? It looks like you guys might have to shell out some extra dough.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Cornelia chuckled. ¡°President Hartley is treating.* Leonardo said, ¡°Oh, so Marc is treating; I should order two more bottles then.¡± Chapter 230 Chapter 230 Chapter 230 In the middle of the conversation, the waiter started serving the dishes. The first thing that came was the soup. The weather was exceptionally cold today, so a bowl of soup was just appropriate. The waiter handed the soup to Marcus, who passed it to Cornelia, who was sitting on his right. He said, ¡°You go first.¡± Comelia said, ¡°Thanks.¡± Leonardo piped up, ¡°You only see the person on your right, but you don¡¯t see me on your left.¡± But no one responded to him. Then the dishes were served one by one. These were all dishes that Cornelia and the others loved. Marcus said he was trying to adapt, and Cornelia even ordered two lighter dishes for him. Leonardo and Marcus were locals who normally preferred lighter food. The first dish served was spicy, and so was the second. Looking at the table full of dishes, with only two of them being light in taste and the rest being greasy, Leonardo was at a loss for where to start. He couldn¡¯t help butin, ¡°Can we eat this?¡± Before he could finish, Marcus red at him, as if to say, ¡°If I can eat it, what¡¯s your excuse?¡± Under Marcus¡¯s intimidating gaze, Leonardo didn¡¯t dare to say anything more. But he didn¡¯t want to be ignored either. He asked the waiter to pour a ss of wine for everyone and said, ¡°Let¡¯s not just focus on eating. Let¡¯s drink first.¡± Cornelia declined, saying, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m driving; I can¡¯t drink.¡± Leonardo nudged the wine ss towards Cornelia and said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to drive; Marcus has other drivers. If that¡¯s not possible, we can call a designated driver. Come, let¡¯s drink first.¡± Marcus picked up the wine ss in front of Cornelia and dumped the wine into the trash can, saying in a low voice, ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t drink.¡± Leonardo said, ¡°The wine is opened; they¡¯re not drinking; are we two going to drink alone?¡± Cornelia suddenly remembered what Dr. Dawson had said: ¡°President Hartley can¡¯t drink either. His stomach isn¡¯t good.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°Marcus, since when is your stomach not good?¡± Marcus ignored him. He turned to Cornelia and said, ¡°Cornelia, howe I didn¡¯t know about his stomach? Don¡¯t try to fool me. We often drink together; I didn¡¯t see any problem with his stomach.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I don¡¯t care about the past, but from now on, as long as I am his assistant, unless necessary, I absolutely won¡¯t allow him. to touch a drop of alcohol.¡± The tone was so bossy, as if she were his wife. Leonardo didn¡¯t think Cornelia had the final say. He looked at Marcus and said, ¡°Marcus, not only do you let your wife boss you around, but also your assistant. Are you really okay with being henpecked?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°I¡¯m fine with being bossed around by my wife. He handed the wine ss to the waiter and said, ¡°Just get me a bottle of mineral water.¡± Leonardo was speechless for a moment. Marcus added, ¡°Both Cornelia and my wife are doing it for my own good. Don¡¯t ask me to drink anymore. I need to take care of my stomach,¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. He said he was taking care of his stomach, but he was still eating spicy food. Only a fool would believe that! Leonardo asked, ¡°Marc, you never used to eat such heavy¨Ctasting food. What made you change?¡± Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Leonardo was just venting; he already had his own answer in mind, and he didn¡¯t need Marcus¡¯s response But Marcus answered anyway: ¡°Because my wife is from Rosenberg, I have to learn to eat Rosenberg¡¯s food.¡± Upon hearing this, Leonardo had a sudden thought in his head: Marcus was screwed! Marcus, who had never shown interest in women for over two decades and thought dating was a complete waste of time, was now changing his eating habits of over twenty years for a woman. Was this still the same Marcus? Had he been possessed by someone else¡¯s soul? Leonardo believed Marcus would regret it. ¡°Well, go ahead and learn to eat Rosenberg¡¯s food. I¡¯ll stick with our Riverton food; it¡¯s light and nutritious.¡± After he said this, Abigail got pissed off and asked, ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Leonardo: ¡°What do you mean?¡± Abigail, ¡°So are you saying Riverton¡¯s food is nutritious but Rosenberg¡¯s isn¡¯t?¡± Leonardo, ¡°Are you nuts? Did I say that?¡± Abigail, ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t say it, you thought it. If you don¡¯t admit it, you¡¯re just a coward.¡± Leonardo, ¡°What did I do to deserve this tonight, dealing with someone like you?¡± The meal hadn¡¯t even started, and Leonardo was already ticked off. He looked at Marcus and Cornelia; they were just eating their own food, seemingly oblivious to the argument going on. He said, ¡°Marc, you¡¯ve changed. You really don¡¯t care about me anymore.¡± Marcus was quietly moving the meat Cornelia liked to her side, not hearing a word Leonardo said. This type of meat was something Marcus would never touch before, and no one else could eat it if he was present. But seeing Cornelia enjoying it so much today, he didn¡¯t find it repulsive for the first time. ¡°Is it really tasty?¡± Cornelia nodded vigorously, swallowed the food in her mouth, and vividly described how delicious it was: ¡°President Hartley, this meat is so tender, it melts in your mouth. It¡¯s really delicious; do you want to try it?¡± Marcus was okay with her eating it, but trying it himself so soon was a little hard to swallow. ¡°I can¡¯t handle food that¡¯s too greasy.¡± ¡°Right.¡± Cornelia was so absorbed in eating that she almost forgot this was Marcus¡¯s taboo: ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ll eat it far away from you.¡± Marcus, ¡°No need, just enjoy your meal; don¡¯t mind me.¡± Zack and Abigail were also busy eating, having no time for chit¨Cchat. The food at this Rosenberg restaurant was expensive for a good reason; it was indeed tastier than outside. Everyone was having a good time; only Leonardo was feeling downcast. ¡°Marc, you¡¯ve changed! You¡¯ve really changed! You don¡¯t care about me anymore!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. He yelled out loud, finally getting Marcus¡¯s attention, ¡°Should I care about you?¡± Leonardo was even more heartbroken. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t our friendship from growing up together mean something?¡± Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Abigail rolled her eyes. ¡°Such a pain.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Abigail replied, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat, please leave. Don¡¯t ruin our meal.¡± ¡°Well, if you want me to leave, then I¡¯ll leave. Who wants to eat with you anyway?¡± Once Leonardo left, he started to regret his decision. Was he a fool to just leave because someone told him to? With nowhere to go, he had no choice but to head to the smoking area. ¡°Leo?¡± Hearing his name, Leonardo immediately turned around. What a day! Even Cameron Reese was at Rosenberg¡¯s restaurant. ¡°Is that really you? When did you start liking Rosenberg food?¡± Cameron approached him and asked, ¡°Did you get a new girlfriend who¡¯s from Rosenberg?¡± Leonardo was still upset. ¡°What new girlfriend? I just took a wrong turn. What about you? Why are you here?¡± Cameron lit a cigarette and said, ¡°The boss of a project I¡¯m working on is from Rosenberg. He likes strong vors and doesn¡¯t fancy other high¨Cend ces. He prefers ces like this.¡± ¡°Cameron, this ce isn¡¯t cheap,¡± Leonardo retorted, feeling that Cameron¡¯sment was somewhat discriminatory. The minimum charge here was in the thousands, and many people couldn¡¯t afford it. Cameron¡¯s statement that this ce was for the poor seemed quite prejudiced. Cameron scoffed, ¡°Who cares about the price? I¡¯m talking about their taste. Even if Rosenberg people are rich, it doesn¡¯t change their taste.¡± Leonardo had just found out that Marcus¡¯s wife was from Rosenberg, and now Cameron was saying such things. He turned around nervously, fearing that Marcus might be behind them. ¡°Cameron, let¡¯s not make such discriminatoryments.¡± Cameron replied dismissively, ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of?¡± Leonardo countered, ¡°The economy in Riverton is more developed not because we work harder but due to geographical location. The poor economy in Rosenberg is also due to location, not because the people there aren¡¯t hardworking. They¡¯re even more resilient than us in Riverton.¡± Cameron asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Why do you always stand up for others?¡± Leonardo retorted, ¡°What¡¯s wrong is your attitude. You¡¯re doing business with them on one hand and looking down on their background. on the other. How is that any different from being ungrateful?¡± Cameron¡¯s face turned sour. ¡°What do you know? You¡¯ve never seen the dark side of business, and yet you¡¯re criticizing me.¡± ¡°Mr. Wilson may not understand business, but he understands humanity better than you. If Mr. Reese looks down on us Rosenberg people so much, there¡¯s no need to do business with us.¡± The speaker was a tall, thin man in his forties who looked very energetic. Cameron sneered, ¡°Mr. Rosso, if you don¡¯t do business with me, do you think anyone in Riverton would dare to do business with you? The four big families in Riverton are the same. Marcus, the president of the Hartley Group, is even my good friend.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Mr. Rosso didn¡¯t say a word, turned around and went back to his booth, called his buddies, and then ordered the staff to find them a random table in the hall. He ordered food again and started eating, not caring about Cameron¡¯s feelings at all. Cameron¡¯s face turned purple with rage. ¡°You¡¯re impossible to please. I bet you won¡¯t be able to survive in Riverton.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. As a witness, Leonardo was worried that Cameron would me him for this, so he quietly returned to the booth where Marcus, Cornelia, and the others were while Cameron was dealing with his staff. After closing the door, he peeked out through a small crack to make sure no one was following him before he felt at ease. Marcus saw his weird behavior and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Abigail mocked, ¡°He needs a reason toe back, right?¡± Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Right now, Leonardo didn¡¯t want to argue with her. He squeezed himself next to Marcus and said, ¡°Marcus, I just met with Cameron. He lost a big deal. No, I should say I saw him lose a big deal. I think he¡¯s going to pin the me on me, so I came back here to dodge the bullet. With you around, he wouldn¡¯t dare to mess around.¡± Marcus had a clear understanding of what kind of person Cameron was. He also knew about all the things Cameron had done. As long as Cameron didn¡¯t pose a threat to him, he could turn a blind eye. He gently pushed his silver sses up his nose and said casually. ¡°If he¡¯s losing deals even when they¡¯re at the dining table, he can¡¯t be that great, Cameron.¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°He just looks down on people and talks behind their backs about how poor they are.¡± Leonardo paused as he remembered his previous words. He didn¡¯t mean to discriminate; he just wanted to annoy people. ¡°Cornelia, and your two friends, I apologize. I shouldn¡¯t have belittled your Rosenberg dishes. There are all sorts of people in this world, and everyone has different food preferences. Preferences do not equate to superiority.¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Why are you suddenly being so nice?¡± Leonardo said, ¡°My impression of you won¡¯t change.¡± Cornelia, worried that they might start arguing again, quickly interrupted, ¡°Mr. Wilson, why don¡¯t you give our Rosenberg dishes a try? You might like them.¡± Leonardo replied, ¡°No need to try; I already know. Your Rosenberg dishes are just like Rosenberg girls¨Cdistinctive!¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯ll take it as apliment from Mr. Wilson towards the Rosenberg girls.¡± ¡°Indeed, it is apliment.¡± Leonardo raised his ss and said, ¡°I¡¯ll drink as a self¨Cpunishment for my apology. Drink up, everyone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re ying both the good guy and the bad guy tonight.¡± Marcus had nned to treat Cornelia to dinner tonight. But then Leonardo showed up and stole all the limelight. Annoying. After dinner, Cornelia thought Marcus would ask her to drive him home for free again. But surprisingly, his driver was already waiting downstairs. She saved a lot of time by not having to make that extra round trip. She was thrilled, but she kept her excitement in check and politely saw him off to his car. After he got in the car, she took a couple of steps back, and Marcus rolled down the window and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be spending the next few days with my wife. You¡¯re off.¡± ¡°Okay, President Hartley! I hope you and your wife have a great time! Best wishes for a baby soon!¡± The perk of being a CEO¡¯s assistant kicked in¨Cwhen the boss was with his wife, she got a vacation. Was she happy because she got a vacation? Or because he was spending time with his wife? Either way, Marcus didn¡¯t seem too thrilled. Marcus rolled up the window and told his driver to take off. Watching him leave, Cornelia did a little happy dance on the spot. She could finally take care of the renovation work in the next few days. Once she got home, she received a message from Jeremy, ¡°Cornelia.¡± Jeremy, the dude only said her name and then nothing else. Today, Cornelia was a bit annoyed with him. Since he didn¡¯t send any more messages, she pretended not to notice and intentionally didn¡¯t reply She took a shower, put on a face mask, and started drawing on her tablet. Since she didn¡¯t have to get up early the next day, she nned to draw for a bit longer before going to bed. At this moment, she hadpletely forgotten about Jeremy¡¯s message. Just as she picked up her pen, her work phone rang. Seeing that it was Marcus calling, she quickly answered, ¡°President Hartley.¡± Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Chapter 234 Marcus asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you home yet?¡± He wasn¡¯t happy and Comelia was a bit on edge, worried that her uing holiday might go up in smoke. She wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she hadn¡¯t replied to Jeremy¡¯s WhatsApp, which might have made him worry about her safety She replied, ¡°I¡¯m already home What¡¯s up?¡± There was a pause on the other end, then Marcus voice came back Thave some personal stuff to deal with in the next few days. You guys can take a break¡± ¡°You already told me that¡± The midnight call to tell her about the holiday hinted that the boss was excited about a date with hisdy Marcus seemed puzzled ¡°Did 17¡± ¡°Sorry, I must have remembered wrong¡± Cornelia responded, reasoning that the boss couldn¡¯t have forgotten, so it must have been her ¡°Well, good night, President Hartley!¡± She said goodnight and waited for him to hang up He didn¡¯t, and she felt awkward hanging up first ¡°Is there anything else, President Hartley?¡± Marcus said her name again in his deep, captivating voice. ¡°Cornelia¡± Why did he and Jeremy like to call her name but say nothing else? Was it a guy thing to seem mysterious? ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Nothing get some rest early¡± He finally hung up After putting down her work phone, she remembered her own. She opened WhatsApp and saw a few unread messages from Jeremy ¡°Are you home yet?¡± ¡°Why arent you replying?¡± ¡°Comelia, reply to me¡± Hmm, he seemed anxious. She replied. ¡°President Hartley treated us to dinner tonight I just got home and took a shower, I didn¡¯t see your messages¡± Jeremy responded. ¡°Hmm¡± Hmm? He sent several messages urging her to reply, and when she did, all he said was ¡°Hmm¡°. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Annoyed, Cornelia asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything else to say?¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°I just wanted to make sure you got home safely¡± His casual remark meant the world to Cornelia She hadn¡¯t told Granny Reba and Abby about the incident that night. She had been dealing with the fear it brought all alone, and only he had been consistently concerned about her. Jeremy. I¡¯m over what happened that night Im not afraid anymore, and you don¡¯t need to worry¡± She typed a lot, then thought, He¡¯s her husband; what¡¯s wrong with him worrying about her? She deleted everything and ended up replying with two words: ¡°Thank you¡± Jeremy responded, ¡°What for? Some things didn¡¯t need to be spelled out. Cornelia didn¡¯t want to revisit that night, so she changed the subject to ¡°Thanks for rmending the interior designer¡°! Jeremy ¡°I¡¯m your husband, you don¡¯t need to be so formal with me. You can trust Trent Brown, his interior design skills are pretty decent. You can tell him any ideas you have. You can ask him to submit the design of the entire house first and only start the renovation when you¡¯repletely satisfied. Our goal is to make the actual result match the design as closely as possible.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know much about renovation, but she understood that the actual result could never perfectly match the design. ¡°If I¡¯m really that strict, will I make it impossible for your friends to work?¡± Chapter 235 Jeremy replied, ¡°Remember, he¡¯s not doing this for free, you¡¯re paying him, youre the client. Don¡¯t worry about whether you guys can still be buddies afterward Comelia thought he made sense ¡°I got it¡® ¡°Comelia¡± Jeremy said Here we go again, just as always Cornelia pouted, ¡°Stop just saying my name without adding anything else¡® Marcus had a lot to say to her but didn¡¯t know how to start, so in the end, all he replied was. ¡®Nah, it¡¯s pool¡± Cornelia was pissed. What does he mean by ¡®it¡¯s cool¡®? Can¡¯t he just bring up his work and let her know him better? He knew her job like the back of her hand, but she was still clueless about his, just like when they first met, not even knowing exactly what he did for a living ¡°Jeremy, are you busy with work?¡± ¡°Been pretty chill recently,¡± said Jeremy If he were that busy he wouldn¡¯t have had the time to let herfortably handle the renovation ¡°Have you figured out when you¡¯re going back to Riverton Cornelia asked. ¡°My boss is going to give me a few days off¡± in her view she was being pretty obvious, Jeremy should get her drift If he could make it back to Riverton these days, she¡¯d have time to meet up with him. If he couldn¡¯t she could fly to his city to meet him and have a good chat Chatting on WhatsApp all the time as a married couple just didn¡¯t seem right. But to her surprise, Jeremy replied. ¡°Well, you should take a good rest these days¡± Comelia Did she have to just say outright, ¡°I want to see you sooner?¡± Forget it if he¡¯s not in a rush, why should she be She¡¯s still a girl, if she¡¯s too eager, he¡¯ll probably think she¡¯s not reserved enough. ¡°Night¡± Cornelia sent the message, huffed, switched her phone to airne mode, and focused on her comic drawing She made up her mind, next time they chat, shell act as aloof as him! Humph! Recently, she¡¯s been drawing ¡°Me and the Buddies Around Me¡°. She nned to focus on Marcus today, but now her mind was filled with Jeremy. So she had to switch tonight¡¯s drawing protagonist to Jeremy Sadly, she forgot what Jeremy looked like, so she could only try to make him look as good as possible, even better than Marcus, though, in reality, Jeremy might not be more handsome than Marcus She drew a lot of Jeremy¡¯s, drinking coffee, sitting, standing, and in silhouette Her favorite one was Jeremy rushing towards someone It was the blurry image in her mind from the night she was in danger, and Jeremy came rushing After finishing the drawing, Cornelia poked at his face with her finger and said, ¡°You big dummy, if you don¡¯te back soon, your wife might fall for someone else, and then you¡¯ll be crying¡± Corneliaughed at her own words What was she thinking? She couldn¡¯t even remember what Jeremy looked like, yet she created a perfect Jeremy in her mind ording to her preferences and then daydreamed about him. Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Jeremy replied, ¡°Remember, he¡¯s not doing this for free, you¡¯re paying him, youre the client. Don¡¯t worry about whether you guys can still be buddies afterward Comelia thought he made sense ¡°I got it¡® ¡°Comelia¡± Jeremy said Here we go again, just as always Cornelia pouted, ¡°Stop just saying my name without adding anything else¡® Marcus had a lot to say to her but didn¡¯t know how to start, so in the end, all he replied was. ¡®Nah, it¡¯s pool¡± Cornelia was pissed. What does he mean by ¡®it¡¯s cool¡®? Can¡¯t he just bring up his work and let her know him better? He knew her job like the back of her hand, but she was still clueless about his, just like when they first met, not even knowing exactly what he did for a living ¡°Jeremy, are you busy with work?¡± ¡°Been pretty chill recently,¡± said Jeremy If he were that busy he wouldn¡¯t have had the time to let herfortably handle the renovation ¡°Have you figured out when you¡¯re going back to Riverton Cornelia asked. ¡°My boss is going to give me a few days off¡± in her view she was being pretty obvious, Jeremy should get her drift If he could make it back to Riverton these days, she¡¯d have time to meet up with him. If he couldn¡¯t she could fly to his city to meet him and have a good chat Chatting on WhatsApp all the time as a married couple just didn¡¯t seem right. But to her surprise, Jeremy replied. ¡°Well, you should take a good rest these days¡± Comelia Did she have to just say outright, ¡°I want to see you sooner?¡± Forget it if he¡¯s not in a rush, why should she be She¡¯s still a girl, if she¡¯s too eager, he¡¯ll probably think she¡¯s not reserved enough. ¡°Night¡± Cornelia sent the message, huffed, switched her phone to airne mode, and focused on her comic drawing She made up her mind, next time they chat, shell act as aloof as him! Humph! Recently, she¡¯s been drawing ¡°Me and the Buddies Around Me¡°. She nned to focus on Marcus today, but now her mind was filled with Jeremy. So she had to switch tonight¡¯s drawing protagonist to Jeremy Sadly, she forgot what Jeremy looked like, so she could only try to make him look as good as possible, even better than Marcus, though, in reality, Jeremy might not be more handsome than Marcus She drew a lot of Jeremy¡¯s, drinking coffee, sitting, standing, and in silhouette Her favorite one was Jeremy rushing towards someone It was the blurry image in her mind from the night she was in danger, and Jeremy came rushing After finishing the drawing, Cornelia poked at his face with her finger and said, ¡°You big dummy, if you don¡¯te back soon, your wife might fall for someone else, and then you¡¯ll be crying¡± Corneliaughed at her own words What was she thinking? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. She couldn¡¯t even remember what Jeremy looked like, yet she created a perfect Jeremy in her mind ording to her preferences and then daydreamed about him. ¡± Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Chapter 236 What if one day they actually meet in person and his conversation is nothing like his WhatsApp chats? What if his worldview ispletely different from hers? What should she do then? But thinking about it right now was like counting chickens before they hatch Rubbing her sore neck, she realized it was already past midnight Comelia get up to wash her face in the bathroom, went through her skincare nsutine, and then settled comfortably in bed, preparing to check out the newn for a bit Usually she¡¯s all over the current affairs and financial news, hantly ever dipping into the entertainment stuff Today, she noticed that topping the social media trend list was someone she knew, Hannah Dixon Intrigued, she clicked on the trending hashtag #annah???shley Ashley is the main character of a romanceic series Cornelia emated and a hugely popr character in theic world Typically, big¨Cname actresses shy away from roles in popric adaptations, fearing criticism And Hannah being the selective actress she is, why on earth would she take on this role? Comelia clicked on a video interview of Hannah discussing her new role Many stars usually said they took the job because someone rmended the script to them, but Hannah, known for her sincerity in the industry, gave a simple and direct answer ¡°Because I loved the original work Tve been following the news since I heard it was being adapted. When I heard they were casting for the lead, I put myself forward, and they agreed quickly. Most importantly, I believe I can do justice to this characte Such authenticity reached Cornelia She was tempted toment, telling Hannah that she was the only one who could bring the author¡¯s vision of Ashley to life. However, scrolling through thements section, she saw a barrage of enticism, especially from diehard fans of the original work. They were whining about how theic shouldn¡¯t be turned into a live action series, saying Hannah couldn¡¯t embody Ashley¡¯s essence and that shed ruin the original work. But if the author can barely make ends meet by selling their rights, how can they possibly create better work? Those who im to be advocating for the author¨Cdo they care for the author? All they¡¯re doing is satisfying their own desires, thinking that the original work is somehow superior to any adaptation Cornelia reached for her phone, wanting to send Hannah a WhatsApp message, telling her not to let the onlinements get to her. But then she thought, Hannah has been in the entertainment industry for years and has faced all sorts of challenges. This wouldnt be the one to bring her down. Before she could send a message, Hannah beat her to it. It was as if they were on the same wavelength. ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re probably asleep by now, but I need someone to talk to, and you¡¯re the only one I can think of.¡± Cornelia replied. Tve got the day off tomorrow from President Hartley. Im still up. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Hannah, ¡°Can you talk on the phone right now?¡± Cornelia. ¡°Sure¡± Then Hannah called, ¡°Cornelia, I signed on to a new show today it¡¯s a role I wanted and one that I love but I¡¯m warned I won¡¯t be able to do it justice¡± Cornelia, having seen Hannah¡¯s confidence in the video, was surprised to hear her express such wornes. It seemed everyone put up a front: ¡°Hannah, why would you have such doubts?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m having these doubts. I never had them when i started. Maybe I love the character too much. I want to bring Ashley to life and make her more vivid, but I¡¯m scared 1 mess it up I asked the producers for the author¡¯s contact information so I could discuss my understanding of the character But they said the author isn¡¯t big on socializing, soil cant confirm whether my interpretation of Ashley aligns with the author¡¯s¡± Hannah went on and on, seeming more like she was talking to herself, but Comelia patiently listenedContent is property of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Chapter 237 If it were anything else, Comelia might not be able to offer any useful advice and could only serve as a listening ear for Hannah. But this time, as the original creator she had every night to weigh in After hearing Hannah¡¯s name, Cornelia spoke gently ¡°Hannah, everyone has their own interpretation of a character Don¡¯t sweat over what the original author thinks, just perform based on your understanding¡± ¡°The always done that, it¡¯s just this hme Hannah wasn¡¯t sure if Comelia could grasp her anxiety¨Cthat when you care about something so much, you fret more about not doing it well ¡°Hannah, would you like to hear my take on Ashley? Comelia¡¯s voice was soft, it had a soothing effect Hannah eximed with surprise ¡°That would be great tell me your interpretation¡± ¡°Ashley was born in turbulent times with no family to protect her, her tragic fate was predetermined. But she refused to ept it, she resorted to extreme measures and betrayed herself to get a new lease on life. She was strong willed she had her convictions, and she made those who bullied her and looked down on her unable topete with her She did it, but at the same time, she lost the most important thing ¡°The character Ashley was something Cornelia put a lot of time and effort into creating, but she never gave the character an ending Many readers hoped that the author could give Ashley a perfect ending. Cornelia, too, hoped Ashley could be happier than anyone else But some of the things Ashley had done were too brutal, and due to the circumstances, it seemed impossible to have a good ending Hannah asked, ¡°Cornelia, do you think Ashley will survive in the end? Will she be happy?¡± Comelia smiled and said. ¡°The author didn¡¯t paint an ending perhaps to let the readers decide for themselves if you wish for her to survive and lead a happy life, then she definitely will¡± Hannah sighed ¡°After all she¡¯s been through. I hope she can survive and have a good life in the future¡± ¡°She will have a good life¡± Comelia closed her eyes, hiding her heartache for the character ¡°Hannah, I don¡¯t know much about acting, I know hard work doesn¡¯t always pay off, but I believe you¡¯ve put in your all for this character, and no matter how it turns out, no matter what the audience thinks, you have nothing to regret ¡°Nelly, you¡¯re truly Marcus¡¯s right¨Chand woman, your words have opened my eyes¡± Hannah understood all these truths; it¡¯s just that when you care too much, you tend to overthink Comelia chuckled herugh was sweet, especially since her two tiny canines were very cute ¡®Praise me all you want, just don¡¯t bring up President Hartley, my achievements have nothing to do with him? Hannah said. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about those irrelevant men Do you know how Skyler Blue has been doing recently?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Skyler Blue may not be living asvishly as before, but she¡¯s gained the freedom she yearned for As long as Zavier leaves her alone, I think she should be doing well¡± Hannah spoke with deep emotion. ¡°Many people wish to live a life of luxury, but they don¡¯t understand what they would lose in such a life. Cornelia, I envy you¡± Cornelia was a bit surprised ¡°Envy me for what?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Hannah replied, ¡°I envy that your husband is just an ordinary man, I envy that you¡¯re capable of earning your living¡± Comelia agreed with this, although Jeremy wasn¡¯t as rich as those bigpany ownes, he was a good man, he could run a small business and make a bit of money, so she didn¡¯t have to suport him. She herself was capable of making a living she could live well even without Jeremy, and that¡¯s the kind of marriage she feltfortable with Hannah, possibly influenced by the character Ashley from the script, was particrly down tonight ¡°If one day you don¡¯t want to continue, you can choose to divorce. But for us, if the man doesn¡¯t agree, we would end up like Skyler Blue, living in despair Cornelia had seen how domineering Steven Dixon could be especially when he wanted to make love, he didn¡¯t care about her feelings at all. ¡°Hannah, don¡¯t be too pessimistic not all men are like Zavier¡± Chapter 238 Chapter 238 Chapter 238 ¡°Steven is even worse than Zavier No one could truly grasp the horror of Steven, only she, Hannah, knew it best ¡°Hannah, you¡¯ve got to take care of yoursell, no matter what Cornelia hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when she heard rustling noises and Steven¡¯s sleepy voice on the line ¡°Darling, who are you calling in the middle of the night? Are you cheating on me with someone else, huh?¡± Come didn¡¯t want to pry into their private lives, so she hung up right away She was dead tired before, but after all the talking, she was wide awake She got up turned on herputer and wrote a long heartfelt letter of two thousand words. She then created a Twitter ount to follow Hannah and sent her the letter via private message Cornelia wasn¡¯t a fan of sharing her life on social media, so she¡¯d never set up these ounts before If it wasn¡¯t for Hannah, she wouldn¡¯t have done it After sending the message, Cornelia logged out with no intention of using it again. After doing all this the sky was almost bright, and Cornelia finally hit the hay This time, she slept until past four in the afternoon and was still groggy when she woke up Come rarely pulled an all¨Cnighter. Even when she did in her younger days, it took her several days to recover She had some ingredients in the fridge, so she whipped up something to eat.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. There was also half a chicken left in the fridge Cornelia decided to make chicken soup for everyone to waim up, as it had been raining in Riverton and it was damp and chilly With some pasta, itd be enough for a dinner for three It would be ready by the time Zack and the others got home from work After all that Cornelia grabbed some snacks and went back to her room to continue working on her comic at her desk Meanwhile, Marcus was at Southern Peak, walking in with a bunch of presents Granny Luisa was quite worried. ¡°Did you upset Nelly again? 2 ¡°Granny, I told you I¡¯d be good to Nelly, and I meant it Marcus didn¡¯t quite know how to keep a marriage going, sci he had to seek advice from those with experience Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Chapter 239 Marcus felt his buddies were a bit ky and aside from them, he only had two olddies at home to rely on But they knew his and his wile¡¯s situation inside out, so they could provide relevant help Granny Luis was always on high alert ¡°Why on earth are you getting people to bring so much stuff over? Marcus couldn¡¯t help butugh at Granny Luisa¡¯s wards ¡®Can¡¯t Ibung gifts when Ie to see you as a younger generation?¡± Granny Luisa finally let out a sigh, saying, ¡°It¡¯s your previous confusing actions that got me wonied¡± Marcus helped Granny Luisa into the house then dismissed the butler and maid, saying ¡°Granny, where¡¯s Granny Reba?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°She¡¯s feeling a bit off today The doctor gave her medicine, and she¡¯s resting in her room¡® Marcus immediately got up and said ¡°Ti go see her¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Granny Luisa said. ¡°She just fell asleep, what¡¯s the point of you going in now? Wait until she wakes up. Tell me what you¡¯re up to today, and don¡¯t you dare upset her¡± Karcus held Granny Luisa¡¯s hand each word sincere ¡°Granny Luisa, I truly cherish Comelia I want to spend my life with her, but fm clueless about how to do it right. My parents had a rocky rtionship, they lived their own lives I¡¯ve never see how a normal couple behaves, and Im not sure how to manage my marnage with Cornelia Granny Luisa, can you share some wisdom?¡± Marcus words heartfelt and somewhat helpless, tugged at Granny Luisa¡¯s heartstrings. Growing up his parents were indifferent, so he spent most of his time with Granny Luisa, who taught him quite a lot. She taught him how to make money and how to deal with cunning folks in the business, but never about dealing with emotional issues, let alone the way a married couple should act People say the best education for a kid is to see their parents loving each other, but with all the Inappropriate stoff his parents did in front of him, it¡¯s a miracle his view on rtionships didn¡¯t go haywire Granny Luisa gently patted his hand and said, ¡°Marc, I¡¯m d you asked me this¡± Some men would pretend to understand emotional matters to save face, but he a man of his stature, was willing to ask indirectly showing how much he valued Comelia She continued, ¡°If you¡¯ve got time I¡¯d like to chat about something else first.¡± Marcus nodded. ¡°Granny, you talk, I¡¯m all ears¡± Granny Luisa let out a deep sigh, then slowly said, ¡°Your grandpa passed away early when your dad wasn¡¯t capable of taking over the Hartley Group. So we epted the Kamp family¡¯s proposal, marned into their family and together maintained the legacy our elders had built¡± ¡°When we made that decision, I had no idea your dad was already in love with someone else, and he didn¡¯t object Later, when your mom was pregnant with you, he wanted her to have an abortion, saying I broke him up with that woman. It was only then that we learned he had a girl he liked before he got married¡± ¡°After finding out about your dad we found out your mom had a simr past. She too had someone else she liked before marrying your dad¡± ¡°But she was better than your dad. When they just got married, she hoped to forget the past and live a good life with your dad, so she tried hard to give birth to you. But your dad couldn¡¯t forget that woman and refused her request to live a good life together¡± ¡°From then on, she acted crazier than your dad, almost like she was madly trying to get back at him.¡± Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Chapter 240 ¡°They all have their own lives, nobody owes anyone anything. The ones truly getting screwed over are you and B You two are ther flesh and blood, but they never took care of you As for your father, he sure does heck of a job taking care of his bastard son After hearing Granny Luisa¡¯s words, anyst shed of respect Marcus had for that couple was gone The guy had a girl he liked before they got married if he wanted to be with her he should ve ditched the mariage alliance and not enjoyed its perks while chasing after his so called true love If it was true love, he shouldn¡¯t have made her his mistress and kept her hanging around for years The dude is nothing but a spineless wimp, always ming others for his screw¨Cups. Marcus scoffed saying ¡°Granny Brt and I are all grown up now¡± ¡°Does growing up mean forgetting about the past?¡± Granny Luisa mentioned their son, her voice filled with helplessness I was worned you¡¯d end up like your parents, that¡¯s why I wanted you to marry a gift from ar ordinary family hoped you would have a simple, happy life¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus understood Granny¡¯s intentions, it was also why he agreed to get married I know, Granny¡± Marcus was nothing like his father, which relieved Granny Luisa ¡°Marc, I told you all this to let you know that there¡¯s no fixed pattern to marriage. Every couple has their own way of getting along As long as you genuinely want to be with Comelia and treat her well, shell feel your sincerity, got it?¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°I got it¡± Ainght then let¡¯s have dinner After dinner, head back to Riverton and spend more time with Nelly Don¡¯t leave her alone at home if you two can patch things up before the New Year, it¡¯ll be a livet) celebration¡± Marcus said. ¡°Granny, Cornelia doesn¡¯t know Im Jeremy¡± Granny Luisa was surprised ¡°What do you mean?¡± He continued, ¡°You should know i got a new assistant when I came back He had mentioned it before, and Granny Luisa remembered, ¡°Uh¨Chuh, I know¡± Marcus awkwardly adjusted his sses and said, ¡°Cornelia is my new assistant. We met in the company after we got our marriage certificate, but neither of us knew each other. I nned to pick her up, but i mistook her friend for her, which led to a series of misunderstandings. Not until we decided to divorce and I saw her at the city hall did I realized made a huge mistake¡± Granny Luisa understood what he meant but it was so absurd she could hardly believe it: ¡°Wait, you¡¯re saying Cornelia is your new assistant, and she doesn¡¯t even know her boss is her husband?¡± Marcus nodded Ive gotten myself into a dead end I can¡¯t tell her Im her husband¡± Granny Luisa asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you reveal your identity the moment you realized she was your wife?¡± Marcus confessed, ¡°Because I kept pushing her to divorce when she needed help the most. She has a terrible impression of Jeremy, so I didn¡¯t have the guts to tell her that I am Jeremy.¡± Granny Luisa immediately realized the seriousness of the situation ¡°Silly boy, not revealing your identity at the right time makes it look like you have ulterior motives. If I were Nelly. I¡¯d definitely think you were just trying to see if I was after your money Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Chapter 241 Marcus was a bit nervous ¡°Granny that¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you¡¯re thinking it¡¯s all about how Comalia sees it Ganny Luisa continued ¡®Since you¡¯ve missed the golden chance to disclose your real identity there¡¯s no need to stress about it now just ba nice to her from now on shell get your point¡± Granny Luisa suddenly membered something before she finished talking ¡°Hold on you two have already shared a bed Cornelis even bought shoes for you, how could she possibly not know you¡¯re her husband? Marcus knew the grannies got it all wrong He had to create the misunderstanding out of desperation that night ¡°We didn¡¯t sleep together. That time, when Comelia and I were on a business trip in the Capital, she leit pick all of a sudden asked her granny about her condition, and Granny Reba video called Comelia because she was worried I picked up the call so Granny Reba wouldn¡¯t worry, that¡¯s how the misunderstanding happened Granny Luisa was disappointed so the dream of having a great¨Cgrandchild was shattered again ¡°The thing about Cornelia buying shoes for you¨Cthats not made up, right?¡± Marcus sighed. ¡°She bought them for Jeremy¡± ¡°You¡¯re still jealous¡± Granny chuckled and poked his forehead saying. ¡°Honesty is the best policy in a marriage. She doesn¡¯t even know your real identity yet, and you two are nning on spending a lifetime togeth, you have to bear the consequences of your actions¡± ¡°What are you guys talking about¡± Granny Reba woke up and was helped by a caretake to the living room Marcus quickly helped Granny Reba sit down and said. ¡°Granny ate you feeling okay?¡± ¡°Tm fine why did youe alone again?¡± Granny Reba knew she was getting worse and mally hoped they could visit her together Granny Luisa was quick to react. ¡°He came to ask for advice on how to handle a manage. He said he wanted to have a good rtionship with Cornelia, but he¡¯s worned he wont do a good job, so he¡¯s stressed out. Let¡¯s not put pressure on them, let them handle it.¡± Granny Reba asked, ¡°Did you and Cornelia fight again?¡± Before Marcus could answer his phone rang The mentioned Comelia suddenly requested a video call Granny Reba was thrilled when she saw it ¡°It¡¯s Cornelia¡± Granny Luisa reminded her, ¡°Granny Reba, wait for a second Come doesn¡¯t know he came here today, don¡¯t spill the beans¡± Granny Reba answered the video call, ¡®Comelia¡± Comelia said, ¡°Granny, my boss has to be with his wife, so he gave me a few days off. Can Ie to Southern Peak to see you guys tomorrow?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Granny Luisa nced at Marcus. Why couldn¡¯t he simply ask for a day off instead of alwaysing up with weird excuses? ¡°I heard it¡¯s a more than two¨Chour drive from Riverton to here, you better not take the long trip.¡± Comelia said. ¡°I be there quickly by car¡± ¡°Alright then ¡°Granny Reba really missed her granddaughter, not only did she care about her life, but she also frequently asked about her work. ¡°Nelly, how¡¯s work going?¡± Cornelia knew that Granny was interested in her job, so she patiently exined the details of her work. Of course, she always tried to put a positive spin on things and didn¡¯t mention the hard times ¡°Granny, let me tell you, my boss is really nice, he¡¯s not only good to his wife but also very kind to us employees. He even assigned apany car to me the other day ¡°Apany car? Your boss gave you apany car?¡± Granny Reba didn¡¯t quite get the generosity of bigpanies. ¡°Does he have some special feelings for you?¡± ¡°Not just me, many employees in thepany gotpany cars. My boss is a very upright person; he wouldn¡¯t have any inappropriate thoughts about me¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, then¡± Chapter 242 Chapter 242 Chapter 242 ¡°Granny, I¡¯ve bought a house. Once I¡¯m done with the renovation, Il bring you over to love in Riverton, okay?¡± ¡°Okay¡± ¡°Granny there¡¯s something else I¡¯ve been mulling over for a while, and I¡¯ve decided to let you in on it¡± ¡®Go ahead¡± ¡°Ive decided to give Jeremy a shot want to try dating him. I kind of give myself a chance too¡± ¡°Why the sudden change of heart?¡± Granny Petra nced at Jeremy, who was usually calm but now looked all jittery ¡°Because I think he¡¯s a trustworthy guy, which means he might also be a stable emotional partner Granny, do you agree with me continuing to see him? Even though it was ultimately Cornelia¡¯s choice whether or not to be with Jeremy she still wanted to hear her grandmother¡¯s opinion. Under Marcus watchful gaze, Granny Reba slowly said, ¡°And what if your feelings are wrong? You can¡¯t forget about his previous talk of divorce¡± Granny Luisa threw a punch at Jeremy, making sure it happened right in front of Granny Reba. Comelia said Tm talking about trying to date him. If we don¡¯t click after spending time together, then we¡¯ll just have to call it quits¡± ¡°Alright¡± Granny Reba was satisfied with this response. She hoped they could reconcile, but more than that, she wished Cornelia wouldn¡¯t be tied down by a man or marriage if the marriage wasn¡¯t happy, she should leave it in a heartbeat ¡°Nelly whatever decision you make Granny will always have your back¡± The moment Zack and Abigail walked in, they could smell the aroma of the soup ¡°Comelia, didn¡¯t you go to work today?¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia was on a video call in her room and didn¡¯t hear them until they were right behind her, with two extra faces suddenly popping up on the video Comelia jumped ¡°Why didn¡¯t you guys let me know when you got back? Are you trying to scare me?¡± Abigail said, ¡°We¡¯ve been calling out to you for a while, it¡¯s not our fault you didn¡¯t hear¡± Zack waved at the olddy in the video with a smile and said ¡°Granny I missed you!¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Granny missed you too. Zack, you are in your twenties now, have you found a girlfriend yet?¡± ¡°Granny, I gotta go, you guys carry on chatting¡± Zack, who was mortified by the prospect of being nagged about marriage quickly turned and bolted Granny Reba¡¯s next target was Abigail, who immediately exined, ¡°Granny, I have a crush on Cornelia¡¯s boss, and I¡¯m waiting for Cornelia to introduce me to him? Granny Luisa was dumbstruck Cornelia¡¯s friend had a crush on Cornelia¡¯s boss and wanted Cornelia to help her, but the boss was Cornelia¡¯s husband! Was Comelia supposed to introduce her own husband to her friend without knowing? Marcus got up to leave before he could get an answer ¡°Grannies, fm going to head out¡± ¡°Granny, don¡¯t listen to her nonsense¡± Cornelia had barely finished speaking when she thought she heard Marcus voice ¡°Granny, who else is there with you?¡± ¡°Just your Granny Luisa and me ¡°Then you guys should enjoy your dinner early, I¡¯m going to go eat too¡± Cornelis figured it was probably Abigail¡¯s idle chatter that had made her uneasy and made her hear voices that weren¡¯t there Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Chapter 243 After Cornelia hung up, Zack had already whipped up two more dishes. Cornelia was in charge of the soup. Abigail the rice, and they all had ther tasks so everything was done super quickly and the food was on the table in no time Zack said mysteriously, ¡°Before we eat. I have some juicy news to share¡± Cornelia yed along asking, ¡°What¡¯s the news?¡± Zack said, ¡°Hannah is going to y Ashley you know that, right? Comelia, ¡°Mm ¡± Zack, ¡°Cornelia, you said Hannah was your favorite actress, why are you still so chill knowing she¡¯s the one ying the role?¡± Cornelia i got all my excitement outst night.¡± Zack asked ¡°Did you make that Nelly Belly ount?¡± Comelia ¡°Yes¡± Zack ¡°Good, I was worried someone else had snatched up the name to impersonate the author Did you know Hannah followed the ount? Do you know how many followers that ount got overnight because of Hannah¡°* Comelia really didn¡¯t know, she just made the ount to support Hannah, she didn¡¯t care about the number of followers ¡°You know, I work and paint in my spare time; I never nned to run this ount Zack, ¡°Whether you n to run it or not, I just want you to realize your worth now¡± Comelia. ¡± my worth determined by the number of followers?¡± Zack said. ¡°You¡¯re always busy with work and painting: you really don¡¯t know anything else. More followers means more people will see yourics, which means more people will pay to read your novels. Cornelia, money you want more of it, don¡¯t you?¡± Hearing about money, Cornelia perked up right away ¡°Money, of course, I want more.¡± Abigail summanized, ¡°In short, Cornelia, we¡¯re about to make a killing¡± Comelia. ¡°After buying a house. I nned on saving as much as possible on decorations Now that I have money, can I spruce it up a bit more?¡± Zack and Abigail, ¡°Sure¡± Comelia, ¡°Could I possibly even be a richdy?¡± Zack and Abigail, ¡°Absolutely¡± Suddenly, Comelia felt unreal ¡°Zack Abigail, everything that¡¯s happening to metely feels like a dream. Can you pinch me to make sure I¡¯m not dreaming?¡± Abigail really pinched her ¡°Comelia, no need to doubt. You deserve all the good things.¡± Zack agreed. ¡°Absolutely¡± Cornelia screamed in pain, ¡°Abigail, you pinched so hard¡± Content rights belong to N?velDrama.Org. Abigail said, ¡°if I didn¡¯t, you wouldn¡¯t remember. You have to remember everything you have now because of your hard work No one can hurt you with the past anymore¡± ¡°Ok, I got it.¡± Comelia hadn¡¯t thought about her messy past for a long time, and she didn¡¯t want to mention it anymore. She quickly changed the subject: ¡°The holiday ising up in a month, are you two nning to go home this year?¡± Zack replied. ¡°I n to, but I¡¯m womed my family will nag me about getting married¡± Abigail also said. ¡°I have the same worry¡± Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Chapter 244 ¡°Cool beans! I don¡¯t have to worry about not spending the holiday with my Granny this year I was nning to take her out for a walk, but her health isn¡¯t up to snuff Cornelia said ¡°Don¡¯t sweat (L¡± Zack reassured her ¡°Let your Granny chill for a bit. You can always take her but when she¡¯s back in the saddle¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried it might be toote Comelia confessed. She had asked the doctor on the down low, and although her Granny was giving it her all her age made things look pretty grim Whenever Cornelia thought about her Granny busting her chops all her tie, only to fall sick before she could kick back and enjoy life, she felt a lump in her throat ¡°Why don¡¯t we bring your Granny here to live with us¡± suggested Abigail We can hunk together and let her have my room¡± Comells shook her head ¡°My Granny has already decided to go to Southern Peak with Jeremy¡¯s Granny She doesn¡¯t want to rain on my parade, wants me to be focused on my work. There¡¯s no way she¡¯sing back with me¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mal heart breaker, is it¡± said Abigal ¡°Parents ve away all their lives for their kids, but when they really need their kids, they worry about being a burden¡± ¡°Abigail I¡¯m hitting the road to Southern Peak tomorrow to keep my Grannypany for a couple of days. Let¡¯s hit the mall after dinner, I want to buy her some new threads,¡± said Cornelia ¡°Can you afford to take time off work?¡± asked Abigail ¡°My boss is off with his wife, gave us a few days off: Corne replied. *Im getting green with envy over your job¡± Abigail admitted ¡°Bet you¡¯re not envious of my job, but rather itching to be my boss¡¯sdy¡± Comelia teased with a grin. ¡°You¡¯ve hit the nail on the head again, Abigail conceded The the enjoyed a heartyugh over their meal. Afterwards, Comelia and Abigail went out to hit the shops, while Zack stayed back to do the dishes and clean up the kitchen. Cornelia had her sights set on the mall where she¡¯d shopped for shoes before. It had all kinds of stuff Comelia dragged Abigail straight to the third floor, which was dedicated to clothing for the older crowd. They had barely hit the second store when Cornelia spotted a coat she liked Not only was it a looker, it was alsofy as hell Cornelia loved it and decided to cop two But when she saw the price, she found out that each one, even after the discount, would set her back a grand if it was for herself, Cornelia would have thought twice, but since it was for her Granny, she didn¡¯t hesitate to swipe her card for two. After the costs. Cornelia also picked out a few sets of clothes and shoes for her Granny Since the two Granny¡¯s were living together, she couldn¡¯t y favontes, so she bought two of everything. ¡°You haven¡¯t bought new clothes for yourself in forever. Why don¡¯t you treat yourself to a couple of pinces?¡± Abigail suggested. Cornelia did want to buy a few new outfits for herself, but her expenses were through the moftely. After thinking it over, she decided against it. ¡°I mostly wear my work clothes, so even if I buy new ones. I wont have the time to wear them Better not to blow money¡± Abigail knew Cornelia well and understood her frugality. She literally dragged her to the women¡¯s section. ¡°You¡¯re buying something today, like it or not.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want to Comelia felt insecure when her bank ount was low, and her expenses were off the charts recently. She really couldn¡¯t afford to burn money on a whim. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Abigail felt sorry for her ¡°Babe you should be kinder to yourself and splurge a bit ¡°Let me buy a house and create a home first, then I think about buying other stuff Cornelia replied. She didn¡¯t have parents or a traditional home, which made henfeel insecure. She believed that only by owning a house and having a stable ce to live, she would be able to feel secure Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Chapter 245 Abigail didn¡¯t push Comelia to buy anything, instead she said ¡°Alright, I go shopping with you I wanna get a couple of fancy schmancy outfits for the holiday. This year, fin determined to outdo Cindy¡± Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Comelia chuckled ¡°You¡¯re still hung up on that huh?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been less than a year, how could I forget? She just mamed some loaded guy toting around a pricey bag. At our munion, she kept showing off about it, like, a bazillion times. She said her husband owned a bunch of shops in our city and they had millions in the bank. I didn¡¯t mind her flexing, it didn¡¯t affect me, but she even had the nerve to belittle us. She knew damn well why you weren¡¯t going back to Rosenberg, but she still asked you if it¡¯s because you¡¯re broke or boyfriend less, and that¡¯s why you¡¯re not going back for the holidays it pissed me off every time I thought about it¡± Abigail was getting heated, and decided. ¡°Let¡¯s treat ourselves to some luxury stuff¡± ¡°Why bother with her? We just need to live our own lives well Comelia tried to reason with Abigail, but once she made up her mind, there was no changing it With a sigh Cornelia drove Abigail to the famous luxury brand mall in Riverton Due to her job. Cornelia was familiar with a lot of high end brands as she often bought clothes and bags for clients on various holidays These fancy clothes are just for show, some cant even be washed They¡¯re not for regr folks, but for the rich and fancy. Comelia tried to convince Abigail again, ¡°Abigail, you can buy a bag but I don¡¯t think you should buy the clothes¡± Abigail was adamant today. ¡°I¡¯m buying both want to show off a bit. Otherwise, those who look down on us will think we¡¯re not doing well and everyone can just walk all over us¡± I was gettingte, there were still customers lined up outside the bag shop, waiting for staff to let then in. Comelia and Abigail werest in line. As they entered the shop, the sales clerk who greeted them gave them a once¨Cover, ¡°Do you have an appointment?¡± Before they could answer, she continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t have an appointment, just browse around Call me if you need anything¡± Abigail and Comelia browsed around, and liked a small bag. ¡°Can we take a look at this one?¡± The saleswoman nced at Abigail and said impatiently ¡°We¡¯re out of stock¡± Abigail replied. ¡°The item is right here, how can you say it¡¯s out of stock?¡± The saleswoman said, ¡°We only have this disy piece. If you¡¯re sure you want to buy it, I can show it to you¡± Abigail retorted ¡°How can I be sure if I haven¡¯t even looked at it?¡± The saleswoman replied sharply. ¡°If you can¡¯t afford it, you shouldn¡¯t be in our store When youe to our store, you should know our brand. Our bags are expensive, not everyone can afford them¡± The saleswoman¡¯s tone was so sharp and nasty that Comelia had a new understanding of her service attitude Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Chapter 246 ¡°We don¡¯t need your service anymore Call your manager out now! This condescending and irritable attitude towards customers was too much even for Comelia, who usually had a good temper Some salespeople in luxury shops acted as if the store was their own home, constantly looking down on consumers. The salesperson looked Cornelia up and down, not thinking she looked like a high spender at all and, of course, not worthy of the store manager¡¯s service ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Our manager is attending to some VIP¡± Comelia said coldly ¡°Get your manager here now + Seeing Comelia¡¯s assertive attitude the salesperson¡¯s anogance escted, even saying. ¡°We¡¯re happy to serve shoppers, but if you¡¯re here just to make trouble, don¡¯t me us for not being nice¡± Abigailughed out in anger ¡®As all salespeople in these high¨Cend stores this arrogant now?¡± ¡°We have two troublemakers here Could security please ask them to leave?¡± The salesperson threw a scornful look at Cornelia, then hit their walkie talkie and called security in general even if salespeople looked down on customers, they wouldn¡¯t tantly use them of wrongdoing, let alone called security to kick them out Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Therefore, upon hearing the call, two security guards quickly amved. Before the security guards could speak, the salesperson pointed at Comelia and said. ¡°These two were trying to steal our bags caught them, and they¡¯re trying to cause trouble¡± ¡°You two, pleasee with me¡± The appearance of the secunty guards caught the attention of the surrounding customers. They were just shopping and they were used of theft for no reason. Normally, this was a matter for the police But Cornelia had a more direct and effective way to deal with it She pulled out her phone and contacted the store owner, whom she had just spoken tost week ¡®Mr. Sharp. I brought my friend to your store to look at bags. The attitude of your salespeople really can¡¯t be tolerated. We just said her altitude was bad, but she not only falsely used us of stealing but also called security to kick us out¡± Soon after the message was sent, the highest authority in the store appeared in front of Cornelia respectfully. ¡°Ms. Stewart, we¡¯re extremely sorry! You had such a temble shopping experience Please come with me to the VIP lounge and take your time picking the bag you want¡± Comelia usually wouldn¡¯t fuss over little things with service people, but today she was really disgusted by the salesperson¡¯s arrogance and irrational behavior This was not only rudeness but bullying ¡°We don¡¯t need a bag anymore I don¡¯t want to say much You can check the CCTV footage and see for yourself. After you¡¯ve seen it, tell me if I deserve an apology¡± Comelia didn¡¯t want to say more and left with Abigail Walking out of the high¨Cend store, Abigail instantly felt better ¡°Are these high-end salespeople getting confused about who the customers are?¡± Cornelia sighed. ¡°These salespeople can tell who the customers are. They just judge people by their appearance. Those who look like ordinary customers might only buy one or two bags from them in their lifetime. Naturally, they don¡¯t take these customers seriously. But for the mally rich who buy their products, they show a different attitude¡± Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Abigail said. ¡°Even if it¡¯s a big brand, if their customer service stinks, they wontst long¡± Comelia said, ¡°Sure, not all salespeople are like that We just had bad luck today and ran into someone with a terrible attitude. Let¡¯s head to another store and keep shopping We cant let one person ruin our mood¡± They then walked into another high end bag stem and learning from their precious experience, Come promptly showed thepany¡¯s VIP card So, they were led to the VIP lounge, where they could pick up bags that regr customers couldn¡¯t buy After a while. Abigail only picked a moderately priced bag. The salesperson showed no dissatisfaction and offered excellent service throughout the process After buying the bags, they went to buy clothes Abigail bought two pieces at once, she really didn¡¯t give a hool about money. Abigail was the only child in the family, both of her parents had good jobs. Not only did they not take her money, but they also gave her money to spend. They even helped her with some money when she bought her house So even though she didn¡¯t earn as much as Cornelia, she lived morefortably Finally they spotted a few coats. They were very ssic not only stylish but also warm. Of course, they were also pricey Comelia winced at the price, but Abigail said, ¡°You¡¯re tall and fair¨Cskinned, you¡¯d look great in this. Try it on, if it looks good, I buy two and give you one¡± Comel kept shaking her head, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need this coat The weather in Riverton never gets that cold, it be a waste¡°. Abigail said, ¡°You could wear it when you¡¯re on a business trip with your boss¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°wont be able to wear it on business trips either She still had to wear her uniform during business tnps. in short, Comelia really didn¡¯t want to splurge on a coat for herself On the way home, the regional manager of the bag store personally called Comelia and said, ¡°Ms Stewart, I sincerely apologize for what happened tonight. We will take dealing with that salesperson seriousty When you¡¯re free, we¡¯d like to treat you to a meal and have the salesperson apologize to you in person.¡± T This was the power of money. The higher the previous salesperson climbed, the lower her boss had to bow to apologize to Coindia Cornelia didn¡¯t want to waste her precious time on this matter. ¡°There¡¯s no need for a personal apology, I don¡¯t want to see that disgusting face again M. Sharp, I have things to do; Ill hang up now¡± Abigail said. ¡°You¡¯re to kind, you should have them apologize¡± Comelia smiled and said. ¡°There¡¯s no need to waste time on this¡± Abigail said, ¡°If it were me I would have her bring that woman to apologize and watch her get fired¡± Because she didn¡¯t have a backer and no one to watch her back, Come needed to be thorough in everything she did, which was why she¡¯s more introverted than Abigant ¡°if such a person gets fired, they might not even realize their mistake and might even think we¡¯re targeting her She might hold a grudge, so it¡¯s better to avoid seeing her if possible.¡± Abigail said. ¡°Cornelia, you really think things through.¡± Cornelia didnt respond, focusing on driving When she was a child, when many children her age were still throwing tantrums in their mother¡¯s arms, she was already learning to understand her grandmother¡¯s work stress and took the initiative to help with some household chores. Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Chapter 248 Once she got home, Cornelia took a bath and hit the sack right away She nned on getting up early and visiting grandma at Southern Peak Before drifting off, Comelia had a habit of scrolling through her phone. She saw unread Whatsapp messages from Hannah Cornelia, guess what? The author of the Ashley novel DMd me! She filled my inbox with encouraging words I¡¯m suddenly brimming with confidence] Comelia replied with a chuckle Who knows maybe you¡¯re the spitting image of Ashley the author has in mind Hannah replied I think you and the author have a lot inmon. She must be as sharp as a tack, just like you. If she wants to be friends, I¡¯m game Comelia replied Maybe you¡¯re already friends, and you just don¡¯t know it yet] Hannah replied You¡¯re such afort Okay, it¡¯s gettingte Im gonna read my script a bit more. You should hit the hay too] ¡°Nighty night¡± Comelia texted goodnight but kept staring at Jeremy¡¯s profile picture Jeremy hadn¡¯t sent her a single message in the past 24 hours. Was he too busy or was it something else? Waiting around wasn¡¯t fun, and Cornelia didn¡¯t want to be on the back foot in this rtionship. So she texted him first Jeremy] she wrote, just his name, waiting for his response. Time ticked away after she sent the message Cornelia was dead tired, but Jeremy hadn¡¯t replied, so she decided to sleep first. Waking up bright and early, she grabbed her phone and opened Jeremy¡¯s chat, but still no reply. Comelia was suddenly worried Was something wrong? From what she knew about Jeremy, he was a man of few words but he never ghosted her. She texted him again (Jeremy, what¡¯s up? Why didn¡¯t you reply all night¡°] Soon after Jeremy texted back (Sorry! I slept earlyst night, didn¡¯t see your message Was he really brushing her off because he didn¡¯t see the message? Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Cornelia replied, feeling down. [Got it | Jeremy texted again [You textedtest night. Was something up?] Cornelia was so pissed off she didn¡¯t even want to answer him. He imed to be her husband and wanted to be with her Did a wife need a reason to text her husband? Cornelia decided to ignore him, packed her bags, and headed to the station. She hopped on the bus and checked her phone, expecting more messages from him. But all she saw was his previous message Comelia was even more peeved. She shot back [Do I need a reason to text you? Or do you have so many women you can¡¯t keep track of who¡¯s texting you?] Jeremy replied [Firstly, to answer your question, you dont need a reason to text me. As for your second question, let me make it clear, you¡¯re the only woman in my life | Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Chapter 249 Comelia¡¯s anger and resentment were instantly washed away by Jeremy¡¯s blunt response. She understood that every man would probably respond this way when being questioned by their wife. But she couldn¡¯t exin why she believed Jeremy As long as he said he didn¡¯t have another woman, she would trust him Even though her doubts were gone Com still wanted to tease him a bit [You¡¯re out working all the time, how would I know you¡¯re not ying me?] After sending the message. Come waited for a while before finally getting a response from Jeremy [Cornelia, what do I need to do for you to believe me?] Comelia only wanted to joke around with him, she didn¡¯t expect him to take it so senously It made her feel like a big bad wolf and she felt rather uneasy i believe you] Jeremy replied (Thank you And that was the end of their chat for the day Comelia wanted to continue chatting with him, so she tried toe up with some topics: [I¡¯m on my way to Southern Peak, will be there soon. Do you have any messages for grandma¡°] Jeremy replied [No] Cornelia was speechless. Couldn¡¯t the guy just help keep the conversation flowing? No wonder he couldn¡¯t a girlfriend at his age and needed his grandma¡¯s help to get hitched Such a dull and antisocial guy not only failed to entertain girls, but few girls could stand his style of communication However Comelia was fine with hisck of chat skills, at least she didn¡¯t have to worry about him having other women on the side Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia held her phone and asked again Do you have anything you want to say to me?] Jeremy replied I be back in Riverton in a few days] Comelia was thrilled when she saw the message (When are youing back? Can we set a time to meet? The holiday season ising up soon, will you be busy then? If you¡¯re not, can we spend the holidays with grandma together?] He wasing back to Riverton, she could see him then Cornelia asked a lot of questions, but Jeremy¡¯s answer was still very brief [Coming back on the 11th He didn¡¯t answer any of her other questions Comelia was speechless. She wasnt going to take the initiative to text him anymore Cornelia put away her phone with a sigh of resignation, the train nnouncement was already reminding her to get ready to get off Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Chapter 250 Cornelia, with clothes she bought for her two grannies, joined the passengers who were alighting the train, waiting to get off one by one after the train reached the station. After leaving the station, she hailed a cab and went straight to Southern Summer Garden Once she reached her destination and saw the vi towering in front of her, Comelia slowly realized that Jeremy¡¯s family might be a lot wealthier than she had thought Although the house prices in Southern Peak couldn¡¯tpete with Riverton, owning a vi in Southern Peak still required a pretty penny Coupled with the fact that Jeremy had a house in Riverton, his family¡¯s financial situation shouldn¡¯t be too shabby Comelia did a quick tally of her own assets. She didn¡¯t have much cash in her bank ount, but she had a decent ie from her job at the Hartley Group each month Add that to the earnings from her studio¡¯sics and the value of her house she wasn¡¯t exactly broke After doing the math, Comelia concluded that from a wealth perspective, she felt she was pretty much on par with Jeremy Her two grannies were anxiously waiting by the door, and when they saw Comelia, they were overjoyed. ¡°You must be firede inside first¡± ¡°Hi, grannies¡± Comelia put down her shopping bags and exotedly embraced her granny, ¡°Granny, did you miss me?¡± ¡°Of course we did¡® Granny Reba ruffled her hait revealing a brilliant smile that Cornelia hadn¡¯t seen in a while, ¡°Come, I cooked your favorite dishes today¡± When Cornelia was in school, she woulde home every week, and no matter how busy or what the weather was like, granny would always personally cook her favorite dishes After all these years, granny¡¯s first thought upon seeing her was still to cook for her ¡°Granny you always cook for me let me cook for you today¡± said Comelia Granny Luisa, standing on the side, voiced her jealousy. ¡°Nelly, am I not your granny too? Why do you only hug her and not me?¡± Cornelia quickly turned and gave Granny Luisa a hug and only then was the satisfied. ¡°Good, that¡¯s more like it¡® Cornelia went inside with them and proudly showed off the new clothes she bought, ¡°Dear grannies, I got you these new clothes and shoes. They¡¯re all the same style, just different colors You like?¡± ¡°As long as you bought them, I¡¯ll love them,¡± said Granny Reba, looking at the new clothes Cornelia bought, happy but also worried, ¡°We don¡¯t go out much and we can¡¯t wear all these new clothes. You need to save more and not waste money on this¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Granny Reba knew Comelia had just bought a new house, and she felt guilty that not only could she not provide more savings to help her, but she was also spending her money Comeliaughed and replied ¡°Granny, I only buy you clothes once a year, so don¡¯t worry about me¡± Granny Luisa, who was born into a wealthy family and married a rich man, was a strong woman in business when she was young She never worried about the little things in life and was okay with her children spending money on her, ¡°If Nelly bought it for me, then I won¡¯t refuse¡± She was cheerful and selected a more brightly colored coat to try on, ¡°Young people really do have good taste. Wearing this coat, I feel like I¡¯ve gotten several years younger Influenced by Granny Luisa, Granny Reba also started trying on clothes All of the clothes were carefully selected by Comelia. Both olddies feltfortable wearing them and couldn¡¯t stopplimenting Cornelia Chapter 251 Chapter 251 Chapter 251 The two olddies were quite satisfied with the clothes, and Comelia was happy as well, ¡°Granny, Ill wash these clothes first, then you can wear them ¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Helly don¡¯t work your butt off We¡¯ve got someone to do ourundry Granny Luisa had Cornelia sit down, ¡°Jeremy has hired people to take care of us. You don¡¯t get to visit often, so sit and chat with us¡± Since Comelia¡¯s amval, she noticed that not only did the people Jeremy hired take good care of the old ladies, they even kept the garden in good shape and the house spotless. She really didn¡¯t have anything to help with I was then that Cornelia realized that Jeremy was way mos thorough in taking care of the elderly than she had imagined. Thinking about this. Comelia¡¯s fondness for Jeremy increased a bit if a perfect partner was a ten Jeremy was already an eight in her heart. Granny Luisa was hoping for Comelia and Jeremy to tie the knot soon. So she quickly changed the topic to Marcus, ¡°Nelly,st night you mentioned your boss. You said he¡¯s a good guy if you¡¯re both single, would you choose him as your husband¡°¡± Comelia didn¡¯t expect Granny Luisa to ask such a straightforward question, but she answered directly. ¡°Not Granny Luisa asked. ¡°Why?¡± Comelia didnt understand why Granny Luisa was pressing this issue, ¡°Granny, I just wouldn¡¯t choose him, no particr mason¡± Maybe it was because Marcus¡¯s status put pressure on Cornelia, or because he was too perfect making him seem a bit less down to earth. Anyway, she never thought about being with Marcus Comelia didn¡¯t want to discuss this awkward topic anymore, ¡°Granny, how about we make pizza for lunch?¡± ¡°What kind of pizza do you want?¡± Corne sessfully changed the subject and Granny Luisa didn¡¯t press on. ¡°I have the housekeeper prepare the ingredients, and we can make pizza together Comelia wanted to make the pizza herself. It¡¯d lose its meaning if someone else did it. ¡°Granny, I can handle it.¡± Although Granny Luisa knew Comelia was capable, she wasn¡¯t sure if she knew how to make pizza. ¡°Nelly, are you sure you know how?¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Granny Luisa, you might be underestimating Nelly She knows how to do a lot of things. She¡¯ll surprise you¡± Granny Luisaughed and said, ¡°Alright, I cant wait to see Comelia went to the kitchen and soon enough, the ingredient were ready The two olddies also wanted to have a go. They each brought a chair to sit around the dining table and joined Cornelia. The three chatted together, mainly about funny stories from Comelia¡¯s childhood Granny Reba was very excited talking about them, Granny Luisa was totally hooked, they didn¡¯t consider Cornelia¡¯s feelings at all. Cornelia felt really embarrassed, ¡°Granny, those are old stories. Why do you keep bringing them up? It¡¯s so embarrassing¡± Chapter 252 Chapter 252 Chapter 252 ¡°Alright, let¡¯s move on from your toe¨Cbiting phase and talk about your bed wetting days¡® nny Reba said, not caring that Granny Luisa was there Comelia knew she couldn¡¯t stop them, so she gave up As long as they were happy that was all that mattered What surprised Comelia was that neither of the olddies asked about Jeremy After the pizza was ready Granny Luisa had a slice. She really thought it was good, ¡°Nelly, your pizza is delicious Can I bring some to the neighbors?¡± ¡°Sure, Granny ni make another one right away¡± Comelia made another pizza and said, ¡°I bring it to the neighbor¡± ¡°To¡± Granny Luisa went out, chuckling Granny Reba had been living here for a while and had never heard of a neighbor living next door, but she didn¡¯t pry After lunch, Comelia sat in the yard with the two olddies, chatting and basking in the sun. It was a moment so beautiful that Cornelia wished time could stop The grannies were getting older by the day, and the chances to be with them were dwindling Because of this, Comelia decided to stay overnight and return to Riverton tomorrow She wanted to spend as much time with the grannies as she could otherwise she might not get another chance. After dinner Comelia stayed in a guest room on the second floor She was used to staying in hotels due to her frequent trips so she fell asleep right away without any fuss about the bed Not long after shey down, the doorknob was gently turned Marcus, who was outside turning the knob, was stopped by Granny Luisa who suddenly appeared. ¡°Sneaking into a gif¡¯s room in the middle of the night is not gentlemanly¡± Aarcus stopped what he was doing and looked at Granny Luisa, who was full of energy, ¡°Granny, you¡¯re still up? ¡°Just to prevent you from sneaking into the house and doing something to Nelly, I didn¡¯t dare go to sleep, Granny Luisa replied. Marcus said ¡°I was just going to check on my wife Why do you make it sound like I¡¯m some kind of viin?¡± ¡°Your wide¡± if you dare, go in there and call her wife and see if she responds,¡± Granny Luisa challenged him, ¡°Lasked Nelly today, and she has no feelings for you as Marcus if she knew Marcus was Jeremy, she¡¯d divorce you right away¡± Cornelia was with him every day He knew her feelings for him better than anyone. Because he knew he dared not reveal his true identity. Seeing his silence Granny Luisa anxiously said, ¡°What¡¯s your n? if Nelly even thinks about divorce again, you may not be able to salvage the situation.¡± *Divorce?¡± Marcus suddenly got angry as a terrible thought popped into his mind, ¡°Why don¡¯t I settle everything tonight? Then you can see your great¨Cgrandchild sooner!¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Granny Luisa was frightened by his look, ¡°Marc, you can¡¯t just do whatever you want. Although I really want to see a great¨Cgrandchild, it must be Nelly¡¯s decision. You cant force her to do anything she doesn¡¯t want to do Marcusughed. ¡°Granny, I was just joking I wasn¡¯t serious. Do you really think I¡¯m someone who would do anything to achieve my goal?¡± Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Chapter 253 ¡°Aren¡¯t you just that kind of person? Granny Luisa couldn¡¯t fathom how he had the nerve to deny if it was well known that he was exactly the type to stop at nothing to achieve his goals Hadn¡¯t he done countless extreme things in the ten years he took over the Hartley Group just to get what he wanted? ¡°if Granny thinks I¡¯m that kind of person, then I guess I just have to ept the title Marcus opened the door to the room walked in, and locked it behind him Granny Luisa was so anxious she wanted to knock on the door. But then she thought better of it. This headstrongd had his own mesolve, he¡¯d never force a girl Marcus sat down by Comelia¡¯s bed tucked her in quietly and watched her. From his point of view, she was as beautiful as a Barbie doll. And her skin, it was wless and perfect Marcus couldn¡¯t resist reaching out to touch her face her skin felt amazing under his fingers His fingers slid down where he remembered her smile lines would be. He pressed a little too hard and might have hurt her. She waved her hand in her sleep, ¡°Zack, Abigail, quit it in her dreams she kept saying the names Zack and Abigail This seriously rubbed Marcus the wrong way. He decided to punish her for saying other men¡¯s names in her sleep, in his own He leaned in close just a little bit more and he could kiss her Ring ring ring ¨C His phone suddenly rang from his pocket, interrupting his movertent and pulling him back from the edge. A sobered Marcus immediately hung up and switched his phone to airne mode ¡°Jemy¡± Cornelia suddenly spoke, causing Marcus to tense up. He thought his cover was about to be blown, but it turned out slie was sleep talking again. This time she was saying his name, which made him happy ¡°Why don¡¯t you ever answer me? We¡¯re husband and wife but you¡¯re always so cold to me¡± Marcus took her hand, ¡®Ill answer you from now on¡± Maybe she could hear him, Comelia had a smile on her face From then on, no matter what she asked him, he would answer Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. She pulled his hand closer to her found a morefortable position, and drifted back to sleep Once he was sure she was asleep, Marcus went to the balcony and turned off airne mode Steven¡¯s call came through again, ¡°Marc, you¡¯re not answering my calls and turning off your phone Are you getting naughty? It¡¯s only been a few minutes since I called, Marc, you¡¯re slipping¡± Marcus sounded a bit annoyed. ¡°Let¡¯s get down to business¡± Hearing his tone, Steven was even more convinced he was night, ¡°Marcus, what a waste of your good looks!¡± Marcus was even angrier now, ¡°Steven!¡± Steven knew he was pissed and stopped joking. ¡°The leading PTSD expert who just returned to the country, do you still want me to set up a meeting?¡± ¡°Have hime see me tomorrow night¡± After that, Marcus hung up, switched his phone back to a ne mode, and returned to his room. Chapter 254 Chapter 254 Chapter 254 The next day. Comelia was up early She stuck by Granny Reba side like glue when the doc was doing her regr check up After the check¨Cup, she grilled the doctor about all the nitty gritty details Only after she was certain Granny¡¯s health was holding up, did she let out a sigh of relief Granny Luisa kindly gave them some elbow room, leaving Granny Reba and Comelia some alone time Once it was just the two of them. Granny Reba couldn¡¯t hold her questions anymore and steered the conversation to Jeremy, ¡°Comelia, you mentioned on the phone you¡¯re gonna start seeing Jeremy Are you sure about this** Cornelia nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it. Granny is not just some whimsical idea Ive given if a lot of thought Granny Reba always had faith in Cornelia¡¯s decisions. ¡°Jeremy is a bit of an introvert He¡¯s not the type to spout sweet nothings, but he¡¯s got this reliable vibe about him. Comel a nodded, ¡°I feel the same way Granny Every time I think of him, I feel at ease¡± Granny Reba ruffled Comelia¡¯s hair ¡°That¡¯s good to hear With him by your side, I can feel at ease! To Granny Rebas gmeration, love wasn¡¯t the be all and end¨Call She believed that life together was about supporting each other That sense of security a partner gave was the best things in a marriage. Aher scarfing down brunch, Comelia said her goodbyes to the grannies and set off back to Riverton Stepping out of the vi, she whipped out her phone and opened the ridehailing app Lo and behold, a Rolls Royce Phantom pulled up in front of her out of the blue. The window rolled down slowly, and Marcus handsome face came into view Comelia quickly primped her appearance and greeted him politely. ¡°President Hartley, what brings you here?¡± After the greeting, she peered curiously into the cat, hoping to catch a glimpse of his wife, but no one was in sight. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± he asked in a deep, pleasant voice, sounding a bit indulgent Comelia answered honestly ¡°I thought your wife was in the car I wanted to see what she looks like¡± ¡°Hop in give you a lift to Riverton Marcus scooched over making room for her Unable to refuse Comelia obediently got in and took his seat, ¡°President Hartley, why aren¡¯t you with your wife? ¡°Who says we¡¯re not together?¡± he responded Wasn¡¯t she sitting right next to him, chatting away? Was his wiffe invisible? Marcus leaned back in the seat and closed his eyes, clearly not in the mood for chit¨Cchat With him ignoring her, Cornelia looked around. The driver was focused on the road, not talking to her So, she decided to follow Marcus¡® lead, leaned back in the seat, and closed her eyes Maybe it was the comfortable ride or the perfect temperature inside the car, Cornelia dozed off before she knew it. Marcus moved closer and gently rested her head on his shoulder The driver, caught a glimpse of this scene in the rearview mirror. He was taken aback and coughed a couple of times Marcus expression turned stem. He raised the partition, blocking the driver¡¯s view Unseen, Marcus rubbed his face gently against hers. He hadn¡¯t shaved the night before, and his stubble was a bit rough. Comelia felt a slight pain, and she sleepity opened her eyes, finding herself comfortably leaning against Marcus shoulder This scene almost made Cornelia¡¯s heart jump out of her throatContent ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Chapter 255 She instinctively ducked back, identally hitting her head on the car window behind her, blurring her vision with pain Cornelia held back the pain and looked at Marcus immediately. She was relieved that Marcus seemed to be asleep andpletely unaware of what just happened Comelia breathed a sigh of relief and gently patted her chest Since Marcus didn¡¯t notice her dozing off on his shoulder, she decided to act as if nothing had happened As long as she didnt say anything no one would know she had fallen asleep on his shoulder Just as Comells was trying to reassure herself, Marcus opened his eyes at some point. His gaze was fixed on her, which was a bit unsettling Comelia stammered. President Hartley when did you wake up?¡± He looked temble. He watched her panicked state, the didn¡¯t even cry out when she bumped her head He said, ¡°Does it matter when I woke up?¡± Comelia knew by his cold tone and expression that he must have misunderstood her. He thought she leaned on him on purpose, that she had ulterior motives Comelia felt there was no way she could exin herself. Nervously, she said, ¡°President Hartley, I fell asleep and somehow ended up leaning on your shoulder. I didn¡¯t mean to fall asleep on you I swear if I didn¡¯t have any other thoughts about you¡± Before she could finish, Marcus put a finger on her lips, ¡°Try saying that one more time¡± This intimate action made Cornelia stiffen in fear She tried to back away, but the car door was closed behind her. She had nowhere to go. Her face tumed red, and she was on the verge of tears. ¡°President Hartley¡± He hadn¡¯t even done anything extreme yet he had managed to frighten his own wife to tears. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. A strong desire shed in Marcus¡¯s mind A voice in his heart was shouting he wanted to make her cry in his arms. But when her eyes filled with tears. That voice in his heart disappeared instantly. He steadied her head with one hand, ¡°Where did you hit?¡± Comelia asked. ¡°What?¡± Had he only been angry and done something intimate just to be concerned about her hitting her head on the window? She sat there stunned without answering. Marcus gently felt her head and when he felt therge bump where she had hit it, he looked even worse. ¡°You¡¯ve got such a big bump on your head and you didn¡¯t even cry out in pain. Are you losing your mind?¡± Comelia helplessly kept her mouth shut Marcus opened the center console and took out a tube of ointment, ¡°Come closer¡± His aura was very powerful. Even from a distance Comelia felt like he was about to swallow her whole She was afraid to get any closer to him. Comelia sat there motionless Marcus repeated, ¡°I told you to move closer, didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± His dominance forced Cornelia to move closer to him As she moved closer, he pulled her tightly into his arms. Her face pressed against his sturdy chest, she could hear his rhythmic heartbeat. Cornelia panicked and began to struggle, ¡°President Hartley, you can¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°What did I do wrong?¡± The gap in strength between men and women was evident. Marcus didnt let go. Comelia struggled for a while, but was still held tightly in his arms. Marcus didn¡¯t care. He squeezed the ointment onto his finger and gently applied it to her injury. The cool feeling of the ointment made Cornelia instantly feel the pain in her head lessen significantly Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Chapter 256 Cornelia fell utterly ufortable with his act, ¡°President Hartley. I should have done it myself¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Did you grow eyes or hands on your head¡± Marcus released her once he finished applying the ointment. He tidied up at a leisurely pace, looking at her ¡°Are you thinking that I have some kind of intention towards you?¡± Comelia did have such suspicions. But when he questioned her so righteously she thought maybe she was overthinking, ¡°I don¡¯t Every time he approached her she reacted as if he was about to devout her Her behavior irked him greatly, and he wanted to punish her severely. ¡°You dont?¡± He had already pulled her into his arms, it was hard not to over think. But Cornelia dared not admit He had almady said he had no intention towards her if she kept thinking this way she would just be wishful thinking Comelia thought that the reason why she kept misunderstanding Marcus was that she had never had such intimate contact with any man, including her own husband Once Jeremy returned to Riverton, she would have moremunication with him. She needed to understand how a real couple should interact, then she would be able to judge whether Marcus¡¯s behavior towards he was the normal interaction between a superior and an employee Seeing her anxious look, Marcus decided to let her off, ¡°It¡¯s my decision, no need to thank mel Cornelia didn¡¯t intend to thank him, but since he brought it up, she had to say. ¡°Thank you, President Hartley!¡± Marcus turned to look out of the car window. ¡°Do you feel ufortable when you are alone with me?¡± ¡°No Comelia shock her head, even if she did, she couldn¡¯t admit it Marcus chuckled lightly, turned around and looked at her, ¡°No?¡± Being stared at by him, Cornelia couldn¡¯t lie. ¡°A little¡± Marcus asked. ¡°Just a little?¡± Comelia scratched her head anxiously. ¡°Then how much do you think is appropriate?¡± Marcus said, ¡°If you feel ufortable with me, maybe this job is not suitable for you* What did he mean by that? Did he want to fire her? She needed money right now, and she couldn¡¯t afford to lose this job at this critical moment She said, ¡°President Hartley, I don¡¯t feel ufortable with you at work it¡¯s just when we interact privately.¡± Marcus cut her off and said, ¡°Comelia, do you know what a secretary is?¡± Of course, Cornelia knew She also knew that he was not used to being taken care of, otherwise, she would have to manage even his diet and daily routine. So, was she overthinking? After a moment of silence. Marcus called her name, ¡°Cornelia¡° He called her name again in a low voice, which scared her, ¡°President Hartley¡± Marcus locked at her and smiled slightly. ¡°My wife¡¯s name was also Comelia, just like yours¡± Chapter 257 Chapter 257 Chapter 257 His wife¡¯s name was also Cornelia same as hers! All of Marcus¡¯s inexplicable actions before now finally made sense The reason he¡¯d said her name brought bad luck when he was drunk was because he¡¯d had a fight with his wife, so he vented his anger on her And his current kindness to her was just because she shared a name with the his wife. She had just gotten some perks because of this. But she naively thought he was pursuing her Cornelia finally understood why every time he called her name his voice would be particrly pleasant Marcus continued. ¡°My wife Comelia is very excellent. She¡¯s the woman I want to cherish Tve decided to love only her in this like no other woman¡± Comelia said ¡°know¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Do you really know?¡± He wanted to tell her that he loved only her in this life. But she was clueless and always wanted to keep a distance from him. His legitimate wife was right by his side, but he had no right to embrace her How sad it Was Comelia said affirmatively. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, President Hartley. I now know the truth I will never misunderstand you again¡± Marcus gave a light smile and then fell silent Cornel didnt dare to doze off anymore and sat straight up The two rode in silence until they reached Riverton Marcus then said. ¡°I want you to meet someone with meter¡± ¡°Okay¡± Comelia immediately nced at the time on her wrist. She originally had an appointment with Trent to discuss renovations today but now she had to postpone, ¡°President Hartley, who are we meeting? Do I need to prepare in advance?¡± Marcus said. ¡°Justin Terrel. He is a world renowned expert in post traumatic stress disorder treatment¡± He was seeing an expert in post traumatic stress disorder treatment. Did Marcus have some psychological problems? If that was the case, he really considered her his most trusted colleague, taking her along to see the doctor. ¡°Rest assured, President Hartley, I won¡¯t spill the beans¡± Marcus smiled if she wanted to think like that, then so be it, as long as she was happy. Half an hourter, when Cornelia arrived at Celestial Chateau with Marcus, Justin and his assistant were already waiting at the vi Justin was in his forties, wearing a pair of thick ck¨Crimmed sses. He wasn¡¯t tall and locked frail From the outside, it was impossible to tell he was a world renowned expert in post traumatic stress disorder treatment The first thing he said when they met was, ¡°President Hartley, you are the only client who has ever kept me waiting¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you will charge as usual for the time you waited¡± As long as there was money, Justinughed and said, ¡°Shall we chat first?¡± ¡°Come with me to the study¡± Marcus said to Cornelia. ¡°You wait here, don¡¯t wander around¡± ¡°Okay¡± Comelia nodded, even if he didn¡¯t say, she wouldn¡¯t wander around Except for her and Patricia, there was no one else at home Cornelia sat bored for a while, then took out her phone to text Jeremy Jeremy I¡¯m back in Riverton What are you doing now?¡°] After typing these words, Comelia deleted them one by one No, the couldn¡¯t send it Because she said yesterday that she wouldn¡¯t text him first. Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Chapter 258 Thest time the two of them chatted was at ten yesterday morning it had been over thirty hours now, and Jeremy hadn¡¯t sent her any messages. She was not sure if he was busy with work or had just forgotten her. Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia closed their chat window and opened a home decor website, nning to check out other people¡¯s styles ¡°Comelia, long time no seel Briana¡¯s voice echoed as she appeared in the doorway She ran over and gaw Comelia a big hug. ¡°Cornelis, I¡¯ve missed you!¡± She was a bit too enthusiastic always insisting on a hug every time they met, which always left Cornelia a little flustered. ¡°Briana, long time no see Cornelia wasn¡¯t aware that Eviana wasn¡¯t this enthusiastic with everyone. She felt an inexplicabile closeness to Come, always wanting to get closer whenever she saw her. ¡°Cornelia dont be so formal¡± Briana sat next to Cornelia, fluttering her big eyes at her, ¡®Cornelia, how is your skin so nice?¡± She was too close almost about to lean onto Cornelia Comelia felt very ufortable and moved a little backwards, ¡°Your skin is amazing too.¡± She moved even closet so close that she might touch Cornelia if she moved any further, ¡°No, your skin is nicer¡± While they were debating whose skin was nicer, the study upstairs was also upied Justin directly shared his observations, ¡°President Hartley, your wife seems to be in a pretty stable mental state In order to treat her psychological trauma, we need to awaken the fears within her. That¡¯s the only way to truly cute her¡± ¡°Go on¡± in this period, Marcus had learned a lot about the subject. He knew that about a third of patients never fully recover, and severe cases can even lead to suicide. So he had to ensure Comelia¡¯s safety Justin continued ¡°President Hartley, your wife is just like a normal person most of the time It¡¯s only under specific circumstances that her deep¨Cseated fears are triggered if she never encounters anything that triggers these fears, shell be just like any other person. But if these fears are repeatedly triggered, she could lose her sanity. We are intervening beforehand now Although the treatment phase will cause her pain, it¡¯s also the only way to cure her¡± ¡°How painful will it be? Is there any way to shift her pain?¡± If possible, Marcus would be willing to bear all the pain for her. Justin replied. ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s often the case that the toughest journey leads to the most beautiful destination. The pain she feels now can ensure her mental health for the rest of her life it¡¯s worth Marcus¡¯s voice immediately turned cold, ¡°I asked how painful it will be?¡± Justin answered, ¡°It varies from person to person. But studies have shown that people with strong willpower often find the treatment process more painful. Because they¡¯re the ones who will fight against their subconscious ¡± In Marcus¡¯s eyes, Comelia was a very determined person She would definitely struggle against her subconscious during the treatment process. This process would undoubtedly be very tough. Marcus suddenly wanted to give up on this n He wanted to protect her to keep her away from anything rted to the car ident. As long as she could live a carefree life, she could avoid this pain. Seeing Marcus wavering, Justin said, ¡°President Hartley, you could ask your wife for her opinion. After all, she¡¯s the patient, and her wishes are what¡¯s most important¡± ¡°I should¡± Marcus lit a cigarette and took a few quick puffs, ¡°How confident are you that she will be cured?¡± Justin pondered for a moment, Tm 90% sure.¡± Marcus said unhappily. ¡°90%?¡± Justin replied, ¡°90% is a conservative estimate, it¡¯s just to leave some room for error¡± Marcus scoffed. ¡°As a doctor, leaving room for error is irresponsible to the patient.¡± Justin responded. ¡°President Hartley, please rest assured. I can cure your wifepletely¡± Marcus put out his cigarette, smiling at Justin, ¡°If anything happens to her, I¡¯ll make you regret ever being born¡± Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Chapter 259 Justin felt the harvet and said. ¡°Prendent Harfox you¡¯re mu?e a character¡± Marcus gave him a frosty lock. ¡°You think I¡¯m kidding around with you? Justin knew full well Marcus wasn¡¯t joking. He had braced himeall for this tank when he trompted in. ¡°Procident segmay at ¡°Get to it¡± Marcus walked to the first one and the his sister Briana etting on the couch grinning at her phoka frans how old are you? Bana nced up then back of her phone. Then you dont even know how off I am? You really don¡¯t cave about me for your of the turning twenty three Marcus said. ¡°You clearly know you¡¯re already hunt, theme why are you still glued to your phonat Tm not a kid anymore, pru want to entmi even my phone time Beans pouted, ¡°Cornelis hack me up At an assistant Comelis didn¡¯t want to get involved in theu albiling squab the just smiled and said nothing Mammut paid. Put down the phone Briana retorted. Marcus tumed to Comelia. ¡°Make calls right now Freeze all her bank cards¡± Briana was twenty three an adult. To have her bank cards frozen for using her phone seemed a bit excessive to Comals but she didn¡¯t say anything and dutifully responded Brana knew he brother meant business Reluctantly the put down her phone Im sorry Piesse don¡¯t freeze my cards, okay?¡± Comelia figured Prana¡¯s aboingy would probably save her cards, but Marcus said. ¡°You only get one chance and I gave that to you already¡± Knowing the wouldn¡¯t get anywhere with Marcus Briana turned to the only other person present. ¡°Comeliacan you speak us my candi do it? Comelia didn¡¯t think he words would sway Marcus. ¡°That¡¯s not my call, Briana You should try sweet talking President Hartley¡± just got came away reading aic that¡¯s all. That doent warrant Briana knew her brother too well No amount of sweet talk would change his mind, but maybe Comelia could help. ¡°Com, do you madics?¡± Comelia nodded. ¡°I do¡± Briana immediately turned to Marcus ¡°Marcus, did you hear that? It¡¯s not just me, Comelia likesics too Marcus asked ¡°So what?¡± Annoyed by his response Briana stamped her foot Cornelia couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and said. ¡°How can you expect a grown man to understand the mind of young girls like us?¡± Marcus tooked a little taken aback Cornelia was already past her twenty fourth birthday, and he was only four years and a month older When did he be an old man? Briana felt a littleforted hearing that She was no longer angry. ¡°Comelia, if you readics, do you know the one with the character Ashley? Comeli? nodded. ¡°I do ¡°How could she not? She was the one who drew it Brana felt like she¡¯d found a kindred spirit. She immediately forgot about Marcus freezing her cards, ¡°I have to tell you. I¡¯m a super fan of thatic I was hooked from the first issue (heard it¡¯s being tumed into a live¨Caction series with the hot shot actress, Hannah, as the lead She¡¯s a great choice. But the male lead, not so sure James is a decent actor but he¡¯s just not good looking mough He¡¯s nowhere near as handsome as the charader Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Corneliapletely agreed, ¡°Truth be told, I don¡¯t think any male actor can match the character¡¯s good looks. Let¡¯s just hope James acting can make up for hisck of looks.¡± Bana was thrilled to hear Cornelia¡¯s response. ¡°You think so too! When I heard they were making a series, I went through all the good looking male actors in my mind, but none of them fit the bill¡± Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Chapter 260 Comelia said ¡°Not in the entertainment industry, but in real life wealt Briana asked. ¡°Who?¡± Cornelia subconsciously nced at Marcus next to her If it came to astounding good looks no one could beat Marcus Briana rolled her eyes dismissively. ¡°My brother is like a wooden doll, nothing like the warm¨Chearted male lead in theics What¡¯s the use of just being handsome?¡± ¡°Well, not necessantly¡® Comelia had seen the tender expression on Marcus¡¯s face when he mentioned his wife He wasn¡¯t cold He had just given all his tenderness to his wife Wasn¡¯t that the kind of man she portrayed as the male lead in herics? They chatted back and forth, bing more and more engrossed and leaving Marcus more and more out of the loop. He had to interrupt their chat, ¡°Briana, you leave first I need to have a word with Comelia¡± Briana assumed they needed to discuss business matters, so she obediently left With just the two of them left in the living room, Marcus turned to Cornelia, ¡°Comelia, if a person has psychological shadows, they might be fine most of the time. But under certain circumstances, they could have some stress reactions Do you think this person should see a doctor?¡± Turned out Marcus had psychological issues! She had been working with him for so long and hadn¡¯t noticed a thing His self¨Ccontrol must be really strong it seemed his psychological issue couldn¡¯t be put off any longer. He needed to see a psychiatrist But why would he ask her opinion? Did her opinion matter? Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Before she could answer Marcus asked again. ¡°Cornelia, can you answer me?¡± Comelia said, ¡°President Hartley, in my opinion, if someone has psychological issues, they should see a psychiatrist Running away doesn¡¯t solve anything, and problems should be addressed promptly Marcus said. ¡°The process might be painful¡± Cornelia said. ¡°Better to deal with it sooner than suffer in the long run.¡± ¡°Alright¡± Marcus called Justin over. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Justin said, ¡°President Hartley let¡¯s start with a short film¡± To watch a film meant heading to the media room Cornelia stayed put, thinking Marcus might not want others to know about his specific psychological issues, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ll prepare some tea and bring it overter¡± ¡°Do you need to prepare tea?¡± Marcus nced at her, clearly implying that she should go with them. if he wasn¡¯t concerned about privacy, then what was she worried about? Cornelia quickly followed, and the four of them headed to the media mom. Without asking further, Justin started a video, a car ident involving a family of three Chapter 261 Chapter 261 Chapter 261 The screeching brake sounds, the crash, the wind red blood and the person lying in it Every frame of the video was giving Cornelia a real kick in the guts She couldn¡¯t figure out why watching a car crash video was making it hard for her to breathe as if she was choking Justin thought it was prime time to pop the question, ¡°Ms Stewart are you feeling sick watching this video? Does it remind you of anything?¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia shook her head violently not wanting to admit how ufortable the video made her feel. However, bloody images popped up uncontrobly in her mind Justin insisted. ¡°Ms Stewart take a closer look at this video, it might jog your memory of something you¡¯d rather forget¡± ¡°Do I have to watch this because you want me to? Do I have to remember because you want me to? Mr. Hartley, you guys keep watching. I need some fresh air¡± Cornelia got up, all worked up, wanting to escape from the suffocating ce but was grabbed by Marcus ¡°Cornelia¡± his deep voice called her name, and he looked at her tenderly. Tm here don¡¯t be scared. Speak your fears and we¡¯ll take them on together¡± ¡°Mr. Hartley what the hell are you talking about?¡± Cornelia jerked her hand away. ¡°What¡¯s this Tm here, so you don¡¯t have to be scared crap? What¡¯s this ¡®speak your lears and well solve them together nonsense? You¡¯re my boss, not my husband Do you think it¡¯s appropriate to say things like that?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything ¡°Hartley. Im sorry¡± Cornelia knew Marcus was well intentioned, she shouldn¡¯t have snapped at him, but she couldn¡¯t control herself. It was like there was another irritable and alien spirit in her making her act out in ways she would never normally act ¡°Ms Stewart why are you shouting? What are you so afraid of Justin was just a hired gun, his mission was to get Cornelia back on her feet as quickly as possible, and he didn¡¯t care how it happened, ¡°You only shout at people when you¡¯re anxious and scared¡± He was pushing her hard, not giving her any breathing room, Marcus caught on, ¡°Justin, be nice to her ¡°Me Hartley, were at a critical point, you can¡¯t go soft Justin said. Tm not scared. I¡¯m not afraid of anything. Im not shouting, stop pushing met Cornelia covered her head, not wanting to think, but was slowly drowned by memories. So much blood, and her father¡¯s weak but unwavering voice. ¡°Nelly, close your eyes, forget everything that happened today, and live well in the future.¡± ¡°Daddy you can¡¯t leave me Cornelia reached out, trying to grab her father¡¯s hand, but was held tightly by a warm,rge hand ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t be scared. I¡¯m always here¡± The voice was deep and powerful, like a massivefort Her father¡¯s loving and gentle face seemed to appear in front of her, Cornelia didn¡¯t hesitate to throw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly, ¡°Daddy, I¡¯m sorry! if it wasn¡¯t for saving me, you wouldn¡¯t have been hurt, fm sorry! I¡¯m sorry.¡± Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Marcus caught her as she copsed into his arms, gently patting her back, ¡°Nelly you didn¡¯t do anything wrong, and you don¡¯t need to apologize Forget the past and live your life, okay?¡± ¡®No, I don¡¯t want to understand. I just want you back Cornelia cried out non¨Cstop, her body trembling like a wounded animal Marcus held her close, trying tofort her. But it was useless She was trapped in a terrifying world, lost within her own mind In her haze, Cornelia was transported back to her childhood, back to the scene of the car ident Little Corneliay in a pool of blood, watching helplessly as her father, also in a pool of blood, slowly closed his ges ¡°Dad¡± Comelia coughed up blood, then lost consciousness ¡°Comelia¡± Marcus watched in horror as Cornelia fainted in his arms. His sharp gaze turned to Justin. ¡°Why is she like this?¡± Justin promptly exined, ¡°Mr Hartley, don¡¯t worry. All her reactions are within my expectations Ineed to awaken her deepest fears, so she can bravely face reality. Only by confronting it can wepletely remove the thom in her heart¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus understood, but seeing Cornelia in pain still worried him if he could, he¡¯d take on her pain, ¡°Is there anything we can do to lessen her suffering?¡± ¡°Mr Hartley. Thave some sedatives here¡± Justin took out a bottle of pills from his bag ¡°Give her half a pill first, and let her sleep. If she still remembers the ident when she wakes up, the rest of the treatment should be much easier¡± ¡°Remember what I said Marcus picked up Cornelia and brought her to the second floor, setting her down in her old bedroom. Instead of giving her the pill right away. Marcus called for Dr. Dawson. ¡°Check this pill, see what¡¯s in it He was extremely cautious. If the pill didn¡¯te from Dr. Dawson, he wouldn¡¯t take it. And he wouldn¡¯t let Cornelia take anything from anyone else either. After sniffing the pill and running some tests, Dr Dawson told Marcus, ¡°Marc, this is a sedative. It has calming effects¡± Relieved, Marcus broke the pill in half and pushed it into Cornelia¡¯s mouth, ¡°Comelia, good girl, take the medicine. You¡¯ll feel better¡± Perhaps the pill was bitter. As soon as Marcus put it in her mouth, Comelia spit it out Marcus frowned ¡®Get some water¡± Dr Dawson quickly handed over a ss of water. Marcus tried to feed Comelia the pill with the water, but she clenched her teeth, refusing to swallow In desperation, Marcus tried an old and simple method. He took a sip of water, then gently kissed Cornelia, giving her the water mouth to mouth Feeling the water, Cornelia instinctively opened her mouth. Marcus quickly pushed the pill into her mouth, then gave her a big gulp of water, sessfully making her swallow the pill. Chapter 263 Chapter 263 Chapter 263 The whole thing happened so fast. It not only caught Dr Dawson off guard, but even Marcus didn¡¯t realize what he had done until after it was over He couldn¡¯t remember what else He touched his lips, spinning them around, still tasting the unique vor of Comelia it was a bit sweet, but also Behind his silver sses, he stared at Comes red lips yearning to taste them again But the timing wasn¡¯t right When it¡¯s time he would savor her taste, memorizing it deeply Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Dr Dawson watched him, amused in just a few days, his affectionate gestures with Comelia were so natural it seemed their rtionship had made great strides. Perhaps when she wasn¡¯t aware, his actions were bolder Not wanting to intrude on their private time. Dr. Dawson quietly excused herself Upon leaving the ran into Briana who was sneakily observing, ¡°Bri, don¡¯t bother your brother¡± Briana worriedly said. ¡°Dr Dawson, is my brother bullying Cornelia? Cornelia is fine when she¡¯s with me. Why did she faint when the¡¯s with him?¡± ¡°Your brother would never bully Comelia Dr Dawson led Briana downstairs. ¡°Youe with me, don¡¯t worry about anything else ¡°But will Cornelia really be okay?¡± Briana truly liked Cornelia and was very worried that her brother might bully her Dr Dawson chuckled. With your brother there, no one would dare to bully Cornelia¡± When Comelia slowly woke up, it was already nine in the morning of the next day As soon as she tried to move, her hand was held by a warm hand. A clear voice came to her ears, ¡°Cornelia, thank goodness, you¡¯re finally awake¡± Cornelia had just woke up and was still a bit groggy, unsure of what had happened, ¡°Bri, what happened?¡± ¡°Cornelia, you fainted all of a suddenst night. You need to rest now Stay put Briana turned her head and shouted, ¡°Marcus, Cornelia is awake¡± Then, Marcus¡¯s tall figure walked in Comelia didn¡¯t know he had been waiting at the door all this time and never left He quickly came to Cornelia¡¯s bedside, ¡°Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡± Faced with Marcuss excessive concern, Cornelia always felt a bit at a loss, her words stumbling, ¡°I¡¯m fine. Thank you for your concern, President Hartley!¡± Marcus could tell that Cornelia was trying to keep a distance, and he didn¡¯t want to stress her out. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself. Just rest here today, I have Bri stay with you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving now¡± Despite his worry for her, Marcus acted indifferent to ease her burden. Before leaving he gave Briana a look. Briana immediately understood, followed him out, and heard him say, ¡°Give me your phone¡± Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Briana instantly clutched the clothes pocket where her phone was ¡°Marcus, dont you know how important a phone is to people these days? How could you just confiscate mine?¡± Marcus said, ¡°With a phone in hand youll get distracted and won¡¯t be able to take good care of the patient¡± ¡°Bro, chill really like Comelia, and I take good care of her ¡°Even without Marcus telling her, Briana would take great care of Cornelia. Plus, Marcus had promised her that he wouldn¡¯t freeze her bank card and wouldn¡¯t interfere too much with her life in the future. With such an offer in front of her Briana wasn¡¯t an idiot How could she not take good care of Cornelia? But Marcus was focused on the word ¡°like¡°, ¡°You like her? You¡¯ve only met her a few times, why do you like he?¡± Briana thought it was hard to exin this to someone who didn¡¯t understand feelings, but she still said, ¡°Do I have to meet someone a few times to like them? This is about fate Cornelis is not only beautiful, but she also has a good personality and is capable How can such a girl not be likable?¡± Marcus had heard Cornelia say something simr before. When they were in the Capital, she was chatting with a girl she had just met over drinks, and the girl even kissed her Marcus didn¡¯t understand why even women wanted to steal his wife from him, ¡°Do you really think Cornelia is that great?¡± Briana said. ¡°Even more than that. Being around Corne makes you feelfortable, there¡¯s an inexplicable serise of familiarity¡± As she was saying this, Briana had a sudden thought, ¡°Marous, it would be great if Cornelia could be my sister¨Cinw. Too bad you¡¯re already married, so Cornelia can¡¯t be part of our family¡± Content is property of N?velDrama.Org. Marcus said, ¡°Who said she cant?¡± Briana was surprised. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Briana wasn¡¯t one to keep secrets, so Marcus couldn¡¯t tell her the truth. ¡°Tve asked Patricia to make some food. Bring it to Cornelia and make sure she eats it¡± ¡°Bro, what did you just say?¡± Briana wasn¡¯t so easily fooled, ¡°Are you trying to make Cornelia my sister¨Cinw? What about my current sister inw?¡± Marcus said. ¡°Your sister inw is Cornelia¡± ¡°Are you saying that Cornelia is my sister¨Cinw? No, you mean my sister¨Cinw is also named Cornelia, so that¡¯s why you said that?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t answer, but Briana got the answer from his eyes. Her brother was so annoying, giving her hope and then disappointing her, ¡°When are you going to introduce me to my sister¨Cinw? if she¡¯s like Cornelia, I¡¯m sure I like her too¡± Marcus said, ¡°You¡¯ve already met her¡± ¡°When? I don¡¯t remember Briana tried to remember, but couldn¡¯t recall ever meeting her sister¨Cinw *Because you¡¯re not smart!¡± Marcus ruffled her hair, ¡°Hurry up and bring her the food¡± ¡°Why am I not smart?¡± Brianained incessantly, ¡°You have to tell me when I met my sister¨Cin¨C law. If you don¡¯t tell me, I keep thinking about it and might not be able to take good care of Cornelia¡± Marcus said, ¡°Kid, no one who¡¯s ever threatened me has ended well¡± ¡°I dare not threaten you. I¡¯m just stating facts¡± Briana pouted and kept nagging. ¡°You just like to bully me and I¡¯m weak. If you¡¯re so capable go mess with my sister¨Cinw Maybe you¡¯ve bullied her too, but she¡¯s too good natured to argue with you, so she¡¯s been able to tolerate you all this time without divorcing you.¡± Chapter 265 Chapter 265 Chapter 265 ¡°The word ¡°divorce made Marcus¡¯s face go instantly dark, ¡°We will never divorce Don¡¯t ever bring up this taboo topic again¡± He was notoriously temperamental and Brana knew she was no match for him, so she backed off, ¡°Tine, I drop it. No need to get your knickers in a twist¡± Marcus didn¡¯t respond ¡°Patricia, is the soup ready?¡± Brana shot him a re before turning to find Patricia She took the prepared soup and headed upstairs to Cornelia ¡°Don¡¯t forget to remind Cornelia to check the soup¡¯s temperature before drinking, don¡¯t burn herself Marcus called after her ¡°Comelia is not a child, does she really need you to mother her?¡± Briana didn¡¯t understand why her brother suddenly turned into a nagging nanny, carrying the soup upstairs. ¡°Cornelia, this is the soup Patricia made for you Have some before you rest¡± After speaking Briana found the bed empty Turning around, she saw Corneliaing out of the bathroom, already changed into her own clothes ¡°Cornelia, are you leaving?¡± Comelia gave a gentle smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine now and ready to go home. Sorry for the troublest night, and thank you for taking care of me¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me it was my brother who stayed with you all night.¡± Briana brought the soup to Comelia ¡°If you¡¯re leaving at least finish the soup first¡± Cornelia epted the bowl the aroma wafting up was unmistakeable. It was a delicious slow¨Ccooked soup, making her feel even more uneasy. ¡°Was it President Hartley who stayed by my sidest night?¡± ¡°Yes, it was my brother who was with you But don¡¯t be surprised, as he was just being nice because you share the same name as my sister inw My brother might be a bit slow on the uptake when it comes to feelings, but once he sets his mind on someone, he¡¯s loyal for life. He must really love my sister¨Cinw and because you share her name, he¡¯s nice to you¡± Briana thought her brother was nice to Cornelia because she was apetent assistant Although Briana wasn¡¯t the apple of their parents¡® eye growing up, with her grandmother, brother, the housekeeper, and Patricia doting on her, she was a spoiled little princess, and quite naive Unless Marcus explicitly told her, she would never guess that this Comelia was her sister¨Cinw. Cornelia previously thought it was because she shared the same name as the CEO¡¯s wife, and now hearing Briana say this, she thought her hunch must be correct, ¡°Anyway, thank you guys for being so kind to me Briana said. ¡°You¡¯re my brother¡¯s assistant, and you spend more time with him than I do. We¡¯re practically family. No need to be so formal¡± Comelia said, ¡°Okay from now on, I won¡¯t be so formal with you Cornelia yfully pinched Briana¡¯s chubby cheek. ¡°Theard your brother ns to cut off your credit card, and Fil help you sort it out¡± Brana said. ¡°My brother said as long as I take good care of you, he won¡¯t cut off my card, and he won¡¯t restrict me like before Briana, oblivious to the concept of confidentiality, casually spilled the beans about her task from Marcus, finally looking at Cornelia with hopeful eyes. ¡°Comelia my mission is to make sure you drink this soup.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Corne didn¡¯t have an appetite and wasn¡¯t nning on drinking it, but seeing the little girls expectant eyes, her heart softened. Even if the little gul handed her a bowl of poison, she¡¯d still drink it Cornelia picked up the spoon and gulped it down, ¡°Bri, is there anything else you need me to do?¡± Cornelia was just humoring her by drinking the soup, but Briana was so delighted she gave Cornelia a big hug, ¡°Comelia, you¡¯re the best!¡± Before, Cornelia felt awkward facing Briana¡¯s enthusiasm, but today that feeling was gone, and she hugged Briana back, ¡°Because you¡¯re a good kid too!¡± Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Briana had always been self¨Cassured and used to receivingpliments, but when Cornelia praised her, she blushed. ¡°Cornelia, do you mally think I¡¯m that great?¡± ¡°Absolutely¡± Comelia gently patted her head ¡°But I have to go home today We can hang out sometime when you te free¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t want you to leave Brana hugged Comelia tightly again, and they both walked down the stairs together Marcus was in the living room downstairs. At the sound of footsteps, he nced up and saw Comelia all ready to leave. He didn¡¯t need to ask to know she was leaving. ¡°You¡¯re leaving?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°President Hartley Im sorry aboutst night¡± Marcus stood up. ¡°Come to my study¡± Comelia followed him upstairs it was her first time on the third floor of the vi which had the master bedroom, dressing room, and study Just the study alone was quite spacious, decorated in a simple and generous style. And the number of books inside was impressive, like a mini library The most prominent book in the study was a rare edition Cornelia had been looking for it for a long time but found it here unexpectedly. She asked ¡®President Hartley have you read all these books?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Yep ¡°Noticing Comelia was eyeing the book, Marcus sensed her fondness for it. ¡°If you like the books here, you¡¯re wee to drop by and read anytime Considering it might not be convenient for an assistant to frequently visit his home, Cornelia proposed a better idea. ¡°President Hartley, instead of meing over, why don¡¯t you lend me a couple of books? return them once Im done¡± Marcus said. ¡°That works too, but you have to promise me one thing first¡± Comelia asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡°Do you remember what happened yesterday?¡± Cornelia had been calm since she woke up. If Marcus didn¡¯t know her well, he might have been fooled by herposure Justin had once mentioned that such conditions needed early treatment, not to be dyed. Otherwise, all the pain Comelia went throughst night would be for nothing. So Marcus decided, Cornelia must confront her car ident experience today Comelia was taken aback, ¡°President Hartley, what are you talking about?¡± Marcus continued, ¡°You¡¯re suffering from post traumatic stress disorder¡± His simple statement hit Cornelia like a ton of bricks, shattering the calm she¡¯d been struggling to maintain She had to try hard to control her emotions, to barely keep up her usual smile. Cornelia believed that as long as she didn¡¯t admit to it and performed well at work, Marcus wouldn¡¯t be able to confirm her mental issues, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m mentally healthy, there¡¯s no way I have post traumatic stress disorder¡± Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Most folks with mental health issues typically didn¡¯t admit they got a problem, mainly because lots of them didn¡¯t even realize they had got one At this point, Marcus couldnt tell ifst night¡¯s therapy did any good for Comelia. He had to be harsh. ¡°Comelia, you gotta understand, people with mental health issues ain¡¯t cut out for the job of being my personal sustant Content ? N?velDrama.Org. *President Harties, have I messed up at work or something? Comelia gripping her hands tightly. ¡°If you want to fire me just say so No need to beat around the bush¡± As Cornelia¡¯s face gradually turned pale at his words, Marcus thought she might have gotten her memory back. He gently patted her shoulder, his tone softening. ¡°Cornelia, only by facing your past can you truly move on And only when you¡¯ve moved on, can you start a new life Imckon that¡¯s what your dad would¡¯ve wanted¡± His voice was always deep and strong, like a shot of good medicine straight to Cornelia¡¯s heart. Tears trickled down her face. ¡°Can I really let go? Would dad me me?¡± It was the first time Marcus had seen her cry since he d known her Her tears fell onto the back of his hand searing his heart and leaving him at a loss, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t cry ¡°But my dad, he was trying to protect me. His first instinct wasn¡¯t to save himself, but me if it wasn¡¯t for me he wouldn¡¯t have died, it should¡¯ve been me Beforest night, Cornelia didn¡¯t know shed forgotten some things. She remembered her dad dying in a car ident, but she had forgotten that she was in that car too. She had also forgotten that she watched her dad take hisst breath What she remembered even less was that, before he died, her dad chielded her with his body and told her to forget the car ident and live a good life Even at hisst moment, her dad cared about her the most. Cornelia wanted to follow her dadsst wish and forget the past to live a good life but the bloody scene kept reying in her mind. She didn¡¯t know how to cope The fact that Cornelia was willing to talk about her past made Marcus realize the problem could be easily solved He gently raised his hand and softly wiped away the tears in her eyes. ¡°Cornelia, your dad gave his life to protect you. He didn¡¯t just want you to survive, he wanted you to live well. If you can¡¯t let go of what happened, he¡¯d be the one to me you¡± Caught in her painful memories, Comelia didn¡¯t notice his tender gesture. ¡°My mom left Rosenberg right after I was born and never showed up again I don¡¯t even know what the looks like My dad worked as a tad driver after work every day so that I could have a better life. That day of the ident, my grandma was out, so my dad had to take me with him. I never thought that the ident would happen that night, when the car hit us, he held me tight in his arms, and I was unscathed if I hadn¡¯t been in the car that day, would my dad have been okay?¡± Marcus knew all this, but hearing it from her again stirred his emotions Comelia¡¯s voice was as gentle as ever, not much different from her usual tone. But Marcus knew that her true feelings weren¡¯t as they appeared, she must be very upset right now At this moment, Marcus didn¡¯t care if she knew his real identity, he just wanted to hold her in his arms and pass his strength to her, telling her not to be afraid with him around This time, Cornelia didn¡¯t resist. She let him hold her for a few seconds before stepping back, ¡°President Hartley thank you! The title ¡°President Hartley¡± snapped Marcus back to reality. He opened his mouth, wanting to tell her that he was Jeremy, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it, ¡°Should I ask Justin toe over and talk with you again?¡± ¡°Sure¡± Cornelia decided to open up and ept therapy, ¡°President Hartley, how much did this therapy cost? You can deduct it from my sry¡± Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Chapter 268 ¡°You think I give a damn about this chump change? Marcus was ticked off by her words. Then, something else stirred him up even more. When she raised her hand, he saw blood on her palm She must¡¯ve scratched herself in her heated state He quickly grabbed her hand, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t feel any pain She was so flustered she tried to pull her hand back. Im fine* ¡°Say you¡¯re fine one more time. I dam you¡± Marcus held her hand tight, his voice stern, ¡®First, were getting Dr. Dawson to look at your wound, then you can talk with Justin¡± Cornelia wanted to protest, but seeing his grim expression, she held her tongue and obeyed. Marcus arranged for Cornelia and Justin¡¯s conversation to take ce in a greenhouse located in the garden, where he thought the warm atmosphere would make Corneliafortable He didn¡¯t apany them was just Comelia and Justin in the greenhouse But he had a clear view of their every move from outside Boana walked up to Marcus ¡°Bro, how can you just let Cornelia be with Justin like that? He¡¯s obviously bad news What if he hurts Come?¡± ¡°Shes mine. He wouldn¡¯t darey a finger on her Marcus turned to nce at Briana, feeling touched by his little sister¡¯s concern for Cornelia Suddenly, he had a brilliant idea to keep Cornelia around, ¡°If you¡¯re so fond of Camelia, why don¡¯t you find a way to make her stay?¡± Briana replied, ¡°I wish she could stay too. But she wants to go home I can¡¯t think of any reason to keep her here. Plus, this is your private space, and you¡¯re very territorial. If I decide to keep Cornelia here and you ge pissed and kick us out, it would be really awkward¡± Marcus replied ¡°Im cool with you two staying Stay as long as you want¡± ¡°Realty Briana thought she had misheard. ¡°Bro, say it again¡± Hed repeat it as many times as it took to keep Comelia here. Im cool with you and Cornelia staying Stay as long as you want.¡± He said Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°Why are you suddenly being so chill?¡± Briana excitedly sprang to Marcus, giving him a big hug. ¡°I get it, you finally realized you haven¡¯t been giving me enough attention these past few years and you¡¯re trying to make up for it Marcus, I love you! You¡¯re the best!¡± Marcus pulled her hands off his waist, ¡®Im a married man, and you¡¯re an adult. You can¡¯t keep hugging me like this? Briana pouted in disagreement, ¡°Just because you¡¯re married doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not my brother No matter how old I get, you¡¯ll always be my brother. We¡¯re blood, that¡¯s a bond that¡¯s set in stone the moment were bom What¡¯s wrong with hugging you?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°I¡¯m worried that your sister¨Cinw might get jealous¡± Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Chapter 269 ¡°Would my sister-inw get jealous of me? Just because I give you a hug, she¡¯ll get mad?¡± Briana was getting more and more curious about her unseen sister inw. ¡°Brs, when will officially meet her?¡± Marcus looked towards Comelia in the sunmom. ¡°Soon¡± ¡°When is soon?¡± Briana wanted to keep asking but didn¡¯t know how to phrase it ¡°What do you think I should do to make Cornelia stay?¡± Marcus responded, ¡°Do you really need me to teach you how to make someone stick around?¡± Bns pouted, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t tell me how to make Comelia stay I just follow her¡± Before she could finish, Marcus interrupted her, ¡°Come with me to the study on the third floor¡± Briana asked, ¡°What for? Im not interested in yourplex, hard to understand books¡± Marcus replied. ¡°Just follow me! Reluctantly Briana did On Comelia¡¯s side, Justin didn¡¯t ask her many questions. He just chatted with her while they drank coffee, about work, friends, even celebrities. But he never brought up the car ident. Finally Comelia couldn¡¯t bear it anymore and asked him, ¡°Doctor, don¡¯t you want to ask me about the ident?¡± Justin chuckled. ¡°If you open up to me, it means you¡¯vee to terms with it. As long as you stay positive, with a sessful career and stable rtionships, you¡¯ll soon move on from your past Comelia bit her lip and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re that confident I can move on? Aren¡¯t you worried everything today is just a facade?¡± ¡°Maybe I would¡¯ve been worried before, but after hearing you say that, Im not worried anymore Justin refilled Cornelia¡¯s cup. ¡°Ms. Stewart, you¡¯re someone who knows what you want and what¡¯s good for you. Once youe to terms, you wont get stuck in painful memories¡± *Thank you for your confidence in me, doctor. And thank you for what you saidst night.¡± Cornelia sipped her coffee. She didn¡¯t usually drink coffee, but she could tell this was Patricia¡¯s good coffee just from the aroma Justin looked at Cornelia¡¯s expression, ¡°Are you ming me, Ms. Stewart?¡± Come chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m sincerely grateful¡± ¡°I was just doing my job. Theres no need for formalities, Ms Stewart¡® Justin checked the time. ¡°Let¡¯s end here today I prescribe some medication for youter. Follow the instructions and we¡¯ll see how it goes *Dr. Terrel, do you charge per session or per hour?¡± Although Marcus had offered to pay for her treatment, Cornelia didn¡¯t intend for him to actually do so. Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°I charge by the hour We¡¯ve just talked for an hour, so that would be five hundred dors¡± Justin usually charged patients by the second. This price might be steep for Cornelia and many ordinary people, but for Marcus. It was just a fraction He paid Justin much more than that Justin had to admire Marcus for his foresight. Before his chat with Cornelia, he¡¯d told him about the payment, instructing him to charge her a moderate fee Justin figured Comelia should be able to afford five hundred dors and wouldn¡¯t suspect the price was off. Chapter 270 Chapter 270 Chapter 270 ¡°Five hundred bucks¡± An hour of chatter for five hundred buck¡¯s seemed outrageous to Comelia, but the had already been taking for a while and the coubet just bad out now ¡°If you think that¡¯s too low, Mc Stewart, I can up its hit Justin wamt sure about Cornelia¡¯s spending habits womed that his price might be too low and make her suspicious ¡°Too low smously?¡± Cornelia wat afmid Justin would jack up the price on the spot so she quickly whipped out her phone ¡®r Tarrel Diquet PayPal you okay?¨C Justin checked his phone and the five hundred was in his secunt instantly ¡°Ms Stewart would you like to pin me to see President Hartley? ¡°No you go ahead, fi purt chill here for a bit Comatis gave an apologetic emile, and when Justin left, her gaze fell on her phone on the table Tan days had passed and Jeramy t She wished Jeremy was by he side not Marcus Even though Jeremy couldn¡¯t help her with anything, his presence alone would have been enough. But Jeremy hadn¡¯t sent a single message I was like when they first got married, he suddenly appeared and then vanished from her life just as abruptly as if his existence before was just an illusion She gave a bitter smile Maybe they weren¡¯t meant to be after al This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. As Comelia was lost in her thoughts. Briana came running over with a few books, sat down next to her. ¡°Hey Comelia, I got some good reads here, wanna check them out? Comelis looked up and saw the rare edition book she had seen in Marcus¡¯s study She wasnt in the mood for reading, but the book piqued her interest. ¡°Can Hook at this on ¡°Sure thing Brians passed the rare edition book to Comelia Wat her brother nome kind of psychic? How did he know Comelit would be interested in this book? Engrossed in he reading under the sun, Comelia didn¡¯t even notice when Marcus came into the sunroom As she read, she jotted notes in her phone. There were some sentences she didn¡¯t quite understand, so she searched them up online But this being a rare edition, she couldn¡¯t find anything online. She just copied the sentences down, nning to look them up in the library some other day Ding ¡ê imassage popped up on Briana¡¯s phone, who was engrossed in heric book. It was from Marcus. He was sitting right here, why was he messaging her on WhatsApp¡± Looking closer, it was an annotation Then another message from Marcus (Forward this to Cornelia | Briana didn¡¯t get his intention but she did as asked anyway After the message was sent Cornelia¡¯s phone on the table buzzed twice. She picked it up immediately but when she saw the new message wasn¡¯t from Jeremy a flicker of disappointment crossed her bright es Why did Jeremy always disappear without a trace whenever she was ready to settle down with him? He used to text her every day saying he wanted to five a good life with her Was living a good life so busy he (couldn¡¯t even spare a moment to send her a WhatsApp message? Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Chapter 271 If Jeremy really wanted to be with her, he¡¯d make time for her no matter how busy he was with work He mentioned a few days ago that hed be back on the 11th When she asked if he could meet up on that day, he didn¡¯t give a straight answer And tomorrow was the 11th Would Jeremye back to Riverton? Would he text her? Comelia flipped to her chat with Jeremy, wanting to ask if he would be back tomorrow. She typed out the message, but deleted it letter by letter. She absolutely couldn¡¯t be the first to reach out this time! Making up her mind. Comelia finally opened the new message she just received. When she saw that the message was an exnation of a sentence she didn¡¯t understand, she looked up at Briana with a surprised expression ¡°Br you¡¯re amazing¡°¡± Briana nced at Marcus subconsciously and caught his hint She had to take the credit. ¡°I just happened to have read this book¡± ¡°Can you exin the meaning of this sentence? Comelia leaned closer to Briana, pointing at the sentence she didn¡¯t quite understand ¡°I don¡¯t really get it.¡± Brana scratched her head nervously. However, she was quick to respond, ¡°When I was reading this book, my brother tutored me. He¡¯s very familiar with it. Maybe he can exin it to you?¡± President Hartley? Cornelia shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± Comelia thought that Marcus, as the head of the Hartley Group, wouldn¡¯t exin ancient text for an assistant. If she shamelessly asked him for help and he ignored her, wouldn¡¯t she lose face? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Marcus¡¯s sudden question startled Cornelia. She turned around to see him sitting nearby, flipping through a history book that Cornelia was fond of Comeliaughed awkwardly ¡°President Hartley, I didn¡¯t see you there¡± Marcus looked at her ¡°You didn¡¯t know I was here?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Cornelia said. ¡°Tim sorry I was so absorbed in my book, and I didn¡¯t notice¡± Marcuss expression turned sour, and he turned to Briana, ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten everything I taught you?¡± When had he ever taught her? She was just making things up, he couldn¡¯t possibly believe he had taught her, right? Marcus stared at Briana, speaking sternly. ¡°Tell me, what did you forget?¡± Briana had never read the book. ¡°Marcus, I¡¯ve actually never..¡± Before she could finish, she saw Marcus¡¯s serious gaze and quickly corrected herself. Tve forgotten everything you taught me¡± Marcus, said, ¡®Sit up straight, I¡¯ll teach you again¡± Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Briana had no intention of wrapping her head around theseplex matters. With a dismissive wave of her hand, she said, ¡°Nah, I don¡¯t wanna learn. Teach Cornelia. She wants to learn, and you want to teach Don¡¯t drag me the non¨Cstudent type into this ¡°You have to learn Marcus turned towards Cornelia He looked at her gently and said ¡°if you want to learn, let¡¯s learn together¡± Cornelia was all too happy to ept this attention. She hopped up excitedly. ¡°Treally want to Mr. Hartley, could you wait for me for two minutes? I¡¯m going to get my pen and notebook ¡°Go ahead¡± Watching her retreating figure Marcus¡¯s mood also became brighte Just the fact that she could study with him made her incredibly happy, she was such an easily contented person Briana was forced into a state of studying Whenever she had to study, she would feel sleepy. But Cornelia was very serious about her studies, not only listening attentively but also taking notes, like an exemry student. Briana watched as the two of them, one seriously exining the other seriously listening Their attention was all focused on the ancient book, fully engrossed,pletely oblivious to her cking off Sneakily she took out heric book to continue reading, asionally stealing nces at Marcus, afraid that he might discover she wasn¡¯t paying attention. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. What she didn¡¯t know was that she was just an excuse for Marcus to get close to Comelia. He really only wanted to teach Corne ¡°Mr Hartie, I don¡¯t recognize this word Cornelia pointed to an unfamiliar ancient character, looking at him with hopeful eyes. ¡°Can you help me identify it?¡± Marcus leaned towards her naturally. He once again caught a whiff of her unique scent. She didn¡¯t wear any perfume, so why did she always smell faintly sweel? ¡°Mi Hartie,¡± he was too close, Comelia could smell the faint scent of mint on him. She instinctively took a step back, ¡°Do you recognize this?¡± Pulling himself together. Marcus responded. ¡°It means husband ¡°Husband¡°¡± Cornelia looked at it a few times, then said, ¡°Mr. Hartley, so is this little story about a couple who separated after getting married, then didn¡¯t recognize each other when they met again? if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that he knew she was serous about her studies, Marcus might have thought she knew something. ¡°Yes This is a story about a couple who separated after their wedding, and could still love each other when they met again¡± ¡°This man is so inresponsible!¡± Perhaps thinking of herself, Comelia sighed, ¡°He left his newlywed wife alone at home right after their wedding We¡¯re lucky in this era. He must not have known how hard it was for his wife What an unreliable man Marcus tried to defend the male protagonist, ¡°This man was also forced by life to leave his hometown and new wife. But after recognizing his wife, he treated her with all his heart. He can sort of be considered a good husband, right?¡± Comelia didn¡¯t want to dwell on this issue. She had no position to judge the right or wrong of the people in the story After all, she wasn¡¯t the one involved, didn¡¯t know the situation at the time, and couldn¡¯t understand the whole event from a few words. ¡°Cornelia Marcus suddenly called her name. Cornelia looked up at him, always feeling that she saw something in his eyes. But his emotion disappeared too quickly, so fast that Corne doubted whether she saw wrong. ¡°Come with me to the Elite Auctions in Harbor City tomorrow Marcus hadnt forgotten that tomorrow was the day Jeremy would return to Riverton, and Jeremy couldn¡¯t meet Cornelia for the time being He could only take Comelia away when Jeremy returned to Riverton, so as not to let them meet ¡°Alright I get ready night away¡± Cornelia knew that the Elite Auctions was a famous charity auction Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Chapter 273 Comelia quickly checked the auction time for the next day it was due to start at eight in the evening, so hopping on a ne around noon would still get them there on time. Then, she looked up flights from Riverton to Harbor City Both cities were top¨Ctier so there were plenty of flights going back and forth all day Going by Marcus¡¯s preferences, Cornelia booked a flight for ten in the moming A two hour flight would get them to Harbor City just in time for lunch. She told Marcus, ¡°Mr. Hartley Eve booked a flight for ten Tomorrow morning to Harbor City¡± Marcus only wanted to keen Cornelia out of Riverton while Jeremy was in town but didn¡¯t expect his casualment to set off such a flurry of activity. ¡°You don¡¯t need to prep anything else I¡¯m just going to have a look¨Csee Carry on with your book¡± Even though Marcus said not to prep, as his assistant Cornelia had to be prepared. Otherwise, if they showed up at the auction clueless, she might as well kiss her job goodbye ¡°Marcus, are you and Comelia heading to Harbor City for the auction?¡± Briana, finally willing to put down heric book after catching wind of their conversation, asked, ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing on my te recently, can I tag along? ¡°If you behave, I might consider it Marcus gestured to her. He thought he was pretty clear, but Briana looked clueless, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you feel hungry? Marcus asked At his reminder Briana¡¯s stomach instantly growled, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m actually starving Let¡¯s grab something to eat¡±This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Comelia, engrossed in her book hadpletely lost track of time and only just realized it was half past twelve. ¡°Mr. Hartley, Ill head out now. See you at the airport tomorrow morning¡± ¡°Do you need a ride?¡± Marcus didnt insist on her staying just gave Briana a meaningful look. This time. Briana got it immediately Hooking her arm around Comelia¡¯s Briana said, ¡°Where are you off to at lunchtime Corne? We¡¯re heading to Harbor City together tomorrow Why don¡¯t you stay over tonight, and we can go to the airport together? It¡¯s much more convenient¡± ¡°Br, fm sorry! I have ns this afternoon¡± Cornelia felt it inappropriate to stay without work¨Crted reasons. Plus, she had an appointment with Trent to look over some interior design ns ¡°Who are you meeting? Someone important? Briana blinked back tears it¡¯s okay, Comelia. You go ahead. I¡¯ve never been the apple of my parents¡® eye. Due to my status, I don¡¯t have many real friends understand If you dont want to hang out with me Just go As she spoke, she buried her face in Cornelia¡¯s chest, hugging her tightly, her crying growing more sorrowful. Briana¡¯s tear¨Cstreaked face and red eyes made her look like a wounded bunny, tugging at Cornelia¡¯s heartstrings. Just as Comelia was about tofort her Marcus stemmly said, ¡°Briana, you¡¯re old enough to stop crying now. If you want to cry, go back to your room. Don¡¯t act like a child¡± His words seemed a bit harsh. Comelia didn¡¯t want him to treat a young girl like this, so she patted Briana¡¯s back gently, ¡°Bri, don¡¯t cry. The person I was supposed to meet isnt that important, Ill stick around and keep youpany¡± ¡°Really?¡± Briana wiped her tears and secretly made a victory sign at Marcus. ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re really the best I like you a lot Cornelia was a bit taken aback by Briana¡¯s enthusiasm but tried to respond in kind, ¡°I like you too ¡± Marcus shot Briana a disgruntled look. He had only asked her to find a way to keep Cornelia around not to have a mutual lovefest. Chapter 274 Chapter 274 Chapter 274 The bond between those two was so tight that he felt like a third wheel. Briana really liked Cornelia, and she was stoked that Cornelia was sticking around ¡°Come, let¡¯s go eat. Im even hungiter now Cornelia couldn¡¯t resist this bubbly little girl, gently patting her head. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go eat They walked hand in hand ahead, not caring about Marcus trailing behind Marcus felt they might have even forgotten about him Briana liking Cornelia was no surprise to Marcus. After all, a girl as nice as Comelia was bound to be liked But what got him was Cornelia. She was always distant due to past hurts and it was hard to connect with her So how did Briana easily win her hear17 He had known. Comelia for longer and spent more time with hw, but she always avoided him in her life Was he not as charming as Briana? Marcus couldn¡¯t wrap his head around it shrugged it off, and caught up with them. Patricia and the chef prepared lots of spicy dishes, but none of them were Marcus¡¯s usual favorites Seeing this Briana looked towards the kitchen, ¡°Patricia did you guys mix up the dishes? Is there a single dish on the table that my brother can eat?¡± Patricia chuckled. ¡°Because Marc¡¯s wife is from Rosenberg He¡¯s been trying to eat their foodtely He¡¯s been doing it for a few days now¡± The reason Patricia was so chuffed was that Marcus had her redecorate the house and told her his wife would be home soon The room upstairs was personally decorated by Marcus. Everything inside was brand new He even added a whole closet of clothes. Patricia was a bit puzzled. Why did he let Corne stay in theroom he decorated for his wife the night before? ¡°You¡¯re even eating the spicy food you hate for your wife?¡± Briana praised Marcus. Tused to think you were always so dense emotionally. Turns out you¡¯re more sensitive than I thought Marcus grumbled, ¡°Less talking while eating¡± Comelia cast a worried look at Marcus. His stomach was sensitive, and he was eating spicy food every day to amodate his wife¡¯s dietary preferences. He was really pushing himself too hard But loving someone meant caring for them, respecting them, and Cornelia felt there was no need to jeopardize his health for it Though she thought this way, she couldn¡¯t say it out loud. After all, she was just Mamus¡¯s assistant. It wasn¡¯t her ce toment on his rtionship with hisContent ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Briana had been eyeing Cornelis ¡°Cornelia, do you eat spicy food¡°¡± Comelia chuckled softly ¡°Im also from Rosenberg¡± Briana said. ¡°How coincidentall You not only share the same name as my sister inw but alsoe from the same city And now you¡¯re working as my brother¡¯s assistant My family seems to have quite the fate with people of your surname) Cornelia also found it rather amusing that she shared the same name with her boss¡¯s wife ¡°Could you maybe pipe down a bit Marcus was womed that Buana might stir up suspicion in Cornelia. ¡°How many times have I told you not to talk while eating?¡± Briana leaned towards Comelia, whispering ¡°Comelia, my brothers really annoying huh? i think only my sister inw can put up with him. With his temperament, no other woman would give him a second look ¡°You¡¯re wrong. Your brother is quite popr Comelia replied back in a low voice, smiling She knew quite well about how popr Marcus was Wherever they went, there were always people trying to strike a conversation with him Despite being married, there were still a lot of women throwing themselves at him. ¡°Briana said. ¡°Those women are just after his looks and money if he weren¡¯t rich and handsome, it¡¯d be a wonder if anyone could stand his personality¡± Corneliaughed. ¡°But he is rich and handsome¡± Briana said ¡°Enough about him. Come, eat more if you like the dishes¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Do you eat spicy food?¡± Briana said, ¡°During university. I would often dine out with my friends. We ate everything, and over time, I got used to all kinds of food. I¡¯m not picky anymore.¡± Come said, ¡°That¡¯s good Only those who are not picky can enjoy all kinds of delicacies. Do you eat ntro?¡± Briana nodded vigorously. ¡°Yes, I love it. But my brother doesn¡¯t, so we never have it at home I can only have it when I eat out¡± Comelia said, ¡°Picky eaters are really missing out, they¡¯ll never get to taste the deliciousness of cntro¡± Marcus said, ¡°Could you two talk any louder? I¡¯m afraid I might not hear¡± Oops, they got so caught up in their chat that they forgot about the pickiest eater right beside them Briana said ¡°We weren¡¯t bad mouthing you¡± Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m not deaf Eat your food¡± Since the boss had spoken, Comelia had toply and stop chitchatting Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. The dishes were all Come¡¯s favorites, and the chefs culinary skills were excellent, so she couldn¡¯t stop eating. Patricia prepared a bowl of soup for Comelia, ¡°Ms. Stewart I made this especially for you¡± Cornelia felt so full that she couldn¡¯t eat anymore. Patricia, could i pass?¡± Patricia replied with a smile. ¡°I just keep it warm for you. You can have it when you¡¯re hungryter ¡°Alright, thank you Patricia¡± Everyone in the family was very nice to her. But she felt rather ufortable, as if she was recing thedy of the house Full stomachs called for a nap. Briana yawned. ¡°Cornelia, we¡¯re stuffed. Let¡¯s take a nap¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Comelia said to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, Im going to rest.¡± Marcus nodded, not saying anything As soon as Comelia got back to her room, her personal phone vibrated She immediately picked it up and saw a message from Jeremy He didn¡¯t let her down this time First Line ¡°Cornelia, I shall be returning to Riverton tomorrow Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Second line ¡°If you are avable, we could arrange a meeting¡± She initially believed she could maintainposure, yet upon realizing the message originated from Jeremy, she found herself unable to contain her excitement and hastily replied, ¡°At what time will you arrive in Riverton tombirow¡°¡± If he were to return to Riverton earlier the could still have a rendezvous with him before heading to Harbor City Jeremy Two oclock in the aftemoon¡± By tomorrow afternoon, she will have almady reached Harbor City Comelia responded with disappointment. ¡°Somy) Tomorrow, I will be apanying Marcus to Harbor City, and I am unsure when i will be able to return. Hence, I am unable to meet with you tomorrow¡± Jeremy ¡°Then let us meet when you return Comelia Very well¡± ¡°After she replied, Jeremy didn¡¯t text again. He could casually ask her what she¡¯s been up totely, but he didn¡¯t ask anything Cornelia clutched her phone tightly, thought for a moment, and finally decided to be honest with him about the importance ofmunication, otherwise, misunderstandings would anse Jeremy you said you wanted to be with me were you serious?¡± This time Jeremy replied quickly ¡°Every word I said to you was serious¡± Comelia, ¡°And how long will we be together? A year? Two years? Ten years? Or longer?¡± Jeremy ¡°A time¡± His response like a marvelous melody gently struck the chords of Cornelia¡¯s heart. Even though she was alone in the room, her cheeks involuntarily flushed She buried her face in the pillow and whispered, ¡®A lifetime is a long time. Are you certain you can spend a lifetime with me?¡± Jeremy¡¯s reply came swiftly, seemingly without hesitation, ¡°I am very certain¡± Cornelia felt herself being drawn to Jeremy Whatever he said, she firmly believed without a trace of doubt, never suspecting him of deceit Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Despite her dissatisfaction with hisck ofmunication for several days, the moment she received his message, all those grievances were forgotten. How could she be so powerless? Cornelia sent a subdued message. ¡°Are you usually busy with work?¡± Jeremy responded, ¡°Not particrly busy¡± Comelia. ¡°If you¡¯re not busy, then why havent you texted me for days?¡± After some chatting, Cornelia finally got to her point This time, Jeremy¡¯s reply waste ining Comelia stared at the phone screen, almost falling asleep waiting for his response, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m really sorry!¡± He had been with her these days Marcus could see her as soon as he opened his eyes, so he didn¡¯t text her. But he overlooked that she didn¡¯t know about it. Comelia, who was about to close her eyes, said, ¡°Im going to take a nap.¡± Jeremy ¡°Ainght¡± After thest message was sent, Marcus didn¡¯t turn off his phone right away. He kept staring at it Patricia saw him, ¡°Marc, are you texting your wife?¡± Marcus smiled slightly. ¡°Yes¡± Seeing his smile, Patrica felt even happier. ¡°When are you nning to bring her home? Our home has everything except her¡± She was already by his side, albet not in the role of the mistress of this household Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Marcus initially intended to say that but at thest moment, he changed it to, ¡°Soon¡± Patricia eximed, ¡°That¡¯s wonderfull You have no idea how much I¡¯ve longed for this household to have a mistess used to think I might not live long mough to witness it, but now there is finally hope Having watched Marcus grow up, Patricia regarded him as her own child. She knew that he had been alone all these years, bearing the weight of everything on his own, without anyone truly understanding him Now, with someone who can apany him, Patricia was filled with joy When Marcus saw Patricias tears, he couldn¡¯t help but shed his own ¡°This is a good thing why are you crying?¡± ¡°These are tears of emotion Im happy for you¡± Patricia wiped as her tears really want to meet thedy soon I want to see what she looks like¡± I had been a long time since Patricia spoke so many words to him Marcus could sense that Patricia, like his grandmother, genuinely wished for his happiness in marriage Marcus also considered Patricia as his own family Apart from his grandmother, Patricia was probably the person closest to him ¡°You have alieady met her.¡± Patricia and Briana both widened ther eyes in surprise ¡°When did this happen?¡± Marcus nced upstairs and replied, ¡°Cornelia is mywful wife¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°I know¡± He had told her that his wife was also named Cornelia, but Patricia quickly caught his drift, she also locked up at the second floor. ¡°Wait, Marc You mean..?¡± Patrica asked anxiously. ¡°The Cornelia who¡¯s living with us now is your wife, Cornelia?¡° Marcus said, ¡°Do you think I would let some random woman stay overnight at my ce?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. Aside from Cornelia, you¡¯ve never let any other woman stay the night¡± Patricia was overjoyed, ¡°Oh Marc, this is wonderful, When Cornelia first came over, I thought you two made quite a pair fantasized about how great it would be if the was your wife, and now my dream hase true.¡± Marcus could tell that Patricia was genuinely fond of Cornelia Whenever Cornelia visited, Patricia would not only chat happily with her but also prepare some snacks for her, ¡°Comelia doesn¡¯t know about this yet, you have to keep it hush¨Chush¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t know? How can she not know? Patricia realized she was asking too many questions and quickly reassured him, ¡°I won¡¯t spill the beans. I won¡¯t say a word until you give me the green light¡± Although Patricia promised not to say anything her enthusiasm towards Cornelia upon waking up made one question her intentions. Even Briana, who was usually slow to pick up on things, noticed something amiss ¡°Patricia, what¡¯s going on? Why do you follow Cornelia wherever she goes?¡± ¡°You like Comelia, and I like her too¡± Patricia walked up to Cornelia with a smile ¡°Nelly, what would you like to eat tonight?¡± Caught off guard by Patricia¡¯s warm demeanor, Cornelia wasn¡¯t sure how to interact with her ¡°Patriciu, I have a good appetite Anything for dinner is fine¡± ¡°Alright, you carry on with your tasks. I won¡¯t disturb you any longer Patricia slowly walked away She had always found Cornelia incredibly beautiful and charming and now knowing she was the mistress of the house, her admiration grew even stronger. Once Patricia left, Cornelia immediately began researching the items to be auctioned at the prestigious auction tomorrow night, including jewelry, world¨Crenowned paintings, and even a yet to¨Cbe¨Crevealed mysterious Herm Among the jewelry was a ne previously worn by ate international superstar, which had been acquired by a mysterious billionaire for a staggering price of $30 million and was now valued at $40 million. Cornelia knew that Marcus had once spent $30 million on a ne for the president¡¯s wife. Since he wasn¡¯t someone who idolized celebrities, he probably wouldn¡¯t be interested in this particr ne. As for the ancient paintings, Comelia recalled the precious ones in Marcus study it was possible that he would show interest in one of those ancient artworks. Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Chapter 278 Corne immediately dove into studying the ancient painting, trying to figure out who the artist was and whether it was original or a copy She needed to dig up all the dirt on it so she could help Marcus snatch it up at the best price in the midst of Comelia¡¯s hustle, Ava came over with fruits and all sorts of fancy desserts, ¡°Comelia, work is important, but remember to take a breather and chow down on some fruits and sweets¡± Cornelia was a bit exasperated. ¡°Thanks Ava but you didn¡¯t have to whip up these snacks. Im not really peckish Ava chuckled ¡°No womes Even if you¡¯re not hungry give them a try¡± ¡°Alright then Cornelia reluctant fred a piece of dessert it was kickin¡® and melted instantly in her mouth Seeing Cornelia take a shine to the dessert, Ava took note, nning to make the same for Cornelia next time she visits. Once Cornelia wrapped up the auction business, she dashed off to contact Trent Brown Trent had a brand new renovation n ready but he needed Cornelia¡¯s green light before he could carry on with it Cornelia opened the 3D rendering sent by Trent Brown, and with just a nce, she knew his services woulde at a considerable price. His design proposal exuded simplicity and elegance, unlike anything she hade across online Every detail was meticulously crafted to perfection Comelia replied ¡°Mr Brown, this design rendering is exceptional, and I truly admire it. However can you assure me that you can achieve this level of excellence in the actual execution?¡± Trent Brown responded, ¡°You find this design proposal impressive already? Hold off on making a decision for now Let me develop another proposal, and then you can make your selection¡± Comel replied ¡°Very well Comelia had limited knowledge about interior design. She had only heard that one should be attentive when dealing with renovations, as there was a risk of being deceived by constructionpanies. However since Trent Brown came rmended by Jeremy, Comelia believed that if Jeremy trusted him, he wouldn¡¯t have introduced him to her casually This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. She ced her trust in Jeremy and was willing to extend that trust to the designer he rmended She decided to entrust Trent Brown with full responsibility for the future renovations, allowing her to have peace of mind She spent another night at the Celestial Chateau vi At 10 am the next day. Cornelia, Marcus, and Briana were ready to jet off to Harbor City Cornelia took the initiative to ce the s blings in the front row and sat herself in the row behind. She found the arrangement to be perfectly reasonable, but for some reason, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Mamus¡¯s gaze towards her was somewhat peculiar, as if he was dissatisfied with her decisions However Cornelia didn¡¯t dwell on it to much. She took a seat and a man wearing sunsses sat down on her left Comelia didn¡¯t pay much attention to the unfamiliar man, but she had a lingering sense that his gaze was fixed on her She turned her head to look at him, and the man removed his sunsses, smiling as he extended his hand towards her ¡°Hello, beautiful!¡± Chapter 279 Chapter 279 Chapter 279 The man appeared to be younger than thirty dressed in internationally renowned brands, and persessed handsome features However, Comelia spoke directly. It is impolite to stare at me without my consent The man responded with a smile. ¡°So, if I have your permission can I continue to gaze at you?¡® He chuckled softly and then asked, ¡°Are you going to Harbor City alone? Are you going for leute or work?¡± To Comels, the stranger¡¯s words and actions were undoubtedly firtatious and she had no desire to engage with him ¡°We don¡¯t know each other, and what I do has nothing to do with you¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Despite Comelia¡¯s straightforward rejection, the man remained unfazed, maintaining his charming smile ¡°Well then, allow me to introduce myself Fam Hayden Ruff, a native of Harbor City And you, what in your name?¡± Comelia immediately searched for information about this man. Hayden Ruff the scion of the Ruff Corporation and the future sessor of the Huff Corporation She¡¯d heard some scandalous rumors about him recently Rumor had it, heid taken a fancy to a fresh college graduate But when the girl didnt reciprocate his feelings, he resorted to dirty tactics, causing her to have a breakdown Of course, these were just tumors Comelia had no way to verify their truth. But she knew that being tangled up with such a powerful figure would be a pain in the butt. She needed to figure out a way to shake him off. Looking at him, he didn¡¯t quite match his photos online if it weren¡¯t for his introduction, she might not have recognized him, ¡°Mr. Raft, are you looking to woo me, or asking me out?¡± Hayden Ruff a man who¡¯d seen all sorts of women, was a bit disappointed at Cornelia¡¯s change of tune But Comelia was a knockout, so even if it was just flirting, he wouldn¡¯t be on the losing end, ¡°Which one are you hoping for?¡± Comelia didn¡¯t miss theplexity in his gaze as he looked at her a mix of weanness and interest She gave a softugh, her voice noticeably gentle, ¡°Either works, as long as you have something good to offer What benefits are you looking for?¡± As Hayden Ruff put on his sunsses, he began sizing up this stunning woman. He¡¯d been taught from a young age to be wary of sudden beauties. He had to figure out if she had known his identify all along and deliberately sat next to him, or if she had just learned he was Hayden Ruff if she had known his identity from the start and pretended not to, no matter how beautiful she was, he couldn¡¯t touch her. He wouldn¡¯t walk into a trap set by others. Hayden Ruff was nobody¡¯s puppet With his sunsses on, Cornelia couldn¡¯t see his eyes, but from his facial expression, she could tell he was looking down on her. With a little more effort, he might lose interestpletely Comelia quickly recalled information about the Ruff Corporation, remembering a real estate development project they were currently bidding on She had a strategy at hand. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re in charge of the Evergreen Estates bidding. If you could-¡± Hayden Ruff was a flirt, but he wouldn¡¯t jeopardize his family business for a woman Before Cornelia could finish, he cut her off coldly, ¡°Just tell me straight up, who sent you to get close to me?¡± Chapter 280 Chapter 280 Chapter 280 With the goal in mind, Comelia chuckled and tand. ¡°No one is pulling my strings, I¡¯ve just liked Mr. Ruff for a long time, and now that five finally met you, I want to take things further with you¡± ¡°Like me¡± Let me see if you¡¯re worth it first¡± Hayden Ruff tried to pinch Comelia¡¯s chin, but before he could touch her a hand suddenly grabbed his wrist. ¡°Buzz off¡± Marcus¡¯s voice was deep and cold even a big shot like Hayden Ruff was frightened into holding his breath for several seconds under Marcus¡¯s imposing aur Under Marcus¡¯s intense gaze Hayden Ruff get up to leave, but as he took a step, he reacted, ¡°Who do you think you are? Daring to interfere with melt Marcus replied in a low voice. ¡°Go ask Julian Ruff who I am¡± Perhaps his words were too powerful, or perhaps Harden Ruff wasn¡¯t as tall as Marcus He had to look up to meet Marcus¡¯s gaze, but even so, his aum couldn¡¯tpete with Marcus¡¯s Under Marcus¡¯s piercing game, he couldnt utter another word and left After Hayden Ruff left, Marcus turned to Comelia and asked coldly. ¡°So you think your husband is already dead?¡± She thought his existence as her husband was null and void? He sat right in front of her and she was flirting with another man. if he hadn¡¯t stepped in, would she have left with that man today? Marcus was seething Comelia Why was Marcus meddling in her personal affairs? Original from N?velDrama.Org. if he interfered at this point, making Hayden Ruff aware that she did this on purpose, he will definitely give her troubleter Comelia wanted to exin, but seeing Hayden Ruff hadn¡¯t gone far and was still looking back at them, she could only refort to Marcus, ¡°My marriage with my husband is in name only, and he can¡¯t control who flirt with This has nothing to do with you¡± Her words further infuriated Marcus. He shoved Come to the window seat and sat in the aisle seat blocking her in, ¡°Cornelia, do you even know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Seeing Hayden Ruff had left and no one was paying attention to them, Cornelia quickly exined, ¡°President Hartley, things aren¡¯t as you see them. I was just pretending with that guy. If you hadn¡¯t stepped in, he would have left on his own¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Pretending?¡± Cornelia nodded vigorously ¡°Yes I was just putting on a show Because his gaze was like a predator eyeing its pay, and he¡¯s from the Ruff Corporation of Harbor City i didn¡¯t dam reject him outright. So i yed the part of a woman trying to get close to him, so he would leave on his own¡± Marcus¡¯s anger dissipated instantly at Comelia¡¯s sincere exnation. He wasn¡¯t upset about this, but what pissed him off was that Cornelia didn¡¯t think of him when she encountered a problem, ¡°Comelia, I¡¯ve told you many times, you have the whole Hartley Group behind you. You¡¯re mine, and no one can force you to do anything you don¡¯t want to¡± Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Cornelia Stewart murmured, ¡°Tve noted all your advice I know I have the Hartley Group backing me up, but how can I trouble you with such trivial stuff like people lutting on me?¡± He was her boss, not her husband What if she asked for his help when someone hit on her and he said. ¡°That¡¯s not my business¡°? What would she do then? N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Hearing her grumble Marcus Hartley¡¯s face softened his voice turned gentle. ¡°Comelia, whether it¡¯s at work or in life, you can alwayse to me for help anytime you face any problem.¡± Even though Marcus made this promise Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to take it seriously Ther rtionship was strictly that of boss and subordinate. She couldn¡¯t just expect his kindness because she shared the same name with his wife She quickly dismissed ¡°President Hartley, there¡¯s a ton of trivial stuff in life. Ive been able to handle them all by myself before I met you and I should still be able to do so now Marcus was a bit annoyed now ¡°If you don¡¯te to me for help, you could always turn to Jeremy Artis, right?¡± As long as she didn¡¯t know he was her husband, she wouldn¡¯t tell him about the small troubles in her life, and she wouldn¡¯t seek his help first Cornelia asked ¡°President Hartley, are you and Jeremy close¡± Marcus replied ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Cornelia said. ¡°Your special attention towards me is partly because I share the same name with your wife, and partly due to Jemmy¡¯s request. If you value Jeremy¡¯s request so much, I think you must have a pretty good rtionship with him¡± Marcus said, ¡°We¡¯ve grown up together since we were kids¡± He and Jeremy are the same person, didn¡¯t they grow up together? ¡°Did Jeremy also grow up with you?¡± Comelia knew Marcus¡¯s friends were Leonardo Wilson and Cameron Reese. She didn¡¯t expect Jeremy to have grown up with him too. It made her understand why Marcus would value Jeremy¡¯s request so much Marcus said. ¡°We not only grew up together, we are as close as one person. So, you can tell me whatever you need help with¡± Cornelia awkwardly chuckled and didn¡¯t say anything This whole thing was about Jeremy being too loosey¨Cgoosey entrusting his wife to a male friend who is both rich and handsome. Wasn¡¯t he worried that she might fall for his friend? She wasn¡¯t sure whether Jeremy was too confident in himself or too trusting of his friend. Marcus asked, ¡°Why are you silent? Cornelia said, ¡°Dont tell Jeremy about today¡± Marcusughed, ¡°What, starting to worry about him knowing?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I just don¡¯t want him to worry¡± Marcus said, ¡°He probably already knows¡± Comelia didn¡¯t say anything He¡¯s the president of the Hartley Group, can¡¯t he keep a secret? He told others about what just happened to her Who said men don¡¯t like gossiping don¡¯t like spreading news? However, Cornelia quickly realized Marcus fooled her There was no inte on the ne, so Marcus couldn¡¯t send a message to Jeremy She secretly red at him Marcus noticed her little action, ¡°if you don¡¯t want me to spill the beans, don¡¯t do such things in the future.¡± Cornelia could only reply. ¡°Okay¡± After a two¨Chour flight, the nended safely at Harbor City¡¯s international airport Chapter 282 Chapter 282 Chapter 282 After getting off the ne. Comelia, as usual, went to collect the luggage by herself Ben wasn¡¯t with them today, so she was in charge of all three suitcases It was a real pain to move them, so Comelia went to get a luggage cart, nning to put all the suitcases in it, which would make things a lot easier But when she turned around. Marcus was holding the luggage cart saying ¡°I got this¡± Comelia was shocked that the big boss himself was going to handle the luggage. ¡°Mr Hartley, this isn¡¯t your job¡± Marcus said. ¡°This is a personal trip¡± Even if it was a personal trip Comelia didn¡¯t dare to let him handle the luggage. ¡°Mr Hartley¡± At the critical moment. Marcus gave Briana Hartley a look and she immediately grabbed Cornelia and started walking. ¡°Cornelia, let the big guy handle the luggage¡± ¡°Bru no way¡± Comelia firmly opposed, shook off Briana, and went back to the luggage carousel, ¡®Mr Hartley let me do it. I won¡¯t feel easy letting you handle the luggage If the big boss had to handle the luggage himself, what was the point of having her as an assistant? if Marcus was in a bad mood and took it out on her, this could be a reason for her to get fired Marcus gave her a nce and easily put the three suitcases on the luggage cart, ¡°I told you, this is a personal trip, why are you uneasy?¡±Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Come candidly said. ¡°Worried you¡¯d give me trouble¡± Marcusughed at her ¡°is that what you think of me?¡± Comelia said. ¡°You¡¯re not, but¡± Marcus interrupted her, ¡°No buts, if you are really worried, help me push the luggage¡± Comelia was speechless. What was up with Marcus? Why was he trying to steal her job? Did she do something wrong and he was forcing her to quit? Cornelia and Marcus walked out of the airport, and right outside they met a young couple, ¡°Miss, could you take a picture for us?¡± Comelia nodded. ¡°Sure¡± The girl quickly handed Comelia her phone and pointed at it, ¡°Please get the words ¡°Harbor City¡® in the background. It¡¯s our first time in Harbor City, we want a souvenir¡± ¡°OK¡± Comelia looked at Marcus, ¡°Mr. Hartley, you go ahead be right there after I take their picture.¡± Marcus nodded but didn¡¯t leave, he quietly stepped behind Comelia, not disturbing her while she was taking the picture. Comelia used to like taking such pictures when she and Zack Ruck went to new cities. Later, she often traveled with Marcus and they might go to several cities in a month, so she no longer had the mood to take such pictures Seeing the young couple taking this picture. Cornelia felt as if she had returned to the days when she traveled with Zack and the others, so she took the picture very carefully After taking the picture, she handed the phone back to the girl, ¡°Take a look, if you don¡¯t like it, I can take another one¡± Cornelia was a cartoonist, she was very familiar withposition and visual expression. The young couple admired her work, ¡°Your pictures are amazing, we look better in the picture than in reality, and the background is beautiful¡± The girl was very satisfied with these pictures and wanted to return the favor in some way, so she suggested, ¡°Can I take a picture for you and your partner?¡± Comeliaughed, ¡°My partner is not with me today¡± The girl pointed behind Comelia, ¡°Isn¡¯t he your partner?¡± Comelia turned around and saw Marcus right behind her, realizing he didn¡¯t leave, which made her feel embarrassed Just as she was about to exin, Marcus said, ¡°Lets go.¡± Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Chapter 283 Marcus didn¡¯t want to hear Comelia exin one more time that she wasn¡¯t his wife So, he stepped in to stop her Comelia mistook his interruption for impatience so she quickly waved goodbye to the gil and humed to catch up with him This trip was personal for Marcus, work¨Crted to Cornelia din arrange forpany staff to pick them up. Instead, she rented a business car from a rentalpany Comelia knew Marcus wel He didn¡¯t like to stand out when he was out and about if it weren¡¯t for his good looks, no one would notice han Like his clothes never with a big brand logo Even insiders might not realize they we custom made Come didn¡¯t malize that as they got into the cat Hayden Raff¡¯s luxury car passed by them Hayden Ruff in a lousy mood, noticed them and instructed his assistant, ¡°Find out who owns that business car ¡°Yes sir¡± His assistant made a quick phone call Before long the assistant got the info, ¡°Mr Ruff, the car is from¡¯a rentalpany, rented today by a woman named Cornelia¡± ¡°Comelia¡± So, that was her name Nice name, but she shouldn¡¯t have crossed him, Hayden Ruff ¡°Find out which hotel she¡¯s staying at Before Hayden Ruff was cautious, thinking that the man with the strong aum was someone important But now, knowing they could only afford to rent a car, and a in business car at that Hayden Ruff decided the man was just a nobody In Harbor City everyone but the Dixons had to make way for him, Hayden Ruf! Soon, the assistant reported with a troubled look, ¡°Mr Ruff, they¡¯re staying at a hotel owned by the Dixon family We couldn¡¯t find out anything about the man.¡± Hayden Ruff was dissatisfied but didn¡¯t dare to offend the Dixon family. He got lucky this time N?velDrama.Org owns all content. The top auction was held at the World Art International in Harbor City, which happened to be owned by the Ruff Corporation. The auction started at eight, and by seven, most guests had arrived Cornelia and Marcus were among thest to arrive Marcus¡¯s invitation didn¡¯t list him as a special quest, so their arrival didn¡¯t attract any special attention. Among the attendees were industry big shots like Steven Dixon Lucas Duncan, and Zavier Rivera Steven was apanied by Hannah Daxon, Lucas had Rosie Duncan by his side. With Skyler Blue gone Zavier attended alone, giving Comelia a new understanding of him The men were all in suits, the women in beautiful gowns. The most stunning were Hannah and Rosie Hannah was an actress, and Comelia often saw her gown styles on TV Each one had a different kind of beauty, so Hannah standing out didn¡¯t surprise Come What surprised her was Rosie, who usually seemed so gentle and elegant, was transformed into a dazzling beauty in her gown, impossible to ignore Their malepanions were like protectors, always closely following them Whenever someone¡¯s gaze landed on Hannah and Rosie Steven and Lucas¡¯s eyes became stern, as if ready to attack Steven saw Cornelia and Marcus first. He walked over with Hannah and his drink, ¡°Marc, I thought you weren¡¯t interested in attending tonight What changed your mind?¡± Marcus took a drink from a waiter, swirled it casually, ¡°Just felt like it.¡± Steven nced at Cornelia, ¡°Marc, we¡¯re all dressed formally Why is Cornelia in work clothes? If you cant afford a dress, let me know I can buy one for her¡± Chapter 284 Chapter 284 Chapter 284 ¡°Marcus, no need Hannah handed a ss of wine to Cornelia and looked her up and down. ¡°Cornelis, you¡¯re so pietly and in such great shape. | bet, just change into a fancy dress and you¡¯ll definitely be the star tonight¡± Marcus nced at Cornelia. Thats why he didn¡¯t prepare a dress for her tonight. She¡¯s his wife, he hadn¡¯t even seen her killer figure, why let others se Comelia chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re buttering me up How could possiblypete with you and Rosie?¡± Hannah responded ¡°Being too modest is just another form of arrogance ¡°Who¡¯s being arogant¡± Rose who came with lucas, chimed in, ¡°Comelia, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re trying to keep your body a secret from every man but your husband?¡± This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Nope ¡°Her husband Jeremy she thought, just like her, didn¡¯t remember what she looked like, so he wouldn¡¯t care if others saw her figure Hearing this Lucas and Oscar looked at Marcus at the same time, they thought this young man was low¨Ckey but actually quite thoughtful They should learn from Marcus in the future, they should never let their wives be the center of attention The mere thought of all those eyes on Rosie still filled Lucas with a strong desire to harm someone Zavier approached, holding his wine ss, wearing a displeased expression: ¡°You three are all here. Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± he asked Hannah replied sternly. ¡°We¡¯re already paired up We didn¡¯t want to make Mr Rivera feel ufortable, so we didn¡¯t think to call you¡± Steven chimed in,ughing ¡°Zavier, are you giving up on your wife? No ns to win her back?¡± Zavier sheered, ¡°Im not desperate enough to hold onto a woman who wants to leave me Steven continued. ¡°Should I congratte you on your potential remarriage then?¡± Zavier replied, ¡°Remarry? Why would I want to invite more trouble into my life? Women are just for fun, I don¡¯t spoil them.¡± Zavier¡¯s words were a bit much, and Cornelia, Hannah, and Rosie couldn¡¯t take it anymore. The three of them went to chat in a corner. Rosie asked. ¡°Cornelia, do you know how Skyler¡¯s doing?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°President Hartley has already arranged for someone to help Skyler settle where she wants to go¡± Hannah, ¡°Surprisingly out of all the guys, the most reliable one is Marcus¡± Rosie ¡°The word on the street is that the president of the Hartley Group, Marcus, deeply loves his wife. I think he must really love his wife, knowing how to love someone, thats why he helped Skyler¡± Comelia agreed. ¡®Indeed. President Hartley is so devoted to his wife, never even ncing at other women¡± Hannah, ¡°Cornelia how are things with your husband?¡± Comelia. ¡°We¡¯re good. It¡¯s just that he returned to Riverton from a business trip today, and I came to Harbor City, so we couldn¡¯t see each other¡± Hannah suggested. ¡°If you miss him that much, fly back to see him after the auction ends, thene back to Harbor City early in the morning¡± Comelia thought it was a good opportunity to see Jeremy but Jeremy hadn¡¯t messaged her today, she wasn¡¯t sure if he was back in Riverton yet. If she flew back only to find out he wasn¡¯t there, the money for the ticket would be Chapter 285 Chapter 285 Chapter 285 other some personal te You can¡¯t always be stuck together. ise to many to get fet up¡± Rose enuntered, ¡°I think, mem for a mamed couple, giving mad Hannah asked ¡°Are you fed up with your hubby Lucast Tamed by the question Rosie quickly nced back to see if Lubes was is we hit the legal age Win a known kach other kids. We got hitched as soon gh of t years to to pay I¡¯m never fad be a lie But really bugs ma ch other oOCT AY ANG burybody than my dad iways medding in my business ( Damly have any personal space¡± He treats me like I¡¯m a Hannah yfully poked her forehead. ¡°You don¡¯t realize how lucky you are Hours face tumed red. ¡°What are you talking As they were engrossed in their chat there was a Commotion at the entrance. The host begin microphone. ¡°Our grand finale quest. Mt. Ruff has amived. Please take your seats, the auction is about to The Ruff family had some status and fame in Harbor City butpared to the Hartley family, the Dixon family the Rivers family and the Today a group of influential business figures attended the event mongnito using s Toom and immediately noticed the stunting presence of Hannah and Rowe Hannah wat a reticemed film and television star so it was only natural for Hayden to mily they were ther privacy. As a result, thest guest to Hayden Ru Hayden, reveling in the attention, surveyed the always been shielded by Lucas and had new made a public appearance making her unremgnizable to Hayden Both women were undeniably beautiful capturing Haydenis interest. By han he saw Comera standing beside them, his car woman named Comelia certainly has audacity. Not only did she discove my personal schedule but the also foli¨®wed Notiring Haydens focus, his assistant inquired. ¡°M) Buff how would you like to handle this situation?¡± Hayden unawed and replied ¡°Since she has willingly appeached me there ; no need for courtesy Ahw the auction, The assistant nodded. ¡°Understood After giving his orders. Hayden Ruff turned fix attention away and strutted amigantly towards the VIP seats. Marcus and his team normally kept a low profile only top industry leaders, were plleged to ne which was why their seats were arranged in thend rom Zavier sat alone on the far left, with a vacant seat next to him, seemingly reserved for tayler This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. or her connection to Steven. On the other hand, Roma had ed in immediately. Raising an eyebrow and smirking Hayden remarked. ¡°This ma for a few drinks to face. Many people at tha were not big bosses, so only a few could recognize them, From Zavim in order wer lucks and his wife Steven and his wife and finally Marcut and Come in the far right, with Comelia Before the auction began there were some entertainment programa. The first program was a popr male actor singing. He had only shot to famest year. Thanks to Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Chapter 286 Abigail Young was hooked on this TV show watching it daily, and even Cornelia who caught a few snippets with her, found the male leads acting cringe-worthy, with his perpetually stiff expressions When Cornelia asked how Abigail could endure watching it, Abigail responded. ¡°Who needs good acting in a love story? As long as the guy is hot, the girl is pretty, and the plot is dreamy enough, that¡¯s all that matters¡± Despite having finished the show Abigail continued to be infatuated with this male star, often engaging in activities such as analyzing his poprity and purchasing products he endorsed in her eyes, he was undeniably attractive and held a top te status As the male star made his entrance bathed in the glow of stage lights and greeted by thunderous apuse Comelia joined in the pping However, due to her distant position, she couldnt get a clear view of his face Curiosity piqued, Comelia couldn¡¯t resist leaning forward, hoping to catch a glimpse of the rumored handsome actor Just as she did so, Marcussitated voice reached her ear, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Cornelia answered honestly. ¡°I¡¯m trying to see if the guy on stage is as good looking as Abigail ims¡± Marcus reminded her ¡°You¡¯re married, amember?¡± Cornelia thought Marcus was being overly intrusive Even Jeremy, who was known for being overprotective, never bothered her like this. ¡°President Hartley, since when does being married mean I cant appreciate ¡°other men¡¯s look?¡± Marcus remained sent, his expression inscrutable Unaware of his maction, Comelia took out her phone, zoomed in ten times using the camera, and finally managed to get a good look at the male actor Abigad deemed to be a top tier heartthrob Comelia felt maybe she was too used to seeing Marcus¡¯s face, and having hunks like Steven, Lucas and Zavier around, so she thought the actor looked quite average She took a few pictures of him and sent them to Abigail Abby, here are some snaps of your crush¡± Abigail responded quickly. ¡°How long has it been since youst checked in on me? I¡¯ve been over him for a while now you didn¡¯t know?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Comelia was genuinely clueless, ¡°When did you stop liking him?¡± Abigail replied ¡°After meeting your husband Marcus Since then, no other man matters¡± Corn responded, ¡°Same here¡± Abigail said ¡°if you could sneak a pic of your husband for me, so I could see him every day, Id be your maid in my next life¡± The thought of secretly taking a picture of Marcus scared Cornelia, ¡°if I sneak a picture of him and make it public, I might not just lose my job, I might be in danger¡± At that moment, Cornelia stole a nce at Marcus, only to find him looking at her seriously She was startled, he must¡¯ve thought she was going to sneak a picture of him, he couldn¡¯t have seen her messages. Comelia quickly turned off her phone pretending to be engrossed in the performance on stage. Marcus¡¯s deep voice filled her ear again, this time it wasn¡¯t sexy or gentle, it was almost like he was gritting his teeth. ¡°Is that guy mally that attractive?¡± Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Chapter 287 ¡°No way!¡± was what Cornelia thought inside, but what she said was, ¡°That guy¡¯s a hotshot celebrity, tons of girls are crazy about him. He¡¯s handsome, who wouldn¡¯t like him?¡± Marcus frowned, ¡°Shallow¡± He was right there by her side, why couldnt she look at him? Could it be that in her eyes, he was less attractive than that celebrity? Cornelia retorted under her breath, ¡°People appreciate beauty men like to look at pretty women, why is it shallow when girls like handsome guys?¡± Marcus is that guy better looking than your husband?¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t remember what Jeremy looked like, how was she supposed to answer that? Not getting an answer Marcus wouldn¡¯t let it go, ¡°Who¡¯s better looking your husband or that guy? Can¡¯t answer such a simple question?¡± Cometia thought for a moment, in her memory Jeremy was good looking but he was just an ordinary guy. That celebrity got famous for his looks, even if he wasn¡¯t as good looking as Marcus, he was certainly better locking than the average guy So she responded. ¡°I guess he¡¯s better looking than my husband¡± Marcus¡¯s expression darkened, and he retorted, ¡®Perhaps you should consider getting your vision checked in Riverton¡± Confused. Come questioned. ¡°Why are you implying there¡¯s something wrong with my eyesight? Marcus was too angry to continue the conversation, opting for silence instead. No wonder she had been avoiding him; it seemed she simply wasn¡¯t interested in him Just as the tension settled, Cornelia overheard Hannah¡¯sint, ¡°I was watching the show, not him. Do I have to keep my eyes on you at all times?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Steven adopted a domineering tone asserting. ¡°When you¡¯re with me, you should only have eyes for me. You should be focusing on me, not other men¡± Hannah replied. ¡°I see you every day it¡¯s not as exciting anymore¡± Steven, ¡°What did you just say? Say it again!¡± Hannah, ¡°Steven, what are you up to now?¡± Steven, ¡°You don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to do?¡± Cornelia sneaked a peek at them and saw Steven pinning Hannah against a chair passionately kissing her Marcus turned slightly to block Cornes prying eyes and said, ¡°Please stop looking at things you shouldn¡¯t be looking at Comelia immediately averted her gaze, staring fixedly at the stage instead She wondered why all these guys were so overbeaning and unreasonable The distractions made it hard for her to remember the performances that followed However, when the main event of the night began, Comelia¡¯s attention immediately sharpened. The first item up for auction was a ne worn by an international superstar, with a starting price of forty¨Cfive million. As the host initiated the bidding, people from the audience started cing their bids Leaning towards Marcus, Comelia asked, ¡°President Hartley, do you like it?¡± Marcus responded, ¡°Do you like it or not?¡± Cornelia smiled and replied, ¡°Why does it matter if I like it? Whether like it or not doesn¡¯t affect the bidding, and I can¡¯t afford it even if I do¡± ¡°Just tell me, do you like it or not?¡± Marcus insisted. He was willing to buy it for her at any cost if she liked it. Comelia shook her head. ¡°The ne itself isn¡¯t worth much, its valuees from the celebrity endorsement. I¡¯m not a fan, so Im not interested in this ne¡± While they were discussing someone had already bought the ne for fifty million The next item up for auction was an antique painting Since Marcus had an antique painting hanging in his study, Cornelia thought his target was this painting, so she had done detailed research on this auctioned painting in advance Before the host on stage even started introducing it, Cornelia had already leaned in towards Marcus, quietly detailing the painting¡¯s origins and other information to him Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Because it wasn¡¯t convenient to speak loudly. Comelia moved in closer, so close that Marcus could smell the faint scerit on her In the dark, when Cornelia got distracted, he sneakily picked up a strand of her hair and sniffed it Her hair smelled good too Comelia was exining something, but he wasn¡¯t listening Suddenly, he asked, ¡°Comelia what shampoo do you use? Comelia was taken aback President Hartley whats up with you?¡± Marcus ¡°Nothing¡± Comelia. ¡°The bidding for this antique painting has reached a hundred million, should we bid?¡± Marcus ¡°Not interested¡± Comelia. ¡°Okay¡± For the next few dems. Marcus disyed no interest in bidding The anticipation grow as they approached the final item of the day Unlike the previous items, the auction had kept the identity of the last item a secret, creating curiosity among the quests As the item was unveiled and ced on the stage, all eyes were fixed upon it The host announced. ¡°The starting price for this next item is unusually low, at just a hundred dors I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all wondering why our grand finale item is priced so affordably¡± This statement heightened the quests anticipation even further Steven, growing impatient, suggested to Marc it seems there¡¯s nothing here tonight that catches our interest. Let¡¯s go grab dinner Lucas, seated in the middle, joined in, saying, ¡°I agree. Lets make our way out¡± Zaver chimed in turning to Marcus and asking. ¡°What do you think, Marc?¡± Without uttering a word, Marcus stood up from his seat Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Come picked up his coat, ready to follow him. But she had only taken two steps when the host finally revealed the final item of the night ¡°The final item tonight is the only manuscript left behind by a famous cartoonist¡± Cornelia stopped in her tracks. She turned back to look at the auction stage, the light shone on the worn¨Cout manuscript, it looked yellow and not well preserved. ¡°President Hartley, you go ahead, fi catch up soon Comelia handed him his coat, then turned back to her orginal position. When the host announced the start of the bidding she raised her auction paddle. The host, ¡°A hundred dors once. A thousand dors once¡± Every time Comelia raised her paddle, someone else would bid against her. The price quickly reached ten thousand dors Comelia really wanted this manuscript, but her limit was fifty thousand dors When the price reached twenty thousand she realized that herpetitor was Hayden Ruff sitting in the VIP seat Cornelia had a vague feeling that he wasn¡¯t really interested in the manuscript, he just didn¡¯t want her to get it easily Comelia kept raising her paddle, and so did Hayden. The price was about to break fifty thousand. Comelia gritted her teeth and bid fifty¨Cone thousand Hayden Ruffs man bid fifty¨Ctwo thousand The host. ¡°Fifty two thousand once Cornelia thought about the money in her bank ount. She would have to pay her mortgage every month and she needed arge sum of money to renovate her house. After much consideration, Cornelia had to give up Just as the host was about to bang the gavel, someone raised a bid in time, interrupting the host¡¯s speech The host was very excited to see this, ¡°The bid has reached one million Someone is willing to pay one million.¡± One million! This manuscript had immeasurable value to Cornelia, but for the business leaders present, it was just another useless book Comelia really wanted to know who had such unique taste and was willing to pay such a high price Comelia scanned the room, but couldnt spot the bidder Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Not until Marcus took a seat beside her did she realize it was him whod been lifting the paddle President Hartley, are you interested in this manuscript too?¡± Before Marcus could even answer the auctioneer cried out ¡°One million and one thousand for the first time¡® Marcus raised his paddle again, bidding ten million, causing the auctionee to do a double take ¡°Ten million for the first time, we have a bid of ten million, any further offers?¡± Comelia knew Marcus was loaded, but him raising the bid to ten million in one go was a bit of a shocker She swallowed nervously and asked again ¡°President Hartley, are you really interested in this manuscript?¡± ¡°Nah¡± Marcus was looking at her his heart aching at the sight of her hestation She obviously wanted the manuscript, but the price was way beyond her budget, each bid left her wrestling with indecision. Comelia just couldn¡¯t get rich folks sometimes, ¡°Not interested but still bidding that high?¡± Was he out of his mind? Money didn¡¯t grow on trees, ya knew Did he have any idea how hard it was for ordinary folks to earn the dough? For him, ten million might be chump change, but for many others, it¡¯s a fortune they could never hope to earn in a lifetime Marcus¡¯s deep voice echoed again, ¡°My staff shouldn¡¯t lose face over such petty matters¡± ¡°Sorry I¡¯ve caused you trouble again¡± Only then did Comelia realize howrash she¡¯d been. As his assistant, her actions reflected on him She thought it was no big deal, no point sweating over money, but Marcus didn¡¯t see it that way His first concern was the interests of the Hartley Group Marcus said softly, ¡°No need to apologize Just remember, don¡¯t be afraid of anyone when this happens again, no matter the price, I can handle it¡± Comelia ¡°Okay¡± In the end, the manuscript was sold for ten million Unable to spoil the auction, Hayden Ruff strutted over with two of his minions, ¡°Ms. Stewart, congrats on spending ten million on this scrap paper?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Although Cornelia was heartbroken about the ten million Marcus had spent, she still responded to Hayden Ruffs provocation with a smile. ¡°Thank you!¡± Hayden Ruff goaded Marcus, ¡°This ten million must have drained your savings, huh? if you¡¯re broke, you can always send your wife my way. I¡¯ll be happy to pick up the tab. With a slight push on his sses, Marcus gave Hayden Ruff a cold look, didn¡¯t utter a word, and left with Cornelia. Hayden Ruff red at their retreating figures, his eyes filled with malice, ¡°Hmph, dare to mess with me, think you can leave this city unscathed?¡± His assistant hurried over. ¡°Mr. Ruff. Hannah seems to be with Steven, I couldn¡¯t keep her¡± ¡°Steven?¡± Even the name sent chills down Hayden Ruff¡¯s spine. ¡°How could an actor possibly have anything to do with Steven?¡± The assistant spected, ¡°Im thinking, maybe Steven is the financial backer behind Hannah? And if Hannah knows Steven, and this Comelia woman knows Hannah, Mr. Ruff, it might be best if we don¡¯t mess with them¡± Hayden Ruff refused to believe Hannah could have anything to do with Steven, ¡°Keep that Cornelia woman and her man here¡± The assistant had a bad feeling about this, but couldn¡¯t go against Hayden Ruff¡¯s orders, ¡°Okay¡± However, Hayden Ruff never imagined that before he could even step out of the auction hall, his father Julian Ruff was already on the phone. ¡°You little brat, get back here now!¡± Hayden Ruff. ¡°Dad, are you angry again? Im a bit tied up right now, can¡¯t you just tell me over the phone, or wait until I have some free time?¡± Julian Ruff, ¡°Get back here now? Hayden Ruff, ¡°Speak your mind, don¡¯t always ask me toe back. I¡¯m your son, not your employee¡± Julian Ruff, ¡°Do you know who you¡¯ve crossed?¡± Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Chapter 290 Hayden Rull couldn¡¯t care less. Tve pissed off more people than I can count¡± Julian Ruff, ¡°How did you manage to tick off Marcus?¡± At the mention of Marcus Hayden Ruff kit a chill ¡°Even with my balls of steel, I wouldn¡¯t dare to cross a guy like Marcus Julian Ruff, ¡°If you didn¡¯t upset him, then why did the Hartley Group release a statement saying they won¡¯t do business with Ruff Corporation? You better get back here and deal with this mess¡± Although the Hartley Group and Ruff Corporation didn¡¯t directly cooperate the business world was a tangled web Even without direct cooperation, there were indirect interests The Hartley Group making such a statement was like telling allpanies associated with them, not to have any dealings with Ruff Corporation Hayden Ruff was in aplete fap, while Marcus and his group had arrived at a restaurant Steven was the host, he had organized tonight¡¯s dinner preparing a selection of dishes from four different regions there was something for everyone¡¯s taste Of course there was also alcohol on the table, he had prepared a variety of fine wines, from white to red, and even champagne Comelia was aware that Marcus couldn¡¯t handle mixed drinks so after he had a ss of champagne, the closely monitored his ss, making sure that only champagne was poured into it ¡°Steven enjoying teasing Cornelia in front of Marcus, asked, ¡°Ms Stewart, are you always this attentive to President Hartley? Comelia responded confidently. ¡°President Dixon, if you paid me, I could be this attentive to you too¡± Steven embraced his wile and replied, ¡°No need, the care of my wife is all I need¡± Lucas interjected, ¡°Marc, haven¡¯t you spilled the beans yet? Does she still not know about your rtionship?¡± Zavier, finding amusement in Marcus¡¯s predicament after his own wife had left, remarked with a mischievous grin, ¡°Just look at him, biting his lip. It¡¯s clear he doesn¡¯t have the courage to tell her Steven chimed in, saying ¡°Honestly, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen Marc struggle with something¡± Marcus retorted. All of you just shut up. No one¡¯s going to think you¡¯re mute ¡± Curious. Rosie asked. ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Lucas served her some food and replied, ¡°None of your business Just enjoy your meal¡± Rosie ¡°Are you guys talking about secrets in front of us? Did you do something bad?¡± Lucas. ¡°Would we do such a thing?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Hannah and Rosie both asked, ¡°Would you?¡± At the table, everyone was chattering away, creating a lively atmosphere, with only Cornelia focused on her food Lunch was at one in the afternoon, she had justnded and didn¡¯t have much of an appetite then. Now it was past ten at night, Cornelia was hungry and the dishes were delicious¨Cshe had to eat more Each time Hannah saw Cornelia¡¯s hearty appetite, she couldn¡¯t help feeling envious ¡°Comelia, you must be one of those people who can eat anything and not gain weight¡± Hearing her name, Comelia looked up and replied. ¡°When I was a child, I used to be very chubby My grandmother would always say that people wanted to touch my round face whenever went out. But maybe due to an illness i hadter on, I lost a lot of weight, and since then, it¡¯s been difficult for me to gain weight¡± Concerned, Hannah asked, ¡°What was the illness? Does it still affect you now?¡± Corneliaughed and replied. ¡°I honestly don¡¯t remember¡± Although Comelia imed she couldn¡¯t recall, Marcus knew the truth. It wasn¡¯t an illness, but rather a consequence of her father¡¯s car ident Cornelia was devastated by the incident and couldn¡¯t keep any food down, nearly losing her life. After dinner, Steven arranged for a driver to take Come and Marcus back to the hotel. They were staying in a presidential suite with Briana, a little girl who had gone out to y with friends upon arriving in Harbor City and hadn¡¯t returned yet in the room, only Corn and Marcus remained. Both of them had consumed quite a bit of alcohol, and they were feeling a bit intoxicated. Unexpectedly, as they entered the room, Marcus turned around and pressed Cornelia against the sturdy wooden door, whispering ¡°Wifey¡± Chapter 291 Chapter 291 Chapter 291 The intoxicating heat radiating off Marcus brushed her cheeks, his sultry, drunken voice ringing in her ears. ¡°Darling¡± Cornelia sobered up instantly She tried to push him away, but he was much bigger than her, pinning her against the door. She was stuck ¡°Marcus, you¡¯ve got me mixed up with someone else I¡¯m not your wife¡± ¡°Comelia,¡± he called her name his voice gentle and heart stopping He reached up and pinched her chubby cheek. ¡°You are Comelia, my wife¡± Comelia was on the verge of tears ¡°Marcus fm your assistant Comelia, not your wife Cornelia We just share the same name We¡¯re not the same person cant mistake my wife! You are my wife He stared at her, his eyes and and fierce behind his sses, ready to devour her at any moment ¡°Im not! You we really got the wrong person! As Marcus leaned in even closer, close enough to kiss her Cornelia trembled in fear ¡°Marcus, is this fair to your wife?¡± Marcus paused for a moment, and Cornelia took the chance to push him with all her might She didnt know if she was suddenly strong or he was too weak, but she managed to push him back several steps. Marcus, drunk as a skunk, lost his bnce and fell towards the floor Luckily, there was a couch behind him to catch his falling body Cornelia rushed over to see him asleep with his eyes closed Annoyed, she kicked him in the leg ¡°You jerk, if you miss your wife go home and hug her. What makes you different from a jerk? I¡¯m just your assistant, paid by you, not someone you can just grab and hug?¡±. After venting her anger, Cornelia felt much better. She returned to her room, did a quick wash up, then tried to sleep. It waste, and after all that booze, normally shed fall asleep as soon as she hit the bed. But tonight, Cornelia just couldn¡¯t sleep The weather was cold, and even with the heating on, Marcus could catch a cold sleeping on the couch all night if Marcus fell sick, their itinerary would be ruined And as his assistant, she¡¯d be the one to me. After a lot of thought, Cornelia decided to cover him with a nket She got up from her bed, went to the living room, and saw Marcus sleeping on the couch, his sses slipping down to his nose, looking like a bum She wanted to wake him up and tell him to go sleep in his room, but she was afraid he might do something inappropriate again. So, she went to his room, got a nket, and covered him After covering him with the nket, she kicked him in the leg again, saying ¡°You jerk, you think you can bully people just because you¡¯re rich? I wam you, if you dare touch me again, fl make you pay N?velDrama.Org owns all content. After venting, Cornelia went back to her room to sleep She was worried that Marcus might barge into her room in the middle of the night. Though she was in bed, she couldn¡¯t sleep She got out of bed again, locked her door, and moved a cab behind it, just in case After all that, Cornelia crawled back into bed feeling a little safer She took out her phone and scrolled to her chat with Jeremy Theirst chat was at 2.30 that afternoon when he told her he had safely arrived in Riverton They hadn¡¯t chatted since After some hesitation, she texted Jeremy. ¡°Are you asleep¡± It was past one in the morning Most people would be asleep. She didn¡¯t expect Jeremy to see her message. But she still held out hope. She hoped Jeremy was still awake. She hoped he would see her message right away. She hoped he would reply Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Chapter 292 Comelia was left hanging, clutching her phone until she fell asleep without any reply from Jeremy That night Comelia had a restless sleep filled with all sorts of weird dreams She dreamt about her childhood days ying with Zack, her university years, and Matus Marcus in het dreams was particrly horrifying He took off his daily disguise, morphing into a man eating monster He opened his mouth wide, inching closer and closer, ready to swallow her whole Cornelia woke up with a start momentarily disoriented about where the was After gathering he bearings she looked around and remembered she was in a hotel Daylight had already broken, with the sun¡¯s rays filtering into the room through the curtains She checked her phone and it was already 9 in the morning There was an unread message on her phone it was from Jeremy sent a bit past & in the morning, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry! I fell asleepst night and didn¡¯t manage to reply to your message¡± Seeing his message, Comelia felt a pang of disappointment. She wanted to share what happenedst night with him, but also didn¡¯t want him to worry Besides Marcus had mistaken her for someone else because he was drunk. He didn¡¯t mean to offend her She texted him, ¡°Are you still nning to leave Riverton?¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°Im really busy with work I don¡¯t spend much time in Riverton¡± Comelia didnt reply to him. She understood, his work often took him away from Riverton, just like her, she often had to travel with Marcus. This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. After tidying her room, she stepped out and noticed Marcus sitting at the dining table, engrossed in reviewing some documents on his tablet. He appeared refreshed and neatly dressed Upon hearing her he looked up and casually said, ¡°Awake already? Join me for breakfast¡± He acted as if nothing had happened the previous night,pletely oblivious to her restless and nightmarish experience The more Cornelia dwelled on it, the more her anger grew, yet she couldn¡¯t muster the courage to confront him Quietly Come approached the dining table and began eating her breakfast without a word. Sensing her somber demeanor, Marcus asked her, ¡°Why are you in a bad mood so early in the morning?¡± in a restrained tone. Cornelia replied. ¡°I¡¯m not upset¡± Suddenly, Marcus handed her a box and said, ¡°This is for you¡± At the sight of the box, all her pent¨Cup frustrations erupted, and she couldn¡¯t hold back anymore. ¡°President Hartley I know you¡¯re wealthy, but there are some things that money can¡¯t buy¡± Concerned. Marcus asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡± Despite her outburst, Marcus remainedposed and looked at her with a gentle expression. It felt as if she were striking a soft pillow, unable to release her built¨Cup frustration. With a sigh, she muttered, ¡°Nothing¡± Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Chapter 293 Tofanger on her fare was a dead giwaway that something was up, yet she dubbornly denied Marron chimed in agam Spill # Don¡¯t keep it hotter up Do you really not know what you didt Comals wanted to ilienge hum but the doorbell before she could get a word in Assuming it was Brania the quickly got up to answer the door only to find Dr. Dawson standing there Marcus Marc we did you num yoUTSATT ¡°Nothing meresus just woke up with a sora jeg this moming Marcus rolled up his pants myngling a sturdy Cornelia noticed turn for the had to guess those bruites were the res De clenched her fath, tmitly thinking Serve you night¡± ling tum et night Dr Dawson promptly retrieved a tube of sintment from his medical kit. ¡°Zed yo¨¤ Marcus soatchad his head. ¡°Got drunkst night, cant really nem did you bum Comelia couldn¡¯t b?ip but mock him internally. So being drunk was a good enough While applying the centment fir Damson remarked. These bruises are deep continue to drink as if you don¡¯t care about your heath: ¡± At this point. Dr. Dawson nced at Cornelia ¡°Comalia, you¡¯re the closest to Marc. You nam Before Di Drawson mould finish but sentence Marcut interrupted him coldly. I I didn¡¯t mean to me Comalia¡® Di Damant quekly exined. To just reminding you your health jen 1 just your home hat caught Dr. Dawson¡®) sad you countless times about your alcohol Marcus nced at Corbata. She had returned to the dining tab afiar sparing the door for Dr. Dawan Dr. Dawson didn¡¯t nem any probien and continued. ¡°Man, you might have forgotten about your gastric bi Marcus raised an eyebrow khow My limits. Just apply the centmunt and immun Di Dawson handed a tube of ointment to Cometa ¡°Corn Mari¡® always furgeta to ajgly kia madication. Maasa Cometa took the ointment and carefully put it away. ¡°understand Dr. Dawson patted her shoulder ¡°Corn in leaving Man to you Cornelia fall there was more to Di Dawson¡¯s words, but aba had no proof. Don¡¯t worry, f) do my job Aher Di Dawsonh Maroun nat across from Come and patiently asked ?e pou in some kind of Comelia knew that Marcus was unaware ofst inghita mariti, and rumenity, she was the or oria Texting awkward fata ajilled the beans, they¡¯d both feet permant This only irritated him more 1. ng. You¡¯ll regret it when you¡¯re older¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. ddert be good for the work Cornelia decided to forget about it as if nothing had happened President mating, (ve schedumi to ver an art muhibition will the Talented French parte fumunt Ba ahe wouldnt get any answms from Comelia. Marcus pushet e pft box fowarda he. Tha bor szertaria a Com did love the manuscript, but she couldnt afford the poor tag of 10 million She knew she couldnt cee anyone anything Aher what happenedst night, pting another gi? from Mar Chapter 294 Chapter 294 Chapter 294 No matter how desperate she was for money, the won¡¯t ept any dough with a shady past. She lived within her means, earning and spending based on her own abilities, which gave her life more dignity Comelia said with a smile, ¡°Mr Hartles, this gift is too extravagant. I cant ept it. But really appreciate your kindness¡® Marcus replied. ¡°This manuscript is nothing but trash to me if you don¡¯t want it. i just toss it in the bin Comelia responded, ¡°Mr Hartley, it¡¯s your stuff, you¡¯re free to do whatever you want with it. As your assistant, it¡¯s not my ce to interfere¡± ¡°Then help me throw it away¡± Marcus said convinced that Comelia wouldn¡¯t have the heart to do it. But to his surprise, she took the box without hesitation and tossed it into the trash bin Mr Hartley, I need to go back to my room to prepam some documents¡± she said Marcus thought to himself, ¡°What¡¯s gotten into her today? How dare she act like this towards me?¡± He bent down to pick up the box she¡¯d thrown in the trash Even if she could throw it away, he couldn¡¯t. Back in her room, Cornelia pped her hand, regretting her decision How could she let him just throw away something so valuable? At two in the afternoon, Comelia and Marcus arrived at the art exhibition, where she finally met the legendary artist Nimon Nimon in his thirties, was not only handsome but also talented Comelia was surprised to leam that Marcus and Nimon were friends As always the Frenchman was warm and friendly Upon seeing Marcus, Nimon gave him a hearty hug and said, ¡°Marc, long time no see¡± ¡°Long time no see!¡± Marcus replied, turning to Comelia, ¡°This is Cornelia) Comelia stepped forward, ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr Nimon!¡± Nimon gave her a friendly hug. ¡°Mrs Hartley you look beautiful!¡± Comelia quickly rified, ¡°Mr Nimon, you¡¯ve misunderstood. Im Cornelia, Mi Hartley¡¯s assistant, not his wife. We just share the same name¡± Nimon was confused, ¡°You¡¯re not Marc¡¯s wife?¡± Marcus intervened, but he spoke in French, which Cornelia didn¡¯t understand. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Comelia had no idea what Marcus was saying, but every time he spoke, Nimon would look at her and laugh. Unable to understand, Comelia could only respond with a silly smile They chatted in French for a while before switching to English to discuss the business at hand. Marcus was clear about his intentions, ¡°I want to buy your Arc de Triomphe painting¡± ¡°What? You want my Arc de Triomphe? Nimon was confused, ¡°You¡¯re a fan of ancient art, why would you want it?¡± ¡°Just tell me the price¡± Marcus always dominated the negotiations His words carried a powerful sense of pressure Nimon made a number gesture with his hand, Ill give you a friendly price, what do you think?¡± ¡°Others buy your painting for five million, yet I have to pay ten million. You¡¯re a real friend, Marcus retorted. He didn¡¯tck money, but not everyone could make him ssh the cash Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Chapter 295 ¡°You¡¯re loaded Five million is just a drop in the bucket¡± Nimion finished, nwitching to French. ¡°Your wife is quite a looker, I must say ¡°Admire?¡± Marcus also switched to French, his tone hostile, ¡°With your mug you¡¯re hardly her Type Don¡¯t get any funny ideas? ¡°Im just appreciating your wifes beauty, why does that sound like I have uitmior motives to you them caught your eye, who would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d be hitched by now¡± Marcus didn¡¯t care to bring up other women. ¡°Let¡¯s stay on topic We were discussing the painting¡± Nimon patted Marcus lightly on the shoulder. ¡°You wem quite thedies man hack in France, not a single one of Nimon chuckled. ¡°You know (only sell my paintings to people who appreciate them. You¡¯ve never been a fan, so I wasn¡¯t nning on selling it to you¡± Marcus cut him off. ¡°Unless I¡¯m willing to pay double?¡± Nimon nodded. ¡°You sure know me well¡± ¡°You really want me to pay double for your painting? Marcus adjusted his sses, smirking, ¡°I could make your painting worth its weight in gold once, I can also make it worthless again¡± Before meeting Marcus Nimon was a struggling artist in Paris, barely scraping by selling the odd painting here and there Marcus made his artwork go viral overnight, turning him into a renowned artist and solving his financial issues in one fell swoop But all this was due to a bet between Marcus and Steven Nimon knew better than anyone else that everything he had was courtesy of Marcus With one word. Marcus could take it all away Nimon turned pale with fright, ¡°I was just pulling your leg no need to get senous I don¡¯t want your money I¡¯ll have the painting delivered to your ceter¡± ¡°When the painting arrives, ill pay as agreed¡± Even though Nimon owed his sess to Marcus, his art wouldn¡¯t have gone far without real value Marcus didn¡¯t like his paintings, but he didn¡¯t deny Nimon¡¯s talent either! Come listened to their conversation feeling like she was listening to two birds chirping away. She didn¡¯t understand a word and could only stand quietly by Marcus¡¯s side Until Steven called Come picked up Marcus¡¯s phone and moved to the side. ¡°President Dixon, President Hartley¡¯s tied up at the moment. You can tell me if there¡¯s anything¡± Steven said. ¡°Nothing urgent, just Julian Ruft came looking for me with his useless son, wanting to meet Marcus Do you know when the Ruff family pissed off Marcus?¡± Comelia knew exactly how Julian had offended Marcus Just yesterday, she had been instructed to call the PR department of the Hartley Group and announce that they would never cooperate with the Ruff Corporation Whether she could disclose this or not, that was for Steven to ask Marcus Cornelia nced back at Marcus and said. ¡°Il pass the phone to him, you can talk to him directly¡±This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Cornelia handed the phone to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, President Dixon is calling¡± Marcus took the phone ¡°What happened?¡± Steven said. ¡°Julian Ruff came with his son, hoping that I could arrange a meeting with you. Would you see them? Normally, Steven would have declined without even asking Marcus. The purpose of his call was to find out how Julian had managed to piss off Marcus He expected Marcus to decline, then he could casually ask what happened. But to his surprise, Marcus agreed. Steven was taken aback. ¡°You really want to see them? You never bothered with these people before¡± Marcus replied, ¡°How else is he going to know who he¡¯s offended?¡± Chapter 296 Chapter 296 Chapter 297 ¡°Marcus, I totally get your point¡± Cornelia thought to herself. Even my own husband didn¡¯t meddle this much in my life, and you¡¯re just his friend Who the hell did you think you are? Marcus didn¡¯t say anything else. They arived at the FLG club in silence. Located in the outskirts of Harbor City, the club was decorated in a ssical garden style it was Stever¡¯s spot to entertain his pats and didn¡¯t calm to the public By the time Comelia and Marcus arrived. Steven was already wading ¡°Manus, five brought him. You handle this however you see fit. Don¡¯t worry about me I don¡¯t have anything to do with the Ruff family¡± karcus just smirked. ¡®And what if you did¡± ¡°Ainght, I guess I was a bit overconfident¡± Steven admitted, making a weing gesture and leading them into a room ¡°Mi Ruff, the person you wanted to see, Ive brought him here¡± The sight of Marcus hit Hayden Ruff like a ghost, tuming him pale as a sheet You you¡¯re Mi Hartley? Julian Ruff had hoped there might have been some mix up, that the Hartley Group had gotten the wrong person But seeing Hayden¡¯s reaction, his hopes were dashed Before Marcus could even open his mouth, Julian Ruff dragged Hayden down to their knees ¡°Mr Hartley my son was young and foolish, and he offended you I¡¯m here to apologue on hid behalt Hayden Ruff was shaking all over his previous arrogance nowhere to be seen ¡°Mr. Hartley, I mistook you It¡¯s all my fault, please forgive me Marcus slowly squatted down in front of Hayden, whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear ¡°To me it doesn¡¯t matter if you know who I am But you had no right to think of my enfe that way I wouldn¡¯t let you touch a single hair on her head, yet you treated her the way you did. Do you think I can forgive that? Do you realize the price you have to pay for messing with her?¡± Hayden Ruff bowed and apologized repeatedly ¡°Mr. Hartley. I¡¯m sorry! I had no idea it was you two. If I had known, I would never have thought of your wife that way or acted out at the auction We, the Ruff Corporation will cover all the costs fromst night as long as you let us off the hook¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Julian Ruf also bowed his head ¡°M: Hartley, it¡¯s my fault for not educating my son well. Please be merciful and forgive him this one time I guarantee he¡¯ll behave from now on But before he could finish, Marcus told Steven. ¡°Steven, get them out of here I can¡¯t stand to look at them. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll dirty my eyes¡± Jukan Ruff knew what Marcus meant. If they were kicked out like this, the Ruff Corporation would cease to exist. He clung to Marcus¡¯s legs in desperation ¡°Mr Hartley please spare the Ruff Corporation Leave us a way to survive¡± ¡°Did you ever consider leaving a way out for the ordinary people you and your son oppressed?¡± Marcus kicked Julian away Steven¡¯s men rushed over and started dragging him out ¡°I can walk out myself: Hayden Ruff stumbled to his feet. As he passed Comelia on his way out, he suddenly grabbed her throat ¡°Marcus, you¡¯ve ruined our livelihood. We have no way out but death if fim going down, I¡¯m taking someone with me You care so much about your wife, i take her to hell with me Let¡¯s see how you like living in agony Marcus watched Hayden¡¯s hand around Comelia¡¯s throat, a hint of worry and a cold murderous intent in his eyes behind his silver sses. Despite that, his expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Go abead and try Let¡¯s see if pl live in agony Marcus voice was low and emotionless, yet Hayden felt a chilling aura surrounding him, making him even more terrifying than before. Hayden was so scared that he wanted to release Cornelia, but knowing he had no way out, he had to take the risk. ¡°You think I won¡¯t do it?¡± Hayden¡¯s movements were brutal Comelia¡¯s face was turning red from his choke hold, and Marcus didn¡¯t seem to being to her rescue. She had no choice but to save herself. ¡°Im not even his wife! What good is grabbing me? if you¡¯ve got the balls, go grab his real wife Chapter 297 Chapter 297 Chapter 298 She really couldn¡¯t figure out why, but she always gol mistaken for Marcus¡¯s wife it had been a laughable mix up before, but this time the confusion could put her life in danger Original from N?velDrama.Org. This was no joke How could she let people mistake her identity like this? ¡°Why would he be so concerned about you if you¡¯re not his wife? Who are you trying to fool?¡± Hayden Ruff didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence before he felt a sharp pain in his back and passed out, copsing to the ground Despite his unconscious state his arm remained tightly wrapped around Comelia¡¯s neck, leaving her unable to break free Consequently, she stumbled and fell alongside him. Bracing herself for impact, Cornelia closed her eyes, prepared for the imminent collision with the ground However, to her surprise, she found herself enveloped in a warm and sturdy embrace Without needing to open her eyes, Cornelia recognized the familiar presence holding her The essence of Marcus¡¯s scent was ingrained deep within her heart gaze ¡°Comelia¡± Marcus¡¯s voice resonated with concern in her ears. As she opened her eyes, she encountered the worry reflected in his gaze Yet, within his eyes Cornelia detected more than just worry There were intricate emotions, aplexity that eluded her understanding. Comelia quickly regained her footing, withdrew from his embrace, and turned to thank Ayden, who had rescued her ¡°Ayden, thank you!¡± Without a word. Ayden picked up Hayden Ruff and left Seeing Ayden, Comelia suddenly understood why Manus was so calm He wasn¡¯t indifferent to her plight, he was confident that Hayden Ruff couldn¡¯t harm her Gently stroking her neck. Marcus said. ¡°Dr Dawson will be here soon, let¡¯s see if Mi Ruff hurt you.¡± Filled with feat, Cornelia instinctively took a step back, gripping her cot tightly ¡°Thank you for your concern, President Hartley, but I assume you fin fine.¡± Interrupting their conversation, Steven intelected, ¡°Marc, how do you n to address the Ruff situation?¡± Marcus replied with determination. ¡°The Ruffs have been engaging in itegal activities for years I will ensure that each of their misdeeds is exposed, and they face the consequences of their actions Steven nodded in agreement. ¡°These two have caused significant harm it only the victims had sufficient evidence to bring them down, they wouldn¡¯t have vaded justice for so long¡± While conversing with Steven, Marcus discreetly kept an eye on Cornelia. He suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day and return to the hotel Patting Marcus on the shoulder, Steven whispered ¡°Why do I have the feeling that your wife doesn¡¯t have romantic feelings for you?¡± Marcus retorted. ¡°How would you know?¡± Steven replied, drawing from his own experience. ¡°Experience When my Hannah looks at me, her eyes light up. But when Corne locks at you, her gaze remains calm, devoid of any romantic inclination¡± Before Marcus could respond. Comelia¡¯s work phone rang She promptly answered and heard Ben¡¯s voice on the other end. ¡°Cornelia there¡¯s an urgent matter at our European branch. President Hartley needs to handle it personally ve sent the relevant documents to your email. Discuss the details with him¡± Cornelia swiftly essed her email, read through the documents, and grasped the situation. She informed Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, there¡¯s a pressing issue with our European branch.¡± Chapter 298 Chapter 298 Chapter 298 She really couldn¡¯t figure out why, but she always gol mistaken for Marcus¡¯s wife it had been a laughable mix up before, but this time the confusion could put her life in danger This was no joke How could she let people mistake her identity like this? ¡°Why would he be so concerned about you if you¡¯re not his wife? Who are you trying to fool?¡± Hayden Ruff didn¡¯t get to finish his sentence before he felt a sharp pain in his back and passed out, copsing to the ground Despite his unconscious state his arm remained tightly wrapped around Comelia¡¯s neck, leaving her unable to break free Consequently, she stumbled and fell alongside him. Bracing herself for impact, Cornelia closed her eyes, prepared for the imminent collision with the ground However, to her surprise, she found herself enveloped in a warm and sturdy embrace Without needing to open her eyes, Cornelia recognized the familiar presence holding her The essence of Marcus¡¯s scent was ingrained deep within her heart gaze ¡°Comelia¡± Marcus¡¯s voice resonated with concern in her ears. As she opened her eyes, she encountered the worry reflected in his gaze Yet, within his eyes Cornelia detected more than just worry There were intricate emotions, aplexity that eluded her understanding. Comelia quickly regained her footing, withdrew from his embrace, and turned to thank Ayden, who had rescued her ¡°Ayden, thank you!¡± Without a word. Ayden picked up Hayden Ruff and left Seeing Ayden, Comelia suddenly understood why Manus was so calm He wasn¡¯t indifferent to her plight, he was confident that Hayden Ruff couldn¡¯t harm her Original from N?velDrama.Org. Gently stroking her neck. Marcus said. ¡°Dr Dawson will be here soon, let¡¯s see if Mi Ruff hurt you.¡± Filled with feat, Cornelia instinctively took a step back, gripping her cot tightly ¡°Thank you for your concern, President Hartley, but I assume you fin fine.¡± Interrupting their conversation, Steven intelected, ¡°Marc, how do you n to address the Ruff situation?¡± Marcus replied with determination. ¡°The Ruffs have been engaging in itegal activities for years I will ensure that each of their misdeeds is exposed, and they face the consequences of their actions Steven nodded in agreement. ¡°These two have caused significant harm it only the victims had sufficient evidence to bring them down, they wouldn¡¯t have vaded justice for so long¡± While conversing with Steven, Marcus discreetly kept an eye on Cornelia. He suggested. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day and return to the hotel Patting Marcus on the shoulder, Steven whispered ¡°Why do I have the feeling that your wife doesn¡¯t have romantic feelings for you?¡± Marcus retorted. ¡°How would you know?¡± Steven replied, drawing from his own experience. ¡°Experience When my Hannah looks at me, her eyes light up. But when Corne locks at you, her gaze remains calm, devoid of any romantic inclination¡± Before Marcus could respond. Comelia¡¯s work phone rang She promptly answered and heard Ben¡¯s voice on the other end. ¡°Cornelia there¡¯s an urgent matter at our European branch. President Hartley needs to handle it personally ve sent the relevant documents to your email. Discuss the details with him¡± Cornelia swiftly essed her email, read through the documents, and grasped the situation. She informed Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, there¡¯s a pressing issue with our European branch.¡± Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Before Marcus could even ask, Cornelia was already filling him in on what went down in Europe. ¡°A car bomb went off in Paris, our Alfactory branch got hit. There are casualties but we haven¡¯t got the numbers yet Our PR departments already on damage controlforting the families of the employees, but they¡¯re pretty shook up and mightsh out. You need to get there and handle things personally *Tell Paris to spare no expense in getting our people treated andforting the families of the dead¡± Marcus decided on the spot. ¡°We¡¯re flying out to Pans right away¡± And so, Com followed suit, trailing Marcus to the arport to catch a flight to Paris Just as she was about to text Jeremy about her sudden business trip, he beat her to it ¡°Comelia, I heard you¡¯re flying off to Pans with Marcus and don¡¯t know when you¡¯ll be back Works important but so is looking after yourself Youll be a stranger in a strangend with no friends or family to lean on Always put your safety first. Remember Granny Reba and I will be waiting for you back in Rosenberg Got it?¡± This was the first time Jeremy had ever sent her such a long message it warmed her heart and eased her worries about the unknown journey ahead ¡°Get it she replied ¡°Safe frames be waiting for your return¡± Jeremy texted back Come held her phone tightly and replied with a simple, ¡°Okay!¡± After finishing the conversation with Jeremy Cornelia initiated a video call with Granny Reba ¡°Granny. I¡¯m going on a business top to Paris with my boss it might get quite busy, so I won¡¯t be able to video chat every day Please take care of yourself¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, sweetie Granny Luisa is here. Just focus on your work. However, since it¡¯s your first time going somewhere so far away, make sure to take care of yourself Just send me a text every day to let me know you¡¯re safe¡± Granny Reba replied attempting to conceal her emotions, although Carnelia could sense her worry Granny Reba was concerned about Cornelia but didn¡¯t want to burden her with additional worries. She always supported Cornelia in whatever she chose to do Not wanting to upset her grandmother, Comelia said, ¡°Okay, Granny My fight¡¯s about to take off I still need to tell Zack and the others, so filhang up now¡± Soon after, she sent a message in their group chat informing them about her sudden trip to Paris with Marcus The moment she hit send Zack called, ¡°Nelly, you¡¯re really flying out to Paris with Marcus? Why didn¡¯t we hear about this sooner? Couldn¡¯t they get someone else? Why does it have to be you? You don¡¯t have the experience What if Marcus tries something?¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Zack¡¯s barrage of questions and his rambling showed how worried he was for Comelia ¡°Don¡¯t worry, our whole team is going to ns Plus, Marcus is our friend, he won¡¯t do anything over the line.¡± Cornelia reassured him with a smile Abigail chimed in. ¡°Be careful out there, don¡¯t trust people too easily, especially at night Try not to go out alone. I heard Paris¡¯s not too safe when the sun goes down.¡± Hearing these words of concern didn¡¯t bother Corne, it warmed her heart. To het Zack and Abigail weren¡¯t just filends, they were family. They were an integral part of her life. ¡°Abigail, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be careful¡± Zack added, ¡°No matter how you leave,e back in one piece. Not a hair on your head less¡± Cornelia joked. ¡°But I¡¯ve been losing hair recently, what should I do? Should I bring back all the hairs I shed?¡± Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Zack was like ¡°Im trying to have a smous coro with you, stop kidding around¡± Comelia replied. ¡°Alright, I promise you guys I take good care of myself¡± They still had a lot to say but the ne was about to take off, the fight attendant kept reminding everyone to switch to airne mode, and Cornelia finally ended the call with them From Harbor City to Paris, it¡¯s about a thirteen hour flight Long flights can wear people out and once theynded in Pans, there was no time to rest, Comelia started dealing with the aftermath with Marcus and others Thepany had lost nine employees, with seventeen injured, three of them critically, still in intensive care and ther lives hanging by a thread. The families of those who died or were injured were falling apart, some even stirred up troutile at thepany The Pans police had officially dered the incident as a terrorist attack orchestrated by a group that had rigged a car with explosives, carrying out a random act of violence. The fact that the terrorists responsible were still atrge was causing immense fear and anxiety among the employees. The uncertainty of when or where the next attack might ur kept everyone on edge Although Cornelia was eager to assist, herck of proficiency in French hindered directmunication with the locals Therefore, Marcus assigned her to handle logistics while he Ben, and the others dealt with frontline matters. The entire team was overwhelmed with their responsibilities, working timelessly to address the situation Finally after enduring ten demanding days, Cornelia reunited with Marcus and the rest of the team Upon seeing Marcus again, she couldn¡¯t help but notice his noticeable weight loss and tired eyes Marcus nced at her and remarked, ¡°You seem a bit off Have you been eating properly during these past few days?¡± ¡°President Harley you¡¯ve lost weight too, so its normal for me to look a bit off, Comelia replied Over the course of these ten days, she had been surviving on less than four hours of sleep per day, managing various tasks and responsibilities it was understandable that she appeared fatigued Nevertheless, she made sure to prontize her meals, as proper nutrition was crucial for sustaining her energy levels. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Marcus had entrusted Cornelia with the back end tasks not solely due to her limited Frenchnguage skills but also because he didn¡¯t want her to take unnecessary risks alongside him. He thought if he had her working in the back, without him around, shed have more time to eat and rest properly. But he didn¡¯t expect Cornelia to be so serious about her work, she put her all into any task he assigned he Marcus said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first¡± Cornelia and Ben followed Marcus to the hotel restaurant for a meal. The food in a five star hotel was obviously great Comelia ordered for Marcus first, then ordered her own favorites Before the food came, Comelia asked. ¡°President Hartley, how¡¯s everything going with the situation?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°There are still some follow¨Cup matters to handle Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll work with me again. You can delegate your previous tasks to others.¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Chapter 301 Cometa bobbed her head respectfully, ¡°Yeah, i do the handover after dinner¡± Marcus hadn¡¯t seen Cornelia in a while He wanted to chat more with her but every time Comelia talked to him, she seemed very humble, making it a bit hard for him to start a conversation Marcus pondered for a moment then said, ¡°Your French is not that great, if you run into trouble at work, remember to give me a shout¡± ¡°Sure thing¡± Despite Comelia¡¯s French being a bit shaky she was handling her work pretty well Marcus added. ¡°New Years ising up fast, we might not be able to go home for it, you need to brace yourself Cornelia replied. ¡°President Hartley, no need to worry about me Before taking this job. I prepared myself for everything While they were talking. Ben was just standing there silently watching and listening Lately. Ben had been feeling like a third wheel around Marcus and Comelia. He couldn¡¯t get a word in edgewise in their conversations He had been with Marcus for over a decade, and Comelia hadn¡¯t even been with Marcus for a year, and he couldn¡¯t understand why Marcus seemed to favor Comelia more Ben felt that this couldn¡¯t go on, or else Cornelia might take his ce in Marcus¡¯s heart, and he would be insignificant to Marcus To change this Ben decided to join their conversation, but their topics had absolutely nothing to do with work, so he couldn¡¯t get his two cents in So he decided to steer the conversation towards work, ¡®President Hartley, the selection for the new factory site is done, we¡¯ve picked three potential locations, after dinner, we can go check them out together¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Marcus responded coldly. ¡°Let¡¯s just focus on dinner right now no shop talk¡± Ben was puzzled, they were always too busy with work to have meals before. During peak work periods, they would even grab a quick bite in the middle of work. Since when was it a rule not to talk about work during meals? But since Marcus had already said it. Ben was left speechless Ben¡¯s first attempt to join Cornelia and Marcuss conversation ended before it even began Then, he saw Marcus strike up a conversation with Comelia, but the content made him feel awkward. ¡°Is this your first time in Paris?¡± Comelia nodded. ¡°Yes¡± Marcus continued. ¡°Paris has a lot of fun ces and great food Once we¡¯re done with work, I can show you around¡± Marcus was actually suggesting to take Cornelia sightseeing¡± Ben was stunned to hear this, the President of the Hartley Group was actually offering to take an assistant out! 4 What shocked Ben even more was Cornelia¡¯s immediate refusal, ¡°President Hartley, I came to Pans to work I just want to do a good job, I don¡¯t n on sightseeing¡± Ben cut in ¡°I have plenty of free timeing up, I can go out five been to Paris with President Hartley many times, the longest time I stayed here was half a year. Cornelia, if you don¡¯t want to bother President Hartley, I can apany you Try to avoid going out alone, especially at night. The crime rate here is still pretty high, so be extra careful¡± Cornelia responded politely ¡°if I have time I take you up on that¡± During the conversation, Ben felt a chill, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it When the food was served, Ben was very proactive He first served Marcus a bowl of soup, then served one for Cornelia, ¡°Comelia, the weather in Paris is chilly and damp, have a bowl of soup first, to warm up¡® Comelia smiled as she took the bowl, ¡°Thanks, Ben Chapter 302 Chapter 302 Chapter 302 ¡°We¡¯re friends, no need for thanks Ben ced more food into Comelia¡¯s te once again. Its just been a few short weeks, but you already seem to have lost weight You must eat more and replenish your nutrition¡± Cornelia looked at the te filled with food in front of her and quickly protested. Ben you don¡¯t need to give me more to eat I may not be able to finish all of this¡± ¡°You can finish this amount of food? Ben added a bowl of soup for Comelia Cornelia, these days, with you not being by our side, do you know how much we miss you?¡± Before Comelia could respond. Ben continued. ¡°When we used to work together we might not have realized your importance But now that you¡¯re not with us, we deeply feet your significance¡± Being recognized for one¡¯s work abilities bringing happiness to anyone, and Comelia was no exception ¡°en you¡¯re getting better and better atplimenting people. But if you want to praise me, just say it directly No need to beat around the bush ¡°I really am not just casuallyplimenting you Not only do i miss you, but President Hartley also misses you greatly. He has mistaken me for you on more than one asion when it¡¯s just the two of us¡± Only when they were alone together did Marcus mistakenly call Ben by Cornelia¡¯s name making Ben feel like Cornelia might be recing his position in Marcus¡¯s heart Original from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Absolutely Ben seemed even more excited discussing this. He¡¯s been by Marcus¡¯s side for ten years and never once had Marcus called him by the wrong name. The few times he did, it was always Com The first time it happened they were in Paris Everyone was exhausted from workingte into the night when Marcus suddenly said, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯ve been working hard, go take a break¡± Ben awkwardly chuckled, ¡°President Hartie, it s me not Comelia You put her on logistics¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything else at the time, only giving him a cold, piercing look that was rather frightening Maybe it was because he was too tired, but he called him Cornelia again the next morning He was busy following Marcus around, not even having time for breakfast when Marcus said, ¡°Comelia, you go and have breakfast first.¡± Ben responded ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s me not Comelia¡® Marcus nced at him with displeasure but didn¡¯t mention anything about letting him go eat breakfast first. At the mention of Marcus, Cornelia looked up and unexpectedly caught a glimpse of hisplex gaze. He was staring at her his gaze unwavering, as if he had been observing her for a long time His gaze was intense, stirring a slight sense of unease within Cornelia. She lowered her head and continued to sip her soup and eat her meal. Ben nced up and encountered Marcus¡¯s piercing gaze and his somber expression. ¡°President Hartley are you feeling unwell?¡± He felt uneasy! He hadn¡¯t seen his wife in weeks, and when they finally met, he didn¡¯t have a proper conversation with her. Yet, Ben had been constantly engaging with Comelia in conversation How could Marcus be happy about In front of Ben, Marcus took away the bowl in front of Comelia, reced it with another one selected some dishes that Cornelia liked, and handed them to her ¡°Here, have this¡± Comelia remained silent. Ben was taken aback Shock and surprise filled Ben¡¯s mind. His boss, Marcus, not only wanted to be Comelia¡¯s tour guide but also personally chose dishes for her He had worked by Marcus¡¯s side for ten years and had never received such treatment. Why was it that Cornelia, who had only been with him for less than a year, could enjoy such special treatment? As Ben remained in shock, he watched Marcus extend his hand and gently wipe away a trace of soup from Cornelia¡¯s lips. Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Chapter 303 The whole scenario was quite obvious with implications and Ben was slowly piecing together the puzzle At that moment, Ben felt like he should be hiding under the dining table He nced at Comelia, then at Marcus And when he looked at Marcus Marcus was looking right back at him There seemed to be a warning in Marcuss eyes, telling him not to get too close with Comets almost as if he was staking his im in front of him Ben had been around the block in this industry he knew about bosses and their inappropriate rtionships with their sectetanes. He never thought Marcus would be one of them Boy was he naive He had swallowed those old lines about Marcus being a gay hook, line, and sinker Marcus used to lead a simple private life, probably because his assistants were people like him and Helena. It wasn¡¯t too hard to understand why the president might have a soft spot for a young and pretty get like Comelia Poor presidents we though, leht at home night after their mamage, and now the president had his eyes on another woman ¡°Man Ben sighed to himself, this was way above his pay grade He decided to turn a blind eye pretend he didn¡¯t see anything, pretend he didn¡¯t know anything Cornelia was even more shocked than Ben Marcus¡¯s sudden move made her tense up, so much so that she forgot to dodge it at first By the time she came to her senses, Marcus was serving her more food, ¡°What are you daydreaming about? Eat¡± Come was speechless Why would he do such a thing and then act like nothing happened? Was it fair to his wife and Jemmy? Corn didn¡¯t dare to let her mind wander and kept her head down, continuing to eat Then out of the blue. Marcus called her name, ¡°Camelia, after dinner pack your things. I take you home with me this afternoon.¡± Marcus had a house in Paris too, Comelia knew that, but she never thought he would invite her to stay with him, especially when he used the term ¡°hoine¡± How could she not overthink? Cornelia refused immediately. ¡°President Hartley, I can stay at the hotel¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Marcus had already prepared a reason for inviting her home, ¡°Your husband Jeremy is worried about you being alone. So he asked me to take you home and take care of you¡± Cornelia was totally shocked Was Jeremy an idiot? Letting his male friend take his wife home what if they got carried away and ended up do something? Seeing Cornelia¡¯s doubts, Marcus continued. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, you can text your husband and ask¡± Of course Cornelia would ask Jeremy, but she couldn¡¯t say in front of Marcus that she didn¡¯t trust him. She chuckled awkwardly. ¡°President Hartley, are you Joking? How could not trust you?¡± Listening to their conversation. Ben came to another conclusion. He had been overthinking, the president was just helping to take care of Cornelia, he was not betraying his wife That made sense that was the Marcus he knew. Despite years of battling in the business world, he remained true to himself, never messing around with women However, when Comelia left to pack and he was alone with Marcus, Marcus looked at him and asked ominously, ¡°Ben, do you know what you¡¯re doing?¡± Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Ben asked nervously ¡°President Hartley, did I do something wrong?¡± Marcus coldly replied. ¡°Stop sucking up to Cornelia all the time I cant even get her to notion me, let alone you¡± That was a subtle hint at Ber¡¯s average looks Feeling winged Ben said. ¡°President Harties when have I been sucking up to Cornelia? Besides were both your assistants, we spend more time together than with our families if we get along well won¡¯t that improve our work efficiency? Why are you ming me?¡± Marcus said ¡°Shes married. You can be nice to her but not too much¡± Ben quickly responded. ¡°But you treat her much better than I do She¡¯s married, and so are you if you can be nice to her why cant (?* Marcus, ¡°If only natural that I¡¯m good to my wife Ben, a bit dumbfounded, I didn¡¯t say you shouldn¡¯t be good to your wife¡± Marbu ¡°Get lost Ben wat Speechless. So he was kicked out, he might as well go it wasn¡¯t his first time being kicked out anyway Meanwhile, when Comelia returned to her room, she didn¡¯t immediately pack her bags She texted Jeremy on hei phone, Jeremy did you arrange for Marcus to take me to his ce? Recently Comelia had been really busy, barely having enough time to rest, let alone test Jeremy Jeremy said he was also busy, and they hadn¡¯t chatted on WhatsApp for a while. After sending the message, Comelia waited a bit before receiving a response from Jermy, ¡°Yes, I arranged for him to take you to his ce. You can stay there without worry if you need anything, just let him know¡± Upon receiving Jeremy¡¯s affirmative response, Cornelia was fuming. What an idiot She angrily typed. ¡°Do you know his wife isnt in Paris? Do you know if I go there, it¡¯ll just be him and me? Do you know what can happen if a man and a woman live together?* Jeremy. ¡°He¡¯s a trustworthy person. You can trust him.¡± Comets, ¡°Do you know what he did to me in Harbor City?¡± Reading thit Marcus thought hard. They only stayed in Harbor City for a day, and he had been very restrained with his feelings for her. What could he ham done to make her so angry?. Marcus couldn¡¯t figure it out, so he replied, ¡°What did he do to you?¡± Comelia didn¡¯t originally n to tell him about that incident, but now she had to, ¡°When we were in Harbor City, he got drunk and mistook me for his wife. He not only called me honey, but hugged me and even tried to kiss me if I hadn¡¯t dodged in time, i would¡¯ve been kissed by him¡± Jeremy, ¡°He hugged you? Called you honey?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. That night in Harbor City, Marcus did indeed drink a bit too much. He vaguely remembered Steven arranging for a driver to take them back to the hotel, and that he and Comelia went back to the room together, but he couldn¡¯t remember what happened after He didn¡¯t realize his alcohol tolerance was so poor And he actually did what he had always wanted to do when sober but didn¡¯t dare to after getting drunk Comelia said, ¡°Am I supposed to falsely use him¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that if he offended you, I can apologize on his beha!!¡± Comelia said, ¡°I don¡¯t need your apology. I just want to ask you, do you think I can still trust him? Can I dare to move in with him¡± Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Marcus got where Comelia wasing from, because in her eyes, he was just her boss. After he acted the way he did, she must¡¯ve felt pretty freaked out He had to make sure she felt sake clear up her doubts about him, and get her willing to go home with lem While replying to Cornelia¡¯s message, Marcus thought hard and said. ¡°Maybe he was drunk, maybe he mistook you for someone else II tell him not to drink when he¡¯s around you, so that something like this won¡¯t happen again¡± Comelia asked, ¡°So you insist on me living with him?¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°If you live alone out them. I¡¯d worry) Comelia shot back, ¡°You don¡¯t know anything! If you were there. I would ve kicked you like I kicked Marcus Jeremy surprised asked. ¡°You kicked Marcus?¡± Comelia replied. ¡°What else should I have done? Didn¡¯t he hug me first?¡± After sending the message. Comelia angrily tossed her phone aside and muttered, ¡°So annoying men are all so annoying Meanwhile, Marcus looked down at his leg It had been more than ten days, and the pain was gone, though the bruise hadn¡¯tpletely faded. If he knew it was her doing, he wouldn¡¯t have needed to see a doctor or take medicine. He would we let the wound she caused linger a bit longer Marcus smiled His Cornelia seemed so mid¨Cmannered, but she was tough as nails inside He texted her back, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, then don¡¯t talk to that annoying Marcus if he bullies you again, tell me, and I¡¯ll give him hell¡± Seeing his response Cornelia felt relieved. She rolled around her bed in joy Finally she had someone to lean on. Let¡¯s see if Marcus dares to bully her again Comelia picked up het werk phone, which was tying to the side, and was about to tell Marcus shed stay at a hotel when the doorbell rang She thought he¡¯d gotten impatient waiting for her downstairs and came to nish her, so she hurried to open the door, only to find Briana standing there. Briana rushed over and gave Cornelia a big hug, ¡°Comelia, are you happy to see me?¡± Comelia was happy, ¡°Bn what brings you here?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Briana replied ¡°My brother isn¡¯t home, and I was bored, so I flew over to spend it with you guys¡± Yearster, Comelia found out that this was just an excuse Biana made up in reality, Marcus was worried that it would be awkward for her to stay with him, so he had Brianae over¡­.. Briana added. ¡°It¡¯s so lonely to stay in a hotel by yourself. Let me help you pack, and then we can go stay at my brother¡¯s ce.¡± Cornelia was straightforward. ¡°You¡¯re not going to do what you did in Harbor City to me again, are you? Leaving me alone with your brother after we get to his ce?¡± Comelias directness left Briana a bit flustered, and she waved her hands nervously, ¡°No, no, I be with you the whole time this time, I won¡¯t leave anywhere. Let¡¯s pack up quickly, my brother¡¯s waiting for us downstairs¡± ¡°Okay pack up right now¡± With Brianaspany Cornelia felt much more at ease Comelia didn¡¯t have much luggage, plus she had the habit of putting things back right after using them, so she packed up quickly After they went downstairs they got in Marcus¡¯s car He had his driver take her to finish her work handover first, and then they¡¯d all go to his home in Paris Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Chapter 306 Comelia had a hunch that Marcus¡¯s house would be massive but she was still gobsmacked when she stepped into his home and saw the thousands of square feet ofwn and gardens The nich really have it good. They always snag the best houses whoever they go The garden was huge. The house itself was a two storey building. Comelia was put up in a quest mom on the left side of the second floor. Briana was in the room furthest in on the left. The master bedroom wason the right Briana was super friendly and showed Cornelia around ¡°Cornelia, everything in the room in for you. Feel free to lise muything¡± Comelia said. ¡°Thanks!¡± ¡°Come with me¡± Brians led Comelia to a massive walk in clozet filed with handbags, essories, and all sorts of beautiful clothes and slices. Comel a thought this closet had more clothes than a typical clothing store Every girl dreams of having a closet like this, filled with gorgeous clothes Comelis was green with envy. ¡°Bri, are these all your clothes?¡± ¡°They¡¯re all yours My brother said your husband bought them for you as gifts Briana pulled out a camel coat ¡°Comelia, try this on and see if it fits¡± Comelia couldn¡¯t believe her ears. ¡°My husband paid for these?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Briana hadn¡¯t actually seen whether Comelia¡¯s husband had paid for them or not, but that¡¯s what her brother had told her She¡¯d always trusted her brother implicitly Whatever he said, she believed She¡¯d never doubted him Comelia had always been envious of thes bought by other people, secretly wishing she could own them. But how that they were actually hers, she started to feel guilty about the expense The clothes in this closet must have cost a small fortune. The coat Brann was holding was from a brand shed gone shopping with Abigail for Their coats were priced in the tens of thousands A single coat cost tens of thousands not to mention the other clothes, shoes, bags, and hats. By a rough estimate, everything probably cost a few hundred thousand Hundreds of thousands, enough to renovate a house The more Comelia thought about it, the more it pained her Jeremy must be pretty well off, but that¡¯s no reason to throw money around. Did he think he was as rich as Marcus, to whom money was just a number? Cornelia took out her phone and texted Jeremy ¡°How much did all the stuff you bought for me cost?¡± Jeremy replied quickly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the money. As long as you like the stuff¡± Original from N?velDrama.Org. Comelia texted back, ¡°Answer my question. How much did it cost?¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°Over a million¡± Hearing this figure Comelia felt like she¡¯d been punched in the chest. The pain was so intense she felt nauseous. Was there really a need to be so extravagant? She typed rapidly. ¡°Can it all be returned?¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°Why?¡± Comelia thought for a moment if she said she wanted to save money, Jeremy might not listen to her. So she said, ¡°Because I don¡¯t like any of the stuff you bought¡± Comelis¡¯s response hit Marcus like a bullet straight to the heart Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Chapter 307 Before he had someone buy these gifts, he specifically called up Salbe to ask what girls liked Sallie told him that every girl loves clothes bags shoes, and jewelry. So, he had someone carefully pick out these gifts for Cornelia He thought she would be as thrilled as Sallie suggested, but it turned out she didn¡¯t like them at all Hiding his disappointment, Marcus replied to Comelia. ¡°So, what do you like?! Come responded, ¡°First tell me can these things be returned¡°¡± Usually, Marcus would just toss out anything he didn¡¯t like. He never bothered with returns. ¡°If you don¡¯t like these things, tell me what you do like and I buy that. There¡¯s no need to return what¡¯s already been bought¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°I like money!¡± Who doesn¡¯t right¡± But few woulde straight out and say it. Marcus found his Cornelia even more adorable. ¡°Then I give you another bank card, spend whatever you want! Cornelia quickly texted back ¡°Thave the ability to make my own money, I don¡¯t need yours Original from N?velDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t want the house he offered She didn¡¯t ke the things he bought. She didn¡¯t want his bank card either. Marcus really didn¡¯t get what Cornelia was thinking. Then tell me, what do you want?¡± What did she want? Comelia had never really thought about it before. Now she thought carefully. ¡°What I want is simple I want my own house, a real home. I want to live a healthy and happy life with my family¡± Comelia had already managed to buy a house with her own hard work. All she wanted now was for her grandmother to recover quickly and to enjoy every day with her Het wishes were simple things she could achieve herself. She didn¡¯t need a husband for that If Comelia¡¯s desires for fancy products were stronger, if she demanded houses and money from him, Marcus might not have to rack his brains so much. Marcus asked her, ¡°Do you include me in your ns?¡± Comelia replied, ¡°Of course Her affirmative answer made Marcus incredibly happy His fingers were even trembling a bit as he typed. ¡°Then let¡¯s live a good life together¡± Comelia responded. ¡°But we can¡¯tpete with others You can¡¯t be reckless just because your friends are rich. We should buy things that match our earnings and not blindly pursue luxury goods¡± Seeing her message the smile that had been tugging at Marcus¡¯s lips slowly disappeared it turned out that Cornelia really disliked his bossy side, even using him as a negative example. Marcus texted hec ¡°Im not short of money¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°I know you¡¯re nich. But spending over a million on all these clothes, shoes, bags, and jewelry that I can¡¯t possibly use all, do you really think it¡¯s worth 17¡± ¡°Spending money on my wife is always worth it¡± Marcus was d he reported a lower price if he told her the actual value of the stuff in the closet was over ten mition, she might feel even more distressed Comelia said. ¡°This over a million is more than what many people can earn in a lifetime Jeremy, listen to me, retum these items. You should save this money for better use¡°, Marcus suddenly realized that Comelia kept mentioning money not because she didn¡¯t like the clothes and shoes he bought. What she really cared about was the money. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about money or feel distressed about it¡± After sending this message. Marcus waited for a long time without any reply from Cornelia. He prompted again, ¡°Comelia, why haven¡¯t you replied yet?¡± Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Chapter 308 Comelia responded, ¡°Are you gonna haten to me or not?¡± Marcus gol a kick out of this message, a grin spreading on his face. They hadn¡¯t even started living together, and she was already trying to boss him around. But he was more than happy to y along ¡°Of course, 571 sten¡± Comelia then said. ¡°Since you promised to listen to me have all these things returned¡± Marcus et exasperated. ¡°These am all essentials Why do we have to return them? Comelia sent a pouting emoji followed by another message ¡°You said youd listen to me, and now you¡¯re going back on your word We have a long road ahead, how can I trust you like this?¡± Marcus shook his head in resignation ¡°Alright I get these clothes returned right away¡± Cornelia responded with a satisfied ¡°Good boy!¡± Marcus was at a loss for words This was the first time she had praised him like that! Briana was helping Cornelia try on clothes, ¡°Comelia, why are you still texting when I¡¯m right here?¡± Briana took her phone and set it aside, ¡°Look at all these new clothes, try them on already¡± As long as Cornelia was willing to try on these clothes, Marcus would buy Briana a new sports car which was why Briana was so eager to have Cornelia try on clothes. Comelia smiled ¡°No more trying, all these clothes are going back¡± Briana was confused. ¡°The clothes have been delivered all the way here, why return them?¡± Comelia wasn¡¯t afraid of Briana thinking she was poor and honestly replied, ¡°The cheapest of these clothes cost several tens of thousands. I just asked him, and he said the total value of these clothes, shoes, and bags is over a million. I cant handle it.¡± Briana retorted. ¡°Is a million a lot? That¡¯s not even enough for one of my trips¡± Comelia replied, ¡°Jeremy, you ve been living in luxury all your life, so you don¡¯t understand just how huge a million is for us ordinary folks Cornelia could understand why Brana would say something like that Realizing her faux pas. Briana quickly said, ¡°Comelia, I didn¡¯t mean anything¡± Cornelia gently rubbed her head, ¡°I know¡± Briana then asked, ¡°Oh, Cornelia, your husband is my brother¡¯s friend, I might have met him What¡¯s his name?¡± Comelia replied. ¡°His name is Jeremy¡± ¡°Jeremy? Your husbands name is Jeremy?¡± Briana¡¯s mouth fell open in shock ¡°Cornelia, did you say your husband¡¯s name is Jeremy?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Comelia nodded. ¡°Yes Do you know him?¡± Briana felt like she had just stumbled upon a huge secret Her sister¨Cinw was named Comelia Comelia¡¯s husband was named Jeremy. And her brother¡¯s other name was also Jeremy Briana, though naive, was not stupid. At this point, she didn¡¯t even need to think to understand the rtionship between Marcus and Comelia Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Chapter 309 Comelia inoked at Bna with surprise and asked, ¡°Do you know Jeremy?¡± Judging by Comelia¡¯s reaction, Briana quessed she might not know Marcus in Jeremy. But she didn¡¯t get why her brother would keep it a secret from Comelia If Marcus decided to keep it a secret she couldn¡¯t spill the beans or shed be in fai it Im not sure if I¡¯m supposed to know him Camelia, you take a breathe I go have a word with my brother After saying that, Briana rashed off She dashed to find Marcus. The study and master bedroom on the second floor were empty. She ran downstairs, shouting as she went, ¡°Two, where are you?¡± Marcus was in the living room on the first floor, flipping through thetest fashion magazine Hearing her shout, he frowned, Tm not deaf, why are you hollering?¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Briana ran to him and sat next to him, ¡°Comelia just told me her husband¡¯s name is Jeremy So, you and her Since she already knew about his rtionship with Cornelia, Marcus didn¡¯t n on keeping it from her anymore, ¡°Yeah, Cornelia is your sister inw Brana had thought he¡¯d deny it and choose to keep it under wraps. But his quick admission left her unsure, ¡°ts Cornelia really my sister inw?¡° Marcus put down the magazine and tapped her head. ¡°What, you think I¡¯m pulling your leg? If Cornelia wasn¡¯t your sister inw, why would I let her live here? But you have to keep it on the down¨Clow Cornelia cant know about this yet Rubbing her head Bhana said ¡°You know i cant keep a secret. I¡¯m afraid I might let it slip Marcus chuckled then whispered ¡°then do you want to go to Cndra and deal with that woman?¡± It was a clear threat. The mere thought of going there filled Briana with dread, ¡°Bro. I promise I won¡¯t spill it, fi definitely keep it a secret. Please don¡¯t send me to Cndria to deal with that woman Marcus was just trying to scare her. He could never really send her there. He had enough of those unbearable things to deal with on his own. ¡°Alright, you need to get along with Cornelia No bullying her Treally like Comelia, why would I bully her?¡± said Briana Marcus said. ¡°Go ask Cornelia what she wants for dinner¡± ¡°I¡¯m on ¡°Briana squeezed next to Marcus, ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell Cornelia the truth? Then you can openly treat her well, openly buy her clothes, shoes, bags, without having to make up excuses¡± Did she think he didn¡¯t want to tell Cornelia? How he wished he could opmly take care of Comelia But the problem was he knew he wasn¡¯t Comelia¡¯s type if he revealed his identity and she wanted a divorce, what then? Marcus certainly wouldn¡¯t reveal his true thoughts to Briana, ¡°No need to pry. Just do as I say and I buy you anything you want.¡± ¡°Deal¡± As long as there was something in it for her, Briana was more than willing to do the job, ¡°I¡¯ll go find Comelia right now, and make sure she¡¯s super happy¡± At that moment, they saw through therge French windows the butler leading a few girls towards them. Each girl was dressed in a suit and high heels. The butler had them change into disposable slippers at the door before leading them in Chapter 310 Chapter 310 Chapter 310 A few stall members respectfully greeted Marcus when they saw him, saying ¡°President Hartley, good afternoon! We¡¯re here to pick up the products as you requested¡± Marcus nodded in response, then tumed to Briana. ¡°Go check if Comelia is resting if she¡¯s moozing, let them wait a bit Well talk when Cornelia wakes up¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Sure I¡¯m on d With that, Bna humed off towards the second floor in order not to disturb Comelia Dana tiptoed when she reached the second floor carefully approaching Cornelia¡¯s door, ¡°Cornelia¡± Her voice was very soft Comelia was asleep, the wouldn¡¯t wake her If Cornelia was awake the should be able to lear The door opened from the inside quickly Comelia appeared at the door, What¡¯s up** Briana pointed downstairs. The people here to pick up the clothes, shoes and bags have amived I came up to see if it¡¯s a good time for you if it¡¯s okay, §±l let theme up ¡® ¡°I¡¯m good. Let theme up right away¡± Cornelia was worried that if these things stayed in the closet too long, they wouldn¡¯t be returnable Only when the money is refunded and back into Jeremy¡¯s ount, could she sleep peacefully tonight Brana ran down again to call the staff The staff serving Marcus were all excellent employees from the brandpanies. Not only were they attractive, but they also had great service attitudes and top¨Cnotch skills. They quickly and orderly emptied the dressing room. After the things were moved, what Comelia cared most about was the refund, ¡°When will the money be refunded to the buyer¡¯s ount?¡± The staff poitely answered. ¡®It¡¯s been refunded¡± ¡°That¡¯s good¡± Comelia immediately tuck out her phone to text Jeremy. ¡°The things you bought have been taken away. Has the money been refunded to your ount? Jeremy replied almost immediately. ¡°The money is back. Don¡¯t worry, no one can scam me Comelia replied. ¡°I¡¯m relieved now¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°Silly girl¡± ¡°You re the silly one¡± Cornelia quickly retorted But the smile at the corner of her mouth could not hide her joy As Comelia was basking in her happiness, a head popped in front of her ¡®Comelia, what do you feel like eating tonight?¡± ¡°Tusually cook with my grandma or my two best friends during holidays Bri, does your family have a tradition of cooking together?¡± Comelia missed her family her grandma. Zack and Abby Brana said, ¡°Our family members don¡¯t live together But I think the three of us can tonight¡± Comelia was excited but then disappointed. ¡°President Hartley might not like it¡® ¡°Hang on a sec¡± Briana humed downstairs to find Marcus. ¡°Cornelia wants to cook with us. But she¡¯s worried you might not like it So I¡¯m asking, would you like to join us tonight?¡± Marcus said, ¡°In this house, her decision is the final decision. She can do whatever she wants, she doesn¡¯t need my approval¡± Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Briana frowned, ¡°You¡¯re seriously ying favorites I¡¯m about the same age as Cornelia You¡¯re always on my case like I¡¯m a kid, but Conse gets to do whatever she wants. You even said shes gonna be calling all the shots from now on You¡¯m reallyying it on thick for her are you?¡± Marcus hadn¡¯t noticed it was just instinctive for him to treat Comelia well ¡°She¡¯s my wife if I don¡¯t treat her right, should Het some other guy do it?¡± ¡°Well, when you put it that way Briana nodded in approval. ¡°So you better treat Cemelia right, don¡¯t let some other guy whisk her away¡± Marcus stood up ¡°Im going to change Go get Comelia Were going to hit the supermarket¡± Briana began doubting her ears, ¡°Bro, are you saying you wanna hit the supermarket with us?¡± Marcus. ¡°What¡¯s the fuss Briana said. Tve never seen you step foot in a supermarket. You always said your time was money and you wouldn¡¯t waste it on trivialities, that going shopping was a waste of time Now you¡¯re changing your tune because of Cornea. Are you even the Marcus I know? Are you still my brother? Are you just wearing my brother¡¯s face but you¡¯re actually someone else?¡± Briana¡¯s imagination went wild, the more she thought about it the more usible it seemed ¡°Spill it, who are you really? Why are you possessing my brother¡¯s body?¡± Marcus gently tapped her forehead. ¡°What the hell are you thinking? I told you toy off those crazy shows, but you just cant stop, can you?¡± Boana annously backed away sizing Marcus up, ¡°Let me ask you a few questions if you can answer them, then I believe you Otherwise give me back my brother¡± Sometimes, Marcus really wanted to crack open Briana¡¯s head to see what was going on in there, ¡°Just go get Cornelia or the supermarket will be closed¡± Bnana took a couple steps back, then summoned the courage to step forward again. ¡°You¡¯re trying to make off with my sister inw? I¡¯m telling you, until I¡¯m sure you¡¯re my brother, I won¡¯t let you near her¡± This is insanity Marcus thought Maybe it¡¯s time to confiscate all those crazy shows she¡¯s been watching. He put on a stern face, ¡°Briana, try me one more time¡± That definitely sounded like her brother. But Briana was still skeptical ask you two questions if you can answer them, then we¡¯re good. If you won¡¯t let me ask, then you¡¯ve got something to hide¡± That¡¯s night he got something to hide Not only did he snatch her brother¡¯s body, he¡¯s also trying to take advantage of Cornelia. He¡¯s pure evil. Original from N?velDrama.Org. Until her brother¡¯s soul returned to his body, it was her duty to protect Cornelia on his behalf. She couldn¡¯t let this imposter get the upper hand Marcus was at a loss with this madcap girl. ¡°Ask away¡® taway¡® Briana thought for a moment, rolled up her sleeves to reveal her arm, and showed him the scar, ¡°How do you think I got this scar? You can¡¯t think too long, answer right aws Chapter 312 Chapter 312 Chapter 312 She had read a bunch of novels andics about soul swapping, where one person¡¯s soul enters another person¡¯s body and inherits the host¡¯s memones But the new host didn¡¯t necessarily inherit the old hast¡¯s memories right away These memories came back gradually She fired questions at him so fast, barely giving him time to think Only her brother could answer this question. That¡¯s how she could tell if he was mally her brother ¡°You were pushed down the stone steps by our nanny when you were hive Marcus had almost forgotten about this It reminded him of the nanny who used to take care of her. She was secretly abusing a child of Just a few years old If it weren¡¯t for Briana getting hurt and sent to the hospital where the doctors found numerous scars on her body their family might have taken much longer to discover the abuse ¡°How do you know?¡± Briana was almost convinced But then the thought of a passible coincidence and asked a second question, ¡°What did you say to me on my tenth birthday?¡± Marcus rarely said sweet nothings directly to Briana but he knew her well. ¡°I said I would take care of you, protect you, and make you happy for the rest of your life¡± On Briana¡¯s tenth birthday, she was hoping her parents coulde back to celebrate with her. She waited all day for them, only to receive the news of their divorce The two no longer showed the deep affection of a mamed couple. They were openly with their own lovers. They had practically thrown the reputation of the Hartley Group to the wind If he hadn¡¯t taken over the Hartley Group in time and taken decisive actions to change thepany¡¯s image, the Hartley Group might have already been discarded by the world. Afterectly answering both questions. Briana patted her chest in relief, ¡°Pro, you know what? I was really scared that someone else was upying your body¡± ¡°Hand me your phone¡± Marcus had to check her phone to see what she was up to all day ¡°Evo, don¡¯t me me for being suspicious. You¡¯ve been acting really differenttely. You¡¯re eating chili peppers now, which you never used to eat. Doesn¡¯t that make one wonder if there¡¯s another soul in your body?¡± Even if he wanted to hit het, Briana wouldn¡¯t hand over her phone, ¡°You know a phone has all a person¡¯s secrets. I¡¯m in my twenties now, you can¡¯t just go through my phone anymore¡± She turned to leave, but seeing her brother¡¯s gloomy face, her legs went weak. Her brother was really scary when he was angry This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. ¡°No matter how old you are, whether you¡¯re manied or not you¡¯re still my sister, Briana Taking care of you is my responsibility as is quiding you away from making wrong choices. His voice was very gentle Brana started to doubt him again ¡°Bro, you¡¯ve really changed a lot!¡± In Briana¡¯s memory, her brother had only spoken to her this gently when she was small Ever since he took over the Hartley Group, he had never spoken to her like this Marcus immediately became serious, ¡°delete all the mess in your phone if I find you looking at worthless stuff again, I¡¯ll clean it up for you.¡± Can she take back what she just said? Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Chapter 313 Her brother Marcus is still the same old bossy and domineering dude no drop of gentleness Back then, he only forbade her from hitting the bars and clubs, or mingling with badpany. Now, even her readingics and novels are under his control If this goes on, would he meddle in her love life, even dictate who the mames? Staying in this house is bing unbearable No, the power dynamics in this house has shifted Herter-inw Comelia is way more approachable than her brother From now on, shell turn to Cornelia for help, let Comelia deal with Marcus Disappointed Brana matantly regained he determination to stand up to Marcus, ¡°Bm, I¡¯m going to see Comelia now¡± Marcus could tell she was plotting against him, but she didn¡¯t stand a chance. ¡°Hold on, I need to talk to you¡± Brana quickly hid her phone behind het. ¡°You¡¯re not nning to snatch my phone, are you?¡± He never needed to snatch her phone. He had plenty of ways to make her hand it over. But she¡¯s right, she¡¯s an adult now, he needed to respect her privacy, no more treating her like a kid. ¡°After we go to the supermarket, find a reason to head home early I want to stroll around the supermarket alone with Cornelia¡±This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Hearing that he wanted to go to the supermarket with Comelia and asked her to leave early, Briana kita pang ¡°You favor love over family, huty if you find me annoying just go shopping with Comelia yourself Do you think Im a tool¡± How ridiculous¡± Her brother was so shameless in his pursuit of his wifel This time Marcus didn¡¯t say anything just gave her a look. Brians immediately shut up, obediently went upstairs to find Cornelia Hearing that Marcus was going to the supermarket, Cornelia was in disbelief, ¡°Bri, are you sure your brother is really going to the supermarket with us? He has so much to do, isn¡¯t it a waste of time?¡± Brana quickly replied, ¡°he is too busy with work and never had the time to go to the supermarket with my sister¨Cinw Today he¡¯s getting familiar with it first, so he won¡¯t feel out of ce when he goes with my Sister¨Cinwter¡± So it was for his wife! When Marcus was drunk, all he could think of was his wife It wasn¡¯t hard to understand why he would do things he would never have done before for his wife Cornelia looked around and whispered, ¡°Br you¡¯re here in Pans for the holiday Why didn¡¯t Marcus bring his wife too?¡± ¡°You¡°Briana realized she almost spilled the beans, she quickly said, ¡°My sister inw prefers peace, doesn¡¯t like going abroad. My brother gives in to her in everything, so she didn¡¯te¡± Comelia nodded, then raised a long standing doubt, ¡°Ive been with President Hartley for nearly a year but I¡¯ve never met his wife¡± ¡°My sister¨Cinw doesn¡¯t like being in the spotlight. She womes it¡¯ll affect her work and life My brother does his best to protect her So many people who have met her couldn¡¯t recognize she¡¯s Marcus¡¯s wife¡± Her brother alwaysined about her reading all these frivolous stuff Without all the novels and comics she read, how could shee up with such a good coping strategy? Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Chapter 314 This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Briana¡¯s words cleared up Comelia¡¯s confusion about why Mr. Sharp couldn¡¯t see the president¡¯s wife. She smiled and said, ¡°Tve changed my clothes, we can get going now¡± ¡°Ainght¡± After Briana took Comelia¡¯s arm, the leaned in to smell her. The scent of her sister inw was really nice, which made her even more likable, ¡°Cornelia, I want to tell you. My sister inw is young, pretty, has a great figure, a gentle personality and she treats me well. My sister inw has no ws, I like her so much ¡± ¡°She treats you well, you should treat her well too. Love is mutual, you get ma?¡± Hearing Buana praising the presidents wife so highly, Cornelia was genuinely happy for them Behind every sessful man is a great woman Marcus could devote himself wholeheartedly to his work, and the president¡¯s wife behind him also yed a significant role Brana nodded in agreement. ¡°I will remember¡± Today¡¯s weather in Paris was quite cold Cornelia was especially afraid of the cold. She wore thermal underweat and a knitted sweater, with a down jacket on top Actually there was nothing wrong with her outfit Butpared to Marcus, he was just wearing a white shirt and ck trousers, covered by a coat. Comelia nced at Marcus, the was feeling cold for him, ¡°President Haitley you¡¯re not wearing enough It¡¯s so cold, you could catch a cold¡± if he caught a cold not only would she as his assistant have to take care of him, but it might also affect the work ahead and even dy their return home. Couldn¡¯t he take better care of his health and stop causing her trouble¡± She was worried that he would catch a cold Marcus felt warm inside when he heard her, he smiled and replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a good constitution, I¡¯m not afraid of the cold travel by car from home and get off at the supermarket, I barely spend any time outside¡± Forget it she couldn¡¯t be bothered with him. Marcus drove them both to a nearby supermarket. Even though it was said to be nearby, it was still quite a few kilometers away During the drive, Briana enthusiastically introduced everything around them to Cornelia Comelia listened attentively, asionally asking some questions, showing Briana enough respect. Marcus was driving in front asionally ncing at them through the rear lew mirror, filled with a sense of happiness He remembered when he was a child he used to celebrate the holidays with his grandmother. As he grew older, he was busy with studies and managing the vast Hartley Group, he had no time for holidays, This year because of Comelia, the holiday was special to him. About ten minutester, they arrived at their destination Marcus dropped off the two women and then went to find a parking spot After getting off the car, Briana held Cornelia¡¯s hand, acting very affectionate. But the warm atmosphere was quickly interrupted by a phone call Seeing the iing call was from Natalia Reese, she felt a bit uneasy But it gave her a perfect excuse to leave, ¡®Cornelia, you go ahead and look around in the supermarket, M be right there after this call¡± Comelia said, ¡°Okay¡± After Cornelia entered the supermarket, Brana answered the call, ¡°Hello, Natalia¡± Natalia said, ¡°Briana, I heard you went to Paris. Why didnt you tell me?¡± Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Natalia whined making Briana feel guilty. ¡°Natalia, my brother called me over at thest minute I was in such a hush that | forgot to tell you* Natalia asked again, ¡°is your brother in Paris? is that woman with him?¡± Briana was caught off guard ¡°Which woman Natalia retorted. ¡°The one your granny forced Marc to many¡± Bana said. ¡°Natalia, that woman in my sister¨Cinw Cut the side remarks about her H Nataka bred back, ¡°Did you forget how she chested on your brother?¡± Briana defended. ¡°My bro said it was a misunderstanding My sister inw is a great person, pretty and with a good personality I won¡¯t let you insult her* Natalia said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to bash her, I won¡¯t. But have you met her? What does the look like? What¡¯s her name? What¡¯s her job? What¡¯s her family background?¡± Natalia bombarded her with questions Briana was about to answer ¡°Actually, my sister inw is Lucky Briana caught herself in time ¡®Natalia my sister¨Cinw doesn¡¯t want people knowing about her. So I cant tell you.¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Natalia pressed on, ¡°Not even your best friend?¡± Even though Natalia couldn¡¯t see it, Briana shook her head vehemently. ¡°No! My bro would be super pissed if I did Natalia said ¡°You¡¯re always saying what your brother would do. But has he ever done anything to you? Whenever someone messes with you, he¡¯s always the first one to stand up for you.¡± Briana often rants to Natalia about how domineering Marcus is. But every time she talks about Marcus, her face is full of happiness. There¡¯s no sign of fear on her face Every time Natalia tells Brana how good Cameron is to her, in reality, Cameron treats her like dirt. He hits and yells at her whenever he pleases Maybe she wants to marry Marcus not just because he¡¯s better than Cameron, but because she hopes Marcus would protect her just like how he protects Briana Then she wouldn¡¯t have to endure Camerons abuse anymore ¡°Do you really want my bro to hit me? Anyway, my bro is not as good as your bro Bians was oblivious to Natalia¡¯s struggles. ¡°Natalia, I really can¡¯t tell you about my sister¨Cinw. I have to go grocery shopping with her so talk to youter¡± Natalia suddenly got heated ¡°You keep saying my sister¨Cinw, my sister¨Cinw h h h. Did that woman bribe you or something? Why are you protecting her? You¡¯re my best friend. We grew up together, went to school together instead of helping me get your brother, you¡¯re protecting a total stranger Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Chapter 316 Briana was usually easy going, but Natalia¡¯s words hit a nerve and she found herself raising her voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t get any benefits from my sister inw She¡¯s my brother¡¯s wife the one he¡¯s supposed to protect and that means the one I should protect to Natalia went quiet for a few seconds before her voice was heard through the phone. She sounded like she was crying ¡°Thiana, you¡¯re mad at me again! You¡¯re mad at me over a woman you barely know Are dur twenty years of friendship worth less to you than your sister inw?¡± Every time Natalia started crying it made Riana ufortable. ¡°Natalia please don¡¯t cry I¡¯m sorry I shouldn¡¯t have yelled at you Naisha continued. ¡°Bhana you promised me you¡¯d help me win over your brother, that I could be your sister inw We were supposed to stick together for life You can break your promise¡± Briana had to admit, the had made that promise. ¡°Natalia when my brother was single, I agreed in help you be my sister inw But he¡¯s married now and theres no way you can win him ?ver Moza importantly he doesn¡¯t even like you. He doesn¡¯t even know who you are Why are you smitten with a man who¡¯s never noticed you? You¡¯re good looking and sessful, you don¡¯t need to chase after a man who doesn¡¯t love you Am Iright¡± ¡°You dont understand anything Who are you to lecture me? Do you think I don¡¯t know how embarrassing this is¡± Natalia sobbed into the phone befom hanging up Brana felt something was off with Natalia¡¯s mood today. She ford calling her back multiple times, but Natalia wouldn¡¯t answerThis text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Unable to reach Natalia, Boana called Cameron He picked up right away sounding rxed, ¡°Bri, aren¡¯t you supposed to be in Paris with your brother? What¡¯s got you calling me?¡± Briana said quickly ¡°Cameron, Natalia doesn¡¯t seem to be okay today. Could you check on her? I don¡¯t want her to do anything rash Cameronughed it off. ¡°She¡¯s just a little too obsessed with your brother nothing more Were all here with her, she¡¯ll be fine¡± Relieved that Natalia was okay, Briana hung up and got into her cat. She was giving her brother and his wife some time alone. What Brians didn¡¯t know was that Natalia was being physically assaulted Cammon forced Natalia to call Briana Hewanted Natalia to get information from her concerning Marcus wife When she didn¡¯t deliver, he hit her. He pped her then brutally kicked her stomach Cameron had no regard for Natalia She was on the floor in tee much pain to move He roughly grabbed her har and pped her again. ¡°The Reese family have wasted too much time on a useless person like you. You can¡¯t even win a man over¡± ¡°You heard Marcus is mamed if i go after him, fl be the other woman You always looked down on mistresses, so why do you want me to be one?¡± That¡¯s what Natalia was thinking, but she didn¡¯t dare to speak up. If she did, Cameron would get even angrier. All she could do was beg like always, ¡°Cam, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯m not good enough. Give me another chance and fill do whatever it takes to get Marcus to marry me¡± ¡°Im giving you one more chance if you still can¡¯t marry Marcus, the Reese family will no longer waste time on a worthless person like you¡± Cameron kicked her away and dusted off his hands in disgust. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Natalia wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. ¡°Thanks for the waming 111 work even harder to pursue Marcus¡® Cameron looked at her with a cold and disdainful gaze. ¡°You¡¯re no better than your gold digging mom No matter how morous you two appear it can¡¯t hide your pathetic inner selves Natalin had to endure Cameron¡¯s beatings and insults, and even agree with him, or else theid face another round of abuse. ¡°You¡¯re right Neither me nor mom are good people After letting off steam, Cameron finally left, leaving the battered Natalis behind Even after he left Natalia couldn¡¯t go to the doctor. She had to let her wounds heat on their own Just then, her phone on the floor rang Her mom was calling, and she couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears, ¡°Mom Natalia¡¯s mom, ir was Grange Rowe¡¯s second wile, who had won him over with her beauty and married into the Reese family ir asked ¡°Natalia, did Cameron hit you again? Through her tears, Natalia pleaded. ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t stand living with that monster anymore. Can you come get me? We could live together with Dad¡± ¡°Natalia dont cy Listen to me¡± ir¡¯s voice was gentle. ¡°You¡¯ve endured pain for so long. Just held on a little longer Once you marry Marcus, hell protect you and you can get back at Carton Just thinking about that monster made Natalia shake. ¡°But I fear I might not live long enough to see that day Mom, please talk to dad if he intervenes, Cameron might listen¡± ¡°Natalia, you¡¯re an adult now You cant act like a child anymore¡± ir¡¯s voice was gede but to Natalia, her words were like poison. ¡°I¡¯ve been through more insults and criticism in the Reese family than you if you can¡¯t contribute to the family, I might get kicked out too ¡°Natalia knew. She had always known that no one cared about ber feelings, and that she shouldn¡¯t expect anything from this family. But when her despair became unbearable, she still hoped there would be a family member who could help her take her away from this painful environment. Her mother not only refused to help her leave but also pushed her deeper into agony, making her life unbearable Her family¡¯s concern for her was far less than Briana¡¯s Even the inconsiderate Briana could sense something was wrong and called to check on her Natalia hung up the phone and continued to lie on the cold floor with tears rolling helplessty down her cheeks. Brand wasn¡¯t around, and Cornelia wanted to go shopping, but she was afraid she¡¯d have difficulty communicating with the staff. But, once she entered the supermarket, she realized everyone spoke EnglishContent rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Chapter 318 Aller parking the car Marcus went to find Cornelia, only to see her staning nk at the flour on the shelf. He waved his hand in front of him, ¡®Come, what¡¯s on your mind? Comelia said, ¡®I don¡¯t think I can finish all this, so I¡¯m wondering if I could find someone to split it with me¡± The well¨Cto¨Cdo Marcus obviously didn¡¯t understand what Comelia was troubled about. ¡°This bag of flour ient that much, you can store what¡¯s left¡± Comelia shook her head and joked. ¡°I think I¡¯ll just buy less. Il wail here I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be customers with the same idea as ma¡° ¡°You¡¯re not willing to spend that much, are you? Having spent some time together, Marcus was gradually getting a sense of Cornelia¡¯s thought process. Compared to others. Cornelia earned quite enough money but was simply not willing to spend it irrationally Perhaps because she had just bought a house and needed money for renovations Cornelia, ¡°Yes¡± Marcus chuckled. TI pay You don¡¯t need to Buy whatever you want dont worry about the money¡± Hearing this Cornelia was over the moon, ¡°Well, thanks a lot, President Hartley¡± She was on a business trip, and I was only right that the boss man should help her buy food and provide her with amodation With Marcusforting words, Cornelia stopped fretting Without dy, she grabbed a few bags of pasta and ced them in the shopping cart, then went on to buy some seasonings Before they went out, Comelia went to Marcus kitchen it was spotlessly clean, with no signs of previous cooking. The fridge was empty. The holiday was only six days away and they didn¡¯t know how long they would be staying in Paris Comelia thought it would be a good idea to buy some groceries to store in the fidge, so that she would conveniently cook if she wanted to Marcus grabbed the cart hand e, ¡°You pick the food, and push the cart. Let me see what you usually buy so I can do the same with my wife in the future¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Comelia ¡°Aight¡± Comelia led the way, looking at each shelf one by one, putting whatever she wanted to buy into the cart. Marcus closely followed her, but his eyes couldn¡¯t help but drift to her face. Comelia was not only extremely diligent at work, but also with shopping. Before buying anything, she would carefully check the ingredients and other details Werned about being caught by Cornelia, Marcus was very careful Whenever Comelia felt his gaze and turned to look at him, he could always pretend to be looking elsewhere Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Chapter 319 Comelia was all set with her condiments and was about to but the fresh food section when the noticed Marcus¡® shopping cart was as empty as a ghost town President Hartley don¡¯t you need to buy anything?¡± Marcus, who was more interested in chit¨Cchatting with Comelia than shopping said, ¡°I don¡¯t really need anything in particr in generally here to learn from you so that I can make supermarket trips easier for my wole Can you teach me how to use these ingredients ¡°Sure thing¡± Cornelia was more than happy to help Mamus ¡°Let¡¯s hit the fresh food section first, then we can grab some inore goodies¡± ¡°Sounds good¡± Marcus pushed his shopping cart and followed Comelia closely In the hesh food section, Cornelia picked up a nice looking piece of beef and said to Marcus, ¡°We can use this beef to make a delicious steak when we get twic Marcus was all praises ¡°You¡¯re a jack of all trades very impressive!¡± Cornelia chuckled ¡°Wemon folks have to learn these skills. Not veryone has the luxury of being catered for from childhood like you¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Marcus replied. ¡°Being served from a young age isn¡¯t always a good thing¡± Comelia could rte Everyone had their own set of worries Some worried about making ends meet, others worned about mate?al things, and people like Marcus, probably worried about making more dough When the staff handed the beef to Comelia she was shocked by the price. ¡°Are you sure this is the price? Could there be a mistake?¡± Even though the wasnt footing the bill, Comelia felt her heart ache The staff checked thebel and politely exined, ¡°Ma¡¯am, our prices are the usual prices¡± She returned the beef to the freezer and told Marcus. ¡°Everything in this supermarket is so pricey. Are there any other supermarkets around?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°The folks around here are pretty loaded. They care more about quality than price Bargain supermarkets can¡¯t survive in this area¡± Cornelia said ¡°You rich people really don¡¯t care about money¡± Marcus chuckled, ¡°Today¡¯s on me Pick whatever you like, no need to cut corners for me¡± She quietly put the beef back into the cart Without it, they wouldn¡¯t be able to fry a steak Comelia initially wanted to check out the snack section, but considering the prices, she decided against it ¡°President Hartley, if you don¡¯t need anything, let¡¯s pay and leave Marcus wanted to spend more time with her. ¡°We haven¡¯t bought much. Don¡¯t you want to browse around a little more?¡± Comelia shook her head ¡°No need¡± Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Marcus was aware that Cornelia was quite the penny pincher, so he said. ¡°Then hang with me for a little more Tve got a ton of stuff i still nei to boy¡± ¡°Alright then Cornelia always knew Marcus didn¡¯t give a hoot about prices when shopping As long as the fancied something he wouldn¡¯t care about the cost. But she never thought had also be like this even when grocery shopping He walked over to the shelves, grabbed one of each item and tossed if into his cant in no time, his cart was filled to the brim He then said, ¡°Cornelia, money in just a means to an end. We make money to spend it Don¡¯t let it steal your joy¡± Comelia didn¡¯t respond For Marcus having this amount of money want a big deal. But for Cornelia, it was her living expenses for several months. It meant a lot to hel After one cart was full, Marcus had the staff bring over twn more carts in a short while, all three carts were filled to the brim by Marcus The carts were loaded with fresh beef,mb, chicken, and various pricey vegetables. They also had a variety of snacks Coincidentally, they were all things Cornelia wanted to buy but couldn¡¯t bear to spend money on Whether it was their striking looks or Marcusvish shopping style, they certainly tumed heads Both the store staff and the other shoppers couldn¡¯t help but give them a few extra nces A pregnant woman approached Comelia and asked ¡°Ma¡¯am, can take a photo with you and your husband? There¡¯s a legend that if a pregnant person takes a photo with someone good looking, the baby will be beautiful¡± Cornelia quickly exined. ¡°We¡¯re not mamed¡± Marcus suddenly interjected in French, ¡°Im sorry, my wife isn¡¯t too keen on taking photos with strangers But with your excellent taste, your baby is bound to be beautiful¡± Even though she didn¡¯t get her photo, the pregnant women was happy to get a blessing from such a handsome man. She replied, ¡°Your wife in very beautiful and cute I wish you happiness¡± Marcus responded, ¡°Thank you! We¡¯ll definitely be happy The pregnant woman gave Comelia a smile and left. Comelia was baffled Marcus who usually didn¡¯t like to chat with strangers had just had a lively conversation with a strange woman. He even said thank you¡® President Hartley, what were you two chatting about?¡± she asked Marcus replied. ¡°She said you¡¯re beautiful¡± Comelia stayed silent Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Marcus added. ¡°The stuff we picked out will be delivered home Lets go back¡± ¡°Alright¡± Comelia felt like something was off. As they left the supermarket, they passed the spot where she had parted ways with Briana She remembered that na hadn¡¯te looking for her after taking a call She suddenly panicked, ¡°President Hartley, Bil¡¯s gone We need to call the police Marcus said. ¡°She probably didn¡¯t have the spare time to go grocery shopping I bet she¡¯s already home.¡± Comelia was worried so she immediately dialed Briana¡¯s number. It was only after hearing Briana say she was already home that she breathed a sigh of relief. However, she quickly frowned, ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to go shopping with me? Why did you ditch me?¡± Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Briana didn¡¯t want to leave Cornelia, but had to do as her brother said, ¡°Comelia. I totally spaced out and forgot about our shopping trip because I was on the phone for so long I didn¡¯t mean to ditch you¡± Comelia responded. ¡°Why do I get the feeling you did?¡± Briana was unsure if Cornelia was onto something and felt a knot in her stomach ¡°Why would you think I ditched you on purpose?¡± Comelia replied. ¡°Woman¡¯s intuition¡± Just intuition, no concrete evidence Briana thought she was in the clear ¡°Womans intuition can be spot on, but its not always 100%. Trust me. I didn¡¯t mean to leave you and my brother Can you forgive me? | swear I wont do it again¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Cornelia decided to tease her, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like forgiving you¡± Briana was totally thrown for a loop. ¡°Why won¡¯t you forgive me? Do you not like me anymore?¡± Hearing Briana¡¯s voice filled with panic, Comelia realized she might have pushed the joke too far ¡°I was just messing with you¡± Briana was neatly in tears, only to find out Comelia was joking ¡°When did you be such a prankster? You scared the life out of me. I thought you were mad at me and wouldn¡¯t like me anymore¡± Comeliaughed and said. ¡°I like you! A let¡± Briana responded. ¡°I like you too, a whole lot!¡± On the side, Marcus was green with envy hearing Cornelia¡¯s words Comelia spent way more time with Briana than she did with him. How did they establish such a strong bond so quickly, white he could never seem to win Come over? Marcus wished he could look in a mirror to see what was wrong with him. Why did all the other women like him but not Cornelia? ¡°Comelia, let¡¯s head home¡± Marcus had to end the conversation otherwise he would stand in the parking lot for hours while in the twodies chatted. ¡°Sure¡± Comelia turned to get into the passenger seat Marcus was still ying chauffeur, he started the car and drove home. Despite his poker face, Cornelia could detect his mood was off, ¡°President Hartley, is something wrong? Any issues at the office? Cornelia, what do you think of me? If you were single and I were single, would I be your type? Would I be your first choice for mamage? Marcus longed to voice his doubts, but he knew if he did, Cornelia would avoid him He could even lose his chance to go shopping with her He couldn¡¯t voice his true feelings, never had he felt so frustrated Facing Comelia, he said, Tm fine Everything at the office is fine. Don¡¯t overthink it¡± At this point, Comelia couldn¡¯t decipher Marcus true feelings Perhaps she had misunderstood earlier. ¡°Alright¡± The ride home was only a few miles with no traffic. It shouldn¡¯t have taken long, but Marcus was driving so slow, even the cyclists were passing them Cornelia didn¡¯t want to rush him, so she took out her phone and started chatting with Briana Marcus kept driving Cornelia, in the passenger seat, was busy chatting with Briana on WhatsApp He had no idea what they were talking about, but Cornelia seemed to be enjoying herself. He cleared his throat lightly trying to get Cornelia¡¯s attention Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Chapter 322 Comnis quickly put down her phone, ¡°President Hartley, are you feeling under the weather or something? If you¡¯re dizzy from a cold of something and can¡¯t drive, let me take the wheel¡® Marcus He didn¡¯t have a cold! His head wasn¡¯t throbbing, and he could totally drive! The only reason he was driving like a snail was because he wanted to chat with her more But Cornelia was constantly glued to her phone, gossiping with Briana ¡°Im not sick ¡°Marcus nced at her, ¡°Why are you so into Briana?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Corne replied. ¡°Branas not just a looker, she¡¯s got a heart of gold too She¡¯s got it all, so it would be weird if I didn¡¯t like her¡± Marcus was actually grem eyed over his own sister, even going as far as slinging mud at her, ¡°Briana¡¯s crafty side might be news to you, she¡¯s good at using her looks to pull the wool over people¡¯s eyes, don¡¯t let her pull a fast one on you¡± Looking at a brother who mmed his own sister like this. Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but question, ¡°is Briana your real sister?¡± Marcus said. ¡°She¡¯s my real sitter, we share the same blood. Im no angel do you think she¡¯s as innocent as she seems?¡± Hearing Marcusbel himself as a bad guy. Cornelia felt a pang of sadness. ¡°President Hartley, why do you think you¡¯re not a good guy?¡± Before she knew Marcus Cornelia had bought into the rumors. She thought he was a cold, heartless monster who didn¡¯t give two hoots about family. To her and many others. Marcus was the kind of man who only cared about profits and was indifferent to all else However as she spent more time with Marcus, Comelia started to see him for who he really was He was a businessman. Sure he was pursuing profits, but he never turned a blind eye to those around him, nor did he shonchange his employees For example when the Al factory in Paris exploded in a terrorist attack, it wasn¡¯t his fault, but he still dug deep into his pockets and took action to ensure all victims and their families were properly taken care of The victims¡® families staged a protest, but once they saw thepensation Marcus offered, they willingly backed out and took up his offer. Marcus offered such apensation n not just to put the issue to bed, but more importantly, he was able to see things from the victims and their families¡® perspectives. in Cornelia¡¯s eyes, Marcus was without a doubt a good person, and the best boss in the world Marcus nced at her, ¡°So you think Im a good guy?¡± Cornelis said. ¡°You¡¯ve always been a good guy An extremely good one at that¡± Steven once told Marcus that when a woman calls a man a ¡°good guy, it means that man has no chance Marcus didn¡¯t get it before, but now he kinda got the drift. ¡°In your heart, I¡¯m a good guy, but definitely not the kind of guy you¡¯re into.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t overthink it and blurted out, ¡°Of course I like you¡± Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Chapter 323 ¡°Comelia. do¡­ do you like me?¡± Marcus, who usuallymanded the room in any important asion, was now stuttering like a lovestruck boy ¡®Can can you repeat what you just said?¡± President Hartley, of course, I like you¡± Cornelia¡¯s response had Marcus grinning from ear to ear But before he could bask in the joy Comelia continued President Hartley Icant speak for the rest of the group, but to me and Ben, you¡¯re one liell of a boss. You treat us well, pay us on time, and always have our backs. The never worked under anyone else since I graduated and started working at the Hartley Group, but tim pretty confident you¡¯re one of the finest out there Why would I not like a boss like you? Even Ben always tells me he likes you a lot Marcus I dont want to continue being your boss only He was herwful husband Thinking about this made Marcus even more upset, his hand hit the steering wheel hard, ¡°Cornelia¡± Startled by his sudden action, Cornelia asked. ¡°President Hartley, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Do you still think I¡¯m a good guy? Seeing the frightened look on Cornelia¡¯s face, any anger Marcus had felt was instantly extinguished She was his wife and he couldn¡¯t bear to be harsh with her Comelia nodded. ¡°Tve always thought you were a good person¡± Marcus chuckled elerating the car a bit more Looking out the window Cornelia noticed flurries of snow beginning to fall, ¡°It¡¯s snowing! it came out of nowhere! I heard Paris doesn¡¯t get snow every year. Being here right when it¡¯s snowing must be a sign of good luck Even though he had seen snowfall numerous times, he could see the excitement in Comelia¡¯s eyes every time it snowed Her happiness was contagious, ¡°Why do you like snowfall so much?¡± Comelis exined. ¡°Where Ie from, Rosenberg, it snows every year. I used to build snowmen with my grandma and friends. And my grandma told me that making wishes during snowfall could make them Marcus asked, ¡°Do you have any wishes?¡± Comelia said, ¡°I hope my grandma gets better, my job goes well, and that I have a peaceful and healthy life¡± This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Marcus ¡°Don¡¯t you have any materialistic wishes?¡± Cornelia ¡°Yes, I do¡± Marcus, ¡°What are they?¡± Comelia ¡®It¡¯s a secret Marcus said, ¡°Just a moment ago you said you liked and trusted me as a boss, and now you¡¯re keeping secrets from me Don¡¯t you think I feel hurt? So, you can tell me? After hesitating for a while, Comelia said ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to tell you. I just feel like it might seem like I¡¯m trying to hint something. fl work hard to achieve what I want I don¡¯t want to rely on anyone else because I don¡¯t believe in miracles¡± Marcus said, ¡°Im sorry! I didn¡¯t consider your feelings¡± Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Chapter 324 He always forgot about Cornelias stubborn streak She wouldnt ept anything that wasn¡¯t hers. He constantly thought about buying stuff for her, but to her that was just in disrespectful ¡°all good¡± Comelia would just smile and say Marcus drove Come home it was a few kilometers away but took them more than half an hour. The stuff they bought arrived home even before they did. By the time they got back, their housekeeper was stewardy busy sorting on it the shopping The housekeeper was a middle aged woman who took care of the house when Marcus was away. She wasn¡¯t very knowledgeable about groceries, and sorted them out in a messy manner Come stepped inside quickly took off her coat and went to help ¡®Let me help you tort there out¡± The housekeeper replied ¡°Ms Stewart this is my job. You don¡¯t have to help Before Cornelia could say anything, Marcut spoke up. ¡°Lacey go do pour stuff We can handle this Knowing Marcus nature the housekeeper just gave them a look and said ¡°Alright¡± After the housekeeper left Marcus also took off his coat to help Seeing this, Cornelia quickly stopped him ¡°President Hartley I can handle this. You don¡¯t need to lift a finger¡± While starting to sort out the stuff, Marcus said ¡°It¡¯s gettingte We can split the work I¡¯ll sort these out while you go cook I cant cook, so I have to rely on you¡± Cornelia thought this was a good n ¡°Alright President Hartley¡± Marcus had once lived abroad alone. He had no family no friends, no servants, not even money. He had to rely on himself for everything which is why he¡¯s now proficient in basic life skills He wasnt actually clueless, he just wanted to have more opportunities to interact with Cornelia, He didnt know if she could understand his intentions Proficient people always pot things done efficiently Marcus quickly sorted out the groceries, putting what needed refrigeration in the fridge. The once empty fridge was now filled to the brim Aher he finished the sorting Cornelia had finished kneaded the dough She was not very strong sokneading was a bit of a struggle for her Marcus walked over and said, ¡°Can I help?¡± Cornelia asked ¡°President Hartley do you know how to knead dough?¡± Marcus smiled and said ¡°was watching you just now I think I can learn Let me give it a try¡± Cornelia stepped back to give Marcus room. He copied her movements and started kneading Soon, the dough took shape He asked. ¡°How am I doing? Cornelia responded. ¡°Very good¡± Comelia couldn¡¯t find more fitting words to praise Marcus. Why did everything he do seem like he had been trained for it? Did people like hum not need to learn how to do things?This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Cornelia¡¯s praice had Marcus working even harder and in no time, he had the dough all kneaded up Cornelia scoured the kitchen but couldnt find a rolling pin She remembered back in the day when they were out of rolling pins, grandma would use a wine bottle to roll out the dough, and it worked just fine for making tasty bread 50 the asked Marcus. ¡°Do you have an empty wine bottle in the house ¡°We have wine but no empty bottle¡± Marcus left the kitchen and came back with an unopened bottle of red wine. He handed it to Cornelia, ¡°Just pour out the wine, then you¡¯ll have your empty bottle Cornelia thought he had just brought a regr bottle of wine But when she saw the vintage year on it, she nearly jumped out of her skin and handed the bottle right back to Marcus ¡°Mr Marcus, you can¡¯t be pulling my leg like this This battle of wine must have been worth tens of thousands of dors thing such an expensive wine bottle as a rolling pin was something she simply couldn¡¯t bring herself to de ¡°I¡¯m not joking if you need a wine bottle just pour the wine out. We have plenty more where that came from Marcus picked up a corkscrew looking dead serious. He was not pulling her leg at all Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Cornelia stopped him right away ¡®Mr Marcus, I do need a wine bottle but we don¡¯t need to waste the wine Marcus replied ¡°Wright, use it however you want Don¡¯t worry about the wine. We got plenty more, and a bottle or two won¡¯t make a difference Comelia asked him ¡°Mr Marcus, do you really not care about the wine?¡± Marcus replied ¡°I buy wine to make myself happy it¡¯s not necessarily for drinking Life is short, if you worry about everything there¡¯s no joy in living¡± Cornelia mulled it over if the spent more time with Marcus, would his spending habits rub off on her? Marcus watched her and said. ¡°Cornelia, your husband is probably wealthier than you think. He can fully support you You don¡¯t need to worry about saving money all the time¡± Comelia chuckled, ¡°I can support myself with my own earnings, why would I need someone else to take care of me? I know Jeremy is wealthier than me but he earned that money through hard work we done nothing to contribute to that How could I spend his money in peace?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t agree with her view ¡°Jeremy is your husband and you are his wife You two are legally married Half of his assets belong to you it¡¯s normal for you to spend his money¡± Others had expressed the same new to Cornelia, but she didn¡¯t agree. ¡°President Hartley. I believe a healthy rtionship between a husband and wife should be mutual. Both should work hard to earn money and sirve to improve the family¡¯s living conditions together. If one person doesn¡¯t contribute anything to the family and only focuses on spending the other person¡¯s money, the one always giving will eventually feel exhausted. Such a rtionship can¡¯tst long¡± Marcus asked, ¡°If he¡¯s willing to let you spend his money why aren¡¯t you willing to spend it?¡± Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Cornelia asked ¡°He¡¯s willing to do it now but what about in the long run? Marcus replied ¡°No matter how long he¡¯ll still be up for it¡± He was worned that Comelia wouldn¡¯t let him spend money on her, leaving him clueless about how to treat her right. Cornelia said. ¡°You¡¯re not him you don¡¯t know whats really going on in his head you¡¯re just guessing Marcundant respond Cornelia didn¡¯t dare be too hopeful To her true love only existed in novels or TV dramas, ¡°President Hartley. I¡¯m not trying to rain on your parade. I just think marriage is the closest, yet most fragile rtionship Look, many couples are all lovey dovey at first, but not long after they¡¯re filing for divorce Divorce itself is painful enough, some couples drag it into court over maney To get a bigger piece of the pie, they air each other¡¯s dirtyundry it¡¯s as if they me not exlovers, but enemies its embarrassingly awkward Freally dont wam my rtionship with Jeremy to end up like that¡± Cornelia wished that even if her rtionship with Jeremy ended up in divorce. They could part ways peacefully without any disputes, and still manage to smile and greet each other when they cross paths. The key to staying friends after divorce was to avoid financial disputes That¡¯s why Cornelia didnt want to ept Jeremy¡¯s valuable gifts Marcus said gloomily ¡°You¡¯re so young Why do you always expect the wors17 Corneliaughed and said ¡°it¡¯s not that I want to jump to the worst conclusion, it¡¯s just that I¡¯ve seen too many cases like this I do not want to have very high expectations for marriage Marcus asked ¡°How many have you seenTM Cornelia said ¡°President Hartley, you know about Mr & Mrs Ferguson from Aurora Ventures right? They had a issh wedding a few years ago, which made many young women green with envy But just six yearster. Mr. Ferguson audaciously brought his mistress home and shared a room with her despite his wife knowing Mrs Ferguson couldn¡¯t tolerate it and aired their dirtyundry Just before this predicament, they were unting their love in public¡± The divorce of Mr. & Mrs Ferguson from Aurora Ventures, led to a significant drop in several listedpanies shares, and was one of the most recent major news scandals And of course, Cornelia was following it This text is ? N?velDrama/.Org. At work, she was only concerned about whether it would affect the Hartley Group¡¯s shares Off work, like any other girl she was more interested in the gossip if a couple acimed as the most loving ended up in such an awkward situation, how could Cornelia dream about her own marriage? Of course. Marcus knew about this it was the news Ben informed him about a few days ago The Hartley Group¡¯s response was swift and their shares not only didn¡¯t drop but rose for two consecutive days Marcus knew how to handle it because he had dealt with simr situations before. There was a man and a woman who publicly unted their love while keeping mistresses behind the scenes, their behavior was even more disgusting than Mr & Mrs Ferguson¡¯s it wasn¡¯t only people in the elite business circles who experienced these issues, even people from other circles had simrplications. Even men who could barely feed themselves kept mistresses, Marcus understoolt Cornelia¡¯s concern He said ¡°Comelia, although i cant guarantee that your husband will stick with you till death do you part, I know that he wants to live a good life with you now, and his n is for a lifetime¡± Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Comelia said coolly ¡°fm nning to spend my life with Jeremy but who knows what the future holds What if I¡¯m still not back home, and Jeremy falls for some other gint Maybe it was the slew of past disappointments, but Cornelia always kept a backup n, to no matter how things went with Jeremy she could keep foing life on her terms ¡°He wont fall for another woman. He¡¯ll be forever loyal to your mamage, please trust him¡± His voice was deep pleasant, and dead serous. It felt like he was the one making the promise to her Cornelia didnt understand why Marcus insisted on making these promises for Jeremy¨CJeremy himself probably wasn¡¯t as sure ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ve told you before you¡¯re not him. Whatever you say on his behalf doesn¡¯t count¡± Marcus responded ¡°Every word a counts Cornelia didnt want to debate this anymore, so she took the dough that Marcus had kneaded Marcus knew that his words hadnt convinced Cornelia, and she didn¡¯t want to talk about it anymore if he persisted the clever girl would surely see through him, so he had no choice but to continue to make bread with her ¡°Cani give it a try? ¡°Of course¡± Comelia handed him another piece of dough. ¡°You¡¯re not much older than my sister She cant do a thing and always has me worrying about her. Unlike you you are to young and skilled¡± Marcus praised Cornelia, while managing to take a jab at Hrana ¡°B is not as bad as you make her out to be She¡¯s a smart and selfless girl¡± Cornelia noticed that Marcus face was smeared with some flour He looked incredibly funny and adorabile. A stark contrast to his usual stern demeanor in the business world Cornelia found it amusing and asked, ¡°President Hartley, do you want to take a fork in the mirror?¡± Marcus lifted his head his eyes barely open. ¡°Comelia, it seems I get some flour on my eyshes and cant open my eyes, could you help me clean it off?¡± Without a second thought, Cornelia got a wet wipe and gently wiped the flour off his eyshes At this close distance, she could clearly see his long beautiful eyshes Paired with his wless face he looked like a piece of art it was rare to see such perfect looks on anyone Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. After cleaning the flour off his eyshes, Comelia also wiped the flour off his face Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Bruna Lehow appeared at the kitchen entrance, startled by their intimate gestures. ¡°Bro, Cornelia you guys about to smooch? Oops, bad timingl You guys carry on Pretend wasnt here: This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Cornelia exined ¡°President Hartley has four on his eyshes. I¡¯m just cleaning it off, it¡¯s not what you think She then turned to Briana Hr.e jonus and make some breat With a cheeky grin, Briana asked ¡°Are you sure you want me to join? Not afraid that I might think wheel your intimate moment? Cornelia furrowed her brows slightly saying renously. ¡°Brothers can say whatever they want, but you can! Your sister inw is so nice to you if she hears you joking about your brother with another ged, she¡¯d be heartbroken Seeing Cornelia upset. Prana quickly became serious and joined the bread making team, ¡°Cornelia I was just joking. Don¡¯t be angry if you don¡¯t like it, I won¡¯t do it again¡± ¡°Himph¡± Cornelia sighed slightly imitated Her action was indeed a bit inappropriate She just wanted to help Marcus clean the flour off his eyshes, without considering how intimate it might have looked to others Cornea then asked. ¡°Do you know how to bake bread? If not, I can teach you¡± Leaning on Cornelia. Briana replied, ¡®I don¡¯t Cornelia teach me ¡± Marcus that a cold nce at Briana. He didn¡¯t say anything but Briana could lead a lot from his icy stare He was annoyed that she was interrupting their couple¡¯s bread making session. He felt that she was a nuisance, an extra person who didn¡¯t peed to be there. Brana huffed. She didnt interrupt them willingly! if she wasn¡¯t around his wife wouldn¡¯t even want toe home with him Now that she helped him trick his wife intoing back, he started to get annoyed with her. If he dared to bully her again in the future, the wouldn¡¯t help him pursue his wife anymore. But why would she wart for the future, when now was the perfect time for ¡®revenge¡± Enana tqueezed in next to Cornelia, and began to mock Marcus, ¡°Cornelia, let me tell you my brother is superzy. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen him cook in my life. Don¡¯t ever marry azy guy like him, or you¡¯ll be the only one stuck doing the housework.¡± Comelia chuckled arthout saying anything. Did a man like Marcus even need to know how to cook? But these siblings really were alike, even the ways of showing annoyance were the same In a cold woce Marcus said, ¡®Briana you¡¯re spitting on the bread¡± With Cornelia as her backup, Briana got bolder. ¡°Bro rx Cornelia doesn¡¯t mind, but you do if you can¡¯t stand me you can go rest. Cornelia and I will handle this¡± Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Chapter 329 Marcus shot Briana a cold re all his warnings embedded in that icy stare In the past. Brians wouldve been scared into obedience, but now she had Cornelia as a powerful ally, so she wasnt faced ¡°Cornelia, look at my brother, he¡¯s all grumpy again. Can you help me talk some sense into him?¡± Comelia remained silent Brian was overestimating Cornelia Even if she was brave the wouldn¡¯t dare to cross this big shot. Marcus said ¡°If you¡¯re not gonna help, then leave and stop bothering Cornelia 4 Briana knew her brother just wanted her to leave, but she couldn¡¯t just walk away He was clueless when it came to rtionships, she had to help him ¡°Who said I¡¯m not helping? Aren¡¯t I learning from Cornelia right now? Hrana leaned in and whispered to Cornelia ¡°Cornelia, what do you think my brother is like? Cornelia replied ¡°Like what? Briana said. ¡°I mean, what do you think of him? Dont worry, he wont do anything to you.¡± With Marcus right there and not wanting to lose her job how could Cornelia dare to badmouth him? All she could do was flutter him trying to put him on a pedestal Maybe it would make him happy and he¡¯d give her a bonus ¡°President Hartley is not onlypetent but also very handsome. What else could he be? He¡¯s simply perfect! Even though Marcus knew Cornelia was just buttering him up, he was very pleased to hear such words ¡°Do you really think sa? ¡°Is there anyone who wouldnt? Cornelia didn¡¯t hesitate to continue her ttery ¡°Any woman whic marries President Hartley would be incredibly lucky.¡± Marcus asked ¡°Would you like to be that lucky woman?¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Cornelia was taken aback by Marcus question. After thinking for a while, she only managed to say ¡°I think that¡¯s better left for someone else¡® Marcus knew the would answer like that. ¡®Don¡¯t he or you might bite your tongue while eating¡± Cornelia said, ¡°If I¡¯m lying may lightning strike me down?¡°. Marcus suddenly became serious, ¡°Dont make reckless promises!¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Okay¡± Briana pouted in dissatisfaction as she watched them go back and forth,pletely ignoring her, the initiator of the conversation. She continued with the previous topic. ¡°See, wherever you go, he follows. Dont you think he¡¯s like a tail wagging puppy¡± Chapter 330 Chapter 330 Chapter 330 She wouldn¡¯t dare think like that Marcus said. ¡°Try saying that again. Ariana) Briana thought why was her brother such a blockhead? She was trang to help hem pursue his cruth and he condidit see it? The sound of a phone ringing filled the living room Marcus put down what he was dong to answer it The moment he left, Hrana let loose Ta il you down want to talk about my brother, how about we talk about your husband Jeremy?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s switch topics Cornelia mplied. She knew toolile about Jeremy Almost two years into their marriage, and the still didn¡¯t know what Jeremy dil for a living. There dedet seem to be much to talk abod But Briana had a lot to say about huemy Cornelia, you asked me today if ikon Jeremy Now on telling you, not only do I know him, but were also quite close Would polike to hear my thoughts on jeremyr Cornelia smiled gently Bri Thanks for the suggestion! But I want to figure out what kind of person Jeremy is on my own ¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Rtionships between people were strange. One prison couldnt pleate evelyne There would always be people ato thought they were great, and others who thought they were not Cornelia didnt want to be influenced by others opinions before meeting Jeremy No matter what kind of person he was, she wanted to find out for herself || Jeremy had any shoa tormings, she could help tim improve if Jerry was prceptional she would strove to be just as outstanding Briana said, a bit disapported ¡°Cornelia youre such a killjoy you dont want to talk about my brother or your husband We¡¯re good friends, shouldnt we havemon topics to bond own?¡± Cameliaughed, ¡°We could chat about celebrity gossip.¡± | Celebrity gossip had no direct rtion to their lowes, but it could sparkmon interest Cornelia thought it was a great topec ¡°All these celebrities are the same, whats there to talk about? But since the topic shifted here. Briana remembered something from before, ¡°Earlyst year, a male star became a supposed A lister because of a popr drama he starred in He knew my brother wasn¡¯t lecherous, and he and his manager assumed my brother was into men. So they kept ttering my brother at a party He eventually knocked on Marcus room door to spend the right Unfortunately, my brother didn¡¯t even nce at him¡± Comelia knew about thus too It happened when the started working for Marcus less than two months ago That night, exciting things happened one after another First, someone arranged a woman for Marcus He dismissed her coldly with, ¡°What would my wife say if she knew about this? They thought that was the end of it, but the man who was into Marcus became even more enthusiastic. The male star initiated various approaches towards Marcus, then dropped all kinds of hints When Marcus remained unresponsive, he went straight to Marcus room The male star was known to the public as an innocent, never been in love boy But when he was courting Marcus, he was far from that Cornelia almost felt sick ¡°Ah, why are we talking about my brother again? Let¡¯s not let¡¯s talk about Jeremy Briana was hoping they would go public soon, so she could call Cornelia her sister¨Cinw without restraint She initiated the conversation on her own, ¡°Cornelia, dont be fooled by Jeremy¡¯s current sess He might be a ligshot now, but he had a rough childhood His parents didn¡¯t care for him if it weren¡¯t for his long grandmother, might not have made it to adulthood¡± Chapter 331 Chapter 331 Chapter 331 ¡°What on earth did he go through as a kid? All Cornelia knew was that Jeremy had a grandma. He never mentioned his parents and the never asked Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She also never brought up any family members other than her grandma to Jeremy When Jeremy didnt mention his family Cornelia assumed he was like her Perhaps his parents were also no longer around and he was raised by Granny Luisa ¡°Not long after his mother gave birth to him his fathers affair also produced a child. Then his mother started having an affair and soon had a child with someone else. He has a sister who shares the same parents. The sister was born after their parents went back to their hometown and got drunk it was unexpected, so she was neglected by them. He took care of his sister When he was a bit older, probially in his teens, he took on all the responsibilities of the family¡± Recalling the past and thinking about the difficulties her brother had gone through over the years, Briana felt very sad Cornelia asked ¡°How could his parents treat their children like this?¡± Briana said ¡°His parents got married for their own interests, they had no feelings for each other, so they didn¡¯t like their children. What¡¯s worse. Jeremy caught his mother with another man at a time he didn¡¯t even know about his parents affairs¡± Parents emotional breakdown, indifference to their children. The ones who always got hurt the most were the innocent kids Cornelia listered quietly, too heartbroken to speak Bana continued. ¡°At that time, Jeremy was just a kid. His parents actions left him with severe emotional trauma, which is why he¡¯s never thought about dating or forming a family with a woman if it wasn¡¯t for his grandma pushing him he probably wouldnt have married you¡± Cornelia could rte She was willing to get married now because of her grandma Had it not been to put her grandma at ease, she wouldn¡¯t have entered marriage so easily Thinking about Marcus past, Briana¡¯s eyes reddened with pain. ¡°But Corne don¡¯t worry, Jeremy is a responsible person. Deciding to marry you means he¡¯smitted to living a good life with you. He will definitely not be as heartless as his parents. He will never betray you ¡± Jeremy once distinctly told her he wanted to live a good life with her, which she always kept in mind Brana suddenly gripped Cornelia¡¯s hand in an emotional outburst, ¡°Cornelia, you have to promise me, if Jeremy is a good man, you guys have to be happy together¡± Cornelia gently patted Briana¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll try my best¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know about Jeremy¡¯s unfortunate childhood so she never paid extra attention to him in this regard Now she wanted to send him a message to tell him that she would be by his side in the future As long as he was willing she would be by his side him until they grew old the would never let him be alone again. Thinking about this, Cornelia took her phone out of her pocket and quickly sent a message to Jeremy, ¡°Jeremy from now on. I¡¯ll be with you all the way? The mother that Briana said wasnt a good person was currently calling Marcus Marcus answered the phone Before he could say a word, he heard Courtney say ¡°Marc, I heard you and Bri are spending Christmas in Paris this year. Were so close, why don¡¯t youe to Cndria and celebrate Christmas together? Our family hasn¡¯t celebrated a holiday together in so many years it¡¯s about time.¡± Courtney 5 voice sounded very gentle. She continued to y her mother role, but Marcus didn¡¯t consider her feelings. ¡°You didn¡¯t spend Christmas with us when we were kids, do you now think it¡¯s necessary for us to spend it together 7¡± Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Chapter 332 Courtney and ¡°Marc. I know I¡¯ve been ignoring your and Bi¡¯s feelings and I¡¯ve realized my mistakes. I want a chance to make things right Can you give your mother that chance? Marcus noted ¡°You think you deserve that chance?¡± Courtney said ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to forgive me you should at fout being Cometia to meet me once You two have been maried for almost two years, and she has ner formally met your family Do you not want her to meet your family because you¡¯re still keeping your options openTM ¡°Courtney dont try to une Comelia to get what you want. She¡¯s not someone you can mess with easily! Marcus @ipped his phone tightly his voice suddenly turning cold. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you hum people you care soout too Courtney said ¡°Thest time I was in China looking for Cornelia, was because I heard the was cheating on you, and i just wanted to help you blow off steam. Now I ve realized my mistakes and (1) Treat her well in the future! ¡°She is my wife I take good care of her myself I don¡¯t need your take kindness! Marcus hung on the call After hanging up he saw a metrage from Commelin to Jeremy and felt a bit puzzled, but his heart warmed up in an instant, ¡°Cornelia, why are your saying this all of a sudden? Comelia replied quickly. ¡°Nothing much, I just wanted to tell you. We¡¯re a couple, you¡¯re not alone. You have me. If there¡¯s anything you can¡¯t share with others, you can tell me. I¡¯m willing to be your most loyal confidonta Comelia¡¯s message was ima but Marcus only focused on this sentence. ¡°You¡¯re not alone, you have me?¡± It was a thon sentence but it meant a lot to Marcus Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Because he was Marcus, ever since he started to understand things, he was always told that he had to carry the future of the Hartley Group. Whatever he did, he first had to consider the interests of the company before his own Everyone was forcing him to grow up. No one ever told him that he should first be an independent individual, let alone tell him, ¡°Don¡¯t be afind, you have met Cornelia was the first, and the only one ¡°¡°Comelia¡°. Marcus called her name his heart pounding. He replied to her message, ¡°I understand So are you¡± Comelia said ¡°Jeremy do you want any souvenirs from Paris? I can bring some back for you¡± She changed the subject, Marcus understood her and went along. I¡¯ve been to Paris many times, but all for work. I don¡¯t know what unique items Paris has¡± Comelia said. ¡°That¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll be in Paris for a while. I look up what specialties Paris has online and bring some back for you¡± Marcus card. ¡°Alright, 111 wait for you toe back¡± Cornelia sent another message ¡°Jeremy it¡¯s already six in the evening here, it should be early morning for you. You should rest. You don¡¯t have to reply to my messages Marcus was silent for a while, then typed a few words with his slender fingers, ¡°Cornelia I want to hug you. Is that okay?¡± Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Chapter 333 Comelia responded quickly ¡°Sure you can get a hug when we meet ¡± Marcus was stumped by her reply. There was no way Cornelia would let him hold her as Marcus As for when he could face her as Jeremy, he had no idea how long that would take. He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d have to wait for that bug maybe a month, a year, or even longer Yel, he didn¡¯t want to wait another second He yearned to hold her close right this minute His fingers few across the keyboard typing ¡°Comelia I want to hug you now¡± Cornelia immediately replied with several hug emojis Marcus replied ¡°want a reat hug Not these¡± Cornelia retorted. ¡°We¡¯re miles apart, how can you hug me? Marcus raid ¡°indeed, we cant now But remember, Cornelia, you owe me a hug Il demand double when we meet Marcus stood at the kitchen entrance, silently watching Cornelia¡¯s retreating figure. He was just two steps away from holding the girl he longed for Yet, he couldn¡¯t muster the courage to take those steps All he could do was watch her helplessly Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Comelia teated back. ¡°TI remember Before Marcus could reply Cornelia sent a long message, ¡°Jeremy I¡¯m your wife, the one who will spend the rest of her life with you Let¡¯s not dwell on the past I hope that whatever happens in the future (m the first one you think about Well face everything together¡± Marcus knew just by reading her words that Briana must have told her something Otherwise, Cornelia wouldn¡¯t keep emphasizing their marital status tonight He asked, ¡°Did you hear something? Cornelia replied. ¡°Yes, I heard some stuff about you I know work i been tough So dont spend too much on me Save your money and when you have enough, take some time off to enjoy life Money was the least of Marcus concerns. He had no idea how important it was to Cornelia, but he was willing to heed her advice. ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia said. ¡°You should rest We¡¯ll talk another day¡± ¡°Okay¡± Marcus replied with a single word. His gaze was fixed on Cornelia¡¯s silhouette. His lips moved silently whispering her name, ¡°Cornelia¡± Comelia stared at her phone screen. Even though the chat had ended, she was still looking at Jeremy¡¯s messages. Oddy, she could tell from the text that Jeremy seemed to be in a bad mood What was wrong with him? Was he facing some kind of trouble? She wished she could help but was powerless from miles away Seeing Cornelia glued to her phone, Briana approached her, ¡°Cornelia who are you chatting with? ¡°Jeremy Jeremy had never discussed his family issues with Cornelia She guessed it wasn¡¯t because he forgot, but because he didn¡¯t want to Most people believed family troubles should be dealt with at home. Another possibility was that Jeremy didnt mention his parents not because he was embarrassed but because he didn¡¯t want anyone to pity fum because of his family background Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Chapter 334 Cornelia feh her guess was likely true, so the said. ¡°Ari, Ive got a favor to ask Brian responded, ¡°Cornelia just spit it out, no need to beat around the bush¡± Comelia said. ¡°About Jeremy¡¯s parents, don¡¯t bring them up casually¡± + Brana promised. ¡°Comelia rest assured. I wont h about Jeremy¡¯s business¡± Cornelia sternly said. ¡°Also keep today¡¯s chat confidential Don¡¯t tell him Briana was puzzled ¡°Why?¡± Comelia exnned ¡°Did you tell me all this about his parents hoping Td treat him better?¡± Briana spoke with a confused look, ¡°His childhood was tough I told you so you¡¯d be nicer to him, whats wrong with that? Cornelia gently patted Brianas head ¡®Br your intentions are good, but did you ever think that Jeremy may not want people¡¯s sympathy?¡± Briana asked What does he need then? Cornelia chuckled ¡°Maybe what he needs is a partner to walk hand in hand with? Briana thought deeply Over the past few years. Marcus never mentioned anything about his irresponsible parents to anyone, not even to her He was so strong that everyone thought he had no weaknesses, and considered him unbreakable. As time passed the image of him in her mind became just like the rumors She also felt he had no weaknesses, and could easily get whatever he wanted She assumed the reason he hadnt found a spouse was because he wasn¡¯t being vigorous She thought he could find a suitable partner whenever he wanted. She thought Marcus was very strong so the told Cornelia about his childhood hoping Cornelia would ept him before he took a powerful approach However, her brother was just an ordinary person too. He could get hurt, feel pain, and have people he cared deeply about Briana sincerely apologized ¡°Cornelia, I didnt consider everything I won¡¯t bring this up again.¡± Cornelia chuckled ¡®Ainight Br Cornelia put away her phone, washed her hands, and sat back down to continue making bread When she just sat down, Marcus came back. He didn¡¯t mention the call he just took just asked, ¡°What were you guys chatting about? Briana shook her head ¡°Nothing much¡± Marcus didn¡¯t pry further Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. After the bread was baked she first gave a piece to Marcus, ¡°Mr. Hartley here¡¯s a taste of our joint effort¡± Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Chapter 335 Brian was whining even though she knew perfectly well that Marcus would always be Comelia¡¯s first thought, no matter what ¡°Comel you¡¯re ying favorites. We all made this together, why does my brother get the first taste? Corneliaughed and replied. ¡°Well, because President Hartley in my bots. Her abates my top priority, everyone else needs to step aside a bit¡± Out of the blue. Briana asked ¡°So between my brother and Jeremy who¡¯s number one in your heartT ¡°How can you make such aparsan? Comelia was clear shout separating her work and personal life. Her straightforward nature allowed her to equest her thoughts directly Jeremy is my husband, my personal person be spending decades with him if all goes well to everyday life I might think of Jeremy first, or maybe my grandma, of my two good friends Zack and Abiquit. As for President Hartley he¡¯s my boss The one who pays me, and the person respect the most if is job¨Crted her definitely the first person think of ¡°Cornelia so does that mean you never think of iny brother in your daily life? Brians felt that her answer was both appropriate and diplomatic Comeliacuta pece of bread for Briana hoping to shut her up with food ¡°Fri have a bite¡± Cornelia personally thought the bread was pretty good, but the felt like something was missing Then the remembered it was mustard, ¡°President Hartley Bri, back in Rosenberg we like to dip our bread in mustard. Would you like to try some?¡± nana thook her head vigorously at the mention. ¡°Cornelia, I can barely handle mustard, and my brother new eats mustard Just mix your own dip, don¡¯t worry about us¡± Then Marcu reply stapped Brana in the face. ¡°Well, ive heard of this way of eating people from your ce love it. My wife alsoes from Rosenberg, so I should give it a try Bnana was speechless Her brother was really crossing lines now He never used to eat mustard Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cornelia quickly Took out there dip tes and squeezed some mustard into them. She then asked Marcus, ¡®Mr Hartley did your wife teach you this way of eating Marcus nodded in response. ¡°Yes¡± Comelia handed the 3p to him, and then said. ¡°Mr Hartley, not everyone can handle this way of eating you should try it first if you can¡¯t stand it, don¡¯t force yourself Personally, I think the most important thing for you is to have your wife in your heart Everything else is secondary¡± Marcus took a bite, and this unique vor stimted his taste buds The smell of the bread and mustard together made his stomach ache. But he persisted eating one piece after another, nodding his head as he ate indicating that he indeed found it delicious Chapter 336 Chapter 336 Chapter 336 Cornelia thought he genuinely liked it and was about to make more bast. ¡°President Hartlex if you like it, you can have thore Marcus replied. ¡°Okay¡± Briana, watching Marcus whispered ¡°bira, if you dont like it, don¡¯t force yourself. If you upset your stomach, that¡¯ll be a pain in the ass Marcin retorted, ¡°if I didnt like it, why would I eat it? Do you think I am an idiot?¡± Briana Laid. ¡°You know I didn¡¯t notice until you said it, but you do look a bit dumb right now. You¡¯re just like our ord husky¡± Marcus red at her ¡°What do you know? His wife made the toast and prepared the dip for him Even if he wasn¡¯t used to it, he had to eat it, and a lot of it. He had to support her Briana teased. ¡°Bro. I remember you once told me low is the emptiest thing You¡¯d have me beliee pigs can climb trees before you¡¯d have me believe in love. Look at you now, you¡¯m like a fool lost in love Marcus hesitated ¡°Thus This love Briana replied ¡°isnt it?¡± Marcus asked ¡°So you¡¯re saying my feelings for your sister¨Cinw are love, not duty?¡± ¡°Duty¡± Briana was puzzled From her years of reading romance novels and manga, she was sure her brother had fallen in love But her brother was not an ordinary man, you couldn¡¯t measure him by While they were chatting Cornelia brought out the new batch of toast, and they both looked at hei Enana was the first to speak, ¡°Cornelia, what do you think it means to love someone?¡± Cornelia not having much experience in love, was troubled by the question. She chuckled awkwardly. ¡°That¡¯s a deep question You should ask someone else¡® Brana persisted ¡®Can you give us your opinion?¡± Cornelia sat at the dining table, nibbling on her toast while thinking hard. ¡°The books say that when a person falls in love, their emotions are affected bythe other person. They get upset when the other person is sad and they¡¯re happy when the other person is happy. The books also say that when you fall in love, you want to see the other person all the time¡± Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Before Cornelia could finish Briana turned to Marcus. ¡°Ero, do you have the feelings for your sister in law that Cornelia just described?¡± Marcus red at her again, without answering Enana turned back to Cornelia ¡°Comelia what do you think? Cornelia, not wanting to dampen their spints, just smiled and didnt answer She couldn¡¯t tell the siblings that she didn¡¯t really believe in low and that the thought love was just a hormonal attraction between men and women Chapter 337 Chapter 337 Chapter 337 ¡°Corneira, dont be a mute. It¡¯s just us three here¡® chitt spill the beans about your thoughts on love.¡± Briana prodded when Cornelia didnt respond. ¡°Everyone has their own take on love im just sharing mine, not speaking for everyone¡± Cornelia casually nced at Marcus, who didn¡¯t reset, and was apparently not interested in her vess ¡°We all want to hear what you think expecially my brother Priana que Marcus sleeve a yful tog Hes deit past stuff your face Say something¡± Marcus looked up clearly interested in Comelia¡¯s views yet pretending not to be. ¡°We¡¯re all hitched here. Why not share some manitat wisdom to make our lives more harmonious? Marous words made Comelia feel like she was in a boardroom instead of a dinner table, expected to chime in. If you guys want to hear it, I thare. But let me make it clear that if my news dont confirm to yours, you can¡¯t get mad Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Marcus would never get mad at her ¡°No way¡± Briana Hued Cornelia more than the thought and wouldn¡¯t get upset over differing opinions either ¡°Cornelia, just spill it ¡° Compra confessed Tm kind of skeptical about love¡± ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Briana probed Cornelia began to exin. ¡°When people decide to tie the knot, it¡¯s not always for love. Maybe they¡¯re attracted to looks, maybe it¡¯s about family background, or some other unavoidable reason ¡°Cornelis admit those eituations exist. Put you can¡¯t deny that some people get married for love Bruna countered Cos chuckled, not wanting to argue with Briana Everyone had their own take on love and she couldn¡¯t force her views on others ¡°You¡¯re right I won¡¯t deny that Cornelianck of fat bored Prana Why arent you arguing with me, Cornelia? ¡°Why should 1¡± [veryone hat their own wews Cornelia shrugged its as wou say then two people who dorit love each other wouldn¡¯tst in a marriage¡± Briana stated ¡°People who marry for love also end up in divorce. Two people without love can still make it work. I think if two people decide to enter into matrimony they should be responsible for the marriage, and not be unfaithful. They should take care of each other in sickness and solve problems together Communication is key Cornelia countered ¡°So you¡¯re saying marriage is about living life together Briana dropped the conclusion Comelia nodded, ¡°Basically yes if the quality of life after marrying doesn¡¯t surpass that before the wedding I personally don¡¯t see the point of tying the knot Chapter 338 Chapter 338 Chapter 338 ¡°Comelia have you ever had a setback in lewe? Why are you so skeptical about love at tum hi a vimeng nge * Briann asked bluntly *) wouldn¡¯t call it a setback, but yeah something¡¯s definitely impact my stew on line¡± Cornelia theright of commeren the words they once told her the coulit deny that her doubt about love was tied to that person, but it won¡¯t entirely because of them She felt that many people nomadres mared for materialistic reatus, uusily if the other party had monny a house intacar Gups were locking for sell off woman to skip the twenty years of strapple Gats, on the other hand, wanted to marry a rich aus so they could shoe till they drop without worrying about money Hawng seen too many of these cases Cornelia felt that marriage was now more like a transaction than two peopleing together Life after marriage was no longer about spending your life with your partner, but more about spending your life with money houses, and corn it was like living together for convenience, love was nowhere to be found Frana aked. ¡°Sa Cornelia, you dont actually love your husband?¡± Marcus who had been silent all along instantly tensed up at Briana¡¯s question. He was even more eager than Briana to hear Comes answer, but also afraid of what she would say ¡°Whether I love him or not is not important, what¡¯s important is that we¡¯re married¡® Since both of them knew Jeremy Cornelia didn¡¯t shy away from speaking openly. ¡°As long as Jeremy wants to make a good life with me. I¡¯ll do my part to maintain our marriage and live well together I would never betray him if one day he has another woman and wants a divorce, 111 respect his decision¡± Cornelia¡¯s answer was both within and beyond Marcus expectations. He should have known long ago that Cornelia shared his perspective, that marriage was about two people living a good life together and never betraying that Briana was shocked by Comelias response, ¡°Comelia, how can you wew your marriage so calmly and rationally? Dont you love him, or are you just too mature for your age?¡± Enana wanted to continue but Marcus who had been silent, cut her off, ¡°Enough with the love or not love business. It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s eat and get some rest¡± ¡°I¡¯m full¡± Briana put down her fork ¡°Cornelia, let¡¯s go watch the night wewter They say it¡¯s especially beautiful when it snows Cornelia was already looking forward to enjoying the snow so the agreed immediately ¡°Sure¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Briana turned to Marcus, ¡°Marcut, are youing Hearing Brianas question, Cornelia suddenly tented up. It would be sa intimate for the two girls to watch the snow together, why invite her boss? Watching the snowy scene with her bass how awkward would that be for Cornelia? Would Briana understand? Just as Cornelia was praying deep down that Marcus wouldnt agree to join them, Marcus indeed turned down Briana¡¯s invitation, ¡°Im not interested in this childish stuff. I¡¯m not going to waste my time on it¡± Briana gave him a wink, hinting she was trying to create a chance for him to pursue Cornelia, but Marcus pretended not to see. ¡°Corne. Im afraid you won¡¯t be able to go to watch the snow tonight either, we have some work to deal with next¡± Chapter 339 Chapter 339 Chapter 339 ¡°Alright, I get to work as soon as I¡¯m done cleaning the kitchen Cornelia did feel a bit bummed about not being able to enjoy thu snowy night, but this was trivialpared to the importance of work ¡°Marcus, howe you¡¯re working instead of spending this beautiful night with your wife Hrana was pretty licked off, ¡°Cornelia can¡¯t you just say no to him for once? You¡¯re not an unstoppable machine. You guys are working every day of the 365 days a year what the point of living like this? Hasnt anyone ever told you that we work to live not live to work?¡± Comeira knew full well the importance of work. She believed nothing was more important than making money. We need to make money first, and then we can spend it ¡± Are you bees Theng tops me off on purpose? Fine. I¡¯m out. I dont want to disturb your precious work¡± Briana stormed upstailsining loudly as she went, ¡°People your age should be enjoying life, not working their butts off Keep working but when you guys drop dead from exhaustion. I¡¯ll happily spend the money you cant take with you¡± Cometra didnt have an answer for that. She stole a nce at Marcus in all the time she had worked with him, he rarely ever had any free time to spend with his wife Not to mention, he didn¡¯t have kids. What a waste of good genes. Marcus was also looking at Cornelia, he never thought about having kids before, but if it was with Cornelia, he would give it a shot This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Just as he was staring at Comelia, she noticed his gaze Could it be that he also wanted to have kids with her? This absurd thought that popped into her head scared the bejesus out of her She immediately stood up, making an excuse to leave. ¡°President Hartley Ill go wash the dishes now¡± Marcus stopped her. ¡°We have to go work outsideter Go change into something warm, the thicker the better lil wash the dishes Marcus wasn¡¯t new to dong the dishes Whenever he said he wanted to do it, Cornelia couldn¡¯t stop him, so she didn¡¯t try this time. ¡°Then fl leave the kitchen cleanup to you President Hartley¡± Marcus replied. ¡°Of course¡± Without saying anything else. Cornelia went upstairs and put on a thermal underwear and warm pants. Then she dug out her warmest down jet from her suitcase and put it on. She was wrapped up tight, working in below aro temperatures wouldn¡¯t make her cold After getting dressed Cornelia went downstairs to find Marcus Marcus was washing dishes faster than she imagined. She didnt spend much time getting dressed, but by the time the went downstairs. Marcus had already cleaned up the kitchen. He looked at her excitedly like a kid showing off. ¡°I did a good job didn¡¯t 195 ¡°it¡¯s not just good it¡¯s fantastic¡± Cornelia had to praise Marcus¡® attitude for always doing his best, no matter what. He wouldnt ck off just because it was chores like cooking and cleaning the kitchen. Getting praise from Cornelia had Marcus raising an eyebrow A smile of joy appeared on his face, clearly delighted. ¡°Give me two minutes, I go change and we can head out ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia went to the door, and put on herfortable snow boots. As soon as she finished, Marcus appeared behind her, once again catching her by surprise with his speed ¡°You¡¯re so fast?¡± Marcus nced at his watch ¡°We¡¯re running out of time. Let¡¯s go Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Chapter 340 Marcus was the driver again, with Comelia nding shotgun. He dide) say where they were going but Cornelia had to ask ¡°President Hartley are we dealing with the aftermath of the bomb attack? ¡°Hmm¡± Marcus nodded driving attentively and navigating Cornelia through street after street He was focused on diving and didn¡¯t speak Cornelia didn¡¯t know what to say to him, so the just looked out the endow at the falling snow The snow had been fathing hearty for a couple of hours. The trees and tools along the streets were all covered in a thickyer of snow making the city look like a fairytale castle it was dreamy ¡°Do you know? Marcus suddenly asked his voce low and intoxicating like fine wine Cornelia nodded softly. ¡°I do¡± Even though she was aware of their rtionship sometimes she couldn¡¯t help but be drawn in by his charming voice. She wished her husband Jeremy had a wace like that, it would be perfect Just then, Marcus phone rang inis cars Bluetooth was connected to his phone, so Cornelia could clearly hear what the other person was saying ¡°President Hartley, we¡¯ve taken care of things here. The report will be sent to you shorthy no need for you and Ms Stewart to make this trip¡± The voice was unfamiliar to Cornelia None of her recent colleagues in Paris had that voice, but she didnt pay much attention to it. ¡°Got it¡± Marcus replied and hung up, then turned to Cornelia. ¡°They¡¯ve sorted it out. It seems like our trip was for nothing¡± Themon reaction to being told not to work overtime while on the way to work would be like Marcus, I¡¯ve already packed and left the house and now you¡¯re telling me not to work? Are you messing with me? But on second thought, it was not a bad thing Comelia was so excited she forgot to hide her emotions, ¡°Let¡¯s go home then. I still have time to call Bri and go see the snow¡± ¡°We¡¯re not close to home (1) bete by the time we get back Marcus hesitated for a moment Seeing Cornelias disappointment he said, ¡°I know a great observation deck nearby where you can get a full view of the snow at Paris If you really want to see, I can take you¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cornelia thought she wouldnt get to see the snow tonight, but then Marcus suddenly offered to take her. She jumped at the opportunity. ¡°Yes! Thank you After agreeing. Cornelia realized that going to see the snow with him would not be appropriate, but it was toote to back out She had to brace herself and go with him If only Cornelia knew, that all this was orchestrated by Marcus The overtime work was made up by him and the phone call saying everything was taken care of, was all part of his n. On the way home from the supermarket in the afternoon, he saw how excited she was about the snow and decided then and there that he would take her to the most romantic spot in Paris to see the snow When it came to her, big or small, Marcus had made a habit of keeping everything locked in his heart. Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Chapter 341 Marcus threaded his car through a few streets before parking in a lot. ¡°Cornelia, The sight we¡¯re heading to doesnt have parking. We gotta diicli the car here and hoof it for a bat ¡°Aight Comelia stepped out of the car A chill wind greeted her warmly She instinctively pulled her down jacket tighter around her body Marcus sad. ¡°We just follow this a venue, and in about two or threa hundred meters, we¡¯ll be at the museum. Its got these massive floor to ceiling windows, and you get a killer Wew from there Cornelia checked her watch. ¡°President Hartley it¡¯s almost eight in the evening. Dont museums usually close their doors by now? Marcus said nonchntly ¡°Yeah they usually do. But there me always exceptions¡± Cornelia figured those exceptions were probably bought with manej ¡°Let¡¯s go¡± Marcus had long legs, nach stride he took was like two of Cornelias Hecause the ground was slippery, he slowed his pace and deliberately stayed a half¨Cstep behind Cornelia, just in case she slipped Cornelia didn¡¯t catch on to Marcus intention. She just strolled along, taking in the wew Everywhere Cornelia koked, fountts from all over the world were busy capturing memories. Cornelia wanted to stop and take some pictures for her grandma, Zack and Abigail But seeing that Marcus didn¡¯t seem to be stopping she dropped the idea. Even though Marcus said he was taking her out to see the sights, she knew better as lus assistant She couldn¡¯t just take his words at face value. She had to try and figure out his real intentions. While Cornelia was mentallymenting the missed photo ops she heard Marcus voice again. ¡°Cornelia, do you want to take some pictures?¡°. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia did want to but she felt a bit bashful ¡°Wouldnt that slow you down? Marcus replied. ¡°Our goal tonight is to take in the snowy view. There¡¯s no such thing as wasting time¡± Chapter 342 Chapter 342 Chapter 342 When he said that, Cornelia dam hold back anymore. ¡°President Hartley could you do me a solid and snap a pic for me: Marcus replied. ¡°Sure thing¡± Comelia quickly handed him her phone. She had a ton of requests for the photo, but didn¡¯t dare vorce them. All she said was ¡°President Hartley please make sure to get the tower in the shot Marcus nodded ¡°Aright¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t usually fancy having her pictureken, and this time her boss was the one behind the lens She stood awkwardly in front of the camera, and did not even dare to rx Marcus noticed her difort, and her expression made him chuckle ¡°Cornelia, if you keep making that face people will think your photographer is up to no good¡± Cornelia tried to squeeze out a smile but the thought of Marcus watching her through the phone screen made it impossible Just then a couple sauntered over and began making out right next to her totally oblivious to the people around them. Their passionate kiss was just like something out of a French film that Cornelia had once seen Thats when Cornelia malized that all the tourists around her were paired up Sorne were locked in embraces, some holding hands, and others were boys taking photos of gils They were whispering sweet nothings into each other¡¯s ars afterward This scene only made Comelia more self¨Cconscious She told herself that this ce wasnt just for couples She tried to y it cool but couldnt Just as she was about to die of embarrassment, Marcus suddenly said ¡°Cornelia, look over there What do you see? Cornelia instinctively locked where he pointed, but saw nothing So she turned back to him, ¡°President Hartley what am I supposed to be looking at?¡± Marcus stepped closer to her and handed her the phone. ¡°Why don¡¯t you see how the photo turned out if you¡¯re not happy with it, we can take another one.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cornelia to the phone and was met with arge photo of her turning around to look at Marcus The background of the photo was the brilliantly it tower Cornelia thought Marcus had captured her beautifully, even in her bulky down jacket, she looked lovely. In the photo, she looked like a beautiful sprite She simped left and saw the previous photo of her looking in the direction Marcus had pointed. The angle made her jawline look great and her neck seemed longer. The earlier photos, despite her awkward expressions, were all unique and really good. They didn¡¯t even need any post processing Looking at the stunning photos, Camelia eximed with joy ¡°How can two guys have such different photography skills?¡± ¡°Who else has taken photos for you? if Cornelia paid a little more attention to Marcus, she would have definitely sensed the displeasure and strong jealousy in his tone? ¡°Well, obwousty Zack ¡°Once she started talking about taking photos, Cornelia had a lot to gripe about Zack. ¡°We used to hang out all the time, and he¡¯d take photos of me and Abby He would somehow make us lock awful in every shot but always sand we looked great He was just being annoying¡± ¡°From now on, all your photos will be taken by me¡± Marcus thought to himself, but maintained a poker face, ¡°Photography should be left to the professionals.¡± Chapter 343 Chapter 343 Chapter 343 ¡°We all know that we should leave professional stuff to the pros, right? Bute on, for some casual traps in daily life, who¡¯s got the time or money to hire ¨¤ professional photographer¡± Comeliained before realizing that Marcus might have been hinting at something else. Wait, President Hartley did you use to do photographyTM Marcus nodded. ¡°Yeah, I bought some camera gear and learned a bit back in school¡± Even with just a bit of experimenting he could take photos with his phone camera that would put many professional photographers to shame. Comelia couldnt help but im again. ¡°Thresident Hartley you¡¯re a man of many talents. You manage to master some of the stuff you don¡¯t know in little time. Thats not something Jon Schino can do¡± Marcus had always been the envy of others receiving praise left and right. He was pretty used to the compliments, but this time, it came from his ante Cornelia, he couldn¡¯tpletely hide his delight Once you figure out the pattern, learning something new isnt that hard if you¡¯re interested I can teach you my learning methods, so you can master whatever you want to do in no time, too ¡°Well, thank you in advance then¡± Cornelia figured if she could learn Marcus¡® learning methods, the could pick up new skills at work faster She wouldn¡¯t have to sneak in extra study time after work ¡°How about | take a few more photos for wou? Marcus suggested. Without waiting for Cornelia¡¯s response, he lifted his phone, ¡°Cornelia, move a little to the right Following Marcus direction, Cornelia moved a bit to the right. ¡°Just do whatever you feel like, don¡¯t mind the camera, Ill capture the moment,¡± Marcus added Maybe it was Marcus guidance or the casual chat that helped Cornelia to rx. When facing Marcus camera, she naturally struck various poses with a genuinely sweet smile Through the phone lens Marcus watched Cornelia Her smile revealed two shallow dimples and two cute little canines, making her look incredibly attractive and cute Captivated by her sweet smile Marcus spaced out and forgot to press the shutter After a while Cornelia asked. ¡°President Hartley are we done?¡± Marcus quickly snapped back to reality and coughed awkwardly. ¡°I haven¡¯t got a good shot yet. Let me take a few more This time, Marcus didnt get distracted He found the right angle and took several photos in a row Each photo was uniquely beautiful not just because of Marcus photography skills, but mainly because Cornelia was naturally beautiful and young She looked stunning no matter how you photographed her When Marcus walked up to Cornelia, he handed her the phone and said ¡°What do you think of the photos ¡°They¡¯re amazing Even if Marcus photos weren¡¯t good. Cornelia would still have to blindly praise them. The fact that the photos were indeed stunning blew her mind These photos didnt look like tourist snaps, but more like exquisite personal portraits ¡°President Hartley I can¡¯t thank you enough!¡± As long as she was happy Marcus was content, ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal with me! Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. He once said that she was his assistant, his person. Therefore. Cornelia didnt find anything wrong with his words After viewing the photos, Cornelia wanted to share them with her friends Zack and Abigail on her group chat, but only when the opened WhatsApp did she realize that it was Marcus phone. She quickly handed the phone back to him, ¡°President Hartley could you send me the photos please?¡± Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Chapter 344 Marcus grabbed his phone and sent the picture to Corner Upon receiving it. Cornelia instantly shared it to their group chat. ¡°Guys, check these out Aren¡¯t these pictures of me gorgeous ?¡± It was already post eight in the evening in Paris which meant it was past two in the morning back home Normally Zack and Abigail would be asleep but they instantly replied. Zack responded. ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re out taking pictures in the show instead of being all cozy in bed. Have you lost your marbles? Abigail responded, ¡°Absolutely stunning Comelia, you¡¯re outshining everything there Cornelia was speechless at Zacksment. ¡°Zack with that charm, no wonder you¡¯re still single¡± Abigail chimed in ¡°Exactly keep that up and you¡¯ll be a bachelor forever¡± Cornelia quoted Abegail¡¯s words. ¡°Abigail you¡¯re the best! Hugs and kisses!¡± Zack responded, ¡°Arent you two exaggerating? They are just some pictures. Why do you have to go out on a snowy night? Are you guys crazy? Comel replied ¡°Zack 2p it No more messages unti Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Zack was left speechless Abigail asked ¡°Cornelia, when are youing back? | miss you¡± Comelia replied. ¡°I¡¯m nning to be back after Christmas, depending on mypany¡¯s schedule By the way, why are you guys still up? Abigail replied ¡°We¡¯re off work today Zack and I bought tickets for a flight to Rosenberg at 8:30 tomorrow morning Too excited to sleep it¡¯s only a few hours till we have to get up, so we¡¯re up ying games¡® Cornelia replied. ¡°Then continue ying. Im gonna take some mom pictures¡± Abegail said, ¡°It¡¯s President Hartley who is taking the pictures for you, right? Cornelia asserted, ¡°Abby stop with the Cindere fantasies. This is the real world, we¡¯re not a realistic match up?¡± Zack expressed, ¡®Nelly keep your head clearl Don¡¯t doubt me As a guy I understand men better than you gris do I can tell Marcus is up to no good with Nelly!¡± Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Chapter 345 Cornelia and Zack had a serious chat. She had hoped held cool it with the hostility towards Marcus After all the guy was her boss and she had to work under him because they frequently crossed paths. But Zack was being particrly stubborn this time refuting to be swayed Cornelia was getting a headache ¡°Zack let¡¯s drop it Just continue observing the time, dont miss your fight likest year¡® Abigail chimed in ¡°Nelly you gotta take care of yourself in a foreignnd no matter what Pariss not so safe at night. Try to stay in as much as possible, got (17 The conversation dieted back to safety issues Cornelia mumbled an ¡°Okay¡± and quickly ended the chat with the two of them The moment Cornelia ended the chat and put away her phone she looked up to see Matous extending a hand towards her Instinctively Cornelia tried to dodge, but Marcus was gucker He gently brushed the show off her hair. ¡°Your hair is turning white with the snow Sure, white hair was a minor thing but the snow melting into cold droplets on her head would make her cold and that was something Marcus didn¡¯t want to see. ¡°Thanks President Hartley Not that it was necessary thought it had been years since Corneliast experienced the joy of snowkes falling on her head. Thest time she yed like this was back in high school That was when the her grandmother Zack and Abigail went to the mountains to y Their heads were covered in snow as if they were wearing white hats They had a st but the fun was followed by nasty col ¡°The snow¡¯s getting heavier and the temperature¡¯s dropping Let¡¯s warm up in the museum¡± Seeing Cornelia¡¯s slow pace, Marcus figured it would take hours to walk a few hundred meters. He decided to lead the wing and Cornelia naturally fell in tiep with him Cornelia did keep up with Marcus pace, but she kept looking around not wanting to miss any beautiful scenery A few minutester they arrived at the already closed museum. A staff member was waiting for their arrival ¡°Mr Hartley, Ms. Stewart, follow the please ¡® They were led through a door into the warm interior instantly shielding them from the cold outside. Cornelia was immediately captivated by the museum¡¯s edibits. The staff member wanted to lead them to the cafe on the third floor, but before he could say anything he was silenced by Marcus icy game. He was willing to stay by Cornelias side, no matter how much time she wanted to spend However, Cornelia was aware that the highlight of the evening was supposed to be the snow wew of the Paris She quickly turned away from the exhibit and followed Marcus and the staff member to the third floor There was a cozy cafe by the windows on the third floor. As expected, they were led to the best viewing spot. From there, they enjoved an unobstructed view of the magnificent Paris No more crowds, no more touristy wews This was Cornelias first time enjoying such special treatment. She was thrilled. She whipped out her phone and took a few pictures, then posted a tweet, ¡°Missing my best buddies tonight. Here are some pics to make you jelly¡± By the time Cornelia finished posting a dish had been served the world famous foie gras Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Cornelia had never tasted fore gras before, and she wasnt familiar with French dining etiquette. So even though she was curious about the dish many people praised as a delicacy, she didn¡¯t dig in right away, but watched Marcus) actions instead He cut off a small piece with a fork and knife and put it on her te Try it and see how you like it ¡°Thanks President Hartley Cornelia picked it up with her fork and tasted it it was good, but a bit nd for herste ¡°it¡¯s pretty good¡± Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Chapter 346 Marcus studied her face carefully ¡°You dont seem too fond of this dish, hunt The top chef of Paris who made this foie gras may lose sleep for a right if he knew it carefully crafted dish was only rated as ¡°not bad¡± ¡°I love it Correlia looked at the fove gras on the table thanking its earance was even more appealing than the food itself. ¡°Can I take a photo first? Marcus replied softly ¡°Do whatever you want, no need to ask me about every little thing Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mr Hartley you really take good care of your staff Cornelia immediately took out her phone found a good angle took a few photos, and even adjusted the photo filters ¡°Mr Hartley Ms Stewart may open this bottle of red we for you now? The water brought a bottle of red wine, ready to pour for the two of them At this moment just bearing about wine made Cornelia nenos, fearing Marcus would lose his senses after drinking too much. She also worried about Marcus¡¯s stomach. But before she could react, Marcus had already answersd ¡°We wont be drinking tonight¡± He then asked Cornelia ¡°Cornelia, what would you like to drink?¡± Cornelia wanted to enjoy the wine After all, a French meal should be paired with red wine. But since Marcus wasn¡¯t drinking she as his assistant, couldn¡¯t drink either She had no choice but to say ¡°If there¡¯s milk, I¡¯ll have milk ¡± Marcus replied ¡°Alright, two sses of milk, please After the waiter left, Marcus asked Cornelia. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me why I¡¯m not drinking? Cornelia replied. ¡°I thought you were following the doctors advice Drinking less is good for your health? Marcus shook his head. ¡°You guessed wrong. The real reason is that I promised Jeremy I wouldn¡¯t drink when I¡¯m with you¡± Comelia suddenly felt ufortable, ¡°Did you ask him why he doesnt want you to drink? Marcus replied. ¡°He didnt say so i didnt ask¡± Cornelia finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You guys have a really good rtionship he can even control you¡± Marcus nodded ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s pretty good listen to everything he says, and he listens to everything I say if he doesnt listen to you you can tell me, I guarantee that I make him listen to you¡± Hearing this. Cornelia felt a bit upset Marcus¡¯s words suggested that his rtionship with Jeremy was even better than her rtionship with her husband, Jeremy Letting a third party meddle with a couple¡¯s marital issues was just begging forplications Chapter 347 Chapter 347 Chapter 347 en Cornelia, who¡¯s pretty hunt to all things about love, thought this was a bit off Marcus once again pried a helping of foie gras onto Comeliss te but she immediately put a stop to it President Hartley live got it She never eaten this sort of thing before and was worned shed somehow botch the etiquette of a fancy French meal and embarrass him Him helping her out once was one thing, but doing it all the time was a bit much Was his good buddy aware that he was helping look after his wife like th? Did his wife know? Cornelia didnt want his help and Marcus didn¡¯t press the issue. Respecting your wifes wishes is pretty crucial for a husband ¡°French dinners are known for their long serving times. We can take our time eating and enjoy the night ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia wasn¡¯t at into foie gras as she was into hat pot. She figured she was better suited for a cheaper fare However, the stuck to one principle as long as it was edible, she absolutely wouldn¡¯t waste it So she dug in heartily, really seeming to enjoy herself, which made you want to share the meal with her Marcus had been all that hungry to begin with, but seeing Cornelia enjoy her food so much, he joined in. He found that dining with her made the food taste better Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. The water brought out milk, followed by the second course, which was escargot. A dish known worldwide and served with a te of bread Marcus saw that she¡¯d never eaten snails before, so he didn¡¯t wait for her. He grabbed a small piece of bread and ate a piece of snail meat Cornelia saw how he ate and followed suit. She didn¡¯t expect that snail meat paired with bread wo tuve such a unique taste After eating a few snails, Comelia took a sip of the milk and found it a bit nd. She thought that if she had some wine at this point, it would definitely taste better No sooner had she thought this than Marcus said, ¡°A French meal should be paired with wine to truly bring out the vors Want me to get you a ss of wine?¡± Cornelia really did want it, but the pretended not to care Drinking alone isn¡¯t very fun, right?¡± Marcus knew what she was thinking and turned to the waiter to ask for a ss of wine And to Cornelia began to savor the fine wine, eat the French meal, and admire the snow¨Ccovered Paris Tower it was a beautiful day After Cornelia had eaten her fill, the lights on the Paris Tower night in front of her suddenly became brighter, bursting with colors It was a sight to behold Then the lights projected a message Tonight¡¯s light show is dedicated to my wife, I hope the likes it¡± To make the message more conspicuous, they performed it again in French ¡°Wow¡± Cornelia marveled at the lights and didn¡¯t forget to record it with her phone ¡°The man who set up this light show is such a hopeless romantic¡± Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Chapter 348 Marcus looked at her sweet smile, feeling all mushy inside ¡°Do you like it?¡± Cornelia¡¯s cheeks were flushed, whether from the alcohol or the room temperature She nodded and smiled ¡°Like it? How could i not when i get to enjoy such a beautiful light show from such a great spot for free?¡± The word ¡°free¡± made Marcus pouse He cautiously asked ¡°Would you like it if Jeremy had arranged the light show for you? Carmelia who had just been praising the light show now shook her head vigorously ¡°That would be a waste of money. No one would like their husband spending money on such useless things. The money thould be invested or saved Why would anybody waste it on this shy stuff¡± Marcus thought to himself that he could never tell her not only that he had arranged the light show for her, but also the fact that he was Jeremy otherwise, shed fret over the money. The colorful and breathtaking light show was still going on. Perhaps because of the alcohol Cornelia was more cheerful She handed her phone to Marcus again ¡®President Hartley can you take a video of me with the light show? ¡°Sure¡± Seeing Comelia¡¯s funny faces through the camera, Marcus couldnt resist poking her face on the scree She was less reserved when drunk, adorably tempting him to bite her After enjoying the wew and the meal they were ready to leave Cornelia had almost finished a bottle of wine and her steps were shaky as the walked down the stairs Marcus reached out a hand to gently hold her wrist He didn¡¯t dare hold her too tightly or get too close afraid that she might resist him. But she turned around and gave him a sweet smile. ¡°President Haitley, thank you!! Marcus rued her hair but before he could say ¡°You¡¯re wee, she turned around and gave him a scolding as if afraid he wouldn¡¯t hear her ¡°Married men should know their ce. They should keep a proper distance from women other than their wives Marcus thought to himself who would bother with her if she wasnt his wife? The temperature difference between the inside and outside was huge As they stepped out of the museum, the cold wind was a sobering p in the face. The alcohol in Cornelia¡¯s system seemed to wear off Comelia, now slightly sober, was fascinated by the thick snow on the road. She bent down to scoop up some snow, flinging it into the air. The scattering snowkes created another beautiful scene. Finding it fun Cornelia scooped up another handful of snow and tossed it into the air She was like a child, happily ying in the snow. Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Marcus watched her y trailing behind her and quietly recording her every move on his phone, capturing her every frown and smile Cornelis antics soon caused trouble. She started throwing snowballs at pakting tourists, mumbling ¡°Zack Abby, let¡¯s have a snowball fight, throw snowballs at me¡± The tourists who were hit wanted to confront Cornelia Marcus immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her from any potential danger while patiently apologizing and exining to the tourists. Im sorry I¡¯m really sorry! My wife is drunk, she¡¯s usually under a lot of stress. This is a rare chance for her to let loose. Please forgive her To express my apology, you can dine at any Blueshell Bistro in Paris for free. Just mention the name Jeremy¡± No one would believe such a im without any voucher. But looking at Marcus¡¯s appearance and attitude, the tourists didn¡¯t make a fuss Some of the tourists who had been hit evenforted Marcus. ¡°Your wife is lucky to have such a good husband like you She¡¯s very cute and beautifull¡± Chapter 349 Chapter 349 Chapter 349 ¡°Thanks¡± Marcus sincerely epted the praise from passersby toward Cornelia responding with a warm smile As time ticked away and the sightseeing tourists started to dissipate a snowball smacked Marcus hard. Then came Comelia¡¯s yful voice. ¡°President Hartley? What are you doing here? This girl always had a new gimmick when she got drunk Marcusughed helplessly his eyes behind the silver rimmed sses filled with tender indulgence. ¡°It¡¯s freezing Let¡¯s go home ande back tomorrow, okay?¡± ¡°Okay let¡¯s go home Comelia, now tired from all the y tossed herst handful of snow and wobbly made her way into the snowfield Marcus ckly pulled her back. This way¡± Brushing off his hand the went ahead on her own it was slippery due to the snow and she was so drunk she could barely think straight. Every step she took seemed like the would tumble over Marcus couldnt care less about anything else He wrapped his strong arm around her waist and guided her toward the parking lot Cornelia was truly drunk and instinctively thought the person helping her was either Zack or Abigail She leaned her entire body against Marcus, not wanting to evert any effort, so essentially Marcus half carried her to the car Marcus helped her into the passenger seat and patiently fastened her seatbelt. Just as he was about to move dway, Cornelia suddenly reached out to cup his face Marcuts heartbeat slowed as he held his breath, waiting for her next overstepping mow To his surprise. Cornelia just patted his face lightly ¡°Zack, what is up with you looking better after not seeing you for half a month? Be honest, have you had stic surgery?¡± She was drunk and rambling about another man. Even though Marcus knew they were just friends, like family, he couldn¡¯t help but get upset. His face darkened. Cornelia startedughing ¡°See I guessed right You¡¯re giving me the tulky face¡± Marcus removed her hand and said in a low voice. ¡°Im Marcus The name Marcus hit her like a bolt from the blue and Cornelia sobered up instantly Comelia couldn¡¯t remember what she had done Under Marcus¡¯s imposing aur¨¤, she sat up straight, her breathing cautious and careful Marcus started the car and slowly headed home. The slow drive was due to two reasons One, the snow made the road slippery and Cornelia was in the car two, he wanted to spend more time alone with Cornelia The car was silent as sleepiness crept over Cornelia To stay awake the took out her phone and posted a video she had taken earlier on Twitter Opening up WhatsApp she saw a few responses to her prenous status. Abby Nelly you¡¯re really making me jealous. Cornelia replied Lets work hard to make money so we can all go to Paris next time Zack Youre not with Marcus are you? Corne replied Zack, dont overthink Jeremy asked Marcus to take care of me Hannah Duon The wew is beautiful, but where are your selfies? | want to see the beauty!Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Chapter 350 Rosie Duncan Wow I really wanna go to Pari As soon as she replied her WhatsApp started gang off. Messages from Zack and Hannah flooded in Cornelia first opened Hammatis message Cornelia I just finished shooting a night scene it was a sad one, I cried so much that my eyes are all puffy Cornelia, I want to tell you that because of the insights you shared with me about the female leadst time, live gotten a deeper understanding of the character i added it to my performance, and the director and scriptwriter were really pleased. Even the movie trailer is getting a lot of praise from the audience Then Hannah tent a clip of the trailer Cornelia watched it, and indeed it was good. Mainly because Hannah was stunning and her acting was on point, these two things alone were enough to make her a good female lead She replied ¡°Hannah, it¡¯s really good Keep up the great work! Hannah When you¡¯re back, should be done with this move. O treat you to a meal in Riverton Cornelia Sounds good, it¡¯s a deal Hannah. It is a deal! After setting the date with Hannah. Cornelia opened the chat with Zack. The content was pretty much what she expected He sent a long message Jeremy asked Marcus to look after you? No normal man would ask another man to look after his wife. You¡¯ve been married for nearly two years and you¡¯ve only seen that jerk Jeremy once on your wedding day then he disappeared I bet you can¡¯t even remember what he looks like. Now he suddenly shows up and leaves you in the care of Marcus, who has ill intentions toward you I can¡¯t help but suspect that there¡¯s some shady deal between those two men Comelia Zack, they¡¯re both good people Don¡¯t be so biased As Cornelia was typing Zack¡¯s video call came in Cornelia unmediately picked up before she could say anything she heard Zack¡¯s angry voice ¡°Cornelia, why is it taking you so long to reply to me? Are you doing something sneaky with Marcus? Turn your phone camera around and show me where you are and what you¡¯re doing¡± 1 Owned by N?velDrama.Org. His interrogation sounded like he was catching them in the act Marcus who was by the car, must have heard it too Comelia was somewhat helpless, but to reassure him, she turned the camera around to show him her surroundings ¡°See? There¡¯s nothing sneaky going on!¡± To Cornelia¡¯s surprise, Marcus grabbed her phone ¡°Whatever Cornelia and I do as long as it¡¯s not illegal, it¡¯s nobody¡¯s business, including yours!¡± He hung up the phone immediately after, his face dark as a storm cloud, and his voice so stern that it was frightening ¡°Your husband doesnt ever stick his nose in our business this much!¡± Cornelia felt extremely embarrassed Tresident Hartley Zack didn¡¯t mean to target you Hes just overly concerned about me e been with him for twenty four years and with Jeremy Knowing he couldn¡¯t bear to hear what Cornelia was about to say Marcus cut her off in time. ¡°You¡¯ve told me twice before that rtionships are not about the length of time but about fate Now you¡¯re bringing up time again¡± He furrowed his brows slightly and a sense of oppression suddenly filled the air ¡°Cornelia, which of your words should believe?¡± Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Chapter 351 Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. ¡°Love is the umtion of fate and the time we invest in each other Cornelis was confused as to why Marcus had suddenly be so stern, instinctively leaning towards the car window know you guys grew up together and are very close but you¡¯re adults now especially you, you¡¯re married You Marcus realized his tone might have frightened her, so he quickly adjusted his mood trying to speak to her calmly i should mamain a proper distance Who you get close to is your business, he can¡¯t interfere ¡°Are you aware theres a difference between men and women and that married men and women need to keep a certain distance thought you didn¡¯t know¡± Not satisfied with just arguing in her mind. Cornelia used his own words against him, ¡°You say offers are more than my husband, but you¡¯re just as bad Me video chatting with a childhood friend is my private matter it seems like it¡¯s none of your business¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to control you. I¡¯m just The word ¡°Jealous¡± almost slipped out of Marcus mouth, and realizing his emotions left him somewhat astounded ite i new very well that there couldnt be anything romantic between Cornelia and Zack, to why was he being so petty? if Cornelia had topletely give up her previous life and her old friends because of their marriage, it would hurt her, and he couldn¡¯t bear to hurt his wife ¡°Cornelia Im sorry¡± He called her name sincerely apologizing then added. Iven if Jeremy entrusted me to look after you, it¡¯s not my ce to interfere in your video call with your friend¡± Come didnt say anything else to him The car continued heading home and the two fell silent again, restoring the quietness inside the car Com turned her head to watch the snowkes falling outside the window. As the watched she began to feel sleepy and dozed off, leaning on the seat. Marcus immediately turned up the temperature inside the car ensuring she wouldnt feel cold while asleep They didn¡¯t get home until nearly an hourter Marcus drove the car into the garage, wanting to wake Cornelia but also not wanting to disturb her sleep. He got out of the car opened the passenger side door cradled her in his arms, and headed towards the house At the entrance, Brianae out to greet them hearing the car Briana was stunned ¡°Marcus, you and Nelly. ¡± Her voice was a bet loud and Marcus quickly covered Comelia¡¯s ears, ¡°Keep it down. Don¡¯t wake your sister¨Cinw¡± Rrana nodded repeatedly ¡°Okay okay but you guys have been out for hours, were you really working? Howe I smell alcohol on my sister¨Cinw, you didn¡¯t get her drunk on purpose, did you?¡± Follow me upstairs Marcus didnt want to answer the teenagers questions Carrying Cornelia, he headed up to the second floor Hrana followed closely behind whispering. ¡°Are you sure you want me to tag along? Dont you want to give her a kiss while the drunk? Seeing Marcus take Cornelia to the quest room, Briana started to worry ¡°Marcus, why don¡¯t you take her to your master bedroom, you¡¯re a married couple after all When she wakes up in the morning just tell her the truth¡± Marcus turned around going her a stern look. ¡°Try saying one more word¡± Hnana thut up Marcusid Cornelia on the bed took off her coat. He was about to take off her pants but felt it was inappropriate. ¡°Briana, can you help her change into some pajamas?¡± Chapter 352 Chapter 352 hapter 352 Briana chuckled. ¡°We don¡¯t have to be stiff and serious all the time, you know She¡¯s your wife, not some random woman What in the big deal in helping her change into her nightgown *Just because Cornelia is my wife doesnt mean i can take liberties when she¡¯s unconscious¡± Marcus exined turning to shut the window ¡®You help her change and stay here with her Dont leave By the time Marcus came back upstars Briana had already changed Cornelia into her nightgown Briana was nodding off by the side of Cornelias bed, her head slowly drooping down Marcus gave her a gentle nude, ¡°You can go to sleep now¡± ¡°have to wake up early tomorrow¡± Briana got un rubbing her eyes and headed out She bumped into the door frame on her way out, making Marcus shake his head in disbelief His wife Cornelia was only slightly older than Briana but she was much more mature and sensible Marcus sal queetly by the bed just watching her He wasn¡¯t even sure why, but just watching Cornelia made him feel calm. It felt like he¡¯d taken a chill pill Hed never had this kind of strange yet incredibly enjoyable experience before ¡°Grandma¡± Cornelia suddenly wept in her sleep murmuring ¡°You have to get better You can¡¯t leave me if even you don¡¯t want me. I¡¯ll be all alone¡± Even though this want the first time he¡¯d seen Cornelia so distressed in her sleep, it still broke Marcus heart He slid into bed next to her pulling her into his arms and gently patting her back like you would with a child ¡°Don¡¯t be scared Grandma will get better. She won¡¯t leave you. And don¡¯t forget, you have me 111 atways be with you ¡°Grandma, you have to keep your promise her furrowed brow slowly rxed and her face gradually regained its calmness. ¡°Alright Grandma promises he agreed Last time she had fainted she had called him ¡°Dad¡± and now she was calling him ¡°Grandma ¡°No telling what she¡¯d call him next time.Content rights by N?velDr//ama.Org. Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Chapter 353 Marcus was worried about Cornera having another nightmare so he stayed with her for a long time. He only left when he saw her sleeping soundly Much to his surprise, as soon as he opened the door Enane, who had been eavesdropping lost her bnce and fell right into the room. ¡°Ahh! Before an could even finish her scream, Marcus covered her mouth and pulled her out of the room After closing the door, he whispered. ¡°You almost woke her up. Brana muttered in dissatisfaction Tavoritism Now that you have a wife you don¡¯t need your sister¡± Marcus changed the subject. ¡°You were eavesdropping at the door What shall I do with you?¡± I wouldn¡¯t be too happy about that ¡± ¡®Granny wanted me to keep an eye on you two and report any updates,¡± Hrana said as she ran away fast. She was worried that her brother would punish her if she ran slowly But she started wondering was there something off about her brother? Nothing happened when Marcus shared a room with his wife, he was 28 and hasn¡¯t had a grifriend. Even when women threw themselves at him, he wouldn¡¯t give them a second nce it was suspicious Briana suddenly understood why her brother didnt dare to reveal his identity to Cornelia Revealing his identity would mean fulfilling marital duties, which he would not always be able to fulfil so he had to maintain the superior subordinate rtionship Briana was anous, pacing around her room, should she tell granny about this? If she told granny, her brother would be embarrassed if she didn¡¯t, he would not seek medical help out of embarrassment, and granny¡¯s hopes would be dashed What a dilemmal She decided to sleep on this tricky problem and deal with it tomorrow Cornelia slept a full 12 hours She only woke up until noon The first thing she did upon waking up was to check her phone. As the screen lit up before the even unlucked it, she saw a text message from an unknown number ¡°Cornelia Ive settled down, dont worry This is my new contact information ¨CSkyler Blue¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Upon seeing this message. Cornelia got so excited the almost cried She immediately replied. ¡°Skyfer, where are you now? Can I call you?¡± After sending the message Corne anxiously waited for Skyler¡¯s reply and every second felt like torture After a while a call came in from a number with a French country code. Cornelia answered it immediately ¡°Skyfer, is that you?¡± Skyter¡¯s voice came from the other end of the phone. ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s me I¡¯m happy to hear your voice again¡± ¡°Me tool¡± Comelia said hurriedly ¡°Where in France are you? Marcus and I are in Paris, can we meet? Even though Skyter had confirmed that she was safe, Cornelia wouldn¡¯t be at ease until she saw her in person Skyler hesitated for a moment on the other end of the line, then said. ¡°Im in Nice We can meet, but can you not tell President Hartley it was perfectly normal that Skyler didn¡¯t trust Marcus, as he was a friend of Zaver Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Chapter 354 Corne pondered for a moment and said. ¡°Let¡¯s meet three days after Christmas Hell be too busy to notice me gone I¡¯ll be out for a day or two and he probably won¡¯t find out Skyler responded. In that case, I wont give you the exact address now. Just in case your phone is being tapped by Zavier I still have time to make a run for Well get in touch when you get to Nice¡± Cornelia understood Skyler¡¯s concerns and replied, ¡°Alright contact you when I get there¡± Skyler added. Tve only been out for a month, but it feels like a year. When I first escaped, I had nightmares every night and I couldn¡¯t sleep. I was always afraid of waking up in that familiar room with that devil of a man next to me* Tears welled up in Comelia¡¯s eyes ¡®Skyler, don¡¯t be scared. You¡¯re free now. Even the powerful Zavier cant do as he pleases in France Forget about the past, forget about the man who scared you, and start your life anew¡± Skyler took a deep breath. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all in the past Things will get better Cornelia, let¡¯s end the conversation here for today. I have things to handle Fl wait for your arrival¡± After Cornelia hung up, tears streamed down her face She couldn¡¯t understand why she felt so upset. She opened WhatsApp and saw dozens of unread messages from Zack ¡°Cornelia, that jerk Marcus actually hung up my video call! Wait till he gets back to Riverton, Il teach him a lesson!¡± ¡°Nelly, did Marcus bully you? Hurry up and reply, I¡¯m freaking out here¡± Nelly!¡± ¡°Nelly, do you need me toe to Paris right now?¡± Cornelia quickly replied, ¡°Zack, don¡¯t judge people by their cover. Marcus is not a bad guy. He¡¯s not interested in all the women throwing themselves at him. Why would he be interested in a married woman like me?* As soon as Cornelia sent the message, Zack replied, ¡°You finally replied. I thought something happened to you Scared the hell out of me Cornelia replied, ¡°Who¡¯d dare mess with me when I have the whole Hartley Group backing me up? I¡¯m just a small assistant, but to many people, I¡¯m Marcus¡¯s right hand, nobody would dare mess with me?¡® She wasn¡¯t exaggerating Zack replied, ¡°Anyway, take care of yourself Let us know if anything happens. Abby and I are going back to Rosenberg for the New Year. We¡¯ll return to Riverton a few days after the new year Hope you cane back to Riverton soon. Cornelia replied, ¡®Sure, don¡¯t worry. Spend more time with your parents in Rosenberg¡± After ending the chat, Cornelia checked the time and it was already past noon. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She hurriedly got up to wash up and only realized halfway through that she seemed to have memories of going to the Paris Tower with Marcus the night before. As for what happenedter, her memory was a bit fuzzy When she woke up, she found herself in bed Were the pajamas she was wearing swapped by Marcus? Cornelia quickly dismissed this absurd thought. After all, it¡¯s not only her and Marcus at home. It must have been Briana who changed her clothes. After she was done freshening up, Cornelia put on a suit and went downstairs. She saw Marcus sitting in the living room reading some documents There was a heater in the house, so he was simply dressed in a white shirt and ck trousers. Even such simple attire couldn¡¯t hide his charm and good looks. He looked like a beautiful painting no matter where he sat To avoid disturbing him, Cornelia deliberately lightened her footsteps. However, Marcus still noticed her right away, ¡°You¡¯re awake¡± Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Chapter 355 Even that sentence had a special kind of charm as it came out of Marcus mouth Cornelia nodded. Tresident Hartley. Im sorry Loverslept and messed up the work scheduled for the morning¡± ¡°Actually, there were no ns for work this morning¡± Cornelia came closer, Marcus saw her reddish eyes and felt a bit tense, ¡°You¡¯ve been crying? Why were you crying?¡± Cornelia quickly shook her head, 7 wasn¡¯t crying Just got some face wash in my eyes when I was washing up¡± Marcus was skeptical but if she didnt want to speak about it, he didn¡¯t want to force her. He put down his tablet, walked towards her, ¡°Lunch is ready Let¡¯s go grab something to eat.¡± ¡°Okay ¡°Just as Cornelia was about to go with him to the dining room, his private phone on the table rang Comelia paused, watching him pick up the phone Marcus answered, Zaviers angry voice came from the phone, ¡°President Hartley, control your wife Stop her from messing with my business¡± Marcus Whats wrong with my wife?¡± Zavier said. She is in touch with my wife again, trying to persuade my wife to forget about me. She even insulted me in front of Skyler. When did I offend her? Why is she targeting me?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Thinking of Cornelia sweating Marcus couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Aren¡¯t you really behaving like one?¡± He offended his wife Cornelia, and she could leave him bruised What was wrong with her calling Zavier a beast. If Cornelia wanted to kick Zavier for fun a few times, Marcus wouldnt object Zavier, Tm already in a state go ahead andugh. I¡¯m telling you, if Skyler leaves me, I will use all my power to take your wife from you.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes darkened coldly said. ¡°My wife can do whatever she wants to do, as long as she¡¯s happy. I won¡¯t let anyone control her, including you.¡± Zavier, ¡°You just protect her unconditionally.¡± Marcus, ¡°I just love to do that.¡± Zavier. If you keep protecting her unconditionally, letting her do whatever she wants, you will end up like me! Marcus sneered, Tm not like you, my marriage is not like yours, and my wife is nothing like yours.¡± In Marcus¡¯s heart, his wife was the best, iparable Zavier sneered and hung up the phone. Marcus keenly felt that the sneer was a bit strange, but he didn¡¯t pay much attention. He put down the phone, and walked towards Cornelia. His voice unconsciously softened. ¡°You must be hungry since you haven¡¯t had breakfast. Do you have a headache, or feel ufortable anywhere?¡± ¡°Had a lotst night, so I¡¯m good. No difort anywhere¡± Cornelia followed him to the dining room, about to say something a few times, ¡°President Hartley¡± ¡°Just say it, don¡¯t hesitate ¡°Marcus pulled out a chair for her to sit down first, then sat down across from her Was that Mr Rivera who just called? Does he know that you helped Skyler evade capture and ns to use your wife to threaten you, so he can get to Skyler?¡± Cornelia could not tell what the other party had said, but she inferred from Marcus tone that it must have been Zavier. Chapter 356 Chapter 356 Chapter 356 N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Marcus chuckled. ¡°That was Zavier on the phone. He wont do anything to my wife, no need to get your knickers in a twist¡± ¡°Has he found out where Skyler is?¡± She had just received news about Skyler and Zavier catted immediately Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but suspect Zavier already knew where Skyler was if Zavier found out Skyler¡¯s whereabouts from her, and Skyler was once again under Zavier¡¯s control, Skyler would be in serious jeopardy. The more she thought about it, the more frightened Cornelia became Her hand clenching into a fist on her thigh Marcus had the chef serve the dishes. He served Cornelia a bowl of soup first. It¡¯s cold out, have some soup to warm up¡± Due to all the conjectures in her mind, Cornelia felt as cold as ice. She needed the soup to warm her up, but she was too agitated to drink ¡°Marcus, Zavier knows where Skyler is, doesn¡¯t he?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t immediately answer Cornelia¡¯s question, he wanted to give her a glimmer of hope. But since she insisted on knowing, he told her the truth. After all she was his wife, and the would face many simr problems in the future It was better to get her used to such situations sooner rather thanter He said ¡°Cornelia you and Skyler both underestimated Zavier. It¡¯s understandable that you underestimate him because you don¡¯t know him. But Skyler, having been with him for so many years, still underestimates him. All it shows is that her escape n was doomed from the start Marcus¡® words shattered Cornelia¡¯s hopes, leaving her feeling helpless, scared, and a whole mix of emotions Without thinking, she quickly pulled out her phone to call Skyler. Marcus simply took her phone away, ¡°Cornelia, you need to cool your jets! Whether Skyler can escape Zavier¡¯s control has nothing to do with you It¡¯s between them. You get me?¡± His deep, sexy voice slowly brought her back to her senses, ¡°Marcus, my personal phone might be tapped by Zavier.¡± Marcus was d that Cornelia didn¡¯t suspect him of leaking Skylet¡¯s escape route, so he decided to hit her with the harsh truth, Zavier hasnt tapped your phone, nor would he dare to. Hes been tapping Skyler¡¯s phone¡± That truth hit Cornelia like a bolt from the blue, leaving her mind nk Skyler had nned for so long, and racked her brains to get away from Zavier. They thought Skyler had made it, and that she could start over, but from Marcus and Zavier¡¯s point of view. ther thoughts were nothing but a joke Marcus and Zavier watched them run around like headless chickens, while they thought they were pulling off some covert operation. They let Skyler escape, letting her run around like a mouse in a game of cat and mouse Cornelia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down, ¡°President Hartley, could I have my phone back please?¡± ¡°Cornelia, letting Skyler believe that she has escaped Zavier¡¯s control, letting her think she¡¯s free now, isn¡¯t that a good thing? Why would you want to disrupt her peaceful life? Some things are better left unknown. Life can go on peacefully, but once you know, it can be difficult, even life¨Cthreatening Marcus casually dropped the bombshell that Cornelia was reluctant to ept When Cornelia looked at Marcus again, her eyes were filled with deep fear. Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Chapter 357 Marcus saw the fear in Cornelia¡¯s eyes, but he had already started If he didn¡¯t finish, she¡¯d only worry more ¡°Cornelia, I don¡¯t like delivering these harsh truths, but this is the brutat reality of the world, and something Skyler has to face¡± Cornelia never knew her mother, and her father passed away early. Over the past twenty four years, she had seen a lot of life¡¯s harsh realities She understood a lot, but she didn¡¯t want to ept asionally, she¡¯d naively think that if she worked hard enough, everything would work out Her clenched fist tightened and loosened, then tightened again. ¡°So you¡¯re saying, as long as Zavier doesn¡¯t let go, Skyler has no choice but to die or remain under Zavrr¡¯s control? N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Marcus pushed his sses up his nose and simply responded. ¡°Uh huh¡± President Hartley, thank you for telling me the Truth¡± Cornelia thanked him, but she felt sick to her stomach, almost wanting to throw up President Hartley enjoy your meal I ate a lotst night, so I¡¯m not hungry Ill pass Cornelia quickly stood up, and rushed upstairs to the guest room. She ran into the bathroom, and dry heaved over the toilet until she felt dizzy, but nothing came out. She sat weakly on the floor, looking at Skyler¡¯s number on her phone. She wanted to call or text her several times, but didn¡¯t have the courage to do it Cornelia understood what Marcus was saying Skyler couldn¡¯t escape Zavier¡¯s control, and maybe it would be better for her not to know she was still under his control But was she really just supposed to ept this? Cornelia didnt know Her mind was in chaos ¡°Cornelia, Skyler and Zavier are married, and they¡¯re the closest to each other. You barely know Skyler; you¡¯re not even friends Why are you doing this to yourself?¡± Marcus¡¯s deep voice was as pleasant as always, but now it sounded like a spell controlling her, making her feel afraid. Cornelia stood up. She leaned on the toilet and slowly turned to look at Marcus standing in the doorway. His perfect face looked like a demon to her Cornelia wanted to say something, but it was as if her throat was blocked, and she couldn¡¯t make a sound. ¡°Cornelia,¡± Marcus reached out to help her, but she backed away, watching him warily before he could touch her. He had seen this fear in others, but seeing it in Cornelia¡¯s eyes for the first time unsettled him ¡®Cornelia, tell me what you want to do, and I do it.¡± 1 hope Skyler canpletely break free from Zavier. I hope Skyler can live a truly free and happy life,¡± Cornelia thought, but she couldn¡¯t say But he wouldn¡¯t help her for free, she knew that. ¡°Mr. Hartley, what do you hope to gain from me?¡± Zavier¡¯s influence was massive. Helping Skyler break free would require a lot of resources. Marcus was a businessman, he had no connection to her or Skyler, If he was willing to help, he had to expect something in return. Cornelia didn¡¯t know what she or Skyler could offer him. Cornelia¡¯s reaction hurt Marcus, ¡°Cornelia, we¡¯ve been working together for almost a year. Is this really how you see me?¡± Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Chapter 358 Cornelia arched an eyebrow and asked. Tell me, why are you helping me then?¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re my wife! This reason alone could answer Cornelia¡¯s question, but he couldn¡¯t possibly risk saying that before she had any good feelings for him ¡°Dot really need a reason to help you? Can¡¯t I just be in good spirits and want to do a good deed?¡± Feeling good and doing good What about when you weren¡¯t feeling good? Weren¡¯t they afraid of karma when they nonchntly controlled a person¡¯s life like this? ¡°Thanks for your kind intentions, President Hartley, but I don¡¯t need your help ¡°An ordinary person can never get the better end of a deal with the devil Cornelia knew that perfectly well. ¡°Cornelia!¡± He emphasized her name, his eyes hidden behind his sses turning fierce That was the real Marcus. She shouldn¡¯t be fooled by Marcus usual kindness by thinking he was a harmless littlemb she could control at will. President Hartley, if you need something, just say ¡± Marcus was indeed angry, he was trying hard to control himself fromshing out at Cornelia Towe your husband Jeremy a favor Can¡¯t I help you to repay that favor?¡± ¡°No need! We are two separate people While Jeremy was indeed her legal husband, she and Jeremy had never lived together, and she had never thought about getting anything from Jeremy ¡°You Marcus suddenly threw a punch at the door frame The force of it seemed to shake the sturdy wall, and his knuckles inevitably got injured with blood flowing freety Cornelia saw it and calmly said, ¡®Dr. Dawson should be in Paris too. Il call her toe over and bandage your wound¡® You¡¯re just my assistant What do my life and death have to do with you?¡± Marcus was so mad he left her with a harsh word and mmed the door behind him. He couldn¡¯t guarantee he wouldn¡¯t do something more outrageous if he stayed with this stubborn woman any longer Back in his study, Marcus immediately made a phone call ¡°Zavier, behave yourself if you dare to disturb Skyler¡¯s life, I won¡¯t let your off easily¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Zavier scoffed You helped my wife escape from me, and I haven¡¯t settled the score with you yet Now you¡¯re giving me a warning. Marc, I know my Skyler is beautiful and can stir up a man¡¯s protective instincts, but she¡¯s my woman, Even if she¡¯s dead, she¡¯s still mine. Don¡¯t even think aboutying a finger on her Marcus was disdainful. If it weren¡¯t for Corne, who would care about your woman?¡± Touching her? His Cornelia was way better than Skyler In his mind Zavier said, ¡°Marc, since you know she¡¯s my woman, don¡¯t interfere Women. There are as many types and numbers as you want. Let¡¯s not ruin our friendship over one¡± Marcus asked. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why don¡¯t you choose another woman? Why insist on being with a woman who only wants to leave you?¡± Without any hesitation, Zavier answered firmly and swiftly, I¡¯ve made so many sacrifices for the Blue family. After they started to prosper again, they wanted to shake me off. There¡¯s no such easy way out in this world. Marcus, just wait and see. I don¡¯t need to go find her. Soon, she¡¯lle crying back to me for help.¡± Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Chapter 359 Marcus didn¡¯t expect Zavier to use these tactics on his own wife ¡°Threatening Skyler with the Blue family to get her back? Man, you¡¯re just pushing her further away¡± Zavier retorted, ¡°As long as she stays with me who cares where her heart is?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it matter? Marcus asked. N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Why would I care?¡± Zavier shot back. ¡°Tell me, if one day Cornelia wanted to leave you, would you use extreme methods to keep her?¡± Marcus firmly replied. ¡°That will never happen¡± Zavier persisted. ¡°Hypothetically speaking¡± 1 would never do that,¡± Marcus insisted You sure about that?¡± 1m damn sure.¡± Marcus assured If Cornelia still wanted to leave him after knowing his true identity, it would be because he hurt her. If he hurt her, hed have no reason left to keep her around. Zavierughed ¡°Well, Marc. I hope you walk the talk. Or else, I remind you myself ¡± Marcus didn¡¯t respond further. He hung up on Zavier, then dialed another number ¡°Send more people to protect Skyler. Don¡¯t let Zavier¡¯s guys get close, and don¡¯t let her sense anything fishy She must live freely¡± After speaking, he hung up the phone without waiting for a response. Looking at his bleeding hand, he shook his head helplessly Cornelia was a stubborn woman. Once she made up her mind, she wouldn¡¯t budge. This trait had its pros and cons. She took things too seriously and was easily hurt. He had to find a way to guide her, to change her slowly so she wouldn¡¯t be overly emotional when facing problems Most importantly, so she wouldn¡¯t hurt herself again. In the days that followed, Cornelia continued to work with Marcus on the Paris branch. They cooperated well at work and never mentioned what happened the other day, as if nothing had urred In a blink of an eye, it was Christmas Eve The first thing Cornelia did when she woke up was to video call her grandmother in the US. Her granny was very happy on the video call, spinning her phone around. ¡®Nelly, can you see? Our whole family is cooking together.¡± Cornelia followed the camera, and saw housekeepers, helpers, and nurses in the house, but no sign of a famr yet strange man ¡°Granny, Jeremy didn¡¯te home either?¡± Granny Reba replied, ¡°Jeremy just called us before you did. He¡¯s been busy with work like you. Apparently, he¡¯s dealing with a veryplicated issue, so he couldn¡¯te home.¡± ¡°Granny,¡± Cornelia¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯te home for Christmas again.¡± She couldn¡¯t return to Rosenberg before, and she thought she could bring her granny to Riverton for Christmas this year. But work brought her to Paris which was miles away Her granny was in poor health and getting older. Cornelia didn¡¯t know how many more Christmases she could spend with her ¡°Stop being silly and apologizing You didn¡¯t intentionally avoid me. I understand the stress you young people have these days. You need to work, buy a house, repay your mortgage, and I cant help you ¡°Although Granny Reba wished to have Cornelia home for the holidays, she didn¡¯t show it. Cornelia had been responsible since childhood and had endured a lot. She didn¡¯t want to add to her burdens Granny Reba worried that any additional stress could be thest straw that broke the camels back for Cornelia. Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Chapter 360 Comelia understood her grandma¡¯s feelings, but she didn¡¯t want the mood to get too heavy ¡°Gran I still want to chat with Granny Luisa for a bit¡± Granny Luisa, who was next to Granny Reba, came into frame as soon as she heard Cornelia call her name. She purposely put on a stern face. ¡°Nelly, so you finally remembered met Cornelia responded sweetly, Gran, Ive always had you in my mind, I didnt just remember you¡± Granny Luisa replied. Tm just pulling your leg But seriously, both you and your sibling couldn¡¯t spend Christmas with us because of work this year Next year, you guys better be here¡± Cornelia nodded earnestly. Yep, I make sure of it next year¡± Alter some more chitchat with both grandmas, she ended the video call. She still had to deal with some work stuff with Marcus today If things went smoothly, their work could beplete by the afternoon, and they could knock off early After packing her stuff and grabbing herptop bag, Cornelia headed downstairs. She was already up pretty early, but Marcus was up earlier. He was already in the living room, checking out the day¡¯s news It wasn¡¯t just today that Marcus was up earlier than her. Every single day, Marcus got up earlier. The only time she was up earlier than him was the day after he hurt his hand. That day, he gave her a sour face all day long Cornelia walked up to him, ¡°Good morning. President Hartley!¡± Marcus nodded a bit, which was his way of responding These days, if it wasn¡¯t about work, he wouldn¡¯t say a word to her. She couldn¡¯t me him. After all, he was her boss Marcus didn¡¯t pay her any mind and walked towards the dining room Cornelia quickly followed him Breakfast was a feast. There were sandwiches, milk, and more. Cornelia was spoilt for choice and she always had a hearty breakfast These days, Briana was always out early and backte. Cornelia hadn¡¯t seen her, so it was just Marcus and her for breakfast. At the table, they both just focused on eating, without acknowledging each other After breakfast they headed to thepany As Marcus¡¯s assistant, having an international driving license was a basic requirement, so Cornelia was the one drivingtely. On the way, Marcus took a couple of phone calls and then buried his head in some documents. Cornelia nced at Marcus in the rear¨Cview mirror and thought, mistakenly, that he was looking at her. When she looked up at him, he had already looked away Marcus being colder towards Cornelia actually made her work easier. She didn¡¯t have to worry about his excessive concern, which could be quite bothersome After about half an hour drive, they reached thepany Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cornelia parked the car and quickly got out She ran to the back seat on the right and opened the door for Marcus He stepped out, not even sparing her a nce. Ben was already at thepany¡¯s entrance waiting. As soon as he saw Marcus, he walked up and started reporting on their work situation. Cornelia followed behind Marcus, taking meticulous notes Her note¨Ctaking and shorthand skills were phenomenal. If not, she wouldn¡¯t have been able to handle such high¨Cintensity work. Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Chapter 361 Marcus had some long legs and he moved like a bullet train. Cornelia had to half jog pust to keep up with him Plus, she was busy scribbling notes and ended up bumping full on into a passerby. She crashed into his chest, and her nose throbbed like it had been knocked out of ce ¡°Sorry! Sorry!¡± Cornelia quickly apologized, clutching her nose But the guy was not having it. He was pointing at her hose, hurting insults, and even raised his hand to strike her Instinctively. Cornelia tried to dodge, but the ground was slick and wet from the snow She lost her footing and his hand came right for her face N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. As quick as a sh, Marcus grabbed the man¡¯s hand. He wrestled him to the ground and started speaking to him in French, anguage Cornelia didn¡¯t understand She may not have understood the words, but Marcus stern look and the man¡¯s panicked face told her he was not saying anything nice The man scrambled up and bolted, ncing back like there was a beast on his tail Marcus looked at Cornelia, with a sharp gaze, like he could see right through her Rubbing her nose, Cornelia said. Thanks, President Hartley¡± Without saying a word, Marcus turned and walked away. So, Cornelia had no choice but to follow Back at the office, she gathered the necessary paperwork for the day and headed over to the break room to grind coffee for Marcus, like always Ben followed her in, asking. Did you and President Hartley have another spat, Cornelia?¡± ¡°Umm, I dont think so.¡± Cornelia replies In her mind, there was no conflict between her and Marcus. Just a difference in opinion due to their differing social status and roles. If youre not fighting with President Hartley, then something else must be up,¡± Ben pondered, stroking his chin. ¡°Did something happen to his wife?¡± Instinctively, Cornelia nced back and whispered. ¡°President Hartley is really protective of his wife Even Mr Rivera doesn¡¯t dare to speak ill of her. You might want to watch what you say¡± Ben replied, ¡°We can¡¯t figure out why President Hartley¡¯s in such a mood. He¡¯s always taking it out on us. Today¡¯s thest day of the year, tomorrow¡¯s the first day of the new year. If he starts the new year by blowing off steam on us, well be his punching bags for the rest of the year.¡± Laughing, Cornelia said, ¡°I can¡¯t believe a smarty pants like you would believe in such superstitions.¡± It¡¯s not superstition; there¡¯s evidence¡± Ben insisted, suddenly widening his eyes ¡°Corne, your nose is bleeding* Only then did Cornelia notice the blood. She told Ben, Ive already ground the coffee. Could you give it to President Hartley? I need to go clean up in the bathroom.¡± ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ve got this,¡± Ben said. Once she was gone, he picked up the coffee to take to Marcus. He put the coffee in its usual spot, just as Marcus, who had been buried in paperwork, suddenly looked up and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Cornelia?¡± Startled, Ben almost spilled the coffee. He quickly exined, ¡®She had a nosebleed and went to the bathroom to clean up¡± Before he finished, Ben watched as the usually calm Marcus dashed out of the office like a gust of wind. ¡°President Hartley, where are you going?¡± Ben called after him, watching as Marcus bolted in the direction of the bathroom. Ben stopped, shaking his head. Even someone as impressive as his boss could forget to maintain appearances when he needed to use the bathroom. As Ben turned to go back to his desk, he ran into Dr. Dawson who greeted him warmly. ¡°Long time no see, Ben¡± Ben responded, ¡°Long time no see, Dr. Dawson. Is there something wrong with President Hartley?¡± Chapter 362 Chapter 362 Chapter 362 He knew Marcus was in a funktely, but there didn¡¯t seem to be anything physically wrong with him. Dr. Dawson couldnt spill the beans that Marcus had asked him to check up on Cornelia He said, ¡°Just a routine check¨Cup. Ilgo And President Hartley first, you keep on truckin¡® Ben replied. ¡°President Hartley is in the loo You¡¯ll have to hang light for a bl Dr. Dawson responded, ¡°Alright¡± Comelia walked into the bathroom She looked in the mirror and saw that her nose was swollen and as red as a beet It looked pretty gnarly The bump initially only made her nose a bit red. How did it swell up so fast? If she showed up looking like this for Marcus¡® chent meeting, it would definitely taint the Hartley Group¡¯s image, something Marcus wouldn¡¯t stand for. She needed to stop the bleeding and figure out a way to reduce the swelling ASAP She couldn¡¯t afford to drop the ball now. Cor bent down to wash her nose but the bleeding wouldn¡¯t stop No matter how much she tried to clean it, it still looked pretty gruesome With no other option, Cornelia resorted to an old trick from her childhood. She rolled up two tissues and shoved them up her nostrils to stop the bleeding. Suddenly, the bathroom door was flung open, scaring her so much that she smeared blood on her face. She looked like a mess, but there was something kind of adorable about it. Then a tall figure appeared before her President Hartley, what are you doing barging into thedies¡® room?¡± Marcus looked serious and didn¡¯t utter a word. Heyanked her by the arm and led her out, his other hand holding his phone, dialing a number, ¡®Are you there yet?¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Dr. Dawson replied, Tm here Waiting for you in your office. Marcus hung up the phone and dragged Cornelia to his office. He firmly nted her on the couch, and ordered Dr Dawson, ¡°Stop her bleeding now! If she dies, you¡¯re toast too.¡± Cornelia thought to herself, what a hard luck, he actually just jinxed her to die! It¡¯s been so long since theirst argument and he was still holding a grudge As the head honcho of the Hartley Group, how could he be so spiteful! Dr. Dawson instantly attended to Corneha¡¯s bleeding nose, ¡°It¡¯s just a swollen nose that¡¯s bleeding a bit, she won¡¯t die¡± ¡°Why dont you give yourself a nose bump and see how it feels?¡± Marcus retorted angrily, as if he was about to blow a fuse. Dr. Dawson was at a loss for words Cornelia looked at Dr. Dawson sympathetically. The poor guy was dragged into this Dr. Dawson managed to stop Cornelia¡¯s bleeding. He stuffed two pieces of medicated cotton up her nostrils, and applied some swelling reduction cream on her nose, ¡®Cornelia, take the cotton out in about half an hour. I used the best anti¨Cswelling cream on your nose, but it might still take a few days to go down. But don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll be alright in a few days and won¡¯t leave a scar Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Chapter 363 Dr. Dawson, I need to keep working, could you p some ointment on my nose?¡± Cornelia reckoned that showing up to clients with ointment on her nose was a better look than turning up with a swollen schnor Bam Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Marcus mmed the file he was holding onto the desk ¡°Going to work with a wound, do you think the Hartley Group can¡¯t function without you? Or do you want people to think Marcus, ama hard ass boss?¡± Cornelia,¡± What was up with him? Was he in a bad mood? Or maybe he was all worked up for some reason and couldn¡¯t vent if that was the case, he should go home and chill out with his wife, and not take it out on the innocent folks Dr. Dawson exined. Putting ointment on will slow down the recovery, but the quickest way to recover is to go home and rest.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t take her injury too seriously, she chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s okay if the recovery is slow, as long as it doesn¡¯t affect my image too much and doesn¡¯t give the Hartley Group a bad rep Dr. Dawson nced at Marcus ¡°Ahem, Cornelia, don¡¯t take this lightly just because it¡¯s a minor injury. Even small wounds can get infected. We should take this seriously Cornelia looked a bit helpless, ¡°Dr Dawson ¡°Go home and rest Now Marcus stared at Cornelia, unblinking, Even Skyler herself wasn¡¯t as anxious as Cornelia right now Her nose was swollen, but she was so nonchnt about it, and still thinking about going to work. He really didn¡¯t know whether to praise her or scold her Cornelia sniffled, ¡°Please let me keep working. If I go home with nothing to do, I¡¯ll just keep thinking about my nose and it might hurt even more¡± She sounded nasal when she spoke, as if she was about to cry Marcus felt his heart soften and unconsciously lowered his voice, 1 have Briana go home with you¡± Cornelia really didn¡¯t understand why Marcus was being so stubborn. As an employee, she was determined to work, and as a bass he should be delighted, 1 really can keep working¡± Marcus couldnt understand why Cornelia was so stubborn, ¡°Cornelia, have I been so nice to you that you have forgotten who the boss is?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡®President Hartley, you misunderstand. I¡¯ve always known my ce.¡± Marcus. Then be a good girl and go home¡± Before she could even start work for the day, Cornelia was forced to head home. Before she left, she plucked up the courage to ask Marcus, ¡®Does this injury count as work¨Crted?¡± Marcus, ¡°Yes.¡± Cornelia observed Marcus face and further asked. ¡°President Hartley, if it¡¯s work¨Crted, does that mean I still get paid? And what if I stay for work? Would it be triple pay?¡± So she wanted to stay and work for the triple pay, all she could think about at this time was money. Marcus was so mad he ignored her, but he still arranged for Ayden and Dr. Dawson to take Cornelia home Thinking about the triple pay that was about to slip through her fingers, Cornelia was very upset. On the way home, she mentally chewed Marcus cut for a while. Zack and Abigail were right, Marcus was a devious guy. He forced her to go home because he didn¡¯t want to pay her the triple wages. Sitting in the back seat of the car with Cornelia, Dr Dawson noticed her constant sighing and finally couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity, ¡°Cornelia, why do you keep sighing?¡± Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Chapter 364 Cornelia shook her head gloomily. Nah it¡¯s nothing¡± Dr. Dawson piped up again. Dont get it twisted about Marc He¡¯s just doing all this because he¡¯s got the hots for you Cornelia didn¡¯t respond and just gave a nod Dr Dawson didn¡¯t push the sue about Marc any further After a bit of a silent spell Cornelia saw home drawing near and said The Dawson, Ayden, how about we hit the supermarket, grab some grub and who up dinner tog Dr. Dawson gave her hand a pat. What you need to do right now in chill Just let us know what you¡¯re craving for dinner and someone will sort it out Comelia pointed at her nose. Do you honestly think these scratches warrant bed rest?¡± Dr. Dawson said Corn whether you need to rest or not doesn¡¯t really cut the mustard What matters is that Marc thinks you need a break. You should take his advice¡± That reminded Comelia of Skyler and Zaver Skyler once said that Zavier was utra controlling. She had to get his go¨Cahead for everything. Even though she was Zavers wife she often felt more kete pet Zaver never gave a hoot about what she thought He always pulled the strings in every aspect of her fe Cornelia fet lucky to be Marcuss subordinate and not his wife. If he was too heavy handed, she could make her escape with a resignation letter With that in mind. Cornelia didn¡¯t have much to worry about. She pulled up directions on her phone and handed it to Ayden. ¡°Ayden, can you be a dear and take me to the supermarket After herst trip to the posh supermarket, Cornelia had been stewing over the hefty bill for days. So, this time she found a more cost¨Ceffective supermarket close to Marsuss ce ¡°Sure ¡°Ayden responded his attitude towards Cornelia had improved a lot. He now answered her questions without hestation Since his boss ha Ihm to book after Corn, she was now his top priority, someone he had to protect with his ide With a regr supermarket, Cornelia had a wider selection. First, she counted heads Including Ben, they were six in total for dinner. Ten dishes should be plenty for to people. For the ten dishes, Cornelia nned to make each one a specialty from a different region, so everyone could get a taste of home in a foreignnd. Dr. Dawson and Ayden were both from the north. Dr. Dawson had a thing for steak, which was a nutritious dish perfect for the cold winter So. Corkels decided the first dish would be Steak Dr. Dawson said Ayden was easy to please and not a fussy eater. A te of pasta would fill him up Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Cornelia decided to whip up a te of pasta just for Ayden, and let Dr. Dawson pick another dish for him. Dr. Dawson chose salmon For the third dish, Cornelia picked one of her favorites. Since they already had beef, she chosemb chops. She tried to give everyone a variety When it came to the fourth dish, Cornelia rang up Briana to ask what she fancied. The noise was deafening on Briana¡¯s end, she was not sure where Brana was running off to this early Cornelia couldn¡¯t quite catch what Briana wanted, so she asked her to text it over on WhatsApp Briana texted back, Roast suckling pig¡± For Cornelia, the recipe wasn¡¯t as easy as pie, but she was game to learn The real headache was that she couldn¡¯t get her hands on a sucking pig around here Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Chapter 365 Corn asked Brians to watch her dish. Briana replied with just. Whatev Usually the ones who say whatever were the hardest to please Brans was born with a uber spoon in her mou her was going to be a tough nut to crack had tasted all sorts of gourmet food since she was a kid Pleasing Cornelia didnt want to let her down, re she whipped out her phone and started searching for an alternative to roast pig After a while, the decided to whip up some roant pork tenderloin for Briana The fifth dich Cor prepared for Ben Ben was a guy from the Midwest. Having worked with him for a while, Cornelia had a decent grip on his kes and dalken Just yesterday he was saying how he was craving fish and chips from back home so she decided to surprise him with that Thest one was Marcus, the one who gave Cornels the biggest headache Lately, he had been all grumpy, flying off the handle at the drop of a hat if the dishes she made were slightly not to hir tacte she could bet he would give her a hard time Before the became Marcusk assistant, Cornelia got familiar with his pet peeves, thinking she knew what he liked and disliked But people change in the year she had been around Marcus, there were times when he wasn¡¯t picky at all and ate whatever she gave him. Other times, he was super finicky turning his nose up at even the most delicious dishes So. Comelia had no choice but to ask Dr. Dawson, who had been with Marcus longer Dr Dawson, what should we prepare for the president tonight?¡± Dr. Dawson replied diplomatically. ¡°With all the effort you¡¯re putting in he¡¯d probably enjoy anything you make Comeughed. The only person who can make him not picky is his wife, and she¡¯s not here¡± Dr. Dawson went quit. You dummy You¡¯re his wife Not getting the answer she wanted from Dr. Dawson, Cornelia had to figure it out herself. She first eliminated the foods that Marcus didn¡¯t like, and that didn¡¯t leave much She decided to make three separate dishes for Marcus, all light in vor. Surely he¡¯d like at least one of them. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. After picking out dishes for everyone. Cornelia picked out some ingredients for soup. After shopping for all the dinner ingredients, Cornelia headed to the snack section and picked out some snacks trying to cater to everyones taste With a shopping cart full of stuff, the total was just a few bucks shy of seven hundred dors, a regr price that average workers like her could afford. Avden was not much of a talker, but he was willing to help While Cornelia picked out ingredients, he helped weigh them and pushed the cart After paying he loaded the stuff into the car and carried them into the house when they got home. With him around, Cornelia felt like she had an extra pair of hands, saving her a lot of trouble and worry Once Dr. Dawson brought everything inside, he started exining, Cornelia, let Ayden and me prepare dinner. You can go upstairs and rest. If Mare finds out, he could get angry) Corn responded. ¡°You said my injuries weren¡¯t serious. We don¡¯t need to take his words to heart.¡± Dr. Dawson sighed. ¡°Marc doesn¡¯t really understand women. He might think they¡¯re as fragile as porcin dolls, and any small thing can set him off worrying. But then again, he really does worry about you Cometa quickly changed the subject, Dr Dawson, can you guys cook? If not, you can help me with the prep work, and I take care of the actual cooking.¡± Dr. Dawson paused for a moment, 1 can handle some basic cooking, but I¡¯m not exactly a whiz in the kitchen¡± Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Chapter 366 Corne was pretty cocky about her cooking skills, ¡°You guys help with some prep and I¡¯ll take care of the main cooking today¡± Dr. Dawson was a whiz in medicine, but his cooking was nothing great, ¡°Sounds good¡± Cornelia assigned Dr. Dawson and Ayden to prep the ingredients ording to her menu First up,mb chops and steak. Everyone was working together, washing and chopping veggies, as smooth as a well oiled machine in no time, all the ingredients were ready It was approaching noon. Perfect timing for when Marcus and the gang would be done with work and heading home But, Cornelia didnt expect Marcus to be home just past noon, and he wasn¡¯t alone. He brought Briana with him And by brought I mean he dragged her home like a kid. As soon as they walked in, Briana started to gripe at Marcus, I¡¯m 23. for crying out loud! You can¡¯t just haul me off in front of all my friends! I have some dignity, you know¡± Marcus shot back. If you had any dignity, you wouldn¡¯t cake your face like that.¡± Briana was boiling mad. Everyone does their makeup like this! Why can¡¯t 17 Marcus, you¡¯re just a control freak! You told me you would butt out of my business, and here you are, sticking your nose in it again You¡¯re such a hypocrite Marcus ordered, ¡°Go wash that gunk off your face.¡± Briana refused. No way! I won¡¯t do it!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Marcus challenged. ¡°Say that again!¡± Briana retorted, ¡°I said, ¡°No way! You know what, Marcus, I can see why my sister¨Cinw can¡¯t stand you! You¡¯re nothing but an overbearing, boring workaholic. You should stay single forever! Why don¡¯t you just get a divorce and stop wasting her youth? She can find someone who actually cares about her¡± The lock behind Marcus sses turned serious. The room suddenly became tense, ¡®Go to a dark roorn and reflect! No leaving without my permission!¡± Dark room! Reflect! No leaving without permission! These words hit Briana hard, her face turned pale and her hands started shaking as she pointed at Marcus, ¡°You¡­¡± Cornelia, busy in the kitchen, heard themotion and came out to see the sibling squabble. She felt like she stumbled upon something she wasn¡¯t supposed to know. Not wanting to get in trouble with Marcus, she made a beeline for the exit, pretending she didn¡¯t hear a thing. But, she was too hasty and identally knocked into a chair, catching the attention of the feuding siblings. ¡°Cornelia!¡± Briana ran to Cornelia, threw herself into her arms, and started sobbing. ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t leave, please help me.¡± Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Chapter 367 Corn had a soft spot, especially when if came to sweet and beautiful girls like Briana She cradled Briana in her arms, gathered up her courage and said to Marcus, President Hartley, Bri is all grown up now She has her own social circle, and her own friends Most Importantly, she has her own dignity. You can¡¯t treat her like a kid anymore¡± Before Corn could finish what she was saying Marcus cut her off. ¡°Take her upstairs and wash off the paint from her face Hewasn¡¯t mad, nor did he say he was going to continue punishing Briana But Briana was scared nheless. She hid behind Cornelia, peeking out from behind her, ¡°Are you going to punish me in some other way? President Hartley, I take Brito wash her face now I promise shell be squeaky clean.¡± Cornelia took Briana and left, heading back to Briana¡¯s room. Once she was sure Marcus couldn¡¯t hear them, she said. ¡°Silly girl, he didn¡¯t mention punishing you Why are you looking for trouble?¡± Because! know him too well ¡°Briana wiped away a tear and held onto Cornelia tightly, ¡°His word isw. He said he¡¯d make me reflect on my actions, and he will Cornelia, I don¡¯t want to be locked up in a dark room. Only you can help me You have to help me!¡± Briana was shaking violently, and her voice trembling. She had been scared of her brother before, but never as scared as she was now. This fear was deep¨Cseated She couldn¡¯t hide it, and she definitely wasnt acting Corn held Briana, sometimes ruffling her hair, sometimes patting her back gently, ¡°Bri, can you tell me why you¡¯re suddenly so scared of your brother today?¡± Brana shook her head, Tm not scared of him. No matter how mean he is, I¡¯m not scared of him.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, you¡¯re not scared of him ¡°Briana wouldn¡¯t admit it, so Cornelia didn¡¯t push She had her own ways to get Briana to wash her face. ¡°Bri, if this paint stays on your face too long it damage your skin. Your skin is delicate and more prone to allergies. For the sake of your skin, for the sake of staying a beautiful little princess, go wash your face, okay?¡± ¡°Okay, but Cornelia, you have to stay with me ¡°Briana held onto Cornelia¡¯s sleeve as if she was afraid she would leave. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stay with you ¡°Cornelia apanied Briana to the bathroom. She took a cotton pad, wet it with makeup remover, and helped Briana remove her makeup. Briana looked at Cornelia, her eyes welling up with tears. Two hot teardrops fell onto Cornelia¡¯s hand Cornelia was taken aback, ¡°Bri, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Briana blinked, lifted her head, and held back the tears that were about to fall, You¡¯re too good to me. Cornelia, can you always be this good to me? Even if one day you and my brother break up, you can¡¯t hate me because of him. Can we be best friends forever?¡± Cornelia replied softly. ¡°We are all individuals. I like you because I like your charm, kindness, and beauty, not because of your brother. If you¡¯re willing, I would love to be your best friend forever¡± Briana sniffled. Tll remember what you have said If you and my brother break up, you can¡¯t go back on your word. No matter what happens between you and my brother, we¡¯re still best friends.¡± 1 willl¡® While this was going on, Cornelia¡¯s hands were not idle. ¡°Briana, close your eyes. I¡¯m going to clean the makeup off your eyshes.¡± Briana obediently closed her eyes Cornelia patiently cleaned the makeup off her eyshes. When she was done, she said, ¡°Lift your head a bit. There¡¯s some makeup on your chin and neck Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Briana lifted her head immediately, reaffirming. ¡°Cornelia, no matter what happens between you and my brother, you can¡¯t hate me.¡± Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Chapter 368 Cornelia lightly patted Briana¡¯s head. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind, kiddo? What could possibly happen between your brother and me? The worst case scenario is that he fires me and withholds all my wages. Would that make me dislike you?¡± ¡°Remember what I¡¯m saying today. The rtionship between us shouldn¡¯t change because of my brother ¡°Briana wasn¡¯t worried about this She was worried that Cornelia wouldn¡¯t ept Marcus if she knew the truth about their rtionship, that she would divorce Marcus, and then even hate her, the sister who helped Marcus deceive Cornelia When someone emphasized something over and over again, it was usually because they felt insecure. Cornelia didn¡¯t want to ask Briana, but she was afraid Briana would continue to overthink ¡°Bru are you scared of your brother, or are you scared of the dark?¡± Briana paused slightly, then shook her head vigorously Cornelia was looking straight into Briana¡¯s eyes when she asked, so the panic that shed in Briana¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t escape her notice. She didn¡¯t want to talk, and there must have been reasons. Cornelia gently massaged her head, ¡°Go wash your face, change your clothes, well go downstairs to eat and watch a show¡± Brana nodded. ¡°Okay¡± By the time Briana was ready and they were about to go downstairs, Ben was there, closing the curtains with the remote control. Cornelia immediately stopped him, The curtains in the Hartley house are very good at hlocking light. Once they¡¯re drawn, the room bes very dark and we need to turn on the lights, which wastes electricity. Don¡¯t close them, and open the ones that are already closed.¡± Ben said. ¡°President Hartley told me to close them He said that with the curtains drawn and the lights on, everyone can have dinner and watch a show together in the living room. It¡¯s a better atmosphere¡± ¡°Oh, I see Then continue, I¡¯ll go check on the kitchen.¡± As she finished speaking, the doorbell rang. There was arge disy next to the doorbell Because the disy wasrge enough, Cornelia could see clearly from a distance Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. The woman on the screen was wearing a red dress. Even just standing there casually, she couldn¡¯t hide her aristocratic demeanor She said with a smile, ¡°Marc, Bri, mom¡¯s here. Open the door for mommy¡± That was Courtney Kamp¨CHartley, Marcus and Briana¡¯s biological mother. As Ben had been with Marcus for about ten years, he immediately recognized Courtney and even knew a little about the internal situation of the Hartley family. He knew that the rtionship between Marcus and Courtney was very tense, so he didn¡¯t dare to open the door. Cornelia also had no intention of opening the door. She still remembered clearly how Courtney had sent people to kidnap her and threaten her a few months ago. And she was someone who held grudges! Their eyes were both on Briana Briana¡¯s face also turned very ugly. She gritted her teeth, walked over to the inte and pressed the call button, ¡°What are you doing here on New Year¡¯s Day? Talk about a buzzki!!!¡± Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Chapter 369 Briona was being a real piece of work She gave Courtney reto respect, but Courtney didn¡¯t lose her cool. She said to Briana with a smile. Bri it¡¯s cold out here why don¡¯t you open the door first? If you¡¯ve got beef with me, lets hash it out once Im inside ¡± Briana retorted angrily. ¡°My brother said you¡¯re not wee here Get lost the farther the better. Dont rain on our family reunion¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Courtney still kept her smile. You¡¯re all grown up now, but you¡¯re still acting like a kid who doesn¡¯t know any better I guess I shouldn¡¯t have let your brother be the one to raise you, look at how that turned out And besides how can it be a family reunion without me?¡± Those words seemed to hit a nerve with Briana She was so pissed she started banging on the walls, ¡°Courtney, you have no right to criticize my brother!¡± Courtney¡¯s face darkened, her voice sharp. Open the door Or get your brother to talk to me Don¡¯t bother my brother, he doesn¡¯t want anything to do with you¡± Before Briana finished, Marcus¡® deep voice came from behind, ¡°Open the door and let her in ¡± Cornelia tumed to look at Marcus. He was wearing an apron and obviously just came out from the kitchen But even in an apron, he still looked impressive ¡°Marcus!¡± Brana wasn¡¯t happy about opening the door Just like most times, she instinctively obeyed Marcus To her, Marcus was not just her brother, he was also a father figure in her life Without Marcus Briana wouldn¡¯t have the carefree life she had, ¡°Are you really gonna let her in?¡± ¡°Open it!¡± The moment Marcus said this, Briana opened the door. Courtney¡¯s voice came through the inte once again, ¡°Bri, if you were as sensible as your brother, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about you On the monitor, Courtney¡¯s smile seemed particrly annoying to Cornelia. It was like she was making some kind of deration to Briana. It was ufortable. Through the window, everyone in the living room could see Courtney in her high heels stepping in In the snow, her red dress was quite a sight. This was the Hartley family¡¯s business, and Cornelia didn¡¯t want to get involved. She motioned for Ben to follow her to the kitchen, leaving the living room to them However, as Cornelia was about to leave, she heard Marcus say. ¡°Cornelia, stay¡± Cornelia paused, President Hartley, as an outsider, I don¡¯t think I should stay.¡± Marcus turned to look at her, ¡°Are you not listening to me?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Of coursem¡± But she really didn¡¯t want to stay, she didn¡¯t want to hear the Hartley family¡¯s dirtyundry. If word got out about their family feud, she would be the prime suspect. Marcus then said, ¡°Briana, you should leave too.¡± Briana. ¡°I want to stand by your side.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything, he just gave Briana a look and then she left with Ben. Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Chapter 370 Cornelia was trying to sneak out, but Marcus wasn¡¯t having it ¡°Remember when Courtney was being a total jerk to you? Don¡¯t you wanna get back at her?¡± Corn sure did But no matter what issues there were between Courtney and her son, they were still family And Cornelia was just an outsider. As long as she had a shred of sanity, she wouldn¡¯t blurt out. Tm gonna get back at your mem Marcus asked, ¡°Not gonna say anything?¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°What do you want me to say?¡± ¡± Marcus nced at her swollen nose. Does your nose still hurt? Cornelia didn¡¯t expect that question, and after a moment of surprise, she quickly shook her head, ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t hurt anymore Marcus continued, ¡°If you really cant stand being in the same space as Courtney, you can go about your business once she apologizes to you¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t believe that the arrogant Courtney would apologize to her, a lowly assistant. However, she didn¡¯t want to put Marcus in a difficult position, ¡°President Hartley, Ive forgotten about that incident. There¡¯s no need for an apology¡± Marcus said. ¡°You might have forgotten, but she hasn¡¯t ¡± ¡°Courtney ¡°Courtney arrived, calling out Marcus name but her gazended on Cornelia. She also noticed Cornelia¡¯s swollen nose, ¡°Oh my. Cornelia, what happened to your nose? Does it hurt? Do you need a doctor? Marc, have you had a doctor check on her?¡± Since Courtney wanted to y this game, Cornelia would y along. ¡°Thank you for your concern, Mrs Hartley! A doctor has checked on me I¡¯m fine¡± Thats good Courtney rushed towards Cornelia, acting like a concerned elder, ¡°Cornelia, there was a misunderstandingst time. I¡¯m formally apologizing to you. Can you forgive me?¡± Cornelia silently backed away, not wanting any physical contact with Courtney She didn¡¯t expect Courtney to apologize upon entering Was this prearranged by Marcus or did he guess that Courtney would do this? Regardless of why Courtney apologized, it made Cornelia feel like she wasplex. This was what they called a smart person She instinctively looked at Marcus, who was also staring at her. He smiled, ¡°Tell Ben to tidy up the screening room, we¡¯ll be watching TV thereter. You go get ready. I¡¯ll be there soon ¡°Okay ¡°Upon receiving themand, Cornelia turned to leave, not wanting toy her eyes on Courtney anymore. Not until Cornelia left, did Courtney turn her gaze back to Marcus When she saw the apron he was wearing, she couldn¡¯t hide her surprise and confusion She reproached, ¡°Marcus, you used to guard your screening room like a treasure, no one could enter without your permission, and now you¡¯re letting her dine there You used to hate the smell of cooking, no one was allowed to cook at home, and now you¡¯re cooking. You haven¡¯t even been with her for a year, and you¡¯ve made so many changes for her. Aren¡¯t you afraid she¡¯ll be more and more demanding, maybe even disrespectful to you?¡± ¡°As long as she wants to, I¡¯ll let her, and I can even give in for her¡± The warmth in Marcus¡® eyes was gone, and when he looked at Courtney, his gaze was icy cold again, ¡°And she¡¯s not an outsider, she¡¯s mywful wife. Her name is Cornelia!¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Courtney was stung by Marcus words, but she couldn¡¯t show it, ¡®Marcus, I didn¡¯t know she was your wife, that¡¯s why I had someone talk to her. If I¡¯d known she was your wife, I wouldn¡¯t have done that.¡± Years had passed, and she was still the same old fibber Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Chapter 371 Marcus raised an eyebrow, murmuring. You might be able to kid yourself with that, but don¡¯t think you can pull wool over my eyes¡± ¡°Marcus. I¡¯m your mother, why would I lie to you? If you don¡¯t want to talk about your wife, let¡¯s talk about your sister, Bri¡± Courtney was a pro at changing the subject ¡°Bris all grown up, but she hasn¡¯t really done anything substantial You need to teach her something she can¡¯t always rely on you¡± Who was she to meddle in Briana¡¯s life now that she had grown up? She didn¡¯t care about her when she was akad Marcus didn¡¯t want to waste his breath on her ¡°Spit it out. Why are you here this time?¡± Courtney smiled. ¡°Of course I¡¯m here to celebrate the New Year with you You were always busy and away from home. I wanted toe, but never had the time Now that you happen to be in Paris, which is not far from me, I decided to put other things aside and spend the New Year with you.¡± ¡°You never celebrated the New Year with us when we were kids, there¡¯s no need to y pretend now¡± Marcus gestured for her to leave. ¡°My family is waiting for me to have dinner, you can go now¡± ¡°Marcus, I admit I made mistakes in the past. I want to make amends, you should give me a chance. Besides, you have your own family now, you might not need me as a mother, but you should consider Bri.¡± ¡°How dare you bring up Bri? Don¡¯t make me kick you out.¡± Not kicking her out was already the greatest respect he could show her. ¡°If you want to kick me out, at least let me finish my speech.¡±Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Marcus stared at her coldly, without saying a word. Courtney continued, ¡°Actually, I have another purpose foring. Your sister wants to enter the entertainment industry, and you know howplex that environment can be To avoid those business sharks, one must have real strength¡± ¡°Shut up! Leave immediately, I don¡¯t want to see you again Seeing this despicable woman only reminded him of his painful past. Now she dared to mention that illegitimate daughter As far as Marcus was concerned, he only had one sister, Briana! Courtney wouldn¡¯t leave so easily without achieving her goal, ¡°Marcus, whether you admit it or not, you can¡¯t deny that Emily is your sister.¡± Marcus said. ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°Okay, okay, I won¡¯t mention her Courtney took out a bracelet from her bag. ¡°This bracelet was given to me by your grandmother. It¡¯s a family heirloom of the Hartley family, meant for the daughter¨Cinw She wanted me to personally give it to your wife, Cornelia.¡± Marcus looked coldly at the bracelet she handed over. The quality of the bracelet was indeed good, just like the one his grandmother mentioned. But he couldn¡¯t ept anything that this woman had touched, ¡°No need!* Courtney said coldly, ¡°Marcus, this is a family heirloom of the Hartley family. Your grandmother told me when she gave me this bracelet, to pass it on to my daughter¨Cinw.¡± Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Chapter 372 Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°This is something you used to wear ¡°Marcus paused for a few seconds before speaking again. ¡°Gross Courtney¡¯s face changed, she reared Imigress? You¡¯re calling me groes? Your dad was the first one to betray me, why don¡¯t you say he¡¯s gross? Or do men think it¡¯s cool for men to fool around, but if women do it, it¡¯s shameless?¡± He¡¯s even grosser In Marcus s mind, a married man er a woman should be responsible for the marriage and preserve is sanctity Not messing around was the least requirement And because of this when he mistakenly thought his wife was cheating, he was so determined to divorce her. You¡¯re just as heartless and ungrateful as him, like you were cut from the same cloth ¡°Courtney took a deep breath and continued, ¡°You have his blood in you sooner orter you¡¯ll betray your marriage and ditch your wife ¡°What happens with me and my wife is none of your business ¡°Marcus made a dismissive gesture again, clearly wanting her to leave ¡°Cornelia doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re Jeremy yet, does she? You don¡¯t want to tell her? Mare, what are you so worried about? Afraid shell find out about the Hartley family¡¯s dirtyundry?¡± Leaving a bomb in Marcus¡¯s mind, Courtney waved and confidently walked away. Walking out of the yard. Billy who had been waiting outside immediately came up and opened the car door for her, ¡°Madam, you know they are not on your side, why do you do this?¡± Courtney got into the car and leanedfortably on the seat, ¡°Because I know, that¡¯s why I came. That man told me at the end of the year that he had a woman outside Every year end, that thing pricks my heart like a needle. I don¡¯t have a good life Why should they live happily?¡± Billy knew that if she was not doing well, she wouldn¡¯t let others do well either. Driving a few hours from Cndria to Paris, just to make them ufortable Marcus had to admit. Courtney¡¯sst words indeed messed up his mind Because Courtney hit the nail on the head. He dared not tell Cornelia the truth not only because Cornelia had a bad impression of Marcus, but also because of the unspeakable things of the Hartley family. ¡°Bro,¡± Briana had been eavesdropping around the corner, hearing their conversation clearly. The Hartley family stuff has nothing to do with you. Your wife won¡¯t care, don¡¯t listen to that woman¡± ¡°Do you think her words can affect me? Marcus ruffled her hair, ¡°You need to break this habit of eavesdropping. If I catch you again. Il punish you Briana mischievously stuck out her tongue, ¡°You just can¡¯t bear to let me go.¡± ¡°Go help tidy the media room.¡± After speaking to Briana, Marcus headed to the kitchen. In the kitchen, both Dr. Dawson and Ayden were helping Cornelia prepare the ingredients. Cornelia was busy cooking. As soon as they saw Marcus, they immediately made way and then left the kitchen one by one ¡°Dr. Dawson, could you pass me the sauce?¡± Cornelia reached out her hand, waiting to receive the sauce, but when she didn¡¯t get it and turned her head, she found Marcus standing next to her He looked a bit off, seemingly lost in thought, and he didnt even seem to hear her. Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Chapter 373 Cornelia had been working with Marcus for quite some time, but this was the first time she¡¯d seen him in this state. His eyes were vacant, like he¡¯d lost his soul. She quessed something must have happened with his mom As to what it was, it wasn¡¯t her ce to ask Since joining the Hartley Group, shed rarely heard coworkers chat about the Hartley family¡¯s private affairs Rumors did circte that Marcus had wed his way to the top of the Hartley Group with ruthless tactics, hence the talk about his coldness towards his family Working with Marcus for so long, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to his personal life. Only today did she find out that his and his sister¡¯s rtionship with their mother, Courtney, was bad. Bad was an understatement They were like of and water with Courtney There must have been some deep¨Cseated reasons why they despised their mother Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Marcus in his current state President Hartley, are you okay?¡± When Marcus came back to his senses and looked at her, his sexy thin lips opened slightly It took him a while to say, ¡°Cornelia¡± His deep voice calling her name always made Cornelia feel like it carried a wealth of unspeakable emotions. Maybe he wasn¡¯t calling her, but his wife, Cornelia Cornelia wanted tofort him but didn¡¯t know how. She decided to be his listener, offering him a chance to vent ¡°President Hartley, if there¡¯s anything you want to say, you can tell me. I promise not to tell anyone¡± ¡°My rtionship with Courtney is terrible. I just told her to get lost, never to show her face to me again Do you think I¡¯m a heartless person?¡± Marcus pushed his sses up slightly, his gaze never leaving Cornelia¡¯s face He cared about her opinion. ¡°No¡± Cornelia answered without any hesitation, sounding very certain ¡°My grandma told me never to judge without knowing the whole story. I don¡¯t know what happened between you and your mother. I have no right to judge you, nor to demand that you be a filial son. People may say you¡¯re heartless, but that¡¯s not the person I know.¡± In her freshman year of college, she had a firsthand experience of being verbally abused by people who didn¡¯t know her truth. Even though the real story wasn¡¯t what they heard, those ignorant people took out all their negative emotions on her. They insulted her with the most vicious words. Marcus gave a bitter smile, unlike his usual carefree demeanor What if the person you see is just a facade, and I am really like what people say?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯m with you every day Don¡¯t I know you better than those outsiders?¡± Cornelia admitted that Marcus¡¯s mood could sometimes be hard to read Like these past few days, he always looked displeased at her, but he never really mistreated her. From what she had learned about him in this time, he was a boss that she could totally trust Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Her simple words were like the best medicine in the world, instantly healing the pain in Marcus¡® heart. He gently touched her hair. ¡°Cornelia, thank you.¡± This time, Cornelia didn¡¯t back away President Hartley, I didn¡¯t really do anything to help, you don¡¯t need to thank me¡± Marcus smiled ¡°Your words made me feel warm andforted.¡± His gentle tone made Cornelia feel a little flustered. She quickly changed the subject. President Hartley, I still have one more dish to prepare. The kitchen is smelly You better go out.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Tll stay with you¡± Cornelia hesitated for a moment, then nodded, ¡°Alright, hand me the sauce, please¡± Marcusplied. ¡°Sure¡± Chapter 374 Chapter 374 Chapter 374 As Cornelia was cooking themb chops, the kitchen was filled with fumes Tears started to stream down Cornelia¡¯s face from the smoke, and Marcus quickly grabbed a tissue to wipe her tears. Tll take over the cooking next time. All you gotta do is eat The noise from the kitchen utensils drowned out Marcus¡¯s words, and Cornelia didn¡¯t quite catch them, ¡®Mr Hartley, what¡¯d you say?¡± Marcus just shook his head. ¡°Nothing much¡± Cornelia continued, ¡°The food is almost ready, can you grab me a te?¡± Marcus turned around and took out a te from the sterilizer, ¡°Does it need to be washed?¡± Only he could get away with asking that, thought Cornelia. Anyone else would¡¯ve gotten an earful, ¡°Well, technically, tes from the sterilizer are good to go. But we typically wash ¡®em again. It feels icky otherwise Marcus chuckled at her remark, he was amused, ¡°You could¡¯ve just said you wanted it washed, no need for the waffle¡± He used to smile and lose it as quick Sometimes, it was so fleeting that Cornelia barely managed to catch it. This was the first time she saw himughing heartily. It seemed Courtney¡¯s arrival didn¡¯t dampen his spirits anymore Cornelia was d for him, 1 was just trying to avoid getting a lecture from you, so I jumped the gun.¡± Marcus retorted, Tm only four years older than you!¡± Cornelia defended herself, ¡°I wasn¡¯t calling you old I was just showing respect¡± Marcus shot back, ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯t have put it that way¡± ¡± ¡°Alright ¡°Cornelia took the te he offered, filling it with the food from the pan. Thest dish is Mexican wraps, a family favorite Mr. Hartley, if you learn how to make this for your wife, shed be over the moon.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Let¡¯s find time for you to teach me¡± ¡°It looks simple, but not many can nail it. My grandma made the best Mexican wraps,¡± Cornelia tasted the dish, though not as good as her grandma¡¯s, it was decent, ¡°Mr Hartley, I think it tastes alright, I can try teaching you when we have time¡± Marcus shot back, Td like to give it a shot too.¡± Cornelia was about to give him a piece to taste when¡­ ¡°Marcus, Cornelia, the show¡¯s about to start, you guys ready?¡± Briana had been eavesdropping at the kitchen door for a while, and chose this moment to appear, aiming to push their rtionship forward, ¡°You guys Chapter 375 Comelia got such a fright that her hand shook, and the food she was about to feed Marcus just dropped to the ground. Marcus didn¡¯t get to eat He shot Briana a look, his face all grumpy Briana, no more shouting, okay? You scared Cornelia¡± ¡°Okay, I tread lightly from now on, and I promise not to spook Cornelia Briana stepped up and hugged Cornelia ¡°Cornelia, he¡¯s actually a considerate guy, right? ¡°Uh¨Chuh ¡°Cornelia fet a bit awkward Earlier she was tasting the food, and when Marcus said he wanted to try some, she just handed it to him without considering if that was approprate ¡°Br, the foods ready Let¡¯s go eat¡± Briana handed Marcus the te of food. Lead the way. Cornelia and I need to have a little girl tak¡° Marcus obeyed, but he walked really slowly. Cornelia asked Bri what do you want to talk about?¡± Briana asked. ¡°Cornelia, if you and my brother were both single, would you consider dating him?¡± ¡°No ¡°Cornelia remembered this wasn¡¯t the first time Briana asked her this question. Setting aside the fact that there are no ifs in life. Even if there were, she wouldn¡¯t like Marcus. Because she knew well that the gap between her and Marcus¡® social status was too wide. Such a marriage wouldn¡¯tst, and she didn¡¯t want to be the next Skyler Marcus, who was ahead, heard this and paused. His eyes filled with disappointment Every time he felt he was getting closer to Cornelia, she would say something that brought him back to reality, reminding him that to her, he was just Marcus, and he could never be Jeremy Briana kept probing, ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong with him? Why don¡¯t you like him?¡± ¡°Did I say theres something wrong with him? We¡¯re just notpatible, we¡¯re from different worlds. ¡°Cornelia put away her gentle smile and said seriously. ¡°Bri, don¡¯t ask me this kind of question anymore Your sister¨Cinw treats you so well. You should stand firm and protect your brother and her rtionship. Never ask this question again, don¡¯t give other women the wrong impression that they might have a chance with your brother.¡± Briana said, ¡°Cornelia, I only say this kind of thing to you¡± Cornelia responded. ¡°Even more so for someone like me. As your brother¡¯s assistant, I¡¯m closer to him. I have more ess to him, so I¡¯m more likely to develop some illusion.¡± 1 ¡°We all hope you would have that kind of thought ¡°Briana thought to herself, but she didn¡¯t dare to say it out loud because she could tell Cornelia was very serious. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Most of the people at the dinner party tonight knew about Marcus and Cornelia¡¯s real rtionship, so they intentionally sat them together Briana was initially sitting on Marcus¡¯s right side, but she wanted to be closer to Corne, so she moved to Cornelia¡¯s left Cornelia, I want to sit with you¡± ¡°Sure¡± Cornelia asked her, ¡°Do you want to drink alcohol or juice?¡± Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Chapter 375 Comelia got such a fright that her hand shook, and the food she was about to feed Marcus just dropped to the ground. Marcus didn¡¯t get to eat He shot Briana a look, his face all grumpy Briana, no more shouting, okay? You scared Cornelia¡± ¡°Okay, I tread lightly from now on, and I promise not to spook Cornelia Briana stepped up and hugged Cornelia ¡°Cornelia, he¡¯s actually a considerate guy, right? ¡°Uh¨Chuh ¡°Cornelia fet a bit awkward Earlier she was tasting the food, and when Marcus said he wanted to try some, she just handed it to him without considering if that was approprate ¡°Br, the foods ready Let¡¯s go eat¡± Briana handed Marcus the te of food. Lead the way. Cornelia and I need to have a little girl tak¡° Marcus obeyed, but he walked really slowly. Cornelia asked Bri what do you want to talk about?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Briana asked. ¡°Cornelia, if you and my brother were both single, would you consider dating him?¡± ¡°No ¡°Cornelia remembered this wasn¡¯t the first time Briana asked her this question. Setting aside the fact that there are no ifs in life. Even if there were, she wouldn¡¯t like Marcus. Because she knew well that the gap between her and Marcus¡® social status was too wide. Such a marriage wouldn¡¯tst, and she didn¡¯t want to be the next Skyler Marcus, who was ahead, heard this and paused. His eyes filled with disappointment Every time he felt he was getting closer to Cornelia, she would say something that brought him back to reality, reminding him that to her, he was just Marcus, and he could never be Jeremy Briana kept probing, ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong with him? Why don¡¯t you like him?¡± ¡°Did I say theres something wrong with him? We¡¯re just notpatible, we¡¯re from different worlds. ¡°Cornelia put away her gentle smile and said seriously. ¡°Bri, don¡¯t ask me this kind of question anymore Your sister¨Cinw treats you so well. You should stand firm and protect your brother and her rtionship. Never ask this question again, don¡¯t give other women the wrong impression that they might have a chance with your brother.¡± Briana said, ¡°Cornelia, I only say this kind of thing to you¡± Cornelia responded. ¡°Even more so for someone like me. As your brother¡¯s assistant, I¡¯m closer to him. I have more ess to him, so I¡¯m more likely to develop some illusion.¡± 1 ¡°We all hope you would have that kind of thought ¡°Briana thought to herself, but she didn¡¯t dare to say it out loud because she could tell Cornelia was very serious. Most of the people at the dinner party tonight knew about Marcus and Cornelia¡¯s real rtionship, so they intentionally sat them together Briana was initially sitting on Marcus¡¯s right side, but she wanted to be closer to Corne, so she moved to Cornelia¡¯s left Cornelia, I want to sit with you¡± ¡°Sure¡± Cornelia asked her, ¡°Do you want to drink alcohol or juice?¡± Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Chapter 376 Briana picked up a ss and stated. Tm not much of a drinker, but this stuff we¡¯re having tonight is my brother¡¯s hidden stash. This wine is so rare, you can¡¯t even buy it on the market. It¡¯s all bought at auctions for a high price, every bottle we drink is one less in the world Id feel quilty if I didn¡¯t drink this expensive wine Ben chimed in. ¡°Ive been with President Hartley for ten years, but we¡¯ve always been buried in work This is the first time were sitting down together, having dinner, watching a show, and sipping on President Hartley¡¯s fine wine¡± ¡°Here¡¯s to President Hartley and Cornelia Thank you. President Hartley, for this wonderful venue, and thank you, Cornelia, for the feast,¡± Dr. Dawson raised his ss. Ayden and his mom were always by Marcus side no matter where he went. If Marcus was busy working on New Year¡¯s, they couldn¡¯t celebrate. But the silver lining was they were always together Cornelia quickly stood up. ¡°The credit cant all go to me. This dinner was prepared by all of us¡± And she clinked sses with everyone After finishing her drink she said. ¡°You guys go ahead and eat, Im going to video call my grandma¡± On the video call, her grandma asked ¡°Nelly, have you finished all your work?¡± ¡°All done¡± Cornelia rotated her phone Marcus didn¡¯t want to be on camera, so she avoided him. ¡®Grandma, kook I¡¯m having dinner with my colleagues and watching a show¡± When Cornelia¡¯s camera pointed to Briana, she waved to the grandina, ¡°Hello, Grandma! Don¡¯t worry, well take good care of Cornelia¡± Thank you! Thank you! I¡¯m relieved knowing Nelly isn¡¯t alone during the holidays Cornelia¡¯s Grandma greeted everyone but Marcus Her grandma seemed satisfied, ¡°Nelly, dont forget to call Jay You two have been living apart for so long, you should call each other more often¡± ¡°I know, grandma ¡± Cornelia had been busy with work recently. She moved in with Marcus after hearing that Jeremy was also busy, and had only contacted Jeremy once sinte She hadn¡¯t contacted him in the past few days, and Jeremy hadn¡¯t reached out either. She thought he was busy, so she was waiting for him to text her when he was free. But she hadn¡¯t heard from him Before dinner, she texted Jeremy, but hadn¡¯t heard back yet. As the saying goes, if a guy truly cares about you, no matter how busy he is, he¡¯ll make time to call or text you if he doesn¡¯t even have time for a call, it¡¯s very likely he doesn¡¯t value your enough Cornelia didn¡¯t see herself as a clingy girl. She thought it was okay for both of them to be busy, but since they decided to spend their lives together,munication via phone became crucial when they were apart. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. As she was pondering, a WhatsApp notification popped up. She opened it and saw a message from Jeremy, a $10,000 transfer with a note saying, ¡°Happy New Year, Cornelia!¡± He didn¡¯t say anything, but sent over arge sum of money. Cornelia had to admit, Jeremy was quite generous, but she felt a bit angry. [You haven¡¯t contacted me for days, and now you suddenly transfer me money Do you think I need your money?] Jeremy didn¡¯t respond, just sent over another $10,000 Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Chapter 377 Right after that Cornelia got a message from Jeremy saying. Thaw no idea how much to send you, if it¡¯s not enough, I can send more Marcus had nned on transferring money to Cornelia but in their group chat. Steven reminded him and asked h what he had prepared for Comelia as a New Year gift at her husband He shot back asking Steven what he had prepared for his wife Hannah Steven jokingly said. ¡°Marcus, you and Cornelia just got heched, don¡¯tpara fou with us old married fok Marcus figured that transferring money to Cornelia would do. The more he sent the better. He even thought ab transferring half of his assets to Cornelia¡¯s ount, but considering Jeremy didn¡¯t have that kind of dough in Cornelis¡¯s eyes, he sent her $10.000 Comelia saw the transfer and bounced both back, saying ¡°Jeremy how many times have I told you to save your honey Stop blowing it, why won¡¯t you listen?¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°Does sending money to my wife also count as blowing it?¡± Even though there was nothing flirtatious about his message Cornelia inexplicably blushed, her heartbeat quickened. She sneaked a peek at everyone at the table. Thankfully nobody noticed her and she said. ¡°Well maybe it doesn¡¯t Jeremy send another message. Tm the type who just can¡¯t help but spend when I have money. I can¡¯t save t N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. night as well keep it for me and 17) ask for it when I need it ¡° In Cornelia¡¯s hometown, it was a custom for men to hand over ther paycheck to ther wives after they got married. The men had to let their wives handle the money and give them some pocket money When they first got their marriage license, her Grandma had specifically reminded her, saying men are hard to control. If you don¡¯t rein them in, they 1 blow money left and right. She told Cornelia to properly manage Jeremy¡¯t pay After they got they marriage license, Jeremy vanished. Corn had her own thoughts, the believed they were aduts nd nobody mained hot adopted a kid so the didn¡¯t want the extra hasta you for have to keep tabs on anyone She felt like she got bute and thats a big i of money gone. You still need to iba my mong tion it feels like you Jon¡¯t see me in your future life, it cation wo ¨¨ can move in with you. You sad ware husband and wife You reminded Com replied. If you cant even handle this level of call control, how can I trust you in our Be together Jeremy tent another long message Your grandma¡¯s health isn¡¯t good you¡¯ve spent a lot on her treat renovate thate at least a few hundred thousand You wouldn¡¯t let me help pay for the house makes me uneaty Send me your bank ount number and I transfer some money me that you be there for me, but you won¡¯t use a penny of my money¡± What kind of marriage in that?¡± Jeremy¡¯s words were sincere and real Cornelia fet he had a point. She asked him. ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried that 13 take your money and still not let you move Jeremy said. ¡°No wotnes, just give me your ount number: I can transfer the money directly¡± Cornelia though of a while and then gave him her ount number Soon Jeremy transferred 1 100 000 to he and told her. The money it in your ount, you can use it as you see t?. Don¡¯t always to spend the more motivated i am to make more For Cornelia $100 000 was a huge amount, but what really wa mand her heart was Jenny¡¯t w rds. He wasn¡¯t just al tak. build a good life with her saving money for me. The more you¡¯re willing showing her through hons that he wanted to ade this yea Comelia fett a warm glow inside of her, and a smile crept onto her face. She asked him ¡°Tel me did you transfer al the money Sitting next to her. Marcus sneakily nced at her a smile spreading across his face too. If he only made thi in a year hug martiny Group e He didn¡¯t dare transfer too much money to her. He feated she would refuse, and also feared she would get ideas, so he only t He didn¡¯t respond, so Cornelia took that as a yes. She asked ham. Did you keep any for yourself! You have to spend money when give it all to me?¡± ave gone belly up a long time ago could ept do business and socurtute, what will you used you Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Chapter 378 Jeremy reassured Cornelia, ¡°Chill I¡¯ve got enough dough for my daily grind Instantly, Cornelia sent him a transfer of $1111 via WhatsApp, with the note, ¡°Happy New Year!¡± Jeremy replied with a transfer of $2222, adding a note. Darlin, Happy New Year! Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. They¡¯d been hitched for a while, but this was the first time held called her that A blush spread across Cornelia¡¯s cheeks. Before she could figure out how to respond, Briana butted in, ¡°Cornelia, quit being glued to your phone and let¡¯s chow down The food¡¯s getting cold¡± Cornelia hastily stashed her phone, only to hear Briana ask, ¡°Cornelia, who were you messaging just now? Why are your cheeks so red?¡± Touching her face instinctively, Cornelia replied. The room¡¯s probably too hot. Plus, I just had a ss of booze¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to Cornelia. Her skin was smooth and full of cogen, and her cheeks were flushed like ripe apples, looking utterly enticing His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed unconsciously and his mouth felt dry. He quickly downed the remaining half ss of wine. It did nothing to quench his thirst but instead seemed to ignite a me within him He tugged at his cor irritably, unbuttoning two buttons and revealing an attractive corbone. Brana nodded knowingly, ¡°So, alcohols to me huh?¡± Cornelia immediately served her a piece of meat, trying to divert her attention, ¡°I prepared this dish especially for you. Give it a try: is it tasty?¡± 1 already had some, its delicious Thanks, Cornelia Briana replied. While munching on fish and chips, Ben chimed in, ¡°Cornelia, these fish and chips, you made them especially for me, didn¡¯t you?¡± Cornelia responded with a smile, ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ve been craving good of fish and chips recently. So I made it just for you. What do you think of the taste?¡± Ben took a small sip from his ss, ¡°Cornelia, not to butter you up, but your cooking skills are way better than many professional chefs. If you ever get tired of working at the Hartley Group, you should consider opening your own restaurant¡± Corneliaughed. ¡°Thanks for thepliment, Ben! If you ever crave it again, let me know. I¡¯ll whip it up for you¡± Ayden, whod been silent all along, was engrossed in his meal, oblivious to the changing atmosphere around the table Dr. Dawson, who had more life experience than anyone else present, sensed the change. She knew it was because of Cornelia and Ben. Dr. Dawson nced at Marcus, who had been all smiles just a moment ago. His mood had soured because Cornelia had prepared a dish for another man, ¡°Marc. Cornelia prepared each of our favorite dishes, including yours¡± Cornelia also sensed his shift in mood, but she had no idea she was the cause. She raised her ss, President Hartley, here¡¯s to you. Thanks for taking care of me this past year¡± Marcus¡¯s long, good¨Clooking fingers drummed rhythmically on his ss. His gaze at Cornelia held a hint of dissatisfaction, What about mine?¡± Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Chapter 379 Cornelia thought she was seeing things, rubbing her eyes Marcus, what did you pret say?¡± Marcus said in a deep voice, You made a dish for everyone ording to them tastes Why not for me? His voice was still so deep and maic and very nice to listen to, but Cornelia could hear a hint of grievance in this nice voice. ¡°The dishes that no one ordered are all yours Cornelia knew that Marcus was picky about food and hard to please, so the specially made several dishes for him But in Marcus ears, this meant that what other people didn¡¯t want to eat was his ¡°Do I only get to eat what others dont want? She could be king to everyone, she could care about Jeremy, why couldn¡¯t she be a bit nicer to Marcus?. Where was he Marcus, worse than Ben? Afraid that he would feel aggrieved again, Cornelia quickly exined. ¡°Marcus, I know you are picky, usually preferring lighter tastes, so this sd, this cornbread, and this seafood tter are all specially prepared for you Also, there¡¯s this porcini mushroom soup. To take care of you, I simmered this soup for several hours¡± She was careful to take care of him afraid that if she did something wrong, he would be unhappy He wasn¡¯t angry, but he did feel a bit slighted Underneath his silver spectacles Marcus¡¯s eyes it up. These were all specially prepared for me?¡± might be to others, but I certainly wouldn¡¯t dare be to you¡± Cornelia pushed the te with the cornbread towards him, ¡°Marcus, although this is the first time I¡¯ve made cornbread, I think it tastes pretty good Would you like to try some?¡± Marcus immediately took a piece of cornbread and put it in his mouth Honestly, it tasted worse than any cornbread he had ever had before, mainly because the bread was too hard. But because it was made by Cornelia, he thought it was the best cornbread in the world. ¡°It¡¯s really good ¡°He ate piece after piece, giving Cornelia the biggestpliment for her cooking with his actions Cornelia was also very happy when she saw that he liked it. After a busy day, it was all worth it She then asked, ¡°Would you like to try the sd?¡± Marcus not only ate the sd but even ate a lot of the seafood he usually hated Ben, Dr. Dawson, and Briana were all watching them, everyone was filled with curiosity, especially Ben, who waspletely in the dark. He had been with Marcus for ten years and had never seen Marcus eat seafood Today, he not only ate seafood but ate a lot of it Why? Could it be because these dishes were made by Cornelia? This guess shocked Ben, he said jealously. ¡°Mr. Marcus, you treat Cornelia much better than me. I¡¯ve been with you for ten years, and Cornelia hasn¡¯t even been with you for a year.¡± Dr. Dawson kicked him hard under the table, and Ben asked, ¡°Dr. Dawson, why did you kick me?¡± Dr Dawson didn¡¯t say anything She couldn¡¯t help wondering if Ben had used some special means to be Marcus¡¯s assistant. It was really admirable that, with this kind of emotional intelligence, he could work with Marcus for ten years Briana said, ¡°Cornelia made all the food on this table, so, of course, we should be good to Corne, right?¡± Ben, That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Briana. Then what do you mean?¡± Property ? 2024 N0(v)elDrama.Org. Ben, just feel¡± He just felt that President Hartley was being a bit biased. He used to treat him and Helena equally, so why was he treating Cornelia so well now? Marcus gave Ben a cold nce, ¡°Who are you to point fingers at who I treat well?¡± Ben was speechless. Oh no! He seemed to have upset President Hartley again. Everyone was watching Cornelia had no inappropriate thoughts about Marcus; she had done nothing wrong, so she wasn¡¯t afraid of Ben¡¯s wild spections Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Chapter 380 Dr. Dawson was busy lightening the mood. There¡¯s still plenty of food left here guys¡± Under everyone¡¯s gaze Marcus personally served Cornelia a piece of mest. ¡°You first!¡± Cornelia nearly choked. President Hartley, I can serve my bell This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°You cooked me several dishes shouldn¡¯t I serve youe mest?! There was no room to argue there. Cornelia had to ept Unexpectedly Marcus kept serving her meat and her bowl never remained empty. Feeling a bit stuffed, Cornelia decided to take a break watch the show, and then continue eating The show was dull so Cornelia took cut her phone put away the gift cards she hadn¡¯t had the chance to ept earlier, and texted Jeremy, ¡°Got called to dinner with colleagues. Did you have your New Year¡¯s Eve dinner? Anyone with you?¡± After a while. Jeremy replied. Eating now with colleagues too.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Are you watching the show?¡± Jeremy. The TV¡¯s on, but the show¡¯s boring Everyone¡¯s on their phones¡± Comelia Same here. The TV¡¯s on, but everyone¡¯s on their phones, and no one¡¯s watching Even out President Hartley is on his phone¡± Jeremy is it unusual for President Hartley to be on his phone?¡± Cornelia President Hartley hardly uses his phone, he only uses it for calls. It¡¯s weird seeing him on it so much today. Wonder what he¡¯s up to?¡± Jeremy ¡°My guess is he¡¯s chatting with his wife¡± Cornelia, ¡°Right, why didn¡¯t I think of that? The president¡¯s wife isn¡¯t here, he¡¯s spending New Years with us, he must miss his wife back home.¡± Marcus slightly turned his head to look at Cornelia on her phone and thought to himself, ¡°She¡¯s not back home, she¡¯s right next to me.¡± She was within his reach, but he was too afraid to reach out. Cornelia Well continue eating in a bit, what are you guys having?¡± Jeremy ¡°We¡¯re having barbecue¡± Cornelia. You like barbecue too?¡± Jeremy. ¡°If you like it, I can like it too.¡± Cornelia ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marcus usually didn¡¯t like food with strong vors, especially barbecue. But since Cornelia liked it, he was willing to learn to eat it and try to develop a liking for it. Jeremy replied, ¡°I like it¡± Cornelia, ¡°How about we meet at a barbecue ce next time? It¡¯s been almost a month since I had authentic barbecue. I¡¯m going crazy¡± Jeremy, ¡°Sure!¡± As they chatted, the day passed Comelia didn¡¯t know what to say, she looked up and saw a pretty female celebrity singing on TV, ¡°Jeremy, the singer on TV is pretty. Do you like her?¡± Jeremy. ¡°Nope!¡± After replying to Cornelia, Marcus looked up at the big screen on the wall. The woman on TV wore a long red dress; she had a nice body and face, but she paled inparison to his Cornelia Cornelia was pleased with his answer, but feeling a bit cheeky, she wanted to tease him, ¡°She¡¯s so pretty, why don¡¯t you like her?¡± Marcus had no interest in other women: he replied to Cornelia, I only have eyes for my wife Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Chapter 381 Marcus didn¡¯t blurt out those words just to impress Cornelia He always thought that if you¡¯re gonna tie the knot, you¡¯ve gotta treat your wife right and only fall for her Cornelia fet warm inside when she saw his message and quickly shot Jeremy a few words back, Til only have eyes for my husband! She didn¡¯t bother wondering why Jeremy knew how to make a girl happy or if he was out there trying to impress other girls. She just thought since Jeremy gave her a hint, she should reply. and that was just how it went between a husband and wife. After sending out that message, Cornelia felt like she was being watched It was a bit oppressive She looked up and her gaze met Marcus He was watching her, quiet as a mouse His eyes under those sses were like a deep abyss and she felt like she could be sucked in. Cornelia tried to look away, but couldn¡¯t. Their eyes were tangled in mid¨Cair She saw Marcus open his mouth as if to say something But all that came out was a hoarse ¡°Cornelia¡± Shed heard him say her name many times, but this time, it had a different ring to it. Cornelia guessed that he was calling his wife¡¯s name, but then he said in a low voice, ¡°Cornelia, thank you¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. He thanked her for believing in him. He thanked her for responding to him Cornelia was a bit confused ¡®President Hartley, why are you thanking me out of the blue?¡± He didn¡¯t say anything, but his gaze got sharper as if she were his prey, never able to escape from his palm That kind of gaze scared Cornelia, and she quickly looked away and went back to her chat history with Jeremy on her phone. A new message from Jeremy was disyed on her phone screen, ¡°Cornelia, let¡¯s celebrate faith together next year.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Sure¡± This ¡°Sure¡± was not only a response to Jeremy She said it out loud too, her voice soft, like a beautiful note resounding in Marcus¡® ear, striking his heart and quickening his heartbeat. It seemed to remind him of two years ago when his grandma faked an illness to force him to get married. His grandmay on the bed, clutching her chest weakly, ¡°Marc, I¡¯m getting old and won¡¯t be around much longer. My biggest wish is to see you get married and have kids.¡± He knew his grandma was faking it but didn¡¯t bust her, ¡°Grandma, do you have anyone in mind?¡± His grandma nodded repeatedly, ¡°Yes, her name is Cornelia, the granddaughter of my old friend. She¡¯s clever and quite the locker. The old woman pulled out a photo from under the nket. It was a bit wrinkled from not being properly kept in the pocket. She smoothed it out, ¡°Marc, have a look, isn¡¯t Nelly a beauty?¡± Chapter 382 Chapter 382 Chapter 382 He cast a careless nce at the photo and even managed to crumple it, but didn¡¯t really get a good look at the girl in the picture Granny, are you sure you want me to marry this girl?¡± ¡°Marcus, it¡¯s myst wish before I kick the bucket, cant you just grant me this one? The olddy clutched her chest, coughing deliberately a few times. ¡°Nelly is a real catch. She has a good character, is smart, and easy on the eyes Trust me, if yound her, you¡¯ve hit the jackpot¡± In his twenty¨Csomething years, Marcus had never really fallen for any girl or thought about tying the knot. But seeing how keen his granny was to see him hitched, he was willing to fut her wish The olddy clutched her chest, putting on a show like she could drop dead any second. ¡°Marcus, spit it out. What do you think of Nelly? You dig her? Listen, Eve met the girl, she¡¯s a real keeper, both in looks and manners¡± ¡°All right, Granny, I¡¯ll do it! To him, marriage wasn¡¯t about love, but if Granny liked her and thought she was good enough, then he was fine marrying anyone. ¡°Say what?¡± The olddy couldnt believe her ears. What did you say? Marcus, say it again, slowly this time¡± Marcus chuckled. 1 said. I marry her.¡± The olddy was taken aback. ¡°Marcus, you¡¯re not messing with me, are you?¡± When have lever lied to you, Granny?¡± ¡°Marrying her isn¡¯t just a matter of bringing her home and ignoring her. Once she¡¯s your wife, you¡¯ve gotta treat her right. Can you handle that?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. ¡°Certainly, Granny. Once she¡¯s my wife, I¡¯ll definitely treat her right.¡± ¡°Good, then it¡¯s settled. No backing out. And if you dare treat Nelly poorly, I swear I¡¯ll break your legs.¡± The olddy warned him, then hastily dialed a number on her cell. ¡°Reba, Marcus agreed to get married What about Nelly?¡± The olddy was mumbling, and Marcus didn¡¯t catch the person¡¯s reply. All he saw was his granny getting more and more excited. ¡°Nelly agreed too? That¡¯s fantastic! Just to be safe, why don¡¯t we get them to tie the knot sooner? We can n a grand weddingter when they have time.¡± Even though nothing was set in stone, the olddy was already referring to him and the girl as a ¡®married couple¡°. Marcus heard it but didn¡¯t correct her. As long as his granny was happy. he was fine ¡°Yeah, yeah, you¡¯re right. The younger generation isn¡¯t too keen on traditional weddings these days. But it doesn¡¯t matter; well go with whatever Nelly wants. If she wants a destination wedding, so be it. If she wants a traditional ceremony, well do that.¡± ¡°I know Nelly just graduated. Don¡¯t worry, once Nelly bes part of our family, we¡¯ll treat her right. We won¡¯t let her suffer at all.¡± ¡°How about we arrange for them to pick up the marriage certificate tomorrow?¡± Without requiring any further confirmation, the olddy made all the decisions about his marriage. Marcus didnt question it. He always trusted his granny¡¯s judgment. If she thought the girl was good, he would trust her too. The next day, Marcus headed to the marriage registry Just as he arrived, he received a call. There was a problem at the US branch that required his attention. He hung up the phone, looked up, and saw a young woman approaching him. He put down his phone as she asked, ¡®Are you Jeremy?¡± Her voice was soft and gentle, and she was dressed formally in a white shirt and ck skirt. His first impression of her was quite favorable Chapter 383 Chapter 383 Chapter 383 Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Marcus gave her a nod, sensing her apparent nerves, and turned to walk towards the hall However, she called him back asking if he needed more time to think about it He turned around and saw a certain confusion in Cornelia¡¯s eyes So he asked her, ¡°Got cold feet or something?¡± If she didn¡¯t want to marry him or wanted to postpone the wedding he was willing to respect her decision She was silent for a moment, then gently shook her head and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± There weren¡¯t many people registering for marriage that day, so they were able toplete the registration quickly He was now her legal husband, and she was his legal wife Onginally they nned to have a meal after the registration, sit down and talk, get to know each other, and discuss their future ns for their marriage But because he had to rush to the States to handle some business, he had to change his ns. He handed her a bank card that he had prepared in advance, loaded with ten million, and told her that she could use the money at will. Then he hightailed out of there to the airport. He left in a rush, not even looking back to see her expression and not knowing what she was thinking at the time. Maybe she was very disappointed with her new husband On the way to the airport, his grandmother called ¡°Marc, Ive prepared a lot of good food. After you and Nelly get your certificate, bring her home for dinner¡± He replied, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m on my way to the airport.¡± His grandmother immediately raised her voice when she heard this. ¡°You say what now?¡± He knew it was wrong to just drop his newlywed wife like this, but with the pressing business at hand, he chose what seemed more important at the time. ¡°There¡¯s some important stuff i need to take care of in the States. Once I¡¯m done¡­¡± But before he could finish, his grandmother started yelling at him, her voice practically piercing his eardrums. ¡°Tell me, did you two get your certificate yet?¡± He replied. ¡°We did¡± Upon hearing this, his grandmother scolded him even more angrily ¡°Jeremy, now that you¡¯re married, you just up and leave your wife like this? Are you even human? If you¡¯re going to the States, can¡¯t you take her with you?¡± If he took her to the States, it would meanpletely severing her original life and work and making her his appendage. He thought that was too cruel. Marriage shouldn¡¯t be like this ¡°Granny, she should have her own life and work; she can¡¯t just do whatever I say because we¡¯re married.¡± But his grandma barely listened to his exnation, she kept scolding him on the other end of the line ¡°You jerk, how can you do this? How am I supposed to exin this to Nelly and her grandma? Listen here, you better wrap up your stuff in the States pronto ande back to bring Nelly home. Nelly is a good girl and you¡¯re lucky to have her. Treasure ner If you pull something like your good¨Cfor¨Cnothing father, I¡¯m disowning you¡± Under such circumstances, he had no desire to discuss that man ¡°Please don¡¯t lump me together with him, we¡¯re two different people. Once I¡¯m back in Hong Kong, I¡¯ll pick up Nelly¡± Little did he know that his promise would take a year Not only did he neglect to contact her due to his busy work schedule, but he also didn¡¯t give her the attention she deserved, otherwise, he would¡¯ve found the time to call Chapter 384 Chapter 384 Chapter 384 If he hadn¡¯t chosen to go to the States early on, if he had valued her enough back then, their rtionship might not be what it is now. He should¡¯ve been by her side, within easy reach, but he didn¡¯t even have the right to embrace her. ¡°Bro, Bro.¡± Briana¡¯s call pulled Marcus back from his memories. ¡°The midnight bell is about to ring, and you haven¡¯t given out your gifts yet.¡± She waved the gift in her hand excitedly. ¡°Bro, even Dr. Dawson has given us gifts. As the helmsman of the Hartley Group, you should give us presents too.¡± Marcus hadn¡¯t prepared anything. In the past, he¡¯d either be working or spending the holiday with his grandma, who would prepare the gifts. He nced at everyone, his gaze finally falling on Cornelia. She, too, had received a gift from Dr. Dawson and seemed quite pleased. If a gift could make Cornelia so happy, why wouldn¡¯t he give her a gift card to make her even happier? ¡°I didn¡¯t prepare anything.¡± ¡°I knew you wouldn¡¯t have.¡± Briana said, pulling out several gift cards from her bag. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared the gift cards for you.¡± ¡°Hold on a sec.¡± Marcus got up and walked upstairs with a graceful stride. When he came back down, he had noticeably more gift cards in his hands than before. Briana was the first to rush over. ¡°Bro, I wish you and your wife a blissful marriage and a child soon.¡± Marcus rapped her on the head with a gift card. ¡°Your sister-inw will have a kid if she wants, and won¡¯t if she doesn¡¯t. Don¡¯t use that as an excuse to bind her.¡± Briana sn atched the gift card, looking him up and down. ¡°Bro, whether or not you have a child is indeed up to the two of you. But some things you can¡¯t hide on your own, you should tell your wife sooner.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sticking your nose where it doesn¡¯t belong.¡± He thought Briana was suggesting he be honest about his identity with Cornelia; thest thing he expected was her thinking about that. Marcus handed out the gift cards to Ben, Dr. Dawson, and the others. Everyone who received a card was thrilled. ¡°Thanks, President Hartley! We wish the Hartley Group continues to reach new heights under your leadership!¡± Marcus just nodded, then carefully handed thest and most valuable gift card to Cornelia. ¡°Cornelia, I hope your wishese true.¡± ¡°Thank you, President Hartley!¡± Cornelia said, a smile spreading across her face as she epted the gift card. ¡°I hope your wishese true too! Wishing you and your wife a lifetime of love and unity!¡± Marcus gently responded, ¡°We will.¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the gift card. With the gifts distributed, everyone went back to eating and watching the show. It wasn¡¯t so much that the show was particrly captivating; it¡¯s just that this show had been going on for decades and had be a kind of emotional bond. Even if they didn¡¯t watch, they¡¯d have the TV on while they all ate together, making the atmosphere feel all the more festive.Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Chapter 385 Chapter 385 Chapter 385 The showsted for hours, and they had dinner for hours too. By the end of the show, it was still early. Briana raised her hand and suggested, ¡°Hey bro, while it¡¯s still early, should we do something else?¡± Marcus turned to Cornelia and asked, ¡°Do you want to do anything else?¡± Cornelia had been busy for most of the day and had a long dinner in the evening. She was very tired. When Marcus looked at her, she was yawning and said, ¡°President Hartley, I don¡¯t really feel like doing anything.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s call it a night and head home.¡± Comelia was about to start cleaning up the leftover food on the table when Marcus quickly stopped her, ¡°I¡¯ve already called someone to clean up; you can just go rest.¡± It would take some time to clean up the leftovers. Cornelia felt relieved now that she didn¡¯t have to do it herself. After saying goodnight to everyone, she went back to her room. Once in her room, she immediately took a shower. After the shower, sheid down on her bed, picked up her phone, and opened the group chat with the other two. It was almost 2 a.m. there, and Zack and Abigail had not yet responded to her new year¡¯s wishes that she had sent at midnight. In the past, they would always send greetings in the group chat at the moment the New Year¡¯s bell rang. This year, she was not there; perhaps they had forgotten about her. It was also possible that they did not receive her message, so Cornelia copied and pasted her previous message and sent it again, ¡°Zack, Abby, Happy New Year! Let¡¯s make big bucks this year!¡± After sending the message, Cornelia waited for a while but still did not get a reply. Little did she know/Abigail¡¯s ce was in a mess. Earlier that night, because of Cornelia, Abigail almost got into a conflict. Abigail¡¯s father had five siblings and he was the oldest. He had three younger sisters and the youngest one was his brother, who was ten years younger than Abigail¡¯s father. Since her brother was the youngest and had been spoilt by his parents, older brother and sisters, since childhood, he had never worked a day in his life. His wife was also bought with a hefty dowry. Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Thinking that their son would change for the better after getting married, his parents were disappointed when they found out that his wife was also incapable of managing a household. When Abigail¡¯s grandparents were alive, this brother and his wife lived off them. They even had a son, and the entire family relied on the meager ie of the grandparents. After the grandparents passed away, he imed to go find work but would disappear for months. The only time he would call home was when he needed money. Instead of sending money home from his work, he asked for money from home. His wife couldn¡¯t find him, so she always went to Abigail¡¯s father. Every year, she would bring her son to their house for the New Year. She imed that her husband was working out of town and that all his earnings were being spent by other women. He didn¡¯t send a dime home ore home for the New Year. She had no choice but to bring her son to visit her inws. This had been their routine every year, and Abigail was used to it. Chapter 386 Chapter 386 Chapter 386 What really grinded her gears was their son. He was already ten but still ransacked her room, opening up her newly bought skincare products and spilling them all over the ce. Abigail was fuming and confronted his mother, but the woman d¨¦fended her son, ¡°What, did you put gold or some treasures in these skincare products so that they¡¯re worth 1000 bucks? Abby, I might not be the savviest person, but you can¡¯t pull the wool over my eyes. Abigail shoved the empty bottle in her face, ¡°Me, deceive you? Can¡¯t you see for yourself? Google it and you¡¯ll know that this serum alone is worth 1000 bucks.¡± ¡°A thousand bucks for a serum? Is it really that expensive?¡± The woman refused to admit it verbally, but she was thinking to herself that Abigail looked younger every year; it must be because of these pricey skincare products. If her man would buy her such expensive skincare, she too could look more beautiful each year. Abigail said, ¡°You owe me!¡± The woman responded, ¡°Abby, he¡¯s your brother. You¡¯re blood-rted; he just spilled a few of your skincare products. Who taught you to make a fuss like this?¡± Just a few skincare products? Abigail was so pis sed off by this shameless woman that she almostughed, ¡°Yeah, just a few skincare products, so why don¡¯t you pay up?¡± She sat there leisurely, munching on sunflower seeds and watching TV, ¡°I don¡¯t have the money; you should ask the person who broke it to pay.¡± Abigail knew this woman too well that gettingpensation from her would be harder than reaching for the stars. In the past, she would swallow her anger under her mother¡¯s persuasion, but this year she had to make her understand the consequences; otherwise, it would happen again next year, ¡°Get over here!¡± 3 F The boy was holding a chicken leg with his dirty hands, ¡°I¡¯m eating my chicken, no time.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Abigail stormed over and snatched the chicken leg from his hands, ¡°If you don¡¯t pay me back today, you¡¯ re n ot eating anything in my house,¡± He threw himself on the ground and started to wail, ¡°Mom, Abigail hit me.¡± His mother feigned concern, ¡°Well, you shouldn¡¯t have messed up your sister¡¯s skincare products; you deserved a lesson.¡± Abigail grabbed him, ready to give him a good beating. His mother saw this, rushed over, and shielded the boy, ¡°Abigail, your brother is just a child. How could you hit him?¡± Abigail said, ¡°He¡¯s already ten! Ten! If you don¡¯t discipline him now, society will when he grows up!¡± ¡°Abigail, what¡¯s with the attitude?¡± She knew Abigail and Cornelia were close, so she intentionally raised her voice, ¡°I know you¡¯re a good kid; you must have picked up these bad habits from Cornelia, Abby, I¡¯m telling you, you need to keep your distance from Comelia. Don¡¯t let her lead you astray!¡± ¡°What are you talking about? We¡¯re discussing skincare products; don¡¯t drag the conversation off-topic. Abigail might be cool-headed about other things, but she couldn¡¯t keep herposure when it came to Cornelia. She knew mentioning Cornelia would infuriate Abigail, so she kept bringing her up, ¡°Cornelia came homest time, hanging out with some bad boys, and even got her uncle locked up for a few days, causing her grandmother to cut ties with her uncle. She¡¯s always been a troublemaker, bringing misfortune to her mother since birth. Her father died when she was young and even her grandmother fell ill because of her. Anyone involved with her will end up in trouble, you better keep your distance. Chapter 387 Chapter 387 Chapter 387 Abigail said, pis sed off, ¡°Look at your son before you start judging others. Not only does our Nelly earn her own money, but her husband is also top-notch, beyond your wildest dreams.¡± ¡°Does anyone still want Cornelia?¡± Back in the day, Cornelia was the troublemaker in that incident. Even now, she hadn¡¯t repented and Kept badmouthing Cornelia, ¡°If we remember correctly, the moment Cornelia tried to seduce that man, her boyfriend back home dumped her straight away. Does her new man know about her past? If he does, I bet he¡¯d kick her out.¡± ¡°I told you to shut up.¡± Abigail, fuming, threw a shoe at her. Abigail¡¯s mom came out of the kitchen just in time to block it, ¡°Abby, what on earth are you doing?¡± The woman sneered, ¡°I told you before not to let Abby hang out with Cornelia, but you didn¡¯t listen. Look at Abby now; she¡¯s been led astray. If you keep letting Abby mix with Cornelia, by next year, Abby won¡¯t even recognize me as her auntie, let alone you as her mother.¡± Abigail¡¯s mom was already fed up with her mouthy attitude. In the past, she put up with her for the sake of her husband. But now, not only was she living in their house, she was also spreading their family business everywhere. No mother can tolerate someone speaking about their daughter like this, ¡°Get out!¡± The woman was taken aback, ¡°What did you say?¡± Abigail¡¯s mom took a deep breath, gathered her courage, and pointed at the door, ¡°I said get out! Leave my house now and never step, foot in here again!¡± ¡°If you want me to leave, have your husband say it. As long as he tells me to go, I¡¯ll leave immediately with my child.¡± She sat down on the sofa with the boy, acting as if she were thedy of the house. ¡°This is my son¡¯s home. You didn¡¯t birth a son; I did. I carried on the family line. How dare you try to kick me out?¡± Abigail¡¯s mom was so angry that she had a splitting headache, ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me telling you to leave?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. The woman scoffed, ¡°You¡¯re not the master of this house! You have no right to kick us out.¡± Over the years, Abigail¡¯s mom always obeyed her husband and tolerated this woman. But over time, she really started to push her luck. She ran to the balcony and grabbed a broom to hit them, but before she could, they screamed and fell to the floor, ¡°Oh my g od, she¡¯s trying to kill us! Help, help!¡± Abigail¡¯s mom was so mad that she nearly passed out. Abigail quickly supported her, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t let these worthless people get to you.¡± Bang! The front door made a sound. Abigail¡¯s dad came back with some soy sauce he just bought. As soon as he entered, he heard the crying and yelling from the room; his face turned dark, ¡°What on earth is going on?¡± Chapter 388 Chapter 388 Chapter 388 That woman yed the victim first, ¡°Abby and her mom think we eat too much; they¡¯re trying to kick us out with a broom. She told us we¡¯re not allowed to step foot in your house ever again.¡± Abigail didn¡¯t care about her image anymore; she pointed at her and shouted, ¡°Bu lls hit! Your son was the one who spilled my skincare products first, and you dare to nder my best friend!¡± The woman spat on the ground, ¡°Pfft! Out of all the people, why did you have to be friends with Cornelia? She¡¯s a shameless woman and everyone around here knows the dirty deeds she¡¯s done. If she can do all that, why can¡¯t people talk about it?¡± Abigail, ¡°Shut up!¡± N?velDrama.Org holds text ? rights. Abigail¡¯s dad shouted, ¡°Abigail, you shut up!¡± Abigail looked at her dad, her eyes welling up with tears of injustice, ¡°Dad, aren¡¯t they sucking you dry enough? Now you¡¯re just going to blindly side with them?¡± Her dad nced at her, then at his tear-streaked wife, hesitating for a moment, ¡°Abby, they¡¯re your uncle¡¯s family.¡± Abigail interrupted, ¡°Is my uncle dead? You¡¯re not him; why do you have to support his wife and son? Is there such a thing in this world? They¡¯re not disabled; can¡¯t they earn their own living?¡± Abigail¡¯s dad knew this wasn¡¯t right, but he¡¯s been bearing it all these years; he couldn¡¯t just abandon his brother¡¯s wife and son, ¡°Abby¡­ Seeing that Abigail¡¯s dad might soften, the woman fell to the ground, crying and shouting, ¡°Brother, look at what your daughter has leamed from Cornelia over the years. She even cursed her uncle to die and cursed us to be disabled.¡± Abigail, ¡°You harpy!¡± Since Cornelia wasn¡¯t there and most of the people here had a bad impression of her, the woman threw all the mud she could think of at Comelia, ¡°Brother, not to gossip. Abby wasn¡¯t like this before; it¡¯s because she¡¯s been with Cornelia for so long; she¡¯s learned all that little b itch¡¯s bad habits, and now she can¡¯t even tell the difference between good and bad.¡± Abigail was so angry that she sn atched the broom from her mom¡¯s hand and tried to hit the woman, who kept dodging and saying, ¡°Brother, see? Abby now dares to hit me. If she continues to hang out with Cornelia, our family will be ruined by that little bi tch. Abigail¡¯s dad wanted to say something, but Abby¡¯s tearful mom spoke, ¡°I¡¯ve been tolerating them for a very long time. I could swallow it! but now they¡¯re bullying my daughter. Today, you must give me a clear answer! If you want to keep them, we¡¯re leaving. This house can either have us or them, not both.¡± Abigail¡¯s dad frowned, ¡°Why are you causing trouble now? The soup in the kitchen is almost ready, go serve it. Leave this matter to me.¡± Hearing this, Abby¡¯s mom, who had been enduring for many years, was extremely disappointed. She suddenlyughed, ¡°Haven¡¯t I endured enough over these years? I¡¯m causing trouble? Who¡¯s really causing trouble in this house? If it weren¡¯t for these leeches, would we only be able to afford a $100,000 house in Riverton for our daughter?¡± Their jobs were not bad; the sry was good in Rosenberg. Excluding their expenses and asional aid to their daughter, they still had a lot of surplus, but all these surpluses were taken away by them. Chapter 389 Chapter 389 Chapter 389 ¡°Dad, Mom, are you still giving them money?¡± Abigail was hearing this for the first time and she just couldn¡¯t put up with their overly sympathetic behavior. She knew her father was a soft touch, always ready to help anyone no matter how difficult the situation, even willing to dig into his own pockets, which had cost him dearly over the years. If he kept this up, they¡¯d be bled dry. Today, she had to make her move. ¡°Dad, can you please kick them out? If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m calling the cops. This is our home. Why should Mom and I have to leave?¡± ¡°Call the cops? Ridiculous! You¡¯re trying to pull a Cornelia?¡± The woman sneered, always bringing up Cornelia, ¡°Go ahead, call the cops. Worst-case scenario, we¡¯ll spend a few days in jail where the food¡¯s free. We¡¯ll save some money.¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. Abigail¡¯s dad grabbed her, ¡°Abigail, cut it out. We¡¯re family. Don¡¯t stir up trouble. You onlye back once a year. Let¡¯s just enjoy our time together.¡± ¡°Enjoy our time together? Really?¡± Abigail shoved her parents into their room and locked the door from outside, ¡°I¡¯m taking over You¡¯re not allowed to meddle anymore.¡± If she didn¡¯t teach these freeloaders a lesson, she wouldn¡¯t know who really ran the show around here. By the time Zack got there after Abigail¡¯s call, the woman and her son were sitting on the floor, happily munching on chicken legs. Zack gave Abigail a look and said, ¡°Abigail, tally up the damage they¡¯ve done to your ce. The more, the merrier. It¡¯s called criminal property damage; the punishment¡¯s severe, and they¡¯ll be locked up for a few years at least.¡± ¡°Pfft, who are you trying to scare? Cornelia tried to sue her unclest time and look what happened? He only spent a few days in jail.¡± Zack ignored her and continued to talk to Abigail, ¡°Even if they don¡¯t get jailed, it¡¯s okay. All the damage was done by the kid, right? Make him pay for it. If he¡¯s underage and can¡¯t pay, well, that¡¯s just tough.¡± The woman proudly raised her chin; she knew the score. Zack added, ¡°And even if we can¡¯t pin him now, it¡¯s fine. A criminal record is enough to screw up his life, He won¡¯t find a decent job and no family would marry their daughter to a man with a record.¡± The woman didn¡¯t know jack aboutw, but the thought of her son not being able to find a good job or marry when he grew up got her anxious, ¡°Don¡¯t drag my kid into this.¡± Abigail ignored her and said to Zack, ¡°Zack, isn¡¯t your good friend in charge of our area? Give him a call. We need to fix this. I won¡¯t stand for this kind of cr ap.¡± Zack pulled out his phone, ¡°I¡¯ll call him right now.¡± The woman suddenly lunged forward, knocking the phone out of Zack¡¯s hand. The phone hit the floor and shattered. It was a spare phone that Zack had prepared beforehand. He didn¡¯t lose his cool, ¡°Abigail, you have cameras in your house, right? Did they catch her breaking my phone?¡± Abigail pointed at the camera on the ceiling, ¡°Yep, it¡¯s all on tape.¡± Zack said, ¡°That was a brand new iPhone and only two months old. It cost me over two grand. So, are you gonna cough up the cash now, or should I hand the evidence over to the cops and have them make you pay?¡± Chapter 390 Chapter 390 Chapter 390 That woman started to insult Cornelia again, ¡°Zack, you¡¯re a young, sessful stud. Why are you so smitten with Comelia? In the beginning, everyone med that girl and only a few of you stood up for her. Now look, all of you are bewitched by her and can¡¯t tell right from wrong; all you think about is money.¡± Zack¡¯s face suddenly turned cold, ¡°If you dare say another word about Nelly, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± That woman, ¡®Oh, so you¡¯ve had rtions with that girl too. What¡¯s so charming about her that all you guys who¡¯ve been with her are so obsessed?¡± Zack pped her hard across the face, ¡°You can insult me, but if you dare nder Nelly, I will never let you off!¡± She didn¡¯t expect Zack to get physical. Her biggest fear isn¡¯t thew, but people more ruthless than her. Zack looked menacing like he was ready to eat someone alive. Zack closed in on her, coldly looking at the boy behind her, ¡°I can throw this little guy off the building right now.¡± She was so scared by Zack¡¯s threat that her legs went weak. She truly believed Zack would throw her son off the building, ¡°You, you¡­¡± She grabbed her son and scampered off. Zack closed the door, ¡°Should¡¯ve known that a p is all it takes to deal with people like her. Why waste so much time arguing?¡± He turned around to see Abigail wiping away tears; the more she wiped, the more they flowed, ¡°Abby, you weren¡¯t scared by that woman, were you?¡± He hugged Abigail, ¡°I¡¯m here; don¡¯t be scared. If she dares harass you again, tell me right away. I¡¯ll deal with her.¡± Abigail nodded, wiping away her tears, ¡°Why did she have to insult Nelly? Nelly¡¯s had it hard enough. Nelly¡¯s in P City, not bothering them; why does she have to drag Nelly into this?¡± Zack felt sad too, but he couldn¡¯t change people¡¯s views of Cornelia or stop the nder against her. Abigail had another worry, ¡°I can tell Nelly¡¯s decided to be with Jeremy, but I¡¯m scared.¡± Zack knew what Abigail was worried about and he had the same worry. Of the three of them, Zack was the only male; he had to protect the girls when it mattered, ¡°Abby, I can¡¯t let anyone hurt Nelly again.¡± Abigail, ¡°I¡¯m afraid Jeremy will abandon Nelly like that jerk did when he finds out about Nelly¡¯s past. I¡¯m afraid Nelly won¡¯t be able to handle another blow.¡± Zack thought for a moment then said, ¡°When we get back to Riverton after New Year¡¯s, we should try to get Jeremy¡¯s contact info from Nelly and meet him to get a sense of his character for Nelly. If he¡¯s not a man Nelly can trust for life, even if it causes a rift between Nelly and me, I¡¯ll stop her from being with Jeremy.¡± Abigail nodded firmly, ¡°Let¡¯s do it together.¡± Zack said, ¡°Okay, stop crying now; enjoy dinner with your mom and dad. We haven¡¯t replied to Nelly¡¯s blessing message yet, so she¡¯ll definitely contact us through video call. Don¡¯t let her see anything.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Abigail nodded. Her phone in her pocket rang, and no doubt, it was a video call from Nelly.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 391 Chapter 391 Chapter 391 Abigail¡¯s hand trembled with fear, ¡°Zack, what should we do? Cornelia is video calling us.¡± Zack took her phone, reassuring her, ¡°Abigail, chill out. Let me handle the video call with Cornelia. Go wash your face, pull yourself together, and then call your folks to join us for dinner. Try not to give anything away to Cornelia.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Abigail dashed into the bathroom immediately. Zack cleared his throat and answered the video call, ¡°Cornelia, happy New Year! I hope you¡¯ll have a st this year and make everyone green with envy.¡± ¡°We all should have a st.¡± Cornelia noticed that the background wasn¡¯t his residence, ¡°Are you at Abigail¡¯s house? Why isn¡¯t she answering the call? Is she on a blind date?¡± Zack replied, ¡°Blind date? Nah. I¡¯m spending New Year at Abigail¡¯s home tonight. Her folks are whipping up supper for us, and Abigail is lending a hand in the kitchen.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her parents in a while. How are they doing?¡± ¡°They¡¯re doing great.¡± Zack noticed that Abigail had pulled herself together; she had her parents seated at the dining table and gave him a thumbs up. He turned the camera towards the dinner table, ¡°Sweetie, say hi to them.¡± Cornelia sweetly greeted, ¡°Happy New Year!¡± Abigail¡¯s dad responded with a smile, ¡°Nelly, Happy New Year to you too!¡± Abigail¡¯s mom also greeted Cornelia when she saw her on the screen, ¡°Nelly, happy New Year! I heard you¡¯re on a business trip to P City; how are you coping there? If you miss any local delicacies, let me know, and I¡¯ll have Abigail bring them to you.¡± Cornelia politely answered her questions. After Cornelia¡¯s incident, her rtionship with Abigail remained unaffected, and their parents didn¡¯t discourage them from keeping in touch. ¡°Dad, Mom, you guys eat first; we need to discuss some private matters with Cornelia.¡± Abigail took the phone, ¡°Zack, let¡¯s head back to my room.¡± Back in her room, Abigail shut the door. Even though she had regained herposure, her voice wasContent bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. still a bit nasal, ¡°Cornelia, listen, you need to be happier than anyone else!¡± Cornelia sensed her emotions, ¡°Abigail, what¡¯s going on?¡± Zack quickly changed the subject, ¡°Have you been watching any shows in P City?¡± They didn¡¯t continue the discussion, and Cornelia didn¡¯t probe further but followed Zack¡¯s lead and discussed, ¡°Yeah. I just had dinner with colleagues and watched a New Year g. I¡¯m getting ready to hit the sack.¡± Zack asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t it not even 8 p.m. over there? You¡¯re turning in this early?¡± Cornelia exined, ¡°Thepany in P City doesn¡¯t observe holidays; I may have to work with my boss tomorrow. I¡¯m beat today, so I¡¯m thinking of getting an early night.¡± Abigail tried her best to be livelier and more natural, ¡°Nelly, send my regards to President Hartley at your ce. Mention me to him a lot whether you¡¯re busy or not. If he ever gets divorced, I might have a shot.¡± Corneliaughed and replied, ¡°What are you thinking? My boss and his wife are very much in love. His sister just wished for them to have a baby soon. Do you know what he said?¡± Abigail asked, ¡°What did he say?¡± Chapter 392 Chapter 392 Chapter 392 ¡°He said his wife gets to call the shots on whether to have kids or not, and no one can force her. There are still quite a few average Joes out there who insist on having a son, as if there¡¯s a royal throne waiting to be inherited at home. Now, look at the president of the Hartley Group. His family really does have a ton of wealth to be inherited, but what he cares about the most is his wife¡¯s wishes.¡± ¡°Such a rich, good¨Clooking, and faithful man is almost impossible to find these days. His wife must have done something really good in her past life to marry him.¡± Replied Abigail. ¡°So, you can stop dreaming.¡± ¡°But a good man like him is exactly the kind I should hope for.¡± Zack was speechless. Abigail replied, ¡°Zack, if you have something to say, spit it out. Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± ¡°I told you, Marcus is not a good guy, but none of you listened.¡± Zack said. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not gossip about others. Let¡¯s talk about you two. How are things going?¡± As soon as Cornelia brought up their situation, Abigail started to get nervous and started to give the game away. ¡°We¡¯re doing great, just like every other year. We¡¯ve been eating and drinking like kings at home. I bet I¡¯ve gained a few pounds; you better not make fun of me.¡± Watching Abigail¡¯s shifty eyes and stuttering words in the video chat, Cornelia confirmed her earlier suspicion. Something had definitely gone down tonight. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. They were trying so hard to hide it from her, so it must have something to do with her. She was not in Rosenberg now. The only thing that could involve her would be that old business from a few years ago. Even after all these years, it was still the talk of the town, and they never had anything nice to say about her. Cornelia used to care about what people said about her, but not anymore. Their opinions didn¡¯t matter to her. Cornelia thought for a moment and said, ¡°Abby, Zack, if people back home are still talking about me, just ignore them. Those rumors can¡¯t hurt me anymore.¡± Abigail felt even more indignant for her after hearing this, ¡°It¡¯s one thing that they don¡¯t hurt you, but it¡¯s not your fault at all. Who are those gossipmongers to judge you? Who do they think they are?¡± Cornelia really doesn¡¯t care anymore, ¡°We can¡¯t control what others say, so why let it bother us? We should focus on our work, make money, and live our own lives.¡± ¡°Has Jeremy been in touch with you recently?¡± Cornelia felt warm inside at the mention of Jeremy¡¯s name, ¡°Jeremy gave me money tonight. He even transferred all the money he¡¯s made this year to my ount. He said it¡¯s to help me with the renovation, but actually, he just wants me to manage his money.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Asked Abigail. EN ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Although Jeremy and I keep missing each other, we haven¡¯t been able to meet because of work, I can feel that he sincerely wants to share his life with me.¡± Zack said, ¡°Nelly, don¡¯t jump the gun on anything. Don¡¯t invest too much before you actually meet Jeremy. I think you should arrange to meet him when you get back, tell him about your past, and see how he reacts before deciding whether to live with him.¡± Abigail and Zack were over the moon about Cornelia¡¯s happiness, but they had their own worries. They were concemed that the deeper Cornelia¡¯s trust in Jeremy, the greater the hurt if Jeremy chose to leave because of her past incident. Chapter 393 Chapter 393 Chapter 393 Abigail and Zack, who have known Cornelia since they were kids, understood her concerns like the back of their hands. Cornelia chuckled, ¡°Abby, Zack, don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m not the fragile Cornelia I used to be. I know what I¡¯m doing. Jeremy is mywfully wedded husband and I¡¯m his wife. He treats me well, and I want to reciprocate. I¡¯ve made up my mind. When we meet, I will tell him about that incident. If he can¡¯t ept my past and doesn¡¯t want to be with me, I will respect his decision.¡± Zack backed Cornelia, ¡°No matter what, Cornelia, take care of yourself. Don¡¯t let anyone who doesn¡¯t deserve you hurt you.¡± Abigail chimed in, ¡°And remember, Cornelia, you always have us.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Cornelia replied. They chatted a little longer before saying goodbye. Cornelia put her phone down andy on her bed, unable to sleep. She knew what Zack and Abigail were worried about. Because of that incident, she had lost trust in men. She never voiced it, but she was wary of men, especially those smooth talkers. She felt like nothing they said was sincere. As time went by, she met more people, saw more of the world, and understood more. Gradually, she stopped caring about that man from her past. Zack was absolutely right. Don¡¯t let anyone who doesn¡¯t deserve you hurt you. That man was just a blip in her life. They knew each other for less than a year and spent little time together, so why should she let such a minor person change her view of other men? As Cornelia was reminiscing, her phone vibrated with a new WhatsApp message. It was a message from Jeremy, ¡°Are you asleep?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking and can¡¯t sleep.¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°What about?¡± Jeremy asked. Cornelia typed out a long response, wanting to tell him about that incident, but then deleted it all. She figured it was better to tell him face-to-face to see his immediate reaction. If he couldn¡¯t ept her past, she wouldn¡¯t force him to be with her. So she replied, ¡°I got a decent year-end bonus, and our manager even gave us a gift card tonight.¡± ¡°Is that why you can¡¯t sleep?¡± Jeremy replied. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m thrilled. This isn¡¯t just a sry; it¡¯s a gift card, like a surprise from heaven.¡± Fresh out of the shower and only wrapped in a towel, Marcus read the message from Cornelia and seriously considered something. If a gift card could make Cornelia this happy, he should keep giving her gift cards to make her happy every day. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°Just got out of the shower, looking for my pajamas.¡± This meant he might be naked while chatting with her. In Cornelia¡¯s vague memory, Jeremy had a great body. A tempting image of long legs, tan skin, and defined abs involuntarily popped into her head. The image was too provocative. Cornelia immediately shook her head, trying to shake the image out of her mind, but she couldn¡¯t control her thoughts, and more and more images filled her mind. She must have been influenced by Abigail¡¯s constant jokes, so she had so many thoughts from just one casual sentence from Jeremy. Ah, she couldn¡¯t think about it anymore, or she might get a nosebleed. Cornelia hid under the covers and nervously typed, ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep, goodnight!¡± ¡°Goodnight!¡± Replied Jeremy. Even though the message was text, Cornelia felt like she could hear Jeremy¡¯s maic, sensual, and intoxicating voice like aged wine.N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Chapter 394 Cornelia felt like she was losing her marbles! The images in her mind were getting more and more chaotic. If this carried on, she was definitely not catching any Z¡¯s tonight. What could she do? How could she solve this? What on earth should she do? While tossing and turning in bed, Cornelia finally came up with a solution. She frantically opened her music app on her phone and searched for some calming mantras. But despite the mantras ying for a good while, the unwanted images in her mind didn¡¯t decrease one bit. She was definitely not sleeping tonight. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Meanwhile, Marcus couldn¡¯t catch some shut-eye either. After ending his WhatsApp chat with Cornelia, he couldn¡¯t bear to put his phone away. He read through all the messages Cornelia sent him tonight, afraid of missing a single one. The words Cornelia sent seemed to transform into voices. It¡¯s as if she were whispering in his ear. He heard her calling him Jeremy. He heard her saying, ¡°I only have my eyes for my husband.¡± I I He heard her happily sharing her day with him. For a moment, Marcus wished he could burst out of his room and tell her, ¡°Cornelia, your Jeremy is right here. All you need to do is turn around, and you¡¯ll see him.¡± Marcus thought he was just daydreaming, but when he came back to reality, he found himself standing at the door. He touched his forehead and let out a helplessugh. What on earth happened to him? How did he be so unlike himself because of a woman? He just couldn¡¯t figure it out. As Cornelia predicted, the first day of the New Year didn¡¯t escape the clutches of work. She and Ben helped Marcus clean up the mess from the explosion. They were busy as bees for two whole days. On the third day, when there was nothing much to do, Cornelia took a day off with Marcus¡¯s permission. She grabbed her passport and hopped on a ne to Nice the next night. After a one and a half hour flight, she arrived in Nice. Skyler was worried about being spotted by Zavier¡¯s people and didn¡¯t dare pick Cornelia up from the airport personally, so he arranged for a driver in advance. Cornelia, not carrying any luggage, hopped in the pick-up car as soon as she got off the ne and headed to a farm in Nice. The car took almost an hour to reach the destination, and Skyler had been waiting there for Cornelia for quite some time. As soon as the car stopped, Skyler ran over and gave Cornelia a big hug, ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s so good to see you again.¡± Cornelia hugged Skyler tightly, feeling both joyful and sad, ¡°It is!¡± Skyler said, ¡°When I decided to leave Rosenberg, I thought I¡¯d never see you again in this lifetime. I didn¡¯t expect to meet you again so soon.¡± Cornelia held Skyler tight, ¡°This proves that we¡¯re meant to be. Skyler, I¡¯m really happy to see you again.¡± Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Chapter 395 Skyler wiped away her tears and looked up at Cornelia, surprised to find Comelia¡¯s eyes red too, ¡°Comelia, what¡¯s up with you?¡± I¡¯m alright.¡± Comelia reached out her hand, gently pinching Skyler¡¯s face, ¡°Why don¡¯t I feel pain? Am I dreaming?¡± Skyler was amused by her, reaching out to pinch Cornelia¡¯s face, ¡°Dork, does it hurt now?¡± Comelia, ¡°It hurts, so I¡¯m not dreaming today, I really met you.¡± Ever since Skyler left, Comelia had met Skyler more than once in her dreams. Especially in these past few days, since she learned that Skyler had been under the watch of Zavier, she had been dreaming about Skyler a lot. She dreamed of Skyler being taken back to the Capital by Zavier, covered in blood, Zavier breaking Skyler¡¯s leg and asking her if she would still run away. This morning, Comelia was awakened by this nightmare. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s really mel¡± Skyler grabbed Comelia, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s get something to eat first, and tomorrow I¡¯ll take you to see the farm where I work.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± Skyler led Cornelia towards a two-story wooden cabin ahead, ¡°That little cabin is my home now. It¡¯s not big, but it¡¯sfy ¡°As long as you feelfy.¡± Cornelia understood what Skyler meant byfy. Skyler lived in the luxurious mansion of the Rivera family in the Capital, with its fancy decorations and ser vants attending to her, she was leading a wealthy life that others envied. But only Skyler herself knew that such a life was like a canary trapped in a cage, with no freedom to speak of. Skyler tried her best to escape, just to pursue the freedom of her heart. The light in the cabin wasn¡¯t very bright, but it was enough for Cornelia to see Skyler¡¯s face clearly. After more than a month, Skyler looked much better inplexion and spirit. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Skyler introduced, ¡°The cabin is divided into two floors, the ground floor is for living and working, and the upstairs is the bedroom and study. Let me show you around.¡± Cornelia followed Skyler around the cabin. Although it wasn¡¯t very big, it was very clean and warm, much morefortable than her -own home in the Capital. After touring the cabin, Skyler poured Cornelia a cup of tea, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯ve prepared a barbecue for you tonight, we can eat and chat.¡± Comelia said, ¡°Skyler, you don¡¯t have to fuss, 1 just came to see you. It doesn¡¯t matter what we eat.¡± Skyler chuckled, ¡°Alright, actually I just wanted some BBQ. There¡¯s no one to cat with me at the farm, now that I have someone to share it with, how could I miss this opportunity?¡± ¡°Then let me help you prepare.¡± Cornelia was about to stand up, but Skyler pushed her back into her seat, ¡°I¡¯ve already prepared everything. You¡¯vee all this way to see me, how could I ask you to lift a finger?¡± Skyler set up the BBQ first, then lit the charcoal, and brought out two tes of steak from the kitchen, ¡°This beef is from our own farm, I¡¯m not bragging, but it¡¯s definitely yummier than supermarket steak.¡± Looking at the top-notch steak, Cornelia rubbed her hands in excitement, ¡°Looks like I¡¯m in for a feast tonight. But this delicious beef, I¡¯m afraid two pieces might not be enough for me.¡± Skyler,ughing, brought out two more tes ofmb chops from the kitchen, ¡°Besides beef, thismb is also from our own farm¡± Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Chapter 396 Skyler whipped up a feast quicker than she could say ¡®abracadabra¡¯. There was beef andmb, heaps of seafood, and the cherry on top was a scallop the size of her palm. Cornelia joked, ¡°Your farm doesn¡¯t breed scallops, does it?¡± Skyler replied, ¡°No, but we¡¯re close to the sea. If you¡¯re craving fresh seafood, you can just hop in the car and head to the market.¡± Cornelia, a foodie at heart, said, ¡°Skyler, what am I gonna do? You treat me so well, I might just wanna stay here forever.¡± Skylerughed, ¡°If you¡¯ve got time, feel free to hang around for a few days. And when you¡¯re free, you can drop by anytime.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Are you nning to live here long term? Does the farm owner treat you well? Is your sry good? Do you have money to spend?¡± Skyler chuckled, ¡°Cornelia, this farm is actually mine.¡± Cornelia gasped, ¡°Yours?¡± Skyler nodded, ¡°My dad gifted me this farm when I was born. It was managed by a trustpany, so it was off my family¡¯s books. When my family hit the rocks, this farm went unnoticed. Over the years, I¡¯ve had people run it for me. It¡¯s not making me a millionaire, but it¡¯s definitely enough to keep me fed and watered. So, you don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± Cornelia had been worried sick about Skyler running out of money. She¡¯d even set aside some cash for her, but it turned out she was fretting over nothing. Even though Skyler¡¯s family wasn¡¯t what it used to be, she still had a decent chunk of change. What she had was more than she could ever earn in Cornelia¡¯s lifetime. They chatted away as they tucked into their meal. After a while, Skyler finally asked the question she¡¯d been dying to ask but was too afraid to, ¡°Cornelia, did Zavier give you any trouble because you helped me get from the Capital to Riverton and then I vanished without a trace?¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. The mention of Zavier made the juicy steak in Cornelia¡¯s mouth lose its vor, ¡°No, Zavier wouldn¡¯t dare mess with me, not with President Hartley around.¡± Skyler breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± -Cornelia said, ¡°Skyler.¡± Skyler responded, ¡°Hmm?¡± Cornelia continued, ¡°If, I mean just if, Zavier found you, would you¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Skyler turned as pale as a ghost, ¡°Cornelia, does Zavier, know I¡¯m here?¡± ¡°Yes! Zavier knows where you are!¡± Cornelia wanted to spill the beans but couldn¡¯t. Marcus Hartley was right. As long as Skyler didn¡¯t know Zavier had found her, she could live her life free as a bird, just the way she wanted. Skyler had only just managed to get out from under Zavier¡¯s thumb. Cornelia didn¡¯t want her to go back under it, ¡°Skyler, don¡¯t freak out. I was just saying. You¡¯ve got nothing to worry about. Zavier doesn¡¯t have any pull in France. He can¡¯t find you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Skyler took a deep breath, ¡°If he knew where I was, he would have sent someone to drag me back by now. He wouldn¡¯t let me live my life freely.¡± Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Chapter 397 Cornelia said, ¡°Yes, you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°Cornelia,¡± Skyler didn¡¯t want to talk about Zavier anymore, nor did she want to be bothered by him, ¡°How are you and your husband doing?¡± ¡°We¡¯re doing okay,¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°Hold on a sec, I¡¯ve got something for you.¡± Skyler dashed upstairs and came back down holding a mahogany box, ¡°This is for you, Cornelia.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Cornelia asked as she took the box. ¡°Open it and you¡¯ll see.¡± Skyler said. Inside the box was a ruby ne, with a ruby the size of a thumb. As Marcus¡¯s assistant, Cornelia had a knack for distinguishing gems. She immediately recognized the high-quality ruby. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°But this is too much, Skyler. You shouldn¡¯t have.¡± With such precious gift in hand, Cornelia felt uneasy. Skyler had prepared this gift specifically for Cornelia. She may have given up on love, but she still wished for Cornelia to be happy, ¡°It¡¯s not worth much, Cornelia. I want you to have it. So you and your husband can be happy.¡± Touched by Skyler¡¯s sincerity, Cornelia epted the gift, ¡°Thank you, Skyler.¡± ¡°Do you mind if I put it on for you?¡± Skyler asked. ¡°Sure.¡± Cornelia said. The ruby ne looked as if it was custom-made for Cornelia¡¯s delicate neck. ¡°You look stunning, Cornelia,¡± Skyler said, somewhat mesmerized. ¡°It¡¯s the ruby that¡¯s stunning.¡± Cornelia responded. ¡°No, you¡¯re stunning.¡± Skyler insisted. Corneliaughed, ¡°Alright, alright. I¡¯m more stunning than the ruby.¡± ¡°Of course, you are.¡± Skyler chuckled. Seeing Skyler so rxed and happy made Cornelia feel good, but she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Zavier could show up at any moment and ruin everything. ¡°We¡¯re friends, right?¡± Cornelia asked as she hugged Skyler. ¡°Of course.¡± Skyler said. ¡°You have to tell me if you ever leave, okay? No sneaking off.¡± Cornelia said. ¡°I promise.¡± Skyler said. Still worried, Cornelia handed Skyler a bank card, ¡°Here, there¡¯s a hundred grand on this. Use it if you need to, but if not, just hold onto it for me.¡± ¡°Wait, what? Just because I gave you a ne, you¡¯re giving me a hundred grand?¡± Skyler was in shock. ¡°It¡¯s my savings. I don¡¯t want my husband to know about it. Just keep it safe for me.¡± Cornelia said. The money in the bank wasn¡¯t much. Cornelia had loans to pay off, a house to renovate, and her grandmother¡¯s medical bills. This hundred grand was her emergency fund for Skyler. If one day Zavier lost patience and wanted to forcibly take Skyler back, then an unprepared Skyler would find it difficult to escape again. Cornelia must leave an escape route for her. Skyler seemed to understand Cornelia¡¯s intention, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep it safe.¡± The two of them shared a knowing smile. The next morning, Cornelia joined Skyler for a tour of the ranch. It was much bigger than Cornelia had expected. Before she could finish the tour, she got a message from Ben. There was an urgent matter at thepany. She had to buy a morning flight back to Paris. Skyler couldn¡¯t leave the ranch, so she arranged for the driver from the night before to take Cornelia to the airport. She watched as Cornelia left, keeping her eyes on her until she was out of sight. Chapter 398 Chapter 398 Chapter 398 The moment she turned her back, her tears burst out, all the pent-up emotions exploded at that instant. ¡°Skyler.¡± A deep male voice came from behind her as she was crying her heart out. Not long after the driver took Cornelia away from the farm, their path was blocked by a few cars. A man dressed in a ck suit knocked on Cornelia¡¯s window, ¡°Ms. Stewart, my boss would like you to get into that car.¡± The car the bodyguard pointed to was a Rolls-Royce. Not many people in the world could afford such a car. So, even without seeing the person in the car, Cornelia had a fair idea of who it might be. Knowing she couldn¡¯t escape, she walked over and opened the car door, ¡°Mr. Rivera, what¡¯s your game?¡± Zavier¡¯s handsome face appeared before her eyes, he smiled and said, ¡°Rx, Ms. Stewart. You¡¯re Marc¡¯s assistant, I wouldn¡¯t dare mess with you. I¡¯ve admired you for a long time and wanted to invite you to dinner.¡± His words turned Cornelia pale with fear, ¡°Did you bug Skyler¡¯s house?¡± Otherwise, there was no way he could know about her conversation with Skylerst night. This man was terrifying! Zavier didn¡¯t respond to Cornelia¡¯s question, ¡°Ms. Stewart, please get in the car.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°We¡¯re not close, there¡¯s no need for us to have dinner together.¡± Zavier said, ¡°We¡¯re not close? We¡¯ve met a few times outside of work at Marc¡¯s private parties. I know you like the back of my hand, yet you say we¡¯re not close. That hurts my feelings.¡¯¡± Cornelia knew Zavier wouldn¡¯t let her go, but he wouldn¡¯t harm her either. She got into the car, sitting next to Zavier, ¡°Mr. Rivera, spit it out, whatever you want to discuss.¡± Zavier ordered the driver to go. The driver stepped on the gas and the car shot out like an arrow. The speed was so fast that Cornelia had no time to react. She forced herself to stay calm, ¡°Mr. Rivera, where are you taking me?¡± Zavier said, ¡°Somewhere to eat.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything, just waited to see what he would do. The car quickly left the suburbs and headed towards the city. Soon, there were more and more cars on the road, and more and more buildings on the sides. As long as Zavier wasn¡¯t nning to kill her in the wilderness, she had nothing to worry about. The car drove for more than half an hour and finally stopped in front of a luxurious French restaurant. The driver got out of the car and opened the door for Zavier. Zavier got out of the car first, then walked around to the other side and opened the door for Cornelia, ¡°Ms. Stewart, please get out.¡± Cornelia got out of the car and immediately looked around. Zavier said, ¡°I heard you like French food. This is the most famous French restaurant in France, hope you like it.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Mr. Rivera, we¡¯re both smart people, say what you have to say, no need to beat around the bush.¡± Zavier replied, ¡°I just want to invite you to dinner and have a nice chat, what do I need to beat around the bush for?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t respond. She wasn¡¯t a fool, she knew what kind of person Zavier was. How could he possibly invite her, an assistant, to dinner for no reason? Zavier said, ¡°Don¡¯t be mad. Let¡¯s go inside, it¡¯s too cold out here.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I won¡¯t betray Skyler.¡± asked, Zavier asked, ¡°Who¡¯s Skyler?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t respond. She really wanted to cuss him out! Zavier said, ¡°Let¡¯s just enjoy our dinner, don¡¯t mention unimportant people. It would ruin the mood.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t respond.This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Chapter 399 Cornelia could tell Zavier was here because of Skyler, she just didn¡¯t get why he was ying dumb. ¡°Ms. Stewart, if you please.¡± Zavier said politely, but there was no real choice in his tone. With a resigned sigh, Cornelia followed Zavier into the restaurant. Zavier took her coat and hung it up, ¡°Ms. Stewart, I took the liberty to order for you based on your preferences, hope you like it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Mr. Rivera.¡± said Cornelia. Zavier took off his own coat, hung it up and lit a cigarette, ¡°We¡¯re just friends here, no need for formalities, Ms. Stewart. What would you like to drink?¡± Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org. ¡°I don¡¯t want to drink.¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°Are you afraid I¡¯ll get you drunk and do something inappropriate?¡± Zavier asked. ¡°People should not harbor ill intentions, but also should not be without self-protection.¡± Cornelia said. Her answer surprised Zavier and he chuckled, ¡°If I wanted to do something inappropriate, it wouldn¡¯t matter if you were drunk or not.¡± ¡°Mr. Rivera, I know you¡¯re not interested in me. So, stop saying things that make me ufortable.¡± Cornelia said. ¡°Who said I¡¯m not interested in you? I asked you here to tell you that I like you, I want to pursue you, and I hope you¡¯ll ept me.¡± Zavier said. Comelia knew he was trying to make her ufortable, ¡°Mr. Rivera, I¡¯m married. I have a husband whom love very much. Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re a married man too.¡± Zavierughed, ¡°So what if I¡¯m married? How many men stay faithful after marriage? Other men have mistresses, I¡¯m rich and powerful, why can¡¯t I have more women?¡± Cornelia was speechless. What the hell was this guy up to? ¡°Let¡¯s eat. The food¡¯s getting cold.¡± Zavier said. Cornelia was hungry and picked up her fork and knife. But she then stopped, worried that Zavier might have tampered with the food. Zavier saw her hesitation, ¡°Eat up, I wouldn¡¯t do that. I¡¯ll make you like me willingly.¡± Even though Cornelia didn¡¯t think highly of Zavier, she decided to trust him because she trusted Marcus¡¯s judgement. She trusted Marcuspletely, as well as his friends. Zavier was here to cause trouble, not to take Cornelia out for dinner. But not only was she eating, she was enjoying it, which pis sed him off, ¡°You really dare to eat? You really believe that I didn¡¯t drug the food?¡± After swallowing the food in her mouth, Cornelia replied calmly, ¡°I trust President Hartley.¡± Zavier raised his eyebrows, ¡°What does this have to do with him?¡± Cornelia finished her meal and took a sip of her soup, saying seriously, ¡°You¡¯re his friend. If you were the kind of person who would use such tactics to harm an unsuspecting girl, then he wouldn¡¯t be your friend.¡± Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Chapter 400 Zavier was getting more and more pis s ed off, ¡°You seem to trust Marcus a lot. Have you got a crush on him or something?¡± He was always nice to Skyler, but Skyler always managed to dodge him. Comelia, who didn¡¯t even know she was Marcus¡¯s wife, ced a high level of trust in Marcus. He just couldn¡¯t figure that out. Comelia responded simply, ¡°Marcus is my boss. If I don¡¯t trust him, should I trust you instead?¡± Zavier retorted, ¡°You¡¯re dodging the question.¡± Comelia confessed openly, ¡°I do like him! Who wouldn¡¯t like a guy as fantastic as him? But it¡¯s just professional admiration, not love.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have any romantic feelings for Marcus? Zavier wished that what Comelia was saying was true. In their circle of friends, Steven and Lucas had very happy marriages. If Marcus also had a happy marriage, he would be the only one left alone, and that would make him feel pretty c rap. Comelia red at him, ¡°You think I¡¯d meddle in someone else¡¯s rtionship like you?¡± Despite being called out by Comelia, Zavier didn¡¯t care, ¡®Since you don¡¯t have feelings for Marcus, why not choose me? If you choose me, I can give you whatever you want. You wouldn¡¯t need to chase around after Marcus trying to make money anymore.¡± Comelia put down her fork, ¡°I¡¯m done eating.¡± Zavier was surprised, ¡°Why all of a sudden stop eating?¡± Comelia said, ¡°Your words made me lose my appetite. Zavier asked with a smile, ¡®Which words made you lose your appetite?¡± Comelia checked the time, ¡°You invited me to dinner and then kept talking like this. It¡¯s clear you¡¯re not genuinely asking me out. If you have something to say, just spit it out. Also, my flight is about to take off. If I miss it because of you, you¡¯ll have to pay for my change fee.¡± ¡®Wasn¡¯t I clear enough? I think you¡¯re gorgeous, and I want to pursue your Zavier pulled out a bank card, ¡°There¡¯s five million in this card. As long as you agree to be my girlfriend, all this money is yours,This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. enough to change your flight many times.¡± ¡°Who needs your money? Comelia nced at the card he handed over, got up and left immediately. But as she reached the door, she was stopped by Zavier¡¯s bodyguard. Comelia turned around to see Zavier lighting a cigarette with a smile, ¡®Ms. Stewart, you haven¡¯t finished your meal.¡± Meaning if she didn¡¯t finish her meal, he wouldn¡¯t let her leave. Comelia gritted her teeth in anger, ¡°I need to get back to work. President Hartley is waiting for me. If I don¡¯t go back right away, he¡¯ll definitelye looking for me. I don¡¯t think you want to ruin your friendship with him because of me.¡± Zavier chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re so sure Marcus would fall out with me over you?¡± Comelia replied assertively, Tm absolutely certain.¡± Zavier retorted, ¡°You¡¯re just his assistant. Anyone can do your job. Why are you so sure Marcus would protect you?¡± In the past, Comelia wasn¡¯t sure. But after working with Marcus for so long, he had repeatedly shown that he would support her. So Comelia was very confident that Marcus wouldn¡¯t let anyone bully her. She replied with a smile, ¡°Because I¡¯m his assistant, as long as I work at the Hartley Group, he will protect me. If you don¡¯t believe me, f can call him right now in front of you¡± Chapter 401 Chapter 401 Chapter 401 Zavier flicked away the cigarette ash nonchntly, took another puff and said, ¡°You can go now. I¡¯ve already asked someone to invite Skyler for dinner.¡± ¡°Zavier, have you lost your humanity?¡± The mention of Skyler made Cornelia lose her cool, and she mmed her hand on the table, ¡°Even though Skyler left you, she¡¯s still your wife. She carried your child. Why can¡¯t you let her be?¡± Zavier¡¯s eyes darkened, ¡°So you do remember she¡¯s my wife? I thought you¡¯d forgotten. If you know, then why are you meddling in our business?¡± ¡°So, I should just stand by and watch her walk to her death?¡± Cornelia shuddered at the memory of Skyler¡¯s miscarriage, feeling suffocated every time it crossed her mind, ¡°Zavier, have you forgotten what happened on New Year¡¯s Day? Skyler nearly died. Do you want to watch her die before you¡¯ll be satisfied?¡± ¡°Whether she lives or dies, I don¡¯t care. All I know is that she belongs to me and no one else can take her away.¡± Zavier finished off a cigarette in one go, lit another one and started blowing smoke rings. The sight of Skyler lying in a pool of blood on New Year¡¯s Day was something Zavier would never forget. It still ached his heart to think about it and that was why he couldn¡¯t bring himself to approach her easily. What he couldn¡¯t understand was why Skyler had approached him first, why she had forced him to marry her using various tactics. He had gone against his family to marry her, and had invested both money and man-power to help her family get back on their feet. He had always thought that Skyler loved him, never suspecting that she was just using him. Once her goals were achieved and he was of no use to her, she couldn¡¯t wait to leave him. To be able to leave him, she had even cruelly caused their child¡¯s miscarriage. What did she take him for? Was he just a disposable tool to her? If she wouldn¡¯t make life easy for him, then she wouldn¡¯t have it easy for the rest of her life either. He would haunt her like a ghost until death. ¡°You¡­¡± Cornelia had been with Zavier for over an hour now, and he had been chain-smoking the entire time, hardly stopping. Cornelia guessed that he wasn¡¯t as cold-blooded and ruthless as he seemed, and tried to understand what was going on in his mind, ¡°Mr. Rivera, you¡¯re still in love with Skyler, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Love her? What¡¯s there to love about such a heartless woman?¡± Zavier crushed the nearly finished cigarette forcefully, and lit another one, ¡°I¡¯m tormenting her to make her realize that I won¡¯t let go of those who betray me. Even in death, she can only die by my side and belong to me. She can never cut ties with me.¡± Zavier¡¯s feelings for Skyler ran deep, and his words confirmed Cornelia¡¯s suspicions, ¡°Mr. Rivera, as a woman, I should understand a woman¡¯s thoughts better than you do. If you really love Skyler, then you shouldn¡¯t be treating her this way. To love someone, you should respect her first.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I respect her?¡± Cornelia¡¯s words struck a chord in Zavier, and he instinctively expressed his true feelings for Skyler, but he still refused to admit that he loved this woman who just wanted to leave him, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re just Marc¡¯s assistant. Don¡¯t think you know me Cornelia didn¡¯t think highly of herself, ¡°We¡¯re just strangers. I¡¯m not interested in knowing you. I¡¯m talking to you because Skyler is my friend. I want to remind you that your way is wrong.¡± ¡°Is my way wrong? Then Marcus¡¯s way is right?¡± Just as Zavier was about to reveal the real rtionship between Marcus and Comelia, a security guard walked in, ¡°Mr. Rivera, President Hartley is here.¡± Before the guard could finish, Marcus¡¯s tall figure appeared at the door. His usually neat hair was a bit messy, as if he had rushed over. Seeing him, Cornelia felt like she had seen a life savior. Her inner unease immediately eased, and she ran to him, ¡°President Hartley¡±N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Chapter 402 Marcus subconsciously opened his arms and wanted to hug her, but her calling his name pulled his reason back in an instant. He looked at her from top to bottom, ¡°Did he bully you?¡± Comelia shook her head, ¡°Mr. Rivera just invited me to dinner.¡± After confirming that she was all right, Marcus whispered, ¡°Go out and wait for me first.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Okay.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. When Cornelia walked away, the door closed, and the gentle eyes of Marcus became extremely sharp at the moment of looking at Zavier. If eyes could kill people, then Zavier was already the undead under his eyes. ¡°Marc, why are you here?¡± Zavier, like an innocent person, handed a cigarette to Marcus, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you smoking recently. Have you quit?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t answer it in the night of war, ¡°Cornelia doesn¡¯t like me smoking.¡± Zavier sneered, ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know that she is your wife. Does she care if you smoke?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t know, but you do. How dare you stop her.¡± The voice of Marcus suddenly became cold, ¡°Zavier, do you think I really won¡¯t do anything to you?¡± Zavier lit another cigarette, ¡°Why would I think like that?¡± Marcus said coldly, ¡°If you dare to do anything to Cornelia in the future, I will let you know what I could do to you.¡± Zavier shook his head and sighed, ¡°well, I didn¡¯t realized you liked her that much, that you would even for the sake of a woman, turn against me who have been in friendship for more than ten years. If it weren¡¯t for your wife¡¯s meddling, do you think I would have anything to do with her?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t understand love, but he understood the truth of being a man, ¡°Skyler is your wife, but she is bent on running away from you. You don¡¯t look for problems causing by yourself, but you me others. You will only push Skyler further and further.¡± Zavier looked at Marcus and smiled contemptuously, ¡°Oh, a man who has never talked about love and he¡¯s afraid that his wife might recognize him. How could you educate me all high and mighty?¡± Marcus ignored him and turned to leave. ¡°Wait a minute. Zavier took out his mobile phone and sent a document to Marcus, ¡°I¡¯ll give you a gift. Don¡¯t thank me.¡± When he opened the file, it was an audio. He clicked y and soon heard the conversation between Zavier and Cornelia. He heard Zavier say that he wanted to pursue Cornelia, and his whole body was full of rage. He even had the idea of screwing off Zavier¡¯s head. However, when Cornelia refused Zavier with a forceful voice, his rage was instantly smoothed away. Even his anger for Comelia leaving Paris quietlyst night disappeared. Zavier said with a smile, ¡°Cornelia, this girl¡¯s feelings for her husband are quite firm. I tempted her with such a big cake, and she was unmoved.¡± Chapter 403 Chapter 403 Chapter 403 ¡°My wife¡¯s loyalty is our business, not a game for you to y.¡± Marcus was d that Cornelia had firmly rejected Zavier, but he didn¡¯t appreciate Zavier¡¯s mind games. As her husband, the one who promised to be with her for life. He should have unconditional trust and support for Cornelia, no matter what she said or did. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Zavierughed again, ¡°Did I mention you and your wife? I was talking about Cornelia and her husband.¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow, ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± Zavier patted his shoulder, ¡°Marc, let me remind you. Cornelia is loyal to her husband, not to you. To her, you¡¯re just her boss, nothing more.¡± Zavier knew Marcus well, and every word he said hit home. ¡°Mind your own business, I don¡¯t need your concern,¡± With that, Marcus turned to leave, but Zavier¡¯s voice came from behind, ¡°Marc, onest thing, keep your wife out of other people¡¯s affairs, otherwise, next time, I won¡¯t just invite her for dinner.¡± ¡°Are you threatening me?¡± Marcus turned back, sizing up Zavier from head to toe, then smirked, ¡°Zavier, I have a surprise for you too, I think you¡¯ll love it.¡± Zavier had known Marcus for many years and thought he knew him well, but he had a bad feeling about Marcus¡¯s ¡°surprise¡°, ¡°What are you nning to give me?¡± Marcus nced at his watch, ¡°Just wait a bit, you¡¯ll see.¡± ¡°Marc.¡± Zavier said. Marcus waved without turning around, ¡°I¡¯m taking my wife. We¡¯ll catch up another time.¡± Cornelia obediently followed him out of the private room. Seeing Ayden, she naturally walked over to him, ¡°Ayden, you¡¯re here too.¡± Ayden didn¡¯t respond. Cornelia stood by his side. Surrounded by familiar faces, she felt at ease. She kept an eye on the situation in the private room, but the soundproofing was too good. She couldn¡¯t hear Marcus and Zavier¡¯s conversation. Although she only waited for a few minutes, it felt like centuries to Cornelia. When Marcus came out, she hurried to greet him, ¡°President Hartley.¡± Marcus spoke softly, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cornelia followed his pace, ¡°Why are you in Nice?¡± Marcus couldn¡¯t tell her that he came because he was worried about her, ¡°Why can¡¯t I be in Nice?¡± Cornelia was at a loss for words. Marcus continued, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Paris.¡± Comelia said, ¡°Okay¡± The airport wasn¡¯t far away. Cornelia got into the car arranged by Marcus, and they hurried to the airport to take the earliest flight back to Paris. The flight time was over an hour. Cornelia nned to catch up on some sleep, but the thought of Skyler kept her awake. As she tossed and turned in her seat, Marcus¡¯s deep voice came into her ears, ¡°Here, this is for you.¡± Chapter 404 Chapter 404 Chapter 404 Comelia¡¯s eyes popped out when she saw the bank card she gave Skyler in his hand, ¡°How on earth did you get this? Did something happen to Skyler?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve moved Skyler to a safe ce. Zavier won¡¯t be able to find her unless I spill the beans, Marcus said. If Zavier thought he could mess with Cornelia without any bacsh, he had another thinking. ¡°Where did you move her? And why are you giving me the card back? She just settled in Nice and now she has to start all over again. All these costs money. She can¡¯t use her own card, how is she supposed to get by?¡± Cornelia asked, worried sick. Marcus took Comelia¡¯s phone, typed in a new number and handed it back to her, ¡°This is her new contact. Once wend, you can call her.¡± ¡°Did Skyler really manage to shake off Zavier this time? Is she really free?¡± Cornelia asked President Hartley. When he nodded, she heaved a sigh of relief, ¡°Thank you! You¡¯re a good guy!¡± It served the rich and powerful Zavier right to be ditched by his wife. On the other hand, Marcus and his wife were as happy asrks. There was a reason for that. ¡°We¡¯ve got an hour left to fly. Want to take a nap?¡± President Hartley asked. Having pulled an all-nighter chatting with Skyler, Cornelia was dead on her feet. Knowing that Skyler was safe, she could finally breathe easy. As soon as shey down, she was out like a light. The moment she dozed off, the flight attendant started serving meals. Before she reached them, Marcus made a hush sign, not wanting them to wake Cornelia up. Over an hourter, the nended smoothly in Paris. The moment he turned on his phone, he was flooded with missed calls. Zavier¡¯s call came in hot on their heels. ¡°Where did you hide Skyler, Marcus?¡± Zavier practically roared. With a grin, Marcus asked, ¡°Are you satisfied with the surprise I gave you, Zavier?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you where you hid Skyler!¡± Zavier demanded. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to find her.¡± Marcus said. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Tell me where she is, or I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to take Cornelia away. You¡¯ll never be able to find her,¡± Zavier threatened. ¡°Are you threatening me again, Zavier? Are you not satisfied with my surprise?¡± Marcus hung up, then turned to Ayden, who was with him, ¡°You¡¯re going to have your work cut out for you.¡± Ayden understood. Marcus wanted him to keep Cornelia safe. ¡°Roger that.¡± Ayden said. After assigning Ayden to stick with Cornelia, Ayden had always been on his toes, looking out for her. If it weren¡¯t for Marcus¡¯ instructions today, he wouldn¡¯t have let Zavier take Cornelia away. Marcus once told him that his job was to ensure Cornelia¡¯s safety, not to keep tabs on her. Hence, Corn¨¦lia didn¡¯t need to report her movements to him. That was why Marcus only started looking for her when he couldn¡¯t reach her and Ayden. He was worried about her safety. He found out that Cornelia was on a flight from Paris to Nice. Knowing that he couldn¡¯t reach her not because she was in danger, he still felt uneasy and flew to Nice overnight. He knew Cornelia came to visit Skyler. Zavier might worry that Skyler would bolt and take her back early. To spare Cornelia the worry, Marcus started nning how to sneak Skyler out. But what he didn¡¯t expect was that Zavier didn¡¯t go after Skyler, but Cornelia. Zavier was yelling at him on the phone, and Cornelia heard it. Worried, she said, ¡°President Hartley.¡± With a smile, Marcus reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Cornelia. It¡¯s all good.¡± Chapter 405 Chapter 405 Chapter 405 Marcus¡¯forting vibe was like some sort of magic, making her trust him unconditionally, bringing peace to Cornelia¡¯s mind. Cornelia left the airport with him, hopping into a car heading downtown. As the car moved along, she asked again, ¡°You¡¯ve helped Skyler escape from Zavier¡¯s grip, can I still keep in touch with Skyler in the future?¡± ¡°You can get in touch with her however you want, don¡¯t worry about anyone.¡± Marcus replied in a rather straightforward manner. Cornelia knew, Marcus made it sound simple, but the effort he put in was not simple at all. Skyler had been bouncing around a few ces before going to Nice, Zavier still managed to find her in such a short time, which was enough to show Zavier¡¯s abilities. France wasn¡¯t Marcus¡¯ main stomping ground, managing to dodge Zavier¡¯s surveince in such a short time was already quite a feat, yet he pulled it off. Cornelia looked at Marcus, with many words of gratitude she wanted to say but didn¡¯t know how. So she just kept this gratitude in her heart, nning to work even harder in the future to repay him. Marcus caught her nce, turned his head to look at her, ¡°Still worried?¡± ¡°No.¡± Cornelia looked away, staring out the window at the fast-receding view, hoping in her heart that Skyler could finally be truly free this time, never having to hide again. Just as Cornelia was thinking about Skyler, a message from Skyler popped in. It was a long one: ¡°Cornelia, the first time I met you was on November 12thst year, why do I remember it so clearly? Because it was the day before Marcus¡¯ birthday. ¡°Marcus brought you to us. I took one look at you and I liked you, even had the idea of wanting to be friends with you. But I didn¡¯t dare to approach you, I was afraid you¡¯d reject me or wouldn¡¯t like me. ¡°I was afraid you¡¯d think I¡¯m not a good person. I had a lot of fears. I didn¡¯t have the courage to take the first step, and I had to pretend that I didn¡¯t care about you. ¡°I saw Hannah and Rosie taking the initiative to talk to you. Seeing them chatting happily with you, I was jealous. I thought, if only I could talk to you like them. But from that meeting to the next day¡¯s farewell, I did not get to talk to you alone much. ¡°Our second encounter was this New Year¡¯s, that day I learned your flight was dyed due to weather. So I plucked up the courage to invite you to join us at Enchanted Sands for hot springs. That day there was you, Hannah, and Rosie, just us four girls and no men. I was really happy, I felt there was hope in my life again. But this happy time was quickly disrupted by the sudden appearance of Zavier. ¡°When I heard that Zavier and his friends also came to Enchanted Sands, 1 felt an immense pressure, like I couldn¡¯t breathe. A terrifying thought came into my head: if death was the only way to escape Zavier¡¯s harassment, then I was willing to die. ¡°At that time, I was really foolish, not only did I have such a thought, but I also acted on it. I ended the life in my womb myself, I wanted to go to another world with my child and live freely. I initially thought I wouldn¡¯t be afraid of death, however, when I saw the blood uncontrobly flowing from my body and felt my life fading away. I panicked and I was scared.¡±Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 406 Chapter 406 Chapter 406 [There are still so many ces I haven¡¯t been to, so many delicious foods I haven¡¯t tasted, and so many friends I haven¡¯t made. I want to live, I want my life to be meaningful, and I want to spend the rest of my time doing the things I¡¯ve always wanted to do but haven¡¯t yet started. ¡°Cornelia, it was you who pulled me back from the brink of death when I decided to leave this world. It was you who showed me hope again. You whispered in my ear that life only happens once, no do¨C overs. If you lose it, that¡¯s it, it¡¯s game over. ¡°I¡¯m grateful you saved me, thankful that you¡¯ve given me a chance to keep exploring the world. As for escaping from Zavier, I¡¯ve been ready for him to find me. I know that as long as he wants to, he¡¯ll find me, it¡¯s just a matter of time. ¡°When I first ran away, I was terrified of being found by him, taken back, or facing those faces in the Rivera family that I didn¡¯t want to see. I was afraid of living a life without freedom, controlled by others. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. ¡°But after chatting with youst night, I¡¯ve realized that true freedorn doesn¡¯te from where you live, but from within. What sets me free is not the ce, but my heart. I used to be miserable because I cared too much about too many people and things. I was too concerned about how others perceived me. I was afraid to hear those harsh words, felt like everyone was giving me the side¨Ceye. I always thought people were gossiping behind my back. When I stopped caring about all that and no longer hurt by those harsh words, I suddenly realized the huge rock pressing on my heart was gone and I could see a brighter future. ¡°Cornelia, life is beautiful! Being able to not give a damn about what others think, living your life freely. It¡¯s just wonderful! I hope you, like me, can live freely.¡± Skyler¡¯s words deeply touched Cornelia, because they shared simr experiences. With teary eyes, Cornelia replied to Skyler: [Yes, live well and anything is possible. Don¡¯t care about what others think. As long as you¡¯refortable, that¡¯s what matters.] Comelia was once a victim, worrying about others¡® harsh words and losing her stable home. Clearly, she was not at fault, the real culprits were the ones who wronged her, ndered her, and spread rumors without knowing the truth. Why should the victims.bear all the pain? Luckily, both she and Skyler had made it through and could now hold their heads high and do what they want to do, without being influenced by anyone else. ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Marcus¡¯s voice echoed in her ear again, deep and powerful, with a hint of concern that Cornelia hardly noticed Cornelia sniffled, ¡°I got a message from Skyler, and it made me really happy.¡± Marcus said, ¡°If you¡¯re happy, why are you crying?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, have you never experienced a moment so happy that it brings you to tears?¡± Marcus said, ¡°No.¡± Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Chapter 407 Cornelia was at a loss for words. Marcus went on, ¡°At least, I haven¡¯t encountered such a thing up to now.¡± Cornelia could understand. After all, he was born into a wealthy family, with more dough than he could ever spend. He was able to do whatever he fancied. It¡¯d be hard for anything to rain on his parade. The matter with Skyler was temporarily put to bed. In the following days, Cornelia threw herself into work. She was swamped, barely even having time to catch some sleep, let alone chat with Jeremy. In a blink of an eye, a month had passed and spring was around the corner. All their work in Paris was done and dusted, and the team was gearing up to head back to Riverton. Cornelia was on the ball for booking the return flights and opted for a red¨Ceye. The non¨Cstop flight from Paris to Riverton was a twelve¨Chour haul. Landing around 6 in the evening local time, she could grab a bite with the long¨Cunseen Zack and Abigail. Before the ne took off, Cornelia shot Jeremy a message: [Jeremy, I¡¯m heading back tonight. You in Riverton now?] The message sent, and Cornelia checked the clock. It was a little past eleven at night in Paris, which made it early morning back home. Jeremy should¡¯ve been out cold, likely wouldn¡¯t reply. But the next second, the man who should¡¯ve been in dreand got back to her: [Safe travels!] Cornelia asked: [Are you still up, or did you wake up already?] Jeremy replied: [I¡¯m still up.] Cornelia said: [Are you burning the midnight oil because of work? Or is there another reason you¡¯re up? Whatever the reason, you shouldn¡¯t pull an all¨Cnighter. It¡¯s no good for you.] She keyed in a mouthful, oblivious to Marcus who was right next to her, simply because she was too engrossed in her chat with Jeremy. When she hit send, Marcus couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. On the screen, Jeremy replied: [It¡¯s not bedtime for me yet.] Even though she wasn¡¯t face¨Cto¨Cface with Jeremy, Cornelia was so embarrassed that she could feel her face heat up. Jeremy had told her he sometimes had to travel overseas for work, which would result in a time difference. She hadn¡¯t asked him where he was, but bbered away. He must think she was a nag. Cornelia rubbed her face, then asked: [So when are you getting back to Riverton?] ¡°I¡¯m heading back to Riverton with you.¡± Marcus wanted to say, but he held his tongue. When he¡¯d return to Riverton depended on when he¡¯d pluck up the courage toe clean about his identity. But when he¡¯de clean also depended on when she¡¯d warm up to his identity as Marcus. So he couldn¡¯t give her a definite answer, only replying: [I¡¯ve been up to my ears in work recently, so I probably won¡¯t be back anytime soon.] Cornelia said: [Oh] Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Marcus heard her disappointed ¡°Oh¡± and saw bright eyes dim significantly first. Only after a few seconds did he see her message. She said: [I just want to see you as soon as possible. We¡¯re legally married, but it feels like we¡¯re dating online. The two times we met, you were sober, but I couldn¡¯t recognize you. I didn¡¯t even get a good look at your face. In fact, I¡¯ve only seen you once on our wedding day. It¡¯s been so long that I can¡¯t remember how you look.] Marcus knew she didn¡¯t remember his face, just like how he couldn¡¯t recognize her as his wife initially. He replied: [Do you have any impression of what I look like?] Cornelia answered: [I remember you being tall and handsome. How about sending me a picture?] Marcus¡¯s fingers froze for a moment. He thought for a bit beforeing up with an excuse: [I don¡¯t look good in photos, so I don¡¯t have many pictures.¡± Cornelia said: [It¡¯s alright. Just snap a random selfie. You can use a beauty filter if you want.] Chapter 408 Chapter 408 Chapter 408 She threw out such a simple request. If he would reject her, would that make her suspicious? Marcus was caught in a pickle. Just then, the airne¡¯s inte announced that they were about to take off and requested everyone to switch their phones to airne mode or turn them off. Immediately, Cornelia shot Jeremy a text: [Gonna take off soon.] Then, she fired off a message in the group chat with the three of them: [Zack, Abby, I¡¯m flying home tonight. Leaves at midnight and I should touch down around 6pm Riverton time.] Having quickly fired off her messages, Cornelia switched her phone to airne mode. She lifted her gaze only to collide with Marcus¡¯s deep,plex eyes. He was staring at her, unblinkingly. Cornelia touched her face, ¡°Is there something on my face?¡± Marcus coughed lightly, ¡°You seemed pretty engrossed in your chat. Who are you chatting with?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°With Jeremy.¡± Marcus, trying to hide his difort, casually asked, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Cornelia gave an awkwardugh, ¡°That¡¯s a private matter between my husband and me.¡± Marcus stayed silent. She was having a chat with him but now made him feel like aplete outsider. It didn¡¯t sit well with him. Twelve hours of flight time. It was a long, and Cornelia felt every inch of her body ache from sleeping. But from another perspective, it wasn¡¯t that long, as she just take a nap, and when Comelia woke up, the ne was about tond. The moment the nended and Cornelia turned on her phone, she received messages from the three¨Cperson group. Zack and Abigail were saying they were nning to pick her up at the airport and go out for dinner. As Cornelia was about to reply, Marcus stopped her, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯reing with me to a partyter.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Cornelia immediately called Zack, telling them not to pick her up from the airport as she was going to a party with Marcus. Zack was a bit miffed, ¡°You guys have been out on this trip for so long. Now that you¡¯re finally done, he¡¯s still clinging to you.¡± Abigail added, ¡°He is weird. He¡¯s got a wife waiting for him at home, but he keeps you, his assistant, by his side. It¡¯s hard not to overthink.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink. It¡¯s just work.¡± Zack asked, ¡°Can you give us a definite time? When can we see you?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Once I finish today¡¯s work, I should be home tomorrow.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Zack said, ¡°If Marcus still doesn¡¯t let you go tomorrow, I¡¯m going to give him a piece of my mind.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°Even if you really want to give him a piece of your mind, you might get nabbed by his people before you even get close to him.¡± Zack asked, ¡°Does Marcus have a lot of bodyguards?¡± Comelia didn¡¯t answer. Marcus wasn¡¯t like other bigwigs who always had a group of ck¨Cd bodyguards following them. But Cornelia felt that, even if they weren¡¯t visible, there were definitely a lot of people like Ayden lurking in the shadows. Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Chapter 409 Sure, Cornelia would never spill the beans to anyone not rted to Marcus, so she didn¡¯t answer Zack¡¯s question. Zack got it, no more questions asked. He just switched the topic right away, ¡°Nelly, where¡¯s the party at? How about me and Abby wait for you and give you a ride home? We don¡¯t want to wait till tomorrow.¡± N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Comelia replied, ¡°He didn¡¯t give any specifics, and didn¡¯t say where we¡¯re going. I have no idea how long it¡¯ll take. You and Abby don¡¯t have to wait. I¡¯ll grab a cab when I¡¯m done.¡± Zack got more and more steamed up, ¡°Paris to Riverton is a twelve¨Chour flight, anyone would be beat. No rest after the flight, just straight to work, Marcus is heartless.¡± ¡°Zack, stop it, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to hear any more trash talk about Marcus, so she ended the call quickly. She put away her phone and almost bumped into Marcus as she turned around, thankfully she steadied herself in time, ¡°President Hartley, sorry, didn¡¯t see you there.¡± Cornelia was on her phone as soon as theynded. Marcus saw her engrossed in her phone, oblivious to her surroundings. He worried she might bump into someone, so he walked on her outside, careful to protect her. Little did he know he¡¯d overhear her friend.ining about him, ¡°Your friend got beef with me?¡± Cornelia got the fright of her life, and quickly shook her head, ¡°No, President Hartley, don¡¯t sweat it.¡± Marcus grumbled, ¡°I¡¯m not deaf.¡± Corneliaughed awkwardly, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. Zack¡¯s just looking out for me. He¡¯s always like that, doesn¡¯t matter who it is.¡± ¡°Does he like you?¡± Marcus had had this question in his mind for a while. He knew Cornelia didn¡¯t have romantic feelings for Zack, but he thought Zack might have a crush on her because she was so awesome. ¡°Of course he likes me.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t pick up on the jealousy in Marcus¡® voice and said excitedly. ¡°We three grew up together, went to elementary school, high school, even got into University of Riverton. We rented a house after graduation. Never split up all these years, we must all like each other. Otherwise how could we have lived together for so long?¡± Marcus was ticked off by her words and walked off, ¡°I had someone get our luggage, just follow me.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Cornelia followed Marcus out of the VIP channel to his personal ride, a Rolls¨CRoyce. She ran a few steps forward to open the car door for him, blocking the top of the door with her hand, very professional, ¡°President Hartley, your ride is here.¡± Marcus wanted to let her get in first to sit in the back with him. But he knew she would refuse, so he just got in. After Marcus got in, Cornelia took the passenger seat. The driver was Austin, an old acquaintance of Cornelia¡¯s. ¡°Austin, long time no see, how¡¯s everything?¡± Cornelia asked. Austin replied, ¡°Not so good.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Austin started to vent, ¡°After Marc left for his business trip, no one¡¯s been riding in my car. During the time you guys were away, I had nothing to do and was bored out of my mind.¡± Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Chapter 410 Comelia chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re just too used to being busy. You should spend more time with your farmily when you¡¯re free, like ying with your grandson. It¡¯s quite a treat¡± ¡°My little grandson doesn¡¯t really fancy me. He doesn¡¯t even let me hold him when I¡¯m home.¡± Austin said before abruptly asking, ¡°When are you nning to have kids?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°My husband and I aren¡¯t in a rush.¡± Austin sighed, ¡°Young folks these days are all about work, no hurry to have kids. As someone who¡¯s been there, I think, sooner orter you¡¯ll have kids. So why not sooner?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Not wanting to argue with the old man, Comelia just offered a polite smile and said, ¡°You have a point.¡± In the middle of their conversation, they drove into a familiar neighborhood. This was the way to Marcus¡¯s Celestial Chateau. ¡°President Hartley, are we heading to your ce?¡± she asked. She had been chatting with Austin the whole ride, as if Marcus in the backseat was invisible. Only now did she finally notice him, and Marcus grunted in displeasure. Comelia had no idea why Marcus was suddenly upset, but she knew better than to provoke him at this moment. She guessed he was probably going home to change before heading out again. As his assistant, she had to apany him. About half an hourter, they arrived at the Celestial Chateau. Patricia was already waiting by the gate. Seeing Cornelia getting out of the car, she rushed over and looked her up and down, ¡°Nelly. you¡¯re finally back. You must¡¯ve had a tough time working in Paris. You¡¯ve lost weight. You must eat well tonight.¡± Cornelia gave an apologetic smile, ¡°Patricia, I¡¯m just here to apany President Hartley to change his clothes. We¡¯ll be leaving again. soon, so I might not get a chance to taste your cooking.¡± ¡°You¡¯re leaving again?¡± Patricia looked at Marcus, her disappointment almost bringing her to tears, ¡°Marc, I thought you saw my message and brought Nelly back to have the mea! I prepared. Guess I was wrong.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything. He took a phone call in front of them. After a brief exchange, he hung up and said to Cornelia, ¡°The gathering tonight¡¯s been called off. Stay for dinner.¡± Patricia immediately grabbed Cornelia, holding on tightly as if afraid she¡¯d leave the moment she let go, ¡°Nelly, Marc said there¡¯s no work tonight. Stay and try the Rosenberg dish I made.¡± Ever since Patricia found out Cornelia was Marcus¡® wife and thedy of the house, she couldn¡¯t have been happier. She¡¯d been trying to figure out how to please Cornelia every day. While they were both working in Paris, Patricia even learned to cook dishes from Cornelia¡¯s hometown. When they finally returned, Patricia couldn¡¯t wait to show off her cooking skills. She was over the moon when she received a message. from Marcus this morning saying he and Cornelia wereing home. For Patricia, this was great news. Marcus mentioned he was bringing Cornelia home, asked Patricia to prepare Cornelia¡¯s room. He even instructed her to have the chef cook some of Cornelia¡¯s favorite hometown dishes. All these preparations were made by Marcus to wee Cornelia home, and Patricia was just carrying them out. Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Chapter 411 Patricia, the housekeeper, had been itching for Marcus to bring ady home. She thought ady would definitely warm up the seemingly chilly house and took away Marcus¡¯s loneliness. Hopefully, thedy could thaw Marcus¡¯s heart, help him forget the bad memories, and get over his childhood trauma. Tonight, Cornelia didn¡¯t have any work to do and was nning to grab dinner with Zack and Abigail. But Patricia¡¯s enthusiasm made her feel bad about turning down the dinner invitation. Cornelia said, ¡°Patricia, I eat a lot. I¡¯m afraid you might not have enough food for me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made plenty, it will be enough.¡± Patricia said passionately, leading Cornelia to the dining room, ¡°Nelly, I¡¯m really happy you could make it.¡± Patricia was always nice to Cornelia, but today she was over the top. Cornelia was a little overwhelmed. She nced at Marcus, hearing him say, ¡°Patricia really likes you.¡± Patricia continued, ¡®Nelly, I really like you. I hope you like me too.¡± Cornelia was always bad at rejecting people¡¯s kindness, ¡°Patricia, I like you too.¡± Patricia then turned to Marcus, ¡°Marc, I really like Nelly. If you¡¯re okay with it, and Nelly is okay with it, I¡¯d like to invite her over for meals regrly.¡± Marcus turned to Cornelia, ¡°Patricia really likes you, and she talks about you all the time. If you have some free time,e over and chat with her.¡±Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. When the boss himself extended an invitation, how could Cornelia say no? She couldn¡¯t! Even if Marcus hadn¡¯t invited her, Cornelia was willing to spend time with Patricia. Cornelia never met her mom and she guessed Patricia could be around her mom¡¯s age. The first time she met Patricia, it felt like seeing her mother. Would her mother, if she hadn¡¯t left, cook a full table of food waiting for her toe home, like Patricia? Cornelia didn¡¯t want to think too much, as overthinking could lead to disappointments. When she was a kid, not mature enough, she med her mother. med her for leaving her father, her as a baby, and their home.. But then, after some things happened, she stopped ming her mom. She didn¡¯t know what her mom went through and why she left. She had no right to me her. She wasn¡¯t in a position to judge people¡¯s actions without experiencing their pain. Soon, Patricia served the dishes, all familiar to Cornelia¡¯s hometown. But none of Marcus¡¯s favorite. Seemed like all the dishes were prepared for her. Cornelia had been in Paris for over a month. She was already sick of the local food and missed her hometown¡¯s cuisine. Now that the food was right in front of her, she dived right in. Patricia served her a bowl of soup, ¡°Nelly, eat slowly, don¡¯t choke.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Patricia, did you learn to cook my hometown dishes? They are delicious.¡± Patricia happily replied, ¡°As long as you like them. I was worried they might not be good enough.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I love them.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t just say it; she showed it. Marcus didn¡¯t eat much, and most of the food was eaten by her. After stuffing herself, it was almost 10 pm. Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, Patricia, thank you for your hospitality. I should head home now.¡± Before Marcus could respond, Patricia cut in, ¡°Nelly, it¡¯ste and not convenient to get a cab. Austin can¡¯t drive at night due to his poor vision. Your room is upstairs, I¡¯ve cleaned it up for you. There are fresh clothes for you to change into. You can stay here tonight.¡± Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Chapter 412 Honestly, Comelia wasn¡¯t keen on staying at Marcus¡¯s ce. Even though Marcus had told her many times to make herself at home, it was just not the same as being in her own crib, ¡°My friends are waiting for me back home, Patricia.¡± Checking the time, Marcus said, ¡°Just crash here for the night. Get some rest ande with me to discuss an important project tomorrow.¡± With that said, Comelia had no choice but to stay. After freshening up, she texted Jeremy from bed: [Jeremy, I¡¯ve made it to Riverton.] After sending the message, she waited for a reply. When none came, she felt a bit down. Most of the time, she was the one reaching out to Jeremy, who hardly ever initiated any conversations. He knew she wasing back to Riverton today but didn¡¯t even bother to check if she had arrived safely. Tossing and turning in bed, she felt tired but suddenly, very thirsty. She got out of bed and went downstairs to get a drink. To her surprise, there was someone sitting quietly in the living room. The lights were off, but with the help of the stairway light, she recognized Marcus sitting in the dark. He sat there like a statue, his eyes empty behind his silver¨Cframed sses, as if he was soulless. It was heartbreaking. She walked up to him and gently called, ¡°President Hartley.¡± There was no response. She called again, but still no answer. It was as if he was lost in another world. ¡°Are you okay?¡± She asked, tapping him lightly on the shoulder. Like a startled beast, he grabbed her arm and twisted it behind her. ¡°It¡¯s me! Ouch!¡± She said quickly. He was usually so genteel with his sses on, but he was surprisingly strong. Cornelia felt like her arm was about to break. Hearing her voice and recognizing her face, Marcus¡¯s eyes cleared up a bit, ¡°Cornelia?¡± Tears streaming down her face, Cornelia nodded, ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s me. Could you please let go of my arm? I think you¡¯re breaking it.¡± He didn¡¯t release her, but he loosened his grip and checked her arm, ¡°Did I hurt you?¡± She moved her arm around. It seemed okay. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cornelia. I didn¡¯t mean to hurt you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± ¡°I was thirsty and came downstairs for water.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± He turned his gaze back to the window. Cornelia wanted to sit and chat with him for a bit but thought better of it. She went to the bar to get some water, nning to sneak back upstairs. But then, a low, somewhat mncholic voice came from behind her, ¡°Cornelia, would you sit with me for a while?¡± Chapter 413 Chapter 413 Chapter 413 This wasn¡¯t the first time Comelia had seen Marcus like this. After that Courtney got to him once, he had been a mess ever since. Did Courtney do something to him again? Comelia rubbed her arm, almost twisted off by Marcus. She then poured him a ss of water, and sat a good couple of seats away from him. Marcus wasn¡¯t talking, and Cornelia didn¡¯t know what to say. She just kept hispany, silently, looking out the window with him. It was a fine day in Riverton. Looking out the living room window, she could see a crescent moon in the sky. The moonlight filtered through the window, casting a soft glow on them, like a hazy oil painting. Cornelia turned to look at Marcus. The man was a knockout, no rnatter the angle. High nose bridge, long eyshes, and those lips¡­. She had to admit, Marcus was a godsend, with his looks, his physique and his charisma. She couldn¡¯t help but stare. It brought back memories of her wedding with Jererny at the city hall two years ago. In her mind, Jeremy¡¯s face was somewhat simr to Marcus¡°. The thought startled her. Was she seeing simrities because she spent so much time with Marcus and he was so good to her? The idea was terrifying. She quickly squashed it, forcing herself not to think nonsense. After what felt like an eternity, she was about to drift off to sleep. But Marcus was still sitting there motionless, looking out the window. Several times she wanted to ask him what happened, but seeing his face, she couldn¡¯t muster the words. Maybe just being there for him was the bestfort she could give. Time ticked away, into the wee hours. Finally, Marcus¡¯s deep voice echoed in her ears, Cornelia.¡± She sat upright immediately, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m here, what¡¯s up?¡± He stopped gazing into the distance, slowly turned to look at her, ¡°I really want to spend the rest of my life with my wife, and I care about how she sees me, you know?¡± Did she stare at him too much and he misinterpreted it as her having feelings for him? She didn¡¯t want to lose her job over a misunderstanding. She blurted out, ¡°I know how much you love your wife. I sincerely wish you two harmony forever, till death do you part!¡± Her eagerness to express her feelings only deepened his confusion. He insisted, ¡°You do know!¡± Something was off about the way he was looking at her, and his tone. If he fired her, how would she pay her mortgage? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. The thought of almost twenty grand a month made her panic, ¡°I only love my husband Jeremy. I don¡¯t have any inappropriate thoughts about you, please don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± ¡°You have no inappropriate thoughts about me?¡± He stared at her, his gaze cold and oppressive, ¡°So many women are after the identity I have and want to be my wife. Why not you? Do you think I¡¯m not good enough for you?¡± Even a slight hint of inappropriate thoughts would give him hope, but her eyes told him she had none, not a trace. Almost a year together, he knew better than anyone. Her feelings towards him was nothing more than respect from a subordinate to a boss. If anything more, it would be fear. Yes, fear. He saw it in her eyes. She was scared of him. Chapter 414 Chapter 414 Chapter 414 He was herwful husband, but she didn¡¯t dig him. She was actually kinda scared of him. The discovery pissed Marcus off, but mostly, he just felt helpless. What on earth could he do to make her like him, even just a tiny bit? The way he looked at her freaked her out, like he was about to eat her alive. Cornelia was on the verge of tears, ¡°What can I do to make you trust me? If you don¡¯t trust me, I can swear to God. I don¡¯t have any inappropriate thoughts about you.¡± Before Cornelia could finish her vow, Marcus coldly cut her off, ¡°Did I say I don¡¯t trust you? Don¡¯t swear willy¨Cnilly.¡± If he did trust her, why was he still giving her those fierce looks? For a moment, she really thought he might eat her alive. Her fearful gaze was like a needle piercing his heart, a feeling he had never experienced before. Marcus averted his eyes, looking out the window again. The crescent moon was obscured by dark clouds, mirroring his mood, ¡°You should rest.¡± Comelia wanted to leave at once, but she was so scared her legs had turned to jelly and she couldn¡¯t stand up. She anxiously asked herself, what should she do? If she didn¡¯t get out of there, he might get angry again and she could be in real danger. Marcus was looking out the window, but out of the corner of his eye, he kept an eye on Cornelia. Seeing she hadn¡¯t left immediately, he thought she might want to stay with him a while longer.Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. This assumption eased Marcus¡¯s mood, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to leave, you can stay with me a bit longer.¡± Cornelia was dumbstruck. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to leave, but she was too scared to move. But since he had misunderstood, what could she say? If she said she was too frightened to move, he might get angry. They sat in silence for a long time before Marcus spoke again, ¡°Cornelia, let¡¯s talk about Jeremy.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to discuss her personal matters with Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you want to talk about your husband?¡± Cornelia hesitated, ¡°What do you want to talk about him?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Just tell me your opinion of him.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Jeremy is a good person.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Can you borate on how he¡¯s good?¡± Chapter 415 Chapter 415 Chapter 415 No one asked Comelia this question before. Comelia really didn¡¯t think about the specific advantages of Jeremy. At this time, she seriously thought about it and still didn¡¯t think about the specific advantages of Jeremy. ¡°Why? You can¡¯t even tell your husband¡¯s good points?¡± Marcus lit a cigarette, but he hadn¡¯t smoked it yet, and he pressed it out in the ashtray. He was always telling himself not to smoke in front of Cornelia and not to leave a bad impression on her. Cornelia was a little ufortable listening to the questioning tone of Marcus. She said, ¡°I don¡¯t know how Jeremy treats people. outside, but he gives me a good feeling and makes me think he should be a good husband.¡± He never gave her anything. When she needed help most, he asked herwyer to divorce her. But she still trusted Jeremy so much. Just because Jeremy was her registered husband, she thought he was so good without principle, and it was not worth fighting for this little fool all night. ¡°At the beginning, he mistook others for you and even thought you were with another man rolling sheets. He didn¡¯t give you a chance to exin, and let the lawyer find you a divorce. Now that you don¡¯t even remember what he looks like, are you so sure that he will be a good husband? ¡°Marcus said. Why was Marcus so clear about what happened between her and Jeremy? Cornelia mistakenly thought that Jeremy told everything between them to Marcus, and her face suddenly sank, ¡°President Marcus, you and Jeremy have been friends for many years, and you should know him better than I do.¡± ¡°It is true that I know him better than you do. You probably don¡¯t know what kind of family he has.¡± Without giving Cornelia a chance to speak, Marcus went on to tell the whole story about what he cared about, ¡°His parents betrayed their marriage, and both of them. cheated on each other and had children during their marriage. The blood of the unfaithful couple flowed in his body. Maybe one day the dirty blood in his body is awakened. He will betray your marriage, and he will cheat.¡± Cornelia became more and more angry. Before Marcus finished, she interrupted him angrily, ¡°Marcus, Jeremy is your friend. Why do you nder your friend like this?¡± ¡°You protect him? But is he worthy of your protection?¡± Marcusughed coldly, ¡°Jeremy is clearly at home now, but he doesn¡¯t even have the courage to meet you. Do you really think such a timid man is worth spending the rest of your life with him?¡± Cornelia¡¯s eyes were red with anger. She grabbed the ss of water he didn¡¯t drink and threw it in his face, ¡°It was Jeremy who registered to get married with me, not his parents. Jeremy is an independent individual. He has his own thoughts. Does his parents¡® infidelity have anything to do with him? And he is my husband, this is my private matter and has nothing to do with you. ¡°Please don¡¯t mind our business in the future. If you dare to denigrate Jeremy again in the future, I will definitely make you prostrate.¡± Leaving the malicious words behind, Cornelia raised her head and straightened her chest. She then turned to leave, without looking at Marcus. The cold liquid slipped from the face of Marcus, rolled between his neck and soaked his shirt. He tugged at the neckline and tore off two buttons on his shirt, which fell to the solid ground and made a crisp sound. This sound, together with the ss of water that Cornelia spilled, made him awake a lot. Cornelia was right. Parents and he, they were independent individuals. Why should he worry that Cornelia won¡¯t ept him for this reason? Thinking of Cornelia¡¯s anger at protecting Jeremy without principle, the gloom in his heart gradually vanished. He shook his head andughed. Thisughter was very pleasant to hear in a low voice, but it was like a demon¡¯s roar in Cornelia¡¯s ear when she just spilled a ss of water with anger, which made her tremble with fear. It was not enough for Cornelia to go back to her room and lock the door. She also pulled all the movable items in the room and blocked them at the door. She didn¡¯t have enough time to run for her life until Marcus wanted to do something to her. It was true that impulse was the devil. Now calm down, she especially regretted. If he wanted to speak ill of Jeremy in the middle of the night, let him say it. Anyway, Jeremy couldn¡¯t hear it, and there wouldn¡¯t be a piece of meat. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. However, she was in his house now, which had angered him. It was still a trivial matter that he dismissed her and made her have no money to repay the mortgage. If he wanted to kill someone, she would only die. Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Chapter 416 Comelia was stered against the door, holding her breath and listening to the sounds outside. She faintly heard Marcus¡¯s footsteps going upstairs. He probably went straight to the third floor, without stopping on the second He wouldn¡¯t give her any trouble, would he? Comelia wasn¡¯t sure. She stuck to the door and listened for a good while. Not hearing any unusual sounds, she finally rxed. She clutched her chest and returned to the bed, immediately picking up her phone. So much time had passed, and Jeremy still hadn¡¯t replied to her messages. She thought he must be busy working and didn¡¯t have time for her, so she quickly typed a string of words: [Jeremy, can you not tell Marcus everything between us? Why do you even have to tell him about our past misunderstandings and how I can¡¯t remember what you look like? I know you guys are tight and you totally trust your buddy, but I think there should be some personal space, you know? Don¡¯t justy everything out there for people to judge.] Comelia wanted to tell Jeremy straight up, that his trusted friend had been badmouthing him to his wife. But thinking of Marcus kindness to her, she decided not to write him off just because of one mistake. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She sent the long message. This time Jeremy replied quickly: [Cornelia, I¡¯ll be back in Riverton soon. Let¡¯s meet up.] Comelia wanted to see him as soon as possible, but she didn¡¯t want him to dodge her questions: [Did you read what I just typed? Read it, then talk to me.] Jeremy: [I can¡¯t guarantee that.] Comelia: What do you mean you can¡¯t guarantee? Is it that hard for you not to tell him about us?] Jeremy: [Even if I don¡¯t tell him, he¡¯ll know.] Cornelia immediately thought of a possibility: [Is he spying on you? Why would he spy on you? Do you owe him a lot of money? How much do you owe him? If possible, let¡¯s figure out a way to pay him back together.] Jeremy: [I don¡¯t owe him money.] Cornelia: [Then what do you owe him? Why does he monitor your every move? You need to tell me what¡¯s going on.] Jeremy: [He¡¯s not spying on me.] Cornelia: [Then why would he know about us even if you don¡¯t tell him? Do you two have some kind of psychic connection or something?] Jeremy: [Cornelia.] He called her name, and Cornelia immediately responded: [Hmm?] He said again: [Let¡¯s not talk about him right Chapter 417 Chapter 417 Chapter 417 Jeremy wasn¡¯t willing to exin to her for a reason. Cornelia was okay waiting until he was ready to talk: [When are youing back to Riverton?] Jeremy: [Not sure about the exact date, but it should be in the next few days.] Cornelia: [My boss and I just got back to Riverton and our schedule is packed. We¡¯re busy tillte night every day, so I might not have time to see you these days. He doesn¡¯t have anything nned next weekend, so I should be free. If you are in Riverton then, shall we meet up next weekend?] Jeremy answered: [Sure!] Cornelia added: (Jeremy, I have something to tell you.] Jeremy: [Go ahead.] [The future life is to be spent with you, your parents¡® infidelity is their issue. It has nothing to do with you. As long as you are faithful to our marriage, I am willing to spend the rest of my life with you.] After typing these words, Cornelia felt something was off. Jeremy didn¡¯t know that she knew about his parents, bringing it up would only make him feel awkward. So, she deleted some words: [Jeremy, I just want to tell you, as long as you are faithful to our marriage. No matter what happens in the future, I am willing to stick with you.] No matter what happened in the future, she was willing to stick with him. Seeing this sentence, Marcus remembered what she said to him not long ago, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, you have me.¡± She always touched his soft spot with a tender and firm approach, as if infusing warmth into his heart. She was making him feel a warmth he never had before, and letting him know that not everything has to be borne by him alone. There was someone willing to face the storm with him. Marcus slowly raised his hand to cover his chest, he could feel his heart beating fast at this moment, as if it was about to jump out of his mouth. He had never experienced such a feeling, he was a bit panicked at first. But soon only a warm and sweet feeling was left, just like a warm spring. He said: [I understand.] Cornelia: [Good night!] Jeremy: [Good night!] After ending the conversation with Jeremy, Cornelia fell asleep immediately. But in the bedroom on the third floor, Marcus couldn¡¯t sleep at all. Cornelia¡¯s words tonight eased some of his worries, but new ones appeared. Cornelia didn¡¯t care about her husband having such disgraceful parents, or the kind of blood flowing in his body. But that didn¡¯t mean Cornelia would ept Jeremy and Marcus were the same person. At work, he always handled things decisively in the shortest time, but when it came to feelings, he had almost no experience and always didn¡¯t know how to handle them. After much thought, Marcus dialed Steven¡¯s number. The phone rang for a while before it was answered. Apanied by Steven¡¯s heavy breathing, it was not hard to guess what he was just doing. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Steven said with annoyance, ¡°Oh my God, President Hartley, do you know what time it is? You might not need rest, but other people need to sleep.¡± Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Chapter 418 Marcus knew exactly what Steven had been up to. ¡°You don¡¯t sound like I just woke you up.¡± Steven retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not like you, too scared to admit you¡¯re married. To you, a bed is just for sleeping. I, on the other hand, have my beautiful wife beside me. Why waste such a lovely night?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Well, you carry on, I¡¯ll call back in a few minutes.¡± Steven said, ¡°A few minutes? Can¡¯t you give a longer time frame? Don¡¯t underestimate me.¡± Marcus said, ¡°So how long should I wait?¡± Steven said. ¡°Just spill it now.¡± Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking abouting clean to Cornelia about my identity. But I¡¯m worried she won¡¯t ept that Jeremy and I are the same person. Can you give me some advice?¡± Before Marcus could finish, Steven rudely interrupted him, ¡°Marc, are you deluded about yourself?¡± Marcus was confused, ¡°Huh?¡± Steven looked exasperated, ¡°Do you know who you are? You¡¯re Marcus, the man steering the Hartley Group, the world¡¯s richest man. With your looks and your body, there are plenty of women who¡¯d kill to marry you. Why would you worry about Cornelia not epting you and Jeremy are the same person?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Cornelia is different from other women.¡± Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. Steven said, ¡°I admit Cornelia is gorgeous, with a great figure, and lots of men like her. But she¡¯s a woman just the same. What¡¯s so different about her? I guarantee if Cornelia knew you were her husband, she¡¯d be so excited she wouldn¡¯t sleep for days.¡± One line seemed to stick out to Marcus, ¡°Are there a lot of men who like Cornelia?¡± Steven said, ¡°You¡¯re with her every day, and you¡¯re still asking me? Have you forgotten what happened at the Harbor City auction?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Cornelia isn¡¯t interested in those kinds of guys. I¡¯m asking you, how can I make Cornelia ept that I am Jeremy?¡± Steven spoke with conviction, ¡°Marc, trust me, no woman can resist money. If she can, you¡¯re not giving her enough.¡± Marcus was speechless. Steven continued, ¡°First, buy her a luxurious mansion. Then, some jewelry and handbags she might like. Give her an unlimited credit card to spend freely. If you¡¯re still not confident, give her family money and properties. By that point, even if Cornelia doesn¡¯t ept you, her family will persuade her to.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t mind spending money on Cornelia, but he had doubts about Steven¡¯s method, ¡°Did your wife marry you just for your money?¡± Steven confidently replied, ¡°Of course! I was attracted by her youth and beauty, and she was interested in my wealth. We both got what we wanted and quickly ended up together. This kind of marriage is pure and moresting. I don¡¯t worry about her betraying me because I¡¯m her source of ie. She doesn¡¯t worry about me messing around because she only cares about my wealth.¡± While saying this, Steven didn¡¯t consider Hannah was right next to him. He also didn¡¯t notice the weak Hannah, tucked under the covers, slightly trembling and biting her lip. At this point, Marcus thought only a fool would ask for love advice from a reckless guy like Steven. Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Chapter 419 Steven was as reliable as a chocte teapot, and Zavier, who couldn¡¯t even keep his wife around, was even less dependable. Marcus was left with no choice but to think of Lucas, but their marital situations were as different as night and day. Lucas and Rosie were pals since diaper days, their families had them betrothed from an early age. So they simply tied the knot when they came of age After much thought, Marcus¡¯s only option was his one and only female friend, Sallie. Girls knew girls better after all. He gave Sallie a ring, and her response was no better than Steven¡¯s, ¡°President Hartley, aren¡¯t you supposed to be spooning your wife at this hour? Why are you calling me?¡± Marcus kept mum. Sallie said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me Cornelia doesn¡¯t know you¡¯re her hubby?¡± Marcus muttered, ¡°Hmm.¡± Sallie sighed, ¡°Spill the beans, what do you need my help with this time?¡± Marcus, with all the seriousness, asked the question he hated the most, ¡°Why did you have the hots for me back then? What about me tickled your fancy?¡± Sallie rolled her eyes, ¡°You turned me down, now you want me to help you woo your wife. I can swallow that. But now you even want to know why I liked you, are you treating me like I¡¯m chopped liver?¡± Facing Sallie¡¯s barrage, Marcus calmly dropped a bomb, ¡°I just need a confidence boost.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the big cheese of the Hartley Group, and you¡¯re telling me youck confidence? Who would buy that?¡± Sallie was fuming, but then a thought struck her, ¡°Marc, do you really have a thing for Cornelia?¡± Marcus said, ¡°She is my wife.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Sallie said, ¡°Are you in denial about your feelings for her? Or do you not understand what it¡¯s like to be head over heels?¡± Sallie met Marcus in their freshman year, she was smitten with him throughout college. She spent four years getting to know everything about Marcus, his likes and dislikes. During college, Marcus had a lot of admirers, but he wouldn¡¯t give them the time of day. She managed to get closer to Marcus because she was smarter than the other girls. At first, she yed it cool, not fawning over Marcus like the other girls. She acted like one of the guys, got chummy with his friends first. She then used them to get close to Marcus. Once they got familiar, she started handling love letters from other girls for him, helping him fend off his admirers. With this role, she became his friend, which gave her the chance to confess her feelings to him. Of course, her confession ended up just like the others. Even as a long¨Ctime friend, Marcus tly rejected her without batting an eye. She still remembered how beautiful the weather was that day, the sun in Riverton exceptionally bright. After dealing with a pile of love letters for him as usual, she casually asked, ¡°Marc, how do you think I stack up against these girls who are after you?¡± Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Chapter 420 Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. He said, ¡°You¡¯re one of a kind. What¡¯s the point ofparing yourself with others?¡± His response made her happy, she thought she was special in his eyes. So she gathered her courage and confessed to him, ¡°Marc, I like you. Will you be with me?¡± Her heart was pounding, but he didn¡¯t even look up, ¡°I¡¯m still young, not nning to date. If you want to try out dating, go find someone else. Steven¡¯s a good choice. He doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend. You can ask him if he wants to be with you.¡± His words hurt more than a direct rejection, but she wouldn¡¯t give up, ¡°But I like you, I only want to be with you. I hope you can be my boyfriend.¡± He said, ¡°I have no feelings for you.¡± She expected this answer, but when she heard it from his mouth, her heart went cold, as if the world copsed in that moment. She sat dejectedly in the seat in front of him, almost screaming at him, ¡°If you don¡¯t like me, can you tell me what kind of girl you do like? What type of girl can catch your attention?¡± Finally, he looked up, his cold gaze fell on her. Perhaps it was the first time he saw her so emotional. He frowned, and his tone turned cold, ¡°Are you still Sallie?¡± He meant that she was acting like those crazy girls chasing him, which was annoying. She struggled to control her emotions, ¡°Then can you tell me, what kind of girl would you like?¡± He said, ¡°I will never fall for any girl in my life.¡± He was so certain that she believed him, until he came to her, saying he wanted to give a dress to his wife. Now, even though she decided not to worry about a man who didn¡¯t love her, thinking of his indifference on the day she confessed still hurt. Sallie smiled, ¡°Marc, considering you rarely fall for a girl, I¡¯ll help you one more time. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re in love with Cornelia, otherwise you wouldn¡¯t care so much whether she epts you.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Comelia is my wife. I should love her, and I can only love her.¡± For twenty¨Ceight years, he never liked a girl. He didn¡¯t know what it felt like to like a girl. But he didn¡¯t mind liking Cornelia, because she was his wife. Sallie understood him and didn¡¯t argue. One day he would understand his feelings, and she also hoped that he could be happy. She said, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s not talk about your feelings for Cornelia now. Why are you calling me sote, what¡¯s up?¡± Marcus brought up his concern again, ¡°I n to reveal my real identity to her, but I¡¯m worried she can¡¯t ept that Jeremy is Marcus. I feel she doesn¡¯t like Marcus.¡± Sallie snapped her fingers, ¡°Marc, I have a way to help you test Cornelia¡¯s real feelings for Marcus. Only by understanding Cornelia¡¯s true feelings about your identity as Marcus, can you make better decisions.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What¡¯s the method?¡± Sallie replied, ¡°You sleep with me.¡± Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Chapter 421 Marcus got serious and said in a low voice, ¡°I¡¯m not a fan of this kind of joke.¡± Sallieughed and replied, ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t really want you to do anything, just to make Cornelia misunderstand what¡¯s happening between us. If she gets jealous and upset, then it proves she has feelings for you. But if she doesn¡¯t react, then all I can do is wish you two can develop feelings for each other.¡± ¡°I¡¯m against using a method that could potentially hurt Cornelia to test her feelings for me, Marcus stated. Even if Cornelia didn¡¯t ept him, as her legal husband, he would never do anything that could hurt her. Sallie knew Marcus was a principled man, and any persuasion would be useless, ¡°Alright, pretend I never said anything. But I really don¡¯t know what else I could do to help you.¡± Marcus said. ¡°I¡¯m hanging up now.¡± After hanging up, he scrolled through the contacts on his phone. His work phone was full of business associates, and his private phone had almost no reliable contacts. He stared at it for several minutes, but didn¡¯t make a single call. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. He took out his personal phone again, pondered for a while, and then sent Cornelia a message: [Cornelia, if I¡¯m not what you hoped for, would you leave me?] Cornelia didn¡¯t see Jeremy¡¯s message until the next morning. The phrase ¡°leave me¡± pierced her heart. It was often said that a happy childhood could heal a lifetime of wounds, but an unhappy one took a lifetime to heal. Jeremy¡¯s painful childhood must have left deep scars, which was why he was so afraid of being abandoned. Cornelia quickly replied: [Jeremy, you¡¯re my husband. No matter what you be, I¡¯ll be with you for the rest of my life. Even if the whole world abandons you, I¡¯ll always be by your side.] One message wasn¡¯t enough, Cornelia sent another: [Jeremy, remember what I said. As long as you truly want to spend the rest of your life with me, I¡¯ll be all in. I¡¯ll never leave you in my life.] Despite going to bedte the previous night, Marcus still got up promptly at six in the morning. He had already finished his morning routine and was sitting in the living room on the first floor. He was reading today¡¯s financial news and waiting for Cornelia to join him. for breakfast. Patricia happily said to him, ¡°Marc, did you like my performancest night? Nelly didn¡¯t seem to suspect at all that this was all your doing.¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Yeah, it was good.¡± Patricia continued, ¡°But this can¡¯t be a long¨Cterm solution. We can use this method to make Nelly stay for now, but we can¡¯t make her stay forever. When are you nning to reveal your true identity to Nelly and let her live in this house as your wife?* Marcus took a sip of his coffee, thinking about the scenest night when Cornelia defended Jeremy and threw water at him. He couldn¡¯t help but smile, ¡°Soon.¡± Patricia was delighted at his answer, ¡°Then I will chat with Nelly about her preferencester, and have the house decorated ording to her liking.¡± Marcus looked up at Patricia, ¡°Patricia, do you really like Cornelia?¡± Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Chapter 422 Patricia hesitated a bit, then replied. ¡°Nelly is sweet and kind. It¡¯s natural for people to like her. But most importantly, she¡¯s your wife. I¡¯ll take good care of her. Once she moves in, I won¡¯t let her feel ufortable.¡± Marcus seemed satisfied with this, ¡°Patricia, thanks a ton!¡± Patricia paused again, ¡°Marc, what¡¯s up with you today?¡± Marcus nced at his wristwatch, ¡°Nelly should be waking up soon.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Patricia reassured him, ¡°I know, don¡¯t sweat it. I¡¯ve already prepared breakfast. Nelly will love it.¡± Just as Patricia left, a vibration from his personal phone in his pocket caught Marcus¡® attention. He quickly took it out. Sure enough, it was a message from Cornelia: [Even if the whole world abandons you, I¡¯ll always be by your side.] His eyes lingered on these words for a while, unable to move away. He clutched his phone tightly, as if he wasn¡¯t holding a phone, but Comelia¡¯s hand. He no longer had to worry about the people he cared about letting go of his hand and telling him emotionlessly, ¡°You¡¯re over six years old, why are you still following me around? If you insist on following someone, go follow your mom. Oh, I almost forgot, your mom had a kid with another man and doesn¡¯t want you anymore.¡± The man forcefully pried open his little hand that was gripping his clothes. The look in his eyes was full of disgust, ¡°Stop hovering around me, do you know how much you annoy me? Every time I see you, it reminds me of how I had to marry and have a child with a woman I didn¡¯t love.¡± Perhaps scared by the man¡¯s cold voice, the little baby who was ying with toys and still unsteady on his feet. He stumbled over, gripping the man¡¯s clothes and muttered, ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t be angry.¡± The man became even more irritated, yelling at the little baby, ¡°One isn¡¯t enough, and herees another. Both of you scram!¡± The man pushed the baby away and walked off, leaving them with the unforgettable sight of his heartless back. Later on, he didn¡¯t see that couple at home for a long time. He learned about their affairs from the news. He saw them appearing together in front of the media, ying the part of a loving couple. sharing parenting advice with the media. The more he saw, the sicker he felt. When they returned home, they started arguing again. He heard the man roar, ¡°Courtney, what the hell are you thinking? You think having two kids for me will change my mind? You think you can get half of our Hartley Group¡¯s wealth? These kids might not even be mine. until the DNA resultse out. Once the DNA tests prove they have no blood rtion to me, you¡¯re leaving with them.¡± Courtney¡¯s voice was shrill, ¡°You dare question me? Between us, who was the first to cheat? If you hadn¡¯t had a child with that woman, would I be with another man? Now you want to drive me away, dream on! If I can¡¯t be happy, neither can you!¡± What followed were the man¡¯s furious roars, the woman¡¯s screams, and the sound of a vase shattering. The noise was constant, like a rowdy New Year¡¯s fireworks disy. Listening to themotion from upstairs, the little baby stared with wide, tear¨Cfilled eyes, ¡°Marc, Mom and Dad are fighting, I¡¯m scared.¡± Chapter 423 Chapter 423 Chapter 423 He gently stroked the kid¡¯s head, scooped up his little sister and headed out, ¡°Bri, don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m taking you out for some fun.¡± From then on, he never let Bri see those quarreling adults again. He used his own strength to shield her, creating a safe and loving home, and protecting her from the damage of their original family. But all good dreams muste to an end, and the beautiful dream he crafted for her shattered, the impact was just as great. He could still remember, it was her fifth birthday. She sat by the door all day, hoping for her parents to come home and celebrate with her. Finally, they came back. The kid ran to greet them with joy, but they didn¡¯t pay any attention to her, they were still fighting. The man, losing the argument, turned his anger on the little girl who had been waiting all day, ¡°Why are you making such a fuss? You shouldn¡¯t even exist in this world!¡± He rushed up, trying to cover her ears, but he was still a step toote. Bri tearfully asked her parents, ¡°Am I not your child?¡± ¡°So what if you are?¡± The man said harshly, ¡°I told her to abort you. If she had, none of this would have happened. But she insisted on giving birth to you, and now we have toe back to celebrate your birthday.¡± The woman was just as cruel, ¡°You think I wanted you? If the doctor hadn¡¯t told me that I might never be able to get pregnant again if I aborted you, would I have given birth to you?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. They only cared about venting their own frustrations. They knew how much their words could hurt a five¨Cyear¨Cold kid, but they didn¡¯t care. Just like when they hurt him, who was also just five or six at the time.. When he was very young, they would openly be affectionate with others in front of him. They didn¡¯t know how much he wanted to vomit when he saw those scenes. Years of anger exploded at that moment, he pointed at the squabbling couple, ¡°Shut up and get out of this house!¡± He was only eleven then, still a child himself. But he was already forced to grow up, to be a big brother who could protect his little sister. Even though he was no match for the man at that time, he had to protect his sister, ¡°Don¡¯t ever step into this house or let me see you again, or you¡¯ll regret it!¡± ¡°Do you know who you¡¯re talking to?¡± The man tried to hit him, but backed off when he saw the cold look in his eyes. ¡°I told you to leave, didn¡¯t you hear me?¡± Perhaps it was the sudden disy of his strong intimidating force that scared them off, the disgusting couple really left. The little girl clung to his clothes, crying uncontrobly, ¡°Is it because I¡¯m naughty that mom and dad don¡¯t like me?¡± ¡°Bri, listen to me.¡± He sat down, holding her in his arms, ¡°You¡¯re the best kid in the world, you did nothing wrong but they did. You¡¯re so adorable, it¡¯s their loss if they don¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°Really? Am I really a good kid?¡± The little girl blinked her tearful eyes, all her thoughts reflected on her innocent face, making him feel even more heartbroken. He pinched the little girl¡¯s face, ¡°When have I ever lied to you?¡± She really tilted her head and thought, then shook her head cutely, ¡°I believe you, if you say I¡¯m a good kid, then I¡¯m a good kid.¡± He smiled, ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s the right way to think. Never doubt yourself because of what others say, got it?¡± Chapter 424 Chapter 424 Chapter 424 The little girl seemed to get the gist, nodding her head, ¡°I got it.¡± From that day on, he decided to ban that couple from the Hartley¡¯s old family house. He forced himself to be stronger, because only by being strong could he protect the Hartley Group, get his hardworking grandma to retire earlier, and protect his vulnerable little sister. ¡°Huh!¡± Marcus chuckled coldly, remembering the past. That man, whose name he didn¡¯t even want to mention, was incapable of protecting his beloved woman back then. Forced to marry a woman he didn¡¯t love for the sake of profit, he med everyone else for his own weakness and ipetence. ¡°Good morning, President Hartley!¡± Cornelia said. A clear voice pulled Marcus back from his childhood memories. He looked up to see a beautiful figure. The weather in Riverton wasn¡¯t cold, it was quite warm by early March. So, Cornelia appeared before him today was already dressed in her summer work clothes. A simple, elegant white shirt paired with a ck skirt entuated her already attractive figure, making it hard to look away. Text ? owned by N?velDrama.Org. A year ago, when he returned home, she was wearing the same outfit when she apply for his assistant. Even her hairstyle remained the same, simple yet elegant. Facing Marcus¡® gaze, Cornelia¡¯s heart raced. She swallowed, certain that Marcus was plotting how to punish her for her mistakest night. After all, he was the one who messed up firstst night. Otherwise, how could she have had the courage to ssh him with cold water? Cornelia wanted to exin, but the sight of Marcus¡¯s deep gaze made her suddenly afraid. Anyway, survival was the most important thing. ¡°President Hartley, aboutst night.¡± Cornelia said. She was so brave when she sshed him with waterst night, but now she was like a scared little bird. It made her look kind of cute. He held back augh, ¡°What aboutst night?¡± Cornelia was stunned, ¡°Last night, um.¡± Did Marcus forget what happenedst night? No, Marcus didn¡¯t drinkst night, he was sober when he was badmouthing Jeremy. Since he wasn¡¯t drunk, then he definitely didn¡¯t really forget. Maybe he realized badmouthing a friend behind their back was wrong, so he pretended to forget. If he was too embarrassed to admit he badmouthed a friend, then he definitely wouldn¡¯t hold her sshing water in his face against her. With this thought, Cornelia felt relieved. She smiled at him, her voice much more confident than when she first greeted him, ¡°Good morning!¡± ¡°Good morning!¡± Marcus stood up and walked towards the dining room, ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast first, we have work to doter.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Cornelia immediately followed him, sneaking a couple more nces at him. Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Chapter 425 Patricia personally prepared breakfast, and it was a feast, even including spaghetti Bolognese which Cornelia loved. Eyeing the table full of her favorite breakfast dishes, Comelia was pleasantly surprised, ¡°Patricia, aside from President Hartley¡¯s favorites, are all these for me?¡± Marcus felt that Cornelia had a special charm. Seeing her so happy over breakfast, his mood also brightened, and his appetite increased significantly. Patricia served the dishes with a big smile, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re all for you. Try the spaghetti Bolognese, does it taste like your grandma¡¯s?¡± Comelia didn¡¯t usually eat pasta in the morning, but she couldn¡¯t resist Patricia¡¯s enthusiasm. As she tasted the rich pasta with the special Bolognese sauce, she felt a sudden wave of emotion and said, ¡°Patricia, when did you learn to make such delicious spaghetti Bolognese? It¡¯s exactly like my grandma¡¯s.¡± What Patricia couldn¡¯t tell Cornelia was that she had asked Granny Reba how to make Bolognese sauce when she went to Southern Peak to spend Christmas with two grannies. When Granny Reba learned that her main job was to take care of the couple and that she wanted to learn to make Bolognese sauce for Comelia, she happily shared all her secret recipes. When Patricia returned to Riverton, Granny Reba held her hand and advised, ¡°Nelly can be a hot¨C head sometimes, if she offends you in any way, I apologize on her behalf.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Patricia quickly reassured Granny Reba, ¡°You¡¯re being too kind. Nelly is a delightful girl, and I really like her. Besides, even if she has a temper and gives me a piece of her mind, I¡¯m paid to handle it, so there¡¯s no hard feelings.¡± Patricia had been working for the Hartley family for many years. Despite being treated as a family member and having the best. conditions, she never forgot her ce. She always remembered she was a hired cook, paid to work. Unlike some nannies who became presumptuous when treated well by their employers, forgetting their ce. Patricia was all smiles, ¡°Nelly, if you like my cooking, you shoulde home more often. I¡¯ll prepare dinner early tonight, and you and Marc cane over after work.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Patricia, I¡¯m sorry! Since I got back, I haven¡¯t seen my grandmother and friends, they must miss me. I need to visit them. When I have time, I¡¯lle and taste your cooking.¡± That was part of the reason. The main one being that, aside from work, Cornelia didn¡¯t want to always be at Marcus¡¯s house. Patricia didn¡¯t press, ¡°Alright,e when you can.¡± Her eyes showed obvious disappointment, making Cornelia feel as if she owed Patricia something. As Cornelia was eating, Patricia asked, ¡°Nelly, what kind of home decor style do you like?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I like simple, elegant, and cozy styles.¡± Patricia continued, ¡°Do you like the current style of this home?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°This is President Hartley¡¯s house, what does it matter whether I like it or not?¡± Patricia nced at Marcus, then said, ¡°Marc is bringing his wife home, he¡¯s worried she won¡¯t like the current style, so he wanted your opinion. You¡¯re both young women and from the same ce, so your tastes might be simr.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to answer casually, ¡°Everyone¡¯s tastes differ when ites to home decor, you¡¯d better ask her directly.¡± The silent Marcus finally spoke, ¡°Patricia, let her eat first.¡± Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Chapter 426 Patricia said, ¡°Sure thing.¡± Comelia quickly finished a bowl of pasta. She was not very hungry in the morning, so she was already full. Marcus noticed that she didn¡¯t touch the rest of her food and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you like them?¡± Comelia said, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that I¡¯m full already.¡± Marcus said, ¡®Feel free to taste a bit of everything, you don¡¯t have to finish it all.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to waste food.¡± Marcus was speechless. The two didn¡¯t say much more, and they headed to the office after breakfast. Patricia once again enthusiastically saw Comelia off. ¡± Cornelia felt that Patricia¡¯s enthusiasm was a bit too much, treating her not as a guest, but as thedy of the house. So, when she left Celestial Chateau, she breathed a sigh of relief. Then she heard Marcus¡¯s deep voice asking, ¡°Are you notfortable staying at my ce?¡± Indeed, it¡¯s a bit ufortable, especially Patricia¡¯s over¨Centhusiastic hospitality. Cornelia thought to herself, but didn¡¯t outright say it. If Patricia found out, she would be heartbroken, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m fine.¡± Marcus said, ¡°What made you ufortable then?¡± Faced with Marcus¡¯s intense pressure, Cornelia plucked up her courage and said, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m really okay.¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow, ¡°Huh?¡± At his expression, Cornelia immediately gave in, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s just because you¡¯re my boss. As an employee, staying at the boss¡¯s house is definitely not asfortable as my own ce.¡± After hearing this, Marcus didn¡¯t say anything. His expression was neutral and Cornelia couldn¡¯t guess his emotions, so she stopped thinking about it. Next, Cornelia and Ben were busy day and night working on an Al project with Marcus. By the time the project was settled, two weeks had passed. Once the project was approved, it was time to start developing. It required arge investment, had a long development cycle and was high¨Crisk. Also, the returns wouldn¡¯te in for a while.. But what the Hartley Group didn¡¯tck was funding. Marcus had prepared enough when investing in this field, he wasn¡¯t afraid even if there were no returns for several years. That day after the meeting, Cornelia was packing up her files. She was nning to leave with Marcus when a young employee from the smart development department stopped her, blushing and asked, ¡°Ms. Stewart, could I?¡± Marcus stopped, turned around and gave the young employee a cold look. He thought, ¡°Huh, an overambitious fellow! Cornelia¡¯s heart. only has room for her husband Jeremy, other men don¡¯t stand a chance.¡± That was what he thought, but he couldn¡¯t help but slow his elegant steps.Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Chapter 427 Chapter 427 Chapter 427 Comelia tumed, shing a smile, ¡°Need a hand?¡± The young man adjusted his sses nervously. ¡°Got anything else to do today? Mind if I take you out for dinner alone? I¡¯ve got work stuff I want to pick your brain about.¡± For the past couple of weeks, the whole squad had been tirelessly discussing the project. Usually, they all ate together, even using meal times to talk about work. The youngd catching Cornelia¡¯s attention in front of everybody and wanting to dine with her alone, anyone could see what he was driving at. Marcus, who hadn¡¯t left yet, listened attentively. He was sure Cornelia would turn this young man down without hesitation, but Cornelia¡¯s reply next took him by surprise. Comelia answered with a smile, ¡®Sure, but I have ns tonight.¡± Before Comelia even finished, the young man hastily interrupted, ¡°That¡¯s cool. Can I add you on WhatsApp? We can arrange another time.¡± ¡°If you need advice on work, let¡¯s talk about it now.¡± Cornelia nced at her wristwatch, ¡°It¡¯s only six now. My husband and I have dinner ns at eight. I¡¯ve got some time to kill.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cornelia wasn¡¯t sure about the real reason this guy wanted her attention. If he genuinely wanted to talk business, doing it at the office worked best. If he had other ideas, she¡¯d already made it clear she was married. Anyone understanding this wouldn¡¯t bother her further. Upon hearing Cornelia¡¯s answer, Marcus rxed his eyebrows and left satisfied. The young man looked somewhat embarrassed, ¡°I honestly didn¡¯t expect you to be married at such a young age.¡± Others from the project team also expressed surprise, ¡°You¡¯re really married?¡± Cornelia nodded with a smile, ¡°Yeah, my grandparents were eager to see their great¨Cgrandchildren, so I got married the year I graduated. In a few days, it¡¯ll be my second wedding anniversary with my husband.¡± The young man scratched his head awkwardly, ¡°I just had a few minor questions. We can talk about it tomorrow. Go ahead with your stuff.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Alright, see you tomorrow.¡± After Cornelia left, someone patted the young man¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Bran, don¡¯t aim too high next time. Just go for an average Jane. Cornelia was around President Hartley all day. After seeing his handsome face, would she even look atmon guys like us?¡± Someone else chimed in, ¡°Cornelia is so young and pretty, how could she be married? If I were Cornelia, being President Hartley¡¯s assistant already, I¡¯d rather drop dead than marry another man. I¡¯d go all out to pursue him.¡± The moment he finished, someone knocked his head, ¡°Cornelia isn¡¯t that dumb. President Hartley is already married and adores his wife. That¡¯s why Cornelia, having no other intentions towards him, is so trusted by President Hartley.¡± The young man gently pushed up his sses, ignoring the discussion around him, muttering to himself, ¡°Although Comelia is married now, the divorce rate is so high these days. Who knows, she might get divorced one day.¡± Othersughed, ¡°Alright, keep waiting for her to get divorced. But just so you know, even when she does, she might not choose you.¡± The young man didn¡¯t respond. Cornelia returned to the President¡¯s office. Ben had just finished a work report. Seeing Corneliae in, he joked with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed you¡¯re bing quite popr among the guys recently.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Ben, don¡¯t tease me.¡± Ben said, ¡°Bran doesn¡¯t usually stand out, but he¡¯s got a sharp eye. He¡¯s taken a shine to you so quickly.¡± Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Chapter 428 Marcus, grinning at Ben, said, ¡°You can go now.¡± Feeling his boss¡¯s displeasure, Ben wasn¡¯t sure what he¡¯d done to upset him this time. He nodded, then quickly took his leave. Cornelia handed Marcus some documents, ready to give her report, only to hear him ask, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you shut that guy down right. away?¡± Lifting her head. Cornelia looked at Marcus. For a moment, she thought he was looking at her with jealousy, like a husband would at his wife being pursued by another man. She shook her head, thinking she must be imagining things. It was just a colleague who had shown interest in her, and she¡¯d blown it out of proportion, even thinking that President Hartley was into her. ¡°To be clear, he only asked for my advice on work stuff, he never said he liked me.¡± She exined to Marcus, ¡°Should I have shot him down right away? What if I misunderstood?¡± After her reply, she felt something was off, ¡°President Hartley, does ourpany have a policy against dating coworkers?* If there wasn¡¯t such a rule, then Marcus had no right to meddle with her personal life. Marcus remained silent, just staring at her. Nervously, Cornelia asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± After a while, Marcus finally said, ¡°Others can do it, but not you. You¡¯re married.¡± ¡± ¡°I know that. You don¡¯t need to remind me.¡± Of course, Cornelia knew she was married, but she had been so busy with worktely that she hadn¡¯t been in touch with Jeremy for a while. Ever since he said he was going back to Riverton, they hadn¡¯t been in contact. She didn¡¯t know if he was back yet. Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Regardless, she finally had some free time today, so she decided to check on the progress of their new home¡¯s renovation. She had entrusted Trent Brown with overseeing the renovation. Trent was very responsible, treating Cornelia¡¯s house as his own and updating her on the progress daily. From the pictures, Cornelia was very pleased with the renovation so far. After wrapping up work, Cornelia bid Marcus farewell and headed to the new house. She had invited Zack and Abigail to join her, and they had arrived a bit earlier. Upon seeing her, they rushed over and gave her a big hug, ¡°You¡¯ve been abroad for so long and even after returning home for half a month, you¡¯ve been so busy. We haven¡¯t even had a chance to have a meal together. When will you finally be free?¡± With an arm draped over each of their shoulders, Cornelia replied, ¡°I should have a few free days coming up. Let¡¯s check on the renovation first, then I¡¯ll treat you guys to dinner.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Zack said, ¡°Our studio just made a lot of money. We can treat you.¡± Cornelia asked curiously, ¡°What did you guys make money on?¡± Abigail quickly responded, ¡°Ouric that we sold the rights to is super popr now! With Hannah, a popr actress as the lead, the adaptation has been widely anticipated from the start. The teaser released by the production is quite enticing, drawing in Hannah¡¯s fans and others who found the trailer intriguing. Ouric has been topping the sales charts for months now. Isn¡¯t that considered making big money?¡± Hearing about the iing money, Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but feel excited. Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Chapter 429 Abigail suddenly blurted out, ¡°Man, no matter how manyics like this we sell, we¡¯ll never make as much dough as him.¡± Comelia and Zack followed Abigail¡¯s gaze and saw Marcus and Leonardo approaching from a distance. Leonardo spotted them too and waved at Comelia from afar, ¡°Ms. Stewart, it¡¯s been a while, missed me?¡± ¡°Can I say no?¡± Comelia was used to being respectful in front of Marcus. Even though she was off work, she walked towards him, ¡°President Hartley, here to check out the renovations too?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Marcus answered softly, not revealing that he came on purpose knowing she¡¯d be here tonight to see her new apartment. To make this ¡°coincidence¡± more convincing, he had brought Leonardo along. Marcus didn¡¯t want to say much, but Leonardo couldn¡¯t help but spill the beans, ¡°Marcus shouldn¡¯t need to bother with renovations. But he¡¯s here because his wife likes this ce, so he dragged me along to buy a few apartments. Funny, isn¡¯t it? Marcus, who never gave a damn about women, suddenly so whipped by his wife?¡± Hearing this, Cornelia¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°President Hartley, does that mean I¡¯ll meet your wife soon?¡± Marcus looked at her. Her eyes were already beautiful, but now they sparkled under the lights, as bright as the stars, ¡°You¡¯re that eager to meet my wife?¡± Cornelia nodded right away. ¡°I¡¯ve been working with you for a year, but I¡¯ve never met your wife. Of course, I want to meet her.¡± Marcus chuckled, ¡°Give it some time, I¡¯ll introduce you guys.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Okay.¡± Abigail also came over, ¡°President Hartley, long time no see, remember me?¡± ¡°Abigail, hi.¡± Marcus remembered her because she was Cornelia¡¯s friend. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°President Hartley remembers me!¡± Abigail pinched Cornelia in excitement, ¡°President Hartley, we three were nning to grab a bite after checking the renovations. Wanna join?¡± ¡°We also nned to eat out after this, my treat.¡± Marcus said. Abigail asked, ¡°President Hartley, can we pick the ce?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t take his eyes off Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, see you in a bit.¡± He meant she had to go. ¡°Okay.¡± Watching him walk away, Cornelia felt a little deted. She was with him all day, and now she had to have dinner with him? Couldn¡¯t he give her, his assistant, some free time? Zack whispered, ¡°I¡¯m not going, no matter what.¡± Abigail grabbed him by the neck, ¡°Nelly and I are going, you¡¯re not? Are you sure?¡± Zack said, ¡°Nelly, can¡¯t you just say no to that man?¡± Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Chapter 430 Maybe it was because she was used to beingpliant, or because she never forgot that she was an assistant to Marcus. She would do whatever he asked without ever thinking of refusing him. ¡°Can I say no to him?¡± She thought to herself. With a disappointed tone, Zack lightly tapped her forehead, ¡®Nelly, you¡¯re his assistant, not his wife! Why can¡¯t you refuse to have dinner with him? You should call him right now and tell him you¡¯re not going.¡± Abigail quickly hugged Comelia and said, ¡°Nelly, just go! Why wouldn¡¯t we take him up on a free meal? We can go to the best restaurant in Riverton without spending a dime, and eat the fancy food we usually drool over but can¡¯t bear to splurge on! What reason do we have to say no?¡± The mention of money got Cornelia, the money¨Clover, hooked, ¡°Okay, we¡¯re going! Let¡¯s pick the most expensive restaurant. One of those where the average bill is in the thousands.¡± Abigail pped her hands excitedly, ¡°Perfect, we get to oggle the hottie up close again!¡± ¡°You two, one greedy for money, the other for men, are hopeless!¡± Zack said, storming off in frustration. Comelia and Abigail quickly caught up with him, ¡°Zack, don¡¯t be mad.¡± The three of them chatted andughed as they went upstairs. It was 7 p.m., the construction workers had already left. But the site manager, Trent, was still there. He stood in the doorway, arm outstretched, ¡°Ms. Stewart, you gotta buy a ticket to get in.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°I need to buy a ticket to enter my own house? You can¡¯t be up to no good with that innocent face of yours.¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Abigail and Zack chimed in, ¡°Trent, you believe we won¡¯t gang up on you?¡± ¡°I believe it! I¡¯ve seen how tough you three can be, I wouldn¡¯t dare mess with you.¡± Trent opened the door and said, ¡°Ms. Stewart, wee home!¡± As the door opened, the first thing Cornelia saw was the entrance hall. It looked exactly like the design, which made her very happy. ¡°Trent, when you said you¡¯d treat my home as your own, I didn¡¯t believe you. I thought you just wanted to rip me off. But you actually did as you promised. You¡¯re a great interior designer and you deserve every penny.¡± Zack and Abigail nodded in agreement, ¡°Forget about the style, even the quality of the renovation looks top¨Cnotch. Money well spent.¡± -Trent puffed up his chest, ¡°Don¡¯t praise me yet, let¡¯s see if you actually like my design.¡± Cornelia walked past the entrance into the spacious living room. The sliding door that used to separate the living room and the balcony was removed, making the space look evenrger. All the utilities, floors, walls, kitchen, stove, and other facilities were already furnished by the developer. All she needed to do was to decorate and add appliances. Initially, the balcony had no windows, which was great for venttion but allowed too much dust in. Due to her busy schedule, Cornelia didn¡¯t have enough time to keep the house clean. After much thought, she decided to install windows on the balcony for practicality. She thought the view from within the house would be limited after installing windows. But Trent designed arge floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window for her. Now, she could look out from the living room and see the view of the garden within theplex. It was a pity that she couldn¡¯t afford ake view house, or the view from the window would have been even more beautiful. Next, she went into the room near the balcony, which was initially intended for her grandma. Before the renovation, she gave Trent some pointers and he didn¡¯t disappoint her. Granny Reba¡¯s room was decorated with a unique style. Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Chapter 431 Granny Reba was a retired teacher who loved getting her nose stuck in a book. So, Trent had set her up a little reading nook in a corner of the balcony and even threw in a rocking chair. She could chill out there, bask in the sun, and immerse herself in her favorite reads. Next up, the study room. Cornelia was a sucker for painting and reading. The room was decorated in a in and orderly manner, but the color coordination was super cozy. The left and right walls were stacked with ceiling¨Chigh bookshelves that could stash a ton of books. A bunch of nts were ced in front of the window. Whenever Cornelia got tired of reading, she just had to lift her head to get a sight of some lush greenery, which was right up her alley. Last but not least, the master bedroom and the walk¨Cin closet. Nothing extraordinary about these two, Trent simply nailed Cornelia¡¯s request for a chic, minimalist, andfy vibe. The house decor was exactly Cornelia¡¯s cup of tea and it was strikingly simr to the design she had in mind. Trent¡¯s attention to detail was the icing on the cake. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Cornelia took a tour and was over the moon. Trent, the dependable designer, had turned her house into her dream home. Zack and Abigail were all praises, ¡°If ever we need to get our house done up, you¡¯re the man.¡± Most of Trent¡¯s clients were loaded like Marcus and they all appreciated his design. They paid up without a fuss, but seldom did they shower him with such sincerepliments. Sometimes, genuine praises could be more rewarding than a fat paycheck. ¡°Sure thing, hit me up if you need anything. The renovation isplete. Just give it some time for the formaldehyde to dissipate, then you can move into your new crib. Trent said. Cornelia said, ¡°Trent, I can¡¯t thank you enough. I was out of the country on a business trip during the renovation and was swamped for two weeks straight when I got back. Haven¡¯t even had the chance to drop by. You¡¯ve done a bang¨Cup job getting the house to match the design.¡± Trent came clean, ¡°You think I¡¯d break my back doing this if it wasn¡¯t for your hubby Jeremy?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Right, you¡¯ve been giving it your all for Jeremy¡¯s sake. Let¡¯s settle the ounts, I¡¯ll wire you the bnce.¡± Trent said, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, your hubby has already paid up.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°He did? Why didn¡¯t he tell me?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t tell you but I did.¡± Trent said. Cornelia was pleased as punch and Trent was tickled pink to receive a hefty sum, ¡°Alright, Ms. Stewart, my wife¡¯s waiting for me at home. I gotta bounce. You know where to find me if you need anything.¡± After Trent left, Cornelia heard Zack say, ¡°Didn¡¯t know Jeremy was more reliable than I thought. He even takes care of some stuff for you.¡± Corneliaughed and said, ¡°He¡¯s always been great.¡± Zack gave her a stare look and said, ¡°Keep defending him. When¡¯s he gonna show up?¡± Cornelia took out her cell phone and said, ¡°I¡¯ve been swampedtely, didn¡¯t have much time to catch up with him. I¡¯ll ask him when he¡¯s gonna be back in Riverton.¡± Even though she said that, Cornelia actually texted Jeremy: [You¡¯ve transferred all the money you madest year to me. How did you still have enough to cover the renovation?] Jeremy replied right away: [I did transfer all the money I madest year to you, but I still have some savings I made before that.] Cornelia replied. [Why didn¡¯t you keep the money for yourself? Why did you give me all your money to spend?] Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Chapter 432 Jeremy: [You¡¯re my wife. If I¡¯m not spending my money on you, then who else should I, right?] Lots of guys would say this to their wives, but the ones who actually followed through without whining about it were few and far between. Jeremy didn¡¯t just talk the talk, he walked the walk too. Cornelia was so smitten with him: [I¡¯m just worried that you¡¯re spending all your. money on me and there won¡¯t be enough for your business.] Jeremy: [Don¡¯t sweat it. I know what I¡¯m doing when ites to business. Plus, I¡¯m gonna live in this house too, might as well contribute something. You¡¯re not gonna go all Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde on me and kick me out, are you?] Comelia: [You big goof, you¡¯re my husband, why would I kick you out? It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been so swampedtely and you didn¡¯t reach out either. I totally forgot to ask if you¡¯re back in Riverton.] Marcus, reading this message, chuckled to himself. The smile in his eyes was so obvious. He replied: [Soon.] Leonardo, who was known Marcus since they were kids, saw him smiling for the first time in almost thirty years of friendship. He didn¡¯t even need to ask, he knew Marcus was chatting with his wife, ¡°Marc, I¡¯m getting more and more curious about your wife. She¡¯s got you wrapped around her finger, doesn¡¯t she?¡± Marcus, engrossed in his phone, didn¡¯t even acknowledge Leonardo. Maybe when he was talking to Cornelia, everything else just became white noise. Leo was at loss of words. People always joked that Leo put women before his friends, but he had always valued his friends first. And as for the supposedly woman¨Caverse President Hartley, he was the realdies¡® man. Cornelia kept texting Marcus: [When do you think you¡¯ll be back?] Marcus calcted in his head, making sure the surprise he was preparing for Cornelia could arrive before their second wedding anniversary, then replied: II promise I¡¯ll be back by our anniversary at the latest.] It was mid¨CApril now, and Cornelia and Jeremy¡¯s wedding anniversary was on May 5th. It was not too long from now, but to Cornelia, it felt like ages. She typed: [I¡¯ve been so busy this past month, but I¡¯ll have some days off soon. It¡¯d be great if you coulde back to Riverton earlier. Then I could see you sooner.] Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Marcus murmured to himself, ¡°Me too,¡± but texted back: [I¡¯ll try my best.] Zack leaned in, reading some of the texts, ¡°Is Jeremy stalling his return to Riverton again?¡± Cornelia immediately defended Jeremy, ¡°He runs his own small business, it¡¯s normal to be busy. But he promised me, he¡¯ll be back in Riverton by our second wedding anniversary at thetest.¡± Zack said, ¡°What kind of business is he running that¡¯s so busy? Even busier than you, spends less time in Riverton than you do. Is his business even bigger than the Hartley Group?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Does being busy have anything to do with the scale of his business?¡± Abigail interjected, ¡°Okay, okay, you two stop bickering. Let¡¯s go check out how our house ising along.¡± And so, they all went off to check out Zack and Abigail¡¯s house. Chapter 433 Chapter 433 Chapter 433 The designer for Abigail and Zack, was rmended to them by Trent based on their preferred style. This guy was super responsible, monitoring the renovation progress all the way to make sure the house was done just right. Once the renovation was finished, the three of them were stoked and decided to go out for a massive feastter that night. Abigail asked, ¡°Cornelia, do you wanna give President Hartley a ring? He promised to treat us to dinner.¡± Zack said, ¡°He might have already left.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯ll give him a call once we get out of the elevator. If he¡¯s left, we three will just find a ce to eat ourselves.¡± As they took the elevator down, the doors opened and Cornelia, leading the way, was met with an unexpected surprise. A little boy was right there, squirting her with a water gun. Comelia tried to dodge but was cornered. Zack tried to shield her but was unsessful, and Cornelia got soaked head to toe by the boy. After his water attack, the boy burst intoughter, ¡°Ha¨Cha! You¡¯re totally drenched!¡± Comelia¡¯s white shirt, now wet, clung to her body and became see¨Cthrough. Zack immediately tried to protect Cornelia, but someone else beat him to it, swooping in like lightning. They didn¡¯t even see how he got there, but suddenly Cornelia was wrapped in his arms, shielded from everyone¡¯s gaze. It was Marcus. ¡°Leonardo, find out who that kid¡¯s parents are, now!¡± After saying that, he whisked Cornelia off to his ce. Maybe it was his anger, but he looked so fierce that Zack and Abigail could only watch as he walked away with Cornelia. Cornelia didn¡¯t even resist. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. They arrived at a spaciouskeside penthouse, with the elevator opening directly into the home. Marcus led Cornelia to the door of a walk¨Cin closet and said, ¡°My wife¡¯s new clothes are in there. They¡¯re all unworn. Pick something you like.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s hot out and my clothes will dry soon.¡± ¡°What about before they dry? You want people to see you like this?¡± Marcus looked at her, her wet clothes revealing thece of her underwear. Looking at herself, Cornelia was shocked and immediately darted into the closet, shutting the door behind her. She felt incredibly embarrassed that Marcus had seen her in such a state. Upon opening the closet, Cornelia was met with a variety of summer clothes, all looking high¨Cend in terms of fabric and tailoring. She tried to pick the cheapest one, but there were no brandbels. She couldn¡¯t tell which was the least expensive. She also didn¡¯t know much about fabrics. In the end, Cornelia reluctantly chose a light yellow blouse that was close to the color of her wet one and a pair of ck pants. Surprisingly, the clothes fit her perfectly, as if they were tailor¨Cmade for her. Chapter 434 Chapter 434 Chapter 434 It seemed that President Hartley¡¯s wife must have a simr figure to her. After changing her clothes, Cornelia quickly left President Hartley¡¯s wife¡¯s dressing room. Holding her damp clothes, she walked out to see Marcus already waiting for her on the living room sofa. He had half¨Ccarried her here just a while ago, his white shirt fairly soaked. Now, however, he appeared immacte, evidently having changed into a new white shirt. Thinking of the awkward scene earlier, Cornelia spoke somewhat uneasily, ¡°President Hartley, how much do these clothes cost? I can buy them. I¡¯ll transfer you the money.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m short of cash?¡± Marcus shot her an annoyed look. She loved money but didn¡¯t want to owe him anything, ¡°There¡¯s a hairdryer in the bathroom, you can use it to dry your hair.¡± This was their new marital home. Before his wife had moved in, Cornelia was using the stuff inside. She felt bad about it. If her husband brought another woman into their newly furnished home and let her use her things. Even if there was nothing inappropriate going on, she would feel ufortable. ¡°President Hartley, I don¡¯t need to dry my hair.¡± Cornelia untied her hair and let it fall loose, telling him it would dry quickly on its own. Marcus understood Cornelia¡¯s personality, her insistence on not drying her hair must have her reasons. Besides, his intention was to protect her. If this protection made her ufortable, then what was the point? Without further ado, they both headed downstairs. Leonardo and the others were waiting for them downstairs. As they descended, Zack and Abigail immediately rushed over to Cornelia, looking at her with concern, ¡°Nelly!¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Cornelia quickly exined, ¡°I changed into one of President Hartley¡¯s wife¡¯s dresses at his house.¡± Leonardo approached Marcus, ¡°Marc, I¡¯ve found out whose kid that was. The property management will make them sell the house and move out, so they won¡¯t appear in thismunity again.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Marcus was satisfied with Leonardo¡¯s efficiency. He then looked at Cornelia, who was exining to Zack and Abigail, ¡°Have you decided where you want to eat?¡± Abigail chimed in first, ¡°President Hartley, there¡¯s a restaurant called La Lumi¨¨re that¡¯s really good, but it¡¯s quite pricey. We¡¯ve always wanted to go, but couldn¡¯t bring ourselves to because of the price.¡± Marcus turned to Cornelia, ¡°Do you like that restaurant?¡± Cornelia honestly replied, ¡°I¡¯ve never been there, so I¡¯m not sure if I would like it. But I heard that the food there is expensive, so I¡¯m a bit curious to try.¡± Since Cornelia wanted to go, of course Marcus would take her, ¡°Then let¡¯s go there.¡± With that, they all headed toward the parking lot. ¡°President Hartley, you should know Nelly¡¯s husband Jeremy, right? Jeremy is very good to Nelly. He not only actively helped her find an interior designer, but he also paid for all the expenses. Nelly has decided to live a good life with him and will not be easily swayed by other men.¡± Zack raised his voice deliberately, making his meaning clear to Marcus. Marcus, a married man, was being so good to his Nelly and didn¡¯t know how to maintain a proper distance with women other than his wife. This kind of man obviously couldn¡¯t be trusted. Marcus remained silent, and Zack emphasized, ¡°And Nelly just said she hopes to have a child with Jeremy as soon as possible.¡± Without responding to Zack, Marcus turned his head sharply to look at Cornelia, who was a few steps behind him on his left, ¡°Do you like children?¡± His voice was deep, maic, and gentle. It gave Cornelia the false impression that he wanted to have children with her. Chapter 435 Chapter 435 Chapter 435 Comelia got spooked by the sudden misunderstanding, and instinctively denied it, ¡°When did I ever say I liked kids?¡± Comelia didn¡¯t like kids, and Marcus couldn¡¯t care less. He didn¡¯t marry her to have kids, ¡°If you don¡¯t want them, then just don¡¯t have them.¡± Actually, he isn¡¯t too keen on kids either. He was afraid they¡¯d go through a horrible childhood like his, that would leave an indelible mark. Zack muttered from the side, ¡°Whether Nelly has kids or not is between her and her husband. It¡¯s none of their boss¡® business, right?¡± Marcus ignored himpletely, and turned to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, ride with me to dinner. I¡¯ll have my driver take your car back to your ce.¡± Abigail asked, ¡°What about me?¡± Since Marcus brought Leonardo along, then he definitely expected him to be of use at crucial moments. Leonardo chimed in, ¡°Abigail, if you don¡¯t mind, how about riding with me?¡± Leonardo might not be as good looking as Marcus, butpared to most average joes, he was quite the hunk. If it wasn¡¯t for Marcus being there, Abigail would¡¯ve hit on him ages ago, ¡°Okay, I guess I can slum it and ride in Mr. Wilson¡¯s car.¡± Leonardo responded, ¡°Thank you, Abigail.¡± Marcus opened the car door for Cornelia and let her sit in the passenger seat. After she settled in, Marcus all of a sudden leaned in, which freaked Cornelia out, ¡°President Hartley, what are you doing?¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Marcus was originally nning on buckling her seatbelt for her, but seeing her so scared, he gave up, ¡°Buckle up.¡± Cornelia hurriedly put on her seatbelt, ¡°I¡¯m buckled up.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Marcus straightened up, his gaze flicking towards the flowers not too far away. Abigail got into Leonardo¡¯s car, and Zack grumbled while driving his own car, ¡°That¡¯s just not right. These two women ditched me so fast.¡± About half an hourter, they arrived at La Lumi¨¨re. As Marcus was looking for a parking spot, Cornelia got a call from Hry, the head of theirpany¡¯s PR department, ¡°Ms. Stewart, someone took a picture of President Hartley and his wife and posted it online. It¡¯s spreading like wildfire. Initially. President Hartley had the PR department announce his marriage, but now with this picture, we¡¯re not sure if the woman in the picture is his wife or what President Hartley ns to do about it. I wanted to consult with you first.¡± Marcus had always been so protective of his wife that even she, his ever¨Cpresent assistant, had never met her. And yet, someone managed to snap a picture of the two of them? Her sharp business instincts told Cornelia that there was more to this than met the eye, ¡°What does the picture look like?¡± Chapter 436 Chapter 436 Chapter 436 Hry said, ¡°The photo only captures the back view of President Hartley and thisdy. Even though we can¡¯t see their faces, Hartley¡¯s license te is crystal clear. Whoever took this shot is convinced it¡¯s President Hartley and his wife. I¡¯ve sent the picture to your email; you can take a peek.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Cornelia opened her email and checked the photo. The tall man in white shirt and ck trousers was undeniably Marcus, but the woman in the picture was her. This was a shot taken just as they changed clothes and were getting into the car! If she had been in her work clothes when they got into the car, even strangers wouldn¡¯t mistake them for a couple. But she had changed her outfit that day and had let her hair down, so it was easy for people to mistakenly think she was Marcus¡® wife. If his wife saw this photo, she would be in hot water. Comelia felt like she was screwed. If Marcus heard the news, he would surely give her the boot. She quickly decided, ¡°We need to nip this in the bud through PR. We can¡¯t let this photo spread.¡± However, Marcus suddenly snatched her phone and told Hry, ¡°We need PR, but don¡¯t wipe the photo from all the websites. You need to post a message on the Hartley Group¡¯s official website ASAP, saying that my wife and I just want to live a normal life. We are not too showy, and we hope people respect our private life and stop taking sneaky shots.¡± He didn¡¯t outright admit that the woman in the photo was his wife, but his drift was clear. Once he finished, he hung up without even checking if Hry had understood. Cornelia hastily said, ¡°The woman in the photo is me.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°I know it¡¯s you.¡± Cornelia was almost in tears, ¡°Then why would you let this news spread? How would you exin it to your wife if she sees it? And what about Jeremy, how am I supposed to exin this to him?¡± ¡°No exnation needed. They would understand.¡± To reassure Cornelia, Marcus gently ruffled her hair, ¡°A lot of people have been trying to sneak shots of me and my wife recently, so I thought it would be better to release some photos ourselves at the right time.¡± However, his reassurance did notfort Cornelia, but rather made her more terrified. She took a step back, ¡°Are you saying that this photo was deliberately taken? And you deliberately posted it online?¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Cornelia seemed to understand his intentions. He was using her as a scapegoat to protect his wife. He had her try on clothes and taste food for his wife, and she had put up with it. But now, he took things too far, even using her as a stand¨Cin for his wife. He was worried that the media would disrupt his wife¡¯s normal life. But he didn¡¯t care if people recognized her as Cornelia in the photo, or consider the trouble it could cause her. Even though Cornelia felt stronger than when she was in college, she was not sure if she could handle another media storm. Cornelia felt cold inside, but she somehow managed to maintain a professional smile, ¡°President Hartley, if you n to do this sort of thing in the future, could you please give me a heads up?¡± Marcus sensed something was off with Cornelia, but couldn¡¯t read anything from her facial expression, ¡°Alright. They¡¯re here, let¡¯s go have dinner.¡± Chapter 437 Chapter 437 Chapter 437 Marcus was just her boss. Looking out for her wasn¡¯t really his duties. Cornelia got that and quickly adjusted her mindset, ¡°Alright.¡± Abigail, an inte junkie, had also seen the news. As soon as she got out of the car, she ran over to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, this is big news! Somebody snapped a pic of you with President Hartley and mistook you for his wife.¡± Comelia chuckled, ¡°We already know.¡± Abigail continued, ¡°The views on this news are skyrocketing. In no time, a ton of people will see it. If this keeps up, a lot of people might think you¡¯re really his wife. Isn¡¯t yourpany¡¯s PR department going to do something about it?¡± Leonardo chimed in from the side, ¡°When have you ever seen any paparazzi shols of Marc? If he doesn¡¯t want people to snap his picture, no one can. Even if they do, it wouldn¡¯t get published, let alone cause such a stir online.¡± Abigail looked confused, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zack, being a guy, understood Leonardo¡¯s pointpletely, ¡°President Hartley, are you using Cornelia as a smokescreen? We get that you love your wife and want to protect her from public exposure, but why should Nelly bear the brunt of it all? We want to protect our Nelly too.¡± Comelia quickly pulled Zack aside, ¡°Zack, I¡¯m President Hartley¡¯s assistant, it¡¯s part of my job. Plus, the photo didn¡¯t show my face, who would know it was me?¡± ¡°The inte might not know it¡¯s you, but anyone who knows you could easily recognize you from the back. Zack was getting really worked up, his care and concern for Cornelia made it hard for him to ept how she was being treated. Marcus was taken aback. He finally understood why Cornelia looked so troubled. His aim was to publicly dere Cornelia¡¯s identity as Mrs. Hartley, but he overlooked the fact that Cornelia herself wasn¡¯t aware of her status. In this case, Cornelia would definitely think he was taking advantage of her, and she would surely be upset. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Marcus tried to stop Cornelia to exin, but she cut him off, ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have caused you trouble again. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure my friends keep their mouths shut.¡± She didn¡¯t even look at him. After saying her piece, she walked away with Zack to have a private chat. Marcus couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying, but he saw Zack¡¯s mood lighten up after Cornelia¡¯s talk and the look he gave Marcus was somewhat triumphant. Leonardo tried to lighten the tense atmosphere, ¡°Man, my stomach is growling. Can we get something to eat?¡± Cornelia agreed, ¡°I¡¯m also starving.¡± With that, they all headed off to grab some grub. Chapter 438 Chapter 438 Chapter 438 The scene of them eating together was a real riot, and any chatter about the president and firstdy of the Hartley Group was buzzing online like hotcakes. The Hartley Group, the Hartley Group¡¯s president, Marcus ¨C these three hashtags were total clickbail. Any old tweet, just pped one of these hashtags on it, and the views would skyrocket. Plus, tonight, the ever¨Cmysterious president of the Hartley Group showed his face to the public for the first time and netizens went into a frenzy. Ever since this pic hit the web, at first, there were doubters questioning its authenticity. After all, no one had managed to snap a pic of Marcus all these years. So, the photo didn¡¯t really stir the pot online until the Hartley Group officially confirmed that the couple in the photo were their president and firstdy. Marcus was the big kahuna at the Hartley Group, the youngest big shot in the world. Even though no one had ever seen his mug, he still managed to top the list of guys singledies wanted to marry every year. So, when his photo leaked, it was bound to cause one hell of a ruckus. In the photo, Marcus was wearing a white shirt and ck pants a prettymon getup. But thanked to his broad shoulders, slim waist, and long legs, plus the girl in front of him, it didn¡¯t take long forizens to start spinning their own stories. Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. One user said, ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯d give anything to be the girl in that photo.¡± Another chimed in, ¡°I used to dream of marrying President Hartley, imagining he must have a great body. But damn, his body is even better than I imagined. I¡¯m so jealous of his wife.¡± A third wondered, ¡°Has anyone dug up any dirt on President Hartley¡¯s wife? How did she meet him? Was it an arranged marriage? Childhood sweethearts? College sweethearts?¡± A user named ¡°Hottie4me¡± added, ¡°All of you only care about President Hartley¡¯s body. Doesn¡¯t anyone care about the firstdy¡¯s figure? Even in her conservative clothes, you can¡¯t hide a body that good.¡± When this tweet went out, thements were all over the map. ¡°Oh my God, just thinking about the bodies on those two, I can picture so many blush¨Cworthy scenarios. The office, the living room, the bathroom, even the kitchen. I¡¯m so excited I¡¯ve got a nosebleed. Gotta go clean up.¡± ¡°Wow, a tall and strong man, a petite and soft woman. My mind¡¯s going wild with images.¡± Of course, there were skeptics, ¡°You guys are just seeing their backs. What if they¡¯re actually super ugly from the front?¡± ¡°Hottie4me¡± wasn¡¯t having it and pped back, ¡°You can safely crush on President Hartley¡¯s looks. I¡¯ve met him in person. Trust me, his looks will blow your mind. As my best friend says, this guy¡¯s face is so handsome. It¡¯s not human, it¡¯s divine. He¡¯s drop¨Cdead gorgeous, no question.¡± Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Chapter 439 Right after, ¡°Hottie4me¡± got bombarded with messages doubting her words. A lot ofizens replied under her post, ¡°Ever met President Hartley in person? Start by telling us who you are, then we¡¯ll see if it¡¯s even possible for you to rub elbows with President Hartley.¡± ¡°Hottie4me¡± got a bit flustered and replied, ¡°I¡¯m just a regr Joe, but my friend knows President Hartley. Right now, we¡¯re chowing down with him. Oh, and thedy president in the picture is here too.¡± After she posted this, ¡°Hottie4me¡± was hit with even more doubt. Some folks got a goodugh and yed along, ¡°I¡¯m singing karaoke with the Hartleys tonight, join us if you¡¯re up for it.¡± Others demanded her to snap a pic to back up her ims. ¡°Hottie4me¡® responded again, ¡°Everybody knows President Hartley isn¡¯t a fan of photos. If I sneak a pic of him at the dinner table, it could spell trouble for me and my friends.¡± Since she wouldn¡¯t snap a pic, people figured she was just shooting the breeze, and interest in her slowly dwindled. Some said, ¡°President Hartley indeed has a hot bod, but we haven¡¯t seen his face. Let¡¯s not get our hopes up. After all, if God gave a man great wealth, he probably wouldn¡¯t give him a pretty face too.¡± Anotherizenmented, ¡°Even if President Hartley¡¯s face isn¡¯t perfect, this bod is enough to feast our eyes on. But I do believe such a physiquees with a handsome face, otherwise, it¡¯s a waste.¡± As theizens were all at loggerheads about Marcus¡¯s looks, a user named ¡°Ice Cold¡± chimed in, ¡°I had the privilege of meeting President Hartley at a conference once, and just like Hottie4me said, President Hartley is a looker¡± People began to doubt, ¡°Another one iming to have seen President Hartley? The previous one said she was dining with him. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re iming you¡¯re sharing a bed with him?¡± Others questioned, ¡°Who are you? When did you meet President Hartley? If you can¡¯t provide proof, we¡¯ll just consider you all a bunch of fibbers.¡± To put an end to the doubt, Ice Cold promptly posted a pass fromst year¡¯s Year 3033 Tech Expo. When the Year 3033 Tech Expo took ce, the Hartley Group was the center of attention worldwide. Every techpany around the globe was eyeing the Hartley Group¡¯s moves, news about them was everywhere. Even those not online must have heard about the Year 3033 Tech Expo on TV. Since this person and President Hartley were both at the Year 3033 Tech Expo, even if they didn¡¯t mingle, this person must have gotten. a peek at what President Hartley looked like. Suddenly, ¡°Ice Cold¡¯s¡± rtionship with Marcus was the talk of the town. Everyone threw out questions, ¡°Got any juicy stories about you and Marcus?¡± ¡°Ice Cold¡± replied, ¡°I wish I had a story with him, but he¡¯s really loyal to his wife. I couldn¡¯t snag him. I didn¡¯t know he was married at the time. I tried to chase him, but he turned me down.¡± This topic piqued all theizens¡® curiosity, including ¡°Hottie4me¡°. Someone eximed, ¡°Holy smokes, you¡¯re brave. You actually made a y for President Hartley.¡± Others asked, ¡°Marcus is so handsome, how does hepare to the universally acknowledged hottest male star in showbiz?¡± ¡°Ice Cold¡± replied, ¡°That male star¡¯s looks are indeed top¨Cnotch in the entertainment circle, but he pales inparison to President Hartley.¡± Ccontent ? exclusive by N?/vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Netizens got even more excited, ¡°Oh my God, I¡¯m getting more and more curious about what President Hartley looks like.¡± ¡°Ice Cold¡± said, ¡°You¡¯re all so hung up on President Hartley¡¯s looks, don¡¯t you wonder what he said to me when I was pursuing him?* Chapter 440 Chapter 440 Chapter 440 ¡°Hottie4me¡± was the first to ask, ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°Ice Cold¡± answered, ¡°He apologized to me, said he had to have lunch with his wife. That¡¯s how he let me know he¡¯s hitched, and it made me drop the idea of going after him.¡± Netizens chimed in, ¡°And then what?¡± *Ice Cold¡± continued, ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready to give up. So I had someone tail him to find out who his wife was. But he didn¡¯t meet any woman at lunch, except for his assistant. I thought he was just using marriage as an excuse to turn me down, so I asked his assistant. His assistant told me President Hartley is indeed married and he is totally smitten with his wife. He¡¯s rich, handsome, and loyal to his wife. I mean, aren¡¯t good men like him getting rarer?¡± Everyone on the inte was green with envy. ¡°Why do good things like this never happen to us?¡± ¡°I hope I can meet a man like that in my next life.¡± ¡°I wish I could be his assistant. Even if I can¡¯t have him, just seeing him every day would be enough.¡± ¡°Ice Cold¡± retorted, ¡°You think being his assistant is a walk in the park? There might be more people fighting for his assistant¡¯s job than for his wife¡¯s spot.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Aizen asked, ¡°Is his assistant a looker?¡± ¡°Ice Cold¡± responded, ¡°She¡¯s a total knockout! His assistant is a sweet¨Chearted girl with a dazzling smile that makes you feelfortable.¡± Anotherizen asked. ¡°Is there any chance President Hartley and his assistant have something going on?¡± ¡°Ice Cold¡± and ¡°Hottie4me¡± almost simultaneously rebuffed, ¡°Absolutely not! They have a strictly professional rtionship.¡± Aizen then said, ¡°We¡¯re all here admiring the love between the Hartleys, and you¡¯re suggesting he¡¯s messing around with his assistant. Are you trying to gross us out?¡± Cornelia, Marcus, Leonardo, and Zack were all focused on eating, while Abigail was engrossed in her phone. She was ¡°Hottie4me¡°. She had been keeping tabs on Cornelia and Marcus for a long time, used to do it secretly, imagining their life. Now she had a wholemunity ofizens apanying her in this, analyzing their photos, spinning stories from any slight detail. ¡°Hottie4me¡± stated, ¡°Guys, check out the angle of this photo. Maybe I¡¯m reading too much into it. But just from the silhouette, I can tell President Hartley is head over heels for his wife.¡± Chapter 441 Chapter 441 Chapter 441 Anotherizen chimed in, ¡°That was my first thought when I saw the picture too. President Hartley¡¯s pose in the photo is definitely protective of the woman in front of him. From a psychological perspective, this pose could be interpreted in two ways. One, he wants to protect her from harm. Two, he has a strong sense of possession and doesn¡¯t want other men getting close to his woman.¡± Someone excitedly eximed, ¡°Oh my God, President Hartley is so in love with his wife.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m getting drawn in by President Hartley¡¯s affectionate behavior towards his wife. They are such a perfect couple.¡± ¡°Ice Cold¡± sighed, ¡°If I had met Marcus before she did, maybe I¡¯d be the one enjoying his tenderness now. Unfortunately, there are no ifs in this world, all I can do is watch him gaze lovingly at another woman.¡± ¡°Hottie4me¡± soothed, ¡°Don¡¯t be sad, maybe it¡¯s a blessing in disguise that you didn¡¯t end up with him. Being single gives you the chance to meet a better man, and to appreciate every hot guy without any reservations.¡± In general, the buzz around the Hartley couple kept getting hotter. Not only hadizens learned about President Hartley¡¯s deep love for his wife, but businesses working with the Hartley Group were also trying to dig up information about Mrs. Hartley. If a woman could earn his affection to this extent, she could likely influence his business decisions. Winning her over might be a smart move, as she could put in a good word for them at a crucial moment. Abigail nced at Cornelia and Marcus sitting on her right.. There were no seats between them, but they were sitting quite far apart, clearly trying to avoid any suspicion. Nheless, Abigail felt, that Marcus¡¯s gaze on Cornelia was full of affection, as if she were his wife, not just an ordinary assistant Abigail thought she must have been reading too many romance novels, to be constantly fantasizing about Marcus and his assistant. ¡°Abby, why aren¡¯t you eating?¡± Cornelia pushed a seafood tter towards her, ¡°These are your favorite shrimps, made with live ones. They¡¯re really fresh, try some.¡± Just as Abigail was about to eat a shrimp, she felt a chill on her neck. Looking up, she met Marcus¡¯s icy stare, who seemed quite displeased with Comelia¡¯s intimacy towards her. Abigail had never seen such a frightening look on Marcus. She was scared and quickly declined, ¡°Nelly, I can eat on my own, you don¡¯t need to fuss over me.¡± Before the party ended. Steven Dixon, who had seen the news, called, ¡°Marc, congrats, you¡¯re finally with the one you love.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Not quite yet.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Steven said, ¡°You¡¯ve already posted a picture of you two, haven¡¯t you told her your true identity yet?¡± Marcus responded, ¡°No.¡± Steven said, ¡°So, you¡¯re creating a buzz online and steering public opinion, all to pave the way for Cornelia? You want not just your family to ept her, but the whole world to know she¡¯s Mrs. Marcus?¡± It must be said, Steven and Marcus were indeed of the same mind. Where others couldn¡¯t guess Marcus¡¯s intentions, Steven hit the nail on the head, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were so cunning.¡± Chapter 442 Chapter 442 Chapter 442 Marcus responded, ¡°Nah, I didn¡¯t.¡± Steven asked, ¡°Cool. You been busytely? If not, we can organize a little get¨Ctogether, chill out a bit.¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Sounds good.¡± After dinner, Comelia and Abigail nned to hitch a ride with Zack. Marcus stopped Cornelia again, ¡°Cornelia, let me take you home. I¡¯ve got something to chat with you about.¡± Comelia found Marcus a bit odd tonight, like he was constantly hovering around her, ¡°President Hartley, just spill the beans. No need to go out of your way to take me home.¡± Marcus¡¯s home was on the east side and Cornelia lived on the west, she didn¡¯t want him to detour. ¡°Get in the car. Marcus pulled open the door, insisting. Comelia figured Marcus was adamant to take her home, probably hoping to get some pictures taken to better protect his wife. So, she decided to y along. In the car, Marcus didn¡¯t talk, and Cornelia didn¡¯t know what to say. When they arrived at her ce, Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, thanks for the ride. I¡¯m gonna head in now.¡± ¡°Cornelia,¡± Marcus called her name, his gaze lingering on her, ¡°I never intended to use you. I didn¡¯t think this through tonight.¡± Comelia replied, ¡°President Hartley, you don¡¯t need to exin. It¡¯s all part of my job. I¡¯ll do my best to cooperate with you in the future, and together we will protect your wife from media harassment.¡± As long as Cornelia was his assistant, even if she was unwilling, she would do her best. Marcus pushed his sses up, wanting to say something but didn¡¯t know what to say. Cornelia smiled, ¡°President Hartley, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± Marcus wanted to keep her, but he just nodded and let her go. After Cornelia left, Marcus lit a cigarette, taking several puffs in a row. Even after finishing his smoke, he still felt annoyed. He lit one after another, his mood getting worse and worse. He didn¡¯t understand what was going on. He flicked away the ashes, looked up and saw the lights in Cornelia¡¯s 15th floor apartment were on. He saw her closing the window. Seeing her, his mood improved a bit. He pulled out his personal phone, opened WhatsApp. He found Cornelia¡¯s chat and sent a message: [Cornelia.] Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. After thinking for a while, Cornelia typed a lot of words: [Jeremy, did you see those photos online? You guessed right, the woman in the photos isn¡¯t the president¡¯s wife, it¡¯s me. If I told you it was just part of my job, that there¡¯s nothing going on between President Hartley and me, would you believe me?] Chapter 443 Chapter 443 Chapter 443 N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Every word Cornelia sent was screaming her current distress to Marcus, making him realize that tonight¡¯s n was a colossal screw¨Cup. His original intention was to use the photo to announce his marriage to more people, prepare for disclosing Cornelia¡¯s identity in the future. Hopefully he could fish out some potential threats to Cornelia. His motive was pure, but he overlooked Cornelia¡¯s feelings. Regardless of howpetent Cornelia was at work, she was still just a young girl in her twenties. When Cornelia thought her boss had thrown her to the front lines of public opinion to take the heat for others, her fear was something he couldn¡¯t possiblyprehend. He immediately texted her as Jeremy: [Cornelia, you¡¯re my wife, and I believe every word you say. I¡¯ve never doubted you about today¡¯s incident, and you must believe in me. Marcus called me about this and apologized for not considering your feelings. He also said he never intended to use you. Please forgive him. But whether he meant to or not, he hurt you. He¡¯s a jerk.¡± Comelia replied almost instantly: [I don¡¯t care about Marcus¡¯s intentions, as long as you believe in me. Jeremy, thank you! Thank you for believing in me!] Jeremy rarely initiated conversations with her, so her first thought when receiving his message at this hour was that he was here to confront her or propose a divorce. Cornelia wasn¡¯t afraid of divorce. She could live well alone. But she feared being misunderstood, that no one would believe her and people gossiping behind her back. With trembling hands, she typed out a long message trying to exin herself. Before the message was even sent, she had prepared herself for the worst. If Jeremy didn¡¯t believe her and proposed a divorce, she was ready to end the marriage. But as soon as she sent her message, she received Jeremy¡¯s response. His reply was like a strong arm pulling her from the cold winter into the warm and bright spring, allowing her to see the sunshine again. He told her she was his wife, and he would believe every word she said. At that moment, Cornelia truly felt that her husband Jeremy waspletely different from the man who always said he would love her forever. That man was always glued to her, constantly sweet¨Ctalking and swearing to treat her well for a lifetime. But when she was falsely used, unable to defend herself and almost expelled from school. He said his family had a good reputation in Rosenberg and his girlfriend could never be a dirty girl. Jeremy never sweet¨Ctalked her, but his actions constantly told her that he cherished their marriage. No matter how others viewed her andmented on her, he would stick with her. As long as he kept his promise, Cornelia felt it was enough. Cornelia lifted her head, fighting back the tears about to fall. Just as she was thinking about how to reply to Jeremy, she saw another message from him: [Cornelia, I failed to protect you. I¡¯m really sorry.] When Marcus had no hesitation in pushing her out of his protection, someone still cared about her and was willing to protect her. Cornelia¡¯s fear and anxiety throughout the night magically vanished at that moment. She quickly typed: [You didn¡¯t do anything wrong, there¡¯s no need to apologize to me!] Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Chapter 444 Corne wasn¡¯t sure what to bring up, so she asked. Is there anything in particr you fancy chatting about?] Jeremy answered [Well, the main reason I texted you tonight was to ask if you¡¯re happy with the house renovations? When are you nning to move in? Just give me a heads up on the date, and I¡¯ll sort out the movingpany for you] He¡¯d just asked about her house, no sweet nothings, but it still managed to tug at Cornelia¡¯s heartstrings, It caused her tears to uncontrobly trickle down her cheeks. Choking back her sobs, Cornelia voiced her deepest feelings, ¡°Jeremy, can youe back to Riverton sooner? I really miss you, I can¡¯t wait to see your Such a shame Jeremy couldn¡¯t hear her. After crying her heart out and drying her tears, Cornelia replied to his message: [The guy you rmended. Trent, is top¨Cnotch and super responsible. I¡¯m really satisfied with how he did up my house. It¡¯s gonna take a while before I can move in. I¡¯m nning to move some of the non¨Cessentials over in the meantime.] Jeremy replied. [Alright, get your stuff sorted and I¡¯ll get someone over to help with the move ] Cornelia said [I don¡¯t have much to move. Zack, Abby and I should be able to handle it. And about that time you heard someone call me ¡®baby¡®, that was Zack. Zack¡¯s a guy, Abby¡¯s a girl. We¡¯ve known each other since we were kids, went to college in Riverton together, and decided to stay and build our lives here after graduation. They¡¯re important to me, people I cherish deeply] Jeremy replied [if they¡¯re important to you, I¡¯ll treat them right too] Cornelia knew Jeremy¡¯s feelings for her were more out of a sense of duty as her husband, rather than love. But she never expected him to extend that to her friends. His words moved her to tears again. She quickly changed the subject: [You¡¯re getting sweeter by the minute] Jeremy asked [Am I really that sweet?] Cornelia answered [We¡¯ll see when we meet, I¡¯ll have a taste and see how sweet you really are] Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. After sending the message. Cornelia realized she¡¯d been a bit too forward and felt guilty. She quickly retracted her message, pretending nothing had happened She had no idea if Jeremy had seen her message, either way, he didn¡¯t respond. Lying in bed, her cheeks flushed Cornelia said to Jeremy: [I¡¯m turning in for the night, goodnight!] Marcus replied: [Goodnight.] He thought about the message Cornelia had retracted, he¡¯d have to make sure she got a taste. He couldn¡¯t let her down. Photos of President Hartley and his wife were making the rounds online, it wasn¡¯t justizens busy discussing their photos. Behind the scenes, someone was busy too. After reading the news online, Cameron Reese hesitated before dialing a long¨Cuncontacted number. He said to the person on the other end of the line, ¡°You must¡¯ve seen the news by now. Marc and his wife were spotted tonight, their photo was posted online. I¡¯ve sent someone to find the person who took the photo. Once we find him, we¡¯ll know the identity of Marc¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Hal¡± A cold, middle¨Caged male voiceughed over the phone, ¡°No wonder the gap between our two companies has grown ever since your generation took over. You and Marcus have known each other since you were kids. Yet after all these years, you still don¡¯t get him?¡± Chapter 445 Chapter 445 Chapter 445 Cameron¡¯s face darkened. He was super pissed at the middle¨Caged man¡¯s condescending tone but kept his cool, saying, President Hartley, are you implying something?¡± The guy on the other end continued, ¡°For years, no one has been able to snap a shot of him. But now someone has the balls to post his picture online. His PR team even openly confirmed that the couple in the photo was them Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a bit weird?¡± ¡°You mean, he purposely had someone take the picture and then post it?¡± Cameron realized he had been yed, immediately grabbed another phone and sent a message: [Stop looking for the photographer ASAP] The man on the other end continued, ¡°Before you ring me up next lime, use your brain. No matter what the situation is.¡± Cameron responded, ¡°Roger that.¡± Then, the guy on the other end didn¡¯t say anything more, just hung up. Cameron angrily threw his phone at the floor and yelled, ¡°Get in here!¡± Natalia, trembling pushed the office door open and walked up to Cameron, ¡°Cameron¡± * Cameron grabbed her by the hair and demanded in a low voice, ¡°Natalia, tell me What right does a man who can¡¯t even control his own marriage and almost bankrupted the Hartley Group, have to lecture me?¡± Natalia, shrinking back, fearfully replied, ¡°He¡¯s a total loser, ousted by his own son years ago. He can¡¯t even get into the Hartley family mansion these days, he has no right to lecture you¡± But the truth was, he could only kowtow to him. So who was him to mock that guy? Of course, Natalia kept these thoughts to herself, not daring to voice them out. Cameron pped Natalia hard across the face, ¡°He¡¯s a loser, are you one too? You¡¯ve been back home for so long. I¡¯ve given you countless chances, but you still can¡¯t get close to Marcus¡± He yanked her hair. ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m giving you ten more days. If there¡¯s no progress, I don¡¯t need to keep a useless person like you around,¡± Natalia, her face stinging from the p, mumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯lle up with something new.¡± Cameron yelled, ¡°Get out!¡± Natalia left immediately Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She returned to her room, closing the door behind her. She walked into the bathroom and looked at the pitiful girl in the mirror. The girl in the mirror had a swollen face with clear fingerprints; her lip was split and bleeding; her hair was a mess, some of it pulled out. The girl looked like a homeless stray dog. How could she be Ms. Reese? ¡°Natalia?¡± She said to the girl in the mirror, and the girl in the mirror said back to her She startedughing, tears rolling down her cheeks, ¡°You¡¯re not me and I¡¯m not me either. Can we both stop ying this part?¡± She had long wanted to shed this identity, but she couldn¡¯t shake off her mother who had high expectations of her. She was living a life akin to hell. Marcus! He was the only one who could possibly help her out of this mess, but he wouldn¡¯t even give her the time of day How could she possibly pin her hopes on him? She held her head, and slumped to the floor. She was staring nkly at the ceiling, not knowing what to do next. Chapter 446 Chapter 446 Chapter 446 It was ten at night in Riverton, but it was still afternoon in Switzend. Today the sun was shining, and Courtney was chilling in her rocking chair, soaking up the spring sunshine. Billy rushed over, shoving a tablet into Courtney¡¯s face, ¡°Ma¡¯am, look¡± Courtney didn¡¯t even open her eyes. ¡°I got it.¡± Billy hesitated for a moment, then asked, ¡°Is Marcus nning to go public with his thing with Cornelia?¡± Courtney snorted. ¡°He knows how many eyes are on him, and he knows the dangers lurking around him better than any of us. He won¡¯t reveal that woman¡¯s identity before he¡¯s eliminated all threats, unless he wants to put her in danger.¡± Billy didn¡¯t buy that Marcus would protect Comelia, ¡°The guy¡¯s ice¨Ccold, how could he possibly care about a woman he met on a blind date?¡± Courtney countered, ¡°You think he doesn¡¯t care about her?¡± Billy spected, ¡°I think he won¡¯t let you touch her because she¡¯s taken his wife¡¯s ce. You know, you haven¡¯t been able to touch anything of his for years¡± Courtney was skeptical, ¡°So he really doesn¡¯t care about her? I beg to differ.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Billy asked, ¡°What did you find out when you went to Parisst time?¡± Courtney admitted, ¡°I went to Paris to see how much Marcus actually cares about her. The more he does, the better for us. But I wasn¡¯t there long enough to figure out his feelings for her.¡± Billy queried. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying we can¡¯t make a move yet?¡± Courtney chuckled, ¡°The Hartleys are a patient lot, I¡¯m in no rush.¡± Billy asserted, ¡°I know what to do¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Courtney watched Billy take off, slowly opened her eyes, and gazed at the blue sky. Pictures of the Hartley couple were circting online and among those with hidden agendas. The Hartley Group¡¯s employees were just as curious. The next day, Cornelia pulled herself together and arrived at thepany early. When she got there. The staff of the President¡¯s Secretarial Office started trickling in, all discussing President Hartley and his wife. Seeing Cornelia in the break room, everyone wanted to pull her into the gossip. Since Ynda, one of the secretaries, was close to Cornelia. They nudged her to talk to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia,st night President Hartley and his wife were spotted. Did you know?¡± The reactions of her colleagues today made Cornelia realize her worries yesterday were unnecessary. Marcus didn¡¯t make her a target of public opinion. Sheughed it off, ¡°How could I not know about something this big?¡± Ynda continued, ¡°I think the president¡¯s wife looks a lot like you from the back. If you didn¡¯t always wear your hair in a bun and I¡¯ve never seen you let your hair down. Id really think the girl in the photo was you¡± Cornelia, feeling guilty, immediately looked around, ¡°Only say this in front of me, never to others. If President Hartley hears, it won¡¯t be good for either of us. Chapter 447 Chapter 447 Chapter 447 ¡°1 get it.¡± Ynda nced back as well and then grabbed Cornelia, saying. ¡°Everyone¡¯s dying to know who President Hartley¡¯s wife is, who can make him care so much. Comelia, you¡¯ve been working alongside President Hartley for quite a while, have you met her?¡± This was a tough question for Cornelia She nced at her watch, President Hartley should be here soon, I need to prep his coffee¡± ¡°Sure, you go ahead.¡± Ynda returned to the secretary office. Melissa, the colleague who sat closest to her, immediately asked, ¡°So? Did you get any scoop on the president¡¯s wife? Ynda replied, ¡°President Hartley doesn¡¯t want his wife in the public eye, so we certainly won¡¯t see her. Let¡¯s not poke our noses into this and just focus on our own work.¡± Melissa was not ready to drop it, ¡°Doesn¡¯t Cornelia know either?¡± Ynda subtly moved her chair away from Melissa, ¡°Working with President Hartley mean¡¯s keeping secrets. Even if she knew, she wouldn¡¯t spill the beans.¡± Melissa hummed in response, raising her voice on purpose, ¡°I¡¯m so jealous of Cornelia, being able to work with President Hartley daily Ynda, you were supposed to be in that position, don¡¯t you feel regretful?¡± Ynda¡¯s face turned serious, she replied unhappily, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Melissa was transferred from a branch office after Cornelia was promoted to the president¡¯s assistant. She was young, beautiful, eloquent, and hardworking, winning the affection of her department head and colleagues However, as time went on. Ynda saw Melissa¡¯s true colors. She loved prying into other people¡¯s business and exaggerating facts. All in all, Ynda didn¡¯t really like Melissa. But they were colleagues, so she kept up appearances. Melissa said sarcastically, ¡°I just think Cornelia has been looking more and more beautiful, bing more feminine. I wonder why?¡± ¡°Cornelia has always been beautiful.¡± In Ynda¡¯s mind, Cornelia was always stunning When Cornelia first came to the headquarters, she caught everyone¡¯s attention. Many male colleagues fought to help her with her work, but Cornelia turned them down t. ¡°I heard that Cornelia got married. Maybe her husband has been taking such good care of her, making her even more beautiful. But we¡¯ve never seen her husband. Who knows if he even exists?¡± Melissa loved to speak in a sharp tone. She raised her voice on purpose, attracting the attention of the surrounding colleagues, ¡°Ynda, you and Cornelia are the closest in this department. Have you met her husband?¡± Ynda had a deep aversion to those who talked behind people¡¯s backs, ¡°Speak your mind.¡± Noticing her words were drawing attention, Melissa continued, ¡°It¡¯s not out of the question that Cornelia got that position not because of her capabilities, but because of her looks¡± Mentioning Cornelia¡¯s beauty got the male colleagues excited, but they only dared to fantasize and never joked about Cornelial When Cornelia first came to the president¡¯s office, two male colleagues talked behind her back, saying they wanted to sleep with her but would never make her their girlfriend. They thought she was too pretty and feared she would cheat on them. When Cornelia found out, she was disgusted but just quietly collected evidence. Chapter 448 Chapter 448 Chapter 448 During the evidence collection process, Cornelia found that these two male employees not only loved to gossip about their female colleagues behind their backs, but also frequently sexually harassed them After she gathered all the evidence, Cornelia handed it over to the department head, demanding that these two men be fired and had to apologize to the victims in person. Thepany¡¯s rules and regtions clearly state that anyone who maliciously ndered or sexually harassed colleagues would be immediately fired and never rehired After Cornelia pointed out thepany¡¯s rules, the department head had no choice but to fire the two men and send out a notice to the entirepany From then on, no male colleague dared to make such crude jokes about Cornelia. Melissa¡¯s words made Ynda angry, ¡°Melissa, have you forgotten what happened to thest person who ndered Cornelia?¡± Melissa, posing and speaking sweetly, said, ¡°That just proves that there¡¯s something wrong with Cornelia!¡± Ynda didn¡¯t want to deal with such a petty person. Ynda stayed silent, but Melissa wasn¡¯t going to let it go. She not only kept talking, but also tried to persuade other colleagues to attack Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia even managed to get Eden Petersen out of the company. If it wasn¡¯t for President Hartley backing her up. do you think she could have done this on her own? You¡¯re all afraid of her, afraid of losing your high¨Cpaying jobs. I¡¯m scared too. But if we all don¡¯t stand up, I¡¯m afraid thepany will be controlled by Cornelia.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Melissa pulled up a picture from the inte fromst night and showed it to the people around her, ¡°Even if Cornelia lets her hair down and changes her clothes in this picture fromst night I can still tell it¡¯s her Knowing full well President Hartley is married, she still seduced him. She had the photo posted online, and even had the PR department verify that it was President Hartley and his wife. Is she trying to force the real Mrs. Hartley out with this kind of tactic?¡± Many colleagues were quite familiar with Cornelia, and they could indeed tell that the woman in the photo was Cornelia. But no one dared to say it aloud. Once Melissa pointed this out, others started to gossip. Ynda was so angry she didn¡¯t know what to say. But some colleagues questioned. ¡°The president took over thepany when he was under eighteen and conducted a personnel reshuffle in the shortest time, bringing thepany back to the top of the world. Do you think he¡¯s that easy to deceive?¡± Melissa squeezed her way over to the man who questioned and lightly poked his forehead, ¡®Of course I believe in the president¡¯s abilities, but he¡¯s a man after all.¡± Her hand gently slid down to the man¡¯s chest, teasingly tapping it, ¡°You¡¯re a man too. Ask yourself, if you were President Hartley, wouldn¡¯t you have feelings for Cornelia? Who can be sure all of Cornelia¡¯s sess is due to her own abilities, or her appearance?¡± ¡°Why are youmenting about her out of nowhere when I am here defending Comelia?¡± Marcus¡® deep voice exploded like a bomb at the president¡¯s office door. Chapter 449 Chapter 449 Chapter 449 ¡°President Hanley¡± Everyone chimed in unison, no one daring to say another word ¡°President Hartley Melissa¡¯s tears were flowing like a busted faucet, ¡°I know you hate people talking behind others¡® backs. But if we¡¯re all too scared to speak up, then honest advice can¡¯t reach you. This isn¡¯t doing The Hartley Group any good¡± ¡°Oh, is this your way of getting my attention?¡± Marcus sauntered towards Melissa. With each step he took, his aura seemed to press down on everyone¡¯s hearts, silencing the room Standing at a towering 6¡¯2¡± andbined with his domineering presence, which made Melissa, who was less than 5¡¯3¡± even in her 4 inch heels, look like a dwarf in his presence How insignificant andughablel Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Marcus looked down on Melissa. ¡°Do you even know who Cornelia is? Is she someone you can just trash¨Ctalk?¡± Melissa sobbed, thinking her pitiful state would make any man feel sympathy for her. She assumed that since Marcus admired Cornelia, he would surely admire her too. So without hesitation, she lunged at Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, I didn¡¯t mean to ¡± Marcus smoothly sidestepped, avoiding this woman he found so repulsive. His eyes glinted with a cold, lethal intent. ¡°If you dare to touch me, you¡¯ll pay the price.¡± Melissa was terrified by the intensity of Marcus¡¯s gaze, and started to feel scared, ¡°1¡± ¡°Shut your disgusting mouth Marcus scanned the room and then his gazended back on Melissa, ¡°Cornelia has earned her ce through hard work and determination. She worked her ass off for every penny she has and for every property she owns. Everything she owns, she sweated for it. Just a few days ago. Cornelia was working on a project with our team until 3 or 4 in the morning. Even when many of the guys couldn¡¯t take it anymore, she stayed in top form and kept working. A woman as excellent and hardworking as her, doesn¡¯t she deserve my respect? Doesn¡¯t she deserve my support? Only a worthless woman like you would stupidly assume a woman¡¯s sess has to be dependent on a man. Maybe you wish someone would help you that way, but with your looks and manners, who would appreciate you?¡± Marcus¡¯s deep, powerful voice echoed around the room, telling every employee how exceptional Cornelia was and how much she deserved their admiration and respect. Many of the executive office staff had been working at The Hartley Group for years. They knew Marcus wasn¡¯t one to talk much. Even at work, they had never heard him speak so much in one go. Melissa was deeply hurt by his words and began to doubt herself. Everyone had always told her she was cute and endearing, especially when she smiled. No man could resist her. The woman from the Hartley family had seen this in her and got her a job at The Hartley Group so she could get close to Marcus and rece Cornelia But Marcus said she was repulsive! Was she really that ugly? ¡°Devon, if you can¡¯t manage your employees properly, I¡¯ll find someone who can. With that, Marcus turned and walked away Devon was the head of the executive office. He had run into Marcus downstairs today and had invited him up to see how the executive office staff were getting on. His n was to show Marcus how dedicated everyone was, earn some praise and then a promotion and raise would be just around the corner. But then this had happened He red at Melissa, what a nuisance she had turned out to be. Why had he been so smitten with her in the first ce, to the point of getting involved with her? Chapter 450 Chapter 450 Chapter 450 He was trying to shake off this mess now, but he bet it was not gonna be a piece of cake. The more Devon thought about it, the more he freaked out. He was breaking out in a cold sweat. Marcus turned around, totally unaware that Cornelia was standing right behind him. She was watching everything in the office like a bystander Marcus was taken aback, but his intimidating aura instantly faded. He even had his voice softened, ¡°Cornelia, how long have you been here?¡± Comelia didn¡¯t answer his question. She just smiled and said, ¡°President Hartley, Robert from Skyline Co. has to leave the country for some business. He was originally nning to sign the contract with you at ten today, but now he wants to move it up by an hour. Seeing as you don¡¯t have anything else going on before ten, I went ahead and said yes Cornelia looked rxed, with a professional smile on her face. Marcus couldn¡¯t tell what she was thinking, which made him even more worried, ¡°Cornelia¡± Comelia smiled and said, ¡°President Hartley, Robert¡¯s team is already waiting in the conference room downstairs. We should hurry over. Anyter might be seen as rude.* ¡°Alright. Come to my office first. Marcus headed towards his office, with Cornelia following closely behind. Once they were in the office, he suddenly turned to her and said, ¡°Cornelia, trust me. I¡¯ve never taken advantage of you or thought about hurting you. Those who nder you in the office, I won¡¯t let any of them off.¡± *President Hartley. I¡¯ve let go of the whole photo incident.¡± Cornelia had never heard Marcus talk so much at once, and all for her protection. She remembered when she first started working for him, he had defended her when partners insulted her. It was then that he told her that she had the entire Hartley Group backing her up. It was because of what he said that she had been working by his side for a year, never cking off, ¡°Thank you so much! Thank you for protecting my reputation!¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. Marcus asked, ¡°So, do you trust me?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Of course I trust you.¡± Marcus wanted to say more, but his phone suddenly rang in his pocket, interrupting their conversation, He nced at the caller ID, then said to Cornelia, ¡°You go ahead and get ready, I¡¯ll be down after I take this call¡± ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia respectfully left. Once Cornelia had left, Marcus went over to a floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window that overlooked half of Riverton and answered the call, ¡°Talk.¡± The person on the other end said, ¡°President Hartley, only Cameron sent a team to look for the photographerst night. But they didn¡¯t find him, so they were called back¡± Marcus chuckled, but his eyes were icy and resolute, ¡°Hmm, I set out the baitst night, but not many took it Seems everyone¡¯s gotten more cautious. Or maybe the bait I set wasn¡¯t big enough to attract the big fish.¡± The person on the other end added, ¡°President Hartley, do you want to take action against Cameron? Marcus replied, ¡°Wait until the big fish behind him shows up. Let¡¯s not spook the snake in the grass yet.¡± With that, Marcus put away his phone, thinking about the derogatoryments those people had made about Cornelia behind her back. He recalled Cornelia¡¯s indifferent expression when she heard them How many times had she been through this to stay so cool in the face of such situations? Chapter 451 Chapter 451 Chapter 451 Marcus couldn¡¯t read Cornelia¡¯s mind due to his position, so he texted her as Jeremy from his personal phone: [How¡¯s work treating you today, Cornelia?] After sending the message, he felt like he was throwing stones into the sea- no response. Marcus waited for a while, but Cornelia didn¡¯t reply. Comelia usually didn¡¯t carry her personal phone during work hours, so she had no idea she received a message from Jeremy Robert needed to get to the airport asap. The signing couldn¡¯t be dyed any longer After hanging in his office for a while, Marcus didn¡¯te out. Cornelia had no choice but to knock on his door again, ¡°President Hartley, you¡­¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Before she could finish, Marcus was already walking towards her, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He walked out of the office, striding towards the elevator Cornelia followed closely, stepping into the CEO¡¯s private elevator with him. Once the elevator door closed, Marcus said out of the blue, ¡°Cornelia, do you know how exceptional you are?¡± Cornelia was taken aback, looking up at her boss. His deep and sexy voice echoed, ¡°You¡¯re the most exceptional woman I¡¯ve ever known¡± She had worked by Marcus¡¯s side for a year, and he never held back hispliments when she did a good job. But this was the first time she heard such high praise from him He had met countless women, many of whom were undoubtedly stronger and more exceptional than her. She thought, maybe he wanted to encourage her, to work better without being affected by others. So, she had to respond, ¡°Thank you for yourpliments, President Hartley! I¡¯ll work even harder and treat the Hartley Group as my home.¡± ¡°Less ass¨Ckissing, more sincerity¡± Marcus couldn¡¯t help but pinch Cornelia¡¯s bun. His move was too quick. By the time Cornelia noticed, he had already pulled his hand back. She couldn¡¯t really say anything Marcus added, ¡°In the future, just do whatever you want. Don¡¯t care about what others think. The Hartley Group and I are always there for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, President Hartley!¡± This time, he said the Hartley Group and he were always there for her, not just when she worked at the Hartley Group Cornelia caught the difference between the two sentences, but she didn¡¯t overthink it, nor dare to. Signing was the final step before the coboration. Even if both parties had agreed on everything, this step couldn¡¯t be taken lightly. Before signing the contract, the legal teams of both sides would review the content again. They need to ensure there were no loopholes, and then the heads of both parties would sign and seal it. After signing the contract, Robert of Skyline Co. was thrilled, ¡°President Hartley, thank you for your trust in Skyline Co. and giving us a chance to coborate.¡± When choosing a partner, Marcus never let personal feelings get in the way. He valuedpetence and integrity more. He said, ¡°It¡¯s not us giving you the chance, but your Company standing out among manypetitors.¡± Although Marcus was opposed by many for choosing to work with Skyline Co. over other long¨Cterm partners of the Hartley Group, he still insisted on coborating with them. Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Chapter 452 Nowadays, with the country flourishing and people bing wealthier, the umtion of wealth was more noticeable than ever. As people¡¯s wealth grew, tourism had be a major part of many people¡¯s spending, especially for the affluent. The well¨Coff crowd didn¡¯t give a hoot about how much money they spent. What they cared about were things like the environment, service, and privacy, which the current tourism projects just couldn¡¯t deliver So, the Hartley Group had sshed out big time to secure thend rights of Paradise Bay, with ns to create an ultimate seaside resort thatbined leisure, entertainment, business, and office facilities. The Hartley Group owned the well¨Cknown luxury hotel chain Blueshell Mansion, renowned worldwide for itsvish and unique decor and loved by rich folks all over the globe But, Marcus, the guy in charge now, was no longer satisfied with just running the hotel business. He nned to expand his operations to include a range of top¨Ctier services, including leisure and entertainment. No matter what sort of big shot they were, they could find something suitable for themselves on his ind. Marcus¡¯s approval had Robert over the moon. ¡°Thanks for your confidence, President Hartley. I¡¯ll personally oversee the project and make sure you¡¯re satisfied,¡± he said. ¡°Uh¨Chuh Marcus nodded, not saying anything else. Robert grabbed Marcus¡¯s hand tight, and when Marcus tried to pull away, he couldn¡¯t. ¡°President Hartley, my wife has arranged a gathering with some high societydies in Riverton next month. She¡¯d like to invite your wife, if she¡¯s avable?¡± Robert asked. Looked like they all saw the newsst night and wanted to get in Marcus¡¯s good graces through his wife. Marcus answered straight up. ¡°My wife isn¡¯t into social gatherings. And my business doesn¡¯t need her to make appearances for me.¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Robertughed awkwardly. ¡°This isn¡¯t a social gathering. It¡¯s just a few friends getting together for beauty treatments and afternoon tea when we have nothing better to do.¡± Marcus nced at Cornelia, his assistant who he barely knew anything about in terms of hobbies, ¡°Cornelia, are you interested in what Robert¡¯s suggesting?¡± Cornelia, caught off guard, was a bit uneasy. Why was he asking her when they were talking about his wife? Being a professional assistant, she answered, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m usually very busy with work and don¡¯t pay much attention to these things.¡± Marcus turned to Robert and said, ¡°My wife and Cornelia are both workaholics They¡¯re not really into these leisure activities.¡± Robert tried to argue, but Marcus cut him off, ¡°Robert, don¡¯t you have a ne to catch?¡± Robert got the hint and replied, ¡°Right. I would have totally forgotten if you hadn¡¯t reminded me. Goodbye, President Hartley! Goodbye, Ms. Stewart! Goodbye, Ben!¡± Ben showed Robert out, while Cornelia took out a disinfectant wipe from her bag and handed it to Marcus, ¡°Please wipe your hands first.¡± Marcus was a bit of a clean freak, always disinfecting his hands after shaking hands with someone. So, Cornelia¡¯s bag was always stocked with disinfectants and wipes. Marcus took the wipe and methodically cleaned his hands, ¡°Cornelia, do you ever think I¡¯m a pain?¡± ¡°Maybe¡± She thought, but she said, ¡°Of course not. You¡¯re just hygienic, which is a great personal habit.¡± Even though she was being polite, Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but think about some of Marcus¡¯s quirks. He was a picky eater, a germaphobe, and had all sorts of weird taboos. He was okay as a boss, but as a husband, he¡¯d be a pain in the neck. Comelia felt relieved that she was just Marcus¡¯s assistant, and not his wife. Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Chapter 453 Before eating, he would first disinfect his utensils, then wash them several times. His clothes were always immacte, and if there was even a hint of a wrinkle, he¡¯d toss them Just the thought of living with such a man gave Cornelia the heebie¨Cjeebies. Marcus asked, ¡°Really you think so?¡± Cornelia gave him a pleasing and sincere smile, nodding vigorously, ¡°Absolutely!¡± Marcusughed mockingly. ¡°You little fibber!¡± Cornelia was taken aback. Had she lied to him? She just wanted to please him, to make her job a bit easier. A while ago, she worked non¨Cstop for two weeks. Today, she was nning to take a few days off with Ben to go home after signing a contract with Skyline Co However, after Cornelia and Ben reported their work, Marcus asked Cornelia to stay, ¡°Cornelia, are you free this afternoon? I¡¯d like to invite you for lunch. Just as Cornelia was at a loss on how to turn him down, Briana burst in, ¡°Marc, can I borrow Cornelia for the afternoon?¡± Cornelia was silently cheering This was her get out of jail¨Cfree card Marcus was interrupted, his eyes darkened slightly behind his silver sses. ¡°This is working hours, who allowed you to barge into my office?¡± ¡°Sorry!¡± Briana hid behind Cornelia, peeking out from behind her to gauge Marcus¡® expression. Corneliaughed at her cute little antics, ¡®Bri, your brother won¡¯t bite. What are you up to?¡± Briana smirked, ¡°His look just now was scarier than a man¨Ceater. He has one look when he needs me and another when he doesn¡¯t. Cornelia, let me tell you, men are very fickle. Don¡¯t be fooled by their fa?ade.¡± Seeing Cornelia¡¯s genuine smile, Marcus¡® annoyance at Briana for interrupting his conversation with Cornelia faded, ¡°What do you need Cornelia for?¡± Briana clung to Cornelia, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen Cornelia in a long time, I want to invite her for lunch¡± What was with these siblings today? Both wanting to invite her for lunch at the same time. If she couldn¡¯t go home to rest, Cornelia figured having lunch with Briana would definitely be more comfortable than with Marcus, ¡°Bri, I¡¯m free this afternoon¡± Cornelia¡¯s intention was clear. Her off work hours were her personal time, and she chose to have lunch with Briana. Though he couldn¡¯t have lunch with her alone, having lunch together was good enough. Marcus reluctantly conceded, ¡°I¡¯m hungry too. Let¡¯s all have lunch together¡± Briana looked troubled, ¡°But I just want to have lunch with Cornelia¡± Text ? by N0ve/lDrama.Org. Marcus stared at her, his eyes behind the silver sses clearly issued a warning. ¡°You dare topete with me!¡± Briana pretended not to see, linking arms with Cornelia all cutely. ¡°Cornelia, who would you choose, my brother or me?¡± Chapter 454 Chapter 454 Chapter 454 No doubt, Cornelia would go for Briana, ¡°President Hartley, if you¡¯ve got nothing else on my te, Ill head out with Briana for some grub.¡± After Christmas in Paris with them, Briana vanished into thin air. Cornelia hadn¡¯t heard from her in a while Dealing with Skyler¡¯s stuff and work, Cornelia didn¡¯t spare a thought on where Briana had been Seizing this opportunity, she would grill Briana on her recent whereabouts. Even though Marcus Hartley was reluctant, he respected Cornelia¡¯s choice and could only watch them depart. On the way. Briana was yapping non¨Cstop, dragging Comelia along. She¡¯d been country¨Chopping, hanging out with friends after leaving Paris. In short, Briana¡¯s life was a wild ride. Something Cornelia, an average joe, could hardly fathom. As Briana rambled, Cornelia listened attentively. She asionally questioned about new things Briana mentioned. Cornelia¡¯s inquiries would set Briana off on another long¨Cwinded story. It was baffling how their parents produced two kids with pr opposite personalities, one a chatterbox, the other taciturn. About half an hourter, they reached their destination. Cornelia discovered not only Briana but also Natalia would join the lunch, who had a beef with her since day one. Today, Natalia greeted her warmly, ¡°Cornelia, I owe you an apology for the nasty things I¡¯ve said. I asked Briana to set up this meeting so I can apologize face to face.¡± Cornelia nced at Briana, who was visibly sheepish, ¡°Cornelia, I didn¡¯t mean to keep it from you.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Really?¡± Cornelia wasn¡¯t upset. She was just messing with Briana Briana hurriedly exined, ¡°Natalia and I have been thick as thieves since we were little. It¡¯s been tough for me, being stuck in the middle of you two, two people I really care about. I was afraid you wouldn¡¯te if you knew she was involved, so I didn¡¯t tell you¡± ¡°Briana, I¡¯ll let it slide this time. Just be upfront with me next time so it won¡¯t be awkward, alright?¡± Deciding to stay, Cornelia agreed to dine with them. At the table, Natalia poured three drinks, handing one to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m sincerely sorry. If you ept my apology, please drink this.¡± ¡°I drove here. If I drink, I can¡¯t drive back Cornelia poured herself some tea and finished it in one gulp. ¡°There¡¯s no bad blood between us. As long as you stop stirring the pot, I¡¯ll let bygones be bygones.¡± Natalia had prepared herself for Cornelia not forgiving her easily, so she was surprised when Cornelia let it go after a few words. ¡°Thank you so much, Cornelia!¡± She raised her ss, ready to down the drink in one go. Cornelia snatched the ss from her, ¡°If you can¡¯t handle your liquor, don¡¯t push yourself. Have some juice instead¡± Natalia was a looker with a sweet voice. As long as she wasn¡¯t causing trouble, her looks and voice made her a darling. Stunned, Natalia broke into a smile, ¡°Thank you!¡± Seeing the feud resolved, Briana was over the moon, ¡°Cornelia, Natalia, let¡¯s toast with tea instead of alcohol. After this, we¡¯re friends.¡± Without hesitation, Natalia poured tea for Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, please.¡± Cornelia lifted her cup, draining the tea in one gulp. Briana watched them, all smiles and suddenly blurted out, ¡°Cornelia, Natalia, I never noticed this before. But you two look somewhat simr sitting together.¡± Chapter 455 Chapter 455 Chapter 455 ¡°Do you think we look alike? In what way?¡± Cornelia gave Natalia a nce and honestly didn¡¯t see any simrities between them. Briana eyed them again, ¡°I can¡¯t exactly pinpoint where, but there¡¯s something about you two that feels simr.¡± She hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but the more she looked at them, the more she fell some resemnce But she couldn¡¯t exin what it was. After a close look, she finally realized they both had beautiful eyes Yet, Comelia¡¯s eyes were clear and bright, like they were full of stars, pulling people in, while Natalia¡¯s eyes were tender, like water, filling people with an urge to protect her. ¡°Maybe us pretty girls just have something inmon Natalia didn¡¯t seem to care much about Briana¡¯s remark, ¡°Cornelia, I heard from Briana that you¡¯re from Rosenberg. 1 prepared some Rosenberg delicacies for you today Hope you¡¯ll like them.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not picky, as long as there¡¯s food. What happened to the corner of your mouth?¡± Corn¨¦lia noticed a slight swelling on Natalia¡¯s face and mouth coiner the moment she saw her. Natalia must have covered it with concealer before, but drinking juice rinsed it off, revealing the wound ¡°The weather¡¯s been too dry recently Natalia awkwardly covered her mouth, ¡°I¡¯ll grab something for it after dinner. It¡¯ll be better soon.¡± Natalia didn¡¯t want to borate, and Cornelia didn¡¯t push. After all, they were strangers. But Cornelia could tell Natalia was bothered by her mouth wound. After she brought it up, Natalia spoke less, while Briana dominated the conversation at the table. Natalia kept stealing nces at Cornelia, because Cornelia had asked about her mouth wound Even her mother wouldn¡¯t care much about this wound, but hearing it from Cornelia made her feel bad. If her mother cared a bit more about her, maybe she wouldn¡¯t be under Cameron¡¯s control. But her mother didn¡¯t, all she cared about was to secure her position in the Reese family After finishing her meal, Cornelia looked up at Natalia who was staring at her, ¡°Is there something wrong with my face?¡± Property of N?)(velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°No.¡± Natalia dropped her gaze in a fluster, took a couple of bites before looking back at Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, can we exchange contact info?¡± After they became friends on Whatsapp, Natalia said, ¡°Cornelia, we¡¯re good friends now, can I hit you up anytime?¡± Forgiving Natalia was one thing being friends with her was another. Cornelia had been studying in Riverton for four years and working for almost three. She hadn¡¯t made any close friends yet. In general, she¡¯d rather be alone than hanging out with friends who didn¡¯t share her views She politely declined, ¡°I¡¯m really busy with work and like to stay home in my free time, might not share the same hobbies as you guys.¡± Natalia lowered her head in slight disappointment, murmuring ¡°Oh¡°. She looked a bit pitiful, like a puppy nobody cared about. Cornelia softened, ¡°Brianaes by asionally, you can join her if you¡¯re free¡± Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Chapter 456 Natalia¡¯s eyes lit up when she heard that, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re such a good person¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Sure¡± Natalia leaned in closer to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, could you help me win over Marcus?* Before Cornelia could respond, she went on, ¡°If you help me snag Marcus, I¡¯ll make sure he gives you a raise. I¡¯ll be forever grateful.¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but almostugh, I can¡¯t help you¡± Cornelia had only been working with Marcus for a year, and there had been plenty of people asking her for favors. Natalia wasn¡¯t the first, and Cornelia was sure she wouldn¡¯t be thest People had previously promised houses, cars, and money if she could help them out. But this was the first time someone like Natalia had asked for help without promising anything in retum Briana hastily told Natalia to stop. ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t just bber on.¡± Natalia brushed her off, I¡¯m serious, I really like Marcus. I want to marry him and be his wife. Only by marrying him could I be truly happy.¡± Only by marrying Marcus would her mother be satisfied, and she could escape from Cameron¡¯s control. She could shake off the identity of being the Reese family¡¯s daughter and just be herself. Briana, worried that Cornelia might misunderstand, quickly exined, ¡°Cornelia, I didn¡¯t know Natalia was going to say this. Don¡¯t get the wrong impression.¡± Cornelia, ¡°I know.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Cornelia could tell from Briana¡¯s panicked expression that she truly didn¡¯t know. Natalia, in her urgency, blurted out, ¡°Briana, you used to support me being with Marcus. If it weren¡¯t for that woman, I might already be Marcus¡¯s wife. Why are you trying to stop me?¡± Briana replied. ¡°Before, when Marcus wasn¡¯t married, I thought it would be better for him to marry someone I know. So I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about not getting along with his wife. But he¡¯s married now. I¡¯ve told you many times before, he doesn¡¯t love you and he will never marry you. A man who doesn¡¯t love you will never love you. Why waste your precious youth on a man who doesn¡¯t love you?¡± Briana had indeed said these things before, and Natalia understood them. But from a young age, her family told her that if she was a good girl, she would marry the heir to the Hartley family They told her that she would be Marcus¡¯s wife, and she had been preparing to be Mrs. Hartley all these years. Just when she thought she was ready to be Marcus¡® wife, she heard the news that he was married Briana continued to persuade her, ¡°Natalia, you should listen to me. You¡¯re very beautiful, and your family is quite good. As long as you want to get married, there will be many men who will pursue you* Natalia vehemently said, ¡°How many men in this world canpare to Marc? I don¡¯t need other men. I only choose Marc.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know how to respond to this. Marcus was indeed outstanding, and many women wanted to be his wife. But before these women think about bing Marcus¡¯s wife, could they first look at their own situation? They should see if they are worthy of Marcus. Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Chapter 457 Briana said, ¡°Natalia, my brother is already hitched¡± Natalia interrupted her, her voice shaking with emotion, ¡°She just hit the jackpot, got picked by your Granny to marry Marc. But Marc doesn¡¯t love her one bit.¡± Briana said, ¡°You¡¯re not Marcus, how do you know whether he loves his wife or not?¡± Natalia said. ¡°The other night you told me, you said Marc and his wife haven¡¯t done the deed yet. If a man doesn¡¯t want to sleep with a woman, there¡¯s only one reason he doesn¡¯t love her.¡± Briana said, ¡°You actually bought my baloney?¡± Natalia couldn¡¯t care less about whether it was baloney or not, ¡°That woman can¡¯t even get Marc interested Marc doesn¡¯t want to sleep with her, and you¡¯re still against me marrying Mare Do you want the Hartley family to die out or something?¡± ¡°Natalia, please stop Marcus really cares about his wife, it¡¯s just Briana was getting desperate. She should have never drank with Natalia. She spilled everything when she was drunk, just like a fool. Natalia asked, ¡°What?¡± Briana said, ¡°Just keep your mouth shut.¡± Marcus¡¯s wife was still around. She couldn¡¯t just blurt things out. If she found out, she might want to divorce Marcus. And if Marcus found out it was her who spilled the beans, he was gonna me her for sure. Natalia said, ¡°Briana, there¡¯s no love between Marc and his wife They¡¯re not gonna be happy. Let Marc break free from this dull marriage and ept a woman who truly loves him. Not only would I be satisfied, it would be good for Marc too.¡± Briana said with certainty, ¡°Marc values his marriage a lot. He¡¯s never thought about betraying it, and he likes his wife.¡± Yes, he did like his wife. Marc was much nicer to his wife than to her. Natalia said. ¡°He likes her but keeps his distance? Who¡¯d believe that? Cornelia, do you?¡± This was between Marcus and his wife. Cornelia shouldn¡¯t voice her opinion and remained silent. Fearing that Cornelia might get the wrong impression if she found out the truth, Briana quickly said, ¡°Marc doesn¡¯t keep his distance from his wife. He wants to get close but he can¡¯t Marcus may have some sort of illness.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Cornelia choked on her tea N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. President Hartley had some sort of illness! Was this secret something she as an assistant should know? She didn¡¯t want to hear it. She was afraid of being med by Marcus ¡°Briana, should I step out so you two can chat?¡± The more she knew, the more risk of being med by Marcus. So Cornelia wanted to leave. ¡°Cornelia, you can¡¯t leave.¡± Before she could finish, Briana couldn¡¯t let Cornelia leave, ¡°Im all for Marc and his wife. I won¡¯t allow Natalia to mess with their marriage.¡± Cornelia tugged at Briana¡¯s hand, but couldn¡¯t pull away. She helplessly said, ¡°Bri, it¡¯s no use talking to me about this. You should talk to Marcus¡¯s wife.¡± Briana holding onto Cornelia tightly said, ¡°I don¡¯t care, I just want you to trust me!¡± Cornelia¡¯s wrist was hurting from Brana¡¯s grip. ¡°Of course I trust you. Can you let go of me first?¡± Briana said. ¡°Then you can¡¯t leave.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Fine, I won¡¯t leave ¡± Natalia said, ¡°Cornelia, as a bystander, do you think I¡¯m right?¡± Comelia said, ¡°You¡¯re better off not hearing my opinion, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯ll only make you more pissed off¡± Chapter 458 Chapter 458 Chapter 458 What could she even say? Other couples¡® rtionships were their own business. What right did she have, as an outsider, toment here and with such audacity? ¡°Okay, then just shut it.¡± Natalia said to Briana again, ¡®Briana, Marc¡¯s wife isn¡¯t happy with some sickness Marc has, but I don¡¯t care I don¡¯t care about his sickness. Even if he really has one, I don¡¯t mind. As long as he epts me If Marc doesn¡¯t want to marry me, that¡¯s fine too. I¡¯m willing to stay by his side, not as his wife¡± Natalia sounded like a madwoman who¡¯d lost all sense Cornelia was somewhat puzzled Was Natalia genuinely in love with Marcus? Or was she stubbornly trying to win Marcus over? Regardless of which, Cornelia thought that Natalia, who had lost her senses and was in deep agony, was a pitiful person. A woman so low for a man, even throwing away her self esteem. How sad Cornelia didn¡¯t want to listen to their words anymore, so she found an excuse to sneak away. Back home, Cornelia finally had time to check her phone. Here was only one new message on WhatsApp. She opened it, and it was from Jeremy [Cornelia, how was work today?] Cornelia didn¡¯t want him to worry. Those nonsense¨Cspewing colleagues had been fired by Marcus, so that matter was over. She replied [It was fine. Worked for half a day, and President Hartley sent us home to rest] Jeremy quickly replied. [Did you have lunch? How are you nning to spend the next few days?] When he asked, Cornelia honestly replied I n to visit our grandmother at Southern Summer Garden tomorrow and stay there for a night. When Ie back, it sort out some of the stuff we don¡¯t need at home and gradually move them to the new house | Jeremy [¡®ll find someone to help you move ] Cornelia [No need Zack and I will move some stuff over when we have time. There isn¡¯t much to move at home. No need to specifically find people to help. Hiring movers costs money, and having your friends help me move is a bother. We can do it ourselves] Jeremy [I just want to do something for you] Cornelia: [You¡¯ve already helped a lot by letting your grandmother and my grandmother stay at Southern Summer Garden and arranging the best doctors and caregivers for my grandmother] Jeremy: [As your husband, I¡¯m still far from caring enough for you] This sentence was very ordinary, but it touched Cornelia¡¯s heart again, making her feel the warmth and love of this world. Even though many people were talking behind her back, and didn¡¯t want her to live well, there was a man who was always thinking about warming her up. Cornelia wanted to tell him that his words were enough, but she was too shy to say so. She replied to him: If I rely on you for everything, it won¡¯t be long before I be a person who can¡¯t do anything. I don¡¯t want to be like that.] Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Jeremy: [That¡¯s not what I meant ] Cornelia: I know you didn¡¯t mean it like that. But I think, even if we¡¯re a couple, one side can¡¯t do nothing and rely on the other one. That kind of rtionship won¡¯tst. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, do you understand what I mean?] Jeremy. I feel the same way] In their conversation, the content seemed to gradually be romantic. Cornelia quickly changed the subject: [Jeremy, don¡¯t bother Marcus to take care of me anymore. He already has a family. It¡¯s not right for him to always help me, a female employee, with personal matters.] Jeremy: [Don¡¯t you like Marcus?] Cornelia: [He¡¯s great and a good boss, but he and I are not the same kind of people] Jeremy [Why¡¯s that? Chapter 459 Chapter 459 Chapter 459 Cornelia mulled it over and typed [He¡¯s the boss, and I¡¯m just an employee. Do you really think we¡¯re birds of a feather?] Marcus felt a pang of sadness when he saw Cornelia¡¯s message He, as the boss, thought Cornelia would have a decent impression of him But it turned out, in Comelia¡¯s eyes, he was just like any other boss not her kind of people. He drummed his long fingers on his phone, replying: We could be the same if you let it ] Just as Cornelia was about to reply, she got another message, this one from Alvina. Cornelia met Alvina at the Year 3033 Tech Expo. They hadn¡¯t met since, but they kept in touch on WhatsApp They gossiped about everything under the sun. Without even opening the message, Cornelia could guess what Alvina had sent She opened WhatsApp, and sure enough, the message was about Marcus: [Cornelia, pictures of Marcus and his wife started circting onlinest night. It¡¯s been nearly 24 hours, and it¡¯s still buzzing like a hit celebrity. Do you have any pictures? Send me a couple so I can post online and make a killing] Cornelia replied. Do you think I have it too easy? Forget about not having their pictures. Even if I did, I wouldn¡¯t dare post them.¡± Alvina replied. I know you wouldn¡¯t, just messing with you. Plus, seeing others make money makes me green with envy.] The mention of money perked Cornelia up: [Make what money?] Alvina replied. [Duh, inte traffic. Do you know how many views that picture of Marcus and his wife got?] Cornelia knew a lot, but she didn¡¯t pay attention to the specifics: [How many could it be?] Alvina replied: [Last night, so many tforms crashed because of this. I don¡¯t know the exact views, but the person who posted the photo reportedly raked in a cool seven, figures] Cornelia said. [A million dors?] When it came to numbers, especially money, Cornelia¡¯s antenna went up. Without counting on her fingers, she knew it was a million dors A single photo could earn someone a million dors, she could retire early and live the easy life. Alvina replied. [it could be a few million.] The number was so big Not to mention Alvina, even Cornelia was green with envy: [Alvina, I¡¯ll sneak a photo of President Hartley and send it to you. You post it online and make money We¡¯ll go halves. I don¡¯t want to work anymore.] Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Alvina replied: [Deal, go sneak a pic. I promise to split the profits. If you get their picture and post it online. Not only can you retire, you can stop working for the rest of your lives] Cornelia said [True. But I don¡¯t have kids ] Upon hearing this, Alvinaughed [Darling, don¡¯t worry. if Marcus dares to harm you, I will Cornelia said [Help me deal with him?] Alvina said: I might not be able to take him down, but I can die with you. Down there, we can keep each otherpany, so we won¡¯t feel lonely] Chapter 460 Chapter 460 Chapter 460 Cornelia [Do you think I could negotiate with Marcus to take his picture and post it online to make some cash? I¡¯d give him a cut, or I could take twenty percent and he could take eighty percent. I¡¯m cool with that] Alvina (He probably wouldn¡¯t care about that chump change. I think you could try to get his wife¡¯s approval. Let her agree for you to take her picture and post it online, and tag it with #Marcus¡¯s wife¡¯s full face pictures. I think I¡¯ve got a real knack for business] Comelia thought this idea might actually work: [it¡¯s just a shame I haven¡¯t met his wife yet, otherwise I¡¯d definitely try to get her on board to make money with me ] Alvina [You haven¡¯t met her yet? She¡¯s really pretty though. You can tell she¡¯s a beauty just from her elegant silhouette. She and Marcus are a perfect match. I¡¯m d I knew my ce and didn¡¯t pester Marcus] Alvina sang her praises. If the woman in the photo was Mrs. Hartley, Cornelia could join her in the admiration. But unfortunately, the woman in the photo was Cornelia. This left her at a loss for words Alvina [Sweetie, why aren¡¯t you saying anything?) Cornelia [Seeing someone make so much money from a single photo, I¡¯m jealous Half of the photo was her, maybe she could im a share of the profit based on portrait rights. Alvina [You silly goose. If you didn¡¯t make it this time, there¡¯s always a next time. Just do as I suggested earlier. To start with Marcus¡¯s wife, don¡¯t let a good opportunity slip through your fingers.] Cornelia: [Yeah, I¡¯ll definitely seize the opportunity next time.]Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Alvina: Alright darling, I¡¯m going to continue my online sleuthing. Keeping an eye out for any whisperings about Marcus and his wife. Next time we¡¯ll be the ones making the dough] Cornelia [Got it] After ending the chat with Alvina, Cornelia suddenly remembered she hadn¡¯t finished her chat with Jeremy. There was still a message from him on the chat: [Cornelia, why aren¡¯t you responding¡°] Cornelia [A friend just messaged me. We chatted for a bit, I¡¯m a little shook] Jeremy [What happened?] Cornelia [Did you know about the photo being posted onlinest night? I heard the person who posted it made at least a million dors. If I knew Marcus¡¯s picture was worth so much, why didn¡¯t I post it online and make that money?] Jeremy: [You¡¯re upset about this?] Cornelia [I feel like I missed out on a lot of money, do you consider this a minor issue?] Jeremy [Have you considered that the person might not have made that money?] Cornelia [What do you mean?] Jeremy [The photo might have been posted by Marcus himself, and that money could be his Without Jeremy¡¯s reminder, Cornelia, being naive, didn¡¯t think of this. But with Jeremy¡¯s reminder, Cornelia suddenly realized this, she said. [He¡¯s such a boss! He can make more money with one photo than I could in my lifetime. I¡¯m in the photo too, I should ask him for half of the money] Jeremy replied [Okay, he would give you half of the money] Cornelia typed angrily [You can¡¯t make decisions for him. I don¡¯t have the guts to say this to his face. He¡¯s handsome and has a nice voice. He¡¯s always been good to me, but his aura is too strong. It¡¯s intimidating.] Chapter 461 Chapter 461 Chapter 461 When Marcus saw a long message from Cornelia criticizing him on his phone, he couldn¡¯t get mad Instead, he had to gently console her: [Next time you can take a picture of your boss and post it online] Cornelia replied. It won¡¯t be that easy to make money next time, unless I can get a close up of Marcus or a loving shot of him and his wife] Marcus was stunned for a few seconds when he saw this message from Cornelia. This girl seemed serious, but what on earth was she thinking about all day? Cornelia was like a machine gun, quickly typing and sending her next message. [Wait till the day I go to his house, I¡¯ll secretly install a camera in his bathroom, take a video of him naked, or even live stream it. I¡¯m sure I can make a lot of money] Marcus¡¯s face darkened. She was actually thinking of live¨Cstreaming him naked toizens. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Comelia continued texting [Ha ha, Jeremy Don¡¯t you think I have great business sense? Orice I make money, you won¡¯t have to work hard anymore. I can support you] She even wanted to support him! Marcus¡¯s face gradually rxed, and he replied. [Sounds like a n. You better not be pulling my leg] Cornelia instantly regretted it, but words once spoken are like spilled water she couldn¡¯t take them back: [Okay, I¡¯ll take care of making money in the future Your job is to stay handsome.] She would take care of making money, and he would just stay handsome! Marcus thought about it. As long as she was happy, it wasn¡¯t a bad idea: [Sure¡®] Suddenly, Cornelia felt immense pressure. Before, it was just her and her grandma, who had her own retirement pension and barely used Cornelia¡¯s money. Her grandma even secretly saved some money for her. Supporting Jeremy in the future would be more than just providing food. She had to buy him whatever he wanted and couldn¡¯t dislike him just because he didn¡¯t have a job. So, she had to work hard to make money. Cornelia messaged Jeremy: [Jeremy, I gotta go get busy now. See yater!] Jeremy asked: [What are you busy with?] Cornelia replied I¡¯m busy making money to support our family! Maybe we¡¯ll have a kid someday. One child is a bit lonely, so let¡¯s have two to keep each otherpany Two kids will cost more, so I need to start saving up for baby form. She not only mentioned supporting him but also having children with him. This showed she had included him in her future ns, which made Marcus happy. His long fingers tapped on the phone screen, but he couldn¡¯t find the words. After ending her chat with Jeremy, Cornelia didn¡¯t waste a single second and got straight to work. She worked until the evening when Zack and Abigail came home from work They had brought groceries on their way home. The three of them cooked dinner together and quickly prepared several dishes. At the dinner table, Zack was still mad aboutst night¡¯s incident. He just kept his head down and ate his food, not saying a word to Cornelia. Cornelia put some food in his te and brought it to him, chuckling. ¡°Honey, are you nning to ignore me forever?¡± Abigail said, ¡°I think he¡¯s upset.¡± Zack gave them a stern look, ¡°This matter is senous, and you two fools are stillughing. If one day you¡¯re fooled by someone, I bet you¡¯ll still be stupidly clueless about. what happened.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Zack, I know you mean well. But we live in a society where many things are out of our control. I¡¯m Marcus¡¯s assistant, and I get paid twice as much as a regr secretary. As long as Marcus doesn¡¯t ask me to do anything illegal or hical, or make any shady deals. I have no reason to refuse him. Unless I don¡¯t want this job anymore.¡± Chapter 462 Chapter 462 Chapter 462 This was reality, the harsh reality Zack didn¡¯t want to ept it, but he couldn¡¯t change it nor protect Cornelia from getting hurt. That was the real shit he cared about Cornelia got it. ¡°Zack, I¡¯m a grown woman I can look after myself. You don¡¯t owe me anything, no need to beat yourself up.¡± Zack said. ¡°I know you¡¯re tough as nails, but that doesn¡¯t mean we don¡¯t need each other.¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°We¡¯ve got our ce together, you think we can just split up that easy?¡± Abigail was stuffing Zack¡¯s te with food. ¡°You¡¯re always so thoughtful.¡± They allughed and finished up dinner. After dinner, Cornelia spent some time drawingics. When she was about to hit the sack, she got a text from Hannah [Cornelia, are you asleep?] Comelia replied [Nah, still up] Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. As soon as she sent the text, Hannah called her. Cornelia picked up the phone and heard Hannah asking ¡°Cornelia, is it a good time to talk? Cornelia said, ¡°Sure, what¡¯s up?¡± Hannah said, ¡°Nothing important, just feel like yapping.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Cool, I¡¯m all ears¡± Hannah said, ¡°I¡¯m almost done filming my new series. I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯ve been feeling a bit emplytely¡± Cornelia said, ¡®Maybe you¡¯re too invested in this character. You¡¯re a seasoned actress, you need to learn how to shake it off and snap out of character¡± Hannah said, ¡°And thatic artist. After reaching out once, she just disappeared. I¡¯ve sent her tons of messages, but she never responds. I don¡¯t know if I pissed her off or something¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You¡¯re such a sweetheart, who would hate you? Maybe she doesn¡¯t even log into Facebook, she might not even know you messaged her I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯d reply if she knew.¡± Cornelia had created a Facebook ount for Hannah since she hardly used social media. After following Hannah and sending her some encouraging messages, she uninstalled Facebook. Thus she had no idea Hannah had sent her tons of messages Hannah said. ¡°You really think so?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I think it¡¯s pretty likely¡± Hannah said, ¡°Cornelia, I overheard Steven and Zavier talkingst night. They were saying something about President Hartley hiding Skyler, is that true?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°It¡¯s not that President Hartley hid Skyler. He helped her escape from Zavier¡¯s control, there¡¯s a significant difference¡± Hannah said, ¡°Cornelia, do you know where Skyter is now? Cornelia shook her head, I don¡¯t dare to ask. I¡¯m afraid I might lead them to her Hannah said, ¡°I hope Skyler can live the life she wants.¡± Cornelia said. ¡°She will, and so will we.¡± Hannah forced a smile. ¡°Really?¡± Steven always wore a smile and was polite to everyone. Yet, it was these seemingly nice but cunning men who were the most frightening, even more so than Zavier. Skyler had the guts to leave Zavier, but she didn¡¯t even have the courage to leave Steven. Chapter 463 Chapter 463 Chapter 463 Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. # Cornelia noticed that Hannah was feeling down, Hannah, if you¡¯ve got something bothering you, spill it. Don¡¯t carry the load all by yourself Hannah muttered. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, really It¡¯s just sometimes I think being pretty isn¡¯t all it¡¯s cracked up to be Sometimes life can be such a drag She paused, then added ¡°You know, Cornelia I¡¯ve been thinkingtely. If Ashley wasn¡¯t such a knockout, if she was just an average Jane Would she have been spared from the town¡¯s bad boys? If she hadn¡¯t been bullied, then she wouldn¡¯t be branded as unchaste Her mom wouldn¡¯t have offed herself over it, and she wouldn¡¯t have been kicked out of her hometown like some kind of pariah¡± Hannah chuckled, ¡°If none of that had happened, her life wouldn¡¯t have been such a hard slog after her sweet sixteen. Not only being torn from the arms of her lover, but also having a few close shaves with death¡± After patiently listening to Hannah, Cornelia gently responded, ¡°You¡¯re spot on If none of this happened, Ashley wouldn¡¯t have been banished. Her mom wouldn¡¯tmit suicide, and she wouldn¡¯t be separated from her lover. But you¡¯ve gotta get it, the ones who caused all this were the bad guys. Not Ashley¡¯s looks ming the victim is just not cool Whether it was the old days or the now open and advanced society, the expectations on women were always too harsh. Men¡¯s screw¨Cups always ended up being pinned on Women There was a news story recently about a young girl who got assaulted. The cops arrested the perp, but some still defended him. Those sickening voices imed she was asking for it They ndered the victim for dressing provocatively, wearing heavy makeup, and being no good. Otherwise why would the perp pick on her and not others Some even suggested she was selling herself, and the only reason she called the cops was because they couldn¡¯t agree on a price. In short, they put the me on the victim. Hannah said, ¡°I know it¡¯s not right to me the victim. I¡¯m just venting, really Cornelia, chatting with you has lifted my spirits. I¡¯ve got a scene to shoot, let¡¯s catch upter Byer Hannah ended the call abruptly, leaving Cornelia no time to say goodbye. She logged back into Facebook, with a ton of messages from Hannah waiting for her [Hey, can we talk about Ashley¡¯s character?] [Ashley is such a brave heart. In that era, being falsely used and losing her reputation, she managed not to give a damn about the odd looks. She pulled herself together, and became a courageous and clever woman. She didn¡¯t lose sight of her dreams and helped many girls like her.] [I¡¯ve been wondering, who saved who? Did the guy save Ashley, or was it the other way around?] [Lately, life seems unbearable, as if there¡¯s no light at the end of the tunnel. If Ashley could be brave in such a predicament, why can¡¯t I?] After reading those messages, Cornelia could kind of get what Hannah was going through. She pondered for a moment and decided to reply to Hannah as the original author of theic [Hannah Ashley, being able to gather her courage again after major setbacks in that era, climbed to heights women had never reached before through her own efforts. She¡¯s indeed a brave and resilient girl. And aren¡¯t you too?] Chapter 464 Chapter 464 Chapter 464 You¡¯ve worked your way up from small roles, catching the attention of the audience. And through your hard work, you¡¯ve be the most popr actress, winning countless awards. You¡¯re amazing how can you doubt yourself?] Cornelia sent the message, and in less than two seconds, she got a reply from Hannah. It seemed like she had been waiting for the author¡¯s reply [Finally, you deigned to reply I thought you were giving me the cold shoulder] Cornelia could sense the fear and unease from Hannah¡¯s words. Ashley was a lively character Cornelia created for heric, but she had a hard timeing up with her at first. Now, Hannah seemed to have fully immersed herself in the character, unable to snap out of it Cornelia replied I¡¯ve just been swamped with work and rarely log into Facebook. Shoot me a message anytime, I¡¯ll definitely reply when I see it ] Hannah said [People are saying my sess is all thanks to a sugar daddy. Why do you think all my des are due to my own hard work? Cornelia replied [Because I¡¯m a girl too, and I¡¯ve been through simr stuff. Society is quick to assume that sessful women must have relied on men. But we both know, many girls get better by working their tails off] Hannah said (Thank you¡® The affirmation from a stranger was the best remedy for her wounded heart. Cornelia said. [No need to thank me, hit me up anytime] After replying, Cornelia quickly checked for flights from Riverton to Woodpine on her phone. She was worried about Hannah and felt she needed to be with her. There were still plenty of flights, and if she left for the airport now, she could catch thest flight. Cornelia quickly booked the flight Business ss was only fifty bucks more than economy, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to spend the extra fifty on business ss. This was a personal trip, nopany reimbursement After purchasing the ticket, Cornelia grabbed her ID and phone and bolted for the airport. Without any checked luggage, she saved some time. But she still had to sprint going through security to make the flight Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. The Celestial Chateau was too big too lonely for one person. The loneliness brought back some unpleasant childhood memories. So Marcus often stayed at Blueshell Mansion of kept busy with work to suppress them. He¡¯d just showered and was about to hit the hay when Ayden called. Ayden rarely initiated contact, so Marcus knew something was up, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± after Ayden nervously said, ¡°President Hartley, Cornelia caught thest flight to Woodpine tonight. She didn¡¯t bring any luggage when she left, so I didn¡¯t realize she was going so far. By the time I knew she was heading to Woodpine, there were no more flights avable tonight. I can¡¯t get there right away¡± ¡°Wait at the airport. You¡¯re on the hook if anything happens to her.¡± Marcus hung up and dialed another number, ¡°Arrange a private jet to Woodpine ASAP I¡¯m heading to the airport now, the sooner the better.¡± Chapter 465 Chapter 465 Chapter 465 The flight from Riverton to Woodpine took no more than three hours, touching down at Woodpine at two in the morning. The temperature swung in Woodpine were a real bear And Cornelia, underdressed as she was, started feeling the chill immediately after getting off the ne, which even kicked out her sleepiness. Cornelia followed the crowd towards the airport exit when suddenly, a familiar male voice came from behind her, ¡°Ms Stewart? Is that you?¡± Turning around, Cornelia saw Steven, tall and upright with a smile on his face. His assistant was also behind him, both of them focusing their attention on Cornelia Cornelia looked up at the flight information board on the wall, there was a flight that had justnded from Harbor City to Woodpine, President Dixon, what a coincidence. What brings you here?¡± ¡°Hannah is filming here, I came to visit her Steven looked around, but didn¡¯t see who he wanted to see, ¡°Howe you¡¯re here alone? Didn¡¯t Marce with you?¡± This sentence sounded a bit suggestive. Cornelia quickly rified her rtionship with Marcus, ¡°I¡¯m on vacation, not here for work. President Hartley is my boss, so it¡¯s unlikely for him to apany me here¡® Steven smiled, opened up Marcus¡¯s WhatsApp on his phone: [Marcus, your wife is in Woodpine all by herself. Are you aware?] After the message was sent. Steven waited for a while, but didn¡¯t get a reply from Marcus. He tried to call, but the other party had already turned off their phone Marcus was a workaholic. His personal and work phones were always on, only turning them off under special circumstances. Steven guessed that Marcus might be on his way to Woodpine Heughed, ¡°Ms. Stewart, did Marcus do something to piss you off and you came to Woodpine to blow off some steam? Tell me how he hurt you, and I¡¯ll give him a piece of my mind ¡°I¡¯ve told you, Marcus and I are just employee and boss. Please stop making misleadingments.¡± Cornelia was a bit annoyed inside, but remained polite on the surface, ¡°How could President Hartley piss me off¡± Steven always had a kind smile on his face, but no one could know what he¡¯s thinking inside. Cornelia couldn¡¯t see through him and didn¡¯t want to have too much contact with him, ¡°President Dixon, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be on my way¡± Steven wasn¡¯t going to let Cornelia go easily. ¡°It¡¯s not convenient to call a cab now. Which hotel are you heading to? I¡¯ll have my driver drop you off.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I haven¡¯t booked a hotel yet, no need to trouble you¡± Steven said, ¡°Since you haven¡¯t booked a hotel, why don¡¯t youe with me to the hotel near Hannah¡¯s film set. You and Hannah haven¡¯t seen each other for a while, it would be a good chance to catch up¡± ¡°Really no need Goodbye¡± Cornelia turned around and left, trying to get out of Steven¡¯s sight as quickly as possible. Her main reason for this visit was to spend time with Hannah, but unfortunately bumped into Steven. Steven was very possessive; he would never give her and Hannah alone time. So she felt like this trip was a waste. Watching Cornelia¡¯s retreating figure, Steven said to his assistant, ¡°Follow her, see which hotel she checks into.¡± Marcus had upset his wife and she had left; he must be looking for her everywhere. At this point, if he told Marcus about Cornelia¡¯s whereabouts, he could get some benefits out of him After leaving the airport, Cornelia hailed a cab and headed straight for downtown. She was nning to stay there for a couple of days and go find Hannah after Steven left Woodpine. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Woodpine was a tourist city. The tourism industry was booming, with many visitors every year. During the peak season, the prices of the better hotels could multiply several times and it might even be impossible to book a room. Chapter 466 Chapter 466 Chapter 466 Cornelia shelled out over thirty bucks for a pretty decent single room in a chain hotel Lucky for her, it was off peak season for tourism. By the time she checked in, dawn was breaking Comelia tidied up a bit and hit the sack. She snoozed until almost noon,pletely throwing her normal routine out of whack Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. When she woke up, Cornelia instinctively grabbed her phone. After unlocking it, she saw two messages from Hannah. [Cornelia, Steven told me you¡¯re visiting Woodpine If you don¡¯t have other ns for lunch, can we grab a bite?] [Cornelia, hit me up after you wake up I won¡¯t call you in case it wakes you up. ] Cornelia immediately replied [Sure, where you at? Ill head over now ] Shortly after sending the message. Hannah quickly sent an address. Cornelia saw that the restaurant was not far away from her hotel, a few minutes¡® walk at most. She sprung out of bed, freshened up, and hurried off to the restaurant. Once she got there, she even spotted a couple of familiar faces. Only then did she realize her boss, Marcus, was there too. And it wasn¡¯t just Marcus. Lucas and his wife and Zavier were there as well. Thest time she saw Zavier, he looked full of life. But it hadn¡¯t been that long since then. Today Zavier hadn¡¯t even bothered to shave. He looked beat, like he aged a decade overnight. Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but stare at him a little longer Zavier was also staring at her, his eyes filled with a piercing intensity, like he wanted to swallow her whole. To be honest, Cornelia was somewhat scared of the way Zavier was looking at her, but she knew she couldn¡¯t let him get the upper hand. So, she held her head high, puffed up her chest, and walked in Before she even had a chance to greet Marcus, she was warmly embraced by Hannah and Rosie. Hannah said, ¡°Cornelia, we¡¯ve missed you so much. Today, just the three of us girls will go out and find somewhere fun to go, without these guys.¡± Cornelia touched Hannah¡¯s significantly thinner face, ¡°I¡¯m game, but I¡¯m not sure if President Dixon and Lucas will let us go.¡± Steven walked over and softly pecked Hannah¡¯s cheek under everyone¡¯s watchful gaze, ¡°I don¡¯t know if Lucas will let his wife go, but won¡¯t let you out of my sight.¡± Hannah gently avoided Steven¡¯s touch, a bit annoyed, ¡°Can¡¯t you give us a little personal space?¡± Steven gently pinched her earlobe, ¡°What can¡¯t you say in front of us?¡± Hannah pushed his hand away, ¡°Girls definitely have some things that guys shouldn¡¯t hear.¡± Steven looked at Cornelia. ¡°You can say it to others, but not to Cornelia. Don¡¯t let her lead you astray.¡± Cornelia really wanted to chew him out, but considering the circumstances. She held back, ¡°President Dixon, have I offended you?¡± Steven said, ¡°Not yet. But I¡¯m always afraid that if you take Hannah away. I¡¯ll end up heartbroken like Zavier.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t respond. She had fallen asleep as soon as she arrived at the hotelst night, so she had no clue what significant events had transpired around her while she was out cold d her away already Chapter 467 Chapter 467 Chapter 467 For the past two months, Zavier had been turning every stone in his quest for Skyler. But it was like she vanished off the face of the earth With each passing day, the fear of losing Skyler forever was eating him alive. He couldn¡¯t eat or sleep. And even when he did, he was haunted by dreams of her. She was always there, looking at him with those using eyes, as if he hadmitted an unforgivable sin He banged on Marcus door time and time again, begging for Skyler¡¯s whereabouts. He swore he wouldn¡¯t bother her, and just wanted to see her from a distance. But Marcus wouldn¡¯t spill the beans Zavier knew the key to his dilemma was Comelia. So, he had her watched, waiting for a moment when she was unprotected. Once that happened, he nned to snatch her and force Marcus¡® hand Last night, he thought his moment hade. Just when he was about to trade Cornelia for Skyler, Marcus and his crew showed up. Marcus had a look in his eyes that gave Zavier the creeps, like the Grim Reaper himself ¡°Zavier, touch a hair on Cornelia¡¯s head, and you¡¯ll wish you were never born.¡± Marcus threatened. ¡°Marcus, what¡¯s eating you?¡± Zavier casually lit a cigarette, taking a couple of drags. ¡°You don¡¯t even love Cornelia. If she disappears, you could simply rece her.¡± But Marcus was having none of it. He stomped over, snatched the cigarette out of Zavier¡¯s hand, and crushed it under his boot, ¡°Cornelia is my wife, Zavier. I have sworn to protect her with my life If anyone dares to harm her, I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯ll pay dearly¡± ¡°Oh, wife?¡® Zavier lit another cigarette, jabbing it towards Marcus¡¯s face, ¡®You know to protect your wife. What about when you hid my wife? Ever think about how I¡¯d feel?¡± As he watched the burning cigarette butt being jabbed towards his face, Marcus didn¡¯t flinch nor blink, ¡®Zavier, if Skyler didn¡¯t want to leave you. If she still loved you, do you think I could have hidden her?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. She wanted to leave him! She didn¡¯t love him! Those words cut through Zavier like a knife. He stumbled back, dropping his cigarette. He was left leaning against the wall for support. After a moment, he roared in anger, ¡°I treated her like a queen, how could she drop me like a hot potato?!¡± ¡°How should I know?¡± Marcus shrugged. He had enough on his te trying to make sense of his own feelings, let alone Zavier and Skyler¡¯s. Zavierughed again, ¡°You¡¯re no better than me. Your wife is with you every day, but all you can do is watch. You can¡¯t even hold her.¡± ¡°Leave Marcus adjusted his sses and his previous hostility seemed to have evaporated Taking two step ahead, Zavier grabbed Marcus¡± arm, ¡°Marcus, just tell me where Skyler is. I just want to see her. I promise I won¡¯t disturb her life.¡± *Unless Skyler wants to see you, I won¡¯t tell you where she is.¡± Marcus signaled to Ayden, who emerged from the shadows, ¡°Mr. Rivera, President Hartley needs his rest. Please leave.¡± A chill swept across Zavier¡¯s face, ¡°Marcus, you¡¯d better keep a close eye on Cornelia. Don¡¯t give me an opportunity. When I strike, you¡¯ll be crying for mercy¡± ¡°Try me, if you dare,¡± Marcus retorted coolly Ayden made a stern hand gesture, Mr. Rivera, please.¡± Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Chapter 468 Zavier gave Marcus a long thoughtful look, then finally exited the scene After Zavier left, Ayden returned to Marcus¡¯s side. He hung his head low clearly upset, ¡®I screwed up big time. You can punish me however you see fit Marcus looked at Ayden From this angle, the scar on Ayden¡¯s face was strikingly visible, like a centipede crawling across his face, ¡®Does your face still hurt?* Ayden shook his head, ¡°No¡± Marcus said, ¡°You can go now Ayden was taken aback. He looked up at him, ¡°You¡¯re not gonna punish me for my blunder?¡± Marcus turned around, looking out the window. ¡°I haven¡¯t outed Cornelia yet, so the vultures in the business world won¡¯t be onto her. The moment I reveal her identity, a lot of the danger lurking around me will shift onto her.¡± Woodpine didn¡¯t have the hustle and bustle of Riverton. Even downtown, there weren¡¯t many skyscrapers. But the morning sun seemed redder than in Riverton, giving off a warm feeling rather than being blinding Just like the girl in the room next door. One look at her could brighten his day. Ayden said, ¡°President Hartley, don¡¯t worry. As long as I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll protect Cornelia. Even if it costs me my life.¡± Marcus replied. ¡°Your life matters too.¡± Ayden was surprised again, even feeling a sudden urge to cry a rare emotion for someone usually so stoic. Marcus waved him off, ¡°Off you go.¡± Ayden said, ¡°We¡¯ve reced all the hotel staff with our people. I¡¯ll stay on guard here, so Cornelia won¡¯t be in danger. It¡¯s morning already, you haven¡¯t slept all night. Maybe you should get some rest?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°No need He wanted to protect Cornelia himself, he didn¡¯t want to relive the fear he feltst night. He was Marcus, the teenager who wasn¡¯t afraid even when fighting for control of the Hartley Group. He had faced enemies, or had guns pointed at his head. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Butst night, when he learned that Cornelia was alone in Woodpine, the fear that surged from the bottom of his heart at the thought of her being kidnapped was paralyzing Why did he feel this way? Marcus couldn¡¯t figure it out. Ayden went back to his room, only to find Dr. Dawson waiting for him, ¡°Mom, what are you doing here?¡± Dr. Dawson took a couple of steps closer, examining him, ¡°Marc didn¡¯t punish you?¡± Ayden shook his head Dr. Dawson wiped away a tear, ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I knew how dangerous it was around Marc, but I let you work for him to repay Granny Luisa, who saved our lives.¡± Ayden replied impassively, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t say that again. If it weren¡¯t for Granny Luisa and President Hartley, we might have been dead a long time ago.¡± Chapter 469 Chapter 469 Chapter 469 Dr. Dawson got it, but what mom wouldn¡¯t worry about her son, right? Every time she thought about her son living in danger everyday, her heart would feel like it was dangling mid air, all jumpy She gently traced the terrifying scar on Ayden¡¯s face and said. ¡°You¡¯re one tough cookie¡± That scar was from a few years back when Ayden took one for Marcus. He had got more scars than just that one Back then, if they hadn¡¯t been lucky. They could¡¯ve both kicked the bucket right there in the States, qurned down by some thugs Ayden pushed her hand away ¡°Stop erving mom. I ain¡¯t scared of a little pain N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Dr. Dawson wiped her tears, took a deep breath and said, ¡°You¡¯re right. We chose this path. We gotta stay loyal to the boss, even if it costs un our lives Ayden just nodded Dr. Dawson continued. ¡°I think Marc¡¯s thing for Comelia is more than just ¡®cause she¡¯s his wife. He truly digs her You gotta look out for her mors Can¡¯t have happened tonight happening again¡± Ayden just nodded again. Dr. Dawson knew Ayden¡¯s style He didn¡¯t talk much. It was usually just her talking and him listening attentively ke what She added. ¡°If Marc hadn¡¯t been quick to send backup and hopped on his private jet to Woodpine in time, Cornelia might¡¯ve been snatched by Zavier That guy¡¯s bad news. If he¡¯d gotten what he wanted, it would¡¯ve been a real doozy trying to get Cornelia back.¡± Ayden just said. ¡°I got it.¡± Dr. Dawson lifted her head and once again saw that shocking scar on his face No matter how many times she saw it, it always stung her heart. ¡°You gotta keep that medicine I gave you on you at all times. It could save your hide¡± Ayden nodded again Dr. Dawson sighed. ¡°You could talk a bit more, you know¡± All Ayden said was, ¡°Hmm¡± Dr. Dawson nced at him. She knew how he was and didn¡¯t expect him to be more talkative. Steven was a witness tost night¡¯s events. He saw the face¨Coff between Marcus and Zavier. If neither of them backed down, their years of brotherhood could go down the drain. So, he invited Lucas to Woodpine and arranged a lunch today He hoped they could meet halfway at the lunch. But before it even started, his wife was itching to leave him. He definitely wouldn¡¯t agree to that. Steven stood his ground, so Rosie had to sweet talk her husband, ¡°Lucas, you promised I could hang out with Hannah and Cornelia if I came to Woodpine with you. Keep your promise or I¡¯m not gonna trust you ever again¡± Lucas pretended to think it over. ¡°Let¡¯s just get another private room next door. The girls can eat here and we guys will be next door and not bother you if you need us, just holler and we¡¯ll be right over.¡± Rosie stomped her foot, ¡°No!¡± Steven passed the buck to Marcus, ¡°Marc, what¡¯s your take on this?¡± Ever since Cornelia arrived, Marcus hadn¡¯t taken his eyes off her. She had a good night¡¯s sleep and looked well rested today. When Steven called him out, Marcus finally looked away from Cornelia, ¡°If they want to do their own thing, let them. Even the closest couples are still individuals. No one is an appendage of the other. Giving each other some room, I think that¡¯s better for the rtionship¡± Chapter 470 Chapter 470 Chapter 470 Among the guys present. Marcus was the only one who made any sense Cornens subtly gave him a thumbs up Stevenughed, ¡°Mare, you reckon you¡¯re qualified to talk about mantal rtionships with us? You better work things out with your own wife first Marcus didn¡¯t respond to him, but looked back at Cornelia Cornelia immediately greeted him in a formal tone ¡°Good afternoon, President Hartley Her formal tone made Marcus¡¯s expression turn sour But Cornelia was too far away to notice Steven wrapped his arm around Hannah¡¯s waist gave her a gentle pinch, and muzzled her neck With Marc¡¯s wife out of the picture, his words don¡¯t matter I need to make my stance clear and that is I dont wanna let you go Hannah tried to squirm away but Steven was too strong for her She bit her lip and whispered, ¡°Steven, come on, everyone¡¯s looking¡± Steven ignored her quiet protests, and continued to nibble on her ear. Thaven¡¯t seen you in two weeks, finally managed to clear a couple of days to spend with you Can¡¯t you just go with the flow? Hannah stopped struggling closing her eyes and hiding all her emotions inside. She knew how needy Steven could get. If it wasn¡¯t for this gathering at Woodpine, he would probably not leave the hotel today, and make up for lost time Steven led Hannah to the dining table. ¡°Everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s eat first. After meal, everyone can take their wives back to the hotel, do whatever they want. Hannah couldn¡¯t walk away, and Rosie didn¡¯t insist on leaving either. She just shot her husband a furious re Lucas quickly pulled out a chair, ¡°Sit down and fill your belly first¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Rosie sat down angrily. ¡°You¡¯re such a jerk, I¡¯m never trusting you again¡± Lucas leaned in and whispered in her ear. ¡°If you say things I don¡¯t like, you¡¯ll be punished¡± Rosie¡¯s face turned beet red, Lucas was such a freak! With Steven and his wife, and Lucas and his wife seated. There were four seats remained. Marcus and Zavier both pulled out a chair almost simultaneously, both intending to offer it to Cornelia Zavier was quicker, ¡°Ms Stewart, would you prefer to sit next to me, or President Hartley?¡± Without hesitation, Cornelia took the seat next to Marcus. As apetent assistant, she couldn¡¯t afford to embarrass her boss even in her private time. Marcus was pleased with Comelia¡¯s choice, but he needed to know. ¡°What brings you to Woodpine all of a sudden?¡± Cornelia answered truthfully. ¡°I have a few days off, so I came here on vacation.¡± ¡°Just a vacation? Really?¡± She mentioned yesterday while chatting with Jeremy that she was going to apany two olddies to the Southern Summer Garden today, but her sudden arrival at Woodpine suggested that she had some business to attend to She little liar, trying to pull the wool over his eyes. ¡°Marc, Ms. Stewart is your assistant, not your wife. Where she spends her vacation is none of your business. You¡¯re being a bit too controlling Zavier lit a cigarette and took a couple of drags. ¡°Ms Stewart, you¡¯ve been with Marc for quite some time Do you know who his wife is? Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Chapter 471 Marcus whipped his head around, shooting Zavier a look that was all but shouting ¡®back off ¡°Ease up. Marc. I¡¯m just shooting the breeze with Comelia¡± Zavier said, putting out his cigarette with a smirk, ¡°Cornelia, after dinner, fancy a little private chat?¡± No matter what Zavier was up to, Cornelia wasn¡¯t about to back down. She was determined to help Skyler, ¡°Sure¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Cornelia was game, but Marcus wasn¡¯t having it. His icy stare never left Zavier and said to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, after dinner,e with me to check out a project ¡°Of course¡± For Comelia, work always came first. ¡®Mr. Rivera, how about we chat after I finish up some work this afternoon. Maybe in the evening?¡± ¡°You might be too busy then too¡± Zavier lit another cigarette, grinning. ¡°What¡¯s got you so scared, Marc? Afraid I¡¯ll spill your secrets to Cornelia? Or that I hide your wife like you did?¡± Marcus snorted, ¡°If you never want to see Skyler again in your life, be my guest.¡± The threat hit Zavier hard, and he sshed his cup¡¯s contents onto Marcus¡¯s face in anger, ¡°Think I won¡¯t do anything to you, Marcus? Don¡¯t push it, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡± Marcus could¡¯ve dodged it, but chose not to. Even soaking wet, he was more sexy than embarrassed Cornelia felt horrible. If it wasn¡¯t for her insistence on helping Skyler, Marcus wouldn¡¯t have been dragged into this mess, let alone soaked to the skin by Zavier. She quickly grabbed some napkins and began to pat down Marcus¡¯s hair, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Marcus heard her and lightly squeezed her hand before letting go, ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, don¡¯t beat yourself up.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Steven quickly stood up, patting Zavier¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Zavier, we¡¯ve been friends since college. No need for physical or verbal assaults¡® Lucas chimed in. ¡°Zavier, Skyler¡¯s finally found a moment of peace after running away from you. Don¡¯t force her back. Marc¡¯s trying to help you.¡± ¡°Help me?¡± Zavier¡¯s eyes zed with anger, ¡°If I hide your wives and make them impossible to find, am I helping you?¡± Hannah suddenly snapped. ¡°Skyler would rather die than be with you! You¡¯re ming everyone else instead of looking at yourself! Steven was taken aback by Hannah¡¯s outburst, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Hannah stared at Steven with a defiant gaze, ¡°Just because you¡¯re rich, you think all women are dying to be with you, waiting for your affection.¡± Steven said, ¡°I never thought that way¡± Hannah didn¡¯t seem to hear him, ¡°Yes, we may not be as wealthy or powerful as you. You could crush us like ants. But even a cornered animal will fight back. We¡¯re human beings, not pets at your beck and call¡± As a performer, Hannah was always gentle and soft¨Cspoken. No one had ever seen her so angry All eyes were on her. She grabbed her bag and left in a huff, ¡°Cornelia, Rosie, we¡¯ll catch up another time.¡± Cornelia made to follow her, but Steven beat her to it, ¡°Eat up, I¡¯m going to check on my wife.¡± With Steven gone, the awkwardness in the room deepened. Lucas finally broke the silence. ¡°Zavier, I think you should cool down and think about your feelings for Skyter. If you only want her back for the sake of your pride, it¡¯s not worth it. But if you genuinely care for her and are worried about her, give her some time to see if she can manage on her own.¡± Chapter 472 Chapter 472 Chapter 472 Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. ¡°Me, having feelings for her? I could have any woman I want, would I fall for a woman? Zavier lifted his ss, downed the drink in one gulp and mmed the ss back on the table. He then stormed out He could deny it with words, but he couldn¡¯t deny his innermost thoughts Even if he refused to admit it, he couldn¡¯t deny that he cared about Skyler. It had been several months since Skyler left him, and he had no idea how he had gotten through this time. It felt like each day was as long as a year. Lucas helplessly shrugged. ¡®Marc, shall we continue?¡± Marcus looked at Cornelia, who had an apologetic look on her face. It made him feel ufortable. He pushed the pie towards Cornelia, ¡°Let¡¯s continue eating Without any hesitation, Cornelia took a bite, looking incredibly cute like a little hamster. Marcusughed He was naturally handsome, and his eyes under the sses were filled with warmth when heughed, incredibly charming Rosie noticed, ¡°President Hartley, do you like Cornelia?¡± Comelia was busy eating and didn¡¯t hear clearly Marcus calmly looked at Cornelia, who was eating, neiller denying nor admitting it. Lucas gently nudged Rosie, who asked, ¡°Why are you pushing me?¡± Lucas urged her to eat, ¡°If you don¡¯t eat now, the food will get cold¡± Rosie seemed to have a guess, ¡°This can¡¯t be true, can it?¡± Lucas said, ¡°I told you to eat.¡± Rosie said, ¡°President Hartley. You¡¯re already married, and so is Comelia¡± Hearing her name, Cornelia finally lifted her head from the delicious pie, ¡°Rosie, what¡¯s up?¡± Rosie wanted to say something, but felt it was not nice to say to a girl. So she gave up. ¡°How¡¯s the food today?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Very delicious, especially the meat sauce pastas I could eat three tes myself. Marcus pushed the porcini mushroom soup and grilled salmon towards her, ¡°Don¡¯t just eat meat sauce pastas. You should eat other dishes too, to keep a bnced diet.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t look at him and muttered a response, ¡°Alright.¡± Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Chapter 473 Rosie was a total foodie. She could¡¯t resist a good grub. Buttely, she seemed to have lost interest in food and had been obsessing over Marcus¡¯s every move Before, she hadn¡¯t noticed that the way Marcus looked at Comelia was different from how a typical boss looked at his employee She couldn¡¯t bring herself to ask him face to face, so she texted Lucas instead. Tell me, Lucas. Do you look at your assistant the same way when I¡¯m not around?] [Do I even have a female assistant?] Lucas replied. Rosie, a bit pissed, shot back if you did, would you be ogling her like that?] Lucas was taken aback. [When have I ever ogled any other woman?] [You haven¡¯t in front of me, but I have no clue what you do behind my back. Your buddy is already hitched, yet he¡¯s still eyeing another woman. That¡¯s just low | Rosie said [Marcus isn¡¯t what you think. His rtionship with Cornelia isn¡¯t as simple as it seems. Give it some time, you¡¯ll understand] Lucas exined Marcus had revealed his true rtionship with Cornelia to the four of them. They all kept it hush hush from their wives, protecting Marcus¡¯s secret [All men are scum] Rosie retorted. [Don¡¯t you know if I¡¯m a good guy or a bad one?] Lucas asked Rosie didn¡¯t reply. This man was getting slicker with his words. She couldn¡¯t beat him. After the four of them finished dinner. Lucas took Rosie back to Serenity Bay first. Marcus took Cornelia to Woodpine to scout for tourism projects. Even during her downtime, Cornelia was expected to work. She hated it, butplied. Of course, she never cked off during work hours. Woodpine was a tourist city, with tourism contributing to most of the GDP But high¨Cend tourism products were scarce, failing to attract the real big spenders The Hartley Group had been working on business tourism projects in recent years, and Woodpine was one of their targets. The team assigned to this project had previously analyzed Woodpine, so Cornelia quickly got in touch with her colleagues to get a hold of the analysis report on Woodpine¡¯s tourism industry. She was always strict with herself, never allowing herself to be uninformed during work hours Seeing Cornelia busy, Marcus was regretting his decision. He knew she took her work seriously, but he still used work as an excuse to spend time alone with her, leaving her with no time to rest. Watching Cornelia busy contacting the project team, Marcus took her phone and hung up, ¡°We¡¯re just here to check out the tourism scene. Consider this a vacation. Looking at things from a tourist¡¯s perspective will give you a better understanding of the pros and cons¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Since the boss said so, Cornelia had no choice but toply. ¡°Okay¡± Marcus arranged for a car, nning to take Cornelia around, I heard the Sapphire Lake in Woodpine is stunning. Shall we go there first?¡± ¡°Sure Cornelia agreed. From their current location, it was only a few miles to the famous Sapphire Lake in Woodpine. Sapphire Lake was the thirdrgest freshwaterke in the country. It would take about two to three hours to drive around theke It was located at the foot of a snow¨Ccapped mountain. The distant view of the mountain and the jade¨C like color of theke made Sapphire Lake a famous tourist spot in Woodpine. Every year, many tourists flocked to theke. As soon as their car entered theke area, Cornelia was captivated by the picturesque view, ¡°President Hartley, the actual view of Sapphire Lake is even more beautiful than the photos online.¡± Marcus just nodded, ¡°Hmm¡± Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Chapter 474 Comelia whipped out her phone and started scouring the inte for tourist guides of Sapphire Lake. Sapphire Lake had a few scenic spots, the closest one being Lovers Tree Lovers¡® Tree wasn¡¯t just a feast for the eyes but was also home to two trees that were intertwined, standing close to each other These two trees were located by theke, intertwined with each other From afar, they looked like two people hugging each other, hence the name Lovers Tree Legend had it that any couple who made a wish under the Lovers¡® Tree would be blessed with lifelong happiness, making it a hotspot for lovebirds N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Cornelia could see the two tall trees tightly entwined from afar Underneath the trees was a viewing tform bustling with people. As the car got closer, Cornelia could make out the people on the tform. At first nce, all she saw were couples. There wasn¡¯t a single person who came alone. Some couples were even having their wedding photoshoot there. The wind tousled the bride¡¯s hair, and the groom gently tucked it behind her ear The bride looked at the groom, their eyes met and they shared augh. All the love they had for each other was evident in that moment, it was quite enviable. Cornelia thought to herself. Once she met Jeremy, she would bring him here to make a wish and have a beautiful wedding photoshoot. They would also bring their grandmothers along to enjoy a few days at this beautiful ce. Thinking about the bright future ahead, a smile involuntarily crept up to Cornelia¡¯s face. Her eyes were twinkling like stars. As she was lost in her thoughts, she heard Marcus deep voice, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Comelia turned to look at Marcus. For a moment, Marcus face ovepped with Jeremy¡¯s face from her memories. She quickly averted her eyes, ¡°President Hartley, have you and your wife had a wedding photoshoot?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Not yet¡± Cornelia responded with a despondent, ¡°Oh.¡± Marcus added, ¡°I¡¯m not very interested in having a wedding photoshoot. But if she wants to, I¡¯ll apany her.¡± Comelia remained silent. Wasn¡¯t it customary to have a wedding photoshoot once they were married? Did he mean he was waiting for his wife to suggest it? But it was not her ce as an assistant to meddle in other people¡¯s business. Cornelia looked back at the viewing tform, at the intimate couples. She remembered someone once said that no matter how good a rtionship or a marriage was asionally, it needed some special events to increase the bond. Otherwise, no amount of passion could withstand the test of time. Marcus asked, ¡°Why have you gone quiet?¡± Cornelia thought for a moment, then replied, ¡°You rarely see your wife and it¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve nned any romantic dates for her¡± Marcus said, ¡°We don¡¯t rarely see each other. It¡¯s just that most of our meetings are work¨Crted. Due to some personal reasons, she has some misunderstandings about me, so.. As he mentioned personal reasons, Cornelia suddenly remembered the conversation between Briana and Natalia yesterday. Marcus was sick, so there must be some issues in his marital life. That exined why she had never seen his wife visit him at work during all the time she had been his assistant. This man was so good-looking and had a great body but was sick. What was up with that? What a waste of a handsome face and a ster physique. Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Chapter 475 Rumor had it that lots of guys with that chsease ended up with some mental issues, doing some seriously scary stuff. Comelia was secretly observing Marcus, hoping he N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. was not one of them. Marcus said. ¡°Cornelia¡± Cornelia tried to clear her jumbled thoughts, ¡°President Hartley, what¡¯s up?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What are you thinking?¡± ¡°I heard you can¡¯t satisfy your wife and your marriage might as well be non¨Cexistent. No wonder you suspected her of cheating This thought could only stay in her head, something Cornelia could never tell him. ¡°Nothing in particr¡± Marcus didn¡¯t respond Little liar That little liar The look in her eyes clearly showed she had got something on her mind, but she still denied it. But if she wouldn¡¯t spill, there was nothing he could do The car left Lovers¡® Tree, following the scenic route around theke The next stop was a viewing tform From there, Sapphire Lake looked like a giant mirror reflecting the snow¨Ccapped mountains, utterly mesmerizing. Hence, this spot was a major tourist ma. Lots of tourists were snapping pictures and Cornelia really wanted to join in. But she was on duty, so no could do. As soon as Cornelia had this thought, Marcus said, ¡°This spot is said to offer the best view of Sapphire Lake. Wanna get off and check it out?¡± He could tell from her expression that she was eager to get off and explore. So he asked her. Cornelia immediately nodded. ¡°Sure thing¡± Parking by theke was a bit tricky Marcus dropped off Cornelia first while he went to find a parking spot. As soon as she got off, Cornelia rushed to thekeside. She whipped out her phone, and took some photos. Then she opened her chat with Jeremy, sent him two photos, but got no reply. She wasn¡¯t sure if he was busy working or asleep due to the time difference Cornelia didn¡¯t disturb him further. She found the group chat with three of them and sent all the pictures Zack and Abigail almost simultaneously replied. [Is that Sapphire Lake in Woodpine?] Cornelia replied. (You guys are sharp ] Abigail [Why are you sending us pictures from the inte? Are you trying to make us jealous and take us on a trip?] Cornelia took these myself. Right now, I¡¯m by Sapphire Lake] Zack and Abigail [What? When did you sneak off to Woodpine? Why didn¡¯t you tell us?] They were annoyed when they found out Cornelia had snuck out to travel after they woke up and found out she was off. Cornelia [I flew to Woodpinest night to meet a friend, but bumped into my boss there and he put me back to work.] Abigail I heard Woodpine is great for chance encounters. Are you trying to find a temporary boyfriend?] Cornelia: [Cut it out, I would never do anything to hurt my Jeremy] Abigail [Oh, your Jeremy, you sound so smug. Are you trying to rub it in for us singles?] Chapter 476 Chapter 476 Chapter 476 Cornelia didn¡¯t know how she ended up blurting out such personal stuff, her cheeks turning red I gotta go | She nned to video chat with her granny, but she turned her head to find a man in his thirties giving her the stink eye. His gaze gave her the creeps, so she got up to leave But the guy blocked her way, ¡°Are you traveling alone?¡± Cornelia was on high alert, scanning her surroundings. ¡°Can I help you?¡± The man took out his phone, I¡¯m traveling alone too. Let¡¯s exchange WhatsApp numbers. If you need company, you can hit me up.¡± ¡°My friend is not far from here¡± The guy¡¯s bad intentions were written all over his face, and he made no effort to hide them. Cornelia turned to leave, but the man grabbed her arm, ¡°You¡¯re here alone, so you must want to have some fun, right? Why are you ying hard to get?¡± Cornelia slightly squinted at the man¡¯s hand on her wrist and spoke coldly. ¡°Take your hand off me, or you¡¯ll be sorry¡± Instead of letting go, the man gripped her arm tighter and tried to pull her towards him, ¡°If you like the thrill, I can give you that ¡± Seizing the opportunity, Cornelia raised her leg andnded a hard hit on the man¡¯s private parts. The man winced in pain and let go of her, cursing. ¡°You bitch, you¡¯re asking for it.¡± Cornelia would have loved to give him another kick, but she noticed a group of men heading towards them. The way they were looking at her gave her the chills. She realized they were probably together with the man to harass her. Cornelia turned and sprinted off, dialing 911 as she ran. The call was picked up quickly, and she reported her location clearly. It would take a while for the police to get there. She might be caught by the creeps before the police arrived, so she had to fend for herself. After the call, she yelled while running. ¡°Help! Help! The men were gaining on her. ¡°Stop running around. You¡¯re still sick. Come back with us. Do you know your morn¡¯s sick with worry?¡± There were plenty of tourists by theke, but nobody stepped forward to help. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Cornelia had seen this in the news before. Some criminals targeted loners, iming they were family so that bystanders would turn a blind eye. She had also read about survival strategies Yelling for help was useless at this point, unless she could pull in some bystanders. As she ran, she nced at the tourists out of the corner of her eye. She couldn¡¯t ask for help from the elderly or children. She needed someone who could scare off the criminals Spotting two tall men taking photos, she dashed over and grabbed a camera from one of them. The man caught her, ¡°What the heck are you doing?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I think the guys chasing me are human traffickers. I¡¯ve called the police, they should be here soon. Can you guys help me buy some time? Don¡¯t let them take me away The man whose camera she grabbed was still skeptical. There were many scammers out there, and he was worried it could be a trap, ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t know them?¡± Cornelia shook her head firmly. ¡°I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t know them.¡± Before she could finish her sentence, the men who had been chasing her approached. He was speaking in a dialect she didn¡¯t understand, trying to grab her. The two men instinctively stepped in front of Cornelia, shielding her behind them, ¡°She said she doesn¡¯t know you guys.¡± ¡°She has mental issues, and she just ran away from home. Even if her mother were here, she¡¯d deny knowing her. This is none of your business. Stay out of our way¡± The criminals circled around the three of them. It was clear to everyone that their aim was to take Cornelia away. Cornelia initially wanted to tell them that she had called the police, hoping they would be scared off. But she was worried that if they weren¡¯t caught, more people would be victimized. So, she tried to buy time, hoping she could hold out until the police arrived. However, she never expected to see Marcus the next moment. His appearance was like a godsend. He grabbed the arm of a man who was reaching for Cornelia. And with a swift twist, there was a crack, Chapter 477 Chapter 477 Chapter 477 ¡°Argh!¡± A man let out a scream as his arm was twisted ¡°Where the hell did youe from, sticking your nose into our business? Are you asking for trouble?¡± The rest of the group quickly surmounded him, pulling out knives hidden in their pockets, ready to stab Marcus The sunlight glinted off the knives, shing before Comelia¡¯s eye. It made her heart flutter, ¡°President Hartley watch out!¡± Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, she rushed out from behind the two boys, trying to help Marcus. But her path was blocked by a sturdy figure. Marcus grabbed her, forcitly pulling her back. N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Before they could even touch the hem of Marcus¡¯s clothes. Ayden had shown up on the scene, knocking them all to the ground one by one Realizing they were up against a stronger opponent, they scrambled to their feet and tried to run. Feeling the danger had passed, Cornelia breathed a sigh of relief, but quickly realized they couldn¡¯t let these people escape just like that, ¡°These people might be hurnan traffickers We can¡¯t let them get away. I¡¯ve called the police, and they should be here soon.¡± ¡°Ayden, don¡¯t let them escape¡± After instructing Ayden, Marcus pulled Cornelia back again, ¡°You knew there was danger ahead and you still charged forward Don¡¯t you realize how senous this is?¡± Faced with danger, Cornelia didn¡¯t have time to think too much. She instinctively wanted to protect him, ¡°I can¡¯t let you get hurt. Your safety affects the entire Hartley Group, and all of us who rely on the Hartley Group for our living and to pay off our mortgages Marcus was infuriated by her words, ¡°is money more important than life?¡± Cornelia smiled faintly. ¡°Isn¡¯t money important?¡± Marcus responded, ¡®Is money as important as life?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You¡¯ve lived afortable life since childhood, so you don¡¯t know that there are many people in this world struggling to survive. You can¡¯t understand why some people might resort to stealing or robbery just to get a full meal¡± Cornelia had seen news about children in poor areas who couldn¡¯t even afford a new pair of shoes Not long ago, there was someone who jumped off a building because of hunger Her life wasn¡¯t as harsh as those people in the news. Since she was young, her grandmother had always taken good care of her. During college, she also earned some money by drawing cartoons part¨C time However, the money she earned was far from enough to start a cartoon studio. In order to raise funds for the studio, the three of them rented the cheapest house and could only afford one meal a day Back then, they had tried all sorts of methods, but none could raise enough money. They even considered resorting to unscrupulous means to raise funds, but luckily they held on to their principles and didn¡¯t do anything illegal. Just when they were out of options, the government introduced a policy for college students to start businesses with loans. With the lowest interest rate, they were able to borrow from the bank and finally gather enough funds to open the cartoon studio When the studio first opened, there was no profit and they had loans to pay back. Those were tough times for the three of them. There was a period when they all contemted giving up and stop trying so hard. But when they thought about the funds they had invested, they knew they would have nothing if they gave up. So they persisted After eating the cheapest food for a few months, the studio gradually started to pick up and they finally earned their first ie since opening. On the night they got the money, Zack wanted to go for a big meal. But Cornelia and Abigail, thinking of the bank loan they still owed, disagreed Having experienced the hardships of life and poverty, Cornelia remembered those difficult days vividly and valued every penny. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t consider things thoroughly Marcus looked at her, his tone softer, ¡®Have you forgotten what I told you before?¡± Cornelia lowered her head, feeling wronged, ¡°I didn¡¯t forget¡± She didn¡¯t want to put her life in danger. Perhaps she got used to his presence, so she always put him first in any decision she made as long as he was around. ¡°Comelia, look at me!¡± He held her shoulders, making her look at him, ¡°Whenever you¡¯re with me. No matter what danger we face, you have to protect yourself first. understand?¡± Chapter 478 Chapter 478 Chapter 478 He was so strong, Cornelia felt like her shoulder was about to be crushed by him Herce wrinkled up in pain, ¡°President Hartley, it hurts.¡± Marcus immediately lightened his grip. ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± Cornelia broke free from his hold, stepping back a couple steps, ¡°I do¡± He continued. ¡°Your life is important. Do you get that?¡± Cornelia lifted her gaze Meeting his eyes, this was the first time she was this close to him. At that moment, all they could see in their eyes was each other His eyes looked serious under his silver sses He always managed to touch her heart with the simplest words. He probably didn¡¯t know. The more he acted like this towards her, the more she wanted to give for him, even willing to sacrifice herself Marcus nced at her, ¡°Did they hurt you?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Comelia shook her head, ¡°I noticed they were acting strange and ran off immediately. I was fast, so they didn¡¯t catch me¡± What if she hadn¡¯t been smart enough to run? What would have happened if those men had caught her? Marcus didn¡¯t dare to think further, ¡°No matter what happens in the future, remember to contact me first.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Okay¡± Just then, a siren wailed in the distance. The police had received a call and dispatched officers from the nearby station immediately After the officers checked the identities of the men, they told Cornelia, ¡°Miss, we need you toe to the station to give a detailed statement.¡± Marcus shielded Cornelia behind him, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± The officer replied, ¡°We just checked these four men¡¯s identities. If we¡¯re not wrong, they might be the criminals we¡¯ve been searching for They¡¯re linked to several human traffickings over the past two months.¡± Cornelia got goosebumps upon hearing this. Human traffickers these days were bing increasingly audacious, even daring to strike in scenic areas. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go with you to give a statement, hoping these bastards can be brought to justice soon¡® The officer said, ¡°You can ride with us! Marcus refused, ¡°No need, we¡¯ll follow in our car¡® Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, you don¡¯t need to get involved. You should go handle your own matters¡± Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m the one who broke that guy¡¯s arm, how could this not involve me?¡± Cornelia was speechless Why did he have to drag himself into this? But she knew that once Marcus made up his mind, there was no changing it. All she could do was silently ept it As she was about to leave with him, the boy behind her called out, ¡°Uhh. Can you wait a second?¡± Cornelia turned back, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± The boy blushed, pointing at the camera in her hand, ¡°The camera, you haven¡¯t returned it to me yet Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Chapter 479 Come only just noticed she was still holding a camera and hastily handed it back to the two boys, ¡°Sorry, almost forgot really owe you guys. If it wasn¡¯t for you, I might have been dragged off by those guys¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, we didn¡¯t do much.¡± The boys were a bit embarrassed Had Cornelia not snatched their camem, they wouldn¡¯t have stepped in. They figured it was none of their business After a pause, one of the boys asked ¡®Could we have your contact info? Before Cornelia could respond, Marcus darkly interjected, ¡®She¡¯s already married ¡°No worries ¡°Comelia pulled out her phone with a smile. ¡°You can have my WhatsApp¡± The boy lit up quickly pulling out his phone. Im Rory, and you?¡± N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°What her name is none of your business¡± Marcus, with a grim expression, snatched Cornelia¡¯s phone and locked the screen. The boy clearly had eyes for her. There was no way she was going to add him in front of Marcus. Marcus, with phone in hand, turned and left. Feeling a bit awkward, Cornelia said, ¡°You¡¯re from Riverton, right? I work there too. If we meet again, my husband and I would like to treat you to a meal.¡± ¡°Sure¡°¡± Rory nodded, ncing at the departing Marcus. ¡°But your husband doesn¡¯t seem to like me much¡± ¡°He¡¯s my boss, not my husband My husband is a great guy Hed be happy to meet you, my saviors.¡± Comelia said. It was a stretch to call them her life saviors for the little they did. But to Cornelia, it was a matter of life and death. She exchanged numbers with the boys, hoping to thank them with a meal someday After a while, Cornelia rushed to catch up with Marcus. He wasnt walking fast. so she caught up easily. Once in the car. Marcus¡¯s dissatisfaction came through, ¡°You¡¯re quite popr with men¡® Cornelia didn¡¯t know why he¡¯d say that and didnt feel like exining. ¡°Not as much as you.¡± Marcus paused, then said, ¡°I¡¯ve never liked any girls. Never added any that like me.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Comelia responded half¨Cheartedly Truth be told, she couldn¡¯t care less about who Marcus liked or didn¡¯t. She only cared about her husband, Jeremy By the time Cornelia was done with her reports, it was already dark. Work left undone would have to wait until tomorrow. Woodpine had arge temperature difference between day and night. The night breeze made Comelia shiver in her light clothes, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, President Hartley! I held up work again.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing important today, don¡¯t beat yourself up¡± Marcus was only wearing a white shirt and couldn¡¯t fend it to her, ¡°It¡¯s cold, let¡¯s find a clothing store for a coat.¡± Cornelia had the same idea but didn¡¯t want to waste his time. To her surprise, he suggested it first. ¡°There¡¯s a street selling Woodpine traditional clothing nearby: Shall we check it out?¡± ¡°Sure¡± Marcus said They drove to the traditional clothing street. Not wanting to waste Marcus¡¯s time. Cornelia quickly picked a beautifully embroidered coat from a decent¨Clooking store. The embroidery was exquisite and the coat was beautiful, but the price was well over a hundred dors. A coat for hundreds of dors was a bit painful. Under normal circumstances, Comelia wouldn¡¯t have splurged. But she would freeze without a coat now and didn¡¯t want to keep Marcus waiting, so she gritted her teeth and bought it The saleswoman nced at Marcus then Comelia, ¡°Ma¡¯am, you look great in this coat Would you like to pick one for your husband too?¡± Chapter 480 Chapter 480 Chapter 480 Cornelia did want to buy some clothes for Jeremy, but she wasn¡¯t sure about his size. She could recall that Jeremy had a big build, probably simr to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, what¡¯s your clothing size?¡± This initiative of hers to buy clothes for him gave Marcus a boost, so he immediately told her his size. The salesperson brought out a men¡¯s jacket identical to the one Cornelia was wearing ording to his size, ¡°Wanna try it on?¡± Marcus nodded. ¡°Sure.¡± He slipped on the jacket and the salesperson admired. ¡°You¡¯re handsome and have a great figure, everything looks good on you Cornelia agreed. It does look good. I¡¯ll take this one, could you pack it up for me?¡± Then, she turned to Marcus and said, ¡°Thank you for trying the clothes on! Have you picked a jacket for yourself?¡± Marcus was speechless N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. So the clothes were for Jeremy, not for him. His mood immediately soured, Tm not cold¡± Knowing that he was robust and not afraid of the cold, Cornelia didn¡¯t say more. She happily picked up the clothes for Jeremy and even took a few photos. Seeing her indifference towards him, Marcus felt a bit down, ¡°What do you want for dinner? Let¡¯s go eat first¡± Woodpine was full of delicious food, but Cornelia couldn¡¯t think of any specific dishes at the moment. She whipped out her phone and searched for ¡°Woodpine food¡± She didn¡¯t want to eat the same thing she had for lunch. She wanted to go to the night market because she hadn¡¯t sampled the local foods in Woodpine. But Marcus would never go to such a noisy and crowded night market, let alone eat street food Cornelia thought for a moment, ¡°President Hartley, which hotel are you staying at? I¡¯ll drop you off first¡± After dropping Marcus off at his hotel, she¡¯d be free to try all the snacks in Woodpine. Marcus said, ¡®Let¡¯s have dinner together first.¡± Comelia declined politely, ¡°I want to go to vor Street in West Alley You might not like it there. If you feel lonely eating alone, you can ask Ayden to apany you Ignoring her, Marcus inputted vor Street into his phone¡¯s GPS and headed there, ¡°If you can eat it, why can¡¯t I?¡± ¡°President Hartley, maybe you should reconsider?¡± Cornelia thought to herself, he was being stubborn now, but he would regret itter. She remembered during a trip to the West Region higndsst year, he was quite unhappy with her eating barbecue. She ordered two portions of barbecue. He didn¡¯t even taste it, and she ended up eating all of it. Marcus said, ¡°My wife also likes these. I need to learn to eat them, so I can eat with her.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything So it was for his wife again. Suddenly, Cornelia felt a little sympathy for Marcus. Maybe he had some issues in his sex life, unable to engage in marital sex So he always had to give in to his wife in life? He changed his principles and bottom line time and time again for his wife, even forcing himself to eat food he didn¡¯t like. Poor guy! A big question arose in Cornelia¡¯s mind, did sex life really affect mantal happiness? Chapter 481 Chapter 481 Chapter 481 After about a ten¨Cminute drive, they arrived at vor Street No cars were allowed on vor Street, so they had to park a mile away and hoof it Remembering the lesson from before Marcus found a parking spot and parked the car before allowing Cornelia to get out. The two then walked towards vor Street They were both lookers, drawing admiring nces from passersby N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Many people mistook them for a married couple, whispering as they passed, ¡°What a good looking pair. With genes like that, they have to have a few kids¡± After being mistaken for a married couple too many times, and with Marcus not showing any annoyance, Cornelia stopped bothering to correct them and subconsciously kept some distance from Marcus She walked behind him, no longer side by side. But whenever she slowed down, Marcus would slow down too. Whenever she stopped, he would stop. As if he were deliberately not letting her get too far away. Seeing this, Cornelia could only quicken her pace. She was hoping to reach vor Street, finish eating, and get back to the hotel for some rest sooner. So that she wouldn¡¯t have to stick close behind Marcus. True to its reputation, Woodpine¡¯s most famous snack street didn¡¯t disappoint. The scent of delicious food wafted into their nostrils as soon as they reached the entrance, making Cornelia¡¯s stomach rumble. Marcus heard it. ¡°Eat whatever you want, don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Without any further ado, Cornelia turned her head and saw a chicken roll shop on her right, ¡°President Hartley, Woodpine¡¯s chicken rolls are quite famous Want to give it a try? Seeing the anticipation in her eyes, Marcus knew she wanted to eat it. ¡°Sure.¡± Cornelia waved her hand grandly and bought two chicken rolls, ¡°I¡¯m treating tonight. President Hartley Order whatever you want, don¡¯t hold back.¡± Marcus looked at the chicken roll she handed him and smiled, ¡°Why the sudden generosity?¡± Cornelia almost red at him, ¡°Was I stingy before? I just don¡¯t waste money¡± Marcus thought she was cute when she was upset but didn¡¯t dare to vent. ¡°No, I just thought it was hard to get you to spend money on me.¡± Cornelia said confidently, ¡°Of course Who would just hand out their money?¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Cornelia took a bite of the chicken roll, the taste of roasted chicken filling her mouth, making her unable to stop She finished an entire chicken roll in one go, but saw that Marcus hadn¡¯t even taken a bite, ¡°President Hartley, if you don¡¯t like it, give it to me. Don¡¯t waste it.¡± Marcus wasn¡¯t really a fan of this type of food, but since he had promised to apany her, he wouldn¡¯t back out. He took a small bite, finding the chicken roll not as bad as he¡¯d imagined Strictly speaking, the taste was eptable. Chapter 482 Chapter 482 Chapter 482 After slowly finishing his meal, he said to Cornelia with a smug face. ¡°All done! What¡¯s next on the menu?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The street food scene was brimming with choices, and Cornelia wanted to try each one of them. But the most intriguing for her was fried grasshoppers, a local delicacy that many tourists shy away from She had heard before that Woodpiners have a taste for fried grasshoppers. While many people find this horrifying, Cornelia was itching to give it a go With the food night in front of her, how could Cornelia resist? ¡°You up for a taste¡± Comelia asked Ignoring how gross it might look a lot of these food stalls disyed their food openly, with no cover. Dust from the ground could havended on them, how could Marcus have an appetite¡± But seeing Cornelia so excited, he couldn¡¯t let her down, ¡°Sure.¡± Cornelia ran over and ordered a te of fried grasshoppers, ¡°Let¡¯s sit inside first. We can leave after eating¡± ¡°Sure¡± Marcus said The ce was packed, with no vacant tables. Cornelia spotted a four¨Cseater with only two people and hurried over to ask, ¡°Excuse me, are these seats taken?¡± The woman said, ¡°Yes¡± The man said. ¡°No¡± Clearly, the woman wasn¡¯t keen on sharing But with no other seats avable, Cornelia didn¡¯t have a choice. She wiped down the table and chairs with a sanitizing wipe and called Marcus over, ¡°President Hartley, over here¡± The shop was small, and tall Marcus looked like a giant inside, giving off an intense aura. The girl sharing the table was all set toin, but the sight of Marcus stopped her dead in her tracks. The man next to her was not happy and nudged her, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± The woman retorted, ¡°So, you can ogle pretty girls but I can¡¯t look at handsome guys?¡± The man stayed silent while the woman got even bolder, ¡°I must¡¯ve been blind to marry a bum like you. Even for dates, you can only afford to bring me to this cheap dump¡± The man kept his head down and ignored her. The woman got even angrier at theck of response, ¡°You never listen when I talk to you.¡± The man finally lost it. ¡°You¡¯re always calling me useless, what do you want me to say?¡± The woman nced over at Cornelia and Marcus. ¡°Can¡¯t you learn from other men? Look at how they treat their wives The man also looked over and saw that they had only ordered a small te of grasshoppers, nothing else. Only Comelia was eating while Marcus was just watching The man felt he was better than Marcus. At least he had ordered two bowls of soup and a dish of stir¨C fry Chapter 483 Chapter 483 Chapter 483 The guy instantly went from feeling down in the dumps to full of confidence, saying ¡°You see, I¡¯m not the only useless man in this world I¡¯m not the only one who can only afford to take my wife to ces like this for dinner. Some men, they look so handsome and their wives so beautiful, but they¡¯re here eating at ces like this tool Cornelia and Marcus paid them no mind Cornelia was busy savoring the yummy fried grasshoppers, so she had no time for chit chat. As for Marcus, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to even give these people a second look The man took a few more nces at Cornelia and then said to his wife, ¡°Next time you want to compare yourself with others, take a good look at yourself first. Look at your fat waist and thick legs. Do you see those slim waist? Do you think you belong in a fancy restaurant?¡± The woman gave Cornelia a side eye, ¡°All you men like pretty women. What a shame, you can only dream, but you can¡¯t have.¡± Cornelia suddenly looked up at the woman and smiled, ¡®Are you saying that I¡¯m pretty? Thank you for thepliment!¡± The woman was taken aback and muttered under her breath, ¡°Shameless!¡± Marcus turned to the woman, his eyes sharp as a knife, ¡°Are you insulting her?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t The woman flinched in fear Some people were just like that, always badmouthing others behind their backs. But wouldn¡¯t dare to say a word when confronted. Especially when facing someone like Marcus. His aura was incredibly powerful; a mere nce from him was enough to instill fear in the woman She quickly nudged her husband. ¡°Let¡¯s go ¡± The man wanted to say something But after catching Marcus¡® look, he was too frightened to utter another word and hurriedly left. Cornelia watched their retreating figures and couldn¡¯t help butugh, President Hartley, you¡¯re so cool! You scared them off with just one look.¡± Marcus looked at her, puzzled why she was not upset butughing instead when insulted, ¡°Next time when someone insults you, you should fight back. You don¡¯t need to put up with it¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°She wasn¡¯t really insulting me, she was actuallyplimenting me for being pretty. And besides, she¡¯s so hefty. I definitely can¡¯t beat her. Plus, brawling in such a public ce is so unseemly. I need to maintain my image. Can¡¯t bring shame to the Hartley Group¡± Marcus¡¯s voice deepened, ¡°Cornelia!¡± Cornelia immediately turned serious, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Tye told you before, you have the whole Hartley Group and me backing you. You don¡¯t need to be afraid of anyone bullying you.¡± Comelia softly said, ¡°I¡¯m not scared, it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t change the prejudices many people in society have towards young girls. It¡¯s not just today that this woman called me shameless, and it¡¯s not just Melissa who insinuated that i have an inappropriate rtionship with you. Even in my hometown, people said I have a sugar daddy¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. At this point, Cornelia gave a bitter smile, ¡°Should I argue with all of them, fight with all of them? That¡¯s clearly not practical. All I can do is to not care about those who doubt me and try my best to live my life well¡± Marcus felt a pang in his heart, wanted tofort her but didn¡¯t know what to say in the end, all he could say was, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± If he hadn¡¯t left her alone after their marriage and had revealed her identity sooner, she wouldn¡¯t have had to endure so much verbal abuse. Cornelia didn¡¯t understand why Marcus was apologizing to her, ¡°This has nothing to do with you. Why are you apologizing?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything else. But was more determined than ever to take good care of her, and to never let her be hurt again. Cornelia pushed her te towards Marcus, ¡°President Hartley these fried grasshoppers are really delicious, want to give them a try?¡± Chapter 484 Chapter 484 Chapter 484 Marcus picked up his fork, ready to have a go at it Upon seeing his furrowed brows and the effort he was putting into swallowing, Cornelia found him kind of adorabile, ¡°President Hartley, don¡¯t force yourself if you don¡¯t want to eat it. Not everyone likes this kind of food. I bet your wife doesn¡¯t like it either, so no need to torture yourself Out of the blue, Marcus said, ¡°If you like it, I¡¯m sure my wife will too This left Cornelia speechless With Cornelia watching Marcus ate a few deep¨Cfried grasshoppers. The greasy and slightly burnt food made him want to hurl the moment it touched his tongue Marcus couldn¡¯tprehend how Cornelia could enjoy it so much. Comelia brought up something Briana had said, ¡°It¡¯s said that these are full of nutrition. It could be good for you to have some¡° After all, he still seemed young His physique wasn¡¯t too bad, and there was probably still hope for him. Marcus asked, ¡°You think I need to build up my strength?¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Comelia didn¡¯t answer. Marcus asked again. ¡°Is there anything you don¡¯t like to eat?¡± He realized that in all the time they spent together, she never seemed picky about food. She seemed content with whatever she ate Cornelia thought for a moment. ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything I don¡¯t like. My grandma used to say that I was easy to feed because I wasn¡¯t fussy¡± Though her words sounded light¨Chearted, Marcus instantly understood the sadness behind them. Her mother passed away shortly after she was born, and she lost her father in a car ident when she was just a few years old. These were hard blows for any child. She had to force herself to grow up and hide her vulnerability. Cornelia said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to another ce for food once we¡¯re done here.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Alright.¡± After they left the ce, Cornelia bought some garlic¨Croasted oysters from a nearby stall. She loved the unique vor, though those unustomed to it might not be able to stomach even a single bite. Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, you don¡¯t have to eat this.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve eaten grasshoppers, why can¡¯t I eat this? Just the smell made Marcus feel nauseous, but he ordered one anyway, continuing to apany Cornelia Cornelia basically took him to try all the snacks on vor Street. On their way back, Marcus¡¯s stomach was doing flips, but he didn¡¯t show it. Cornelia, riding shotgun, was clueless about this. She rubbed her belly and sent a voice message to Zack and Abigail, ¡°Zack, Abby, the street food at Woodpine¡¯s vor Street is so good it¡¯s a pity you guys aren¡¯t here. I couldn¡¯t enjoy it fully by myself. There¡¯s still so much I wanted to eat Marcus didn¡¯t respond He had spent the whole night with her, yet she hadn¡¯t mentioned him at all. Chapter 485 Chapter 485 Chapter 485 Marcus was driving with a grumpy look on his face Comelia waspletely oblivious, still chatting away with Zack and Abigail, ¡°I bumped into President Hartley and he roped me into ast¨Cminute work thing Otherwise, I was nning to head back to Riverton tonight and visit my grandma at Southern Peak tomorrow¡± She had been out of the country before Christmas and was swamped with work for two weeks after she got back. It had been nearly three months since shest saw her grandma She had initially nned to visit her grandma at Southern Peak during her few days off. She only decided to fly to Woodpinest night out of concern for Hannah, But unfortunately, she didn¡¯t get the chance to have a good chat with Hannah. ¡°What?¡± Cornelia suddenly raised her voice, ¡°Abigail, you¡¯re dating? Since when? Why am I only hearing about this now? What does this guy do? How could he snatch my Abby away?¡± Abigail huffed, ¡°Now you know how we felt when we found out you were getting married¡± Comelia said, ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject.¡± Abigail reluctantly spilled, ¡°We met while you were abroad. He¡¯s not as good¨Clooking as President Hartley, but he¡¯s definitely a looker. He pursued me like crazy for a month, and I thought he had a nice personality So I agreed to date him.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Zack, did you know about this? Zack said, ¡°I just found out too Imute with her every day, and she only went out by herself a few times. I never thought she¡¯d get swept off her feet. I¡¯m even more gutted than you are right now Cornelia said, ¡°When I get back to Riverton, let¡¯s all have a meal together I want to see what this guy looks like, the one who managed to charm Abby.¡± Zack said, ¡°Forget about Abby, you¡¯ve been married for nearly two years and we haven¡¯t even seen a glimpse of Jeremy¡± Thatment took the wind out of Cornelia¡¯s sails, ¡°Jeremy¡¯s just really busy with work. But don¡¯t worry, the next time he¡¯s in Riverton, I¡¯ll bring him to meet you guys and he can foot the bill.¡± Marcus, who had been driving, suddenly felt his mood lift at the mention of Jeremy¡°. The name ¡°Jeremy¡± brought a smile to his face. It was only after Cornelia finished her conversation that Marcus spoke up, ¡°You want to go back to Riverton tonight?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Yes, but workes first. I¡¯ll go along with your ns.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Do you have any luggage at the hotel?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I was nning to only stay for one night and then leave, so I didn¡¯t bring any luggage.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll head straight to the airport and fly back to Riverton¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t we going to check out the tourism projects here?¡± Marcus said, Tll have someone else handle that.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Okay¡± Woodpine wasn¡¯t arge ce, and they reached the airport in less than half an hour. Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Cornelia ran into Ayden and Dr. Dawson again, and they all hopped onto Marcus¡¯s private jet back to Riverton. The interior of the ne was divided into two separate areas, the back his personal rest area. While the front was equipped with a sofa and a coffee table, which could be used for both rxation and work discussions As soon as they boarded the ne, Dr. Dawson and Marcus headed to the back to rest. Ayden sat on the sofa opposite Cornelia, eyes closed. He was not saying a word, maintaining his aloof image. Cornelia had nothing to do, so she flipped through a magazine for a while. Feeling sleepy, she dozed off on the sofa. She had no idea that Marcus in the back of the ne was currently on an IV drip Chapter 486 Chapter 486 Chapter 486 N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Dr. Dawson sat beside the bed looking at him. She couldn¡¯t help but whine. ¡°Mare, you know damn well the condition of your stomach Why the hell do you keep hurting yoursel[¡°¡± Marcus closed his eyes, gently rubbing his forehead, ¡°She likes to eat. I don¡¯t want to bring her down¡± Dr Dawson said ¡°Cornelia is not an unreasonable woman If you exin to her, she will understand Marcus smirked. ¡°You think I should tell her that I can¡¯t eat anything with her? Or, should I ask her to change her eating habits to suit me?¡± Dr. Dawson said. ¡°She¡¯s your wife. It¡¯s not too much to ask Marcus said, ¡°Why should a wife always amodate her husband? I married her, but I¡¯ve never given her anything. Why should I ask her to change for me? I want to take care of her, give her a comfortable life, not make her amodate me in everything I don¡¯t want her to change her habits just because her husband is Marcus, I don¡¯t want her to think life with me is boring and oppressive¡± ¡°Marc, even though you carry your fathers blood. You¡¯re nothing like him¡± Dr. Dawson said, only then realizing he had put his foot in his mouth, ¡°Marc, I¡¯m sorry! I shouldn¡¯t have mentioned that man¡± Marcus¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Get out!¡± Dr. Dawson opened her mouth, wanting to say something But in the end, she didn¡¯t utter a word, just quietly left the room. That man was Marcus¡¯s taboo. He refused to let anyone mention him. She had worked for Marcus for many years and had always kept this taboo in mind. How could she have slipped? Stepping outside, Dr. Dawson gave herself a p. The sound was so loud it woke up the sleeping Cornelia. Comelia rubbed her eyes, ¡°Dr. Dawson, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Looking at Cornelia¡¯s clear and innocent eyes, Dr Dawson was suddenly very angry. ¡°Cornelia, you knew Marc¡¯s stomach wasn¡¯t good, yet you still took him to eat that junk food What the hell are you trying to do?¡± On hearing this, Cornelia got worried, ¡°is he not feeling well? Dr. Dawson said, ¡°I was in there for so long, what do you think?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Is he feeling better now?¡± Dr. Dawson said. ¡°He¡¯s on a drip now, he won¡¯t be in any danger for the time being¡± Cornelia said, ¡°oh¡± Dr. Dawson said. ¡°Oh? You are just his assistant, not his. As long as you are his assistant, you have to do your job and remember who you are¡± After being scolded out of the blue, Cornelia got angry. ¡°Dr. Dawson, I¡¯m just his assistant. Can I control what he eats?¡± Dr. Dawson said. ¡°You could just not eat Cornelia said, ¡°So, as his assistant, I don¡¯t even have the freedom to eat? Dr. Dawson said, ¡°You can eat whatever you want in your own time. But when you¡¯re with him, please avoid those dirty foods. You¡¯re used to this kind of stuff, but his stomach can¡¯t handle it Dirty food! She was used to dirty food, but Marcus couldn¡¯t handle it. No matter how she heard it, it was full of contempt. Cornelia really didn¡¯t expect to hear such words from Dr. Dawson, ¡°During working hours, I can avoid eating heavy food. But what I eat after work is my business. Besides, he never interferes with what I eat, who are you to control me? We¡¯re both his employees, I don¡¯t need to obey your orders¡± Chapter 487 Chapter487 Chapter 487 Hearing Cornelias stern words. Dr. Dawson sobered up a bet. ¡°Cornelia. I¡¯m not ming you I¡¯m just worried if Marc continues like this, his stomach ailment will only get worse I hope you can try to persuade him in the future¡± Inside, Comelia was actually feeling a bit guilt ridden because it was indeed herck of intervention that led to Marcus eating all those foods he usually wouldn¡¯t touch, ¡°mi be more careful in the future¡± Dr. Dawson said. ¡°Thank you¡± After a moment of silence, Comelia said ¡°Actually, there¡¯s one way to keep Marcus in line and stop him from eating the wrong things¡± Dr. Dawson asked. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Comelia said. ¡°Have his wife persuade him. He cares a lot about her. If she says something, he¡¯ll definitely listen Dr. Dawson said. ¡°Then please do your best to persuade him.¡± Comelia was speechless And so the conversation ended. Throughout the journey everyone was quiet until they arrived at Riverton. As the nended, Dr. Dawson went back into the cabin Once the ne hade to a halt, Marcus and Dr Dawson emerged Cornelia immediately looked towards Marcus, ¡°President Hanley, are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Why would there be something wrong with me?¡± Marcus red at Dr. Dawson, clearly ming her for poking her nose into his business Dr. Dawson exined. ¡°I was just hoping Comelia could persuade you, to take better care of yourself¡± Then, she whispered, ¡°You¡¯re not single anymore. You have a wife. You may neglect your health, but do you really want to make her a widow at such a young age?¡± Comelia felt a chill hearing this To her surprise, Marcus immediately reined in his anger, ¡°I once promised to live a good life with her. I would never make her a widow ¡°Their love story is something else.¡± Comelia muttered to herself, ¡°I¡¯m getting more and more curious about his wife¡± After leaving the airport, their driver Austin came to pick up Marcus. Turning to Cornelia, Marcus said, ¡°Tll drop you off first.¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Considering Marcus stomach condition, Comelia didn¡¯t want to dy him further. However, it was a bit risky for a girl to take a cab ale at night, so she reluctantly got into his car The car quickly entered the highway, heading straight for the city. The roads were fairly empty at night, so they arrived quickly. After parking the car, Cornelia said goodbye to them, then prepared to get out of the car. ¡°Cornelia Marcus stopped her and also got out of the car. He looked at her as if he wanted to say something but ended up saying nothing. ¡°Go home. Get some rest¡± ¡°You too, get some rest Cornelia didn¡¯t leave. She was waiting for him to leave first. Marcus had no choice but to get in the car and have Austin drive away Cornelia watched his car leave before turning to enter her apartmentplex. She didn¡¯t know that after she entered theplex, Marcus¡® car came back and parked on the side of the road. He looked up at the window of Cornelia¡¯s apartment until he saw the light turn on. Austin asked, ¡°Should we go? Marcus answered. ¡°Wait a bit longer Just as he finished speaking, his private cell phone started to vibrate. He picked it up and saw a message from Cornelia. Chapter 488 Chapter 488 Chapter 488 The first message was a picture I was a pic of the outfit she bought for Jeremy today Cornelia was like: Jeremy I got this for you today at Woodpine it matches the one I¡¯m wearing You like it? Marcus cracked a smile and replied I do ] Comelia asked [Should I mail it to your ce, at should I give it to you when we meet up?] Marcus thought for a moment, then replied. [Give it to me when we meet up ] Comelia |Sure] After a bit, she sent another message Jeremy] Marcus replied What¡¯s up?] Cornelia asked [Have you set a date toe back to Riverton? My friends and I want to meet up with you. And I¡¯m gonna see my grannies tomorrow. They¡¯ll definitely ask about us can I tell them we haven¡¯t met up? Marcus realized she wanted to see him, and answered [Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be back in Riverton before our second anniversary Cornelia said [Deal No takebacks, okay? Marcus replied [Deal] Cornelia was like [Goodnight] Marcus didn¡¯t reply right away He wasnt ready to end the conversation. He stared at her window, waiting until her room¡¯s lights turned off, before saying [Goodnight! He put down his phone, and Ayden appeared at the car window, saying ¡°President Hartley. I¡¯ve confirmed it. The four thugs from this afternoon are definitely connected to Zavier They¡¯re criminals, on the run, hiding out They only showed up today because Zavier¡¯s crew baited them.¡± Marcus had already guessed that the guys who dared tomit a crime in broad daylight must be connected to Zavier. As he picked up his phone to call Zavier, Zavier¡¯s call came in It was like they were in sync. On the phone, Zavier¡¯s voice was filled with a hint of provocation, ¡°Marc, I didn¡¯t actuallyy a hand on Cornelia this time. As for what I¡¯ll do next, who knows? You better keep an eye on her. If you lose her, I promise I won¡¯t give her back easily.¡± ¡°Zavier, you should be grateful you didn¡¯t seed today¡± After saying this, Marcus hung up and looked back at Ayden. Before he could give orders. Ayden said, ¡°Rest assured, I¡¯ll do everything to protect Comelia¡± Marcus said, ¡°Zavier likes to catch us off guard. This afternoon might have been him trying to trick us. He might make a move soon¡± ¡°I understand¡± After saying this, Ayden respectfully stepped back Marcus¡¯s phone rang again. It was Zavier, ¡°Marc, look ahead¡± Marcus looked up and saw Zavier waving at him, ¡°We haven¡¯t had a drink together in ages. How about we go grab a drink?¡± Marcus responded, ¡°Not in the mood¡± Zavier asked, ¡°Not in the mood, or too scared? You worried I¡¯ll steal her from under your nose?¡± Zawier tried to provoke him, but it had no effect on Marcus, ¡®Hmph¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a bore Zavier hung up, walked over to Marcus¡¯s car. He leaned against it and lit a cigarette, looking towards Cornelia¡¯s room, ¡°Cornelia¡¯s got a pretty good view from her room¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Marcus calmly said, ¡®She¡¯s not someone you can mess with easily¡± Zavier offered Marcus a smoke, but he didn¡¯t take it. Zavier exhaled a smoke ring,ughing. ¡°You know, Marc I always thought you were like a cold hearted machine, even towards your own dad¡± Chapter 489 Chapter 489 Chapter 489 N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. ¡°Am I just an emotionless robot to you? Marcus chuckled grabbing the cigarette Zavier passed to him and lighting it up, taking two consecutive drags He hadn¡¯t smoked for a while, and now his throat was still a bit ufortable with the smoke ¡°Is that how you see me, or is that how all of you see me?¡± He asked ¡°Not just us, the whole world sees you like that Zavier replied, gazing up at the sky The city was full of tall buildings, blocking out the stars, leaving only the street lights overhead ¡°Mare, that year you were just sixteen, or whatever age you were¡± Zavier said ¡°Being ruthless has nothing to do with age Marcus knew what Zavier was getting at. That incident happened so many years ago. And in all these years, no one had dared to bring it up to his face, only whispering behind his back. Criticizing him for being heartless towards his own family, calling him cold blooded. Some even suggested he might not be a real Hartley, hence his cold heartedness All sorts of insults were hurled behind his back, but no one ever had the guts to say it to his face. utterlyughable After puffing away a cigarette, Zavier lit up another, ¡°You¡¯re absolutely right, ruthlessness isn¡¯t tied to age. Marc, can you tell me how you managed to be so cold hearted back then? Marcus replied, ¡°Which part do you want to hear?¡± Zavier continued, ¡°Back then, everyone saw you as just a kid not yet of age Nobody paid you any mind. Yet you single¨Chandedly pulled your father down from his high position. You brought him down, why did you personally send him to jail too? That¡¯s the part of the story I want to hear.¡± They had known each other for years, and knew each other inside out. Zavier knew just how to hit Marcus where it hurt with his words, making it hard for Marcus to breathe. But Zavier seemed disappointed. There was no change in Marcus¡¯s expression, as if that man and that incident could no longer stir up any emotions within him Was that really the case? Zavier didn¡¯t believe it. Marcus was a master at concealing his true feelings. Unless he wanted others to see, no one could figure out what he was really thinking. Zavier continued twisting the knife in Marcus¡¯s wound, ¡°Marc, tell me ¡± Marcus retorted with a coldugh, ¡°Do I need a reason to want to put him in jail?¡± Such a ruthless reply. This time, Marcus was the clear victor, and Zavier was defeated Zavierunched another attack, ¡°From the day you personally sent your father to jail, the whole world knew the name Marcus. From that day on, your name became synonymous with terror in the business world. Everyone said you were a heartless robot, even towards your own family¡± Despite Zavier¡¯s heartbreaking words, Marcus still wore a smile, ¡°A heartless robot, meaning I¡¯m incredibly tough. Thanks for thepliment, everyone!¡± ¡°You¡¯re shameless!¡± Zavier sneered softly, ¡°You¡¯ve been working all these years, never letting up. Don¡¯t you have any regrets?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°I do.¡± Zavier asked, ¡°And what would that be?¡± Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Chapter 490 Marcus said, ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have left Cornelia after we registered our marriage two years ago If I had another go. I wouldn¡¯t let her be hurt like this. Zavier snorted. ¡°What kind of regret is this? Saying you regret not sleeping with her sooner was more believable than that You¡¯re almost 29, dude Have you even popped your cherry?¡± No matter how Zavier mocked him, or mentioned the guy Marcus couldn¡¯t stand He could bear it. But what he couldn¡¯t stand was Zavier making dirty jokes about Cornelia His eyes suddenly turned cold a murderous intent shed, ¡°Zavier, Cornelia¡¯s not someone you can insult¡± Zavier said. ¡°Sorry, I overstepped¡± Even though he apologized, his expression didn¡¯t look apologetic, ¡°You¡¯re starting to protect people, got someone you want to protect it seems like you¡¯ve got human feelings. Congrats, Marc, you¡¯re no longer the robot everyone¡¯s scared of ¡± Marcus didnt want to bother with him Zavier didn¡¯t care about his feelings, and continued, ¡°Having someone you want to protect, feels good, doesn¡¯t it? Before this, you didn¡¯t give a damn about anything or anyone, must ve been pretty lonely then¡± Zavier was still jabbering on Marcus took a cigarette from him, lit it up and took a few drags. ¡°You¡¯ve been bugging me with all this talk, what do you want?¡± Zavier seemed calm, but he was chain smoking, his unease very obvious, ¡°I just wanted to say, now that you understand feelings. You should understand how important Skyler is to me.¡± Marcus chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m an emotionless robot, how could I possibly understand?¡±N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. Zaner was so angry he almost hit him, ¡°No wonder you haven¡¯t even held your wife¡¯s hand, you really are an ignorant robot.¡± Marcus was still smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t understand romance, but I know right from wrong is restricting someone¡¯s freedom and watching their every move, something you do when you love someone?¡± Zaver asked, ¡°Are you saying I shouldn¡¯t be watching Skyler? If I don¡¯t watch her, how can I be at ease¡± Marcus cut him off, ¡°Stop trying to find Skyler and stop bothering me Go back to the Capital and reflect. Once you¡¯ve figured things out, you might get to see her¡± Zavier put out his cigarette. ¡°Marc, are we parting ways then?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Haven¡¯t you already?¡± ¡°Marc, mark my words. I will take your woman from you, and show everyone your disgrace. Let them know, you, Marcus, are just a regr guy. You are not invincible¡± Zavier waved his hand, ¡®I¡¯m off, you just wait here for your wife¡± Marcus flicked off some ash, turned around and was about to get in his car. Not far behind him, a frail female voice suddenly rang out, ¡°Marcus, what a coincidence. Didn¡¯t expect to bump into you here.¡± Marcus turned around to see Natalia hurrying towards him He wasn¡¯t nning on acknowledging her. But at first nce, he felt Natalia¡¯s eyes were somewhat simr to Cornelia¡¯s, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Natalia said, ¡°I came to find Comelia, didn¡¯t expect to see you dropping her off¡± Marcus asked, ¡°You¡¯re looking for Comelia? Are you guys close?¡± Chapter 491 Chapter 491 Chapter 491 ¡°Yeah, Cornelia and I are tight. We hang out when we have the time Natalia was relieved she¡¯d made the right call Just as she thought As soon as she brought up Carnelia. Marcus became more talkative Marcus adjusted his silver¨Cframed sses, his gaze still on Natalia¡¯s eyes. At first nce, Natalia¡¯s eyes seemed simr to Cornelia¡¯s But upon closer inspection, they were totally different. Cornelia¡¯s eyes were not only well shaped foxlike, but also bright and clear. He could see a gry sparkling in them, which was absolutely endearing Natalia thought Marcus was staring at her in disbelief, so she quickly pulled out her phone, ¡°Marcus, if you don¡¯t believe that Comelia and I are friends. I can call her right now to confirm ¡± Marcus shifted his gaze, ¡°She¡¯s probably asleep by now, don¡¯t bother her¡± Natalia breathed a sigh of relief, obediently replying. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you. I won¡¯t bother Comelia¡± Marcus opened his car door, ready to leave N?vel/Dr(a)ma.Org - Content owner. In a rush, Natalia said. ¡°Marcus, it¡¯s already past 2 am. And the Reese family¡¯s vi area is super quiet. I¡¯m a bit worried about taking a cab alone, can you give me a lift?¡± Natalia had been back in the country for several months, and Cameron had been urging her to get close to Marcus. But she had only seen him twice. The first time was the day she returned home, she went to Marcus¡¯s vi with Briana But she was kicked out before they really had a chance to chat. The second time was on Marcus¡¯s birthday She was trying to figure out how to find Cornelia when Marcus caught her off guard. She was startled and didn¡¯t get to chat with him either. Despite her efforts, she hadn¡¯t been able to see Marcus again. So, slie turned to Cornelia, Marcus¡¯s assistant, believing she could lead her to him. Unexpectedly, her chance came so fast. She d only been in contact with Cornelia for two days when she saw Marcus dropping her home. But before she could greet him, he drove off. Just when she was about to give up, his car came back She watched from a distance as a stranger approached him. She couldn¡¯t hear their conversation due to the distance, but it didn¡¯t matter What mattered was that she had finally run into Marcus and she couldn¡¯t let him slip away She had to find a way to spend more time with him. ¡°Marcus, can you give me a lift?¡± She looked at him, a tear shimmering in her eye, making her look quite pitiful. Her eyes were beautifully shaped, but a bit dull. Now filled with tears, they looked much brighter. Once again, Marcus thought he saw Cornelia¡¯s tear¨Cfilled eyes. He felt a pang of sympathy, ¡°Are you really Cornelia¡¯s friend?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Natalia nodded eagerly. She hoped Marcus would agree to drive her home. If Marcus could take her back to the Reese family¡¯s vi, she wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Cameron hitting her Marcus thought there might be something wrong with his eyes, always mistaking other women¡¯s eyes for Cornelia¡¯s, even though they were completely different. He softened again, ¡°Austin, drive her home¡± Austin and Natalia asked in unison, ¡°What about you?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t answer Natalia hoped he would drive her home, but she knew this was probably the biggest concession Marcus would make for Cornelia She didn¡¯t say anything more, just got into the passenger seat, ¡°Marcus, thank you! See your Marcus nodded in response. Even this small nod made Natalia excited His attitude towards her was better than any of their previous encounters, giving her hope. But she knew clearly that Marcus¡¯s gentle attitude tonight was solely because she¡¯d mentioned Cornelia Chapter 492 Chapter 492 Chapter 492 She chuckled, lears welling up in her eyes. Upon seeing this, Austin grew worried. ¡°Ms Reese, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Natalia wiped away her tears and shook her head. Im fine, just got some dust in my eyes because of the wind.¡± She didn¡¯t want to talk about it and Austin didn¡¯t pry further. That was professionalism for a driver Just as Austins car pulled away, a red sports car zoomed in. The roar of the engine in the dead of night was as loud as thunder nearly piercing the easdrums Watching the car charging straight at him Marcus didn¡¯t move an inch, or even blink. The car made a sudden stop, halting just a few feet away from him Zavier rolled down the window. ¡°Marc, didn¡¯t that scare you?¡± Marcus snorted ¡°Weren¡¯t you leaving? Why are you still here?¡± Threats like this didn¡¯t scare him, not even when someone once pointed a gun at his head Zawier said if I leave who¡¯s gonna drive you home? Get in Ill take you home to Reese Mansion, or your vi Wherever you want. I promise to be a good driver¡± Why would Marcus turn down a free chauffeur? Marcus got in the car Before he could buckle up. Zaver floored the pedal and the car shot off like an arrow The car tore through the city streets, reckless and wild It was enough to scare the bejeezus out of anyone faint hearted. But Marcus didn¡¯t bat an eyelid Seeing he didn¡¯t flinch. Zavier found it dull and slowed down ¡°Mare, you¡¯re no ordinary man¡® Marcus didn¡¯t respond The car kept moving getting farther from Marcus¡¯s residence Zavier shook his head. ¡°Marc, you re such a bore. You knew I was taking you somewhere else, yet you got in my car. And you don¡¯t even ask where we¡¯re going Marcus said, ¡°If I ask will you take me home? Zavier said. ¡°Any sane person would¡± Exclusive ? material by N?(/v)elDrama.Org. Marcus asked, ¡°So you¡¯re saying I¡¯m insane Zaver said ¡°You are Would a sane person put their own father in prison? Would a sane person throw their mother out of the house? He wasn¡¯t just insane, he was less than human Marcus chuckled but said nothing Zavier wasn¡¯t the only one who thought he was insane or less than human Zavier floored the pedal again. ¡°Marc, buckle up. Let¡¯s go have some fun¡± Chapter 493 Chapter 493 hapter 493 In the neighborhood where Comelia rented. The houses looked old, all in vintagemunities, but right downtown. From this area to the Reese family¡¯s mansion, the distance wasn¡¯t far And there were fewer cars at night, so he could get there in less than half an hour The car stopped in front of the Reese family mansion. Natalia was hesitant to get out of the car Austin waited for a while and said. ¡°Ms Reese, we¡¯re here.¡± Natalia looked helpless and said. ¡°Austin, can you please make a U tum up ahead before I get out?¡± ¡°Sure¡± Austin drove a bit further made a U turn at an intersection, and drove back to the front of the Reese family¡¯s home, ¡°Ms. Reese, I need to go back and pick up Mare¡± Austin didn¡¯t directly ask her to hurry up and get out of the car, but the implication was pretty much the same. Natalia bit her lip and took a deep breath, ¡°Austin, after I get out, can you roll down the rear window and wait a minute before leaving?¡± ¡°Sure, Ms Reese Austin didn¡¯t understand what she wanted to do. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. But given that he had watched this girl grow up, he was willing to agree as long as her request wasn¡¯t too outrageous ¡°Austin, thank you!¡± Natalia unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car After she got out, Natalia walked to the back of the car. She bent down, and pretended to chat with someone in the car. After a while, Austin asked, ¡°Ms. Reese, can I go now?¡± Natalia smiled sweetly and waved at him, ¡°Goodbye, Austin!¡± ¡°Goodbye¡± As the car drove away, Austin watched her in the rearview mirror. He had driven some distance, but she was still waving at him. When did she be so polite? When Austin¡¯s car disappeared from sight, the smile on Natalia¡¯s face slowly faded. The light in her eyes also gradually disappeared. ¡°Whose car was that? Who brought you back?¡± A scary male voice suddenly came from behind her. She had Austin make a detour up front just to attract Cameron¡¯s attention, knowing that he would definitelye to check. But when she heard his voice, she was still frightened and tense Natalia tried to look rxed and smiled as sweetly as possible. ¡°How many Rolls¨CRoyces are there in Riverton?¡± She paused nervously, but to Cameron, it seemed like she was showing off. ¡°And who else could have the license te number 88888?¡± Cameron looked at Natalia skeptically ¡°Was it really Marcus who brought you back?¡± *Who else could it be? Natalia gathered her courage and walked ahead of him, ¡°You saw it with your own eyes, why are you still asking me?¡± Cameron followed her. ¡°I saw. But I don¡¯t believe it. You were useless, yet you suddenly be smart and win Marcus¡¯s favor in such a short time.¡± That man was Marcus, many people wanted to pursue him, but none seeded. Could this incapable Natalia seed? Natalia went into the room and poured herself a ss of water. ¡°You just want to know how I got close to him. I didn¡¯t find the right person before, and I didn¡¯t use the right method Now I¡¯ve figured it out, and I can know where he is at any time.¡± Cameron approached her, ¡°Just say your method, don¡¯t try to challenge my patience. I don¡¯t have that much¡± ¡°Whats the rush?¡± Natalia knew Cameron couldn¡¯t stand her attitude. When his hand was about to hit her face, she lightly pulled her cor, revealing the red mark she had deliberately left not long ago As she had expected, Cameron stopped his hand in time. Chapter 494 Chapter 494 Chapter 494 He dragged her into the brightest spot of the room, scrutinizing the mark on her neck that looked like a hickey but also seemed like a bite mark ¡°Did Mare do this? he ashed Seeing her plot working, Natalia breathed a sigh of relief Pretending to be shy, she quickly pulled up her cor to hide the mark, ¡°This mark Cameron interrupted impatiently. ¡°Are you pretending to be innocent? I¡¯m asking if this mark was made by him?¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°You once told me that no one else but him can touch me haven¡¯t forgotten.¡± Her obedience pleased Cameron ¡°How far have you guys gone? Did he sleep with you?¡± ¡°No¡± Natalia blushed, biting her lip shyly. ¡°He almost did I was really scared and struggled fiercely so he stopped¡± Cameron¡¯s face suddenly changed, grabbing Natalia¡¯s hair in anger, ¡°Are you a moron? You were scared of that? Look at yourself! He wants you, and you dare to reject him? With her hair being pulled to the point it felt like her scalp was being torn off, Natalia didn¡¯t dare to move, ¡°Mare said he wouldn¡¯t force me to do anything I don¡¯t want to Heil wat until Im mady to ept him¡± ¡°He said that? Cameron was skeptical of her, but eventually let go Natalia continued, ¡°Otherwise, why would he have driven me home?¡± This time. Cameron truly believed her, ¡°Sometimes men who have been met with too many easy women be more interested in a woman who rejects them. You did right Reject him for a while, and don¡¯t let him have you too soon. But don¡¯t hold him off for too long either. If he loses interest in you, you¡¯ll have no chance Natalia nodded. ¡°I listen to you. However long you tell me to reject him, I will. Whenever you tell me to ept him, I will Cameron was very satisfied with Natalia¡¯s attitude. He confidently believed that he had sessfully moulded Natalia into a tool without any personal thoughts, one that he could use freely Cameron pinched Natalia¡¯s chin, staring at her face intently, ¡°Your face, just like your shameless mother¡¯s, does indeed have charm that stirs men¡¯s hearts. But even the most beautiful face can be tiresome over time. If you want to hold Marcus¡¯s attention for longer, have your slut mother teach you She¡¯s a pro at handling men¡± Natalia replied, ¡°She has taught me.¡± As far back as Natalia could remember her mother had been teaching her how to please men. Her another would incessantly remind her that a woman¡¯s knowledge was never as important as marrying well, and that men were their lifeline ¡°Typical shameless mistress. But this does save me some trouble Cameron sneered. ¡°I taught you how to serve men, do you still remember?¡± Natalia nodded. ¡®Don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Cameron said, ¡°Once your rtionship with him esctes, you don¡¯t have to maintain your false modesty Be more proactive when he touches you. Don¡¯t be unresponsive, or he¡¯ll lose interest Men are all the same. They like elegant women in their life but in bed, they prefer those who can bring them pleasure. If you can bear him a son before his wife does Not just him, the entire Hartley Group will be yours¡± Natalia said. ¡°I just want toplete the task you assigned me, I haven¡¯t thought about anything else¡± Cameron gently patted her face, ¡°Yes, just follow my instructions. Fill take care of everything you can¡¯t think of, and ensure you won¡¯t get hurt.¡± Natalia nodded Cameron said, ¡°Go upstairs and rest. Starting from tomorrow I¡¯ll arrange for someone toe home and give you a full body SPA every day¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Alright Natalia replied, and then quickly went upstairs Back in her room As soon as she closed the door, she felt so weak she couldn¡¯t stand Leaning against the door, she slid to the ground wiping the cold sweat off her forehead Tonight was finally over But what about tomorrow? And the day after that? 09.24 Chapter 495 Natalia knew for sure, if Cameron found out she was ying him, he¡¯d surely off her But she wasn¡¯t ready to kick the bucket yet! Even if her everyday life was a living hell, she wanted to keep hanging in there because there was always hope while she was alive Plus, she knew she only got one shot at life, there were no do¨Covers. Once she died, she¡¯d have nothing Natalia took a deep breath, mustering up the strength to pick herself up off the ground despite feeling weak as a kitten She had to win Marcus over for real before Cameron got wind of the truth The only person who could help her now was Cornelia. Thinking of Comelia, Natalia immediately whipped out her phone and shot a text: [Cornelia, heard you¡¯re taking it easy these days. How about I swing by around lunchtime, we grab a bite and then hit the shops in the afternoon?] It was the middle of the night and Natalia wasn¡¯t holding her breath for a reply from Cornelia. However, no sooner had she put down her phone than it buzzed Cornelia texted back [Sorry, I¡¯m spending the day with my granny tomorrow] Natalia wasn¡¯t ready to throw in the towel. She sent a voice message straight away, ¡°Cornelia, are you still holding a grudge against me. Don¡¯t you like me? I¡¯m genuinely sorry, I hope we can be friends. Cornelia replied. What¡¯s past is past. I¡¯m not petty, don¡¯t sweat it] Seeing Cornelia¡¯s response. Natalia breathed a sigh of relief. For some reason, she just trusted Camelia, believing that she wouldn¡¯t pull a fast one on her. Natalia asked again [Cornelia, howe you¡¯re still up sote? Cornelia replied: I ate too much tonight, my stomachs giving me grief. I¡¯ve been in and out of the bathroom.] Natalia asked [Got any meds? Want me to swing by with some?] Cornelia replied I¡¯ve already taken some, feeling a bit better now. Gonna go to sleep, you should too. Night!] Natalia asked [Cornelia, are we friends now then?] Cornelia replied As long as you don¡¯t rope me into chasing Marcus, we can be friends] Natalia replied somewhat dejectedly. [But without Marcus, I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep going] When Cornelia saw Natalia¡¯s message, her headache started up again. She didn¡¯t really want to deal with this lovestruck girl, but somehow she couldn¡¯t help but soften ighting off sleepiness, Cornelia said [Natalia, no one¡¯s life is over just because someone else is gone. Even your parents will leave this world before you do. How can you not live without a man who has nothing to do with you?] Jatalia replied (Without him, I can¡¯t live ] Comelia said [You¡¯re really stubborn. Marcus is already hitched, he doesn¡¯t feel for you. You¡¯re only hurting yourself.] Jatalia told Cornelia [When I was a kid, my mom and family told me that I would be Marcus¡¯s wife one day I lived with that thought for over a decade. And just when hought I was going to be Marcus¡¯s bride, they told me Marcus had already married someone else ] Cornelia was really at a loss about Natalia¡¯s family! Chapter 495 Chapter 495 Chapter 495 Natalia knew for sure, if Cameron found out she was ying him, he¡¯d surely off her But she wasn¡¯t ready to kick the bucket yet! Even if her everyday life was a living hell, she wanted to keep hanging in there because there was always hope while she was alive Plus, she knew she only got one shot at life, there were no do overs. Once she died, she¡¯d have nothing Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Natalia took a deep breath, mustering up the strength to pick herself up off the ground despite feeling weak as a kitten. She had to win Marcus over for real before Cameron got wind of the truth. The only person who could help her now was Cornelia. Thinking of Comelia, Natalia immediately whipped out her phone and shot a text [Cornelia, heard you¡¯re taking it easy these days. How about I swing by around lunchtime, we grab a bite and then hit the shops in the afternoon?] It was the middle of the night and Natalia wasn¡¯t holding her breath for a reply from Cornelia. However, no sooner had she put down her phone than it buzzed. Cornelia texted back: [Sorry, I¡¯m spending the day with my granny tomorrow.] Natalia wasn¡¯t ready to throw in the towel. She sent a voice message straight away, ¡®Cornelia, are you still holding a grudge against me. Don¡¯t you like me? I¡¯m genuinely sorry, I hope we can be friends.¡± Comelia replied (What¡¯s past is past. I¡¯m not petty don¡¯t sweat it.] Seeing Cornelia¡¯s response, Natalia breathed a sigh of relief. For some reason, she just trusted Comelia, believing that she wouldn¡¯t pull a fast one on her Natalia asked again [Cornelia, howe you¡¯re still up sote?] Cornelia replied [I ate too much tonight, my stomach¡¯s giving me grief. I¡¯ve been in and out of the bathroom.] Natalia asked [Got any meds? Want me to swing by with some?] Cornelia replied (I¡¯ve already taken some, feeling a bit better now. Gonna go to sleep, you should too. Night!] Natalia asked [Cornelia, are we friends now then?] Cornelia replied. [As long as you don¡¯t rope me into chasing Marcus, we can be friends] Natalia replied somewhat dejectedly: [But without Marcus, I wouldn¡¯t be able to keep going.] When Cornelia saw Natalia¡¯s message, her headache started up again. She didn¡¯t really want to deal with this lovestruck girl, but somehow she couldn¡¯t help but soften. Fighting off sleepiness, Cornelia said: [Natalia, no one¡¯s life is over just because someone else is gone. Even your parents will leave this world before you do. How can you not live without a man who has nothing to do with you?] Natalia replied. Without him, I can¡¯t live.] Cornelia said: [You¡¯re really stubborn. Marcus is already hitched, he doesn¡¯t feel for you. You¡¯re only hurting yourself] Natalia told Cornelia [When I was a kid, my mom and family told me that I would be Marcus¡¯s wife one day I lived with that thought for over a decade. And just when i thought I was going to be Marcus¡¯s bride, they told me Marcus had already married someone else.] Cornelia was really at a loss about Natalia¡¯s family! Chapter 496 Chapter 496 Chapter 496 N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Parents shouldn¡¯t be instilling such ideas in their kids from a young age. Comelia had always found Natalia¡¯s affection for Marcus a bit off. A guy who never smiled at a girl, couldn¡¯t even remember what she looked like. Yet she still talked about wanting to marry him every day. Unless she was into some kind of self torture, how could this be possible? Turned out, the root of the problem lied within Natalia¡¯s family Cornelia thought for a moment, then said [Natalia, as you said. Those were things from your childhood. Now you¡¯re grown up, you can think for yourself. Forget what they said to you, forget Marcus, and just live your own life] Natalia replied with a bitter smile [Cornelia, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to It¡¯s that I can¡¯t] Cornelia asked. [Is there something you can¡¯t tell me?] Natalia said [No. Alright, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Go get some sleep.] Comelia didn¡¯t press further. [Alright, you should get some rest too] After ending the chat, Natalia stared at Cornelia¡¯s messages. She knew all these things, but she was powerless to change anything. Looking at the long message, she zoned out, her vision blurring After an unknown amount of time, her dimmed phone screen lit up again. It was a call from an unknown number. ¡°Hello! Who¡¯s this?¡± She asked. A charming but dangerous male voice came through, I¡¯m offering you a chance to be with Marcus. Do you want it?¡± ¡°Yes! I want it!¡± Natalia answered without hesitation. Only after did she think to ask, ¡°Who are you? How do you know what I want?¡± The voice on the other end said deeply. ¡°I¡¯m Zavier.¡± ¡°Zavier¡°, a name that anyone born into the Reese family would know. He was the king of the Capital, controlling many people¡¯s fates. He was as young as Marcus, and equally influential in the business world. Natalia didn¡¯t understand why Zavier would want to help her, ¡°Mr. Rivera, why are you helping me be with Marc?¡± Zavier didn¡¯t answer her question and coldly said, ¡°If you¡¯re at the Riverside Terrace Club on Maple Avenue in 20 minutes, Marcus will be yours tonight. If you¡¯re not, I¡¯ll have to give him to someone else.¡± ¡°No! You can¡¯t give him to someone else! I¡¯m leaving right now. Be there in 20 minutes.¡± Natalia left in a hurry without even confirming if Marcus was really there She took the family car and headed straight to the location. Natalia had never heard of the Riverside Terrace Club before and thought it was just a small, unknown ce. Upon arriving and seeing the luxurious facilities, she realized that even the Reese family might not be eligible to be members. Someone was waiting for her at the entrance and led her directly into a courtyard! The courtyard was filled with various buildings, small bridges, and streams, looking like a fairnd. Riverton was an international city with expensive real estate. To own a club of thousands of square feet here, the owner must have an extraordinary identity. -Natalia was led into a loft where a man dressed entirely in ck with a stern face was sitting. He was smoking a cigarette, puff after puff. Only after he finished did he turn his head to look at her, his gaze seemingly scrutinizing her, yet with a hint of disdain, ¡°You¡¯re Natalia?¡± Natalia nodded, ¡°You¡¯re Mr. Rivera, right?¡± Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Chapter 497 Zavier was a well¨Cknown figure, recognized by many. However, much like Marcus He kept a low profile and rarely appeared in the media, keeping his appearance a mystery to the public Zavier didn¡¯t directly confirm whether he was Mr. Rivera or not Instead, he stared at her for a bit before saying ¡°Your eyes. They¡¯re a bit like hers, but your overall expression is totally different¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Natalia asked ¡°Mr Rivera, what are you talking about?¡± Zavier didn¡¯t answer her Instead, he waved to the outside and two women with makeup kits came in, ¡°Mr Rivera¡± Zavier pointed at Natalia. ¡°Can you guys make her look a bit like the woman in the photo?¡± The two makeup artists scrutinized Natalia, then said, ¡°Mr. Rivera, don¡¯t worry. With our makeup skills, we can even make her look like the woman¡¯s twint Their forte was impersonating others. The fact that Natalia already had some resemnce to the woman in the photo made their job easier. Zaver asked, ¡°How long will it take?¡± One of the makeup artists responded. ¡°This kind of imitation makeup usually takes several hours, but we can do it in one hour.¡± Zavier nced at his wristwatch, ¡°I¡¯ll give you one hour. After that, it¡¯ll be dawn. If you can¡¯t finish, you befter figure something out¡± The makeup artists nodded respectfully, ¡°Alright¡± ¡°Start Once you¡¯re done, have here to me¡± With that said, Zavier left. After a couple of steps, he turned back to look at a puzzled Natalia, ¡°Have you met Cornelia? Natalia nodded, ¡°I have¡± Zavier asked, ¡°Can you impersonate the way Cornelia talks and walks?¡± Il try my best Natalia responded. Zavier scoffed. ¡°Try your best, huh? Whether you can get close to Marcus or not depends on how well you can impersonate Cornelia Think about it Natalia was a bit lost. She wanted to ask something, but Zavier had already left She was led to a vanity table by the two makeup artists who silently started applying makeup to her face. Natalia asked, ¡°Who are you making me look like?¡± No one answered her. She guessed that they might want her to impersonate Marcus¡¯s wife, in order to get close to Marcus. However, she was taken aback when the makeup artists ced a photo of Cornelia in front of the mirror before they started. Natalia was stunned, ¡°You¡¯re making me look like Cornelia?¡± Just now, Zavier asked her to mimic Cornelia¡¯s speech and movements Could it be that Cornelia and Marcus had a history? Probably not. Whenever Cornelia mentioned Marcus, her eyes didn¡¯t show the affection a woman would have for a man. So why were they making her look like Comelia? Natalia thought hard about it, the idea that popped up in her mind gave her a start. They weren¡¯t nning to frame Cornelia through her, were they? They wanted her to impersonate Cornelia to approach Marcus Sess would be great. But if she failed, Marcus might suspect that ¡°Cornelia¡± had ulterior motives towards him. And in that case, he would surely dismiss the real Cornelia. Chapter 498 Chapter 498 Chapter 498 If Cornelia lost her job the rtionship she had busted her hump to keep will snap, and getting close to Marcus would be a whole lot harder. So, what was she supposed to do? Once she was in this mess, getting out ain¡¯t a walk in the park Just gotta wing it, and if she could hook up with Marcus, then that was what¡¯s best for her if nothing happened she was gotta look out for herself and figure out how to keep Cornelis safe. Zavier headed back to Marcus, who was lounging on the sofa. His legs crossed all ssy, swirling a ss of red wine, the same pose he was in when he left The wine in his ss hadn¡¯t lessened a bit. Zavier plopped down next to him, took the ss from Marcus and chugged it, ¡°Marc, you¡¯re really on guard with me, huh? I invite you to have a couple drinks, and you won¡¯t even take a sip. You scared I¡¯m gonna poison your wine?¡± Marcus simply said, ¡°Hmm¡± Zavier huffed, ¡°You¡¯re such a drag¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind having a drink with you, but first you gotta answer some questions Marcus refilled his ss, took a sip. ¡°When did you open this club here?¡± Zavier replied, ¡°This club¡¯s been around for a few years now, can¡¯t quite remember when exactly Marcus asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Zavier exined. This ce is mainly for gathering some juicy gossip around Riverton, definitely gonna rub some folks the wrong way. I didn¡¯t tell you cause I didn¡¯t want to drag you into this¡± Marcus smiled. ¡°The folks here do seem a bit out of the ordinary¡± Zavier remarked, ¡°They are some real talents. They can do anything except wait tables. Look at us, no one¡¯s even pouring our drinks.¡± Marcus asked. ¡°What kind of info have you gathered?¡± Zavier replied, ¡°Lots of stuff, but I can¡¯t spill the beans.¡± Marcus staved silent. Zavier added. ¡°You¡¯ve asked me a bunch of questions, and you haven¡¯t even finished your drink. Drink up with me, and once I¡¯m tipsy, I¡¯ll tell you whatever you wanna know. Might even let slip some secrets I shouldn¡¯t.¡± Marcus just had treatment on the ne back to Riverton, and his stomach was all topsy¨Cturvy More booze mightnd him back in the hospital, but if he didn¡¯t drink, he wouldn¡¯t know Zavier¡¯s real intentions. He lifted his ss, and downed the wine. Zawier refilled his ss. ¡°Marc, take it slow. We can chat while we drink. Too much booze too fast ain¡¯t good for you.¡± Marcus replied. ¡°You smoke a few packs an hour and already had two bottles of wine here. I thought you didn¡¯t give a crap about your health.¡± Zavier responded, ¡°What can I say, it is what it is. Who in their right mind would harm their own body like this? You¡¯ve hidden Skyler, and I can¡¯t find her. So I resort to alcohol N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. to ease my feelings¡± Marcus didn¡¯t want to bring up Skyler, he asked again, ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered me, what news have you got?¡± Zawier didn¡¯t answer directly, instead he asked, ¡°Marcus, where the hell have you hidden Skyler? Why can¡¯t I find her anywhere?¡± Marcus replied ¡°Take a wild guess Zavier said exasperatedly. ¡®Sometimes. I really just wanna off you¡± Marcus finished his drink again, and mmed the ss on the table, ¡°Zavier, are you nning to gang up on me with others?¡± Zavier was taken aback, then burst outughing. ¡°Gang up on you? I could take you down all by myself, why would I need to join forces with others?¡± Marcus looked at him, his eyes frightening beneath his silver rimmed sses, ¡°If you want toe at me, thene. I¡¯m more than happy to have a showdown with you, and I can forgive everything you¡¯ve done But if you dare to harm Cornelia, I swear I¡¯ll make you regret ever being born¡± Chapter 499 Chapter 499 Chapter 499 N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Even though Marcus¡¯s words were soft, they were packed with a hidden punch ¡°Rx, Marc. I ain¡¯t gonna hurt a girl who can¡¯t defend herself Zavier grinned, pouring another round of drinks for Marcus. ¡°Told ya, all I want is to snatch Cornelia from your side. Just so you know how it feels to have your favorite woman taken away¡± Zavier had a nickname that sent shivers down people¡¯s spines ¨C the Madman His insanity was something nobody could predict. Once, just to beat a rival, he willingly gave up two of his own branches. Even if both sides got bruised, he wouldn¡¯t give his opponent an inch of advantage. Marcus picked up his drink again, downing it in one qulp Despite the pain twisting in his stomach, he kept a cool facade. He knew deep down, Zavier was nning to set him up today And it was bound to happen after he was drowned in booze. To get to the bottom of Zavier¡¯s scheme, Marcus downed a few drinks in a row After drinking a hefty amount of red wine, Marcus¡¯s senses started to blur But he knew it wasn¡¯t the alcohol, it was the smell in the room. Courtney had pulled something like this on him and Cornelia before, so he noticed the moment he walked in. He just didn¡¯t expect Zavier to use the same trick. He almost wanted tough, ¡°Zavier, you¡¯re stooping this low now?¡± Zavier was once framed by this very trick, forcing him into a marriage with Skyler. That was why he despised anyone who used it. Who¡¯d have thought, one day, he¡¯d be the very thing he hated. Zaver swirled the wine in his ss, responding with brutal honesty, ¡°Marc, for Skyler, I¡¯m not just gonna stoop low I¡¯ll do things I can¡¯t even believe I¡¯m capable of¡± ¡°Huh¡± Marcus chuckled. Naturally handsome, Marcus¡¯sughter was now enhanced by the drug¡¯s effect. His eyes were brimming with passion, as if they were capable of luring in souls, ¡°Then bring it on, let me see what you got.¡± Zavier didn¡¯t really want to be his enemy, he knew it would only hurt both of them, ¡°Marc, just give me back Skyler and I¡¯ll give you the antidote. I promise you won¡¯t lose control in front of any other women¡® Marcus scoffed, ¡°Zavier, we¡¯ve known each other for years and you still don¡¯t get me You think this trick will make me slip up?¡± He had been drugged like this before. And even then, when Cornelia was by his side, he managed to keep his cool, let alone with other women. Just as he finished, a familiar female voice echoed in Marcus¡¯s ears, ¡°President Hartley¡± He turned towards the voice, seeing a blurry vision of a girl in a white top and ck skirt approaching him. The room was dimly lit, and Marcus¡¯s senses were fuzzy. He couldn¡¯t see her face clearly, but her distinctive hairstyle stood out, ¡°Cornelia?¡± ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s me.¡± The girl stood straight, a few steps away from him, not moving any closer. ¡°Cornelia,e closer¡± Marcus waved her over, patting the seat beside him. As she moved closer, her face became clearer. It was indeed his Cornelia. Even under the influence, his expression softened. His voice was low and tender, ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Natalia had never heard Marcus¡¯s voice so tender, nor had she seen his eyes filled with such affection. How she wished she was the real Cornelia at that moment; how she craved for Marcus¡¯s love She silently watched the gentle man before her, her eyes filled with longing for him, forgetting her purpose. Chapter 500 Chapter 500 Chapter 500 Natalia snapped back to reality and tried her best to mimic Cornelia¡¯s way of speaking. ¡®I heard you¡¯re drunk. I¡¯m here to take you home¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home Marcus tried to reach for her hand, but it froze just before he could touch her Even though his mind was foggy, he remembered that he was Marcus, not Jeremy Cornelia would reject any physical contact with Marcus. ¡°Let¡¯s go He tried to stand but his legs gave way and he sank back onto the couch. Natalia quickly moved to help him up. ¡°Are you okay?¡± As she got closer, Marcus caught a whiff of her strong perfume. He scrunched up his nose and smoothly avoided her touch, ¡°I might be a bit drunk, but I¡¯m fine. I can walk on my own¡± Rebuffed, Natalia didn¡¯t know what to do. She looked at Zavier pleadingly. Zavier chimed in, ¡°Cornelia, He is so drunk. He probably can¡¯t walk out of here. There¡¯s a vi next door, why don¡¯t you help him rest there for a bit?¡± Natalia asked, ¡°President Hartley, would you like to rest?¡± ¡°Alright Marcus managed to pull himself up, refusing Natalia¡¯s help. Zaver asked, ¡°Marc, do you need my help?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°No need¡± Zavier handed the room key to Natalia, ¡°Cornelia, please take good care of him. If you need anything, just give me a call. I¡¯ll be on standby.¡± Natalia took the key and hurriedly caught up with Marcus. ¡°Marc, all the best! Zavier watched their retreating figures, a determined glint in his eyes. If he didn¡¯t know that the woman wasn¡¯t Cornelia, he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the difference, especially not a drunken Marcus. By the time Marcus sobered up, everything would have been done. He was eager to see how Marcus would manage to keep Cornelia By then, Marcus should understand how he was feeling right now. His assistant approached him, ¡°Mr. Rivera, it¡¯s dawn. Would you like to get some rest?¡± Zavier lit up a cigarette with a smile and walked into a posh room, ¡°The stage is set, the show¡¯s about to start. How can I miss it?¡± It took a while to reach the room because Marcus was unsteady on his feet. Natalia opened the door with the room key and stepped aside for Marcus to enter first. The room was spacious with minimal decoration, making the bed look evenrger. Marcus walked straight to the bed and copsed onto it, motionless. ¡°President Hartley¡­¡± Natalia softly called out. When he didn¡¯t respond, she gently sat down next to him.N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Chapter 501 Back in the day, all Natalia could think about was how to get close to Marcus, and how to be his gal. Now, Marcus was right beside her, her wish soon toe true. But surprisingly, she didn¡¯t feel as happy as she thought she would Instead, a kind of indescribable feeling spread in her heart, which was clenched so tight she could barely breathe But for a better life, she couldn¡¯t chicken out. She had to sleep with Marcus tonight. If she could sessfully carry Marcus child tonight, she would no longer be under Cameron¡¯s thumb. She reached out to unbutton Marcus¡® shirt, but her hand was shaking uncontrobly. Natalia kept pep talking herself, that the current Marcus wasn¡¯t fully awake, and that he was not that scary. However, to Natalias surprise, before she could touch Marcus, he suddenly grabbed her wrist, his voice cold as an icy devil, ¡°Who the hell are you?¡± Natalia jumped, her voice trembling. ¡®President Hartley, you¡¯re so drunk you don¡¯t recognize me? I¡¯m Cornelia¡± With a bit of force from Marcus, Natalia¡¯s bones crackled ¡°Spill!¡± Marcus shouted This woman was not Comelia. When she got close to him, he felt that her scent was off. Cornelia always had a fresh fragrance about her, her unique scent that he had never smelled on anyone else This woman¡¯s face looked like Cornelia¡¯s, but she didn¡¯t have the familiar scent. Instead, there was a strong odor of cosmetics. She was a woman arranged by Zavier, definitely not CorneliaThis text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Marcus was so strong. Natalia felt like her bones would be crushed, so she had to admit her identity, ¡°Marcus, I¡¯m Natalia.¡± ¡°Natalia¡± Marcus released her. He quickly stood up, looking down at the woman, ¡°Who sent you?¡± Natalia looked at Marcus in shock. He was barely standing just now Why was he suddenly so sober? Could it be? Natalia slowly realized, Marcus might have been pretending in front of Zavier. He was always sober, and never mistaken her for Cornelia. Marcus¡® eyes were sharp, as if he would pierce Natalia¡¯s heart, ¡°You won¡¯t say?¡± Natalia dared not keep silent. She wished she could beg for mercy right now, ¡°Zavier sent me.¡± ¡°Who else besides Zavier?¡± Marcus wanted to find out Zavier¡¯s aplices, so he put on this act in front of Zavier. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. To gain his trust, Natalia quickly exined, ¡°Tonight, I went to find Cornelia and ran into you. After you asked Austin to take me home, I got a call from Mr. Rivera. He asked me toe over and had someone make me up to look like Cornelia. At first, I didn¡¯t know what his purpose was until I saw you. I realized what he was up to ¡± ¡°You¡¯re buddies with Zavier? You came here without knowing his purpose? Marcus looked at Natalia with cold eyes, obviously not believing her words. Under his gaze, Natalia dared not make up any lies, ¡°He told me on the phone that I could be with you, so I came¡± Marcus chuckled, but theughter didn¡¯t reach his eyes. The silver¨Cframed sses were revealing eyes like a bottomless abyss that one dared not peer into. He asked, ¡°You want to be with me?¡± Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Chapter 502 Natalia was shaking like a leaf, ¡°Marcus, I¡¯ve always had the hots for you. I wanna be your wife.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re good enough for me? Marcus sneered, turning around and yelling to the window, ¡°Come on in, all of you¡± As soon as he finished speaking two heads popped up from outside the window. It was only when they climbed in that Natalia saw one was Dr. Dawson, and the other was a big brawny guy He was the spitting image of Ayden, only without the gnarly scar on his face This was Ayden¡¯s twin brother, Jayden. Jayden, towering over Natalia, asked, ¡®President Hartley, what should we do with this chick?¡± Marcus gave Natalia a nce, ¡°Since she¡¯s so desperate for a man, let¡¯s give her all the men she wants¡± Knowing Marcus¡® temper, Natalia began to beg. ¡°Marcus, I didn¡¯t have a choice. Please, let me off the hook! Marcus was never a softy, anyone who crossed him never ended up well. Just as he was about to give the next order, Natalia¡¯s words made him pause, ¡®Marcus, Cornelia and I are friends. Please, for the love of Cornelia, let me off the hook this once At the mention of Cornelia, Marcus¡® rage cooled off a bit, ¡°Jayden, I¡¯ll leave this chick for you to deal with.¡± He headed for the bathroom, ¡°Get my fresh clothes The smell on him was making him sick, he needed a wash ASAP. Jayden quickly got his fresh clothes and then handed Natalia something. ¡°You dropped Cornelia¡¯s name and got President Hartley to go easy on you, but this ain¡¯t over yet.¡± Natalia went as pale as a sheet, ¡°What are you gonna do to me?¡± Jayden said expressionlessly. ¡°Read what I gave you, and follow the instructions after we leave. Don¡¯t let Zavier smell a rat that President Hartley¡¯s gone.¡± Natalia looked at what Jayden gave her. As soon as she saw what it was, she threw it away immediately She was too scared to look at Jayden again, ¡°I can¡¯t act ¡± She always wanted to be with Marcus, but she had always been a virgin, never did the deed. How could she act it out all on her own? Jayden said, ¡°You can¡¯t act? Do you need someone else to act with you?¡± Natalia was too scared to say a word ¡°Jayden, don¡¯t scare her Dr. Dawson picked up what Natalia threw on the floor, walked over to her, gently patting her shoulder, ¡®Ms. Reese, you got this.¡± Natalia didn¡¯t have a choice, she had to do it. She didn¡¯t have another option. Maybe, she once had another choice. When Zavier called her tonight, if she didn¡¯t show up, she wouldn¡¯t be in this mess. But she lost her head and chose what she thought was a quick way to make her dreamse true.N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Chapter 503 Dr. Dawson asked again, ¡°Are we good to go now?¡± Natalia nodded Dr. Dawson grinned, ¡°Awesome!¡± She may look like a sweet olddy but Natalia knew better than to trust anyone who was tight with Marcus. One moment, Dr. Dawson would be all smiles and politeness. The next, she could show her Irue colors and hurt her After a while Marcus, fresh from the shower and dressed in clean clothes, emerged. Jayden immediately approached him, ¡°President Hartley, our team has pretty much got the lowdown on the Riverside Terrace Club. The security system here is a real brain teaser, with cameras everywhere. Trying to make a move without them noticing would be like trying to nail jelly to a tree. But with a few tricks up our sleeve, we¡¯ve found a safe passageway out Zavier won¡¯t see iting¡± ¡°Good job¡± Marcus said. ¡°Are we leaving now?¡± Jayden asked. Marcus didn¡¯t want to waste another second here, ¡°Yes. But keep our eyes on the ball. We need to find out who Zavier¡¯s partner is ¡± ¡°Already on it.¡± Jayden said, ¡°Anyone who contacts him won¡¯t slip past us.¡± Marcus nodded, and they all exited via the balcony ¡± A while after their departure. Natalia, trembling, picked herself up off the floor She went to the bathroom, intending to wash her face and clear her head, maybe think of a way to escape, but the sight of Marcus discarded clothes stopped her. He¡¯d left them behind, considering them dirty. She picked up his shirt and smelled it. His scent was surprisingly pleasant. Despite knowing him for many years, it was her first time taking it in It was addictive The Riverside Terrace Club was a maze of traps and surveince. The average Joe couldn¡¯t get in without a guide, let alone get out. Yet Marcus and his crew managed to leave without a hitch, a feat that required a team even more powerful than Zavier¡¯s. Once outside the Riverside Terrace Club, the street lights illuminated the road. Dr. Dawson noticed that Marcus looked paler than before, and swiftly took out some pills from her medical bag. ¡°Marc, you just promised Cornelia that you¡¯d take care of yourself. What the hell happened? Take these pills, now. The red ones will counteract the poison in your system, and the white ones are for the alcohol.¡± Ever since he¡¯d been set up by Courtney, Marcus always carried the antidotes Dr. Dawson had given him. But after spending too much time in such a toxic environment that night, the poison in his system had increased significantly This, along with the alcohol he¡¯d consumed, rendered the previous antidotes ineffective. Marcus took the pills. But before he could swallow them, he vomited blood This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Dr. Dawson knew he didn¡¯t take care of himself and knew about the various injuries he¡¯d sustained. Yet, the sight of his blood still unnerved her, ¡°Jesus, I told you not to drink. You never listen! Are you trying to kill yourself?¡± Marcus swayed, losing his bnce. He would have fallen if not for Jayden, who steadied him and helped him into the car Dr. Dawson quickly checked his pulse, panic in her voice, ¡°Jayden, step on it. Get us to a hospital.¡± Chapter 504 Chapter 504 Chapter 504 If Dr. Dawson¡¯s meds couldn¡¯t do the trick, then he was in deep trouble. Jayden floored the gas and the car bolted out like a shot arrow. As the car sped on, they heard Marcus murmur. ¡°Life? Used to take it for granted Thought if it¡¯s gone, it¡¯s gone. Now, I wanna live. Cornelia just bought me new clothes, haven¡¯t even worn them yet¡± Dr. Dawson was torn between pity and urgency Pity for Marcus not valuing his life before and urgency for his excessive concern about his marriage to Cornelia His dad was sockluster about his mom and their marriage, and he swore as a kid to be nothing like his old man. After taking over the Hartley Group, he ditched all his dad¡¯s rules. He fired all the big shots his dad favored People said he was just trying to have a firm grip on the Hartley Group But truth is, he just didn¡¯t want anyone who had worked with his dad thinking they would betray family just like his father did His obsession with his marriage went beyond what most couples do. He was nothing but kind and indulgent to Cornelia. If Cornelia shared his feelings, all good. But if not? Then, to him, Cornelia was a ticking time bomb. Dr. Dawson knew he couldn¡¯t hear. But she still whispered advice, hoping he would take heed and cut his losses, ¡°You¡¯re still thinking about Cornelia, but has she even cared about you after she got home? Marc, don¡¯t forget, there¡¯s more to your life than Cornelia. You have your grandma and your sister. They are your family, the ones who will never abandon you.¡± After saying this, Dr. Dawson felt something was off. To Marcus, not even family was guaranteed to stick around. His parents were the best example. Man, she didn¡¯t know how to get through to him anymore. Meanwhile, Cornelia was just answering a phone call. In order to surprise her grandma, Cornelia didn¡¯t mention she was going to Southern Summer Garden. She felt a bit sickst night, and nned to sleep in. She then caught a train to Southern Peak, and had lunch with the grandmas. But her work phone started ringing non¨Cstop at six something in the morning Due to work, Cornelia¡¯s work phone was never to be turned off. She could be called up for work in the dead of night. If someone was reaching out to her at this hour, it must be urgent. Despite having only slept for a few hours, Cornelia quickly got up to answer the call, ¡°Hello, who¡¯s this?¡± Zavier¡¯s deep voice came through, ¡°Ms. Stewart, President Hartley is hammered. Do you want to pick him up?¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Cornelia asked, ¡°Where are you?¡± Zavier replied, ¡°Riverton, about ten miles away from your ce. I¡¯m at Riverside Terrace Club.¡± Marcus was feeling unwell on the flight back to Rivertonst night and had to get treated. After dropping her off, he went drinking? Didn¡¯t he care about his life at all? Didn¡¯t he once say he wouldn¡¯t make his wife a widow? Comelia began to doubt, ¡°Mr. Rivera, is Marcus really drunk?¡± Zavier chuckled, ¡°You two are so alike. Here, listen for yourself.¡± ¡°Cornelia Marcus¡¯s voice came through the phone, a little slurred but still sounding pleasant when saying her name. Cornelia immediately got up, quickly freshened up and headed out to pick up Marcus. On the way. She tried to call Dr. Dawson, but the call couldn¡¯t get through. So Cornelia had no choice but to head to Riverside Terrace Club alone. Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Chapter 505 Cornelia was well¨Cacquainted with every high¨Cend club in Riverton, but she had never heard of Riverside Terrace Club, which was just a stone¡¯s throw from her house On her way to the Riverside Terrace Club, she had a hunch that this might be some kind of payback from Zavier. However, the thought of Marcus being there took the edge off her worries As dawn was just breaking and the roads were still quiet, Cornelia quickly arrived at her destination. She parked her car, and what met her eyes was a dpidated fence. Nestled in the middle of the fence was an old wooden gate, with a barely visible sign reading ¡°Riverside Terrace Club¡± hanging on it. This ce didn¡¯t look like a club at all. She began to suspect even more that this was Zavier¡¯s way of getting back at her. As she was about to dial Zavier, a man in a suit appeared out of nowhere, ¡®Ms. Stewart, follow me¡± Cornelia was so startled she almost dropped her cell. ¡°Where the hell did you pop up from?¡± The man didn¡¯t even bother to answer. He just swung open the old wooden gate, ¡°Ms. Stewart, please follow me.¡± She half¨Cexpected a whole new world to unfold behind the gate like in the novels she had read. But when she stepped in, all she saw was a patch of weeds. She quickly backed out, looking warily at the man in the suit, ¡°What¡¯s Zavier got you doing?¡± Just a phone call from Zavier had led her here to this godforsaken ce. What if he had some sinister ns? There were no cameras around, if anything happened to her, they wouldn¡¯t find the culprit, and that thought was notforting at all. The man in the suit said emotionlessly, ¡°Mr. Rivera instructed me to take you to President Hartley¡± This sent chills down Cornelia¡¯s spine. Many said Zavier was a loose cannon, capable of anything. He hadn¡¯t killed Marcus and was trying to get her to go with him, had he? As she was debating whether to call the cops, Zavier called again, ¡°Ms. Stewart, you can trust my man, I won¡¯t harm you.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Should I trust you?¡± Zavier, ¡°If I dared to harm you, Marc would definitely kill me. Why would I shoot myself in the foot?¡± ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll take your word for it this time, but if you¡¯re ying any games, I swear I¡¯ll haunt you even from the grave.¡± Cornelia followed the man in the suit back through the gate, still somewhat suspicious At that moment, magic happened. The weeds vanished as if by magic, and she was surrounded by a picturesquendscape with fountains and buildings. Cornelia had never seen anything so miraculous, ¡°Sir, have you cast some kind of spell on me?¡± The man in the suit replied. ¡°This is the real view. What you saw before was a technological barrier we created. Without it, the inside would look like a patch of weeds from the outside.¡±N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Cornelia looked around, ¡°This is too extravagant! It¡¯s just a club, not some evilir Is all this secrecy really necessary? This equipment must¡¯ve cost a fortune.¡± The man in the suit, ¡°What Mr. Rivera has in abundance is money¡± Cornelia was speechless. Her money¨Cloving heart was deeply struck by his words. Chapter 506 Chapter 506 Chapter 506 After trudging through a winding path, Cornelia finally spotted the building Right ahead was what seemed like a recreational area, pretty spacious There were a few vis scattered around. The so called clubhouse was probably Zavier¡¯s private estate in Riverton. He never entertained quests there. A suited man escorted Cornelia to her destination, then vanished like a ghost Cornelia nced around. Not a soul in sight. The lighting was dim, making the ce feel rather unsettling ¡°Mr. Rivera, I¡¯m here Where¡¯s Marcus?¡± No one responded, but one of the vis had a faint light on Cornelia guessed that Marcus and Zavier were probably there. As she headed towards the vi, a gloomy voice echoed, ¡°Ms Stewart, you finally made it. You sure kept me waiting¡± Following the source of the voice, Cornelia found no one. After her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she spotted Zavier in ck leaning against a tree with a nearly finished cigarette in his hands Cornelia noticed that Zavier had been smoking every time she saw him recently. Perhaps, not being able to torment Skyler, he chose to torment himself instead. He was polite, and so was Cornelia. ¡°Mr. Rivera, where¡¯s President Hartley?¡± Zavier pointed to the house behind him, ¡°He¡¯s inside waiting for you. You go fetch him.¡± ¡°Thanks, Mr. Rivera¡®¡® Cornelia was still wary of Zavier, so she didn¡¯t just barge in. She inspected her surroundings, ensuring there was no danger before stepping inside But she didn¡¯t expect the sight and sounds that greeted her, causing her to blush. She immediately backed out and softly closed the door, ¡°Zavier, have you gone nuts? President Hartley¡¯s wife is here too, and you¡¯re asking me to fetch him.¡± Zavier chuckled, ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s President Hartley¡¯s wife?¡± Cornelia was taken aback, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Zavier lit another cigarette and took a few drags, Tonight, after Marc dropped you home, he ran into Natalia. She¡¯s been infatuated with Marc for years, and she made another move on him tonight. Marc was going to reject her, but he had a few drinks, and well, things happened.¡± Zavier was convincing, but Cornelia just couldn¡¯t believe it. She had faith that Marcus would never do such a thing, ¡°Mr. Rivera, you better not be spewing nonsense. A man of integrity cares about his reputation.¡± Zavier stepped closer, seemingly trying to overpower Cornelia with his height, ¡°You trust him that much?¡± Cornelia stood her ground, ¡®I¡¯m his employee, and he pays my sry. Why would I trust you over him?¡± Zavier, ¡°Then what did you see just now? What did you hear?¡± Cornelia was mortified. ¡°I¡­¡± She gritted her teeth and forced herself to stay calm, ¡°I didn¡¯t get a clear look at the two people on the bed, nor did I hear clearly How am I supposed to know that it was Marcus?¡± She had switched from calling him ¡°President Hartley¡± to ¡°Marcus,¡± a detail that didn¡¯t escape Zavier, ¡°If you¡¯re not sure, you can always go back in to check.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be appropriate¡­ I don¡¯t want to intrude,¡± said Cornelia. Despite this, she was itching to go back in and confirm whether it was Marcus and Natalia in the room. Otherwise, the doubt would nag at her like a thorn in her side, probably affecting her work in the future.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 507 Chapter 507 Chapter 507 Zavier was clued into Cornelia¡¯s inner turmoil and deliberately said ¡°If you think this scene sucks, then let¡¯s stop watching¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Comelia didn¡¯t respond Zavier said, ¡°Let¡¯s go then Breakfast is on me * Cornelia asked, ¡°Mr Rivera, shouldn¡¯t you advise me to go and double check?¡± Zavier asked, ¡°Do you want to double check?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I need to confirm that the man isn¡¯t Marcus, so I can focus on work¡± Zavier led Cornelia back to the door and gently opened it She couldn¡¯t see the bed clearly from this angle, but she could see the scattered clothing at the end of the bed The white shirt and ck trousers on the floor were nothing special, but the unique embroidery on the cuffs was Marcus¡¯s signature. Not only did the clothes prove that the man in bed was Marcus, but the soundsing from the two people on the bed were also familiar to Cornelia. Even with the noises they were making. Cornelia could tell it was Marcus and Natalia Did Marcus really sleep with Natalia? Marcus had always avoided any interaction with Natalia, why would he sleep with her? Cornelia mustered up the courage to take a few steps forward and saw that all too familiar handsome face. Even though his expression was twisted at this moment, and Cornelia only took a fleeting nce before stepping back, she could still see clearly it was Marcus¡® face. For a moment. Cornelia¡¯s mind went nk. She remembered the first day she worked with him, when he smiled and said ¡°my wife, it wasn¡¯t fake. Every time he mentioned his wife, his expression also did not seem like an act. But if he loved his wife so much, why would he sleep with another woman? Was it because he wasn¡¯t satisfied with his wife and wanted to see if he could be with another woman? Judging from the soundsing from the room, he wasn¡¯t sick. Zavier closed the door and led Cornelia away from the scene, ¡°Cornelia, no matter how great a guy is, their true nature is all the same in front of money and beauty.¡± Comelia shook her head, trying to shake off the erotic images in her mind, suppressing her shock, and retorted, ¡°So, did you cheat on Skyler?¡± Zavier had never done such a thing! In his life, there was only Skyler, but she didn¡¯t appreciate his efforts, had an abortion and then disappearedpletely. But now, Zavier wanted Cornelia to believe him, ¡°Do you think I would be the kind of guy who stays faithful for one woman?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You certainly don¡¯t seem like it.¡± Zavier asked, ¡°What¡¯s your opinion on Marcus betrayal?¡± ¡°Does my opinion of him matter? He is just my boss, not my husband. We don¡¯t live together, and his personal actions won¡¯t affect me.¡± Honestly. Cornelia deeply disliked such men with improper behavior. He always mentioned his wife in public, trying to portray the image of a loving husband, but in reality, he was sleeping with other women. This was utterly shameless! If it were someone else, Cornelia would re at him, spit on him, or even curse him. But he was Marcus, her boss, and as long as she wanted to work for him, she couldn¡¯t openly condemn him. Perhaps one day. Marcus would ask her to find women for him, and she would have to do it herself. Sigh, all the men in the world are the same, always up to no good Chapter 508 Chapter 508 Chapter 508 On another thought, she shouldn¡¯t just judge all men like that. After all, Jeremy was also a man, and she trusted he would never hurt her Comelia kept her silence, but her face told Zavier everything he needed to know ¡°Cornelia,¡± he asked, ¡°would you forgive your husband if he cheated on you?¡± ¡°Mr. Rivera, you and Marcus might be that kind of men, but not all men are like you¡± Cornelia firmly believed Jeremy wouldn¡¯t betray her Even though sometimes she couldn¡¯t remember his face, she knew he once promised to live a good life with her Zavier chuckled ¡°Really, Ms Stewart, you have absolutely no doubt about your husband?¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Ignoring Zavier¡¯s provocation, Cornelia asked, ¡°So, you called me here to discuss my husband?¡± ¡°Actually, it¡¯s Marc who asked me to call you to pick him up. But it seems he can¡¯t get up for now¡­¡± ¡°I go back first then¡± ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out¡± ¡°No need Despite her refusal, Zavier insisted on walking her out, rambling on about Marcus. ¡°People say Marc is not interested in women. It¡¯s not that he isn¡¯t interested, he¡¯s just picky¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in his personal life, Cornelia interrupted. Undeterred, Zavier continued, ¡°His attitude towards you is different from other women. He might be interested in you, just hasn¡¯t found the right opportunity¡± ¡°Mr. Rivera, watch your words.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t need Zavier to remind her of Marcus¡® affection. She knew. She even suspected he had feelings for her, but his actions proved otherwise Anyway, she needed to stay away from Marcus outside of work. ¡°If your husband cheated on you, would you forgive him?¡± Zavier asked again. Annoyed, Cornelia retorted, ¡°Mr. Rivera, if you have problems, go see a shrink. Stop talking about my husband cheating on me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just hypothesizing¡­ Can¡¯t you even answer this question?¡± ¡°If my husband cheated on me, I would definitely not forgive him. But I believe this won¡¯t happen, because Jeremy is not like you.¡± Zavier got the answer he was looking for. He achieved his goal for today, and he smiled, ¡°Ms. Stewart, see you! I¡¯ll treat you to dinner next time.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather never see you again.¡± After leaving Riverside Terrace Club, Cornelia got in her car, but doesn¡¯t start it right away. In front of Zavier, she put on a brave face. But now, back in her private space, her anxiety starts to kick in, her hands shaking slightly. Marcus cheated on his wife! He loved his wife so much, how could he cheat on her? If he really intended to deceive her, he wouldn¡¯t have dragged it out this long. So many women had shown strong interest in him before, but he never gave them a second nce Was there a hidden secret? Cornelia tried toe up with all kinds of exnations, but none of them made sense. Courtney poisoned both of them before, but he didn¡¯t make any inappropriate moves. It shouldn¡¯t be someone else¡¯s trick this time either. If all possibilities were ruled out, then what she saw must be the truth! Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Chapter 509 Ugh! Cornelia let out a deep sigh She was just Marcus¡¯s assistant, and had no businessmenting on his personal life. As a good PA, the first rule is to unconditionally follow the boss¡¯s needs and orders, and not be nosy about unnecessary stuff. Even if she learned something she had to y dumb and definitely couldn¡¯t judge the boss¡¯s private affairs. She told herself, today¡¯s stuff ends here, just pretend like nothing happened, like she heard nothing. But, she still felt uneasy and ufortable deep down. If Marcus had always been a yboy, betraying his wife, and getting involved with other women, Cornelia might find it easier to ept. However, Marcus had always pampered his wife, been loyal to his marriage, and didn¡¯t have much contact with other women. This actually made her respect him even more. After working by Marcus¡¯s side for a year, the Marcus in her heart was more than just her boss. He was more like her mentor, her guide, and she respected him a lot Suddenly seeing the person she respected turned into this, anyone would need some time to ept the reality. But Cornelia told herself, she had to ept this reality. As long as she wanted to work by Marcus¡¯s side, she had to pretend like today¡¯s incident never happened, and never mention it to anyone. After mentally preparing herself, Cornelia took a break to calm her emotions before she started her car to head home. Meanwhile, Zavier returned to that room. In the room, the two people from earlier had already tidied up their clothes and were sitting on either side of the bed. The man was removing his makeup. Seeing Zavier enter, he immediately stood up and respectfully addressed him as ¡°Mr. Rivera¡°. Zavier waved his hand, signaling him to continue with his stuff. Natalia kept her head down, not daring to look at him. She felt Zavier was even scarier than she imagined. Not only was he the nutjob everyone said, but he was also a cold and heartless devil. Even after all this time, Natalia still felt the fear from Zavier¡¯s gaze when he entered the room¡­. As soon as Marcus and others left, Zavier came in. He looked at her, his eyes like a devil¡¯s, his voice cold and ruthless, ¡®Ms. Reese, do you think I brought you here, turned you into this, just for fun?¡± She couldn¡¯t figure out Zavier¡¯s intentions. ¡°Mr. Rivera, I¡­¡± Zavier, ¡°I let Corneliae to see you guys, Cornelia will be here soon, but the main character is gone. What do you think I let Corneliae see? Isn¡¯t all my effort tonight wasted?¡± She was so scared she didn¡¯t dare to speak. Zavier didn¡¯t bother talking to her further and called another man in. When Natalia saw the man¡¯s face, she was shocked, and it took her a while to find her voice. ¡°Marc, why are you back?¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 510 Chapter 510 Chapter 510 Nah, he¡¯s not Marcus The guy looked exactly like Marcus, but with a significant difference in height and build. He just couldn¡¯t be Marcus Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. Natalia felt a wave of dread and quickly backed away, ¡°Mr. Rivera, what are you trying to do?¡± Zavier said to the man, ¡°Pretend to sleep with her. If she can¡¯t act convincingly you¡¯ll have to really fuck her.¡± With that, Zaver left. Now it was just the man and Natalia in the room. Natalia clutched her clothes tightly, ¡°I can y along, but you can¡¯t really touch me¡­¡± As the man was undressing, he retorted, ¡°Who do you think you are? Who would want to touch you?¡± Natalia muttered something under her breath, but the man didn¡¯t catch it, ¡°What did you say?¡± Natalia, ¡°Nothing¡± To protect herself, Natalia had no choice but to y along with the stranger. After the act, Zavier returned Natalia was still in shock and didn¡¯t dare to look at him Zavier lit a cigarette and casually nced at Natalia, ¡®Ms. Reese, you¡¯re not bad at acting. You did a good job today.¡± Finally feeling a bit relieved, Natalia looked up at Zavier nervously, clutching her clothes, ¡°Can I leave now?¡± Zavier slowly approached her, smirking. ¡°You almost ruined my n today, you know?¡± Now that his n was sessful, Zavier didn¡¯t look as terrifying Natalia mustered up the courage to reply, ¡°You were the one who got Marc drunk and didn¡¯t notice he was faking it. It¡¯s not surprising that I didn¡¯t notice either.¡± ¡°Is that what I asked? Zavier knew Marcus wasn¡¯t easy to fool. He was prepared, otherwise he wouldn¡¯t have found a lookalike so quickly. Fearing further trouble, Natalia asked anxiously. ¡°Then what did you mean?¡± Now that he had time, Zavier wanted to know, ¡°What did you do that made Marcus realize you weren¡¯t Cornelia?¡± Natalia said, ¡°Nothing I was just about to help Marc undress when he woke up and asked who I was.¡± *Really?¡± Zavier scrutinized Natalia¡¯s face. If she didn¡¯t speak, he could hardly tell the difference between her and Cornelia How did Marcus figure it out? ¡°Did you say anything?¡± he asked Natalia, ¡°No.¡± From Natalia¡¯s reaction, Zavier was pretty sure she wasn¡¯t lying. He decided not to press further, ¡°You better act like nothing happened today. Don¡¯t tell anyone about this. If you can¡¯t keep your mouth shut, next time I won¡¯t just make you act. I might even let him really get it on with you! Natalia was taken aback. She nced at the man on the other side of the bed. His half face looked a bit like Marcus, but the other half without makeup was nothing like him Natalia knew makeup could change a person¡¯s appearance, but she had never seen it transform someone into another personpletely Natalia didn¡¯t understand why Zavier would do this, ¡®Why would you want Cornelia to misunderstand that I¡¯m with him?¡± It should be Marcus¡® wife who got involved in this mess. Why Cornelia? Zavier chuckled, ¡°Ms. Reese, the more you know, the worse it is for you. You¡¯d better curb your curiosity Chapter 511 Chapter 511 Chapter 511 Natalia asked, ¡°Can I leave now?¡± Zavier replied, ¡°Of course!¡± As Natalia stood up, she realized her legs were too weak to hold her up. Zamer had someone escort her out After Natalia left, the man who had just yed Marcus finished removing his makeup. He looked respectfully at Zavier, Mr. Rivera, I¡¯m heading out.¡± Zavier nodded. ¡°Your sisters makeup skills are top¨Cnotch. We¡¯ll need you guys in the future, so don¡¯t let your skills get rusty¡± ¡°I understand¡® The man respectfully withdrew without saying another word. Once the man had left, Zavier lit another cigarette, took a few hard puffs, thenughed, ¡®Marc, why are you so stubborn? If you had given Skyler back to me, Cornelia wouldn¡¯t have misunderstood you. Now I¡¯m curious, how are you going to convince Cornelia that nothing happened between you and Natalia?¡± When Cornelia returned home, Zack and Abigail were having breakfast. They were surprised to see her back. Almost simultaneously, Zack and Abigail asked, ¡°You came home sotest night, weren¡¯t you going to sleep in today before going to Southern Peak? Where did you run off to this early?¡± Cornelia opened her mouth to exin her morning, but decided against it, ¡°Marcus got drunk, and I picked him up¡± Zack started nagging ¡°Once our studio is doing better, you should quit this job that gives you no personal time and focus on yourics.¡± As he spoke. Zack served Cornelia a bowl of oatmeal for her, showing his care in his own way. Comelia nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Nelly, how did you suddenlye to this decision?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Once our studio¡¯s ie increases and myics can cover my mortgage, I won¡¯t push myself so hard.¡± Zack joked, ¡°You¡¯re such a money grubber. It alles down to whether it makes money or not.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Corneliaughed, ¡°Being a money grubber is more practical than being a hopeless romantic, right?¡± Zack said, ¡°True¡± Abigail said, ¡°I suspect you guys are hinting at me.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Are you a hopeless romantic?¡± Abigail answered, ¡°Am I? I don¡¯t think so. I like all good¨Clooking guys, not just one.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°When are you going to introduce us to your boyfriend?¡± Abigail replied, ¡°I¡¯ll tell him today Let¡¯s wait until this weekend I¡¯ll bring him to meet you guys.* As for Abigail¡¯s boyfriend, Cornelia was more invested than if she were seeking a boyfriend herself. She was afraid Abigail would be deceived, ¡°Where is your boyfriend from? What does he do? Who does he have in his family? Abigail was amused by her, ¡°Smelly Nelly, don¡¯t you feel like you¡¯re asking these questions like an elder? What¡¯s next, his birthday?¡± Cornelia rolled her eyes at her, ¡°We¡¯re having a senous discussion here, don¡¯t joke around. If he wasn¡¯t your boyfriend, who would bother asking?¡± Chapter 512 Chapter 512 Chapter 512 Abigail knew Cornelia was asking out of concern, she might not even bother if it was someone else Since they were both there today. Abigail spilled the beans about her boyfriend, ¡°He¡¯s a Rosenberg guy, lives in Ashbourne Valley He¡¯s an only child, and his parents run a small grocery store that¡¯s doing pretty well. They have two houses in Ashbourne Valley, one for his folks, and the other¡¯s his wedding house. He¡¯s just like us, went to Riverton University and stayed on to work in Riverton after graduation He¡¯s working at SwiftTech now¡± Swift Tech is a budding techpany in Riverton that¡¯s been growing rapidly over the past few years. Apparently, the perks are great, and if you stick around for over ten years, you even get a share of the profits. But, even if thepany¡¯s great, the quality of an employee can¡¯t be reflected through work alone. Cornelia asked again, ¡°What does he do there?¡± Abigail had to think, ¡®He mentioned it to me, but I can¡¯t recall. Something about the marketing department, or some other department. I¡¯m not sure about the specifics¡± Comelia lightly tapped her forehead, ¡°You¡¯re about to get hitched, and you don¡¯t even know these things. Are you sure you¡¯re okay with handing yourself over to him?¡± Abigail pouted, ¡°Look who¡¯s talking! You and Jeremy went straight to get your marriage license after your first meeting. Did you even think about these things?¡± Comelia replied, ¡°It¡¯s not the same with Jeremy and me.¡± Abigail asked, ¡°What¡¯s different?¡± Comelia said, ¡°Jeremy¡¯s the grandson of my grandma¡¯s friend. I may not know Jeremy well, but my grandma knows him through his grandma.¡± Abigail said, ¡°You make your mariage sound like it¡¯s arranged.¡± Cornelia was speechless. ¡°Enough chit¨Cchat, we still have to go to the studio,¡± Zack interrupted them, then said, ¡°Those gifts were bought by Abigail and me. Give them to your grandma and send her our regards. We¡¯ll visit her when we have time.¡± ¡°Thanks!¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Once I¡¯m back from Southern Peak and have someone to renovate the new house, I¡¯ll bring grandma back to Riverton in two or three months. We H move into the new house. As long as I¡¯m not traveling, I¡¯ll be able to see grandma every day.¡± N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. Zack said, ¡°Cool, I¡¯ve ordered some moving boxes online. Once they arrive, you two can start packing. We¡¯ll move some stuff over the weekend.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Okay.¡± After they left for work, Cornelia went back to her room, took off her work clothes, and let her hair down. She mostly wore business suits for work, so her wardrobe was filled with them, making it hard to find a suitable casual outfit. Cornelia realized that she hadn¡¯t been shopping for clothes since starting to work closely with Marcus last summer, due to the increased workload. The prettiest thing in her closet was a white dress she bought a couple of days before agreeing to marry Jeremy, at her grandma¡¯s suggestion¡­. Zack was right. She had been a lot busier since joining the Hartley Group. Apart from a few hours of sleep, she spent almost all her time working. Sure, she was tired, but Cornelia didn¡¯tin. There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch in this world. If you want a high sry, you have to put in more effort than others. Like Marcus, he¡¯s the world¡¯s richest man, but he also worked long hours. She rarely saw him idle, taking a few days off to rest. Sigh, why the hell was she thinking about that marriage¨Cbetraying man again? Cornelia shook her head, driving away thoughts and people that shouldn¡¯t be in her mind. She took out the white dress, ironed it neatly, put it on, and headed for the train station to catch a train to Southern Peak. The train ride from Riverton to Southern Peak took less than half an hour, and the frequency was great, making it very convenient tomute. Chapter 513 Chapter 513 Chapter 513 After getting on the train, Comelia whipped out her phone and pinged Jeremy a text, ¡°Hey Jeremy, I¡¯m on the train to Southern Peak. Got any messages for grandma?¡± In this age of instantmunication, you can say whatever you want via video chat. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Comelia was just looking for an excuse to chat with Jeremy and build a rapport. Jeremy didn¡¯t seem like the chatty type. He hardly ever initiated contact, and it was mostly her reaching out. Cornelia didn¡¯t have a problem with Jeremy being a bit of an introvert. She was just worried that he might find her annoying if she kept reaching out. After sending the text, Cornelia began to wait patiently. One minute passed Five minutes passed Ten minutes went by, and Jeremy still hadn¡¯t replied But Cornelia kept her cool She hadn¡¯t expected to reach Southern Peak by train and still not have a reply from Jeremy Cornelia was a bit disappointed. But she started making excuses for him. He was probably busy at work and couldn¡¯t respond If she were busy and he texted her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to respond either. With that thought, Cornelia¡¯s disappointment vanished. She shot Jeremy another text, ¡°Hey Jeremy, if you¡¯re busy, I¡¯ll stop bothering you. Just remember to text me back when you¡¯re free. Got some important stuff to discuss After sending the text, Cornelia didn¡¯t wait for Jeremy to reply and put away her phone, hailing a cab to Southern Summer Garden Little did Cornelia know that at that moment, Marcus was in the ICU of The Hartley Group¡¯s private hospital, unconscious since morning with no signs of waking up. Dr. Dawson was pacing anxiously outside the ICU. Even the usually cool Jayden was getting anxious, smoking one cigarette after another, ¡°Mom, stop pacing What the hell happened to President Hartley?¡± Dr. Dawson regained herposure at his shout She sat down beside Jayden, took a cigarette from him and lit it, inhaling deeply, ¡°Do you remember how Ayden got that scar on his face?¡± Aydens horrendous scar nearly ruined his face. Jayden could never forget about it, but what did it have to do with anything now, ¡°What does Ayden¡¯s scar have to do with anything?¡± Dr. Dawson finished her cigarette, then said slowly, ¡°I remember Marc was less than eighteen that year. He took over The Hartley Group for less than two months, and everything was in chaos inside and out.¡± Chapter 514 Chapter 514 Chapter 514 This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. ¡°Because he personally sent his own father to jail, many people were scared and awed of him. At the same time, due to his young age, they didn¡¯t believe in his capabilities. There were a lot of people who wanted a piece of the Hartley Group, and he was under siege ¡°The project in America was the key to the Hartley Group¡¯s resurgence, as well as the key for him to showcase his abilities to the world. However, that project was so profitable that not only he wanted it, but many others did as well ¡°After round and round ofpetition, his odds of winning were growing. When it looked like he was about to secure the project,petitors who couldn¡¯t beat him in a fair fight started to resort to dirty tricks¡± ¡°Was President Hartley¡¯s fainting spell rted to that incident?¡± Jayden knew that, but he was sent off by Marcus on other tasks and wasn¡¯t with them when they went to America so he didn¡¯t know how dangerous it was. Dr. Dawson continued, ¡°On the night before the project was signed, Marc¡¯s car was hijacked. He was taken to a warehouse by the sea by the kidnappers. They gave him two he dies or he voluntarily gives up the project. choices ¡°In the business world, it¡¯s often said that the marketce is a battlefield, and experienced businessmen know that sometimes it¡¯s even more terrifying than a real battlefield There are real guns and cannons on the battlefield, but the marketce is often filled with invisible bullets.¡± How difficult Marcus¡¯s path to growth was, Dr. Dawson and her two sons should know more clearly than others. Dr Dawson went on, ¡°You know what kind of person Marc is. If he has his sights on something, he won¡¯t give it up easily. Those guys put a gun to his head, trying to intimidate him into signing the contract. He didn¡¯t budge, but told them firmly that he¡¯s set on the project. He yed for time by engaging them in talks until Ayden arrived with help. Though they managed to rescue Marc in the end, both Ayden and Marc got seriously injured¡­ Before Dr Dawson could finish, Jayden interrupted her, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it just Ayden who got hurt? Did President Hartley get injured too? Why didn¡¯t I know about this?¡± Even after all these years, this was the first time Dr. Dawson mentioned this incident to someone. Each time she thought about the situation back then, she would still get so tense she couldn¡¯t breathe properly, ¡°The more people know about it, the bigger the risk of him being exposed. So only Ayden and I knew about his injury.¡± ¡°Not even me?¡± Jayden felt a little hurt. He always thought that there was nothing about Marcus that he didn¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t until today that he found out that there was such a big incident that he knew nothing about. Ignoring hisints, Dr. Dawson continued, ¡°Ayden¡¯s injury was on his face, it looked serious but it was just a scar, not life¨Cthreatening. Marc¡¯s situation was different, he was shot, and the bullet narrowly missed his heart. It almost cost him his life.¡± Upon hearing this, even the experienced Jayden couldn¡¯t help but gasp. ¡°He was seriously injured and you guys didn¡¯t tell me. What do you guys see me as? Am I not your real son and only Ayden is?¡± Dr. Dawson pped him in annoyance. ¡°Is that what you want to say?¡± Jayden scratched his head, ¡°Please continue!¡± Dr. Dawson went on, ¡°Marc¡¯s injuries were severe and he was only stabilized after a whole night of emergency treatment. He should have been resting in the hospital, but rumors of his arrest spread ¡°Although he doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be present for the signing, if he didn¡¯t show up because of the rumors, it would have been seen as admitting to them, and the hard¨Cwon project would be lost. Upon learning of the situation, Marc dragged his injured body, using his strong self¨Ccontrol to muster up energy and went to the signing¡± Jayden said, ¡°He really doesn¡¯t care about his own life.¡± Dr. Dawson said, ¡°Not just this time, he never cared about his own life¡± Jayden said, ¡°What happened then?¡± Dr. Dawson continued, ¡°At the time, Marc was just a teenager, still bearing severe injuries. Many children at his age might still be acting like babies in their mother¡¯s arms ¡°But when he appeared in front of everyone, even though his face was young and he was seriously injured, his strong aura made people dare not underestimate him anymore. No one dared to say that he was just a child.¡± Chapter 515 Chapter 515 Chapter 515 When recalling that scene, Dr. Dawson¡¯s face was filled with satisfaction, like she was looking at her own kid. But when she thought about what happenedter. Dr Dawson¡¯s smile vanished in an instant, leaving only endless worry and loss Then she said. ¡®Marc led the team to sessfully secure the deal and got the project. He spearheaded the Hartley Group to win this battle. However, he worked through an Injury which resulted in long term health issues If he doesn¡¯t watch out for his health, his wife might end up a widow at a young age Jayden chimed in, ¡°So President Hartley¡¯s unconscious state isn¡¯t just due to alcohol damaging his stomach, but also has a lot to do with that injury? Dr. Dawson retorted, ¡°What else could it be?¡± After hearing this, Jayden pondered for a moment then suggested, ¡°Should we inform Cornelia, so she cane and take care of President Hartley? Maybe her presence can speed up his recovery¡± Dr. Dawson gave him a stern look, ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear Marc say he didn¡¯t want Cornelia to know about this before he passed out?¡± Jayden was impatient, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Dr. Dawson looked at the unconscious Marcus, at his pale face and softly said, ¡°Do you know why Marc never wanted to tell Cornelia about his real identity?¡± Jayden didn¡¯t know the answer to this question. He always followed orders and only listened to Marcus, He never asked about anything else. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t guess his thoughts ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it a lot¡­¡± Dr. Dawson paused, not continuing the topic. She looked at Marcus on the hospital bed and said softly, ¡°Jayden, don¡¯t worry. Marc will be fine!! won¡¯t let anything happen to him!¡± When she said this, it seemed like she wasforting Jayden, but alsoforting herself. Comelia waited from morning till noon, and then from noon till afternoon. The sun was about to set and Jeremy still hadn¡¯t replied. Jeremy rarely initiated messages, but whenever she messaged him, even if he repliedte, he always replied. Why hadn¡¯t he replied all day today? Had something happened to him? Cornelia was filled with anxiety. She was doing handicrafts with the two grannies, but her gaze would oftennd on her phone. Whenever her phone vibrated, she would immediately pick it up A new message But it was from Zack, not Jeremy Cornelia replied to Zack, then put down her phone in disappointment. Granny Luisa and Granny Reba exchanged nces, then Granny Reba said, Nelly, yJayden replied. ¡°I was in a hurry to drive to the hospital at that time, I didn¡¯t hear it clearly¡± *Comelia Dr Dawson said her name and then got up to walk towards the intensive care unit. She looked through the transparent ss at Marcus lying on the hospital bed. ¡°Comelia is a good girl, but she may not be good for Marc. She might even harm him¡±. Jayden seemed to understand but also seemed confused, ¡°Are you saying Cornelia can¡¯t stay by President Hartley¡¯s side anymore?This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Dr. Dawson instinctively nodded and then quickly shook her head, ¡°Cornelia is smart and loyal. She even saved Marc in the West Region. She¡¯s a great girl. If she was just Marc¡¯s assistant it would be fine. But Cornelia is also Marc¡¯s wife!¡± ou¡¯ve been anxious all day, are you waiting for a call from Jeremy?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Cornelia nodded, then suddenly had an idea and said ¡°Grannies, you continue with the crafts, I¡¯m going out to fcall Jeremy.¡± Chapter 516 Chapter 516 Chapter 516 She didn¡¯t get a reply. Maybe he didn¡¯t see it or it was a dy in the message Cornelia figured if she gave him a call, he should hear it, right? All she wanted was for him to be safe! But, when she dialed Jeremy¡¯s number, what came through the phone was a cold, emotionless robotic voice, ¡°The number you have dialed is currently switched off, please try againter.¡± He had turned off his phonel Why did he turn off his phone? A sense of unease quickly spread through Cornelia¡¯s heart. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. She didn¡¯t want to think the worst, so she kept reassuring herself that Jeremy must be asleep and would reply to her message when he woke up But such constion was useless, the unease continued to spread, quickly reaching every corner of her body, making her hand holding the phone tremble slightly *Nelly, why don¡¯t you and me go for a walk in the yard? Granny Reba had noticed Cornelia¡¯s anxiety all day, but since she didn¡¯t say anything. Granny didn¡¯t ask ¡°Sure¡± Cornelia quickly put away her phone and helped Granny walk towards the yard. The yard was a sea of flowers. It was springtime, and all sorts of red, blue, and white flowers were in bloom, a sight that could lighten anyone¡¯s mood. Southern Peak was close to Riverton, but the housing prices were different. The best houses in Southern Peak were still cheaper than an average house in Riverton. So, Cornelia didn¡¯t think Jeremy¡¯s house with a big yard in Southern Peak was anything fancy. After a while, Granny Reba finally asked. ¡°Nelly, is something bothering you?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want her grandma to worry, so she shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Granny Reba gently tapped her forehead, ¡°You can fool others, but not me. What¡¯s troubling you?¡± Seeing she couldn¡¯t hide it, Cornelia confessed her worries, ¡°I messaged Jeremy this morning and he hasn¡¯t replied. I tried calling him and his phone was off. I¡¯m worried something happened Granny Jeremy¡¯s okay, right? He won¡¯t leave me like my dad did, right? I won¡¯t be unable to reach him ever again, right?¡± Cornelia had experienced abandonment too many times. Her mother left when she was very young. Her father died in a car ident when she was still naive. Her boyfriend left her during college. So, when she didn¡¯t get a reply from Jeremy, it made her very anxious. Granny Reba understood and hugged Cornelia, ¡°Nelly, Jay is overseas, and there¡¯s a time difference. Maybe he just turned off his phone to sleep when you messaged him. Or maybe he¡¯s just overslept because he¡¯s tired. Don¡¯t worry¡± Cornelia rested her head on Granny¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Granny, that¡¯s what I¡¯ve been telling myself. But I¡¯m scared I¡¯m scared something bad will happen to Jeremy because of me¡­¡± Granny Reba felt a pang of pain hearing this, ¡°Nelly, your parents¡® departure had nothing to do with you. You can¡¯t me yourself for everything. Got it?¡± Cornelia murmured, ¡°But if it wasn¡¯t for protecting me, dad wouldn¡¯t have¡­¡± Chapter 517 Chapter 517 Chapter 517 Back in the day, people were always saying Cornelia was a bad omen iming some fortune telling gibberish linking her parents¡® death to her fate Hearing such nasty rumors, as a kid was like a lifelong shadow dangling over her head. Even though Cornelia¡¯s granny kept telling her not to listen to all that trash talk, that II had nothing to do with her, it was already toote The hurtful words had already taken root deep in Cornelia¡¯s heart, impossible to dig out In a stern tone, Cornelia¡¯s granny cut her off, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯ve told you a million times not to listen to their baseless rumors. Why do you still take it to heart? They¡¯re just saying things out of spite Got it?¡± Cornelia, ¡°But Gently rubbing her head, Cornelia¡¯s granny said, ¡°If you want your father to rest easy in Heaven, then you need to live your life well. As long as you¡¯re happy, your father will be at peace¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll live my life well¡± Cornelia knew the best way to pay respect was to live a good life. However, she still med herself, still wondered if things would¡¯ve been different if she wasn¡¯t in the car that day But there are no what¨Cifs in life. Comelias granny was in poor health and couldn¡¯t walk far. She sat down with Cornelia, ¡°So, how are things going between you and Jeremy?¡± Both of them were constantly traveling for work, even unable to meet on Christmas. They probably didn¡¯t see each other often. Every time she thought about it, Cornelia¡¯s granny got worried, ¡°Even the strongest marriage can be strained by long¨Cdistance. I¡¯m afraid one day he¡¯ll be swept off his feet by another woman¡± This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Comelia was quite confident about this, ¡°Granny, you don¡¯t have to worry Jeremy is a faithful man. If he was the type to be swayed, it¡¯d be a matter of time. Better sooner thanter, right?¡± Poking Cornelia¡¯s forehead, her granny asked. ¡°Tell me honestly, did you two have a fight? Is that why he¡¯s ignoring your texts and calls?¡± Leaning on her granny¡¯s shoulder, Cornelia said, ¡®Granny, we¡¯re good. I went to Woodpine yesterday and bought him a new outfit. He loved it.¡± Granny, ¡°Are you sure there¡¯s no problem? Cornelia answered seriously, ¡°Granny, when I promised to marry Jeremy, I was prepared to spend a lifetime with him Despite the bumps along the way, we¡¯ve sorted them out. After sorting them out, I saw his sincerity and understood some things myself. I believe he¡¯s a reliable partner and I want to spend the rest of my life with him.¡± Hearing this, Cornelia¡¯s granny was delighted, ¡°Married life isn¡¯t always a bed of roses. The most important thing is to have shared values, understanding, support, and to livefortably together¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t agree more. ¡°How did you and grandpa meet?¡± Granny Reba sighed, ¡°Just like you two, we were introduced by our parents and then we got together¡± Laughing, Cornelia said, ¡°If we use today¡¯s lingo, you and grandpa had a ¡®whirlwind wedding¡± Granny Reba replied, ¡°You dare to tease me. I want to ask you, have you and Jay thought about when to have kids?¡± Guess there was no avoiding the kid talk after all. Chapter 518 Chapter 518 Chapter 518 Granny Reba asked ¡°Are you guys thinking of putting off having kids for a while, or are you nning to be like those couples who choose not to have kids at all?¡± ¡°Granny I do n to have kids, just not right now I want to wait a few more years, until my career is more stable and we¡¯re in a better financial situation. I don¡¯t want my kid to be at a disadvantage Cornelia wasn¡¯t one of those women who chose not to have kids. She actually liked children. She¡¯d just bought a house and her career was on the upswing. If she had a kid now, she wouldn¡¯t be able to go on business trips with Marcus like she used to, which would definitely mean quitting her job. She¡¯d fought tooth and nail to get her job as the personal assistant to the president of the Hartley Group. She didn¡¯t want to quit because of a baby. Granny Reba said, ¡°This is the perfect age for you guys to have kids. If you wait a few more years, you might be in a better financial situation, but you¡¯ll also be of advanced maternal age, which carries risks.¡± Cornelia¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m still young! How did I suddenly age a decade or more? You know how sensitive girls are about their age. You can¡¯t just make me sound old.¡± Granny Rebaughed out loud at Cornelia¡¯s dramatic reaction. ¡°Of course. In my eyes, you¡¯ll always be a child. Even when you¡¯re an olddy, you¡¯ll still be a child¡± ¡°No matter what, I feel like I¡¯ve been wronged. You owe me a present,¡± Cornelia said. Granny Reba immediately pulled cash from her pocket. Tve had your Christmas gifts ready for a while. I¡¯ve been waiting for you toe get them. Take Jay¡¯s too.¡± Granny Reba had been giving her cash every Christmas for years. ¡°Granny. I¡¯m sorry!¡± Cornelia said. Even when Cornelia hadn¡¯t gone home to Rosenberg for Christmas, Granny Reba¡¯s gifts had always been there. They¡¯d always been sent through a bank transfer This year, Granny Reba had come to Riverton for Christmas. She must¡¯ve been hoping to spend the holiday with Cornelia, so she¡¯d prepared cash ahead of time. But Come had gone abroad. Comelia could hardly imagine how Granny Reba had spent the past few months. She must¡¯ve missed Comelia terribly. ¡°Why are you suddenly apologizing?¡± Granny Reba asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been busy with work and left you alone at Southern Peak for Christmas. Granny, I won¡¯t leave you alone for Christmas ever again,¡± Cornelia said, hugging Granny Reba tight. ¡°I was alone? I had plenty ofpany. Your Granny Luisa was there, and a lot of people I didn¡¯t know. It was lively¡± The most important part of Christmas is being with family. No matter how many people are there, it¡¯s not as meaningful as being with family. I¡¯ve finished renovating my house in Riverton Wait one more month, and I¡¯ll bring you to live with me in Riverton, Cornelia said. ¡°Alright Granny Reba agreed, but she didn¡¯t dare get her hopes up. Her health was deteriorating rapidly, and she didn¡¯t know how much longer she could hang on. ¡°Nelly. ¡°Hmm?¡± Cornelia asked.Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ¡°When Jeremyes back,e to Southern Peak to see me. I haven¡¯t seen him in a while. I have a lot I want to tell him.¡± Granny Reba was worried that if she didn¡¯t speak up soon, she might never get the chance. Cornelia answered, ¡°Jeremy will be back in Riverton by early next month at thetest. Before our second wedding anniversary, I¡¯ll bring him to Southern Peak to see you¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then. Granny Reba patted Cornelia¡¯s hand. ¡°Your granny is waiting for us to go to dinner. Let¡¯s go eat Cornelia nodded. Chapter 519 Chapter 519 Chapter 519 Dinner was usually prepared by the housemaids, but tonight. Granny Reba was rolling up her sleeves and taking over the kitchen for Cornelia. She¡¯s whipping up two of Cornelia¡¯s favorites Eggs Benedict and baked salmon. Now, Comelia could cook these dishes too, but her culinary skills were nowhere near Granny Reba¡¯s league. Granny Reba¡¯s Eggs Benedict were mouth wateringly delicious, with a perfect bnce of rich and creamy. It¡¯s the best Cornelia had ever tasted, and just thinking about it got her drooling And then there¡¯s the baked salmon. Cornelia couldn¡¯t put her finger on what Granny Reba¡¯s secret technique was, but it always came out crispier and more vorful than when she tried to make it. As Comelia helped out in the kitchen, she couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Granny, are you holding out on me? Howe my dishes never taste as good as yours even when I follow the same recipe?¡± Granny Reba chuckled, ¡°It¡¯s not just about the recipe, dear It¡¯s years of experience Plus, you grew up on my cooking Those vors are tied to your childhood memories, so no matter when you eat it, it always tastes wonderful. If you like it so much, I can make it for you every day.¡± Comelia grinned, ¡°Granny, you don¡¯t have to cook for me Once my cooking skills get better, I¡¯ll be the one cooking for you. You just sit back and enjoy.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯m looking forward to that,¡± Granny Reba said as she started cooking ¡°And remember, once you have your own kids, your cooking will be the best thing they¡¯ve ever tasted¡± Just like that, Granny was back on the topic of kids. Before Comelia could even figure out how to respond, Granny continued, ¡°Nelly, once you have a child of your own, you¡¯ll see the world in a whole new light.¡± ¡°Granny, I¡¯ve told you, I¡¯m going to wait a few years before having kids, Cornelia protested, pouting. ¡°But when the timees, I promise to give you a healthy grandson to cuddle Granny Reba¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, ¡°I just worry I won¡¯t be around to see that day.¡± Cornelia¡¯s heart clenched, ¡°Granny, you can¡¯t say things like that. The doctors just told me all your health indicators are good. You¡¯re going to live a long life.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll live a long life. I want to stick around for my Nelly as long as I can.¡± But even as she said it, Granny Reba knew her days are numbered Despite following the doctor¡¯s orders to a T, her health was deteriorating daily. It¡¯s not death she feared, but leaving her Nelly alone in the world. She knew she¡¯s Cornelia¡¯s main pir of support. If she were to pass away, Cornelia would be devastated. That¡¯s why she¡¯s so eager for Cornelia to have a child of her own. She tried to keep her spirits up, followed her treatments, took her medications on time, all in the hopes of living long enough to see Nelly have a child. Once Cornelia had a child, her attention would have to be divided. Perhaps if she were to pass away then, it wouldn¡¯t hit Cornelia as hard. Granny Reba spoke up again, ¡°Nelly, you and Jay are both so good looking. Your child would be cuter than a Barbie doll. Have you thought about maybe having a child Sooner?¡±This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Cornelia¡¯s grandmother had brought up the topic of children before, but never with such urgency Today, she¡¯s brought it up multiple times, both directly and indirectly. ¡°Granny, what¡¯s gotten into you today?¡± Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Chapter 520 Granny Reba said, ¡°What can I do? I just want to hold your baby Just pop one out and we¡¯ll help you take care of them. If you don¡¯t trust us two olddies to babysit your kid, we¡¯ll hire a professional nanny No worries, we won¡¯t let your job suffer¡± Cornelia patiently exined, ¡°Granny it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to have kids, it¡¯s just that I really can¡¯t right now Having a baby can seriously impact a woman¡¯s career *Sure, mypany offers great benefits, but my job is special. I need to travel with my boss frequently If I had a kid, I definitely couldn¡¯t handle the high¨Cintensity workload i have now I worked really hard for this job, and I don¡¯t want to just give it up¡± Granny Reba understood Cornelia¡¯s concerns, but she believed that Cornelia¡¯s life should take precedence over work. ¡°Nelly¡­¡± Cornelia cut her off. ¡°But Granny, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely have a baby in the next few years.¡± ¡°A baby? Granny Luisa, who just walked to the kitchen door, got excited when she heard the news, ¡°Nelly, are you pregnant? Does Jeremy know?¡± ¡°Put down your work, stop working, and rest immediately Granny Luisa said excitedly, not giving Cornelia and Jeremy a chance to speak. ¡°Great, I¡¯ve been waiting for years to hold your baby¡± ¡°Granny I Cornelia felt embarrassed because she and Jeremy hadn¡¯t done the deed yet, so there¡¯s no way she could be pregnant.. Granny Reba cleared her throat to help Cornelia out, ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited, Nelly isn¡¯t pregnant yet. I was just encouraging her to have a baby sooner¡± ¡°Not pregnant? Granny Luisa wasn¡¯t eager to ept it, hoping for a positive answer from Cornelia. ¡°Granny, Im not pregnant¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to disappoint Granny Luisa, but she really wasn¡¯t pregnant, and lying would only make Granny Luisa more upsetter. Granny Luisa ¡°That¡¯s okay, you guys are still young Nowadays, young people tend to have kidster. If you guys want to enjoy a few more years of couplehood before having a kid, we can understand Even though Granny Luisa said it was okay, her eyes lost their sparkle. The two grannies knew that young people nowadays tend to have kidster, and even more and more are choosing not to have kids, Although they knew this, they didn¡¯t agree with it. They, the older generation, had conservative views, believing that you should have kids once you¡¯re married. Seeing the two grannies trying to smile, Cornelia felt really bad and suddenly felt a lot of pressure. She understood their feelings, but she also had her own life ns. She wanted to work for a few more years, and after umting some financial stability, then consider having a baby. Of course, this was just her thoughts, she didn¡¯t know what Jeremy thought. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. Because of the baby issue, Cornelia didn¡¯t eat much for dinner. After dinner, the two olddies went to bed early. She had nothing to do, so she took out her phone and texted Jeremy, but still didn¡¯t get a reply from him. She tried calling him, but all she got was the cold robotic voice, ¡°The number you¡¯ve dialed is switched off, please try againter.¡± Chapter 521 Chapter 521 Chapter 521 Jeremy had been AWOL the entire day Cornelia had a full¨Cblown panic attack. She paced nervously around her room, determined to track him down no matter what. She tried giving him a ning, but it was like trying to get blood out of a stone, no answer. So, she thought about calling his colleagues. But then, it dawned on her, that she didn¡¯t have his colleagues digits. She didn¡¯t know squat about Jeremy. Even after being hitched for two years, she was still in the dark about his job¡­. Feeling like a fish out of water, Comelia thought of Marcus and Briana. These siblings knew Jeremy better than she did and might have contacts she needed After some pondering, she shot a message to Marcus: ¡°Hey, President Hartley, sorry to bug you thiste. You don¡¯t happen to have Jeremy¡¯s work buddies contact, do you?¡± After sending the message, she stared at her phone, waiting for a reply. But Marcus was like a ghost, no response. Feeling a bit stood up, Cornelia decided to bite the bullet and give Marcus a call. It took forever for him to pick up. As soon as he answered, Cornelia blurted out ¡°President Hartley, sorry to be a pain and call you thiste. I just wondered if you have Jeremy¡¯s colleagues¡® number?¡± But the voice on the other end was Dr. Dawson¡¯s: ¡°Come, Marc¡¯s swamped, hasn¡¯t got time for your call. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to hang up¡± Comelia wasn¡¯t ready to let this lead go cold: ¡°Dr. Dawson, could you maybe ask him he has Jeremy¡¯s colleagues¡® number?¡± Dr. Dawson replied: ¡°Sorry! Marc¡¯s off¨Climits, I can¡¯t help you¡± And then she hung up Dr. Dawson was off her game today. Feeling high and dry, Cornelia decided to give Brana a call. No answer the first time, but Briana picked up the second time. Briana sounded like she just woke up: ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s up?¡± Cornelia said ¡°Briana, sorry to disturb your beauty sleep. I¡¯ve been trying to reach Jeremy all day, and I¡¯m worried sick. Do you have his colleagues¡® number, maybe! can reach him through them. Or is there any other way to get hold of him?¡± Briana suddenly sounded more awake: ¡°Cornelia, are you saying you can¡¯t reach your hubby?¡± She knew Marcus took their marriage seriously, he wouldn¡¯t just ignore Comelia¡¯s messages. Cornelia nodded hastily: ¡°Yeah, Bri, can you help me reach him? As long as I know he¡¯s okay, it doesn¡¯t matter if he calls me back.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Briana said: ¡°Cornelia, cool your jets, let me try to reach him first, see what he¡¯s up to After hanging up, Briana immediately dialed Marcus¡¯s cell, first his personal one, but it was switched off. Next, she tried his work phone. As soon as she got through and said, ¡°Hey bro, she heard Dr. Dawson¡¯s voice saying, ¡°Bri, Mr. Marcus is tied up right now, he might not be able to take your call.¡± Briana replied, ¡°Dr. Dawson, Cornelia¡¯s looking for my brother, she can¡¯t reach him and she¡¯s freaking out. No matter how busy Marcus is, I hope you can get him to. reply to Cornelia ASAP¡± Dr. Dawson was silent for a few seconds on the other end of the phone, then slowly said. ¡°Bri, Marcus might not be able to call Cornelia back right now.¡± Chapter 522 Chapter 522 Briana was pissed off, ¡°Why can¡¯t he call Corne back? She¡¯s his wife. He might be caught up with stuff, but what¡¯s more important than his wife?¡± Dr. Dawson replied, ¡°Marc is in the hospital. He¡¯s not well¡± Briana was shocked. ¡°What happened to my brother? Is it serious?¡± Knowing Marc, he would¡¯ve definitely called Cornelia back if it wasn¡¯t serious. ¡°He¡¯s in aa right now,¡± Dr. Dawson replied. Upon hearing this, Briana was anxious, ¡°TII go exin to Cornelia. Which hospital are you in? I¡¯m coming now.¡± ¡°No need for you toe. I¡¯m here with Marc. And don¡¯t tell Comelia, Marc doesn¡¯t want her to know,¡± said Dr. Dawson. This made Brana even more funous, ¡°My brother is lying unconscious and you didn¡¯t inform us. I didn¡¯t me you for that. Now I want to see him, and you¡¯re stopping me? Do you think you¡¯re closer to him? Let me tell you, Cornelia is the closet person to my brother. They¡¯re legally married, and no matter what happens, you should tell her¡± Dr. Dawson replied coldly, ¡°Now you remember that you¡¯re the closest ones to Marc? How many dangers has he faced these years, do you know? Who was with him when he was in danger, do you know? We were the ones who always stood by his side, protecting him!¡± With that, Dr. Dawson hung up. Brana, listening to the busy tone, felt something was off, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint what. Now wasn¡¯t the time to ponder though. She needed to cate Cornelia and not let her worry. So, she immediately called Comelia back, ¡°Comelia, I just spoke to Jeremy¡¯s colleague. He told me Jeremy didn¡¯t reply because his phone was stolen and he hasn¡¯t had a chance to rece it yet¡± ¡°Is that really the case?¡± asked Comelia. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can give you his colleague¡¯s number. You can ask him yourself, replied Briana. Hearing this, Cornelia was finally relieved, ¡°That¡¯s fine, as long as he didn¡¯t run into some kind of trouble.¡± He¡¯s definitely not okay! Your intuition was spot on! Although Bnana wanted to tell Cornelia the truth, she didn¡¯t want her to worry and made up a story, ¡°Comelia, he¡¯s a grown man, what could possibly happen to -him? Be honest, do you think he¡¯s run off with some other woman if he doesn¡¯t contact you for a day?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Not really¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. After giving it some thought, Briana decided to tell Cornelia about Marcus. Cornelia was her sister¨Cin¨C law, and if everyone kept Cornelia in the dark about Marcus. she¡¯d feel awful when she eventually finds out. ¡°Cornelia, there¡¯s nothing wrong with Jeremy, but my brother is in some trouble, continued Briana. ¡°What happened to President Hartley? Cornelia asked. ¡°My brother¡¯s in the hospital. He¡¯s ill, replied Briana. ¡°Is it serious?¡± Cornelia asked, concerned. ¡°It seems to be somewhat serious. Would you like toe to the hospital Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Chapter 523 Comelia asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Briana replied. ¡°I¡¯m not really sure what¡¯s up, I just heard from Dr. Dawson that he¡¯s sick and in the hospital. Cornelia, would you minding with me to visit my brother at the hospital?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. That morning, Cornelia saw Marcus getting all cozy with Natalia at the Riverside Terrace Club, and then he got sick in the evening Was it because he usually kept his desires on a leash and let loose all of a sudden, his body just couldn¡¯t handle it? If that¡¯s the case, Corne thought Marcus deserved it. But his wife, she was really getting the short end of the stick. He was out there messing around, and when his health took a hit, those women wouldn¡¯t be there for him. The burden of caring for him fell onto Dr Dawson and his wife. The more Comelia thought about it, the more sickened she felt, ¡°Bri, I¡¯m currently at Southern Peak, and it¡¯s not convenient for me to apany you to visit President Hartley If I return to Riverton and President Harley is still in the hospital, visit him then.¡± ¡°You¡¯re at Southern Peak? Can¡¯t youe back tonight?¡± After asking, Briana didn¡¯t even let Cornelia answer, ¡°There are still train tickets from Southern Peak to Riverton. It¡¯s a quick ride. Cornelia, just hurry back. I¡¯ll pick you up at the train station Briana was so enthusiastic, it was kind of hard to say no to her. But every time Com thought about Marcus¡¯s actions this morning, she felt sick to her stomach. She didn¡¯t want to see him before she had a chance to adjust her mindset. And her going to the hospital in the middle of the night as an outsider would only cause trouble. ¡°Br, I need to stay with my grandma, I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Bnana nodded disappointingly, ¡°Alnight then. Cornelia, you rest up, I¡¯ll hang up now! It was a shame, Cornelia was always worried about Jeremy, and she sounded like shit was on the verge of tears on the phone. But when she heard about Marcus being sick and in the hospital, she didn¡¯t seem worried or sympathetic at all, and wasn¡¯t willing to go with her to visit him. Guess Cornelia didn¡¯t really care much about Marcus, and her brother needed to step up his game. She wondered if Cornelia would regret not going to the hospital today when she finds out that Jeremy and Marcus are actually the same person. After confirming that Jeremy was okay, Cornelia finally breathed a sigh of relief. She thought she could get a good night¡¯s sleep, but as soon as shey down, the scene from this morning kept reying in her mind -The messy room, the entwined couple¡­. ¡°Ahh!¡± Cornelia smacked her forehead, telling herself over and over again, ¡°Cornelia, stop thinking about all that crap. Marcus is just your boss; his private life has nothing to do with you You just need to focus on doing your job.¡± That¡¯s right, some things you can¡¯t just forget by not thinking about them, the harder you try not to think, the clearer the images in your memory be. She could even hear the sounds of them in bed¡­ Cornelia tossed and turned all night because of this, and didn¡¯t fall asleep untilte into the night. She didn¡¯t sleep well, was woken up by the rm in the morning, and her eyes were super puffy. Seeing her like this, the two elderlydies were very worried, ¡°Nelly, is it because you¡¯re not used to this bed, causing you to not sleep well?¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t say it was because she didn¡¯t sleep well due to her boss¡¯s affair. She awkwardly nodded, ¡°That¡¯s probably it.¡± Chapter 524 Chapter 524 Granny Luisa said, ¡°Then you should go take a break after breakfast¡± Cornelia: ¡°Granny, I¡¯m fine. I get my energy back in a bit. Cornelia woke up early to have breakfast with the two olddies, then walked with them in the yard and chats, spending as much time with them as possible. Her main purpose ofing to Southern Peak was to apany the two grannies she spent the whole day shut in her room sleeping, she might as well not During the walk, the conversation somehow veered back to Comelia and Jeremy, and naturally, the topic of having kids came up again. Comelia really didn¡¯t want to continue this topic, so she quickly changed the subject. Grannies, what do you want for lunch? I can cook for you, okay?¡± Granny Luisa said. ¡°No need, someone is already preparing lunch.¡± 1 Granny Reba said. ¡°Next time remember to bring Jay with you to Southern Peak We want to ask when he¡¯s nning to have kids.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Or I can call Jeremy now to ask what he¡¯s thinking?¡± Cornelia quickly intervened, ¡°Granny, Jeremy¡¯s phone was stolen, and we can¡¯t get in touch with him now.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Then we¡¯ll contact himter. Anyway, you two need to start nning for a baby, and you can¡¯t dy any longer. If it drags on, we two olddies might not see your child even when we¡¯re six feet under¡°) This kind of pressure to have children made Cornelia feel stressed. She originally bought a ticket to return to Riverton in the evening, but she changed it to the afternoon, returning to Riverton earlier Back in Riverton, she had some time to kill, so Comelia decided to hit the mall and buy some clothes, otherwise she¡¯d have nothing to wear during the summer. The nearest mall to her home was the Riverton Holiday za. This mall is argeplex incorporating a shopping centre, offices, and a five¨Cstar themed hotel. It¡¯s conveniently located above a subway station and is one of Riverton¡¯s most famous five¨Cstar shopping centres. The first to fifth floors of the mall have more affordable brands that the average office worker can afford. The sixth floor features restaurants offering dishes from all over the country. Generally, a meal for three costs about $100, which is within Cornelia¡¯s budget. The seventh to ninth floors offer international luxury brands, with the cheapest clothing starting in the five figures. It¡¯s a ce for the rich. The tenth floor also has restaurants, but these are high¨Cend ones, with meals starting at $1000 per person. ces like these, Cornelia and her friends could only afford toe once a year. Even if they had some savings in their ounts, they wouldn¡¯t want toe a second time. Paying the bill after a meal felt like they were cutting off a few pounds of flesh. Cornelia made her way to the first floor. Just a few steps in, she heard a sweet voice behind her, ¡°Cornelia!¡± When she heard this voice, Cornelia realized it was Natalia. This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org. She turned around to see Natalia walking towards her in stilettos, ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s really you. I thought I was seeing things. Are you here to shop for clothes too?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Cornelia looked at Natalia The weather was hot today. Natalia had ditched her usual simple attire and was wearing a white long¨C sleeved bubble dress, with a small scarf tied around her neck. While speaking, Natalia lightly pulled her scarf, revealing a mark that looked like a hickey under the scarf. Chapter 526 Chapter 526 Chapter 526 Natalia clung onto Comelia¡¯s hand, squeezing so hard it hurt. ¡°Cornelia, is it because had a thing with Marcus that you don¡¯t want to be friends with me anymore?¡± Comelia looked at Natalia, who seemed truly desperate to be her friend, but she couldn¡¯t be friends with someone whose values were so different from hers. ¡°Natalia, we were never truly friends to begin with¡­¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Natalia, from now on, I won¡¯t rope you into chasing after Marcus, and I won¡¯t mention him in front of you. Can we still be friends?¡± Natalia¡¯s voice was urgent, almost pleading. Comelia was softening, unsure of how to respond when a gentle voice came from behind, ¡°Natalia, who are you chatting with?¡± Natalia¡¯s face changed, and she quickly moved towards the source of the voice. ¡°Mon), why are you here?¡± The person was none other than Natalia¡¯s mother, ir. Comelia turned around to see a woman in her forties, dressed head to toe in designerbels. ir gave Comelia an arrogant nce before looking away, as if another look at Comelia would dirty her eyes. ¡°Natalia, I¡¯ve told you so many times, you¡¯re a Reese, you shouldn¡¯t make friends with just anyone. Why can¡¯t you listen?¡± She patted Natalia¡¯s head in a seemingly gentle manner, but her tone left no room for discussion. ¡°Mom, she¡¯s not just anyone. She¡¯s Marcus¡¯s assistant. She¡¯s with him every day and he values her a lot,¡± Natalia defended. Upon hearing that she was Marcus¡¯s assistant, ir¡¯s attitude did a 180. ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you introduce her to us earlier?¡± ¡®Natalia, I¡¯m gonna head out,¡± Cornelia said, turning to leave. She had no interest in arrogant people, and had no desire to be involved with them. From behind, ir¡¯s sharp voice rang out, ¡°She¡¯s Marcus¡¯s assistant, but she¡¯s nothing more than a glorified errand girl, acting all high and mighty in front of me.¡± Hearing the mocking voice, Cornelia whipped around, smiling at ir, ¡°For a woman of the Reese family, and thedy of one of the top four families in Riverton, you sure don¡¯t know the first thing about manners. Just barking around like some stray dog. I wonder where you picked up such ack of decorum¡± With that, Cornelia turned again, walking away with grace. She had to shop for clothes, cook dinner, and wait for Zack and Abigail toe home. In the Reese family, few dared to talk back to ir. ir was left fuming, unable to conjure up a retort, and could only watch Cornelia leave. ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± Natalia wanted to chase after Cornelia, but ir stopped her. ¡°What did you call that woman?¡± ¡°She¡¯s Cornelia Is there a problem, mom?¡± Natalia asked. ¡°Where is she from?¡± ir asked. ¡°I think she¡¯s from Rosenberg,¡± Natalia answered. ir¡¯s face went pale, her heart pounding. ¡°You can¡¯t have any more contact with he ¡°Why?¡± Natalia was confused. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to have any contact with her. You need to listen to me, and you don¡¯t need to know why¡± ir stated. ¡°But I can only get close to Marc through her¡­¡± Natalia started. ¡°You¡¯ll have to find another way. No matter how you get close to Marcus, you can¡¯t have any contact with her ir instructed. Chapter 527 Chapter 527 Chapter 527 N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Natalia suddenly blurted out, ¡°If you¡¯re not letting me hang out with Comelia, then you better help me get Marc Or get me the hell away from Cameron, away from Riverton. I can¡¯t stand another day with that freak.¡± ir immediately pulled her into a hug, gently patting her back and saying, ¡°Hang in there, Natalia Just a little longer, everything will be alright¡± Natalia pushed ir away, rolled up her sleeve, and shoved her bruised arm in ir¡¯s face, ¡°Look at this, all done by Cameron. He gets pissed off outside and takes It out on me at home. If I stay in that house any longer, he¡¯ll beat me to death. Why do you keep telling me to hang in there? Arn I even your child?¡± Smack! ir pped Natalia¡¯s face hard, looking furious, ¡°I raised you, gave you the best life possible. Now you¡¯re all grown up, yelling at me and questioning if I¡¯m your real mother. You¡¯ve really disappointed me, Natalia.¡± The p rang loud and clear. It should¡¯ve hurt, but Natalia felt nothing. As if her body had already numbed to this kind of pain. She touched her pped face and suddenlyughed, ¡°So now even you¡¯re hitting met You gave birth to me and raised me. All so you could hit me whenever you want?¡± ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± ir looked at Natalia coldly, gestured for a bodyguard, ¡°Take her horne, don¡¯t let her embarrass us in public.¡± Natalia gave a coldugh, ¡°So, speaking the truth is now embarrassing? But me throwing myself at Marcus isn¡¯t? He¡¯s a married man, and he loves his wife. But you want me to be the mistress and that¡¯s not shameful? Because he¡¯s Marcus, because he¡¯s richer than us, the Reese family. I should throw away my dignity to get close to him. This world really worships money!¡± ir pped Natalia again out of anger, ¡°Take her home. She¡¯s not to leave the house without my permission.¡± Natalia shook off the bodyguard¡¯s hand, ¡°You better keep your word, don¡¯t let me leave the house.¡± ir was fuming. ¡°You!¡± As the crowd grew, some even took out their phones to take pictures. ir ordered the bodyguards to disperse the crowd, then left the mall herself. Once back in the car, ir kept thinking about Comelia¡¯s face. After some deep thought, she dialed a number, ¡°Do you have any recent pictures of that kid?¡± Whatever the response was, ir nodded, ¡°Photos from her teens would do, send then over.¡± Soon, she received a photo. Upon seeing the girl in the picture, she paled. Her hand was shaking so much she could barely hold onto her phone. After a while, sheposed herself and deleted the photo. Then she redialed the number again, ¡°When did shee to Riverton?¡± The person on the other end of the line said, ¡°She came to Riverton for college and has settled there. At the end ofst year, she also brought her grandmother to Riverton.¡± Hearing this, ir looked slightly panicked, ¡°An old woman her age also came to Riverton? Do they know something?¡± The person on the other end said, ¡°What could they possibly know? That car ident was a mere ident, the police found nothing suspicious back then. What could an old woman and a child possibly know? The girl was epted into University of Riverton Due to some problems at home, she was kicked out of Rosenberg and stayed in Riverton.¡± ir asked, ¡°She¡¯s so lucky, what problems could she have?¡± The person responded, ¡°A few years ago, when she was a freshman or sophomore in college. She got bored during the holidays, seduced a neighbor¡¯s husband and was caught by his wife. The incident was huge and was on the local headlines. She became the most hated person in the city¡± A light sparked in ir¡¯s eyes, ¡°Tell me the details. If possible, get me those newspapers. The more detailed the better.¡± The person on the other end of the line chuckled, ¡°When she was kicked out of Rosenberg and forced to stay in Riverton, I knew you¡¯d need this information someday I¡¯ve saved the newspapers, screenshots of online reports, and photos of the scene for you¡± ir said, ¡°After all these years, you¡¯re still the kindest to me.¡± Chapter 528 Chapter 528 Chapter 528 The guy on the other end of the line replied, ¡°Well, if I¡¯m not nice to you, who else would I be nice to? I¡¯ve made a bunch of copies of those documents. I¡¯ll send you one tomorrow.¡± ir asked, ¡°Do you have contact information for that olddy?¡± The guy on the phone said, ¡°I¡¯ll text you her numberter.¡± Published by N?v''elD/rama.Org. ir replied, ¡°Alnght.¡± After hanging up, ir gripped her phone tightly. Her eyes were flickering with a ruthless glint. She had sacrificed a lot to get where she was now, and she wouldn¡¯t let anyone mess it up Anyone who didn¡¯t belong in this city had to go. Comelia had a little shopping spree, buying a casual long skirt, two loose T¨Cshirts, art two pairs of shorts. On her days off, she liked to chill at home. She would put on just a T¨Cshirt and a pair of shorts, and she was good for the whole summer After shopping. Comelia took the subway home and picked up some groceries for dinner at the supermarket near her apartmentplex. Once home, she started cooking Just as she was pulling thest dish out of the pot, the door opened. Zack and Abigail came in, as if they had timed it to coincide with her finishing up dinner They walked in saying. The moment we stepped out of the elevator, we smelled food It has to be your cooking.¡± Comelia chuckled and said, ¡°I just whipped up something simple, not a feast or anything¡± Abigail said. That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m trying to lose weight anyway.¡± Zack walked into the kitchen, washed his hands, and started bringing the dishes to the table, ¡°BBQ, fish and chips, lobster, and onion rings, these are all goodies. Since when did you be so modest?¡± Abigail hugged Cornelia, nting kisses on her cheek, ¡°These are all my favorite dishes, Cornelia. I just adore you.¡± Comeka bashfully wiped her cheek, ¡°Abigail, don¡¯t just kiss me randomly.¡± Abigail chuckled, ¡°Your boyfriend hasn¡¯t even shown up, and you¡¯re already keeping me at arm¡¯s length.¡± Cornelia retorted, ¡°Yes, aside from my boyfriend, I don¡¯t let anyone else kiss me¡± Abigail challenged, ¡°Why?¡± Then she hugged Cornelia again and nted two more kisses on her cheek, ¡°I want to leave my mark on you, to show that you¡¯re mine. Let¡¯s see if your boyfriend dares to challenge me.¡± Zack frowned, ¡°Can you two not be so gross? Are you doing this on purpose to keep me from eating?¡± Chapter 529 Chapter 529 Chapter $29 Abigail stuck her tongue out at Zack, ¡°Humph, you¡¯re just jealous that I can kiss Smelly Nelly and you can¡¯t Zack was speechless, ¡°You just admitted she¡¯s smelly, who¡¯d want to kiss her?¡± Comelia also chimed in, ¡°Are you implying you¡¯re any sweeter?¡± Abigail shot back. ¡°Smelly Nelly is actually quite fragrant. You¡¯re the stinky one, you smelly man!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. At the mention of ¡®smelly man, Comelia was reminded of Marcus and his entanglement with Natalia. After some thought she asked, ¡°Zack, I have a question about you men. I need an honest answer, no hiding¡± Seeing Comelia¡¯s serious expression, Zack and Abigail immediately wiped off their smiles and stared back at her seriously. Zack replied, ¡°Shoot¡± Abigail leaned in close, both of them staring at Zack. Feeling ufortable under their intense gaze, Zack instinctively stepped back, ¡°Just ask the question, no need to look at me like that. It¡¯s creeping me out!¡± Comelia moved closer, ¡°People say that woman outside is more attractive than a man¡¯s own wife, and there¡¯s no man who doesn¡¯t cheat. What do you think about that?¡± Zack asked, ¡°Are you asking if I think other girls are prettier than you two?¡± Comelia red at him and said, ¡°I want to know. Do men always think other women are better, no matter how beautiful, gentle, and virtuous their wife is?¡± Zack jumped up excitedly. ¡°Did your boyfriend cheat on you? He¡¯s cheating but still on¡¯t leave you alone? Tell me where he is, I¡¯ll make sure he can¡¯t do this anymore¡± Comelia was taken aback by Zack¡¯s reaction and quickly reassured him, ¡°Not my boyfriend, he would never cheat on me.¡± Abigail asked what Zack had been wondering. ¡°Then why bring it up all of a suddent¡¯s scary!¡± Cornelia hesitated and admitted. ¡°I saw a married man with another woman.¡± Zack and Abigail asked in unison, ¡°Who?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°You don¡¯t know him. He always seemed to adore his wife. I couldn¡¯t believe what I was seeing. So I wanted to ask Zack, do you guys always have other women, no matter how much you love your wife?¡± Zack instantly pointed out, ¡°Marcus is cheating?¡± Cornelia was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t explicitly mentioned Marcus, how did Zack guess? She quickly shook her head, ¡°Not Marcus, it¡¯s not him. How could it be him?¡± But her denial didn¡¯t help. Zack was certain she was talking about Marcus, ¡°I knew Marcus was no good from the start. He¡¯s got a wife and he¡¯s still trying to hook up with you¡± Annoyed, Cornelia smacked Zack¡¯s head, ¡°I told you, it¡¯s not him. He¡¯s never had those intentions toward me.¡± Zack retorted, ¡°I¡¯m a guy. I understand men¡¯s thoughts better than you do.¡± Comelia was silent for a moment. In truth, she had felt before that Marcus might be interested in her. But between her intuition and Marcus¡¯s exnation, she chose to believe Marcus. Abigail asked, ¡°Then who is it?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°The boss of one of our partners.¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Really?¡± Cornelia nodded firmly, ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 530 Chapter 530 Abigail let out a sigh, ¡°I¡¯m so d it¡¯s not your hubby. If he was messing around on the side, I¡¯d be heartbroken.¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Why would you be heartbroken?¡± Abigail replied, ¡°Ever since I met your husband, all the leading men in the novels I read have his handsome face. If he¡¯s a cheat, I won¡¯t be able to enjoy those novels anymore.¡± Comelia was left speechless. Abigail was easily fooled, but Zack was a tough nut to crack. He chimed in, ¡°Rich guys y fast and loose, more than we could ever imagine. Don¡¯t kid yourselves thinking they¡¯d only stick with their wives.¡± Comelia asked him, ¡°You think so too?¡± Zack replied, I ain¡¯t no rich guy.¡± Abigail shot back, ¡°Who said only rich men fool around? Look at the news online, poor men and ugly guys cheat more than rich and handsome ones¡± Zack stood his ground. Im not like them.¡± Abigail asked him, ¡°How so?¡± Zack exined, ¡°I grew up with you guys, ying girly games. You¡¯ve influenced me to the point where I don¡¯t have those yboy thoughts.¡± Abigail jokingly patted Zack¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Buddy, lets go to Thand sometime. We need to make your body match your mind.¡± Zack looked down at his body and quickly buttoned up his shirt, ¡°I¡¯m the only child in the Ruck family. My dad wants me to carry on the bloodline. If I got surgery in Thand, he¡¯d kill me¡± Cornelia and Abigail burst intoughter at Zack¡¯s antics. Cornelia was evenughing so hard she was crying. She wiped her tears with a tissue ¡°Zack, stop kidding around and answer my question seriously, without any prejudice.¡± Zack pondered and then replied, ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve dreamed of having multiple wives But then I remember you guys always picking on me and that idea flies out the window.¡± Abigail punched him, ¡°When did we ever pick on you?¡± Zack replied, ¡°Aren¡¯t you doing it right now?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Stop the small talk, answer me properly.¡± Zack added, ¡°I think everyone has the potential to be unfaithful, not just men, women loo. It¡¯s all about whether you can control it with morality. Do those who cheat not know it¡¯s immoral? Of course, they do. But knowing this, they still do it. It shows they think with their bodies, seeking only physical stimtion. Morality can¡¯t restrain them. Do those good men who love their wives and children not find other women more attractive than their wives? Sure they do. However, they can control. their desires and never cross the line. They stick to their principles.¡± Hearing this, Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but give Zack a thumbs up. ¡°Zack, you¡¯ve got some deep thoughts. You¡¯re absolutely right, we can¡¯t generalize. There are unfaithful and faithful men, just as there are faithful and unfaithful women.¡± Abigail nodded in agreement.This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Zack continued, ¡°Since we¡¯re on the subject, let¡¯s talk about Jeremy.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Zack, I¡¯m telling you. We can talk about Jeremy, but you can¡¯t badmouth him.¡± Chapter 531 Chapter 531 Zock was a little bummed out and said in a low voice, ¡°You can¡¯t even remember his face, why is he more important to you than me?¡± Comelia exined, ¡°You guys are just as important to me. I won¡¯t let Jeremy badmouth you guys. I¡¯ve already told him how important you guys are¡± Hearing this, Zack and Abigail were ted, ¡°You mentioned us to Jeremy?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°You guys have been my friends since childhood, my best friends, and the most important people in my life. How could I not tell him?¡± Hearing this, Zack was satisfied, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to g off Jeremy this time. I actually think he could be the one for you.¡± Comelia was curious, ¡°Why the sudden change of heart about him?¡± Zack said, ¡°Because of you, of course Zack and Abigail knew Cornelia better than anyone, having grown up with her Cornelia had always felt insecure due to family issues Two major incidentster on made her develop a sensitive and suspicious nature. It¡¯s difficult for her to trust new people, let alone open her heart to someone This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Jeremy, even after filing for divorce, managed to get Cornelia to let her guard down and want to spend her life with him. This showed that something must have happened between Jeremy and Comelia that made her trust him. If Cornelia trusted him, then Jeremy must be a trustworthy guy. Cornelia asked with a smile, ¡°Is it because you guys love me, so you also love the perron I love?¡± Zack said. ¡°Yeah, we trust you and you trust him. So we¡¯re willing to trust him too¡± Cornelia and Jeremy¡¯s marriage was sudden, and she hadn¡¯t mentioned Jeremy to Zack and Abigail before the wedding Coupled with Jeremy¡¯s actions after the wedding, they had some reservations about him. Now that they¡¯re willing to ept Jeremy, Comelia was over the moon and gave them a big hug. ¡°Zack, Abby. I love you guys!¡± Zack added, ¡°I hope you¡¯re happier than all of us, especially happier than those schmucks from Rosenberg who bullied you.¡± Mentioning Rosenberg. Abigail gave Zack a look, ¡°Stop bringing up that old mess. Let¡¯s eat before the food gets cold. These fish and chips are best when hot¡± Zack said, ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s eat¡± Comelia smiled calmly, ¡°Zack, Abby. The thing with Rosenberg is ancient history now it doesn¡¯t affect me anymore. You don¡¯t need to tiptoe around it.¡± Zack and Abigail looked at Cornelia, ¡°You really don¡¯t care anymore?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°I had a long talk with grandma at Southern Peak. She told me that you can¡¯t always live in the past, you have to look forward. She said that if my father could see me, he would want me to be happy. Do you think I should care about what unimportant people think of me, or should I focus on living my life well. so my father can rest in peace?¡± Abigail nodded vigorously, ¡°Nelly, you¡¯re thinking right. You should live your life well and make everyone envious. Use your happiness to counter all the gossip.¡± Zack said, ¡°Yeah, what¡¯s important is that you live your life well, don¡¯t mind what others say. But speaking of which, did you talk about this with Jeremy?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Tve thought it through, I¡¯ll tell him when I see him¡± Zack nodded, ¡°Yeah, clear the air to avoid any misunderstandings. Do you know when Jeremy is coming back to Riverton? I think your second wedding anniversary ising up.¡± Comelia said, ¡°I actually wanted to discuss this with him yesterday, but his phone got stolen.¡± Zack said, ¡°Thieves really are the worst. Losing your phone is such a hassle. If I had to choose, I¡¯d rather lose some money than my phone¡± Chapter 532 Chapter 532 Abigail said, ¡°He¡¯s not in Hong Kong right now, probably a real pain to get a new SIM band Such a headache.¡± Comelia responded, ¡°As long as he¡¯s okay, that¡¯s all that matters. You can always buy a new phone, no need to stress about it.¡± Zack chimed in, ¡°The moving boxes I ordered online have arrived. After dinner, I¡¯ll go get them. We¡¯ve got some free time these days, might as well start moving stuff to the new ce.¡± Comelia agreed, ¡°Sounds good.¡± She had the same idea. The more they moved now the less they¡¯d have to deal withter. Once the new ce was ready, they could just pack a backpack and move in easily. Abigail added, ¡°I mentioned you guys to my boyfriend today. He¡¯s free this weekend and he¡¯s gonna treat us to dinner. You guys can check him out for me¡± Comelia replied, ¡°He seems quite proactive¡± Zack muttered, ¡°Always beanng gifts for no reason, either a scammer or a thief. Abigail punched him lightly. ¡°We¡¯re officially together now; you¡¯re not allowed to bad¨Cmouth him behind his back. You can observe him when we meet, if you think there¡¯s something off, tell me directly.¡± Zack rubbed the spot where he¡¯d been hit, feeling more and more wronged, almost to the point of tears, Tve raised two girls with so much effort, only for them to be taken away so easily. Now I even get hit for speaking my mind. You two forget me as soon as you see your boyfriends. You don¡¯t love me anymore.¡± Cornelia quickly put a piece of fish into his te, ¡°Zack, don¡¯t cry. No matter who we marry, you¡¯ll always be our favorite friend, and no one can rece you in our hearts Zack pretended to wipe his tears, ate the fish Cornelia gave him, and said, ¡°Cornelia remember what you said today. If Jeremy and I both fall into the water, you have to save me first.¡± Comelia answered, ¡°You can swim.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Zack said, ¡®I can, but even if I don¡¯t, you have to save me! Cornelia replied, ¡°Okay, okay, I¡¯ll save you first.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Zack, you¡¯re so dramatic. I¡¯m going to throw up the food I just ate.¡± Zack asked, ¡°If your boyfriend and I both fall into the water, who would you save?¡°. Abigail also put some food into his te, ¡°I¡¯ll save you, of course. If I don¡¯t, we¡¯ll all be sickened to death by your drama.¡± Zack said, ¡°I just love you guys.¡± Cornelia and Abigail responded, ¡°Eww!¡± And so, they finished their meal amidst the lively chatter. Cornelia was in charge of cooking. Abigail cleaned up the table after the meal, and Zack took on dishwashing duty. After cleaning up, they went to fetch their package. Zack had bought boxes of various sizes, thergest ones for bulky items like quilts and the sturdiest ones for books. In this house, the most precious items were the books on the living room bookshelf They all loved reading, especially unique books. Once they found a good one, they would immediately buy it, bring it home, leisurely read it, and then share their thoughts. Due to their love for books, the living room bookshelf was overflowing. So, they made two wooden shelves themselves for the books they¡¯d read, piling them up there These shelves were not covered and they were often too busy to clean, so many books were covered in dust. Chapter 533 Chapter 533 Abigail was tidying up, chatting away. ¡°Our new ce has got its own study, and the bookshelf is massive We won¡¯t have any issues with storage for our books.¡± Cornelia chimed in, ¡°Yeah, once we move in, we can just splurge on books. Lots and lots of books.¡± Zack dropped in, 1 saw a rare book online the other day, and it was so good it had me drooling. Guess how much the seller was asking?¡± Comelia and Abigail asked, ¡°How much?¡± Zack held up a hand. ¡°This figure!¡± Cornelia and Abigail asked, ¡°Five thousand?¡± Zack clutched his chest, ¡°Fifty thousand!¡± Abigail eximed, ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he just rob a bank? Good books should be shared with people who can appreciate them. If they end up with someone who doesn¡¯t, isn¡¯t that just a waste?¡± Comelia kept repeating. ¡°Fifty thousand? Fifty thousand? That¡¯s pricier than the study I saw.¡± She thought of the study in Marcus¡® Celestial Chateau. Clearly, not only was the construction cost high, but the rare books inside were worth a fortune Abigail asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Cornelia exined, ¡°I¡¯ve seen one of Marcus studies. It¡¯s like a library, filled with rare books we¡¯ve never heard of. If each book is worth fifty thousand, then the books in his study could be worth millions¡± Abigail was shocked, ¡°Oh my God!¡± Cornelia added, ¡°If he ever lets me borrow his study, I might lock myself in there for months.¡± Zack was frustrated, ¡°We¡¯re nothingpared to these rich people. Even their books are better than ours. He¡¯s got all these rare books. Does he even read them? Or are they just for show?¡± Comelia replied. ¡°He definitely reads them. I borrowed a rare book from him once, and there were some words I didn¡¯t understand. So I had to look at the footnotes. But he knew them all. He¡¯s like a walking encyclopedia.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Cornelia, the more you say, the more I fancy your President Hartley. Even if I know I¡¯d vanish if I married him, I¡¯d still do it.¡± Zack scoffed, ¡°You certainly have a unique set of values.¡± Abigail retorted. ¡°You¡¯re a guy, you wouldn¡¯t understand. But I can tell you. Imagine a man as handsome as Marcus, just his face and body are drool¨Cworthy. Plus, he¡¯s got a huge business empire, as well as vast knowledge. Such a man theoretically doesn¡¯t exist, he only exists in fiction. In reality, if a girl ever meets a man like this, how could she resist?¡± Zack confidently said, ¡°Cornelia could resist.¡± Abigail disagreed, ¡°I don¡¯t think so! Cornelia thought Marcus looked familiar the first day she met him. You¡¯re saying Cornelia could resist? Cornelia is just married, and she¡¯s only a subordinate to Marcus, so she doesn¡¯t dare to have feelings for hire But that doesn¡¯t mean Comelia doesn¡¯t like Marcus.¡± Zack turned to Cornelia, ¡°Is that what you really think?¡± Cornelia lifted her head from a pile of books, slowly saying, ¡°Zack, you guys understand men better, and we understand women better.¡± Zack asked. ¡°Really? You really have feelings for Marcus?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Not exactly. Like you said, who wouldn¡¯t like a good¨Clooking, well¨Cbuilt, rich, knowledgeable, and nice¨Cvoiced guy? Of course, this kind of liking is like when we see male celebrities. It¡¯s merely admiration. Or to be more specific, we can look but not touch.¡± But what Cornelia didn¡¯t say was that this was her previous thought. After witnessing something between Marcus and Natalia, she no longer thought of Marcus as an untouchable deity Abigail high¨Cfived Cornelia, ¡°That¡¯s exactly it.¡± After a pause, Abigail added, ¡°But if Marcus wanted to be with me, I¡¯d definitely say yes. Better yet, have a child. I hope I can have a son as handsome as him. He¡¯d definitely turn heads when I take him out.¡± Zack was speechless. Cornelia asked, ¡°Abigail, do you really think so?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Abigail replied, ¡°Haven¡¯t you ever thought about it?¡± Chapter 534 Chapter 534 ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about sleeping with him¡± Suddenly, Come began to understand what Natalia was feeling. Knowing that there was no future with that man, yet still wanting to be with him because of his irresistible charm. Man, once she fell for someone, it was hard to tum back. In the middle of their chat, Comelia¡¯s personal phone buzzed twice. She quickly turned around, picked up her phone and nced at WhatsApp. She wasn¡¯t disappointed this time; a message from Jeremy: [Comelia] This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He only sent one name. Cornelia immediately sent him a long message: [Did you get your new phone? Did you get your SIM card reced? I was worried sick all day yesterday because you didn¡¯t reply I thought something might have happened to you. Could you leave a contact of one of your colleagues or do you have a spare phone number? So I can reach you if something like this happens again.] Comelia sent such a long message, but Jeremy only replied: Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t consider all that] Comelia replied [It¡¯s okay, but could you send me a message from someone else¡¯s phone if something simr happens in the future?] Jeremy replied: [Alnight.] Comelia replied: [Jeremy, can you say more than one word? How are we supposed to continue chatting like this?] Jeremy answered: [What did you want to talk about yesterday?] Comelia replied. [Our wedding anniversary ising up soon. I want to know when you¡¯ll be able to return to Riverton. Where shall we meet?] Jeremy replied: [8th of May, you pick the ce. Anywhere is fine] Cornelia thought for a while, this was actually her first date with Jeremy She had a lot to say to him, so she wanted to meet in a quiet ce. Riverton had many quiet ces suitable for dates, but the ones Cornelia knew of were quite expensive. Not very suitable for small business owners and workers like them. After much consideration, Comelia thought of a ce she could afford, and the ambiance was also suitable for a date: [How about the restaurant at Harmony Hills Estates?] Jeremy replied: [Sure] Comelia replied: [Then how about we meet at 11 a.m. on the 8th of May?] Jeremy replied: [Sure] Cornelia replied: [If you have nothing else to say, I¡¯ll get back to my stuff.] Jeremy replied: [Cornelia.] Cornelia replied: [Hmm?] Really, just say it straight out. He¡¯d been acting like squeezing a toothpaste tube, making her guess what he wanted to say. Jeremy replied: [I really want to have a good life with you] Cornelia replied: [Me too.] After sending the message, Jeremy didn¡¯t reply for a long time. Just when Cornelia thought he wouldn¡¯t reply anymore, he finally sent a longer message [Cornelia, I value our marriage very much. I really want to spend each day well with you. I didn¡¯t tell you before, but actually I¡¯m already in Riverton. I didn¡¯t see you because I had my own concerns] Chapter 535 Chapter 535 When Comelia saw the message, her heart sank. She texted back: [What¡¯s bothering you?| It took Jeremy a while before he replied: [I¡¯m afraid that my appearance and Identity will disappoint you I¡¯m scared I¡¯m not the husband of your dreams. I¡¯m also worried you¡¯ll leave me.] ¡°Leave me¡± felt like a poisoned arrow piercing Cornelia¡¯s heart, leaving her breathless People often said, a happy childhood could heal a lifetime of pain, while an unhappy one took a lifetime to recover from. This phrase hit home for both Jeremy and This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. her. Seeing Comelia¡¯s pale face, Zack and Abigail approached her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Comelia shook her head, I¡¯m fine.¡± Zack cautiously asked, ¡°Is there something going on with Jeremy?¡± ¡°Really, it¡¯s nothing. We¡¯re just discussing meeting up¡± Comelia took a deep breath, squared her emotions, and replied to Jeremy: [Jeremy, I¡¯m your wife. No matter what you look like, as long as you truly want to spend the rest of your life with me, ept you. I won¡¯t let you down] This time, Jeremy replied quickly: [You better keep your word, no take backs!] Seeing his reaction, Cornelia¡¯s heart ached even more She replied. I promise, no take backs] Jeremy responded [You don¡¯t need to swear, I trust you.] The conversation paused again. After a moment¡¯s thought, Comelia asked: [It¡¯ste, have you had dinner?] Jeremy replied [Yeah] Comelia asked What did you eat?] Jeremy replied: [Pasta] Comelia was at a loss for words. Did this man even know how to chat? She had been so proactive, why couldn¡¯t he say more? If their meet up was like this, wouldn¡¯t it be painfully awkward? Cornelia didn¡¯t respond. After a while, Jeremy messaged: [Why aren¡¯t you talking?] Cornelia frowned. [I¡¯ve been the one asking questions, don¡¯t you have something you want to tell me?] Jeremy replied: [Yes] Cornelia waited for him to speak, but he stayed silent. She asked [If you have something to say, why aren¡¯t you saying it?) Jeremy replied. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll annoy you if I talk too much.] So, he was worried about the same thing as her, Cornelia replied: [I won¡¯t find you annoying, I¡¯m just scared you have nothing to talk aljout, that you don¡¯t want to share your life and work. Jeremy, I¡¯m also worried about the same stuff you are. Heck, I¡¯ve even got other womnes, but it¡¯s hard to exin over text. Let¡¯s talk face to face when we meet up.] At Cornelia¡¯s message, Marcus coughed in excitement, replying: [Okay.] Dr Dawson immediately supported him, ¡°Marcus, you¡¯ve just woken up from unconsciousness, just out of danger. You need to rest. Can you please put the phone down? Whatever it is, it can wait until you¡¯re better, or let Ben handle it.¡± Im chatting with Cornelia.¡± Marcus had just regained consciousness. He was weak, but the first thing he did when he woke up was to grab his phone and open his chat with Cornelia. He knew, Cornelia would be looking for him. Cornelia¡® Always Cornelia! Chapter 536 Chapter 536 He Just got settled, and started chatting with Cornelia. Clearly, this girl was not his antidote, but rather the poison that could take his life. Just as Dr. Dawson was full of gripes, Marcus calmly asked, ¡°You seem pretty upset with Cornelia?¡± Dr. Dawson was taken aback. Was he a mind mader or something? She awkwardlyughed. ¡°Comelia is so nice, how could I be upset with her?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Marcus was stanng at his phone, not looking at her. He asked softly. ¡°Did she call me while I was out?¡± Dr. Dawson knew she couldn¡¯t hide it. She didn¡¯t dare to either, ¡°She called for ¡®Marcus not ¡®Jeremy¡® I answered for you¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What did you tell her?¡± Dr. Dawson said, ¡°Just as you instructed, I didn¡¯t dare to tell her about your condition just told her you weren¡¯t avable.¡± ¡°Comelia is my wife!¡± After Marcus said that, he fell silent Dr. Dawson couldn¡¯t figure him out and was getting more anxious. After a while, she cautiously asked, ¡°Marc, if you have something to say, just spit it out. Don¡¯t make me guess.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Wasn¡¯t I clear enough?¡± Dr. Dawson said. ¡°Maybe I just didn¡¯t get what you were trying to say.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Cornelia is my wife, the closest person to me byw. Not only does slje own half of my wealth, half of my life is hers too. Even if one day I¡¯m at death¡¯s door, the only person who can sign off on me giving up treatment is Cornelia Dr. Dawson was shocked, ¡°Marc, you were the one who asked me to keep your illness from Cornelia before you passed out. I did as you instructed.¡± Marcus said, ¡°I asked you to keep my condition secret. Did I ask you to be cold with her? You are my subordinates, but Cornelia is my wife.¡± Dr. Dawson went pale and was speechless. She had always seen Marcus as her own son and thought he saw her as a mother. Even with their professional rtionship, he was always respectful. She never thought he could say something se harsh No, she had been around him for too long and had be arrogant. He was the one who put his own father in jail, and kicked his own mother cut of the Hartley family. He was cold¨Chearted. How could she ever expect him to treat her like a mother? After a long while, Dr. Dawson finallyposed and tried to defend herself, ¡°Marc, was just worried about you. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being a bit too good to Cornelia?¡± Marcus slowly looked up at Dr. Dawson. His face was pale but his eyes were as sharp as ever, ¡°Cornelia is my wife. If I¡¯m not good to her, who should I be good to?¡± Dr. Dawson said, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Please leave.¡± Dr. Dawson didn¡¯t answer. She had been with Marcus for so many years, this was the first time he dismissed her so coldly. He never treated her like this before. Never. All because of Cornelia Jayden, standing outside the room, saw Dr. Dawson walking out of the room in a daze. He was very worried and asked, ¡°Mom, are there any new issues with President Hartley¡¯s health?¡± Dr. Dawson looked at him and said sadly, ¡°Marc doesn¡¯t see me as his mother.¡± Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Chapter 537 Jayden was truly puzzled, ¡°You¡¯re not President Hanley¡¯s biological mom to begin with, and he doesn¡¯t see you as his mom. I don¡¯t see the big deal here, why are you so worked up?¡± ¡°You think it¡¯s not a big deal?¡± Dr. Dawson raised her voice emotionally, ¡°Tve been looking after him since he was a lot. It¡¯s been over twenty years. I¡¯ve spent more time with him than his own parents ever did. I was the one who took him to school on his first day, I was the one by his side when he was sick. For the past twenty years, wherever he went, I was there. I¡¯ve had no personal time because of him.¡± Dr. Dawson went on a rant, and Jayden looked at her, calmly replying, ¡°Were you forced to do all that?¡± Dr. Dawson was taken aback, ¡°You¡­¡± Jayden continued, ¡°I know you¡¯re a top¨Cnotch doc, and lots of hospitals would kill to have you, but think about it, would you make more bucks working elsewhere than at President Hartley¡¯s? You¡¯re earning big money working for President Hartley Isn¡¯t that fair? If you find the job too exhausting, you can quit. No one¡¯s stopping you. I bet there are tons of people who would jump at the chance to do it.¡± Dr. Dawson pointed at Jayden angrily, ¡°You think I¡¯ve been by President Hartley¡¯s side all these years for the dough?¡± Jayden replied, ¡°If it¡¯s not for the money, then it¡¯s to pay a debt of gratitude? If it¡¯s thetter, you should be willingly do anything for President Hartley. It doesn¡¯t matter how he sees us. Our lives were saved by him, we would¡¯ve been long gone if not for him.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. These words left Dr. Dawson speechless. Jayden paused, then said, ¡°Mom, do you know why Patricia was able to serve two generations of the Hartley family? Do you know why President Hartley respects Patricia as if she were his elder? It¡¯s because Patricia knows her ce. Even if President Hartley treats Patricia as family, Patricia never asks for more, nor does she think that after taking care of President Hartley for so many years, he should see her as his mom.¡± Dr. Dawson stared at Jayden¡­ Jayden added, ¡°We are President Hartley¡¯s employees, we do what he says. It doesn¡¯t matter how he sees us, does it?¡± Dr. Dawson fell silent for a while, then suddenlyughed, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Cornelia¡¯s appearance, maybe everything would still be the same¡­¡± ¡°I think you¡¯vepletely lost sight of your ce. You thought you were the closest woman to President Hartley, and now that someone¡¯s closer to him than you. you can¡¯t stand it,¡± Every word from Jayden was like a needle, piercing into Dr. Dawson¡¯s heart, ¡°Mom, don¡¯t think like this anymore, or there won¡¯t be a ce for you by President Hartley¡¯s side¡± Dr. Dawson clenched her fists, gritted her teeth, and said nothing. Over at Cornelia¡¯s. After finishing her WhatsApp chat with Jeremy Artis, she lifted her head, only to see Zack and Abigail staring at her in surprise, ¡°Why are you guys looking at me like that?¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Were you chatting with Jeremy?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Again, Abigail asked, ¡°What were you guys talking about?¡± Stashing her phone behind her back, Cornelia got ready to continue sorting books, ¡°Just small talk.¡± Chapter 538 Chapter 538 Chapter 538 Zack asked with confusion, ¡°Just a casual chat?¡± Comelia replied, ¡°What the heck are you two doing? It¡¯s like a freaking interrogation. Do I have to show you my text messages to make you believe me?¡± It was not that Zack and Abigail didn¡¯t want to believe Cornelia, but it seemed that her emotions seemed to fluctuate greatly based on the content of the message. They were worried that Jeremy was giving her a hard time. ¡°Look, we¡¯re not doubting you. We¡¯re just worried about you,¡± Zack said, patting her shoulder. ¡°Cornelia, remember, if Jeremy dares to mess with you, you¡¯ve got to tell us. You can¡¯t suffer in silence.¡± At the mention of Jeremy, Cornelia¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Jeremy would never mess with me Seeing Comelia¡¯s sweet smile, Zack and Abigail felt relieved and went back to tidying up their books. Abigail, being naturally inclined towards gossip, couldn¡¯t resist. ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m dying to know, what have you and Jeremy been chatting about?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°He said he¡¯s back in Riverton.¡± On hearing this, Abigail jumped up excitedly. ¡°Did he ask you cut tonight? You can¡¯t agree to meet him at night. If he¡¯s asking you to meet him at night, he¡¯s obviously trying to get in your pants. Even if you two are married, you can¡¯t agree that easily.¡± Abigail, known for her audacity in speaking her mind, made Cornelia blush with embarrassment. It¡¯s not like that¡­ But Abigail didn¡¯t give Cornelia a chance to speak. ¡°Text him right now and tell him you can only meet him tomorrow. I¡¯ll give you a makeover and buy you a sexy outfit. Not that you¡¯re not pretty without it, but I¡¯ll make you irresistible. I promise he won¡¯t take his eyes off you once you two meet.¡± Once Abigail finished, Cornelia finally had a chance to speak. ¡°We¡¯re meeting on May 8th.¡± Hearing this, Abigail looked disappointed. ¡°He¡¯s back in Riverton but he¡¯s not seeing you until May 8th? Doesn¡¯t he want to sleep with you at all? Or has he already found another woman?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Jeremy is not that kind of person Abigail said, ¡°Then there¡¯s only one possibility, he¡¯s not into women.¡± Cornelia whacked Abigail on the head with a book. ¡°What the hell is going on in your head? There¡¯s more to a rtionship between a man and a woman than just sex.¡± Abigail replied, ¡°You¡¯re right, there¡¯s also pure friendship like ours with Zack. But you and Jeremy are married, aren¡¯t you supposed to satisfy each other¡¯s physical needs? You two can legally have each other yet he¡¯s not rushing. It¡¯s kind of suspicious. Abigail¡¯s words were so straightforward that Cornelia blushed and couldn¡¯t find the words to argue. Zack added fuel to the fire from the sideline. ¡°Abigail¡¯s analysis isn¡¯t entirely baselessi Cornelia said, ¡°If you two keep bbering, I¡¯ll stop cleaning and you can do it yourselves.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll shut up.¡± Abigail picked up a book, dusted off the cover, and shook it lightly. Suddenly, a bank card slid out from the pages. ¡°Why is there a bank card in here? Who left a bank card in a book?¡± Zack said, ¡°I only have a savings card and a credit card, and I carry them with me at all times. There¡¯s no way I left a card in a book.¡± Abigail picked up the card and saw that in addition to the usual information, there was a name on it ¨C ¡°Jeremy¡°. She tried to pronounce it. ¡°Cornelia, this card has your boyfriend¡¯s name on it. Howe his card is at our ce?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Chapter 539 Chapter 539 Chapter $39 Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Come took a look at the card, Jeremy¡¯s name was indeed on it 7 remember on our (egistration day. Jeremy gave me a bank card I never intended to use his money, so when I got home, I put the card along with our marriage certificate aside, never looked at them again Abigail asked. ¡°He¡¯s your husband, why not use the money he gave you?¡± Camelia replied, ¡°We don¡¯t live together, how could I have the nerve to spend his money? And who said women must spend men¡¯s money after they get married? Since we¡¯re a new family, and I can eam money too, we should both work hard to make our family better¡± Zack chimed in, ¡°If you don¡¯t use his money, do you want some other woman to use it? Do you know the PIN of the bank card? Why don¡¯t you check how much money is in the card? What if he just gave you an empty card to make you happy?¡± Comelia nced at Zack and said with a hint of displeasure. That¡¯s impossible, my Jeremy is not that kind of person! During the New Year, he transferred all the money he earnedst year to me and asked me to save it¡± Abigail sighed. ¡°You¡¯re too protective of him. We can¡¯t say a word of criticism about him.¡± Comelia answered. ¡°He¡¯s my husband, if I don¡¯t protect him, who will?¡± Abigail said, ¡°From now on, i won¡¯t call you Smelly Nelly anymore, I should call you the Wife Who Wholeheartedly Supports Her Husband¡± Cornelia pinched her face. ¡°You¡¯re such a mischief. Where do you get that mouth of yours, you¡¯re so talkative¡± Abigail pushed Comelia¡¯s hand away, ¡°Your hands are all dusty, you can¡¯t just touch try face like that. Do you know how expensive my skincare products am?¡± Comelia said. ¡°You¡¯re already beautiful. You don¡¯t need all that skincare products¡± Abigail replied, ¡°ttery won¡¯t work.¡± Zack said ¡°Alright, alright, less bickering, more packing. We need to finish packing these books tonight, so I can take them to the new house when I go to work tomorrow¡± Comelia started packing, but soon a red certificate fell out from the pile of books, a few letters were printed on the bottom ¨C marriage certificate! Abigail saw it and asked, ¡°Cornelia, is this your marriage certificate?¡± Comelia picked up the certificate, hesitating, ¡°I guess so.¡± Abigail said, ¡°No wonder we couldn¡¯t find itst time when we turned your room upside down, it was in the pile of books.¡± Abigail and Zack leaned closer to Cornelia, ¡°Open it, let¡¯s see what Jeremy looks like. Cornelia looked at them, nervously saying, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I¡¯m feeling more nervous than the day when we got the marriage certificate.¡± Abigail said, ¡°I¡¯m nervous too!¡± Zack said, ¡°Since you¡¯re both nervous, let me open it.¡± Abigail pped away Zack¡¯s outstretched hand, ¡°Let Cornelia do it.¡± Cornelia took a deep breath and slowly opened the red certificate. When it was open she saw two photos, one of her and the other should be Jeremy To her surprise, the man in the photo was Marcus! The only difference between the man in the photo and Marcus was that Marcus always wore a pair of silver¨Cframed sses, but the man in the photo didn¡¯t Cornelia¡¯s first reaction was that this marriage certificate was fake and a prank by Abigail She angrily threw the marriage certificate at Abigail, ¡°Abigail, how could you y such a prank?¡± Chapter 540 Chapter 540 Chapter 540 Zack lightly prodded Abigail¡¯s forehead, ¡°Abigail, are you out of your mind? Even if you¡¯re not using fake certificates to do bad things, the act of making them is illegal. Don¡¯t ever do that again ¡°What?¡± Abigail picked up the mariage certificate and looked at it over and over again Unable to believe that the man in the photo was Marcus, she rubbed her eyes, closed them, then opened them again. The photo on the certificate was still Marcus¡® face, ¡°Ah-¡± She let out a shrill scream, excitedly bouncing around the room, ¡°Oh my God, I can¡¯t believe the two people I wanted to be together are actually married!¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Cornelia said sternly. ¡°You better destroy that fake certificate now, or I¡¯m done with you Abigail presented the mamage certificate to Cornelia and Zack, ¡°Cornelia, Zack, look closely. Look at this official seal, and look at this cover, can a fake certificate look this real? Do you really think I¡¯m so bored that I made a marriage certificate for you and Marcus?¡± Comelia and Zack said in unison, ¡°You totally could!¡± Alright, she had done this kind of thing before, more than once. In college, she was infatuated with a male celebrity and made a fake marriage certificate between her and him. Later, when she started working and developed a crush on a model, she made another fake marriage certificate between her and him. Recently she¡¯d been crazy about Marcus, so Cornelia and Zack¡¯s first reaction to the harriage certificate was to suspect it was a forgery. Abigail said, ¡°I swear this time I didn¡¯t do it. Think about it, Marcus never lets people take his picture. Where would I get his photo?¡± Comelia firmly believed it was a fake. ¡°You could use software to photoshop it, you¡¯ve done it before.¡± Abigail felt her exnations were in vain, ¡°Cornelia, believe me. I really didn¡¯t do it this time.¡± Zack looked at the photo on the marriage certificate, then at Abigail and Cornelia, ¡°you didn¡¯t photoshop it, then why do Jeremy and Marcus look the same? Could Jeremy and Marcus be rted somehow?¡± Anyway, Zack, like Cornelia, absolutely didn¡¯t believe Marcus and Jeremy were the same person. Cornelia thought Zack¡¯s guess might be right, ¡°Yes, I remember Marcus telling me that he¡¯s known Jeremy since they were kids, so they might be brothers.¡± Zack snapped his fingers, ¡°Right, Marcus is probably your uncle.¡± The ignored Abigail muttered. ¡°Cornelia, Zack, why don¡¯t you believe that Jeremy is Marcus?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Their names arepletely different, how could they possibly be the same person?¡± Zack nodded, ¡°Right.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Could Marcus possibly have two identities? After all, it¡¯s not impossible for people as wealthy as them to do this.¡± Cornelia stubbornly said, ¡°Impossible! Absolutely not! Jeremy definitely isn¡¯t Marcus They can¡¯t possibly be the same person!¡± At this point, Cornelia could only adamantly deny it, because she knew better than Zack and Abigail that the chances of Jeremy and Marcus being the same person were very high. Marcus once told her that his wife was from Rosenberg, and his wife¡¯s name was also Cornelia¡­ Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Chapter 541 Abigail was really hoping Jeremy was Marcus ¡°Zack, do you remember when I had just be CEO¡¯s assistant, and Marcus came over here once?¡± Zack responded, ¡°He looked at me so coldly that day, how could I forget? Later, we had meal together, Marcus exined that he came because of work¨Crted matters with Cornelia ¡± Abigail questioned, ¡°He, as the president of the Hartley Group, personally came to see Cornelia? What kind of work couldn¡¯t be discussed over the phone that he had toe in person?¡± Cornelia had already gone over the things they discussed in her mind. If she remembered it correctly, the day they mentioned Marcus came to their rental house was the same day she and Marcus returned to Riverton from the Capital Marcus said he was going on a date with his wife, had her pick out plenty of gifts for his wife, and she even personally ordered flowers and booked a restaurant for him. Marcus, who should have been on a date with his wife, got drunk with Leonardo that night, and she was called over to pick him upte at night. Also on that same day, Marcus inexplicably told her that the name Cornelia was very unlucky, and then didn¡¯t talk to her for a week. A weekter, at the Wilsons birthday banquet, she found out Marcus hadn¡¯t given the gifts to his wife, and he wouldn¡¯t let her mention his wife again. Also, during that time, her husband Jeremy, who disappeared right after they registered their marriage, suddenly showed up and had hiswyer find her to request a divorce. And, there were rumors in Riverton that Marcus¡¯s wife was cheating on him. Coincidentally, Jeremy also exined to her before that he wanted a divorce because he thought she was cheating, butter found out he misunderstood her. All these coincidences together might not be coincidences at all¡­ Cornelia, with shaking hands, opened their marriage certificate again. Looking at the two pictures of the certificate, she was wearing her work uniform in her picture. On th day they registered, she went there in her work uniform because she had to go to work after getting the certificate. The face in the other picture still looked exactly like Marcus, she wasn¡¯t seeing things. Jeremy was Marcus, there was no denying that. Cornelia had never thought that Jeremy and Marcus were the same person. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Unintentionally, the scene she saw at the Riverside Terrace Club that day appeared in Cornelia¡¯s mind again, and she felt nauseous¡­. Abigail and Zack didn¡¯t notice Cornelia¡¯s emotions. One was trying hard to prove that Jeremy and Marcus were the same person. The other was trying hard to deny that Jeremy and Marcus were the same person. Abigail said. ¡°You¡¯ve said more than once that the way Marcus looks at Cornelia is off. If he is Jeremy, that would make sense.¡± Zack said, ¡°Cornelia is so beautiful, few men can resist her. Even if Marcus is rich, he¡¯s still a normal man. It¡¯s not strange at all that he wants Cornelia.¡± Abigail retorted, ¡°Do you think Marcus is just an average man? With his status, what kind of beauty hasn¡¯t he seen? Why couldn¡¯t he control himself when it came to Cornelia? There¡¯s only one exnation, because Cornelia is his wife.¡± Zack wanted to argue back, but Abigail said loudly, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand, why aren¡¯t you happy for Cornelia when such a good thing happened to her?¡± Chapter 542 Chapter 542 Chapter 542 Zack analyzed rationally, ¡°First of all, I don¡¯t think Marcus is a good guy Secondly, we are just ordinary folks and carit hold a candle to hirn¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Abigail retorted, ¡®Marcus¡¯s never been a womanizer, why does that make him a bad person? Besides, he¡¯s already married to Cornelia, and they¡¯re a couple. How could she be considered unworthy of him? Zack shot back, ¡°What do you mean he¡¯s not a womanizer? Just tonight Cornelia told me she caught Marcus red handed with another woman in bed, Some people say marrying into wealth brings along complicated family drama. Lots of female celebs marry into wealthy families and end up getting the short end of the stick, kicked out of the family Comelia is such a sweetheart, she¡¯s more likely to get yed¡± The news of Marcus with another woman in bed hit Abigail like a ton of bricks After what felt like forever, she managed to mutter, ¡°Didn¡¯t Nelly say the one who cheated wasn¡¯t Marcus?¡± ¡°Do you believe that? Zack looked at Abigail as if she was a fool, ¡°If Marcus really was Jeremy, why has he kept Nelly in the dark all this time? There¡¯s no way he¡¯s Jeremy¡± Abigail pondered and said, ¡°Maybe he feared Nelly was after his money, so he was testing her¡± Zack retorted, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, he¡¯s even less deserving of Nelly¡¯s lifelongmitment¡± As they couldn¡¯te to a resolution in their argument, they turned to the protagonist of their discussion, ¡°Nelly, what do you think?¡± Cornelia tried her best to keep her cool, pretending to be calm. She took out her work phone and said, ¡°It¡¯s simple to confirm if Marcus and Jeremy are the same person, I¡¯ll just call Marcus and ask.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to directly call Marcus and ask? What if¡­¡± Abigail and Zack both eximed in surprise, their shocked expressions identical. ¡°Would you two be quiet!¡± Cornelia found Marcus¡¯s number, hit the call button, and the phone was picked up as soon as it rang. Marcus¡¯s deep and sexy voice came through the phone, ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯ste, what¡¯s up?* Even through the phone, Cornelia could feel Marcus¡¯s strong presence. Her vibe instantly weakened, the question that she intended to ask ¡°Are you Jeremy?¡± froze in her throat She carefully said, ¡°I heard from Bri you¡¯re sick and in the hospital, which hospital are you in? I¡¯d like to visit.¡± Cornelia asked casually, thinking he would refuse, but he said, ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to pick you up.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°No, no need, just give me the address, I¡¯ll drive over myself. It won¡¯t take long.¡± Marcus gave her the address, then said, ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting¡± His voice was low and very pleasant, extremely charming. The words ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting¡±ing from his mouth felt like a spell, with a captivating power. Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything else and quickly hung up. Abigail and Zack¡¯s eyes bulged as they looked at Cornelia, Cornelia took a step back, ¡°What are you two staring at?¡± Zack, ¡°You said you were going to ask him directly, why didn¡¯t you?¡± Abigail, ¡°Is he sick? What¡¯s he got? You should go to the hospital and keep himpany¡± Zack, ¡°Abigail, snap out of it, that guy is doing shady stuff behind Cornelia¡¯s back!¡± Abigail, ¡°With Marcus¡¯s looks and wealth¡­I wouldn¡¯t mind even if he did something shady from time to time or only came home a few times a year to spend time with me.¡± Chapter 543 Chapter 543 Chapter 543 Zack frowned at Abigail, ¡°You¡¯vepletely tossed your morals for a pretty face Abigail retorted ¡°A lot of people in this world do the barne. I¡¯m not the only one Comelia, picking up the weighty marriage certificate slowly stood up. You guys contine. I¡¯m going to confront Marcus Zack also stood, ¡°It¡¯ste it¡¯s not cafe for you to go out alonee with you¡± Abigail immediately grabbed Zack ¡°She¡¯ll be driving How could it be dangemus? ¡°Alright then, I drive Cornelia turned and headed back to her room Zack was pissed. ¡°Abigail Abigail What are you tagging along for? Going to get in the way? I¡¯m warning you don¡¯t disturb Cornelia and Marcus time together. They re both as good looking, and their baby will definitely be super SUPER cute Il be the godmother and I¡¯ll make everyone green with envy when I take the baby out Zack reminded her again ¡°Wake up, this isn¡¯te romance novel Cornelia¡¯s definitely not taking this lightly Abigail eximed with heightened emotions, Marcus, you know, he¡¯s Marcus! Do you know how many women want to marry him? Comelia¡¯s so lucky. She must¡¯ve done. something really good in her past life¡± Zack was about to explode ¡°So what if it¡¯s Marcus? Does that mean he could betray Nelly? Marcus betrayed her and she saw it with her own eyes. You know how much Comelia loves Jeremy If Marcus turns out to be Jeremy, that means he hurt Comelia Abigail thought about it and finally realized the gravity of the situation, ¡°So, what should we do now?¡± Zack ¡°We¡¯ll go with her If Marcus isn¡¯t Jeremy great If he is, it¡¯ll be a fatal blow to Cornelia and we need to be there for her As they were talking, Cornelia, who had changed her clothes, walked out of the room, I¡¯m heading out¡± She had changed her pajamas to professional attire, her long hair tied up in a bun, revealing her clear, full forehead. She looked simple and professional Abigail started toin again, ¡°You¡¯re going to see your husband, not your boss Why are you dressing up like this?¡± ¡°Who said he¡¯s my husband? Marcus is Marcus, Jeremy is Jeremy, and they will never be the same person¡± Cornelia¡¯s tone was soft, but firm. Abigail, ¡°We¡¯ll go with you¡± Cornelia. ¡°No need Zack. Just be safe¡± Cornelia ¡°Okay As Cornelia left, Abigail turned her stern gaze to Zack, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d go with her? Why didn¡¯t you say anything just now?¡± Zack. ¡°Cornelia wouldn¡¯t want us tagging along. Let her go ahead, and follow her in a bit.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Abigail sighed, ¡°Why did Marcus have to betray her? If he wanted to be with another woman, why didn¡¯t he keep it low profile? Why did he let Nelly see? If Nelly didn¡¯t see there wouldn¡¯t be a problem, right?¡± Zack did not know how to respond. Cornelia drove to the Hartley Group hospital, starting her car in the basement parking lot Even though it was past rush hour, there were still plenty of cars on the road and she frequently had to stop. Cornelia drove really slow, a normally 20¨Cminute ride took her almost 40 minutes toplete Chapter 544 Chapter 544 Chapter 544 After parking in the hospital lot she sat quietly in her car, reying the past year she spent with Marcus in her head. To her, Marcus was an excellent superior. He respected and protected his team, and treated them well. She also respected and supported him if he was in danger, she¡¯d risk her own life to save him. But she never imagined that he was Jeremy, her husband¡­. After sitting for a while, Cornelia took a deep breath and got out of the car to head towards the inpatient department. Visiting hours were long over, but this hospital was owned by the Hartley Group Getting permission to visit was a breeze. From a distance, Cornelia spotted Dr. Dawson waiting for her at the entrance. She picked up the pace towards Dr. Dawson, ¡°Evening, Dr. Dawson.¡± ¡°Marc¡¯s condition isn¡¯t great. He really shouldn¡¯t be seeing anyone. He made an exception for you, but try not to stay long,¡± Dr. Dawson said with a rather unfriendly tone. ¡°Did I do something wrong. Dr. Dawson?¡® Cornelia asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Dr. Dawson paused for a moment and said. ¡°I feel like you¡¯ve changed recently. You¡¯re not the Dr. Dawson I knew. It¡¯s almost like you have a beef with me¡± Some people were sneaky and can be dealt with. But the real tough ones were the straight shooters like Cornelia. She said what was on her mind, and was so upfront that it left people speechless Dr. Dawson looked a bit awkward, ¡°Perhaps I¡¯ve been on edge because of Marc¡¯s illness. My tone was off, I apologize.¡± ¡°We all work for President Hartley. We should respect and get along with each other. Only by doing so can we work better for him. Don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Of course Dr. Dawson led the way into the hospital, ¡°Come, let¡¯s go see Marc.¡± Marcus was staying in a VIP room. It was not just a room, but the whole 8th floor, which was pretty swanky. Dr. Dawson brought Cornelia straight to Marcus¡¯s room, ¡°You may go in.¡± Cornelia took a deep breath,posed herself, and knocked lightly on the door ¡®Come in,¡± Marcus¡¯s voice came from inside. Cornelia entered and saw Marcus sitting on the bed. He looked pretty good, didn¡¯t seem sick at all. Why did Dr. Dawson say he was in bad shape? What she didn¡¯t know was that to keep her from worrying, Marcus had the best and most expensive makeup artist touch him up before she arrived. Marcus looked at Cornelia, a hint of smile hiding behind his sses, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Cornelia nodded, not daring to meet his eyes, pretending to look around, ¡°President Hartley, what happened to you?¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Just a minor issue. Marcus gestured to the chair next to him, suggesting she sit, ¡°Would you like something to eat or drink?¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°No need to fuss.¡± Marcus noticed her looking around, avoiding his gaze. He guessed she might need a favor, but was too shy to ask, ¡°Do you have something you would like to discuss with me? If so, as long as it¡¯s within my capabilities, I¡¯ll definitely help you out.¡± Cornelia thought for a moment, gathered her courage and looked at him, ¡°President Hartley, what exactly is your rtionship with Jeremy?¡± Chapter 545 Chapter 545 Chapter 545 Marcus didn¡¯t expect Cornelia to bring up Jeremy out of the blue. He felt a bit jumpy. ¡°Why are you suddenly mentioning him?¡± Comelia cracked a smile. ¡°Just want to know more about him, that¡¯s all¡± Her smile was forced, and Marcus noticed but didn¡¯t think much of it, I¡¯ve told you, Jeremy and I are tight. If you need to reach him but don¡¯t feelfortable doing so, you can tell me about it.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Jeremyes from a run¨Cof the mill family, not exactly a household name in Riverton. How did you two meet?¡± Marcus calmly exined. ¡°My grandma and his grandina were friends. They often took us out together. So, we¡¯ve known each other since we were kids¡± ¡°I see Cornelia responded softly, then asked, ¡°What about your wife? When you are hospitalized, has she came to see you?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°She didn¡¯t know I was sick initially, but she came as soon as she found out¡± Cornelia was a bit unsure Was he talking about her? She averted her gaze to look out the window. The outside was pitch¨Cdark, just like her mood. She couldn¡¯t see anything, and didn¡¯t know which way was out Before she visited Marcus, many pieces of evidence and coincidences had already hinted at Marcus and Jeremy being the same person. But she didn¡¯t want to believe it. She wanted to hear from Marcus himself that he wasn¡¯t Jeremy. So, she came to see him, holding on to that glimmer of hope. However, once she was here, she didn¡¯t have the courage to confront him directly. How ridiculous! ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s up with you? Marcus noticed something was off about Cornelia today Cornelia turned back to him, ¡°There are some things I can¡¯t wrap my head around. President Hartley, can you help clear them up?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Shoot.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°You can¡¯t stand your wife or girlfriend cheating on you, but would you cheat on them?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t understand why she asked this, but still answered firmly. ¡°No.¡± No! He was very adamant about it. Then what were those intimate acts he had in bed with Natalia the other day? Maybe he genuinely didn¡¯t consider that as cheating. Natalia was just one of his suitors, and if a suitor took the initiative, he would ept it. Thinking about this, Corneliaughed again, ¡°What do you think is the most important thing in a marriage?¡± Marcus had thought about this question before, ¡°I believe it should be honesty, openness, mutual understanding, and tolerance.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Honesty! Openness! He talked a good game, but had he ever been sincere to her? He clearly knew she was his wife, but he didn¡¯t tell her and continued to y the role of someone who cared so much in front of her. Maybe in his eyes, she was just a toy. He was toying with her. Feeling down in the dumps, Cornelia didn¡¯t have anything else to say She took a deep breath, stood up and said, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯ll be taking off now.¡± Marcus wanted her to stay longer and couldn¡¯t help but grab her wrist, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t go. Can you stay and chat with me a bit longer¡­¡± His voice wasn¡¯t as deep and powerful as usual, nor as assertive. It even carried a hint of pleading¡­. Cornelia looked down at his hand gripping her wrist. Chapter 546 Chapter 546 Chapter 546 His hands wererge and good looking with slender fingers and well defined knuckles. Maybe because he¡¯d just exerted some effort, the veins on the back of his hand were visible, looking a bit menacing Come pulled her hand away and sat back down. President Hartley, got something you wanna chat about?¡± After she sat down, Marcus let out a sigh of relief. ¡°We don¡¯t necessarily have to chat about anything, just sit with me for a bit if you find talking to the boring, you can just y with your phone. All he wanted was for her to be by his side. Just seeing her was enough, he didn¡¯t dare to hope for anything more. Since he put it that way, Cornelia didn¡¯t mind She took out her phone and messaged Jeremy on WhatsApp, ¡°Jeremy!¡± Sure enough, Marcus¡¯s phone on the side buzzed once. Cornelia then sent a second message, ¡°We are¡­ Marcus¡¯s phone buzzed again. Then Cornelia sent a third message, She hoped that Marcus¡¯s private phone would stop buzzing, but after her message was sent, Marcus¡¯s phone buzzed again.Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Herst hope was shattered by these three buzzes. Marcus casually picked up his phone and slowly replied, ¡°Why are you still up sote? What¡¯s up?¡± Cornelia looked at him, watching him pretend to be nonchnt. She wanted to see how long he would lie to her and how good his acting skills were. Cornelia replied, ¡°My boss is sick and in the hospital, so I came to visit him. I was about to leave but he asked me to stay and chat for a bit, but I have no idea what to talk about. You think he¡¯s got issues?¡± Marcus stared at her message,pletely absorbed in his phone, oblivious to Comelia¡¯s expression, ¡°A sick person needspany. You should stay with him.¡± Cornelia snickered and replied. ¡°You¡¯re so generous. If one day he needs me to share his bed, would you personally escort me to his bed?¡± Marcus was taken aback, ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to talk anymore, nor did she want to stay with him any longer. She stood up again, ¡°President Hartley, I¡¯m leaving!¡± Almost instinctively, Marcus grabbed her again, ¡°Cornelia¡­ In a daze, the scene she saw that morning resurfaced in her mind, and the feeling of nausea came over her again. The nausea this time was stronger than ever before, causing her stomach to churn¡­ ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Cornelia yanked her hand back and dashed to the restroom. Without thinking. Marcus pulled the needle out of his hand and followed her, ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± The nausea made her want to vomit, but she couldn¡¯t puke anything out. For a moment, she felt pain all over her body, making her tremble and break out in a cold sweat¡­. ¡°Dr. Dawson!¡± Marcus yelled, stretching out his arm to hold Cornelia tightly and quickly returned to the room, ¡°Cornelia, where do you feel ufortable? Tell me right away!¡± His deep voice ovepped with the voice from that morning, as did his face. Wave after wave of nausea hit Cornelia, she struggled hard, ¡°Let go of me! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Marcus didn¡¯t let go of her, instead, he pushed her onto the bed where he had onceid, he said in a low voice, ¡°Lie down and don¡¯t move, I¡¯ll have a doctor check you out right away¡± The bed was filled with his scent, a faint minty smell. She used to find this smell refreshing, but now she felt nauseous. That morning when he and Natalia were in bed, the room was also filled with this scent¡­. Chapter 547 Chapter 547 Chapter 547 Comelia was clutching her chest with one hand while trying to push Marcus away with the other but he stood firm like a mountain, unyielding to her efforts. In desperation, Comelia even resorted to using her feet ¡°I told you to leave, don¡¯t touch me!¡± Marcus grabbed her tightly, his handsome face filled with a serious expression ¡°Cornelia, stop struggling! What happened? Tell me!¡± Maybe his aura was too intimidating, or maybe because she¡¯d been working under him for so long that she was used to obeying him. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. He told her to stop moving, and she really did, obedientlyying on the bed like amb waiting for ughter. She couldn¡¯t break free from his control no matter how hard she tried. Now, even her thoughts were under his control. For a moment, Cornelia felt like a puppet in his hands, he could manipte her as he liked. As long as he didn¡¯t let go, she couldn¡¯t escape. This thought made Cornelia¡¯s emotionspletely break down. ¡®I told you to let me go, can¡¯t you hear me? Who the hell are you? What do you want?¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll let you go But you promise me, stay still, let¡¯s talk, okay?¡± Cornelia¡¯s reaction was abnormal, forcing Marcus to step back. He had to find out why Cornelia was reacting so desperately, so he could respond appropriately and calm her down. Cornelia didn¡¯t listen to him. Once she got her freedom, she slid off the bed from the other side. In this moment, she had lost all reason and blurted out, ¡°You¡¯re nobody to me, why should I talk to you? You¡¯re Marcus, the CEO of the Hartley Group, my superior. You¡¯re not my husband, my husband is Jeremy. It can only be Jeremy. I will always only be an employee to Marcus¡­¡± These words were like needles stabbing into Marcus¡¯s heart, the pain spreading throughout his body. The pain was so intense it made his temples throb, his forehead broke out in cold sweat, and he could taste the metallic taste of blood in his mouth¡­ Marcus didn¡¯t want Cornelia to see his pitiful state, nor did he want her to worry. Even though he was weak to the point of nearly copsing, he still turned around elegantly slowly took out a tissue to cover his mouth, and spit out the blood. When he turned around to walk towards Cornelia again, his foot slipped. His tall body weakly fell towards Cornelia¡­ Inside, Cornelia wanted to dodge, but her body was more honest than her heart. Instinctively, she caught his body falling towards her, a wave of concern washing over her. ¡°President Hartley, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry¡­¡± Marcus leaned on her shoulder, inhaling her unique scent. In that moment, his unease suddenly subsided. *President Hartley, you¡­ Cornelia wanted to say something, but she was interrupted when Dr. Dawson burst into the room. Dr. Dawson scolded harshly, ¡°Cornelia, do you want Marcus to die? Is that when you¡¯ll be satisfied? I¡¯ve already said, he doesn¡¯t need you here, but you still came. Since you¡¯re here, you should sit quietly with him, not upset him. If something happens to him, can you bear that responsibility?¡± Marcus couldn¡¯t tolerate anyone treating Cornelia this way. Even in his semi¨Cconscious state, his words still carried overwhelming authority ¡°Please leave!¡± Dr. Dawson understood Marcus¡¯s ¡®leave¡® not only meant leaving the room, but also leaving his life. He wouldn¡¯t allow her to stay by his side anymore. She couldn¡¯t ept this reality. ¡°Marcus, I¡¯ve been with you for over 20 years. I¡¯ve watched you grow up¡­ Now you want me to leave for a woman you¡¯ve only known for a year?¡± Marcus nced at her with a cold and terrifying gaze behind his sses. ¡°You¡¯ve been by my side for over 20 years, yet you still don¡¯t understand your ce. Why should keep you around? Ayden!¡± Ayden followed obediently, without saying a word. He grabbed Dr. Dawson and started walking towards the exit. Dr. Dawson felt desperate, and shouted back at Marcus as she was being dragged away, ¡°Marcus, I can ept you telling me to leave, but you can¡¯t let Cornelia stay by yo side, she will get you killed for sure¡­¡± Chapter 548 Chapter 548 Chapter 548 Dr. Dawson couldn¡¯t even finish her sentence before she got shut out of the room. Marcus looked at Cornelia with concern, ¡°Don¡¯t take to heart what others say ¡± ¡°I won¡¯t¡± As Cornelia helped Marcus onto the hospital bed, she said, ¡°Mr Hartley you lie down first. I¡¯ll get the doctor to change your IV¡± Marcus, ¡°Alright¡± Cornelia immediately called a doctor from the hospital. The doctor had several instructions to share with Cornelia, but a single look from Marcus made the doctor calm down And after the doctor administered the medication he quietly left the room. As soon as the doctor left, Marcus said to Cornelia, ¡°Sit down, I¡¯ve got something to discuss with you.¡± He asked her to sit, and even though she was not entirelyfortable with him, Cornelia obediently took a seat, ¡°Mr. Hartley, what is it?¡± Seeing her regain herposure, Marcus felt a little relieved, ¡°Cornelia, I don¡¯t know what mess you¡¯re in But whatever it is, you can tell me.¡± Cornelia mustered the courage to look at him. He seemed so heartless, but the eyes behind those silver sses always gave off a warm illusion. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She could see his genuine concern for her in his eyes, and none of it seemed fake. He still appeared to be the Marcus she knew a gentleman with impable manners when silent, and a powerful leader of the Hartley Group when speaking. He hadn¡¯t changed, what changed was how she felt about him. Before she could figure out how to deal with theirplicated rtionship, Cornelia decided not to touch on it, and wait until she had a clear mind to deal with it. Marcus was very patient. ¡°You can¡¯t tell me? Is that so?¡± Cornelia nodded Marcus smiled, ¡°That¡¯s okay, let me know when you¡¯re ready. For now, I¡¯ll have the doctor take you for a full body checkup.¡± Cornelia refused, ¡°I just felt a little unwell earlier, I¡¯m fine now, no need for a checkup¡± Marcus was not convinced, ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Mr. Hartley, why are you so kind to me? Don¡¯t you think your kindness to me has surpassed what a superior should show to an employee? Even Dr. Dawson feels it¡¯s too much.¡± Marcus, ¡°Because¡­¡± Cornelia interrupted him, ¡°I know you¡¯ll say it¡¯s because of Jeremy But you¡¯re you and he¡¯s him. You guys will never be the same person. You should take care of your own wife, not your friend¡¯s wife.¡± Marcus, ¡°Cornelia, actually I am¡­¡± He didn¡¯t want to hide his identity anymore. He wanted to openly care for her, as her husband. But Cornelia didn¡¯t give him the chance. She cut him off, sensing where he was going with it, ¡°Mr. Hartley, it¡¯ste, I should go.¡± ¡°Alright. This time, Marcus didn¡¯t try to keep her. He didn¡¯t dare to. He watched helplessly as Cornelia walked out, watched as she disappeared from his sight. He closed his eyes, unable to suppress the pain, and sank back into the endless darkness. Chapter 549 Chapter 549 Chapter 549 Typhoon hit Riverton this year, and the wind tonight was a bit gnarly. As Cornelia stepped out of the hospital, the cold wind hit her in the face, giving her a good shiver and jolted her awake Jeremy was Marcus! Marcus was Jeremy! This was an undeniable fact! This meant that her boss, a billionaire, the man every woman dreamed of marrying, the world¡¯s richest man, Marcus, had suddenly be her hubby Just as Abigail had said being Marcus¡¯s wife was a golden ticket for many women. Comelia never thought she would have any contact with Marcus outside of work, but this golden opportunity that everyone dreamed of just fell into herp. In theory, she should be over the moon, but in reality, che was not happy at all, but felt a kind of suffocating feeling that she couldn¡¯t put into words. Cornelia had seen many marriages go through the wringer, she knew marriage was not just about two people, but also about two families. The old society emphasized marriage between families of equal status, and today¡¯s society was no different. In a marriage, if the gap between two people- be it in knowledge, wealth, status, or power was too great, the marriage would rarelyst When she and Jeremy got their marriage license, even if it wasn¡¯t for love, she was still down with the idea of spending her life with him. If she had known from the start that Jeremy was Marcus, she might not have picked him. In addition, Jeremy told her more than once that he wanted to spend his life with her. Jeremy¡¯s promise made her more determined to stick with him for life, she believed that her marriage with Jeremy would go the distance. She never in a million years thought that Jeremy was Marcus! For Jeremy, she may be willing to overlook the differences in their social status, wealth, and other disparities. She might even be willing to be with him regardless of the consequences. However, she cannot ovee the psychological barriers that exist between them. She couldn¡¯t stomach a man who one minute said he wanted to spend his life with her and then turned around and jumped into bed with another woman N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. That one morning, she heard Marcus and Natalia¡¯s voices outside the room. She didn¡¯t believe he would do such a thing, but then she saw with her own eyes that the man in the bed was Marcus. He was too focused at the time, not noticing that someone had barged into their room. Tonight, when she asked him if he would cheat, he even had the nerve to lie without blinking an eye, telling her he wouldn¡¯t He even said the most important thing between a husband and wife was honesty and truth. Could she trust him? She wanted to believe Jeremy, and was willing to trust the Jeremy who had made promises to her, but now Jeremy was not just Jeremy. His true identity was Marcus He was the big shot that everyone wanted to get close to but couldn¡¯t. He was also a man who had already cheated¡­ Chapter 550 Chapter 550 Chapter 550 Comelia closed her eyes in pain and took a deep breath Zack¡¯s voice suddenly came from behind Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re now sure Marcus and Jeremy are the same person, arent you?¡± Abigail and Zack had apanied Cornelia to the hospital, waiting next to her car while she visited the patient. Seeing here out of the hospital with such a heavy heart, they could probably guess what was going on. Comelia was taken aback, ¡°How did you guys get here?¡± Abigail stepped forward and hugged Comelia, ¡°We¡¯re here for you. With something this big happening, how could we not be by your side?¡± They always managed to be by her side at the first sign of trouble, apanying her through the rough patches Cornelia wanted to smile, but her nose tingled, and her eyes swelled as if she was about to cry She quickly lifted her head to stop the tears from flowing. ¡°You guys are so annoying, always being there for me silently. What would I do if you ever left me?¡± Zack also came over and hugged them both tightly. ¡°We all bought our houses in Riverton together, and nothing but death could ever separate us in this lifetime¡± Comelia buried her head on their shoulders, sniffled a bit, ¡°Abigail, Zack, thank you!¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Zack gently tapped her forehead, ¡°Why are you being so formal with us? Tell us what you n to do now?¡± Cornelia shook her head in confusion, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡± Without saying more, Zack and Abigail could guess what was on her mind, ¡°Are you afraid your grandmother will worry? Cornelia nodded, ¡°When Jeremy proposed a divorce, and I agreed to divorce him, my grandmother was really reluctant. But she still considered things from my perspective and didn¡¯t force me to do anything I didn¡¯t want to. Not long after, when Jeremy and I decided to continue our marriage, my grandmother was worried, but she still supported my decision. This time when I went to Southern Peak, the two olddies kept urging me to have a child¡­ I¡¯m afraid if I propose a divorce again, the they won¡¯t be able to handle the shock¡± Abigail quickly caught the key point, ¡°So, you¡¯re nning to divorce Jeremy?¡± Before Cornelia could answer, Zack spoke up for her, ¡°Cornelia saw Marcus with another woman, how can this marriage continue?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything, which was as good as a silent agreement. Abigail spoke again, I actually have an idea, but I¡¯m not sure what you think?¡± Zack figured Abigail couldn¡¯te up with anything normal, ¡°Don¡¯t say it.¡± However, Cornelia wanted to hear Abigail¡¯s thoughts, ¡°Go ahead¡± Abigail said. ¡°You and Jeremy have been married for nearly two years, but you live separately and have never spent a night together You could continue this marriage as long as the two olddies think you¡¯re living well. If you have physical needs and want to be with him, just do it, but don¡¯t have real feelings for him, and be careful, do not catch disease If he has needs for other women and wants to be with them, just turn a blind eye. If you have needs for other men in the future, you can do whatever you want, no need to consider his feelings.¡± Hearing Abigail¡¯s words, Zack felt his values copsing. ¡°Abby, stop reading those inappropriate web posts. If you continue like this, I¡¯m worried it will affect your thinking¡± However, Cornelia thought Abigail made some sense. She had never thought about being with Marcus, nor had she thought about being interested in other men, but she could maintain a nominal marriage with him as she did ¦°¦¯¦´ He could do whatever he wanted, with any woman he wanted, and she would never interfere with his freedom, as long as he could maintain the outward appearance of their marriage and not worry the grannies. Chapter 551 Chapter 551 Chapter 551 Zack, noticing Cornelia¡¯s hesitation, quicklyforted her, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t listen to Abby¡¯s nonsense You¡¯re still young, and got your whole life ahead of you. You¡¯re bound to find a man who you genuinely like and who likes you back Don¡¯t waste your best years on someone who¡¯s not worth it¡± ¡°The man I love and the man who loves me?¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°Hmm. She didn¡¯t say anything more Abigail suggested, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, we should head back. We can talk more about this when we wake up tomorrow¡± Comelia didn¡¯t want to keep them thiste, ¡°Sure.¡± Abigail turned to Zack, ¡°You drive yourself home, Zack. I¡¯ll ride with Cornelia¡± Zack nodded, ¡°Take care of her.¡± Cornelia chuckled and reassured them, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me I¡¯ve been through a lot already, this is nothing¡± Seeing her nonchnt attitude, Abigail and Zack felt even more sorry for her. Comelia¡¯s life was almost destroyed at a very young age, she had no home to return to. If she hadn¡¯t been so strong, she wouldn¡¯t be the Cornelia they knew today Luckily, all of that was in the past, and no one could ever use it against her again. There were no parking spaces next to Cornelia¡¯s car, so Zack had to park his car some distance away. Cornelia and Abigail watched him walk over, get in his car, and then they turned to get into their own car Once inside, Abigail looked around, ¡°The Hartley Group sure is loaded, even their assistants were provided with Porsches.¡± At this, something seemed to dawn on Cornelia, she paused as she was buckling her seatbelt, ¡°Abby, I think I want to return this car to thepany¡± Abigail nced at her, ¡°Because Marcus is your husband, you won¡¯t even drive apany car? Are you nuts?¡± Cornelia exined, ¡°ording to thepany rules, as a new personal assistant, there is no way that I would be given such a good car. It¡¯s probably Marcus who arranged it¡± Hearing this, Abigail got excited, ¡°Wow, Cornelia, I suddenly feel like you and Marcus are so sweet together!¡± Cornelia red at her, ¡°Sweet? You want this kind of sweetness?¡± ¡°I do, I do!¡± Abigail went on with her daydreaming, ¡°Cornelia, your story with Marcus is like a romance novel about a CEO and his secretary. The only pity is his past with other women If not for that, he¡¯d be like the male lead in a novel¡± Cornelia ignored her, started the car, and was about to leave when there was a knock on the window. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Startled, Cornelia turned around to see Ayden standing next to the car with a nk expression on his face. She rolled down the window, ¡°Ayden, what¡¯s up?¡± Dr. Dawson, his mother, had been scolded by Marcus because of her, which gave Cornelia enough reason to suspect that Ayden was there for revenge. Ayden was incredibly tall and muscr, definitely over six feet, even taller than Marcus who stood at six¨Cfoot¨Ctwo. He looked like a giant, and if he wanted to hit her, she wouldn¡¯t be able to fight back. So, as she rolled down the window, she was already in gear. If Ayden really wanted to hurt her, she could just step on the gas and he wouldn¡¯t be able to touch her. Cornelia was prepared, but Ayden didn¡¯t make a move. He stared at her with a nk expression on his face as he said it, ¡°Strictly speaking, it¡¯s not my ce to say anything. but after giving it some thought, I think I should tell you.¡± Chapter 552 Chapter 552 Chapter 552 He still had a poker face, but Cornelia could feel his respect for her Cornelia let her guard down, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ayden said, ¡°President Hartley¡¯s condition is much worse than what you¡¯ve seen. If you¡¯re not busy with anything else, could you please go back and stay with President Hartley? You don¡¯t have to do anything, just be by his side.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Is he in bad shape?¡± Cornelia had known Ayden for a long time, but this was the first time she heard him talk so much. She had a hunch that something was fishy Ayden was Marcus¡® most trusted subordinate. It was very likely that he was trying to deceive her under Marcus¡® orders. She had juste out of Marcus hospital room. He looked fine, did not look like a patient at all. Ayden said. ¡°His condition is critical¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to see Marcus at this moment, and she hesitated, ¡°I¡¯m not a doctor My presence might just add to their problems¡± Ayden, ¡°My mom has been taking care of President Hartley for many years. She may have overstepped her boundaries when she spoke to you earlier. Please don¡¯t mind her May I ask you to apany President Hartley?¡± Ayden was generally a man of few words, he wouldn¡¯t talk unless necessary. The fact that he was exining so much tonight probably meant that Marcus¡¯s condition was really bad ¡°Abby, go back in Zack¡¯s car. I¡¯m going to check on Marcus.¡± Cornelia got out of the car, locked it, and followed Ayden into the hospital. Once in the elevator, Cornelia quickly pressed the button for the eighth floor Ayden pressed for the sixth floor. He said. ¡°President Hartley is on the sixth floor now! Cornelia had a bad feeling, ¡°Why are we going to the sixth floor?¡± Ayden, ¡°You¡¯ll see when you get there.¡± The elevator arrived at the sixth floor quickly. As the elevator doors opened, Cornelia followed Ayden¡¯s footsteps into the corridor. She saw the gleaming letters¨CICU! Just seeing this made Cornelia¡¯s legs go weak. Past events yed back in her mind like a movie. Blood, the man lying on a stretcher, doctors in white coats rushing around¡­. *Comelia Ayden had walked a distance before he realized that Cornelia hadn¡¯t kept up. He quickly came back to help her, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cornelia shook her head, struggling to stay calm, ¡°President Hartley is in the ICU?¡± Ayden nodded Cornelia, ¡°What kind of illness does he have?¡± Ayden didn¡¯t answer Cornelia took a deep breath, straightened her back and walked weakly to the ICU. Through the transparent ss window, Cornelia saw Marcus lying inside. He was wearing an oxygen mask, with many tubes inserted in his body, an IV drip in his hand, and his face was as pale as paper, without a trace of color. Cornelia could hardly believe what she was seeing. When she left, he looked healthy. It wasn¡¯t that long ago, how could he be so weak? She opened her mouth, and asked with difficulty. ¡°How did this happen? What has he been through while I was away?¡± Chapter 553 Chapter 553 Chapter 553 ¡°The sound of a man¡¯s voice echoed behind Cornelia, President Hartley didn¡¯t suffer any trouble after you left. It was actually when you were here that he experienced many things his body couldn¡¯t bear N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°So, are you ming me? Corne turned sharply to look at Ayden, her gaze piercing, ¡°Don¡¯t try to push all the problems onto me¡± If she had really done something wrong, it was that she shouldn¡¯t havee to Marcus seeking the truth. If she pretended to know nothing, then there wouldn¡¯t be any problems Aydenpletely ignored her and said, ¡°President Hartleyy in the ICU for two days, and only stabilized tonight. He just woke up not long ago, and you came. You didn¡¯t notice that he wasn¡¯t feeling well because President Hartley knew you wereing, so he had someone put on makeup to not worry you. You just quarreled with him and even hit him, which may have hurt him. Most importantly, you said some things that made him feel sad¡­¡± Every word Ayden said seemed to be ming Cornelia, as if everything that happened to Marcus in the ICU was all her fault. It was like many years ago when her father died in the car ident, and many people med her, saying that she brought bad luck and that her existence led to her parents¡® divorce and her mother¡¯s misfortune Those voices said that if it weren¡¯t for her, her mother wouldn¡¯t have left Rosenberg, and her father wouldn¡¯t have died in the car ident¡­. At that time, she was still young and couldn¡¯t judge night from wrong. She believed those lies, and now every time she thought about it, she still med herself. Only her grandmother told her more than once that everyone¡¯s life was their own choice, her mother leaving was her mother¡¯s choice, her father¡¯s car ident was fate¡¯s arrangement, and those things had nothing to do with her.. It was her grandmother¡¯s gentle voice that helped Cornelia, who was deeply immersed in self¨Cme, find herself again. Yes, it had nothing to do with her! Why were they ming her for Marcus¡® illness? Cornelia squeezed her trembling hands, trying her best to stay calm, ¡°Oh¡­ I hurt his heart? Why don¡¯t you say it was your mother who hurt his heart?¡± Ayden obviously didn¡¯t expect Cornelia to say that and was stunned for a moment before saying, ¡°My mother loves President Hartley more than she loves us. How could she hurt him?¡± ¡°So, the only one who could hurt President Hartley is me?¡± Cornelia said, and thenughed. These people were strange. Whenever someone had a problem, they had to me her. This time, no matter what, she wouldn¡¯t ept this responsibility and wouldn¡¯t let herself feel guilty Cornelia told herself this, but she couldn¡¯t control her inner worries and self¨Cme, especially when she saw Marcus¡® pale face in the ICU¡­. ¡°Do you understand your identity?¡± The man¡¯s voice sounded behind Cornelia again, full of contempt and sarcasm. There was something wrong with this voice. Ayden¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t like this, and there wasn¡¯t this kind of derogatory and mocking undertones. Cornelia turned her head again to look at this man, and finally noticed the difference between him and Ayden. This person¡¯s face didn¡¯t have any scars. ¡°You¡¯re not Ayden?¡± Jayden smiled coldly. ¡°Did I ever say I was?¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°Then who are you?¡± Chapter 554 Chapter 554 Chapter 554 Ayden said, ¡°I¡¯m Ayden¡¯s twin brother, Jayden I usually operate behind the curtains, and besides President Hartley, my brother and my mom, you¡¯re the fourth person to know about my existence¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Why so mysterious? Why let me in on your secret?¡± Jayden replied, ¡°Well, because you¡¯re one of the few people that President Hartley trusts, and I don¡¯t mind you knowing¡± Comelia said, ¡°But I do. I¡¯m just an assistant, I don¡¯t want to know about the things President Hartley keeps under wraps, I don¡¯t want to get too involved with you guys, and I definitely don¡¯t want to take on any more responsibilities because of it.¡± Jayden said, ¡°If something goes wrong you can¡¯t just wash your hands of it, because you¡¯re not an outsider¡± Comelia frowned and said, ¡°Your brother¡¯s a man of few words, howe you¡¯re such a chatterbox? You¡¯re supposed to be the most mysterious figure around President Hartley, can¡¯t you keep a little mystery about you? If you¡¯re not supposed to say it, just zip it.¡± Jayden responded, ¡°You¡¯re quite the talker yourself¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Do you know what the most important thing about being an assistant is?¡± Jayden guessed, ¡°Professional ability?¡± Comelia said, ¡°The gift of gab!¡± Jayden said, ¡°You¡¯re in the mood to argue with me. Aren¡¯t you worried about President Hartley?¡± Comelia retorted, ¡°Exactly! You¡¯ve been nattering behind me since I walked in. Aren¡¯t you, as the most mysterious figure around President Hartley, worried about his health?¡± Cornelia used Jayden¡¯s own words against him, leaving him speechless. ¡°I¡­¡± Suddenly, Cornelia¡¯s expression changed, a coldness shed across her face, ¡°You¡¯re with him all the time, in charge of his safety. If something happens to him, you¡¯re the one to me. Instead of reflecting on your own actions, you find excuses to me others, and casually reveal your identity. People like¨C you shouldn¡¯t be kept around President Hartley Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Jayden was speechless. Normally, Cornelia seemed gentle and harmless, always obedient and sensible around Marcus, not talking much, like a harmless little bunny. But now, with a change of expression, she exuded the aura of a formidable executive, truly not to be underestimated. Cornelia asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the doctor in charge of President Hartley? Get him to see me.¡± Jayden, receiving the order, turned to leave, but then he caught himself, ¡°Why am I taking orders from you? We¡¯re both working for him, you don¡¯t have the authority to order me around.¡± ¡°This is Dr. Lester, he¡¯s in charge of President Hartley¡¯s condition. If you have any questions, you can ask him.¡± Ayden, more understanding than Jayden, called for the doctor without waiting for Cornelia¡¯s command. Cornelia said, ¡°Ayden, thank you!¡± At crucial times, the less talkative Ayden was more reliable. Cornelia thanked Ayden, then turned to Dr. Lester, ¡°Dr. Lester, I need a detailed exnation of President Hartley¡¯s condition If there¡¯s anything I can help with, let me know.¡± ¡°Cornelia,e to my office over here. Dr. Lester, in his fifties with a bald spot on his head, sounded surprisingly young. Cornelia followed Dr. Lester to his office, where he handed her a file. ¡°Marc had a recurrence of an old ailment.¡± ¡°What kind of old ailment?¡± Cornelia asked, as she began to scan through Marcus¡® medical records. A piece of information highlighted caught her eye, ¡°Bullet passed through the chest, only 0.5cm away from the heart.¡± Chapter 555 Chapter 555 Chapter 555 The bullet had gone through his chest, missing his heart by only half a centimeter Without even going through Marcus¡± detailed medical records, the news alone was enough to make Cornelia¡¯s heart race and scalp tingle. ¡®Dr. Lester, when did this happen?¡± Howe she never heard about it? Dr. Lester slowly said, ¡°it was probably more than ten years ago Marc had just taken over the Hartley Group, and he was set up by apetitor while doing business abroad. He nearly died. ¡°A group of us worked around the clock to save him. When he woke up, he faced new problems. He had to sign contracts while his body was still weak, which led to his health issues ¡°If Marc had listened to us and rested, he should be fine. But he¡¯s been busy all these years, rarely taking time to rest, and neglecting his health, which has worsened his condition.¡± Cornelia quickly asked, ¡°If President Hartley rests well in the future, will his condition improve?¡± ¡°As long as Marc can calm down and rest, his condition will definitely improve. The problem is¡­ Dr. Lester rubbed his forehead and sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but Marc doesn¡¯t seem to have much will to live¡± ¡°No will to live? How could he not have a will to live?¡± Cornelia repeated Dr. Lester¡¯s words. For a moment, many things about Marcus shed through her mind, but she couldn¡¯t think of any way to ignite Marcus¡® will to live. As Marcus¡® personal assistant, she felt she knew a lot about him. But when he really needed her help, she realized she didn¡¯t know anything about him and couldn¡¯t help him solve any problems. This feeling of powerlessness made her very upset. Dr. Lester sighed. ¡°The only thing Marc has really cared about over the years is work. He¡¯s immersed in it every day, 365 days a year, hoping every day can be used for work. Anyone working so long with no leisure or hobbies will have problems¡± Cornelia agreed with Dr. Lester, that one could not only focus on work, but also needed leisure life. She said, ¡°Dr. Lester, when President Hartley wakes up, you all have to persuade him to pay more attention to his health. He already had serious health problems before he was thirty. What about the next few decades?¡± Dr Lester said, ¡°Your persuasion should be more effective than ours.¡± Cornelia was unsure if Dr. Lester knew about her other rtionship with Marcus, and this made her a bit uneasy. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Dr. Lester asked, ¡°You¡¯ve not been working with Marc for long, so you might not have seen his previous work pattern. Do you think his current work state is already extreme?¡± Cornelia nodded seriously. ¡°Yes¡± Dr. Lester continued, ¡°Before you came, Marc¡¯s work intensity was even greater, with several days and nights of non¨Cstop work beingmon. Your arrival has reduced histe¨Cnight work I think you have a certain influence on him, and your persuasion will be more effective¡± Comelia had never thought she could have an impact on Marcus. After hearing Dr. Lester, she realized she could help. Of course, it wasn¡¯t her assistant identity that influenced him, but her identity as his wife. When he didn¡¯t take his medicine on time, mentioning his wife was very effective. Since she had some influence on Marcus, could she help him wake up sooner? Thinking of this, Cornelia suddenly asked a seemingly unrted question, ¡°Dr. Lester, how many years have you been with President Hartley?¡± Dr. Lester asked, ¡°Why do you suddenly ask that?¡±N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Chapter 556 Chapter 556 Chapter 556 Comelia asked, ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me?¡± Dr. Lester replied, ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with Marc¡¯s condition.¡± Comelia insisted. ¡°It¡¯s very relevant Please tell me the truth, Dr. Lester¡± Dr. Lester thought for a moment, ¡°It s been a while, even longer than Dr. Dawson¡± Only then did Comelia understand. Knowing Marcus¡® personality, he would never put all his eggs in one basket. Even if Dr. Dawson and her son betrayed him during hisa, he had other people to rely on Cornelia told Dr Lester, ¡®Before President Hartley wakes up, I hope you can stay by his side. All his meds, you need to handle them personally and don¡¯t let anyone else touch them, especially not Dr. Dawson.¡± It wasn¡¯t that she was being petty with Dr. Dawson, but both Dr. Dawson and her son were emotionally unstable right now. They might do something harmful to Marcus out of spite. Marcus. at the moment, was totally defenseless and couldn¡¯t afford any slip¨Cups. Though she didn¡¯t want to admit that she was his wife, the fact was that she was. During Marcus¡® coma, she had to step up and protect him. She was determined to ensure that nothing untoward happened to him during this time. Dr. Lester looked at Cornelia with newfound respect. This was the woman Marc had chosen, the one he had picked among many others, who could keep calm no matter what Dr. Lester assured Cornelia, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Ms. Stewart, I¡¯ve got it all covered. The most important thing now is to get Marc to wake up as soon as possible. I¡¯ve done everything I can, do you have any ideas?¡± Cornelia had an idea, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it would work. ¡°Dr. Lester, can I go in and talk to President Hartley? I¡¯m not sure if my method will work, but I want to give it a try. Maybe it will work for President Hartley.¡± Dr Lester responded, ¡°That¡¯s the spint.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Do you know that I¡¯m also Marcus¡® wife?¡± Dr Lester didn¡¯t answer. Cornelia guessed that he didn¡¯t know. Marcus wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would tell his subordinates everything. Dr. Lester stood up immediately. ¡°Let¡¯s get you into a protective suit first, then you can go in and talk to President Hartley.¡± Cornelia agreed N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. As they were leaving, Cornelia saw Ayden standing guard outside Marcus¡® room. She called out to him, ¡°Ayden, besides you and your brother, is there anyone else around President Hanley?¡± Ayden answered, ¡°Yes.¡± Cornelia felt slightly relieved, ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot with President Hartley, he trusts you the most. During hisa, you have to ensure his safety. From now on, try to keep your brother away from President Hartley¡¯s room.¡± Ayden replied, ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Thank you.¡± After giving out all her instructions, Cornelia put on her protective suit and went into Marcus¡® room. She sat by his bed, listening to the beeping of the machines, her heart racing She had a lot to say to him before she came in, but once she was in the room, she didn¡¯t know where to start. Chapter 557 Chapter 557 Chapter 557 Comelia wasn¡¯t sure if her words would reach Marcus. She just sat there in silence, watching him. Marcus looked even paler than what she had seen through the window, his face as thin as paper, as if it could be pierced with a mere touch. Despite his severe sickness, there was a morbid beauty to his face. It was as if some supernatural force was involved when his parents created him, giving him such a perfect face. After staring at Marcus for a while. Cornelia felt it was a bit rude, so she started slowly, ¡°Marcus, do you remember Bri and your grandma? Your grandma is old, Bri is still a kid, and they depend on you Have you ever thought about what would happen to them if something happened to you?¡± As she spoke, Cornelia watched Marcus on the hospital bed, hoping he would show some reaction. She talked a lot about his grandma and Bri, but Marcus didn¡¯t respond at all He didn¡¯t even twitch his fingers or blink his eyes like in the TV dramas. If family can¡¯t wake him up, could money and women do the trick? Cornelia wasn¡¯t sure, but she decided to give it a shot, ¡°Marcus, you¡¯re a billionaire with endless wealth. But now, lying here, you can¡¯t spend a penny. That must suck, huh?¡± When money didn¡¯t stir him, Cornelia tried women, ¡°Marcus, there¡¯s a very beautiful female star in the entertainment industry recently Young and beautiful, even women would be attracted to her, let alone men. If you¡¯d just wake up, I could help you pursue her, make her yours. Or if there¡¯s any other women you fancy, you can tell me, I¡¯ll help you get her.¡± Cornelia spoke at length, but Marcus remained silent as if he were dead. Finally, Cornelia thought of his wife. Realizing that his wife was herself, a bitter feeling washed over Cornelia. But to wake Marcus, she needed to set her feelings aside for now, ¡°Marcus, do you remember your wife? You promised to live a good life with her. Don¡¯t go back on your word and leave her a widow at such a young age.¡± Whether by coincidence or if he truly cared about his wife, as soon as Cornelia finished speaking, she saw Marcus finger twitch. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. She was over the moon, ¡®Marcus, are you awake?¡± But Marcus didn¡¯t respond Cornelia wondered if she was seeing things, so she lightly touched the finger that had just moved. Unexpectedly, like a beast awakening, Marcus suddenly opened his eyes when her finger touched his Cornelia eximed excitedly. ¡°President Hartley, you¡¯re really awake! Awesome!¡± His hand tightly grabbed hers, pulling it into his palm, and in a hoarse voice he said, ¡°Cornelia?¡± Cornelia nodded quickly, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me¡­ I¡¯m Cornelia, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re awake.¡± Just as Cornelia was overjoyed, Marcus closed his eyes again, as if he hadn¡¯t actually woken up, and it was all just Cornelia¡¯s imagination. Could this be the rity before death? ¡°President Hartley, President Hartley¡­ Cornelia tried calling him a few more times, but he still didn¡¯t respond. Chapter 558 Chapter 558 Chapter 558 ¡°Why the heck is this happening?¡± Cornelia was puzzled. She was nning to call Dr. Lester in for a check, but noticed that her hand was firmly held by Marcus. She tried to move slightly, but Marcus held her even tighter ¡°Mr. Marcus, if you¡¯re awake, cut the act, okay? Don¡¯t scare us like this,¡± Cornelia suspected Marcus was ying possum because she didn¡¯t understand how aatose person could hold her hand so lightly She extended her other hand and gently pinched the back of his hand. She used a certain amount of force, if he was pretending, he should have reacted However, Marcus didn¡¯t respond at all, leaving Cornelia utterly disappointed. As for why he suddenly opened his eyes, held her hand, and called her name, Cornelia, not being a doctor, couldn¡¯t understand. She needed to get Dr. Lester to check on him right away. Cornelia tried again to free her hand, but still to no avail. Even with all her strength, she couldn¡¯t break free from Marcus¡® grip. He hadn¡¯t woken up, then why was his grip so strong? With no other options, all Cornelia could do was stay by his side, literally not moving an inch; she couldn¡¯t even go to the restroom. Luckily, she hadn¡¯t drunk much water today¡­ Meanwhile, Zack and Abigail were still waiting in the parking lot. With Cornelia yet to return, they couldn¡¯t leave at ease. They had wanted to go into the hospital, but were blocked by several burly men at the entrance. Zack angrily said, ¡°This is a hospital, meant to serve patients. Who the hell are you to stop us?¡± The men blocked the entrance,pletely ignoring hisints. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Abigail quickly dragged Zack away, ¡°I noticed that we¡¯ve been waiting here for so long and aside from us, not a single person has gone in or out. I guess Marcus¡® condition must be really bad, that¡¯s why they¡¯re so strict about letting outsiders in.¡± Zack asked, ¡°What the heck happened to Marcus?¡± Abigail shook her head, ¡°I have no idea. I just heard that tall guy say Marcus¡® condition is serious.¡± Zack said worriedly. ¡°Could it be that Marcus is pretending to be sick just to keep Cornelia with him?¡± Abigail shook her head and then nodded, ¡°It¡¯s possible. I read a novel once where the male lead got the female lead back by pretending to be sick¡­¡± Zack angrily interrupted Abigail, ¡°What the hell! You¡¯re still thinking about novels? Novels are all made up, just fantasies created for girls like you. There¡¯s not so much fairytale stuff in real life. What I¡¯m worried about now is that Marcus, knowing Cornelia wants a divorce, might do something drastic and harm her.¡± Shaken by Zack¡¯s words, Abigail quickly shook her head, ¡°No way, absolutely no way. Marcus would never hurt Nelly.¡± Zack coldly said, ¡°Marcus, that heartless bastard, could send his own father to jail. What else can¡¯t he do?¡± Chapter 559 Chapter 559 Chapter 559 Abigail tned toe up with some excuses for Marcus. She was at a loss for words though. Marcus wasn¡¯t just a dreamboat for many women, he was also the talk of the town. People were saying he sent his own father to jail just to seize power, and he had long beenbeled as ruthless and heartless Zack then said, ¡°If Marcus really did something to Nelly, he¡¯d clean up the mess so thoroughly we wouldn¡¯t even find Nelly¡¯s body Should we call the cops?¡± Zack¡¯s words were getting more and more oundish, making Abigail swallow nervously. ¡°Nelly¡¯s his legit wife, and she¡¯s been working her butt off by his side all this time. He wouldn¡¯t do such a thing, would he?¡± Zack shot Abigail a look, ¡°What are you doing still defending him?¡± ¡°Not that, Abigail thought hard, then she suddenly realized something. ¡°What if it¡¯s not me overthinking things, but you, Zack?¡± Zack, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Abigail, ¡°You¡¯ve always had something against Marcus, thought he was after our Nelly. Now that you¡¯ve found out Marcus is Jeremy, you can¡¯t handle it and you¡¯reing up with all this stuff to try and split Nelly and Marcus up¡± Zack didn¡¯t deny it, ¡°Yes, I do hate seeing Nelly being with Marcus. I¡¯ll never forget our sophomore year, when we returned to Riverton from Rosenberg, and the way that jerk talked to Nelly at the airport. That jerk was just from a slightly well¨Coff family in Riverton. And he couldn¡¯t even handle the rumors about Nelly, let alone a guy with a background like Marcus. If Nelly fell for Marcus and he found out about Nelly¡¯s past, then asked for a divorce, imagine what that would do to Nelly¡± Just the thought of Cornelia getting hurt again made Zack furious, ¡°If he really is cheating, we need to help Nelly sort things out before she gets too attached.¡± Abigail, ¡°Don¡¯tpare Marcus with that jerk, in what way is that jerk better than Marcus?¡± Zack, ¡°Who knows.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Zack, Abigail, when are you nning to leave?¡± A deep male voice suddenly sounded from outside the car, making Abigail jump into Zack¡¯s arms. Zack was protective, ¡°Who are you?¡± The man in the suit said, ¡°If you¡¯re not nning to leave, there¡¯s a rest area in the hospital. You can rest there¡± This guy looked tough. Zack was a bit scared, but for Cornelia¡¯s sake, he plucked up the courage, ¡°Okay, we¡¯ll rest in the rest area.¡± Abigail, ¡°Are you nning to take us there and do something to us?¡± The man in the suit, ¡°If you¡¯re afraid¡­¡± Zack puffed out his chest and led Abigail forward, ¡°Who¡¯s afraid? I¡¯d even dare to flip Marcus off. Do you think I¡¯d be afraid of you?¡± They thought they¡¯d find Cornelia as soon as they entered the hospital. Instead, they were led straight into a rest area, guarded by people. They couldn¡¯t leave the rest area, let alone see Cornelia. At this point, Zack and Abigail really realized how powerful Marcus was. If this man really wanted to do something to Cornelia, they stood no chance. This thought was frightening and unsettling. Chapter 560 Chapter 560 Chapter 560 At this point, Comelia was held by the hand by Marcus, staying passively by his side. When she really couldn¡¯t resist the sleepiness, she fell asleep next to Marcus¡® sickbed. Cornelia didn¡¯t know, the moment she fell asleep, Marcus slowly opened his eyes. He immediately removed the mask and needles, got out of bed, picked her up and walked out of the ICU to the room he had been in before. His room was more like a luxury suite, with better equipment than a five star hotel. The bed he slept in wasn¡¯t a small one, but a bigger one that could amodate two people. Marcus put Cornelia on the bed and then he got in bed lying next to her. He looked at her sleeping face, lightly poked her nose, ¡°Little liar, you want to divorce me? Wait till I¡¯m dead! Otherwise, don¡¯t even think about leaving me.¡± Cornelia swatted his hand away, mumbling ¡°Abby, Zack, stop fooling around, I need to sleep. If I fall asleep at work tomorrow, Marcus will dock my pay¡­ ¡°Alright, sleep!¡± Marcus pulled her into his arms. He was ready to tell her his real identity, and in a few days, he would meet her as Jeremy. He wasn¡¯t afraid she would find out early. He looked at her peaceful sleeping face, and thinking about how she talked about money every day, he couldn¡¯t help butugh. This girl was even thinking about her sry in her sleep. He couldn¡¯t understand since she loved money so much, why she hadn¡¯t spent a penny from the bank card that he gave her Dr. Lester knocked on the door of the ward, ¡°Marc, may Ie in?¡± Marcus immediately covered Cornelia¡¯s ears, ¡°Sure.¡± Dr. Lester entered, walked up to Marcus, and reattached the drip, ¡°Marc, although you didn¡¯t faint again, your physical condition is indeed very bad. You need to rest well in the short term, try to control your desires, and there are things you better not do.¡± Marcus, ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Dr. Lester cleared his throat, ¡°Young people are energetic and impulsive. Considering your current physical condition, you¡¯d better not sleep with Cornelia¡­¡± Marcus frowned, ¡°Get out.¡± ¡°Okay okay, I¡¯m going¡± As Dr Lester was leaving, he added, ¡°You¡¯re both young, there¡¯s no rush. You have plenty of time.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Marcus ignored Dr. Lester After the door closed again, he continued to look down at Cornelia in his arms. Holding her made him feel calm and happy, and even a bit greedy. Whether she agreed or not, whether she insisted on divorcing him or not, he would not let go. He wanted to hold her like this in the future. Cornelia slept veryfortably this time. In the past, when she was troubled, she would suffer from insomnia and couldn¡¯t sleep all night without knowing why. But this time, even though she had many worries, she slept until dawn. When she woke up, her eyes still closed, her instincts drove her to reach for her phone. But before she could touch it, she heard a deep, pleasant male voice, which was familiar and heart¨Cstirring. ¡°Are you awake?¡± Chapter 561 Chapter 561 Chapter 561 Comelia practically jumped out of bed at the sound, immediately turning to look in its direction. There was Marcus, dressed in white shirt and ck cks. He was sitting in a single¨Cseater sofa by the window, legs crossed elegantly, a tablet in hand. He seemed to be looking through some documents. For a moment, Cornelia¡¯s mind went nk, until she realized she appeared to have woken up on Marcus¡® hospital bed Cornelia quickly threw back the covers to check, and found her clothes neatly on. She heaved a sigh of relief Thank goodness she was a prim sleeper, with no habit of undressing unconsciously in her sleep. She hurriedly jumped off the bed, stuttering nervously, ¡°President Hartley, when when did you wake up? How, how¡­ how did I end up waking up on your bed?¡± ¡°Thank you for staying by my bedsidest night¡± Marcus looked up at her, his meaningful and inscrutable gaze making Cornelia even more flustered. He didn¡¯t directly answer her question, leaving her clueless as to how she ended up on his bed. Seeing her difort, Marcus reassured her softly. ¡°I saw you sleeping ufortably by the bedside, so after I got up, since the bed was empty anyway I let you lie down for a bit.¡± Hearing this, Cornelia let out a long sigh of relief, her eyes brightening, ¡°Phew, you scared the daylights out of me. I thought I had climbed onto your bed on my own.¡± Marcus was speechless. She really can¡¯t handle sleeping with him? His expression darkened slightly, but Cornelia didn¡¯t notice, ¡°President Hartley, do you still feel unwell somewhere?¡°\ Marcus, ¡°Nothing serious.¡± Last night before she fell asleep, he was still in the ICU, but this morning he was sitting by the window looking at documents, all dressed up. Even with some magical cure, he couldn¡¯t possibly recover that fast. Cornelia quickly realized she might have been fooled by them all, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing seriously wrong with you, I¡¯ll leave.¡± Marcus turned back to his tablet, responding nonchntly, ¡°Alright¡± Humph, wasn¡¯t he a bit too aloof? She stayed with him all night, even if there was no credit, there was still effort. Leaving Marcus¡® room, Cornelia didn¡¯t leave right away. She went to Dr. Lester¡¯s office, ¡°Dr. Lester, did you all gang up to trick me? Is this a thing to joke about?¡± They got her worry so muchst night. Dr. Lester replied, ¡°Do you think we were fooling you? You¡¯ve seen how much Marcus values his dignity. If he were awake, how could he let you see how weak he is?¡± Hearing this, Cornelia started doubting her guess again, ¡°Are you saying President Hartley¡¯s condition is still bad?¡± Dr. Lester, ¡°What I can tell you is that his life isn¡¯t in danger for now, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything else.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia, ¡°What else can I do to help him?¡± Dr. Lester, ¡°Can you cook?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Yes, I can¡± Chapter 562 Chapter 562 Chapter 562 Dr. Lester said, ¡°He hasn¡¯t had much appetite recently, he just can¡¯t seem to stomach anything. If you¡¯re free, could you whip up some sick person¨Cfriendly grub for him?¡± Comelia replied, ¡°My cooking skills are pretty average, nothingpared to his personal chefs. If he can¡¯t even choke down their food, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to eat mine either.¡± Dr. Lester countered, ¡°Sometimes, appetite isn¡¯t all about the taste of the food. It might have something to do with who¡¯s doing the cooking. He might be sick of the fancy chef food, a change of menu might just do the trick¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°How long has he gone without eating?¡± Dr. Lester responded. ¡°Not too long about two days.¡± Two days without food and that was not considered a long time? Cornelia started to soften, ¡°Alright. The hospital is not far from my ce, I¡¯ll go home and cook something, then bring it over.¡± Dr. Lester, grinning from ear to ear, shook Cornelia¡¯s hand firmly, ¡°Thank you so much.¡± With Cornelia on board, he didn¡¯t have to deal with the big shot himself. Seeing Dr. Lester¡¯s beaming face, Cornelia suddenly got the feeling that she¡¯d walked into a trap Marcus was a hard¨Cto¨Cplease foodie, who only ate organic vegetables grown by the Hartley Group¡¯s farm, along with the poultry and livestock raised there. To cook something up to his tastes, you¡¯d need not only good cooking skills but also top-notch ingredients. After leaving the hospital, Cornelia had to drive a few extra miles to buy groceries from the Hartley Group¡¯s Blueshell Fresh Supermarket The quality of the products at Blueshell Fresh Supermarket was better than other supermarkets, and the prices were steeper too. You needed a membership card to shop there, and the typical annual spend was in the six figures. It was a ce for the wealthy. Even though Cornelia could get an internal discount, she had never shopped there before. Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Cornelia knew that when people were sick, their immune system was weak and their digestive system slowed down, so they should eat lighter, easily digestible foods, but still needed to maintain a bnced diet for quick recovery. Not sure what to buy, Cornelia did a quick online search, considering staple grains, protein, vitamins, etc. So, she bought a pumpkin and some Italian rice to make pumpkin porridge, and a few eggs for making omelettes. Next, she picked half a chicken and some herbs for making chicken soup, andstly, she bought various fruits and milk. All these food items set her back nearly a thousand bucks. After paying, Cornelia went straight to the service desk to get an invoice. This was Marcus¡® bill, and she was definitely going to get Marcus to sign off on this. When she got home, Zack and Abigail were out. Cornelia figured they¡¯d gone to the studio and didn¡¯t think much of it She started by cleaning the chicken, nched it in boiling water, then put it in the pot with some veggies. While the chicken soup was simmering. Cornelia washed the rice to prepare for the pumpkin porridge. Since the omelette wouldn¡¯t take long to cook, she nned to make it when the soup was almost ready, so it could be delivered to the hospital immediately. To make a decent pot of soup, it would take at least two hours. During this break, Cornelia sent Natalia a WhatsApp message, ¡°Ms. Reese, could you spare a moment for a chat?¡± Someone quickly replied, ¡°Ms. Stewart, I hope you understand the difference in status between you and Natalia. Natalia is the darling of the Reese family, one of the most prestigious families in Riverton. She¡¯s like the brightest star in the night sky, out of reach for many. And you, let¡¯s be real, you¡¯re just a servant of the Hartley family. Servants stay servants, they can never be the master. You should know your ce, don¡¯t let me catch you bothering Natalia again.¡± Chapter 563 Chapter 563 Chapter 563 Seeing that high¨Cand¨Cmighty WhatsApp reply. Comelia slowly understood why Natalia was so hell bent on marrying Marcus. With such a snobbish mother and distorted values instilled in her from a young age, it was pretty impressive that Natalia was able to stay the way she was. Cornelia let out augh and immediately blocked the number She¡¯d never thought about brown nosing anyone, let alone Natalia She¡¯d only reached out to Natalia this time because after seeing Marcusst night, especially when he suddenly woke up from his stupor, calling her name and tightly holding her hand, she had her doubts. Maybe Marcus wasn¡¯t lying to her, and he genuinely wanted to spend his life with her as Jeremy. He really seemed to want to spend his life with her and knowing him after a year, he wouldn¡¯t mess around with other women. So, that day when Marcus slept with Natalia, it could have been under unclear consciousness or some other special circumstances. As for the exact reason, the other person involved, Zavier, should know best¡­ After some thought, Cornelia dialed Zavier¡¯s number. As soon as the call went through, he picked up almost immediately, like he¡¯d been waiting for her call, ¡°Ms. Stewart, what can I do for you?¡± He guessed her intentions, which saved her a lot of trouble, ¡°Mr. Rivera, what exactly did you do to my President Hartley at Riverside Terrace Club that night? That made him sleep with Natalia in an unclear state of mind.¡± Zavier chuckled, ¡°Oh, my President Hartley¡®, quite a personal term.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Mr. Rivera, I¡¯m asking you a serious question.¡± Zavier, ¡°Was your President Hartley out of his mind that night? Did you see or hear anything off about him?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Cornelia, ¡°Mr. Rivera, did you do something to him?¡± Zavier, ¡°What did I do? Please enlighten me, Ms Stewart I have no idea what I¡¯ve done.¡± Zavier was wasting Cornelia¡¯s time by ying dumb. She cut to the chase, ¡®Did you drug my President Hartley that night?¡± Zavier, ¡°Tell me where Skyler is, and I¡¯ll tell you what I did to Marc that night.¡± Cornelia, ¡°I don¡¯t know where Skyler is. Mr. Rivera, if you truly love Skyler, let her be free, don¡¯t imprison her like a pet¡± Zavier¡¯s voice dropped, clearly not pleased, ¡°Since when is it your ce to tell me what to do?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Alright, if you won¡¯t talk, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just ask my President Hartley directly Zavier, ¡°Ask your President Hartley? You¡¯re just his assistant, not his wife. Does he owe you an exnation about his affairs?¡± Zavier knew Cornelia¡¯s straightforward style. If she decided to do something, she might directly ask Marcus. His mission was to prevent Cornelia from seeking Marcus. Otherwise, his ns would be wasted. Without giving Cornelia any time to respond, he asked, ¡°Why do you believe that Marc¡¯s rtionship with Natalia urred when he was not sober?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been with him for a year, I understand his personality.¡± Zavier said, ¡°I¡¯m really envious that Marc has a friend and assistant like you. You¡¯re so beautiful and always by Marc¡¯s side, doesn¡¯t his wife feel threatened?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°That¡¯s none of your concern. If you don¡¯t want to tell me, I¡¯ll hang up.¡± Zavier said, ¡®It¡¯s not a secret. Since you want to know, I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t respond, waiting for him to talk. Zavier said, ¡°That night, I gave Marc some drugs. The dosage was heavy, making him lose control of himself, and he ended up with the woman I arranged.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Did Natalia willingly sleep with him, or were you forcing her?¡± Zavier said, ¡°Natalia¡¯s feelings for Marc are nothing new. Why would I force her? If she¡¯s willing to sleep with him, there are plenty of women lining up to do the same. I¡¯m not that evil to force a weak woman¡± Chapter 564 Chapter 564 Chapter 564 Hearing this, Cornelia felt a weight lift off her chest. ¡°Thanks for the heads¨Cup, Mr. Rivera Goodbye!¡± ¡°Wait a sec,¡± Zavier cut in. ¡°What else?¡± Comelia asked ¡°I want to know what you think as a woman. If Marc¡¯s wife knew he was messing around with other women, do you think she would mind? Zavier asked. ¡°I¡¯m not his wife, how would I know? Cornelia snapped back. She was sure he was trying to fish for information, but she was not about to give him the satisfaction. With that, Cornelia hung up After Marcus helped Skyler, Zavier had been searching for months to no avail. Now he was stirring up trouble every day, trying to force Marcus to hand over Skyler. So Cornelia concluded, Zavier¡¯s words were not entirely trustworthy. Listening to the dial tone, Zavier cracked a smile. He wasn¡¯t surprised that Cornelia would doubt what had happened that day, so he had his game n ready. However, Cornelia only considered that Marcus might have been out of it that day, not realizing the man in bed wasn¡¯t Marcus at all. Zavier just needed to nt this seed of doubt between them. ¡°Marc, the day Cornelia finds out you¡¯re actually Jeremy is the day she leaves. I can¡¯t wait for that day toe.¡± After hanging up, Cornelia opened WhatsApp and scrolled to her chat with Jeremy. Thest message was one she had sent in a fit of anger the night before, ¡°Jeremy, I can¡¯t be with you anymore. Let¡¯s get a divorce.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. After sending this message, Jeremy didn¡¯t reply. It made sense that he didn¡¯t respond when he was unconsciousst night, but he was awake now. Why hadn¡¯t he replied? Did he not want a divorce? Or did he just not care? As she was pondering this, a new message popped up on the screen. ¡°Cornelia, I was going to tell you that I wouldn¡¯t divorce you unless I die. But then I thought I should ask why you want a divorce. Can you tell me?¡± Jeremy wrote. She had been very emotional and impulsive at the time, and sent the message without much thought. Now, she regretted it. After all, they were once married and if they were going to part ways, she should at least give him an exnation. ¡°You cant ept a cheating wife, neither can I ept a cheating husband¡± Cornelia typed out, but quickly erased. If she responded like this, he might suspect she knew his true identity. She didn¡¯t want him to know just yet that she was onto him, so she couldn¡¯t directly ask about that morning Cornelia put away her phone, deciding not to reply to his message. Chapter 565 Chapter 565 Chapter 565 Cornelia didn¡¯t reply, and Jeremy sent a few more messages in a row ¡°Cornelia, you promised me once. Don¡¯t go back on your word¡± ¡°Cornelia, respond to me¡± ¡°Cornelia, you once said you would never leave me, are you going back on that too?¡± Cornelia was soft hearted, especially towards Jeremy But when she remembered that he was actually Marcus, who wasn¡¯t as helpless as he pretended to be, she began to hesitate After a while, Cornelia moved her fingers and started to respond, ¡°Hold your horses. Let me gather my thoughts, then we can chat.¡± Jeremy replied, ¡°If there¡¯s anything bothering you, you can tell me. Maybe I can help.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°No need¡± After replying. Cornelia tossed her phone aside, not wanting to chat anymore. She was used to her superior¨Csubordinate rtionship with Marcus and wasn¡¯t ready to ept that he was her husband. Moreover, she had yet to figure out what exactly happened between him and Natalia that day. Lunch was ready by midday. Cornelia packed two lunch boxes and was ready to go to the hospital. When she opened the door, she ran into the gloomy¨Clooking Abigail and Zack. ¡°What¡¯s up with you guys?¡± Abigail and Zack asked simultaneously, ¡°Why are you home? Did Marcus do anything to you?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°What could he possibly do to me? I¡¯ve been back for a while. Where did you guys go? It looks like you didn¡¯t sleep wellst night.¡± Zack and Abigail took a closer look at Cornelia and, not finding any injuries, finally rxed. Abigail said, ¡°We were worried about you going to see Marcus alonest night, so we waited for you in the parking lot. Later, a man in a suit took us to a rest area in the hospital, provided us with food and drink, but didn¡¯t allow us to look for you or wander around the hospital. We couldn¡¯t hold on any longer, so we came back to rest.¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. Cornelia said. ¡°Then you guys should rest. Don¡¯t worry about me, I can take care of myself.¡± Zack saw the lunch boxes in her hand, ¡°Did you make those for Marcus?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Zack asked, ¡°Are you nning to stay with him?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I haven¡¯t decided yet.¡± Zack continued. ¡°Then why are you still making food for him?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°He is my superior, and I am his assistant. This is also part of my job.¡± Zack said, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be like Abigail, only looking at the surface, not the essence. Seeing his good looks and forgetting how he deceived and betrayed you.¡± Abigail intervened, ¡°Don¡¯t drag me into this.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I might have misunderstood him about that incident. Let¡¯s not bring it up again.¡± Zack contested. ¡°You saw it with your own eyes, how could it be false?¡± Cornelia smiled, ¡®What you see with your own eyes might not always be the truth.¡± Zack agreed, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± There were many people who saw Cornelia seducing a neighbor¡¯s husband with their own eyes, and caught by the man¡¯s wife, but the truth was different. Cornelia said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you guys to be back, so I didn¡¯t prepare lunch for you. Just order takeout. I¡¯m heading to the hospital.¡± Abigail replied, ¡°Drive safe.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Will do.¡± Cornelia rushed to the hospital, with Dr Lester greeting her at the door. Seeing the two lunch boxes in her hand, Dr Lester grinned from ear to ear, ¡°Ms. Stewart, what delicious food did you prepare for Mare?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I made chicken soup and omelets, but I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯ll like them.¡± Dr. Lester assured her ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll love whatever you make. He took a nap after you left and just woke up. You can take the food directly to his room. It would be best if you could watch him finish it.¡± Chapter 566 Chapter566 Cornelia politely knocked on the door. Marcus allowed her in, and then she gingerly pushed open the door. He was still sitting on the couch next to the window, with his back to the door, staring out the window, looking pretty lonesome. She had no idea what he was looking at Seeing his back, Cornelia felt a pang in her heart, ¡°President Hartley¡­¡± It seemed Marcus hadn¡¯t expected her to show up again. He turned around abruptly, ¡°Why you here again?¡± Comelia held up two lunch boxes, ¡°I made food for you, would you like to try some?¡± Marcus, wearing silver¨Crimmed sses, his eyes lit up, ¡°Did you make these yourself?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yes¡± Marcus quickly stood up and moved toward her, not looking at all like the loss of appetite Dr. Lester had mentioned, ¡°Perfect timing, I¡¯m starving¡± Cornelia opened the lunch boxes, took out the containers, and ced them on the table one by one, ¡°Eat up then.¡± Marcus took a seat, ¡°Join me.¡± Comelia, ¡°I¡¯ve already eaten.¡± Marcus¡® n to have a meal together was foiled. He asked again, ¡°What did you have?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Some pasta.¡± He asked, she answered, no unnecessary chatter. Marcus tried to find a topic. ¡°What made you cook?¡± Cornelia answered truthfully, ¡°Dr. Lester said you¡¯re tired of the chef¡¯s cooking and you haven¡¯t been eating. He asked me to switch it up for you.¡± Marcus was a bit upset hearing that. He thought she cooked because she cared about him. Guess he got it wrong. He lowered his head and ate in silence. Cornelia watched him eat slowly, ¡°President Hartley, how¡¯s the taste?¡± Despite being a bit irked, Marcus didn¡¯t say the food was bad, ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She was thrilled to get his approval, ¡°I know you¡¯re a picky eater. I went to Blueshell Supermarket today especially to get ingredients for you¡± Marcus looked up, his heart fluttered seeing her bright eyes, an unfamiliar emotion stirred within him. ¡°Thank you! I really like it.¡± Cornelia took out the receipt from her pocket and showed him, ¡°It cost 1098 dors in total. Do you want to transfer it to me directly, or should I get reimbursed from thepany?¡± The food in Marcus¡® mouth suddenly lost its taste. Cornelia, ¡°President Hartley?¡± Marcus took out his work phone and transferred 1098 dors to her instantly, no fuss. Cornelia received the money and smiled, ¡°Thank you, President Hartley!¡± Her smile brightened up Marcus¡® gloomy mood, ¡°You sure know how to manage your money!¡± Who didn¡¯t like money? Moreover, it was spent on him, so it was only right he should reimburse her. After dinner, Marcus transferred 500 dors to Cornelia¡¯s ount. ¡°Your cooking¡¯s good. I¡¯d like you to keep making dinner for me. This is for today¡¯s service.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia replied, ¡°Alright¡± 500 dors for just two meals, what a pleasant surprise. Cornelia happily epted the money, ¡°Mr Hartley, Dr. Lester told me you need to rest well. Since you don¡¯t have any ns, why not stay in the hospital a few more days?¡± Marcus quickly figured out her scheme. The longer he stayed in the hospital, the more money she could make. He was more than willing to let her earn his money. ¡°I¡¯m checking out in a while. You¡¯reing with me to Celestial Chateau.¡± Chapter 5677 Comelia didn¡¯t say a word. Chapter 567 Chapter 567 Chapter 567 He wanted her to go home with him again, but she wasn¡¯t keen Seeing her expression, Marcus assumed she was worried about the loss of ie, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, there¡¯s still a $500 daily pay for taking care of me¡± Without the hefty pay, she probably wouldn¡¯t agree. He could afford to pay her tens of thousands a day Cornelia said, ¡°Alright, no problem¡± Who in the world didn¡¯t love money, right? Five hundred dors a day that was a grand in two days, two and a half grand in five days. That was what many people could earn in a couple of months Marcus was speechless. He certainly found a money¨Cloving girl. But thankfully, money was the least of his worries. Marcus hated the hospital, but he wasn¡¯t fit to be discharged yet and needed to rest. So, not only Cornelia, but also Dr. Lester came home with him There was a fancier ride waiting for him, but he insisted on riding in her car. With a big shot in her car, Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to lose focus even for a second and drove carefully. Marcus was in the passenger seat, resting his eyes, not initiating any conversation. Just before they arrived, he asked casually, ¡°How do you find driving this car?¡± Cornelia said. ¡°It¡¯s nice.¡± Marcus muttered, ¡°Cornelia¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Hmm?¡± Exclusive ? content by N(?)ve/l/Drama.Org. After a pause, he asked another question, ¡°Jeremy told me that you want to divorce him. Would you tell me why?¡± What a con artist he was! Trying to trick her and fish information from her. Not a chance! Cornelia responded politely, ¡°President Hartley, that¡¯s my personal business. I don¡¯t want to bother you with it, so please don¡¯t ask anymore.¡± His heart ached at her words, and he coughed lightly. Hearing his cough, Cornelia finally looked at him, ¡°President Hartley, you alright?¡± Marcus shook his head, closed his eyes again. His face looked calm but his heart was turbulent. In a few days, it would be their second wedding anniversary, also the day Jeremy and Cornelia nned to meet Last night on WhatsApp, she was fine, even made ns to meet him. Why did she suddenly want a divorce after he asked about Jeremy? He had to find the root of the problem and resolve it in time. He must meet her on May 8th as Jeremy and reveal his true identity. They soon arrived at Celestial Chateau. Cornelia parked the car and went to open the passenger door for him, but he was already out of the car, He walked fast, didn¡¯t wait for her, and left Cornelia behind in no time. Dr. Lester ran after him, ¡°Marc, slow down, will you? Don¡¯t you know your own condition? You need to rest, no vigorous activities¡± However, Marcus ignored him and kept walking briskly. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Dr. Lester stopped and looked at Cornelia with hopeful eyes, ¡°Cornelia, could you please talk to Marcus and get him to rest properly in bed in theing days? He might listen to you.¡± Chapter 568 Chapter 568 Chapter 568 Comelia asked, ¡°I got a feeling he¡¯s mad at me?¡± Dr. Lester replied, ¡°How can that be?¡± Comelia was unsure if he would take her advice, but she still wanted to give it a shot. His well being was the top priority at the moment. ¡°Let me try to talk to him, Cornelia sald So moved, Dr. Lester grabbed Cornelia¡¯s hand tightly, and eximed, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re a real lifesaver¡± Comelia gently pulled her hand back, ¡°Dr. Lester, you are wee.¡± ¡°Nelly, Nelly¡± Patricia hurried toward Cornelia, her face full of a gentle smile, ¡°I learned a new recipe, would you taste it for me tonight?¡± Comelia responded with a brilliant smile, ¡°Sure¡± Patricia took her hand and led her toward the house. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go inside. Tell me what you¡¯d like to eat or drink and I¡¯ll whip it up in a jiffy. You can also give me a ring before youe next time. Let me know what you fancy and I¡¯ll have it ready.¡± Dr. Lester wasn¡¯t pleased, ¡°Patricia, don¡¯t just focus on food and drinks. Let Cornelia speak to Marc first.¡± ¡°What happened to Marc?¡± Patricia was so focused on Cornelia that she didn¡¯t notice Marcus¡¯s unusual behavior. As soon as she heard that Cornelia was here, she rushed Over Dr. Lester said, ¡°Marc¡¯s health is deteriorating and he¡¯s not cooperating with the treatment. If this continues, his life may be in danger. I hope Cornelia can help talk to him.¡± Patricia agreed. ¡°Alright, Nelly, you go speak to Marc first. I¡¯ll prepare some fruit and snacks to bring up.¡± Cornelia felt a bit of pressure, ¡°Patricia, prepare some fruits. I¡¯ll bring it up to him. He wanted me to look after him for $500 a day I can¡¯t just do nothing, right?¡± Patricia was stunned. $500 a day! What the heck was Marc up to? Before she found out she was Marcus¡¯s wife, Cornelia would never casually enter his bedroom. To her, even a close assistant should have certain boundaries, and the boss¡¯s bedroom was a private space. There should always be a line drawn between men and women. Carrying a fruit te in one hand, Cornelia knocked on his door. There was no response from inside. Cornelia thought he might be asleep and was about to leave when the door suddenly opened from the inside. Marcus¡¯s tall figure appeared at the doorway, ¡°The door wasn¡¯t locked¡± He had just taken a shower, and was not dressed, only wrapped in a pure white bath towel. Cornelia caught sight of his muscr body. Honestly, his physique was too perfect that Cornelia was staring, momentarily forgetting to look away. Memories of what Abigail had said echoed in her ears. Cornelia blushed, quickly averted her eyes and awkwardly handed him the fruit te, ¡°President Hartley, I brought you some fruits.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t take it and turned back into his room, ¡°Bring it in yourself¡± Cornelia had no choice but to follow him into the room. His bedroom was evenrger than she had imagined. The bedroom was divided into several parts, the entrance more like a leisure reading area with bookshelves, desks, sofas, and tables. Further inside, there was his wardrobe on one side and his bed on the other. The entire decoration style was dark, looking very luxurious, but it also gave off a cold and ruthless vibe,cking the warmth of human touch. Cornelia ced the fruit te on the small table, ¡°I¡¯ve put the fruits on the table. Don¡¯t forget to eat.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just here to deliver fruits?¡± When he came out again, he had put on a set of pure ck satin pajamas, making him look even more noble and elegant. He was silent, and Cornelia almost forgot her real purpose ofing here, ¡®Dr. Lester is very concerned about your health. You always ignore his advice to rest properly, so he asked me to persuade you¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. Marcus raised an eyebrow slightly. ¡°Do you think I would listen if you persuade me?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°I would not overestimate my position. But I believe, even if you don¡¯t consider for yourself, you should also think about your wife. Unless you really want her to be a widow at a young age and remarry another man!¡± Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Chapter 569 Comelia seemed to feel that wasn¡¯t enough to tick him off, so she slowly added, ¡°If you kick the bucket, your wife is still so young, and she¡¯d definitely shack up with another guy Then, she and the other guy would be spending your dough, living in your mansion, sleeping in your bed ¡± Before Cornelia could finish, she saw Marcus fuming He whipped out his phone and dialed Dr. Lester, ¡®Get everything ready, I¡¯ming down Cornelia was dreaming of his demise, so she could take his money and marry another man, live in his house, sleep in his bed. Dream on, he was going to stay hate and hearty, outlive her even Cornelia was speechless She thought Marcus was different from other men, that simple provocations wouldn¡¯t work on him. Well, looked like this trick worked on all men. While Cornelia was still basking in the sess of her strategy, Marcus¡¯s pleasant voice once again reached her ears, ¡°What do you want to do this afternoon?¡± Comelia¡¯s main task today was to cook dinner for him. A meal for one, didn¡¯t take much time. If he didn¡¯t bother her, she¡¯d have some personal time, ¡°If President Hartley doesn¡¯t have any other tasks, I¡¯d like to read in your study if that¡¯s okay with you?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± He didn¡¯t say whether he agreed, just lead the way. Cornelia had no choice but to follow him quickly with the fruit te in her hand. The drip took a long time. Theoretically, it was mostfortable lying in bed, but Marcus chose to have it in the study. As long as he was willing to get treatment and rest, it was all good for Dr. Lester. No matter where the drip was. Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. After hanging the drip for Marcus, Dr. Lester gave Cornelia a look before leaving, ¡°Come out with me, I need a favor.¡± Cornelia followed him out, even thoughtfully closed the door for Marcus, ¡°Dr. Lester, what¡¯s up?¡± Dr. Lester whispered, ¡°Can you tell me, how did you persuade Marc to get the shot?¡± He knew Cornelia could persuade Marcus, but he didn¡¯t expect it so soon. She went up to the third floor and only a few minutester, he got a call from Marcus. So he was very curious He also wanted to learn from Cornelia, so he could persuade Marcus himself if she wasn¡¯t around one day Influenced by Dr. Lester, Cornelia also lowered her voice, ¡°I told him, if he doesn¡¯t take care of his health and dies from illness. Then his wife might marry another man with his money. And she and the other man would be spending his money, living in his big house, sleeping in his bed.¡± Dr. Lester was sweating. ¡°Uh, stop, I got the point.¡± Only Cornelia could use this method. If he dared to say it, Marcus would probably kick him into the Riverton River to feed the fish. Cornelia said, ¡°Alright, you go ahead. I¡¯ll keep an eye on Marcus, make sure he finishes his drip and eats properly¡± Dr. Lester replied, ¡°You¡¯re doing great.¡± Cornelia returned to the study to find Marcus sitting on the couch, an IV in one hand, a book in the other, engrossed The sunlight from outside streamed through therge floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, casting a golden glow on him, making him look like a painting. It was hard to take her eyes off. Cornelia always knew Marcus had a handsome face and a great body. Even casually, he could still take her breath away. That face, totally model material. Although Marcus seemed to be reading, his attention was always on Cornelia. From the corner of his eye, he saw Cornelia leave with Dr. Lester and return alone Naturally, he knew she was watching him. But he didn¡¯t know what she was trying to see in him? Chapter 570 Chapter 570 Chapter 570 N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. It had been a while since she looked away from him Marcus looked up at her, ¡°You keep staring at me. Is there something on my face? Caught in the act, Cornelia awkwardly scratched her head, ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking at you. I was just checking the weather outside. The sun is so strong today that if you go for a walk, you mighte back with your skin peeling off.¡± She said she was looking at the weather, so let¡¯s go with that. As her husband, he should be more amodating to her, ¡°What did Dr Lester want with you?¡± Comelia said, ¡°He just wanted to know how I convinced you.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Did you tell him?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Yeah¡± Marcus said, ¡°We should keep our business to ourselves.¡± Comelia said, ¡°He¡¯s just looking out for you. And it was Dr. Lester who asked me to convince you, so of course I had to tell him. Otherwise, he might misunderstand our rtionship¡± Marcus asked. ¡°Do you mind having a special rtionship?¡± Comelia said, ¡°Yeah¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Why?¡± Did he still not know that she already knew he was Jeremy? And he was still asking why? Did he think every woman wanted to have some kind of rtionship with him? Cornelia said, ¡°You¡¯re a married man, and I¡¯m married too. If there¡¯s anything unclear between us, it¡¯s not good for either of us Cornelia¡¯s words gave Marcus a glimmer of hope, ¡°If I wasn¡¯t married and you weren¡¯t married, would you marry me and be my wife?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t reply Why would he suddenly ask such a straightforward question? Did he know that she knew already that he was Jeremy? Cornelia wasn¡¯t sure, so she tentatively asked him, ¡°President Hartley, why would you suddenly ask that?¡± Marcus said, ¡°You just need to answer yes or no.¡± If they weren¡¯t married, that would be great! But there were no ifs. She and he were legally recognized as husband and wife. She wanted to end this rtionship, but it was not that easy. So she said, ¡°No¡± When she spoke, she clearly felt a sense of loss in Marcus¡¯s eyes, a loss that seemed to carry a hint of harshness. Cornelia felt that he wanted to tear down the invisible barrier between them and be honest with each other. But she wasn¡¯t ready to face him as his wife, so she had to deter him before he could speak out, ¡°There are no ifs in this world¡± ¡°No¡± was like a punch that hit Marcus hard in the heart. He had known that he might get such a result, but he stubbornly wanted an exnation, ¡°Why?¡± If he wanted to ask, then she could take this opportunity to express her thoughts and investigate the truth of that morning. ¡°There are three reasons. First, there is a huge gap in social status and wealth between you and me, second, I can¡¯t ept an unfaithful man.¡± ¡°Unfaithful? To Cornelia¡¯s surprise, Marcus did catch the point she was trying to make, ¡°Are you implying that I cheated?¡± Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Chapter 571 Comelia looked at his expression, quietly saying. ¡°A couple of mornings ago, Mr. Rivera called me to pick you up from Riverside Terrace Club And when I got there, I saw you in bed with Natalia.¡± She left her words hanging in the air, expecting Marcus to exin. But instead he blurted out, ¡°So you think I¡¯m messing around? Or that I might like Natalia?¡± Cornelia softly said, ¡°You know how they say men often let their physical desires dictate their actions, regardless of whether they have feelings for the woman.¡± Marcus had a dark look on his face, ¡°So you don¡¯t trust me?¡± Comelia replied, ¡°It¡¯s not about trust, it¡¯s just.¡± She had seen it with her own eyes. She just wanted to hear his exnation, but he didn¡¯t say anything. How was she supposed to trust him? She was feeling confused, unsure about how to steer the conversation to her advantage. Marcus then asked, ¡°What time did you get to Riverside Terrace Club that morning?¡± Cornelia clearly remembered the time, ¡°6.30 in the morning¡± Marcus exined, ¡°The previous night, Zavier asked me to drink. He tried to get me drunk, even spiked my drink. When I was out of it, Natalia showed up¡± Cornelia listened quietly, waiting for him to continue. He went on, ¡°Nothing happened between Natalia and me. I left Riverside Terrace Club at exactly 6:30. You carne right after I left. There¡¯s no way you could have seen me in bed with Natalia If I¡¯m guessing right, this is all Zavier¡¯s doing to mess with your head. You shouldn¡¯t believe it.¡± Comelia admitted, ¡°I¡¯ve suspected as much.¡± She knew that what she saw might not be the truth. Zavier was like a madman now, willing to do anything to get his hands on Skyler. Marcus asked. ¡°Do you trust me?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Of course I trust you.¡± Hearing her say she trusted him and watching her obediently nod her head, Marcus gave a slight smile. His eyes behind his sses held a hint of humor, ¡®What about the third point?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°The third and most important point is, I have never had romantic feelings for you. I have nothing but respect for you as my boss.¡± Marcus was speechless. That was indeed the most important point, but it also wasn¡¯t. Because she was already his wife! Cornelia continued, ¡°And President Hartley, please don¡¯t ask me hypothetical questions in the future. I don¡¯t want any rumors between us, or people thinking I got promoted because of you.¡± ¡°Fine, no more hypothetical questions in the future.¡± Marcus said. As for rumors, that was even less likely. Once he came clean about their rtionship, he would announce to the world that she was his wife, Marcus¡® wife. The conversation ended there, and an awkward silence settled between them. Cornelia awkwardly averted her gaze, picked up a book from the shelf that she hadn¡¯t finished reading last time, and sat down at the desk to read. She loved reading. Once she got into a book, she would be engrossed and less aware of the world around her. She wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed when she heard Marcus¡® deep, pleasant voice again, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Cornelia looked up at the sound of his voice, meeting Marcus¡® captivating andplex gaze. His eyes seemed to hold a multitude of emotions she couldn¡¯t understand, making her feel uneasy, ¡°Marcus, is there a problem?¡± He replied, ¡°If there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, you can ask me.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia responded, ¡°Thank you, President Hartley. I¡¯d like to try and understand these things on my own.¡± Chapter 572 Chapter 572 Chapter 572 After Marcus struck out trying to chat up, his only option was to bury his head in his book. He used to be able to focus on anything he did, but now he was always distracted by Comelia, as if she was more captivating than any book. He constantly wanted to touch her face, those rosy, plump cheeks. He wondered what they would feel like, if they would be as bouncy as a boiled egg? But, what really caught his eye were her bright and clear eyes. When she stared at him, he felt as if she had stolen his soul. While he was engrossed in watching Cornelia, Patricia walked in with some fruits and snacks. Patricia didn¡¯t give Marcus a second nce, instead she walked towards Cornelia with a smile, ¡°Cornelia, these snacks are homemade Give them a try and see if you like them? Patricia was so warm towards Cornelia, as if she already saw her as thedy of the house. ¡°Thanks, Patricia¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t really like to eat while reading. She was about to brush it off, but seeing Patricia¡¯s eager face, she picked up a snacknd took a bite. The snack was sweet and chewy, it melted in her mouth. Cornelia loved it, ¡°Patricia, this is delicious. Did you use any special ingredients?¡± Hearing Cornelia¡¯s praise, Patricia couldn¡¯t hide her joy. ¡°This is my own creation. I haven¡¯t even named it yet. Maybe you can help me with that?¡± ¡®Sure.¡± Cornelia took another bite, ¡°Patricia, what ingredients did you use in this snack? It¡¯s so tasty¡± ¡°There are walnuts, almonds, and peanuts. Cornelia interrupted Patricia immediately, ¡°Patricia, did you say there are peanuts in this snack?¡± Patricia nodded, ¡°Yes, I roasted and crushed them.¡± Hearing this, Marcus rushed over and grabbed Cornelia¡¯s hand, ¡°Patricia, go get Dr. Lester, Now.¡± Patricia was startled but hurried off to find the doctor, despite not understanding why Cornelia pulled her hand back and quickly drank several sses of water. Marcus looked at her worriedly. ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t be scared. Dr. Lester will be here soon.¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t eat that much and I¡¯ve drunk a lot of water. I should be fine.¡± When Patricia returned, she was very concerned, ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Cornelia smiled, ¡°Patricia, I¡¯m sorry I forgot to tell you. I¡¯m allergic to peanuts¡± Cornelia was an easygoing eater, she could eat anything except peanuts. Her body was extremely sensitive to peanuts, even a tiny bit would make her feel sick. If it got a bit more serious, she would break out in hives all over her body. And in extreme cases, she could even have trouble breathing. Hearing this, Patricia was so worried she was on the verge of tears, ¡°Nelly, what should we do? I didn¡¯t mean to, I didn¡¯t know you were allergic to peanuts.¡± No, actually she did know Marcus had told her before, more than once. He told her that Cornelia was allergic to peanuts and that she should be careful. There should be no peanuts in the house. At that time, she even made a note of it in her work schedule. But she was so happy today that she completely forgot. Chapter 573 Chapter 573 Chapter 573 ¡°Patricia, you gotta know this ain¡¯t your fault, no need to beat yourself up¡± Cornelia thought Patricia had no clue she was allergic to peanuts ¡®cause she never told her and didn¡¯t ask before eating. If she hadn¡¯t been so careless, none of this would ve happened ¡°Nelly, it¡¯s not that I didn¡¯t know I just forgot. Marc once told me you were allergic to peanuts and warned me not to keep them around the house¡± Patricia was riddled with guill, wishing she could just p herself silly If anything happened to a good kid like Cornelia because of her negligence, she¡¯d spend the rest of her life wallowing in guilt and remorse And what would Marc do if something happened to Cornelia? Patricia didn¡¯t even dare to think about it ¡°Patricia, it¡¯s okay Cornelia sneaked a nce at Marcus. She hadn¡¯t told him about her peanut allergy How did he know? Not only did he remember, but he also specifically warned Patricia. Although he hadn¡¯te clean about his real identity, he had been taking care of her all along and even concocted a lie that he was Jeremy¡¯s friend. Before, she thought he wanted to woo her only after knowing she was his wife. Otherwise, given Marcus¡® aloofness towards the opposite sex, it would be impossible for him to give a woman the impression that he was pursuing her. Marcus had expressed his desire to live a good life with her more than once, under the guise of Jeremy. Now, she knew he wasn¡¯t just talking the talk, he was walking the walk Maybe, she could try to ept that Marcus was Jeremy N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Maybe, as long as they worked hard together, no matter how far apart their status and identities were, they could live a good life. Thinking about this, Cornelia¡¯s eyes reddened involuntarily. Seeing her teary eyes, Marcus thought she was having an allergy, so he gently patted her back, ¡°Are you feeling bad?¡± Cornelia shook her head, then nodded. Marcus turned his head and shouted towards the door, ¡°Dr. Lester, where the hell are you?¡± His angry tone waspletely different from when he was talking to Cornelia. Dr. Lester hurried over with his medical kit, ¡°I¡¯m here. I was just preparing the medicine for peanut allergy. If the medicine wasn¡¯t ready, mying would be futile, right?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want Dr. Lester to be reprimanded by Marcus because of her, so she quickly stepped in, ¡°Dr. Lester, don¡¯t rush. I just had a few sses of water. I should be fine.¡± Dr. Lester quickly checked her out, ¡°You handled this so well, is it because you had frequent allergies before?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Every time I ate peanuts, I would have an allergic reaction. But my family didn¡¯t realize it was caused by peanuts. They thought I just hadmon skin allergies. It was only after I nearly suffocated from a severe reaction that I was sent to the hospital by my grandmother, and it was found out that I was allergic to peanuts. After that, my grandmother never let me eat peanuts again. But I was still a kid then, didn¡¯t know any better. Someone gave me some peanut candies. I didn¡¯t know they were peanuts, and I ate them like a dope, causing an allergic reaction. After it happened a few times, as long as I didn¡¯t eat too much, I could handle it myself. ¡°Right, you didn¡¯t eat much today, and you managed it in time. The situation shouldn¡¯t be too serious. But with your peculiar constitution, you can¡¯t afford to be careless.¡± Dr. Lester took out a red pill and handed it to Cornelia, ¡°This is a special medicine for peanut allergies, take it.¡± Marcus took the pill and popped it in his mouth, ¡°What¡¯s the main ingredient in this medicine?¡± Dr. Lester retorted, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking your medicine and instead stealing Cornelia¡¯s? You¡¯re an adult, why are you acting so childish? Marcus looked serious, ¡°I¡¯m asking you, what¡¯s the main ingredient in this medicine?¡± Dr. Lester listed the ingredients, ¡°This is a specific treatment for peanut allergies.¡± Marcus stared at Dr. Lester, his eyes icy. ¡°Why are you carrying this medicine around?¡± Chapter 574 Chapter 574 Chapter 574 Dr. Lester¡¯s eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared at him, ¡°You seriously don¡¯t know why I always carry this medication?¡± Maybe Marcus had forgotten, but Dr. Lester dared not. One day, Marcus had called him in the middle of the night, telling him that Cornelia was allergic to peanuts and asked him to develop a medicine for it ASAP He also emphasized that once it was made, he must have it with him at all times in case of emergencies. But now, this little punk was doubting him! Dr. Lester was miffed and muttered under his breath, ¡°This isn¡¯t like you, Marcus.¡± Marcus had tested the medicine himself with no adverse reactions, ¡°Give it to Cornelia first.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Dr. Lester didn¡¯t want to deal with him anymore, but he turned to Cornelia and smiled, ¡°Cornelia, this medicine is very effective for peanut allergies. Keep it with you and if you identally eat peanuts, take one. It¡¯s potent, so one is enough. Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°Thank you, Dr. Lester! Thank you, Marcus!¡± Seeing Cornelia¡¯s smile, Marcus was lost in thought again. He wasn¡¯t a suspicious person. He always believed that if he had doubts about someone, he shouldn¡¯t keep them around. However, he just strangely started doubting Dr. Lester who had been with him for over two decades. Dr. Lester said it wasn¡¯t like him, and it truly didn¡¯t match his usual behavior. Even he himself didn¡¯t understand why he would get flustered when it came to Cornelia. ¡°Drink lots of water for the next two hours. If nothing happens, you should be okay¡± After giving his instructions, Dr. Lester didn¡¯t spare Marcus another nce, picked up his medical bag, and left. Hmph, he had his pride too. ¡°Marcus, Cornelia, I¡¯ll go clean out all the peanuts in the house. Don¡¯t worry, we won¡¯t have them in the house anymore¡± Patricia wanted to give them some alone time and without waiting for their response, she dashed off. In the study, only Cornelia and Marcus were left. For a moment, both were at a loss for words, making the atmosphere a bit awkward Marcus felt as the husband, he should break the silence, so he said, ¡°Cornelia, if you¡¯re feeling unwell, you have to tell me Cornelia looked at him. Marcus asked, ¡®Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Cornelia sniffed, whispering. ¡°Marcus, were you testing the medicine for me just now?¡± Marcus and Dr. Lester¡¯s conversation was cut short, but Cornelia could infer the whole story from the half¨Cspoken words. The reason why Dr. Lester had the anti¨Cpeanut allergy medicine was that Marcus had instructed him before, and Marcus had forgotten about it which led him to think there was something wrong with Dr. Lester carrying it. Marcus had taken her medicine, not because he was being childish, but because he was testing it for her. He¡¯d been through so many dangers, public and private, that he¡¯d worry someone might poison her. He even dared to take the medicine he suspected! If Dr. Lester were really up to something, the medicine would be poison and he¡¯d surely know the consequences! Why would he be so reckless? Just because she was his wife? Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Chapter 575 Just because she was his wife? Comelia silently asked herself this question in her heart, and quickly found an answer. The answer was a definite yes. Because Cornelia was Marcus¡® wife, he would go out of his way to protect her, keeping her safe from harm. All the things that had puzzled Cornelia before now had clear answers. She had used her vacation to go to Nice to find Skyler, but was intercepted by Zavier when she returned to Paris. Marcus and Ayden, who were supposed to be in Paris. suddenly appeared in Nice and rescued her from Zavier. She used to think that Marcus¡® appearance in Nice was just a coincidence, and never thought that Marcus had flown from Paris to Nice specifically for her At this moment, Cornelia finally understood. Marcus must have known that Zavier was watching Skyler in Nice. Whatever she had said to Skyler, Zavier would know Marcus had rushed over specifically to help her out of the predicament. Because she didn¡¯t want Skyler to be taken away by Zavier, Marcus knew he would offend Zavier, but for her, he chose to help Skyler escape from Zavier anyway Also, a few days ago, she had flown to Woodpine in the middle of the night because she was worried about Hannah. When she woke up the next day, Marcus, Steven, Lucas, and Zavier were all there. These were all wealthy and powerful men, making millions every minute. How could they have so much leisure time to travel around. Their sudden gathering must have been for something important to them. Could it be possible that because Zavier knew she was Marcus¡® wife and wanted to use her to get Skyler back, he had been following her to Woodpine? This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Did Marcus rush to Woodpine with Ayden after learning about the situation, fearing that she would be controlled by Zavier? Cornelia thought it was possible. If Zavier didn¡¯t know she was Marcus¡± wife, he would never go to such lengths to set up a big show, then call her over and let her see Marcus and Natalia together. Zavier wanted her to see their intimacy, with the intention of making her misunderstand Marcus, and leave Jeremy when she found out that Marcus was Jeremy. She almost fell into Zavier¡¯s trap, but thankfully she woke up in time and didn¡¯t make a bigger mistake. The tourism project in Woodpine didn¡¯t actually need Marcus to be in charge himself. To make her believe that their meeting in Woodpine was a coincidence, he even invited her to inspect the tourism project together. He said it was to inspect the tourism project, but in fact, he drove her around Sapphire Lake for her to enjoy. If it weren¡¯t for the human traffickers they encountered halfway, he would definitely have driven her around Sapphire Lake, Later, after dealing with the human traffickers, he apanied her to buy clothes, and even ate snacks that he usually didn¡¯t eat. He said that all this was for his wife. Because she also came from Rosenberg, he even learned to cook Rosenberg cuisine from her. When they went to the Capital, he had her y his wife to meet his friends. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that she was his actual wife, how could a man like him, who was not close to women, always kept his own innocence and never got too close to other women, ask another woman y his wife to meet his old friends. All her doubts were answered. Turned out, Marcus had done far more for her in silence than she had imagined. Thinking of this, Cornelia¡¯s eyes reddened again ¡°I¡¯m not testing the medicine for you, don¡¯t be upset.¡± Seeing Cornelia¡¯s eyes well up with tears, Marcus¡® heart seemed to break, ¡°Cornelia, can you not be upset?¡± After saying this, Marcus felt it was inappropriate. If she was upset but forced herself not to cry, it might be even more upsetting, ¡°If you want to cry, just let it out. Don¡¯t hold it in I won¡¯tugh at you¡± Chapter 576 Chapter 576 Chapter 576 Cornelia shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not upset, I¡¯m just really touched by how genuinely nice everyone¡¯s been to me ¡± Usually a tough cookie, she seemed emotional today. Her eyes were puffy and red Was she really moved or was it something else? Marcus wasrit sure. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go back to your room and take a break? You¡¯re always wee to read the books in the study, no need for my permission.¡± His voice was as deep andmanding as always, but there was an unusual softness in his tone If her allergies worsened, it would be a hassle for everyone. Plus, Cornelia was still figuring out how to face him as her new self, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go rest a bit The guest room where Cornelia stayed was just like thest tiree she was here. But a closer look revealed some new, tasteful decorations There was the teddy bear she bought at the Capital, a crystalmp, and even a small bookshelf filled with books she hadn¡¯t read before. Everything was arranged to her taste. At his ce, he had already prepared a room for her, as if he had already decided that she was the lady of the house. When she arrived today and was cutting fruit in the kitchen with Patricia, Patricia had told her, ¡°Nelly, check out your roomter. Let me know if there¡¯s anything you want to add or change¡± Cornelia replied, ¡®Patricia, this isn¡¯t my home I don¡¯te here often. You don¡¯t have to fuss over me so much.¡± She clearly saw the disappointment in Patricia¡¯s eyes. Marcus¡® family, Granny Luisa, Briana, and Patricia, they all knew she was Marcus¡± wife and treated her as family Cornelia didn¡¯t understand why they were all in cahoots with Marcus to hide this from her. Why wouldn¡¯t Marcus tell her the truth about her identity? Did he have some kind. of worry or concern? Cornelia quickly found her answer It was something Jeremy had said to her during a chat on WhatsApp that hit her hard, he was afraid she would leave him. Who was Marcus? He was the man that many women wanted to marry. He was so high and mighty, unreachable, and nobody knew he had fears too. Briana had once told her about Jeremy¡¯s situation. His parents had a troubled marriage, both of them having affairs. If it hadn¡¯t been for Granny Luisa, Jeremy might not have survived So it was Marcus who had a troubled childhood Understanding this, it wasn¡¯t hard to understand why Marcus would put his own father in jail, and why he would kick his mother out of the Hartley family. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. The outside world saw Marcus as a ruthless man for putting his father in jail and expelling his mother from the Hartley family. Nobody knew about his childhood, nobody knew what he¡¯d been through Because he was so powerful, everything he did seemed like he was bullying others, no one ever thought he needed care and love too. Cornelia¡¯s heart ached more and more, so much that she tossed and turned on the bed. She swore she would treat him well in the future, to let him know there was someone in this world willing to stand by him and face life¡¯s challenges together. Chapter 577 Chapter 577 Chapter 577 Come wanted to face Marcus as his wife, but when it came to the crunch, she was all at sea. This past year, she had respected Marcus, been scared of his ruthless way of dealing with rivals, and admired the deep love he had for his wife. But that was it. No other feelings In her wildest dreams, she didn¡¯t imagine Marcus would be the one whose name was on her marriage certificate, let alone be her husband Just as Comelia was lost in thought, there was a noise from the door handle. Thinking it was Marcus barging into her room, she freaked out. She closed her eyes, held her breath, and yed possum However, it was Patricia who came in. Patncia tiptoed to Comelia¡¯s bedside, first gently touched her forehead, then carefully checked under her nket. She then left as quietly as she came. Cornelia slowly opened one eye, watching Patricia leave At the doorway, Patricia said without closing the door, ¡°Marc, you can rest easy. Nelly is sleeping like a log and there¡¯s no allergic reaction on her skin. She should be fine.¡± Then Cornelia heard Marcus mumble an ¡°uh¨Chuh¡°. Patricia continued, ¡°What should we cook for Nelly tonight? The usual Rosenberg dishes?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Rosenberg¡¯s dishes are too heavy for a sick person. I¡¯ve got Finn and his team on it. Nelly likes their food¡± Finn, an internationally acimed chef and a celebrity ma, was Marcus¡® personal chef. Probably because Marcus paid him a king¡¯s ransom. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Usually, wherever Marcus went, Finn and his team would follow. As long as Marcus needed a meal, Finn could whip up something delicious. Cornelia had the pleasure of sampling Finn¡¯s culinary creations a few times. Even the humble dish was finger¨Cticking good. But no matter how delicious the food was, Cornelia always watched her manners. How did Marcus figure out she loved Finn¡¯s cooking? More importantly, he remembered. A wave of self¨Creproach washed over Cornelia. Marcus was taking such good care of her, and she thought he was toying with her, keeping her true identity a secret for some ulterior motive. How frustrating! A new message in the WhatsApp group. From Zack: [Cornelia, why aren¡¯t you back yet? Is Marcus up to his old tricks, trying to keep you by his side?¡± Cornelia replied honestly: [I¡¯m back at his vi with Marcus.] Zack shot back [Cornelia, you spineless jellyfish! Can¡¯t you stick to your guns?] Abigail defended her right away [Nelly, I¡¯m all for you being with Marcus, but don¡¯t jump into his arms so fast. Men don¡¯t cherish what they get easily, even if he¡¯s your husband You can¡¯t sleep with him the moment you meet him. You need to y hard to get.] Before Abigail finished, Cornelia noticed there were only two of them left in the group chat. She typed: [Zack, did you just kick Abby out?] Zack replied: [Her ideas are all wrong. She has no say in your rtionship with Marcus. Now let me analyze, from a guy¡¯s perspective. Why I¡¯m against you being with Marcus.] Cornelia knew all about Zack¡¯s wornes and concerns. [Zack, I know you¡¯re afraid I¡¯ll get hurt again. But trust me, Jeremy and that guy are not the same.] Chapter 578 Chapter 578 Chapter 578 Comparing Jeremy to that guy, Cornelia felt like she was doing Jeremy dirty But, if she didn¡¯t clear things up, Zack would keep worrying She had to put Jeremy on the spot a bit. Cornelia kept texting [Jeremy¡¯s a real solid guy He knows what he wants and doesn¡¯t want I know what I¡¯m doing what I want. Most importantly, Jeremy doesn¡¯t have those nasty habits some rich folks have. He respects everyone, and leads a clean private life, never messing around] Comelia was a stubborn one. Once she made up her mind, nothing could sway her Zack knew this well, but he still tried to reason with her [Cornelia, Marcus cheated! You saw it with your own eyes, are you still in denial?] Comelia texted back: [I¡¯ve asked him. He said he didn¡¯t] Zack replied. (Unless you catch him red¨Chanded, who¡¯s gonna admit to cheating when there¡¯s no solid evidence? You believe him just because he said so?] Even in a text chat, Cornelia found herself nodding subconsciously. [Yes, I believe him.] Seeing Cornelia¡¯s message, Zack lost all strength to argue further. He couldn¡¯t understand why this stubborn girl, who had been hurt so deeply by a man, would still trust another man who had been deceiving her for so long Comelia said [Add Abigail to the group chat. I have something important to tell you both Zack added Abigail to the group chat, who immediately vented her anger with a minute¨Clong voice message, ¡°Zack, you¡¯ve got some nerve, kicking me out of the group chat. You¡¯re gonna pay for this.¡± Zack replied calmly: [Cornelia has something important to say cool it for a second.] Abigail didn¡¯t respond. Feeling that text wasn¡¯t serious enough, Cornelia initiated a video call. They quickly picked up. ¡°Are you going to talk about you and Marcus? Should we call him Jeremy or Marcus?¡± Comelia nodded, ¡°Call him Jeremy¡± Zack said, ¡°Go ahead¡± Looking at their faces on the screen, Cornelia said earnestly. ¡°Zack, Abigail. I¡¯ve decided to continue my marriage with Jeremy Zack wasn¡¯t surprised. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Abigail nodded vigorously. ¡°I¡¯m all for it. Full support.¡± Cornelia looked at Zack, ¡°Zack¡­¡± Zack took a deep breath, ¡°I¡¯ve got nothing to say. I just want you to be happy, happier than any of us. Cornelia replied, ¡°I will. We¡¯ll all be happy.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Cornelia, remember what I told you. Don¡¯t give yourself to him easily. Make him wait a bit.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t agree with Abigail¡¯s point of view, ¡°What do you mean ¡®give myself to him¡® and ¡®make him wait. It¡¯s normal for a married couple to have sex when they¡¯re in love.¡± Abigail said, ¡°I don¡¯t buy it. Don¡¯t sugarcoat it for me. If you¡¯re really up for it, then go to him today.¡± While made sense in theory, the thought of Cornelia actually doing it made her heart race, ¡°Alright, enough talk, I need some rest. Cornelia immediately ended the video call Chapter 579 Chapter 579 Chapter 579 Just ended a video call, and Cornelia¡¯s WhatsApp got a new friend request She clicked it right away. It was a friend request from Natalia, who she had deleted before. There was a message attached, ¡°Cornelia, seems like my mom is nning something against you. I can¡¯t stop her, so just watch your back.¡± Her mom was about to make a move on a stranger, and she even came to warn this stranger. Comelia suddenly thought Natalia could be quite sweet at times. She epted her friend request, added her back, and asked [Why does your mom wanna mess with me? Just because you wanna be friends with me?] Natalia sent a flurry of messages. She doesn¡¯t need a reason to mess with someone. Cornelia, my phone will be confiscated soon. You must remember what I¡¯m gonna tell you next. Today, I heard my mom talking on the phone with a stranger. I didn¡¯t pay much attention, until she mentioned your name, saying she wants to kick you out of Riverton. I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s gonna do it, but I gotta warn you. She¡¯s pretty ruthless, and never leaves a way out for herself. You gotta be on guard in theing days. I don¡¯t want you to be kicked out.¡± Cornelia frowned: [Your mom wants to kick me out of Riverton?] Was ir really that vindictive? Just because she didn¡¯t like ir¡¯s arrogant attitude and spoke against her a couple of times, ir was nning to kick her out of Riverton? Natalia replied. [Yes, and she seems pretty confident about it. Cornelia, maybe you should ask Marc for help. If Marc is willing to help you, my mom definitely can¡¯t touch you]N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Mentioning Marcus, Cornelia quickly realized the crux of the matter. ir knew she was Marcus¡® assistant, knowing that she was not someone anyone could touch. Yet, ir was still confident about kicking her out of town, there must be something fishy. But Cornelia couldn¡¯t figure out exactly what it was. Natalia sent another long message: [Once, someone tried to seduce my dad. I saw my mom abort that woman¡¯s child, then got rid of her. She¡¯s really ruthless. Even thinking about it now scares me. You must be careful] Natalia was as anxious as an ant on a hot tin roof. But Cornelia waspletely calm, and asked an irrelevant question: Why did you lie to me?] Natalia: I didn¡¯t lie to you, it¡¯s true. My mom really wants to harm you] Cornelia: [I was asking why you lied to me about sleeping with Marcus?] Natalia paused for a few seconds before replying: [Since you already know, I won¡¯t hide it. That day was all a hoax set up by Mr. Rivera from the Capital. I¡¯ve never even held Marc¡¯s hand, let alone sleep with him. But now is not the time for this, I¡¯ll tell you more when I get a chance. Today, I contacted you to warn you to be careful of my mom.] What Natalia said was almost identical to Cornelia¡¯s guess. She said. [You can tell me now I want to know the specifics of that day] Natalia replied: [That day. Mr. Rivera had me made up to look like you and meet Marc. The makeup artists were so skilled that even I thought I was you when I looked in the mirror When I met Marc, the room was dimly lit. He was not only drunk but also drugged. He naturally mistook me for you. Then Mr. Rivera arranged for us to go back to the room to rest. When I was helping Marc undress, he suddenly opened his eyes and asked me who I was. My cover was blown and then he left with his people. Marc hadn¡¯t been gone long when Mr. Rivera brought in another man. I was startled when I saw him, thinking Marc hade back. Because the man¡¯s face was exactly like Marc¡¯s. But his height was off, so I inferred he wasn¡¯t Marc. He must have been made up to look like Marc by the makeup artist, just like me.] Chapter 580 Chapter 580 Chapter 580 [Mr. Rivera had me fake it as a couple with that guy, even threatened me that if I didn¡¯t make it convincing, he¡¯d let the guy have his way with me. To protect myself, I had no choice but to act my heart out. I thought Mr. Rivera did this to put on a show for Marcus¡® wife, but I didn¡¯t expect you to show up. That¡¯s one thing I couldn¡¯t figure out Cornelia said [Give it some time, you should understand then) So much happened that night and so much to say But when Marcus faced her questions, he didn¡¯t give a single excuse. He just asked her if she would trust him. He trusted her, and he hoped she would trust him too. Sometimes his world was so simple, it was almostughable. Natalia said. [Cornelia, when you asked me that day, I wasn¡¯t trying to deceive you. It¡¯s because Mr. Rivera wouldn¡¯t let me talk. I was afraid that if I said anything, he would do something to me] Comelia said [I understand now] Natalia said [Those previous messages were sent by my mom. I really want to be friends with you. Can you stop deleting me?] Cornelia nodded [Alright] Natalia sent a cute emoji, plus a message [Cornelia, once I¡¯m free, I¡¯lle find you] Comelia asked [Where has your mom locked you up?] Natalia replied. [The Reese family mansion. It¡¯s not bad here, although I can¡¯t go out and see the world. At least I¡¯m not getting beaten up every day] After sending the message, Natalia realized her slip¨Cup. She hurried to recall the message, but Cornelia had already seen it. She didn¡¯t want to say any more about this, and Cornelia didn¡¯t feel right prying, digging up someone else¡¯s wounds. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Last time, when Natalia asked her to meet, wanting to make amends, Cornelia noticed Natalia¡¯s bruised lip, and today¡¯s message confirmed her suspicion. Cornelia tactfully said: [Natalia, you¡¯ve done me a big favor today. I owe you one. If there¡¯s anything you need, just say it.] Natalia said (My mom ising, don¡¯t reply to my messages anymore] Cornelia didn¡¯t message Natalia again, worrying a single message would cause trouble for Natalia. Lying in bed, Cornelia looked carefully at the messages Natalia sent. The person wanting to drive her out of Riverton wasn¡¯t just ir. Last year Courtney and Eden tried the same, but failed due to Marcus¡® intervention As long as Marcus didn¡¯t want her gone, Courtney couldn¡¯t drive her out of town. That shouldn¡¯t be a secret, so why was ir so confident? Could it be? Thinking of this possibility, Cornelia shivered. Her afternoon drowsiness half gone. Chapter 581 Chapter 581 Chapter 581 N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. That incident caused a huge stir in Rosenberg ir could easily dig up some dirt on Cornelia if she wanted to As time went by, many in Rosenberg still had a negative opinion of Comelia Some even badmouthed her without knowing the full story,beling her a homewrecker Last time her grandma fell ill. Cornelia returned to Rosenberg Even in the hospital restroom, she could hear people gossiping about that incident if ir wanted to find some ¡®witnesses to me her, it wouldn¡¯t be too hard. if things really came to that Cornelia wasn¡¯t going to sit around and wait for disaster to strike She had to stop ir So, Cornelia dialed the number of the head of PR at the Hartley Group. ¡°There might be someone trying to stir up a scandal involving me. Could you keep an eye on it for me?¡± Hry replied, ¡°Your problems are my problems. Don¡¯t sweat it. I¡¯ll keep a close watch on the situation I won¡¯t let anyone smear your name.¡± Cornelia said. ¡°Thanks! Ill treat you to a meal when I have time.¡± Hry said, ¡°We¡¯re friends. No need for formalities. Been anywhere funtely?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯ve been working like a dog, always at President Hartley¡¯s side. I¡¯m beat. When I get a few days off, I just want to stay home and sleep.¡± Hry said, ¡°Same here. Always think about going out during work. But when I¡¯m on vacation, there¡¯s nothing like my own bed¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°We¡¯re both workaholics¡± After chatting with Hry for a while, Cornelia ended the call. Like her, Hry was a small¨Ctown girl who worked her way up through sheer effort. She was even more impressive. The head of PR was a tough gig, having to deal not only with the boss but also with public opinion So, Hry had be a pro at handling rtionships. Having her keep an eye on the public opinion, Cornelia felt relieved. With that sorted out, Cornelia felt a lot less stressed and soon drifted off to sleep. Maybe it was because she had been busy tillte the night before. When she woke up, it was already dark. Opening her eyes and recalling the day¡¯s events, Cornelia quickly checked her arm. No allergic reaction. Not sure if it was because she didn¡¯t eat many peanuts, or Dr. Lester¡¯s medicine was particrly effective, either way, she was over that hurdle. Comelia freshened up a bit, then went downstairs In the living room, Marcus was on the phone. Cornelia tiptoed over, but Marcus noticed her right away. He turned to her, politely covering the phone, ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°Thanks for caring, President Hartley I¡¯m fine.¡± Marcus nodded, shifting his gaze away from her and continued his call. His voice was soft, and Cornelia couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying. But he only spoke a few sentences before hanging up and walking toward her, saying. ¡°Dinner is ready. Let¡¯s eat first.¡± His voice was as deep and soothing as always, but Cornelia thought there was a hint of tenderness in it that wasn¡¯t usually there. Cornelia followed him, asking ¡°President Hartley, are you feeling better?¡± Chapter 582 Chapter 582 Chapter 582 She came to take care of him, but in the end it was him taking care of her Comelia felt pretty quilty ¡°If you¡¯re not into the fancy can cook it for you¡± ner the chef prepared. Just tell me what you Marcus actually wanted to taste her home cooking but he didn¡¯t want to fire her out. ¡°No need I¡¯ve got Finning over to cook tonight Make sure you eat plenty.¡± Comelia rodded Wunght Patricia was already waiting in the dining room Seeing Comelia she immediately pulled out a chair for her ¡°Nelly sit down. I¡¯ll get you some soup¡± Patricon, let me help you serve the dishes Patricia had a high status in the Hartley family. She even raised Marcus when he was little. Considering her age. Cornelia didn¡¯t want her to do all the wor ¡°Nelly, it¡¯s fine You just sit and enjoy your meal things, then she didn¡¯t need to stay here She didnt eve Patricia this wat her job the belie were she would on Marcus understood Patriciar feelings He told Cornelia to pr down. T¡¯A N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Comelia had no choice but to cut down obediently since the was paid for it. If they wouldn¡¯t even let her do these et you it Don¡¯t worry about anything else Tonight dinner was really fancy All the high¨Cend dishes Comelia wanted to eat but was too etingy to boy After Finis magic touch Comelia felt totally satisfed. Hartley In cooking skills are top notch How come the came abalone tastes so good when he cooks 27 Seeing her ongoy her meal so much Marcus was also pleased. If you like it, wat more Comelia looked up at him. Mr Harling why aren¡¯t you mating? Don¡¯t you like these dokes? If e ¡°No need, I can eat Marcus didn¡¯t really have an appetite. But to avoid worrying Comellia, he picked in his danelt and s When Comelia was almost done eating. There was one dish the hadit touched Mi This dat was a famous Rosenberg disch started eating duid it in front of twe. No picking and choosing. You need a bnced det imally Comelia loved it but today with Fineis dishes, she didn cooked for tape ctention to this one. When Marie pushed ¨¨ in front of her again, the realize it might be something She had to eat it. Not just eat it but also let tum know the found it really tarty I did ex Lion to prepare my favorite dal Comelip dece and began to savor i To be honest the dish was wireads pretty good Howeyn,pared to fines dabet the jet hat, the To make Marcus happy Comelia took a few more liten. ¡°This dah is also delicious, but in a mort soam lke fura tandwork. ht Patricia quietly pointed at Marcur Comelia pretended to be sugerred. fridge and continue to enjoy it tomorrow. Her words sounded like fatters it¡¯s actually made by President Hattiey fambell Nu nous. But I¡¯m too full to eat anymore tonight I¡¯ll put it in the Howevei Marcot wasn¡¯t impressed ¡°Your acting is no poot yet you still ward to farm in front of the ¡°Whos acting¡± Are you saying I¡¯m pretending to eros it? Is delicious period So Tum. If she kept saying it she might even convince hersel Made it. Cant i tel ** Comelia refused to admit that she was ttering Chapter 583 Chapter 583 Chapter 583 Marcus never took to ttery, but if it wasing from Cornelia, he didn¡¯t mind it one bit In fact, he kinda enjoyed hearing her butter him up As he watched her get all excited sweet talking him with that adorable look on her face, that strange, unsettling feeling that he didn¡¯t quite understand was once again quickly spreading through his heart. It was intense, like it was trying to take over his mind and senses in a short span of time. Was this what they call having a crush? Marcus wasnt sure if this was what having a crush felt like, but he didn¡¯t oppose it. In fact, he was quite chuffed to realize that he had a thing for Cornelia. Cornelia was hiswfully wedded wife; their rtionship was legally protected. It was only natural for him to like his own wife. Swallowing hard, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing with the motion. His slender fingers lightly tapping the ss, he said, ¡°Lel¡¯s eat, quit the sweet talk.¡± His voice was hoarse. Even Marcus himself didn¡¯t expect it ¡°President Hartley, are you okay? Feeling unwell again?¡± Cornelia got worried hearing the roughness in his voice. She stood up and moved towards him, reaching out to touch his forehead. Marcus caught her hand, holding it in his palm, ying with it like a fascinating toy Taken aback, Cornelia quickly withdrew her hand, ¡°President Hartley, please mind your manners!¡± Mind his manners! He had been minding his manners too much. His wife had been buzzing around him all day, and he hadn¡¯t even properly held her hand, let alone anything else. With a slight smile, Marcus said, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to mind my manners?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He was her husband after all. If he stopped minding his manners, holding her hand would be the least of it. Things could get a lot rpore intimate. Thinking of this, Cornelia got all flustered, stumbling over her words, ¡°I¡­ you!¡± When words failed her, she decided to simply leave. With that, she turned around and scampered out of the dining room, through the sprawling living room and into the yard. The cool night breeze hit her face, causing Cornelia to shiver and sober up a bit. Marcus was her husband, and intimacy was inevitable. But she was still struggling to ept her new status, instinctively feeling guilty for Jeremy if anything beyond the norm happened with Marcus. Hence her aversion to him holding her hand. She understood this, but truly epting it was going to take some time. Sighing deeply, Cornelia sat down in a pavilion, leaning back against a pir and gazing up at the starry sky The full moon hung high in the sky, casting a gentle light over all those who were alone. Vaguely, Cornelia thought she could make out two blurry figures in the moon. A man and a woman who seemed to be very much in love, waving at her. Suddenly her eyes welled up. ¡°Mom, Dad, is that you? Do you miss me too?¡± Cornelia had never met her mother. She didn¡¯t know why her parents divorced, or where her mother went. But she had a positive image of her mother. This was because her father and grandmother never spoke ill of her mother in front of her. They only told her when she was a kid that her mother had gone to a faraway ce Chapter 584 Chapter 584 Chapter 584 When she grew up, her grandma told her, ¡°Each of us is our own person, with the right to choose our own life. A woman shouldn¡¯t be bound by marriage and kids, they have the right to choose the lifestyle they like. Your mom just made a choice between two lifestyles¡± So, Cornelia never med her mom. She thought, if one day she bumped into her mom in a crowd, as long as she was willing, she¡¯d happily call her morn This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Marcus arved, seeing Cornelia¡¯s slightly reddened eyes in the moonlight. He said with a heavy heart, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m sorry I was out of line earlier. But believe me, I didn¡¯t mean to belittle you¡± He had been holding back for so long, why couldn¡¯t he control himself now? At that moment, the only thought in his mind was to hold her hand. Cornelia turned to look at him, standing under the light, casting a mysterious beauty on him. ¡°It¡¯s not about you, I¡¯m just thinking about my parents Cornelia rubbed her eyes, pointed at the moon, ¡°President Hartley, do you see. Are there two people waving at me from the moon? The guy must be my dad, and the girl, my mom¡® ¡°You have a good father Marcus didn¡¯t want to talk about parents. He didn¡¯t want those two to ruin his mood tonight, ¡°Get up and walk with me, helps with digestion. Sitting there isn¡¯t good for you¡± Cornelia shook her head, politely refusing. ¡®I¡¯m full, I don¡¯t want to move.¡± He walked towards her, giving off an impression that if she didn¡¯t get up, he¡¯d lift her up. Comelia quickly got up. ¡°Ive thought about it, you¡¯re right. Walking a bit after dinner does help digestion.¡± Marcus stopped, squinted his eyes, and suddenly reached out. Cornelia stepped back in fear, ¡°President Hartley Under her gaze. Marcus bent down, picked up the hairpin she dropped, and casually put it in his pocket. Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, that hairpin is mine¡± ¡°Yours?¡± Marcus took out the hairpin, held it up to the light and examined it, ¡°Do you have any evidence to prove this is your hairpin? Cornelia was speechless What was he doing? Was he trying to steal her hairpin? Cornelia thought for a moment, found a way to prove the hairpin was hers, ¡°I haven¡¯t washed my hair for two days. This hairpin must have my smell.¡± Before she could finish, Marcus lifted the hairpin to his nose and sniffed, ¡°The smell on it is sweet, so it can¡¯t be yours.¡± Cornelia¡¯s eyes widened, she couldn¡¯t believe Marcus would do such a thing. Who in their right mind collected someone else¡¯s hair essories? Cornelia watched helplessly as he stuffed her hairpin into his pocket, ¡°Walk with me.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say a word. She didn¡¯t want to walk with him, not at all But as apetent assistant, as long as the boss¡¯s request was reasonable, she had no reason to refuse. Marcus deliberately slowed down, trying to make sure Cornelia could keep up. They walked side by side, rather than him leading and her following. The Celestial Chateau was a mansion, with a garden that was hundreds of square feet, enough for them to stroll for an hour or two. Patricia hid in a secret spot, took out her phone, and sneakily snapped a photo of their backs. Chapter 585 Chapter 585 Chapter 585 These pictures she took casually looked as good as if they were shot by a professional photographer, and it was not because of the quality of the camera or her photography skills It was totally because the two people in the photo were so good looking When they were apart, each of them shone in their own way. And when they were together, it was double the beauty Patricia turned her head and sent the photo to Granny Luisa Granny Luisa, don¡¯t Marc and Nelly look great? They¡¯ve just had dinner and are now strolling in the garden.¡± It had been so long and Granny Luisa still hadn¡¯t seen them together in person. So that was why she let Patricia take some pictures of them for her When Granny Luisa saw the photo, she was both excited and delighted. She immediately sent Patricia a video call invite. ¡°Patricio, point the camera at them, so I can get a good look at them.¡± Patricia shook her head, ¡°Granny Luisa, I can¡¯t do that. Marc and Nelly are very alert. If I get any closer, they¡¯ll definitely notice me.¡± Granny Luisa said. ¡°You can follow them from afar. I just want to catch a glimpse of them¡± Patricia felt sorry for Granny Luisa, who just wanted to see her grandson and his wife. It was like she was on a secret mission or something Granny Luisa said, ¡°Tell me how they¡¯re getting along¡± Patriciaughed and said, ¡°Nelly doesn¡¯t know who she is yet, so she¡¯s not very close to Marc. But I can tell, Nelly admires Marc.¡± Granny Luisa hummed proudly. ¡°Our Marc is not just good looking, he¡¯s also very capable. He¡¯s so outstanding, there aren¡¯t many girls who can resist his charm. Patricia nodded in agreement, ¡®Marc is naturally good¨Clooking. Unlike many people these days, who depend on post¨Cproduction touch¨Cups and can¡¯t stand the test of time. Marc¡¯s face, even in a few decades, I guess it will still be able to captivate many girls. If anyone knew Marc best, Patricia thought she was the one. Granny Luisa couldn¡¯t even stand it anymore, ¡°Alright, enough about Marc¡¯s looks. Tell me about Marc and Nelly¡¯s situation.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Patricia said, ¡°I think since Nelly appeared, Marc has changed a lot Granny Luisa asked, ¡°Where has he changed?¡± Patricia said. ¡°I think Marc smiles more than before. It¡¯s a genuine smile, not a fake one to deal with others. And Marc also really cares about Nelly. Today I identally let Nelly eat peanut. I don¡¯t even know how to describe Marc¡¯s tense expression at the time, let¡¯s just say I¡¯ve never seen Marc this nervous¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Yes, Nelly¡¯s grandma told me. Nelly is allergic to peanuts. You have to be careful from now on. We can¡¯t have any peanut¨Crted food in the house anymore.¡± Patricia nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ve made a mistake once. I definitely won¡¯t make it a second time.¡± Granny Luisa asked, ¡°Looking at Nelly and Marc like this, when will they have a child?¡± Patricia looked around and whispered, ¡°Granny Luisa, I have a secret to tell you. Marc told me not to let anyone know, but it¡¯s good news and I think one more person should know about this happy news.¡± Granny Luisa asked, ¡°Has Marc already gotten Nelly pregnant?¡± Patricia responded. ¡°Granny Luisa, you¡¯re thinking too much. Nelly doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s Marc¡¯s wife, how could Marc do anything out of line?¡± Granny Luisa asked again, ¡°When will Marc finally confess to Nelly about his identity? Tell me, what¡¯s the good news you want to share? Patricia said, ¡°Today is May 2nd, Thursday. On May 8th, next Wednesday, Marc will bring Nelly home¡± Granny Luisa asked, ¡°Really? Did Marc tell you this?¡± Patricia answered, ¡°This is my guess based on Marc¡¯s actions and words recently¡± Granny Luisa was speechless. Patricia continued, ¡°I checked the calendar. May 8th is their second wedding anniversary I think Marc is just waiting for that day to bring Nelly home¡± Chapter 586 Chapter 586 Chapter 586 Time flew in the blink of an eye, it was already their second wedding anniversary Granny Luisa didn¡¯t have time to muse about the passage of time. She was all about their business, ¡°How did you figure out that Marc is nning to bring Nelly home?¡± Patricia replied, ¡°Marc had me toss out a bunch of cold, impersonal decorations from the master bedroom and rece them with cuter, cozier trinkets. Plus, he had me rece the bed he¡¯s been using for years, all ording to Nelly¡¯s preferences. If he¡¯s not nning to bring Nelly home, then what¡¯s all this for?¡± Hearing this. Granny Luisa found it very reasonable, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel excited it seemed she would soon get to see their child, ¡°Hmm, keep an eye on them. If there¡¯s any news, let me know right away¡± Patricia responded, ¡°Sure thing¡± Granny Luisa added. ¡°Move a little closer, I can¡¯t see them.¡± Suddenly Patricia said, ¡°Oh no, it seems like they¡¯ve noticed me.¡± Granny Luisa didn¡¯t say anything Looking at the ended video call, Granny Luisa was fuming. She just wanted to hold her great¨C grandchild, why did she have to be so sneaky even for a video call Cornelia and Marcus had long noticed Patricia tailing them, but they both yed dumb. Later, Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡®President Hartley, Patricia seems to be taking sneaky photos of us.¡± Marcus just chuckled, ¡°if she wants to take photos, let her. If you don¡¯t want her to, I¡¯ll stop her right away¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°Why does Patricia want to take photos of us?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Patricia is my grandma¡¯s right hand. If she¡¯s acting weird, it¡¯s definitely because my grandma told her to At the mention of Granny Luisa, it all clicked for Cornelia Granny Luisa was always thinking about them having a baby. Since she didn¡¯t often visit Celestial Chateau, she naturally had to keep a close eye on them. Marcus said, ¡°My granny is a very open minded, kind olddy. How about I introduce you to her one day?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Sure, I¡¯d love to visit her when I get a chance¡± He knew she had already met Granny Luisa He said her acting skills were poor, that was because his acting skills were so good. It made hers seem poor. As they were chatting, Comelia¡¯s phone in her pocket started buzzing. It was an angry video call from Granny Luisa Cornelia nced at Marcus, answered the call, and sweetly greeted, ¡°Granny¡± Granny Luisa said with a smile, ¡°Nelly, have you eaten yet? What have you been busy with today? Have you missed me? Where are you now?¡±N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. She asked several questions, but thest one was the one she really cared about. Cornelia replied, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m at my boss¡® house right now¡± She then nced at Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, this is my husband Jeremy¡¯s grandma. May I give her a glimpse of you?¡± Cornelia¡¯s acting chops weren¡¯t too shabby Chapter 587 Chapter 587 Chapter 587 Marcus hadn¡¯t made his position clear yet. On the other side of the video call, Granny Luisa waved her hand anxiously. ¡°No need, the main reason I video called was to see you. Not too interested in strangers¡± This was clearly her grandson, not a stranger Comelia was amused by Granny Luisa. She yed dumb and asked. ¡°Granny, my boss is the current CEO of the Hartley Group, Marcus. He and Jeremy are good fnends You should know him, right?¡± ¡°Uh, ha ha!¡± Granny Luisaughed awkwardly. ¡°Of course, the CEO of the Hartley Group. How could I not know him.¡± Marcus said softly ¡°Granny, it¡¯s me, Marcus¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Comelia turned the camera to Marcus. Granny Luisa pretended to take a careful look at the man in the camera, ¡°So it¡¯s Marcus, what have you been up totely? You never visit your granny¡± Marcus remained calm, ¡°Next time Cornelia visits you, can I go with her?¡± Hearing this proposition, Granny Luisa nodded her head enthusiastically, ¡®Sure, you guys cane together to Southern Peak whenever you¡¯re free. Me and Nelly¡¯s granny are looking forward to your visit¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything They were plotting against her. Granny Luisa then said to Comelia, ¡°Nelly, Marcus is a boy I¡¯ve watched grow up. His appearance, character, work ability, and the way he conducts himself are all excellent He¡¯s perfect to be a husband¡® Cornelia said, ¡°Granny, I still think Jeremy is the best.¡± Granny Luisa was taken aback, and nodded awkwardly, ¡°Yes, of course Jeremy is the best. Even if Marcus is good, he¡¯s someone else¡¯s husband. Nelly wouldrit care Marcus was speechless. His granny was so unreliable After ending the video call with Granny Luisa, Cornelia sneakily nced at Marcus. Seeing his gloomy face, she felt a bit bad for him, ¡°President Hartley, in your wife¡¯s heart, you¡¯re definitely the best choice.¡± Marcus said somberly, ¡°Am I worthless in your eyes?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Does my opinion of you matter?¡± Marcus answered bluntly. ¡°It matters a lot.¡± Cornelia knew what he wanted to hear, but her current status didn¡¯t allow her to give him the answer he wanted. She said softly. ¡°In my heart, you¡¯re a good person.¡± He was suddenly called a good person Marcus didn¡¯t want to deal with her and walked away Cornelia was stunned. When did he start ignoring people? This habit needed to change. Otherwise, living together without speaking and only guessing at each other¡¯s thoughts, would eventually cause problems. Cornelia caught up to him quickly. ¡°If you have anyints about me, you can tell me directly. Don¡¯t always ignore me.¡± Marcus continued to ignore her Chapter 588 Chapter 588 Chapter 588 Cornelia muttered, ¡°I¡¯m d Jeremy isn¡¯t like that. If there¡¯s something up, he¡¯ll just tell me straight. Do you always leave your wife quessing what¡¯s on your mind?¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Marcus still didn¡¯t say anything What should be say? Admit that he was jealous of her praise for Jeremy? Marcus remained silent, so Comelia slowed her pace, leisurely trailing behind him. The garden was spectacr this season, the flowers blooming vibrantly. The blossoms swayed gently in the evening breeze, their fragrance overwhelming A particrly stunning peony caught her eye. She leaned in for a sniff, but the scent wasn¡¯t too strong Cornelia fell behind and Marcus instinctively slowed down, keeping a close watch on her every movement. He watched as she bent down to smell the flowers, sneezing at the pollen, sniffing from one flower to the next. She was a stubborn yet adorable girl. His phone buzzed twice in his pocket, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a WhatsApp message from his grandma: [Marc, Nelly went home with you. She must like you. Why not take this chance to reveal your true identity?] He responded. [I have my own n. Don¡¯t worry, Granny] Granny Luisa nagged again. [You always say you have your own n. You¡¯ve been married for almost two years, and I bet you haven¡¯t even held Nelly¡¯s hand. If I don¡¯t push you, I might never see my great¨Cgrandchildren] Marcus texted back: [Granny, Nelly¡¯s young and at a critical point in her career. Having a baby would affect her work: I¡¯m not nning on having kids just yet Granny Luisa asked: [Nelly¡¯s already a CEO¡¯s wife, and half of your money is hers. Does her job really matter that much?] He replied [Yes, it¡¯s very important] Granny Luisa asked again: [Don¡¯t you want to provide for Nelly? You¡¯re her husband. If you won¡¯t support her, then who will?] Cornelia was a person, his wife, not a pet Marcus didn¡¯t like the term ¡°provide for¡± He texted: [Granny, firstly, Cornelia is an independent person, my wife. Whether she works or not is entirely up to her. I can hand over my bank card if she doesn¡¯t want to work. If she wants to work and fulfill her own worth, I respect and support her decision] Granny Luisa had to concede: I won¡¯t nag you about having kids anymore. But you both have toe to Southern Peak next time ] Marcus [Alright] Suddenly, Cornelia screamed from behind him. Marcus rushed towards her, ¡°What happened?¡± A tiny snake had slithered out from the bushes Cornelia, terrified of snakes, panicked immediately, ¡°President Hartley, there¡¯s a snake!¡± She turned around and flung herself into Marcus¡® arms, clinging to him like a ko, ¡°There¡¯s a snake! A snake!¡± Her soft body crashed into his arms, her unique scent filling his nostrils. For a moment, Marcus forgot to move. He just held her tight, protecting her like a helpless baby, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m here. Don¡¯t be scared Cornelia buried her head in his shoulder, shaking uncontrobly, ¡°Please, get rid of it. I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll chase it away. Don¡¯t be scared¡± He looked over to see the snake disappearing into the bushes. She was scared of such a tiny thing ¡°The snake¡¯s gone. Don¡¯t be scared!¡± He tried to let her go, but Cornelia kept clinging to him like an octopus.. Chapter 589 Chapter 589 Chapter 589 She leaned on Marcus¡® shoulder, too scared to even lift her head, pleading, ¡°President Hartley. I beg you, get me outta here¡± Snakes were Comelia¡¯s worst nightmare, no doubt about it. She saw one when she was a kid and had nightmares for days Scared out of her wits, she didn¡¯t give a hoot about actingdylike She just clung to Marcus like a lifeline, only letting go once they were out of that hellhole Even though Cornelia didn¡¯t want to let go, Marcus held her even tighter. He liked the fact that Cornelia needed him. He lifted her up gently, so she could lean better against him, ¡°Hold on tight, don¡¯t fall off. I¡¯ll get you out of here¡± Marcus carried Cornelia a good distance before she dared to peek back at where they¡¯de from No sign of that creepy snake, she breathed a sigh of relief Only then did she realize she was holding onto Marcus tight. She could smell the faint minty fragrance on him, as well as feel his body heat. Her heart pounded, felt like it was about to jump out of her throat. Cornelia hastily slid down from Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, 1 She was so scared earlier, she hadn¡¯t realized how udylike she¡¯d acted. Marcus was feeling all sorts of emotions, but he was good at hiding his feelings. He adjusted his sses and pretended to be cool, asking. ¡°What happened?¡± Pretending nothing happened, Comelia tried to act normal too. But her face was as red as a beet. To ease Cornelia¡¯s embarrassment, Marcus said, ¡°I have the gardener tidy up the garden tomorrow, and this won¡¯t happen again¡± Cornelia tried to change the subject, ¡°President Hartley what would you like to eat tomorrow? I¡¯ll get up early to make you breakfast.¡± She was earning 500 bucks a day, she had to earn her keep and not just take the money and run. Marcus yed along. ¡°Breakfast is already taken care of, and you don¡¯t have to get up early. The holiday is about to end. You won¡¯t have the chance to sleep in soon.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Just doing lunch and dinner, and I¡¯m taking 500 bucks off you a day I feel a bit guilty¡± Marcus chuckled. ¡°Sometimes, a person¡¯s worth isn¡¯t about how much they do, but about their own worth. I don¡¯t want to eat their food. I want to eat yours, that shows you¡¯re important to me You¡¯re so important to me, even 5,000 a day wouldn¡¯t be too much.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Am I that important to you?¡± ¡°Yes¡± Marcus answered firmly, and it wasn¡¯t just about her cooking skills. It was because she was his wife, and that made her very important to him. Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to go any further on this topic. She changed the subject again, ¡°President Hartley. Can I ask, how much does Finn charge you for a meal?¡± Marcus answered. ¡°Take a guess.¡± Cornelia thought for a moment. Even with her cooking skills, Marcus was willing to pay 500 a day With Finn¡¯s superb cooking skills, his price for a meal should at least be double She took a bold guess, ¡°A thousand?¡± Thinking she could hire a world¨Crenowned chef like Finn with a grand, this girl surecked imagination, Marcus said, ¡°Guess again.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Is it more or less?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Less.¡± Cornelia plucked up the courage and guessed an extremely unlikely number, ¡°Five thousand?¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Marcus said. ¡°You can guess a little higher¡± Cornelia asked, ¡®Does it cost ten thousand for a meal?¡± Marcus held up his index and middle finger. Corne shrieked, ¡°Twenty thousand?!! Marcus nodded, ¡°Yep¡± Cornelia eximed, ¡°You¡¯re such a spendthrift!¡± Twenty grand! That was more than what a lot of people made in a year, and he just spent it like that. Earning twenty grand for cooking a meal, that was way easier than her job as an assistant Chapter 590 Chapter 590 Chapter 590 She was contemting switching careers to learn cooking skills, wondering if it was toote? Marcus answered Comelia nonchntly. ¡°The money I earn is for spending I make a truckload of cash. If I don¡¯t enjoy it myself, should I let some other guy enjoy it when I¡¯m gone?¡± Comelia was taken aback. What a petty guy! He was actually holding a grudge. Seeing that it was gettingte, Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, maybe you should take a break. You¡¯re not looking so good. You should avoid overworking and take a rest¡± Marcus slightly lowered his head, hisplex gaze fell on Corne, suddenly asked, ¡°Cornelia, do you like kids?¡± Cornelia was speechless. Could it be that because she just hugged him, he was already thinking about having a baby with her? She did like kids, but she didn¡¯t want to have a baby at this age. Marcus saw her hesitation, guessing she might not like kids, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t like kids, I don¡¯t like them either¡± Cornelia knew he was considering her feelings, felt a bit touched, ¡®I don¡¯t dislike kids. I¡¯m just young and want to work for a few years before considering having a baby¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Marcus said, ¡°Hmm, do whatever you want. Don¡¯t worry about others¡® opinions.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t answer Why did he have to be so considerate? Why was he treating her so well? Didn¡¯t he know that spoiling her unconditionally like this would make her overly dependent on him? Marcus said, ¡°Let¡¯s go back and rest¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°Okay¡± Back in the room, Cornelia saw her flushed face in the mirror and truly realized her embarrassment. She just faced Marcus like this, and he didn¡¯t point it out directly, being quite considerate of her feelings. How could she have the nerve to act like nothing happened? ¡°Ah!¡± Cornelia felt so embarrassed that she started rolling on the bed. This was so awkward¡® Embarrassing herself in front of Marcus. Because of this, Cornelia couldn¡¯t sleep she took out her phone, wanted to chat with someone. After looking around, she decided to chat with Hannah. Cornelia [Hannah, are you asleep yet? Did Ashley say it¡¯s a wrap?] After sending the message and waiting for a while, she finally got a response from Hannah: [Ms. Stewart, why are you looking for Hannah sote? Any problems?] It turned out that Steven took Hannah¡¯s phone Cornelia. President Dixon, good evening! I just wanted to chat with Hannah, could you please give her back her phone?] Steven: [I¡¯ve just worn her out, and she fell asleep already. After she¡¯s rested a bit, I¡¯ve to go at it again. She might not sleep well tonight. If you have anything, find her tomorrow afternoon] Cornelia was stunned He was so shameless! Since he had done it, why told her? He was so shameless, couldn¡¯t he consider Hannah¡¯s feelings? Zavier didn¡¯t know how to cherish his wife. Steven, although he cherished his wife a lot, he was no different from an immoral person. What kind of friends had Marcus made? While Cornelia was angry, Jeremy¡¯s message came: [Cornelia, do you still need me?] Chapter 591 Chapter 591 Chapter 591 Marcus had a super strong aura that scared the living daylights out of people wherever he went. He was so intimidating that no one dared to lie to his face. How on earth did such a tough guy manage to break hearts with just a WhatsApp message? Well, it could be her. She always had a soft spot, especially when it came to him being ¡°Jeremy¡°. Cornelia didn¡¯t want to hurt him: Jeremy, I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t mean it when I said I wanted a divorce. Just forget I ever said it ] But Jeremy was hellbent on getting the answer he wanted [Do you still want me?] Cornelia texted back quickly [Yes! You¡¯re the only one I want in this life. I don¡¯t want anyone else! N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. After sending the message. Cornelia dove under her covers, touching her burning cheeks. She must be blushing like crazy. Then a new message beeped on her phone. Cornelia opened WhatsApp again and saw Jeremy¡¯s message: [For richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, ¡®til death do us part] Jeremy wasn¡¯t the best at sweet talk, so it was a big deal that he used this phrase to express his feelings. Even though she couldn¡¯t see his face, Cornelia could imagine how serious he must be She didn¡¯t text him back, instead, she hugged her phone close to her, right over her heart. Even without love between them, Cornelia believed that as long as they worked together, they could still make their marriage work. Cornelia spent three and a half days at Celestial Chateau. By the fourth day, Marcus was feeling much better and didn¡¯t need any more drips. He preferred to be in his study during his drips. While he was on the drip. Cornelia would be reading in the same room. They didn¡¯t interact, but it felt cozy So when Dr. Lester came in to remove Marcus¡® needle, his shiny bald head seemed like a bright third wheel. After removing the needle and tidying up the used drip. Dr. Lester shook Cornelia¡¯s hand. ¡°Thank you so much for these three days!¡± Without Cornelia, Dr. Lester was sure Marcus wouldn¡¯t have epted the drip peacefully, let alone rested at home, so he considered Cornelia the hero of the day. Marcus watched coldly as Dr. Lester shook Cornelia¡¯s hand. ¡®Dr. Lester, you can leave now¡± He had never even held Cornelia¡¯s hand like that, so why the hell should this old man? Dr. Lester was smart enough to get the warning in Marcus¡® eyes. He quickly let go of her hand. ¡°The next two weeks are crucial for Marc¡¯s recovery. He needs your careful attention. Alcohol is a no¨Cno, not even a drop.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Dr. Lester. I¡¯ll take good care of him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s in your hands then Dr. Lester said. Cornelia gave an awkward smile, but didn¡¯t reply After Dr. Lester left, Cornelia said to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley it¡¯s Granger¡¯s 60th birthday today. He is Cameron¡¯s father. The Reese family has sent you an invitation. Are you nning to attend in person?¡± Even though the Reese family was no longer as influential as the Hartley family, it was still one of the most prestigious families in Riverton, Cameron and Marcus were childhood friends after all. By all ounts, Marcus should be attending this birthday party. Chapter 592 Chapter 592 Chapter 592 But Marcus was a free spirit, and if he didn¡¯t feel like dealing with a situation, he wouldn¡¯t, ¡°Are you going or not?¡± These kinds of events, even though they were birthday parties, were really business affairs. Comelia never got involved in this kind of stuff when she was off work. But she kept thinking about Natalias message and wanted to see what ir was up to. I kinda want to see what¡¯s going on¡± Marcus knew this wasn¡¯t the real reason Comelia wanted to attend the Reese family¡¯s event, but he didn¡¯t call her out on it, ¡°If you want to go, we¡¯ll go,¡± Cornelia was no longer surprised that Marcus listened to her, ¡®President Hartley the guests for the Reese family¡¯s birthday party will surely be dressed to the nines. We¡¯ve got two hours till we need to head over. I should go home and change.¡± Marcus said, ¡°No need you can wear whatever. You¡¯re with me, and no one will dare critique you¡± Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, I still need to go home and change.¡± She had a big shot to rely on, but this wasn¡¯t the time to do so. Everyone would be dressed to impress at someone else¡¯s birthday party. If she showed up in casual wear, she would stick out like a sore thumb and cause unnecessary trouble. Marcus¡® status was clear, and he could do as he pleases. But as a lowly assistant, she¡¯d only be asking for trouble. Marcus said. ¡°T!! have someone deliver clothes to you.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley, there¡¯s no need. I have that dress Sallie gave me, which I haven¡¯t worn yet. I¡¯d like to wear that.¡± Speaking of the dress, Marcus remembered it too. He splurged to get the dress from Sallie to give to Comelia, paired with the fancy ne he got her. ¡°TII have Austin drive you home.¡± Cornelia declined, Tm just an assistant. I don¡¯t need a driver. I can drive myself. We¡¯ll meet at the Reese family¡¯ster.¡± Marcus was taken aback He just watched Cornelia leave, and his good mood vanished in a sh. The dress was a deep blue, which wowed both Sallie and Marcus when Cornelia tried it onst time. But the dress had been in her closet ever since, as she never had a proper asion to wear it Cornelia put on the dress, but felt like something was missing She looked herself over in the mirror, the dress wasn¡¯t particrly adorned. But the cut, fabric, and craftsmanship were top¨Cnotch. Her figure was great, and the dress showcased it perfectly She was very satisfied with how she looked, except for the bareness around her neck. A ne would be perfect. Cornelia didn¡¯t usually buy essories. She quickly texted Abigail [Abby, I¡¯ve got a dinner tonight. Can I borrow one of your nes?] Abigail replied [Your boyfriend gave you a pricey nest time, why aren¡¯t you wearing that instead of asking to borrow my cheap stic one?] [Ipletely forgot about it until you mentioned it ] Cornelia quickly opened her bedside table, and a beautiful box appeared before her eyes. She opened the box and took out the ne to put around her neck. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but the ne and her dress matched perfectly, as if they were made for each other.N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Chapter 593 Chapter 593 Chapter 593 Comelia got herself all dolled up, ready to hit the road and visit Marcus at the Reese family mansion. Upon exiting the elevator, she immediately noticed a ck Rolls¨CRoyce with the license te number 58 parked at the entrance of the underground parking lot. That was Marcus¡¯s ridel There he was, standing by his car Even in a lowly parking garage, dressed simply in white shirt and ck trousers, he looked like he was glowing Good thing it wasn¡¯t during rush hour, and the parking lot was not crowded. Otherwise, his mboyance would have surely attracted attention. Comelia hastened her steps towards him, ¡°President Hartley, what brings you here?¡± They lived in an old residential area where not only the apartments were old, but the underground parking lot also differed from the modern ones in current neighborhoods. It had not been repainted, the ground was uneven, and the lighting was poorly lit The ground was entirely made of concrete, but due to years of neglect, it had be uneven and pockmarked Puddles of water could be found everywhere, and the lighting was dim People who were unfamiliar with the area could easily step into potholes if they weren¡¯t careful. If Marcus stepped into one, well, that would be a blow to his image The moment Cornelia stepped out of the elevator, Marcus¡¯s gaze fell upon her and never left. Cornelia had great skin, glowing even more under the shade of her deep blue dress. Her eyes, clear as a blueke. Her delicate dress outlined her perfect figure, especially her slender waist, seemingly so fragile it could break with a twist¡­. In an instant, Marcus felt a physical reaction. His mouth went dry, his voice became hoarse, ¡°I¡¯m here to pick you up.¡± ¡± He was no longer pretending to bump into her by chance, but openly taking her. ¡°I can drive myself there, no need for you to make the trip That was what Cornelia originally nned to say, but since he was already here, it seemed a bit rude to refuse, So, she gave him a smile, ¡°Thank you, President Hartley¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Marcus opened the back door for her to get in, and Cornelia took her seat without further ado. He closed the door for her, walked around the front of the car to the left, and sat beside her on the spacious back seat. Even though there was plenty of room for two, the moment Marcus sat down, Cornelia felt as if the space had suddenly shrunk. Watching Marcus move closer after sitting down, Cornelia was so startled that she forgot how to react, just sitting there like a deer in headlights. His sleeve lightly brushed her nose, his scent, a faint mint aroma, filled her nostrils As he leaned in, Cornelia instinctively closed her eyes, but all he did was fasten her seatbelt, ¡°In Riverton, even the backseat passengers need to buckle up.¡± His voice, deep and mellow with a hint of huskiness, carried a touch of amusement. He wasughing at her! Cornelia was sure of it! She could only me herself. He was just helping her buckle up, and she thought he wanted to kiss her Cornelia felt like she was floating on a cloud, unable to rise or fall. What a strange feeling¡­ The next second, a warm thing brushed against Cornelia¡¯s lips, Cornelia abruptly opened her eyes to find Marcus¡¯s thumb touching her lips. His hands were good¨Clooking, his fingers long and well¨Cdefined, but Cornelia was in no mood to appreciate them, ¡°President Hartley, don¡¯t¡­¡± Chapter 594 Chapter 594 Chapter 594 She didn¡¯t dare to move, and her voice became hoarse. Marcus used a bit of force and gently wiped off the lipstick on her mouth corner Then, he raised his hand in front of her and said ¡°Your lipstick was smudged, let me wipe off the excess for you¡± So she was just overthinking? Marcus turned his face away, not looking at her anymore. However, Cornelia could sense his anger from his back She didn¡¯t understand why he was getting angry when he was the one teasing her in the first ce. The driver was Austin, who had already driven the car out of the underground parking lot, smoothly and swiftly heading towards the Reese family mansion. The partition inside the car had been raised before Cornelia got in, dividing the car into twopletely separate spaces With no one else around, Cornelia felt even more awkward and uneasy Marcus was angry, and Cornelia didn¡¯t dare to look at him, she leaned against the right car door, looking out the window, watching the streetscape rapidly receding by the roadside She didn¡¯t know how much time had passed when Marcus¡¯s voice once again reached her ears, ¡®Cornelia¡­¡­¡± Cornelia, ¡°Huh?¡± He suddenly turned to look at her, ¡°Turn around and and look at me.¡± Cornelia had to turn her head, as he requested. His eyes under the silver rimmed sses were slightly narrowed, carrying a powerful force that could destroy the world. This Marcus made her feel both familiar and strange. Familiar, because over the past year, she often saw this chilling side of him in the business world. Strange, because over the past year, he had never shown such a terrifying side when he was alone with her. Perhaps sensing her fear, Marcus turned his head, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. When he looked at Cornelia again, his eyes had returned to the gentleness she was familiar with, ¡°In your mind, what kind of person am I? Don¡¯t answer with ¡®you are a good person.¡± He asked a question, but he didn¡¯t allow her to answer with the standard answer. Cornelia opened her mouth, thought for a long time, but couldn¡¯t think of any other response, ¡°You really are a good person.¡± Marcus adjusted his silver¨Crimmed sses, slowly looking Cornelia up and down, I¡¯m a good person, but you¡¯re still afraid of me.¡± Cornelia quickly shook her head, ¡°No, I¡¯m not afraid of you.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Marcus suddenlyughed, but his eyes were filled with a chilling indifference, ¡°It would be strange if you aren¡¯t afraid of me¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t exin her feelings for him, she did respect him, but she was also afraid of him.. She knew he wouldn¡¯t hurt her, but his aura sometimes made people feel scared and chilled Marcus took out a cigarette and a lighter from the box, lightly lit it, took a deep puff, then said slowly in a low voice, ¡°When I was sixteen, I took control of the Hartley Group from my biological father, and I also put him in jail, where he stayed for a full ten years before he came out, and to this day he only has been freed for two years. Also, when I was sixteen, I drove my own biological mother out of the Hartley family, and dered that I, have nothing to do with the Kamp family. Anyone who has a good rtionship with the Kamp family is my, Marcus¡® enemy As a result, when I was rising, many businesses voluntarily cut off cooperation with the Kamp Corporation. The Kamp Corporation, apany with a hundred years of history, declined rapidly in just a few years. Now when ites to well¨Cknown bigpanies, who still remembers the once prominent Kamp Corporation¡± Chapter 595 Chapter 595 Chapter 595 Cornelia was well aware of what Marcus was saying And that was why so many people were scared shitless of Marcus. Everyone thought, a guy who could do such a thing to his own parents must be some cold hearted bastard, and it was impossible to discuss emotions with them. But Cornelia knew, Marcus was not that kind of guy N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Then, in a split second Marcus delivered something out of her expectation, ¡°I¡¯ve done a lot of things, things no one has ever heard of, wanna hear about it?¡± Cornelia shook her head then nodded, back and forth¡­ She was really not sure if she should listen. A cig was smoked up pretty quickly, and Marcus lit up another one, puffing away like a chimney. The window was rolled up, and the smoke was all over Cornelia¡¯s face. Cornelia coughed a bit, even her eyes teared up Her eyes filled with tears, ¡°President Hartley, can you quit smoking, please?¡± When Comelia first met Marcus, he always had a cigarette in his hand. Later on, she hadn¡¯t seen him smoke for a while, but for some reason, he started again today, lighting up two in a row and smoking them fast. His body just got a bit better, and he was smoking like this, he really didn¡¯t give a damn about his life, ¡°President Hartley, smoking is bad for your health, can you please stop?¡± The cigarette in Marcus¡® hand suddenly froze, and then he stubbed it out in the ashtray. Even though he was pissed at her at the moment, his logic still won over his emotions. He would never hurt her. He rolled down the window, and hot air rushed into the car. Although the wind was hot, it dissipated the smoke, and Cornelia felt much better. She looked at his handsome features, and his furrowed brow, slowly she seemed to understand why he suddenly got angry.. He was interacting with her as a husband, and she was used to interacting with him as an assistant. The questions he asked, she really couldn¡¯t give him the answers he wanted to hear as an assistant After thinking for a while, Cornelia thought of a good way to answer, ¡°I¡¯m not sure what happened between you and your parents, and it¡¯s not my ce as an assistant toment. But if my husband faced the same problem as you, I wouldn¡¯t care who¡¯s right or wrong, I would stand by him firmly and support him.¡± Sure enough, as soon as she finished speaking. Marcus¡® furrowed brow gradually rxed He closed the window, looked at her delicate face, and asked, ¡°Why?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°The answer is simple. Because he¡¯s my husband, the closest person to me, and the one I want to spend the rest of my life with. I¡¯m a narrow¨Cminded person, without much rationality. My man, whether he is right or wrong, I will stand up for him, nobody can mess with him.¡± ¡°My man, right or wrong, I will stand up for him.¡± She had said the same thing to him on WhatsApp before, she said she would protect him. Marcus¡® heart, once as cold as ice, began to gradually warm up and beat intensely as he listened to Cornelia¡¯s words. He pushed his silver sses up his nose again, but this time it wasn¡¯t to conceal his cold gaze, but to hide the smile in his eyes. Chapter 596 Chapter 596 Chapter 596 His sexy lips curved slightly a smile spreading across his face Jeremy is definitely punching above his weight by marrying you. Best decision he ever made Since heplimented her using Marcus identity. Comelia felt like she should respond. Although she didn¡¯t have much dating experience, she believed when it came to rtionship, reciprocation was key Regardless of whether you loved the other person or not you should give them an answer 7 feel the same.¡± she replied ¡°Marrying Jeremy was the best decision I¡¯ve ever made.¡± As she said this, Comelia lowered her head slightly, a hint of sadness visible in her delicate eyes ¡®But there¡¯s something that I¡¯ve never dared to tell Jeremy. If I do, he might feel embarrassed, he might even want a divorce But whatever he chooses. I can understand and I won¡¯t me him¡± She wanted to take this opportunity to tell Jeremy about that thing Whether he was willing to continue their marriage or not after she told him, she would respect his decision Her tone was casual, but her beautiful face revealed a hint of sadness, unable to hide her inner tension and anxiety. She had suffered too much pain over that incident, had endured too many hardships, and people who had pursued her also had left her because of it This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Marcus knew, he understood ¡°You¡¯re talking about what happened in your sophomore year, right?¡± Cornelia widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Mr. Hartley, how how did you know? ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I know Marcus said, looking into her eyes. His voice was deep and melodious, like a beautiful melody that resonated within Cornelia¡¯s heart. ¡°What matters is that you¡¯re not the one at fault. It was the scumbag who tried to force you, the people who twisted the truth, and those who attacked you without knowing the situation if Jeremy wants to divorce you because of this, then he doesn¡¯t deserve someone as wonderful as you This wasn¡¯t the first time Marcus had said these words to her When she first started working for him, and someone sexually harassed her, he used that same deep, powerful voice to tell her that she was not at fault, and that she should stand up bravely when being bullied Back then, he was just a superior protecting an employer. But today, the man saying these words to her was not only her superior, but also her legal husband Comelia¡¯s eyes moistened teardrops swirling in her bright eyes, looking as if they were about to drop At this moment Marcus couldn¡¯t care less about anything else. He reached out his thumb and gently wiped away the tears at the corner of her eyes. Cornelia wasn¡¯t used to such close contact with him and instinctively wanted to back away But this time, Marcus didn¡¯t give her the chance to escape. He quickly reached out his other hand to hold her head, forcing her to look at him. ¡°Comelia His voice was husky and low, his passionate lips quicklynding on her eyes, gently kissing away the tear stains from her eyes His lips were warm, leaving Comelia¡¯s mind nk His kiss was incredibly gentle, like a feather lightly brushing over Comelia¡¯s eyes Comelia thought to herself, he was her husband and it was only natural for him to kiss her But the body¡¯s reaction couldn¡¯t deceive anyone. Her body stiffened, her heart fluttered in feat, and she instinctively resisted saying ¡°President Hartley, please, don¡¯t.¡± Marcus let go of her, as his deep and pleasant voice sounded again. ¡°You already know, and you¡¯re still calling me President Hartley?¡± Chapter 597 Chapter 597 Chapter 597 Did Marcus Hartley know that she knew they were married? How did he know? When did he know? Did she identally spill the beans? No way, she hadn¡¯t figured out how to y the wife role yet, she absolutely cant fess up. So, Comelia Stewart decided that until she figured out how to handle her new role with Marcus, she wouldn¡¯t admit it, ¡°President Hartley, what, what are you talking about? I¡¯m totally lost¡± Her stuttering voice and clueless eyes were screaming guilt. Still wouldn¡¯t fess up, huh? Marcus chuckled, ¡°Not ready to admit it, huh?¡± Marcus was no dummy, there was no way he could not see the changes in Cornelia recently In the past, whenever he made even the slightest move that went beyond their rtionship in work, Cornelia would instinctively avoid it and quickly create distance between them. But now, every time he touched her, he could see the struggle and turmoil in her eyes. A few days ago, she had run to the hospitalte at night, asking him some weird questions about Jeremy, and then texted Jeremy asking for a divorce on WhatsApp During the days he took her to Celestial Chateau, he was quietly observing her every move. When she hesitantly asked him if he had an affair with Natalia behind her back, he confirmed his suspicions. Marcus was grateful that Cornelia voiced her doubts directly, giving him the chance to exin. Cornelia decided to stick to her guns, ¡®President Hartley, what do you want me to admit?¡± Marcus took her hand and brought it to his nose, his voice sexy and captivating. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll give you a few more days.¡± Today was May 4th, four more days until May 8th. It¡¯d been two years, and he didn¡¯t mind waiting for her for another four days. Cornelia wasn¡¯t used to this level of intimacy, and she instinctively backed away, which triggered a strong possessiveness in Marcus. She retreated, he advanced, cornering her against the car window, ¡°Cornelia, stop trying to avoid me, not in this life, not even in the next.¡± From the moment they got married, she was his wife, and he wouldn¡¯t allow her to avoid him anymore. When he was with her, Marcus was always a perfect gentleman. She never knew he had this domineering side. Right now, she felt like amb who wandered into a wolf¡¯s den, and he was like a wild beast, ready to devour her at any moment. Just as Cornelia was at a loss, the car stopped, Austin¡¯s voice came through the car¡¯s inte, ¡°Marc, Cornelia, we¡¯re here.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Okay¡± Marcus responded, releasing the tie in Cornelia¡¯s hair, letting it fall like a waterfall, loosely flowing over her shoulders. What did he take her for? Did he think she was his pet to toy with? Cornelia got angry. ¡°Marcus, what on earth are you up to?¡± Marcus¡® eyes under his sses showed a smile, ¡°Finally calling me by my name.¡± Cornelia was helpless at his response, ¡°You¡­¡± Marcus casually yed with a strand of her hair, twirling it around his fingers. Chapter 598 Chapter 598 Chapter 598 Her hair was as smooth as top notch fabric, and it had a delightful touch that made one irresistibly tempted to run their fingers through it Seeing that he had no intention of getting out of the car. Cornelia had to remind him, ¡°We¡¯re here Marcus replied, ¡°I know Just sit light¡± He let go of her hair, got out first, then went to the right side of the car and opened the door for Cornelia He bent down, extending his hand towards her in a very gentlemanly manner. Faced with such chivalry Comelia couldn¡¯t help but take his hand. Her hand rested on the back of his hand, and with a gentle movement, he enveloped her soft and smooth hand tightly in his palm ¡°President Hartley, there are so many people around. It wouldn¡¯t look good if we get caught on cameraCornelia tried to pull her hand back, but his grip was too tight, she couldn¡¯t get away Marcus chuckled, ¡°Who dares to take a shot without my permission? He wasn¡¯t exaggerating, nobody dared to take his photo without his permission. However, as soon as she got out of the car and saw the crowd, Cornelia quickly withdrew her hand and instinctively hid behind Marcus. The Reese family was one of the most prestigious families in Riverton Although Granger had officially retired and the Reese Group was managed by his son Cameron, everyone knew that the real decision¨C maker was still Granger. At Granger¡¯s birthday, there were many guests, including celebrities from all walks of life and, of course, the media. It was indeed an extravagant event. When a car with the license te A88888 appeared, the journalists at the entranc immediately pointed their cameras towards it, trying to snap a shot of the big shot of Riverton However, before they could press the shutter, they were stopped by Leonardo and Ryan, who were already waiting at the entrance Leonardo held a cigarette and spoke leisurely, ¡°Dear media friends, you can take as many photos of me and Ryan as you want. Even if you want to take pictures of us without clothes, we have no objections. But you all know whose car that is, and you still dare to take photos, are you trying to get canned?¡± ¡°Leo, you post selfies on your social media ount at least five times a day. Your face isn¡¯t worth much anymore, who¡¯d want to snap your picture?¡± Ryan mocked Leonardo before stopping the media. ¡°If they wanna take photos of Mac, let them do it. Our Marc¡¯s a true gentleman, he won¡¯t bite¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Gentleman? Marcus? Was that really applicable? Marcus didn¡¯t bite? Marcus might not bite, but he did send his own father to jail for ten years. With such heartless person, it seemed there was nothing he wouldn¡¯t do. The media was extremely nervous about taking photos of Marcus. Luckily, they were reminded, otherwise, they¡¯d be in big trouble if they got him on camera So, when Marcus got out of the car and walked around it before opening the door for Cornelia, there were many people at the entrance, but no one dared to raise their cameras at him. The media and some newly¨Carrived guests were curiously looking at Marcus¡® car, wanting to find out who was inside the car that he would personally open the door. The first thing they saw was a beautiful hand, followed by a pair of high heels. Everyone was sure the person in the car was ady. News of Marcus doting on his wife had already spread to every corner of Riverton. Everyone believed that there was no other woman other than his wife that could make Marcus act like this. Chapter 599 Chapter 599 Chapter 599 Marcus¡® wife, just like Marcus himself, was the most sought after figure for the Riverton media. That was because ever since Marcus announced he was married, his wife had been shrouded in just as much mystery as he had, with only a single shot of their backs making it to the public so far And now, this enigmaticdy was just within sight, all set to step out of the car and reveal her face to the world So, naturally, the ce started buzzing with excitement Everyone was trying to squeeze forward to get a better look, even if they couldn¡¯t snap a photo, a clear view was good enough As everyone held their breath, thedy finally emerged from the car, dressed in a deep blue dress, with a killer figure and long hair casually draped over her shoulders. The crowd unanimously gave her back profile a 10 out of 10. When Marcus turned around hand in hand with her, everyone finally got a clear look at her face. Gorgeous! Stunning! Absolutely breathtaking! Everyone suddenly understood why Marcus rushed to put a ring on it. Marrying a woman this beautiful, no wonder he wanted to keep her all to himself. All the questions had their answers now. Marcus wasn¡¯t disinterested in women, it was just that the ones who wanted to marry him looked too in inparison to him. Only a girl this beautiful, who stood beside him without paling inparison, could win his heart and be his wife Because this woman was beautiful enough and didn¡¯t fade when standing next to Marcus, everyone easily epted that she was Marcus¡® wife. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Leonardo and Ryan shooed away the onlookers with a smile, ¡°Our friend prefers peace and quiet, please don¡¯t linger around the cat. Head towards the main venue for the party, where tonight¡¯s star is waiting for you¡± Many people, especially those who hadn¡¯t met Marcus, could feel his powerful aura from a distance; not many had the guts to approach him. Leonardo and Ryan¡¯s words gave them the perfect excuse to leave and they did just that Finally, the drop¨Coff area quieted down, Leonardo and Ryan walked towards Marcus and his wife. ¡°Comelia, why is it that every time I see you, you¡¯re even more beautiful than thest time? Tell me, what¡¯s your secret? Leonardo, who had seen Cornelia multiple times. knew she was a stunner, but today, she blew him away She usually wore work uniforms, but today, with this dress on, he could see her perfect figure. He suddenly felt envious of her husband. ¡°Thanks for thepliment, Mr. Wilson Cornelia chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t have any special beauty regimen, it¡¯s just good genes, I was born beautiful.¡± Leonardo replied, ¡°Every time I see you, your shamelessness increases.¡± Cornelia shot back, ¡°When one is shameless to the extreme, they can achieve anything. You should know this better than me, Mr. Wilson.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°Are you suggesting I am shameless?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°That¡¯s your interpretation, I said nothing¡± From the time he met her, Leonardo realized he had never won an argument with Cornelia, he felt a bit hurt, ¡°Marc, you really need to keep your assistant in check. She¡¯s been bullying me every day because she knows you¡¯ve got her back¡± Chapter 600 Chapter 600 Chapter 600 Marcus said coolly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it an honor for her to pick on you?¡± Was this something a normal person would say Leonardo felt as if he could hear his heart shattering He waved his hand, pretending to cry as he covered his eyes, ¡°Marc, you really don¡¯t love me anymore. Ever since Cornelia first showed up, you¡¯ve been giving me the cold shoulder, you heartless jerk! Cornelia, give me back my Marc¡­ His melodramatic act made Corne frown, ¡°Mr. Wilson, can you not be so dramatic as a man?¡± Yes, he was being dramatic Cornelia shook off her goosebumps, ¡°There are a lot of people here, if others see you like this, it¡¯ll spread. Do you ever want to get a girlfriend again?¡± That brought Leonardo back to reality If he was shunned by all women for joking with Marcus, that would be a major loss. He cleared his throat, regaining his normal tone, ¡°Ryan, you haven¡¯t met Marc¡¯s assistant yet, let me introduce you.¡± ¡°No need. I¡¯m quite familiar with Cornelia.¡± Ryan extended his hand to Cornelia with a smile, ¡°Ms. Stewart, didn¡¯t expect to run into you here. How¡¯s your rtionship with your husband now?¡± Cornelia shook his hand. ¡°Thanks for your concern, Mr. Ryan. My husband and I are doing alright¡± Leonardo, ¡°Wait, when did you two meet? Why don¡¯t I know?¡± Ryan, ¡°Cornelia¡¯s husband hired me to handle their divorce proceedings. I¡¯ve known Cornelia since a year ago.¡± Ryan didn¡¯t know that Cornelia was aware of Marcus¡® true identity. He nced at Marcus and asked deliberately, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re not considering a divorce anymore?¡± Leonardo, ¡°Cornelia, if your husband wants a divorce, you should do it quickly and thene to me, I¡¯ll take good care of you.¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Leonardo felt that if it weren¡¯t for his bad luck, if he had met Cornelia at the right time, he could have won her heart before her current boyfriend did. With his background and appearance, he believed he could have easily won Cornelia over. Marcus. ¡°You think Cornelia would set her sights on you after a divorce?¡± His voice remained low with no change in tone, and no emotions were detectable. His gaze appeared normal, as if he was casually making a statement without any other intention Leonardo, ¡°What? Marc, what did you say?¡± Ryan burst intoughter, ¡°Leo, don¡¯t ask anymore, just pretend you didn¡¯t hear clearly. If you insist on figuring it out, the blow might be harder.¡± Leonardo knew his appearance couldn¡¯tpare to Marcus, who was one in a thousand. In Marcus¡® eyes, he was just a pebble. That hit was fatal for the narcissistic Leonardo, ¡°Ryan, Cornelia, do you guys agree with Marc?¡± Ryan said. ¡°In Marc¡¯s eyes, there probably not many people that he finds attractive enough.¡± Cornelia expressed her strong agreement. Leonardo took out his phone, turned on the camera, and pointed it at himself. He saw himself in the phone camera, with bright eyes and handsome brows, poised and good¨Clooking, like a tall and handsome tree¡­ Perhaps his brain suddenly malfunctioned, otherwise, Leonardo could totally use all the words describing a handsome man topliment himself. Ryan told him, ¡°Dude, you¡¯re a man, why so hung up on looks?¡± Chapter 601 Chapter 601 Chapter 601 Leonardo replied, ¡°Let¡¯s be real, good looking folks, male or female, are more popr I have no interest in being a social pariah Cornelia butted in, ¡°Is it really okay topare yourself to a product?¡° Leonardo retorted, ¡°I can¡¯t win with you just stop talking to me.¡± Marcus chimed in, ¡°You should be nicer to Cornelia¡® Before Leonardo could finish his sentence, ¡°Cornelia is the one picking on me, and you¡¯re on her side¡­¡± He suddenly realized something. ¡°Marcus, are you into Cornelia? Looking to put a ring on it?¡± No need to guess! He already put a ring on Cornelia. The thought made Marcus day, and he cheerfully replied. ¡°Take a guess.¡± Leonardo was left speechless. ¡°Who¡¯s getting married?¡± The voice of Cameron, tonight¡¯s host, rang out a few meters behind them. Heughed and walked over, ¡°Marcus, heard you were here, and you brought your wife. I¡¯ve been waiting to see you. My dad¡¯s tied up with the guests, so he sent me to greet you Marcus nced at Cameron, replying nonchntly. ¡°The air¡¯s nice out here.¡± Cameron didn¡¯t dare to ask further, not knowing if Marcus was genuinely enjoying the air or if there was a hidden meaning Marcus was like a mountain to him, one that seemed impossible to ovee. Cameron looked around, only seeing Cornelia and no unfamiliar women, ¡°Marcus, where¡¯s your wife?¡± Leonardo stepped in to exin, ¡°His wife? The only girl here is Cornelia. The guests haven¡¯t met Cornelia, so they assumed the girl¨CMarcus brought was his wife.¡± Cameron was relieved, ¡°I see!¡± His sister Natalia just started dating Marcus. If Marcus brought his wife to a party at this time, it would mean he was just messing around with Natalia. However, his wife¡¯s absence implied Natalia could possibly be his official girlfriend. He continued, ¡°Marcus, I need to help my dad with the other guests. Make yourself at home.¡± Leonardo added, ¡°Go do your thing We¡¯re all friends here.¡± Cameron nced at Cornelia, his gaze lingering on the ne around her neck for a second. She was still stunningly beautiful. Marcus remained cool. ¡°Don¡¯t look at what you shouldn¡¯t, or I won¡¯t mind taking you to an eye doctor¡± Everyone present, including Cameron, understood his words. Marcus was a straightforward guy, especially when it came to the people he cared about. Cameron could only y dumb,ughing as he replied, ¡°My eyes have been a bit drytely. Just visited the eye doctor yesterday, so no need to worry about me.¡± Leonardo helped shift the focus. ¡°Cameron, there¡¯s a ton of guests tonight, your dad can¡¯t handle them all You should help him out ¡± ¡°Alright¡± Cameron hurried off. Once Cameron was out of sight, Leonardo turned to Marcus, ¡°Marc, Cameron is a friend we grew up with¡­¡± Marcus cut him off, ¡°You may see him as a friend, but the feeling might not be mutual Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Leonardo was left speechless. He wasnt oblivious, just thinking he could mend their rtionship and bring back the good old days. But some people and things, once changed, can never be the same again Ryan tried to lighten the mood, ¡°Since we¡¯re all here, let¡¯s head in. We should enjoy the party, have a few drinks, and have fun.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Yeah.¡± Chapter 602 Chapter 602 Chapter 602 Marcus, looking down at her, asked, ¡°Who are you looking for tonight?¡± It seemed like he already knew the reason why she came to this gathering Seeing as she couldn¡¯t hide it from him, Comelia carne clean, ¡°Natalia¡± Marcus asked, ¡°You don¡¯t trust me?¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Comelia replied ¡°Nah, it¡¯s not that I need her for something else.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Go find whoever you want I got your back, don¡¯t worry about anyone else¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Okay¡± Leonardo curiously asked, ¡°What are you two whispering about? Got some secret we can¡¯t know?¡± Ryan knew some things, but he couldn¡¯t spill the beans. He quickly stopped Leonardo, ¡°Easy Leo, some things are better left unknown¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°Why?¡± Ryan intentionally patted Leonardo¡¯s shoulder heavily and said, ¡°Leo, we¡¯ve been together since we were kids. When did you get so nosy?¡± Leonardo asked, ¡®What are you implying?¡± Ryan gave him a helpless look and then said to Marcus and Comelia, ¡®Let¡¯s go inside.¡± Leaving Leonardo alone in the breeze. Cameron returned to Granger with news. Granger asked, ¡°Is this info urate?¡± Cameron replied, ¡°The woman isn¡¯t his wife, just his assistant. The guests haven¡¯t seen her before, so they assumed she¡¯s his wife.¡± Granger said, ¡°Marcus is not just crafty, he¡¯s ruthless too. He might have known what we¡¯ve been up to all along. We need to figure out how to deal with him ASAP or all our efforts will be wasted¡± Cameron asked wornedly. ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Granger replied. ¡°Keep cool, roll with the punches. Your sister is a vital piece, make sure she¡¯s put to good use¡± Cameron nodded, ¡°Got it.¡± He then said, ¡°Dad, I noticed that Marcus¡® assistant is also weaning a ¡®Heavenly Radiance¡® ne¡± Granger turned his head in surprise, looking at ir who was proudly showing off the ne around her neck to the crowd in the distance. Even without hearing the chatter of the women, he could guess what they were saying They must beplimenting him for buying a $30 million ne for his wife. The value of the $30 million ney in its opulence, not its beauty Cameron was disgruntled that his father splurged $30 million on a ne for that woman, but now was not the time for infighting. They needed to band together against theirmon enemy. ¡°Dad, want me to stir up some trouble for her?¡± Granger looked away. ¡°Do you really think Marcus would buy a $30 million ne for his assistant?¡± Cameron replied, ¡°So we do nothing and let her be theughing stock tonight for wearing a fake.¡± Granger said, ¡°We can¡¯t just sit back and do nothing. Having someone wearing a fake ne at our Reese family¡¯s party, especially when it¡¯s identical to my wife¡¯s real one, that¡¯s an insult to me Cameron said, ¡°So I quietly ask her to take it off?¡± Granger said, ¡°Do you think she¡¯ll listen to you? How sure are you that you can get her to take your advice?¡± Cameron felt it was impossible. There was tension between him and Cornelia, and she didn¡¯t like him one bit. Moreover, Marcus always protected that woman, making things difficult for him Granger gave Cameron an annoyed look, ¡°If we don¡¯t embarrass her tonight, it¡¯s the Reese family that will end up humiliated¡± Chapter 603 Chapter 603 Chapter 603 Just a few minutes ago ir was basking in thepliments of the richdies. Rich Lady A said, ¡®I heardst year that some mysterious tycoon sshed out 30 million bucks to get his wife a ne called Heavenly Radiance, symbolizing eternal love. I¡¯ve been wondering who this big spender was, who could casually drop 30 million on a ne, turns out it was Mr. Reese¡± Rich Lady B chimed in ¡°Mr. Reese¡¯s love for his wife is well known in Riverton. I don¡¯t find it surprising at all that he¡¯d spend big bucks on his beloved¡± Rich Lady C asked. ¡®Do you know why Mr. Reese is so generous?¡± The other richdies cooperatively asked, ¡°Why?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Rich Lady C looked at ir. ¡®Of course, because of Mrs Reese¡¯s beauty Come closer, take a good look. Mrs. Reese is not only beautiful but also looks very young, we can¡¯t see a single wrinkle on her face even though we¡¯re so close to her.¡± ir was in her forties, indeed well¨Cmaintained, but no matter how well you took care of yourself, you can¡¯t defy nature rules, there were still some wrinkles on her face. Everyone was blindlyplimenting, ir was over the moon, almost forgetting who she was, ¡°I told my hubby many times not to waste money on these jewels. But he wouldn¡¯t listen and said that my good mood was priceless.¡± ir had achieved her current status by wrecking Mr. Reese¡¯s original marriage. Everyone in Riverton¡¯s rich circle knew about it, but society had always been superficial. As long as the Reese Group didn¡¯t go belly up, and as long as ir was Mrs. Reese, no one cared how she got her status. They would only flock around her topliment her While they were chatting, they heard chatter about Marcus nearby ¡°Word is that President Hartley showed up with his wife, they¡¯re in the drop¨Coff area night now¡± ¡°What? Marcus and his wife?¡± ¡°Yeah, those who¡¯ve seen them say she¡¯s absolutely stunning, and doesn¡¯t pale inparison standing next to him¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go check it out.¡± ¡°Hold your horses, they¡¯ll be in soon.¡± Marcus was the real big shot in Riverton, the attention of the richdies was instantly drawn to the conversation nearby. Rich Lady A asked, ¡®Mrs Reese, you guys are close with the Hartley family, have you met his wife?¡± ir answered, ¡°The Hartley family, the Reese family, the Wilson family, the Petersen family, we¡¯re like one big family, of course we¡¯ve met. But from what I know, Marc and his wife are not as lovey¨Cdovey as the outside world thinks¡­¡± The name ¡°Marc¡± used by ir was meant to tell others about their close rtionship. Rich Lady B pursued, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ir nced around, her gazending on a green potted nt, ¡°Some things are better left unsaid¡­¡± Even though she said it wasn¡¯t suitable to talk about, her eyes gave it away. Everyone suddenly got it. Of course, some things really shouldn¡¯t be said. Cameron walked into the middle of the crowd, pped his hands, and interrupted those discussing Marcus, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen¡­ The woman next to Marc is his assistant, not his wife. The people earlier might have mistaken her because they hadn¡¯t met Marc¡¯s assistant before. Let¡¯s not spread any misunderstandings, Marc would be upset if he found out.¡± People who had seen Marcus and Cornelia were a bit disappointed. The girl was so beautiful and seemed to match Marcus so well, why wasn¡¯t she Marcus¡® wife? ir and the richdies exchanged nces, as if to say, ¡°See, what did I tell you? Hees to the dinner with his assistant, not his wife¡­ Are they really as affectionate as the rumors say?¡± After stopping the rumors from spreading, Cameron walked towards ir, ¡°I have something to discuss with you, could youe with me?¡± ¡°Ladies, I must excuse myself.¡± ir followed Cameron into a lounge, the moment the door closed, their expressions changed. Chapter 604 Chapter 604 Chapter 604 ir asked: ¡°What¡¯s up? Spill the beans.¡± Cameron replied ¡°Guess what, someone¡¯s been seen sporting a fake version of your ne¡± ir asked ¡°Who?¡± Cameron replied ¡°Marcus¡® assistant, that woman named Cornelia¡± The name ¡°Cornelia¡± stabbed into ir¡¯s heart like a thorn, making her teeth clench in rage. ¡°Her again. Why is it always her?¡± Cameron asked ¡°What¡¯s your game n?¡± ir shot back. If she¡¯s the one wearing the fake, then it¡¯s her embarrassment, not mine. What¡¯s it to me?¡± Cameron replied. Tlike the way you think.¡± ir sneered ¡°That woman won¡¯t get another chance. I¡¯ll make sure she leaves Riverton and never comes back.¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Cameron stated ¡®Dad¡¯s point is, either we, the Reese family, face embarrassinent tonight, or she does. You decide.¡± ir replied ¡°Got it¡± For over two decades, she had met all sorts of people and done all sorts of things to keep her footing in Riverton, to preserve her status as Mrs. Reese. Dealing with a young girl? Piece of cake. Tonight, the spotlight was on the Reese family Everyone else was just a sideshow Unless someone deliberately tried to steal the scene, they would hardly be noticed¡­ However, Marcus was the exception. No matter where he went, he was always the center of attention. When word got out that Marcus wasing to the birthday party, everyone from the Reese family came to greet him. Granger, all smiles, shook Marcus hand and patted it ¡®Marc, you finally made it.¡± Granger had a lot of connections in the business world, and many people respected his dignity, but he knew that to Marcus, he was no different from anyone else. He tried to cozy up to Marcus, but Marcus might not appreciate it. That didn¡¯t matter, though.. What mattered was how others perceived his rtionship with Marcus. What mattered was how the media reported on his rtionship with Marcus. However, Granger didn¡¯t anticipate that as soon as he let go of Marcus¡® hand, Marcus assistant would hand Marcus an antibacterial wipe. Marcus took the wet wipes and repeatedly wiped the ces where Granger had touched over and over again. Granger¡¯s face turned green, but Marcus just said indifferently, ¡°Mr. Reese, happy birthday!¡± The title ¡°Mr Reese¡± sounded strangely formal. Granger was inwardly frustrated, but he didn¡¯t dare show his anger. ¡°Your concern is appreciated¡± He nced at Cameron, ¡°Marc, I¡¯ll have Cameron keep youpany I have to greet the other guests, but I¡¯ll catch up with you for a drinkter.¡± Granger finished talking, but Marcus didn¡¯t seem interested in entertaining him at all. A man who would abandon his wife for a mistress couldn¡¯t be anything good Marcus detested such people the most. Chapter 605 Chapter 605 Chapter 605 Cameron handed Marcus a drink, ¡°Marc, fancy a drink?¡± Before Marcus could respond, Cornelia stepped in front of him, ¡®I¡¯m sorry! Mr. Hartley is under the weather, no drinks for him tonight¡± Cameron¡¯s brow furrowed a hint of annoyance creeping into his eyes. He was having a conversation with Marcus, not her ce as an assistant to butt in But he held his tongue. He knew Marcus had a soft spot for this woman. Cameron forced a smile. ¡°Ms Stewart, there¡¯s something I want to say but not sure if it¡¯s appropriate¡± Comelia, ¡°If you think it¡¯s inappropriate, then don¡¯t say it.¡± Cameron took his time before continuing ¡°I feel I shouldn¡¯t say this, but I still feel the need to remind you. Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re meddling too much in Marc¡¯s affairs? Whether he drinks or not should not be your concern, it should be his wife¡¯s. Yet, here you are stepping in ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s overstepping, why do you have to make a fuss? Marcus shot Cameron an annoyed look, adding, ¡°My wife doesn¡¯t want me drinking¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. A warm feeling spread through Cornelia¡¯s heart as she looked up at him. Their eyes met. Cornelia quickly averted her gaze, looking at the ceiling, the floor, anywhere but Marcus Cameron, a little embarrassed, changed the subject, ¡°Marc, you¡¯re okay with a woman bossing you around? It¡¯s just a woman, any woman would do, right?¡± Any woman would do. That was what Marcus used to think. But now, he couldn¡¯t imagine if the woman he had married wasn¡¯t Cornelia. Marcus, ¡°Who I marry, who I let boss me around, that¡¯s my business, and it¡¯s none of your concern.¡± Seeing this. ir pushed a stunned Natalia towards Marcus, ¡®Marc, Natalia¡¯s been talking about you non stop. She says you treat her better than her own brother. Let her take care of you tonight¡­¡± Marcus looked down at her, and gave her a cold nce, ¡°I¡¯m married, I don¡¯t need another woman¡¯s company¡± This statement could be taken as blunt or subtle, depending on the listener¡¯s interpretation. ir, acting nonchnt, continued, ¡°Yes, everyone knows you¡¯re married, and we all know how in love you are with your wife Marc, why didn¡¯t you bring your wife tonight?¡± There had been rumors among the four families that Marcus¡® wife had been unfaithful, but he had dismissed it as a misunderstanding and warned everyone against spreading the rumor Marcus could control what people said, but not what they thought ir firmly believed that Marcus hadn¡¯t brought his wife for a reason, either they were having problems, or there were other unsavory reasons. Despite ir¡¯s attempts at small talk, Marcus had no intention of engaging with her further, and turned to leave. Cornelia quickly followed him, ¡°President Hartley¡­¡± Marcus turned back, ¡°Yes?¡± Comelia nervously asked, ¡°Would you consider epting Natalia?¡± Marcus¡® expression turned icy, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Cornelia hurriedly exined, ¡°No, not like that. I need to ask Natalia something, but her mother won¡¯t let her speak to me, so¡­¡± Marcus chuckled as if he had heard something amusing, ¡°Cornelia, do you realize what you¡¯re asking me to do?¡± Cornelia looked at him hopefully. ¡°Is it possible?¡± Marcus replied reluctantly, ¡°You go find her yourself.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°So, I have your permission to speak to her on your behalf?¡± Chapter 606 Chapter 606 Chapter 606 Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait here, you go fetch her. I trust ir will give the green light¡± ¡°Thank you so much, President Hartley, you¡¯re the bomb¡± She said, then dashed off like a bat out of hell Cornelia approached ir and Natalia ¡°My boss wants to have a one on one with Natalia What do you guys think?¡± ir was puzzled ¡®He just gave her the brush off, and now he wants to see Natalia alone?¡± Cornelia gave a polite smile Are you questioning my honesty? Or do you not want Natalia to meet with President Hartley?¡± This young chick, though green behind the ears, had a sharp tongue. One wrong step, and you¡¯d fall into her trap ir had no time to overthink. She¡¯d rather be fooled than risk losing the opportunity for her daughter to meet Marcus. ¡°Natalia ir reached out, adjusting Natalia¡¯s dress strap slightly, and whispered, ¡°Guys say they like sweet and innocent girls, but not a single one can resist the allure of a mature woman Don¡¯t always wait for Marc to make a move, be more proactive.¡± Natalia nodded, looking lost. Cornelia didn¡¯t catch what ir said, but she guessed it was nothing good, judging by Natalia¡¯s expression ¡°Can I take Natalia now?¡± ir said. ¡°If you can help Natalia be Marcus¡® woman, and bear his child, there will definitely be something in it for you.¡± ¡°President Hartley has already offered me plenty Cornelia smirked, as Natalia headed towards Marcus. Reaching Marcus, Comelia said, ¡°President Hartley, ir¡¯s still watching us. Could you chat with Natalia for a bit?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What should I say?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Anything really, the cozier the better¡± Marcus said, ¡°Cornelia¡°¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Hurry up, once we¡¯re behind the lounge door, you can drop the act¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Reluctantly, Marcus had to lower his head slightly, pretending to chat with Natalia ir saw this, a satisfied smile crept onto her face. Once her daughter married Marcus, no one in the Reese family would dare to disrespect her. Entering the lounge, Cornelia closed and locked the door. Marcus took a seat by the window, leaving the talking space to Cornelia. Natalia looked at Cornelia, then cautiously at Marcus, ¡°Cornelia, did you use Marc¡¯s name to get me here because you were afraid my mom wouldn¡¯t let me see you?¡± Cornelia lightly tapped her forehead, ¡°You¡¯re not as dumb as you look. Why do you always screw up?¡± Natalia yelped, ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Where does it hurt?¡± Natalia replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that you poked me and it hurt a bit.¡± Natalia didn¡¯t want to spill the beans. Cornelia could understand since they weren¡¯t exactly pals. ¡°Have you been stuck here since west met?¡± Natalia nodded. Cornelia asked, ¡°Does your family want you to have some sort of connection with Marcus?¡± Natalia nodded again. Cornelia continued, ¡°And what about you?¡± Natalia was silent for a long while before she slowly said, ¡°My life goal is to be Marcus¡® wife. If I can¡¯t strive for that, I don¡¯t know what else my life would mean.¡± Chapter 607 Chapter 607 Chapter 607 Once Natalia said this, Cornelia felt like there was a knife cutting through her heart, ¡°Natalia, you should never live for others, but for yourself. Got it?¡± She got the point, but it was really hard for her to live for herself, especially for someone who had always rebed on others She camed the Reese family¡¯s bloodline. Everything she ate, used, wote, and so on, was all provided by the Reese family Cameron often told her that without the Reese family¡¯s protection, a useless person like her would even be rejected if she begged At first, Natalia would argue, believing she wasn¡¯t useless But as time went on, she started to ept Cameron¡¯s point of view, believing that she couldn¡¯t survive without the Reese family probably wouldn¡¯t evenst a month. She lifted her head, holding back the tears in her eyes, ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to live for myself, it¡¯s that I can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Who says you cant? Comelia couldn¡¯t stand Natalia¡¯s negative attitude, ¡®Natalia, remind me, which university did you graduate from?¡± Natalia asked. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. Cornelia replied. ¡°You graduated from a world ss university, that alone puts you ahead of many people. And you got in through your own merit, not because your family paid for it You¡¯re capable. Don¡¯t sell yourself short, nobody has the right to belittle you Natalia gave a bitter smile, ¡°So what if I got in on my own? Without the Reese family, I wouldn¡¯t even have the chance to get an education, let alone get into that school¡± Comelia realized that Natalia¡¯s problem wasn¡¯t negativity but mental maniption Now, Natalia urgently needed to do something to boost her confidence, to show her worth, or she might fall into depression. Cornelia then asked. ¡®I heard from Bri that you guys loveic books, right?¡± Natalia shook her head, what was the point of liking something? Not important? She said. ¡°Cornelia, if you¡¯re not here to help me get back with Marc, we don¡¯t really have much to talk about.¡± Cornelia was anxious, ¡°You still want to be with him?¡± Natalia nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Cornelia was speechless. Natalia then asked, ¡°Cornelia, do you know what my mom is nning to do to you?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I don¡¯t care about that¡± Natalia asked, ¡°What¡¯s most important to you then?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Right now, it¡¯s you. I hope you can break free from your family¡¯s control and live the life you truly want.¡± Hearing this, Natalia¡¯s dull eyes lit up momentarily, but the light faded quickly. Natalia chuckled, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re a good person. Even after how I treated you, you still want to be friends with me. But in this world, the kinder people are, the easier they get bullied Cornelia said, ¡®We should treat kind people with kindness. As for those who are evil, if they provoke us, we can treat them in the same way¡® Natalia shook her head and gave a softugh, ¡°Cornelia, the person my mom has contacted is from Rosenberg, and he¡¯s preparing some materials for her. If someone from Rosenberg has a grudge against you, you should be on your guard. This is all I can do for you.¡± Comelia replied, ¡°You¡¯ve already helped me a lot, thank you!¡± ¡°I should go¡± Before leaving, Natalia stared out the window at Marcus¡® tall figure. She wanted to say something to Marcus several times but chickened out. If she didn¡¯t even have the guts to talk to Marcus, how could she dream of marrying him? Cornelia asked, ¡°Natalia, can I help you find a job?¡± Natalia replied, ¡°No need.¡± A job? Could she work? Would she even do well? Chapter 608 Chapter 608 Chapter 608 Cornelia didn¡¯t give up on Natalia, ¡°Ive got a mate who has aic studio. If you ever fancy getting a job, give me a shout, and I can hook you up Instead of gratitude, Natalia apologized ¡°Cornelia. Im sorry! She opened the door, only to see a man at the doorstep, making her back away in shock. ¡°Mr. Rivera¡­ Zavier Rivera chuckled ¡®Ms Reese, you¡¯re scared of me? Do I look like a ghost to you?¡± Natalia was at loss for words He was not a ghost, but he was way scarier! Comelia stepped forward to shield Natalia, ¡®Mr Rivera, what brings you here?¡± Zawier looked at Cornelia and Natalia with a sly smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a guess?¡± Natalia hid behind Cornelia in fear, tightly gripping her clothes. ¡°Cornelia Comelia patted Natalia¡¯s hand to calm her down before turning to Zavier, ¡°Mr. Rivera, President Hartley is right over there.¡± Zavier nced at the two of them before heading towards Marcus, ¡°Marc, what are you hiding here for? Didn¡¯t youe to greet me?¡± Natalia whispered to Cornelia, ¡°Does Mr. Rivera know¡­ Cornelia reassured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not you who spilled the beans, it was me who figured it out first. And you don¡¯t need to be afraid of him, just try to avoid him in the future.¡± Natalia nodded uncertainly. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. After Natalia left, Cornelia returned to the lounge and overheard Marcus and Zavier¡¯s conversation. They both had a powerful presence, looking out the window with their hands sped behind their backs. Marcus asked. ¡°Are you in contact with the Reese family?¡± Zavier responded, ¡°Yeah, the Reese family knows you¡¯ve pissed me off and I¡¯m out to get you. They want to join forces with me and take you down Marcus, ¡°Ha Do they have what it takes?¡± Zavier, ¡°The father and son definitely don¡¯t, but I do¡± Marcus. ¡°How do you n to deal with me?¡± Zavier, ¡°Marc, are you sure you don¡¯t want to hand over Skyler? As long as you give Skyler back, I promise I¡¯ll never bother you again.¡±¡® Marcus. ¡°No way.¡± Zavier, ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to steal your wife.¡± Marcus, ¡°You dare?¡± Zavier turned to Cornelia with a half smile, ¡°Ms. Stewart, how much does President Hartley pay you a month?¡± Cornelia, ¡°I signed an NDA, can¡¯t spill the beans.¡± Zavier, ¡°No matter how much he pays you, I¡¯ll double it if youe work as my assistant. How about it?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Mr. Rivera, do you think I can be bought?¡± Zavier, ¡°What if I pay you a years sry in a month?¡± A year¡¯s sry in a month, that was like making a hundred grand a month, she would be a millionaire in just a year If she worked for two years, she could retire early. The offer was extremely tempting. Zavier, ¡°See, I¡¯m stealing you right in front of your boyfriend, and he¡¯s not stopping me. That means he doesn¡¯t value you, you have no future with him.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Just because he didn¡¯t stop you doesn¡¯t mean he doesn¡¯t care about me, he just has confidence in me.¡± Zavier, ¡°Oh you trust him that much?¡± Chapter 609 Chapter 609 Comelia retorted, ¡°If I do not believe him, do you think I¡¯ll believe you?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t utter a word His enchanting eyes, hidden behind his sses, squinted slightly as he silently observed Cornelia Zavier chuckled, ¡°If there¡¯s a man who acts like he¡¯s head over heels for you every day, but flips around and gets cozy with other women, do you think you can trust a man like that?¡± Comelia frowned, clearly pissed off, ¡°The incident from that day only you know it best. He didn¡¯t do anything, no one should speak ill of him.¡± That Cornelia would defend him didn¡¯t surprise Marcus one bit. What did surprise him was something else Comelia had witnessed ¡°Marcus¡± betraying her with her own eyes, but after hearing his exnation, she quickly chose to believe him, and regardless of what anyone else said, she didn¡¯t doubt him anymore. It felt really good to be trusted unconditionally A warm feeling surged into Marcus heart at an unprecedented speed, causing ripples¡­. He slowly moved to Cornelia¡¯s side, reached out his hand to hold hers. ¡®Zavier, allow me to introduce you to my wife¨CCornelia¡± My wife! Cornelia! He emphasized the title my wife. He didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. He wanted the whole world to know, he wanted to tell everyone, Cornelia was his wife. Cornelia was Marcus¡® wife! ¡°President Hartley¡­ Cornelia didn¡¯t expect Marcus to ¡°expose her identity so directly in front of Zavier. She was caught off guard and was at a loss for what to do Zavier was also caught off guard by Marcus suddenly exposing Comelia¡¯s identity. He had nned to stir things up by using the fact that Cornelia didn¡¯t know Marcus was Jeremy It seemed this n had to be scrapped Zavier extended his hand to Cornelia, ¡°Mrs Hartley, nice to meet you!¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Mr. Rivera, just call me Cornelia¡± Being addressed as Mrs. Hartley sounded strange. After all, the name of her spouse on her marriage certificate was Jeremy. ¡°President Hartley, I, I¡¯m hungry. I¡¯ll go find something to eat.¡± With that, Cornelia quickly left the lounge. N?velD(ram)a.?rg owns this content. She couldn¡¯t handle this situation, better let them sort it out on their own. She needed to get out of there. Watching Cornelia leave, Zavier withdrew his gaze after Marcus. ¡°Marc, I really envy you for having such a thoughtful and understanding wife.¡± Marcus replied indifferently. ¡°Your wife is also good, you just don¡¯t know how to appreciate her.¡± Zavier retorted, ¡°She¡¯s good? The brutal murderer who killed my only child, what¡¯s so good about her?¡± Marcus responded, ¡°Zavier, weren¡¯t you the one who really killed the baby in Skyler¡¯s belly?¡± Hearing this, Zavier¡¯s eyes immediately turned red, as if they were about to bleed, ¡°Marcus, if you don¡¯t stop spouting nonsense, I won¡¯t be polite.¡± Marcus shot back, ¡°You messed up but aren¡¯t man enough to admit your mistakes. Instead, you me everything on a woman, your own wife. Zavier, can you stoop any lower?¡± Zavier clenched his fists and swung at Marcus, Tll make you pay!¡± Chapter 610 Chapter 610 Chapter 610 Marcus nimbly dodged Zavier¡¯s attack, ¡°You¡¯re no match for me, stop wasting time! Zavier halted his attack, straightened his shirt. ¡°You¡¯ve always wanted to know who¡¯s been colluding with me behind your back, aiming to bring you down. Now I can tell you, that person is also from the Hartley family hahaha Actually, Zaver didn¡¯t need to say it out loud, Marcus already had the answer in his heart, and he was not surprised. Moreover, Marcus believed that Zavier was not the only one that person had contacted. That person would reach out to all possible forces against him. After all, Marcus was the one who defeated that person and put him in jail for a full ten years, not a day less Ten years was enough to change many people¡¯s destinies Ten years ago, he was just a naive teenager Ten years ago, he had taken over the Hartley Group for less than two years and was still facing many challenges But now, ten yearster, he was no longer young, no one questioned his abilities, and the Hartley Group was firmly in his hands. No one could shake his position Marcus adjusted his sses, ¡°He¡¯s never disappointed me.¡± Zavier chuckled, ¡°Marc, I always thought father son battles were a thing of the past, interesting to see it still happens.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t answer, his gaze was deep, as if he could see into the depths of hell. 4 Zavier added, ¡°There¡¯s something else I need to tell you today¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Zavier said, ¡°Manuel wants to see you, will you agree?¡± Marcus asked, ¡®Is he back in Riverton?¡± Zaver said, ¡°Not only is Manuel back in Riverton, but he¡¯s also at this Mansion. He¡¯s waiting for you in the car outside.¡± Manuel, already 101 years old, was the founder of the Riverton Chamber of Commerce and had made great contributions to Riverton¡¯s reform and development Therefore, although he had retired for many years and no longer held real power, many business people still respected him, and his words still carried weight. Marcus didn¡¯t have much interaction with Manuel and didn¡¯t know why Manuel wanted to see him, but out of respect for his elder, he went along with Zavier. Leaving the lounge and passing through less crowded areas, Comelia made her way to the dining area. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. She had an early lunch and was a bit hungry now The main banquet hadn¡¯t started yet, and the dining area had various snacks and pastries, but no main courses or meat, which was a bit disappointing for Cornelia. Although she didn¡¯t find anything she liked, she still picked up a small te of pastries, ordered a ss of freshly squeezed orange juice from a waiter, and sat in an inconspicuous corner to eat slowly. Not long after she started eating, Leonardo and Ryan, who had disappeared for a while, came over and sat on either side of her. Leonardo held two sses of fruit wine in his hand, handed one to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, let¡¯s have a drink.¡± Comelia took the wine but didn¡¯t drink it, ¡°I¡¯m about to have my period, I don¡¯t want to drink.¡± Leonardo, ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± When a woman talked about her penod to a man with no reservations, there can only be two possible exnations. First, the woman and the man were a couple or lovers. Second, the woman had never seen the man as the opposite sex, but as a close friend. Chapter 611 Chapter 611 Chapter 611 Deep down, Leonardo knew that he and Cornelia were neither husband and wife, nor lovers Cornelia had never looked at him as a man, and that was probably the second mason. The more Leonardo thought about it, the angrier he got. What pissed him off even more was that Cornelia, the one who was causing him all this grief, didn¡¯t care at all. ¡°Every girl has their penod every month what¡¯s the big deal?¡± While Leonardo was speechless, Ryan burst outughing ¡°Leonardo, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever seen a girl leave you speechless It¡¯s quite a sight to see¡± Leonardo, ¡°Get lost¡± Ryan tried to suppress hisughter. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stopughing at you.¡± Cornelia put down her fork, ¡°Do any of you know when the banquet is going to start? I¡¯m starving I want some real food¡± Maybe it was because she had traveled with Marcus and tasted all kinds of delicacies, she had be too picky about food. The regr pastries that were made inrge batches just didn¡¯t appeal to her. After eating a few, she felt sick. Ryan, ¡°The Reese family¡¯s banquets are always a hassle. Young people usually don¡¯t want toe a second time. Even party lover Briana didn¡¯te. If it weren¡¯t for Marcus, you wouldn¡¯t see us here tonight either.¡± Cornelia, ¡°We¡¯re not going to wait another two hours to eat, are we?¡± Ryan, ¡°We might as well go out and eat. If you can¡¯t stand the hunger, let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll treat you.¡± Leonardo, ¡°Ryan, why are you so nice to Cornelia?¡± Ryan, ¡°Because her husband is my good friend. I¡¯m looking out for her on his behalf¡± Leonardo, ¡°Why would I not know her husband if you do?¡± Ryan, ¡°No one said you didn¡¯t.¡± Leonardo, ¡°Who is it?¡± Cornelia cleared her throat, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to take me out to eat? Are we going or not?¡± Cornelia¡¯s main purpose for tonight was to meet Natalia. Now that she had met her, there was no need to stay any longer. She¡¯d go fill her stomach first. Ryan immediately stood up and made a gesture of invitation. ¡°Of course! It¡¯s my honor to have a beauty like you dine with me.¡± Cornelia picked up her handbag and put on her shawl, ¡®Let¡¯s go then ¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Thinking about the delicious food she was about to eat, Cornelia¡¯s steps were light. Ryan said, ¡°I¡¯ve always been curious about how you and your husband get along?¡± Being both husband and wife and superior and employee, it was interesting that Cornelia didn¡¯t know that the CEO she worked with every day was her husband. If possible. Ryan would love to stick around Cornelia just to witness her reaction when she found out Jeremy was her CEO. But truth be told, very few people knew that Marcus also went by the name Jeremy. Even he didn¡¯t know that until Marcus entrusted him to draw up the divorce papers Leonardo, who had always loved hanging out with Marcus since they were kids, might still not know that Marcus also went by the name Jeremy Cornelia asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you know everything? Why are you asking me?¡± Ryan replied, ¡°You already know?¡± Cornelia countered, ¡°What do you think?¡± Did Cornelia already know? If so, he had missed the moment when Cornelia discovered the truth. Chapter 612 Chapter 612 Chapter 612 Ryan suddenly got hit with the boredom bug Leonardo was like, ¡°Are you two going at it again with your cryptic chit¨Cchat? Mam and Cornelia are practically glued together. I get it when they¡¯re talking in codes. But you two? You barely know each other Howe you have secrets I¡¯m not privy to?¡± Ryan shrugged. ¡°Give it some time, and you¡¯ll get it.¡± Everyone kept telling him to wait, but he wanted to know right now. Leonardo was about to lose his cool. He snapped, ¡°No more ¡®give it some time I want to know now!¡± Ryan suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Cornelia?¡± Leonardo turned to Comelia. ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± ¡°Apologies, dear guests!¡± An announcement suddenly interrupted their conversation. ¡°We have an emergency at the birthday palty. Please stay put and avoid wandering around¡± The voice belonged to Cameron. Hearing the word ¡®emergency¡®. Cornelia¡¯s heart skipped a beat. She immediately turned to go find Marcus, but Leonardo quickly grabbed her ¡°Wait, Cornelia. The announcement said to stay put Where are you off to?¡± Cornelia lost her cool. ¡°Let go of me! I have to find Marcus. I cant let anything happen to him.¡± Marcus¡® situation was special, and there were many people who wanted to harm him behind his back. Comelia feared that the emergency was about Marcus. She needed to find him and ensure his safety. Seeing how flustered Cornelia was, Leonardo held on tighter ¡°Calm down, Cornelia Marcus will be fine.¡± ¡°Let me go! I¡¯ll see for myself if he¡¯s fine Just as Corne was trying to wriggle free from Leonardo¡¯s grip, Cameron¡¯s voice came again ¡°There¡¯s no need for panic. The emergency is not a security issue. My father¡¯s ne for his wife has gone missing. We suspect.a thief might¡¯ve sneaked in. Please keep. your belongings safe and watch out for unfamiliar faces. If you find any clues, please inform me immediately.¡± Cornelia was speechless. She really wanted to swear. A missing ne was just a missing ne. Why called it an emergency? What a drama queen. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Leonardo said, ¡°Really? All this fuss over a ne?¡± Ryan chimed in. ¡°What if the ne is worth 30 million dors?¡± Leonardo doubted, ¡°30 million dors? I find it hard to believe that Granger would spend that much on a ne for ir.¡± Ryan added. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if Granger would do that. But I¡¯ve heard about that ne.¡± Leonardo was curious. ¡°Do tell.¡± Ryan exined, ¡°About a year ago, a mysterious wealthy man paid a fortune for a ne called ¡®Heavenly Radiance¡®. He said it was for his wife. But the man was very secretive, only leaving behind two initials, with no other information.¡± Leonardoughed. ¡°That couldn¡¯t be Granger. He¡¯s the type who¡¯d want a horde of journalists around even when he¡¯s being intimate with his wife. He wouldn¡¯t miss a chance to show off and opt for secrecy¡± Ryan continued, ¡°The ne was thest piece by famous Parisian designer Wand, and it was his proudest achievement. Wand spent three years painstakingly crafting the ne for the woman he loved most, naming it ¡°Heavenly Radiance¡®. It symbolized eternal love, or more urately, love that never fades.¡± 30 million dors? Paris? A mysterious wealthy man? A ne for his wife? After hearing Ryan¡¯s story, Cornelia seemed to have something on her mind, but before she could speak¡­ A group of people walked hastily towards them. Among them was a woman in ck whom Cornelia had never seen before. She pointed at Cornelia and imed, ¡°It¡¯s her. I saw her with my own eyes. She stole Mrs Reese¡¯s ne.¡± Chapter 613 Chapter 613 Chapter 613 ¡°Who the heck are you? Do you realize we can sue you for defamation?¡± Leonardo and Cornelia¡¯s rtionship was mostly squabble¨Cfilled, neither of them big fans of each other, but if anyone tried to tarnish Cornelia¡¯s reputation, Leonardo wouldn¡¯t stand for it He continued, ¡°Ryan, you¡¯re awyer, you should teach this spiteful woman a lesson Defaming others can lead to serious consequences How many years could she be sentenced to if it¡¯s severe Ryan yed along. ¡°That depends on the severity of the situation and how much damage the nder has done to the person¡¯s reputation and life The woman in ck was clearly prepared. She fearlessly retorted, ¡°Well since there¡¯s awyer among you, can you kindly tell this thief what the consequences of stealing are? Especially when it¡¯s something worth thirty million dors?¡± Without giving anyone the chance to respond, the woman in ck eyed Cornelia, ¡°You¡¯re not bad looking quite pretty actually Made a decent amount of money through shady means, I suppose. Why the need to steal then?¡± In society the most effective way to stigmatize a woman was through malicious nder. Cornelia had seen too much of this over the years. Now being attacked like this, she barely flinched. ¡°Who the hell are you? If you continue this nonsense, Ill make you regret i Coming from a wealthy family, Leonardo wasn¡¯t used to being bullied Hearing such an insult, he got instantly pissed, ¡°Look, he¡¯s getting upset. Guilty, perhaps? The woman in ck raised her voice, attracting the attention of the guests. With the crowd growing, naturally, it caused a stir. Cameron appeared at the scene just in time, ¡°What seems to be the problem here?¡± The woman in ck pointed at Cornelia and yelled, ¡°This woman stole Mrs. Reese¡¯s ne¡± If it wasn¡¯t for his upbringing that taught him never to hit a woman, Leonardo would¡¯ve pped her, ¡°Try spouting that nonsense again¡± Cameron held back an agitated Leonardo, ¡°Leo, hold your horses. If there are usations against Cornelia, we¡¯ll clear her name. It¡¯s not a big deal Leonardo shook off Cameron¡¯s hand, ¡°It might not be a big deal, but isn¡¯t this damaging to one¡¯s self¨C esteem? Cameron, no one¡¯s bullying Cornelia as long as I¡¯m here¡± Cameron frowned. ¡°Everyone is standing around now If Cornelia can¡¯t prove she didn¡¯t steal the ne, it might tarnish her reputation and may even affect the Hartley Group.¡± Leonardo retorted, ¡°Pshh! All the sweet talk. I think this woman in ck is the one who stole the ne. She¡¯s just pointing fingers at us first.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The woman in ck countered, ¡°You suspect that I stole the ne? Did you see me take it?¡± She took off her coat and handed it to Cameron, ¡°Mr. Reese, please clear my name in front of everyone.¡± After taking off her coat, she was only wearing a thin slip dress, through which her underwear pattern could be vaguely seen. Cameron went through her coat, ¡°You don¡¯t need to do this. We can sit down and have a proper conversation to clear things up. If others don¡¯t do this, it might seem like they¡¯re hiding something¡± The woman in ck said, ¡°Mr. Reese, no more words, just tell me, is the ne in my coat pocket?¡± Cameron held up her coat and shook it. ¡°Everyone can see, the pockets are clean, nothing inside.¡± The woman in ck turned to Leonardo, ¡°Mr. Collins, I¡¯ve proven my innocence. Now it¡¯s time for her to do the same.¡° Chapter 614 Chapter 614 Chapter 614 Leonardo tightly held Cornelia¡¯s hand ¡°Comelia, let¡¯s get out of here. We don¡¯t have to deal with these people¡± Comelia remained silent, just quietly observing everyone else¡¯s performance When a strange woman, backed by a crowd blocked their way and used her of theft, Cornelia had already realized that this so¨Ccalled ¡®ne lost incident¡± might be a trap set up by ir If her guess was correct, then the ne that ir lost would definitely show up somewhere associated with her. She was wearing a dress, without pockets, so the ne couldn¡¯t possibly be on her. So the only possible ce for ir¡¯s lost ne would be the handbag she carried The handbag had always been by her side, barely out of her sight. But wait this bag had been out of her sight. When she met Natalia in the lounge, Natalia identally knocked her bag off the table, and then Natalia picked it up for her Before, when Natalia left, she seemed to apologize to her for no reason. After reviewing the process in her mind, Cornelia was pretty sure she had figured out what had happened. If ir s ne was found in her handbag, she would be unable to clear her name no matter how she exined. So, she absolutely couldn¡¯t give up her bag! Comelia looked at the crowd, the woman in ck who used her and Cameron¡¯s eyes were full of malice, it was obvious that they were the ones who set up this trap together Cornelia looked back and saw Natalia behind a pir in the distance. Natalia was also looking at her, but because of the distance, Comelia couldn¡¯t see Natalia¡¯s expression clearly. The woman in ck was pressing hard, not giving Cornelia a chance to breathe, ¡°I¡¯ve proven my innocence, should she not prove hers as well? Or does she think Mr. Wilson can really disregard everything and take her out of here?¡± Comelia withdrew her hand, her cold gaze swept over the crowd, and everything reminded her of the time she was falsely used in the past. It seemed like everyone was waiting for her to prove her innocence, but in fact, they all believed she was the thief and wanted to see her embarrassed when exposed In the past, she was young and thought that as long as she exined, people would understand Now she understood that there were some things that didn¡¯t need to be exined at all. Cornelia smiled and said, ¡°Who are you? Do I know you? If you weren¡¯t someone I know, I might think I had desecrated your family¡¯s grave, which would make you smear me like this in front of so many people.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. The woman in ck, ¡°You¡­ you really have a way with words, I can¡¯t argue with you. Let¡¯s let the facts speak, dare you show your bag to everyone? If you didn¡¯t steal anything. I¡¯ll kneel down and apologize to you¡± Comelia scoffed. ¡°Do I need someone like you to kneel and apologize? What good does your apology do me? Since you say I stole the ne, then you should provide evidence to prove I stole it.¡± Chapter 615 Chapter 615 Chapter 615 Cornelia looked coldly at everyone, speaking slowly and forcefully ¡°Why do you demand that I prove my innocence? Just because of your word, I have to prove I¡¯m not guilty. Is this fair? Can I live a peaceful life? If a dog barks at me, do I also have to prove that I didn¡¯t steal its food?¡± Thedy in ck didn¡¯t expect Cornelia¡¯s reasoning to be so clear, so she helplessly nced at Cameron Cameron always knew that Cornelia had a bad temper, and that she was not an easy person to deal with, she would never let anyone check her bag. Luckily, he didn¡¯t actually need to He looked at the ne faintly visible around Cornelia¡¯s neck, ¡°Could you please open your shirt cor and let us see your ne?¡± ¡°You want to see my ne? What gives you the right?¡± At this moment, Cornelia was almost certain that the ne around her neck was the real Heavenly Radiance. From the first day she worked with Marcus, she heard from Ben that Marcus went to Paris before heading back and spent 30 million dors on a ne for his wife¡­.. Cornelia had no idea that Marcus had delivered this 30 million¨Cdor ne to her in disguise. The ne that Marcus spent 30 million dors on couldn¡¯t possibly be fake So, there was only one possibility, ir¡¯s Heavenly Radiance was a knockoff. If this got out, not only would ir be embarrassed, but the whole Reese family and even the Reese Group would be humiliated. This could potentially affect the Reese Group¡¯s stock. Cameron said, ¡°The ne around your neck is the one she lost. Now, if you give the ne back to us, I can let it go, and this matter can be put to rest. But if you insist on keeping something worth thirty million dors, I can¡¯t just give it to you, and we will have to call the police to handle this.¡± Upon hearing this, Leonardo got angry ¡°Cameron, what are you talking about? This is an insult to Cornelia¡¯s dignity¡± ¡°She¡¯s just an assistant working for Marcus, maybe asionally doing some special tasks. What dignity does she have.¡± With Marcus not around, Cameron didn¡¯t hold back his words He had always wanted to humiliate this woman, but every time he saw her, she was with Marcus, which didn¡¯t give him a chance to do so. ¡°Heh, Cameron, don¡¯t drag President Hartley into your dirty thoughts.¡± Cornelia scoffed, ¡°Are you saying the ne around my neck is identical to the one your stepmother lost?¡± Cameron nodded, ¡°Many people have seen Heavenly Radiance tonight, I¡¯m not just making things up¡± The onlookers echoed, ¡°Yes, yes, we¡¯ve all seen it. The ne Mrs. Reese lost looks exactly like that.¡± Cornelia startedughing. ¡°It¡¯s surprising that the wife of the Reese Group is wearing a knockoff and shamelessly iming it¡¯s worth 30 million dors.¡± Cornelia¡¯s words were like a depth charge thrown into a calmke, instantly causing a great uproar. The fact that thedy of the Reese family was wearing a knockoff ne was more shocking than an assistant stealing it Most of the guests at the birthday party were there for their own interests, not many were sincerely celebrating Many people secretly hoped that ir¡¯s ne was a knockoff, so they would have a juicy gossip topic in the future Cameron¡¯s aim was to show everyone that Cornelia was poor, indicating that she couldn¡¯t afford a real ne and therefore had ill intentions when seeing the real one. But now Cornelia had taken the first step, which annoyed him, ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense! The two nes are identical, the only person who could be wearing a knockoff is you! Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Did I say my ne was real?¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°The ne around my neck was bought by my husband from a street stall, and it only cost a few bucks. But to me, even if it¡¯s just a few bucks, as long as it¡¯s from my husband, it¡¯s priceless.¡± Cornelia¡¯s candid confession that she was wearing a knockoff ruined Cameron¡¯s n, but he wasn¡¯t going to let it go, ¡°Do you think that by saying this, you can shake off the suspicion of theft?¡± Leonardo, ¡°And what do you want to do then?¡± Chapter 616 Chapter 616 Chapter 616 Cameron said, ¡°Ask her to open her bag and we can check it¡± Leonardo replied ¡°Or you could call the cops and let them handle it¡± Cameron shot Leonardo an angry look ¡°Are you implying I do not dare to call the police?¡± Leonardo shrugged ¡°Whatever floats your boat¡± ¡°Nobody¡¯s leaving until the cops get here Stay put,¡± Cameron pulled out his phone and dialed 911. After exining the situation briefly he shot Cornelia and her friends a re before storming off The cops would take some time to arrive, so the spectators began to disperse. Some went to grab food, while others grabbed drinks, nning to refuel before the drama continued Once the others had left, Cornelia and her group found a ce to sit. Ryan eyed the ne around Cornelia¡¯s neck, partially hidden beneath her clothing. He leaned in and whispered, ¡°Is that a star pendant on your ne, Cornelia Comelia nodded. Ryan said, ¡°Wow! So you¡¯re the real owner of the Heavenly Radiance!¡± It turned out that the buyer of the $30 million ne in Paris a year ago was Marcus Cornelia admitted, ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me I had no idea¡­¡± The ¡°he¡± she referred to was obviously Marcus. Ryan understood, ¡°If he gave it to you, it¡¯s gotta be legit.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°What are you guys on about? I¡¯m lost.¡± ¡°Nothing¡± Cornelia turned to Leonardo, ¡°Mr. Wilson, I need a favor¡­¡± Leonardo said, ¡°Shoot!¡± Cornelia said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the ne they¡¯re looking for is probably in my bag.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Leonardo took a deep breath ¡°Thank God you didn¡¯t let them search your bag. Who¡¯s trying to frame you? How can I help?¡± Leonardo didn¡¯t suspect Cornelia of being a thief. His first thought was that someone was trying to frame her. Cornelia grinned, ¡°Smart!¡± Leonardo red at her, ¡°You¡¯re cracking jokes at a time like this?¡± Cornelia retorted, ¡°Would you rather I cry?¡± Leonardo suggested, ¡°You could give me the ne. If they find it on me, I¡¯ll say I borrowed it just for fun. That should defuse the situation.¡± Comelia shook her head, and a hint of coldness flickered in her clear eyes as she said ¡°No way. I didn¡¯t provoke them, but they¡¯re trying to harm me. I won¡¯t just let it slide.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡± Cornelia whispered something in Leonardo¡¯s ear. He nodded, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got you.¡± Chapter 617 Chapter 617 Chapter 617 Leonardo seemed to be quiteid back and unreliable on the surface, but when push came to slove, he never disappointed. That was why Cornelia entrusted him with a key part of her retaliation against the Reese family. ¡°Mr. Wilson, I¡¯m counting on you¡± ¡°No worries, I wont let you down,¡± Leonardo enthusiastically pated Comelia¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Cornelia, once this is all sorted, introduce me to your husband, will ya?¡± He wanted to see what kind of guy could make a girl as outstanding as Cornelia so reliant on him. Comelia replied. ¡°Sure, I¡¯ll arrange that¡± Leonardo, ¡°It¡¯s a deal, then¡± Comelia nodded, ¡°It¡¯s a deal! After he left, Cornelia rubbed her sore shoulder that he¡¯d smacked, wincing in pain, ¡°Why¡¯s he gotta be so rough?¡± Ryanughed. ¡°That¡¯s just him. He¡¯s so crude, if he wasn¡¯t a Wilson, he¡¯d never get a girlfriend.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Mr. Ryan, do you have a girlfriend?¡± Ryan answered, ¡°Cornelia, you are truly someone who can handle big things. In the face of crisis, you¡¯re not only calm but also concerned about whether I have a girlfriend¡± Cornelia shrugged. ¡°What¡¯s the use of panicking? Ryan¡¯s gazended on Cornelia, openly sizing her up, ¡°Is it because you have Marc that you¡¯re not afraid?¡± Cornelia paused, then chuckled, ¡°Oh right, I totally forgot about President Hartley¡± Ryan suggested, ¡°Let Marc handle it then. See if those troublemakers still dare to mess with you.¡± Cornelia shook her head. ¡°No need, I can handle this on my own. It s my problem, and I¡¯ll deal with it.¡± ¡°The Reese family is clearly targeting you. This is no small matter. They won¡¯t let you off easily. The Reese family has a lot of clout in Paverton, don¡¯t underestimate them.¡°¡± As awyer, Ryan had a keen sense of judgment. He knew that tonight¡¯s event was a trap set by the Reese family for Cornelia Ryan didn¡¯t know what grudge Cornelia had with the Reese family or why they had chosen to target her at such an asion, ¡°When did you make enemies with them?¡± Cornelia pointed to her ne, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s mainly because we don¡¯t get along. The first time I met Cameron, I could tell he had a problem with me. Today, at such an important asion, ir was unting her 30¨Cmillion¨Cdor ne everywhere. I wore the same one as her, so they¡¯re bound to have a beef with me¡± Ryanughed, ¡°It¡¯s kind of funny, they probably never expected to see the owner of the Heavenly Radiance wearing it here.¡± Cornelia sighed, ¡°There¡¯s definitely more drama toe, let¡¯s just sit back and enjoy it.¡± Ryan asked. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want Marc¡¯s help?¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°If I can¡¯t handle something this minor, how am I fit to work alongside him?* Ryan added, ¡°You¡¯re not just his assistant, you¡¯re his wife. In your work, you need to be apetent assistant, that¡¯s your duty. But in life, you don¡¯t always have to be tough. You can show someText property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. vulnerability, let him know you need him¡± Unwilling to show weakness, Cornelia retorted, ¡°Who says a woman has to rely on a man in marriage? I want to be the woman who can fight alongside him, not always depending on him¡± Cornelia believed no one was born to protect others. Including Granny Luisa, Briana, many people in the Hartley Group all needed Marcus¡® protection. He had always shielding them from the storms. He was no Iron Man, he was not invincible. He was just a human being who can feel tired and exhausted, with human emotions. And she, she didn¡¯t want to be a burden to him, she wanted to move forward with him. If he was tired and needed to rest, she wanted to be his rock. Ryan finally said, ¡°Marc is lucky to have you.¡± Chapter 618 Chapter 618 Chapter 618 Comelia said with a grin, ¡°It ain¡¯t just ¡®cause he has me that he¡¯s lucky. He¡¯s such a stand up guy so any girl he marries would be a lucky one Hearing this, Ryan was once again taken aback by Cornelia The first time he met her, he had a divorce paper in hand, thinking she was cheating on his friend. His first impression of her was not good at all. Back then, all he saw was a pretty face, with no redeeming qualities whatsoever. But every time he saw her, she gave him a different impression She was really a kind hearted, well mannered, and capable girl. Ryan said. ¡°If you need anything just tell me.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Just having you around, supporting me, is enough.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Ryan said, ¡°Suddenly. I¡¯m kinda curious Cornelia asked, ¡°Curious about what?¡± Ryan said, ¡°Between you and Marc, who has the decisive say in making decisions at home?¡± They were both strong willed and efficient people. In the workce, they had a superior¨Csubordinate rtionship, with Marcus being the superior But at home, they were husband and wife. So, who called the shots? Marcus was always the one giving orders, and Ryan could hardly imagine him taking orders from anyone else Cornelia didn¡¯t catch his drift and said, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s President Hartley who calls the shots. I¡¯m his assistant, can I defy the chain ofmand?¡± Ryan rified, Tm not asking about that. I¡¯m asking who¡¯s in charge when you two are alone at home.¡± Hearing this, Cornelia blushed, trying to keep a straight face. She stared at him coldly and said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask such questions.¡± Ryan said. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the most normal thing between a husband and wife?¡± Cornelia retorted, ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ask President Hartley yourself?¡± Ryan didn¡¯t have the guts to do that. About fifteen minutester, the police arrived. Cameron led the police straight to Cornelia and said, ¡°Officer, my stepmother lost a ne worth 30 million dors. There¡¯s a witness who said it was this woman who stole it. The witness also confirmed that the stolen ne is in this woman¡¯s bag¡± Cameron had left for a while, but his people had been watching Cornelia¡¯s bag to make sure she didn¡¯t pass the ne to someone else. Nonchntly, Cornelia opened her bag and gracefully took out a sparkling ne, asking, ¡®Is this the ne you¡¯re talking about?¡± At first nce, this ne looked identical to the one around her neck. But the feeling was completely different when held in hand. It was easy to tell the real deal from the fake one. ¡°There you go, I saw it with my own eyes. She stole it but didn¡¯t admit it. Now everyone has seen it, right? The woman in ck raised her head high, as if exposing Cornelia was some kind of heroic deed Chapter 619 Chapter 619 Chapter 619 Seeing Cornelia pull something suspicious from her bag, the onlooking guests began to chatter Is President Hartley¡¯s assistant really a thief?¡± ¡°No way I¡¯ve heard President Hartley is a strict boss, and if she didn¡¯t follow the rules, she would have been fired a long time ago.¡± ¡°Maybe she never stole before, but seeing a ne worth 30 million dors, she couldn¡¯t help but be tempted¡± Cameron was pleased with the crowd¡¯s reaction, just as he anticipated. ¡°Sir, how are you going to handle this?¡± Cornelia interrupted Cameron, speaking calmly. ¡°Hold your horses on punishing me. Let me double check, is this ne the one ir lost?¡± Cameron responded, ¡°Bring it closer for me to see¡± Cornelia politely handed the ne over to Cameron. After examining it, he confirmed, ¡°Yes, this is indeed the Heavenly Radiance my stepmother lost Now, I¡¯m curious to hear how you¡¯ll defend yourself Cornelia calmly addressed the crowd. ¡°The Heavenly Radiance is thest work of Paris artist Wand made for the one he loved, marked with two letters on the star pendant¡± Looking at the ne in Cameron¡¯s hand, she continued, ¡°Sadly, Mr. Reese, this ne is not only poorly made, but it alsocks the signature letters. It¡¯s clearly a knockoff¡± Cameron smirked and retorted. ¡°So, if you say it¡¯s fake, it¡¯s fake? What gives you the right to say that? Even if it¡¯s fake, it doesn¡¯t prove you didn¡¯t steal it. Besides, this ne is the real Heavenly Radiance, worth 30 million dors. The amount you stole is significant enough for you to serve years in jail Officer, the evidence is clear now, you can take her away¡± ¡°What¡¯s the rush?¡± Comelia looked ahead as a curtain dropped from the second floor. The lights in the banquet hall dimmed, and a spotlight shone on the curtain. Two figures appeared on the curtain, ir and Natalia. ir handed the ne to Natalia, whispered something in her ear, and she nodded before leaving. The scene switched to Natalia and Cornelia Natalia was following Cornelia, and while she was talking with someone, Natalia discreetly slipped the ne into a small gap in her bag Everyone understood what happened at that point. Ryan questioned, ¡°Cameron, what the hell is going on? I never expected you to frame a friend.¡± Cameron clenched his jaw, ring at Natalia in the corner. The idiot, he repeatedly warned her to nt the ne in Cornelia¡¯s bag without leaving a trace. But he didn¡¯t expect the fool to do it under the most obvious camera. It was unclear whether it was an illusion or not, but when Cameron looked at Natalia, he felt that she had a strange smile on her face. Cameron believed his home court advantage would protect him, ¡°Cornelia, I didn¡¯t expect you to have help. You even made this confusing fake video.¡± Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Everyone saw the video and understood what Cameron was trying to do to Cornelia. Even though the truth was clear, no one was willing to stand up for her. To them, benefits outweighed the truth Helping Cameron was beneficial, while helping Cornelia risked retaliation from the Reese family, making life in Riverton difficult. After some time, someone finally asked, ¡°What letters are engraved on the star?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°HC H for hero, C for Cara, the nickname of Wand¡¯s wife. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check the details of the star on the Paris auction website.¡± She made up a story on the spot, just to get by. Someone actually took out their phone to verify her story. Cameron didn¡¯t know the ne was fake, so he didn¡¯t stop them. ¡°Take your time, check thoroughly, it would be even better if there are pictures topare the details.¡± Suddenly, Granger¡¯s chilly voice rang out from behind him, ¡°You ungrateful child, shouldn¡¯t you be entertaining your guests instead of framing an innocent girl with a fake ne?¡± Chapter 620 Chapter 620 Chapter 620 Tve told you time and again, if you really like someone, you gotta chase her fearlessly. But if she gives you the cold shoulder, you gotta stop bugging her, and certainly not do something as appalling as today¡± Cameron asked, ¡°Dad, what are you doing?¡± Granger raised his hand and stapped Cameron, with such force that a clear handprint appeared on Cameron¡¯s face. Again, Cameron asked, ¡°Dad, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Granger yelled, ¡°You moron! You¡¯re grown up and you¡¯re still pulling such bonehead moves. Apologize to Ms. Stewart right now and beg her forgiveness¡± Cameron started. ¡°Dad¡± Granger pped him again, ¡®I said apologize!¡± He leaned into Cameron, lowering his voice, ¡°Cornelia may have already slept with Marcus¡­ This could have serious repercussions. Apologize to her now, and we¡¯ll settle the score with her after Marcus ditches her¡± Cameron didn¡¯t fancy apologizing to an assistant, but he had no choice now that his own father was demanding it, ¡°Ms. Stewart, I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have believed that woman and misunderstood you I hope you can be magnanimous and not hold it against me.¡± The woman in ck standing nearby looked bbergasted. It was him who had asked her to nder Cornelia, but now it was being pinned on her. The woman in ck never imagined that even worse things were waiting for her. Granger said, ¡°Although you were misled, you are also at fault¡­ Sir, this woman has a history of misdeeds, and I have evidence. You can take her away¡± The woman in ck was staring in disbelief at the father and son duo. Were they actually abandoning her? ¡°Granger, you.¡± Granger said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take care of your family and children.¡± It was an outright threat The woman in ck was left speechless. Those who danced with wolves, always ended up in the wolves¡® belly. She was case in point. Not only did Cameron apologize to Cornelia, but ir also showed up. She admitted, ¡°I apologize, everyone. This ne I¡¯m holding isn¡¯t real, but a knockoff I paid to have made. I even lied and said it was a birthday gift from my husband. I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Whatever they were saying. Cornelia had no mind to listen anymore. She looked up, scanning the room, and her eyes fell on a dark corner where she saw Marcus¡± tall figure. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. There was no light there, and Cornelia couldn¡¯t see his face, but he could see her clearly. Her private cell phone received a message. It was from Jeremy. Don¡¯t be scared! I¡¯m here!¡­. Chapter 621 Chapter 621 Chapter 621 Don¡¯t be scared¡® I¡¯m here! These two sentences immediately filled Cornelia with boundless strength She looked at him, trying to make out his face in the dark. Marcus in the dark was like a beast ready to charge, even without seeing his face, Cornelia could feel his strength. No matter when, he always looked noble and elegant. He picked up his phone and called Cornelia, posing as Jeremy As soon as the call was connected, Cornelia hastily hung up. She texted him back, ¡°Jeremy, I can¡¯t ept that you¡¯re Marcus yet, so I don¡¯t want to go public for now, okay?¡± Marcus couldn¡¯t wait any longer. He didn¡¯t want to wait another second, but between his wishes and Cornelia¡¯s, he chose to respect Cornelia¡¯s thoughts without hesitation. He replied. ¡°Okay¡± Comelia, III handle the rest, can you wait outside for me?¡± Even though it was a conversation between Cornelia and Jeremy now, because she knew Jeremy was Marcus, Marcus can feel her caution. Marcus didn¡¯t like Cornelia¡¯s cautious attitude. He wished she could be confident as before when she didn¡¯t know his identity, asionally ordering him around, telling him to save money and not to waste But Marcus knew, the fact that Jeremy was Marcus was a huge blow to Cornelia and had caused quite a shock to her Cornelia needed time to adjust, he couldn¡¯t push her too hard. He replied again, ¡°Okay.¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. A simple ¡°okay¡± wasn¡¯t enough, he added, ¡°In front of you, I¡¯m just your Jeremy, no one else.¡± The title ¡°your Jeremy¡® hit Cornelia¡¯s heart heavily again. If it was before, Cornelia would have responded with ¡°I¡¯m your Cornelia¡°, but the thought of Marcus on the other end kept her from replying. She didn¡¯t know what to say next, and in the end just replied. ¡°Thank you!¡± Marcus, ¡°I am your husband!¡± Ah, why did her mind get confused every time he showed up? Cornelia shook her head vigorously, throwing the image of Marcus out of her mind, forcing herself to stay clear¨Cheaded in dealing with the Reese family. The guests present were confused as to why the clown had suddenly turned into a member of the Reese family. ir, like a broken record, kept repeating. ¡°The ne I¡¯m wearing is fake, the ne I¡¯m wearing is fake¡­¡± Chapter 622 Chapter 622 Chapter 622 Granger said, ¡°The Reese family ain¡¯t broke, you could have any ne you fancy, why choose a knockoff? You¡¯re making us look bad¡± ¡°Right, my bad, shouldn¡¯t have been such a show¨Coff ir admitted quickly, but she was boiling inside, thinking Granger was a real piece of work. That ne was given to her by him. He told her it was called Heavenly Radiance, thest piece by the famous designer Wand He had outbid others in Paris with 30 million bucks The dirty ral had fooled her before. Last year, when the Heavenly Radiance ne was being auctioned, he happened to be in Paris, which was why she bought his story without doing her homework Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a pickle. Granger turned to Cameron, ¡°You¡¯re now the CEO of the Reese Group, but you still don¡¯t think before you act. Ms. Stewart is young and beautiful, and you ain¡¯t the only rooster in the henhouse. If you fancy her, go for it, why listen to the gossip?¡± Granger¡¯s words seemed like he was schooling his son, but anyone with half a brain could tell he was hinting that Cornelia had a lot of suitors. Comelia kept her poker face, watching their drama. Even the usually level headed Ryan couldn¡¯t help but speak up, disregarding the long¨Cstanding friendship between their families, Mr. Reese, your son¡¯s actions dont seem like he¡¯s fond of Ms. Stewart.¡± Granger¡¯s face changed, ¡°Ryan, you haven¡¯t taken over the Petersen family business yet, and you don¡¯t know the ins and outs of the business world. You should spend more time with your dad, let him teach you some life lessons¡± ¡°I might not be a whiz at business, but I¡¯m much better at being a decent human being than Cameron, even better than you,¡± Ryan shot back, ¡°Ms. Stewart is tonight¡¯s guest, what have you all done to her? Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. First, it was a setup, then Cameron used her of theft. You must know the nasty things Cameron said.¡± Ryan waved a recording device in his hand, ¡°I¡¯ve recorded everything tonight. I¡¯ve officially epted Ms. Stewart¡¯smission, we¡¯ll be suing Cameron for defamation.¡± Leonardo, who had just finished his business, was still holding a megaphone, ¡®Ladies and gentlemen, you all saw that video, right? ¡°That was caught by the Reese family¡¯s surveince, we didn¡¯t doctor it. Despite the Reese family¡¯s decline, they¡¯re still one of the most prestigious families in Riverton. Why would you do this to a young girl, what¡¯s your game?¡± ir stepped forward, ¡°Because I saw her wearing the same ne as mine, I wanted to humiliate her, so I had my daughter put my fake ne in her bag.¡± Leonardo said, ¡°Just because she wore a ne identical to yours, you wanted to embarrass her. The Reese family really acts like sewer rats.¡± Ryan and Leonardo¡¯s usations left the Reese family speechless But Cornelia knew that what the Reese family truly feared wasn¡¯t Ryan or the Petersen family, but the man behind them ¨C Marcus, the Hartley Group Just when it seemed the drama was over, Ryan suddenly announced, ¡°Cornelia¡¯s ne is the real Heavenly Radiance!¡± The Reese family was shameless and their methods were underhanded, and they had done countless ugly things behind the scenes, which everyone present must know But as long as the Reese family was still standing, as long as they were still among the most prestigious families in Riverton, no one would dare to point fingers at them. So when people from the Petersen and Wilson families condemned the Reese family for their dirty deeds, the spectators weren¡¯t surprised. Until Ryan revealed that Cornelia¡¯s ne was the real Heavenly Radiance. That was a bombshell. A ne worth 30 million bucks wasn¡¯t something just anyone could afford. And those who could afford a 30 million dor ne in Riverton probably wouldn¡¯t exceed four Was Ryan suggesting that Cornelia was not just Marcus¡® assistant, but there might be something more going on? Cornelia shot Ryan a look, she didn¡¯t want to be the center of attention, but once again she was thrust into the spotlight. Chapter 623 Chapter 623 Chapter 623 Ryan said, ¡°If you don¡¯t clear up today that the ne you¡¯re wearing is legit, tomorrow there¡¯ll be a ton of media iming you¡¯re sporting some knock¨Coff. You gotta understand, they¡¯re gonna blow this thing out of proportion¡± Cornelia pondered for a moment, figuring Ryan had a point For an average Joe, wearing a fake wasn¡¯t a big deal, but she was the personal assistant to Marcus, the big cheese of the Hartley Group. In a way, her actions reflected on Marcus So, she had to prove that the ne she was wearing was the real deal. Cornelia stepped forward, under the watchful eyes of everyone, and announced loudly, ¡°Yeah, this ne I¡¯m wearing is the real Heavenly Radiance¡± Upon hearing Comelia¡¯s ne was legit, ir¡¯s face twisted up instantly. She was humiliated by this woman today and found out she owned a real Heavenly Radiance. How could she stomach this? She was just an assistant, how could she own a real Heavenly Radiance? ir¡¯s hands clenched into fists, her fingernails digging into her palms, not even feeling the pain. She was deep in the throes of jealousy ¡°So, just because you say the Heavenly Radiance is real, it¡¯s real?¡± Of course, there were skeptics in the audience. A ne was worth 30 million bucks, how could an assistant own one, unless she had got some special thing going on with Marcus. Cornelia quickly thought of a convincing exnation, ¡°A year ago, President Hartley flew to Paris while on his way home just to drop 30 million bucks on the Heavenly Radiance ne for his wife *Today. Mrs. Hartley saw that I was wearing a dress without any jewelry and to keep me from looking too shabby, she picked out a ne from her collection to lend me¡± Not everyone can afford a 30 million dor ne, but if the one buying the ne was Marcus, no one would question it. Money was thest thing Marcuscked ¡°So, the one who bought the Heavenly Radiance was President Hartley¡± ¡°Oh my gosh, the usually icy President Hartley is actually so romantic.¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Where¡¯s President Hanley? He only showed up for a bit and then disappeared, did he go home to be with his wife?¡± ¡°Now that¡¯s a man who really loves his wife Mentioning Marcus, the guests all showed admiring looks. In this world, everyone worshiped the strong, and someone like Marcus justmanded admiration. Everyone in the room epted that the buyer of the Heavenly Radiance was Marcus, except for the folks from the Reese family who looked sour Comelia asked, ¡°Can I leave now?¡± Who would dare to hold Cornelia back? Even Granger was especially respectful to Cornelia, ¡°I apologize again on behalf of my son and my wife, I hope you can forgive them.¡± ¡°I hold grudges, if someone crosses me, I¡¯ll find a way to get back at them¡± Cornelia dropped this line, turned and walked over to Cameron, lowering her voice and said slowly, ¡°Sir, mywyer will be in touch with you, you just wait and see.¡± Cameron clenched his fists, grinding his teeth, ¡°You¡¯re just having your moment, let¡¯s see how long you can keep this up.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Today is enough.¡± Truth was, she didn¡¯t n to stir things up today, but the Reese family tried to frame her, and ended up showing their true colors to everyone. They could only me themselves Chapter 624 Chapter 624 Chapter 624 ¡°Mr. Wilson, Mr. Ryan, we didn¡¯t grab a bite at the banquet How about we go grab something now?¡± Cornelia suggested, leading the way with Leonardo and Pyan in tow As they walked, Cornelia had the nagging feeling that she was being watched Following her instincts, she saw Natalia looking at her with longing as if she had a lot to say but couldn¡¯t find the words. Cornelia didn¡¯t dare approach Natalia The Reese family were currently mad as a ho at her. If she were to approach Natalia now, who knew what they might do to the poor girl after she left All she could do was pretend she hadn¡¯t seen Natalia and sent her a WhatsApp message. ¡°I know you were forced into today¡¯s mess. I don¡¯t me you. If you¡¯re up for it, I can still hook you up with a job¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. That was all Comelia could do for her Looking back, Leonardomented, ¡°The Reese¡¯s might not be rolling out the red carpet for us anymore¡± Ryan scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re thinking ofing back here?¡± Leonardo sighed. ¡°We grew up together, didn¡¯t we? Cameron was like a brother to me. I thought we were all straight up with each other, but I guess.. Ryan cut him off. ¡°You must be blind. I¡¯ve never been straight with him, and Marc wouldn¡¯t either.¡± Leonardo retorted, ¡°Don¡¯t rub it in. Any more and I¡¯ll start questioning my intelligence.¡± Cornelia reassured. ¡°Mr. Wilson, your intelligence is not the problem. If you hadn¡¯t gotten your hands on the CCTV footage, I would¡¯ve been in deep water.¡± Leonardo grumbled, ¡°Don¡¯t remind me. I went to get the footage thinking my status would help, but they wouldn¡¯t even let me see it.¡± Cornelia queried. ¡°So the footage came from President Hartley?¡± Before he could answer, Cornelia had already guessed. Leonardo was clearly displeased, ¡°Do you think Marc can do anything?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yes¡± Leonardo was taken aback, ¡°Cornelia, let¡¯s cut ties! Pretend we don¡¯t know each other even if we run into each other.¡± Comelia asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Leonardo replied, ¡°You¡¯ve hurt me so much, and you¡¯re asking me what¡¯s wrong?¡± Cornelia protested. ¡°I hurt you? How?¡± Leonardo used, ¡°Why did you instantly guess that Marc gave me the footage? Why is Marc so omnipotent in your eyes?¡± Cornelia exined logically. ¡°Who else could it be other than President Hartley? Is it shameful to lose to President Hartley, Mr. Wilson?¡± Leonardo pondered, ¡°I guess it¡¯s not shameful How many people can evenpete with President Hartley?¡± Cornelia agreed. ¡®Exactly! So he gave you the footage, right?¡± Leonardo admitted, ¡°Not only did Marc give me the footage, but he also told me what to say. The Reese family admitting their plot was also because of Marc.¡± Cornelia knew that the sudden turn of events was all thanks to Marcus. But she wasn¡¯t sure how much Marcus had done for her behind the scenes. Maybe Marcus had done much more for her than she realized. The better he treated her, the more she didn¡¯t know how to face him. By the time they finished their conversation, they had already left the mansion and reached the front gate. A conspicuous car was parked at the gate Marcus, tall and straight, was standing by the car, seemingly waiting for someone. And it looked like he had been waiting for a while. Chapter 625 Chapter 625 Chapter 625 Ryan deliberately asked, ¡°Marc, who are you waiting for?¡± Marcus first nced at Cornelia. He got a million things on the tip of his tongue, but Cornelia beat him to it, ¡°President Hartley, thanks for getting me out of that jam!¡± It was a subtle way of telling him not to spill the beans about their real rtionship. He let out a helpless chuckle, ¡°Hop in. I¡¯ll give you a ride¡± After Marcus spilled the beans, Cornelia was unsure of how to be alone with him. She quickly sidestepped, ¡°Mr. Ryan, did you really mean it when you said you¡¯d treat us to dinner?¡± Ryan said, ¡°Absolutely But it mostly depends on whether Marc agrees.¡± Marcus said ¡°Sure, let¡¯s go eat first¡± Ryan said, ¡°You pick the ce.¡± Marcus said, ¡°vor Fusion.¡± Ryan got the hint. ¡°Are you sure about vor Fusion?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Where it ended, there it starts¡± Ryan got the drift, they had run into Cornelia at vor Fusion before, but he had let her slip away, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make a reservation. You guys go ahead, see you in a bit.¡± Leonardo said, ¡°What¡¯s with all the secret talk? Did I miss something? Have I been asleep for years and lost my memory, or am I just out of the loop?¡± Marcus ignored him and opened the car door for Cornelia. Once in the car, she looked around, avoiding eye contact with Marcus. Marcus spoke up. ¡°Comelia¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Hmm?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Turn around. Look at me.¡± His voice was especially appealing today, as if it held some sort of enchantment. Cornelia nced at him, but quickly turned away, ¡°Seen enough.¡± Marcus was left exasperated, ¡°Don¡¯t you have anything to say to me?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Are you talking about work or personal stuff?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Either, as long as you¡¯re up for a chat.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Tomorrow morning, you have a business meeting with someone from German. You¡¯re having lunch with him and his wife. You promised them that when they¡¯re in Riverton, you¡¯d apany them with your wife. They¡¯re really looking forward to meeting your wife.¡± Cornelia rattled off the schedule for the next day. After listening, Marcus asked, ¡°So, would you like to join them for lunch as my wife?¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Cornelia hesitated, peering at him cautiously, ¡°Can I say no?¡± Marcus suddenly got serious, ¡°Cornelia, you always have a choice. Just because you¡¯re married to me, doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re not free.¡± Marcus always took her feelings into ount, never imposing his will on her because of his status. Many men, with nothing to their name, were dictatorial. Once they were married, they expected their wives to obey them in all things. Cornelia thought to herself. Men like Marcus, rich, handsome and respectful were really a dying breed. If she was lucky enough to find one, she should hold on tight. If she were to lose him to another woman, she¡¯d be kicking herself. She knew this in her head, but making the decision was another story. After much deliberation, Cornelia finally agreed, ¡°I will.¡± She was willing to take that step and Marcus was over the moon, ¡°Thank you for being willing to walk this path with me.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Because you¡¯re Marcus.¡± Marcus chuckled, ¡°Then I should thank myself for giving me this opportunity.¡± Chapter 626 Chapter 626 Chapter 626 Marcus asked, ¡°Got anything else you wanna tell me?¡± Comelia had something to say, but couldn¡¯t find the words, so she just shook her head. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Seeing her restraint, Marcus took the initiative and said, ¡°How about I ask the questions and you just answer, alright?¡± Cornelia nodded. ¡®Shoot.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Still treating me all formal and stuff?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Some habits die hard. Besides, you¡¯re my boss. It¡¯s only right ¡± Marcus said, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to treat me formally anymore. Haven¡¯t wanted that for a while. The moment I knew you were my wife, I hoped you¡¯d drop the formalities¡® Cornelia asked. ¡°When did you find out I was your wife?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°The day we agreed to meet for our divorce certificate.¡± Turned out, he knew all along but never told her. Cornelia asked, ¡°If you knew from the jump, why didn¡¯t you tell me sooner?¡± Marcus fell silent for a moment, then slowly said in his deep, sexy voice, ¡°Because I was scared you¡¯d leave me, scared you wouldn¡¯t want me.¡± Jeremy had expressed his fear of her rejection multiple times on WhatsApp. Every time Comelia saw these messages, her heart ached. But she couldn¡¯t connect Jeremy with Marcus She never imagined that right here, right now, Marcus would say to her face that he was scared she wouldn¡¯t want him. This was Marcus! The man at the pinnacle of the business world! The man everyone looked up to, and feared! In front of her, he discarded all his titles and status. He was just a regr man. Marcus said, ¡°Comelia¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I will never leave you.¡± Marcus reached out to take her hand, but as he was about to touch her, the car stopped. Austin¡¯s voice came from the car¡¯s speaker again, ¡°Marc, we¡¯re here.¡± Cornelia opened the car door and hurriedly got out, ¡°Let¡¯s grab a bite first.¡± Marcus also got out of the car and walked over to her, ¡°Can I hold your hand?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t reply if he wanted to hold hands, he should just do it. Why asked her? How was she supposed to answer that? But he didn¡¯t take her hand, because Leonardo and Ryan¡¯s cars had also arrived Cornelia distanced herself from Marcus. ¡°You promised to keep our rtionship under wraps for now¡± Marcus replied. ¡°Yeah¡± Ryan had reserved a private room and ordered food in advance. When they arrived, the food was served one after another. Cornelia was starving and began eating as soon as the dishes arrived. As Marcus kept putting food on her te, Leonardo nced at Cornelia, who was deeply engrossed in her food, and then at Marcus who kept helping her with her food, ¡°Marc, aren¡¯t you being a bit too nice to Cornelia?¡± Marcus retorted, ¡°Who I¡¯m nice to is none of your business.¡± Leonardo said, ¡®I¡¯m just surprised. Don¡¯t you love your wife dearly? With how gentle and considerate you are to other women, won¡¯t your wife get jealous? Tonight, you¡¯re attending the Reese family¡¯s private party. But instead of bringing your wife, you¡¯re bringing your assistant. Is that really appropriate?¡± Chapter 627 Chapter 627 Chapter 627 Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Leonardo, worried about Cornelia misunderstanding specifically exined to her, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m not looking down on you being an assistant, I just think Marc¡¯s behavior is a bit off. He brought you to a private party. His wife doesn¡¯t mind, and she even lent you that expensive ne. It kinda makes people overthink¡± Corne felt a bit awkward, coughing repeatedly, her face turning red. Ryan said, ¡°Leo, just eat your food and stop being nosy¡± Leonardo retorted, ¡°How am I being nosy? Marc¡¯s behavior is indeed hard to understand¡± Marcus served Cornelia a meatball, then looked at Leonardo. ¡°Who said my wife didn¡¯te?¡± Leonardo scanned the room. There wasn¡¯t any extra person, ¡°Where¡¯s your wife then?¡± Marcus answered. ¡°Right in front of you¡± Comelia was stunned She desperately wished Marcus would shut up but didn¡¯t have the courage. Leonardo said, ¡°The only woman in front of me is Cornelia. Don¡¯t scare me¡± Marcus averted his gaze and continued serving Cornelia. Cornelia was eating quietly, not uttering a word at the table, and soon she was full, ¡®Mr. Wilson, Mr. Ryan, I¡¯m full, you guys enjoy your meal It¡¯s almost midnight now, I have to get up early for work tomorrow, so fill go first¡± Ryan replied, ¡°Okay Sweet dreams¡± Marcus and Cornelia stood up together Leonardo pulled Marcus. ¡°Marc, you still haven¡¯t told me where your wife is?¡± Marcus shook off his hand, led Cornelia and left first. The ignored Leonardo found his food tasteless, ¡°Ryan, do you know where Marc¡¯s wife is?¡± Ryan answered, ¡°Your logic is really hopeless¡± ¡°Don¡¯t insult me¡± Leonardo was halfway through when he thought of something, ¡°Ryan, do you think it¡¯s possible¡­¡± He got so excited he started stuttering. ¡°Is it possible that Cornelia is Marc¡¯s wife?¡± Ryan said, ¡°Are you still the Leo I know? The Leo I know isn¡¯t this stupid.¡± Leonardo replied, ¡°Just tell me, is it possible?¡± Ryan replied, ¡°Yes!¡± Leonardo excitedly pped his hands, ¡°Ryan, I¡¯m smart, right? I figured out the key point that none of you thought of Tomorrow I¡¯m going to ask Marc, and confront him.¡± Ryan looked at Leonardo with furrowed brows, not sure if he was genuinely stupid or just pretending to be After a ten¨Cminute drive, Marcus car arrived outside themunity where Cornelia lived. After the car stopped, Cornelia hastily got off, ¡°President Hartley, see you tomorrow!¡± Marcus got off the car too, ¡°I¡¯ll pick you up tomorrow morning¡± Comelia said, ¡®No need, I can drive to thepany myself¡± If he picked her up, her true identity would easily be discovered Even though he was rejected, Marcus stood still. He didn¡¯t leave, and Cornelia felt awkward, ¡°President Hartley, is there anything else?¡± Looking at her, Marcus solemnly said, ¡°Cornelia, whether as Jeremy or Marcus, my resolve to live a good life with you has never changed¡± Faced with such a deration of love, Cornelia didn¡¯t know how to respond. Chapter 628 Chapter 628 Chapter 628 She thought for a moment, then walked over to him. She opened her arms and gave him a hug, then quickly walked away, ¡°it¡¯s gettingte, you should head home and get some rest See you tomorrow!¡± She came and went like a sh, Marcus didn¡¯t even have time to grab her, and she was gone again Watching her quickly retreating figure, a slight smile crept onto Marcus¡® face. Not only did she hug him, but she also dropped the formalities. This was a good start It waste, but Zack and Abigail were still wide awake. As Cornelia entered the room, their eyes scanned her as if they wanted to see right through her. Abigail came over to Cornelia, and sniffed her with her sharp nose, ¡°You¡¯re useless!¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What did I do to upset you?¡± Abigail said, ¡°You¡¯ve been alone with Marcus for days, did anything happen between you two?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Who said we were alone? And who said I wanted anything to happen?¡± Abigail said, ¡°You¡¯re useless¡± Zack said, ¡°Abby, cool it. Let¡¯s talk business¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Cornelia noticed their odd expressions. Zack said, ¡°Someone trashed our studio.¡±Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Cornelia asked, ¡°When did this happen?¡± Zack said, ¡°The night beforest Cornelia asked, ¡°Did you call the police? Did they find out who did it?¡± Zack said. ¡°We called the cops. But the perp was a pro, wore a full face mask and didn¡¯t leave a trace. They are having a hard time finding the suspect¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I think I might know who it is.¡± Abigail and Zack asked, ¡°Who?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°ir Dennis, the wife of Granger Reese from the Reese Group* Abigail puzzled, ¡°She¡¯s a richdy, what beef does she have with us? Why would she do this?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I once inadvertently offended her. But her animosity towards me, even intention of killing me, was not just because I offended her. There must be other reasons I don¡¯t know about. I don¡¯t even know where this hostilityes from.¡± Abigail said. ¡°What do we do now? She¡¯s Mrs. Reese, and the Reese family holds a lot of sway in Riverton. They could squash us like bugs.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, she won¡¯t dare to mess with us for a while. Have you guys made a list of the damages to the studio?¡± Zack said, ¡°Yes. At least $10,000 in damages.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°The more detailed the list, the better. I¡¯ll have mywyer bring it to ir tomorrow I want her to know that I¡¯m not a pushover.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Yeah, we have President Hartley backing us.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything With Marcus support, Cornelia was fearless and confident. But she didn¡¯t want to bother Marcus. If she could handle it herself, she would. Cornelia took out her phone, found the contact of the editor¨Cin¨Cchief of a Riverton newspaper, and made a call. ¡°Taylor, I¡¯ve got some dirt on the Reese family, do you dare to report it?¡± Taylorughed, ¡°As long as it¡¯s not about President Hartley, what wouldn¡¯t I dare to report? Have you ever seen me scared of anyone?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Good. I¡¯ll send you the detailster. I hope when I wake up tomorrow morning, this news will not only be trending online, but also on the printed papers.¡± Chapter 629 Chapter 629 Chapter 629 Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Taylor said, ¡°I got this, don¡¯t sweat it. If the info you gave me actually has news value, Ill split the cash I make with you¡± ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia replied After she hung up with Taylor, Cornelia summarized what happened that night in a clear and concise way and send it over to Taylor ¡°Any vital stuff I need to highlight?¡± Taylor asked. ¡°Just wing it¡± Cornelia said. ¡°You media people know better than me how to catch people¡¯s attention.¡± ¡°Got it¡± Taylor replied Abigail and Zack sitting on either side of Cornelia, both saw the message she sent. And they were both majorly pissed off ¡°How can the Reese family be such a pain in the butt?¡± Abigail asked, ¡°We didn¡¯t do anything to them, why are they alwaysing after you?¡± Zack was fuming He mmed his hand on the table, stood up and was ready to storm out, ¡°I¡¯m gonna teach them a lesson¡± He could take some unfair treatment, but he couldn¡¯t stand it when Cornelia was hurt. ¡°Zack, cool your jets¡± Cornelia immediately stopped him, ¡°You think charging over there is gonna solve anything? Think violence is the answer? We need to handle this legally Zack fell silent Cornelia lightly patted him on the shoulder, ¡°You guys only saw the front end of the messages, but not how they apologized to me afterwards. Let me tell you, the ones who messed up tonight were the Reese family, not me ¡°I¡¯m useless, can¡¯t do anything to help you¡± Zack said, always believing he was supposed to be their rock. But the truth was, many times he was just spinning his wheels. This realization hit Zack hard. He thought him around, nobody dared to bully her, ¡°Is he good to you?¡± was a good thing Cornelia had Marcus by her side. At least with He couldn¡¯t even bring himself to say his name, but Cornelia got his drift, ¡°He said he¡¯ll always have my back. Don¡¯t think of him as Marcus.¡± Zack was somewhat satisfied with the answer, ¡°It¡¯s my 25th birthday this weekend, invite him over for dinner.¡± Inviting Marcus over for dinner was a sign that Zack was starting to ept him. Cornelia was thrilled, ¡°What do you want for your birthday present? I¡¯ll have him prepare it.¡± ¡°As long as he¡¯s good to you, that¡¯s the best gift for me¡± Zack said. ¡°Do Abigail and I still need to get you birthday gifts? Cornelia asked. ¡°You dare not?¡± Zack shot back. ¡°Of course we will, we definitely will!¡± Cornelia assured. ¡°Will he think our house is too crowded?¡± Zack asked again. ¡°No, he won¡¯t.¡± Cornelia replied ¡°Last weekend, Abigail¡¯s boyfriend invited us over for dinner but I didn¡¯t go because you weren¡¯t there. Abigail, invite him over this weekend too. As your ¡®future father, I need to check out my two sons¨Cin¨C law. Zack told Abigail. ¡°Do you want to get hit? At most we¡¯ll call you brother¡± Cornelia and Abigail said at the same time. They were all the same age. Zack¡¯s birthday was May 10th, Abigail¡¯s was September 1st, and the youngest, Cornelia¡¯s, was December 14th. ¡°I can be the big brother Zack said. After all, he was the closest male to them and nobody could rece his ce in their hearta ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, we should hit the hay Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯ll check out the studio before work tomorrow Whatever the damage, I¡¯ll make the culprit pay double Zack and Abigail had been worried for two days because the studio was damaged for no reason. For these two days, they didn¡¯t eat or sleep well, and they didn¡¯t dare to tell Cornelia because they didn¡¯t want her to worry too. Unexpectedly, when these things happened, Cornelia didn¡¯t panic at all. Instead, she quickly found a solution and became their rock: Chapter 630 Chapter 630 Chapter 630 Before heading to work, Cornelia needed to swing by the studio first, so she set her rm an hour earlier. When the rm rang, it was still dark outside. Cornelia got up immediately, got dressed, and went out to brush her teeth and wash her face in themunal bathroom Their rental only had one bathroom, but since everyone had different work schedules, it was manageable. But today, Zack needled the bathroom, so Cornelia and Abigail had to freshen up in the kitchen. While washing her face. Abigail grumbled, ¡°In two months, we¡¯ll be moving to our new ce. We¡¯ll each have two bathrooms to ourselves in the new ce No more fighting over the bathroom¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°You might end up missing these days.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Maybe¡± Everyone took turns freshening up, then they set off for the studio. Their studio was called San Manga Studio, which simply rncant a studio started by three people. Upon arriving at the studio, Corne realized the extent of the damage was much worse than she had anticipated. They were tight on funds when they first started renovating, and Cornelia insisted on installing arge floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. Now, the window was shattered, and the studio was a mess. The broken desks andputers were scattered everywhere, a heartbreaking sight. Just as Cornelia was about to go in, Zack and Abigail quickly stopped her, ¡°The culprit hasn¡¯t been found yet, and the police have cordoned off the area. We can¡¯t go in.¡± Cornelia looked around and then asked, ¡°Are there no footage of the culprit from our surveince cameras and the ones next door?¡± Zack answered. ¡°They were caught on camera, even taunting us in front of the lens. But they were wearing masks and didn¡¯t leave any fingerprints or anything that could help identify them.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Alright, I get it. Give me the number of the cop in charge of this case, I¡¯ll call himter. You two go home, I need to go to the office. Marcus is meeting a very important partner today, and I can¡¯t bete.¡± Just as she mentioned Marcus, he called Cornelia picked up immediately. ¡°President Hartley* Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m outside your building, I¡¯ll pick you up for work.¡± Hearing his sexy voice, Cornelia stuttered, Tm already out. Didn¡¯t we agreest night that you wouldn¡¯t pick me up?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Alright, see you at the office.¡± After ending the call, Cornelia quickly drove to the office. The office building had a four¨Cstory underground parking lot with ample parking spaces for employees. Cornelia had just gotten a car recently and was assigned a parking space on the fourth basement floor Marcus had a chauffeur and never had to go to the underground parking lot since he was always dropped off at the office entrance. Never in a million years did Cornelia expect to see Marcus waiting by her parking space Cornelia hurriedly rolled down her window to greet him, ¡°President Hartley, what are you doing here?¡± Marcus said. ¡°Waiting for you¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t answer. Oh man, could this guy be any more straightforward? So straightforward, she didn¡¯t know how to react and it threw her heart into disarray Her heart was in disarray, and so were her hands. Normally, she could effortlessly reverse into a parking space, but today she was struggling. On Cornelia¡¯s fifth attempt to park, Marcus spoke in his deep, soothing voice, ¡°Cornelia, avoiding me like this isn¡¯t doing you any good¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything. He continued, ¡°I promised you that our rtionship won¡¯t be made public for now, and I won¡¯t go back on my word. But you can¡¯t expect things to stay the same between us just because our rtionship is a secret¡± Cornelia was speechless. Why could he always see right through her? Chapter 631 Chapter 631 Chapter 631 Comelia tried to defend herself, but once faced with Marcus deep eyes that seemed like an abyss, she was left speechless She thought their previous interaction was just fine, she just wanted to maintain a purely professional rtionship with him. But, even if she couldn¡¯t ept the change in their rtionship, she couldn¡¯t change the fact that Marcus was her husband As her husband, it was normal for him to want a closer rtionship. ¡°Today¡¯s May 8th, and our date tonight will proceed as nned Marcus announced with a firm tone, implying that he had decided and didn¡¯t need Cornelia¡¯s opinion. Today was May 8th? It was already May 8th? Comelia was a bit flustered and confused, ¡°President Hartley, can we not¡­¡± Before she could finish, Marcus had already decisively rejected her, ¡°No¡± Cornelia blinked sadly, her eyes reddening Seeing her like this, Marcus¡® heart softened, ¡°After I dropped you offst night, I thought a lot. If you don¡¯t want to make our rtionship public, then we¡¯ll just be boss and employee during work. But after work, you¡¯re not allowed to hide from me Nothing would change during work, just after work. Cornelia thought she could ept this arrangement. Just as she was about to nod in agreement, Ben¡¯s voice came from the side, ¡°Cornelia? Cornelia? What are you doing, why aren¡¯t you parking your car?¡± Ben had been working at the Hartley Group for many years, so his parking spot was in the best location on the first basement floor. He normally wouldn¡¯t go to the fourth basement floor Today his spot was closed due to a burst water pipe, so he parked on the fourth basement floor While looking for a spot, he identally noticed a familiar car. He rolled down the window and yelled. Startled by his loud voice, she quickly parked her car in the garage. Her car had just moved when Marcus¡® tall figure appeared in front of Ben, ¡°President Hartley, good morning! Why are you here?¡± Afraid of what Marcus might say, Cornelia quickly exined, ¡®President Hartley¡¯s driver was feeling unwell today, so I went to pick him up I forgot to let him out first, so brought him here.¡± ¡°I see¡± Ben quickly parked his car next to Cornelia¡¯s spot. After locking his car, he briskly walked towards them Unexpectedly, Marcus¡® icy gaze made him shudder, ¡°President Hartley.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t even acknowledge him, he just turned around and walked away withrge strides. Ben, still in shock, looked at Cornelia with pleading eyes, ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s up with our boss today? Did I say something wrong?¡± After a few days off, he just came back to work today. Why did Marcus look so serious? Did he do something wrong again? ¡°It¡¯s probably because I was a bitte picking him up, it has nothing to do with you Let¡¯s hurry and catch up to him.¡± Cornelia quickened her pace to keep up with Marcus, they all entered the executive elevator. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Marcus stood at the front of the elevator. Cornelia looked up slightly, silently watching his back. He was tall and straight, like a towering mountain standing in front of Cornelia In the past, Cornelia always thought of him as an unreachable person. Now, even though she knew he was her husband, someone she could touch, she still felt that he was like a star in the sky far from her reach. This feeling wasn¡¯tforting. Chapter 632 Chapter 632 Chapter 632 In a marriage, both parties were equal. But because she was his subordinate first, she unknowingly put herself in a lower position. Maybe it was Cornelia¡¯s gaze that got him. Marcus turned around and naturally made eye contact with her sneaky eyes. They looked at each other. But it onlysted for two seconds before Cornelia shyly looked away She was sneaking nces at him, and that meant she felt something for him. This discovery made Marcus happy. When he was happy his aura naturally came back. Even though no one was talking, the vibe in the elevator became much more pleasant. Ben felt like he should lighten the mood a bit more, ¡®Cornelia, did you go anywhere on your vacation?¡± Cornelia shook her head Unaware of his own awkwardness, Ben kept on talking, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you ask me if I went out?¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Did you go out then?¡± Ben said, ¡°I did Joined a hiking club, went to the northwest with a bunch of people. We walked through the grand canyon and apricot blossom valley. I was lucky enough to see the beautiful bloom in the valley and the blue ice Lake.¡± ¡°You went to theke to see the blue ice?¡± Cornelia was interested as soon as she heard that, ¡°My two friends and I have been wanting to go there, but we haven¡¯t had the chance. We had time during summer vacation in college but no money, so we were busy working. Now that we¡¯re working, we have the money to travel, but no time.¡± Ben said, ¡°You should go when you have the time, they say theke is even more beautiful in the summer¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Yeah I¡¯ve seen pictures posted by other people online. Summer time is filled with flowers, and theke is a clear blue. It¡¯s as beautiful as a painting. Marcus, who was standing in front, heard this and took note. It was May now, there were still two months until July Ben continued, ¡°The scenery is really beautiful, but it¡¯s also tiring. We walked for days, carrying tents, sleeping wherever we ended up.¡± As he was talking. Ben suddenly leaned in close to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, take a good look at my face, do I look much tanner?¡± Ben¡¯s sudden movement startled Cornelia. She shifted a little to the side to distance herself from him, ¡°I don¡¯t think you look tanner.¡± Ben said. ¡°That¡¯s because I put on makeup. Otherwise, you¡¯d see a tanned person instead of the refined me.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Oh.¡± Ben asked again, ¡°Why is your face so red?¡± Cornelia quickly touched her face. ¡°My face is normal, right?¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. What to do? Being in the same space with Marcus now, even if there was no interaction, she was always lost in her thoughts. This constantly thinking made her face turn red easily ¡°Hmm, it really is red¡± Ben suddenly thought of something. ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re not actually into me, right? I¡¯ve told you before that I don¡¯t want to get married. Don¡¯t get your hopes up¡± Chapter 633 Chapter 633 Chapter 633 Marcus suddenly whipped his head around, a fierce re piercing Into Ben, ¡°Ben, why are you so cocky?¡± His voice was chilling to the bone, sending shivers down Ben¡¯s spine, leaving his mind a jumbled mess. ¡°President Hartley, didn¡¯t you say that confidence is key for being your assistant?¡± Marcus eyed him coldly, ¡°I told you to be confident, not overconfident. I¡¯m curious, why do you keep thinking Cornelia has a thing for you?¡± Marcus had a keen sense for these things, so sharp that he still remembered a simr remark from Ben months ago. Ben felt a chill run down his spine under Marcus¡® gaze, stuttering in his exnation, ¡°There were only the three of us in the elevator Cornelia wasn¡¯t sick or anything, but her face was all flushed. There must be a reason. She can¡¯t be into you, so she must be into me¡± ¡°Into you? What¡¯s so special about you that Cornelia would fall for you? Marcus felt that Bens assumption was an insult to both him and Cornelia, The Antarctica division is short staffed, report there immediately¡± Ben thought he must have heard wrong, ¡°President Hartley, you¡¯re sending me to work in Antarctica?¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Marcus asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± The news hit Ben like a bolt out of the blue. ¡°President Hartley, you¡¯re really sending me to Antarctica? Did I screw up at work? Please, don¡¯t make me go there. It¡¯s so cold¡± Marcus looked at the crying Ben coldly, without saying a word Marcus possessiveness was getting a little out of hand; it wasn¡¯t right to relocate a long¨Cserving employee over ament. Cornelia didn¡¯t want to get a tongueshing over this. She quickly chimed in ¡°President Hartley, he didn¡¯t mean any harm. He might just be a bit careless. After all, he¡¯s never been in a rtionship, he¡¯s not even considered it Don¡¯t hold it against him.¡± Ben was still clueless about what he did to upset his boss, ¡°What does my rtionship status have to do with me going to Antarctica Cornelia hastily hushed him, ¡°Shut up.¡± She turned to Marcus, a pleasing smile on her face, ¡°President Hartley, he¡¯s been with you for years. Please don¡¯t act on impulse.¡± Marcus said, ¡°You tell him.¡± Marcus was vague, but Cornelia caught his drift. This man was so childish! With no other choice, she had to tell Ben. ¡°I¡¯m married, you know that, right?¡± Ben said, ¡°Yes¡± Cornelia nced at Marcus, then continued. ¡°My husband and I are very much in love, and we¡¯ve decided to spend our lives together. My feelings for you are purely professional. I hope you won¡¯t misunderstand me in the future. Otherwise, my husband won¡¯t be pleased, and you¡¯ll be the one to pay the price¡± Ben retorted, ¡°Who¡¯s your husband? How powerful is he? I have to pay the price if he¡¯s not happy?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°You better shut up. I won¡¯t be responsible for the consequences.¡± She stole another nce at Marcus, but found his face devoid of any expression. Ben continued, ¡°You still haven¡¯t exined clearly¡± Cornelia remained silent. The elevator doors opened, interrupting their conversation. Marcus was the first to exit, and Cornelia followed him to his office. ¡°Have you decided to keep Ben?¡± Marcus looked at her, asking seriously, ¡°Why are you so insistent on keeping Ben?¡± Cornelia was at a loss for words. ¡°Because¡­¡± His gaze was intense, borderline aggressive, leaving her tongue¨Ctied, ¡°You want to be a tyrant, but I don¡¯t want to be the woman who lets you make foolish decisions.¡± Throughout history, when men messed up, women were often left to pick up the pieces. Chapter 634 Chapter 634 Chapter 634 Throughout history, a man¡¯s downfall seemed to always be linked to a woman. He thought Cornelia¡¯s concerns were legit, ¡°Alright, let him stay¡± ¡°Thank you, President Hartley! You¡¯re such a nice man!¡± Cornelia shed him a radiant smile, ¡°I¡¯ll go make your coffee night away! Watching her bounce away happily Marcus couldn¡¯t help but feel his mood lift. Cornelia was a simple¨Cminded girl. If someone treated her well, she¡¯d return the favor tenfold, ready to give her whole heart. If someone picked on her, she wouldn¡¯t just take it lying down. She¡¯d hit back just as hard. Every now and then, she¡¯d show a softer side, adorable and a little naive Comelia was busy grinding coffee in the pantry, her work phone kept buzzing with news alerts. She checked to find the most eye¨Ccatching headline [The Reese Group¡¯s stock plunges as the market opens] Cornelia quickly checked her stock app Indeed The Reese Group¡¯s stocks all fell, and the situation looked grim. ording to experts, within less than half an hour of opening. The Reese Group¡¯s assets had already shrunk by billions. With such a massive shrink in assets. The Reese Group, already on shaky ground, was now teetering on the brink of bankruptcy Rumor mills were churning, adding fuel to the fire of The Reese Group¡¯s copse The most influential post online was titled [The Reese family matriarch unting a fake ne, the tipping point for The Reese Group¡¯s downfall?] The content read [Yesterday, at the birthday party of The Reese Group¡¯s family head, Granger Reese, many guests came to celebrate. During the party. The Reese family¡¯s matriarch, ir Dennis, was showing off a ne supposedly worth 30 million, but it was actually a cheap knock¨Coff that could be bought for just a few hundred. When did The Reese Group start using knock¨Coff jewelry to keep up appearances? Did the fake ne scandal signify the downfall of The Reese Group? Is The Reese Group¡¯s downfall due to the current CEO, Cameron Reese¡¯s ipetence? Or is it due to the over involvement of the former CEO, Granger? Cameron, Granger, and ir, who¡¯s really driving The Reese Group into the ground?] The juicy gossip was short and sharp, and the final rhetorical questions made it hit a nerve. The short article had over a billion reads and more than 10 million shares, causing a big stir across various websites. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. The person who penned this post was none other than Taylor, whom Cornelia had contacted the night before. Just then, a WhatsApp message from Taylor came in: [Cornelia, you¡¯re rolling in it!] Cornelia [What?] Taylor. [My article got over a billion reads, and it¡¯s still skyrocketing, you know what that means? It means I¡¯m gonna rake in a lot of cash. And remember I said if I made a killing. I¡¯d share half with you. | Chapter 635 Chapter 635 Chapter 635 Comelia didn¡¯t have a clear idea about how much one could earn from ad views Seeing Taylor so happy, Cornelia guessed that everyone could at least rake in a couple of thousands. Not only did she get back at the Reese family, but she could also make some dough. The thought made Cornelia extremely happy While delivering coffee to Marcus, she had a grin stered on her face Marcus asked, ¡°What¡¯s got you so giddy?¡± Cornelia shrugged ¡°Oh, nothing¡± The smile on her face definitely meant that it wasn¡¯t nothing. Marcus didn¡¯t buy it, but he didn¡¯t push it further. As long as she was happy, it was all good After putting the coffee in its designated spot, Cornelia, as per the usual, stood in front of his desk to report the day¡¯s itinerary. Cornelia said ¡°President Hartley, at nine A M¡­ we have to apany the gentleman from Germany and show him around our Al factory at Riverton. Atten, we¡¯ll be apanying him to the Riverton museum to get him acquainted with the history and culture of Riverton.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Uh¨Chuh Marcus nodded, taking a sip of his coffee Cornelia nced at her watch. It was half past eight half an hour to nine, I¡¯m going to prepare some documents needed for the meeting¡± Marcus suddenly asked. ¡°Did you grind the coffee today? It doesn¡¯t taste bitter enough¡± Comelia had only slightly altered the taste of the coffee. She didn¡¯t think Marcus would notice, but he did. She had toe clean, ¡°Your stomach isn¡¯t in the best condition, and you always drink freshly ground ck coffee on an empty stomach. It¡¯s not good for you. I added a bit of milk to your coffee, hoping you would gradually get used to it and eventually not prefer it so bitter.¡± Slowly but surely, invading his life, changing him. Just like she did! When she first came to him as an assistant, he didn¡¯t feel anything special toward her. To him, she was just one of the many girls. But as they spent more and more time together, especially after learning she was his wife, she was influencing him, changing him.¡± Seeing that he was silent, Cornelia got a bit nervous, ¡°President Hartley, if you feel I¡¯m overstepping, then I¡¯ll stop¡± ¡°You¡¯re not.¡± She knew about his stomach issues quite early on, but she never thought of changing his coffee during the year she worked with him. She was always diligent in her work, showing no care for his health. But now, knowing that he was Jeremy, she started adjusting his coffee on her first day back at work. This showed that she started caring about his health. This put Marcus in a good mood, ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll be drinking milk in the morning, no more coffee.¡± ¡°Really? Can your body handle it?¡± Cornelia was a bit worried. Coffee was addictive, and it was hard for long¨Cterm coffee drinkers to quit right away Marcus said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing that one can¡¯t quit if they want to.¡± Giving up habits like smoking, drinking, and coffee wasn¡¯t something everyone could do easily. Usually, only those with strong self¨Ccontrol could do it In Cornelia s eyes, Marcus was such a man with extremely strong self¨Ccontrol Chapter 636 Chapter 636 Chapter 636 When Cornelia first started working with Marcus, he was almost always puffing on a cigarette. But then out of the blue, he just quit smoking She was stoked that he was willing to take her advice and pay attention to his health. ¡°Okay, starting from tomorrow, I¡¯ll make you a cup of milk every morning¡± She said. Marcus chuckled, his voiceced with a sexy allure, ¡°Sounds good¡± Hearing his voice, Cornelia blushed, ¡°I¡¯m going to step out for a bit¡± Watching her hasty exit Marcusughed again Didn¡¯t realize Cornelia was such a blushert Tom and Marcus were about the same age, the same height, and had the handsome features. On his own, Tom was quite the looker But standing next to Marcus, he still seemed a bitckluster After exchanging polite greetings, Tom took a good look at Cornelia and said to Marcus in German, which Cornelia didn¡¯t understand, ¡°Your wife is quite beautiful.¡± Marcus, fluent in German, responded to Tom, ¡°Yes, to me, she¡¯s the most beautiful girl in the world.¡± Tom asked, ¡°Why so blunt?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°You¡¯ve known me for years, when have you ever seen me beat around the bush? Times are changing, so are our minds. My wife is very beautiful, not just in appearance, but also in spirit. She¡¯s got top¨Cnotch work skills. I wish you guys would focus on her skills first, not just her beauty¡± Marcus set very high standards for himself and for those around him. Because he was so exceptional, it was hard for anyone to outshine him in any respect. So, in his eyes, there were very few people he would praise. He seldompliments others, but when it came to Cornelia, he could¡¯t stop singing her praises Tom said. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know she was your wife, I might have noticed her abilities first. But now that I know she¡¯s your wife, I¡¯m more interested in other aspects. Like what drew you to her? Her stunning figure, her wless face, or her skills in bed¡± Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± Marcus¡® face darkened, his eyes filled with icy coldness. He hated it when some guys made crude jokes in inappropriate situations. And when those jokes involved his Cornelia, he was even less tolerant. Tom still didn¡¯t realize the gravity of the situation, ¡°I was just kidding, why the temper?¡± ¡°You and I are different. We don¡¯t need to coborate anymore. Marcus stopped in his tracks, turned to his two assistants following him and said, ¡°See the guest out.¡± Cornelia and Ben were both puzzled. The two of them had been chatting in German. The atmosphere seemed fine, so why did he suddenly get angry? Cornelia was quick to respond. President Hartley, we have invested a lot of manpower, materials, and financial resources in this coboration with Tom¡¯s group. If we cancel the cooperation now, it will be a great loss to both of us. Please reconsider.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind, there s no need to say more.¡± Usually, Marcus was not the kind of person to act unterally at work. He was very willing to listen to and ept the opinions of his subordinates. But why was he so adamant today? Cornelia thought for a moment and guessed that this decision might have something to do with her, ¡°I this decision is rted to me, I hope you could reconsider.¡± She looked at him and noticed the subtle change in his eyes through his sses, confirming her guess. Cornelia added, ¡°If he said something bad about me, it¡¯s understandable. But we can¡¯t give up potential benefits just because of someone¡¯s words, right?¡± Chapter 637 Chapter 637 hapter 637 Give up money? She thought he¡¯d cave for some dough? Cornelia seriously underrated her importance to Marcus and overestimated the value of money to him. To him, she mattered way more than any cash. Marcus dryly said, ¡°Ben, you daydreaming again? Show our quest out!¡± Ben didn¡¯t get why Marcus was suddenly so ticked off. He didn¡¯t dare say more. Best to just follow orders at times like this. Then, he heard Cornelia¡¯s soft yet firm voice. ¡°President Hartley, would you let me finish? If you can¡¯t stand Tom, just ignore him after the deal. Don¡¯t be reckless. Maybe you don¡¯t care whether the project seeds or not, but have you thought about the others involved? They¡¯ve been working their butts off, pulling all¨Cnighters for the project. It¡¯d be heartbreaking to them if all their hard work came to nothing. It¡¯s not just about the paycheck. Seeing their project pay off, their value being acknowledged, that¡¯s important too.¡± Ben was stunned Cornelia was so right! How could he back down now? He should stand with Cornelia and talk to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley¡± But before Ben could get a word out, Marcus gave him a cold stare that made him shut his mouth instantly, All of Marcus¡® attention was on Cornelia. She looked at him, her eyes clear and sparkling like the gxy. Her voice was gentle, like a spring breeze that cooled his anger instantly. Marcus said, ¡°Carry on with the contract¡± The moment Cornelia heard this, she let out a sigh of relief and smiled brightly. ¡°Thank you for listening to me. She had two dimples when she smiled, which not only made her look cute but also warmed one¡¯s heart. Marcus was mesmerized He leaned in slightly, whispered into her ear only loud enough for them to hear, ¡°Your happiness matters most¡± Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. His words were serious, with no hint of teasing, just a pure statement of fact. Sometimes the most straightforward approach was the hardest to resist. His words were like a magical musical note, invading Cornelia¡¯s ears and pounding on her heart, causing it to race and her mind to be in turmoil. ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s working hours now¡± Cornelia raised an eyebrow, gave him a look, and quickly stepped back to keep her distance. She kept reminding herself that it was working hours and she couldn¡¯t let him distract her, but her cheeks were still flushed. Marcus didn¡¯t answer. Did she think he would just stop with words if it wasn¡¯t working hours? With Cornelia¡¯s persuasion, the signing ceremony went smoothly. However, Marcus was in no mood to entertain Tom and his wife after that, and he had to cancel the lunch they were supposed to have together. Chapter 638 Chapter 638 Chapter 638 Today, Marcus only had one item on his agenda. With the originally nned lunch meeting being canceled, Cornelia had a two hour lunch break. After having lunch in thepany cafeteria, Cornelia returned to her office, intending to call the cop in charge to ask about the progress of the investigation into the vandalism at the studio However, Ben walked over and looked at her as if he was looking at a stranger, Cornelia¡± Cornelia felt a bit ufortable and nudged her chair back a bit, ¡°Spit it out, dude. No need to invade my personal space.¡± Ben said, ¡°Anything going on between you and President Hartley that I¡¯m not aware of?¡± ¡°What are you bbing about! Cornelia stuttered a bit, thinking that Ben had figured something out. Who knew Ben would continue. ¡°How¡¯d you pluck up the courage to advise President Hartley in that situation? And the kicker is, he actually took your advice. I was wondering, did you meet the president¡¯s wife and get some secret method to control President Hartley from her?¡± Cornelia was taken aback. Phew, he didn¡¯t figure it out! Ben said, ¡°Cornelia, if you really did meet the president¡¯s wife and got some tricks to control President Hartley from her, spill the beans to me too.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°The method to control is just to treat everyone with genuine kindness.¡± Ben gave her a speechless look, then asked, ¡°So, can you tell me why President Hartley was ticked off at me this morning? I¡¯ve been on edge all morning, afraid that one day President Hartley will seriously ship me off to Antarctica¡± Not knowing why President Hartley was mad at him in the morning, Ben was always uneasy, worried that the ever¨Cchanging mood of Marcus could get him transferred anytime. Cornelia said, ¡°Didn¡¯t President Hartley tell you? He wants you to have confidence, not overconfidence. Stop overthinking, he won¡¯t ship you off.¡± Ben asked, ¡°How am I overconfident?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°A girl gives you one extra nce, and you think she¡¯s into you. If that¡¯s not overconfidence, what is?¡± Ben said, ¡°If you¡¯re not into me, why do you blush when you look at me? You can¡¯t possibly be blushing for President Hartley* Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia was speechless. Could she admit it? Ben continued, ¡°As you know, even though we have to be respectful in front of President Hartley, outside manypany bosses respect us and treat us politely. With our status, of course wed attract some young pretty girls. Ever since I started working for President Hartley, hundreds of girls have made moves on me. Can you me me for being confident? If it wasn¡¯t for my sense of responsibility and not wanting to lead girls on since I don¡¯t want to marry, I could have had enough ex¨Cgirlfriends to line them up from here to the other side of the Riverton river.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Is this not overconfidence? Do you know what those girls see in you?¡± Ben said, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s my position as the president¡¯s assistant at the Hartley Group¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Okay, you¡¯re no ordinary Joe. Ordinary folks don¡¯t have your way of thinking¡± Ben replied, ¡°If in the future the boss still has ns to transfer me to Antactica, you have to step up like you did today.¡± ¡°Okay, you can go back to your seat now and chill¡± Cornelia had her own stuff to deal with and didn¡¯t have time to chat with him. But Ben was still asking. ¡°Do you know why Tom pissed off the boss?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Maybe Tom said something bad about the boss¡® wife.¡± Ben said, ¡°The boss¡® wife again! Why is this wife so mysterious? We¡¯re practically with the boss every day, but we¡¯ve never met her¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Is it possible that we¡¯ve met the boss¡® wife, but we just don¡¯t know it?¡± Ben thought for a moment and said, ¡°That¡¯s not impossible.¡± Chapter 639 Chapter 639 Chapter 639 The phone suddenly rang, cutting off their conversation Cornelia shot a nce at Ben, signaling that he could scram, no need to keep hovering around her desk. Once Ben took off, Cornelia picked up her phone. The caller was Zack. He knew Comelia usually didn¡¯t carry her personal phone during work hours, so he dialed her office line As soon as Cornelia picked up, she heard Zack¡¯s voice. ¡°Cornelia, the cops just called. After some serious legwork, they finally tracked down the perps who trashed our studio¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Awesome! Was it a solo job or a gang thing? Any puppet masters pulling the strings?¡± Zack responded, ¡°There¡¯s definitely someone behind the scenes, but the cops can¡¯t do jack without evidence.¡± Without waiting for Cornelia¡¯s follow¨Cup, Zack continued, ¡°Two young punks in their twenties did us over, fresh from a stint in the mmer for a bar fight. At first, they were ying hardball, insisting they had some shady dealings with you. They imed you turned them down that day, and they only went rogue after getting hammered.¡± Some total stranger threw innocent Cornelia under the bus. Zack was fuming when he heard this. He didn¡¯t want to bring it up with Cornelia, fearing it would hit her hard. But he thought, why should Cornelia bear the brunt of someone else¡¯s screw¨Cup since she didn¡¯t do anything wrong? Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Zack said. ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m not keeping this from you because I trust you. I want you to know, you can¡¯t let people frame you for things you didn¡¯t do.¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡®Don¡¯t sweat it. Those who smear a girl with such dirty tricks will get their comeuppance Carry on¡± Zack said, ¡°No matter how slick those two are, they couldn¡¯t escape the eagle eyes of the cops and the hard facts. The cops found not just one fishy money transfer, but a whole string of their misdeeds. With the evidence stacked against them, they spilled the beans, including that ir was the one who orchestrated the sabotage of our studio. However, ir is smart. The transfer wasn¡¯t from her ount, and she never personally contacted the two punks Cornelia got the drift, ¡°So, even though both the police and us know that ir¡¯s the puppet master, no one can touch her without evidence.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right¡± Zack sighed, ¡°Those two blew the ten grand they got on gambling. They¡¯re broke, can¡¯t compensate us. Our loss of a few tens of thousands might be gone for good, and we¡¯ll have to cough up for studio renovations ourselves. It¡¯s heart¨Cwrenching.¡± They were not made of money. Though theic studio had been doing alright recently, all the earnings went towards buying a house and paying the mortgage. They already splurged a good chunk on renovations. Theic copyright sale hadn¡¯t cleared yet, monthly payroll was due soon, and their bank ounts were pretty much drained. For the three of them, this loss was a hefty sum. Cornelia felt the pressure too, so she had to make the person responsible pay up. ¡°Zack, chill. I have a way to make ir cough up voluntarily.¡± Zack asked, ¡°What¡¯s your n? Leave the risky stuff to me, don¡¯t go off half¨Ccocked¡± Chapter 640 Chapter 640 Corne said, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, I¡¯m not the type to fall for tricks easily You and Abby can go check out some renovationpanies, and I¡¯ll get back to you tonight.¡± -Zack expressed his worry. ¡°No way, I can¡¯t have you take that risk. Abby and I can borrow some more money from our parents for the renovation Cornelia replied, ¡°Your parents need to save some too. Stop borrowing from them already. Even if I can¡¯t squeeze a dime out of ir, I still got the dough Jeremy stashed away for me. I can use that for now and pay him backter¡± Zack said, ¡°Now that we know Jeremy is Marcus and he¡¯s loaded, we can¡¯t just spend his money like it grows on trees. I don¡¯t want you to feel awkward in front of himter.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Rx, I got this¡± Cornelia hadn¡¯t thought about spending Jeremy¡¯s money After hanging up, she took out her personal cell and was about to ask Natalia for ir¡¯s contac, but then figured Natalia¡¯s phone might have been confiscated if she messaged Natalia, it could cause her trouble, so she dropped the idea. She then thought for a while and dialed Cameron¡¯s number, but it was busy after several attempts. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Oh right. The Reese Group¡¯s stock price hit a slump right from the get¨Cgo, his family must be in a real pickle right now. Cameron being the president in name, it was only natural for his phone to be blowing up. With the Reese family in chaos, they probably wouldn¡¯t have time to bother with Natalia Cornelia immediately dialed Natalia¡¯s cell, and it was ir who answered, ¡°Ms. Stewart, how many times have I told you not to disturb my daughter? Why are you such a pain in the ass?¡± ir having Natalia¡¯s phone was both unexpected and expected for Cornelia, ¡°Great, I was looking for you, not your daughter.¡± ir said, ¡°You¡¯re here to gloat about winning with Marcus¡® help, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that petty stuff. I¡¯m here forpensation. My friends¡® studio was wrecked by your people, causing a loss of less than $20,000. Add in the loss of ie and the cost of renovation, I¡¯ll give you a discount, a total of $20,000¡± Knowing that Cornelia had no evidence, ir threatened, ¡°Twenty grand is nothing but pocket change for me, but it¡¯s a fortune for the likes of you. You think I¡¯m just going to hand it over? Do I look like a charity to you?¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°Wearing a fake ne, is that a sign of The Reese Group¡¯s downfall? You remember that post, don¡¯t you?¡± ir asked, ¡°Was that post your doing?¡± It was that post that revealed her wearing fake jewelry, causing her great embarrassment, which led to Granger forbidding her to go out. So it was all Cornelia¡¯s doing! Why didn¡¯t she get rid of her sooner! Cornelia said, ¡°Mrs. Reese, you have to understand, I didn¡¯t stir up trouble. I just reported what happenedst night. And I will report the truth about the vandalism, I may not have solid evidence, but I can count on public opinion.¡± With Marcus¡® help, Cornelia indeed could use public opinion to her advantage. The Reese family was in a tight spot and couldn¡¯t afford any more hits. ir understood this, her voice almost hoarse from fear, ¡°You cunning witch, don¡¯t count your chickens before they hatch. Just because Marcus is protecting you now, it doesn¡¯t mean you can do whatever you want. Can he do it for a lifetime? You can keep him interested with your youth and charm for now, but can you do it forever? Knowing he already has a wife, you still went to his bed, you¡¯re that eager to be his bedmate, huh?¡± Chapter 641 Chapter 641 Chapter 641 ¡°Even in Riverton, people know about your dirty little secrets from Rosenberg Started off seducing other women¡¯s husbands in your teenage years, ended up getting busted by the wife. You¡¯ve lost your innocence a long time ago, and yet you managed to get Marcus to fall for you I admit, you¡¯ve got some skills. I wonder if Marcus regrets ever getting involved with you, or perhaps he just likes a woman who isn¡¯t choosy about her men?¡± ir knew exactly how to ruin the reputation of a young, beautiful and ambitious girl. She just loved spreading rumors. Society was harsher on girls than boys. Anyone could start a rumor about a girl, saying, ¡°Have you heard about that girl and that guy?¡± Without needing any proof, they couldbel her as a homewrecker or a gold digger Rumor spreaders just needed to move their lips, or shared an out¨Cof¨Ccontext screenshot, and the victim¡¯s reputation could be ruined, facing scorn in their future life. Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org. Cornelia hated these people, despised their nasty habit of gossiping behind people¡¯s backs but not being able to say anything to their faces. ir was the epitome of what Cornelia despised, spewing venomous words,pletelycking the grace expected of a wealthydy. Compared to ir¡¯s ugly demeanor, Cornelia seemed calm andposed, ¡°You are such a shameless person. Don¡¯t think everyone is like you,cking any sense of shame. Everyone in Riverton knows how you destroyed another woman¡¯s marriage to be Mrs. Reese, how dare you criticize others? I live my life openly and honestly I don¡¯t stoop to dealing with shameless people like you.¡± When this was mentioned, ir didn¡¯t feel embarrassed, she felt a sense of pride instead, ¡°How many mistresses don¡¯t want to be the legal wife? How many mistresses can actually be the legal wife? Being able to be the legal wife from a mistress is also a talent. I¡¯d like to see if you have the ability to get Marcus to marry you¡± Cornelia sneered, ¡°Maybe I¡¯m already his wife.¡± ir scoffed, ¡°What do you think the Hartley family is? You think the Hartley family would marry a dirty woman with no status or reputation?¡± The Hartley family held a high status in ir¡¯s heart, not only because of the global status of the current Hartley Group, but also because of a secret deeply hidden in her heart. When ir first came to Riverton, the person she wanted to get close to wasn¡¯t Granger. It was the then head of the Hartley Group, Brennen Hartley Compared to Granger, Brennen was wealthier and more handsome. But he had another woman in his heart, and no other women could catch his eye Because she saw no possibility of marrying into the Hartley family, ir chose Granger. Although Granger didn¡¯t look as appealing as Brennen at the time, he still had some handsome traits, which were nothing like his current bald and big¨Ceared appearance. Especially his big belly, which looked like he was seven or eight months pregnant. He had be like that, and he still had the audacity to grab her waist a few days ago, telling her she was gaining weight, and needed to maintain her figure. Over the years, not only had she maintained a good figure, but her face also looked very young, absolutely not like someone nearing fifty. She really didn¡¯t know where that bald and fat pig. Granger, got the nerve to say she was fat. Chapter 642 Chapter 642 Chapter 642 The Hartleys were the real deal, the creme de creme, sitting on a fortune that left the other three big families of Riverton in the dust. Cornelia was well aware of this. If she¡¯d known that Jeremy was actually Marcus, she might not have tied the knot with him But, since she did say ¡°I do¡°, and that they were legally hitched, the gap in their status couldn¡¯t be a roadblock in their marital journey. Cornelia was done arguing with ir, ¡°Mrs Reese, I¡¯ll text you my bank ount number. If the compensation ain¡¯t in my ount by six this afternoon, you¡¯re on your own¡± ¡°You think I¡¯m gonna cough up a penny for you? Dream on ir wasn¡¯t keen on parting with her dough, but she knew she had to pony up now Before she could finish, Cornelia hung up the phone. Looking at the ¡°call ended¡± on her screen, she was so ticked off she wanted to throw her phone against the wall. Having been given a hard time by Cornelia, ir turned her fury on Natalia, ¡°Tell me, did you deliberately let the cameras catch you slipping the ne into that woman¡¯s bagst night?¡± Natalia sat expressionless on the sofa, staring nkly at the door, seemingly not hearing ir¡¯s interrogation. This is from N?velDrama.Org. Seeing Natalia¡¯s apathetic demeanor, ir got angrier, ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m talking to you. Are you even listening?¡± Tve already said it wasn¡¯t me. Why do you keep grilling me? If you only want to hear me say ¡®yes¡®, what¡¯s the point of questioning me?¡± Natalia stared out the window, not Turning around She knew they just wanted her to confess, then shift all the me forst night onto her. In the past, although Cameron hit and cursed at her, she didn¡¯t feel hopeless because she believed she had her parents¡± support and that one day they¡¯d stand up for her. Butst night, due to Marcus¡® intervention, their scheme was exposed, and they had to apologize to Cornelia After the guests left, her father had her face the press, admitting that she¡¯d masterminded and executed the fake ne and theft incidents. They scripted her lines, had her memorize them, then filmed a video So,st night¡¯s set¨Cup turned into her attempt to frame and nder Cornelia, and her mother chose to take the me to protect her daughter. Once the video was released, all fingers would point at her, and they knew better than she did about the media bacsh she¡¯d face. But they didn¡¯t give a damn. It dawned on her that they didn¡¯t care about her. She was a nonentity in this family. When the storm came, not only wouldn¡¯t they be her shelter, they¡¯d even rip apart the umbre she used to fend off the rain. ir was provoked by Natalia¡¯s words, raising her voice, ¡°What did you say?¡± Afterst night¡¯s incident, Granger punished her by not letting her sleep for a whole night, and Cameron also mocked her mercilessly. Today¡¯s online media painted her as a vain creature, and Cornelia also insulted her. Now, even her own daughter, the only person she could manipte, was ignoring her. This feeling of being abandoned by the world drove ir off the deep end, and she pped Natalia in the face. Chapter 643 Chapter 643 Chapter 643 *Natalia, you¡¯re the kid I carried for ten months, Even your life is a gift from me if it wasn¡¯t for my risking childbirthplications to have you, there wouldn¡¯t be a ¡®you¡® right now¡± ir was practically screeching like a lunatic. ¡°I¡¯ve gone through hell for you. Everyone else can screw me over, but not you!¡± Natalia¡¯s face was swollen from being hit, but she seemed oblivious to the pain This is from N?velDrama.Org. She nced at ir, then looked out of the house as if something outside was pulling her attention, ¡°Hah, I am your child. Did you ever ask me if I wanted to be born? You think I asked for this life?¡± ¡°Natalia!¡± ir looked at Natalia¡¯s reddened face and then her own hand, feeling a pang of guilt, ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t really mean to hit you, I just lost control. Can you forgive me?¡± Natalia seemed unfazed by the p, even managing a small smile, ¡°Go ahead and hit me if you want, you¡¯re not the first and you certainly won¡¯t be thest¡± ¡°Natalia, my poor sweet girl¡± ir pulled Natalia into a hug, ¡°I promise, from now on you¡¯ll stay at the Reese family mansion, you won¡¯t have to go back to the vi and live alone with Cameron If ir had told her this before yesterday, she might have been happy about it. But right now, she couldn¡¯t muster any joy. She had this gut feeling that going back to live at the Reese family mansion right now might not be the escape she hoped for, but rather jumping out of the frying pan into the fire. ir was hugging Natalia, but she didn¡¯t notice Natalia¡¯s mood and kept talking. ¡°Natalia, trust me. Once you marry Marcus, nobody will dare to mess with you again.¡± Natalia scoffed, ¡°Marry Marcus? You think Marcus is just anyone¡¯s for the taking?¡± ir replied, ¡°You¡¯re not like those girls who want to mamy him, you¡¯re a Reese. You¡¯ve grown up with Marcus. His mother likes you, his sister gets along well with you, and now he¡¯s taken a liking to you too. Natalia, all you need is a little effort. Give birth to the first son of the Hartley family, and the title of Mrs. Hartley, the president¡¯s wife, is yours. Once you be the president¡¯s wife, not only will nobody dare to bully us, but we¡¯ll also be rolling in riches.¡± Had a son? Marcus hadn¡¯t even touched her, and how could she possibly have his child? That one night, Marcus was drunk and drugged, and she had Zavier¡¯s help. She thought she had him in the bag. But even in that dazed, drugged state, Marcus recognized she wasn¡¯t who he wanted. He didn¡¯ty a finger on her. There was no way she could bear Marcus¡® child. Saying she was special to Marcus and she could be Marcus¡® wife. ir probably didn¡¯t even believe her own words. As for Marcus¡® mother, Courtney, Natalia could tell that she wasn¡¯t genuinely fond of her. But that was okay, she only maintained a good rtionship with Courtney because her family told her to. ir kept talking. ¡°Natalia, I need to teach you how to satisfy a man again. If you listen and learn, I promise Marcus won¡¯t be interested in any other woman after being with you just once.¡± ir had a lot to say, but Natalia didn¡¯t want to hear any of it. She suddenly felt how pathetic her life was. Being thedy of the Reese family was just a tool bred by her family to please men. Chapter 644 Chapter 644 Chapter 644 After a while, ir was still going on and on, even bringing up some details that were beyond words. Natalin was fed up with it, finally she said, ¡°Mom, when are you going to pay Comelia the compensation?¡± That sentence instantly put out ir¡¯s enthusiasm, she was so mad she gritted her teeth. Natalia asked again, ¡°Mom, why did you hire someone to mess up Cornelia¡¯s studio? Why did you set her upst night? Just because she had a disagreement with youst time?¡± In Natalia¡¯s mind, her mother ir was a thoughtful person, good at hiding her true emotions. She could hate someone to the bone, but always seemed friendly on the surface However, ir¡¯s hostility towards Cornelia was too obvious, as if they had a deep hatred. ir was slightly surprised, then quickly found a reason, ¡°She¡¯s the obstacle to your marriage with Marcus, why wouldn¡¯t I get rid of her?¡± Natalia just listened, but she had more questions than ever. After the lunch break, Cornelia and Ben had finished preparing the materials for tomorrow¡¯s meeting and handed them over to Marcus for review. They didn¡¯t have anything else to do for the day As usual, if there was nothing to do in the afternoon, Marcus would let them go home and rest. In the past, Cornelia always looked forward to Marcus letting them go home early, but today she wished they could work overtime for a few nights in a row. Having nothing to do meant that tonight¡¯s date with Marcus was inevitable. After handing over the materials, Ben quickly said to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, if you think the materials are fine after reviewing them, Cornelia and I will take off.¡± Marcus casually nced at the documents, then looked up at them, especially at Cornelia behind Ben, ¡°What should I prepare for my first date with a girl?¡± This question reminded Cornelia of her first day working with him when he asked a simr question, but at that time she didn¡¯t know she was his wife. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Ben reacted quickly, ¡°President Hartley, did you set your sights on a girl?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t show any annoyance, but patiently said, ¡°I¡¯m going on my first date with my wife tonight, I need to prepare in advance. I hope you can give me some advice¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t answer. If Marcus really wanted to know what to prepare for a first date, asking his friends would probably be more urate. Knowing full well that she and Ben had no dating experience, and still asking them for advice, obviously he was mocking her. Ben seemed to hear a big joke, ¡°President Hartley, you have been back in the country for a year, and the news of your marriage has been public for more than half a year. You haven¡¯t dated your wife in all this time?¡± It was not that Ben didn¡¯t believe it, it was just that this was too unbelievable. Marcus red at Ben unhappily. ¡°I asked you for advice, not for chit¨Cchat.¡± Ben still maintained the habit of a year ago, gently pushing Cornelia, ¡°President Hartley, I think we should consult Cornelia on this issue. Cornelia is not only a woman, but also married. She should have more understanding of dating!¡± Chapter 645 Chapter 645 Chapter 645 Cornelia tried to act as if she hadn¡¯t heard, wanting to dodge the question, but it found her anyway She couldn¡¯t even look Marcus in the eye, ¡°Dates are different for everyone, right? I¡¯m not really sure what to prepare for a first date.¡± Ben, standing alone, unable to offer Marcus any advice, unceremoniously dumped all the pressure on Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t be shy Tell President Hartley what you and your husband did to prepare for your first date¡± Cornelia was speechless. Why on earth did she have to defend motor mouthed Ben this morning? He should be shipped off to Antarctica Marcus asked, ¡°You really don¡¯t know? His voice, low and sexy, was filled with oppressive power. It felt like if Cornelia didn¡¯t tell him the truth, her real identity would be exposed. Cornelia shot him a woeful look, ¡°Am I supposed to know?¡± Wasn¡¯t he her husband? Didn¡¯t she know if she had ever been on a date with her husband? She had never even dated her own husband, how was she supposed to know what to prepare for a first date? During this tense moment, Leonardo barged in, ¡°Marc, I must ask you something. This thing has kept me up all night, I¡¯m on the verge of a meltdown.¡± Behind him was Wendy from the secretary¡¯s office, who didn¡¯t stop him from barging into the CEO¡¯s office, afraid of being scolded by Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, Mr. Wilson insisted on seeing you. I tried to stop him, but he was too strong for me.¡± Leonardo gave Wendy a smile, Tm tight with him, so don¡¯t worry about not being able to stop me. He won¡¯t me you. Don¡¯t be scared, sweetheart.¡± Wendy looked worriedly at Marcus, but his aura was too intimidating, she couldrit meet his gaze. Luckily, Comelia stepped in, ¡°Wendy, Mr. Wilson is one of us, don¡¯t worry. Go ahead with your work.¡± Wendy shot Cornelia a grateful look and quickly left the CEO¡¯s office. Leonardo walked over to Marcus¡® desk, ¡°Marc, are you guys discussing something important? Have I come at a bad time? I don¡¯t care, no matter how important it is, you have to put it aside and answer my question. It¡¯s a simple question, it¡¯ll only take a minute.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Ben was quick on the draw, ¡°Mr. Wilson, you¡¯re just in time. You¡¯re experienced in love matters, you must know what to prepare for a first date with a girl.¡± Without a second thought, Leonardo replied, ¡°Condoms, of course!¡± Ben, ¡°Uh, Mr. Wilson¡­¡± Marcus¡® brow furrowed slightly, the look in his eyes behind his sses sweeping over Cornelia, worried that she might misunderstand that Leonardo was intentionally arranged by him. Cornelia didn¡¯t speak. This was indeed inevitable, but in the case of two people who were not familiar with each other, especially her awkward rtionship with Marcus, it was indeed very embarrassing to bring it up. When it came to dating. Leonardo instantly forgot that he was originally here to find Marcus and was ready to hold forth in front of these less experienced people, ¡°Ben, have you found a girlfriend? Preparing for your first date? You¡¯re asking the right person.¡± ¡°Mr. Collins, it¡¯s not me!¡± Ben discreetly pointed at Marcus, but Leonardo didn¡¯t notice.. Chapter 646 Chapter 646 Chapter 646 ¡°Ben, what era do you think this is? What¡¯s wrong with having a girlfriend?¡± Leonardo patted Ben on the shoulder casually, then said seriously. ¡°People these days are pretty open¨Cminded. Many hit it off the first time they meet. For everyone¡¯s safety and to prevent any ¡®oopsie daisies, condoms are a must have unless you don¡¯t want to be a responsible man¡± Leonardo¡¯s thing was that he was straight as an arrow He could say whatever he wanted, no matter who was listening, without feeling embarrassed. The ones feeling awkward were usually others. After getting a nudge from Leonardo, Ben suddenly got it. If some things were too embarrassing for his boss to ask, it was his job to get the answers, ¡°Leonardo, which brand is good then?¡± Leonardo, being the know¨Cit¨Call he was, replied, ¡°There¡¯s a ton of them out there, as long as it¡¯s safe and meets the standards, it¡¯s good. But if you want the creme de creme, go for the ultra¨Cthin 001¡± Ben pulled out a pen and notebook to jot down everything. ¡°Leonardo, are there specific instructions for use?¡± Seeing how serious Ben was, Leonardo was pleased, ¡°Ben, you don¡¯t have to be all formal¡± Ben replied. ¡°Better safe than sorry. Leonardo, keep going, the more details the better.¡± He didn¡¯t need this info for himself. He just needed to understand and report back to Marcus, so he needed to get everything down. Comelia quickly cut them off, ¡°Leonardo, weren¡¯t you supposed to ask Marcus something? Why aren¡¯t you asking?¡± Leonardo waved her off impatiently. Tll askter, I m exining this to Ben first¡± He nced at Cornelia and Marcus, ¡®If you guys don¡¯t know, I can exin it to you too. But you guys are married, you should know this stuff, right?¡± Cornelia turned red with embarrassment. ¡°You guys keep talking, I¡¯m leaving¡± Was this really an appropriate topic for the office? And in front of her and Marcus? And the kicker was, Marcus didn¡¯t stop them either. She was the odd one out in this scenario. Back in her office, Cornelia sent a WhatsApp message to Abigail [Abigail, SOS¡®] Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Abigail replied quickly: [Cornelia, what¡¯s up?] Cornelia: [Marcus wants to take me out tonight as Jeremy, but I¡¯m still not used to his other persona] 19 Abigail [Cornelia, since you¡¯ve epted his double identity, you¡¯ll have to face this sooner orter. No matter if you face it head¨Con or run away, the problem won¡¯t disappear. So just face it.] Even though Cornelia understood the logic, dealing with her boss as his wife still made her feel ufortable. Abigail sent another message: [While I won¡¯t deny that part of the reason I support you and Marcus being together is his looks, wealth and status, I trust your judgement more. You said he¡¯s a good guy trustworthy, so you should feel safe with him. Pretend you¡¯re going on a blind date today, and your date just happens to be your boss You two have been working together for so long, and you know each other pretty well. So it¡¯s high time to take it to the next level] Thinking about it that way did make it easier to ept. Cornelia replied [You¡¯re the best.] Abigail replied: [What time do you knock off? I¡¯ll do your make¨Cup for the date when you get back, then you can go out. I guarantee your date will be head over heels for you] Cornelia replied with augh: [Deal) Chapter 647 Chapter 647 Chapter 647 As Corne was packing up to go home, a WhatsApp message from Jeremy popped up [Cornelia, you go ahead. I¡¯ll pick you up at your ce at five] ? ? Comelia thought for a moment, then replied. [Okay! 1 Cornelia was the one going on a date that evening, but Abigail was even more excited than she was. While helping Cornelia fix her hair, Abigail couldn¡¯t stop chattering talking as long as she was working. ¡°Cornelia, do you know When I first saw your boyfriend, I imagined all sons of stones between you two I¡¯m your biggest fan. My life has always been pretty dull. Nothing particrly exciting ever happened to me. But this one time, the couple I was rooting for actually got together! I¡¯ve thought up all sorts of scenarios between you two, like a domineering boyfriend, or a deep love But remember, in real life, you must keep in mind what I¡¯m about to say On your first date, at most let him hold your hand. Don¡¯t let him do anything else¡® Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. After listening to Abigail prattle on for a while, Cornelia suddenly responded seriously. ¡°What if I want him to do more?¡± Abigail stopped, then pinched her cheek, ¡°You randy little thing! Corneliaughed, ¡°What randy little thing? Sounds so crude. It¡¯s like having a te of top¨Cnotch cuisine that many people want to eat, but not everyone gets the chance Suddenly one day, you own this te of top¨Cnotch cuisine. Would you eat it or not?¡± Abigail replied, ¡°Of course I¡¯d eat it!¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Well, I¡¯m the only woman who can legally have him.¡± Abigail said, ¡°I suspect you¡¯re hinting at sex, but I have no proof.¡± Cornelia said. ¡°I just identally told the truth¡± Abigail said, ¡°But you don¡¯t have any experience with this kind of thing, should we watch a few movies to get an idea?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Zack¡¯s cough could be heard from outside the room, but they both ignored it. Without turning around, Abigail said, ¡°Stop coughing, we don¡¯t consider you a man. We didn¡¯t consider you when we were talking about this. But you could give Cornelia some advice.¡± *Marcus, Cornelia is still doing her makeup. Our ce is small, but if you don¡¯t mind, please have a cup of coffee first.¡± Zack¡¯s voice came in again. Cornelia and Abigail both turned around to see Marcus tall figure. Cornelia was speechless. Suddenly, it was as if a thunderbolt had struck Cornelia¡¯s head, leaving her mind nk. When did Marcus get here? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to pick her up at five? Why did hee early? Did he hear her conversation with Abigail? Would he think she had bad intentions towards him? Oh god This was killing her! Abigail, as if nothing had happened, even walked to the door to greet Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, good afternoon!¡± Marcus said, ¡°Good afternoon!¡± Abigail said, ¡°Today is Nelly¡¯s first date with you, I still need to help her get ready. Could you please wait a little longer?¡± Chapter 648 Chapter 648 Chapter 648 Then she closed the door tightly, only to be red at by Cornelia. ¡°You¡¯re unbearable! I¡¯m already mortified, and you went to say hi to him! Abigail said, ¡°Chill out. From the looks of him, he didn¡¯t hear our conversation. He must have just arrived¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Oh¡± Abigail said. ¡°You were so brave just now, why chickening out so soon?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Anyone can boast¡± Abigail said. ¡°Look at you, scaredy¨Ccat. If you want to sleep with him, just do it. He¡¯s your husband. You have the right.¡± Comelia quickly covered Abigail¡¯s mouth. ¡°Stop it, what if he hears you? How am I supposed to face him?¡± Abigail said, ¡°Alright, alright, III shut up. I¡¯ve done your makeup Get up and change your clothes for the date¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Is that it? Why does it look like I¡¯m not wearing any makeup?¡± Abigail said, ¡°You¡¯re a natural beauty. You look great even without makeup, I just put some moisturizer on you. Now stop questioning me and go change your clothes.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia turned around and took out a T¨Cshirt and denim shorts she had boughtst time. Abigail took one look, grabbed the clothes and shoved them back into the closet, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you were going to wear such casual clothes for a date¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I just bought these clothes¡® Abigail said, ¡®Sit down, I¡¯ll choose for you.¡± Cornelia¡¯s wardrobe was sparse. Winter sets, summer sets, all practical with not a single piece superfluous. Nothing liked a girl¡¯s wardrobe. ¡°You should treat yourself better¡± Abigail looked a bit heartbroken Cornelia earned more than her, yet was more frugal. She had a few designer pieces in her wardrobe. While in Cornelia¡¯s, apart from coats and down jackets that cost over a hundred dors, the rest were all budget clothes. Not a single decent outfit for going out on a date. In the end, Abigail pulled out a white floral dress that Cornelia often wore, ¡®Wear this today. This weekend I¡¯ll go shopping with you to buy a couple more outfits.¡± Comelia said, ¡°Okay¡± While they were changing, two gentlemen were sitting face to face in the living room, but neither of them said a word, creating an awkward atmosphere. After a while, it was Zack who couldn¡¯t bear the silence and spoke first, ¡°Should we call you President Hartley, or Mr. Artis now?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Whatever you prefer.¡± Zack said, ¡°Can we really call you whatever we want? We¡¯re not casual people, and Cornelia is definitely not a casual person.¡± Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯ve always cherished her, never taking her for granted.¡± ¡°You better keep your word.¡± Zack had a lot to say, but when the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back, ¡®Cornelia is a very good girl, you must cherish her, and not let her down. Otherwise, even if it costs me my life, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± Marcus said, ¡°She¡¯s my wife. I will naturally treat her well¡± Zack didn¡¯t have much interaction with Marcus, and he even disliked Marcus in the past. However, for some reason, Marcus¡® words instantly alleviated his worries of many days, ¡°In any case, please take good care of Nelly from now on!¡± Marcus nodded Abigail opened the door and pushed Cornelia out of the room, ¡®President Hartley, doesn¡¯t Nelly look beautiful?¡± Marcus looked up. He saw Cornelia in a white floral dress, her smooth hair draped over her shoulders. Because she had tied her hair up earlier, her hair was slightly curved There was a natural blush on her delicate face, and her lips were moist. Although it was a simple and everyday outfit, Marcus couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her.This is from N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 649 Chapter 649 Chapter 649 Marcus and Cornelia were checking each other out. He was rocking a white tee and ck casual pants today. They¡¯d been together a year and no matter if it was summer or winter, he¡¯d always step out in a white shirt and ck dress pants. Today, for the first lime, she saw him in something less formal Why the sudden switch up in his style? The answer came into view when Cornelia spotted the sneakers on his feet She was the one who bought those for him. He had changed his outfit just so he could wear the sneakers she bought when seeing her if not for the sneakers, she would have totally forgotten that she once bought him shoes. Yet he remembered such a small thing¡­ Cornelia felt a warmth in her heart, looked up at him, and saw his deep gaze behind the silver framed sses. He adjusted his sses, a smile spreading across his face, ¡°You look stunning¡± He wasplimenting her, Cornelia knew, and it threw her off a bil Thank heavens for Abigail who came out to break the awkwardness. ¡°If you guys are going on a date, get going already The weather¡¯s perfect. Don¡¯t waste it.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go Cornelia made the first move to escape the awkward atmosphere Marcus followed closely behind Zack and Abigail watched them leave the room and enter the elevator Abigail sighed, ¡°How can Cornelia be so gorgeous? She doesn¡¯t seem out of ce standing next to a hunk like Marcus¡± Zack leased, ¡°No matter how stunning Cornelia is, she can¡¯t escape being chased by the bad boys.¡± Abigail retorted, ¡°Zack, stop being jealous Marcus is a good guy, and we should be happy for Cornelia.¡± Zack responded, ¡°I¡¯m happy for her, but I¡¯m also allowed to have my own feelings.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Abigail said, ¡°You used to say Marcus had bad intentions towards Cornelia, none of us believed it. Today, I finally understand why you felt that way.¡± Zack asked, ¡°You get it too?¡± Abigail said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think the way he looks at Cornelia makes you ufortable?¡± Zack said, ¡°The way he looks at Cornelia is too possessive, I¡¯ve only seen that kind of look in the animal kingdom, when a predator is hunting. I¡¯m worried he has ill intentions, that Cornelia might be deceived. But knowing he¡¯s Marcus, I guess I can understand¡± Abigail said, ¡°Yeah, he does look at his woman with a gentle, somewhat domineering, and possessive gaze.¡± Zack said, ¡°Stop imagining things.¡± Abigail said, ¡°I¡¯m not imagining. You saw it too. The way Marcus looks at Cornelia, as if he can¡¯t wait to have her. I¡¯m certain, Marcus likes Cornelia, and he¡¯s already deeply in love with her Zack said, ¡°You seem to really get it!¡± Abigail said, ¡°Let¡¯s just wait and see. Maybe by this time next year, I¡¯ll be holding my goddaughter.¡± As the elevator doors closed, Marcus reached out and held Cornelia¡¯s hand. Cornelia instinctively tried to pull away, but as soon as she moved, Marcus tightened his grip. His palm was big and warm, which couldpletely envelope her hand and transmit his warmth to her. Then, his deep and powerful voice echoed in her ear, ¡°Cornelia, can I hold your hand?¡± Cornelia looked up at him, ¡°You¡¯re already holding it, why are you asking?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Because I want to know if you¡¯re okay with me holding your hand. If you¡¯re strongly against it, I won¡¯t force you¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯m not against you holding my hand, trying to pull away was just my body¡¯s instinctive Chapter 650 Chapter 650 Chapter 650 Marcus chuckled lightly, his grip tightening ¡°Gol it ¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Cornelia kept her silence, as the elevator steadily descended, plunging the atmosphere back into awkwardness. After a moment of thought, Cornelia began, ¡°You Marcus cut her off, ¡®Stop being so formal with me His tone was low and stern, exuding an irresistible dominance Cornelia asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ll pick me up at five? Why are you here so early?¡± Marcus exined. ¡°I wanted to see you sooner, so I came early.¡± Cornelia nced at him, then lowered her head. His straightforwardness left her speechless. Marcus pulled her a bit closer, ¡°Is there anywhere you particrly want to go?¡± Comelia shook her head, ¡°No.¡± Marcus fell silent for a moment. Cornelia asked, ¡°Did you hear all that?¡± Marcus countered, ¡°Hear what?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Nothing¡± He couldn¡¯t have overheard her conversation with Abigail, right? if he had, he would¡¯ve reacted differently Cornelia breathed a sigh of relief, just as the elevator reached the basement. Marcus led her out of the elevator. Despite his long strides, he deliberately slowed his pace to match hers. Cornelia stole another nce at him This man was so perfect, it was almost unreal. Soon, they reached her parking spot. Parked next to her car was a low¨Ckey yet luxurious red two¨C seater sports car. Cornelia hadn¡¯t seen Marcus drive this car before, nor had she seen it in his garage. But she immediately knew it was his Most of their neighbors were average office workers. Many couldn¡¯t afford a house in Riverton, let alone imagine owning such a fancy car. Comelia asked, ¡°Did you get a new car?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a new car I bought for you. It¡¯s not registered yet. Drive it for a few days and see if you like it Marcus said, taking advice from Leonardo. Leonardo told him that if he wanted to keep his wife happy, he should be willing to spend money on gifts. If his wife wanted something, he should buy it. As a considerate husband, he shouldn¡¯t just listen to what his wife said, but also watch what she did. If his wife said she didn¡¯t like something or asked him not to buy it, she might just be being modest, or she might be trying to save money. In that case, he should buy the gift anyway, and surprise her with it. So, taking Leonardo¡¯s advice, Marcus had Ben call the dealership and have a new car delivered. Cornelia was taken aback, then frowned, ¡°I already have apany car. I don¡¯t need another one.¡± Marcus said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to save money for me. I have plenty Cornelia retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not saving for you! This was the world of the rich, they could buy a sports car worth hundreds of thousands without batting an eye After her father died in a car ident, Cornelia¡¯s grandmother had taken care of her. Her grandmother was a teacher, with a modest sry. Besides supporting Cornelia, she also had to help out Cornelia¡¯s uncle. From that time on, Cornelia learned to be frugal. She kept track of every penny, never wasting a dime unnecessarily Marcus wanted Cornelia to be happy, but she didn¡¯t look happy. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s that? Cornelia replied, ¡°You bought me such an expensive gift, I can¡¯t just take it without giving something in return. I care about my own money.¡± Chapter 651 Chapter 651 Chapter 651 Marcus was amused by her straightforward and adorable response. ¡°You don¡¯t need to give anything in return. Or, you can use my card to buy something for me! Comelia said with some frustration, ¡°I don¡¯t want to always spend your money. I can earn my own money. I did fine before I met you, you know¡± known Marcus had always known that even without him, Cornelia could do very well. In multiple rounds of executive assistant selection, she stood out from numerouspetitors and finally became his assistant, which was enough to prove her abilities. She could earn money on her own to buy a house. She was beautiful, had many suitors, and she didn¡¯t necessarily need him. Marcus understood all of these, but hearing Cornelia say it out loud still made him a bit ufortable He subconsciously tightened his grip on her hand, ¡°I hope you can spend my money so I can feel that you need me, not that I am dispensable to you. Cornelia couldn¡¯t stand when he talked to her like this, as if he were a horneless child desperately needing her care. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll ept it then¡± Comelia agreed to take the car, Marcus breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°That¡¯s more like it! You¡¯re my wife, If you don¡¯t spend my money, should I give it to another woman?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t allow it!¡± Cornelia reached out and pinched his waist His waist muscles were too firm. She didn¡¯t hurt him, but hurt her own hand instead. She red at him angrily Jeremy would never bully her, only Marcus would. Marcus didn¡¯t understand why she suddenly got angry. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cornelia knew she shouldn¡¯t lose her temper, ¡®It¡¯s too hot, let¡¯s go.¡± May in Riverton was particrly hot, especially in the evening, without wind, the entire city was like a steamer. The red sports car raced down the city streets, like a moving red rose, very eye¨Ccatching. About half an hourter, the car left the city and headed in the direction of the eastern coast of Riverton Cornelia sat in the passenger seat, asionally sneaking peeks at Marcus out of the corner of her eye. He rarely drove, but he drove fast and steady. She remembered he once told her that he wanted to be a race car driver and had even won championships. His hand on the steering wheel looked very good, his fingers were long and strong, much better than a hand model¡¯s. His physique was the same, and even sitting down, there was not a bit of excess fat. One could vaguely feel the strong abs under his shirt. This is from N?velDrama.Org. She took a look, then quickly looked away, as if she were a thief. Marcus was amused by her again, chuckling softly. Cornelia puffed up her face and asked, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Marcus reached out one hand and held hers, Tm your husband, and I am all yours. If you want to look, just look, no need to be sneaky¡± She thought her sneaky observations were sessful, but didn¡¯t expect he already knew. Cornelia said a bit defiantly, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sneaking peeks at you.¡± Marcus still insisted, ¡°Alright, if you say you weren¡¯t sneaking, then you weren¡¯t Cornelia looked ahead, their car was about to leave the coastal highway, ¡°President Hartley, where are we going next?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°You¡¯re still calling me President Hartley?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Besides President Hartley, what else can I call you? Jeremy?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Call me hubby.¡± Chapter 652 Chapter 652 Chapter 652 Cornelia answered, ¡°I don¡¯t want to Asking Comelia to refer her superior, whom she had worked for a year, as her husband did indeed make her feel a bit ufortable and was difficult to adapt to Marcus had topromise, ¡°Then call me Jeremy¡± ¡°Jeremy! Jeremy Comelia called out twice, feeling this name was much better, ¡°Where are we going now?¡± Marcus drove off the highway. ¡°You¡¯ll know when we get there Cornelia asked, ¡°Why do you go by Jeremy?¡± Marcus nced at her. ¡°That¡¯s a long story, do you want me to take my time and tell you?¡± Cornelia quickly nodded, ¡°Of course I do¡± Although he had been her supenor for a year, and her husband for two, Cornelia knew very little about him. She wanted to know more about him, including his childhood which he was reluctant to bring up She was willing to listen, and Marcus was happy, so he began to tell his story. ¡°The Hartley Group originally started as a handmade clothing shop. My great grandfather was so good at making clothes that he was chosen as the first designer in Riverton, and became famous overnight. Everyone was proud to wear his clothes. ¡°His clothes were in high demand, and prices were sky high in the market ¡°He seized the business opportunity and opened a clothing factory From then on, the foundations for the now massive Hartley Group wereid ¡°However, my great grandfather was always an artist at heart, and he cared more about making good clothes than making more money ¡°The thriving development of the Hartley Group was during the time when my grandfather and grandmother were running it ¡°My grandfather, who always wanted to make money, met ady from the Artis family who wanted to expand the family business. They were business rivals at first and didn¡¯t see eye to eye But after several encounters, they began to appreciate each other, and eventually became a family Both my grandparents were very determined people. Under their efforts, the Hartley Group grew stronger each day and gradually became the top family in Riverton¡± Cornelia asked in surprise, ¡°So Granny Luisa is our Hartley Group¡¯s co¨Cfounder?¡± Marcus chuckled ¡°Don¡¯t you think she fits the part?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t recognize her Every employee of the Hartley Group knew one of the founders, Luisa. Not only was she the wife of the previous CEO, her deeds were also legendary Without her, there would be no Hartley Group today Cornelia had never thought the kind and gentle Granny Luisa she knew would be the legendary figure of the Hartley Group, Luisa The Hartley Group had an introduction to Luisa¡¯s life and achievements, along with a picture, but the picture was of her when she was young, very different from the Granny Luisa Cornelia had met, so Cornelia didn¡¯t recognize her Marcus gently said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s never toote to know¡± Comelia said, ¡°Keep going, I want to hear more about grandpa and grandma.¡± As he continued, Marcus¡¯s eyes became somewhat mncholic, ¡°Grandpa and grandma expanded the scope of the Hartley Group together, but due to his long¨Cterm overwork, grandpa¡¯s health became very weak. Hisst few years were spent on the sickbed. ¡°During those years, he felt very depressed. He couldn¡¯t get out of bed to work, and he felt that his existence was just a burden to grandma. ¡°Grandma had to take care of thepany and him. He thought his absence would make grandma¡¯s life easier. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. ¡°One day, after grandma left, he ended his life in an extreme way¡­ Upon hearing this, tears uncontrobly slid down Cornelia¡¯s cheeks, one by one, like pearls falling off a string unstoppable. Marcus was very womed and quickly pulled over, ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s wrong? Tell me what happened?¡± Chapter 653 Chapter 653 Cornelis herself had no clue what had just hit her. The moment she heard that his grandpa had chosen to end his own life to save grandma from more troubles, she felt as though a million needles were piercing her heart. It hurt so badly that she couldn¡¯t control her tears This is from N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cornelia.¡± Marcus gently wiped away her tears, ¡°What¡¯s up? Talk to me Tmjust sad Cornelia looked at him with teary eyes. ¡°I just feel that grandpa shouldn¡¯t have done it.¡± Marcusforted her, ¡°That s water under the bridge now. You don¡¯t need to dwell on it¡± ¡°It¡¯s not over yet, not really because there are many people facing the same issues. We need to address it, and then solve it¡± Cornelia wasn¡¯t the confrontational lype, but this issue had struck a nerve. ¡°Did grandpa genuinely think his decision was best for grandma? Didn¡¯t he realize how much pain it would cause her to be left alone?¡± Cornelia knew she shouldn¡¯t me grandpa. She wasn¡¯t in his shoes, and she didn¡¯t know how much pain he was in, or how desperate he must have felt She thought, if grandpa chose to leave because he couldn¡¯t bear the pain and saw no hope in life, then she could understand. But if he thought his departure would lighten grandma¡¯s burden, then he couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. He must not have realized how much his leaving would shatter her. Marcus said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what he was thinking. All I know is that his leaving hit grandma hard. After he passed away, grandma lost her pir of support and fell ill. If it wasn¡¯t for the responsibility of the Hartley Group on her shoulders, I guess she wouldn¡¯t have made it through that period.¡± Marcus¡¯s words made Cornelia even sadder, ¡°If you were grandpa, what would you do?¡± Marcus got her worries, ¡°I won¡¯t let myself face that kind of day Even if it doese, I¡¯ll fight to stay alive.¡± His words slightly eased Cornelia¡¯s mind, ¡°Listen, you need to take care of your health. You can¡¯t always be on the go. If you fall si doctor for treatment. You absolutely cannot do what grandpa did, and you absolutely cannot leave me behind¡± one day, you must cooperate with the She looked at him and said, word by word, ¡°You once told me as Jeremy, that you wanted to spend the rest of your life with me. You have to keep your word, no breaking promises Marcus finally understood why Cornelia suddenly burst into tears. It must have been because of grandpa and grandma¡¯s incident that reminded her of her own parents Her mother left right after she was born, and her father died in a car ident when she was five. Because of the early loss of her parents, she longed for family and cherished life and the people around her more than anyone. Marcus reached out and held her hand, ¡°Cornelia, every word I¡¯ve said to you, I meant it. I won¡¯t break my promises.¡± Cornelia suggested, ¡®Let¡¯s make a pact.¡± Marcus had never done such a thing when he was a kid, let alone now. But since it was Cornelia, he was willing to go along with whatever she wanted, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s make a pact.¡± Cornelia, rubbing her red nose, extended her pinky to hook it with his, ¡°We¡¯re making a pinky promise! Whoever breaks it is a big piggy!¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia quickly pulled herself together, ¡°Now continue with why you¡¯re called Jeremy¡± The girl¡¯s mood swung fast, most people probably couldn¡¯t keep up with her pace. After Marcus started the car, he continued with the previous topic, ¡°After grandpa passed away, grandma fell ill and their son Brennen was put forward by the board directors to take over the Hartley Group The guy isn¡¯t very capable, but he¡¯s got a strong will. He believed that he could fill grandma¡¯s shoes and take care of the Hartley Group ¡°Grandma knew he wasn¡¯t able to manage the Hartley Group at that time, but since he was so keen on taking over, she decided to let him try and handed over the reins.¡± Chapter 654 Chapter 654 Chapter 654 ¡°Without grandpa and grandma, the Hartley Group was like a ship without a rudder, quickly falling into the hands of others. And Brennen was just a puppet in their game ¡°The ipetence of that man gave the people with ulterior motives towards the Hartley Group an opportunity. They worked together and put the Hartley Group into a crisis. ¡°Realizing he couldn¡¯t turn things around on his own, Brennen married Courtney, the daughter of the Kamp family. He used the Kamp family¡¯s influence to regain control of the Hartley Group ¡°The union of the Hartley and Kamp families turned out to be a lifesaver for his career. He gradually gained some real power in the Hartley Group ¡°I was born during that critical period. To ensure my safety, grandma announced to the outside world that my name was Marcus, but I actually go by Jeremy. ¡°Before high school, I was known as Jeremy. It wasn¡¯t until I took over the Hartley Group that the name Marcus became widely known¡± Brennen was Marcus¡¯s biological father, and also the man Marcus personally put behind bars. Cornelia¡¯s first time hearing about Brennen was from Marcus, and she didn¡¯t expect it to be under such circumstances. Since Marcus took over the group, he erased all information about Brennen. So neers like Cornelia had no way of knowing what kind of person the former president Was All she knew was his name: Brennen! This is from N?velDrama.Org. This was a taboo that the current leader of the Hartley Group would never mention. ¡°We don¡¯t have to talk about that man, if you don¡¯t want to¡­ Cornelia knew Marcus¡¯s taboo, so she didn¡¯t directly mention it, but Marcus understood her ¡°Bringing up that man really is a downer Marcus chuckled, stepping on the gas and speeding towards their destination. Upon reaching their destination, Cornelia found out that Marcus had brought her to the famous Sunset Hotel in Riverton, also the top high¨Cend restaurant for couples dates The hotel was built on seaside rocks. With ss¨Csuspended decorations, you could see the waves rolling under your feet. Look far and you could see the red sun slowly sinking into the sea, forming a magnificent sunset view. The scenery was beautiful, but of course, it wasn¡¯t cheap A visit here would set you back at least a few thousand bucks Being frugal, Cornelia cringed at the thought of spending thousands just to see a sunset that could be seen anywhere. ¡°Mr. Hartley, the sunset doesn¡¯t seem that special¡± Marcus, ¡°Are you worrying about the money again?¡± Cornelia wasn¡¯t afraid of his teasing. ¡°Yes.¡± Marcus chuckled, ¡®The owner of this restaurant is named Jeremy.¡± Cornelia, ¡°You mean you invested in some small projects under the name Jeremy?¡± These projects weren¡¯t really small. They were just smallpared to the projects the Hartley Group was involved in. Otherwise, a project that at least made a few million a year could hardly be considered small Marcus, ¡°Still worried about the money?¡± Comelia. Not anymore.¡± In fact, she was even a little excited. Chapter 655 Chapter 655 Chapter 655 ¡°Why did you choose to invest in this project under the identity of Jeremy? What Cornelia really wanted to ask was how he saw this opportunity. The Sunset Hotel was world renowned for its outstanding design, luxury facilities, and top notch service it had been topping the global luxury hotel indicators for years. Not long ago, Comelia saw an online voting project asking everyone to vote for the hotel they most wanted to visit. Sunset Hotel was still at the top of the list Though many people wanted to go to the Sunset Hotel, only a few could actually go. With the world¡¯s poption being so vast, Sunset Hotel only had ten rooms in total, only able to amodate a maximum of twenty people a day. Sunset Hotel also had an unofficial rule they didn¡¯t take single travelers, only couples or married couples. At first some people tried to exploit this loophole, with a man and a woman posing as a couple to stay at the hotel. When the hotel found out, they immediately refunded their money and asked them to leave, establishing a cklist system to never amodate them again. The person who got kicked out was an inte influencer with nearly ten million followers. He comined online, and arge number of his fans felt indignant for him They attacked Sunset Hotel¡¯s official ount, and some even initiated a boycott of the Sunset Hotel. This issue escted, with the voices calling for a boycott of the Sunset Hotel growing louder Most hotels facing this situation would try to minimize the impact of the incident, even choosing to apologize proactively However, Sunset Hotel had its own style They not only didn¡¯t apologize, but they also issued a firm statement on their official public ount. -Our rules are clear: we only amodate couples and married couples. When you brought your assistant to stay, we have the right to refuse you. You guide your fans to attack online, and as an influencer who shifts mes on others, you are tarnishing your own reputation. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. The statement immediately caused a huge stir. At first, the hotel was attacked by the followers of the influencer, but soon public opinion turned around, and mostizens sided with the Sunset Hotel. The influencer with millions of followers had toe out and apologize, admitting his mistake. After that, Comelia never saw that person online again. Now knowing that the person offended was Marcus, Cornelia understood everything Although the number of people Sunset Hotel can amodate was small, it didn¡¯t mean they can¡¯t make money. The hotel¡¯s room rate started at four thousand a night, which didn¡¯t include meals, drinks, and other entertainment expenses In general, this ce was where the rich squandered their money. Those who can afford toe here definitely won¡¯t just spend the minimum; they easily spent tens of thousands of even hundreds of thousands. Over the year, the pure profit was at least several million. The more Cornelia thought about it, the more envious she became. Marcus could make a fortune by casually investing in a project, while she was still working hard for others, making money for others ¡°It was just a spur¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cmoment decision to invest; I never really thought about making money from it.¡± The Hartley Group was Marcus¡¯s responsibility, whether he liked it or not, he would try to make the Hartley Group stronger. It was the achievement of his grandparents¡® lifetime, and he would never allow anyone to shake the position of the Hartley Group, especially when his grandmother was still alive. Therefore, he would invest in some industries he personally interested in under the identity of Jeremy. Sunset Hotel was just one of many investment projects under Jeremy¡¯s identity Sunset Hotel, from the concept to the location selection, was all nned and executed by Marcus himself. The concept came from a couple. One day after work, Marcus was tired and didn¡¯t know where to go, so he had the driver drive him around. Turning around, they came to the seaside. He walked alone to the edge of the cliff and saw a couple leaning on each other, looking at the distant sunset together. He heard the girl¡¯s exmation of awe at the beautiful scenery, and also noticed that the girl was shivering in the boy¡¯s arms because of the strong sea breeze Then he suddenly had an inspiration. If there was a ce to shelter from the wind and rain, those who watch the sunset wouldn¡¯t have to shiver in the cold wind. Chapter 656 Chapter 656 Chapter 656 Not long after, right here, a ss hotel was built, offering a panoramic view of the beautiful scenery from all angles ¡°Even though you¡¯re not showing off, I¡¯m really jealous!¡± He could make a fortune just by investing in some random project. Looking at herself, well, it was not fair topare people so casu casually ¡°Why do you say that?¡± Cornelia. You casually revealed that you¡¯re the owner of this hotel, saying it was just a random idea.¡± Marcus, ¡°I was just identally speaking the truth.¡± That sounded somewhat familiar, but Comelia didn¡¯t really pay much attention to it. This is from N?velDrama.Org. While they were talking, Marcus had already driven the car into the parking lot, ¡°Let¡¯s get out¡± Typically, tourists had to park here, then check in at the hotel lobby, and take the hotel¡¯s free sightseeing car to the ss house. As the owner, Marcus could have driven straight in, but he didn¡¯t want to break the hotel rules and create a bad experience for the quests As soon as their car arrived at the parking lot, several staff members came to greet them, ¡°Mr. Artis, Mrs. Artis, wee.¡± The staff here knew his name was Jeremy, but they didn¡¯t know he had another, more awe inspiring identity Marcus said thanks, then said, ¡°Arrange a double sightseeing car for me. Well drive ourselves. No need for a driver.¡± ¡°The car is ready¡± The hotel manager handed Marcus the car keys and a room card with a smile, ¡°Mr. Artis, sunset today is at 6:40 pm. The best viewing time is ten minutes before sunset.¡± Cornelia immediately checked her watch. It was only 5 30 now, more than an hour until sunset, no need to rush. The manager continued, ¡°Dinner is prepared as per your request and will be sent to your room whenever you need it.¡± ¡°Send it up at 6 20¡± The manager in charge of the hotel was handpicked by Marcus, so he trusted him to handle things. ¡°Alright.¡± The manager nced at the time, then said, ¡°After dinner, the hotel has arranged various activities. If you¡¯re interested, you can participate¡± ¡°Thank you. We¡¯ll decide for ourselves.¡± Marcus was eager to spend time with Cornelia and didn¡¯t want to listen to the manager¡¯s chatter, ¡°Cornelia, get in the car. Let me show you around¡± ¡°Okay¡± Comelia sat in the passenger seat of the sightseeing car, taking a closer look at this famous ss hotel with Marcus The hotel covered a muchrger area than Cornelia had imagined. The entrance was filled with green trees and various flowers, and towards the sea, it was lush green grass. including Riverton¡¯srgest and most beautiful golf course. However,pared to the beautiful scenery, Cornelia was more attracted to the handsome man driving Marcus was like a ma, always attracting Cornelia¡¯s gaze involuntarily Marcus felt it, every time he turned to look at her, she would immediately shift her gaze, pretending to enjoy the scenery, refusing to admit she was looking at him. Suddenly, he felt likeughing and couldn¡¯t help but let out a gentleugh. Cornelia asked, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± Marcus stopped the car, turned to look at her, his deep gazending on her, then said seriously. *Whether it¡¯s Jeremy or Marcus, they both belong to you alone! If you want to look, just look boldly, however you want to look. Don¡¯t sneak peeks¡± Chapter 657 Chapter 657 Chapter 657 Knowing full well it was peeping, why did he have to call her out? Didn¡¯t she have any pride at all? Annoyed, Cornelia turned her head away, refusing to give him the time of day Marcus, as if nothing ma jor had happened, carried on driving the sightseeing car, even ying the role of tour guide ¡°This road we¡¯re on is called Lovebirds Lane, and the flowers on both sides are orchids. The name of the road and the flowers nted were all decided by Shawn, the hotel manager we just met The sightseeing road was well maintained, with the orchids blooming brilliantly on both sides. It was indeed quite beautiful Still pissed off, Cornelia nced at the flowers and shrubs outside, responding nonchntly without turning her head, ¡°I see¡± Assuming she was enjoying the scenery, Marcus continued his animatedmentary. ¡°At first, I didn¡¯t understand why he chose to nt these flowers. He told me that orchids symbolize a beautiful love I used to scoff at that, but now I feel that having a good omen and symbolism gives people hope, and there¡¯s nothing wrong with that¡± Marcus wasn¡¯t a man of many words, but to spare them from an awkward silence, he kept talking, saying things that even he found embarrassing As Comelia listened, her anger slowly subsided ¡°So, you gave him full control of the hotel?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Marcus nodded ¡°Shawn is a college student I sponsored I thought highly of him, so I let him manage the hotel after he graduated. He hasn¡¯t let me down.¡± ¡°You sponsor college students? That was news to Comelia. Sponsoring college students was a charitable act by Jeremy¡¯spany with no business motive, so not many people knew about it. ¡°Just donated some money, not a big deal.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more than just some money¡± To Marcus it may be just some money, but for the students he sponsored, his kindness could change their lives. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Marcus¡¯s image grew a little taller in Cornelia¡¯s heart. As they chatted, they arrived at the edge of a cliff where a row of spherical ss houses were in sight. Each ss house was built on the rocks at the edge of the cliff, appearing to hang in mid¨Cair, which was quite thrilling It was said that these ss houses were built using some special construction technology Unless there was a super tsunami or an earthquake of magnitude eight or higher, these ss houses were absolutely safe. Marcus slowed down, ¡°Want to take another look?¡± The sea breeze was a bit strong. Cornelia was only wearing a dress and felt a bit cold. ¡°I don¡¯t want to walk around anymore, let¡¯s find a ce to sit and wait for the sunset.¡± ¡°Sure¡± Marcus drove Cornelia to a ss house. This ss house was the most prominent one, with only one corner built on the rock. The rest seemed to hang in the air, beneath was a cliff several dozen feet high with waves crashing against the rocks. It looked absolutely thrilling. Marcus said, ¡°This ss house is reserved for me by Shawn. No one usually stays here, so you don¡¯t have to worry about hygiene.¡± When initially nning the hotel, Shawn jokingly said he wanted to reserve a room for him so he could bring his girlfriend in the future. He said at the time: ¡°I might have to wait till my next life to bring a girlfriend here.¡± Because he never thought he would have a girlfriend, let alone get married. However, just a few yearster, he skipped the dating part altogether and went straight to register for marriage. Inparison, Cornelia didn¡¯t have as many concerns. She, Abigail, and Zack usually chose regr chain hotels when they traveled and weren¡¯t particrly picky about hygiene conditions. Chapter 658 Chapter 658 hapter 658 What she didn¡¯t seeing was Marcus taking her to a hotel on their first date. After all, they were legally married, so it was quite normal. Cornelia got this, and she even joked with Abigail about wanting to sleep with him. However, when the monjent really came, she still felt a bit nervous. ¡°Mr. Hartley Can we go watch the sunset first¡­ When she called him ¡°Mr. Hartley out of habit again, Marcus wanted to correct her, but in the end, he didn¡¯t say it. It took a year to form this habit, and he was willing to give her time to slowly change ¡°Our room is the best spot to watch the sunset¡® He picked up the remote and opened the curtains. When she looked out the window, what she saw was the boundless sea and the setting sun hanging above the sea level. The setting sun and afterglow dyed the sea red, as if half of the sky was on fire. The view was beautiful and spectacr, but Cornelia was not in the mood to appreciate it. ¡°Wow this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a beautiful and spectacr sunset in real life¡± Cornelia eximed while taking out her phone to take pictures. After taking the video. Cornelia immediately shared it in her friends group, and then nned to send it to her grandma. Just as she was about to hit send, Cornelia suddenly thought of something, she turned to look at Marcus, ¡°Mr. Hartley, can you take a picture with me?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°No¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t expect him to refuse. She remembered telling Jeremy that she wanted to take pictures of Marcus to make money, and thought he misunderstood, so she quickly exined, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to sell your photo, I just want to take a picture for my grandma to see.¡± He replied, ¡°You can take pictures with your husband, however you want to take it, but don¡¯t call me Mr. Hartley¡± Comelia understood his meaning, she knew he didn¡¯t like her calling him Mr. Hartley, ¡°Jeremy, can we take a picture together?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Yes.¡± With his agreement, Cornelia Immediately began to direct him. ¡°Then you stand here, in this position¡­ come over a bit, right, stand here.¡± After adjusting his stance, Cornelia leaned against him, raised her phone, and saw the two of them in the phone¡¯s camera, ¡°Get a little closer to me, we can¡¯t be too far apart in our photo, or my grandma might think we had a fight¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Marcus pulled her into his arms. Cornelia was pressed against him, her face against his firm chest. She could feel his warmth, and hear his heartbeat Cornelia struggled a bit, ¡°Can you not do this, let me take a picture for my grandma first, and we can talk about other thingster, okay?¡± ¡°What other things? You just said we can¡¯t be too far apart in the photo, or your grandma would misunderstand, I think our current position is quite suitable.¡± He said with a straight face, not at all like he was humoring her So, was she overthinking? Did he really have no other intentions towards her? Cornelia didn¡¯t believe it. She lifted her head to silently observe him, but he still maintained a calm expression. She opened her mouth, ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me?¡± Marcus took her phone, took a few continuous shots with the front camera, capturing her nestled in his arms on the phone. After Marcus took the photo, he handed the phone back to Cornelia.N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Chapter 659 Chapter 659 hapter 659 The moment the phone was back in Comelia¡¯s hands, she received a message from Abigail in the group chat, ¡®Is this at the Sunset Hotel? Cornelia replied, ¡°Yes.¡± 1 Abigail continued, ¡°Marcus is really something, taking you to such a romantic ce on your first date. It seems like you¡¯re not getting out of this one tonight. There¡¯s not much advice for me to give hope you two have a fun night¡± Cornelia thought, had I gone mad? Why did I post the photo in the group chat at this time? Abigail added, ¡°Oh, and remember to y it safe. It¡¯d be a real mess if you got pregnant before you even started enjoying life.¡± She was already a bit nervous, and Abigail¡¯s words only made her more anxious, stirring up a whirlwind in her mind.. Marcus asked from the side, ¡°Did you send the photo to grandma? How did she react?¡± Cornelia hadn¡¯t sent it yet. She immediately sent the selfie of the two of them to her grandma, along with the message, ¡°Granny, look at this photo of me and Jeremy. Do we look good?¡± Her grandma video¨Ccalled her almost instantly Cornelia hurriedly answered, ¡°Granny¡­¡± Granny Reba and Granny Luisa both appeared on the screen, eager to get a glimpse of Marcus. ¡®Nelly, let Jay join in too. We want to see him.¡± Before Cornelia could respond, Marcus had already moved behind her. He was too tall to fit in the frame, so he bent down slightly, leaning close to Cornelia¡¯s head. ¡°Granny¡­¡± As he leaned in, Cornelia could feel his warm breath brushing against her ear, causing a ticklish, and somewhat flirtatious sensation. Instinctively, she tried to dodge, but Marcus seemed to have anticipated this. He wrapped an arm around her waist, leaving her with no escape. This was not only their first date as a couple, but also the first time the two grandmas saw them together on screen. Both grandmas were extremely excited Granny Luisa said, ¡°You have to treat Nelly even better in the future, you know?¡± Even though she looked calm on the surface, she was over the moon inside. She had been waiting for this day for too long. Granny Reba was so moved that she started crying. ¡°It¡¯s wonderful. I finally see you two together. Where are you?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°Granny, we¡¯re on a date.¡± Granny Reba and Granny Luisa immediately asked, ¡°Is it your two¨Cyear wedding anniversary today?¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Fearing that the grandmas would start nudging her about babies again, Cornelia quickly switched the camera, ¡°Granny, the sunset here is beautiful. Can I show you?¡± As she turned the camera, both grandmas saw the double bed in the room. So they were staying at a hotel. The grandmas instantly understood what this meant. They exchanged nces, and Granny Reba said, ¡°There¡¯s nothing special about the scenery. We don¡¯t need to see it. Today is your second wedding anniversary. You should enjoy this day and do what couples do. If a child could be conceived tonight, that would be even better¡± Cornelia felt extremely embarrassed. However, Marcus calmly responded, ¡°Granny, we¡¯ll do our best.¡±All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 660 Chapter 660 Chapter 660 ¡°Alright, alright, you gotta give it your best shot. Jay, this mission is mainly on you Nelly is a girl, she¡¯s shy, so you gotta make the first mave, Granny Reba ended the video call. Cornelia felt a headacheing on. Marcus noticed her tension, ¡°It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t want kids, we won¡¯t have kids. We decide our life, and no one else has the right to interfere His voice was still so soothing Cornelia looked up to see him wearing silver¨Crimmed sses, with a smile in his eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t not want kids, I just don¡¯t want them this early, I want to wait a few more years¡® ¡°Alright whatever you say,¡± he reached out, cradled the back of her head, gently pulling her closer. Cornelia instinctively closed her eyes. His breath getting closer, closer, he was probably about to kiss her¡­ Her heart was racing, as if it was about to jump out of her throat. But, after waiting for what seemed like forever, he didn¡¯t kiss her. Wasn¡¯t he going to kiss her? Cornelia slowly opened her eyes, his face was right in front of hers. He seemed to be smiling She opened her mouth to say something, but saw Marcus lips quickly approaching hers. His lips were hot, but his kiss was light, like a feather brushing past, leaving no trace Comelia barely had time to feel the kiss before he pulled away, his deep voice whispering in her ear, ¡°Cornelia, I won¡¯t do anything you¡¯re afraid of until you¡¯re ready¡± He could see all her nerves, her unease, and all the emotions that she tried to hide. Even though he longed to truly be her husband, her feelings were always most important to him. His words somewhat eased Cornelia¡¯s nerves, ¡°Thank you!¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. He twirled a strand of her hair around his finger, ¡°No need to thank me, I¡¯m your husband, it¡¯s my job to do anything for you.¡± He always remembered he was her husband, and she always remembered she was his wife. They were husband and wife in name, but not in reality, and there was no deep love. Cornelia knew very well, they were together out of responsibility not love. But at this moment, she felt a glimmer of longing, what if he was with her for more than just responsibility, what if there was something else? Just as Cornelia was lost in thought, a knock at the door came, the hotel staff brought dinner, giving her a chance to collect herself, The dinner was small in portion but varied, filling the table. Some of it was Cornelia¡¯s favorites, some she¡¯d never tried but looked delicious. It was clear these were all ordered in advance by Marcus. You had to admit, Marcus was apetent husband, always considering his wife, even if she wasn¡¯t the one, he¡¯d still do these¡­ This sudden thought scared Cornelia. This was her ideal marnage, why was she feeling uneasy thinking about it? Chapter 661 Chapter 661 Chapter 661 Comelia couldn¡¯t for the life of her figure out why she was having these terrifying, uncontroble thoughts. She took a seat first ¡°We can have dinner while watching the sunset Marcus poured two sses of wine himself, one for Cornelia and one for himself. Come reached out to take his wine ss away. ¡°Dr. Lester said you need to take it easy, no booze for you.¡± Marcus gently held the ss, not letting her take it away. ¡°Drinking alone is no fun. A little sip with you won¡¯t do any harm¡± The alcohol content in red wine wasn¡¯t that high, a sip or two should be fine. Since he insisted, Cornelia didn¡¯t argue any further. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. To ease the tension and awkwardness, Cornelia downed her ss before even eating. ¡°You¡¯ll hurt your stomach drinking like that, you should eat something first.¡± Marcus casually dished up for her. She used to be the one assisting him with stuff like this. The sudden role reversal left Cornelia somewhat ufortable, but she was trying her best to adapt. While she was engrossed in her meal, Marcus¡¯s deep, pleasant voice echoed in her ear again, ¡°This dish was prepared just for you, no one else has ever tasted it. You can indulge whenever you want¡­¡± Cornelia blushed Turned out he heard her whole conversation with Abigail! Did he think she was putting on airs? Did he think she was purposely being elusive? Oh, boy! She was so embarrassed! Marcus looked at her with a smile, ¡°You seem to blush easily these days.¡± Cornelia poured herself a full ss of wine, and downed it in one go, bolstering her courage with alcohol, I¡¯m blushing because of the wine, not you. Don¡¯t get any ideas!¡± Marcus, ¡°Oh I must¡¯ve misunderstood then, I thought I made you blush¡± Perhaps the alcohol was kicking in, Cornelia became bolder, ¡°Marcus, why do you always manage to say things that embarrass me with such a straight face? If you keep this up, how am I supposed to live a normal life?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡± He said an apology, but it didn¡¯t sound like one at all. He even chuckled when he saw her getting annoyed. Cornelia shot him an angry nce, lowered her head to continue eating, and decided to ignore him. But this man¡¯s presence was simply overwhelming, even just sitting there doing nothing, his aura was impossible to ignore, let alone when he kept staring at her Cornelia felt ufortable under his gaze and tried to change the subject, ¡°By the way, it¡¯s Zack¡¯s 25th birthday on Saturday. He wants to invite you over for dinner. Are you free?¡± *Sure¡± Marcus suddenly reached out. Cornelia instinctively tried to dodge, but failed His arms were long and easily reached her. He gently swept the stray hair from her forehead behind her ear, revealing her smooth forehead, ¡®Do I need to prepare any gifts?¡± TII take care of the gifts. Your presence alone is enough.¡± Cornelia nced at him, then lowered her head to continue eating. She didn¡¯t understand why he was so adept at fixing her hair. Marcus simply replied, ¡°Okay¡± His affirmative answer put an end to Cornelia¡¯s new topic. After some thought, Cornelia said, ¡°The stock price of the Reese Group has plummeted. They¡¯ll definitely pin the me on us, so you need to be extra careful with the Reese family¡± Chapter 661 Comelia couldn¡¯t for the life of her figure out why she was having these terrifying, uncontroble thoughts. She took a seat first ¡°We can have dinner while watching the sunset Marcus poured two sses of wine himself, one for Cornelia and one for himself. Come reached out to take his wine ss away. ¡°Dr. Lester said you need to take it easy, no booze for you.¡± Marcus gently held the ss, not letting her take it away. ¡°Drinking alone is no fun. A little sip with you won¡¯t do any harm¡± The alcohol content in red wine wasn¡¯t that high, a sip or two should be fine. Since he insisted, Cornelia didn¡¯t argue any further. To ease the tension and awkwardness, Cornelia downed her ss before even eating. ¡°You¡¯ll hurt your stomach drinking like that, you should eat something first.¡± Marcus casually dished up for her. She used to be the one assisting him with stuff like this. The sudden role reversal left Cornelia somewhat ufortable, but she was trying her best to adapt. While she was engrossed in her meal, Marcus¡¯s deep, pleasant voice echoed in her ear again, ¡°This dish was prepared just for you, no one else has ever tasted it. You can indulge whenever you want¡­¡± Cornelia blushed Turned out he heard her whole conversation with Abigail! Did he think she was putting on airs? Did he think she was purposely being elusive? Oh, boy! She was so embarrassed! Marcus looked at her with a smile, ¡°You seem to blush easily these days.¡± Cornelia poured herself a full ss of wine, and downed it in one go, bolstering her courage with alcohol, I¡¯m blushing because of the wine, not you. Don¡¯t get any ideas!¡± Marcus, ¡°Oh I must¡¯ve misunderstood then, I thought I made you blush¡± Perhaps the alcohol was kicking in, Cornelia became bolder, ¡°Marcus, why do you always manage to say things that embarrass me with such a straight face? If you keep this up, how am I supposed to live a normal life?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡± He said an apology, but it didn¡¯t sound like one at all. He even chuckled when he saw her getting annoyed. Cornelia shot him an angry nce, lowered her head to continue eating, and decided to ignore him. But this man¡¯s presence was simply overwhelming, even just sitting there doing nothing, his aura was impossible to ignore, let alone when he kept staring at her Cornelia felt ufortable under his gaze and tried to change the subject, ¡°By the way, it¡¯s Zack¡¯s 25th birthday on Saturday. He wants to invite you over for dinner. Are you free?¡± *Sure¡± Marcus suddenly reached out. Cornelia instinctively tried to dodge, but failed His arms were long and easily reached her. He gently swept the stray hair from her forehead behind her ear, revealing her smooth forehead, ¡®Do I need to prepare any gifts?¡± TII take care of the gifts. Your presence alone is enough.¡± Cornelia nced at him, then lowered her head to continue eating. She didn¡¯t understand why he was so adept at fixing her hair. Marcus simply replied, ¡°Okay¡± His affirmative answer put an end to Cornelia¡¯s new topic. After some thought, Cornelia said, ¡°The stock price of the Reese Group has plummeted. They¡¯ll definitely pin the me on us, so you need to be extra careful with the Reese family¡± Chapter 662 Chapter 662 Chapter 662 ¡°The Reese Group?¡± Marcus said nonchntly, twirling his wine ss with his elegant and attractive fingers. A little Reese Group is no match for me. I could make them go bankrupt as easily as squashing an ant, if I felt like it¡± Marcus was indeed capable of doing so, Cornelia knew that. But she was still a bit worried. ¡°We should be careful Direct attacks are easy to handle, but covert ones are hard to predict¡® Marcus interrupted, ¡®Let¡¯s not talk about unpleasant things. Just enjoy your meal¡± Comelia lowered her head and focused on her food. She was so nervous that she drank a few more sses of wine. After dinner, it was dark outside, but the lights were bright. Marcus said, ¡°I heard from Shawn that there¡¯s a famous band ying here tonight Wanna go check it out?¡± Comelia thought watching a show would be more rxing than staying in the room. So she agreed, ¡°Sure.¡± Marcus turned and fetched two clean jackets, one jacket for him and one for her. ¡®Put this on¡± Comelia looked at him, ¡°Where did you get this jacket?¡± ¡°Shawn prepared them for us? Marcus said Actually, he knew the temperature difference here was quite big day and night, so he had it sent over in advance This is from N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia wanted to say something, but he took her hand, ¡°How about taking a walk?¡± Marcus was handsome, with a deep and sexy voice that was very seductive. Comelia followed him, her heart pounding like a frightened deer, unable to resist him. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s take a walk.¡± Marcus¡¯s palm wasrge but cold, not like the warm hand that held hers before. Why did his hand suddenly be so cold? Cornelia guessed it was because he was not in good healthtely, and the sea breeze might have contributed to it. But knowing men¡¯s pride, she said nothing and casually put their hands in her pocket, trying to warm him up. Stepping out of the ss house, a cold wind blew. Cornelia shivered, but immediately took off her jacket and draped it over Marcus, ¡°You just recovered, you should be more afraid of the cold than me Wear this.¡± Marcus smiled. I¡¯m not cold¡± ¡°Your hand is so cold¡± Cornelia pulled him back into the ss house, rubbing and kneading his hand. Even after a while, his hand was still cold. Without much thought, Cornelia pressed his hand against her warm face, ¡°This might help.¡± Marcus leaned in close to her, his warm breath in her ear, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± Caught off guard, Cornelia looked up and her warm, flushed lips brushed against his face. She was surprised and saw her red face reflected in his dark eyes Feeling shy, she tried to pull away, but Marcus held her tightly, his face rubbing against hers¡­ She tried to turn her head away, ¡°President Hartley, this ss house is transparent. We didn¡¯t pull the curtains. Anyone passing by can see us. If someone takes a picture and posts it online, it won¡¯t be good. Stop it¡± Marcus seemed to ignore her words, he gently rubbed her face again, ¡°Cornelia, this way, I feel a bit warmer.¡± Hearing this, not only did Cornelia stop trying to turn her head away, but she also wrapped her arms around his slim waist, as if trying to transfer all her warmth to him. Chapter 663 Chapter 663 Chapter 663 He¡¯d been feeling a bit under the weather recently, like he¡¯d been put on ice. He just wanted to get some warmth from her but she reckoned he had ulterior motives. They held each other for a bit and he felt warmer so Cornelia pulled away. ¡°Let¡¯s just stay in the room, no more gallivanting¡± To her, any band or any right view was less important than his health. But Marcus was stubborn as a mule, ¡°But I want to go out with you¡± Out of options, Cornelia said, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go.¡± Out of the sshouse, there was a well¨Clit scenic route. Though the sea view was hidden by the night, the technicolor lights made the road quite a sight. There were a few couples like them, holding hands. However, their presence drew all the attention Cornelia worried they¡¯d be recognized as the big cheeses of the Hartley Group and tried to shake off Marcus hand. But Marcus wouldn¡¯t let her off the hook that easy. ¡°Cornelia, we¡¯re married¡± ¡°Right.¡± Cornelia lightened up. When others stared, she just smiled back. Those people ended up being the ones to look away in embarrassment. Some greeted her generously. ¡°Your hubby¡¯s a looker!¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°Thanks for thepliment!¡± No matter how much of a heartthrob he was, he was off limits to others. There was a young couple walking ahead of them. They were whispering sweet nothings when the guy suddenly leaned in and the girl stood on her tiptoes to nt a kiss on his face. Cornelia didn¡¯t think much of it and kept moving forward, but Marcus stopped dead in his tracks, standing in front of her like a wall, Cornelia looked at him, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Marcus looked at her rosy lips, and his throat moved slightly, ¡°We¡¯re married too.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t quite get why he¡¯d bring it up out of the blue but nodded anyway, ¡°Yeah. The wind¡¯s pretty strong tonight, let¡¯s head back. We can skip the concert.¡± She cared about him. His hands were always cold and she was worried he might catch a cold. Marcus agreed, ¡°Okay¡± They didn¡¯t walk far before they returned to their room. Back in the sshouse, Cornelia immediately cranked up the heat and poured a cup of hot water for Marcus, ¡°Drink up. It¡¯ll warm you up.¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Marcus smiled, ¡°I¡¯m not as fragile as you think.¡± ¡°Drink up first, I¡¯ll be right back¡­¡± Finishing her sentence, Cornelia walked away. She knew he was the type to put on a brave face. Even if he was bedridden, he¡¯d say he was fine After a few minutes, Cornelia came back with a big mineral water bottle. Entering the room, she thrust the bottle into Marcus¡® arms, ¡°I filled this bottle with hot water Hold it to warm your hands.¡± Marcus stared at her. Her care and concern were like warm sunlight, gradually illuminating his cold and dark world, pulling him out of the dirty abyss he¡¯d sunk into¡­ Cornelia looked up and saw her worried face reflected in his deep eyes, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You don¡¯t like it? I can¡¯t help it, Riverton has a mild climate so the hotel doesn¡¯t provide heating.¡± Chapter 664 Chapter 664 Chapter 664 Suddenly, Marcus reached out his hand, his slender, icy fingers gliding over her cheek, gently tucking her stray bangs behind her ear. ¡°I like it.¡± He liked everything she did for him. Hearing his words, Cornelia gave a faint smile, revealing dimples, ¡°Then you go to bed first¡± Marcus was a clean freak. He wouldn¡¯t get into bed without taking a shower first ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Comelia turned and dashed into the bathroom, first turning on the heater, then adjusting the water temperature for him ¡°Just take a quick rinse. Don¡¯t hang in there too long and catch a cold¡± Marcus would never wear hotel¨Cprovided sleepwear. Sure enough, Cornelia found brand new pajamas and towels in the dressing area. She handed them to him, ¡°Go take your shower.¡± After pushing him into the bathroom, Cornelia hurried out the door. She had just asked the front desk to prepare some ginger juice for her The quickest remedy for cold hands and feet was drinking ginger juice. This was a trick her grandmother used to use when she experienced the same By the time Cornelia returned with the ginger juice, Marcus had just stepped out of the bathroom, his hair still wet. He looked at her with a puzzled expression. Before he could ask, Cornelia exined, ¡°I had the hotel staff make some ginger juice. Come sit down and have some.¡± Marcus, ¡°Okay¡± While he was drinking. Cornelia grabbed a hairdryer. ¡°I¡¯ll help dry your hair.¡± Marcus simply said ¡°okay¡± He appeared calm, but his heart was in turmoil. He couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her as he watched her in the mirror, standing behind him. He had never known how wonderful it felt to be loved and cherished by someone How he wished time could just freeze at this moment¡­ He watched as she held the hairdryer in one hand, and gently ran her other hand through his hair, directing the airflow towards his head. His hair was short and the dryer was powerful. It didn¡¯t take long to dry. Cornelia put away the hairdryer and sat next to him, grabbing his hand to feel its temperature. ¡°Why is it still so cold? Should we go home now? Or should we call Dr Lester?¡± Marcus, ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t worry¡± He told her not to worry, but how could she not? She was always worried, afraid something might happen to him. ¡°Finish your ginger juice and then rest in bed.¡± Marcus. ¡°Okay¡± Tonight, the word he said most was ¡°okay¡± Everything else was said by Cornelia. After he finished drinking, Cornelia was about to take the cup away, but he stopped her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Cornelia was startled, ¡°Why are you suddenly apologizing?¡± Marcus, ¡°Our first date, and you had to worry about me.¡± Cornelia, ¡°We are only in our twenties, we still have many years to live. As long as you get better, we can go on as many dates as you want. This one doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Despite their date ending poorly due to his health, she did not me him, but insteadforted him. At that moment, a thought crossed Marcus¡¯s mind. Perhaps the hardships he experienced as a child were God¡¯s way of saving his luck for meeting her and making her his wife Cornelia said, ¡®Go to bed now. I¡¯ll take a shower and be right back.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Cornelia didn¡¯t realize what she had just said. After telling Marcus to rest, she took her pajamas and went to the bathroom. In the shower, looking at her naked reflection in the mirror, Cornelia finally realized that she and he were really going to share a bed tonight. They were both adults, and as a married couple, it was perfectly normal to be intimate. But theycked emotional foundation, and with Marcus¡¯s poor health¡­ Chapter 665 Chapter 665 Chapter 665 Tonight was their first time sharing a bed since their marriage two years ago. They were practically newlyweds If a husband couldn¡¯t perform on the wedding night, it was a huge blow to his pride. So, to save his ego, Cornelia decided to wait until he fell asleep before going back to their room Just in case, Comelia took a long half¨Chour shower before returning to the bedroom. When she got back, Marcus was already asleep, with only the bedsidemp still on. She gently walked over, slid his hand under the covers. But as soon as she touched his hand, she fell a chill His hand was colder than before. If it weren¡¯t for his breath, she might think the man¨Clying here was a corpse. Cornelia instinctively held his hand Perhaps feeling the warmth, the sleeping Marcus suddenly pulled her into his arms. The position was pretty suggestive, Cornelia was startled and struggled instinctively Although Marcus was weak, he was surprisingly strong. Instead of breaking free, Cornelia found herself held even tighter. She called him softly, ¡°President Hartley.¡± Marcus grunted, ¡°Cold¡± Turned out she was overthinking! Cornelia stopped struggling and obedientlyid on top of him. Soon, the room¡¯s temperature got Cornelia sweating, but the man beneath her was still as cold as ice. She didn¡¯t know what he was suffering from or what medicine he needed. She worried that if this kept up, he might not wake up tomorrow The only thing she could think of was to share her body heat with him. So, she plucked up her courage, trembling, and began to unbutton his pajamas. Button by button, slowly. But when Cornelia had unbuttoned down to his chest, the sleeping man suddenly grabbed her hand with a strength that might crush her bones. He suddenly opened his eyes, which were blood red, wild Cornelia was terrified and couldn¡¯t find her words. He stared at her for a moment. Maybe recognizing her, the red in his eyes slowly faded, ¡°Cornelia?¡± Seeing the gentleness return to his eyes, Cornelia hummed, ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± He held her hand and gently kissed it, then tightly held her in his arms, ¡°Sleep¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Although the position wasn¡¯tfortable, Cornelia soon fell asleep for some reason. The man who was asleep earlier slowly opened his eyes. His beast¨Clike gaze fell on her face and her moist lips. Finally, he couldn¡¯t resist, gently pressing his lips onto hers. He only intended to taste her sweetness but couldn¡¯t control himself. His kiss was fierce, as though he wanted to devour her. The next morning. The ringtone from her phone woke Cornelia from her sleep. She fumbled for her phone drowsily. Turning her head, she saw the man sitting by the bed flipping through a fashion magazine. Seeing her awake, he put down the magazine and looked at her with his charming eyes, ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°President Hanley, how? Cornelia was taken aback, only then remembering that this man was not only her boss but also her husband of two years. He was already dressed in his usual white shirt and ck trousers, smelling fresh from a shower, looking more energetic thanst night. A lock of hair on his forehead made him look bothnguid and sexy. He smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± Only then did Cornelia realize she was staring at him again. Feeling a bit awkward, she got up from the bed and rushed into the bathroom to freshen up Chapter 666 Chapter 666 Chapter 666 A man¡¯s deepughter echoed from behind. ¡°Get ready, we¡¯re having breakfast together I made it myself¡± Breakfast was simple, whole wheat bread served with eggs, milk and veggie sd. Because he made it, Cornelia felt a satisfaction like never before, ¡°It¡¯s delicious. I love it¡± ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll make it for you every day¡± Marcus handed her a cup of milk. Cornelia took a sip of the milk, and because she drank it too quickly, a ring of milk was left around her lips He reached out his hand, gently wiped the milk off her lips with his finger, and then put his finger to his own lips. Cornelia was speechless. Wasn¡¯t he a germaphobe? They hadn¡¯t gotten that close yet, had they? And this kind of scene, it was easy to let the imagination run wild! Cornelia stopped looking at him, and picked up the whole wheat bread to eat. But as soon as she bit down, she felt a pain in her lips. Seeing her expression, Marcus frowned in concern. He eached out his hand again, gently tauching her lips, ¡°Does it hurt?¡± ¡°Um, I think it might be inmed¡± Just now in the bathroom, Cornelia noticed that her lips were a bit swollen. She thought it was because the room was too warm, and never suspected it was his doing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Marcus apologized to her, then took out a tube of ointment from his bag. The tube was transparent, and the ointment inside was green, looking refreshing He squeezed the ointment onto his finger and gently spread it, ¡°Let me put this on for you¡± With that, Marcus reached out his hand, ready to apply the ointment to Cornelia This move was obviously too intimate. Cornelia was a bit embarrassed, and she looked away. ¡°I need to eat. If you put it on now, I might eat it.¡± She lowered her head, tore off a piece of bread and shoved it into her mouth, not daring to look at Marcus again. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it through.¡± Marcus chuckled, pulling back his hand and wiping the ointment off his finger with a tissue. He looked at Cornelia with a smile, watching her take another sip of her milk, then suddenly asked, ¡°Did you help me undressst night?¡± Cornelia almost choked, blushing and looking at him, ¡°I just thought you were cold and wanted to help you warm up. I didn¡¯t mean anything else. Don¡¯t get the wrong idea¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Yeah, I just wanted to help you put on some ointment¡± This is from N?velDrama.Org. Then, he added. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you¡¯re into me.¡± Hearing him say that, Cornelia felt so embarrassed she wanted to find a hole to crawl into. Was she the only one overthinking? To ease the awkwardness, Cornelia quickly finished eating and got ready to clear the table. Marcus stopped her, ¡°Someone will clean up the table, you go change. There are clean work clothes in the changing room.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cornelia turned and ran into the changing room. Cornelia thought the ointment incident was over, but just as she was about to leave the changing room after changing, Marcus was standing at the door. He held the tube in his left hand and squeezed out some ointment with his right index finger, ¡°Did you put on the ointment?¡± Before Cornelia could answer, his finger had already gently touched her lips, carefully and attentively applying the ointment for her. The ointment was cold, and his finger was even colder, causing Cornelia to shiver slightly. She lowered her head, watching his finger move on her lips, feeling an indescribable sense of feeling from deep within. It was a slight sting. And a numb feeling Chapter 667 Chapter 667 Chapter 667 Cornelia instinctively tried to dodge, but found herselfered against a wall with nowhere to go Helplessly, she watched as Marcus once again dabbed ointment on her lips His movements were careful and concentrated, as if not to miss any tiny wounds on her lips. Despite his gentleness, Cornelia¡¯s heart pounded. She thought if she didn¡¯t look at him, she might not be so flustered. So, she closed her eyes. But with her eyes closed, her senses became sharper. She opened her eyes again, meeting his deep gaze. ¡°All done¡± His voice was a bit hoarse, and Cornelia thought she heard him swallow Work was about to start, and Cornelia iried to ignore the turmoil he brought her, forcing herself into work mode ¡°President Hartley, we have an important schedule today We must leave right now or we might bete Cornelia said. Marcus said ¡°Hmm¡± Comelia said, ¡°TII drive, you can rest a bit more in the car Marcus chuckled, ¡°Alright¡± As they left and got into the hotel¡¯s sightseeing car, Comelia checked her phone. There was no payment notification from ir. She had given ir until sixst night to transfer the money. But now it was past seven in the moming, well past the deadline. Clearly, ir hadn¡¯t taken her warning seriously and had no intention of paying her back. This was a mess ir had made herself. If Cornelia didn¡¯t teach her a lesson, she might think Cornelia couldn¡¯t do anything to her Just as Cornelia was thinking about ir, she called. It was as if they were telepathically connected. They¡¯d had a falling out, and ir didn¡¯t even bother to sound polite, ¡°How about we make a deal?¡® Comeliaughed, ¡°What kind of deal?¡± ir said seriously. ¡°I havepromising photos of you and a man I can give you these photos, and you can drop the matter of me wrecking your studio.¡± Cornelia casually responded with an ¡°oh¡°. ir asked, ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± ir always thought she was good at reading people, but she couldn¡¯t figure out Cornelia at all. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can send you the photos ir wondered if Cornelia really didn¡¯t care about the photos or if she was just bold because she had Marcus backing her. Cornelia said, ¡°I said I believe you Don¡¯t send the photos. I don¡¯t want to see stuff that might hurt my eyes.¡± ir said, ¡°You¡¯re so calm knowing I havepromising photos of you. Is it because you have Marcus backing you?¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°With such a strong support, why wouldn¡¯t I take advantage of it?¡± ir was hit where it hurt by Cornelia¡¯s response. But she figured no man would want to share a woman with another man, especially not Marcus. Marcus had been fooled by this shameless person, but would he still feel the same after seeing those obscene photos? No way! The thought of Cornelia losing Marcus¡¯s protection made ir very happy. ¡°Once Marcus sees those photos, do you think a man as noble as him would still want you?¡± ¡°If you want to objectify yourself, nobody cares. But you have no right to objectify other women.¡± Cornelia suddenly felt a bit sick.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 668 Chapter 668 Chapter 668 ir¡¯s words were objectifying women, making it seem like women were born to be men¡¯s essories Women were also individuals with thinking abdities, never anyone¡¯s essories ir lold Comelia. If you don¡¯t deal with me, you¡¯re going to regret it Cornelia didn¡¯t want to say more, responding ¡°Well let¡¯s see who ends up regretting¡± After hanging up the phone, she immediately called Taylor, ¡°Taylor, I¡¯ve got another money making opportunity for you. Wanna cash in?¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Taylor excitedly said, ¡°Comelia, you¡¯re like my gold mine!¡± Comelia was amused by his exaggerated tone, ¡°Howe I suddenly became a gold mine?¡± Taylor said, ¡®Do you know how much I made yesterday?¡± Comelia asked, ¡®How much?¡± Taylor said, ¡°Guess¡± Seeing Taylor¡¯s excited look, Cornelia estimated that he made a lot of money, so she boldly guessed, ¡°50k?¡± Taylor said. ¡°Why are you sockluster? Your boss is Marcus, he¡¯s so rich. Haven¡¯t you ever thought about making more money after being with him for a year?¡± Comelia responded, ¡°He¡¯s rich I¡¯m not. Just spill it, how much did you make?¡± Taylor said. ¡°Half a million¡± Cornelia eximed, ¡°Really? You made half a million in one day?¡± For Comelia, making half a million in one day was astronomical. She couldn¡¯t imagine that just one post could make half a million in one day? Taylor said. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I¡¯ll transfer the money to you and you¡¯ll see.¡± Cornelia asked ¡°Are you really going to share the money with me?¡± Taylor said, ¡°We¡¯ll split it, 250k each. Hurry up and give me your bank ount number¡± He was a smart guy, he knew that if there was money to be made, everyone should make it together. If Cornelia had any inside information in the future, she would definitely tell him. Cornelia was Marcus¡¯s personal assistant, and this identity allowed her to ess insider information that was definitely more detailed than his, giving Comelia a share of the money was a sure win Cornelia said, ¡°Okay, I will send you the ount number and the content of the new postter.¡± Taylor said. ¡°The content you send me in the future, if it makes money, I will split it with you.¡± Corneliaughed and said, ¡°That¡¯s great. Making money is so easy, why should i work?¡± Taylor said. ¡°If you can sneak a picture of your boss Marcus and his wife for me, I promise we can make a fortune, maybe even quit working.¡± Cornelia was suddenly tempted, making money by selling her own photos with Marcus was better than being photographed by others and then making money. She sneaked a look at the man next to her, his expression was cold and a bit scary, Cornelia shivered, ¡°If I give you his photos, I really won¡¯t need to work anymore.¡± Taylor said, ¡°That¡¯s true if you take your boss¡® photos to make money, you might end up with no life to spend it. Hurry up and give me your bank ount number, I¡¯ll transfer the money to you right away I want to hear your scream.¡± Cornelia quickly sent over her ount number, and a few secondster she received a text message from the bank. She received a transfer of 250,000 dors. There were a bit too many zeros. Cornelia looked directly at the amount behind. Sure enough, it was exactly 250,000 dors. ¡°Taylor, I cant believe it. There¡¯s really so much money, it feels like I¡¯m dreaming Cornelia eximed in surprise, her face beaming with joy. The man next to her kept coughing, as if trying to attract attention on purpose. Taylor asked, ¡®Is there a man next to you? Do you have a boyfriend now?¡± Chapter 669 Chapter 669 Chapter 669 Comelia replied, ¡°He¡¯s not only my boyfriend, he¡¯s my hubby¡± Taylor asked in surprise, ¡°You¡¯re married? When did this happen? Howe I didn¡¯t know a thing about it? You¡¯re still pretty young, aren¡¯t you? Why¡¯d you get hitched so early?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Yesterday just happened to be our second wedding anniversary Didn¡¯t I tell you I was married?¡± Taylor eximed, ¡°Two years already? That long? You¡¯re not even twenty¨Cfive yet, so two years ago you were just twenty¨Cthree. So, you got married right after you graduated from college? Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yeah, something like that.¡± Taylor asked, ¡°Is this guy a college buddy or a coworker?¡± Cornelia and Taylor had known each other for years. Besides Zack and Abigail, Cornelia didn¡¯t have many friends. In college, they often did part¨Ctime jobs together. Cornelia trusted Taylor like an older brother. She didn¡¯t hide anything from him, ¡°He¡¯s neither a college buddy nor a coworker We met through a blind date. He¡¯s the grandson of my grandma¡¯s friend and both elders wanted us to be together, so we did Before Cornelia could finish, Taylor shook his head impatiently. ¡°What era are we living in? Why listen to the old folks? Cornelia, you¡¯re a talented graduate from the University of Riverton. Why didn¡¯t you put up a fight? Marriage is a big deal. It¡¯s the next few decades of your life. Why didn¡¯t you give it some serious thought?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Anyway, marriage is just two people living together. What does it matter how we met?¡± When Marcus, who was standing next to Cornelia, heard this, he frowned slightly. He married Cornelia with this mindset initially, so why did he feel so ufortable now upon hearing that Cornelia still held the same thoughts? Taylor asked, ¡°Is that what you think? So, you¡¯re not in love with your husband? Can you tell me what he looks like? How old is he?¡± Cornelia dodged the love question. I think my husband is quite handsome. Not just handsome, but very, very handsome. Cornelia didn¡¯t voice her true thoughts, fearing they¡¯d make Taylor self¨Cconscious. Taylor said, ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t seen the fish in the sea. To you, the fish in your tank is the best.¡± Cornelia fell silent. Taylor continued, ¡°We¡¯ve known each other for so long. After seeing a man as handsome and rich as me, how could you settle for an average guy?¡± This was actually true. After seeing a top¨Ctier man like Marcus, no other man could be considered handsome in Cornelia¡¯s eyes. Taylor urged. ¡®Speak up¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Do you have some misunderstanding about being handsome and rich?¡± If they were talking about being handsome and rich, who could outdo her man? Justparing looks, Taylor was not bad. But whenpared to Marcus, his looks fell short Taylor, who had some feelings for Cornelia, felt a bit sad hearing the news of her marriage, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you wait for me for two years?¡± Cornelia, a forthright woman,pletely failed to catch Taylor¡¯s hint, ¡°Why should I wait for you for two years?¡± Taylor said, ¡°Because.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. A sudden fake cough interrupted Taylor¡¯s words Marcus, clutching his chest, coughed harder and harder. This cough was obviously fake, so fake that Taylor on the other end of the phone could tell, but Cornelia didn¡¯t. ¡°Taylor, my husband is not feeling well right now, let¡¯s talk some other time¡± Cornelia quickly hung up and rushed over to Marcus, flinging her arms around him in a tight hug Chapter 670 Chapter 670 Chapter 670 Her sudden move towards him really took people by surprise Marcus was slightly taken aback, then opened his arms to catch her as she threw herself at him Cornelia wrapped her arms tightly around his slim waist. ¡°I have a good appetite, sleep well, and in great health My grandma always says I¡¯m like a little heater. If you hold me, you shouldn¡¯t feel cold¡± Turned out, she thought his cough was because he was cold Marcus shook his head helplessly. I don¡¯t feel particrly cold¡± ¡°You don¡¯t feel cold?¡± Cornelia took his hand and fell it. It wasn¡¯t as cold asst night, but it wasn¡¯t warm either This wasn¡¯t normal for him, especially in such hot weather Luckily, she had contacted Dr. Lester in advance and had him rush over to the office to check on Marcus He clutched his chest, ¡°It¡¯s here that doesn¡¯t feel good.¡± Cornelia took one look and her face changed, ¡°Your heart doesn¡¯t feel good? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll contact Dr Lester right away¡± Marcus. ¡°Heartache, because you¡¯ve been chatting with other men and ignoring me.¡± The man in front of her was the formidable head of the Hartley Group, a big shot that many people would back down from when his name was mentioned. Cornelia didn¡¯t know how he could say such a pitiful thing As if she had neglected him. ¡°I didn¡¯t ignore you¡± Corne looked at him, not having the heart to say anything harsh, ¡°I¡¯ll worry if you¡¯re not feeling well. You¡¯re not allowed to scare me like this again, got It? ¡°Got it.¡± Marcus reached out, taking her hand. ¡°Cornelia, can you tell me who you were just chatting with?¡± Marcus had heard a man¡¯s voice, but who was that man? Why could Cornelia talk to him for so long? What were Cornelia and that man talking about? Why could she chat about him with that man so naturally? Because he didn¡¯t know anything about that man, Marcus felt threatened, and his personality didn¡¯t allow for any threats. Cornelia was honest and open. She never thought of hiding anything from Marcus. Even if he didn¡¯t ask, she wanted to talk to him about Taylor. ¡°He¡¯s Taylor. Abby, Zack, and I worked with him a lot in college. We¡¯ve known him for many years and consider him like a brother.¡± Taylor So Cornelia had known this man since college Marcus silently noted this man¡¯s information, then calmly asked, ¡°Hmm, what were you guys talking about?¡± He knew he shouldn¡¯t be prying into every detail of Cornelia¡¯s life. Even as a couple, they should have their own space. But his jealousy and possessiveness were like two crazed beasts, rampaging in his heart, stirring up his deep¨Cseated desire to possess her. Cornelia was his wife. In this life and the next, she could only be his wife. He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to have inappropriate thoughts about herAll text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 671 Chapter 671 Chapter 671 ¡°That night you drove me home, I told him that ir¡¯s bling was a knock¨Coff, and asked him to make it the hot news for the next day. After he posted it, the website traffic went through the roof. He made a good chunk of change and split the earnings with me¡± Cornelia looked at Marcus, her eyes sparkling. ¡°President Hartley, can you guess how much I made?¡± So she had spent all that time chatting with that guy just to make a buck. What a money¨Cgrubber! Marcus had heard her mention some figures earlier, so he could roughly guess how much she made. But he yed along. ¡°Give me a hint ¡± Comelia spread her arms wide. ¡°A big wad of cash¡® For Marcus, a big wad of cash would mean at least a few hundred million. But for Cornelia, a bit over two hundred grand was indeed a big wad of cash To make her happy. Marcus deliberately guessed low, ¡°Fifty grand?¡± Comelia shook her head, ¡°Nope. Guess again¡± N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Marcus asked, ¡°A hundred grand?¡± Cornelia said. ¡°You can guess higher¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Could it be two hundred grand?¡± ¡°It¡¯s two hundred and fifty grand Cornelia¡¯s eyes and expression were full of joy when she mentioned the money. ¡°Do you know what two hundred and fifty grand means to me?¡± Seeing her happy. Marcus was also happy. I¡¯d love to hear!¡± Cornelia said with a smile, ¡°It means, I could quit my job at the Hartley Group anytime. I won¡¯t have to slog away at your side anymore¡± Cornelia was just joking, but Marcus¡¯s face suddenly turned cold. ¡°You want to leave me? Cornelia, we are legally married. You can¡¯t leave me unless I¡¯m six feet under Cornelia didn¡¯t understand why Marcus suddenly became so agitated, she quickly exined, ¡°We¡¯re doing great, why would I want to leave you?¡± Marcus looked at her, his eyes sharp like X¨Crays, as if he could see right through her, ¡°You want to leave the Hartley Group, not me? Comelia patiently exined, ¡®I don¡¯t have any ns to quit, I was just specting Being the president¡¯s assistant at the Hartley Group is the best job I¡¯ve found to make ends meet. If I find a job that¡¯s more laid¨Cback and pays better, it¡¯s only natural for me to switch.¡± That was the reality, everyone was striving to find the best job. Marcus said, ¡°Unless you¡¯re quitting to be my wife, forget it.¡± Being Marcus¡¯s wife, in other words, bing a housewife. Cornelia had worked hard since childhood, reading books every day for entrance exams, losing lots of hair, just to get into a dream university. After graduating from university, being a housewife was not Cornelia¡¯s dream. She gave a slight smile and said, ¡°Marcus, will you let me finish before you jump to conclusions, okay?¡± Marcus¡¯s expression was still tense, but he decided to listen to what she had to say. ¡°Go ahead¡± Cornelia said. ¡°Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to get to your side?¡± Marcus had no idea. Chapter 672 Chapter 672 Chapter 672 Comelia said, ¡°Ive poured my whole life¡¯s knowledge and skills into this, went through countless selections, and fought my way up from a division to the headquarters in The Hartley Group. Then, I had topete with so many others for the position of the presidents assistant. After even more selections, I finally got to stand before you for your selection ¡°If I had made even the slightest mistake during this process. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to stand by your side as your assistant. This job wasn¡¯t easy to get. I can¡¯t just give it up like that ¡°I¡¯m d you chose me as your assistant, because after working by your side, my annual sry has shot up from a few tens of thousands to over a hundred thousand. Over a hundred thousand a year, that¡¯s money that many people can¡¯t make in their whole lives. For me, that¡¯s already a huge amount, it has brought me one step closer to my goal of buying a house¡± Upon hearing this, Marcus suddenly felt an unbearable pain in his heart, ¡°You¡¯ve taken the past ny nine steps, let me take the next one, okay?¡± Comelia said, ¡°Sure But I need your advice now, should ept Taylor¡¯s offer of two hundred and fifty thousand?¡± After all, this amount was a huge sum to Cornelia. It came too easily, and she felt uneasy about it. Marcus said, ¡°We¡¯re in the information age now, information is more valuable than the people who execute it. Simply put, whoever you tell that piece of information to, can make money from it. But Taylor is different, if he didn¡¯t have your information, he wouldn¡¯t make that money You should take that money, take it without any pressure¡± His analysis was so sharp and thorough, and he could see the essence of the problem at a nce Cornelia said. ¡°Thank you! You¡¯ve put my mind at ease.¡± Marcus suddenly thought of something. ¡°You told me before on WhatsApp that you wanted to secretly take pictures of the president and his wife to sell. Are you still thinking about that?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Don¡¯t bring up what shouldn¡¯t be brought up, we can still be friends. If you continue to bring it up, we can¡¯t be friends anymore.¡± Marcus said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your friend, I¡¯m your husband¡± Cornelia was speechless. After more than an hour drive, they returned to the city. Cornelia drove her new sports car with Marcus, Ben didn¡¯t notice anything unusual and still followed them up to the president¡¯s exclusive elevator The elevator quickly ascended, the floor numbers increasing rapidly. Suddenly there was a loud bang, the elevator came to a stop, then suddenly started free¨Cfalling Cornelia screamed in fright. But the next moment, she found herself in a warm embrace, and heard Marcus¡¯s gentle voice, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t be afraid, I¡¯m here.¡± He was there, and she wasn¡¯t that scared anymore. Fortunately, the elevator only fell a few floors before stopping again. But, the lights in the elevator went out, leaving it inplete darkness. They could only hear each other¡¯s rapid breathingContent ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia quickly calmed down. She left Marcus¡¯s embrace, turned on her phone¡¯s shlight to illuminate the inside of the elevator, then pressed the emergency call button, ¡°We re trapped in the president¡¯s exclusive elevator. It¡¯s very dangerous. You need to send someone to deal with this immediately¡± The other end responded immediately, ¡°Ms. Stewart, please wait a moment. Someone from the engineering department is on the way¡± Cornelia, ¡°Okay¡± ¡°President Hartley, someone from the engineering department is on the way. We shouldn¡¯t be trapped for long¡± Cornelia said loudly, both to inform Marcus and to reassure herself that they shouldn¡¯t be afraid, and everything should be fine. After saying this, she didn¡¯t get a response from Marcus, and she vaguely felt that something was wrong. She shone her phone¡¯s shlight towards Marcus and noticed that his handsome face seemed to be contorted Cornelia quickly turned off her shlight and walked over to him. She stood by his side, and held his hand. Her fingers inteced with his, tightly holding his hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay, we can get through this.¡± Chapter 673 Chapter 673 Chapter 673 To get a better grip of Marcus¡¯s hand, Comelia intentionally positioned herself to his right, while Ben was to his left. This way even when he turned on his phone¡¯s shlight, the light was half blocked by Marcus¡¯s towering figure, preventing Ben from seeing their lightly sped hands Swinging his phone around to survey their situation, Ben finally concluded Tresident Hartley, seems like we¡¯re stuck around the 35th floor. This ain¡¯t good but it ain¡¯t that bad either. But if the elevator decides to take another nosedive, we might be in for some real danger¡± Though what Ben said was a long shot Cornelia instinctively lightened her grip on Marcus¡¯s hand. If something did happen today and they couldn¡¯t be a real couple in this world, they could still be together in heaven That didn¡¯t sound loo shabby But Marcus remained silent Cornelia could hear his rapid breathing and feel his hand getting sweatier and colder His hand was as cold as ice. Cornelia asked, ¡°President Hartley, can you talk to me?¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Marcus¡¯s reaction seemed like ustrophobia. Cornelia knew about this. She knew that ustrophobia was often rted to traumatic experiences in childhood Marcus had had some rough patches in his childhood and had been psychologically hurt. His mental issues might have always been there, and he just suppressed them with a strong will, making him appear no different from anyone else Like now he was just standing there, rigid and cold, like a piece of ice sculpture. Patients with this condition might experience fear, anxiety, rapid breathing, elerated heart rate, and cold sweat in confined spaces. Some might even have hallucinations of being harmed, and in severe cases, might suffocate. If his symptoms weren¡¯t relieved in time, the consequences could be dire Cornelia wouldn¡¯t allow this to happen. She had to find a way to help him. Without thinking about blowing her cover. She lunged at Marcus, hugging him tightly, trying to warm him with her own body temperature and reassure him with her presence that he had nothing to fear. But Marcus¡¯s symptoms didn¡¯t seem to alleviate. Cornelia called out in a panic, ¡°President Hartley, hold me!¡± Ben thought Cornelia was scared and that was why she was hugging Marcus. He didn¡¯t mind her hugging him given the circumstances. He was just worried that the germaphobe President would hold Cornelia ountableter, ¡°Cornelia. If you¡¯re scared, I don¡¯t mind if you hug me.¡± Cornelia ignored him. Ben didn¡¯t dare to shine the shlight on Marcus¡¯s face, but he could vaguely see his expression under the dim light. Marcus looked terrible. Ben figured if Cornelia didn¡¯t let go soon, the President might just pick her up and toss her away like a rag doll. One second, two seconds¡­ Just as he thought, it happened. He watched as Marcus lifted Cornelia up with his strong arms, hands firmly supporting her buttocks, then pressed her against the elevator wall Next thing he knew, Marcus bent his head down, like a beast finding Cornelia¡¯s lips, as if he wanted to devour her Ben was taken aback. What the heck was going on? Shouldn¡¯t the President be pushing Cornelia away? Why the hell was he holding and kissing her instead? When Ben was staring, Marcus suddenly shot him a nce That look was so sinister it sent chills down his spine, scaring him into averting his eyes and not daring to look again. Marcus¡¯s kiss came too suddenly, and Cornelia waspletely caught off guard. Chapter 674 Chapter 674 Chapter 674 All she felt was a head rush. Then suddenly, he scooped her up and pushed her forcefully against the wall, nting a quick kiss on her lips that left her breathless This intense sensory overload had Comelia¡¯s nerves on edge. She felt like a fish out of water, gasping for air, with oxygen getting scarcer by the second She didn¡¯t know how long passed, but it felt like a century Just when Cornelia thought she was about to suffocate, Marcus finally let her go, ¡°Cornelia He said her name, his voice deep and husky oozing with a confusing kind of sexiness. Cornelia struggled to breathe. But the space was too small, and the venttion was busted. This cramped space wasn¡¯t enough to supply oxygen for three people. She regained someposure, looked up at him, ¡°Hmm?¡± Her lips, swollen from his kisses, a bright red, glittering with moisture, looked like npe cherries that begged to be tasted. Marcus Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. He swallowed hard, then kissed her again. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ah, it hurts¡± He was too rough, not mindful of her at all. Her lips were bitten swollen by him. But even so, Cornelia didn¡¯t move away. If this could make him less afraid, she was willing to endure the pain. Unexpectedly. Marcus suddenly let her go, cupping her face, gently brushing her lips, Tm sorry. I was too rough. I try to control myself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay¡± Cornelia tried to control her racing heart, wrapped her arms around his neck. She tiptoed, and initiated a kiss. She had no experience, just kissing him instinctively. All she thought was if this could make him feel better, then it didn¡¯t matter. Marcus grabbed her waist, swiftly taking over. They kissed deeply, seemingly inseparable Just then, a sound came from outside. The elevator door opened, and the lights came on. Cornelia quickly pushed him away, frantically straightening out her clothes. Marcus nced at her, knowing that she didn¡¯t want to expose herself. So he walked out first. Outside, a group of people stood with their heads down, waiting for Marcus¡® scolding But Marcus just gave them a cold look, didn¡¯t say a word, and left. Cornelia quickly caught up with Marcus. Ben was slow to react, and didn¡¯t go with Marcus and Cornelia on the elevator. They switched to the staff elevator, so there were other people in the elevator. When they entered, everyone greeted them, ¡°Good morning, President Hartley Good morning. Ms. Stewart.¡± Marcus stood at the front, ignoring everyone, but someone noticed the blood on her lips Comelia returned the greeting with a smile, ¡°Good morning!¡± A girl pointed at Cornelia¡¯s lips and asked, ¡°Ms Stewart, what happened to your lips?¡± Even though she couldn¡¯t see, the burning pain told Cornelia that her lips must have been bitten by Marcus. She smiled, calmly making up an excuse, ¡°I think I might have been bitten by a mosquitost night.¡± Chapter 675 Chapter 675 Chapter 675 Who would believe that a mosquito bite could leave such a huge mark? No one dared to question it, though But noticing the strange lock in both Marcus and Comelia¡¯s eyes they decided that there must be some secret between the President and his assistant The elevator quickly arrived at the floor whem the President¡¯s office was located. As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, Cornelia immediately contacted Dr Lester ¡°Dr. Lester, are you there yet¡± Dr Lester replied ¡°Comelia, I¡¯m really sorry, but I might be a bitte¡± Cornelia heard some noise on Dr. Lester¡¯s end. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Dr Lester replied ¡°After receiving your message. I packed up and headed straight to the Hartley Group¡¯s headquarters. I should have been there by now But on the way, my car¡¯s brakes suddenly failed and I hit the car in front of me. I¡¯m dealing with the ident right now? Comelia sensed something. Your brakes failed?¡± Dr Lester replied, ¡°Yes, I just had them servicedst month. This shop is really unreliable¡± Dr. Lester¡¯s answer confirmed Cornelia¡¯s suspicion, Dr. Lester, President Hartley can wait, just be careful. Where are you now? I¡¯ll send someone to find you¡± Dr. Lester replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can handle this little problem¡± Comelia said, ¡°Okay just be safe¡± The elevator malfunction, Dr. Lester¡¯s brake failure, these seemingly coincidental events definitely had issues behind them. After the call ended, Cornelia rushed into the President¡¯s office, ¡°President Hartley, I suspect the elevator failure was intentionally caused The Hartley Group always takes safety seriously and the elevators are regrly maintained, especially the ones for the President. They are checked daily. In theory, there shouldn¡¯t be any sudden malfunctions, unless Before she could finish, she noticed Marcus was on the phone T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Marcus was standing by the window, giving some instructions over the phone. After he finished, he turned to look at Cornelia. Cornelia asked him, ¡®Do you also suspect the elevator was tampered with?¡± Marcus looked at Cornelia, his eyes full of admiration, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve already had someone look into it. We¡¯ll know soon whether it was human intervention.¡± Marcus was indeed extraordinary. Despite the shock he had just received, he was able to recover his composure in no time and even arranged for people to investigate the incident Cornelia asked him. ¡®Could it be the Reese family? Marcusughed, ¡°Silly girl, they have never been a match for me¡± Other than the Reese family, Cornelia had a vague idea who it could be but she wasn¡¯t sure, President Hartley, I suspect our opponent knows you and the people around you very well. It must be someone you¡¯re familiar with. Dr. Lester¡¯s brakes failed on his way to thepany, I think that was also deliberate¡± Marcus knew exactly who the opponent was, but he didn¡¯t want Cornelia to worry too much, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who the opponent is. All you need to know is that no one dares to hurt you, you¡¯re safe¡± Hearing this, Cornelia was furious. ¡°Do you think I care who the opponent is only because I¡¯m worried for myself? Yes, I admit I¡¯m a scaredy¨Ccat, I do get scared. But what I¡¯m more worried about is something happening to you.¡± He had no idea how worried she was when he was having trouble breathing in the elevator She was terrified that something would happen to him, that he would leave her just like her father did Marcus said, ¡°Nothing¡¯s gonna happen to me, don¡¯t worry¡± Chapter 676 Chapter 676 Chapter 676 Cornelia said. ¡°What if something happens? You¡¯re leaving me all this money you really want me to spend it with other men?¡± Marcus said ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± Comelia said ¡°You always knew who was after you didn¡¯t you? He knew he couldn¡¯t hide anything from her, she was too smart So, he admitted it, ¡°Yeah.¡± Comelia asked, ¡°You can¡¯t tell me?¡± Marcus nodded. ¡°I dont want you to worry¡± Comelia said ¡°You think not telling me will stop me from worrying? If you don¡¯t tell me, Fil just imagine the worst. We¡¯re married, and you said that honesty is the most important thing between a husband and wife Why can¡¯t you be honest with me?¡± Marcus, after listening to her, slowly but firmly said a name. ¡°Brennen Hartley¡± ¡°So it really is him?¡± This answer was both unexpected and expected for Comelia Brennen- the former head of the Hartley Group, Marcus¡¯s biological father, and the man Marcus personally sent to jail twelve years ago ¡°Twelve years ago, I wasn¡¯t even of age, and that incapable man was no match for me. Do you think he, after spending ten years in prison, could pose any threat to me now? Marcus slowly paced around Cornelia andcked the office door with a click Cornelia turned around. ¡°What are you locking the door for?¡± Marcus approached her and pulled her into his arms, ¡°Because all I want to do right now is hold you!¡± His grip was so strong, as if he wanted to crush her into his body Buried in his chest, Cornelia could hear his frantic heartbeat. ¡°You¡¯re okay now, right?¡± Marcus, being such a mentally strong person, should¡¯ve been able to ovee his ustrophobia once he left the confined space. ¡°I¡¯m fine now¡± Marcus wasn¡¯t surprised that Cornelia, being the sharp woman she was, noticed his abnormal reaction in the elevator What surprised him was that even with other people around, Cornelia didn¡¯t hesitate to throw herself at him, clumsily reassuring him that she was there and he didn¡¯t need to be afraid in that moment, the confined space made it hard for him to breathe, as if death was just around the corner. But her soft voice pulled him back from the brink She gave him warmth and showed him the light again. Cornelia asked, ¡°Was it ustrophobia?¡± He nodded. ¡°Yeah¡± That tiny ¡°yeah¡± felt like a bullet piercing Cornelia¡¯s heart, ¡°Is it because of your childhood?¡± He didn¡¯t answer her question Instead, he buried his face in the crook of her neck, nuzzling against her It tickled, but Cornelia didn¡¯t pull away. Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. After a while, she heard his hoarse voice, ¡°Comelia.¡± Feeling his unease, she immediately wrapped her arms around his waist, ¡°I¡¯m here. I¡¯ve always been here.¡± He said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about the past¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, then we won¡¯t. It¡¯s okay¡± Cornelia said. If Marcus didn¡¯t want to talk about it, Cornelia wouldn¡¯t push. Something so horrible must have happened in his past to affect Marcus, a man with such a strong mentality, this way. It was probably much worse than she could ever imagine Chapter 677 Chapter 677 Chapter 677 As for what Marcus had been through as a child, Cornelia nned to find out indirectly. She had to figure it out. Only by finding the root of the problem could she cure his ailment ¡°Cornelia, Cornelia. Marcus called her name over and over again in a low voice, as if he was trying to carve her name deep into his heart ¡°Hmm.¡± Every time he called, Cornelia would respond, not showing a hint of impatience. Her abilities and resources were limited, and she couldn¡¯t help him much. But at least she could be there for him when he needed someone After a long hug Marcus released her and reached out to touch her hair. He had wanted to touch her hair for a long time, and used to do it sneakily, but now he could do it openly Comelia removed his hand and said seriously, ¡°President Hartley, it¡¯s work time now. We need to keep personal and professional life separate, please behave!¡± Marcus chuckled. ¡°Behave? Even if it s work time, I¡¯m still your husband and you¡¯re my wife. How can I behave?¡± Cornelia had no choice but to divert his attention to work, ¡°The representative from Moongazer Tech is about to arrive. I need to prepare the meeting materials Moongazer Tech was a rising tech star, with a strong momentum. The Hartley Group happened to have an Al research project that needed to coborate with them. It was rumored that the representative from Moongazer Tech was a doctor who had studied abroad, won numerous international awards, and was highly educated. intelligent, and handsome. Hearing this news, many girls in the project team were smitten by the doctor even before meeting him. Young, handsome, and rich 1 To be honest, under such conditions, he would be a hotmodity in any market. And it was not surprising that girls were hoping to meet him sooner. There were several girls in the team responsible for this project who discussed him every day, wanting to see his true face. Cornelia was initially uninterested, but after hearing the girls talk about him every day, she gradually became interested and wanted to meet the doctor. Knock, knock, knock. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. Cornelia quickly turned around to open the door. Standing in front of them was Dr. Lester, ¡°What are you two doing in the office during work hours?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Dr. Lester said, ¡°Of course, I came for you.¡± Concerning Marcus¡¯s health, Dr. Lester was not careless. He delegated the follow¨Cup work to his assistant and came first to check on Marcus. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia said, ¡°President Hartley. I asked Dr. Lester toe and take a good look at you. Please cooperate with himter for the examination¡± With Cornelia¡¯s words, Marcus obediently cooperated with Dr. Lester. Seeing him so obedient, Dr. Lester knew the person he should thank most was Cornelia. After conducting a brief check¨Cup on Marcus, Dr. Lester, adjusting his thick reading sses, said, ¡°Marc, you know better than me about your health. You just recovered, you can¡¯t rush things. Wait until you¡¯re fully recovered, there¡¯s plenty of time and energy.¡± Marcus nced at him coldly. ¡°Don¡¯t make a fuss over nothing¡± Dr. Lester, ¡°Nothing?¡± Chapter 678 Chapter 678 Chapter 678 Did he think he was easy to pull a fast one on him just because he was old? Their mouths were all tom, looking like they had been bitten. Yet he had the gall to say he didn¡¯t do anything ¡°You young folk, always up to no good Here¡¯s some ointment, apply it to Corneliater You¡¯re a big guy, and a little wound is nothing But Cornelia is a girl, and girls care about their looks He took a tube of ointment out of the first aid kit and handed it to Marcus, ¡°Next time you¡¯re sneaking a kiss, remember to wipe your mouth clean.¡± Marcus took the ointment. You can leave now¡± ¡°Alright off I go Before leaving, Dr. Lester nced at Cornelia, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end, he didn¡¯t, ¡°I take my leave Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯ll walk you out¡± Exiting the president¡¯s office, Cornelia took Dr. Lester to a vacant small conference room, ¡°Dr Lester, there¡¯s something I¡¯d like to ask you.¡± Dr Lester said, ¡°Go ahead¡± Cornelia said, ¡°We had an elevator malfunction today. When we were trapped, I thought President Hartley¡¯s reaction was a bit off, do you know¡± Before Cornelia could finish, Dr. Lester hurriedly interrupted her, ¡°What? What did you say? You guys were stuck in the elevator? How long was Marc trapped?¡± Comelia said, ¡®About fifteen minutes.¡± Dr Lester appeared extremely anxious, pushing Comelia out, ¡°You can¡¯t leave Marc alone in his office at a time like this, go keep himpany¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Dr. Lester, President Hartley is fine now.¡± ¡°Marc, he¡¯s ustrophobic, he might not be as calm inside as he appears. You have to stay with him today, and don¡¯t leave him alone. I fear the past might repeat itself.¡± After saying these words. Dr. Lester realized he had let the cat out of the bag. ¡°What past incident?¡± This must have something to do with the ustrophobia Cornelia wanted to know, only by understanding the situation could she help Marcus ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡± Dr. Lester should know the most about this matter, other than the people involved, but he couldn¡¯t say ¡°Cornelia, Marc¡¯s health is really bad, and he needs proper care I hope you can take good care of him.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I will.¡± After calming down, Dr Lester asked, ¡°When you were trapped in the elevator, did you do anything to help Marc?¡± Cornelia blushed, ¡°I just told him not to be afraid, and then he seemed to feel a lot better.¡± Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Dr. Lester suddenly bowed to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, thank you! Really, thank you!¡± Marcus was someone Dr. Lester watched grow up, and he was a witness to what Marcus had been through. Seeing someone determined to stand by Marcus¡® side, he was happy for Marcus ¡°Dr. Lester, there¡¯s no need for thi. Taking care of him is what I should do.¡± This time, Cornelia didn¡¯t say that taking care of Marcus was her job, but what she should do. Dr. Lester nodded, ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave now¡± After Dr. Lester left, Cornelia poured a cup of milk, and then returned to Marcus¡¯s office, ¡°Marcus, drink this milk first, then we can go to the conference room.¡± Marcus stood quietly in front of the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, staring into the distance, motionless, as if he hadn¡¯t heard Cornelia¡¯s words Cornelia raised her voice a little, ¡°Marcus.¡± ¡°Come here.¡± He stood in front of the window, calling her over with a gentle voice. Cornelia obediently walked over to him Chapter 679 Chapter 679 Chapter 679 Comelia followed Marcus¡¯s gaze into the distance. Since the Hartley Group building was the symbol of Riverton and the tallest structure in the city, it offered a panoramic view of the entire Riverton It was a fascinating sight However, after the brief moment of enchantment, a sense of emptiness crept in. Standing at the peak, without friends, without rivals, it felt hollow Cornelia guessed that Marcus might be feeling the same emptiness and loneliness inside She gently lifted her head and looked at him, ¡°President Hartley, what¡¯s on your mind? Care to share?¡± Marcus was staring at her lips. There was a clear cut on her lower lip, a result of his unintentional bite. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that while we¡¯re talking? Is there something on my face? This man, he shouldn¡¯t be looking at her so intently all the time. If this kept up, she really wouldn¡¯t be able to focus on her work Unexpectedly, Marcus was not just looking at her, he was also taking action. He quickly reached out, grabbed her head, gently pushed her head forward. He then lowered his own, and kissed her lips again. This was his third time kissing her! The first time wasst night. Her reaction was so fast that before Cornelia could even register the feeling of his kiss, he had already let go of her The second time was just a while ago in the elevator, where he kissed her fiercely like a wild beast, only leaving her with pain But this time, it waspletely different from the previous ones. He was domineering yet gentle, utterly irresistible. Cornelia tried to dodge, but soon felt a cold sensation on her lips, along with a faint herbal scent. She immediately realized that he was applying medicine to her lip in his own way. After ensuring he hadn¡¯t missed a spot on her lip, Marcus let her go, ¡°There, done. Cornelia blushed and handed him the milk, ¡°Here¡¯s the milk. You should drink it first.¡± Marcus had already had his morning cup, and didn¡¯t really want more. But since it was prepared by Cornelia, he epted it anyway. After finishing the milk, Cornelia took the cup from him, ¡°It¡¯s half past nine, and Moongazer Tech¡¯s representatives will be here in half an hour. Do you need to rest for a while in the lounge?¡± His health was not in the best condition, and the elevator incident might have taken a toll on him. The uing meeting might go on for hours, and Cornelia was worned he might not be able to hold up. Marcus chuckled and patted her head, ¡°Alright.¡± After looking after Marcus, Cornelia returned to her office. She shared this office with Ben Ben was sitting at his desk, zoned out as if something had shocked him. He didn¡¯t even greet Cornelia when she came in. She said to him, ¡°Ben, the meeting with Moongazer Tech is about to start. What are you daydreaming about?¡± Ben moved slightly, as if snapping back to reality. He looked at Comelia with dissatisfaction and contempt, ¡®Ms. Stewart, I always thought you were a girl with self¨Crespect and self¨Clove, but I didn¡¯t imagine.¡±Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 680 Chapter 680 Chapter 680 He was seriously disappointed in Cornelia Normally, he¡¯d call her by her first name in a warm and friendly manner, but this time he called her ¡°Ms Stewart¡°, which was cold as ice. Cornelia knew she was misunderstood but didn¡¯t bother to exin, ¡°Isn¡¯t that what I am now?¡± The fact that she could say such a shameless thing blew Ben¡¯s mind. He was deeply disappointed in Cornelia, ¡°You knew President Hartley was married yet you seduced him. Don¡¯t you have a sense of propriety and decency?¡± Cornelia just chuckled, ¡°Why does it have to be me seducing President Hartley, and not him seducing me?¡± Her response made Ben tremble with rage. ¡°How can you say such shameless things? It was dark in the elevator, but I¡¯m not blind I saw you throw yourself at President Hartley He kissed you because of your initiative How dare you say it¡¯s President Hartley who seduced you? I really underestimated you.¡± The more Ben scolded, the more flustered he became. Seeing Ben all fired up made Cornelia want to tease him further, ¡°You¡¯ve been around President Hartley for so many years, have you ever seen anyone sessfully seduce him?¡± Ben seriously pondered Cornelia¡¯s question. There were indeed numerous women who had tried to woo President Hartley over the years, all sorts of types. There were hot chicks, innocent girls, even married women. Overall, there was no shortage of them, ¡°What does this have to do with whether anyone has seduced President Hartley>¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia replied, ¡°If he didn¡¯t initiate it, how could I dare to seduce him? Aren¡¯t I afraid he¡¯ll fire me? You know how hard it was for me to get this job, why would I jeopardize my future?¡± Cornelia¡¯s argument made sense to Ben, and he started to waver, ¡°So you¡¯re saying President Hartley forced or tricked you?¡± He¡¯d known Cornelia for a year, and whether she had feelings for Marcus was pretty clear. In his mind, Cornelia had always been a hard¨Cworking and outstanding girl, who definitely wouldn¡¯t seduce someone else¡¯s husband Cornelia replied. ¡°Not at all.¡± Ben grumbled, ¡°Stop defending him. He¡¯s a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing. He appears to be a gentleman in public, but who knows what he¡¯s done behind people¡¯s backs Comelia wasn¡¯t pleased to hear Ben bad mouth Marcus, ¡°President Hartley is not like that Stop ndering him.¡± Ben retorted, ¡°Who¡¯s standering him? I saw him taking a drunk girl into a room, stayed there all night. I walked in on him, and he wasn¡¯t even embarrassed. It¡¯s like he does this sort of thing on a regr basis.¡± Hearing this made Cornelia extremely anxious, ¡°When did this happen?¡± Ben exined ¡°During the Year 3033 Tech Expo at the Capital, you got drunk one night. I saw President Hartley taking you to your room and he stayed there all night¡± Cornelia was left speechless So, that feeling she had at the Capital, as if Marcus wanted to kiss her. It wasn¡¯t a dream, it actually happened? Marcus had been silently protecting her all this time when she was still figuring out their rtionship. Cornelia felt deeply moved, but Ben continued to grow angrier, ¡°I warned him back then, but he just got mad at me. I hate myself for always being too scared to confront him whenever I see him¡°. Cornelia scratched her head awkwardly, ¡°You¡¯ve been with him for so many years, you¡¯ve never seen him act this way with any other girls, have you?¡± Ben replied, ¡°Indeed, that was the only time. But he¡¯s always been good at keeping secrets. I wouldn¡¯t know about things he didn¡¯t want me to know¡± These words made Cornelia very happy, as they confirmed that Marcus was as rumored. He didn¡¯t casually engage with girls. But Ben was still indignant on behalf of Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, you have to be brave. If Marcus dares to force you, I¡¯ll be on your side to fight him!¡± ¡°Fight who?¡± The door suddenly opened, and Marcus¡¯s deep voice echoed in. Chapter 681 Chapter 681 Chapter 681 ¡°President Hartley Ben jumped out of his skin, quickly diving under the desk His slick move left Corneliapletely gobsmacked Marcus looked at Ben hiding under the desk, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to challenge me, chickened out already? Look at you!¡± ¡°I was just shooting the breeze with Cornelia, wouldn¡¯t dare to challenge you. President Hartley, you¡¯re big hearted, please don¡¯t sweat the small stuff with me¡± Ben¡¯s voice trembled with fear But he mustered up courge to crawl out from under the desk, hoping to give Marcus a piece of his mind However, as soon as he met Marcus¡¯s hawk like piercing gaze, Ben¡¯s courage evaporated instantly. ¡°President Hartley, I admit I¡¯m scared of you but Cornelia, she is a good girl, she¡¯s our colleague too, with us every day. Don¡¯t hurt her ¡°Cornelia is a good girl, do you think I don¡¯t know? Do you need to tell me?¡± Marcus moved towards Cornelia¡¯s desk under Ben¡¯s watchful eyes, ¡°Let¡¯s go home together tonight¡± Comelia frantically signaled him not to blurt out such things in front of Ben But Marcus didn¡¯t y by her rules. He respected her wish to keep their rtionship under wraps, but he didn¡¯t want to keep it from those close, ¡°Choose between Celestial Chateau or Blueshell Mansion, you have to make a choice tonight¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Liar¡® You promised me you wouldn¡¯t reveal my identity, now you¡­ Marcus said, ¡®Ben is smart, you think we can fool him?¡± Cornelia, knowing he was doing this on purpose, red at him, ¡®Big fat liar! I¡¯ll never trust you again¡± Marcus wasn¡¯t bothered by her anger. He decided to take her home tonight and let her return to their house as thedy of the house, ¡°Where to? You choose, so I can get it ready¡± Cornelia said. ¡°I¡¯m going home. Zack¡¯s birthday is tomorrow¡® Marcus said. ¡°T¡¯ll go with you tomorrow.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°No¡± Marcus said, ¡°The grandmas are back from Southern Peak.¡± Hearing the grandmas were back in Riverton, Cornelia¡¯s face changed instantly. Really? When did they get back? Why didn¡¯t they tell me?¡± Suppressing a smile, Marcus gently tapped her forehead, ¡°I wanted to surprise you, stubborn girl.¡± Cornelia said, ¡®Wherever the grandmas are, that¡¯s where I¡¯ll be.¡± Marcus said. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll arrange it Cornelia said, ¡°Good. The representative from Moongazer Tech should be here, and we should head to the meeting room downstairs.¡± Marcus nodded T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Ben was taken aback. He wasn¡¯t smart. Even now he still had no clue what was going on. The only thing he was sure of was that Marcus and Cornelia were head over heels for each other. It definitely wasn¡¯t a case of someone seducing or forcing the other What a shameless couple! Carrying on behind their partners¡® backs! Their rtionship must have been brewing for a while, and he just found out today Maybe they wanted him to know Otherwise, he might have been kept in the dark forever. Why did they suddenly let him in on their secret? Could it be they were nning to leave their partners and make their rtionship public? No way! Chapter 682 Chapter 682 Chapter 682 Ben was fuming the more he thought about it. The two people he worked with every day turned out to be home wreckers It was so infumating! What was even more infuriating was himself. Knowing well that they were both messing with other people¡¯s families, he still had to put on a smile and work with them, pretending as nothing had happened He was really pitiful! If there was a next life, he swore not to be Marcus¡¯s assistant again. He¡¯d be his own boss. Before Ben could snap out of his thoughts, they had already arrived at the meeting room downstairs. When they arrived most of the people from both sides were already there. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Initially, the staff from the twopanies sat separately on either side of therge conference table. When Cornelia followed Marcus into the meeting room, she saw everyone huddled together, especially a few girls who were exceptionally enthusiastic and excited. One colleague from the programming department was particrly loud, ¡°You¡¯re not even twenty¨Csix yet, but you¡¯ve already secured the position of R&D Director at Moongazer Tech. Your future is truly limitless.¡± ¡°You tter me!¡± Cornelia hadn¡¯t seen the person yet, but she first heard the voice of today¡¯s most attention¨Cgrabbing person. The voice sounded nice enough, but it couldn¡¯tpare to Marcus¡¯s deep and sexy voice. Clearing her throat, Cornelia coughed Usually as soon as Marcus arrived, everyone would notice and stand to greet him. Today, Cornelia had to cough several times to draw everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°President Hartley¡± Everyone stood up and greeted Marcus. Marcus waved his hand to signal everyone to sit down, and he headed straight for the main seat, ¡°Mr. Sharp, sorry for keeping you waiting!¡± Mr. Sharp was one of the founders of Moongazer Tech, probably the person with the most say in their company. Theirpany was a rising star, developing rapidly. However,pared to the massive Hartley Group, they were like an ant to an elephant. Facing Marcus, Mr. Sharp could only act like a little brother, ¡°President Hartley, you are too kind, we just arrived too.¡± He gestured to the man next to him to step forward, and continued, ¡°President Hartley, now let me formally introduce you to Roman, our Chief Engineer at Moongazer Tech. He studied abroad and has many awards under his belt. Most importantly, he is a native of Riverton The Padi family should have some connections with your family¡± Upon hearing this name, Cornelia, who had been preparing her paperwork, looked up and saw a familiar male face as expected. When she looked at the man, he was also looking at her, even nodding and smiling at her in greeting After a few nces, Cornelia withdrew her gaze and scoffed in her mind what a small world! Marcus did remember the Padi family from Riverton, ¡°The Padi family from the north of the city?¡± Roman took his eyes off Cornelia and stood up to converse politely with Marcus, ¡°Yes. I didn¡¯t expect President Hartley to remember. Marcus¡¯s knowledge of the Padi family came entirely from his grandmother¡¯s stories. She often mentioned that when his great¨Cgrandfather first started running a garment. factory, they had been a great help. As a result, his great¨Cgrandfather¡¯s gratitude to the Padi familysted for decades, his grandfather also felt grateful to the Padi family. Even his grandmother often brought up the matter. Their repeated mentions were to teach the next generation to be grateful and if the Padi family was ever in need, they must do their best to help. Chapter 683 Chapter 683 Chapter 683 Marcus had no clue how the Padi family had helped his grandpa out, and didn¡¯t really dig into it. Still, he remembered his granny¡¯s words. If they ever needed a hand with something, as long as it wasn¡¯t illegal, he would do his best to help ¡°Take a seat, everyone Marcus sat and Cornelia handed him some documents, with important parts highlighted Got to give it to her, Comelia was a top¨Cnotch assistant Ever since she started working with him, things felt much easier. But he also realized, the easier his life got, the harder hers became Before the meeting officially started, Mr. Sharp from Moongazer Tech said, ¡°It¡¯s an honor for Moongazer Tech to coborate with President Hartley and the Hartley Group We hope for your guidance in the future¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say much and just kicked off the meeting As usual, Comelia and Ben were on either side of Marcus, doing their respective jobs. One handed him documents, the other took down important points from the meeting. Comelia felt like someone was watching her while she was preparing documents for Marcus Looking up, she met Roman¡¯s gaze again. He smiled at her, seemingly saying something without words, Comelia didn¡¯t bother guessing what he was trying to say She just nced at him and then went back to her work. Today was the first discussion about the coboration on this project. Mr. Sharp was the first to speak. He introduced the entire project n, followed by Roman, the project lead It was clear that Roman, being a core member of Moongazer Tech¡¯s tech research team, was a big shot. He talked non stop on the stage, with all thedies in the audience hooked on his every word But he didn¡¯t pay much attention to other women. His gaze kept falling on Cornelia. During his half¨C hour speech, he looked her way no less than 10 times. Cornelia noticed, but she was busy taking notes and didn¡¯t have time to deal with him. Unexpectedly, while she was handing Marcus a document, he leaned over and whispered in her ear, ¡°Do you know that guy?¡± Cornelia shook her head and handed him the documents, ¡°We¡¯re at work, and people are watching. You cant do that.¡± Her ears turned red when Marcus leaned in, fearing he would kiss her in front of everyone. ¡°Are you worried about that guy seeing, or everyone seeing?¡± He took the documents from her, his expression instantly cold, looking at her like she was a stranger, as if the one whispering in her ear wasn¡¯t him. This was the kind of professional rtionship Cornelia wanted, but why did she feel ufortable when he actually treated her like a superior and subordinate? However, Cornelia didn¡¯t have time to overthink. Roman was still exining some technical stuff on the stage, and these were all new to her. She had to focus to understand the uing work and do better. Two hours in the morning, three hours in the afternoon. A five¨Chour¨Clong meeting. Everyone was exhausted when it ended. People started to pack up and leave, and soon the meeting room was almost empty. Cornelia packed up her documents and was ready to leave with Marcus when Roman suddenly called out, ¡°Cornelia!¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He didn¡¯t refer to her as assistant, but called her by her name. That shout attracted the attention of everyone who was still in the room. Especially Marcus, he paused for a moment, nced at Cornelia from the corner of his eye, and then casually walked out. Cornelia stopped, turned around, looked at Roman with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Her tone was polite and professional The unfamiliar tone made Roman frown slightly. He walked towards Cornelia, ¡°Do you have any ns after work? If not, I¡¯d like to invite you to dinner. Would you like to join me?¡± Chapter 684 Chapter 684 Chapter 684 Two girls were hanging around, hunting for a chance to ask Roman out for dinner Blut before they could even get a word out, Cornelia stepped up to the te With a smile. Comelia said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ve got dinner ns with my husband tonight¡± This news made Roman go a bit pale, but he quickly shook it off, ¡®You¡¯re married? When did that happen? Howe I didn¡¯t hear about it? Where was my wedding invite? Still smiling. Cornelia nonchntly responded. ¡°We just met It¡¯s normal that you wouldn¡¯t know about my marriage¡± ¡°Are you mad at me or something? Is that why you¡¯re saying this?¡± Roman deduced. She must be pissed and saying all this to get under his skin Her rep was shot. What man would want to marry her now? The only guys who would take her were probably the ones no one else wanted, or those who couldn¡¯t find anyone else Two female colleagues chimed in. ¡°Did you guys know each other before? Roman didn¡¯t answer, his gaze locked on Cornelia. He was Cornelia¡¯s first love. He knew she used to have a thing for him, probably even more than he did for her. How could she just forget about him and marry someone else? He was certain that no matter how long he was gone, Cornelia would still be waiting for him when he came back. So, he concluded that Cornelia was lying. She must be lying She pretended not to see him today just to get his attention. And boy, did she get it. Then she dropped the bombshell that she was married She must be ying games with him. ¡°Mad at you?¡± Cornelia chuckled, her smile radiant, ¡°We just met. Why would I be mad at you?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Roman asked, ¡°Do we really not know each other?¡± Just as Cornelia was about to respond, Marcus from up ahead turned around and called, ¡°Cornelia!¡± ¡°My boss is calling me. I gotta go. After saying this, Cornelia turned around and quickly walked towards Marcus As she approached Marcus, he asked, ¡°Do you know that guy?¡± ¡°No!¡± Cornelia answered without hesitation. Marcus gave her a look and raised an eyebrow, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Really don¡¯t know him¡± From the moment he told her they were strangers, she no longer knew that man. ¡°Alright, you don¡¯t know him.¡± Marcus chuckled, picking up his pace, ¡°Come to my office! Comelia followed him into the CEO¡¯S office Just as she stepped into the room, before the door could get closed, he pushed her against the wall. And then, he kissed her passionately He only kissed her wounds. Soon, Cornelia¡¯s mouth was filled with the metallic taste of blood. Chapter 685 Chapter 685 Chapter 685 Marcus had a cruel streak in him, a fact that Cornelia had known for a while. She wasn¡¯t fooled by his gentlemanly facade. But she always thought his cold blooded side was only shown to foes and enemies, not those beside him. In this moment, Cornelia truly realized that beneath his gentle exterior,y a different Marcus, like a beast suddenly awakened. He was kissing her roughly, forcefully, dominantly, as though he wanted to devour her whole. Cornelia tried to push him away, but he was like a mountain in front of her, unmoving even with all her strength. As his kiss deepened, all of Cornelia¡¯s senses were invaded by his breath. She didn¡¯t want to but couldn¡¯t help and sink into his kiss. The entanglement of their tongues left her mind nk. She could only passivelyply, ept him. Slowly, everything seemed to return to normal, and everything felt so natural. She even forgot that he was punishing her, instinctively reaching out to hold onto his lean waist, clinging to him as if a drowning person clinging to a lifeline. Her lips were soft and sweet, a taste he had stolen the night before. He had never kissed any other girls, as he had always found kissing distasteful. He always thought kissing was just a way to spread germs. Only because he was kissing Cornelia, his wife, was he willing to do it. Kissing, to him, became something wonderful and addictive. Kissing Cornelia¡¯s sweet, rosy lips, breathing in her sweet scent, made even the usuallyposed him almost lose control, itching to truly possess her. To prevent things from getting out of hand, he abruptly ended the kiss. The kiss ended too quickly for Cornelia to react, still lost in the world he had created with his kiss. Her eyes were hazy and her face was flushed. Marcus found his little wife incredibly enchanting because of him, his mood instantly lifted. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Lifting her flushed face, his fingers gently touching her swollen lips, ¡°Little liar, are you going to lie to me again, hmm?¡± He kissed her when he wanted, didn¡¯t when he didn¡¯t want to, never considering her feelings. This realization annoyed Cornelia. Biting her swollen lips, she suddenly reached out, pulling him towards her, and initiated a kiss. All her kissing experience was learned from him today. How he treated her, she responded in kind. He was a self¨Ctaught student andpetent teacher, but she was not a good student, clumsy with her moves. After a few seconds, he was once again in control, and she could only passively enjoy all the sensations he was giving her. The kiss continued, not only turning her cheeks red but also making her whole body flush, including all the unseen parts. She couldn¡¯t help herself, biting him hard with her cute little teeth. Biting through his lip, once again she tasted the sweet metallic taste of blood. The difference was, this time it was his blood. Chapter 686 Chapter 686 Chapter 686 Marcus was in pain, but he didn¡¯t let go. He just chuckled under his breath. Comelia was stunned. Why was heughing? Could he stillugh at a time like this? After a while, Marcus finally stoppedughing. Even if she couldn¡¯t see it, Comelia knew her lips must look awful right now. Unable to argue with him, Cornelia lifted her foot, wanting to stomp on his foot. But she couldn¡¯t bring herself to do it. No matter how much she was dissatisfied with him, she couldn¡¯t do anything that might hurt him. Marcus gently held her rosy cheek, his piercing gaze under his golden¨Cframed sses fixed on her, not letting her look away. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s the deal with you and that guy?¡± Comelia lightly pursed her swollen lips, her eyes filled with teardrops, she whispered, ¡°I told you I don¡¯t know him. Why won¡¯t you believe me and keep asking me this question.¡± She wouldn¡¯t say, but Marcus had guessed some of it, ¡°Do you still like him?¡± ¡°Like him? Is he worth it?¡± Cornelia blushed, seriously answering, ¡°The only person I can like is my husband, and his name is Jeremy.¡± Marcus was satisfied with this answer, ¡°I should thank that man.¡± Thank him for not marrying Cornelia, giving him the opportunity to meet her. Cornelia watched Marcus warily, ¡°What are you thinking? There¡¯s really nothing between him and me. Don¡¯t get the wrong idea.¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re that scared I¡¯ll go find him?¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m scared.¡± This turned Marcus¡¯s face dark, ¡°Is he that important to you? Even after marrying me, you¡¯re still thinking about him?¡± 1 His words made Cornelia¡¯s eyes red, and she was on the brink of tears, ¡°I told you I only have feelings for my husband, are you deaf? Or do you think I¡¯m that pathetic? Dumped and still missing the one who dumped me?¡± Cornelia looked at Marcus, who seemed confused. She added, ¡°I¡¯m afraid, because I¡¯m scared you¡¯ll do something stupid for such an unworthy person. The only one I worry about is my husband, not some irrelevant guy.¡± Her nose tingled, her voice a little shaky, ¡°Yes, I admit we used to date, but we broke up a long time ago. He dumped me. He thought i wasn¡¯t good enough for him, that being with me would tarnish his family¡¯s reputation.¡± Marcus hugged her tenderly, soothing her, ¡°Who dares to belittle you? Those who hurt you are the real criminals, and you¡¯re just the All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. victim.¡± Once a girl wasbeled impure, she would be subject to gossip wherever she went. Marcus couldn¡¯t fullyprehend this feeling, but he knew Cornelia was troubled by it. And what he needed to do was to stand behind her, trust and support her. He needed to debunk all those rumors and usations about her with real actions. Chapter 687 Chapter 687 Chapter 687 Comelia was getting more and more pissed as she thought about it, feeling more wronged the more she spoke, ¡°When we broke up, he clearly told me that we should act like we¡¯ve never met and there would be no more connections between us. I merely followed his request. I didn¡¯t lie, so why are you calling me a little liar?¡± Tears were spinning in her eyes, but she didn¡¯t want them to fall. Seeing her like this, Marcus felt so heartbroken, ¡°You¡¯re not a liar. I was wrong.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. He was always like this, apologizing so fast it was mind¨Cboggling. And he always manages to give Cornelia endless strength with just one sentence, giving her the courage to face more injustice and usations. Their coboration with Moongazer Tech had just begun, and there was a pretty long time ahead where she¡¯d have to see that guy often. Comelia nned to clear up everything with Marcus at once to avoid any misunderstandings in the future and to keep him from worrying too much. Regaining herposure, Cornelia continued, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to tell you. He was the one who pursued me, said he liked me, wanted to marry me, and told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. His sweet talk was even more captivating than a song. I was foolish enough to believe him then and agreed to try dating. During our rtionship, I was really busy studying and working part¨Ctime, so I hardly had time to go out on dates with him. Those times, he¡¯de to the library to keep mepany. I¡¯d read, and he would just watch me. He said that just being able to sit with me a little longer, being able to watch me a bit more was enough for him.¡± College was supposed to be romantic and beautiful, with traces of their love left in the library, all over the campus. Just hearing about it was enough to make Marcus feel insanely jealous. Thankfully, Cornelia¡¯s next words eased his mind a bit, ¡°I never even held his hand before problems arose and he proposed breaking up. He¡¯s not you. He¡¯s not as handsome as you, or as rich as you. Why would I dwell on him?¡± Everything she said was true, Marcus was better looking and richer. These were hard truths that also made Marcus very happy, ¡°So you¡¯re saying, if he were reced with me, you¡¯d be unable to forget me?¡± To which Cornelia replied, ¡°No!¡± She wouldn¡¯t be so irrational, wasting a single thought or shedding a single tear for a man not worth it. Her thoughts were reserved for the man who was worth it. Her tears were only for the person worth her tears. But the one worth her tears wouldn¡¯t make her cry. Marcus held her tightly in his arms, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m so sorry! It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you. I¡¯m just jealous. I¡¯m afraid you have someone else in your heart, that you don¡¯t want me.¡± He said he was jealous. He said he was afraid she wouldn¡¯t want him! The one saying this was still Marcus, his voice as rich and sexy as ever, but always able to touch the softest part of Cornelia¡¯s heart. Sometimes, Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there were twopletely different Marcuses inside his body. One was refined and gentle, the other fierce and cruel. Otherwise, how could he show suchpletely different sides in such a short time? Ben had gone upstairs with them and saw them start to tangle right at the office door. This once again surprised him, making it hard to believe! Chapter 688 Chapter 688 Chapter 688 Were they really in that much of a hurry? Couldn¡¯t they even wait to take an extra step? T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The office door wasn¡¯t even closed. Weren¡¯t they afraid of being seen by others? While Ben was internally criticizing the shameless couple, he also had to considerately close the door for them, making it easier for them to do whatever they were up to in the office. Thank God the CEO¡¯s office was soundproof, otherwise keeping it a secret would be tough. Especially with so many people working in the secretariat who could potentially pass by the CEO¡¯s office. Normally, for a man like Marcus of high status, getting a woman was as easy as pie, and no one would dare to backbite. Many of these big shots like Marcus had lovers outside, and their wives at home knew and didn¡¯t mind. Maybe they did mind, but felt they couldn¡¯t control it, so they stoped trying. Even if Marcus was married, being with his personal assistant wouldn¡¯t affect him. And those who knew would onlypliment him as a casanova, a lucky guy. But this affair was a whole different story for Cornelia. Once others found out about their private rtionship beyond work and it spread, Cornelia would be the immoral person in everyone¡¯s mouth. She would be used of betrayal, of seducing a married man. If thisbel stuck to Cornelia, and the CEO¡¯s wife started causing trouble, Marcus might stop protecting Cornelia. Without anyone to protect her, Cornelia would be like an abandoned person. Then, Cornelia would have no choice but to leave the Hartley Group.. Even though Ben disapproved of Cornelia¡¯s immoral actions, he still wanted to protect her. He didn¡¯t want to see such a good work partner leave in the worst possible way. He thought, when he got the chance, he must have a good talk with her. He needed to urge her to turn back before making a bigger mistake, to cut off the ambiguous rtionship with Marcus asap, and to pretend nothing ever happened. There was still time. Just as Ben was deep in thought, a gentle female voice sounded behind him, ¡°Ben, what are you doing standing here? ying doorman?¡± Ben instinctively turned back to check the CEO¡¯s office door. Seeing it was properly closed, he then looked at Ynda at ease, ¡°Just thinking. What brings you here? Looking for Cornelia?¡± Ynda tilted her head slightly, looking at the big door behind him, and said in a low voice, ¡°When did Cornelia and President Hartley start being together?¡± They should have closed the door first. Now they had been seen. Feeling cold sweat on his forehead, Ben had to put on a serious face, ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense! President Hartley and Cornelia are discussing work. You shouldn¡¯t nder them. And he is not someone you can nder.¡± Ynda chuckled lightly, ¡°Whether I¡¯m ndering them, you should know very well.¡± Ben knew very well, and that was why he exined so much. Normally, he only needed to say one sentence to drive Ynda away. He pondered for a moment, then continued, ¡°Cornelia doesn¡¯t have many close colleagues in the company, and only you and her are the closest. It doesn¡¯t matter if others use her, but you better not. I think, before you use her, you should at least find an opportunity to talk to her alone, to understand the ins and outs of the matter.¡± Chapter 689 Chapter 689 Chapter 689 Ynda scoffed, ¡°Cornelia and I are buddies? You¡¯re giving me way too much credit. She never really opened up to me.¡± Comelia wasn¡¯t the easiest person to befriend, but once someone¡¯s in her circle, she was all in. She was fiercely loyal. But with Ynda, she barely went beyond regr co¨Cworker pleasantries. They exchanged greetings at work, coborated on tasks when needed, and all their interactions were strictly work¨Crted. After work, Cornelia and Ynda hardly crossed paths. Their WhatsApp chats were all about work. Ynda had no clue about Cornelia¡¯s personal life, whether she posted cute selfies on Instagram or whatnot. Ynda admired Cornelia¡¯s capabilities and had always wanted to be friends with someone as aplished as her. She initially thought she could be pals with Cornelia, since among the horde of secretaries, she was the only one who could level with her. But after all this time, she couldn¡¯t get past the surface with Cornelia, and she knew zilch about her personal life. The fact that Cornelia was entangled with their boss, willing to be someone¡¯s ything made her blood boil. Ynda was so angry her face was almost contorted, ¡°I thought Cornelia climbed to the PA to the CEO position by her own merit. I was so naive. I should have suspected something fishy when she was suddenly transferred from the branch office to head office.¡± Ben shared the same disdain for extramarital affairs, but he feltpelled to defend Cornelia when someone put her down, ¡°Although some things do raise eyebrows, Cornelia¡¯s work capabilities are undeniable. She did earn her position as PA to the CEO by her own merit. President Hartley definitely didn¡¯t pull any strings for her. He didn¡¯t even know her before she became his assistant.¡± Ynda was about to retort, but Ben cut her off, ¡°There¡¯s a lot of work to be done in the secretarial office. Get to it, and stop talking about this.¡± Seeing his words had little effect, Ben added, ¡°Ynda, you¡¯ve been working in the CEO¡¯s office for years. You should know what can be said and what can¡¯t. Don¡¯t let a moment¡¯s impulse ruin your future.¡± Ynda red at Ben, ¡°So, being President Hartley¡¯s PA, sticking by his side all these years. It¡¯s not just about your capabilities, but also your knack for ying your cards right?¡± Ben wasn¡¯t one to shy away from gossip. His status at the Hartley Group was solid as a rock, ¡°Yes, ying your cards right is a skill.¡± Her lips twitched at his response, and she left the room, visibly disgruntled. After Ynda left, Ben nced at the CEO¡¯s office door. The thought of Marcus and Cornelia in the office, was too much to bear. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. It was downright scandalous! Yesterday, his boss Marcus was asking him for advice on a date with his wife, and today, he was pulling this stunt with his personal assistant in the office. What a sleazebag! Marcus was not the man he once respected. That man had been tarnished. He was no longer pure! When it was time to clock out. After everyone in the CEO¡¯s office had left, Cornelia peeked out of the office like a thief, checking left and right. Only when she was sure no one was around did she step out of the office. Marcus was speechless. She could¡¯ve walked out with her head held high, but she chose to sneak around. Chapter 690 Chapter 690 Chapter 690 Comelia asked, ¡°Marcus, where are your grandmas staying now? Give me the address, and I¡¯ll drive there right away.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°You¡¯re not driving today.¡± Comelia said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll call a cab.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my car?¡± Cornelia, feeling a bit embarrassed, scratched her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want others to see.¡± Marcus retorted, ¡°Haven¡¯t you been in my car before?¡± Comelia replied, ¡°Yes, I have, but.¡± Before, she hadn¡¯t thought much about it and felt quite at ease. But now, she felt a bit guilty and felt that everyone was giving her strange looks. However, Marcus didn¡¯t give her a chance to back down. He reached out his long arm and picked her up. Suddenly lifted off the ground, Cornelia let out a scream and instinctively clung to his neck; fearful of falling. Marcus chuckled, carrying her towards the CEO¡¯s private elevator. Knowing that he was holding her securely, Cornelia rxed. She struggled a bit, ¡°Marcus, put me down, I can walk. If our coworkers are still here and they see us like this, how am I supposed to face them? Can I still work here?¡± Her voice waspletely different; it sounded so soft, so sweet. Upon hearing this, Marcus felt a rush of warmth, ¡°If they see, so be it. I¡¯m here, and you have nothing to fear.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia lightly tapped his chest with her finger, ¡°You¡¯re not scared, but I am!¡± Her unintentional tap made Marcus grunt. He said in a low voice, ¡°Until you fully ept me, you better not move, or else.¡± Their conversation faded away in the elevator, and Ynda emerged from the shadows, a video freshly recorded on her phone. Ynda hadn¡¯t expected to record anything, but she had. She stared at the video, listening to Cornelia¡¯s sweet voice that was so different from her professional tone at work. She was watching as Cornelia clung to Marcus¡¯s neck, so unreservedly affectionate. Ynda¡¯s face twisted. Turning off the video, she realized she had scratched her palm with her fingemails. Marcus drove Cornelia to the old Hartley family mansion. Since Granny Luisa moved to Southern Summer Garden, no one had lived in the Hartley family mansion. Although no one lived there, it was cleaned and maintained daily. The house was still very clean. This was Cornelia¡¯s first visit to the Hartley family mansion, and she was visiting as the Hartley family¡¯s daughter¨Cinw. The Hartley family mansion was located in Riverton¡¯s oldest wealthy district, where there were no new houses for sale, no matter how much money people had. The residents of this vi district were all very wealthy. There were absolutely no nouveau riche without manners, the environment was great and the whole vi district was like a park. The car drove along the winding road shaded by green trees, finally stopping in front of the gate of the Hartley family mansion. Before Cornelia could get out of the car, she saw two rows of people in the yard, each holding a red banner that read, ¡°Wee home, Mrs. Hartley!¡± Chapter 691 Chapter 691 Chapter 691 The Hartley family¡¯s old house was akeside vi, a three¨Cstory building with two basement floors. The yard was huge, with the wholekeside greenery on the right belonging to them. Although the overall area of the Hartley family¡¯s old house was much smaller than the Celestial Chateau vi area where Marcus now lived, it was still a true mansion. Something many people wouldn¡¯t even dream of achieving in a lifetime. To the right of the entrance of the yard, there was a row of parking spaces with various cars for Granny Luisa¡¯s dailymute. There was a cobblestone path about half mile wide leading to the main building, nked by a man¨C made sea of roses. The yard was all lit up and festive. What was more, the servants were all lined up in two rows, holding a banner that read ¡°Wee Home Mrs. Hartley.¡± Under themand of Granny Luisa, they all shout in unison, ¡°Wee home, Mrs. Hartley!¡± The sound was deafening, enough to disturb the neighbors even though it was a detached vi. It was so over the top to look at directly. Cornelia shifted her gaze to Marcus in the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°President Hartley, you didn¡¯t arrange this weing ceremony, did you?¡± Marcus parked the car and tousled her hair with a smile, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the kind of person who cares about formalities? No need to guess, this must be Granny¡¯s idea.¡± He got out of the car first and opened the door for Cornelia, ¡°She really likes you. From the moment she saw you, she kept urging me to marry you. And when I returned home, she urged me to bring you home. She¡¯s been longing for us to recognize each other, for me to bring you home. She knew we recognized each otherst night, and this morning, she rushed back to Riverton with the whole family. I¡¯m surprised she didn¡¯t hire a few bands to celebrate, she¡¯s already very restrained.¡± Cornelia got out of the car and said, ¡°Granny is indeed very good to me. I felt it the first time I met her, and I really like her too. I¡¯m honored to have her as my grandmother.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus asked, ¡°So you agreed to marry me because Granny is a good person?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What else?¡± Before getting their marriage certificate, she had only met Granny Luisa. So of course, it was because Granny Luisa left a good impression on her that she agreed to marry Jeremy. She added, ¡°Are you telling me that you married me because of who I am?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t answer. Indeed, she was right. He married her also because of Granny. ¡°Cornelia.¡± Briana Hartley¡¯s crisp and pleasant voice came before she did. Cornelia looked up to see her rushing toward her with a huge bouquet of roses. Briana stuffed the fiery roses into Cornelia¡¯s arms and hugged Cornelia and the flowers tightly, ¡°Cornelia, wee home!¡± Chapter 692 Chapter 692 Chapter 692 This little girl, full of zest and warmth, was nothing like her brother, who was cold and quiet. It was like they had different genes or something. ¡°Comelia¡­¡± Briana hugged Cornelia, ¡°Finally, I can openly call you Marcus¡® wife, no more hiding.¡± Comelia blushed. ¡°You knew all along, didn¡¯t you?¡± Briana clung to Comelia, as if she couldn¡¯t get close enough, ¡°Nah, I only found out just before Christmas.¡± Comelia nced at Marcus, pouting, ¡°So, I¡¯m the only one who¡¯s been kept in the dark.¡± Briana, ¡°It wasn¡¯t my choice to keep it from you, my bro wouldn¡¯t let me tell. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve spilled the beans.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Marcus adjusted his sses, ¡®My bad!¡± ¡°I remember a line from a TV show, ¡®If sorry was enough, why would we need the police?¡°. With Cornelia by her side, Briana dared to tease her brother. With Marcus ring at her, she pulled Cornelia away, ¡°Let¡¯s go find Granny. She¡¯s put a lot of effort into making you feel wee. Hope you like it.¡± ¡°If Granny prepared it, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll love it.¡± Cornelia patted Briana¡¯s head, ¡°Where¡¯ve you been? Haven¡¯t seen you in a while.¡± Briana said, ¡°I¡¯ve been busy nning aic convention with friends. Lots of famous artists and fans will be there at the Riverton Convention Center. Itsts a week, and it starts this weekend. You should Cornelia was indeed interested. She used to love going toic conventions but hadn¡¯t had the time since she started hanging around with Marcus. ¡°I¡¯m busy tomorrow, but I¡¯m free the day after. I¡¯ll definitelye and support you.¡± Briana, ¡°That¡¯s awesome! Having you there would make me so happy. I¡¯m trying to get in touch with a comic artist called Nelly Belly through friends. If shees, that¡¯d be fab.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Hearing the familiar pen name, Cornelia raised an eyebrow, ¡°You¡¯re a fan of Nelly Belly?¡± Briana, ¡°I¡¯m a die¨Chard fan. I¡¯ve read all herics. They¡¯re amazing. But she¡¯s so mysterious, never shows her face. I¡¯ve asked so many friends, but no one knows her.¡± Cornelia was delighted to find out she had a fan in the little girl, ¡°I have a set of Nelly Belly signed books, want me to give you one?¡± Briana turned around and hugged Cornelia tightly, then gave her a peck on the cheek, ¡°I love you so much¡­¡± ¡°Bri, where¡¯ve you taken Cornelia? Bring her over here.¡± Granny Luisa was waiting for Cornelia, looking out anxiously. Knowing she¡¯d arrive any minute made her even more impatient. ¡°Granny¡­¡± Cornelia stepped forward and gave Granny Luisa a hug, then looked around. ¡°Granny, didn¡¯t my grannye back to Riverton with you?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°On such an important day, how could your granny stay behind? She¡¯s stubborn and wouldn¡¯t let anyone buy this item. for her. She went out half an hour ago with the driver to get it. Should be back in a bit. But don¡¯t worry, Patricia is with her.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I trust your arrangements.¡± Granny Luisa looked at Marcus behind Cornelia, ¡°Marc, why are you so slow? Hurry up and carry your wife inside.¡± Chapter 693 Chapter 693 Cornelia was quick to say, ¡°Gran, I can walk by myself, I don¡¯t need him to help.¡± Granny Luisa gently patted Cornelia¡¯s head. ¡°In Riverton, there¡¯s a tradition. The first time a new bride officially enters the house, her husband has to carry her through the front door. It¡¯s supposed to symbolize a smooth life thereafter.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. These old traditions, Comelia¡¯s hometown of Rosenberg also had them. For example, on the wedding day, when the groom came to pick up the bride, the bride had to stand on a high ce, implying that her status would be higher after marrying into her husband¡¯s family. But now it was a new era, Cornelia naturally didn¡¯t buy into all this. Besides, she believed in mutual respect and support between two people. In marriage, both parties were equal, and there was no oppressing each other. However, since Granny Luisa believed in these things and meant well for her, Cornelia chose to go along with it to keep the olddy from feeling upset. Marcus didn¡¯t believe in these old rules either, but he respected others¡® beliefs. Besides, carrying his bride was a good thing for him. He walked over, got to Comelia in two steps, squatted down halfway, and didn¡¯t feel awkward about it at all. ¡°Wifey, hop on.¡± The word ¡°Wifey¡± slipped gently, softly into Cornelia¡¯s ear, like a stone tossed into her serene heart¨C lake, slowly raising waves. Thest time Marcus drunkenly called her wifey, she didn¡¯t know he was her husband then and kicked him twice in annoyance. Who would¡¯ve thought that the second time he called her wifey, there would be so many people watching, making her feel a bit embarrassed. Seeing Cornelia blushing, Granny Luisa quickly said, ¡°Nelly, don¡¯t be shy! He¡¯s your husband. It¡¯s his job to carry you. Hop on so he can carry you.¡± Cornelia quickly climbed onto Marcus¡® back. He slowly stood up, being a lot taller than her, and she felt like she could touch the ceiling from his back. Marcus carefully instructed, ¡°We¡¯re about to go through the door. Duck your head. Be careful.¡± Cornelia quickly ducked her head, whispering in his ear, ¡°I¡¯m not light, and your body¡¯s not fully fit. Can you carry me? Won¡¯t I hurt you?¡± Marcus chuckled, ¡°You underestimate your husband¡¯s strength.¡± Cornelia, ¡°The elders and Bri are here. Don¡¯t say anything inappropriate.¡± Marcus, ¡°What inappropriate thing?¡± Was he really clueless or was he just ying dumb? Granny Luisa followed them, talking as she walked, ¡°Once Nelly officially walks into the Hartley family¡¯s door today, she is one of us. You must love her well and never allow her to be wronged.¡± Marcus, ¡°Gran, Nelly is my wife, I certainly won¡¯t let her be wronged.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Take Nelly to your grandfather¡¯s picture. I want him to know Marcus married a good daughter¨Cinw.¡± ¡°Sure thing!¡± Marcus obediently led Cornelia to his grandfather¡¯s picture, then let her stand on the ground. Cornelia looked up at the picture of a young grandpa. There was a trace of him in Marcus¡® face. Chapter 694 Chapter 694 Chapter 694 Granny Luisa looked at Grandpa¡¯s photo and said, ¡°Marcus brought Cornelia to see you. You take a good look at Nelly. She¡¯s an amazing girl, not only good¨Clooking but also very kind¨Chearted. Marcus winning her over is like hitting the jackpot.¡± Cornelia blushed as she listened, and Briana chimed in, ¡°Absolutely, I think it¡¯s my brother¡¯s good fortune to marry Cornelia.¡± Granny Luisa turned to Marcus, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?¡± Marcus, ¡°What should I say?¡± Granny Luisa, ¡®Do I have to spoon¨Cfeed you? Of course, you need to brag about your wife to your grandpa.¡± Marcus was a bit exasperated but did as told, ¡°Grandpa, do you see? This rosy¨Ccheeked girl next to me is my wife, Cornelia, from Rosenberg. Today I solemnly promise you, I¡¯ll be good to her.¡± Marcus suddenly getting serious really took Cornelia aback, ¡°Stop praising me already. I¡¯m getting nervous.¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°You¡¯re always blushing; get a thicker skin, especially around Marcus. If he dares bullies you, you must tell me, and I¡¯ll give him a piece of my mind.¡± Cornelia clung to Granny Luisa¡¯s arm and said cutely, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to scold him. It¡¯d hurt me if you do.¡± ¡°Oh my, starting to protect him already. If you spoil him now, he¡¯ll take your affection for granted and might bully you in the future.¡± Granny Luisa said this but she was actually over the moon. What could be more heartening than Comelia protecting her grandson. ¡°I¡¯m not worried about him bullying me, because I feel he¡¯s been good to me too.¡± This marriage may not have started out of love, but Cornelia still wanted to put in the effort. Marcus gave her respect and care, and she wanted to reciprocate the same to him. There was no rule saying only men could pamper women, women could also pamper men. She wanted to safeguard Marcus, wishing for his life to be peaceful without any trouble. Her wishes were as simple as that, nothing more. Cornelia¡¯s words really touched Granny Luisa, who sighed again, ¡°Nelly, Marcus is really lucky to have you.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Meeting him is also my good fortune.¡± Briana, ¡°Granny, Cornelia, if you keep going like this, I¡¯m gonna barf.¡± Some things were better said once. All this back¨Cand¨Cforth was so dull. Since they were all family now, t should be more straightforward, no need for all the politeness. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Granny Luisa said, ¡°You¡¯re such a rascal. You should learn from Cornelia.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Bri is a great person, I really like her.¡± Granny Luisa happily said, ¡°See, you¡¯re even ready to protect your sister¨Cinw now.¡± Chapter 695 Chapter 695 Chapter 695 ¡°Comelia Stewart said, ¡°I¡¯m not just looking after you, but Granny too. You¡¯re all family to me now, so of course, I¡¯m gonna take care of you guys.¡± She was both beautiful and kind, and talked so sweetly Who wouldn¡¯t fall for a girl like that? ¡°Nelly, I¡¯m really happy today.¡± Granny Luisa¡¯s face was filled with a kind and weing smile, she was absolutely pleased with Cornelia And of course, it wasn¡¯t just Granny who was happy today. Marcus was over the moon too. He was not much of a talker, but he was all ears to every word Cornelia said. He saw her standing up for him, standing up for his sister, and even saying that they were all family. Even though she didn¡¯t quickly ept his identity change, she was trying her best to adapt to it. Cornelia¡¯s words and actions were like warm streams slowly filling his heart, making him feel all warm and fuzzy inside. He watched Cornelia, quietly listening to her speak. Until Granny Luisa called his name, ¡°Marc, what are you daydreaming about? Take Nelly upstairs to change. We can talk about the rest when shees back down.¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Sure.¡± Comelia said, ¡°Granny, I didn¡¯t bring any change of clothes.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°No worries, Marc has got you covered.¡± Cornelia turned to look at Marcus. He had everything prepared for her? Why was he always so thoughtful? The more thoughtful he was, the more she felt like she wasn¡¯t being a good enough wife. Marcus reached out to hold her hand, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cornelia felt a bit shy holding his hand. But with everyone around, it would be rude to pull away, so she let him lead her upstairs. The Hartley family mansion, chosen by Marcus¡® great¨Cgrandfather, was where two generations of the Hartleys lived and fought their battles. Once the Hartley Group grew, Grandma and grandpa renovated and expanded the old house. All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. That renovation was decades ago, so the house didn¡¯t have an elevator like modern houses, only stairs to reach the third floor. Marcus led Cornelia, slowly making their way upstairs. Cornelia whispered, ¡°I thoughting home meant just having a meal with Granny and chatting with her. I had no idea there¡¯d be all these rituals. Why didn¡¯t you tell me beforehand? I came in my work clothes, and it looks like I¡¯m disrespecting Granny.¡± ¡°Respect isn¡¯t about what you wear, but what you do. You¡¯re justing home to the Hartley Mansion after work, why would you need to change?¡± Marcus yfully tugged her hair, one of his favorite things to do. Cornelia muttered under her breath, ¡°I can¡¯t win with you.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°So you think I¡¯m wrong? If you disrespected Granny, would she like you this much? Don¡¯t be fooled by her constant smile. She used to be a real go¨Cgetter, very assertive. There weren¡¯t many who weren¡¯t afraid of her.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Are you badmouthing Granny?¡± Marcus, ¡°Yes, I¡¯m just afraid you¡¯ll end up liking Granny more than me.¡± He was always so straightforward. His directness caught Cornelia off¨Cguard. Her face had just returned to normal, but his words brought a blush back to her cheeks. Chapter 696 Chapter 696 Chapter 696 She lowered her head, murmuring, ¡°It¡¯s different.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What¡¯s different?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t answer. Was he genuinely confused, or was he just messing with her? Marcus pressed, ¡°Hmm?¡± Because his voice was so deep and pleasing, even the shortest sentence could make Cornelia blush, ¡°I like you in a different way than I like my grandma.¡± Marcus got it, but he just wanted to tease her, wanted to hear her say it out loud, ¡°So you do like me a bit now?¡± This question was a bit difficult for Cornelia to answer, as she was unsure herself, ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow slightly, ¡°Not sure?¡± Cornelia obediently nodded, ¡°But what I am sure of is that you are Jeremy, my husband. The only person I¡¯ll like is you.¡± It was her sense of responsibility towards their marriage. Both of them wanted to devote themselves to this marriage. Whether she loved him or not was not something she was considering at the moment. Marcus thought the same way, but now he had other thoughts. He hoped that she did like him a bit. Not just because of responsibility. Cornelia continued, ¡°You may not know, but I¡¯ve liked grandma for a long time. Even if we didn¡¯t have this¡¯rtionship, I would still like her.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Since when?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°When I first came to Riverton for college. I was new to Riverton then, and I didn¡¯t know it at all. Your grandma came to school to see me on behalf of my grandma. At that time, I don¡¯t think either of them had thought about matchmaking. Your grandma was already very nice to me; she brought me many daily necessities and lots of snacks.¡± Hearing Cornelia say this, Marcus seemed to think of something, ¡°Maybe the grandmas had already thought of matchmaking then.¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t think so, your grandma never mentioned you to me.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The grandmas didn¡¯t mention this to Cornelia because she was just starting college and she was still young. Thinking back, Marcus felt that Grandma had thought of matching him with Cornelia back then.. He hadn¡¯t thought about it before, nor did he have any impression of it. But after bringing it up, he suddenly remembered a specific. incident. A few years ago, he had just returned from a business trip and heard that his grandma was seriously ill. He was asked to rush back to the Hartley Mansion. When he saw his grandma lying in bed, looking very unwell, and still thinking about delivering something to a friend¡¯s granddaughter, he said, ¡°Grandma, just stay at home and get well. The butler can deliver it.¡± While holding her head and moaning weakly, his grandma said, ¡°This thing is very important. It must be delivered by me or my closest person.¡± At that time, he didn¡¯t think much, only concerned about his grandma¡¯s health. ¡°If you trust me, then I¡¯ll deliver this.¡± Grandma tried to get up, ¡°You have so much work to do, how can I bother you with such a small matter. Let me get up. My illness is not that serious yet. I can still deliver it.¡± How could he let her get out of bed under such circumstances? He asked her to lie back in bed, ¡°Grandma, you rest well, I will personally deliver it. No matter how busy I am, I will make time.¡± The olddy said, ¡°Alright then, you can deliver it for me if it¡¯s not too much. I¡¯ve already sent the girl¡¯s contact information to your phone. You must find her and personally hand over the item to her.¡± Chapter 697 Chapter 697 Chapter 697 Looking back now, grandma¡¯s attempt at faking an illness was so bad, and it was obvious. But at the time, he was so concerned about his grandma that he didn¡¯t notice and fell for her trick. Later, he drove himself to the University of Riverton, parked under the ne tree at the north gate, and called the girl toe and pick. up the stuff She arrived quickly after the call. The light under the ne tree was dim, and he didn¡¯t fully open his car window. Between meeting and handing over the stuff, he didn¡¯t get a good look at the girl¡¯s face. He probably wasn¡¯t in the mood to notice the girl¡¯s face, just wanted toplete thesk given by his grandma as soon as possible and spend more time with her. The inside of the car was even darker, and his window was only slightly open, so he guessed that the girl probably didn¡¯t get a good look at him either. Years passed and he still remembered this because he thought the girl was incredibly rude. She took her stuff and didn¡¯t even say thank you, just turned and left. That girl was likely Cornelia. So, his fate with Cornelia might have started years ago. The time he met Cornelia could have been earlier than Roman had met her, meaning he wasn¡¯t the later. This realization got Marcus pretty pumped! Cornelia, unaware of Marcus¡® inner thoughts, continued talking about his grandma, ¡°Your grandma even told me that she was a big shot in Riverton, and if anyone dared to bully me, I should find her. She¡¯d have my back. ¡°At that time, I had no idea about her status, I thought your grandma was just trying tofort me because I was afraid of being in a strange city. ¡°If I had known that your grandma was the boss of the Hartley Group, and knowing I had the Hartley Group backing me up, I would¡¯ve been more confident.¡± Marcus looked at her and suddenly asked, ¡°What did grandma give you back then?¡± Comelia said, ¡°She gave a lot of stuff, food, daily necessities, clothes¡­ I hardly bought anything during university, it was all from her. She even wanted to give me money, but how could I ept her money?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Did grandma give you everything personally?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Once, it wasn¡¯t her. I remember that time very clearly.¡± That time must¡¯ve been him, did she remember him? All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Marcus stopped in his tracks, looking at Cornelia, wanting to see what she remembered about him, ¡°Oh? Tell me more.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°One night at around 10, I had finished washing up and was about to go to bed. Suddenly, I got a call from a strange number, saying Granny Luisa had something for me. ¡°I didn¡¯t suspect anything and just put on a coat and went to the ce. When I got there, I saw the person parked in a dark spot. The car window wasn¡¯t even fully open, and as soon as I got close to the car, I felt a chill down my spine. ¡°I felt something was off then, and I wanted to leave right away, but then he handed something through the window, so I took it and ran. I ran so fast I almost tripped ¡°Later, I thought I might¡¯ve run into some bad guy, so I called your grandma to ask. She confirmed that she did send someone to give me something, and I was relieved.¡± Marcus was speechless Comelia, ¡°Does your grandma have any scary drivers or bodyguards?¡± Did he look that scary? Did he scare her off without even seeing him? Cornelia, ¡°Viny aren¡¯t you talking all of a sudden?¡± Marcus, ¡°The person who gave you the stuff, that was me!¡± Cornelia seemed to have heard something unbelievable, her eyes widened as she looked at him, then she burst outughing. ¡°So it was you. That¡¯s a reasonable exnation. So it turns out, we didn¡¯t meet for the first time on registration day?¡± She was stillughing! Was it that funny? Chapter 698 Chapter 698 Chapter 698 Marcus asked, ¡°Did I look scary or what?¡± Comelia stifled augh, ¡°President Hartley, you want the truth or a polite lie?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Marcus let her go and headed to the third floor. Comelia quickly followed him, ¡°Actually, you were not scary at all. I didn¡¯t ignore you or anything. I thought there were child snatchers in the car. I was worried that if I got too close, the bad guys would have dragged me in. That¡¯s why I was scared. If I¡¯d seen your face and known there was a hot guy in the car, there¡¯s no way I¡¯d have run off.¡± Marcus stopped, ¡°Shallow!¡± Cornelia pouted, ¡°Aren¡¯t you just as shallow?¡± Comelia continued, ¡°If I were an ugly woman, would you still have married me? Would you still take responsibility for our marriage? I¡¯m just saying what I think, not being all fake like you, who never say what you really think and make people guess.¡± Marcus found that she was better at arguing than him. He couldn¡¯t win. So he changed the subject, ¡°We¡¯re here, let¡¯s go inside and change.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Hmph, can¡¯t win an argument, so you change the subject.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus didn¡¯t reply, and opened the door first. After Cornelia went in, he locked the door, pulled her into his arms, and found her lips. He lost the verbal battle, but he had other ways to win her over. Before, Cornelia never thought this seemingly gentle man would kiss her so passionately. It was as if he were addicted to her. Was this the third or fourth time he¡¯d kissed her today? Fortunately, he didn¡¯t keep it up for too long. As she was about to suffocate, he let her go. Once free, Comelia quickly pulled away, ring at him angrily, ¡°I was just getting better, and you hurt me again. How am I supposed to face Grandma and Bri now?¡± Marcus said, ¡°I brought the medicine Dr. Lester gave you.¡± Cornelia was speechless. So he didn¡¯t just kiss her out of the blue, he was prepared. Seeing her angry, Marcus couldn¡¯t help butugh again. How could Cornelia be so cute, so lovable? Cornelia stomped her foot angrily, ¡°I¡¯m too embarrassed to face anyone now, and you¡¯re stillughing.¡± ¡°We¡¯re married, it¡¯s normal to do some intimate things. No one willugh at you.¡± He patted her in his arms, ¡°Behave, let¡¯s change your clothes first.¡± He took her, still angry, to the dressing room. The dressing room wasn¡¯t separate but connected to the bedroom. Compared to Marcus¡® other residences, this dressing room was much smaller. But for Cornelia, it was very big. Marcus opened a cab, ¡°All the clothes here are yours. They¡¯ve been washed, so you can wear them right away.¡± Cornelia looked up, a whole wall of wardrobes filled with various shirts and dresses, and drawers below full of underwear and socks. He even prepared her underwear in advance. Surprisingly, the underwear was all her size. Cornelia blushed, ¡°How, how did you know my underwear size?¡± Chapter 699 Chapter 699 Chapter 699 Marcus answered coolly, ¡°Just my gut feeling.¡± His gut feeling?! His gut feeling could urately guess a girl¡¯s bra size, which made it hard not to question if he did this often for girls. Thinking that he could have been this considerate with other girls, suddenly made Cornelia feel unhappy. ¡°Did you buy underwear for other girls before?¡± Marcus was taken aback, then heughed, ¡°Are you jealous?¡± He was handsome, but his smile made him even more charming. Comelia looked away, not looking at him, which was the only way she could maintain a normal conversation. ¡°You¡¯re changing the subject.¡± Suddenly, Marcus grabbed her hand and ced it on his chest, ¡°Can you feel it?¡± Comelia, ¡®Feel what?¡± Marcus, ¡°My heartbeat.¡± All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. His warm breath blew in her ear, making Cornelia¡¯s heart beat faster, she let out a soft sound, ¡°Hmm.¡± Marcus continued, ¡°Cornelia, look at me, and listen to me. You are the first, the only, and thest. I won¡¯t prepare these things for anyone else.¡± Preparing these things for her was a husband¡¯s duty, and he didn¡¯t expect her to be jealous about it. Comelia felt satisfied with this answer. ¡°Then leave me for a moment. I need to change.¡± Marcus stood there, his gaze still on her. Cornelia watched him warily, and swallowed nervously, ¡°You said¡­ and there are people around today¡­ you can¡¯t back out.¡± ¡°I keep my word. Take your time, wear whichever you like.¡± Marcus left the dressing room, closing the door behind him. As soon as the door closed, Cornelia¡¯s heartbeat finally returned to normal. She stood in front of a row of clothes, and randomly picked a skirt. Though it had nobel, the fabric felt high¨Cend, probably custom¨Cmade by Marcus¡® designer. She remembered Christmas in Paris. She didn¡¯t know he was Jeremy then, and he also prepared a whole dressing room of clothes for her, saying they were from Jeremy She didn¡¯t want him to spend money on the clothes, and wished he could save some. Marcus must haveughed at her then, thinking a few hundred thousand was nothing to him. After looking around, Cornelia chose a light grey set of home clothes to change into, thinking it would be convenient for helping in the kitchenter. She finished changing, folded her clothes neatly, and put them in a bag, ready to take home and wash. She wondered if Marcus really could read minds, just as she thought of this, she heard him say, ¡°The clothes you took off will be washed, you don¡¯t need to tidy them up yourself.¡± Cornelia, ¡°It¡¯s fine, I can wash them when I get home tonight.¡± Marcus, ¡°Going home tonight?¡± Wasn¡¯t this her home? Where else did she want to go at night? The grandmothers were here, and they had made such a fuss today, they definitely had a motive. They probabaly would stay here for a long time. Cornelia came out in her changed clothes, and Marcus had also changed into a set of home clothes. Coincidentally, his clothes were also light grey, looking like a matching couple¡¯s outfit. Cornelia silently sighed. Good¨Clooking people looked good in anything. Marcus looked at her. Cornelia was a little embarrassed by his gaze, and quickly walked up to open the door, ¡°The grandmas are waiting for us, let¡¯s go downstairs.¡± Comelia opened the door a bit too fast, as soon as she opened the door, a person fell towards her. Briana, ¡°Ah-¡± Chapter 700 Chapter 700 Chapter 700 Comelia just managed to steady Briana, who was losing her bnce, and asked, ¡°Briana, what are you up to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just checking to see if you guys have any specific dietary needs.¡± Briana quickly concocted an excuse. ¡°Granny wanted to know what you¡¯d like for dinner so she can prepare it in advance.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not picky, I can eat anything.¡± replied Comelia. ¡°But you could prepare some light, easily digestible food for your brother. He hasn¡¯t been feeling welltely.¡± Feeling unwell? They¡¯d only just met and he was already sick? Did he have health issues? It seemed Briana had her answer. She needed to inform Granny so she could take good care of Marcus. Otherwise, the Hartley family would be left without an heir. Briana looked at Comelia, suddenly feeling a pang of sympathy. ¡°You really have it tough, having to deal with this at such a young age.¡± Suddenly, Comelia understood what Briana meant. Marcus had health problems! This was something she had unintentionally found out before. Ever since finding out about his identity, she had been in shock and at a loss, so she had forgotten about Marcus¡® health issues. Fortunately, Briana reminded her in time, otherwise, when the day came, it would surely have been a big blow to Marcus. His pride would certainly be hurt! So she had toe up with a n, even if it was at the right moment, she had to try to avoid doing it in a way that would hurt his pride. Anyway, this kind of thing wasn¡¯t that big of a deal for her. She could even go without it for a lifetime. Cornelia decided to give up herself and spend the rest of her life with him. Marcus¡® face darkened, ¡°Briana, what kind of nonsense are you talking about? Tell me now, what were you doing at the door?¡± Briana quickly hid behind Cornelia, ¡°What do you want me to confess? Look at my brother, he¡¯s always bullying me.¡± Cornelia, ¡°President Hartley, stop bullying Briana all the time.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Briana, ¡°What did you call him? You still call him President Hartley? Is it not enough to be bullied by him at work, you want to be oppressed by him at home too? You should call him hubby and take control at home.¡± Cornelia, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Marcus, ¡°Don¡¯t spoil her. She¡¯s eavesdropped on our conversations more than once.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Briana, did you really eavesdrop on our conversation?¡± Briana blinked, her eyes welling with tears instantly, ¡°Cornelia, my brother has been bullying me like this since we were kids. Please don¡¯t believe his words. Believe me, I was just following Granny¡¯s instructions to ask you. I happened to catch you as you were opening the door, and I definitely didn¡¯t eavesdrop.¡± Cornelia smiled and said, ¡°Your brother is my husband, of course I believe him.¡± Briana asked, ¡°So you don¡¯t trust me?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Of course, I trust you too, but if I had to choose between the two of you, I should trust your brother more.¡± Briana was stunned She thought she could do whatever she wanted with Cornelia as her backup, but it didn¡¯t seem to be the case. Chapter 701 Chapter 701 Chapter 701 All content ? N/.?vel/Dr/ama.Org. Briana came to a harsh reality that Cornelia was not just unreliable, but also had her puppet strings. ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t you love me anymore?¡± Briana quickly adjusted her mood, deciding to use her own tactics to recapture Cornelia¡¯s attention. ¡°I know I¡¯ve never been a likable kid, and I can understand if you don¡¯t love me. From now till dinner, you guys should just ignore me while I go find a corner to cry for a couple of hours.¡± This worked on Comelia, but Marcus couldn¡¯t care less. ¡°Alright, go find a ce to cry then, just don¡¯t get in the way of Cornelia and I.¡± Briana didn¡¯t respond, only giving Cornelia a tearful look. And with that look, Cornelia¡¯s heart melted. She immediately hugged Briana, shooting a look at Marcus, ¡°Stop being so mean to her, she¡¯s your sister. Can¡¯t you be nice to her?¡± Marcus knew Cornelia was a softie, ¡°This kid¡¯s a pro actor. Don¡¯t let her fool you.¡± Cornelia was aware of Briana¡¯s acting skills and knew she was just trying to draw attention, ¡°Even if she¡¯s acting, it¡¯s not a big deal. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.¡± ¡°Cornelia, you get me!¡± Briana immediately took Cornelia by the hand. ¡°Cornelia, let me show you the gift I prepared for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cornelia was about to follow Briana, but then thought of Marcus. ¡°President Hartley, you go chat with grandma downstairs for the moment, I¡¯ll be back after checking out what Bri has for me.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything, but he wasn¡¯t thrilled about it. He had to warn Briana not to keep taking his wife away. Cornelia followed Briana to another room on the third floor. The room was pink and girly, obviously a girl¡¯s room. Briana said, ¡°Cornelia, this is my room, if you don¡¯t want to sleep with my brother, you cane sleep with me at night.¡± Cornelia nned to leave after dinner, but she still agreed, ¡°Okay.¡± Briana led Cornelia to a chair, ¡°Cornelia, sit down and close your eyes.¡± Cornelia cooperatively closed her eyes, ¡°What is it, you¡¯re being so secretive?¡± Briana said, ¡°No peeking, you¡¯ll know soon.¡± Cornelia closed her eyes, and her hearing heightened. She heard Briana rummaging through drawers, and after a while, Briana came back and said, ¡°Comelia, feel this.¡± Cornelia reached out and touched something cold and hard, she instantly pulled back, ¡°Bri, you¡¯re not trying to scare me, are you?¡± Briana said, ¡°Cornelia, I like you so much, why would I scare you? Just feel it and see if you can guess what it is.¡± Comelia cautiously reached out again, gathering her courage to touch it. The thing was cold and smooth, kind of like jade, ¡°Bri, is this jade?¡± Chapter 702 Chapter 702 Chapter 702 Briana said, ¡°Take another guess.¡± Comelia took a feel but still couldn¡¯t figure it out, ¡°Can I take a peek?¡± Briana said, ¡°Sure, have a look.¡± Comelia opened her eyes to see something shaped like a globe. ¡°Is this a globe?¡± Briana said, ¡°It¡¯s made to resemble a globe, but what¡¯s on the surface is totally different. Take a closer look at what¡¯s on it.¡± Lifting the small sphere to her eyes, Cornelia scrutinized it for a while, ¡°Is this a jade carving? With two people carved inside?¡± It looked like jade but didn¡¯t feel like it. Briana said, ¡°I can¡¯t be sure what it is, but they say whoever owns this little gem will be forever in love with their partner, till their hair turns gray. I want you and my brother to be together forever, so I¡¯m giving it to you as a wedding gift.¡± Comelia said. ¡°That¡¯s a really nice thought, I¡¯ll take it.¡± She didn¡¯t refuse, graciously epting the gift from her sister¨Cinw. Briana said, ¡°Keep it safe. Let¡¯s go find Granny, or she¡¯ll give me hell for hogging all your time when you should be chatting with her.¡± The gadget wasn¡¯t big, but it was inconvenient to carry, so Cornelia returned it to Marcus¡® room before heading downstairs with Briana. Walking side by side with Briana, Cornelia suddenly thought of something. ¡°Have you been in touch with Natalia recently?¡± Briana said, ¡°Yeah, I was just chatting with her. But for some reason, I get the feeling she¡¯s not herself. She keeps asking me weird questions.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Could it be that it¡¯s not her you¡¯re chatting with?¡± Briana said, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Comelia said, ¡°Maybe her mom is using her phone.¡± Briana said, ¡°I doubt it! Her mom adores her and is really nice to all of us younger ones. When I was little and didn¡¯t have a mom, her mom would often take care of me, which is more than I can say for my own mother¡­¡± Briana stopped mid¨Csentence, realizing she had said too much. But then again, Cornelia was part of the Hartley family and deserved to know. Briana said, ¡°I¡¯m not embarrassed to admit it. Without Granny, my brother and I would be no better than orphans. Our parents have new families and kids of their own, and those kids are their real children. It¡¯s like my brother and I weren¡¯t even their own but picked up from a dumpster by Granny.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Briana expressed her thoughts with an air of indifference, but a closer look at her eyes revealed her underlying worries. She cared deeply about the parents who abandoned her and her brother. She cared about why they were so close to their other children, and she cared about why they ignored her and her brother. At a loss for what to say, Cornelia tried tofort the disheartened Briana, ¡°Bri, your brother is like your father, and if you want, I can take care of you as a mother would.¡± This brought a smile to Briana¡¯s face, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re not even two years older than me, how can you be talking about being my elder? I won¡¯t let you take advantage of me.¡± ¡°None of you are elders. The real elders are downstairs.¡± Granny Luisa called from the bottom of the stairs, ¡°Bri, stop messing around with Cornelia on the stairs. If you so much as harm a hair on her head, I¡¯ll have words with you.¡± Chapter 703 Chapter 703 Chapter 703 Briana was feeling pretty hurt. ¡°Granny, my brother gets hitched and suddenly I¡¯m invisible. You have Cornelia and you don¡¯t need your granddaughter anymore? Don¡¯t forget who was massaging your back this afternoon.¡± ¡°You silly girl, go y. Granny wants to have a chat with Cornelia,¡± Granny Luisa said with a grin, waving Cornelia over. ¡°Nelly,e sit with Granny.¡± Comelia scampered down the stairs to Granny Luisa¡¯s side, eyes darting around. Marcus wasn¡¯t in his third floor room, and the lobby was empty. Where had he gone? Granny Luisa caught her drift, knowing young people¡¯s bashfulness, and chuckled, ¡°Already missing him after a few minutes?¡± Cornelia blushed and pouted, ¡°Granny¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s your man, nothing to be shy about,¡± Granny Luisaughed. ¡°Your granny ising back from shopping, so I sent him to pick her up. You stay here and chat with me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia snuggled into Granny Luisa¡¯s arm. ¡°Granny, what do you want to talk about?¡± Granny Luisa patted Comelia¡¯s hand, then turned to Briana who was gazing at them inquisitively. ¡°You go pick up Granny Reba.¡± ¡°But I want to know what you¡¯re going to talk about with Cornelia,¡± Briana interjected. Granny Luisa gave a nonchnt response, ¡°Yesterday, the Wilson family¡¯s granny had another long chat about you and Leo. She wants to set you two up.¡± ¡°Granny, don¡¯t even think about pairing me with him. He¡¯s a yer, always in the tabloids with some celebrities and influencers. Marrying him would be a disaster. Plus, I¡¯m still young, not ready to tie the knot.¡± Briana was genuinely mad at the mention of matchmaking. ¡°You¡¯re not that young.¡± Granny Luisa replied. ¡°Cornelia was younger than you are now when she got her marriage license with your brother two years ago.¡± ¡°Granny Reba let Cornelia marry my brother because he¡¯s handsome, fit, and loaded. A man you can rely on for life. You can¡¯t just pawn me off to the Wilsons just because you¡¯re chummy with them. Anyway, I won¡¯t agree to this marriage.¡± She stormed off, as if hiding from Granny Luisa would stop her matchmaking. Once Briana was out of sight, Granny Luisa smirked. ¡°That kid thinks she can outsmart me. She¡¯s still wet behind the ears.¡± Cornelia, ¡°¡­¡± As Marcus said, Granny was not as simple as she seemed. She had plenty of tricks up her sleeve, but luckily, she wouldn¡¯t use them on All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Cornelia The same Granny who was all bluster in front of Briana turned all smiles to Cornelia. ¡°Nelly, tell me, what do you think of Marc?¡± ¡°He¡¯s very kind and treats me very well,¡± Cornelia concluded. The Hartleys were masters at controlling their expressions, capable of shifting between a multitude of them in a matter of seconds. Granny Luisa listened quietly, hoping to hear more about how great Marcus was, but Comelia didn¡¯t borate. ¡°Cornelia, is that all you have to say about Marcus?¡± Cornelia, ¡°What kind of review are you hoping to hear?¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°You could tell me specifically how Marcus treats you well?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± There were countless examples, but Cornelia was at a loss for words. ¡°Granny, he¡¯s just really kind and caring towards me.¡± Chapter 704 Chapter 704 Chapter 704 A simple answer like that wasn¡¯t gonna cut it for Granny Luisa, she was burning to know what was going on in Cornelia¡¯s head. ¡°Nelly, I¡¯m not trying to pile pressure on you. I¡¯m just worried. Worried that you two won¡¯t stick together, worried that one day youll up and leave Marc, leaving him all alone.¡± Comelia was taken aback. Marcus was such a calch, so many women would kill to marry him, why were they always worried that nobody would want him? Comelia didn¡¯t have an answer. Right now, it wasn¡¯t about figuring out why, but calming Granny Luisa down. ¡°Granny, don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve decided to spend the rest of our lives together. We¡¯re gonna work hard at this, okay?¡± ¡°Some things just can¡¯t be promised forever,¡± Granny Luisa¡¯s eyes filled with worry in an instant. ¡°Nelly, has Marc ever told you about his parents?¡± Cornelia, ¡°He¡¯s mentioned them.¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°Then let me tell you some stuff Marc doesn¡¯t even know. Wanna hear?¡± Comelia, ¡°Go ahead.¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°His father, my son, was in love with someone but agreed to a marriage of convenience. After the Kamp family helped him secure his position, he divorced and went back to his old me. ¡°To be more precise, he never really cut off ties with that woman. He was sneaking around behind his wife¡¯s back with her, and had a son with her who was just two days younger than Marc.¡± Just two days younger! That meant this man was sleeping with his wife and his mistress at the same time. Comelia was seething inside at the thought of that man. ¡°Granny, Marc is nothing like his father, he would never mess around behind my back.¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°After all the lies he¡¯s told you, you still trust him?¡± Cornelia, ¡°We¡¯ve worked together for a year, and I know what kind of person he is. I believe in him because I know him.¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°I don¡¯t trust him, he¡¯s got that man¡¯s blood in his veins¡­ Cornelia firmly said, ¡°Granny, Ipletely disagree with that. Brennen and Marc, they¡¯re totally different people. Marc shouldn¡¯t have to pay for someone else¡¯s mistakes.¡± Hearing Cornelia say that, seeing her defend Marcus so fiercely, had Granny Luisa over the moon. But she had to y it cool. The person she had personally chosen hadn¡¯t let her down. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Suddenly, Cornelia thought of Marcus¡® ustrophobia. ¡°Granny, did that man do something to Marc?¡± Mentioning Brennen, even Granny Luisa couldn¡¯t keep a straight face, but she was more curious about Comelia¡¯s sudden question. ¡°Nelly, why would you ask that?¡± Cornelia realized she¡¯d been too direct. ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I shouldn¡¯t have asked such a blunt question.¡± After all, Brennen was Granny Luisa¡¯s son, Marc¡¯s biological father, and they were family by blood. As a neer to the family, she didn¡¯t have the right toment too much. Chapter 705 Chapter 705 Chapter 705 ¡°Your question wasn¡¯t rude or anything, it¡¯s just that you hit the nail on the head, and that¡¯s a bit awkward for me¡± Well, since we were already on this topic, Granny Luisa spilled her doubts. ¡°I had suspicions that Brennen might have wanted to harm Marc, but unfortunately, I didn¡¯t have any proof, so the matter was left at that.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Comelia was taken aback by this. ¡°Granny, when did this happen?¡± Granny Luisa sighed deeply, and then said, ¡°This happened many years ago. Back then, Marc was just a three¨Cfour¨Cyear¨Cold kid who was still craving his parents¡® love. One day, Brennen, who didn¡¯t really like him, said he was going to take him to a theme park, and he went in high spirits. ¡°Around nine in the evening, Marc hadn¡¯t returned, so I called Brennen, and he said the driver had already picked Marc up. But the driver responsible for picking up Marc said Brennen told him he could leave, that he would take Marc home himself¡­. ¡°We didn¡¯t know who was telling the truth, but Marc didn¡¯te home that day. We sent many people out looking for him, even called the police, and they helped us look for him too. ¡°That night, hundreds of people searched all night, but we couldn¡¯t find him. The next day, a staff member on patrol found him unconscious in a haunted house in another theme park about ten kilometers away from the amusement park that Brennen had mentioned. ¡°Such a small child, yet someone had taken him to a terrifying haunted house. I can¡¯t imagine how many times he was frightened, or how scared and desperate he must¡¯ve felt¡­ ¡°Anyway, when we got there, Marc¡¯s little body was quietly lying on the ground, looking lifeless. ¡°Many people thought he was dead, but I refused to believe it. I had Dr. Lester and others rush him to the hospital immediately, contacted the best doctors around, and after a day and night of rescue, Marc¡¯s life was saved. ¡°But in the following month, Marc didn¡¯t say a word. In the hospital, he would curl up into a ball under the nkets, and when he got home, he stayed in his room and wouldn¡¯t let anyone close his door. If someone closed his door, he would scream and shout, and he was even afraid to go to the bathroom by himself¡­¡± Comelia clenched her fists as she listened. Such a small child, locked in a haunted house overnight, only a heartless person would do such a thing. Cornelia spected that the root cause of Marcus¡® ustrophobia might have been this incident. If the cause was found, he could be treated specifically and helped to cure this disease. That day¡¯s events were still fresh in Granny Luisa¡¯s mind. ¡°Marc was less than four years old, locked in a haunted house. Can you imagine how scared, how desperate he must¡¯ve been¡­. ¡°What made me most angry was Brennen. The child had an ident, and he only came home to check on him on the third day. He even said, ¡®Isn¡¯t the kid still alive? You¡¯re making a big fuss about it, making it seem like someone in our family has died. ¡°At that time, I understood that he was actually hoping for Marc to die. Once Marc died, there would be no legal heir to the Hartley Group, and his illegitimate child outside could have the opportunity to return to the Hartley family and inherit the family¡¯s wealth. ¡°After this incident, I made it clear to him that unless I die, his illegitimate child would never step foot in the Hartley family¡¯s door. The Hartley family only had Marcus and Briana. He still had some respect for me as an old woman, so he no longer dared to openly target Marc.¡± The more Cornelia heard about this, the more heartbroken she was for Marcus. She knew he had some unpleasant experiences when he was a child, but she didn¡¯t expect so many terrible things to have happened to him¡­ If Brennen had a shred of humanity left, he shouldn¡¯t have done this to his own child. Chapter 706 Chapter 706 Chapter 706 The ten¨Cyear sentence for Marcus was a total joke. If it were up to her, she would have thrown him in the mmer for at least twenty years to ease her resentment. Wiping away a tear, Granny Luisa turned to Cornelia, ¡°Nelly, do you get why I¡¯m saying all this?¡± Comelia nodded, ¡°I do, Grandma. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of Marcus. I won¡¯t let him get hurt again.¡± Granny Luisa chuckled, ¡°I don¡¯t want you to shoulder more, I just want you two to have a kid and live a good life.¡± Hearing that reassured Granny Luisa. Her wish was simple; for them to have a good life, have some kids, and have a harmonious family. ¡°I will, Comelia replied, ¡°I¡¯ll have lots of kids with Marcus. Not just to reassure Granny Luisa, but because she truly loved kids. She nned to have at least two kids, so they would have each other. Their home would be lively and not like her own, where she only had her grandmother after her parents passed away. Granny Reba¡¯s voice echoed from the doorway, ¡°Right, have a few. At least two.¡± Cornelia turned to see not just Granny Reba at the door, but Marcus and Briana too. So not just her grandmother heard her say she wanted lots of kids, Marcus definitely heard too. As Cornelia looked at him, he was also looking at her, their gaze meeting halfway. Briana watched them, seeing their silent exchange. She worried for her brother. The elders were expecting kids, and her brother couldn¡¯t voice his own health issues. Wouldn¡¯t all this pressure fall on Cornelia?This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Poor Cornelia. To protect Marcus¡® pride, she had to swallow her own grievances. Cornelia tried to ignore the flutter in her heart caused by Marcus and stood up to approach Granny Reba, ¡°Grandma, where were you? If you need something, let me buy it for you. Don¡¯t go yourself.¡± Granny Reba ruffled her hair, ¡°You¡¯re a married woman now. You should be mindful of your image. There¡¯re people watching, you can¡¯t just run into my arms like a child.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t care. ¡°So, I¡¯m not your granddaughter anymore because I¡¯m married?¡± ¡°Of course you still are,¡± Granny Reba replied. ¡°Then why can¡¯t I run into your arms?¡± Granny Rebaughed, ¡°You¡¯re getting sweeter with your words.¡± Granny Luisa chimed in, ¡°Reba, we don¡¯t have so many rules in our house. Nelly marrying into the Hartley family makes her my own granddaughter.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°You can love her all you want. But as the elder, I should be the one to teach her manners. Otherwise, people will say the Stewart familycks etiquette.¡± Chapter 707 Chapter 707 Chapter 707 Comelia hugged her granny tight, ¡°Granny, remember you once told me that we can¡¯t control what other people say They¡¯ll talk about whatever they want and we just live our life. Why are you suddenly caring about these meaningless rules today?¡± Granny Reba leaned into Cornelia and whispered, ¡°Nelly, do you really think your granny wants you to y by someone else¡¯s rules? I¡¯m just ying the part. As long as everything looks fine on the surface, nobody can pick a fight with us. Comelia burst intoughter. ¡°Granny, I know you love me.¡± Granny Reba replied, ¡°Well, you¡¯re my only granddaughter. If I don¡¯t love you, who would I love?¡± Granny Luisa grumbled, ¡°Stop whispering behind my back. I¡¯m getting jealous.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Alright, no more secret chats. Let¡¯s talk about some serious stuff with the kids.¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Oh, Granny, you haven¡¯t told me what you bought.¡± Granny Reba yed coy, ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡± Granny Luisa called out again, ¡°Marc, help Granny Reba over here. You and Nelly sit opposite us. We have something to discuss.¡± Marcus helped Granny Reba to her seat and sat opposite the two olddies with Cornelia. Meanwhile, Briana was sitting on the side, munching on snacks, and listening attentively¡­ Then Granny Luisa pulled out a ck gold card and handed it to Cornelia. ¡°Nelly, there¡¯s no spending limit on this card. The password is your birthday. Take it and spend however you want.¡± Briana¡¯s eyes went wide with surprise, her snack suddenly tasteless. She always asked the olddy for a ck gold card, but she never got one. But today, Cornelia did. It seemed like Cornelia was more important than her. In this family, Briana felt like her status was slipping. She felt pitiful. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Such an extravagant gift, how could Cornelia ept it? ¡°Granny, I don¡¯t need it. I can earn my own money. You should keep this for yourself.¡± Granny Luisa replied, ¡°The money you earn is yours. This is my gift to you after your marriage to the Hartley family. It doesn¡¯t conflict with your own earnings. You must ept it.¡± ¡°Granny, a gift card would be enough. I can¡¯t take this.¡± Cornelia was too timid to ept, and she didn¡¯t want to. But Granny Luisa insisted, ¡°It¡¯s a tradition in the Hartley family. Every girl who marries into the family gets one. Nelly, don¡¯t refuse. Take it.¡± Cornelia had no way to argue with Granny Luisa. She looked helplessly at Marcus, but instead of helping her refuse, he epted the card for her, ¡°Granny, I¡¯ll ept this on behalf of Nelly.¡± Cornelia red at him, ¡°Marcus!¡± Marcus chuckled and handed the card to Cornelia, ¡°Granny¡¯s wealth is probably more than you could imagine. Don¡¯t worry about her running out of money because of this card. ept this gift. How you use it is up to you.¡± Granny Luisa added, ¡°I¡¯m old, but not short of money. I just can¡¯t find the right ce to spend it. If you can max this card out, I¡¯d be very pleased.¡± Chapter 708 Chapter 708 Chapter 708 Comelia wasered, having no choice but to ept the card, ¡°Thanks, Granny!¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The Hartley family were indeed generous, having a habit of dishing out bank cards when meeting people. Two years ago, when they registered their marriage, Marcus had shoved a bank card into her hand and left. However, the gift Granny Luisa gave Cornelia was far more than just a ck card. The olddy raised her hand and the butler respectfully brought over a tray covered with red cloth. On it were several property deeds. The olddy handed the deeds to Cornelia one by one, ¡°Nelly, this is a vi in Oceanview Vi, these two are houses in Blueshell Mansion, and these are some shops in prime locations. The specific addresses are all stated in the deeds. Whenever you have time to check them out, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to take you.¡± ¡°Granny¡­¡± Before Cornelia could refuse, Marcus epted thern for her, ¡°Thank you, Granny!¡± Comelia took back the property deeds Marcus had epted, wanting to return them to Granny Luisa, ¡°Granny, but I really don¡¯t need so much.¡± Granny Luisa responded, ¡°Whether you need them or not, if you don¡¯t want to live in them, you can sell or rent them out, all up to you. These properties are already under your name. They¡¯re all yours. I¡¯ve also paid for the property management fees and all other misceneous fees for the next 30 years, so you don¡¯t have to worry about these houses wasting your money.¡± At that moment, she became a millionaire because she epted her husband¡¯s grandmother¡¯s gift! Granny Luisa added, ¡°I also bought some bags and jewelry that girls usually like, I¡¯ll have them delivered to your house. If you like them, wear them, if not, sell them, I will buy you new ones.¡± ¡°Granny¡­¡± Cornelia knew she couldn¡¯t refuse anymore, so she didn¡¯t, ¡°Granny, why don¡¯t I just be your granddaughter. I don¡¯t need a husband after all these gifts.¡± She thought her husband was of no use to her, having this wealthy Granny was enough. Having a top¨C tier wealthy Granny was like having everything. Everyone knew Cornelia was joking, but Marcus got nervous and grabbed Cornelia tightly, ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to think like that.¡± Cornelia felt his nervousness and immediately wrapped her arm around his, trying tofort him through physical touch, ¡°I was just joking with Granny. Don¡¯t take it seriously.¡± Marcus said seriously, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to make such jokes!¡± Cornelia thought to herself, what a domineering and unreasonable man, but she still nodded in agreement to give him a sense of security, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t make such jokes again¡­ In the end, Granny Luisa took off a bracelet she had worn for decades, ¡°Nelly, this bracelet was given to me by my mother, and today I¡¯m officially passing it to you.¡± Cornelia epted the bracelet without hesitation, immediately holding out her right hand. Since her left wrist already wore a watch, only her right wrist was free. Granny Luisa helped her put it on and nodded in satisfaction, ¡°Reba, look, our Nelly has such good skin. Anything looks good on her.¡± Granny Reba chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re going to make her blush if you keep praising her.¡± After Granny Luisa finished giving her gifts, it was Granny Reba¡¯s turn. Granny Reba¡¯s gift was simple, a pair of gold bracelets, but she didn¡¯t feel embarrassed or inferior. She always did things within her abilities, and within her means, she had chosen the best for them. Chapter 709 Chapter 709 Chapter 709 Granny Reba said, ¡°You guys are already hitched, but haven¡¯t had a wedding. It¡¯s always been a bit of a bummer to me. Today, I¡¯m giving you these bracelets, hoping you¡¯ll have a baby soon and love each other forever.¡± Comelia took them with both hands, ¡°Thanks, Granny! We wish you a long life and eternal youth.¡± After the gift¨Cgiving was over, it was time to eal. Before dinner, Cornelia made an excuse to go to the restroom. There, she texted Taylor sneakily, [¡°Taylor, I¡¯ve got a piece of news, can you publish it?¡°] Taylor replied, [¡°Anything but news about President Hartley, I¡¯d post. Send it over, let¡¯s see.¡°] Comelia replied, [¡®It¡¯s actually news about our very own President Hartley.¡°] After a moment of silence, Taylor responded, l¡¯Aren¡¯t you afraid of kicking the bucket after making the big bucks?¡°] Comelia replied, [¡°If we don¡¯t publish it, someone else definitely will tomorrow. Do you dare?¡°] When Marcus and Cornelia first entered the Hartley family¡¯s house, the grand wee ceremony arranged by the olddy attracted many neighbors. Some were taking photos outside the gate. Though the yard was private and the interior couldn¡¯t be seen from outside, just a shot of Marcus bringing his wife home to the Hartley family would be enough. This news could make a fortune once it was out. Comelia figured it was better to seize the opportunity herself. Taylor understood that risk and reward go hand in hand. He paused for a moment, then replied, [¡°If you¡¯re not scared, then what am I worried about? Spill the beans, I¡¯ll publish it right away. We¡¯re gonna make a killing tonight.¡±] Cornelia replied, [¡°The President of the Hartley Group brought his wife back to the Hartley Mansion, lovey¨Cdovey as ever.¡°] Taylor replied, [¡°You even got the headline ready, seems like you don¡¯t need me.¡°] Cornelia replied, [¡°You¡¯re essential, you¡¯re mega useful, so don¡¯t y humble!¡°] Then, she sent a photo of Marcus¡® back and the festively decorated Hartley family home, [¡°How do these two photos look?¡°] Taylor replied, [¡°President Hartley¡¯s back looks great, tall and handsome. I¡¯m just curious about his face. If his face is as good as his back, he¡¯d be a total hunk.¡°] Cornelia replied, [¡°His face is really handsome.¡°] All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Taylor replied, [¡°Now, I¡¯m dying to meet him. Sometime, I¡¯ll visit you and you can sneak me a peek.¡°] Cornelia replied, [¡°No problem, but let¡¯s focus on the photos for now.¡°] Taylor said, [¡°Here¡¯s the thing, there have already been back shots of them posted. Posting again might not grab attention. If we want to profit, we need something fresh, like a photo of them holding hands or something¡­¡°] Cornelia said, [¡°Hold on a sec.¡±] Coming out of the restroom, she thought Marcus would¡¯ve gone to the dining room with the others. But he was waiting outside the restroom, looking like he was waiting for her. Cornelia smiled at him, ¡°President Hartley, may I borrow your hand?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Huh?¡± Cornelia took his hand, interlocking their fingers tightly, and swiftly snapped a few photos with her other hand. She then let go of his hand and turned to go back to the restroom. But Marcus was quicker. He pulled her back, ¡°What¡¯s got you so busy in the restroom?¡± Cornelia said, Just using the restroom.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Huh?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Got a little something to handle, you go ahead to the dining room, I¡¯ll be there in a jiffy.¡± Chapter 710 Chapter 710 Chapter 710 Marcus didn¡¯t say anything more, and just stared at her. Cornelia¡¯s heart started to race under his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m busy making money.¡± She held up her phone, showing him her chat history fearlessly. ¡°Taylor¡¯s waiting for my reply, can you let go of me now?¡± Marcus, sharp¨Ceyed, spotted apliment about his looks from her chat. He chuckled, ¡°You know, you can do this stuff in broad daylight, no need to hide in the bathroom like you¡¯re doing something naughty.¡± Comelia, ¡°I was worried you¡¯d get mad.¡± Marcus, ¡°You¡¯re afraid of me getting mad?¡± Comelia ignored him, turning her attention back to her phone. She sent a new photo to Taylor, saying, [¡°Go ahead and post it. As long as it grabs attention, I¡¯ll take the heat. I won¡¯t let you get involved.¡°] With Cornelia¡¯s assurance, Taylor had nothing to worry about. [¡®As long as you can keep your word, the headline I¡¯ll write will definitely grab attention. I¡¯ll get on it, we¡¯ll see the result in an hour.¡°] Cornelia, [¡°Cool!¡°] After sending her message, Cornelia looked up to find Marcus¡® gaze on her. He reached out and ruffled her hair. ¡°Greedy girl.¡± Cornelia, ¡°I¡¯m making money legally. How is that being greedy?¡± He had no counter for that, ¡°The grannies are waiting for us to eat.¡± Comelia, ¡°Then let¡¯s hurry, we can¡¯t keep them waiting too long.¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. The dinner that night was a feast. Two of the dishes were specially prepared by Patricia, who had rushed over from Celestial Chateau. Patricia was in high spirits today, practically floating as she walked. She could finally get to know the new madame openly and shower her with affection. The elders asked Patricia to sit and have dinner with everyone, leaving the serving to the younger servants. Patricia declined, as she wanted to serve the madame personally. ¡°Nelly, this soup is for you. Have some to warm your stomach.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Thanks, Patricia! Stop fussing over me and have your meal.¡± Patricia looked at Cornelia, her eyes filled with adoration. ¡°I just want to serve you well.¡± Granny Luisa understood Patricia¡¯s feelings perfectly. They both adored Cornelia, who was so beautiful that they wished they could keep their eyes on her all the time. Granny Luisa filled Cornelia¡¯s te with food. ¡°Nelly, I know you like this one. I had Rosenberg¡¯s chef make this specially for you. Does it taste as good as the one your grandma makes?¡± Cornelia quickly took a bite of the meat and chewed slowly. After swallowing, she nodded. ¡°Granny, it tastes great.¡± Marcus, who was relegated to the seat across from Cornelia, could only watch as everyone fussed over her. This family wasn¡¯t right for him. Everyone was busy caring for Cornelia, leaving Marcus unnoticed. This was his first time being so tantly ignored in this house. All because his wife was too likable. Near the end of the meal, Granny Luisa finally remembered Marcus. She had a servant bring him a bowl of soup. ¡°Marc, this soup was specially made for you. You should drink it while it¡¯s hot.¡± The soup had a medicinal smell that Marcus didn¡¯t like, but considering it was his granny¡¯s thoughtfulness, he drank it anyway. Not long after consuming the soup, Marcus began to feel a bit feverish. Chapter 711 Chapter 711 Chapter 711 After dinner, Granny Luisa and Granny Reba exchanged knowing smiles and encouraged Marc and Nelly to call it a night. They secretly wished the couple would give them a grandchild soon. Granny Luisa said, ¡°We¡¯re all stuffed and it¡¯s gettingte. Marc, why don¡¯t you and Nelly go get some shut¨Ceye? Tomorrow¡¯s Saturday, you guys don¡¯t have to work. You can catch some z¡¯s.¡± Cornelia noticed it waste, ¡°Granny, I should head back to my rental.¡± Granny Luisa frowned, ¡°Go where? You¡¯re one of us now, a Hartley. We got plenty of space for you, no need to go back to that rental. People might get the wrong idea, and think we don¡¯t treat you right. Nelly, you might not fully get it yet, but this is your home too. In Riverton, newlyweds bunk at the family home for a couple of weeks. It¡¯s tradition.¡± Cornelia mumbled, ¡°We¡¯ve been married for two years, not exactly newlyweds.¡± Granny Luisa just wanted to keep Cornelia close, ¡°The date on the marriage certificate doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that you¡¯re here tonight as a Hartley for the first time.¡± Granny Reba chimed in, ¡°You guys can¡¯t stand living with us old folks, huh?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Marc, help your wife to the room and get some rest.¡± Both grannies¡® intentions were clear as day. Marc, of course, saw right through it. He defended Cornelia, saying, ¡°Grannies, no rush, We¡¯ll handle the baby thing ourselves. No need to pressure Nelly.¡± Cornelia shot Marc a grateful look. He always knew how to make her feel secure when it mattered most. Granny Luisa felt a bit guilty, ¡°We¡­ we weren¡¯t pressuring Nelly.¡± Granny Reba noticed Cornelia¡¯s upset expression and felt bad, ¡°Nelly¡­¡± ¡°Grannies, get some rest. I¡¯ll take Nelly for a walk in the yard.¡± Marc said, then led Cornelia out. Granny Luisa watched them leave, ¡°Reba, did Ie on too strong and scare Nelly?¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°You¡¯re usually so sweet to her; you¡¯ve never raised your voice. She might feel a bit hurt.¡± Granny Luisa paced around the room anxiously, ¡°No, no, I can¡¯t let Nelly feel hurt. I need to find a way to apologize, need her to forgive me. I can¡¯t let her hate me.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Granny Reba chuckled, ¡°Our Nelly isn¡¯t one to hold grudges. She might forget by the time she gets back from her walk.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Nelly not holding grudges is her being kind. I should still apologize. It¡¯s hot out, I¡¯ll whip up some chilled juice for her when she gets back.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Thank you for treating Nelly so well, for cherishing her like your own granddaughter!¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°She married Marc, of course she¡¯s my granddaughter. If I don¡¯t treat her well, who would I be good to?¡± Granny Reba was more and more pleased with Marc, ¡°I was a bit reserved towards Marc since they had a divorce scare. I worried he wasn¡¯t trulymitted to Nelly, that he was just ying around. But seeing them tonight, all my worries are gone. I can tell Marc takes good care of Nelly. He truly wants to live with her.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Nelly is his wife. Of course, he needs to take good care of her. If he doesn¡¯t, I¡¯ll be the first one to make him pay.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°With you and Marc and Bri by Nelly¡¯s side, if one day I¡¯m not around, Nelly won¡¯t feel alone.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°We¡¯re still waiting for Marc and Nelly¡¯s baby. Don¡¯t talk like that, it¡¯s depressing.¡± Granny Reba gave a bitter smile, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stop.¡± Chapter 712 Chapter 712 Chapter 712 Cornelia and Marcus were strolling in the yard. The weather today was blistering hot, and even as night fell, stepping out of an air¨Cconditioned room felt like walking into a heatwave. Marcus, who usually didn¡¯t sweat much, was dripping sweat after only a few steps. In no time at all, his shirt was soaked through. ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. He called out Cornelia¡¯s name, his body weak, his feet stumbling, almost falling to the ground. Luckily, Cornelia reacted quickly, supporting hisrge frame with her petite body. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Marcus said, ¡°I think I¡¯m having a heatstroke. Help me sit down.¡± Cornelia quickly helped him sit on a stone bench nearby. It was then she noticed that Marcus looked off. His face and neck were flushed. ¡°Does heatstroke make you feel weak and unable to walk? And sweat this much? I¡¯m going to call Dr. Lester. You tell him what¡¯s wrong, no hiding anything. If you¡¯re sick, Grandma and Bri will definitely be worried.¡± ¡°No need to call Dr. Lester, I know my body well.¡± Marcus grabbed Cornelia¡¯s hand, taking her phone. ¡°If I¡¯m sick, would you worry?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Was he blind to the worry etched on her face? Marcus said, ¡°Then I¡¯ll try not to get sick, so you won¡¯t have to worry.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Give me back my phone. I need to make a call.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Dr. Lester wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°You¡¯re not a doctor. How would you know?¡± Marcus exined, ¡°I¡¯m not sick, just over¨Cnourished. I¡¯m still recovering, and grandma, not knowing my situation, gave me some tonic. As soon as I had the tonic, I felt dizzy.¡± Cornelia was skeptical. ¡°Really? You better not be lying to me!¡± Marcus said, ¡°Now help me get back. Once in the air¨Cconditioned room, I¡¯ll take a cold shower and I¡¯ll be fine.¡± It seemed Grandma was really keen on them having a baby, giving him such a potent tonic as if she didn¡¯t care if it harmed him. Cornelia asked, ¡°Can you walk? If you can¡¯t, I can carry you.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡± He was worried his weight would hurt her small frame. Chapter 712 Meanwhile, Taylor was sensationalizing Cornelia¡¯s news. Once he posted online, it unsurprisingly trended yet again. [Marcus and his lovely wife spotted at the Hartley Mansion. The couple hand in hand, looking very much in love.] Ben, who saw this news while lounging on a couch with a wine ss in hand, was not pleased. ¡°Pah, Marcus was fooling around with his secretary in the office in the afternoon, and now he¡¯s out and about with his wife. Media praising him for loving his wife when he¡¯s clearly a two¨Ctimer¡­¡± In his displeasure, Ben didn¡¯t continue savoring his red wine. Instead, he picked up his phone and sent a message to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, are you free? Can we have a chat?¡± Chapter 713 Chapter 713 Chapter 713 After a while, Ben received a response from Cornelia, ¡°Ben, is there something urgent? If it¡¯s not that important, can we chat tomorrow? I¡¯m with my husband right now, we have some stuff to deal with.¡± Seeing Cornelia¡¯s reply, Ben was utterly gobsmacked. This woman was messing around with the boss at work, and then with her husband after work. She was absolutely shameless! Weren¡¯t they scared of being caught? Or perhaps they just didn¡¯t give a damn about being discovered! They just wanted to unt their illicit rtionship, letting everyone know about it, then openly be together, recing their original partners and achieving their goals. Ben started to let his imagination run wild. Just as Cornelia replied to Ben¡¯s message, she received another one from Taylor. ¡°Cornelia, our news is topping the trending lists again. Looks like it¡¯s going to cause a huge stir. Mr. Hartley sure is a big shot, even though he never shows his face in public, the smallest thing about him can cause a major reaction.¡± Even though she couldn¡¯t hear Taylor¡¯s voice, from her words, Cornelia could feel her excitement ¨C she was about to rake in a hefty sum. However, Cornelia wasn¡¯t in the mood to chat at the moment, she replied coldly, ¡°Mm, I¡¯ve got some stuff to sort out, I won¡¯t chat now.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Taylor, ¡°What¡¯s up? Did Mr. Hartley find out that you leaked the photo and is giving you trouble?¡± Cornelia, ¡°He won¡¯t bother me with this. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Taylor, ¡°You seem down, did something happen? If you trust me, you can talk to me about it, and see if I can help you out.¡± Cornelia, ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve got to get going.¡± Marcus¡® matter was indeed going to cause a huge stir! Once inside the air¨Cconditioned room, the indoor temperature wasfortable, but Marcus¡® symptoms didn¡¯t improve, his skin exposed outside his clothes was bright red, just like a cooked shrimp. She suggested calling Dr. Lester over, but he disagreed. He was now taking a bath, and she was waiting for him outside the bathroom, but he didn¡¯te out for a long time. Chapter 713 Worried that something might happen to him, Cornelia went over and knocked on the door, ¡°Mr. Hartley¡­¡­¡± Marcus¡® deep voice mixed with the sound of running water reached Cornelia¡¯s ears, ¡°I¡¯m okay, you go back to your room, no need to wait for me here.¡± Cornelia was still worried, ¡°Are you, are you really okay?¡± Marcus, ¡°As long as you shut up, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± What did his physical condition have to do with her not speaking? Was he just picking a fight! After thinking for a while, Cornelia still contacted Dr. Lester,.she had to get Dr. Lester to check on Marcus¡® condition, otherwise she wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep at ease tonight. After contacting Dr. Lester, Cornelia put away her phone, and faintly heard some noises. outside. Could it have been Briana eavesdropping outside? Carefully, Cornelia tiptoed to the door, quietly pushing it open; she didn¡¯t expect to see two elderly people outside. Chapter 714 Chapter 714 Chapter 714 Two olddies were standing on either side of the door, craning their necks and pressing their ears against the door. If it wasn¡¯t for Cornelia¡¯s gentle door opening, they¡¯d have surely lost bnce and taken a tumble. At their age, a bad fall could be fatal. The mere thought of it sent chills down Cornelia¡¯s spine. But the grannies acted like nothing happened, ¡°Nelly, you and Marc haven¡¯t gone to bed yet? We made some juice, wannae downstairs and have a drink? Or should we send some up?¡± They were eager to see their grandchild, Cornelia could understand. They could make a fuss all they wanted, but she couldn¡¯t allow them to do anything risky. She couldn¡¯t bear the pain of losing a loved one again. She sternly said, ¡°Grannies, what on earth are you doing? At your age, can¡¯t you be more careful? If you fall and get hurt, what am I supposed to do?¡± Granny Luisa shrunk back a bit, ¡°Nelly, I¡­¡± Granny Reba also lowered her head, ¡°Nelly¡­¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Don¡¯t speak, just listen. Have you ever thought about what would¡¯ve happened if I¡¯d swung the door open and you guys stumbled?¡± The grannies hung their heads like two kids caught in the act, ¡°Nelly, we¡¯re sorry, don¡¯t be mad, don¡¯t me us.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You know you¡¯re in the wrong, but you won¡¯t change?¡± The grannies snuck a peek at her, and seeing her still stern, they said, ¡°We won¡¯t upset you anymore. We¡¯ll change. No more dangerous stuff again.¡± Seeing their repentant attitude, Cornelia¡¯s heart softened immediately, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll let it slide. this time, but there can¡¯t be a next time.¡± The olddies obediently nodded, ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Okay, let me escort you downstairs to rest.¡± Both grannies lived on the first floor because they had mobility issues. Cornelia held one in each arm, carefully guiding them downstairs. Granny Luisa clung to Cornelia¡¯s arm, pleading, ¡°Nelly, don¡¯t be mad at us, don¡¯t ignore us, and don¡¯t hate us¡­¡± Cornelia gently rested her head on Granny Luisa¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m not mad at you guys, I won¡¯t be ignoring you, and I definitely don¡¯t hate you for this. The reason I got angry was because I was worried about you getting hurt. I lost my cool and spoke too loudly, now I apologize, can you forgive me?¡± 1/2 12-18 Chapter/14 Both grannies said in unison, ¡°We forgive you.¡± Cornelia smiled, ¡°Thank you, grannies.¡± Granny Luisa asked again, ¡°Did you get mad at me for speaking too loudly earlier?¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m not overly sensitive. Please watch your step, and we can chat after we get to the first floor, okay?¡± Cornelia was careful with each step, fearing she would slip, but the grannies seemed unfazed and walked steadily. Once they safely reached the first floor, Cornelia finally breathed a sigh of relief. Granny Luisa said, ¡°We made some juice, will you have a drink with us first?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Cornelia suddenly hugged Granny Reba, ¡°Granny, it¡¯s been a long time since we slept together, can I sleep with you tonight?¡± If she stayed overnight at the Hartley¡¯s, she would definitely share a room with Marcus, that was the unspoken rule, so there was no guest room for her. She was not scared to share a room with Marcus, as they had already spent a night together in a hotel the previous night. Marcus wasn¡¯t feeling wellst night, so they didn¡¯t do anything, and just peacefully passed the night. Chapter 715 Chapter 715 Chapter 715 But tonight was different. Both of them were in good health. A young man and woman, full of vigor and vitality, sharing a bed, it would easily turn into some unnned intimacy. They were a married couple, so even if they got intimate, it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal. The problem was that she was still a bit nervous about taking this rtionship a step further. More importantly, Marcus couldn¡¯t exactly¡­ engage in such activities right now¡­ She didn¡¯t want him to feel awkward! She especially didn¡¯t want his male pride to take a hit because of this. So she had to prevent things from getting out of hand. Sleeping with Granny tonight was her best bet. That statement surprised both grandmothers. The two olddies exchanged nces, finally deciding to let Granny Reba speak first, ¡°Nelly, you can sleep with Granny another day, not tonight.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Granny, why not tonight?¡± Granny Luisa chimed in, ¡°Tonight, you¡¯re entering the Hartley family¡¯s home for the first time as the wife of the Hartley family. Of course, you should be staying with Marc. Otherwise, it sends the wrong message. We can¡¯t break tradition.¡± At dinner, Granny Luisa had just said that there weren¡¯t so many rules in the Hartley family, and Nelly could do whatever she pleased. But now, suddenly, the rules were back. Granny Reba chimed in, obviously afraid Cornelia wouldn¡¯t realize they were ganging up on her, ¡°Yes, Granny Luisa is right. We need to start off on the right foot. Absolutely can¡¯t break tradition.¡± The two olddies would say anything to see their great¨Cgrandchildren. Cornelia didn¡¯t want them to know that she and Marcus hadn¡¯t been intimate yet, and she didn¡¯t want to disappoint them either, so she chose to ept their decision, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll listen to you, Granny. Let¡¯s go have some juice now.¡± The two olddies let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Good.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Over their sweet drinks, the two olddies exchanged another look. This time, Granny Reba was the one to speak up, ¡°Nelly, if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand or anything you¡¯re scared of. You can talk to us, we have more life experience than you, and we Cornelia fell silent. What Granny said was very tactful, but she actually understood it. It must have been Abigail¡¯s influence. She always whispered inappropriate things in Cornelia¡¯s ear, making her thoughts impure. She could even understand these kinds of things. Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything, and the two grandmothers assumed she was shy. 1/2 12-19 Chapter 715 Granny Luisa said, ¡°Nelly, we¡¯re just asking casually, if you¡¯re shy and don¡¯t want to talk about it, that¡¯s fine. Just pretend we didn¡¯t ask anything.¡± Granny Reba echoed, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re just asking, no other intentions.¡± Cornelia drank a few sips of her coffee and looked up at the two olddies. ¡°Ladies, the younger generation is quite different from your time, and we might understand things more deeply than you imagine. Even if we haven¡¯t experienced them, we definitely have an idea.¡± Cornelia¡¯s blunt words somewhat stunned the two olddies, they both asked almost simultaneously, ¡°Where did you learn about this?¡± Cornelia gave them a slight smile, ¡°I studied biological sciences in school, and also some knowledge about the human body structure. I understand the different characteristics of male and female bodies, and know that men and women can¡¯t just have a baby through kissing, they need to¡­¡± Seeing Cornelia¡¯s topic getting more and more sensitive, Granny Reba immediately stopped her, ¡°Nelly, you¡¯re a girl, you should be a bit more careful with your words.¡° Chapter 716 Chapter 716 Chapter 716 Cornelia said, ¡°Granny,e on, what era is this? Is there anything that guys can say, but girls can¡¯t?¡± Granny Reba didn¡¯t respond. Granny Luisa quickly chimed in, ¡°Reba, as long as Nelly gets it, it¡¯s fine. If they lose their way and don¡¯t understand, we won¡¯t be able to see their kids.¡± And the conversation went back to kids. Cornelia really didn¡¯t want to carry on this topic anymore, so she gulped down her juice, ¡°Granny, this juice is the bomb, I¡¯m going to take some to Marc.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Marc is a picky eater, he won¡¯t drink this.¡± Marcus was a bit overheated, having something cold would help cool him down, Cornelia decided to give it a shot, ¡°Granny, let me bring it up for him to try. I¡¯ll do my best to persuade him to drink it.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± The two grannies watched Cornelia take a ss of juice, then watched her walk out of the dining room. As soon as she was out of sight, the two grannies huddled together. Granny Luisa asked, ¡°Was Nelly hinting that they¡¯ve already, you know, consummated their marriage?¡± Granny Reba replied, ¡°Sounds like it.¡± Granny Luisa was over the moon, ¡°Young folks these days are so open¨Cminded, not as uptight as we were back in the day, not knowing jack on the wedding night.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Yeah, I really had a tough time on my wedding night. My husband was such a dork, he didn¡¯t have a clue for ages.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°So we should be seeing their child soon, right?¡± Granny Reba asked, ¡°You¡¯ve put so many things in their room, isn¡¯t it too much? Could it harm their health?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, I know my limits. Those things are just to help them, won¡¯t cause any side effects.¡± Granny Reba was a bit worried, ¡°Nelly is a girl after all. I¡¯m afraid she¡¯ll suffer.¡± This made Granny Luisa a bit upset, ¡°Reba, what are you implying? Are you saying that because my family has a boy, I don¡¯t care about Nelly¡¯s feelings?¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that, I¡¯m just worried about her.¡± Granny Luisa also understood Granny Reba¡¯s worries, ¡°Rest assured, I truly love Nelly like 1/2 12:19 Chapter 716 my own granddaughter, I want to give her the best of everything. How could I not consider her feelings when doing things?¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°I may be overly sensitive. Don¡¯t be mad at me.¡® Granny Luisa tightly held Granny Reba¡¯s hand, ¡°Reba, I understand your worries, how could I be mad at you?¡± Granny Reba lost her husband when she was young, and her son in her middle age. Many people said she had bad luck which affected her husband and son. She would say she didn¡¯t care, but who could really not care when hearing such things? Of course she cared. Cornelia was the child she raised on her own, and the only family she had. She was afraid something would happen to her, which was only natural. Granny Reba blinked away the tears in the corner of her eyes, ¡°Thank you!¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Reba, you¡¯ve been so distractedtely. If you have something on your mind, tell me. Don¡¯t keep it all bottled up.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± In the past, whenever Granny Reba said she was fine, Granny Luisa would be reassured. But today, she wanted to dig deeper, ¡°Reba, are you worried about your health?¡±This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 717 Chapter717 Chapter 717 ¡°I¡¯m just anxious about Nelly. I worry she won¡¯t be able to handle it if I¡¯m not around.¡± Everyone wanted to stick around for a bit longer, and Granny Reba was no exception. But she was more concerned about her only granddaughter, Cornelia, than her own mortality. ¡°The doctors have told you that you¡¯re getting better by the day. Don¡¯t overthink it. A positive attitude can do wonders for your recovery. And as for Nelly¡­¡± Granny Luisa gripped Granny Reba¡¯s hand tightly, giving it a fewforting pats. ¡°Hypothetically speaking, if something were to happen, we¡¯re all here for Nelly. We¡¯d never abandon her. She¡¯s never alone. She has you, us, and Marc.¡± Voicing her worries lightened Granny Reba¡¯s heart. ¡°I¡¯ll have to count on you to look after Nelly. She¡¯s had a tough life, lost her parents when she was just a kid. I really hope her marriage can bring her happiness.¡± Granny Luisa replied, ¡°I¡¯m on it, don¡¯t you worry.¡± ¡°Hey, grannies, weren¡¯t we supposed to be helping my brother and Cornelia make a baby tonight? What¡¯s all this chit¨Cchat about?¡± Briana walked into the dining room, spouting a stream of words. Granny Luisa replied, ¡°We¡¯re all set here. What about you?¡± Briana said, ¡°You can trust me to handle things.¡± Granny Luisa countered, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because you¡¯re handling things that I¡¯m worried.¡± Briana threatened, ¡°If you keep bashing me, Granny, I¡¯m quitting the baby¨Cmaking squad.¡± Granny Luisa calmed her, ¡°Alright, alright. I trust you. Now, tell us what you¡¯ve been up to.¡± Briana said, ¡°I¡¯ve got two recorders ready. One for their bathroom, one for under their mattress. We¡¯ll know whether they¡¯ve been getting busy by tomorrow when I retrieve the recorders.¡± Granny Reba voiced concern, ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit inappropriate?¡± Granny Luisa reassured her, ¡°No biggie. We¡¯re just checking if they¡¯ve had sex. Once we confirm, we¡¯ll stop listening and delete everything.¡± Briana giggled, ¡°I might keep it to use as ckmail against my brother.¡°. Granny Luisa warned her, ¡°If your brother finds out you¡¯ve been recording his private moments with his wife, not even I can save you. And you dare to use it to ckmail him?¡± Briana quickly backtracked, ¡°I was just kidding, I wouldn¡¯t dare.¡± Property ? N?velDrama.Org. The thought of what Marcus would do if he found out sent a chill down Briana¡¯s spine. Granny Luisa said, ¡°Just keep an eye on your brother and Cornelia. Once Cornelia is pregnant, you can have whatever you want.¡± 1/2 12:19 Chapter 717 Briana replied, ¡°Granny, it¡¯s my brother¡¯s job to get Cornelia pregnant, not ours. If she¡¯s not showing any signs, there must be something wrong with them. I think we should suggest they get checked out.¡± Briana wasn¡¯t sure if Granny Luisa would get the hint. If Granny did, and got Marcus to seek treatment, there was still hope for a niece. If she didn¡¯t, no matter what they did, they couldn¡¯t fix the root of the problem. She wondered if she would ever get to meet her niece in this lifetime. Granny Luisa replied, ¡°You¡¯re such a troublemaker, Briana. They¡¯ve just started dating. Cornelia can¡¯t possibly be pregnant so soon. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything else, just help me keep an eye on them. Once Cornelia is pregnant, I¡¯ll give you anything you want.¡± Briana said, ¡°I want a ck card like Cornelia¡¯s.¡± Granny Luisa promised, ¡°Once I hold my great¨Cgrandchild, not only will I give you a ck diamond card, but I¡¯ll also gift you a building in Riverton CBD.¡± Briana said, ¡°Deal!¡± The thought of having a ck card with no spending limit and owning a building in Riverton CBD had Briana grinning like a Cheshire cat. Outside, Cornelia overheard their conversation and left. She hurried upstairs and opened her room door. Chapter 718 Chapter 718 Chapter 718 Marcus finally emerged from the bathroom, all d up in a white PJs, perched up on a single seater, legs elegantly crossed, book in hand, looking all sorts of a posh prince from a fairy tale. Even though she was used to his handsomeness, Cornelia was still often shocked by his good looks. Dang, Cornelia tried to control her inner nerves, bringing the juice to him, ¡°How about you take a swig of this juice to cool down?¡± Granny said he didn¡¯t like it, so Cornelia had prepared a whole speech to persuade him, but before she even started, he took the juice and started drinking, without a hint of discontent or reluctance. Cornelia moved closer to him, just watching him in silence. Marcus, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Granny said you never drink juice, but you didn¡¯t seem to mind it.¡± Marcus, ¡°Because you brought it to me, I don¡¯t want to go against your wishes.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Oh¡­¡± Could you not be so straightforward? She was all confused about what to do again. He then said, ¡°I sent Dr. Lester home.¡± Cornelia, ¡°I called him here, and you sent him back. Are we ying games with him?¡± Marcus, ¡°It¡¯s his duty to follow me wherever I go.¡± Cornelia, ¡°So, like Dr. Dawson? He needs to follow you wherever you go?¡± Speaking of Dr. Dawson, Cornelia recalled that she hadn¡¯t seen her in a while. Marcus, ¡°Yeah.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Oh right, I know why you¡¯re feeling feverish. Your mom put tonic in your soup, and they also did some stuff in your room¡­ Bri also put a bug in your room, I need to find it. Otherwise, she¡¯ll hear everything we say.¡± Marcus pointed at the side table, ¡°It¡¯s all here.¡± Only then did Cornelia notice the side table filled with items, a few sachets of fragrant herbs, and two small recorders, ¡°I only knew because I overheard their conversation, how did you know there were bugs in the room?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Watching her adorably curious face, Marcus couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, ¡°Intuition.¡± Over the years, he¡¯d been through a lot of dangerous situations which honed his senses. He could often sense when something was off at home. Chapter 718 Not to mention, Briana was the one who nted the bugs. The recorder in the bathroom was hidden behind the shower gel, even a blind person could have found it. His brilliance and the way nothing escaped his eagle eyes had Cornelia suddenly feel a bit down, ¡°When will I ever have your intuition?¡± Marcus, ¡°Having such intuition isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing.¡± Cornelia, ¡°President Hartley, I feel like¡­¡± She didn¡¯t finish her sentence, just gazing at him with her sparkling eyes. Marcus, ¡°Feel like what?¡± Cornelia parted her lips gently, saying softly, ¡°I feel like you¡¯re bing more and more handsome.¡± Chapter 719 Chapter 719 Chapter 719 Before knowing he was her husband, Cornelia had never observed Marcus this closely, let alone directly stared at him. Now seeing him so up close, she couldn¡¯t even make out the pores on his face. His thick, long eyshes under his silver sses particrly caught her attention, making her feel that he was even better looking than she had ever seen him before. Marcus set down his juice, stretched out his long arm, and gently held her head. He pushed her towards him and lightly kissed her. His kiss was soft. Cornelia turned her head away, ¡°I don¡¯t want to kiss anymore¡­ my lip injury hasn¡¯t healed. If it swells again, Abby will make fun of me tomorrow.¡± Marcus cupped her face, gently rubbing her lips with his fingertip, whispering, ¡°Mm. Then don¡¯t provoke me.¡± Cornelia blushed at his words, ¡°When did I provoke you?¡± Marcus said, ¡°You justplimented me on my looks.¡± Cornelia pouted and muttered, ¡°It¡¯s not right to call others ugly, but is it also wrong topliment you for being handsome? So everyone who says you¡¯re handsome is provoking you?¡± Marcus said, ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What¡¯s different? What¡¯s not the same? Isn¡¯t it all justplimenting you?¡± Marcus said, ¡°The context is different. You¡¯re the only one in the bedroom, being this close to me, and talking to me like that.¡± He had a point; it did sound a bit flirtatious in this context. Cornelia said, ¡°Then I¡­ thenter¡­¡± Seeing her blushing and stuttering because of him, Marcus felt delighted, ¡°You¡¯re also very pretty.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Cornelia said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to tell me. I know I¡¯m pretty.¡± Marcus chuckled at her words. His Cornelia was just too cute, cute enough to make him want to gobble her up. Cornelia said, ¡°Noughing, finish your juice.¡± Heughed, ¡°Okay.¡± Not long after, Marcus finished his juice. Cornelia instinctively reached out to take the empty cup, still remembering her role as his assistant. Chapter 719 Marcus didn¡¯t pass it to her, ¡°You go and shower, I¡¯ll take this downstairs.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Okay then.¡± Reaching the door, Marcus turned back and said, ¡°There are pajamas prepared for you in the cloakroom, they¡¯re all new and washed. Pick whichever you like.¡± Cornelia obediently nodded, ¡°Got it.¡± The three people ¡°plotting loudly¡± in the dining room tensed up at Marcus¡® arrival. They eyed him warily, ¡°Why are you down here?¡± Marcus ced the spice pouch prepared by Granny Luisa and the recording pen prepared by Briana on the table. Before he even did anything, Briana jumped in fright. She immediately hid behind Granny Luisa, ¡°Grandma, you have to protect me, don¡¯t let my brother take me away!¡± Granny Luisa shielded Briana behind her, ¡°Marc, I did all these things. If you want to me someone, me me.¡± ¡°What are you two up to?¡± Marcus nced at Granny Reba instinctively, worried she might get the wrong impression of him due to these two and be reluctant to entrust Cornelia to him. Chapter 720 Chapter 720 Chapter 720 He didn¡¯t want to leave a bad impression on Cornelia¡¯s grandma, so he had already done his best to control his attitude. ¡°I¡¯m here to tell you guys, stop messing with me and Nelly. We¡¯ll have kids when the time is right.¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°I see¡­¡± Briana thought her brother¡¯s behavior today was somewhat unusual as he didn¡¯t criticize her as he usually did. Marcus looked at Granny Reba, ¡°Granny, it¡¯s gettingte: Let me take you back to your room.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Granny Reba nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± The more Granny Reba looked at Marcus, the more she was satisfied. She had seen him protecting her granddaughter Nelly several times throughout the day. Without a nce at the other two people in the dining room, Marcus helped Granny Reba leave. Once he was out of sight, Briana said, ¡°Granny, that guy is really over the top. He was more gentle with Granny Reba than he was with you, and now he¡¯s only helping Granny Reba back to her room, but didn¡¯t say anything about helping you.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Don¡¯t stir up trouble over this. Your brother married Nelly, and it¡¯s only right to be nice to Nelly, and it¡¯s also right to be nice to Nelly¡¯s grandmother.¡± Briana, ¡°Sigh, I¡¯m the real victim here. My recording device was found, and all my work for today was wasted. If they never have children, I will never get what you promised me.¡± Granny Luisa patted her headughing, ¡°Silly girl, I¡¯ve already prepared a generous gift for you. If you get married now, I¡¯ll gift you another house.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still young, what¡¯s the rush to get married? And once I am married, I will be pressured to have kids. How boring is that.¡± Briana continued, ¡°You should worry about Marcus instead. He¡¯s almost 29, and next year he¡¯ll be 30. It¡¯s the perfect age to have kids, you can¡¯t let him dy any longer.¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°Of course I care about you too, Bri. Tell granny, what kind of man do you like? I¡¯ll help you choose.¡± Briana, ¡°The person I like doesn¡¯t need to be rich, because I¡¯m already pretty well¨Coff myself. I don¡¯t need him to be handsome either, as the genes in our family is good enough. I want the guy I like to be talented and know all the things I don¡¯t know.¡± As she spoke, Briana¡¯s eyes shone brightly and her lips curled slightly. One look at her and Luisa knew she was in love. ¡°What¡¯s his name? What does he do? Where is he from? How old is he?¡± Although Granny Luisa CiTopic / ZU had retired, she still held the aura of a businesswoman, and her barrage of questions was intimidating. Briana, ¡°What man?¡± Granny Luisa, ¡°Bri, if you have a boyfriend, don¡¯t hide it from me. You¡¯re so naive. You could easily fall for someone who¡¯s just using you.¡± ¡°Granny, I don¡¯t have a boyfriend. And there¡¯s no way anyone would approach me with bad intentions¡­¡± Briana stormed off after saying this. That person truly had foresight. He had foreseen that if Granny found out about him, she would ask a lot of questions, so he had prepared Briana in advance. He told her, no matter what Granny asked, she must deny it. Otherwise, once Granny started asking, she would spill everything. On the way back to Granny Reba¡¯s room, Marcus came back and saw all this, ¡°Granny, what¡¯s up with Bri?¡± Granny Luisa said seriously, ¡°I think she has a boyfriend, but she won¡¯t tell us.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have someone look into it. I won¡¯t let her get hurt.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Yes, I trust the way you handle things.¡± Marcus said, ¡°It¡¯ste, you should go back to your room too.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Marc, sit down and chat with granny about Nelly.¡± Marcus said, ¡°I don¡¯t think we should talk about her behind her back Chapter 721 Chapter 721 Chapter 721 Granny Luisa said, ¡°I ain¡¯t tryna criticize Cornelia or nothing, why you all uptight?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Marcus asked, ¡°Well, what are you trying to say?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°You have a seat first. You¡¯re so tall, I gotta tilt my head up to look at you, and it¡¯s tiring.¡± Marcus pulled up a chair and sat next to Granny Luisa, ¡°Please go ahead, granny.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°I just wanna know, besides beingmitted to your marriage, is there anything else between you and Cornelia?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t beingmitted to the marriage the right thing?¡± Granny Luisa paused, then said, ¡°Sure, ain¡¯t nothing wrong with that. But seeing you two being so compatible, I wish there¡¯s more to it. I hope you¡¯re together because you love each other, not just for the sake of the marriage.¡± This struck a chord with Marcus. Granny¡¯s thoughts were eerily in sync with his. He was starting to feel something different towards Cornelia. He hoped Cornelia was with him not just because of duty. He¡¯d always been good at keeping a poker face. Even when his true thoughts were exposed, he simply responded, ¡°I¡¯ll try my best, granny.¡± Granny Luisa couldn¡¯t see his inner turmoil, and she sighed, ¡°This is the first time Cornelia hase to our house. She might be scared all by herself. Go keep herpany. I¡¯m tired too, gonna hit the sack.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Alright.¡± When Marcus got back to the room, Cornelia had already showered, changed into her Shimmer Club PJs, and was on the phone. She was jotting down notes while on the phone. She was so absorbed in it, and she didn¡¯t even notice himing in. She said to the person on the phone, ¡°Yes, I got 250,000 before, gonna make a fortune selling Marcus¡® photos tonight. Plus, Granny Luisa gave me an unlimited credit card, a vi, two luxury apartments, and some shops and stuff. I did a rough calction, all these properties worth at least ten million.¡± Abigail said, ¡°You¡¯re so clueless, just the two luxury apartments alone are worth a trillion. And that sea¨C view vi.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Looks like I¡¯m a bona fide billionaire now.¡± Abigail said, ¡°You¡¯re so rich now, I can¡¯t evenpete. I¡¯m afraid you might not recognize me when we bump into each other.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°Who are you again? Why am I on the phone with you?¡± Abigail said, ¡°If you dare to forget about me, I swear I¡¯ll drop dead.¡± Cornelia happily said, ¡°How could I forget you? You and Zack are my best friends. I won¡¯t ever forget you guys. Don¡¯t worry, when I make money, I¡¯ll make sure you guys do too. We¡¯ve always said since we were kids, we¡¯re gonna get rich together, live the high life, drive fancy cars¡­¡± Abigail said, ¡°You have no idea how thrilled I am right now. I¡¯ve been dreaming of my friends getting rich so they can take care of me. I can just sit back and rx. I thought it would take a while, but it came so soon.¡± Chapter 722 Chapter 722 Chapter 722 Cornelia said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to work anymore either. I want to live a rxed life, retire early, and move into the seaside vi that Grandma gave me. I wish to wake up every day to the view of the sea, feel the ocean breeze, and enjoy the sea view. I no longer want to be bound by strict work hours, stuck in traffic every day whilemuting, or be constantly on the go following the demands of superior. I just want to break free from the busy work life.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Count me in! Cornelia, just quit already. I¡¯ll be your nanny, cooking, doingundry, and taking care of the garden. Just pay me a decent wage. But, make sure to reserve a room for me with a good view. So, I can see the sea from my bed.¡± Zack said, ¡°Are you guys daydreaming or what?¡± Abigail said, ¡°Cornelia is a billionaire now. These dreams can definitely be a reality.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Zack, don¡¯t be jelly. There¡¯s a room for Abby in my vi, and of course, there¡¯s one for you too. I got it all nned out. Us three, plus granny, we would all move in together. We can take a stroll at home, tend the garden. Life would be superfy.¡± He was not part of her n. She imed she wanted to spend her life with him, but he wasn¡¯t even in her future ns. This realization, like a bucket of cold water, instantly doused Marcus¡® enthusiasm. But then, he heard her gentle voice, ¡°Jeremy isn¡¯t much of a crowd person. We could reserve a whole floor for him. When we¡¯re too loud, he can enjoy his solitude upstairs. When he feels like hanging out, he can join us.¡± He was not absent from her ns. He was part of her n, and she actually had considered a lot for him. Marcus watched her silently. He didn¡¯t know how long he¡¯d been standing behind her before Cornelia finished her call. The moment she looked up, she saw him through the mirror. She turned around, gave him a sweet smile, then ran towards him with paper and pen in hand. Instinctively, Marcus opened his arms, ready to catch her. She stopped in front of him, lifted the paper to his eyes, and said, ¡°President Hartley, look, I made money again.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. His attention was entirely on her face, unable to shift to the paper in her hand. He watched her smiling, her lips moving as she spoke, and listened to the sound of her voice¡­ In that moment, how he wished to weave her into his life! He tried to adjust his emotions, shifted his gaze onto the paper, and finally saw what she¡¯d written. Chapter 722 Cornelia pointed at the numbers on the paper, excitedly saying, ¡°Tonight, I sold your picture and made a big chunk of cash. Adding it all up, I can pay off my mortgage now. Even though I didn¡¯t make as much as you, at least I won¡¯t be a burden¡­¡± So, this was why she was working so hard, always busy. He gently stroked her cheek, looked into her eyes, letting her see the sincerity in his, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯ve never been a burden to me.¡± Cornelia looked at him, peering deeply into the sincerity reflected in his eyes, ¡°I know I¡¯ve never been a burden to you, but I feel like I am. I never thought I¡¯d marry you, or that my husband would be so wealthy. Suddenly realizing that you¡¯re my Jeremy, my husband, can you imagine how scared and insecure that makes me?¡± Chapter 723 Chapter 723 Chapter 723 Cornelia¡¯s panic and worriespletely flew over Marcus¡® head. His main concern was that she might not ept him as her husband, that she might not want to admit he and Jeremy were the same person. He never once put himself in her shoes, unaware that she might be even more scared than him about handling their rtionship. Hearing her say it out loud, Marcus felt a wave of guilt. ¡°Cornelia, I didn¡¯t consider your perspective. I¡¯m really sorry! Tell me your worries, let¡¯s tackle them together.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Our differences in social status and wealth are too vast. Couples with such huge gaps often seem unhappy, many ending in divorce. ¡°I don¡¯t want to experience such a messy marriage. When I found out you were Jeremy, I thought about divorcing you, thought about backing out. But you gave me courage, made me want to take a step forward, to give it a try. ¡°So even though I¡¯m painfully aware that I¡¯ll never earn as much as you in this lifetime, I still want to try to earn more, to close the gap in wealth. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°I think if I try hard, maybe I can get a bit closer to you, and we can make this marriage work. What do you think?¡± Her bright eyes, soft voice, they were like poison, seeping into his heart, making him deeply addicted, unable to pull away. ¡°Yes. Trust me, if we work together, we can definitely make this marriage work.¡± He cradled her blushing face, leaning down to kiss her soft lips. Her lips were incredibly soft, so sweet, an experience he was deeply relishing. If he¡¯d known how wonderful kissing her was, he wouldn¡¯t have waited this long, he would¡¯ve done it the moment he found out she was his wife. Kissing her sweet lips, their noses touching, inhaling her unique scent, he was about to deepen the kiss, when she suddenly bit him hard with her small teeth. The pain surprised him. In the next instant, she pushed him away, backing off two steps, her cheeks flushing red as she red at him. ¡°I¡¯ve already told you, you¡¯ve made my lips swell from all the kissing. I don¡¯t want you to kiss me anymore, what if Abby sees my swollen lips tomorrow? She¡¯ll nag me non¨Cstop. You have no idea how much she can bber. Once she starts, she can go on for hours. I don¡¯t want to suffer like that.¡± ¡°Cornelia, next time I kiss you, don¡¯t mention anyone else.¡± He forcefully grabbed the back of her head, pulling her towards him, kissing her sweet lips once again. 1/2 12:20 Chapter 723 Cornelia tried to dodge, but there was nowhere to hide, she had no choice but to passively ept his kiss, gradually attempting to respond¡­ She felt some changes, changes in her body. as well. A single kiss no longer seemed enough; she craved more. She followed her body¡¯s instincts, wrapping her arms around his waist, moving closer to him. As she drifted into a daze, his gentle breath brushed against her ear, his deep, husky voice. echoed, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± She responded, ¡°Hmmm¡­ President Hartley?¡± She was puzzled at how he could call her name in such an attractive manner, as if there was no better sound in the world. ¡°Sweetheart, don¡¯t call me President Hartley, call me hubby.¡± This deep, suggestive voice instantly pulled Cornelia back from her daze. Only then did she realize, she was in bed, with him on top, staring at her like a predator. This man used to be her superior, and now suddenly became her husband. She couldn¡¯t immediately adjust to the change in roles, always feeling a sense of unease when with him. In his unguarded moment, she tried to escape his hold, but the next second she was pulled back into his arms, his deep voice sounding again in her ear, ¡°Enough kissing, time to sleep!¡± Enough kissing, time to sleep. She wasn¡¯t scared, just worried that he might feel awkward. Chapter 724 Chapter 724 Chapter 724 He held her tightly against him, burying his nose in her neck, ¡°Actual sleeping. No funny business.¡± How did he always know what she was thinking? Could he actually read minds? Or had he nted a bug in her brain? Marcus gently patted her back, ¡°Baby, time to sleep.¡± He turned her on and then told her to sleep, but how was she supposed to get any shut¨Ceye? Just as Cornelia was lost in her thoughts, Marcus¡® breathing started to even out. He must¡¯ve fallen asleep. Cornelia closed her eyes, trying to sleep too, but their position wasn¡¯t exactlyfortable. She attempted to move a bit, but he only held her tighter. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder, was Marcus faking it? She poked his waist lightly, and when he didn¡¯t react, she confirmed he was truly asleep. With the assurance that he was asleep, Cornelia grew bolder. She moved slightly upwards, aligning her face with his. Their proximity, due to his tight hold, was so close that just a slight lean forward from Cornelia would touch the tip of his nose. So, she deliberately leaned forward and nudged his nose with hers. This intimate gesture seemed to instantly bridge the gap between them in her heart. She rubbed her nose against his, gently nuzzling. identally, she thought she saw hisshes flutter, thinking he woke up, and quickly drew back, closing her eyes and burying her face in his chest. Unless he noticed her little stunt, she¡¯d rather die than admit she was touching his nose. Cornelia listened to his steady breathing, head buried in his chest. After a while with no movement from him, she dared to open her eyes and look at him. He was sound asleep. It was her guilt getting the best of her. He so much as twitched in his sleep, and she thought he was awake. Cornelia extended her hand, gently touching his face. Her fingers traced along the contours of his face, outlining his perfect facial features. How did Marcus manage to have such a perfect face? If they ever had kids, would they inherit his good looks? If so, she wanted three ¨C two boys, and a girl¡­ The girl would be the youngest, who would not only be loved by her parents but also cared for by her two older brothers. Just thinking about it made Cornelia feel her daughter would be so lucky. Unable to contain her excitement, she leaned forward and kissed Marcus¡® lips. When he kissed her, it was always so dominant, and she was just swept along, her mind nk. She didn¡¯t really know what a kiss felt like. Chapter 725 Chapter 725 Chapter 725 So, she gave it a try. He was rugged all over but his lips were as soft as gummy candies, just like the ones she liked to eat when she was feeling down ¨C so chewy, so soft, so delicious¡­. As Cornelia Stewart was savoring her ¡°gummy candy,¡± the man slowly opened his dark eyes¡­ And that girl who was busy tasting her ¡°candy,¡± waspletely oblivious to the fact that every single move of hers was being noted by his captivating gaze. Until the man suddenly pulled her towards him, and his deep raspy voice echoed in her ear again, ¡°Cornelia, your man is just a regr guy.¡± He hadn¡¯t been with a woman for over twenty years, not because he couldn¡¯t, or didn¡¯t want to, but because he chose to keep himself pure and not engage casually with other women. Now, lying next to him was his wife. He not only epted her in his heart but also physically. She probably didn¡¯t realize that every look, every move she made stirred his desire to hold her. Cornelia was stunned. He was awake! When did he wake up? She was so focused on her ¡°candy¡± that she didn¡¯t notice. ¡°Sweetie, sleep!¡± He held her, not letting her move anymore. Cornelia, ¡°Were you pretending to sleep? Or did I wake you up?¡± Marcus Hartley, ¡°Your kiss woke me up!¡± Cornelia blushed. Ahhh- Why did she ask such a dumb question? ¡°Cornelia!¡± His voice echoed in her ear again. Cornelia, ¡°Hmm?¡± He said again, ¡°The attraction you have for me is way bigger than you think. Don¡¯t try to challenge my self¨Ccontrol until you¡¯re ready to fully ept me.¡± Cornelia, ¡°I¡­¡­¡± She wasn¡¯t trying to challenge his self¨Ccontrol! Just a moment ago, she just wanted to kiss him. and so she did. She didn¡¯t think much of it. That night, Cornelia kept thinking about it untilte at night, only falling asleep when the day. was already bright. When she woke up, she stretchedzily and went to look for her cell phone first as usual, and before she could find it, she heard his deep voice, ¡°You¡¯re up!¡± 1/2 12:20 Chapter 725All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. This was their second night as a married couple sharing a bed, but Cornelia was still stunned for a moment before she realized. As a long¨Cterm single person, she indeed needed some time to adjust to the additional person next to her. Following his voice, Cornelia looked around, but because the window was closed and lights. were not on, the room was dark, and she couldn¡¯t find Marcus for a moment. She heard him say again, ¡°Close your eyes.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t understand why he asked her to close her eyes, but she obediently followed. Only after two or three seconds of closing her eyes, he said, ¡°Open your eyes. Slowly.¡± Cornelia followed his instructions and initially opened a little portion of her eyes to feel the light in the room. Thankfully, she did so carefully and the light was mild and didn¡¯t sting or blind her. That was when she realized the reason for his instructions. She looked at him. He was sitting on the couch by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, head slightly lowered,pletely engrossed in the book in his hand, and didn¡¯t even look up at her, ¡°Go wash up. We¡¯ll go downstairs for breakfast soon.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Okay¡­¡­¡± But she didn¡¯t get up. Chapter 726 Chapter 726 Chapter 726 She stared at the man who didn¡¯t look at her. Maybe because he felt her stares on him, the man finally looked up from his book and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What¡¯s that book you¡¯re reading?¡± Was this book more interesting than she was? All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus answered, ¡°The Red and the ck.¡± Cornelia continued, ¡°Is this your first time reading it? You look so engrossed.¡± Justst night he was holding her tight, but this morning he was acting all aloof. If that book was so great, he might as well cuddle up with it next time. Marcus answered, ¡°I¡¯ve read it several times. I discover something new each time.¡± He¡¯d rather reread the same book again and again than nce at his newlywed wife. They had just gotten together and he was already giving her the cold shoulder. If this continued, everything would probably be more important than her. Cornelia was getting more and more pissed off and she pouted at him, ¡°Hmph!¡± Her adorable pout made Marcusugh. He put down his book and walked over to her, ¡°What¡¯s really bothering you? Tell me.¡± Cornelia hemmed and hawed, ¡°What were you doing when I woke up yesterday morning?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°The same thing as today, waiting for you to have breakfast together.¡± What did he mean the same as yesterday? Yesterday, as soon as she woke up, he looked right at her. Cornelia was even more pissed off, ¡°Yesterday when I woke up, you immediately looked at me. But today you didn¡¯t¡­¡± So that was why she was upset! She was so straightforward, it was endearing. But, she didn¡¯t know that he didn¡¯t dare to look at her because he had just taken a cold shower and didn¡¯t want to have to take another one because of her. Marcus walked to the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms, ¡°I promise, it won¡¯t happen again.¡± Seeing himply so easily, Cornelia felt a little embarrassed. She looked up at him and said, ¡°I¡¯m not expecting you to do everything I say. It¡¯s just that today was a bit different from yesterday, which gave me a sharp sense of contrast. You could look at me first, then read your book¡­¡± 1/2 12-21 Chapter 726 Cornelia¡¯s style was to clear the air, which was also Marcus¡® preferred way of dealing with things. No need to guess or assume. Marcus chuckled, ¡°Got it.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You can let go of me now, I¡¯m going to go freshen up.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Alright.¡± Today was the weekend, and neither Marcus nor Cornelia had to work. The old folks wanted them to stay home for the day, so the two grannies had already nned the day¡¯s activities. Seeing the two of theming downstairs together, Granny Luisa told the maid to prepare breakfast while asking, ¡°Marc, Nelly, would you like to y some bridge with us today?¡± Cornelia apologized, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Granny. It¡¯s my friend Zack¡¯s birthday today. I have to go be with him. I promised to take Marc with me.¡± The light in Granny Luisa¡¯s eyes dimmed a bit, ¡°I see. You two should eat breakfast and then head out. If you¡¯ve made a promise, you must keep it.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to upset Granny Luisa, ¡°Granny, we¡¯ll go have lunch with them, and after that, we just hang out for a while, then Marc and I will hurry back in the afternoon to y bridge with you, alright?¡± Though Granny Luisa agreed in her heart, she had to put on a show of magnanimity, ¡°You¡¯ve promised to celebrate someone¡¯s birthday, so do that properly. We can y bridge together another time.¡± Cornelia quickly hugged Granny Luisa, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I hang out with my friends all the time, and we see each other every day. It¡¯s no big deal if I¡¯m gone for half a day. They mainly want to meet Marc, to check him out for me.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Marc, you better behave. Make sure you impress Nelly¡¯s friends.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Let¡¯s eat breakfast first.¡± Chapter 727 Chapter 727 Chapter 727 Breakfast was a feast, all Cornelia¡¯s favorite foods. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though it was just breakfast, Patricia insisted on taking care of Cornelia. ¡°Nelly, we didn¡¯t know what you¡¯d fancy today, so we made a bit of everything you usually like. Chow down on whatever you love and leave the rest.¡± With the table heaving with food, it was clear that some would go to waste, which bothered Cornelia. ¡°Patricia, I¡¯m not a big breakfast eater, just a nibble is enough for me. No need to go all out next time.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Patricia replied. The two grannies had already had their breakfast and were now sitting at the table, their eyes on Cornelia and Marcus. With Patricia joining them, a total of three pairs of eyes were watching Cornelia, making her feel quite uneasy. ¡°Grannies, Patricia, I can¡¯t eat with you all staring at me like this.¡± ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯ll look away. Enjoy your meal,¡± The three pretended to look away, only to sneak peeks when Cornelia lowered her head to eat. They chatted quietly as they watched. Granny Luisa asked, ¡°Does Nelly look a bit off today?¡± Granny Reba replied, ¡°I noticed when they came downstairs holding hands.¡± Patricia added, ¡°She might not have had a good sleepst night. She¡¯s got bags under her eyes.¡± Granny Luisa asked, ¡°Is it for the reason I¡¯m thinking?¡± Granny Reba replied, ¡°They¡¯re young, we don¡¯t need to worry too much. They can handle it. But Nelly does look a bit tired, while Marc seems full of beans.¡± Granny Luisa suggested, ¡°Should we remind Marc to go easy on her next time? We don¡¯t want Nelly too worn out.¡± Patricia responded, ¡°Marc adores Nelly. He knows his limits. I don¡¯t think we need to remind him.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Nelly¡¯s a shy one. If we need to remind him, we should do it when she¡¯s not around.¡± Granny Luisa suggested, ¡°Let¡¯s keep an eye on things for a bit.¡± Patricia sighed, ¡°You don¡¯t know. When Nelly first came to Celestial Chateau as Marc¡¯s assistant, I hoped she¡¯d be Marc¡¯s wife. I¡¯m so lucky, my wish came true.¡± Granny Luisa added, ¡°Same here. When Nelly first came to Riverton for college years ago, I Chapter 727 hoped she¡¯d end up with Marc.¡± Granny Rebaughed, ¡°No wonder you kept showing me pictures of your grandson. You¡¯ve had your eye on this match for a while.¡± Granny Luisa replied, ¡°Good girls always have plenty of suitors, I was afraid someone else would snatch Nelly up if I wasn¡¯t quick.¡± Patriciaplimented, ¡°You¡¯re so clever.¡± Granny Luisa chuckled, ¡°Of course.¡± Everyone loved Cornelia, but Granny Reba was the happiest. ¡°Thank you for loving Nelly. With you all here, I have nothing to worry about.¡± Granny Luisa added, ¡°Nelly is such a lovable girl.¡± Patricia agreed, ¡°Absolutely, Nelly is very lovable. I remember the food she made, they were so delicious. Still fresh in my mind.¡± Nowadays, many young girls didn¡¯t know how to cook, and they may even burn a simple dish. Cornelia could not only cook but her food was delicious, which was a big plus in the eyes of the older generation. Patricia had a very favorable impression of Cornelia, not just because she was beautiful and warm¨C hearted, but she was also a good cook¡­ A girl with all these traits, how could you not love her? Granny Rebaughed, ¡°Nelly is great, she is¡­ but we can¡¯t keep singing her praises all the time or she might be conceited.¡± After the discussion, the three again turned their eyes to Cornelia, who was eating and texting on her phone, her face a rosy red, as if it was about to bleed. Chapter 728 Chapter 728 Chapter 728 Just as she sat down at the dining table, Cornelia¡¯s WhatsApp pinged with a new message. Cornelia grabbed her phone and saw Zack had posted in the group chat, ¡°Cornelia, Abby and I are off to the grocery store. Her boyfriend will arrive around ten. You bettere back early and help us cook, and don¡¯t forget to bring your hubby.¡± In the past, no matter whose birthday it was, the three of them would go to a decent restaurant for a meal, followed by some fun activities. Cornelia knew that this year, Zack wanted to cook at home. He wanted to use this opportunity to observe Marcus and see if he was husband material. Cornelia replied, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll bring him over after breakfast. But no messing with him, got it?¡± Zack replied, ¡°Can¡¯t I mess with him just a little?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°No! Promise me or I won¡¯t bring him.¡± Zack replied, ¡°Spoil him all you want. Work yourself to the bone.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°He¡¯s not gonna let me do all the work.¡± Abigail replied, ¡°If President Hartley was my boyfriend, not only would I spoil him like Cornelia, but I¡¯d also take care of him and use him when necessary.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°No dirty talk!¡± Abigail replied, ¡°Oh,e on, don¡¯t act so uptight.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯m not being uptight! Just remember, we can¡¯t just say whatever we want when he¡¯s around. He heard our conversation the other day, you know.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Abigail replied, ¡°He heard? And he¡¯s still cool as a cucumber? He¡¯s definitely not ordinary! What did he say?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°He said he¡¯s pretty good in all aspects and I could use him anytime.¡± Abigail replied, ¡°Hahaha¡­ He is quite the flirt! How has it been these past few days? Is he better than an average guy? Oh wait, you haven¡¯t been with anyone else, so you wouldn¡¯t know.¡± Before Cornelia could reply, she heard Granny Reba¡¯s anxious voice, ¡°Nelly, why is your face so red? Are you running a fever?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Ah¡­ Granny, I¡¯m not¡­ I¡¯m not sick, the soup is just a bit hot. I drank it too fast.¡± ¡°Soup?¡± Granny Reba became even more worried, ¡°Nelly, are you okay?¡± She was holding a sandwich, where did the soupe from? Cornelia replied, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m fine¡­¡± 1/2 Chapter 720 It was all Abigail¡¯s fault, always leading her astray and filling her head with nasty thoughts. Granny Reba and Granny Luisa looked at Cornelia worriedly, asking in unison. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Marcus reached over and touched her forehead, ¡°I think she¡¯s just blushing, not feverish.¡± Corne was speechless. Who asked him to butt in? The two grannies looked at Marcus, seeming to understand something. They thought, it seemed the day to see their grandchildren wasing soon. Not wanting to be the center of attention, Cornelia quickly finished her breakfast, grabbed her phone and Marcus, and said, ¡°Grannies, Patricia, we have to go now. See you tonight!¡± The threedies stood at the door, watching them leave. ¡°See you tonight!¡± Chapter 729 Chapter 729 Chapter 729 On the way home, Marcus was still driving, with Cornelia sitting in the passenger seat. ¡°President Hartley, Zack invited you over to our ce for his birthday party today mainly to scope you out. If he does anything out of line, I hope you won¡¯t take it to heart, I¡¯ll keep him in check.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m petty?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Cornelia replied, ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± Before Cornelia could finish, Marcus held her hand with one of his, ¡°When you talk like that, it sounds like you guys are family and I¡¯m the outsider.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°They¡¯re the friends I grew up with, been with me for over twenty years. We just met each other, so it¡¯s gonna take some time to adjust. In the long run, you¡¯ll be the closest person to me.¡± Marcus was quite satisfied with this answer, but he wasn¡¯t going to let her off the hook just yet, ¡°I remember someone once said that the sequence and duration of feelings are independent.¡± Cornelia knew this was something she said, but she didn¡¯t want to admit it, ¡°Who said that?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Who do you think said it?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°Was it me? When did I say that? Howe I don¡¯t remember?¡± Marcus lightly tapped her nose, ¡°You¡¯re such a rascal!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the rascal! Your are from a family of rascals!¡± Cornelia quickly corrected herself after realizing she insulted herself as well, ¡°Except your wife.¡± Marcus chuckled, ¡°Why is my wife the exception?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°Because your wife is a beautiful and kind woman!¡± Marcus said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed ofplimenting yourself like that?¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Don¡¯t you agree?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°I do.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°That¡¯s more like it.¡± Marcus just smiled and didn¡¯t say anything. Cornelia slightly turned her body, admiring his one¨Chanded driving. He really was graceful and handsome, quite the catch indeed. So many girls liked him, and living for over twenty years, did he really not have any feelings for any girl? Cornelia was dying to know, ¡°President Hartley, can I ask you a question?¡± Marcus nodded. 12-21 Chapter /29 Cornelia continued, ¡°Have you ever liked a girl? I don¡¯t mean now, I mean in the past, like when you were a teenager or went to college.¡± Marcus nced at her and gave a vague answer, ¡°Do you want me to say I did or I didn¡¯t?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Just tell me the truth. I won¡¯t mind. I¡¯m just wondering, with so many girls liking you, did you really not like any of them?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°The girl I liked might not have liked me back.¡± Upon hearing this, Cornelia¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°President Hartley, can you tell me who that girl is? I¡¯m dying to know. Where is she now? Why aren¡¯t you two together?¡± She thought, the girl Marcus liked must have had something special. Her prying wasn¡¯t out of jealousy, but curiosity, which Marcus picked up on, ¡°Aren¡¯t you the slightest bit jealous?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Why should I be jealous of her? No matter how much you liked her in the past, you¡¯re my husband now. If anyone tries to take you away, we¡¯ll have to go through legal procedures. I¡¯m not worried at all.¡± This confidence andposure was what Marcus admired the most. He chuckled and gently ruffled her hair, ¡°The woman I like is my wife, and can only be my wife.¡± Cornelia waspletely caught off guard that his final answer was her, her emotions were all over the ce, she stammered, ¡°You like me?¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Yes.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°But¡­¡± Chapter 730 Chapter 730 Chapter 730 Oh, what a drag! He always came at her so bluntly, catching her off guard. Marcus asked, ¡°But what?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Just don¡¯t be too nice to me. Give me some time¡­¡± He should wait until she developed feelings for him too. It was unfair for him to be the only one. being nice, while she can¡¯t reciprocate. Her words were vague, but Marcus understood, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes.¡± There he went again, using his deep and charming voice to bewitch her. No, she can¡¯t let him. sway her. She immediately turned her head to look out the car window, slightly opening it to let the outside wind blow in, clearing her muddled mind. The car continued to drive, and about forty minutester, they arrived at the apartmentplex where Cornelia lived. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. It was the weekend, and most people did not need to work, so theplex was especially crowded, and a sign at the entrance to the parking lot read, ¡°Parking Full.¡± Cornelia looked around and said, ¡°Marcus, the parking lot is full today, let¡¯s find a spot at the nearby mall.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°There are spots on the street, I¡¯ll find one.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Street parking isn¡¯t very safe. Your car is so expensive. It would be such a pity if it got scratched.¡± Marcus said, ¡°It¡¯s just a car.¡± To him, a car worth tens or hundreds of thousands was just a mode of transportation. If Cornelia had such an expensive car, she would definitely treat it like a treasure. As Marcus was preparing to drive Cornelia to find a parking spot, about ten meters ahead, a car drove away, leaving a spot open. Marcus nced at it and said, ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s going to be a tight squeeze for you to get out once I park, why don¡¯t you get out first and wait for me?¡± The spot was narrow, and there was frequent traffic of vehicles and pedestrians. The longer the car stayed, the more likely it was to cause a traffic jam. Cornelia immediately got out of the car and waited for him. Street parking was already tight, and some cars had parked beyond the designated area, making it even harder for the cars behind to park. With Marcus¡® luxury car being rather long, it was even more difficult. 1/2 12:21 Chapter 730 He slowly maneuvered the car, with Cornelia directing him from the side. The parking spot was close to the entrance of theplex. It was peak grocery shopping time, and many people had to pass by the entrance, who began to gossip. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the girl who lives in building 10, unit 1? I saw her driving a luxury car a while ago, and recently a luxury car has been picking her up and dropping her off, is she a kept woman?¡± ¡°So I heard. ording to her neighbors, she¡¯s either out early and backte, or noting home at night. Looking at her now, she probably spent the night with that man.¡± ¡°The man in the car is probably her new boyfriend. Let¡¯s see if he is as old as her grandfather.¡± ¡°Sigh¡­ Some girls these days, as long as they¡¯re pretty, they don¡¯t want to work hard, relying on selling their bodies for money. If I were her parents, I would punish her severely.¡± As these people gossiped, they pricked up their ears, trying to get a glimpse of the man in the car. Many people wished the man in the car would be old and ugly, which would make them feel better. However, when the car stopped and a young, tall, and handsome man stepped out, everyone was taken aback. While they were amazed at his handsome appearance, they couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°Such a rich and handsome man is surely just toying with her. He can¡¯t possibly be serious about her. Chapter 731 Chapter 731 Chapter 731 A bunch of women who loved to gossip about other people¡¯s business always seemed to resent seeing others doing well, and they just won¡¯t shut up. ¡°That guy looks super rich and he¡¯s tall and handsome. He would definitely want to date someone of his status, there¡¯s no way he¡¯s with an out¨Cof¨Ctown girl.¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s already got a fiancee or is married and just interested in her pretty face. He¡¯s just ying with her, so whoever falls first loses.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the make of that car? There¡¯s a horse on the logo, seems like it¡¯s pretty expensive.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a Porsche. My daughter and son¨Cinw drive the same kind of car. The whole package costs over a hundred grand, so expensive. When I think about spending that much money on a car, it breaks my heart. But when my son¨Cinw paid, he didn¡¯t even blink. That¡¯s how rich people are; a hundred grand, two hundred grand is nothing to them.¡± ¡°This horse logo is bigger, it¡¯s not a Porsche, it¡¯s a Ferrari.¡± ¡°What¡¯s a Ferrari? It can¡¯t be better than my daughter and son¨Cinw¡¯s Porsche.¡± A young man passing by chimed in, ¡°The cheapest Ferrari costs over two hundred grand, let alone this limited edition one, you can¡¯t just buy it with money.¡± ¡°No matter how good the car is, I think it¡¯s worth at most a few tens of thousands.¡± Anyway, in the eyes of these gossiping women, no matter how good others¡® things were, they can¡¯t be better than theirs. They verbally refused to acknowledge that the couple were officially dating and that the car was luxurious. But they had to admit in their hearts that, the couple¡¯s manners looked very well¨Cmatched, very pleasing to the eye, like they were made for each other. ¡°What are youdies talking about? That¡¯s her husband, and they¡¯re legally married. You don¡¯t know anything, but you¡¯re here spouting nonsense.¡± When Abigail and Zack came back from grocery shopping, they saw a group of women using Cornelia. If anyone dared to point fingers at Nelly, don¡¯t me them for getting angry. ¡°You¡¯re her friend, you live together, of course you¡¯ll defend her. Who knows if they¡¯re legally married?¡± The woman who spoke also lived here, and they often ran into each other on their way to and from work. ¡°Give me a break. Look at the shameful things you do all day, and you still have the nerve to spout nonsense here. Your daughter is not even of age, and you want to marry her off to a fifty¨Cyear¨Cold man. You¡¯re shameless, not everyone is as shameless as you.¡± Abigail¡¯s words hit the woman¡¯s sore spot, causing her to suddenly scream and shout. ¡°What are you talking about? If you say one more word, believe it or not, I¡¯ll rip your mouth Chapter 731 open!¡± The woman rushed at Abigail, but luckily Zack reacted quickly, dropped what he was holding, and stood in front of Abigail, ¡°Try touching a hair on her head!¡± Zack was a tall man, andpared to him, the woman, who was much shorter, looked like a dwarf. The woman knew she could fight with women, but she¡¯d definitely lose if she fought with. men. Left with no choice, she could only walk away in anger. After sessfully getting the woman to leave, Zack gave Abigail a disgusted look, ¡°Next time, don¡¯t confront people like this. If I¡¯m not here, how can your skinny body fight anyone?¡± Abigail replied, ¡°I can¡¯t stand people talking bad about Nelly.¡± Zack said, ¡°Cornelia¡¯s here, let¡¯s not talk about this for now.¡± Abigail immediately waved at Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia,e over here.¡± After Cornelia got out of the car, Marcus immediately held her hand, and they walked towards Abigail and Zack. As they passed by those women, he gave them a cold look, and they all quieted down. Zack handed a heavy bag to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m tired, can you help me carry this?¡± Cornelia was about to take it, but Marcus beat her to it, ¡°I¡¯ll carry it.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°It¡¯s really heavy, it¡¯ll be tiring for one person to carry, let¡¯s carry it together.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 732 Chapter 732 Chapter 732 Marcus said, ¡°I got this.¡± Abigail replied, ¡°Let Marcus do it, he¡¯s willing.¡± Zack just stayed silent. It was their first little challenge and it seemed like Marcus passed. They entered the neighborhood, kept walking until they reached building ten, unit one. It was an old apartment building, with two elevators and six households. The elevator was small and there were quite a few people living there. At that moment, the elevator hadn¡¯t arrived yet and a bunch of people were already waiting. They watched as the elevator ascended from the ground floor to the first floor. When the elevator doors opened, several people were already inside, and those waiting behind also rushed in to catch the elevator. Worried that Marcus might get squished, Cornelia pulled him into a corner. Abigail and Zack got pushed into another corner of the elevator. They were used to this daily hustle and bustle. Young and good¨Clooking men and women always attracted attention, so many people couldn¡¯t help but gaze at them. Although they all lived in the same building, they weren¡¯t familiar with each other due to Cornelia¡¯s irregr work schedule. She hadn¡¯t even met many of her neighbors. Feeling ufortable under people¡¯s gaze, Cornelia instinctively tightened her grip on Marcus¡® hand. Marcus also held her hand tightly, subtly stepping forward to make room for her. His tall body shieldedAll rights ? N?velDrama.Org. her from all unfriendly stares. His body also blocked Cornelia¡¯s view of the outside; all she could see was his strong back and broad shoulders. Cornelia stared at his back. His back was like a mountain in front of her, not only blocking all threats but also sheltering her from all the hardships and obstacles. It seemed as if she had nothing to fear as long as he was there. Without thinking, Cornelia lightly rested her face against his back. Marcus stood still, letting her lean against him. He was only wearing a thin white shirt. With her face against his back, he could feel her burning body heat and the sticity of her cheeks. As the elevator ascended floor by floor, fewer and fewer people remained until only the four of them were left. Marcus then moved slightly forward, allowing Cornelia to move as well. Cornelia looked down and noticed a yellow stain on his white shirt. For a clean freak, this was absolutely unbearable. Worried that Marcus might feel ufortable, Cornelia quickly took 1/2 12:22 Chapter 732 out a wet wipe. ¡°President Hartley, your shirt is stained. Don¡¯t move, let me clean it for you.¡± Upon hearing this, Zack was a little angry. ¡°What did you call him? President Hartley? Even though Cornelia is your assistant, she¡¯s also your wife. After work hours, please be kinder to her and don¡¯t treat her like a servant.¡± Marcus ignored Zack, his eyes only on Cornelia. He pushed away Cornelia¡¯s busy hand, ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± This kind of thing would have never happened to Marcus in the past. His obsessive cleanliness wouldn¡¯t allow any dirt on his clothes. However, for Cornelia, he was willing to try and change himself, to ept things he previously couldn¡¯t. Chapter 733 Chapter 733 Chapter 733 Getting clothes dirty was a nightmare for clean freaks, you know. Cornelia could tell that Marcus was having a hard time holding in his difort. She felt bad for him and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be home soon. You can change then and I¡¯ll help you clean it up.¡± The moment his clothes got a stain, Marcus would never wear them again, not even for a second. So, no matter where he went, he¡¯d always have two or three sets of clothes on hand, just in case. Normally, Cornelia would have his backup clothes ready, but today was a private outing and she hadn¡¯t thought that much ahead. As a result, his clothes got dirty. Before Marcus could say anything, Zack sneered, ¡°Come on Cornelia, Marcus is a grown¨Cass man, not some delicate little girl. What¡¯s the big deal if his clothes get a bit dirty?¡± Cornelia shot Zack a warning look, who got the message and shut his mouth. Soon enough, they reached the fifteenth floor. Zack, carrying the lightest bag, led the way. ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯ll open the door. You carry the rest of the stuff.¡± Cornelia knew he was trying to test Marcus, but she felt it was unnecessary. She¡¯d spent more time with Marcus than Zack and knew what kind of person he was. Marcus bent down to pick up a bag, but Cornelia beat him to it. ¡°Let¡¯s each carry a bag.¡± Marcus gave a small smile and didn¡¯t argue. ¡°Alright.¡± Abigail chimed in, ¡°Cornelia, I totally get you. If Marcus was my boyfriend, I¡¯d wanna keep him home and take good care of him, not let him go out.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Abigail, cut the crap.¡± Abigail, ¡°Alright, alright. Let¡¯s let Marcus in first.¡± Marcus was a tall guy, much taller than Zack. Their door was pretty old fashioned, if he didn¡¯t duck his head, he¡¯d bang it against the door frame. Cornelia, ever thoughtful, warned Marcus, ¡°Watch your head, President Hartley.¡± Abigail, ¡°You¡¯re still calling him ¡®President Hartley?¡® Is it habit or can¡¯t you break it?¡± Cornelia subtly pinched her, signalling her to watch what she said for the day. But Abigail was a troublemaker. The more Cornelia told her to watch what she said, the more she wanted to speak. ¡°President Hartley, Cornelia always jokes about dating handsome guys, but she¡¯s actually super conservative. She¡¯s in her twenties and she¡¯s never even held hands with a guy¡­¡± Before Abigail could finish, Cornelia dropped the bag and quickly covered her mouth. ¡°Abigail, Chapter 733 watch your mouth!¡± Marcus was a possessive man. If he actually believed what she said, he¡¯d surely give her some special punishment when they got home. Abigail removed her hand, ¡°Everything I said is true. When have I ever said anything untrue?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia decided to ignore her, and never pay her any mind in the future. She took the bag from Marcus and set it down, then said, ¡°Mr. Hartley,e with me to my room. I¡¯ll help you clean the stains off your clothes first.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Marcus followed Cornelia to her room. He seemed expressionless, but if you looked close, you could see a chilling indifference in his eyes beneath his silver sses. As soon as they entered Cornelia¡¯s room, Marcus locked the door, turned around, and pushed Cornelia against the door. He bent down and kissed her passionately and deeply. Chapter 734 Chapter 734 Chapter 734 His kiss was different this time, stronger, more domineering, as if he wanted to possess not only her body but also her soul. After a while, he released her, gently stroked her flushed cheeks and asked, ¡°Are you nning to have a fling with every hottie out there?¡± Cornelia knew this man had an intense desire for possession, and she knew if he had believed Abigail¡¯s words, he would certainly ¡®punish¡® her when they got back home. She didn¡¯t expect him to be so bold, as he immediately closed the door and began to deliever punishment. His behavior was just way too overbearing! ¡°Not talking? Really?¡± He bent down again, kissing her lips wildly, as a simple peck wasn¡¯t enough for him. He continued to kiss her, intensely savoring her sweetness. After what felt like eternity, Cornelia felt breathless, as if her soul was about to float away,, before he finally let her go. Taking this opportunity, she started to breathe deeply while he watched her with a smile, ¡°Cornelia, tell me, who else do you want to be with besides me?¡± ¡°Abigail was just talking nonsense. Do you know what that means? It means it was just a casual remark, and I wouldn¡¯t actually do it.¡± Cornelia wiped her kissed lips, her heart beating faster again. Marcus caressed her flushed cheeks, ¡°Don¡¯t ever say or think things like that again.¡± His voice was low, sounding gentle, but full of dominance. Cornelia huffed, ¡°You¡¯re a total dictator!¡± Despite her annoyance, she looked utterly adorable. Marcus kissed her forehead, eyes, nose tip, and then her lips again, ¡°You can do whatever you want in other respects, but when ites to rtionships, I won¡¯t budge.¡± Cornelia pouted, ¡°Then you can¡¯t be looking at other girls either. If you can do it, so can I.¡± Marcus, ¡°Okay.¡± He never had any interest in other women, nor did he ever give them a second nce, so she didn¡¯t need to worry about it. Cornelia, ¡°You¡¯re still hugging and kissing me with your dirty clothes on. Don¡¯t you find it disgusting? What about your cleanliness obsession?¡± Marcus, ¡°Nothing is more important than you.¡± Who said he had never dated and knew nothing about it? His flirting skills were spot on, even 1/2 12:22 better than those experienced guys. Cornelia dared not look at him again; she turned and found her usual loose shirt in the wardrobe. ¡°Take off your clothes, I¡¯ll wash them for you. You can wear this for the time being if you don¡¯t mind.¡± There was a men¡¯s shirt in her room, and it wasn¡¯t his. Under Marcus¡® silver¨Cframed sses, his gazes darkened and became scary, ¡°Whose shirt is this?¡± He decided to find this man and teach him a lesson. This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Hearing this, Cornelia really got angry, ¡°I like to wear loose clothes to sleep, and this big shirt is for me to wear as a pajama. I¡¯m not that kind of unfaithful woman who brings men home after getting married. If you don¡¯t trust me, you can just divorce me¡­¡­¡± Chapter 735 Chapter 735 Chapter 735 Before Cornelia could spit out all her words, Marcus was quick to seal her lips with his, not wanting to hear what he didn¡¯t want to hear. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you. I¡¯m just blinded by jealousy.¡± Worried that more words would lead to more mistakes, Marcus didn¡¯t say any more. He took the clothes from Cornelia¡¯s hands and quickly put it on. The shirt was also a white one. It was a bit big and long for Cornelia, but when he put it on, it fit perfectly, as if it was tailor¨Cmade for him. Cornelia didn¡¯t bother with him, and took his white shirt to wash, leaving Marcus alone in her room. This was the first time Marcus had been in Cornelia¡¯s room, and it was much smaller than he had imagined. The room only had a small bed, a row of cupboards, and a desk. After these things were ced, there wasn¡¯t much space left in the room. However, the room was very clean and tidy, giving a warm andfortable feeling. There was also a diffuser by the window, sending out a faint aroma that made people feel There was a cushion and a small table on the windowsill, with a tablet on it. Next to the tablet was a notebook, with arge smiley face on the cover and text encouraging herself to work hard and make money, aiming to retire early. Why was this girl always thinking about retirement? Was it because the pressure of his work was too great and she couldn¡¯t bear such pressure being with him? Before Marcus could figure it out, Cornelia came back with the washed clothes. She nced at him, didn¡¯t say anything, went to the side, picked up the hairdryer, and started to dry the clothes. She was so focused and serious when she was drying the clothes. Marcus was also watching her with the same focus and seriousness. Suddenly, she opened her mouth, her tone a bit resentful, ¡°Did I allow you to stare at me?¡± He immediately put on a hurt expression, ¡°You didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t watch.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Where¡¯s the domineering you just now?¡± He dared to y the victim here, she wouldn¡¯t be fooled by his act. Cornelia really held a grudge. For a moment, he was speechless, and Cornelia felt much better. She continued to dry the clothes, and in a short while, the clothes slowly dried in her hands, 1/2 12:22 Chapter 735 ¡°Alright, you can change into your clothes now.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus, ¡°I think this shirt of yours is pretty good. Leave my shirt here, it¡¯ll be convenient for me to wear when Ie next time.¡± Cornelia, ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Although she said this, she was already thinking about preparing some clothes for him at home. After putting Marcus¡® clothes into the wardrobe, Cornelia was ready to go out to help, ¡°Are you going to stay in the room, or go to the living room?¡± Marcus, ¡°Is there anything I can help with?¡± Cornelia, ¡°You can ask Zack in the kitchen. I¡¯m going downstairs to buy some vinegar.¡± Marcus, ¡°Okay.¡± Marcus walked into the kitchen. Zack had already made chicken soup, and the dishes for lunch were also ready. When Zack saw Marcuse in, he nced at him and said, ¡°President Hartley, Cornelia really likes the dishes I make. Can you cook? If not, I can teach you.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°No need.¡± He knew very well what Cornelia liked to eat, and he believed his cooking skills were pretty decent. The dishes he made would definitely not disappoint Cornelia. Chapter 736 Chapter 736 Chapter 735 Before Cornelia could spit out all her words, Marcus was quick to seal her lips with his, not wanting to hear what he didn¡¯t want to hear. ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you. I¡¯m just blinded by jealousy.¡± Worried that more words would lead to more mistakes, Marcus didn¡¯t say any more. He took the clothes from Cornelia¡¯s hands and quickly put it on. The shirt was also a white one. It was a bit big and long for Cornelia, but when he put it on, it fit perfectly, as if it was tailor¨Cmade for him. Cornelia didn¡¯t bother with him, and took his white shirt to wash, leaving Marcus alone in her room. This was the first time Marcus had been in Cornelia¡¯s room, and it was much smaller than he had imagined. The room only had a small bed, a row of cupboards, and a desk. After these things were ced, there wasn¡¯t much space left in the room. However, the room was very clean and tidy, giving a warm andfortable feeling. There was also a diffuser by the window, sending out a faint aroma that made people feel There was a cushion and a small table on the windowsill, with a tablet on it. Next to the tablet was a notebook, with arge smiley face on the cover and text encouraging herself to work hard and make money, aiming to retire early. Why was this girl always thinking about retirement? Was it because the pressure of his work was too great and she couldn¡¯t bear such pressure being with him? Before Marcus could figure it out, Cornelia came back with the washed clothes. She nced at him, didn¡¯t say anything, went to the side, picked up the hairdryer, and started to dry the clothes. She was so focused and serious when she was drying the clothes. Marcus was also watching her with the same focus and seriousness. Suddenly, she opened her mouth, her tone a bit resentful, ¡°Did I allow you to stare at me?¡± He immediately put on a hurt expression, ¡°You didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t watch.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Where¡¯s the domineering you just now?¡± He dared to y the victim here, she wouldn¡¯t be fooled by his act. Cornelia really held a grudge. For a moment, he was speechless, and Cornelia felt much better. She continued to dry the clothes, and in a short while, the clothes slowly dried in her hands, 1/2 12:22 This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 735 ¡°Alright, you can change into your clothes now.¡± Marcus, ¡°I think this shirt of yours is pretty good. Leave my shirt here, it¡¯ll be convenient for me to wear when Ie next time.¡± Cornelia, ¡°There won¡¯t be a next time.¡± Although she said this, she was already thinking about preparing some clothes for him at home. After putting Marcus¡® clothes into the wardrobe, Cornelia was ready to go out to help, ¡°Are you going to stay in the room, or go to the living room?¡± Marcus, ¡°Is there anything I can help with?¡± Cornelia, ¡°You can ask Zack in the kitchen. I¡¯m going downstairs to buy some vinegar.¡± Marcus, ¡°Okay.¡± Marcus walked into the kitchen. Zack had already made chicken soup, and the dishes for lunch were also ready. When Zack saw Marcuse in, he nced at him and said, ¡°President Hartley, Cornelia really likes the dishes I make. Can you cook? If not, I can teach you.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°No need.¡± He knew very well what Cornelia liked to eat, and he believed his cooking skills were pretty decent. The dishes he made would definitely not disappoint Cornelia. Chapter 737 Chapter 737 Chapter 736 ¡°Marcus, I need you to help me wash some veggies.¡± Zack went on without waiting for Marcus¡® reply, ¡°But maybe I shouldn¡¯t be asking you to do this. I¡¯ll wait till Nelly gets back with the vinegar and let her wash them.¡± Marcus, a sharp guy, saw through Zack¡¯s intentions. ¡°I¡¯m here to help, you don¡¯t need to test me with these little tricks.¡± Zack was somewhat taken aback and immediately asked, ¡°Really?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°You¡¯re my wife¡¯s friend, and you guys grew up together. You¡¯re her best buddy. I respect you, and count you as a friend.¡± His words were direct and sincere. Zack was a reasonable guy too, doing everything for the sake of protecting his friend. In the face of sincere Marcus, his tone became gentler, ¡°Just like Abby said, our friend is truly special, you gotta cherish her, don¡¯t hurt her, and don¡¯t make her sad.¡± This wasn¡¯t the first time Zack had said this, and Marcus had taken note, ¡°She¡¯s my wife. Making her happy, protecting her, that¡¯s my job.¡± Whether he could do it or not, such words were music to Zack¡¯s ears. His wife walked into the kitchen and immediately said to Zack, ¡°Zack, you can¡¯t bully my husband!¡± Zack responded, ¡°You really think he¡¯s someone I can bully?¡± His wife replied, ¡°Who knows.¡± Zack said, ¡°You protecting him like this. It hurts.¡± Abigail wedged herself in the kitchen doorway. ¡°We all have boyfriends now, you should get a girlfriend too, so you won¡¯t be jealous of us.¡± Zack replied, ¡°When am I jealous? I just see the girl I¡¯ve raised from a child walking away with someone else and it doesn¡¯t sit well with me.¡± ¡°Alright, cut it out, it¡¯s almost 10, aren¡¯t we cooking? Fancy a bowl of air?¡± Comelia said, trying to put on an apron. Zack grabbed the apron from her, ¡°Weren¡¯t you going to get the vinegar?¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Abigail said, ¡°My boyfriend will be here soon. I¡¯ll have him bring it.¡± Cornelia took back the apron, ¡°Salmon it is then? Let me do it.¡± *You girls go and have fun, us men will take care of lunch today.¡± Zack turned to Marcus, ¡°Marcus, cool with that?¡± Marcus said to his wife, ¡°Yes, you go rest, and we¡¯ll cook.¡± Cornelia had tasted Marcus¡® cooking before. Although he was a beginner, his food tasted good. He was a quick learner as well, so she wasn¡¯t worried about him not doing well. She was more concerned about him not being used to the kitchen, ¡°Can you handle the kitchen fumes?¡± Zack said: ¡°If we can handle it, why can¡¯t he? Is there any difference between the body structure of a rich man and us ordinary folk?¡± Cornelia stayed quiet. Marcus said: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can.¡± Cornelia said: ¡°Then let me help you with the apron.¡± Marcus was taller than Cornelia by twenty centimeters, he had to bend over and lower his head so that Cornelia could hang the apron around his neck. As he bent over towards her, Cornelia felt his warm breath brushing her cheeks, her heart rate picked up a notch. She focused on tying his apron, and as she was about to step back, his lips lightly brushed her face. She thought it was unintentional, but when she looked up, she saw his eyes smiling at her. Chapter 738 Chapter 738 Chapter 738 Abigail tapped Cornelia on the head lightly. ¡°What does your sex drive have to do with it? You¡¯ve never been with anyone before, now you¡¯re married but can¡¯t sleep with your husband. If you don¡¯t divorce him or cheat, you¡¯ll never have a chance to experience the joy of love in this life, you get me?¡± Cornelia murmured, ¡°If I can¡¯t experience it, then so be it. No biggie to me.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Right now you¡¯re young, you might think it¡¯s no big deal. But when you get older, you¡¯ll understand how important it really is.¡± To Cornelia, sex wasn¡¯t that important when it came to marriage, ¡°Let¡¯s cross that bridge when we come to it.¡± Abigail suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you use his money to keep a young stud?¡± Thisment shocked Cornelia to her feet. She rushed to the door, peeked outside, making sure Marcus wasn¡¯t there, then calmed down, ¡°Abigail, you can¡¯t make jokes like that¡± If Marcus found out she was thinking about keeping a boy toy, who knew what he¡¯d do. Abigail asked, ¡°What are you so scared of?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡®I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll hear us.¡± Abigail chuckled, ¡°Then we¡¯ll keep it down. Have you ever thought about keeping a young man?¡± Cornelia knew Abigail was joking, so she yed along. ¡°I can entertain the thought.¡± Abigail high fived her, ¡°Alright, it¡¯s settled then I¡¯ll find you one.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You do that¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Any requests?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Comelia replied, ¡°Not much, just someone up to Marcus¡® standard.¡± Abigail teased, ¡°And you call that not picky? With that standard, it¡¯s hard to find a second one in the whole world. I guess you¡¯re destined to live the rest of your life without sex.¡± Corneliay on Abigail¡¯s bed, staring at the ceiling, murmuring, ¡°That¡¯s okay. I thinkpanionship is what matters most in life.¡± Abigailid next to her, both looking at the ceiling, ¡°Comelia, you know? It¡¯s been days and it still feels surreal. Your boss suddenly bing your husband, it¡¯s like a dream.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I feel the same way. A man who I didn¡¯t even dare to dream about, suddenly became my husband. It¡¯s like something out of a movie, too dramatic to believe.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Indeed, it is dramatic. But it¡¯s happening to you.¡± Cornelia turned to look at Abigail, ¡°Abigail, is there a chance, I¡¯m actually dreaming?¡± Abigail turned around, pinched Cornelia¡¯s face hard, ¡°Cornelia, does it hurt?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Abigail said, ¡°If it hurts, it means it¡¯s real, not a dream!¡± Touching her pinched face, Cornelia sighed, ¡°But it still feels unreal. I guess because I¡¯m with Marcus every day, and his image and voice have deeply imprinted in my mind, so I dream about him at night. ¡°In my dream, I became the wife of the CEO. The CEO¡¯s grandma adores me and generously gave me millions of wealth, the CEO also loves me very much¡­ Chapter 739 Chapter 739 Chapter 739 Comelia chuckled, ¡°Maybe all of this is just a figment of my imagination. When I snap out of it, Marcus will still be the CEO of the Hartley Group, and I¡¯ll just be his assistant. Our rtionship will still be employer and employee, and there¡¯s no way I could ever be his wife.¡± Abigail replied, ¡°Girl, you are so silly. Everyone¡¯s dying to be his wife, and you¡¯re hoping this is all just a dream. Let me tell you, it¡¯s a done deal. You are his legit wife. ¡°You better live the good life from now on, live it so well that everyone else turns green with envy. Then pop out a few kids for me to spoil. You two have such good genes, it¡¯d be a crime to waste them. But oh, I forgot, your hubby¡¯s shooting nks. Guess my dreams of being an awesome auntie may have to take a backseat.¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Do you think he and I can stay together forever?¡± Abigail answered, ¡°Absolutely, as long as you¡¯re up for it. Based on my years of reading romance novels, your husband is definitely into you.¡± Comelia red at her, ¡°I¡¯m being serious here, stop spouting off about novels.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Abigail retorted, ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go with my woman¡¯s intuition then. I just have a hunch he¡¯s into you: Every time we¡¯re all together, his eyes are always on you. I don¡¯t know him well, but I just feel like he wouldn¡¯t lie to you.¡± Cornelia sighed, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s part of his charm.¡± Just as Abigail was about to say something, her phone suddenly rang. She picked it up and saw the caller ID¨CHubby. Comelia caught a glimpse, ¡°You guys just started dating and he¡¯s already your hubby?¡± Abigail shot back, ¡°Not everyone¡¯s like you. Married for two years before realizing the man you see every day is actually your hubby.¡± Cornelia was speechless. Abigail answered the call, her voice syrupy sweet, ¡°Hubby, you¡¯re here? Alright, I¡¯ll get the door.¡± After hanging up, she didn¡¯t rush to open the door. She got off the bed, sat in front of the vanity, and leisurely started to primp. She was in no hurry to open the door. Cornelia asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t he say he¡¯s here? Why aren¡¯t you opening the door?¡± Abigail replied, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it. Sometimes, men need to be kept waiting. Don¡¯t be so eager about everything.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I believe sincerity is the most important thing in love and marriage. We shouldn¡¯t y pointless games.¡± Abigail responded, ¡°Sure, if it¡¯s someone as rich and good¨Clooking as your husband, then there can be an exception.¡± Cornelia was left speechless again. After primping for several minutes, Abigail finally strolled out of the room to open the door. With a guest in the house, Cornelia couldn¡¯t stay in her room. She followed Abigail to greet her boyfriend. Unexpectedly, before Cornelia could get a good look at the man outside, Abigail mmed the door shut. Cornelia was startled and asked, ¡°Abigail, what¡¯s going on?¡± Abigail quickly locked the door and turned her back on it, ¡°Cornelia, go back to your room. You can¡¯t come out or peek without my permission.¡± Chapter 740 Chapter 740 Chapter 740 Comelia asked Abigail, ¡°Who¡¯s out there?¡± The door mmed louder than Abigail intended, catching the attention of the two busy gents in the kitchen. After Marcus came out, he immediately looked at Comelia and then swiftly positioned himself behind her, appearing as if he was ready. to protect her. Zack wiped his hands on his apron, rushing over to the flustered Abigail. ¡°Abigail, what¡¯s up?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Abigail instructed, ¡°Make sure Cornelia gets back to her room. Her boyfriend should be with her. And no peeping, not until I say so.¡± Abigail was being too erratic, and Cornelia didn¡¯t want to provoke her. She quickly agreed, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll head back to our room, you take your time with Zack.¡± ¡°President Hartley, let¡¯s chill in my room for a bit.¡± Cornelia hurriedly pulled Marcus back to their room. Once inside her room, Cornelia shut the door, leaving a small gap to peek through. Abigail knew her too well, ¡°No peeping¡°¡± she yelled. Cornelia had no choice but to shut the doorpletely, not daring to peek anymore. Even though Comelia was back in her room, Abigail wasn¡¯t reassured. ¡°Zack, lock Comelia¡¯s door from the outside. Make sure she can¡¯t peek.¡± Zack asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on? Tell me first.¡± Abigail lost her cool and shouted, ¡°Just lock the damn door!¡± Zack was scared by the frantic Abigail. He quickly found a rope and tied Cornelia¡¯s door shut. Once everything was secure, Abigail copsed on the floor, ¡°Zack, that jerk is outside the door!¡± Abigail only mentioned jerk¡°, but Zack immediately knew who was outside, ¡°Move, I¡¯m gonna give him a piece of my mind!¡± Abigail was moreposed than Zack, ¡°Don¡¯t punch him, it¡¯s ille illegal. You don¡¯t want to get arrested likest time, do you? Right now, we need to figure out how to get rid of him for good, so he never shows his face to Cornelia again.¡± The thought of that jerk outside was driving Zack mad, ¡°Move!¡± ¡°Zack!¡± Abigail tried to stop him, but she was no match for the angry Zack. He shoved her aside and opened the door A smirking face greeted him, ¡°Zack, long time no see!¡± Without hesitation, Zacknded a punch on Roman¡¯s face, ¡°You jerk, how dare you show up, I¡¯m gonna teach you a lesson.¡± Zack threw a few more punches, but Roman didn¡¯t dodge. He just took it, ¡°I did some wrong things. If you need to punch me to vent, go ahead, I¡¯ll wait till you cool down.¡± Zack kept punching until his hands hurt, ¡°You scumbag, how did you find out where we live? What do you want with us? I¡¯m warning you. you better leave now, the further the better, or I¡¯ll beat you up every time I see you.¡± Romanughed at him, his derisive smile as if mocking Zack for not knowing the status of the Padi family in Riverton. Chapter 741 Chapter 741 Chapter 741 ¡°The Hartley family? Are you tight with them or something?¡± Zack was just starting to warm up to Marcus, but now that he heard this lowlife was chummy with him, he suddenly went cold on Marcus. He even began to suspect that Marcus might be in cahoots with this jerk to hurt Cornelia. The thought drained the color from Zack¡¯s face. He didn¡¯t dare think about it. If Marcus and Cornelia¡¯s marriage was just a scheme for some unspeakable purpose, then Cornelia¡¯s life might be ruined. Roman thought Zack was scared of the Hartleys he mentioned, looking smugger than ever. I¡¯m here because I knew it¡¯s your birthday today. Thought I¡¯de celebrate with you.¡± He brought out a birthday cake hidden behind him. ¡°Look, I even got you a birthday cake. Not sure if you¡¯re familiar with the brand. It costs a lot more than your average cake. You can¡¯t buy it even if you have the money, not without a membership card.¡± He made it sound like the cake was some rare treasure. Abigail was pissed. ¡°We don¡¯t need you to celebrate our birthday, and we don¡¯t need your cake. Back off, and stay out of our sight.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not having it? Really?¡± Roman raised the cake for a look, then shook his head. He walked over to a nearby trash can with them watching. ¡°You¡¯re really not having it?¡± This material belongs to N?velDrama.Org. He tossed the cake into the bin. ¡°Sure you won¡¯t pick it up and eat it after I leave?¡± Zack and Abigail were disgusted. ¡°Beat it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got stuff to deal with, can¡¯t just leave.¡± Roman brushed off his hands and straightened his clothes. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m here for Cornelia. Could you go get her? I¡¯d like to invite her to lunch.¡± Roman¡¯s mention of Cornelia got him a punch in the face from Zack. ¡°You shameless jerk, you have the nerve to ask for Cornelia? Who do you think you are? You think she¡¯s someone you can just call up? She¡¯s married. Get away from her, and stop harassing her.¡± Roman¡¯s face darkened. ¡°She¡¯s my woman. Even if I¡¯m done with her, she can¡¯t marry another man without my permission.¡± Zack and Abigail were disgusted by his words. ¡°Who are you? You think you¡¯re important? She¡¯s your woman? Have you ever held her hand?¡± Not having held Cornelia¡¯s hand was a lifelong regret for Roman. Back then, he had been madly pursuing her, using every trick in the book to make her agree to date him. He thought that once Cornelia agreed to date him, he could do whatever he wanted. But he never expected that he wouldn¡¯t even get to hold her hand after they started going out. This woman always had a reason to keep him at arm¡¯s length. Once, in a library, he was nning to make his move when everyone else had left. Just as he saw his chance, these two people suddenly interrupted him and ruined his n. Thinking back, these two had ruined his ns more than once. Every time he found a chance to date Cornelia, they always interfered They said that since they grew up together, if one of them went on a date, the other two had toe along to learn from the experience. It sounded like they were there for reference, but they were really just freeloading. Chapter 742 Chapter 742 Chapter 742 After all these years, he¡¯d been itching to see Comelia, but he was still stuck with these two pains in the neck. Talk about bad luck! Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Roman didn¡¯t want to dredge up his cruddy past, but he was here now and he was going to take Cornelia out for a meal if it killed him. He asked, ¡°Comelia is working at the Hartley Group now, right?¡± Abigail was a bit thrown, but remembering that Cornelia¡¯s husband was the president at the Hartley Group, she regained her nerve. ¡°How do you know Comelia is working at the Hartley Group?¡± Roman scoffed, ¡°I told you before, there¡¯s no stone unturned for the Padi family in Riverton. Ask her if she wants to keep her job. Plenty of folks who¡¯d jump at the chance if she doesn¡¯t. If she does, she can join me for a meal, and we¡¯ll talk about the past.¡± ¡°What the hell do you want with Comelia? I¡¯m warning you, if youy a finger on her, I¡¯ll knock your lights out.¡± Zack didn¡¯t know much about Marcus, some from Cornelia, some from the grapevine. Zack heard the rumors about Marcus first and received a lot of information from outside sources. As a result, his inner inclination led him to believe that Marcus might not be a good person. When Roman brought up the Hartley Group again, Zack got antsy. But Abigail was more sure¨Cfooted. She was a die¨Chard fan of Cornelia and Marcus and believed Marcus was head over heels for Comelia. When Roman made this threat, she thought it was augh. ¡°If you are so awesome, why don¡¯t you just introduce yourself as one of the Padis instead of constantly dropping the Hartley name? Your names have nothing to do with each other, stop riding the Hartley¡¯s coattails.¡± ¡°I¡¯d go as far as to say we¡¯re like family with the Hartleys.¡± Abigail¡¯sment hit Roman where it hurt and he started to scramble. The Padis had always been small potatoes, living off the Hartley¡¯s for decades. Marcus¡® grandfather was always good to the Padis, lending a hand whenever they needed. But when Brennen took over the group, he didn¡¯t give two hoots about his mother¡¯s wishes, only caring about skirt¨Cchasing, and turned a blind eye to the Padis¡® needs. During Brennen¡¯s reign, the Padis lost a lot of deals and their shot at being top dogs in Riverton. So they went downhill, each day worse than thest. But when Marcus took over, the Padis saw a glimmer of hope, hoping the kid they knew would heed his grandmother¡¯s words and lend the Padis a hand. And the kid did, but his help was making the Padis fend for themselves, which was not what they wanted. The Padis had been leeching off the Hartleys for years; they¡¯d lost their ability to make a living, only hoping for handouts from the Hartleys. Marcus didn¡¯t directly give money or possessions, which led the Padi family to rely on themselves to make a living. Chapter 743 Chapter 743 Chapter 743 Yes, the Padi family members had lost their ability to earn a living and support themselves They were grateful that Granny Luisa knew how to return a favor. After her son and grandson stopped helping the Padi family, she would take some dough out of her personal ount every month for them. Of course, this little moh couldn¡¯t satisfy them. They bragged about their tight bond with the Hartley family to everyone, so people woulde to them for introductions, hoping to cozy up to the Hartleys. And naturally, the intro fee wasn¡¯t exactly peanuts. Over the years, the Padi family had raked in a pretty penny through Granny Luisa¡¯s support and the generous gifts from people trying to brown¨Cnose. They now lived a cushy life without having to lift a finger, way better than many others. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ¡°Cornelia is yours? You get to decide if Cornelia can work at the Hartley Group? Your rtionship with the Hartley family is as tight as family? Who do you think you are, spouting such shameless crap?¡± Marcus¡® voice suddenly echoed from behind Zack and Abigail. His voice was not only deep and strong, but also had a chilling coldness. They turned towards the voice and saw not only the tall and dashing Marcus, but also the elegant and graceful Cornelia, their hands tightly sped together. Their sped hands in public was like Marcus acknowledging Cornelia¡¯s status. Zack was pleased that Marcus stepped up to protect Cornelia at this time. Abigail looked worriedly at Cornelia, unsure if she had really forgotten this jerk over the years. She was afraid Cornelia would be hurt by him again. Roman, who was previously clueless about their rtionship, now understood everything seeing their hand¨Cholding. These two were more than just supenor and employee, they had a secret romance going on. No wonder Cornelia¡¯s two friends could still be so arrogant and rude after hearing about the Hartley family. It was all because Cornelia was seeing Marcus, thinking they had his backing. Marcus was cold¨Cblooded. He was able to send his own father to jail when he was just a teenager. What wouldn¡¯t he do? Roman knew better than to mess with Marcus Reluctantly, he stepped back, ¡°President Hartley, didn¡¯t expect to run into you here. A pleasure to meet you¡± He stepped forward to shake hands with Marcus, but Marcus didn¡¯t budge. His icy gaze pinned Roman and his voice became even colder. ¡°Cornelia is yours?¡± Roman didn¡¯t dare to meet Marcus¡® eyes, his gaze shifted to the side, towards Cornelia. Just a few years apart, and the woman who used to drive him crazy had be even more stunning, so beautiful that he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her, so beautiful that everything else lost color in her presence. Her beauty stirred him more now than the first time he met her She was no longer the innocent girl he once knew. She had traded her body for the position of Assistant to the CEO of the Hartley Group. He had no use for a woman who had lost her innocence! Roman smirked, ¡°President Hartley, you probably don¡¯t know, but Cornelia and I used to date¡­ but since you¡¯re into her, she¡¯s all yours now.¡± His words, his tone, treated Cornelia like an object, something that could be traded at will. How could Marcus tolerate anyone insulting his wife like this? With a flick of his hand, he might do something Roman would regret. Cornelia knew him well, knew what he was about to do, so she grabbed his arm before he could give the order, ¡°President Hartley, let me handle this guy.¡± Marcus looked at Cornelia, his eyes behind the silver sses filled with displeasure and doubt, ¡°Going soft?¡± Chapter 744 Chapter 744 Chapter 744 That man had hurt her so much, didn¡¯t even show her basic respect, and she was still protecting him? Comelia knew he was overthinking and quickly rified, ¡°It¡¯s not being soft¨Chearted, I couldn¡¯t possibly feel that way toward such a person. I have a better way to deal with this kind of guy.¡± Marcus believed in her ability, which was why he let her handle it. Cornelia released Marcus and strode towards Roman, asking with a smile, ¡°What identity do youe to me with? Business partner or ex¨Clover?* All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. After a few years, this woman had be more beautiful and sophisticated, making it impossible to guess what she was thinking. ¡°Does it matter?¡± Comelia kept her polite smile, ¡°If it¡¯s about work, then pleasee to me during office hours on Monday. If it¡¯s as an ex¨Clover¡­¡± Suddenly, Cornelia¡¯s face changed, her smile disappeared, and her tone turned cold, ¡°Then please stay away from me, my husband, and my friends. Don¡¯t bother us anymore.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your husband?¡± After yesterday¡¯s meeting, he asked her out, but she said she had to be with her husband. He thought she was just angry with him and trying to piss him off. Now she even dared to say she had a husband in front of Marcus, which meant Marcus knew she was married and still stayed with her. How powerful was this woman? ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be blind as well as heartless.¡± Cornelia went back to Marcus, wrapped her arm around his, tiptoed and gave him a kiss, ¡°Look closely, this is my husband! If you dare to bother me again, I won¡¯t let you off.¡± Abigail was bbergasted. Who cared about that jerk now? All she could think about was Marcus defending Cornelia and Cornelia taking the initiative to kiss Marcus. Who could understand how she was feeling right now? Seeing her friend and a good man bing a real couple was so sweet. There might not be any other couples that could captivate her as much. Although Zack seemed to dislike it on the surface, he epted the fact that Marcus was Cornelia¡¯s husband, ¡°Nelly is the wife of the CEO of the Hartley Group. Whether she¡¯s the CEO¡¯s assistant is up to her husband. Who do you think you are, daring to talk nonsense here?¡± Earlier, he was almost intimidated by that man, fortunately, Marcus appeared with Cornelia just in time. Unless Marcus admitted it himself, Roman didn¡¯t want to believe it. He couldn¡¯t believe that Marcus, the helm of the Hartley Group. would marry a girl from an ordinary family! He knew Cornelia was beautifu. She could be Marcus¡® bed partner, she could be Marcus¡® secret lover, but she could never be Marcus¡® wife. Chapter 745 Chapter 745 Chapter 745 Being Marcus¡® wife was the dream of many high ssdies, a dream that seemed impossible for a small town girl like Cornelia who hadn¡¯t seen much of the world. Anyway, he simply couldn¡¯t ept that Comelia could actually be Marcus¡® wife. He was also scared that once Cornelia became Marcus¡® wife, he would never get another shot at being close to her. Despite being intimidated by Marcus¡® gaze, Roman still looked towards Marcus, hoping to hear him reprimand Comelia and tell her to stop dreaming about bing his wife. However, that didn¡¯t happen. Marcus looked at Cornelia with deep affection, as if she was the only one in his world and there was no room for anyone else. But when Marcus¡® gaze shifted back to him, it was instantly sharp and piercing If looks could kill, he would have been killed by Marcus¡® gaze already ¡°Comelia is my spouse on our marriage certificate, mywful wife,¡± Marcus said with a heavy tone, pulling Cornelia close by her slim waist. It was as if he was not only telling the man in front of him who was trying to bother Cornelia, but also dering to the world that Cornelia was his wife. Marcus¡® wordspletely shattered Roman¡¯s dream, and he felt like he could hear his own heart breaking.¡± This time, he returned to the country as the Chief Engineer of Moongazer Tech. Many women were attracted to him, and it was during this time that he met her. He thought she would be like those ordinary women, admiring him, and that with just a slight hint, she woulde to his side. But boy, was he wrong. This woman was very capable. During his absence, she had secretly established contact with the CEO of the Hartley Group and became the firstdy of the Hartley Group! ¡°Scram! Stay away from me!¡± Zack shoved him out the door, mming it shut and getting rid of this nuisance once and for all. With Marcus¡® support, he no longer needed to worry about this personing to trouble Cornelia. But when Zack turned around, Marcus and Cornelia were gone. He looked at Abigail, ¡°Where did they go?¡± Abigail, ¡°They went back to their room. Let¡¯s prepare dinner.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Zack went back to the kitchen. All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Bang bang bang ¨C The sound of knocking on the door startled Abigail who was still by the entrance. ¡°Annoying prick, won¡¯t you leave unless we boot you out?¡± Abigail opened the door, her scolding voice immediately reced with a gentle one. ¡°Darling, you said you¡¯d be here half an hour ago, why are you just arriving now?¡± ¡°I left the things I bought in the car, so I went back to get them. There were no parking spots nearby, so the car is parked quite far away. That¡¯s why it took so long, the man exined, handing the things over to Abigail with a smile. ¡°This is a birthday gift for Zack, I hope he¡¯ll like it.¡± Abigail took the various packages from Nash and stepped aside for him to enter, ¡°Put on those dark blue slippers. We knew you guys wereing over so Zack got new ones just for you guysst night.¡± ¡°You guys?¡± Nash looked around as he changed shoes, ¡°Are there other guests besides me?¡± Abigail put away the things and approached him, ¡°Yes, my friend Nelly¡¯s husband is also here. They¡¯re busy right now, but you¡¯ll meet them at dinner She turned and shouted towards the kitchen, ¡°Zack, Nash is here, aren¡¯t you going to wee your guest?¡± Zack and Nash had met a few times before and were quite familiar with each other, so Zack didn¡¯t bother being overly polite. He poked his head out of the kitchen, ¡°Nash, make yourself at home.¡± After changing his shoes, Nash entered the kitchen, ¡°Do you need help with anything?¡± Chapter 746 Chapter 746 Chapter 746 N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Zack said, ¡°You¡¯re a guest. Go chill in the living room, snack on some fruits and treats, and walch some TV. No need to help out.¡± Nash responded, ¡°After I marry Abby, you¡¯ll be family. We¡¯re all in this together, why are you being so formal?¡± Zack said, ¡°I¡¯m not being formal, just that we only need to prepare food for five people. We¡¯ve got everything ready. Cold dishes are all set, hot dishes are almost done. We just have a few more dishes to stir¨Cfry. Everything is already prepared, and we just need to throw it in the wok. If you really want to lend a hand, make sure to arrive at ten as agreed. Don¡¯t drag it until eleven.¡± Nash chuckled, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll make sure toe earlier next time.¡± Abigail came into the kitchen, grabbed Nash¡¯s hand and led him to the living room. ¡°Just TV and munch on snacks.¡± here and keep mepany while we watch Nash looked around then towards a closed door, ¡°Abby, what¡¯s Nelly up to? I can¡¯t wait to see her.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Hold your horses, you¡¯ll see her at dinner. And you can¡¯t call her Nelly, that¡¯s a nickname only Zack and I can use.¡± Nash said, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll take your word for it.¡± Abigail grabbed a handful of peanuts, munching while staring at Cornelia¡¯s door, ¡°Ugh, Cornelia, are you pulling my leg, is Marcus not cutting it? If he¡¯s not up to par, why did he pull you into the room during the day?¡± Just as Abigail started to feel duped, Cornelia¡¯s door swung open, and out came the towering figure of Marcus. He then shut the door behind him. Abigail nced at the time. It had only been five minutes since Marcus pulled Cornelia into the room. Five minutes! How on earth was Cornelia going to cope with this? Nash tugged at Abigail¡¯s clothes, ¡°Abby, aren¡¯t you going to introduce us? Is this Cornelia¡¯s husband?¡± Abigail snapped out of her thoughts and quickly stood up, ¡°This is¡­oh, Mr. Artis, this is my boyfriend Nash. Nash, this is Cornelia¡¯s husband, Jeremy Artis.¡± Nash reached out his hand, ¡°Mr. Artis, nice to meet you!¡± Marcus also extended his hand politely, ¡°Nice to meet you too!¡± After greeting. Marcus headed to the kitchen. He had a special dish for Cornelia that wasn¡¯t finished yet. Nash watched as Marcus entered the kitchen, shivering slightly, ¡°Abby, what does Mr. Artis do for a living? He seems so imposing.¡± Abigail said, ¡°He¡¯s a businessman.¡± Nash noted, ¡°It looks like he has a bite mark on the corner of his mouth.¡± Abigail was very curious. What on earth had happened in that room? She had to go find Nelly and ask! Abigail guessed Marcus must have drop Chapter 747 Chapter 747 Chapter 747 Abigail guessed Marcus must have dropped the ball at a crucial moment, and got bitten by Nelly as a result. Nelly was usually gentle and friendly to everyone, but if someone got on her nerves, they¡¯d see her true colors she was actually quite a force to be reckoned with ¡°Sweetie, you watch some TV. I¡¯m going to check on Nelly.¡± Abigail gave Nash a heads up and went alone to Cornelia¡¯s room. She knocked on the door and then walked in. ¡°Nelly, what were you two doing in here?¡± Comelia was buried in her nket, with only her feet showing. Hearing Abigail¡¯s voice, she wrapped herself tighter, ¡°I¡¯m not telling, it¡¯s too embarrassing.¡± Abigail, ¡°So, did Marcus choke at the worst possible moment?¡± Comelia, ¡°I told you I¡¯m not going to spill the beans, so stop guessing. It¡¯s pointless.¡± Abigail, ¡®So you¡¯re just going to hide in your room and avoid everyone? My boyfriend is here, didn¡¯t you say you wanted to meet him? Hurry up and check him out for me. Let¡¯s see if he¡¯s someone I can spend my life with.¡± Comelia, ¡°Leave first, I get ready ande out.¡± Abigail, ¡®Look at you, hurry up! As the host, we can¡¯t keep our guests waiting.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Comelia muttered in response. After Abigail left and the door was closed, she finally came out of her nket, her face flushed. Earlier, after she told Roman that Marcus was her husband, Marcus acted like he¡¯d lost his mind. Before she had time to react, he¡¯d swept her off her feet and taken her back to the room. He started kissing her, but for some reason, they ended up on the bed, and then¡­ Thankfully, she bit him in time, bringing him back to his senses before anything else happened. After biting him, she felt something was off. She noticed his body was tense, not soft at all¡­ She wasn¡¯t sure yet, could he or couldn¡¯t he? Comelia cooled down under the air conditioning, her face returning to normal, before she went out. Stepping out of the room, multiple pairs of eyes were on her. Abigail had a mischievous grin on her face, ¡°Darling, this is Nelly, the friend I always talk about, my best friend.¡± Nash stood up and extended his hand to Cornelia, ¡°Ms. Stewart, nice to meet you!¡± ¡°Nice to meet you!¡± Cornelia quickly shook his hand. She couldn¡¯t tell if she was being overly sensitive, but she felt like Nash intentionally touched her palm. She gave him an extra nce, but he averted his gaze and didn¡¯t look at her again. She thought, maybe she was overthinking it. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Abigail directed, ¡°Nelly, you start clearing the table. Honey, you go wash your hands and help bring the food.¡± Everyone did their part, the table was cleared, the dishes were cooked and served, and soon the table was filled with a variety of hot and cold dishes. Zack carefully picked two bottles of their favorite wine and poured everyone a ss. ¡°Everyone here is family, so don¡¯t hold back and enjoy No one was shy about diving in. Cornelia pulled Marcus to the left side, Abigail and Nash sat on the right, and Zack took the middle seat. Once everyone was seated, Cornelia busily served Marcus a bowl of soup, Marcus put the dish he cooked in front of Cornelia, while Abigail and Nash were being attentive to each other. Chapter 748 Chapter 748 Chapter 748 In the past, they celebrated his birthday together, him as the absolute star of the day. But this year, everything had changed. He was no longer the center of their world! Their hearts and eyes were now focused on the men sitting next to them! He¡¯d been bustling around all morning, and no one had even noticed him. If nobody was gonna pay attention to him, then he¡¯ll just have to make himself noticed. He raised his ss, ¡°First round¡¯s on me, let¡¯s toast to my birthday!¡± Finally, they turned their attention to him and raised their sses, ¡°Happy birthday!¡± But Comelia was looking after Marcus, ¡°Zack, his stomachs not good, water will do.¡± Zack shot them a look, ¡°Since when did he be so weak that he can¡¯t handle a drink?¡± Marcus said, ¡°It¡¯s cool. It¡¯s Zack¡¯s birthday, I can drink less.¡± ¡°That works. Just a little then.¡± Saying ¡®a little¡®, Cornelia only left him a little, pouring the rest into her own ss. Seeing this, Zack was beyond annoyed, ¡°Cornelia, can you stop babying him? He¡¯s your husband, not your son. Aren¡¯t you tired of taking care of everything?¡± It was not all Cornelia taking care of Marcus. Marcus took care of her too. But Zack had got his blinders on, always seeing it as her fussing over Marcus. ¡°It¡¯s not always me taking care of him. He takes care of me too.¡± Cornelia said with a smile, ¡°Zack, happy birthday! Hope you find your dream girl and start a family soon. Then we can all hang out together!¡± Abigail added, ¡°Zack, happy birthday! Hope you find the girl of your dreams tomorrow.¡± Marcus and Nash also wished Zack a happy birthday. After the birthday wishes, Cornelia and Abigail started serving Zack food and drinks, finally making him feel important. He said, ¡°You two better remember, just because you¡¯ve got husbands, it doesn¡¯t mean you can forget about me.¡± Cornelia and Abigail both said, ¡°In our hearts, you¡¯re always the most important.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Their words lifted the cloud that had been hanging over Zack all morning. Feeling a bit triumphant, he nced at Marcus, ¡°Mr. Hartley, why aren¡¯t you eating? Better hurry before the dishes turn cold.¡± He turned to Nash, ¡°Nash, your stomach¡¯s okay, right?¡± Nash replied, ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± Zack said, ¡°Then let¡¯s have a drink.¡± Nash immediately raised his ss, ¡°Sure.¡± One drink wasn¡¯t enough, Zack got Nash to down several more. After a few drinks, the normally talkative Zack became even more chatty, ¡°Cornelia, Abigail, you two are so mean. We agreed to stick together till the end, but you two ditched me for your own love interests, leaving me all alone.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Don¡¯t make yourself sound so helpless. Who said you¡¯re alone? Aren¡¯t we still here for you?¡± Zack said, ¡°This afternoon, you need to go back to Nash¡¯s hometown with him. And Nelly will surely leave with her boyfriend. It¡¯s my birthday, and you two are leaving me. Doesn¡¯t that bother you at all?¡± The more he thought about it, the more upset Zack got, even shedding a few tears. Chapter 749 Chapter 749 Chapter 749 Comelia and Abigail were a bit taken aback, immediately rushing over to give Zack a hug Comelia asked, ¡°Zack, what¡¯s up with you? Abigail has stuff to do this afternoon, but I¡¯m free, I can hang out with you. Whatever you wanna do, I¡¯m down, okay?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Zack cocked his head slightly, eyeing Marcus who was standing behind Comelia, ¡°Your boyfriend cool with that?¡± Comelia retorted, ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything wrong, why wouldn¡¯t he be?¡± Zack said, ¡°I wanna hear it from him.¡± Comelia tumed around, tugging at Marcus¡® sleeve, ¡°You tell him.¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Marcus responded nonchntly. Ill stay with you to keep himpany¡± Zack was speechless. He only wanted Cornelia to stay, who asked for Marcus to stick around? As the CEO of the Hartley Group, didn¡¯t he have any self¨Cawareness? Didn¡¯t he realize he was just making Zack ufortable by being here? Zack also knew that sooner orter, Comelia would move in with Marcus, and his time with her would get less and less. In the future, the three of them might not be able to hang out like before. Wiping away his tears, Zack dered loudly, ¡®Comelia, listen up, you better be happy in the future! And you guys¡­¡± He turned to the two men, ¡°You two snatched away my friends who I¡¯ve known for over twenty years without my permission. Let me tell you, if you dare to treat her badly, Ill make sure you pay. I won¡¯t let you off easily.¡± Marcus remained silent, elegantly eating the food Comelia had served him. Nash replied enthusiastically. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll definitely treat Abigail well. If I don¡¯t, may I get hit by a car the moment I step outside.¡± Zack said. ¡°You said it, don¡¯t me me for cursing you.¡± Nash responded, ¡°I said it, it has nothing to do with you Come on, let¡¯s have a few more drinks.¡± After a few more rounds, Zack started to feel dizzy and suddenly broke down in tears, crying and talking at the same time.. ¡°We¡¯ve known each other since we were kids. Over the years, we¡¯ve always been together, never apart. now you¡¯re ditching me for your boyfriends. Isn¡¯t it nice for the three of us to live together like before? Why do you need guys? Haven¡¯t you heard that men only bring women misery?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s been feeding you this bullshit?¡± Cornelia patted his back, consoling him in a gentle voice, ¡°Zack, whether we get married or not, we¡¯ll always be together like before, we¡¯ll never separate.¡± Abigail wanted tofort Zack too, but his snotty, tear¨Cstreaked face was just too funny. She couldn¡¯t help butugh, ¡°Zack always acts so tough in front of us, but his true colorse out when he¡¯s drunk. But honestly, this is probably the first time I¡¯ve seen him cry so hard. Of course, his tantrums as a kid don¡¯t count.¡± As Corneliaforted him, she pulled out her phone and started recording a video, making sure to get a clear close¨Cup of Zack¡¯s face. This moment was too precious not to document. If she didn¡¯t show him when he sobered up, she¡¯d be failing her duties as his best friend Abigail said, ¡°If we¡¯re talking about who¡¯s naughtier, that¡¯s definitely you¡± Chapter 750 Chapter 750 Chapter 750 Cornelia watched Zack¡¯s awkward expression while her mind wandered elsewhere. ¡°Abby, do you know any suitable girls? Maybe you could introduce one to Zack? Judging by his condition today. I feel like he¡¯s looking for a girlfriend.¡± Abigail replied, ¡°It¡¯s not that he¡¯s looking for a girlfriend. Zack¡¯s just worried about you. He¡¯s afraid of you getting hurt, afraid of you being bullied, and afraid of you getting your heart broken all over again.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m really happy right now. And those irrelevant people can¡¯t hurt me. You guys really don¡¯t need to worry about me.¡± Cornelia understood Zack¡¯s concems, but sometimes you have to learn to let go and start over. Who knew? Things might turn out differently. Like today, when Zack and Abigail saw Romane looking for her, they were so tense, afraid he¡¯d hurt her again. But for Cornelia, that man was long gone from her life. He was a total stranger now. How could he possibly hurt her again? ¡°Alnght, we¡¯ll stop fretting over you. Someone else will take care of you from now on.¡± Abigail nced at Marcus, who was still eating in silence. Abigail felt a bit disappointed. Hadn¡¯t Marcus picked up on her hint? She was trying to get him to promise to take care of Cornelia. All in all, it was a pretty lousy birthday. They didn¡¯t even get to have cake because the birthday boy got too drunk andpletely lost consciousness. In the end, it was Nash who helped Zack to his room. Abigail had nned to go back to Nash¡¯s hometown with him in the afternoon. They had already bought train tickets, so they couldn¡¯t, stay to look after Zack. So, the responsibility of cleaning up and taking care of Zack fell on Cornelia and Marcus. After all the eating and drinking, the living room and the kitchen were aplete mess. It would take one person at least an hour or two to clean up. While Cornelia was cleaning, Marcus made a call and soon a cleaning crew arrived. In no time at all, the house was spotless.. After the cleaning crew left, Cornelia turned to Marcus, ¡°I gotta say, the most powerful spell in the world is money!¡± Marcus chuckled and ruffled her hair, ¡°Tired, huh? do you want to take a nap?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Mmm.¡± They both went back to her room, where Cornelia said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any pajamas for you, so you¡¯ll have to make do with this clothes.¡± Marcus responded, ¡°Okay.¡± Cornelia went to the bathroom with her pajamas. When she came out, Marcus was already asleep on the bed. The air conditioning in the room was turned up high and he didn¡¯t have a nket. Cornelia was worried he would catch a cold, so she quickly covered him with a nket. But as she got close, Marcus suddenly opened his eyes and pulled her into his arms, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡­¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Hmm?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What do I have to do to be more important to you than Zack?¡± This guy, he really got jealous over anyone. Cornelia looked at him and said seriously, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, Zack and Abby are my childhood friends. We¡¯ve known each other for over twenty years and been through a lot together. To me, they¡¯re like family. They¡¯re really important to me, so important that I can¡¯t lose them.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What about me? Am I not important? Can you afford to lose me?¡± Chapter 751 Chapter 751 Chapter 751 Cornelia said seriously. ¡°You¡¯re as important to me as they are, no one¡¯s better than anyone else. Let¡¯s stop asking these kinds of questions, okay? Look at me, I¡¯m smart, I never ask you who¡¯s more important to you, me or your grandma or Bri.¡± She didn¡¯t really want an answer, but Marcus gave her one anyway, ¡°I don¡¯t know who¡¯s more important, but I do know I can¡¯t live without you.¡± Before knowing that Marcus was Jeremy and before realizing that Marcus was her husband, Cornelia had never heard Marcus speak such sweet words. Sometimes, this indirect kind of sweet talk hit her harder than a straight up ¡°I love you.¡± Cornelia nestled into his chest, listening to his strong, steady heartbeat, and whispered, ¡°I get it.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She wanted to drop the subject, fearing if they keep talking about it, he might say something she can¡¯t handle. But Marcus wasn¡¯t done. ¡°You get it? You sure you don¡¯t have anything else to say?¡± Comelia yawned, ¡°I¡¯m tired, gonna grab some z¡¯s. We can chat when I wake up.¡± She had a lot to drink with Zack, and once she hit the bed, she was out like a light. Marcus, however, couldn¡¯t sleep a wink. He just watched her; simply staring at her filled his empty heart with warmth. Perhaps due to not getting enough sleepst night or the effects of drinking at noon, Cornelia¡¯s nap turned into a four hour sleep, and she didn¡¯t wake up until 6 pm. When she woke up, Marcus was nowhere to be seen, she thought he had gone home, so she got up and walked out of the bedroom, hair all tousled. She didn¡¯t expect to see him on the phone in the living room, his voice so low she couldn¡¯t hear a thing, but she could tell he wasn¡¯t happy. She wanted to eavesdrop, but right then her phone rang. She hurried back to her room to pick up. It was Ben, who never called her on his day off. Something must¡¯ve happened. As soon as she picked up, Ben sounded anxious, ¡°Cornelia, something has happened, have you heard?¡± Cornelia instinctively nced at Marcus through the door, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t watched the news?¡± Ben asked. ¡°I just woke up from a nap,¡± Cornelia said. ¡°I heard someone leaked some private photos of you and an older man, imed you tried to seduce your neighbor during the summer of your sophomore year, and got caught by his wife. There are not only photos, but also news coverage in Rosenberg. The whole inte is blowing up over this. Go check online,¡± Ben said. Cornelia immediately opened the news website she frequently browsed, but everything seemed normal, no sign of anything Ben mentioned, ¡°Ben, where did you see this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s everywhere. They¡¯re even pushing the news notifications on the phone. The title is very catchy, and it even mentioned the Hartley Group, calling it the Hartley Group President¡¯s Assistant Scandal. In several of thepany colleagues¡® groups I¡¯m in, this news has also been forwarded like crazy.¡± Cornelia was in a fewpany groups as well, but they were eerily quiet, with no one chatting, she wasn¡¯t sure if it was because she was in them. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re not sharing the links in the groups I¡¯m in because I¡¯m there. You can forward them to me,¡± Comelia suggested. ¡°The photos are not pretty, you might not want to see them,¡± Ben said. Chapter 752 Chapter 752 Chapter 752 Cornelia said, ¡°How can I know who¡¯s framing me if I don¡¯t see them?¡± Ben retorted, ¡°Can you confirm it just by looking at them?¡± Comelia said, ¡°Perhaps.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been together for a year, and I know you¡¯re not that kind of person. But as for President Hartley, I can¡¯t be sure. You need to figure out a solution ASAP. If he gets wind of this, he might not give you a chance to exin, and he could just fire you on the spot. How will you handle that?¡± As Ben was speaking and searching for information, he suddenly went silent in the middle of his sentence. A moment passed before Cornelia heard him again, ¡°It¡¯s gone! It¡¯s all gone!¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What¡¯s gone?¡± Ben replied, ¡°When I called you, the nderous messages about you were still spreading. Just in the short time we¡¯ve been on the phone, there¡¯s not a single piece about you on the inte. All the links my coworkers sent, they¡¯ve all changed. It wasn¡¯t a broken link; it was a direct change of content.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. At this, Cornelia peered through a crack in the door to see Marcus on the phone. She had a pretty good hunch that the sudden disappearance of the rumors about her had something to do with him. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be napping with her? When did he find out about the rumors spreading about her? Meanwhile, Ben had the same thought. To make all the news on the entire inte disappear in an instant, besides Marcus, Ben really couldn¡¯t think of anyone else who could do it. ¡°Cornelia, did President Hartley have your bad press deleted for you?¡± If it was indeed Marcus who had the news removed, it was clear that Cornelia held a special ce in his heart. If they were married, that would be one thing, but now they were both having affairs, and Ben didn¡¯t know what to say, ¡°Cornelia, since everything¡¯s fine now, I won¡¯t keep you from your rest.¡± But before he could hang up, he heard Marcus¡® anxious voice through the receiver, ¡°You look a bit pale, when did you wake up?¡± Ben heard it all. It was clear they had been on the same bed. He didn¡¯t want to eavesdrop, but curiosity got the better of him, so he didn¡¯t hang up, waiting to hear what else Marcus would say. He waited quietly, and just as he was about to hang up, Cornelia¡¯s tear¨Cchoked voice came through, ¡°Were you just dealing with my problem?¡± Then came Marcus¡® steady and firm voice, ¡°Yes. It¡¯s all taken care of, don¡¯t worry. As long as I¡¯m here, no one can mess with you.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Why are you so good to me?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°You¡¯re mywful wife, the spouse on my marriage certificate. If I¡¯m not good to you, who should I be good to?¡± Ben listened quietly. It was like a thunderbolt. Had he misunderstood this whole time?! He was with them every day and he had no idea Cornelia was the woman Marcus had married two years ago! Chapter 753 Chapter 753 Chapter 753 No wonder when he used to think Cornelia had a thing for him, President Hartley would act all weird and stuff, even made him question. his own looks. No wonder nothing he ever said to the president had any effect, while he would listen to whatever Comelia said. No wonder the president would stay the whole night in Cornelia¡¯s room when she got wasted. All the stuff that didn¡¯t make sense before, it all added up now. Marcus was still the same Marcus that he knew, someone who was virtuous and had never engaged in promiscuous rtionships outside Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. The two people on the other end of the line were still talking, but Ben didn¡¯t dare eavesdrop anymore. He quickly hung up, then pped himself. In thest few days, he had cursed them both countless times in his mind, thinking they were such jerks. Thankfully, he only cursed in his head, not out loud. Otherwise¡­ He quickly ran through thest year in his mind. He hadn¡¯t done anything over the line to Cornelia. Not only had he not bullied Cornelia in the past year, but he had also always protected her. He felt so relieved! Meanwhile. Cornelia looked at Marcus with worry written all over his face. She had so much she wanted to say, but in the end, she only asked him one question, ¡°Did you see those photos?¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Yeah.¡± He was typically quick to jealousy, so why was he so calm now, as if he didn¡¯t care at all about those pictures, ¡°Those are pictures of me in bed with other men. As my husband, why are you so calm after seeing those?¡± Marcus, ¡°Am I calm?¡± He wasn¡¯t calm, not at all! He wished he could immediately rip those who tried to vite her and spread rumors to hurt her into pieces. But in front of her, he had to be calm. He wanted her to know this wasn¡¯t a big deal, and that he could handle it. Cornelia suddenly let out augh, ¡°You saw it. Haven¡¯t you ever doubted, maybe the truth is that I seduced someone else¡¯s husband and got caught by their wife?¡± Marcus, ¡°Are you that kind of person?¡± Cornelia, ¡°I¡¯m asking you.¡± Marcus, ¡°I¡¯ve been with you for a year. Do you think I don¡¯t know what kind of person you are?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Then what kind of person am I in your eyes?¡± Marcus, ¡°You¡¯re ambitious, optimistic, and you shine wherever you go. You¡¯re always the center of attention.¡± Cornelia admitted she was ambitious and optimistic, but she didn¡¯t realize she was the center of attention wherever she went. Especially in thest year, after working with Marcus, she felt overshadowed by him everywhere she went. Hardly anyone even noticed her. She didn¡¯t expect him to think so highly of her. Cornelia said again, ¡°You saw them, and so did many others. You can delete all the pictures and rumors about me online, but you can¡¯t erase people¡¯s memories. If one day you publicly acknowledge me as your wife, I¡¯m sure many people will bring this up again. Then, won¡¯t you feel embarrassed?¡± ¡°Cornelia!¡± Marcus called her name deeply, ¡°First of all, you need to understand that you¡¯re the victim in this situation. You didn¡¯t do anything wrong.¡± Chapter 754 Chapter 754 Chapter 754 ¡°We shouldn¡¯t feel ashamed just because you¡¯re the victim. The idea of ming the victim is the most absurd thing I¡¯ve ever heard. The ones who should be shamed, med, and punished byw are those abusers.¡± Comelia looked at him, listening to his deep voice. It felt like she was back to a year ago when she was sexually harassed at work. He told her the same thing then. She wasn¡¯t wrong, but the one who harassed her was. This society was often incredibly unfair to women. For instance, when a girl was secretly photographed and the pictures were uploaded online, the ones who should be med were those taking and spreading the photos. But instead, people online med the girl for dressing too provocatively, saying that if she wore pants instead of a skirt, no one would take her picture. Comelia took a deep breath and buried her head in his chest, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you hug me? Do you know how scared I was just now?¡± He probably had no idea how scared she was. She was afraid he would be like Roman, judging her as a loose woman and decide to divorce her. Marcus caught her as she leaned into him, holding her tight, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Comelia wnggled in his arms, ¡°Stop saying sorry!¡± ¡°Hey, what are you two up to? Surely you haven¡¯t been hugging all afternoon?¡± Zack, just waking up and still a bit groggy, was heading to the kitchen to get some water. As he passed Cornelia¡¯s room, he saw them hugging through the slightly ajar door, and he felt a pang of, jealousy, ¡°You could at least shut the door if you¡¯re gonna cuddle, why¡¯d you let me see?¡± Cornelia lifted her head from Marcus¡® chest, ¡°You¡¯re awake? Your head still hurts? Are you hungry? What do you want for dinner?¡± Noticing the redness around Comelia¡¯s eyes, Zack immediately became worried, ¡°Did you cry? Did Marcus bully you?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯ve told you so many times, he¡¯s been really good to me, and wouldn¡¯t bully me, why don¡¯t you believe me?¡± Zack didn¡¯t answer. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t believe. He did. But seeing them together always gave him aplicated feeling. Like a father watching his son¨Cinw, growing more and more dissatisfied. Just then, Marcus¡® private phone suddenly rang. He pulled out his phone and saw it was Granny Luisa calling, then smiled at Cornelia, ¡°It¡¯s Granny, she¡¯s probably rushing us toe home.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Tell Granny we¡¯re going to have dinner with Zack before we go back.¡± Today was Zack¡¯s birthday, and Cornelia would never let Zack eat dinner alone, or else he would comin about it for the rest of his life. However, when Marcus answered the phone, his expression immediately changed. He paused, then said to Cornelia, ¡°Your grandmother, suddenly falls ill, she¡¯s in the hospital, we need to go now.¡± All rights ? N?velDrama.Org. Two hours earlier. The Hartley family¡¯s old mansion weed two long¨Clost guests. The guests were Roman and his mother, Sabrina. Granny Luisa had always been very kind, especially to friends she hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. When she heard that they wereing. Granny Luisa had food and drinks prepared, and she personally went to the gate to wee them. Upon seeing Granny Luisa, Sabrina immediately gave her a big hug, ¡°Madam, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± Granny Luisa replied with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too. Is this Roman? It¡¯s been so many years, the boy¡¯s all grown up now. What does he do for a living?¡± Chapter 755 Chapter 755 Chapter 755 Roman Padi replied politely, ¡°Granny Luisa, I¡¯ve juste back from overseas studies and now work at our up¨Canding techpany, Moongazer Tech, in Riverton We recently partnered with the Hartley Group, and I even met President Hartley yesterday.¡± Indeed, apany capable of coborating with the Hartley Group must be exceptional. This young person could work at such an outstandingpany without relying on their family, which brought great joy andfort to Granny Luisa. ¡°The child has grown up and made something of himself,¡± she said. Sabrina chimed in, ¡°He¡¯s doing alright, but he¡¯s got a long way to gopared to Marc.¡± Hearing her grandson being praised, Granny Luisa didn¡¯t hold back, ¡°My Marc is exceptional. Very few people can hold a candle to him.¡± ¡°Sure, sure¡­¡± Sabrina supported Granny Luisa, and they slowly made their way to the main building. ¡°Granny Luisa, are you nning to settle down in Riverton this time, or just stay a few days before heading back to Southern Peak?¡± Granny Luisa replied, ¡°Southern Peak is cooler in the summer than Riverton, so I nned to stay there for a morefortable living, but I have some important matters to attend to recently, so I need to stay in Riverton for a while and won¡¯t go back to Southern Peak for now.¡± Sabrina said, ¡°It¡¯s hard for me to visit you in Southern Peak. Now that you¡¯re staying in Riverton, I can come to chat with you more often when I have time. Wonderful!¡± ¡°But I might not have time for chit¨Cchats in the near future, I have some important matters to attend to.¡± Granny Luisa happily said, ¡°Marc has been married for two years now, they¡¯ve been very busy and haven¡¯t had time to consider about having kids. I want them to live here so we can keep an eye on them, hoping to see their child sooner.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Sabrina added, ¡°Yeah, Marc has been married for so long, and they should have a child by now. They didn¡¯t hold a wedding reception, so we haven¡¯t met his wife. We don¡¯t even know what she looks like. I guess if we bumped into her on the street, we probably wouldn¡¯t even recognize her.¡± Roman, walking ahead, carefully opened the door for the two elders and took over the conversation, ¡°President Hartley is quite handsome, I bet his wife must be a stunner too.¡± ¡°Nelly is not only stunning but also smart, considerate, and verypetent.¡± Granny Luisa was very happy when talking about Cornelia, she wanted to show off how exceptional Cornelia was to others. She slowly took out her phone, found a photo of Cornelia she tookst night, ¡°Here, take a look, this is Nelly, gorgeous isn¡¯t she?¡± In the photo, Cornelia was dressed in homewear. Simple outfit, but her beauty was more than just ¡°pretty¡°. Sabrina craned her neck to look at the phone; even before seeing the girl in the photo clearly, she started keep praising, ¡°She¡¯s stunning! Not only is her appearance stunning, but she also has a great temperament. Only such a beautiful girl is worthy of Marc.¡± ¡°Marc is indeed lucky to have married Nelly.¡± Granny Luisa was naturally happy to hear the compliments about Cornelia, she then showed the photo to Roman, ¡°Kid, take a look at Nelly too, remember to show her respect if you run into her one day.¡± Roman recognized Cornelia in the photo at a nce, but he still leaned in a bit closer, ¡°Granny Luisa, is this girl in the photo President Hartley¡¯s assistant Cornelia?¡± Granny Luisa nodded without any doubt, ¡°That¡¯s right. But don¡¯t get it twisted, Cornelia climbed up to the position of the president¡¯s assistant all by herself. Marc didn¡¯t pull any strings for her.¡± Chapter 756 Chapter 756 Chapter 756 Sabrina said, ¡°This is the Hartley family¡¯s own business. Even if Marc¡¯s trying to make things easier for his wife, what¡¯s the big deal? Who¡¯s gonna have the guts to question that?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Roman gave Sabrina a gentle nudge and started, ¡°Granny Luisa, there¡¯s something about Cornelia that I¡¯m not sure if I should tell you.¡± Granny Luisa asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Roman took out his phone, scrolled to a photo, and handed it to Granny Luisa. ¡°This happened this afternoon and it¡¯s blowing up online. Pretty sure everyone in the country knows by now.¡± When Granny Luisa recognized the girl in the photo was Cornelia, she was shaking with anger, ¡°Who dared to photoshop these pictures? Who dared to smear Nelly¡¯s name? When I find out who¡¯s behind this, they¡¯re gonna pay.¡± Roman asked, ¡°Granny Luisa, is there any chance the photo isn¡¯t photoshopped, but real?¡± Granny Luisa snapped, ¡°What are you implying? You think you know Cornelia better than me? Nelly¡¯s character is impable. I¡¯ll have Marc find out who made these photos. I¡¯ll find the culprit behind this and make them pay.¡± Roman paused, acting like he was in a tough spot, ¡°Granny Luisa, there are some things I didn¡¯t want to bring up, but now that I know, I think I should let you in on it. This girl, Cornelia, she used to be my girlfriend.¡± Sabrina eximed, ¡°What did you just say? You can¡¯t just toss around words like that.¡± Granny Luisa coldly red at Roman, ¡°Spill it. What¡¯s the deal?¡± Roman said, ¡°You probably know I went to University of Riverton. Cornelia also graduated from there. During my junior year, she was in her sophomore year. That year, I pursued her, and she became my girlfriend. ¡°I never would have thought that when she went home for summer, she seduced a married man, and got caught by his wife. The whole thing blew up, even reaching our university. She was almost expelled. When I found out, I broke things off. I couldn¡¯t be with a girl with such reckless behavior.¡± Smack- A slipper flew from the distance and hit Roman right on the forehead. Granny Reba had just entered the living room when she heard someone badmouthing Nelly. She immediately took off her slipper and threw it at Roman, ¡°So you were the one who hurt Nelly!¡± Still not satisfied, Granny Reba took off her other slipper and threw it at Roman, but this time it didn¡¯t hit him. Sabrina stood up to block it for her son. She jumped forward, standing in front of Roman, and pointed at Granny Reba, ¡°Who do you think you are, you old hag? If you dare touch a hair on his head, believe me, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± Granny Reba no longer cared to listen to anyone. She red at the man who once hurt Nelly, ¡°You bastard. What you did to Nelly is in the past, and I won¡¯t hold it against you. But you, you shameless man, after all these years, you¡¯re still trying to stir up trouble and smear her name.¡± Chapter 757 Chapter 757 Chapter 757 Granny Reba was getting more and more ticked off. Her shoes were off, and she was about to chuck a vase at Roman. Thank God, Sabrina was quick to react. ¡°That vase must be worth a fortune, don¡¯t just smash it. One hit and it could cost hundreds of thousands.¡± For Sabrina, it seemed that the valuable vase was more important than her own son. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. After all, it was not cool to smash someone else¡¯s stuff. Granny Reba put the vase down and continued to give Roman hell, ¡°You were the one who broke up with her before, but now that you see Nelly is doing well, you want to ruin her marriage. What the hell are you trying to do¡± ¡°So youre Comelia¡¯s grandma We didn¡¯t meet back then, didn¡¯t expect to meet under these circumstances Roman said calmly, ¡°It is not for me to say whether or not your granddaughter has done the unseemly things she has done. I just read about them online. But since you¡¯re here, you should know the truth about what happened back then better than anyone. Can you tell Granny Luisa if Cornelia really seduced someone¡¯s husband or not?¡± Reba, who had been a teacher for decades and had seen all kinds of students, was so pissed off that she was about to blow her top. ¡°Talk nonsense again, I swear I¡¯ll rip your mouth off.¡± ¡°Even if you np my mouth off, it won¡¯t help because I didn¡¯t spread these rumors.¡± Roman, observing Granny Luisa¡¯s expression, continued, ¡°The intemet never forgets. It¡¯s not like people will forget everything over time. ¡°The person who exposed your granddaughter¡¯s photos today, not only exposed the explicit photos of her seducing others, but also. screenshots of Rosenberg¡¯s reports back then. The evidence is clear. They¡¯re not just making up rumors¡­¡± ¡°You¡± Granny Reba was so mad that she was about to explode. She wanted to say something, but it seemed like something was stuck in her throat, making her chest hurt and she couldn¡¯t speak. Granny Luisa quickly helped Granny Reba sit down, ¡°Reba, calm down.¡± Sabrina was ying the good guy again, ¡°Oh, Granny Luisa, you really have to check this out. You have to find out the truth. What kind of family is the Hartley family? Don¡¯t be fooled by these bad people.¡± Granny Luisa gave Sabrina a cold look. Sabrina was a bit scared of that look, and she said with a guilty conscience, ¡°If you find out the truth, and it¡¯s not like what the inte says, you have to clear the Stewart girl¡¯s name.¡± Granny Luisa looked at the two of them and probably understood their real intentions for visiting her today. She reached out to Roman, ¡°Give me your phone, I want to see if this photo is really Cornelia.¡± Without hesitation, Roman handed over his phone with both hands, ¡°Granny Luisa, please take a good look.¡± Granny Luisa took the phone and immediately threw it into a nearby fish tank, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so sorry! The phone identally fell into the water. How much is your phone? I¡¯ll pay you, you can buy another one.¡± People of their social ss wouldn¡¯t care about a phone, and what they really cared about was the information in the phone. Roman was mad, but he didn¡¯t dare to show it, ¡°Granny Luisa, you don¡¯t have to pay, I can fish out the phone, it should still work.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry. My little goldfish is not in good health and cannot bear any external disturbances.¡°, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll buy a new er.¡± Roman frowned, not daring toin. After all, the Padi family still needed Granny Luisa¡¯s help. ¡°See the guests out! Before the Padi family mother and son could settle down, Granny Luisa had already asked them to leave. The Padi family had helped the Hartleys years ago. Granny Luisa remembered the instructions of the elders, and had been helping the Padi family for decades. Chapter 758 Chapter 758 Chapter 758 First off, she provided them with jobs and projects, but the people from the Padis didn¡¯t make good use of it, they screwed up everything. Then, she decided to just wire them money every month. She was loaded, so no matter how much the Padis needed, she had it covered. She often turned a blind eye to their greedy antics, still treating them like friends. Every time the Padis came to her, whether for money or anything else, she was always ready to give. But she never saw iting, this time when they came to her, they wanted to smear the reputation of her beloved Cornelia. They didn¡¯t. get a warm wee, of course. ¡°Granny Luisa, what¡¯s this¡­¡± Sabrina noticed Granny Luisa¡¯s firm attitude and realized that she shouldn¡¯t have listened to her son ande here today. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Not only did they gain nothing from this visit, but they also upset Granny Luisa. Now they were wondering if Granny Luisa would still send them money next month. *Granny Luisa, we¡¯ll take our leave then. We¡¯ll visit you another day.¡± Roman was as cool as a cucumber, bidding Granny Luisa goodbye as if nothing happened. Cornelia was a knockout, so it was no surprise Marcus Hartley would protect her. But what really threw him off was that Granny Luisa was also so protective of Cornelia. Cornelia¡¯s past scandal was a big deal. Anyone who cared to ask would know about it. But Granny Luisa just wouldn¡¯t believe it. He wondered if she was getting confused in her old age. The Padi mother and son had just left when Granny Reba suddenly started shaking, her mouth opening to spit out a mouthful of blood, scaring Granny Luisa half to death. ¡°Reba, don¡¯t worry about Nelly. Marc will handle it.¡± Granny Reba clutched Granny Luisa¡¯s sleeve tightly, ¡°Luisa, Nelly didn¡¯t do any of those shameful things. You have to believe her. You have to exin to Marc, Nelly has always been a good girl, and she wouldn¡¯t do such things¡­¡± Granny Luisa patted Granny Reba¡¯s back, soothing her, ¡°Reba, save your breath. Even if you didn¡¯t say it, I¡¯d still believe Nelly. Marc isn¡¯t brainless. He will figure out the truth. Trust me, He will believe in Nelly too.¡± ¡°Please, you must believe in Nelly, you must¡­¡± Granny Reba muttered herst words before her eyes closed, and she passed out. The past event had caused significant harm and impact on Cornelia, and Granny Reba had been feeling very guilty about it. She always thought that if she hadn¡¯t gone home visit that day, maybe none of those things would¡¯ve happened, and Cornelia wouldn¡¯t have ended up homeless at such a young age. So when these people brought up the past today, she got really pissed. In her heart, Nelly was clearly the best girl in the world. She never did anything wrong, why should she suffer from these rumors and nders. In desperation, Granny Luisa shouted, ¡°Call the doctor, quick¡­¡± Chapter 759 Chapter 759 Chapter 759 After leaving the Hartley family¡¯s courtyard, Sabrina sat in the car, looking worriedly at Roman in the driver¡¯s seat, ¡°Son, was our behavior today not worth it?¡± Roman chuckled coldly, ¡°Well, it¡¯s too early to say whether we¡¯ve gained or lost. Maybe the olddy of the Hartley family is just sticking to her own opinion She may not believe us, but there must be some doubts in her heart. As long as we¡¯ve nted seeds of doubt in her mind, who knows what will happen in the long run?¡± Sabrina was still worried, ¡°Granny from the Hartley family has always been good to us. I¡¯ve known her for over twenty years. Every time I visit her, she¡¯s always friendly. The thing I want, no matter how expensive it is, as long as I ask her for it, she will give it to me. But this time she asked us to leave. I¡¯m afraid she won¡¯t give money to us anymore.¡± Roman retorted discontentedly, ¡°She only gives us twenty or thirty thousand a month. That¡¯s not nearly enough for us. If she doesn¡¯t give us money in the future, someone else will, don¡¯t worry.¡± Sabrina said, ¡°It is indeed a bit less, sometimes I want to buy a decent bag but don¡¯t have money. But you know, having this twenty or thirty thousand is better than nothing. Apart from Granny Luisa, who would be willing to give us tens of thousands every month?¡± For many families, twenty or thirty thousand was more than they can earn in a year. Yet, Granny Luisa gave the Padis two to three thousand every month, and they still found it insufficient. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, as long as I¡¯m here, you won¡¯t be short of money,¡± Roman didn¡¯t specify who would give them money. It was not the right time to tell her. Sabrina said, ¡°You had me meet Granny Luisa today and you ndered Cornelia in front of her. It doesnt benefit the Padi family at all, why did you do that?¡± Roman asked, ¡°Do you want to hear the truth?¡± Sabrina replied, ¡°Of course! What, you think I want you to spin tales?¡± Roman smiled, his smile sinister and twisted. ¡°Because I regret it! I regret breaking up with her! If I hadn¡¯t listened to those rumors and broken up with her, she would be my woman now, not Marcus¡°.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Sabrina said, ¡°It¡¯s just a woman. You can find any type of woman with your current status. It¡¯s not worth being so obsessed over a woman from the past.¡± Roman replied, ¡°A woman from the past? The one I can¡¯t get is the one I can¡¯t forget. Because she¡¯s the woman I never truly had, I couldn¡¯t help but miss her all these years. ¡°Ironically, the first job I got when I returned to Riverton brought me face to face with her. I tried to invite her to dinner, but she turned me down. Today, I visited her home and found her with Marcus. She told me Marcus is her husband. I understand that unless Marcus lets her go, I¡¯ll never have another chance with her. So, I¡¯d rather destroy her than let her fall into another man¡¯s hands.¡± Sabrina said, ¡°She now has the powerful backing of the Hartley Group and that fearsome Marcus. For the sake of our family and your future, you¡¯d better not get involved with that woman anymore.¡± Roman sneered, ¡°You think I¡¯m the only one watching her? There are already many people paying attention to her. Every move she makes is being watched. ¡°Marcus has made many enemies, and there are countless people who wish him dead. Maybe one day, his life will be taken away by someone else, and then he¡¯ll no longer have the right to fight me for Cornelia.¡± Sabrina asked, ¡°Is the one who wants to deal with him Brennen?¡± Roman replied, ¡°Since ancient times, the battle between father and son has always been the most captivating show. I wonder who will have the upper hand in this y, the father or the son.¡± Sabrina said, ¡°Marcus sent Brennen to prison before he was even eighteen. If Brennen couldn¡¯t even handle a not¨Cyet¨Ceighteen¨Cyear¨Cold Marcus, what can he do to the now so powerful Marcus? Does he think he can win just based on his umtion of strength during these two years after being released from prison?¡± Roman replied, ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see.¡± When Cornelia and Marcus arrived at the hospital, Granny Reba was still being rescued. Granny Luisa was wiping away her tears as she said to Cornelia, ¡°Nelly, I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t take good care of your grandma. She got scared and couldn¡¯t catch her breath. She almost passed away.¡± Chapter 760 Chapter 760 Chapter 760 It was all due to getting too worked up! Comeliatched onto the key point, ¡°Granny, don¡¯t panic, this has nothing to do with you. Can you tell me why my grandma got so worked up in the first ce?¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Granny Luisa gave a detailed ount of what happened at the old house today. After listening, Cornelia was silent for a few minutes. before suddenly standing up, ¡°Marcus, can I borrow Ayden for a while?¡± The name she called wasn¡¯t President Hartley, nor was it Jeremy, but Marcus, which indicated just how agitated she was. Marcus, ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Cornelia, ¡°You just need to lend me Ayden, don¡¯t ask any more questions. Also, you need to take good care of my grandma while I¡¯m gone. I¡¯ll be backter.¡± Collecting evidence, finding the rumormonger, and dealing with those who wanted to harm Cornelia¡­ Marcus had already arranged for people to handle these matters. They should have results by eight o¡¯clock tonight.. He had everything perfectly arranged, so Cornelia didn¡¯t need to take matters into her own hands. But whatever she wanted to do, Marcus would always support her, ¡°Okay.¡± Zack, who hade with them, voiced his concern, ¡°Nelly, what are you nning to do? Take me with you. I¡¯m a man, I can help if there¡¯s a fight or something.¡± Cornelia, ¡°You stay put here. Don¡¯t go anywhere. If grandma wakes up, make sure to notify me immediately.¡± After giving her instructions, Cornelia turned to Marcus, ¡°Im heading to the parking lot, have Ayden meet me there.¡± Marcus, ¡°Okay.¡± Cornelia hurriedly made her way to the parking lot, but surprisingly, Ayden arrived even faster. He was already waiting by her car. ¡°Ma am, what do you need me to do?¡± Ayden wasn¡¯t much for talking, but he was always in the know. Today, he even changed how he addressed Cornelia. Cornelia, ¡°Drive. We¡¯re going to the Padi family to kick some ass.¡± Ayden, ¡®Okay¡± Ayden sped through the city streets, weaving through one road after another. When they were still a few hundred meters away from the Padi family¡¯s residence, Cornelia asked him, ¡°How many people can you take down on your own? If everyone from the Padi family is there, do you think you can take down Roman?¡± Ayden, ¡°Either they go down, or I do.¡± Comelia gave his shoulder a reassuring pat, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I just need you to back me up, scare them a little. You might not even have to throw a punch.¡± However, Cornelia underestimated Ayden¡¯s strength. Upon arriving at the Padi family¡¯s ce, Ayden took down Roman with just two punches and a shoulder throw. Compared to Zack¡¯s weak punches, Ayden¡¯s were far more powerful. With just two punches, Roman lost two teeth. After a shoulder throw, he probably broke a couple of ribs. After settling the fight, Ayden ushered Cornelia forward, ¡°Ma¡¯am, the person you¡¯re looking for is right here. It¡¯s your move now.¡± Chapter 761 Chapter 761 Chapter 761 The Padi family lived in Marina Cove in Riverton. Marina Cove was a residential area set up by the Riverton government for disced residents, where each family enjoyed thefort of a private vi. Among these relocated folks, some raked in annual dividends of millions. Their daily lives were filled with city¨Chopping, overseas vacations, and by the end of the year, their dough still hadn¡¯t run out, and it was already time to cash in on dividends again. That was why Marina Cove was jokingly referred to as ¡°the richest vige without jobs.¡± The Padi family also hung their hats here. Their crib was right at the entrance of the vige. A mere 300 meters to the right after entering the vige, and bam, there was their vi. Ayden rang the doorbell, and the one to answer was Roman. As soon as the door opened, his fist swung towards Roman like a sandbag, with such speed that Roman couldn¡¯t even see who the person was before getting two teeth knocked out. Next thing he knew, he was lifted off his feet by two muscr arms and dropped hard on the ground. Every bone in his body aching, he stammered in panic, ¡°Who the hell are you? You know who you just punched?¡± Ayden brushed him off and respectfully guided Cornelia forward, ¡°Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ve given the guy you wanted to hit a good whack. Happy with the results? If not, I can break a couple of his legs for you.¡± Cornelia took a step forward, looking down at Roman who was struggling in pain on the ground, and said, ¡®Roman, consider this a wake¨Cup call. If you dare cross me again, not only will I make life a living hell for the entire Padi family, but I¡¯ll also have you booted out of Riverton. Forever.¡± Roman, despite his pain, put on a brave face, ¡°Kick the Padi family out of Riverton? Ha¡­Cornelia, just because you¡¯ve got Marcus in your pocket, you think you can do whatever you want?¡± As he spoke, he spat out a mouthful of blood before continuing, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. It¡¯s a long road ahead. You better pray Marcus stays interested in you, or else¡­¡± Comelia cut him off with augh, ¡°My husband and I are doing just fine, thank you very much. We don¡¯t need you worrying about us.¡± Roman suddenly chuckled, ¡°You came looking for me because you think I¡¯m the one posting stuff about you online? Let me tell you, those pictures of you on the inte, I had nothing to do with them. Ha¡­ you¡¯ll never know who did.¡± Cornelia retorted, ¡°The next one on my list is ir.¡± Roman was taken aback, ¡°How do you know?¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. How did this woman know everything? She didn¡¯t seem that bright. Was Marcus handling everything for her? Cornelia simply said, ¡°How do I know? I know more than you can imagine. Better not be up to no good behind my back, or else your family will pay the price.¡± Themotion outside caught the attention of those inside. Sabrina was the first to rush out. Seeing two strangers in her yard, she then spotted her son Roman writhing in agony on the ground. She was livid, charging at Cornelia like a lunatic, ¡°Who the hell are you, barging into my home and attacking my son?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t even know me, yet you and your son went to the Hartley family spewing lies about me.¡± Faced with the raging Sabrina, Cornelia stood her ground, her gaze sharp and resolute. Chapter 762 Chapter 762 Chapter 762 Sabrina, tall and quick, decided to take Comelia down. However, Ayden stood in front of Cornelia, blocking Sabrina¡¯s way to her. Ayden did nothing but stand in front of Comelia. As Sabrina rushed towards them, she collided with him, hilling her nose and causing tears to flow from the pain. Holding her nose, she cursed loudly, ¡°You¡¯re that woman named Cornelia. You¡¯ve bewitched my son.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Your son is lusting after other people¡¯s wives every day. It¡¯s your son who has no shame! How can you me others for tempting your son!¡± Cornelia had no desire to argue with such a person, ¡°Ayden, let¡¯s go!¡± ¡°You hit someone and now you want to leave? Where do you think this is? You can juste and go as you please?¡± Sabrina went to the door, pressed the rm, and shouted, ¡°Someone broke into my house and hit me. Everyonee here, get these two and take them to the police.¡± The rest of the Padi family were not at home, and the sound attracted a passing neighbor, who came to the door and asked, ¡°Sabrina, what happened?¡± Sabrina said, ¡°Two bad guys broke into our house, and hit Roman. You go inform the vigers, don¡¯t let them get away.¡± The neighbor said, ¡°The Hartley Group sent a truck of cash, distributing money to the vigers, and everyone¡¯s gone to get the money. No one has time for your drama.¡± It turned out it was Marcus meddling, Sabrina was furious. Sabrina asked, ¡°So no one¡¯s gonna deal with this?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t respond. Suddenly, she felt upset for the money! Marcus was squandering money again! She¡¯d rather be thrown in jail for a few days, or be beaten, than watching those bills flow into other people¡¯s pockets. The vige chief rode over on his motorcycle, ¡°Sabrina, Roman¡¯s hurt, he should go to the hospital immediately. You don¡¯t need to worry about the rest.¡± Sabrina got the hint, ¡°So you mean it doesn¡¯t matter that Roman was hit, and we can¡¯t punish the person who did it?¡± The vige chief leaned in and whispered, ¡°You know who you¡¯ve offended, don¡¯t you? Do you think you can mess with Marcus? Many people in our vige depend on the Hartley Group to live, and no one wants to upset him just for helping your. Just hearing about his methods is enough to scare the vigers, who would dare to stand up against him?¡± Sabrina eximed in frustration, ¡°We didn¡¯t offend Marcus. The person who hit now is not Marcus, but this woman!¡± The vige chief had no patience for such a stubborn person, ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb. If you¡¯re willing to listen to me, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to take Roman to the hospital now; if not, you figure it out.¡± After saying this seriously, the vige chief turned to Cornelia, his attitude changing significantly: ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯ll arrange for someone to take you two out of this vige immediately.¡± Chapter 763 Chapter 763 Chapter 763 Comelia didn¡¯t beat around the bush and said, ¡°Thanks, sir!¡± Marina Cove in Riverton was a peculiar ce where many things were beyond the reach of thew, far more frightening than what met the eye. Thinking back, Cornelia realized how reckless she¡¯d been. Thinking she was safe with her bodyguard Ayden by her side, she overlooked just how sketchy this vige really was. If it weren¡¯t for Marcus stepping in just in time, her and Ayden making it out of the vige safe and sound was a long shot. In the vige, the vige chief had someone get the car ready to take Roman to the hospital. But Sabrina stood her ground, not letting anyone touch her son. ¡°You¡¯ve wrecked our reputation in Maritia Cove today,¡± she said. The vige chief gave Sabrina a cold stare. ¡°I ruined the reputation? Or did you? Your family doesn¡¯t have what it takes, and you want to take Marcus¡® girl? Before you make a move, maybe your son should gauge his own worth?¡± Sabrina was lost for words, ¡°Who¡­ who¡¯s trying to take his girl? It¡¯s him who stole Roman¡¯s girl, That girl was meant for Roman. She even agreed to be his girlfriend¡­¡± ¡°So what? He saw her first? So what?¡± the vige chief retorted mercilessly. ¡°The guy¡¯s Marcus from the Hartley Group, not some average Joe. Any girl with the right mind would choose Marcus over your good¨Cfor¨Cnothing son.¡± ¡°What did you just say? You¡¯re calling my son good¨Cfor¨Cnothing?¡± Sabrina could tolerate a lot, but not someone calling her son a loser. ¡°My son was an exchange student at the University of Riverton. He¡¯s got. brilliant academic record. Many people want him, and after he returned home, he was the chief programmer at a big techpany¡­¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°So what? Do you know what school Marcus went to? Do you know how quickly he finished his degree that takes normal people three to four years? Compared to Marcus, your son is worthless.¡± The vige chief didn¡¯t hold back, hitting Sabrina where it hurt. Sabrina turned pale, opening and closing her mouth, but no words came out. Comelia¡¯s car was parked at the entrance of the vige. After their escort dropped them off and wished them safe travels with a grin, Cornelia had a hunch that he was up to no good. She suspected someone might have tampered with their car and asked Ayden to check it. Ayden was one step ahead, pulling out a detector and giving the car a once¨Cover. After that, he checked the car¡¯s braking system and other parts. Once he was sure everything was okay, he told Cornelia, ¡°Ma¡¯am, please get in the car.¡± Cornelia got in the car, and Ayden drove off towards the Reese family mansion. Cornelia had cooled down by then, ¡°Ayden, we¡¯re not going to the mansion anymore.¡± Ayden was always a yes¨Cman, always did as he was told. He never asked questions or said more than necessary. But at that moment, he asked, ¡°Are you scared?¡± Cornelia asked him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you? Did you think about what would happen to us if President Hartley wasn¡¯t prepared?¡± Ayden replied, ¡°I¡¯m not scared, and you don¡¯t need to be either. With President Hartley around, dealing with the Padi family and the Reese family is as easy as squashing an ant.¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m not scared!¡± She just didn¡¯t want to cause more trouble for Marcus. She impulsively decided to take action with Ayden, and while it did feel good, she had not considered how much clean¨Cup work Marcus would have to do for her. Chapter 764 Chapter 764 Chapter 764 He was the one running the massive Hartley Group, constantly swamped with endless tasks even during his downtime. He was already up to his ears in work, and she didn¡¯t want to pile on more troubles for him, hoping he wouldn¡¯t have to squeeze out more time and energy to help her out of his already hectic schedule. Cornelia said so, and Ayden didn¡¯t push further, ¡°Heading back to the hospital now?¡± Comelia nodded. After a while on the road, Cornelia spoke again, ¡°Ayden, could you do me a favor?¡± Ayden, ¡°Sure.¡± Cornelia went on, ¡°I¡¯m sure those photos from this afternoon were sent by ir, but I have no idea where she got them from. Could you help me find out who¡¯s aiding her from behind the scenes?¡± Ayden, ¡°Sure thing.¡± Cornelia, worried that Ayden might hit a brick wall with no leads, gave him a hint, ¡°About that incident, it stirred quite a fuss in Rosenberg back in the day. Folks from Rosenberg should all know about it. ¡°However, Riverton is thousands of miles away from Rosenberg. At most, the incident was only spread around our school, the majority in Riverton should be clueless. The ones who¡¯d keep photos and newspapers from that time, I bet, should be from Rosenberg.¡± Ayden, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find that person.¡± Ayden was Marcus¡® most capable assistant, and he was highly skilled, making him an outstanding bodyguard. For him, finding someone was not a difficult task. Cornelia, ¡°Don¡¯t let President Hartley know about this.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ayden didn¡¯t ask why, but Cornelia volunteered the information anyway, ¡°His health isn¡¯t great, and he¡¯s swamped with work. I don¡¯t want my problems to add to his load.¡± Ayden worked for Marcus, and Cornelia thought he might spill the beans to Marcus the minute she told him not to. The only way to keep Ayden silent was to let him know just how run¨Cdown Marcus was, to make him feel for Marcus so he wouldn¡¯t b everything to him. Back at the hospital, Granny Reba was still in the emergency room. She was old, and the longer the rescue took, the more dangerous it got. Everyone understood this, they all wore worried looks when they saw Cornelia return. Zack was the first to approach, giving her a big hug, ¡°Cornelia, Granny will be fine, don¡¯t you worry.¡± Cornelia was more anxious than anyone, but she kept her cool on the outside, ¡°Granny will be fine. Just yesterday I told her our new house will be ready in a couple of months and asked her to get ready to move in with me.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Hearing this, Zack¡¯s heart ached. Cornelia had been nning to move into the new house with Granny and had decorated Granny¡¯s room. beautifully. If Granny passed away before moving into the new house Cornelia prepared, it¡¯d be a huge blow to her. He thought Cornelia must be torn inside, definitely not as calm as she appeared, ¡°Don¡¯t hold back, if you want to cry, let it all out. We¡¯re all family and friends here, no one willugh at you.¡± Cornelia retorted, ¡°Who said I¡¯m gonna cry? I believe Granny will be okay, why should I cry?¡± Marcus came over and held her hand. Instead of mentioning Granny, he tried to distract her, ¡°How¡¯s your thing going?¡± Chapter 765 Chapter 765 Chapter 765 Marcus¡® deep and strong voice reached Comelia¡¯s ears, like a potent dose of tranquilizer, instantly calming her restless heart. She unconsciously moved closer to him, as if hoping to draw strength from him. ¡°You knew I was going to stir up trouble, why didn¡¯t you stop me?¡± Comelia¡¯s question caught him off guard, but Marcus understood her meaning. ¡°Why would I stop you? Whatever you want to do, as long as you¡¯re up for it, go for it without a second thought.¡± As long as her safety wasn¡¯t at risk, he would support whatever she wanted to do; no matter what kind of mess she made, he would clean up for her. Cornelia asked, ¡°How much did you fork over to the people of Marina Cove to smooth over the punching incident?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°I merely gave out the mid¨Cyear bonuses early.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Really?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Marcus, ¡°Yep.¡± Corne, ¡°Do you know how much it hurt me when I heard you distributed a ton of money to the vigers?¡± Marcus smirked and patted her head, ¡°I¡¯m a businessman, not a fool.¡± Who said he wasn¡¯t a fool? When she got into a brawl, he didn¡¯t stop her but secretly sent someone to clean up her mess. If that was not what a fool would do, then what was? And he had the nerve to say he was not one. Cornelia nestled into his chest, nuzzling him slightly, ¡°In the future, when I act impulsively, you have to stop me.¡± Marcus hugged her closer, gently patting her back, ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°Granny, Cornelia, brother¡­ Briana, upon hearing the news, immediately dropped everything and rushed over. Seeing Briana sweating bullets, Cornelia immediately took out a tissue from her bag to wipe her sweat, ¡°You ran too hard. Look at you, all worn out.¡± Briana, ¡°I¡¯m worried about Granny Reba. Cornelia, she will be okay, right?¡± Comelia, ¡°Yep, she¡¯ll be fine.¡± Zack looked at Briana, ¡°Briana? Briana? Are you Marcus¡® sister?¡± Hearing her name, Briana immediately turned around, ¡°Zack? Zack, what are you doing here?¡± Comelia, ¡°When did you two meet?¡± Briana, ¡°We bonded overics, we¡¯ve been online buddies for two or three years. Recently, when I returned to Riverton, he mentioned that he was also in Riverton, so we met up and had a great chat.¡± Zack was taken aback, ¡°How could you be Marcus¡® sister?¡± Briana, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with me being Marcus¡® sister? Does being Marcus¡® sister mean I can¡¯t be friends with you?¡± Zack scratched his head and gave a bewildered smile, ¡°No, I didn¡¯t mean it like that. I¡¯m just saying you¡¯re really cute and sincere. Aside from both of you being easy on the eyes, you and Marcus don¡¯t seem to have anything inmon. Even though your names ovep, I never thought you might be Marcus¡® sister, or rted to the Hartley family.¡± Brianaughed, ¡°Betterte than never, right? By the way, what brings you here?¡± Zack excitedly replied, ¡°Comelia and I go way back. We grew up together.¡± Chapter 766 Chapter 766 Chapter 766 Briana responded, ¡°Gotcha¡± Zack scratched the back of his head, ¡°You mentioned before that you wanted a signed copy of Nelly Belly. I¡¯ve got it ready for you. When you¡¯re free, we can meet up and I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± ¡°Alright. We¡¯ll make ns when I¡¯m free. I have to go see my granny now.¡± Briana bid Zack a polite goodbye before heading towards Granny Luisa. ¡°Sure thing.¡± Zack watched as Briana walked away, his eyes practically glued to her. Cornelia didn¡¯t miss any of his subtle gestures. The three of them had grown up together and knew each other inside out. Sometimes, they even had simr thoughts. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Taking Zack aside, Cornelia bluntly asked, ¡°Zack, are you falling for Briana or what?¡± ¡°Keep it down,¡± Zack covered Cornelia¡¯s mouth, ncing behind her, ¡°We¡¯ve only met twice and you¡¯re already saying I like her?¡± Cornelia rebuffed, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what I say. What matters is, do you have a crush on Briana?¡± Zack shook his head before nodding, ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t like a pretty, gentle, and well¨Cmannered girl? But she¡¯s Briana, Marcus¡® sister, the heiress of the Hartley Group. I¡¯m miles away from her league.¡± That was indeed a yawning chasm. Cornelia felt that if she had known about Marcus¡® true identity, she would never have married him. Considering Zack¡¯s concern, she thought it was reasonable. She also knew that while Zack¡¯s eyes lit up at the sight of Briana, Briana didn¡¯t seem particrly excited when she saw him. To Briana, Zack was just an online friend, nothing more. Cornelia patted Zack¡¯s back, ¡°Zack, you¡¯ll meet a girl who likes you and you like her too.¡± Zack gave a bitter smile, ¡°There are billions of people in the world, but finding someone you like who also likes you back isn¡¯t easy¡± Cornelia, ¡°Zack¡­ ¡°Let me tell you,¡± Zack interrupted, ¡°since you¡¯ve chosen to be with Marcus, and spend the rest of your life with him. I won¡¯t badmouth him in front of you again.¡± Cornelia questioned, ¡°Did something happen when I was away?¡± ¡°He made countless calls, bringing in all the experts, saying he¡¯d spare no expense to cure granny. He¡¯s probably more anxious than you. He¡¯s really nning to spend his life with you. You should cherish him.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Cornelia replied. Looking up at the ceiling, Zack finally said, ¡°You and Marcus are worlds apart, but he treats you well. I think you¡¯ll be happy. Status isn¡¯t an insurmountable barrier, don¡¯t you think?¡± Cornelia knew what Zack really meant was, ¡°If two people love each other and have the same goals, the difference in status might not. be an unbridgeable gap.¡± Zackmented, ¡°Am I just useless? Girls always see me as just a friend, and they never want to be my girlfriend.¡°. Cornelia wouldn¡¯t let Zack wallow in self¨Cpity and started recounting his past, ¡°Ever since kindergarten, there have been girls who liked. you. They¡¯d give you candy every day, but you never seemed to appreciate it. Even in college, didn¡¯t beautiful girls confess their feelings to you? They outright told you they wanted to marry you and take care of you, so you wouldn¡¯t have to work.¡± Zack chuckled at the memories, ¡°Time flies. It¡¯s almost three years since we graduated from college,¡± Chapter 767 Chapter 767 Chapter 767 Comelia sighed, ¡°Time flies, huh? In the blink of an eye, we¡¯ve grown up and granny¡¯s hair is all gray.¡± Zack said, ¡°This Christmas, when I went home, I noticed my parents have a lot of gray hair too. They¡¯re only in their forties. In my memory, they¡¯re still very young. I don¡¯t get it. I¡¯ve only been away for a year and they seem to have aged so much.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°When we move to our new ce, you can invite your parents over for a while. If you¡¯re not busy, you can also go back to Rosenberg to spend some time with thern. Life is short, we shouldn¡¯t neglect our families.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Zack looked at Cornelia¡¯s despondent expression, ¡°What are you talking about? Marcus has found many renowned doctors. Granny will be fine.¡± It was exactly because Marcus had found so many doctors that Cornelia was more worried. If Granny¡¯s condition wasn¡¯t serious, Marcus wouldn¡¯t need to find so many doctors. She understood but didn¡¯t say it, ¡°When I was a kid, time seemed to crawl. I wanted it to go faster. But when we grow up, time flies, not matter how hard we try to hold on to it. Sometimes, I wish I could go back a few years, so I wouldn¡¯t stay away from home because of people¡¯s weird looks, causing me to never go back to Rosenberg to spend Christmas with Granny during my college years. ¡°Now, I wish every day that time could slow down, or even go back a few years, so I could spend more time with Granny.¡± As she spoke, tears slid down Cornelia¡¯s cheeks. She quickly looked up to hold them back, ¡°This AC is too strong, it¡¯s making my eyes watery.¡± Zack quickly handed her a tissue, ¡°You don¡¯t have to put up a brave face in front of me. If you want to cry, just let it out.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to cry, but tears uncontrobly rolled down her cheeks, ¡°Zack, I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared I won¡¯t have the chance to be with Granny, scared that the room I prepared for her will never be used¡­¡± Zack said, ¡°That won¡¯t happen. Granny loves you too much to leave you.¡± Cornelia, ¡°My dad loved me too, but he still left me.¡± Zack, ¡°Cornelia, the past is the past. You shouldn¡¯t dwell on it.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to bring up the past at this time, ¡°Zack, do you know how much I hate that guy? He pursued me, then he broke up. with me. I never chased after him, nor caused him any trouble. Now, I just want to work and live my own life, but he keeps bothering me. He knows I¡¯m married, but he went to see Granny Luisa¡­ Today, letting Ayden knock out two of his teeth and break two of his ribs is still too lenient on him..¡± Zack asked, ¡°Did you really knock out his teeth?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Zack gave her a thumbs up, ¡°No problem, no problem at all. You have Marcus backing you up now. Even if you knocked out his teeth, he can only suck it up.¡± Cornelia angrily said, ¡°You¡¯re right, I have support now. Why should I put up with it? I should take advantage of this¡­¡± Before Cornelia could finish, Marcus came over and said to Zack, ¡°Mr. Ruck, may I talk to Cornelia alone.¡± He obviously wanted Zack to leave. But Zack yed dumb, ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯d like to hear it too.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°I just want to talk to Cornelia.¡± Zack asked, ¡°What can¡¯t I hear between you two?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°There¡¯s a lot you can¡¯t hear.¡± Zack was speechless. Chapter 768 Chapter 768 Chapter 768 Straight talk often left no room for argument, and he had to make his exit first. After Zack left, Marcus took Comelia to a side lounge, fetched her a ss of water and said, ¡°Have a sip first, I gotta talk to you.¡± Comelia took the water, took a sip, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Marcus¡® deep voice came out from his thin lips, ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Do you know the real reason your granny passed out this time?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know, but his words gave her a bad feeling. She became so nervous that she almost dropped the paper cup in her hand, ¡°Granny will be fine. Don¡¯t scare me¡­¡± Marcus reassured her, ¡°Granny will be fine, but what I want to tell you is something else.¡± He paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°Cornelia, the person I arranged to be by Granny¡¯s side messed up. That guy poisoned her food, causing her chronic poisoning. Today, she fell into aa because of the shock, and the toxins rapidly took effect.¡± Hearing this, Cornelia felt incredulous, but after some thought, she caught on. Marcus had many enemies, and there were a lot who wanted to kill him. Since they couldn¡¯t make a move on him directly, they chose to hit those close to him, so Granny became their easiest target. She asked, ¡°What kind of poison was it? What kind of damage can this poison do to her body?¡± All she cared about was the type of poison and its impact on Granny¡¯s health, but she didn¡¯t ask who had administered the poison. Marcus couldn¡¯t help but wonder if she had guessed who had poisoned Granny. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know who poisoned her?¡± Who poisoned her didn¡¯t matter. Because whoever it was, they must¡¯ve been caught by Marcus. But Cornelia still yed along with his question, ¡°Who was it?¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯ve found out who poisoned her. He¡¯s just a pawn following others¡® orders, and there¡¯s someone else pulling the strings.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Who¡¯s the puppet master?¡± After a few seconds of silence, Marcus finally spat out the name he loathed, ¡°Brennen!¡± Upon hearing this name, Cornelia was shocked, and she looked at him with moist eyes. Marcus thought she was scared, thought she was ming him, and quickly reassured her, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯ll rece all the people around Granny with those I trust the most. Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t let this happen again.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything, and suddenly hugged his waist, ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. It¡¯s not your fault, it¡¯s not about you!¡± Cornelia¡¯s words were like a warm current flowing into Marcus¡® heart, healing his pain and warming his cold heart. He knew that once Brennen got out of jail, he would definitely seek revenge. He was already prepared to face Brennen¡¯s retaliation and was waiting for it. However, he underestimated the people around Granny Luisa, which gave Brennen an opportunity to exploit. Chapter 769 Chapter 769 Chapter 769 When Marcus heard that Granny Reba had fallen into aa, one of the main reasons being that she was poisoned, he immediately started to investigate. He quickly sussed out who had poisoned her ¨C it was indeed someone he had arranged to be by Granny Reba¡¯s side. The culprit confessed that she had no choice but to poison Granny Reba as her family was held hostage and she was under severe threat. Marcus knew instantly who was behind this. At that moment, various images of Cornelia¡¯s possible reactions upon finding out about Granny Reba¡¯s poisoning shed through his mind. He envisioned her ming him, getting angry with him, and even cutting ties with him¡­. He thought of a million possibilities but never imagined that Cornelia would run over to him, hugging him, telling him that it wasn¡¯t his fault. She was always so kind and considerate, like a little sun lighting up his world, bringing him warmth. Comelia didn¡¯t know how stirred Marcus was inside. She looked at him and continued, ¡°The person who did it is not you. Even if he is your father by blood, you shouldn¡¯t bear the me for his actions.¡± Marcus was overwhelmed with emotions. It took all his self¨Cdiscipline not to pull her into his arms and kiss her. ¡°If Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Before he could finish, Cornelia interrupted, ¡°No ifs. We¡¯ll face it together.¡± Marcus felt his heart pounding uncontrobly. ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± She looked at him with bright eyes, ¡°Now, can you tell me how that person mighte at you?¡± Marcus tried to hide his emotions, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I can handle it.¡± He chose to bear all the problems alone, not willing to tell her. Cornelia understood, but she didn¡¯t want their rtionship to be like this. ¡°You said honesty is the most important thing in a marriage. Today, I¡¯ll be honest with you. Granny is my closest family, I deeply care about her health. You¡¯re my husband, and I care about you too, I worry about you¡­ The less I know, the more worried I be. If I know what the other side might do, if I know how you might fight back, perhaps it would put my mind at ease, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Marcus was swayed by her words. ¡°He¡¯s not capable of much, just good at being sneaky and targeting people around me. This time it was Granny, next time it could be -you¡­¡± Marcus paused, looking at her, ¡°Are you scared?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know much about Brennen, but she knew anyone capable of harming an innocent elderly person wasn¡¯t a good person. There were all sorts of bad guys. Some showed their evil openly, making it easy to guard against them. Others, like Brennen, pretended to be good while secretly scheming. If you were not careful, you would fall into their trap. If Comelia said she wasn¡¯t scared at all, that would be a lie. She admitted, ¡°I am a bit scared.¡± Marcus wasn¡¯t surprised by her answer. He smiled and gently tousled her hair, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. As long as I¡¯m here, I won¡¯t let you get hurt.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®as long as you¡¯re here¡®? Do you n on dying? You promised me you would stay alive and apany me till we¡¯re old. You must keep your word or else I¡¯ll never talk to you again, even in the next life.¡± Marcus, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t say things like that anymore.¡± Chapter 770 Chapter 770 Chapter 770 Comelia said again, ¡°Sure, I¡¯m a bit scared, but I know I¡¯ve got you, Zack, Abby, Bri and the two grannies by my side. I know there¡¯s a bunch of people who care about me and who I care about. I¡¯m not scared anymore. Whatever tricks he¡¯s got up his sleeve, he can bring it on. I won¡¯t say I¡¯m scared anymore.¡± Marcus, who had been in a foul mood all night, couldn¡¯t help butugh at her words, ¡°Not scared now?¡± Comelia put her hands on her hips and said confidently, ¡°Well, I mean, I¡¯m still kinda scared, but we can¡¯t lose in terms of spirit. Sometimes, just having strong confidence is already half the battle.¡± Take Marcus for example, he had a really strong presence. Whenever anyone negotiated or did anything with him, just a slight raise of his eyebrows can freak them out. How can they get a good result if they¡¯ve already lost their confidence? Marcus said, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± Comelia said, ¡°Hmm?¡± He said, ¡°Thank you.¡± For not ming him. For standing by his side! Comelia said, ¡°I should be thanking you too!¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What for?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°When my granny was seriously ill, I moved her from Rosenberg to Riverton. If you hadn¡¯t arranged for people to take care of everything for my granny. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to focus on my work. You arranged for people to take such good care of my granny that I had nothing to worry about at work.¡± Marcus said, ¡°That¡¯s something I should do as your husband.¡± ¡°Anyway, I just want to say thank you. Once she gets better, I¡¯ll treat you to dinner, how does that sound?¡± To Comelia, helping someone else was never an obligation. If someone helped you, it was their kindness. If they didn¡¯t, that was also perfectly fine. Marcus had no obligation to help her take care of her granny, but as soon as her granny arrived in Riverton, he mobilized manpower and resources to arrange care for her granny and made her life comfortable. He said that helping her was the right thing to do, but she also. knew to be grateful. Just as Marcus was about to say something, there was a knock on the lounge door, and the doctor¡¯s voice came from outside, ¡°President Hartley, the patient has been resuscitated, and she is temporarily out of danger.¡± This good news relieved everyone present, especially Cornelia. She had been able to hold back her tears, pretending nothing had happened. When she heard that her granny was okay, her nerves rxed and her tears flowed uncontrobly. Cornelia wanted to go see her granny, but she stumbled, unable to stand steady, luckily Marcus was at her side and caught her in time. Her eyes were red from excitement, and she repeatedly bowed to the doctors, saying, ¡°Thank you, all of you! Thanks for saving my granny!¡± The doctor said, ¡°Mrs. Hartley, no need for formalities, it¡¯s our duty. But you can¡¯t see Granny Reba yet, she needs to be observed in the ICU overnight. Tonight is critical, if she can get through tonight safely, she¡¯ll truly be okay.¡± Due to being overly excited and nervous, Cornelia didn¡¯t even notice the doctor had addressed her as ¡°Mrs. Hartley.¡±Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 771 Chapter 771 Chapter 771 Comelia was all nods, ¡°Sure, I won¡¯t see Granny, I¡¯ll cooperate with the doctor, whatever you need me to do, I¡¯ll do it.¡± The doctor nced at Marcus, took his cue, and said. ¡°There¡¯s nothing specific you need to do right now, just eat well, rest well, and when Granny Reba wakes up tomorrow, you¡¯ll have the energy to be with her.¡± As long as Granny was okay, whatever the doctor said, Cornelia would respond, ¡°Okay¡­¡± Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯ll have Ayden take you and Bri home to rest, I¡¯ll stay with Granny¡± Comelia shook her head, ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m leaving Granny at this time, I want to be by her side. The moment she wakes up, I¡¯m sure I¡¯m the first person she¡¯ll want to see.¡± Marcus understood her feelings. She wouldn¡¯t be able to rest if she went home at this point. ¡°Alright. Then I¡¯ll have Bri go back with Granny to rest, and we¡¯ll stay here.¡± Comelia said, ¡°My Granny is sick, your Granny must feel guilty and worried. I¡¯ll go talk to her first, so she can rest easy. I¡¯m afraid she might get sick from worrying too much.¡± Comelia guessed right. Granny Luisa was indeed feeling guilty. When Granny Luisa heard that her friend was out of danger, she was moved to tears, ¡°Thank God, Reba finally woke up.¡± Briana worriedly said, ¡°Granny, you can¡¯t get too excited. Just because Granny Reba is okay, doesn¡¯t mean you should get sick.¡± Granny Luisa asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Cornelia? I haven¡¯t seen her in a while. Is she avoiding me because I didn¡¯t take good care of her Granny?* ¡°Granny, Just then, Cornelia came into the room and hugged Granny Luisa, ¡°I stepped out for a bit and was discussing things with Marc, so I couldn¡¯t keep youpany. Granny, everyone sees how good you¡¯ve been to me and my Granny. Her sickness has nothing to do with you.¡± Granny Luisa held onto Comelia¡¯s hand tightly, ¡°Nelly, it¡¯s my fault. If I hadn¡¯t let those bad people into the house, your Granny wouldn¡¯t have heard those harsh words and wouldn¡¯t have fainted. Nelly, I¡¯m sorry!¡± ¡°Granny, it¡¯s really not your fault. You should stop ming yourself.¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t persuade Granny Luisa, she looked back at Marcus, signaling him to try. Marcus came over, ¡°Granny, Comelia is right. They both know how good you¡¯ve been to them. This has nothing to do with you. Please don¡¯t me yourself. You¡¯ve been tired all day, I¡¯ll have Bri take you home to rest.¡± Granny Luisa didn¡¯t want to leave at this time either, ¡°No, I want to wait in the hospital for Reba to wake up. I¡¯m not going anywhere until she wakes up.¡± Everyone wanted to stay, so Marcus had topromise, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll arrange for some rest rooms. If you¡¯re tired, go rest a bit.¡± Granny Reba woke up around four in the morning, and the doctors were immediately notified. A group of medical experts first checked her basic condition, then reported to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley¡­¡­ Marcus quickly made a keep quiet gesture. T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia didn¡¯t want to rest, insisting on staying outside Granny¡¯s ward, and she had just fallen asleep in Marcus¡® arms from exhaustion. To not wake her, Marcus gently covered her ears, then signaled the doctor to lower his voice. The doctor lowered his voice, ¡°Granny Reba knows you¡¯re here with her, and she said she wants to talk to you.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go right away¡± Marcus was nning to carry Cornelia back to the rest room first, then go see Granny Reba. However, as soon as he moved, Cornelia, who wasn¡¯t sleeping very deeply, woke up. Chapter 772 Chapter 772 Chapter 772 She blinked her sleepy eyes and rubbed her groggy head, momentarily forgetting where she was. It wasn¡¯t until she lifted her head and saw Marcus clearly that she recalled, ¡°President Harlley¡­¡± Marcus, ¡°Your grandma woke up and wants to talk to me alone. You take a break, I¡¯ll go see her.¡± ¡°I¡¯m her granddaughter, why is it that the first person she wants to see when she awakes isn¡¯t me? Doctor, are you getting things mixed up?¡± Her grandmother woke up, and the first person she wanted to see was not her. She was reluctant to believe this fact, but she said, ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ming with you to see her.¡± Marcus could only oblige, ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia insisted on apanying Marcus to her grandma¡¯s ward. She was taken aback by how much her grandma had aged overnight and how much weight she had lost. 1 ¡°Grandma¡­¡± A lump formed in Cornelia¡¯s throat as she buried her head into her grandma¡¯s chest, ¡°Grandma, do you feel any difort? Is there anything you want to eat? If you feel unwell, you must tell me. And if there¡¯s anything you want to eat, you must tell me too. I remember you love grilled pork belly, once you¡¯re better, I¡¯ll personally make it for you, okay?¡± Before her grandma could respond, Cornelia had already babbled on. Her grandma struggled to lift her hand and pat her head, ¡°Nelly, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m fine.¡± This girl had always been like this since childhood, the more nervous she was, the more she talked. She used her constant chatter to mask her emotions. Cornelia, ¡°I know you¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯m not worried.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Good, good, you¡¯re not worried.¡± Granny Luisa chuckled, ¡°You go out first, I need to talk to Marc in private.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m your granddaughter. What do you have to say to him alone that I can¡¯t hear yet?¡± Granny Reba, ¡°Many, many things that you can¡¯t hear.¡± Cornelia, ¡°No, I want to.¡± Cornelia was not an unreasonable child. She¡¯d been sensible since she was little. She was being disobedient today, refusing to leave, because she was still worried and scared. She was afraid that once she left, she would miss important news. She was afraid that her grandma was hiding something from her, afraid that her grandma was unwilling to tell her the truth. Granny Reba smiled, ¡°You¡¯re married now, your husband is here, and you¡¯re still acting like a child. Aren¡¯t you afraid he¡¯llugh at you?¡± Cornelia, ¡°He won¡¯t.¡± ¡°Nelly¡­¡± Granny Reba called Cornelia¡¯s name and stroked her face again, ¡°Grandma doesn¡¯t have any big wishes now, just hoping you and Marc can have a baby soon.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Grandma, don¡¯t rush, we¡¯ll have a baby eventually.¡± Or perhaps they won¡¯t. After all, Marcus had health issues and it was uncertain whether he can be treated in the future. But Cornelia can¡¯t say this. They were still young, not in a hurry, but Granny Reba was. Her health was deteriorating, and after this sudden fainting spell, she thought she may not live to see their child. If she can¡¯t see their child, there were some things she must say now. If she didn¡¯t say them now, she may never get the chance. Chapter 773 Chapter 773 Chapter 773 Granny Reba spoke again, ¡°As for the thing about you two having kids, I, as an elder, should not intervene. You guys should decide it yourselves. Now, Nelly, you step outside first, I need to have a chat with Marc.¡± Cornelia clung tightly to her granny¡¯s arm, her rosy face pressed against her, said with full affection, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m the link between you two. You wouldn¡¯t shoo me away, right?¡± Usually, whenever Comelia yed coy, Granny Reba would always cave, but this time she was unusually adamant, stating that Cornelia should not listen, and she meant it. Seeing the two refusing to back down, Marcus stepped in to mediate, ¡°Cornelia, I think we should respect Granny¡¯s wishes¡­¡± Before he could finish, the usually obedient Cornelia lifted her head, ring at him angrily, ¡°Of course you want me to respect Granny¡¯s decision. She wants to keep you. If Granny wanted to keep me and had you leave, you¡¯d start singing a different tune.¡± Marcus was speechless. Just a short while ago, he hadplimented her for being understanding; he didn¡¯t expect her to be unreasonable so quickly. Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Women¡¯s minds were truly hard to fathom. Granny Reba, ¡°Nelly, don¡¯t vent your frustration on Marc.¡± ¡°Granny, you¡¯re ying favorites! Now that you have Marcus, you don¡¯t love me anymore!¡± Cornelia stormed out of the room, nning to eavesdrop from the door. However, Granny Reba was well aware of her shenanigans, ¡°Cornelia, close the door, then stand by the window where I can see you.¡± Not even letting her eavesdrop, what on earth did Granny want to talk to Marcus about? Once she confirmed that Cornelia was obediently standing outside the window, Granny Reba let out a long sigh, then said, ¡°Marc, have you heard about the photo incident?¡± Marcus nodded, ¡°Granny, you can rest assured. It will not affect Nelly and my marriage.¡± Granny Reba only asked one question, but Marcus had already answered her biggest concern, ¡°Will it really not affect your feelings. for Nelly? You really don¡¯t mind those photos? You really don¡¯t care about what happened to Nelly in the past? You really don¡¯t mind if Nelly¡¯s reputation could influence you?¡± Granny Reba repeated her questions with a heavy tone and a determined look. Only by doing so could she force Marcus to reveal his true feelings. Cornelia was too important to her. She didn¡¯t know how much longer she would live, so she wanted to pave the way for Cornelia in thest stage of her life. If Marcus was not Cornelia¡¯s true partner, she wouldn¡¯t mind if they divorced, but she couldn¡¯t let Cornelia take the risk. Marcus solemnly said, ¡°Granny, Nelly has never done anything wrong. The rumors, the hurt, she shouldn¡¯t have to bear it.¡± After hearing his words, Granny Reba¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she looked at Marcus, ¡°Do you know how people described Nelly after it happened?¡± Marcus might not know the exact words people used, but he could imagine that they were extremely unfriendly towards Cornelia. He had thought many times that, if he had met Cornelia earlier, he could have protected her and prevented her from being hurt. Chapter 774 Chapter 774 Chapter 774 Granny Reba went on, ¡°After that incident, I had Nelly keep going to school in Riverton, and that ticked off a lot of people who weren¡¯t even rted to us. ¡°Once Nelly left, a bunch of folks showed up at our house, going on about how Nelly¡¯s reputation was ruined. They told me to find a man for Nelly to marry. They said there was no use for her to go to school anymore, no amount of learning would do her any good, and no man would want a woman with a bad reputation. ¡°They even introduced a man who was old, crippled, and abusive. His previous wifemitted suicide because she couldn¡¯t stand his abuse. They even had the audacity to try to set Nelly up with this kind of man, saying he was willing to marry Nelly and that she should be grateful for his kindness. ¡°I was so mad that I kicked them all out of my house. They never dared toe and bother me again, but they started spreading more and more nasty rumors about Nelly. ¡°Some even threatened that either Nelly marries that man, or she¡¯ll never be able to get married. I never told Nelly about these words, I was afraid it would hurt her.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Just hearing about this, Marcus was already livid, he wished he could punish those people right there and then, ¡°Granny, I promise, no one will talk about Nelly like that again.¡± Granny Reba asked, ¡°How can you guarantee? There are too many gossip mongers in town. Last year when Nelly came home to take care of me, there were still people causing trouble for her. Some used the previous incident to nder her, to insult her.¡± Hearing this, Marcus felt ashamed, ¡°Granny, I¡¯m sorry!¡± At that time. Nelly was already his wife. He should have been there for her, but he misunderstood her, and when she needed him the most, he wasn¡¯t there. Granny Reba said, ¡°You didn¡¯t know Nelly then, and there¡¯s nothing for you to apologize for! It¡¯s my fault that I wasn¡¯t able to protect her, that¡¯s why that incident happened. I could have stayed with Nelly during the holidays, but I didn¡¯t, I left her alone at home¡­¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Granny, it¡¯s not your fault. The ones to me are those who framed Nelly, who ndered her. It¡¯s been so many years, and you shouldn¡¯t me yourself anymore. You should forget the past with Nelly, and live each day of the future well.¡± Granny Reba¡¯s eyes welled up with tears again, ¡°Nelly and I want to forget the past, but some people just won¡¯t let us. Why do people still bring up that incident after so many years? Why do they still bring out those photos? Do they want Nelly to die before they¡¯re satisfied?¡± Hearing the word ¡°die¡°, Marcus felt a searing pain in his heart, ¡°Granny, as long as I¡¯m here, no one can hurt Nelly.¡± Granny Reba asked, ¡°Marc, do you know who posted those photos?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°I¡¯ve found out.¡± Granny Reba asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°It¡¯s ir, the wife of Granger Reese from the Reese family in Riverton.¡± Hearing this name, Granny Reba was shocked, ¡°ir? You mean the person who posted Nelly¡¯s photos online is ir?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Granny, do you know her?¡± Granny Reba paused for a moment and quickly denied, ¡°No! I¡¯ve only been in Riverton for a short while, how could I know her?¡± Granny Reba looked a bit flustered, Marcus saw everything but didn¡¯t ask further, ¡°No matter who she is, I will make her pay for everything she¡¯s done.¡± ¡± Hearing this, worry shed across Granny Reba¡¯s eyes again, ¡°Marc, about this¡­¡± Chapter 775 Chapter 775 Chapter 775 Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. Marcus said, ¡°Granny, if you have something to say, you can just tell me.¡± Granny Reba asked, ¡°How do you n to deal with ir?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°Granny, you seem to be taking quite an interest in this person.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°I once knew someone named ir. Do you have a picture of this ir? If you do, may I see it? I want to check if she¡¯s the one I knew.¡± ¡°Wait a second. Marcus then shot a text to Leonardo Wilson: [Need a pic of ir.] It was past four in the morning. Leonardo was likely fast asleep and wouldn¡¯t see the WhatsApp message. Regardless, Marcus dialed him up without a second thought. However, a woman¡¯s voice answered the call. The woman purred, ¡°Who the hell is calling at this ungodly hour? Don¡¯t they know it¡¯s rude to call this late?¡± Leonardo, who seemed to have just dozed off, was a bit groggy. Seeing the call came from Marcus, he snapped awake, ¡°Marc, what¡¯s eating you calling me thiste?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Send me a picture of ir.¡± Leonardo eximed in surprise, ¡°Holy cow! You called me thiste just to ask for ir¡¯s pic? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re falling for her?¡± Marcus retorted, ¡°You looking for a punch in the face?¡± Leonardoughed, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m on it. I think someone posted her pic on Instagram today¡± In no time, Leonardo found ir¡¯s picture and sent it over to Marcus, ¡°What do you need her pic for? She didn¡¯t piss off your Cornelia, did she?¡± Marcus was pleased with the way Leonardo referred to Cornelia, ¡°You do know Cornelia¡¯s mine, right?¡± Leonardo replied, ¡°If Cornelia isn¡¯t yours, whose could she be? You must be thrilled having such a great assistant. Cornelia always has your back, won¡¯t let anyone badmouth you.¡± Anypliment about Cornelia would make Marcus happy. ¡°When we¡¯ve got some downtime, my wife and I will treat you to dinner¡± Leonardo responded, ¡°Really? You¡¯re finally willing to bring your wife out to meet us. I was beginning to think that your wife was too ugly for you to show her off.¡± Marcus said, ¡°My wife is the most beautiful and adorable girl in the world.¡± Leonardo, ¡°Wow, are these words actuallying out of your mouth? Are you sure you¡¯re not an impersonator?¡± *Please be a little restrained, you¡¯re not married yet. With that, Marcus hung up the call. Leonardo wanted to exin that he was just ying cards with a bunch of people, and they were just chilling on the couch because they were tired. It wasn¡¯t what Marcus assumed. But Marcus didn¡¯t give him a chance to say anything. After getting the picture, Marcus took a look. He didn¡¯t have any recollection of ir, nor could he verify that the woman in the photo was her. Chapter 776 Chapter 776 Chapter 776 He held his phone up to Granny Luisa, ¡°Granny, Is this the ir you know?¡± Granny Reba took the phone and stared at the photo for a while, finally saying with relief. Thankfully, it¡¯s not the ir I know.¡°thank god¡± ¡°Who is the ir you know?¡± Marcus already had an answer in his mind, but he wanted to hear it from the olddy herself. ¡°An old friend.¡± Granny Reba didn¡¯t want to talk about ir any further and quickly steered the conversation back to the main topic, ¡°Marc, I asked Nelly to leave because I need to talk to you about something personal, something Nelly shouldn¡¯t know about.¡± ¡°Go ahead,¡± Marcus said. Granny Reba spoke, ¡°Doctors keep saying I¡¯m getting better, but I feel like I¡¯m getting worse. I don¡¯t think I have much time left. Nelly was abandoned by her mother when she was young and then lost her father in a car ident. I¡¯m all she has. If I suddenly leave her, I don¡¯t know how she¡¯ll handle it. Promise me you¡¯ll take care of her and spend time with her. Just be there for her. Don¡¯t let her do anything stupid.¡± Marcus assured her. The doctors aren¡¯t lying to you. You are getting better. The problem lies with the person who was taking care of you. She messed up your medication.¡± He didn¡¯t tell the olddy the truth out of concern that it might worry her too much and affect her recovery. ¡°Wrong medication?¡± Granny Reba questioned. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve kicked her out. We¡¯ll find someone else to take care of you from now on, Marcus continued. ¡°And, I promise you, I¡¯ll take care of Nelly no matter what. She¡¯s my wife, and it¡¯s my duty to look after her.¡± ¡°Is it just because she¡¯s your wife? Don¡¯t you like her even a bit?¡± the olddy asked. Marcus was taken aback and then nodded, ¡°Like her? Of course!¡± She was such an amazing girl and she was his wife, how could he not like her! Hearing this, the olddy finally felt relieved. With Marcus by Nelly¡¯s side, she didn¡¯t have to worry anymore, ¡°Nelly is beautiful and lovely, she¡¯s perfect in every way. Anyone with the right mind will like her. Make sure you tell her that you like her. She¡¯s a bit sensitive, so make sure to reassure her often.¡± Marcus listened patiently and nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Granny Reba continued, ¡°Please get her in now. I bet she¡¯s sulking outside because she can¡¯t hear our conversation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get her now.¡± Marcus went out and found Nelly, her eyes red¨Crimmed. Granny Reba was right, she had been crying. He walked over and hugged her tightly, ¡°Granny will be fine, don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Nelly wiped her swollen nose, ¡°Promise me, if Granny tells you anything, you have to tell me.¡± Marcus patted her head gently and smiled, ¡°Granny thinks she¡¯s not doing well, so she asked me to take good care of you.¡± Chapter 777 Chapter 777 Chapter 777 When Cornelia heard this, she felt like a ton of bricks had just hit her. ¡°Man, I¡¯ve really screwed up. Granny hinted at it so many times, and I just thought she was in a rush for us to have kids. I never considered that she was so desperate for us to have a baby because she was worried about leaving me alone and not being able to get by after she¡¯s gone.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Betterte than never, right? I¡¯ll give you a few days off. Spend some quality time with Granny¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°So, should I be thanking President Hartley?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Cut the crap, go to Granny.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia turned to leave, took a couple of steps, then turned back and said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Granny about the poisoning, alright? She¡¯s old, she can¡¯t take the shock. I¡¯m afraid it might scare her.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Maybe she is tougher than you think.¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°Did you tell her?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Do you think I would do that?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± After Cornelia finished speaking, she turned to leave, but Marcus pulled her back. He looked at her, his face serious. ¡°Cornelia, there¡¯s something I need to tell you.¡± She looked at him, her eyes sparkled ¡°What is it?¡± Marcus was silent for a few seconds, as if he had made a major decision, then slowly said, ¡°I want to take care of you, not just because you¡¯re my wife.¡± Cornelia seemed to understand what he meant, but wasn¡¯t sure, so she wanted to confirm. ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Go on, Granny is waiting for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere until you finish your sentence.¡± Cornelia hated it when people didn¡¯t finish their sentences; she insisted he made his point clear. Marcus said. ¡°I think¡­ I might be into you¡± She didn¡¯t expect him to say anything, let alone confess his feelings. Cornelia regretted pushing him. ¡°Well, got it.¡± Then, she ran off. He confessed, she just said ¡°Well, got it, and then left him there. Did she want him to like her or not? When she bolted into Granny¡¯s ward, Cornelia¡¯s heart was still pounding Granny Reba noticed her flushed face, and asked with concern, ¡°Nelly, why are your eyes red and your face so flushed?¡± Cornelia panicked, ¡°The wind was strong and I got some sand in my eyes. I wasn¡¯t crying¡± Granny Reba chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re married now, but you¡¯re still like a little girl, denying your tears.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia sat next to Granny Reba, ¡°Who says being married means I have to change?¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°True, as long as Nelly is happy, nothing else matters.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Granny, it¡¯s still early. Let me sleep with you for a while.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Okay¡± With Granny¡¯s permission, Cornelia climbed onto the bed,y next to Granny, and held her tightly. At that moment, as she smelled her grandmother¡¯s scent, Cornelia¡¯s anxious heart finally found tranquility. ¡°Granny, I love you so, so much. I can¡¯t live without you¡­ She was terrified of not being able to hold Granny like this anymore, terrified of not hearing Granny¡¯s voice again, terrified of the future where Granny would only exist in her memories ¡°I love my Nelly too!¡± Granny stroked Cornelia¡¯s head gently, humming a luby to lull her to sleep, just like when she was a child. Chapter 778 Chapter 778 Chapter 778 After her father¡¯s death, Corne couldn¡¯t sleep at night. Even when she did manage to doze off, nightmares would jolt her awake. Only when she was nestled in her grandma¡¯s arms, listening to her lubies, could she get a bit more sleep. ¡°Grandma¡­¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mhm?¡± ¡°Grandma¡­¡± ¡°Nelly, I¡¯m here¡­¡± Granny Reba knew what Cornelia was getting at. Every time she called out, Granny Reba would answer, doing everything she could to soothe her. ¡°Grandma, let¡¯s go to sleep. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s sleep¡± Perhaps because she felt at ease, it didn¡¯t take long before Cornelia fell asleep. Granny Reba looked at her resting face, lightly stroking it. ¡°Silly girl, so many years have passed and you haven¡¯t changed a bit. When you¡¯re scared, you still want to sleep with grandma.¡± Granny Reba shifted slightly due to an ufortable sitting position, and this movement made Cornelia suddenly open her eyes and mumble, ¡°Grandma¡­¡± ¡°Grandma¡¯s here, Nelly dear. Go back to sleep.¡± ¡°Grandma, you can¡¯t leave me alone, please¡­¡± In her dream, Cornelia was still murmuring, clutching tightly onto her grandma¡¯s clothes, scared that she would leave her. ¡°Silly girl Granny Reba sighed. Maybe it was her grandma¡¯s scent, or thefort of her embrace, but Cornelia slept deeply this time, only waking up in the afternoon. She opened her eyes to two huge faces in front of her, which made her jolt upright. ¡°Grandma, Patricia, what are you guys doing here?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen our Nelly sleeping. She¡¯s even pretty when she sleeps.¡± Patricia chimed in, ¡°True that. Some people look pretty when they¡¯re awake but turn into a mess when they¡¯re asleep. But our Nelly is beautiful even in sleep.¡± Granny Luisa continued, ¡°Especially those eyshes of Nelly¡¯s, they¡¯re like little fans. And that face, so soft and rosy, I just want to pinch it¡­.¡­¡­.. Cornelia didn¡¯t know whether to be angry or happy. ¡°Granny, Patricia.. Granny Reba scolded, ¡°Luisa, enough with the teasing. You¡¯re making the poor kid blush¡± ¡°I¡¯m not blushing. I¡¯m scared! Imagine waking up to a bunch of faces hovering over you. Isn¡¯t that creepy?¡± Cornelia argued. Granny Luisa thought for a moment, I suppose that could be a bit startling.¡± Patricia agreed, ¡°Granny Luisa, we shouldn¡¯t do this anymore. We can¡¯t scare Nelly. If we give her a heart attack, Marc will have our hides.¡± At the mention of Marcus, Cornelia looked around. Not seeing him made her feel a bit disappointed. He had confessed his feelings, but now he was nowhere to be found. It would make sense if it was a workday, but it was Sunday and she knew he didn¡¯t have any ns. ¡°Nelly, are you looking for Marc?¡± Granny Luisa was quick to notice. ¡°Marc has some things to handle. He¡¯lle to see you after he¡¯s done.¡± I¡¯m not looking for him. With you and Patricia here, how could I possibly have time to look for him?¡± Cornelia retorted. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s not talk about him. Patricia and the others have prepared a lot of delicious food. Get up, freshen up, and let¡¯s have a meal together.¡± Granny Luisa suggested. Cornelia checked the time. It was already close to two in the afternoon. ¡°Grandma, haven¡¯t you guys eaten yet? Are you waiting for me? You don¡¯t have to Go ahead, don¡¯t starve yourselves.¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t be so foolish If we were hungry, we would have eaten. We¡¯re not waiting for you specifically. We just had ate breakfast, so we aren¡¯t hungry yet. That¡¯s why we¡¯re waiting for you.¡± Granny Luisa exined. Cornelia was speechless. Alright, they were all sharp as tacks. She was the only slowpoke here. Chapter 779 Chapter 779 Chapter 779 After finishing up in the bathroom, Cornelia saw Patricia had already set up a dining table next to her grandma¡¯s sick bed, loaded with all sorts of food. There was a wide variety of foods, including light dishes suitable for the sick, and some spicy dishes that Cornelia loved. Just by looking at these foods, you could tell Patricia put a lot of thought into it. She really treated Cornelia and her grandma like her own family Especially towards Cornelia, Patricia was even nicer to her than her own daughter It was as if only by giving her the best things in the world could she fulfill her wish. The night before, Granny Luisa had prepared many gifts for Cornelia, and Patricia also had gifts for her, only they were at the Celestial Chateau mansion and could only be seen when Cornelia returned. Patricia first served Granny Reba a bowl of soup, reminding her, ¡°Granny Reba, the soup is still a bit hot. Wait a couple of minutes before drinking it. Don¡¯t burn yourself¡± ¡°Okay¡± Granny Reba nced at Patricia, ¡°Thank you for taking care of Nelly this past year.¡± Patricia felt very guilty after hearing this, ¡°Granny, in fact, I only found out a few months ago that Nelly is Marcus¡® wife. And she seldom stays at Celestial Chateau. I hardly get a chance to care for her.¡± Granny Rebaforted her, ¡°It¡¯s the thought that counts.¡± Patricia immediately responded, ¡°Granny Reba, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll take good care of Nelly. I¡¯ll also help her take care of her children in the future.¡± Like the two grannies, Patricia also hoped that Cornelia could have a child soon, so the house would be a lot livelier, not just a ce to live. Hearing this, Granny Reba was very pleased, ¡°With you helping out, I can rest easy¡± Granny Luisa chirped in, ¡°I can take care of the baby, you don¡¯t need to worry¡± Patricia replied, ¡°Then let¡¯s have twins, we can each take care of one.¡± Granny Luisa added, ¡°Reba will definitely want to help as well. If only Nelly could have triplets, that would be great. We could each raise one, and the house would certainly be lively.¡± Granny Reba still worried about her granddaughter, ¡°Let¡¯s forget about triplets, Nelly is so frail, having three babies would be too hard.¡± Cornelia quickly changed the subject, ¡°Grannies, Patricia, shall we eat first?¡± ¡°Good, Nelly is hungry, let¡¯s eat first. Granny Luisa said happily. At the dining table. Granny Luisa served Cornelia some food, ¡°Nelly, try this.¡± Patricia served Cornelia some soup, ¡°Nelly, start with some soup.¡± Granny Reba served Cornelia some food, ¡°Nelly, this is your favorite, eat more.¡± Cornelia¡¯s bowl was quickly filled, she hurriedly said, ¡°Grannies, Patricia, hold up!¡± They all looked up at her, ¡°Cornelia, is there a problem?¡± Cornelia pointed to her bowl of food, ¡°You guys eat too. Don¡¯t just take care of me, okay?¡± Granny Luisa smiled, ¡°We¡¯re eating too.¡± Patricia said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you go ahead. Seeing you happy makes us happy¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°You¡¯re still growing, you should eat more.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. 24 and still growing? Cornelia felt helpless, ¡°Are we mixing up our roles here? Granny is the one who needs care, we should be concerned about her. I can eat, sleep, run, and I look healthy, I don¡¯t need your special attention.¡± Patricia said, ¡°Of course, we¡¯re also looking after Granny Reba, but that doesn¡¯t stop us from caring about you.¡± Granny Luisa nodded, ¡°Yup!¡± Chapter 780 Chapter 780 Chapter 780 Granny Luisa nodded, ¡°Yup!¡± Comelia didn¡¯t respond She had a hearty meal under the watchful eyes of the three elders, she was so stuffed that she was even struggling to walk After the meal, Granny felt fine and wanted to go home to rest. Cornelia consulted with the doctor, who told her that Marcus had previously informed him to abide by Granny Reba¡¯s wishes. If Granny Reba wanted to rest at home, then they would go home and the doctor would apany them. Despite feeling a tad embarrassed about inconveniencing others, Cornelia prioritized her grandmother¡¯sfort. Nothing was more important than Granny Reba¡¯s well¨Cbeing Once they arrived back at the Hartley¡¯s old mansion, Granny Reba felt a bit tired and dozed off shortly after lying down on her bed. With nothing else to do after her granny fell asleep, Cornelia took out her phone and messaged Marcus: [What are you up to?] Quite a while passed without a reply from Marcus. After giving it some thought, Cornelia sent another message: [Granny and I are back at the Hartley Mansion. When are youing home?] A few seconds after she sent the message, Marcus finally replied: [Meet me outside] Cornelia asked: [Are you back?] Marcus replied. [Yep.] Cornelia quickly got up and dashed outside, phone in hand. Patricia was in the process of handing her some fruit and nearly got knocked over, ¡°Nelly, where are you rushing off to? I just cut some fruit, have some.¡± Copyright N?v/el/Dra/ma.Org. ¡®Patricia, I¡¯m good. You and granny have it. Cornelia replied without turning back and ran off. Patricia watched her disappear, ¡°What¡¯s the hurry?¡± ¡°She¡¯s obviously off to see Marc Granny Luisa said, sunning herself by the French windows and noticing Marcus¡¯s car parked outside, ¡°Marc must be taking Nelly out on a date.¡± Patricia added, ¡°Looking at the way Nelly bolted, she¡¯s like a gust of wind. Definitely off to see her beau¡± Granny Luisa chuckled, ¡°True that. Back in my day, I used to run out to greet my husband when he returned from a business trip.¡± Patricia mused, ¡°So, Nelly must have feelings for Marc.¡± Granny Luisa replied, ¡°Of course, who wouldn¡¯t? Marc is such a catch, not many girls could resist him.¡± Patricia moved closer to Granny Luisa and handed her a fork, ¡°Granny Luisa, have some fruit first. Granny Luisa sighed, ¡°Nelly¡¯s in the car and Marc¡¯s driving off. I wonder where they are heading to. Do you think we might hear some good news soon?¡± Patricia pondered, ¡°Maybe they are heading to the Celestial Chateau? If so, should I go there to take care of them?¡± Granny Luisa dismissed the idea, ¡°Marc promised me he¡¯ll stay with Nelly at the mansion for at least half a month, he wouldn¡¯t dare take her away now.¡± Patricia agreed. ¡°So, they must be going on a date somewhere else. After all, it¡¯s not convenient to do anything at home with so many people around.¡± Granny Luisa epted this exnation. Meanwhile, Cornelia was sprinting out of the house towards the yard. Even from a distance, she could already see Marcus. Chapter 781 Chapter 781 Chapter 781 Marcus was still sporting his usual white shirt and ck trousers. He stood tall and elegant next to the car, his gaze falling on Cornelia who was running towards him. His eyes were full of intense affection behind his silver¨Crimmed sses. Seeing him up ahead, Cornelia felt a bit shy and slowed down her pace, walking towards him, Why did you ask me toe out?¡± It was hot out and she had been running, her cheeks were flushed and it made her look incredibly adorable.. Marcus chuckled and ruffled her hair, ¡°Get in the car first, I¡¯ll take you somewhere.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. ¡°Where?¡± As Marcus reached out to hold her hand, Cornelia not only didn¡¯t extend her hand, but also instinctively hid it behind her, ¡°It¡¯s too hot, my hands get sweaty.¡± Marcus understood her excuse to avoid holding hands, but he didn¡¯t call her out on it. He opened the passenger door for her and let her get into the car first. Afterward, he got into the driver¡¯s seat and slowly drove out of the vi. About ten minutes passed without a word from Cornelia. Marcus nced at her and noticed her sitting silently in the passenger seat, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡± Marcus asked, ¡°About what?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯m wondering where you¡¯re taking me.¡± Marcus said, ¡°You could have just asked me directly¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I did ask, but you didn¡¯t answer.¡± Marcus said, ¡°We¡¯ll be there soon. You¡¯ll know when we get there. Cornelia said, ¡°Oh.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Do you remember what I said to youst night before you went to the hospital to see Granny?* Of course, Cornelia remembered. It was impossible for her to forget. It was one of the few times a guy had confessed his feelings to her. She couldn¡¯t forget it even if she wanted to. But she didn¡¯t know how to face this issue now, so she yed dumb, ¡°What did you sayst night? I was sleepy. Might have forgotten right after¡± Before Marcus could respond, Cornelia quickly changed the subject, I didn¡¯t see you when I woke up today. Granny said you went out to handle some business. What were you up to?¡± But Marcus didn¡¯t follow her lead, ¡°I told youst night that I think I like you. You haven¡¯t responded to me yet.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t know how to answer. This guy was really annoying. She had been trying so hard to change the subject, couldn¡¯t he take a hint? Why did he keep bringing it up? Did he get a kick out of making her feel awkward? Marcus said, ¡°Cornelia, avoidance won¡¯t solve anything! Cornelia decided to turn the tables and take control of the conversation, ¡°Yeah, avoidance won¡¯t solve anything. I asked you what you were up to, why didn¡¯t you answer me?¡± Marcus said, ¡°I was looking into someone¡± Marcus had always been observant. When he mentioned irst night, Granny Reba seemed overly anxious. So, he decided to dig deeper into ir. If his hunch was right, this ir definitely had something to do with Cornelia. ¡°Who are you looking for? Did you find them?¡± Cornelia asked. Marcus had intended to keep it from her, but Cornelia was a smart girl, she would find out sooner or later, ¡°It¡¯s ir,¡± Chapter 782 Chapter 782 Chapter 782 Hearing that he had been helping her again, Cornelia fell a warmth in her heart, ¡°Thanks for the help! But I have my own way of dealing with ir, you don¡¯t have to get involved¡± Marcus asked, ¡°How do you n to deal with her?¡± Jokingly, Cornelia said, ¡°I can¡¯t beat her up, nor can I pull her hair. So I can only fight fire with fire, use the public opinion against her ir is Granger¡¯s wife, and everyone in Riverton knows, and I¡¯m just an assistant. If we talk about reputation, she definitely has more to lose than me. If she, as thedy of the Reese family, isn¡¯t afraid of getting embarrassed, what¡¯s there for me to be afraid of!¡± After grandma¡¯s incident, Cornelia had nned to take Ayden straight to the Reese family for a showdown. If it hadn¡¯t been for seeing Marcus spending a lot of money to clean up the mess for her, she would have gone all in. In the end, she didn¡¯t go. But that didn¡¯t mean she wouldn¡¯t hold ir ountable. She could also manipte the public opinion. Marcus wasn¡¯t surprised that Cornelia would use public opinion. He believed that Cornelia had the ability to destroy ir¡¯s reputation. But he had to stop her, as he didn¡¯t want her to regret it in the future, ¡°Cornelia, can you promise me something?¡± Cornelia said. Tell me, if I can do it, I¡¯ll definitely agree.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Leave ir to me. Don¡¯t touch her for now.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Why?¡± Marcus paused slightly, then said, ¡°She¡¯s still useful.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Alright. Since she¡¯s still useful to you, HI let her run wild in Riverton for a few more days.¡± Marcus said. ¡°Thank you!¡± Cornelia said, ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife, no need to be so polite.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°So, have you answered my question?¡± Oh! They had been chatting about other topics for so long, and she thought he had forgotten about that question. Why did he still remember? Cornelia, with her face flushed, said, ¡°Have you had lunch yet? What did you eat? I bet you have no idea how much I ate at lunch. Both grandmas and Patricia, all three of them kept piling food onto my te, as if they were afraid I wouldn¡¯t get full.¡± To avoid the question, Cornelia kept talking, not giving Marcus a chance to interrupt. After a while, when she stopped talking, Marcus said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to answer my question, it¡¯s okay, I can wait.¡± Cornelia hesitated for a moment, and decided to tell him her worries, ¡°It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to answer you. I¡¯m not sure if I like you. Think about it, you were my boss for a year, and then just my husband for a few days. I haven¡¯t adjusted to your role change, how can I know if I like you?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Alright, take your time to think about it.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Looking at him, Cornelia suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s have a baby.¡°. Before, Cornelia always put her career first, nning to wait a few years before having children. But after grandma¡¯s severe illness, she knew that she could wait, but grandma might not be able to. She hoped to fulfill all of grandma¡¯s wishes while she was still around. Marcus turned his head to look at her, his expression serious, ¡°You¡¯re not even sure if you like me, but you want to have a child with me?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife. Our union isn¡¯t because of love Marriage is about having children, and it¡¯s not wrong for me to want a child. What Cornelia said was exactly what Marcus used to think. In the past, he never felt anything wrong with this idea, even considered his thoughts mature and rational. But now he realized how absurd and irresponsible this idea was. He thought admitting that she was his wife was being responsible for her, but in fact, he was just treating her as a tool for childbirth. He absolutely didn¡¯t want to see her as a tool for having children. He firmly believed that if they were to have a child, they must both like each other, then could they bear the fruit of love. Chapter 783 Chapter 783 Chapter 783 Marcus stated sternly, ¡°I¡¯m not nning on having kids right now¡± If he didn¡¯t want kids, then fine. But why did he have to say it so harshly? ¡°If you don¡¯t want kids, then forget it. I can¡¯t force you to have one with me.¡± Cornelia felt a bit upset, then she suddenly remembered a crucial factor she had overlooked. Marcus couldn¡¯t have kids! How could she demand him to have one with her? She felt like aplete idiot for nearly hurting his pride. Marcus continued driving, focused as ever. Cornelia sneaked a peek at him, his face was unchanging, but she felt an intense oppressive feeling. He was definitely pissed! She was sure Marcus was mad! She regretted her words, knowing he couldn¡¯t have kids yet suggesting they have one together. He¡¯d be a saint not to be angry. After some thought, Cornelia decided to cheer him up. ¡°Marcus, if you don¡¯t want kids, then we won¡¯t. It¡¯s no big deal, kid or not, doesn¡¯t matter. Her voice was soft, sweet, and utterly enchanting, unlike her work voice. Marcus was almost swayed by her voice. Luckily, he had good self¨Ccontrol. Without any response from him, Cornelia moved closer, ¡®Forget what I said earlier. I¡¯ll respect your decisions, I won¡¯t force you into anything.¡± Could she even force him? Was she overestimating herself? Marcus was almost amused by her, though his expression remained cold. Cornelia was a bit annoyed; if he was going to ignore her, she¡¯d ignore him. She turned to look out the window. Through the window, she could vaguely see his profile. His profile was truly perfect, wless from every angle. Even now, it felt like a dream, unable to believe her boss was now her husband. About half an hourter, Marcus pulled into an underground parking lot of a fancy leisure club. One of the most expensive ces in Riverton, a night¡¯s spending starting from hundreds of thousands. Previously, Cornelia apanied Marcus for a business deal, and they were invited here after the deal was made. She had been here once with him. The drinks here tasted no different from elsewhere, but the prices were absurdly high, and the cheaper ones were barely sold. It was as if everyone came here to spend money. Even though she was now a millionaire, she still believed money shouldn¡¯t be spent recklessly but on necessary things, ¡°President Hartley, if you want a date, let¡¯s switch ces. It¡¯s too expensive here, I don¡¯t think we need to waste money like this.¡± Marcus still ignored her, parked the car, and headed straight for the elevator. Cornelia had no choice but to follow him. The elevator ascended all the way to the twenty¨Cninth floor. As they stepped out, a waiter immediately came over to guide them, ¡°Mr. Hartley, Mrs. Hartley, this way please!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Cornelia carefully took two steps ahead, lightly grasping Marcus¡¯s sleeve, ¡°President Hartley, how did he know I¡¯m your wife?¡± Chapter 784 Chapter 784 Chapter 784 Marcus furrowed his brow, his gaze falling on her soft hand clutching the hem of his shirt, his heart instantly softened, ¡°Do you enjoy being called Mrs. Hartley?¡± Cornelia answered. Td rather be called Mrs. Artis!¡± Technically speaking, the name of her spouse on her marriage certificate was Jeremy, not Marcus. She should rightfully be called Mrs. Artis. Marcus was speechless. This girl always had a way of stabbing his heart with a single sentence. They walked down the long hallway, getting closer and closer to room 8888. The door to room 8888 was wide open, and Cornelia could hear the conversation inside before she saw anyone. Hannah said, ¡°President Hartley¡¯s love for his wife is legendary. But as his friends, we¡¯ve yet to meet her.¡± Rosie chimed in, I was kinda hoping he and Cornelia were an item before. Marcus is handsome and Cornelia is beautiful. They look like a perfect match, but they¡¯re not together.¡± Hannah said, ¡°Stop that. They should be arriving soon. If Mrs. Hartley hears this, Cornelia¡¯s in for a rough ride.¡± Rosie said, ¡°It¡¯s just wishful thinking on my part, I sincerely wish President Hartley and his wife a lifetime of happiness.¡± Lucas took over, ¡°Honey, do you really think Marc and his assistant look like a couple?¡± Rosie said, ¡°I can¡¯t talk about this anymore. If anyone hears, Cornelia might lose her job. Cornelia¡¯s such a darling, I¡¯d feel guilty for a lifetime if I caused her to lose her job.¡± Lucas said, ¡°Marc isn¡¯t here yet. The waiter would let us know when he arrives. Feel free to speak your mind.¡± Rosie asked, ¡°You really want to know? When did you start taking such an interest in others¡® affairs?¡± Lucas said, ¡°I¡¯m not interested in others¡® affairs, I¡¯m only interested in Marc¡¯s.¡± Rosie said, ¡°If you really want to know, I¡¯ll tell you. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just my imagination, but I think President Hartley has a thing for Cornelia. The way he looks at her is different from how he looks at us. A few times, I caught President Hartley stealing nces at Cornelia when she wasn¡¯t paying attention. His gaze was so smitten and adoring, as though he wanted to devour her. I don¡¯t know what his wife thinks, but if Lucas, you ever looked at another woman like that, I wouldn¡¯t stand for it.¡± Hearing this, Cornelia outside the door quietly looked up at Marcus, ¡°Did you really used to sneak peeks at me?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°Yeah.¡± His answer was straightforward, without a hint of evasion, leaving Cornelia at a loss for words. N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Marcus added, ¡°That wasn¡¯t until I knew you were my wife.¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°But you denied it when I asked if you liked me.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Just listen to what they¡¯re saying ¡± Inside the room, Steven took over, ¡°Lucas, your wife has a keen eye.¡± Lucas said, ¡°Rosie¡¯s always been smart.¡± Zavier, quietly sipping his drink, let out a coldugh, ¡°I¡¯ve already said I wouldn¡¯te tonight, but you insisted, and now you¡¯re praising their marriage. How boring.¡± Steven said, ¡°We couldn¡¯t have our gathering without you.¡± Zavier said, ¡°You¡¯re all paired up. Have you ever considered my feelings?¡± Steven said, ¡°Isn¡¯t your family looking for a spouse for you? All young and beautifuldies from reputable families. None of them are lesser than Skyler, but you¡¯re not into any of them?¡± Zavier said, ¡°As long as that marriage is still valid, I¡¯m a married man. I don¡¯t want to be used of bigamy¡± Steven said, ¡°I didn¡¯t realize your feelings for Skyler were so deep.¡± Zavier said, ¡°Go fuck yourself!¡± Chapter 785 Chapter 785 Chapter 785 Steven asked, ¡°So you¡¯re saying Marc¡¯s hidden your wife somewhere? You¡¯ve searched high and low and haven¡¯t even found a trace of her?¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Mentioning this topic made Zavier¡¯s blood boil He was so pissed off, he could ve torn Marc to shreds, ¡°So why the hell did you guys invite me to tonight¡¯s dinner?¡± Steven exined, ¡°We¡¯ve been buddies for years. When we got married, we all formally introduced our wives to each other. Marc¡¯s bringing his wife tonight to officially introduce her to us. It¡¯s a big deal. We couldn¡¯t do it without you.¡± Lucas chimed in, ¡°Yeah, it wouldn¡¯t be the same without you.¡± Zavier scoffed, ¡°We¡¯ve all met her. There¡¯s no need for a formal introduction. He¡¯s just showing off, deliberately trying to make me upset Steven said, ¡°We get how you¡¯re feeling, but Hannah and Rosie haven¡¯t met her yet, so the introduction has to be done.¡± Rosie asked, ¡°You guys have all met Marcus¡® wife? What does she look like? Is she as beautiful as Cornelia? But no matter what she looks like or if she¡¯s as beautiful as Cornelia, I should wish them happiness and a long, loving marriage.¡± ¡°Thanks for your blessing!¡± A deep, pleasant voice came from the doorway. Everyone turned to see Marcus, tall and upright, standing there. There was no strange woman by his side, only his assistant, Cornelia. Zavier continued to drink, ignoring Marcus and his wifepletely. ¡°Marc, you¡¯re finally here!¡± Steven greeted him with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re the man of the hour, and you¡¯re late. That¡¯s not cool.¡± ¡°Cornelia, it¡¯s so good to see you today Hannah and Rosie immediately rushed over to Cornelia, hugging her tightly, ¡°We¡¯re so thrilled.¡± They¡¯de to Riverton today to meet Marcus¡® wife. This was a private gathering of friends. Marcus brought his wife, so they didn¡¯t expect to see Cornelia as well. Her appearance was a total surprise. Hannah and Rosie were absolutely ted. Especially Hannah, who hugged Cornelia tightly, ¡°Cornelia, you know what? I was just thinking, after I¡¯ve done the rounds, I¡¯ll text you to grab ate¨Cnight snack. And here you are! Is it because God heard my inner prayers and brought the lovely you to me?¡± ¡°Must be, that¡¯s why God sent lovely me to your lovely self.¡± Cornelia was also happy to see them, I¡¯ve missed you guys. Last time we met in Woodpine, we didn¡¯t get the chance to chat properly¡± Hannah said, ¡°I¡¯ve finished filming my drama, and I¡¯m not nning to pick up any new scripts soon. I¡¯ve got plenty of time to chat.¡± Rosie said, ¡°I don¡¯t have anything particr to be busy withtely either. Why don¡¯t we stay in Riverton for a few more days and let Cornelia show us around?¡± Cornelia happily agreed, ¡°Sounds great!¡± Steven walked over and pulled Hannah away from Cornelia¡¯s arms, ¡°Honey, you should be hugging me, not Cornelia.¡± Hannah red at Steven as he pulled her away, ¡°Steven, are you going to forbid me from talking to my girlfriends now?¡± I¡¯m your husband, how can you call me Steven? It¡¯s so distant.¡± Steven said, then bent down to kiss her. Hannah instinctively tried to dodge, but Steven had already anticipated her move. He held her slim waist with one hand, cradled her head with the other, andpletely ignoring the others around. He quickly kissed her lips, demanding passionately for her to respond to his kiss. Chapter 786 Chapter 786 Chapter 786 Hannah stomped on Steven¡¯s foot in fury, putting all her weight into it. The top of the foot was a tender spot, so it should¡¯ve hurt like hell. But Steven didn¡¯t even flinch, keeping his imposing presence all over her senses. Lucas cracked a joke with a grin, ¡°Steven, what¡¯s the rush, man? There¡¯s a room right over there. You guys wanna take this to the next level?¡± It was just a joke, but it was like nails on a chalkboard to Hannah. In her mind, she was nothing more than a ything for Steven in front of his buddies, something they could trample on without a second thought. Hot tears welled up in Hannah¡¯s eyes and slid down her cheeks. Steven, who was forcing a kiss on her, noticed and immediately let go, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Hannah didn¡¯t want him to see her crying, so she buried her face into his chest, wiping her tears on his shirt. When she lifted her head again, her eyes were filled with smiles, ¡°President Dixon, can we wrap this up now? If it¡¯s okay, I¡¯d like to have a word with President Hartley¡± Steven squinted at her, puzzled. Hannah simply ignored him and turned to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, you should spend more time with your wife. Can you give Cornelia a few days off, so she can hang out and have some fun with us?¡± 7 disagree.¡± Steven retorted immediately ¡°Sure.¡± Marcus replied. Thanks, President Hartley!¡± Hannah beamed. Rosie peered out the door. ¡°Where¡¯s your wife? Today is a gathering for you and your spouse, yet you¡¯ve dragged Cornelia along, not giving her any personal time. That¡¯s a bit much, don¡¯t you think?¡± Marcus reached out and took Cornelias hand, ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, let me formally introduce to you my beautiful wife¨CCornelia!¡± Steven and Lucas had known Cornelia¡¯s identity all along, but they still put on a surprised act, ¡°Whoa, Marc! Cornelia is your wife?* ¡°You guys are terrible actors.¡± Marcus retorted. Steven dropped his fake surprised expression and reached out to shake hands with Cornelia, ¡°Mrs. Hartley, nice to meet you!¡± ¡°President Dixon, nice to meet you too!¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°Mrs. Hartley, pleasure¡¯s all mine. Looking forward to working with you¡± Lucas chimed in. ¡°Likewise.¡± Cornelia responded. The guys in the room had known about Cornelia¡¯s identity, so when Marcus made the announcement, they weren¡¯t exactly startled. But it was a different -story for the twodies present. Hannah and Rosie were dumbstruck, their mouths hanging open, unable to process Marcus¡¯s words. After a moment, Hannah managed to find her voice, ¡°President Hartley, what did you just say? Could you repeat that?¡± Introducing his wife was something Marcus was proud of, so he repeated with joy, ¡°My lovely wife, Cornelia!¡± Chapter 787 Chapter 787 Chapter 787 N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Hannah was still in disbelief, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re his wife?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Yeah, Cornelia is my wife.¡± Hannah looked at Cornelia again, the two of them made a good pair, pretty easy on the eyes. But no matter how good they looked together, it didn¡¯t change the fact that. Well, the people involved in a rtionship knew best and outsiders had no ce to butt in. Although Hannah was confused, she didn¡¯t voice it out. Rosie, always one to speak her mind, asked outright, Marcus, Cornelia, have you two split up with your previous partners?¡± Marcus exined. ¡°There was no previous partner. My wife has always been Cornelia!¡± Rosie pressed on, ¡°So no one got swapped out? What¡¯s going on exactly?¡± Lucas, wrapping his arm around his wife, said, ¡°Weren¡¯t you just saying that Marcus and Cornelia make a perfect couple and you hoped that Cornelia would be Marcus¡¯s wife? Now you¡¯re acting all shocked as if you can¡¯t ept it.¡°, Rosie responded, ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t ept it. I¡¯m just too shocked and I still don¡¯t understand what¡¯s really happening.¡± Steven suggested, This is a long story, let¡¯s all sit down and have dinner first, we can chat while we eat.¡± ¡°You guys go ahead and sit, I have some things I want to discuss privately with Cornelia.¡± Hannah felt that everyone else seemed to know about Marcus and Cornelia¡¯s situation and only she and Rosie were left in the dark She had to ask Cornelia what was really going on. Steven chuckled and said, ¡°Honey, is there something you can¡¯t ask in front of me? You know, I¡¯m a bit worried about Cornelia.¡± Cornelia replied bluntly. ¡°Steven, as long as you treat Hannah well, she will stand by you no matter what anyone says. Are you so worried about me being alone with her because you¡¯re not treating her well?¡± Steven looked helplessly at Marcus, ¡°Marcus, can you manage your wife?¡± Marcus backed Cornelia without hesitation, ¡°Did she say anything wrong?¡± Cornelia gave Marcus a grateful look for always standing by her side and supporting her. Stevenined, ¡°You always listen to your wife! Are you even the Marcus | know?¡± Lucas chimed in, ¡°Steven, just let them talk. You¡¯re always clinging to your wife like a stalker, won¡¯t she get tired of you?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Steven had no response, and Lucas simply dragged Steven away. Rosiemented, ¡°Hannah, your husband really is clingy.¡± Hannah gave a slightugh and didn¡¯t continue the topic. She turned to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, can you exin to us what¡¯s going on with you and Marcus?¡± Rosie interrupted, ¡°Wait, I have something to say¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Alright, you go first.¡± Rosie said, ¡°Before you guys arrived, I was telling everyone that I hoped you and Marcus were a thing. I knew Marcus was bringing his wife to meet us today and I had a bit of a hard time epting it. I had no idea that you were actually his wife. Did I hit the nail on the head or what?¡± Corneliaughed and replied, ¡°Yes, your prediction was spot on. You always seem to predict what¡¯s coming.¡± Chapter 788 Chapter 788 Chapter 788 Rosie said, ¡°I gotta tell ya, you and President Hartley are a perfect match¡± Cornelia said, Thanks!¡± Hannah said, ¡°Enough of that, let Cornelia tell us how she and her hubby got together¡± Everyone was eager to know, and Cornelia didn¡¯t hold back, ¡°My husband and I were set up by our grannies. We got married the first time we met.¡± Rosie said. ¡°You¡¯re a real daredevil, marrying a guy you¡¯ve just met.¡± Hannah said, ¡°Rosie, hush. Let Cornelia keep going¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll zip it.¡± Rosie promptly shut her mouth. Cornelia continued, ¡°After we got the marriage certificate, he handed me a bank card, said he had stuff to do, and left. He didn¡¯t contact me after that, and I didn¡¯t really care. I just went on with my work, even forgot what he looked like. So, a yearter, when I saw him at thepany, he seemed familiar, but I couldn¡¯t ce him. It wasn¡¯t until the other day when I was packing to move and found our long¨Clost marriage certificate that I realized Marcus was my hubby who disappeared right after the wedding¡± It was mind¨Cboggling, but it really happened. Hannah poked Cornelia¡¯s forehead, ¡°You can¡¯t remember his face, his name, but you remember you¡¯re married?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°He registered under the name Jeremy, not Marcus.¡± Hannah and Rosie asked in unison, ¡°Did he use a different name because he was afraid you¡¯d be after his money?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°No, he¡¯s not like that. Because of some special reasons, he¡¯s been using two identities. He didn¡¯t mean to fool me. He wanted to see me as soon as he returned home, but our paths just didn¡¯t cross.¡± Hannah said, ¡°Always defending him.¡± Cornelia smiled and said, ¡°He¡¯s my husband, what can I do?¡± Hannah said, ¡°Your husband is a good man, he respects your decisions in all things. You should stand up for him. Cornelia, you¡¯re gonna be very happy.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t mutual respect in a marriage normal?¡± Hannah said, ¡°Not every man knows respect. You¡¯ve found such a good man. Cherish him.¡± Rosie nodded furiously, ¡°I second that, I totally agree with Hannah.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Lucas respect you?¡± ¡± ¡°Respect? If he knew how to spell that word, I wouldn¡¯t be Rosie.¡± When it came to respect, Rosie felt she had a say, ¡°Do you guys think Lucas treats me well?¡± Hannah nodded. Cornelia nodded too, ¡°From what we¡¯ve seen, yes.¡± Rosie said, ¡°See, you¡¯ve been fooled by his act.¡± If it came to Lucas, Rosie could talk for days, ¡®¡±He seems gentle, nice to me, but he¡¯s actually very controlling. He treats me like his daughter. He dictates what I can and can¡¯t eat. I can only things he deems nutritious. I only can do what he thinks is right. Iined to my parents, saying Lucas was too controlling. But they didn¡¯t take side with me, instead they defended him. They said he was doing it for my good, that if it were someone else, they wouldn¡¯t bother.¡±T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 789 Chapter 789 Chapter 789 Rosie let out a long sigh, saying with a helpless tone, ¡°Everyone thinks Lucas is bossing me around for my own good, but no one really cares about how I feel or what I truly want.¡± Cornelia suggested, ¡°If you don¡¯t want him control you, you could try having a serious chat with him I thinkmunication is key in any rtionship. Any issues should be addressed promptly, or it could cause problems¡± Rosie shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s no use I¡¯ve tried talking to him countless times, telling him to stop meddling in my affairs. I want to take care of my own stuff. But he justughs it off, thinking I¡¯m throwing a tantrum¡± Cornelia pondered for a moment, ¡°Maybe you could try talking to your parents, let them handle Lucas. It might have a different effect! At the mention of her parents, Rosie shook her head even more, ¡°My parents are the reason Lucas takes care of me.¡± Cornelia, intrigued, asked, ¡°How so?¡± Rosie continued, ¡°Our families have known each other for generations. When I was still in my mother¡¯s belly, the elders of both families agreed that if ! were a girl, I would be engaged to Lucas. When I was born and turned out to be a girl, the elders were over the moon and immediately arranged a marriage for us. So, even when I was still in my mother¡¯s belly, my life was tied to Lucas.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯ve heard before that you two were engaged from a very young age and have known each other since birth. Didn¡¯t think it was actually true. I think it¡¯s a rather pure rtionship, knowing each other inside and out, and not having to worry about deceit.¡± Rosie said, ¡°I don¡¯t mind growing up together, what I don¡¯t like is Lucas treating me like a child. From the moment I was born, they told Lucas, who was only four at the time, that I was the one he would marry and he should treat me well. He¡¯s a responsible person, so he promised to take care of me and has been doing so ever since. ¡°I¡¯ve been under his care since I was little, got married to him as soon as I was of age, even before I graduated from college. In their eyes, I¡¯m just a spoiled little girl who lives a pampered life, clueless about the hardships of the world. Without Lucas, I wouldn¡¯t even survive, so they think it¡¯s right for him to control me. ¡°I¡¯ve tried expressing my desire for freedom, for making my own decisions, but no one listens. I gradually stopped resisting and became the person they wanted me to be, not working, shopping with Lucas¡¯s credit card, buying anything I wanted without considering the price.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure whether you¡¯reining or bragging. Your life is what I¡¯ve been dreaming of.¡± Hannah chimed in, ¡°Me too.¡± Rosie continued. That kind of life is easy, but it¡¯s also very empty, especially when Lucas is too busy with work to spend time with me.¡± Cornelia suggested, ¡°Then you could make more friends. When Lucas is not around, you could go out to eat, have drinks with your friends, that might make your life more fulfilling.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all content. Rosie retorted, ¡°That won¡¯t work either. Lucas is very strict about my diet, I absolutely can¡¯t eat anything he doesn¡¯t allow. The other night, I was having dinner with him and his clients. The table was loaded with gourmet food, but I didn¡¯t have any appetite, so I hardly ate anything. After dinner, when he was seeing off his clients. I saw a snack stand nearby. The delicious smell made me hungry, so I went to buy some.¡± Chapter 790 Chapter 790 Chapter 790 ¡°The snack I¡¯d been craving was finally ready I paid for it and was just about to take a bite when Lucas showed up. Without a second thought, he snatched it out of my hands and tossed it into a nearby trash bin. He tossed my food, then had the nerve to ask why I¡¯d eat something so unhygienic. He lectured me about how I knew better than to eat random food that could upset my stomach. ¡°Sure, I know street food might mess with my stomach and I have no idea if it¡¯s clean or not, but I just wanted a taste. Can¡¯t eat this or that, life¡¯s a real drag without those little pleasures Mentioning this, Rosie was still fuming She should ve stood up to him then, and showed him she was not someone to be pushed around. That way he wouldn¡¯t dare to pull the same stunt again. Suddenly, Hannah said, ¡°Is Lucas trying to y daddy?¡± Rosie was like, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Hannah replied. ¡°He¡¯s treating you like a kid. If he wants to be a dad so badly, why don¡¯t you pop out a baby for him to take care of? Once he has a kid, he¡¯ll shift his focus and stop pestering you¡± Hearing this, Rosie¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a brilliant idea. Why didn¡¯t I think of that? I need to have a daughter ASAP! Let him spend all his time fussing over her and leave me alone. Then, I¡¯ll finally be free.¡± When Rosie mentioned having a daughter, childless Cornelia was a bit envious, ¡°Rosie, can I be your child¡¯s godmother?¡± Rosie replied, ¡°Sure.¡± Hannah chimed in, ¡°I want to be the godmother too¡± Rosie added, ¡°You and President Dixon have been married for a while, and he is almost 30. I think you guys should consider having a kid too.¡± Hannah once thought about having a child with Steven, hoping it could change their rtionship. But she was too na?ve. Steven never considered having a child with her. He once said that she could never be the one to bear his child, she was just a cheap substitute. From that day on, she realized she was just a stand¨Cin for him. Thinking about it, Hannah hid her feelings behind a smile, ¡°My job is a bit special. I can¡¯t even announce my marriage, let alone consider having a kid in the near future.¡± Rosie said, ¡°You¡¯re a talented actress, not an idol. Your fans love your work, whether you¡¯re married or not shouldn¡¯t matter to them.¡± Hannah replied, ¡°You think they don¡¯t care? Trust me, they care! My fans are always pushing me to film. No sooner have I finished one movie than they¡¯re asking about the next one. If they found out I secretly got married and want to have a kid, I¡¯d lose a ton of fans. Right now, there¡¯s this idea online that fans want female actresses to stay away from men or they¡¯ll be unhappy. ¡°Some time ago, a young actress who¡¯d been acting since childhood started dating. Wasn¡¯t it normal for a young person to date? She was not an idol, and she earned her living through her acting skills, but she was attacked online for months.¡± T¨ºxt belongs to N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia said, ¡°These fans are too nosy about people¡¯s private lives. They¡¯re even more involved than the stars¡® own mothers. They¡¯re always chasing after celebrities, where do they get the money? Don¡¯t they have their own lives to live?¡± Chapter 791 Chapter 791 Chapter 791 Hannah said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask me, I really have no idea. Seems like a lot of people in my fan club are loaded I heard the ones who splurge are mostly rich kids or bored wealthy wives¡± Rosie said, ¡°There was a time when I was totally nuts about a celebrity, shelling out big bucks every day on his endorsed products. Right when I was on al roll, Lucas found out He thought I had a sugar daddy on the side and, in a huff, cut off my credit card felt so wronged but couldn¡¯t exin.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°How much did you blow on that guy?¡± Hannah said, ¡°Let me guess, at least a few hundred grand, right?¡± Rosie said. ¡°Two million! I was nning to finance a movie with him as the lead, but it never worked.¡± Cornelia thought to herself, these rich people, money really did burn a hole in their pockets. They could do so much with two million. Hannah asked, ¡°Who¡¯s the celeb? Do I know him?¡± Rosie said, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about it. He¡¯s doing okay now, and I don¡¯t want to rain on his parade.¡± Hannah changed the subject, ¡°Let¡¯s not gossip about others. Let¡¯s talk about newlywed Cornelia and President Hartley.¡± She then asked Cornelia, ¡°Anything about President Hartley that irks you, Cornelia?¡± Without hesitation, Cornelia said, ¡°Nope.¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. In Cornelia¡¯s eyes, Marcus was perfect. Hannah and Rosie both eximed, ¡°None?¡± Cornelia looked puzzled, ¡°Does there have to be? In my eyes, my hubby is really awesome.¡± Rosie said, ¡°Think harder. There¡¯s bound to be something that bugs you.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°As a couple, we should be lenient with each other¡¯s ws.¡± Hannah said, ¡°You gotta think of one, or else we can¡¯t continue this chat.¡± Cornelia pondered, ¡°If I really have to pick one, it¡¯d be that he¡¯s a tad possessive. He can get jealous of anyone, even my good friend Zack.¡± Hannah said, ¡°Men are just overly possessive. They can¡¯t stand their wives even ncing at other men.¡± Rosie agreed wholeheartedly. ¡°Absolutely¡± Cornelia had her own thoughts, ¡°I think not only men are possessive, we women are the same. Would you like your husband ogling other women? I don¡¯t. know about you, but I definitely wouldn¡¯t like it. If he was checking out other women, I¡¯d be green with envy.¡± Rosie said, ¡°Cornelia, did your boyfriend brainwash you? Why are there no ws in him in your eyes? He¡¯s handsome, has a great body, is filthy rich, and has an impable character. How are the rest of us supposed to live? Everyone says nobody¡¯s perfect. Didn¡¯t God leave him with any ws?¡± Hannahughed, ¡°Maybe that¡¯s what they call love. It blinds you to ws.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t say anything. She finally thought of the w God had given Marcus to make him less than perfect. It was a w connected to his pride, and she couldn¡¯t just blurt it out, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte, let¡¯s go eat. We can chat more after dinner. I¡¯m free tonight anyway¡± Hannah sprawled on the couch, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, don¡¯t feel like eating.¡± Chapter 792 Chapter 792 Chapter 792 ¡°Are you feeling unwell? Do you need a doctor?¡± Cornelia asked. Hannah shook her head, ¡°I just don¡¯t want to be with that guy¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°What¡¯s the matter between you and President Dixon?¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°What could possibly be the matter? Hannah retorted, ¡°Our marriage was a transaction from the get¨C go. He never truly considered me his wife. To him, I¡¯m like his ything, to be summoned when he needs me and discarded when he doesn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t think like that. You two are legally wedded, you are equals. Cornelia tried to reason with her. Hannah let out a softugh, ¡°Equals? Cornelia, do you really think I can talk about equality with guys like Steven, without sounding naive?¡± Perhaps she had been too sheltered by Marcus, oblivious to the harsh realities of the world outside. Talking about equality with the men in this room was only possible if they were willing to treat them as equals. Otherwise, it was all just empty talk. ¡°Why not? He¡¯s your husband.¡± Cornelia said. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t respect me, doesn¡¯t allow me my own rights, then I don¡¯t need such a marriage.¡± Hannah scoffed, ¡°Cornelia, look at those four men over there. If they don¡¯t agree to a divorce, who among us can get a divorce? Skyler is the perfect example. She left everything behind to escape Zavier, and nearly lost her life in the process. Cornelia was left speechless. ¡°Our circumstances are different. The people we face are different, and our understanding of marriage is different.¡± Hannah continued. Upon hearing this, Cornelia felt a pang of sadness. She couldn¡¯tprehend Hannah¡¯s predicament, which led her to believe Hannah¡¯s thinking was wed, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Why are you apologizing? If you still think this way, it means President Hartley truly cares for you. You should cherish him.¡± Hannah said. Cornelia nodded, ¡°I will.¡± Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a broken wine ss. The three of them turned towards the direction of the sound, only to see Zavier smashing another wine ss against the wall, like a madman. The root of it all could be traced back to a few minutes ago. After the men had moved to the inner room, Steven seemed distracted, frequently ncing towards Hannah. Lucas teased him, ¡°Steven, can¡¯t bear to be away from your wife? Can¡¯t handle being a few feet away from her?¡± Steven turned his gaze away, ¡°What were you guys just talking about?¡± ¡°We were talking about Zavier. Since he can¡¯t find Skyler and can¡¯t stay single forever, we suggested he heed his father¡¯s advice and remarry.¡± Lucas said. Steven said, ¡°Zavier¡¯s feelings for Skyler run deep. He definitely won¡¯t remarry in the near future. But if more time passes, who knows?¡± Zavier finished his drink in one gulp, cing the ss in front of Marcus, ¡°Marc, how about we make a bet?¡± Marcus gently pushed up his silver¨Crimmed sses, calmly replying, ¡°I don¡¯t gamble!¡± Chapter 793 Chapter 793 Chapter 793 ¡°Not cing a bet?¡± Zavier seemed surprised by Marcus¡¯s blunt refusal. He echoed Marcus¡¯s words, lit a cigarette and said, ¡°Since when did you, the CEO of the Hartley Group, be such a chicken?¡± Marcus looked up at Zavier, ¡°No bet means no bet Your words don¡¯t faze me, so save your breath¡± Zavier snuffed out the just lit cigarette in the ashtray. ¡°Marc, I¡¯m giving you a few more days. If you don¡¯t return Skyler to me, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you¡± Marcus swirled his drink, about to take a sip but remembering Cornelia¡¯s advice. He set it down and said, ¡°I¡¯m in this till the end.¡± Steven asked, ¡°What are you guys doing? It¡¯s just a girl. Is it worth ruining your brotherhood over a girl?¡± ¡°Just a girl?¡± Zavier was provoked by thement. Now he wasn¡¯t just mad at Marcus, he was pissed at Steven, ¡°If one day he hides your girl, would you still say it¡¯s just a girl?¡± Steven replied, ¡°Hannah would never leave me.¡± Zavier turned to Lucas, ¡®Lucas, what about you?¡± Lucas replied, ¡°If someone hides Rosie, I¡¯d fight them to the death.¡± He knew from a young age that he was going to marry Rosie. The name Rosie was deeply etched in his mind. He couldn¡¯t imagine life without Rosie. Lucas continued, ¡°I can¡¯t live without Rosie. She¡¯s my wife, I love her, and I can¡¯t be without her. Zavier, why can¡¯t you live without Skyler? Is it a matter of pride or something else?¡± Zavier had always been reluctant to admit his feelings for Skyler. Maybe he didn¡¯t realize how important she was to him until she left. Lucas went on, ¡°If you¡¯re looking for Skyler because you like her, and can¡¯t live without her, then admit it. If you want to confess, do it openly. Maybe Marc will tell Skyler and she¡¯lle back.¡± ¡°I do like her. I can¡¯t live without her. So, Marc, can you give me Skyler¡¯s address? Let me find her.¡± Zavier¡¯s candidness made everyone skeptical of his feelings for Skyler. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Lucas said, ¡°Can you sound more sincere when you say these things? It sounds fake to us.¡± Zavier looked at Marcus, ¡°Marc.¡± Marcus said, ¡°If Skyler wants toe back to you, she will. Telling me this is pointless.¡± Marcus was unmoved by Zavier¡¯s strong stance. Zavier tried to appeal to him emotionally, ¡°Marc, it¡¯s been 109 days since Ist heard from Skyler. Do you know how I¡¯ve survived these days? I¡¯ve sent people all over the world to find her. I¡¯d go wherever there¡¯s a trace of her. Even with repeated disappointments, I¡¯ve never given up. I always believe that one day I¡¯ll find her.¡± Despite Zaviers sweet words, Marcus replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know where Skyler is now.¡± Hearing this, Zavier exploded like a ticking bomb, ¡°What did you say? Say that again!¡± Zavier¡¯s threats didn¡¯t bother Marcus. He responded calmly, ¡°I don¡¯t know where your wife is.¡± Zavier smashed his ss against the wall, ¡°Marcus, I¡¯m warning you, don¡¯t make me to force you.¡± Chapter 794 Chapter 794 Chapter 794 Hearing themotion, Cornelia bolted over, positioning her petite frame between Marcus and Zavier, ¡°Zavier, what are you up to?¡± Marcus looked at the fearless girl who had rushed to his defense, his icy heart enveloped in warmth His voice softened involuntarily, ¡°Cornelia ¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared I¡¯ll protect you¡± Marcus chuckled ¡°Such a silly girl! He didn¡¯t need her protection. Even if Zavier had the guts, he wouldn¡¯t dare to cross him. Zavier snapped ¡°Back off Don¡¯t make me get rough with a woman!¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Seeing things escting Steven and Lucas quickly tried to mediate ¡°Guys, can¡¯t you just talk it out? Keep this up and you won¡¯t be friends much longer¡± The four of them were college pals and business partners, enjoying a strong bond. They had treasured ces in each other¡¯s hearts. If they really had a falling out, they might stop hanging out altogether, which none of them wanted Steven added, ¡°Marc. Zavier knows he messed up. He¡¯s realized how important Skyler is to him. Why not give him another chance?¡± Comelia retorted, ¡°The chance isn¡¯t for President Hartley to give. It¡¯s up to him to earn it. If he gets his act together and Skyler¡¯s willing, she¡¯lle back¡± Steven frowned, ¡°Marc, your woman really doesn¡¯t know when to keep her mouth shut. We¡¯re having a conversation here. It¡¯s not her ce to butt in ¡°I don¡¯t need her to be understanding Her being happy and free is all that matters. Marcus stood up slowly, his gaze from beneath his silver¨Crimmed sses on Zavier was chilling and terrifying, ¡°Do you know anything about the poisoning?¡± Even Zavier shivered under Marcus¡® intense stare, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Marcus said, ¡°You better not be involved, or I don¡¯t care who you are, and I won¡¯t show any mercy¡± Lucas said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte Let¡¯s have dinner. We can chat while we eat The tension was thick, threatening to blow up any second. Someone had to defuse it to keep the dinner going. Hannah also chimed in, ¡®Let¡¯s eat first.¡± She wanted to sit next to Cornelia, but moved next to Steven under his stern gaze. Once seated, Steven¡¯s hand found its way around her waist, gently moving back and forth. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, ¡°What were you and Cornelia talking about just now?¡± Hannah said, ¡°Just about how she met President Hartley¡± Steven said, ¡°Zavier¡¯s wife, Skyler, was taken away by Cornelia. Stay away from her and don¡¯t hang out with her unless necessary.¡± Hannah asked, ¡°Are you scared of her?¡± Stevenughed, ¡°Do you think I would be?¡± Hannah said, ¡°You may not be scared of her, but you¡¯ve got to be wary of Marcus behind her. Everyone saw tonight how protective Marcus is of Cornelia. The look in his eyes when Zavier told Comelia to move was like he was ready to attack. It was truly terrifying¡°. Chapter 795 Chapter 795 Chapter 795 ¡°Are you scared of Marcus?¡± Steven echoed Hannali¡¯s words, then burst intoughters, ¡®Darling do you really think I¡¯m that useless?¡± Whether Steven was capable or not, Hannah knew best. He was terrifying, like a smiling yet ruthless tiger, leaving no trace of his prey But she just wanted to dent this man¡¯s pride. Is it so hard to admit you¡¯re scared of Marcus?¡± Steven said, ¡°Marc usually appears to be very gentle, especially when he puts on those silver rimmed sses. He looks like aplete gentleman, without a hint of aggression. But in reality his personality is extreme, even more terrifying than Zavier, who people call a lunatic. When he was not yet seventeen, he was able to send his own father to prison Do you think I would not be afraid of a person who could do such a thing?¡± Being afraid of Marcus was not something to be ashamed of, and Steven did not hesitate to admit it, ¡°Only I never thought that he, who has always been indifferent to women, would one day regard a woman so important. Tonight, we all saw Marcus¡® regard for Cornelia,pletely beyond our expectations. His unconditional spoiling of that woman will sooner orter bring destruction to him and his Hartley Group¡± Hannah disagreed with Steven¡¯s view, ¡°He¡¯s just spoiling his wife, don¡¯t scare people¡± Stevenughed and said, ¡°Marcus is not ordinary. He¡¯s the president of the Hartley Group, which has business in various fields. He¡¯s the richest man in the world, and with all the honors, danger naturally follows him. If hispetitors find out he has a weakness, and that weakness is a woman. What do you think those who are helpless against him will do?¡± Hannah asked. ¡°You mean they might target Cornelia?¡± Steven said, ¡°Not might, but already have ¡± Hannah said, ¡°Cornelia has been in danger? When did this happen? Why didn¡¯t she tell us?¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Steven said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure when exactly it happened I just heard Marc questioning Zavier if he knew about someone poisoning, probably someone tried to poison Cornelia and he found out.¡± These words left Hannah terrified. Steven continued ¡°Marc knew what danger Cornelia might face by being with him, yet he still publicly acknowledged her identity without considering Cornelia¡¯s safety Lock how good I am to you and how much I love you.¡± Hannah said, ¡°Don¡¯t you think Marcus¡® actions are what a normal man should do? He gives Cornelia enough respect, love and sense of security¡± Steven said, ¡°Are you saying I¡¯m not normal? That I haven¡¯t given you enough respect? Or you feel I haven¡¯t given you security?¡± Hannah said, ¡°Maybe both¡± ¡°I love you so deeply, but you feel I haven¡¯t given you enough sense of security¡± Steven slightly tightened his hold on Hannah¡¯s waist, ¡°Darling, you¡¯re hurting my heart. Believe it or not, I couldy a hand on you right now! Hannah stiffened slightly, looked up at him and smiled faintly. ¡°You have done so before, what¡¯s there to believe or not?¡± Steven was satisfied with her response, ¡°Good that you remember!¡± ¡°What are you two whispering about instead of eating?¡± At the dinner table, everyone was eating in silence, the atmosphere a bit tense. Trying to lighten the mood, Lucas spoke up Steven said, ¡°We¡¯re discussing our bedroom exercises for tonight¡± Lucas said, ¡°Eat first, then discuss. If you don¡¯t eat enough, you won¡¯t have the energy tonight!¡± Chapter 796 Chapter 796 Chapter 796 Steven quickly served Hannah some dishes, ¡°Babe, you should eat more, need to keep your strength up. Don¡¯t be nodding off before the party¡¯s over¡± He always did this, aining their dirtyundry in public, always making her cringe. At first, Hannah minded and reminded him to cut it out. But when he didn¡¯t, she eventually became immune to it, as if the woman he was talking about was not her Nevertheless, Hannah subconsciously looked at the person who mattered to her Cornelia was also staring at her, their eyes meeting in the air Cornelia opened her mouth, wanting to say something But Hannah smiled at her, as if to reassure her that everything was fine. To save Hannah any embarrassment, Cornelia looked away and continued to serve Marcus, taking care of him with the same dedication as when she was his assistant Steven served Hannah more food, ¡°Babe, did you see that? Cornelia¡¯s still fussing over Marc like a secretary Marc doesn¡¯t respect her the way you think he does¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Steven was night, Comelia was taking care of Marcus. But it was clear to anyone with eyes that Cornelia was happily doing so. Hannah watched Cornelia and Marcus, unable to look away, when Steven¡¯s pleasant but chilly voice came again, ¡°Babe, your eyes are so pretty, especially those bright eyeballs of yours. What if you lose them?¡± Hannah looked away, sighed softly. T envy Cornelia¡± Steven asked, ¡°Do you like a guy like Marc?¡± Hannah answered, ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t like a man who is handsome, nich, and genuinely loves and respects his wife?¡± This made Steven very unhappy. ¡°Hannah, do you like him? Do you want him to see firsthand how much I love you?¡± Hannah held his gaze defiantly. ¡°Do you know why I admire Marcus? Because he never behaves inappropriately toward Cornelia in public. Respect is not about what you say, it¡¯s about what you do.¡± What Hannah saw in Cornelia and Marcus, Steven didn¡¯t understand. Or perhaps he couldn¡¯t see it at all, because he didn¡¯t have a heart. Steven asked, ¡°Are you ming me for always having sex with you at the wrong time?¡± Hannah stayed silent. Steven served her more food, ¡°Babe, I want you all the time. That shows my interest in you is still strong Shouldn¡¯t you be happy and excited?¡± Hannah stopped talking, buried her head in her food. But even the most exquisite and expensive food tasted nd in her mouth. She stole another nce at Comelia Cornelia said something that made Marcusugh. Then Marcus actually picked a half-eaten meatball from Cornelia¡¯s te and put it in his own mouth. Marcus was a clean freak, which was something everyone knew Chapter 797 Chapter 797 Chapter 797 Whenever Marcus dined with them all the utensils had to be brand new He had always been such a fusspot, but now he could eat Cornelia¡¯s leftovers without a care in the world! Cornelia was also taken aback by this. She watched as Marcus nonchntly finished off her leftover meatball, her cheeks flushing. ¡°Why are you eating my leftovers?¡± Marcus looked at her blushing face, his voice low and gentle, ¡°You said you couldn¡¯t finish, and didn¡¯t want to waste. Im still hungry, so I helped you out¡± Cornelia retorted. If I can¡¯t finish Ill just take less next time You don¡¯t need to force yourself like this¡± ¡°Who says I¡¯m forcing myself? Marcus replied, ¡°I have hands, you don¡¯t need to serve me I can do it myself¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want it to be this way, but she¡¯d grown used to serving him over the past year. When they ate together, she always thought of taking care of him first. ¡°It¡¯s a habit Ive developed over the past year, and it¡¯s not going to change overnight Just give me some more time, I¡¯ll try to change¡± Marcus once again transferred the food she didn¡¯t want from her te to his, ¡°Some habits need to be broken sooner rather thanter, especially the one where you rush in front of me to shield me from danger That can¡¯t happen anymore¡± Comelia replied, ¡°That was an instinctual response. Before my brain could even process what was happening, my body had already rushed forward. It¡¯s pretty scary thinking about it now Earlier Zavier was really unstable, if he had pped me, my face would definitely be swollen From now on, I¡¯ll definitely be more rational and won¡¯t dash in front of you anymore¡± She said that, but deep down she didn¡¯t really mean it. Even when Marcus was just her boss, she was willing to get hurt to save him. Now Marcus was not only her boss but also her husband. No matter what danger came their way, she would always shield him from it. Marcus asked, ¡°So you know to be scared now?¡± Cornelia nodded vigorously, ¡°I do.¡± Marcus added, ¡°If you dare to do something dangerous again, I¡¯ll have to punish you.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°How are you going to punish me?¡± Marcus remained silent women Cornelia realized her question might have been a bit too vague and quickly lowered her head to eat, ¡°Let¡¯s just eat. Do we have any other ns after dinner?¡± Whenever this group gathered, they usually just ate and yed cards. Given how awkward things were today, Cornelia suspected they might call it quits after dinner. However, she underestimated them greatly After dinner, they started a poker game Zavier, who was just confronting Marcus earlier, was now calling him Marc in a friendly manner. His tone and attitude couldn¡¯t be friendlier. Cornelia even wondered if Zavier and Marcus had just had an argument. Zavier sat down first without greeting anyone, then turned to Marcus, ¡°Marc, are you ying or is your wife?¡± Marcus turned to Cornelia, ¡°Do you want to y?¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Cornelia shook her head, ¡°No!¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t like ying cards, especially when the stakes were high. If she lost too much, she was worried her body couldn¡¯t take the stress. Marcus reached over and ruffled her hair, ¡°Then you can just sit next to me and watch. If you get bored, let me know. We can go home earlier ¡°No worries, you haven¡¯t seen them in a while, so have fun¡± Cornelia was understanding, and besides, the girls had already nned to go watch a light show in the rooftop greenhouseter Chapter 798 Chapter 798 Chapter 798 Sleven shoved Hannah towards the poker table, ¡°Babe, you seem to be on a roll today, why don¡¯t you y and III just watch¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to go see the light show with Comelia and Rosie¡® Hannah didn¡¯t want to get involved in the game. She just wanted to hang out with her friends Steven wasn¡¯t too keen on Hannah hanging out with Cornelia alone, so he tried to keep her by his side by all means He didn¡¯t want her out of his sight, Tim having a rotten luck today, so unless you want to see me lose my shirt, you gotta y¡± Hannah felt helpless and held all her discontent and struggle within. Rosie didn¡¯t know what to say, so she texted Cornelia [Should we try to help Hannah bail out?] Cornelia responded [Steven is super wary of me. He¡¯s afraid I might steal his Hannah. If I step in, he¡¯s definitely not letting go Rosie [What should we do then? The sshouse on the rooftop is the best spot to watch the light show Hannah has always wished to watch the Riverton light show from there She¡¯d be gutted if she missed it now when the timing and location are perfect] Cornelia didn¡¯t want her friend to be upset [ figure something out] Rosie [What else could you possiblye up with?] Without answering Rosie, Corne opened a chat with Jeremy and quickly typed. There¡¯s a light show tonight | Marcus, engrossed in his game, didn¡¯t bother checking his phone when it pinged With Cornelia by his side, he didn¡¯t think the message could be from her. Seeing him ignore his phone, Cornelia nudged him. Marcus, holding his cards in one hand, grabbed her with the other, ¡°You want to y too?¡± Cornelia whispered, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you checking your phone?¡± ¡°Did you send me a message?¡± Marcus assumed she had something awkward to tell him, hence the message. He quickly pulled out his phone to check. To his surprise, the message simply read [There¡¯s a light show tonight) Why couldn¡¯t she tell him that in person? Was there a hidden meaning? Marcus thought for a moment, ¡°Do you want me to watch the light show with you?¡± Cornelia, ¡°No.¡± Cornelia added, ¡°Hannah was supposed to watch the light show with us, but Steven has her stuck at the poker table. Can you do something to make Steven let her go?¡± Marcus leaned in and whispered, ¡°Cornelia, you shouldn¡¯t meddle in a couple¡¯s affairs.¡± Cornelia muttered, ¡°1¡± Marcus continued, ¡°Every couple has their own way of dealing with things. How do you know this isn¡¯t their way of having fun?¡± He seemed to make a lot of sense. The couple had had a little spat today but it wasn¡¯t anything senous. They¡¯d probably kiss and make up by the end of the night. Chapter 799 Chapter 799 hapter 799 Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. With her as an outsider joining in, the game was a whole new ball game. She meant well, trying to help. But in reality, she was just stirring up trouble. Marcus shook her hand. ¡°You get what I¡¯m saying, right?¡± Cornelia nodded. ¡°I gotcha¡± She was still bummed that she couldn¡¯t help Hannah fulfill her little wish, Marcus nced at his watch, ¡°It¡¯s twenty past eight, and the light show starts in ten minutes. Let¡¯s all go watch it together¡± Cornelia asked excitedly. ¡°Are you done ying cards?¡± Seeing her so thrilled, Marcus was also chuffed, ¡°ying cards can happen anytime, but things that make you happy, not so much¡± Ignoring all the gazes around them, Cornelia kissed Marcus on the corner of his mouth, ¡°Marcus, you¡¯re the best!¡± Damn! Marcus adjusted his sses, his eyes focused on her, suddenly bing blurry. His Cornelia was so sweet and naive, she had no idea how much that kiss affected him. It took all his self¨Ccontrol not to cross the line with her. Others, especially Zavier, eximed, ¡°Marcus, you stole my wife and left me all alone. And now you¡¯re unting your love in front of me, that¡¯s low¡± She got carried away in the moment and kissed Marcus, not considering everyone else around them. Now being teased by everyone, she wished she could just hide. Marcus simply responded, ¡°Let¡¯s finish this game, then we¡¯ll go watch the light show¡± The other three guys said almost simultaneously, ¡°What¡¯s so great about a light show? If we want to see one, we can simply pay for a bigger and better one. Wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± That was how rich people talk They wanted a light show, just one word, and the best light show companies would be scrambling for their service. They never had to follow other people¡¯s schedules; if they missed it, they could still watch it whenever they wanted Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m going, it¡¯s up to you guys if you want toe.¡± The other three guys immediately got it, ¡°So, your wife wants to see it?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°No, I want to watch it with her.¡± The three guys said, ¡°Sure enough, once a long time single guy tastes the sweetness of love, he can¡¯t extricate himself.¡± Not only was his rtionship with Cornelia great, his card¨Cying luck was also off the charts. He won the first round. Weren¡¯t people supposed to have lousy luck in cards when their love life was going well? Why was Marcus the exception? Chapter 800 Chapter 800 Chapter 800 Rosie messaged Cornelia again. [Did your hubby help you out?] Cornelia replied [Yes] Rosie asked. [So, he helped you because you kissed him in public?] Cornelia answered [No, he didn¡¯t ask for it. I kissed him because I was overwhelmed I hope you guys stop making fun of me I Rosie said [Look at you blushing like a teenager You¡¯re still green Once you¡¯ve been around the block a few times, you won¡¯t be so easily fustered) Cornelia quickly touched her face, it was indeed hot. Zavier, not only without his wife by his side but also losing at the poker table, was in a sour mood. He said to Marc, ¡°Enjoy the good times while you can. You might end up like me wileless and lost¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t like the negative talk, ¡°Mr. Rivera, don¡¯t worry your pretty little head about us. We¡¯ll stick together like glue, till death do us part Zavier looked at Comelia,ughed and said, ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Comelia said, ¡°Positive¡°¡± Zavier said, ¡°Then here¡¯s to your evesting happiness!¡± Comelia said, ¡°Thanks!¡± This year marked the 50th anniversary of Riverton. There had been light shows every weekend recently, up until the anniversary celebration on July 28th. Over the past few weekends, the best hotels and restaurants in Riverton¡¯s most scenic area had been booked solid Everyone wanted the best spot to watch the light show. The sshouse on the rooftop of the club where Cornelia and her friends were, offered the best view of the light show in all of Riverton. But, few people could afford to be there and most had little interest in the light show. So, apart from Cornelia and her friends and the staff, there was nobody else in the sshouse It was almost like a private light show for them. As soon as they climbed up, Steven immediately perked up. ¡°This is a better view of the light show than I expected. It¡¯s also a great ce for couples¡± Hannah, who initially was the most excited about the light show, seemed uninterested now, following Steven around like a lost puppy. She tried to talk to Cornelia a few times but was stopped by Steven.. Lucas wasn¡¯t particrly interested at first. But seeing his wife so excited, he found the light show rather enjoyable. Zavier lit a cigarette and sat in a corner, his eyes focused on something, lost in his thoughts. Cornelia, as usual, couldn¡¯t resist taking photos of the beautiful scene. She took a video of the light show and immediately shared it in the group chat ¡®Fam Squad¡°. ¡°Fam Squad¡± was a kind of group chat she had always wanted to join. Such groups weremon among her colleagues. Zack and Abigail had one, but she didn¡¯t because she only had her grandma left in her family. Yesterday, Granny Luisa created a group chat and invited all the family members. She named it ¡°We are family¡± Cornelia was over the moon when she saw the group name. The group had six members, including the two grannies and Patricia, Marcus and Briana, andstly, Cornelia. It was 8 30 in the evening, the grannies were still awake and replied quickly after seeing the message Granny Luisa replied [Nelly, are you and Mare at the light show? Enjoy it for a while longer. If it¡¯s too late when you¡¯re done, you can choose not toe home] Granny Reba replied: [Home is best.] Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Patricia replied: [Why aren¡¯t you in the video, Nelly? Have Marc take a photo of you and show us ] Granny Luisa [Yeah, yeah!] Granny Reba Yeah, yeah!] Chapter 801 Chapter 801 Chapter 801 Cornelia [Alright, you guys hold your horses | Cornelia immediately found Marcus and handed him her phone. ¡°President Hartley, can you take a photo of me? Make sure to get the light show in the background¡± Instead of taking her phone, Marcus pulled out his own. ¡®Shift a bit to your right, half a step more, perfect¡± Marcus look several pictures of Cornelia before passing his phone back to her, ¡°Take a look, if you¡¯re not happy with them, we can take more Cornelia was very pleased with the pictures Theposition and color correction were on par with professional photography, ¡°President Hartley, did you study photography or something? How did you manage to make me look so good in these pictures?¡± Marcus chuckled at herpliments, ¡°Don¡¯t tter me too much¡± Cornelia looked at him with wide eyes, Tm not exaggerating! Your photography skills are some of the best Ive seen. Can¡¯t Ipliment you? Come clean, did you secretly take lessons?¡± Marcus said, ¡°It¡¯s actually pretty simple, you just need to look and learn.¡± He said photography was simple and didn¡¯t need any studying! Did he know how terrible her own pictures turned out? Whenever she tried to take a portrait, Abigail would mock her for a whole year, iming she didn¡¯t have an artistic bone in her body. Marcus asked, ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Because you¡¯re blowing things out of proportion.¡± Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m just telling it like it is.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You must have been a top student back in school.¡± Marcus calmly admitted to the fact, ¡°Yeah.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to continue the conversation, so she posted one of the pictures she liked best into the group chat. [Our Nelly is so beautiful! She¡¯s even more dazzling than the light show!] Granny Luisa responded almost instantly. Cornelia suspected that she didn¡¯t even open the picture before showering her with praises. Patricia [Nelly is so beautiful, we can¡¯t take our eyes off her] Those two were the real tterers, praising her no matter what she did. If she sent a picture, they could come up with all sorts ofpliments Thankfully, Granny Reba didn¡¯t join in on the adtion: [Marc, don¡¯t you have a picture with Nelly?] This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The picture was taken with Marcus¡® phone, and Cornelia had used his phone to send it to the group. So naturally, they assumed that Marcus was the one who sent the picture. Cornelia, ¡°President Hartley, the grannies want to see a picture of us together. If you¡¯re okay with it, we can take one. If not, I won¡¯t force you.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be okay with it?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s do it¡± Cornelia picked up her phone, opened the selfie mode, ¡°Lower your head a bit,e closer to me, a bit more.¡± Only when she saw his head almost resting on her shoulder in the camera, did Cornelia feel satisfied and took two pictures, ¡°That¡¯s it¡± Suddenly, as she turned her head, her soft lips brushed against his cheek. Feeling shy, Comelia quickly backed away. But Marcus reached out his long arm, pulling her back into his embrace, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Cornelia¡± The way he called her name in that sexy and charming voice made her blush, ¡®Hmm?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Does your lip still hurt?¡± Cornelia was so nervous she started stuttering. ¡°Why, why would you ask that?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Because I want to kiss you.¡± Chapter 802 Chapter 802 Chapter 802 He just wanted to smooch her! How could he say it so bluntly? Cornelia, startled quickly looked around, thanking her lucky stars that everyone was busy minding their own business, no one noticed them, ¡°This ce is crowded, it¡¯s not very appropriate Let¡¯s save it for home¡± Marcus yfully picked up a strand of her hair, sniffed it at the tip of his nose, and said, ¡°Alright¡± Comelia dared not look at him she kept her head down and continued texting in the group chat When they sent out that photo, there was no doubt that the two grannies and Patricia would shower them withpliments again, praising them to the high heavens. After the grannies and Patricia finished their praises, the usually quiet Briana sent a message: [Grannies, and Patricia, did you see the way my brother was looking at Cornelia Granny Luisa replied [What¡¯s up with his look?] Briana replied [it¡¯s like a wolf looking at amb, as if he could gobble up Cornelia any second. How come I never noticed this side of my brother before?] Cornelia quickly checked the photo. She hadn¡¯t realized it before, but with Briana¡¯s reminder, she did feel like Marcus was looking at her as if he wanted to eat her up. Cornelia rushed to click the photo, trying to retract the message, but it was past the retraction time. Annoyed, she looked at Marcus, ¡°Why were you looking at me like that?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What happened?¡± Comelia said, ¡°Just check the group chat.¡± Marcus immediately opened his phone and quickly read through all the messages, ¡°You are indeed gorgeous, is it wrong for our family topliment your beauty?¡± Cornelia angrily said. ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about!¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Then are you talking about our selfie?¡± Cornelia said, I¡¯m not some kind of food¡± Marcus pulled her into his arms, hisughter shaking his chest, ¡°Cornelia, do you know in my eyes, you are more tempting than food Cornelia raised an eyebrow at him, ¡°So what if you find me tempting? You can only look, but you don¡¯t have the guts to eat¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Cornelia said, ¡°Nothing. Are you guys going to y cardster?¡± Marcus said, ¡°I don¡¯t feel like ying anymore, let¡¯s just go home.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°They¡¯ve traveled all this way to Riverton, isn¡¯t it a bit rude not to y cards with them?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Do you think Steven and Lucas are still in the mood to y?¡± Following Marcus¡± gaze, she saw that Steven and his wife and Lucas and his wife were already hugging tightly. It seemed like their world probably didn¡¯t have room for anyone else at that moment. They definitely weren¡¯t in the mood for cards. Only Zavier was still sitting in the corner, chain smoking, as if cigarettes were his whole world. As Cornelia looked at him, Zavier suddenly looked up at her. Their eyes met, and Zavier suddenly smiled, a peculiar smile that left Cornelia a bit spooked. She instinctively hid behind Marcus. ¡°Why did Zavier smash the ss earlier?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Because I said I don¡¯t know where Skyler is.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°He knows you, so even if you deny it, it¡¯s useless.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°I really don¡¯t know!¡± Cornelia was clearly surprised, her face pale, and she asked, ¡°You really don¡¯t know? Then where on earth is Skyler? Is she in danger?¡± Chapter 803 Chapter 803 Chapter 803 ¡± Marcus told Cornelia, ¡°Skyler¡¯s a grown up now, and you¡¯re just her friend You don¡¯t have to carry the world on your shoulder for her Cornelia wanted to say something but Marcus cut her off, ¡°Skyler wants her freedom and she broke up with Zavier to stand on her own two feet What¡¯s the difference if I send someone to watch over her, to help her out? That might not be the freedom she¡¯s after Comelia tried to interject. ¡°What if Marcus cut her off again, ¡°You¡¯re worried about her getting into trouble? Can¡¯t fend for herself if she can¡¯t find work? Any of us could end up in hot water, but the chances are slim to none. If it does happen, well, that¡¯s just life. We all face the same struggles, like not being able to find a job and make ends meet. Take you, for instance, without a job you can¡¯t even put food on the table. Who else is gonna help you out apart from your kin? Skyler wants her freedom, doesn¡¯t want to be a burden on anyone Every decision she¡¯s making now is her own. You should trust her and wish her well. No need to worry your pretty head over it.¡± Marcus words left Comelia at a loss for words Just then, Zavier walked up, a newly lit cigarette in his hand, ¡°Mrs. Hartley, could we have a little chat?¡± Comelia eyed Zavier warily and moved to stand in front of Marcus, ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve got anything to talk about!¡± ¡°Are you sure about that?¡± Zavier asked, ¡°I think we¡¯ve got plenty to talk about Like my wife, Skyler¡® ¡°Mr. Rivera, you look like you could use a good night¡¯s sleep You should head back to your hotel Marcus ushered Cornelia away without even saying goodbye to the other couples. Both of them had been drinking and couldn¡¯t drive, so Marcus had already called for a driver. The driver, Austin, asked, ¡°Mr. Hartley, where to?¡± ¡°To the old house To keep his promise to his grandma, Marcus decided to stay at the old house for at least two weeks. He didn¡¯t want to let the olddy down. ¡°Right away¡± Austin nodded and then drove off. Marcus immediately raised the partition in the car, separating the front from the back. He then patted the seat next to him, ¡°Come here Cornelia was a little nervous, ¡°Maybe we should wait until we get home, you know Marcusughed. ¡°What do you think I want to do?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t respond. She thought he wanted to kiss her.. When Cornelia didn¡¯t move, Marcus leaned in close to her, resting his head on her shoulder, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m beat Mind if I take a nap on your shoulder?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t respond. Turned out he just wanted to use her shoulder as a pillow She felt a bit silly for overthinking. Marcus fell asleep on her shoulder in no time. He had stayed up with her all night by her grandma¡¯s side and had been running around all day. He must be exhausted Thinking about this, Cornelia felt a pang of sympathy for him. Not wanting to wake him, she kept still until they reached the Hartley Mansion. When they arrived, Marcus was still asleep. Cornelia told Austin to go rest and she would stay in the car with him for a while. Austin understood and left without asking any questions. Cornelia looked down at Marcus, taking in his long eyshes under the frame of his sses, his sharp features. Even from this close, it was hard to tear her eyes away from him. Cornelia wondered more than once if she would have agreed to marry him if he hadn¡¯t been so good looking when her grandma suggested the idea. She probably wouldn¡¯t have Although people always said not to judge a book by its cover, it was human nature to be attracted to beautiful things. Even when it came to finding a job, good¨Clooking men. and women definitely got more attention. Just as Cornelia was lost in her thoughts, Marcuszily opened his eyes and their eyes met.Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 804 Chapter 804 Chapter 804 Cornelia was caught by Marcus. Too shy to meet his eyes, she quickly said, ¡°We¡¯re home¡± ¡°Okay¡± After they got out of the car, Marcus took Cornelia¡¯s hand and they walked into the house together. Holding his hand tightly, Cornelia said. ¡°There¡¯s an important meeting tomorrow morning, so we need to get up early. You should go take a shower and go to bed¡± Marcus suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a couple of days off and hang out with grandma.¡± ¡°No problem Comelia responded, Tll delegate my work to Wendy for the next two days. What do you think?¡± ¡°Sounds good, you make the call¡± As they walked and talked, Marcus suddenly stopped. He held Cornelia¡¯s face and leaned in for a kiss. His kiss was gentle and slightly ticklish, Cornelia couldn¡¯t resist and melted into his arms within seconds. After the kiss, Cornelia¡¯s face was flushed like she¡¯d been thoroughly kissed. Marcus lightly touched her lips and asked, ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± Cornelia was silent for a moment. What the hell was this guy saying? How was she supposed to respond? ¡°Do you want another one? Marcus asked again. Cornelia stayed silent. Well, she wouldn¡¯t mind another one. If he wanted to do it, then just do it. Why did he have to ask her? Not knowing how to respond, Cornelia hugged his neck and took initiative to kiss him. She wasn¡¯t very skilled, but she used everything she had learned This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. As their kiss got intense, Marcus suddenly stopped. He held her close and protectively, looking coldly at the flower bed beside them, ¡°Who¡¯s there? Show yourself!¡± Briana popped her head out from behind the flower bed, ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Marcus said, ¡°Hand it over.¡± Brana yed dumb, ¡°Hand over what?¡± ¡°You know what¡± Marcus said. ¡°I sent the video I just shot to the family chat.¡± Briana said. Cornelia immediately looked up. ¡°Br, what did you say?¡± ¡°I caught you two kissing and I¡¯ve already shared it in the family chat.¡± Briana said. Cornelia instantly checked her phone, sure enough there was a video in the family chat sent by Briana. The stars of the video were none other than her and Marcus, ¡°Briana, you.¡± This was the first time Cornelia had called Briana by her full name since they met, indicating just how mad she was, ¡°You need to delete it now!¡± Briana checked the time, it was toote to delete the video. She handed her phone to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, you delete it.¡± Cornelia took the phone and immediately tried to delete the video, but there was no option to do so, ¡°Marcus, are you just going to let your sister get away with this? Look at what you¡¯ve let her be?¡± Marcus stayed silent. Wasn¡¯t it always her who spoiled Briana? Why was she pushing the me onto him now? Chapter 805 Chapter 805 Chapter 805 Marcus didn¡¯t get a chance to argue when Cornelia shot back, ¡°Did you and your sister team up to screw me over?¡± Marcus was left speechless Cornelia huffed. ¡°I don¡¯t want excuses. You need to find your grandmas and Patricia¡¯s phones and delete that video before they see it With that, Cornelia stormed off into the house, leaving the two of them staring at each other Realizing she pissed Cornelia aff, Briana attempted to bail But Marcus¡® stern voice echoed from behind her, ¡°Briana¡± She turned around, grinning at Marcus, ¡°Bro, it was all Grandma¡¯s idea. If you¡¯re going to me anyone, me her Marcus snapped, ¡°You me everything on Grandma. Whatever she asks, you would do. Don¡¯t you have a mind of your own?¡± Briana replied, ¡°Grandma is old, and her biggest wish is to have a great¨Cgrandchild. As a dutiful granddaughter, how can I ignore her wishes?¡± Marcus said seriously, ¡°All you do is make excuses¡± Seeing she was in hot water, Briana quickly apologized, ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s my fault!¡± While she admitted her wrongs, she didn¡¯t truly believe she was at fault. She was just following Grandma¡¯s orders, keeping tabs on the couple, and reporting any news to Grandma to help her realize her wish She¡¯d put in a lot of effort for this family. She hadn¡¯t done anything wrong! Not at all! Marcus asked, ¡°What did you do wrong?¡± Briana answered, ¡°Everything¡± Content is ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Marcus said, ¡°You make mistakes and show no remorse. Starting from tomorrow, you¡¯re grounded. Reflect on yourself.¡± Briana said, ¡°Bro, are you joking?¡± Marcus ignored her and walked away. Briana hurned after him, ¡°Pease forgive me this time. I promise it won¡¯t happen again. I¡¯ll take better care of Cornelia if you don¡¯t punish me?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°If I punish you, you won¡¯t take care of Cornelia?¡± Briana replied. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll still take care of Cornelia, she¡¯s always been nice to me. But if you don¡¯t punish me, I can take even better care of her¡± Marcus said, ¡°This isn¡¯t a situation for bargaining.¡± Brana pleaded, ¡°Bro, please.¡± She really shouldn¡¯t have annoyed Marcus by messing with the person he cared about the most, all because of Grandma¡¯s words. If only Cornelia spoke up for her when Marcus was picking on her. She definitely needed to be smarter in the future and know who not to mess with in the house After showering, Cornelia went straight to bed, still seeming miffed Marcus came into the room, but she ignored him and buried herself under the covers, pretending to be asleep He didn¡¯t bother with her either. Cornelia perked up her ears and listened. From the sounds of it, Marcus went to the bathroom. After a while, she heard the sound of running water from the bathroom, and then the water stopped Next was the sound of the bathroom door opening and closing. Then, Cornelia heard what seemed like deliberately softened footsteps, slowly approaching Chapter 806 Chapter 806 Chapter 806 Just as she felt him nearing, Cornelia cracked one eye open to see him toweling off his hair, with no intention of using a blow dryer. He was of weak constitution, and could easily catch a cold with wet hair. Even though she was still pissed, Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but worry for him, I¡¯m not asleep yet. Use the blow¨Cdryer¡± Marcus asked, ¡°You¡¯re not asleep? Or did I wake you up?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I wasn¡¯t sleeping¡± Marcus chuckled grabbed the blow¨Cdryer and sat at the edge of her bed. ¡°You help me blow.¡± Cornelia retorted, ¡°No way!¡± Men should not be spoiled! She had helped him blow¨Cdry his hair once at a hotel a couple of days ago, and now every time he wanted to dry his hair, he expected her to do it. She absolutely couldn¡¯t spoil him, or he¡¯d definitely develop bad habits. Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Even though she was adamant about not spoiling him, Cornelia obediently sat up, tonk the blow¨Cdryer from his hand. She turned it on, adjusted it to the perfect temperature, and started drying his hair. His hair was short and the blow¨Cdryer was powerful, so it didn¡¯t take long for his hair to dry. When Cornelia handed the blow¨Cdryer back to him, he took the chance to hold her hand, ¡°Cornelia, I apologize for Bri. She won¡¯t do it again.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Who asked you to apologize for her? She¡¯s an adult, can¡¯t she apologize herself? Why does she need your help?¡± Marcus responded, I¡¯m punishing her to reflect at home and not allow her to step out of the house. She¡¯ll apologize to you in person tomorrow.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Why are you punishing her? She¡¯s still a child, it¡¯s normal to make mistakes. Don¡¯t punish her.¡± It was Cornelia who said Briana was an adult and needed to take responsibility for her actions, and it was also her who said Briana was still a child. She really had it both ways. Marcus replied, ¡°She must be punished, or she¡¯ll dare to sneak photos of us again.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°If she wants to take photos, let her. It¡¯s nothing to be ashamed of.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Are you going soft?¡± Indeed, Cornelia¡¯s heart had softened. Briana had parents, but it was as if she had none. She had never experienced parental love and her brother and grandmother were the closest people to her If her beloved brother punished her, the little girl would definitely feel hurt. Cornelia said, ¡°Anyway, don¡¯t punish her. She¡¯s preparing for the anime convention and she¡¯s one of the organizers. If she¡¯s grounded, there might be problems there¡± Suddenly, Marcus leaned down and gently bit Cornelia¡¯s nose. Cornelia tried to dodge, but her waist was tightly held by him. His palm was like iron, firmly pressing against her waist. With a slight push, she fell into his arms, their bodies pressed closely together. They were both wearing thin pajamas and Cornelia felt as if she could sense the contours of his abs. The word that shed across her mind was Not long after Marcus held Cornelia, he pushed her away. He then stood up, and hurriedly walked towards the bathroom. hunk. The sound of running water in the bathroom resumed, continuing for quite a while without stopping Cornelia waited, almost falling asleep, but he still didn¡¯te out. So she went to sleep first. Meanwhile, Marcus was still in the bathroom, taking cold showers one after another. After a long time, the cold water finally washed away the heat in his body. He turned off the showerhead and helplessly shook his head He knew that the girl had a great attraction for him, but he couldn¡¯t have her now. Why was he still provoking her in such a situation? When Cornelia was sleeping in a daze, she vaguely felt someone hug her from behind. But she was too sleepy to open her eyes, and fell back asleep. Chapter 807 Chapter 807 Chapter 807 When Cornelia woke up, the sun was already high up and Marcus was nowhere to be found Her internal clock was usually spot on. Even without an rm, she¡¯d wake up around the same time. What on earth had her sleeping till 10 am? She rolled over and stared at the emply side of the bed. This was their third night living together, and for thest two, he¡¯d waited for her at breakfast every morning. Waking up to his absence left her feeling somehow empty, as if him waiting for her at breakfast had already be a longstanding routine. She felt out of sorts without him around for even a day Comelia grabbed her phone and shot Marcus a message without giving it a second thought. Suddenly, three messages popped up on the big screen in the conference room, causing the room to go eerily silent, even the experienced Ben felt a twinge of ary Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia: [What time did you get up? | Cornelia (Are you at the office already?] Comelia [Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?] These messages shocked everyone in the room. However, Marcus acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary picked up his phone and typed out a couple of lines, then hit send I saw you were tiredst night, so I let you sleep in Didn¡¯t wake you up ] Thanks to the phone screen being projected onto the big screen, everyone in the room could clearly see their conversation. He then continued [Just woke up?] Cornelia [Yeah.] Marcus: [Get up and freshen up,e downstairs for breakfast after. Can¡¯t have you starving] Cornelia [Alright¡®] The staff, especially the female staff, had mixed feelings seeing this warm exchange. There¡¯d been rumors that their boss didn¡¯t like women. Then after he personally announced his marriage, rumors spread that he adored his wife to bits. Everyone believed these rumors, thinking their boss was the type to spoil his wife rotten and had no interest in other women. Some harbored feelings for him but didn¡¯t dare show it, afraid of getting fired. But Comelia, his assistant, was sharing a bed with hirri! After sending his messages, Marcus looked up and asked, ¡°Why the pause?¡± Ben collected himself, ready to continue, when another ping from his phone interrupted him. Marcus checked his phone again, it was a new message in the group chat, sent by his grandmother: It used to worry that our Marc didn¡¯t know how to treat ady. After watching this video, I now know that Marc sure knows how to charm a girl. What was I worned about?) The ¡®charm a girl¡® part referred to the way he kissed in the video. Marcus got it. To avoid distractions, he set his phone to silent and got down to business But as he exited the group chat, he identally tapped on a video Briana had sentst night. Simultaneously, a video of a couple passionately kissing appeared on the big screen in the conference room. Their kiss was long and intense, as if they couldn¡¯t bear to part. The screen was sorge that they could even see the man gently biting the woman¡¯s lower lip during the kiss. Anyone in the room could tell that the couple in the video were Marcus and his assistant, Cornelia. Chapter 808 Chapter 808 Chapter 808 If the text chat just now couldn¡¯t prove anything, then this video was the most direct and powerful evidence of their infidelity No wonder the news about Cornelia seducing a married man just blew up on the inte a couple of days ago and then disappeared without a trace at an astonishing speed No wonder someone was warned by Ben this morning for discussing Cornelia¡¯s inappropriate photos. They thought Cornelia was too ashamed toe to work today, but it turned out she was being pampered by the boss and couldn¡¯t get out of bed Everyone was speechless. Men, huh! Indeed, men! So¨Ccalled self¨Cdiscipline, loving only their wives, it turned out it was all a carefully crafted image. Their boss, like all men, doted on his wife on one hand and also had intimate rtionships with other women. Last time in the elevator, they had a passionate kissing scene in front of Ben And this time he saw it in the video, the intensity was no less thanst time in the elevator. Ben was stunned All eyes were on Marcus, thinking he would say something. But he just calmly turned off the video and put away his phone, ¡°Let¡¯s continue the meeting!¡± Damn! Ben forgot where he was just now! Marcus immediately spotted Ben¡¯s embarrassment and reminded him, ¡°Page 2, Item 3.¡± Hearing the prompt, Ben gratefully gave Marcus a look. He then sighed in his heart, his boss, President Hartley, had an amazing psychological quality Not only could he text his wife in front of so many people, but he could also remember where the meeting was just now Ben immediately pulled himself together and got back to work. The first time he made such a rookie mistake, Marcus would remind him once, but if there was a next time, there simply wouldn¡¯t be a second chance to make a mistake Over an hourter, the meeting ended and Marcus was the first to leave the conference room. As usual, Ben quickly followed Marcus. But as Marcus was leaving the room, he stopped and looked back at Ben. Just one nce at Ben, nothing else. Having been by his side for so many years, Ben could still guess what the boss wanted to say, ¡®President Hartley, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll handle this. After watching Marcus leave, Ben retreated to the conference room and casually closed the door, ¡°Everyone, please sit down and hear me out.¡± The people who were about to leave after tidying up their files all sat back down in their seats, quietly waiting for what Ben was about to say. Everyone had an idea. Ben scanned the room, ¡°Whatever happened in this meeting room today, let¡¯s just leave it at that. If anyone talks about it, let alone exaggerate it, then the Hartley Group probably can¡¯t amodate such an employee.¡± ¡°Ben, you¡¯re helping them do wrong¡± Someone boldly stood up and criticized Ben, President Hartley has a wife, and I heard Cornelia is married too. Their rtionship, that¡¯s an affair Ben, you must have known this for a while. Not only did you not stop them, you helped them hide it.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Ben said, ¡°Dont talk nonsense, the rtionship between President Hartley and Cornelia is legal¡± Because he couldn¡¯t publicly say that Cornelia was Marcus¡®wful wife, Ben could only exin it this way. He was actually a bit confused, they were clearly a legal couple, why did they have to be so secretive? Did this make it more exciting and help their marriage harmony? Chapter 809 Chapter 809 Chapter 809 ¡°What are you on about? The guy started to raise his voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t make up that stuff about Cornelia and Marcus All the folks at the meeting today saw it with their own eyes. That video was quite a shocker Do you think it was photoshopped or something? A couple of days ago, there were pictures of Cornelia getting cozy with some old geezer floating around in the group chat, and now she¡¯s with Marcus I really can¡¯t figure it out, what does Marcus see in a ky chick like her? The word ¡°ky just happened to reach Marcus, who hadn¡¯t walked too far away, causing him to halt He pushed open the door, staring icily at the guy who had been talking. What did you just say? Say it again!¡± ¡®President Hartley. The guy could mouth off to Ren, but he didn¡¯t dare to do the same to Marcus. He didn¡¯t expect Marcus toe back when he was shouting out loud ¡°Cornelia is my woman, it¡¯s none of your business to gossip about her behind her back. What¡¯s more, the rumors that have been circting are nothing like you imagined, Cornelia has been a victim from the start.¡± Marcus had never thought to exin his affairs to others, he was only doing so today because it involved Cornelia He wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to defame Cornelia in front of him, ¡°Ben, inform HR to terminate this guy¡¯s contract and never hire him again¡± Ben said, ¡®Sure.¡± The guy¡¯s face turned pale from fear. ¡°Anyone who dares to gossip about Cornelia behind her back will be fired on the spot and never hired again¡± Marcus¡± words were calm, but they carried an absolute deterrence No one dared to make a sound. He left immediately after finishing Ben caught up with Marcus, thought for a moment, and decided to ask, ¡°Marcus, you and Cornelia are legally married, why are you hiding it? Like today¡¯s situation, if you don¡¯t disclose Cornelia¡¯s identity people will definitely have prejudice against her, which will affect her future work.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. Marcus certainly understood Ben¡¯s concerns, ¡°You think I don¡¯t want to disclose her identity?¡± Ben asked, ¡°You do? Then why don¡¯t you?¡± Marcus gave Ben a cold nce, ¡°What do you think?¡± After being red at by Marcus, Ben felt wronged, ¡°If I knew, would I need to ask you?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t continue the topic, ¡°I don¡¯t get along with that Wendy. You take over Cornelia¡¯s work while she takes a few days off.¡± Although this meant he had to do the work of two people alone, Ben still epted, ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia had no idea about the stir she had caused with her message. After sending the message, she got dressed and went downstairs after washing up, Patricia was waiting at the bottom of the stairs on the first floor. When she saw Comeliaing down, she immediately went up to greet her. ¡°Nelly, you¡¯re awake. Come and have breakfast Patricia¡¯s face was all smiles, her gaze couldn¡¯t help butnd on Cornelia¡¯s belly Cornelia felt a bit awkward under her gaze, ¡°Patricia, is there something on me?¡± Patricia replied, ¡°No, I was just thinking about what Marc said before he went to work, and I¡¯m very happy.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What did he say?¡± Patricia replied, ¡°He said you might have been tiredst night, so he turned off your rm clock and told us not to disturb you, so that you can wake up naturally¡± Cornelia was speechless Chapter 810 Chapter 810 Chapter 810 Marcus never made things crystal clear, so Patricia must have got the wrong end of the stick. Cornelia couldn¡¯t exin, she just awkwardly chuckled As she strolled into the dining room, she spotted the two grannies. The moment she entered, their eyes zeroed in on her, particrly her belly Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. She figured they must have got the wrong idea from Briana¡¯s videost night. She didn¡¯t know what to say, ¡°Why are you guys eyeballing me like that?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Oh, nothing we¡¯re just tickled pink to see you¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Marcus is such a sweetheart, giving you the day off today¡± Granny Luisa said, Tve always told you. Marcus may seem cold as ice, but he¡¯s got a heart of gold.¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°Yes, yes, your great¨Cgrandson is the bee¡¯s knees.¡± Granny Luisa said. ¡°How else could he have won over our wonderful Nelly if he wasn¡¯t?¡± Seeing the grannies about tounch into praises, Cornelia quickly changed the subject, ¡°Granny, how are you feeling today? Any difort?¡± Granny Reba said, ¡®I used to feel groggy all the time, no matter how much I slept. But yesterday and today, I feel as fresh as a daisy Could it be my anger flushed out my health issues?¡± Cornelia knew her granny was feeling better because she was no longer being poisoned, but she couldn¡¯t spill the beans. She yed along. ¡°Well, you should pick fights more often, Granny Who knows, you might even get younger!¡± Granny Rebaughed, ¡°You¡¯re such a sweet talker.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°What do you guys want to do today? I can keep youpany¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°As long as you¡¯re with us, anything goes¡± The two grannies didn¡¯t have any special activities Granny Luisa liked to work out, and Granny Reba stayed home most of the time due to her health. Her major activity was strolling in her garden. Granny Reba said, ¡°I know you took the day off to be with us, but it¡¯ll get boring Go check on Bri. I heard heric con ran into some snags. She left early this morning and hasn¡¯t been back since¡± ¡°Bri¡¯sic con hit a snag? Cornelia was on pins and needles, ¡°Grannies, I¡¯ll skip breakfast today. I need to go to the expo center¡± The moment she finished, Patricia served up the breakfast she just cooked, ¡°Cornelia, skipping breakfast is a one¨Cway ticket to ulcers. You have to eat. Even if you don¡¯t. think about the baby.¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°What baby?¡± Patricia instantly regretted her words, ¡°I was talking nonsense. Nonsense! Anyways, you should eat your breakfast, it¡¯s the most important meal of the day¡± There was an old school belief in Riverton that people shouldn¡¯t spill the beans about a pregnancy in the first three months. Patricia and others believed Cornelia might be pregnant but they didn¡¯t mention it because of this. Granny Luisa said, ¡°Bri should handle her own problems. Let her figure it out. Nelly, you need to take care of yourself. You can¡¯t carry the world on your shoulders. Now sit down and eat your breakfast.¡± Chapter 811 Chapter 811 Chapter 811 Granny Luisa had been working since she was a kid, first with her parents and then on her own in her book, both boys and girls would face bumps in the road when starting a business, and it was up to them to find their way out. Only through growth could she achieve big things in the future. So, when she heard that Briana ran into some trouble this morning she didn¡¯t freak out or even ask what happened. She believed it was part of Briana¡¯s growing pains Once she got past this, she would be able to handle simr situations like a walk in the park ¡°You¡¯re right, Granny Luisa, breakfast is a must no matter how busy you are.¡± Granny Reba changed the subject. As for Bri¡¯s problem, I think it¡¯s best to send Nelly over Even if she can¡¯t help much, having family around will put her at ease¡± Granny Luisa opened her mouth to say something but didn¡¯t. She and her friend had different ideas on raising kids. Good thing they were not co parenting or else they¡¯d be at each other¡¯s throats all the time Cornelia said. ¡°Okay, I¡¯m gonna eat first, then go see Bri¡± The meal was taught by Granny Reba to Patricia, something Cornelia used to eat a lot when she was little. After she finished, she looked at Patricia and asked, ¡°Patricia, Is there more? I think I can eat a bit more! Patricia replied. ¡°Sure, there¡¯s plenty I know you have a big appetite; I¡¯ve got it covered. I¡¯ll get it for you right now.¡± Comelia said, ¡°Thanks, Patricial¡± Old folks always thought it was good for kids to eat well Seeing Cornelia¡¯s good appetite, the two grannies were pleased as punch, dreaming of a chubby baby in ten months. Before long, Patricia brought another serving. Cornelia took it and wolfed it down, ¡°Grannies, I¡¯m full now. I¡¯m off to see what¡¯s up with Bri.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Granny Luisa said, ¡°Nelly, I think you should stay. I¡¯ll call Marc and get him to send someone for Bri.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Granny, Marc¡¯s got enough on his te I¡¯ll help Bri if I can and don¡¯t want to add to Marc¡¯s load, okay?¡± Clearly, Granny Luisa was looking out for her grandson. After Cornelia said that, she had to concede, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll get the driver to take you.¡± It was hard to catch a cab in the vi area, and walking out to catch one took half an hour. It was a real time¨Cwaster, so Cornelia agreed, ¡°Thanks, Granny!¡± Granny Luisa patted Cornelia¡¯s head, ¡®We¡¯re family, no need to be formal.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Okay, then I won¡¯t be I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Alright!¡± Although Cornelia was just going out, the two grannies and Patricia all saw her off. They watched her get in the car and drive off. They didn¡¯t look away until they couldn¡¯t see the car anymore Patricia said with a sigh, ¡°Ever since Nelly met Marc, my life has been a breeze. Just thinking about seeing my grandkids soon makes me so happy, I can¡¯t sleep!¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Patricia, watch your tongue, you almost spilled the beans just now.¡± Patricia replied, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± While they were talking they pulled up the group chat and started watching the video together. Three heads were leaning in, watching andmenting. Patricia said, ¡°I never knew Marc was such a catch¡± Chapter 812 Chapter 812 Chapter 812 Granny Luisa was like, ¡°This kid is sharp Whatever he does, he nails it the first time. Take kissing for example, he¡¯s got no experience, but he kisses like he does¡± Granny Reba teased. ¡®Did he practice with someone else before? Granny Luisa was quick to defend, ¡°No way! I swear, there¡¯s been no woman in Marc¡¯s life other than Nelly.¡± Granny Reba backed off, ¡°I was just messing around. Don¡¯t get mad¡± Granny Luisa responded, ¡°Some things you can joke about, but not this.¡± Granny Reba agreed, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t joke about it anymore.¡± In the car, Cornelia sneezed several times. She suspected that the grannies must be gossiping about her again. Seeing this, the driver immediately turned up the heat, ¡°Mrs Hartley, let me know if you¡¯re still cold¡± ¡°John, just call me by my name, no need to be so formal¡± John, the olddy¡¯s personal driver, had been driving for her for over twenty years. He was in his fifties and considered a family member Cornelia respected him like an elder ¡°We should stick to the rules. John nced at Cornelia from the rearview mirror and said, ¡°Hold tight, we¡¯re about to hit the freeway¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia replied This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. On the way. John didn¡¯t talk much and focused on driving Half an hourter, they arrived at the convention center. As Cornelia got out of the car, John suddenly said, ¡°Mrs. Hartley, the olddy is a good person. So are Bri and Marc. I won¡¯t let anyone hurt them¡± Cornelia was confused why John would say this out of the blue, ¡°Is someone trying to hurt them?¡± John replied ¡°You go about your business, I¡¯ll head back. If you need a rideter, I¡¯lle pick you up.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°I can get back on my own. You don¡¯t need toe get me.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± John nodded and drove off. Cornelia felt something was off, but she couldn¡¯t pinpoint what. She didn¡¯t overthink it and headed into the convention center to find Briana. There were signs at every entrance of the convention center, so Cornelia easily found her way. But what she found was chaos. Briana and a few girls her age were crouched on the ground, all looking bewildered. ¡°Bri¡± Cornelia walked over and softly called out to Briana crouching on the ground, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Cornelia¡°¡± Briana probably didn¡¯t expect Cornelia to show up. Seeing her, she immediately stood up, ran into Cornelia¡¯s arms and hugged her tightly, ¡°Cornelia, I¡¯m scared¡± Cornelia gently patted Briana¡¯s back,forting her with a soft voice, ¡°Bri, it¡¯s okay, everything will be fine. I¡¯m here, I¡¯ll protect you, you can tell me anything.¡± Briana wiped away her tears, ¡°Our exhibitionics and collectibles vanished overnight, as if they disappeared into thin air. The CCTV didn¡¯t capture anything. The cops were here, but they said there¡¯s no sign of human intervention, as if everything just disappeared on its own.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Do you really believe such magic could happen in this world?¡± Briana shook her head, ¡°I¡¯m sure this was no ident¡± Chapter 813 Chapter 813 Chapter 813 Cornelia asked, ¡°Bri, got any suspects in mind? We need to give the cops as much info as we can so they can crack this case¡± Briana shook her head again. ¡°Me and my partners haven¡¯t pissed anyone off, so it¡¯s not a revenge thing We¡¯re considering the possibility of a random act Now, a random act had its pros and cons Downside was, with no leads, it was hard to get to the bottom of things Upside was, if it was random, Briana wasn¡¯t someone¡¯s specific target, which was good for her safety Funny thing was, this case seemed clueless but also seemed full of leads. A possible suspect suddenly popped into Cornelia¡¯s mind. But Cornelia found the idea outrageous, thinking no matter how ruthless the person could be, they wouldn¡¯t harm their own flesh and blood. However, little did Comelia know, her outrageous idea might not be that far¨Cfetched. In fact, it could be spot on. Because whoever was behind this couldn¡¯t contain their motives any longer and had begun to act. Two burly men in suits showed up, their muscr bodies hidden under their attire. One of the suit guys said, ¡°Mrs. Hartley, Bri. Brennen has some intel on how Bri¡¯s expo stuff got swiped. You interested in hearing the details?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Brennen Hartley was Marcus and Briana¡¯s dad Just hearing his name made Briana tense up. ¡°Did he have someone swipe my stuff?* Briana had a gut feeling about the answer because Brennen had the chops to pull something like this off without anyone knowing. And the fact he sent someone over meant he had wiped any evidence pointing his way. He was safe. Suit guy said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Brennen yourself, Bri?¡± Briana was shaking like a leaf, clutching Cornelia¡¯s clothes tight. She was scared Cornelia would ditch her, ¡°Cornelia.¡± Cornelia noticed Briana¡¯s fear, immediately grabbed her cold hand,forting her, ¡°Bri, don¡¯t worry. If you don¡¯t want to go, I won¡¯t let them take you¡± Cornelia¡¯s voice was soft yet firm, hearing her say this seemed to ease Briana¡¯s fear a bit. Cornelia gave the two suit guys a cold stare, ¡°Brennen? Who¡¯s Brennen? Do we know him? Do we have to see him whenever he snaps his fingers?¡± Suit guy said, ¡°When Brennen found out Bri¡¯s expo stuff got swiped overnight, as a father, he was heartbroken for his daughter. So he had people look into it and they found some leads. He sent us to you guys, just wanted to share them.¡± Briana said, ¡°Comelia, I¡¯m sure he had my stuff swiped¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Briana, do you want your stuff back?¡± Briana nodded furiously. ¡°Of course I do!¡± Cornelia suggested, ¡°I can help you get it back.¡± Briana asked, ¡°How?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°By talking to him face to face.¡± Chapter 814 Chapter 814 Chapter 814 Briana Just shook her head at the suggestion, ¡°No, no way, I don¡¯t wanna see him!¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to, I¡¯ll go ¡± Briana was scared herself and certainly would not let Cornelia take the risk, ¡°Cornelia, that guy¡¯s super creepy. I swear we might not evene back alive if we go. If I¡¯m not going, you¡¯re not going either¡± Comelia replied, ¡°He¡¯s not going to harm me, not yet. Besides, I¡¯ve got a trump card¡± Brana quened, ¡°What trump card?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask your brother for someone. With him around, we just need to use our brains. Leave the dirty work to him¡± Cornelia exined and texted Marcus right away: [President Hartley, can borrow Ayden again?] Unknown to Cornelia, Marcus had already arranged for Ayden to secretly protect her. He replied quickly (From now on, Ayden is at your disposal. You can order him around without my consent] Comelia responded [That doesn¡¯t feel right. It¡¯s as if I am scheming to snatch your man] Marcus texted back. [What¡¯s mine is yours.] His straightforward words touched Cornelia once again: [I¡¯m at the convention center now. Tell him to find me here. I need him for something big] Marcus asked [What is it?] Corne knew Brennen was no pushover, and she was well aware of her own limitations. Taking on Brennen alone was a total suicide mission. So when Marcus asked. Cornelia spilled the beans: [Briana¡¯s exhibits were all stolen and the cops are out of leads. Then Brennen¡¯s people showed up. They told us he has some clues and wants us to meet him] Upon receiving Cornelia¡¯s text, Marcus responded almost instantly, sinct and firm: [Don¡¯t go!] Worried that Cornelia might not heed his advice, Marcus immediately called her. As soon as she picked up, she heard his deep voice, ¡°Cornelia, Brennen is a sly fox. If he¡¯s asking you guys toe, he has no intentions of letting you return safely. You mustn¡¯t go!¡± ¡°All the stuff at theic con were Briana and her friends¡± hard work. I want to help Briana get them back Cornelia wanted to help, Briana, but she trusted Marcus¡® judgment more. His urgency in persuading her not to go meant he had good reasons. Marcus assured, ¡°I¡¯ll get Briana¡¯s stuff back. Leave this matter to me.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Cornelia hung up the phone, then turned to the suit guy. ¡°Sorry, we¡¯re not interested in meeting your President Hartley¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The suit guy smirked creepily. ¡°Mrs. Hartley, President Hartley did say you¡¯re a very smartdy and we should be careful dealing with you. But I don¡¯t see it. Since when do you get to decide who Mr. Brennan wants to meet?¡± Cornelia chuckled, ¡°You¡¯re nning to kidnap someone in broad daylight?¡± The suit guy said, ¡°What can¡¯t we do?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you guys have any rules?¡± The suit guy said, ¡®In our eyes, Mr. Brennen is the rule.¡± ¡°Stop wasting time with them, just take her.¡± Another suit guy ran out of patience and reached out to grab Cornelia. Next thing he knew, he heard a crisp sound of bone cracking, followed by a pain¨Cfilled curse, ¡°Who the hell are you? Do you know who you¡¯re messing with?¡± Chapter 815 Chapter 815 Chapter 815 Comelia looked up, not surprised in the least. The guy was Ayden, of course He was radiating a kind of powerful vibe from head to toe, and without thinking twice, raised his fist andnded a solid punch on two suit-d men These two beefy guys in suits, they crumbled like paper in front of Ayden, ¡°I don¡¯t even wanna know your name. And who the hell do you think you are to know who I am?¡± The suit guys tried to hit back, but before their fists could even swing, they were knocked flying by Ayden¡¯s faster punch. ¡°You got some chops.¡± The other suit guy, seeing he couldn¡¯t beat Ayden, was pissed. He turned around swiftly and charged towards Briana, who was closest to him. ¡°Bri, get out of the way!¡± Cornelia realized the sult guy¡¯s intention and yelled out. Poor Briana, already scared stiff, saw the suit guy charging at her. She wanted to dodge, but her legs were like jelly. With danger closing in, all Cornelia could think of was protecting Marcus¡® sister, Briana She couldn¡¯t let her get hurt, not even a scratch. She knew she couldn¡¯t beat the burly suit guy, but she still bravely swung her fist, charging at him. Cornelia knew she wasn¡¯t strong enough. If she punched at the usual spots, not only would it not hurt him, it might even fracture her hand. So, Cornelia had a clear n. If she wanted to win, she had to hit the suit guy where it hurt. At the crucial moment, Cornelia pulled back her fist, lifted her foot, and aimed a fierce kick at the suit guy¡¯s sensitive area. She managed tond a good kick, but she couldn¡¯t avoid the flying fist. While the guy yelled out in pain, Cornelia was hurting too. She wanted to scream but she had learned to hide her pain, no matter how much it hurt. Briana saw Cornelia¡¯s face swelling up. Though scared, she tried to ovee her fear and went to Cornelia¡¯s side, ¡°Cornelia, your face¡± Cornelia took her hand, shook her head, indicating she was okay. Ayden had also taken control of the suit guys. One was held tight in his grip, the other was under his foot, ¡°Mrs. Hartley, what should we do with these two?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t answer, she just pointed at the door. Ayden got the hint. He told the suit guys, ¡°Get out! The farther, the better. And tell your boss, if he dares threaten President Hartley¡¯s family again, he won¡¯t mind sending him back to prison for a few more years.¡± Though they couldn¡¯t fight back, the suit guys were still defiant, ¡°You should tell your boss, Mr. Brennen was caught off guard back then, that¡¯s why he fell for this kid¡¯s tricks. If they fought face to face, no matter how much your boss denies it, the fact is, his father will always be his father.¡± Ayden wasn¡¯t much of a talker and wasn¡¯t good with words, but his fists spoke volumes. If these two suit guys weren¡¯t convinced, he¡¯d keep punching them until they were. After Ayden¡¯s relentless assault, the suit guys¡® faces were swollen like pig¡¯s heads, almost unrecognizable. Their clever tongues finally silenced. Ayden yelled, ¡°Get out!¡± The suit guys finally got the message and left. Once the suit guys were gone, Cornelia suddenly started coughing violently, spitting out a mouthful of blood.Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 816 Chapter 816 Chapter 816 Briana quickly caught hold of Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia¡± Ayden was also startled, ¡®Mrs Hartley¡± Cornelia took a tissue, wiped the blood off her mouth, and slowly said, ¡°Don¡¯t freak out, I¡¯m okay That guy just pped me, and I bit myself. Didn¡¯t want to lose out, so I kept my mouth shut. Now that I think about it, I really took one for the team¡± ¡°Cornelia, why are you so boneheaded? You knew you couldn¡¯t beat him, but you still stepped in to take the hit for me. Briana held Cornelia tightly, seekingfort and strength from her Cornelia replied. ¡°You¡¯re family, Briana. Did you expect me to stand by while you were in danger?¡± Briana clung to Cornelia¡¯s arm, ¡°Cornelia, thank you!¡± Comelia gently stroked Briana¡¯s head, softly saying, ¡°Bri, your granny, your brother, and 1, we¡¯re all family and we all love you, got it?¡± The fact that Brennen¡¯s henchman dared toy a finger on Briana showed that she meant jack to Brennen. So, Brennen had no qualms about picking on a defenseless little girl like Briana during his power struggle with Marcus. How dare Brennen call himself a loving father after being so hard on his own daughter! Briana nodded, ¡°I know. I¡¯ve always known that I only have granny and Marcus. But now I also have you, Cornelia, who cares about me.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°Mmm.¡± Briana looked at Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, your face seems to be swelling up. Let¡¯s go see a doctor to get it checked¡± Cornelia agreed, ¡°Yeah, we need to get some meds for the swelling, or the grannies will worry. Bri, let¡¯s not tell the grannies about this, so they won¡¯t worry.¡± Briana assured her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t spill the beans. Just wait for me to square things up with my partners, and then I¡¯ll go with you to the hospital¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Only then did Briana turn to her clueless partners. Once Briana left, Cornelia turned to Ayden, ¡°Ayden, thank you foring to our rescue again. As a token of our gratitude, we¡¯d like to invite you to lunch. Would you like that?¡± ¡°No need!¡± Ayden refused tly. He was well aware of his position and responsibilities. More importantly, he had arrived in time today, yet Cornelia was still hurt. This was his failure, and he had to own up to Marcus Cornelia asked again, ¡°Is there anything you want?¡± Cornelia was thinking of getting him something assuming he would turn down the lunch invitation for Marcus¡® sake. But Ayden still refused, ¡°No!¡± Comelia asked, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to have lunch or anything else, can you tell me what type of girl you like? I can set you up with someone suitable. How about that?¡± The mere mention of setting him up with someone finally elicited a reaction from Ayden, who was usually expressionless. But it wasn¡¯t happiness, rather a barely suppressed anger, ¡°Mrs. Hartley, that really isn¡¯t necessary.¡± Normally, his tone was devoid of emotion, sounding somewhat cold but never malicious. But this time, his voice seemed to be squeezed through gritted teeth, revealing his anger. Chapter 817 Chapter 817 Chapter 817 Comelia felt that if it wasn¡¯t for Marcus¡® sake, Ayden might have lost his cool on her Why was Ayden so louchy when it came to setting him up with someone? Was it possible that he¡¯d been burnt in this area before? Questions swirled in Cornelia¡¯s mind but she didn¡¯t pry. After all, it was basic manners not to dig into stuff others didn¡¯t want to talk about, ¡°All in all, I really owe you one! And I gotta thank Marcus too. He must¡¯ve sent you over as soon as he got my SOS, that¡¯s why you got here so quick.¡± ¡°You may not know this Ayden said, ¡°But in actual fact, Marcus had me on your protection detail a few months ago.¡± Cornelia was taken aback, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Zavier isn¡¯t a pushover. He¡¯s even tougher to handle than Brennen. Marcus helping Skyler escape set off Zavier¡¯s rm bells. Zavier¡¯s one to hold grudges. He knew you were Marcus¡® wife, and Marcus was worried he mighte after you, so he assigned me to protect you. But you can rest easy. I¡¯ll only show up when you¡¯re in danger, won¡¯t intrude on your daily life, and Marcus won¡¯t use me to snoop on your personal stuff¡± Cornelia hadn¡¯t really considered the privacy issue. She was more concerned about Marcus¡® safety, ¡°You¡¯re his most trusted bodyguard What¡¯s gonna happen to him now that you¡¯re with me? He¡¯s in a lot more danger than I am.¡± Ayden wasn¡¯t just responsible for Marcus¡® safety; he was a sharp weapon at Marcus¡® side who¡¯d diffused many threats for him. And Marcus had readily sent such an important person to protect her. These thoughts sent a wave of pain through Cornelia¡¯s heart. That big fool, Marcus! ¡°There¡¯s more than just me at Marcus¡® side.¡± Ayden said. Cornelia knew there were others around Marcus, but Ayden was the one he trusted the most, ¡°Ayden, you should go back to Marcus. You need to keep him safe and out of danger¡± ¡°Mrs. Hartley, that¡¯s not your call.¡± Ayden replied This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Cornelia was silent. His words stung. Without another word, Ayden slipped away, just like his arrival. Over on Briana¡¯s end, there were some minor hups. Her partners were a bunch of young girls who¡¯d never seen a stormy day in their lives. First, there was the theft of the exhibition piece, then, they witnessed a fight. These incidents were beyond their wildest imaginations and it scared them silly. Chapter 818 Chapter 818 Chapter 818 Briana didn¡¯t know how tofort the girls, so she turned to Cornelia with a pleading look. ¡°Cornelia, can youe over here?¡± Cornelia rushed over and heard Briana say. ¡°Cornelia, they¡¯re all mally scared, and it¡¯s like they can¡¯t bear me Comelia nced at the girls, their expressions nk and distant, ¡°Don¡¯t sweat it, Bri Let¡¯s figure this out.¡± As they were talking, the girls suddenly closed their eyes and started falling backwards like dominoes, like they had lost consciousness Good thing they were already squalling or they would¡¯ve hurt themselves falling like that. This was new to Comelia, she didn¡¯t know what to do for a moment, but she quickly got a grip, ¡°Bri, call an ambnce and the police, quick!¡± While Brana was on the phone, Cornelia crouched down to check their breathing and heartbeats. They were still breathing, so they could still be saved, and Cornelia breathed a sigh of relief. But why the hell would healthy girls just faint like that? As Cornelia was pondering, she spotted a printed note behind the girls [Ms. Stewart, I regret that this is the only way I canmunicate with you I wanted to talk face to face, but since you won¡¯t see me, I guess I¡¯ll have to do it this way. Your husband, Marcus, oh, more urately, your husband is Jeremy Marcus and Jeremy, one took their grandfather¡¯sst name, the other their grandmother¡¯s, they¡¯re completely different people. Why would you think they¡¯re the same person?] At this point, Cornelia was pissed. These cowards, hiding in the shadows, could only do diny tricks. Cornelia didn¡¯t know if the cowards were still around, or if they could hear her, but she had to speak up. She wanted to tell everyone, ¡°Marcus is Marcus! Jeremy is Jeremy! They are twopletely different people! If you know about Jeremy, you must be affiliated with the Hartley family. Why would someone from the Hartley family nder Marcus?¡± *nder?¡± A voice echoed from the loudspeaker as if responding to Cornelia¡¯s words, ¡°Ms. Stewart, your husband Jeremy is dead, killed by Marcus. If you don¡¯t want to avenge your husband, that¡¯s fine. But you¡¯ve mistaken your husband¡¯s killer for your husband. Jeremy is watching your actions and cursing you to never find happiness¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± Briana, who had just finished calling the police, erupted uncontrobly, ¡°Brennen, if you curse my brother and Cornelia again, I swear I¡¯ll curse your whole family to die on the streets, with no one to even pick up your bodies.¡± She turned to Cornelia again, Cornelia, this guy is a master maniptor. You absolutely can¡¯t believe what he says. Never ever believe him. Not long after my brother was born, my grandmother created two identities for him. One called Marcus, the other Jeremy. Marcus and Jeremy are both my brother, don¡¯t believe anyone else.¡± Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°He thinks a few words will break us?¡± Cornelia lifted her head slightly, looking around. There were three security cameras in the area. Cornelia wasn¡¯t sure which camera the man on the other end was watching from, so she addressed each one, ¡°Do you think I¡¯d trust¡¯a man who won¡¯t even show his face, or my husband?¡± The voice continued, ¡°Between ¡®Marcus and Jeremy are the same person and Jeremy was killed by Marcus, you chose to believe Marcus and Jeremy are the same person, and not that Marcus is a criminal who harmed Jeremy. I¡¯m not surprised at all. Marcus, a man many women dream of, suddenly bing your husband, like luck dropping into your hands Of course you¡¯d want to believe he¡¯s your husband¡± With every word, he tried to paint Cornelia as a woman who would ignore the truth for material gain. Chapter 819 Chapter 819 Chapter 819 If she was not firm enough, she was likely to be swayed, even manipted by others. Briana was freaking out, womed that Cornelia would fall for that guy¡¯s lies, scared that Cornelia would leave her brother. Corne was rock solid though. She had double¨Cchecked every single detail to confirm whether Marcus and Jeremy were the same person. Once she was certain about Marcus identity, doubt was out of the question Cornelia¡¯s voice was hard as steel when she spoke again. ¡°Marcus is Jeremy, Jeremy is Marcus, end of story. You have no right to question it You talk about how great my husband Marcus is, how many women want to marry him. I know that, alright? But I¡¯m his wife, he only has eyes for me, and he¡¯s responsible only to me ¡± ¡°Marcus is the killer of your husband Jeremy! They didn¡¯t think a few words would make Cornelia believe it. They were just nting the seed of doubt in Cornelia¡¯s mind, waiting for it to take root and flourish. Upstairs, Ayden nced at Corne downstairs, then turned to Marcus, Mr. President Hartley, that guy is still stirring up trouble between you and Mrs. Hartley, aren¡¯t you going to do something about it? If she gets persuaded¡± ¡°No ifs¡± Marcus stood there in his usual white shirt and ck trousers, his tall body straight as a tree. Cornelia trusted him, and he trusted her. If Cornelia could be swayed that easily, then she wouldn¡¯t be the Cornelia he knew. Marcus just watched Cornelia, from a distance. Even if he couldnt see her clearly, he couldn¡¯t take his eyes off her The guy on the radio was still yapping away. Cornelia didn¡¯t have the mind to listen anymore, not when the ambnce and police cars were arriving. The ambnce took the four unconscious girls first. Cornelia and Briana stayed behind to cooperate with the police¡¯s investigation, The cops found out everyone was in the same space, four girls passed out, only Cornelia and Briana were fine. They looked pretty suspicious so the cops decided to bring them in for questioning Cooperating with the police was every citizen¡¯s duty, and Cornelia and Briana were more than willing to comply. As they were leaving with the police, Cornelia realized she and Briana had walked right into a trap. They hadn¡¯t done anything wrong: the police would let them go after the investigation. The problem was, with social media being so prevalent, if someone got a picture of her and Briana being taken away by the cops. Mischief¨Cmakers could spin a whole bunch of damaging stories about the Hartley Group. On one hand, they had got the leader of the Hartley Group¡¯s sister. On the other hand, his personal assistant. Even if Cornelia and Briana hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, if this got blown out of proportion, it could still affect the Hartley Group. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Cornelia didn¡¯t want that to happen, so she handed over the note she¡¯d just found, ¡°Officer, I have an important piece of evidence to give you.¡± The cop took the note, didn¡¯t even look at it, just crumpled it up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this note doesn¡¯t prove anything. You two need toe back to the station with us for further questioning¡± Briana thought she was scared, quickly reassured her, ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t worry. We haven¡¯t done anything wrong. If they want to question us, we¡¯ll go with them. We¡¯ll cooperate, hopefully they¡¯ll figure out the truth soon.¡± Cornelia was speechless. She wasn¡¯t familiar with the procedures, but something felt off about this. She didn¡¯t know why, but she felt like these two cops were acting kind of weird. Chapter 820 Chapter 820 Chapter 820 Back in the day, she¡¯d had dealings with the cops. They were straight shooters, always made her feel safe when dealing with cases. But these two blokes, something about them just didn¡¯t sit right. And she felt a weird sense of dread around them, Cornelia did it was like an unbidden feeling of terror that came out of nowhere, like a woman¡¯s gut instinct telling her something¡¯s off The guy said, ¡°Ms. Stewart, Ms Hartley, fancy taking a walk with us?¡± Comelia couldn¡¯t put a finger on what was amiss, couldn¡¯t prove they were dodgy. So she decided to y ball and head to the station with them. The cop car was parked just a hop, skip and a jump away The two guys started walking faster and faster, practically yanking Cornelia along. The closer they got to the car, the stronger her fear became And soon, her fears were confirmed. Just a few steps away from the car, the men suddenly shoved them in and quickly mmed the door shut. The whole thing was slick, too quick for Cornelia and Briana to even think about escaping Before they knew it, they were trapped in the car. The driver gunned it and they were off, tearing down the road. Suddenly, everything became crystal clear. No wonder she¡¯d felt something was off about these two. Turned out, they weren¡¯t cops at all. Cornelia guessed they were probably Brennen¡¯s goons in disguise, out to kidnap her and Briana. ¡°Cornelia, these guys aren¡¯t cops, probably Brennen¡¯s men. They¡¯re taking us to him now. Whatever he says, don¡¯t believe a word of it.¡± Briana was shaking as she said this What on earth had Brennen done to Briana for her to be this scared at the mere mention of his narne? Cornelia gripped Briana¡¯s trembling hand lightly, ¡°Bri, can you tell me why you¡¯re so scared of Brennen?¡± Brana shook her head frantically, as if trying to say something but too panicked to get the words out. ¡°Bri, if you don¡¯t want to talk about it, you don¡¯t have to. I¡¯m here with you. Don¡¯t be scared.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t push her further, instead pulling her into aforting embrace. She had to figure out a way to escape. She couldn¡¯t let Briana face Brennen in this state. Just as Cornelia was racking her brains for a n, the car suddenly screeched to a halt Cornelia and Briana were nearly flung out of their seats. Cornelia¡¯s head hit the roof of the car with a thud, causing her to tear up from the pain. But she instinctively shielded Briana. After a moment, her head was still ringing, she couldn¡¯t see or hear anything around her. Through the haze, Cornelia thought she heard Briana¡¯s exhrated voice, ¡°Marc, what are you doing here?¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia tried to open her eyes. Through the foggy blur, she thought she saw a tall figure approaching Then, she was caught in a strong and safe embrace. She heard his deep, charming and pleasant voice, ¡°Cornelia, everything¡¯s going to be alright.¡± Chapter 821 Chapter 821 Chapter 821 Today, Comelia was ying the role of the adult. Even in the face of enemies, even with fear filling her heart, she didn¡¯t let it show She gritted her teeth, swallowed her fear, and told herself she couldn¡¯t show weakness, couldn¡¯t back down, and certainly couldn¡¯t let anyone know she was scared, because she had to protect Briana standing behind her. Not until she saw Marcus, who, at that moment, became her rock, did she let down all her pretenses and show her true self Looking up at him, Cornelia had so much to say, but before she could open her mouth, he asked, ¡°What happened to your face?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want him to worry, so she tried to brush it off with a joke. ¡°I lost a fight and bit myself.¡± But Marcus didn¡¯t buy it, ¡°Ayden!¡± Ayden lowered his head ¡°I failed to protect Mrs Hartley. President Hartley, I¡¯m willing to ept any punishment!¡± Marcus¡® face darkened, his eyes cold ¡°You think a punishment would solve everything? She got hurt, and you didn¡¯t tell me?¡± If he knew Cornelia was hurt, he wouldn¡¯t have spent so much time watching her from the second floor¡­ Cornelia didn¡¯t want Ayden to be punished because of her, so she quickly defended him, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Ayden arriving in time, Bri and I might have been taken away. Don¡¯t me him, okay?¡± Ayden, as always, was expressionless, ¡°Protecting Mrs. Hartley is my duty. I failed, I should be punished¡± Cornelia was speechless. Marcus said, ¡°Go and ept your punishment.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes¡± Before Ayden left, he didn¡¯t forget to handle the two fake cops. ¡°Bro, can you pay attention to me for once?¡± Briana felt her brother was bing more and more strange. Clearly, she was the one who first saw him blocking the car that kidnapped them, but after he nced at her to make sure she was alright, he walked straight towards Cornelia,pletely ignoring her. Marcus reached out and patted Briana¡¯s head. ¡®I will handle your things. You and Cornelia rest at home for a few days, don¡¯t worry about anything else.¡± Briana bit her lip and whispered, ¡°Bro, I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared that my missing exhibit is just a warning from them, and they will do something worse. It¡¯s been so many years, but every time I think of that person, I feel afraid. I hate this feeling of helplessness¡­¡± Marcus interrupted her, ¡°Briana, you need to understand that you¡¯re an adult now. You¡¯re not that little girl who was bullied anymore. You should learn to forget the things that happened to you when you were young. ¡°If you keep dwelling on it, those people and things that hurt you will haunt you like a nightmare and you won¡¯t be able to get rid of them. ¡°You need to understand that you have the whole Hartley Group behind you, your grandma, your brother, and Cornelia. So many people are supporting you, what do you have to be afraid of?¡± Briana understood all of this, but forgetting the past, oveing all that lingered in her heart, was too difficult. She had tried. She had tried many times, but failed each time. Especially when she heard anything rted to Brennen, she couldn¡¯t control her fear. She cried out in despair, ¡°I¡¯ve tried countless times to forget the past, but every time I dream of those times in the middle of the night, the past events y like a movie in my mind. The more I try to forget, the more dreams I have, and I can¡¯t find a moment of peace¡­¡± Chapter 822 Chapter 822 Chapter 822 ¡°Briana, just try your best to break free from your fear Your strength is enough to release yourself, and you¡¯ll see that fear won¡¯t be able to tie you down the future.¡± Marcus knew exactly what Briana was scared of That incident was also the main reason Marcus wanted to put Brennen behind bars years ago Everyone said Marcus was cold blooded, and that he had nopassion Briana used to think that way too, because she fell her brother treated her just like any other person. She thought he didn¡¯t care about her, she felt that even if she died, he wouldn¡¯t give a damn. Until one day, she got hurt. When she woke up in the middle of the night in pain, she saw him sitting by her bed, applying ointment to her wounds with concern in his eyes. That¡¯s when she realized, she wasn¡¯t the kid everyone despised. The ones who hated her were just her mom and dad. Her brother and grandma loved her very, very much. Her grandma had taken her in when she was little, and she wouldn¡¯t be locked in the punishment room for talking too much anymore. She could also eat whatever she liked Her brother, he was always silently caring for her. Thinking about this, Briana felt much better. Til try to let go of my fear I can¡¯t allow it control me anymore.¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Marcus nodded ¡°Good. Get in the car, let¡¯s go home.¡± Briana, ¡°Mhm¡± Marcus drove, leaving the passenger seat for Cornelia. Briana took her ce in the backseat without being told. He was focused on driving, and didn¡¯t say a word. Neither did Cornelia nor Briana. The three of them arrived at the Hartley Mansion in silence By the time they got home, Briana was too tired, mostly mentally. She didn¡¯t even eat dinner and went straight to bed Cornelia had a lot of questions. So she pulled Marcus into a room, ¡°President Hartley, can you tell me how Brennen hurt Bri?I want to help her, but I don¡¯t know the whole story, so I don¡¯t know how to help her.¡± Marcus smiled, but it was a cold smile that couldn¡¯t warm anyone¡¯s heart. ¡°Before I answer your question, you need to answer me three.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Ask away. Whether it¡¯s three or ten, no problem.¡± Marcus, ¡°Are you afraid of snakes?¡± As soon as she heard the word, Cornelia got goosebumps all over. ¡°I am. And I think most people around me are.¡± Marcus asked again, ¡°What would you do if you were locked up with a snake?¡± Cornelia, ¡°I think I¡¯d freak out¡± Marcus. ¡°What if you were locked in apletely dark room with a snake? How long do you think you couldst?¡± Just the thought of it filled Cornelia with fear. She hesitated for a few seconds before she realized. ¡°You mean¡­ Chapter 823 Chapter 823 Chapter 823 Comelia didn¡¯t even dare to voice her suspicion, it was such a monstrous thought. If someone had even an ounce of sympathy left in them, they couldn¡¯t possibly do such a thing to their own child Cornelia desperately wanted Marcus to deny it, to tell her that she was mistaken, but instead, he nodded heavily Comelia¡¯s faith crumbled instantly, she could practically hear her heart shattering ¡°So..¡± ¡°So I had him thrown in jail Marcus suddenlyughed, a cold, ruthless gleam in his smile. ¡°If he dares to hurt anyone I care about again, I won¡¯t hesitate to chuck him back in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll support you no matter what,¡± Cornelia said That was all he needed to hear! That was exactly what Marcus wanted. ¡°He went after Bri when she was just a kid,¡± he continued. ¡°That little thug locked her up in a cramped, dark room The bastard didn¡¯t even stop. Instead, he chucked a bunch of snakes in there with her Left her there for two days¡­ These were the things Marcus knew about. There were still things he didn¡¯t know, things Briana was too scared to mention even now. Comelia reached out carefully pressing hisrge hand against her unswollen cheek. ¡°Can we help Bri get through this nightmare together?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± he replied, the word rough and warm as it rolled off his tongue. Cornelia turned her head, pressing a light kiss to the back of his hand. Marcus was surprised by her action, but he quickly leaned in, seeking her lips, and kissing her softly. Just as their lips met, there was a knock at the door. Cornelia tried to pull away in a panic, but Marcus quickly caught her waist, pulling her back into his strong arms. The kiss continued, sweet and gentle. And the knocking continued. ¡°Marc, Dr. Lester brought some anti¨Cswelling meds. You should apply it on Nelly¡¯s face.¡± The voice made Marcus let go of Cornelia. He gently touched her injured face, hardly daring to apply pressure. ¡°Does it hurt? Let me apply the medicine.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t really hurt anymore.¡± Cornelia said Marcus fetched the medicine from the door. He asked Cornelia to sit on the bed, squeezed some ointment on her face, and gently spread it evenly with his finger. ¡°You can¡¯t be reckless like today. If you can¡¯t fight, hide. You can¡¯t get hurt again.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I wanted to hide¡± Cornelia said. ¡°But if I did, he would¡¯ve hurt Bri. She is your sister, how could I let her get hurt?¡± Before, Marcus always felt that Cornelia cared for Briana way more than him. From her words, he realized that part of why she cared for Briana was because Briana was his sister. In other words, if Briana wasn¡¯t his sister, she wouldn¡¯t be treated as she was now. Without thinking. Marcus leaned in and kissed Cornelia again. The kisssted for a long time, until Cornelia felt a bit dizzy Their moment was interrupted by a phone call. The caller ID showed Hannah. Cornelia answered at once, ¡®Hannah¡­¡± ¡°Hannah,¡± she said, ¡°Can we go out for a drink? Just the two of us, no one else.¡± Hannah sounded down, and Cornelia nodded. ¡°Sure, where are you? I¡¯lle find you right now¡± Chapter 824 Chapter 824 Chapter 824 Hannah, ¡°I¡¯ll text you the address¡± Cornelia quickly checked the received address It was near Blueshell Mansion and about a half hour drive from the Hartley Mansion, assuming traffic was clear. Til head out now, I should be there in about half an hour¡± Hannah responded, Ill be waiting for you¡± After ending the call, Comelia turned to Marcus and asked, ¡°Has Steven returned to Harbor City yet?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Steven is in charge of a major project in Harbor City He will be there today and tomorrow¡± Cornelia said, ¡°That¡¯s good Hannah asked me out for a drink. She¡¯s been feeling a bit offtely, so I should probably go keep herpany¡± Marcus felt a twinge of disappointment hearing she was suddenly called away but didn¡¯t stop Cornelia from meeting her friend. ¡°I can drive you there.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°You need to get up early tomorrow I can drive myself. If I end up drinking too much, we can stay at a nearby hotel for the night¡± She wanted to stay at a hotel alone? Marcus would never agree. Two girls drinking and staying at a hotel afterwards was too risky ¡°I¡¯m driving you¡± Marcus insisted on driving her, so Cornelia didn¡¯t refuse anymore. ¡°The address Hannah sent is near Blueshell Mansion. You can drop me off and stay there. This will save you the back and forth and give you more time to rest and prepare for tomorrow morning¡± Marcus agreed, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll stay there tonight¡± Granny Luisa, Granny Reba, and Patricia were all still up. Hearing they were heading out and would be staying at Blueshell Mansion, the three exchanged nces. Granny Luisa said, ¡°Marc,e with me to my study¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Granny Luisa headed towards the study and responded, ¡°Just follow me! No need for so many questions.¡± Marcus let go of Cornelia¡¯s hand. ¡°Wait for me here.¡± Comelia nodded, ¡°Okay¡± Once they left, Cornelia quickly went to Granny Reba and Patricia ¡°Granny, Patricia, what do you think Granny Luisa wants to talk to Marc about?¡± Granny Reba and Patricia. ¡°We have no clue.¡± ¡°Really, you have no idea?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t believe them, her sparkling eyes fixed on them. They quickly became ufortable under Cornelia¡¯s gaze. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go eavesdrop?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Hearing this, Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯ll go have a listen then.¡± She tiptoed to the door of Granny Luisa¡¯s study pressed her ear against it, and heard Granny Luisa talking ¡°Marc. I understand you¡¯re young and are quite interested in mantal activities. But you have to consider Nelly¡¯s health. She might be pregnant. The fetus is very delicate in the first three months, even the slightest mishap could¡­ So you have to control yourself during this time. Don¡¯t always be all over Nelly¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Who told you Nelly was pregnant?¡± Granny Luisa answered, ¡°Your behaviors have been pretty obvious. Do we need someone else to tell us?¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What obvious things have we done?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Recently, Nelly¡¯s lips have been swollen and haven¡¯t recovered¡­ You¡¯re not going to tell me that you¡¯ve only been kissing and haven¡¯t done anything else. right? Chapter 825 Chapter 825 Chapter 825 The second she heard that, Cornelia felt so embarrassed she couldn¡¯t bear to listen anymore. She blushed and hurriedly left. Seeing her red¨Cfaced exit, Granny Reba and Patricia asked with concern. ¡°Nelly, what did you hear? Why¡¯s your face so rep ¡°Just¡­ tell Mare I¡¯m waiting for him outside when hees out Cornelia quickly walked away after barely finishing her sentence, knowing they¡¯d interrogate her if she had yed. Comelia waited forever in the garage until Marcus finally showed up. She didn¡¯t know what he and Granny had chitchatted about and felt too awkward to ask. She kept quiet after getting into the car ¡°Why aren¡¯t you asking about my chat with Granny? Marcus asked first. Cornelia didn¡¯t want to ask. She knew he¡¯d spill the beans if she did, and she wasn¡¯t keen on dealing with that kind of awkwardness. ¡°Granny Luisa wanted a private chat with you for a reason. I¡¯m considerate. I don¡¯t want to put you in a tight spot Marcus just chuckled and didn¡¯t say more. They arrived safely at the location Hannah had sent Marcus parked on the side of the road. ¡°We¡¯re staying at Blueshell Mansion tonight. Give me a ring after your meeting. I¡¯lle pick you up.¡± Cornelia replied. ¡°The Mansion is just a short walk from here, and it¡¯d be quicker to walk than drive. No need to pick me up. I can walk back. You should get some rest¡± Marcus. ¡°Can¡¯t I walk over to get you?¡± Comelia. ¡°That works too.¡± After getting out of the car and closing the door, she headed towards the building. Much to her surprise, she bumped into Leonardo, whom she hadn¡¯t seen for a while. ¡°Cornelia, what a coincidence, didn¡¯t expect to run into you here.¡± ¡°Yeah, small world: Cornelia replied, feeling a bit uneasy, and instinctively looking back. Following her gaze, Leonardo noticed the familiar luxury car. ¡°President Hartley is really good to you, even letting his driver chauffeur you around.¡± Cornelia rxed hearing that. ¡°Yes. I gotta go if there¡¯s nothing else.¡± Leonardo, ¡°This ce isn¡¯t cheap, who are you meeting?¡± Cornelia, ¡°A friend.¡± Leonardo, ¡°Which friend?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Are you implying that my friends aren¡¯t posh enough to afford this ce?¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Leonardo, ¡°Not at all! I just wondered if you were meeting your husband. When we first met, you mentioned you were married. It¡¯s been a year and I still haven¡¯t met your husband, so I¡¯m curious.¡± Cornelia. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce him to you when the time¡¯s right.¡± Leonardo, ¡°Don¡¯t trick me I really wanna see the man who won you over.¡± Cornelia repeated what she had just said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I need to go in.¡± Leonardo, ¡°Go ahead¡± Leonardo watched her go into the building, he turned to leave but the parked car nearby honked. He looked over and saw the car window slowly roll down. Clearly, someone wanted to talk to him Leonardo approached the car, upon closer inspection, he recognized the driver was Marcus, ¡°Marc, didn¡¯t expect you here. You¡¯re driving for your assistant now?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Leonardo said, ¡°Not at all, if you¡¯re okay with it.¡± Marcus suggested, ¡°Fancy a drink?¡± ¡°Sure! Where to?¡± Leonardo opened the car door and quickly jumped into the passenger seat, ¡°I¡¯m honored to be chauffeured by the big¨Cshot CEO of the Hartley Group¡± Chapter 826 Chapter 826 Chapter 826 Marcus retorted, ¡°Am I your chauffeur?¡± Leonardo replied. ¡°You can drive your assistant, why can¡¯t you drive me? Is it because I¡¯m not as pretty as Cornelia and don¡¯t deserve it? Marcus didn¡¯t say anything more and drove toward Blueshell Mansion Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Sitting in the passenger seat, Leonardo suddenly sighed. ¡°I really want to know what kind of man Cornelia¡¯s husband is. She gave up all her suitors for that man¡± Marcus responded, ¡°What nonsense are you talking about? She¡¯s busy every day, where would she get suitors?¡± Leonardo said, ¡°I¡¯m one¡± Marcus cut him off, ¡°You?¡± Leonardo exined, ¡°I like Cornelia, and I wanted to pursue her the first time I saw her. You know that. But she¡¯s married, so she rejected me. Now I¡¯ve known her for over a year and I still haven¡¯t met the man who stole her away.¡± This guy had the nerve to say he stole her away! Marcus made a mental note, but showed no reaction, ¡°Who else is pursuing her, besides you?¡± Leonardo said, ¡°You, of course. Marc, honestly, I¡¯ve noticed more than once that you like your assistant.¡± Marcus asked. ¡°Why would you think that?¡± Leonardo exined. ¡°It¡¯s past nine in the evening, well past yourpany¡¯s usual end of work time. Yet here you are, still driving your assistant around. That¡¯s not something a normal boss does.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Have you gotten even dumber recently?¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Soon, Marcus drove Leonardo to the Blueshell Mansion parking garage, ¡°Come to my ce, I have something to show you.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t say more, the two went upstairs together. After entering the house and leaving Leonardo in the living room, Marcus went straight back to his bedroom. When he came out, he was holding a marriage certificate, ¡°Have a look.¡± ¡°A marriage certificate? Your marriage certificate?¡± Leonardo took it, feeling a bit nervous. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to see your wife in a photo before meeting her in person.¡± Why was he nervous about meeting Marcus¡® wife? He was so nervous he was afraid to open the marnage certificate, worried that the girl in the photo wouldn¡¯t be his type. Marcus said, ¡°Just take a look.¡± Leonardo slowly opened the marriage certificate, and the girl in the photo was Cornelia! He found it a bit funny. ¡°Marc, are you forging a marriage certificate? You have a wife, and yet you made a fake marriage certificate with Cornelia. Isn¡¯t that a bit much?¡± ¡°You really have be stupid. Does that stamp look fake?¡± Marcus took back the marriage certificate and carefully put it away He handled it as if it were the most precious thing in the world, ¡°Cornelia, is my wife. She is mywful wife¡± After a moment of shock, Leonardo finally digested the news, ¡°Cornelia is your wife? She¡¯s the woman your grandmother arranged for you to marry?¡± Marcus. ¡°Yes¡± After getting this confirmation, Leonardo felt like his world was crumbling. ¡°So you two have been ying me all along?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Why would I mess with you?¡± Chapter 827 Leonardo replied, ¡°Aren¡¯t you just pulling m Chapter 827 Chapter 827 Chapter 827 Leonardo replied, ¡°Aren¡¯t you just pulling my leg? So what¡¯s going on with your marriage, why didn¡¯t you tell me? Marcus, you made me feel like aplete idiot this past year.¡± Marcus casually replied. ¡°Not just this year¡± Leonardo didn¡¯t expect Marcus to outright call him an idiot and got so mad he turned red. ¡°Marcus, I thought we were friends, but in your eyes, I¡¯m just an idiot! I¡¯ve decided. from now on, that we¡¯re no longer friends. I won¡¯t listen to you, I won¡¯t. In short, don¡¯t expect me to do anything for you ever again.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Fine, then you can leave.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°I said you can leave.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°You wanted to have a drink with me, now you want me to leave? Did you just invite me here to unt your marriage certificate?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Yes¡± Leonardo was furious, ¡°Marcus, you are so cruel.¡± Marcus said, ¡°I just remembered, Cornelia doesn¡¯t let me drink, so I can¡¯t.¡± Leonardo said, ¡°You heartless man! Not only are you unting your marriage certificate, but also your wife. Let me tell you, any girl is sweet and kind at the beginning of her marriage. But the long haul of marriage can turn them into shrews. Don¡¯t celebrate too soon. One day, you¡¯ll regret it, and you¡¯ll be envious of my single life.¡± Marcus said. ¡°Women bing shrews after marriage is not entirely their fault. Their change has a lot to do with their husbands. It¡¯s the man¡¯s negligence that makes. women be more unlike themselves before marriage. If the husband treats her like he did before marriage, why would she be someone even she dislikes?¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°What kind of perspective is that?¡± Marcus said, ¡°Just observe the people around you, see if I¡¯m right¡± Leonardo said, ¡°I never expected you to be interested in these things. I thought the only things you¡¯d care about would be money¨Crted.¡± Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus said, ¡°I didn¡¯t pay attention before, but after getting married, I started to. After all, both Cornelia and I are newlyweds. We don¡¯t have any experience in managing a marriage. She doesn¡¯t understand marriage, but I can¡¯t be clueless too, so I need to observe more.¡± Leonardo was shocked by Marcus¡® words, ¡®Is this really what you think?¡± Marcus said, ¡°What else could it be? My Cornelia is pure and adorable, I want to keep her that way, so I need to understand marriage more.¡± In just a few sentences, Marcus was unting his wife again, even saying Cornelia was pure and adorable. Cornelia was very cunning, and he never won against her. He didn¡¯t understand how Marcus could say something like ¡°Comelia is pure and adorable.¡± Leonardo just wanted to plug his ears and didn¡¯t want to hear Marcus show off. Honestly, half an hour ago, Leonardo wouldn¡¯t have believed that Marcus would do such a childish thing, he was clearly showing off, showing off that his wife was Cornelia. Leonardo didn¡¯t want to be the only one upset, he wanted someone else to share the blow from Marcus, so he took out his phone and dialed Ryan¡¯s number, ¡°Ryan, do you want to know who Marc¡¯s wife is?¡± Chapter 828 Chapter 828 Chapter 828 Ryan nonchntly replied, ¡°What did you find oul?¡± Leonardo said, ¡°I know who Marc¡¯s wife is. Wanna hear?¡± Ryan replied, ¡°Oh, you finally caught up¡± Hearing this, Leonardo was puzzled, ¡°What do you mean? You knew who Marc¡¯s wife was all along?¡± Ryan responded, ¡°Let¡¯s just say I knew a tad earlier than Marc.¡± Leonardo retorted ¡°Ryan, you¡¯re full of it! You¡¯re always so busy, how many times do you even see Marc? I spend way more time with Marc than you do. I just found out How could you have known all along? No way, not a chance¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t that Leonardo was unwilling to believe Ryan knew who Marcus¡® wife was, he just couldn¡¯t swallow the fact that he was thest one to know. He believed that as long as Marcus was in Riverton, as long as Marcus wasn¡¯t working, as long as Marcus was out having fun, he would be right there with him. All these years, he had always thought he was the closest to Marcus, and he would be the first to know about Marcus¡® marriage, apart from the Hartley family He easily assumed he would be the first to know who Marcus¡® wife was, but it turned out everyone else knew Except for him! Although this matter may not have seemed important, it was extremely important to Leonardo. He asked Marcus, ¡°Does Ryan know who your wife is? You have to answer honestly Don¡¯t gang up on me. Don¡¯t lie to me and say he knew¡± Marcus said, ¡°He knew all along¡± Leonardo was taken aback for a moment, then yelled out. ¡°No way! No way! You¡¯re both liars! You¡¯re both ying me!¡± To feel better, Leonardo didn¡¯t want topare himself to those close to Marcus anymore. He brought up Cameron, who didn¡¯t have a great rtionship with Marcus, ¡°Does Cameron know?¡± Marcus just smiled and didn¡¯t reply. But Leonardo got the message. ¡°At least he doesn¡¯t know. If he found out before me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it¡± Speaking of Cameron, Leonardo had more to say. The Reese family isn¡¯t doing too welltely. If this keeps up, there might not be a Reese Group in Riverton anymore¡­ Marc, Cameron grew up with us, how about going easy on them this time?¡± ¡°Go easy on them? If the Reeses had an ounce of decency on Granger¡¯s birthday, they wouldn¡¯t have hurt Cornelia so ruthlessly.¡± Marcus sneered, ¡°You know why the Wilsons didn¡¯t involve you inpany matters?¡± Leonardo said. ¡°In the Wilson family, it¡¯s normal for the eldest son to inherit thepany. Besides, he¡¯s smarter and more capable of running thepany than me. It¡¯s only right for the Wilson family to have chosen him over me.¡± Marcus saw Leonardo¡¯s strengths and weaknesses clearly. ¡°It¡¯s not that you¡¯re not smart enough, it¡¯s just that you¡¯re too kind¡± Leonardo said. ¡°I just think we shouldn¡¯t be too extreme when dealing with people. We should leave some room for ourselves, in case we cross paths again in the future.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 829 Chapter 829 Chapter 829 ¡°Not to be too extreme?¡± Marcus found it so hrious that he couldn¡¯t help butugh out loud ¡°What are youughing at, Marc¡± Leonardo asked Marcus wasughing at Leonardo¡¯s innocence and his own habit of dealing with issues in an extreme way Yet, he didn¡¯t voice his thoughts. Over the years, wasn¡¯t it Leonardo¡¯s innocence that he admired most? If Leonardo became cunning, he wouldn¡¯t be the Leonardo he knew anymore He would lose his unique simplicity and cuteness Often, Marcus didn¡¯t want to talk about business with Leonardo. He wanted Leonardo to keep his innocence. But now it seemed he had to tell him some things. Leonardo was only a few months younger than him. This year he was twenty¨Ceight, and he should understand the cruelty of society. Marcus said, ¡°The business world is like a battlefield without gunpowder, even more brutal than a real one. Now you want me to spare the Reese family to give them a chance to live ¡°But if we give them a chance to recover, the first ones they will retaliate against will be me. ¡°Im not a phnthropist or a fool, I will never let myself and the whole Hartley Group fall into such a predicament.¡± Leonardo still held a glimmer of hope. ¡°Marc, I¡¯ve always had a good rtionship with Cameron. I can talk to him and get him to promise that if the Reese family recovers. they won¡¯t be enemies with the Hartley Group.¡± ¡°Leonardo, haven¡¯t you seen Cameron¡¯s true colors yet? You consider him a friend, but does he think the same of you?¡± Marcus said remorsefully. He should have told this Innocent guy about the cruelty of society earlier, so he wouldn¡¯t easily trust someone who was not trustworthy. ¡°Marc, I really know nothing about the business world. I just thought that Cameron and I were good friends, and I hoped you could spare him, hoped that we could all do business well and avoid fights as much as possible. But I also trust you, you must have your reasons. On this issue, Leonardo chose to stand on the side of Marcus, whom he trusted more ¡°There¡¯s still hope for you.¡± Marcus turned around and poured two sses of wine. ¡°Come on, have a drink with me.¡± ¡°Why do you want to drink now when Cornelia forbade you to drink?¡± Leonardo asked ¡°Just drink if I say so, no more bullshit,¡± Marcus replied. Leonardo sat down and downed his ss in one gulp. ¡°I never thought Cornelia¡¯s husband would be you. If I lost to someone else, I wouldn¡¯t ept it, but losing to you, I can only ept my fate.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Even without me, Cornelia wouldn¡¯t like you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Leonardo asked. ¡°Because you¡¯re not Cornelia¡¯s type.¡± Marcus replied. ¡°Do you think Cornelia likes you for your looks?¡± Leonardo asked On this topic, Marcus also raised his ss and downed the wine. He soon felt a hot sensation in his stomach, but he didn¡¯t care, ¡°I think my looks may not be Cornelia¡¯s type If it wasn¡¯t for myMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. grandmother¡¯s introduction, Cornelia wouldn¡¯t have married me, and also would not have given me a second nce.¡± ¨C¡°Marc, do you have some misconceptions about your appearance? Your looks have attracted so many women, and Cornelia is also a woman,¡± Leonardo said. Chapter 830 Chapter 830 Chapter 830 Marcus said, ¡°Cornelia is a bit different from other women.¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°Different how?¡± Marcus exined, ¡°She doesn¡¯t want to go public with our rtionship.¡± Hearing this. Leonardo, who had been bummed the whole night, burst intoughter. ¡°Ha, I didn¡¯t see thating Someone actually doesn¡¯t want to go public with you? Hahaha, even you can have days like this, hahaha¡­¡± Tears streamed down Leonardo¡¯s face fromughing so hard. Marcus asked, ¡®Is it really that funny?¡± Wiping away his tears, Leonardo chuckled. ¡°So many women want to marry you. They all want to be your wife. If they could be with you, they¡¯d definitely want to shout it from the rooftops. And here you are, with a wife who doesn¡¯t want to go public. This is just too good¡± Marcus scowled. I¡¯m telling you this because I want your help, not your mockery¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°First, tell me, why doesn¡¯t Cornelia want to go public? Is it because she doesn¡¯t like your looks?¡± Marcus shook his head. I¡¯m not sure. It might not just be about my looks, but also about some things I kept from her¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°What did you keep from her? You didn¡¯t have a girlfriend before. You were single until you met her. What could you possibly hide?¡±Text content ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about what I hid. Just help me figure out a solution.¡± Leonardo said, ¡°I need to understand the situation first. I might not be as good as you in business, but when ites to love, I¡¯ve got more experience¡± He continued. ¡°I¡¯ve dated at least fifty women over the years. After each break¨Cup, I¡¯d figure out why it didn¡¯t work. Avoid those problems and your next rtionship will go smoother, it may evenst¡± Marcus found Leonardo¡¯s words absurd, but he had no other options so he decided to listen, ¡°Go on¡± Leonardo said. ¡°The mostmon issue was that I¡¯d lose my spark for them. The novelty of the rtionship would wear off, and I¡¯d get distracted.¡± Marcus red at him, ¡°You really just said that?* Leonardo said, ¡°My point is, what women need most is a sense of security. Cornelia might not want to go public because she¡¯s scared or worried.¡± Marcus was even more confused. ¡°Cornelia is my wife, and I genuinely want to spend my life with her, why would she be scared or worried?¡± Leonardo asked, ¡°Have you told her that?¡± Marcus answered, ¡°I have.¡± Leonardo asked again, ¡®Are you sure you¡¯ve made it clear?¡± Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Leonardo replied. ¡°If she¡¯s still worried or scared, it might be because you¡¯re not giving her a sense of security.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Chapter 831 Chapter 831 Chapter 831 Leonardo said, ¡°You¡¯re such a catch and you¡¯ve got a lot of fans.¡± Marcus asked, puzzled, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Leonardo exined, ¡°Cornelia is not only a looker, but she¡¯s also brainy and knows exactly what she wants. From what I know about her, she isn¡¯t the type to put all her eggs in one basket even if that basket is a man ¡°I reckon, even if she¡¯s your wife, she won¡¯t be entirely reliant on you Shell always have a n B. If you ever get a change of heart, she¡¯ll be able to make a quick exit.¡± If anything Leonardo said before was fluff, this was a nugget of wisdom. Marcus had never considered that Cornelia could have such worries. She was already his wife, the only woman he would spend his life with and he would never let her go. Leonardo continued, ¡°Marc, do you fancy Cornelia?¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Marcus replied, ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡± Leonardo said, ¡°I asked if you liked her, and you said she¡¯s your wife There are plenty of blokes out there who don¡¯t actually like their wives and even cheat on them.¡± Marcus said, ¡°Of course I like her.¡± Upon hearing this, Leonardo perked up. ¡°Marc, Cornelia is the first and only girl you¡¯ve ever liked, can you tell me what that feels like?¡± When asked about what it felt like to love someone, Marcus thought for a moment. ¡°Liking her means not being able to bear seeing her suffer, I always want to see her. The moment I leave her, I start missing her again.¡± Leonardo said. ¡®Marc, I¡¯m really envious that you¡¯re still able to experience your first love at this age. I¡¯ve been in love so many times that I¡¯ve forgotten what first love feels like.¡± Upon hearing this, Marcus was peeved and said, ¡°Get lost!¡± Leonardo said, ¡°You¡¯re kicking me out before we even finish the drink!¡± Marcus took out a bottle of wine from the wine cab. ¡°This is for you. Take it with you and drink it yourself.¡± Leonardo was initially discontented, but his face lit up when he saw the year and price of the wine. ¡°Alright, if you insist on me leaving. I¡¯ll leave I¡¯ve got a date with my new girlfriend, and we¡¯ll enjoy this beauty together¡± Marcus said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of catching something?¡± Leonardo replied, ¡°Tll definitely be careful. I won¡¯t do anything without protection.¡±; Marcus said, ¡°Get out!¡± Leonardo, holding the wine, left swiftly After leaving Marcus¡® house, he called Ryan. ¡°Ryan, are you in Riverton? If you are, let¡¯s get a drink.¡± Ryan replied, ¡°I¡¯m in Riverton, but I don¡¯t feel like going out or drinking.¡± Looking at the pricey wine in his hand, Leonardo sighed, ¡°What a waste. Marc just gave me a bottle of wine worth hundreds of thousands of dors. If you¡¯re not drinking. I¡¯ll have to share it with my girlfriend¡± Ryan, ¡°Send me the address¡± Chapter 832 Chapter 832 Chapter 832 Leonardo said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to bust your balls to keep mepany, I can find someone else to drink with¡± Ryan retoried ¡°Cut the crap, send your address, I¡¯ll be there in no time.¡± Leonardo jokingly said, ¡°You bonehead¡± After Leonardo left, Marcus strolled up to the massive floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, staring at the skyscraper across the street, which was a property of the Hartley Group, abination of leisure, entertainment, and business. Marcus pulled out his phone and saw many ces in the building across where he could grab a drink. Cornelia only said she was going to have drinks with Hannah but didn¡¯t mention where She was a looker, what if she got wasted and ran into some creep? Marcus womnes weren¡¯t groundless. At that moment, Corne was already quite sloshed, but she didn¡¯t stop. She was still knocking them back with Hannah. Hannah was drinking steadily, silently, and Cornelia was there matching her drink for drink. When Hannah was hammered, she mmed her ss on the table and suddenly burst intoughter, ¡°Cornelia, you know what? Steven is a total nutjob!¡± Cornelia, flushed and a little hazy, slurred, ¡°Nutjob? What weird thing has he done to you?¡± Hannahughed till she cried, ¡°He doesn¡¯t actually love me, but he wants to keep me chained to him. I have to tell him every time I meet someone, and he always wants to know my whereabouts.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°When I¡¯m filming, sometimes there are scenes where I have to kiss or get intimate with someone. That¡¯s normal, but he won¡¯t let me do those scenes. If a script has those scenes, he¡¯ll find a way to cut them. I¡¯ve been with him for so long, I¡¯ve had the best of everything, but I¡¯ve never been happy.¡± Cornelia, propping up her flushed face, looked at theining Hannah with bleary eyes, ¡°I don¡¯t really get men, why would he keep you around if he doesn¡¯t love you?¡± Hannah downed another drink, ¡°Because I look like the woman he loves!¡± Cornelia said, ¡°If he has a woman he loves, he shouldn¡¯t be bothering you. If he¡¯s still bothering you despite having a woman, it means he¡¯s a yer.¡± Hannah said, ¡°The woman he loves doesn¡¯t love him. She¡¯s married. He can¡¯t have her, so he found a stand¨Cin. ¡°Of course, not just any stand in would do. He had people searching far and wide for women who looked like her. Some had simr eyes, and some had simr mouths, but none of them satisfied him ¡°Just then, I was breaking into the film industry, so his people found me and took me to see him. He offered me a contract on the spot. He said he could help me be the most popr star in the shortest time. The only catch was I had to marry him ¡°I just wanted to be famous at the time. Out of vanity, I sold my soul. I knew clearly that I was just his recement. I always obeyed him. I did whatever he told me to do. I never dared to defy him. ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t have, as a stand¨Cin, fallen for him. I wanted him to like me, to love me. I wished our marriage was more than just a contract. ¡°So, one day a couple of years ago, I threw away the birth control pills he gave me. I wrapped my arms around his waist and told him I didn¡¯t want to take birth control anymore. I wanted to have his child. ¡°That day, hepletely changed. His past tenderness towards me was gone. He said to me like a demon from hell that I would never deserve to bear his child. He told me not to forget that I was just a stand¨Cin. Chapter 833 Chapter 833 Chapter 833 Cornelia was drunk, bbering about everything that came to mind without a filter She kept venting her frustrations. ¡°So he marries you and then says you¡¯re not fit to bear his children? Does he think he¡¯s some kind of king or something?¡± It hit Corne that Steven did have the Dixon Group The Dixon Group was such a massive business empire, so he practically was a king Cornelia continued her rant. ¡°You¡¯re right though, the guy is a real nutjob. He¡¯s got a woman he loves and yet he marries you, then says you¡¯m not fit to bear his children. Hannah, if that¡¯s the case, you should ditch him. He doesn¡¯t love you, and you can¡¯t love him You¡¯re perfectly capable of making your own living, why rely on him?¡± Hannah replied. ¡°You think I don¡¯t want to leave him? I do. Every single day. But it¡¯s all just wishful thinking As long as he holds on, I can¡¯t break free¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Cornelia asked. ¡°If he doesn¡¯t love you, why is he so desperate to keep you?¡± Hannah replied. ¡®Because I look like the woman he loves. He sees her in me, it¡¯s his way of making up for not having her.¡± Comelia asked. ¡°So what are you gonna do?¡± Hannah replied, I just live like this. Eventually, he¡¯ll get bored. When that dayes, perhaps I can finally be free.¡± ¡°There will never be such a day!¡± Steven¡¯s ominous voice suddenly echoed behind them, sobering the two drunken women. Steven walked up to Hannah, whispering in her ear. ¡°Even if I get tired of you, you¡¯re still my woman. Don¡¯t ever think about being with another man. Then, he lifted Hannah up, leaving with a cold nce over at Cornelia, ¡®Ms. Stewart, don¡¯t think just because Marc spoils you, you can mess with other people¡¯s marriages.¡± Cornelia scoffed, ¡°If you don¡¯t treat your wife right, don¡¯t go around ming it on me.¡± Hannah lifted her head from Steven¡¯s embrace, looking silently at Cornelia. She opened her mouth as if to say something but said nothing But that look, that look of determination pierced Cornelia¡¯s heart. She lifted her ss, downing the remaining alcohol, ready to leave, but fell back onto the couch due to herck of strength She was drunk! She couldn¡¯t even walk straight, but Cornelia remembered she had to call Marcus. He said he would pick her up. She took out her phone, and found Marcus¡® number, but before she could dial, a man reached out and took her phone. Suddenly, there was a man sitting across from her, ¡°Hey, beautiful, is this seat taken?¡± This was aplete stranger but a handsome one. Cornelia didn¡¯t know if she was just dizzy or what, but this stranger somehow reminded her of Marcus Cornelia chuckled, she had just found out Marcus was her husband not long ago, how could she already have such deep feelings for him? She was even associating him with some random guy¡¯s face. Chapter 834 Chapter 834 Cornelia snapped back to reality giving this unfamiliar man a quick once¨Cover before her gaze drifted to her phone in his hands. ¡°Can I have my phone back?¡± He gave the phone in his hand a little shake ¡°I could give it back, but you gotta y a game with me first. You win, you get your phone back. You lose, you give me your number, and we call it even Cornelia knew this was a bad idea ¡°Give me back my phone, or I¡¯m gonna get mad ¡± He let out an cool chuckle. ¡°You look so soft. Didn¡¯t peg you for the fiery type I¡¯m just after your digit. No need to get all huffy¡± Comelia said coldy. ¡°Hand over the phone¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org. He leaned in closer to Comelia. ¡°What perfume are you wearing? It smells so good, makes me want to take a bite outta you ¡°Bite me? Got the guts? Maybe it was the alcohol talking, but Cornelia pped him twice, hard. ¡°You wanna take a bite out of me? You know who my husband is? ¡°You¡¯re mamed?¡± He rubbed his pped cheek, even though her hand was long gone. He seemed to still feel the touch of her fingers ¡°You look like you¡¯re barely in your twenties, mamed so young?¡± ¡°Young? Not really. I¡¯ve been married for two years.¡± Corne gave him a smile, equal parts adorable and tantalizing. ¡°You know who my husband is?¡± The man asked, ¡°Who?¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Ever heard of the Hartley Group?¡± Hearing the Hartley Group, his expression darkened ever so slightly ¡°Who in the world hasn¡¯t heard of it?¡± Comelia asked, ¡°So you know Marcus, the CEO of the Hartley Group?¡± Hearing that name, his face darkened even more, his tone taking a turn for the worse. ¡°Marcus? That heartless bastard. Be it a partner or a foe, no one everes out on top with him. Everyone¡¯s screwed when they cross paths with him. I don¡¯t wanna know him¡± ¡°You afraid of him? Corneliaughed. ¡°You¡¯re scared of him and yet you dare mess with his wife.¡± ¡°His wife?¡± He snorted. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in his wife. Even if I were, she¡¯s way outta my league.¡± Cornelia pointed at herself proudly I¡¯m his wife. He¡¯s my husband¡± He didn¡¯t believe a word Cornelia said. He thought she was just blowing smoke Rumors are true then. Every prettydies want to marry Marcus. You don¡¯t even know what Marcus looks like, how can you want to marry him?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you believe me?¡± Cornelia suddenly felt disheartened. Her husband really was Marcus, why wouldn¡¯t anyone believe her? Did she and Marcus really seem so mismatched? The man went on, ¡°Don¡¯t use being married as an excuse to turn me down. Give me a way to contact you, and we could get to know each other better. Maybe you¡¯ll find things about me you never expected¡± ¡°Do you even deserve to know her?¡± A voice that was familiar yet chillingly cold suddenly came from the side of Cornelia. She looked up and sure enough, there was Marcus. But his gaze was truly terrifying. like a demons! Chapter 835 Chapter 835 Chapter 835 You actually showed up!¡± The man looked at Marcus, his eyes filled with provocation and disdain. ¡°You¡¯re sticking your nose in everything, now you¡¯re going to interfere with the girls I like,?¡± Marcus, behind his silver sses, let out a deep chill in his gaze, ¡°Buzz off!¡± ¡°Fine, if you want me to leave, I¡¯ll leave The man promptly got up and took a few steps out, but then turned his head to look back at Cornelia, ¡°Beautifuldy, you¡¯re quite the looker, but why such poor taste? ¡°Let me tell you, don¡¯t just judge a book by its cover, look at their character too. Some people may seem great on the surface, but who knows what they¡¯re hiding deep Inside¡± It was clear to Cornelia that these two knew each other and didn¡¯t get along. At such a moment, how could she let her husband be bullied? ¡°People always say women are gossips, but howe you¡¯re even worse? Tm with my husband all the time, I know him better than you do, do I need reminders from you? Whatever you¡¯re up to, you¡¯re bound to fail. Now please take a hike and stop showing up in front of us.¡± The man¡¯s face darkened, and before leaving, he left a parting shot, ¡°Truth always pisses people off.¡± After the man left, Comelia immediately threw herself into Marcus arms, rubbing against him, ¡°I was just about to call you and you showed up. Do we have some psychic connection?¡± Marcus¡® anger evaporated at her gesture. He reached out and wrapped his arm around her waist, ¡°What did he say to you?¡± Cornelia looked up and winked at him yfully, ¡°You want to know?¡± Marcus, ¡°Yes.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Give me a kiss and I¡¯ll tell you.¡± As soon as she finished her sentence, Marcus¡® lips quickly met hers, making her head spin. Cornelia pushed him away, trying to escape, but couldn¡¯t. She just wanted a simple kiss, but he kissed her so passionately. After what felt like an eternity, Marcus finally let her go, ¡°Can you tell me now?¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. His voice was sexy and hoarse. Cornelia blushed ¡°I was about to call you to pick me up. Just as I found your number, that man snatched my phone. Not only did he snatch my phone, but he also sat across from me, trying to get to know me. I straight up told him that my husband is the CEO of the Hartley Group, Marcus. ¡°How can that manpare to you? He even thought about courting me. As long as my eyes aren¡¯t blind, I would never like him.¡± Marcus knew that Cornelia might have been saying this just to please him, but as long as she was willing to say it, no matter her motive, he was willing to believe. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go home¡± Cornelia hugged Marcus tightly. She had drunk too much and couldn¡¯t even walk. Her voice was soft and sweet, ¡°I can¡¯t walk anymore, can you carry me home?¡± Faced with such a cute version of Cornelia, how could Marcus possibly refuse? He immediately stepped forward. ¡°Hop on¡± Comelia struggled to climb onto his back, ¡°I might have gained some weight recently, can you carry me?¡± ¡°Your weight is no problem for me¡± Marcus held her legs with one hand, her butt with the other, ¡°Hold onto my neck, be careful not to slide off, or you¡¯ll fall Cornelia obediently wrapped her arms around his neck, her whole body clinging to his back. Chapter 836 Chapter 836 Chapter 836 Under everybody¡¯s watchful eyes, Marcus took Cornelia on his back and left the bar. The bar was on the 69th floor of a skyscraper, so they took the elevator down. The elevator stopped at some floor, more people got in, and all eyes were instinctively on them. Comelia, under the influence of alcohol, had lost her usualposure When people stared at Marcus, she suddenly covered his eyes with her hands ¡°What are you looking at? Keep staring at him and Ill lose it. He¡¯s my husband, and we¡¯re together, so no funny business¡± To back up her words, she leaned in and nted several kisses on his face, ¡°Haha, his face is all marked up from my kisses. He¡¯s my man, and nobody better get any ideas¡± With his eyes covered, Marcus couldn¡¯t see anything, but he could feel her kissing him, and her body pressing against his His ears turned beet red. But Comelia didn¡¯t realize how much she was affecting him, she just kept showing off ¡°He¡¯s my man! He¡¯s my husband! Like a child, she loudly announced to everyone they came across that he was her husband Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Soon, the elevator reached the ground floor, and Marcus carried Cornelia out of the building and headed toward Blueshell Mansion. This ce was the busiest part of Riverton Even though it was 11 at night, there were still many people around Every time someone looked their way, Cornelia would loudly announce, ¡°He¡¯s my husband!¡± Although it made Marcus feel awkward, he didn¡¯t stop her. In less than ten minutes, they arrived at Blueshell Mansion. He carried her onto the elevator again. On the elevator ride, Cornelia suddenly whispered. ¡°You¡¯re my husband, why won¡¯t people believe it?¡± Marcus asked. ¡®Who didn¡¯t believe you?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°That guy from the bar. I said you¡¯re my husband, but he didn¡¯t believe me. He thought I was just a fan girl¡± Marcus asked, ¡°What?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°He thought I was just dreaming of being with you. I was really pissed off, do we really look that mismatched?¡± Marcus replied. ¡°If you want, I can let the whole world know we¡¯re together at any time.¡± Cornelia shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t want that¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Why not?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I¡¯ve told you, I don¡¯t want my colleagues to think I got the position as the CEO¡¯s assistant because of you, I don¡¯t want people to think everything I have is because of you¡± Marcus said, ¡°Sometimes we can just not care about what others say, as long as we¡¯re happy.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Only those who are strong enough can afford to live as they please. I¡¯m not powerful enough yet, I still need to work at thepany, so I can¡¯t just ignore other people¡¯s opinions.¡± Chapter 837 Chapter 837 Chapter 837 Marcus could give two hoots about what other people thought. He was already at the top, the big dog calling all the shots. As for Comelia, she was just the president¡¯s assistant at the Hartley Group. Some people respected her because she had Marcus backing her up. Some despised her and even wanted her out for the same reason in a nutshell, if she was not yet the queen bee, she had to care about what people said. She knew this all too well As Marcus was thinking about how tofort her, Cornelia shifted a bit on his back, finding afier position, and suddenly asked, ¡°Marcus, why don¡¯t you want to have Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. kids with me? How much had she drunk? She was really going for broke tonight, saying whatever came to mind Marcus replied ¡°I didn¡¯t say I don¡¯t want to have kids with you! Cornelia leaned in close to his ear, using him. ¡°You¡¯re a liar! Last time I asked you to have a baby with me, you t¨Cout said you didn¡¯t want to Marcus lifted her up. ¡°I believe having a child should be based on a couple¡¯s mutual affection, not for the sake of fulfilling someone¡¯s wish. It¡¯s about respect for each other and being prepared for a new life. Plus, making a baby is easy, but raising one ain¡¯t no walk in the park. Once a kid¡¯s in the picture, you¡¯re in it for the long haul, no messing about.¡± After Marcus finished exining a sloshed Corne suddenly said. ¡°But you didn¡¯t think that way, you said marriage was all about having kids¡± Marcus was speechless. He had indeed said that, and she remembered it crystal clear. He began to wonder if she was just pretending to be drunk. Before he could reply, Cornelia continued, ¡°I just heard Hannah say she wants a baby, but Steven said she¡¯s not fit to bear his child. How could he say that about his own wife? Marcus, Steven¡¯s your buddy, do you think the same way? If you think I¡¯m not fit to bear your child, just give it to me straight, and I¡¯ll walk away¡­¡± ¡°Cornelia, if you dare to even think about not spending your life with me, I¡¯ll really lose my temper!¡± Marcus cut her off, his voice deep and serious. His seriousness made Cornelia feel hurt, ¡°Why are you mad at me? You can¡¯t be mad at me! If you get mad at me again, I¡¯ll give you the cold shoulder.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°If you stop talking nonsense, I won¡¯t get mad Cornelia said, ¡°Then let¡¯s make a baby tonight.¡± Marcus was speechless. After the argument, Marcus carried her home. He gently ced her on the living room couch and covered her with a light nket, ¡°Rest up, close your eyes, I¡¯ll go make some hangover soup.¡± Just as Marcus was about to leave, Cornelia suddenly grabbed his neck and pulled him over, her lips pressing onto his. Under the influence of alcohol, she kissed him unashamedly, boldly, and wantonly Marcus didn¡¯t want to take advantage of her while she was drunk; he tried to push her away, but she clung to him like an octopus. When she had her fill of kissing, Cornelia let him go. ¡°Marcus, can¡¯t you have a baby with me? Let¡¯s give it a shot, maybe you can.¡± ¡°Cornelia, what are you talking about?¡± Marcus voice came out hoarse. Cornelia, oblivious to the problems her words and actions could cause, reached out to touch his face again, ¡®Let¡¯s try, okay? If you can¡¯t, I won¡¯tugh at you.¡± Marcus had no idea what she was talking about, and he didn¡¯t want to argue with a drunk woman, so he put her back on the couch again, ¡°Lie down and don¡¯t move, I¡¯m going to make some hangover soup.¡± Chapter 838 Chapter 838 Chapter 838 Cornelia stared at him with her big, beautiful eyes, then shook her head and sighed, ¡®Abby was right You¡¯re good looking but there are some things you just can¡¯t do. It¡¯s such a waste of a pretty face!¡± Marcus, ¡°What?¡± Corne, ¡°I get it. It¡¯s not that you don¡¯t want to have kids with me. You can¡¯t do what a husband should do, so you can¡¯t have kids with me. Even though it¡¯s a bit regrettable that we can¡¯t have children, don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t hold it against you¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do what a husband should do? Marcus scooped her up and headed for the bathroom, ready to show her exactly what he was capable of Soon, the sound of running water echoed from the bathroom. As the water cascaded down from above, Cornelia quickly regained her senses. With big, beautiful eyes, she saw their two soaking wet bodies in the mirror. Marcus¡® voice was seductive and husky ¡°Are you awake now?¡± Comelia instinctively wanted to shy away, but after a moment¡¯s thought, she moved closer to him. She let Marcus lead her into a world that waspletely new to her. Cornelia had never ventured into this territory before. At first, she was nervous and scared, hesitant to move forward, even wanting to retreat. But he patiently guided her step by step¡­. Thanks to his guidance, she gradually became less fearful! She followed his rhythm, step by step, moving forward. He led her, and together they explored this beautiful world that belonged only to them That night was a long one! The next day The sun was already high in the sky Cornelia had just opened her eyes when she heard a deep, sexy voice. ¡°You¡¯re awake.¡± She turned her head and saw Marcus¡® handsome eyes. Today, he seemed even better looking than before. Unbidden, images fromst night popped into her mind. He had made her call him ¡®darling, at first she was shy, but eventually, he had her calling him darling¡® over and over again. Thinking aboutst night, Cornelia¡¯s face instantly turned red. She quickly rolled over, trying to avoid his gaze. But with just a slight movement, she felt pain all over her body, as if she had been run over by a car. Marcus immediately moved closer to her, ¡°I applied some ointment for you. Does it still hurt?¡± Cornelia was stunned. Did he even know what he was saying? Cornelia didn¡¯t respond, so Marcus assumed he was right, ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t control myselfst night, and I hurt you¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what else he could say that would be more embarrassing. ¡°You have an important meeting at ten this morning. Why haven¡¯t you gone to the office yet?¡± After saying this, Cornelia realized her voice was hoarse. It was all his fault! She had criedst night, but he hadn¡¯t let her off the hook.N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Chapter 839 Chapter 839 Chapter 839 ¡°It¡¯s just a meeting. It won¡¯t make a huge difference whether it happens or not Marcus immediately He said it was just a meeting and it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal whether it happened or not! Was that something Marcus would say? Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Just overnight, what could have caused such a big change in him? Seeing her standing there dumbfounded, not taking the cup, Marcus brought the cup to her lips, patientlyforting her, ¡°Open up. The water has a throat soothing medicine in it. If you don¡¯t drink, it might take a few days for your throat to heal¡± Did he even know it might take a few days for her throat to heal? Why didn¡¯t he think of thatst night? Even if Cornelia held a grudge, she wouldn¡¯t gamble on her health, so she obediently opened her mouth and took small sips. After hydrating her throat, her voice indeed improved a lot, no longer feeling a burning sensation. Marcus put the cup back on the nightstand, and gently rubbed her head, ¡®I¡¯ll get some food, you eat, then go back to sleep¡± ¡°No need, I¡¯m not sleepy anymore. I¡¯ll get up and eat myself Only then did Cornelia notice that he was already dressed neatly in his usual white shirt and ck trousers, looking fresh and clean, in stark contrast to her disheveled self in bed. The stark contrast in their appearances was a shock to Cornelia¡¯s senses. She retreated slightly into the covers, ¡°You go do your work at the office.¡± ¡°You are more important than work. Marcus sat down at the edge of the bed, gently enveloping her into his arms along with the thin nket, patting her back gently soothing her like a child. Comelia had always been defenseless against him. She nestled into his arms, smelling the faint fragrance on him, a sense of security she had never felt before filled her heart. He called her name in a deep voice, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± Cornelia, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Cornelia.¡± He called her name in a sexy voice, not saying anything else, Cornelia¡¯s ears turned red She snuggled into him. ¡°The meeting is so important today, how can you be absent? Go to work.¡± ¡°Okay¡± Marcus immediately fetched from the foot of the bed the clean pajamas he had prepared for her, ¡°Let me know if you¡¯re not feeling well.¡± Marcus had hurt her during their first time being intimate as he didn¡¯t quite understand at the beginning. After learning the ways, he lost control during their first experience of marital bliss, probably also hurting her. Cornelia took the pajamas. ¡°Just go.¡± Marcus, ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry¡± Cornelia, ¡°But I am.¡± She was currently wrapped in a nket and wearing nothing. With him here, how was she supposed to change? Marcus seemed oblivious to her embarrassment. ¡°I know I wore you outst night, rest today. I¡¯ve also notified my grandmother, you don¡¯t need to visit her¡± How exactly did he notify her? Marcus paused for a moment, then said, ¡°Do you remember what happenedst night?* She got drunkst night. Marcus didn¡¯t want to consummate their marriage under such circumstances, but she insisted. At thest moment, he wanted to give up, but she didn¡¯t want to let go. How could she forget something so important? Chapter 840 Chapter 840 Chapter 840 Cornelia was ticked off by his question, giving him a dirty look. ¡°How could I forget. Enough of that, get to work already¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Alright. Breakfast is on the table, still hot, you can eat it after freshening up.¡± Comelia responded, ¡°Okay¡± Marcus was acting all wonky today! Inside a meeting room at the Hartley Group, there were about a dozen people present. Including the company¡¯s big bosses, the leader of this project, and Ben The meeting was supposed to be face¨Cto¨Cface, but ten minutes before it began, everyone received a message from Marcus saying he¡¯d be joining them online. This wasn¡¯t the first time this had happened, so no one batted an eye. But then, smack dab in the middle of the meeting, Marcus suddenly put everything on hold With a dead serious look on his face, he announced he was going to check if his wife was awake yet. As soon as Marcus was off¨Cscreen, the chit¨Cchat began. Employee A asked, ¡°Come on Ben, you must know what¡¯s up?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Ben replied, ¡®President Hartley has already said it, hasn¡¯t he? He¡¯s just going to see if his wife has woken up.¡± Employee B chimed in. ¡°President Hartley being head over heels for his wife is no secret in this company. But we¡¯ve never seen him ditch work halfway just for her. Spill the beans, Ben.¡± Ben answered, ¡°I¡¯m in the dark as much as you guys are.¡± If he knew anything, it was that Cornelia was the elusive Mrs. Hartley, whom everyone was dying to meet but never got a chance to. Employee C asked, ¡°When will President Hartley ever bring his wife out in public?¡± Employee D added, ¡°President Hartley really knows how to keep his wife under wraps. They¡¯ve been married for ages, and there are only two blurry photos of her online¡± Employee Amented, ¡°I bet his wife is a real catch. Otherwise, how else could Marcus, the workaholic leave in the middle of a meeting?¡± The chatter grew louder, while Ben, who knew the real deal, just sat quietly and listened After about fifteen minutes, Marcus reappeared on the big screen, ¡°Back to business!¡± Before the break, Employee B was speaking. He was in mid¨Csentence when Marcus put the meeting on hold. After chatting away, he almost forgot what he was talking about. With the meeting suddenly back on, he was left scrambling and had to wing it. He had barely started speaking when Marcus cut him off, ¡°Was this what you were discussing?¡± His face was stone¨Ccold, a stark contrast to the man who was just concerned about his wife waking up. With a little nudge from the others, Employee B managed to pick up where he left off. After this incident, everyone had a new understanding of Marcus. Even when he seemed to be completely focused on his wife, he hadn¡¯t forgotten about the meeting Perhaps that was the trait of sessful people, they could juggle multiple things at once. The meeting was back on track. After Employee B finished, it was someone else¡¯s turn. Just as they started to speak, a gentle and sweet voice came through Marcus¡® end, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to hurry up and get to work? Why are you still at home?¡± The voice was incredibly tender and sweet. Chapter 841 Chapter 841 Chapter 841 Then, a woman in nothing but a slip dress appeared on the big screen. Due to the angle of the camera, the woman¡¯s face didn¡¯t show up on the screen, only parts below her corbone were visible. Just as everyone wanted to see what the woman looked like, the screen suddenly went ck Colleague A asked in surprise, ¡®Is that President Hartley¡¯s wife?¡± Colleague D replied, ¡°Who else could it be if not President Hartley¡¯s wife? Would he bring other women home? Colleague A said, ¡°His wife really has a great body! No wonder he likes her.¡± Colleague B said, ¡°Her voice is also very gentle. It¡¯s soothing to listen to.¡± Colleague C said, ¡°He really cares about her, and he turned off the camera before we could see her face.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Upon hearing everyone¡¯sments. Ben slowly said. ¡°You guys are just casually chatting about President Hartley¡¯s wife in front of me like I¡¯m not here?¡± The colleagues asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about President Hartley¡¯s wife?¡± Ben answered, ¡°I¡¯ve met his wife, I don¡¯t have anything to be curious about¡± The colleagues asked curiously, ¡°You¡¯ve met his wife? Can you tell us what she looks like? Does her appearance match her voice?¡± Ben replied, ¡°If you guys are eager to know, you can ask President Hartley yourselves.¡± The colleagues said, ¡°You¡¯re such a buzzkill!¡± If they dared to ask President Hartley, they wouldn¡¯t have asked Ben. Cornelia thought Marcus had gone to work, so she changed into a slip dress. She had walked into the living room when she realized Marcus was still there. She didn¡¯t expect Marcus to be having a video conference with his employees in the living room, not until Marcus closed his tablet Cornelia asked. ¡°Did I interrupt your meeting?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°No.¡± He looked up at her; though there was some distance between them, he could already see the marks on her corbone. Those were bruises he had unintentionally leftst night, very noticeable. He immediately got up, took some anti¨Cswelling ointment from the medicine box, and said, ¡°Come here.¡± Cornelia obediently walked towards him, and when she got close, he pulled her into hisp. He squeezed the ointment onto her bruises one by one, then rubbed it gently with his fingers. She had many bruises, some even in private areas, but he didn¡¯t miss a single one. He applied the medicine attentively and seriously, without any stray thoughts Watching his gentle actions, Cornelia felt warmth filling her heart, and tears unexpectedly welled up in her eyes. Marcus noticed her strange reaction, and asked urgently, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Cornelia shook her head, but she couldn¡¯t control her emotions, and buried her head in his chest. Her sudden move made Marcus stop what he was doing. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?* Cornelia said, ¡°I just want you to hold me.¡± Her initiative, her passion, all made Marcus very happy. He stretched out his arms, holding her soft and sweet body tightly in his embrace, he said, ¡°Does it hurt a lot? I¡¯m sorry, I was naive and rushed this time, but I¡¯ll try my best to learn, I won¡¯t let you get hurt again.¡± Why did he always say such awkward things with such seriousness? Cornelia blushed shyly, her face turning bright red. She even buried her head in his chest, not daring to look up. Marcus held her tight, smelling her unique scent, ¡°My darling¡­¡± Chapter 842 Chapter 842 Chapter 842 When the word came out of his mouth, it was like the most beautiful melody in the world, deep and sexy, intoxicating Last night, he called her ¡°darling¡± in that voice, asking her to call him the same. She waspletely mesmenzed by him. Whatever he asked her to do, she did. He said again, ¡°Call me darling one more time!¡± Cornelia suddenly jumped out of his arms. ¡°We¡¯re at work you can¡¯t do this¡± Marcus, amused by her blushing, said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know Let¡¯s have breakfast¡± Marcus started to get her breakfast, but Cornelia stopped him, ¡°You go do your work, I can eat by myself. I don¡¯t want people to say that I¡¯m the kind of wornan who ruins men¡¯s careers.¡± Marcus chuckled indulgently and had to go back to the office. Comelia went back to the room and changed into the pajamas he had prepared for her, then came out to continue eating breakfast. While eating breakfast, she called Abigail, ¡°Abby, are you back in Riverton yet?¡± Abigail answered. ¡°I¡¯m taking the 4 p.m. train and will be there tonight. What¡¯s up? Miss me already after just a few days?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°Of course I miss you¡± Abigail asked. ¡°Anything else besides missing me? Spill it! Cornelia asked shyly. ¡°Do you know about ovtion?¡± Abigail said, ¡°Why are you asking this if Marcus has a problem? Are you really thinking about getting a young lover?¡± Cornelia was speechless. Who told her that Marcus had a problem? Even though she didn¡¯t have any previous experience in this area, she knew for sure that Marcus had no problems. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. How could Cornelia have misunderstood him so much? Abigail asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯re not talking?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Just tell me, I want to know. As a married woman, it¡¯s better to know these things.¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Which version do you want to hear? Or do you want to hear all versions?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Just tell me all of them.¡± Abigail started exining, ¡°ording to the encyclopedia, ovtion is the time in the menstrual cycle when an egg and sperm canbine to form a fertilized egg. The egg can be fertilized for two or three days after ovtion, and sperm can survive for three or four days after ejaction and can enter the egg¡­¡± Cornelia interrupted her, ¡°Put it in in words!¡± Abigail said, ¡°Simply put, if your menstrual cycle starts on the twenty¨Ceighth of every month, then the five days before and four days after the fourteenth of the month are your ovtion period.¡± Yesterday was just the thirteenth day, which was within the ovtion period that Abigail mentioned. Last night Marcus didn¡¯t take any precautions¡­. Cornelia unconsciously touched her stomach. A new life might have already been growing here. Thinking about this, she was both excited and scared. Abigail asked, ¡°Cornelia, what are you thinking? Why did you suddenly stop talking?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°You might be meeting my child soon.¡± Abigail asked, ¡°What do you mean? You didn¡¯t really sleep with another man, did you? Cornelia, I was only joking when I told you to find a young guy, you absolutely can¡¯t betray Marcus. If you really fall for another man, you have to divorce President Hartley first.¡± Cornelia said sweetly, ¡°My rtionship with him is very good. I won¡¯t divorce him.¡± Chapter 843 Chapter 843 Chapter 843 Abigail usually seemed pretty ballsy, and wasn¡¯t scared to say anything But when it came to shady business, her moralpass was straighter than anyone else¡¯s Right now, she was all worked up worrying about Come making some dumb decisions Cornelia, if you don¡¯t want to divorce, you definitely can¡¯t go messing around with other men. If you end up pregnant with some other guy¡¯s kid, do you think President Hartley would let that slide? When Cornelia didn¡¯t respond, Abigail continued. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯d let it slide, but if I were him, I definitely couldn¡¯t¡± Cornelia, ¡°Is that what you really think of me deep down in your heart?¡± Abigail, ¡°Of course not, in my eyes, you¡¯re just like me. All bark and no bite. We just talk big to entertain ourselves ¡± Comelia. Yet you still doubl me. Abigail, ¡®It¡¯s your own words that got me worried. Just tell me you¡¯re pulling my leg¡± Cornelia took a sip of milk, then said slowly, ¡°Why couldn¡¯t my child be President Hartley¡¯s?¡± Abigail. ¡°President Hartley¡¯s kid? I thought he had issues, how could he get you pregnant? Did you guys do something special? If that¡¯s the case, you¡¯ll suffer more than the average pregnant woman ¡°There was once a beautiful actress who tried every trick in the book to marry into a wealthy family but was kicked out not long after because she couldn¡¯t have a baby. These rich women seem to have no freedom, just being baby making machines for wealthy families. I never thought my best friend would face the same issue one day¡± Cornelia couldn¡¯t stand Abigail¡¯s wild imagination. I¡¯ll conceive naturally.. the Hartley family doesn¡¯t have so many issues. Abigail, ¡°Huh? But I thought he had issues Is he fine now?¡± Cornelia remembered Marcus dominance from the night before. In the end, she not only lost her voice but also passed out, ¡°He¡¯s totally fine now¡± Abigail screamed in excitement as if she was more thrilled than Cornelia. ¡°God answered my prayers! Didn¡¯t waste President Hartley¡¯s handsome face and didn¡¯t make him less of a man.¡± Abigail continued, ¡°Cornelia, now tell me, I want to know if he¡¯s different from other men¡± Cornelia immediately changed the subject, ¡°You first tell me, how was it going to your boyfriend¡¯s house?¡± Abigail, ¡°It was great. He¡¯s the only child and his parents were really pleased with me. I looked up loads of advice online about first visits to a boyfriend¡¯s house. But I was overthinking it. They poured me water, handed me fruit, and didn¡¯t let me lift a finger. They even prepared loads of good food for me. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°His mom told me they always wanted a daughter but never had one. If I became part of their family, they¡¯d treat me like their own. And she wasn¡¯t all talk, she walked the walk. She¡¯s been doing my laundry these past few days.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°If they¡¯re treating you this well, then I can rest easy.¡± Abigail, ¡°Yeah, I was worried that they might not ept me, but everything turned out great¡± Cornelia asked a practical question, ¡°What¡¯s their financial situation like?¡° Chapter 844 Chapter 844 Chapter 844 Abigail said, ¡°Their financial situation is pretty much simr to mine, maybe even a bit better.¡± Comelia asked, ¡°Can you borate on that?¡± Abigail exined, ¡°Their family lives in Springvale, near Riverton The GDP of Springvale is a lot higher than Rosenberg¡¯s, generally wealthier, and the housing prices are also higher. They own two houses in Springvale, and his parents run a business that brings in quite a bit of dough. ¡°My boyfriend makes enough money to support his parents, and they¡¯ve even saved a hefty amount for him. His mom even said that they¡¯ve already set aside money for our future children, so we don¡¯t have to worry about that¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Why do I feel like she¡¯s trying to sell you a dream?¡± Abigail said. ¡°You¡¯re having that feeling too?¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°You too?¡± Abigail said, ¡°I did untilst night, but not anymore.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Why is that?¡± Abigail exined. ¡°Becausest night his mom gave me a bank card with 20 grand as a gift, and told me to buy whatever I fancy.¡± There was a viewpoint online that said if someone was willing to spend money on you, it meant they really liked you. Abigail didn¡¯t originally agree with this viewpoint, she believed whether or not someoneMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. was willing to spend money depended first and foremost on their financial ability What if someone loved you, but were broke? But after receiving this 20 grand, her perspective changed. She believed that a lot of times, whether or not someone was willing to spend money on you could indeed tell you something Cornelia nodded and said, ¡°For an average family like ours to shell out 20 grand, that¡¯s indeed sincere.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Yeah, I get it. I¡¯m not expecting my boyfriend¡¯s family to be like yours, ready to shower me with loads of money.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡± Abigail went on, ¡°We¡¯re nning to go back to Rosenberg to meet my parents next month. If they also agree with our marriage, we¡¯ll go ahead and tie the knot.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You should indeed take him to meet your folks. They¡¯ve got more life experience, they can judge people more urately¡± Abigail suddenly sighed, ¡°I always thought getting married was a tough thing because the guys I liked were always too far away, and I wasn¡¯t interested in my suitors. But out of the blue, I got swept off my feet by an ordinary guy.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°That¡¯s indeed marvelous¡± Half a month ago, Cornelia never thought she and Marcus would have had a rtionship beyond boss and employee. But now, not only were she and Marcus married on paper, they had also done the deed, and she could even be pregnant. Abigail said, ¡°It¡¯s indeed strange. Cornelia, are you really nning to have kids now?Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to wait a few more years before having kids? Why the sudden change of mind? Is it because his family has fewer members and they hope you can pop out more offspring for him?¡± Chapter 845 Chapter 845 Chapter 845 Cornelia said, ¡°Nah, he¡¯s not like that. He¡¯s always got my back, respects all my thoughts. My granny wants to see my kid. She¡¯s getting on in years, and we don¡¯t know how much longer she¡¯s got. I don¡¯t want her to leave this world with any regrets, so I¡¯ve decided she should meet my kid sooner rather thanter¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Abigail responded, ¡°Come, do you ever think you¡¯re being kinda selfish?¡± Comelia asked, ¡°How so?¡± Abigail went on. ¡°You seem to be treating Marcus like a baby¨Cmaking machine¡± Comelia said. ¡°That¡¯s not true¡± Abigail asked, ¡®Do you even like him?¡± Cornelia thought for a moment, ¡®He¡¯s a looker, and he¡¯s loaded. What woman wouldn¡¯t like him? I suppose I do like him.¡± Abigail said, ¡°You suppose? Are you sure about that?¡± Comelia shot back. ¡°I haven¡¯t had eyes for any other man. How does that make me selfish?¡± Abigail said, ¡°It makes you even more selfish. You¡¯re not even sure if you like him, and yet you¡¯ve slept with him.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°He¡¯s my husband! Our rtionship is perfectly legitimate!¡± Abigail was speechless. She was totally lost for words! Cornelia said, ¡°That¡¯s not what you told me before. You¡¯re the one who told me that he¡¯s my husband, I¡¯m his only wife, and I can do whatever I want¡± Abigail said, ¡°I was just blowing smoke.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Well, I took it seriously! Whatever I did, you share the me.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare try to pin your actions on me.¡± Comelia said, ¡°If you¡¯re not to me, then who is? Hurry back, and I¡¯ll treat you to a feast.¡± Abigail said, ¡°Alright. I need to prepare some gifts for your kid. But it¡¯s really tough, the Hartley family is so rich, and theyck nothing. Your kid will get the best of everything Will they look down on what I buy?¡± Your thoughtfulness is priceless, my kid will absolutely love it.¡± Cornelia responded, as if she was already pregnant. Abigail said, ¡°Then you rest up, take good care of yourself.¡± Cornelia nodded, ¡°Will do.¡± After ending the call with Abigail, Cornelia looked down at her stomach. Even though she was full, she drank more milk. If she was pregnant, the child would need the nutrients After breakfast, Cornelia got bored and messaged Marcus, [I¡¯m heading home for a bit.] Marcus replied, [Come in.]. Cornelia said. [You¡¯re busy with work, I don¡¯t want to bother you] Marcus replied again, [Come in.] It was just a short message, but Cornelia could feel his determination. However, she didn¡¯t want to obey, intending to return to her room to change her clothes and leave. Just as she passed the study door, she was caught by a strong arm. With a gentle tug, Marcus pulled Cornelia into the study, saying. ¡°Stay with me, don¡¯t go anywhere else¡± His voice was deep and pleasant, yet firm andmanding. Chapter 846 Chapter 846 ¡°Ouch!¡± Cornelia¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, almost falling down. His grip was strong. Even with little force, it was painful enough to make her wince. ¡®Sorry Marcus quickly let go, ¡°There are a lot of books in the study. Maybe you¡¯ll find something you like?¡± Comelia, clutching her sore wrist, snapped back, ¡°I don¡¯t want to read!¡± Marcus. ¡°Then what would you like to do? You tell me, and I¡¯ll have it arranged.¡± Cornelia, ¡°I want to go home.¡± Marcus, ¡°This is your home.¡± Comelia, ¡°This is your home, not mine.¡± Seeing the sorrow in his eyes behind those silver framed sses, Cornelia felt like she might have gone too far. She moved closer, leaning into him, ¡°You scared me with your harsh tone and hurt me. I was just trying to get back at you. Hug me now, and I¡¯ll stay.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t move to embrace her, his gaze shadowed behind his sses. Cornelia never thought her request for a hug would be rejected. Embarrassed, she blurted out, ¡°You¡¯re not going to hug me, are you? If you don¡¯t, I¡¯m leaving¡± With those words, she pretended to walk away. But before she could take a step, Marcus pulled her back. Holding her tight in his arms, he murmured into her ear, ¡°Cornelia, this is your home. I¡¯ve had someone fetch your stuff from the rental. It¡¯ll all be moved here soon.¡± Cornelia, ¡°What did you say?¡± Marcus didn¡¯t mind repeating, ¡°I said this is your home. You won¡¯t have to go back to that rental. I¡¯ve sent someone to fetch your stuff.¡± Cornelia shoved him angrily, ¡°Marcus, who gave you the right to move my stuff without my permission?¡± She tried to call Zack and tell him to stop anyone from moving her things. But before she could, her phone was snatc h e d away by Marcus. ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± He nced at the time, ¡°The movers are almost back¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia was furious, ¡°Marcus!¡± Marcus, ¡°Cornelia, you¡¯re my wife. We¡¯re married. Shouldn¡¯t we be living together? Why do you insist on going back?¡± Cornelia retorted, ¡°Is that really what I¡¯m upset about? I¡¯m angry because you moved my stuff without asking me. Even as a married couple, there should be respect and space.¡± ¡°I can amodate you in other aspects, but you must listen to me on this.¡± He couldn¡¯t bear to be apart from her, to see her move back to the rental, to bear another day without her. Cornelia was too heated to listen, ¡°You¡¯d better have your staff move my stuff back, or we¡¯re getting a divorce.¡± She tried to wriggle out of his grasp, but she was no match for him. As long as he held on, she couldn¡¯t leave. At the mention of ¡°divorce¡±, Marcus lost all rationale. He threw her onto the desk. A rough kiss followed. She pushed him, kicked him, hit him, but couldn¡¯t stop him. His presence was like a mountain over her, inescapable. Hannah¡¯s words echoed in her ears, ¡°Cornelia, Marcus, Steven, Zavier, and Lucas are not what they seem. Once we marry them, unless they let go, death is the only escape,¡± Chapter 847 Chapter 847 In the past, Cornelia couldn¡¯tprehend the despair Hannah and Skyler felt. Now, she was beginning to¡­ Feeling powerless, trapped like a fish in a barrel, at the mercy of Marcus! Her eyes widened, trying to make out the man before her, but his face morphed into something terrifying, as if he was going to devour her whole. Suddenly, her phone, which Marcus had snatc hed away, rang. She had different ringtones for different callers, so the moment she heard this ringtone, Cornelia knew it was Zack calling. She tried to push Marcus away but couldn¡¯t. In her desperation, hot tears trickled down her cheeks. Her tears fell on Marcus¡¯ hand, causing his heart to jolt, his sanity quickly returning. Marcus finally stopped. He let her go, opened his mouth as if to say something, but no words came out. Cornelia snatc hed her phone back, quickly answering, ¡°Zack,e pick me up at Blueshell Mansion.¡± Her voice was shaky and tear-choked. Without asking questions, Zack responded, ¡°Wait there, I¡¯m on my way.¡± Cornelia quickly left, not sparing Marcus a nce, making a beeline for the exit. She didn¡¯t even change, just dashed downstairs. Marcus, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± By the time he chased after her, Cornelia was already in the elevator. What the hell just happened? He didn¡¯t even understand why he had acted so impulsively. How could he hurt her over just a few words? Cornelia, in nothing but a sundress, still bore the marks left by Marcus. Even after applying some ointment, the marks were still visible. Anyone who saw her would think she had been attacked. Some even approached her, ¡°Did you run into some bad guy? Do you need us to call the police?¡± Cornelia shook her head, appreciating their concern, ¡°I¡¯m okay, no need.¡± They still looked worried, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. If you¡¯ve encountered a bad person, you must call the police. Don¡¯t stay silent because you are worried about embarrassment or for any other reason. TheN?velDrama.Org is the owner. one at fault is not the victim, but the perpetrator.¡± The same words Marcus once said to her, but now he was the one who hurt her. A chill ran from the soles of her feet to the top of her head, making her feel as if she was in a walk-in freezer, shivering all over. She lowered her head, hugging herself tightly. Because of her grief, even under the scorching sun, she felt no warmth, causing not only her body to be cold, but also her teeth to chatter from the cold. Until, a strong arm wrapped her tightly in a warm, familiar embrace. He hugged her tightly, ¡°Cornelia!¡± His hug didn¡¯t calm her down but made her shiver even more violently. She suddenly looked up at him, her eyes filled with intense anger, ¡°Don¡¯t touch Chapter 848 Chapter 848 Marcus draped his jacket over Cornelia, ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t touch you. Take a breather, maybe we can head home first, cool?¡± Cornelia snapped back, ¡°I told ya, it ain¡¯t my home.¡± Marcus was pretty stubborn about this issue. He knew exactly what to say to calm her down, but he chose not to. ¡°Cornelia, we¡¯re legally married. Whether you like it or not, we¡¯re family. My home is your home. I belong to you, and everything I have is yours. We¡¯re in this together. No one can tear us apart¡­¡± Cornelia retorted, ¡°I don¡¯t want that!¡± While they were arguing. Zack drove up in a rush. He mmed on the brakes, stopping the car next to Cornelia, then got out, ring at Marcus. ¡°What the hell did you do to Cornelia?¡± Cornelia knew their argument would only get moreplicated with Zack involved. She opened the car door and quickly got in the passenger seat, ¡°Zack, let¡¯s get outta here.¡± Without any exnation from Cornelia, Zack drove them home. He knew something must¡¯ve happened between Cornelia and Marcus, but he didn¡¯t ask. After driving for a while, Zack noticed a limited-edition luxury car tailing them. Not many people in the world could afford such a car. So, Zack immediately knew who it was, ¡°Marcus has been tailing us.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia didn¡¯t respond. Zack lost his temper, mming his fist on the steering wheel, ¡°What the hell did he do to you? I¡¯m gonna give him a piece of my mind!¡± Cornelia stared ahead, still silent. Zack continued, ¡°Cornelia, talk to me!¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°My stuff at home, you didn¡¯t let anyone move it, did you?¡± Zack replied, ¡°I ain¡¯t a fool, I wouldn¡¯t let anyone touch your stuff without your say-so.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Alright¡­¡± Seeing her downcast expression, Zack couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°You gotta talk normal. Don¡¯t let a man get you down like this. He¡¯s just a part of your life. Even without him, you gotta live your life.¡± Zack was frustrated, just a few days ago, he thought Cornelia had found a good man. He was disgruntled, but he epted it. How long had it been since then? The guy was already hurting her! Cornelia said, ¡°Abby¡¯sing home tonight.¡± Zack snapped, ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject.¡± Cornelia continued, ¡°I haven¡¯t had a BBQ in a long time. Let¡¯s have a BBQ tonight, just the three of us.¡± Zack said, ¡°Cornelia, running away isn¡¯t the answer. No matter what happens, you gotta face it.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Abby told me Nash¡¯s family really likes her. She might bring Nash to meet her parents soon. By then, you can also go back to Rosenberg and see your parents.¡± Zack eximed, ¡°Cornelia!¡± Cornelia was willing to talk about anything but Marcus, ¡°As for the studio¡¯s loss, I haven¡¯t got compensation from ir Dennis yet. But that¡¯s okay, I made some money out of it. We can use that money for the studio¡¯s renovation. You just need to contact the renovationpany.¡± ? ??? Zack said, ¡°I¡¯ve been handling the renovation, you don¡¯t need to worry about that. Tell me, what¡¯s going on between you and Marcus? Why is he following us?¡± Cornelia also saw the luxury car in the rearview mirror, Marcus must have been driving it himself, ¡°I don¡¯t wanna talk about him right now.¡± Chapter 849 Chapter 849 Zack said, ¡°There¡¯s a cultural industry base near our new ce, set up by the government specifically to support businesses like ours. We can rent there, and the government even offers a subsidy fund, which makes the rent super cheap. I am considering whether we should move there. It would also make ourmute to work shorter.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Sounds like a sweet deal, we should definitely move.¡± Zack said, ¡°After Abbyes back, we can go to the site together tomorrow and then decide.¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Cornelia suddenly said, ¡°Zack, let¡¯s swing by the nearest Mercedes-Benz dealership.¡± Zack asked, ¡°What for?¡± Cornelia answered, ¡°Since you handle our studio¡¯s business dealings, you and your car are essentially our studio¡¯s image. Now that we have this significant project, we need to get you a new ride.¡± There had been ns to get a new car for the studio, but they were put on hold when the studio got trashed recently. Renovating would set them back over twenty grand. Hearing Cornelia say that they could get a car now, Zack was naturally very happy, ¡°To the Mercedes dealership? You sure? Should we be looking for something around the twenty grand mark¡­ Cornelia said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you had a thing for the Mercedes-Benz E300 seriesst time? Let¡¯s get the E300.¡± Zack said, ¡°The E300¡¯s likely going to cost between fifty and sixty grand. I feel that the budget for this level of car is a bit higher than what our studio can afford.. Cornelia said, ¡°Our studio¡¯s pulling in at least a million a year, right? A car worth around sixty grand won¡¯t break the bank. Just tell me, do you want to drive this car or not?¡± ¡°Of course I do!¡± Zack looked at the luxury car trailing behind them through the rearview mirror, and said with a touch of envy, ¡°I¡¯d also love to be driving that Aston Martin following us. But do I deserve it?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Cornelia took out her phone and used the navigation app to search for the Mercedes- Benz 4S dealership. It was close to their current location, and they could reach it in just a few minutes by car. ¡°You focus on driving, I¡¯ll handle the navigation,¡± she said. ¡°Alright!¡± Zack took another peek at the car behind them in the mirror; they made a U-turn, and the car behind them followed suit. Did Marcus really have nothing better to do? Marcus had an important meeting today. The original n was to have it in person, but due to some circumstances, he switched to a virtual meeting. Throughout the meeting, everyone could tell that he was in high spirits. Just how good was his mood?N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Chapter 850 Chapter 850 President Hartley was all smiles, his eyes twin k ling behind his silver sses, a grin that was impossible to hide, like a love-struck teenager. Surprisingly, when the meeting reached a critical point, President Hartley suddenly left, leaving everyone very confused. Nobody had a clue about what just happened. Marcus¡¯ secretary Ben immediately jumped in to take the reins, ¡°Let¡¯s keep the ball rolling, folks. I¡¯ll fill in President Hartley about the meeting.¡± Even without Marcus¡¯ involvement, the team¡¯s enthusiasm didn¡¯t take a hit. But the point was, it came to a critical point where Marcus was needed to make a decision. Ben tried calling Marcus, and after numerous attempts, Marcus finally picked up. Ben breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°President Hartley, we need your decision. Is this a good time?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Marcus, ¡°Shoot.¡± Ben quickly ryed the meeting details. After listening, Marcus promptly made a decision and then said, ¡°No need to hang up, I¡¯ll conference call in with you guys.¡± Ben, ¡°Okay.¡± Just then, a loud bang came from Marcus¡¯ side. A car ident! Ben, ¡°President Hartley, are you alright?¡± Marcuszily nced at the car he rear-ended, ¡°I¡¯m cool. Keep the meeting going!¡± Ahead, Zack saw the ident in his rear-view mirror, ¡°Nelly, I think Marcus just had a fender bender?¡± Upon hearing this, Cornelia immediately turned her head to look, indeed seeing two cars collided. The driver of the car in front had already gotten out, but Marcus was nowhere in sight. Was he hurt? Cornelia was worried sick, ¡°Zack, pull over. I need to get out!¡± Zack immediately did as told. Before the car had even fully stopped, Cornelia hurriedly swung open the door and bolted towards the scene of the ident. He couldn¡¯t park here, so Zack had to keep driving to find a parking spot. After sprinting for a few dozen meters, Cornelia was huffing and puffing when she reached the scene. Once she got close, she saw Marcus sitting safely in his car, engrossed in a phone call, oblivious to her arrival, and hadn¡¯t even gotten out of the car. Marcus was okay. Cornelia finally let out a sigh of relief¡­ The driver of the car in front, seeing such an indifferent response from the driver who rear-ended him, was furious and started cursing, ¡°Just because you drive a fancy car, you think you don¡¯t have to step out after causing an ident, is that so?¡± The guy grew even more irate, and Cornelia quickly intervened, ¡°Sir, I¡¯m really sorry, I¡¯ll handle this.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll handle this? Who are you to handle this? What¡¯s your rtionship with that man?¡± The man was yelling while turning around, but when he got a clear look at Cornelia¡¯s face, the anger in his eyes instantly vanished, reced by a diforting greed. Chapter 851 Chapter 851 ¡°I am his assistant,¡± Cornelia said. The guy gave Cornelia a good look, focusing on her soft and smooth skin, which made one eager to know what it felt like, ¡°Alright, you handle it. But how do you n to do that?¡± Cornelia whipped out her phone and snapped a few pictures, sending them to the insurancepany¡¯s rep, ¡°We hit you, so we¡¯re obviously at fault. There are two ways we can handle this: first, I can call the police right now, let them determine who¡¯s responsible, and the insurancepany will handle it. Or second, you can ept a private settlement, and we¡¯ll pay you cash directly.¡± Cornelia looked at the extent of the damage to the vehicle in front of her. The problem wasn¡¯t serious, it was just a small dent, and the car wasn¡¯t worth much. It could be taken care of for two hundred dors at the most. For Marcus, his time was more valuable than a few hundred bucks, so a private settlement was the easiest and fastest solution. The guy was pretty straightforward, ¡°Okay, let¡¯s settle it privately.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Name your price.¡± To her surprise, the guy asked for a ton, ¡°$50,000.¡± Even brand new, the car was only worth around $10,000. But he was asking for $50,000, clearly, he wasn¡¯t looking to solve the problem. Corneliaughed and said politely, ¡°Sir, are you sure you¡¯re not pulling my leg?¡± The guy leaned in close to Cornelia and whispered, ¡°I have two ways to handle this: first, you give me $50,000; second, you sleep with me and I won¡¯t ask for anypensation.¡± Despite the harassment, Cornelia didn¡¯t lose her cool, remaining calm and smiling, ¡°Are you sure?¡± The guy said, ¡°If you satisfy me, I might even give you money.¡± Cornelia motioned for him to lean in. He obediently leaned in and Cornelia whispered in his ear, ¡°You think you¡¯re good enough to sleep with me?¡± Taken aback, the guy¡¯s face darkened. He pulled out his phone, ready to film Cornelia and the still oblivious Marcus in the car, ¡°Is this how the rich bully people? I¡¯m going to post this online and let everyone judge.¡± Still smiling, Cornelia¡¯s tone dropped a few degrees, ¡°The man in the car is not someone you can film.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t film him? What¡¯s he gonna do, kill me? You think being rich gives you the right to threaten me?¡± The guy didn¡¯t believe a word she said, ready to film with his phone. Cornelia calmly waved her phone, ¡°I¡¯ve recorded you saying you wanted to sleep with me. If you want netizens to judge, so be it.¡± Working with Marcus for so long taught her the importance of having proof. She had taken this lesson to heart. From the moment they started talking, she had started recording, in case she encountered someone like him. ¡°You¡¯re making a fool of me, you¡¯ll pay for this¡­¡± He raised his hand to hit Cornelia, but before his hand could reach her, it was grabbed by a strong hand. There was a loud cracking sound and his wrist was broken. Cornelia had no idea how Marcus, who had just been in his car concentrating on his phone and not paying attention to what was going on outside, had appeared before the man hit her. Could Marcus teleport? The guy screamed in pain, ¡°Not only did you cause an ident, you also hit me. I won¡¯t let you get away with this. I¡¯ll expose you, just you wait.¡± Marcus coldly asked, ¡°You wanted to hit her?¡± The guy answered, ¡®She¡¯s ungrateful. I wanted to sleep with her and she refused, even insulted me.¡± A loud p echoed, and the guy¡¯s face instantly swelled up. Marcus never personally hit people, as Ayden usually did it for him. But this time, he didn¡¯t wait for Ayden After the p, he stepped on the guy, ¡°You still want to sleep with her?¡± Scared senseless, the guy trembled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have wanted to hit her. I shouldn¡¯t have those disgusting thoughts.¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 852 Chapter 852 Marcus, ¡°Get the hell out of here!¡± The man struggled to get up, his legs so wobbly that he had trouble getting into his car. Cornelia stopped him, ¡°Hold up a minute.¡± The man, ¡°What now?¡± Cornelia, ¡°Give me your bank ount number.¡± The man, not knowing what she was up to, trembled as he gave her his bank ount number. Cornelia immediately transferred two hundred dors to him and noted, ¡°This fender bender is on us. I¡¯ve sent you thepensation.¡± He didn¡¯t want to take the money and thought about reporting itter, but under Cornelia¡¯s gaze, he didn¡¯t dare not to. epting the money meant epting the settleme Once she saw the payment go through, Cornelia smiled, ¡°You can go now.¡± The guy quickly drove off, leaving Cornelia and Marcus by themselves. Marcus moved a bit closer to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± ¡°President Hartley, you shouldn¡¯t have taken matters into your own hands. It¡¯s bad for your image.¡± Cornelia said without looking at him. She went to his car to check the damage. It wasn¡¯t too bad, just some paint chipped off. But the repair would certainly cost a pretty penny, an amount she didn¡¯t even dare to imagine. Cornelia thought it was such a waste of money. But at least he was okay. She called Zack, ¡°Zack, go check out the car at the dealership, I¡¯ll catch up with you.¡± After making the call, Cornelia finally turned to Marcus, ¡°President Hartley, please sit in the passenger seat.¡± Marcus moved to the passenger side, and Cornelia got into the driver¡¯s seat and started the car. Marcus, ¡°Are we going home?¡± ¡°I recall you have an important meeting today. I¡¯ll drop you off at the office first, then take your car to be repaired.¡± Cornelia drove straight to the Hartley Group. It didn¡¯t take long to get there as it was quite close, ¡°President Hartley, you can get out now. I¡¯ve contacted the insurancepany, and I¡¯ll take the car to the dealership. Once it¡¯s fixed, they¡¯ll deliver it to your house.¡± She didn¡¯t leave him high and dry after the ident and had quicklye to his side. He thought that maybe she had softened up and wasn¡¯t angry anymore. But hearing how polite she was being to him, he realized she was still mad. Marcus, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± Cornelia, ¡°President Hartley, is there anything else you need? If not, please get out of the car.¡± When Marcus stayed silent, Cornelia urged him again, ¡°President Hartley, please get out. After you¡¯ve dealt with your business, I have my own private matters to attend to.¡± Marcus had no choice but to get out. As soon as he did, Cornelia hit the gas hard, and the car shot out like an arrow, quickly disappearing from his sight.Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 853 Chapter 853 Marcus stormed into the meeting room out of the blue, his fury effectively silencing everyone present. Everyone couldn¡¯t figure out how President Hartley, who had been all smiles in the morning, could be so enraged, like a monster, in such a short period of time. But they all promptly stood up, ¡°President Hartley¡­¡± Marcus shot everyone a cold look before taking his seat at the head of the table. ¡°Carry on!¡± As he sat there, doing absolutely nothing, everyone in the room began to stutter with nerves. Ben was closest to Marcus, thus the most likely to suffer from his wrath. He had to figure out why Marcus was angry to dodge any potential fallout. So, when no one was looking, Ben sneakily sent a message to Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, SOS!¡± It took Cornelia a while to reply, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Ben, ¡°Do you know why President Hartley is angry?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Cornelia, ¡°I¡¯ve been on a break recently, not with President Hartley. How would I know why he¡¯s angry?¡± Ben, ¡°We¡¯re all colleagues here, just tell me straight.¡± In his mind, he thought, ¡°I know you¡¯re his wife, what¡¯s with the act?¡± After he sent it, Cornelia didn¡¯t return the message. So, he guessed that President Hartley¡¯s happiness, as well as his anger, had something to do with Cornelia Since when did Cornelia have such a big influence on President Hartley? Before, President Hartley never had anything to do with women. No one could sway his moods and it was rare to see him visibly happy or angry. But Cornelia was different. Women, what iprehensible creatures! And marriage, even more so! He was relieved that he didn¡¯t want to get married, so he didn¡¯t have to deal with such puzzling beings. After handing Marcus¡¯ car over to the insurancepany, Cornelia caught a cab to the Mercedes dealership to meet Zack. By the time she arrived, Zack was done test-driving and was haggling over the price with the salesman. After a few rounds of negotiation, Cornelia generously bought the car. The whole process was wrapped up in less than two hours. Once he got the new car, Zack didn¡¯t even want to look at the old one. He told the salesman, ¡°I¡¯m taking the new one. Leave the old one here. I¡¯ll pick it upter.¡± The salesman smiled, ¡°Sure.¡± Zack was in a great mood driving the new car, ¡°Cornelia, let¡¯s go for a spin, then I¡¯ll pick up Abby from the train station and we can go for some BBQ.¡± Cornelia, ¡°Ok.¡± Zack, ¡°How about the beach near Harmony Hills Estates?¡± Chapter 854 Chapter 854 That boulevard was the prettiest sightseeing spot in Riverton. It ended right at Marcus Hartley¡¯s mansion. Cornelia wasn¡¯t feeling up for anything remotely rted to Marcus right now. ¡°Forget it, let¡¯s just cruise around.¡± Zack drove Cornelia around the city aimlessly. She barely said a word during the whole hour. Finally, Zack couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s going on between you and Marcus?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just a minor disagreement between a couple. A little quarrel and fussing are quite common,¡± Cornelia regretted letting Zack pick her up today. After all, airing their dirtyundry wasn¡¯t exactly ideal. Zackmented, ¡°Marriage sounds like such a has s l e!¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What are you on about?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Zack replied, ¡°I¡¯m just saying, marriage seems like a drag. Being single is much more chill.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°So, you¡¯ve given up on the idea of getting married?¡± Zack replied, ¡°I don¡¯t see it happening any time soon. I¡¯ve always thought it¡¯s something you can¡¯t force. Let it be.¡± Corneliamented, ¡°Your folks are definitely going to set you up with someone when you go home for Christmas.¡± Zack agreed, ¡°No doubt about that. You know how many blind dates I¡¯ve been to in a single day when I¡¯m back home?¡± Cornelia guessed, ¡°Three?¡± Zack corrected, ¡°Six! I barely finish one when they¡¯re rushing me to the next. I met six girls in a span of one day. I couldn¡¯t remember a single face when I got home.¡± Corneliamented, ¡°Six is a bit much.¡± Zack replied, ¡°Sometimes I think, maybe your way isn¡¯t so bad. Met the right person on the first blind date, and got married. No more blind dates. No more nagging from parents.¡± Corneliamented, ¡°Getting married doesn¡¯t mean the nagging stops, like when your parents start pushing you to have kids.¡± Zack added, ¡°Yeah, just yesterday my mom was telling me on the phone that even if I don¡¯t get married, I should at least have a child.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Who are you supposed to have a child with if you¡¯re not married?¡± Zack replied, ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know. I think my mom¡¯s gone a bit bonkers wanting me to tie the knot. I reminded her that I¡¯m still young, only 25. She countered that when my dad was this age, I was almost two. She even calcted that if I got married now, it would take almost a year for my wife to get pregnant and give birth. I¡¯d be 26 by then.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Parents are often like that, always pushing us to get married and have kids, as if it¡¯s the only way to have aplete life.¡± Zack agreed, ¡°Yeah, who said we have to get married and have kids? Some people want to, and that¡¯s cool. But if some people don¡¯t want to, that¡¯s cool too. Isn¡¯t life about doing what makes us happy?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Do you remember our high school ssmate Patty?¡± Zack replied, ¡°Of course, what about her?¡± Cornelia said, ¡°She and her twin brother both got epted into universities. Her school was actually better. But their parents believed that girls would eventually get married, so further education was pointless. They only funded her brother¡¯s college education.¡± Zack added, ¡°I remember that. Our teachers even raised funds hoping she could continue her studies. But her parents firmly disagreed. Even after the money was raised, she never went to college.¡± Cornelia continued, ¡°She was married off before she was even of age. Luckily, her husband was decent enough and respected her wishes to wait before having children. But after a year, when there were no signs of pregnancy, his family started badmouthing her. His parents even tried to force him to divorce her and return their wedding gifts ¡°With no other choice, she had a child. Unfortunately, it was a girl and her inws were obsessed with having a boy. They forced her to have another child, demanding it be a boy. I remember she already had three kids when we were still in college. I don¡¯t know how she¡¯s doing now.¡± Chapter 855 Chapter 855 Zack said. ¡°This Christmas, my mom mentioned that some of my ssmates already have five or six kids while I¡¯m still single. I think she was referring to Patty. Nelly, you and Abby can¡¯t be like this, we should have some dignity, we can¡¯t just be baby-making machines for others.¡± Cornelia responded, ¡°I understand that, but there are certain times in life that we just can¡¯t do what we want to do.¡± Zack asked. ¡°So, is the issue between you and Marcus about having a child? Did he force you¡­¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°No, he didn¡¯t force me to have a child. He¡¯s been good to me, it¡¯s me who wanted a child¡­¡± Zack asked, ¡°Why? Didn¡¯t you say before that you wanted to wait until your job was stable before having a child? Why the sudden change of mind?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Because my grandmother wants to see my child¡­¡± Zack said. ¡°So, in fact, Marcus is your tool for having a baby! Nelly, I didn¡¯t expect you to be the selfish one.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Am I really selfish?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Zack asked. ¡°Do you like him?¡± Comelia replied, ¡°Abby just asked me this question. You don¡¯t need to ask again.¡± Zack said. ¡°You don¡¯t like him!¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°He¡¯s my husband. I will surely like him.¡± Zack said, ¡°He¡¯s your husband, and you think the only man you can like is him. That¡¯s a sense of duty, not true liking.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°You¡¯ve never even been in love, how could you possibly understand?¡± Zack replied, ¡°An outsider sees the most of the game.¡± Comelia didn¡¯t reply. Did she like Marcus? Did she really like him? Comelia kept asking herself this question in her heart. But she couldn¡¯t give herself a definite answer. At six in the evening. Abigail returned to Riverton. Cornelia and Zack went to pick her up and then they went for a barbecue. After the barbecue, they went to check out their new home. The weather in Riverton was hot, but because their new house was built with eco-friendly materials, there was no pungent smell inside. Comelia said, ¡®Let¡¯s move as soon as possible.¡± Zack replied, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree to wait until summer is over? It¡¯s very hot now, which is when furniture releases formaldehyde. For health reasons, we should moveter.¡± Comelia said, ¡®Im just a bit worried¡­¡± Zack and Abigail knew what Cornelia was worrying about. They both hugged her. Abigail said, ¡°Nelly, didn¡¯t you say that your grandma¡¯s health has improved recently? As long as she rests well, she will be fine. She will be able to move to the new house with you, stay with you all the time, and even see you have your own child.¡± Comelia replied, ¡°Yes, she will.¡± Comelia didn¡¯t understand why, buttely, she kept thinking about random things whenever she had free time. She was afraid of Granny Reba suddenly leaving her. After they finished checking the house, they drove their new car slowly home. She didn¡¯t expect to see a luxury car parked by the road not far from the parking lot entrance Beside the car stood a tall, elegant man smoking non-stop. Comelia saw Marcus, but pretended not to see him. Chapter 856 Chapter 856 Chapter 856 Abigail had no clue about the tiff between Marcus and Cornelia. She rolled down the car window and greeted Marcus enthusiastically, ¡°Mr. Hartley, are you here to pick up Cornelia?¡± Marcus nodded, his gaze shifting to Cornelia behind her. Abigail joked, ¡°Cornelia, your hubby is here to pick you up. You should go with him.¡± Zack pulled over, ¡°Do you need to step out to talk to him?¡± Cornelia shook her head. Zack restarted the car and drove into the underground parking lot. Abigail asked, ¡°Did you guys have a fight?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°No¡­¡± Abigail pressed, ¡°Then why would you guys fight?¡± Cornelia reiterated, ¡°I said we didn¡¯t fight.¡± Abigail pointed out, ¡°He¡¯s waiting for you at doorstep. You didn¡¯t even say hi. And you¡¯re saying you didn¡¯t fight.¡± Cornelia fell silent. Back at home, she rushed to the window to look down. Marcus was still standing there, lighting another cigarette. When she first started working with him, he was a chain smoker. Then, for some reason, he quit smoking. Why was he smoking again? Abigail joined her at the window, following her gaze, ¡°Cornelia, what¡¯s going on with you two? It¡¯s boiling hot outside, like a sauna. Your husband has been standing there for a while. Aren¡¯t you going to acknowledge him?¡± Cornelia took out her phone and called Ayden, ¡°Tell your boss to go home. It¡¯s too hot, he could get a heatstroke.¡± Ayden said, ¡°I¡¯m here to follow orders, not to give advice.¡± Cornelia instructed, ¡°Tell him I ordered him to go.¡± Ayden questioned, ¡°Why don¡¯t you call him and tell him directly?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Cornelia didn¡¯t answer. Abigail chimed in, ¡°You always tell us tomunicate and not to bottle up feelings. Why are you giving him the cold shoulder?¡± Cornelia thought Abigail made sense, ¡°I¡¯ll go talk to him.¡± Cornelia stepped outside theplex. Marcus put out his cigarette and walked toward her, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± As he got closer, Cornelia smelled the tobo on him, ¡°Why are you smoking again?¡± He admitted, ¡°I¡¯m feeling uneasy.¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Because of me?¡± Marcus confessed, ¡°I¡¯m worried you won¡¯t need me anymore.¡± His terse response made Cornelia¡¯s eyes well up. She held back her tears and said, ¡°I won¡¯t leave you, but I have my own fears and worries¡­¡± She paused, then continued, ¡°I don¡¯t want to be dependent on you just because you¡¯re my husband. I don¡¯t want to follow your everymand. Before being your wife, I am Cornelia, an independent individual with my own thoughts.¡± She knew what she was doing and what kind of marriage she wanted. Mutual respect was the bare minimum. Even the closest person to her couldn¡¯t make decisions for her without her consent. This time it was moving her stuff, what was it gonna be next, and then the time after that? There was still a long road ahead. If she didn¡¯t interject this time, it would set a pattern of him always making decisions for her, making her increasingly reliant on him, and weakening her ability to take care of herself. She believed if she lost herself, not only would she despise herself, Marcus wouldn¡¯t like her either. Sure, some people might think she was being dramatic, that he was doing it for her own good, that she should unquestionably obey him, that she shouldn¡¯t have her own thoughts¡­ Chapter 857 Chapter 857 Chapter 857 Marcus reached out, gently holding her delicate hand in his, ¡°Cornelia, after you left, I gave it some real thought. I was out of line trying to make you stay and having your stuff moved without your say so. I won¡¯t pull a stunt like that again. Trust me!¡± Cornelia lifted her head slightly, her eyes meeting his genuine gaze from behind his silver sses. She wanted to believe him, believe he wouldn¡¯t deliberately hurt her. But, everyone had their moments of recklessness, losing their cool in the heat of the moment, not realizing what they were doing. Like Marcus this morning, if he really wanted to hurt her, she would have been cornered. He was just caught up in the moment, onlying back to his senses when he saw her tears. She didn¡¯t say anything, which made Marcus a little flustered, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± Cornelia¡¯s heart just melted, ¡°Have you had dinner yet?¡± Marcus shook his head, ¡°No.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°You know your stomach can¡¯t handle ski p ping meals.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°Come with me.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She held his hand and led him into the residential area, arriving at the house they were renting. Seeing them approach, Zack and Abigail quickly retreated inside, leaving the public area to them. The living room had no air conditioning, and it was sweltering. Cornelia led Marcus straight into her room and turned on the AC, ¡°Rest here for a bit.¡± She was about to leave when Marcus quickly caught her, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Comelia said, ¡°You didn¡¯t have dinner, right? I¡¯m going to cook for you.¡± Marcus said, ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± Cornelia said, ¡°The kitchen¡¯s too small for both of us.¡± Today¡¯s weather was exceptionally hot and humid, and outside felt like an oven. He was sweating profusely, and she was already worried that he might suffer from heatstroke. Despite this, he still wanted to apany her to the kitchen, which was even hotter. She was concerned about what to do if he got heatstroke. Marcus didn¡¯t respond. Cornelia left the room, returning shortly with a bottle of medicine for heatstroke, ¡°Drink this.¡± Marcus usually wouldn¡¯t touch this stuff with a ten-foot pole, but since it was from Cornelia, he obediently took it and drank it. After finishing, Cornelia took the empty bottle and left the room again. Entering the kitchen, she checked the fridge. There weren¡¯t many ingredients left, but she could still whip something up. She defrosted a small chunk of beef and made a te of beef spaghetti, then brought it to the room, ¡°There¡¯s not much left in the fridge, so spaghetti it is.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Marcus took the te and started to wolf it down. He never had such an appetite before, even when eating the world¡¯s finest dishes. Yet, somehow, this simple te of spaghetti tasted like the most exquisite delicacy to him. After finishing, he showed Cornelia his empty te, ¡°Look, I cleaned my te, there is nothing left.¡± He was acting like a child trying to please her. Cornelia took Marcus¡¯ te, gently touched his forehead, and felt his temperature had gone down, heatstroke seemed unlikely now, ¡°Go home.¡± Marcus, ¡°You still haven¡¯t forgiven me?¡± Cornelia, ¡°I mean let¡¯s go home together.¡± Marcus instantly held onto her hand tightly, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go home, that¡¯s fine. I can stay here.¡± If she was willing topromise for him, he was willing to do the same for her. Cornelia once had the same thought but was worried he wouldn¡¯t get used to it, ¡°We¡¯re sharing this apartment, and we all use the same bathroom. Plus, the apartment is kind of old. The windows don¡¯t do much for soundproofing. There are a lot of residents in this residential area, it can get noisy at night. You¡¯re a light sleeper, so you might have trouble sleeping¡± Marcus, ¡°I¡¯ll manage.¡± Given that they were all sharing the apartment and Abigail was a girl, Cornelia felt it wasn¡¯t appropriate for Marcus to stay. ¡®Let¡¯s pot. We don¡¯t have any spare clothes for you here.¡± Chapter 858 Chapter 858 Chapter 858 I¡¯m all set. Marcus whipped out his phone and made a quick call, and in no time, someone brought over a ginormous suitcase. The suitcase was crammed full of stuff, not just clothes but all his daily necessities. It almost seemed like he was nning to stay for quite a while. Marcus opened up the suitcase and started to unpack. His cli t hes took up half of Comelia¡¯s wardrobe, and his toiletries took up half of her vanity table. In just a few moments, though, the room seemed to have been taken over by him, as if he¡¯d been living here for a long time. Comelia was speechless. After he was done unpacking Marcus picked out some clothes, ¡°I need to take a shower.¡± And off he went to the bathroom. Before long, he emerged from the bathroom in his pajamas and returned to the room. He was utterly at ease, showing no signs of difort at being in someone else¡¯s home Cornelia was once again speechless. It felt like he was trying to turn her ce into his home! Marcus advised, ¡°You should take a shower too and get some rest. You have a busy day at work tomorrow¡± Tomorrow, Cornelia had to go to work. Plus, she was currently handling the most important project of the year, so she couldn¡¯t afford to make any mistakes. Following his advice, Comelia picked up her clothes and went to take a shower. After her shower, she habitually hand washed her underwear. While washing her undies, she remembered that Marcus should have some dirty ones too. But there were no clothes of his in the bathroom. Did he wash his own underwear? That was a good habit. When Cornelia came out of the shower and hung her underwear on the balcony, there was still no sign of Marcus¡¯ clothes. Did he not change his underwear? Cornelia decided to go back to her room and ask him. Before entering her room, she nced at Abigail and Zack¡¯s doors, ¡°What are you guys up to? If you want to peep, at least have the guts to do it openly.¡± Abigail and Zack poked their heads out of their rooms, ¡°We¡¯re not spying.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Fine, I trust you.¡± Abigail added, ¡°The soundproofing here isn¡¯t great, so you two better keep it down tonight.¡± Cornelia was speechless. When she got back to her room, Marcus was already sprawled out on her bed. He was even flipping through heric book, ¡°You¡¯re intoics too?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Yeah.¡± Marcus asked, ¡°Do you like guys like this?¡± Cornelia was confused, ¡°What?¡± Marcus rified, ¡°The male lead in thisic.¡± Corneliaughed, ¡°Oh,ic characters? I have a long list of likes¡­ Do you know who my first favorite comic character was?¡± Marcus was curious, ¡°Who?¡± Cornelia revealed, ¡°A dog!¡± Marcus was taken aback, ¡°You liked a dog!¡± Cornelia affirmed, ¡°Yeah! A dog!¡± Marcus was speechless. He couldn¡¯t evenpete with a dog! It was at this moment that Cornelia remembered her earlier question, ¡°I didn¡¯t see your clothes on the balcony, did you wash your underwear?¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 859 Chapter 859 Chapter 859 Marcus asked, ¡°Does that need to be washed?¡± Cornelia was speechless. He was a clean freak! He never wore his outer clothes for more than a day, how could he possibly wear the same underwear for two days? How was she supposed to deal with this? Suddenly, she started to feel an aversion towards him! Then she heard him say, ¡°I throw my underwear away after wearing them once. I change into fresh pair every day. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can check for yourself.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°I believe you! I believe you!¡± Okay, she admitted that she was being narrow-minded. She had never experienced the luxurious life of the rich. Cornelia ignored him and went to sit in front of her vanity for her skincare rountine. By the time she finished, Marcus had alreadyid down. The bed was not meant for two people. Once heid down, there was hardly any space left for her. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Slowly, Cornelia approached the bed. Just as she sat down, his strong arm reached out and pulled her into a tight embrace. He buried his face in her neck, breathing in her unique scent and let out a content sigh, ¡°Cornelia, can we stop fighting?¡± Cornelia replied sullenly, ¡°You think I like to fight?¡± Did he know how upset she was after their fight today? He probably didn¡¯t. Marcus said, ¡°No matter what, we should alwaysmunicate rationally. Neither of us can mention divorce again.¡± Cornelia knew that mentioning divorce would hurt, ¡°I promise you, I won¡¯t casually mention divorce.¡± With her promise, Marcus held her even tighter. It felt so good to hold her like this! He was holding her so tightly that Cornelia was having a hard time breathing. She shifted a little and identally pulled open his shirt, revealing his muscr chest. As she looked up, she saw several fresh wounds of varying degrees on his chest. Cornelia immediately became worried, ¡°What happened to your chest?¡± Marcus replied, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°How would I know!¡± Too worried, Cornelia didn¡¯t catch his hint. In her panic, she pulled open his shirt further to see more wounds on his back. Some were big, some were small, all of varying depth. It hurt her to see him like this, ¡°Who did this to you? I want Ayden back by your side, I don¡¯t need him with me.¡± Marcus answered, ¡°You really forgot?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What?¡± Marcus said, ¡°These wounds were from the little wildcatst night¡­¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t respond. Memories of the past flooded back to her. She was in painst night, and she made him feel the same¡­ Seeing Cornelia¡¯s face turn red, Marcus knew that she remembered, ¡°You finally remembered?¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to talk to him anymore. She buried her face in his chest and kept quiet. Marcus laughed, a deep and resonatingugh. Cornelia said, ¡°Noughing!¡± Marcus replied, ¡°Okay, I won¡¯tugh.¡± Seeing him suppress hisughter, Cornelia looked up at him. She reached out and gently touched his wounds, ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± Marcus said, ¡°No!¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°Do you have any ointment? I can apply it for you.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°No need. I¡¯m fine.¡± Chapter 860 Chapter 860 Chapter 860 These were the marks she left on him, and he didn¡¯t want to erase them at all, hoping the scars could stay as long as possible. Cornelia said, ¡°You think you¡¯re invincible or something? You always think you¡¯re fine, but you¡¯re not even as fit as me.¡± Marcus couldn¡¯tprehend how such a small body could utter those words. He said, ¡°I¡¯m beat. We should hit the sack.¡± The bed was small, they were close to each other, but no sexual thoughts crossed their minds. They just slept peacefully through the night. The next day, they both got up at the crack of dawn. The bathroom was tiny, they squeezed in together to brush their teeth and wash their faces. Their bodies, one tall and one short, reflected in the bathroom mirror. Oddly enough, it made them seem like a perfect match. Cornelia identally got some toothpaste foam on her nose, and Marcus naturally reached out to wipe it off for her. Cornelia didn¡¯t find it strange at all, as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Then, they headed out. As soon as they left, Abigail and Zack bolted out of their rooms. They nced at each other and said in unison, ¡°They didn¡¯t do anythingst night! They¡¯re newlyweds!¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you think something¡¯s off with them?¡± Zack replied, ¡°I¡¯m actually starting to dig Marcus.¡± Abigail asked, ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Zack replied, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t get it.¡± Cornelia wanted to head off to the office separately, but Marcus insisted on going with her. He said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you giving me a lift to work?¡± leaving Cornelia speechless. They arrived at the office early; only Ynda and a new colleague Cornelia was not very familiar with were there. After greeting them, Ynda pulled Cornelia aside, ¡°Ms. Stewart, I¡¯d like a word with you, do you have a moment?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Yeah.¡± Ynda said, ¡°Come with me.¡± Cornelia followed Ynda to her desk, where Ynda asked in a low voice, ¡°Cornelia, what exactly is your rtionship with President Hartley?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Superior and employee, why do you suddenly ask me that?¡± Ynda pressed on, ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again, what exactly is your rtionship with President Hartley?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ynda said, ¡°Answer me.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°We¡¯re superior and employee.¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to tell Ynda the truth. After Cornelia¡¯s firm answer, thest glimmer of hope in Ynda¡¯s eyes vanished. She suddenly laughed, ¡°Cornelia, I always thought you became President Hartley¡¯s secretary based on your own abilities, but look at what you¡¯ve done?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What have I done?¡± Ynda sent Cornelia a video, ¡°See for yourself.¡± Cornelia pulled out her phone and saw the video sent by Ynda. Cornelia yed the video, which showed her and Marcus. They were walking out of the office, chatting about something, when suddenly Marcus picked her up. Ynda asked, ¡°Got anything to say now?¡± Cornelia was silent for a while, without answering. Seeing Cornelia¡¯s silence, Ynda angrily said, ¡°Cornelia, the evidence is right there, won¡¯t you admit that you tried to seduce President Hartley? You know he¡¯s married, yet you still tried to tempt him. Have you no shame?¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°The video clearly shows him picking me up, why couldn¡¯t he be the one trying to seduce me? Why is it that I¡¯m the seducer? Is it because he¡¯s a man? Or because he¡¯s richer than me?¡± Ynda angrily said, ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re shameless!¡±N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Chapter 861 Chapter 861 Chapter 861 Cornelia was puzzled. Why did people naturally me the woman when a man and a woman were together, assuming it was the woman who seduced the man? In a rtionship, it was impossible for only one person to do something wrong. It was a mistake made by two people together, and both should be med, so why did people only me the woman? Ynda was so angry her face turned red. ¡°Cornelia, how can you say such outrageous things!¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t have particrly close colleagues at work. She was somewhat close with Ynda, but not close enough to share everything with her. If Ynda thought she was outrageous, then so be it. Cornelia turned to leave, but Ynda got desperate. ¡°Cornelia, aren¡¯t you afraid I¡¯ll make the video public and let everyone in thepany see your true colors?¡± Cornelia turned back and smiled slightly. ¡°If you dared to release the video, you would have done it already. Why would you wait till now? So, what¡¯s your real agenda?¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Cornelia¡¯s calm demeanor made Ynda doubt herself for a moment. ¡°Is there something going on between you and President Hartley? Did he force you? If so, tell me, and I¡¯ll delete the video and never bring it up again.¡± But when Ynda began to use Marcus, Cornelia wouldn¡¯t have it. ¡°He never forced me. Everything was voluntary.¡± ¡°So, there¡¯s no misunderstanding.¡± Ynda said. ¡°You¡¯re a homewrecker.¡± Cornelia neither admitted nor denied it. She was satisfied seeing Ynda¡¯s rage. ¡°Rumors about you seducing other women¡¯s husbands back in your hometown are all over the inte, and it seems you haven¡¯t changed,¡± Ynda said. Corneliaughed coldly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you respect yourself, even though you have the ability?¡± Ynda asked. ¡°Cut the cra p. What do you want me to do?¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°You resign immediately and leave the Hartley Group. Give up the position that wasn¡¯t supposed to be yours in the first ce, and let the person who should have it reim it,¡± Ynda said. ¡°The person who should have the position, is that you?¡± Corneliaughed. ¡°In the assessment, I won with a clear advantage. Your scoresbined were still lower than mine. If someone as excellent as me is not worthy to be President Hartley¡¯s secretary, then who is?¡± Ynda was taken aback, but quickly responded, ¡°I used to admire you because I thought you got this position through your abilities. Now I don¡¯t, because I was wrong. All along, it was your rtionship with President Hartley, not your abilities.¡± That was exactly why Cornelia didn¡¯t want Marcus to reveal their rtionship. She had earned her position through hard work, but if people found out about her deeper rtionship with Marcus, they would assume she got this position due to a special rtionship, negating all her previous efforts. ¡°You know best whether I relied on a special rtionship,¡± Cornelia didn¡¯t want to say much, and turned to leave. Just as she took a few steps, she received a message from Marcus. ¡°I¡¯ve sent breakfast over,e to my office and let¡¯s eat together.¡± Cornelia replied, ¡°Okay.¡± When Cornelia arrived at his office, which had a sp ac ious suite including a bedroom, a living room, and so on, Marcus had already set breakfast on the dining table in the living room. ¡°Come and eat.¡± Cornelia sat down next to him and started eating without a word. Seeing her mood, Marcus reached out and touched her head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡± After finishing the food in her mouth, Cornelia spoke slowly, ¡°When you chose me as your assistant out of three candidates, you didn¡¯t know I was your wife, did you?¡± Chapter 862 Chapter 862 Chapter 862 Marcus handed her a napkin, helping her wipe some food off her mouth, ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Why did you pick me over the other two then?¡± Cornelia asked. Marcus replied, ¡°Maybe I have a special feeling for you, or your name just sounds familiar.¡± This answer didn¡¯t satisfy Cornelia, ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of my abilities?¡± Marcus felt a pang of sympathy, ¡°The fact that you stood before me for selection already proves your ability. The job only needs one person, and I thought you were the best fit, so I picked you. The past year, you¡¯ve proved with your performance that I was right in choosing you.¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org ¡°Did you find me suitable because I¡¯m pretty?¡± Cornelia asked. ¡°Having an attractive appearance is also a kind of ability,¡± Marcus said. ¡°I¡¯m trying to have a serious conversation with you. Don¡¯t joke around,¡± Cornelia chided. ¡°Has anyone questioned your work ability?¡± Marcus asked. ¡°I¡¯m worried that once our rtionship is out, everyone will think I got this job because of my connection with you,¡± Cornelia confessed. Marcus sensed her unease. He moved closer, gently patting her back trying tofort her, ¡°When we¡¯re not yet strong enough, we¡¯ll hear all sorts of doubts every day. But that¡¯s okay, we need to learn to grow amidst doubts, to be stronger. Then, you¡¯ll be the one setting the rules, everyone will respect you.¡± When he took over the Hartley Group, he faced a lot of doubts too. Most people thought he was too young, incapable of shouldering the huge responsibility of the Hartley Group. In the end, he proved with his abilities that he could not only shoulder the responsibility, but also did a great job. ¡°But not everyone can be as strong and outstanding as you,¡± Cornelia said. Marcus felt thrilled hearing Cornelia¡¯s praise. He chuckled, ¡°We don¡¯t need topare ourselves with others; we just need topare ourselves with our past selves. As long as today¡¯s self has made a little progresspared to yesterday¡¯s self, that¡¯s all that matters.¡± Hearing this, Cornelia understood, ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Marcus said, ¡°You¡¯re the best girl I¡¯ve ever met.¡± Hearing his praise, Cornelia blushed, ¡°Let¡¯s get to breakfast!¡± The meeting started promptly at nine in the morning. All the attendees were the same people who had seen the video of Marcus and Cornelia kissingst time, so they all looked at Marcus and Cornelia the same way Ben did. They wanted to get a good look at them, but didn¡¯t dare to stare directly at Marcus, so they kept ncing at Cornelia from time to time. Cornelia felt the strange atmosphere and figured it was the aftermath of the photo incident. Marcus deleted the photos as quickly as he could, but he couldn¡¯t erase people¡¯s memories. If everyone saw her as a home wrecker, she wouldn¡¯t be surprised. Chapter 863 Chapter 863 Chapter 863 Cornelia worked hard to ignore the odd nces thrown her way, throwing herself wholeheartedly into her work. Even after several days off, her teamwork with Marcus remained a seamless dance. Seeing how well they worked together, Ben thought they were a perfect match. Not only did he think their marriage was a match made in heaven, but their working chemistry was also top-notch. In the past, he also had to go through a series of selections to finally have the opportunity to get close to Marcus. When he first started working closely with Marcus, he struggled to keep up with Marcus¡¯ work pace, even making a few minor mistakes. Luckily, the mistakes weren¡¯t serious, and Marcus let him stick around. It took him a while to finally get the hang of it. As for Comelia, from day one of being assigned to work with Marcus, she was outstanding. Throughout the year, he¡¯d never seen her make a single mistake. Who would ve thought, such a ster girl, turned out to be President Hartley¡¯s wife! N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Lost in his thoughts, Marcus¡¯ private phone suddenly rang. Marcus picked up the phone, hearing Granny Luisa¡¯s frantic voice, ¡°Mare, you gotta bring Nelly home right away, Granny Reba is on her deathbed¡± Despite having faced death many times, this news still hit Marcus hard. He barely believed his own ears, ¡°What did you say?¡± Granny Luisa¡¯s sobbing voice came through again, ¡°You gotta bring Nelly back asap, otherwise she might not get to see her granny onest time.¡± ¡°Postpone the meeting!¡± Marcus decided on the spot, hung up the phone, and grabbed Cornelia, ¡°Cornelia, we need to go right now!¡± After they left, their colleagues were confused. Colleague A asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with President Hartley?¡± Colleague B said, ¡°President Hartley has been acting weirdtely. I heard from someone who attended the meeting yesterday that he disappeared halfway through it.¡± Colleague C spected, ¡°President Hartley took Cornelia away in the middle of a meeting, could his needs be so urgent that he couldn¡¯t wait for the meeting to end?¡± Ben sternly said, ¡°Cut the cr ap!¡± Usually, Ben was approachable and nobody was afraid of him, but after all, he worked closely with Marcus, so he represented Marcus. Once he was stern, everyone else fell silent. Cornelia was dragged out of the meeting room by Marcus, bumping into a colleague on the way. She tried to shake off his hand, but she couldn¡¯t, ¡°President Hartley, we¡¯re at the office. You can¡¯t drag me around like this. It¡¯s inappropriate if people see.¡± Marcus ignored her and pulled her directly into the elevator, going down to the fourth basement floor. He then approached her car and pushed her into the passenger seat He got into the driver seat, started the car, and zoomed off. Comelia sensed something was up, ¡°President Hartley, did something happen?¡± He didn¡¯t respond, his face extremely somber. Chapter 864 Chapter 864 Chapter 864 Cornelia gently ced her hand on his tightly gripped steering wheel and said softly, ¡°No matter what happens, remember you¡¯re not alone, I¡¯ll always be there with you.¡± Her words filled Marcus with warmth and touched his heart, ¡®Cornelia¡­¡± He didn¡¯t have the guts to tell Cornelia the truth, worried she¡¯d fall apart before they got home, worried she couldn¡¯t handle such a blow. In the past, he was fearless, even towards death. But now, anything involving Cornelia, even the tiniest thing, made him anxious. This feeling of worry, born out of caring for someone, was both beautiful and painful¡­ Cornelia, I¡¯m always here.¡± Marcus paused for a moment, then said, ¡°What you just said to me, is what I want to say to you. No matter what happens, remember you have me, and I¡¯ll always be there with you, till the end of time!¡± Cornelia said, ¡°We¡¯ll always be there for each other. No matter what happens, we won¡¯t part.¡± Marcus, ¡°Okay¡± He stepped on the gas, hoping to get to their destination as soon as possible. If he couldn¡¯t save Granny Reba¡¯s life, he hoped Cornelia could see her onest time to lessen any regrets. Usually, this journey would take forty minutes, but today Marcus drove at full speed and arrived in half the time. Patricia was already waiting at the door. Seeing their car, she couldn¡¯t help but cry, ¡°Cornelia, hurry up, your grandma is waiting for you.¡± Cornelia was a bit confused, ¡°Patricia, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Patricia¡­¡± Marcus didn¡¯t let Patricia cont¨ªnue. He immediately got out of the car, took Cornelia¡¯s hand, and led her into the house. Cornelia seemed to realize something. She was a bit nervous and her steps were a bit shaky, but luckily Marcus was there to steady her. There was a crowd of people outside Granny Reba¡¯s room. When they arrived, the crowd parted to let them through. Marcus led Cornelia through the crowd and smoothly arrived at Granny Reba¡¯s bedside. Granny Luisa quickly made room, ¡°Nelly,e here quickly, your grandma has something to say to you.¡± Cornelia finally saw her grandma. Granny Reba was lying on the bed, her face as pale as transparent paper and so thin it was just skin and bones. But she remembered that when she left a few days ago, Granny Reba was still healthy, still joking with Patricia. How could she have be like this in just a few days? ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Cornelia sat next to Granny Reba¡¯s bed, tightly gripping her hand, her voice trembling, ¡°Grandma, where do you feel ufortable? Can you tell me, please?¡± ¡°Nelly¡­¡± Granny Reba struggled to make a weak sound, only audible if the room was quiet enough and she listened carefully. Cornelia said, ¡°I¡¯m here¡­¡± ¡°Marc¡­¡± Granny Reba made every effort, reaching out to Marcus, ¡°Marc,e here too, I have something to say to both of you¡­¡± Marcus immediately stepped forward, his tall figure crouching in front of Granny Reba¡¯s bed, ¡°I¡¯m here, go on, I¡¯m listening¡­¡± Granny Reba grabbed his hand and ced it on Cornelia¡¯s, ¡°Marc, I¡¯m entrusting Nelly to you. I hope you¡¯ll always treat her well. If one day, you find a girl you like and want to divorce Nelly, please tell her directly. Don¡¯t hide it, and don¡¯t keep it from her. That¡¯s the only way to minimize the hurt¡­¡± Marcus made a solemn promise, ¡°I swear, I¡¯ll treat Nelly well all my life, I¡¯ll only love Nelly, and I¡¯ll never like any other girl. I¡¯ll never be irresponsible to her.¡±Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Chapter 865 Chapter 865 Chapter 865 Granny Reba weakly said, ¡°Right now, you fancy Nelly and think you two could spend your life together. But love is fickle, and no one can predict it. You just have to promise me you¡¯ll treat Nelly right¡­¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t say things like this. I¡¯m calling the doctor¡­¡± Cornelia suddenly shouted out of control, ¡°Doctor! Get a doctor! Please, somebody get a doctor!¡± Granny Luisa got anxious, afraid she wouldn¡¯t have the chance to finish her final words. ¡°Nelly, listen to your grandma. We¡¯ve already seen the best doctors in Riverton¡­. She couldn¡¯t bear to say the cruel truth, she hoped Granny Reba could get better, but there was no chance of her surviving. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it¡­ I don¡¯t¡­¡± Cornelia grabbed Granny Reba¡¯s hand and ced it on her stomach. ¡°Haven¡¯t you always wanted me to have a baby for you to hold? I might already be pregnant. In a few months, you¡¯ll be able to hold the baby you¡¯ve always wanted.¡± Hearing the good news, Granny Reba¡¯s lifeless eyes instantly lit up with a faint spark. ¡°Good¡­¡± Cornelia continued, ¡°I think it¡¯s a boy, a handsome boy just like Marc. His name, it has to be chosen by you¡­¡± ¡°Cornelia, if you don¡¯t let Granny Reba speak now, you won¡¯t get the chance to hear what she wants to tell you.¡± Marcus held Cornelia, forcing her to calm down. ¡°Listen to her first.¡± Comelia didn¡¯t want to listen. She thought that if she didn¡¯t let Granny Reba finish, then she would always be by her side. ¡°Can you think of a name for me? Granny Reba took a moment before finally speaking. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought of a name yet, only a nickname that can be used for both boy and girl. Let¡¯s call them Hope¡± It was a simple and direct name. Granny Reba didn¡¯t wish for the child to be extraordinary, just healthy throughout its life. ¡°Okay. No matter if it¡¯s a boy or girl, the name will be Hope.¡± To keep Granny Reba with her, Cornelia tried to keep the conversation going. ¡°If I have twins, one name won¡¯t be enough. Can youC¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org think of more names for me¡­¡± Granny Reba said, ¡°If it¡¯s twins, then name one Faith and the other Harmony. Or one Hope and the other Grace.¡± Comelia said, ¡°Okay, if I have four kids, Faith, Harmony, Hope, Grace, I want all these names. You keep thinking, I want to have many, many children for you¡­¡± Granny Reba lifted her hand with effort, touching Cornelia¡¯s face. ¡°You silly girl! Do you really think this will make me stay?¡± Comelia nodded anxiously. ¡°Yes, you promised me, you would always be with me¡­¡± ¡°Nelly, I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Granny Reba¡¯s hand fell back down weakly. ¡°I really wanted to be with you forever, but I have to leave this time¡­¡± Cornelia shook her head violently. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to me, you¡¯ve never done anything wrong to me. How could I be here today without you?¡± However, Granny Reba firmly believed that she had been at fault with Cornelia. Even though her life wasing to an end, she couldn¡¯t forget the past. ¡°Nelly, I am sorry. It¡¯s my fault that I didn¡¯t protect you properly, and you had to endure so much pain. I am sorry for keeping you away from home all these years.¡± Chapter 866 Chapter 866 Chapter 866 Cornelia shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault.¡± Granny Reba took a long pause after each sentence, but she still tried hard to express her thoughts, because she knew that if she didn¡¯t say it now, she wouldn¡¯t have the chance anymore. ¡°I know, you agreed to get married to put my mind at ease. But I want you to understand, I didn¡¯t want you to get married for my own peace of mind. I just hoped you could find someone to rely on, someone who could take care of you in my ce. ¡°Marc is the grandson of my best friend, Luisa. When he was little, Luisa used to talk about him a lot. I trusted Luisa, and I believed her grandson must be a good kid, so I agreed to you two being together. ¡°I¡¯ve always been very cautious about your marriage, I didn¡¯t want you to get married just to fulfill a task, I just wanted you to be happy. I wanted to see your child, not because I really wanted to see this baby, but because I was worried that after I left, you wouldn¡¯t be able to hang in there. If you had a child, you¡¯d have something to hold on to. ¡°But now it¡¯s different, you have not only me, but also your husband, Granny Luisa, Briana, and Patricia. I¡¯m at ease.¡± Upon hearing these words, Cornelia was already crying her eyes out. ¡°No matter how good they are, or how much they love me, they can¡¯t rece you. If even you don¡¯t want me, how am I supposed to live?¡± ¡°No one can apany anyone forever. I can¡¯t apany you forever either, I just hope you can be happy.¡± Before she could finish her words, she slowly closed her eyes. She left this world forever, leaving her most cherished Nelly behind. *Granny, don¡¯t go! I beg you, don¡¯t go!¡± Cornelia held Granny Reba¡¯s body and sobbed loudly. ¡°Granny, you said you wouldn¡¯t leave me! You said you¡¯d help me take care of the baby! I¡¯m already trying to have a baby. Your wish will soon be fulfilled. You can¡¯t leave me.¡± ¡°Cornelia!¡± Marcus pulled Cornelia up and held her tightly in his arms. ¡°Granny Reba is gone. You need to be strong.¡± ¡°Marcus, you¡¯re Marcus, right?¡± Cornelia grabbed his hand like a madwoman. ¡°You know a lot of powerful people. They can surely save my granny, right? I beg you, you ask me to do, as long as you can bring my granny back.¡± Marcus said firmly, ¡°Cornelia, Granny Reba is gone.¡± whatever However, Cornelia¡¯s sanity had already copsed. She wouldn¡¯t listen to anyone¡¯s persuasion. She screamed like a wild beast out of control, ¡°I know you can save her, you must have a way. You¡¯re so powerful, and you can definitely save my granny. I beg you. Please save my granny¡­¡± If she kept going like this, she would definitely lose her mind. Having no other choice, Marcus called the doctor, ¡°Inject her with a sedative, now!¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Chapter 867 Chapter 867 Chapter 867 ¡°Marcus, I¡¯m begging you! Please, save my granny!¡± Cornelia clung to Marcus, gripping him so tightly her fingers were contorting. At this moment, Marcus was her lifeline, her buoy in the raging sea. She believed that if he wanted to, he could surely bring Granny Reba back from the brink. Marcus wanted to save Granny Reba too, but even with all his wealth and power, he was just as helpless as anyone else when it came to life and death. ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± He held her waist, repeating her name over and over again, hoping to bring her back to her senses, but to no avail. Dr. Lester was also there, ¡®Marc, Comelia is in a dangerous state. We need to give her a sedative right away to calm her down, or the consequences could be serious.¡± Marcus ordered, ¡°Watch the dosage. Don¡¯t harm her.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just let her sleep for a while. She¡¯ll be fine when she wakes up.¡± With Marcus¡¯ permission, Dr. Lester promptly administered a sedative to Cornelia. The drug took effect quickly, and Cornelia gradually calmed down. Momentster, her eyes closed and she copsed into Marcus¡¯ arms. After carrying her to her bedroom on the third floor, Marcus went downstairs to deal with Granny Reba¡¯s affairs¡­ Granny Luisa¡¯s eyes were red, and she was in a terrible state. As soon as she saw Marcus, tears began flowing again, ¡°Marc, Marc, what about Nelly¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t cry, let me go find Granny Reba¡¯s doctor and get to the bottom of things.¡± Marcus remembered that just the day before yesterday, when he and Cornelia were out, Granny Reba was fine. He had spoken to her doctor before leaving, who had told him that Granny Reba was recovering quickly and her physical and men tal states were good. Something must have gone terribly wrong when someone who was good in every way suddenly died, and he had to figure out what went wrong and gave Cornelia an exnation. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°You don¡¯t need to go find the doctor. I know what happened.¡± Granny Luisa gestured towards the door, where a man in his fifties was kneeling. That was John, who had been driving for Granny Luisa for decades. Both the Artis family and the Hartley family treated him like family. But now, John was kneeling upright, radiating a sense of resolve. ¡°I trusted him, that¡¯s why I let him near Granny Reba. But he added something to her medicine, causing her condition to worsen suddenly. Even the doctors couldn¡¯t save her.¡± Granny Luisa revealed. Marcus had entrusted Granny Reba to his most trusted people, thinking that she would be safe. He hadn¡¯t expected that the danger woulde from someone who had been with them for decades. Marcus stepped forward and looked down at John, ¡°When did Brennen Hartley get to you?¡± John, who had seemed unafraid of death, became agitated at these words, ¡°Marc, I hate Brennen as much as you do. How could I ever be used by him?¡± Marcus replied emotionlessly, ¡°Are you going to confess, or should I have someone interrogate you?¡± Chapter 868 Chapter 868 Chapter 868 John sakt I wasn¡¯t originally aiming for Granny Reba. My real target was Cornelia¡­¡± Before he even finished Marcus gave him a good kick, ¡°What did you just say? Say that again!¡± John coughed up blood then straightened up again, ¡°I said I wasn¡¯t nning on killing Granny Reba. My real target was Cornelia. But before I could get to her, you took her away from the Hartley Mansion. She got lucky escaped by the skin of her teeth. ¡°So I shifted my target to her grandma, Granny Reba. Cornelia was raised by her, and Cornelia sullied the Hartley family name with her disgraceful actions. Granny Reba can¡¯t wash her hands of this. She must pay for what she¡¯s done. I said I wouldn¡¯t let anyone hurt you guys, and I¡¯ll make sure of it¡± ¡°Who do you think you are, a judge? Marcus was fuming, like a devil from hell, ¡°You want to harm Cornelia, then I¡¯ll make sure your whole family pays. He called out, ¡°Ayden!¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Ayden immediately appeared, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, President Hartley. Before we hand him over to the police, I¡¯ll make sure he knows what regret tastes like.¡± There wasn¡¯t a hint of fear in John¡¯s eyes, and he was even smiling, ¡°Seeing that disgusting woman suffer more than death, trading my life for Granny Reba¡¯s, it¡¯s worth it, so worth it? Granny Luisa couldn¡¯t hold back her emotions anymore. She shouted, ¡°John, have you lost your mind? When did Cornelia and her grandma ever harm us?¡± ¡°She¡¯s a dirty woman, and there are pictures of her involved with other men circting on the inte. What makes her Marc¡¯s wife? She doesn¡¯t deserve it. Marc is too kind-hearted, didn¡¯t have the heart to kick her out, so I¡¯ll do it for him¡­¡± John said proudly, as if he didn¡¯tmit murder but did something grand instead. Granny Luisa, hearing John¡¯s words, was furious, ¡°Nonsense! You¡¯re just making excuses for your murder. We know Nelly better than you do. And even if Nelly had rtions with other men, Marc doesn¡¯t mind, why should you, an outsider care about this?¡± ¡°Outsider? Outsider?¡± John seemed deeply stung, repeating. ¡°Granny Luisa, you always said I was family. When did I be an outsider?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°You murdered someone, you killed my best friend, you insulted my grandson¡¯s wife, and you still want to be considered family?¡± John said ¡°Granny Luisa, I respect you, I treat Marc and Bri like my own children, I¡¯ve been loyal to you all these years, and everything I¡¯ve done was for you. I was thinking of the Hartley family. They can¡¯t make the same mistake again. Marc¡¯s mother had an affair, and it tarnished the Hartley family name. ¡°Now Marc¡¯s wife also had rtions with other men. It¡¯ll make the Hartley family feel ashamed because of her. I absolutely won¡¯t let this happen again.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°You¡¯re not one of the Hartley family.¡± Just one sentence from Granny Luisa had a big impact on John. He opened his mouth to say something, but couldn¡¯t find the words. Granny Luisa continued, ¡°Cornelia and her grandma are our family. They¡¯re an integral part of the Hartley family, and you¡¯re just an outsider. What right do you have to handle things on behalf of the Hartley family?¡± Hearing this, John was greatly affected, and he coughed up blood again. ¡°Tm the outsider¡­¡± Looking at Granny Luisa, the stubbornness in his eyes gradually faded, leaving an empty stare. His hair seemed to turn a lot grayer in that instant Chapter 869 Chapter 869 Chapter 869 Granny Luisa went on, ¡°I used to think of you as family, because you were diligent and loyal. But now, you¡¯ve made decisions on your own, supposedly for the Hartley family¡¯s benefit, but you¡¯ve actually hurt our real family. You¡¯re no longer fit to be one of us.¡± ¡°Granny Luisa, you once said you¡¯d always consider me family. You can¡¯t go back on your word!¡± John looked at Granny Luisa, wishing she could take back those hurtful words. But his hopes were dashed. Granny Luisa didn¡¯t retract what she just said, but hit him where it hurt, ¡°You know you were only considered family, not real family. Cornelia and her grandma are our real family.¡± ¡°Granny Luisa, I don¡¯t get it. Why are they your family and I, who have been with you for over twenty years, am now an outsider?¡± John looked at Granny Luisa. ¡°Granny Luisa, tell me!¡± Granny Luisa stated sternly, ¡°Because Cornelia is Marc¡¯s wife! She is the woman he will spend his life with!¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°She¡¯s not worthy! She¡¯s not worthy! I regret not killing her¡­¡± John began to yell like a madman, ¡°Why? Why did it turn out like this? It¡¯s all that woman¡¯s fault. If it weren¡¯t for her, things wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°You made a mistake, and you want to pin it on someone else.¡± Marcus didn¡¯t want to hear his c rap, ¡°Ayden, take him away.¡± Ayden, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After dealing with this issue, Marcus felt even more restless. Granny Luisa could tell, ¡°Marc¡­¡± Marcus looked upstairs and said heavily, ¡°Will Cornelia me me? Will she leave me?¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Marc, this has nothing to do with you. Cornelia is a sensible girl. She won¡¯t me you, let alone leave you. Don¡¯t worry¡­¡± Marcus, ¡°She will me me! I was careless. I noticed the person who used to take care of Granny Reba, but I didn¡¯t notice the one who has been with our family for so many years. If I had been more careful, things like this wouldn¡¯t have happened. I promised Cornelia that I would make sure her grandma was well taken care of, and that there would be no more poisoning incidents, but just a few dayster, it happened again. It¡¯s all my fault, Cornelia will me me¡­¡± Granny Luisa said, ¡°Marc, now is not the time for self-me. The priority is to deal with Granny Reba¡¯s affairs and to soothe Nelly¡¯s emotions. Nelly was raised by her grandma. For all these years, she only had her grandma. I¡¯m worried she will lose control when she wakes up. You have to take good care of Nelly and make sure nothing happens to her. How am I supposed to exin to Granny Reba when I die if something happens to her¡­¡± ¡°I will protect Nelly and make sure she lives a good life.¡± Marcus was even more worried about Cornelia¡¯s situation than Granny Luisa, but he couldn¡¯t show it. Around 11 o¡¯clock at night, Cornelia woke up after sleeping for a full ten hours. She opened her eyes and saw Marcus sitting by her bed. Marcus gently cupped her face and kissed her forehead lightly, ¡°Do you feel ufortable anywhere?¡± Cornelia turned and snuggled into his arms, rubbing her face against him, ¡°Marcus, I just had a long and scary nightmare. I dreamt that my grandma suddenly got seriously ill, that she called you and me together and said a lot of things, that she was leaving me¡­ I was almost in tears¡­¡± She patted her chest lightly, ¡°Thankfully it was just a dream¡­ But it felt so real it scared me. My chest still hurts.¡± Chapter 870 Chapter 870 Chapter 870 Marcus held Cornelia tight, about to tell her that this was no dream, but he couldn¡¯t bear to shatter her illusion, hoping she could savor a few more minutes of joy. Cornelia lifted her head from his chest, saying, ¡°I need to see my grandma. If I don¡¯t see for myself that she¡¯s okay, I won¡¯t be able to rest easy.¡± Marcus held her tighter, unwilling to let her go. ¡°Cornelia, don¡¯t.¡± Cornelia gave him a smile, nting a kiss on his cheek. ¡°I¡¯m just going to check on my grandma. Once I see she¡¯s fine, I¡¯lle back and we can cuddle in bed. What¡¯s got you all worked up?¡± But Marcus still wouldn¡¯t let go, ¡°Cornelia¡­¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She raised a hand to his face, gently pinching his cheek and smoothing his furrowed brow. ¡°Tell me, what¡¯s bothering you? We¡¯re husband and wife, we need to talk about things. You can¡¯t keep secrets from me.¡± Cornelia¡¯s calmness only added to Marcus¡¯ worries. He knew that sooner orter, she would find out that her grandma had passed away. This wasn¡¯t her dream. But he preferred to break the news himself rather than have her hear it from someone else. ¡°Cornelia, this is not a nightmare. Granny Reba has passed away.¡± Cornelia immediately red up. ¡°What the hell are you talking about! I¡¯m warning you, even as a couple, there are certain things you can¡¯t just spout off. If you keep talking rubbish, I¡¯m going to be pis sed.¡± Marcus knew she was in denial, refusing to ept that Granny Reba was gone. She thought everything happening was just a dream. She convinced herself that once she woke up, all the bad things would be gone, and that her grandma would still be there, nagging her to have kids with a smile. Marcus said, ¡°Cornelia, denial won¡¯t solve anything. You have to face the fact that Granny Reba is gone.¡± Cornelia quickly pushed him away, jumped out of bed, and ran out. ¡°Marcus, I¡¯m warning you, stop saying these things. This is just a nightmare, and I¡¯m going to go check on my grandma.¡± She ran so fast she didn¡¯t even put on her shoes, stepping directly onto the cold marble floor and heading downstairs. Marcus quickly picked up her shoes and chased after her. At eleven o¡¯clock at night, the house staff were usually off duty, but tonight, all the lights in the mansion were on and everyone was bustling around. Seeing Cornelia, they all gave her sympathetic looks. The staff was busyte into the night, and there were some people Cornelia didn¡¯t recognize. Even Zack and Abigail were there. When they saw Cornelia, they immediately came over. ¡°Why are you running around barefoot on such a cold floor?¡± Cornelia asked, ¡°What are you guys doing here?¡± Abigail said, ¡°Marcus called us toe and keep youpany.¡± Comelia pushed them away. ¡°You guys should go home. I don¡¯t needpany. I need to be with my grandma.¡± They all knew Cornelia well and that she was in denial. They had seen how severe her denial could be, so this time, they wouldn¡¯t let her escape. Zack said, ¡°Nelly, we all know how important your grandma was to you. Her sudden passing is hard to ept. But she¡¯s gone, and that¡¯s a fact you can¡¯t deny.¡± Chapter 871 Chapter 871 Chapter 871 ¡°What on earth are you guys talking about? I can¡¯t make heads or tails of it!¡± Cornelia stared at the two people in front of her, her best friends, thepanions she had grown up with since childhood. However, at this moment, their faces seemed alien to her, she felt like she didn¡¯t even recognize them anymore. Abigail stepped forward, trying to hug her, but Cornelia quickly backed away, avoiding them as if they were poisonous snakes or wild beasts. ¡°You¡¯re not Abigail and Zack. The real Abigail and Zack would never say such things.¡± Cornelia kept her distance from them, looking at thern as if they were strangers. Her eyes were full of alienation and caution. ¡°Tell me, who are you really? Why are you pretending to be my best friends?¡± ¡°Cornelia, we are Abigail and Zack¡­ Abigail and Zack were very worried seeing Cornelia like this. Afraid that Cornelia¡¯s emotional outburst might lead to something rash, Abigail quickly tried to soothe her, ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll stop talking. If you don¡¯t want to hear it, we won¡¯t say it.¡± Right now, stabilizing her emotions was the most important task. ¡°No, you¡¯re not Abigail and Zack¡­ Tell me the truth, who are you?¡± As she questioned them, Cornelia noticed Marcus arriving. She immediately ran towards Marcus, ¡°Marcus, these two are impersonating my friends, tell them to leave and bring back the real Abigail and Zack.¡± Marcus picked Cornelia up and made her sit on the nearby couch. He knelt in front of her, helping her put on her shoes. ¡°Cornelia, we¡¯ve prepared everything for Granny Reba¡¯s funeral. Before she¡¯s taken to the funeral home, go say yourst goodbyes to her.¡± Cornelia¡¯s gaze changed from dependent to detached as she looked at him. ¡°You¡¯re also impersonating Marcus. You must be a fake Marcus¡­¡± She jumped off the couch, trying to run away, but Marcus didn¡¯t give her a chance to escape. He knew it was better to face what had to be faced sooner rather thanter. ¡°Cornelia, you know this isn¡¯t a dream. Avoiding reality is not a brave act. Your grandma wouldn¡¯t want to see you like this. She¡¯d want you to face reality and be a brave, positive, and optimistic girl.¡± Cornelia covered her head and started screaming, ¡°Stop talking, I beg you, stop talking. She¡¯s fine, why are you saying such weird things? What did I do wrong?¡± Marcus, ¡°Cornelia!¡± As though she suddenly realized something. Cornelia startedughing. ¡°I know, I¡¯m still dreaming. You¡¯re all part of my dream¡­ Leave, I don¡¯t want to dream about you anymore.¡± She reached out and pinched herself hard, ¡°Why does it hurt? Am I not dreaming?¡± Marcus said sternly, ¡°Cornelia, you know very well you¡¯re not dreaming. Stop lying to yourself. Your grandma can¡¯t lie there forever. The hearse from the funeral home will be here in half an hour. You have half an hour to think about whether you want to see your grandma onest time. Or you can continue to hide inside your protective shell, like a turtle.¡± Cornelia lifted her head and looked quietly at Marcus. He thought she hade to her senses, that she was about to ept reality. However, she just stared at him quietly, not uttering a single word, as if she was looking at a stranger. ¡°Who are you? What right do you have to criticize me?¡± Marcus, ¡°¡­¡± Cornelia, ¡°If you criticize me, I¡¯ll tell my grandma. Let me tell you, even though I don¡¯t have a mom and dad, my grandma loves me very much. She won¡¯t let you awful people bully me.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Chapter 872 Chapter 872 Chapter 872 Cornelia grew up parentless and was often bullied by other kids in elementary school, a fact that both Abigail and Zack were well aware of Back then, little Cornelia couldn¡¯t defeat those bullies. When others bullied her, she would do just as she did now, telling them that she had her grandmother, and her grandmother would protect her. But those bully kids wouldn¡¯t back off just because of her words. Instead, they¡¯d bully her even more whenever she threatened to tell her Grandma, and they wouldn¡¯t even let her go home to snitch. Luckily, her Grandma spotted something was off and found out about her troubles in school. She talked to the school teachers, and that put an end to the bullying In Cornelia¡¯s eyes, even though her Grandma was now old and didn¡¯t do things as well as Cornelia herself, she was still her hero. Her Granny Reba was the superhero who protected her. She was the irreceable superhero in her heart! C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org They all knew how much Granny Reba meant to Cornelia. Everyone knew she couldn¡¯t bear to face the fact that Granny Reba was gone, and they all wished she could ept it sooner and start a new life. ¡°Zack, Abby,e¡­¡± Cornelia walked towards Zack and Abigail, taking each of their hands, ¡°Zack, Abby, my Granny said your parents are workingte today and won¡¯t be home untilte. So, you guys areing to my ce after school. We¡¯re going to have dinner and do our homework together¡± Both Abigail and Zack turned to look at Marcus. Marcus made the decision straight away, ¡°Just go along with it for now. She hasn¡¯t eaten in hours, just coax her into having a meal. Abigail and Zack nodded and said to Cornelia, ¡°Let¡¯s have dinner first then, we¡¯ll do homework afterwards.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat first.¡± Cornelia led them towards the dining room, ¡°My Granny must¡¯ve made something delicious for us. Make sure you two eat a lot.¡± Abigail hugged Cornelia, ¡°Nelly¡­¡± Cornelia looked at her, ¡°Abby, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you always love the food my Granny makes? You don¡¯t look too happy today.¡± Abigail replied, ¡°I¡¯m not unhappy, I¡¯m just¡­ Cornelia asked, ¡°What? Having trouble with today¡¯s homework? Don¡¯t worry, if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t understand, you can ask my Granny. She loves kids who study hard.¡± Abigail nodded vigorously, ¡°Alright.¡± Cornelia turned to Zack, ¡°Zack, what¡¯s up with you? You¡¯re usually the chatterbox, why so quiet today?¡± Being immersed in past memories can be blissful, but it can also have unexpected consequences. Zack didn¡¯t want to see Comelia continue like this. He wanted to pull her back to reality, ¡°Nelly,e with me.¡± Without thinking twice, he grabbed Cornelia and headed towards the room where Granny Reba¡¯s bodyid. He was strong, and Comelia was pulled along by the arm to Granny Reba¡¯s side. He pointed at Granny Reba¡¯s body and said, ¡°Cornelia, look closely, your Granny¡¯s gone. She can¡¯t cook for us anymore. She can¡¯t tutor us on our homework anymore¡­¡± Chapter 873 Chapter 873 Chapter 873 Granny Reba was lying there still as a statue, looking like she was just taking a nap. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that she wasn¡¯t breathing, you wouldn¡¯t have guessed that she had passed away. Cornelia lifted her eyes and looked at Granny Reba silently, not moving at all. No one knew what she was thinking at that moment. Zack, standing beside her, said, ¡°Cornelia, take a good look now. Remember what your granny looks like because you¡¯re not gonna see her again.¡± Abigail nudged Zack, whispering, ¡°Zack, cut it out. Don¡¯t push Cornelia too hard. Give her some time to process.¡± But Zack was hell-bent on pushing Cornelia to the edge, hoping she could find some hope in her desperation. ¡°Cornelia, your granny always hoped you¡¯d be a brave and strong girl. In her eyes, you always were. But now, you can¡¯t even face reality. Where¡¯s the brave and strong girl she saw in you? You¡¯re acting like a scaredy-cat. If your granny knew how weak you¡¯re being, she¡¯d be so disappointed.¡± ¡°Everyone out, I want to talk to my granny alone.¡± Maybe Zack¡¯s words struck a chord, but Cornelia finally spoke up, her voice steady, her emotions under control. But that calmness in her was equally worrying. Zack and Abigail turned their pleading eyes to Marcus. ¡°Marcus¡­¡± Without hesitation, Marcus said, ¡°You guys go ahead. Give her some time alone with Granny Reba.¡± Even though Abigail and Zack were worried, they left. They hadn¡¯t interacted with Marcus much, but as long as he was there, they felt at ease. They believed that Marcus could help Cornelia through this pain. Abigail and Zack left, but Marcus stayed. He stood behind Cornelia, not saying anything, just quietly waiting. Eventually, Cornelia said, ¡°You should go too. I want to be alone with my granny for a while.¡± Exclusive content from N?velDrama.Org. To Marcus, any normal word from Cornelia was a sign of improvement. He believed that given a little more time, Cornelia woulde to terms with Granny Reba¡¯s departure and adjust her emotions. All he could do now was to make her aware that she still had him. Marcus walked up to her and embraced her. ¡°Cornelia, remember what you said today. No matter what happens, you¡¯ve got me. I¡¯m always by your side.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll always be with me?¡± Cornelia scoffed and said, ¡°My granny also said she¡¯d always be with me. But she still left me.¡± Marcus replied, ¡°We can¡¯t control life and death. Death is a fact of life that we all have to face. It¡¯s something that can¡¯t be changed. Only death can separate us.¡± He added, ¡°We¡¯re all here for you. If you need anything, just holler.¡± Chapter 874 Chapter 874 Chapter 874 Cornelia didn¡¯t respond, but Marcus knew she had heard him. After he had said his piece, he left Granny Reba¡¯s room, even thoughtfully closing the door behind him for Cornelia As he stepped outside, he saw Abigail and Zack eavesdropping at the door. Those two really took after Cornelia in some ways. ¡°Go wait in the living room. Quit snooping around here.¡± ¡°But Nelly¡¯s in there all by herself, we can¡¯t just leave her,¡± Abigail said. ¡°Trust her, was Marcus¡¯ reply. Abigail and Zack wanted to stick around, but seeing Marcus¡¯ confidence made them decide to follow him to the living room. After Marcus left, Cornelia went over to Granny Reba¡¯s bedside, carefully taking her hand. ¡°Granny¡­¡± As she called out to her grandmother, she couldn¡¯t help but cry. Her heart ached as if it was being carved out, making it hard for her to breathe. It took her some time to calm herself down before she could continue. ¡°Granny, it¡¯s been a while since we had a proper chat. Let¡¯s talk today.¡± Granny Reba¡¯s hand was cold and stiff, but Cornelia held it against her face. ¡°Granny, are you upset with me for not having a baby like you wanted? Granny, I¡¯ve been trying to get pregnant. If you could wake up, you¡¯d be holding my baby in a few months.¡± But no matter what Cornelia said, Granny Reba didn¡¯t respond. Cornelia knew her grandmother couldn¡¯t respond anymore, but she still held out hope for a miracle, hoping Granny Reba could come back to life. She waited, and waited, but the miracle she was hoping for never came. Alone in the room, only her voice echoed. ¡°Granny, have you really left me? Do you know how important you are to me? You must know, you must know how much you mean to me, yet you still left me. ¡°Granny, do you remember what you told me when I was 18? You said if I worked hard and got into a good university, you¡¯d grant me a wish. ¡°I did work hard and got into the University of Riverton. When you asked me what I wanted, I said I wanted you to always be with me. Youughed and agreed, saying you¡¯ll be there for me, through my wedding, through childbirth, till I be a granny myself¡­¡± Thinking about this, Cornelia couldn¡¯t help but smile. Those times felt so real, as if they just happened yesterday. ¡°And all those years when I was little, you always let me make a wish. I always wished for you to be with me, to never leave me. You asked me what I wished for, but I never told you the truth because I heard that if you say it out loud, it won¡¯te true. ¡°If I knew then that even unsaid wishes won¡¯te true, I would have told you, so that you would know how important you are to me. Granny, I¡¯d give up everything just to have you wake up and be with me.¡± If possible, Cornelia would trade everything she owns for her grandmother¡¯s life. But she knew that even the most precious thing in the world couldn¡¯t bring her grandmother back. The clearer she realized this, the more it hurt. She had to suppress her pain, so she could continue talking to her grandmother. ¡°Granny, I know you¡¯ve been ming yourself for me being framed. You think it¡¯s your fault for not protecting me, leading me to be left without a home.¡±C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Chapter 875 Chapter 875 Chapter 875 ¡°You might think that incident had a huge impact on my life, a stain that can¡¯t be wiped clean¡­ but that¡¯s not quite right. We¡¯re the victims here, why should someone else¡¯s mistake be the stain on our lives? ¡°I used to think the same way you do, just like a lot of people I was scared that people would criticize me because of it, scared that they¡¯d look at me with judgemental eyes. ¡°Then I met Marcus, who firmly told me that such things shouldn¡¯t make the victims feel shameful, it¡¯s the perpetrators who should face the severe punishment of thew.¡± Speaking of Marcus, Cornelia continued the conversation, ¡°Granny, I know you like Marcus a lot. He¡¯s indeed a great husband, not only rich and influential but also handsome with a good physique. Men like him are rare. I¡¯m lucky to have met him and I will cherish him, so you can rest assured. ¡°More importantly, Marcus is a really good person, he treats me so well that sometimes it feels like I¡¯m dreaming ¡°He just told me that he will always be with me, but I¡¯m scared to believe it. I¡¯m scared that if I believe it, he might suddenly leave me one day just like you¡­¡± Cornelia reckoned, ¡°if you harbor hopes, you¡¯ll face disappointments. If you don¡¯t expect anything, there¡¯ll be no disappointments.¡± She dared not to have high expectations of Marcus now, because even her granny could leave her, maybe Marcus would deceive her too¡­ ¡°Granny, my mom left me, my dad left me, and you left me¡­ did I really annoy you all? If not, why wouldn¡¯t you all stay with me longer?¡± As she spoke, tears rolled down her cheeks like a flood breaking through a dam, and she couldn¡¯t control her emotions, ¡°But I¡¯ve always behaved.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been obedient since I was a child. Anything you didn¡¯t want me to do, I didn¡¯t do. Whatever you wanted me to do, I did. I¡¯ve been so good, why did you all leave me?¡± Sometimes, Cornelia would wonder, if she had been a naughty child, would her parents not have left her? ¡°Granny, is it because I married Marcus, you thought he could take care of me for a lifetime, so you don¡¯t have to worry about me anymore, that¡¯s why you left me? If that¡¯s the case, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have listened to you and got married. I¡¯d be a child who makes you worry, as long as you¡¯re constantly worrying about me, you wouldn¡¯t leave.¡± Cornelia spoke and thought in confusion. She said a lot, a lot of things she had thought about but never spoken out loud. Some of the things she said, she had said to her granny countless times. She kept repeating them, because this was thest time she could talk to her granny. From then on, she would never have the chance again. She hadpletely lost her granny. She didn¡¯t have her granny anymore. In this world, there were no more family rted to her by blood. On the other side.N?velDrama.Org owns this. Chapter 876 Chapter 876 Chapter 876 Zack paced anxiously in the living room, finally staring at Marcus Hartley, but his demeanor was instantly suppressed by Marcus¡¯ serious gaze ¡°Marcus.¡± Marcus nced at him ¡°Speak.¡± Zack gathered his courage and said. ¡°Cornelia has been in there for over two hours by herself Shouldn¡¯t we go check on her? If something happens to her, won¡¯t you feel guilty?¡± Abigail nodded beside him. ¡°Yes, if something happens to Cornelia, we¡¯ll feel guilty for the rest of our lives.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this. Compared to their anxious mood, Marcus remained calm as if he didn¡¯t care. ¡°You both grew up with her, so you should know her better than I do. Cornelia is a very strong girl, and once she ovees this difficulty, there won¡¯t be anything that can bring her down in the future.¡± ¡°Strong¡± Zack sneered ¡°What more do you want from her?¡± Marcus raised an eyebrow at Zack but didn¡¯t say anything. Zack continued ¡°When she was very young, her father left her, and she was forced to grow up and be strong. Later on, no matter what happened, she learned to endure, learned to be strong, because besides her grandmother, she had no one else to rely on. But it¡¯s different now. She has you. You need to be her solid support, you need to protect her, take care of her, and let her know that sometimes she doesn¡¯t have to be so strong Marcus said, ¡°I am her solid support, I am her reliance, I will take care of her, protect her, but she is still an independent individual. She is not my appendage, and there are some difficulties she must ovee on her own. After oveing those difficulties, she will truly feel relieved in her heart.¡± He could protect Cornelia, take care of her like a flower in a greenhouse, but he believed that wasn¡¯t what Cornelia wanted. Marcus believed that a marriage was always a mutual support system, and both parties had to grow together for the rtionship to be more enduring. In life, there were many cases where couples were