《The Deserted Rich Beauty (Nicole and eric)》 Chapter 1 Divorce Chapter 1 Divorce Ding! A message alert sounded. [Please go to the hospital to donate blood as soon as possible.] When Nicole saw this message, she was stunned for a moment like she had sustained a huge blow to her chest. The sender''s name was "Hubby¡±. Ding! Another message immediately followed. It was a notice from the bank that she had received a fund transfer of 500,000 dors. Nicole scrolled up to look at her message history with her husband. [Remember to go to the hospital.] [Fund Transfer: $500,000] [Remember toe to the hospital to donate blood.] [Fund Transfer: $500,000] [Pleasee to the hospital right away.] [Fund Transfer: $500,000] In their three years of marriage, the only time Nicole''s husband, Eric Ferguson, initiated contact with her was to ask her to go to the hospital to donate blood. To be exact, to sell blood. Nicole''s blood was sold to... Wendy Quade. Eric also treated Nicole as a stranger throughout their marriage. This month alone, Nicole had already given blood three times, which was more than her body could tolerate. Nicole sat on the sofa as her eyes unconsciously became sore and started to blur. Yesterday while she was waiting for Eric to get off work, she stood in the rain for more than an hour, so she was feeling unwell and dizzy today and did not go into the office. Eric probably did not know that she had a fever either. She coughed and held her phone, hesitating whether t o reply. Suddenly, an unfamiliar number sent her a message that crushed herst ounce of perseverance and self-respect. [Even if you are Mrs. Ferguson, you''re just a front and shamelessly upy this position for three years. Has Eric ever looked at you once before? He slept over at m y cest night. If I were you, I''d find a N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. rope to hang myself. You''re just an interfering homewrecker!] ''A homewrecker?'' Nicole suddenly felt suffocated, depressed, and shaken. Nicole was Eric Ferguson''s legal wife. She gave up her family and friends to marry this man for three years, yet she wasbeled a despicable homewrecker? Once again, her chest felt like it was crushed. All those umted feelings for Eric throughout her humble days as his wife suddenly shattered into pieces. Following that message, a photo was sent to her phone. It was Eric''s calm sleeping face. His handsome sculpted features were like an intricate art piece that made her so attracted to him, like a moth to a me. This picture was an attestation to the message earlier. The woman nestled on Eric''s shoulder was none other than Wendy Quade. Although both of them have their eyes closed, the curled-up corners of Wendy''s lips showed her wakefulness at that moment. They looked like a pair of intimate lovers. Her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from the Ferguson Vi. When Nicole habitually picked it up, Eric''s mother, Quinn, curtly ordered her around. "Nicole, did you forget what day it is? The maids are off today, so hurry up ande over to cook for us!" Nicole sneered and hung up the phone without saying anything. She had been walking on eggshells around Eric Ferguson, trying to maintain this fragile marriage. At the office, everyone underestimated her, but she still did her best to y the role of Eric''s secretary. At home, Eric''s mother and sister looked down on her " unknown origins¡±. They were mean and picked on her every chance they could. They ordered her around, asking her to cook, do theundry, and even clean the house. Nicole, who was supposed to be the Young Madam of the Ferguson family, was treated like a lowly servant. She stayed meek and obedient. She also neverined about any of this to Eric for fear of troubling him and putting him in a difficult position. She had endured so much that she was desensitized t o it. Regardless of how much others despised her, Nicole was still willing to persist and endure all of it for the sake of Eric Ferguson. However, for the past three years, Eric never seemed t o remember that she was his wife. The extent of theirmunication was when he gave her work to do at the office, urged her to donate blood, and transferred money to her. At this moment, Nicole felt exhausted. She could not hold on any longer. This was not the first time Wendy Quade tried to provoke her. In the past, Nicole could alwaysugh off those harsh and mean words, but this photopletely trampled over her self-esteem. Humiliation, loneliness, and a harsh cold engulfed her. ''Was my three years of marriage a joke?'' At this moment, Nicole''s face was extremely glum. She had finally made up her mind. ''Fine. It''s time for this joke to be over.'' Nicole scrolled through her phone, and without hesitation, she sent Eric a message. [Let''s get a divorce.] Although she was still feeling dizzy, she knew that this was the right decision. Eric called her immediately. Nicole had already expected his wrath at this moment. The man''s voice was harsh and cold as he said, "Nicole, what are you making a fuss about? How much do you want? Just state a price. The doctor said that Wendy''s in critical condition..." Nicole forcefully suppressed the dizziness and interrupted his words. She smiled coldly and said in a hoarse voice, "Eric Ferguson, I''ll see you at the City Hall in an hour, or you can watch her die." She hung up after that sentence. Immediately after, she received another message. [Fund transfer: $1,000,000] "Hahahaha..." Nicoleughed out loud as her tears gushed out uncontrobly. ''This is absurd! It''s just too ridiculous...'' Chapter 2 A Lesson Chapter 2 A Lesson Nicole put away her phone. She suppressed the pain i n her heart and the burning sensation in her body, then braced herself and took a taxi to the City Hall. Time passed by the minute. Eric Ferguson called Nicole twice, but no one answered, so he refused to call again. Nicole sat on a bench looking very pale. An hourter, Eric walked over with a stern, expressionless face as h e looked down at her with his cold gaze. 1 "What exactly are you dissatisfied with? I know that you''ve donated more blood this month, but I''ve alreadypensated you." "Let''s just get a divorce..." Nicole lifted her head and met his cold gaze. Her voice was a little mute and she no longer wanted to speak to Eric anymore. They were never on the same page after all. Nicole looked at the prominent features of the man in front of her. He was handsome and tall, which made her fall head over heels for him, but he never once smiled at her. In the past, she used to be cautious not to irritate him, but now when she saw his stern face, she felt numb. Eric looked at Nicole with a grim face. He could tolerate all of her requests or demands, but he needed a reason. ''Does she genuinely think that she¡¯s the only one who can donate blood?'' "Nicole, don''t regret your decision." "What I regret most is marrying you three years ago." Nicole smiled miserably. She finally thought it through, and her mind could not be any clearer at this moment. 1 ''I''ve suffered enough in this marriage with Eric Ferguson. Enough is enough!'' It was near the end of the day, so there were only a few people in line and they were thest couple. Their three years of marriage ended so hastily, in a matter of minutes. The moment Nicole held the divorce certificate, her heart trembled a little. Eric did not say anything about wanting her to stay and did not even cast her a nce. "Let''s go to the hospital." He still did not forget to use her onest time. Nicole lifted her head slightly and suddenlyughed." Eric Ferguson, even if she dies in front of me in the future, I won''t waste another drop of blood on her." Eric''s eyes suddenly turned gloomy. "How could you curse Wendy like that when she¡¯s sick? Don''t forget, the condition of our marriage back then is that you''ll donate blood at any time she needs it." At that moment, Nicole just felt like her heart was stabbed. She was overwhelmed with pain. ''Right...I could only marry him because I have golden blood. I promised to donate my precious and rare Rh-null blood to Wendy Quade whenever she needed it...'' Nicole''s gaze flickered as she looked at him, but the man''s eyes only had his usual indifference. Her smile widened until she finallyughed with unbridled coldness. ''I should''ve understood long ago that to Eric Ferguson, I am just a lowly walking blood bank...'' "Eric Ferguson, I don''t give a damn about being your wife! Don''t worry, I¡¯ll donate my blood to her one She smiled enigmatically, then nced at Eric and turned to leave. Eric¡¯s eyebrows were slightly knitted. He felt inexplicably irritable. He felt that there was something not quite the same with Nicole today, but h e could not describe the feeling. It was like she was out of his control. In their three years of marriage, he thought that he already knew her well. She was clingy and N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. persistent before they got married, but she became a meek and obedient wife after. Recently, Wendy needed more blood transfusions. He felt guilty about it, but Nicole had never refused, so he felt more relieved and thought ofpensating her in other aspects. Regardless of her initial intentions of marrying him, Nicole was a good wife. Nicole suddenly asking for a divorce annoyed him, but it did not matter. Eric''s dark eyes deepened as he got rid of the irritation in his heart. ''Forget it, she¡¯ll naturallye back begging when she can''t survive on her own.'' Before Eric could say anything, Nicole hailed a cab by the roadside and went to the hospital. She found Wendy Quade¡¯s VIP ward and pushed the door open. A few doctors and nurses surrounded Wendy and asked attentively if the woman was feeling any difort. When Wendy saw Nicole, her eyes flickered and she immediately looked delighted. "Nicole, you''re finally here! You''re not mad at me for always bothering you because of my poor health, are you? I was worried that your body couldn¡¯t take it." Nicole strode over to her with a cold and gloomy gaze. "You sent that text, right?" She went straight to the point. Before Wendy could answer her, Nicole pped Wendy¡¯s face viciously. "Ah!" Wendy screamed and covered her cheek in shock, i Chapter 3 Retaliation Chapter 3 Retaliation Eric''s eyes sank and his face was stormy as he yelled," Nicole! What are you doing?!¡± The man¡¯s voice was cold.- ''He showed up fast enough. Was he so afraid that I¡¯d hurt Wendy?¡¯ Nicole thought. Wendy pouted and looked panicked. Her eyes suddenly brimmed with tears as she covered her cheek and looked behind Nicole. She argued in a loud voice, "I didn''t do anything, Nicole. You misunderstood me." ''Is Nicole crazy? How dare she hit me in front of Eric?'' Nicole sneered. "Stop your act. I know it''s you." With a seeping cold gaze, Nicole walked to Wendy and took out the printed picture of Eric from her bag, then flung it in front of them. Eric looked at the photo and had a moment of shock and confusion. Wendy¡¯s face also instantly turned glum and pale. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. He had a long day yesterday, so when he visited Wendy at the hospital, he dozed off for a while. It was apparent that this photo was secretly taken at that time. The only other person in that room then was Wendy Quade. Thus, Eric knew who had taken this photo. Wendy wanted to stab Nicole in the heart, but she did not expect to shoot herself in the foot. How could Wendy still maintain her image of a pitiful meek woman? In the past, Nicole would still care about Eric''s presence, but now, there was no need for that anymore. Nicole smiled indifferently, and her voice was surprisingly cold. "I told you that I''m here to settle ounts. This is what you owe me. Wendy Quade, you''re the homewrecker in this situation. Are you satisfied now? I wish you all the best in recing me a s Mrs. Ferguson." Without much thought, Eric could guess how Nicole got this photo. He suddenly felt a little suffocated. His expression was cold andplex. Eric''s face was still as cold as ever when he looked at Wendy''s sickly pale face with a stern gaze. Wendy''s heart trembled. She quickly defended herself. "Eric, Nicole must have misunderstood something. I didn''t do anything or take this picture. She probably found someone to take this so that she could frame m e!" Eric frowned for a moment as Wendy sobbed pitifully and tugged on his sleeve. She said cautiously, "Eric, I can apologize to Nicole. If giving me blood affects your rtionship, I won¡¯t ask Nicole for blood in the future. I swear by Hendrick''s name that I don''t know anything about the photos!" 1 Hearing the name "Hendrick", Eric''s eyes flickered as h e thought of his best friend''s dying wish. The gloom o n Eric''s face dissipated a little. "Nicole was too agitated earlier and shouldn''t have hit you. Do you need a doctor to check it out?" Wendy was still covering her cheek that felt numb from Nicole''s p and shook her head. "It''s okay." Eric nodded and looked at Nicole, who was standing o n the side. The corners of her lips curled up mockingly and she had a cold and indifferent look on her face. Seeing her like this, Eric inexplicably felt a strange emotion in his heart. 2 "You wanted a divorce because of this? Never mind, get your blood drawn first." Eric wanted to clear up the misunderstanding, but it was not an appropriate environment. An insignificant photo meant nothingpared to Wendy''s health. Eric nned to exin the photo to Nicole afterward as there were still outsiders in the ward. Wendy felt relieved and knew that she got away with i t. ''Eric still chose me. Nicole lost again!'' Nicole had long guessed this oue. Wendy was good at acting and Nicole was not bothered to expose her. She no longer wanted to be involved with them. Nicole looked at the doctor on the side and asked in a calm voice, "Are you sure she needs a blood transfusion?" 1 The doctor froze for a moment. When he received Wendy''s re, he nodded in panic under Eric''s watchful gaze. "Yes, Ms. Quade fell just now, which caused serious blood loss in her legs, so she needs a blood transfusion." "Then what are you waiting for?" Eric ordered in a cold voice. "Yes, sir." The doctor quickly went to make preparations. Wendy gave Nicole a smug smile from an angle that n o one else could see. "Wait." Nicole did not leave with the doctor obediently. Instead, she went forward and lifted Wendy''s quilt in a domineering and swift motion. 2 Chapter 4 Remarry Chapter 4 Remarry Nicole did not care in the slightest whether Wendy was embarrassed or not. She looked at Wendy''s bandaged left leg and ripped off the bandage despite Wendy''s struggle. Suddenly, the temperature in the ward instantly plunged to a freezing point.- Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Nicole looked at the graze on Wendy¡¯s leg and scoffed. "Wow, it¡¯s so serious that there¡¯s not even a drop of blood flowing out. If I came a littleter, I''m afraid your ''wound'' will healpletely..." "Nicole! You... Eric, it¡¯s not like that...it''s just that I''m feeling weak right now and will recover better with a blood transfusion..." Wendy Quade met the man¡¯s dark gaze. Her heart trembled as she exined in a panic. "You get ''injured'' four to five times a month. I think you¡¯re just trying to drain my blood!" Nicole''s voice was cold as she continued, "Too bad, you won''t have this opportunity again in the future. Get Eric to marry another fool to be your new mobile blood bank." After that, Nicole sneered and left the ward without looking back. The moment Nicole mmed the door to the ward shut, she slumped on a bench in the corridor. At that moment, she felt dejected like she had been abandoned by the whole world. Nicole felt extremely aggrieved. Tears slid down the corners of her eyes as she took out her phone and mustered her strength to make a call. Her voice choked with fatigue. "Big Brother..." The other party only heard her voice and sighed silently. His voice was indulgent. "Where are you? I''ll pick you up." A few minutester, a noble and elegant man leading a group of mysterious men in ck carried the unconscious woman out of the hospital and left quietly. Eric Ferguson dragged the attending doctor out of the ward with a gloomy face. His dark eyes were filled with anger. 1 "A serious leg injury?! Is a blood transfusion even needed for grazed skin? Is this the standard of professionalism in your hospital?!" 1 Eric exuded a terrifying chill. When he thought of Nicole''s weak condition every time after she donated blood, the guilt in his heart deepened, and that strange feeling in his heart became more intense. The doctor shuddered and did not dare to hide the truth from him anymore. "It was Ms. Quade¡¯s order. It has nothing to do with our hospital. Ms. Quade said you agreed to all of the blood transfusions. Every time Ms. Nicole donated blood, you were also there, so we thought that we¡¯re just following orders. Mr. Ferguson, we will never dare to do this again..." 1 ''Wendy Quade...did I indulge her too much? Nicole insisted on divorce just because of that photo. Did she misunderstand my rtionship with Wendy?¡¯ In that case, Eric thought that he could just exin it t o her. Although he did not have much affection for his wife, he had always been faithful to their marriage and was satisfied with their status quo. Thus, he did not mind living like this for the rest of their lives. 1 At least, he had never thought about getting a divorce since they got married. If Nicole was just not satisfied with his rtionship with Wendy, he could keep his distance from her. Eric thought that their marriage could be saved if they sorted out this tiny problem. 2 He took out his phone to call Nicole, but her phone was turned off. Eric''s eyebrows were tightly furrowed as he summoned his bodyguard that was at the entrance. A few minutester, the bodyguard stood in front of him with trepidation. "Mr. Ferguson, we can¡¯t find the Young Madam anywhere. The hospital¡¯s surveince footage was suddenly hacked ten minutes ago. We can¡¯t find any clues to where the Young Madam went even if we searched the entire hospital." Eric frowned deeper and his thin lips were pressed into a taut line. When he thought back to the way Nicole did not hesitate to sign her name on the divorce agreement, he felt an indescribable emotion surging in his chest. His deep dark eyes seemed bottomless and inscrutable. ''Where can she go after the divorce? She doesn¡¯t have any money...'' 2 The thought of her leaving so abruptly made that irritable feeling that constantly haunted him more intense. His heart just felt extremely ufortable. ¡°Get someone to search for her and notify me immediately when you''ve found her." ''How dare she turn off her phone like this?! She''s really out of line!'' 1 "Yes, sir." Eric did not want to admit that he felt a twinge of panic because of this woman who was no longer his wife. The Italian limited-edition luxury furniture in thevishly decorated room was incredibly familiar to Nicole. As soon as she opened her eyes and saw the opulent room that she had not seen in a long time, her tears instantly streamed down her face. 1 ''This is my room...¡¯ "What are you crying for? It¡¯s just a divorce. Do you think the Stanton family can''t support you?" A mature and tough voice rang in her ears. When Nicole looked over, her eyes felt sore and she cried even more. Floyd Stanton, the legendary Chairman of Stanton Corporation who could shake the entire West City with a stomp of his foot, stood in Nicole''s room looking imperious and majestic. "Dad..." Chapter 5 Ridiculed Chapter 5 Ridiculed As soon as Floyd Stanton walked over, Nicole jumped into his arms and cried hysterically. Floyd sighed, heartbroken and angry at his daughter. She had never suffered the slightest bit since she was a child, yet she acted so lowly in front of Eric Ferguson. To make things worse, Eric Ferguson never once appreciated his darling daughter. If not for their prior agreement, Floyd Stanton would have crushed the Fergusons and beat that bastard to death to avenge his daughter! "Nikki, remember our agreement? If that bastard doesn¡¯t fall in love with you within three years, you''ll Floyd lovingly stroked his daughter¡¯s hair while she bawled. After a while, Nicole sobbed and spoke intermittently. "Don''t worry, Dad...I...won''t be...that stupid again...¡± To chase after her so-called "true love", Nicole abandoned her family and friends despite their advice. She gave up her identity, elite status, and luxury lifestyle to fly into her own self-destruction, like a moth to a me. That man was finally stripped from her heart, inch by inch, but the pain that she felt was etched in her mind forever. "Good. Daddy will get your big brother to apany you. Familiarize yourself with thepany first, then we''ll choose a nice day to host a wee banquet to announce your identity." Floyd was excited because his precious baby daughter was finally going to start a career! Although news of Nicole''s return to the Stanton family had not been announced yet, Nicole''s best friend, Yvette Quimbey, could not wait to see her and came running to her door. As soon as Yvette saw Nicole, she gave Nicole a big bear hug and said, "Baby, I''ve missed you so much! Congrats on your divorce!" i When Nicole first told them that she would conceal her identity to get married, Yvette was the first to stand up against it, but Nicole still stubbornly married into the Ferguson family and gradually lost contact with Yvette. Now that she saw her best friend after all these years, Nicole¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears again. The twodies chatted for a long time about everything under the sun. Finally, Yvette pestered Nicole wanting to see her divorce certificate, so Nicole reluctantly took it out and showed her. When Yvette saw it, she sighed with relief. "Eric Ferguson, that stupid blind son of a b*tch! He''s gonna regret this!" 1 Nicole lowered her eyes. "Even if he does regret it, it doesn''t have anything to do with me anymore. N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. He''s a stranger to me now." "Well done, Baby! You just need to wave your hand, and your admirers will be lining up from your doorstep to the outskirts of West City! That bastard can''t even get in line!" Yvette scoffed in disdain. Nicole suddenly remembered that she left some important documents at Eric¡¯s house, so she had to go back to take them. Yvette volunteered to go with her, which Nicole agreed to after some thought. 1 What Nicole did not expect was to see Eric''s mother, Quinn, as soon as she went back. Quinn always went t o their house without notice and walked around like she was the master of the house. Quinn was very displeased when she saw Nicole return with a stranger. She held her head up high and looked at Nicole and her friend with scorn. 2 "Nicole, didn''t I tell you that we have a lot of confidential documents in the house? You can''t just bring randos back here. Do you have a goldfish memory?" Yvette was stunned and spoke up in dissatisfaction." Who are you calling a rando? Don''t you think you¡¯re too old to be calling people names?¡± She was a pampered princess who was loved by everyone. ''How could she ridicule me like this?'' Yvette could already tell what kind of life Nicole had while she lived here and felt infuriated. Quinn coldly snorted and gave Yvette a once over." Don''t think you can pretend to be elite just by wearing this fake outfit. I''ve seen a lot of low-ss people like you who dream of marrying into a rich family!" Yvette sneered in anger. Nicole''s face sank as she said, "She¡¯s my friend. Please show some respect." Nicole had always walked around with her tail between her legs in the Ferguson family and never talked back to Quinn. ''Now, she dares to reprimand me in front of outsiders? This lowly woman with an unknown background dares to speak to me like this?!'' Quinn thought. 1 She was furious and yelled, "Respect? Do people of your background even deserve respect? Nicole, you should count your blessings that our family epts you to be our daughter-inw. You¡¯ve been living so well in our house for the past three years. Did you forget which mudhole you crawled out from? This girl you brought home is probably just like you. You both smell of poverty, so get the hell out of my house and don''t stain my floors!" Chapter 6 Stolen Chapter 6 Stolen Yvette tilted her head back andughed from exasperation. She wanted to jump up and curse at Quinn. "Nicole, is this the result of you working so hard for these people for three years? We smell of poverty?! How did you put up with this for three years?! Well, you can put up with it, but I can''t!" Yvette stepped forward and shoved Quinn, who stumbled backward and almost fell. "I''m telling you, if it wasn''t for Nicole, I wouldn''t have even heard of the Fergusons! You''re just a nouveau riche with that measly money. Watch how I¡¯ll stain your floors with your blood! If you dare, Quinn was trembling with anger as she pointed at Yvette and Nicole. She threatened them. "You... you... Nicole, I''ll kick you out of the Ferguson family!" Nicole did not apologize and make amends as she would have in the past. Instead, she just looked at Quinn with an expressionless face. "There''s no need for you to kick me out. I¡¯ll take my own things and leave." After that, Nicole ignored Quinn''s shocked gaze and went straight to her bedroom upstairs. Her old self was really stupid to give up her dignity for a man. Nicole was trampled on time and time again by Quinn, who only wanted a daughter-inw from a prestigious family, yet she did not utter a word ofint. Going forward, she did not have to put up with all this anymore. She took nothing but her documents, then went straight downstairs. Yvette and Quinn, who were downstairs, were still shooting daggers at each other. When Yvette saw Nicoleing down, she raised her eyebrows proudly. "You ready?¡± Nicole nodded. "Let''s go." "Nicole, I''ll tell Eric what happened today! Don''t think that you can just leave ande back as you please. Even if youe crying and begging on your knees, I¡¯ll still kick you out!" Quinn thought that Nicole would be afraid of such a threat. As a result, Nicole stopped in her tracks and smirked, then looked back at Quinn with disdain. ¡°I forgot to tell you. I''ve already divorced Eric Ferguson. Even if youe crying and begging on your knees, I will never step into this house again.¡± Nicole finished her sentence and left without hesitation. Quinn was stunned in ce. ''Divorce? Nicole''s willing to get a divorce?'' She immediately called her son. "Eric, did you and Nicole get a divorce?" Eric furrowed his brows. "How do you know? You saw her?" "You''re really divorced?! That''s great! This kind of woman is not worthy of being a part of our family. She''s just a pheasant that wants to be a phoenix. I can''t stand her from the beginning. There are so many high-borndies waiting to marry you, so it¡¯s best if she leaves. Good riddance!" Eric¡¯s dark eyes sank. His voice inexplicably became urgent. "Where is she?" He impatiently interrupted his mother¡¯s ramblings. Nicole had mysteriously disappeared from the hospital and he could not find any trace of her, but she finally appeared on her own. There was only one thought in his mind at this moment. ''I want to see her!'' "At Imperial Gardens, of course, but she left. This reminds me, I have to check if she stole anything. You didn''t give her too much money for the divorce, right?" "She didn''t ask for a penny." Eric was a little surprised at his mother''s malice towards Nicole. He had always thought that Nicole and his family got along well and did not expect his mother to be so outrightly discontented with Nicole. "At least she''s self-aware!" Quinn coldly snorted. The man¡¯s cold eyes darkened as he hung up the phone in annoyance. He felt even more unsettled. ''Did Nicole ask for a divorce because of my mother?'' Eric went back without a thought. He barely came back to their house. When he went upstairs, he saw that everything was still there. Even the card that he gave her for her monthly expenses was untouched, but her documents in the drawer were all gone. Eric suddenly felt a tightness in his chest, and the irritable feeling became more intense. After all, he could not remain indifferent to her after three years of marriage. Quinn came into the room angrily. "The ''Daydream'' ne in the safe is missing! It¡¯s worth $10 N?velDrama.Org: text ? owner. million. Nicole must have stolen it. I''ll call the police!" Eric frowned. "Don''t call the police. It''s not her. Maybe you left it somewhere." Nicole had never asked for the password to the safe, s o how could she steal the ne? ''Also, it¡¯s merely $10 million. It''s not worth much, so what''s the point of stealing it?'' When Eric thought of this, he could not even recall if h e ever gave his wife any jewelry in their three years of marriage... Eric took his car keys and left. He sat in the car and smoked a cigarette, but the uneasiness in his heart did not dissipate. Quinn was not willing to let this lowly woman get away that easily. She did not have to call the police because she had plenty of other means. Chapter 7 Gone Viral Chapter 7 Gone Viral After Nicole and Yvette left Imperial Gardens, Yvette had been cursing the Fergusons until they got home." That old hag is senile! If it wasn''t for her age, I would''ve taught her a lesson!" Nicole was used to it and smiled. "Forget it. Don''t stoop to her level. Anyway, we won''t be seeing them anymore.¡± The twodies were talking andughing. When they finally returned to the Stanton Mansion, they saw Grant Stanton, who rarely appeared because he was always busy with work, sitting on the sofa and reading the newspaper. He looked so serious, noble, and indifferent. Nicole happily ran over and hugged him from behind a s she acted like a spoiled child. After three years without seeing him, he still felt as familiar as ever. "Big Brother, you''re finally back! Why did you disappear after sending me home?" Grant helplessly and dotingly allowed her to wiggle around him. His cold aura was broken by the cozy atmosphere. "There was an important meeting I had to attend. I rushed back as soon as it was over. Here, your gift." This was Grant''s habit. No matter how far away he went on a business trip, he would always bring her souvenirs. This was a limited-edition custom-made handbag that was not yet avable in the country. It had an eight-digit price tag and was invaluable in the market. Most importantly, it was unique to Nicole. Grant found out in advance that Yvette was also here, s o he bought her a custom Chanel perfume that women liked. Yvette took it over with a blush on her face and said softly, "Thank you." 2 However, Grant did not notice Yvette''s expression because his eyes were fixated on his sister. He knew that she had a rough time, so he felt heartbroken and only wanted to give her the best. On the other hand, Nicole keenly observed Yvette''s reaction. Her smile widened and she had already fantasized about their future. "Your second brother is in aboratory abroad participating in a confidential scientific research project, so he can¡¯te back at the moment. Your third brother¡¯s at a film festival and will be back in a few days. For the next couple of days, you can shadow me at the office..." Nicole made a bitter face, but she knew that there was no escape, so she could only nod and agree. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Late at night. "Holy sh*t!" Yvette was hyperventting as she called Nicole, who picked up the phone in the middle of the night with a sleepy voice, "What¡¯s wrong?" "Go online right now! The Fergusons still didn''t forget t o sling mud at you after the divorce. They said that you stole something from them and that they won''t involve the police if you return it by tomorrow. Otherwise, they¡¯ll screw you over. It''s gone viral!" 1 Nicole''s heart sank and she immediately went online. Sure enough, the hashtag, #FergusonsExWife, was trending on the inte. It was an official statement from the Ferguson Corporation using Nicole of having no character and stealing valuable jewelry after the divorce. "Valuable? They even dare to show off a mere $10 million jewelry? Do they think that you¡¯ve never seen money before?¡± Yvette cursed indignantly. Thements on the inte were specting that Nicole was kicked out of the wealthy Ferguson family because of her bad character. Thoseizens spittled so much hate and even dug out Nicole''s social media ount. Her only happy memories during the past three years that she posted on her social media were all spun into twisted stories by those spitefulizens. [Peaceful times? I think she¡¯s just pretending!] [She deserves to get kicked out of the family!] [They should just call the police. She''s not only a clown but also a thief!] There were many other hatefulments about Nicole. 1 Nicole had seen that set of jewelry once. Eric kept it locked in the safe and she did not know the password, nor did she ever ask for it. ''Naha! Eric Ferguson doesn''t even have the basic decency after our divorce and wants to hurl mud at m e? Does he think that I''ll put up with this crap?!'' 1 Nicole immediately dialed Grant''s number. "G, I remember that K''s entertainmentpany is under m y name. Who is managing it now?" Grant paused for a moment and rubbed his brow. He had also just learned about this news. "Dominic Young. I¡¯ll get him to handle that viral hashtag right away." "No need. I''ll handle this myself." Nicole''s tone was indifferent. ''Don¡¯t they want a confrontation? Do they think that I''m scared?¡¯ This viral topic spread like wildfire after one night. Nicole became a rat that everyone mocked. At 8:00 am, Nicole logged on to her social media ount and posted a photo with a statement. After that, she looked at the nice weather outside and smiled bitterly in self-derision. ''I was really so blind to marry Eric Ferguson...'' Chapter 8 Apology Chapter 8 Apology The photo Nicole posted was the one of Wendy Quade and Eric Ferguson sleeping together. Their intimacy was self-evident. What was originally a sharp weapon used to hurt Nicole became a shield for her to protect herself. Nicole¡¯s statement was as follows: [Dear Mr. Ferguson, I was deeply sorry to hear that ''Daydream'' was stolen, s o I hired a private detective to track it down overnight. The detective found the jewelry across the Antic Ocean in Germany, at the hands of Ms. Ingrid Ferguson. It seems that Ms. Ferguson is quite a worldss gambler. I hope that you will investigate this thoroughly before jumping to conclusions. Regards, Nicole.] Nicole also attached the well-known private detective''s investigation report as well as another photo of "Daydream" that was on a gambling table with Ingrid Ferguson. 1 In an instant, the already viral gossip became even more turbulent. Eric Ferguson¡¯s divorced ex-wife, Nicole, was put in such a vulnerable position, yet she hired a reputable private detective agency and even cleared her name during the day without disturbing anyone¡¯s rest. Her statement was also justified and concise. Moreover, that photo of Eric Ferguson and Wendy Quade together implied the reason for their divorce - adultery. Who was the unprincipled one in this rtionship? Theizen''s voices instantly changed directions. Needless to say, Nicole''s innocence was proven. She was tantly used without reason. Everyone started sharing her post. All of a sudden, the Fergusons became the subject of this scandal. Eric Ferguson had a few drinks with some friends that night and did not expect that so much had N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. happened overnight. Even their stocks began to plummet by the morning. Early in the morning, Eric''s face was extremely glum a s he sat in his office. He exuded a chilly air that his assistant, Mitchell, only stood there with trepidation and dared not breathe too loudly. 1 "Who authorized the use of ourpany''s main ount to post such a statement?" Eric gritted his teeth. His eyes were cold and stern. "Madam Quinn ordered thisst night, saying that she has already informed you." Eric swept everything off his desk, which ttered all over the floor. The man¡¯s gaze was harsh and piercing. "When has thispany ever listened to the Madam¡¯s orders? Fire everyone in the PR Department!¡± Mitchell''s heart trembled. "Y-Yes, sir.¡± "Get rid of that news on the inte immediately!" An abysmal storm was brewing under the man''s dark eyes. Mitchell bowed his head and spoke stiffly, "President Dominic of Falcon Entertainment has already given word to lock this news for 24 hours. No one can remove it." Falcon Entertainment was the top yer in the entertainment industry, so no one dared to go against them. Eric¡¯s face was stormy. ''Ha! I didn''t know that Nicole i s so capable! Dear Mr. Ferguson? Does she think that this was my idea and at my behest?'' The man''s face was tense. His eyes were cold and stern. Suddenly, his phone rang. When he saw that it was from his mother, he hung up the call without thinking. ''I didn''t allow her to call the police, so she made such a big scandal?! If Nicole didn''t find the whereabouts of ''Daydream'', would she have taken the me for this?'' The thought of this made Eric even more enraged. His phone rang incessantly. Eric looked at the caller I D again and frowned - Father. "Get Nicole to delete that post immediately! Is this not embarrassing enough? Do it now!¡± Charles Ferguson''s voice was deep as he suppressed a huge wave of anger. "Eric, bring that b*tch back. How dare she do this?! She must be taught a lesson!" Quinn grabbed the phone and roared. Eric closed his eyes and said in a deep and cold voice," Did she do anything wrong? It''s obvious that Ingrid took away ''Daydream'', so why frame Nicole?¡± 1 He was mad at Nicole''s emotionless statement as if there was no way that they could reconcile. ''Even if Nicole did not respond, would I just stand by and watch her get wrongly used? Did she have no trust in me at all?¡¯ However, he was more angered by the fact that his mother righteously used Nicole without remorse. Quinn was told off by her son, so she begrudgingly defended herself. "How would I know that Ingrid took i t? Hasn¡¯t it always been in your safe? Who else would''ve taken the ne but Nicole?" "It''s not toote to apologize to Nicole now." The man''s gaze was dark. This was a PR crisis, and they needed t o solve it within the golden hour. "What? Apologize? That b*tch is the one who should apologize! She''s just an ungrateful gold-digger with unknown origins and even dared to put our family in a crisis?! Bring her back and watch how I¡¯ll teach this b *tch a lesson!" "We''re already divorced..." Chapter 9 Banquet Chapter 9 Banquet Eric Ferguson hung up the phone and rubbed his temples. His face was glum and he felt extremely irritable. He dialed Nicole''s number, but as expected, she did not answer and even blocked him. Eric mmed his phone so hard on the desk that it made a loud ng. He looked at Mitchell coldly. "Go find out where Nicole is. I want an answer in fifteen minutes." Mitchell felt like he would lose his job and hung his head even lower. "Mr. Ferguson, I had someone check Ms. Nicole''s whereabouts. She doesn''t seem to be in Anta. There''s no trace of her anywhere." Eric¡¯s thin lips were pursed, and his face grew darker. 1 Half an hourter, the Ferguson Corporation deleted the statement involving Nicole and issued an apology, stating that it was a misunderstanding. However, they did not rify a word about the marriage between Eric and Nicole. Even so, the effect of this move was still very minute. Eric browsed through Nicole''s social media page and found her posts about their life together. It was so close to him, yet so foreign. [Hubby came back early today! *smiley face* ] [It''s raining...I wonder if Hubby has an umbre with him...] [Hubby picked me up from work-] [Breakfast especially prepared for my hubby!] i.. Eric unconsciously scrolled to the bottom and suddenly felt that their three years of marriage were not He noticed that he had never understood her and had never participated in her happiness. 2 Every one of her posts was about him, and thetest statement she released at 8:00 am today was emotionless, unlike her previous posts. 1 It was as if this was the end of their marriage. He suddenly felt as if a piece of his heart was missing. His chest felt empty. 1 Eric wanted to continue scrolling, but the page suddenly stopped moving. When he refreshed it, all those posts he had just read suddenly disappeared. They were all deleted, leaving only the cold statement from this morning. 1 The number of likes,ments, and retweets kept increasing. ''This was her stance. She just deleted everything like that? She wants to pretend that these three years never happened?¡¯ Eric¡¯s heart sank and his gaze was gloomy. His heart felt like it was being squashed. ''I will find her even if I turn the whole country upside down!'' i.. A monthter. Those who attended Anta''s business banquet were dignitaries and the elites of society. Almost all of the upper ss were present. The banquet was not open to the public. Bodyguards were also stationed a few blocks away from the venue to stop paparazzi from secretly snapping pictures. A luxury Mercedes Benz sports car slowly stopped at the entrance of The Waldorf. Eric Ferguson looked iparably noble and was undoubtedly the focal point as he made his grand entrance with his femalepanion, Wendy Quade. 1 When Wendy learned of Eric''s divorce, she was excited and knew that her opportunity hade. However, after all this time, Eric did not visit her once even when she was really sick. Wendy was only able to attend this banquet as Eric''s femalepanion because her uncle had sent her an invitation. Her pitiable face and expensive custom-made dress would move any man. "Wee, Mr. Ferguson..." The organizer went over to shake hands with Eric but suddenly heard a Someone said, "Grant Stanton from West City is here..." A luxury custom Rolls-Royce came up to the entrance. Grant Stanton was truly worthy of being a Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. legendary big name on Wall Street. His aura was extraordinary and had a natural high-born bearing. Grant Stanton and Eric Ferguson were both legends that wereparable in strength. As soon as Grant appeared, people around him were already waiting to shake his hands and exchange pleasantries with him. However, Grant did not leave immediately after getting out of the car. Instead, he walked to the other side of the car, took over the position of the porter, and opened the car door. He then extended his hand modestly, which attracted the attention of the crowd. Who did Grant Stanton, who had never been close to women, bring with him tonight? "Nicole!" Someone shouted out her name. The woman was wearing a custom handmade gown from a European royal family. The dress was studded with diamonds and was sparkling with grandeur. It outlined her slender figure wlessly. 2 Her makeup was extremely meticulous and highlighted her features perfectly. It made her look even more beautiful. Eric narrowed his dark eyes as he watched the woman take Grant Stanton''s arm and walked inside the hotel with a bright smile. 1 Nicole was getting closer to him with each step she took. Chapter 10 Abandoned Wife Chapter 10 Abandoned Wife The glorious banquet hall was filled with important people. Every guest present was at the top of their field. Nicole was mentally prepared to see Eric Ferguson again. Her heart did not fluctuate when she saw him because she had already let him go. Although everyone knew that Eric Ferguson had an ex -wife, Eric had never brought her to any formal asions. Even when thest statement went viral online, everyone had only heard of her name. When Nicole saw Wendy Quade beside Eric, sheughed lightly and thought, ''She took my ce so soon?'' Grant Stanton sensed her emotions and thoughtfully patted her arm. "Don''t be afraid. I¡¯m with you." 1 Nicole¡¯s smile deepened. "I¡¯m not the one who should b e afraid." ''I don¡¯t have any worries anymore. What should I be afraid of? I¡¯m invincible!'' Grant walked up to Eric. The two men were equal in poprity and were simr in all aspects. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Mr. Ferguson, I''ve heard a lot about you.¡± "Mr. Stanton, so have I." The two men shook hands and parted immediately after. Eric''s eyes were fixed on the woman next to Grant. 1 Nicole stood beside Grant and smiled radiantly. Her eyes were glistening and clear, and her bespoke dress made her fair skin look wless. She looked like apletely different person from before, and Eric could not take his eyes off of her. 1 This radiant Nicole in front of him was unfamiliar and dangerous with a fatal attraction. Eric could only stare at her unmovingly while aplex emotion stirred in his heart. ''Did she go to Grant Stanton the day she vanished into thin air? What is her rtionship with Grant Stanton?'' 1 At that moment, the emotions surging in Eric¡¯s heart were soplicated that he did not even know how to describe them. Anger started to brew in his dark eyes. Wendy Quade also noticed the sh of shock in Eric''s eyes the moment he saw Nicole. She secretly gritted her teeth and said in a shrill voice, "Nicole, why are you here? Do you think this is a ce you cane as you please?¡± 2 She was reminding Nicole not to forget her lowly status. Eric¡¯s brow furrowed, but before he could stop her, he heard Grant''s cold rhetorical question. "And which family are you from, Miss?" His tone was aloof and interrogative. Wendy froze and forgot that she had apanion, so she hastily tried to remedy the situation. "Sir, you may not know this, but Nicole just divorced Eric..." She thought that Nicole had found herself another sugar daddy and felt the need to expose Nicole''s divorced status to him. 1 Grant¡¯s indifferent attitude was oppressive. "Is there a rule that divorced people can''t attend? Isn''t Mr. Ferguson also here?" Wendy awkwardly tucked her hair behind her ear and looked at Eric to plead for help. However, Eric just stood there silently without the intention of relieving her from this awkward situation. Nicole lowered her head slightly and scoffed. "Ms. Quade, do I need to report to you whoever I''m with? Don¡¯t you think that you¡¯re overstepping your bounds?" Wendy was stirring up trouble, so there was no reason for Nicole to back down in this tit for tat. Although the scandal between Eric and Wendy had been suppressed, it had already spread like wildfire o n the inte. No one believed that Eric and Nicole had an amicable divorce. There were so many people at the party, but Nicole did not even nce at Eric. Grant swept a cold nce at Wendy and said unceremoniously, "It seems that the quality of this banquet has dropped because of Ms. Quade''s attendance. Mr. Ferguson, you need to improve your standards in selecting femalepanions." 1 After he said that, Grant did not intend to continue wasting time with insignificant people and led Nicole t o the other side of the hall. Wendy was ridiculed by such a dignified person and felt humiliated. She pouted her lips pitifully. "Eric..." Her voice was forlorn and cautious. 1 Eric looked at the two departing backs with a cold and dark expression. He was not in the mood to think about anything else at the moment. ''We haven''t been divorced for long, yet that woman was living in style and pretended not to see me? She even ran into the arms of another man?¡¯ A few business partners came over to greet Eric, so Eric ditched Wendy and mingled around by himself. 2 Arge swimming pool was right outside the floor-to-ceiling window. This corner was secluded and unupied. Nicole held a ss of red wine and seemed to be admiring the moonlight that reflected in the water. Wendy thought, ''Why should an abandoned wife that was kicked out of the Ferguson family be able to attend such an exclusive banquet?¡¯ Chapter 11 Cooperation Chapter 11 Cooperation Wendy Quade''s face was gloomy as she walked over to Nicole step by step. "Nicole..." Nicole stood there and already knew that someone was approaching her. She knew that besides Wendy, n o one woulde over to her. She casually nced to the side and saw Wendy¡¯s soft and gentle face that looked so pitiable. Wendy walked up to Nicole with a cold smirk and had already removed her disguise. "Did youe to the banquet on purpose? You wanted to get close to Eric, didn¡¯t you? You''re already divorced, so why are you still clinging to him? If I were you, I''d hide far away. Don''te looking for trouble." 1 Nicole looked at Wendy with a harsh and mocking gaze. "Wendy Quade, the whole world knows that you¡¯re the mistress in our rtionship. Did you have a good timetely?" Since this scandal went viral,izens dug up information on Wendy Quade, who was frequently seen around Eric Ferguson. 1 Although Eric Ferguson had already taken down those posts, Wendy Quade had been dubbed "the homewrecker" and was scorned by many, so much so that Wendy could not sleep well for some time. "Nicole, a title isn¡¯t as important as our feelings for each other. Eric and I will be together one day, unlike you." Wendy coldly snorted out of jealousy and gave Nicole a once over. ¡°Did you take the money from selling your blood to get this banquet invitation? How else could you Wendy stepped forward. Her gaze flickered slightly as she walked next to the pool with a cold smirk. "Nicole, you''re just asking for it..." As she said that, Wendy suddenly leaned backward and fell into the pool. The ssh immediately attracted the attention of the crowd. The crowd eximed. Nicole looked at this scene with an indifferent and dark gaze. She suddenly thought about the banquet three years ago back when she had just gotten married to Eric. This exact situation happened as well. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Nicole, I won¡¯t congratte you on your marriage. After all, Eric isn''t in love with you. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that you can donate blood to me at any time, Eric wouldn''t have agreed to marry you. You will never be happy together. If you don''t believe me, just watch..." Wendy leaped into the pool back then, and Eric jumped in without a second thought. She had proved to Nicole that Eric cared about her. Back then, Nicole thought that her sincerity would one day move Eric, but she had failed miserably. Now, Wendy jumped into the pool yet again and struggled in the water. A man rushed by. Without having to look, Nicole knew that it must be Eric. He anxiously brought Wendy out o f the pool. 1 "Eric, don¡¯t me Nicole. I came to apologize but she didn''t forgive me. She must still hate me, but I''m sure she didn''t mean to do this..." 1 Wendy looked so aggrieved as she shrank into the man''s arms and suppressed her sobs. The onlookers pitied Wendy and looked at Nicole dubiously. Grant Stanton heard themotion and frowned when he saw this scene. Nicole stopped him from interfering. Instead, she whispered a few words into his ear. After that, Grant left. 1 Eric held the drenched Wendy and draped his jacket over her. His dark eyes red at Nicole coldly. Nicole met his gaze without avoidance and the corners of her lips curled up mockingly. "She used this trick a long time ago. Did you fall for it again?" Nicole did not care if Eric believed what Wendy said. She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smirked. "It doesn''t matter. Her acting skills are so subpar without any improvement after all these years. I''ll cooperate and ignore it." 1 ''Why do I have to y along with her? It¡¯ll just lower m y IQ!¡¯ Nicole was just about to turn around and leave when Wendy suddenly got up from Eric''s embrace and tugged on Nicole''s arm. Wendy refused to let go of this wonderful opportunity to clear her name and cried. 1 "Nicole, I know that you don''t like me, but every time you donated blood, Eric paid you for it. What else are you dissatisfied with? Why are you still pestering Eric after the divorce and nder us? You did everything possible toe to this party because you refuse to let go of him, right?¡± Chapter 12 Payback Chapter 12 Payback The guests looked at the trio strangely. Everyone knew about the Ferguson scandal, but the Fergusons were powerful, so no one dared to add fuel t o the fire and only watched the drama unfold. ''Is Eric''s ex-wife not as innocent as she seems?¡¯ Eric Ferguson frowned slightly and thought that Wendy Quade was being rude. He was just about to go over and pry Wendy away when he saw Nicole turn around with a cold face. While the crowd was still dumbfounded, Nicole grabbed Wendy''s arm and marched towards the pool. Wendy was like a helpless puppy that was being dragged by Nicole and did not even have a chance to retaliate. Nicole held Wendy''s chin, then gave her a crisp p across the face, which made Wendy scream in pain. After that, Nicole released her grip. Wendy then fell into the pool with a big ssh. Wendy''s scream stopped abruptly as she struggled in the water, shocked and humiliated. Nicole withdrew her hand. Her gaze was cold and sharp, and her tone was indifferent as she said, "Since you used me of doing something I haven''t done, I ought to live up to it. You can stop the act. I admit to what I¡¯ve done now." Wendy was thrown into the pool under everyone''s watchful gaze. Her reaction was very different from the first time when she jumped in herself. Thus, everyone began to be skeptical. Eric Ferguson also questioned what he saw at that moment. The Nicole in front of him seemed like a The water in the pool was not very deep. Wendy saw that no one was going to save her, so she was about to climb up herself when she suddenly felt a cold liquid raining down on her head. 1 The scent of the 1982 Lafite wine was strong as it dripped down Wendy''s hair. Wendy''s dignity was Nicole¡¯s eyes were cold and sullen with unbridled contempt as she poured half a ss of wine over Wendy¡¯s head. She was instantly in a much better mood. "This is an extra gift for you, Ms. Quade. Don''t be in such a hurry to leave just yet. I still have another surprise for you." When Nicole left the scene, everyone looked at Wendy with disdain. ''How can a bad person act so righteous?'' One of them was calm and collected, while the other one was panic acting. 1 Everyone could see that Wendy started this pretentious act. "Eric...¡± Wendy''s voice trembled as she carefully looked at the man. Wendy hated Nicole so much because Nicole stole Eric''s attention and all the limelight away from her the moment she appeared. If it was not for Nicole, Wendy would not be in such a mess and would not be aughing stock. 1 Wendy admitted that she panicked. All she wanted now was to hurry up and leave because she did not know what other tricks Nicole had up her sleeve. Eric withdrew his gaze and called a waiter to help Wendy, who was shivering after falling twice into the water. "You fell in by yourself just now, right?" Eric''s dark eyes were cold and gloomy. Wendy looked flustered. "Of course not! Why would I frame Nicole? Can¡¯t you see that she¡¯s crazy and just wants to get back at us? Eric, do you not trust me? Do you not believe in Hendrick?" Eric''s gaze was deep as he scrutinized Wendy. His intimidating gaze made her tremble. 1 "I''ll send you back first." Wendy looked relieved and was just about to nod when someone shouted, "Look upstairs!¡± Everyone''s attention turned to the second floor, where Nicole was standing nonchntly with arge crocodile leather suitcase in her hand. She was leaning against the railing with her arms bent and had a cigarette in hand. The wisps of smoke made her look so enchanting that the crowd could not move their eyes away. Wendy''s heart shuddered, then watched as Nicole casually took out a stack of Benjamins from the bag next to her and threw it out insouciantly. Those crisp bills floated in the air and fell onto the ground and the water. Nicole continued throwing money by the handfuls. Many waiters and guests excitedly picked up the notes and everyone was shocked by this scene. After a while, Nicole felt that it was not satisfying enough, so she took the bag and inverted it over the railing. Just like that, $25 million in cash eloquently rained down on the people below, including Eric Ferguson and Wendy Quade. Chapter 13 Send Her Away Chapter 13 Send Her Away "Eric Ferguson, this is what you¡¯ve paid me throughout the three years for my blood. Now that I''ve paid you back, we don''t owe each other anymore..." Nicole''s voice was cold and resolute. Eric''s eyes were dark and deep, and his mood at this moment was extraordinarilyplicated. The crowd was clear about the situation at this moment. Earlier, Wendy Quadebeled Nicole as a gold -digger who clung to Eric for his money, but in the blink of an eye, Nicole pped her in the face by returning everything Eric had ever given her. Wendy''s reputation had gone down the drain with this incident. Nicole walked away morously while Wendy was left with chattering teeth as she shivered in the cold. ''This woman is my nemesis!¡¯ Wendy thought. "Eric, Nicole must be mad at me again. Let''s just go." Eric refused to let go of this opportunity to clear things up with Nicole and said to Wendy, "Wait for me at the entrance." After that, he went straight in and saw Nicole sitting o n a deck chair while the renowned Grant Stanton knelt by her side and rubbed her ankles that were slightly chafed by her high heels. Grant''s gaze was so tender that Eric found it jarring. 1 The two of them looked up at the unexpected guest. Grant Stanton smiled and sat calmly next to Nicole as he put an arm around her in a protective stance. "Mr. Ferguson, shouldn''t you beforting yourpanion? You''re still in the mood to settle scores right now?" Eric frowned. His body was exuding an extreme coldness and his gaze was locked on Grant''s hand that was wrapped around Nicole. His tone was frigid a s he said, "Nicole, if I''ve done something to upset you, you can look for me to settle the score, but you should apologize for what you did to Wendy." 1 Nicole hooked up her lips slightly and met his gaze." What if I don''t? Will you throw me into the water?" N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Eric was displeased by her se attitude. Seeing that she was so quick to be associated with other men, Eric also felt inexplicably vexed. "Since we used to be married, let me give you a word o f advice. Be kind to others." "Mr. Ferguson, I guess you don¡¯t know me very well. I was born evil." 1 Eric choked. Nicole¡¯s stubbornness was especially infuriating to him, but since they were divorced, he was in no ce to tell her what to do. His tone was cold as he spat out one word. "Fine." He then turned to leave. Eric was so exasperated that he forgot his purpose ofing to Nicole. He had wanted to exin to her about his rtionship with Wendy, but there was no need for that anymore. Nicole''s smile faded gradually. Grant patted her shoulder. "Lil N, do you still like him?" "How''s that possible?¡± Nicole sneered. She would not make the same mistake twice. In Eric Ferguson''s car. Wendy Quade was wrapped in his clothes. She was just about to exin what happened tonight to dispel Eric''s doubts about her when the driver eximed in surprise. "Eh? Isn''t that Ms. Quade?" The driver slowly stopped on the side of the road and pointed to the huge digital billboard behind The Hilton Hotel. That advertising space that cost tens of millions of dors per minute was looping the footage of Wendy and Nicole at the poolside earlier. Their faces had been censored, but the celebrities and dignitaries who went to the banquet knew the identity of these two women. Eric¡¯s eyes were fixated on the screen. It was a silent video, but it clearly showed that Nicole did not even touch Wendy. Thetter just took a step back by herself, leaned back, and fell into the pool. 1 In an instant, the air in the car became cold and stagnant. Eric''s face was even colder. His eyes were stern and gloomy because just a few minutes ago, he had gone t o Nicole and asked her to apologize to Wendy. 1 This was Nicole''s reply to his request. ''Ridiculous! Simply absurd!'' Wendy''s face was pale and she was trembling with extreme fear. She never would have imagined that someone would y the surveince footage from the banquet on a digital billboard that could be seen by the entire city! 1 "Bang!" The car door was mmed shut. Eric Ferguson stood outside the car. His tone was cold and stern and his gaze was imcable. "I''ll have someone send you to France first thing tomorrow morning!" Chapter 14 Parachuted Chapter 14 Parachuted Wendy Quade pleaded in the car, but Eric Ferguson just felt like he had nowhere to vent his wrath. ''If this was fake, was anything ever real in the past three years?¡¯ As Eric stormed away in the cold wind, a shy sports car slowly stopped by the roadside. The person inside waved to him, "Bro! Get in..." Keith Ludwig was also at the banquet earlier towork and witnessed the spectacle. Since Eric left i n a huff, Keith got bored and followed suit. He did not expect to see Eric walking by himself at the roadside. Eric sat in the passenger seat and lit a cigarette. When he saw the smoke, he thought of Nicole¡¯s figure when she held a cigarette earlier and stiffened. 1 "Bro, you saw Nicole, right? What''s her rtionship with West City''s Grant Stanton?" Keith''s question annoyed Eric even more. Eric did not want to answer these questions that he did not even know the answer to. Fortunately, there were no reporters at the event. Otherwise, it would cause another viral sensation in their circle. With the Fergusons¡¯ status, no one dared t o spread rumors of what happened privately. "We felt so sorry for you that Nicole married you back then with her sh*tty background. She''s so rude to Wendy too! Luckily you got a divorce, otherwise, the Fergusons¡¯ reputation will go down the drain. I don''t know how a woman like that can catch Grant Stanton''s attention. They even look much closer than she was with you back then. I never expected her to b e so capable in this arena." 4 With Eric''s status, he should only marry a daughter of an affluent family. Nicole was just a gold-digger that married into the Ferguson family for money, so none o f Eric''s friends liked her. 1 Hearing Keith''s frivolous words, Eric felt a trace of difort in his heart. Eric''s eyes were covered with ayer of frost and his eyes were deep and dark. "Enough, stop talking!" Keith pursed his lips. ''At least that woman knows better and got a divorce...she''d better stay away from Eric!'' Eric was silent. His face was glum as he stubbed out the cigarette and threw it out the window. "Wanna go for a drink?" Keith proposed. Eric nodded. "Sure." He desperately needed to get rid of the irritable feeling in his chest. 2 After this little spectacle, Nicole became the star of the banquet. Grant Stanton also took the opportunity t o formally introduce Nicole as the parachuted Vice President in thepany. For a while, there was more spection about Nicole and Grant''s rtionship, but neither of them bothered to exin and onlyughed it off. Nicole needed to get a strong foothold in thepany before they announced her status as the There was a lot of dissatisfaction within thepany, but no one dared to object to Grant Stanton¡¯s decision. Grant even assigned his right-hand man, Logan, to be Nicole''s secretary. Grant also set aside some time to give her extra lessons, so Nicole would stay in Grant''s office for another two hours every day before they left work. Looking at Nicole, who was sitting leisurely in a rocking chair, Grantughed and threatened her." You¡¯re such azy bum. Why don''t I get Dad to teach you personally next time?" Nicole immediately sat up. "Please don''t!" "J&L''s anniversary is in two days. They have a project t o offer, so you can handle it." Nicole''s eyes lit up. "Okay. I''ll definitely get it in the bag." "It''s not that simple. Everyone knows this is a big slice of the cake, so it''s not that easy tond this. I''ll probably be abroad for a meeting during that time, but K should be back by then." "Is heing back? I''ll pick him up!" Nicole had not seen her third brother, Kai Stanton, in a long time. Thest time she saw him was when N?velDrama.Org content. she watched a TV show that he was starring in. 2 Grant smiled helplessly and looked at the time. "Let¡¯s g 0. I''ll take you to dinner." As soon as they entered the restaurant, Nicole''s face sank. ''What a small world to be able to meet my enemies here...'' Quinn and Ingrid Ferguson were there. "Where¡¯s the manager? Does this restaurant allow just any trash to waltz in?!" Ingrid yelled. Chapter 15 Pour Wine Chapter 15 Pour Wine Ingrid Ferguson, who was gambling her money away i n Germany on the other side of the Antic, was oblivious to the fact that news of her stealing her family''s jewelry went viral back home. Her reputation was ruined. Once Ingrid returned to Mediania, thedies in her elite circle looked at her with contempt. Moreover, the person who started all of this was Nicole, who they had kicked out of the Ferguson family. Now that Ingrid saw Nicole in this restaurant, she clenched her teeth in anger. In the past, Ingrid looked down on Nicole''s unknown origins and trampled all over her. When she saw Nicole again, she went to find the restaurant manager. The manager heard themotion and rushed over. All guests who came to this restaurant had reservations and were all influential people that they could not afford to offend. 1 "Ms. Ferguson, I¡¯m really sorry...¡± Ingrid red at Nicole and wanted to p her a few times to relieve her anger. "She''s affecting my mood for dinner. Get her out of here! We''re your VIP customers!" The manager turned around and was shocked to see Grant Stanton¡¯s handsome face turn glum. The her long wavy hair draped at her back. She had glimmering eyes and stunning features and did not look the slightest bit affected by Ingrid Ferguson¡¯s outburst. The manager hurriedly went over and respectfully bowed to greet them. "Wee, Mr. Stanton. Your table is ready. This way, please." Ingrid''s face changed as she surveyed Grant Stanton. A trace of amazement shed across her eyes, N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. but when she saw that he was holding Nicole protectively, she frowned in dissatisfaction. "Hey! Did you not hear me? Get them out of here!" 2 Quinn sized up Nicole with disdain and echoed on the side. "Yeah, she should take a look at herself in the mirror! How dare shee here? Nicole, do you think you can be arrogant with us after finding yourself a sugar daddy? A woman who¡¯s kicked out of the Ferguson family doesn''t have the right to show up here!" Grant sneered. His oppressive aura was overwhelming. "Kicked out of the Ferguson family? Your ability to twist a story is pretty impressive! When did the Fergusons be so shameless?" He was furious and wondered what kind of life Nicole had when she was staying with the Fergusons. Quinn froze. Her face turned red with anger as she looked at the manager and ordered. "What are you still doing standing here? I don''t want to see them!¡± The manager¡¯s face sank. He spoke decisively, "Mrs. Ferguson, Ms. Ferguson, Mr. Stanton is a major shareholder of our restaurant, so if you don¡¯t want to see them, you may leave." 1 Quinn and Ingrid were stupefied, and their expressions kept changing. Nicole chuckled. Her gaze was clear and indifferent. Nicole turned to Grant. "Ignore them. It''s just a meal, s o there¡¯s no need for this impasse. I have something to say to the two of them, so you can go in and wait for m e." Grant looked indignant, but when he thought about the fact that Nicole was a changed woman, he felt reassured that she could deal with this situation. With a slight nod, Grant turned and walked in. He was astonishingly obedient. The remaining Quinn and Ingrid were not afraid of Nicole. Ingrid sat there and snorted coldly. "At least you''re still self-aware. Our family won¡¯t care who''s your new sugar daddy. My brother has never once fancied you, so I can make you vanish from Anta in a minute!" 2 Nicole looked down and smiled. Her eyes were indifferent. "Then...what do you want?" "How about this...pour me a ss of wine and apologize. I''m sure you''re used to serving others like this. Didn¡¯t you do this often when you were staying with us? I¡¯ll let you off the hook this once if you serve me well." Ingrid raised her eyebrows and snorted coldly as she waited for Nicole to bow to her and admit her mistake. Nicoleughed, went up to pick up the decanter, then skillfully poured out a ss of wine and handed it over. Ingrid hooked her lips in disdain. Before her hand could touch the wine ss, she felt a chill over her head. Every drop of wine in the ss that Nicole was holding spilled on Ingrid''s head. Before Ingrid had time to scream or stand up, Nicole pressed her down o n the shoulders. Nicole shoved Ingrid and said close to her ear, "Ms. Ferguson, remember this. I was the one who brought up the divorce. I¡¯m the one that doesn''t want anything to do with your family. If you dare bend the truth, I''ll show you which one of us will vanish from Anta!¡± Chapter 16 Chance Encounter Chapter 16 Chance Encounter Nicole walked away in style. Ingrid''s face was pale, and before she could react, Quinn cursed loudly on the side and told the waiter to clean up the mess. "Is this b*tch Nicole crazy?! How dare she do this to you?" Quinn spoke viciously. In the blink of an eye, Nicole had already been led by the manager to the VIP room o n the other side of the restaurant. Ingrid¡¯s hair and clothes were soaked through with red wine. She looked wretched. When she returned to her senses, she was so infuriated that she wanted to g o after Nicole to settle the score, but she was stopped b y the waiter. "Miss, do you need a change of clothes?" The surrounding patrons stared at the miserable-looking Ingrid, who stomped her foot indignantly. "I won''t let her get away with this!" 1 Grant Stanton was in a bad mood after that encounter, but Nicole was not affected in any way. She looked up at Grant and smiled. "G, I have a shopping date with Yvetteter, do you wanna join us?" The man gave her a sidelong nce and his tone was cold. "How are you still in the mood for dinner and shopping? Look at the Fergusons'' attitude towards you! They''re so condescending!¡± 2 Nicole looked down and smiled helplessly. A hint of coldness shed across her eyes. "It doesn''t matter. You don''t have to take it to heart. It''s over anyway. They won''t mess with me anymore. Even if they do, I''m certainly no longer the pushover that will let them do as they please." After dinner, they saw Eric Ferguson''s car as soon as they came out of the restaurant. Ingrid, who was sitting in the car, quickly pulled Eric out the first moment she saw Nicole. She cried and to it.¡± Nicole stood there with cold eyes and walked away holding Grant''s hand, ignoring the Fergusons. Eric¡¯s face was gloomy. He did not believe that Nicole would be so mean. When he thought about Wendy''s false usation against her, he was afraid of causing another misunderstanding and waited for Nicole toe over to exin herself, but she did not even look at him and left. 1 When they walked past by Eric, he sped Nicole''s arm and looked at her with a frigid face. "Nicole, you should give us an exnation for what happened just now." Nicole faintly raised her eyes to look at him and snorted lightly. "I did it. What''s there to exin?" She then walked away like she was not at all concerned by this matter. Nicole also did not care about Eric''s attitude. Eric''s grip tightened, which made Nicole feel ufortable. She turned to look at him with her beautiful eyes that permeated a chill. "Mr. Ferguson, are you trying to settle the score for her?" i "Brother, don''t let her go! This b*tch dares to treat me like this, so you can''t spare her so easily!" Ingrid Ferguson, who had been pampered and coddled by her family since young, had never been insulted like this before, so naturally, she refused to give up. Eric''s eyes darkened slightly and frowned at his sister. "What do you want then?" Ingrid hooked her lips and looked at Nicole smugly." I''ll let her go if she bows and apologizes to me." "You want me to apologize?" Nicole sneered and looked at Eric. ''I guess he has the same idea...'' Every time Ingrid or Quinn stirred up trouble in the past, Nicole would apologize for it and would sweep the matter under the rug, but this time, Nicole did not want to condone their transgressions. "Mr. Ferguson, do you also want me to apologize? It''s best to check the surveince footage at the restaurant to figure out the cause of the matter before jumping to conclusions. Ms. Ferguson isn''t some Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. innocent little rabbit, so why the self-pity?" Nicole''s words were sarcastic. She shrugged Eric''s hand off of her and took Grant''s arm. Grant could not bear to see this and spoke up in an icy tone. "Hasn''t anyone in the Ferguson family ever taught Ms. Ferguson that it¡¯s natural for others to retaliate against bullying? Why didn''t Ms. Ferguson think to apologize to Nicole when she was being rude?" 2 Ingrid''s heart trembled when Grant red at her. She felt guilty and flustered, so she hid behind Eric, looking pitiful. "Brother, I didn''t..." Grant and Nicole looked at Ingrid with disdain. Eric heard this and frowned slightly. "That''s because she exposed me online for stealing '' Daydream'' and my friends made fun of me for it! That''s my family''s jewelry, so how is it stealing? I only said a few words to her, but she even dared to do this t o me!" Ingrid sheepishly tried to defend herself. That incident made Ingrid lose her pride. Eric''s face was gloomy and his gaze was inscrutable. H e furrowed his brow and wanted to speak. However, Nicoleughed lightly and ignored Ingrid''s rebuttal, "Not retaliating when being used was something the old Nicole would do. Ms. Ferguson, you should learn how to respect others. Otherwise, this will surely happen again." Grant added, "The restaurant¡¯s surveince footage will always be avable. Mr. Ferguson, you can view it at your convenience. Goodbye." After that, Grant led Nicole to the car and thoughtfully opened the car door for her. They then left the Fergusons dumbfounded. Chapter 17 Coincidence Chapter 17 Coincidence Eric Ferguson watched as Grant Stanton''s car gradually drove away with narrowed eyes and a sullen expression. The divorced Nicole was like a derailed train. He simply could not figure out which direction she was heading. In the past, Nicole would be very cautious around him, but now, she even dared to say those ungracious words fearlessly. Ingrid was reluctant to let Nicole get away so easily and wanted to stop their car, but Eric yanked her back. "That¡¯s enough!" "Brother, how can you side with an outsider? Nicole bullying me is the same as disrespecting our family! That ungrateful b*tch forgot who fed, clothed, and amodated her these past three years. She needs t o be taught a lesson!" "Ingrid Ferguson, the jewelry in the safe at Imperial Gardens are all for Nicole. Why did you take them without permission?" Eric reminded her. Although he had not taken the initiative to give it to Nicole, everything at the Imperial Gardens belonged to him and Nicole. "Brother, I''m your sister! It''s just a piece of jewelry, so why are you being so calctive? Besides, Nicole doesn''t have any asion that she could wear such expensive jewelry, so why can''t I take it?" Ingrid spoke with discontent and thought that Nicole was not worthy of the "Daydream" ne. Eric really wanted to teach his sister a lesson, but Ingrid began to cry aggrievedly, so he did not know N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. what to say for a moment. "I¡¯ll watch the surveince footage first." This made Ingrid freeze in ce. She stopped crying and gritted her teeth in indignation. "Brother, do you not believe me? Nicole clearly framed me!" 1 "We''ll know once we see it." Eric cast a sidelong nce at his sister and walked into the restaurant. 1 A trace of panic crossed Ingrid¡¯s face, but she bit the bullet and followed Eric. "Brother, I told you that she¡¯s not a good woman! Look at the man next to her, he''s so protective and fond of her, so maybe she''s already cheated on you long ago and took your money to support that pretty boy!" 2 Ingrid ndered Nicole in hopes that Eric would help her deal with that woman. ''Who is she to walk all over me?¡¯ Eric¡¯s eyes sank and his face turned extremely glum." Shut up!" He walked away andpletely ignored his sister. The restaurant manager had already received orders from Grant Stanton beforehand to prepare a copy of the surveince footage. As soon as Eric arrived and exined his intentions, the restaurant manager took out the surveince footage and handed it over. One minute...two minutes... Eric''s face became more gloomy by the second while Ingrid stood anxiously on the side. In the video, Ingrid and Quinn were hurling insults and curses that were harsh to hear, but Nicole looked like she was ustomed to it. ¡®Is this customary? Is this not the first time this has happened? Was this how my family treated Nicole all this while during our marriage? Nicole''s calmness and retaliation shocked the two of them, so is this the first time she ever fought back?'' Eric¡¯s heart surged withplicated emotions. Blood rushed to his head and his expression kept changing. Suddenly, he stopped the video and walked out with big strides. 1 "Brother, wait for me..." "Ingrid Ferguson, this is not the first time you attack her, right?" Eric red at his sister. Ingrid''s face paled and looked horrendous as she quickly denied it. "What? I was just angry that she found another man so soon after your divorce. Why would I berate her otherwise?¡± Eric sneered. He no longer believed his arrogant and capricious little sister. "Go and apologize to Nicole!" "I don''t want to! I''d rather die than apologize to that b* tch!" Ingrid shouted in aggravation. ''Nicole was the one who poured wine all over me, so why should I apologize to her?¡¯ Chapter 18 Someone You Can’t Afford to Mess With Chapter 18 Someone You Can¡¯t Afford to Mess With Ingrid tugged on Eric''s arm. "Brother, you have to help me...didn''t Nicole take your money to support her lover? She clearly has an affair with that man..." Eric shrugged Ingrid off of his arm. His tone was sullen as he coldly spat out. "That man is Grant Stanton from West City. He''s someone you can''t afford to mess with." He began to be doubtful. ''Was the divorce not just my problem? Perhaps the entire Ferguson family is the problem...'' Ingrid was stupefied. Although she had never met Grant Stanton, every woman in the elite circle knew that he was the most eligible bachelor in West City. He was so mysterious and noble. Countless women would bend over backward just to marry this man, but Nicole was with him? She was vexed. Since her brother did not back her up, she could only turn to others for help. Ingrid immediately made a phone call. "Keith, Nicole bullied me. You have to help me..." At Grant Stanton''s office in the Stanton Tower, Nicole watched as Grant made her a cup of coffee with skill and grace. Just then, she received a call from Dominic Young, the President of Falcon Entertainment. "Nicole, I got insider information that Ms. Ferguson found someone to follow you discreetly. Do you need help to solve this?¡± 1 Nicole pursed her lips slightly and smiled. Her gaze was indifferent. "Nah, let her be. I¡¯ll just go with the flow. It''ll save me some publicity fees." 1 After she hung up, Grant frowned slightly and paused for a moment. "What is it?" "Ms. Ferguson hired someone to follow me. Let her be." Grant did not take it to heart because these little tricks were within their control. He handed over an aromatic cup of coffee he just made for her. "Careful, it''s hot." Nicole smiled and took it, then closed her eyes to savor the smell. "Your coffee is the best, much better than the world''s top baristas. I think you''ll definitely make it big if you open a cafe." 1 Grant snorted and cast her a helpless nce. "No one but you can afford to drink my coffee.¡± Nicole tasted the coffee with great satisfaction and suddenly remembered something. "Since I''m officially starting my job tomorrow, can I ask Yvette to be my right hand and help me for a few days?" Grant nodded without much thought, "Whatever, just make your own arrangements.¡± Thinking about the way Yvette looked at Grant, Nicole excitedly sent Yvette a message. [Okay, you¡¯re officially starting work tomorrow!] Yvette replied immediately. [Yes, ma¡¯am!] Yvette was from the affluent Quimbey family. When Yvette offered to help Nicole, she only nned to N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. spend more time with Nicole and Grant. Nicole saw through her intentions but did not expose her because she also wanted her best friend and big brother to be together. 1 Nicole was in a great mood and happily left for their date. The twodies then went to a bar they frequented. Tattle Bar was lively with raucous music. The bass and the beats made them immerse themselves in the music. Yvette was delighted to be starting work at Stanton Corporation, so she let loose and partied to her heart''s content. After some drinks, they went up to the dance floor. These twodies were incredibly beautiful with outstanding temperaments, which immediately attracted a lot of attention. One was sexy and passionate, and the other was aloof and regal. 1 Although Yvette was starting to slur her words, she still wanted to continue drinking. Nicole was a little helpless when she saw this. She took Yvette''s hand and shouted over the music, "I''m going to the bathroom, so wait for me here!¡± 1 Yvette just waved her hand in assurance. Nicole came back after a few minutes. Her face instantly sank when she saw a tall, burly man standing next to Yvette. The man had long noticed the twodies dancing by themselves. When he saw that Yvette was alone, he became horny and went up to pull Yvette into his arms. He did not expect Nicole toe back so quickly and looked askance at her. Chapter 19 Video Chapter 19 Video "Since you''re here, you don''t have to leave just yet. Why don''t you apany me for a drink?¡± The man''s gaze was lecherous as he shed a cunning smile. His tone was half-threatening and half-coaxing. Yvette was already tipsy. The man was holding her neck and looked like he could drag her away at any time. Nicole looked straight at the man and said calmly, "Let her go." The man hooked his lips smugly and beckoned to her. "Come here and drink this, then I''ll let her go.¡± Nicole knew without having to think that the drink must have been spiked. Even so, she did not hesitate and walked over, but an onlooker discouraged her. "Miss, don''t go over first. Call the police. This guy is a notorious gang leader." ''Even a gangster dares to bully me now?'' Nicole turned to look at the other guy and said," Thanks for your concern, but don''t worry.¡± She was fed up andughed instead of getting angry. ¡°I f I go over, you''ll release her?¡± "Sure. Come over then..." The man smiled lewdly and thought that he had these Nicole smirked and walked over to him confidently. When she was in front of the gangster, she raised her eyebrows. "I''m here now, so let her go." ''This chick is more beautiful than this drunk one.'' The gangster was aroused and reached out wanting to caress Nicole''s face, but before he could touch her, he watched as a beer bottlended on his head. 1 "Ah!¡± He squealed like a pig. In the next second, Nicole reached out and bent his wrist downward, which made him lose all ability to retaliate. While the man was squealing, she kicked him in the chest, and the punk fell heavily to the ground. He rolled around a few times and curled up in pain as his body trembled. The gangster did not even have the strength to stand up and fight back. The music in the bar stopped abruptly, so it was unusually silent for a moment. The crowd was shocked by this scene. Some people did not even catch it before it was over because it all happened in less than a minute. Those who intended t o be heroes did not even get the opportunity to save their damsel in distress. Such a burly man was crushed by this beauty in mere seconds! Having been out of practice for three years, Nicole was not at all rusty and still had the basic fighting skills. She took a step back and nced at the punk on the ground with a cold gaze. She then calmly went over to pick up the ss of spiked wine that was on the bar counter and squatted next to him. "You wanna drink this yourself, or should I help you with it?" The corners of her lips curled up in contempt. She was unfazed by the dark red blood that oozed out from his head. Under the colorful lights of the bar, her smile looked more terrifying. The man wailed in pain as he twitched and shuddered in fear. He hurriedly begged for mercy. He never imagined that he would encounter such a difficult woman. However, Nicole did not care about his pleas. She reached out and yanked his hair aggressively, forcing him to tilt his head back. Her voice was still as calm a s ever. "I''ll help you." After that, she poured the entire ss of wine into his mouth that not a single drop was left. 3 Nicole dusted her hands and stood up as she dealt with this vile man calmly, without the slightest panic, fear, or even haughtiness. The crowd was in awe. Who they thought was the weakling turned out to be the champion. Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Nicole went back to carry Yvette and left the bar unperturbed. "Let¡¯s go. That guy just ruined our night..." When everyone came back to their senses, the woman had already disappeared through the door. The gangster was covering his wound in pain as he rolled around in difort. He looked so wretched like a wriggling worm... A few paparazzi that were there watched the whole spectacle in excitement. One of them sneaked out to make a call. "Mr. Ludwig, we took a video of Nicole hitting someone at the bar. This content will surely go viral! If we post it online, her image will be ruined.¡± Keith Ludwig was eating some fresh air-flown caviar a t that moment. He smiled smugly. "Go ahead and post i t then." ''It¡¯s only been less than a day and Nicole already let the cat out of the bag? This ungrateful b*tch left the Ferguson family and dared to bully Ingrid and betray Eric. How detestable! It''s time to teach her a lesson.'' 6 Chapter 20 Berated Again Chapter 20 Berated Again Late at night, the paparazzi quietly posted the edited clip online and left out the background story. They simply posted Nicole¡¯s violent actions. At a nce, it looked like Nicole was bullying the man without reason. After a good night¡¯s sleep, Nicole did not forget that it was her first official day at work and woke up on time to pick out her outfit. Yvette drove over in her little convertible and pushed the door in furiously. "Nicole! All those people online are berating you again!¡± Nicole paused slightly. "Berating me? Why?" Yvette showed Nicole the video that the paparazzi posted. It was only ten seconds, but it clearly showed the stark contrast between Nicole''s hostile look and the man''s miserable appearance. The followingments were all about Nicole¡¯s screw -up. Eric Ferguson''s ex-wife had a rendezvous at a barte at night and even beat someone up. Some people alsomented on how ruthless Nicole was. This incident pushed Nicole into the top trending topics on social media. Nicole was unconcerned and turned off the screen. "It doesn''t matter. It won''t affect your mood if you don¡¯t look at it. Now, go get ready for work." Yvette was vexed for Nicole. Although Yvette had too much to drinkst night, she was still conscious at that time and knew that Nicole only fought the man to stand up for her. ''No, I can''t just let this be!¡¯ 1 "You don''t need to care. I''ll handle this. Let''s go to work!" Yvette said. 3 Once they went out, Floyd Stanton''s butler stood respectfully at the door. "Miss, the driver is waiting for you outside." Nicole frowned. It was too conspicuous to go to work being driven in a Rolls-Royce, so she immediately refused. "No thanks, I''ll drive to work.¡± The butler unhurriedly took out a set of car keys. "The Chairman specially selected thetest models of Maserati and Porsche for you. They''re ced in your garage. He has also ordered a few models of Lamborghini and Ferrari from Italy, which will take a few more days to arrive, so he asks that you temporarily make do with these." Yvette widened her eyes in awe and was left speechless. ''Wow...Uncle Floyd pampers Nicole so much that driving these cars worth millions of dors is considered having to make do?!'' 1 The small convertible that Yvette drove was not even enough to buy the tires of any car parked in Nicole''s garage. Nicole sighed helplessly. "I¡¯m going to work as an ordinary person, so I can¡¯t be too shy. I don''t want these. I''ll just go with Yvette." The butler hesitated for a while, then bowed slightly to Yvette. "That''s very kind of you, Ms. Quimbey." Yvette smiled, "Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of her. It''s my honor to be a driver for our dearest Miss Nicole Stanton.¡± The twodies looked at each other andughed. Nicole then pulled Yvette away and ran outside. ''Mr. Anderson is just as naggy as Dad!'' Once they arrived at the office, Grant Stanton held a meeting to formally introduce Nicole as a director of thepany. This position, which had been vacant for a long time, was coveted by many, but it was now taken away by Nicole, who parachuted into this role. Before the meeting was adjourned, some people had already begun to dig up details about Nicole. Besides her identity of being Eric Ferguson''s ex-wife, everything about her was a nk te, even her family background. 2 Samantha Lindt, who assumed herself to be the best candidate for this position, was the first to speak up i n disapproval. She had her eyes on this role for a long time, so why should it be taken by an ipetent person? "Ms. Nicole, what qualifications do you have to assume this role? Do you think you can handle this position after three years of being Eric Ferguson¡¯s wife? I don''t agree with this decision, and I won¡¯t stay i n thispany if someone like Ms. Nicole is a director." 1 N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Samantha immediately raised her objection at the meeting. Grant Stanton looked down at his watch. His voice was indifferent and unfeeling as he said, "Those who don''t want to stay can hand in their resignation notice. I''ll approve it." 4 Chapter 21 Surrounded by Women Chapter 21 Surrounded by Women For a moment, the atmosphere in the meeting room was tense and awkwardly silent. Samantha Lindt felt humiliated. She had been in thepany for so many years and got to her position with a lot of effort, so she did not mean to leave just like that. Grant Stanton standing up for the neer Nicole was also a p in the face for Samantha. The meeting room was silent, and everyone looked at each other. Nicole frowned slightly. She did not want to be targeted the moment she took office. Just as she was about to ease the tension in the room, Samantha stood up apprehensively with a flushed face. "President Stanton, I''m sorry for my transgression. I respect thepany¡¯s decision and will work well with Ms. Nicole." "Good. Meeting adjourned." Grant Stanton did not say much. He did not want to waste another minute and left the meeting room in an imposing manner. Samantha then let out a long breath of relief. Although many others had opinions about Nicole¡¯s arrival, they dared not oppose Grant Stanton¡¯s authority. Nicole was also not bothered by this little episode because she would prove her capabilities over time. When Logan arrived at Nicole''s office, he was very respectful. "Ms. Nicole, I''ll be your assistant from today, so you can inform me if you have any orders." Nicole knew that Logan was Grant''s right-hand man, s o having him by her side would be very helpful." Thank you. The President mentioned something about J&L¡¯s project previously, so please get me all the information on J&L Corporation." Logan nodded. "Sure, I¡¯ll get it ready for you." After Logan left, Yvette waltzed in and swung her phone by the strap on her phone case. "Baby, my office is right next door, so we''ll be working side by side from now on." 1 Nicole smiled and was in a particrly good mood. Her rtionship with Yvette was back to how it was before she impulsively married Eric Ferguson. "This job will be harder at first, but it gets better." Yvette sneered and did a hair flip. "I''m not scared. By the way, let me show you something." She smiled and handed Nicole her phone. Nicole looked at it quizzically and was dumbfounded when she saw the contents. There was a new wave ofments online because Yvette had sent the full video ofst night''s incident t o many influencers, who helped spread the message. Through this video, everyone could see that the gangster first tried to take advantage of the drunk Yvette, but Nicole taught him a hard lesson and finally took Yvette out of the bar with her. This stirred a lot of debate online. [OMG! How cool is she?! I wouldn''t need a boyfriend if I had a good friend like her!] N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. [She''s such a cool and valiant youngdy! Now I understand why she got divorced and left such a wealthy family.] [Nicole is my goddess!] [She should be a celebrity!] [My heroine! Please give me your number!!] Nicole was on the top trending topics again. She looked at Yvette helplessly. "Did you purposely go to get the surveince footagest night?¡± Yvette lifted her chin arrogantly and said, "Nah, it''s nothing, just a matter of one phone call. I won''t allow anyone to nder you under my watch!" Nicoleughed. "Whatever, it''s not a big deal anyway.¡± "Then do you know who''s behind all this?¡± Nicole shook her head but a name shed across her mind. Yvette told her frankly, "It''s Eric Ferguson¡¯s best friend, Keith Ludwig!" Sure enough, it was not far off from Nicole¡¯s guess. Whether it was Ingrid Ferguson or Keith Ludwig, both of them were still rted to Eric Ferguson. Nicole snorted. Her face turned slightly colder. She would not have cared if she was clueless about this, but since she was aware of it, she could not let him get away so easily. "Call Dominic Young, I want dirt on Keith Ludwig!" 2 "Now this is the Nicole Stanton I''m familiar with. We must get our revenge! Don''t worry, I already have what we need to put him in his ce.¡± Yvette had already dug up dirt on Keith Ludwig long ago. She sent all of it to Nicole, who took her pick and selected one of the photos. In that picture, Keith was wearing swim shorts at some party and was hugging a few girls left and right. It was back when he just got married. Nicole posted the photo with a caption. [If you have a beef with me, juste at me directly. I''ll retaliate openly and certainly won''t stoop so low to create misconceptions by hiring paparazzi to edit clips. Mr. Ludwig, you should just look out for yourself. Chapter 22 Surrendered Chapter 22 Surrendered Nicole used her newly registered social media ount to post this. Soon, many influencers began to share her post and turned the tide. Everyone began to watch the drama unfold. Before this, not many knew about Nicole¡¯s new social media handle, but because of this post, her following skyrocketed. Some people even started to dig up Keith Ludwig¡¯s details. Ferguson Corporation. Keith ran into Eric Ferguson''s office in a huff. "Bro! That ex-wife of yours is trying to destroy me!" Eric looked up from the document he was reading and swept him a faint nce. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Keith found the spitefulments about him online and showed them to Eric. He angrily said, "She¡¯s trying to shame me in public! This is just too much! Look, this is her true self! This b*tch is up to no good. Now, my wife is making a fuss and wants a divorce! You have to help me, bro..." Eric frowned. His eyes darkened as he looked through thements on Keith''s phone. After a long time, he said in a deep voice, "So, you intended to cyberbully her but you got bitten in the *ss instead?" Keith shuddered and hurriedly exined, "I...I just wanted to teach her a little lesson. Besides, I didn''t know that the video was edited. The paparazzi cheated my money and did me dirty this time..." Eric threw the phone on the desk and said with a cold face, "Serves you right." 1 "Bro, you gotta help me! I was duped by the paparazzi, and Ingrid asked me to help her with this. If it wasn''t for me, those people would be cursing Ingrid instead!" Eric''s face turned glum. Thinking of what happenedst time at the restaurant, he did not expect his sister to be so obtuse. Keith begged for help with a bitter face, but Eric was unmoved. "You asked for it, so deal with it yourself. With your ability, why are you still worried about this kind of trivial matter anyway?" "It was supposed to be easy, but that b*tch went to find Dominic Young from Falcon Entertainment. That man is so cunning and doesn''t even answer my calls anymore. Now no one dares to help me. Everyone thinks I''m a monster now!" Keith never imagined such a reversal where Nicole would get the upper hand and make him suffer such a big loss. How did that photo from the private party get leaked anyway? His wife had been so obedient and well-behaved all this while, but because of this incident, she proposed a divorce. Keith did not actually care about the divorce. The more pressing issue was that his grandfather wanted t o beat him up and kick him out of the house. He was out of ideas, so he ran to Eric for help. Eric raised his eyes and looked at him for a moment." My advice is for you to go to whoever you provoked.¡± "Nicole?!" Keith subconsciously rejected this idea. ''Why should I bow to such a despicable woman?¡¯ Eric did not want to say more. When his secretary came in to invite him for a meeting, Eric stood up and walked out. 1 Keith hit a wall with Eric and left in disappointment. H e did not dare to go online to read the harsh "It''s none of your business how many women I hug!" Keith sat in the car and was so enraged that he was about to explode. He must solve this problem as soon as possible, but having to apologize to Nicole was worse than getting beaten up. However, he had no choice in the matter. If he did notpromise, he would be disowned by his family. After some thought, Keith asked his assistant to post a statement with his social media ount that had 800,000 followers. [I didn''t know that the video clip had been edited prior to posting it. I apologize for any distress and inconvenience caused to Ms. Nicole.] Keith had lost this round. Since Nicole dared to tantly call him out, she must have evidence on hand that he was behind it, so being at loggerheads with her would not benefit him. Since Keith was not in the entertainment industry and did not depend on having a following to survive, h e did not care about losing some followers. It was just that he lost his dignity in front of his friends for apologizing to Nicole. Stanton Corporation. Yvette smiled as she waltzed into Nicole¡¯s office and waved her phone around. "This Mr. Ludwig couldn''t even hold on for two hours before he surrendered. I thought he¡¯d put up more of a fight, but I guess he''s just useless." Chapter 23 Call Me Vice President Nicole Chapter 23 Call Me Vice President Nicole Nicole took out her phone and looked at the trending topics, then snickered and put it aside without a thought. She was familiar with the Ludwig family¡¯s background and knew that Keith''s parents must have pressured him. Otherwise, knowing his character, he would never willingly admit his fault. Keith must be hating her guts at this moment. There was a knock at the door. Samantha Lindt let herself in and smiled. "Ms. Nicole, is it convenient for me toe in and talk?" Nicole nodded. "Please,e in." Samantha walked in and nced at Yvette as if she did not want to speak with the presence of a third person, but Yvette was not perceptive enough to wait outside. "What¡¯s the matter?" "I saw that Mr. Logan is preparing some information regarding J&L¡¯s project. Ms. Nicole, you might not know this, but we don¡¯t have much of a rtionship with J&L Corporation and have a slim chance for cooperation. If you want to gain your footing in thepany, why don''t you cooperate with FH Corporation? I know that they have a project that¡¯s very suitable for us." Samantha ced a document in front of Nicole and raised her eyebrows. She smiled as if she had given Nicole a good deal. Nicole paused for a moment. "Okay, I''ll consider it." "Ms. Nicole, you ought to close this deal. FH is an old partner, sonding this project will be enough for you t o stand firm in ourpany." Samantha targeted Nicole at the meeting but sent her such a big gift after. It would be odd if there was nothing fishy about this. Nicole raised her eyes and smiled meaningfully." Please call me Vice President Nicole." Samantha¡¯s face stiffened and her voice suddenly became shrill. "Don''t think that you¡¯re all that just because the President is fond of you. Whether you can stay still depends on your luck! Anyway, I''ve given you this opportunity, so it''s up to you to seize it." 4 After finishing her speech, Samatha turned around and left, mming the door shut on her way out. Yvette was stunned by this and said, "Are you her boss, or is she your boss?" Nicole nonchntly flipped through the file that Samantha gave her. "She assumed that this position would be hers if I didn''t show up." "That''s just her wishful thinking, right?" Nicole raised her eyebrows and snorted, then handed the document to Yvette. 2 "I remember that the Vice President of FH Corporation is one of your admirers?¡± Yvette froze for a moment andughed. "Don¡¯t worry, I''ll find out what''s fishy about this.¡± ''Since my best friend is so serious about her career, I must support her in any way possible!¡¯ Yvette thought. Nicole¡¯s phone rang. The caller ID showed that it was her old friend that she had not contacted in a long time, Julie Nixon. Julie had single-handedly founded the internationally renowned fashion brand, Share. The private fashion shows she held were so popr that it was hard to get an invitation. Once Nicole picked up, Julie could not wait to speak." Come hang out with us tonight! We organized a little get-together at Tattle Bar to celebrate your return, so you muste!" Nicoleughed. She missed her friends a lot. "Okay, I''ll definitely show up.¡± After she hung up, Yvette added Nicole into a chat group consisting of five people, which included the three girls and the Carter brothers. Julie Nixon: [Nicole is finally back in our group! Congrattions, Baby!] Ian Carter: [I already drank one whole night to celebrate Nicole''s divorce...it''s about time!] Hugh Carter: [Congrats on your divorce, Nikki!] Nicoleughed in exasperation. "Are they gloating over my failed marriage?" 1 Yvette helplessly said, "No...you don''t know how happy we all are for you! When we heard that you N?velDrama.Org content. were suffering, everyone in this group cursed Eric Ferguson, but we were afraid that you''d get sad when you see it, so we didn''t add you into the group chat until now. You''re finally over him now!" Nicole thought, ''Sigh...it''s my fault. I have to thank them for not leaving me after all that.'' 3 Keith Ludwig was depressed and dragged Eric out for a drink that night. When they arrived at Tattle Bar and got out of the car, Keith rubbed his eyes in disbelief and said, "Holy sh*t! Why do I run into this woman everywhere I go?" i Chapter 24 My Queen Chapter 24 My Queen Eric Ferguson followed Keith''s gaze and was instantly stunned when he saw her. Nicole was wearing a long silver-gray dress that was red and glittery at the hemline and corseted at her slender waist. It made her look so tall and beautiful. Her long wavy hair was draped over her back and her temperament was incredibly striking. Keith Ludwig cursed under his breath. "What kind of small world is this?! How can I run into someone I hate when I just want a drink..." Yvette''s group naturally noticed Eric and Keith. Although they did not want to see their faces, there was no reason to ignore them now that they ran into each other. "Mr. Ludwig, have you finished cleaning up your messy love life? How are you still in the mood toe out for a drink? I guess the impact of that photo is still too small, huh?" Yvette scoffed. Keith was not willing to show any weakness and red at the culprit Nicole at the back. He sneered and said, "Nicole, I underestimated you. I didn¡¯t expect you to be apletely different person. I guess anyone would change if they have a strong backer." "Of course! She¡¯s been a wreck relying on her good-for-nothing ex-husband for three years, so now that she¡¯s divorced, we''re here to back her up. Mr. Ludwig, didn¡¯t you run to your friend whenever you encountered a problem?" Julie Nixon chimed in and was infuriated when she saw Eric Ferguson. She pulled Yvette over and said," Let¡¯s not waste our breath with them. Go on inside." Nicole looked indifferent as she followed her friends into the bar. She did not even take a glimpse at Keith o r Eric and walked past them as if they were mere strangers. A devilishly handsome man walked behind Nicole and was holding her purse. When the man walked past Eric, he red at him and grunted before following Nicole. Keith was vexed and anxious. ''What right did Nicole have to treat me like this?!'' "I didn''t realize it before, but your ex-wife is quite capable! She messed with me online all day today and even pretended not to see us?!" Eric¡¯s face sank slightly. "Enough. Do you want to create a bigger fuss? Go home and stay there!" Keith took a deep breath. "I''m not going home. Why should I be the one to leave? I wanna see what else they¡¯re capable of!¡± Eric was reluctant to go in, but his feet had a mind of their own and followed Keith into the bar. He recognized the purse that the devilishly handsome man was holding. Grant Stanton had also taken that purse for her at the banquetst time. It was Nicole¡¯s purse. Julie Nixon dragged Nicole up to the second floor and was extremely excited. "I''m hosting thest fashion show of the season in a few days. Bring your third brother along. I reserved good seats for you guys!" Hugh Carter, who was behind them, protested in dissatisfaction. "I''ve made reservations a long time ago and you still haven''t given me tickets! I don''t care, I wanna sit next to Nicole!" "Dream on!" Julie retorted and greeted Ian Carter, who had already arrived long before them. Nicoleughed and could not help but burst Hugh''s bubble. "Will your father let you go when he sees that you''re not doing your job?" Hugh Carter paused in his footsteps and hugged Nicole''s arm aggrievedly. "With you around, he won''t b e so harsh on me..." "Tsk..." i Ian Carter waved when he saw Nicole. He smiled brightly and went over to hug her. "Wee back, my queen." The two Carter brothers, Ian and Hugh, looked alike. Hugh was the younger brother that looked devilishly handsome. If he entered the entertainment industry, h e would be the hottest rookie around. Ian was a few years older and was the second son of the Carter family. He looked more mature and was handsome enough that a group of youngdies would chase after him, but he always fooled around with them and was never serious. Nicoleughed and sat on the side. Ian was ying a poker dice game before their arrival, and the yers were still waiting for Ian to make a move. Ian waved his hand and said, "I''m out. By the way, Nikki, I hired your favorite band, The Lunatics. Enjoy!" Everyone at the table was discontented. "What? Ian, you¡¯re not ying? We were just on a roll..." N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Mr. Carter, what a coincidence!" As soon as Keith and Eric went upstairs, they saw Ian Carter sitting therenguidly as he swirled a ss of red wine with one hand. Chapter 25 She’s Different Chapter 25 She¡¯s Different Although they were from different circles, the high society of Anta was small, so everyone would more o r less cross paths with each other. Thus, Keith Ludwig and Ian Carter knew each other. When Ian saw Keith, he naturally saw Eric Ferguson a s well. Ian tipped his ss as a gesture. "What a coincidence, Mr. Ludwig." Keith saw that Nicole and Yvette were sitting with Ian, so he figured that they were here together. Keith turned and pulled Eric to sit at their table. "Let''s y a game together. You won''t mind, right, Mr. Carter?" Ian did not answer and turned to look at Nicole. "My queen, do you mind?¡± Nicole stood up insouciantly. "Help yourselves, I''m going downstairs to watch the band." Yvette immediately followed suit. "Let''s go! It''s so suffocating sharing the same space with such pests." Julie took three bottles of fine wine and said, "I¡¯ming too!" Eric watched as Nicole disappeared down the stairs before he withdrew his gaze and nced at Ian. "Mr. Carter, what''s your rtionship with Nicole?" Ian tilted his head and chuckled. "A friend." "How can her kind be friends with you? Mr. Carter, don¡¯t be fooled by her..." Before Keith could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Eric. "Keith..." Ian''s gaze grew cold as he looked at Keith. "And what kind is she? Mr. Ludwig, do you know her very well?" "I...¡± Keith was rendered speechless. Eric did note to his rescue, so he felt annoyed because he could not tell Ian about all the despicable things Nicole did. The loud music downstairs ignited the atmosphere in the bar. A familiar song from "The Lunatics" resurfaced after three years, immediately arousing the enthusiasm and passion of the crowd. Everyone cheered, swayed, and looked up at the people on stage. Keith sighed in disbelief. "Didn''t The Lunatics retire? Why are they here? I heard that The Lunatics even rejected an eight-figure offer to perform in a private show, but they came to this bar?" 1 There were three people in this band, but only two showed up. However, these two were already enough t o incite the crowd¡¯s excitement and passion as they controlled the energy of the venue. Yvette was screaming and shouting at the bottom of the stage and did not notice that Julie had already brought Nicole backstage. "There are three minutes until this song is over. Demon just had an appendectomy, so he couldn''t make it. Without the violin, the song will lose its soul. Thest song needs a violin apaniment to the bassist. There¡¯s no one else but you now, so go!" Nicole was shocked. "Me?!¡± 1 "You''re the only one who has yed with them before, so of course, it¡¯s you. Do you really want them to be a failure? They''re here because of you. Plus, don¡¯t you want to get back your old feeling?¡± The music was deafening. Those familiar memories made Nicole feel exhrated. She smiled and said," Okay, I''ll go on." Everyone cheered loudly for the band. Their bodies swayed to the rhythm, and everyone was exuberant. No one noticed that Nicole carried a violin in her left hand while she held her flowing dress with her other hand as she stepped onto the stage. The lights suddenly dimmed, leaving only a beam of light on the stage. Monster and Phantom, who were part of the band, lit u p when they saw Nicole. The bassist, Phantom, started the rhythm. The best part about this piece lied in the bassist and violinist duet, which was an absolutely divine pairing. If they were not equal, the song would lose its soul. Phantom passionately took over the melody, just enough to invigorate the crowd. In the next second, a delicate, mellow sound of the violin seamlessly integrated into the bass. When the drums stopped abruptly, the violin suddenly sounded bold, rich, and deep. Everyone was astonished to see the woman on stage looking so cool and valiant. The violin in her hands sounded so magical and in tune, which matched her very distinctive style. Everyone was so immersed in the music when the drums suddenly joined in again. There was a tacit understanding between the drummer and violinist as they synchronized their rhythm. The stark contrast between the intensity of the drums and the softness of the violin formed a beautiful medley. After the short two-minute performance, the crowd¡¯s screams were even more thunderous and deafening than before. 1 Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. "Ah!! My goddess!" "Violin goddess!" 1 .. 1 On the second floor, the shock that shed through Eric Ferguson''s eyes was undisguised. Chapter 26 What’s the Bet? Chapter 26 What¡¯s the Bet? Phantom led Monster and Nicole to take a bow after the performance. Nicole smiled brightly and got off the stage with poise. ''Luckily, I still remember the basics! This performance is still quite satisfactory.¡¯ Nicole thought. Phantom and Monster followed Nicole off the stage. Monster went over and patted her shoulder. "Lil Nicole, why don''t you just join our band? We''re willing to kick Demon out for you!" Nicole lowered her head andughed. "If Demon hears this, he''d probably get up from his hospital bed right now and fight you!" Monster was in great spirits. "I''m so thrilled to perform with you today. You¡¯re theposer of this song anyway, so except for Demon, only you can perform so wlessly with us. Lil Nicole, you seem just like N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. you were three years ago!" Nicole felt a trace of bitterness in her heart. She seemed to have missed out on an inordinate amount o f life''s excitement in these three years. Fortunately, it was still not toote to get back on track. Monster refused to give up and kept persuading Nicole to join their band. "Lil Nicole, if you join us, we''ll surely shock the music world!" Nicole was just about to reject his offer when Julie walked over with a smile. "Forget about it, you two...Nikki''s gonna start her career all over again!" As soon as Julie pulled Nicole out from backstage, Yvette gave her a bear hug. "Nikki baby, that was fantastic! You''re my goddess! Do you know how excited everyone was? Your violin is simply amazing!" Nicole helplessly pried Yvette off of her body. It was all thanks to Ian¡¯s arrangement that Nicole got to have such a memorable night. The threedies thought that Eric and Keith should have already left, so they went back up to the second floor. Unexpectedly, Eric and Keith were sitting next t o the Carter brothers as they stared at Nicole weirdly the moment she showed up. Yvette snorted in dissatisfaction and pulled Nicole to sit by Ian. "Ian, let¡¯s y something. It''s boring having to sit with such eyesores." Ian shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, the night''s still young!" Everyone downstairs was shouting for The Lunatics to have an encore. "I didn''t think that Nicole could y the violin. Why didn''t I hear about it before?" Keith could not help his curiosity. He was genuinely shocked. The moment Nicole went on stage, she was so cool and confident like a queen that was in control of the whole audience. "Why should we tell you? Who the hell are you even?" Yvette scowled at him and retorted, i Keith felt attacked, but he indifferently shrugged his shoulders. "Didn''t you say that you wanted to y something? How about poker dice?" "Who wants to y with you?!" Yvette scoffed and was holding a grudge against them for Nicole. ''Stupid bastard!'' Eric Ferguson, who had not spoken, suddenly said in a deep voice, "Nicole, are you afraid to y just one game with us?" Since Nicole came upstairs, Eric''s eyes had not moved away from her. Nicole swirled the wine ss in her hand and looked down seemingly disinterested and treated them as if they were invisible. Eric suppressed his shock. The Nicole sitting in front o f him seemed familiar yet strange to him. At that moment, the emotions surging in his heart were iparablyplicated. When Nicole was named, she nonchntly lifted her head and swept a nce at Eric with a faint smile on her face. "What should I be afraid of?" Although Nicole felt that Eric''s words were unexpected, she was not afraid of him. They were like strangers now, so ying a gambling game was not a big deal. Yvette objected discontentedly. "Nikki, why do you wanna y with him? He''s clearly just trying to provoke you!" Julie pulled Yvette aside and looked at the ex-couple." Don''t worry, Nikki knows what she¡¯s doing." Eric Ferguson grew up as a member of the gentry, so taking part in these social events was like second nature to him. Poker dice was the easiest game and a sure win for Eric. Keith, who was sitting on the side, could not hide his smug smile. The waiter set the table with two yers against each other. Nicole did not make a move. Instead, she looked down and said, "What¡¯s the bet?" 1 Chapter 27 Sore Loser Chapter 27 Sore Loser How meaningless would it be without bets? Eric''s eyes were deep as he stared at her indifferent side profile. "What are your thoughts?" Before Nicole could say anything, Keith sneered and spoke first. "If Eerg loses, I''ll walk out of here butt naked, but if Nicole loses..." He swept a nce at the Carter brothers and continued in a disdainful tone, "You need to admit in public that you married into the Ferguson family for money, and you can never show your face in Anta ever again! Nicole, do you dare to bet on this?" Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. Ian and Hugh Carter were dumbfounded. Yvette was s o enraged that she wanted to stand up and defend Nicole, but Julie pulled Yvette back and told her not to be impulsive. Eric¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tighter. He was about to interrupt Keith when Nicole sneered and raised her eyebrows mockingly. "Sure, I ept." Nicole looked so scornful of Eric, as if he was not a worthy opponent. Keithughed at the fact that Nicole was ignorant and oblivious to how strong her opponent was. In the whole of Anta, Eric''s poker dice skills were unbeatable, even if he yed with his eyes closed. Back then, Eric won his first big cash windfall at Vegas, not to mention, these menial people in front of them were all insignificant characterspared to Eric. ''I can finally avenge myself today!¡¯ Keith thought. Eric stretched out his hand. "Ladies first.¡± Nicole took the dice shaker on the table and shook it, then casually rested the back of her hand on it as she looked at Eric. "Your turn.¡± Eric looked at Nicole quizzically and frowned. It was obvious that Nicole did not take this game seriously.'' Does she truly not care whether she wins or loses this bet?'' Keith was watching eagerly as if they had already won the game. ''Nicole is such a noob! Look at the way she shook the dice, how unprofessional! Does she think she can win with two simple shakes? No way!¡¯ Eric pondered for a moment, then casually lifted the dice cup. It was a four-of-a-kind, an expected win. He then nced at Nicole, who still looked unfazed. Keith was so excited that he almost jumped up. "Eerg, way to go! You used your usual skills. Here I thought that you might get soft-hearted..." Ian Carter pped at the side and was not surprised b y this. He smiled faintly and said, "Mr. Ludwig, Mr. Ferguson has never been soft-hearted towards Nicole, but at least we finally get to see Mr. Ferguson''s ability today.¡± "Why are youplimenting Eric? Are you trying to divert our attention and renege on the bet? Nicole, why don''t you let us see your hand? Don''t be a sore loser..." "Keith Ludwig! Empty vessels make the most noise, so shut the f*ck up!¡± Yvette could not help but rebuke. Nicole watched as the atmosphere suddenly became tense andughed lightly. Her slender fingers tapped the dice cup twice before she casually tipped it over. Before everyone had time to react, she took her purse and stood up. "I''m leaving, you guys carry on." Besides Yvette and Hugh who were both startled, Julie and Ian seemed to have already expected this result and were calm and unperturbed. 1 The moment Keith saw Nicole''s dice, he just felt like dying. ''Five-of-a-kind! How could she get an upper hand over Eric? This woman just simply shook the dice on the table and was able to get five-of-a-kind?!'' When Keith looked up again, the woman had already disappeared. Yvette gloatingly pped the table and smugly said," Mr. Ludwig, don''t forget to strip butt naked before leaving! As you just said, don¡¯t be a sore loser..." "You...you''re cheating!" Keith''s face was flushed as all kinds of emotions shed by. "Cheating? Mr. Ludwig, you''re the one who wanted to y. These are the rules of the table, yet you dare say that we''re cheating when you lost? If you can¡¯t afford t o lose, why y in the first ce? Mr. Ferguson, don''t you think so?" Yvette sneered and called Eric Ferguson out as she gnashed her teeth in anger. Keith looked at his best friend with big, innocent, pleading eyes. The words "save me" were written all over his face. Eric nced at Yvette, then swept a nce at Ian and Hugh before his gazended on Keith. "We lost." His face was calm and unmoved. At first, Eric felt it strange that the sound of the dice from his hand and Nicole''s hand were a little off. However, he was not the slightest bit upset that he lost. Instead, he even felt a little delighted. 2 Chapter 28 Apologies Are Useless Chapter 28 Apologies Are Useless Eric Ferguson quickly left the table, leaving Keith stupefied as he received hostile res from Nicole''s friends. The taut string in Keith''s heart suddenly snapped. Keith felt that those people led by Yvette just wanted t o eat him alive. ''Eric left me like that? Aren¡¯t we bros?!'' Keith looked at the people in front of him and bit his lower lip as he spoke with no dignity, "Can you please spare me this time?" The whole group said in unison, "No!" Downstairs. Nicole came out from the side door where there was n o crowd. She had just sent a text to her big brother, so his driver should be arriving soon. She also sent Yvette a message. "Nicole..." A raspy voice called her name as Eric''s tall and brawny figure stood at the side door. Nicole was stunned for a moment, then immediately put on her aloof and guarded look. Noticing her change in expression, Eric lowered his eyes slightly. "What''s the matter, Mr. Ferguson?" The light at the side door was dim and elongated their shadows. When Eric took a step forward, Nicole took a step back, establishing a clear boundary between them. Eric smirked and threw the lit cigarette in his hand aside. He continued to approach her and stared at her closely. "Nicole, Ingrid provoked you first at the restaurant, so I''ll get her to apologize to you." Nicole lowered her eyes andughed for a moment. Suddenly, she stopped smiling and looked so cold with a trace of derision in her eyes. "There''s no need for that. Just watch your family properly." The restaurant incident was not the only thing they needed to apologize for anyway. Nicole no longer cared for their apologies. Eric frowned slightly and wanted to say something, but a frantic screaming from the door interrupted him. When he looked over, he saw a butt-naked Keith running out with his hands covering his face. He was s o humiliated and desperate that his voice cracked. "I won''t let you get away with this!" When Keith got to the door, there was a sh of light. The naked man stopped in his tracks and was shocked to see Eric and Nicole standing next to him. H e was ashamed and vexed as he pointed at Nicole with his trembling arm. He even wanted to cry. "You...you even took a picture?!" Nicole looked at the picture on her phone with satisfaction. It was not blurry and the angle was just nice to capture everything. It was simply perfect! She gently hooked the corners of her lips and nced at Keith provocatively. "Mr. Ludwig, it''s a pity if no one recorded your entertaining performance, so I purposely waited for you Content from N?velDr(a)ma.Org. here." Nicole knew that Keith would not have the guts to leave through the front door, and there was only one side door in this bar. "You...you..." Keith was so exasperated that he became speechless and covered his private parts with both hands. Nicole¡¯s gaze was cold and her tone was stern as she said, "If you dare to mess with me again, I''ll post this photo for the whole world to see!" ''Does he think that I''m the same stupid woman from three years ago? How dare he mess with me?¡¯ 1 As soon as Nicole turned around, Grant Stanton''s driver was waiting by the roadside. The driver bowed politely and waited patiently for Nicole to finish her business. Nicole did not even nce at Eric and bypassed him, then sat inside Grant¡¯s luxury car. The car gradually drove out of sight, and only then did Eric withdraw his gaze. Somehow, Eric felt ufortable seeing that Nicole''s face was unmoved and filled with mockery without the slightest hint of shyness or evasion when Keith ran out naked. However, when Eric looked back at the events tonight, from Nicole¡¯s violin performance on stage to the poker dice game, his original impression of the well-behaved and quiet Nicole suddenly changed. Every move she made was such a mystery. It felt like there was a thinyer of fog that surrounded her, making it increasingly impossible to see through her. Thinking o f this, the bottom of Eric''s heart became irritable again. Seeing Keith standing there staring at Nicole''s departed car, Eric could not help but frown. He tossed the jacket in his hand on Keith''s head and said, "Let''s g o! Do you not feel ashamed?" Chapter 29 Utter Humiliation Chapter 29 Utter Humiliation Keith reacted with a jolt and quickly took Eric¡¯s jacket to cover his face as he scurried to the car. "Get in! F*c k! Your ex-wife destroyed me today!" When Eric and Keith got into the car, Keith quickly put on his clothes whileining. "Your ex-wife is such a femme fatale. She''s so ruthless and heartless! I can''t beat her..." Eric''s face turned cold when he heard his muttered words. He took out a cigarette with his slender fingers and lit it. The smokeing from the cigarette made his eyes seem dim and inscrutable. Yvette and Julie followed Ian out of the bar. They looked smug when they saw the two men in the car. Ian took a few steps forward to the car. Through the car window, the corners of his lips hooked up into an unruly and yful smile. "Mr. Ludwig, it was just a bet, so don''t take it to heart. We''re still friends, right?" Keith''s body shook with anger. ''Hmph! Simple for you t o say, you''re not the one that ran out naked! I''m afraid my name will be theughing stock of the city from now on! What a shame...utter humiliation! But...I brought this on myself...even if I feel wronged, I can''tin...'' Earlier when Keith was still clothed upstairs, Ian looked at Keith indifferently. "You don''t wanna strip? I f Nicole lost, would you have let her go?" 1 The answer, of course, was a solid no. Thus, Keith was stripped off of his clothes. Keith wanted to ignore Ian and let out a cold grunt. He arrogantly turned his head away to express his anger. Eric nced at Ian. His voice was deep and dangerous as he said, "Mr. Carter, are you venting out your anger o n behalf of Nicole today?¡± 1 "Mr. Ferguson, you¡¯re kidding, right? Isn''t it obvious that Nicole won by herself? You should be willing to lose when going into a bet. A big man like you can''t evenpare to ady, huh?" Ianughed nonchntly and tapped his finger on the car window. He pondered for a moment and gave Eric a meaningful nce. "Mr. Ferguson, you didn¡¯t expect Nicole to win, did you?" "It was indeed unexpected." "You were married for three years, yet you still don''t know her at all. I guess in your eyes, Nicole is worth nothing.¡± Ian had a faint smile in his eyes. He took a deep breath, tilted his head, and smiled devilishly. "But...there''s no need for you to get to know her in the future, because to us, Nicole will always be the best!" Ian cocked his thumb and raised his eyebrows in a sneer. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Eric¡¯s gaze was sharp and threatening as he narrowed his eyes. "Mr. Carter, you wouldn''t be interested in that woman, right?¡± Ianughed out loud and met his gaze openly. "I am. I want to pursue her, and I have to thank you for letting her go so that I can get this opportunity." 1 Eric indifferently withdrew his gaze and looked to the front with an expressionless face. Keith, who was sitting on the side, could not stand it anymore and said, "Why are you talking so much? Eerg, just drive!¡± He really could not stay here for another moment. Eric stepped on the gas pedal and drove away immediately. Keith saw Eric''s sudden change in expression and was shocked. "Are you angry?¡± ''It''s so obvious that Ian Carter is interested in Nicole, s o what¡¯s wrong with him admitting it?'' Keith thought. Eric did not want to answer Keith and only said, "Don''t you think that you should care about your photos more?" "Damn it!" Keith cursed. This was the first time he was defeated by the same woman twice in a row. "Why did you have to marry her in the first ce? There are plenty of women who are right for you, so why her? I honestly don¡¯t know what you were thinking. We all felt so sorry for you, so lucky for you, we¡¯ve never treated her as one of us." Keith muttered. The car came to a screeching halt. Eric¡¯s face turned a few shades darker and his chest suddenly felt ufortably congested. ''They didn''t treat her as one of us? Was I like that too?¡¯ Eric thought. "Get out!" Eric''s voice was icy cold. Keith looked at him puzzled. "Why?" "I''m going to the office, you''re out of the way." Eric¡¯s face was inexplicably glum. 1 Keith had no choice but to get off. While he stood in the cold wind and watched as the car became more distant, he suddenly realized that Eric was not going i n the direction of his office. On the other side, Yvette walked over smugly. "That Keith Ludwig shouldy low for now. He really won''t back down until he knocks into a wall!" 1 Julie nodded. "If we don¡¯t show him who''s boss, he¡¯d really think that Nikki''s a pushover..." Yvette froze for a moment. "But when did Nikki start ying poker dice, and so good at that?" Julie and Ian looked at each other andughed. Julie then exined, "When Nikki was studying in France, there was one month when she fought with her family, so they cut her off financially. Then, she somehow got tricked into working as a dealer at the biggest underground casino there. To her surprise, she learned those skills under the table and even made a fortune! After Uncle Floyd found out, he was so scared that he immediately begged her to leave that ce andpensated her with a ck card that has no credit limit..." Yvette¡¯s eyes widened in awe. She regretted not attending the same university as Nicole. Chapter 30 Set a Trap Chapter 30 Set a Trap Early morning. Nicole opened her eyes in the warm morning light. It felt so cozy and mellow that she curled her lips into a sweet smile. Someone knocked on the door right on time. A maid asked in a soft voice, "Miss, are you awake?¡± Hearing this, Nicole answered in azy voice, "Mm...e in." Last night, Grant''s driver brought her to the Stanton mansion. Two maids pushed in a huge clothing rack and spoke respectfully, "Miss, these are the clothes prepared especially for you. Master and Eldest Young Master are waiting for you in the dining hall.¡± Nicole was slightly shocked. ''Dad is so extra...I bet he wanted to buy out all my favorite brands so that I''m the only one who can wear them...'' There were several pieces of the same style in different colors. Although there was no logo, Nicole could tell from the familiar workmanship and fabric that these were from Prada''s private collection. Some o f them were this season''stest limited edition pieces, so they were invaluable. She certainly had to adapt to this kind of luxury lifestyle again. "Alright, you guys may leave." Nicole got out of bed to freshen up, then randomly picked a little ck dress that was chic and tasteful and paired it with a white zer before she walked out of her room. Inside the dining hall, Floyd and Grant Stanton were sitting at the dining table eating breakfast with effortless grace. 1 When Floyd saw his daughter, he smiled with squinted eyes. "My baby''s finally awake!"N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Grant turned to look at Nicole and smiled with his eyes. "I heard that Keith Ludwig ran out of Tattle Bar butt nakedst night. Even though he covered his face, he was still recognized. Old Master Ludwig dragged him back home to punish him early this morning. The Ludwigs are now busy dealing with the scandal online and their stock almost fell to its limit down. My little sister is really capable!" Nicole helplessly shrugged her shoulders and walked over to sit down. "He was the one who provoked me first." "Serves him right! What are the Ludwigspared to my baby? Do whatever you want, Princess." Floyd Stanton doted on Nicole and gave her a bowl of oatmeal. After taking a few rushed bites of breakfast, Nicole took Grant¡¯s car to the office. When Nicole arrived at her office, Logan was standing at the door waiting for her. "Vice President, Samantha Lindt came here early in the morning. She''s now waiting for you in your office." Nicole nodded. "Is there any news from J&L?" "I''ve already contacted the President of J&L Corporation, Gerard Lichman. He proposed to have a talk in person over dinner." "Alright, set up an appointment then." "Yes, Vice President." When Nicole pushed the door open, she saw that Samantha was spinning leisurely in her chair, seemingly enjoying herself. For a moment, the atmosphere in the office was a little awkward. Samantha''s expression changed when she saw Nicole. She hurriedly stood up and looked at Logan reproachfully. "Why didn''t you inform me that the Vice President is here?" Nicole smiled insouciantly and walked over. "Ms. Lindt, since you like this chair so much, it''s yours. Logan, send it to Ms. Lindt''s officeter." "Yes, ma''am." "Vice President Nicole, I don''t mean anything else. There''s no need to give me this chair." Nicole sat on one end of the sofa. Her eyes were cold. " I¡¯m a germaphobe, so I won''t sit on a chair that someone else has sat on." Samantha was rebuffed, so she red fiercely at Nicole. She secretly cursed Nicole in her heart and thought, ''She slept her way into this position, so what i s she so proud of?¡¯ "Ms. Lindt, why did youe in here?" Nicole nced at her. Samantha walked over with a document and threw it i n front of Nicole. ¡°Here, don''t say that I didn''t remind you. There are a lot of people eyeing this project from FH Corporation. Their chairman proposed dinner tonight to talk over this cooperation. Vice President Nicole, you ought to grasp this opportunity." Nicole flipped through two pages of the document and closed the file without another nce. She did not believe that Samantha would be so kind as to share such a big slice of cake with her. However, since Samantha was so proactive, Nicole felt that it would be a waste if she did not y along with her. She smiled. "Ms. Lindt, will you be present this evening?" "Of course, I''ll introduce you both." "Great, then I''ll be there on time." Nicole handed the document to Logan. "Raise this by 3 0%." Logan took it over without hesitation. "Okay, I''ll get it done." At this moment, Yvette barged in, holding a huge bouquet that blocked her line of sight. "Nikki, quick! I''m exhausted!" Nicole was a little surprised. "What''s this?" "Someone is pursuing you, of course...so he sent you flowers..." Yvette raised her eyebrows and smiled suggestively. 9 Chapter 31 Private Agreement Chapter 31 Private Agreement Nicole looked like she had a headache. "Yvette, who the hell is so dumb to send me flowers?" "Of course, it¡¯s Ian Carter. He instructed me to deliver i t to you by hand." ''Ian? That Young Master is really capable of making things happen!¡¯ Yvetteughed. "Old Master Carter sent Hugh to study abroad. I heard that if he fails this time, his grandpa will break his legs." "A... It''s a pity that we didn''t get to send him off. I guess we¡¯ll just have to wait for him toe back and throw him a nice wee back party!" Nicole was helpless and got her assistant to take the flowers out of her office. She felt a lot more Yvette nodded. "Yup, my thoughts exactly. By the way, I''ve looked into FH Corporation like you asked me tost time." Nicole looked up at her. Yvetteughed and said, "FH Corporation has long since be a shell even pay off. Theirpany is about to be auctioned off and they just have a bunch of sh*tty projects left. Whoever gets involved with them will surely get into trouble. That Samantha Lindt is trying to push you into a trap, huh?" This was what Nicole expected. She raised an eyebrow and thought, ''So she''s trying to dig a pit for m e to jump in myself... The dinner tonight will be extra interesting...'' "Thanks.¡± 1 Yvette scratched her head. "It''s nothing, but... I can''t work for you anymore. My mom ising back from Hong Kong. She just acquired a new cosmeticpany and promised that I can participate in their research and development. Nikki, you know that this has always been my dream." Yvette''s mother was a famous career woman in the industry. She had always wanted Yvette to be part of the management in their family business, but Yvette preferredboratory work. Since she finally got the opportunity to participate in research, she certainly would not give up on it. 1 Nicole smiled. "Sure, then I wish our dearest Miss Quimbey all the wealth in the world!" N?velDrama.Org content. The twodies looked at each other and smiled. There was no need to say more because they had a tacit understanding between them. "Then you should be careful. Just ask if you need help with anything. We¡¯ll support you as best we can!" Nicole nodded. "Don''t worry, I won''t be a stranger with you guys." Yvette took her purse and slipped away after chatting for a bit, then Nicole began to focus on work again. After work, Nicole stood up from her chair and was nning to talk to Logan about the dinner. However, Samantha sashayed into Nicole''s office and said," Since it¡¯s a private dinner, it''s not necessary to bring your assistant, right?" Nicole raised her eyebrows. "Okay then." Logan looked at Nicole worriedly, but Nicole gave him an assuring smile. When they got to the private club, they went into a prebooked private room. Samantha did a friendly cheek kiss with a pot-bellied middle-aged man who was sitting at the table, which made Nicole feel nauseous. Out of politeness, Nicole still walked over to say hello. When Chairman Zeller saw Nicole''s face, his eyes visibly lit up with unconcealed lechery, which was very disgusting. "This is Vice President Nicole, right? I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. You¡¯re as beautiful as they say..." Chairman Zeller stretched out his hand, but Nicole only nodded slightly as a greeting before she took a seat. "Mr. Zeller, you''re too kind. Your reputation precedes you." Samantha gave Nicole a meaningful nce. "Vice President Nicole, since you just joined Stanton Corporation, you might not know that we have a good rtionship with FH Corporation, so it¡¯s not a problem cooperating with them. Why don''t you take out the contract for Mr. Zeller? If there''s no problem, we can sign it today." 1 Nicole paused and raised an eyebrow, then took out the prepared contract. "Sure. Mr. Zeller, you''d better look at it carefully." The middle-aged man opposite her took over the contract and swept a casual nce at it as if he already knew of its contents. When he caught sight of a number there, his face instantly sank. "Vice President Nicole, why is themission on this 30% higher than the promised figure?" Samantha was startled and took a look at the contract. Her expression changed greatly and said, "Who changed this?" "Me, of course..." Nicole lowered her head with a smile. "Since I¡¯m here to talk about this project, I have the say in it. We can go with this percentage or forget about it altogether.¡± Everyone knew that if it was raised by thirty percent, F H Corporation''s initial investment would be tens of millions more, which was too much for a faltering shellpany on the verge of bankruptcy. Samantha''s face turned red with anger. "Nicole, how can you just change it as you please?" "I¡¯m Stanton Corporation''s Vice President, so I can do a s I please. Ms. Lindt, I''m thinking of our Stanton Corporation¡¯s employee or FH Corporation''s person?" Nicole looked at Samantha meaningfully. As soon as she heard this, Samantha''s face turned glum. "I-I''m Stanton Corporation''s employee, but Nicole, business is based on trust. We''ve already agreed on the amount beforehand, so you can''t just change it like this!" "As long as nothing''s been signed, everything can be changed." Nicole yfully looked at the angry Chairman Zeller. "Or perhaps, Mr. Zeller and Ms. Lindt have already reached some sort of agreement in private?" Chapter 32 The Wine Is Spiked Chapter 32 The Wine Is Spiked Both Mr. Zeller and Samantha Lindt were shaken when they heard Nicole''s words. Mr. Zeller suddenly smiled widely, picked up the bottle of red wine next to him, and poured a ss for Nicole. "Ms. Nicole, since it''s a negotiation, I came with my sincerity. Why don''t you take a look at this document? As long as you sign it, I won''t treat you badly." Mr. Zeller took a file from his bag. The content was simr to the contract Nicole was holding, but the figure was another ten percent lower than the one Samantha had set. Samantha looked at them and quickly advised her." Nicole, what''s the point of you only relying on Grant Stanton? You¡¯d be better off getting a few more backers. Think about it, Grant clearly wants to do you harm because he just left you in this position without even guiding you. He probably won''t marry you either H Nicole did not care for Samantha''s sowing of dissension because she probably thought that they were lovers. ''Is she trying to poach me?'' "Look at the clothes you''re wearing. They don¡¯t even have a brand. Did you buy them off those online catalogs? How do you get to and from work? A taxi?" Samantha looked askance at Nicole''s brandless getup and tugged on her Chanel suit, as she pursed her lips and smiled. "To be honest, I''ve been in your shoes. You won¡¯t lose out if you follow Mr. Zeller. He prepared a secondhand Audi for you. With Mr. Zeller''s help on the project, you''ll be able to sit firmly in your position..." Seeing that Nicole was silent and in deep thought, Samantha thought that she was moved and winked at Mr. Zeller contentedly. She then stood up wobbly and said, "I''m going to the bathroom. You guys can continue the talk." Once Samantha went out of the room, her eyes looked sharp. She saw a familiar person sneaking around the bathroom entrance and yanked him over. "Are the things ready?¡± The waiter trembled. "T-That drug has been put into the wine..." "Good." Samantha hooked her lips in satisfaction. The waiter bit his lower lip. "Ms. Lindt, if I''m not mistaken, thatdy is President Eric Ferguson''s ex- wife, right?" "Mm, you¡¯re right. That''s her." "How does Mr. Zeller dare to make a move on President Ferguson''s ex-wife... Is he not afraid...?" The waiter did not dare to say it explicitly for fear of getting into trouble, but he felt extremely remorseful a t this moment." "She''s merely an ex-wife, so how much would she matter to him anyway? She''s the kind of woman that relies on other men to get to the top, so why would Eric Ferguson spare a look at her? Since she¡¯s sleeping her way to the top, it''s all the same whoever she sleeps with anyway, so why not Mr. Zeller?" The waiter buried his head very low. "Okay. I¡¯ll go back to work then." "Get lost. If this matter gets out, I''ll make you regret it!" Samantha stomped to the bathroom on her high heels to fix her makeup without noticing a tall and well- built figure standing stiffly on the other side of the corridor. Eric Ferguson¡¯s face turned cold and glum. His eyes were stern and intimidating as he pulled over a waiter nearby. "Which room is Nicole in?" "Huh? Mr. Ferguson?" Anyone who came in and out of this private club was rich and famous, so the waiters here went through the basic training of recognizing the elites. That waiter immediately recognized Eric Ferguson and was scared senseless that his face turned pale. "Tell me!" "A-At r-room 3888." The waiter stammered subconsciously. He could not afford to mess with Chairman Zeller, but Eric Ferguson was on a whole other level. Eric turned around and left, exuding a prating chill. In Private Room 3888. Chairman Zeller smiled lewdly as he reached out to touch Nicole¡¯s hand on the table. However, he did not manage to touch her. Nicole picked up the wine ss and gently swirled the wine in it with her long slender fingers that looked like a work of art. The middle-aged man took out an old car key from his bag and threw it on the table. "Ms. Nicole, this car is yours." Nicole stared at the car key for a long time and suddenlyughed coldly. "Samantha Lindt took more N?velDrama.Org content. than I did, right?" Mr. Zeller sized her up with his lecherous eyes. "Ms. Nicole, with your looks, Samantha surely can¡¯t Nicole inadvertently found out how Samantha Lindt had gotten to where she was today. ''Great, I''ll just clean it up in the meantime.'' "Let''s have a drink and celebrate..." Mr. Zeller could not wait to raise his ss of wine. In the next second, Nicole''s phone on the table suddenly fell to the ground. Mr. Zeller bent down and picked it up, then presented it to Nicole like it was a treasure. Nicole raised her ss and clinked it with his. He then chugged it all in one go. 1 Nicole''s ss of wine only touched her lips, but under Mr. Zeller''s eager gaze, she deliberately hesitated for a moment before she took a sip. The corners of her lips were dyed a slightly dark red, which added to her charm. Mr. Zeller smiled in satisfaction and leered at Nicole''s intoxicating beauty. He went over and put the Audi keys in her hand as he coaxed. "As soon as we reach a deal, I''ll buy you a new Audi." Nicole''s face sank and did not have time to react before she suddenly heard Mr. Zeller¡¯s shocked cry. He was kicked to the ground! Suddenly, someone tugged on her wrist fiercely and a cold voice came to her ears. "This wine is spiked. Did you drink it?" 1 Chapter 33 Spare His Worthless Life Chapter 33 Spare His Worthless Life That handsome face with that tall and upright figure currently standing in front of Nicole was the man that she had been infatuated with for three years, Eric Ferguson. At first sight, Nicole was stunned for a moment but quickly regained herposure. ''Why is he here? It''s probably a coincidence.'' Nicole was not so self-absorbed as to think that Eric Ferguson had been watching her every move so that h e could swoop in like a hero to save her. "Mr. Ferguson?" Mr. Zeller stood up in a panic and trembled in fear. Eric¡¯s face was gloomy as he red viciously at Mr. Zeller. ¡°Do you have a death wish? I can grant your wish!" At this moment, a wave of inexplicable anger suddenly surged in his chest. His eyes were cold and intimidating. Eric was just about to go forward to teach Flint Zeller a lesson when a figure suddenly appeared from behind. The other man kicked Flint Zeller, who had just stood up, back to the ground. Then threw a flurry of punches on Flint''s face and body. No ce was left out. "Ian!" Nicole shouted at the man. N?velDrama.Org content. The man who hit Flint Zeller paused slightly and turned back. His cold eyes instantly turned warm. "I went to your office to look for you and they told me that you¡¯re here, so I purposely came over to surprise you." Ian Carter then walked over to Nicole as if that episode earlier did not happen. He ignored Eric¡¯s presence, took a bouquet ced at the door, and handed it over to Nicole. "Do you like it?" Nicole sighed helplessly. Although her ns were disrupted, she more or less had gotten what she came for, so it was not entirely a failure. "Thank you, but forget him. If you continue punching him, he might die... I don''t wanna get into trouble." "As you wish, my queen." Ian smiled and continued," Then I''ll spare his worthless life." Flint Zeller looked at the people in front of him with fear. One of them was Second Young Master Carter, and the other was Eric Ferguson. He could not afford t o mess with either of them. ''Didn''t they say that Nicole was abandoned by Eric Ferguson? How could h e still meddle in her matters?¡¯ Once Flint heard that they would spare his life, he endured the dizziness and wanted to flee in a panic. H e certainly did not want to mess with these two big shots. Before he could crawl out of the room. Something hardnded on his head before it fell to the ground. It was the Audi keys. 2 Ian sneered coldly. "Take this away! Don¡¯t taint my girlfriend''s eyes." "Yes, yes, yes." Flint Zeller ran out in a panic. Nicole was rendered speechless. "Watch it..." ¡®What girlfriend?'' She nced at Eric and felt a little strange. He then looked at her with a cold and deep gaze. "Mr. Ferguson, why are you here?" "Yes, I''m also curious. Why are you here, Mr. Ferguson?" Ian looked at Eric with obvious scrutiny. "Nicole, didn¡¯t you know that there was a problem with the wine? Why are you attending all kinds of dinner parties? Is this the life you want?" The mockery in his words was obvious. ''She apanied others to dinner and was drugged unknowingly. Is this the life she wants after our divorce?¡¯ Somehow, the rage burst out of his chest at that moment. Nicole lowered her head andughed. ''I really made a fool of myself to think that he¡¯d be so kind to help me. Turns out he just wants to find an excuse to teach me a lesson?¡¯ She looked up at him with her bright and delicately made-up eyes that carried a hidden sharpness. Under Eric''s shocked gaze, Nicole picked up the ss of wine on the table and downed it. She then hooked u p her lips and stood up. "Thank you for your help, Mr. Ferguson. I''ve already reced the wine beforehand, but you no longer have the right toment on what I want to do with my life." Who was he to lecture her? When Nicole stood up to leave, Eric grabbed her arm and stared at her coldly. "What do you mean? You didn''t answer my question." Nicole smirked and said with a straight face, "I didn¡¯t say it so explicitly as a courtesy to you, Mr. Ferguson. I came here for work, which is certainly better than being a lowly servant to your family in the past. Speaking of which, is there even a difference between your family and Flint Zeller?" Chapter 34 Treated You Like a Sister Chapter 34 Treated You Like a Sister Nicole sneered and did not look at Eric Ferguson again. She took her phone and purse, then stomped away in her high heels. Her back was slim and valiant. Ian raised his eyebrows and immediately followed after Nicole. Eric stood frozen in ce. His gaze was as cold as frost. Nicole''s words felt like a thorn in his heart that made him ufortable. ''Being a lowly servant to my family? When did the titr Mrs. Ferguson be a servant?¡¯ It seemed that there were too many things that Eric was not aware of. As soon as Nicole walked out, she saw a red-faced Samantha Lindt tugging on Flint Zeller at the entrance. ''So, she already knew and was prepared for it... Then was my move earlier superfluous? Tsk, tsk...¡¯ Nicole thought. Nicole got into the car and left. When she heard Eric¡¯s misunderstanding earlier, she felt hurt because he did not know what kind of person she was after three years of marriage. After a moment, Nicole regainedposure and did not show any mood fluctuations. She promised not to look back and repeat the same mistakes twice. Eric Ferguson had nothing to do with her. Ian hummed a tune and nced at Nicole. "I saved you today, so how would you like to thank me?" "What kind of gift do you want? Or do you just want m e to transfer money into your ount?" Ian looked at her with a smile. "This is the first time a woman tries to p me with money, but I''d prefer if you pledge yourself to me!¡± Nicole gave him a sidelong nce. "Dream on!" "Why? You should give me a chance!" Ian grunted. Nicole gave him a faint nce. "I¡¯ve always treated you like a sister." 1 Ian''s lips twitched. "Anyway, I''ll prove that I''m the most suitable person for you." Not knowing where his confidence came from, Nicole could not help butugh. "Suit yourself." After all, Second Young Master Carter''s enthusiasm usually would notst a month. Ian looked at her smile and felt a pain in his chest. He would not give up this opportunity to anyone else again. After Nicole got back home, Yvette excitedly called her to ask about the progress. Nicole told her what happened. She paused slightly when she mentioned Eric Ferguson and lightly brushed over it. "This Samantha Lindt is like a pimp at those nightclubs. I think her talent''s wasted in thepany. She should really just be a pimp instead." Nicole lowered her head andughed. "I can''t just close this case sloppily. Now isn¡¯t the time to fire her yet. Samantha is capable, she just doesn''t have the right mindset. She''s just a clown anyway. It won''t do m e any harm to keep her around as long as she doesn''t make trouble." The next day. Early in the morning, Nicole went to the office and found that her chair was reced with a new one. She was satisfied with Logan''s efficiency and brewed herself a cup of coffee when her door was N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. mmed open. "Nicole, are you deliberately trying to mess things up? I clearly asked you to apany Mr. Zeller to dinner, but you left me behind?" Samantha barged in furiously. She still had some ambiguous marks on her neck that she could not hide. Flint Zeller''s entricity was indeed horrifying. Afterward, Samantha thought about it and knew that Nicole must have backed out. Otherwise, why would Flint Zeller not take a bite of the cake that was at his mouth? Nicole waved her hand, signaling for Logan to leave, then hooked her lips into a seeming smile as she looked at Samantha. Samantha suddenly felt guilty and no longer looked so fierce. "Forget it. This will all be over once you sign the contract." Samantha brought the contract over and threw it in front of Nicole. Nicole did not even raise her head, took out her phone, and tapped on it a few times to y a recording of yesterday''s dinner conversation. "Nicole, what¡¯s the point of you only relying on Grant Stanton? You''d be better off getting a few more backers. Think about it, Grant clearly wants to do you harm because he just left you in this position without even guiding you. He probably won''t marry you either H "Look at the clothes you¡¯re wearing. They don''t even have a brand. Did you buy them off those online catalogs? How do you get to and from work? A taxi?" "To be honest, I''ve been in your shoes. You won''t lose out if you follow Mr. Zeller. He prepared a secondhand Audi for you. With Mr. Zeller''s help on the project, you''ll be able to sit firmly in your position..." Chapter 35 Lovers’ Restaurant Chapter 35 Lovers¡¯ Restaurant Samantha''s face turned pale and her body trembled slightly. Nicoleughed. "Samantha, if I expose this recording, thepany will thoroughly investigate all the projects you handle. If so, you won''t be able to stay in this industry anymore and might even be imprisoned. Are you really willing to give up your career for FH Corporation?" Samantha would not give it up. A trace of panic shed in Samantha''s eyes as her face paled. She immediately spoke with a respectful tone, "Nic- Vice President Nicole, I was too reckless earlier. FH Corporation¡¯s project isn¡¯t that great anyway, and thatpany is in fact already an empty shell..." Nicole nodded with satisfaction. "Then don¡¯t mention the cooperation with FH Corporation in the future. I recognize your capability, but you have to use it for your own work. Don¡¯t worry about other "Yes, Vice President Nicole." Samantha stiffened slightly. After dealing with Samantha, Nicole had to study J& L''s project. Getting this project was imperative because, besides Eric¡¯s Ferguson Corporation, there was no otherpany that had a stronger background than Stanton Corporation topete for this project. Nicole found out that Ferguson Corporation did not intend to get involved in artificial intelligence, so she was confident aboutnding this deal. The sky gradually dimmed. Logan came into Nicole''s office with a stack of documents and said, "Ms. Nicole, J&L Corporation''s dinner turned into aworking party. They invited a lot of people and intend to announce their project partners on their anniversary. They¡¯ve sent us a VIP invite. Should I contact them beforehand?" Nicole rubbed her temples. "J&L Corporation is pretty confident in their project. They know that they have a big slice of the pie and everyone''s waiting to get a cut. There''s no need to contact them in advance. We have the best conditions, so we''ll just attend the party." Logan nodded. "Yes, Vice President. Do you need me t o arrange for a car to take you home?" Nicole nced at the time. It was indeed quitete. Just as she was about to leave work, there was a knock at the door. Ian stood there with a seductive smile and looked devilishly handsome. "Ms. Stanton, d o I have the honor to invite you to dinner?" Seeing the man, Nicole could not help but smile. "Of course, I''d love for Second Young Master Carter to buy me dinner.¡± Logan wisely retreated. Ian was a gentleman and went over to put on Nicole''s coat, took her bag, and excitedly said, "I''ve driven away our biggest third wheel, Hugh, so we can finally have some alone time today!" Nicole rolled her eyes at Ian and did not take him seriously because Ian was always flirting and fooling around with countless women. "I¡¯m hungry. What are we eating?" "There''s a new lovers'' restaurant in South City..." Before Ian could finish his words, Nicole swept a nce at him, so Ian continued, "...That I just opened, s o let''s go check it out." Nicole strutted out in her stilettos. Ian followed closely behind her with a smug face. The restaurant was on the top floor of the building that had a great view of the city. They could see the colorful neon lights scattered everywhere that showed the vibrance and opulence of the city. Couples were dancing to the music on one side of the restaurant. It was such a romantic atmosphere that it was difficult not to get immersed into it. Nicole finally had time to rx. The music that was ying was Nicole''s favorite song and moved her soul, so she closed her eyes slightly to enjoy the moment. She suddenly smelled a faint floral fragrance. Once she opened her eyes, Ian handed her a bouquet with a charming smile on his face. "For you, your favorite Swiss lilies." Music and flowers were the gold standard for a lovers'' restaurant, but Nicole did not have the slightest romantic thought about Ian. She smiled and took the bouquet from him, then put it aside. "Thank you. Not bad for a lovers'' restaurant. The service is spot on!" Ian stared at her nkly. ''She thinks that this is the standard service of this restaurant? This fresh bouquet was flown in from Switzend this morning and the soil was still moist when I received it. Does she think that everyone can enjoy such an expensive service?'' He shook his head helplessly. ''Forget it...I have all the patience in the world!'' When the food was served, Nicole no longer immersed herself in the scenery and music and lowered her head to enjoy the food. Ian passionately introduced her to the specialties of each dish. The atmosphere was very cordial. Nicole was not very particr about food. When Ian saw her eating, he was ted. "Did you receive the flowers I sent to your office?" Nicole replied, "Mhmm, thanks." Ian''s face stiffened. "That''s it? Shouldn¡¯t you ask why?" "Second Young Master, pray tell..." Nicole looked puzzled. ¡®Was this not just a whim?'' "I''m courting you!" Ian was a little annoyed that Nicole was slow to get his intentions. Nicole just let out a faint "oh", then wiped her mouth gently and said, "Sorry, but I don''t ept it. Don''t waste your time and energy on me." Ian was angry. ''Such a straightforward rejection without even caring for my feelings?¡¯ He looked at Nicole solemnly. "We''re not friends anymore. From now on, I''m your suitor." Nicole blinked. "Then let''s stop contacting each other." Not far away in a corner, Keith Ludwig snorted and said, "Look at those two people flirting with each other. What does Second Young Master Carter even see in such a woman?" Opposite him, Eric Ferguson had a dull expression as h e retracted his gaze. He looked down at the food in front of him and suddenly found it tasteless.This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Chapter 36 Passionate Kiss Chapter 36 Passionate Kiss This new lovers'' restaurant opened right above Keith Ludwig¡¯s restaurant. It was very popr, so Keith had t oe and experience it himself and even dragged Eric Ferguson with him. The waiter stressed over and over again that this was a lovers'' restaurant. Keith winked at Eric and lightly tugged on Eric''s arm." Don''t we look like a couple?¡± ¡°Ferg, Ludwig, what a coincidence..." A man and a woman walked over to them. Colton White looked like a typical gentry, and the woman holding Colton¡¯s arm was a recently popr social media influencer with a smallmon-looking face and big eyes. Keith snorted lightly. "Why are you here?" "Lily said this ce is nice, so we came to check it out. Isn¡¯t this a lovers'' restaurant?" Colton implied something and covered his mouth to hold back hisughter. They were all childhood buddies, so there was no need to evade each other. Eric scowled and red at Keith. Colton White felt amused since it was rare to see Eric a t a loss like this. He did not leave and invited himself t o their table. His date sat opposite Eric. When Lily saw Eric''s chiseled face, she tried to suppress the excitement in her heart but dared not say anything with Colton around. "Hey, Eerg. Isn''t that the scheming b*tch?" Colton lifted his chin slightly in one direction. The music was pleasant and soothing. Ian dragged Nicole to the dance floor as he said, "It''s just one dance. Since we''re already here, don''t you want to experience the feeling of being on this dance floor?" Before Nicole could answer, the next song had already started, so it would only attract more attention if she refused. ''Whatever... It''s just a dance...'' The music was upbeat. Ian and Nicole¡¯s steps only had a momentary pause in the beginning. Soon after, they matched each other''s rhythm very well and gradually became the focus on the dance floor. The couples around them stopped to look at the pair. The man was devilishly handsome and the woman was elegant and beautiful. The hem of her skirt swayed as she danced and the two of them stole all the attention. Ian inadvertently saw a certain someone in the corner. When the song ended, he pulled Nicole into his arms, turned around with his back against the crowd, and lowered his head as he embraced the woman tightly. From the perspective of the crowd behind them, they were kissing passionately. Suddenly, the restaurant resounded with loud apuse. Before Nicole could react, Ian chuckled and pulled her out of the restaurant. In the corner. Eric did not speak, but his face was a bit cold. Keith Ludwig looked at the couple''s departing back and coldly snorted. "It''s not that great." Although their dance wasparable to professional dancers, Keith would never admit that Nicole danced well. "Right? This scheming b*tch hooked up with another guy so soon?" Colton sneered. Eric swept a cold nce at Colton when he heard that. "Scheming b*tch? Is that what you guys call her behind her back?"N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. "Yeah, what else? She did everything she could to marry you for money, didn¡¯t she? We know what she did to trap you, so we¡¯re all happy that you finally divorced her. You don''t have to put up with that shrew anymore..." Colton did not notice Eric''s increasingly glum face. He recalled some of their old memories and retold them a s a joke. "I remember that when you just got married and we went out drinking together, that woman called in the middle of the night to check on you when you were in the bathroom. I picked up the call and warned her back then to know her ce. She''s so ignorant. Can''t she see that marrying you is already an honor for her H Suddenly, a cupnded heavily on the table. The lively chatter andughter at the table instantly ceased. Keith looked puzzled. ''Eric is clearly angry! Is it because of that woman?'' Colton did not know what he had misspoken. Everyone knew that Eric was forced into his previous marriage. The influencer was so frightened that she shuddered. She originally thought that she would be able to hook up with someone more powerful, but she did not even get to say a word at the table. "Ferg..." Colton looked to Keith for help. Keith was just about to speak when Eric sneered and said, "Colton, why don¡¯t you just be the Head of the Ferguson family if you like to meddle in my business so much?" Chapter 37 Meeting at the Banquet Chapter 37 Meeting at the Banquet After that, Eric Ferguson stood up and left, leaving the pale-faced Colton White behind. Keith Ludwig chased after Eric. ''This must be rted t o Nicole again. That woman¡¯s really troublesome.'' "Ferg, why do you look so upset? We''re all bros. You know that Colton''s always been straightforward. Don''t take whatever he said to heart." Eric also knew that he had overreacted and did not expect to have lost control of his emotions like that. It was just that when he found out about these things that he should have known but was kept in the dark, his only thought was, ''Is this why Nicole hates me?'' His chest felt stuffy and ufortable. He stood at the entrance for a while. After getting blown by the cold wind, his mind felt much clearer. H e took out a cigarette and lit it. "I know. You can tell him that it''s not directed at him." N?velDrama.Org content. ''I''m just mad at myself!¡¯ Eric thought. Keith breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, but you¡¯re not longing for that woman, right?" Eric cast a sidelong nce at him and snorted. He was not bothered to answer Keith''s curiosity. "Your restaurant can''tpare with this new restaurant. M y advice is for you to close your business..." Keith''s face reddened with anger. "Are you even my bro?!¡± J&L Corporation invited many socialites, businessmen, and politicians to their anniversary banquet. Everyone who attended the banquet was an elite. Nicole had done her research. J&L Corporation was a rtively newpany that did not have much backing, so it was not an easy feat to achieve such a reputation and develop to this scale in a few short years. J&L Corporation¡¯s R&D focus was to integrate technology and artificial intelligence into regr life. They had already mastered core technologies that were beyond the reach of many countries. Nicole thought, ''If I cannd this artificial intelligence project, Stanton Corporation will be able to be a pioneer in this new field.¡± Thus, Nicole came prepared this time. Everyone was in the hall exchanging pleasantries when there was a sudden cry of surprise. The crowd looked towards the sound and saw a couple standing a t the entrance of the banquet hall. They were all familiar with the man - Grant Stanton of Stanton Corporation. He was ruthless, decisive, and feared by many. The woman beside him had on exquisite makeup that highlighted her stunning features. Her long wavy hair was pinned back. Under her gentle appearance was a hidden majesty. She wore a hand-stitched bespoke dress iid with diamond bits that entuated her slender waist. Her dress glittered when she stood under the light, which made her shine so brightly. Her elegant demeanor and extraordinary temperament made the crowd marvel a t her presence. Some people also recognized her. ''Isn''t she Eric Ferguson¡¯s ex-wife? He''s so blind to divorce such a stunning woman...'' People came forward to greet them. "Mr. Stanton, your femalepanion today is a real showstopper..." "Mr. Stanton, wee..." Grant Stanton''s smile reached his eyes as he held up his wine ss to the crowd. "She¡¯s my Vice President, Nicole. Please take good care of her." "Vice President Nicole is so beautiful and talented. You must be very outstanding to be able to stay in Stanton Corporation..." "That¡¯s really remarkable! Vice President Nicole, please take care of us in the future..." "We must cooperate when we have the chance..." Nicole maintained a decent and elegant smile and responded to everyone''s greeting. Grant saw that it was almost time, so he patted her wrist and lowered his head to whisper a reminder in her ear. "President Lichman of J&L Corporation is upstairs, so let¡¯s go." This was their purpose ofing here. Nicole nodded gently. Her long slender neck was wless and her every move was simply amazing. Not far away, Ingrid Ferguson and her clique of high-societydies watched as Nicole epted the crowd''s praises. Their expressions were very amusing with all sorts of emotions because Nicole''s diamond-studded dress stole all the attention away from their carefully selected dresses. 1 Ingrid looked especially shocked and angry because she already had an eye on Nicole''s dress half a month ago. It was one of Louis Vuitton''s private custom dresses. The diamonds on it were real diamonds from a famous jewelry brand. This dress was valued close t o the nine figures and was only for disy among the elites. She had asked to rent this dress but was told that someone had already ordered it. Moreover, she was told that this dress could not be replicated because that mysteriousdy wanted unique attention. Who knew that the dress she wanted would be worn b y Nicole? ''What''s going on?'' Ingrid thought. Nicole used to be conservative and ugly when she was staying with the Fergusons. She only knew how to do chores around the house and did not even dare to utter a word. Nicole was so humble like a servant, but this woman in front of Ingrid was proud, confident, and had such a stunning aura. She was like apletely different person! 1 If it was not for the wrong asion, Ingrid wanted to g o up and tell everyone that Nicole was just an ugly, old-fashioned woman who had been abandoned by the Ferguson family. Ingrid wanted to tear off Nicole''s confident mask and let everyone see how miserable and lowly Nicole actually was! "What''s going on? Ingrid, is Nicole really your sister-inw? She¡¯s not ugly..." "Yeah, she''s so pretty! Did you see that? Her skin is glowing! I wonder where she does her facials..." "Did you girls see the man next to her? He''s so handsome and considerate! I just saw that your brother was also staring at her..." Ingrid closed her eyelids to suppress the jealousy brewing in her eyes, she mmed the ss down on the side and coldly snorted. "She got kicked out of my house, so what else can she do but hook up with other men? I¡¯m sure that she''s just a gold-digger trying to find a sugar daddy so that she won''t have to worry for life..." 1 Chapter 38 Compliments and Cooperation Chapter 38 Compliments and Cooperation The girls looked at Ingrid''s grim face and quieted down. The second floor of the banquet hall was rtively quiet. When Grant brought Nicole upstairs, an unruly-looking young man in an expensive ck shirt stood up. The two men shook hands briefly. Grant smiled and said, "Mr. Lichman, it¡¯s been a while." Gerard Lichmanughed. The corners of his lips hooked up charmingly. "Hello, Mr. Stanton." Without waiting for Grant''s introduction, Gerard had already moved his gaze onto Nicole. It was an appreciative nce with a decent sense of proportion that was not offensive. "Ms. Nicole, you''re not only beautiful but also capable. I hope that you won''t mind that I put off our dinner and invited you to this banquet instead." Nicole smiled, "Of course not. Congrattions on J& L''s 5th anniversary. I hope we''ll be able to work together happily in the years toe." She made a double entendre. Gerard smiled. "Mr. Stanton, may I talk to Ms. Nicole privately? After all, if there''s a chance for cooperation, the person we''ll be liaising with is Ms. Nicole." "Sure." Grant was not surprised by this request and gave Nicole a reassuring nce. He then turned around and went downstairs towork with others. Gerard and Nicole stood facing each other in front of the railing on the second floor under the ambient light. The handsome man and beautiful woman talked eloquently and calmly. "Ms. Nicole, I''d like to know why you''re so confident about this cooperation." Gerard held a ss of wine and casually shook the burgundy liquid in the ss. Nicole raised her eyebrows. A strand of wavy hair fell across her forehead and around her ear. The look in her eyes was very alluring. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Mr. Lichman, the conditions I gave are very sincere. I believe that you¡¯re also aware of it. Compared to so many other investors, there¡¯s no one else more suitable than Stanton Corporation. To put it bluntly, you have the technology, and I have the money. Stanton Corporation won''t expect J&L to be profitable i n five years. Instead, we''re looking at long-term cooperation. I believe that in the next ten years, we will be the ones to determine the level of Al development in this world." Those that could pay more than Stanton Corporation could not provide more benefits than Nicole, while those that could provide more benefits did not have the capital. 1 Gerard was not just a businessman. He was also an engineer, so he wanted to find the most suitable business partner for his brainchild. Nicole¡¯s bold words made Gerard re-examine the woman in front of him with less yfulness and more solemnity. Gerard bowed his head and pondered. "Vice President Nicole, do you mind participating in a three-way partnership with anotherpany?" "Who else?" Nicole did not believe that there was a better fit than Stanton Corporation. Gerard raised his ss to indicate behind Nicole. Hearing the soft footsteps that gradually approached them, Nicole''s heart suddenly jumped and missed a beat. Nicole felt a sudden silence in the air. She turned around with her ss of wine and her smile was frozen on her face with just one nce. Sure enough, the only one who couldpete with Stanton Corporation in the same project was none other than Eric Ferguson. Eric was wearing a ck suit with expensive cufflinks that looked familiar to Nicole. It made him seem so cold, indifferent, and unapproachable. His gaze lingered on Nicole for a few seconds before h e greeted Gerard frankly. Gerard¡¯s eyes bounced between the two of them. "I guess I don¡¯t need to introduce you both since you should be familiar with each other. Ms. Nicole, my apologies for not telling you in advance that regardless of who our final partner is, Ferguson Corporation will be involved in the project." Looking at Nicole''s puzzled gaze, Gerard chuckled and continued, "That¡¯s because Mr. Ferguson has been funding all of my projects as an angel investor since the inception of mypany." 1 Chapter 39 Just One Dance Chapter 39 Just One Dance Nicole thought, ''So that''s how it is...he''s already a shareholder, huh? I just didn¡¯t expect Eric Ferguson had set his eyes on the field of artificial intelligence for so long.'' If Gerard Lichman did not take the initiative to tell Nicole this, Nicole would not have been able to find out. The fact that he told her this information also proved that he genuinely wanted to cooperate with her. Although Nicole was not happy about Eric¡¯s involvement, she had a clear mind and separated her personal affairs and business well. She would not give up on this opportunity. Nicole lowered her eyes and smiled. "With Ferguson Corporation''s strength, you can very well enjoy the fruits of this cooperation by yourself. Why do you need a third party to get involved?¡± She raised her eyebrows slightly and nced at Eric. "After all, this is a brand new field that no one¡¯s involved in, so Ferguson Corporation cannot take this risk alone." The man''s voice was deep and clear. The corners of his lips hooked up. "It won''t be a wrong move for Stanton Corporation to choose J&L. I hope we''ll have a pleasant cooperation.¡± He raised his ss with his slender and beautiful hand. Gerard Lichman clinked his ss with Eric¡¯s and the two men waited for Nicole''s response. Since there was no other choice, Nicole could only smile faintly and coldly as she gently raised her ss. The soft clink of the sses was crisp and pleasant. Everything was settled. Even though Nicole was not happy about it, there was no way out. Her chest felt stuffy and unpleasant. Gerard breathed a sigh of relief and noticed the tense atmosphere between the two of them. He tried to ease the situation and said, "Why don''t you two take the first dance as the opening to our anniversary celebration? I think this is undoubtedly the best way t o announce our cooperation." Eric frowned slightly. Nicole chuckled and reached out to tuck her hair behind her ears. She smiled perfunctorily and said, "Sorry, but I don''t know how to dance." After saying that, she turned on her heels and left, ignoring Eric''s cold and sullen gaze. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Gerard shrugged his shoulders and said, "It''s just one dance, but she''s not even willing to. It seems that our future cooperation won''t be very pleasant. Mr. Ferguson, you''re the first among the elites that have such a messy divorce." Eric''s face sank as he stared at Nicole''s swaying dress. His expression turned even more downcast. ''Don''t know how to dance? Hah! Then was I blind back at Ian Carter''s restaurant?'' However, Eric suddenly thought of Colton''s words and felt the anger in his chest dissipate. Instead, his heart clenched ufortably. ''I really owe her too much...'' Even if Nicole was upset, she still maintained a graceful smile. When she got downstairs, Grant approached her with a warm smile. "Done?¡± Nicole¡¯s dull expression seemed somewhat cold without the joy of closing a deal. This made Grant a little puzzled. "Eric Ferguson is a shareholder, so Gerard Eichman asked for a three-way cooperation," Nicole exined. Grant paused for a moment and finally understood why Nicole looked so cold. He smiled and stroked her hair dotingly and gently. "It''s okay. That just means w e have someone to share the risks with. The benefits i n this certainly outweigh the disadvantages." Nicole froze for a moment and raised her eyebrows. She suddenly realized that what Eric Ferguson was worried about was exactly Stanton Corporation''s woes as well. The benefits of this three-way cooperation did outweigh the disadvantages. After Nicole figured it out, the moodiness in her chest was instantly swept away. She smiled and took Grant''s arm, then gently ced her chin on his shoulder as she whined. "G, thanks for reminding me. Otherwise, I would''ve been cursing all of them for days on end!" Grant could not help butugh. This intimate scene was an eyesore to a certain onlooker. Eric stared at the pair from upstairs and watched Grant and Nicole''s intimate gestures. Keith Ludwig came up and scoffed. "Tsk tsk...I heard that Grant Stanton isn''t close to women, but why is he so attached to this woman? They must have an unspeakable rtionship!" Eric faintly retracted his gaze with a cold face. He ignored Keith and went downstairs towork with the other guests. The banquet hall was finally abuzz. Gerard walked over and whispered a few words to the emcee, who then came forward with a microphone. "Ladies and gentlemen, wee to J&L Corporation''s 5th anniversary! To celebrate this momentous day, I will announce thetest project partners of J&L Corporation on behalf of Mr. Lichman, which are Ferguson Corporation and Stanton Corporation. Now, let¡¯s invite Mr. Eric Ferguson and Ms. Nicole to share the opening dance!" The crowd cheered loudly. Chapter 40 Some Kind of Relationship Chapter 40 Some Kind of Rtionship When Nicole heard her name, she froze for a moment. She did not want to have anything to do with Eric Ferguson, but this situation was out of her control and she felt everyone''s eyes on her at this moment. The awkward rtionship between them after their divorce added to the mystery of this coincidental cooperation. Eric also did not expect this. Without a doubt, this was Gerard''s doing. Nicole was still in a pickle when Eric walked to her. H e was exuding a cool aura as he bent slightly and reached out, inviting Nicole to the dance floor. Everyone¡¯s eyes were focused on the pair. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. There was no way Nicole could reject Eric¡¯s invitation because she did not want to leave a negative impact at the beginning of their three-way cooperation. 1 Grant gave his baby sister a heartfelt look. Nicole smiled faintly, then stretched out her hand to take Eric¡¯s. The people in front of them consciously made way for the pair. Nicole carried her dress with her other hand and walked forward without looking at Eric. Eric''s palm was slightly cold. At that moment, he suddenly realized that in their three years of marriage, they had never held a wedding ceremony and he had never taken the initiative to hold her hand. This was the first time they held hands. Nicole¡¯s fingers were long and beautiful, like a work of art. Her hand was warm and delicate, and he immediately etched this feeling in his heart. The band began the next song at the right time. The refreshing and cheerful music echoed in the banquet hall. The moment Nicole''s handnded on Eric''s shoulder, their eyes met momentarily. Eric''s dark and deep gaze was affixed to her face. When his hand rested on her slim waist, Nicole''s body stiffened for a moment as she felt very ufortable. The two of them had never been this close in their three years of marriage. Being here like this after the divorce was also really unexpected. Nicole merely took a few seconds to regain herposure. She then put a fake and indifferent smile o n her face. Their good footwork, confident posture, and humility,pletely captured the audience¡¯s eyes while the music from the center of the stage drowned out their conversation. "Can''t dance, huh?" The man''s deep and clear voice was very seductive. Nicole raised an eyebrow. "Depends on the person." She was straightforward and unforgiving. Eric''s eyes sank imperceptibly. The two of them moved back and forth. The music took a steep turn and the rhythm gradually quickened. The man tightened his grip on her hand and her slender waist. "Why didn''t I know that you know how to do business? Is it Stanton Corporation''s idea to cooperate with Gerard Eichman, or is it yours?" Nicole did a graceful turn and the two came together again. "There''s a lot you''re not aware of, and I don''t have to tell you anything." The corners of her lip curled up gently with a hint of mockery. In their three years of marriage, he never thought to understand her as his wife, so what was the point of telling him anything after their divorce? To him, Nicole was just a passing character in the past three years, but for Nicole, this was an unforgettable lesson. The light shone on the pair. Eric was as handsome as usual. His tall upright built made every woman marvel at him. Nicole''s dress swayed with every step she took. Her graceful posture and her striking features stunned the crowd. If time froze at this moment, one could see the people in the hall gasp collectively. All eyes were on these two people. Their movements clearly matched tacitly, but the pair had no intention for interaction. To be precise, Nicole had no intention of dealing with Eric. She only wished for this song to finish quickly because being so close to Eric Ferguson made her very ufortable. Eric''s gaze felt like thorns on her face as he quietly inspected her. The music took a turn into the final section. Eric leaned his body forward while Nicole took a step back and lifted her head to end the dance. Her long and slender neck curved delicately. When the song was about to end, Nicole subconsciously straightened her back, but she did not expect Eric not to take a step back. 2 Their lips unexpectedly touched. One was soft and delicate, and the other was cold and thin. Thest note dragged on before it stopped abruptly as i f it reflected the freezing of time at this moment... Chapter 41 He Did It on Purpose Chapter 41 He Did It on Purpose The lights flickered. Nicole gently shook the ss of wine and stood in front of the railing on the second floor. She watched the pretentious exchange of pleasantries of the people below. Eric, who was walking over not far away, looked up at that instant and suddenly met Nicole''s clear and cold gaze. Nicole faintly retracted her gaze and ignored the difort in her heart. That kiss on the dance floor earlier made the crowd gasp. No one cared which of them actually made the wrong move at the end of the dance. They were just waiting for a good show to happen between the ex-couple. Any reaction on either of them would lead to endless spection. Thus, at the moment their lips touched, Nicole instantly turned her face to the side. Fortunately, the music stopped and she drew back in time. She nced coldly at Eric and turned away without looking back. Keith was joking with several people around Eric. After sending them away, he let out a sigh of relief and looked at Eric, who had a cold and noble temperament. Keith frowned when he remembered the scene earlier and subconsciously blurted out. "You did that on purpose during the dance, right?" Others might not be able to tell, but he knew that Nicole¡¯s beat was on point. The problem was with Eric. Eric grew up in the gentry circle and received elite education on all sorts of social etiquette. How could he be slow to react during the dance? ''Could it be intentional?'' Keith thought. Eric''s dark eyes swept over Keith. His face was taut as he said, "No." "That''s good. Don''t even think about that woman. I think I lost my mind to think so. That woman must''ve done it on purpose. Hmph! She surely is good at scheming!" Of course, Keith believed his best friend''s words unconditionally. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Thus, those seeds of doubt disappeared in an instant. The second floor of the banquet hall. Grant wasworking elsewhere while Nicole felt bored and looked around. Suddenly, she saw someone waving at her from the doorway. The corners of her lips curved up into a smile as she waved back in response. Ian Carter soon arrived in front of her. "Carter, you''rete..." Ian leaned nonchntly on the railing looking rxed and unrestrained. "Well, Ie whenever I want to. If I hadn''t heard that you were here too, I wouldn''t have bothered to attend such an event." "Don''t even. I know that your father forced you toe." Nicole rolled her eyes at him. Ian was not the least bit embarrassed after getting exposed by Nicole. He just grinned and said, "My purpose is always you." Nicole wanted to say something when she inadvertently saw the people walking towards her. Her face sank unhappily. "Nicole, are you shameless? You¡¯re already divorced from my brother, yet you still try to seduce him? Do you still want to marry into our family? I¡¯ll tell you now that our family will never ept a woman like you!" ''Urgh, what kind of sh*tty luck do I have tonight? Everyone I hate just keeps popping up... Ingrid came over with her groupies trying to show me who''s boss?¡¯ Nicole thought. Nicole had been in the limelight today, especially after that kiss. Everyone began to specte about the " reunion of the century" of this rich ex-couple. ''Remarriage? Nicole can dream on!¡¯ Ingrid thought. Ingrid Ferguson was more agitated than anyone else. I f it were not for her status as Young Lady Ferguson, she would have jumped up and cursed at Nicole. ''How is this shameless lowly woman worthy? Her dress should¡¯ve been mine! This eyesore stole my moment o f glory! Stupid Nicole took away all my attention!'' Nicole swept a nce at Ingrid and the fewdies behind her. Besides Ingrid, the others did not look so hostile and were probably dragged over as backup. ''Ha! How childish!'' Nicole thought. "Yo, who¡¯s this with the foul mouth?" Ian looked at Ingrid with a cold smile. Whoever dared to bully Nicole in front of him was dead meat regardless of gender. Ingrid turned pale and fiercely red at Ian. "What does it have to do with you? Are you her lover?" Ian was delighted. "Her lover? I like this identity." Nicole suddenly felt a headache because of the noise. She helplessly nced at Ian with a warning intent. " Shut it." She then swept an indifferent nce at Ingrid. "Ms. Ferguson, what do you want?" Ingrid arrogantly lifted her chin and said, "Don¡¯t think I don''t know what you''re up to. I know you kissed my brother on purpose just now. Do you want my brother t o fall for you? Dream on!" Chapter 42 Ugly Past Chapter 42 Ugly Past Ian Carter looked extremely shocked. He caught onto the main point. "Kiss your brother? Haha...stop daydreaming. Nicole''s not crazy or stupid, so why would she look for a f*ckboy?" "If you don''t believe me, ask anyone here. Everyone saw it!" Ingrid argued. Her friends hesitantly nodded their heads. Ian dismissed them without a second thought. "Why should I ask the people you¡¯re colluding with? Do you think I''m dumb?" Ingrid¡¯s face turned red with anger. "It''s true anyway! Nicole, you don''t dare admit it? My brother only cares about Wendy. You exist only because you can give her a blood transfusion. Stop your wishful thinking that you can still marry into our family. We will never ept you!" She knew that Wendy was a thorn in Nicole''s heart. Every time this name was mentioned, it made Nicole feel twice as desperate. However, in front of others, Nicole faintly hooked her lips andughed lightly. She coldly swept a nce at the girls behind Ingrid. "The whole world knows about your brother¡¯s affair with Wendy Quade. Ms. Ferguson, your words only confirmed the fact that he cheated during our marriage. You should¡¯ve spoken out sooner." Ingrid''s face turned pale. She sneered in anger and furiously pointed at Nicole. She insulted Nicole without holding back. "Don''t you guys know who she is? Whatever she''s wearing, eating, and using now is given to her by the men she slept with. Do you honestly think that she''s a daughter from an affluent family?" The atmosphere was slightly cold. Ingrid''s outburst not only rmed the people near the railing on the second floor but also startled many others who looked over one after another. However, Nicole frowned slightly with a cold expression. She did not have any obvious mood fluctuations. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. It was as if she was merely a bystander watching this farce. "Nicole is a poor wretch that doesn¡¯t even have a penny on her! When she was still married to my brother, she¡¯d reach out to beg my brother for money t o spend. She¡¯s just a maid in our house, doing theundry, cooking, cleaning, and evenndscaping! Whenever shees back to our vi, our maids would take a day off. Hahahaha... My brother didn''t marry a wife. He married a maid! She''s even worse than a maid!" Ingridughed unrestrainedly and tried to expose Nicole¡¯s most unknown and vulnerable side, stripping Nicole of her glory to reveal her miserable and bleak past. 1 "Ingrid Ferguson!¡± A cold, stern voice suddenly came from behind her. Ingrid¡¯sughter stopped abruptly as she looked back i n shock. "Brother?" She did not know when Eric had been standing there. His face was extremely glum. Ingrid subconsciously took a step back and her face was miserably white. 1 Quinn had already warned the maids in the Ferguson Vi, so they would never talk about what kind of life Nicole led while she lived with them. Thus, Eric would never get the chance to know because Nicole would never tell him. Ingrid just felt like biting off her tongue at the moment. She had lost her mind and blurted out how they treated Nicole when she was staying with them. ''If Brother finds out... Forget it. So what if he finds out? He doesn''t even like this woman. They¡¯re divorced!¡¯ Ingrid took a deep breath. She still had to maintain her Young Lady Ferguson image in front of her groupies. "Brother, I¡¯m just teaching her a lesson. This woman tried to seduce you..." "Oh, quit the act..." Ian, who was standing on the side, could not help but sneer and interrupt Ingrid¡¯s words. He was shaking with anger and wanted to beat Eric Ferguson up. ''Is this how the Fergusons treated our precious Miss Stanton that we coddled and pampered?¡¯ "Ms. Ferguson, you still have the audacity to unt such repulsive acts everywhere like they''re such glorious deeds? It¡¯s Nicole''s lifetime of bad luck that she was blinded and married into your family!" Ian''s voice was cold as he stood protectively in front o f Nicole. Nicole¡¯s rash decision and three years of recklessness should not be talked about and ridiculed! "You... What¡¯s the rtionship between you two? Tell u s the truth. Did you have an affair with Nicole long ago before Nicole and my brother got divorced...?" Ingrid still did not forget to hurl mud at Nicole. "Ingrid Ferguson! Shut up!" Eric Ferguson yelled at her and could feel his blood boiling. His heart clenched so tightly that it was hard t o breathe. Chapter 43 Youre Different Chapter 43 You''re Different Eric Ferguson did not bother to look at Nicole''s expression and walked straight to Ingrid. His face was inexplicably cold. "Was everything you just said true?" He asked with gritted teeth. Ingrid was a little flustered. She bit her lower lip and did not know how to respond. She grew up around her parents and was not close to her brother, who grew up abroad. After Eric returned t o the country, he became a first-ss business whiz i n the industry and expanded the Ferguson family¡¯s wealth by hundreds of times. This made Ingrid insufferably arrogant. "Answer me!" Eric saw Ingrid¡¯s hesitation and forced her to speak. A crisp, cold scoff came from the left side behind him. Without a thought, he knew that it was Nicole who wasughing. "Mr. Ferguson, it''s all true." As soon as Nicole admitted it, the surrounding people looked at these two people with aplicated gaze. They did not expect that behind Nicole''s bright and beautiful exterior was such an ugly and miserable past. After hearing Ingrid Ferguson saying it, they felt sympathetic towards Nicole. The scandal online after Nicole and Eric''s divorce did not seem so groundless after all. It was truly not easy to marry into a rich and powerful family... Eric''s body stiffened and felt something tightly clenching his heart. It turned out that not only did his close friends despise Nicole, but even the entire Ferguson family were bullying her, and as Nicole''s husband, he was clueless about everything! Over their three years of marriage, Eric only went back to their house a handful of times. Each time, he only went to talk to Nicole about Wendy''s health condition so that Nicole would willingly go to donate blood. He would also be polite to Nicole and ask if she had enough pocket money before he left her a bank card and left. Eric had always thought that he had been nice enough to Nicole. It turned out that he had been deceiving himself. He owed her too much! At this moment, he did not know how he should face Nicole. His fists were tightly clenched and his whole body was tense. However, Nicole onlyughed lightly. Her voice was pleasant, but it had a piercing chill. "Mr. Ferguson, you can go home and ask any maid to find out if it''s true, but even if it is, so what?" N?velDrama.Org content. ''So what if you find out about it now?'' The others only threw hell at Nicole because they all thought that Eric acquiesced to their actions. Thus, what did it matter that he found out about it now? Eric was the least innocent of them all because he stabbed her and left the deepest wound in her heart. Under the soothing ambient light, Nicole''s bright smile was charming yet dangerous, and her beautiful eyes were extremely cold. She was unforgiving. "Mr. Ferguson, if it''s true, what are you gonna do about it? Are you going to let Ms. Ferguson and Mrs. Ferguson kneel to me and apologize? Will you let them do myundry and cook for me as my maids? Or do you want to get rid of your poor ex-wife, who doesn''t even have a penny to her name, by throwing money at her again?" Everyone looked surprised. When it came to that point, everyone thought that both sides would just cry and apologize to each other. Someone wouldpromise and everything would be swept under the rug. They did not expect that Nicole would dare to speak out so tantly. The Fergusons were so rich that they did not need a dowry from Eric''s wife. However, being of equal social status was an unspoken rule among the gentry circle. I t was just that no one would openly talk about it. If this drama continued, it would surely get out of hand. "Apologize? Dream on!" Ingrid refused to admit defeat. There were so many people watching, so she certainly would not apologize to Nicole. She red at Nicole and stubbornly said, "I will never apologize to you. You even want me to kneel and be your maid?! Stop daydreaming!" "That''s enough!" Eric dragged Ingrid back with full force. Ingrid hit the railing, which was so painful that her eyes instantly welled up with tears. He did not bother to nce at Ingrid and looked at Nicole with aplex gaze. He could not fulfill any of those conditions she mentioned earlier, except for money, but would she even ept it? For the first time, Eric felt powerless. "Nicole, I..." "Mr. Ferguson, since you can¡¯t do anything, don''t act like you have a guilty conscience. Apologies aren''t worth anything. Are you trying to gain sympathy? Don''t you think you''re being too shameful?" Chapter 44 Blind Chapter 44 Blind Nicole sneered and looked at Ingrid Ferguson with a cold gaze. She lowered her eyelids slightly and said, "M s. Ferguson, are you trying to embarrass me by bringing out this ugly past over and over again? Mind you, I''m not embarrassed. Your family should be embarrassed for treating their daughter- inw like a maid. I wonder who will ever dare to marry into your family again..." "Anyway, you''re not worthy of being a Ferguson! Nicole, you were clearly trying to seduce my brother earlier. Aren''t you gonna admit it?" Ingrid was adamant that Nicole was deliberately seducing her brother with that kiss earlier. ''Nicole wants me to apologize?!'' Ingrid was resentful and thought, ''Why can Nicole be s o arrogant? Why didn''t my brother back me up?'' "Ms. Ferguson, you actually think that I want to seduce Mr. Ferguson?" Nicoleughed lightly. She was never one to beat around the bush and had always gone straight to the point. ''Seduce? I don''t think I¡¯m cheap enough to do this!'' That kiss at the end of the dance was unexpected and shocking. It must have nted seeds of doubt in the hearts of the crowd. In everyone''s opinion, Nicole must be the one who was seducing Eric Ferguson. Her eyes were clear and cold as she swept a nce at Eric. The corners of her lips hooked up into a mocking smile. "Three years ago, I was blind enough to marry Mr. Ferguson, but I''m certainly not so blind as to fall for M r. Ferguson now. Even if I seduce every man on earth, I won''t ever look at Eric Ferguson again." Nicole did not want to look back and relive that depressing and suffocating past again. Ingrid shuddered from Nicole''s cold gaze. She felt that the current Nicole in front of her was a The wine ss that Nicole ced on the crystal table made a crisp clink and broke the awkward silence. Nicole then turned around and went downstairs under the watchful gaze of the crowd. Ian N?velDrama.Org content. red at Ingrid and Eric viciously before he quickly followed after Nicole. The crowd looked at Eric, who stood there with a glum face. His gaze followed closely after Nicole''s departing back with an indecipherable expression. Keith stood on the side and felt shocked. Seeing Eric¡¯s attitude, it was clear that he felt heartbroken for that woman after knowing the truth. "Mr. Eichman, I wanted to ask if this three-way cooperation of yours can be expanded to a four-way cooperation?" Keithughed as he pulled Gerard Lichman over, trying to divert everyone''s attention to other ces. After all, Eric Ferguson''s gossip was not something that anyone could just watch for entertainment. Everyone also had the good sense to continue mingling and drinking in the banquet hall. Gerard Lichman had a faint smile as he pushed up the gold-rimmed sses on his nose bridge. "No." Keith said, "Can''t you be a little more euphemistic?" Gerard hesitated for a while and replied, "Sorry, it¡¯s not possible." Keith was speechless. ''Forget it. I''d be better off talking to Eric...'' Once he turned around, the man who was standing there earlier had already disappeared. "Where did he go?" Keith muttered to himself. Gerard faintly nced at a certain location downstairs before he smiled and left. At the same time, there were not many people around i n the lounge downstairs, so it was quiet. Ian pestered Nicole and was asking her what happened before he arrived. "Did Eric Ferguson take advantage of you? Why did Ingrid Ferguson say that you seduced him?" Nicole rolled her eyes at him. "No, it''s just an ident." This could only be an ident. Otherwise, there was n o other exnation for it because no one would believe that Eric Ferguson did it on purpose. "If he dares to bully you, I''ll definitely beat him up!" Ian waved his fist. Nicole swept a nce around and did not see Grant anywhere. "Where''s my brother?" "He just went to the VIP table with Chairman Eichman to talk business. Do you wanna go find him?" Ian asked. Nicole shook her head. "Forget it. Let¡¯s not bother him." When she turned her head, she saw Eric Ferguson walking towards them. ''It''s such a coincidence that he keeps popping up everywhere. Why is that guy haunting me like a ghost?!'' Nicole raised her eyebrows, held Ian¡¯s arm, and intended to leave as if she did not see Eric. "Nicole, let''s talk." The man''s dark eyes sank. "There''s nothing to talk about.¡± Nicole did not stop and left him high and dry. She did not want to have the slightest thing to do with this man. He was just here to give her an apology, but an apology was the most worthless form of guilt. She did not need it! Chapter 45 Really Calculative Chapter 45 Really Calctive Ian Carter nced sideways at Eric Ferguson. He smiled smugly and recklessly as if he was mocking Eric''s current situation. ''Look at him! Even Eric Ferguson has his day...'' Keith Ludwig finally caught up to Eric. He followed Eric¡¯s gaze and saw Nicole''s departing back. "Tsk tsk... Ferg, since you''re already divorced, don¡¯t regret it. This is all that woman''s cheap tricks anyway.¡± Eric cast a sidelong nce at him and said, "Do I need you to teach me how to do things?¡± Keith suddenly felt a chill on his back and did not dare to speak for a while. ''That woman humiliated Eric in front of everyone. Even I feel like dying from anger, so let alone Eric! Although what Ingrid said was indeed a little overboard, that woman asked for it since she begged t o marry Eric in the first ce! Was it not her own fault then?'' When Nicole first entered the hall, many came over to mingle with her perhaps because of her position in the Stanton Corporation or because of the drama tonight. Since Nicole came here to expand herwork and find out insider information, she was happy to chat with people. She would clink her wine ss with every one of them and take a small sip. No one forced her to drink. After the mingling session, Nicole still felt a little tipsy even though Ian had taken a few drinks on Nicole''s behalf. She then found an opportunity and slipped to the bathroom. Nicole washed her face with cold water and felt the stuffiness in her chest dissipate. Just when she was about to wipe her face with a paper towel, Nicole heard Ingrid''s voice gradually approaching from outside. "I won''t let that b*tch Nicole get away so easily! She humiliated my family and is so shameless to surround herself with a continuous stream of men! Does she think she¡¯ll be a strong independent woman by sleeping her way to the top? She should just take a look in the mirror to see what a wretch she is!" N?velDrama.Org content. Ingrid Ferguson and her groupie walked in and saw Nicole leaning on the sink, staring at them with her arms crossed and a cold smile on her face. For a moment, Ingrid was stunned and instantly regained her nasty look as she coldly snorted. "Ugh, I have such bad luck seeing this b*tch everywhere I go." "I feel the same way." Nicole could not help butugh. Ingrid raised her eyebrows. "Who are you to say that? Others might not know your true nature, but do you really think that you can erase the past and start over? You''re just an uncouth lowlife who just smells of poverty wherever you go.¡± Nicole hooked her lips and did not turn around, but she still urately turned on the tap behind her. Her action was smooth and quick. Water flowed out, but n o one knew the meaning of her action. Perhaps she was just trying to keep her words from being overheard. "Ms. Ferguson, you should be thanking God that I didn''t take the initiative to make a fuss about the previous things you did to me, so don''te and find trouble for yourself." Her voice was extremely cold, but the curvature of her lips made her look much gentler. "What did you say? How dare you warn me? I''m the Young Lady of the Ferguson family, but what are you? After getting kicked out of my family, you''re nothing!" Ingrid red at Nicole with a glum face. Without Eric¡¯s presence, Ingrid was not afraid of anything anymore. This Young Lady Ferguson had always looked down o n her "sister-inw" since the very beginning, so that sense of superiority had been engraved in her. ''How could this nobody Nicole even qualify to be on an equal footing with me at home and be respected? Can she help in Brother''s career or can her family be of any assistance?'' In the past three years, Ingrid had deliberately asked Nicole to hand wash her clothes. When it was damaged, she would scold Nicole. Ingrid did not even bother to stretch her hands to pour herself a ss of water and preferred to order Nicole around instead. If she was not satisfied, she would get Nicole to redo it. The countless times of humiliation and Nicole''s forbearance and silence made Ingrid addicted to this feeling. Thus, Ingrid took it for granted and felt that Nicole deserved to be servile and submissive. Even after the divorce, Ingrid felt that Nicole could not refute her because Nicole would always be inferior to her. "Only you think that the Fergusons are unbeatable. I really wonder where you got your superiority Nicole scoffed and showed a yful smile. "Hah! Why didn''t you say that when you were so desperate to marry my brother? Nicole, have you forgotten how shameless you were? You''d rather be a mobile blood bank for Wendy just to marry my brother. This is your glorious past..." Ingrid could not help but provoke Nicole with the past. Nicole collected her smile. Her face was calm and somewhat cold. "Ms. Ferguson, I wasn''t being shameless. I was just blind! If you want to mention the past again, then I''ll get really calctive with you." ''Calctive? What''s this broke woman trying to be calctive about?¡¯ Ingrid thought. "Do you think I¡¯m afraid of you? Nicole, if you have the guts,e at me then! Ah--¡± Ingrid suddenly shrieked. 3 Chapter 46 Dont Want to Put Up With You Chapter 46 Don''t Want to Put Up With You Ingrid Ferguson''s face stiffened. She screamed and saw that a cup of cold water had been sshed on her face and body. Nicole gently put down the decorative bottle at the sink and dusted her hands. Her gaze was calm as she said, "You asked for this." "Nicole, how dare you..." N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Ingrid was so angry that her face flushed red. She was shivering. The dress she wore was from Dior''s off-the-rack collection. Although it was not as luxurious as Nicole''s custom-made dress, it still had an eightfigure price tag. Many celebrities did not even qualify t o look at it, but now it was ruined! Nicole smirked. Her smile did not reach her eyes. "Do you really think that I''ll put up with you like before? If you dare provoke me again, I''ll teach you a lesson and settle both the new and old ounts together!" Ingrid shuddered when she saw a prating coldness at the bottom of Nicole''s eyes. She could not help but feel frightened. However, she no longer wanted to think so much at this moment. She was the Young Lady of the Ferguson family and was revered everywhere she went. How could she be bullied like this at a banquet? How was she going to get outter? Her spare dress was far less expensive than this one. Ingrid gritted her teeth and red at Nicole. She was s o infuriated that she was about to lose her mind." Nicole, I won''t let you get away with this!" She lunged forward and raised her hand at Nicole. ''I''ll show Nicole how powerful I am!'' Before the p couldnd on Nicole¡¯s face, Nicole smirked slightly as if she was just waiting for Ingrid t o make the first move. Nicole''s eyes flickered and her body moved nimbly to the other side as she urately sped Ingrid¡¯s arm. She ruthlessly grabbed Ingrid''s long wavy hair with her free hand and pushed Ingrid forward. The running water was filling up the golden sink and was about to overflow. Ingrid plunged headlong into it, sshing out a lot of water. Ingrid''s groupie in the back eximed and looked extremely shocked. Nicole coldly swept a nce over and the groupie was instantly silenced. She watched the scene in horror and did not dare to go forward. Ingrid struggled violently, but Nicole did not forcefully resist. She just wanted to teach Ingrid a lesson, so she let go of Ingrid and took a step back. Not a single drop of water got onto Nicole¡¯s dress and she still looked as beautiful and seductive as ever. However, Ingrid was incredibly wretched. Her hair and makeup were no longer presentable. Ingrid leaned against the wall and gasped for air. A trace of shock and unfamiliarity shed in her eyes. She did not seem to know this side of Nicole, or perhaps she had never really understood this woman! Ingrid''s groupie immediately went forward to hold her. "Ingrid, a-are you okay?" "Ms. Ferguson, I''ve already told you just now that I won¡¯t put up with you anymore. If you mess with me again, you''ll pay the price!¡± Nicole raised her hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ears, then unhurriedly lifted her eyelids. Her intimidating gazended on Ingrid, whose face was pale. Ingrid looked like a wet dog, which made Nicole smile with satisfaction. She pursed her lips and seemed to be mocking Ingrid, then turned on her heels and left nonchntly. Ingrid only dared to scream in exasperation after Nicole left. Nicole was in a great mood because she gave what Ingrid deserved, but who would have thought that when she looked up, she saw Eric who had been there for God-knows-how-long. She paused for a moment and wanted to walk away as if she did not see him, but he called out to her. "Nicole." Eric stood there and watched as Nicole deliberately ignored himself. He was clearly extremely ufortable, but he had to endure it because he owed it to her. Thus, when he heard what was happening in the women''s restroom, he held back from going in to stop them, i The Ferguson family owed her much more than that. Nicole stopped in her tracks and looked at him with raised eyebrows. "What''s wrong, Mr. Ferguson?" Without waiting for Eric''s reply, Nicole smirked and said, "Oh, by the way, Ms. Ferguson is inside, but you came toote. She''s not presentable enough toe out and meet people right now." Chapter 47 Humble Chapter 47 Humble After all, Ingrid was now very wretched and could note out of the bathroom for a while. Eric looked at Nicole with a deep gaze. There was aplex emotion and scrutiny in his sharp features. "Why didn''t you say anything when my family treated you like this?" "What?" Nicole raised her eyebrows. Her eyes were indifferent and she did not expect him to say that. "Why didn''t you ever tell me?" ''If she had told me, I''d have stopped my family from doing this to her...I definitely would.'' Eric scrutinized her with his stunning eyes as if he did not want to let go of any hint of emotion on her face. Nicoleughed. "It''s all in the past and we''re divorced now. I don''t want to mention it again.¡± ''What''s the use of talking about it? They will only humiliate me more...'' "Since we''re already divorced, what''s the harm of talking about it? You should at least let me know why you wanted a divorce for no reason, right?¡± The man suppressed his violently beating heart in his chest and looked at her with a dark gaze. "For no reason?" Nicole hooked up her lips and repeated these three words. ''What a joke!'' She put away the smile on her face. Her gaze was clear and cold as she nced at him. "Eric Ferguson, have we ever met in private in the past three years? Have you ever given me a chance?" ''Wasn''t he the one who acquiesced to all the bullying that others did to me?'' Every time they met, he had a business-like attitude. All he ever mentioned was Wendy Quade. Nicole felt tormented by that name. Suddenly, Nicole recalled the time they had just gotten married. She did not understand why Eric was deliberately being cold to her and began to learn how t o be a virtuous wife. Every day, she would prepare meals and wait for him toe home. She was afraid t o disturb his work, so she dared not even call him. However, Eric would note home for several days i n a row, so Nicole could not resist sending him a text message asking if he wanted to try her cooking. She never got a reply. The countless attempts and gestures of goodwill yet getting repeatedly pped in the face made her feel exhausted and worthless. Later, when Nicole got used to Eric''s cold shoulder, she learned that she was destined to be alone in their new house and that he would nevere back. They each had their own purpose in this marriage. Now, Nicole finally freed herself from the past yet he wanted an answer? If he had treated her as a wife, his family and friends would not dare tough so tantly at her wishful thinking. ''Wasn''t he the one who took the lead to humiliate me?¡¯ These words pierced his heart like a needle, which gave off a dense soreness in his chest. Eric frowned." You actually had many opportunities to tell me..." ''So it''s my fault?'' Nicole sneered. Nicole no longer cared about the past. She did not need others to stand up for her. She used to put up with their vile treatment because she loved Eric, but now, she would not endure any of it because she did not love him anymore! "Mr. Ferguson, you only care about Wendy Quade, so how can you tolerate other women? I¡¯m very impressed that you care more for her than your marriage, so what¡¯s the use of talking about this now?" "Actually, Wendy is..." Eric knitted his brows. He wanted to exin to Nicole about his rtionship with Wendy when he was coldly interrupted by Nicole. "That''s enough. I''m repulsed by that name. Mr. Ferguson, it''s best if we pretend not to know each other in the future..." After that, Nicole strutted away on her high heels without looking back. Her good mood was ruined. Nicole came out again with a sullen face, just in time to see Grant waiting for her after he was done mingling. Grant probably heard the others talking about Nicole''s fight with Ingrid earlier because his face was glum, but he looked relieved to see Nicole again. Nicole walked over with a smile then hugged Grant''s arm petntly. "Is it over yet? Can we leave early? I''m so tired today..." Grant dotingly pinched her nose. "We can leave if you''re tired. There¡¯s no need to care about the others." Nicole smiled with squinted eyes. ''Brother¡¯s still the best...¡¯ "Do you need to tell anyone?" "No, I''ve already said my goodbyes long ago." Grant stroked her head. "Let''s go, the driver¡¯s waiting outside.¡± Nicole nodded and took Grant''s arm as they walked outside. The handsome man and beautiful woman were an extremely eye-catching pair. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. As soon as they went out, Ian caught up to them from behind. "Mr. Stanton, do you mind if I tag along?" Nicole looked at Grant, but Grant¡¯s face was cold. He had always been reserved and serious to outsiders. "I d o mind. It''s out of the way.¡± Ian was rendered speechless. Nicole smiled and waved at him. "See yater, Carter..." Ian did not dare to mess with Grant Stanton, so he did not have the guts to cling to Nicole and hitch a ride with them. He could only stand there looking aggrieved as he watched the siblings get into their car. When the car door closed, Ian quickly went forward in a panic and opened the door on Nicole''s side. "What are you doing?" Nicole was startled. Many people were talking near the entrance, so they also noticed the movement there. With Grant¡¯s status, i t was impossible to keep a low profile even if he wanted to. Ian knelt on one knee and carefully held the hem of Nicole¡¯s dress that was mped outside the car door. He then put it into the car and smiled looking up at Nicole. "Alright, you can go now. Lye!" It turned out that Nicole''s dress was caught outside the car door, so Ian deliberately went over to help her with it. In the eyes of the crowd, that gesture was extremely humble. The men standing on the balcony of the banquet hall o n the second floor saw this scene. Keith women, huh? He even dares to flirt in front of Grant Stanton?" Keith assumed that there might be an ambiguous rtionship between Grant Stanton and Nicole. Eric''s eyes were dull. "Let¡¯s go and have a drink with a few others...¡± Chapter 48 Drunk Chapter 48 Drunk Inside the car, Nicole could hear the lovely and soothing sound of music that was like a refreshing stream of water to her ears. It was her favorite violin piece, "Serenade". Nicole finally felt rxed at this moment. She tugged a t the hem of her dress in fascination, seemingly thinking about something. Grant nced to the side at his sister. "Lil N, is Ian Carter pursuing you?" He could see at a nce that there was something fishy with Ian Carter. Nicole paused in her movements and was startled. " Nah, he''s just fooling around. He¡¯ll be back to normal i n a couple of days." Grant looked away andughed. "That''s good.¡± N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "You don''t like him?" That was strange. The Stantons always had a good rtionship with the Carters. Otherwise, they would not have allowed Nicole to get close to Ian and Hugh. "He¡¯s had too many girlfriends, and his private life is too messy. He¡¯s not suitable for you, but if you''re happy ..." Grant was a little hesitant. Nicoleughed. "What are you implying? How can I go for my friend? Besides, I''m not interested in men right now. I just want to focus on my career!¡± Grant was visibly satisfied with this answer. "Yes, men are nothing. You can have as many as you want. Just take things slow.¡± ''I must train my baby sister to be the world''s richest woman!¡¯ The driver in front thought, ''Eldest Young Master is a bad influence on the Young Lady...'' Tattle Bar. Since Eric Ferguson called them out for drinks, his buddies, who were nearby, went there as long as they could make it. Inside the private room, Eric already had several empty bottles in front of him before his friends arrived. Keith tried to stop Eric, but he did not manage to and could only watch on the side. Colton White and the others who cameter were shocked to see this scene. Eric had not looked like this for many years. Thest time he got so drunk was when Hendrick died. "What''s going on?" Their friends came in rmed. " Why did you guys start drinking already?" A ss of cold whiskey slipped down Eric''s throat, but his face did not change in the slightest. He extended his hand. "Sit.¡± Everyone sat down in amazement. Keith was sober and poured them all a ss. ''Bros should go through thick and thin together, am I right?'' Colton looked at Keith and asked, "Bro, what happened here?" Keith pursed his lips. ''What else could it be? It must be because of his stupid ex-wife...¡¯ However, he dared not say it out loud. Eric¡¯s eyes darkened as waves of emotions tumbled inside. He tugged on his messy shirt cor and revealed his corbone. "I was married for three years but didn¡¯t introduce you guys to Nicole. Do you guys know her?" This name was very popr recently, so who would not know her? "Just because of her? Eerg, you both aren''t of the same social status, so divorce is just a matter of time. Don''t b e so sad. Speaking of which, we should even celebrate it!" Keith was desperately trying to stop Colton with his eyes but to no avail. "Yeah! She''s not on our level, so there''s no need to introduce her. You don¡¯t even like her, so we''ve never acknowledged her as our ''sister-inw¡¯." "Right, didn¡¯t she marry you with a motive? We''ve seen gold diggers before, so don''t take it to heart." ''Look, it¡¯s because of my acquiescence that Nicole got hurt...'' Eric¡¯s mood was veryplex and he felt frustrated. ''She had a motive? I can''t think of what her motive is... She didn''t spend a penny of what I gave her and even threw it all out at that party when she fought with Wendy... She didn''t want anything when she asked for a divorce and left without taking a cent... My family bullied her like that yet she didn''t say a word and even acted like everything was fine in front of me... M y friends ignored her, yet she just shrunk into her shell quietly and didn''t evenin... What exactly did she want then?'' The alcohol gave him a burning sensation down his throat. Keith the bbermouth then told everyone what happened tonight. Colton and the others were unfazed by it and kept drinking. "Eerg, you¡¯re just soft-hearted. It''s not your fault, so why are you ming yourself?¡± "Yeah, she asked for it. Women just like to find trouble for themselves. If she had a problem, she should¡¯ve told you in time. If she kept it to herself, who can help her?" "Who doesn''t have some conflicts at home? She can''t me anyone for not being able to handle your mother and sister..." "Stop thinking about it. Since she wanted a divorce, she should make a clean break. You don''t owe each other anything, so why torture yourself so much? Don''t go looking for trouble." "Keith, you usually have a lot of tricks up your sleeve. Why don¡¯t you think of a way to deal with that woman?" Keith drank so much that he was a little tipsy. "I...I don''t dare to...my nudes are still with her..." "Hahahahahahahahaha...¡± Everyone drank to their heart''s content, and Eric even more so. In a daze, he remembered Nicole''s face when she looked at him with disgust. ''Since she wants us to be strangers, should I fulfill her wish?'' Chapter 49 Throw It Away Chapter 49 Throw It Away Nicole''s rm clock rang, waking her up from her beauty sleep. Nicole had requested to go back to her apartmentst night. She felt a lot morefortable without waking up to so many maids. She looked at her phone and saw that the photos fromst night''s party had pushed her and Eric to fame once again. [Rich ex-couple suspected to be back together?] It was attached with a picture of Eric and Nicole''s kiss at the end of the dance. It was an ingenious shot. Even the lighting and background looked very artistic. Nicole sneered and did not pay attention to it. She closed the article and opened her email. Logan had already sent Nicole''s schedule to her early i n the morning. Nicole washed up and listened to some finance news. Last night¡¯s trouble had all been forgotten after a good sleep and she would not let Eric Ferguson affect her mood again. Yvette kept bombarding Nicole with calls because she had just seen the picture online. She wanted to confirm the truth of the matter because the picture did not look photoshopped. Nicole picked up and helplessly exined what happened. Yvette then breathed a sigh of relief and started to badmouth the Fergusons, then suddenly said, "Hey, look! The article''s been taken down!" After checking, Nicole saw that it was gone. Nicole would not waste her money on this, so who could it be? Eric Ferguson? Yvetteughed loudly on the other side of the phone." Look at our group chat! Ian spent money to take it down!'' Nicole clicked into their group chat and saw a ton of messages. [Ian Carter: $1 million PR fees! The audacity!] [Yvette Quimbey: Carter, didn''t you go to the partyst night? Why isn''t there a single shot of you?] [Julie Nixon: If there''s a shot of him, I wonder who''ll pay to take it down...] [Yvette Quimbey: Hahahahaha!] [Ian Carter: Meanies!] Nicoleughed helplessly and sent a message. [Nicole Stanton: Next time, please transfer the money t o me directly, then I''lle out to make a statement.] [Ian Carter: *cries in despair* *vomits blood*] Nicole put away her phone and was a lot happier. At about 7:00 am, Logan drove over to pick Nicole up and brought breakfast for her. "I bought this on the way. I don''t know if it¡¯s to your liking...¡± Nicole was not that picky and took it. "Thanks. Let''s g o." N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. "There''s a meeting at 8:00 am. President Stanton said that you''re fully in charge of J&L¡¯s matters and that he won''t ask questions.¡± Nicole knew that Grant was delegating it to her as part of her training, so she nodded and said, "Have you contacted J&L? We have to do our inspection in advance.¡± "I heard that Ferguson Corporation is doing their inspection next week, so I made an appointment for tomorrow morning.¡± "Good job.¡± Nicole looked down at the documents. She did not want to meet with people from Ferguson Corporation. Although Eric might not be personally involved in this project, she still did not want to take the risk. They talked on the way to the office about work matters. Nicole was relieved that Grant was willing to give her someone as capable as Logan. As soon as they arrived at the office, the receptionist came over holding a huge bouquet and looked at her with a smile. "Vice President Nicole, someone sent you flowers." Nicole frowned slightly and nced at the card on it. [Dearest Nicole, I''ll love you for ten thousand years <3 Yours truly, Ian Carter] Nicole did an eye-flip in her heart and said to the receptionist, "Throw it away for me, thanks." After taking two steps, Nicole stopped in her tracks and looked back. "If there are any more flower deliveries in the future, just reject them." She did not want to give Ian the slightest hope and wanted to nip his little spark in the bud. "Yes, ma''am.¡± The receptionist looked regretful. ''These flowers are so pretty...but they''re about to be thrown into the trash can...'' The meeting began on time at 8:00 am. When Nicole went into the conference room, everyone had already arrived. Nicole sat on the main seat and looked at the people in the room. "Our cooperation with J&L Corporation has already begun. Now, we''ll need to form a project team to follow up with the tasks. Logan will send you all a listter." Everyone knew that this cooperation with J&L Corporation was in a brand new field. Getting involved in this project would likely catapult them to sess, so everyone was very eager. After the meeting, Samantha Lindt came to Nicole. "Vice President Nicole, why am I not on the list?" ''How can I miss such a good opportunity to reap benefits in this important core project?'' Nicole looked up from her desk and raised her eyebrows. "If every employee who wasn''t on the list came to ask me this question, thousands of people woulde knocking on my door. How do you think I should answer?" Chapter 50 Backer Chapter 50 Backer Samantha Lindt hated Nicole, but since Nicole had something over her head, Samantha dared not get into an all-out fight with her. "My experience in leading teams is no less than those on the list, and my performance is one of the best among the senior managers. Vice President Nicole, are you still holding a grudge against me because of what happenedst time?" Samantha was obviously a bit discontented. Nicole lowered her eyes andughed. "No, I don''t hold a grudge against you, but I do remember that you were against cooperating with J&L before this. I''m just afraid your attitude will affect our cooperation, so..." "I willply with thepany''s decision." Samantha eagerly showed her allegiance. Nicole gave her a perfunctory smile. "This list has been announced at the board meeting, so I''m afraid there''s no way to change it now. Let''s talk about it next time we have the chance..." She started to pack up the things on her desk, giving Samantha an obvious signal that she was done with this conversation. Samantha gritted her teeth and said, "I''m sure it can still be changed. Vice President Nicole, just wait and see. She then turned on her heels and left Nicole''s office with confidence. Nicole¡¯s gaze was deep as she raised her eyebrow. ''Great! She took the bait.'' In the afternoon, Logan called Nicole''s office phone. " Director Zielinski wants you to meet him at his office." ''An old man that¡¯s about to retire?'' Nicole raised her eyebrows. "Sure." Aside from Grant and Logan, no one in thepany knew of Nicole¡¯s real identity. As the newly instated Vice President, Nicole would like to see what Micah Zielinski wanted to talk to her about. Micah liked to engage in spective trading. He only became a member of Stanton Corporation¡¯s board of directors through special means and had refused to let go ever since. However, he did not have many shares in thepany and was not considered a threat, so they let him be. Nicole knocked on Micah¡¯s office door and heard a tired voiceing from inside, "Come in." She smiled and went in. "Mr. Zielinski, you were looking for me?" Micah¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw her, but he suddenly thought of something and instantly looked regretful. "Come, sit down." He pointed to the seat in front of him. Nicole took a seat. Micah smiled and coughed slightly. "Ms. Nicole, you''re very pretty. No wonder Grant was willing to disregard so many objections and forcefully pushed you into this position.¡± Nicole¡¯s smile deepened. ''So...he didn''t like that Grant''s backing me?'' She did not exin anything and just smiled at him. Micah saw that she was not carrying on the conversation and coldly snorted. "Do you know that your position was originally reserved for Samantha Lindt?¡± ''Is he trying to scare me?'' Nicole paused for a moment and said, "Ms. Lindt is certainly capable, but I''m more suitable for this position.¡± Micah''s face instantly sank and threatened her." Young people who are arrogant in the workce and have no respect for their elders will suffer." Nicole smiled and stood up. "Then I can only prove myself with my capabilities. Mr. Zielinski, if there''s nothing else, I''ll take my leave." "Nicole!" Micah was a little anxious. He was dissatisfied with the direction of this meeting and instructed, "Add Samantha Lindt to J&L Corporation''s project team." Nicole''s smile widened. ''It is really him...Samantha Lindt''s backer is such a miserable old man? Did she think that I¡¯d be intimidated by this old geezer? How absurd!'' Micah saw that Nicole only smiled without a word. His face turned glum. "Did you hear what I just said?" "Yes..." Micah''s expression eased slightly. Nicole continued," But I can''t do that." This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "What do you mean?" "It won''t be fair to the others." "Nicole, do you think that you''re safe just because you have Grant? Do you believe that I¡¯ll..." Micah was exasperated and threatened her. "Fire me? I don¡¯t believe that the board will fire me because of Samantha Lindt. I suppose Ms. Lindt didn''t tell you what I have on her when she came crying to you. Please tell her not to mess with me." Nicole swept a clear and cold nce at the shocked Micah Zielinski, then stood up and walked out without hesitation. As soon as she left Micah''s office, she called Grant''s private number. "What''s wrong, N?" "There''s something fishy with Micah Zielinski. Samantha Lindt is one of his people. He must be the one who wanted to prevent our cooperation with J&L Corporation in the first ce." Grantughed and praised her. "You catch on quick." "You already knew about it?" "How could I not know of the dissent among mypany''s board of directors?" Nicole sighed in relief. "Then I''m relieved." "That old fox is not easy to deal with, so I''ll handle him. You should just focus on following up on J&L''s cooperation. By the way, I heard that Eric Ferguson ns to personally take charge of this project.¡± Grant gave her a heads-up. Chapter 51 Sorry Chapter 51 Sorry Nicole was unhappy when she learned that Eric Ferguson was personally in charge of this project. She did not want to deal with this man, but it was inevitable that they would meet and talk during the cooperation. ''How annoying.¡¯ The next morning, Nicole went to J&L Corporation with her team. Gerard Eichman came to receive them and wanted to take them to the researchb. Seeing thetest research and achievements in theb would give the people of Stanton Corporation an authentic experience of their research progress. Nicole and Gerard were walking while talking. Before they reached the entrance of theb, a small thing scampered out of nowhere to them. Someone from behind let out a cry of rm. "Careful!" On closer look, it was a fat tiger with pointed ears and whiskers. It was small, adorable, and so lovable. The little tiger only reached Nicole''s ankle and was very furry. Besides its stripes, it did not have any semnce of a fierce and majestic tiger. Everyone was shocked when they saw this little tiger. Nicole froze and was so startled that her heart skipped a beat. She then took a step back. However, this "tiger" rammed into Nicole¡¯s shoes and rolled on the ground in pain. "Ouch..." It crawled back u p clumsily and rubbed its head at Nicole''s feet. It then shook its head and looked up at her. This action and appearance resembled a tiger cub that was spoiled,zy, and curious about everything. Nicole felt the urge to kidnap it. The "tiger¡± blinked and shook its whiskers on its cheeks. It stretched out a front paw from its chubby little body to touch the spot on Nicole''s right foot that i t had just bumped into like it was wiping off some non -existent stains. Nicole patted her chest and took a deep breath, then rubbed her eyes in disbelief. "What a prettydy!" The tiger had the voice of a three or four-year-old boy. Her eyes widened in shock. "This tiger speaks English?!" ''No, wait... Why would there be tigers here? How can a n endangered animal appear here?!¡¯ Gerard could not help butugh lightly. "Sorry for scaring you." He looked down and said in a gentle voice, "You should apologize for scaring our guests." The "tiger" once again rubbed its head on Nicole¡¯s feet and sounded aggrieved as it said, "I¡¯m sorry... Please forgive me. I just look fierce, but I¡¯m actually very gentle..." It spoke so naturally that it was no different from human speech. Its movements also did not make any mechanical sound. If it had not spoken, Nicole would have thought that it was a real tiger! Her heart melted from its cuteness. The crowd was shocked as they watched on the side. Nicole squatted down in amazement and looked into the tiger¡¯s eyes. Although this was a model of a tiger, its eyshes and pupils had the luster and characteristics of a real animal that could change with the light. It could certainly be mistaken as a real tiger cub, but upon closer inspection, Nicole could see a speck of infrared light in its eyeballs. "This is our experimental team''stest specimen. They¡¯re currently researching petpanions to relieve boredom. It usually doesn¡¯t run around like this. Someone must''ve left the door open, so it took the opportunity to slip out." Gerard sighed helplessly. "Is this also part of our project?" Nicole asked excitedly. ''If so, what a pleasant surprise!'' Gerard hesitated and said, "No, it¡¯s still not mature enough and there are many questionable factors, so it¡¯s not suitable to be rolled out into the market yet." "It¡¯s so cute! I want to adopt one!" The group gathered around. "Me too..." "The cost of this tiger isparable to buying ten shopping malls in West City. We use very high-grade materials from all over the world. Even if we were topromise on various factors, it''ll be hard to achieve mass production." The crowd bemoaned the fact that this cute tiger turned out to be a gold mine that they could never afford. ''No wonder it didn''t look anything like a machine! Amazing!'' When Nicole heard that it would not be mass-produced, she felt a little disappointed. This robot could and death. It could even be a greatpanion in life. If such a product were to be released, it would certainly shock the entire industry. Gerard could see through Nicole''s thoughts and felt regretful as well. "Let¡¯s go." Nicole looked at the "tiger¡± with fondness, but the tiger suddenlyid on the ground with its belly up trying to get Nicole to y with it. "Prettydy, I want a hug!" Seeing this, Nicole could not help butugh. She looked at Gerard and he helplessly nced at the little tiger before he nodded in agreement. Nicole carefully stretched out her hand. The tiger was very nimble as it jumped into her arms. It was about the size and weight of a cat and could easily be held b y both hands. It was fluffier and softer to the touch than Nicole imagined. The tiger also rubbed its head o n Nicole''s chest and nestled in her armsfortably. I t had azy face and even squinted its eyes in enjoyment. It was so cute that everyone¡¯s hearts melted. "Little Tiger, you¡¯re so cute..." Nicole could not resist talking to it. "I agree...¡± The little tiger looked so proud and lowered its head to snuggle on Nicole¡¯s palm. A female colleague next to Nicole came over. "Little Tiger, are all tigers just as cute and cuddly as you are?" The little tiger rolled its eyes. "Please select an animal mode. Do you agree to switch to the fierce tiger mode?" It even deliberately emphasized the word "fierce¡±. The female colleague rubbed her hands and saw that Nicole and Gerard had no intention to object, so she excitedly said, "Agree!" The little tiger turned its head and twitched its eyebrows. "Roar..." The crowd was puzzled. "Roar... Roar..." Everyone was speechless. "Roar roar roar..." The little tiger''s voice was not fierce or scary, but cute as hell! Everyone thought that it was speaking "tiger". ¡°I think it''s better to switch back to the original mode ..." Another person suggested. Gerard could not help butugh. Seeing everyone''s incredulous expression, Gerard reached out and touched the little tiger''s chubby neck. "Stop fooling around." He then looked at everyone and said, "Its IQ is very high and was just teasing you all." The people who were fooled by a tiger did not know how to react. The little tiger rolled around in Nicole¡¯s arms like a pampered baby. "Everyone likes me...¡± The crowd¡¯s mood changed from shock to admiration and finally envy. Everyone stared at the precious treasure in Nicole¡¯s hand and was afraid that this costly item would fall. However, it seemed to be asleep and even snored lightly. This tiger was truly a wonder! Gerard led the way and brought the group into the core research area. J&L Corporation was truly worthy of being at the top o f the artificial intelligence field domestically. Their focus was implementing artificial intelligence in various areas that would aid and make a huge impact on people''s quality of life. They covered all areas, from autonomous driving to nanny hots, smart homes, robot doctors, and other unexpected aspects of life. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Nicole was increasingly amazed the more she explored. It was the right decision to choose J&L Corporation as a partner. While everyone was looking around, Gerard took Nicole to the other side of theb and went into an oval-shaped office. The people inside stood up and nodded in greeting. Gerard gestured for them to sit down. "Go on.¡± A man came in through the side door. A staff made him stand in a designated position and said, "Start stripping..." Chapter 52 What’s There to Be Shy About Chapter 52 What¡¯s There to Be Shy About The man was prepared and stripped his shirt without any fluctuation in his expression. He exposed his chest and posed ording to instructions. Nicole was the only woman there and was dumbfounded This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. when she saw this. Her cheeks flushed red and she hurriedly looked at Gerard Inchman. "What¡¯s this...¡± "We¡¯re collecting various samples of the human physique in order to create different humanoid Nicole finally understood after Gerard¡¯s simple exnation. She clenched her teeth and thought, ''What an enjoyable job...'' Gerard''s assistant hurriedly came in and whispered a few words into his ear. Gerard looked serious and turned to Nicole. "Vice President Nicole, please continue to stay and keep watch here for a while. I need to take some of these guys with me." As soon as he spoke, everyone immediately followed him out. Nicole was left dumbfounded alone. She touched the " tiger" in her arms and muttered to herself, "Do we have to continue?" Before she had time to think, the next person came into the room. She sat there without lifting her head and stared at the LCD screen on the table. She was waiting for the person to go up and automatically appear on the screen while she tried to calm herself down. "Start stripping..." Nicole spoke in the same tone as the staff earlier. It was calm, routine, and perfect! The person in front of her did not move, so she frowned and urged him. The man still did not move, so Nicole urged him again. "What''s there to be shy about? It''ll be quick..." Nicole got impatient and raised her head. At that moment, her brain buzzed. The man in front of her had deep and dark eyes with a cold glint. It was none other than Eric Ferguson. She quickly regainedposure and frowned slightly. ''Isn¡¯t Ferguson Corporation scheduled toe a few dayster? Why is he here now?'' The atmosphere was momentarily stagnant. None of them spoke. Fortunately, Gerard Lichman returned in time. "Vice President Nicole, I forgot to tell you that..." ''Mr. Ferguson will being today...'' Gerard saw the other two people in the room and sensed the awkward atmosphere. He froze for a moment and said, "Oh, you''ve met..." ''I was still a step toote...'' Eric stared at Gerard. "What''s this about stripping?" Gerard came to his senses andughed. "Oh, right! Mr. Ferguson, you have a great figure too. Why don''t you take off your clothes so that we can scan your body and take a sample? Vice President Nicole, are you also interested? I wonder who will have the opportunity to pick a robot with Mr. Ferguson¡¯s figure..." Nicole stood up and said with a straight face. "I¡¯m not interested.¡± She was about to leave, but the "tiger" in her arms suddenly jumped down and ran to Eric¡¯s feet. It rubbed its head on Eric''s feet and tugged on Eric''s pants with its two little paws as it whined, "Papa- Carry me..." Nicole turned her head in shock. Eric¡¯s face was cold and sullen as he bent down and grabbed the "tiger" by the neck. Its four legs were struggling in the air and protested as if it was extremely ufortable. "Don''t grab me by the neck... It''s so ufortable..." Eric was annoyed and held the tiger in his arms. He did not seem surprised and seemed to know the tiger''s temperament very well. Eric raised his eyes to look at Nicole and wanted to say something, but Nicole just nced at the tiger coldly and grunted before she turned around and left without looking back. Gerard looked at Eric''s increasingly glum face and could not help butugh lightly. "She was so into the tiger just now and I was worried that she''d ask for it, but once you touched it, she didn''t even want to look a t it anymore..." Eric nced at him coldly. Gerard touched his nose and was sensible enough to shut up. Once Nicole left the building, she received a call from Yvette, who was asking her toe out for lunch at a nearby mall. Nicole was upset about earlier and needed to rx, so she informed Logan and went to meet Yvette. The two of them went to a newly opened restaurant. Yvette had already made a reservation in advance, so they did not need to queue for a ce. They ordered a feast. When they were almost done eating, Yvette looked at her phone andughed out loud. She handed her phone to Nicole and said, "Look at this dumb*ss Ian!" Nicole nced at it and saw Ian''s new post. Ian had cropped out the photo of Nicole and Eric dancing and reced Eric''s face with his own. The caption: [This is more like it!] Keith was among the people who liked the post. Unexpectedly, Eric left ament below. Chapter 53 Slap Her With Money Chapter 53 p Her With Money Nicole had long since blocked Eric and cut off all contact with him. She did not expect to see his name i n Ian¡¯s post. ''This circle is just too small...'' Eric''sment: [Knock-off.] It did not do much damage, but it was quite insulting. Ian angrily left a dozenments below cursing Eric Ferguson. However, there was no other reply from Eric. The "war" was over. Nicole rolled her eyes helplessly. "Ian doesn''t have anything better to do, huh?" "He''s really interested in you. Everyone can see that. Why don¡¯t you give him a chance? You can take advantage of this opportunity to annoy the crap out of Eric Ferguson..." "I won''t be romantically interested in my closest and dearest friends. If I was interested in him, I''d have made a move on him long ago, so stop spouting nonsense...¡± Nicole frowned thinking of how she should solve this situation with Ian. "Then forget it. I¡¯ve got my eye on a ne. Wannae with me to take a look?" There was always something to talk about between girls. Nicole nodded and needed some retail therapy. The two came out of the restaurant and made a beeline to a specialized jewelry store. N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive ? material. Yvette had booked this ne long ago and when the attendant took it out, it was absolutely stunning. "This ne is the final work of the famous designer Pire. Youdies have a great eye. Would you like to try it?" The girl at the counter could see at a nce that these twodies wearing such expensive-looking clothes were not ordinary customers and introduced the store''stest products to them. Yvette nodded and handed it to Nicole. "Try it on." The twodies were like sisters and did not mind who bought what. Although Nicole did not shop often, she had plenty of jewelry. Every holiday or birthday, her brothers'' gifts to her were enough to fill out a warehouse. She would get thetest models of jewelry on the market without asking for it. However, going to shops and trying on jewelry was certainly more enjoyable. Nicole picked up the ne to try it on when she heard a taunting voice from behind. "Try it on? Can she even afford it? Hey you, you shouldn''t just let anybody try on your store''s jewelry because her odor will cling onto the ne and you won''t be able to sell it...¡± Ingrid and her groupies were shopping and just happened to see this scene. The smell of barbeque from Nicole and Yvette''s lunch earlier was stuck on their clothes, so Ingrid could not help but speak out. She had sustained a miserable defeat thest time at Nicole''s hands and was so angry that she did not have an appetite for a few days. Yvette¡¯s face turned cold. "What does it have to do with you?" Ingrid walked over arrogantly and said, "I want this ne! Don''t let anyone try it because I''m afraid it''ll get dirty.¡± She gritted her teeth and stared at Yvette, then sneered at Nicole. "How much pocket money did your sugar daddy give you? You probably don¡¯t have enough to buy it, right? It''s better if you just save it..." "Please wrap it up for me," Nicole said to the store attendant as she put down the ne. She nced at Ingrid with a cold and clear gaze that carried a hint of warning. Ingrid was startled and almost felt the fear of that day again. However, Ingrid was soon emboldened. Ingrid thought that she was surrounded by people and the jewelry store''s security guards, so Nicole would not have the guts to make a move on her here. "I said that I''ll take this ne,¡± Ingrid interjected. She would not let Nicole have her way no matter what. The store attendant spoke hesitantly, "Sorry, but these twodies came first...¡± "What did you say? I''m a VIP customer and should get the best treatment! I should get priority on whatever I fancy!" Ingrid red at Nicole smugly. The rules of this store were that VIP customers had the right to pick first. The store attendant nced apologetically at Yvette and Nicole and was about to take the ne away when Nicole gently put her hand on it. The corner of her lips hooked up slightly. Nicole took out a special ck gold card from her bag, which was an exclusive VVVIP special card recognized internally by all international luxury brand stores. It was only given to ten celebrities in the world and even a certain royal family did not have a chance to see it. It was extremely precious and rare. With this card, one could enjoy the best treatment in whichever luxury brand store in the world. The store attendant took a look at the card and was stunned for several seconds. "M-Miss, I''ll wrap it up for you right away." i She no longer heeded Ingrid¡¯s words and moved quickly. Ingrid was still in shock and reluctantly questioned her. "This is a fake, right? Don¡¯t let her fool you!" Although Ingrid had not seen or touched this card before, this card was a legend of its own in the gentry circle. The photos of this legendary card that were asionally leaked left a deep impression on Ingrid. The card in Nicole''s hand was the said legendary card. ''How did she get it? What right did she have to own that card? How can she hold that card?¡¯ The store manager immediately came over to drive away other customers. "We have to ask you to leave immediately because we¡¯ll now have to serve this customer exclusively.¡± Nicole snickered. Yvette could not help but say, "Hurry up and kick her out. She''s such an eyesore!" Chapter 54 Charity Trap Chapter 54 Charity Trap Ingrid Ferguson finally left the jewelry store in shame and anger. Yvette hurriedly took the card over and looked at it left and right. She said in surprise, "How did you get this card?" Nicole pursed her lips and said, "My third brother gave it to me on my 18th birthday. He told me to bring it wherever I go. I didn¡¯t expect it toe in handy!" "Why didn''t God give me a ''Third Brother''?" Yvette held her forehead in envy and jealousy. Nicoleughed and gave it to her. "If you like it so much, I¡¯ll give it to you." "No way! This card is valid for life. It''s invalid once it''s transferred, so you keep it...but you can buy me what I like..." Nicole nodded and liked this idea. After buying the ne, Yvette happily dragged Nicole around for a while before they left the mall. Nicole was in a good mood when she went back to the office. Samantha Lindt had been making small moves, but Nicole did not care about it and let her be. She knew that whatever Samantha did could not be hidden from Grant''s eyes and ears. Since Samantha was digging her own grave, Nicole had no intention of stopping her. After work, Nicole was about to walk out with her bag on her arm when Julie Nixon called her. Once she picked up, Julie hurriedly spoke and cut to the chase. "Emergency! There''s a charity dinner tonight and mypany''s artist, Roman, needs a femalepanion. I¡¯m not in the country now, so can you please attend in my stead?¡± Nicole looked at the time. "Alright, I have time anyway." "Thanks, love! I''ll get him to bring you a dress. He''ll be there soon." After she hung up, Nicole raised her eyebrows. ''How is Jules so sure that I''d attend?'' Nicole informed Logan of herst-minute schedule and went downstairs to wait for the guy. Roman was a model and was rtively reputable. If people in thepany saw her, they would inevitably start gossiping again. Thus, Nicole wanted to avoid more scandals. In less than ten minutes, a stylish sports car appeared at the office entrance conspicuously. Nicole was speechless when she saw Roman waving at her from the car as soon as she walked out, then she hurriedly got into the car. However, Roman even took off his sunsses and sent a flying kiss to the crowd gathered at the entrance before driving off. Nicole was exasperated and regretted it immediately. She wanted to get out of the car this instant! She knew that tomorrow''s headline would be about her again. Nicole did not say a word, so Romanughed and turned to look at her. "Ms. Nicole, we haven''t met but w e already know of each other. Thanks for your help." She shed a perfunctory smile and did not want to say more. "I''m not helping you. I''m helping Julie.¡± "No wonder she was so certain that you''d help. You should be very good friends, right?" "Yes." Nicole did not bother to say more. Roman saw that Nicole was not in high spirits, so he did not try to make conversation again. They arrived early at the venue of the charity dinner, so Nicole found a room to change into her dress while Roman waited at the door. This private charity dinner was not exclusive to artists, but also a ce where many celebrities and dignitaries would gather. Nicole saw many familiar faces. Once she entered the venue holding Roman''s arm, she saw Quinn and Ingrid Ferguson among the people in the hall. Nicole raised her eyebrows. Since these two were present, Eric Ferguson must also be present. ''This family is really out to haunt me!'' The focus of this banquet was the charity auction session. Nicole did not intend to participate, but Roman was in high spirits. He tried to make a bid for almost every product in the auction but did not manage to get anything. Nicole was a bit perplexed and leaned closer to ask him in a whisper, "Are you here to raise the bid?" ''Why else would he raise the price and not ce the final bid?'' Roman pursed his lips and smiled mysteriously." Julie asked me to increase my exposure and told me that doing so would definitely attract attention." Nicole was speechless. In the blink of an eye, thest piece was soon up for auction. The picture of the item appeared on the Nicole squinted and thought that this object looked familiar. She seemed to have seen it in the memorial hall at the Ferguson Vi. Nicole was shocked when she recognized it. ''Is this not Old Master Ferguson''s most treasured object that had been passed down as a family heirloom for generations? Old Master Ferguson protects it with his life and won''t even let others take a look at it, so how did it show up here as an auction item?'' Her brain spun quickly and her eyes swept around the room. She did not see Eric anywhere, but Quinn and Ingrid were in front looking at each other with a smug look, enjoying the attention of the crowd. Nicole suddenly understood something. Her smile deepened and thought, ''So it''s a charity trap...'' Only a few people present knew about the Ferguson family heirloom and thought that this was just an ordinary emerald tobo pipe. Quinn and Ingrid must have stolen it for the auction and bid for itter. By the end of it, they would gain both money and fame... "This is the charity auction item provided by Mrs. Ferguson and Ms. Ferguson from the Ferguson Corporation. They are very generous to donate such a precious item. Now, let the bidding begin! The starting price is three million dors..." N?velDrama.Org content. ''Three million?'' Nicoleughed lightly. ''Old Master Ferguson¡¯s precious family heirloom was only worth $3 million?'' Quinn raised her bidding paddle. "$3 million!¡± ''''$4 million..." Nicole lowered her eyelids and waited for a few seconds. Afterward, she raised her bidding paddle without hesitation. "$10 million!¡± Chapter 55 Must Have It Chapter 55 Must Have It The scene was in an uproar as everyone''s eyes were focused on Nicole. Roman looked at Nicole in confusion. "What do you want this for?" Nicole hooked her lips. "It looks pretty nice, don''t you think?" "I don''t think so." ''It looks like an ordinary tobo pipe...what''s so nice about it?'' Nicole noticed Quinn and Ingrid''s gaze on her, so she smiled faintly and did not avoid eye contact with them. The Ferguson mother-daughter pair were obviously startled. They knew that Nicole recognized this emerald pipe. Back then, Quinn had asked Nicole to clean the memorial hall alone one night. Quinn deliberately took out the pipe from the safe and ced it on a high shelf as she hoped that Nicole would "identally" bump into the shelf and break the emerald pipe. If that happened, Old Master Ferguson would certainly kick Nicole out of their family. However, Nicole was smart enough not to touch it. If not for the surveince camera in the memorial hall, Quinn would have broken it herself and falsely med it on Nicole. Unfortunately, her n failed because Old Master Ferguson valued this pipe more than his own life! Thus, Quinn never found the opportunity again. This time, the Ferguson mother-daughter pair stole the emerald pipe and put it out for auction because Ingrid had lost her reputation when Nicole told the world that Ingrid had stolen the "Daydream" ne t o gamble. After Ingrid came back to the country, she was repeatedly humiliated by Nicole, so much so that Ingrid was almost ostracized by the gentry circle. Ingrid wanted to regain a firm foothold among the high societydies circle and find an opportunity to be the focus of the group again. As the Young Lady of the Ferguson family, Ingrid must always be the center of attention. This charity auction banquet was a good opportunity t o help Ingrid redeem her image and maintain her persona as a "high-societydy". This was the most suitable asion. Thus, Ingrid begged her mother to secretly take out her grandfather''s emerald pipe as an auction item. The value of the emerald pipe was enough to put Ingrid in the spotlight. The people who knew about their family heirloom would not dare to bid for it for fear of Old Master Ferguson. Those who did not know about it would not bid for it either, so her n was perfect. She would take it out and bid it back herself as a show to gain back her reputation. However, Ingrid and Quinn never thought that they would meet Nicole here... Quinn was anxious as Nicole was clearly not holding back on her bidding price. Their limit was only $10 million because the two of them had no power in the Ferguson family. They only got a monthly allowance and did not have much in personal savings, so they obviously could not continue bidding. Nicole''s arrival waspletely unexpected. Quinn had assumed that even if someone bid on the emerald pipe, it would not exceed $10 million. Even if it did exceed $10 million, no one would have the guts to fight with the Ferguson family. 1 However, Nicole was different. She came for them, the Ferguson family! "$10 million going once!" The host''s eyes lit up as he shouted. Ingrid nervously tugged at Quinn''s clothes and whispered something. Quinn also pretended to be calm and turned back to re at Nicole fiercely as a warning. Nicole raised her eyebrows, smiled faintly, and looked at the item on the stage. ''I must get my hands on it!¡¯ "$10 million going twice!" The host looked at the audience, but there was no sound. They did not dare topete with Mrs. Ferguson to steal the limelight, nor did they want to waste N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. money o n an emerald pipe that they could not get their hands o n. The host''s eyes swept across the hall and saw that Quinn had raised her bidding paddle. "$11 million.¡± Quinn was calm and collected. ''I thought they''d cap it at $10 million. I didn''t think that Quinn wanted to continue bidding...'' Nicole thought. "$12 million!" Nicole followed. She wanted to test their patience. The phone in her hand buzzed. Nicole nced at the phone number and knew who it was even though there was no caller ID. ''Ingrid Ferguson?'' Nicole gently hooked her lips and refused to answer. She even blocked Ingrid while she was at it. "$13 million," Quinn called out again. She was visibly sitting on pins and needles at this moment. The host seemed to understand that this was a game for both sides, and the atmosphere in the hall began to get tense. He raised his voice, ¡°Okay, $13 million. Miss, would you like to bid again?¡± Nicole did not respond, so the host thought that she had given up. "$13 million going once!¡± "$13 million going twice!" Quinn and Ingrid breathed a sigh of relief. "$15 million!" Nicole immediately interrupted before thest call. ''How does that feel?¡¯ Nicole thought. Quinn''s eyes were so flustered. She lowered her head t o speak to Ingrid. Without hesitation, Ingrid looked like she had made a major decision. "$20 million!" ''Do they think that my limit is $20 million?'' Nicole thought. Even Roman got nervous and looked at Nicole. "Do you need help?" Nicole smiled and raised an eyebrow. "No, this is nothing to me." She raised her paddle again. "$30 million!" The crowd was in an uproar. Nicole was no longer bothered to scare Quinn and Ingrid bit by bit. She wanted them to stop bidding. The lights flickered and shone on Quinn and Ingrid''s pale and gloomy faces. "Okay, $30 million going once!" "$30 million going twice!" No one in the room made a sound. Nicole knew that she won. "$30 million sold! Congrattions to this youngdy. The proceeds will be donated to Elementary School of Hope..." The crowd began to apud and finally broke the suffocating and tense atmosphere. Nicole greeted everyone with a decent smile and smiled widely at the two women in front of her. ''What a great day today...'' After greeting everyone, Nicole and Roman went backstage to get the item. As expected, Quinn and Ingrid still refused to give up and were waiting for her there. Chapter 56 Cant Afford It Chapter 56 Can''t Afford It The staff on the side politely put the emerald pipe in front of Nicole, who picked it up and looked at it. There was a small red spot at the bottom of the tobo pipe. ''So it is the real deal...'' Nicole thought. "Thank you," Nicole said to the staff. She simply ignored the two women who were on the side. Quinn could not stand it anymore and coldly snorted. "Nicole, are your eyes on your feet? Don''t you know how to be polite when you see your elders?" ''How did she treat me back then? She never treated m e properly when I was her daughter-inw and expects me to treat her like an elder now?¡¯ Nicole''s eyes flickered. She raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, Mrs. Ferguson, you¡¯re here too. What a coincidence!" Her words were enough to make Quinn die from exasperation. Quinn¡¯s face turned red with anger. "You think that just because you have a backer, you don''t need to respect me? Don''t forget that I''m your mother-inw!" Before Nicole and Eric''s divorce, Quinn had never considered herself as Nicole''s mother-inw. Instead, Quinn only thought of herself as a master and treated Nicole as if she was a servant. Whenever Nicole went back to the Ferguson Vi, Quinn would always find ways to mock Nicole''s lowly ingratiation. She would make Nicole do housework and chores, and find excuses to reprimand and punish Nicole. Quinn would often bring back other young singledies from other affluent families to hang around in front of Nicole and even gave thosedies Eric''s private number so that Nicole would know what to do and back off by herself. At that time, Nicole was a thorn in Quinn''s side. Nicole could not help butugh lightly. "Have you gone senile? I divorced your son long ago. You can find someone else to be your daughter-inw..." "Nicole, you''re so rude! How can you talk to your elders like that?" Ingrid could not help but speak up. She was greatly humiliated by Nicole on several asions, so when she saw Nicole again, she began to fear her. Fortunately, her mother was here, so Ingrid worked up the courage to speak. The atmosphere felt heavy for a moment. Nicole''s smile faded as she swept a cold nce at Ingrid. N?velDrama.Org content. "Are you trying to teach me what to do?" 1 Ingrid shrank to the back and dared not make another sound. She just looked at her mother helplessly. The Ferguson mother-daughter pair originally wanted to pull Nicole off her high horse, then coax her and take the emerald pipe away, but it turned out that Nicole did not do anything as they had nned. If not for the staff in the room, Quinn would have been more straightforward and would not have the patience to babble on with Nicole. Quinn was a little nervous and said, "Nicole, I''ll give you $30 million. I must take the pipe!" She had already contacted her son because she knew that she could not hide it any longer. If Nicole really took their family heirloom away, not to mention her father-inw, even her husband would not forgive her! Nicole paused for a moment andughed. "If you had $ 30 million, you could''ve raised the bid earlier when it was still fair y. Now it''s toote." "I''ve contacted Eric. He''ll be here soon." Quinn knew how obsessed Nicole was with her son. Once Eric was here, she was certain that Nicole wouldpromise just to see him. "Whether hees or not doesn''t change the fact that this emerald pipe is now mine." Nicoleughed. ''Does she still think that I''m the stupid woman from three years ago? Does she think that I''ll forgive and forget everything when I hear Eric''s name?'' "Nicole, $30 million is not a small amount. Can you even afford it?" Quinn did not believe that the penniless Nicole could fork out $30 million so easily. Back then, Nicole married into the Ferguson family without a penny to her name. Quinn wasughed at b y other high-society women for having such a poor daughter-inw, so Nicole was a disgrace to her. Although Ingrid said that Nicole now had a lot of men backing her, why would they spend so much money o n a divorced woman? Were those men dumb? Nicole hooked her lips, took out the ck card from her purse, and handed it to the staff at the side." Swipe it." There was no hesitation. "Yes, Ms. Nicole." The staff member took the card with both hands. Quinn and Ingrid stared at Nicole with their pale faces. Ingrid felt so antsy and kept clutching her phone to call someone. ''Who is she calling? Eric Ferguson?¡¯ Nicole smiled faintly. ''It''s useless regardless of who shows up!¡¯ She could spend $30 million in a second without the slightest hesitation and could even afford to pay more than $30 million as long as she wanted to! "It''s useless for you to take this pipe. What''s the point o f spending so much on it?" Quinn softened her attitude and used a roundabout way. "I only took it out so that everyone could see it. You know that this is the old man¡¯s life. He¡¯ll die without this pipe. Do you want to see him suffer at such an old age?" Quinn said and began to cry. ''Who are you acting for?¡¯ Nicole looked at Quinn with a cold gaze and wanted tough. "Since you said so yourself that this is Old Master Ferguson¡¯s life, were you thinking of killing him by putting it on auction? You''re the reason for his suffering at his old age. So... What do I have to worry about? I bought this through the proper channels with real money. Anyone here can testify to it. The old man is quite revered in the industry, so I believe that he''ll understand what integrity means." "Ms. Nicole, the transaction isplete." The staff carefully handed her the card. Nicole took it and signed her name on the relevant documents. This emerald pipe officially belonged to her now. At that moment, the door was suddenly pushed open... Chapter 57 How Much Do You Want Chapter 57 How Much Do You Want Seeing the oing person, Quinn¡¯s eyes immediately turned red as she walked over emotionally. "Eric..." "Brother, Nicole snatched away the pipe! That¡¯s Grandpa¡¯s favorite. If he can''t find it, he''ll surely make a big fuss!" Ingrid spoke in a panic. Eric Ferguson stood in the doorway looking very tall and handsome. His body was half-hidden in the shadows as he stared at the people in the room with cold eyes. "Shut up! How dare you steal from Grandpa?" He spoke in a harsh tone and scolded Ingrid, who shuddered in fear and hid behind her mother, not daring to look up. Behind Eric was the person in charge of this event, who stood there with trepidation. The organizer nced at the staff on the side and asked, "Are the formalities done?" "Yes, everything is settled.¡± The staff replied cautiously. Since everything was done and dusted, Nicole was not afraid of anything. After all, their precious family heirloom was in her hands, so she could call the shots. Nicole looked at Roman, who was next to her. "Let''s g o. We shouldn¡¯t disturb their family reunion." She did not even care to greet them and turned on her heels to leave. "Nicole, you can''t take it away," Eric spoke in a cold tone. Quinn hurriedly added, "Yeah, we can''t let her take it away!"N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. With her son¡¯s presence, Quinn was no longer afraid and did not want to act in front of Nicole anymore. Nicole raised her eyebrows,ughed, and raised the document in her hand. "Look, you don''t have a say here. The emerald pipe is mine now." She swept a nce at Eric''s glum face and was in an inexplicably good mood! "Mrs. Ferguson, you should just save your energy and think about how you''ll exin this to Old Master Ferguson. I''m sure he¡¯s very curious to know how his family heirloom appeared at a charity auction. I wonder what he''ll do if he knew that this emerald pipe no longer belonged to him..." Quinn''s face was pale. She regretted hiding this from her father-inw. She was afraid and frustrated as she could imagine the old man¡¯s thunderous fit of anger. She might even get kicked out of the Ferguson family! "Eric..." Eric¡¯s eyes were deep and the air around him felt cold. "Nicole, how much do you want to leave this behind?" Nicoleughed lightly. ''He thinks I want money? Do I look like I''m short of money?'' Her eyes lightly swept across the man''s cold face. She raised the emerald pipe in her hand and said, "Leave this behind? Dream on!" She then grunted and left the room. Roman hurriedly followed after her. Quinn anxiously tugged on Eric¡¯s arm. "How can you let her go like this? We must take it back from her..." "Brother, we must! Otherwise, Grandpa will kill us!" Ingrid looked at him nervously. Eric raised his eyes and looked at Nicole''s departing back with his eyebrows slightly knitted. He looked at the two women in front of him indifferently and said i n a cold voice, "I¡¯ll find a way to get it back, but you should think about how to exin this to Grandpa." He straightened the cuffs of his suit and turned to leave. Perhaps the old man already knew that his beloved pipe was missing by now. Thus, Eric did not intend to hide this matter from his grandfather. They should learn to bear the consequences of their actions. "What?" Quinn''s eyes flipped back as she fainted. Ingrid hurriedly caught her mother and called out to her several times, but Eric did not turn back. Only a staff member came forward to ask if they needed help. With such a valuable item, the organizer politely asked Nicole whether she needed a security escort, but she politely refused. She only wanted to spite Quinn and Ingrid and did not actually care about the pipe itself. Seeing the elevator door opening, Nicole walked in and heard Roman''s reminder from the side. "Is that M r. Ferguson?" Eric was walking towards them. ''He still doesn''t wanna give up?¡¯ Nicole thought. Nicole did not want to share an elevator with that man, so she decisively pressed the close button. Chapter 58 Cost So Little Chapter 58 Cost So Little Nicole nced at the man outside the elevator like he was a stranger. The man finally disappeared from her sight as the elevator door closed. When they were in Roman''s shy sports car, he finally asked the question that had been bugging him. "Is this thing worth a lot of money? Why do the Fergusons want it so badly?" Nicoleughed and looked at the box in her hand." This thing is a thousand years old. I heard it came out from a royal pce and had been the Fergusons¡¯ family heirloom for almost eight hundred years. Do you think it''s worth a lot?" Roman''s driving speed obviously slowed down as he was dumbfounded and shocked. ''This is simply priceless! They auctioned off such a valuable thing? N o wonder Eric Ferguson asked Nicole to state her price. If Nicole asked for nine figures, Eric probably won''t even have the slightest hesitation!'' Nicole''s phone suddenly rang. She looked at it and saw that it was Grant, so she happily picked up the call. "Brother, I bought a little toy..." Grant paused on the other side of the phone and let out a stifledugh. "I heard... It only costs so little to spite the Fergusons, huh?" Nicole could not help butugh when she thought about Quinn and Ingrid''s impending doom. "Anyway, it''s mine now, so I won''t let go of it easily.¡± Grant knew his sister¡¯s temperament. She must have been so disappointed with the Fergusons that she wanted to vent it out on them whenever she had a chance. It was indeed a rare opportunity. ''Forget it... Nothing else matters as long as she''s happy I It was very sunny the next morning. Nicole went into the office to deal with some work matters. Recently, Samantha Lindt had been ring at Nicole like she wanted to kill her, but she did not dare to act rashly because Nicole had something over her. Logan knocked on the door to deliver some documents. "Vice President Nicole, thepany has begun to investigate Samantha Lindt receiving kickbacks in various projects.¡± Hearing Logan¡¯s words, Nicole looked up at him. ¡°My brother''s ready to take action?" N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "Yes. Micah Zielinski, who¡¯s backing Samantha Lindt, has already started to make his move, so President Stanton said that he¡¯d no longer tolerate it.¡± To remove Micah Zielinski, they must first investigate Samantha Lindt. Samantha probably knew about it by now and that she was powerless. No wonder she did not pester Nicole about being part of the project team with J&L Corporation. Nicole tucked her hair behind her ear. "Then hand over what we have to add fuel to the fire." It was a recording of what Samantha said during the dinner with Nicole and Flint Zeller. "Yes, ma''am.¡± Logan stood there and paused for a moment. "There¡¯s one more thing. Mr. Ferguuson''s secretary called saying that Mr. Ferguson would like t o make an appointment with you for a meal." Nicole sneered and leaned back in her chair with her arms sped. Her gaze was clear and cold. "Say that I''m busy and push it. In the future, just push off any meals with him. You don¡¯t need to ask me anymore." "Yes, ma''am." At noon, Nicole was nning to grab lunch when there was a knock at the door. Logan stood at the door holding a bouquet of flowers. "Vice President Nicole...¡± Nicole looked up and frowned. "I thought I told you to just throw it away?" "Nikki, how could you hurt me like that? I carefully selected these for you. You didn''t even act surprised and even wanted to throw it out?!" Ian Carter suddenly popped out from behind Logan, walked into Nicole''s office angrily, and questioned her. Nicole paused and nced at Logan, who apologetically lowered his head and kept quiet. ''Forget it...this must¡¯ve been Ian''s idea.¡¯ Nicole was feeling a little guilty, so she could not me Ian for feeling hurt. "You can leave us," Nicole said to Logan. Logan nodded and left with a sigh of relief. Nicole reached out and rubbed her brow, then smiled a t Ian. "Carter, why''d youe over today?" "I came to ask you out for lunch. I didn¡¯t expect you to give me such a big surprise!" Ian said with gritted teeth as he red at her. Nicole smiled apologetically. "You know how much everyone will talk if I keep getting flowers!¡± "I sent you flowers just to let everyone know that you have a boyfriend!¡± ''So that they¡¯ll know they don''t stand a chance!'' Ian thought. Ian was unabashed as he said that. Nicole felt a little helpless and said, "Ian, don¡¯t waste your time on me." "I want to. Whether it''s a waste of time is up to me." Ian was not truly angry with her. He smiled devilishly and said, "Since you¡¯re at fault, you gotta buy me lunch!" Nicole raised her eyebrows, took her purse, and walked out of her office. "Fine. You decide on the ce." i When they arrived at the restaurant, they once again bumped into the people they did not want to see. Keith Ludwig snorted. "Nicole, didn''t you say that you have an important project? So... You pushed off Eric for a date with Second Young Master Carter? Grant Stanton, Roman, Ian Carter... You sure change men like you change clothes! I guess you do have your hands full, huh?¡± Chapter 59 It Means Rejection Chapter 59 It Means Rejection Eric Ferguson did not make a sound on the side, but his eyes had a chill in them. Nicoleughed lightly and took Ian¡¯s arm. She raised a n eyebrow and said, "What does it matter to you how many men I change or how many people I date? Mr. Ludwig, do you wanna date me too?" Keith was dissed and felt infuriated. ''Why do I always get bullied by Nicole?!¡¯ "You? You''re not my type!" "To be honest, thest time I saw your body, it''s not that great. You''d better date women with no taste. I¡¯m very strict about my requirements on men''s physique." ¡®How dare you say my body''s not great!'' Keith''s face turned red and white as he shook with anger, but he did not dare to say another word. His nudes were in her hands, so it left him with no choice but to retreat. He also heard what Nicole implied. ''Is this woman threatening me?¡¯ Ianughed at the side. "Her standards have always been very high. Mr. Ludwig, if we continue talking, it''ll affect my boo¡¯s appetite!" One nce at Eric was enough to affect Nicole''s mood! Nicole coldly nced at Keith, ignored the man beside him, then walked inside. Keith was so infuriated that he almost jumped up behind them. "This woman is too much! How dare she insult me for having a bad figure? Is my body not great?" Eric''s face was surprisingly cold. He snorted lightly. " You think it¡¯s good?" He was very annoyed that nothing was going his waytely. He did not get an appointment with Nicole and that matter with the emerald pipe was still unresolved. When he recalled the scene where Nicole had seen Keith running naked, the dreary feeling lingered in his heart. He felt inexplicably frustrated. Keith was once again defeated. He did not know why Eric was throwing shade at him and med it all on Nicole. When he went to Eric¡¯s office to look for him, he coincidentally ran into Eric¡¯s secretary, Mitchell, who was contacting Nicole''s secretary, but unexpectedly, h e was rejected! The two of them then came out for lunch and saw Nicole on a date with Ian Carter, so how could Eric be i n a good mood? Suddenly remembering something, Keith hurriedly asked, "I heard that your family heirloom was auctioned off by your mother and sister?" At the mention of this, Eric''s face became even colder and he did not speak. "Who bought it? Why don''t you just spend more money to buy it back?" Eric nced coldly at Keith. "Nicole bought it." Keith did not know what to say and only let out a faint "oh". ''That would be difficult...¡¯ Perhaps after seeing those two men that Nicole despised, she did not have much of an appetite and felt uninterested in the meal. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. They had some wine, so Nicole nned on going home to rest after lunch. The wine Ian rmended was sweet in the mouth yet it burned her throat. It also had a high alcohol percentage because she felt tipsy after just one ss. Nicole would have suspected that Ian had spiked the wine if it were not for him being tipsier than she was a t the moment. She held her forehead, called Logan, and told him to get someone to pick her up. She then intended to go to the bathroom to wash her face and sober up a bit. Nicole did not walk very steadily, but she still managed to make her way to the bathroom and wash her face. After she sobered up, she regretteding out with Ian. She remembered the route back to the private room, but when she turned a corner, she bumped into someone. "Sorry..." As soon as she raised her eyes, Nicole saw Eric''s cold face with his eyebrows tightly knitted together. She instantly sobered up and immediately took a step back to keep her distance. "Mr. Ferguson?¡± Eric noticed her movement and his eyes sank slightly. "What a coincidence, Nicole." Nicole raised her eyebrows. "It¡¯s not. I was about to leave." She was stopped by him before she could walk past him. "Let''s talk." "Talk about what?" Nicole looked at him puzzled. "You know what," Eric spoke and locked his eyes onto her. Nicoleughed and no longer felt tipsy. "I don¡¯t think there''s anything to talk about between us. For work matters, please contact my assistant.¡± Her phone rang at that time. It was probably the driver. Just as Nicole was about to leave, Eric said, " You can state any condition you like, but I must take the pipe." ''So he''s here for the emerald pipe. Old Master Ferguson must''ve found out since it¡¯s been a day. I guess Quinn and Ingrid must be pretty miserable now "Mr. Ferguson, do you still not understand? Since yesterday, I ignored you guys no matter what conditions you offered. It means rejection." Nicole smiled brightly. Chapter 60 Shes Coming Back to the Country Chapter 60 She''s Coming Back to the Country After Nicole said her piece, she went back to the private room to call Ian and leave. Before she got into the car, it suddenly urred to her that she had left her bag in the private room. She wanted to go back to get it, but Ian stopped her." I¡¯ll get it. You can wait in the car." Ian left without another word. Nicole thought about it and followed him, but did not expect to run into Eric and Keith, who were both just leaving. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Nicole did not go forward and waited on the other side of the fountain a t the entrance. Keith said, "I heard that Wendy''sing back soon?" Eric gave a deep "mm". Keith smiled and said, ¡°I haven''t seen her in so long. I kinda miss her. Although she was at fault, your punishment was a little too heavy. She¡¯s one of us, so you should just forgive her..." The two men walked and talked, then got into the car and left. The afternoon sky was gloomy, and the air was chilly. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Nicole retracted her gaze. She was a little lost in thought as she looked in the direction of that car. Her chest felt stuffy and painful. ''Wendy Quade is one of them, but no matter how hard I try, I''m only an outsider to Eric Ferguson.¡¯ Wendy Quade''s name was like a curse that haunted her for three years. Nicole thought that she was finally free of it and never thought that hearing this name again would still bring out this suffocating feeling. ''I''m so useless!'' Nicole thought. Nicole knew that Wendy Quade had gone abroad after that party. Since Wendy was out of her sight, she did not want to pursue it. ''Getting Wendy Quade to leave the country is a punishment to them? Her return to the country is just a matter of a word of forgiveness from Eric Ferguson?'' Nicole suddenly felt that it wasughable. ''What about the three years of her sucking my blood dry? I might b e able to forgive others, but not her! So she¡¯sing back? I''ll wee her with a big gift then...'' Ian walked over to Nicole with her purse in hand and saw her pale and glum face. "What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?" Hearing his words, Nicole came back to her senses and smiled. "No, I''m going back. My driver is here." "I''ll send you back." Ian pushed Nicole into the car and sat beside her without giving her a chance to refuse. Nicole nodded, smiled, and did not mind it. Ian wanted to say something, but he held back after giving Nicole a deep look. When they arrived at Nicole''s apartment building, Nicole asked the driver to send Ian back and went straight upstairs. In less than ten minutes, the doorbell rang, so Nicole went over to open the door. When she opened the door, a bouquet of beautiful red roses appeared in front of her eyes, apanied by Ian''s charming face behind. Nicole looked at him helplessly. "Carter...I¡¯m really tired today." Her intention to send him on his way could not be more obvious. Ian raised his eyebrows. "I know. This bouquet isn''t for my future girlfriend. It''s for our Lil N who¡¯s upset today." 1 Nicole paused and looked up at him. Ian seemed a little less rambunctious at this moment. "Since I''m already here, you¡¯re not gonna invite me in?" She had faith in Ian''s character, so she made way for him. Ian walked in and said, "Nicole, even if you have one less Eric Ferguson by your side, you still have many people around you. Don''t be upset because of him. He¡¯s not worthy of your attention." ''Yeah, to others, Eric is not worthy of me, but to Eric, I''m not worthy of him...'' Nicole poured Ian a ss of water and leaned back on the sofazily. "You saw through it? I''m so pathetic, huh?" News of Wendy Quade''s return made Nicole angry. Her so-called insouciance suddenly did not seem so frank anymore. "Yeah, a little." Ian smiled. His eyes were extraordinarily alluring. "Get lost!" Nicole snorted lightly. Her heart inexplicably felt a lot better. Ianughed a little. He suddenly stood up, went over t o Nicole, and insistently pulled her into his arms. When Nicole was about to struggle, he suddenly let go. With a serious smile in his eyes, Ian leaned down and lowered his head to look at her. "He has no right to make you mad anymore. Lil N, you''ll forever be my queen." The sudden proximity between them stunned Nicole. His faint agarwood scent filled her nose cavity and made her heart jump violently. Chapter 61 Junk Chapter 61 Junk At that moment, Nicole felt that when Ian was serious, he could hook her heart and soul, and she was lost in thought for a while. ''He''s not the same frivolous Young Master as he was three years ago...'' Nicole panicked and quickly gathered herposure. She did not want him to notice her abnormality. No matter who it was, Nicole did not want to get caught u p in a whirlpool of love again. "Carter, you''re getting better at coaxing women now, huh?" Ian was slightly stunned. Heughed and took a step back. "No one else is qualified enough for me to coax." "Right... If your girlfriends lined up, they could probably circle the globe, so they''re the ones coaxing you..." Nicole raised her eyebrows and looked at him teasingly. Everyone knew about Ian Carter¡¯s messy love life. Ian grinned. "That¡¯s all in the past. You know that those are fake. I''m innocent..." "Alright. Thank you forforting me, but I''m really tired..." Nicole did not want to fall into another man''s tenderness. Not to mention, Ian was her close friend for many years, so she did not want to lose this friend. Seeing that Nicole was not as downcast as she was earlier, Ian went over and stroked her head. His gaze was gentle and doting. "I''ll leave then... Take a good rest." When Ian was not being frivolous, he had such a mature, reserved, and noble temperament that it was difficult not to get lost in. ''What a devil!¡¯ Nicole cursed in her heart. She looked away and saw the emerald pipe on the table that she left on the table. Nicole hooked her lips, went over, picked it up, and looked at it. Her smile gradually turned cold. She then casually threw it aside and went to her room. If Old Master Ferguson knew that his beloved family heirloom was being treated like this, he would be furious! Nicole slept until 10:00 pm and got up to see Grant¡¯s message. [I have something to deal with and will be abroad for three days. Look after thepany.] This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. She thought, ''Brother trusts me so much to take over for a few days? Why is he not worried?¡¯ Nicole thought that Grant would be on the ne by now, so she did not call and sent him a text message. [I f there''s any trouble, you can''t me me! Also, dearest big brother, please be prepared to clean up my mess... Hahaha!] She instantly got a notification of a new message. Grant helplessly replied to his sister. [Just don''t go bankrupt. Everything else is still tolerable.] Nicole was relieved and suddenly remembered the pipe in the living room. She jumped out of bed, turned on the lights, chose a good angle, and took a close-up photo of the emerald pipe. She then posted it on her social media. [Just bought this little junk for everyone to admire!] ''If I''m unhappy, why should others be happy?'' Nicole thought. Soon, Yvette and Ian shared her post, which reached Eric Ferguson''s circle in no time. Everyone saw that Old Master Ferguson¡¯s family heirloom had be a "little junk" in Nicole''s hands. Nicole ate a snack and went back to sleep again, naturally unaware that her photo made Old Master Ferguson so furious that he lost his appetite. 1 When Nicole woke up at 8:00 am, she received a call from Yvette in a daze. "What is it?" "I shared your postst night and there are so many people asking to buy that pipe for a high price! Someone offered up to $60 million!¡± Nicole was wide awake andughed. ''Wow... It doubled overnight. I guess it''s worth more than I imagined.'' "Well, I have no intention of selling. It''s just for everyone to see.¡± Yvetteughed out loud. "I recognized one of them and dug deeper. Guess what? That guy only did as Keith Ludwig instructed. It looks like this is Eric Ferguson''s intention. They probably can''t sit still any longer." Nicole raised an eyebrow. ''Just as I expected... Do they think I''m an idiot to sell it?¡¯ After chatting with Yvette for a bit, Nicole saw that it was almost time and got ready for work. She could not ck off since Grant was not around. She nned to drive to the office, so she went to the garage to pick a car. The luxury cars that her father ordered for her had already arrived, so her garage looked like a luxury car exhibition. Seeing all these shy cars made Nicole a little speechless. After walking around, Nicole was dazzled. One of the most low-profile cars was a gray Porsche Cayenne. Although it was quite expensive, the design was not as shy as the rest of the cars in the garage. ''I''ll take this then!'' She thought. Once Nicole sat in the car, the butler at the Stanton mansion saw the footage in the garage through the remote monitoring system and called her in a hurry. "Miss, do you need a driver? He can be there in five minutes." Chapter 62 Its Just a Car Chapter 62 It''s Just a Car To the butler, Young Lady Stanton should not drive herself. She should be chauffeured around wherever she went. Otherwise, it was considered his dereliction of duty. Nicoleughed and said, "Mr. Anderson, there¡¯s no need for that. I can drive myself to work. Don¡¯t worry." She did not say much and hung up the phone. She drove the car out of the garage and went to the office. There was no traffic, so she had a smooth journey. However, Nicole was a little perplexed why other cars on the road were actively avoiding her. Even when she was waiting at a red light, the cars in front N?velDrama.Org (C) content. and behind her were several meters away. ''Is it because I¡¯m a female driver?¡¯ Nicole thought. When Nicole got to the office, she gave her keys to the parking valet and went into the lobby. From the corner of her eye, Nicole noticed that Samantha Lindt was ring at her indignantly with an undisguised resentment. Nicole was baffled. ''Did she find out that I''d given Grant the recording? She shouldn¡¯t know so soon...'' "Ms. Lindt, why didn''t you go upstairs when you''re already here?" Samantha coldly snorted and looked askance at her." Mr. Stanton must really like you to give you such an expensive car. It has to be more than $2 million, right?" ''Otherwise, how can Nicole afford to buy a Porsche Cayenne? Looking at the features, it¡¯s also the highest specs!¡¯ Nicole frowned and remembered something. Sheughed lightly and flipped her hair to the back. "It¡¯s just a car. Why would I need someone to buy it for me? I can afford it myself..." She gently swept a nce at Samantha''s reddened face and went to the President''s private elevator as if nothing had happened. ''Did she think that she can buy me off with a used Audi?¡¯ Nicole thought. Logan met Nicole upstairs and briefed her about the meetingter. Nicole walked into the conference room in her high heels. Samantha also went in at the same time. Nicole swept a nce at the crowd and saw that everyone was present. "Let''s begin.¡± They had reached a consensus with J&L Corporation o n the direction of this cooperation. The rest was about the in-depth details. All their profits and interests lie i n these ubiquitous details. Every little detail entailed huge profits, so they needed to discuss more. Some of the shareholders were also department heads. They were already very dissatisfied with the parachuted Nicole. Thus, they were not so proactive with Nicole since Grant was not around. Those shareholders argued on a few aspects and dyed progress. When Nicole¡¯s people proposed an idea, they would excuse themselves and shirk off the responsibility. She swept a nce at the group and knew that they were just here to watch a show. Samantha Lindt just sat on the side and sneered. Micah Zielinski also attended the meeting, which was rare, but he did not say a word. He watched as the others put Nicole in a difficult position and smiled like an old fox. "Vice President Nicole, you¡¯re still young after all. Although you managed to take this J&L Corporation''s project, it''s still not mature in this field and it''s uncertain whether it''ll make or lose money. Thus, we naturally won''t dare to risk too much. Vice President Nicole, you have to understand how the rest of us feel about it..." Nicole hooked her lips. "Understand your feelings? Mr. Zielinski, do you mean that you want to break our contract with J&L Corporation?" Micah Zielinski was stunned for a moment and thought, ''How did it turn into me wanting to break the contract? Grant Stanton will kill me when he returns!¡¯ "Of course not! It''s just that Mr. Stanton is out of the country, so we can''t make this decision. Why don¡¯t we put it on hold and wait for the President toe back ''He wants to stall time? Every minute is an opportunity and crucial in this new field of development. If Stanton Corporation loses dominance and no longer have a say in this project, it¡¯ll be pointless even if we''re involved in it.'' Nicole thought. Nicole lowered her head and smiled. Her eyes darkened and her face grew cold as she looked at the people at the table. "So, all of you won¡¯t work if Mr. Stanton doesn''te back? Are you going on strike?" Everyone did not expect the always good-tempered Nicole to suddenly get angry. Although Nicole looked like a pampered mistress, she was certainly not easy t o fool. "All of you are the best in the industry. If you repeatedly dy the progress just because the boss isn¡¯t here, will you bear the final losses? Can you afford to? Whichpany will want to hire such people?" Nicole''s gaze was cold and stern as she swept a nce at the people in the room. ''They want to give me a hard time in Grant''s absence? It''s a pity that I''m not a pushover!'' Chapter 63 Undermine Her Chapter 63 Undermine Her The meeting room was dead silent for a full minute. Micah Zielinski''s face was red and did not expect that Nicole would turn the gun on them. He said, "It''s not..." Nicole interrupted him without a care. "I believe that you''ve all received notice this morning that I¡¯m managing everything in thepany in Mr. Stanton''s absence. I¡¯m in charge of this project, so from now on, i f you don''t want to be a part of it, hand me your letter o f resignation immediately. Your positions will be reced by your deputies. I will exin everything to Mr. Stanton." The people in the room were shocked and silenced. They had all stepped over each other to climb to their department head positions and their deputies were eyeing their spots. It was a sought-after position, so no one dared to act rashly at this moment. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. Although they could not stand the fact that Nicole had parachuted into her Vice President position, they could all tell how much Grant Stanton supported her since the first day she arrived. They knew that they could not afford to offend Nicole. They all began to regret getting incited by Micah Zielinski to pull Nicole off her high horse. The air in the conference room was cold and suffocating. No one dared to make a sound. Micah Zielinski also felt that he had lost the momentum as n o one dared to make things difficult for Nicole at this time. "nning Department, can youe up with the proposal by today?" The Head of the nning Department, Don Smith, was named and raised his head sharply. "Yes, Vice President Nicole. The nning Department wille up with the best n in the fastest time possible immediately after this meeting. We certainly won''t dy the project¡¯s progress." Those who had climbed to these positions were all old-timers who were shrewd and adaptable. Since Nicole gave them a chance, they would take it. Otherwise, it would be their loss. Nicole nodded in satisfaction and looked at the others. Her voice was not as stern anymore. "What about the other departments?" "We¡¯ll research it immediately. We won''t let thepany down!" "Yes, same here." "Of course, we''ve been prepared for this a long time ago. We''ll do a good job!" Everyone''s deration of support instantly eased the atmosphere in the meeting room. Nicole did not look s o ice-cold anymore and resumed her gentle temperament as they continued the discussion. They were in fact all well prepared for the meeting. After all, they were all capable and sensible enough to manage their respective departments in such arge corporation. Micah Zielinski and Samantha Lindt, who had been deliberately neglected, sat on the side with glum faces. Nicole did not care about them because their days in thepany were numbered anyway. Towards the end of the meeting, Nicole saw that it was almost time and said, "Although the core research team is from J&L Corporation, we must also be prepared. I''ve previously discussed this with Mr. Lichman. Even though we won''t be involved in the development of the core technology, he has agreed for us to send over two researchers to participate in theter development. We''ll provide two of our bestperforming and reliable staff, so let¡¯s start looking for suitable candidates. HR should pay more attention to this as well." Nicole was very satisfied with today''s meeting. At the end of the meeting, everyone wanted to stay and talk t o her for a few minutes to build a closer rtionship. Nicole responded to every one of them and smiled warmly, so much so that she seemed like apletely different person from her stern and cold persona earlier. Logan hurriedly came over and whispered in her ear." Vice President Nicole, the Chairman of Ferguson Corporation is here." Nicole raised an eyebrow. ''That¡¯s quick... Turns out Old Master Ferguson is more fretful than I imagined...'' After all, Old Master Ferguson was the Chairman of Ferguson Corporation, so Nicole could not ignore him out of respect for theirpany''s rtions. Nicole nodded and left the conference room. "Is he waiting in the guest lounge?¡± Nicole asked. Logan shook his head. "He went straight to your office." Nicole was slightly surprised, but she knew that Old Master Ferguson only came for the emerald pipe that was now with her. She lowered her head andughed, then pushed the door in. However, she did not expect Ingrid Ferguson t o be sitting next to Old Master Ferguson. 1 "Rude! How can youe in without knocking first?" Old Master Ferguson sat upright on the sofa and looked at the woman at the door with a cold face. 1 ''Is he trying to undermine me? I¡¯ve just gone through this sh*t in the meeting and have to bear with this again?'' "Chairman Ferguson, I never knock when Ie into my office." Chapter 64 Please Make an Appointment in Advance Chapter 64 Please Make an Appointment in Advance Nicole said while she walked to the chair behind her desk and sat down. She threw the documents on the desk and turned on theputer. Old Master Ferguson, who was ignored, became even more infuriated and coldly snorted. "Nicole, I''ve underestimated you all this while. It looks like you''re quite capable. No wonder you took the initiative to get a divorce. Turns out you''ve already found your next target. As soon as you divorced Eric, you became the Vice President of Stanton Corporation. It looks like Grant really values you..." Nicoleughed and looked at the Fergusons. Ingrid was obviously frightened and did not dare to speak, but the old man came prepared. "Didn''t your family force me to get a divorce? Chairman Ferguson, you call me back to the Ferguson Vi every week just to lecture me about how lowly and unworthy I am of your high and mighty Ferguson family. Now that we''re divorced, you should be happy about it. Why did you still take the initiative toe t o me?" Nicole did not forget that Old Master Ferguson only got her to go to the Ferguson Vi every week, not N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. for a family reunion, but to embolden Quinn and Ingrid to torment her even more physically and mentally. This was so that Nicole could feel the disparity between herself and the Ferguson family. It was also because of Old Master Ferguson''s connivance that Quinn and Ingrid went all-out to bully Nicole. All of the servants at the Ferguson Vi also looked down on Nicole because of it. ''Shouldn''t they be celebrating that their joke of a daughter-inw willingly retreated?'' Nicole thought. "What do you mean by that? Are you trying to dig up the past? Is this how you should be talking to your elders?" Old Master Ferguson was very dissatisfied with Nicole''s attitude. ''How dare this obsequious woman from back then talk back at me?! Such mutiny!¡¯ Old Master Ferguson thought. Nicole snorted. "This is my office, so there''s no such thing as elders or juniors. There are only superiors and subordinates. I''m only receiving you right now because you''re the Chairman of Ferguson Corporation, so if you have something to say, get to the point. Please don''t waste everyone''s time. After all, you didn''t make a prior appointment and I don¡¯t have much time as I still have a lot of things to deal with." She purposely looked at her watch and looked at the grim-faced old man without an expression. ''Who is he trying to throw a tantrum at? Does he think that I''m still the same stupid woman from three years ago?¡¯ Nicole thought. "Nicole, how dare you talk to Grandpa like that! Do you want him to faint from anger at his old age?!'' Seeing this, Ingrid hurriedly rebuked Nicole. ''Nicole actually thinks that she''s above everyone?¡¯ Nicole nced at her andughed lightly. "I have nothing to do with your family anymore. Do you expect me to stoop so low and put up with your crap? Did youe here uninvited just to get yourself worked up? If that¡¯s the case, I''m sorry for my poor hospitality. I''ll get my assistant to send you off.¡± ''I didn''t beg them toe over, so how dare she act so righteously?'' Nicole thought. Ingrid panicked and looked at Old Master Ferguson." Grandpa, I..." Old Master Ferguson was very shrewd and knew that Nicole did not like being abased. He let out a cold grunt and got to the point. "Alright, then I''ll be frank with you, Nicole. My daughter-inw and this girl stole my family heirloom just to show off and didn¡¯t think that they''d get yed by you. The emerald pipe is my life. State your price. How much do you want to let go of it?" Nicole raised an eyebrow. "Oh, so you came because of this..." She deliberately stretched her sentence. "I''ve already said that I¡¯m not selling that thing.¡± Old Master Ferguson¡¯s face was glum. His body became tense as he red at her. "Just state your price. I don''t care how much you ask for. If you miss this opportunity, you''ll never get it again!" Nicole knew that Ferguson Corporation was rich, but she was not poor either and did not need this so- called opportunity. "Chairman Ferguson, didn''t you also give me the same opportunity to state my price when you asked me to divorce Eric in the beginning? I didn¡¯t state my price back then, and I certainly don''t want your money now." They had all thought that Nicole only married Eric for money. Thus, in their three years of marriage, except for the money Eric gave her after every blood transfusion, the Ferguson family did not let her touch a penny of their money and watched her like she was a thief. Nicole was well aware of it all. Old Master Ferguson''s face was grim. His face sank and his breathing became heavier due to anger. "Nicole, you just hate our family and want to make things difficult for us, huh? You deliberately kept the emerald pipe from Grandpa, right?'' Ingrid was agitated and shouted at Nicole, wanting to expose Nicole''s vile intentions. Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "Yup..." Chapter 65 Manipulative B*tch Chapter 65 Maniptive B*tch Nicole frankly admitted to it. She would never hold on to someone else''s beloved item for no reason if it were anyone else. However, Nicole absolutely hated the Fergusons and did not want them to livefortably. Thus, she deliberately bought the emerald pipe to mess with them. She admitted to all of it since she was not bothered to put up a friendly act in front of the Fergusons. "Ms. Ferguson, I''m not a kind and weak person. I treat others how they treat me. Do you recall how your family treated me back then? I can¡¯t pretend to have lost my memory, can I?" ''Do I look like such a generous and forgiving person?'' Nicole thought. Ingrid was shaking with anger. The words she wanted to say were instantly stuck in her throat. Nicole''s frank admission was even more infuriating than a denial. Old Master Ferguson red at Ingrid, so Ingrid held back from cursing at Nicole. She took a deep breath, softened her voice, and sobbed as she looked at Nicole with big innocent eyes. "Nicole, the past was all my fault... I was too young and reckless. You¡¯re such a magnanimous person, so please just forgive me. I sincerely apologize for everything I''ve done. I''m really sorry... I''m willing to do anything to get your forgiveness. I just hope that you can return Grandpa''s pipe to him. It¡¯s all my fault that got us into this mess. My mother is grounded and Grandpa also punished me. If you still don¡¯t feel relieved, you can p me twice..." Ingrid looked up at Nicole, but Nicole was unmoved and even looked at her with a smirk. For a moment, Ingrid suddenly felt that she could not keep up this act and stood there stiffly. Nicole stared at Ingrid like she was watching a y while she thought about what a maniptive b*tch Ingrid was for putting up an innocent act. Seeing no reaction from Nicole, Old Master Ferguson coughed and suppressed the gloom under his eyes. He reluctantly said, "Nicole, I know that you''ve suffered a lot at our hands. Ingrid even took the initiative toe over and apologize to you this time, so you can mention whatever conditions you have." ¡®Apologize? I don''t feel that this is an apology. It was rather like forceful moral kidnapping. How ridiculous! ¡¯ Nicole thought. Nicole faintly swept her a nce. "I don¡¯t ept your apology, nor will I give you the pipe." After all that, Nicole was still persistent. Old Master Ferguson''s expression changed slightly and could not suppress the anger that umted in his chest. "Nicole, what exactly do you want to do?" ¡®He finally can''t stand it anymore?¡¯ Nicole thought. "I''m not gonna do anything. Chairman Ferguson, if there''s nothing else, I need to get going." Nicole felt tired after dealing with them. Old Master Ferguson snorted coldly. His eyes had a sharpness in them. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. "Don¡¯t me me for being cruel if you don¡¯t take this chance that I¡¯m offering." "Oh?" Nicole raised her eyebrows. "What are you nning to do?" Old Master Ferguson took out his phone. "I''m curious... Does Chairman Stanton know that Grant is supporting a divorced woman? I still have some rtions with the Chairman. Do you think that if I tell him your identity, you¡¯ll still get to sit in your position?" His words were a tant threat. Nicole paused for a few seconds. Her smile deepened a s she extended her hand. "Suit yourself." She just felt likeughing and thought, ''He thinks that I''ll be scared? Chairman Stanton is my father!¡¯ Old Master Ferguson''s gaze was cold. Seeing that Nicole still did not give in, he dialed the number. Ingrid looked at Nicole smugly as if Nicole was facing impending death. She just stood on the side to watch the drama unfold. Beep... After a few seconds, Floyd Stanton picked up with a leisurely voice. "Chairman Ferguson, why are you in the mood to call me?" Old Master Ferguson grunted lightly and said," Chairman Stanton, I heard that you went to Europe for a vacation a few days ago. You seem to be in a good mood..." "Yeah, I did. It''s nice to travel around now that I''m old. If there''s nothing, I''m hanging up because I¡¯m busy fishing right now..." Nicole raised her eyebrows. ''Dad hates the Fergusons, so why would he waste time on them?'' Old Master Ferguson changed the topic. "Chairman Stanton, do you know that your son has gotten very close to a divorced woman recently?" "Really? I''m not aware." Chapter 66 Ill Be a Part of That Family Chapter 66 I''ll Be a Part of That Family Old Master Ferguson said, "Grant is very capable and has taken after you. Won¡¯t it ruin everything if he¡¯s tricked by such a woman?" "It¡¯s just a woman, what can she ruin?" Floyd Stanton sneered. Old Master Ferguson nced at Nicole and spoke meaningfully. "This woman is not simple. After she just got a divorce, Grant promoted her as Vice President of your Stanton Corporation and is the second-inmand. She''ll soon start to call the shots in yourpany, so shouldn''t you step in to control the situation as the Chairman?" If it were anyone else, they would certainly be furious and anxious after hearing these words from Old Master Ferguson. Unfortunately, Floyd Stanton was no ordinary person. Floyd let out azyugh and responded insouciantly. "Chairman Ferguson, mind your own business. I believe in my son. Oh look, a fish just got hooked! Goodbye.¡± 1 The call was disconnected and Old Master Ferguson''s expression was quite amusing. He cursed and red fiercely at Nicole, seemingly unwilling to let her off the hook. "You got lucky, but do you think you can get away like that? Do you think it''s so easy to get into the Stanton family? Floyd Stanton is much more powerful than you think!" Nicoleughed. "That¡¯s not for you to worry about anyway..." She paused and had a glint in her eyes. "I''ll definitely be a part of the Stanton family!" After all, Nicole was bound to reveal her identity one day. She wondered what this old man would feel after finding out about her real identity. Old Master Ferguson snorted andughed at Nicole''s wishful thinking. He wanted to say something else, but Nicole was no longer in the mood to deal with them. It seemed like calling Floyd Stanton was the old man¡¯s trump card, so Nicole did not need to worry about it. "Chairman Ferguson, if there''s nothing else, I¡¯ll get my secretary to send you off. I have a meeting to attend." N?velDrama.Org content. Nicole smiled and looked at them with a detached yet polite smile. Ingrid looked indignant and wanted to say something, but she could only grit her teeth and hold back. Old Master Ferguson was also exasperated after this meeting and coldly snorted. "You''re asking for it!" After Nicole pressed a button on her internal office phone, Logan came in and stood there respectfully." Vice President Nicole, what are your orders?¡± "Send off the guests, please." "Yes, ma''am. Chairman Ferguson, Ms. Ferguson, this way, please." Logan stretched out his hand politely. Old Master Ferguson gritted his teeth and walked away with a glum face. Ingrid also followed resentfully. While walking, Old Master Ferguson called Eric and was furious. "I didn¡¯t expect that Nicole would be such an ungrateful wretch after marrying you for three years. She''s so stubborn. Were you blind to marry her back then?" Eric paused and said, "You went to see her?" "Of course, I can''t stand that my beloved pipe is in her hands for another second! This woman is too wicked and refused to let go even when I went to her personally. She lied to us for three years. I didn''t expect her to be such a person!" Eric was silent for a few seconds and thought, ''I guess she¡¯s had enough of putting up with us for the past three years...'' "Grandpa, I''ll take care of this. Don''t worry, I''ll get your pipe back." ¡°You¡¯d better! Otherwise, I won''t let her off the hook! B y the way, she even said that she''ll marry into the Stanton family. You can do something about her private life. I don''t believe that an affluent family would ept a divorced b*tch that hooks up with everyone." Eric frowned and suddenly felt irritated. Nicole did not do anything wrong yet she was still insulted like that. Eric just felt repulsed when he heard his grandfather¡¯s words. However, when he thought about Grant Stanton and Ian Carter who were constantly revolving around Nicole, he inexplicably felt more irritable, suffocated, and upset. After hanging up, Eric rubbed his temples. Mitchell, who was standing to the side watching apprehensively, suddenly spoke up. "President, will the meeting scheduled to begin in five minutes still be held as usual?¡± Eric''s dark eyes sank slightly. He did not answer Mitchell''s question. Instead, he asked, "Mitchell, what kind of person do you think Nicole is?" ''Why is she so different before and after our divorce?¡¯ Mitchell hesitated for a moment but decided to tell the truth. "Madam... I mean, Ms. Nicole is a very nice person." Eric''s face was slightly cold. "Do you have frequent contact?" "No, no... It¡¯s just that I often received her calls when you just got married. She was very concerned about your livelihood. Every time you''d go on a business trip, she¡¯d check the weather forecast and remind me to prepare the appropriate clothes and meals. Sometimes, she''d even get them ready and send them over herself. Even when you never returned her calls, she never got angry...¡± Seeing Eric''s increasingly glum face, Mitchell wondered if he had said the wrong thing. "Howe I never knew of these things?" Chapter 67 Who Are They? Chapter 67 Who Are They? Eric thought, ''I don''t think I''ve ever received Nicole''s calls...'' Mitchell hesitantly spoke, "I''ve mentioned it to you once before, but at that time, you said not to report such trivial matters to you. You also said in front of both me and Ms. Nicole that aside from things rted t o Ms. Quade, you don''t want to be contacted about unimportant matters from Imperial Gardens, so... I guess that''s why Ms. Nicole stopped calling you..." His volume gradually decreased as he seemed to notice the air around Eric getting colder. Eric rubbed his brow and seemed to remember this scene. Back then, they were at their vi in Imperial Gardens, but Eric was only thinking of Wendy Quade''s excessive blood loss and seemed to ignore another pair of expectant eyes that slowly became deste. He had only given Nicole the nominal marriage that she wanted, yet he chipped away at her heart and drew her blood. His heart suddenly felt so painful that it was hard to breathe. It seemed like he was beginning to get an answer to how Nicole went from being cautious to disheartened. "President, the meeting..." "Go and make an appointment with Nicole. I want to meet her." Eric knew that Nicole would not answer his call, and rashly showing up at her office was also rude. "Their reply has been very clear. Ms. Nicole is not avable," Mitchell said. When Eric swept a nce at Mitchell with his gloomy eyes, Mitchell''s heart jumped and a chill gradually spread throughout his body. Mitchell immediately added, "But I will keep contacting them until we get a n appointment." "Get out. The meeting will be held as nned." "Yes, sir." Mitchell let out a sigh of relief after he retreated respectfully. ''Why bother? What''s the use of being attentive to her after the divorce?'' Stanton Corporation. A few minutes after sending Old Master Ferguson away, Logan returned to Nicole''s office and This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. conveyed word for word what he had just heard to Nicole so that she could be prepared. Once Nicole heard this, sheughed coldly. Old Master Ferguson had never liked her, so Nicole had already expected that he would not hold back when dealing with her. However, she never thought that he would make up scandals about her private life. ''He wants to keep me from marrying into an affluent family? That¡¯s cruel!¡¯ If an ordinary woman was treated like this, she would be ostracized for life. Nicole intended to return the pipe after messing with them for a few days. However, she no longer wanted to let go of it now that they tried to mess with her. Her phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed that it was Floyd Stanton. Nicole waved her hand and said, "You may leave.¡± Logan nodded and left. Nicole picked up the call. "Dad, how many fishes did you catch today?" Floyd froze for a moment and let out a cold grunt. "Did that old man Ferguson look for you?" "Yeah, he just came to my office and called you right i n front of me." Nicole looked down at her manicure and spoke leisurely. "Hmph! He still has the audacity toin to me? Who are they to bully you like this?" Floyd was furious and cursed. His daughter had suffered a lot when she was with the Fergusons. He did not even go to them to settle the score, yet they dare toin first? "Don¡¯t be mad, Dad. I''ve already kicked them out very unceremoniously." Floyd grunted. "Well done, Baby. You don¡¯t need to be polite to them. This old geezer doesn''t even know his ce. What a scourge!" Nicoleughed. "Yeah, you''re right. Anyway, it doesn¡¯t matter because I won''t put up with them anymore. If that old geezeres looking for trouble again, I''ll break that emerald pipe. Then we¡¯ll see who gets thestugh!" Floyd was satisfied with his daughter''s reply and praised her. "Yes, do that. We gotta show the Fergusons who''s boss. My daughter is the best!" After chatting for a few more minutes, Logan knocked on the door and urged, "Vice President Nicole, the nning still needs to be finalized. Should we call for a meeting to discuss it?" "Sure!" Nicole then said to her father, "Dad, carry on fishing... I need to get back to work now!" After a busy day, Nicole took her purse and was ready t o leave the office. Before she walked out the door, Logan caught up to her. "Vice President Nicole, Mr. Lichman wants to invite you to dinner to talk about some issues rted to the J&L project." Nicole thought about it and nodded her head in agreement. After all, this was the most important matter at hand. "Let''s go together." Logan nodded. "I''ll go and make the arrangements." They drove to the agreed location. To their surprise, they met not only Gerard Lichman but also Eric Ferguson. Chapter 68 What if We Get Back Together? Chapter 68 What if We Get Back Together? Nicole nced at Logan, who also looked surprised, which meant that he was also unaware of Eric Ferguson¡¯s attendance. The two of them looked at each other. Nicole then walked in with a smile as she looked at Gerard Lichman. She spoke casually. "Is this a set-up?" Gerard shrugged his shoulders. He looked at Eric, then at Nicole. "Vice President Nicole, I had no choice. Please forgive me for being presumptuous. Let me just rify that I will remain neutral and will never interfere in the matters between you both. To express my sincere apology, when you¡¯re done talking, I''ll bring you to visit our newly established researchb. I''m sure you''ll be very interested in it." ''Interested? Indeed.'' Nicole thought. However, she still felt annoyed that she had been deceived. Nicole expressionlessly retracted her gaze and looked at Eric with a slight frown. "Mr. Ferguson, if this is because of that pipe, there¡¯s no need to waste your breath." ''Will they ever stop pestering me? My time is very precious, alright?'' "Nicole." Eric looked at her with deep eyes. After a pause, he continued, "I know that my grandfather went to see you today and said a lot of unpleasant things. Don¡¯t take it to heart." He knew that Nicole did not care for his apology and that it was futile. A simple "sorry" could not wipe away all that he owed her in the past three years. Nicole lifted her eyes and thought that it was strange because Eric seemed a little weird today. "Is that all?" She was getting impatient. Eric was silent for a second before he spoke again. " That tobo pipe is useless to you. If you were just deliberately trying to anger them, you''ve already seeded. After your anger has subsided, please return it to my grandfather. As I mentioned before, you can state whatever conditions you like." The atmosphere was silent for a moment. Nicole hooked her lips. ''Hah! When other methods didn''t work, he decides to g o down the emotional route? His purpose is to get back the emerald pipe. It looks like that stupid pipe is really important to them...'' Gerard could not help but crack a joke to break the silence. "Whatever conditions? If she wants to get back together with you, are you willing to do so?" The other three people in the room were stunned, and Logan could not help but subconsciously look at Eric. Eric''s eyes sank and he frowned slightly. The atmosphere was silent and still. Just when Gerard regretted saying this, Nicole let out a lightugh. Her voice was clear, cold, and indifferent. "Get back together? There''s no need to assume because it¡¯ll never happen in this life. Someone like M N?velDrama.Org (C) content. r. Ferguson should marry someone from the same social status. Why would hepromise on his own marriage?" Eric¡¯s brow was tightly knitted when he heard this and wanted to say something, but Nicole continued," But...¡± She paused and hooked her lips into a faint smile. "But if you must have this emerald pipe, the conditions can still be negotiated." Nicole seemed to have thought of a perfect condition. Eric raised his head. "What is it?" It seemed that he would agree to whatever she requested. Nicole swept a nce at Gerard. "Can we have the room?" Gerard froze. "Of course." He straightened his tie and walked out without hesitation. Whenever Eric and Nicole were in the same space, the atmosphere was extraordinarily awkward. If Eric did not force him to invite Nicole to dinner in his name, h e was very reluctant to put these two exes together because he did not know how to deal with these majesties. After all, Gerard did not want Eric and Nicole''s problem to affect their three-way cooperation. Logan was also sensible to leave the room. With only the two of them left in the room, Eric waited silently for Nicole to speak, but she did not seem to be i n any hurry. When Eric heard Gerard''s proposal of remarrying Nicole, he surprisingly did not feel like it was an absurd idea. Anyway, they had been married once, so h e did not mind getting married to her the second time. If they were to get back together, he would treat her better too. However, Nicole was not willing. Nicole walked to the sofa on the side and sat down, then picked up a box of cigarettes on the table and skilfully lit one. She gently inhaled and exhaled a beautiful smoke ring. Seeing her slender fingers holding a cigarette, Eric felt a little ufortable, but she did so with such grace and charm. Eric''s eyes sank slightly. "You actually learned to smoke?" In his impression, Nicole was a gentle and well-behaved woman that did not have any bad habits. However, the woman in front of him looked so skilled and natural in her movements that showed that she had been smoking for quite some time now, yet he was not aware. Looking at Eric¡¯s surprised face, Nicole smiled. Her smoking hand tapped lightly on the sofa. "Yes, I learned it three years ago." Three years ago was when they just got married. 1 In other words, she had learned to smoke at the beginning of their marriage. Chapter 69 I Want My Blood Back Chapter 69 I Want My Blood Back Eric Ferguson felt his heart clenched and his eyes darkened. He did not know anything about Nicole. He was unaware that she could y the violin so well, nor did he know that she smoked. "I never smoked in front of you because I was afraid you wouldn¡¯t like it before, so of course, you never had the chance to see it." Every time Nicole donated blood, she would feel very weak. Eric apanied Wendy Quade, and Nicole¡¯s onlypany was cigarettes. Nicole was particrly addicted to smoking during those tough days. The corners of Nicole''s lips hooked up, but her eyes were slightly despondent. A momentter, she returned to her usual self. She nced at Eric''s drooping eyes and smiled yfully. "Want to hear my conditions?" Without waiting for his reply, Nicole went straight to the point. "Get Wendy Quade to give me however much blood I''ve donated to her. It doesn''t have to be in one go. Anyway, she can finish repaying me within a year." Eric''s head jolted up. "What?" Nicoleughed. ¡°I thought about it. My blood is so precious, so I should use it to save people who are actually worth saving, rather than wasting it on this vile woman. I was so stupid before, but it''s still not toote to wake up from my delirium. I want my blood back. In exchange, I''ll give you the pipe, then we won''t owe each other anymore.¡± Wendy Quade was only trying to spite Nicole, so from time to time, she would pretend to be sick or hurt and would ask Nicole to transfuse blood to her. Nicole knew all about it, but Eric never saw through it. In the past, Nicole would feel aggrieved, but now, it all seemed irrelevant. Once Wendy returned her blood, Nicole could draw a clear line with the past and could finally feel whole again. ''Isn''t Wendy Quadeing back soon? I want to spite that woman! Which will he choose? His family heirloom or Wendy Quade?'' Nicole was looking forward to Eric''s answer. She smiled leisurely and threw the cigarette butt in the ashtray in front of her, then stood up and left the room with her purse. "You don''t need to give me an answer so quickly. Think about it.¡± Looking at her back, Eric''s gaze becameplicated all of a sudden. ''How much did Nicole hate Wendy? How much did she hate this marriage that she wanted to get back every single drop of blood?'' Eric called his assistant Mitchell. "Check how much blood did Nicole donate to Wendy throughout the years." Mitchell paused for a moment before he replied, ¡°Yes, sir." Within a few minutes, Mitchell came back with an answer to Eric''s question. "President, Ms. Nicole has donated a total of 14,400 ml of blood to Ms. Quade. The total amount of blood of an adult is about 4,000 to 5,000 ml. The blood donated by Ms. Nicole over the years is equivalent to the total amount of blood in three adults. That means Ms. Nicole had drained every drop of blood from her body three times..." As soon as Mitchell finished his sentence, Eric hung u p the phone. ''She literally bled herself dry three times because of m e?!¡¯ N?velDrama.Org (C) content. However, he waspletely unaware of her grievance and fortitude in the past three years. Eric''s heart felt like it was pressed down by a boulder and he found it hard to breathe. Nicole''s condition was to get Wendy to pay her back within a year. This showed how much she hated them to her core. Eric felt frustrated. He knew that there was no way he could exchange Wendy for the emerald pipe. When Eric was in the army, that bomb should have fallen on him, but Hendrick pounced on Eric and blocked the bomb with his body. Before Hendrick died, his only worry was Wendy¡¯s health, so Eric promised that he would do whatever possible for Wendy to live a long and healthy life. Thinking of the past, a trace of pain shed in Eric¡¯s eyes. When Nicole walked out, she saw Logan standing not far away, waiting for her. The two of them walked to the doorway and met with Gerard Lichman, who was sitting in the lobby. He smiled in a doting and gentle way while he talked to someone on the phone. 1 Seeing Nicole, Gerard quickly said a few words and hung up. He strode over and said politely, "Ms. Nicole, did you have a pleasant chat?" "It is for me, but probably not for the guy inside..." Nicole gave a faint smile. Chapter 70 Hello, Pretty Lady! Chapter 70 Hello, Pretty Lady! Gerard Lichman raised his eyebrows. "In any case, I was the one who overstepped in the first ce. Ms. Nicole, if you''d like, you cane with me to meet our core research team. Not everyone will have the opportunity to see it." Nicole agreed without a second thought. After all, if she knew about thetest research technology of J&L Corporation, she could grasp the market first and would get a better grasp on the development of artificial intelligence in the future. Once the three of them walked out, Gerard turned to Logan and said, "Mr. Logan, I''m afraid you don''t have ess to theb because it has ourpany''s secrets. Don''t worry, I will ensure that Ms. Nicole gets back safely.¡± Logan looked at Nicole hesitantly. Nicole understood Gerard''s concern, so she nodded at Logan and said, " You can go back first. I¡¯ll be fine." "Yes, ma¡¯am." Nicole and Gerard got into Gerard''s car. They sat in the back with the curtains closed, so they could not see what was going on outside. Nicole thought to herself, ''Gerard Lichman is that cautious, huh? I''m N?velDrama.Org (C) content. looking forward to this visit even more now...¡¯ "Mr. Logan used to be Grant Stanton''s right-hand man but he now works for you. It looks like Mr. Stanton really values you. No wonder you decisively refused the idea of remarriage when I mentioned it earlier. With such a good backer, who will repeat the same mistake?" Gerard pushed up his gold-rimmed sses and spoke with a smile. Nicole paused and replied in a clear and cold voice, "M r. Stanton values me because he has a good eye." Gerard raised his eyebrows. ''It seems like Nicole won''t give Eric the time of day no matter what he does...¡¯ After twenty minutes, their car drove into an underground garage. As soon as they got out of the car, the surrounding lights were as bright as day. The building had a uniform shade of Morandi gray, which was hard to distinguish. Perhaps it was designed as such to be discreet. Gerard took Nicole to the elevator. He reached out to scan his fingerprints on the screen in front of him. After three times of recognition, the elevator door finally opened. Gerard extended his hand. "After you, Ms. Nicole." Nicole was vaguely surprised and impressed. She went into the elevator and only saw one button to the 17th floor with no other options. "Don¡¯t I need to be blindfolded?" Nicole joked. Gerardughed. "Nah, you won''t be able to take away any core secrets, so it¡¯s fine for you to see it." Nicole breathed a sigh of relief and had an expectant look in her eyes. Once they walked out of the elevator, Nicole saw a hallway filled with silver-gray ss. Almost all the walls were made of translucent material, but it was impossible to see through any of the walls even on closer inspection. It felt like a top-secretb. Gerard took her into a closed, empty room. He just walked to the opposite side of the room and ced his hand on the ss wall. Suddenly, some curved thin lines with some sort of data appeared on the ss. Gerard stood in ce and aligned his pupils with a spot on the ss. After the iris recognition, the wall in front of him parted. Nicole followed behind and saw another long gray ss corridor. If no one led the way, it would be like walking in a maze. Soon, Gerard pushed open a door and said, "This is it...¡± When Nicole walked in, she saw a few people inside wearing whiteb coats with their heads down working on something. Someone was spinning with a gyroscope-like tool, and someone else was talking to aputer. "Everyone got off work. The rest here are all single..." Gerardughed with a rxed expression. Someone heard Gerard''s voice. A man with curly hair looked up and retorted. "Tsk tsk... Don¡¯t insult single people like us... We have feelings too! Oh, we have a visitor?" Nicole smiled and wanted to say hello when she felt something rubbing her shoes. She looked down and saw that it was the little tiger again! The little tiger looked at her and grinned. The stripes o n its forehead moved. "Hello, prettydy! We meet again! I like you very much..." Chapter 71 Little Traitor Chapter 71 Little Traitor Nicole was stunned and surprised as she squatted down to pick up the tiger. "Hey little guy, it¡¯s you again?" The little tiger rubbed against her shoulder and spoke i n a cute voice, Tm not a little guy, I''m a big and mighty tiger! Roar!" Nicole was amused and looked at Gerard. "It actually remembers me?" "It has a good memory." Gerardughed and then whispered, "After all, it''s not a real tiger... Shh... Don''t let it hear what I said." "I heard that! I don''t like you anymore... Hmph!¡± The tiger looked away and narrowed its eyes in anger. Gerard touched his nose while the curly-haired man came over to them and said, "So you¡¯re the pretty The man had a big head of curly hair and wore ckframed sses. He looked like a stereotypical scientist and looked to be in his twenties. N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. "This little traitor came back and showed off to us saying that he saw a prettydy. It always had very high standards when ites to aesthetics, so we were curious. We were just talking about it when you came." Nicole smiled in surprise. She lowered her head to stroke the little tiger''s head. It squinted in enjoyment and said proudly, "She''s pretty, right? Isn''t she so beautiful?" "You''re called Little Traitor?¡± The little tiger grunted unhappily and looked away, refusing to answer her question. Gerard exined while heughed. "I don¡¯t know who designed its character. It''s quite the neophile and always changes its allegiance, so everyone calls it Little Traitor." "I designed it! What''s wrong with this character?" While they were talking, a small round-faced girl with big eyes came out from next door and red indignantly at Gerard. She looked at the tiger in Nicole¡¯s arms and reached out to it. "Come here. Let m e carry you..." The tiger shook its head and refused. Its paws held onto one of Nicole¡¯s arms tightly. "No, no! I want Pretty Lady to carry me..." The girl''s lips twitched at the corners. She gritted her teeth and scolded it. "Little traitor!" Everyone was amused. Nicoleughed and looked at the girl. "Did you design this tiger?¡± The girl nced at Nicole. "Wow... You really are beautiful..." She smiled with squinted eyes and replied, "Yeah, I designed it." Gerard coughed and introduced them. "Ms. Nicole, this is Molly Stewart, a famous genius scientist in the industry and the leader of our coborative project. Molly, this is Ms. Nicole, our partner. You can show her around. I''ll go see the others." Nicole was a bit shocked. This girl only looked to be in her early twenties, yet she was already the project leader? Molly smiled and nodded. "No problem, leave it to me!" Gerard smiled and pulled the curly-haired man with him. Nicole looked at Molly with a smile. "Ms. Stewart, you look so young...¡± Molly was naturally friendly with Nicole and went over to take her arm. "Gall me Molly. I''m twenty-three years old. Ms. Nicole, are you very rich?" She dragged Nicole to herb. Nicole froze slightly. Molly chuckled and said, "Gerard said that anyone who can be our partner in this project must be very rich, and I like to make friends with rich people!" The little tiger snorted and muttered, "Superficial woman..." "Shut up or I¡¯ll dismantle you!" Molly scolded the tiger. The little tiger shuddered in fear and hid in Nicole''s arms. It was so aggrieved and dared not speak again. Nicoleughed and thought that this girl was very interesting. "Ourpany has money." ''I finally know where this little tiger''s temper came from! It''s just like Molly!'' Nicole thought. Molly¡¯sboratory was huge and surrounded by transparent blue walls that had all kinds of forms popping up constantly. There were all sorts of robot parts and many precision instruments here. It was quite dazzling to look at. There was also a protruding LCD screen on the wall with a picture of an extremely familiar person to Nicole. "Maverick?!" ''Isn''t this Second Brother?!'' Nicole thought. Chapter 72 You’re Mine Now Chapter 72 You¡¯re Mine Now On the screen was a photo of Nicole''s second brother receiving a prize in Switzend. At the age of seventeen, Maverick received the Breakthrough Prize and had since leaped to fame as the top scientist in the physics world. He was a genius that countless countries desperately wanted to hire. In this photo, Maverick looked clean-shaven and fresh with a warm sunny smile. "You know him too?!¡± Molly Stewart ran over to Nicole in excitement. Her eyes were sparkling with admiration. "He''s my idol. I love him so much! If I get t o see him in person, I can just die without regret!" Nicole was silent. Her second brother was indeed very sought after in the industry, but he had a weird temper. He did not like girls being around him, so much so that her father was worried that her second brother would end up alone for life. Molly excitedly shared all of Maverick¡¯s achievements with Nicole and pulled her arm. "Don¡¯t you think that he''s handsome? He¡¯s hands-down better than any movie stars out there! I wonder what¡¯s beneath those clothes..." Nicole paused and pursed her lips, then muttered," He¡¯s alright..." Maverick often walked around bare-chested at home when he was young. He had a good figure, but "How do you know?" Molly looked at Nicole in disbelief. "Do you know him?!" Nicole was stunned and thought, ''Wouldn''t it be interesting if Molly went after Second Brother...?'' She smiled cheekily and said, "I have his phone number. Do you want it?" Molly was stunned. "Are you serious?!" Nicole took out her phone and video-called Maverick i n front of Molly. He was abroad and looked like he just woke up because his hair was messy when he appeared on the phone screen. Molly covered her mouth and squealed. She took a step back and even twirled around in excitement. "Nicole? What''s up? I''ve been so busytely that I didn¡¯t have time to contact you." Nicole smiled and said, "Nothing much, I just wanted t o see you. I have a friend who''s a big fan of yours. Can you give her an autograph?" Maverick hesitated for a while and reluctantly nodded. "Okay, just one." Nicole hung up the phone in satisfaction and looked a t Molly''s gleeful face. She could not help but Molly tried to control her excitement and went up to pull Nicole¡¯s hand. "OMG! I can¡¯t believe I just saw Maverick''s sleeping face?!¡¯¡¯ Nicole was speechless. ¡¯¡¯Can I please have his phone number? Is that okay?" Molly looked at Nicole with pleading eyes and N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. put her hands together in a begging gesture. She blinked her big round eyes and said, "What do you want in return? Do you want this stupid tiger?" 1 Molly pointed at the little tiger in Nicole''s arms. She looked expectant and scared, afraid that Nicole would reject this trade-off! Nicole froze and looked up in surprise. "Are you willing to give it to me? Will Gerard agree to i t?" "Of course! Why won''t I be?!¡± Molly smiled excitedly and spoke decisively, "This tiger is mine, not Gerard''s, so he doesn''t have a say in it." "Great! It''s a deal!" Nicole adored this little tiger. The first time Nicole saw it, she was too shy to ask for it. Nicole quickly gave Maverick''s phone number and social media handles to Molly, who was so grateful that she hugged and kissed Nicole on the cheek." Nikki! You''re the best! I love you so much!" The little tiger was discontented and pushed away Molly''s hand that was on Nicole¡¯s arm, then spoke aggrievedly, "Don''t touch my prettydy! She''s mine!" Nicoleughed and stroked the little tiger''s head. " From now on, you''re mine too." The little tiger happily shook its shoulders. "I like you! Take me home!" "Does it need to be charged?" Nicole had to ask for tips to better care for this little tiger. Molly was not in the mood to exin and waved her hand. She was busy looking at her phone, waiting for Maverick to ept her friend request. "Just ask it. It knows itself well!" Nicole touched the little tiger''s furry back and asked with a surprised tone, "Really?! You know everything?" The little tiger proudly straightened its back and rubbed its head on her palm. "Of course! I know everything!" 1 Chapter 73 Tigger Chapter 73 Tigger Nicole took down Molly Stewart''s phone number and came out of theb holding the little tiger. Gerard Lichman was a little surprised that Nicole came out so quickly. Nicole smiled and held up the little tiger in her hand. "Molly gave it to me, can I take it away?" Gerard looked shocked for a moment, then smiled. "Of course, it''s her personal belongings and has nothing to do with thepany. Since she gave it to you, you can take it away." He walked over and touched the little tiger. "Goodbye Little Traitor, behave yourself..." "Hmph! I''m finally going home with the prettydy!" Gerardughed helplessly. "Let''s get going then. I¡¯ll send you back." When Nicole got home, Nicole wanted to have some bonding time with the little tiger, but her phone suddenly rang. She saw that it was a video call from her third brother, Kai. Since the tiger entered the apartment, it looked left and right like a curious baby. It saw the luxurious decor and expensive furniture and was in awe. It wagged its tail and finally jumped on the sofa, sitting o n an Hermes scarf worth over $100,000 as a soft cushion, then nestled in afortable position. Since Kai''s debut, he had won six film awards and even tried to make a name in the international film scene after conquering Hollywood. His face was simply wless and was certainly a gift from God. A hook of his lips could make countless fans scream. "Yo, baby sister! You got prettier, I see..." Nicole flipped her hair and said nonchntly, "Oh well, I can''t help that I''ve always been beautiful..." Kaiughed and admired Nicole''s shamelessness. "To celebrate your divorce, I put off my next shooting and will be back home by tomorrow. Remember to pick me up at the airport!¡± Before Nicole could agree to it, Kai hung up the phone. Nicole helplessly stroked the little tiger¡¯s head. "Do you not have a name? What''s your name?" "My name is Baby." The little tiger put its face on her palm. Nicoleughed helplessly. "Why don¡¯t I give you a name? What about Tigger? From now on, you''ll be Tigger. Do you like it?" The little tiger liked the name and nodded. "I like it! I''m Tigger, a big and powerful tiger! Roar!" Tigger was no different from a real tiger cub when it slept and could be energetic all day after sleeping for a few hours. Molly Stewart was simply a genius! ''No wonder Molly likes Maverick... Only geniuses can appreciate each other, right?'' The next morning, Tigger climbed into bed and woke Nicole up. "Mama, get up!" It used its little paws to pull away Nicole''s quilt, so she felt a sudden chill. Tigger hurriedly snuggled up to her. "Mama, you said that you''re going to the airport...¡± ''Airport?'' Nicole froze and got up in a hurry. ''Oh right! I almost forgot! Kai¡¯sing back today!'' "Wait, did you just call me Mama?" Tiggerid on top of her and licked her palm with its little tongue. "Molly Stewart said that whoever names me is my mama!" "Can¡¯t you call me Nikki?¡± Tigger''s stripes on its forehead were twisted. "Nikki Mama?" Tigger did not understand the difference between the various names. "Forget it... Mama will do." Since Tigger said it in such a cutesy way, Nicole epted it. "How did you know that I needed to go to the airport?¡± "I have a good memory!" Tigger said proudly. Nicoleughed. "Okay, then you can stay at home by yourself. I need to pick someone up first.¡± She hurriedly got out of bed, washed up, and picked a low-profile long ck dress that was very elegant with diamonds at the edge of the cuffs and cor. It was quite the smart casual attire. Nicole drove her low-profile Cayenne and had a smooth journey to the airport. There were a lot of people at the airport, especially young girls that were gathered at the arrivals. ''Are they here for Kai?'' Nicole was right. One of the girls carried a huge sign that read, "Kai Kai Kai, you''re the apple of my eye!" She inadvertently saw it and almostughed out loud. She hurriedly took a picture and sent it to the family group chat. [Baby Sister Nicole: This is the first time I''m questioning K''s name!] [Big Brother Grant: It should be "Kai Kai Kai, you make me wanna die!"]N?velDrama.Org content. [Second Brother Maverick: The signboard¡¯s material looks like aposite board made of * insert science gibberish that no one else understands*.] [Third Brother Kai: How dare you insult me! I''m gonna tell Dad to beat y''all up!] [Dad: I didn''t see anything...] Chapter 74 New Lover and Ex-wife Chapter 74 New Lover and Ex-wife Nicole was looking down at her phone with a wide smile when she suddenly heard someone in the crowd shout, "Eric!" She subconsciously inclined her head to look in the direction of the voice. A familiar face came out from the exit, which made Nicole''s smile instantly stiffen. ''Wendy Quade? What a coincidence!'' Eric Ferguson came to pick Wendy up with his assistant Mitchell. Wendy''s eyes turned red the moment she saw Eric. She could not help but run up and hug him. The pair''s entangled figures were particrly piercing to Nicole¡¯s eyes. Nicole thought that she was over it, but her heart still could not help but throb with pain. There was an astringent and heavy feeling in her chest, and time seemed to freeze at that moment. Before Nicole came back to her senses, an arm wrapped around her shoulders from behind and pulled her into a tight embrace. When Nicole smelled this familiar scent, she instantly snapped back to her usual self. She pulled therge hand that covered her eyes and pouted. "K, how old are you that you still like to spook people?¡± Kai¡¯s handsome and elegant face was right in front of her. His features were so exquisite like a carefully carved sculpture without the slightest w. It was truly a face that women would be jealous of. He wore sunsses and raised his eyebrows as he said, "How could you make me wait for so long?¡± "OMG! That¡¯s Kai! He''s out!!¡± Someone around them recognized him. The fangirls immediately came up and surrounded them. Nicole looked shocked and asked him in a small voice, "Where''s your bodyguard?" "I sent him home on vacation,¡± Kai said calmly. "What do we do then?" "You have to protect me, of course..." Kai fully entrusted Nicole with his safety. Nicole was baffled. The crowd was getting bigger by the second. Everyone saw Kai, so in a moment, the airport was bustling with fangirls'' screams. Kai held Nicole protectively in his arms to prevent her from being pushed away by the crowd while countless people began to raise their phones and cameras and shouted Kai''s name. ''I''m regretting this. I should''ve known not toe!¡¯ Nicole thought. She lowered her head and covered her face, not wanting to be in the shot, but there was no way she could avoid those cameras. Some people in the crowd who frequently surfed the inte and followed the gossip column recognized Nicole. "Isn''t that woman in Kai¡¯s arms that Nicole? The one who''d just divorced Eric Ferguson?" "Yeah! That''s THE Nicole! Why are they together?" "Are they in a rtionship?¡± This news spread like wildfire! The shocking gossip about a famous movie star overwhelmed the crowd. Nicole just felt like finding a ce to burrow into or wanted to turn around to leave. However, when she turned around, she saw countless shing lights and a solid wall of people, so she gave up on that thought. "What should we do now?" Nicole gritted her teeth. Kai shed a charming smile and did not avoid his fans. Instead, he hugged Nicole tighter and walked with a steady pace towards the exit. The fans in front of him also retreated step by step. "Thank you all for your support, but please don''t scare my girl..." "Ahhhh!!!" Everyone started screaming. Nicole had no other choice. She could not keep her head nestled in Kai''s chest while walking, so she straightened her back and smiled stiffly. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The woman, who had Kai''s arm wrapped around her shoulders, at this moment did not realize that tomorrow, she would be on the front-page headlines o f the tabloids. Nicole casually nced around and happened to see Eric Ferguson looking coldly in their direction. He was also standing with Wendy Quade at the door. She paused and her smile became less stiff. Instead, she was rather calm and rxed. ''I wonder what''s it like for a new lover and ex-wife to appear at the same time? They¡¯re the real scums who act so righteous and dignified. I''m so much better than them and have nothing to be ashamed of!¡¯ Nicole thought. When Nicole and Kai got out of the airport, the fans still wanted to chase after them, but Kai suddenly turned around and made a hush gesture. "Go back home, everyone! I also need some rest!¡± Everyone listened to him. Although the noise levels did not decrease, no one came after him again. "Where''s the car?" Kai patted Nicole''s head. Nicole hurriedly led him to the parking spot. Kai inspected it and said, "This is a good car. I''ll buy one ''His garage is bigger than mine and is already filled to the brim with cars yet he still wants to buy another one?!¡¯ Nicole thought. "Well, if you like it, I¡¯ll let you drive it. You won''t like it for long anyway.¡± Kai changed cars faster than he changed clothes. "If I¡¯m not mistaken, that bastard Eric Ferguson was here, right?¡± 3 Chapter 75 Failed Instigation Chapter 75 Failed Instigation As soon as Kai got into the car, he spoke frankly and took off his sunsses, revealing the disdain in his eyes. Kai noticed that the son of a b*tch Eric Ferguson was a t the airport as well. Nicole nodded and looked calm. "Yeah, his lover came back." Eric Ferguson''s presence was impossible to ignore, and someone as sharp as Kai must have been able to spot him. "Hah! That woman by his side? Tsk tsk, is he blind?" Nicole hooked her lips. "He has a unique taste, I guess. By the way, the photos of us at the airport just now will definitely be posted online. Do you want to get your PR people to deal with it?" Kai was not bothered and grunted. "No need. I wanna let people see how sought-after my sister is!" If not for Eric Ferguson''s sudden appearance, Kai would not have willingly exposed Nicole, but since he appeared, Kai wanted to show that jerk that Nicole was an eligible woman. Nicole could capture the attention of thousands of men! "My dearest brother, do you know how many scandals I''ve been intely? I''m practically part of your entertainment industry now!¡± Nicoleughed helplessly. The frequency of Nicole being on the headlines was envied by many in showbiz. "Join us then! With me around, you can take your pick in whichever circle you want!¡± The air pressure in the car that was at the entrance of the airport was extremely low. Mitchell asked warily, "President, where should we go now? Should we send Ms. Quade back to the hotel?" Wendy Quade hurriedly looked at Eric. "I want to go home first. It''s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen your parents. I bought them some gifts." Eric''s eyes were deep and his face sank. "You should visit the Carters first. Hendrick¡¯s death anniversary ising up. Isn¡¯t this why you came back?" This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. Somehow, Eric seemed a bit repulsed by Wendy''s request. ''Have I indulged her too much and allowed her to get close to me, so much so that even Nicole misunderstood our rtionship?'' At the thought of Nicole, an image suddenly appeared i n Eric''s mind. The tall and handsome Kai held Nicole tightly in his arms, yet Nicole did not struggle one bit. The two of them even embraced each other and walked out of the airport in full view of the public. That scene was particrly irksome to Eric. Wendy froze. She could sense Eric''s revulsion and felt a slight tremor in her heart. She immediately said," Yeah, but the Carters would be even more depressed if I go, that''s why I thought of going over Eric did not care for Wendy¡¯s exnation. Mitchell, who was sitting in the front, nced at the pair in the backseat from the rearview mirror and instantly looked away. This atmosphere was rather ufortable. Wendy clenched her fists and bit her lower lip. Suddenly, her eyes flickered. "I think I saw Nicole earlier. Doesn''t she have a thing with Grant Stanton? How did she get involved with Kai the big movie star? I noticed that after your divorce, she seemed to be quite carefree in her love life, surrounded by different men all the time... Mitchell, don''t you think so?" Once Wendy saw Eric¡¯s increasingly gloomy face, she hurriedly threw the ball to Mitchell so that he could say a few words and help her out of this situation. However, Mitchell, who was named, did not n to answer her question. Instead, he kept his head down and looked at the tablet in his hand, pretending not to have heard her because he was busy with some work arrangements. A full ten seconds passed and no one spoke. This instigation failed. Wendy clenched the clothes in her hand and saw that the car had stopped at the hotel entrance. A trace of shock shed across her face. "Eric, I..." Wendy did not want to stay at the hotel. Now that Nicole had left the Ferguson family, she finally had the opportunity to stay at the Ferguson Vi in a dignified manner! Eric looked at his watch and did not get out of the car. He swept an indifferent nce at her. "You should spend more time with Hendrick¡¯s parents. I''ll have someone send you back to France after Hendrick''s death anniversary." Wendy''s face stiffened for a moment. ''He wants me to leave the country again? Do I really have no chance at all?'' "Drive!" Ericmanded. "Wait..." Wendy stepped forward. Her eyes red as she said, "Are you still mad at me? Is it because I used Nicolest time? Isn''t that all in the past now? You don''t even like her, so why do you care so much about this? If you''re still not satisfied, I can apologize to her Chapter 76 She Doesnt Care Chapter 76 She Doesn''t Care Eric''s eyes were cold when he raised them slightly. His voice was indifferent as he said, "What''s done is done. I''m not qualified to forgive you on her behalf, and it''s Nicole who doesn''t care for your apology.¡± Seeing Wendy''s shocked gaze, Eric looked away and said, "What are you waiting for? Drive!" "Yes, President." The driver dared not dy another second and immediately drove away. Wendy Quade stood stiffly in ce as she watched the car fade from sight. The grievance in her eyes was gradually reced by anger. ''I was only abroad for a short time, when did Eric be so cold to me? He even spoke for Nicole? She''s really something!'' Wendy took out her phone in anger and dialed a number. Her voice was warm as she said, "Ingrid? I''m back..." Floyd Stanton was still abroad. Grant Stanton was also on a business trip. Thus, Kai was dead set on following Nicole home. Nicole grunted in reluctance as Kai clung to her. "Mr. Anderson cleaned up your apartment two days ago. Why do you have to stay with me?" Kai pinched her ears and almost picked her up like when they were young. "Objection invalid! I haven''t been to my house in a long time, so it feels a bit strange. I want to live with you here!" Nicole helplessly opened the door and registered Kai''s fingerprints into it. Kai nodded in satisfaction and swaggered in. Once he went into Nicole''s apartment, Kai looked around and saw the subtle yet delicate and N?velDrama.Org (C) content. expensive decor. The diamond chandelier overhead shone brightly. Nicole¡¯s favorite light Morandi palette was also appropriately incorporated. "Not bad, as expected from El, the famous interior designer. No wonder Dad said that you don''t wanna go back home to live with him." Nicole poured herself a ss of water, pursed her lips, and ignored hister remark. "Of course! I¡¯m so rich, s o I ought to choose the best designer!" Kai ignored her, grunted, and was about to undress to take a shower. "Whatevs... Don''t disturb me. I''m gonna go take a bubble bath... WTF!" He screamed in shock, so Nicole ran in to take a look. Tigger''s fur was drenched as it thumped around ying in the bathtub. When Tigger saw Kai, it roared at him without any deterring effect. Its eyes lit up when it saw Nicole, who was standing at the door. Tigger jumped out of the bathtub and ran over to Nicole, looking extremely adorable. "Mama! I miss you so much...¡± Nicole took a step backward. "Stop!¡± Tigger froze in ce and suddenly realized that he was covered in water. He happily shook off all the water droplets from his body and trotted over. "I smell so good now..." Kai, who was frozen in ce, was so shocked that he said, "Nikki! Why is it not in the zoo? Did you buy a zoo?" After a moment of silence, he suddenly realized something. "Wait... This tiger can talk?!" Nicole could not help butugh. Kai was truly the stupidest out of all her brothers. Kai frowned and pondered for a few seconds before he suddenly reacted. He reached out to point at Tigger. "It''s fake!" Tigger indignantly wagged its tail at Kai. "I''m a real tiger!" Nicole squatted down and patted Tigger. It no longer had any water droplets on it and its fur was dry and fluffy. ''It evenes with a built-in dryer?'' She picked it up, looked at Kai, and raised her eyebrows smugly. "This is Tigger, my beloved pet, the world¡¯s most unique little tiger. Don''t mess with it, else it''ll bite you!" Nicole turned around and left. Tiggerid on her shoulder and bared its teeth at Kai, thinking that it was fierce and scary. However, Kai just thought that it was extremely cute. "My baby sister is really something! Other people have cats and dogs as pets, but you dare to raise a tiger...¡± ''Such a cute one at that!'' Nicole put Tigger on the sofa. It dawdled to the expensive scarf andid on it while it looked at her." That man is so handsome, but unfortunately his IQ is too low..." Hearing this, Nicole stifled augh. ''Even a tiger can see through K¡¯s IQ! He''s such a failure...'' "Do you like this scarf?" Nicole noticed yesterday that Tigger liked to sleep on it. "I''ll buy you some more and put it in different ces, then you can rest whenever and wherever you want!" With that thought in mind, Nicole took out her phone and called the Hermes store. "Are there any new scarves from Hermes recently?" The store had not received this call for a long time, so for a moment, they had forgotten who the caller was." Yes, we have tentest limited edition scarfs and thirteen collector''s models. They''re all our ssic bestselling designs. They''re also rtively expensive. May I ask what asion you''d like to use it for so that I can make the best rmendation for you?" Nicole thought about it and waved her hand. "I¡¯ll just get one of each. Send it directly to my apartment. My pet likes to sleep on it." 4 Chapter 77 Bump Into Her Partner Chapter 77 Bump Into Her Partner After that, Nicole hung up the phone and dotingly stroked the little tiger''s head. "Good boy... It¡¯sing soon..." The store manager looked at the number and checked it against their system. She was instantly stunned and shouted in shock, "It''s Ms. Stanton!" A momentter, Kai finished his shower and strolled out casually. He could not wait to take a look at the little tiger, only to hear the doorbell ring just after he walked out of the bathroom. "The scarves I ordered just arrived. K, remember to pay for them!" Nicoleid on the huge and soft round sofa in the living room while ying with the little tiger without the intention of getting up to open the door. Kai shook his head helplessly and walked to the door with his bare upper body while his lower half was simply wrapped by a bath towel. He opened the door while he yfully said, "Baby girl, I don''t mind paying for everything you want..." Kai''s voice stopped abruptly and his eyes turned cold when he saw the person at the door. "Why are you here?" His good mood was swept away in an instant. Eric Ferguson did not expect to see Kai at Nicole''s apartment. His face was glum and his dark eyes were stern. "Why are you here?" N?velDrama.Org content. ''He clearly just took a shower. Did hee here straight after leaving the airport?'' Eric thought. After Nicole and Kai left the airport, the photos and gossip of the pair had gone so viral that they could not be suppressed. Eric went through various channels to get Nicole¡¯s current residence. He intended to go to her door personally to exin to her clearly. He was willing to make up for what he owed her for the past three years. Thest time they met, Nicole had proposed her condition, wanting Eric to choose between Wendy Quade and his family heirloom. He simply could not choose between Wendy Quade and the emerald pipe, so he could only go to Nicole and ask if she had other conditions instead. If she did, he would agree without hesitation. However, Eric never thought that he would see these two here in broad daylight. He could not help but think, ''What were they doing?'' Kaiughed and added fuel to the fire. He wiped his hair dry with another towel in his hand. "Why can''t I b e here? I live here." ''They''re cohabitating?!¡¯ Anger and disappointment instantly made Eric lose hisposure. "Who is it..." Nicole heard themotion at the door. I t did not sound like the store''s people, so she went to the door to check it out. When she saw the man at the door, her eyes turned cold. "What are you doing here?" It was unexpected that Eric woulde to her door. The man at the door was emitting a gloomy chill. He stared at her coldly and looked like he was suppressing a fit of anger in his eyes. "Nicole, you¡¯re both living together? What''s your rtionship with him?" Nicole paused for a moment and hooked the corners o f her lips. She sneered and said, "Do I need to report to you what kind of rtionship I have with everyone?" Kaiughed at the side. "Mr. Ferguson, think whatever you like, but regardless of what rtionship we have, you have no right to butt in. A good ex should be as silent as the dead..." Eric stared at Nicole with a deep gaze. The bottom of his eyes surged with waves of emotion. His face was taut, then he swept a nce at Kai. i "I''m just asking casually. I¡¯m not interested in knowing, but Mr. Kai, you should keep your eyes open. This woman isn''t as obedient as she seems!" Eric did not know why he said this. Recently, he found too many shing impressions of Nicole that he had never noticed before. Perhaps, this was still just the tip of the iceberg. "Mr. Ferguson, it¡¯s not up to you to point out what kind of woman I am. You''d better mind your own business ..." Nicole suddenlyughed. Her face gradually turned cold and her smile faded. "If you¡¯re looking for obedience, just get a dog. Oh, wait ... You did, Wendy Quade is a suitable b*tch for a dirty dog like you. You''re both a match made in heaven!¡± ''Even if the whole world insults me, Eric Ferguson doesn''t have the right to! I don''t need his stupid apologies either!'' Nicole thought. Eric¡¯s face was extremely glum. He had meant no harm, but he could not exin Nicole¡¯s misunderstanding. At this moment, Eric did not even understand where his anger came from. Kai was quite worried that Nicole would feel hurt seeing Eric here, so he was wary and ready to jump to her rescue. However, when he heard Nicole''s words, h e felt relieved. 1 He looked at Eric as he pulled Nicole into his arms andughed lightly. "Mr. Ferguson, I''m not like you. N o one has the right to insult my woman, and I will only believe her words. Mr. Ferguson, if you have nothing better to do, go back to your b*tch and stop disturbing us." Kai hooked up the corners of his lips into a yful smile. He wanted to pull Nicole back and shut the door when a small thing scampered out from below. The little tiger grabbed onto Eric¡¯s pants and said," Papa! You''re so handsome!" 2 Chapter 78 Money and Looks Chapter 78 Money and Looks The three people were stunned. Nicole was especially angry and felt betrayed. ''No wonder the people in theb called him Little Traitor! He really lives up to his name!'' "Tigger!" Nicole could not help but raise her voice. She thought, Tm gonna return the million dors worth of Hermes scarves right away!'' Eric lowered his head with a sullen face. His brows were knitted as he picked up the little tiger with one hand. His voice was cold. "Why are you here?" Tigger waved his paws and replied, "Molly Stewart gave me to Mama. I like Mama so much! Papa and Mama are a great match, so please don''t fight..." Eric seemed to be thinking about Tigger¡¯s words. At that moment, Kai snatched Tigger from him, threw it a t Nicole, took a step back, and mmed the door shut o n Eric''s face. The series of actions happened within a few seconds, crisp and clean! "From now on, don''t let that bastard touch any of our things!" Kai spoke with an expressionless face and stared at the little tiger in her arms. "Do you need my help to train this thing for a few days?" Tigger nestled in Nicole¡¯s arms and held her tightly. It sounded so aggrieved. "Mama, I''m so scared... Is he going to tear me apart?" Nicole''s heart, which was infuriated earlier, softened a t once. She stroked Tigger''s head and looked up at Kai. "It''s fine. I''ll think of a solution." Since Tigger was an artificial intelligence robot, a code change was probably needed to alter its preferences and behavior. ''The way Tigger addresses Eric Ferguson must be changed! I won''t tolerate this for another moment!'' Nicole turned around and suddenly remembered that Eric was still outside the door. ''What''s his purpose foring here? Whatever. He must be here for the emerald pipe. Since he can¡¯t choose between Wendy Quade and his family heirloom, that''s his loss. How can there be the best of both worlds?'' Kai wanted to say something, but Nicole just carried Tigger away indignantly and went to her room to call Molly Stewart. At that moment, the doorbell rang again. Kai frowned and thought, ''That bastard still doesn''t give up?! Great, I¡¯ll take this chance to teach him a good lesson!¡¯ When Kai opened the door, he saw six women in professional suits standing there holding several boxes. Even though they were surprised to see Kai, the staff still had a professional smile. "Excuse me, is this Ms. Stanton''s home?" "Yes." "These are thetest limited edition scarves that Ms. Stanton ordered. That will be a total of $7.69 million. Where should we put them?" Kai paused, then helplessly made way for them." Leave them in the coatroom on the left." "Yes, sir." The staff did not dare to lift their eyes to check out the house and went in quickly to leave the boxes. Kai did not even blink as he swiped his card and closed the door. He then went back to his room with a cold grunt. Nicole contacted Molly Stewart and went to the cafe they agreed to meet at. Unlike thest time they met, Molly did not look like a serious scientist in a whiteb coat. This time, she looked so cute in a pink sweater and a messy bun on her head. Her big eyes squinted as she smiled and took a sip of the coffee in her hand. When she saw Nicole, Molly waved her hand. "Nikki!¡± Nicole quickly walked over. "I''m sorry for asking you t oe on such short notice. Did I disturb your work?" Molly smiled and shook her head. "It''s okay. You¡¯re friends with Maverick, so you get special treatment!" Nicole silently thought, ''Thank you, Mav!¡¯ She thenughed and asked, "Did he ept your friend request?" Molly nodded happily. "Yeah, we''ve been chatting. I posted my designs online and he quickly pointed out many mistakes to me. He¡¯s simply the best!" ''Yeah...my second brother isn''t just a geek, but he¡¯s also OCD...'' Nicole thought. "Molly, I asked you out because of Tigger, your little tiger that you gave me. Why does Tigger call Eric Ferguson ''Papa''?" N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Nicole thought, ''It¡¯s just awkward when Tigger calls m e Mama after... I don''t wanna have any connection with Eric Ferguson!'' Molly lowered her head in silence and smiled in embarrassment. "At the time of designing this little traitor, we went through an extensive learning process for human aesthetics. It then learned to like pretty women and handsome men and even developed its own preferences. This was the first integration of human thought and artificial intelligence, so there were no limitations." "But why Eric Ferguson?" Nicole did not understand. Molly gulped and said, "Because he''s the most handsome among the rich, and the richest among handsome men..." 2 Chapter 79 Rumors Spread Chapter 79 Rumors Spread "Alright then, change it back for me. It''s hard for me to hear Tigger calling that jerk ''Papa'', especially with our awkward rtionship." Nicole shook her head helplessly and felt distressed. Molly fiddled with her intertwined fingers and did not know what to say. "Is it impossible to change?" ''Since it''s designed by people...it shouldn''t be impossible to change it, right?'' "No, it¡¯s just that the little traitor''s impression of Eric Ferguson''s aesthetics has reached a certain threshold, so if you want to change it, we have to change his deep impression of that person and find another person to rece Eric Ferguson''s existence." There was a silence that permeated the air for a moment. Both of them were quiet. Molly felt guilty about it. She even regretted that she had designed the little traitor to be so opinionated. Seeing that Nicole was upset and silent. Molly coughed lightly and proposed, "How about, we change i t to Kai?" Nicole was puzzled. ''Why him?'' Molly took out her phone and said, "Look, the inte i s full of photos and rumors of you two. Everyone''s just waiting for your official announcement. His looks areparable to Eric Ferguson too. What do you think?" Nicole shuddered at the thought of Tigger calling her third brother "Papa". She shook her head decisively and refused. "No way!"N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. ¡¯But who else around me couldpete with Eric Ferguson¡¯s looks?¡¯ The twodies pondered for a while. Nicole proposed," Is there a possibility to make Tigger hate Eric Ferguson? But of course, Tigger can also like anyone else but him." ''I just don''t want Tigger to like Eric Ferguson!¡¯ Molly thought with her hand on her chin. "It''s not impossible... I can set certain obstacles in its intelligent thinking...¡± Nicole smiled. "That¡¯s great! Let''s do that then. I''ll bring Tigger here." "No, I can just use theputer." Molly pulled out aptop from her bag in the next second. Theptop did not have any logo on it, so Nicole could not tell where it was from, but it looked different from theptops avable on the market. Nicole also recalled that her second brother seemed to have the sameptop. Molly tapped on the keyboard a few times and happily pped her hands. "Okay, it¡¯s done!¡± Nicole asked, "That simple?¡± ''She doesn''t need to disassemble the parts or rewire stuff?'' Molly nodded. "It''s a robot, so don''t treat it as a real tiger. By the way, I rmend not exposing the little traitor to the public to avoid causing any social unrest H This adorable scientist was always sensible. Molly happily picked up her phone again. "I''m gonna tell Maverick about this too!" Nicole was speechless. Logan had left a dozen missed calls, so Nicole could not avoid it any longer and drove to the office. As soon as Nicole got out of the car, Logan was already waiting to greet her. "Vice President Nicole, do you need our PR team to step in about the scandal between you and Kai?" Nicole took a nce at the rumors online. All kinds of things were said, but she did not care. After some thought, these rumors might have an impact on thepany if they went out of control. "I''ll call Dominic Young. Thepany doesn''t need to step in." "Yes, ma''am.¡± Logan breathed a sigh of relief. "Also..." It was rare for Logan to hesitate. Nicole looked at him. "Get to the point.¡± Logan pressed his lips together and finally said," Some rumors are going around the office in the past few days that are circting fast internally, some hard to hear..." "About me? What did they say?" Without much thought, Nicole knew that the gossip must be about her. Otherwise, Logan would not look like this. "They say that you were actually kicked out of the Ferguson family because you had affairs with Second Young Master Carter and President Stanton, while also hooking up with other men..." Nicoleughed in exasperation. "Was it Old Master Ferguson?" ''That old man already nned to do something about my private life in the first ce... I didn''t expect him t o be so underhanded to do it...¡¯ Nicole thought. "No." Nicole was surprised. Logan added, "It was Samantha Lindt." There was a sudden silence in the elevator. Nicole''s face gradually turned cold as she scoffed. "It looks like she still doesn''t understand her situation and still has the heart to stir up trouble, huh?" Chapter 80 Get Out Chapter 80 Get Out Logan paused, "President Stanton nned to clean them up after his return, but if you want to do it, I can get the stuff ready.¡± They already had the evidence and just needed to hand it over to the relevant departments, then Samantha Lindt would be dead meat. When the elevator door opened, the people passing by greeted Nicole amiably. Nicole smiled and responded to all of them, then returned to her office. She hooked her lips. "Check Samantha''s recent movements. I want her to grow a brain." "She¡¯s been getting close to some high-societydiestely, and I heard that she will be attending a small gathering tonight.¡± Nicole raised her eyebrows. "Send the address to meter. I wanna join the fun." "Yes, ma''am." It was not difficult for Logan to find out about the gathering. Nicole looked at him and added, "You may leave if there''s nothing else. Tell my brother that I¡¯ll clean them up." "Sure." Nicole sat down and called Dominic Young, whose rambunctious voice was extraordinarily familiar. "Ms. Stanton, are you going to make your debut soon?" Dominic wasughing at her about her recent domination of the tabloid headlines. Nicole rubbed her temples. "Suppress it. It''s all my brother''s fault..." Heughed and said, "Your brother cares about you. I saw that Mr. Ferguson was in many of these photos. I think Kai just wants to piss Eric Ferguson off, right?¡± ''Why would Eric Ferguson get pissed off seeing me with another man?'' Nicole thought. She paused for a moment and said, "I don''t want to be i n the same frame with him. Thanks, Mr. Young." "Ms. Stanton, don''t be so polite with me. I''m just at yourmand." Dominic smiled. He was Nicole''s subordinate, so naturally, he had to suck up to her. After hanging up, Nicole saw the address that Logan had sent to her phone that looked quite familiar. It was a country club near Tattle Bar. Coincidentally, Nicole had a membership there. Ferguson Corporation. Eric stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window inside the President''s Office, looking at the traffic down below. His irritable mood gradually calmed down. ''Looking back, what could be done in such a short time between the airport and Nicole¡¯s apartment anyway? I only saw Kai in Nicole¡¯s house and assumed that they had an affair... Maybe it''s just a misunderstanding?¡¯ However, this topic was still hot on the inte. Some people scolded Nicole for sleeping around and hooking up with Kai so soon after the divorce. Some spected that they already had an affair before Nicole''s divorce. Kai''s fans were also divided into two camps. One side was in support of Kai¡¯s freedom of love and admired him for having the courage to announce his woman and happiness to everyone. The other side did not support Kai to be in a rtionship with Nicole because Nicole was a divorcee and was not worthy of their idol. Some people also said that Nicole was a nymphomaniac and had been sleeping around even after marrying Eric Ferguson. She only divorced Eric because she obtained some sort of secret in exchange for her safe retreat. Those spections, expose, and insider news werepletely made up. Ericughed in exaggeration. ''Insider information? If there really is insider information, does the world deserve to know?'' Eric''s assistant, Mitchell, knocked on the door at that moment. "President, there''s a document that needs your signature.¡± The man''s eyes were deep as he instructed, "Suppress the hype on the inte rting to yesterday¡¯s events at the airport." After a pause, he added, "I don''t want people digging up dirt lest they implicate and drag down our share prices." Mitchell was originally a little surprised, but he quickly responded. "Yes, sir. I''ll deal with it." After a while, Mitchell knocked on the door again and hesitantly spoke, "President, the buzz online dissipated and the articles about Ms. Nicole have been taken down..." Eric was stunned. ''So fast?'' "I haven''t had time to contact the relevant media and tforms... It seems like it¡¯s done by another N?velDrama.Org ? 2024. party." "Who?" "Apparently, it''s the orders of President Dominic Young from Falcon Entertainment.¡± Mitchell nced at his boss. Eric¡¯s eyes were cold but he did not make a sound. Mitchell also dared not speak and even breathed very carefully. Someone was a step ahead of them. Although the results achieved were the same, his boss did not look too happy about it. "Get out," Eric said through clenched teeth. 2 Chapter 81 Purposely Look For You Chapter 81 Purposely Look For You The sky gradually dimmed into a dark blue hue. The gloomy sky apanied by the evening chill felt quite disconcerting. Nicole saw that it was almost time, so she went to the dressing room in her office where she had the luxury dress to change into, then paired it with a limited edition bag and beautiful stilettos. When Nicole arrived at the clubhouse, no one recognized her. Everyone was just chatting with the people they knew well. There was no theme to this gathering and looked like it was purely for these high-societydies to pass the time. Nicole took a te of hors d''oeuvres and ate it slowly. She sat in a corner and looked around. ¡®There¡¯s no sign of Samantha Lindt anywhere. Is she noting?¡¯ "Nicole?" The person in front of her looked at her in surprise. Nicole raised her eyebrows. "Carter? Why are you here?" ¡°We¡¯re truly destined to be together! It¡¯s fate that brought us here at this moment..." Ian raised an eyebrow. Nicole threw a sidelong nce at him. "Can you be serious for once?" "My mother wanted some pastries from the clubhouse and sent me out to get them." Ian helplessly shrugged his shoulders. Nicole smiled and thought, ''Mrs. Carter is quite the foodie.'' "What about you?" "I uh... I just came to have some fun, but turns out the '' fun'' didn''t show up..." Nicole smiled. She looked at the time and stood up, but Ian pulled her wrist. "Where are you going?" Nicole looked at him helplessly. "I¡¯m going to the bathroom, then I''ll leave in a moment." Ian let go of her hand and naturally did not want to give up such a good opportunity to spend time with Nicole. "I''ll wait for you and send you hometer." "I drove here." "Then you can take me home!" After leaving the banquet hall, the corridor was rtively quiet. Quite a few people were talking there. When Nicole walked around the corner, she heard someone mention her name. "Eric Ferguson''s ex-wife is not a simple woman. I heard that she cheated on him before the divorce and acted all innocent to gain sympathy with theizens. In fact, the Fergusons just aren¡¯t bothered to deal with her. Otherwise, how can she live so peacefully until now?¡± "Young Lady Ferguson is my friend and I''ve heard a little about their marriage. Apparently, Nicole has no degree or family background. She''s just been a housewife for the past three years and suddenly became the Vice President of Stanton Corporation after the divorce. She even forced out Samantha Lindt..." "Samantha''s such a poor thing. She used so much effort to get to where she is now and became the strong independent woman everyone envies, but that mistress just snatched her position... I heard that the current projects Nicole is handling are taken over from Samantha..." "Nicole is so shameless! How can such a woman be so sought-after? I heard that she cozied up to Grant Stanton, who even bought her a house and a car. I wonder what Grant Stanton will do when he sees her photos with Kai... Do you think he''ll go berserk?" "Yeah, she should take a good look in the mirror. This kind of woman is only worthy of being a mistress. Anyone with a background won¡¯t marry a divorced woman who fools around with so many men." Nicole stopped in her tracks and could not help but raise an eyebrow. ''Wow, I''m always the main character wherever I go...'' She lowered her head, hooked her lips, and was just about to walk over to teach these two women a lesson when she heard a familiar voice that sounded so aggrieved. "Yeah... It''s a pity that I didn¡¯te from a wealthy family nor do I know how to please men. Even if I''m capable and work so hard, there¡¯s no way I can beat M r. Stanton''s sweetheart...¡± ''Is that Samantha Lindt?¡¯ Nicole thought. "Don''t be such a pushover. If this was my family business, I¡¯d have gotten rid of that woman. How dare she go around like she¡¯s somebody?" "Yeah, Samantha, you should teach her a lesson! Why are you scared of that vixen anyway?" Nicole hooked her lips and took a step back to call Ian. "Can you do something for me? I have something in m y bag..." After hanging up, a waiter passed by with a tray of wine. Nicole picked up a ss and walked over to the group of gossiping women. "I''m curious... What lesson do you want to teach me, M s. Lindt?" Nicole''s sudden remark made the three women in the corner freeze in ce, especially Samantha. A trace of panic shed across her face, but she quickly regainedposure. "Vice President Nicole, what a coincidence...¡± "It''s not. I came here purposely to look for you." Nicole smiled at Samantha. She raised the ss in her hand, gently tilted it, and poured the red wine all over Samantha''s head without leaving a single drop behind. Chapter 82 Beat People up Personally Chapter 82 Beat People up Personally Samantha¡¯s body stiffened. She then raised her head i n shock and red at Nicole angrily. Her voice was shrill and harsh. "Nicole! Are you crazy?" The two youngdies next to Samantha were also mad at Nicole and tried to stand up for Samantha. "Nicole, don''t you know where this is? Do you even deserve to be here?" "That¡¯s right! You''re not wee here! I''ll get the security guards to kick you out!" Nicole did not care for these two idiots and stared at Samantha coldly. "You didn''t think of this scenario when you ndered me?" Samantha was stubborn. "Who ndered you? Everyone knows what you did!" Nicole hooked her lips and pushed Samantha back to a wall with one hand. When Samantha tried to struggle, Nicole put one arm across her neck and said i n an extremely cold voice, "Samantha Lindt, you should own up to your actions. I prepared a big return gift for you." Samantha saw disdain in Nicole''s eyes. The corners of her lips trembled as she lowered her voice and said, " The recording with Chairman Zeller doesn''t mean anything. Anyone will encounter such things in the workce, so this won¡¯t hurt me. Nicole, you''ll never get rid of me as a rival!¡± Nicole withdrew her gaze and raised her eyebrows. "0 h? But you''re not even qualified to be my rival." As soon as Nicole finished her sentence, a shocked cry suddenly came from the banquet hall. "Isn''t that Samantha Lindt?!" "That¡¯s Samantha Lindt from Stanton Corporation! She¡¯s been mingling in our circletely..." "Who¡¯s that? That''s Micah Zielinski, right? Mrs. Zielinski, isn''t that your husband?" Soon after, they heard intermittent voicesing from the banquet hall. Samantha''s face instantly turned glum. She panicked and asked, "What did you d o?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Tsk tsk... Whoever told you that I only have one recording of you?" Nicole took a step back. "Go check out your gift..." Samantha ran out, but before she could see what was going on, she was pped hard in the face. "Ahh!" "You homewrecker! How dare you seduce my husband? Shameless b*tch! You incited me to help you spread rumors about Nicole but you stabbed me in the back? I''ll beat you to death today..." A woman dressed in expensive and extravagant clothes yelled as she angrily charged at Samantha. No one nearby tried to stop the fight. Nicoleughed. When she arrived earlier, she had already spotted Micah Zielinski¡¯s wife. ''She¡¯s just as hot-tempered as they say!¡¯ Samantha was beaten and did not dare to fight back. She only covered her face and whimpered wretchedly. Overhead on the big projector was an unseemly video of Samantha Lindt and Micah Zielinski with their bodies entangled in the car. The people around started to watch the show. Nicole smiled and turned to look at the shocked faces of the two youngdies behind her. "Now, it¡¯s your turn." Those two youngdies were shocked as they just found out that Samantha was not a good person. However, they did not think that Nicole was any better and did not fear her. "What do you want to do? Why hasn''t the security guarde yet? Even if Samantha Lindt isn''t a good person and has wronged you, it doesn''t mean that you¡¯re innocent either!" "Whether I¡¯m a good person or not is none of your business. Didn''t your families teach you basic manners not to talk behind people''s backs?¡± Nicole smirked at them. "What right do you have to tell us what to do? Security!¡± One of them started shouting impatiently. Coincidentally, someone walked over from a distance. The handsome man with charming eyes and extremely sexy lips said, "Why are you calling for security?" "Second Young Master Carter! This woman was being rude to us. She even fought with Samantha Lindt just now. You have to protect us..." Another woman spoke. They thought that Ian Carter, who was a distinguished Young Master of an affluent family, was just like them and would surely be on their side. Ian nced at them and grunted, then said in a cold tone. "You asked for it." He then reached out to hold Nicole¡¯s hand and looked a t it with heartache as he chided her in an aggrieved tone. "Why didn''t you call me to fight for you? How could you hurt your own hands by beating people up personally?" Chapter 83 Whos More Popular? Chapter 83 Who''s More Popr? Everyone was from the same gentry circle. Ian Carter had always been popr among the high-society Thus, when these two women saw Ian Carter treating Nicole like this, their faces subconsciously paled. ''What''s going on? Didn''t Nicole have a thing with Grant Stanton and a fling with Kai? Ian Carter still sides with such a scandalous woman?'' Nicole withdrew her hand with some annoyance and turned to look at the women. "You can either take the initiative to apologize, or I can make you apologize. Choose one." The two women looked at each other. Their bodies unconsciously stiffened. Ian, who was next to Nicole, looked at the two women with a cold smile. "Are you deaf? Choose!" Those two women were perplexed. It looked like Ian Carter was willing to beat them up as long as Nicole said the word, regardless of their gender difference. Click! Nicole snapped a picture with her phone and hooked her lips in satisfaction. "What are you doing?¡± One of the women could not help but ask because she was confused as to why Nicole would take pictures of them. "We''re civilized people, so I won''t fight with you. Since you don''t want to apologize, I can only get your father t o apologize to me. When the timees, it won''t just b e a simple ''sorry'' anymore." Nicoleughed. With Stanton Corporation''s power, it would be easy to make things difficult for a few smallpanies. Making them disappear from West City could also be done in a snap of a finger. One of the women whispered to the other, then the two of them looked up and said reluctantly, "Sorry." Although they did not like Nicole, they were afraid of the Carter family''s strength. Ian Carter was clearly backing Nicole, so they could not afford to mess with them. Moreover, if Nicoleined to Grant Stantonter, the situation would be even worse. These twodies were trust fund babies that had no contribution to the family business. If they implicated their family business because of such a small matter, they would certainly get disowned. Nicole raised her eyebrows and dug her ear. "I didn''t hear it..." The two women gritted their teeth and stared at Nicole. They raised their voices slightly. "Ms. Nicole, we''re sorry." Nicole smiled, but it was cold. "This is a warning. Next time, I won''t pretend to be civilized." She had a lot of ways to intimidate a few trust fund babies. The twodies smiled. Although indignant, they dared not say anything. Nicole looked at the time on her phone. The sounds of beratement in the banquet hall were still ongoing. Nicole did not want to continue meddling, so she went straight out the door. Since everything had been exposed, Stanton Corporation would publish Samantha Lindt''s dismissal Of course, Micah Zielinski would also suffer the same fate. Before they got out of the door, they saw a group of peopleing from another direction, led by none other than Eric Ferguson. Ian was next to Nicole and snorted lightly. ¡°What a small world..." He walked forward, put his arm around Nicole''s shoulders, then whispered in her ear, "You don''t need t o thank me. We can''t lose this battle." Nicole noticed that Eric was staring at her. She retracted her gaze indifferently and walked forward This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. without ncing at him, treating him like a stranger. "Nicole, you''ve been quite poprtely, huh? Your appearance rate is even higher than actual celebrities. Are you trying to change your career and make your debut in showbiz?" Keith, who was beside Eric, could not help but annoy Nicole when he saw her. He then stepped forward to stop her from leaving. He had been watching the drama unfold online all day. It was a rare asion that Nicole was insulted, so Keith wanted to add fuel to the fire. Unfortunately, the keyboard warriors he hired stopped all movement in thetter part of the day. Ian raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Ludwig, what does it have t o do with you?" "Second Young Master Carter, how can you still side her when she has entanglements with three men at the same time? Don¡¯t you think that this woman is a little too popr with men?" Keith''s words were very sarcastic. Nicole cast a sidelong nce at Keith. "Mr. Ludwig, if I were you, I''d learn to keep my mouth shut at this time." "What?¡± Keith thought, ''This woman dares to teach me what to do?'' Nicole hooked her lips and sneered. "Because if I get upset, I can easily make you more popr than I am now..." Once Keith¡¯s nudes were posted online, who among them would be more viral? After dropping that sentence, Nicole retracted her gaze and left the clubhouse. She did not even nce a t Eric Ferguson, who was standing next to Keith. Keith''s face turned red as he stood there gnashing his teeth. "This woman... Is she nning to threaten me for life?!" Eric coldly withdrew his gaze from Nicole and swept a nce at Keith. "You asked for it." Chapter 84 She Can’t Be Touched Chapter 84 She Can¡¯t Be Touched Ian had driven his car to the clubhouse, but he still insisted on Nicole to drive him home. Nicole reluctantly agreed. After they got into the car, a tall figure blocked the front hood when they were about to drive away. Ian put away his smile and raised his eyebrows slightly. "Why is Eric Ferguson so clingy?" Eric Ferguson walked right in front of them unhurriedly without the intention of giving way. He obviously had something to say. Nicole was getting impatient. Eric walked to the car and knocked on her window. She lowered her eyelids, lightly hooked the corners of her mouth, then slowly lowered the car window. "Mr. Ferguson, is there a problem?¡± Eric''s dark eyes sank as he looked at her profoundly. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "Nicole, those two conditions you proposed..." Nicoleughed and interrupted him. "It looks like you¡¯ve made a decision? Which one do you want?" ''Wendy Quade or the emerald pipe?'' Eric''s gaze sank slightly. "Change your condition. Wendy can''t be touched." When Nicole heard this, her smile stiffened for a moment. She was grateful that they were in a dark environment so that no one could see the gloom on her face. ''Wendy Quade can¡¯t be touched? How precious is she t o him? Does Wendy Quade have such a special existence in his heart?¡¯ Nicole thought. Nicole thought that she was over Eric Ferguson and that she did not care about such matters anymore. However, she could still be so easily hurt by his simple remark. That numbing dense pain was particrly familiar to her. She had gotten through this pain with clenched teeth countless times before. ''The only person Eric Ferguson would willingly hurt has always been me...¡¯ Nicole suddenly felt a warm and strong hand holding her right hand tightly. She was stunned for a moment and looked back at Ian. Ian raised his eyebrows and had a glint in his eyes. "Mr. Ferguson, it seems that Wendy Quade is truly special to you. I''m concerned about your tastes in women. If I were you, I''d rather blind myself than take one look at her." Ian¡¯s words calmed Nicole down. She paused for a moment to gather her expression. When she raised her eyes again, they were filled with coldness. She scoffed. "Mr. Ferguson, you still don''t get it, huh? I''m the one calling the shots. I gave you a choice, so you can only choose among them and have no right to change the options." Nicole hooked her lips and sneered. She slowly raised the car window, withdrew her gaze, then stepped on the gas pedal and drove off into the night. She did not nce at the man left behind. "Lil N, look at you! Weren¡¯t you so confident when you were inside? Why did you be such a wimp aftering out?" Ian and Nicole grew up together and knew each other well, so he knew what she was thinking with just one nce. He tore down her mask and still did not let go o f her hand. The corners of his lips were still curled up. Nicole retracted her hand andughed self-deprecatingly. "I know I''m a fool..." Ian paused, then reached out to stroke her head. His voice was gentle as he said, "Don¡¯t be scared, you still have me, alright?" Nicole smiled, withdrew her thoughts, and said in an indifferent voice, "How can I be scared to lose something I never had? So... I''m not scared of anything.¡± She would not give Eric Ferguson a chance to hurt her again. ''So he chose Wendy Quade, huh? I guess his family heirloom will be lost forever...¡¯ Inside the parking lot. Keith panted as he ran over to the tall and well-built Eric, who was just standing in ce. He stared at the man strangely. "Didn''t youe here to try out my new car? I''m freezing to death! Why are you just standing there?" Eric''s gaze was cold and sullen. "Nothing." Keith breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly, he swept a nce at the car next to him and saw a dent in the door. He then squatted down and stroked it, feeling anxious, angry, and heartbroken at this moment. He just wanted to jump up and curse at the culprit. "My beloved car! I only had it for less than three days... Which son of a b*tch did this?! I''m gonna kill them!" Chapter 85 Get Away From Me Chapter 85 Get Away From Me Eric Ferguson looked at Keith Ludwig coldly as he felt a suffocating and irritating pain in his chest. For some reason, Eric was annoyed when he saw that Nicole did not reject Ian from holding her hand earlier. Keith continued chattering on the side. "You didn¡¯t see who did it?! Who''d damage my beloved car? I ordered it from Europe and it came in a special shipment after floating at sea for more than half a month! That son of a b*tch!¡± Stanton Corporation. A few dayster, Samantha Lindt was officially kicked out of thepany and charged with leaking trade secrets. Thepany''s supervisory board began to investigate the ounts handled by Micah Zielinski. They found that Micah Zielinski had sold off three percent of his shares at a high price long ago and that he was just a titr shareholder that fooled everyone. When Logan reported this matter to Nicole, she was leisurely sipping her cup of coffee and only narrowed her eyes. Logan could not grasp Nicole''s thoughts. ''Is she not anxious about such a big thing?'' "Vice President Nicole, should I investigate who he sold his shares to?" If Micah Zielinski sold his shares to a rivalpany, they would be in dangerous waters. Nicoleughed lightly, picked up a document from the side, and threw it on the desk. "My brother¡¯s been prepared for this long ago. How could he let hispany''s shares fall into the hands of others?¡± Logan was curious and took a look. The assignee on it was actually Nicole! ¡¯What a great covert move!'' "Micah Zielinski unknowingly sold his shares to President Stanton¡¯s representative, who then sold them to you?" Logan asked. Nicole raised her eyebrows and smiled gently. "Yup." Grant Stanton had more foresight than anyone else. H e started nning this early on. Micah Zielinski''s shares were just a little wee gift he prepared for Nicole. Grant''s flight was scheduled tondter that day, so Nicole dragged Kai, who was resting at home, to pick Grant up at the airport. Not wanting to cause another sensation like thest airport pickup, Nicole and Kai waited in the parking lot, each with a cup of coffee in hand. There were only a few people around, so it was quiet. In a few minutes, Grant showed up in a low profile. Nicole recognized his tall, upright figure and handsome eyebrows right away. Nicole quickly got out of the car and ran over with her arms wide open to wee him, then hugged his neck like a ko bear, not letting go. "Wee home, Big Brother!" Grant let out a helplessugh. "You missed me so much?" "Yeah, I missed you! Where¡¯s my present?" Kai also got out of the car excitedly and opened his arms to hug him just as Nicole did. "Wee home, Big Brother!" N?velDrama.Org (C) content. However, before he could touch Grant¡¯s neck, Grant pushed him away with one hand. "Get away from me!" Kai was speechless. Nicoleughed at the side while Grant''s assistant came over from behind, lugging seven or eight suitcases. Nicole finally let go of Grant and swept a nce at the suitcases. She was surprised that her brother had so much luggage. On the other side, Kai grunted coldly and was so vexed that he spat out some harsh words. "I''m gonna disown you guys!" "Alright, goodbye then!" Grant raised his eyebrows and turned to stroke Nicole''s hair. "Don''t mind him. Let''s g o home... I bought you several boxes of gifts and I''m sure you¡¯ll like them. You can take your pick first and give one or two things you don''t like to Kai." Kai, who was walking in the front, stopped in his tracks. He looked so aggrieved and angry as he red at his siblings at the back. He gritted his teeth and said, "Can''t you be more discreet when you say things like that?!" ''I¡¯m the most miserable and insubstantial movie star i n the world!'' Kai thought. The group of assistants behind the Stanton siblings were baffled and panted as they carefully carried severalrge boxes. Chapter 86 Special Guest Chapter 86 Special Guest The car returned to the Stanton mansion, and the three siblings went inside. Mr. Anderson was overjoyed and immediately instructed the maids to prepare dinner. Even in Floyd Stanton¡¯s absence, every corner of the vi was cleaned every day. Mr. Anderson had been working as a butler in the Stanton mansion for more than thirty years and had never made a mistake. The three siblings finally got together, so they drank some wine to celebrate. Kai staggered around like a madman, dancing with the music. He did not look a bit like the superstar he was. If his fans saw him at this moment, they would probably turn their backs on him. Nicole spread out all the gifts Grant brought back for her on the floor and sat there to pick out her favorite ones. These priceless collectibles from private collectors abroad were worth more than those luxury brands. She was feeling a little tipsy when her phone rang. It was a call from Julie Nixon, so Nicole happily answered it. With a simple hand gesture, the butler immediately understood what Nicole meant and went up to put these gifts in her room while she was talking on the phone. "Jules, are you back?" Julie responded and was upfront with Nicole. "Clear out your schedule tomorrow night. I can''t do without you for the opening of my big show. Come over with Yvette, okay?" Nicole fully supported her bestie''s career. Moreover, Julie¡¯s fashion shows were always interesting. "No problem. I''ll be there!" Julie paused for a moment and said, "Can you bring along your third brother as well..." Nicole was surprised. Julie and Kai had never interacted much, so Nicole was wondering how she should invite him to the show. Julie coughed slightly and exined, "He''s a big movie star, so his appearance will increase my show''s coverage and stature. If others see that I can¡¯t even invite an A-lister to my show, what will they think of me?" Nicoleughed and walked into her room. "Don''t be modest. Your tickets are so hard to get that everyone''s fighting over it. Who doesn''t know how trendy Share i s right now? But since you asked, I''ll bring Kai with m e. Don''t worry!" In the beginning, the domestic fashion trends were led by international brands. Two years ago, Julie Nixon won an international fashion design award and founded her mysterious private fashion shows in which she would reveal her designs little by little. Her shows took the fashion industry by storm and received international acmation. This year¡¯s private show was held back home in Mediania. Since it was a private show with limited seating, Julie would send out these invitations personally after careful consideration and selection. The people who could get an invitation to her fashion show were from the mysterious gentry circle. Everyone wanted to see the legendary Share fashion show. "Thanks!" Julie breathed a sigh of relief and hung up the phone. Nicole put down the phone and sent a message to Kai informing him about his attendance for tomorrow night¡¯s show. Without waiting for his reply, Nicole turned off her phone and went to bed. The next morning, Yvette called Nicole to shop for a new outfit for Julie''s show. Since Grant was back, Nicole took this opportunity to take a break from work and dly agreed to a shopping spree. The twodies made an appointment with the store before going. When the store manager saw Nicole and Yvette, her eyes lit up and she excitedly weed them at the door. "Wee, Ms. Stanton and Ms. Quimbey. We have specially cleared the store for you today and everyone here is dedicated to serving your needs." The store manager spoke amiably. Nicole chuckled and said, "We want to keep a low profile, so there''s no need to be so troublesome. We''ll just take a look upstairs and won''t dy your business." "Um..." "Just do as she says. Let''s not waste time." Yvette urged. "As you wish,dies." The store manager nodded andplied with the guests'' request. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. The second floor was brightly lit and the table was filled with exquisite small desserts specially ordered from Michelin-star restaurants. There was also a luxurious scent in the store. "Ladies, would you like a drink? We''ve specially prepared a selection of fine European wine exclusive for our VVVIPs. The low alcohol percentage makes it quite befitting for casual drinking. Would you like to try it?" The store manager rmended their value-added services for the important guests. Nicole and Yvette nced at each other, then answered, "Sure, we''ll have a ss then." The wine was very fragrant. Nicole knew at first nce that this kind of wine without a brand was not for sale to the public and was only avable for private collection. Just as the store manager mentioned, it was very exclusive. Nicole and Yvette sat on the sofa while the store manager handed them an iPad that had a catalog of their brand''s limited edition collection. The store manager adjusted the ambient light on the second floor. With a light p, a stream of models with simr figures to Nicole and Yvette came out from the back wearing the sample clothes. Thus, the did not even need to lift their feet. While Yvette and Nicole were watching intently, they suddenly heard a noise downstairs. "Where is everyone? Is this how you serve your customers?" Nicole nced in the direction of the voice and saw Wendy Quade and Ingrid Ferguson standing at the entrance. ''Damn it... If I''d known earlier, I would''ve let them clear out the store...'' Chapter 87 Mind Your Breathing Chapter 87 Mind Your Breathing Wendy Quade looked up and was slightly stunned to see Nicole upstairs gently swirling a ss of wine in her hand, looking very rxed. However, Nicole did not bother to look at them and continued to watch the models in front of her. Ingrid and Wendy walked to the stairs but were stopped by the staff in the store. "Sorry, the second floor is closed to the public." Ingrid was infuriated. "What did you say? What right d o you have to stop us? I''m your VIP guest, so why can''t I go upstairs?! Your service attitude is horrible! Just wait till I file aint against you and make you lose your job!" 1 The staff smiled and spoke politely, "I''m sorry, but we have important guests upstairs that cannot be disturbed. The first floor is still open for other customers. If you wish to go to the second floor, please "No, I have an important event to attend in the evening, so it has to be today!¡± Ingrid was a snob and full of herself. ''I''m the Young Lady of the Ferguson family! Who dares to neglect me?'' The staff had a difficult look on her face. "Ms. Ferguson, I''m sorry, but it''s really not possible.¡± Wendy pulled Ingrid''s arm from the side. "Forget it... Perhaps they do have some important people upstairs ... Let¡¯s just stay on the first floor." This was a p in the face for a snob like Ingrid. ''Who dares to offend me in the whole of Anta?'' Ingrid sneered. She shoved the staff aside and headed upstairs. "I must go to the second floor! If that guest of yours doesn''t want to share a space, kick them out!" The staff could not stop her, so she could only follow i n a panic. "No, Ms. Ferguson..." A triumphant smirk shed across Wendy¡¯s face. Nicole noticed themotion downstairs and thought, ''These clowns!'' The store manager also heard themotion and nced at Nicole apologetically. She walked over intending to stop Ingrid, but it was toote. Ingrid had already reached the top of the stairs. When Ingrid saw Nicole, her face stiffened. She did not expect that the important guest was Nicole. Yvette snorted coldly. "I was just thinking who that uncivilized person might be... Turns out it¡¯s Ms. Ferguson. I don''t think there''s anyone in the entire city that¡¯s as boorish as her..." Ingrid was ridiculed and gritted her teeth in anger." Hmph! So it¡¯s you guys... Did you buy out the second floor? Why can¡¯t other peoplee up?" "Because we like it. What do you care?¡± Yvette raised her eyebrows as she retorted. Nicole shook her wine ss insouciantly. It was a pity that such fine wine and this wonderful atmosphere were so crudely ruined. Wendy came forward and looked at Nicole with a smile. "Nicole, it''s been a long time since we met." "Quit that act. Who wants to see you?" Yvette had the worst impression of Wendy Quade. Wendy was such a maniptive two-faced b*tch that liked to act all innocent to gain everyone''s sympathy. She was the most wicked person Yvette knew. Nicole looked down and did not pay any attention to Wendy. The atmosphere was awkward for a while. The store manager saw this and immediately understood that thesedies knew each other but did not get along. ¡°Sorry, these twodies came upstairs first. Can you two please wait downstairs for a moment?" "Why should we wait?" Ingrid was dissatisfied and needed to vent her anger on someone. ''It¡¯s all Nicole¡¯s fault that Grandpa is mad at me for not getting his emerald pipe back! Brother also didn''t help me because of her!'' "Yeah, we all know each other anyway. Why don''t we join our sessions since the models are already disying the clothes? This service isn''t usually offered to guests, so it''s just as well we can all enjoy it. Nicole, you wouldn''t mind, right?" Wendy''s voice was gentle as she spoke. The store manager paused and was just thinking of a way to kick them out when she heard Nicole''s lightughter. ''Does she think that I''ll be cordial in front of everyone, that I''d put up with her like before? Dream on!'' Nicole thought. Nicole lifted her head nonchntly to look straight at Wendy with a cold gaze. "I do mind... Because This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. your breathing bothers me." Chapter 88 Kick Them Out Chapter 88 Kick Them Out Nicole curled her lips into a cold smile and watched a s Wendy''s fake smile gradually stiffened and This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. shattered. She was extremely satisfied. "Hear that? Why are you still here? How thick-skinned are you to freeload off our treatment? Ms. Quade, please be more self-conscious." Yvette sneered. Seeing this, the store manager feared that Nicole would be upset and immediately made her position clear. She turned to Ingrid Ferguson and Wendy Quade and said, "Ladies, please head downstairs. Our staff will attend to you shortly." Wendy¡¯s face was glum. Ingrid was even more furious because this was a p in the face for her. If word got out, Ingrid''s reputation among the high-societydies would go down the drain! "No! I want to see what kind of clothes Nicole has her eyes on. I have plenty of money, so I''ll buy whatever she wants!" Ingrid wanted to unt her wealth to gain back her reputation, especially in front of Nicole. Nicole was slightly stunned and raised an eyebrow. " You''re buying it?" "Yes, I''ll buy it all!" Ingrid sneered, then looked at the store manager smugly. "Kick them out of here now!" The store manager could hardly maintain her smile and looked torn. ''Ms. Ferguson''s princess attitude is s o difficult to deal with...¡¯ Nicole smiled and looked at the store manager. "Since Ms. Ferguson wants it, just wrap up everything that I picked earlier and give it to her." The store manager froze and felt surprised that Nicole did not look the slightest bit angry. She then nodded and did as she was told. "Alright.¡± The store manager then told the staff to take out all the clothes Nicole picked earlier. Nicole looked at Ingrid in the back and said nonchntly, "Ms. Ferguson, you wouldn''t think that they''re too expensive and return themter, right?" The store manager was stunned. If Ms. Ferguson returned all of these, the store would sustain substantial losses! Ingrid heard this and thought that Nicole was simply trying her patience. "Return them? I''d rather throw it away than return the things I buy!¡± Ingrid lifted her chin arrogantly and thought, ''Nicole i s just a sugar baby that depends on her man yet she acts like she¡¯s really from a rich family?¡¯ Nicole took out her phone and yed the recording of their conversation earlier. "Ms. Ferguson, you wouldn''t think that they''re too expensive and return themter, right?" "Return them? I''d rather throw it away than return the things I buy!" Ingrid froze and her expression changed slightly." What are you trying to do?" Nicole looked at the store manager with a smile. "This is proof of what Ms. Ferguson said. If Ms. Ferguson returns these items, you can show her friends how '' generous¡¯ Ms. Ferguson is when they Ingrid was so mad that her face turned red. She sneered and said, "I''m the Young Lady of the Ferguson family, so why won''t I be able to afford a few pieces of clothing? Nicole, do you think everyone''s as broke as you?" ''I''ll buy it all!¡¯ Ingrid thought. Nicoleughed and sent the recording to the store manager, who looked at Nicole gratefully and was obviously relieved. She turned back to Yvette and smiled, "Let''s go. I¡¯m afraid we won''t be able to get anything today thanks t o the generous Young Lady Ferguson." Yvette raised her eyebrows and stood up with her purse in hand. "Sigh... I guess it''s time to admit defeat." The two of them then walked downstairs unhurriedly... The store manager came over with the list of items Nicole had just chosen and said, "Ms. Ferguson, the total amount is $6.49 million. Please look through it." Ingrid''s head felt like it was exploding. Her face stiffened. The smile on her face faded as her face flushed red. She lookedpletely shocked. " What?!" Ingrid only thought that it woulde out to be a few hundred thousand dors. Even if it was one or two million, she would still be able to ept it. However, Ingrid''s allowance was deducted by Old Master Ferguson as a punishment for losing the emerald pipe, and the little money she had was not enough for her to survive. "The items Ms. Nicole chose are thetest haute couture dresses of the season which are not yet avable in Mediania, so there''s no discount on the price.¡± The store manager said euphemistically as she looked at Ingrid with sympathy. ''Ms. Ferguson was so bold earlier... Is she starting to wimp out now?'' Ingrid bit her lower lip. Her face turned pale as she thought, ''No wonder Nicole recorded that to make sure I won''t return these... Is she looking down on me, thinking that I can¡¯t afford it?'' 1 Wendy Quade frowned as she looked at Ingrid and carefully proposed. "How about this... We can give your brother a call? I can call him for you...¡± Yvette and Nicole, who had reached the entrance of the store, heard Wendy''s proposal. Nicole''s face was expressionless, but Yvette snorted and said, "You can''t even spend this amount yet you wanted to unt in front of us?" Nicole smirked and said, "Just leave her be..." She did not have to be concerned about this. Chapter 89 Make You Shine Chapter 89 Make You Shine Wendy Quade made a phone call and walked over to pat Ingrid¡¯s shoulder. "Don''t worry, Eric''sing over soon. He didn''t say anything.¡± Business Convention Center. Eric Ferguson walked out of the conference room, hung up the phone, and had a cold and detached look i n his eyes. His custom-made suit set off his ascetic elite persona. His assistant, Mitchell, was waiting on the side and went up to greet him. "President." "Go to Ingrid and settle the bill, then give the things to Nicole.¡± Although Wendy said that Nicole willingly gave Ingrid these clothes and did not mention what happened, Eric was doubtful that Ingrid did not do anything to Nicole. Mitchell was slightly stunned. "Send it to Ms. Nicole?" He wanted to confirm once again. "Yes." Eric only said one word. "Yes, sir." Mitchell nodded and left. When Mitchell arrived at the store, Ingrid had already endured enough of the staff''s wandering gaze. Although they looked polite, it felt like they were allughing at her when she was not looking. If it were not for the recording in the hands of the store manager, Ingrid would have just left the store without hesitation, but now she could not. "Ms. Ferguson, Ms. Quade..." Mitchell nodded at thedies and went to settle the bill. Ingrid walked over arrogantly and looked at the staff." I''m the Young Lady of the Ferguson family, so of course I can afford this stuff. I just left my wallet at home, yet my brother immediately sent someone over." "Ms. Ferguson, we have wrapped up the items for you. Should we carry them to your car?" The store manager asked politely. Ingrid waved her hand. "Of course..." "Wait." Mitchell raised his hand. "Send the things to M s. Nicole''s address. If you don''t have her address, send it to Stanton Corporation." "What do you mean?" Ingrid stared at him in shock." Why are you sending it to Nicole? These are my stuff!" Wendy, who was on the side, was also shocked. Her smile stiffened as she said, "This is Ingrid¡¯s Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. things. Nicole has already given it to Ingrid and left." Mitchell shed a detached and polite smile. "This is the President''s order. I¡¯m just doing as he instructed.¡± He nced at the store manager and nodded. The store manager immediately acted on it. Whoever paid for the items had the final say. Wendy''s face gradually became gloomy and clenched her fists. Ingrid stomped her feet in anger and cursed. "How could she?! Nicole set me up! Even my brother won''t help me..." She wanted to call Eric for rification, but Eric ignored her calls. On the other hand, Nicole and Yvette each held an ice cream cone and went back to Nicole''s office. Yvette even called Julie on the way to tell her about what had just happened. Julie sneered and said, "I''ve already prepared your outfits for tonight. You two just need to show up. Also, what are you two thinking abouting to my ce and wearing another designer''s clothes? Is that not a p in my face?" Nicole and Yvette kept quiet. Julie Nixon was among the few of them to start a business first. She was from a rich family but did not rely on her family background and single-handedly achieved her current sess. In the past, Julie would always point out fashion faux pas on the streets. She then went to Europe for training. Afterward, she came back to Mediania to establish her own brand, Share. Julie''s experiences were simply legendary! Julie was a strong independent woman that was very capable and decisive, which was quite intimidating to many others. However, to Nicole and Yvette, Julie was their bestie and the same little girl they knew back then. Nicole coughed slightly and tried to talk her way out o f this situation. "Uh... We were just trying to make you shine brighter!" "Save it. You two had better be on time tonight! Or else ..." Julie threatened them. Nicole and Yvette nced at each other. When they entered the lobby of Stanton Corporation, the receptionist called out to Nicole. "Vice President Nicole, someone sent you some things Chapter 90 Shes a Trash Can Chapter 90 She''s a Trash Can Nicole walked over perplexed and saw the understated yet luxurious packaging with the familiar brand logo on it. Yvette looked down and picked one o f the bags up. "Huh? Aren''t these the items you just picked in the store?¡± ''They are!¡¯ These clothes looked so familiar. Nicole frowned and was puzzled. ¡®Didn''t Ingrid swoop in to buy them? How did these appear here then?'' The receptionist exined, "The store manager sent them over personally saying that these are already paid for by Mr. Ferguson." ¡®Eric Ferguson?'' Nicole¡¯s eyes sank slightly. ''He must¡¯ve done this just for the emerald pipe, but I don''t appreciate it.¡¯ Yvette let out a coldugh. "Eric Ferguson? What does he mean by this?" Nicole looked up indifferently. "Have someone send these to Ferguson Corporation and return it to him." The receptionist was stunned because she initially thought that Vice President Nicole was getting back together with Eric Ferguson. It looked like that was not happening any time soon. "Yes, ma''am." The receptionist looked down and called for the courier. "If he''s willing to be an imbecile, just keep it. It''ll really piss off Ingrid Ferguson and Wendy Quade!" Yvette suggested. Nicole looked at her andughed lightly. "I can¡¯t afford to wear what he gives me and I don¡¯t want to owe him a dime!" ''He hasn''t taken the initiative to give me any gifts during our three years of marriage, let alone clothes. Now he''s trying to be unctuous after our divorce? Isn''t he ridiculous?¡¯ Yvette raised her eyebrow. "You''re right." When the items were returned to Ferguson Corporation, Mitchell looked at the ground and sighed, then reluctantly went to the President''s office. Mitchell knocked on the door. "President..." Eric raised his head. His eyes were cold. "What is it?" "The items sent to Stanton Corporation were sent back here..." Mitchell looked at Eric, who frowned with a glum face, then continued, "I think that Ms. Nicole may not like these. Otherwise, why would Ms. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Nicole give it up to Ms. Ferguson?" Mitchell did not want to send the items to Nicole again knowing that she clearly did not want anything from Eric. It would just be wasted effort. Eric paused slightly and faintly withdrew his gaze." Then forget it." After all, Nicole did not put up with anyone after the divorce. Mitchell breathed a sigh of relief. "Then the clothes..." "Just send it to Ingrid then." "Yes, sir." When the clothes were sent to the Ferguson Vi, Ingrid''s mood that had just been alleviated, became worse all of a sudden. She was agitated and jolted up, then raised her voice." What is this?! I''m getting what Nicole doesn''t want? A m I a trash can?" Wendy¡¯s face stiffened as she watched. She gritted her teeth as she stared at the expensive clothes and suppressed the waves of hatred surging at the bottom of her heart. She gentlyforted Ingrid, "It''s alright. Nicole probably knew that she didn''t pay for these and was too ashamed to ept it. It took a lot of effort for me t o entrust someone to get the tickets to tonight''s show. Let''s just wear these since it¡¯s befitting for our identity.¡± Ingrid could only put up with this because the tickets were very hard toe by. None of the high- societydies in their circle got the invitation to this fashion show even though everyone tried through all kinds of channels. However, the mysterious designer, Nixon, only did things to her liking. Whether they could get invitations to this show became a show of status among the gentry circle. Thus, when Ingrid learned that Wendy got them tickets, she was ted. Once they got into the fashion show, Ingrid nned to post a picture on social media so that others would envy her. ''I must be the most stunning one there!'' Ingrid thought. Wendy knew that Ingrid''s dream was to go to this show, so she looked for her uncle, who contacted Keith Ludwig, who then sought out Hendrick Carter¡¯s former friends to get these tickets. Wendy used so many connections and took a lot of effort to get these two tickets just to please Ingrid Ferguson as a stepping stone into the Ferguson family. Chapter 91 Galactic Chapter 91 Gctic This exclusive private fashion show was held at an impressive manor with exquisite and opulent decor. Once the guests entered the venue, they could see the starry sky overhead and the Milky Way. It was very awe-inspiring as they felt like they were in the vast universe. Kai followed behind Nicole and Yvette, then looked around in amazement. "Hmm... Not bad!" Nicole rolled her eyes at him and lifted her chin with honor. "That¡¯s for sure! There are only three people from showbiz who got invited, and you''re one of them." "I''m truly honored," Kai said with a smile. His handsome face was even more charming and profound. "Nikki!" Julie walked over. When she saw Kai at the back, she paused for a moment, then greeted him with a smile. "Wee, Mr. Superstar." Kai hooked his lips. "Jules, are you nning to dominate the fashion circle?" Julie blushed slightly andughed with her head bowed. She then lifted her head to look at him. "Mr. Superstar, you''re one to talk." "Haha, you don¡¯t even remember my name now?" Kai put his hands in his pockets in a leisurely posture as h e teased her. Julie''s smile deepened. Her eyes were glowing as she looked at him. "Kai, are you pulling my leg?¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Kaiughed in satisfaction. "I''m just having some fun. You girls go ahead then. I¡¯ll just sit around somewhere.¡± Julie nodded and shifted her gaze back to her besties. She held Nicole and Yvette¡¯s hands and said, "Let''s go get ready." Nicole and Yvette did not see Julie''s abnormalities because they were only focused on the beautiful surroundings. 1 "This is too beautiful! Your work hasn''t even appeared yet and it¡¯s already a hit!¡± Nicole could not help but praise her. Julie raised her eyebrows and looked helplessly at the girls. "Speaking of which, you two are my partners, but you''re not helping at all, huh?¡± If Julie did not mention it, Nicole would have forgotten that she was a partner. Julie was short of funds when she first set up Share, so Nicole and Yvette chipped in and did not want it back. Thus, Julie made them both shareholders. Although they did not have many shares, they were still Julie''s partners by name. Yvette smiled with squinted eyes and quickly changed the topic. "Where are our dresses?" Julie had someone roll out the three custom-made dresses on a rack covered with ayer of white tulle, then pped her hands in satisfaction. "Try it on." Nicole and Yvette impatiently opened it. Their eyes were filled with awe and they audibly gasped when they saw the dresses. "The theme of this show is ''Gctic''. The ssic gxy design is a cliche even though it''s certainly stunning. My idea of ''Gctic'' aims to show the huge possibilities for women. We can be princesses, queens, knights, or whoever we want to be. Each of the dresses has a unique constetion. As long as women exist, we light up the world like the millions of stars in the gxy." Julie smiled with satisfaction and picked up the exquisite white satin gown in the middle. The off- shoulder design had irregrly dotted blue and purple Baby''s-breath flowers all over. Its fishtail hem was embellished with shimmering dark purple pearls that glowed in the light with a mysterious noble aura. "Nikki, this is tailored for you. Try it on. It''s the main gown in the Cassiopeia Collection." Nicole excitedly took it. This dress was even more stunning than what she saw earlier today shopping in a luxury brand store. "Yvette, this is yours from the Gemini Collection." Julie took her own gown and the threedies went into their respective rooms to change into them. When they came out, everyone could not help but marvel at the gown Nicole was wearing. She was simply stunning. The front of the dress had a deep neckline, but the Baby''s-breath flowers covered the vital parts, adding to its divinity. The fitted-waist design outlined Nicole''s slender figure. The long skirt embellished with the shimmering purple pearls touched the floor. It looked as if the entire constetion was draped over her body. "It''s so beautiful!¡± The staff on the side could not help but admire the dress on Nicole. Chapter 92 Her Finale Chapter 92 Her Finale Yvette also looked at Nicole in surprise. Although Yvette''s gown was also beautiful, Nicole¡¯s dress made her exude such mour and elegance, especially when she smiled. Julie''s eyes lit up and immediately told the makeup artist toplete Nicole''s look. She then patted Nicole on the shoulder and said, "You need to be the finale." She did not even give Nicole a chance to object and turned to the staff, ordering them to readjust the sequence. Nicole was dumbfounded. Yvetteughed and went u p to her. "Yes, that¡¯s great! Our Nikki Baby should be in the limelight!" Julie dragged Yvette over. ¡°Don¡¯t think you can just ck off... You¡¯ll open the show.¡± Yvette was puzzled. "Huh?" Once Julie arranged everything, she left the coordinator in charge backstage and went to the front to see the effect of her show. The guests had all arrived. After everyone had exchanged pleasantries, they sat quietly in their seats and waited for the opening walk. Besides the spotlights on the runway, the surrounding area was dark, so it was impossible to distinguish people''s faces. It was designed as such to ensure the best experience for the guests as it would deter guests from talking to each other during the show. The music had already begun and everything was going very smoothly. Although Yvette was given notice at thest minute to do the opening walk, she was not the least bit afraid o r worried about failure due to her innate confidence. Yvette was beautiful, so the moment she stepped out onto the runway, she had already captured everyone''s attention and caused quite a stir in the crowd below. The crowd''s amazement at her look and appraisal of her made Yvette very satisfied. She then calmly walked off the stage. Yvette gently swept a nce and saw the two women sitting in the second row. The corners of her lips hooked up seductively before she disappeared backstage. The audience was nervous, expectant, andter fascinated by the wonderful theme that was simply phenomenal. Everyone held their breaths as they watched the show and refused to miss any of the designs. Yvette skipped up to the second floor to look for Nicole, whose long hair was pulled up to reveal her long and slender neck. She looked so beautiful. Since i t was still too early for her to go onstage, Nicole was in no hurry. "Guess who I saw?!¡¯¡¯ Nicole gently lifted her chin with a cold gaze. She had noticed Ingrid Ferguson and Wendy Quade long ago. Those two watched the stage excitedly and probably did not recognize that the model who had just gone onstage was Yvette. Otherwise, they would not be so calm. "Why are they even here?" Yvette looked at them in disdain. "Whatever. We¡¯ll talk about it after the show ends smoothly." Of course, the show was what mattered most. After a while, the staff came up to remind her. "Ms. Nicole, it''s almost your turn. Please get ready." At a dim corner in the venue, Keith Ludwig came close to Eric Ferguson and whispered, "You should look up. This show really lives up to its name of being the trendiest fashion show. It¡¯s so much more interesting than those international fashion shows pretending to be high fashion. The models here are so pretty, much better than your ex-wife. If you fancy one of them, just say the word-- WTF!¡± Before Keith could finish his sentence, he looked like h e had seen a ghost when he saw the woman who had just stepped onto the runway. He rubbed his eyes and froze in shock. ''That woman is- Nicole?!¡¯ Eric subconsciously looked up. He was shaken for a moment before his gaze was locked onto that model. The corners of Nicole''s lips held a faint smile. Her eyes were cold and elegant. The blue and purple Baby''s -breath flowers covered the parts of her body that protruded in the right ces. Her slim waist and slender figure strutting down the runway exuded such grace and grandeur. She was extremely eye-catching with her iparable beauty and fully embodied the magnificence of the gxy. The moment Nicole appeared on the stage, she stole everyone''s attention. The audience was so awestruck that they even breathed carefully. However, Nicole was calm as she walked down the runway, stopped for a moment, did a gorgeous turn, and moved in style. Julie saw the crowd''s reaction and knew that she had made the right decision choosing Nicole for the closing walk! Only Nicole could disy the full potential of this dress. From where Ingrid and Wendy were sitting, they could only see the general outline of the model''s features and did not pay close attention to what this woman actually looked like. Ingrid excitedly tugged on Wendy¡¯s arm. "Wendy, this dress is so beautiful, elegant, and luxurious! I wanna take a picture with this modelter. Her figure is amazing. Is she a famous model from abroad? I Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. must post this on social media!¡± That way, those high-societydies would believe that she had attended a Share fashion show! Wendy frowned and had aplicated gaze. ''Was I mistaken? How could Nicolee to such a high- end private event? How could she be the model for the finale? I must¡¯ve been mistaken!'' 1 Chapter 93 Never Worn a Wedding Dress Chapter 93 Never Worn a Wedding Dress When the show was over, the venue immediately resounded with thunderous apuse. Julie Nixon was calm and collected as she went on stage to say a few words. Everyone eagerly awaited the after- party. Many media personnel went up and asked Julie who was the model for the finale and whether Julie had hired a supermodel from abroad at a high price. Julieughed and simply asked someone to call Nicole over. "This model isn''t an international supermodel, she''s my partner, Nicole." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Nicole smiled and nodded calmly. She was still wearing that dress. Everyone eagerly took pictures of her. Cameras shed continuously, but Nicole was extremely cooperative and just stood there to let everyone take pictures of her. After all, Nicole wanted to help Julie and give her brand good publicity. The invited media were well-known in the fashion industry in the country and abroad. A foreign reporter asked, "The design of this gown looks like a bridal dress. Ms. Nicole, you walked so skillfully in this dress. Have you ever had experience in wearing wedding gowns?" Julie froze for a moment and wanted to stop them from asking questions, but Nicole smiled indifferently and said in a light tone, "No, I''ve never worn a wedding dress." Eric Ferguson, who was walking towards them, heard these words and felt his body stiffen slightly. The look in his eyes instantly becameplicated. ''It¡¯s true that she''s never worn a wedding dress. We didn¡¯t even have a wedding and didn''t take any wedding photos... How could there be asions for her to wear a wedding dress?¡¯ The only connection between them was their marriage license that turned into a divorce certificate. They were only married in name and had nothing else. Eric was stingy with Nicole about everything except money. For a moment, Eric¡¯s chest seemed to be hit like he had been pped by Nicole. Keith paused in his footsteps on the side. "It is really her..." Nicole saw Eric standing not far away and faintly retracted her gaze. She answered a few more questions and left with Julie. Naturally, Julie also saw Eric and said unhappily, "I clearly didn''t give them tickets. How dare they show u p uninvited?¡± Nicoleughed. "With their status and ability, isn''t it easy to get a few tickets?" What was more, this was Eric¡¯s turf. Julie grunted in exasperation. When someone came over to exchange pleasantries, she immediately greeted them with a smile. Nicole then went upstairs t o look for Yvette. Nicole did not want to see those irritating faces. On the other hand, Ingrid pulled Wendy over seemingly looking for someone. She would go up to every staff member she saw and ask them, "Where¡¯s the model for the finale?¡± Finally, someone managed to give her directions. "I just saw that she went upstairs..." Wendy spotted Eric and wanted to go to him, but she did not want to leave Ingrid behind either. "Why don''t we just look for the modelter?" "We''ll just take a picture and go. It''ll be quick. That model was so beautiful! How good would it be if this kind of woman married my brother..." Ingrid thought that only a decent and graceful woman like that who could capture the hearts of many was worthy enough of her brother. ''Even if she''s a model, she''s already way better than Nicole!¡¯ Wendy''s face stiffened when she heard this and quickly said, "How could your brother fancy a model? Models have a very messy private life and are basically escorts who drink and sleep with whoever that can pay them..." The people upstairs heard this and looked at each other with a smile. Yvette sneered and raised her voice. "If you look down on us, then don''te. Who invited you anyway?¡± Ingrid stopped in her tracks and did not expect that others would overhear their conversation, then cast a reproachful nce at Wendy. As soon as they got upstairs, they saw Yvette sitting in front of the dressing table, staring at them mockingly. Both Ingrid and Wendy were stunned. "It¡¯s you?!" Nicole sat on the chair next to Yvette with her back to them. She kept her head down as she was ying with her phone and did not even lift her head, ignoring their presence. Yvetteughed, sized them up, and snickered. "Why can''t it be me? Oh wow, you''re both wearing the clothes Nicole didn''t want?" Ingrid''s face turned red with anger and wanted to teach her a lesson, but she did not forget her main purpose ofing over. "I won¡¯t bother with you. Hey, finale model, I wanna take a picture with you!" Chapter 94 Its You Who Should Get Out Chapter 94 It''s You Who Should Get Out The moment Wendy Quade saw Yvette, her expression changed. ''If Yvette coulde, then does it mean that Nicole was also here...? I wasn''t mistaken?'' In an instant, Wendy clenched her fist and had her gaze affixed to the woman sitting with her back facing them. "Are you deaf? Come and take pictures with me!¡± Ingrid was annoyed that she was ignored by a model. Yvette chuckled and looked like she was ready to watch Ingrid make a fool of herself. "Who the hell are you? Why should anyone listen to you?¡± Ingrid gritted her teeth. "It has nothing to do with you! Mind your own business!¡± She looked at the model who was still unmoved. "Hey, you! I''m the Young Lady of the Ferguson family. How much do you want to be willing to take a picture with me?" 1 ¡¯What''s so big of a deal?'' Ingrid thought. Ingrid only wanted to show off to her friends. Otherwise, she would not have asked for a photo. In the past, Ingrid was used to others surrounding her and asking her for a picture. Nicole raised her eyes in annoyance. ''Can¡¯t I have a moment of peace?'' "Young Lady of the Ferguson Family, huh? I don''t recall seeing you on the guestlist..." Nicole finally spoke and turned around, sweeping a cold and sharp gaze at Ingrid and Wendy. ''They should be counting their blessings that I didn''t find fault with them. They even dare to find trouble with me? They really have a death wish!'' Ingrid was shocked and said in disbelief, "You... It''s you?!" ''That beautiful model is actually Nicole?! Nicole even did the closing walk for this coveted fashion show? How is she so calm and stunning?!¡¯ "Yeah, it''s me. Is there a problem?" Nicole looked at her indifferently. Ingrid¡¯s face was glum. She had already been humiliated by Nicole earlier today, and now, she was standing here getting pissed off by Nicole once again. "Hmph! Quit pretending to be elegant and high-fashion. Even if you wear such a beautiful dress, you will never get rid of that smell of poverty on you! I think that I''ve been cursed to see you two wherever I g o!" Ingrid no longer wanted to take a picture with Nicole because that would only pull down her status. Yvetteughed in exasperation. "Hahaha! You''re saying that we smell of poverty?!¡¯¡¯ "What? Am I wrong? I didn''t expect your sugar daddy t o be so capable that he can get you into this show, but i t doesn''t matter because once I disclose your identity, you''ll get kicked out of here!¡± Ingrid raised her eyebrows smugly. She firmly believed that Nicole could only get in because of her backer. ''How could such a high-society event tolerate the presence of an unseemly mistress like Nicole?¡¯ Nicole faintly hooked her lips and let out a disdainful lightugh. Before she could retort, Julie said, "Who''s getting kicked out now?" Ingrid recognized Julie as the founder of Share and walked over in a fit of anger to discredit Nicole. "She''s the woman who was kicked out of the house by my brother, Eric Ferguson. She''s not from a rich family and she''s not worthy of being here!" Julie¡¯s eyes were cold as she red at Ingrid. "It''s you two who should get lost." Ingrid froze as Julie swept a nce at Wendy, then withdrew her gaze in contempt. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "I don''t remember sending you an invitation. If youe uninvited, I can have security kick you out!" Wendy was stunned and hurriedly spoke, "She''s the Young Lady from the Ferguson family. We got the tickets through a friend and didn¡¯t sneak in." Julieughed. "I didn¡¯t even give a ticket to the President of Ferguson Corporation, let alone any Young Lady..." Ingrid''s face turned red and hot as if she had been pped. Her reputation went down the drain in an instant. "Also, tell me which friend is it who gave you the tickets? They''ll be the first to be on our cklist." Wendy clearly felt Julie¡¯s hostility and was a bit flustered. She swept her gaze to Nicole. "What about her? What right does she have to be here?" Nicole raised her eyebrows. Julie hooked her lips. "I guess you didn''t listen to my interview earlier. Nicole i s the founder and partner of Share, which means that she¡¯s the boss here!" Wendy and Ingrid froze for a moment. Their change in expressions was amusing to watch. Nicole pursed her lips and said in a cold voice, "So can you get lost now? Or if you prefer, we can get security t o kick you out..." Chapter 95 I Want to Buy a Yacht Chapter 95 I Want to Buy a Yacht Hearing Nicole''s words, Wendy Quade frowned slightly. Ingrid Ferguson also did not expect Nicole to have this level of rtionship with Share. ''The founder of Ingrid''s favorite brand, Share, was actually Nicole?!¡¯ Ingrid thought. Ingrid did not want to get kicked out by security. If that happened, she would be theughing stock i n tomorrow''s headlines. She coldly snorted. "Why are you so smug? I don''t wannae back to this sh*tty ce!¡± She gritted her teeth and dragged Wendy away. When they got to the entrance downstairs, Wendy stopped in her tracks. "Wait." "What¡¯s wrong?¡± Although Ingrid did not want to leave empty-handed, Nicole would really get the security guards to kick them out if she did not leave on her own ord. That would be more humiliating then. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. "I think I saw your brother. Why don''t we wait for him?" ''If Eric recognized Nicole, would they meet and rekindle old feelings?'' Wendy thought. Thinking about the change in Eric''s attitude towards her since she came home and the fact that she did not spend any time alone with him, it looked like Eric was avoiding her. ''No, I can''t give them this chance!'' Wendy thought. When Ingrid heard this, she nodded and said righteously, "Sure, I''ll also tell him how Nicole bullied me!¡± The two of them were sitting at the lounge near the entrance, so no one paid attention to them. After driving these two women away, Nicole was in a good mood, but Yvette was not satisfied. "Why didn''t you just get security to chase them out? Why are you saving their reputation?" Julie cast a sidelong nce at Yvette. "If we make a big deal out of it, the protagonist of the day will be changed. Ruining their reputationes secondary to our sess!" Yvette finally understood and let out a faint "oh¡±. "The one behind Ms. Ferguson is Eric Ferguson''s lover?" Julie asked. Nicole nodded insouciantly. "Coincidence, right?" Julie snorted coldly. "Tsk tsk... I thought she''d at least look good. I didn''t expect this..." ''Is Eric Ferguson blind?! How can that facepare to Nicole?!'' The party wasing to an end and the guests were leaving one after another. Eric originally intended to leave after a while but was dragged around by Keith. He did not expect to see Nicole on the runway or overhear her say that she had never worn a wedding dress before. At that moment, his heart had a wave ofplex emotions, but he still did not leave. He drank a few sses of wine but was not the slightest bit drunk. After a while, Keith got a little impatient and did not want to stay any longer. "Eerg, are you in a bad mood? Is it because you saw that woman?" Keith sensed that something was wrong with Eric. ''Who knew that we''d see that woman here? Who knew that Nicole was rted to Share? How could that woman with no family background barge into our lives and surprise us repeatedly?'' 2 Eric was silent. His dark eyes sank and did not respond to Keith''s question. Keith did not probe further either. After a while, Eric took his jacket and said, "Let¡¯s go." The two men walked to the door one after the other and happened to see Kai and Nicole standing together, talking, andughing with Julie Nixon as they said their goodbyes. Eric paused in his steps as if he was deliberately waiting for them to leave. Nicole took out her phone, found a picture, and showed it to Julie. "Do you like it?" Julie looked up in surprise, so Nicole chuckled and said, "This is my gift to you to celebrate your sess i n holding this remarkable show!" Looking at the photo, Julie thought that this gift was a little too expensive. Kaiughed nonchntly. "What can you give Jules anyway? Just save your meager sry to buy a bag or something. I''ll pay for this gift." Nicole excitedly tugged on Kai''s arm and looked up at him with squinty eyes and a bright smile. "I want to buy a yacht!" Kai was dumbfounded. Chapter 96 If She Leaves, Who’ll Do the Blood Transfusion? Chapter 96 If She Leaves, Who¡¯ll Do the Blood Transfusion? Kai''s body stiffened for a moment. Although he did regret what he just said, he could not take back his words. Julie quickly waved her hand. "No thanks. It''s too extravagant. I won¡¯t even use it." Nicole was adamant. "No way! We don''t have to use it, but we need one, so you must ept this! Our Mr. Superstar isn''t short of money anyway! Right?" Nicole grinned at Kai. Since Kai was paying for the yacht, Nicole was more than happy. Kaiughed and felt a little helpless. "Yeah, what''s a yacht anyway? Since Nikki said it, consider this a small gift. It''s certainly not a problem for me to buy it." ''I must live up to my baby sister''s brag...'' Julie was very close to Nicole and knew the Stanton family¡¯s strength, so she did not refuse again. "Thanks, Kai," Julie said. Kai raised his eyebrows and reached out to touch Julie''s head. "Don''t mention it." Julie was stunned and blushed faintly. However, Kai quickly looked down at Nicole and spoke dotingly, "Satisfied? Can we go home now?" Nicole nodded, took his arm, and waved at Julie. "Bye, Jules!" In their three years of marriage, Nicole had never been so straightforward and frank to ask for any gift from her husband. All Eric gave her was money. When Eric saw Nicole asking for something from another man, his heart was extremely ufortable, and his face turned cold and glum. Nicole and Kai turned around and saw Eric Ferguson and Keith Ludwig at the door. The smile on Nicole¡¯s face disappeared in an instant and was reced with indifference. When Eric saw the change in her expression, his heart felt like it was being stabbed and ached uncontrobly. ''Nicole didn¡¯t even look at me. She must really hate me ...'' Eric thought. Keith had the sense not to mock Nicole at this time. After all, this woman had his naked photos. If he angered her, he would be the world''sughing stock. However, they could not ignore that couple, so h e smiled and looked at the man next to her. "Mr. Kai, what a coincidence...¡± Kai raised his eyebrows. "Mr. Ludwig, it is quite the coincidence." He did not even nce at Eric. ''This man abducted my sister for three years! He should count his blessings that I didn¡¯t go to his door to settle ounts. I won¡¯t pretend as if nothing happened!'' The atmosphere was stagnant for a while. Eric¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. His voice was clear and cold as he said, "Nicole, what a surprise. When did you be Share''s partner?" She had too many secrets that he was not aware of. Her unfamiliarity and brilliance made her seem like a different personpared to the Nicole he had been married to for three years. He hated that feeling of her being out of his control. 1 Nicole hooked her lips and said coldly, "I don''t need to report my matters to you, an ''ex-husband'', do I? Mr. Ferguson, curiosity killed the cat." ''It¡¯s best if we never interact with each other!'' Nicole thought. Eric wanted to say something when Ingrid screamed outside the door. "Wendy! What happened? There''s so much blood..." The people Inside were stunned. Eric¡¯s face shed a trace of panic and immediately ran out. The others followed. Keith was puzzled when he saw Wendy lying in Ingrid''s arms. Her forehead was covered in blood and looked to be in a terrible condition. She was also unconscious. Ingrid kept crying. "Wendy, don''t scare me..." "What happened?" Eric ran over and took Wendy into his arms. He scolded Ingrid. "Why are you two here? What the hell happened?" Ingrid sobbed and said incoherently, "I-I don¡¯t know... I just turned away for a moment and she fell. Now she¡¯s bleeding so much..." Keith frowned. ¡°Don''t move her around because she¡¯ll bleed more. Are there any doctors here?" It was rare that Keith Ludwig was so serious. "Yes, he just left. I''ll call him back immediately." Although Julie was reluctant to meddle in this, she would not be able to exin how someone died at her venue. Julie turned around and took out her phone to contact the emergency doctor. Nicole looked on expressionlessly. The panic in Eric''s eyes looked extraordinarily sardonic. ''So, he''s not emotionless after all... He can be nice to Wendy Quade...'' Nicole hooked up her lips and tugged on Kai''s sleeve." I wanna go home..." She suddenly felt a little tired. Kai stroked her head and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Let¡¯s go. I''ll buy you a yacht." This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Nicole chuckled. After taking two steps out, Keith suddenly shouted, "Wait, she can''t leave! Wendy lost too much blood and might need a blood transfusion. If she leaves, who''ll do the blood transfusion?" In an instant, the air fell into a deafening silence. Chapter 97 Talent of Being a Manipulative B*tch Chapter 97 Talent of Being a Maniptive B*tch The night sky was getting gloomier. When Nicole heard those words, she stopped in her tracks and suddenly felt her blood drain from her body. Keith''s words stabbed into Nicole¡¯s heart like a knife, which made her bleed profusely. The scars Nicole tried her best to hide were uncovered, and she could no longer act as if nothing had happened. She desperately wanted to forget those three years, but those people always had to remind her that her existence was worthless! Kai sneered with an extremely dangerous tone as he said, "Keith Ludwig, are you even human?¡± 1 He knew that Nicole had a bad time while she was staying with the Fergusons those three years, but he did not know any details because his father did not allow them to inquire about Nicole. Thus, the Stanton brothers dared not touch this subject. Now that a glimpse of Nicole¡¯s past suffering was brought up, Keith''s words instantly angered Kai. ''So, this is how the princess that we pampered and coddled all this while was treated?!¡¯ Keith was silent for a moment, but taking care of Wendy Quade was Hendrick''s dying wish, so of course, Wendy was more important. "Are you gonna watch her die? It''s just a little blood, so why are you so stingy? Besides, it''s not the first time you gave blood to her, right, Nicole?" Eric frowned and his face grew colder. "Keith..." Hearing Keith''s words, Nicole smiled and turned to look at him. Her eyes shed with a determined ruthlessness. She walked up and looked down at Wendy, who was lying in Eric¡¯s arms, with the corners of her lips gently hooked. "Mr. Ludwig, that''s easy to say. It¡¯s just a little blood, huh?" Keith was stunned for a moment. His face paled and felt that something was wrong with Nicole, but he could not pinpoint it. "Her life is at stake, so what¡¯s a little blood?" Keith still argued. ''Did Nicole want Wendy to die?'' ''Right... Compared to Wendy, what''s my pint of blood worth? Shouldn¡¯t I feel honored to be able to give my blood to her?'' Nicole smiled, but it did not have the slightest warmth and was even cold. She suddenly lifted her leg and did not hesitate to kick Wendy¡¯s head wound. Wendy suddenly screamed. "Ahh!" Everyone was caught off guard and shocked by this scene. Keith was startled and pointed at Nicole with his trembling hand. "You...¡± Eric also did not expect Nicole to suddenly kick Wendy with such force like it was not enough. Julie Nixon quickly stepped in to stand in front of Nicole. However, it was not to stop Nicole but to prevent Eric and Keith from retaliating against her. Wendy''s scab at her head cracked again. Besides that, she even got a new wound, only that there was no blood. It was just a bruise, which looked even worse. "Eric..." Wendy shrank into Eric¡¯s arms, looking frightened and miserable. "Mr. Ferguson, Mr. Ludwig, I need to make something clear. I''m not apassionate person and I don''t care whether Wendy Quade dies or not... But one thing''s for sure, I will never give my blood to this b*tch again. I''m already showing a lot of mercy by not bleeding her dry. If you guys still dare to ask for my blood, I¡¯ll make sure that I''ll get back every ounce of blood I¡¯ve ever given her, with interest.¡± Nicole¡¯s words were crisp and clear and reverberated loudly in the space. ''Moral kidnapping? I''d rather have no morals than let them get what they want!'' Eric looked at Nicole and fell silent. Even he felt ufortable hearing Keith¡¯s words, let alone Nicole. What obligation did the now divorced Nicole have to donate blood to Wendy again? Keith stood there with a pale face. The hatred in Nicole''s eyes was clear and undisguised, which made This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. him a little frightened. Nicole''s gaze swept to Wendy''s face. The corners of her lips gently hooked up into a cold arc. "Unlike someone, I don''t have the talent of being a maniptive b*tch, but I do hope that you get to live, Ms. Quade." Chapter 98 Put On a Band-Aid Chapter 98 Put On a Band-Aid Of course, Nicole could see that Wendy was just pretending. Perhaps Wendy even did this intentionally. That little bit of blood on Wendy''s head in the dim light only magnified others¡¯ fear and worry for her. Nicole had kicked Ingrid and Wendy out from the venue a long time ago, but they stayed until now just t o put on a show like this? Was Wendy just trying to prove that she was more important in Eric¡¯s heart? Once Wendy was injured, everyone had to revolve around her. Nicole would then be chucked to the side again. Unfortunately, Nicole did not follow the script Wendy intended. Nicole did not get upset, nor did she pretend to be strong. Instead, Nicole hit Wendy. ''This feels great!¡¯ Nicoleughed lightly, then went out the door. Kai hooked his lips in satisfaction and did not me Nicole at all. Instead, he gave her a thumbs up and praised her. "Great! Well done, Nikki! Now, this is the Nicole I know!" ''Not that stupid woman who lived like a coward for the past three years...'' A trace of ruthlessness shed across Kai''s handsome face as he nced at the woman in Eric''s arms. He looked at Keith again, snorted coldly, and said, ''''Not everyone is worthy enough to get Nicole¡¯s blood. This wretch should just take a good look in the mirror." Wendy was in so much pain that her teeth began to chatter. The moment Nicole kicked her, her mind went nk, and she could not even move because of the pain. She thought that she was really going to die. Nicole was ruthless. She thought that she would show Nicole who among them was more important to Eric so that Nicole would know to back off. However, Wendy did not expect that Nicole even dared to hit her without any hesitation and in front of so many people! Keith looked at Kai and Nicole''s departing backs in shock, then looked at Eric. "W-What kind of people are they?!" Julie Nixon''s tone was cold and impatiently urged the doctor toe quickly. She hung up the phone and looked at Eric and Keith. "It''s basic manners not to covet things that don¡¯t belong to you." Sensing Julie¡¯s hostility towards them, Keith shrank his neck and felt aggrieved. He did not expect Nicole t o overreact to his words. Eric''s dark eyes sank in the silence. There was a deep wave ofplex emotions that were surging in This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. them a s he was deep in thought. Five minutester, the doctor arrived and moved Wendy Quade to one of the sofas in the venue for a checkup. Ingrid apanied Wendy. After seeing what happened, she did not dare to say a word. Wendy clutched Eric¡¯s arm tightly as she sobbed continuously, looking so miserable and pitiful. "Doctor, how is she?" The doctor paused for a moment and got his assistant to dress Wendy''s forehead wound. He spoke calmly," It''s only a minor abrasion, nothing serious that can''t b e solved with a band-aid. As for any internal injuries, I''d suggest going to the hospital to take a CT scan to check it out, but based on my preliminary judgment, it¡¯s probably just a mild concussion...¡± "A band-aid?" Keith did not believe it. "But she bled a lot earlier. Shouldn''t you check again?" The doctor skillfully packed up his things, ignored Keith, and walked over to greet Julie. ''How is this tiny injury worth breaking a few red lights while rushing back here? I thought it was some kind of life-or- death situation... If I came a littleter, the wound would probably heal on its own!'' Julie sent the doctor off politely. The atmosphere was silent for a moment. Julie came back inside and She said lightly, "You asked for it." It was originally nothing serious, but this woman had t o make a scene. It did not even y out before Nicole turned the gun on her and hurt her instead. Wendy''s face turned pale. Her tears flowed down as she cried in pain. Eric¡¯s eyes sank. He let go of Wendy''s hand, passed it t o Ingrid, then looked at Julie. "Thanks." Julie did not care for his gratitude. "There''s no need for that. If you can''t trust my doctor, feel free to get it checked out yourself. I still have a lot of follow-ups to attend to, so I don''t have time to waste over here." She left after leaving this sentence. When she passed b y Keith Ludwig, she stopped, threw a sidelong nce a t him, and pointed to her temples. Her voice carried a cold mockery. "Mr. Ludwig, having a brain is a blessing that you, sadly, don''t have..." Chapter 99 No Brain Chapter 99 No Brain What Keith said to Nicole earlier was infuriating. Wendy Quade most probably got kicked in the head because of that, so they deserved it. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. The corners of Keith''s lips twitched. He looked at Eric and said, "Is she saying that I don¡¯t have a brain?! What did I say that was so wrong?¡± Eric raised his eyes, which were deep and dark. His tone was cold. "What do you think?" ''Well... I admit that I went a little overboard, but that''s only because I was too anxious about Wendy''s life, which was Hendrick''s only dying wish! How would I know that Wendy¡¯s slight bruise looked so serious?¡¯ "But still... That woman shouldn''t have hit someone!" ''She must be so angry right now! If I really offended that woman, would she post my nudes in a fit of anger?!¡¯ Eric''s eyebrows were tightly knitted. "Take her to the hospital for a checkup. I have to leave first." "What?" Keith was surprised. "No, I have something to do too!" ''I need to apologize to Nicole before she remembers that she has my nudes! I''m a man that knows when to give in!'' Eric did not care about Keith and left as he held his phone. Keith followed behind him closely. Ingrid stayed where she was, puzzled. ''So, I have to apany Wendy?'' Sitting in Kai''s car, Nicole looked down at her phone reading the dozens of messages in the group chat. It was all about Ian¡¯s regret for not attending the show. Ian was forced to join his father on a business trip abroad, which would take half a month. Yvette, who had left earlier, sent a few photos of herself and Nicole to the group chat. Ian''s endless Nicole could not help but curl her lips. ''I feel so much better now... This is what matters...'' Julie sent her a message. [Home yet?] [Nicole: On my way. Is she dead yet?] [Julie: The doctor just pped a band-aid on it and left. I still need to deal with the doctor''s traffic vitions for rushing back here. Gotta go, chatter!] [Nicole:... ] Nicole could not help but chuckle. Kai nced at her from the side. "What¡¯s so funny?" She looked at Kai and reminded him. "Remember to buy Jules a yacht!" Kai sighed helplessly. "All you know how to do is give me trouble..." They went back to Nicole¡¯s apartment. Nicole had not seen Tigger in a long time, so she held it up and twirled around. She did not expect that Tigger could even clean up the house. The apartment was very neat and spotless. Tigger hurriedly jumped out of her grasp and pushed over Nicole''s Gi slippers, urging her to change into them. 1 Nicole looked at Tigger''s adorable face and happily changed out of her heels with surprise. She walked in and asked, "Tigger, are you bored at home?¡± "Not really... I watched TV and learned a few things." Tiggerid on Nicole¡¯s slippers and rubbed its head on them. Nicole was surprised. "What did you watch?" "Animal!¡± Tigger blinked and walked in circles around Nicole to show off his "fierceness¡±. "I''m a big mighty tiger!¡± Tigger clearly did not achieve the desired effect as Nicole stifled herughter and nodded her head in agreement. Kai, who was neglected, was very dissatisfied. ''Why didn''t I get that first-ss treatment?'' "Hey, big tiger, where are my slippers?" ''This heartless Tigger! Can''t it tell that I like it more? Why is it only close to Nicole?'' Kai thought begrudgingly. Tigger lifted his chin, looked away, and wagged its tail at Kai, ignoring Kai¡¯s request. "Mama, I can sing too, so I can sing you a luby...¡± Nicole''s eyes lit up. She smiled as she picked Tigger u p and went back to her room. Kai, who was still standing at the front door, waspletely speechless. ''Did they just ignore me?!'' Early in the morning, Nicole opened her eyes reluctantly when Tigger gave her a wake-up call. Tigger held Nicole''s phone in its mouth and brought it to her. "Mama, Pretty Yvette is calling!" Nicole was stunned, took her phone, and saw Yvette''s name on the caller ID. She stroked Tigger¡¯s head appreciatively and answered the call. "Hello?" "Nikki, someone deliberately ndered you online. You''ve gone viral again!" Chapter 100 Whos Her Sugar Daddy? Chapter 100 Who''s Her Sugar Daddy? "What¡¯s going on?" "Someone posted an article with so much made-up bullsh*t about you, but the main thing is that it can¡¯t b e suppressed! Quick, go look!" Yvette spoke with urgency. Nicole hung up and went online. Sure enough, her name became the top trending topic once again. With a sigh, Nicole clicked into the article and read thements. [Nicole has no status or family background. How did she be the Vice President of a listed [Nicole divorced without getting a penny. How did she afford to buy a Cayenne?] [Who is Nicole''s sugar daddy?] [*waits impatiently for an expose*] The photos of Nicole with Grant, Kai, Ian, and some clients were posted online as so-called evidence. It made it seem like her love life was extremely messy and that her divorce was not as righteous as she had put it earlier. Public opinion was skewed towards the worst possible description of Nicole. Nicole¡¯s face sank. She immediately went online to check that day¡¯s stock market. As expected, the share price of Stanton Corporation was also affected. It dipped by more than ten percent, which made them lose more than a billion dors at once, i Her phone suddenly rang, and Nicole immediately picked up the call. "Grant?" Grant''s voice sounded a bit tired. "Kai''s with you, right?¡± "Yeah, we came back reallyte yesterday, so he''s here with me." "Good. You guys stay home today. Don''t go out ore to the office." "I saw the news online... I''ll contact Dominic Young right away," Nicole said. She was not afraid if this was just against her, but it involved thepany, so there were too many things at stake. Someone must be manipting this behind the scenes. "I¡¯ve already called him. Dominic said that there''s nothing he can do about it. Those social media ounts were hired by someone to gang up against you." Nicole frowned. "Did you find out who is behind this?" ''Who else would cling to the past? Who''d benefit the most by making me look bad?'' Nicole thought. Grant sneered. "Who else has this ability?" Nicole''s heart sank. "Eric Ferguson?" ''Is he doing this just because I kicked Wendy Quade''s head yesterday? He wants revenge?'' "It wasn''t Eric Ferguson, but it¡¯s rted to the Fergusons. Old Master Ferguson gave the order." Grant''s tone became colder. "The Fergusons are too arrogant. Does he think that the Ferguson family is the only one in power?" Back when Old Master Ferguson was in power, he had a monopoly over the main businesses in Anta. It was not an exaggeration to say that he called the shots in the city. However, there were a few other big corporations who had a more favorable advantage in the current market. Although Ferguson Corporation was arge corporation deeply rooted in the city. They were still not powerful enough to shake the Stanton family. Nicole¡¯s eyes turned cold. "Anything I can help with?" "You don''t have to do anything. You don''t even need to rify this. Dad already knows about this and he''s cutting his trip short. He intends to announce your identity at ourpany''s anniversary. The harder they bash you now, the more they will have to get on their knees in the future." They had intended to announce Nicole''s identity after she had established a firm foothold in the industry. However, now it seemed that some people could not wait to crush Nicole. Nicole could hear that Grant was really triggered this time. After hanging up, Nicole looked through the harshments about her online. Yvette and Ian also hired social media influencers to speak for Nicole''s innocence, but it was just a drop in the ocean and was not at all effective. ''So, this is the Fergusons'' power? Is Old Master Ferguson trying to give me a taste of the hardships he''ll add to my life to intimidate me?'' Nicole thought. Nicole looked out the window and saw the crowd of reporters below. Even if they could not see anything from below, their cameras were aimed at her windows and would sh with the slightest movements. Kai slept untilte in the morning. He simply washed up and got a call from Grant reminding him not to leave the house. His initial ns of going out were shuttered, so he changed back into his pajamas and began to serve the little princess Nicole breakfast. Nicole was bored and looked at the reports Logan sent her as well as the progress report of J&L¡¯s This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. project. Knowing that the project was not affected, Nicole felt a t ease and stayed at home obediently. Ferguson Corporation. Eric Ferguson''s face was extremely glum. Mitchell stood in front of him apprehensively and dared not even breathe too loudly. The temperature in the office was plunged to freezing point in an instant. "Who did this?" Such an abrupt change urred in just one night! Mitchell''s head hung low and felt like burrowing into a hole in the ground. He replied cautiously, "Mr. Ferguson, I''ve already contacted the relevant parties. Everyone''s answer is the same. It¡¯s Old Master Ferguson''s orders, so they had no choice but to follow." ''So, that¡¯s why all the guns were aimed at Nicole and why everyone hurled mud at her?¡¯ Chapter 101 Berated for Three Days Chapter 101 Berated for Three Days When Mitchell found out about this, he found it unbelievable that Old Master Ferguson dealt with his former daughter-inw in such a ruthless and despicable way. Even Mitchell began to sympathize with Nicole. Eric Ferguson was quiet for a long time, making the silence in the office unbearable. "Bang!" Eric suddenly kicked away the chair and took his jacket as he stormed out with a gloomy face. His car raced to the Ferguson Vi. When Eric saw the maid, he asked in a deep voice, "Where¡¯s the Old Master?" The maid trembled. "The Old Master went to West Hill Vi..." Eric turned around and left. The maid chased after him and said, "Young Master, the Old Master said that he wouldn''t see you until the matter is resolved." Hearing this, Eric stopped in his tracks. His gaze was harsh as he stared at the maid. "What did you say?" The maid shrank back in fear with a pale face, not daring to speak again. Eric gritted his teeth and went back into his car, then took out his phone to call his grandfather. The phone rang for a long time before someone picked up. "I knew you''d look for me because of that woman. You''ve been kind-hearted enough not to touch her after such a long time." "I said that I¡¯ll solve this." The man''s dark eyes were cold and sullen. The air pressure around him was frighteningly low. Old Master Fergusonughed lightly. His voice was very aged. "Solve this? She hates our family so much, and you expect her to take the initiative to return my pipe? Impossible!" "Even so, there¡¯s no need to sling mud on her. What is she going to do in the future?" "Who cares? I gave her a chance. She thought she could just marry into the Stanton family and didn''t even give me an ounce of respect. Hah! Now I''ll let her have a taste of my power!¡± Old Master Ferguson¡¯s tone was sinister as he warned his grandson. "You''d better not meddle in this and stay far away from this woman! You¡¯re lucky to have divorced her, otherwise, she¡¯d surely disgrace our family sooner orter!" After that, he hung up the phone decisively. ''She still thinks she can marry into a rich family? Dream on! I don''t believe that any affluent family willpletely ignore Nicole''s ugly and scandalous past. Even after a long time, Nicole¡¯s name can never be cleared since the truth is hard to distinguish from the fabricated lies. It''ll just be more confusing with time, isn¡¯t it?'' Old Master Ferguson thought. Old Master Ferguson watched as the debate about Nicole¡¯s character became more vicious, which he was very satisfied with. When he got up, it was already afternoon. The butler prepared afternoon tea for Old Master Ferguson, who leisurely walked down and asked, "Any news from that woman?" Seeing that it had been a while, Old Master Ferguson thought that Nicole would have known that he was teaching her a lesson, so she should take the initiative toe over and apologize. Not only did he want that emerald pipe, but Old Master Ferguson also wanted Nicole to kneel and apologize so that she would remember not to offend him again. The butler paused for a moment. "There¡¯s no news." Old Master Ferguson stopped in his tracks and narrowed his eyes. "What? No news?" "Yes, we sent some people to blend in with the crowd o f reporters. They''ve been squatting outside her apartment, but she didn''t leave all day. She also didn''t make any rification online. I¡¯ve asked the media and relevant tforms, and they said that she didn''t take the initiative to contact them. It''s like she simply doesn''t care..." Old Master Ferguson sneered. "Doesn¡¯t care? If she doesn''t care, why will she stay at home? I think she''s just scared. Let''s wait a little longer." ''Once shees to her senses, she¡¯ll piss her pants in fear ande over to admit her mistake!'' Old Master Ferguson kept his smug attitude until the next day. "Has she contacted me?" The butler shook his head. ¡°No, same as yesterday, she didn''t leave her apartment." Old Master Ferguson frowned slightly. "What about Stanton Corporation? Any movement there?" "Stanton Corporation¡¯s share price has dropped a bit, but aside from that, there''s no other movement. Their share price has resumed a stable trend under Grant Stanton''s leadership." "Hmph! Grant Stanton sure is capable. Unfortunately, h e has poor tastes in women. Why will Floyd Stanton allow such a woman to marry his son? I bet Grant''s busy with thepany and had given up on that woman. She has no way out now..." The butler carefully nodded in response, and Old Master Ferguson waited until the third day. The inte was still buzzing, but there was no movement from Nicole. Finally, the old man sensed that something was wrong and had his butler call Nicole. Nicole and Kai were at home doing some online shopping. The best way to relieve one¡¯s stress was some good old retail therapy. Spending money sure made them feel good! N?velDrama.Org (C) content. The two siblings sat side by side on the sofa while Tigger stared at the LCD wall watching "Animal jump around Kai to practice what it just saw. Its learning ability was simply superb! Nicole¡¯s phone rang. She frowned slightly at this number and picked up. "Who is it?" "Old Master Ferguson,¡¯¡¯ The other side replied. He was the person behind this whole thing. Kai urged Nicole from the side. "Hurry! The live broadcast just started! Let''s grab it!" Nicole then hung up the phone without hesitation. Chapter 102 Only Eight Hundred Million Chapter 102 Only Eight Hundred Million Old Master Ferguson''s face was cold as he asked, "Did the call get through?" The butler looked at the call that was rejected and carefully replied, "She refused to answer..." Old Master Ferguson thought, ''Is she trying my patience? This woman really doesn''t know what''s good for her. I''m already giving her a chance by taking the initiative to call her, but she dares to refuse my call?!¡¯ He was infuriated and shouted, "Call again!¡± ''I want to see how long Nicole can hold out...'' Old Master Ferguson thought. "Yes, sir." The butler tried again. "It¡¯s been rejected again. Maybe she''s busy..." Old Master Ferguson was exasperated. Nicole''s clicking speed was not as fast as Kai''s. Old Master Ferguson''s call also made her miss the live product grab session for thetest Jo Malone perfume. She was so annoyed that she snatched Kai¡¯s phone over. When she saw that Kai managed to get it, she was even more vexed. Kai justughed in her face gloatingly, so Nicole decided to privately message the live-streamer. [Hey, if you''re in Europe, please buy a few gifts for me. Cost is not a problem.] This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. After a while, the live-streamer saw Nicole¡¯s message and replied, "Sorry, I don''t do private work." Nicole thought about it and changed Kai¡¯s nickname from @HandsomeStan to @RichBaby. Explicit! Nicole replied. [Then I''ll take all the goods in your live session, but you can only go live for me.] The live-streamer''s eyes widened as he thought, ''Huh, what big talk! All the merchandise?'' He asked the staff next to him, "What''s our estimated sales for today?" "Around eight hundred million." The live-streamer smiled and thought, ''This would definitely scare this person away.'' He replied in the chatbox. [Eight hundred million... You up for it?] In less than a second, Nicole replied. [Yup. tform payment or bank transfer?] The phone in the live-streamer''s hand fell to the ground. He was so startled that he choked on a mouthful of water. He stared at the message repeatedly and thought, ''This person isn¡¯t even joking?¡¯ Of course, the live-streamer did not want such a big business to go through the tform. Otherwise, themission the tform took would be quite substantial. The live-streamer was a little doubtful, but he still sent over his bank ount number. In less than a minute, he received a text message on his phone. [Third Party Transfer to bank ount ****0000 received for $800,000,000. Your current bank bnce i s $800,002,000.] The live-streamer jumped up in excitement. This was the pinnacle of his entire live-streaming experience. The live stream was over before it even started! He immediately opened the live-stream tform and posted. [Sorry babes, today''s live-streaming session has ended. Toodles!] The audience, who had been waiting excitedly, were all speechless. The live-streamer went back to his private message with @RichBaby. [What else do you need? Do you need to buy gifts? I can go to the biggest luxury mall right now and broadcast it to you live. You can buy whatever you like remotely!] ''This couldn''t be better,'' Nicole thought to herself. [@RichBaby: Great, then let''s connect live.] Without another word, the live-streamer drove to one o f thergest luxury brand malls in Europe and started the live stream. He even did a setting to only allow @ RichBaby to leavements. Other people could only watch. "Love, there''s a new arrival Burberry bag that¡¯s an absolute delight. It''s a little pricey though... You want i t?¡± [@RichBaby: Yes please, one of each color. You don''t need to tell me the price.] "These Hermes bags are timeless ssics, especially this one..." [@RichBaby: Are there a lot in stock?] "This is thergest store here..." [@RichBaby: I¡¯ll take 50 then.] The live-streamer exined, "Europe ounts for 80% of exclusive sales, and there¡¯s only 12 of this model here." [@RichBaby: Then ask for as many as you can.] Although the live-streamer did not push any merchandise to the public that day, the number of viewers in that live stream reached an all-time high and kept climbing! Kai was ying with Tigger earlier. When he came back, he saw Nicoleughing while clutching his phone. He was surprised and came up to her." Whatchu lookin'' at?" "I bought some gifts for the employees." Kai nodded and said, "Okay, buy whatever you like. Don''t be a miser.¡± Nicole smiled and tilted her head to look at him. "I won''t. I just spent eight hundred million..." Kai''s face stiffened. "Eight hundred million...?¡± Chapter 103 Admit Fault? Chapter 103 Admit Fault? Kai carefully looked at the phone in Nicole¡¯s hand. ''Yes ... That¡¯s really mine!'' Everyone in the Stanton family used Nicole''s birthday as their password so that Nicole could remember it easily. Thus, Nicole made the payment without any hassle. The corners of Kai¡¯s mouth twitched. He suddenly missed the sister who only asked for a yacht, which at least saved him money. Although $800 million was not arge sum for Kai, he still felt a little empty when the money evaporated just like that. 1 Kai patted his chest tofort himself. ''It''s okay... She¡¯s my sister, so it¡¯s right for her to spend my money. What¡¯s more, it''s only eight hundred million! All that matters is her happiness...'' 3 Tigger was finally friendly with him and rubbed its head on hisp, acting cute. Kai''s attention was diverted, so he carried Tigger and went to y somewhere else. That afternoon, besides Nicole''s scandal, the name "(a) RichBaby" quickly climbed to one of the top hot topics online. [This is the first time I''ve witnessed rich people shopping. Turns out they don''t even look at prices!] [@RichBaby really lived up to her name...] [I don''t care how old she is! I want to marry her! I can even take herst name!] [Who is this mysterious @RichBaby?] Nicole gave the live streamer an address for all the goods, then happily put aside Kai''s phone. She found her own phone and saw seven missed calls on it. One was from Eric Ferguson, four from Old Master Ferguson, and the other two from Yvette and Ian. Nicole was just about to call Yvette back when the phone rang again. The corners of Nicole¡¯s lips hooked up into a cold smile. ''Is he that anxious?'' Although Old Master Ferguson had forced Nicole to the wall and got the world to berate her, Nicole still had the biggest bargaining chip in her hands - the emerald pipe. What should she be afraid of? Nicole paused and picked up the call nonchntly. "Hello?" The butler let out a sigh of relief and looked at Old Master Ferguson excitedly. "Chairman, she picked up!" Nicole heard this and smiled. Old Master Ferguson red at the butler, then took over the phone unhurriedly. "Nicole, do you finally admit your fault?" ''Admit my fault?¡¯ Nicole wondered. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Nicole frowned slightly and knowingly asked, "Admit my fault? Chairman Ferguson, I don''t understand... What fault do you mean?" Old Master Ferguson snorted coldly and said confidently, "How have you been these days? I heard that you don¡¯t even go to the office anymore. Did Grant Stanton kick you out? I told you before that it¡¯s not as easy as you think to marry a gentry. Not everyone is a s stupid as Eric to be fooled by you!" Nicole hooked up the corners of her lips and smiled calmly. "Chairman Ferguson, thanks for your concern. I¡¯ve been living my best life these days. It¡¯s been my dream toze around and do nothing all day." All Nicole did every day wasze around and spend money. What could be more fun than this? "Hah! You''re still so stubborn, huh?" Old Master Ferguson did not believe that Nicole was unfazed. "Chairman Ferguson, do you have any other business? I¡¯ll hang up if there¡¯s nothing.¡± Nicole did not want to waste her time on someone who did not deserve it. ''He wants tough at me? Too bad! Eric Ferguson and Old Master Ferguson are all birds of a feather. I''ll never allow them to look down on me.'' Old Master Ferguson was silent for a few seconds. His voice became deeper as he said, "Nicole, you can¡¯t clear your past no matter what... Unless we say a few good words for you in the name of the Ferguson family. Do you understand?¡± He had already given her such a huge hint, so Nicole would certainly get it. After all, she had no other way out. Nicole raised her eyebrows and snorted. "You started all this and want to console me? Chairman Ferguson, don''t you think that you¡¯re too full of yourself?" "Hmph! You have no other choice.¡± Old Master Ferguson was so sure of his n, so he was straightforward. "As long as you return the emerald pipe to me, I''ll stop the online crusade against you. I can even make you a manager in one of our subsidiaries under Ferguson Corporation so that you won¡¯t starve.¡± Chapter 104 This Petty Bastard Chapter 104 This Petty Bastard Old Master Ferguson wanted to drag Nicole''s reputation through the mud so that it would be impossible for her to continue working for Stanton Corporation. ''He thinks I''ll be willing to submit to him and work as a manager in a small subsidiary under the Ferguson Corporation? This old geezer had the cheek to say this?!¡¯ Nicole thought. She sneered. "Chairman Ferguson, I can''t possibly afford to take alms from your family. You should just save it for the dogs." "Nicole, don''t force me to get tough with you!" Old Master Ferguson threatened her. ''How can this woman be so insensitive?¡¯ The smile on Nicole''s face faded. "Chairman Ferguson, I just hope that you don''t regret it." Nicole was very interested to see Old Master Ferguson¡¯s remorseful lookter. Since Old Master Ferguson was so cruel, there was no need for her to show any mercy. After hanging up, Nicole calmly gave Grant a call. "Big Brother, when is Dading back?" Grant chuckled. "What, you miss him already? His flight is scheduled for tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry, I''ll get someone to pick you up tomorrow and send you home." "No, I wanna pick Dad up from the airport tomorrow!" ''Didn''t they all think that I¡¯m hiding out of shame? I''ll show them that I have nothing to hide!'' Nicole thought. Grant¡¯s voice was slightly hesitant. "But... I''m afraid that there will be disorder..." He was worried that Nicole would get hurt again. "Don''t worry. I''ll just get a few bodyguards and arrange a few more cars." "I''ll arrange it for you if that''s what you''ve decided. By the way, how''s Kai doing at your ce?" Grant was worried that Kai could not take good care of their precious sister. Nicoleughed and unceremoniouslyined. " Kai¡¯s such a petty bastard. He made such a mess in m y apartment andined that I didn''t clean up. His cooking is also the worst!¡± Kai, who just came out to the living room with Tigger i n his arms, felt aggrieved and vexed. He yelled, "You spent my $800 million in just an afternoon and still dare to call me a petty bastard?! Nicole Stanton! I''m gonna beat you up!" With that, Kai leaped onto the sofa and rushed over to Nicole, who quickly flipped over and shouted into the phone, "Gotta go, G! I needa run!" Grantughed. His nervous mood was instantly rxed. He looked at the cked-out screen and felt relieved that his sister was stronger and braver than h e thought. Nicole dressed up to pick her father up from the airport. She put on some light makeup and wore a Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ck dress with iid pearls. She looked so beautiful, elegant, and valiant. To divert the attention of those reporters downstairs, Kai walked out from the front entrance donning his usual sunsses and instantly managed to attract everyone¡¯s attention. The reporters swarmed over to him. "Kai, why are you here? Do you also live in this building?¡± "Kai, is the scandal about you and Nicole true? Are you two living together?" "Are you and Nicole really dating?" News that Kai and Nicole were secretly living together was even more explosive than the scandal about Nicole, so the reporters persisted in asking questions. In the meantime, Nicole left through another exit with a baseball cap and a face mask. She went straight into the car that Grant sent. Logan came to pick her up. When Nicole got into the car, she took off her jacket and was in the mood to fix her makeup. "Vice President Nicole, we''re all relieved seeing that you''re fine." Nicole chuckled and felt somewhat touched. Although they had not worked together for long, the mutual sense of trust made them feel close to each other. "Logan, I bought some gifts and n to distribute them to everyone during ourpany''s anniversary. Everything''s stored in the merchant''s warehouse right now. I¡¯ll give you the addresster, so you can arrange how to distribute them to the staff." "Yes, ma''am.¡± Logan thought it was just some small gifts and did not expect that these gifts totaled to $800 million. When they arrived at the airport, Nicole got out of the car and went to the VIP arrivals to wait for Floyd Stanton, while Logan made security arrangements. "Nikki Baby!" Hearing the familiar voice, Nicole turned her head and saw Floyd Stanton waving at her. He was wearing a white baseball cap and beige palette casual clothes. H e looked very young. 1 Nicole''s eyebrows moved slightly and immediately ran towards him. Floyd hugged her and spun her around a few times,ughing aloud. "My precious baby got so thin..." She could only let out a helplessugh and pouted." I''m not, Kai keeps saying that I''m fat..." "Don¡¯t listen to his nonsense." Floyd examined his baby daughter and looked very satisfied. He suddenly recalled all the recent rumors and got irritated. "The Fergusons are a real family of scumbags!" Chapter 105 No Room to Talk Chapter 105 No Room to Talk Floyd Stanton kept cursing as he walked, but he still did not feel relieved. When the father-daughter pair walked out of the VIP area, they saw Grant walking over with his head held high. "Why are you here?" Floyd grunted. "I was worried, so I had toe over to pick you guys u p." Grant reached out and took over the suitcase from his father¡¯s hand, then looked at Nicole. "Be prepared. The reporters found out about your whereabouts, so there are now quite a few of them gathered at the entrance o f the airport..." Nicole coldly snorted. "I¡¯m no coward!" Floyd stroked Nicole''s hair and let out a satisfied grunt. He was extremely protective of his princess." Yeah, you guys follow behind me." ''Let''s see who dares toe forward and pick a fight with me!'' Floyd thought. Grant was still worried, so he protected Nicole by his side and held her hand. Once they got out, a flurry of camera shes bombarded them. Nicole subconsciously looked away. In the eyes of reporters, Nicole was trying to nestle into Grant''s chest. One second, the headline was: "Nicole and Kai suspected of living together." The next second, there was another headline: "Nicole meeting Grant Stanton''s family." "Nicole, are you and President Stanton dating? What''s your rtionship with movie star Kai?" Grant covered Nicole¡¯s eyes to keep the sh from blinding her. He put his arm around her shoulders and walked out with firm steps. "Nicole, will you marry into the Stanton family?" "How does it feel to marry into a rich family for the second time?" "Nicole, do you feel very proud that so many men are surrounding you?" "Nicole, is Ian Carter also one of your backups?" The countless questions were hard to hear as if those rumors online were factual. "Chairman Stanton, tell us what you think about Nicole''s ugly past..." The reporters did not spare Floyd Stanton, the Head of the Stanton family, either. It was as if his attitude would determine Nicole¡¯s life and death. When Floyd heard those words, his already glum face turned even more sullen. He walked forward without any intention toment. Grant also did not make a sound. The surrounding bodyguards blocked out the reporters. Nicole just walked out calmly in her ck dress without making a word of exnation. The facts would prove everything eventually. Suddenly, someone threw a mineral water bottle from the opposite direction, which smashed onto the back o f Nicole''s head. Nicole shuddered from the impact. Grant coldly turned his head in that direction and instructed, "Logan, find that person and call the police!" "Yes, sir." The bodyguards raised their vignce and formed a solid wall on both sides, no longer giving anyone the chance to throw objects. The Stantons then got into the car, which slowly merged into the traffic. They had prepared six of the same cars in the front and back, so the reporters had no way to identify them and lost their car shortly after. Nicole finally let out a breath of relief when they got into the car. Grant rubbed her head and looked at her worriedly." Does it hurt?" Nicole shook her head. "No, it doesn''t." She was just stunned. Floyd took out the red wine from the small refrigerator, poured himself half a ss, and chugged i t with his head tilted back. "The Fergusons are too much! Since they dare to touch my daughter, don¡¯t me me for not being polite!" Grant nodded. "Yeah, it''s time we show them the repercussions of their actions, but there¡¯s no rush." "Dad, don''t get mad. They don''t deserve our attention." Nicole smiled and felt a trace of bitterness in her heart. Her family only had to face these embarrassments with her because she was too stupid and stubborn back then to fall for the wrong man. ''I was just asking for it...'' Nicole thought. Floyd was heartbroken and stroked her hair as he sighed lightly. "It¡¯s good that you thought it through. It¡¯s never toote to turn back." Nicole nodded and felt her eyes getting a little moist. As soon as they left, the picture of the Stantons at the airport immediately became a hot topic of discussion amongizens. [Look at Chairman Stanton''s face! It looks like he won¡¯t recognize Nicole as his daughter-inw. Her dream of marrying into a rich family is shattered!] [How could Grant Stanton fancy such a gold-digger like Nicole? He must be deluded by her!] [Nicole has such skills... I really should learn from her... The phone suddenly rang. Floyd looked at his phone and picked it up with a cold and solemn face. "Chairman Ferguson, something wrong?" "Chairman Stanton, I just saw the news online. I should give you a proper wee since you¡¯re back! Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Why don''t we grab a drink together tonight?" Chapter 106 Give In Chapter 106 Give In Grant and Nicole looked at their father in unison. Old Master Ferguson was really anxious to call their father right after Floyd had just gotten off the ne. Floyd Stanton sneered. "That''s not necessary. My family''s a mess right now, so I''m not in the mood to go out for a drink." Old Master Ferguson said, "It''s only because of a woman, so what''s there to be upset about? I actually have a favor to ask of you." "Chairman Ferguson, Stanton Corporation''s anniversary ising up in a few days, so how about I invite your whole family and we can talk then?" The other party paused. "Great, then I''ll see you then." After hanging up, Floyd Stanton''s eyes emitted a chill. "Just watch how I''ll clean up those Ferguson scumbags!" Grantughed. "Then I¡¯ll take these few days to reorganize ourpany''s shares and decide which directors to keep or kick out so that our Lil N can have a clean environment." Floyd nodded. "Good, it''ll save us a lot of troubleter." Nicole deliberately sighed. "Oh no... What should I do? I''m about to have too much money that I can¡¯t finish spending..." Floyd paused and suddenly remembered something." Speaking of spending, the bank president called me yesterday saying that Kai spent $800 million in one afternoon. It¡¯s not for investment or stocks, so he¡¯s afraid that it¡¯s an abnormal transaction. What is Kai u p to?" Grant could not help butugh. "Dad, that money was spent by Lil N." Floyd said, "Oh, then I¡¯m relieved." If Kai heard about this, he would probably go crazy. When Nicole got back, she received a call from an unfamiliar number. She thought that it might be a Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. spam call, so she ignored it. However, it rang incessantly, so Nicole finally caved. "Nicole?" It was Keith Ludwig''s voice. She raised her eyebrows. "Mr. Ludwig, something wrong?" Keith was looking for her, so it was most likely nothing good. After less than two seconds of silence, Keith pursed his lips and said, "Nicole, I didn''t take this opportunity to add fuel to the fire this time, so you can¡¯t push me out to be your shield..." Nicole snickered. ''Turns out he knows what fear is?'' "Mr. Ludwig, did you forget how you offended me that night?" Keith panicked, but he did not want to give in either. "That''s just a misunderstanding. I''ve deeply reflected o n myself, so just let me off this time..." This was the first time Nicole heard such panic in Keith¡¯s voice. It seemed that those nude photos had traumatized him greatly. "I''ll think about it. Don''t call me again. I don''t want to hear your voice." After that, Nicole was about to hang up when Keith hurriedly spoke, "Hey, wait! Someone''s looking for you ..." 1 Nicole froze for a moment, then heard a familiar cold voice. "Nicole, it''s me." It was Eric Ferguson. Hearing this voice, Nicole''s eyebrows twitched slightly. She let out a lightugh. "Mr. Ferguson, do you also want to warn me?" Eric was stunned for a moment. "My grandfather looked for you?¡± "Didn''t Chairman Ferguson set this whole thing up to make me learn my lesson?" ''He''s just ying dumb!'' Nicole thought. "Nicole, just give in to him. Return the pipe and I''ll take care of the rest. I''ll handle everything online." Nicole forced augh. Her eyes were a little moist. The other side was silent. "Eric Ferguson, I know you''re both ying good cop, bad cop. Do you take me for a fool?" Nicole could not help but sneer. Since they already had such a fallingout, Nicole made her stance clear. ¡°Your family is so underhanded to sling mud at me, insult me with the nastiest words, and deliberately distort the truth. Yet you still want me to beg for forgiveness on my knees and even want me to be grateful to you? Don''t you feel like you¡¯re all so repulsive?" 1 The atmosphere was sullen and oppressive. Keith¡¯s voice came through. "Nicole, Eric didn¡¯t do this." "So what? Isn¡¯t he a Ferguson? Is he that innocent? Do you think every single word of scolding I¡¯ve received today has nothing to do with Eric Ferguson?" 1 Chapter 107 If I Dont Like You Chapter 107 If I Don''t Like You Nicole desperately suppressed those surging emotions in her heart. She took a deep breath as she held back the sourness in her eyes. N?velDrama.Org (C) content. ''Tears mean weakness... I''m so useless!¡¯ Nicole thought. Nicole used three days to wear out all the affection she had for Eric from the past three years. She finally understood that she should never have any expectations of a person who did not love her back. ''What does it matter if Eric Ferguson did it or not? What''s more, he''s waiting for me to kneel to them and beg for mercy? They even act like they are such angels, granting me so-called mercy right before they stab me to death? What a joke!'' After Nicole removed her love goggles, she could see the whole situation with extra rity. She could finally see it objectively and found that all of this was based on their condescension of her. Even if she was surrounded by gentries like Grant Stanton and Ian Carter; even if she had exceeded expectations and stunned everyone with her actions and character; even if she was the Vice President of Stanton Corporation that was impressive enough to make people notice her, nothing seemed to matter. In the eyes of the Fergusons family, she was still the weak pushover with no background, money, or power. To them, Nicole was just a gold-digging, scheming woman that only wanted to marry into an affluent family. Thus, the Fergusons were unscrupulous and used their power to force her to the wall, trying to make her life so dull that she would seem like aplete failure. Eric¡¯s heart sank when he heard Nicole¡¯s words, which pricked him like a thorn in his heart. It was painful and suffocating. Eric knew that every word of insult Nicole received was unjust. These days Eric had been attempting to turn the situation around, but Old Master Ferguson used all his contacts and resources so that the matter would continue to worsen, thus increasing its impact on Nicole. Moreover, Eric had to deal with an issue with a client in France, so he was too busy to handle Nicole''s scandal. Since things hade to this point, there was no way to please both parties. The only way was for Nicole topromise. Eric wanted Nicole to hand over the pipe to his grandfather to appease him and divert his attention. Then, he could take the opportunity to gain back control over the media. He wanted to rify the facts for Nicole to clear her name and minimize the damage. "Nicole, let''s talk about the restter. What''s more important is solving the matter at hand." Eric spoke again with forbearance. Nicole sneered. "Don''t bother. I''m used to being scolded, so it doesn''t matter to me. Eric Ferguson, you¡¯d best remember that the most regrettable thing i n my life is being so blind to fall for a jerk like you! Thank God it''s only been three years... I¡¯ll just consider this a nightmare! Also, tell Chairman Ferguson that I will find a good home for the emerald pipe.¡± After that, Nicole hung up the phone without hesitation. Her eyes were already blurred with tears. Nicole remembered when she first got divorced, she wanted to know if Eric had once felt moved or touched by her affection for him. However, she could not and would not ask him this because asking would mean defeat. That was because Eric Ferguson had never acknowledged her as his wife. Nicole did not want to debase herself any longer. Now, the answer was no longer important, and Nicole just felt that the question itself was simply ridiculous. ''How absurd! The past three years of marriage is just a self-abasing nightmare!'' Nicole thought. Keith looked at the call that was disconnected and saw that Eric''s face was glum and tense. He let out a nervousugh and said, "This woman doesn''t know any better. Ferg, don''t bother with her. Just wait for the heat to pass." He had not seen any woman who dared to scold Eric Ferguson so tantly and did not even give him the chance to retaliate. ¡®Nicole¡¯s really something!'' "By the way, I received an invitation to Stanton Corporation¡¯s anniversary party. I heard that they''ve also invited many mainstream domestic and foreign media for the grand g. Perhaps they intend to take advantage of this opportunity to exin the matter about Nicole, so don¡¯t worry about it." Eric''s eyes were indifferent. His face was icy, and his voice was cold as he said, "I¡¯m not worried. Forget it... She doesn¡¯t appreciate it anyway." Eric did not know what Nicole was thinking. The situation was clearly very tense, but Nicole was still not willing to ept the olive branch they offered her. ''Did she really think that Stanton Corporation would take her in? Or will Grant Stanton really marry her? In her situation, anyone who gets involved with her will b e in big trouble. This stupid woman!'' Eric thought. 1 Chapter 108 @RichBaby Chapter 108 @RichBaby Grant Stanton personally sent out the invitations for the anniversary of Stanton Corporation. Every famous and influential person in the country was basically on the guestlist. What was most shocking was that they had rejected all brand sponsorships for this anniversary g. They had also hired the top event nners to make sure that everything, from ce settings, drinks, and meals, was of the best standard. Everyone could see the degree of importance this anniversary g was to the Stantons. After a few days, Nicole''s online beratement was no longer as intense as before. From time to time, there would be a hired keyboard warrior that would hurl some insults at her. What reced Nicole''s scandal as the hottest topic was the search for @RichBaby, the mysterious rich woman from that live- streamed shopping spree. In that live stream, @RichBaby bought luxury items worth $800 million without first asking for the price o f anything. Thus, the identity of @RichBaby was hotly debated for a while. Everyone still did not know anything about this mysterious person except the chat records from that day¡¯s live stream. Theizens spected that since @RichBaby had bought out the live-streamer''s merchandise for that session, which was worth $800 million, she would have to pick them up somehow. They just had to pay close attention to the pick-up process to find out more about this @RichBaby. Nicole happily watched the show online. She did not reveal herself or make a sound and let the crowd run wild with spections. After all, Nicole was not in showbiz, so she did not have to expose all her information to the public. Stanton Corporation¡¯s anniversary g was held in thergest banquet hall in the business district that could amodate a thousand people. It was a semiopen venue, and from the upper floors, one could overlook much of the bustling city. From there, they could see a river that ran through the north and south ends of the city, as well as a few famousndmarks. The huge digital screens on those buildings were advertising space that was usually billed by the second. That night, Stanton Corporation had bought out all those digital N?velDrama.Org (C) content. signboards to ce congrattory text about their anniversary. It was an expensive low-key disy of wealth. The businessmen, celebrities, and media who attended the event marveled at the hefty costs of this g. They all thought it astonishing that Stanton Corporation would celebrate a mere anniversary in such a grand way. Nicole arrived early at the venue''s lounge. Grant Stanton was outside, while Floyd Stanton had to help his daughter pick out the best clothes and jewelry. Everything must be perfect. Even those who were ustomed to luxury brands were startled when they arrived at the venue because these gowns were all unique haute couture tailor-made for Nicole. Several top international designers discussed for a few days toe up with the concept and design of these dresses. All thirteen of these dresses were stunning collectors'' items, and this scene set a unique precedent in the world. "Ms. Stanton, which gown do you prefer for your first appearance?" The designer asked with a smile. Nicole looked at the thirteen gowns in front of her that were all so gorgeous and exquisite that she could not shift her gaze. Before she could say anything, Floyd waved his hand and said, "Just wear whichever that''s most expensive!" Nicole was speechless. The designer spoke meekly, "Chairman Stanton, these dresses can no longer be valued in terms of money..." Nicole smiled and pointed to the light gray dropshoulder gown that looked simple, elegant, and noble. I t was meticulously iid with hexagonal-cut diamonds and was beyond beautiful. "This one?" The designer nodded approvingly. "Ms. Stanton, you have a good eye! The first appearance should leave the deepest impression. If the dress is too extravagant, it''ll take away from the main character, so it won''t seem appropriate. Although the color of this dress is understated, it has a very chic design. Each diamond is carefully selected for its rity and the location of the iy brings out the best of your figure. It''ll show off your slender figure and fair skin even more! With these heels, it''s simply perfection!" The person next to the designer came forward holding the pair of high heels, which were just as expensive, exquisite, and wless. Floyd nodded repeatedly, but no one knew if he actually understood what the designer said. Anyway, those were words of appraisal for Nicole, so he liked it! "Where¡¯s the jewelry? Where''s the stuff I had someone buy from the European royal family?" The person on the side hurriedly carried it over carefully with both hands. "Chairman Stanton, here it is. It just got off the ne and is in perfect condition.¡± Floyd swept a nce, nodded, and looked at his daughter. "Nikki Baby, see if you like it. If you don¡¯t, I''ll get someone to change it. I bought you other jewelry too, but this is the most expensive one!" Nicoleughed helplessly. She swept a nce at the jewelry and knew that it was very well preserved by the collector. The diamond''s rity was dazzling. Fortunately, the design was not too fancy and cumbersome. It was just a simple ne in the shape of a lily, which was fitting for this dress. "No, it''s nice. This will do." As soon as Nicole said this, Grant knocked on the door and came in. "Dad, the Fergusons are here." Chapter 109 Deliberately Disgust You Chapter 109 Deliberately Disgust You Floyd Stanton hooked his lips and sneered. "Just in time. I was about to go meet them." Nicole pulled on her father¡¯s sleeve and was slightly worried. "Dad, it¡¯s ourpany¡¯s big day today, so don''t make a huge scene with them. It''s fine if peopleugh at them, but it''s not worth it if it affects us." "Don''t worry, I know what to do." Floyd Stanton straightened his clothes and walked out of the room. At the same time, Nicole''s friends, Yvette Quimbey and Julie Nixon, came into the room one after the This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. other. "Hi, Uncle Floyd!" Floyd nodded and looked at them both warmly. "Yvie, Jules, thanks for being such good friends to Nikki. I''ve prepared a lot of jewelry that you girls probably like. Remember to pick a few before leaving Yvette and Julie nced at each other, then bowed gratefully. "Thanks, Uncle Floyd!¡± Floyd left the room contented. Yvette and Julie then went up to Nicole and happily jumped in circles around her. "Nikki! You finally don¡¯t have to hide your identity anymore! After today, just wait and see the shockwaves you''ll bring to the public!" Nicole smiled with indifference in her eyes. "My identity is secondary. I just feel annoyed that all of this impacted mypany." Yvette stepped forward. ¡°Do you know who we just saw?" Julie raised her eyebrows. "You definitely won''t be able to guess." Nicole frowned. "Who?" "The Fergusons actually brought that b*tch Wendy Quade with them!" Yvette was so angry that she broke into a cussing fit. "Do you think that they thought you might be here and deliberately came to disgust you?" Nicole hooked the corners of her lips coldly. "I really a m quite disgusted by them." Julie pursed her lips. "The Fergusons came just to crush any possibility of you marrying into the Stanton family. Do you know what Ian just told me?" Before the other two could make a guess, Julie continued, "Ian said that as long as you appear tonight, Old Master Ferguson has ordered the media to circte rumors that you got kicked out of the elite circle and have no hope in ever marrying into a rich family again." Nicole sneered. Old Master Ferguson was just a one-trick pony, so this was nothing new. She looked at Yvette. "Did you send my invitation to that person?" Yvette raised her eyebrows. "Of course! With his status, he usually doesn¡¯t participate in this kind of business banquet, but since he''s my father¡¯s ssmate and I¡¯ve personally begged him toe, he finally agreed to bring his subordinates here tonight. I just saw him arriving earlier." Everything was ready. All they had to do was y the waiting game. "Who?" Julie was surprised. Yvette took her hand and said mysteriously, "You¡¯ll know in a moment, but I guarantee it''ll piss off the Fergusons big time!" Julie was helpless and sighed lightly. "Fine... I¡¯ll just wait for a good show then." Since there was still time before the opening, Nicole went to the bathroom before getting changed into her gown. Just as she was about toe out from the bathroom stall to wash her hands, she heard a familiar mean voice. "You haven¡¯t seen that b*tch Nicole, right?" It was Quinn. It was not surprising that Quinn would be here. After all, she was Mrs. Ferguson. "No, how is she qualified to attend this kind of asion? She¡¯s now the most hated person in the city. I''m sure she¡¯s hiding somewhere, so why would she be here?" Ingrid spoke sarcastically. "Yeah, you''re right. She''ll always be a disgrace. Does she really think that she can surpass everyone just by getting in the Stantons'' good graces? Hmph! Your grandfather said that the reason that the Stanton family hosted this grand anniversary g is to publicly break off their connection with Nicole. The Stantons want to take this opportunity to rify the scandal between her and Grant Stanton. Soon, she''ll obediently hand over the emerald pipe to us...¡± Quinn washed her hands as she said these words with an undisguised arrogance. Ingridughed. "Mom, you''re still the smartest to bring Wendy along as Eric''s femalepanion. If Nicole sees them together, I''m afraid she''ll get so riled up that she''ll vomit blood! Hahahaha...¡± "Bang!¡± The door of the bathroom stall was mmed outward, which made Ingrid''sughtere to an abrupt halt. Nicole walked over nonchntly, raised her eyebrows, and hooked her lips. Her tone was extremely cold. "Ms. Ferguson, I didn¡¯t get riled up, nor did I vomit blood... Did I disappoint you?" Chapter 110 Outcast Chapter 110 Outcast Outside the bathroom stall, Quinn and Ingrid Ferguson were shaken. "You... How did you get in here?¡± Ingrid spoke in surprise and thought, ''Wasn¡¯t Nicole kicked out of Stanton Corporation?'' Quinn was also slightly stunned, but quickly covered i t up and smiled calmly. "She''s probably here to die. Nicole, you should know when to stop. Not every rich family will ept trash... Let alone secondhand trash..." Ingrid felt emboldened. "Yeah, are you here to make trouble? Too bad, no one will help you anymore. The Stanton family doesn''t want you, so your backer is gone...¡± Nicole lowered her head and smiled, then cast a sidelong nce at them and walked out without saying a word. Ingrid was blocking the doorway and did not intend to give way to Nicole. Thus, Nicole just shoved Ingrid to the side when she passed her by. Ingrid was caught off guard as her body nted to the side and hit the wall. She was in pain and was just about to curse at Nicole when she suddenly saw Nicole¡¯s cold dark eyes that looked askance at her. She was so scared that she dared not say a word. After Nicole¡¯s figure gradually faded away, Ingrid rubbed her shoulder that was hurt by the impact and bared her teeth. "She¡¯s already an outcast. How dare she throw a fit?! Sooner orter, I¡¯ll show her who''s boss!" In the center of the banquet hall, the Stanton father-and-son pair calmly exchanged pleasantries with their guests. Although Floyd Stanton had retired and taken a back seat in thepany, he still did not look a day over fifty as he kept a good exercise routine. Standing next to Grant, Floyd looked more like an older brother. "Chairman Stanton!" "Chairman Ferguson, what an honor." Floyd Stanton shook hands with Old Master Ferguson and greeted him in a cold voice. Eric bowed slightly. "Uncle Floyd.¡± "No, no... Just call me Chairman Stanton." Floydughed without epting Eric¡¯s greeting. Eric was stunned for a moment but quickly regainedposure. Although they had dealt with each other frequently in business, they did not have much of a personal connection. Floyd was clearly drawing a clear line with the Fergusons privately based on his cold attitude, which puzzled Eric. Old Master Ferguson did not notice this and was only exchanging pleasantries with Floyd. Grant Stanton, who was standing on the other side, smirked and looked at Wendy Quade who was beside Eric. He lifted his ss and said, "Mr. Ferguson, no wonder you¡¯re so relentless towards your ex-wife. It Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. looks like you¡¯ll be announcing your marital news again, huh? I wonder which family''s daughter can make Mr. Ferguson so devoted to her?¡± No matter how slow-witted Eric Ferguson was, he could hear the mockery in Grant¡¯s words. His eyebrows were slightly knitted, and his face was somewhat sullen and cold. Eric did not like other people prying into his personal affairs, not to mention, Grant had an ongoing scandal with Nicole. ''Is he trying to get justice for Nicole?¡¯ Eric thought. Eric¡¯s eyes were cold. Wendy heard this and could not wait to make a self-introduction. "I grew up abroad. M y eldest uncle is the Chairman of FQ Enterprise.¡¯¡¯ Grant nodded politely. "I see.¡± "Mr. Stanton, do you know my eldest uncle?¡± Wendy''s eyes lit up. Grant¡¯s smile was cold with condescending scrutiny, but his voice was calm and polite. "No, I''ve never heard of him." Wendy''s smile froze as she felt embarrassed. Although Grant did not say it directly, Wendy could feel the contempt in his words. Even so, Wendy still thought that she was much better off than Nicole, who had nothing to her name. Thus, Wendy did not care about Grant''s attitude towards her. "But the two of you do look good together,¡± Grant added. Wendy bowed her head and smiled shyly, while Eric''s face sank. "Mr. Stanton, are you so curious about my personal matters?" There was a slight dip between his eyebrows. Grant smiled calmly and faintly, then pursed his lips." Maybe." He still wanted to say something, but Ingrid ran over from a distance while holding the hem of her dress. " Wendy...¡± Eric''s face was grim. "Where are your manners?" Ingrid was so frightened that she immediately stood upright and carefully walked up to them. She then whispered a few words into Wendy''s ear. Wendy''s face lit up and the two girls ran away hand in hand without greeting anyone. Eric narrowed his eyes in dissatisfaction. Grant did not care. Floyd, who was on the side, saw this and smiled. "Ms. Ferguson is really bubbly. It must be very lively at home..." Old Master Fergusonughed. "She''s just spoiled and forgot all her manners. Chairman Stanton, don¡¯t mind her." Floyd sighed lightly with regret. "It''s a pity my son works all day long and is busier than I am, so I barely get to see him at home." ¡°It''s nice to have a daughter. Mr. Stanton, if only you had a daughter, we''d probably be inws..." Chapter 111 Nicole Is Forbidden to Enter Chapter 111 Nicole Is Forbidden to Enter Floyd Stanton raised his eyebrows and nced at Eric Ferguson, then shook his head and said, "How could I possibly imagine bing inws with you? My daughter certainly doesn¡¯t deserve such an exceptional man like Mr. Ferguson." Old Master Ferguson paused, thenughed and changed the subject. "Speaking of which, Stanton Corporation was really messed up by that woman¡¯s scandalous background, right? The stock market even began to stir..." Wendy Quade pulled Ingrid Ferguson¡¯s hand and asked in a whisper, "Did you really see it clearly? Why would Nicole even be here at this time?" "How could I be mistaken? My mother was also present at that time..." Wendy¡¯s eyes narrowed. She followed Ingrid to the second floor and looked down at the crowd that was filled with people. There were all kinds of dresses, and it was simply impossible to recognize anyone. "How can we find her like this..." Ingrid scratched her head. "I don¡¯t know where she ran to hide, but since she''s here, I doubt she¡¯ll leave so easily. I think she''s only here to force her hand in marriage!" This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Since Nicole had no way out, she had no choice but to force Grant Stanton to marry her. A good show was about to begin! Wendy suppressed the excitement in her heart. ''Looks like Nicole''s back is pushed against the wall...'' Her eyes flickered and she grabbed Ingrid''s hand. "I saw her! She''s there!" Wendy reached out and pointed in the direction of the doorway. Upon closer look, it really looked like Nicole. Nicole was wearing an ordinary dress and seemed to b e talking to someone at the door. The man handed her a bouquet, which she epted. "Aren''t you overseas? Why are you back already?¡± Nicole asked. Ian Carter looked dapper in his bespoke suit. He was s o tall and handsome, and under the dim ambient light, his smile was devilishly seductive. "How can I be absent on your big day? I''ll fly back as soon as the g is over." Nicole was so shaken by Ian''s charming smile that her hands paused for a moment. "Since you''re already here, shouldn¡¯t you greet your dad first? I saw him around earlier..." Ian shook his head and helplessly shrugged his shoulders. "He''ll either beat me to death or die of a heart attack from aggravation. It''s too much of a risk, s o why bother? That project abroad is almost done, and my brother''s death anniversary ising up soon. By then, he will have no reason to force me to stay there anymore." Nicole chuckled. "Great, then we''ll wait for you toe back and host a big wee home reception for you." "Deal!" Ian took advantage of Nicole''s inattention to step forward and pull her into his warm embrace. "Our Lil N is finallying back... I''m so happy for you!" Nicole''s hand was just about to push Ian away, but he suddenly let go of her. "Go on and get changed then. I need to find a ce to hide so my dad won''t spot me..." She nodded and turned around, but saw Eric standing not far away, staring at her with deep eyes and frowning coldly. Nicole paused in her footsteps as Eric came towards her in big strides. "What a coincidence, Mr. Ferguson..." Nicole raised her eyebrows and smiled. ''Was the scolding he receivedst time not enough that he took the initiative toe over for more?'' Eric¡¯s gaze was cold and stern as he stared at her. His tone was harsh as he said, "Why are you here, and cuddling with other men at that?" He was already shocked to see Nicole here. He did not expect Nicole to show up in such a dignified manner and even hug Ian Carter so openly. When Eric saw Ian hugging Nicole, a wave of uncontroble rage rose in his chest, which made him walk over in anger. Nicole inclined her head and looked around. ''Luckily, n o one else saw...¡¯ "Can¡¯t I be here? Whose rules said that I can''t? Is '' Nicole is forbidden to enter'' written at the door?" "Do you know what kind of asion this is? Do you think your reputation isn''t bad enough?¡± ''She''s involved with Grant Stanton yet turns around and hugs Ian Carter so intimately? This woman is really looking for death...'' Eric thought. "It¡¯s all thanks to you that I have my reputation today, isn''t it?" ''He still has the cheek to mock me?! Eric Ferguson is simply ridiculous!¡¯ Nicole thought. To Eric, Nicole just looked like a stubborn fool. When she spoke, the corners of her lips were hooked into a contemptuous smile, not knowing whether she wasughing at him or herself. Everyone, including Eric Ferguson, thought that Nicole should not appear at this event. They thought that she was simply out of ce and that she did not deserve to enter their high society. "Nicole, what are you up to?" Chapter 112 Do You Have No Shame? Chapter 112 Do You Have No Shame? Eric Ferguson could not figure out why he felt so impatient and annoyed. ¡®Under such circumstances, why does Nicole still have the guts to show up here? Does she still have expectations for Grant Stanton? Can''t she see that everyone just treats her like trash and only wants to avoid her?'' Moreover, those flowers she was holding were extraordinarily agonizing to him. Eric looked at Nicole with a gloomy face. He said with some irritation, "It doesn''t matter what you''re up to. You''d better not choose today of all days. Everyone is watching you, so if you really do something out of ce, even I can''t protect you!" If that was the case, Old Master Ferguson would not be the only one against Nicole, but also the entire Stanton family. Nicoleughed out loud, but her eyes were cold. "Protect me? Mr. Ferguson, when have you ever protected me? I think you''re just afraid of getting implicated by me and dragging your family into it, right?¡± ''Aren''t the insults I have to endure from everyone all thanks to the Fergusons? Eric still has the cheek to say these big words now? Does he really take me as a fool?'' Nicole thought. Hearing her words, Eric''s heart suddenly clenched up. He frowned tightly and knew in his heart that Nicole must hate him and his family, but he did not know how he should exin it to her. "Nicole...¡± Wendy Quade ran over from not far away and stood next to Eric. Her voice was gentle as she said, "It''s all my fault. I know that you hate me, and I don''t me you for what happenedst time, but please don¡¯t make a scene here. It¡¯ll just make it awkward for both sides..." Nicole''s grim gaze swept over Wendy. She hooked her lips and said, "me me? Do you have no shame?" Wendy nced at Eric meekly. He did not look like he med Nicole at all. She paused for a moment, then acted aggrieved and pretended to be magnanimous. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Nicole, you''ve already divorced Eric. Are you nning to hate us for life just because of the past?" Nicole nced at her coldly. "Are you even worthy enough for me to remember for life?" Wendy''s face turned glum. She bit her lower lip and said, "Eric and I both hope that you can let go of the past and start over. Today is Stanton Corporation''s anniversary g. If something happens, you will only make it impossible for you to keep your head up. The most important thing now is to look at the big picture!" Eric frowned slightly. His gaze wasplex and cold a s he nced at Wendy. Somehow, Wendy¡¯s words made him feel very ufortable. Nicole¡¯s lips twitched as she red at the scumbag and b*tch standing in front of her. Each one of them was more hypocritical and abominable than the other, which made her feel repulsed. ''Look at the big picture? Me leaving is looking at the big picture?'' Nicole thought. "Who will that benefit? You guys? You want me to leave so that no one will know that you both had an extramarital affair? Save that pitiful b*tch act and stop being so nauseating. Both of your existence is the biggest joke around here." Nicole was very upset, but she did not have the mood t o continue babbling on with these two and only left that sarcastic remark. She saw Yvette waving at her from not far away, so she carelessly swept a nce at the two people in front of her and walked away without another word. Wendy felt resentful from being scolded by Nicole. She nced at Eric from time to time thinking that he would speak up for them. However, when Eric heard the words "extramarital affair", his expression was visiblyplex and cold, and his eyes were incredibly dark. He stood there and watched as Nicole''s back disappear before him, then withdrew his gaze and turned to leave. "Eric... Why did Nicole be like this? She seems to hate seeing us together. It looks like she''s had enough after pretending for so long..." Wendy spoke tentatively and watched Eric''s reaction. ''Why is he so indifferent to Nicole''s outburst just now? '' Wendy thought. Eric frowned slightly and his tone was cold. "What are you trying to say?" Wendy was stunned. She bit her lower lip, and her eyes became a little red. "I was trying to say that maybe Nicole has a point. We''ll be misunderstood by others if we appear together... So, maybe... Maybe I should leave first...¡± She knew very well that Eric would not let her leave first. For one, it would be impolite to the Stantons. Moreover, if Eric did not have a femalepanion by his side, it was inevitable that others would talk. Wendy only proposed this so that Eric would notice her presence and would realize how understanding she waspared to the unreasonable Nicole. Eric''s gaze was cold. He looked at his watch and said indifferently, "Alright, get the driver to send you back." After that, he turned around and left without looking back. Wendy was left alone, looking lost and grim at the door. "Wendy,e here quickly! My mother is looking for you everywhere..." Ingrid waved at her. Wendy ran over to Ingrid like she had seen her savior.'' With Quinn and Ingrid around, Eric won''t send me away, right?'' "What¡¯s wrong? What did you and my brother talk about that made you look like this?¡± "Nothing." Wendy smiled perfunctorily. Her face was extraordinarily pale. ''Why did Eric allow me to leave?¡¯ Wendy did not expect that she would shoot herself in the foot. Eric, who used to be responsive to her, kept avoiding hertely. Why? Ever since Wendy returned from abroad, she felt that everything was different. Chapter 113 Her Last Name Is Stanton Chapter 113 Her Last Name Is Stanton The venue was brightly lit, extremely luxurious, and high-profile. Soon, the music stopped abruptly as Floyd Stanton walked up onto the stage. Everyone gathered around the stage, knowing that the main event of this g was about to begin. Although Grant Stanton was the actual person in charge of Stanton Corporation and had the prestige and reputationparable to Eric Ferguson, at this time, he did not have the slightest intention to take the spotlight away from his father. Instead, he only stood on the side humbly and respectfully as he watched his father speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you all foring to Stanton Corporation''s anniversary g. Thanks to your support all these years, we''ve had such smooth sailing thus far. This toast is for everyone!" Floyd Stanton raised his ss, to which everyone responded with the same action, then downed the wine in it. Everyone knew that it was not because of everyone''s support that Stanton Corporation had such an unstoppable growth, but because of the Stantons'' ability. Everyone wanted to be in their good graces and kept singing praises about them. Not long after, Grant personally went forward to fill up his father''s empty wine ss and stood back to his original position. Floyd smiled, nodded at Grant, then looked at the crowd again. "There is one thing that I need to rify here today. I believe that all of you have been very curious about a woman who''s closely rted to mypany and whose rumors have been circting the inte recently, Nicole...¡± The guests fell silent. They already knew that the Stantons had invited so many reporters to this event a s a good opportunity to rify the scandal. Old Master Ferguson seemed to look so understanding and smug. ''How could Floyd Stanton allow his son to marry a divorced woman? That woman doesn''t know any better... This is her downfall...¡± Quinn and Ingrid nced at each other. Both of them guessed how miserable Nicole would be after this. "Why didn¡¯t that womane out?¡± Ingrid swept a nce but did not see that woman''s figure anywhere and thought, ''Wasn¡¯t she just there just now?'' Quinnughed and looked unconcerned. "She probably got kicked out. The Stantons aren¡¯t stupid. Why would they keep a ticking time bomb around?" Floyd Stanton affixed his gaze to the Fergusons as he said in a loud and clear voice. "Nicole has signed a huge deal with J&L Corporation during her tenure as Vice President of Stanton Corporation. Her ability is undoubted, but her rtionship with Grant isn''t what everyone imagined it to be..." The venue was incredibly quiet, so Floyd''s voice echoed in everyone''s ears. "I¡¯d like to take this opportunity to introduce Nicole to everyone here." Old Master Ferguson frowned and raised his head. Even Eric was slightly puzzled. The trace of doubt that had never dissipated at the bottom of his heart suddenly became heavier at this moment. Floyd looked at the corridor on the left and smiled tenderly as he beckoned to her. "Come, Nicole. Come o n over..." Everyone watched in shock as the door on the left opened slowly. The light from the corridor came through and the woman who gradually walked over was enveloped in a soft sheath of light. Nicole¡¯s makeup was exquisite and impable. Her long and wavy hair draped behind her ears, making her look like an effortless beauty. She wore a world-ss collector''s series light gray diamond-iid dress that outlined her slender waist perfectly. Her dazzling pink diamond ne that shone so brightly under the spotlight was visibly expensive. It even elevated her temperament to the next level. Nicole walked onto the stage calmly with a bright and confident gaze. The corners of her lips hooked up into a faint arc and made her seem so aloof and morous. She gently lifted the hem of her gown, showing off her exquisite stilettos as she walked up in style. Finally, she stood beside Floyd Stanton without the slightest fear or nervousness. She looked so prim and proper, like apletely different person from the rumors on the inte. Countless cameras started shing the moment Nicole appeared on stage. They were afraid to miss a single shot of such breathtaking beauty! The crowd audibly gasped and secretly spected why Nicole would appear in such a grand fashion. Most importantly, this woman''s arrival was so bright and eye-catching that no one could look away from her! Floyd smiled and was very satisfied to see his daughter shining so brightly in the spotlight. This was the only way Nicole should make her formal debut in the gentry circle. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. After a few seconds of silence, Floyd looked at the crowd below and said in a resounding voice, "Her my eye and my precious darling daughter, Nicole Stanton!" Chapter 114 Heiress Chapter 114 Heiress Once Floyd Stanton''s words fell, the venue was deadly silent. Everyone was just so shocked as if a bomb had dropped on them from out of nowhere. At the same time, the congrattory words on the huge digital screens on all the buildings outside that could be seen from inside the venue were instantly reced with Nicole''s picture. Everyone in the entire city could see Nicole''s picture as long as they looked u p at those buildings. The Stanton family wanted everyone in the world to know that Nicole Stanton¡¯s value was unparalleled. Everyone present looked incredulous, especially Old Master Ferguson, who was standing in the forefront. His face was stiff for a moment with an obscure astonishment. Eric Ferguson also stood there shocked withplex bewilderment. Ingrid and Quinn Ferguson were not as calm as the Ferguson men. Quinn broke the silence in the venue with her tense and shrill voice as she shouted, " Impossible! She¡¯s clearly an orphan with no money and background!" "Shut up!" Old Master Ferguson rebuked her with a dark and sullen face. How could it be fake if Floyd Stanton admitted it himself to the public? Floyd Stanton ignored Quinn''s outburst and continued to drop another bomb on the crowd. "Now, I''d like to announce that all of my shares in Stanton Corporation will be transferred to Nicole. Nicole will be the person inmand of Stanton Corporation and my designated sessor." Boom! This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. In an instant, Nicole¡¯s identity waspletely turned upside down. Not only was she Floyd Stanton''s daughter, but she was also the heiress of Stanton Corporation. From a woman who was berated and mocked for being a gold digger and wanting to marry into a rich family, she had sprung to be a true billionaire heiress! Her status was beyond valuable. The venue was suddenly abuzz, even the media reporters refused to let go of this historic moment. Before everyone could finish digesting this shocking fact, Grant Stanton, who was on the side, walked up to his father and nodded. "Everyone..." The crowd fell silent in an instant. Grant Stanton was still recognized as the person in charge of Stanton Corporation. In the industry, his words were pivotal and carried substantial weight. Grant had a calm and doting smile on his face as he looked at Nicole. "To wee my sister back home, I will transfer ten percent of my shares in Stanton Corporation to her. Now, as thergest shareholder owning 71% of Stanton Corporation¡¯s shares, Nicole Stanton will directly assume the position of CEO to Stanton Corporation from her current position as Vice President. As her older brother, I will always firmly support any decision Nicole makes. I believe that everyone, like m e, is looking forward to the future Nicole will lead us into." Once Grant Stanton finished his speech, the crowd felt like another bomb had been dropped on them. ''The person inmand of Stanton Corporation changed just like that? No fighting, no gossip, no messy disputes...'' Nicole stood on the side looking calm, but she still felt taken aback in her heart. Grant had never mentioned that he would be giving her a portion of his shares, so this all seemed too sudden. The entire Stanton Corporationnded on her shoulders just like that. It felt like a mountain of goldnded right in front of her. It was so huge that she could not even see the top when she looked up. After the silence, thunderous apuse reverberated in the hall. The crowd was cheering for the return of Nicole Stanton as well as Grant Stanton''s munificence. When the apuse died down, a reporter at the venue could not resist asking a question. "Ms. Stanton, how d o you feel about the nderous rumors about you on the inte? May I ask if your divorce from Mr. Eric Ferguson means a break between Stanton Corporation and Ferguson Corporation?" The reporter seized the moment and did not want to wait for the press conferenceter because he might lose this first opportunity. Eric''s dark eyes instantly constricted. He lifted his head and locked his gaze onto the radiant and beautiful woman standing on stage. Nicole did not dodge the question and looked at the reporter frankly with a faint smile. "Please allow me to answer your second question first. Back then, I concealed my identity to marry Mr. Ferguson, so that marriage was not a business alliance and did not represent Stanton Corporation¡¯s stance. To be precise, this failed marriage is due to my youthful moment of impulsiveness. My foolish mistakes of the past are mine to bear alone, and I fully ept the failure of this marriage. This divorce is for me to move on to the correct path for the future. As for those ndering rumors...¡± Nicole disdainfully hooked the corners of her lips as she swept a nce at Old Master Ferguson and Eric Ferguson. She raised her eyebrows and continued," Perhaps if I had informed them of my real identity sooner, there wouldn''t have been such a farce for the past few days. I am eternally grateful that I am Floyd Stanton''s daughter and can have this opportunity to stand here and rify everything. Though I can''t say the same if this were to happen to an ordinary person n Chapter 115 Shes ?RichBaby Chapter 115 She''s ?RichBaby Nicole silently curved her lips and did not say another word. Everyone finally understood. This nderous farce was created by the Fergusons with malicious intent to defame Nicole. If this happened to an ordinary person, it was simply impossible for them to make aeback. With the Ferguson family''s power, it was as easy as a snap of a finger to sentence an ordinary person a" social death". Nicole was not so kind as to hide the Fergusons¡¯ bad deeds. Since there was such an opportunity, she would of course let the world know how despicable and shameless the Fergusons were. Old Master Ferguson stood there trying to conceal the panic and huge sense of regret in his shocked gaze. What was done could not be undone. No one had expected Nicole to be the heir to Stanton Corporation! It was no wonder the Fergusons could not find any trace of Nicole''s past even when they used their connections when Nicole and Eric first got married. Thus, they believed her when she said she was an orphan. The Stanton family could conceal her past easily if they wanted to. ''This divorce is for her to move on to the correct path for the future?'' When Eric heard Nicole¡¯s words, his brow furrowed and his eyes were cold. His heart suddenly sank. ''Marrying me was a wrong diversion in her life?¡¯ "Ms. Stanton, does that mean the actual reason for your divorce was because a third party had intervened in your marriage?" The reporter pursued the question, which reminded everyone about the scandal that ran rampant at the time of their divorce. Countless sighs andmentations resounded in the hall. 1 Wendy Quade''s name as a homewrecker came up once again. Since she came over as Eric¡¯s female Originally, Wendy had wanted to exacerbate Nicole''s situation by showing up, but she did not expect that she would shoot herself in the foot by doing so. Nicole paused and lowered her head as she let out a lightugh. "Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Quade are a match made in heaven. Like everyone, I wish them all the best.¡± At this moment, countless eyes were gathered on the Stantons and the Fergusons. The reporter¡¯s and Nicole''s words made Old Master Ferguson''s face iparably glum. Even Quinn wanted to bury her head in sand. Although no one explicitly said anything, everyone''s gaze was filled with contempt and mockery. ''How could they treat the heiress of Stanton Corporation like that? Eric Ferguson married a secret billionaire and almost got control over the entire Stanton Corporation, but they were so blind to drive this great opportunity away by themselves.'' Standing there, Eric''s eyes were cold and sunken. His face was taut and he did not dodge the crowd''s prying eyes. His suit did not have a single crease and he was just staring intently at Nicole, who seemed to be glowing under the light. At that moment, he had a mix of emotions in his heart. Eric could still be so calm and steady and maintained his indifferent and reserved expression in this kind of situation. It could be seen that Eric Ferguson had experienced all sorts of big scenes that he was not easily perturbed. Nicole swept an indifferent nce at him and smiled faintly. "There¡¯s no need to mention unimportant Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. things of the past. Tonight, I have more surprises for everyone!¡± Everyone refocused their gaze on Nicole on stage. Her voice was gentle and clear as she said, "A few days ago, I bought out a live stream online shopping session. I''ve kept some items for mypany''s staff a s a little meet and greet gift, but there are still a lot of private collectors¡¯ items, bags, nes, and watches that aren¡¯t released yet in Mediania. If you¡¯d like, please participate in our raffle over there..." Everyone gasped. ''How much money did the Stantons actually throw to host this g? Wait a sec... Live stream, gifts, private collectors'' items, not released in Mediania...'' A reporter came to his senses and could not help but ask, "Ms. Stanton, are you the ''RichBaby'' who shocked the inte a few days ago from buying $800 million worth of goods online in one afternoon?" Everyone''s eyes widened as they looked at Nicole, who just smiled and pursed her lips shyly. "These are just some small gifts for all the staff in thepanies under Stanton Corporation. I didn¡¯t expect that it''ll attract so much attention. I''m truly sorry for taking up the media¡¯s resources...¡± There were so many branches and subsidiaries under Stanton Corporation, so $800 million worth of luxury items was not considered excessive. It might not even be enough to go around. Everyone was just so shocked and speechless. ''Nicole i s @RichBaby!'' No wonder those inte detectives exhausted all their energy and still could not find out the person behind this ount handle. Nicole used $800 million to buy out the entire live stream session so that the live streamer could shop for her remotely in Europe. While everyone was busy berating her, she had quietly assumed her identity as the billionaire heiress! Chapter 116 Im So Rich Chapter 116 I''m So Rich At the same time, the photos from Stanton Corporation''s anniversary g had already set off shocking waves on the inte. The picture of Nicole on the digital signboard atop the Pearl Tower across the river was the most direct way t o announce her identity. [OMG, this is legendary! A billionaire heiress hides her own identity to marry a guy below her status and reveals herself to be the richest young woman after their divorce?! This plot is straight out of a TV show!] [The Ferguson family is horrendous! They think Nicole¡¯s easy to bully and even hired keyboard warriors to insult her... Don''t they feel ashamed for treating ady like that?] [Nicole''seback is awesome!] [Yasss kween! Nicole, you rock! I love you 3000 <3] [I passed by a dozen intersections earlier and saw Nicole''s picture stered on every building. She hands down beat all those actresses that wanted to fight for those advertising spaces. I¡¯m witnessing history in the making!] [Nicole is @RichBaby?! Her nickname is too straightforward, right? Why is she so cute?!] Inside the banquet hall, Nicole''s act of squandering $ 800 million did not cause the crowd¡¯s antipathy. Instead, they all felt touched that Nicole truly cared for every employee in herpany. After everyone marveled at her generosity, Nicole carelessly swept her gaze to Old Master Ferguson with a light mockery in her pretty eyes. "Besides that, when I was at a charity auction earlier this month, I bought an emerald pipe from Mrs. Ferguson..." Nicole paused and watched as Old Master Ferguson''s expression turned into panic, then continued to speak slowly, "Chairman Ferguson, I''ve decided..." "Wait!" Old Master Ferguson could not bear it any longer and stepped forward, interrupting her words. H e could tolerate that Nicole hid her identity, deceived them, and made his family aughing stock, but the emerald pipe absolutely could not fall into the hands o f others! "Nicole, you know that the emerald pipe is my family heirloom. Now, I''m willing to buy it back from you at ten times the price. Consider the extra money aspensation for you from our family." The first to speak always had the upper hand. Old Master Ferguson thought that Nicole was still a little too inexperienced to go up against an old-timer like him. Nicole spent $30 million to buy that emerald pipe. Now that it had inted to $300 million, it was simply more than anyone could ask for. Although this was a pretty sizable amount for many, for Nicole Stanton, this was equivalent to a p in the face. Feeling the tense atmosphere between Nicole and Old Master Ferguson, everyone''s eyes fell on Nicole. Her smile was bright and stunning, and her eyes glittered like the stars. She spoke unhurriedly," Chairman Ferguson, I''m so rich and certainly don¡¯t need that petty cash from you... The emerald pipe''s value can no longer be quantified by money. Since it¡¯s of such significant historic value, I''ve decided to N?velDrama.Org (C) content. donate this artifact, free of charge, to the National Museum.¡± Nicole beamed and tilted her head to the side, then extended her arm to invite the person standing there. " This is the Director of the National Museum. All of you here y witness to this moment in history in which this emerald pipe finds its most fitting home in the museum for all those who love and respect history. In the future, everyone can share the story of this emerald pipe and I think this is much more valuable than it will be in the hands of Chairman Ferguson alone. Hence, Chairman Ferguson will certainly support my thoughtful decision." 1 The man who came over to Nicole on stage looked mature and respectable. He brought over two of his subordinates and gave a simple speech of gratitude. Then, in the presence of the guests, the man took the box containing the emerald pipe from Nicole''s hands and left with it. Floyd Stanton looked at his daughter and felt very pleased with her performance. He came onstage to say a few more words and gave everyone the green light to mingle around as they wished. As for the Ferguson family, Floyd Stanton would not let them get away so easily... At this time, Old Master Ferguson¡¯s face flushed red with anger. He was so vexed that he could not even speak. Nicole had defeated him using her own means and hadpletely put an end to Old Master Ferguson¡¯s ns of getting back his emerald pipe. If she had sold it to other people, the Fergusons would still be able to buy it back because they were willing to pay any price for it. On the contrary, Nicole had made this unexpected move to donate the emerald pipe to the National Museum, and more importantly, with so many influential people bearing witness. Even if Old Master Ferguson had the ability, he would not dare to take from the museum! Undoubtedly, he had utterly lost this game! "Let¡¯s go!" Old Master Ferguson turned around and left. He could not care less about pleasantries and did not want to stay here for another moment. "Chairman Ferguson, a minute please!" Floyd Stanton slowly walked over with Nicole, both wearing a cheerful smile on their face. Chapter 117 I’m Not That Generous Chapter 117 I¡¯m Not That Generous Old Master Ferguson''s face was glum as he narrowed his eyes and grunted coldly. He was so exasperated looking at this father-daughter pair that he gnashed his teeth and said, "Chairman Stanton, what else do you have in store? I''ve already seen enough of this surprising show!¡± It was clear that the Stantons were deliberately telling off the Fergusons with everything that happened at the g. ''No wonder Nicole was so fearless when Iined about her to Floyd Stanton in her office that day. Now that I think back to it, she deliberately yed me!'' Old Master Ferguson thought. Floyd Stanton nced at Eric Ferguson, who still did not show a hint of emotion on his noble and calm face. At such a young age, he managed to be so unperturbed by all that happened, which was a rare talent. If not for Eric''s messy love life and for him hurting Nicole so many times that made Floyd Stanton keep a distance from him, Floyd would probably be able to ept such a man as his son-inw. "Chairman Ferguson, I can''t understand where your anger ising from. My princess married your grandson just to be a lowly maid to your family. Even after their divorce, she became the most hated person on the inte getting insulted left and right. Chairman Ferguson, don''t you think you owe us an exnation?" Floyd Stanton''s voice was cold. Old Master Ferguson froze. Quinn and Ingrid were also shocked. ''Is Floyd Stanton bringing Nicole over to settle ounts?'' Eric had a slight frown and his eyes were deep as he looked at Nicole, who was next to Floyd. She was staring at the royal blue sapphire cufflinks o n Floyd''s shirt and was tugging on her father''s suit like she was extremely bored. She seemed reluctant toe over and was not even willing to look at them for a moment. Since the second she stepped on stage, Eric was beyond shocked. It was just that he hid it all at the bottom of his heart. All the unbelievable things that Nicole did after their divorce finally seemed to make sense. Everything became logical and rightful. This shocking information just came out of nowhere. Old Master Ferguson coughed. His face became ugly. "Nicole concealed her identity, so how would we know that she''s your daughter?" He snapped back at Floyd and excused himself using this reason. Floyd sneered and angrily retorted. "So, you''re saying that the harsh treatment she received at your ce is our fault? Back then when she liked Eric and wanted t o marry him, I disagreed, but she went behind my back to get married anyway. I was so angry for three years that I cut off all contact with her. I thought that it¡¯d be fine as long as she''s happy, but I never would''ve imagined that your family didn''t even treat her as a human being!¡± Quinn spoke in panic, "She''s well-fed and has a roof over her head, so how is she being ill-treated? We were kind to her, but she didn¡¯t show us any gratitude and even lied to us? How can we not be angry?¡± Floyd¡¯s face became stern and was just about to speak when Nicole tugged on his clothes. She let out a cold snort that carried disdain and contempt. "Even if it''s the whole world¡¯s fault, it has nothing to d o with your family, right? I asked for it, so I deserve to be lowly and put up with all your vileness. I deserve to use my own blood in an attempt to exchange for someone''s love. It serves me right to be a blind fool for the past three years. Is that what you mean? Sorry to say, I''m not a generous person, so in the future, I can only return what I''ve received little by little, an eye for an eye..." Nicole hooked her lips and did not hide her disgust. ''D o they think that I''d just forget about the past? N?velDrama.Org (C) content. That I¡¯d forget about those humiliations? If I get the opportunity, I''ll definitely get back at them!'' Quinn''s face stiffened. Old Master Ferguson red at Quinn angrily and was annoyed by her talkativeness, s o Quinn shrank back in fear and dared not speak again. Wendy Quade, who stood at the side silently this whole time, suddenly stepped forward. Her voice was soft and weak as she said, "Nicole, I know that you hate me. I''m the one who used so much of your blood. I t has nothing to do with the Fergusons. Juste at m e if you want. If we''d known that you were the heiress of Stanton Corporation, I think that Eric wouldn¡¯t have treated you like this. Since what''s done is already done, I hope that you can forgive us." Although Wendy was resentful of Nicole¡¯s true identity, her smug sense of superiority when she looked at Nicole in the past was vastly different from her current position. They were like heaven and hell. Wendy hated Nicole''s good fortune. ''Why can Nicole get things that others can''t right at her fingertips? Eric Ferguson must be mine!'' Nicole swept a sidelong nce at Wendy and thought,'' She really knows how to involve herself in the drama, huh?'' With a scoff, Nicole said, "This is not a ce for trash. Who are you to talk over here?¡± Chapter 118 Ask Her to Leave Chapter 118 Ask Her to Leave Wendy Quade''s expression stiffened. She did not expect Nicole to be so direct. She looked up aggrievedly at Eric, but he did not look a t her. From the very beginning, his eyes had been fixated on Nicole and he had been unreasonably silent. Wendy quietly hung her head and clenched her fingers. Old Master Ferguson also did not look at her nor did h e intend to help. At this moment, Old Master Ferguson''s face was glum as he asked Floyd, "Chairman Stanton, even if we did d o something wrong, it''s all water under the bridge now. They''re already divorced, so there¡¯s no need to make a fuss about it, right?" Floyd was really trying to hold back his anger. He was so vexed that he did not know how his daughter managed to put up with them for the past three years. He immediately called for the two waiters who were standing not far away and pointed at Wendy Quade." Please ask this youngdy to leave." Wendy''s face turned pale as she looked up in a panic. Floyd''s tone was harsh. "My daughter doesn''t want to see trash, so get her to leave." ''''Eric..." Wendy tried to ask for help. Eric¡¯s eyebrows knitted together as he nced at her, then reminded her in a cold voice. "The driver has been waiting for you outside. Get him to send you back." Nicole raised an eyebrow. She did not think that Eric would send Wendy off just like that. ''He¡¯s willing to just leave her?¡¯ A man''s heart was truly hard to grasp! Quinn and Ingrid, who had brought Wendy Quade over on their own ord, saw the situation and panicked. They hid behind the frowning Old Master Ferguson and dared not utter a word. Floyd''s expression changed quickly. He had already stered on his usual distant and polite smile. "Chairman Ferguson, all the grievances Nicole has suffered during her time with your family can be put aside for now, but what about those recent rumors circting the inte? I think you¡¯re most qualified t oe forward and rify this, no?" Although Nicole¡¯s identity reveal was already enough t o clear her name of those scandals, having the Fergusonse forward to issue a statement was to force the Fergusons to admit their mistake. Old Master Ferguson snorted coldly. "Is that necessary?" "If you don''t even show your sincerity to apologize, then I have no choice but to cut off all cooperation with Ferguson Corporation, including all stocks, funds, and investment projects. If you can fork out as much money as Stanton Corporation, you don''t have t o bear the losses of severing our ties." Floyd spoke coldly. Old Master Ferguson''s face was cold and glum in an instant. Ferguson Corporation was not short of money, but Stanton Corporation was even more so. If Stanton Corporation abruptly withdrew its investments, Ferguson Corporation would struggle to shuffle around funds to fill out those gaps. These were huge amounts, so if Ferguson Corporation did not have sufficient cash flow, it meant that they would have to bear all these losses. "I''ll consider it." Old Master Ferguson gritted his teeth, turned around, and left. Nicole chuckled and added, "Chairman Ferguson, don¡¯t forget to visit the National Museum frequently in the future!" What a fatal blow! Old Master Ferguson''s body lurched, and he almost fell over. Luckily, he was held by Ingrid on the side, N?velDrama.Org (C) content. so he shook with anger and walked away without looking back. Floyd let out a lightugh and looked at Nicole helplessly. "You little rascal!¡± Nicole smiled cheekily and pulled Floyd''s arm as they turned to leave. However, they did not expect that Eric Ferguson was still there. "Mr. Ferguson, why aren''t you leaving with them?" Eric Ferguson was astonishingly silent as he slowly read out her name meaningfully. "Nicole Stanton...¡± Nicole raised her eyebrows. Eric looked at Floyd and asked, "Chairman Stanton, can I please talk to her alone?¡± Eric finally understood why Floyd Stanton did not want to be addressed as "Uncle Floyd¡± earlier. It turned out that Floyd did not want to get involved in any personal rtionship with Eric. Floyd looked at his daughter, who was expressionless. Nicole then hooked up the corners of her lips in derision. "Sure,¡± she said. Floyd knew deep down that his daughter would not get hurt by that jerk again. Otherwise, she would not have been so resolute. "Don¡¯t take too long. I still want to introduce you to some other old-timers in the industry." After saying that, Floyd gave Eric a deep look and walked away. "Mr. Ferguson, what do you want to talk about?¡± Nicole casually took a ss of red wine from the tray held by a passing waiter. The burgundy liquid was very rich in color and fragrance as she gently swayed i t in her hand. Eric''s gaze fell on Nicole''s face. His voice was deep and maic. "Why did you conceal your identity to marry me?" Chapter 119 Bought Title Chapter 119 Bought Title Nicole paused for a moment. Her eyebrows moved slightly as she raised her eyelids insouciantly, then hooked the corners of her lips. "Mr. Ferguson, why do you want to know this?" ''Knowing the answer no longer had any meaning now, is there?¡¯ Nicole thought. "Answer me." Eric¡¯s voice was deep, and his eyes were bottomless like the ocean. Nicole lowered her eyelids and smiled gently. "Because my family is very unimpressed with you, but I was somehow blind and liked you.¡± ''That was why I turned my back on my world, gave up my identity, and ran to him with open arms. Unfortunately, he didn¡¯t catch me, and I fell to a painful death...'' "Fortunately, I¡¯m not blind anymore.¡± Nicole smiled faintly. It was extremely cold. "Mr. Ferguson, are you done talking? You might as well go back and discuss with the old man on how to word the apology.¡± Nicole took a sip of red wine and retracted her gaze. She turned on her heels and left without saying another word. Grant was mingling with the guests with ease. Floyd smiled and suddenly remembered something, then walked up to Grant. "Where''s K? Why isn''t he present at such an important asion?" Kai, as one of Nicole''s scandalous boyfriends, was also a famous movie star. 1 Grant coughed. "He said he¡¯d steal everyone''s thunder bying, so he¡¯s at home, sleeping...¡± Floyd coldly grunted. "What stupid thunder? Isn¡¯t his title all paid for?" Nicole and Grant were speechless. Kai, who was at home enjoying the movie he was starring in, suddenly sneezed... When the party was about to end, Yvette and Julie dragged Nicole out and sneaked away. Tattle Bar. "Ferg, why¡¯d you onlye now when you called us out earlier? We¡¯re all waiting for you..." As soon as Eric arrived, Keith Ludwig came up to him. Since the Stantons spent so much money chartering the entire city¡¯s building advertising space to announce Nicole''s identity, coupled with the live photos of the g circting online, everyone knew o f the earth-shattering events that took ce at Stanton Corporation''s anniversary g. Nicole was the heiress of Stanton Corporation. ''Oh, God...'' Keith thought about his attitude towards Nicole during the past three years and suddenly shuddered in fear. Eric took the ss on the table that no one had touched before and drank the whiskey in one gulp. Everyone saw this and kept silent. They still found it unbelievable. Who they thought was a pauper turned out to be a princess. No one would be able to ept such a role reversal! Keith sighed. "Nicole really hid it too well. All of a sudden, she just stood at the top of the food chain! Do you think she¡¯ll settle scores with us?!¡± Eric, who had not spoken, only grunted with a frown. "No, she''ll only look for me to settle the score." ''I''m the only one who treated her badly since the beginning...'' Eric thought. Someone next to them questioned, "Is Nicole the illegitimate daughter of Floyd Stanton?" ''Otherwise, howe no one has heard of her existence in the Stanton family before this?'' Eric was doubtful. If Nicole was an illegitimate daughter, why would Floyd Stanton dare to announce her identity so tantly? Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It was clear that the Stanton family had been hiding information about her in order to protect her. Keith said, "Didn''t you guys follow her story online? As soon as Nicole''s identity was revealed, Stanton Corporation published her past experiences. She was epted into an Ivy League when she was thirteen and even got a full schrship to further her studies abroad. She graduated with a PhD in only four years! She then went on to intern at one of Europe''s top business firms and had close dealings with a certain royal family. She''s basically a living legend before she married Eerg! No wonder even Grant Stanton is willing to y second fiddle to her. Stanton Corporation would definitely grow under her leadership.¡± Everyone was dead silent as they listened. They used t o look down on this woman. They thought that she only married Eric because she was just a gold-digger and a scheming b*tch. In the end, no one expected that they were the ones who were too lowly for Nicole! Seeing this, Keith went up and patted Eric¡¯s shoulder." Perg,e to think of it, why did she marry you in the first ce? She must''ve really fallen in love with you, right? Why though?¡± Chapter 120 Hes Trash Chapter 120 He''s Trash "I don¡¯t know." Eric spoke coldly and dodged Keith''s hand that was reaching over to him. This was also what Eric had been puzzled about. He only remembered that back then, Wendy Quade was i n a car ident and had lost too much blood, but the R h-null blood stored in the blood bank in Anta was far from enough. That was when Nicole came to him. She said that she could donate her blood to Wendy, but with one condition - he was to marry her. The matter was urgent, so Eric agreed without even thinking about it. Everything that happenedter was just natural. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Eric did not like Nicole and did not have any feelings for her, but he still respected all her rights as his wife and honored their marriage. Suddenly, there was a mor outside their private room. Keith went out to take a look and immediately turned back. "Holy sh*t, Nicole¡¯s here!" Outside, the music was so loud that it could shatter one''s eardrums. Everyone below was reveling in the music. Nicole was dancing in the middle with her long legs and thin waist. She had a charming smile as she moved with the music and immediately became the focus of the crowd. The woman was indeed beautiful. Her frown and her smile were equally seductive. Nicole''s smile was warm and bright as the crowd formed a circle around her. She was dancing with a pretty good-looking man. Their posture was provocative and very risque. Everyone screamed in praise for Nicole until the music ended. Keith was also infected by her dance and could not help but shout along with the crowd as he waved. Nicole heard the familiar voice and swept a nce to see Keith upstairs. Next to him was Eric Ferguson. Her smile faded instantly, and she turned to walk away as if she had just seen a pile of trash. Eric was standing in the shadows. His prominent features were sunken. He never knew that she danced so well and never noticed that her smile was so inviting. Eric had never seen her happier than she was now in the past three years. When she married him, she was so brave, and when she left, she was so determined. At the thought of this, Eric felt a stifling pain in his chest as if a boulder was pressing down on him. It felt heavy and suffocating. He could not help but think that all of this happened because he was too close to Wendy Quade, which made Nicole misunderstand their rtionship. A feeling of irritation lingered in his heart. Eric re-examined his rtionship with Wendy and thought that perhaps in some ways, he had cared too much for her. When Keith saw Nicole''s disdainful gaze, his face stiffened under the colorful lights. He withdrew his swaying arms and looked at Eric." Eerg, are you sure she won''t settle the score with us? D o you think it''s toote to apologize?¡± One of their friends on the side could not help but kick Keith''s butt. "Dude, it''s just a woman... What are you so afraid of? Don''t humiliate yourself by apologizing!" Keith mumbled, "You''re not the ones whose nudes are i n her hands!" Eric ignored them, downed his ss of whiskey, took his jacket, and turned to leave. "You just got here! Where are you going?¡± Keith yelled from behind. Inside Private Room No. 9. Nicole picked up her purse and said, "I''ve partied enough. You girls have fun! I''m leaving first..." Julie and Yvette waved goodbye at her. The two of them looked like they would not leave until they got drunk. Nicole was just about to go out when she saw Keith standing at the end of the corridor, smiling at her with his irritating face. ''Is he waiting for me? What''s wrong with this guy?'' "Get lost." Nicole was not in the mood to talk to him. Keith was persistent and said, "I''ll get lost, but let me just finish what I wanna say first." Nicole grunted coldly. "What do you wanna say?" Keith looked at Nicole, who was so cold and rxed, then hesitantly said, "Nicole, I want to apologize to you for what happened before." Although he seemed like a spineless coward, that was still better than having his nudes flying all over the inte. Nicole gave him a sidelong nce and gently hooked her lips. "Okay." Keith froze and looked up at her. "You forgive me?" "No," Nicole said insouciantly. "Think about how you guys tormented me back then. Do you think a simple word of apology could make me forget about the past? Do you have no shame? Mr. Ludwig, I didn''t think that you''d be so thick-skinned!" Chapter 121 Premeditated Car Crash Chapter 121 Premeditated Car Crash Nicole thought, ''If I wasn''t Floyd Stanton''s daughter, I would''ve died many times over!'' Keith''s face flushed red. ''I¡¯m such a wimp! But... I don''t have a choice... I''m guilty as charged...'' "Then what do you want?" Keith asked. ¡®I was clearly out of my mind back then to offend Nicole!'' He thought. Nicole looked out the window and felt impatient. She walked up to him slowly and said in a cold and yful voice, "Don¡¯t you just care about your nudes? I''ll count to three. If you don''t disappear from my sight within three seconds, I''ll make you a viral sensation online by the fourth second!" Keith stiffened as Nicole scoffed. As soon as she finished her sentence, Keith turned around and ran as he begged for mercy. "Don''t... Don''t b e impulsive!" Sure enough, he vanished within three seconds. Nicole sneered and rolled her eyes, then strutted away in her high heels. Once she got out of the bar, she saw someone standing next to her car. She looked up and saw that it was none other than Eric Ferguson. He was waiting for her. "Mr. Ferguson, do you have nothing better to do?" Nicole raised her eyebrows. Her red lips against the darkness around her seemed bright and warm, but it carried a little coldness. ''Can''t he see that I don''t want to deal with him?!'' Nicole was impatient. Eric''s eyebrows were sunken and his eyes were dark. His voice was mellow and charming. "Nicole, I want to exin to you about Wendy Quade. She and I... We aren''t in the kind of rtionship you think we are." He thought that he could lessen the resentment in their hearts once he exined to her clearly. Once Nicole heard that name, she impatiently frowned. "No need for that." Nicole stepped forward and shoved him away from her car. She got into the car and did not even put on her seat belt before she stepped on the gas pedal. Just a momentter, Nicole realized that something was wrong. She only did a low throttle, but the speed had increased to 120 km/h at once. It was extremely unusual and simply uncontroble! Her car rushed into the middle of the road in an instant It was past midnight, so there were only a few cars on the street, but it was still extremely dangerous. Nicole panicked and stepped on the brakes, but there was no response. She suddenly realized that the car waspletely out of control! Nicole subconsciously grabbed the steering wheel, but it was locked. The car was simply out of order. The darkness in front of her seemed to be beckoning t o her and waiting to swallow her whole. At this moment, the streetlights seemed cold and blinding. Nicole could not help but shudder. She had never felt so close to death before! All she had was panic, fear, and cold sweat. Nicole looked up and saw a big truck suddenly appearing three hundred meters in front of her. At that moment, her mind went nk. Crash! N?velDrama.Org (C) content. A gray cloud of dust and thick smoke rose into the air. A car had rushed out of nowhere to block in front of her. The car drifted a few dozen meters away beforeing to an abrupt halt. At that moment, Nicole¡¯s head smashed onto the steering wheel. Her airbag did not respond, so she only felt a bone-chilling pain at that moment. The pungent smell of gasoline rushed into her nostrils as warm liquid dripped down her forehead. "Nicole!" A man shouted her name, and that voice seemed somewhat familiar. After that, her car door was opened, and she was carried out onto the roadside. ''That''s Eric Ferguson... Why is he so anxious? Right... He¡¯s thest person I saw just now, so if I die, the Fergusons will get into trouble...'' Eric''s warm hand seemed to tremble a little as he touched the wound on her forehead as if he was trying to confirm her injury. However, his touch made her feel a stabbing pain. The smell of blood brought Nicole back to consciousness. Eric''s embrace felt unfamiliar and made her extremely ufortable. If this happened before the divorce, Nicole would have been ttered to lie in his arms. When she opened her eyes, it seemed like snowkes were drifting in front of her. She struggled with all her might to get up and held the car door to stand firm. It turned out that his car blocked her from ramming into the truck. Otherwise, she probably would not have the chance to open her eyes again. His car was so deformed that it had be scrap metal. "Thanks." Her voice was frighteningly calm. Aside from the pain of her head wound, she waspletely conscious. "Nicole, you need to go to the hospital.¡± Eric sounded a bit anxious. Nicole ignored him and took out her phone to call Logan. "Come to my location right away. Someone tampered with my car, and I got into a car crash. You must find out who did this before tomorrow morning." After she gave Logan the instructions, she hung up the phone. Eric''s gaze was tinged with anger. Nicole took out a check from her bag and handed it to Eric. "Mr. Ferguson, your Range Rover is at most $4 million. Here''s $10 million. The extra $6 million is your appreciation fee." Nicole stood under the light. The blood on her forehead had solidified and her long hair was slightly disheveled, but she somehow still looked as beautiful a s ever. It was as if she was born to be a beauty. The corners of her lips curled up slightly into a polite and detached smile. Eric¡¯s gaze grew cold, and his face sank. He did not reach out to take the check. Nicole forcefully shoved the check into the pocket of his suit jacket and did not give him a chance to refuse. "Mr. Ferguson, you weren''t stingy with your money when I donated blood. This time, it''s my turn to return the favor." After that, she left her car and turned on her heels to leave. ''This feels great! I can¡¯t believe even Eric Ferguson will get to have this day! Turns out I can really hold a grudge!'' The streetlight stretched out her figure. Her footsteps were steady and not the least bit wobbly. Naturally, Nicole did not notice the sh of remorse in Eric¡¯s eyes after she threw down that sentence. Chapter 122 The Apology Owed to Her Chapter 122 The Apology Owed to Her At this time, the public opinion on the inte was overwhelming. Everyone was pointing fingers at the Fergusons for bullying the weak. However, the Ferguson family did not reply on the cusp of this storm. After all, they would look guilty if they took a stand too early. The Ferguson Vi. The vi was brightly lit in the night. Everyone inside, except for Old Master Ferguson, dared not breathe too loudly. Back then when Stanton Corporation¡¯s share prices plummeted, Grant Stanton had singlehandedly managed to reim the situation. This evening, the stock market had taken a different direction that was not optimistic for the Fergusons. Old Master Ferguson''s face was glum and extremely bitter. He was furious and even more exasperated when he learned that Eric had not returned home. "Where the hell is he?!" Old Master Ferguson asked the butler as he thumped his cane on the ground fiercely. The butler replied with trepidation. "Young Master can''t be reached at the moment. His calls went unanswered, and his assistant isn''t sure of his whereabouts." "Hmph! He still has the mood to hang around?! He''s been married to Nicole for three years and didn''t even notice anything wrong with her?!" Old Master Ferguson''s heart was pounding so hard that it felt like it would leap out of his chest at any moment. If he had known that Nicole was the heiress of Stanton Corporation and that she was a great match for his family, he would not have condoned her suffering at home. Not to mention the divorce, their marriage in itself was already a shocking event in the entire business circle! Look what happened now? They had lost both money and the person! Besidespletely offending the Stantons, they had also lost their family heirloom! At the thought of this, Old Master Ferguson fiercely red at Quinn and Ingrid, who were standing apprehensively next to him. "You two brainless women! You didn''t contribute to the family and even made such a mess!" Quinn stood there feeling aggrieved. "Dad, Nicole is the one who deceived everyone. What does it have to do with us? When she married Eric, didn''t you have someone do a background check on her?" Old Master Ferguson scoffed and broke into a scolding fit. "Well, you guys stole my emerald pipe! You still have the cheek to talk back to me?!" The thing that nagged at him most tonight was that his beloved emerald pipe was gone forever! Quinn looked like she was about to cry. She just stood there and kept her mouth shut. As an aplice, Ingrid was afraid to implicate herself, so she dared not say a word. Suddenly, the butler broke this oppressive silence. He said excitedly, "Young Master is back!" Quinn and Ingrid breathed a sigh of relief. ''Finally!'' Quinn¡¯s eyes were red. Since her husband Charles had gone abroad on a business trip, the only one who could help her was her son, Eric. Otherwise, Old Master Ferguson¡¯s wrath wouldst for an eternity! She was indeed an unqualified Mrs. Ferguson. Old Master Ferguson picked up a valuable teacup and threw it at Eric''s feet when he walked over. "You finally know your way back?" Eric paused in his footsteps, stepped over the broken porcin pieces, and faintly swept a nce at Quinn N?velDrama.Org (C) content. and Ingrid without a change in expression. "You¡¯re looking for me?" Eric¡¯s voice was light. Old Master Ferguson stood up in anger and pointed at Eric. "Look at the sh*t you''ve made! How do you exin this? How can you not know anything about Nicole? You were married to her for so long and didn''t find anything wrong at all? Until now, I still don''t know why exactly you got a divorce!¡± The atmosphere was tense. It had been a long time since Old Master Fergusonshed out like this. Eric raised his eyes and looked indifferent. "I don''t know either, but isn''t this divorce what all of you wished for?" Otherwise, why would they be so mean to Nicole? Quinn paused and hurriedly gave Eric a look. "Eric, quickly apologize to your grandfather! It¡¯s a fact that Nicole deceived everyone. Let''s just wait for your father toe back. We¡¯ll think of a solution then." Eric coldly hooked his lips. "It¡¯ll be toote by the time hees back." Old Master Ferguson snorted coldly. "Then what do you think we should do?" "We should do as the Stantons requested, apologize..." Chapter 123 Work and Eam Your Own Money Chapter 123 Work and Eam Your Own Money When Eric thought of the image of Nicole walking under the streetlight with her head full of blood and her back looking so cold and lonely, his heart could not help but ache at that moment. He knew that he owed her too much and that there was no way he could repay her. Old Master Ferguson red at him. "If I wanted to apologize, why would I still be so angry? This apology would just confirm that we ndered her! Our stocks andpany''s reputation will go down the drain!" Ingrid Ferguson echoed on the side, "Yeah, why should we apologize? We can just settle with them privately. There''s no need to risk our family''s reputation. So what if she''s Floyd Stanton¡¯s daughter? I s she superior to everyone? We didn¡¯t force her to marry into our family, nor did we force her to get a divorce, so why should we humiliate ourselves?" If they apologized, Ingrid¡¯s name in the gentry circle would be aughing stock! She would not be able to continue mingling with them and would certainly b e mocked by everyone. Thus, they could not apologize! Eric¡¯s cold gaze swept over Ingrid, which made her shrink back in fear. He snickered faintly. "Fine, if you don''t want to apologize publicly, then let¡¯s go to their door and apologize together.¡± "No way!¡± Quinn jumped out to object. Back then, Quinn used to boss Nicole around and was above her, so how could she willingly go to This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Nicole and bow her head humbly? That was equivalent to a p in her face! "That''s enough!" Old Master Ferguson''s face turned red with anger as he looked at Eric. He knew that this grandson of his always had an outstanding ability. "Isn''t there any other way?" "No." Eric¡¯s face was sullen and glum. They owed it to Nicole and should have apologized long ago. Old Master Ferguson closed his eyes and sighed. "You make the arrangements then!" At this moment, Old Master Ferguson had no choice but to trust in his grandson''s judgment. "Grandpa..." Ingrid was reluctant. Eric swept a cold gaze at Ingrid and warned her. "Ingrid Ferguson, you must always remember how you lost our family heirloom. If you dare to cause trouble again, don''t even think about getting a cent from us in the future. Go out to work and earn your own money." Ingrid was shocked. ''Work?! I''m the Young Lady of the Ferguson family! How could I go out to earn money like regr people? Won''t I beughed at?'' "Mom..." Ingrid turned to Quinn for help, but Quinn feared her son. Moreover, she had taken part in losing the emerald pipe, so she felt very guilty. Eric''s face was expressionless when he turned to leave. His grandfather called out to him. "Wait. I don¡¯t care which woman you''re hooking up with, but you''d better stay away from Wendy Quade. The Stantons are furious right now, so we can''t risk anything." Moreover, Nicole had so tantly said such harsh words to Wendy at the anniversary g. The most important thing now was to repair the rtionship between the two families. Hearing this, Eric walked away without any reaction. ''Turns out, everyone misunderstood my rtionship with Wendy... Not to mention Nicole!'' 4 As soon as Eric left the Ferguson Vi, he called his assistant Mitchell. It was not difficult for the PR department to write an apology letter. What was challenging was Ferguson''s Corporation stance in this. It was a busy night. The next day at noon, while everyone was still immersed in the news that Nicole was the heiress of Stanton Corporation, an apology letter was sent out in the name of Ferguson Corporation. The letter mainly rified the false rumors of Nicole that circted the inte. At the same time, Eric also apologized in his name for not cherishing his marriage with Nicole. All of a sudden, the inte was back in a frenzy. [This is a real-life TV show! Hold up, lemme get my popcorn ready...] [So... They admit to bullying Nicole?] [They indirectly admitted it... Our Goddess Nicole has a clear conscience! Since the time she announced her divorce and had the courage to reveal the true face of the third party in their marriage, I¡¯ll always stand by her!] Chapter 124 Nicole Stanton, The Domineering CEO Chapter 124 Nicole Stanton, The Domineering CEO Stanton Corporation. Inside the meeting room. The crowd looked at the big shots sitting at the head o f the conference table. Floyd Stanton sat there Grant said a few opening remarks and started to introduce Nicole. Nicole let down her hair in front of her forehead to hide the wound fromst night''s ident so that it would not look so conspicuous. "I believe that everyone here already knows that Nicole is my father''s daughter and my sister. She¡¯s also thergest shareholder of Stanton Corporation now. Therefore, I hereby announce that Nicole Stanton will be the Chief Executive Officer of Stanton Corporation effective immediately. I believe everyone has no opinions on this, right?" Thergestmanding shareholder! The total number of shares from everyone present was not evenparable to Nicole''s shares. Thus, no one dared to have any opinion on this. In hindsight, many directors present were relieved that they did not follow Micah Zielinski''s lead in the " revolt". Otherwise, they would not be sitting here at this moment. Everyone was just incredibly thankful for having escaped a disaster! "Congrattions, Executive Director Nicole!¡± Everyone began to apud and wee Nicole. Nicole smiled and was happy about her promotion from Vice President Nicole to Executive Director Nicole. Grant had it specially arranged so that she would have a smooth transition into her role as N?velDrama.Org (C) content. CEO. Even so, there was no conflict with Grant¡¯s position as the President. Grant still held substantial power in his hands. It was just that Nicole was now in charge of a much broader range of businesses. No matter what, she was now the domineering CEO Nicole Stanton! When she left the conference room, Logan greeted her and handed her the phone. "President Nicole, this is the apology letter just released by Ferguson Corporation." Nicole raised her eyebrows. ''So soon?¡¯ She thought that with Old Master Ferguson''s temper, they would drag it for at least ten days or half a month. Nicole simply swept a nce, let out a lightugh, then turned off the screen. This apology was indeed artful. They managed to rify her scandal in a few words and even made a formal evaluation of their marriage without the slightest emotion and feelings. She could tell at a nce that this was Eric''s handiwork. "Do we need a response from our side?" Nicole swept a nce at Logan. "No, there''s no need to make a statement anymore." "Yes, ma''am. Also, J&L Corporation is starting the selection of research programs. Mr. Lichman wants all three parties to send their candidates to J&L Corporation until the program is finalized. Once the finished product is released, they n to immediately announce the good news to the world for the greatest advantage." Nicole nodded. She felt energized when she thought of J&L''s project. Since this was the first project since she started working at Stanton Corporation as Vice President, she would cherish it like her own child. Logan paused and added, "There¡¯s still the issue of selecting our R&D candidates. So far, we still haven¡¯t finalized the candidates who are qualified to join J& L¡¯s R&D team. Why don''t we put out a school recruitment notice to see if there are any suitable candidates from universities?¡± Nicole smiled. "No need. I already have a candidate in mind." She walked away cheerfully and looked back at Logan. "My brother must''ve arranged a lot of things for me recently. If you can, try to push it off. I want to participate in the selection of this J&L research program myself." ''It''ll be a bummer if Ferguson Corporation stole the opportunity when I''m not looking!¡¯ Nicole would notpromise on anything rting to the interests of herpany. Logan dared not object and said, "Yes, ma''am. By the way, do you want to go through the list of gifts you''ve bought that will be distributed to the staff?" Nicole shook her head. "You guys can arrange it as you see fit." Anyway, her only responsibility in this was spending money. Logan paused. "Is your wound alright?¡± No one knew about her injury except for Logan. Otherwise, Nicole would not have forced herself to attend this meeting. Nicole subconsciously touched the wound. "It''s fine. I''ve seen the doctor. It''s just a minor scrape. I''m not that fragile." "The report of the investigation has already been ced on your desk." "I just need a name." Nicole was curious to know who wanted her dead. "Wendy Quade," Logan replied. Nicole hooked her lips into a cold smirk and did not say a word. Chapter 125 Divorce Gift Chapter 125 Divorce Gift Gerard Lichman was delighted to learn that Nicole wasing over in person and gave her a call. "President Nicole, please bring the little traitor when youe over. Everyone misses it!" Nicole responded. ¡°Sure, no problem!" This way, Nicole could kill two birds with one stone! She could rely on Tigger to capture the hearts of J&L''s team and she would not feel so bored over there. Nicole buried herself in work until the evening when the streetlights came on and as stars dotted the night sky. She stretched her back and took her purse. Seeing that Grant''s office light was still on, she felt a little guilty because she had it too easy as the CEO, especiallypared to her big brother. Nicole knocked on the door and poked her head in, smiling at the person who was still in a video conference. He calmly listened to the other party¡¯s report in a foreignnguage and meticulously caught all the key points. He nced at her and pointed to a seat, then continued the meeting. She spat out her tongue and obediently went over to sit down, listening in to Grant and the other party¡¯s conversation. It sounded like Ferguson Corporation was in a difficult situation. Once the meeting ended, Grant hung up the phone. Nicole lifted her head, slightly puzzled. "Is ourpany in Europe going tounch the same products as Ferguson Corporation?" Grant nodded. "We have the same quality and we''re fighting a price war. The Fergusons are sure to lose." This was unmistakably targeted businesspetition. Nicole frowned slightly. "Ferguson Corporation has issued an apology letter today." "I know, Dad and I have read it, but their apology is secondary and uselesspared to the harm they caused you. Eric Ferguson is very smart. Once the apology letter was released, Ferguson Corporation¡¯s share prices stopped declining. This little dip is irrelevant to them. It''s like they didn''t lose anything." Grant smiled and looked at her. "What, are you nning to go soft on them?¡± "No way!" Nicole snorted coldly. Her heart was now made of steel and could not be softened. "It''s not just because of this either. Our market share abroad has always been evenly split with Ferguson Corporation. Since we got this opportunity, we¡¯d have t o seize it. Don''t forget, we''re the first to enter the European market and you¡¯re the one who singlehandedly brought our business to Europe and put us o n the map. Ferguson Corporation was only imitating your model to develop a second business trend." Grant''s words suddenly reminded Nicole. She was silent for a moment. She almost forgot about this! In the business world, there was no right and wrong. As long as it was within the framework of thew, everyone had the right topete. These past three years made her forget her worth. She had once single-handedly broken through the European market and set up Stanton Corporation''s business there. They became the leading and most prominent Medianian brand in Europe. That was the miracle that Nicole created! Now that she recalled her past achievements, Nicole was filled with tears and passion. The next night, Nicole went to the airport alone to pick someone up. In the VIP waiting room. Nicole excitedly ran in and saw the handsome, cool, reserved, and gentle man who had such a unique temperament sitting by the window. He looked so unattainable that people would naturally look up to N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. him. She ran and covered his eyes from behind. "Guess who?" The man helplessly took her hand. "Nicole...¡± "Mav!" Nicole gave him a big bear hug. This man was a world-ss leading physicist. At the age of seventeen, he won the Breakthrough Prize, which was a top science award. No one had yet to achieve this at such a young age. His papers were published in prestigious journals and were held in high regard. Perhaps since this man shined so brightly on his own that no one bothered to investigate his background. Thus, no one knew that he was, in fact, Floyd Stanton''s second son, Maverick Stanton. Maverick looked at Nicole and saw that she was still the same as before. He reached out and touched her forehead. Nicole shrank her neck and frowned at him. "What are you doing?¡± "You got hurt?" Maverick''s face was a little glum. "I identally bumped into the wall..." Nicole lied with ease. Maverick nodded without suspicion. "Useless!" The two siblings walked and talked. Maverick asked insouciantly, "I heard you got married?" He was abroad for more than five years and had been doing some top-secret research in someb, so he would asionally chat with Kai during his leisure time. It seemed that Nicole''s marriage had upset the whole family. Maverick took out a bank card from his pocket. "This is the prize money from all the awards I''ve won. There, take it as your wedding gift." All that prize money was an astronomical sum! Nicole''s second brother had never cared for money and had always given his younger sister all the prize money he got since childhood. Nicole blinked. "I just got divorced." "Oh, then it''s your divorce gift." 1 Maverick quietly lowered his head and dragged his expensive suitcase forward. His face was expressionless as if he did not care. Chapter 126 My Ex-husband Is Dead Chapter 126 My Ex-husband Is Dead Nicole giggled and went up to Maverick. "Mav, please do me a favor as a gift instead..." "What is it?" "I have a project that involves artificial intelligence. Since you¡¯re the best expert there is, can you please help me with a part of it?" Nicole sucked up to her second brother. Maverick was a national treasure! If she asked him to join the project, it was indeed a little wasteful of his talent. However, on second thought, it would also be a waste not to make full use of her genius brother! Maverick nodded. "Sure. I have a month''s vacation. Is that enough?" "Of course, it''s enough!" Nicole took the bank card from Maverick and waved it in his face. "Then I¡¯ll take this too. Thanks, Mav!" Maverick was speechless. Not far away, two tall men were walking side by side behind the Stanton siblings. They came to poach an international talent, so they squatted there by themselves all night. ''Why hasn''t the assistant sent any photos yet?'' Keith Ludwig thought. Keith looked at the woman and nudged Eric''s shoulder. "What a coincidence! Isn''t that Nicole?¡± Beside her was a man they had never seen before. That man looked calm and decent with a cool temperament. He did not look like a businessman, but an ordinary person at first nce. Following Keith¡¯s line of sight, Eric happened to see Nicole''s side profile. Her long and wavy hair was let down and she was wearing a long ck halter dress with stilettos that made her legs look even more slender than they already were. She looked so elegant and happy as she smiled fondly at the man next to her. Eric subconsciously walked over just so he could hear their conversation and her pleasant voice. "Why the sudden divorce?" Maverick asked. "Because he died," Nicole spoke without a thought. "Oh." Maverick nodded emotionlessly. Eric and Keith''s footsteps lurched, and their bodies suddenly stiffened. The man who was supposedly dead was rendered speechless. Eric just stared intently at Nicole''s back for a long time, but she did not seem to notice. Keithughed and patted his shoulder. "Don¡¯t look, you¡¯re already dead!¡± The photos finally came in. Keith looked down and was about to remind Eric about their purpose in As a result, his body stiffened when he saw the photo. It was clearly the man next to Nicole! Keith screamed, so Eric frowned at him and caught a glimpse of the photo. He looked just as shocked. Hearing the scream, Nicole turned around and frowned when she saw those two people. ''What sh*tty luck!¡¯ Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ''A national treasure just appears in front of us like that?'' Keith thought. Keith walked forward and forced a smile. "What a coincidence, Ms. Stanton! This is..." He nced at the man next to Nicole and could not contain his excitement. ''He''s a legend that I''ve only heard about! The person we''re squatting here in the middle of the night for is gonna be taken away by Nicole? What''s more... They looked well acquainted!'' Maverick nodded calmly. "Hello, my name is Sunner." That was his pseudonym and his other identity to the public. No one had heard of this, nor did they recognize it. Nicole raised her eyes and looked at Keith. "Are you guys stalking me? Why do I see you everywhere I go?!" Keith, who was suddenly attacked, retracted his hand and forced a smile as he defended himself. ''Will Nicole mock me if I tell the truth? If I don''t, then I''ll miss this chance!" "We''re definitely not stalking you... We just came to pick up a friend. It''s purely a coincidence! Ms. Stanton, if you don''t want to see me, I''ll get lost now..." Keith himself was puzzled as to why he was acting so servile to Nicole with Eric right behind him. Nicole withdrew her gaze. "Then hurry up and get lost." "Okay!" Keith said as he turned to leave. After taking two steps, he saw Ericing up from behind. Eric''s eyes were cold and sullen as he stepped forward. His gaze lingered on Nicole''s forehead for a few seconds. He then looked at the man beside her and suddenly asked, "Sunner, are you guys friends?" Maverick, also known as Sunner, nodded and naturally put his arm around Nicole¡¯s shoulders. "Of course! She''s my best friend." He never lied. After all, with Maverick''s character, he had a total of three friends since he was a child, all of which were his siblings. "Let¡¯s go," Nicole said indifferently and took his arm to leave. She did not even look at Eric. Chapter 127 Alba White Truffle and Potato Chapter 127 Alba White Truffle and Potato Keith Ludwig sighed. "Tsk, tsk... We don''t have a chance anymore. The Great God Maverick and Nicole actually know each other and even have such a good rtionship!" The news of Maverick''s return was confidential. To be precise, his itinerary waspletely ssified. That was because his identity was too sensitive. They spent a lot of money on the international ck market just to buy information about Maverick¡¯s flight, and it was gone just like that! Eric looked at Keith coldly and left. Maverick and Nicole went back to the Stanton mansion. Before they got out of the car, they heard the butler ordering a maid to clean up the garden tomorrow as well as Kai¡¯s wailing and Floyd¡¯s angry roaring from the living room. Maverick stood in the doorway for a moment and looked at Nicole. "Find a ce for me, somewhere quiet, preferably with no one living around it." Nicole blinked and subconsciously blurted out, "A haunted house?" "That''s fine too." ''It''s fine as long as no humans are around me.'' Maverick thought. Once the door opened, Kai ran over and almost jumped Nicole. "You''re finally back! Save me!" Nicole scoffed and was about to speak when Kai saw Maverick. He was shocked. "Mav!¡± Maverick shed a rare smile. "Little K." "F*ck you!¡± Kai¡¯s d expression disappeared in an instant. "How many times have I told you guys not to call me Little K!" ''It feels like they''re looking down on me!'' "Who is it?¡± Floyd said in a resounding voice as he came out with a baseball bat in hand. Seeing Maverick, Floyd excitedly came forward. "Mav!¡± Maverick epted the hugs from the three men in the family. Grant was the most self-restrained one, but he still could not hide the upturned corners of his lips. The butler excitedly ordered someone to prepare a meal and clean out a room for Maverick. After three years, the whole family was finally back together. Nicole frowned at the mess in the house. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?" At the mention of this, Floyd became furious again. "I asked your third brother to cook, but this dumb*ss threw out my treasured Alba white truffle and lied to me saying that he only threw out a deformed potato!" Floyd got up with his bat and walked over to Kai, extremely reluctant to let him off the hook. "I must beat up this idiot today!¡± Grant calmly sat there and looked at Maverick. "You¡¯re staying? What''s your next step?" Maverick took over the ss of sparkling water from Mr. Anderson and took a small sip. "National Laboratories sent me an invitation, so I decided to go there, but it¡¯ll be a monthter." National Laboratories was a national-level research institute with world-ss facilities and state-of-the- art equipment. Many physics geniuses failed to enter a s thepetition was tough. For Maverick, he had been considering it for a long time before finally epting the offer. Grant nodded and expressed approval for Maverick''s decision. "Then this month...¡± Nicole interjected. "Mav promised that he¡¯d participate in the research and development of J&L''s project! This way, we won''t let J&L Corporation lead us by the nose and we¡¯ll surely get the upper hand!" N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Grant''s face stiffened. His stunned gaze swept over Maverick and somehow felt a little sorry for his second brother. "Then... I wish you sess." ''Is such a small project even worth Mav''s time?! This sister can really make the best use of anything!¡¯ Grant thought. After a few days, Maverick was well-rested, so Nicole began to prepare for their move into J&L Corporation. The weather that morning was just nice, and the air was slightly cool. Nicole dragged Maverick out the door and went to pick up Tigger from her apartment first. Tigger heard themotion and excitedly jumped into Nicole''s arms. "Mama! I miss you so much..." Nicole gave it a tight hug and regretted not having taken Tigger back to the mansion. "I miss you too, Tigger. You didn¡¯t mess up the house, did you?" Nicole looked around and saw that it was spotless. This smart little tiger knew how to use her home¡¯s smart furniture. There were even a few new parcels that looked like little gadgets around the house. She was a little surprised. "Did you buy these?" Tigger burrowed into Nicole''s arms and replied sheepishly, "I used credit..." Nicole was dumbfounded andughed out loud. She carried Tigger and turned back to Maverick. "This is Tigger. Tigger, this is my second brother." Tigger blinked his eyes as they sparkled with delight." Wow! The Great God! I love you so much!" Nicole immediately covered its mouth. "Shut up! Don¡¯t be embarrassing!" Maverick faintly swept a nce at it, picked it up with one hand, and scrutinized it. "World-ss quantum physics system, powerful learning capacity, ability to adjust its temperature and moisture levels ording to environment... Who gave you this thing?¡± "It''s the girl who added you, Molly Stewart! I exchanged your phone number for it!" Maverick nced at her faintly. "Are you even my sister?" Chapter 128 I Call the Shots Chapter 128 I Call the Shots "Molly likes you a lot, so she must''ve uploaded your information into Tigger¡¯s brain, hence this reaction. B y the way, she¡¯s also in J&L''s research team, so you''ll b e able to meet her in a while." Maverick nonchntly tossed Tigger to Nicole, who carefully caught it. "Tigger, let''s go see Molly!" "I want The Great God to hold me..." Tigger struggled in Nicole''s arms and asked aggrievedly. Nicole could never refuse any of its requests, so she caught up to Maverick. "Second Brother..." Maverick was used to seeing such Al robots and was clearly not as obsessed as Nicole because he did not have much emotion to things he could manufacture. For him, it was just a machine. When they arrived at J&L''sb, Tigger immediately became the crowd''s focus. "Little Traitor, did you miss us?" Tigger held his head high and gave a haughty grunt." Who are you people?" The crowd was speechless. After that, someone took Tigger to Molly Stewart. Gerard Lichman then led their group of seven to the predetermined location. On the way there, Gerard looked back at Maverick from time to time and said, "This gentleman looks a bit familiar..." Before Nicole had a chance to introduce him, Maverick spoke, "My name is Bunner. I don''t know you." Gerard nodded and raised his eyebrows. He did not seem offended by that and said, "Is he a recent graduate? Never mind, he must be good since you brought him." Nicole did not take the initiative to mention that she wanted to send Maverick to the core R&D team. She was not interested in their trade secrets, but as long as she could grasp thetest developments, she had already achieved her purpose. Therefore, Maverick''s identity need not be exposed. As soon as she got out of the car, Nicole saw a group of people walking towards them. Eric Ferguson looked cold and noble as he led a group of seven or eight people. Gerard stepped forward and said, "It''s a coincidence that the three parties in charge of this project are the three of us bosses! Mr. Ferguson, it¡¯s rare that you''re personally leading your team this time." As soon as she heard this, Nicole was irritated. However, this was business, so she had to look at the big picture. Eric''s gaze faintly swept over Nicole andnded on Gerard. "I''ve seen the location. I''ll make my own arrangements for other necessities. Since everyone''s here, let¡¯s begin.¡± This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Nicole went in with no intention of greeting him. Eric nced to the side and watched her departing back meaningfully. Gerard went up and patted Eric¡¯s shoulder, smiling yfully. "Don¡¯t look. She''s now President Nicole and is more unlikely to look back. You, on the other hand... Are you starting to regret it?" Eric¡¯s cold gaze swept over Gerard. His tone was stern as he said, "Mind your own business!¡± Gerardughed and shook his head. "Do you dare to say that your personal involvement in this project is not because of her?¡± At first, Gerard did not think that the two exes would get back together, but since that day when Eric asked him to invite Nicole out for a meal in his stead, he sensed that something was wrong. Afterward, he felt that his thought was a bit outrageous. Why would Eric Ferguson go back to an e x? Gerard then dismissed this idea. However, seeing Eric here at this moment made him doubtful again. The two men walked side by side. Eric frowned slightly and asked, "Do you have the list of people who are representing Stanton Corporation?" "Yup..." Gerard sent it to Eric on his phone. This information was not confidential anyway. "Sunner? Do you know who this is?" Gerard casually replied, "A fresh grad, I guess.¡± Eric hooked his lips in silence and did not speak again. ¡®Nicole is really capable to get a national-level expert t o participate in a business project, and so easily at that! How unexpected!'' Eric thought. Eric had also intended to poach Maverick to participate in this project. With Maverick involved, this project was a sure win! He thought, ''I guess it''s a coincidence...'' Gerard found it strange that Eric Ferguson would pay attention to a student. When they got to the conference room, Eric saw Nicole and Sunner leaning closely together while talking, which made him frown. His heart also felt extremely ufortable. Eric¡¯s eyebrows had a hint of annoyance as he went in with a gloomy face. He walked in big strides and sat down opposite Nicole. Seeing this, Gerard immediately understood. Gerard sat down on the main seat and paused for a moment. "On behalf of J&L Corporation, I''d like to officially wee the arrival of our two partners. With regards t o this research project, Ferguson Corporation has already sent their people to participate in the follow- u p works. Ms. Stanton, who do you n to have to represent your side?" Nicole smiled and looked at Maverick, who was next t o her. "Sunner, I''ll leave this to you." Nicole gently grabbed Maverick''s sleeve, which was a little habit of hers. Maverick then patted the back of her hand with familiarity. Eric noticed their actions, so his brow furrowed even deeper. Gerard nodded. "Okay, he can get acquainted with Molly Stewart in a moment.¡± Eric suddenly questioned their decision in a cold voice. "Not everyone is qualified to participate in this." Nicole lifted her eyelids insouciantly. "I call the shots here." Chapter 129 Stupid, Slow, and Untalented Chapter 129 Stupid, Slow, and Untalented The atmosphere was stagnant for a while. Fortunately, Eric Ferguson did not pursue it further. The topic changed to determine the project''s direction. The meetingsted for more than an hour, and it had started to rain outside. When everyone went out, they ran into their cars one after another. Since the steps at the entrance were on low terrain, a pool of stagnant rainwater had umted there. Nicole walked outst. She was wearing her custom-made Manolos that were incredibly sleek and exquisite, so she hesitantly stood on the steps. Stanton Corporation¡¯s Rolls-Royce parked not far from the steps. The driver could not get any closer even if h e wanted to. Maverick noticed his sister''s expression. Since there was only one umbre left, Maverick habitually took it and propped it over Nicole''s head." Shall we?" He sounded like he was used to being servile to her. Nicole lowered her head and pointed her toes as she said with regret, "The diamonds on these shoes will fall off if they get wet..." Maverick heard this and nced at her. He saw that she was wearing a short skirt today that was not suitable for being carried because picking her up would risk exposing her. Thus, he took off his bespoke suit jacket and threw it o n the ground in front of her. He propped the umbre o n top of her head, went two steps down, and held out his hand as he said with extreme patience, "Now it won''t get wet. Let¡¯s go."N?velDrama.Org (C) content. Nicole sighed and thought she could only make do with this. "I guess that''s the only way." She ced her hand on Maverick''s palm, stepped on his expensive jacket, and got into the car. The driver, who saw this scene, secretly grieved for himself and thought, ''Please don''t fire me because of m y driving skills...'' Two other people saw this scene as well. Gerard Lichman shook his head. "Now I''ve finally witnessed how nitpicky a princess could be! She might even care if the air around her isn''t sweet enough, yet you treated her like dirt!" Eric stared at the car with sunken eyes and gave him a cold look. He secretly clenched his teeth as he knew about Maverick¡¯s true identity. Even international big shots were humble in that man''s presence and took the initiative to reach out to him, yet he was being so servile to Nicole! The rtionship between these two seemed to have exceeded the boundary of regr friends. Were they too close? "Nikki!" A shout of surprise came from the side as Molly Stewart waved at Nicole from a short distance away. She was holding Tigger as she ran towards Nicole with great enthusiasm. Nicole was stunned and smiled in response. She then whispered to Maverick, "She¡¯s Molly Stewart." Maverick frowned. By then, Molly had already run to them and was just about to hug Nicole when she noticed Maverick, who was standing in arm''s reach. She was stupefied for a moment before she shouted in shock, "Holy sh*t! The Great God!" Without another word, Molly chucked Tigger aside and hugged Maverick, which made Maverick¡¯s face turn white from shock. Maverick felt shy and embarrassed as he pried this woman off his body. He sounded upset as he said," Please have some self-respect." How could Molly care for self-respect when she saw her idol? Molly could not control her excitement and was not offended from being pushed away. She tilted her head to look at the tall and lean Greek god of a man. "I''m Molly Stewart! I''ve sent you a friend request and you''ve given me plenty of advice!" At this time, Molly thought it was important to close the distance between them. Maverick gave her a slightly disdainful look. "I know. You''re stupid, slow, and untalented. A simple calction can make you spin in circles..." Seeing that Molly''s excitement a few seconds ago gradually morphed into distress, Nicole hurriedly tugged on Maverick''s sleeve and shook her head. Maverick paused, then looked at Tigger who was crawling on the ground. His tone changed. "But... Tigger is well-designed and made of a solid material." Molly looked up at Maverick and smiled. Her sadness earlier seemed to have vanished. "It''s just a stupid tiger. I can still make it smarter!" Tigger kicked Molly with its furry paw in protest." You''re the stupid tiger! Your whole family is stupid!¡± Molly gave Tigger a threatening look and turned to Nicole and Maverick. "You guys really know each other! Nikki, is The Great God your friend?" Nicole smiled and nodded, then tugged on Maverick''s arm. "Molly''s my friend, so you need to be nicer to her. Don¡¯t treat her the same way as you treat your PhD students." Maverick was speechless. He looked away and let out a light grunt. Molly rubbed her hands in surprise and winked at Nicole. Nicole added, "He''ll be joining this project as an external consultant. Molly, please take care of him during this time..." Molly stared at her in surprise. "Huh?!" ''The Great God is gonna listen to mymand?!'' Molly thought. Seeing Molly''s trembling body, Nicoleughed and whispered in her ear. "His identity should be kept secret for now." Molly nodded in understanding and was still somewhat dumbfounded. After saying their goodbyes, Nicole turned around and got into the car. The hem of her skirt identally got stuck in the door slit, so Nicole let out a cry of surprise. Maverick silently threw away the umbre, knelt on one knee to carefully unhook Nicole''s skirt, then turned to see the shocked and dumbfounded Molly. His voice was extremely clear and cold as he said," Please help me to throw away the trash. Thank you." Without waiting for Molly to answer, Maverick got into the car and closed the door. Their car then disappeared into the rain. Tigger, who was still ying in a pool of water on the side, was left abandoned and confused. ''I haven''t gotten into the car yet...'' Chapter 130 Papa, Mwah Mwah! Chapter 130 Papa, Mwah Mwah! Gerard Lichman and Eric Ferguson walked over to Molly. Gerard said, "Molly, do you know the man beside Ms. Stanton?" Molly Stewart was still immersed in the fact that she had just seen The Great God Maverick lowering his stature and doing everything for Nicole. She felt envious yet found it rightful. ''They¡¯re both such a match made in heaven!¡¯ Molly thought. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. She subconsciously nodded her head, then shook it decisively a secondter. "Nope!" ''Nicole said to keep it a secret!'' Eric narrowed his eyes. Molly picked up the suit jacket and umbre on the ground, then turned and ran away. ¡¯I''m just a researcher and can¡¯t deal with these business people!'' Tigger looked left and right and was about to dial Nicole''s number with its built-in function when it was suddenly picked up with one hand. Eric frowned and stared at it, feeling that something was off about it. "Do you still recognize me?" His clear, cold voice carried such self-restraint. Tigger narrowed its eyes and kicked its four legs in the air in protest. He spoke hesitantly. "Douchebag! I want to find Mama..." ''Douchebag?'' Gerard watched in amazement. Back then, Tigger used to fawn over Eric Ferguson, so much so that everyone was envious. How did Eric suddenly be a douchebag to Tigger? "Little Traitor, you used to call him Papa... Have you forgotten?" Tigger looked away and let out a cold snort. "He¡¯s not worthy!" After all, Tigger was just a robot without feelings. It would hate whoever Mama told it to hate! Eric¡¯s face turned red with anger. At this moment, Mitchell ran over to pass Eric an umbre. Before he could hand it over, Tigger shouted at Mitchell in a clear voice, "Papa, mwah, mwah!¡± Mitchell''s body suddenly stiffened, and he almost fell t o the ground. Eric''s cold eyes were fixated on Mitchell, and his face was incredibly glum. Mitchell waved his hand. "I..." "Papa, you''re so handsome!¡± Tigger continued. Mitchell panicked. Gerard burst out inughter. The corners of Mitchell''s mouth twitched awkwardly. Fortunately, the Rolls-Royce earlier returned to the entrance. Eric''s face was cold as he diverted his attention to the car. The man in the car got down and extended his hand. "I came to pick up Tigger." Eric grunted coldly and threw Tigger over. He felt like he was about to explode from all the anger pent up inside his chest. He swept his stern eyes over to the car behind Maverick. Besides the driver, there was no one else inside. Perhaps Nicole knew that Eric was here and did not want to see him. "Bunner, are you and Nicole lovers?" Gerard cast a meaningful nce at Eric and asked Maverick. 1 Maverick lowered his eyes and said indifferently, "I can¡¯t say." Gerard hooked his lips and pointed at Eric. "Do you know what his rtionship with Nicole is?" Maverick looked at Eric and frowned slightly as he shook his head. ''I don''t know him...¡¯ Maverick thought. Before Gerard could introduce him, Eric''s tone was extremely cold as he said, "I''m her dead ex-husband!" That was what Nicole said about him at the airport, which he had overheard. Eric was so angry that his heart hurt. Maverick did not have any expression as he nodded and said, "Then all the more reason for me not to tell you." After that, Maverick got back into the car, and the car quickly disappeared. Gerardughed. "He has the same temper as Ms. Stanton! Hahahahaha!" Eric swept a cold gaze at Gerard, who instantly shut u P- Maverick went over to pick Nicole up at a station tform not far away. Nicole felt heartbroken as she stroked Tigger. "I''m sorry... Mama didn''t mean to leave you behind!" Tigger shrank into her arms aggrievedly and said," Then... I want a Mesgarzadeh rug..." Nicole paused for a moment. Other people¡¯s pets only had to eat, but her pet was out to burn her money! "Okay, I''ll buy it for you." Maverick looked at Tigger with disdain and thought,'' What a vain tiger!¡¯ Chapter 131 Get the Hell Out of Here Chapter 131 Get the Hell Out of Here Maverick looked down at his phone and frowned. He was extremely patient in correcting the form sent t o him by Molly Stewart as he was a perfectionist. To find a suitable ce for Maverick, Nicole brought Yvette along to the nearest property sales office. The twodies stopped in front of a property sales office when they saw one. "Is your family even short of houses? Stanton Corporation has so many properties, can''t you just pick one at random?" Yvette was puzzled. Nicole shook her head. "No, those properties are all very popr and high in demand, so the surrounding area must be very noisy. My second brother won''t like i t." This property sales office was elegant and quiet. It looked like it catered to a high-end crowd. "This is a property owned by Ferguson Corporation. M s. Stanton, did youe to the wrong ce?" A cold and familiar voice rang out behind her. Nicole turned around and met the woman''s eyes. ''Ha! Samantha Lindt?'' Nicole raised her eyebrows and hooked the corners of her lips. "That''s even better. I''ll buy their property." "You''re not wee here. Get the hell out!¡± Samantha spoke bluntly. Her expression changed so fast that everyone was dumbfounded. If it were not for Nicole, could Samantha have fallen from a corporate executive of a listed corporation to a property salesperson? People in the same industry used Samantha¡¯s scandalous past to suppress her. Her life took aplete 180-degree turn for the worse! Yvette sneered at the side. "Did I hear you right? You want us to get out?" "Yes. Get out! This ce won¡¯t ept your business!" Samantha Lindt was extremely arrogant. Nicole immediately took out her phone and calmly tapped on it a few times. ''Who doesn¡¯t know how to make aint call?¡¯ Soon, apetent sales manager heard themotion and came over. When she saw Nicole, she was a little stunned. The sales manager thought, ''If I¡¯m not mistaken... This is the CEO of Stanton Corporation?¡¯ "Sorry, I don''t know what''s going on here. Can I help you?¡± The sales manager tried to calm the situation down. Yvette lifted her chin and spoke disdainfully, "She''s your employee?" The sales manager nced at Samantha and patiently exined. "Sam is our employee here. She¡¯s a graduate who just came back from studying abroad, majoring in wanted her own career and has a great attitude. Her performance has always been good and she¡¯s very popr with everyone. Is there something she did that was not to your liking?" Hearing the sales manager¡¯s introduction, Nicole''s gaze became meaningful. Samantha''s face changed for a moment, then smiled naturally. "Manager, there''s just a bit of a misunderstanding just now. I¡¯ll be happy to receive them." Nicole smiled and yed the recording from her phone, amplified, so the whole floor could hear it clearly. "You¡¯re not wee here. Get the hell out!" "Yes. Get out! This ce won''t ept your business!" Samantha''s face suddenly paled as the sales manager turned to look at her and made a split-second decision. "Sam, you''re fired!¡± Samantha Lindt looked at the sales manager and panicked. "She¡¯s Nicole Stanton from Stanton Corporation. She must''vee here with a motive..." "Shut up! Samantha Lindt, the customer is King! Pack up your things and get the hell out of here!" The sales manager reprimanded her. "On what grounds?" Samantha asked angrily. "Because I''m the customer..." Nicole hooked her lips and added, "Sam? Since when were you a rich kid returning from abroad?" Everything the sales manager described about Samantha earlier waspletely fake! Nicole raised her eyelidszily and nced at Samantha mockingly. Samantha¡¯splexion was frozen for a moment. She looked at Nicole with a cold gaze. Her expression was gloomy as she gnashed her teeth. The security guards arrived. If Samantha did not leave on her own ord, she would be asked to leave. Nicole smiled and carelessly interlocked her fingers a s she held her chin up. Her delicate and beautiful face showed an innocent and charming smile. ''Tryna show me who¡¯s boss? Is Samantha Lindt even qualified?''N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Chapter 132 Because Youre My Ex-wife Chapter 132 Because You''re My Ex-wife Ferguson Corporation President''s Office. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. It was so quiet that even a pin drop could be heard. Eric tapped his fingers on the desk slowly, one after another, which made Mitchell''s nerves tense. He sat there with sunken eyes and said in a cold tone," She went to the sales office to buy a house?" Mitchell stood there respectfully. "Yes, the sales staff personally confirmed it, and I''ve seen the surveince footage. Ms. Stanton went with Ms. Quimbey. They''re still there." Eric¡¯s eyes were deep. After a few seconds, he got up and said in a clear voice, "Let''s go over and take a look." Although Eric did not know why Nicole went there, he wanted to see for himself what she was up to. "Yes, sir," Mitchell replied respectfully and could feel a heavy air enveloping Eric. Eric''s reaction was always unpredictable whenever it involved Nicole. The sales manager introduced a few high-end boutique apartments and carefully asked, "Ms. Stanton, are you satisfied with this style? Are you living by yourself?" Nicole shook her head and was honest with her. "No, I''m buying this as a gift. He''s a bachelor that just returned from abroad. If there is any old furniture inside, please change it to Swiss furniture. It must be the best range. Cost isn¡¯t a problem." ''My second brother deserves the best!¡¯ "Yes, miss." Eric, who was at the door, stopped in his tracks. His eyes grew cold. ''She came to buy a house for a bachelor? Is it that Sunner?!'' If this scene was filmed with a motive and uploaded t o the inte, it would immediately cause a huge sensation. [Nicole bought Eric Ferguson¡¯s property to house her new lover. How sad is that?!] [Hahahaha! I somehow want tough at this. Why is Nicole so great?] [Mr. Ferguson should make a personal rmendation for his ex-wife to buy a house for another man!] 1 The contract was simple. Nicole did not look at it carefully and settled on this unit mainly because the environment was quiet and secluded, which was a rare find. If the interior was not satisfactory, she would just have it reced since it was not a big deal. After the signing, Nicole lightly nced at her million-dor Jaeger-LeCoultre watch on her wrist, then picked up her purse and said, "I''ll make the payment now." Before she turned around, there was amotion at the entrance. The sales manager immediately bowed i n greeting. "Good day, President!" Eric went over to Nicole. His eyes were sunken and his voice was clear. "Have you chosen yet?" He asked knowingly as he had just heard everything clearly. It was as if he was deliberately looking for his own difort. Hearing his voice, Nicole did not turn around and only felt his burning gaze on her back. The surroundings seemed to quiet down on this. The atmosphere became tense between the both of them. The sales manager coughed and intended to ease the situation. "Since President Ferguson is here and Ms. Stanton is a n acquaintance, we can offer you an internal discount H Nicole hooked her lips and snorted coldly. "I''m not friends with him, so there¡¯s no need for a discount." The atmosphere was once again stagnant. Nicole raised her head and looked at Eric''s cold and deep gaze without flinching. "Does everyone whoes to buy a house here get personally received by Mr. Ferguson?" ''Why should I get this unjust treatment! I don''t want to see Eric Ferguson!" "Nicole, you''re different," Eric spoke in a mellow voice. "What¡¯s different?" Nicole raised her eyebrows. Her voice was icy. ''Is it because I''m now the CEO of Stanton Corporation? Is getting received by Eric Ferguson considered preferential treatment?¡¯ "You''re my ex-wife, so you''re different from others." Chapter 133 Widowed Before Marriage Chapter 133 Widowed Before Marriage When the word "ex-wife" came out of his mouth, Eric Ferguson felt extremely ufortable in his heart. 2 He could not describe that difort. "Which house do you like? I¡¯ll buy it for you," Eric said. Back then at the Share Fashion Show, Nicole had willfully asked Kai for a yacht. That scene was extraordinarily piercing to Eric¡¯s eyes. Eric recalled that he had never given Nicole any gift before. If Nicole could ept his gift now, he might feel a lot better about himself. Nicole let out a lightugh like she had heard some kind of joke. However, there was no emotion in her eyes. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "Buy it for me? Mr. Ferguson, you''re really generous. Are you always so generous to your ex?" Eric frowned slightly and was just about to speak, but Nicole did not give him the chance to. "You said so yourself that I''m your ''ex-wife''. That means we no longer have anything to do with each other and I have no reason to ept your gift, lest your family tries to sling mud at me again saying that I¡¯m a gold digger." Nicole looked at the sales manager on the side. "I''ll pay by card in full." She did not want to owe Eric Ferguson anything, especially for such a small amount of money. Nicole did not want to touch the Ferguson family¡¯s money at all. The sales manager was torn as she looked at Eric, whose brow furrowed deeper. She was eager to get thismission, but would the boss allow it? Mitchell, who was standing at the back, gave the sales manager a look, so the manager had a good sense to leave immediately. Eric was just about to speak when his phone suddenly rang. He frowned and picked it up. The other party spoke urgently. "Ferg! Wendy got into a car ident and lost too much blood! She''s in the hospital now..." Since they were in proximity to each other, Nicole could hear the conversation clearly. Regardless of the time, that name always made her alert. Eric frowned and was stunned. His face was shrouded in ayer of annoyance and anxiety. "Got it. I''ll be right there." He immediately hung up the phone and looked at Nicole with his dark eyes. "She just got into a car ident..." Eric knew that Nicole must have heard it. Nicole smiled as if nothing had happened and sneered. "Mr. Ferguson, your IQ is really so low. Is Ms. Quade a cat with nine lives? She can¡¯t even die after so many times, but as soon as you''re there, she¡¯s alive and kicking?¡± Eric''s face stiffened. His eyes instantly deepened and his brows knitted. His chest also tightened. "Luckily, I didn''t ept your ''gift''. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have t o donate blood to that woman. You should leave that house to Ms. Quade instead and pray that she lives well so that you won''t be widowed before you even get married..." Nicole said with gritted teeth, then turned t o the sales manager. Eric stared at her back. His face was taut and extremely glum. "President, we should get going..." Mitchell had also received a call from the hospital. At the hospital. Keith Ludwig stood at the door of the ward while Ingrid Ferguson shrank into a corner, shivering in fear. "What¡¯s going on?" Eric''s voice was cold. Keith pointed at Ingrid. "Get her to exin.¡± Ingrid was so scared that she cried. Under Eric''s intimidating gaze, she finally could not help but shout, "It has nothing to do with me! It¡¯s all because of that b* tch Nicole! She forced her!" Eric¡¯s eyes were cold. "What¡¯s this nonsense?" He had just been with Nicole, who had no knowledge o f this matter, so how could Nicole have any connection to Wendy''s car ident? Eric did not believe a word of what Ingrid said. Ingrid cried and said, "It¡¯s true! Wendy said that Nicole only hates our family so much because of her, so as long as she dies, Nicole won¡¯t find fault with us anymore. That''s why she rushed out to the middle of the road. Isn¡¯t this being forced by Nicole?" Chapter 134 Go Back to France Chapter 134 Go Back to France Keith was speechless and covered his face. He stood u p, patted Eric''s shoulder, and sighed tiredly. "It''s not that I''m switching sides, but Nicole is straight-up wronged this time..." ''Nicole clearly hates Eric alone, so Wendy is just overthinking it and imagining herself as Nicole''s enemy. When did the dignified Wendy be like this? She''s too good at involving herself in drama!'' Keith sighed and walked away. Ingrid was still cursing Nicole incessantly, but it was not only because of Wendy. She hated Nicole and was jealous that Nicole had be the heiress of Stanton Corporation overnight. Since then, Nicole¡¯s fame in the gentry circle skyrocketed. ''What about me?!¡¯ Ingrid thought. Ingrid and Nicole''s status werepletely reversed. Now, Ingrid was the lowly one. Everyone at home was mad at her and did not give her any pocket money anymore. It was all just because Nicole took the emerald pipe! ''Nicolepletely messed up my life!'' Ingrid thought. "Shut up!" Eric chided in a cold voice. Ingrid covered her face and left, crying while shouting, "You''re all bullies!" Eric stood at the door with a cold and sullen face. Wendy, who was inside the ward, looked calm and a little pale. Mitchell had gone to ask about the situation, then hurriedly came over to report what he learned. "Mr. Ferguson, the hospital has enough Rh-null blood in reserve. Ms. Quade...isn¡¯t seriously injured. It''s just a minor skin abrasion..." This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Eric suddenly thought of Nicole¡¯s words. "Mr. Ferguson, your IQ is really so low. Is Ms. Quade a cat with nine lives? She can¡¯t even die after so many times, but as soon as you''re there, she''s alive and kicking?" Inside the ward. Wendyid there with a pale face. When she saw Ericing in, her eyes lit up. "Eric, if only I had died, I wouldn''t have troubled you... Nicole must¡¯ve made things difficult for you, right? She''s too much!" Eric stood there with a detached coldness in the bottom of his calm eyes. He spoke nonchntly, "Too much? She gave you so much blood, yet you didn¡¯t even say a word of thanks and still think she''s too much?" The blood on Wendy¡¯s face suddenly drained. She hurriedly exined, "No, I didn''t mean that. Of course, I''m thankful for Nicole for donating blood, but it¡¯s her fault that she hid her identity..." Eric looked at her with an expressionless face. "So what? What does her concealing her identity have to d o with you?" Besides Floyd Stanton kicking out Wendy, who came uninvited to hispany''s anniversary g, Nicole had not done anything to Wendy. Eric stood there with a cold and stern face. An indescribable irritation lingered in his chest. His indifferent eyes were still, and his tone was cold a s he said resolutely, "You should go back to France as soon as Hendrick''s death anniversary is over. They have good medical facilities there, which is suitable for you to recuperate. Once you get well, I''ll sponsor you for three more months. After that, I will stop giving you living expenses. You''re not disabled, so you can find your own means of survival." Wendy raised her head in shock, revealing her panic expression. She cried and pleaded with him. "Eric..." Keith stood in the doorway and coughed. "This amount of money is nothing. Ferg, why do you have to be so quick to..." Eric did not give them a chance to speak. He picked u p his jacket and walked out. ¡°Since it''s nothing, you can take over if you want." Keith was stunned. The corners of his lips twitched. "I can''t... All my money is with my wife..." Wendy was like a burden being kicked away by Eric. A t that moment, she felt so humiliated. She clutched her clothes tightly and shook in anger. Chapter 135 Scandal or Gossip Chapter 135 Scandal or Gossip Before it was over, another ident happened again. The photos of Eric entering and leaving the hospital were taken and spread widely on the inte. The headline of the news: "Mr. Ferguson''s new lover is in the hospital, suspected to be his mistress!" It was apanied by a photo of Wendy Quade lying on the hospital bed and Eric Ferguson standing at the door, looking at her with deep affection. [It really looks like true love... That homewrecker is really shameless to think she can be his wife!] [Rich people have no morals... That homewrecker had some skills though!] [Goddess Nicole should just focus on her career and inherit her family fortune. All that matters is being rich by her own ability!] [My hopes of them getting back together are officially crushed... There''s no hope of remarriage now, but fret not, Nicole, I''ll still love you forever!" [I¡¯d like to ask if there¡¯s a queue number to be President Nicole''s boyfriend?] When Nicole woke up in the morning, she received a call from Yvette before she could tell Maverick the good news that she had found him a new home. Yvette¡¯s call was always more punctual than an rm clock. "Nikki! Have you seen the news? Eric Ferguson is in the news again!" Nicole grunted and thought that it was nothing new. "I s it a scandal or gossip?" "Scandal!¡± Yvette decided with certainty. After all, no one on the inte thought that this was a good thing. "Then I''ll have to see it. Maybe I''ll find some fun out of it..." Nicoleughed, took the tablet on the table, then clicked into the forum. Sure enough, the headline was Eric Ferguson''s name, a s well as hers. Nicole¡¯s lips twitched. "Why is my name also on there?!" Yvette reassured her. "Don¡¯t worry, it''s not about you this time!" It was always nothing good when her name was put together with Eric Ferguson''s. Nicole grunted coldly and closed the page. "I don''t wanna talk about him. I''m going for a run now." If Wendy Quade died, Nicole would have raised a ss to celebrate, but that woman was not dead and still wanted to show her existence? The air was nice and pleasant, with the smell of freshness after the rain. It was invigorating. Nicole sent a text message to Maverick about the address of his new home, then went out with her phone. Unexpectedly, as soon as Nicole left the gate of her neighborhood, countless cameras and phones appeared in front of her. The reporters swarmed around her. "Ms. Stanton, is Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Quade really in a rtionship?"This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Ms. Stanton, what do you think about this matter?" "There are rumors that you ordered Ms. Quade''s car ident. Is it true?" "Is it true that you bought a hitman?" "Ms. Stanton, will Stanton Corporation and Ferguson Corporation still cooperate with each other?" "Please answer us..." Nicole frowned. Before she could speak, her phone was bumped away from her hand and she could not even bend down to pick it up. She did not understand why so many reporters suddenly appeared at her residence. If they wanted to know about Eric and Wendy, they should just ask them, right? Nicole kept retreating and panicked. Right before she was about to fall, a big hand behind her supported her waist. Kai¡¯s charming and perfect side profile appeared in front of her. This time, there was gloom and anger between his eyebrows. "K..." Somehow, Nicole''s eyes felt a little sore. Kai shielded Nicole in his arms and looked at the reporters in front of him without avoidance. His tone was extremely cold. "Which media are you from?" The reporters were silent for a while but still did not put down the camera and phone in their hands. Although Kai''s appearance here was big news, the reporters dared not write about him. That was because Kai had astonishingly extensive connections and resources in the circle. There was a rumor that someone once caught him in a scandal with an actress, but before it was blown up, that media outlet suddenly dered bankruptcy and permanently withdrew from the industry. Thus, there was an unwritten rule in the industry that no one should dig up dirt on Kai. A new reporter was unaware of this and asked, "Ms. Stanton, what''s your rtionship with Kai? Can you answer the question about Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Quade? Does Ms. Quade¡¯s car ident have anything t o do with you?" Chapter 136 Dont Ride On My Popularity Chapter 136 Don''t Ride On My Poprity Nicole was obviously a little angry because they really dared to just sling mud at her. She was so infuriated that she wanted to punch someone. Kai''s presence emboldened her. "Excuse me, I''m not from the entertainment industry and have no obligation to answer these questions. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. If you guys dare to block my way again, I''ll call the police." Her voice was loud, clear, and upromising. ''Did they think that I''m some sort of D-lister who dares not speak out because of this minor scandal?'' "Also, Mr. Ferguson and Ms. Quade are truly a match made in heaven. I sincerely wish them the best. I¡¯m just as surprised as anyone for Ms. Quade¡¯s ident, but you using me without grounds is ridiculous. If she was somehow killed by a falling boulder from the sky, should I also be suspected of bribing God?" The cold and solemn atmosphere became somewhat rxed for a moment, and some of the reporters could not help butugh out loud. Nicole took a deep breath to suppress the anger in her chest, then spoke in a serious tone, "Don¡¯t involve me with anything rted to those two in the future. Don¡¯t even try to ride on my poprity!" After that, Nicole was straightforward and decisive as she turned around to leave, leaving Kai behind. The corners of Kai''s mouth twitched. The only ones who would tell off the reporters were Kai and Nicole. The reporters looked at each other and looked at Kai apprehensively. They did not know whether to leave o r stay. Seeing someone collecting their equipment, Kai coldly snorted. "Nothing you want to ask me? Don¡¯t you want to know about my rtionship with Nicole? Ask me how I feel about what happened to them..." Although what Kai said was what these reporters wanted to know the most, they also knew that they could not afford to mess with Kai. When the group of reporters was just about to leave, Kai stepped forward and grabbed the leader. His tone was intimidating. ¡°What''s the hurry? I''m not done asking..." The leader paused for a moment and was an old-timer in the industry, so he knew that he was in dangerous waters now. "K-Kai... W-We have nothing more to ask. If you want t o know anything, you can ask us..." "Who told you toe?" Kai said through clenched teeth. The leader panicked. "N-No... I-It¡¯s not..." "Not telling? You''re from Morning News, right? I''ll give a call to your boss. From now on, don''t even think you can participate in any showbiz activities. Just go back and print your old-fashioned newspapers...¡± Kai warned in a deep voice. No one else dared to go forward. When they saw this situation, they quickly slipped away. They were all small fries, so it did not matter if they ran away. The leader of the group helplessly closed his eyes." Okay, okay... I¡¯ll tell you!¡± Kai raised his eyebrows, then reached out to fix the man''s cor as he hooked his lips into azy smile. "That''s how it should be. You can only have a future if you have a discerning eye.¡± The leading journalist gritted his teeth and said," Ferguson Corporation''s Young Lady Ingrid Ferguson." Kai narrowed his eyes dangerously and sneered. He stepped forward and whispered a few words in the reporter''s ear, but that reporter''s hesitant look made Kai dissatisfied. "You¡¯re not willing? If you''re not, I''ll just find someone else.¡± Kai did not force him and scoffed "I am! I¡¯m willing!" The reporter agreed with a bitter face. If he dared to say no, would he still have a job tomorrow? As it turned out,ing over to besiege Nicole today was a huge mistake. The reporter regretted having taken this money. Kai took out a check from his pocket and forcefully stuffed it into the reporter¡¯s pocket. He let out a low chuckle. "This is just your runner''s fee. Also, if there¡¯s anything about Nicole in the future, you''d better make a detour." The reporter looked up and unconsciously asked," What exactly is your rtionship with Nicole?¡± ''Lovers? Soon to be married?'' The reporter thought. A trace of danger crossed Kai''s eyes, and his tone was frank as he said, "I have Nicole''s back. Why don''t you guess what our rtionship is?" Naturally, the reporter dared not guess and shrunk back. He then turned and ran away as fast as he could. Kai grunted coldly and picked up Nicole''s phone that dropped on the ground earlier. He put his hands in his pockets and went back upstairs slowly and leisurely. When he opened the door, Nicole was already dressed t o go to the office. When she saw that Kai was still here, she asked, "Why haven''t you left yet?" Kai reached out and flicked her forehead. "Do you even have a conscience?" He handed over her phone that was still intact. "Get a bodyguard to follow you. Your status is different now, so you have to be as tough as you were just now." Nicole pursed her lips, took over her phone, and called Dominic Young of Falcon Entertainment in front of Kai. "Mr. Young, I don''t care how much it costs, just make sure that the top trending topic for the next three days is ''two-timing Eric Ferguson and his b*tch Wendy Quade can go to hell''!¡± Chapter 137 Screw Your Apology Chapter 137 Screw Your Apology Kai felt that he had underestimated his sister too much. Hearing Nicole''s order, he felt that he had been too merciful with what he instructed that reporter to do earlier. ''Not bad! She finally acts like a strong independent woman!'' Kai thought. Nicole hung up the phone indifferently and looked at Kai. "I¡¯m going to the office for a meeting. What about you?" Seeing that Nicole was still in the mood for a meeting and was not affected by all this, Kai smiled and spoke tentatively, "I wanna take Tigger home. Dad has been picking fights with metely... I''m about to be overwhelmed!¡± ''How nice would it be to find a little cutie to divert Dad''s attention?'' Kai thought. Nicole pondered for a moment and agreed to it. She had to go to J&L Corporation to follow up with the project during this period, so she would not have time to y with Tigger either. This way, it was better if her dad and brother could take care of Tigger. Kai jumped up happily and looked like the exact opposite of the expression he had just used to scare the reporter. "Great! You go ahead then.¡± Kai familiarly used his fingerprints to open Nicole¡¯s front door and ran in to hug Tigger. Nicole was speechless. ''I don''t remember registering his fingerprints...'' Ferguson Corporation. Mitchell hurriedly told Eric about thetest trend on the inte. The number one trending topic was a video of Nicole strongly condemning the reporters. In the video, Nicole¡¯s beauty, cold words, and tough attitude as she replied to the reporters won everyone¡¯s hearts. [You go girl! Nicole''s a CEO and doesn¡¯t have to put up with your sh*t! Like she said, don''t ride on her poprity!] [Our Nicole only wants to be a CEO, okay? That maniptive b*tch Wendy is so shameless... How is hurting herself gonna be of any use?] [That maniptive b*tch got hit by a car? Poor car! Must be some bad luck to run into her...] [Reporters nowadays don''t have any professional ethics. We must protect our President Nicole!] [Kai''s so handsome! The hero came out just on time, but he only said one line...] [Kai''s so handsome... That cheating couple can just suck it! Stop involving Nicole in all your bullsh*t drama!] Eric¡¯s face was incredibly gloomy, and his voice was cold and stern. "How did the reporters go to Nicole?¡± Mitchell''s lips twitched. He was slightly stunned. ''Is that the point? The point is that you¡¯re now the most hated person on the inte... If you don''te forward to exin yourself, you''ll forever be a scumbag in the eyes of theizens!¡¯ The air pressure in the office was extremely low. Mitchell hesitantly spoke, "Perhaps... They were too nosy...¡± After all, Nicole and Eric were enough to sustain the entire entertainment industry. If they both make their debut, no other celebrities could beat them in poprity. Eric''s eyes were cold and intense. "Perhaps? What do you mean perhaps?" He saw how lost Nicole was at the beginning until Kai showed up, and how emboldened she was with his presence. This made Eric very ufortable. Mitchell instantly felt Eric''s anger and hurriedly appeased him. "No one¡¯s disturbing Ms. Stanton now. Don''t worry, President." Eric nced at him with a dark and heavy gaze and coldly snorted. ¡°Go and find out who did it." Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Yes, sir." In just a few minutes, Mitchell was already drenched i n cold sweat. As Eric''s most capable assistant, Mitchell never understood the reason behind this whole series of tumultuous developments after the divorce. During their three years of marriage, Eric had never cared much about Nicole, so why did he care so much now that they were divorced? J&L¡¯s project was proceeding as nned. In the early stages, the three parties were to meet every day to get an update on thetest situation so that they could modify the program ordingly. Nicole did not drive herself this time and got her driver to send her there. Herst car ident was still quite traumatizing for her. When Nicole arrived at J&L''s office, she happened to see a brand-new Range Rover across the street that looked very familiar. Eric Ferguson got down from the Range Rover. His body was tall and well-built. His features were carved to perfection, and he was emitting a cold aura. Nicole acted as if she did not see him and got out of her car. She wore a long dark green halter dress that made her features look more prominent and brighter. She had a valiant and honorable temperament. "Nicole..." Eric took a step forward and wanted to exin to her that those allegations and bombardment by the reporters earlier were not his doing. He did not want her to misunderstand him in the slightest. Chapter 138 She Said Serves You Right Chapter 138 She Said Serves You Right Nicole did not even nce at Eric. Not to mention greeting him, shepletely ignored his existence and walked into the lobby of J&L Corporation with her purse. Every part of her, from the soles of her shoes to the strands of her hair, was ignoring Eric. The security guard at the door respectfully opened the door for her. She thanked the guard and went in calmly. When Eric saw her, he frowned slightly. Her ignorance made him feel suffocated. ''She really doesn''t care about me anymore! I can no longer read her...¡¯ Eric thought. 2 The man walked to the door. Before the security guard could open the door, a mob of people rushed out from the side. They were aggressive and came prepared. Numerous reporters swarmed around Eric with their cameras and equipment. "Mr. Ferguson, do you and Wendy Quade n to get married this year?" "Do you really like this mistress?¡± "Mr. Ferguson, how many girlfriends do you have?" Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "Will the Ferguson family ept this mistress as your wife?" "Why do you want to buy out trending topics just to nder Ms. Stanton? Do you have anything to say to her?" Erics'' face was extremely glum as he stood there in silence. He red at the reporter at the front that was asking the most questions. The reporter was instantly frightened by Eric''s intimidating gaze and shrank back. The surrounding reporters were still asking questions, and the scene was chaotic for a while. The office¡¯s security guards immediately went forward and pulled the reporters away from Eric. A path was cleared out for Eric, but he was in no hurry to leave. The scene suddenly quieted down for a moment. His tone was grim and cold as he said, "If you guys appear in front of my eyes again, I will make you disappear from this industrypletely." Eric''s words were never just a warning. At this moment, the surrounding area was cold and silent. No one had the guts to utter another word and looked a t each other in trepidation. Even the reporter who received Kai¡¯s check did not dare to say one more word at this time. Nicole leanedzily on the railing of the second floor and looked at the situation below. Eric¡¯s attitude was a s expected. No matter what the situation was, he always seemed s o unperturbed. He also had such an oppressive aura. No wonder he could be the President of Ferguson Corporation. He was truly extraordinary as a person who could shake the entire city with a stomp of his foot. The corners of Nicole¡¯s lips curved down. No matter how much Eric liked Wendy Quade, she could never get rid of her identity as a homewrecker. What was more, Nicole had also prepared a big gift for Wendy. Eric unconsciously looked upward and suddenly saw Nicole¡¯s figure on the second floor. Their eyes met. It was as if there was no other person around. Nicole¡¯s downturned lips gently hooked up. She put on an undisguised gloating face with a raised eyebrow. ''Does it feel nice?'' Eric stared at her with deep eyes. Nicole stood upright and tapped her high heels on the ground. She mouthed three words silently before she turned to leave. No one seemed to notice this scene. The reporters were kicked out and the entrance quieted down again. Gerard Eichman immediately came out from the President''s Office to greet them. Eric did not move and only frowned. He saw what she mouthed clearly. She was saying, "Serves you right!" Nicole then walked into the conference room. Eric eventually followed. After the two of them were seated, the person in charge began to talk about the progress of the project. Once the report was done, Gerard looked at the two people to his left and right and coughed slightly. "The preliminaries are about toe to an end, so we can rx a bit going forward. However, we still need t o decide on the location of the pilot experiment. Should we choose an urban area or the suburbs? Any thoughts?" "The suburbs, of course. Artificial intelligence is still being improved. If there''s an ident, it''ll be easier to control the suburbs." Eric spoke in a serious tone. Nicole interrupted him. "Since it¡¯s an Al that will enter the city sooner orter. How will it adapt to the environment if the experiment is in an unfamiliar area?" "You seem to be very hostile towards me," Eric said. Otherwise, why did she always refute his opinions? Nicole snickered and looked nonchnt as she raised her eyes. Her tone was cold. "Mr. Ferguson, you can just remove the ''seem to be''." Chapter 139 The Cheating Couple Can Go to Hell Chapter 139 The Cheating Couple Can Go to Hell With the series of harm Eric Ferguson had inflicted on Nicole, her hostility towards him would not lessen one bit. Gerard Eichman awkwardly nced at the two people. The atmosphere was momentarily stagnant. Eric was silent as he stared at Nicole with a dark and deep gaze. Nicole''s undisguised arrogance and indifference made Eric realize the extent of Nicole''s hatred and long-standing resentment. This feeling was horrible like someone had squeezed his heart. Gerard coughed slightly and tried to ease the situation. "I think what President Stanton said makes sense..." In the end, Eric also agreed with Nicole¡¯s proposal. Once the meeting was over, Mitchell walked over to Eric quickly. "President, Ferguson Corporation¡¯s stock has plummeted..." Nicole was thest to leave the room, so she heard this sentence very clearly. ''Serve them right!'' Nicole thought. Eric¡¯s voice was extremely cold. "Get to the point.¡± Mitchell handed over the iPad in his hand, opened the webpage, and showed Eric the bright and eyecatching red lettering located at the top of the trending topics. "Cheating Couple Eric Ferguson and Wendy Quade Should Go to Hell!" It was such tant undisguised hatred. They even used Eric and Wendy¡¯s real names, like they were not at all afraid of being investigated. Thements and retweets skyrocketed, enough to affect the Ferguson Corporation''s stock prices. [This trending topic is bought by President Nicole, right? Her response is too fast!] [Money really could buy vengeance!] [Go to hell, cheating couple! President Nicole is the best!] [This trending topic must get to the first ce. I will always support Nicole! We need to set up a fan club for her stat, and we''ll be the first to join!] Eric swept a nce at thements and was silent for a few seconds. He suddenly raised his head to look at Nicole, who was still there discussing with Gerard. Her face was calm without a trace of panic. Seemingly sensing Eric''s line of sight, Nicole nced sideways and faintly withdrew her gaze. She pretended that nothing was wrong and continued asking Gerard about some things. Eric hooked his lips and said in a deep voice, "Nicole." Nicole smirked and sneered as she looked at Eric. "Mr. Ferguson, are you looking for me?" Gerard noticed that every time these two met, they seemed to be shooting sparks at each other that could burn others around them. "The trending topic online... Was it you?" Eric was eighty percent certain it was Nicole. Nicole flipped her hair that was by her ear and said in an unfriendly tone, "Yeah, it''s me." She admitted to what she did. Nicole sneered. Eric''s eyes grew cold. He was about to say something, but Nicole did not give him the chance. "I also want you to know what it feels like to get berated." Her voice was cool, and her eyes carried a chill. "Mr. Ferguson, you should control your sister and lover. If they dare to find trouble with me again, I''ll make them go viral!" Nicole knew that the reporters who besieged her today were hired by Ingrid Ferguson, no doubt for Wendy Quade. Since that was the case, Nicole had to return the favor. Eric¡¯s eyebrows knitted together. "Trouble? What kind of trouble?" He immediately had a premonition in his heart. "Go back and ask them. Mr. Ferguson, you''re always being manipted like a fool, yet you think that you''re so smart?" Since the divorce, Nicole was no longer obliged to put up with them anymore. It did not matter if it was the Ferguson family or someone else, if anyone dared to p her once, she would pay it back tenfold! The price was heavy. Nicole snorted coldly and looked at Gerard. "Mr. Eichman, I''ll get going first. Goodbye!" "Take care, President Stanton.¡± She turned on her heels and left. Gerard''s eyes nced back and forth at the two people before finallynding on Eric. "Mr. Ferguson, this isn''t some minor trouble..." He knew that something was wrong with Ferguson Corporation during the meeting, but he would never pick a side out of neutrality. Eric coldly turned to the side. "Remove the trending topic immediately. What''s our P R team doing?!" Mitchell spoke with difficulty, "Mr. Ferguson, the trending topics simply can''t be withdrawn. This time, the President of Falcon Entertainment is behind it. Dominic Young is Kai''s subordinate and they even united with some foreign mediapanies intending to keep this going for a while..." The air was silent and oppressive for a while. Mitchell paused for a moment and continued, "Not just that, I heard that the tform''s system crashed many times like there''s a hacker taking control from a foreign IP. They can¡¯t even trace the hacker, so they can''t just withdraw it like that. President, I''ve checked the situation thoroughly and found out that Ms. Ferguson hired the reporters to besiege Ms. Stanton today. I think it''s best if she can admit defeat and apologize to Ms. Stanton." Nicole came prepared, and the Fergusons obviously lost the first opportunity. Gerard could not help but think to himself, ''You really can¡¯t offend women, especially such a beautiful and capable woman...'' Eric¡¯s eyes were cold and sullen as he cast a sidelong nce at Mitchell. He then walked out of the Content ? N?velDrama.Org. room and instructed, "Tell Ingrid to get her *ss over here now!" Chapter 140 Removed Forever Chapter 140 Removed Forever Ingrid was brought to Ferguson Corporation. Even her phone was confiscated. She stood there miserably and tilted her to look at Eric. "Brother, why did you call me toe over all of a sudden?¡± Eric''s face was permeating with coldness. His voice was stern and harsh. "What do you think?" Ingrid trembled and refused to admit her fault. "How would I know?" "You don''t know?¡± Eric sneered, then shouted at the door. "Bring him in!¡± Mitchell pushed the leading reporter into the room. The reporter came in with a smile and carefully bowed. "Hello, Mr. Ferguson. Good day, Ms. Ferguson." Ingrid saw the reporter and thought that he had betrayed her. She panicked and ran over to pull Eric¡¯s arm. "Brother, don''t listen to him! What he said is all fake! I didn''t hire them to nder Nicole..." The reporter had not even said anything, but Ingrid had already admitted to it first. Seeing Eric¡¯s increasingly chilly eyes, Ingrid suddenly felt a pang of fear. She slowly let go of Eric''s arm. "I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose..." "Ingrid Ferguson, you still act like you''re not at fault after causing such consequences?" Eric red viciously at Ingrid with his cold and deep eyes. His voice carried a chill. There seemed to be an invisible force that enveloped the surroundings. Ingrid subconsciously took a step back. For the first time, she felt that her brother was no longer tolerant o f her. She suddenly remembered what her mother warned her. Never disobey Eric or try his patience! ''Why is Nicole Eric''s bottom line? Why can¡¯t I touch her?'' 1 The more Ingrid thought about it, the more resentful she was. She was just about to pretend to be aggrieved and show weakness to muddle through this situation when the reporter quickly ratted her out. "Mr. Ferguson, Ms. Ferguson still hasn''t made the final payment, but since I didn¡¯t aplish my task, I don''t dare to ask for it. Can you please let me go?" The surroundings were obviously a few degrees colder. "Shut up!" Ingrid yelled at the reporter. ''What a dumb, insensible imbecile!'' Ingrid thought. "Ingrid Ferguson, you only have one choice. Go and apologize to Nicole now!" Eric''s eyes were sullen with a frightening oppressiveness. "Why should I apologize to her? It didn''t work out as nned anyway!" The reversal of the situation online did not drag Nicole through the mud. Instead, it got Ferguson This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Corporation into trouble. This already made Ingrid very dissatisfied. How could Nicole have such good luck every time? Eric''s voice was cold. "You can choose not to go, but don''t try to take a single penny from the family ever again." Ingrid looked up at him in shock with a pale face. "Don''t even try to borrow money in the name of our family either. I''ll inform everyone that you''ve been kicked out of the Ferguson family." His voice was deep with apelling and stern aura. Eric''s eyes were dark, and his face had no warmth. He was a man who would do as he said. Ingrid finally realized that he was not joking. She trembled and felt aggrieved as she said, "Why do you favor her?! Aren''t you divorced? Aren''t you going t o be with Wendy Quade?" ''Who the hell is Nicole?! Why did Eric have to humiliate me because of Nicole over and over again?'' Eric''s voice was deep and cold. "Ingrid Ferguson, since you messed with Nicole with such clumsy means, Ferguson Corporation¡¯s stock plummeted, and we lost more than a billion dors in just a few hours. Why do you think?!" In an instant, the room became as cold as an ice cer. Ingrid was so shocked that she could not even say anything. ''Lost more than a billion dors? I only spent more than $100,000 to hire the reporter to find trouble with Nicole...'' Ingrid thought. "Also, I have nothing to do with Wendy Quade. You''d better get the facts straight. She will never have a single thing to do with our family!" Eric red at her coldly and walked out. ''Have I always gotten the wrong idea?'' Ingrid¡¯s body stiffened, then she began to panic and tremble. She had a foreboding feeling. After Eric left, Mitchell walked in and looked at the reporter. "You may leave. Remember what Mr. Ferguson said. Don''t try to dig up dirt from the business circle. Go back to your entertainment industry for that. Or else, you won''t even know how you die..." "Yes, yes, yes." The reporter hastily agreed and ran out in a split second. Mitchell pushed up his sses and walked over to the dumbfounded Ingrid. "Ms. Ferguson, Old Master Ferguson called for you." Ingrid froze. ''Right... Grandpa won¡¯t abandon me!'' "What did Grandpa say?" Mitchell replied, "He asked for you to go over within twenty minutes. Otherwise, he''ll remove your name from the Ferguson family registry forever.¡± Chapter 141 Not the Reaction She Should Have Chapter 141 Not the Reaction She Should Have Ingrid did not expect that her small impulsive move would bring so much trouble to Ferguson Corporation, yet Nicole, the one she wanted to mess with, was still unharmed! After returning to the Ferguson Vi, Old Master Ferguson scolded Ingrid in a thunderous voice for a whole afternoon. No one dared to speak up for her. Old Master Ferguson, like Eric, also believed that Ingrid should go and apologize to Nicole. Ingrid was then locked in the memorial hall at the Ferguson Vi and punished to kneel for the whole night. The next day was Hendrick''s death anniversary. Nicole never imagined that she would see Wendy Quade and Eric Ferguson in front of Hendrick''s grave. Ian Carter also saw the couple. He looked upset and pulled Nicole back. "Hendrick, Eric has been taking good care of me. Don''t worry, I''ll take good care of myself.¡± Wendy finished talking to the tombstone and shyly nced at Eric on the side. Wendy was incredibly soft and gentle as she continued to speak, "Eric, I know you¡¯re troubled because of Nicole. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll go to France as soon as possible so that Nicole won''t target you." ''It''s better for me to know when to retreat than to cling on and make things worse...'' Wendy thought. Eric frowned slightly and was just about to say something when he heard someone behind him snort lightly. It was extremely disdainful. When he turned back, he saw Nicole smirking with raised eyebrows as she stared at them with cold eyes. Nicole wore a in ck knee-length dress with no embellishments, but she still looked so striking. "Ms. Quade, you''re so reluctant to let go of Mr. Ferguson, so you should stay..." N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Nicole smiled mockingly. ''She thinks she can escape so soon? I haven''t settled ounts with her yet...'' "Why are you here?" Wendy''s voice changed. She was shocked and red a t Nicole fiercely. Ian''s face was glum as he stepped forward to question Wendy. "That¡¯s what I should ask you! Why are you two in front of my brother''s grave?" Eric had long known that Ian was Hendrick''s younger brother, but he never had much contact with Ian. Ian had gone to study abroad when he was young, so naturally, he was not aware that Hendrick got acquainted with Eric during those years in the army. Wendy Quade was a bit flustered and thought, ''If Nicole knew that my rtionship with Eric is only because I was Hendrick''s girlfriend and not the ''true love'' that I purposely made her think we are. Wouldn''t she just mock me even more unscrupulously?'' In an instant, Wendy jerked her head to look at Eric. The moment Eric saw Nicole, he had a n in mind. Eric''s face was calm facing Ian¡¯s questioning. After a slight pause, Eric spoke slowly, "Ian, I was Hendrick''s brother-in-arms, and Wendy was Hendrick''s girlfriend. Before he died, he entrusted me to take care of her.¡± In just a few short sentences, Eric had exined the cause and effect of this whole debacle. Although Eric addressed this to Ian, he really meant to say it to Nicole. Eric kept ncing at Nicole, hoping that she would react. This was the reason why he had been taking care of Wendy Quade. It was not because he liked her or cheated. There had been no other woman in Eric''s life, except for Nicole who married him. However, Nicole''s indifferent response was unexpected. She seemed unconcerned about their rtionship and did not care about his exnation. When Eric saw this, his face was tense, and he did not look away. At that moment, Wendy just looked embarrassed and awkward. Nicole noticed Wendy¡¯s reaction and thought, ''So that''s how it is. I''ve always been wondering what Wendy Quade has which made Eric so affectionate towards her...¡¯ Among the women who coveted Eric, Wendy''s family background, education, and looks were all inferior. Aside from her vile character, there was nothing that made Wendy stand out. It was absolutely ridiculous that Nicole lost to such a woman. The atmosphere was strangely quiet. What broke the silence was Ian¡¯s shocked and incredulous question. "How can my brother even like her?! She''s just trying to be a freeloader, right?" Chapter 142 What Is He? Chapter 142 What Is He? When Wendy Quade heard Ian Carter''s words, she turned pale. Looking at Nicole''s taunting gaze, Wendy clenched her fingers tightly and ran away without saying a word. Nicole paused and scoffed, then turned to follow Wendy unhurriedly. Eric frowned and was about to chase after them, but Ian blocked his path. Ian wanted Eric to exin what he just said clearly. ''How will I know if what Eric said was true or not?¡¯ Ian thought. Wendy was just about to get into her car when she heard a movement behind her. She turned around to see Nicole and instantly looked annoyed. "What are you doing here? You wannaugh at me? Even so, Eric¡¯s willing to hurt you for me. It means that he doesn''t even care for you, so don''t make a fool of yourself." She thought thatpared to her, Nicole was still the loser. After that, Wendy got into the driver''s seat of a bright red BMW M4 that really matched her. In the next second, Wendy started the car engine, stepped on the throttle, and slowly drove out. Nicole''s eyes were extremely cold as she calmly got into her car. She floored the gas pedal and immediately chased after Wendy. There were no other vehicles on the wide road. A chill shed across Nicole''s eyes. She went close to Wendy''s car and suddenly turned the steering wheel sharply to the right. In an instant, Nicole mmed right into Wendy¡¯s car! "Bang!¡± The sound was shocking. The front left side of the red BMW was dented. The screeching brakes sounded sharp and piercing. Wendy, who was inside the car, was shocked and disoriented as she looked up in disbelief at the perpetrator, Nicole. Nicole hooked her lips and did not stop there. On the road. Nicole turned the car around extremely skillfully and drifted so beautifully, bringing up a cloud of dust all around. This scene was so intense and exciting! At this moment, Nicole was facing the front of Wendy''s car. Nicole saw Wendy''s flustered gaze as Wendy fumbled for her phone. ''Who is she trying to call? Whatever, it doesn¡¯t even matter!'' Nicole did not give Wendy a chance to get out of the car. She snorted coldly, floored the gas pedal again, and rammed right into the red car. In an instant, the sound of the collision was sharp and ear-splitting. The woman''s terrified scream also reverberated in the air. The red BMW was almost overturned! At that moment, the red BMW was turned on its side, looking very deformed. It also emitted a strong and pungent smell of gasoline. Nicole finally felt satisfied. She backed up, parked, got out, and leaned against her car with her arms folded. She looked at Wendy from above and was admiring her work with indifferent eyes. Wendy was covered in blood and looked so wretched a s she struggled to crawl out of the car. Nicole¡¯s gaze was arrogant as she looked at Wendy, who was lying on the ground and trembling. "How does it feel?" Nicole asked. Wendy''s body stiffened. The contempt in her eyes earlier was gone. Her voice trembled. "Nicole, if you like Eric, you can go after him with your ability..." Nicole hooked up her lips carelessly and slowly stepped forward. She looked down at Wendy. "What is he? With my current status, is he even worthy?" Nicole was insufferable, but she said it with such sass and confidence. "The person I''m looking for is you!" Nicole said. The corners of her lips gently hooked up into a cold smile. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. "Don¡¯t rush to leave the country just yet. I can really hold a grudge, and there are still several ounts I haven¡¯t settled with you yet. For example, trying to kill me by tampering with my car..." Nicole¡¯s aura was frighteningly cold. Wendy''s face instantly paled. She trembled in panic a s she tried to clutch the ground, so much so that her fingernails were bleeding. "No... What are you saying? I don''t understand! Don¡¯t use me!" Nicole''s beautiful eyes that were as brilliant as the gxy did not have the slightest emotion in them. She felt ted looking at Nicole''s wretched appearance. 2 ''That night when I escaped death was so thrilling and frightening that I had nightmares for days on end! I almost disappeared from this world and almost never got to see my family and friends again!¡¯ Nicole was not so kind and forgiving. ''Wendy must pay the price for this!¡¯ "Nicole!¡± A cold and indifferent voice came from behind her that sounded very familiar. "What are you doing?" Chapter 143 You’re Delusional, Right? Chapter 143 You¡¯re Delusional, Right? Eric Ferguson sounded shocked. He could not believe what he was seeing. The tragic and shocking image in front of him seemed worlds apart from the elegant and noble Nicole. ''Who caused all this?!'' Eric thought. Although he knew at a nce, he was unwilling to believe that the gentle and demure Nicole in his impression could be so crazy. "Mr. Ferguson, are you blind? Didn''t you just see it all?" Nicole was not bothered to exin. She turned around and wanted to leave. She had nothing to say to him. Eric quickly stepped forward and blocked her. He looked at her with a cold and sunken face. "I¡¯ve just exined that I have no rtionship with Wendy Quade." He thought that Nicole was angry because of his rtionship with Wendy. ''Is she jealous? It must be.'' Eric thought. Although what Nicole did was a bit overboard, Eric was inexplicably a little happy? Hearing this, Nicole unconsciouslyughed coldly. She had a yful smile on her face. Nicole raised her eyes nonchntly and looked at Eric. Her tone was cold and emotionless. "Do you think I did this to her because of you?" Eric¡¯s eyebrows knitted together, and his eyes were fixated on her face. "Or what?" Nicole raised her eyebrows, gave him a sidelong nce, and sneered. "Mr. Ferguson, you really think too highly of yourself. I think you¡¯d better go to a psychiatrist to get yourself tested for narcissistic personality disorder." Eric''s face sank and his eyes had a hint of doubt. After Nicole said that, she turned around and pulled open the car door to get into the car. She started the car engine, then slowly lowered the car window and threw out a file to Eric. The next second, she stepped on the gas pedal and drove out. She did not even take another nce at the people behind and left just like that. ''This narcissist and two-faced b*tch are really made for each other!¡¯ Nicole thought. Eric slowly squatted down to pick up the file with a glum face. When he turned to the first page, his pupils suddenly constricted. His dark eyes were deadly cold. The air around him instantly dropped to the freezing point. The photo showed Wendy and a tall and thin man standing in front of Nicole¡¯s car, sneaking around. ''That night, that car, that ident...'' Eric could remember that scene vividly when he closed his eyes. Without needing to think, he knew the truth. The file he was holding was the evidence of Wendy Quade''s intentional murder! ''So, Nicole was so angry and rammed into Wendy''s car because she was just returning the favor? I won''t be surprised if Wendy was killed. Wendy wasn''t innocent at all! She deserved this!'' Eric thought. There was a heavy gloom between his brows. His face was cold and glum. Eric had never felt so heavy since Hendrick died. His heart just felt like it was smashed with a sledgehammer, making him unable to breathe. ''Nicole didn¡¯t do this because of jealousy. She did this because of the car ident!'' Eric was disappointed and felt a wave of uncontroble anger. If he had not appeared that day, then that would have been the day of Nicole''s death! A hand tugged at Eric¡¯s pants at his feet. "No... It''s not me... Help me...¡± Wendy was lying there looking iparably wretched. She spoke in an incoherent panic. This time, she was really panicking. She did not expect that Nicole would find out so quickly. Wendy also did not expect Nicole to use such an extreme way to take revenge on her! Eric''s sullen and cold eyes moved to Wendy. ''She''s still pretending?¡¯ N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Eric never thought that he would be deceived by a woman again and again. Suddenly, what Nicole said about Wendy being a cat with nine lives who could never die popped into his mind. He finally realized that since his marriage, Wendy had asked for so much of Nicole¡¯s blood that was even more than what a surgery needed for minor injuries o n purpose. Wendy did it all deliberately. Nicole''s car ident that day was also Wendy''s handiwork. Wendy Quade was a wolf in sheep¡¯s clothing, and he, a s an aplice, went on hurting the most innocent Nicole again and again. Ian Carter walked down from the hill casually. Although he was walking slowly, he just saw everything clearly. "Vo, Mr. Ferguson! How can you leave your beloved on the ground like that and not care about her? Honestly, even if my brother were alive, he wouldn''t marry such a lowly woman. You''d better keep her for yourself. Also, don¡¯t bring her out. She¡¯s such a disgrace..." Ian snorted lightly. ''Eric Ferguson is such a fool!'' At this moment, the man''s gaze was extremely cold. H e clutched the file of evidence tightly and took a step back, avoiding Wendy¡¯s dirty hand. He was extremely disgusted. "Eric...¡± Wendy cried mournfully. "Get lost!" Eric gritted his teeth. His eyes held a bitter chill. Chapter 144 Mr. Fergusons Mistress Is a Murderer Chapter 144 Mr. Ferguson''s Mistress Is a Murderer The wide street was empty. Eric Ferguson did not even nce at Wendy, who was on the ground. He just got into his car and left. No one paid attention to the injured Wendy Quade, who was thrown out like a bag of trash. When she was helpless, Wendy got up from the ground and called her eldest uncle, but as soon as he answered the phone, he cursed at her. "You bloody banshee! What have you done to make M r. Ferguson so angry?! He wants to crush my Wendy panicked and was at a loss for words when she suddenly heard a car honking. ''Did Eric send someone to pick me up? Does that mean he''s giving me a chance?'' Wendy thought. Before she could revel in her tion, she saw several carsing to a stop in front of her. They were police cars! The police officers inside got out of the car with cold and solemn faces. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "Wendy Quade? Someone is charging you with intentional homicide. Pleasee with us." In an instant, it felt like a bucket of ice water was poured all over her head. The fluke and joy Wendy felt at that moment vanished. She did not expect that the person who woulde to pick her up would be the police. What was awaiting her was a prison sentence! At this moment, Wendy suddenly realized that Eric would never be merciful to her again, and Nicole would never let her go either. Wendy was trembling in fear and panicked. The police handcuffed her, forcibly stuffed her into the car, and left the scene with the sirens reverberating in the air. Stanton Corporation. J&L Corporation¡¯s project was pretty much determined. With Maverick there, Nicole did not need t o worry about the follow-up. The most important thing at the moment was a bid proposal that Nicole was looking at. Now that Nicole was the CEO of Stanton Corporation, she had to call the shots on the major projects, so she had to pay utmost attention to those. After the meeting, Nicole''s brain could finally rx from its tense state. As soon as she walked out, Logan handed over her phone. "President Nicole, Ian Carter just called. Perhaps there''s something urgent?" ''Ian?'' Nicole nodded and took over the phone. She called Ian back. In less than a few seconds, he picked up and got to the point. "Lil N! Did you see the news? Wendy Quade has been arrested!" Ian could not wait to share this good news that was known all over the inte with Nicole. ''That woman had made Nicole suffer so much, so it really serves her right!'' Ian thought. Nicole knitted her brows in confusion. "I just got out of a meeting. What happened?" "The evidence that you threw to Eric Ferguson was handed over to the police by Eric himself! In less than one night, Wendy Quade confessed to all of it!¡± Nicole frowned slightly. The corners of her lips pulled up into a mocking smile. "Oh, really? He''s actually willing to hand her over to the police?" ''What a surprise... I thought Eric had a deep affection for Wendy, but I guess it''s not that deep after all!'' Ianughed lightly and spoke in a harsh tone. "Wendy Quade only met with my brother Hendrick for less than three days. She pretended to be gentle and kind, then schemed to make everyone around her think that my brother''s in love with her. Hah! Eric Ferguson stupidly thought that she was my brother¡¯s true love. He''s a real blind bastard! I told him the truth that day and his face turned so ugly... Hahaha..." Nicole could not help but wrinkle her eyebrows. Her heart unconsciously sank, yet she felt somewhat relieved. ''Wendy only used three days to torture me for three years... What an irony...'' Nicole thought. However, Nicole did not intend to pursue this further. Wendy Quade chose her own path and would sooner o rter pay the price of her actions. ''How did this get exposed on the inte though?¡¯ Nicole wondered. "How did the media find out about this?" Nicole was puzzled that the news spread so fast. "The firsthand news was released by Kai¡¯s Falcon Entertainment. Kai himself is enjoying the show online...¡± Ian wanted to continue talking, but Nicole simply hung up on him and went online. Sure enough, the number one trending topic was: "Mr. Ferguson¡¯s mistress is a murderer!¡± All evidence was posted on the inte, including photos, confessions, and the whole process. Chapter 145 I’m Helping You to Add Fuel to the Fire Chapter 145 I¡¯m Helping You to Add Fuel to the Fire Thement section underneath that article was abuzz. [This mistress is simply a sociopath!] [The homewrecker wants to kill his ex-wife? That b* tch is crazy! Who gave her the courage?] [Mr. Ferguson is really blind! His mistress can''t evenpare to one of Nicole''s toes! He really has a unique taste for horrid women...] [Ferguson Corporation''s stock has fallen quite a bit, huh?] The next day''s trending topic was "Kai watching the drama online". Kai used his official ount to forward Falcon Entertainment''s explosive news. He even added the caption: [Serves her right! @ NicoleStanton I know you''re not one to do this, but I gotta add fuel to the fire for you!] [OMG, is that Kai''s deration of love for Nicole?] [We''ll all add fuel to the fire! For Nicole!] [The whole world knows that Kai likes Nicole, but why does it feel so fake? It¡¯s kinda funny...] [Kai does have a good eye to like our President Nicole, but I still think Nicole should stay a strong independent woman!] Kai taking a stance in this was undoubtedly a protective move and undisguised favoritism for Nicole. This was an unprecedented case. If Kai was just an ordinary celebrity, it definitely would not have caused such a big reaction. Kai''s status in the entertainment industry was godlike! His words and actions attracted a lot of attention. The moment he spoke out, his fans became even more sympathetic to Nicole. Naturally, Wendy and Eric were implicated and berated. Nicole sneered and thought that those two deserved it. Ferguson Corporation''s share prices only fell by so much. Although it was not a small sum, it did not affect the Fergusons at all. Nicole no longer cared about them. Three hourster, Ferguson Corporation responded with a statement. [Mr. Eric Ferguson and Ms. Wendy Quade do not have any improper rtionship. Ourpany will use any legal means necessary to protect Mr. Eric Ferguson''s reputation.] They even attached awyer''s letter. However, these were futile efforts to calm the public. Their public rtions team was too useless. Once this matter was made public, the rest of the Stanton family found out about Nicole¡¯s near-death experience. Floyd Stanton sent some people to exert pressure on the police, both explicitly and implicitly, so that Wendy Quade would not get a chance to reduce her sentence. Grant Stanton told Nicole to get some rest for a few days and not to worry about thepany. Maverick Stanton knew that Nicole was still alive, so h e did not do anything about it. Kai Stanton was so pissed that he cursed out a storm o n the inte. At the end of the day, Logan knocked on Nicole''s office door and came in. "President Nicole, Ms. Ferguson said that she wants to see you." N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Nicole paused. "Ingrid Ferguson?" Logan nodded his head. ''What is she doing here? Was the lessonst time not enough for her?'' The corners of Nicole¡¯s lips hooked u p into a yful smile. She leaned backfortably on her chair and raised a n eyebrow. "Let her in." ¡°Yes, ma''am." Soon after Logan went out, Ingrid walked in with stripper heels. Ingrid¡¯s face was glum and looked like she had not been living well these days. With Old Master Ferguson''s character, he would not acknowledge any familial ties as long as it harmed the interests of Ferguson Corporation. Unfortunately, Ingrid Ferguson still did not understand this. "Nicole, you really think that you''re above everyone now, huh?" Ingrid surveyed the surroundings with undisguised envy and jealousy in her eyes. Nicole''s gaze was indifferent, and her smile was extremely cold. "My time is precious, so get to the point, Ms. Ferguson.¡± She was not in the mood to babble on with such people because she did not want to stoop to their level. Ingrid looked discontented for a moment and thought, ''What''s with that attitude?!'' However, when she recalled her grandfather¡¯s words, she would certainly get a serious scolding if she did notplete the task. Thus, Ingrid would just have to bear with Nicole for the time being. Ingrid lifted her chin and looked at Nicole arrogantly with disdain in her eyes. "I came to apologize to you." ''Nicole should be satisfied this time... When have I, the Young Lady of the Ferguson family, ever apologized to others?¡¯ If it were not for Nicole¡¯s counterattack which made Ferguson Corporation sustain some losses, Old Master Ferguson would not have forced Ingrid to apologize, and Ingrid would not havee over. Nicole looked at Ingrid and could not help but let out a lightugh. ''Ingrid looks more like she''s here to settle the score with me. Apologize? Does she think that I''m dumb?¡¯ Nicole thought. Ingrid said, "What are youughing at? What are you s o smug about? If Grandpa didn''t ask me to Nicole¡¯s smile faded and her eyes were cold as she said, "I didn¡¯t force you toe. If you don''t want to be here, get lost!" Chapter 146 Played Chapter 146 yed Nicole sneered. ''Does Ingrid think that I''m easy to fool? Does she think that her apology is worth a lot? I won''t even care if she kneels to apologize!'' Ingrid was shocked by Nicole''s words. She froze for a moment and instantly lost her momentum. Ingrid almost forgot that Nicole was now the capable and powerful CEO and heiress of Stanton Corporation. Nicole could even exert pressure on Ferguson Corporation and was no longer the pushover that Ingrid could bully at will back then. "Nicole, you... What kind of attitude is this? I said that I''m here to apologize, so why do you have no manners at all?" Ingrid gritted her teeth. ''I''ve alreadye here and done my part. It''s Nicole''s problem if she doesn''t ept it!¡¯ Nicole looked down at the time and called the internalndline. "Have securitye up to escort Ms. Ferguson out." While Ingrid was staring at Nicole with a shocked gaze, Nicole added, "In the future, don''t let her step foot in Stanton Tower." "Nicole! How could you?!" Ingrid''s face turned red with anger. ''If word got out that I was kicked out, how could I still survive in this circle?! Grandpa and Brother would definitely think that I provoked Nicole first!¡¯ The bottom of Nicole''s eyes was icy cold. "Why can¡¯t I? Ingrid Ferguson, you should learn how to apologize to others first." The security guards had arrived. Logan knocked on the door and came in, then looked at Ingrid Ferguson with an austere face. "Ms. Ferguson, please." Ingrid was incredibly vexed. She gritted her teeth and red at Nicole before she stomped out of Nicole''s office. As soon as Ingrid stepped outside Stanton Tower, she regretted it. ''How am I supposed to exin this to Grandpa and Brotherter? I should¡¯ve just put up with Nicole!'' Ingrid was antsy on the way back to Ferguson Vi. As soon as Ingrid went inside, Old Master Ferguson''s teacup came flying at her. Luckily, Ingrid managed to dodge it quickly. Unfortunately, the teacup shattered into pieces all over the floor. "Grandpa..." "You''re such a failure, yet you still dare toe back?¡± Old Master Ferguson''s face was extremely glum. Ingrid pursed her lips and intended to make up a reason for her failed apology. "Nicole..." "Floyd Stanton called me and said that as soon as you went to Stanton Corporation, you were rude and condescending to Nicole. Ingrid Ferguson, do you even have a brain?!¡± Ingrid''s face stiffened. She did not expect that Nicole would be one step ahead of her to tell her grandfather the situation. Now, her grandfather naturally would not believe whatever she said. ''What bad luck to be yed by Nicole again!'' As expected, Ingrid''s punishment was to kneel at the memorial hall for another night. After Nicole got off work, Yvette had to drag her to a private party. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Although Nicole was a little tired, she had not let loose in a long time, so she dly agreed. Nicole wore a long dark green halter dress with pearls iid in thece. It was very elegant and ssy. She was tall and slim with a nice figure. Even without a ne, her slender neck looked so graceful. She looked like a femme fatale. As soon as the twodies entered the venue, they attracted a lot of attention. Yvette came up to Nicole¡¯s ear and joked. "If you see anyone you like, just take him home..." Nicole rolled her eyes at Yvette. "You look interested..." "Well, it''s all about participation, right?¡± Yvette spat out her tongue and added, "I''ll go say hi to the host. You can sit first." Nicole nodded and found a secluded ce to sit down. She intended to check the changes in the stock market on her phone when a man decked out in branded clothes and essories walked towards her with lecherous eyes. He looked like he was unting his wealth with all those big brand names. At first nce, Nicole could tell that he must be an uneducated and ipetent trust fund kid. He was even looking at her with such a frivolous gaze. "Ms. Stanton, I''ve heard a lot about you. You¡¯re even more beautiful in person than those photos on the inte..." Nicole faintly swept him a nce without any expression and nodded as a greeting. She did not know this guy, so there was no need to exchange pleasantries with him. Besides, his pick-up line was reallyme and old-fashioned! Seeing that he was ignored, he felt a bit embarrassed. He came here intending to get in Eric Ferguson¡¯s good graces. At this time, Eric Ferguson and his friends were upstairs talking about Nicole Stanton. Eric was drinking silently and looked very unhappy. Thinking about Ferguson Corporation''s recent reputation loss caused by Nicole, this trust fund kid thought that Eric was probably mad about this. Thus, he thought that if he could use this opportunity t o teach Nicole a lesson, he would be able to please Eric. Perhaps if Eric was happy with his performance, Eric would even cooperate with his family business! At the thought of this, his guts got even bigger. The trust fund kid stared at Nicole lewdly. "Ms. Stanton, let me buy you a drink?" He took a ss of wine and handed it to Nicole. Nicole nced at the ss of wine indifferently and had no intention to extend her hand. She raised her eyes and looked at that trust fund kid." I don''t drink." It was a straightforward refusal. Nicole would not ept drinks from just anyone. Moreover, the man in front of her was annoying to look at. The trust fund kid was obviously a little offended andughed sarcastically. "Ms. Stanton, with your strong career woman persona, how can you not drink with all the socializing you do? Are you just looking down on me?" Chapter 147 I’m Teaching You a Lesson Chapter 147 I¡¯m Teaching You a Lesson The trust fund kid had such a contemptuous attitude when he hinted that Nicole was just faking her strong persona and that she was in fact weak on the inside. Nicole''s so-called domineering bossdy persona was just a front. She was just a divorced trust fund baby, so what was there to be proud of? Nicole¡¯s face was indifferent. The corners of her lips gently hooked up into a mocking arc. Her voice was extremely cold as she said, "Yes, I am looking down on you!" Under the light, Nicole looked so bright and morous. She only needed to give that man one look without any other expression to kill his ego. ''Who the hell does he think he is? He doesn¡¯t even deserve my time of day!'' Nicole thought. Nicole did not want to stay here for another second and immediately stood up intending to find Yvette. Many people around them noticed themotion. The trust fund kid was ashamed and embarrassed when he saw that Nicole ignored him. He was so angry that he went up to grab her arm and cursed. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "Nicole, do you really think that you''re all that? You¡¯re just a woman who was kicked out of the Ferguson family! Do you think you''re so valuable as a divorced woman? It¡¯s your blessing that someone is willing to buy you a drink. Who are you pretending to put on airs for? Tell me, how much does it cost to buy you a drink? I have plenty of money..." Before he could finish his sentence, a ss of wine was sshed on his face. Nicole acted so fast that he did not even notice that the ss of wine in her hand was empty. Every single drop was sshed on his face. The dark liquid dripped down his wretched head. Nicole rubbed her arm. Her gaze was extremely cold. "We¡¯re in the twenty-first century. Since your mouth is so foul, you ought to wash it. Also, who are you to buy me a drink?¡± Nicole snickered and shook her head, then sized up his shy getup. His outfit looked expensive, but the true elites would never wear brands that showed off their value at a nce. "You can¡¯t afford it..." Compared to the exasperated trust fund kid in front of her, Nicole was a queen who would reject anyone. She smiled arrogantly and looked so unattainable with the kind of innate noble aura. Her temperament was absolutely overpowering. The trust fund kid felt a rage in his chest and almost lost control of his reasoning. ¡®So many people were watching, yet Nicole dared to treat me like this?!'' These trust fund kids always had people licking their boots and always had their way wherever they went because their families were wealthy. If he admitted defeat this time, he would be theughing stock of the gentry circle! How dare a woman that Eric Ferguson abandoned be s o arrogant? "I''ll teach you a lesson, b*tch!" The trust fund kid gritted his teeth and raised his arm to p Nicole''s pretty face. Unexpectedly, before he managed to p her, a tall figure suddenly rushed to the front and dragged Nicole to the back. The trust fund kid was heavily kicked in the chest. He stumbled back and fell to the ground, then he curled up in pain and wailed miserably. The hand that was yanking Nicole''s wrist was slender and beautiful, like a work of art. A familiar yet strange smell that was tainted with a faint smell of alcohol enveloped her. Nicole had been fascinated with this smell countless times before. She wanted to get closer but dared not approach. At this moment, Nicole only wanted to retreat quickly and run away. That man was Eric Ferguson. His tall figure towered over her as he stood in front of her. Nicole quickly broke away from hisrge hand after seeing his face clearly. She took a step back and kept her distance from him. When Eric realized this, his eyebrows knitted together, and he felt a little lost. However, he hid it quickly. At this time, Keith came over in a hurry and looked at Eric as well as the trust fund kid on the ground. Keith was very surprised. "Anson, are you insane?!" Anson''s family only had a small business that was not very well-known in Anta. ''How dare he mess with Nicole and even attempt to hit her?!¡¯ Chapter 148 This Thing Chapter 148 This Thing When the crowd saw this, they were all secretly surprised. It was rumored that Eric Ferguson and Nicole Stanton were at odds for a long time. If that was the case, why did this ex-husband rush out to defend Nicole when she was in danger? Yvette heard themotion and ran over in a panic. She sized up Nicole and asked, "Are you alright?" Nicole calmly nodded without the slightest bit of fear. She was already prepared. With her fighting skills, even if no one stepped in to help her, that trust fund kid would not be able to Content ? N?velDrama.Org. touch a hair on her head. It was just that Eric''s appearance was too unexpected. The trust fund kid lying on the ground slowly returned to his senses. Although he was in pain, he had no choice but to grit his teeth and bear with it. He did not know that Keith was speaking, so he did not think that the person who kicked him would be Eric Ferguson. Before he could open his eyes, he shouted furiously," Who dares to meddle in my business?!" ''Someone still dares to help Nicole? What a dimwit!'' At this moment, his face was so distorted from the pain, as if his internal organs had been disced. It was so painful that he gasped for air. Keithughed in exasperation. "Anson, open your bloody eyes wide and take a look. D o you have a death wish?" Usually, Anson would act so cowardly in front of Keith and Eric, yet he was so bold to scold them now? This was really unexpected! This time, Anson could finally recognize Keith''s voice. ''Isn''t that Keith Ludwig who¡¯s often around Eric Ferguson?" The trust fund kid''s body shook. He opened his eyes to look at the person in front of him. Eric''s eyes were cold and deep as he red at him. It was very intimidating and frightening. Anson could not care less about the pain he felt and quickly crawled to Eric''s feet. He respectfully and nervously said, "Mr. Ferguson, why are you here?" ''It shouldn''t be! Didn''t Eric hate Nicole? Why would he stand up for her?¡¯ It was toote to think about that much, so Anson hurriedly made his position clear. "Mr. Ferguson, it''s a misunderstanding! I just want to teach this insensitive woman a lesson. She''s repeatedly ndered your reputation by spreading rumors online! She''s simply despicable! You can ignore it because you''re a magnanimous person, but a s your friend, I really can¡¯t stand it anymore and want her to know her ce!" Anson only did this for Eric¡¯s sake. As soon as his words left his mouth, he received another heavy kick on his chest. His face instantly turned pale from the pain. Eric¡¯s eyes were cold and sunken. He was expressionless as he said, "Who the hell are you?" Keith Ludwig heard this and immediately ran to Nicole to clear any rtionship between Eric and Anson. "We don¡¯t know him! Eric doesn¡¯t know him at all, and this has nothing to do with Eric. Anson did this on his own. Nicole... D-Don¡¯t misunderstand this, okay?" Keith knew that Eric had no intention of getting into another conflict with Nicole. From the time Eric handed Wendy Quade over to the police, Keith knew that Eric had fallen head over heels for Nicole. It was just that Eric himself did not even figure it out yet. Therefore, Keith felt that he needed to stand up for Eric to exin this to Nicole clearly. ''Not everyone can be friends with Eric! This shameless Anson!¡¯ Keith thought. When Nicole heard Keith''s words, she smiled under everyone''s watchful gaze. However, her smile was icy. "There''s no need to exin. It¡¯s not the first time Mr. Ferguson¡¯s friends came to me looking for trouble anyway. Mr. Ludwig, didn''t you do the same back then?" ''What''s the use of exnations anyway? Do they think that they can cut off any connection with a few sentences? Do they want me to be grateful to them? I''m not a fool and certainly won''t believe that they¡¯re s o kind as to help me!¡¯ Keith felt guilty and kept quiet because he did not know how to refute Nicole. In the past three years when Eric was forced into marriage with Nicole, Keith did find a lot of trouble with Nicole. Keith was not much better than Anson in that sense. He was indeed in no position to refute Nicole¡¯s words. ''She¡¯s so ruthless!¡¯ Keith thought. Keith subconsciously nced at Eric, who was standing in front with a straight back. Eric''s hands at his side were tightly clenched, so much so that his veins were bulging out. Keith knew that Eric must be very angry at this moment. Anson was still rolling on the ground in pain, looking pale and miserable. "Mr. Ferguson, I''m just thinking of you. I didn''t know that you''re still interested in this woman. Had I known earlier, I wouldn¡¯t dare to do this even if someone gave me the guts to!" Anson thought that Eric might still be interested in Nicole. Otherwise, Eric would not treat him like this. All Anson wanted to do now was smash his head on the wall. If he had known this, he would dare to get involved with this woman. Keith was stunned and could not help but speak out." Shut up, Anson! Who are you to talk over here? Who are you to meddle in Eric''s affairs? You don¡¯t want to live in Anta anymore, do you? Dumb*ss!¡± Chapter 149 Shes Just a Bully Chapter 149 She''s Just a Bully Nicole snickered from the side and thought, ''What a great show today! Simply wonderful!¡¯ Only, she was not in the mood to watch this performance any longer. It was a waste of time to continue watching another second of it. Nicole looked at Yvette and said, "Let''s go somewhere else. Seeing these irritating fools really affects my mood." The only person she did not want to see was Eric Ferguson. Yvette knew what Nicole was thinking. She was originally regretting her decision of bringing Nicole here, but as soon as she heard Nicole''s proposal, she immediately nodded her head in agreement. Nicole took her purse, turned on her heels, and strutted out of the venue. She did not care about all those prying eyes who were watching the drama. ''They can just keep watching Eric¡¯s performance!¡¯ Nicole thought. Yvette went to get the car while Nicole waited at the entrance. Nicole was looking down at her toes. The night breeze was slightly chilly. Suddenly, she heard the familiar sound of heavy footsteps, but she did not turn around. "Nicole." The man''s voice was deep, mellow, and extremely familiar. "Wendy Quade has been punished. I wonder if we can... Be friends?" Eric walked to Nicole''s side and looked at her with aplicated gaze. This was the first time that Eric Ferguson had ever taken the initiative to make friends with a woman. It would certainly be the talk of the town if word got out. Eric felt guilty and sorry toward Nicole, so he wanted her to at least give him a chance to make amends. Wendy was no longer an obstacle between them, and their misunderstanding had been cleared. After finding out Wendy¡¯s true character, Eric felt even more ashamed and remorseful toward Nicole. Hearing that, Nicole raised her eyes to nce sideways at him. She raised her eyebrows and spoke Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. sarcastically, "I¡¯m very picky about making friends. M r. Ferguson, you don''t meet my standards of a friend, s o just forget it." Eric¡¯s body stiffened for a while. He could hear the rejection in Nicole''s words. Not to mention friends, Nicole did not even want to greet him in passing. "Mr. Ferguson, don''t tell me that you think I only hate you so much because of Wendy Quade, right? That without her, I''ll ept and forgive you?" The corners of Nicole''s lips hooked up into a yful smile. Eric¡¯s expression became stiff and gradually sank. He suppressed the ufortable feeling in his chest. His voice was cold and deep as he asked Nicole. "What do you mean?" ''Is it not because of that? I''ve already exined that I have nothing to do with Wendy Quade. Why am I worthless to her? Is there not even a chance of reconciliation between us?¡¯ Eric thought. Nicole raised her eyebrows. The corners of her lips still had a cold smile. What an irony! "To be honest, I think that you¡¯re a horrible person. While you were married, you didn''t hesitate to hurt your wife in exchange for someone else¡¯s girlfriend¡¯s happiness. How did you even manage to do that? Is it just to show your high morals? Don''t even talk to me about friendship. What do I care? I was the one who donated blood. I was the one who was ndered and defamed. I was the one who wasted three years of my youth! Why am I obliged to bear the consequences of all this for you? Don''t you find it repulsive? Between u s, it has never been about Wendy Quade, but you, Eric Ferguson!¡± Nicole''s smile faded by the time she finished her monologue, and there was a chill in the bottom of her eyes. Eric Ferguson was the one who killed all her passion and affection with his own hands. ''He wants me to feel grateful to him and get back together with him just because he said he had nothing to do with Wendy Quade? Dream on!'' Nicole turned around without even looking at him, then strutted away in her heels. Eric stood there frozen in ce. He could feel a boneseeping chill from Nicole. ''Am I not even qualified to approach her?¡¯ Eric thought. He felt that Nicole hadpletely jumped out of his control and seemed to be beyond his grasp. For some reason, this feeling made him panic. Yvette¡¯s car was parked not far away waiting for her. Once Nicole got into the car, she expressionlessly fastened her seat belt. Yvette saw Eric Ferguson and snorted in disdain." What does he want with you?" Nicole hooked the corner of her lips. "He wants to be friends." "Hah! Is he even worthy?¡± "Of course not!" Nicole raised her eyebrows righteously. Looking at the man''s figure getting smaller in the rearview mirror, Nicole suddenly felt a little meaningless. As soon as Nicole got home, she called Logan. Her voice was cold as she said, "There¡¯s a trust fund kid called Anson. I don''t care what his family does for a living, but as soon as I open my eyes tomorrow, I want to hear news of his family''s bankruptcy and disappearance from this circle." Logan did not know what happened earlier. This was the first time Nicole used Stanton Corporation''s power to crush anotherpany. "Yes, President Nicole." Logan thought, ''I guess I''ll have to work overtime again tonight...'' Chapter 150 Can We Turn the Page? Chapter 150 Can We Turn the Page? Early the next morning. Ferguson Corporation. Eric Ferguson came out of the conference room after a morning meeting. He suddenly remembered something, turned around, and instructed his assistant Mitchell, "Immediately terminate any cooperation with Anson''spany and acquire theirpany at a low price, then get him to leave Anta." Mitchell paused for a moment and did not understand where Eric''s sudden idea came from. He looked at his boss with aplicated gaze and reported truthfully," President, Anson¡¯s family went bankrupt early this morning. They¡¯re millions of dors in debt and fled the country in a hurry. Even their residence has been sealed...¡± ''I''m afraid it''s no longer possible to acquire Anson''spany...'' Mitchell thought. Eric frowned tightly. His expression was cold and solemn. Without much thought, he knew that it must be Nicole''s doing. ''She acted fast...'' Eric thought of what she saidst night and felt extremely ufortable. He tried to suppress the strange feeling in his heart, then let out a faint "mm¡± to indicate to Mitchell that h e understood. When Keith Ludwig found out about what happened t o Anson, he was scared to death. The meal in front of him instantly became tasteless! Compared to Anson, Keith felt like Nicole had been very merciful to him. If Nicole wanted to settle old scores with Keith, even Eric might not be able to save him! After some thought, Keith could not sit still and packed up his things, then ran straight to Stanton Corporation. Nicole only sneered when she was informed of Keith''s arrival. She did not care about him at all. "Don''t mind him. The next meeting will be held as scheduled." Logan nodded. "Yes, ma''am." After twost-minute meetings, Nicole went downstairs to check on the progress of the project and went to the staff cafeteria for a meal. Her schedule was very tight. Nicole finally rxed when it was almost time to leave work. Only then did she recall that Keith was looking for her earlier. "Is he still here?" Logan knew who Nicole was asking about and replied, "Yes, Mr. Ludwig is in the guest lounge. He already drank four cups of coffee and even ordered take-out..." Nicole let out a lightugh. ''Keith is really patient, huh?'' "Let him in." "Yes, ma''am.¡± Logan retreated respectfully. A momentter, Keith knocked on the door and came i n holding a bunch of withered flowers. Nicole raised her eyebrows. Keith shed a bright smile. "Nicole, you''re done so soon?" Keith thought that he would have to wait until midnight when she was done working overtime. Nicole folded her arms and taunted him. "Sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Ludwig." Although she said so, her tone was not the slightest bit apologetic. Keithughed it off. "No, no... My time isn''t worth anything." ¡®It hasn''t been that long. Since I¡¯m already here, I¡¯m ready to put up with anything Nicole wants. As long a s her anger subsides, everything will be worth it!'' Keith thought. "Mr. Ludwig, why are you here?" Nicole lowered her head and took a sip of coffee. The aroma of coffee filled the room. Since Keith already drank four cups of coffee, he almost felt like vomiting after smelling it. ''I must bear with it!'' Keith reminded himself. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. He looked at her with a straight face and deliberated his words. "I thought about what happened yesterday. As Eric¡¯s friend, I was indeed not too friendly to you back then... I feel guilty and remorseful about it, so I came over to officially apologize to you." Nicole looked at him suspiciously. "Could it be that you got scared after finding out what happened to Anson, so you came over here?" ''This woman really hit the nail on the head! She didn''t even give me the benefit of the doubt!'' Keith¡¯s face stiffened, then he admitted with a smile. "Yeah... We were all tricked by Wendy Quade! Yesterday, we went drinking with Eric and we were all quite tipsy. We talked about the past and we all really regretted what we¡¯ve done. We were really blind before and misunderstood you. Nicole, seeing that we''re so sincere, can we turn the page?" Keith smiled sycophantically. That arrogant young master back then probably never expected that he would be so ingratiating one day. Chapter 151 Do You Want to Die? Chapter 151 Do You Want to Die? Nicole''s eyes flickered, then she shook her head with a smile. ''Hell no! Turn over the page? Dream on! These people are really more naive than one another!'' Nicole thought. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. Keith''s smile faltered. It meant that he only came here to make a fool of himself. He left the office feeling disappointed while Nicole spoke indifferently. "Mr. Ludwig, it¡¯s good enough that I didn''t take the initiative to find fault with you guys. Next time, don''t Keith paused in his footsteps. An idea suddenly shed in his heart, so he turned back to look at her with shining eyes. "Nicole, do you still like Eric?" ''If she still likes him, then the chances of them being together now is definitely much higher than three years ago! They both have the same status and are a perfect match!'' Nicole''s face turned even colder when she heard this." Do you want to die?" It was a barefaced threat. Keith shrank his neck, smiled awkwardly, and ran away as fast as he could. That was her answer. ''How could she still like Eric? She¡¯s not a masochist...'' Keith thought. Once he was out of Stanton Tower, Keith called Eric. "Eerg, I''ve never felt that you and Nicole are so well-matched before this..." ''Their personality, aura, and family background are simply the same! Eric should really be matched with a woman like Nicole who can stand shoulder to shoulder with him. Besides Nicole, who else could match Eric?'' Keith thought. Eric was curious. "Hmm?" His tone was cold and suspicious. However, Eric was secretly gleeful when he heard that. Keith sighed and continued, "But you really have no chance!" Eric immediately hung up the call and uttered, "This sick bastard!" After Keith left, Nicole received a call from Kai to attend an auction in the evening. Since people online often misunderstood the rtionship between Kai and Nicole, Kai decided to ask Julie Nixon as his femalepanion. Kai carefully selected Nicole¡¯s malepanion, who was a budding actor that had just debuted, Fabian. He looked so clean-cut and handsome. It was no wonder that he had so many fans. Fabian was obviously a little nervous. He looked like Prince Charming in his white suit. He was even blushing a little when he saw Nicole. Nicole just smiled without saying anything, then took his arm and walked inside the venue to find their seats. The huge screen in the front disyed photos of the auction items. There were very valuable jade bracelets, collectors'' paintings, and a pair of ck opal cufflinks designed b y the famous designer, Pire. Fabian saw the photo of the cufflinks and was visibly stunned. He had a glint in his eyes. "Pire¡¯s final work is actually here?¡± He muttered to himself incredulously. "You like it?" Fabian nodded and said with enthusiasm, ¡°I was a designer before I joined showbiz. Pire is my idol! If he''s willing to take me as his apprentice, I can quit showbiz to join him!" Nicole did not know much about cufflinks, but she only remembered that Eric Ferguson loved collecting them, especially Pire''s works. ''What the hell! Why would I think of him? How annoying!¡¯ Nicole swept a nce around and saw Eric Ferguson sitting a few seats away. A talkative woman was sitting next to him chattering while looking at him with her bright eyes. Sensing Nicole''s cold gaze, Eric turned his head to the side. He saw Nicole who was talking to Fabian with her head lowered. Her side profile was gentle and beautiful. She even had cute dimples when she smiled. ''Turns out she can be so beautiful when she¡¯s not angry! Those two look awfully close and intimate...'' An irritation surged in Eric¡¯s chest. His face was sullen and bitter. His eyes also turned colder. The woman next to him sensed that something was off about Eric and followed his gaze. She deliberately exaggerated her voice, "Oh! Looks like Ms. Stanton has a new boyfriend. She has a really good eye. Fabian is a budding young actor. His first drama was a huge hit! Ms. Stanton is so popr with the guys!¡± Eric cast a sidelong nce at thedy and said in a harsh voice, "This doesn¡¯t seem to be your seat." Ines Xavier froze for a moment, then revealed an awkward smile and exined herself, "My dad is the organizer of this auction. Those people are willing to change seats with me." What she meant was that she could sit wherever she wanted. Chapter 152 Only You Are Worthy Chapter 152 Only You Are Worthy Ines Xavier had just returned to Mediania and came over to join the fun. She did not expect to see Eric Ferguson here, so she could not care less about anything and wanted to approach him. Three years ago, Nicole robbed Ines of her chance, so three yearster, Ines vowed not to give up! Eric did not say anything. His face was a little cold, and the disgust in his eyes was obvious. If Mitchell, who was sitting next to Eric, still could not see Eric¡¯s displeasure, then it would be a waste of all those years of working for Eric. At this moment, Mitchell hastily proposed. "President, why don''t we change seats?" Eric stood up without saying a word, so Mitchell quickly moved to the side and sat on Mitchell''s original seat. Mitchell tried his best to ignore the indignant piercing gaze from Ines, who was now next to him. Nicole''s phone beeped. It was a message from Julie Nixon. [Thatdy sitting next to Eric is Ines Xavier from Gemini Entertainment, right?] Nicole saw the name and frowned slightly, then replied. [I couldn¡¯t tell.] She thought about it for a long time before remembering who Ines Xavier was. Ines Xavier was the infamous high-societydy who dered that she would not marry unless it was Eric Ferguson. Her father was a big shot in the entertainment industry, so Ines had always been able t o get what she wanted. After being rejected by Eric, Ines felt devastated and went to Korea for stic surgery. However, Ines did not expect that once she left, Eric would marry Nicole. Ines, who had justpleted her stic surgery in a foreign country back then felt depressed and hurt. The pain was unbearable. Julie Nixon: [I heard that she spent $800K to do up her whole face in Korea. That chin''s so sharp that it can probably slice things! ^expression of horror*] Nicoleughed, but this had nothing to do with her, so she was not bothered. When she looked up again, the auction had already begun. Nicole was not interested in the other items and for some reason, she only paid close attention to the pair o f cufflinks. By the time the bid for the cufflinks started, the starting price was $200,000. This was already not cheap for a pair of cufflinks. Next to her, Fabian raised his bidding paddle without hesitation. "$250,000!¡± "$300,000!¡± It went up to $600,000. Surprisingly, there were still people bidding for the cufflinks. Fabian had begun to waver. For a budding young actor who just made his debut, it was quite a big amount for him. Nicole thought about it. Since Fabian apanied her to this boring auction, she should show her appreciation. Thus, Nicole raised her bidding paddle without hesitation. "$700,000.¡± The person who had just made the previous bid saw that it was Nicole and did not intend to fight with her. To Nicole''s surprise, Ines raised her bidding paddle. "$ 750,000!" Ines turned to Eric and said excitedly, "Eric, let me give this to you as a present..." Eric did not have any reaction like he did not hear her. However, Ines was not discouraged. Ines did not want to give up this good opportunity to win over Nicole. Since they were sitting nearby, Nicole could hear it clearly and thought, ''I''m afraid Ines has some sort of misunderstanding about her self-worth, right? She even dares topete with me?!'' Nicole ced another bid. "$1 million!" The whole room was in an uproar. This was truly the most expensive pair of cufflinks that had been on auction. Ines'' giddy passion had not yet faded when her expression copsed in shock. That was because Ines did not have more than one million dors of pocket money. Her resentment for Nicole deepened in that instant. Fabian, who was sitting on the side, wanted to say something, but he was also afraid of making a fool of himself. Before the host finalized Nicole''s bid, a man''s deep and mellow voice resounded in the room. "$1.1 million.¡± It was Eric Ferguson. This pair of cufflinks was not worth so much, but this was thest pair designed by Pire and the only missing pair in Eric¡¯s collection. His collection would be imperfect if he did not collect i tall. Thus, he needed it. This pair of men''s cufflinks seemed to be of no use to Nicole anyway. At this moment, everyone felt that they could watch a good show. The ex-wife and the ex-husband were in a face-off, so who would win in the end? Nicole pondered for a moment and raised her paddle again. "$1.2 million!" It was like any price was merely a number to them. Fabian could not help but speak up. "Ms. Stanton, forget it, it''s not worth that much." Nicole smiled at him and did not make a sound. Without a doubt, Eric called for another bid. This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. It went straight to $1.5 million. Eric faintly nced sideways at Nicole. This time, Nicole''s focus was not on Eric. She was just looking at the pair of cufflinks with some obsessive desire. Nicole did not hesitate and raised her bidding paddle again. "$2 million!¡± The host called out, ¡°$2 million going once! $2 million going twice--¡± He deliberately paused and dragged it for a few seconds to wait for Eric to raise the bid again. Chapter 153 A Change of Clothes Chapter 153 A Change of Clothes The venue was silent. To everyone''s disappointment, Eric Ferguson faintly withdrew his gaze and did not continue bidding. ''If she likes it that much, I''ll give it to her.'' Eric thought. ¡°$2 million sold!" The sound of the hammer finalized the bidding war. The crowd was a little shocked. ''Mr. Ferguson conceded?'' The show that they were expecting was not that exciting after all. Nicole coldly snorted and thought, ''This doesn''t even cost that much. Eric Ferguson raised the bid for no reason just so that I''ll spend an extra million. He did this on purpose, right?'' This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. She stood up and went to make the payment. Fabian followed by her side. None of them noticed that they were being followed. Nicole looked at the pair of cufflinks and handed them to Fabian personally. "It¡¯s for you." Fabian froze and widened his eyes in shock. "For me?¡± ''It''s worth two million dors, yet Nicole just gave them to me?'' Nicole nodded and smiled. "Thanks for apanying me to the auction. It''s a little gift, so just ept it." "Thanks for your kindness, Ms. Stanton, but I can''t take it." "But in my opinion, only you are worthy of this pair of cufflinks." Fabian was someone who could give up everything for his dream, so his heart and passion were very admirable. They could hear heavy footsteps leaving from outside the door, but Nicole and Fabian did not care. Fabian still wanted to refuse, so Nicole hesitated for a moment and said, "If you don''t like it, then you can give it to someone else." Nicole could not take back what she had given. It just so happened that Julie and Kai came in one after the other. Julie chuckled and said, "I just saw Mr. Ferguson leaving in a rage. Did you guys get into an argument?" Fabian shook his head in confusion. "No... No one came in just now..." Nicole recalled the heavy footsteps she heard earlier and understood in an instant. However, she was not concerned. Julie went over and took Nicole''s hand. "Let¡¯s go get something to eat." Nicole nodded, greeted the rest, and followed Julie out. "It''s really unexpected for Eric to give way to you.¡± Nicole sneered. "You think he''s giving in? He¡¯s clearly just raising the price!" Julie nodded and finally understood. ''That makes sense!'' Not far away, many young actresses surrounded Ines and ttered her. Ines was the daughter of a showbiz big shot, so naturally, they had to suck up to her. After all, being banned or being a big hit was just a matter of her words. When Ines saw the oing Nicole, she was furious, s o she had to mock Nicole. "Ms. Stanton, you''re really willing to spend money on a man. I''m curious... How do you manage to get a different man by your side every time?" Ines wasughing at Nicole''s messy private life. The surrounding people smiled perfunctorily and did not dare to chime in. They knew of Nicole''s status and knew that she was not someone they could afford to offend! Nicoleughed. She was so beautiful and striking. Nicole simply standing there was enough to steal the spotlight from all the actresses around her. She was such a unique beauty that no one could shift their gaze away from her. "Well... That''s because I''m beautiful. I''m afraid that it''ll be difficult for you to follow in my footsteps though...¡± Nicole even nced regretfully at Ines to scrutinize her done-up features. There was no specialty in Ines¡¯ beauty, like a regr beauty filter. When Ines heard this, she immediately exploded in anger. Ines hated it when people talked andughed about her stic surgery. "Nicole, don¡¯t think that I''m afraid of you just because you''re Floyd Stanton''s daughter! You''re just an average basic b*tch! Do you think Eric Ferguson would''ve married you three years ago if your face wasn''t bearable?" Nicole hated that name. Julie saw that Nicole¡¯s expression changed and hastily retorted. "Ines, I remember that you confessed to him three years ago but failed and went to get stic surgery instead. Could it be because he thought that you were fugly?" Ines'' face turned red while she shook with anger. She was so vexed as if what Julie said was true. Her eyes that had been operated on were so big that they almost popped out of her sockets when she red at thedies. "That''s nonsense! You''re the fugly one! You both are ugly!" As Ines shouted, she picked up a drink from the side and threw it at Nicole without thinking it through. Unexpectedly, Nicole''s reaction was extremely fast and pulled Julie to the side, perfectly avoiding the ssh. However... Mitchell spoke anxiously at the side, "President, are you alright? Do you want to get a change of clothes?" Chapter 154 Criteria for a Girlfriend Chapter 154 Criteria for a Girlfriend When Eric Ferguson heard what Nicole said earlier that only Fabian was worthy of those cufflinks, he got so angry that he turned around and left without a word. He never would have thought that it was such a coincidence to see Nicole surrounded by people amidst an argument. When he walked over, a ss of juice was sshed on him. He became coteral damage. At this moment, everyone, except Nicole, looked at Ines like she was doomed. Ines was stunned and her lips twitched. "Eric... A-Are you okay?¡± Eric''s gaze was cold and dark. His voice was extremely cold. "I''m not familiar with you. Please call me Mr. Ferguson." After that, he just gently swept a nce at Nicole, who looked unconcerned, then turned around and left. No one ever dared to make Eric look so wretched since he was born. Mitchell hurriedly caught up to his boss. Ines had just told everyone that she was on good terms with Eric Ferguson and that their families would most likely have a marriage alliance. In the blink of an eye, Ines was pped in the face by the protagonist himself. ''Not familiar? What a deadly insult!'' Ines thought. She bit her lower lip and stared at Nicole with indignation. The ss that was already empty was N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. clenched tightly in her hand. Ines just wanted to crush Nicole. Julie even added fuel to the fire from the side. "I''m afraid Eric Ferguson forgot yourst name. Did you introduce yourself?¡± Nicole could not help butugh lightly, then she pulled Julie away. The rest of the group immediately changed the topic. They did not want to upset this princess... The dinner was about to begin. Kai was the biggest movie star there, while Fabian was the hottest young actor. The organizers could not afford to invite Kai to make a presence onstage. Besides, Kai only did whatever he wanted depending on his mood. 1 Thus, the organizers took this opportunity to get the recently popr young actor, Fabian, to go onstage. Fabian was used to this kind of scene, so he calmly greeted everyone and spoke eloquently. However, the host was not willing to give up the opportunity of a hot topic. "Fabian, now that you''ve alreadye of age, may I ask, on behalf of your fans, what kind of girls do you like?" Fabian froze for a moment and lowered his head with a smile. He was not going to answer this tricky question. Seeing this, the host rephrased his question. "Among thedies present, is there a type that you admire?" Everyone waited for Fabian''s answer with bated breath. Fabian thought about it and spotted Nicole in the middle of the crowd. His smile was innocent and bright, revealing his small protruding cuspid. "I admiredies like Ms. Stanton." Everyone cheered and looked at Nicole¡¯s reaction. Nicoleughed helplessly and waved her hand at Fabian as she thought, ''What a cute kid... He can be led by the nose with just one question... Is it just because I gave him that pair of cufflinks?¡¯ She was already involved in a lot of scandals, so she did not mind adding a few more to her list. It was just that this budding young actor might probably get into some trouble. Among the countless gazes, two pairs of eyes red at Nicole coldly, which made her feel extremely ufortable. When Nicole turned her head to the side, she saw Eric Ferguson''s deep, dark eyes. Nicole did not hesitate to look away and pretended that he was invisible. She just looked at the little hottie on stage and smiled t o reassure him that she was not mad at his response. Kai could not resist going up on stage at this moment a s he thought that his sister would get ndered again i f he did not say anything. "Vo, Fabian. Nicole¡¯s my scandalous partner at the moment, so spare some of that traction for me, eh?" Everyone roared withughter. With Kai''s poprity, these words were undoubtedly helping Fabian out of this awkward situation. However, someone with a motive uploaded this scene online. Ines looked at the video on her phone with a smug face and smiled with satisfaction. ''Now the whole world will know what a slut Nicole is! Let''s see how smug she''ll be now!'' The banquetsted untilte at night. When it was over, Kai got someone to send Fabian back while he sent Julie home. Nicole drove there. When she walked out, she happened to meet Eric Ferguson and Ines Xavier. "Why don¡¯t you send me home? It''s sote already and I¡¯m scared to go home alone..." Ines¡¯ voice was so whiny that Nicole just wanted to punch her. Eric¡¯s eyebrows were slightly knitted. "It''s out of the way." "Then take a detour! Mr. Ferguson, what if I get into danger when I leave by myself?" Ines pretended to be weak and looked panicked. She reached out to grab Eric''s arm, but she missed. He dodged her. Ines was just trying to take advantage of Eric. It was extraordinarily funny to Nicole. Nicole could not help butugh silently behind the wall and did not show herself. "You won¡¯t be in danger," Eric said with certainty. That tone could not be more direct. ¡®Even if you do encounter someone, it''s still uncertain which party will be the one in danger...¡¯ Chapter 155 Just So Unlucky Chapter 155 Just So Unlucky Ines did not give up and wanted to continue saying something. However, Nicole''s phone rang at that moment. Her ringtone cut through theirughable atmosphere. Having no choice, Nicole answered it and walked out. It was Kai. "I heard that a fugitive is on the loose nearby, so just stay where you are. I¡¯ll get someone to pick you up." Nicole smiled and said, "It''s fine, I can go by myself." She ignored the two people and walked past them. "Nicole..." Eric called her name. Before Nicole could react, Eric chased after her. "I''ll send you home.¡± Nicole raised her eyebrows andughed lightly. She felt amazed by his boldness. ''When are we ever on good terms with each other? He must be on drugs... I don''t need his help!¡¯ "Don''t get me wrong. I heard that a fugitive is lurking around here, so it''s not safe. If something happens to you, I''ll probably get scolded by theizens again." ''That ferocious fugitive even robbed and raped a lot ofdies before...'' Eric''s tone was dull. His shadow under the dim streetlight was elongated and made him seem very lonely. When he spoke, he looked a little nervous, so much so that Nicole thought she was mistaken. ''Why will he be nervous about my safety? Hah! If that ever happens, the sun will probably rise from the west!¡¯ Nicole then saw Ines, who looked so aggrieved, chasing up to Eric. She hooked her lips and said in a cool voice, "No need. I''d rather meet a fugitive than spend another second with you." After that, Nicole left without another word. "Why is Nicole acting so smug?! That ungrateful b* tch!" Ines was infuriated. ''Was she trying to humiliate me by rejecting Eric''s offer in front of me?! That b*tch must''ve done it on purpose!¡¯ Ines thought. Eric''s eyebrows were tightly furrowed. Mitchell drove over, so Eric got into the car and said in a cold voice," Drive." He ignored Ines¡¯ screams from the back. Mitchell quickly drove away. There were several broken streetlights on this section of the road. Eric felt nervous and uneasy because of a bad feeling in his heart. In front where it was dark, there was a car parked without anyone inside. "That¡¯s Ms. Stanton''s car!" It had only been less than two minutes since they parted ways, yet something already happened? "Stop the car!¡± Eric spoke in a cold voice with a bitter chill in his eyes. Without another word, he jumped out of the car and ran over. Mitchell also followed his boss quickly. When they got close enough, they heard a man¡¯s muffled grunt, then saw Nicole and a bald man standing in front of her car. Upon closer look, the man had a dagger in his hand and had mud all over his body. He looked so wretched and frustrated as he red viciously at the woman in front of him. Seeing more people approaching, the man panicked and just wanted to get this over with. Nicole calmly took a step back with a stern and fearless gaze. ''Sigh... I''m just so unlucky. Out of all people, I''m the one who¡¯s unlucky enough to meet this fugitive?!'' When the man lunged at her with the dagger, Nicole suddenly moved to the side and kicked the man in the back. The man''s headnded heavily on the hood of her car. Her movement was so fluid, crisp, valiant, and beautiful! The man was caught off guard and did not think that Nicole knew how to fight. He endured the severe pain and got up, but before he could raise his dagger again, he felt a sharp pain in his wrist. ng! "Ah!" The man screamed as his dagger fell to the ground. Nicole¡¯s sharp heel had already pierced through the back of his palm. It was a gut-wrenching pain. His scream resounded through the silent night. He was no longer a threat. Mitchell looked at the scene in shock and shuddered when he heard the man¡¯s gut-wrenching scream. If he had not witnessed this himself, he simply could not imagine what was happening in front of him. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Nicole simply did not give others the opportunity to be a hero! In the next second, Eric stepped forward with a cold and solemn face, then ran to check on Nicole. "Mitchell, call the police!" "Yes, sir!" Mitchell did not dare to dy for another second. Nicole already knew that someone approached her, but she did not expect it to be Eric Ferguson. When she saw Eric walking toward her, she faintly withdrew her gaze and walked past him to change into her spare shoes. The Chanel high heels that she liked were stained with blood and were soiled. Although it was a pity, she did not want them anymore. "Nicole, are you injured?" Chapter 156 The Car Ran Out of Gas Chapter 156 The Car Ran Out of Gas Eric Ferguson grabbed Nicole''s blood-stained arm and asked in a low, hoarse voice. Nicole quickly broke away from his grip and was silent for a moment. "No, it''s not mine." After that, she got into her car and started the engine. Since they had already called the police, the police could deal with the follow-up. Nicole would much rather go home to sleep than stay here and look at Eric Ferguson for another second! Eric''s dark eyes swept over her. His face became tense when he sensed her detached coldness. Mitchell tied up the fugitive and hurriedly ran over. "Ms. Stanton, should we send you to the hospital for a checkup?¡± Nicole looked at him and smiled. "No thanks." She had always been polite to Mitchell because he was the only person who treated her with kindness without the slightest contempt in those three years. No matter how lowly she was to others, Mitchell always treated her as the rightful Mrs. Ferguson. This was the only kindness that was shown to her in the past three years. Mitchell was still worried. "I think it''s better if you don''t drive at this moment. Since you''re frightened, you might get into another ident. Why don¡¯t I call a substitute driver for you?¡± Nicole was silent for a moment, seemingly considering Mitchell''s suggestion. She did not want to drive but waiting for a substitute driver took time. Mitchell knew her concern and immediately spoke," Why don''t you let me..." Suddenly, Mitchell felt a cold gaze that almost pierced through his body. ''Sh*t! I almost forgot that the big boss is still here!'' Mitchell''s words instantly took a turn. "...Ask our President if he can send you back while I stay here to watch over the fugitive...¡± That cold piercing gaze of death finally moved away. Mitchell sighed with relief from the bottom of his heart. He felt like he was hovering on the border of death for a moment. ''I almost lost my job... And my future!'' Nicole looked at Eric and refused without even thinking about it. ''Get Eric to be my driver?! I''d rather fight another ten more fugitives!¡¯ The car engine that she just started suddenly stalled. Nicole frowned and started it again. ''It doesn''t work? Mr. Anderson just bought this brand-new Ferrari from Europe... It should still be in good condition...'' Mitchell poked his head in and took a look. His tone was heavy as he said, "Ms. Stanton, your car... Ran out of gas..." Nicole was baffled. ''WTF!'' Eric gently swept a nce at Nicole. The corners of his lips hooked up into a cold smile as he got into his brand-new Range Rover. Mitchell paused for a moment before he said, "Ms. Stanton, why don''t youe with us? It''s getting Nicole refused. "No need, I''ll get someone to pick me u p." She looked down and took out her cell phone to call Logan. Coincidentally, her phone rang at this moment. It was Molly Stewart. "Nikki, we seeded! Our intelligent chip can enter the human body without any obstructions now! It only takes three seconds to check the health condition of a human body to make a diagnosis report. We¡¯ve seeded in the most important step to control the This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. central nervous system with artificial intelligence!" Nicole was shocked. She did not expect this pleasant surprise toe so quickly. This project involved artificial intelligence¡¯s assistance in life, which included developing intelligent medical technology. This was the most difficult part because it required constant input of the human¡¯s experience. It also involved the integration of every body part that had different functions. Thus, it was a very big and challenging project. If this project seeded and could bemercialized, people could get the fastest possible results on their health without the need to go to a hospital. It was also very urate. This was a huge step in human history! When Nicole heard this news, she could not hide the joy and surprise on her face. She could not wait to fly over to Molly Stewart at this moment to witness this great cause. However... Her car just ran out of gas... Eric just received this news as well. He was equally as excited as Nicole as he had unlimited expectations for the wonders artificial intelligence could bring to this world. "Mitchell, I''m going to Gerard¡¯s office. You wait here." "Yes, sir," Mitchell answered. Nicole immediately pushed open the car door and got out. She threw her keys to Mitchell and said, "I''m going too." At this time, feuds and grudges could take a backseat. I t was more important to witness history in the making! Nicole pulled open Eric''s car door and fastened her seatbelt. "Let''s go. I want to be there too." Eric lightly swept a nce at Nicole. This time, he was not in a hurry and tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. "Nicole..." Chapter 157 They Don’t Have a Relationship Chapter 157 They Don¡¯t Have a Rtionship Nicole looked at him sideways with a smirk. "Mr. Ferguson, are you trying to take advantage of this opportunity to negotiate terms with me?" Her gaze was scorching. She looked as if she would kill him if he dared to say yes. It was not a question, but a threat! Eric withdrew his gaze, started the car, and stepped o n the gas pedal. He was indeed thinking of doing so, but he suddenly did not want to anymore. Eric had not even repaid her what he owed her, so who was he to talk terms? Did he want her to forgive him for the past? After some thought, this seemed very unlikely. When they arrived at the project base, Nicole could not wait to jump out of the car. Unexpectedly, Maverick was standing at the door. Nicole then ran over, jumped on Maverick, and hugged him tightly. "Is it really sessful?" Maverick smiled dotingly and gave a faint "mm". He saw Eric walking over slowly with a glum face. Although Maverick did not know why Eric looked so upset, it did not bother him. Nicole was like a ko bear clinging onto Maverick. H e was so warm, so she was reluctant to get down. "Mav, why are you outside?" "Waiting for you, of course..." Maverick stroked her hair and said, "Let''s go inside." The two siblings together looked more like a couple in love in the eyes of others. Eric just felt stung looking at them. The pent-up anger in his chest slowly engulfed him and made him feel suffocated. As soon as they went in, Gerard Lichman greeted them and said excitedly, "Nicole, where did you find Gunner? He''s simply a genius!" Nicoleughed and was slightly taken aback. "What d o you mean?" "Our most difficult project and toughest technology were solved by him with just a few forms, without a single w at that! He just saved us ten years of research and tens of billions of dors!" This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. Gerard was beyond excited and marveled at Maverick. He was also more polite and respectful toward Maverick. "Please get him to stay! I¡¯ll offer ten times the market price... No, scratch that... A hundred times the annual sry! As long as he stays, I can even give him my shares!" Maverick lowered his eyes expressionlessly. "Not interested.¡± Nicole looked at Gerard sympathetically. This was the sad truth. Money was just a number to Maverick. "He only agreed to help for a month and has already signed a contract with another ce..." "You can break the contract! I''ll pay for any penalties!" No matter how much money was involved, keeping this genius was the wisest choice! "National Laboratories," Nicole said indifferently. If she did not tell him, Gerard would never stop pestering her. Gerard froze for a moment. ''What?!'' Nicole pursed her lips, pulled on Maverick¡¯s arm, then strolled inside. Behind him, Eric stood there and looked at Gerard with sympathy. He decided it was time to tell Gerard the truth. "Bunner is Maverick. If you still want to keep yourpany, just give up on your thoughts." ''Does he have the guts to poach a national treasure?'' Eric patted Gerard''s shoulder, sighed, and hurriedly walked in. Gerard was still frozen in ce from the shocking information. ''Gunner is Maverick?! The legendary genius who won the Breakthrough Prize at the age of 1 7?! How can he be the intern who had been working for me this entire month? How could it be the same person?!'' He followed after Eric and asked, "What¡¯s his rtionship with Nicole?¡± ''Maverick supported Nicole for a month and was not even paid for it!¡¯ "They don''t have a rtionship!" Eric spat out these words coldly. Gerard obviously did not believe him. Inside theb. Molly Stewart excitedly demonstrated a palm-sized irregr sphere to Nicole. "This is a microscopic bio-carrier. There¡¯s no need to draw blood forb tests. Just put your hand on it for three seconds and it can sense whether every part of your body is healthy or not. If this can be Nicole watched in amazement and felt incredulous, but with Maverick around, no miracle seemed impossible. She thought about it and put her hand on the sphere. This irregr sphere instantly emitted a warm feeling as it exuded a faint blue light. One second... Two seconds... Three seconds... Ding! "Abnormal body condition report. Wound detected on the inner side of the left arm with a length of 9.9 cm and a depth of 4 mm. Blood clotting, normal, with a standard white blood cell count. Slight bacterial infection detected. Rmendation, use a disinfectant such as rubbing alcohol paired with an anti- inmmatory drug. Wound expected to heal within three to four days." A cute, automated voice came out from the sphere. Everyone was stunned, while Nicole was very amazed. ''It could detect my wound hidden under my sleeve?!¡¯ Before Molly and Maverick could react, Eric went forward and grabbed her arm. His voice was extremely cold, "You said you¡¯re not injured..." Chapter 158 I Just Want to Make It up to Her Chapter 158 I Just Want to Make It up to Her Nicole frowned. ''Why is Eric''s reaction so big? What does he have to do with me being injured?'' "Mr. Ferguson, let me." During the moment of silence, Maverick reached out t o remove Nicole''s arm from Eric''s hand and even rubbed the part that was red from Eric''s tough grip. Maverick had no affinity towards Eric. ''Isn¡¯t he Nicole''s ex-husband? They have nothing to do with each other anymore, so this doesn''t concern him!'' He gently pulled Nicole to the lounge and found a first aid kit to dress her wound. "How did you get hurt?" Nicole was still immersed in the joy of that smart medical device''s sessful case study and was not at all concerned about her minor injury. "It''s nothing. I just met a thug, but I cleaned him up. This is just an idental scratch. Mav, that thing is amazing!" Maverick knew that Nicole could fight. An ordinary person going up against her would just get beaten up. He faintly hooked his lips and gently dressed her wound. "That''s just child¡¯s y. It¡¯s not worth being so happy about it." Nicole was speechless. Sure enough, the benchmark of a genius was certainly not the same as mere mortals. Regardless, Nicole still thought that it was an uplifting achievement. "Next, we can push it to the market and show the world our achievements!" Maverick nced at Nicole and frowned slightly. "It¡¯s not mature enough." Nicole was confused. "What do you mean?" "Although this smart chip can detect the problems in the human body, its judgment is only based on the parameters we set as what we consider the eptable range for the human body. It''ll be tough for this to rece a human doctor for other medicalplications,plex diseases, and treatment ns. If it was that easy to rece medical experts, it would truly be a miracle.¡± "Well... Even if we can''t rece medical experts entirely, it can just deal with ordinary and minor problems, right? Just now, it even rmended the treatment and drug for my wound. Won''t that save a lot of procedures?" Maverick shook his head. "There are many kinds of anti-inmmatory drugs from a wide range of prices and countries. If this ismercialized globally, we must consider plenty of factors. Just on regtions alone, there are so many drug restrictions in different countries, so the drugs rmended by this smart chip will not necessarily meet those standards.¡± Nicole rolled her eyes back. She simply did not think s o far ahead at that moment. When Maverick exined this, Nicole noticed how long the road ahead was and how many hurdles they still had to ovee. However, today''s step was already the achievement of the era! Maverick flicked her forehead. "Don''t worry, the current results are already enough to double your worth." Nicole''s eyes lit up. Although mass production could not be achieved immediately, news of this technology would undoubtedly uplift the entire stock market. She could see gold and riches beckoning to her! Nicole walked out of the lounge and saw Eric and Gerard in a discussion. Nicole stopped on the side and heard Gerard mentioning her name. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. "Mr. Ferguson, why are you so anxious when Nicole is injured? Do you have feelings for your ex-wife?¡± Eric¡¯s back was facing them as he looked at the river below the skyscrapers and the neon city lights. He frowned and was silent for a moment. His voice was clear and cold as he said, "No, I just feel guilty and want to make it up to her so that it¡¯ll ease our rtionship." ''Have feelings for her? I don¡¯t think so. I don¡¯t even know whether this kind of concern is considered having feelings for her.'' However, Eric did not want to admit that he had feelings other than remorse for Nicole to an outsider. After all, he and Nicole were not even friends at the moment. Nicole could hear every word he said clearly. She just felt like her heart was crushed by a rock. The indescribable soreness and heaviness instantly pulled her back to the feeling before their divorce. It was suffocating, unbearable, and despairing! Nicole lowered her eyes slightly to hide the hint of hurt in her eyes. Fortunately, she retreated in time. When she looked up again, her eyes were more determined than ever. Divorce was her best decision yet! At that moment, Maverick came out after getting changed. Let s go... Hearing the movement, Eric stiffened slightly and slowly turned around. At that moment, he suddenly felt a little panicked. He was afraid that she might have heard something. Chapter 159 Her Love Triangle Chapter 159 Her Love Triangle Gerard Lichman walked over to Nicole excitedly. He was glowing with delight. "Nicole, we''ve decided to hold a press conference tomorrow to announce this good news that we''re at the forefront of the whole world in medical technology!" Nicole had the same idea for fear of worrying about someone getting ahead of them. She chuckled and was affected by Gerard''s high spirits. It was as if she did not overhear Gerard''s conversation with Eric earlier. "Good. I¡¯ll be there on time." "Sunner, do you want to join?" Gerard was looking forward to it. Maverick''s name could push this project even further t o the top of the pyramid. Maverick shook his head in refusal. His attitude was clear. Gerard felt disappointed, but he did not dare to force this god-level genius. Eric''s dark eyes were staring intently at Nicole''s arm. I t was rare for him not to be agitated over this. However, Nicole did not care. "How''s your wound? Shall we postpone the press conference?" Eric looked at her. His breathing slowed all of a sudden. Nicole raised her eyebrows and looked at him. The corners of her curved lips were cold. "Can''t die just yet. Thanks for your concern, Mr. Ferguson.¡± ''Quit that act! How ridiculous!'' Nicole thought. She then blinked at Maverick, who was by her side. " Shall we go home?" Maverick nodded, draped the coat that he hung on his arm over Nicole, and patiently buttoned it up for her. Although the coat was big on Nicole, it made her look s o cute and yful. This scene shocked Gerard. ''How can a god¡¯s hand that can churn out miracles be used to button a coat?!¡¯ Eric was dissed by Nicole and could hear the coldness and sarcasm in her words. His heart sank slightly. His face was already glum, so when he saw Maverick and Nicole looking so intimate, Eric''s brow furrowed deeper. ''Home? What kind of rtionship are they in that she''d say, "let''s go home"?!'' His heart exuded a slight chill. "Do you need me to send you both separately?" Eric suddenly asked. Even Gerard was surprised by this. ''Mr. Ferguson is going to be a driver for someone? Unbelievable!'' Nicole rolled her eyes at him. "You''re not going the same way as us." ''She used ''us'' and clearly drew a line with me!'' Eric''s face instantly became taut and gloomy. Nicole and Maverick left without another word. Eric watched as the pair disappeared and was so angry that he could not utter a word! His face waspletely red. Gerard could not restrain the smile on his face. ''Haha! I guess I got an answer to my question just now. Tsk, tsk... what a duplicitous man...'' However, Gerard did not expose Eric. He collected his expression and added fuel to the fire a s he said lightly, "It looks like the two of them are living together, huh?¡± Gerard was deliberately stabbing Eric''s heart with his words. Eric could not bear to face Gerard for a moment longer. He coldly snorted and stormed out. Having experienced so much that night, Nicole felt exhausted as soon as she returned home. She plopped This is the property of N?-velDrama.Org. on her bed and immediately fell asleep. The next morning, the blinding light from outside spilled in through the muslin curtains. Nicole was still a bit reluctant to open her eyes, but her constantly ringing phone urged her to wake up. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Julie Nixon. Nicole sighed and thought, ''Why can''t my friends let m e sleep in?!¡¯ She picked up the call with azy and hoarse morning voice. "Jules, what''s up?" "News of you being Fabian¡¯s sugar mama is already flying all over the ce, yet you''re still in the mood to sleep?" "What? I''m Fabian¡¯s sugar mama?!" Nicole''s eyes widened. They only met for the first time yesterday. Julieughed gloatingly. "Someone edited the video of Fabian¡¯s speech yesterday and even involved Kai in it! Your love triangle is probably made into a novel by now. Guess who did it?" Nicole helplessly held her forehead. ''Is there still a need to guess? Last night, the one who liked to provoke me was Ines Xavier, that ugly b*tch!¡¯ As the daughter of Gemini Entertainment''s boss, it was as easy as a snap of a finger to spread some rumors on the inte and defame a person. "It¡¯s Ines Xavier, right?¡± "Bingo!" Nicole jumped out of bed in anger and snorted coldly. " I''m supposed to make big money today and she dares t o give me trouble? I''ll get her killed!¡± Those who stood in the way of Nicole making money must suffer! Chapter 160 Ill Bury Him Chapter 160 I''ll Bury Him After hanging up the call with Julie, Nicole immediately called Logan. "Is it toote to acquire apany before the press conference?" Logan paused for a moment to digest that question. "It depends on the size of saidpany..." ''Is President Nicole addicted to acquiringpanies now?¡¯ "Gemini Entertainment." 1 ''That''s not as easy as Anson¡¯spany a few days ago, but...'' Content ? N?velDrama.Org. "The formalities are a bit tedious and will take a few days, but... We already have 16% of their shares in our hands. Second Young Master¡¯s Falcon Entertainment has 30% of their shares, so if you can purchase five percent, you can be thergest shareholder and be the person inmand.¡± In other words, that would be no different from an acquisition. Nicole nodded in satisfaction. "Okay. Do it as soon as possible." After that, she hung up the phone. She dressed her wound, then made herself a sandwich without haste while she looked at today¡¯s trending topic that she was undoubtedly in. [Fabian likes President Nicole¡¯s type! Me too!] [I''d spit on any two-timer, but if it¡¯s Nicole, I think she¡¯s so cool!] [Kai¡¯s so jealous! Hahahaha...] [Suddenly I think she¡¯s quite a good match with Fabian! They look so cute together!] [Isn¡¯t Fabian underage? Is that even legal...?] [I heard that Gemini Entertainment is gonna defame Fabian. Sugar Mama Nicole, save your baby!] Nicoleughed lightly and threw her phone aside. Everyone was just dramatizing everything. After breakfast, Nicole was not in a hurry to go to the office. Instead, she went to Falcon Entertainment. Since she was acquiring Gemini Entertainment, someone had to take care of the routine tasks for her, and Dominic Young was a suitable man for this job. When Nicole got to the lobby, she saw Ines Xavier decked out in big brand names. She had the word" expensive" written all over her and acted all high and mighty. Ines was the typical ipetent trust fund kid that squandered her family''s money abroad and acted smug just because she had spent time in a foreign country. In fact, she could not even speak any foreignnguage fluently. Nicole truly wondered where Ines got her confidence from. Nicole wanted to ignore Ines, but Ines was quite excited to see Nicole and shouted at her. "Nicole, are you here so early in the morning to ask for help? You want Dominic Young to help you with your PR?" Ines'' face was distorted from smiling so widely. She could not hide the smug look in her eyes. Nicole paused for a moment. Her eyes flickered as she looked at Ines with a smirk. "What does it have to do with you? Since when do you have the right to speak in Falcon Entertainment?" Ines looked at Nicole with resentment. She remembered how Eric Ferguson had left her behind to go after Nicole and felt even more exasperated. Her smile faded. She let out a cold grunt and said, "No one in the whole entertainment industry dares to offend me. I came here just to make matters worse! No matter how powerful you are, you''re only limited to yourpany! The consequence of you offending me i s that you¡¯ll be berated by everyone online to the point that you doubt your life! Understand?" Nicole raised her eyebrows and folded her arms as she tapped her fingers on her arm. Her tone became somewhat cold. "So... You''re the one who spread the rumor that I''m Fabian''s sugar mommy? Ms. Xavier, are you purposely ndering m e?¡± Ines lifted her chin smugly. Her insufferable look was very annoying. "This is just to teach you a lesson. Don''t be too self-righteous. Do you think that the whole world likes you? Didn''t Fabian say that he admires you? I want to bury him when he''s at his highest peak! I want everyone to know who''s really in charge here!¡± Ines was not afraid of Nicole. Three years ago, Nicole stole Eric Ferguson from her, so Ines wanted revenge now! This was just to pull Nicole off her high horse. ''Let''s see how long Nicole can be smug for!¡¯ Ines thought. Chapter 161 You Can Be the Lead Villain Chapter 161 You Can Be the Lead Viin Hearing this, Nicole lowered her head andughed lightly. She did not show a trace of panic or fear from Ines Xavier''s threat. It was as if those words were insignificant and nothing more than a ridiculous joke. When Ines was about to explode from anger, Nicole slowly said in a dull voice, "Ms. Xavier, are you only treating me like this because of Eric Ferguson?" Having her thoughts exposed, Ines panicked for a moment but quickly calmed down. There was no need for her to hide her affection for Eric in front of Nicole. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. "It''s good that you know. Since you''re already divorced, get the hell out of here and stop hanging around him! Otherwise, don''t me me for being cruel.¡± Nicole looked askance at Ines andughed coldly. ''Ines is really overthinking this, huh?'' "I¡¯ve never had the habit of turning back to pick up trash. You should tell him not to hang around me instead!" ''Why do all women have to be so obsessed with Eric Ferguson? Is he even worthy? I was so blind in the past, but luckily, I won''t repeat my mistake!'' "You--" Ines'' face turned red with anger. Nicole''s disdainful attitude had clearly provoked Ines. The Nicole in front of her was cold and charmingly beautiful with such a powerful and noble aura. Nicole had innate confidence and beauty that came so easily to her, which made others envious of her. Ines felt resentful from the bottom of her heart. ''Why should everything good belong to Nicole? Why does Nicole not care about that person that I yearn for so much? Is she mocking me?!'' Nicole did not want to babble on with Ines because she had a lot of things to do. She gently turned her head to the side with her cold and proud gaze, then looked askance at Ines¡¯ exasperated face. "You want to bury Fabian? Well, I''m going to promote him. I want you to know who''s the real boss around here!" Nicole did not need to announce her ability to the world and only targeted Ines alone. ''How dare she offend me?!¡¯ Sheughed coldly for a few minutes with gloom in her eyes. ''We''ll see who''s more capable!'' "Fine! Do you think I''ll be scared of you?" Ines'' temperament was far inferiorpared to Nicole''s. She felt extremely vexed and irritated and did not want to admit defeat. "Ms. Xavier, I hope that you''ll still be this confident in a few hours." Nicole spoke indifferently, then walked into the building after. Ines followed in unwillingly. The receptionist was very respectful to Nicole. "Ms. Stanton, are you here to see Mr. Young? He must be very happy to know that you¡¯re here." Nicole nodded. "Since he''s here, I''ll just head upstairs?" The receptionist did not dare to neglect Nicole and immediately went to press the elevator button. Ines, who was ignored, was very dissatisfied and rebuked the receptionist harshly. "Are you blind? Can''t you see that I¡¯m right here?" The receptionist was stunned for a moment and immediately spoke seriously, "Which artist are you a fan of? Fans aren''t allowed toe in. You can wait at the front. Did you not see the signage at the entrance?¡± Ines was furious. "I''m not a fangirl! I want to find your boss, Dominic Young. Get him toe out and see m e!" The receptionist was a bit helpless. She had seen her fair share of unreasonable people every day, so she was used to it. However, she did not expect someone toe and pick a fight so early in the morning. "Miss, you don''t have the potential to be a celebrity. Why don''t you head back? There are hundreds of people every day wanting to introduce themselves to our boss, but he has no time for all of this. Our Thatst sentencepletely pissed off Ines. ''How dare she say that I have a stic face?! My face is so natural that it''s not even obvious I¡¯ve done cosmetic surgery before...'' Ines was just about to lunge at the receptionist in anger when Nicoleughed out loud at the side. ''This receptionist is hrious!'' Nicole stood there with azy smile as she sized up Ines'' face. "Ms. Xavier, I think that you can act in a horror movie. I¡¯m sure you''ll be a good lead viin." Ines felt extremely insulted and shouted at her in a shrill voice, "Nicole! Don''t think that I won''t dare to touch you! I''ll get someone to beat you up!" Chapter 162 Her Father Wouldnt Dare Chapter 162 Her Father Wouldn''t Dare Before Ines could finish her sentence, the President''s exclusive elevator arrived downstairs. Dominic Young walked out of the elevator, scanned the lobby, and spotted Nicole. He breathed a sigh N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. of relief and went up to greet her with a warm smile. "President Nicole, you can just summon me over the phone. Why bother making a trip here personally?" Dominic''s cautious and humble attitude to Nicole was not at all like the big shot in showbiz who could turn the tide with a snap of his fingers. Ines instantly looked irritated and thought that she was high and mighty just because she was the daughter of a giant entertainmentpany. "Dominic Young, you..." "Who did you want to beat up just now?" Dominic suddenly spoke. His face was cold, and his eyes carried a stern warning. Ines froze for a moment and subconsciously panicked a little. "Do you know who am I? I''m the daughter of Gemini Entertainment''s boss! If you don¡¯t believe me, ask Nicole!" Ines actually had to rely on Nicole to confirm her identity, but she could not care less at this point. Nicole smiled and did not say anything. She wanted to watch Ines act on her own and did not want to get involved. Nicole thought, ''Thanks for the invitation, but no thank you!'' Dominic sneered and hooked the corners of his lips as he looked at Ines with disdain. "Your father wouldn''t even dare to say that. You¡¯re quite ballsy, huh?" Ines saw that Dominic Young¡¯s attitude was not as enthusiastic and rxed as she imagined it to be and instantly lost her confidence. She had previously thought that her father was on the same level as Dominic, so he should also respect her. However, it did not seem to be the case now. "Mr. Young, I''m here to talk to you about business." Ines emphasized the word "business". Even so, Dominic did not care about Ines and wanted t o get rid of that psycho quickly. "You''re not qualified to talk about business with me and I don''t have time to receive irrelevant people. Andy, get security to send her out." "Yes, sir." The receptionist spoke respectfully. Dominic looked at Nicole and shed a confident smile. "President Nicole, don''t worry. You''re absolutely safe here with me." Nicole nodded and did not seem to care about Ines¡¯ threat at all. ''She''s not that capable yet. Beat me up? 0 h, that''s quite a bold statement!'' Dominic and Nicole went into the elevator one after the other. Nicole then sent a recording of her encounter with Ines at the entrance to Dominic. Ines probably never imagined that Nicole would have this recorded. "This will be sufficient to clear Fabian''s name." Nicole did not want to implicate others in this. Dominic listened to it once. The smile at the corner of his lips slowly widened. He teased Nicole, "President Nicole, that''s a pretty extensive trap, huh?" Nicole rolled her eyes at him. "I''ve already instructed my people to acquire Gemini Entertainment so there will be a shareholders'' meeting this afternoon. Any problems on your side?" Dominic instantly looked serious. "No problems on my side. Falcon Entertainment is at your service." He would cooperate with her unconditionally. From the day Dominic became the President of Falcon Entertainment, he knew that the Stantons could not b e offended. Nicoleughed. "Well, you''ll have more work to do after the acquisition." Dominic immediately understood Nicole''s purpose. She was nning to let him handle Gemini Entertainment as well. How exciting! "Then I''ll just work a little harder. I''m still young after all..." Nicole''s lips twitched for a moment as she looked at this forty-year-old man. ''He still dares to call himself young?'' The two of them discussed some issues about the post -acquisition. When the talk was almost over, Nicole thought about Fabian and asked, "Is he okay?" It was probably tough for him to encounter such a big bump in the road right after his debut. "He''s fine. His team is rather anxious. After all, when they went to Gemini Entertainment to plead for mercy, they were kicked out mercilessly. His manager''s still pretty scared." Dominicughed and continued, "But... With your help, this will be solved in no time.¡± Nicole raised an eyebrow. "That''s good. Give him more jobs aspensation. After all, he got implicated because of me." "Don¡¯t worry. Who will dare to offend your sugar baby anyway?" "Get lost!" Nicole red at Dominic. He had been with Kai for a long time, so much so that they had the same irritating mouth. After settling this business, Nicole strutted away in her high heels. If she stayed any longer, she would probably beat someone up! In less than ten minutes, the recording of Ines reced the news of Nicole being Fabian''s sugar mama as the number one trending topic. Ines did not even get to go back to Gemini Entertainment to The inte was in a frenzy investigating who this "M s. Xavier" was. Soon, someone dug up dirt on Ines Xavier. Chapter 163 President Nicoles Favorite Chapter 163 President Nicole''s Favorite Ines Xavier had dropped out of high school after bullying her ssmates and was sent abroad for a year of "reformation". When Ines returned to Mediania, she was infatuated with Eric Ferguson, but her confession was rejected. Later, she went to Korea for full-face stic surgery, s o all of her facial features were no longer natural. Since Ines found out about Eric¡¯s divorce, she quickly came back to Mediania again. However, what caught everyone¡¯s attention most was the second half of the recording. "Ms. Xavier, are you only treating me like this because of Eric Ferguson?" "I''ve never had the habit of turning back to pick up trash. You should tell him not to hang around me instead!" "You want to bury Fabian? Well, I¡¯m going to promote him. I want you to know who''s the real boss around here!" Thements section exploded in a sh. [OMG! How confident do you have to be to say that? Nicole is #goals!] [President Nicole is simply a winner in life! She has hundreds of billions in family fortune, so why should she care about an ex-husband? Isn¡¯t it nicer to find herself a young hunk?] [Thanks, President Nicole, for liking our little hottie Fabian!] [Ms. Xavier is such an attention whore. She should just go to hell!] [President Nicole¡¯s temperament is such a killer! She''ll forever be my goddess!] [It doesn''t matter how rich that aged "sausage" is, I reckon fresh "meat" will always taste better, eh? *wink wink* President Nicole has a good eye to go for the young hunk!] The only aftermath of this recording was that everyone thought Nicole¡¯s favorite type was sexy young men. Ferguson Corporation. The temperature seemed to drop steeply in Eric''s office. There was silence all around. Eric¡¯s face was shrouded in a dark gloom, and his body was emitting an overwhelming chill that made Mitchell shiver. Mitchell saw Nicole''s news early in the morning and reported it to Eric at once. However, before they had time to make a move, the tide on the inte changed all of a sudden. At first, everyone spat at Nicole for being Fabian''s sugar mommy, but now, they actually thanked Nicole for liking a young hunk like him! Mitchell had never felt that a few minutes could be this excruciating. Eric''s invisible aura and low pressure could really kill someone. The more Eric looked at the onlinements, the angrier he became. However, he continued reading each one of them very seriously. Some people even edited the clip of Nicole and Fabian and put some romantic background music to it, as if they were "the couple of the century". Nicole and Fabian were indeed verypatible with each other. Eric, the rich and powerful aged "sausage", was actually defeated by Fabian, the newly debuted fresh " meat¡±... Suddenly, Eric viciously threw the phone on the table and the phone screen shattered. Mitchell''s body stiffened and instantly panicked." President..." Eric''s face was red with anger. He gritted his teeth and said in a cold and harsh tone, "How are all those people in the mood to mind other people''s business when they''re struggling to make ends meet? Young hunk?! He looks like a sissy! How are they evenpatible?!'''' Mitchell answered immediately without a thought, " It¡¯s only because Fabian''s fans are so full of themselves. How could Ms. Stanton fall for such a person? I think Fabian just wants to take advantage of Ms. Stanton¡¯s fame and ride on her poprity. The entertainment industry is too messy nowadays...¡¯¡¯ However, what Mitchell thought in his heart was,'' They¡¯re already divorced, so why does he still care who Ms. Stanton ispatible with? President''s such a pitiful guy...'' Eric grunted coldly. He suddenly remembered thest part of that recording where Nicole unexpectedly dragged him into this mess. It felt like those words were deliberately meant for him. His expression that eased a little instantly turned cold and sullen again. ''Never had the habit of turning back to pick up trash? To her, I¡¯m the trash from the past?!¡¯ Eric¡¯s head snapped up. He stared intently at Mitchell, who was standing in front of him, and asked, "Then what kind of person do you think Nicole likes?" His voice carried an inexplicable chill. ''If I recall that night correctly, Nicole smiled at Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Mitchell more times than she''d ever smiled at me! She only sneers andughs at me! On what grounds?!¡¯ The resentment in Eric¡¯s heart was simply too obvious. Chapter 164 The Type She Likes Chapter 164 The Type She Likes For a moment, Mitchell felt as if an invisible hand was lifting him up from the back of his cor. That suffocating feeling was simply too rming! "Hmm?" Eric saw that Mitchell did not speak, so his gaze became even colder and darker. "Don''t you guys have a good rtionship? Tell me, what do you think?" Every word felt like a deadly threat. If Mitchell did not answer Eric, he would not be able to walk out of this office. Mitchell just felt like his life was in danger when he was at work... He coughed slightly to clear his throat and had no choice but to say something. "President, I don''t have a good rtionship with Ms. Stanton, so how would I know the kind of person she likes?" Looking at Eric''s cold eyes, Mitchell immediately added, "But... I think that since Ms. Stanton gave up her status to marry you, the type she likes must be someone like you, Mr. Ferguson! That Fabian is nothing! How could Ms. Stanton lower her standards t o like that guy?" Eric looked down and did not pursue this further, so Mitchell finally breathed a sigh of relief. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. ''Phew! I managed to get away this time!'' Mitchell thought. Eric was silent for a few seconds. "Start preparing for the press conference. You must follow up on J&L¡¯s press conference. No mistakes!" "Of course. I''ll make sure it goes smoothly. Your new phone will arrive shortly." Mitchell spoke seriously, then hurriedly left. Eric snorted coldly, picked up the phone and saw thements on it, then disdainfully threw it out again. He did not want to look at it again lest he got irritated and distracted. ''How is a person like Fabian even qualified to bepared to me? Are all thoseizens blind?!'' Nicole and Fabian''s rtionship became the most talked-about "cougar rtionship" in the nation. Although both parties did not admit their rtionship, the fans just went along with it and somehow pinned them together. Arge wave of people also leftments for Kai. Some sympathized with him while others even gave him advice on how to get Nicole back. Another wave of people just advised Kai to give up entirely. The project jointly developed by J&L Corporation, Stanton Corporation, and Ferguson Corporation had already attracted a lot of attention. This time, the three corporations jointly held a high-profile press conference. In an instant, this became the headlines of every mainstream media. It became the number one trending topic. All other gossip took a backseat this time. Countless people began to specte what the main purpose of this press conference was, but Gerard was simply too good at keeping it under wraps. Many reporters exhausted all means but still did not get any news. Thus, the venue was filled with three hundred journalists, all waiting eagerly for the press conference to begin. Besides journalists, they had also invited world-ss medical experts as well as the leading experts in the field of artificial intelligence to join this press conference. This press conference instantly became more solemn. 1 At the scheduled time, Gerard Lichman, Eric Ferguson, and Nicole Stanton appeared together on screen. The most dazzling one was undoubtedly Nicole, who was standing between the two tall men. Her calmness andposure had such innate regality without arrogance. Her beautiful face and figure also made her impossible to ignore. Nicole was born to live in the spotlight, to stand at the very top of the pyramid looking down on all life. Gerard Lichman wore a smoky gray custom-made suit that made him look cool and gentle. Eric¡¯s perfectly sculpted features amazed everyone. His ck bespoke suit made him look so unattainable, cold, and aloof. These three bosses already looked better than most people. If they made their debut, they would probably crush many big names in showbiz. The inte was buzzing with anecdotes about Eric and Nicole''s rtionship, but now that this extraordinarily eye-catching duo was in the same frame, no one dared to ask questions about their gossip. That was because this asion was too formal! "Let¡¯s begin..." Chapter 165 Personal Question Chapter 165 Personal Question During the whole process, Gerard Lichman clearly introduced the role and significance of the artificial intelligence chip and even named it "Human*World". The results of that project were enough to change the course of medical development. Of course, this was not only limited to Mediania. It would impact the whole world and was a major milestone of medicine! Nicole kept a faint smile throughout the press conference and was focused on Gerard¡¯s speech. Her eyes shone brightly as she hid the great excitement and tion she felt. At this moment, she suddenly felt that those three years of marriage were aplete waste of life. ''I should¡¯ve just made money and focused on my career instead!¡¯ By the end of Gerard''s speech, the sound of apuse and awe in the venue were incessant. Many experts and reporters went up to find more surprises... Gerard was helpless and extended the conference for another hour. Nicole saw that her part was done at the conference. A t that moment, Logan sent her some relevant documents indicating that everything was in order for the acquisition of Gemini Entertainment. They This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. were only waiting for Nicole to attend the shareholders¡¯ meeting. At that moment, Nicole stood up and intended to leave quietly. However, before she managed to slip out of the venue, she was surrounded by a group of reporters in the corridor. "President Nicole, is there anything you¡¯d like to say?" Nicole smiled helplessly. "Mr. Lichman is exining the details inside, so you should interview him." Seeing that Nicole was not being arrogant, the reporters also felt more rxed. "President Nicole, do you mind if we ask a small personal question?" Nicole raised her eyebrows and did not refuse explicitly. "Well, if it¡¯s too personal, I have the right to refuse to answer..." "Regarding the video that recently became a hit on the inte about Fabian saying that his ideal type is someone like you, may I ask what type of guy do you like?" Everyone present felt intrigued by this question. The air felt stagnant for a moment as it was dead silent. Nicole''s smile gradually widened. "Of course, like you guys, I admire Fabian too..." It was not a clear answer, but an answer nheless. ''Like and admire... I just hope that they can tell the difference...¡¯ Nicole thought. The reporters did not pursue this further and made way for Nicole. They then saw that Eric Ferguson was actually standing not far away. The man''s eyes were cold, and his face was extremely glum as he stared at that particr person in the crowd. The reporters did not notice that Eric Ferguson was there! Asking this question in the face of Nicole''s ex-husband was indeed a bit awkward. Moreover, Nicole¡¯s answer seemed like a p in Eric¡¯s face. It was a loud and crisp p too. At this moment, everyone looked a little anxious because they all knew about Eric''s temper. He was the Eric Ferguson that could crush any mediapany in a day, the man that all journalists feared. Nicole still looked like she was unaware of Eric¡¯s presence. She just looked into the cameras with a sweet and kind smile, looking so beautiful and generous as she elegantly strutted away in her high heels. When she got into the car, Logan handed Nicole a document. "The five percent of Gemini Entertainment''s shares are from Mr. Eric Ferguson.¡± Hearing this, Nicole was stunned. She raised her head intending to rify this when she heard someone knocking on the car window. It was Eric Ferguson. He stood there with a cold brooding face and knitted eyebrows. Nicole slowly lowered the car window and asked nonchntly, "Mr. Ferguson, something wrong?¡± "I have to go to a shareholders meeting. My car broke down, so can you give me a ride along the way?¡± Eric looked at his watch and pointed to the Range Rover not far away. Mitchell squatted next to the car. He hesitated with heartache as he held the nail in his hand... ''What did the car do wrong?'' Nicole raised an eyebrow andughed insouciantly. "You¡¯re out of the way, so no." After that, Nicole was about to raise the car window, but arge hand blocked her from doing so. "You didn''t even ask me where I''m going. How do you know it''s not on the way?¡± His voice was deep and obviously very charming, but a t this time, it carried a hint of suppressed anger. Nicole was getting impatient. ''Can''t he tell that I''m rejecting him? Is there something wrong with his perceptivity?'' She gently raised her eyelids. Her seductive lips spat out the coldest words. "I don¡¯t need to ask. I just don''t wanna go wherever you''re going." Chapter 166 Transfer Money to Mr. Ferguson Chapter 166 Transfer Money to Mr. Ferguson The atmosphere around the car was stagnant for a moment. Eric¡¯s face was taut and extremely unsightly. He stared intently at Nicole while he tightly pursed his thin lips. There were no outsiders present, so Nicole was not even willing to pretend to be superficially peaceful with Eric. To Nicole, Eric Ferguson was never eligible for forgiveness. She treated others like Ian Carter, Kai, Maverick, Fabian, and even Mitchell ten thousand times better than him. Nicole sat therezily as she waited for Eric to leave o n his own ord. Not just anyone had the right to sit in her car. Eric Ferguson was even more unworthy! A full minute had passed, and Eric was still standing there unmoved. Nicole frowned at him. ''Does he not understand English?!¡¯ Just when Nicole was about to chase him away, Eric''s thin lips parted. His voice was clear and cold. "Nicole, are you sure that you don''t want to go to the ce I¡¯m going to?" ''Of course...'' Nicole thought. Before she could say anything, Logan coughed at the side, signaling that he had something to say. Without waiting for Nicole to react, Ericughed lightly. "Although you bought that five percent of Gemini Entertainment¡¯s shares from me, I haven''t signed it yet. We can forget about it if you don¡¯t want t o go... Nicole was taken aback by his words. ''What the hell?!¡¯ Logan helplessly closed his eyes, cleared his throat, and exined, "President Nicole, I was just about to tell you about this. Mr. Ferguson sold five percent of the shares to us, but there''s still one final step of signing.¡± Nicole took a deep breath, looked sideways at Logan, and gave him a fierce re. ''Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?!'' Logan lowered his head apprehensively and felt aggrieved as he avoided her gaze. ''You didn¡¯t give me the opportunity to speak...'' Eric gently hooked his lips. This smile was enough topel hearts. He clenched his hand that was resting on the car window and tapped on the ss twice like he was waiting for Nicole to retort. One second... Two seconds... Eric turned around decisively and walked away. The person in the car behind him finally could not help it. "Wait!¡± Eric stopped in his tracks. Nicole closed her eyes, clenched her fists, and looked a t Logan. "Why are you still not opening the door for M r. Ferguson?" Hearing that, Logan immediately jumped out of the car and opened the car door on the left side of the back seat. He was respectful and courteous. "Mr. Ferguson, if you please..." Eric''s back was facing them at this time. The corners o f his lips had a faint curve, but it soon disappeared. Without much hesitation, Eric turned back around and sat in the car. Once he got into the car, he could smell the light fragrance. Nicole was wearing her favorite custom Shalini perfume. This unique fragrance filled his nasal cavity and bore into his heart. Eric, who used to hate women''s perfume, suddenly felt inexplicably tolerant and moved at this moment. He felt that only Nicole¡¯s perfume matched her temperament. Nicole was looking at the document in her hand. The share transfer document was indeed missing Eric Content ? N?velDrama.Org. Ferguson''s signature. The corners of her lips twitched before she calmly looked at Eric. "Mr. Ferguson, why did you give up your shares in Gemini Entertainment?" ''Coincidentally at this time as well? I''m sure Eric doesn''t need money to the point of selling his shares!'' The man returned to his senses and swept a nce at her. Her delicate features were filled with wariness and distrust of him. He frowned slightly. ''She''ll probably never believe that I¡¯ll be nice to her, right?'' After some thought, he took over the share transfer document in her hand and signed it, then handed it back indifferently. "Now do you believe it¡¯s true?" Nicole looked at the signature on it and faintly froze for a moment. She suddenly remembered Eric''s signature when they got divorced. It was also so decisive and crisp without the slightest hint of hesitation. When she returned to her senses, her gaze turned cold. She put away the share transfer document and resumed her cold and aloof attitude. She instructed Logan. "Remember to transfer money t o Mr. Ferguson as soon as possible." They would not owe each other then. Logan naturally answered at once and dared not dy it. Nicole hooked her lips into a smile and lowered her eyes, covering all the inappropriate emotions. She promptly changed the topic. "Mr. Ferguson, you should know what I''m about to do, right? I thought that you''d be a little more lenient to Ines Xavier because she''s infatuated with you, bute to think of it, you''ve always been so cruel to the women who like you..." Chapter 167 Not Necessarily Yours Chapter 167 Not Necessarily Yours Nicole was just making a casual remark, but it set off a huge ripple in Eric¡¯s heart. ''I¡¯ve always been so cruel to the women who like me? I was cruel to Nicole, Wendy, and now Ines Xavier...'' Eric furrowed his brows, and a huge wave of emotion was hidden in his eyes. His lips were pressed into a straight line. Eric pondered for a moment and lowered his voice. "Nicole, you''re not like them." This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. At least, Nicole used to be his wife. Other women were nothing to him. Thus, he had nothing to worry about. Nicole lowered her head andughed, then looked at him with a cold and detached gaze. "Yes, I''m not like them. At least I was once someone who managed to marry you because of my special blood type..." Sheughed self-deprecatingly, nced at him, then coldly looked away. Eric frowned slightly. He clearly did not mean it like that. ¡°We¡¯re here, President Nicole,¡± Logan said. Finally, Logan could breathe a sigh of relief. Logan felt that this journey was the most difficult car ride he had ever experienced! Nicole got out of the car, not wanting to spend another second in the same space with Eric. Eric also followed her out. These two had just left J&L Corporation''s press conference. In the blink of an eye, they got out of the same car and appeared together at the entrance of Gemini Entertainment, which was more than enough to attract everyone¡¯s attention. The sudden shareholders'' meeting was already puzzling. Now, it was even more bewildering that these two big shots were here, especially for the shareholders and top executives of Gemini Entertainment. They could not afford to offend Nicole Stanton or Eric Ferguson. "Mr. Ferguson, Ms. Stanton...¡± Everyone exchanged a few pleasantries and respectfully went up to greet them. Eric''s face was dull as he nodded. He was not in the mood to respond. The Chairman of Gemini Entertainment, Gabriel Xavier, respectfully went forward to press the elevator for them, then bowed to ask Eric and Nicole to go in first. None of them were qualified to ride with these two big shots. Eric paused for a moment and took the lead to go into the elevator. Nicole just stood there and smiled faintly. "You guys g o ahead. I''m going to make a phone call." After that, she turned around and went in the other direction. Eric subconsciously knitted his brows and clenched his fists. Although it was not explicitly said, he felt that Nicole simply did not want to stay in the same enclosed space with him. Everyone could not figure out what was going on, so they could only do as they were told. Logan exined a few words for Nicole, so everyone went to the conference room on the top floor one after another. The lounge area was empty. Nicole took Kai''s call there, but it was irrelevant, so she hung up. When she turned around, she saw the aggressive Ines Xavier. Ines was rushing towards her in big strides. She questioned loudly. "Nicole! Why are you here?" When the recording of Ines provoking Nicole was posted online, it immediately met with a huge bacsh. Countlessizens started to dig up dirt about Ines'' background. Ines had spent hundreds of thousands of dors to no avail, and she still could not suppress the matter. Now, everyone saw Ines as a stinker, so Ines did not even dare to speak out. Gemini Entertainment also suffered a big blow because of Ines, so her father, Gabriel Xavier, was furious and scolded her for an hour. This all happened because of the trap Nicole set up for Ines. Thus, Ines was extremely resentful. On the other hand, Nicole attended the press conference with Eric Ferguson and Gerard Eichman a s if nothing had happened. She was so elegant andposed. Even as she sat next to the two giants in the industry, Nicole still had a striking presence. People¡¯s praise and attention toward Nicole even exceeded Eric Ferguson¡¯s. When Ines was at the beauty salon, all she could hear was peopleplimenting Nicole. ''The most beautiful CEO in history?¡¯ Ines was so infuriated that she left halfway through her spa. ''What gives Nicole the right to be in the spotlight? It¡¯s all just luck! These people are really blind!¡¯ She could not get over it, so she came to Gemini Entertainment to ask her father for help. She wanted t o defame Nicole to the point of social death. However, Ines never imagined that as soon as she entered the front door of her father''spany, she would see Nicole sitting leisurely in the lounge area chatting on the phone. The anger and jealousy in Ines'' chest surged uncontrobly. When Nicole saw Ines, she let out a lightugh. "What a coincidence, Ms. Xavier.¡± "I asked you, why the hell are you here?!" Ines was anxious and infuriated. ''This is my turf! I won''t allow a nasty person like Nicole toe in here!'' Nicole''s gaze was slightly cold, but the smile on her face did not fade. "As one of the shareholders of Gemini Entertainment, i s it necessary for me to report to you when I''m here to attend the shareholders'' meeting? As far as I know, I don''t think you have any shares in Gemini Entertainment..." Therefore, the one who was not qualified was in fact, Ines Xavier. Ines'' face sank and her fists clenched tightly. "This is my family business, so I cane if I want to. You, on the other hand, are not wee here. That little share of yours is nothing! I will ask my father to buy it back immediately, so leave right now!" Ines¡¯ voice was sharp and piercing. Nicole raised her eyes insouciantly and tucked a strand of hair behind her ears. She spoke coldly, "Your family business? Not necessarily..." She gently nced at Ines with obvious derision in her eyes. Soon, Gemini Entertainment would no longer be the Xaviers''. It would belong to Nicole. Chapter 168 Are You So Cheap? Chapter 168 Are You So Cheap? Nicole was looking forward to that moment as she wanted to see what Ines Xavier''s reaction would be. "Nicole, don''t think that I''m afraid of you! You''re also relying on your family just like me, so what are you so proud of?" ''We''re the same kind of people, so why should Nicole act like she''s superior to me?!'' Ines was getting more agitated and wanted to expose Nicole''s humiliation right in front of her face. She folded her arms and lifted her chin to mock Nicole. "Weren¡¯t you kicked out even after marrying into the Ferguson family? Now, you just want to take advantage of your family¡¯s power to get close to Eric just to get his attention, right? Is that what you want? Nicole, are you so cheap?" Ines thought that she must have removed Nicole''s disguise and wanted to see how Nicole could still pretend to be high and mighty. She waited for Nicole to be annoyed and angry. However, when Nicole heard this, she did not have the slightest bit of anger on her face. On the contrary, she just smirked and looked at Ines. Nicole¡¯s voice was cold as she said, "Ms. Xavier, this ismon knowledge that you should know by now. The Fergusons didn¡¯t kick me out. I¡¯m the one who didn¡¯t want Eric Ferguson anymore. Also... I''m not that cheap to change my face just to please a man, so I really can¡¯tpare to you in this sense." She hooked the corners of her lips and turned on her heels without even looking at Ines again. Ines took a while to react and finally realized that Nicole was humiliating her. She stomped her feet and shook in anger. Her V-shaped jawline looked even sharper. ''How dare she insult me?! What gave her the courage t o do so on my turf!'' Ines was so angry that she became delirious. ''I won¡¯t let that b*tch Nicole get away with this!'' She red at Nicole''s departing back and chased after her without hesitation. ¡®I must teach her a lesson!'' Nicole stood in the elevator lobby and waited there. Soon, the elevator arrived. Ding-- At the same time, Ines had already caught up to Nicole. She yanked Nicole¡¯s arm and raised her hand high as she gritted teeth and yelled, "Nicole! Go to hell!" Before her handnded on Nicole, the person inside the elevator suddenly lifted his leg and kicked Ines'' body. "Ahh!" Ines screamed miserably as she fell to the ground and rolled around in pain. When she came to her senses, she looked up in anger, but her face was incredibly pale. "Brie..." Ines was shocked and in disbelief. ''Eric actually kicked me because of Nicole?'' The man stood there with a stern face. He coldly swept a disdainful nce at the woman on the ground without the slightest bit of guilt or regret. ''Is he looking at me like that because he doesn''t like m e as a person? Or is it because I called him Eric?'' Ines looked hurt and bit her lower lip. Before she could return to her senses, a figure rushed t o the front and pped her in the face. The impact was ten times harder! "You dumb b*tch! How many times have I told you not to cause trouble for me? Do you want to get your whole family killed?!¡± It was her father, Gabriel Xavier. Gabriel''s face was grim and furious. Suddenly, Gabriel turned back and bowed towards Nicole to apologize. His stance was incredibly humble and cautious. This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. "Are you alright, Ms. Stanton? It''s my fault for not teaching my daughter well. I''m very sorry to have frightened you. I''ll definitely punish her when I go back...¡± Nicole let out a lightugh and faintly swept a nce a t the wretched Ines, who was still lying on the ground. "Since she¡¯s here, just let Ms. Xavier attend the shareholders¡¯ meeting as well." There was no room for resistance. Gabriel was stunned for a moment, then immediately bowed in agreement. "Yes, Ms. Stanton. This way, please..." Gabriel respectfully went up to press the elevator button and bowed to gesture for Nicole and Eric inside. Then, he waited for the next elevator. Ines, who was on the floor, saw this scene and felt like all her blood and energy were drained from her. She felt weak and anxious. She was incredibly shocked. Gabriel red at Ines indignantly and gritted his teeth. "How dare you mess with just anyone?! Why didn''t you just die on the operating table back in Korea?!" Chapter 169 I Hit You on Purpose Chapter 169 I Hit You on Purpose Ines could not care less about anything. She went forward to tug on Gabriel Xavier¡¯s arm. "Dad, why are you so afraid of her? That b*tch is a nobody!¡± Gabriel shook her off and thought about Nicole''s words, then yanked Ines back up again. His action was harsh. "Get this straight. Nicole is the sessor of Stanton Corporation. She can make thispany disappear with a snap of her finger, so you¡¯d better behave yourself. If you dare to cause trouble again, I will throw you to Korea and won''t give you a penny! You can find a way to survive on your own!" Ines trembled in fear and looked terrified. ''Nicole...'' She felt a coldness in her heart that was eerily chilling. Inside the elevator. Nicole and Eric did not say a word until they reached the door of the conference room. Logan was standing there waiting for Nicole. Seeing the two of them approaching, Logan went forward and held the door open for them. Eric''s aura was always very strong, which made others fear and admire him. No matter where he was, he could instantly be the focus of the crowd and his presence could not be ignored. However, Nicole walked in the front when they entered the conference room. Her aura wasparable to Eric''s but was even more superior and striking because of her beautiful looks and aloof temperament. As soon as they entered, Gabriel and Ines hurriedly followed suit. The meeting began, but Nicole did not say much the entire time. Logan was the one announcing the agenda in an orderly fashion. Ines felt like her head was numb as she sat there in a daze. Her palms were cold and sweaty. Looking at Nicole, who was sitting in the main seat with such an outstanding, cool, and noble temperament, Ines suddenly felt a sense of distance in her heart. The gap between Ines and Nicole''s status seemed veryrge, so much so that Ines could never touch her. Ines suddenly panicked. ''Is this what happens when Nicole gets offended? She''s showing me what it means to be in power?¡¯ Eric Ferguson, who was sitting on the side, looked firmly at Nicole as if she was the reason that he attended this meeting. Ines heard loud and clear what this meeting was about. Nicole was now inmand of Gemini Entertainment as thergest shareholder. She removed Gabriel Xavier as the Chairman of the board and reced him with Dominic Young of Falcon Entertainment. Gemini Entertainment was now a smallpany under Stanton Corporation, one of many. Nicole watched with a smile as Ines'' expression changed gradually throughout the meeting and thought, ''How amusing! She didn¡¯t disappoint me at all with her reaction... Perhaps after this incident, Gabriel Xavier won¡¯t let this troublemaker stay by his side anymore. After all, he has an illegitimate son... Ines can finally disappear from my sightpletely!'' The meeting finally ended. Nicole did not want to exchange pleasantries with the others, so she gave Logan a look and left the room. Logan stayed behind to deal with the rest of the people. Nicole got into the car and nned to drive by herself. She drove to the intersection, but the car in front of her was slow to move. Nicole looked at the Range Rover in front and frowned slightly. She was getting impatient. As soon as the car started to move, Nicole followed suit and stepped on the gas pedal. "Bang-" The impact of the collision made her dumbstruck. ''Why did that car stop so unexpectedly?! I shouldn''t have tailgated that dumb car...'' Nicole was only happy for a few minutes before encountering this minor ident. She did not know whether tough or cry at her misfortune. When she was about to get out of her car, she saw that the car door in front of her was pushed open. The person who walked out of that car was very familiar. Eric Ferguson. Nicole took a deep breath and took a closer look at the license te number. It was the same car model but with a different license te. N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. ''Oh... It seems like he bought several cars of the same model... Mr. Ferguson sure has a fondness for Range Rovers, huh? I hate this car model now!¡¯ Eric walked over with a sullen face and knocked on her car window. His stern and deep eyes peered at her through the window. His gaze seemed to be able to prate the ss. Nicole took a deep breath. Since she rear-ended his car, she was the guilty party and should take full responsibility. ''What kind of sh*tty luck do I have?!'' Nicole thought. "Nicole, you did it on purpose, right?" Chapter 170 Private Settlement? Chapter 170 Private Settlement? Nicole thought, ''I deliberately hit his car?! I can¡¯t even believe what just happened! Where did he get the confidence? It''s obvious that he deliberately stepped o n the emergency brakes out of the blue! But... I think I saw a little kid walking away slowly from the front of the Range Rover earlier... So... Oh well, since it already happened, I can''t possibly hide now, can I?¡¯ She lowered the car window, pursed her lips, and hooked the corners of her lips. "Yes, I hit you on purpose." Her smile was icy cold and provoking. ''So what if it''s intentional? It¡¯s not like I can''t afford to pay for it!'' Eric narrowed his eyes and frowned slightly. "So, what are you nning to do?" His voice was hoarse and indifferent. ''She did it on purpose? That''s surprising...'' Nicole looked up with cold and indifferent eyes. "How much is it? I''llpensate you." In fact, if they were to further investigate this, Nicole did not have to take responsibility. However, since she had already admitted that she knocked into him on purpose, she could not take back her words. Eric looked away and took out his phone. "I''ll let you know after it''s fixed. Did you change your number?" "No...¡± Nicole subconsciously spoke and fell silent. Eric dialed her number right in front of her. "Sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unavable..." Eric looked at her with a deep frown. His face turned gloomy and red at her intently. Nicole pursed her lips. Her eyes flickered. The person who she blocked was standing right in front of her. This made her feel a littleplicated and awkward. "Just state a price. I¡¯ll transfer the money now." She picked up her phone and did not want to dy another minute. Eric''s voice was dull as he said, "We¡¯ll have to wait until after the repair to know the price. Leave a phone number. I''ll contact you then." He admitted that he did this out of a moment of impulse. His goal was not the repair fees, but to get her to unblock his number! Nicole paused and looked at Eric. She spoke without hesitation. "Just contact my assistant." Eric kept quiet and put away his phone. ¡°Forget it then. Just pretend this never happened..." It was obvious that he did not intend to contact another person. Nicole was sulking and cursing him in her heart, but she remained calm andposed on the surface. ''Eric Ferguson is tryna make me look like an irresponsible perpetrator?! Or did he think that I wanted to take advantage of him?'' Nicole did not want to get into too much trouble. ''It¡¯s just a bloody repair fee anyway, and I can always block him again when we''re done with this nonsense...¡¯ Nicole took a deep breath and turned her cold gaze away. "Fine. My number''s still the same," Nicole said as she started the car engine and intended to leave. She did not want to stay with him for another minute! However, Eric had no intention to leave. He stared at her for two seconds silently. Suddenly, he bent down to look at the woman in the driver¡¯s seat, then grabbed her steering wheel with his strong hand. His long and slender fingers were like a work of art. Eric¡¯s move was too sudden and stunned Nicole. Before she could react, Eric''s sexy and maic voice rang in her ears, "Nicole, you won''t drive away and forget, right?" He reminded her because he felt unconvinced that she would unblock him so easily. There was no guarantee that Nicole would not just push this to her assistant to handle this. Nicole held her breath for a moment and red at him with an unconcealed annoyance. I won t. Content ? N?velDrama.Org. ''That''s one way to put it... He thinks I''ll renege on my debt?!'' Nicole immediately took out her phone, found his name on her contact list, unblocked him, then called him. His phone rang instantly. The caller ID that showed was "Missus". Chapter 171 As Long as You Both Remarry Chapter 171 As Long as You Both Remarry "Satisfied now?¡± Nicole nced at Eric and inadvertently saw the caller ID on his phone. She suddenly felt breathless as if she had been hit hard by something. A dense pain flooded her chest. Nicole immediately turned away, stepped on the gas pedal, and drove away without waiting for Eric to respond. She felt a little soreness in her eyes and forced out a coldugh. ''So, this is how he named me? Missus? I was his missus, but not anymore. I no longer fit this title.'' This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. Eric watched as Nicole¡¯s car faded away and looked down at the caller ID. ''Missus?'' Those memories from before their divorce felt like a dream, and they came flooding out at once. Eric felt a dull pain in his chest as if a hand was ruthlessly squeezing his heart, so much so that his breathing became a little heavier. He was to me for losing Nicole, who used to love him so much. Now, he had to try and win her back slowly. It was simply retribution! His phone suddenly rang again. It was a call from Ingrid. "Brother, Grandpa asked you t o hurry back..." "Got it." Before Ingrid could finish her sentence, Eric hung up o n her. He took a deep breath and tried hard to divert his attention, but that did not make him feel any better. Ingrid reluctantly hung up the phone. She had intended to gloat at Eric, but he did not give her the opportunity. Eric had sold off his shares in Gemini Entertainment t o Nicole, which helped her to be the actual controlling shareholder. Old Master Ferguson was furious when he found out and was so angry that he almost fell ill. Ingrid had been reprimanded by her grandfather since she failed to apologize to Nicolest time. Now that her grandfather''s target changed to Eric, Ingrid was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief. Once Eric''s car appeared at the Ferguson Vi, the low and heavy air pressure inside the house lifted slightly. As soon as Eric opened the door, the butler immediately weed him. "Young Master, the Old Master is waiting for you in the study.¡± Eric nodded and went upstairs without an expression. Just as he reached the door, a teacup was thrown at him. Eric dodged sideways with a cold gaze. 1 "You still have the cheek toe home?!" Old Master Ferguson sat inside the study. The atmosphere inside was extremely oppressive. "What''s the matter?" Eric asked with a frown. Old Master Ferguson gritted his teeth in anger." Hmph! Nicole wants to deal with Ines Xavier, so you gave up your shares in Gemini Entertainment to her? Why are you so obedient? Stanton Corporation is now targeting us at every turn. Don''t you know how to use this opportunity to negotiate with them?" He had always been most proud of this grandson that was a business wiz. Recently, Ferguson Corporation''s image had been on a decline especially on the inte. Since Nicole needed their help, they should seize this opportunity t o make good use of it. However, Eric actually gave up o n such a good opportunity this time. How could Old Master Ferguson not be angry? Eric''s face was indifferent and did not care about the old man''s wrath. "There''s no need to negotiate. We owe Nicole, so it''s right to just give it to her." His voice was deep and cold. "Moreover, Gemini Entertainment has already started to lose money internally, so holding too many shares is useless. I don¡¯t intend to clean up their mess." No matter how good or bad Gemini Entertainment¡¯s prospects were, Eric did not want to be a part of it. He did not care for thispany. Since Nicole wanted it, she could have it. Old Master Ferguson was originally furious, but when he heard thest part of Eric''s exnation, he was stunned and came back to his senses. If that was the reason, he could ept it. His expression eased slightly before he added, "To be honest, Floyd Stanton won''t forgive us so easily, but a tit-for-tat won''t benefit anyone, so he''s not making any obvious and big moves for now. However, this won''t do in the long run. I have a solution to this..." Eric frowned. The old man grunted and continued," Based on family background, talent, and capability, both you and Nicole are verypatible with each other. If she hadn¡¯t concealed her identity to marry you before, Floyd Stanton''s daughter would''ve been your wife." Seemingly anticipating what his grandfather wanted t o say, Eric jerked his head up. Old Master Ferguson swept a nce at him and said i n an imposing voice, "Since she liked you before, she''ll definitely be able to like you again, so you should put i n some effort too. As long as you both remarry, everything will be solved!" A marriage alliance between Stanton Corporation and Ferguson Corporation was a strong union and a perfect match. It would undoubtedly be a boost for bothpanies. This was the best result. Eric¡¯s face was gloomy. He raised his eyes to look at his grandfather. "She won''t agree to a marriage of convenience." ''Especially if I''m the groom.'' Chapter 172 Marry Another Person Chapter 172 Marry Another Person If Nicole was willing to get into a marriage of convenience, she would not have concealed her identity in the first ce. What she wanted was never just a marriage. Old Master Ferguson snorted coldly, "Do you want to watch her get together with someone else? How big a loss would that be to our family?" 2 There was no other person better suited for Nicole than Eric. No matter who Nicole chose to be with in the future, the Ferguson family would be aughing stock. To the Fergusons, it was more harm than good. Although Old Master Ferguson did not like Nicole as a person, he was willing to disregard his past prejudices and ept this woman because of her powerful family that was a force to reckon with. When Eric heard this, his expression stiffened and becameplicated. ''Watch her get together with someone else?'' Eric had never thought about that. Although there were many men around Nicole, he never felt that Nicole would marry any of them. ''What if Nicole married someone else...¡¯ Once he thought of this, Eric''s eyebrows knitted together. His face instantly became tense. The resistance and gloom in his heart were very apparent. ''No way!'' Old Master Ferguson stared at Eric with an austere expression. "If Nicole is unwilling to remarry you, then we can only rece her with someone else. You can marry another daughter from an affluent family who can rival Nicole. Only then can we counter the threat posed by the Stanton family." 1 Eric''s eyebrows furrowed tighter. Hisplexion turned glum and he was clearly extremely upset. He subconsciously loathed this terrible proposal. Eric looked at his grandfather with deep coldness and resistance in his eyes. "No, I don''t need a marriage of convenience. You don''t need to meddle in my matters with the Stantons. I''ll see to it." His rtionship with Nicole was at a deadlock, and he would not even consider other women. After he said that, Eric turned to leave without waiting for his grandfather to react. Ingrid had been waiting downstairs for the good show, but besides the sound of ss breaking when Eric first went in, there were surprisingly no other movements. 1 She did not dare to go upstairs and eavesdrop either. As soon as Eric came down, Ingrid hurriedly greeted him. "Brother, Nicole¡¯s such a jinx. She¡¯s the reason you got scolded, right? You shouldn¡¯t be too nice to her. Otherwise, she''ll get so arrogant and think that our family is easy to bully..." Eric narrowed his eyes dangerously and he had an inexplicably cold vibe around him. ¡°Ingrid Ferguson, I''ve warned you so many times not t o provoke her. It seems that you still can''t get that into your head, huh?" Ingrid was startled and frightened by Eric¡¯s gaze. Suddenly, she did not know what to do. "I... I didn''t..." "I asked you to apologize. Did you?" At the mention of this, Ingrid was too scared to make a sound. Eric coldly swept a nce at Ingrid and said in a grim tone, "If I find out that you dare to provoke Nicole again, you can get the hell out of the Ferguson family!" He did not show her any mercy. After that, he walked out of the Ferguson Vi. Ingrid stood frozen in ce and unconsciously broke out in cold sweat. Eric got into the car and recalled his grandfather''s words. He could not imagine Nicole being with someone else. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. He felt like a boulder was pressing on his heart, which made him gasp for air. It felt incredibly heavy and suffocating. Somehow, he found Nicole¡¯s number and could not help but call her. He stared at the word "Missus" that was disyed on his phone screen and was in a slight trance. Eric was waiting for the call to be connected. Fortunately, he was not blocked again. He actually felt relieved because of this minor detail, and the dull pain earlier dissipated. In a few seconds, Nicole picked up. She seemed to be asleep because her voice was hoarse. "Hello, who is it?" There was no tension between them like when they met during the day, which was very rare. "It''s me," Eric replied. Nicole seemed to be awake as soon as she heard that. Her voice suddenly turned cold. "Is the repair cost calcted? How much should I pay you now?" She seemed so eager to cut off all ties with him. Eric¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. His voice was cold as he said, ¡°Wrong number, sorry." Nicole took a deep breath and cursed through clenched teeth. "Are you nuts?!¡± She then hung up the phone in anger. ''He sounds so righteous when he called the wrong number? Did he d o this on purpose? How annoying!'' After being hung up on, Ericughed lightly and was not mad. The President of Ferguson Corporation, a revered man in the business circle, was actually happy that a woman hung up on him? No one would believe it if word got out. Chapter 173 Mr. Ferguson Paying for a Trending Topic Chapter 173 Mr. Ferguson Paying for a Trending Topic Early in the morning, daylight spilled in through the curtains and cast a soft glow on the floor. Nicole ate a simple breakfast and went to the office. J&L Corporation''s project was already on track, so there was no need for daily progress checks. Nicole had to start preparing for another real estate development project. When she arrived at the office, she browsed the inte for thetest trending topics. Theizens were split into two camps. One camp was shipping Nicole and Kai, while the other camp supported Nicole and Fabian. It was surprising that people were so eager to participate in this poll. While a small number of people forcefully added Nicole and Eric to the poll, this pairing wasgging way behind the other two pairings. This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. ''Naha! Theizens are perceptive enough to know that my name and Eric Ferguson''s name are ipatible and absolutely should not be put together!'' Logan watched from the side and carefully proposed." President, should we take down these trending topics?" Nicole chuckled. "Nah, it''s just a harmless game. It''s not like I¡¯ll have to be with whoever the masses like most..." ''How can I be a couple with Kai anyway? If we disclose our real rtionship, I''m afraid it¡¯ll cause a stir!'' Logan nodded and left after reporting his work. Ferguson Corporation. Mitchell nced at Eric out of the corner of his eye. H e had never seen any president pay attention to online gossip amidst their busy schedules. Recently, Eric was extremely keen to read all of thements online. From time to time, he would even reply to them... ''Does he not know that he doesn''t have a good image online...?¡¯ Mitchell thought to himself and dared not say it out loud. Eric sneered at the two other pairings with Nicole and was incredibly vexed. ''How are Kai and Fabian even worthy to bepared t o me?! Their poprity is even higher than mine? Theizens¡¯ tastes this time round are horrible!'' Eric fiercely threw the tablet he was holding on the desk. His body was emitting a terrifying chill. Mitchell caught a glimpse of that webpage and instantly understood. ''It''s rted to Nicole again... No wonder...'' "President, should I get them to remove this trending topic? It¡¯s such a sham..." Mitchell suggested. Eric stared at him coldly for a few seconds. "The face o f Ferguson Corporation can¡¯tg behind those two people. Understand?" His voice was extremely cold, and his eyes were dark. Mitchell froze for a few seconds. His brain seemed to b e stuck for a moment before he finally answered, "Yes, I understand. I''ll immediately hire people to push up the poprity of your pairing with Ms. Stanton!" After working for Eric for so long, it was not difficult for Mitchell to understand what Eric wanted. Eric opened a document in silence, signed his name smoothly, then handed it to Mitchell. "Go and get to work." "Yes, sir." ''He agreed?! What in the world? Is he paying too much attention to Ms. Stanton...?'' Mitchell thought. In less than an hour, the poll online turned into a three -way battle. It was really surprising. Nicole and Eric''s pairing surprisingly skyrocketed in poprity and soon surpassed Kai and Fabian. In Nicole''s group chat. Yvette could not wait to share the tidbits of information she got. [Yvette Quimbey: I heard from an influencer that Nicole and Eric''s pairing is actually bought out by Ferguson Corporation! Hahaha! Is Eric Ferguson sick i n the head?] [Julie Nixon: Wow... I''ve really seen everything now... ] [Ian Carter: OMG!!! Why is my name not on there?! Don''t I deserve a slot?!] [Nicole Stanton: He''s defos on crack.] ''Eric Ferguson must be crazy!'' Nicole thought. She originally did not want to participate in this little fun, but once Eric intervened, she could not let it go on. Nicole called Logan and instructed, "Remove that trending topic. I don¡¯t care how much Eric Ferguson paid. We''ll pay double." Logan did as instructed and did not dare to dy for another second. Just as it came out of the blue, this online buzz inexplicably disappeared. Some people wanted to talk about it, but they could no longer find any traces of the polls. Eric heard this and did not have any reaction. He just said expressionlessly, "Alright." Chapter 174 Make Another Appointment Chapter 174 Make Another Appointment Nicole had a lot on her te. The development of the real estate project was not going well. The developer changed their mind at the The developer wanted to raise the price by 30% on top of the original price. Of course, Nicole would not agree to it. This project was a top priority in the real estate arm of Stanton Corporation, so it was of great This content ? 2024 N?velDrama.Org. importance. The people sent to negotiate terms with the developer returned without sess because the developer was adamant. With the stalemate, Stanton Corporation incurred a daily loss of up to ten million dors. Grant was abroad for an inspection, so this problem fell on Nicole. Looking at the records of their previous negotiations, Nicole felt that the developer''s attitude was somewhat surprising. What was the reason for their sudden assertiveness? Logan saw Nicole''s puzzled eyes and exined, "I¡¯ve inquired about this. It seems that someone has contacted this developer, Tobias Stone, promising him new projects and highmission. I think he wants t o use this opportunity to make more demands with u s." Nicole frowned. "Did you find out who it was?" Logan shook his head. "No, he¡¯s very tight-lipped about it. If we look for developers abroad, the cost of a round trip is very high, so it isn''t worth it." That was why they still did not finish him off. Nicole paused. "Make an appointment with him." She would not let others take the upper hand. "Yes, ma¡¯am." Tobias Stone agreed quite quickly as if he had expected it. Nicole arrived at the appointed ce on time, but Tobias was a few minuteste. Her face was already gloomy because of the wait. Once Tobias arrived, he apologized repeatedly. "I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Stanton. I got dyed by something." Although he apologized, his attitude was not apologetic but rather smug. Nicole hooked the corner of her lips. "Mr. Stone, since you''re so busy, we can make another appointment for next time.¡± With that, she nced at Logan and stood up to leave. Tobias panicked and hurriedly stopped her. "Ms. Stanton, let''s talk properly. It¡¯s my fault for beingte, so please just let me off the hook this time." Nicole paused in her footsteps and coldly swept a nce at him. "Mr. Stone, I''ll be frank with you. Stanton Corporation won''t agree to the request you made. We value honesty in a person and in business. If you don''t even have that, there''s no need for cooperation." Tobias Stone¡¯s face changed slightly. His lips twitched and inevitably revealed his trump card. "Ms. Stanton, it''s best if you reconsider. There''s another boss who offered 30% higher than Stanton Corporation''s price. If you can match his price, of course, I''ll choose Stanton Corporation." Tobias was confident in the beginning. He looked down on a woman''s negotiating power and thought that as long as he was insistent, Nicole would eventuallypromise. Moreover, Stanton Corporation''s project had been dyed for a long time. If they dragged this on, they would surely lose money. Nicole lowered her eyes and hooked up her lips into a cold smile. "Mr. Stone, you don''t need to feel torn about this. Since business is all about profit, I can only wish you all the best with the new proprietor." Tobias was not given the chance to bargain at all. If that so-called "boss" could really offer such a high price, would Tobias still be bouncing between sides? Nicole did not believe him. She was just curious who this person behind Tobias was. After wishing him luck, Nicole did not even look at Tobias and left the room. Logan followed after her. When she reached the entrance, Nicole paused in her footsteps and turned to Logan. "Follow him and see where he goes." Logan instantly understood what Nicole meant. Not long after, Nicole received a call from Logan. "President, Tobias Stone went to a club. I saw him with the Chairman of HS Corporation and Mr. Ferguson..." There was instant silence over the phone. Chapter 175 Big Movie Star Chapter 175 Big Movie Star After a while, Nicole''s calm voice came through the phone, "Alright. Do something for me..." HS Corporation was not arge-scalepany. Their most glorious time was in the past and they were now hanging by a thin thread. Even so, they still had a reputation and were still better off than otherpanies. Nicole did not expect that the person behind Tobias Stone was actually HS Corporation. It turned out that Eric Ferguson was also involved... In the evening, Julie invited Nicole to a high-society reception, so Nicole attended as promised. Nicole was not in a good mood today, so she just sat in front of the bar and drank quietly by herself. It was difficult for Nicole not to attract attention as she was so beautiful and striking with her long legs and slender waist. Every move she made felt like art. No one noticed that someone had secretly taken a photo of her and sent it to a particr person. When Eric looked at his phone, he frowned slightly. It was Keith calling. He impatiently picked it up. "What?" Keith snorted. "Well, I told you toe to the reception, but you didn¡¯t want to. Guess who''s here?" He was being mysterious, so Eric got even more impatient. "Just spit it out." Keith sighed. ''He''s no fun...'' ¡°Look at the picture I sent you." Eric hung up the phone and saw the photo. Nicole was sitting under the light and looked like she was going to merge with it. The hazy feeling of this photo seemed extremely surreal. Her thin legs were crossed elegantly. She held half a ss of wine and gazed into space. Her delicate features were deadly attractive. She was so elegant and valiant. Her temperament was so intoxicating yet she was unaware of it. Eric frowned slightly, picked up his jacket, and left. Nicole was a little tipsy and decided to leave after a while. She never expected someone to be calling her from not far away. Nicole paused in her movements and nced sideways. ''I don''t know them...'' She ignored that person. That person was angered and came over to question Nicole. "Nicole, are you deaf? I was just calling you. Didn''t you hear me?" Nicole sized up the woman in front of her. She was arrogant, snobby, and just average in looks. She gently hooked her lips. "Who are you and why should I listen to you?" Nicole¡¯s disregard and contempt made the woman in front of her even more infuriated. "I''m Luna, the daughter of KXY Group''s Chairman from Korea. I just debuted in Mediania and sang many songs. You don¡¯t know me? I have over 300,000 fans now!" It was much easier to make money in Mediania''s showbiz than it was in Korea. Thus, Luna made her debut in a talent show, gained many fans, and skyrocketed in poprity. Luna had heard about Nicole from Jenny Lynch, the daughter of HS Corporation''s Chairman. ''Nicole''s family only has some money, yet she dares to be so arrogant and hook up with so many men. How shameless! Hmph!¡¯ Luna thought. KXY Group had some business dealings with HS Corporation, so Luna had been friends with Jenny Lynch for a long time. Once Jenny heard that Luna wanted to be a celebrity, Jenny was quick to bring Luna to Mediania and introduced Luna to a lot of directors. Jenny promised Luna that she would help her to get more jobs and resources for her in the entertainment industry, which was important to Luna. More importantly, Jenny also said that she would introduce Luna to the big movie star, Kai! Kai was not just popr in Mediania. In Korea, Kai was an idol that everyone loved. Luna decided to debut in Mediania so that she could get closer to this man. However, when she came to Mediania, Luna found out that Kai was involved in scandals with this This belongs ? N?velDra/ma.Org. divorced woman. Since that was the case, Luna decided to teach Nicole a lesson, which would somehow be of help to Jenny Lynch. Nicole looked at Luna and shook her head seriously. "I don''t know you." Even though Luna is Korean, she spoke English well. Nicole was not interested in getting to know Luna and had never heard of her songs. ''What a shameless statement!'' Luna bit her lower lip and felt like she was being humiliated. She suppressed her anger and snorted. "Ms. Stanton, you''re more popr than any artist in Mediania''s entertainment circle, so it''s normal not to have heard o f me. However, there is one thing that I hope you will keep in mind." No one had spoken to Nicole like this in a long time. ''This new artist is pretty ballsy, huh?'' Nicole thought. She raised her eyebrows. "Oh?" "I don¡¯t care what your family does. Since you''re rich, you can have anyone you want, but don''t get Kai involved in your private life. Are you even worthy of being with Kai?" ''So... She''s Kai¡¯s staunch admirer?'' Nicole frowned. "What does it have to do with you? He doesn¡¯t care..." ''Kai himself didn''t even object to it, so why should this clown of a woman jump out and use me?¡¯ "Who said he doesn¡¯t care? Kai''s annoyed with you and doesn''t like women like you!" Nicole hooked up her lips and let out a lightugh. "It sounds as if you heard him say it yourself?" She did not believe it at all. The woman in front of her was just putting up another one-man show. "Of course, I heard him say it. He''s just forced to y along with you and forced to say those words online because of that popr pairing. Nicole, if you know what¡¯s good for you, you should just hurry up and rify those scandalous rumors. Don''t shamelessly ride on Kai¡¯s poprity!" Luna gnashed her teeth in anger. ''How could Kai be involved with such a woman? What a disgrace! No wonder Jenny''s also badmouthing Nicole...¡¯ Nicole''s eyes were slightly cold as she hooked the corners of her lips. "He said so? I¡¯ll have to ask him personally..." She then took out her phone and called Kai. "Lil N, what¡¯s up?" "I''ve been drinking, so I can''t drive. Come and pick me up. Also, bring me a pair of ts while you''re at it." After that, she did not wait for Kai to reply and hung u p the phone. Luna sneered. "Do you think I''ll believe what you said? You didn''t turn on your phone just now, right? Do you think Kai is someone you can just summon as you please? You should take a look at yourself in the mirror!" Chapter 176 Im Rich and Powerful Chapter 176 I''m Rich and Powerful Nicole swept a nce at Luna and with extreme impatience. ''How annoying!'' "Luna, what are you two talking about?" A woman walked over from not far away. She was dressed in an extravagant gown and had a calm and elegant demeanor. She also had a professional fake smile stered on her face. Nicole thought that she looked a bit familiar. ''Is she an actress?'' Nicole looked at her and frowned slightly. Luna grunted coldly and walked over to take the woman''s arm. She looked at Nicole with raised eyebrows and said in a smug tone, "Nicole, does she still need to be introduced? She''s the daughter of HS Corporation''s Chairman, the big movie star who won many film awards, Jenny Lynch!" ''Oh, I remember now. She¡¯s that big-name celebrity whopletely relies on reality shows and her persona to squeeze into the ranks of first-tier actresses, whose sh*tty acting skills are criticized... That Jenny Lynch?¡¯ However, Nicole was focused on her other identity.'' Daughter of HS Corporation¡¯s Chairman?'' Nicole''s slightly inebriated brain suddenly became sober. ''So... That¡¯s her other identity?'' "Hello, Ms. Stanton." Jenny Lynch shed a gentle and harmless smile as she extended her hand. Nicole nodded and did not mean to shake her hand. After all, Nicole was in a bad mood and did not care for pleasantries at the moment. Moreover, since Jenny was friends with Luna, she must not be that great of a person either. Nicole sized up Jenny Lynch and hooked her lips. "Big movie star, eh?" Jenny smiled and withdrew her hand, pretending not t o mind that rejection. "Ms. Stanton, don''t mind her. Luna''s a foreigner and the daughter of KXY Group''s Chairman. She¡¯s only been in Mediania for less than a month, so there are some things that she still hasn''t gotten used to yet." Jenny turned to look at Luna with a smile. "Don''t tell everyone about my identity and keep a low profile. I don''t want people to misunderstand that I''m a t my current status only because of my family." Luna smiled and looked at Jenny with envy and adoration, then red at Nicole with disgust and hatred. "Of course, Jenny''s different from a certain someone. Even if Jenny has a strong family background, she relies on her own ability to excel in her career, unlike you, Nicole. You only know how to unt your family''s tiny bit of money and mess around with men..." Nicole raised his eyebrows and swept a cold nce at Luna. ''She actually used "tiny bit of money" to describe my family? Naha! How ignorant and fearless!'' She saw Jenny¡¯s embarrassed smile and thought,'' What''s she implying that I am?'' "My family is rich and powerful, so why should I be like you guys?" Nicole sneered disdainfully. ''They¡¯re clearly jealous, yet they still speak so righteously? Is HS Corporation even worthy of beingpared to Stanton Corporation?'' Jenny¡¯s face stiffened, but she still maintained a decent smile. She exined with a gentle and dignified voice, "Ms. Stanton, please don''t take it to heart. Luna''s just too straightforward. She has no malice towards you." Nicole let out a coldugh. "Being too straightforward just means that she doesn''t have manners. It doesn¡¯t mean that she has no malice.¡± ''What a dumb loyal friend...'' Nicole thought. Nicole knew that the person with real malice towards her was actually Jenny Lynch. Luna had just moved to Mediania not long ago, so it was understandable that she did not know about Nicole''s background. However, how could Jenny Lynch not be aware? Perhaps, Jenny just never told her "close friend¡±, Luna, about Nicole''s identity. When Luna heard Nicole¡¯s words, her face turned red with anger. Luna wanted to see Nicole look disappointed, so she intentionally told Nicole about Jenny¡¯s affairs. "Nicole, why are you so smug? Jenny''s not just a big movie star, she¡¯s also Eric Ferguson''s childhood sweetheart. HS Corporation will soon join hands with Ferguson Corporation in a marriage alliance, so you don''t stand a chance!¡± "Luna, we¡¯re not engaged yet, so don''t spread this around..." 1 Jenny did not deny it and shyly raised her head to look at Nicole, as if to confirm what Luna said was N?vel(D)rama.Org''s content. true. ''Marriage alliance?'' Nicoleughed lightly. ''No wonder they''re so ballsy... No wonder Logan saw Tobias Stone with HS Corporation''s Chairman and Eric Ferguson earlier. I guess... It¡¯s true then.'' "What are you afraid of? It''s pretty much confirmed anyway. Ferguson Corporation is a giant in the industry, and Nicole¡¯s family just owns a smallpany, right? She''s not worthy of Eric Ferguson, but you, Jenny, will soon be Mrs. Ferguson. Who will dare t o undermine you in the future?" Luna red at Nicole with cold eyes. She lifted her chin and wanted to see Nicole panicking. "I know that you''re just buying out those trending topics to make yourself look popr. Do you really think that you''re so likable? You shamelessly pair yourself with Mr. Ferguson and Kai. How thick- skinned can you be?¡± Nicole narrowed her eyes and was just about to speak when Julie Nixon came over. "Which b*tch has such a foul mouth?" Julie was very straightforward. Jenny and Luna both recognized Julie Nixon as a big shot in the fashion circle. If they offended her, their futures would be bleak. Even Luna had heard a lot about Julie Nixon in Korea. After all, none of the artists in Korea had yet to receive an invitation to Julie''s fashion shows. "Ms. Nixon, it''s a misunderstanding. Luna didn¡¯t mean that..." Jenny had just started to give an exnation when she was interrupted by Julie. "So, she¡¯s your b*tch? Put her on a leash so she won''t g o around biting others!" Jenny exined, ¡°She¡¯s a foreigner and doesn''t yet understand Medianian culture...¡¯ "Oh? A foreign b*tch? Then all the more reason for you to train her properly. You should teach her some manners first." Jenny was in an awkward position and did not know how to retort. She always had a gentle and elegant person, so she did not want to risk it all just to defend Luna because that would also offend Julie Nixon. It was more harm than good for Jenny. Luna¡¯s face flushed red and was just about to curse when she saw someone in the crowd. It was Kai! Luna was instantly dumbfounded. His perfect features were simply a gift from God. Kai approached them slowly with a nonchnt and doting expression. He was walking towards Nicole. "Mdy, how much did you drink...¡± Kaipletely ignored the others. He looked straight at Nicole and looked down at her heels, then frowned slightly and got down on one knee in front of her. Kai opened the bag he brought and took out thetest Celinedies ts he prepared for Nicole, then gently held Nicole''s ankle, and helped her to change her shoes in full view of the public. This scenepletely shocked the people in front of him. Luna''s face turned pale as she looked on with disbelief. ''How could Kai treat Nicole like this?! He¡¯s an international superstar! How is Nicole worthy of this treatment?!'' Nicole heard a soft grunt and swept a nce at Luna. Her voice was indifferent and a little yful as she said, "Kai, I heard that you were badmouthing me?" "Huh?" Kai did not know what Nicole was talking about and was just focused on changing her shoes. He looked like there was nothing more important than helping Nicole with her shoes. Kai wrapped his fingers around her heel to make sure that no bump would cause any friction with her foot before he felt relieved. This scene was visible to everyone who looked their way. Likewise, Eric Ferguson, who had just rushed over, stood among the crowd and saw this scene. His