《My Flirtacious Husband (Genevieve and Armand)》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Ms. Genevieve Rachford, your husband is currently with a woman in Room 2588 at the Langfield Hotel.¡± Genevieve Rachford held her breath anxiously as she waited for the elevator to stop at her destination. She had spent a month in Musbane on a business trip, only toe back to receive a strange text. Assuming it was a prank, she ignored the text and didn¡®t think much about it. When she got off the ne, she realized she couldn¡®t get ahold of her husband, Cooper Sutton. His phone GPS showed that he was at the Langfield Hotel, and she began to panic. Shortly after, she came to a stop outside Room 2588. To her surprise, the door was ajar. Someone shoved the back of her waist, and she stumbled into the dark room. She had just regained her bnce when a burning body pushed her to the door. ¡°Darling?¡± Genevieve called out carefully. The man didn¡®t utter a word. In the dark, he found Genevieve¡®s lips and captured her mouth in a fierce and passionate kiss. The door was ajar, and he kissed me once we stepped in... Genevieve quickly made the connections and assumed Cooper was putting up an act to tease her, for N?velDrama.Org content. they had been apart for too long. With that thought in mind, she let her guard down and flung her arms around the man. Her back arched as she returned his kiss joyfully. When Genevieve roused, the sun was shining brightly outside the window. Her bare arms were full of hickeys, and she felt her entire body aching. However, her heart was full. She had been married to Cooper for a year, but they were often apart due to work. They had never gotten intimate with each other. Last night, they had finally consummated their marriage. ¡°Darling...¡± Genevieve rolled over and was about to chide Cooper for preparing such a dreadful surprise. s, the other side of the bed was empty. It felt cool to the touch. The man had obviously left a while ago. There was a ne on the bed. It was a limited edition piece from Tiffany¡®s with the name ¡°Perfect Lover.¡± I¡®m d he knows that he should leave a gift for me. Genevieve¡®s lips curled into an alluring smile as she picked up the ne and put it on. Suddenly, the door was kicked open. A bunch of reporters filed in with their cameras and surrounded the bed. Click! Click! Click! The cameras shed continuously to take photos of Genevieve¡®s naked body. ¡°Ms. Rachford, you returned from your business trip and immediately came to the hotel to meet your lover. Did you have a fall out with Mr. Sutton?¡± ¡°Have you gotten a divorce in secret?¡± ¡°Ms. Rachford, please answer our questions!¡± Genevieve was caught off guard. The reporters had barged in without notice and hurled malicious questions at her. She leaned back against the headboard, seemingly flustered. ¡°W¨CWhat are you talking about? I was with my husbandst night!¡± Genevieve pulled up the covers to shield her body from the unwanted visitors. She pointed a finger at the door and demanded, ¡°Get out right this instance!¡± ¡°Genevieve!¡± Right then, a furious and icy voice rang out. Genevieve felt her vision go ck. When she looked up, her husband was standing before her. His usual gentle and elegant self was long gone, and it was reced by a grim expression. ¡°Darling, I¡®m d you¡®re here.¡± Genevieve didn¡®t have time to ask why he had left that early and the reason for his reaction. She crawled over and grabbed his arm. ¡°Last night, you arranged a surprise for me, right? The reporters are framing me for cheating on you. 1¨C¡± Before she could finish, a loud pnded on her cheek. The impact caused her to fall back into bed, and her mind went nk. Cooper threw a stack of photos onto her face. The sharp edge of one photo grazed past her cheek. Fresh blood seeped out of the wound and dripped down her chin. ¡°I¡®ll see you at nine in the morning tomorrow at the City Hall!¡± he announced icily. After saying his piece, he spun on his heels and strode away as though he were utterly disgusted with her. Genevieve covered her cheek, feeling disoriented from the pain. She spotted a photo in her line of sight which showed a man leaving Room 2588. It only showed the man¡®s side profile, and he wasn¡®t Cooper. The timestamp was six this morning! Genevieve gripped the photo and observed it carefully as her entire being trembled violently. The man fromst night wasn¡®t Cooper! Chapter 2 Chapter 2 She recalled how tense she had been when the man had led her to the bedst night. His breath had fanned her ear as he rasped, ¡°Rx.¡± Indeed, Cooper¡®s voice is usually cool. It¡®s totally different from that man¡®s voice! ¡°H¨CHow could it be?¡± Genevieve stared at the photos scattered on her bed nkly, the color draining from her face. Who was the man who slept with mest night? ¡°Ms. Rachford, Mr. Sutton is your childhood sweetheart. Why did you cheat on him?¡± ¡°Are you tired of him?¡± The reporters ignored her plight and questioned her harshly to get the shocking headlines they wanted. The cameras captured every inch of her body and every expression she made without sparing her feelings. ¡°Get out! Get out right now!¡± Genevieve finally broke down and screamed with all her might. She waved her hands desperately to chase the reporters out, but they refused to leave. A reporter even asked, ¡°Ms. Rachford, your body is full of hickeys. Did you have sex with the man for a long time?¡± Genevieve couldn¡®t bear it anymore. The reporters were too rude and had no bottom line, She let out an ear¨Cpiercing shriek and passed out. A ck Maybach was parked across the street from the hotel. The back window rolled down slowly to reveal a man¡®s frosty side profile. He nced at the entrance of the hotel. When he saw Cooper walking out, nked by the reporters, his eyes turned ck and prating. ¡°Coop, be gentle...¡± The woman¡®s sweet voice fromst night seemed to echo in his ear. He fiddled with his fingers as though the woman¡®s warmth were still lingering on his fingertips. Cooper Sutton, the adoptive son of the Rachford family. He is also the CEO of Specter Corporation. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Shortly after, he ryed his orders calmly, ¡°Investigate Cooper Sutton.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Faulkner.¡± In less than an hour, headlines reporting that Genevieve had cheated on her husband had been posted on various news websites. The reporters had also attached a few videos of Cooper catching Genevieve in the act and her naked body. It created an uproar on the inte. Specter Corporation, which belonged to the Rachford family, suffered a bacsh from the scandal. The price of its shares plummeted and almost hit rock bottom. Meanwhile, Genevieve got back home hastily with the help of her housekeeper. Her phone number was exposed online, and she kept receiving prank calls and texts. As a result, she couldn¡®t use it and had to borrow her housekeeper¡®s phone to call Cooper, hoping to exin to him. s, Cooper didn¡®t pick up her calls. Genevieve soaked herself in cold water in the tub and scrubbed her body violently. Her body turned red from her forceful scrubbing, but she could still smell the man¡®s scent on her. Recalling Cooper¡®s arctic expression when he left, Genevieve fought back the urge to burst into tears. Despair overwhelmed her heart. Why is this happening? Some timeter, her phone rang. Genevieve picked it up from the rack and answered it hastily. ¡°Darling, 12¡± ¡°Come to the City Hall now!¡± Cooper demanded and cut the line abruptly. Only then did Genevieve realize she had been soaking in the tub for ages, and her body was wrinkled and pale. She stumbled out of the tub and went to her closet to put on some clothes. On the way to the City Hall, she put on some foundation to conceal her haggard and ashen face. I need to exin everything to Cooper so he won¡®t divorce me! When Genevieve arrived at Jadeborough City Hall, she saw Cooper at the door. He was dressed in a ck suit and bore a cool expression. There were no reporters around, so it seemed that he had cleared the scene beforehand. ¡°Darling, let me exin.¡± Genevieve dashed over to Cooper and took his arm. Tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°I received a textst night saying you were at the Langfield Hotel with another woman. Your phone GPS showed you were there, so I went to the hotel...¡± Cooper unlocked his phone and showed her his schedule from yesterday. Pinning her with a withering look, he said, ¡°I sent a client to the hotel and left within ten minutes!¡± After seeing his schedule, Genevieve swayed and nearly lost her bnce. Did someone set me upst night? Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Without hesitation, Cooper dragged her into the City Hall and pushed her onto a chair. ¡°We¡®re here to get a divorce,¡± he announced coldly. ¡°No!¡± Genevieve snapped back to reality. She tugged at Cooper¡®s arm and begged, ¡°Darling, I don¡®t want to get a divorce. Please don¡®t do this to me. We grew up together as childhood sweethearts, and you know how much I love you. You¡®re the only one I can depend on!¡± ¡°I don¡®t want a woman who has been sullied,¡± came Cooper¡¯s heartless reply. Genevieve¡®s mind went nk as her entire body slumped in her seat. Her grip on his arm also ckened He thinks I¡®m sullied? At that exact moment, an alluringdy with long, wavy hair rushed into the City Hall. ¡°Mr. Sutton, I¡®m here with the documents you need,¡± she said, panting heavily. Hope rose in Genevieve¡®s heart when she saw who the neer was. ¡°Errie, please help me persuade Cooper not to divorce me. When we used to fight, you¡®d convince him to change his mind.¡± Erica Hall and Cooper went to the same university, and the three of them were good friends. Every time Genevieve had a fight with Cooper, Erica would help her by telling Cooper off. He would then return to sweet¨Ctalk her into forgiving him. Thus, she assumed Erica would do the same this time. After hearing her pleas, Erica seemed to be in a dilemma. ¡°Genevieve, we may be good friends, but what you did at the hotel... It was wrong, and I can¡®t help you.¡± As they spoke, Cooper had already flipped the file open. ¡°Sign it!¡± Genevieve took one look at it as something popped up in her mind. Before they got married, Cooper had drafted a prenup that stated he would leave without anything if he were to cheat on her. ¡°I won¡®t sign it! No way!¡± Genevieve shook her head desperately. ¡°Darling, I can do anything. Just don¡®t divorce me, please.¡± Cooper was unfazed despite her pleas. He even forced her to hold the pen and sign her name. After doing that, he turned to the staff and repeated. ¡°We¡®re here to get a divorce. Please get the procedures done!¡± Less than two minutester, the divorce certificate¡® was tossed into Genevieve¡®s arms. ¡°Cooper!¡± Genevieve stared at Cooper¡®s back as he departed, Choking on her tears, she rushed out behind him but saw him getting into the car with Erica, Am I seeing things? Why did Erica kiss Cooper? Rooted to the spot, she watched helplessly as the car drove away. Suddenly, her phone rang with a call from the hospital. ¡°Ms. Rachford, your grandmother is in a critical condition. Pleasee to the hospital at once!¡± ¡°What?¡± Genevieve gasped. She wiped her tears away hastily and hailed a taxi to head to the hospital. Her parents had died in an identst year, and her grandmother, Winifred, had been hospitalized for a long while due to her tuberculosis condition. It was Cooper who had remained by her side and encouraged her. He was the reason she could make it through the hard times. However, things were different now. Genevieve rushed to Winifred¡®s ward and realized that her condition had deteriorated. It seemed that Winifred was close to breathing herst breath. After entering the ward, Genevieve was about to speak when Winifred sat up from bed and gave her a light p. ¡°Didn¡®t tell you that Cooper is nothing but the Rachford family¡®s adoplive son? I reminded you not to fall in love with him, but you refused to listen to me. Look, you¡®ve now destroyed your dad¡®s life efforts!¡± The wound on Genevieve¡®s cheek had just scabbed, but Winifred¡®s p had caused it to split open. Blood oozed down her cheek, and she looked a mess. ¡°Grandma, Specter Corporation is still mine,¡± she assured Winifred. Even if she were to leave the marriage without anything after her divorce, her shares in Specter Corporation weren¡®t affected. She was still thergest shareholder of Specter Corporation In a fit of rage, Winifred tossed the newspapers to her. ¡°See for yourself!¡± Genevieve picked up the newspapers and spread them out. The financial headline that was published at seven this morning stated that Cooper Sutton held sixty¨Cthree percent of This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Specter Corporation¡®s shares and thus had absolute authority over thepany, Her eyes widened in disbelief as she took in the news. ¡°Why does he have that many shares...¡± She btedly realized that Cooper had asked for her shares barely a month after their wedding with the excuse that he wanted to reorganize thepany. They had been married, and their assets had been marital property, so she had transferred her shares to Cooper without suspecting anything. Never in her wildest dreams did she know that Cooper would use her trust to get Specter Corporation from her! ¡°Why do I have such a foolish granddaughter like you? He had you on a string and fooled you easily!¡± Winifred admonished her in a loud voice. Suddenly, Winifred¡®s face scrunched up in agony. She held her chest before copsing on the bed. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 ¡°Grandma!¡± Genevieve screamed. She immediately ran out of the ward to get the doctor. As the doctor wheeled Winifred into the emergency room, Genevieve couldn¡®t stop the tears from streaming down her face. Utterly flustered, she paced around the corridor. I won¡®t forgive myself if something happens to Grandma! Soon, Winifred was wheeled out. She was wearing an oxygen mask. The doctor told Genevieve, ¡°The patient¡®s heartbeat has returned to normal, but she has to undergo treatment and take her medication. The medicine she takes is a rare one, so you have to pay for it before we can prescribe it to her.¡± ¡°All right. Thank you!¡± After learning that Winifred was in a stable condition, Genevieve heaved a sigh of relief. She rushed downstairs to pay the medical fee. When she tried to pay with her credit cards, she realized none of them were working. Genevieve gave Erica a call anxiously. ¡°Errie, can you please ask Cooper why are my cards all frozen? I need to pay the medical bill for my grandma so she can take the medicine and¡± ¡°Have you forgotten, Genevieve?¡± Erica cut her off rudely. ¡°You left the marriage with nothing.¡± Without waiting for a reply, she hung up. Genevieve¡®s words were stuck in her throat. Winifred¡®s condition was urgent, so she immediately ran out to take a taxi to Specter Corporation. She wanted to know why Cooper took Specter Corporation away from her and treated her cruelly. It didn¡®t seem fitting that he insisted on getting a divorce without leaving her anything under her name just because of what she did. When the taxi rolled to a stop before Specter Corporation, it was pouring outside. Genevieve ran through the rain and hurried toward the building. Before she could head in, the security guard at the entrance gave her a forceful push, and she fell to the ground. ¡°Please let me in. I need to see Cooper.¡± She crawled to her feet and begged the security guard. Her face was as white as a sheet after she got drenched in the rain. ¡°I need money to buy medicine for my grandma. She¡®ll die without it.¡± The security guard gave her another shove and showed her a sign. ¡°Ms. Rachford, please Take a good look at this sign!¡± Wiping the rainwater away from her face, Genevieve looked at the sign. No entry for Genevieve Rachford and dogs! ¡°Cooper, did I wrong you in any way?¡± Ulerce was wet with a mixture of cars and rain When she was three years old, her father hade home with a little boy ¡°Vivi, his parents died in an ident, so he will stay with us from now on. Treat him as your brother.¡± her father had told hier. Back then, Cooper was only six years old. ¡°Hello, my princess. I¡®ll protect you from today onward!¡± He had given her a smart salute while shing a handsome grin. Cooper had held his word by protecting her and her family until now. Deep down, she had always thought of him as family. He was her Prince Charming. He had spoiled her so much that she didn¡®t even need to learn anything. She had spent all her free time buying clothes and bags. Never once did she disobey his words. Why is he so heartless? He took everything from me, rendering me destitute. He even left a mocking This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. message, saying that I am worse than a dog. Is he doing this because I lost my virginity to another man? The employees entering the building spotted Genevieve¡®s figure on the ground. They recognized her and started pointing fingers at her. ¡°Ms. Rachfordcks decency. She¡®s married, but she slept with another man at the hotel.¡± ¡°I heard that Mr. Sutton had divorced her. Good job!¡± ¡°Without Mr. Sutton, Specter Corporation would¡®ve gone bankrupt. She¡®s too senseless to run the In the CEO¡®s office, Cooper sat in his chair and watched the real¨Ctime surveince footage of the entrance of Specter Corporation. Mixed feelings shed across his gaze when he saw the woman on the ground, drenched in rain. Soon, he schooled his expression into an aloof one. Picking up the photo of a young man and young woman smiling brightly on his desk, he threw it into the dustbin without hesitation. ¡°Genevieve, your family owed me big time!¡± Genevieve begged the security guard so hard, and she even tried to ask the managers working in Specter Corporation to help her out, but no one bothered to offer her help. The security guard found her presence annoying and forced her to the roadside with his anti¨Criot fork. Genevieve¡®s leg hit the railing, and the wire grazed across her leg, forming a long wound. Gasping in pain, she dropped to the ground and couldn¡®t find the energy to get up anymore. She felt such a visceral pang of dismay, tears came to her eyes. In just one day, she had lost everything. After some time, the sky turned dark. It was still pouring. A Maybach rolled to a stop beside Genevieve, and the driver came down from the passenger seat. He held an umbre and walked over to Genevieve. Chapter 5 Chapter 5 ¡°Ms. Rachford, Mi Faulkner un paid the micelical bills for your grandmother,¡± said the driver as he handed some receipts to Genevieve, Genevieve took the recipes with shaky bands. Her heart rxed once she saw the p hase of the medicines listed on thein. ¡°Was Cooper the one who sent you to fetch me?¡± she askeur expectantly She knew that there were surveince cameras installed at the front doors. Cooper could be looking at her right now! The driver shook his head. ¡°Mr. Sulton was the one who took everything from you and treated you like a dog. What are you still hoping for?¡± He pulled open the door of the back seat of the car. ¡°Please, Ms. Rachford.¡± Genevieve raised her head. She noticed a man sitting in the back of the car with his legs crossed. He was holding a cigarette in between his fingers, looking very unapproachable. ¡°I don¡®t know him...¡± ¡°Mr. Faulkner will tell you everything you wish to know,¡± said the driver. ¡°And by the way, he doesn¡®t like waiting.¡± Genevieve understood the hidden meaning behind the driver¡®s words. She had no idea who this man was or where he came from, but she wanted to know the truth. She gritted her teeth and crawled up from the ground. The instant she moved, the wound on her leg opened and began bleeding. The driver quickly bandaged Genevieve¡®s wound and handed her a bath towel. She limped into the car and sat beside the man. The car roared to life not long after. With the help of the light in the car, Genevieve studied the man¡®s wless side profile and thought he looked familiar. Genevieve pursed her lips. ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡± The man did not answer. He turned his head and nced at her coldly, then fixed his gaze on her neck. ¡°Return the ne to me.¡± His raspy voice was low and cold. Genevieve reflexively touched the ne on her neck. When she heard the word ¡°return,¡± she quickly understood that the ne was left by this man that night and Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. began shaking with anger. ¡°Y¨CYou were the man from that night!¡± I¡®ve seen his side profile in the photo before! ¡°Were you also the one who sent me the message?¡± Genevieve asked. She raised her hand, wanting to p him. ¡°You beasi!¡± ¡°It wasn¡®t me, but I was the one who booked that room.¡± The man raised his eyes and looked at her. ¡°Do you want to know why you entered my room that night?¡± Genevieve¡®s hand stopped in mid¨Cair. She recalled that she had walked to the door and was about to knock on the door when someone pushed her in from behind. ¡°What are you going on about?¡± Genevieveughed out of exasperation. ¡°If you booked the room, who else would have messaged me other than you? I have no beef with you, so why are you trying to ruin me?¡± Armand Faulkner snorted. ¡°What an idiot!¡± Before Genevieve could reply, Armand yanked the ne off of her neck and wiped it with a handkerchief. ¡°Go to the hotel. I want to show Ms. Rachford the truth.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Faulkner.¡± Before long, the car arrived at the underground parking lot of the Langfield Hotel. The hotel did not bring back good memories for Genevieve. When she recalled the events of that morning, a chill ran down her spine. The bandage wrapped around her leg and her soaking wet body made her seem as if she had seen better days. OOI She entered a room with Armand. With the bath towel clutched tightly to her body, Genevieve asked, ¡°Where is the truth?¡± Armand gave his driver a sideways nce, and thetter immediately grabbed the remote control to turn on the t¨Cscreen monitor on the wall. A live video feed of a room appeared on the screen. Genevieve watched as a pair of familiar figures entered the room. It was Cooper, who had just divorced her, and her best friend Erica! ¡°Coop, congrattions on getting what you wished for.¡± Erica hugged the man from behind. Her delicate hands explored his body as she continued, ¡°But you sure are wicked. You didn¡®t leave any money for Genevieve at all. I heard her grandmother¡®s medicines are very expensive!¡± ¡°An old person is better off dead,¡± said Cooper ruthlessly. He turned around and gave Erica a deep kiss. ¡°It¡®s all thanks to you that I could finally get my hands on the shares of Specter Corporation from the shareholders and take down Specter Corporation in one fell swoop.¡± ¡°Well, you are my boyfriend. If I don¡®t help you, who will?¡± Erica hit the man softly. ¡°I¡®ve already settled matters at the police station. Genevieve won¡®t be able to investigate anything even if she survives. But have you always been so ruthless, Cooper? You even made a move on your adoptive parents.¡± When Genevieve heard Erica¡®s words, her mind went nk. Her body wobbled before she fell on somebody¡®s wide chest. My parents didn¡®t die in an ident! Cooper murdered them! Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Why? Mom and Dad saw Cooper as their own son. Aside from Specter Corporation, they gave him almost all of their fortune. Ilow could he be so cruel? Cooper put on a cold look and pinched Erica¡®s chin. ¡°Why did Mr. Harvey change rooms at thest minute? And who was the man who left Room 2588 in the morning?¡± ¡°We have yet to find out.¡± Erica¡®s lower jaw was almost crushed by Cooper. All she could do was try to win his favor. ¡°But it doesn¡®t matter now since you iwo are already divorced. Aside from a grandmother on her deathbed, Genevieve has nobody on her side anymore. Even her person has been defiled. Aren¡®t you satisfied with that?¡± When Cooper pictured the woman kneeling in the rain in a sorry state, he felt irritated for some reason. ¡°Of course I am!¡± Cooper said coldly. He flung Erica onto the bed and pinned her under himself. The Rachford family deserves to be destroyed! I¡®m just taking back what rightfully belongs to me! ¡°Coop, hold on..¡± Erica sounded yful as her deft fingers began removing the buttons on Cooper¡®s shirt. The room was quickly filled with the sound of passionate lovemaking. Genevieve could not stop herself from shivering as she watched their bodies intertwine on the bed. She felt as if she had walked into an igloo. So all this was nned by Cooper and Erica? Including those reporters who spread my scandal all over the inte? He divorced me to take away everything I had and left me with nothing! ¡°Why...¡± Genevieve sounded miserable. She looked at the man who was supporting her. ¡°Why did this happen?¡± He was supposed to be my husband. After my parents passed away, he was my support. He Armand did not get a chance to reply. Thebination of being soaked in the rain for a few hours and the scene on the monitor before Genevieve proved too much for her as she cked out. Armand¡®s expression sank. He ced his arms under her legs and carried her out of the room. ¡°Give Timothy a call.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Faulkner.¡± Armand brought Genevieve to a high¨Css mansion area in the middle of the city Swallow Garden. He had just entered the house when a young man dressed in white stood up from his seat on the N?velDrama.Org content. couch. ¡°Armand.¡± Armand nodded slightly, then brought Genevieve to the second floor so that the young man could treat her wound. He smoked downstairs as he waited. After about half an hour, Timothy descended from the upper floor. ¡°Not bad, Armand. There was a one¨Cin¨Ca¨Cmillion chance of you finding her. If I¡®m not wrong, she¡®s the heroine who appeared on the news for infidelity, isn¡®t she?¡± ¡°I¡®m the secret lover.¡± Armand shot Timothy a nce. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Nope. They said that the wives of other men are the most fun to toy with, right?¡± Timothy said with a yful grin on his face. ¡°I gave her a shot so that she can sleep well tonight. Once she¡®s better, get her toe to the hospital for a checkup.¡± With that, he picked up his first aid kit and left. The driver¡®s phone vibrated after he sent Timothy off. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, a message has arrived from the Faulkners,¡± he reported, standing beside Armand. ¡°They are asking if you have returned to the country.¡± Armand got up from the couch. ¡°I¡®ll drive home myself. Get some housekeepers to look after her.¡± This flower who spent all her life in her greenhouse can¡®t withstand shock at all. Genevieve had no idea how long she had slept. When she woke up, she found herself in a strange Victorian room, dressed in silk pajamas. The events that had happened recently rushed back to her all at once. She was caught red handed in a hotel; she fell to the ground, crying in the pouring rain outside of Specter Corporation, and she even witnessed the intimate moment between Cooper and Erica on a screen. She refused to believe that those were exactly what had happened. Like a headless chicken, Genevieve scurried out of the room. After much difficulty, she found the stairs going down. However, she missed the first step and tumbled straight down the stairs. A man who was going upstairs at that time caught Genevieve in the blink of an eye. ¡°Where are you going in such a rush after waking up?¡± Genevieve smelled a sharp, refreshing scent. Once she calmed down, she saw that the man before her was the one from that night and the one who had brought her to see the truth. ¡°Thank you.¡± After standing steadily on her feet, Genevieve bit her lip and asked, ¡°Could you lend me a car?¡± She wanted an exnation from Cooper. Why did he n all this just to ruin me? And why does he want to take away thest thing my father left me? The driver behind Armand shook his head. ¡°Ms. Rachford, have you not seen the truth already? Why ¡ª¡± ¡°Steven, give her the keys,¡± Armand interrupted. ¡°She has already been scammed out of everything she owns. One more doesn¡®t matter.¡± Genevieve was a bit embarrassed at Armand¡®s undisguised mockery, but she still took the keys and left hurriedly. Specter Corporation now belonged to Cooper. Knowing that she was not allowed in under his orders and that it would be a waste of effort to go over again, she decided to pay Erica¡®s home a visit instead. Upon arrival, she parked and got down from the car. Right as she was about to enter after she pushed the gate open, she saw a boy ying on a wooden horse in the garden, and her entire being trembled violently. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Shortly after, Erica walked out of the house. ¡°Darling, why are you out here early in the morning? You haven¡®t had breakfast yet.¡± ¡°Mommy!¡± The little boy immediately dropped the toy and threw himself into Erica¡®s arms. Erica picked him up. ¡°Yesterday, Daddy said he would tell me a story, but he left right after having dinner.¡± ¡°When I reach the officeter, I¡®ll ask your daddy to give you a video call and apologize to vou. Is that all right?¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Genevieve staggered toward Erica, ashen¨Cfaced. ¡°You! The two of you...¡± The little boy looked at least three years old. Erica turned around with the little boy in her arms. When she saw Genevieve, a glint of panic shed across her face. ¡°Genevieve, w¨Cwhat brings you here?¡® With that, she rushed back to the house with the child in her arms. Genevieve effortlessly caught up with Erica and grabbed thetter¡®s hair. She then pped Erica across her face. ¡°Erica, why are you doing this to me? You came from a vige. It¡®s me who supported you financially to but you made me lose everything.¡± Genevieve thought Cooper and Erica had not been together for long. Unexpectedly, they had a child this old. Au that very moment, she realized how dumb she was. It was only then that Genevieve realized she had been betrayed by her two favorite persons since long ago. It felt as though the two of them had stabbed her in the heart and shredded it into pieces. Genevieve¡®s eyes reddened as she kept hitting Erica. Even the housekeepers couldn¡®t separate the two of them. Suddenly, a hand moved in between them, grabbed Genevieve¡®s hair, and pulled her away. She was tossed aside and fell to the ground. It hurt so much that she caught her breath. Genevieve looked up, only to see Cooper standing right before her with a solemn expression. ¡°Genevieve, what the heck are you doing here?¡± Curs ¨C ¨C ¨C ¡°Why?¡± Genevieve got up and stared at the man that she had been in love with for more than ten years. ¡°Your parents passed away, and it was my father who took you into the Rachford family and looked after you. My dad gave everything to you. Why did you kill them?¡± Cooper¡®s face darkened. He had asked Erica to settle this matter. Supposedly, no one else knew about it. Cooper wondered how Genevieve had figured it out. Genevieve walked up to Cooper and looked up at him. In a fit of rage, she huffed, ¡°Why did you hatch a plot to hurt me and send me to sleep with another man?¡± ¡°Because I want to destroy the Rachford family and you!¡± Cooper¡®s gaze went immensely cold. ¡°Specter Corporation doesn¡®t belong to your father. Thirty years ago, your father and my father co¨C founded Specter Corporation. My father was the biggest shareholder, while your father didn¡®t have a say in thepany. Your father had been unhappy with it. Right after thepany wasunched, my whole family was killed. Luckily, I stayed overnight at my ssmate¡®s house and managed to escape the assassination.¡± ¡°You¡®re lying! Liar!¡± Genevieve shook her head, refusing to believe the so¨Ccalled truth. She continued, ¡°Dad always regarded you a? his own son. He gave everything to you and even allowed us to get married...¡± ¡°That¡®s because he was guilty. He didn¡®t take me in out of his kindness.¡± He leaned over to take a good look at Genevieve. A vicious re shed across his eyes that were brimming with hatred. ¡°He wants to be my guardian in order to get the shares of Specter Corporation from my dad.¡± He didn¡®t know all of this until he met a disfigured man who imed to have escaped from the fire. The man then told Cooper the truth. It was no wonder her father was so nice to Cooper. As it turned out, it was because the former was guilty. Looking at Genevieve¡®s stubborn yet pallid face, Cooper suddenly felt utterly annoyed. He then grabbed her hair, pulled open the door, and flung her outside. ¡°Genevieve, this is thest time.¡± Pausing for a moment, he continued to warn her, ¡°I won¡®t let you off the next time Iy my eyes on you.¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Watching the door shut, Genevieve was devastated. She thought he was an angel sent from the heavens. Unexpectedly, the man she had been in love with for more than a decade turned out to be a vengeful devil. Not only had he destroyed the Rachford family, but he had also destroyed her. Genevieve walked on the street in a state of trance. When she stepped forward to cross the road, a car with lights on suddenly elerated and sped in her direction as if it had aimed to run her over. The lights were so bright that she closed her eyes. All of a sudden, she simmered down and remained immobile. Since she had lost everything, she thought that it would be great to die in this way. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Just when the car was about to hit Genevieve, someone emerged and pulled her away, The car brushe past them and disappeared in no time M. Rashtont, not worthy of lying for ¡± The one who saved Genevieve wall Amanda dure, Steven lle continued. ¡°Who will take care of your grandmother if you om lite her!¡± The devastated Genevieve finally came to her season. That¡®s right Who is going to take war of my grandma il I die? Soon after a car stopped right in front of them. Steven opened the car door to the backseat for her: ¡°MrFaulkner would like to see you. Ile can give you whatever you need.¡± ¡°He can give me whatever I want, but what can I give him in return?¡± Genevieve smiled bitterly She was not a fool to think that the man would help her unconditionally just because he had slept with her by ident This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Not only had her reputation been ruined, but she had also lost everything at the moment, Gripping her arms, Genevieve responded in a low voice, ¡°Thank you for saving me. Also, I give my thanks to Mr. Faulkner, but I don¡®t want to lose myst shred of dignity.¡± Seeing Genevieve¡®s reaction, Steven didn¡®t say anything else. Tlolding out his hand with a business card between his lingers, he uttered, ¡°Ms. Rachforil, here¡®s my contact number. Just give me a call if you need anything.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Genevieve took the business card absent¨Cmindedly and left. Not long after, Steven returned to Swallow Garden. When he saw Armand, he ryed what Genevieve had said to him. Following that, Steven added, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, that car seemed to speed straight toward Ms. Rachford.¡± Armand¡®s expression darkened. ¡°Investigate this matter and assign someone to follow her in secret. Just make sure she is safe¡± That woman needs to learn how to lower her pride. Genevieve went to the hospital. Winifred had been in bed for a few days ever since herst cardiac arrest. She no longer needed an oxygen mask. Although Winifred was still unable to get off the bed, herplexion had improved. Genevieve forced a smile and walked into the ward. ¡°Grandma, how are you feeling?¡± ¡°Much better.¡± At first nce, Winifred could tell that Genevieve had cried not long ago. The former immediately frowned and asked, ¡°Did Cooper bully you when you saw him?¡± Genevieve shook her head and walked over to grab her grandmother¡®s hand. ¡°No. I¡®m just worried about you. Grandma, you have to stay healthy.¡± Perhaps because Genevieve had put on a perfect act, Winifred did not doubt her words. ¡°Vivi, find time to divorce Cooper. That man is an ungrateful person. Since he has seized thepany, I¡®m sure he won¡®t go easy on you.¡± ¡°All right...¡± Winifred was still unaware that Genevieve had long fallen for Cooper¡®s trick and lost everything. She had even learned the truth behind her parents¡® death. Genevieve had been staying in the hospital with her grandmother over the past few days. She had broken the television in the ward, not letting her grandmother watch the news. Not only that, but she had also forbidden the hospital staff to bring over the newspapers. Seeing that her grandmother was recovering gradually, Genevieve finally managed a smile and felt that she was still alive. One day, a housekeeper called Genevieve. ¡°Ms. Rachford, there are a lot of people at home moving things around¡± Before the housekeeper could finish speaking, the call was disconnected. Genevieve took a cab and rushed to Southwood Mansion. The whole scene was a mess when she got there. Several men were seen packing some expensive antiques. The men, who were casting around for valuables on the second floor, threw the unwanted items downstairs for the sake of convenience. Shortly after, two memorial ques were thrown downward. Genevieve immediately lunged toward them, but still, it was toote. Cracks were formed on her parents¡® memorial ques right after they smashed to the ground. She held the memorial ques in her arms. Her eyes reddened at once. Genevieve looked up at the worker. Her eyes were filled with hatred. ¡°How can you throw away someone¡®s memorial ques? Aren¡®t you afraid of divine retribution?¡± ¡°The boss told us we could take care of the unwanted things.¡± The worker was terrified by her and immediately walked away. In a trembling voice, Genevieve murmured, ¡°Dad, Mom, I¡®m sorry...¡± She wiped away the dirt on the ques as her tears dropped on them. ¡°Cooper Sutton, what a cruel man you are! You killed my parents, and now you even want to destroy their memorial ques.¡± Chapter 9 Chapter 9 When the workers finished rummaging through everything, the formerly glorious mansion was in a dpidated state. Even the rosewood doors had been removed by them. An old housekeeper dragged a box, limping into the house. There were a few pieces of clothing and expensive jewelry inside the box. ¡°Ms. Rachford, I kept some of your favorites in this box when I saw theming.¡± Genevieve nced at the housekeeper¡®s leg and knew it was done by those workers. Her eyes reddened as she said, ¡°Maria...¡± Maria was the housekeeper that her mother had brought over and also the person who had apanied her since she was young. As Maria was afraid that those people would return, she asked Genevieve to drive them to her ce. There were two bedrooms and one living room. She left the cleaner room for Genevieve. ¡°When I started working for your mother, she made the down payment of this house for me. Unfortunately...¡± Hearing that, Genevieve smiled bitterly, Even a housekeeper knew how to repay one¡®s kindness. Despite all of Genevieve¡®s help and support, Erica decided to turn her back on her! Genevieve arranged her parents¡® memorial ques properly. Besides the jewelry pieces her mother left her, she handed over the rest of the jewelry in the jewelry box to Maria. ¡°Maria, I¡®ll put my parents¡® memorial ques at your ce for now. I still have some unsettled matters.¡± Maria replied, ¡°I heard Old Mrs. Rachford is sick. Why don¡®t I go to the hospital to take care of her?¡± ¡°Grandma has nurses to look after her. You should stay home and rest, since your leg is not in good shape.¡± After bidding farewell to Maria, Genevieve drove to the hospital. She was lost in her thoughts while driving. I¡®ve nothing now. How do I even take revenge? How do I regain the ownership of Specter Corporation? Suddenly, the image of a man¡®s cold face appeared in her mind. She shook her head to dismiss the thought from her mind. She decided to visit her grandmother first beforeing up with other ideas. Au that moment, a Bentley drove past her. The backscat window was partially rolled down, and she caught a glimpse of the person in the car from her peripheral vision. It was Cooper! She stomped the gas pedal to catch up to the Bentley in front. When she recalled how cruel Cooper was and how her parents¡® memorial ques were smashed to the ground, her eyes red with rage and hatred. It was the perfect opportunity to kill him. If she could kill him and avenge her parents, she would not need to beg that man and could keep her The Bentley in front of her changednes frequently, and Genevieve almost lost sight of it many times. When she finally caught up to the Bentley again, she smiled viciously before she stepped on the gas pedal, aiming straight at the Bentley. The ck Bentley was rear¨Cended and sent flying into the air. It turned a few times beforending upside down. Meanwhile, Genevieve could not control the steering wheel due to the impact, and her car crashed into the barricade before overturning. ss shards were lodged in her, who was seated in the driver¡®s seat, and her head was bleeding. She panted and looked at the Benuey, which had caught fire not far away. A satisfied grin appeared on her face. She finally sought justice for her parents! Before Genevieve could feel relieved, she saw Cooper walking toward her, unscathed. Her eyes widened at the sight of his unwrinkled suit. ¡°Genevieve, we lived together for twenty years. I know you like the back of my hand. I noticed you were chasing after my car. Therefore, I got someone to drive another car over, and I got into the other car while waiting for the red light to turn green.¡± ¡°Cooper...¡± Genevieve gritted her teeth in hatred. Before she could finish her sentence, she fainted with her head resting on the steering wheel. Cooper looked at her bloodied body and pale countenance. He recalled how she had used to cling to him and call his name in a sweet voice, and his cold gaze was tinged with a hint of warmth. Just as he was about to extend his hand, the sound of an ambnce grew closer. The paramedics rushed down from the ambnce. How did the ambnce arrive so quickly? However, he did not think further as he saw the paramedicsing closer. He got on the Bentley and instructed coldly, ¡°Call the police and sue Genevieve for attempted murder! I want to send her to jail!¡± Soon, Erica, who was with her son at home, received a call from her informant. The informant told her that Genevieve had wanted to kill Cooper in a car ident but had been sent to the hospital instead. Upon hearing the news, Erica was delighted. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. The previous time Genevieve came to the mansion to cause trouble, her son had fallen down and had been unconscious for one whole day. Thinking about it still made her feel fearful. Erica said with a tone full of hatred, ¡°Send two people in there to take care of her!¡± Genevieve approached me during our university days of her own ord. She brought me to travel and bought me many clothes and bags. All those things just made me realize that life is not fair. It¡®s Genevieve¡®s fault for not having a good eye for people. Initially, I wanted to let her go, but she almost had my son killed! There¡®s no way I¡®ll forgive her! Chapter 10 Chapter 10 Genevieve¡®s head, neck, and arms were covered in bandages when she woke up. She hissed in pain every time she moved slightly.. She was detained at the police station. When one of the policemen came to bring her food, he said, ¡°You¡®re suspected of the attempted murder of Cooper Sutton, the CEO of Specter Corporation. Wait patiently for your court summons!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. At that moment, she really hated herself for not keeping an eye on that car and letting Cooper escape! She did not want to wait idly there, for she could foresee her predicament, so she called out to the policeman, ¡°I want to make a call to get awyer.¡± The policeman sneered and ignored her. After missing for the whole day, the policeman reappeared at night unexpectedly and brought two women into the detention room. Then he uncuffed them. Genevieve noticed them casting her hostile nces. She inched backward and kept her guard up. She tried to stay awake, but she could not make it and gradually dozed off in the early hours of the morning. Suddenly, she felt someone pinching her injured arm with force. She opened her eyes in pain but realized her mouth was stuffed with something, preventing her from making noise. ¡°Don¡®t me us! Someone paid us money to do their dirty deeds for them!¡± one of the women said as she gave Genevieve a tight p. She continued with malice, ¡°The person said we could torture you however we want. We just need to keep you alive!¡± Cooper wants to take my life! Hatred overwhelmed her, and her eyes reddened. She struggled with all her might. She bent her knee and kicked the woman in the abdomen, causing thetter to stoop over, barely able to get up due to the pain. Before Genevieve could get up from the ground, she felt a stinging pain at the back of her head. The other woman had grabbed her hair and given her a few more ps. She was pressing into Genevieve¡®s wounds with two of her fingers. ¡°Ugh!¡± Genevieve was in so much pain that she fainted, Ever since the IWO women were brought into the same detention room as her, the policeman, who was supposed to patrol every few hours, was nowhere to be seen. Every time, the policeman would onlye cover and ce the food on the ground, and he Totally ignored Genevieve, who was lying on the ground, In just a few days, Genevieve was tortured 10 the point that she was almost unrecognizable, Her torso was covered in blood¨Csoaked bandages that had dried and turned sticky. The Iwo women even used toothbrushes to assault her throat, She could even taste blood when she swallowed her saliva. In the end, she could not even speak That day, Genevieve was tortured by the two women the whole day until her vision became slightly blurry. As shey on the ground, she vaguely heard a pair of high heels clicking on the ground. ¡°Who struck Ms. Rachford with such force that her face swelled?¡± The woman squatted down, and her hand reached to caress Genevieve¡®s check before pinching it violently. ¡°Hmm...¡± Cenevieve curled into a ball from the pain, trembling. Erica felt utter joy seeing Cenevieve on the verge of dying. ¡°Didn¡®t you ask me why I treated you this way? That¡®s because...¡± She leaned closer to the metal gate and whispered, ¡°I hate you! I hate that you are born with privilege and get to enjoy all the glory and wealth. I hate that you have such a blissful family! You¡®ve nothing now! Even the man you love belongs to me! We even have a child! We are the blissful family now! Ah!¡± When Erica was engrossed in her speech, Genevieve bit her finger. She bit with all her strength, The iwo women in the detention room quickly dragged Genevieve away and pped her. Erica finally managed to pull her hand out. However, her finger was bleeding profusely. ¡°Genevieve, you¡®re insane!¡± Erica took out a Lissue from her bag to stop the bleeding. After her finger stopped bleeding, she leaned closer to the metal gate again. ¡°Today is Coop¡®s birthday. I feel that I have to let you celebrate it too, so I¡®ve gotten a present for you.¡± She took out a photo from her bag and held it out for Genevieve to see. It was a photo of Winifred. Her hand was ced on her chest, and her widened eyes were unfocused. She seemed to have passed. Genevieve stared at the photo and started to struggle. Her gaze was filled with misery. ¡°That¡®s right! Your grandmother¡®s dead!¡± Erica even extended her hand across the metal gate so that Genevieve could see the picture better. ¡°When she found out you were suspected of attempted murder and sentenced to death, she was so shocked that she suffered a cardiac arrest and passed away. See, I¡®m so nice. I asked someone to take a photo before your grandma died so I can bring it to you.¡± ¡°You¡®re lying!¡± When Genevieve spoke, blood flowed out of the corner of her mouth. She remembered that Winifred was recovering well before she left the hospital the other day. There was no way her grandmother had died. Erica scoffed coldly. ¡°I never joke with you.¡± No! No! It¡®s impossible! Genevieve suddenly recalled the phone number Steven gave her, and a glimmer of hope ignited in her heart. After breaking free from the two women with all her might, she grabbed one of them, gripped the She knew that the neck was the weakest part of the body! Chapter 11 Chapter 11 ¡°Call...¡± Genevieve revealed a string of numbers, pressing her nails on the woman¡®s neck. Thetter¡®s legs went weak. Immediately, she turned and shot Erica a pleading nce. ¡°G¨CGenevieve, don¡®t be reckless!¡± Panic¨Cstricken, Erica never expected Genevieve to do such a thing. ¡°You don¡®t even have a home now. Who else can you contact for help?¡± She was Genevieve¡®s friend for several years, so she knew very clearly about Genevieve¡®s social circle. On top of that, she had already bribed Genevieve¡®s friends who had a good family background. There¡®s no way she could get anyone toe to her aid! ¡°You better... call that number!¡± Genevieve said that through gritted teeth. Her nails already pierced the woman¡®s neck. Thetter¡®s legs trembled in fright with her mouth agape. Erica¡®s face fell. She was afraid that the woman would call out her name by ident. Gnashing her teeth, she reluctantly called the number mentioned by Genevieve. Soon enough, the call got through. ¡°Hello?¡± Hearing that familiar voice, Genevieve was on the verge of tears. Gulping down a mouthful of bloody saliva, she mustered up her strength to say, ¡°I¡®m Genevieve... Come to the police station... in Yaleview.¡± As long as she could get to the hospital to see her grandmother, she would not mind giving up her own life if the man decided to im it. Her own dignity paled inparison to her only kin in the world. In a sh, the policemen rushed over to the source of themotion. Nevertheless, the moment they saw that Genevieve was gripping the other woman¡®s neck, seemingly intending to perish together with her, the policemen dared not barge in rashly. Time ticked by. Erica did not see anybodying. She figured that Genevieve had to be bluffing, so she wanted to instigate the policemen to subdue Genevieve. Yet, the next second, a man who was around thirty years old was seen striding toward the detention room in a hurry. When Genevieve saw that man, a sliver of hope shed across her eyes. She pleaded pitifully, ¡°Bail me out... Please! I need to go to the hospital.¡± Wearing a grim countenance, the man nodded and spun on his heels very quickly. Within a minute, not only did the man return, but he also brought along the chief of police When the man stepped in to help Genevieve out, the chief even asked in a courteous manner, ¡°Mr. Sullivan, do you need me to arrange for someone to get you two to the hospital?¡± ¡°No, it¡®s fine.¡± Erica gawked at the man leaving with Genevieve in his arms. She was beyond astonished. ¡°Chief, Genevieve¡®s suspected of murder! How could we release her?¡± she questioned the chief ¡°Since we have no concrete evidence, we can¡®t detain her here any longer.¡± The chief was rather impatient as he added, ¡°Just leave if you have nothing else to report!¡± No words could express Erica¡®s rage at that time. Yet, she had no choice but to do his bidding She knew Cooper was quite close with the deputy chief of the police station in Jadeborough. Because of that, she could easily arrange for somebody to deal with Genevieve. Never in a million years would Erica expect that Genevieve could summon a backer to bail her out of the police station, After arriving at the hospital with Steven, Genevieve staggered all the way as she dashed toward her grandmother¡®s ward. Coincidentally, she bumped into the nurse who had been taking care of her grandmother. The nurse felt sorry for Genevieve. ¡°Please ept my deepest condolences, Ms. Rachford.¡± Following that, Genevieve caught a glimpse of the hospital bed behind the nurse. The patient lying in that bed had been covered by a sheet of white cloth from head to toe. Auhat juncture, her blood ran cold, and her whole body froze. A suffocating sensation overcame her. ¡°G¨CGrandma?¡± With a stiff gait. she limped toward the hospital bed and raised her quivering hand. ¡°I¨C I¡®m sorry... that I took so long to get here... I¡®m Vivi...¡± She struggled hard to spit the words out as she called out to her grandmother. s, she would never receive a response. Lifting up the white cloth, she saw her grandmother¡®s cold, pale face. Her knees became feeble, and she kneeled down on the spot. Letting out an agonizing scream, she began to cry her lungs out. ¡°Grandma...¡± Winifred had been her sole motivation to keep moving forward in life. However, even her only family was gone forever. At that moment, she felt aggrieved. If she had ditched that so¨Ccalled dignity of hers the other day and followed Steven to the mansion, she would not have been tricked by Cooper and sent to jail. Her grandmother would have been alive. Genevieve hugged her grandmother¡®s body all day and night, crying her heart out till she had no more tears left to cry. The day when Winifred was buried, the sky above Jadeborough turned as gloomy as ever. It was drizzling. Being absent¨Cminded, Genevieve watched the workers handling the ashes of her grandmother¡®s remains. Even after everyone had left, she was still standing in front of her grandmother¡®s grave, drenching herself wet in the rain. From that moment onward, she knew she would be all on her own. After Winifred¡®s funeral, Genevieve followed Steven and returned to Swallow Garden. Locking herself up in the room for three days, she did not even touch any food that was served to her at the door. Steven feared that something bad might happen if Genevieve continued to be like that. Hence, he called Armand directly. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. That very night, Armand came to the mansion. He used the spare key to unlock the door and entered the room, only to find that every window and any hole that could transmit light had been covered. It was pitch ck. Then, he could hear the intermittent murmurs of a woman, who was seemingly crying in her sleep. ¡°Mom, I¡®m so scared... Take me with you all, please...¡± Armand made his way toward the nightmp and turn it on. A woman all huddled up in bed instantly came into sight. It had only been a few days, but Genevieve was all skin and bone. Her slender fingers gripped the bedsheet with all her might. They were so thin that the veins popped up all over the back of her hands. Worst still, utter despair was written all over her already pale face. Traces of her tears were evident on her cheeks. If this woman still doesn¡®t fill her stomach, she might not even wake up tomorrow! Chapter 12 Chapter 12 A hint of displeasure erupted within Armand¡®s heart. He picked up the bowl of oatmeal that he had brought in earlier and drank a mouthful of it. Then, he leaned over to the woman and locked his lips on hers. Forcing open her mouth with his, he fed her the oatmeal through her teeth and down her throat. Perhaps Genevieve was too famished that she instinctively swallowed the oatmeal even in her slumber. Just like that, she was fed one mouth after another. In a matter of minutes, her stomach was filled with that bowl of oatmeal. Armand¡®s bunched¨Cup brows also rxed on that note. He tried to withdraw his hand from the back of Genevieve¡®s neck, yet she clenched his hand and ced his palm on her cheek. Mom¡­ muttered Genevieve. It was as if she had found someone to rely on. Her warm tears soon wetted the man¡®s hand. ¡°I missed you so much... Bring me along with you.¡± Hanging his head low, Armand watched the woman quietly with an impassive gaze. ¡°Genevieve, only you can save yourself.¡± He forcefully retracted his hand and left the room. In Genevieve¡®s dream, she saw her long¨Cgone parents. They came back to her just to reproach her for falling head over heels for Cooper and letting him swindle her out of theirpany. Their interrogation overwhelmed and hurt her so much that she could not even breathe. Sobbing miserably, she pleaded with them to take her with them. While she was in a daze, she heard someone telling her in her ear that only she could save herself. Her eyelids snapped open out of the blue, and all she could see was the white ceiling, Winifred could have been fine. It was Erica who had gone to the hospital and told Winifred that her only granddaughter was a murderer. That was how Winifred got agitated and kicked the bucket. Genevieve vowed to reim Specter Corporation and avenge her parents. Cooper Sutton! Erica Hall! They must pay with their blood! Her leary eyes became ice¨Ccold and resolute. Grabbing her dress from the chair, she changed her clothes and stepped out of the bedroom. After she went downstairs, she saw a man sitting in the dining room. He was d in a light gray vest and shirt, appearing to have just gotten off from work. Putting on an indifferent look, he was enjoying his dinner while listening to Steven¡®s report. ¡°Ms. Rachford,¡± Steven first noticed Genevieve and shed a faint grin. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Genevieve nodded. ¡°How long have I been asleep?¡± ¡°A week.¡± ¡°That long?¡± Genevieve was taken aback. Even so, she was baffled, for she was not starving at all despite the long, deep sleep. The housekeeper headed into the kitchen to fetch a te and a set of cutlery before cing them right in front of Genevieve. Genevieve sneaked a peek at the man sitting opposite her. She wanted to get something out of her mind, but seeing that Steven was reporting some matters to him, she lowered her head and took her meal in silence. Very soon, Armand finished his dinner. He got up from his seat and went upstairs straight away. Genevieve, too, put down her fork and spoon. She trailed behind Armand and walked into his bedroom. He was undoing his vest and making his way toward the bathroom. Biting her lip, Genevieve mustered up all her courage and walked up to him. ¡°L¨CLet me help you with that.¡± The man was so tall. Genevieve had to lift her hands all the way just to Armand did not budge. He merely lowered his gaze and stared at her The two of them were only a few inches apart. Genevieve could sense the chilling vibe emanating from the man¡®s body. Sadly, her hands were shivering involuntarily, and she could not even undo the button of his cor. Wearing a nonchnt visage, Armand shoved her hands away. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°I..¡± Genevieve pursed her lips. ¡°Thank you for getting someone to get me out of the police station.¡± If it had not been for him, she would have been detained at the police station and then summoned to court. Moreover, Winifred¡¯s funeral matters were also arranged by him. Now, I¡®m left with nothing. All I have is¡­ this. Thinking of all that, Genevieve unzipped the dress on her back, and the dress fell to the floor. As she exposed her fair skin to the air, her body shuddered slightly. Armand was standing face to face with Genevieve, so of course, it was inevitable for him to witness it all. His breath quickened a little. Noticing his gaze, Genevieve felt uneasy. cing her hands on her chest, she appeared to be covering something. ¡°Please help me. I¡®m begging you. I need to take back Specter Corporation,¡± she said, her voice thick with bitterness. Specter Corporation is the legacy my parents have left for me. I have to get it back no matter what! N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°And so you strip in front of me?¡± Shooting her a piercing re, Armand sneered, ¡°Even the women in the brothel would try to flirt with the guests to seduce them, but you... You look totally like a zombie standing right before me. The only difference is your fairer skin!¡± Genevieve did not anticipate any of that. She surrendered to him thest bit of dignity she had, only to be bombarded with such a nasty criticism in return. The sudden surge of humiliation made her cheeks flush as red as a tomato. At that moment, Armand¡®s phone rang. ¡°I¡®m not interested in zombies. Put on your clothes and go back to your room.¡± As the man dropped the words, he paced toward the window and answered the call. Genevieve, in turn, hurriedly put on her dress and scurried back to her room, keeping her head low the whole time. mming the door behind her, she slipped down against the door and sat on the floor. As she thought of what he had just said to her, she felt ashamed yet upset as she buried her head between her arms. She had no idea who that man was exactly, but he seemed to know every single thing. He could even ask the chief to personally send her out of the police station. That alone was sufficient to prove that he was no ordinary man. She had thought that he wanted to bed her. Besides, she could offer him nothing else but that. Still, she was utterly rejected by him a while ago. Chapter 13 Chapter 13 When she woke up the next day, Genevieve hurriedly descended the stairs only to find the driver, Steven, on the first floor. Armand was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Morning, Ms. Rachford,¡± Steven greeted, ¡°Mr. Faulkner told me to bring you to buy some clothester before he left.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Genevieve nodded, but she was puzzled inside. If the man is not interested in my body, why is he so nice to me? After breakfast, Steven drove Genevieve to the city¡¯srgest shoppingplex He dropped Genevieve off to shop on her own as he looked for a parking space, s, Genevieve was still reeling from her grandmother¡¯s death. She was in a daze as she walked inside the mall. ¡°Miss, these are thetest designs. You can try it on.¡± A sudden voice was heard next to her, shocking Genevieve from her stupor. Without realizing it, she had walked into a luxury boutique and stood next to a rack At that instant, she recalled her purpose foring here, which was to buy some clothing for herself. She forced herself to feel perky and was about to take the snow-white silk dress off the rack when a hand suddenly darted in and snatched the dress away from the rack before she could. The owner of the hand did not think she was being rude as she offered the dress she snatched to the person beside her. ¡°Erica, look at this! It¡¯ll look beautiful on you!¡± Genevieve turned around sharply at the source of the sound and saw a few women choosing some clothes next to her. Erica, who was surrounded by two women, was wearing thetest maxi dress from Desiree and holding a Hermayze bag in her hand. She looked shy and extravagant. ¡°Hmm¡­ This is nice,¡± Erica praised her friend¡¯s good eye before she felt a piercing stare directed at her. She turned around and found Genevieve standing not far away. Genevieve looked pale and seemingly unwell. Ever since Genevieve was posted out on bail, Erica had secretly investigated the man and discovered he was someone¡¯s driver. She would have never thought the driver was this capable. Moreover, he even had the money to sponsor Genevieve¡¯s trip to a luxury boutique! As Erica thought of Genevieve¡¯s fall from grace, she felt pleasure at thetter¡¯s misfortune, With a smug smile on her face, she walked over to Genevieve. ¡°What a coincidence meeting you here, Genevieve.¡± Genevieve stared at Erica with hatred. She was so angry that her hands balled into fists, and her N?velDrama.Org content. fingernails dug into her palms. She wished she could end Erica then and there! However, she had nothing now. She was even rejected by the man cruelly the day before, so she couldn¡¯t defeat Erica. As she thought of that, her eyes dimmed. Then she turned to leave. Seeing that Genevieve looked depressed, Erica knew she couldn¡¯t pass up the opportunity to bully her. ¡°Genevieve¡±¡ªErica blocked her away¡ª¡±I know you¡¯re still sad about your grandma¡¯s passing. Here, take this. There are five hundred thousand deposited on the card. Since we were ssmates, I¡¯ll give this to you.¡± She took a card from her bag and tried to stuff it to Genevieve. ¡°I don¡¯t want it!¡± Genevieve yelled and swatted Erica¡¯s hand away. One of Erica¡¯s friends scoffed, ¡°Genevieve, how could you do this to Erica? Erica was worried about you! She gave this money to you because she was afraid you¡¯d go hungry! Everyone knows you¡¯ve slept with some random man. Do you think anyone would want you in theirpany?¡± The other chimed in, ¡°Heh, I don¡¯t think she needs to work since she has that pretty face. She only has to spread her legs in any club, and she¡¯ll get loads of money!¡± ¡°Haha, you¡¯re so mean!¡± As Erica¡¯s friends mocked Genevieve, Erica watched on with a smirk and did nothing to stop them. Erica used to be a nobody next to Genevieve. She was jealous of how others admired Genevieve, envious of Genevieve¡¯s family background, and eventually wanted everything Genevieve had. And finally, her wish hade true! Their positions had changed! Erica tried to stuff the card to Genevieve again and said gently, ¡°Stop being so proud, Genevieve. Take the card. I think your departed parents and grandma wouldn¡¯t want you to wallow in misery¡­¡± Genevieve endured her sarcasm-or at least tried to. When she saw how arrogant Erica was being as she kept mocking her family members, she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and grabbed Erica¡¯s cor, pping her on both sides of her face. Genevieve pped her again and again, all with considerable force. Immediately, Erica felt her cheeks burn with pain and tried to push Genevieve away. However, Genevieve managed to grab Erica¡¯s outstretched hands and pped Erica even harder. ¡°Genevieve, what are you doing?¡± rmed, Erica¡¯s two friends tried to help Erica. But after Genevieve red murderously at the duo, they stood rooted to the spot out of fear. This woman is too scary! ¡°I am still a Rachford even if I have lost everything!¡± dered Genevieve while she kept pping Erica. ¡°For as long as I live, I swear I will revive the Rachford name! As for you¡­ even if you cover yourself with branded goods, the foul countryside stench you emit cannot be masked!¡± Soon after, arge crowd formed due to themotion in the store. Under the surprised gazes of the onlookers, Erica, who was being pped until her cheeks were swollen and red, couldn¡¯t release herself from Genevieve¡¯s firm grasp no matter how hard she tried. After a full three minutes, Genevieve stopped pping. Then, she looked coldly at Erica before saying, ¡°The one who should be afraid now is you! One day, I¡¯lle back for my revenge! You¡¯ll pay for what you did to my grandma!¡± The deep hatred in her eyes scared Erica. She shuddered involuntarily, and traces of terror shed in her eyes. Impossible! You¡¯ve lost everything! You can¡¯te back from this! This thought ayed Erica¡¯s fears. When she raised her hand and tried to return the p, a hand emerged from her side, grabbed her wrist, and flung her away. Erica couldn¡¯t help but release a cry of pain as she was sent to the ground. Chapter 14 Chapter 14 ¡°Finding a parking spot took me quite a bit of time,¡± the man exined. The man was none other than Steven. ¡°Ms. Rachford, do you have your eye on any of the clothes here? If not, we¡®ll visit another shop.¡± On the floor, Erica endured her pain and hollered, ¡°Don¡®t be deceived by her looks! Your girlfriend is no good! She¡®s dirty!¡± Steven did not spare a nce at her as he faced only Genevieve. ¡°Let¡®s go, Ms. Rachford.¡± Soon after that, they left the boutique. When Erica saw both of them leaving just like that, she was so angry that she felt like screaming. Subsequently, she whipped out her phone and called the police. s, she was told that the deputy police chief was currently outstation, and the surveince cameras at the boutique were not operating. This meant that there were no actual recordings of the incident, and the police couldn¡®t do anything to Genevieve without proof. Do I just let her leave like that? The more she thought about it, the more upset she became, and eventually, she ditched her friends and went to Specter Corporation. Cooper was going through some documents when he heard a knock on the door. When he raised his head, he saw Erica. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°Coop,¡± Erica whined. She walked over to him and sat on hisp. ¡°I saw Genevieve just now in the shopping mall. I talked to her, but she did this to me..¡± Erica removed her mask and revealed a swollen face. Even though she had tried an icepress on it, it was still inmed, and she looked terrible. Cooper frowned. ¡°She did this?¡± Erica nodded. ¡°Do you remember thest time I told you there was someone who bailed out Genevieve from the police station? I found that that man is someone¡®s driver. He¡®s about thirty years old... Don¡®t you think she shouldn¡®t resort to such methods even if her family is gone? ¡°I gave her money because she¡®s my friend. I wanted to dissuade her from doing those kinds of things so that she won¡®t betray her deceased parents¡® expectations. But not only did she not take my money, she even pped me and yelled at me!¡± A cold glint shed across Cooper¡®s eyes as he listened to her recount. Although Cooper had said nothing. lie had tacitly consentito how Cric Vine Genericvrs grandmother and said something to aggravate her vickiewinntil she died, Additionally, he had also acquiescelto lirica sending people toment cinevirve in the police detention room. The Rachford family hadowed him too much, so much that they couldn¡®t repay him in full even after dying. He did not want Genevieve to live infortable life cither. However, when Erica recounted how far Genevieve had Gallen, such as submitting herself to an old man because she wanted to be posted on bail, Cooper felt a twinge of agitation At that instant, Erica felt the hand grabbing her shoukler increase in strength. She could not help but call out to him, ¡°Coop, you¡®re hurting me.¡± ¡°Apply some ice packs on your face to reduce the swelling,¡± Cooper said coldly as he let go of her shoulder. ¡°There¡®s an exclusive banquet tonight at cight. You go with me. The attending guests are influential people in the business world, so don¡®t embarrass me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Erica tactfully stopped whining when she saw that the man wasn¡®t in a good mood. At seven o¡®clock at night, a Maybach stopped in front of the Lovely Heart Hotel. Lovely Heart Hotel was the only six¨Cstar hotel in Jadeborough. It was where banquets for receiving international guests, parties, and even weddings were held. Before the car even reached the hotel, Genevieve could already recognize that this was the hotel where she and Cooper had had their wedding banquet. As the images of her past surfaced, she felt her chest tighten. It was suffocating. Subsequently, she suppressed her raging emotions. Pursing her lips, she questioned, ¡°Is this the ce Mr. Faulkner said the banquet would be held?¡± Steven had received a call from his employer when they were about to return home after picking up her clothes. Armand¡®s orders were to notify Genevieve that he wanted her to attend a banquet with him tonight. Therefore, Steven had apanied her to pick up her formal dress and do her hair before sending her here. ¡°Yes, it¡®s Ballroom 3.¡± Steven handed over the invitation card to Genevieve. ¡°Mr. Faulkner is currently busy with his work in the office, and I need to pick him up. So please enter the ballroom first, Ms. Rachford.¡± What a coincidence... It¡®s Ballroom . Smiling bitterly, Genevieve received the invitation card. ¡°Okay, stay safe on the road.¡± She got down from the car and entered the hotel When she reached the entrance of the ballroom, she couldn¡®t stop herself from recalling the past, Images of the time during her wedding banquet litted through her mind, Amid the crowd¡®s cheering, she remembered how she had a blissful smile on her face when she kissed Cooper, When the server noticed Genevieve¡®s pale face and staggering gait, he couldn¡®t help but ask, ¡°Miss, are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡®m okay.¡± Genevieve shook her head. As she remembered her dead parents and grandmother, and Cooper¡®s cold gaze, she pursed her lips tightly and walked into the ballroom inrge strides. All the bliss that existed during her time with Cooper was reced with hatred now. People were holding drinking parties in the ballroom, and the atmosphere was vibrant and lively. During this period, Genevieve had gotten thinner. But being born into a wealthy family, she knew how N?velDrama.Org content. to carry herself with elegance. Coupled with her good looks that entuated her overall beauty, she stole the attention of almost half the people on the floor with her back tube top and slitted dress. The banquet lights shone on her shapely shoulders and her dipping yet longshes, all of them creating an impression of a fragile flower. As she stood there silently, her beauty shone. All the men in the ballroom stared at her in a daze. They couldn¡®t help but mutter, ¡°She¡®s so beautiful...¡± ¡°What¡®s the point of being beautiful?¡± a woman eximed sarcastically. ¡°She should have been contented with being married and not cheat on her husband!¡± ¡°That¡®s right! It makes you wonder how a woman like her is a daughter of the Rachford family.¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 Even after hearing the malicious remarks from the people around, Genevieve only pursed her pink lips and took a ss of champagne from the pedestal round table. She knew that it was Cooper who had designed the whole ordeal at the hotel. Given how the news had spread like wildfire online, she assumed Cooper had also assisted and fueled the mes in the background. Perhaps the entire Jadeborough had heard of her glorious incident. However, no matter how much she exined, nobody would believe the words that came from her mouth alone. It would be best if she pretended not to hear them. Genevieve took two sips of the champagne. Her eyes scanned around the venue. She realized that it was a grand dinner banquet. Almost all the influential people in the business industry were there. She was thankful that the man needed her. It implied that she was useful, which would lead to opportunities to negotiate with him. However, she was not sure what Armand needed her help with. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Genevieve stood in a corner when she entered the ballroom. She intended to stay invisible. Despite that, many men came over with an unscrupulous gaze. Somebody even said he was willing to pay her to be his mistress. That caused the women around to look at her and feel even more disgusted. There was a woman who could not stand it any longer. She took a ss of red wine and sshed it on Genevieve¡®s face. ¡°You¡®re so disgusting! Get out of this ce!¡± Genevieve closed her eyes as the cold wine was poured into them. Since she was young, Genevieve had always been pampered andplimented as the precious daughter of the Rachford family. That was the first time she had been publicly sshed with red wine when attending a banquet. Now, she had no more family. She was no longer the well¨Crespected Ms. Rachford and had nobody to protect her. Genevieve only stared at the woman. Without finding any fault with the woman, she turned to take some napkins from the table, and it was then she saw Cooper holding Erica as they walked in her direction. Cooper had a straight posture and was wearing a ck suit. There was a polite smile on his face, and he looked like a gentle fellow. ¡°Mrs. Jones!¡± Erica had attended plenty of banqueis an nuch, so she could easily recognize Mrs. Jones. As she went over to grect her, sheplimenici, ¡°Your pearl earrings look really good on you!¡± Secing that the woman was in a bad mood, Erica asked, ¡°What¡®s wrony, Mrs Jones?¡± ¡°I¡®ve met somebody with a bad omen!¡± Mrs Jones red at Genevieve, who had been sshed with red wine. ¡°She has thoroughly embarrassed the Kachford family. I don¡®t even know how she can make her way to the banqucul¡± Erica followed her gaze and saw the woman with a head full of wet hair. The woman was Genevieve! When Erica thought of how Genevieve had pped her in the shopping mall, she could feel the pain in her cheeks. She secretly red at Genevieve with bitterness, Not long after, Erica noticed that the gown Genevieve was wearing seemed to be an extraordinary one. Enviously, she walked in front of Genevieve and nced ist hier from head to toc, ¡°If I¡®m not mistaken, this gown is a limited edition from the fashion show by ymes. Even celebrities couldn¡®t purchase this. Genevieve, how did you get this?¡± After pausing for a moment, she deliberately increased her volume and said, ¡°Although your boyfriend, the driver, drives a luxurious car for somebody, he can¡®t afford this gown, righi?¡± Hearing Erica¡®s words, the women around looked at Genevieve disdainfully. Mrs. Jones mocked, ¡°She most likely got it by deceiving another man! It seems that she has put in a lot of effort just toe to this banquet.¡± ¡°And she calls herself the daughter of the Rachford family? She¡®s such a disgrace to Mr. Rachford!¡± ¡°Gosh, I feel so sorry for Mr. Sutton. He thought he had married a good wife. Who would¡®ve expected his wife to be that kind of person?¡± Genevieve ignored the gossip. She wiped her face and the stains on her gown with a napkin. When she was about to leave, a tall figure blocked her way. Cooper asked tly, ¡°This is an exclusive banquet. How did you get in here?¡± ¡°It¡®s none of your business.¡± Genevieve¡®s tone was a cold one. Her pathetic look fell within Cooper¡®s observation. With her half¨Cwet hair falling on her slender shoulders, she looked weak. No longer was she bright and mourous as before. Cooper felt delighted, but he felt a tinge of emotions in his heart at the same time. Genevieve felt that her wrist was about to break. She red at Cooper and said with resentment, ¡°Cooper, this is a banquet. There¡®s nothing between us anymore. Are you going to hurt me?¡± ¡°I don¡®t want anybody who isn¡®t supposed to be here to sneak in.¡± Cooper then shouted for a waiter. He was about to ask Genevieve to leave. Beside him, Erica could not help but utter, ¡°Coop. Noticing the aggrieved look on her face, Cooper understood what was on her mind. He held Genevieve¡®s wrist tightly and said, ¡°Errie told me she met you in the shopping mall this morning, and you pped her! You should apologize to her for how many times you¡®ve pped her! If you don¡®t, I¡®ll ask her to p you back.¡± Genevieve could feel the eyes of the busybodies on her. Her body trembled as the light shone on her pale face. A year ago, she had married Cooper in the same ballroom. Now, a yearter, in the same ballroom, she was humiliated by the same man and his mistress under the eyes of many. ¡°She insulted myte parents first. Why do I need to apologize?¡± Genevieve bit her tongue and remained calm. After a while, she chuckled coldly. ¡°A b*tch and a son of a b*tch... Both of you are indeed a match made in heaven.¡± Cooper¡®s eyes darkened. He gave her a p across the face. Genevieve did not manage to lift her hands to block him in time. She staggered a few steps back after the p and was about to fall over when a hand stretched out and held her waist. ¡°Mr. Sutton, what are you doing to my date?¡± The man¡¯s monotonous voice sounded from above her head. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 When Genevieve stabilized herself and stood up, she looked to the side. A man was seen standing silently, wearing a ck suit with his hand in his pocket. His whole body exuded a cold aura. The man¡¯s appearance was like a sedative that greatly eased Genevieve¡¯s heart. She pursed her pink lips, about to speak, but she noticed amotion breaking out around her. A lot of people had gathered around and were gossiping with each other. ¡°Oh my goodness! That¡¯s Armand Faulkner!¡± ¡°When did hee back? I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s here at the banquet!¡± What? Genevieve looked at the cold man beside her again. Although the Rachford family was also wealthy, they were notparable with the Faulkner family, which had been around for a hundred years. The Faulkner family¡¯s businesses were out of these small businessmen¡¯s league, not to mention getting to know a member of them. Regarding the news of the Faulkner family, Genevieve had heard them all from her circle of friends. Apparently, the core business of the Faulkner family was currently handled by their second wife¡¯s son, Armand. It was also rumored that Armand brought bad luck to his wives as his previous two fianc¨¦es had passed away. Both of them had passed away mysteriously each time their wedding dates were near. Genevieve was shocked to find out that he was Armand Faulkner! Somebody around them muttered, ¡°Did Mr. Faulkner just say that Genevieve was his date?¡± ¡°Cooper was being so harsh when he pped Mr. Faulkner¡¯s date in front of everybody. Do you think Mr. Faulkner will seek justice for her?¡± Those within the industry who had interacted with Armand before all knew about the matters of the Faulkner family. They were all aware that Armand was ruthless. Now that somebody had pped his date, it was equivalent to hitting Armand across the face as well. He would not let the person off the hook easily. Cooper and Erica were both in the business industry, so, naturally, they had heard of Armand. At that moment, both their faces were not looking well. Eventually, Erica broke the silence by saying, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, we didn¡¯t know that Genevieve was your date. Mr. Sutton didn¡¯t p her intentionally. She was being disrespectful first, so¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize to me,¡± Armand interrupted Erica¡¯s continuous exnation. His gaze remained cold. ¡°She is just a date.¡± Genevieve¡¯s heart sank when she heard those words. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Erica understood Armand¡¯s meaning in a second. Her anxiety vanished. Not just that, she even mocked, ¡°Genevieve, if youck money, let me know. I¡¯ll consider our friendship and lend you some. Don¡¯t assume that you can seduce anyone you like just because you¡¯re the daughter of the Rachford family!¡± The crowd startedughing too. ¡°Genevieve is such a joke. Did she think she could show off just because she was Mr. Faulkner¡¯s date?¡± : ¡°Mr. Faulkner, you should be more careful. Don¡¯t fall into the trap of this kind of woman.¡± Countless mockery targeted Genevieve. Despite that, Armand stood there coldly, not intending to say anything, and continued to let her be humiliated. Bearing all that, Genevieve was about to break down. She pushed through the crowd and ran to the restroom in embarrassment. She sshed some cold water onto her face, easing her emotions that were about to fall apart. However, her eyes were still filled with tears. She did not expect the man to lecture Cooper and Erica or help herself seek justice. However, it was the fact that Armand had said publicly that she was just a date, and he did not stop Erica from bullying her. Did he invite me to the banquet so that I could be ridiculed? ¡°Ms. Rachford.¡± All of a sudden, Steven¡¯s voice could be heard as he knocked on the restroom door. Genevieve took some napkins and wiped the water on her face. She opened the door, saying hoarsely, ¡°I¡¯ll go back myself. There¡¯s no need to trouble you. Also, I¡¯ve dirtied the gown. When I have the money, I¡¯ll¡ª¡± ¡°Ms. Rachford, you said you wanted revenge. However, look at you. You¡¯re too weak.¡± Steven shook his head. ¡°You couldn¡¯t even stand those few words spewed by others. Genevieve lowered her gaze, pressing her lips together. ¡°Mr. Faulkner didn¡¯t help me¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s your own revenge. Naturally, you have to be the one to seek it.¡± Steven passed a phone to Genevieve. ¡°Mr. Faulkner has already said that you can only count on yourself.¡± Genevieve vaguely recalled the exact phrase when she passed out at the mansion during those few days. Did Mr. Faulknere back to the mansion during those days? There was no passcode on the phone. Genevieve was able to ess it easily. She wondered what Steven wanted her to see. Very soon, she found a video from the album. After she finished watching the video, she knew what she had to do. Her depressed feelings disappeared instantly. Genevieve returned to the ballroom. She looked for a waiter, mumbled a few words, and shoved the phone into the waiter¡¯s hands along with some cash. The stack of cash moved the waiter. He swiftly turned around and left. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 Erica was currently chatting with several richdies, and she was making fun of Genevieve¡®s downfall. The sharp¨Ceyed Erica immediately noticed Genevieve when thetter returned to the banquet hall, and a cold smile appeared on her face. This woman is really pitiful! She has been humiliated like that, and she still has the courage to return. Before Erica could say something to Genevieve, the woman who had poured wine on Genevieve earlier yanked thetter over. ¡°You pped Ms. Hall a dozen times. Do you think we¡®re going to let it slide? Go apologize to her!¡± ¡°She¡®s a mistress and deserves to be beaten. Why should I apologize to her?¡± Genevieve dered firmly and shook the woman¡®s hand off. The current Genevieve was arrogant and confidentpared to her pathetic state a moment ago. Erica did not understand how Genevieve regained her confidence aftering back from the restroom. Then, she said indignantly, ¡°Genevieve, we¡®re friends. You¡®ve done something improper, yet you want to nder me?¡® Armand had also stated that Genevieve was just his femalepanion. ¡°I¡®m ndering you?¡± Genevieve sneered coldly and moved closer to Erica. ¡°Do you dare to swear an oath to everyone here that you, my best friend, have never seduced my ex husband and had a three¨C year¨Cold child with him?¡± Her bright eyes that carried a hint of coldness made Erica tremble. Thetter pushed Genevieve away with force. ¡°Why should I make an oath for something I have never done?¡± Genevieve replied coldly, ¡°You¡®re guilty, so you dare not give us your words.¡± The other woman seemed to be siding with Erica and said, ¡°Genevieve, everyone here will not be fooled by you. You¡®re the one who cheated on your husband first. You¡®re a lowly and shameless woman. Moreover, I believe that Ms. Hall isn¡®t that kind of person!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Genevieve raised her eyebrow and revealed a faint smile. ¡°I have an interesting video. I¡®ll y it on the projector screen for everyone to watch.¡± As her words fell, the huge projector screen in the banquet hall lit up all of a sudden. Soon, a video began ying on the screen. The first scene was Cooper and Erica talking in the hotel. Their conversation was heard clearly by everyone present. ¡°You¡®re really ruthless. You¡®re not leaving even a penny to Genevieve. I heard her grandmother¡®s medicine is quite expensive!¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. ¡°She¡®s already that old. It¡®s best if she is dead.¡± ¡°Cooper, are you so ruthless? You even dare to harm your adoptive parents?¡± Shortly after, the scene changed. Cooper drove his car to a mansion. Erica came out with a child, who ran up to Cooper and greeted sweetly, ¡°Daddy!¡± Although the video was just a few seconds, the contents were shocking, and half of the people present were stunned. Genevieve lifted her dress and walked up the stage one step at a time. She stood in front of the microphone and said, ¡°I believe everyone has seen the video on the projector screen. That¡®s right. Cooper is the adoptive son of the Rachford family and the man I loved for over ten years. Not only did he hook up with my best friend a long time ago, but he also framed me for cheating and forced me to divorce him without getting any property.¡± When Cooper came to his senses, he immediately ordered people to turn off the projector. Although he still had a friendly smile on his face, his eyes were cold. Genevieve was left with nothing after the divorce. How did she have the capability to get this video? Could it be¡­ Cooper found Armand in the crowd, and he noticed that Armand was talking to another businessman beside him with an indifferent expression as if he was not the slightest interested in Genevieve and the current matter. Soon, Cooper thought he had overthinked. Someone like Armand would never be interested in Genevieve. ¡°What should we do now, Coop?¡± Genevieve¡®s sudden retaliation made Erica panic. ¡°How did she know about these things?¡± Cooper threw a nce at her, and Erica swallowed all the words she was going to say. ¡°Genevieve, are you trying to use these two edited clips to get back at me?¡± Cooper raised his voice for all the guests to hear what he was saying ¡°You imed that I was involved in the death of your parents and had set you up so that we could get a divorce and you were left with nothing. Where are the proofs? We lived under the same roof for twenty years, and I know your personality very well. You¡®re wilful and stubborn. Now, you¡®re just trying to tarnish my reputation and get back at me because we divorced.¡± Soon, some guests began whispering among themselves. ¡°I heard when Cenevieve went abroad for a business trip, she went to a bar to hire a male model to drink with her.¡± ¡°I don¡®t think she can deal with businesses with that brain of hers. She must have gone abroad to enjoy herself.¡± ¡°That¡®s true.¡± People felt that Cooper¡®s words were more convincing, as there were videos of Genevieve meeting with a man in a hotel and another video of her hiring a male model in a bar when she was abroad. Everyone felt that the video Genevieve had broadcasted was fabricated and that she had done so to get back at Cooper because of the divorce. In fact, Genevieve knew that Cooper would exin himself, and the guests would not believe her. A faint smile crept over her red lips. ¡°I have already uploaded the video online. I believe an expert will be able to tell whether it has been edited or not. Cooper, I have already told you. I will make you pay for everything you have done to the Rachford family.¡± Genevieve red at Cooper, who was standing below the stage. Her gaze was firm and cold. ¡°There is plenty of time.¡± Chapter 18 Chapter 18 With that said, Genevieve left the banquet hall. Cooper stared at Genevieve¡¯s slender back as she left, and his calm demeanor finally faltered. Ten minutes ago, she had rushed to the restroom in a pathetic state. After she came back, however, she returned to her prideful self. Due to Genevieve¡¯s strong stance, some guests already began to doubt the authenticity of the video Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. yed just now. Some guests even came over to ask Cooper about it, making thetter feel very awkward. After dealing with all those bigwigs, Cooper went to the corner to make a phone call. ¡°Get rid of all those videos online¡­¡± After a pause, he added grimly, ¡°Also, send someone to tail Genevieve twenty-four-seven for a few days!¡± I want to see who¡¯s the one helping her. ple a good lesson in front of all Genevieve felt satisfied after teachim u those bigwigs. Her mood had seen Unlock seeded When she left the hotel, she saw a Maybach parked at the roadside. ¡°Ms. Rachford.¡± After Steven opened the car door, heplimented, ¡°I have witnessed everything that happened in the banquet hall. You have done a good job.¡± ¡°Thank you for giving me the video.¡± Steven shook his head. ¡°I just did what I was told. You have to thank Mr. Faulkner.¡± Genevieve was at a loss for words, and her lips twitched. Previously, she had indeed thought that Armand was there to mock her, and she had hated him for a moment because of that. Unexpectedly, Armand had set up everything behind the scenes. He was just waiting for her to exact vengeance personally. Everything he set up was really exciting¡­ Genevieve sat in the car and waited quietly. From time to time, she would take out her phone and scroll through Twitter. She had already uploaded the video online, but Cooper was still one step ahead of her. He had already contacted the publicists to deal with the video and rted articles. Thus, the video did not go viral on the inte, That did not matter to Genevieve. She was satisfied that she had used that video to embarrass Cooper and Erica. ¡°Mr. Faulkner.¡± Just when Genevieve was looking at her phone, she suddenly heard Steven¡¯s voice. Very soon, a figure entered the car Armand had a faint scent of smoke and alcohol on him. The scent enveloped Genevieve like a, and she instinctively straightened her back and leaned as far as possible to the other side of the car door. Armand seemed to be very tired. He rested with his eyes closed the moment he got into the car while leaning on the car seat. The car drove off slowly, and there was a pin-drop silence in the car. Genevieve hesitated for a few seconds when she saw a pharmacy that was open for twenty hours daily at the roadside. In the end, she asked Steven to stop the car and went inside to buy some medicine that was good for curing hangovers and a bottle of water. Seeing that Armand was still resting with his eyes closed, Genevieve said softly, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, I bought some medicine for you, and it¡¯s good for curing a hangover.¡± If it was not for Armand, she would not have the confidence to teach Cooper and Erica a lesson while everyone was watching. She felt very grateful to him. Seeing that Armand did not move, Genevieve thought that she had spoken too softly and so she leaned closer. ¡°Mr. Faulkner¡­¡± Just as she was about to speak again, the car that was moving steadily suddenly did a quick turn. Genevieve was caught off guard and crashed into Armand¡¯s chest. She could feel his warm skin underneath his clothes. A few secondster, Armand¡¯s teasing voice came from above her head. ¡°Do you like throwing yourself into my arms that much?¡± Genevieve¡¯s face reddened, and she pulled herself away from him frantically. Steven, who was in the driver¡¯s seat, apologized, ¡°Sorry, Mr. Faulkner. There was a car that ran the red light. I made a quick turn to avoid it.¡± Genevieve¡¯s awkwardness was alleviated after she heard Steven¡¯s words. She handed the medicine to Armand. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, I saw that you drank a lot of alcohol earlier. Your head will definitely hurt at night if you go to bed without taking this medicine.¡± Armand shot her a nce before he took the medicine from her and ate a tablet of the medicine. Genevieve watched him raise his head to drink the water. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed as he gulped, and he looked very seductive. She turned her head away hastily and struck up a conversation in order to ease the awkwardness. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, thank you for tonight¡± ¡°What I did was give you an opportunity. It was up to you how you would use it.¡± As Armand spoke, he paused before continuing, ¡°Previously, you begged me to help you take back Specter Corporation. I¡¯m willing to help.¡± Genevieve thought of that night when she took the initiative to offer herself but was disdained by the man. Her face reddened instantly. Could it be that he¡­ Armand seemed to see through Genevieve¡¯s thoughts through her expression. He sneered and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not interested in your body.¡± This time, Genevieve was taken aback instead. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, what¡­ do you want, then?¡± I don¡¯t have anything to give him. Armand rubbed his fingers on the water bottle and said tly, ¡°My grandmother is getting old, and she wishes for me to get married and have kids soon. I need you to marry me. You will get the title of Mrs. Faulkner after the marriage. You can take advantage of the uitle and do anything you want. I won¡¯t stand in your way. After half a year of our marriage, I will gift you with Specter Corporation.¡± Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Although Specter Corporation wasn¡¯t as well known, it was still one of the top hundredth major-listed acquire it. Yet Armand said he would get Specter Corporation back for her in half a year. Genevieve was in dire need of backing at that point, and Armand was undoubtedly the best option. Hence, she wished she could agree to his request immediately. However, the moment she calmed down, she recalled the rumors about him and clenched her fists slightly She heard that he had married twice, but both ended with the bride dying a day before the wedding. Though none mentioned it upfront, people were secretly gossiping that he brought about the death of his wives. A whileter, Genevieve couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why me?¡± Indeed, even if both Armand¡¯s marriages were unsessful, the Faulkner family was undeniably a great, aristocratic family. Whoever married into the family would surely get to live a life of luxury. Many women would still want to try their luck despite knowing they might die. ¡°Since you have no family background and rtives, you won¡¯t pose a threat to me,¡± Armand answered tly. Genevieve was at a loss for words at his reply. Shortly after, she remembered that his first fianc¨¦e was the youngest daughter of the cruise ship tycoon in Xedells. The tycoon was so upset upon hearing the news of his daughter¡¯s death that he got admitted to the ICU iwice. It took two billion from the Faulkner family to quell this incident The second woman was the daughter of the chairman of a famous foodpany. Her death had allowed the chairman to reap a sum of money from the Faulkner family too. N?velDrama.Org content rights. It was then that Genevieve realized why he had been kind to her and helped her multiple times. Since I have no family background and rtives, I¡¯m easy to control. He doesn¡¯t need to worry about getting a request for a sizeable amount ofpensation from the Rachford family if I suddenly die. Upon figuring out the scheme underneath his calm voice, Genevieve instantly felt shivers down her spine. After taking a deep breath, she replied with a look of determination, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll marry you.¡± As long as he can help me avenge mysell, I¡¯ll even offer my life to him without hesitation. Armand¡¯s cold expression linally turned warm. ¡°I¡¯m free tomorrow morning. Bring along your household registry. We¡¯ll head to the City Hall to register our marriage.¡± Hearing that, Steven, who was driving, nced ut Armand from the rearview mirror in shock Didn¡¯? Mr. Faulkner say that it would be ake marriage? I¡¯ve even got someone to prepare a fake marriage certificate already. But now¡­ ¡°Okay.¡° Genevieve had nothing against his arrangement. Since she had agreed to marry him, naturally, they would need to register their marriage. Soon, they arrived at Swallow Garden. Genevieve followed Armand upstairs. When she saw him close the door after entering his bedroom, a sense of relief washed over her instantly and her nervousness dissipated. Upon returning to the guest room, she took a shower and went to bed. Unfortunately, she didn¡¯t have a good night¡¯s sleep. sleep. ¡± As soon as she closed her eyes, she recalled her deceased parents, Winifred¡¯s cold corpse in the ward, and Cooper¡¯s cold gaze. All of those were like a massive weight pressed down on her chest, suffocating her. The next day, she woke up feeling slightly dizzy. When she came downstairs after washing up, Armand was already sitting at the dining table, enjoying his breakfast with Steven waiting at the side. ¡°Morning, Ms. Rachford,¡± Steven greeted her. ¡°Morning.¡± Genevieve smiled and sat across from Armand. The breakfast was then swiftly served to her by the housekeeper. Genevieve ate the bread absentmindedly. asionally, she would raise her head and sneak a nce at Armand. He was having his mcal gracefully with a tablet in one hand, not making any sound. After a moment of deliberation, Genevieve piped up. ¡°Mr. Faulkner¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± When he saw the troubled look she wore upon sweeping a nce across her face, he continued, ¡°Are you regretting it now?¡± 23:25 GAL: ¡°No..¡± Genevieve mustered up her courage and uttered, ¡°Before we get our marriage certificate, can we sign a contract? If I pass away in an ident after our marriage, you¡¯ll need to take back Specter Corporation within half a year as per contractualmitment and manage it in the name of the Rachford family. As for the earned money, donate them to the children¡¯s emergency fund.¡± ¡°Is that all?¡± Her words seemed to amuse Armand as he broke into a few chuckles. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s all.¡± Slightly embarrassed, Genevieve pursed her lips. She knew Armand had helped her several times before and was aware that it was shameless for her to make such demands when she could offer nothing in return. However, everyone was afraid of death, and she was no exception. Armand instructed Steven, ¡°Get thewyer to prepare a contract and send it over.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Faulkner.¡± With that, Steven went to get it done immediately. Since Armand was downstairs early, he had finished eating before the contract was sent over. Putting down the napkin, he looked at Genevieve, who was sitting opposite him. Abruptly, he said, ¡°You won¡¯t die even if you marry me.¡± I will never allow that to happen. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Not knowing how to respond, Genevieve merely hummed in acknowledgment, lowereel her head, and resumed eating Steven was indeed efficient. Approximately i wenty minutes after he made the call, a refinedwyer in a suit arrived at the mansion. Armand passed the contract to Genevieve, ¡°Take a look and let me know if there¡¯s anything you want to change.¡± Genevieve took the contract and went through the content once, only to find all her requests inside without a w. Just as she picked up a pen and was about to sign at the bottom of thest page, she paused for a few seconds before signing it swiftly soon after. Once thewyer left, Armand nced at his watch. ¡°Did you take your household registry?¡± ¡°All my important things are with Maria. She¡¯s the housekeeper who took care of me before. The same goes for my household registry. I¡¯ll get it from her on the wayter,¡± Genevieve said while picking up the Unlock seeded Armand hummed in reply and headed out with her. When they reached the outdoor parking lot, Armand¡¯s phone rang. After ncing at his phone, he answered with a frown, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Armand¡¯s face fell as the person on the other end said something inaudible to Genevieve. Following that, he hung up the phone. ¡°Steven, escort Genevieve to take her household registry. I¡¯m going out for a while.¡± Having said that, Armand got into the driver¡¯s seat of the Maybach and swiftly drove away from Swallow Garden. Did something happen at thepany? Afraid that Armand had something urgent to deal with, she wanted to ask Steven to help him instead. However, as if he could see through her mind, Steven smiled slightly and started, ¡°It¡¯s nothing urgent if Mr. Faulkner doesn¡¯t ask for my help, so you don¡¯t have to worry, Ms. Rachford. Please get in the car.¡± ¡°All right.¡± At his reassurance, Genevieve bent down and got into the car, putting her worries aside. Maria lived out of town, and it took approximately twenty minutes for them to reach her house. Genevieve went upstairs, leaving Steven waiting for her downstairs. Before she could knock on the door, she heard a ng, followed by Maria¡¯s yelp of pain from the inside. ¡°Maria?¡± Genevieve¡¯s heart sank. She banged on the door and yelled, ¡°Are you all right?¡± When there was no response, her heart sank deeper. Maria watched her grow up. She only had Maria left ever since Winifred had also passed away. Genevieve fished out her phone and was about to call Steven toe upstairs when the door suddenly swung open, revealing Maria¡¯s face. ¡°Ms. Rachford, why are you here?¡± ¡°I¡¯vee over to retrieve something.¡± Before Genevieve could heave a relief sigh at the sight of Maria, she noticed her bending her back with an abnormal expression on her face. ¡°Maria, what happened to your back?¡± Maria forced a chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I fell and sprained my back just now.¡± ¡°You¡¯re sweating all over your forehead, and you¡¯re telling me you¡¯re fine? Quick, let¡¯s go to the hospital.¡± Knowing how fragile Maria¡¯s body was at her age, Genevieve quickly supported her and led her to the elevator. ¡°Why are we going to the hospital? There¡¯s no need for the trouble.¡± Just as Maria wanted to reject her, an unbearable pain surged from her back, causing her to cry out in pain once again. Seeing that, Genevieve grew more anxious. Once they reached downstairs, Genevieve helped Maria into the back seat carefully. ¡°Steven, please head to the hospital.¡± Steven quickly started the car. That day was coincidentally a Friday, so the hospital was full of people, especially in the orthopedics department. Even with a VIP number, there were still over ten patients before them. As Maria began shouting louder and louder out of pain, Genevieve¡¯s brows creased tightly. Unfortunately, the VIP number required one¡¯s name as proof. Therefore, even if she swapped their sequence with someone before them, they would eventually get chased out bal. due to an incorrect name. Upon taking in how anxious she was from the side, Steven hesitated for a while before approaching her, unable to hold back himself anymore. ¡°Mr. Faulkner has a friend who is a doctor at this hospital. He isn¡¯t from the orthopedics department, but his medical skills are broad. He can treat some small issues as well.¡± Genevieve nodded without hesitation. ¡°In that case, please show us the way.¡± Since ten more patients were waiting before them, it would probably already be afternoon by the time it N?velDrama.Org content. was their turn. Maria¡¯s injury might be even more severe by then. Soon, under Steven¡¯s lead, they arrived at the neurosurgery department. As soon as Genevieve stepped into the office, she saw a young man answering a call while leaning against the table. He was wearing a white coat, and he looked overly young. He even tied his long hair behind his head with a rubber band. No matter how one looked at him, he looked like a model who had entered the wrong site, which happened to be a hospital in this case. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 ¡°Dr. Jensen.¡± Steven helped Maria to sit on the hospital bed. ¡°Thisdy sprained her waist. Please take a look.¡± ¡°Hey, I¡®m a neurosurgery doctor, not an orthopedic. You¡®re just like your boss...¡± Timothyined. Then, he hung up the phone and asked, ¡°Whose rtive is she?¡± ¡°She is Ms. Rachford¡®s housekeeper.¡± Steven pointed at Genevieve. Then, he walked up to Timothy and whispered into his ear. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The next second, Timothy looked up at Genevieve in surprise. His gaze brought goose bumps to Genevieve¡®s arms. After rubbing her arms to calm down, she said politely, ¡°Dr. Jensen, please take a look at my housekeeper¡®s injury.¡± ¡°Okay. How can I ever refuse a beautifuldy¡®s request?¡± Timothy replied cheekily. After that, he retracted his curious gaze, put on a pair of medical gloves, and started examining Maria¡®s waist. Timothy softly pressed Maria¡®s waist a few times. All of a sudden, there was a soft crack, and Maria could straighten her back again. Maria stood up and walked a few steps before she said in surprise, ¡°Wow! My back doesn¡®t hurt anymore. You¡®re pretty good.¡± ¡°Of course. You need to have skills to be a doctor.¡± Later, Timothy went to hisputer and gave a prescription as he chatted with Maria. Within a few minutes, he managed to get close to Maria and even made herugh. Seeing that, Genevieve was slightly speechless. In her eyes, Timothy did not look like a doctor. Instead, he looked like a nightclub¡®s top escort who was skilled at pleasing women. After they left the office, Timothy smiled and said, ¡°Madam, please follow this man downstairs to pick up your prescription. I have something to discuss with Ms. Rachford.¡± ¡°It¡®s okay. You two youngsters can chat as long as you want. I can go back myself,¡± Maria said with a Then, she pulled Genevieve close and whispered, ¡°Ms. Rachford, this doctor is a good man. You should consider dating him.¡± GAL. ¡°Maria...¡° Genevieve was nonplussed. The pain that Cooper gave her had shattered her heart. She only decided to get married to Armand in the hope that he could help her seek revenge She did not have the luxury to think of anything else, After Maria lett, Genevieve turned to Timothy. ¡°Dr. Jensen, is there anything I can do for vou?¡± ¡°How smart.¡± Timothy snapped his fingers and led her to the blood test department. ¡°Steven told me that Armand wants to marry you. Now that you¡®re in the hospital, I thought it would be good for you to do a blood test to check your health condition. You don¡®t mind, do you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Genevieve shook her head. Then, she bit her low lip and said, ¡°However, can you be the one to draw my blood?¡± Upon hearing that, Timothy pretended to be curious and asked, ¡°Ms. Rachford, are you sick?¡± ¡°No, my blood is special. More importantly, I have... blood coagtion disorder.¡± After a moment of hesitation, Genevieve added, ¡°Besides that, I don¡®t want anyone else in the hospital to know my blood type.¡± She was worried that if the word got out, some doctors would ask her to test for new drugs. ¡°What?¡± Timothy suddenly turned to Genevieve and asked seriously, ¡°You have a blood coagtion issue?¡± Genevieve nodded and saw the strange look on his face. ¡°Yes. Why?¡± Even though she suffered torment from two women during the time she was detained, her wounds were treated before she went to jail. Thus, she did not bleed a lot and managed to survive. ¡°Oh, nothing.¡± Timothy soon rposed himself and walked side by side with Genevieve. ¡°Okay, I¡®ll help you draw your blood.¡± As he toyed with the coin in his hand, his expression grew increasingly grim. I only gave Genevieve a simple check¨Cup back at Swallow Garden. I never thought... After they arrived at the blood test department, Timothy went inside and talked to his colleague for a moment. Then, he personally drew Genevieve¡®s blood and put it in the blood analyzer. ¡°We¡®ll need to wait for a few minutes before the resultse out. You should sit here and wait.¡± As Timothy turned and left, he pulled out his phone from his pocket. After sitting for a while, Genevieve suddenly felt thirsty. She walked toward the water dispenser and fetched herself a ss of cold water. Before she got up, she heard a familiar female voice say, ¡°Darling, don¡®t worry. After we finish drawing your blood, I¡®ll take you home.¡± Genevieve turned to the source of the voice and saw a woman walking toward the blood test counter with a little boy in her arms. Although the woman was wearing a face mask and cap that covered her appearance, after taking a look at her figure, Genevieve instantly knew that it was Erica. Chapter 22 Chapter 22 The little boy looked pale and sick. When the nurse poked his finger with a needle, he immediately burst into tears. Seeing that, Eri?a feli distressed and kept coaxing him as she held him in her arms, Erica cared about her son a lot. It was obvious that she loved Cooper deeply. When Genevieve saw Erica take off her mask, she quickly suppressed her emotions. After that, she pulled out her phone, clicked on the video-taking button, and aimed her phone at Erica Meanwhile, Erica was so focused on her son that she did not notice Genevieve at all. She left as soon as she received the blood report. Not long after, Timothy returned. He printed Genevieve¡¯s blood report and took a look at it before he handed it to her. ¡°Your telet count is a little low, but everything else is fine.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Genevieve replied politely. When she took the report from Timothy, she identally caught a glimpse of the pile of blood test report copies on the table. On the top report, the patient¡¯s name written on it was Leroy Sutton. Genevieve remembered that nobody else came over for a blood test after Erica left with her son She had good vision, and she quickly scanned through all the information on Leroy¡¯s report. When she nced at the blood type column, her eyes widened in shock. She wondered, ¡°The child¡¯s blood type is¡­¡± ¡°Ms. Rachford, what¡¯s the matter?¡± When Timothy saw that Genevieve was staring at the pile of reports, he hummed in understanding. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I didn¡¯t upload your blood test report into the hospital¡¯s system.¡± Genevieve snapped back to her senses and shot him a smile. ¡°Thank you, Dr. Jensen. Is there anything else you need?¡± Hearing that, Timothy bit his lip and pondered for a moment before he replied, ¡°Nope. You¡¯re free to go.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to a meal next time.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Later, Timothy stood at his spot with his hands in his pockets as he watched Genevievetcr thc clevator. He was on the phone with Armand a while ago to tell him about Genevieve¡¯s health condition. ¡°With her condition, she can¡¯t donate blood. Armand, doing so will put her life at risk¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. The man on the other end of the phone went quiet for a few seconds before he replied coldly. ¡°I just need her to do a small favor.¡± Upon hearing that, Timothy felt speechless. ¡°How is that any different from ending her life?¡± ¡°I made a deal with her. If I help her get herpany back within six months, her life belongs to me.¡± Timothy understood what he meant, so he said nothing more. Armand proposed a deal, and Genevieve could¡¯ve rejected him. However, since she has agreed to the deal, she will have to bear the consequences herself. Genevieve was in a hurry to send Maria to the hospital to check on Maria¡¯s waist injury, so she did not grab her household registry. Hence, after she sent Maria home, she grabbed her household registry. Seeing that, Maria asked curiously, ¡°Ms. Rachford, what do you need your household registry for?¡± At that moment, Genevieve decided to tell her the truth. ¡°I¡¯m going to City Hall to register something with a man.¡± ¡°What?¡± Maria¡¯s eyes widened in shock. She thought that she had misheard Genevieve. ¡°I told you that Dr. Jensen is a good man because I wanted you to consider dating him. A Are you already getting married to him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not getting married to him.¡± Genevieve was nonplussed at her words. When she saw that Steven was calling, she knew that she did not have time to tell Maria the details. ¡°Maria, I¡¯ll exin everything when I have the time. I have to go to City Hall right now.¡± With that, she left in a hurry and left Maria standing there, dumbfounded. Twenty minutester, the car arrived at City Hall. After Genevieve got out of the car, she immediately saw Armand standing by the trash can with a cigarette between his fingers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Faulkner. Something happened at home¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Steven told me everything.¡± After that, Armand put out his cigarette, turned around, and entered City Hall. After taking a deep breath, Genevieve hurriedly followed behind him. As soon as Armand stepped into the lobby, a staff recognized him and greeted him respectfully. ¡°Mr. Faulkner.¡± When the staff saw Genevieve standing next to Armand, his eyes immediately widened, and he wondered, ¡°I-Isn¡¯t she the girl from the Rachford family?¡± He was not the only one. When the other staff working behind the desk saw Armand and Genevieve standing together, they were all stunned. Two weeks ago, news about Genevieve sleeping with a man at a hotel had spread through the inte. Thus, all the staff at City Hall saw Cooper drag Genevieve in to file for a divorce. They never thought that in just two weeks, Genevieve would be together with the son of the Faulkner family, one of the most powerful families in Jadeborough. Seeing their surprised gazes, Genevieve was unfazed. She pulled out her household registry calmly and put it together with Armand¡¯s household registry. ¡°We would like to register our marriage.¡± ¡°O-Okay.¡± After the staff recovered his senses, he handed them the forms. Then, they filled in their information and took a picture. In less than three minutes, Genevieve and Armand received their marriage certificates, Genevieve opened the marriage certificate in her hand and saw the photo of her standing next to Armand. Armand¡¯s expression was cold, and she was smiling awkwardly. I can¡¯t believe I got married for the second time two weeks after my divorce. Furthermore, the man I married is the famous Armand Faulkner¡­ Chapter 23 Chapter 23 Genevieve snapped back to her senses as soon as she noticed something on the marriage certificate. She turned to Armand and said, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, y¨Cyou¡®re older than me...¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes. By nine years,¡± Armand added with a cold expression. Genevieve stared at the age on the marriage certificate as she recalled the incident on the night half a month ago in the hotel. What a shameless man he is! He¡®s a grown man. Even if he was tricked that night, he wasn¡®t drunk. He could have just pushed me away. Seeing that Genevieve seemed a little upset, Armand asked with raised brows, ¡°What? You got something to say?¡± ¡°No. I¡®m just a little surprised,¡± Genevieve replied as she dismissed theint she had in her mind. She figured that their age difference did not matter anyway since they were not a real couple. The two then walked out of the City Hall side by side. Suddenly, a thought struck Genevieve, and she pursed her lips. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, 1¡ª¡± However, Armand leaned in before she could get her words out. With his breath on her skin, he said, ¡°I¡®m sorry, I might have to kiss you.¡± What? Before Genevieve could realize what was happening, Armand held her chin, forced her head up, and nted a warm kiss on her lips. Genevieve froze. The kiss was not just a light peck on the lips. Armand pried open her teeth and deepened the kiss. His masculine scent filled her entire oral cavity, and her legs became jelly. The kiss went on for a whole minute before it ended. Armand kept his hand on Genevieve¡®s tiny waist to keep her from falling. Genevieve¡®s eyes were red as she tried to catch her breath while leaning against him. Right then, a middle¨Caged man with a slick hairstyle, who seemed like a butler, approached them and greeted Armand with a smile, ¡°Mr. Armand.¡± Armand nodded. ¡°Why are you here, Frankie?¡± ¡°I came to the City Hall to collect something,¡± Frankie replied and noticed the woman in Armand¡®s arms. ¡°This is?¡± Armand pulled Genevieve closer. His expression softened as he said, ¡°This is my wife, Genevieve Rachford. We got married three minutes ago.¡± Frankie chuckled. ¡°Congrattion, Mr. Armand. Old Mrs. Faulkner will be thrilled when she finds out.¡± ¡°We just got married. She might need some time to get used to it. I¡®ll bring her to see Grandma when she¡®s ready¡± Armand said, ¡°All right, then. I shouldn¡®t bother you two anymore,¡± Frankie said and left. Even though Genevieve¡®s legs felt a little weak, her mind was clear. After listening to the entire conversation, she guessed that Armand must have kissed her to show Frankie. Then again, considering his age, she could understand how anxious his grandmother must be for him to get married and have kids. At the same time, she realized that Armand did not lie to her. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Armand asked as he lowered his head to look at her. ¡°1¨CI¡®m fine,¡± Genevieve replied as she tried to get out of his arms. However, her legs were still weak, and she almost fell down the stairs. Armand caught her in the nick of time and pulled her into his arms. In the end, he picked her up and walked to their car. ¡°How can your legs give way just because of a kiss? Was your marriage with Cooper just a show?¡± Genevieve knew he was mocking her. She refuted, ¡°Yeah. I¡®m not as experienced as you, Mr. Faulkner.¡± In reality, she had let go of her reservations and tried many times when she was with Cooper. However, Cooper would always use work as an excuse to reject her. Even when they did kiss, it was always just a peck on the lips. She only found outter that Cooper had only stayed with the Rachford family for revenge and felt disgusted to touch her. Armand¡®s face turned grim. He red at her, and she lowered her head without uttering a single word. On the road, a Bentley sped by. Cooper, who was in the back seat, ordered the driver to slow down when he noticed the figure by the road When the car slowed down, Cooper turned his gaze to the side of the road and saw Armand carrying a woman down the stairs and that the woman was wrapping her arms around his neck obediently with flushed cheeks Cooper¡®s face clouded over when he learned that it was the City Hall up the stairs. He had had someone follow Genevieve, and they had found out that she had got into Armand¡®s car after she left the dinner banquet. Now, he even saw them at the City Hall! He realized then that Genevieve might not just be Armand¡®s date. Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Chapter 24 Unless That Kid Is Not Theirs At that moment, the manager from the Public Rtions Department called and said anxiously, ¡°Mr. Sutton, a video of Ms. Hall carrying a boy to see the doctor at the hospital was exposed on the inte. Someone has also uploaded a video from the dinner banquet, and it has gone viral on a few sites.¡± ¡°Do I need to teach you how to deal with these kinds of news? You are fired if you can¡¯t settle this!¡± Cooper said coldly as he pulled his tie in frustration. His rage continued to rise after he hung up the phone. A few secondster, he called Erica. ¡°Coop¡­¡± ¡°You can get the family doctor to the house or tell the help to bring Leroy to the hospital if he is not feeling well. Did you bring him outside yourself because you think I don¡¯t have enough on my te? The whole inte is filled with the video of you and the kid right now!¡± Erica was flustered on the other end of the phone when she heard Cooper¡¯s words. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that someone would follow me¡­¡± ¡°This is the first and thest time. Specter Corporation is my sweat and blood. I will send you and the child abroad if there¡¯s anything that affects Specter Corporation again,¡± Cooper warned. Why can¡¯t we take down the news? Who¡¯s going against me? Cooper pondered with frustration and looked across the road again. Armand had already gotten into his car, and Cooper¡¯s gaze darkened at the sight of that. Is that woman going to ept anybody¡¯s help for the sake of taking revenge? Meanwhile, Armand ced the marriage certificate into the storagepartment under the armrest by the driver¡¯s seat without much thought. Then, he asked calmly, ¡°What were you trying to say when we came out of the City Hall just now?¡± Genevieve pressed her lips together and said, ¡°Are we going to hold a wedding, Mr. Faulkner?¡± ¡°Up to you. I will ask Steven to arrange it if you want,¡± he answered even though he was slightly surprised by her question. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let it be, then, if it¡¯s up to me,¡± Genevieve quickly said. The fact that Armand did not want to hold a wedding was just exactly what she wanted. She was worried that she might pass away just like his previous wives if they did hold a wedding. She thought she might live longer if they kept their marriage a secret. Armand could tell straight away what Genevieve was thinking from the slightest change in her expression. He was amused, and the corners of his lips curled up into a faint smile. ¡°Mr. Faulkner.¡± Still, Genevieve seemed to have something else on her mind. ¡°Now that we¡¯re married, you calling me Mr. Faulkner sounds a little distant. I¡¯m the fourth child in my family, and they usually call me Mando. So you can call me Mando or Armand,¡± Armand said casually as he lit up a cigarette and rolled down the window. ¡°Mando, then,¡± Genevieve replied. She chose that because, for some reason, she could not bring herself to address Armand by his real name. She pondered for a moment and continued, ¡°The housekeeper who sprained her back is called Maria. She has been working for the Rachford family for twenty years and watched me grow up. Now that Maria is getting old, I¡¯m worried that Cooper might give her a hard time. Could you get Maria to move to This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?. Swallow Garden to take care of me?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten what I said yesterday? Now that we¡¯re married, you¡¯re Mrs. Faulkner and thedy of Swallow Garden,¡± said Armand as he nced at her. Feeling relieved, Genevieve smiled and said, ¡°Thank you, Mando.¡± Armand had initially nned to get the marriage certificate in the morning. However, he ended up having to handle some matters. Adding on to that was Maria and her sprained back. Thus, he and Genevieve had been busy running around in the morning to deal with their businesses. Because of that, it was already about four in the afternoon when they finally got the marriage certificate. Armand called the secretarial department to tell them to move everything to the next day and followed Genevieve back to Swallow Garden. At night, they had a sumptuous dinner, and Genevieve was in a very good mood. Since Genevieve found out that Armand was not as cold as she thought and was easy to talk to based on the conversation they had earlier in the car, she could not help but strike up a conversation with him. ¡°Mando, do you think two people with blood type B could have a child with blood type A?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible under one condition. The kid is not theirs,¡± Armand replied nonchntly. He seemed to know what she had seen. Instantly, Genevieve knew what he meant. At the hematology department in the hospital a few hours ago, she had clearly seen that Leroy¡¯s blood type was A. However, she knew that both Cooper and Erica had blood type B. Thus, their kid should have the same blood type. Worried that she might be wrong, she had even searched online when they were on their way to the City Hall. She had never thought that Leroy was not Cooper¡¯s child. Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Armand lifted his eyes to look at Genevieve, and his thin lips curved upward slightly. ¡°To know how to record such interesting footage with your phone this time ¨C looks like you¡¯re pretty smart. I¡¯ve ryed the order that the video shall remain on every major media tform for a week. No matter how much money Cooper spends, he won¡¯t be able to get rid of it.¡± ¡°Mando, so you were the one helping?¡± said Genevieve, surprised. ¡°I was wondering why that video from the banquet disappeared so quickly, and today¡¯s video spread so quickly on the inte¡­¡± She had initially thought that Specter Corporation¡¯s Public Rtions Department was not taking enough effective measures. Lo and behold, it was actually Armand taking action. As if not thinking much of it, Armand merely let out a hum of acknowledgment and said, ¡°Consider it as my wedding gift to you. Well then, Mrs. Faulkner. I¡¯ll leave it to you to deal with the rest.¡± Hearing him call her ¡°Mrs. Faulkner¡± made Genevieve¡¯s heart skip a few beats. She nodded and answered, ¡°All right.¡± Since the opportunity presented itself at her door, it was needless to say that she would take hold of it. The next morning, Steven sent Armand to the office while Genevieve went to Maria¡¯s to inform her about her marriage. Maria¡¯s expression instantly changed when she received Genevieve¡¯s news. ¡°Ms. Rachford, I heard that Mr. Faulkner brings death to the women he marries. His previous two wives died because of him, so why did you marry him? I still have some money; it¡¯s enough for the both of us for a long time. You don¡¯t have to put yourself through such pain.¡± ¡°What exists between us is a transaction. If I marry him, he¡¯ll help me take back thepany,¡± exined Genevieve in a calm tone. ¡°As long as I can have my revenge, I¡¯m willing to sacrifice my life.¡± ¡°If your mother knew about this, she¡¯d definitely hope that you do no such thing,¡± said Maria with a sigh. After all, Genevieve was the only person left in the Rachford family. Genevieve¡¯s eyes grew dim, but she soon smiled andforted Maria, ¡°It¡¯s all right, Maria. Who knows? Perhaps my luck would be very good. The curse might end when it¡¯s my turn to be his wife.¡± Maria sighed again. ¡°I hope so¡­¡± Seeing that Genevieve had already made up her mind, she did not say anything further. Once they returned to Swallow Garden, Genevieve led Maria into the house while carrying some items. Seated in the living room was a short-haired teenager, who was ying games on hisptop while eating some fruit. As soon the young man saw Genevieve, he threw the pear in his hand away and stood up. ¡°Hello, Mrs. Faulkner. I¡¯m Patrick Sullivan. Steven is my older brother.¡± ¡°Your brother has already informed me before he left this morning.¡± Genevieve nodded and sized Patrick up. ¡°I¡¯m just a little curious; you seem to be the same age as me, and you don¡¯t look like Steven¡­¡± Patrick chuckled and replied, ¡°Of course, we don¡¯t look alike. Steven picked me up from the trash.¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± The young man waved his hand dismissively, totally unfazed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s something embarrassing! Back when Armand wasn¡¯t around, it was just me and my brother living here. I¡¯m sometimes straightforward as I¡¯m used to it, but I¡¯ll make sure to be mindful next time.¡± Seeing as he was so bubbly and easy to talk to, Genevieve smiled in response. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Make yourself at home.¡± After all, Swallow Garden belonged to Armand, not her. Genevieve knew that Leroy was not Cooper¡¯s flesh and blood, but shecked the means to get close to Cooper to get their hair for a DNA test. The only way she could make a move was through Erica. Patrick was very efficient. Within half an hour, he cracked Erica¡¯s phone. Even though she had been very careful and had deleted some of her chat histories, Patrick could easily restore them. ¡°So, the child¡¯s biological father is him¡­¡± Upon seeing the thousand-odd intimate messages that went on between Erica and Leroy¡¯s biological father, as well as some information that they revealed in their correspondence, Genevieve felt that Cooper was being seriously cheated on. In fact, she felt rather sorry for her ex-husband. Noticing Genevieve¡¯s tone of speech, Patrick asked out of curiosity, ¡°Who is this man? Do you know him, Mrs. Faulkner?¡± The woman smirked. ¡°Not only do I know him, but I know him very well!¡± Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. Half a month ago, Cooper had utterly tarnished her reputation with the ploy he crafted. It was an unforgettable event for her. This time, she was going to return him the favor with an unforgettable surprise as well. Due to what Patrick managed to find out, Genevieve was in an extremely good mood. She even followed Maria into the kitchen and asked thetter to teach her how to cook mushroom soup. Armand did not seem to be busy and coincidentally came over at night. During dinner, Genevieve served a bowl of mushroom soup diligently to him. She grinned widely while saying, ¡°I prepared this soup. Give it a taste.¡± Armand¡¯s gaze raked over her beautiful, slender fingers, causing the man to pause before taking the bowl of soup. He took a sip and, within less than a second, spat the soup into a tiny bowl. Then, he took a napkin and wiped his mouth. Armand even sneered coldly as he said, ¡°You might as well just feed me arsenic.¡± Genevieve was rendered speechless. Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Chapter 26 Come Upstairs ¡°Armand, you¡¯re so mean! Your wife made that soup herself.¡± Patrick had mingled with Genevieve for a few days and got along well with her, so they were almost best friends at this point. Thus, Patrick took a huge gulp of the soup as a gesture of his support for Genevieve. His facial expression then became contorted. ¡°Since you like it so much, you can finish it.¡± As if he did not notice Patrick grimacing, Armand added, ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± ¡°Is it that bad?¡± Genevieve muttered with dissatisfaction. Hence, she took a sip of the soup as well and almost died from the peculiar taste. Patrick remained courteous; he bit the bullet and swallowed the mouthful of soup. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, you should leave the cooking to the housekeeper. Cooking doesn¡¯t seem to suit you, so you shouldn¡¯t enter the kitchen anymore.¡± Genevieve did not dare to take action against Armand, so she decided to bully Patrick instead. ¡°Are you treating me with disdain while drinking the soup I cooked? Finish this whole pot of mushroom soup tonight. Otherwise, I¡¯ll take it as you¡¯re looking down on me!¡± With hopelessness written all over his face, Patrick turned to look at his brother, saying, ¡°Steven, end me now!¡± ¡°End yourself,¡± replied Steven without a shred of concern. The atmosphere at the dining table suddenly became lively. There was even a hint of a smile on the face of Armand, who was usually frosty and distant. Soon, Armand finished his dinner. When he pushed away the chair to go upstairs, he uttered to Genevieve, ¡°Come and look for me in the master bedroomter.¡± What? Genevieve was stunned. She had only ever entered the master bedroom that belonged to him that one time. After that, he stayed in the master bedroom while she resided in the guest room. Why is he asking me to go to his room during his visit here this time? ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, you should hurry up and eat, then go upstairs. Mr. Faulkner might need you,¡± Genevieve remained silent. She did not know whether what Steven was implying was the same as what she was thinking. Regardless, after dinner, she went up to the second floor. When she discovered that the door of the master bedroom was slightly ajar, she became even more nervous. Genevieve pushed open the door and entered. The room was filled with warm yellow light, yet Armand was nowhere to be found. However, the light in the bathroom was turned on, and there was the sound of water flowing inside. A shirt and pants were strewn in front of the bathroom door as well. Although he said that he¡¯s not interested in my body, I guess men have their needs at times too¡­ While walking toward the bathroom, Genevieve kept consoling herself. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never slept with this man before. Moreover, I¡¯ve already shown my naked self to himst time. There¡¯s nothing to be shy Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. about! After taking a deep breath, Genevieve entered the misty bathroom and saw Armand lying in the bathtub. His muscr body was on full disy for her, and his long legs were spread wide open in the water. Such a bold scene caused her face to flush beet red. Armand heard the door creak open. His eyes were cold and stern as he looked at Genevieve, inquiring, ¡°Why did youe in?¡± Weren¡¯t you the one who told me toe upstairs? After a moment of speechlessness, Genevieve quickly walked over, picked up the showerhead hanging on the wall, and knelt beside the bathtub. ¡°I¡¯ll help you wash your hair.¡± The man did not reject her offer. Hey in the bathtub with his eyes shut. Genevieve had been the pampered young miss of the Rachford family for twenty-three years. It had always been the housekeeper serving her, so she never served others. Now, she had to help Armand. The woman clumsily took the showerhead and wetted his hair, then squeezed some shampoo onto his head. Due to her blunder, she almost massaged the shampoo into his eyes. In the bright, luxurious bathroom, only the sound of their shallow breathing could be heard. Armand lives the life of a king! To have someone serve him like this¡­ Does this mean that I¡¯ll need to be the proactive one as well in bedter? Out of the blue, the man asked, ¡°What did you study?¡± ¡°Do you mean my specialization? I did Simultaneous Interpretation.¡± Genevieve pursed her lips and answered, ¡°I went to study in Dartan in Year Twelve. I¡¯m fluent in six foreignnguages, and I obtained a Ph.D.¡± If Specter Corporation needed to send someone for overseas negotiation, she would be their representative. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, it looks like you¡¯re not entirely useless. You actually have some presentable skills,¡± said Armand with a chuckle. Genevieve fell silent. She could not tell whether he was praising or mocking her. The woman was somewhat befuddled. When she turned on the showerhead and aimed the water at his scalp to rinse the shampoo off, the icy water flowed into his eyes along with the shampoo foam. She frantically turned off the showerhead. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry!¡± Genevieve hurriedly wiped the foam away from the man¡¯s eyes while apologizing. Nevertheless, her lips were curved slightly upward, which revealed her true feelings. Armand could see the tiny change in her expression within a single nce. He stretched out his arm and pulled her into the bathtub unexpectedly. Landing on his chest, Genevieve was nowpletely soaked. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, it seems that you¡¯re having fun, aren¡¯t you?¡± Armand pinched her chin and lowered his head, and his breath fell on the woman¡¯s cheek. ¡°Not at all,¡± denied Genevieve, who tried her best to retreat backward. However, his aura totally enveloped her, causing her heart to beat wildly. ¡°I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose just now.¡± ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re intentionally ying hard-to-get with me?¡± Chapter 27 Chapter 27 Chapter 27 The Pendant With A Secret Genevieve felt the heat under her palm was getting stronger, and she started to feel uneasy. ¡°Y-You can think so if you want.¡± She thought sleeping with Armand was not a big deal since her life belonged to him. Looking at Genevieve closing her eyes and her long eyshes trembling, Armand was amused. The faint tea scent made him breathe in deeply. After a few seconds, Armand moved away and let go of her hand. ¡°You may leave.¡± Genevieve was stunned for a moment. Seeing Armand not making the next move, she hastily got out of the bathtub. Her heart was still pounding rapidly after she closed the bathroom door. She thought Armand wanted her, but it turned out it was not what she had thought. Genevieve stepped on the pants on the carpet when she was about to go out. She picked up the clothes, and a ne dropped out from the shirt. It was a Tiffany¡¯s ne. She still thought it was a gift from Cooper that day. Genevieve never thought it was Armand¡¯s. The ne dropped to the floor, and the pendant was opened. When Genevieve picked up the ne, she saw a photo of a person in the half-opened pendant. Feeling curious, she wanted to open the pendant. Suddenly, someone snatched the ne away. Armand came out of the bathroom. His lower body was wrapped with a towel, and there was water dripping down his hair. His expression was gloomy. ¡°Get out!¡± With a cold voice, Armand ordered Genevieve to leave. ¡°I saw it fall out, so I wanted to pick it up¡­¡± Genevieve exined. Seeing how intimidating Armand looked, she quickly put down the clothes and scurried off. She had worn the ne by mistakest time, but Armand only took it back after seeing that. However, he seemed to have lost his temper this time. Genevieve wondered what was inside the ne. The next morning, Genevieve went downstairs to have breakfast. Seeing Armand¡¯s darkened expression, she thought he was still mad about what had happened the night before. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Mando.¡± Genevieve quickly apologized after pulling the chair and sitting down. ¡°I saw the ne fall to the floor¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to look at it.¡± Armand raised his head and looked at her, then he said indifferently, ¡°No next time. Please don¡¯t simply go into the master bedroom without my permission. Otherwise, I¡¯ll ask Steven to arrange another ce for you to stay.¡± After hearing his words, Genevieve mumbled, ¡°You asked me to go upstairsst night. It¡¯s not like I broke into the room.¡± Besides, the ne isn¡¯t broken. Why is he so angry? Even though Genevieve mumbled softly, Armand still heard her. His face darkened, and he said, ¡°I asked you toe into the master bedroom. Did I allow you to walk around?¡± ¡°Was entering the bathroom also considered as walking around?¡± Genevieve could not help but retort, ¡°How could I serve you if I didn¡¯t enter the bathroom?¡± N?velDrama.Org content. ¡°Wow!¡± Patrick, who was eating the oatmeal, raised his head with an innocent look on his face. Is it appropriate for me to be here and listen to their conversation? Then, he showed a terrified expression and said, ¡°Armand, you¡¯re flirting with your wife at the dining table this early morning. Is this suitable?¡± Armand shot Patrick a cold re, then he put the fork on the table. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, Cooper wouldn¡¯t have ruined your family if you have a silver tongue earlier.¡± Genevieve was rendered speechless. Armand¡¯s cold mockery stabbed Genevieve like a dagger. She lowered her head and pursed her lips. She knew she was foolish and was blinded by love back then, making her lose everything after being schemed by Cooper. However, there was no need for Armand to keep reminding her of that. Armand¡¯s cold re turned soft after he saw Genevieve¡¯s pale face. He pushed the chair and stood up. Taking the coat from the housekeeper, he took out a ck card from the coat and put it on the dining table. ¡°This card has no limit.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Genevieve shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t use much money¡ª¡± However, Armand cut her off before she could finish her sentence. ¡°As the saying goes, you can ask anyone to do anything for you with money. Moreover, I don¡¯t want the outsiders to think my wife is poor.¡± While Genevieve was still in a daze, Armand had already stretched out his arms and put on the coat. The pants that were made of high-quality fabric covered his slender legs. Coupled with his noble and cold aura, he looked just like the rich heir from a wealthy family. While buttoning the enamel buttons, Armand said in a cold voice, ¡°Central Group is recruiting people now. The trantion department is in shortage of people. You can prepare your resume and send it to Steven if you want to give it a try.¡± Then, Armand nced at Genevieve and continued, ¡°You can also choose to stay in Swallow Garden.¡± ¡°I want to try!¡± Genevieve quickly answered. She had thought a lot these two days, and she knew she could not always rely on other people. Besides, she did not want to stay in Swallow Garden all day. Genevieve had gone to the master bedroom the night before with the intention to find a chance to talk about this with Armand. Chapter 28 Chapter 28 Chapter 28 What Else Do You Think It Is Suddenly, Genevieve seemed to recall something. She stared wide-eyed at Armand. ¡°Did you ask me to go to the master bedroomst night because of this?¡± ¡°What else do you think it is?¡± Armand shed a half-smile and asked, ¡°Do you think I called you to wash my hair?¡± Genevieve was tongue-tied. The scenes in the bathroom the night before flooded Genevieve¡¯s mind. She had even wondered if Armand would wait to be served on the bed too. Embarrassed, all Genevieve wanted was to bury herself in a hole. No wonder he asked me what my profession was. He was trying to arrange a job for me¡­ ¡°Armand, you¡¯re not a good CEO.¡± Biting the cream rolls, Patrick said in a muffled voice, ¡°Why are you arranging for your wife to work in thepany? You can just get her a job in thepany through connections. Why does she need to be interviewed? The domineering CEO in the novel is better than you!¡± Armand sneered. ¡°It¡¯s useless to use connections if she¡¯s not capable. She¡¯ll be kicked out of Central Group in less than three minutes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a normal interview. I can handle it,¡± said Genevieve. Remembering Armand¡¯s mockeryst night, she added, ¡°I¡¯ll get a job in Central Group and prove that I¡¯m not incapable.¡± Genevieve knew there were a lot of talented people in Central Group. However, she did not waste her time studying in Dartan for a few years. Armand¡¯s thin lips curled into a smile when he saw her confident look. Soon, he left with Steven. After having breakfast, Genevieve sat in the living room, holding a notebook. She drafted her resume and proofread it before letting Patrick take a look at the resume. ¡°Here.¡± Patrick pointed at the marital status column and said, ¡°Write Armand¡¯s name on the husband¡¯s detail. He¡¯s currently the director and the CEO of Central Group. His worth is hundreds of billions¡­¡± Speechless, Genevieve rolled her eyes at him. After spending more than two hours amending her resume, Genevieve was finally satisfied with it. After N?velDrama.Org content. that, she sent it to Steven¡¯s WhatsApp. Patrick, who sat opposite Genevieve, had also finished his work. He handed a phone to Genevieve and said, ¡°I¡¯ve already hacked into Erica and her secret lover¡¯s phone. Besides, I¡¯ve reprogrammed the WhatsApp and calling system.¡± ¡°Thanks for your help.¡± Genevieve took the phone and soon logged into Erica¡¯s phone application. After asking Patrick to check on Erica and her secret lover, Genevieve had a clear n in her mind. She wanted to let Erica know the feeling of being caught red-handed for cheating. Genevieve could not wait for the show to start that night. ¡°You¡¯re wee!¡± Patrick rubbed his palms and stared at the ck card on the coffee table intently. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, you can just simply buy me some presents as a reward!¡± Then, Patrickined, ¡°You have no idea how stingy Steven is. He¡¯s holding my bank card, and he won¡¯t give me extra money except for the pocket money every month.¡± He paused for a brief moment before continuing, ¡°He said he was helping me to save money to get married However, he¡¯s in his thirties, but he isn¡¯t married yet. The audacity of him to interfere with my matters!¡± After hearing his words, Genevieve felt Patrick was quite pitiful. ¡°Okay. You can choose whatever you want!¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯re a good person, Mrs. Faulkner!¡± Patrick ttered Genevieve, and he pushed theptop toward her. ¡°I want to have this helicopter. You can get a ten percent discount if you buy this month!¡± Genevieve was at a loss for words. Looking at the expensive price of the helicopter, she immediately put the ck card on the coffee table into her pocket as if worrying that Patrick would snatch it away. Patrick¡¯s face fell when he saw Genevieve¡¯s reaction. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, didn¡¯t you say that I can have whatever I want?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a two or three hundred million aircraft. How can I let you choose as you wish?¡± ¡°Is two or three hundred million a lot?¡± Patrick mumbled, ¡°Armand said this card he gave you doesn¡¯t have a limit. You can even buy ten aircraft.¡± Annoyed, Genevieve kicked him away and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask Steven to buy it for you if it¡¯s cheap¡­¡± Suddenly, she stopped as if she remembered something. When Armand gave her the card, he said the money could make anyone do anything. Initially, she could not fathom the meaning behind his words, but she seemed to understand them now. Genevieve immediately took Patrick¡¯s phone from the coffee table. She opened WhatsApp and clicked on the friend adding list. Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Toe The Line Genevieve contacted the person during working hours, and the person quickly approved her friend request. She said nothing and sent over two videos and some photos. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. It did not take long for the other person to reply to her. After chatting for a bit, Genevieve used aputer to wire the money to the person. After having reached an agreement, she heaved a sigh of relief. However, she soon felt a chill down her spine. Armand must have known what I was about to do when he gave me this card. Come to think of it, Steven showed up promptly when I was hit by a car, and also, I humiliated Cooper and Erica during the dinner with the video¡­ She could not help but feel like Armand had already anticipated her every move. ¡°P-Patrick, have I offended Armand in any way?¡± Genevieve stuttered. Patrick thought for a moment and nodded. ¡°Yeah. Remember when you guys were having breakfast in the morning? Didn¡¯t you guys quarrel for a bit then? I noticed that Armand was quite mad at you.¡± Genevieve recalled what had happened and grew exasperated at herself as she felt like pping herself hard across the face. That man is frightening. I have got to toe the line and refrain from talking back to him. After having lunch at home, Genevieve and Patrick went out at one o¡¯clock in the afternoon. Patrick heeded Genevieve¡¯s instruction and drove to the mall. As he apanied her shopping, he could not help but ask, ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, we¡¯re out to watch some drama, right? I thought we were going to witness a homewrecker¡¯s life crumble before her? Why are we out for¡­ clothes shopping instead?¡± ¡°No rush. I heard that Cooper is working outstation at Feston, and he¡¯s onlying back tonight.¡± Genevieve entered a boutique and did some window shopping. ¡°This drama is not going to be good without him.¡± Patrick was rendered speechless. ¡°Olddy, we are a high-end boutique, and one set of our suits costs at least two hundred thousand. Please do not touch our suits if you can¡¯t afford them!¡± Genevieve heard a shop assistant¡¯s disdainful remarks as she talked to Steven. She traced the direction where the voice came from and noticed that a shop assistant was carefully brushing through a suit with gloved hands. There was a scornful look on her face. Opposite the shop assistant stood a white-haired olddy in a modest outfit. There were wrinkles around the corners of her eyes, and there was a serene vibe to the olddy. It was as if her age had made her all the wiser. The olddy was not infuriated by the shop assistant¡¯s derisive remarks. Instead, she said calmly, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to feel the fabric.¡± ¡°As I¡¯ve mentioned, we are a high-end boutique. Of course, our clothing uses nothing but the best quality fabric!¡± The shop assistant nced at the olddy¡¯s outfit and chided even louder, ¡°Old people like you always have a peculiar smell! How am I going to sell these if the suits are stained with those smells?¡± The olddy put her hands behind her as her face fell. It was not umon for shop assistants of luxury boutiques to look down on others. Genevieve would not have cared to interfere back in the past. However, she had just lost her own grandmother, and she could not bear to see the olddy being humiliated. She passed the things clutched in her hands to Patrick and headed toward the olddy and the shop assistant. ¡°This suit¡¯s fabric is quite nice,¡± Genevieve said as she approached the shop assistant. ¡°Could I have a look?¡± When the shop assistant saw Chanel¡¯stest piece of the season on Genevieve, her eyes glinted. She hurriedly handed over the suit in her hand and said, ¡°Miss, we are the most prestigious brand in Irushea. Hence, we use only the most exquisite fabric for our pieces. Please, have a look.¡± Genevieve did not take over the suit. Instead, she frowned and said in a displeased tone, ¡°Why are you wearing gloves? Are you disrespecting me?¡± ¡°No, of course not. That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± The shop assistant hurriedly took off her gloves afterward. ¡°This, and this¡­ I think they¡¯re quite to my liking. I¡¯d like to take a closer look.¡± Genevieve pointed at the suits and appeared to be quite interested in them. The shop assistant was overjoyed, as she thought she had scored a big client. She hurriedly took the suits and passed them over to Genevieve. Genevieve put on a disdainful look and mocked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you im that you¡¯re a high-end boutique that uses only the best fabric? You eat, drink, and go to the toilet using your hands. God knows how many germs you¡¯ve got on them. Are you trying to pass on the germs to me? Ew, that¡¯s so gross.¡± With a wave of her hand, Genevieve said, ¡°I don¡¯t want these suits anymore!¡± All colors drained from the shop assistant¡¯s face as Genevieve mocked her. She could not help but retort, ¡°Miss, are you doing this on purpose? My hands are clean. There are no germs on them.¡± ¡°This olddy here is clean as well. Why did you im that she had a peculiar smell to her?¡± Genevieve crossed her arms over her chest and shot the shop assistant a frigid look. ¡°Even if this is a high-end boutique, you¡¯re only a shop assistant. What makes you think you¡¯re superior to the others? How dare you look down on your customers?¡± Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 Help Me The olddy, Harriet rke, stood aside as she looked at Genevieve with an approving smile on her face. She actually recognized Genevieve right away when thetter approached them. Frankie had brought along Genevieve¡¯s information and recent updates on the girl when he came over to make his reports to Harriet the other day. Even though Harriet wished that Armand would get married as soon as possible, the Faulkner family was still a respectable family after all. Genevieve did note from a reputable family, nor did she have a good reputation. Hence, Harriet had good reasons to doubt Armand¡¯s choice. She was about to ask Armand to bring Genevieve back home so that she could scare thetter off. However, Harriet did not expect to bump into Genevieve when she was picking out a suit for her grandson. Genevieve¡¯s actions had made Harriet change her mind. It seemed that Armand had truly looked for a decent granddaughter-inw for her this time. Patrick came over, clutching Genevieve¡¯s things, as thetter argued with the shop assistant. He recognized Harriet right away and nearly choked from the surprise. ¡°Mrs¡ª¡± Harriet shot a look at the man and shook her head, signaling him to keep the revtion to himself. Thus, Patrick could only swallow his words. Genevieve heard the man and assumed that he was addressing her instead. ¡°Patrick, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, you¡¯re so awesome!¡± Patrick said in an attempt to cover up his blunder. ¡°How dare these shop assistants look down on other people! It¡¯s time they learn their lesson!¡± Genevieve smiled and held Harriet¡¯s arm. ¡°Let¡¯s go, madam. I think there are other stores selling suits on this floor. Let me show you around. We don¡¯t have to stay here and be humiliated by the others.¡± ¡°Will it cause you trouble?¡± the olddy asked with an amicable smile. Genevieve somehow felt that the olddy resembled her grandmother for a split second. She felt tears brimming in her eyes as she replied tenderly, ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m only out for window shopping today.¡± Harriet nodded and said, ¡°Okay.¡± Patrick tailed behind Genevieve and Harriet as they headed out of the boutique. Then, he hurriedly sent a text to Armand. Meanwhile, at Central Group, Armand was having his first meeting with the top management of the group aftering back from overseas. Over forty people from the top management upied the spacious conference room. A senior executive was making his reports as Armand, who was presiding over the conference room, flipped through some documents. The air in the conference room was filled with tension. All of a sudden, the phone on the table vibrated. It was a text message from Patrick that read: Armand, something happened! I apanied Mrs. Faulkner to do some shopping, and we bumped into Old Mrs. Faulkner! Armand furrowed his brows after reading the text from Patrick. When he was getting the marriage certificate with Genevieve the other day, it was the call from the Faulkner residence iming that Harriet had fainted while having lunch that made him leave Genevieve and rush back home. Armand still vividly remembered the pale and sickly look on Harriet¡¯s face as shey on the bed. It seemed as if she would be bedridden for months. The olddy even talked to him as if she was heaving herst breaths, ¡°Armand, I¡¯m afraid I cannot hold on much longer. I won¡¯t be able to leave in peace if I don¡¯t see you get married and have kids¡­¡± Hence, Armand was befuddled by the fact that Harriet was spotted shopping at the mall. When Armand thought of the negative news about Genevieve recently, his eyes darkened as he texted Patrick: Think of a way to separate them. I¡¯m going to ask Frankie to go pick my grandmother up. He reckoned that Harriet must have known something already by then. Hence, Armand knew that his grandmother would not have fancied Genevieve. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. However, he still needed the woman. Just when Armand was about to contact Frankie, Patrick sent him another text message that read: Wow, Old Mrs. Faulkner is holding Mrs. Faulkner¡¯s hand. It seems like she adores Mrs. Faulkner! Armand was rendered speechless. Meanwhile, back in the mall, Genevieve held Harriet¡¯s hand as they chatted away. Genevieve could not help but address Harriet as ¡°Grandma¡± endearingly. Then, Genevieve realized that it might have been inappropriate for her to do so and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, madam. My grandma just passed away. She was about your age. I just can¡¯t help but see her in you and keep calling you Grandma¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Harriet said warmly and patted Genevieve¡¯s hand. ¡°I like that you¡¯re calling me Grandma. You may continue to do so.¡± Pleased with the olddy¡¯s generosity, Genevieve smiled. ¡°Grandma, who are you picking out suits for?¡± ¡°It¡¯s for my grandson,¡± Harriet said before ncing at Genevieve and continuing, ¡°He¡¯s really busy at work, and he has no one to care for him. So, he¡¯s only got a few sets of suits. Miss, why don¡¯t you help me pick out two sets?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Genevieve nodded. ¡°I was in the boutique to pick out two sets of suits for my husband as well.¡± She actually nned to return Armand¡¯s courtesy in getting her a wedding gift by getting him two sets of suits. Nheless, she did not expect to bump into the shop assistant humiliating the olddy. ¡°You¡¯re so sweet,¡± Harriet said smilingly. Genevieve took Harriet into another boutique and asked for thetter¡¯s grandson¡¯s size. The olddy pointed at Patrick and said, ¡°He¡¯s about the size of this man.¡± Patrick could not help but roll his eyes silently. Armand is bulkier than me, and he¡¯s not even as handsome as well. How could we be the same? Chapter 31 Chapter 31 Harriet loved everything, including the style and color, about the suits Genevieve picked out. Thus, Harriet bought all of them. After selecting the two suits to gift Armand, Genevieve thought the neckties in the drawer looked nice, so she picked some out. ¡°Grandma, these two neckties go well with the suits we just picked out.¡± As Genevieve spoke, she passed a ck card to the shop assistant. She continued, ¡°These two are gifts. Please wrap them nicely.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll foot the bill. How could I let you pay?¡± Harriet stopped Genevieve. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s just two ties. I haven¡¯t even thanked you for chatting with me for so long,¡± said Genevieve as she pushed Harriet¡¯s card back to her. ¡°No. That won¡¯t do. These two are unrted matters.¡± Genevieve pondered for a moment and said, ¡°Grandma, there¡¯s a boutique upstairs. Why don¡¯t you gift me a gown, and we¡¯ll call it even?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Harriet finally smiled. The boutique upstairs was a tailor shop. All of their clothes were handsewn, and they used high-quality fabric. Harriet touched one of the gowns and was reluctant to let go. Genevieve could tell that Harriet was interested. She took the one Harriet had her eyes on and said, ¡°Grandma, this one suits you. Let me help you.¡± Harriet was a Jazonian woman. She loved figure-hugging gowns, but she hurt her arm during an act in front of her grandson. Therefore, she could not wear a figure-hugging gown for the time being. In the end, Harriet bought two of them and was perfectly satisfied. When Genevieve left the mall with Harriet, the sky had begun to darken, and she received a notification on her phone. Genevieve checked her phone and smiled. She turned to Harriet and said, ¡°Grandma, something came up, and I need to go now. Is someoneing to pick you up, or should I call a cab for you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go ahead. Someone wille and fetch me.¡± Harriet waved her hand. Since Harriet had put it that way, Genevieve didn¡¯t probe further. She waited for Patrick to drive the car from the underground parking lot, then opened the car door and got in. Right after Patrick¡¯s car left, a Mercedes-Benz stopped by the roadside. Frankie saw Harriet carrying multiple shopping bags alone. He hurried over and took them off her hands as he said, ¡°Old Mrs. Faulkner, why didn¡¯t you let the housekeepers follow you again?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t called, so why are you here?¡± asked Harriet in surprise. ¡°Mr. Armand called and told me.¡± Harriet got in the car and nced at the shopping bags after Frankie put them in. She btedly realized that Genevieve had paid for the gowns too. ¡°This child¡­¡± Harriet shook her head with a smile. With curiosity, Frankie asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Armand did a good job this time. He found a good granddaughter-inw for me.¡± Harriet smiled and seemed very happy. She continued, ¡°Out of all my granddaughters-inw, she¡¯s the only likable one.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Ms. Rachford came from a non- reputable family?¡± Frankie had a look of confusion. He added, ¡°You even asked me to prepare the money to drive her away¡­¡± Harriet scoffed, ¡°Can¡¯t I have a change of heart?¡± Soon, Harriet turned her gaze to the view outside the car window. Her gaze turned sharp as she said, ¡°As long as Armand gets married, it¡¯s good. What should not be coveted will not be coveted again. It¡¯s about time someone gives up.¡± Frankie understood what Harriet meant. He answered, ¡°Yes.¡± However, he sighed in his heart. I bet things would turn ugly once the person finds out that Mr. Armand has gotten married. The person will never give up. For the past few days, the outside world had been convinced of Erica and Cooper¡¯s rtionship because Erica brought a child to the hospital for a consultation. The scandal also affected Specter Corporation¡¯s stock prices. Cooper wanted to prevent the scandal from causing an impact on thepany. However, regardless of how much money and manpower he had expended to do so, he couldn¡¯t keep a lid on the news. Furthermore, he couldn¡¯t find out the culprit behind all this. That day, Cooper went to Feston for a meeting to discuss arge-scale coboration. He was worn out when he N?velDrama.Org content. returned to Jadeborough at night. He had just switched on his phone when he received a text message from an unknown sender. The text message read: Mr. Cooper, your girlfriend is now with a man in Room 2588 in Langfield Hotel. He narrowed his eyes and thought that the room number was familiar. Langfield Hotel¡­ Room 2588? While heading out of the airport, he dialed Erica¡¯s phone number. The call got through, but she didn¡¯t pick up. Cooper then called the housekeeper of the mansion. He found out from the housekeeper that Erica would be homete because she was meeting her close friends. His heart dropped, and he coldly said to the driver, ¡°Langfield Hotel!¡± Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Convenient For Your Affair Genevieve ordered a ton of takeouts. She sat at a table in the cafe opposite Langfield Hotel with Patrick and enjoyed her food. Soon, she saw a taxi stop on the roadside near the hotel. Genevieve¡¯s red lips curved into a smile when she saw Cooper get out of the taxi and enter the hotel with a grim expression. She took out her phone, sent a text, and then got up to her feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Patrick. We have a show to catch.¡± Cooper got on the elevator and arrived outside Room 2588 in no time. As he recalled what had happened half a month ago, his expression turned grimmer. Could Genevieve be the one who is behind this? As Cooper suspected Genevieve, he could vaguely hear a woman¡¯s moansing out from Room 2588. He clenched his jaw, lifted his leg, and kicked the door forcefully. After two or three kicks, the door was forced open. Cooper paced into the room with long strides. The two naked people on the bed were too immersed in the moment to hear the sound of Cooper kicking the door. Even when Cooper had approached them, they were still passionately making out. With a dark expression, Cooper picked up themp by the bedside and smashed it against the man¡¯s head. ¡°Ah!¡± the man screamed in pain, and Erica snapped back to her senses. ¡°C-Coop¡­¡± Erica never expected Cooper to show up there. Her face turned pale, and she quickly yanked at the nket to cover her body. Cooper nced at the man and immediately recognized him. He grabbed Erica by her hair and questioned, ¡°Erica, you arranged for your cousin to enter Specter Corporation just so you can conveniently have an affair with him?¡± ¡°N-No. It¡¯s not like that.¡± Erica¡¯s scalp began to hurt from the pulling of her hair. She was trembling as she said, ¡°He forced me¡­¡± Cooper pped her across her face and spat, ¡°You¡¯re f*cking disgusting!¡± The p threw Erica on the bed. She scrambled back up. She covered her body by tugging at the nket with one hand. Then, she tugged at Cooper¡¯s pants with her other hand. She cried and said, ¡°Harrison forced me¡­ He said if I didn¡¯t sleep with him, he would spread the news of youmitting bribery and destroy your reputation. Coop, I did it for you¡­¡± Cooper¡¯s expression softened a little. He had found it odd that he received such a message right after getting off the ne. He had even suspected that Genevieve was the mastermind behind that. So, Harrison is the real culprit¡­ Erica let out a sigh of relief as she saw Cooper dismiss his suspicions of her. She didn¡¯t have the time to wonder how Cooper found that ce. Her priority was to get rid of Harrison, in case he let the cat out of the bag. Before Erica could get up from the floor, a crowd of reporters rushed in with their cameras and lenses. They clicked their shutters non-stop. ¡°H-How did you all get in here?¡± The shes from the cameras almost blinded her. She tightly grasped the nket around her chest and yelled, ¡°Coop, get them out of here! Hurry! Get them out!¡± Not only did the reporters not leave, but they also began taking photos even more aggressively. They started asking questions one after another. ¡°Ms. Hall, what going on? Are you having an affair?¡± ¡°The news circting the inte says that the little boy you brought to the hospital isn¡¯t Mr. Sutton¡¯s child. Is that true?¡± The look in Cooper¡¯s eyes suddenly changed. He looked toward that reporter and asked, ¡°What news?¡± The reporter quickly replied, ¡°Half an hour ago, a nurse from General Hospital posted on Twitter. She did a blood test for the child previously, and his blood type is A. However, your blood type and Ms. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Hall¡¯s blood type, as written on the documents, are B¡­¡± Even before the reporter finished his sentence, Cooper figured out the whole situation. He pped Erica again. ¡°No wonder you keep bringing Leroy to the hospital after the family doctor resigned. You were afraid that I would find out!¡± Cooper was infuriated. He said, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you f*cking incredible?¡± ¡°Coop, Leroy is your son! Harrison forced me. I did it all for you¡­ If you think I¡¯m too dirty, you can hit me or scold me, but you can¡¯t doubt Leroy. If you don¡¯t believe me, we can bring Leroy to the hospital now for a DNA test!¡± Tears of sadness streamed down Erica¡¯s face as she tried to exin. She even raised her hand and swore with confidence, ¡°Coop, I swear. If I lied to you, I will die a horrible death!¡± Just then, Harrison, who Cooper hit in the head with amp, finally regained consciousness. He sneered, ¡°Erica, stop swearing, for God¡¯s sake. Do you even believe your own words?¡± Erica started to panic. She turned to Harrison and said, ¡°Harrison, I know you like me, but I¡¯ll never be with you. Is it not enough for you to get your revenge on me? Why do you have to mislead Coop and say that Leroy isn¡¯t his biological son?¡± Doesn¡¯t he always do as I wish? Why is he saying something like that now? Has he lost his mind? Chapter 33 Chapter 33 Chapter 33 You Are The Disgusting One ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of you, Erica!¡± Harrison wasn¡¯t fazed by her tears. Instead, he was repulsed. He continued, ¡°You¡¯ve treated me like a fool since our university days. You made me wait for you. In the end, you snubbed me because I was poor. Then, you suddenly got together with Cooper, yet you refused to break up with me. I¡¯ll be frank with you, Cooper. I already bedded her ten years ago. Leroy is our son! Do you know why she could confidently say she¡¯d bring the child for a DNA test? Because the director of the DNA department in General Hospital has takenrge sums of money from Erica. He¡¯ll give Erica whatever result she wants!¡± ¡°What nonsense are you talking about, Harrison? Shut up!¡± Erica didn¡¯t expect him to expose the secrets like that. She was furious and pounced on him, intending to stop him from speaking. Harrison pushed Erica away with great effort and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth! How is it nonsense? Oh, right. Cooper, there¡¯s probably one more thing you don¡¯t know.¡± Harrison paused and turned to Cooper, whose face had turned red with fury. Harrison continued, ¡°Do you know why Leroy is my son? It¡¯s because you are infertile!¡± Harrison¡¯s statement caused an uproar. All the reporters present gasped as they clicked their cameras continuously, afraid that they would miss out on anything. Cooper¡¯s expression darkened at once. Harrison wiped the blood at the edge of his eye and went on, ¡°Erica tampered with your medical report. When we were sleeping together, she told me that she found it funny whenever she saw you treating Leroy well¡ª¡± Erica yelled, ¡°Are you f*cking crazy, Harrison? If you were rich, I wouldn¡¯t need to sleep with another N?velDrama.Org content. man. I did it all for us, for our son, but now you¡¯re turning your back on me?¡± Harrison spat and said, ¡°Erica, you didn¡¯t do it for me. You only care about yourself. You gave birth to this child only because you wanted to solidify your power and wealth!¡± Cooper stood there and stared at her coldly. After he found out the truth, the disgust toward Erica that he felt in his heart was greater than his anger toward her. He said, ¡°Erica, you really are f*cking disgusting.¡± I thought I had found a supportive woman to stay by my side. Who would¡¯ve thought she¡¯s a b*tch? Harrison had exposed everything, and Erica had no more excuses. When she saw the disdainful look on Cooper¡¯s face, she didn¡¯t care anymore and burst out inughter. ¡°Me? Disgusting? Cooper, you¡¯re the disgusting one.¡± Erica pointed at him with a vile smirk. She continued, ¡°Right, Genevieve was an innocent girl, yet you ruined her. You wanted to divorce her and kick her out of the house, so you made me send her a text to lure her to a hotel and let the other man bed her. Now, tell me. Aren¡¯t you a disgusting man, Cooper Sutton?¡± Upon hearing that, the reporters excitedly focused their cameras on Erica¡¯s and Cooper¡¯s faces. Due to Cooper¡¯s intervention, only a few people knew what had happened during the banquet. Everyone had thought Genevieve used a fake video to get revenge on Cooper. No one had expected that Genevieve was speaking the truth and that it was Cooper who had set Genevieve up. Cooper was worried that Erica would recklessly spill everything. If that happened, thepany would be greatly affected. With a solemn expression on his face, he was about to drag Erica out of there. Right then, a pair of hands pushed the reporters away, and someone walked to the middle of the room. Right after that, Cooper was pped across his face. His expression turned gloomy as he was caught off guard by the p. He looked up, only to be greeted by Genevieve¡¯s teary eyes. Cooper was stunned when he noticed the hatred, love, and bitterness in the depths of her eyes. ¡°I thought you were using my affair with the other man as an excuse to get rid of me¡­ I never thought that¡­¡± Genevieve teared up, and her eyes reddened. She appeared as if she had just found out the truth. ¡°I never thought that you were to one who lured me to the hotel and arranged for the man to bed me¡­ Cooper, I¡¯ve loved you for twenty years. How could you do this to me?¡± Although Genevieve was putting on an act in front of the reporters, she still felt unbearable pain when she recalled the nasty things Cooper had done to her. With tears trickling down her face and off her chin to the floor, she approached Cooper and asked, ¡°Does my twenty years of love mean nothing to you?¡± She has loved me for twenty years? Many things Cooper had overlooked in the past began to sh across his mind. Those moments jumbled his thoughts, and he instantly lost hisposure. He even wanted to raise his hand and wipe her tears for her. Cooper¡¯s gaze softened, and his lips quivered like he was about to say something. Genevieve, who had gotten close to him, whispered, ¡°Cooper, you had everything nned out previously and got yourself cuckolded. Now, someone does that to you again. Does it feel good to be cuckolded again?¡± Cooper fell silent as Genevieve continued, ¡°But you truly are pitiful. Not only were you cheated on, but your son isn¡¯t even yours.¡± Cooper was at a loss for words. After listening to her insulting remarks, he snapped back to his senses, and his facial expression turned colder. Genevieve tiptoed and moved her red lips closer to Cooper¡¯s ear, making them look incredibly intimate. She whispered, ¡°What happened today is just the beginning. I will make you pay for what you did to me, and I¡¯ll take back everything you own me one by one.¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Chapter 34 A Great Act ¡°Mr. Sutton, use your extra cash to get an eye checkup at the hospital and get a better secretary. Don¡¯t waste it on trying to keep a lid on the trending news.¡± Upon hearing that, Cooper quickly realized that the news he had failed to stamp out and everything that had happened that day was all Genevieve¡¯s doing. They were very close to each other, so he could even detect the faint smell of cigarettes on Genevieve. Women don¡¯t like this kind of cigarettes. Now that I think about what I saw at City Hall and¡­ Cooper despised Genevieve when he realized she had done some unspeakable thing. At the same time, he felt a wave of rage rising in his heart for an inexplicable reason. The mixed feelings surging in him caused him to lose hisposure, and he raised his hand to p Genevieve. Suddenly, a man emerged and grabbed Cooper¡¯s wrist tightly. He pushed him away. ¡°Just tryying a hand on thedy of our family. I dare you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Patrick.¡± The show was over, and Genevieve didn¡¯t want to stay there any longer. She turned around and left. Patrick immediately followed her. When Patrick pushed Cooper away, Cooper recognized Patrick in no time, which indirectly made him realize that Genevieve really had a close rtionship with Armand. Did they go to City Hall that day to get their marriage certificate? Cooper¡¯s heart clenched as he instinctively stepped forward to chase after Genevieve. However, the horde of reporters surrounded him. ¡°Mr. Sutton, why did you set Ms. Rachford up?¡± ¡°I heard that the car ident that had caused Mr. Rachford¡¯s and Mrs. Rachford¡¯s deaths wasn¡¯t actually an ident. Were you behind that too?¡± ¡°Mr. Sutton, please answer the question!¡± The reporters interrogated Cooper, but he kept his mouth shut, so they quickly turned their cameras to Erica. Erica had long lost all her honor. She answered everything the reporters asked. However, Cooper pulled her by her arm with a tight grip before she could say much. His tone was cold as ice as he threatened, ¡°Shut up or I¡¯ll strangle you.¡± Cooper pushed the reporters away and dragged Erica out of the room as he shouted, ¡°Get lost!¡± Right after Genevieve stepped out of the hotel with Patrick in tow, she got a message from Harrison saying Cooper had taken Erica away. She wasn¡¯t the least bit worried. Instead, she wired the end payment to Harrison without hesitation. After Patrick hacked into Erica¡¯s phone, he not only discovered her rtionship with Harrison but also found out that Erica had gone to a host club with her friends. Erica had evenined to her friends about how stupid Harrison was and revealed her motives behind her decision to give birth to her child. Genevieve knew that Erica and Harrison grew up together, so Harrison would never betray Erica just for money. Furthermore, Erica even gave birth to his child. Even so, things were different after he knew what Erica did. N?velDrama.Org content rights. As expected, after Genevieve gave the information to Harrison, he approached her of his own volition to conspire with her. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, you were crying too hard just now.¡± Patrick nced at Genevieve and couldn¡¯t refrain from asking, ¡°You don¡¯t have feelings for Cooper anymore, do you?¡± ¡°All my feelings for him were gone when I found out the truth. Now, I only hold grudges against him and nothing else.¡± Genevieve added expressionlessly, ¡°Besides, I¡¯ll be on the headlines tomorrow. Would theizens pity me if I didn¡¯t cry hard enough?¡± Patrick instantly understood what she meant. ¡°Wow! Your crying act was amazing, Mrs. Faulkner! What you said made me hate Cooper so much that I wanted to punch him.¡± Genevieve thanked Patrick for his praise and smiled as she said, ¡°It looks like Cooper will be busy for quite some time.¡± Half a month ago, Cooper had divorced her and kicked her out of the house without even giving her a penny. After that, she was helpless and could do nothing about Winifred¡¯s death. However, she finally got to humiliate Cooper that day. The reason why she had managed to exact vengeance was that she had Armand backing her. She made a deal with Armand. All she needed to do was marry Armand, and she could use his authority to do whatever she wanted. Genevieve suddenly felt that she was at the winning end of the deal. Because the two of them had not nned to stay at the hotel for long, Patrick had parked the car by the roadside. They walked down the stairs and along the pavement. All of a sudden, the car exploded. Genevieve heard a loud explosion. The vehicle in front of her blew into pieces as a zing me rose to the sky. It had all happened too fast for her to react. She stood there, frozen. Patrick was about to throw himself on Genevieve to protect her when a tall figure appeared out of nowhere and pulled Genevieve into his embrace. The man wore a thin shirt. The metal shard that flew from the explosion cut through his shirt and pierced into his back. Blood gushed out from the wound, and he groaned in pain. Genevieve quickly snapped back to her senses and realized that the man who shielded her was Armand. She asked in surprise, ¡°Mando, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I have a meeting with a business partner here.¡± Armand¡¯s tone was steady, but hisplexion was rather pale. He scanned Genevieve from head to toe and asked, ¡°Are you injured?¡± ¡°No. I¡¯m fine.¡± She shook her head. She could smell a faint scent of blood. Soon, Patrick got up from the ground and nced at Armand¡¯s back. He took a deep breath and said, ¡°Armand, your back¡­¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 Genevieve whirled around immediately. She noticed that there was a piece of metal shard pierced into Armand¡¯s back. His back was covered with blood. That made Genevieve realize why she could smell the stench of blood. Genevieve¡¯s heart ached when she saw how badly injured Armand was because of her. She hastily pulled the silk scarf off her neck and pressed it on Armand¡¯s wound, attempting to stop the bleeding. ¡°Patrick, get help!¡± ¡°All right!¡± Patrick was about to hail a car when Steven arrived to pick Armand up. The expression on Steven¡¯s face darkened when he witnessed the scene. Without dy, he let Patrick drive his car to the hospital while Steven himself stayed behind to handle the mess. The car sped to the nearest hospital. In the backseat, Genevieve positioned Armand such that he was leaning on her. Both Genevieve¡¯s hands were putting pressure on the man¡¯s back. Her silk Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. scarf had long been soaked in blood, but still, there was blood seeping from Armand¡¯s injury. Even though he was badly wounded, Armand¡¯s expression remained indifferent. He could vaguely feel that the hands pressing against his back were trembling. He caught a glimpse of Genevieve from the corners of his eyes and noticed that she was biting her lips. ¡°It¡¯s just some metal shard, not a bullet. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Genevieve grunted in response. However, she found it difficult to ease her worries while looking at therge piece of metal shard piercing into Armand¡¯s back. Soon enough, the smart-looking Timothy, who was wearing a white robe, came into view. He had been waiting in the emergency room ever since he received the notice. Timothy swept a nce at Armand¡¯s wound, then gestured toward a hospital bed with his chin. ¡°For an injury as minor as this, I¡¯ll just handle it here. Otherwise, we¡¯ll make an unnecessary mess in the operating room, and someone would have to clean it up.¡± Genevieve was rendered speechless. The wound caused by the metal shard was deep. When Timothy removed it, Genevieve witnessed how Armand¡¯s inner flesh was also being drawn out. The bones underneath his skin were exposed. Genevieve¡¯s heart raced as she witnessed that gory scene. Earlier, if it were not for the fact that Armand had pushed her to the ground and shielded her in time, then Genevieve would be the one who was seriously wounded then due to the explosion. She was indebted to Armand once again. As Timothy cleaned Armand¡¯s wound, he asked Genevieve casually, ¡°How did Armand get this injury?¡± ¡°The car exploded all of a sudden.¡± Genevieve turned her gaze away, unable to stomach the sight of Armand¡¯s wounded back. ¡°Mando protected me, which was how he got hit by that metal shard.¡± When Timothy heard that, his eyes flickered. Realization soon dawned on him. This is probably the work of that person. ¡°Armand, congrattions.¡± Timothy¡¯s lips arched up into a smile. The doctor teased his patient cheekily. ¡°You hit the jackpot again.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Armand shot a cold re at Timothy. Timothy cowered in response and gave up teasing Armand. Once Timothy was done bandaging Armand, the doctor promptly tossed his surgical gloves onto a te. ¡°Armand, will you be checking in to the hospital or¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a minor injury, so there¡¯s no need for that.¡± Armand epted the clothes handed out by Patrick and swiftly changed into them. ¡°It¡¯s better that way, since I don¡¯t need to arrange a room for you.¡± Timothy shrugged. He then turned his head toward Genevieve. ¡°Genev, are you staying with Armand?¡± There was only silence in return. Then and there, Genevieve thought that the doctor, who had tied his hair in a ponytail, was too friendly with her. They had only met twice, yet he was already calling her by a nickname. Ultimately, Genevieve nodded her head. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll have to trouble you to look after Armand for the time being. Don¡¯t feed him any spicy food. Never allow him to shower before his wound scabspletely. If he insists on having a shower¡­¡± Timothy paused. He then continued, ¡°Then you should help him with it!¡± There was a hint of teasing in his voice when he made the suggestion. As soon as she heard that, Genevieve recalled the night she washed Armand¡¯s hair. She felt uneasy at once and mumbled something unintelligible in response. Once everything had settled down, Genevieve and the others returned to Swallow Garden. By the time they arrived, it was already one o¡¯clock in the middle of the night. Genevieve soon discovered that Steven had returned as well. Once Armand had gone up to the second floor, Genevieve walked over to Steven. She asked in a hushed voice, ¡°Steven, have you found out the reason as to why the car exploded?¡± She had been gripped with a question for a while. My car was fine. So why did it explode all of a sudden? Then, Genevieve¡¯s lips twitched abruptly when she remembered a rumor about Armand. Both of Armand¡¯s ex-wives had died soon after marrying him. As for Genevieve, it had been only several days since she married Armand when her car exploded. Steven seemed to have ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, there are many members of the Faulkner family who detest Mr. Faulkner. Hence, all the vehicles in the garage have anti-explosive devices installed in them. However, the car you drove had been sent to a service center for maintenancest week. I had been busy, and so I forgot to have Patrick examine the car.¡± Patrick, who was nearby, rubbed his nose and then lowered his head. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I was careless.¡± ¡°Of course it is!¡± Steven stated, his face sullen. ¡°I reminded you time and time again that whenever Mr. Faulkner or Mrs. Faulkner is heading out, you must inspect the car carefully before you drive them. Yet, you¡¯re always mindless about it. If it weren¡¯t for Mr. Faulkner, things would¡¯ve ended up more serious than it is!¡± As he said that, Steven pointed a finger toward the door. ¡°Go home and ground yourself in ¡®the darkroom¡¯ for a week!¡± Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Chapter 36 Visit Marilyn Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The moment Patrick heard Steven mentioning ¡®the darkroom,¡¯ a chill went down Patrick¡¯s spine. ¡°Steven, please¡­ Don¡¯t do that to me. I admit that it¡¯s my fault, okay? If I leave, who¡¯s going to take care of Mrs. Faulkner?¡± ¡°There are many housekeepers in Swallow Garden. We don¡¯t need you to tend to Mrs. Faulkner!¡± Patrick was then at a loss for words. Noticing the temper rising in Steven as if he wanted to punish Patrick heavily, Genevieve spoke up hastily, ¡°What happened this time isn¡¯t entirely Patrick¡¯s fault. It¡¯s the opponent that¡¯s too cunning. Giving Patrick a scolding should suffice.¡± If it were not for Patrick hacking into Erica¡¯s phone and unearthing all that information, it would have been impossible for Genevieve to exact vengeance. If anything, I should be thanking Patrick. When Steven heard Genevieve¡¯s plea, his mood improved slightly. He then shot a re at Patrick. ¡°Hurry up and thank Mrs. Faulkner!¡± ¡°Thank you, Mrs. Faulkner. You saved me.¡± Patrick wiped the sweat off his forehead. ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll find only my corpse in ¡®the darkroom¡¯ once my sentence is up.¡± Genevieve could not help but burst out inughter at Patrick¡¯s joke. After a short conversation, Genevieve noticed that it was getting veryte. She sent the men off to rest, then went up the stairs herself. Guess I¡¯ve overthinked things. Not long after Genevieve returned to her room, Steven came upstairs and entered Armand¡¯s room. ¡°Mr. Faulkner.¡± After entering the master bedroom, Steven spotted Armand sitting silently by the window. Steven then marched over to Armand and reported his prior conversation with Genevieve to Armand. ¡°I told a lie to Mrs. Faulkner. She believed it¡­¡± Steven paused for a few seconds, then continued, ¡°When I was handling the scene, I retrieved the surveince footage from a store by the street. I spotted one of Ms. Wood¡¯s bodyguards standing next to Mrs. Faulkner¡¯s car for ten seconds after Mrs. Faulkner and Patrick went into the hotel.¡± After Armand heard that, he narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did you take care of the surveince footage?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve handled them all,¡± Steven answered. He then asked, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, you¡¯re constantly being considerate of Marilyn, but she¡¯s acting more brazenly recently.¡± Armand bowed his head down to look at the phone in his hands. It was only out of pure coincidence that he had a business meeting in Langfield Hotel, which enabled him to push Genevieve down in time when the car exploded. Otherwise, Genevieve would have truly lost her life. After a momentary silence, Armand unlocked his phone, then keyed in a series of familiar numbers. However, before he made the call, his phone rang. The caller was exactly the person Armand wanted to speak with. Steven took a nce at the caller ID, then wisely decided to take a few steps backward. Armand stared at the vibrating and ringing phone. In the end, he epted the call and ced the phone by his ear. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Mando, I¡¯m scared.¡± The sound of a woman weeping resounded from the other end of the line. The voice sounded weak and pitiful. ¡°I had a dream just now. I dreamt that you dumped me.¡± Armand initially intended to reprimand her. However, the moment he heard her cries, his initial intentions disappeared into thin air. ¡°It¡¯s just a nightmare,¡± Armand coaxed her with his deep voice. His cold expression softened substantially. ¡°Don¡¯t think too much about it.¡± ¡°Was it truly a dream? It felt so real¡­¡± the woman sobbed. She then took things further and began to beg Armand, ¡°Mando,e over and keep mepany, will you? I¡¯m really scared!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call a housekeeper and ask her to apany you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want a housekeeper. I want you!¡± thedy whined. She suddenly cried out in pain, ¡°Mando, the b-baby is kicking me as well! Could it be that the baby is going to abandon me too?¡± Marilyn¡¯s cries made Armand¡¯s heart ache. He could not bring himself to ignore her. ¡°Be good and stay there. I¡¯m heading over there now.¡± ¡°Okay. Mando, you muste!¡± Armand promptly stood up, grabbed his coat, and got ready to leave. Seeing that, Steven let out a deep sigh in private. He then ran up to Armand. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, allow me to drive you.¡± Steven was secretly disappointed. After all these years, that woman still has Mr. Faulkner under her thumb. ¡°No need. I can drive there on my own.¡± ¡°But you¡¯ve suffered a heavy injury on your back.¡± Steven was about to say more, but as soon as he arrived downstairs, Armand was gone in the blink of an eye. Meanwhile, Patrick, who had collected a pile of snacks from the fridge in the kitchen, was sitting in the living room. It just so happened that Patrick witnessed Armand going out the door hastily. Soon after, his brother arrived downstairs as well. ¡°Just from one look of that bitter expression of yours, and I can tell where Armand is headed to.¡± Patrick dug out a big scoop of ice cream, then stuffed it into his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s going to visit Marilyn, isn¡¯t he?¡± Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Chapter 37 Worried Steven¡¯s face instantly became serious as he solemnly asked, ¡°How did you know about Ms. Wood?¡± Patrick shrugged and replied, ¡°Though I¡¯m rarely by Armand¡¯s side, that doesn¡¯t mean that I¡¯m ill- informed. I basically know what had happened between Ms. Wood and Armand in the past.¡± ¡°Hey, this car ident wasn¡¯t aimed at Armand. Right?¡± Patrick asked abruptly. After hearing no response from Steven, Patrick put the food that he was holding down. He muttered to himself, ¡°Old Mrs. Faulkner wants to have a grandson. It would be easy for Armand to find a surrogate mother using his abilities. Moreover, didn¡¯t the previous two women have a fake marriage with Armand? So why did Armand and Genevieve hold a real marriage? Don¡¯t tell me it was because of Ms. Wood¡­¡± As Patrick continued speaking, he suddenly came to a realization. ¡°All right, shut up!¡± Steven snapped. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. To the left of the hall was the housekeeper¡¯s room. Though the housekeepers had already slept at that time, Steven did not want what Patrick had said to be heard by others. After getting scolded by Steven, Patrick pouted and immediately stopped speaking. ¡°Patrick, Even if Armand treats you well, he¡¯s still the boss while we¡¯re the workers. No matter how much you know about Ms. Wood, just keep your mouth shut. Let¡¯s just do our best to protect Mrs. Faulkner,¡± Steven cautioned in a deep voice while his eyes conveyed warning. ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t gossip ever again. I¡¯m going back to my room to sleep.¡± Terrified of how Steven looked when he was lecturing someone, Patrick lifted his hands in surrender. He then carried the ice cream pail that was on the table before attempting to escape. ¡°Wait! Don¡¯t say anything you¡¯re not supposed to in front of Mrs. Faulkner. Or else, once a problem arises, don¡¯t me me for not protecting you,¡± Steven warned. Patrick immediately understood what Steven meant. The hairs on his body stood on end as he scurried away hastily. When Genevieve was sleeping, all she could think about was the bloody wounds on Armand¡¯s back. She kept tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep, and she even began wondering if Armand could only sleep face down due to his injured back. Could he even have a good night¡¯s rest if he slept face down? She finally fell asleep after a long time. When the sunlight started pouring through the window, it was already the second day. After Genevieve had finished washing up, she went downstairs but Armand was nowhere to be found. ¡°Is Mando still sleeping?¡± Usually, Steven would send Armand to the office. However, Steven was still at home that day. ¡°Mr. Faulkner went out early this morning. He didn¡¯t let me send him.¡± Steven answered. Hearing this, Genevieve frowned. Her face expressed worry as she questioned, ¡°Why didn¡¯t he stay at home to rest when he¡¯s injured? Did something urgent happen in thepany?¡± ¡°Wow! Are you concerned about Armand, Mrs. Faulkner?¡± asked Patrick cheekily as he nced at Genevieve. Genevieve instantly realized that she was indeed worrying excessively. She blushed and coughed before rolling her eyes at Patrick. ¡°Mando was injured because of me. Isn¡¯t it normal for me to care about him?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Patrick said with a know-it-all expression. ¡°Have you seen the news about the hotel?¡± Genevieve shook her head as she picked up the bowl of oatmeal that Maria had prepared. ¡°I was too tired after I came home yesterday so I didn¡¯t have the time to scroll my phone. Did the situation take a turn?¡± With Erica¡¯s confession, Genevieve did not believe that Cooper could clear his name. ¡°There was no turn of events. Everyone was scolding Cooper and feeling sorry for you. I think you deserve an Oscar award for crying, Mrs. Faulkner,¡± Patrick responded while passing her the phone. Genevieve took the phone and ced it on the table, scrolling it as she had breakfast. Last night, there was an uproar after the reporters that she had invited had recorded the interview and posted it online. Theizens were scolding Cooper and Erica everywhere online and the news had been on trending sincest night. Thements were as followed: Sh*tty people like them are certainly a match made in heaven. Serves Cooper right for being cheated on and being infertile. Someone like him doesn¡¯t deserve to have children! After seeing Genevieve cry, I cried too. If my love of twenty years had betrayed me like that, I would have taken my own life. As she scrolled further down, Genevieve saw that some angryizens had even printed out photos of Cooper and wrote the words ¡°Do everyone a favor and die¡± before sending them to Specter Corporation. Reading all thosements and news, Genevieve seemed asposed as ever. In actuality, she had broken down and wanted to take her own life shortly after the incident had happened. It was just a coincidence that she met Armand and his presence helped her get through all that. Just like how she was exposed on the inte back then, she wanted to let Cooper experience the same thing as well. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Genevieve returned the phone back to Patrick. As she picked up the orange juice to drink, her phone that she had left on the table lit up. It was an anonymous message. It read: I am Erica. I have proof that Cooper murdered your parents. If you want the proof, send me three million in exchange for it. After seeing the message, Genevieve¡¯s eyes widened in shock. When Genevieve went to the hotel with Armand that time, she had heard from Erica that she was the one who got rid of the clues that would prove Genevieve¡¯s parents did not die of natural causes. However, after Patrick had hacked into Erica¡¯s phone andputer, he did not find anything. Even though Genevieve had asked him to check carefully, he still couldn¡¯t find anything. And now, Erica had personally contacted her. Genevieve suppressed the urge of agreeing right away and replied: How are you so sure that I have three million? Using this trick, you can get way more than three million from Cooper. Genevieve had no idea why Erica woulde to find her instead of Cooper after gaining such crucial leverage over the man. Erica replied: I know that there¡¯s a man called Patrick by your sidest night. He¡¯s Mr. Faulkner¡¯s subordinate. And I also know that you¡¯ve been cozying up to Mr. Faulkner. I understand Cooper more than you do. If he knows that I have leverage over him, he would not let me off easily. As long as you give me three million and help me leave Jadeborough, I would not only pass the evidence to you, but I would also help you testify against Cooper. After getting no replies from Genevieve, Erica sent two more messages. The first message read: Let¡¯s meet in Blue Shore Caf¨¦ at half-past eleven. If you don¡¯te, I would delete the evidence. Followed by another message: It was your parents who got murdered, not mine. So, you hate Cooper N?velDrama.Org content. more than I do. Genevieve was provoked by Erica¡¯sst text. So, she responded quickly: Fine, I¡¯ll meet you at the caf¨¦. Judging from the text messages that Erica had sent, Genevieve felt that Erica didn¡¯t have a reason to lie to her. She guessed that Erica and Cooper must have had a fallout and Erica was afraid that Cooper might settle the score with her. Hence, when Erica knew that Genevieve was now with Armand, who was powerful, she then decided to do a transaction with Genevieve. After responding to her message, Genevieve told Patrick, ¡°Erica wants to meet me. Send me there ¡°She¡¯s basically a celebrity now. How does she still have the guts to be out in public? Does she want to take revenge on you?¡± Patrick sensed that something was off. Genevieve let out a chuckle. ¡°I have you, don¡¯t I? Why would the two of us be scared of her?¡± ¡°You¡¯re indeed a woman with great insight, Mrs. Faulkner! Let me tell you, I¡¯m not only a hacker, but I also have a ck belt in Kickboxing,¡± Patrick proudly eximed as he was overjoyed to be praised. ¡°Oh, really? Yet you still couldn¡¯t protect Mrs. Faulknerst night,¡± Steven said coldly. Patrick¡¯s expression instantly changed. He scratched the back of his head and replied, ¡°I was just trying to give Armand a chance to be the hero.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Upon seeing Steven¡¯s solemn face while he let out a mocking chuckle, Genevieve couldn¡¯t help but In the meantime, she was secretly worried for Armand. He was so badly injured but still went out early for work. Would he really be fine? After the car explosion incidentst night, Patrick did a thorough check on the car that he was driving. After confirming that the anti-explosion system was on, he then allowed Genevieve to enter the car. After reaching Blue Shore Caf¨¦, Patrick waited in the car while Genevieve entered the caf¨¦ and chose a window seat. Afterward, she sent Erica a text, informing her that she had arrived. Genevieve had her wireless earphones on and stayed in touch with Patrick through WhatsApp voice call the whole time. As she sat in the caf¨¦ and waited for a while, it suddenly began to rain. ¡°It¡¯s already eleven. Why isn¡¯t Erica here yet?¡± Patrick kept observing the surroundings. It was finally eleven o¡¯clock, but there was still no sign of Erica anywhere. ¡°She might¡¯ve been caught up in a traffic jam due to the rain. We¡¯ve nned to meet at half-past eleven, so let¡¯s wait for a while more,¡± said Genevieve, looking out the window. Inadvertently, she nced across the street and saw a man pushing open the door of a dessert shop and walking out. His left hand was holding onto a ck umbre with his defined jawline visible from under the umbre. There was a woman that was walking right beside him, but the woman was blocked by the man¡¯s body, so Genevieve couldn¡¯t see her face. She could only see that the woman was wearing a xen, knitted long skirt. Her belly was slightly bulging, which was an obvious sign that she was pregnant. Though Genevieve and Armand had not known each other for a long time, Armand¡¯s tall build and his indifferent temperament had already imprinted on Genevieve¡¯s heart. Thus, she could certainly conclude that the man holding the umbre was Armand. However, she had never seen Armand behave so gently toward a woman before. She watched as the man tilted the umbre toward the woman, oblivious to the fact that half his shoulder was drenched. Then, he pulled the car door open and ced a hand on the roof of the car to prevent the woman from bumping into it when she got in. After inspecting the scene, Genevieve asked hesitantly, ¡°Patrick, look behind you. Is that Mando?¡± ¡°What?¡± Patrick, who was sitting inside the car, turned his head and was extremely shocked. It is indeed Armand! Chapter 39 Chapter 39 Chapter 39 His Wife Although Patrick had never met Marilyn before, he could tell what rtionship she had with Armand by thetter¡¯s expression. Genevieve furrowed her eyebrows when she heard Patrick cursing. ¡°Is that really Mando?¡± Armand always had a cold demeanor and treated people condescendingly. As far as she knew, he had never been as gentle as this before. ¡°The woman beside Mando¡­¡± Suppressing the unusual emotions, she asked, ¡°Is she his wife?¡± After getting married to Armand, Genevieve dug up the Faulkner family¡¯s background. She knew that the Faulkner family had be sessful in Xedells and was one of the four most prestigious families in the city. As thew was rather outdated there, the Faulkner family¡¯s male ancestors had many wives. Initially, Armand¡¯s grandfather ordered the Faulkner family to only practice monogamy from his N?velDrama.Org content. generation onward. However, the global financial crisis severely affected the Faulkner family¡¯s business. Therefore, the ex- patriarch of the Faulkner family had no choice but to marry three wives to save their family. Armand¡¯s mother was the second wife of the family, and also the distant rtive of Harriet. As his mother was born and raised in Jadeborough, Armand chose to expand his business there when he first entered the business circle. When he took over the Faulkner family¡¯s core business, he moved all business projects to Jadeborough. Due to Xedells¡¯ backdatedw, Armand could still marry another woman in Jadeborough despite already being married in Xedells. Therefore, Genevieve thought the woman beside Armand was the wife he married in Xedells. ¡°You must have seen it wrongly. The man is not Armand. His figure just looks simr to him, that¡¯s all.¡± Even though it was the first time Patrick bumped into such an intense scene, he managed to react quickly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you shout so loudly just now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think her girlfriend is gorgeous? She looks just like a pop star!¡± Patrick¡¯s exaggerated words caused Genevieve to feel speechless. The man they saw had already gotten onto the driver¡¯s seat. However, she could not see his face clearly as the wipers were turned on. Therefore, she could only watch as the car left. Genevieve mumbled in exasperation, ¡°Not only his figure, but his side profile looks like him too.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so odd about that?¡± Patrick said. ¡°I¡¯ve even been told I should try bing a porn star because I look like one from Jetroina!¡± Genevieve was speechless at that. To diminish Genevieve¡¯s suspicion, Patrick spoke again. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink this. Although Xedells still maintained its polygamy policy, Old Mrs. Faulkner hated this outdatedw and ordered that the Faulkner family¡¯s grandsons could only marry one wife. Therefore, Armand will only have one wife, which is you.¡± ¡°Does that mean that Old Mrs. Faulkner is an easygoing person?¡± Genevieve asked. She did not know if Armand would bring her to visit Harriet. However, one could find any information on the inte, so Harriet probably knew about her from the news. ¡°I probably gave her a terrible impression of myself,¡± she thought. ¡°No way. She even made me cry twice from her scolding.¡± Patrick felt uneasy when he thought of the memory of him crying because of Harriet. ¡°However, it seems like Old Mrs. Faulkner has taken quite a liking to you.¡± Genevieve asked curiously, ¡°I¡¯ve never met with Old Mrs. Faulkner before. How do you know if she likes me or not?¡± Immediately, Patrick realized he had said something wrong and quickly covered it up. ¡°Old Mrs. Faulkner would like anyone Armand chooses, after all.¡± Once again, Genevieve was rendered speechless. The duo chatted casually in the cafe until one in the afternoon. Although the rain had stopped, Genevieve still did not see Erica anywhere. She decided to give Erica a call. Although thetter¡¯s phone was not turned off, nobody picked it up. Immediately, a sense of uneasiness rose in Genevieve¡¯s heart. Therefore, she ordered Patrick to track Erica¡¯s GPS location on her phone. They found out that her phone was located at the entrance of Southwood Mansion, but when they got there, the ce itself was empty. ¡°Cooper probably found out that she wanted to look for you,¡± Patrick analyzed. ¡°Should I hack into Cooper¡¯s phone to investigate?¡± Genevieve was reminded of Cooper¡¯s counter-reconnaissance during the car ident. Thus, she shook her head. ¡°Cooper is smarter than Erica, and he¡¯ll definitely have security on his phone. Even if we try to track him, we probably wouldn¡¯t be able to find Erica.¡± Taking onest look at the empty mansion, she turned around and entered the car. ¡°Let¡¯s head back.¡± The reason why she married Armand was to take revenge. If she could obtain some evidence from Erica, she could quickly send Cooper to jail and enable her parents to rest in peace. Unfortunately, her wish did note true. Genevieve was in a foul mood aftering back with nothing. On the way back, her phone suddenly rang. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Genevieve thought Erica had contacted her with another phone number, so the former immediately answered it. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Is this Ms. Genevieve?¡± the person on the other end of the line asked politely. After hearing that the person was not Erica, Genevieve felt her heart sink. ¡°Yes. I am. Is something the matter?¡± ¡°I am from Central Group¡¯s HR department,¡± the person said politely. ¡°We¡¯re quite interested in your resume. Do you have the time toe over for an interview on Thursday, nine o¡¯clock in the morning?¡± Just then, Genevieve remembered she had sent her resume to Steven. She had no idea she would receive a call so soon. ¡°I¡¯m free on that day. Do I need to bring any materials with me?¡± After returning from finishing her studies in Dartan, she had never worked before. Apart from heading overseas asionally to help Cooper, she had no working experience. Therefore, she had never attended an interview at other After jotting down the materials she needed to bring for the interview, she continued chatting with the man for a while. When she hung up the call, the car had just reached home. After returning home, she took off her jacket and hung it on the clothes rack. While doing so, she realized that there was another thin ck coat on the rack. When she got near, she could smell a faint scent that seemed like perfume. ¡°Maria.¡± After hanging up her jacket, she asked, ¡°Is Mando back yet?¡± Maria nodded. ¡°Mr. Faulkner returned two hours ago and immediately entered the study room with Steven. I went to send them some coffee just now. They seem to be busy with work.¡± Genevieve turned back to eye the jacket on the clothes rack, deciding not to bother about the perfume. After all, the man she met in the dessert shop did not wear that jacket. It seems like the man really wasn¡¯t Armand. As she knew Armand was working upstairs, Genevieve did not bother him and teamed up with Patrick to y games in the living room. The duo only stopped when it was time for dinner. Right after the housekeeper finished cing the tes on the table, Armand and Steven headed downstairs. Armand wore a white shirt and a pair of trousers, entuating his handsome figure. The sleeves on his shirt were folded up, revealing the muscles on his arms. Perhaps he had been working for too long, for there was a hint of exhaustion in his eyes. However, that did not change the usual indifferent expression on his face. Genevieve could not help but feel worried when she thought of how he had to continue working despite his injury. ¡°Mando, how is your injury?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a tiny injury on my back.¡± Armand pulled out the chair in front of her, seemingly annoyed. ¡°You should go on with your own life. You don¡¯t need to put your focus on me constantly.¡± Genevieve wanted to thank him at first, but she gripped her fork when she heard the reproach that followed next. Does he think I¡¯m too annoying? Well, both of us are only in a fake marriage. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re a real couple. Besides, he gave me everything that I have now. I don¡¯t have the right to care about him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She lowered her head and continued eating, not saying anything else. Armand seemed to notice the change in Genevieve¡¯s mood. Furrowing his eyebrows, he lifted his eyes to nce at her. However, due to his quiet and aloof nature, he didn¡¯t bother to exin. Patrick nced at Armand and then at Genevieve, noticing the shift in the atmosphere at the dining table. Therefore, he stopped his usual chattering and ate in silence. The group of people finished eating dinner silently. As Armand still had some work to do, he quickly went upstairs. Meanwhile, Patrick continued to y games with Genevieve. ¡°Don¡¯t mind what Armand said just now during dinner,¡± Patrick whispered to Genevieve. ¡°He¡¯s quite cold and likes to keep things to himself. I think that he¡¯s even more secretive than my brother! Besides, he couldn¡¯t even care less when a gunshot almost hit his heartst time, much less a minor injury like this.¡± Upon hearing that, Genevieve¡¯s bad mood was soon reced with shock. ¡°When did this happen? Did his brothers¡­ do it?¡± When she scrolled through the news regarding the Faulkner family, she discovered that the inheritance was given out ording to their ages. However, the Faulkner family¡¯s core businesses were handed over to Armand. That caused the other children to only obtain some stocks and smallpanies, thus angering them as they could not get much money. Therefore, when Armand moved the business to Jadeborough and expanded it, they were blinded with jealousy when they saw how much money he earned. That further escted their fury as they tried to make a move on Armand to get all of his assets. Patrick almost nodded but quickly stopped himself. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, it¡¯s safer for you to not know some things.¡± N?velDrama.Org content rights. After seeing that he was unwilling to tell, Genevieve did not force him. The duo continued to y games in the living room until past ten at night. Finally, Genevieve called it quits as her eyes were sore. She then returned to her bedroom upstairs. After she came out of the shower, she spotted the shopping bag on the couch. She soon remembered it was the few suits she picked out for Armand when she went shopping with Patrick that day. Worried about Armand¡¯s injuryst night, she had forgotten all about the suits. Thankfully, I asked someone to send the suits back to the mansion beforehand. Otherwise, I¡¯m going to lose several hundred thousand after the car exploded. Taking a look at the time, Genevieve figured Armand would be resting at this time. After pondering for a moment, she towel-dried her hair quickly and went out while carrying the few shopping bags. When she walked to Armand¡¯s room, she was going to knock on his door when her vision went ck, causing her a big deal of shock. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Are You That Strong Is there a ckout? Genevieve switched on the shlight on her phone in a hurry. Through the window by the corridor, she could see that the streemps were still lit. She could faintly hear Steven¡¯s voice saying that he would check if the circuit breaker tripped. I should just pass him the suit tomorrow when he¡¯s free. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Just as Genevieve was about to head back with her stuff, she vaguely heard some sounds inside the room. It sounded as if something was being knocked down. She was worried that the sudden ckout caused Armand to knock into something on ident and worsen the wound on his back. Thus, she instantly knocked on the door and asked, ¡°Mando, are you all right?¡± ¡°Mr. Faulkner?¡± After a few knocks, Genevieve started to panic when there was no response from Armand. Just as she was about to kick the door down, Armand¡¯s muffled voice suddenly sounded from inside. ¡°Come in. The door¡¯s not locked.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Genevieve then heaved a sigh of relief when she knew that he was all right. She entered the room while holding her phone, but after walking one round around Armand¡¯s huge room, there still seemed to be no sign of him. Shortly after, she noticed that the restroom door was closed and walked over. ¡°Mando, are you in the restroom?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A tall figure appeared behind the ss door to the restroom. ¡°During the ckout just now, I realized that I couldn¡¯t open the door to the restroom. Could you try to open it from the outside?¡± ¡°Okay. Give me a second.¡± When Genevieve shone the shlight of her phone at the door, she found that there was a towel stuck in the gap underneath the door. ¡°Mando, I think the towel got stuck under the door by ident when you went in.¡± Genevieve tried to tug at the towel, but it didn¡¯t budge no matter how hard she tried. With that, she stood up and suggested, ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a step back? I¡¯ll try to m the door open.¡± ¡°Are you that strong?¡± Armand was doubtful. ¡°I can try¡­¡± Genevieve positioned her phone upright onto a chair so that it shone onto the restroom. She then took a deep breath and rammed into the door with all her might. The first time she hit it, her shoulders felt sore. Despite that, she still couldn¡¯t knock the door open. Inside the restroom, Armand was sharp to hear her gasping in pain. It was evident that she was hurt from trying to knock the door down. ¡°Stop trying. Get Patrick toe up and help instead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll try again,¡± Genevieve responded as she rubbed her shoulder, which was in pain. She tried a different angle and rammed into the door again with her left shoulder. All of a sudden, the door opened. Genevieve didn¡¯t manage to grab the door handle to steady herself, and thus she flew straight into the bathroom from the impact. Under the dim light that shone in from the outside, Armand reached out and tried to support Genevieve. However, he ended up stumbling backward as she rammed into him. For some reason, the shower was turned on. Water gushed down from above them, causing them to bepletely drenched. Due to the violent impact on Armand¡¯s back, his wound split open. He groaned in pain and reached backward, hurriedly turning the shower off. Genevieve was also shivering after being drenched in the cold water. Aftering back to her senses, she saw that Armand was also soaked under the dim light. His ck hair stuck to his forehead, and he wore an extremely grim expression. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t manage to grasp the door handle.¡± Genevieve took the towel off the rack and passed it to Armand, her hands trembling. ¡°I wanted you to open the door for me, not kill me,¡± Armand responded coldly. He wiped the beads of water off his face with the towel and groaned again. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Genevieve asked anxiously. Before he replied, she noticed that the bandage around his chest was already soaked in blood. In an instant, she understood what was going on. She hurriedly helped him out of the restroom. ¡°Wait here for a while. I¡¯ll get Patrick.¡± Just as she was about to leave, Armand called out, ¡°The medication and bandage are on the cab. You can help me.¡± With a frown, he then continued, ¡°I¡¯m afraid that he¡¯ll be too rough and make things worse.¡± As Genevieve thought about how rowdy Patrick always seemed, she thought that what Armand said might be true. Using the shlight, she found the medication and bandage on top of the cab just as Armand had said. She then made him back-face her and carefully unraveled the bandages which were soaked in blood. Although there were a fewyers of bandages, they weren¡¯t waterproof after all, and they were soaked when Armand stood under the shower just now. Now, as Genevieve undid the bandages, she saw that the wound had split open and turned white after being drenched by the water. Her heart clenched, and she couldn¡¯t help but me herself. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ I should¡¯ve listened to you just now and called Patrick to help instead.¡± If she had done as he said, she wouldn¡¯t have barged into the restroom so recklessly and knocked into him, causing his wound to split open. However, Armand replied calmly, ¡°There¡¯s no use if you keep apologizing. Since it has already happened, just remember to be more careful next time. Now help me treat my wound.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Genevieve pursed her lips. Chapter 42 Chapter 42 Chapter 42 You Did Much Better Than The Previous Time Because of the ckout, every other part of the room was shrouded in darkness except the couch. Genevieve thought that the room was so quiet that she could even hear her own breathing. She became even more nervous as she helped Armand treat his wound. To calm herself down and break the silence, Genevieve spoke. ¡°Thanks, Mando. I owe you one.¡± Armand knew what she was thanking him for, and his gaze darkened under the dim light. After a brief pause, he responded, ¡°Since we¡¯re already married, it¡¯s only right for me to protect you. You don¡¯t owe me any favor. If you were injured that night, then I would¡¯ve failed as a husband.¡± Genevieve was well aware of their rtionship. Nheless, she still felt her heart skip a beat when she heard the second half of his words. For whatever reason, Armand had always been giving her an indescribable sense of security. ¡°Oh,¡± Genevieve replied in a fluster before lowering her head and carefully bandaging him. When she wrapped the bandage around his chest, she could clearly see a bellflower tattoo about the size of a coin on his right chest with the light from the shlight. Upon taking a closer look, she noticed that there seemed to be a bullet hole under the flower petals. Genevieve suddenly recalled Patrick¡¯s words and guessed that it was from the shot that almost cause Armand his life. ¡°Mando, did you get this tattoo of a flower to cover the bullet hole?¡± Genevieve asked out of curiosity. It must hurt, doesn¡¯t it? As she stared at the bellflower intently, she waspletely unaware of the close proximity between them and how intimate they seemed. Armand was always quite good at restraining his desires. However, Genevieve was too close to him at that moment, and she was almost sitting on hisp. Her towel had also slipped off, revealing her soaked nightgown. A few strands of her ck hair stuck to her fair neck, seeming innocent yet alluring. After a long while, Genevieve still didn¡¯t get a reply from Armand and thought that she had hit his sore spot. Just as she was about to apologize, she looked up and found that she was inches away from him. Her body stiffened instinctively. In the next second, Armand held the back of her head and pulled her closer. ¡°You did much better thanst time,¡± Armand said in a deep voice. Genevieve could feel his warm breath on her face. Feeling the slightly ticklish sensation on her face, she subconsciously ced her hand on his chest. Her head spun as she quickly remembered thest time she took the initiative to seduce him. He mocked that she seemed like a zombie. ¡°R-Really?¡± She was so nervous that she started to stutter. For some reason, when she boldly tried to seduce him countless times before this and eveny in his bed in her nightgown, she never felt anything. However, now that she was merely too close to Armand, she felt nervous being enveloped by his scent. Under the dim light, Armand saw that Genevieve seemed nervous as she bit her lip. Her small actions seemed to be silently seducing him, causing his abdomen to tighten. With his thumb, he slowly pried open her tightly pursed lips and gazed at her intently. Genevieve got even more nervous when he touched her lips. After noticing that he didn¡¯t continue after a while and simply stared at her, she quickly understood his intentions. Genevieve lowered her head shakily and kissed him. Just as the atmosphere in the room turned passionate and Genevieve was about to kiss him, the electricity suddenly came back on. Soon, Patrick¡¯s voice could be heard outside the door. ¡°Armand, Steven went to the basement to check and found that the circuit breaker had tripped. He was worried that you were still working on your When he walked over, Patrick noticed that the bedroom door was wide open. The passionate scene on the couch left him dumbstruck. Genevieve immediately jumped off the man¡¯sp and ran out with her head down. ¡°Armand, I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you guys.¡± Upon noticing that he had disrupted something, Patrick scratched the back of his head awkwardly. ¡°Who would have thought that during the ckout¡­¡± Armand wore a dark expression as he bellowed, ¡°I don¡¯t need your help with anything. Get lost!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave right away.¡± Just as Patrick turned around to leave, he suddenly recalled something and poked his head into the bedroom again. ¡°Oh right, Armand. Pierre called Steven just now and said that someone else won the pink diamond in N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. the auction.¡± Hearing that, Armand furrowed his brows. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell him that he had to get it no matter how much it cost?¡± ¡°The other party was bent on winning the pink diamond and increased the price with every bid.¡± Patrick continued, ¡°After Pierre responded to an emergency text, the diamond was already auctioned off.¡± Armand then remembered that on the day Pierre went to the auction, thetter seemed to have responded to an emergency text sent by the former amidst the event. It seemed that Armand himself identally caused them to lose the pink diamond. After a momentary silence, he ordered Patrick, ¡°Check on who the buyer was and get Pierre to negotiate with them. We have to get it back.¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t any other pink diamond of such in the world. Even if Pierre went to negotiate, I doubt that the other party would sell it¡­¡± Patrick mumbled in distress. He then asked, ¡°But Armand, why are you so hell-bent on buying this pink diamond? Is it because you want to gift it to Mrs. Faulkner?¡± ¡°Are you tired of staying at Swallow Garden and want a change of scenery?¡± Armand shot him a re. A chill ran down Patrick¡¯s spine, and he scurried off. Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Chapter 43 Am I Shameful On Thursday morning, Genevieve woke up early and changed into a set of ck suit and pants, and tied her hair into a low ponytail. She seemed elegant and experienced. Due to Patrick¡¯s sudden appearance the other night, she was extremely embarrassed and intentionally avoided Armand over the past few days. Armand, on the other hand, seemed to be very busy. He would go out early and returnte at night, so he had no time to bother with her. When Genevieve went downstairs, she saw that Armand was having breakfast. There was a blue striped tie around his neck, simr to the one that Genevieve picked out for the old woman¡¯s grandson at the mall previously. However, she soon convinced herself it would be normal for Armand to buy a simr one, as the tie wasn¡¯t a limited edition. After Genevieve greeted him, she sat down opposite him. ¡°Steven, is there any car that I can use in the garage?¡± Genevieve asked as she ate her breakfast. ¡°I have to go for an interview today.¡± Before Steven could respond, Armand replied nonchntly, ¡°None of the cars in the garage are suitable for you. I got someone to order a new car, and it will only arrive in a few days¡¯ time. You can use my car for today.¡± I can drive both manual and automatic cars. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s necessary for him to buy a new car. After a pause, Genevieve instinctively refused, ¡°There¡¯s no need for that. I can hail a taxi outside the mansion¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll drive the car to the underground parking lot at thepany, and you can take the lift from the first floor.¡± Armand seemed to understand what Genevieve was worried about and added, ¡°Genevieve, we¡¯re not in a secret marriage. You can announce our rtionship to the public at any time.¡± Tapping his slender fingers on the table, Armand asked teasingly, ¡°Or are you ashamed of being with my wife?¡± Genevieve almost choked on her breakfast. She hurriedly waved her hands and exined, ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± It wasn¡¯t that she felt ashamed of being with Armand. It was just that she was well aware of why they got married in the first ce and didn¡¯t want others to know about it. Plus, if lesser people knew about them, it would also be easier for them to part on good terms in the future. ¡°That¡¯s good. Then you can take my car.¡± Armand nodded slightly, exuding a cold and domineering demeanor. Left with no choice, Genevieve could only agree. After Steven drove the car outside the gate, Armand opened the door to the back row in a gentlemanly fashion and let Genevieve enter first. The car soon left the mansion. Because of his injury, Armand quit smoking a while ago. There was no longer the smell of cigarettes on him, and there was only a faint sandalwood scent. It smelled quite good to Genevieve. As she took in the pleasant scent, she suddenly remembered the scene in Armand¡¯s bedroom that night and could still feel the warmth from his chest on her palms. ¡°Genevieve.¡± ¡°Um, what?¡± Genevieve hurriedly snapped back to her senses. When she turned around, all she saw was Armand silently looking back at her. She instantly thought about why she was in a daze the moment before and tried to keep a straight face. However, her ears were already red. ¡°I was distracted because I was thinking about the interview just now¡­¡± she exined. Armand seemed uninterested in that and replied, ¡°On the day that we registered our marriage, Timothy brought you to do a blood test. He told me that you have a Phnull blood type. Is that right?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Genevieve nodded in response. She then asked, ¡°Mando, is there anything you need my help with?¡± She thought that Armand wouldn¡¯t be asking about her blood type just out of boredom. Armand said in a low voice, ¡°Timothy needs your help. There is a patient of his with a very rare blood type as well. He¡¯ll need to go for an operation sometimeter and would possibly lose a lot of blood. He needs to find a suitable blood donor for the patient in advance.¡± When Steven heard this, he secretly nced at Armand through the rearview mirror as he drove. Why is Mr. Faulkner suddenly changing his mind? If Timothy asked Genevieve personally, Genevieve might have rejected him within a second. But now that Armand was asking her, there was no way that she could refuse instantly. After all, if not for Armand¡¯s help the previous time, she could have lost her life. ¡°Sure.¡± Genevieve nodded. She didn¡¯t bring up anything about her coagtion disorder. ¡°When does Mr. Jensen need it?¡± Armand¡¯s gaze darkened. ¡°Steven will bring you to the hospital after your interview.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Soon, the car reached the underground parking lot at Central Group. Genevieve and Armand then went to take the elevator together. Upon reaching the lobby on the first floor, Genevieve was just about to exit the elevator when Armand called her. ¡°You don¡¯t have any working experience, so it will be stressful for you during the interview. Just rx. If you don¡¯t get in, I¡¯ll talk to the head of the trantion department.¡± Does he mean that¡­ he¡¯s going to pull some strings for me? Genevieve was stunned for a second before revealing a smile. ¡°I¡¯m confident of my abilities. When I get N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. through, I¡¯ll personally cook for you all to celebrate the asion!¡± Armand then recalled the deadly pot of mushroom soup that she made, and his lips twitched. After the elevator doors closed, Armand ordered Steven, ¡°Call Timothy and tell him not to reveal anything when he takes Genevieve¡¯s bloodter.¡± Steven wanted to ask something, but eventually responded, ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Chapter 44 Do Not Embarrass Yourself Since it was the hiring season for Central Group, and it was a well-established bigpany, everyone who was invited for the interview were there. As Genevieve reached the floor for the interview, she noticed that the corridor was full of people. Seeing such a lively scene, Genevieve gasped internally. She then registered herself at the counter and took a number. Just when she was about to sit down and wait, she bumped into someone. It was the other party¡¯s fault for bumping into Genevieve, and their phone dropped. Out of kindness, Genevieve helped pick up the phone. ¡°Thanks¡­¡± The woman thanked her after taking the phone. Just when she took a good look at Genevieve¡¯s face, her expression changed drastically. ¡°Genevieve?¡± The young woman looked familiar to Genevieve, but thetter couldn¡¯t recall anything at the time. She merely nodded lightly and was about to walk past her. However, the woman, Queenie, stopped her by stretching out her leg. ¡°That¡¯s funny. Someone useless like you can¡¯t even do well in your own family¡¯spany, and you have the audacity toe for an interview in Central Group?¡± she sneered. Queenie¡¯s voice was loud, attracting the attention of everyone around them. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Upon seeing Genevieve standing in front of Queenie, those who had watched the previous news began gossiping and judging Genevieve. ¡°Genevieve has tantly cheated on her husband. Her morals are corrupt! How dare shee to Central Group for an interview?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Genevieve, I think you should leave. Central Group doesn¡¯t just recruit anyone. Certainly not someone like you,¡± said Queenie ruthlessly. After hearing all the bbering from Queenie, Genevieve finally remembered who she was. When she bumped into Erica while shopping for clothes the other day, there were two women with Erica ¨C one of them was Queenie. Genevieve cast a nce at the document in Queenie¡¯s hand and smirked. ¡°What a coincidence! I have no idea that you¡¯re also interviewing for trantion department.¡± ¡°Hmph. You and I are not on the same level!¡± Queenie raised her chin proudly. Queenie came from an average family background. If it weren¡¯t for the downfall of the Rachford family, Queenie might even try to butter Genevieve up when she saw her. However, Genevieve was currently just a pathetic dog. Queenie scoffed and continued mocking, ¡°Central Group¡¯s trantion department consists of graduates from prestigious universities around the world! Don¡¯te here and embarrass yourself!¡± Suddenly, Genevieve gave said something, but Queenie couldn¡¯t understand her words. Thus, she frowned. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Beranese. You don¡¯t understand, do you? Why are you here for an interview if you don¡¯t know much about foreignnguages?¡± Genevieve sneered as she grinned. Instantly, Queenie knew Genevieve was humiliating her. ¡°Beranese is a minornguage. It¡¯s normal that I don¡¯t understand it!¡± ¡°East Epea¡¯s officialnguage is Beranese, which is spoken by up to thirty million people. I believe you are the one who shouldn¡¯te here to embarrass yourself,¡± Genevieve stated. She gave Queenie a taste of her own medicine. Upon hearing the snickering from some of the onlookers, Queenie was so infuriated that her face almost contorted. ¡°Number twenty-eight, Genevieve, number thirty-three, Queenie, and number forty-eight¡­¡± Right then, the registrar called out some names and continued, ¡°All eight of you, please proceed to the eighth interview hall.¡± When her name was called, Queenie gave Genevieve a re and hurried to the eighth interview hall. Meanwhile, Genevieve trailed behind her. After entering the interview hall, Genevieve saw a row of chairs at the door. Besides, six solemn-faced interviewers sat behind a table near the floor-to-ceiling window. When all of the interviewees took their seats, the interviewers began to ask questions one by one. Even though it was Genevieve¡¯s first time attending an interview, Steven, who was not only Armand¡¯s driver but also his secretary, had given her some pointers regarding the interview¡¯s process and questions. Sitting in the interview hall, Genevieve had answered all of the questions fluently and correctly. She soon moved on to the written test. After a short while, she stood up and handed in her paper to the interviewer. Even the experienced interviewer was shocked when he saw how fast Genevieve hadpleted the test. He checked the time on his watch and asked, ¡°You¡¯re done? It¡¯s barely past ten minutes. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to double-check?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± If she had taken more time than that to answer such simple questions, she would be embarrassing her previous teachers. After she handed in the test, she quickly left the interview hall. Seeing that she finished it in such a short time, the other interviewees began gossiping. They thought that the test was too hard for Genevieve, so she gave up on it. Queenie, who was racking her brains for the test, also did not believe that Genevieve wouldplete it in such a short time. She also thought that Genevieve had backed out. Upon observing the grim expression on the interviewer¡¯s face when he read Genevieve¡¯s paper, Queenie was even more confident about her assumption. Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Chapter 45 Are You Seeing Someone Else When Genevieve got out of the interview hall, she received a text from Patrick on WhatsApp: Mrs. Faulkner, have you finished your interview? I am in Category A of the cafeteria on the twenty-second floor. She got a temporary employee badge and took the elevator to the restaurant. Central Group had a total of fifty-three floors, and the twenty-second floor was the cafeteria which was divided into four areas. Central Group employees, including the interviewees, all dined there. When Genevieve arrived at Category A of the cafeteria, she saw someone conversing with Patrick by the door. Patrick¡¯s skin was a little tanned, but he had thick brows, big eyes, and prominent facial features. His thin and slender frame wasplemented by a suit that made him look like a business elite. In front of him stood an attractive and mature woman who appeared amused by what he said. She covered her lips numerous times to giggle, and she even took out her phone to ask for his phone number. Genevieve was rendered speechless immediately. She then walked up to them quickly and called out, ¡°Patrick.¡± Seeing that Genevieve had arrived, Patrick stood up straight immediately and smiled, showing his white teeth. ¡°Oh. Mrs. Fa-¡± Before he could greet her, Genevieve shot him a warning look. Even though Patrick wasn¡¯t much of a bright person, he understood what she meant instantly. He paused and changed his words, saying, ¡°Genev, this is Jenny Griffin from the trantion department.¡± Jenny Griffin didn¡¯t appear to be interested in entertainment news, so she didn¡¯t recognize Genevieve. She merely smiled and said, ¡°Your sister is stunning. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m in charge of invigting the test ¡°Thank you, Ms. Griffin! You¡¯re gorgeous and kind. I¡¯ll treat you to lunch tomorrow, so don¡¯t you reject me!¡± Patrick grinned from ear to ear. ttered, Jenny¡¯s smile widened as she quickly left with a cup of coffee in her hand. ¡°Since when am I your sister? Also, does your brother know that you have such flirting skills?¡± Genevieve shot Patrick a cold look. ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention there are a couple of phases in the trantion department interview? It sounds tough, so in order for you to pass the test, I had no choice but to flirt with Ms. Griffin for your sake. After all, I am an attractive man,¡± said Patrick as he shrugged and walked into the cafeteria with Genevieve. Genevieve chuckled. ¡°Oh, I see. Should I thank you?¡± ¡°Why of course! I am way better than Armand. Armand, as the CEO of Central Group, didn¡¯t even bother to pull some strings for his wife,¡± said Patrick as he raised his brow proudly. Looking at the diners around them, Genevieve was worried that someone would eavesdrop on their conversation. Thus, she lightly kicked Patrick on the foot. Genevieve assumed that Patrick was working in Central Group without a set schedule and only visited thepany on asion, but it turned out that he was also there for an interview. ¡°My brother told me to never leave your side.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s a need for that. There are surveince cameras on every floor. What could possibly happen to me in thepany?¡± Genevieve was nonplussed. Patrick thought of the ident that day. You can never be sure. Nheless, he didn¡¯t say his worries out loud. Instead, heined, ¡°I don¡¯t minding to work. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m so experienced in information technology and whatnot, and my capabilities are more N?velDrama.Org content rights. than enough for me to be a technical supervisor, but I still have toe here and be interviewed by some rookies. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Patrickined once more while they were ordering their food. ¡°Wow, what kind of lunch is this? Everything is so nd! Genev, let¡¯s go and have seafood and beer tonight!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I can go have seafood and beer for these few days,¡± replied Genevieve. She had to get her blood tested at the hospital at night, and she was not allowed to eat high cholesterol food for several days thereafter. ¡°Why? Are you seeing someone else?¡± Patrick asked in dismay, acting as if he was abandoned. Genevieve was once again rendered speechless. Coincidentally, Queenie was also there to have lunch with a few of her friends. When they were queueing, Queenie noticed that Genevieve was interacting intimately with a man beside her, and she overheard thest few words Patrick uttered. At that moment, she believed she knew why Genevieve came for the interview. With a sneer, Queenie said, ¡°Earlier in the morning, I couldn¡¯t wrap my head around why you¡¯re here when you don¡¯t know anything. Now it turns out that you¡¯re here to seduce rich men.¡± Genevieve turned around and gave Queenie an icy look upon hearing that. Being aware that she was in a cafeteria, Genevieve remained silent. However, Patrick was enraged. Immediately, he roared back, ¡°Did you just fall into a pile of sh*t in the morning? Is that why your mouth smells so bad?¡± ¡°You! I am doing you a favor by exposing her true colors!¡± Queenie¡¯s face turned pale in a split second. ¡°Even though Genev is cute and pretty, do you have to be that jealous? Ah, it¡¯s okay, I understand. After all, you¡¯re so ugly, and I doubt any stic surgeon would be able to do anything to save your face. Thus, you¡¯re resentful,¡± Patrick continued to chastise her. As he scrutinized her from head to toe, his gaze became increasingly disdainful. ¡°Even if I was a rich fish, I wouldn¡¯t want to be fished by people like you! I¡¯d vomit!¡± Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Armand Is Clueless About Doting ¡°How dare you!¡± Queenie yelled. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I merely spoke the truth! You can choose not to listen if you don¡¯t want to,¡± Patrick hissed back at her. He stretched out his arm, picked up a te of fish and chips, and held it out to Queenie. ¡°Here, have some fish. It helps make you smarter. Feel free to help yourself as much as you want. This one¡¯s on me!¡± he said sweetly. Then, Patrick picked up his own tray of food and stalked off. Queenie gazed at the te of fish and chips that seemed to be mocking her and resisted the urge to fling the te onto the ground. Her argument with Patrick had attracted a lot of attention. Almost everyone in the cafeteria had recognized Genevieve, and they started whispering among themselves. However, Genevieve ignored their stares. ¡°I¡¯ll be going to the hospital to donate blood in the afternoon, so I can¡¯t have lobster for dinner. But I can treat you to some,¡± Genevieve said. She had enjoyed seeing Patrick put Queenie in her ce. ¡°Are you donating blood out of kindness?¡± As Patrick had been protecting her all this time, she decided to be honest with him. ¡°I guess so. My blood type is pretty rare, which happens to be the same blood type as Dr. Jensen¡¯s friend. His friend is undergoing surgery soon, and he needs blood. I will be donating a few bags so he can store them for future use.¡± Patrick was confused. ¡°Timothy is pretty famous in the medical field. How rare is the patient¡¯s blood type that he insisted on drawing yours? Won¡¯t your rich husband be upset?¡± ¡°Stop being dramatic, will you?¡± Genevieve replied in exasperation. ¡°If I had a wife, I wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to stick a needle in her, let alone allow her to perform acts of kindness for others¡­¡± Patrick clicked his tongue. ¡°Armand is clueless on how to dote on his wife.¡± Genevieve was speechless. Unable to stand his nonsense anymore, she took her empty cup to the drinks section. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Queenie happened to be there as well. As the incident earlier was still fresh in her mind, she red at Genevieve with resentment. When she noticed that Genevieve was making herself a cup of coffee, she discreetly poured some hot water into a cup. When Genevieve was done with her coffee, Queenie picked up the cup of hot water and approached Genevieve. She nced at the surveince camera in the corner and realized that they were in the camera¡¯s blind spot. Thus, she quickened her pace toward Genevieve. Pretending to slip, she hurled the hot water toward Genevieve. However, Genevieve shifted to the side instantaneously as if she had predicted Queenie¡¯s movements. Two people had been walking behind Genevieve. After she dodged, the hot water sshed onto the shorter man¡¯s suit. The suit did not provide much protection, and the man hissed in pain as the water scalded him. Queenie had not expected this turn of events. Her face turned pale as she stammered an apology, ¡°I- I¡¯m sorry! T-The floor was a little s-slippery¡­¡± The man endured the pain and reprimanded Queenie, ¡°Couldn¡¯t you be more careful then? You¡¯re lucky that the hot waternded on me. If it scalded Mr. Faulkner, will you be able topensate for the damages?¡± Only then did Queenie realize that the man standing next to him was Armand. He looked at her with such coldness that her knees almost gave way beneath her. Genevieve had only heard some footsteps behind her and never expected it to be Armand. She smiled slightly and reminded Queenie, ¡°Ms. Lane, from now on, please be careful when you¡¯re carrying a cup of hot water.¡± Queenie almost exploded in anger. This is not fair! I didn¡¯t manage to take revenge against Genevieve and even got myself implicated! Armand and the man turned away from her. Gritting her teeth, Queenie mustered up her courage and stood in their way. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, I want to report Genevieve!¡± As she spoke, she pointed an using finger at Genevieve. ¡°Central Group is a prolificpany that ces utmost importance on reputation. However, Genevieve cheated on her husband and even caused her ownpany to go bust. With such a poor reputation, I don¡¯t think she should even be allowed an interview with Central Group.¡± Queenie paused for a moment before continuing, ¡°She had submitted the written test in under ten minutes, and her results were a mess! How can she still take part in the test that will be held in the afternoon?¡± Upon hearing that, Genevieve¡¯s expression darkened, and a frigid look appeared in her eyes. She did not let herself be bothered by Queenie as she was here for the interview. However, she did not expect Queenie to continue behaving so arrogantly. Armand approached Queenie and stood in front of her. He exuded a domineering aura. ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m blind or that I¡¯m deaf? Or do you think that I can¡¯t keep up with the news and I need you to educate me?¡± Queenie started to tremble in fear. ¡°No, Mr. Faulkner. That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± Coldness shed across Armand¡¯s sharp eyes. ¡°Even if she has a poor reputation like what you said, it is up to the HR department to decide whether or not to grant her a chance. Seeing how you dared to stand in my way, you must think that your words carry a lot of weight or that I¡¯m easy to convince.¡± Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Dig Her Own Grave Armand¡¯s harsh words hadpletely stumped Queenie. Her face was ashen. Furthermore, there were so many interviewees staring at them that she felt even more ufortable. Armand turned to the man who had been scalded earlier. ¡°Pierre, this interviewee had identally spilled hot water on you, but it is considered an instance of bad behavior. Go to the hospital and get a report on your injury. The interviewee will be fully responsible for your medical bills.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± With that, Armand¡¯s cold gaze fell onto Queenie once again. ¡°If you feel that this is unfair, you may speak to mywyer.¡± Queenie did not expect that the CEO of Central Group would be this ruthless toward an interviewee. However, she could only force a smile and obey him. ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Faulkner. I will take care of the medical bills.¡± Armand no longer paid attention to her and turned to leave with Pierre following behind him. His gaze briefly swept over Genevieve. Genevieve noticed that and quickly backed away from him as he brushed past her. ¡°Goodbye, Mr. Faulkner.¡± When Armand heard her words, he stopped in his tracks and looked at her. ¡°Why did you submit the test in ten minutes?¡± Genevieve could feel even more eyes on her after the man talked. Is he doing this on purpose? The corners of her lips twitched slightly. Biting the bullet, she replied, ¡°I handed it in because I had already finished the test.¡± Seeing that Armand was not giving Genevieve any special treatment either, Queenie got brave again. ¡°I heard that ever since Central Group¡¯s founding, the trantion department¡¯s written test would take at least twenty-five minutes toplete. There¡¯s simply not enough time to think of and write the answers to more than ten questions within ten minutes.¡± Genevieve was rendered speechless. Is it wrong to hand in a test early these days? As Armand was just asking a casual question, he hummed in response after hearing Genevieve¡¯s answer and left without looking back. Pierre stuck close behind as they exited the cafeteria. Having beenpletely ignored, Queenie stood there in shock, biting her lip awkwardly. Genevieve scoffed inwardly when she saw Queenie¡¯s expression. She walked up to Queenie and said, ¡°Why don¡¯t we make a bet, Queenie?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to make a bet with you!¡± Queenie had been repeatedly humiliated in front of arge crowd and felt utterly embarrassed. Unwilling to continue speaking with Genevieve, she spun on her heel and walked away. Genevieve chuckled lightly. ¡°Do you not want to, or are you just afraid?¡± When Queenie stopped in her tracks and turned her head to look at Genevieve, thetter went on, ¡°Don¡¯t you think I¡¯m unworthy of even being interviewed by Central Group? So why don¡¯t we do this? If my overall score puts me in the first ce and Central Group hires me, you will have to dance in front of the restaurant across the road from thepany.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Queenie scoffed angrily at her boastful words. ¡°You think too highly of yourself, Genevieve!¡± She was aware that many of the interviewees present were applying for a position in the trantion department. Plus, she even heard that there was an interviewee who was the top graduate in his school from a famous university in Frosa. Queenie had seen the pleased look on the interviewer¡¯s face after the top graduate handed in his written test. On the other hand, the interviewer frowned when Genevieve submitted her test after ten minutes. Therefore, Queenie could not understand what made Genevieve so confident that she coulde out on top. ¡°I just have a lot of confidence in my abilities, that¡¯s all.¡± Suddenly, Genevieve gazed at Queenie in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you have none in yours?¡± Her sarcastic yet innocent tone caused Queenie to burn with rage. However, she had learned her lesson. This time, she took a deep breath and did not rashly ept Genevieve¡¯s challenge. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right. I don¡¯t think I can take the first ce, so this bet is unfair! Therefore, why should I ept this bet with you?¡± ¡°What would make it fair, then?¡± Hostility shed across Queenie¡¯s eyes but was gone in the next instant. ¡°If your total results put you in the first ce, I will dance in front of the restaurant in a bikini. If someone else is in the first ce, it will be your loss!¡± Hearing that, everyone¡¯s interest was piqued. Dancing in front of a restaurant was no big deal. However, if Queenie were to do it in a bikini, it would spice things up a lot more. Patrick suddenly approached and startedining loudly, ¡°Are you insane? How is that fair? You have no chance of achieving first ce, so why should Genev make this bet with you? She even has to dance in a bikini if she loses!¡± Furious, he turned to say to Genevieve, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Genev. We shouldn¡¯t bother betting on anything with her!¡± Queenie quickly ran in front of them and blocked their path. ¡°Aren¡¯t you confident that you can gain the first ce, Genevieve? What¡¯s wrong? Are you scared?¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Genevieve Will Lose This Bet ¡°So what if she is? Is it against thew?¡± Patrick replied huffily. ¡°Genevieve was the one who suggested that we make a bet.¡± Queenie folded her arms across her chest and red coldly at Genevieve, who had remained silent all this while. ¡°I just changed the terms a little. If she doesn¡¯t agree to it, then it proves that she was trying to trick me earlier!¡± ¡°Y-You¡­¡± Patrick stammered with a frown, too angry to form a coherent sentence. His temper immediately red. He was about to cuss Queenie out when Genevieve suddenly spoke up. ¡°No, your terms have made it fair for us both. But I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s interesting enough. How about this? Whoever loses will not only have to dance in front of the restaurant in a bikini, but also get someone to film the entire thing and post the video on Twitter and keep it up for one week.¡± ¡°All right! We have a deal!¡± Seeing that Genevieve had dug a grave for herself and even willingly jumped into it, Queenie celebrated silently. Queenie changed the terms of the bets to trick Genevieve as she knew there was no way she could ce first. However, she did not expect that Genevieve would be so easily duped. I already know that Genevieve didn¡¯t do well on the written test. Even if she were to obtain a high score on the interpretation testter, she can¡¯t obtain the first ce with herbined results. Moreover, my uncle is one of the interviewers for the interpretation test. Just one word from me, and Genevieve won¡¯t be able to obtain high marks! She¡¯s going to lose this bet! Feeling confident about the trump card she had, Queenie swept her eyes over Genevieve arrogantly before she walked away. ¡°Good luck, Genevieve!¡± With that, she left the cafeteria in high spirits, her hips swaying. ¡°Ms. Lane, don¡¯t sway your hips too much since they¡¯re so wide. If you injure them and get admitted into a hospital, you won¡¯t be able to take part in the examinationter on. That would be a huge shame!¡± Patrick called out to her. Queenie nearly fell over in anger. She turned and red at Patrick, rage burning in her eyes. How I wish I could tear him apart! Patrick shed her a wide grin in response. When Patrick and Genevieve returned to their seats, the former gazed at Genevieve eagerly and said, ¡°How was my performance, Genev? Do you think I can win the best actor award?¡± ¡°You did very well.¡± Genevieve cocked an eyebrow at him. ¡°But how did you know that I was trying to agitate her?¡± Patrick shoved a piece of beef in his mouth and talked with his mouth full, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re dumb enough to let yourself be put down by Queenie. That¡¯s how I realized you were trying to set a trap for her.¡± Genevieve smiled upon hearing that. She had proactively suggested making a bet with Queenie to agitate thetter into changing the rules, making thetter think that she had dug her own grave. If Patrick had not added fuel to the mes, Queenie probably needed more prodding to fall into the trap. Genevieve was over the moon. ¡°I¡¯ll treat you to supper for the entire month! I¡¯ll also buy you anything you want.¡± Patrick immediately looked at her, his eyes sparkling. ¡°Will you buy me a helicopter?¡± The smile on Genevieve¡¯s face instantly disappeared. Pretending like she did not hear what he just said, she lowered her head and stuffed her face with food. ¡°This spaghetti is delicious¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re being stingy, Genev!¡± Patrick pointed at the window andined, ¡°Look! All the buildings in the vicinity belong to your husband. He amassed his wealth from the hard-earned money ofborers, and you even have a credit card with no spending limit! How could you refuse to buy me a helicopter?¡± Genevieve was rendered speechless. ¡°Other CEOs would fall over themselves to send the entire team of chefs to cook for their precious wives. And what about Armand? We have to make do with eating lunch in a cafeteria¡­¡± The corners of Genevieve¡¯s lips twitched. If they were not in public, she would have shoved the cup of coffee into Patrick¡¯s mouth to shut him up. As he continued to rattle on, a young man dressed in a smart uniform entered the cafeteria with a red delivery bag on his back. When he spotted Genevieve and Patrick, he approached them. ¡°Ms. Rachford?¡± Before Genevieve could respond, Patrick noticed the uniform the young man was wearing and could not help but exim in awe, ¡°Golden Restaurant? The Golden Restaurant that one can¡¯t even get a reservation at even if you try to book a table three days in advance? Genev, you ordered lunch for me? Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier?¡± As he spoke, he helped the man take out all of the dishes from the delivery box and ced them on the table. When he realized that they were all Golden Restaurant¡¯s signature dishes, he eagerly tore the cover open and wolfed the food down ravenously as if he had been starved for days. Genevieve was not so scatterbrained to the point where she could not remember ordering lunch, much N?velDrama.Org content. less lunch from Golden Restaurant. The delivery man had delivered the food directly to the cafeteria in Central Group and did not appear to have encountered obstacles on his way in. Thus, she instantly understood what was going on. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re most wee.¡± After the delivery man left, Genevieve pretended to casually sweep her gaze across the cafeteria. Then, she spotted Armand and two executives of Central Group having lunch together near the window. The bright sunlight shone upon Armand¡¯s face, making his usual cold features seem much gentler. Genevieve hastily averted her eyes and tucked into the food from Golden Restaurant. She could feel ripples going through her peaceful heart, along with a hint of warmth. Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Chapter 49 She Is The Sister In Law Of Steven Patrick was applying for a position in the technical safety department. The interview process was not as he had sessfully made it through. N?velDrama.Org content rights. He had intended to wait for Genevieve to be done with her test before apanying her to the hospital. However, just as they finished lunch and left the cafeteria, he received a call from Steven asking for his help. He had no choice but to go and help Steven out. Hence, Genevieve went to the break room to rest for a little while. When the clock struck two in the afternoon, she headed toward the test venue. As Central Group¡¯s building wasrge, interviews for each department were held on different floors. The trantion department¡¯s interview process was a little special, so the conference rooms on the twelfth floor were exclusively for the trantion department¡¯s use over the next several days. When Genevieve and another interviewee¡¯s names were called, they entered the test venue they had been directed to. The room had been arranged to look like a mini-conference room. Several men sat at the front of the table, speaking in hushed tones with the invigtors. One of the three invigtors was Jenny, who Genevieve had met in the morning. However, it seemed like Jenny did not recognize Genevieve as she merely nodded in response when Genevieve and the other interviewee greeted her. When Genevieve entered the soundproof booth, Jenny assisted her in setting up the equipment and took the opportunity to whisper, ¡°The targetnguage is Ustranasion. The test is easy, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Can it be Granatann instead?¡± Genevieve asked. Jenny was slightly taken aback. ¡°Yes¡­ But Granatann is more challenging. In addition, the other interviewee will be interpreting in Ustranasion. If her interpretation is more urate, it would not be advantageous for you.¡± ¡°To be frank, Granatann is more of my forte. Please do what you have to do. I would be working for you in the future, and I would need your guidance,¡± Genevieve replied with a smile. With that, Genevieve had left a better impression on Jenny. As someone who had hustled for a long time in Central Group and worked her way up to be the second-inmand of the trantion department, Jenny was not easily fooled. She had happened to meet Patrick when he hade to Central Group to look for Steven in the past. After asking someone from the secretarial department, she found out that Patrick was Steven¡¯s younger brother. Hence, when Patrick hit on her in the cafeteria, Jenny agreed to go easy on Genevieve. That way, she could use this to call in a favor from Steven in the future. Since Genevieve refused her help, she would just let it slide. Soon, the test began. Genevieve had interacted with tourists from various countries when she traveled around the world with Cooper in the past. Moreover, Cooper had asionally sent her overseas to assist him in his work, hence allowing her opportunities to refine hernguage skills. In addition, she was confident in hermand of Granatann. The interpretation test was a lot easier than the written test. Outside the soundproof booth, the invigtors exchanged nces with each other. A long timeter, one of the invigtors removed his earphones. There was a shocked yet impressed expression on his face. ¡°I¡¯ve been an invigtor for this test for many years, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such a remarkable interpretation.¡± Apart from Jenny, two other invigtors were not from the trantion department. They could not understand Granatann, but they had watched the examination video an hour before the test. As Genevieve delivered her simultaneous interpretation, they wouldpare it with the video that was in Granatann. They were pleasantly shocked at the speed and uracy at which Genevieve had interpreted. Jenny was astonished as well. She could not help the bitter smile that slowly formed on her face. I thought she refused my help because she didn¡¯t want to cause me any trouble. This is unexpected. The invigtor turned to Jenny and asked in a cautious manner, ¡°I saw you chatting with her when you went in to assist with the equipment. Is she someone Mr. Faulkner had poached from a bigpany overseas?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Jenny shook her head before continuing in a low voice, ¡°But I do know that she is Mr. Sullivan¡¯s sister-inw.¡± When the other two invigtors heard that, they instantly understood the entire picture. ¡°Since you know that, why didn¡¯t you go easy on her? We¡¯ll be able to form closer ties with Mr. Sullivan in the future!¡± ¡°I wanted to but didn¡¯t get the chance to. She¡¯s too impressive¡­¡± Jenny replied in exasperation. The invigtor burst outughing. ¡°That¡¯s true! I heard that Mr. Ziegler would be transferring to the Epea office soon. Once he leaves, the manager position will be yours. And you even have Mr. Sullivan¡¯s amazing sister-inw to help you out. You sure are lucky, Jen!¡± Jenny rolled her eyes at him. ¡°Nothing¡¯s set in stone yet, so don¡¯t spout nonsense! I don¡¯t want people to think I have my eye on his position.¡± Despite saying that, the corners of her lips lifted into a delighted smirk, betraying her true feelings. Chapter 50 Chapter 50 After the twenty-minute interpretation ended, the invigtors quickly graded the interviewees. Jenny walked out of the conference room with Genevieve and praised her, ¡°Genevieve, your interpretation is great! Thebined scores will be out tomorrow. Even if you failed the other tests, it¡¯s fine. With just your grades for this test alone, I can get you into Central Group.¡± Although she was not the invigtor for Genevieve¡¯s written test, she heard during lunch from the other interviewees that Genevieve handed in her test paper very quickly, as it seemed she did not know how to do it. However, even if Genevieve¡¯sbined scores are not high enough, I will still get her into the trantion department through my connections. After all, Genevieve is Steven¡¯s future sister-inw. Genevieve could not tell Jenny¡¯s internal musings. Instead, she thought Jenny, misguided by the rumors, believed she did not do well for the written exam and wasforting her. Remembering her bet with Queenie, she did not say anything, but only smiled and replied, ¡°Thanks, Ms. Griffin.¡± Just then, Queenie coincidentally walked out from the conference room opposite them. After recognizing Jenny, Queenie immediately went forth and greeted, ¡°Ms. Griffin, I¡¯m Queenie Lane. My uncle is Harold Lane from the purchasing department. If I enter the trantion department in the future, please look after me.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see when you enter the trantion department. I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± Compared to Queenie¡¯s enthusiastic greeting, Jenny¡¯s reply was much colder. Queenie had just stretched out her hand to shake hands with Jenny, but thetter walked away. Feeling awkward, she could only withdraw her hand in embarrassment. Then, she grabbed Genevieve, who was about to walk away, and asked suspiciously, ¡°Genevieve, you know Ms. Griffin?¡± I saw Ms. Griffin smiling while talking to Genevieve just now, yet Ms. Griffin treats me so icily. This shouldn¡¯t be. The Rachford family has already fallen. Genevieve¡¯s reputation is ruined, and she doesn¡¯t even have friends to help her. How can she know Ms. Griffin? ¡°Why do I need to inform you whether I know her or not?¡± Genevieve retorted. ncing down, she ordered, ¡°Get your hands off me.¡± Infuriated that Genevieve humiliated her, Queenie wanted to scold back, but upon meeting Genevieve¡¯s emotionless eyes, she unconsciously fell silent and even let go of her hand reflexively. Genevieve¡¯s imposing aura made her shiver for some reason. After seeing Genevieve walk away, Queenie sighed in relief discreetly, but before she could rx fully, Genevieve suddenly turned back after taking two steps. ¡°Did Erica contact you recently?¡± ¡°No,¡± Queenie responded almost immediately. Ever since Erica and Harrison¡¯s scandal was made known to the world, she immediately severed all rtions with Erica, afraid that Cooper would take revenge on her family¡¯spany due to her being too close with Erica. Upon hearing her words, Genevieve guessed that Erica must have lots of dirt on Cooper. If not, he would not hide her away so well. ¡°If she contacts you, do tell me. I¡¯ll give you your fair share of rewards.¡± Genevieve patted Queenie¡¯s shoulder and walked away for real this time. Only when Genevieve entered the lift did Queenie feel the sense of oppression that was surrounding her gradually fade away. Queenie came back to her senses after a while and shouted while gritting her teeth, ¡°Genevieve is only a rich girl who has fallen from grace. Why should I be afraid of her? Why should I answer her every question?¡± This is so infuriating! Then, Queenie saw a woman walk out from Genevieve¡¯s testing site. Immediately, she walked over and asked, ¡°Who invigted you just now?¡± ¡°I only recognize Ms. Griffin from the trantion department, but not the other two.¡± When Queenie found out Jenny was Genevieve¡¯s invigtor, Queenie quickly realized that Genevieve must have achieved good scores in interpretation for Jenny to treat her so politely. Immediately, she felt uneasy. ording to her original n, her uncle, Harold, should have invigted Genevieve and would give her a low score after the exam. However, during her lunch break time, Harold sent her a message saying he needed to go out to work. Thus, his colleagues from other departments went to invigte in his stead. Even Ms. Griffin was satisfied by Genevieve¡¯s interpretation, so the other invigtors definitely gave her high scores too. What if she gets first ce with herbined scores? ¡°Do you know Genevieve?¡± the woman asked, thinking that Queenie knew Genevieve since the former was asking about Genevieve. ¡°Did shee just as a formality?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Queenie asked back hurriedly. ¡°Ms. Griffin treats Genevieve very well.¡± With a resentful look on her face, the woman continued, ¡°I saw Ms. Griffin help Genevieve with the devices, and the interpretation should be into Ustranasion, but Genevieve¡¯s was changed into Granatann.¡± ¡°What?¡± Queenie shouted in shock. No wonder Genevieve handed in her written test papers so fast, dared to bet with me, and had a confident smile on her face all the time. She¡¯s getting in here through connections!Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Chapter 51 Something Has Changed After realizing she had been toyed by Genevieve, Queenie almost wanted to tear her into pieces. Suddenly, she noticed a surveince camera hanging on the top of the wall in a conference room beside her. An idea sprung into mind, and she smirked coldly. As for Genevieve, she had no time to bother about Queenie¡¯s antics, as she was fatigued after taking a whole day of tests at Central Group. Remembering that she needed to go to the hospital to have her blood drawn, she sent a message to Steven when she went downstairs. He quickly texted back: Mr. Faulkner has business in Xedells, so I need to send him to the airport. I¡¯ll be back in around an hour. Genevieve messaged: No problem. I will go to the hospital first. After replying to Steven¡¯s message, Genevieve reached the ground floor on the lift and walked out of the building through the rotating doors. She stood by the roadside to g down a taxi, but seeing there were little taxis on the road, she took out her phone and hired a private car online. As cars rushed by her, a ck Bentley suddenly drove by. It had only driven past her by a few meters when it decelerated and reversed. The backseat car window facing Genevieve rolled down, revealing an angr face. The man wore silver-rimmed, narrow-framed sses, making him seem elegant. As he looked at Genevieve outside the windows, a sliver of emotion crossed his face. ¡°Why are you here?¡± The man, Cooper, then looked past Genevieve and gazed at the skyscraper behind her that everyone in Jadeborough knew of ¡ª Central Group. Genevieve also stared at the face in the car that she had once looked at for more than twenty years. Now, she felt nothing but hate for him. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, what does that have to do with you?¡± Tucking away the tendrils of hair blowing on her face, Genevieve grinned. ¡°If you have time, you should drink more healthy smoothies. It will be regretful if you die before I can seek revenge from you.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. As she had led a luxurious life since young, and everyone around her doted on her, she developed a mboyant and bold personality. Regardless of her family background, based on her gorgeous looks alone, she was already far more superior to the other socialites. Thus, no one could win a verbal sparring match with her. Her obedient and gentle behavior before Armand was all an act. Upon hearing Genevieve¡¯s words, Cooper only furrowed his brows. Genevieve wore a suit, and the top of her white shirt inside was unbuttoned, revealing her beautiful corbones. The shirt was tucked into her pants, highlighting her tiny waist. It was just a usual women¡¯s suit, yet not only did she not appear dour, but she seemed more charming and vivacious. Cooper knew Central Group was hiring these few days, so realization dawned upon him when he saw Genevieve¡¯s attire. Upon remembering her red-rimmed eyes from that day in the hotel, Cooper¡¯s heart skipped a beat. ¡°You have been pampered since young and have no working experience. It¡¯s too stressful working at Central Group, so it doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± The moment he said those words, he was startled. Due to Genevieve, Specter Corporation¡¯s stocks had plummeted, and he was embroiled in a scandal, leading to his sorry state. However, his feelings changed for some reason upon meeting her. Genevieve also froze for a moment, surprised he would say such words. However, she quickly knitted her beautiful brows and replied frostily, ¡°Although I was pampered since young, it doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know anything. I learned many things in Dartan. It is more than enough to get me into Central Group.¡± Pausing, she gazed at Cooper and continued, ¡°I already got through the tough times when I lost my family. Nothing else is pressurizing to me anymore.¡± For some inexplicable reason, Cooper¡¯s chest tightened upon meeting her sarcastic gaze. Evidently, Genevieve did not want to continue talking to him. Coincidentally, her private hire also arrived, so she quickly strode over to open the car door and bent down to get in. Cooper¡¯s sense of displeasure grew, and his face darkened as he watched the car speed off. He could not tell whether what Genevieve said at the hotel and the look in her eyes was all an act for the reporters. However, he felt something had changed after that night. As he went to sleep that night, he remembered many things he had forgotten. He realized Genevieve had never interacted much with other men since young. Cooper was all that mattered to her, and her world revolved around him. Once, he only caught a small cold, yet Genevieve was so afraid that she cried. She would always obey whatever he told her not to do and never made him angry. ¡°I¡¯ll go wherever you go! I will be your wife!¡± ¡°After we get married, I will give birth to many, many kids, and they can form a football team. Then, we¡¯ll watch them y football every day!¡± ¡°Coop, quicklye and marry me!¡± Lost in his thoughts, Cooper recalled the time Genevieve cried for him to return her parents and her hateful gaze. Immediately, he felt as if someone was squeezing his heart. It was so painful that he gasped for breath and pressed his hand against his chest. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Chapter 52 Do Not Forget Your Medical Ethics The driver looked at Cooper through the rearview mirror after hearing thetter grunt. ¡°Are you all right, Mr. Sutton?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Cooper replied. The suffocating feeling in his chest was soon gone as the color on his face, too, returned. He adjusted his sses before asking, ¡°Did you guys manage to find Erica?¡± ¡°No. There are no records of her buying tickets at the high-speed rail station or the airport,¡± the driver replied before voicing his guess. ¡°Mr. Sutton, I feel that Erica is afraid that you¡¯ll get back at her. Hence, she might have hopped on a ship and left.¡± The driver¡¯s guess waspletely usible. Yet, Cooper furrowed his eyebrows. He had a feeling that that was not the case. In thest few years, he had been assigning Erica to a number of dirty jobs. She was smart and did not leave any traces behind. ording to her personality, she would have used those things to get some money from him and asked him to let her go if she knew that her reputation was ruined. Yet, she silently drove the car away in the morning and disappeared just like that. It was not her style of doing things at all. The more Cooper thought of it, the more doubts appeared in his heart. He then ordered in a low voice, ¡°Continue the search. We must find her.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the driver replied. Meanwhile, after arriving at the hospital by taxi, Genevie rested for a while at the outpatient department. Steven only came rushing to her when it was time for the outpatient department to get off work. The pair then went to visit Timothy at the neurosurgery department. Although it was already time to get off work for the outpatient department, there was still a female patient at Timothy¡¯s for a follow-up consultation. Upon arriving, Genevieve saw Timothy, who was in his white coat and wore a serious expression on his face. His unruly ponytail and his slightly upturned and attractive eyes enhanced his already charming facial features. He was handsome to the extent that people could not help but stare at him. His looks are too attractive. He probably costs a ten-digit figure in the nightclub. ¡°You¡¯re so handsome, Dr. Jensen,¡± gushed the female patient who was there for her follow-up consultation. Bashfully, she asked, ¡°Do you have a girlfriend?¡± Timothy had his head down and was looking at the CT scan with a smile on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m gay.¡± Genevieve, who stood by the door, was slightly startled by his words. She recalled Timothy flirting with a few nurses thest time she went to the blood bank with him to draw blood, and she remembered clearly how easily the nurses had blushed due to his words. Could it be that he¡¯s bisexual? ¡°Why are all the attractive men either taken or gay?¡± the female patient whined in disappointment. She could not help but scan Timothy again before asking, ¡°Then, are you the top?¡± Genevieve was rendered speechless. Timothy, on the other hand, quirked an eyebrow in an alluring and handsome way. ¡°What do you think?¡± The female patient was instantly struck by his handsomeness as she stared at him in a daze. ¡°The scan shows that your left hand had recovered,¡± Timothy stated as he returned the scan and her medical records to her. ¡°There¡¯s no need to take medicine. Hence, you can go back now.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± said the female patient as she took the items back. Before leaving, she could not help but turn back and look at Timothy. ¡°My brother is eighteen and is rather good-looking. He¡¯s also gay. Do you want to consider dating him? I mean, you¡¯re extremely handsome. Why wouldn¡¯t I introduce you to my brother and ease his eyes instead of giving others the pleasure? On top of that, I¡¯ll even be able to see you daily after that.¡± Genevieve was once again at a loss of words. She did not want to admit it, but she felt that what the female patient said was very reasonable. Timothy, however, was unfazed. He told the female patient to persuade her brother into liking girls while sending her out. The female patient was somehow brainwashed by his gentleness as she nodded seriously and told Timothy that she would try her best to teach her brother the right ways. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Timothy then returned to his office after seeing the patient leave. His expression becameplicated when his vision swiftly passed over Genevieve. However, the strange look on his face soon disappeared. His lips twitched into a smile. ¡°Donating blood is a major thing to do. Sometimes, people even lose their lives from it. Genev is Armand¡¯s wife, so why are you the one to send her here?¡± Sensing the mockery in Timothy¡¯s words, Steven was speechless. He had sent a message to Timothy in advance to inform him about it. Yet, thetter seemed to be having fun with the situation. ¡°Mr. Faulkner has returned to Xedells,¡± Steven eximed while discreetly giving Timothy a warning gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯ll be no idents with you here, Dr. Jensen.¡± However, it was as if Timothy did not notice Steven¡¯s gaze as he snickered. ¡°I can¡¯t guarantee that.¡± Genevieve, on the other hand, was in a trance while specting about Steven¡¯s sexual orientation. However, she soon snapped back into her senses after hearing the conversation between Steven and Timothy. She took two steps back. ¡°How about I don¡¯t donate anymore?¡± Other than her special blood type, Genevieve also had a coagtion disorder and a weak body. She only mustered her courage and went to donate her blood because Armand asked her to do so. Even if Timothy was joking with her, his joke had actually scared her. Steven nced at Genevieve before eximing in a heavy tone, ¡°Dr. Jensen, you should remember the medical ethics of being a doctor.¡± Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Chapter 53 Take A Picture For Armand A smile appeared at the corner of Timothy¡¯s lips. He wanted to question why he had to care about medical ethics when Armand had no morals whatsoever. However, he could not help but roll his eyes and hold his tongue when he saw Steven whipping out his phone. He then immediately ced his arms around Genevieve¡¯s shoulders as he gave her a kind and gentle smile. ¡°I was just joking with you, darling! No idents happen during blood withdrawal. On top of that, I¡¯m the one who¡¯s doing it for you. The only thing you have to worry about is fainting due to my good looks.¡± ¡°Why thank you so much,¡± Genevieve replied with a twitch of her lips before pping his hands away. Upon arriving at the blood donation center, Timothy first brought Genevieve for a checkup. He only prepared the relevant equipment for blood withdrawal after confirming that she was healthy enough to donate her blood. Genevieve thought that the thickness of the needle used to withdraw blood would be the same as the ones used to inject medicines. However, fear soon crept up in her heart when she saw the thick and long needle tube that Timothy took out from the bag. Her arm trembled as she quickly averted her gaze. ¡°I knew it. I am indeed even more handsomepared to Armand,¡± Timothy eximed with a click of his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m so handsome to the extent that you don¡¯t even dare to look at me.¡± Genevieve could not help but chuckle after hearing his words. Her tense muscles soon rxed after knowing that he was trying to divert her attention. She pursed her lips. ¡°So, are you a top or a bottom?¡± ¡°Why do you ask? You want to share your husband with me?¡± Timothy asked with a smile as he inserted the needle firmly into her fair arm. Genevieve¡¯s body tensed as she gasped in pain upon feeling the needle prate her skin. Timothy nced at her and tried to divert her gaze again by talking to her. ¡°Technically, I¡¯m a top. However, I could also be a bottom if your husband wants me to.¡± Genevieve was just curious. His words made her recall the way Armand looked at her with disgust a long time ago. She then imagined the exciting image of Armand restraining both of Timothy¡¯s arms above thetter before pinning him to the door. Did Armand resent me due to him preferring men over women? Soon, the empty transparent bag was filled with bright-red blood. However, Genevieve¡¯s cheeks, which were originally flushed, turned pale in an instant; she looked sickly. Even Steven, who had witnessed many lives and deaths, turned away as he could not bear to look at her sickly face. Timothy, however, immediately took the bag of blood and shook it in front of Steven upon seeing the still warm. Want to take a picture for Mr. Faulkner?¡± The corner of Steven¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°No thanks.¡± Genevieve, who was stillying on the hospital bed, was a bit baffled when she saw the scene. What¡¯s going on here? Timothy assigned the rest of the work to a nurse as he stayed by Genevieve to talk to her and observe her condition. After confirming that she did not experience any symptoms of difort, he then called for another nurse and ordered, ¡°Go to Mr. Larson from the inpatient department and ask him to get a VIP ward ready. I¡¯ll transfer Genevieve over in a while.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be staying,¡± Genevieve said. She felt her energy levels returning to normal after lying in bed for ten minutes or so. ¡°I¡¯ll go back with Steven.¡± She did not like staying in the hospital for too long as Winifred passed away in a hospital. ¡°No can do. Your body is quite special. You¡¯ll have to be hospitalized for observation after blood withdrawal.¡± Despite the smile on his face, Timothy spoke with a firm tone. ¡°Also, Armand has a lot of money,¡± he added. Genevieve was not sure if she was imagining things or not. However, she could somehow sense a tinge of mockery in Timothy¡¯s voice. ¡°Listen to Dr. Jensen¡¯s advice and stay in the hospital, Mrs. Faulkner,¡± Steven suggested as he kept his phone in his pocket. ¡°I¡¯ve already informed Maria to prepare your dinner. Patrick has also finished his task and returned. I¡¯ll get him to bring you your dinner in a while and apany you here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Genevieve nodded. She did not refuse this time. The VIP ward of the inpatient department was a luxurious space with two bedrooms and a living room. Steven soon left after sending Genevieve to her ward. It might be due to losing a lot of blood from the withdrawal earlier, as Genevieve felt immensely hungry as soon as she turned on the television. She felt the desire to eat, specifically sweet foods. There were various snacksid out on the table. However, there were only biscuits and walnuts; no sweets were included. Genevieve recalled the vending machine ced in the corner of the lobby that she saw when entering the inpatient department. She guessed that there should be sweets in it. Hence, she put on her jacket and went out. N?velDrama.Org content rights. She caught a glimpse of two women walking from the corridor when she went to press the elevator button. The woman on the left had had beautiful features and a head of silky dark hair hanging down her back. She was wearing a loose purple dress with a slightly raised belly. Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Chapter 54 A Familiar Face The woman beside her seemed to be her housekeeper as she was helping her carry her bag. The elevator had already arrived. Genevieve initially nned to go downstairs earlier to buy some food but deliberately slowed down her pace upon seeing the pregnantdy. After entering the elevator, she held the open door button for the woman and her housekeeper. Soon, the woman entered the elevator with her housekeeper, then lifted her head to smile at Genevieve. ¡°Thank you.¡± When she got a closer look at thetter, her eyes opened wide as though she was in shock. Genevieve was stunned for a moment but quickly recognized the woman and said, ¡°Ms. Wood?¡± Her voice carried a touch of hesitation and surprise. ¡°Genevieve Rachford, I remember you.¡± Marilyn Wood¡¯s eyes flickered slightly as her gaze swept across Genevieve¡¯s wless face. Despite knowing that she was as pretty as thetter, the difference in their age still caused envy to well up in her heart. She¡¯s young and pretty¡­ How can men not fall for her? ¡°Ms. Wood, you¡¯re so famous in the music sphere and have so many students under your tutge,¡± Genevieve said, her lips curving into a smile. ¡°I never expected you to remember me as I only attended three of your sses.¡± Marilyn stood beside her after entering the elevator. ¡°Out of all of my students in the same batch, only you have the best pitch. That¡¯s why you left a deep impression on me,¡± she responded. Hearing thepliment from her former teacher, Genevieve beamed with delight. ¡°Really?¡± The elevator slowly moved downward. Suddenly, Genevieve nced at Marilyn¡¯s baby bump and voiced, ¡°Ms. Wood, I didn¡¯t know you were married. Are you residing in Jadeborough now?¡± Thetter was wearing a V-neck dress that exposed her skin slightly. As Genevieve retracted her gaze, she saw a pendant near her corbone. It was from Tiffany¡¯s ¡°Perfect Lover¡± collection. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She remembered that the ne was not only a limited edition but also a collector¡¯s edition. Even for the top VIPs at Tiffany¡¯s, it was hard toe by. Yet, she managed to bump into two people who both owned the same ne in session. Genevieve¡¯s words seemed to have hit a nerve in Marilyn. Emotions raged within thetter¡¯s eyes as she raised her hands to touch her baby bump. Using all her might, she suppressed her emotions and replied with a smile, ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve been staying in Jadeborough for quite a while. I knew what happened to your family too.¡± Hearing that, Genevieve lowered her eyes and pursed her lips. Marilyn turned and looked at her with a gentle expression. ¡°Genevieve, it must be tough for you to live in Jadeborough without your family. Out of all of my students, you¡¯re the most talented one. I can help you enroll in Hillview Music Academy. People there can make you a rising star in the music sphere.¡± When Genevieve offered no response, she continued, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. I can pay for all of your expenses.¡± ¡°Ms. Wood, thank you for your kindness. However, I would like to stay here.¡± Genevieve was not interested in pursuing music. What she wanted to do at the moment was avenge her parents. Although her marriage to Armand happened because of their coboration, they were legally married. Therefore, he was considered her family. While Marilyn¡¯s smile faltered slightly, her tone remained gentle. ¡°Are you staying here to settle some affairs? I can help you.¡± Her repeated gestures of goodwill weirded out Genevieve. Ms. Wood has many students. I¡¯ve only attended a few of her sses, and I¡¯m not particrly exceptional. It¡¯s very weird that she still remembers me after years and even wants to help me¡­ Coincidentally, the elevator arrived at the first floor. Patrick was waiting outside the elevator with a food jar in his hand. As soon as the elevator doors opened, he spotted Genevieve first and asked, ¡°Genev, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°To buy some candies,¡± she replied as she walked out of the elevator. ¡°How about you? Why are you here so early?¡± ¡°Steven¡¯s worried that you might be bored by yourself, so he asked me to send the food over to you as soon as Maria made dinner.¡± Raising his eyebrows, he added, ¡°I can leave if you don¡¯t want my Genevieve smiled slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you do. But do you dare to leave?¡± Patrick was rendered speechless. She then turned to look at Marilyn, who was walking out of the elevator, and offered courteously, ¡°Ms. Wood, I¡¯ll be making a move first. How about I treat you to a meal some other time?¡± ¡°Yes, sure.¡± Marilyn nodded with a gentle smile. Only then did Patrick realize that Genevieve knew the two women who stepped out of the elevator after her. This woman in a dress is called Ms. Wood? She has a bump on her belly and is very beautiful. While following Genevieve to the vending machine, he gave two backward nces. ¡°I think I¡¯ve met Ms. Wood somewhere before¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Is she your high school teacher?¡± ¡°No.¡± Genevieve shook her head. ¡°I used to study in Dartan. Coincidentally, she was doing a tour there, so I attended a few of her violin sses. Ms. Wood is a famous and talented figure in the music sphere, so she¡¯s often featured in magazines. It¡¯s no surprise if you¡¯ve seen her somewhere before.¡± Patrick felt that he had seen Marilyn somewhere before in real life, not in magazines. s, he could not put his finger on it, despite his efforts in racking his brain. Nevertheless, he did not bother about it for long, asking cheekily, ¡°Wow, I thought you knew nothing! I never thought that you could y the violin. Why don¡¯t you give me a performance?¡± Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Chapter 55 Will Not Change ¡°Great. You¡¯ve sessfully pissed me off now.¡± While walking, Genevieve kicked Patrick¡¯s leg and responded, ¡°I¡¯ll back out of the deal of buying you supper for a month!¡± Afraid of losing his one-month supply of free supper, Patrick quickly inched closer to appease her. ¡°No, No. Don¡¯t back out, please. I know I was wrong. Please forgive me, beautiful Genev! This filthy mouth of mine is to be med. I¡¯ll p myself on the face as punishment!¡± When she gave no response, he whined, ¡°Genev, have you found someone new? Is that why you don¡¯t love me anymore?¡± Genevieve was at a loss for words. Her lips twitched as she watched his antics and pretentious act, which contradicted his tall stature. ¡°If you keep this up, I will call your brother!¡± Patrick immediately stopped what he was doing and took out cash from his pocket. ¡°Genev, what kind of candies do you want to eat? I¡¯ll buy them for you!¡± Again, words failed her. Meanwhile, Marilyn stood still after walking out of the elevator. The whole time, she watched Genevieve and Patrick banter their way to the vending machine with her lips pinched tightly together. She asked her housekeeper, ¡°Is that Steven¡¯s younger brother?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Patrick had been to the Faulkner residence a few times, so the housekeeper remembered what he looked like. ¡°I heard that he graduated from the Military Academy of National Defense. Not only does he fight better than his brother, but he¡¯s also a hacker. He¡¯s also the one who spread the scandals of the second son of the Faulkner family, allowing Mr. Armand to take thetter down easily.¡± As she spoke, she nced at Patrick again. ¡°Patrick was handling Mr. Armand¡¯s affairs in Epea previously. I didn¡¯t know he had already returned.¡± ¡°He must have returned for a long time,¡± Marilyn replied with her lips tightly pursed. ¡°Mando didn¡¯t bother to introduce his subordinate to me, yet he assigned him to Genevieve and even married her for real¡­¡± Holding her housekeeper¡¯s arms tightly, she asked, ¡°Does Mando not care about me anymore?¡± Her face had turned as white as a sheet. The housekeeper consoled her, ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Mr. Armand only has you in his heart. Patrick has always been in Epea and rarely stays by Mr. Armand¡¯s side. It¡¯s normal that you¡¯ve never seen him before. As for Mr. Armand¡¯s marriage to Genevieve, it¡¯s just to get Old Mrs. Faulkner off his back. You know how she¡¯s been pressuring him. I heard Old Mrs. Faulkner found out Mr. Armand faked his previous marriages, and Frankie even went to City Hall to oversee the whole marriage registration process. Under the circumstances, I guess Mr. Armand had no choice but to marry Genevieve.¡± Worried that they would arouse Patrick¡¯s suspicions by standing at the same spot for too long, she escorted Marilyn outside. ¡°Old Mrs. Faulkner has been keeping a close eye on you recently,¡± the housekeeper said in a hushed voice. ¡°You should stay home and have a good rest. Don¡¯t bother about the other things. Even if Genevieve is together with Mr. Armand, it definitely won¡¯t change how he feels about you.¡± Her analysis put Marilyn¡¯s mind at rest. Nheless, she felt utterly ufortable over the fact that her beloved man married another woman. ¡°Make a phone call to Mandoter. I would like him to apany me for dinner,¡± Marilyn said. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t do¡­¡± The housekeeper paused for a moment and continued in a low voice, ¡°I received the news half an hour ago that Mr. Armand has returned to Xedells.¡± Marilyn immediately recalled what date it was on that day. With that, her gaze darkened. ¡°Contact the airport now. I want to go to Xedells too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not suitable for you to travel around during your pregnancy,¡± the housekeeper persuaded gently. ¡°Furthermore, Old Mrs. Faulkner will be angry if she knows about it.¡± Old Mrs. Faulkner¡­ Marilyn¡¯s eyes turned cold when she thought of the old woman, who had benevolent facial features and was yet imperious. Instead of replying to her housekeeper, she pursed her lips and caressed her baby bump. Not only was she resentful, but she also regretted the decision she had made back then. In the meantime, the dinner that Patrick brought for Genevieve was both scrumptious and nutritious. After she had two packs of gummies and a nourishing meal, her pale face became ruddy, and she did not seem as frail. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. The two of them then passed the time by ying games together. Unfortunately, they teamed up with an ipetent teammate, who hurled insults at Patrick, calling him an idiot. Genevieve did not hold back, quarreling with that person. Although she won the argument, she lost the mood to y games. Thus, she tossed her phone aside and turned on the television. Patrick looked at her in shock. ¡°Genev, I just realized that you¡¯re so good at scolding people.¡± Genevieve was not exactly a cool and elegant type of beauty. On the contrary, she looked rather alluring with a hint of innocence. In short, people would be enthralled by her at first nce. Usually, she was polite and even a little gentle when she spoke with them. Therefore, it was beyond his expectations that she could be so sharp-tongued. ¡°We are in the same team. It¡¯s an insult to my intelligence as well when he called you an idiot!¡± Genevieve responded. As she opened a pack of gummies, she grumbled under her breath, ¡°How can I possibly stand that!¡± She still had not gotten over the fact that Armand insulted her intelligencest time. Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Chapter 56 Could Not Bear To Lay A Hand Genevieve noticed some ornaments on the coffee table when she was switching channels with the remote control. There was also the bouquet of lilies that the nurse had brought into the room when she was admitted into the hospital. The lilies were in full bloom, and the floral scent wafted up to her nose. She recalled the flower tattoo on Armand¡¯s wound when she was treating his injury that night. A chill started running down her spine. Genevieve turned to Patrick. ¡°Patrick, can I ask you a question?¡± Patrick raised his eyebrows. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The two women, who were supposed to marry Mando, died before their wedding. The cause of their deaths had nothing to do with their health. Were they idents?¡± Genevieve decided to voice her suspicions when she thought of all that had happened. ¡°Someone¡¯s feeling threatened if Mando gets married. That¡¯s why they are secretly plotting against him.¡± She paused for a while before continuing with absolute certainty, ¡°The car explosion outside Langfield Hotel the other day was targeted at me, not Mando.¡± ¡°Oh my God!¡± Patrick¡¯s jaw almost dropped in shock when he heard how Genevieve arrived at that conclusion. He had thought that Steven had Genevieve fooled with his lies. However, Genevieve remembered the car explosion and had deduced it correctly. When Genevieve saw his reaction, she knew she had hit the nail on the head. ¡°I¡¯ve guessed it all along. Mando¡¯s father had so many children with his three wives, but he loved Mando the most. He left the Faulkner family to Mando instead of his eldest son. I¡¯m sure some people in the family must be displeased with his decision. If Mando died in an ident, the Faulkner family would be able to get their hands on his assets, but¡­¡± Genevieve¡¯s expression turned grim as she continued, ¡°If Mando gets married and has children, he will have a family of his own. His children will inherit his assets. The Faulkner family won¡¯t get a single cent.¡± ¡°Genev, you¡¯re brilliant!¡± Patrick uttered those words after much hesitation. Patrick was aware of many things about Armand, after working for him for so many years. Genevieve, on the other hand, was only married to Armand for a short time. Although she did not know much about him, she still managed to figure out many things. There were many people in the Faulkner family members who wanted to plot against Armand. However, many of them toed the line and did not dare to make any move after the bloodbath a year ago. Someone was indeed trying to harm Genevieve, but it was not the Faulkner family. Genevieve merely smiled. She held up her ss and took a sip of water. ¡°One of the brides was the youngest daughter of the shipping tycoon in Xedells, and the other was the daughter of the owner of a foodstuffpany. Mando not only did not pursue this matter, but he also spent arge sum of money to resolve it. I guess the person involved must be close to him.¡± Genvieve said confidently as her finger traced the surface of the ss. ¡°That person must be someone Mando couldn¡¯t bear toy a hand on.¡± Patrick¡¯s mouth was open wide, but no words came out. He knew about the Rachford family. He knew how Cooper had framed Genevieve and destroyed her family. He was also aware that Cooper had taken Genevieve¡¯spany away. Hence, he always thought Genevieve was not a smart person. Now, he realized it was otherwise. He was the real fool. ¡°It¡¯s the same person who wanted to attack me, isn¡¯t it? Can you tell me why Mando is condoning his actions?¡± Genevieve asked Patrick. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I haven¡¯t been with Armand for a long time. Steven was the one who was by his side most of the time. I was at Epea all this while and was only transferred back here two months ago.¡± Patrick shrugged his shoulders as he mumbled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Genev. Regardless of who that person is, I won¡¯t allow the same thing to happen again. With me around, no one can harm you,¡± he dered confidently. Genevieve understood what he meant immediately. ¡°You didn¡¯t protect the two previous brides, so they died? Looks like Mando is truly indulging this person.¡± Patrick was silent. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Although he was able to guess who that person was, it was still his spection. He was still clueless about a lot of things. For example, he did not know why Armand pretended to marry those two women but married Genevieve. He even made Patricke back to protect her. ¡°Stop asking, Genev. I¡¯m getting a headache from all your questioning.¡± Patrick did not like to handle such matters. If not for Steven, he would go back to Epea. Back there, he had more control of his time, and no one would bother him. Life was so carefree then. ¡°Quick, go and sleep. I¡¯m going out for a puff.¡± Afraid that he might let slip something if Genevieve continued probing, Patrick quickly made an excuse and left the ward. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Chapter 57 High Fever Genevieve got even more curious when she saw how Patrick fled the scene quickly. She heard that Armand¡¯s mother was a sickly woman. She had given birth to a daughter when Armand was barely two years old. However, as the baby was born prematurely, she died before she turned one. The second wife of Armand¡¯s father never had any children since. She only had one son, Armand. Who in the Faulkner family would want to plot against Mando, and yet he tolerated whatever this person did? Genevieve felt a little weak and tired, possibly because she had drawn too much blood in the afternoon. As it was already close to midnight, she went into the bedroom and slept. Just as she drifted off to sleep, she started feeling ufortable. She felt as though someone was covering her mouth and nose and she could not breathe properly. Genevieve tried hard to open her eyes, but she could not. Patrick went back to the hospital ward after smoking two cigarettes outside, thinking that Genevieve must be asleep. Remembering Steven¡¯s instructions, he tiptoed into the bedroom to check on Genevieve. ¡°She drew so little blood. Whatever can happen to her?¡± he grumbled to himself. He had lost a lot of blood on several asions and still survived. He did not understand what the fuss was about. When Patrick entered the bedroom, he noticed that Genevieve¡¯s face was flushed red. She appeared to be gasping for breath. Patrick¡¯s face darkened as he quickly made his way to her bed. ¡°Genev?¡± He touched Genevieve¡¯s forehead with his hand. It felt so hot that it almost burnt his thick skin. He withdrew his hand instinctively and called Timothy immediately. While waiting for Timothy, Patrick noticed that Genevieve¡¯s condition seemed to have worsened. Her whole body was wet as though she had been fished out from a pool of water. Her nose was bleeding, and her brows were knitted tightly. A few minutester, Timothy, who was on standby in the hospital, arrived with the nurses. His face darkened when he saw how Genevieve looked. He went over to give her a check-up after instructing the nurse to prepare some medication. Patrick leaned against the wall as Timothy and the nurses busied themselves in the ward. He became increasingly suspicious. Around half an hourter, Genevieve¡¯s face was no longer flushed. Her fever had subsided, and she was starting to breathe more normally. When Timothy saw that Genevieve¡¯s condition had improved, he wiped the perspiration from his forehead. ¡°Timothy¨C¡± Patrick was about to ask Timothy something but thetter looked annoyed and quickly pushed him out of the room. Patrick was puzzled. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Did I offend him? Why did he look so unhappy? Patrick went up to take a look at Genevieve after the nurse left. Genevieve was sleeping soundly. He then caught sight of a silver watch next to the cart by her bed. Patrick guessed that Timothy must have left it on the cart and wanted to return it to him. Just as he stepped out of the ward, he heard Timothy¡¯s angry voice, seemingly talking to someone over the phone. He stopped in his tracks and walked toward Timothy. ¡°You put her on standby, just in case. Now you¡¯ve changed your mind? D*mn it! How is her health? Didn¡¯t I tell you earlier?¡± After a momentary pause, Timothy¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°Don¡¯t exin anymore. I¡¯m a doctor. What you¡¯re doing is an insult to my professionalism.¡± Timothy was hollering at the man on the other end of the phone. When he turned around after hanging up the phone, he saw Patrick standing nearby. He did not know how long Patrick had been standing there. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Timothy asked gruffly. He was in a bad mood, apparently. ¡°Timothy, you left your watch in the ward.¡± Patrick walked up to him and handed the watch to Timothy. ¡°Who insulted your professionalism?¡± Patrick was well-trained, and his senses were more acute than ordinary people. In the beginning, Timothy spoke in a low voice and did not sound as angry. As Patrick was quite a distance away, he could only hear thest sentence. Patrick asked again, ¡°Were you talking to Armand?¡± Timothy seemed relieved when he realized that Patrick did not hear most parts of his conversation. ¡°Nothing. I was scolding someone who wrote a letter ofint about my patient. Give me a call if Genevieve is not feeling well tonight.¡± Timothy left immediately after instructing Patrick. Patrick did not move as he watched Timothy walk into the elevator. His suspicion was rising. He guessed that Timothy must be talking to Armand earlier. He had many questions in his mind. Genevieve only drew a little blood. Why did Genevieve¡¯s nose bleed suddenly? How did she get a fever? Why did Timothy sound so angry? What made him call Armand to scold him? Could it be that there¡¯s something wrong with Genevieve¡¯s health? Chapter 58 Chapter 58 Chapter 57 High Fever Genevieve got even more curious when she saw how Patrick fled the scene quickly. She heard that Armand¡¯s mother was a sickly woman. She had given birth to a daughter when Armand was barely two years old. However, as the baby was born prematurely, she died before she turned one. The second wife of Armand¡¯s father never had any children since. She only had one son, Armand. Who in the Faulkner family would want to plot against Mando, and yet he tolerated whatever this person did? Genevieve felt a little weak and tired, possibly because she had drawn too much blood in the afternoon. As it was already close to midnight, she went into the bedroom and slept. Just as she drifted off to sleep, she started feeling ufortable. She felt as though someone was covering her mouth and nose and she could not breathe properly. Genevieve tried hard to open her eyes, but she could not. Patrick went back to the hospital ward after smoking two cigarettes outside, thinking that Genevieve must be asleep. Remembering Steven¡¯s instructions, he tiptoed into the bedroom to check on Genevieve. ¡°She drew so little blood. Whatever can happen to her?¡± he grumbled to himself. He had lost a lot of blood on several asions and still survived. He did not understand what the fuss was about. When Patrick entered the bedroom, he noticed that Genevieve¡¯s face was flushed red. She appeared to be gasping for breath. Patrick¡¯s face darkened as he quickly made his way to her bed. ¡°Genev?¡± He touched Genevieve¡¯s forehead with his hand. It felt so hot that it almost burnt his thick skin. He withdrew his hand instinctively and called Timothy immediately. While waiting for Timothy, Patrick noticed that Genevieve¡¯s condition seemed to have worsened. Her whole body was wet as though she had been fished out from a pool of water. Her nose was bleeding, and her brows were knitted tightly. A few minutester, Timothy, who was on standby in the hospital, arrived with the nurses. His face darkened when he saw how Genevieve looked. He went over to give her a check-up after instructing the nurse to prepare some medication. Patrick leaned against the wall as Timothy and the nurses busied themselves in the ward. He became increasingly suspicious. Around half an hourter, Genevieve¡¯s face was no longer flushed. Her fever had subsided, and she was starting to breathe more normally. When Timothy saw that Genevieve¡¯s condition had improved, he wiped the perspiration from his forehead. ¡°Timothy¨C¡± Patrick was about to ask Timothy something but thetter looked annoyed and quickly pushed him out of the room. Patrick was puzzled. Did I offend him? Why did he look so unhappy? Patrick went up to take a look at Genevieve after the nurse left. Genevieve was sleeping soundly. He then caught sight of a silver watch next to the cart by her bed. Patrick guessed that Timothy must have left it on the cart and wanted to return it to him. Just as he stepped out of the ward, he heard Timothy¡¯s angry voice, seemingly talking to someone over the phone. He stopped in his tracks and walked toward Timothy. ¡°You put her on standby, just in case. Now you¡¯ve changed your mind? D*mn it! How is her health? Didn¡¯t I tell you earlier?¡± After a momentary pause, Timothy¡¯s voice rang out again. ¡°Don¡¯t exin anymore. I¡¯m a doctor. What you¡¯re doing is an insult to my professionalism.¡± Timothy was hollering at the man on the other end of the phone. When he turned around after hanging up the phone, he saw Patrick standing nearby. He did not know how long Patrick had been standing there. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Timothy asked gruffly. He was in a bad mood, apparently. ¡°Timothy, you left your watch in the ward.¡± Patrick walked up to him and handed the watch to Timothy. ¡°Who insulted your professionalism?¡± Patrick was well-trained, and his senses were more acute than ordinary people. In the beginning, Timothy spoke in a low voice and did not sound as angry. As Patrick was quite a distance away, he could only hear thest sentence. Patrick asked again, ¡°Were you talking to Armand?¡± N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Timothy seemed relieved when he realized that Patrick did not hear most parts of his conversation. ¡°Nothing. I was scolding someone who wrote a letter ofint about my patient. Give me a call if Genevieve is not feeling well tonight.¡± Timothy left immediately after instructing Patrick. Patrick did not move as he watched Timothy walk into the elevator. His suspicion was rising. He guessed that Timothy must be talking to Armand earlier. He had many questions in his mind. Genevieve only drew a little blood. Why did Genevieve¡¯s nose bleed suddenly? How did she get a fever? Why did Timothy sound so angry? What made him call Armand to scold him? Could it be that there¡¯s something wrong with Genevieve¡¯s health? Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Chapter 59 I Prepared A Bikini For You ¡°Do you believe everything just because she said so? Are you dumb? I think you were the one who hooked up with the invigtor in your examination room!¡± Patrick, who was behind Genevieve, said in an annoying tone. ¡°I have nothing to say to you!¡± Queenie rolled her eyes at Patrick. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Genev,¡± Patrick whispered into Genevieve¡¯s ears. ¡°I wanted to help by hooking you up with Ms. Griffin, but I didn¡¯t think it would backfire.¡± As he said this, his tone became annoyed again. ¡°Urgh! I should¡¯ve hacked into the surveince cameras in your examination room back then! That way, we wouldn¡¯t have left behind any potential threats!¡± Genevieve wanted tough, but because Queenie was in front of her, she had no choice but to hold it in. Meanwhile, Queenie thought Genevieve was feeling guilty when she noticed thetter lower her head. She sneered and said, ¡°Genevieve, it¡¯s clear that you tried to cut corners. Everybody saw what happened. Now, the exam results are invalid. We¡¯ll never be epted into Central Group! I suggest you admit it publicly. Once Central Group cklists you, you¡¯re doomed. You will never be able to get into any otherrgepanies in the future!¡± The crowd started to criticize her as they muttered under their breath, ¡°Central Group has always been strict. But this bad apple ruined everything.¡± ¡°No wonder she handed her paper in just ten minutes. She was actually getting in through connections.¡± ¡°I heard she graduated from Mallowbrook Institute of Trantion and Interpretation.¡± ¡°Haha! Graduating from a prestigious school doesn¡¯t mean she¡¯s cultured. She¡¯s so educated, but she was still yed around by Cooper.¡± As an outsider, Patrick could not help but think that thesements were too harsh. Seeing that Genevieve remained silent, he did not know what was going through her mind. He walked to a corner, took out his phone, and called Steven. ¡°Oh, right!¡± As if remembering something, Queenie took out a ck bikini from her bag. The fabric was thin, and it was barely the size of a palm. It could barely cover up her important parts. Queenie swung the bikini before Genevieve¡¯s eyes. ¡°Genevieve, you didn¡¯t forget our bet, did you? I¡¯ve even prepared a bikini for you!¡± Although the conference room was silent, Genevieve could not escape the situation since it was blown out of proportion. When the people around them saw the bikini in Queenie¡¯s hands, they were overwhelmed with excitement. Some even shouted, ¡°Genevieve, a bet is a bet! You¡¯ve lost!¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Bikini! Bikini!¡± Patrick rang Steven twice, but the call could not get through. Seeing as everyone was moring and bullying Genevieve and Queenie was slowly approaching her, he rushed forward in the hope to protect Genevieve. Suddenly, the door to the conference room that was closed for a long time finally opened. Steven was the first to exit the room, followed by Jenny and several other senior executives who looked into the matter. Seeing the grim expressions on their faces, Queenie smirked as she knew that Genevieve was done for. She walked up and said, ¡°Mr. Sullivan, I don¡¯t think this matter has much to do with Ms. Griffin.¡± Queenie knew that Jenny was the second-inmand of the trantion department. Central Group would only punish her, but they would never fire her. Moreover, Queenie knew she could not afford to offend Jenny if she were to be hired into Central Group and work under Jenny. Therefore, when the news spread all over the inte, Queenie did not mention anything about Jenny. Instead, she only mentioned that Genevieve was trying to cut corners. Queenie shifted her gaze toward Genevieve as she said, ¡°It¡¯s all Genevieve¡¯s fault¨C¡± ¡°Ms. Griffin was a fair invigtor. She did not speak to Genevieve, nor did she help Genevieve to cut corners,¡± Steven interrupted in a cold tone. ¡°What?¡± Queenie was stunned as she could not believe what she had heard. A few secondster, some people around them asked, ¡°How could Genevieve change hernguage from Ustranasion to Granatann during the exam?¡± ¡°As for yesterday afternoon¡¯s exam, we did not stipte that you¡¯re not allowed to changenguages,¡± Jenny said. ¡°When I helped Genevieve adjust the equipment, she asked me if she could interpret Granatann. I told her that the other interviewee would score higher if the person did better in interpreting Ustranasion. Despite that, Genevieve chose Granatann.¡± Then, Jenny looked at the person who spoke, saying, ¡°You¡¯re here for the trantion interview too, so you should know that interpreting Granatann is more difficult than Ustranasion.¡± Despite Jenny¡¯s exnation, many seemed to be skeptical. Knowing that these people would not believe him, Steven asked a supervisor to take aptop out of the conference room. Then, he immediately yed the video of Genevieve¡¯s interpretation from the previous afternoon to everyone. All the people present were graduates from prestigious institutes or colleges. As soon as they saw the video, they knew that Genevieve¡¯s interpretation was of high quality. Especially Queenie, who gnashed her teeth as she stared at the video yed on theptop screen. She could not help feeling sour. Jealousy surged in her chest as she said, ¡°She handed in her paper in ten minutes when she took the written examination. It¡¯s obvious that her results were bad. How did she manage to do so well when it came to interpretation?¡± Chapter 60 Chapter 60 Chapter 60 You Are Impressive Steven nced at Queenie and asked, ¡°Who told you she did badly for her written examination?¡± ¡°The invigtor had a stern expression¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Genevieve got all the questions right, so he was surprised,¡± Jenny said. ¡°The trantion department had been trying to recruit people for the past two years. Nobody had managed to get full marks in their written examination except for Genevieve. The invigtor aside, I think I would be more surprised than he was.¡± Queenie widened her eyes in disbelief. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The invigtor had a stern expression because Genevieve scored full marks on her written examination, and not because she did badly? How is that possible? Just then, the crowd gasped unanimously and said, ¡°Goodness! All of you, check your Twitter!¡± Those who had yet to grasp the situation quickly checked their Twitter in order to find out what was going on. ¡°Did you really do something to Twitter or what?¡± Genevieve whispered to Patrick as she unlocked her phone. As soon as she saw the news on Twitter, she was in disbelief. This¡­ ¡°Wow, Genev! You¡¯re so impressive!¡± Patrick put on an exaggerated expression after he read the news. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you entered the presidential mansion of Dartan and worked as an interpreter for the president himself! Why didn¡¯t you write this down in your resume?¡± Jenny was equally in shock. ¡°Genevieve, if you had written this down in your resume, you wouldn¡¯t have had to apply for a job with us. I¡¯ll hire you immediately¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only worked in the presidential mansion when I was a student. I wasn¡¯t attached to anypany,¡± Genevieve said frankly. ¡°I was afraid that you might think I made it up if I were to write it in my resume.¡± Jenny was speechless when she heard Genevieve¡¯s reply. Even when Steven saw Genevieve¡¯s past experience, he could not help but stare at her. I never imagined Ms. Rachford to be more capable than what we¡¯ve imagined. ¡°Since the truth is finally revealed, I¡¯ll leave the rest of this to Ms. Griffin,¡± Steven said as he looked at his watch. ¡°I need to go to the airport to pick up Mr. Faulkner.¡± ¡°See you, Mr. Sullivan,¡± Jenny responded with a nod. After Steven left in a hurry, Jenny opened the document she had with her and said, ¡°If you have no other questions, I¡¯ll now announce the total results of yesterday¡¯s exam followed by those who are epted into thepany.¡± Jenny looked at the document and then at Genevieve. ¡°Genevieve got full marks on her written examinations and her interpretation. Her total results put her in the first ce¡­¡± The trantion department¡¯s examinations were known to be strict. Only a handful of people could pass it. Those who had passed sighed in relief, while those who failed were unhappy, but there was nothing they could do. Queenie felt relieved too when she heard that she had passed. Almost immediately, she nced furiously at Genevieve. She thought that Genevieve had tried to cut corners. Not only was that false, she even worked as an interpreter for the president when she was studying in Dartan. Moreover, she did an amazing job in interpretation. Genevieve noticed Queenie ring at her, so she walked toward Queenie. ¡°Queenie, I think you were the one trying to cut corners.¡± Queenie panicked for a moment before she quickly stared at Genevieve. ¡°What are you talking about? I did not cut any corners. I worked hard for my results!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Genevieve smirked as she took out her phone. Soon, Queenie¡¯s voice could be heard from the phone as she said, ¡°Ms. Griffin, I¡¯m Queenie Lane. My uncle is Harold Lane from the purchasing department. If I enter the trantion department in the future, please help me along.¡± This caused an uproar among the crowd. Especially those who had failed, they were furious as they said, ¡°Queenie, you said that Genevieve was cutting corners. It turns out you were the one doing it!¡± ¡°N-No¡­¡± Queenie panicked. ¡°My uncle does work in Central Group, but I¡¯ve never sought help from him¡­¡± Then, she shot Genevieve a death re. ¡°Genevieve, how dare you be so sneaky? I was only introducing myself to Ms. Griffin. How dare you record that?¡± ¡°My phone screen is broken. Some functions are often turned on automatically,¡± Genevieve said as her red lips curled into a smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, I can send my phone to have it repaired. I didn¡¯t know Harold was your uncle until I heard this recording.¡± Queenie almost lost her cool as she hurriedly went to Jenny and exined, ¡°Ms. Griffin, I really didn¡¯t ask my uncle for help¡­¡± She wanted to, but Harold was not familiar with the invigtors responsible for her written examination and interpretation. So, she decided to take the test by herself, thinking that if she were to fail, she would ask Harold to help. However, she did not expect Genevieve to record that. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 Chapter 61 I Will Fulfill Your Death Wish Jenny was silent for a moment before she said, ¡°We need to investigate this matter to see if you actually sought help from your uncle.¡± Jenny stopped talking to Queenie and turned to the crowd and said, ¡°Those who have sessfully joined thepany should report to the HR department at eight-thirty in the morning on Monday. Those who failed, don¡¯t give up. The trantion department of Central Group will hire people every quarter, so work hard next time. All right, you¡¯re dismissed.¡± Jenny had other matters to attend to, so she hurriedly took the documents and left. ¡°Ms. Griffin¡­¡± Queenie tried to chase after Jenny. Suddenly, Patrick stretched out his long legs and stood before Queenie. ¡°Queenie, didn¡¯t you forget something?¡± Patrick askedzily. Jenny had entered the elevator and left, and Patrick was blocking Queenie¡¯s way. Queenie¡¯s expression turned sour as she red at Patrick. ¡°What have I forgotten?¡± ¡°The bet!¡± Patrick reminded. ¡°Last night in the restaurant, you made a bet with Genev that if she came in first ce in the examinations, you would go to the restaurant opposite thepany and dance¡­¡± Before Queenie could speak, Patrick grabbed the bikini from her hands and said, ¡°Not bad, Ms. Lane. You knew you would lose the bet so you came prepared, right?¡± Everyone was about to leave after the results were announced. Hearing Patrick¡¯s words, they gathered around again to watch the drama. Noticing the people around, Queenie gritted her teeth and put the me on Genevieve. ¡°Genevieve, you¡¯re extremely skilled, yet you put on an act to trick me. This bet cannot be valid!¡± ¡°Have I ever said that I¡¯m not skilled?¡± Genevieve retorted. ¡°You were the one who thought that I¡¯m not capable. Besides, there were so many skillful people who took the exam yesterday. I really did not expect toe in the first ce. You brought this upon yourself.¡± Genevieve¡¯s argument was so reasonable that it left Queenie speechless. ¡°Hurry up and wear it, Queenie. Go and dance!¡± Patrick shouted from the side as he sought justice for Genevieve. ¡°Bikini! Bikini!¡± Queenie¡¯s expression turned dark when she noticed that the people around her were shouting alongside Patrick. There¡¯s no way I would wear that and dance in front of the restaurant! Clenching her fist, Queenie walked toward Genevieve and smiled reluctantly. ¡°Genevieve, we¡¯re going to be colleagues who work in the same office in the future. How about we forget about the dance? I know you want to look for Erica. I can help you¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s apletely different matter.¡± Genevieve smiled, but it was a cold smile that did not reach her eyes. ¡°Queenie, since you had the courage to bet with me, you should have the courage to admit defeat too.¡± Queenie¡¯s expression turned more sullen when she saw how Genevieve was not willing to let things slide. The former wanted to run away when no one was paying attention. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. However, as soon as she moved, Patrick saw right through her. He reached out and grabbed her. ¡°Are you going to dance? Come on, I¡¯ll go with you!¡± ¡°Let me go! I¡¯ll walk there on my own!¡± Queenie yelled angrily. ¡°I was only afraid that you might fall and injure yourself.¡± After forcibly dragging Queenie downstairs, Patrick shouted as he walked through the lobby, ¡°What did you say? You think everyone¡¯s too bored with their work, so you want to dance for them? You even want to wear a bikini and do it at the entrance of the restaurant opposite thepany?¡± Patrick¡¯s words sparked the curiosity of those around him. Even the employees at the front desk gathered at the door to join the fun. Genevieve gave tacit permission to Patrick¡¯s behavior and joined the others as she gathered among the crowd. Queenie had provoked Genevieve during the interview the night before. However, thetter let it slide since they were all going to be colleagues in the future. However, it did not ur to her that Queenie would try to mess with her at the restaurant. Since she¡¯s asking for death, I¡¯ll dly fulfill her death wish! After Patrick dragged Queenie across the road, he left her at the restaurant entrance and tossed the bikini on her. ¡°Change into this yourself. Don¡¯t make me do it for you.¡± Patrick smiled, but his gaze was cold as he stared at Queenie. He was not joking about doing it for her. Seeing this, Queenie trembled in fear. She had seen Patrick¡¯s resume the day before and found out that he was just an ordinary interviewee with a normal background. However, Queenie noticed a sinister aura from him. He¡¯s so scary¡­ Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Getting Lively In The House Queenie gritted her teeth as she went to the restaurant¡¯s restroom to change into a bikini. She thought of escaping, but there was only a single entrance to the ce. If Queenie wanted to leave, she had to pass by the hall to the kitchen. By doing so, she would be spotted by Patrick and the rest. After stalling for a while to buy time for herself, Queenie walked out of the restaurant. Patrick asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you dancing?¡± Then, he hummed understandingly, ¡°Oh, I know. Is it because there is no music? All right. I¡¯ll y a song for you.¡± As he said that, he turned on the music yer, and a sexy song started ring immediately. Queenie scanned her surroundings. People had started gathering around her while the restaurant¡¯s customers had turned their attention toward the crowd outside the windows, trying to see what was happening. With a forced smile, she looked at Genevieve. ¡°Do you have to do this, Genevieve?¡± Queenie clenched her teeth. The arrogant attitude she had disyed yesterday disappeared without a trace. She lowered her voice and said, ¡°We will be colleagues in the future¡­¡± Genevieve was standing among the crowd when she heard Queenie¡¯s words. She parted her red lips and replied in an apathetic tone, ¡°Dance now, Ms. Lane.¡± She knew very well that Queenie would have asked her to do something even more ridiculous if she was the one who lost the bet. Then, a resentful Queenie started dancing amidst the crowd¡¯s cheers and apuse. When she noticed Patrick was recording a video of her, she freaked out and turned her head to the side. ¡°Come on, Queenie. Don¡¯t hide!¡± Patrick urged, ¡°The loser has to dance while someone records the video. You will have to share it on Twitter for a week too. Since nobody is doing the honor of videoing you, I¡¯ll be the one to take up the task!¡± Queenie felt frustration rise within her when she heard Patrick¡¯s words. Enraged, she bit her lips so hard that they bled. She made up her mind. I¡¯ll remember this humiliation! While the onlookers were busy checking out Queenie¡¯s dance, a ck Maserati drove past the restaurant slowly. A woman poked her head out of the backseat and peered at the crowd. Even though she looked great for her age, as there was not a single wrinkle on her wless, smooth skin, her steely, deep-set eyes told stories and showed that she was not that young. Meanwhile, a beauty mark on the corner of her left eye softened her sharp features. The woman slightly narrowed her eyes. She stared at the slim figure standing among the crowd. ¡°Have Genevieve and Cooper separated?¡± ¡°They divorced about a month ago,¡± The driver reported. He knew the woman had been upied recently, so she might not be up-to-date with thetest happenings in Jadeborough. He continued, ¡°Genevieve was meeting a man secretly in the hotel when Cooper caught her in the act. Cooper forced her to give up everything, including herpany, during the divorce. Genevieve¡¯s grandma passed away around the same time too.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes turned frostier as she seemingly recalled something from her memories. ¡°There¡¯s something else you need to know.¡± The driver observed the woman through the rearview mirror. ¡°The man Genevieve met secretly was Mr. Armand.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Old Mrs. Faulkner tried to set up Mr. Armand, but he found out about it, so he requested to switch the room.¡± The driver¡¯s expression changed. ¡°Mr. Armand seems to have taken a liking to Genevieve. They registered their marriage at the Jadeborough City Hall recently.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. A look of interest appeared on the woman¡¯s face when she heard that. ¡°It looks like it¡¯s going to get lively in the house soon.¡± Changing her mind, she continued, ¡°Forget about the hotel. Let¡¯s head home.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As the car slowly moved away from the buzzing restaurant, the woman took another look at the crowd. She retracted her gaze before remarking, ¡°I need you to do something for me.¡± After the ck Maserati left the scene, a Mercedes-Benz stopped where the vehicle had parked earlier. A middle-aged man in a suit descended from it with a bunch of rare, ck roses in his hand. He headed straight for the crowd. ¡°Wow! These ck roses are gorgeous!¡± someone shouted in the crowd. Everyone diverted their attention to the middle-aged man immediately. Themotion caught Genevieve¡¯s attention too. She thought someone had ordered these roses in preparation for a proposal, so Genevieve made way for the man to walk past as he slowly walked in her direction. Little did she expect the man to stop before her with a respectful bow. He presented the ck roses and a ck velvet box to her as he said politely, ¡°Ms. Rachford, these flowers and gifts are from our boss.¡± Genevieve was taken aback. She asked, ¡°Who is your boss?¡± The middle-aged man smiled while he remained in the stance of a bow. ¡°Ms. Rachford, please ept these gifts so I can finish my task.¡± Genevieve remained silent as she tried to suss out the boss mentioned by the man before her. Meanwhile, Patrick epted the gift on behalf of her. Then, he opened the ck velvet box. There was a vast, brilliant pink diamond ring inside. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Chapter 63 Not Just About Who Can Afford It Even though Patrick quickly shut the box after looking at the content, Genevieve, standing behind him, noticed the pink diamond ring. She gasped in astonishment. As the eldest daughter of the Rachford family, I used to have a lot of exquisite jewelry in my possession. But, I have never seen a pink diamond as big as this one. Patrick shoved the flowers and gift into Genevieve¡¯s embrace. He eximed softly, ¡°Wow! Armand N?velDrama.Org content rights. showed off his character as the big boss by pampering you with these amazing gifts. Too bad it¡¯s not romantic enough here.¡± It has crossed my mind that maybe Armand bought the pink diamond for Genevieve. Now it turns out I¡¯m right. Genevieve understood what Patrick meant. She lowered her head and nced at the ck roses in her arms. Her mind wandered. Yea, it¡¯s true that he would possibly buy gifts for me. But, it¡¯s unusual for him to gift them to me in such a high-profile way. It does not fit his personality. Before Genevieve could dwell further on the matter, the crowd encouraged her, ¡°Is there a ring in it? Why don¡¯t you show it to us?¡± ¡°Wow! Genevieve, did you find another boyfriend?¡± Most of them gathered around Genevieve knew about the recent news in her life. She was gued with scandals. Her life was in chaos, herpany gone, and she lost Winnifred. However, Genevieve came out stronger on the other side. She even got herself a job at Central Group. She must have found a man who can back her up. The crowd concluded as they surrounded Genevieve with curiosity. They gossiped about her life as she remained silent. At the same time, Steven, who had just picked up Armand at the airport, passed by the restaurant. When he noticed the bustling crowd, the man slowed down his car. Armand looked out from the window. He frowned. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°There was a bet between Queenie and Mrs. Faulkner. Queenie lost, so she must wear a bikini and dance at the restaurant entrance.¡± Then, Steven proceeded to recount the process of Genevieve and Queenie¡¯s bet and the morning incident at thepany. He added after finishing his story, ¡°Mrs. Faulkner has be smarter and more ruthless.¡± Upon hearing, Armandnded his gaze on Genevieve who was surrounded by the crowd. She looked beautiful in that avocado-green suit. She no longer has that depressing aura surrounding her. Armand said, ¡°Genevieve is not a fool. She merely followed Cooper¡¯s words previously because she was not exposed to the outside world.¡± The man had seen Genevieve¡¯s potential a long time ago. If not, he would not have agreed to marry Genevieve. After all, Armand was not a man that would be willing to wed a beautiful but stupid woman. He spotted the bikini-d, ashamed-looking Queenie. Armand¡¯s lips curled into a faint grin. ¡°You¡¯re right. She has be more ruthless. Did you ask someone to send the flowers?¡± Armand questioned Steven when he noticed Genevieve carrying a bouquet of ck roses. Steven shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t send anything to Mrs. Faulkner without your instruction.¡± He guessed and said, ¡°Maybe Patrick bought it to congratte Mrs. Faulkner for getting the job?¡± Armand sneered. ¡°Definitely not him. He is too simple-minded to have the idea of buying these rare flowers.¡± Steven was rendered speechless by his reply. Armand continued staring at the ck roses. Soon, an answer appeared in his mind. He sneered again. ¡°Call the florist. Get them to send one thousand ck roses to the mansion.¡± Genevieve is my wife. I¡¯ll give her whatever she wants. I don¡¯t need another man to butter her up. ¡°One thousand¡­ ck roses?¡± Steven stuttered, unable to believe his ears. He turned to look at Armand, saying, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, these ck roses are rare and hard to cultivate. I don¡¯t think they have thatrge amount of them in the country, much less in Jadeborough.¡± Steven suggested bravely, ¡°How about green roses? They are rare too¡­¡± ¡°Think of a way, then.¡± Armand raised his head. His eyes were cold. ¡°Do you want outsiders to think I can¡¯t afford a thousand ck roses for my wife?¡± The mature, responsible Steven was falling apart at Armand¡¯s order. Comints started shing across his mind. It¡¯s not just about who can afford the flowers or not! Why? Why did I slow down? Why didn¡¯t I drive to thepany¡¯s parking lot straight away? If Mr. Faulkner didn¡¯t notice the ck roses in her arms, he wouldn¡¯t have given me such a difficult task. Chapter 64 Chapter 64 Chapter 64 No Progress With City Hall When Steven arrived at the basement parking of Central Group, Patrick had also sessfully pushed through the crowd with Genevieve at the restaurant. Patrick gasped for air after they got into a taxi. He was speechless by the turn of events while muttering, ¡°I thought we were there to humiliate Queenie! Why did we end up being surrounded by people? Armand¡¯s gifts arrived at the wrong time.¡± ¡°People are attracted to gossip,¡± Genevieve replied helplessly. She had never thought that strangers were still interested in her personal life after the falling of the Rachford family. Genevieve frowned at the sight of the ck roses. ¡°Did Mando really send me these?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Patrick gave an affirmative answer. He pointed at the velvet box in her hand. ¡°Take the pink diamond as an example. This is the only pink diamond in the world. Some rich guy bid for itst time. It was Armand who had told me to look for the bidder¡¯s number, and he spent so much money to buy it from the person.¡± Genevieve let down her guards without anyone around to be nosey about her private life. She opened the velvet box. It was a big, crystal clear diamond in the natural shape of a heart. She was pretty sure that this was the most prominent, the rarest pink diamond in the world. ¡°It¡¯s so d*mn beautiful!¡± Patrick peered at the pink diamond beforeplimenting, ¡°Who else other than Armand has the status and money to gift you this exorbitant piece of jewelry?¡± Yeap. Patrick is right. Who else can gift something like this to me without any second thoughts? It must be Armand. Genevieve could not help but agree with Patrick¡¯s words. Patrick asked the driver to stop the car beside the road after looking at his phone. He alighted from the vehicle. ¡°Genev, I have something that I need to attend to. Why don¡¯t you head back by yourself first?¡± ¡°All right.¡± Genevieve nodded. Even though the scarce pink diamond had given her a shock, there was something else on Genevieve¡¯s mind. She fished out her phone. When she saw Queenie talking to the interviewee from the same batch as her after the trantion exam the night before, she could already guess what Queenie was up to. That was why she was not surprised to see the news on Patrick¡¯s phone that morning. Genevieve was only fooling around with Patrick when she said she had no idea how to handle the problem. She also had a calm response when she arrived at the office to hear the news from Queenie about Jenny being investigated, which all boiled down to the fact that Queenie had fallen into the trap set by her from the start. Genevieve knew Queenie was going to lose no matter what. The only unexpected incident from her n was when someone had revealed the matter of her working as an interpreter in Dartan¡¯s presidential residence. That person even got hold of a video as evidence and shared it on Twitter. Not many knew about this part of my life. Who was the person who shared the video? Was it Armand? I¡¯m not surprised if it was him. After all, he could achieve this quickly if he could learn all about my life experience since I was young. Genevieve wondered about the possibility of Armand being the culprit. However, she quickly doubted the conclusion she came to. After some time spent with Armand, Genevieve knew he did not really care much about her personal life. He wished more for her to solve her problems by herself. Genevieve decided to remove Armand from the list. Her eyes flickered as she somehow figured out the identity of the person who uploaded the video. The bouquet of roses was ck like velvet, and it was a thick bunch. A faint, sweet scent wafted through the air as she ced it on herp. Men always choose red roses when ites to gifting them to a woman. Why did Armand think of giving me this unique bouquet? N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Her heart warmed as she gently caressed the rose petals. Suddenly, she noticed a card lying among the ck roses. At first, Genevieve had not noticed the card because it had blended against the ck roses earlier. She took out the ck and gold card and flipped it open with her fingers. A look of shock appeared on her face when she saw the name. The text wrote: Specter Corporation. Meanwhile, at the CEO¡¯s office, a man was sitting at his desk as he went through the news on his phone. The eyes behind those sses did not betray any emotions he had. Soon, a suit-wearing man knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Sutton.¡± Cooper turned his phone over and ced it on the table. He massaged his nose bridge with his slender fingers, asking, ¡°How was the investigation?¡± His assistant, Christopher, lowered his head. ¡°There was no progress with the people at the City Hall. They wouldn¡¯t talk.¡± If they were investigating an ordinary man, the information would have flowed out the moment they used a few tricks. However, the man they were instructed to find more information about this time around was Armand. Even if Armand did not request for the employees at City Hall to keep the information about his marriage confidential, those staff dared not leak the details to outsiders. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 Chapter 65 I Thought You Hate Her After a few seconds, Christopher spoke. ¡°Mr. Sutton, I think you read too much into it. The Faulkner family is one of the prominent four families of Xedells, and they have strict rules and regtions. Even if Mr. Faulkner is the person in charge of his family¡¯s business now, he couldn¡¯t possibly escape from the fate of being in an arranged marriage. I don¡¯t think he will marry Genevieve.¡± Cooper would have ignored Christopher¡¯s remarks if this conversation had urred in the past. However, today, he was offended by Christopher¡¯s words. Cooper¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°The Rachford family used to enjoy a prestigious status in Jadeborough. It isn¡¯t entirely impossible for Ms. Rachford to marry into the Faulkner family.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said so yourself. Her family was prestigious and influential in the past.¡± Christopher looked at Cooper cautiously. ¡°Mr. Sutton, I thought you hate Ms. Rachford?¡± Christopher found Cooper¡¯s frustration at him mentioning and talking bad about Genevieve strange. Cooper froze. He, too, felt that he reacted in an unusual manner. Desperate for some fresh air, Cooper removed his tie. ¡°Have you fetched Jacob yet?¡± Jacob was the sole survivor of the fire from many years ago. He was the one who had told Cooper the truth. After the revtion, Cooper gave Jacob a sum of money that was enough for him to live out the rest of his life in his hometown. Recently, Cooper had requested Christopher to seek Jacob out so they could have a meal together. He wanted to know more about the fire all these years ago. Christopher¡¯s face darkened. He did not respond to Cooper¡¯s question. When Cooper noticed the hesitant look on his assistant¡¯s face, his heart sank as though he realized something terrible had happened. ¡°Did something happen to Jacob?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Christopher lowered his head before reporting, ¡°Shawn was supposed to pick up Jacob. He said he found him dead when he arrived at Jacob¡¯s ce. The autopsy report indicated that he passed away two hours before Shawn found him. The reason for his death was a heart attack.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°How about the housekeeper?¡± ¡°The housekeeper caring for Jacob just so happened to be out to get his medicine from the hospital.¡± Instantly, Cooper¡¯s face took on a ghastly expression. Christopher nced at him before continuing, ¡°Jacob had multiple organ failures after escaping the fire. He hasn¡¯t been feeling well for the past few years, so I think his days were already numbered.¡± ¡°Yea. It¡¯s normal for him to die. But, why now?¡± Cooper frowned. That was the thing that was bothering him as he questioned himself and Christopher. Nothing happened to Jacob yesterday. Why did he die the moment I sent someone over to fetch him for a meal? Christopher did not have the same opinion as Cooper, though. He spoke. ¡°Heart attack is a rtively Cooper stayed silent as his expression turned frostier. Christopher did not dare to say anything else. After a while, Cooper instructed calmly, ¡°Get someone to manage Jacob¡¯s funeral proceedings. Other than that, try to bribe the neighbors. Ask them whether Jacob had said anything to them or whether anyone had looked for him after he moved in.¡± Christopher immediately understood where Cooper was going with his instructions. He was stunned as he asked, ¡°Do you think there is something fishy¡­ about Jacob¡¯s death?¡± ¡°His life ended at the wrong time,¡± Cooper answered with a grim expression. Cooper had stayed hidden and bide his time in the Rachford family for twenty years because he wanted to exact revenge. After years of experience in the business field, his patience and observation skills were tip-top. He did not believe in such coincidences. Someone must¡¯ve found out that I was investigating the past. That¡¯s why they decided to silence him forever. As those thoughts crossed his mind, Cooper narrowed his eyes before adding, ¡°Be careful.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Christopher quickly left the office. Feeling bothered and frustrated by thetest development, Cooper took a pack of cigarettes from his drawer and lit one up. Soon, the white smoke blurred his sses. Silence filled the room as he smoked. Cooper¡¯s train of thoughtsnded on that day when he saw Armand outside City Hall with an obedient-looking Genevieve beside him. His heart sank when he remembered Genevieve had her arms wrapped around Armand. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 Chapter 66 I Want To Live For A While Longer As the sun set, Genevieve returned to Swallow Garden. She took a taxi back, but the taxi couldn¡¯t enter the mansion district, she walked to the mansion after arriving outside the mansion district. She held a bouquet of ck roses in her arms. Her brow was slightly furrowed, and she appeared to be deep in thought. ¡°Ms. Rachford.¡± Maria came to open the door for her. Upon seeing Genevieve with a bouquet of ck roses, Maria froze and muttered, ¡°Ms. Rachford, in the twenty years I¡¯ve known you, I¡¯ve never seen someone gift you so many ck flowers. I¡¯ve heard this type of rose has a short lifespan and is difficult to cultivate.¡± Genevieve looked down and realized she had carried the roses back with her. Instantaneously, she felt as if her palms were burning hot as she held the flowers, and she wished she could discard them immediately. ¡°It¡¯s just a bouquet of roses.¡± If I had seen that card earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have epted the pink diamond and believed what he said either. ¡°I¡¯m not referring to those you¡¯re holding. I¡¯m talking about those in the living room.¡± Maria led her into the living room as she spoke. When Genevieve entered the living room, she discovered a big bouquet of ck roses before the floor- to-ceiling window. It was densely packed, and she estimated that there were hundreds of ck roses in there. What¡¯s with all these ck roses? Inparison to the enormous bouquet of ck roses in front of her, the bouquet in her arms seemed pathetically small. ¡°Mr. Faulkner.¡± Just then, Armand had returned as well. He passed his coat to the housekeeper and went into the living room, quickly spotting Genevieve and the massive bouquet of ck roses. ¡°It is to celebrate your induction. I asked Steven to order the flowers.¡± Only then did Genevieve recover from the shock. ¡°Mando, thank you very much. You don¡¯t have to buy so many flowers tomemorate my induction. These flowers have a brief lifespan.¡± Also, ck roses are umon. How did he obtain so many of them? ¡°If this bouquet of flowers can make you joyful, then they retain some value,¡± Armand stated with a deep voice. His remarks caused Genevieve¡¯s heart to begin racing. I did not anticipate this indifferent man to utter such cheesy words¡­ Armand lowered his head and gazed at her arms. ¡°How long more are you going to hold this bouquet of N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. ck roses of unknown origin?¡± Genevieve detected the displeasure in his tone. She also understood that Armand had witnessed the middle-aged man delivering flowers to her in the afternoon. That was why he let Steven order a thousand of those flowers for her. Then, she quickly tossed the bouquet of ck roses in her hand to Maria and said, ¡°Maria, take it and throw it away!¡± ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Maria hurriedly left with the flowers in her arms. She had assumed that the bouquet of ck roses Genevieve was holding was also from Armand, but it appeared that this was not the case. When he saw Genevieve¡¯s actions, Armand¡¯s eyebrows rxed, and he appeared happier. Genevieve rushed over to him when she saw him walk over to the couch and sit down. She poured him a cup of coffee and asked, ¡°Mando, what would you like for dinner?¡± She had stated before that she would cook for Armand and the others when her job position was confirmed. Armand¡¯s hand paused for a moment as he held the cup, and his lips twitched. ¡°Anything will do for dinner.¡± Just as Genevieve got up to go to the kitchen, he continued to mock in a low voice, ¡°Anything as long as it¡¯s not cooked by you. I¡¯d like to live for a while longer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m actually quite good at cooking,¡± Genevieve refuted in a soft voice. ¡°I just need more practice.¡± Armand said, ¡°There are many housekeepers at home, so you don¡¯t have to cook. If you really want to thank me, you should quickly adapt to your work at Central Group. I¡¯m soon traveling to Mapleton to discuss opportunities of coboration with them.¡± Genevieve could sense his implication that he wished to take her there. ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± In fact, the other day when they attended the dinner party, Armand had unintentionally reminded her that she had to rely on herself as well, as the assistance she received from others was only temporary. Even if she was currently riding on Armand¡¯s coattails, they would eventually drift apart. She had to take advantage of every opportunity to gain experience in the hopes that she would be able to manage Specter Corporation once she regained control of it. Approximately half an hourter, Steven returned. Steven walked into the room with a tired face and looked at the huge bouquet of ck roses. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, do you like this bouquet of ck roses?¡± he asked. Genevieve nodded, ¡°Yes, I like it.¡± There were so many of those roses, not to mention that ck roses were rare as well. Every woman¡¯s heart would race upon seeing this sight. ¡°It must have been difficult to get so many ck roses, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°No, not at all. I¡¯m delighted that you like them.¡± Steven smiled faintly, recalling the past afternoon when he had made over a hundred calls just to gather that many ck roses. If Armand had asked for ten thousand ck roses, Steven probably would have died on the spot. Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Are You Interested In Men ¡°Steven! Steven!¡± Patrick dashed into the room. He embraced and nted a big kiss on Steven¡¯s face. ¡°How did you know that I liked that Pagani, Steven? You even got it for me! You are really kind! I¡¯m so d to be your brother in this life!¡± Steven wiped Patrick¡¯s saliva off his face and stated emotionlessly, ¡°That vehicle is not yours. It belongs to Mrs. Faulkner.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Patrick¡¯s face fell. ¡°The fact that I can even feed you is already good enough. How can I afford to buy you a car, let alone a limited-edition car?¡± Steven rolled his eyes and handed Genevieve the key to the Pagani. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, this is the new car that Mr. Faulkner ordered for you. In the future, you can drive this car to work.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Thanks.¡± Genevieve felt rather helpless as she took the key. She had asked Armand to get just any car for her. However, he had gotten her a limited-edition Pagani. It would be really hard to keep low profile while driving such a car. ¡°Forget it, then. In the future, I will also work for Central Group, and I¡¯ll be able to drive this car then!¡± After a brief moment of sadness, Patrick rapidly regained his vitality. He took the violin case from behind him and handed it to Genevieve. ¡°I have a gift for you as well, Genev!¡± When Genevieve opened the violin case, she saw a beautiful brown violin inside. Its body was made from wood of the best quality, and even the strings were pricey. When she looked at the side of the instrument and saw the name of the person who made it, she turned and looked at Patrick in shock. ¡°This is a hand-crafted violin by Master Emeti?¡± ¡°It is!¡± Patrick raised his eyebrows and said proudly, ¡°I googled him. This gentleman was a skilled luthier, and this instrument was one of his favorites throughout his life!¡± Genevieve was surprised because she knew how pricey violins crafted by this luthier were. ¡°How did you obtain it?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I got it. It¡¯s a gift for you!¡± Patrick felt guilty for a moment as he recalled the process of acquiring the violin. He shed another cheeky grin. ¡°So, what do you think, Genev? I¡¯ve been nice to you, haven¡¯t I?¡± From the moment Patrick raced into the room, Armand exhibited little interest in their conversation. As soon as he saw Patrick pull out a violin and deliver it to Genevieve, he turned his attention to her. Suddenly, Armand asked, ¡°Can you y the violin?¡± ¡°Children from affluent families should be skilled in the arts.¡± Genevieve¡¯s lips twitched when she heard the hint of surprise in his tone. ¡°Did you think I can¡¯t do anything as well?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Armand¡¯s answer left Genevieve speechless. He was having his coffee while sitting on the couch. As he observed Genevieve conversing with Patrick while deftly tuning the strings, he didn¡¯t know why, but his normally icy eyes warmed. ¡°Steven, transfer a million to Patrick¡¯s card,¡± he ordered Steven abruptly. ¡°Whoa, Armand. You¡¯re filthy rich!¡± Patrick got excited for a moment and quickly waved his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to send me money. This is my gift to Genev for joining thepany.¡± ¡°That amount is nothing to me,¡± Armand said casually. ¡°Since she¡¯s my wife, I can buy her anything she wants.¡± Patrick was dumbfounded by his dominant personality. He could not help but state cheekily, ¡°Armand, you are indeed a bossy CEO. That¡¯s cool! But why let your interests be restricted to only women, Armand? Hello, look at me over here?¡± When Armand heard what he said, he frowned and looked at him with a darkened expression. ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡± Chapter 68 Chapter 68 Chapter 67 Are You Interested In Men ¡°Steven! Steven!¡± Patrick dashed into the room. He embraced and nted a big kiss on Steven¡¯s face. ¡°How did you know that I liked that Pagani, Steven? You even got it for me! You are really kind! I¡¯m so d to be your brother in this life!¡± Steven wiped Patrick¡¯s saliva off his face and stated emotionlessly, ¡°That vehicle is not yours. It belongs to Mrs. Faulkner.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Patrick¡¯s face fell. ¡°The fact that I can even feed you is already good enough. How can I afford to buy you a car, let alone a limited-edition car?¡± Steven rolled his eyes and handed Genevieve the key to the Pagani. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, this is the new car that Mr. Faulkner ordered for you. In the future, you can drive this car to work.¡± ¡°Thanks.¡± Genevieve felt rather helpless as she took the key. She had asked Armand to get just any car for her. However, he had gotten her a limited-edition Pagani. It would be really hard to keep low profile while driving such a car. ¡°Forget it, then. In the future, I will also work for Central Group, and I¡¯ll be able to drive this car then!¡± After a brief moment of sadness, Patrick rapidly regained his vitality. He took the violin case from behind him and handed it to Genevieve. ¡°I have a gift for you as well, Genev!¡± When Genevieve opened the violin case, she saw a beautiful brown violin inside. Its body was made from wood of the best quality, and even the strings were pricey. When she looked at the side of the instrument and saw the name of the person who made it, she turned and looked at Patrick in shock. ¡°This is a hand-crafted violin by Master Emeti?¡± ¡°It is!¡± Patrick raised his eyebrows and said proudly, ¡°I googled him. This gentleman was a skilled luthier, and this instrument was one of his favorites throughout his life!¡± Genevieve was surprised because she knew how pricey violins crafted by this luthier were. ¡°How did you obtain it?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I got it. It¡¯s a gift for you!¡± Patrick felt guilty for a moment as he recalled the process of acquiring the violin. He shed another cheeky grin. ¡°So, what do you think, Genev? I¡¯ve been nice to you, haven¡¯t I?¡± From the moment Patrick raced into the room, Armand exhibited little interest in their conversation. As soon as he saw Patrick pull out a violin and deliver it to Genevieve, he turned his attention to her. Suddenly, Armand asked, ¡°Can you y the violin?¡± ¡°Children from affluent families should be skilled in the arts.¡± Genevieve¡¯s lips twitched when she heard the hint of surprise in his tone. ¡°Did you think I can¡¯t do anything as well?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Armand¡¯s answer left Genevieve speechless. He was having his coffee while sitting on the couch. As he observed Genevieve conversing with Patrick while deftly tuning the strings, he didn¡¯t know why, but his normally icy eyes warmed. ¡°Steven, transfer a million to Patrick¡¯s card,¡± he ordered Steven abruptly. ¡°Whoa, Armand. You¡¯re filthy rich!¡± Patrick got excited for a moment and quickly waved his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t have to send me money. This is my gift to Genev for joining thepany.¡± ¡°That amount is nothing to me,¡± Armand said casually. ¡°Since she¡¯s my wife, I can buy her anything she wants.¡± Patrick was dumbfounded by his dominant personality. He could not help but state cheekily, ¡°Armand, you are indeed a bossy CEO. That¡¯s cool! But why let your interests be restricted to only women, Armand? Hello, look at me over here?¡± When Armand heard what he said, he frowned and looked at him with a darkened expression. ¡°Do you have a death wish?¡± Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Chapter 69 Beautiful And Gentle After Patrick said that, he took a casual look around and was shocked to see the huge bouquet of ck roses in front of the window. ¡°Whoa! Armand, where did you get so many ck roses?¡± He didn¡¯t know much about flowers, but he had heard that ck roses were hard to nurture and didn¡¯t That has to be at least a thousand of them, right? ¡°I¡¯m not sure. It was Steven who got them.¡± Armand took a sip of coffee and didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°It¡¯s to celebrate Genevieve¡¯s induction.¡± ¡°Tsk! Tsk! Armand, we all know you¡¯re the boss, but you don¡¯t have to be so high-profile, do you?¡± In the afternoon, he had someone send a pink diamond to Genevieve. And now, he asked Steven to send a thousand ck roses to the mansion! Then, she switched topics and said, ¡°You said earlier that you had to do something. Was it to get this violin?¡± Armand appeared to sense something going on. He cast a brief nce toward Genevieve. ¡°Yeah.¡± Patrick was easily led into the new topic. He mumbled with his mouth full of watermelon, ¡°It¡¯s such a valuable thing. Of course, I had to talk to the seller in person.¡± I couldn¡¯t even get this violin if I didn¡¯t deal with the seller in person. ¡°Everyone looks up to thiste master luthier¡¯s work. If this belonged to a violinist, they wouldn¡¯t have sold it even if the buyer offers a sky-high price.¡± Genevieve took a look at the violin on the couch. ¡°Why would that person sell it to you? Could the seller be a resale dealer?¡± Patrick was still trying to figure out how to exin it. When he heard Genevieve¡¯s guess, he just went with it. ¡°Yes, yes! When I traded with that guy, he told me that he had a lot of high-quality violins at home. He could sell it to me for a low price if I want. Like you said, he¡¯s just a resale dealer!¡± Genevieve nodded and said, ¡°That makes sense.¡± A violinist would treasure a rare and valuable violin like this and would never sell it. However, this is not the case if it was in the hands of a violin dealer. Armand¡¯s gaze swept over the violin case, and he suddenly asked Genevieve, ¡°Do you know how to y Judith?¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I do. It¡¯s a beginner violin piece. When I was learning the violin, I yed it over a hundred times.¡± It was also Genevieve¡¯s favorite violin piece. Years ago, if it were not for the patient¡¯s encouragement, she might not have learned to y the violin. She smiled as she thought of the happy memories. ¡°Mando, do you want to hear it?¡± she asked as she looked at Armand. ¡°Yeah.¡± Lazily, Armand flopped his long arms on the top of the couch. ¡°Okay.¡± Genevieve opened the case and mumbled as she took out the violin, ¡°I haven¡¯t yed the violin in a long time. I hope you don¡¯t mind if it doesn¡¯t sound good.¡± Chewing on a mouthful of pear, Patrick reassured, ¡°It¡¯s okay! We¡¯re all family here, so we won¡¯t mind if it sounds bad!¡± Armand gave him a cold look. Feeling a chill running down his spine, Patrick quickly moved away and sat down next to Steven. Genevieve was a little nervous about ying the violin again after so many years. Even so, when she really touched the violin and put the bow on the strings, her fingers moved naturally. Soon, the ssic melody flowed through the living room. The soothing ssical music was like a feather that swept away all of Armand¡¯s troubles. His frowning brow rxed as he looked at Genevieve. She stood still in the middle of the living room with the chandelier above her head. Her thin, curly eyshes looked like little brushes that cast shadows over her eyelids. The bow in her hand moved gently, guided by her wrist and fingers, and she looked beautiful and gentle as she yed. Armand¡¯s heart suddenly stirred, and emotions surged in his heart. Even so, his deep eyes remained calm. He suddenly thought of something he had almost forgotten. A year ago, he was in a rush to return to Jadeborough from Epea. When his car passed by a church, it was suddenly rear-ended by the car behind him, making him even more irritated. When he saw that the car behind them was a wedding car, and as he still had important things to do, he decided not to bother them and let the driver go. Just then, someone knocked on the car window. Armand lowered the car window impatiently and saw through his shades a beautiful woman in a wedding dress standing in front of his car. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Chapter 70 Not Something You Need To Worry About ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mister. My driver failed to apply the brakes and identally rear-ended your car,¡± the young woman apologized. ¡°I see that you¡¯re driving a Maybach, which is more expensive than our car. I¡¯ll give you a contact number and bear the entire cost of the repair.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Armand nced at the wedding dress she was wearing, sounding a little impatient. ¡°Just be careful next time.¡± Genevieve was momentarily startled by the impatience in the man¡¯s voice. Then, she thrust the bouquet of bellflowers into his car. ¡°I am truly sorry. I¡¯ll give you this bouquet.¡± Her action caught Armand by surprise. Just then, the woman¡¯s friend caught up with her and reprimanded, ¡°Genevieve, you¡¯re the bride. How can you get off the car before we get to the church?¡± ¡°We ran into someone else¡¯s car. Of course, I had toe and apologize to him.¡± ¡°I already assured you that I would handle it.¡± As she assisted Genevieve in adjusting her veil, her friend urged her to hurry and get in the car. ¡°Let¡¯s just run to the church; it¡¯s not far away.¡± Looking back, Genevieve noticed Armand¡¯s reluctance to ept the bouquet, so she quickly set it down next to him and uttered with a smile, ¡°Mister, I hope you get married to the person you like as soon as possible.¡± With that said, she grabbed the heavy hem of her wedding dress and sprinted toward the church. ¡°Drive,¡± instructed Armand as he retracted his gaze. As the car passed the church slowly, he reached out to get something when the bellflowers next to him caught his eye. It was a tiny, exquisite bouquet. Picking up the flowers, he gave them another nce before taking off his sunsses and looking out the car window. The bright sunshine poured down on Genevieve¡¯s lovely face as she ran while holding the hem of her wedding dress. She had a radiant, joyful smile on her face. Coming back to his senses, Armand gazed at Genevieve in the living room. His lips curved upward slightly. He was curious how she would react if she discovered she had given him the bouquet a year before. Patrick was sitting next to Armand on the couch when he noticed a faint smile on thetter¡¯s face. Instantaneously, he rubbed his eyes vigorously, thinking it was his imagination. However, he noticed that Armand¡¯s smile was still there. ¡°Steven! Steven!¡± Patrick hurriedly nudged Steven and whispered, ¡°Do you see it? Armand is smiling!¡± After that, he cast a brief look at Armand again, sighing as he ate. ¡°Even though Mr. Samuel and Armand had different mothers, Mr. Samuel was the only member of the Faulkner family who treated Armand well. Armand¡¯s personality has drastically changed since Mr. Samuel¡¯s death, and he no longer smiles.¡± In the past year, he had learned that even when Armand smiled, it was an icy smile that made people think twice before bothering him. Yet, the smile he just revealed today was carefree and calm. Naturally, Steven noticed Armand¡¯s smile as well, but he kept quiet. Instead, he clenched his fists tightly in response to thest part of his younger brother¡¯s words. It was exactly because of the close rtionship between Samuel and Armand that he did not know whether he should tell Armand about what he had recently found out. ¡°Steven, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Patrick noticed Steven¡¯s grim expression and tightly furrowed brow. ¡°Is something wrong?¡± Steven shook his head. ¡°Even if there¡¯s something wrong, it¡¯s not something you need to worry about.¡± His statement left Patrick speechless. A fine sheen of sweat had formed on Genevieve¡¯s forehead by the time she finished the piece. Putting down the violin, she looked at the man on the couch and pursed her pink lips before asking nervously, ¡°Mando, how did I do?¡± ¡°Pretty good.¡± Evidently in a good mood, Armand raised the corners of his lips slightly. ¡°It was in tune.¡± Since there was a world-ss violinist by his side, he had listened to her violin ying so much that he was now a very discerning listener. The sound of Genevieve¡¯s violin, however, made him feel incredibly at ease. Hearing Armand¡¯spliment, Genevieve grinned and put the violin back in the case. N?velDrama.Org content rights. At that moment, Maria led a middle-aged man into the living room. ¡°Mr. Armand, someone is looking for you.¡± ¡°Mr. Armand, Mdm. Genevieve.¡± The visitor was Frankie, the butler who looked after Harriet. After greeting the couple respectfully, he handed Armand a velvet box. ¡°Mr. Armand, Old Mrs. Faulkner wanted me to give this to you.¡± Armand took the box and opened it. The moment he saw a pair of rings inside, his gaze darkened slightly. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 ¡°Old Mrs. Faulkner said she didn¡¯t give you anything when you got married, so she forged one of the gifts that Old Mr. Faulkner gave her in the past into these two rings,¡± exined Frankie. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Old Mrs. Faulkner treasures the gifts from Old Mr. Faulkner a lot and never shows them to outsiders,¡± whispered Patrick, who happened to be next to Genevieve. He added, ¡°It¡¯s surprising that Old Mrs. Faulkner would use a gift from Old Mr. Faulkner to forge a pair of rings for Armand. No other member of the Faulkner family receives such treatment.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Genevieve muttered and peered at the velvet Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. box in Armand¡¯s hand. A pair of stunning silver rings were housed inside the velvet box. The man¡¯s version of the ring was simple and elegant, whereas the woman¡¯s version had five equal-sized grooves with a line of five premium pearls set into each of them. There were tiny ws on the edge of the grooves to hold the pearls in ce, and the sides of the grooves were carved with a fine, wavy design. Although Genevieve had amassed a sizable jewelry collection in the past, which included pearls and rings with gemstones, she now felt that those rings in her collection could notpare to the one in front of her at the moment. What great taste Old Mrs. Faulkner has! Just as she was admiring the ring, Armand lifted his head abruptly and looked at her, saying in a low voice, ¡°Genev,e here.¡± She had never before heard him addressing her in that way. It sounds too intimate. ncing at Frankie, she quickly realized what Armand was going to do. Hence, she walked over and consciously stretched out her right hand. The next instant, Armand removed the woman¡¯s version of the rings from the velvet box and ced it on Genevieve¡¯s finger. The ring fitted perfectly on her ring finger. Wriggling her fingers a little, Genevieve fell into deep thought. This ring fits my finger perfectly. How does Old Mrs. Faulkner know my finger size? ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Armand gave Genevieve a cursory nce before taking out the men¡¯s ring from the velvet box and passing it to her. Stretching out his left hand, he enunciated, ¡°Put it on for me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Taking a deep breath, she held Armand¡¯s hand anxiously. His fingers were long and slender. Genevieve nervously put the men¡¯s ring on his ring finger. All of a sudden, she thought of the scene when she married Cooper in the church and exchanged rings, causing her actions to pause suddenly. Frankie was quietly looking on from the side. Puzzlement shed across his eyes as he noticed Genevieve abruptly stop moving. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner?¡± He had visited City Hall to confirm that Armand and Genevieve were legally married. Then why¡­ In an instant, Armand¡¯s gaze darkened. Suddenly, he wrapped his hands on the back of Genevieve¡¯s head and kissed her in front of everyone. It was a long and passionate kiss. Even Frankie could not help but turn away in embarrassment. After a considerable amount of time, Armand released Genevieve and shot her a piercing nce that seemed to be a warning. ¡°Genevieve, you are my wife from the moment you married me.¡± His voice was so low that only the two of them could hear it, and it was also extremely frigid. ¡°I won¡¯t let you off the hook if you dare to think of another man in front of me again.¡± The sensation of his cold breath on her cheeks sent a shiver down Genevieve¡¯s spine. He noticed that I was absorbed in my thoughts just now. ¡°I¡¯m not thinking of anyone. I just think that I¡¯m too stupid,¡± she hurriedly exined. ¡°Besides,paring you to Cooper is nothing but an insult to you.¡± Cooper would still be fighting for survival if it were not for her father, who had brought Cooper into the Rachford residence back then. Her heart was filled with disgust each time she thought about Cooper. Hearing that, Armand extended his left hand toward her once more. His expression had somewhat softened. ¡°Put it on.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± This time, Genevieve did not get distracted and slipped the ring onto the man¡¯s finger smoothly. As soon as she put her hand down, Armand grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her into his embrace while saying to Frankie, ¡°She has no experience, so she was a little nervous just now.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Frankie was stunned for a moment and remarked unintentionally, ¡°The wedding of Mdm. Genevieve and Mr. Sutton back then was broadcast live nationwide¡ª¡± ¡°Indeed, she¡¯s been married previously, but she stillcks experience in other areas.¡± Armand¡¯s voice was deep and low, and his expression remained indifferent. As Frankie was an experienced man, he immediately understood what Armand was trying to say. A smile suddenly spread across his face. ¡°Old Mrs. Faulkner invited you and Mrs. Faulkner to dinner at the Faulkner residence next Thursday.¡± Nodding slightly, Armand responded, ¡°All right. I¡¯ll ask the secretarial department to include it in my schedule.¡± ¡°I shall take my leave now.¡± As he spoke, Frankie nodded to Armand and turned around to leave. Maria trailed after him to see him off. ¡°What did you mean just now?¡± Genevieve gave the man in front of her a perplexed look. ¡°What did you mean by¡ª¡± Ick experience in other areas? Does he mean kissing? Chapter 72 Chapter 72 Steven¡¯s face flushed when he heard what Genevieve said. He coughed twice before approaching Armand and saying, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, I have something to report to you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s talk in the study.¡± With that, Armand let go of Genevieve. He then turned around and walked upstairs, never intending to respond to her question. Steven immediately followed him. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult to figure out what he¡¯s thinking.¡± Patrick leaned back on the sofa and said casually, ¡°When Armand kissed you earlier, you just stood there like a log. I¡¯m sure he thought you were a bad kisser!¡± Is that true? Genevieve touched her lips, which seemed to retain Armand¡¯s warmth. Despite the fact that this is my second marriage, I had never kissed Cooper. In actuality, Cooper only symbolically touched her lips with his on the day of their wedding in the past. Genevieve raised her head and mocked Patrick, ¡°At least I¡¯m a married woman who can have someone to teach me kissing skills, unlike you, who¡¯s still single!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s single?¡± Raising his chin, Patrick retorted, ¡°It¡¯s just that my girlfriend is currently abroad. She¡¯s super gorgeous!¡± Upon hearing that, Genevieve smirked. ¡°Haha!¡± As Patrick did not want to argue with her anymore, he quickly changed the subject and motioned for Genevieve toe over to him. As if by magic, he took a bottle of brandy from the small drawer beneath the coffee table. He exined that the brandy was something Armand cherished, and Patrick was being gracious in inviting her to sample it. Genevieve was no fool. In an instant, she could tell he was dragging her down with him because he wanted to drink it himself. However, because it was a rare vintage brandy, she was tempted to try a sip Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. as well. She eventually sumbed to the temptation and drank a ss of it in secret. The brandy had a high alcoholic content. She became dizzy shortly after taking a shot of it. Before going upstairs, she remembered something and turned back to Patrick, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t tell Mando about the pink diamond I received this afternoon.¡± That was certainly not a gift from Armand to her. ¡°All right, all right.¡± Patrick waved his hand. He assumed she wanted to keep the gift for herself, so he did not give it much thought. She staggered and went to the restroom after going upstairs. Even though she tried using the shower gel as a lubricant to remove the ring, she was unsessful. It was as if the ring was glued to her skin. The ring had to be returned to Armand, but she had no idea how to do so. Perhaps it was due to the alcohol; she was determined to exin it to him. She wobbled out of her bedroom, searching for Armand. As the master bedroom door was not closed shut, she was able to open it easily with a push. Fortunately, she was able to grab the door frame and stabilize herself in time. Coincidentally, Armand happened to step out of the bathroom with a glum expression. He appeared to be in a foul mood. When he noticed Genevieve holding onto the door frame, his gaze became cold. ¡°Do you want something?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Genevieve responded with a nod and stumbled into the room. After approaching him, she realized that he was only wearing gray pants, revealing his muscr, honey-colored chest, and his Apollo¡¯s belt could be seen on both sides of his waist. Genevieve¡¯s mind went nk for a few moments, staring at his alluring body with widened eyes. My goodness! His physique is way too fit! Armand¡¯s eyes narrowed as he trailed her gaze. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± The alcohol gave her the courage to run over to him and ask the question, but she totally forgot the question after she saw his toned body. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to ask, go back to sleep.¡± Armand did not bother to respond to her anymore as he walked toward the bedside. Surprisingly, Genevieve stopped him and pushed him against the wall with all her might. She ced both her slender hands on either side of him, her stance domineering. ¡°Armand, your body is so hot.¡± When she realized he was looking at her, she burst outughing and stood on her tiptoes, trying to lift his chin with a hand. ¡°You¡¯re flushing, Armand. Could you be embarrassed?¡± she teased. ¡°Genevieve.¡± Armand frowned. ¡°Shhh. Be a good boy and go wait for me on the bed while I take a shower, okay?¡± she said, putting her index finger on the man¡¯s thin lips. Upon hearing that, he was rendered speechless. He assumed she was drunk based on her reddened cheeks and the scent of alcohol emanating from her. ¡°Did you drink alcohol?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so smart.¡± Genevieve nodded in agreement. She pressed her body against him while her finger continued to trace his lips. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you letting me go, Darling? Perhaps you¡¯d like to take a bath with me?¡± Armand chuckled in frustration as he heard that, and his furrowed brows rxed. I never imagined she¡¯d dare to tease me after she¡¯d gotten drunk! Chapter 73 Chapter 73 Chapter 73 I Do Not Mind In addition to the smell of alcohol in the air, there was a faint rose fragrance that piqued Armand¡¯s interest. He became aroused as he wrapped his arm around Genevieve¡¯s waist suddenly and pressed her back against the wall, unable to contain the excitement of her finger tracing his lips. He said in a low voice, ¡°You don¡¯t have to take a shower. I don¡¯t mind.¡± With that, he leaned in and kissed her. When Genevieve lifted her head to look at him, her mind was nk. She could not think clearly, and all she could feel was the burning sensation of the skin under her palms. Suddenly, she sobered up a little as she felt the embrace around her waist and pped his cheek. As he turned around and stared coldly at her, she leaned against the wall and hesitantly said, ¡°I-I thought you preferred men to women?¡± After all, she¡¯d taken the initiative twice, and he¡¯d been oblivious. Hearing that, Armand¡¯s expression darkened, and his voice became colder. ¡°Who said I preferred men?¡± ¡°It was Dr. Jensen who told me.¡± Genevieve stumbled over her words as she sensed his cold aura. ¡°He also stated that if he could be with you, he doesn¡¯t mind being the receiver¡­¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Armand sneered. The next second, he picked up Genevieve and ced her on his bed. Next, he pushed himself on top of her and stared at her. Then, he said dangerously, ¡°I don¡¯t mind helping you remember what happened that night in the hotel!¡± One of the bedroom¡¯s windows was open. The air in the room gradually became more intimate and romantic as the breeze blew in. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. Abruptly, the phone on the bedside table lit up and vibrated. As the phone was constantly vibrating unceasingly, Armand picked it up and threw it on the floor. The phone bounced a few times on the floor before switching off due to the violent impact. Genevieve¡¯s long ck hair was strewn across the white pillow at the time. As she gazed at the zed chandelier atop her, tears welled up in her eyes. At that moment, there was a knock on the door, and Steven¡¯s voice could be heard saying, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, you have a call.¡± He paused for a moment before adding, ¡°It¡¯s Ms. Wood.¡± Armand¡¯s desire hadpletely vanished as a result of thest part of Steven¡¯s words. He quickly regained hisposure and reverted to his usual icy demeanor. After getting out of bed, he put on his shirt that was resting on the back of the chair before walking barefoot to the door. ¡°Did you answer the call?¡± ¡°She called three times in total, and I answered the first time.¡± Steven bowed his head. ¡°She inquired as to your whereabouts and why you had not returned her call¡­¡± Armand frowned as he remembered that he had just thrown the phone to the floor. After the fall, the phone most likely turned off. The phone in Steven¡¯s hand rang again as he finished his words. He handed it to Armand as if it were a hot potato. After receiving the phone, Armand tapped it to answer the call and ced it next to his ear, his cold and harsh voice bing low and soft. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Steven could not hear their conversation because Armand had not turned on the loudspeaker and could only lower his head guiltily. Soon after, Armand hung up the phone and handed it back to Steven, instructing, ¡°She had morning sickness quite a few times at night. I¡¯ll go over to her first, you go ahead and drive Timothy to her ce.¡± ¡°Mr. Faulkner¡­¡± Steven spoke up abruptly. Although he knew he should not be involved in Armand¡¯s affair, he had been with Armand for so long that he could not help but feel bad for him. Steven exined, ¡°The explosion fourteen years ago was not an ident at all. Mr. Samuel was the one who attempted to murder you. Fortunately, the bodyguard who was with you at the time of the explosion used his body to protect you. As a result, you were bedridden for more than half a year and were nearly permanently blinded.¡± Steven had already told him about it when they were discussing it earlier in the study. However, he brought it up again to remind Armand. ¡°Because you and Mr. Samuel were not born from the same mother, he would never treat you as his brother,¡± Steven said, expressing everything he had always wanted to say to Armand. Then he continued, ¡°Mr. Samuel had only been good to you in recent years because he felt remorse for what he had done to you in the past and wanted to make up for it. Mr. Samuel¡¯s mother believed you had murdered her son at the time, so she banded together with the rest of the Faulkner family to suppress you and usurp your position as family head. In fact, she was also the one who instigated Ms. Wood to shoot you in the chest.¡± Chapter 74 Chapter 74 Employing his ruthless ways, Armand punished everyone who was involved but did not go after Samuel¡¯s mother. Steven lifted his head and cast a nce at Armand, who was looking glum. He went on, ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been together with Ms. Marilyn for many years, and when both of you were about to get engaged¡­ I saw the document that thewyer drafted for you, where half of the shares of Central Group owned by you will be transferred to the child once Ms. Wood delivers the baby¡­¡± Lowering his voice, Steven reminded, ¡°But Mr. Faulkner, Ms. Wood got married to Mr. Samuel long ago. You¡¯ve done enough for Ms. Wood¡­¡± With a frosty expression, Armand interrupted, ¡°Samuel is my brother after all. Besides, I owe him my life.¡± While exuding a menacing aura, he lowered his gaze and stared at Steven as he instructed, ¡°Go and pick Timothy up.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Not daring to say anything further, Steven bowed slightly and headed toward the staircase. He then heaved a sigh of despair inwardly. Marilyn was the only person in this world who was capable of manipting Armand and had the audacity to shoot at him. Armand was also willing to do anything for her unconditionally. He even got married just for her sake. It might be because of the strong brandy or Armand¡¯s excellent kissing skills that had Genevieve feeling as though she was floating in the vast expense of outer space. Her mind was constantly in a muddle as a result. The next day, when the sunshine woke her up by ring at her through the window, she could vividly feel the intense hangover she was having. Rubbing her head, Genevieve sat on the bed for quite some time before she finally recalled that she had looked for Armandst night. She even pinned him against the wall and teased him. Once Genevieve had recollectedst night¡¯s memories, her face flushed scarlet, and she felt slightly embarrassed. Lowering her head, she realized that she was dressed in the same vest and mini-skirt that she had wornst night. So nothing happenedst night? For some reason, a sense of defeat washed over Genevieve. Why would he leave after he was almost about to remove my clothespletely? After washing up, Genevieve went downstairs for breakfast. Patrick was the only one eating, and he informed Genevieve that Armand had some urgent matters to deal with, so he had left the mansion with Steven in the wee hours of the morning. ¡°Oh.¡± Pulling out a chair, Genevieve sat down and poured herself a ss of orange juice. I guess I¡¯m overthinking things. After taking a few sips of the orange juice, she found Patrick, who was seated opposite her, gazing at her with aplicated expression when she put down the ss. She could not help but furrow her brows. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Patrick¡¯s expression instantly changed as he teased, ¡°Well, that¡¯s because you¡¯re so adorable, Mrs. Faulkner!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Genevieve did not find that to be apliment. Instead, she had goosebumps all over her skin and felt like she was about to throw up. While having her breakfast, she switched on her phone to scroll through the news. Suddenly, the financial news about a new shareholder of Specter Corporation, who seemed to be someone from the Faulkner family of Xedells, popped up. The Faulkner family? As Genevieve continued scrolling down, she did not find any information rted to the new shareholder. Just then, she recalled that Armand had promised to help her regain Specter Corporation within six months. Could this be his arrangement to send someone in there? With nothing else to do after having her breakfast, Genevieve asked Patrick a few casual questions. Upon discovering that Armand loved eating salmon, she bought a few salmons during her grocery shopping with Maria. Throughout the rest of the day, Genevieve was in the kitchen learning how to cook fish from Maria, while Patrick was forced to try out the dishes. At the third te of salmon, Patrick revealed an expression of devastation. ¡°Genev, stop mutting these fishes. Instead, just end my life as I don¡¯t want to live anymore.¡± Genevieve murmured, ¡°Is it that awful?¡± She then tried a small bite by using a fork, and her face instantly contorted. Is this really what I¡¯ve made? After destroying eight salmons and Patrick¡¯s stomach, Genevieve finally made a salmon dish that tasted decent in the evening. Even Maria praised, ¡°Ms. Rachford, the fish tastes good. I¡¯m sure Mr. Armand would love it.¡± ncing at the clock on the wall, Genevieve stered a grin on her face as she instructed, ¡°It¡¯s almost dinner time. Give Mr. Armand a call for him toe home for dinner.¡± She then added, ¡°Forget about it. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll find me annoying.¡± With that, she took the salmon and disyed it in the middle of the dining table. She wanted Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. to make Armand something that he loved eating as an act of appreciation. Maria shook her head and said sincerely, ¡°One will only find others bothersome if they¡¯re strangers. Yes, I¡¯m well aware of the promise that you made with Mr. Armand. But both of you have registered your marriage and are living under the same roof, so you can¡¯t act likeplete strangers.¡± Maria had witnessed Genevieve¡¯s growth, so she viewed thetter as her daughter. Therefore, Maria hoped that Genevieve would be able to take revenge and find someone to take care of her for the rest of her life. At the thought of the incidents that had urred to Genevieve recently, Maria got teary-eyed. She urged Genevieve, ¡°Just give it a try. If he indeed finds you annoying, then you can simply not ring him in the future. Besides, the salmon will not taste as good if it¡¯s not eaten right away.¡± Genevieve hesitated briefly before she nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give him a call.¡± Chapter 75 Chapter 75 Chapter 75 He Is Having Dinner At Home As she walked toward the window, she found Armand¡¯s number and dialed it. Enjoying the scenery of the garden, she held her breath while waiting for him to answer the call. After ten seconds, the call went through. Just as Genevieve was about to speak, a gentle and feminine voice could be heard from the other end. ¡°Hi, who¡¯s there?¡± Genevieve found the voice familiar. Well aware that Armand was busy, Genevieve simply viewed the caller as a worker of hispany. ¡°I¡¯m looking for Mr. Faulkner. Is he busy?¡± ¡°No.¡± After a short pause, she added, ¡°He¡¯s having dinner at home.¡± Although the woman¡¯s voice sounded friendly and gentle, Genevieve knitted her brows slightly as she could tell that she was trying to assert dominance. In a sh, she understood the situation and apologized, ¡°Sorry to disturb, then.¡± She swiftly hung up the phone. Ever since she found out Armand¡¯s identity and agreed to his deal, Genevieve knew that he would be surrounded by many women, and she would not be his only one. The call that day confirmed her suspicions. Although she had no right to interfere with Armand¡¯s love life, she somehow felt ufortable when she found out about the presence of some other woman around him. After cing the soup on the dining table, Maria cast a nce at Genevieve, who was standing at the window. ¡°Ms. Rachford, have you called Mr. Armand? When is heing home for dinner?¡± Genevieve groaned, ¡°He¡¯s busy so he¡¯ll not be able to make it for dinner.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. As she entered the dining hall for dinner, she found the salmon on the table to be an eyesore. With that, she took it to the kitchen and threw it into the bin. At the sight of Genevieve¡¯s actions, Maria seemed to figure out what had happened and sighed inwardly. On that particr weekend, the weather was perfect. After asking Maria, Genevieve found out that Armand had not returned the previous night. When the woman who had answered the call shed through her mind, she felt her heart sink. Outside the mansion, Patrick gave the limited edition Pagani a check before installing the shockproof system. When he saw Genevieve exiting the house, he gave the roof of the car a pat and raised his eyebrow at her. ¡°Genev, since you¡¯re free today, would you like to have a test run of the car?¡± ¡°Okay, sure.¡± With an impassive expression, Genevieve strode over and took the keys from him. Patrick took a quick nce at her. ¡°Genev, are you all right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Genevieve opened the door and stared at him after getting into the car. ¡°Are youing? If you¡¯re not, I¡¯ll just drive alone.¡± ¡°Of course I am!¡± Upon hearing that, Patrick quickly hopped into the car. Although Genevieve had owned quite a few luxury cars before, including a limited edition sports car, she bought them because of their cool exteriors. Hence, it was not exactly pleasant while driving them. However, she loved driving the Pagani as it was very responsive and smooth. As Genevieve sped on the asphalt road with the car roof open, the strong wind ruffled her hair and blew her gloomy emotions away. While she had fun, Patrick was trembling in fear in the passenger seat and holding on tightly. ¡°Oh my God¡­ This is neither a sports car nor an off-road vehicle. Don¡¯t drive that fast!¡± It was Patrick¡¯s first time finding a car ride more terrifying than death itself. He then offered, ¡°Just tell me if you¡¯vee across anything that has upset you. I¡¯ll help you resolve it!¡± When they arrived at the traffic lights, Genevieve immediately stepped on the brake. Whirling around to look at Patrick, she muttered, ¡°I have sublime driving skills. What are you afraid of?¡± With a solemn expression, Patrick answered, ¡°No, I¡¯m not afraid. Genev, I¡¯m merely impressed with your driving skills. Feel free to drive the new car however you like. It doesn¡¯t matter if I¡¯m dead. But you¡¯re the wife of a CEO that¡¯s worth hundreds of billions, so nothing must happen to you!¡± Genevieve was rendered speechless. Just then, a blue taxi stopped at the driveway to the right of the Pagani. At the sight of Genevieve, a youngdy in the passenger seat immediately leaned her head against the window, as though she was trying to take a closer look. Through the window, the youngdy saw Genevieve talking to Patrick in their Pagani, waving her hand at him asionally. Avish ring iid with pearls could be seen glimmering on her ring finger. Even from afar, one could tell that the ring was expensive. ¡°It¡¯s a limited edition Pagani!¡± As a car collector, the driver frequently paid attention to car exhibitions, so he was able to recognize the Pagani instantly. Envious, the driver let out a sigh. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that this car costs millions to be built, and all the silver- spooned kids were fighting for it. It has just been bought recently. I can¡¯t believe that it was purchased by someone from Jadeborough, and I even have the chance to see it¡­¡± Initially, the youngdy¡¯s face was already contorted. However, upon hearing the driver¡¯s words, she red at the people in the Pagani with her eyes zing in fury. Ring, luxury car¡­ At first, she thought that the man in the suit had been lying to her. She did not expect that he was speaking the truth. Fishing out her phone, she zoomed in on Genevieve and Patrick¡¯s faces and snapped a few photos. She then opened WhatsApp and sent a message. I agree with the coboration that you¡¯ve suggested! Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Is He Married On Monday morning, Genevieve wore a ck suit to work. Her immactely ironed suit pants entuated her slim and long legs. In the ck suit, she looked professional and gave off an air of The HR department of Central Group had spent the weekend, finished processing to process all the employment contracts of the new employees. After reaching thepany, Genevieve scanned her face and took a lift to the floor where her office was located. Although there weren¡¯t many people in the trantion department, their office upied the entire floor of the building. Hence, it was spacious and bright. Entering the office area, Genevieve sat down at her cubicle after greeting her colleagues courteously. After a while, some of her colleagues approached to chat with her and showered praises on her. ¡°You have the best examination result among the employees of the trantion department within these two years. I heard that you¡¯ve been a trantor for the President of Dartan too. You¡¯re awesome!¡± Hearing this, Genevieve¡¯s eyes flickered as the video that went viral on Twitter shed across her mind. ¡°It was just luck.¡± Genevieve soon lifted her face and shed a faint grin at that colleague. ¡°As I¡¯m new here, please do give me guidance.¡± Hearing that, that colleague waved her hand. ¡°Sure, it¡¯s no big deal. Colleagues should help each other out.¡± While they were chattering, someone pushed open the door and walked into the office. It was Queenie, and she was carrying a few bags in her hands. ¡°Hello, everyone. I¡¯m Queenie Lane, and I¡¯ve just joined the trantion department. Hope we can get along well. I have brought some desserts for everyone.¡± As she spoke, she took out the desserts from the bags and distributed them to all of her colleagues. ¡°They aren¡¯t expensive stuff. My aunt who runs a bakery made them. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°Wow, your aunt is amazing!¡± one of the colleagues eximed. ¡°This pudding looks cute, and it seems delicious too!¡± another person chimed in. Queenie distributed the desserts one by one to her colleagues. Soon, she was standing in front of Genevieve. Handing thetter a piece of cake, Queenie said, ¡°Genevieve, I¡¯m sorry for being mean to you before. Please don¡¯t hate me.¡± Hearing her words, Genevieve lifted her head and looked at Queenie, slightly shocked. There was a smile on her face, and she looked sincere. It seems like she¡¯s truly apologetic to me. However, I don¡¯t believe her. She then recalled what happened on Friday. She and Patrick had forced Queenie to wear a bikini and dance at the entrance of the restaurant that was in front of thepany. There were a lot of onlookers at that time. Other than that, Patrick had uploaded the video of her on Inte, and it had gone viral. Queenie was utterly humiliated by it. Queenie probably has a deep-running hatred for me now after going through such humiliation. How is it possible for her to want to reconcile with me? As Genevieve didn¡¯t take the cake from her, Queenie asked cautiously, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± After pausing momentarily, she asked again, ¡°Genevieve, are you still holding a grudge against me?¡± Upon hearing that, Genevieve immediately heightened her senses and put her guard up. However, she remained herposure and took the cake from Queenie. Then, she said with a smile, ¡°Of course not. As you have apologized to me, I won¡¯t hold a grudge anymore. Besides, we are colleagues now.¡± ¡°Great. That¡¯s good to hear.¡± A smile spread across Queenie¡¯s face as she said that. She then turned to distribute the desserts to other colleagues. Looking at Queenie who was talking to the other colleagues enthusiastically, Genevieve knew that the former was trying to gain their liking. After a while, she retracted her gaze and put the cake on the corner of her desk. Around ten o¡¯clock, Jenny, who had invigted Genevieve¡¯s examination, came to the office. She was also the assistant manager of the trantion department. As Mr. Ziegler, the manager, was on a business trip, the trantion department was temporarily put under her control. Jenny called for a meeting in the conference room. After introducing Genevieve and the other new employees, she asked the other colleagues to report their work progress. Before the meeting ended, Jenny suddenly remembered something and said, ¡°Oh, right! To wee our new employees, ourpany will hold a wee party at Lovely Heart Hotel tonight. Mr. Faulkner wille to the party too. All the new employees can go back earlier this afternoon and attend the wee party at half-past seven tonight. Genevieve was not interested in the wee party. However, when she heard Jenny mentioning Armand, she realized that he hadn¡¯t been back to the mansion for a few days already. She soon snapped back to her senses as Jenny ordered a senior employee to help her familiarize herself with her work. Standing up, she walked out of the conference room with that colleague. Before that, Genevieve only did some work at her family¡¯spany once in a while, and she only went there in the afternoon. In the morning, she would either go shopping or sleep at home. At that time, her life wasfortable and rxed. As she used to be indolent, she had a hard time dealing with the overwhelming workload on her first day upon entering the working world. Although she was exhausted, she had a sense of satisfaction as she felt that she was a useful person who held some value at that moment. After working hard for the entire morning, Genevieve finally had some time to take a break. She then headed to the pantry with her mug, nning to drink a cup of coffee and rest for a while before going N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. back to work. When she entered the pantry, there were several female colleagues leaning against the cab while gossiping. ¡°I¡¯m so envious of the new employees to be able to attend the party, and they can even meet Mr. Faulkner,¡± said one of the colleagues. She then heaved a sigh before she continued, ¡°Do you guys think Mr. Faulkner is married? I think there isn¡¯t another person like him in the whole country who is still a bachelor that has such incredible worth, is there?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s a married man,¡± one of them answered. ¡°Before this, when I was scrolling through Twitter, I saw aizen posted that she saw Mr. Faulkner bring a woman to the City Hall to register their marriage.¡± Chapter 77 Chapter 77 ¡°Is that true? If Mr. Faulkner is married, why doesn¡¯t he wear a ring?¡± one of them asked. Upon hearing that, Genevieve froze for a moment and nced toward the ring on her hand instinctively. She then continued her action of making coffee while listening to the gossip. ¡°I think it¡¯s fake,¡± the third colleague chimed in. ¡°I heard from a friend before that Mr. Faulkner has a first love who has known him for years. However, they suddenly broke up before their engagement. After that, his first love married another man. So, Mr. Faulkner has decided not to get married for the rest of his life for her.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, Mr. Faulkner is pitiful. He has got both power and wealth, but he can¡¯t marry the woman he loves.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± One of them nodded in agreement. Those female colleagues gossiped about a lot of things, however, only the words ¡°first love¡± kept lingering in Genevieve¡¯s ears. Armand never told me that he had a first love. For no reason, she thought of the woman who picked up her phone call on that Saturday night. That woman has a gentle voice. Is that woman Armand¡¯s first love? Then why¡­ Right then, Genevieve heard one of the female colleagues exim in shock. ¡°What? Genevieve, you¡¯re married?¡± When Genevieve snapped back to her senses, she saw that those female colleagues were looking at her, and the inquisitive look in their eyes was obvious. Genevieve guessed that they knew what had happened to her before. Lifting her hand, she looked at the ring and said with a smile, ¡°Yes, I just got married.¡± For the past two days, Genevieve had been racking her brain to think of ways to remove her ring. However, she couldn¡¯t. Thinking of that, Genevieve couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh inwardly. ¡°Congrattions! Your ring looks pretty. It must be expensive,¡± said one of them. ¡°It was bought on Amazon, and it¡¯s just around two hundred.¡± As Genevieve knew what her colleague wanted to hear from her, she stretched out her hand to show them the ring and said, ¡°My husband is just an ordinary person.¡± Although the pearl on her ring was valuable, Genevieve believed that her colleagues couldn¡¯t tell that as they seldom saw such a valuable pearl. Seeing that they had lost interest in her ring and continued to gossip, Genevieve shed them a smile before leaving and said, ¡°Please carry on. I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Just as Genevieve walked out of the pantry, she vaguely heard the conversation in the pantry. ¡°What¡¯s the point of being born into a rich family? In the end, she still married an ordinary man,¡± one of the voices sneered. ¡°Her husband¡¯s so poor. I can¡¯t believe he can¡¯t even afford to buy a diamond ring,¡± another person added. ¡°With her scandal, no man will be willing to marry her.¡± Their words were getting more and more vicious. Before this, if Genevieve heard anyone defaming her, she would surely p that person on her face. However, now, she had figured it out. People who liked to N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. gossip could be found everywhere. If their words couldn¡¯t hurt her, then she shouldn¡¯t be infuriated by them. Hence, she could not care less about their words. Genevieve then shrugged and walked toward her cubicle. However, she didn¡¯t notice that there was a young woman at the corner outside of the pantry. That woman had heard their conservation earlier in the pantry. Her eyes stared at Genevieve, who was walking away, as hatred gradually surged within her. Soon, it was half-past seven in the evening. Genevieve and Patrick arrived at Lovely Heart Hotel. Patrick parked the car in the underground parking lot and got off the car with Genevieve. As they were walking to the elevator, he noticed that Genevieve looked troubled, so he asked worriedly, ¡°You looked perturbed when you came back in the evening as well. What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired after working.¡± Genevieve quickly came up with a random excuse and walked into the elevator with him. Actually, Genevieve was in a bad mood as the gossip she heard in the pantry kept shing across her mind for the whole evening until then. As the elevator slowly ascended, Genevieve pursed her lips and finally asked after struggling hard, ¡°Patrick, do you know-¡± Before she could finish her words, the elevator suddenly stopped on the ground floor. As Genevieve lifted her head, she was surprised to see a few men in formal suits standing outside the elevator while chatting. The man who stood nearer to the door of the elevator was wearing a gray suit. His white shirt was buttoned up to his neck, giving off an air of aloofness. His demeanor was cold and indifferent. It was Armand. Although Armand was just standing there, and his voice was gentle, he emitted a strong and imposing aura. As the elevator door opened, another person who was standing beside Armand gestured for him to enter the elevator. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, you first.¡± As Armand entered the elevator, he shot an indifferent nce at Genevieve and stood on one side of the elevator. Since they bumped into each other, Genevieve couldn¡¯t pretend that she didn¡¯t know him. ¡°Good evening, Mr. Faulkner,¡± she greeted. The few men who stood beside him seemed to all be the senior executives of thepany. Hearing her voice, Armand only grunted a reply of acknowledgment indifferently. When everyone else had entered the elevator, Genevieve, who was standing behind the others, secretly lifted her head and nced at Armand. She then quickly lowered her gaze. When Armand answered her, she could feel that his tone was aloof. It seemed like he was ignoring her. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Miss Wood There were only a few neers in each department of Central Group, but thepany had many departments. When so many neers and executives of each department gathered together, the atmosphere in the banquet hall became extraordinarily lively. Sitting at the table with her name written, Genevieve drank a ss of champagnezily and recalled the scenes in the elevator just now. I told him not to reveal a word about our marriage. Was it because he took it to the heart that he was indifferent toward me before thepany¡¯s executives? But wouldn¡¯t it be too much for him to ignore me to such an extent? Genevieve emptied the ss of champagne with frustration. She took out her phone to surf the inte boringly, only to see the trending search about Marilyn Wood, who was touted as a rare talent in the music industry. Marilyn had performed nearly a hundred solo recitals and released violin albums, not to mention she was beautiful and once nominated as one of the best female faces in the world. Wherever she went, she would cause amotion. It was just that Marilyn slowly faded out of the public eye a year ago. For a long time, there wasn¡¯t any news about her anywhere. When Genevieve tapped into the trending topic about Marilyn, the first thing that showed up was an original tweet by her. In the picture, Marilyn, who only showed her upper body, was wearing a long knitted dress and holding a brown wood-colored violin. She smiled at the camera faintly, her face filled with happiness. Marilyn wrote: I received a violin from you-know-who. It¡¯s the legacy of Master Emeti. I like it so much and will treasure it always. The underlying message revealed by Marilyn in her words caused an uproar among theizens. Aizen wrote: Could it be that Ms. Wood did not show up for a long time because she got married? Is her husband a musician as well? Anotherizenmented: Rumor has it that the name of this violin is called Night Breeze. It was made by Master Emeti for his beloved woman. However, he passed away right after he finished making the violin. Yet anotherizenmented: The way Ms. Wood addressed her beloved was so warm. Even though Genevieve was not interested in the real identity of the man in Marilyn¡¯s tweet, when she looked at the knitted dress thetter was wearing in the picture, she could not help but feel that she had seen someone wearing it before. Then, she nced downward, and her gazended on the violin in Marilyn¡¯s hand. After zooming in on the violin, she was stunned. Patrick had gifted her a violin a few days ago, saying it was an employment gift. Although Genevieve barely touched a violin those few years, she could tell which violin was genuine and which was fake. The Night Breeze made by Master Emeti that I received is authentic. But the one Marilyn has with her is not a fake too¡­ ¡°Genev, why did you just sit here and drink?¡± At that moment, Patrick came looking for Genevieve. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you socialize and get acquainted with some executives from other departments?¡± Putting his hand on the back of Genevieve¡¯s chair, he raised his brows. ¡°You¡¯re just gonna stay here and fiddle with your phone?¡± ¡°Patrick.¡± Genevieve raised her head to look at him. Out of curiosity, she asked, ¡°Where did you buy the violin you gave me?¡± When Patrick heard her mention the violin, his expression changed slightly. It seemed that he felt somewhat guilty. Touching his nose, he replied sheepishly, ¡°Um¡­ Genev¡­¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Before Patrick could finish his words, Genevieve showed him her phone. ¡°Look, Ms. Wood¡¯s violin is the same as the one you gave me.¡± For a moment, Patrick did not remember who she was. When he lowered his head, saw the woman holding the violin in the picture, and looked at the pendant on her chest, he was dumbfounded. ¡°This¡­ Is she Ms. Wood?¡± ¡°Exactly. Haven¡¯t you seen her before in the hospital?¡± Genevieve nced at him and continued, ¡°Why is your memory worse than a goldfish¡¯s?¡± Patrick stood still without saying a word for a long time. He had never met Marilyn, but he could recognize the violin he bought. Besides that, he knew Armand had the same pendant as the woman. He never expected the Ms. Wood that Genevieve was talking about was Marilyn. Genevieve did not notice Patrick¡¯s expression. Looking at the picture on the phone, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve zoomed in on Ms. Wood¡¯s violin and taken a look. It¡¯s genuine. I guess the one you gave me was fake.¡± ¡°Are those who produce a fake product so good now? They look just the same.¡± ¡°No.¡± After a short silence, Patrick pointed at her phone. ¡°The violin with her is the one I gave you previously.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Genevieve looked at him with bewilderment. Patrick lowered his gaze and scanned the woman in the picture. ¡°I didn¡¯t buy the violin. I stole it. I just threw the money at the other party. I didn¡¯t expect him to call the cops, and they soon found me¡­ I wanted to buy the violin by offering a higher price, but that guy refused. He asked me to return the violin to him, or he would send me to jail.¡± After listening to him, Genevieve was speechless. ¡°I was in doubt back then. How could you buy a violin even a famous person couldn¡¯t buy? It turns out that you stole it.¡± Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Chapter 79 Beat Her At Her Own Game ¡°I gave him money. How could you say that I stole it?¡± Patrick defended himself. ¡°Don¡¯t do such a thing again in the future.¡± Genevieve knew Patrick did that because of her, so she did not feel angry. ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t really like violins that much.¡± She continued to y the violin just because of the encouragement given by a man a few years ago. ¡°Only in the hands of Ms. Wood can this violin exert its greatest value.¡± Genevieve looked at the picture, but her gaze was trained on Marilyn¡¯s dress. She recalled that she met a woman wearing this dress with a slightly bulging belly on a rainy day. Genevieve put away those vague and messy memories. As she remembered an incident, she asked, ¡°Patrick, do you know Armand¡¯s first love?¡± Patrick murmured inwardly, ¡°Yeah. She¡¯s the one you are looking at.¡± ¡°Does Armand have a first love? I didn¡¯t know.¡± On the surface, Patrick pretended as though he knew nothing. ¡°Where did you hear it from?¡± ¡°Someone gossiped about it in the office today, and I overheard it.¡± Genevieve then shook her hand N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. and said, ¡°Forget it if you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Patrick nced at her, and his eyes darkened. Soon after he returned to the table of his department, another person came looking for Genevieve. She pulled the chair beside Genevieve and sat down. ncing at the woman, she asked politely, ¡°Queenie, what¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Genevieve, I¡¯d like to apologize to you again.¡± Queenie looked sincere as she apologized and gave a ss of juice to Genevieve. ¡°I already epted your apology in the morning in thepany.¡± Genevieve did not take over the juice, her gaze swiftly shing across Queenie¡¯s face. Queenie shook her head and said, ¡°I was referring to the day we met in the shopping mall. I even scolded you¡­¡± Genevieve recalled the incident and cast an astonished look at Queenie. ¡°I remember now. So, you¡¯re apologizing to me because of that incident.¡± ¡°Yes. I knew I was very harsh back then. I hope I did not traumatize you,¡± exined Queenie. She apologized guilty, ¡°I sincerely apologize to you now. I hope that you can forgive me.¡± With that, Queenie raised her head and downed the ss of juice Genevieve refused to ept. Then she took off a pomegranate-shaped brooch pinned to her chest. ¡°Genevieve, consider this brooch my apology.¡± ¡°This is Bulgari¡¯s ga brooch.¡± Genevieve looked at the brooch, her eyes gleaming slightly. ¡°This brooch is quite expensive. You¡¯re giving it to me just like that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not expensive at all. I have a few of them.¡± Queenie smiled and said sincerely, ¡°I¡¯m d that you like it. I know you are very capable. I hope that you can assist me more in thepany when we work together in the future.¡± ¡°Come. Let me help you pin it.¡± Queenie picked up the brooch and pinned it to Genevieve¡¯s suit personally. ¡°It¡¯s best to decorate your suit with this brooch.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Genevieve fondly touched the brooch and smiled. ¡°Queenie, you¡¯re so nice.¡± ¡°Enjoy yourself. I¡¯m going over to my friend to chat.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± With that, Queenie got up and left. Even though Genevieve looked as if she didn¡¯t raise her head, she fixed her stare on the former¡¯s back. When she saw Queenie walking in a certain direction, her lips lifted slightly. She opened WhatsApp and sent a message to someone. After sitting for a while, Genevieve felt somewhat bored. Hence, she took the initiative to pick up a ss of champagne and chatted with the neers from other departments. While they were chatting happily, Genevieve noticed she had finished her champagne. Just when she was about to go and get another ss of champagne, someone walking over bumped into her and stained her suit red with wine. ¡°Genevieve, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Queenie exined dejectedly, ¡°I didn¡¯t foresee that you were going to turn around. s, your white shirt is stained red by wine.¡± Looking at the wine on her body, Genevieve frowned and said in a frustrated tone, ¡°I want to toast Mr. Faulkner in a bit, and it¡¯s not appropriate to go with dirty clothes. What should I do¡­¡± Upon hearing that, Queenie instantly replied, ¡°I went to the shopping mall this afternoon and bought some clothes. Then, I came to the hotel. I left the clothes in the lounge room. We¡¯re about the same size. How about you wear my clothes?¡± ¡°How could I possibly ept this?¡± Genevieve shook her head. ¡°Forget it. There isn¡¯t a need for me to toast¡­ Burp!¡± At that, she covered her mouth and belched. It was as though she was slightly drunk. ¡°No way. If it hadn¡¯t been for me, your clothes wouldn¡¯t have be dirty.¡± Queenie grabbed Genevieve¡¯s hand and immediately exited the banquet hall. ¡°You must give me a chance to apologize.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Dragged away by Queenie, Genevieve hesitated for a while and quickly answered, ¡°Thanks, then.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Chapter 80 Save Them For Yourself In the crowd, Armand was talking to a few executives. He nced over at the banquet door unintentionally and saw Genevieve being pulled out by a woman. She was staggering, and her eyes were only half-open. Armand called Steven over and asked in a low voice, ¡°What did she just drink?¡± ¡°Two sses of champagne.¡± Steven knew what Armand was about to ask, so he continued, ¡°Two sses of champagne can¡¯t make someone drunk. Besides, Patrick went out about ten minutes ago.¡± Armand seemed to have understood something upon hearing the reply. The corners of his lips curled upward. Aftering out of the banquet hall, Genevieve and Queenie took the elevator. Genevieve looked ufortable, so she rested her head on Queenie¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Queenie, why does everything look so blurry¡­¡± Queenie lowered her head and looked at her. She asked with concern, ¡°Genevieve, did you drink too much?¡± ¡°I think so. I¡¯m not a good drinker¡­ Please buy me hangover medicine after I get changed in the lounge,¡± murmured Genevieve. ¡°All right,¡± answered Queenie. Looking at Genevieve, who was drunk, the look in her eyes became contorted. Queenie dragged Genevieve out roughly when the elevator stopped at the selected floor. ¡°Queenie, this floor seems to be for the guest rooms¡­¡± Genevieve staggered forward. Her clouded eyes nced across the rooms on the sides of the corridor as she asked, ¡°Did you book a room?¡± ¡°Yes. I have specially booked a room for you!¡± A cold smirk appeared on Queenie¡¯s face. She dragged her toward the room as she continued, ¡°I will let you experience an unforgettable night in that room!¡± ¡°W-What did you say?¡± Queenie stopped walking suddenly. She grabbed Genevieve¡¯s hair and said, ¡°No wonder you were already so arrogant before you even joined the Central Group. Apparently, Patrick, who has a close rtionship with you, is Steven¡¯s brother!¡± If that man didn¡¯t tell her about it, and she didn¡¯t see Patrick and Genevieve in the luxurious car together, she would never believe it. Why? Genevieve doesn¡¯t even have a home anymore. Why does she have such an outstanding man by her side? Why are people still willing to help her? Thinking of the scene in the restaurant where she was insulted, Queenie gritted her teeth and said, ¡°Genevieve, you¡¯ve made me suffer such a great humiliation on that day. I will not let you off!¡± She had been buttering up Genevieve for the whole day just to make her lower her guard. Only then could she implement her n smoothly. Genevieve¡¯s eyes were filled with fear as she saw Queenie staring at her with a sinister gaze. She said in a trembling voice, ¡°Queenie, don¡¯t do this¡­¡± ¡°Why? Do you feel like an ant in my hand that can¡¯t escape now? Where¡¯s all your arrogance before this?¡± Queenie smiled coldly. She pulled on Genevieve¡¯s hair forcefully and dragged her toward the room nearby. ¡°Genevieve, the men in the room are your admirers. I¡¯m not treating you badly. They will take good care of you tonight.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Genevieve struggled with all her might. However, Queenie tightened her grip on Genevieve¡¯s arm and dragged her to the door. She took out the keycard with her other hand and swiped it on the door. With a creak, the door swung open slightly. ¡°Last time, theizens didn¡¯t get to enjoy your beautiful body. I will satisfy them this time!¡± Upon thinking about the incident that was about to happen to Genevieve, Queenie became excited. A sinister grin appeared on her face. She forcefully pushed Genevieve into the dark room. However, at that moment, Genevieve grabbed Queenie¡¯s hand and forcibly changed their positions. Queenie was startled. She quickly held on to the door frame. Raising her head, she saw Genevieve¡¯s cold gaze. She said in disbelief, ¡°Genevieve, you¡­¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t drunk. How could I not enjoy what you¡¯ve so carefully nned for me?¡± Genevieve smiled faintly at her. ¡°Damn you, Genevieve¡­¡± Queenie had never thought that Genevieve would turn the tables. She cursed herself for letting her guard down. Genevieve raised her hand and slowly pried open Queenie¡¯s fingers on the door frame one by one. ¡°Save those men for yourself to enjoy. You¡¯re wee.¡± Queenie was at a loss for words. She wanted to fight back, but Genevieve had blocked the doorway entirely with her body. Queenie¡¯s face was distorted out of anger. She extended her other hand to Genevieve¡¯s chest as if she wanted to press on something. However, she noticed that there was nothing on Genevieve¡¯s suit. ¡°Are you looking for that ga brooch? I have returned it to you,¡± said Genevieve as she pointed at Queenie. W-What? Queenie lowered her head mechanically and saw that the brooch that she had gifted Genevieve was pinned back to her chest without her knowing. There was even a faint scenting out from the brooch. When did the booby trap get turned on? The inside is filled with¡­ Upon thinking about the men in the room, Queenie¡¯s face turned pale. She struggled frantically and screamed. ¡°No! Genevieve, please let me off¡­¡± There was a faint smile on Genevieve¡¯s face. She looked extremely gentle, however, she started to N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. raise her leg. Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Chapter 81 Interesting Show She kicked Queenie¡¯s abdomen with her long leg. After seeing her fall into the dark room, she gripped the doorknob and shut the door tight. ¡°No! Get away from me! Move¡­¡± Soon, Genevieve, who was standing in front of the door, heard many moaning sounds and Queenie¡¯s shriek. Her screams gradually subsided, turning into a painful moaning sound with a hint of pleasure. Her voice was mixed with the gasping sounds of the other men. Genevieve listened to it in silence. There wasn¡¯t a trace of remorse on her delicate face. After all, she was not a saint. The moment Queenie wanted to make a move against her, she decided to take revenge even if Queenie didn¡¯t seed. In less than a minute, the next room¡¯s door was opened, and Patrick walked out of it. Genevieve turned around and looked at him. ¡°Is it done?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve never failed whenever I take action.¡± Patrick raised his eyebrows, looking arrogant. He continued, ¡°The balconies of the two rooms are close. I went over to hide the pinhole camera in the flower pot on the balcony. The field of vision is great, and it¡¯s not noticeable.¡± At that moment, Patrick heard a moaning sounding from the room. He smiled coldly as he said, ¡°Serves her right!¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s all done, let¡¯s go.¡± Genevieve thought that the noise was too much for her ears, so she turned around and walked toward the elevator. Patrick quickly followed her. ¡°Genev, how did you know that Queenie would make a move against you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know that women are the mostplicated? Besides, Queenie¡¯s trick is too basic.¡± Genevieve nced at him while answering. She continued, ¡°I realized that she wanted to do something against me when she came over to the trantion department in the morning to apologize to me and treated me to a dessert. During the weing party at night, she apologized to me once again and gave me a Bulgari brooch¡­ Do you think she would give me such an expensive thing?¡± ¡°Oh!¡± Patrick understood everything right then. He continued, ¡°So, you sent me messages to keep an eye on Queenie while you jump into her trap on purpose?¡± Genevieve shrugged, and her red lips curled upward. ¡°Otherwise, how could we enjoy such an interesting show?¡± ¡°Genev, you¡¯re so smart!¡± Even though Patrick had noticed that Genevieve was smart as she figured out a lot of things correctly in the hospitalst time through the ident, he didn¡¯t expect her to be so clever as to make Queenie fall for her own trap. As they reached the elevator, he pressed the elevator¡¯s button and waited for it to arrive. He put his hands behind the back of his head and asked, ¡°You¡¯ve said that your blood type is rare. How rare is it exactly?¡± That morning, Genevieve¡¯s pale face had shocked him. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Genevieve pursed her lips and told him honestly. ¡°Phnull blood type is extremely rare. There aren¡¯t many people with this blood type in this world.¡± ¡°What?¡± Patrick turned around and looked at Genevieve. His face was filled with not only surprise but also shock. After knowing that Genevieve and Marilyn knew each other, he checked Marilyn¡¯s information at the banquet. He seemed to have seen the word ¡°Phnull¡± in the blood type column. Recalling that morning when Timothy was making a phone call in anger, Patrick¡¯s hazy mind seemed to be cleared by a ssh of water. He had an inkling of what was happening. Opening his mouth, he wanted to ask Genevieve something. However, at that moment, a faint yet pleasing scent wafted up to his nose, dispersing the thought that had formed in his head. ¡°It¡¯s so hot! Genev, aren¡¯t you hot?¡± Patrick opened the top button on his blouse. ¡°Isn¡¯t the air conditioner turned on in the corridor? Did you drink a lot at the banquet just now?¡± asked Genevieve as she saw him fanning himself. There was even sweat beading on his forehead. ¡°No. I¡¯ve only drunk some champagne.¡± ¡°You will be fine after cooling down with the air conditioner,¡± said Genevieve. Seeing that the elevator was still stopping at the third floor, she frowned. The people on the lower floor were upying the elevator for some reason. It had been a minute but the elevator hadn¡¯t reached their floor yet. Genevieve was impatient, so she walked toward the other elevator at the side. When she was about to press on the elevator button after walking over, someone approached her from the back, and his breath fell on her neck. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 Chapter 82 She Would Rather Die ¡°Genev, you smell so nice¡­¡± Patrick¡¯s voice trailed off while his body pressed against Genevieve¡¯s back subconsciously. Genevieve could feel her hair stand on end when Patrick¡¯s breath blew on her skin. She scrambled forward to get away from him. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. After putting some distance between herself and Patrick, Genevieve turned to look at him. Thetter¡¯s face was slightly flushed, and he was obviously not himself. She asked, ¡°Patrick, did you go into the room just now?¡± When she was standing outside of the room, she spected that the men inside were taking certain drugs judging from their rhythm of breathing. ¡°No, I was at the balcony just now.¡± Patrick sniffed, and then his eyes fell on Genevieve again. Slowly, lust bloomed in his eyes. ¡°Genev, you really smell so nice.¡± He strode forward to Genevieve, and said again, ¡°Let me smell you again.¡± The color instantly drained from Genevieve¡¯s face when she saw Patrick advancing toward her. Seeing that the elevator next to her had yet toe, she ran to the other side of the corridor, and Patrick quickly chased after her. Haven¡¯t I returned the problematic brooch to Queenie? Why does Patrick think that I smell nice? At the thought of that, Genevieve raised her arm and sniffed her coat, but she did not catch any scent from it. When she was about to rummage through her clothes to check if there was anything else Queenie had stuffed on her, Patrick caught up with her and threw her against the wall. Then, he leaned over her body. Genevieve¡¯s back hurt from the impact. She took a deep breath of cold air, but before she could react, Patrick buried his head in her neck and started rubbing against it. ¡°Patrick, let go of me!¡± Genevieve yelled while twisting her wrist vigorously. Patrick clutched her hands tightly and started pecking on her corbone. Genevieve¡¯s body shook uncontrobly. She clenched her teeth tightly, bent her right knee, and mmed it into Patrick¡¯s crotch. ¡°Ouch!¡± Patrick howled and his grip on her loosened. Genevieve took the opportunity to push the man away before she pped him hard in the face. Patrick was stunned for a few seconds. He looked back at Genevieve, and sanity finally returned to his eyes. ¡°Genev, why did you hit me?¡± ¡°What do you think I hit you for?¡± Genevieve took a few steps back, staring at him with a defensive posture. ¡°You were drugged. Are you aware of it?¡± ¡°How is that possible?¡± Patrick murmured softly, but he could feel his heart beating faster every second. Something was really wrong. During the years he was in the military academy, he had gone through countless training and had tried hundreds of drugs. However, this drug was something else. It permeated the air, silently prating into his skin and driving him crazy. Soon, Patrick smelled the faint and strange fragrance again, and his heart started beating faster. ¡°Leave through the emergency exit.¡± He forcibly suppressed the me that was coursing through his veins while backing away to distance himself from Genevieve. Genevieve had seen how mad Patrick could get. She dared not dy a second longer and quickly dashed toward the exit as fast as she could while taking out her mobile phone to make a call. ¡°Hello? Mrs. Faulkner, where are you now?¡± Steven¡¯s voice sounded from the phone. ¡°Hurry up! Steven, pleasee over to the twelfth floor,¡± Genevieve spurted in a taut voice. She barely said a few words before her arm was grabbed suddenly from behind, and her phone dropped onto the carpet. Patrick had caught up with her and secured her two hands behind her back, pressing her upper body against the wall. He then lowered his head, lips lingering behind the back of her neck. His free hand stretched out to the front and grabbed her white shirt. With a quick yank, several buttons of the shirt popped out. Genevieve instantly felt a chill on her shoulders and chest, and she almost broke down over the sensation she felt. This time, she was seized by Patrick with no way of escape. She could neither move her hands nor feet. When she noticed that Patrick¡¯s hand was on her skin, Genevieve tensed up and screamed through her throat, ¡°Patrick! F*cking sober up now!¡± Although she was on good terms with Patrick, he was still a man, not to mention that he was drugged at the moment. She was like a fish in a barrel, and her life was entirely at his mercy then. Genevieve felt humiliated. Is this the end of me? Genevieve looked up the corridor from the corner of her eyes and faintly saw a surveince camera in the corner. Her heart sank a little, and despair crept up her mind. She would rather die than get molested in this ce. Genevieve was about to kill herself by biting her tongue when a very faint scent entered her nostrils. The scent prated into Genevieve¡¯s skin, and right immediately, her movement became sluggish. A sudden surge of restlessness radiated from within her, and she felt inexplicably ufortable. Right then, a slender figure walked over and smashed the vase in his hand on Patrick¡¯s head. Patrick was covered in blood from where he got smashed by the vase. His grip on Genevieve loosened. The next second, he was hit hard again on where he was bleeding. Patrick grunted and fell to the ground. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Chapter 83 In What Position Are You Speaking After regaining her freedom, Genevieve leaned against the wall and took a few breaths. She felt like someone had hammered her head as a ck fuzz started edging into the edge of her consciousness. She recalled that she also smelled the scent Patrick was talking about just now. Genevieve pulled up the coat that had slipped to her elbow and brought it up to her shoulders. She looked up and was about to say something but swallowed up her words when she saw the sullen expression worn by the man standing in front of her. The man was wearing a dark gray suit, his eyes glinting with a cold gleam under his sses. Why is Cooper here? Soon, Genevieve smelled the blood. She lowered her head to find Patrick lying unconscious on the ground. Her face changed in an instant. Cooper must have struck hard to immobilize Patrick. Flustered, Genevieve forgot that her phone had been snatched by Patrick when she called Cooper just now. She rummaged in the pocket trying to find her phone but to no avail. Instead, she inadvertently felt a small hard object in her pocket. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Just as she was about to dig the object out of her pocket, Cooper, who had been standing still, suddenly took a step toward her and grabbed her wrist. Genevieve was caught off guard. She was jostled toward the guest room across the corridor in which the door was left ajar. Then, the door was mmed shut. Ten seconds after the two entered the guest room, a man with a ck cap slowly walked out from the corner of the corridor. He looked like he was in his forties. The man nced at the guest room, then turned to Patrick who was on the ground. He took out his mobile phone and made a call. ¡°The n has failed.¡± The man listened quietly to the person on the other end of the phone and then replied respectfully, ¡°Understood.¡± The man hung up the phone and disappeared into the corner of the corridor again. After entering the room, Cooper pressed Genevieve¡¯s hands tightly against the wall, leaned over, and stared at her gloomily. ¡°Genevieve, did you marry Armand?¡± Ever since the day when he saw Armand carrying Genevieve into the car at the Civil Hall, he had been feeling suspicious and had sent his men out to investigate the matter. That afternoon, he bumped into the gossip from a worker of Central Group that Genevieve had gotten married again. He spected that she was married to Armand. It turned out that Genevieve was more than a femalepanion to Armand. Genevieve almost got vited just now, and she still hadn¡¯t gotten over the shock yet. Before she could rpose herself, Cooper dragged her into the room and pressed her against the wall. The man gripped her hands so hard that her wrists were trembling. ¡°Cooper, let go of me!¡± Panting lightly, she suddenly smelled the faint inexplicable scent again. Her mind became heavier, and her struggle got weaker. Genevieve bit the tip of her tongue to clear up the fog in her mind. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business whom I¡¯m married to!¡± Hearing that, Cooper¡¯s face suddenly darkened as a huge wave of anger overflowed in his heart. Cooper leaned over and closed the distance between him and Genevieve. His voice was icy cold. ¡°So, do you admit that you are married to Armand?¡± ¡°Cooper, let go of me!¡± Genevieve did not answer his question. Instead, she raised her head and met his eyes. ¡°If not, I¡¯ll call the police!¡± Her hair was ragged, and her face was still pale from the shock just now, but Genevieve still looked as beautiful as ever. However, those iridescent eyes were now filled with coldness when she looked at him. Cooper looked at her beautiful but ruthless eyes and suddenly felt inexplicably upset. Since young, Genevieve had been infatuated with him. A casual gift of a rose from him would make her eyes sparkle with stars, and she would eagerly show off the gift to the whole world. Yet, the gleam had vanished from her eyes in the present. Perhaps it was due to the poor air cirction in the room, Cooper was not only feeling frustrated, but he was also feeling a little warm. He raised his hand, loosened his tie, and slightly adjusted his breath. ¡°Armand is very powerful in Jadeborough. I know what you had in mind when you married him. Genevieve, you have to divorce him!¡± Thest sentence almost sounded like a domineering order. Genevieve suddenly sobered up a little after hearing Cooper¡¯s condescending words. She smiled. ¡°Cooper, in what position you¡¯re speaking to me?¡± She paused before continuing, her eyes filled with mockery. ¡°As a murderer?¡± ¡°Genevieve, don¡¯t overestimate your intelligence after a few years of study!¡± Cooper leaned forward, and his breath fell on Genevieve¡¯s cheek. ¡°Armand is indeed very powerful in Jadeborough, but don¡¯t you forget he is also one of the Faulkners from Xedells. Born into such a family, surely he has met all kinds of women. Do you really think he will fall in love with you?¡± He never used to mind it. However, when he learned that Genevieve was married and the man¡¯s hand had most probably touched every inch of her body, he suddenly felt suffocatingly unsettled. This woman should havee to me for help when she was in dire straitsst time. How dare she go and beg another man? Chapter 84 Chapter 84 Chapter 84 You Dare Touch Her Cooper narrowed his eyes as he looked at the same features he had seen for the past twenty years. Subconsciously, he grabbed her chin and rubbed it. ¡°Do you know how Armand¡¯s two previous brides died?¡± Cooper asked. Genevieve swatted his hand away as she backed into the wall to put some distance between them. ¡°Their deaths have nothing to do with me. I don¡¯t want to know about it.¡± ¡°Armand and I have already registered for our marriage, Cooper. I am officially his wife.¡± Genevieve met his eyes and threatened, ¡°I dare you to lift a finger against me.¡± ¡°Wife?¡± Cooper snorted, suppressing the surge of emotions within him. ¡°If Armand truly treated you as his wife, why did you let him deal with Specter Corporation instead of me?¡± Cooper bent even lower, closing their distance. ¡°You¡¯re not capable of controlling Armand.¡± Genevieve clenched her jaw as her heart sank. Although it seemed like she was working together with Armand, she had nothing to offer in their deal, and she had always been the weaker party. She did not even have the right to ask Armand how he retrieved Specter Corporation. ¡°Perhaps Armand was attracted to your body, but this is just temporary.¡± Seeing the slight change in her expression, Cooper lifted his hand and patted her cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t act like a na?ve sixteen-year-old. The Faulkner family¡¯s connections are moreplicated than you think. I don¡¯t think you should get involved,¡± said Cooper. He was also a businessman and knew people in the business world would not take up something that held no profit for them. Furthermore, Armand was a member of the Faulkner family. He could not have fallen for Genevieve, who came from a family that had fallen from grace. If Armand wanted a woman, countless young and beautiful women who wanted to gain social status through him wouldpete to offer themselves up. Due to the close distance, Cooper could smell a faint, milky scentced in her hair that exclusively belonged to young women. It was almost impossible topose himself. At that moment, he only realized the shirt in Genevieve¡¯s suit was in tatters. The first few buttons on the shirt were torn off, causing her cor to spread apart and reveal arge patch of her fair skin. From the angle he was looking, he could also see the light greency edge. His breathing became disordered when he saw it and moved closer to her. ¡°You did so much only to N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. retrieve Specter Corporation. Now, I¡¯m giving you a chance. Do you want it?¡± ¡°Let go of me, Cooper¡­¡± Genevieve suddenly felt dizzy, as if she was still yearning for something. She shifted her head gingerly so that she could avoid the man¡¯s kiss. Cooper pinched her chin and forced her to look at him. There was a hint of something else in his eyes. ¡°Be my lover, and I¡¯ll consider giving you half of Specter Corporation¡¯s shares in the future, Genevieve. Armand is letting you stay by his side only for his amusement. If you behave, I¡¯ll give you everything you want, and perhaps you will be the only woman beside me.¡± He wanted her to act like before, always clinging to him while calling him ¡°Coop.¡± She would always stealthily appear to scare him and then run into his arms coquettishly. She would ask to have a meal with him, and they would go to the city¡¯s west side to watch the sunset. Cooper wanted to see that obedient girl who admired and only had eyes for him. Genevieve was forced to look at him, but the mocking look in her eyes was bone-chilling. ¡°Are you hungry for love because your parents passed away early, Cooper?¡± Cooper stared at her frigidly. ¡°If you crave love, I can be your mom.¡± Genevieve balled her hands into fists as her nails dug deep into her palms. Yet, her heart was beating abnormally fast. ¡°Why won¡¯t you learn to behave, Genevieve? Hmm?¡± He leaned closer to her, feeling her warmth on the tip of his fingers while sniffing her faint scent greedily. ¡°You can¡¯t handle a man like Armand,¡± he muttered as his lips grew closer to her. Genevieve¡¯s breathing became rapid. When she looked up, the man before her wore an indifferent expression, and she could not help but tilt toward him. Thus, their breathing entwined. Cooper was captivated by her. He was so possessive of her that he did not hear the door being kicked open. Suddenly, he felt an emptiness in his arms. The next moment, pain coursed through his stomach as someone kicked him, and he copsed onto the floor. Armand pulled Genevieve into an embrace and shot Cooper a murderous re. ¡°Bold of you to think you can touch my woman.¡± Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Chapter 85 Who Do You Think You Are Cooper wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his finger and tried to stand up. However, Armand had knocked him down so brutally that his organs ached. Cooper gritted his teeth tightly, taking a while to stand up. His eyes darkened when he saw Genevieve in Armand¡¯s arms, possessiveness filling his heart. ¡°Genevieve is nothing but a ything to you, Mr. Faulkner. ythings like these wille your way with a wave of your arm,¡± Cooper said. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about business.¡± He raised his hand and unbuttoned the first button. ¡°I only want her.¡± ¡°You think you¡¯re good enough to talk about business with me?¡± Armand scoffed disdainfully. Genevieve, who Armand had secured his hand around, suddenly squirmed and mumbled something incoherent as her head nuzzled into his suit. He realized something was wrong with her. Ignoring Cooper, Armand lifted her into his arms and left the guest room. Cooper¡¯s face fell. He strode forward, reached out, and grabbed Genevieve¡¯s hand. Armand seemed to have predicted that. Before Cooper could touch them, Armand turned around with Genevieve in his arms andnded another kick on Cooper¡¯s chest. Cooper fell to the ground and no longer stood up. ¡°Mr. Faulkner.¡± Soon, a few men in police uniforms rushed to the guest room. ¡°Cooper attempted to assault my wife. Send him to the police station and lock him up,¡± Armand ordered the police coldly before he left. In fact, the police already knew the gist of what had happened without Armand saying anything based on Genevieve¡¯s disheveled look. They swiftly entered the room and cuffed Cooper. Timothy was tending to Patrick¡¯s wounds in the luxury suite upstairs. Genevieve seemed to be under the effect of some kind of drug, so Armand took the elevator and went upstairs to look for Timothy. Meanwhile, Genevieve kept moving around, brushing her lips on his neck while putting both arms around him. ¡°Sir¡­¡± Her breathing was rapid as she left kisses along his neck. ¡°You smell so good¡­¡± Sir? He thought as cracks began to form on his icy expression. At that moment, he looked slightly panicked. He tilted his neck to the right, intending to avoid her kisses. As a result, Genevieve went after him and started to kiss him more passionately. There was a dissatisfied tone in her voice, ¡°Don¡¯t hide from me, Sir. Let me kiss you¡­¡± When she reached his Adam¡¯s apple, she nted a sincere kiss. The elevator was a cramped space, and Armand could smell her fragrance more clearly, sending a wave of heat to his lower half. In the hotel¡¯s luxury suite, Steven frowned as he guarded the tightly shut door. On the other hand, Timothy stood by the window while speaking on the phone. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s in the freezer¡¯s smallpartment on the right. It¡¯s exactly the bottle of blue medicine. Send it to the hotel within ten minutes.¡± Timothy gave an order in a hurry and heard the doorbell right after he ended the call. He stood closer to the door, so he went to open the door and saw Armand standing outside with Genevieve in his arms. ¡°I¡¯m busy, Armand.¡± Timothy waved his hand and spoke in a troubled voice, ¡°The drug Steven is under This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. is too bizarre. After the medicine arrives, I have to prepare the antidote quickly. I don¡¯t have time to deal with anything else. You should send her straight to the hospital¡­¡± ¡°Make two.¡± Armand pushed Timothy aside and forced his way into the room. ¡°She¡¯s also drugged.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Timothy thought he misheard and promptly followed Armand into a room. After Armand put Genevieve onto the bed, Timothy noticed her hands were tied up, and her face was red. ¡°What the heck?¡± Timothy¡¯s expression twisted into that of frustration. ¡°How did she get drugged?¡± As he spoke, he smelled a strange fragrance. He followed the scent and made his way to the bed. Timothy searched Genevieve¡¯s coat and soon found something in her right pocket. The item seemed like a little round ornament made of wool. Realizing the wool was wet, he put it against his nose to smell it, and his expression turned solemn. ¡°Someone turned the drug into liquid and sprayed it onto this ornament. The drug spreads fast in the air, and its effects are longsting. It¡¯ll only disappear after about an hour.¡± Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Chapter 86 Might Lose Their Lives Steven immediately walked in front with a surgical glove and gave it to Timothy. ¡°Put it inside. I will throw it.¡± He was afraid that all of them would be victims if Timothy kept holding it. ¡°It¡¯s just medicine. It makes people feel dryness in their mouths after smelling it for a long time, but it will not be as serious as their symptoms,¡± Timothy said calmly. Then, he slowly put the ball into the glove. Steven quickly made a knot on the glove to prevent the scent from leaking. ¡°I¡¯d just drawn blood from Patrick, and I found out there are several special medicines in his blood sample¡­¡± Timothy opened the document on the phone while talking. Then, he passed the phone to Armand. ¡°Many years ago, a businessman purposely hired aboratory to work on a kind of aphrodisiac to develop the pornography industry in Rodunst. This kind of medicine can make people extremely aroused and excited. However, there¡¯s an ingredient in the medicine that is actually a virus that can invade a person¡¯s brain in a matter of seconds.¡± Here, Timothy paused before continuing, ¡°The side effect of this kind of medicine is strong. More than twenty people lost their lives after the medicine was administered. The local government had noticed the issue and shut down theboratory, destroying every single piece of information about the aphrodisiac. I guess they had drunk the wines that were added with the aphrodisiac in the banquet. The effect of the aphrodisiac kicked in after being activated by this medicine.¡± Armand did not take the phone from Timothy. While thetter was still holding the phone, Armand briefly read the news on it. With one of his hands in his pocket, Armand exuded a cold aura while standing there. ¡°It¡¯s a prohibited medicine from many years ago, and the documents were destroyed. Why did it still appear in the country?¡± ¡°The document in theboratory was destroyed, but the people who developed the medicine are safe.¡± Timothy shrugged, and he told everything he heard to Armand. ¡°One of my friends told me that Turlen wants to develop their pornography industry too. Hence, they found the people who worked in the Taking a short break, Timothy then continued, ¡°Turlen has started to sell this kind of prohibited medicine a few months ago, but it is only sold to the wealthy people who are frivolous. In addition, it is only sold within a limited quota every month, so the policemen in Turlen haven¡¯t noticed yet.¡± While they were chatting at the entrance, Genevieve, who was in the room with her hands strapped, seemed to be miserable. She twisted her body on the bed and let out a muffled sound while moaning. Then, she identally fell onto the carpet beside the bed. Timothy immediately turned away and left. Steven, who stood at the entrance, quickly stepped back as if he was avoiding Genevieve. Seeing Genevieve fall and twist around on the carpet with a miserable look on her face, Armand frowned and quickly walked toward her. He bent over and picked her up. Genevieve immediately leaned against his body once Armand put his hand on her back. She rested her head on his chest. ¡°Sir¡­¡± Genevieve closed her eyes and mumbled. Her breath fell on Armand¡¯s shirt. Through the shirt, Armand could feel her nice scent and the heat of her breath on his body. He took a deep breath and quickly brought Genevieve into the bathroom. After filling the bathtub with cold water, Armand immediately put Genevieve into it. He ripped off the necktie strapping her hands, then he tied her hands to the pipes in the bathtub to prevent her from struggling. Then, Armand took off his coat, which was dampened by water, and walked out of the room. He turned and walked into the living room. Armand then noticed there was another person in the room. The person seemed to have rushed there because he was sweating a lot. He was passing the medical kit he carried on his shoulder to Timothy. ¡°Give the medicine to Genevieve first once it¡¯s ready,¡± said Armand. Genevieve is restless. I think the necktie won¡¯t keep her tied for long. Timothy took out a blue syringe from a small box and shook it in front of Armand. ¡°It¡¯s only enough for me to make the antidote for one person.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you think of a solution?¡± Armand knitted his eyebrows. ¡°Don¡¯t you have a teacher who runs his ownboratory, specializing in this particr medicine? Ask him!¡± ¡°My teacher passed awayst year. I¡¯m in charge of theboratory now. Don¡¯t you know it?¡± Upon hearing Timothy¡¯s words, Armand was at a loss for words. Looking at Armand¡¯s darkened expression, a chill ran down Timothy¡¯s back. He hastily said, ¡°I can make another dose of the antidote, but I need time to find the raw material and extract it. The entire pharmaceutical process takes thirty-eight hours. I have time, but one of them doesn¡¯t. Not only does this kind of drug spread quickly in the human body, but its effect is also very strong. The consequence Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. is very serious if the effect of the medicine is not stimted soon¡­¡± Here, Timothy paused and looked at Armand. ¡°They might lose their lives.¡± Chapter 87 Chapter 87 Armand frowned. ¡°Speak clearly!¡± ¡°For example, a person can make himself better by taking medicine or sweating through exercises if he catches a cold,¡± Timothy exined. ¡°It is the same for both of them.¡± Steven understood what Timothy meant, and his expression changed slightly. ¡°I¡¯m going out to make a phone call.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said the effect of this kind of prohibited medicine is very strong. A normal person can¡¯t withstand it.¡± Timothy held out his hand and stopped Steven. ¡°If I remember correctly, Patrick doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend. Is¡­ Is he a virgin?¡± Steven remained silent. Timothy side-eyed Steven and said, ¡°You rashly called a girl toe over. Aren¡¯t you afraid that the girl will lose her life if Patrick loses control?¡± Frustrated, Steven remained rooted on the spot. He was the person taking care of Patrick in the room just now, and he no doubt knew thetter¡¯s condition. Patrick was like a psycho just now. However, the antidote they had now could only save one of them. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s easy to solve this problem.¡± Timothy raised his chin at Armand and gave his suggestion. ¡°I make the antidote for Patrick, whereas you go and take care of Genevieve, Armand. Patrick has followed you for a long time and risked his life for you, Armand. Are you not going to save him?¡± Seeing Armand, who stood in front of the window, remain silent, Timothy continued to provoke him, ¡°Armand, Genevieve is your legal wife. You¡¯ve already slept with her. Why are you hesitating?¡± ¡°Shut up,¡± Armand said coldly. After a few moments, he said with an indifferent voice without a trace of emotion, ¡°Give the antidote to Genevieve. Steven, go out and make the phone call.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Steven took the phone and quickly went out of the suite. ¡°Oh my! Ms. Wood has some tricks indeed,¡± Timothy eximed. Then, he ordered the assistant to help him make the antidote. ¡°She knows everything. She wants to have you even though she knows you¡¯re married. Are you avoiding touching Genevieve because she doesn¡¯t allow you to do so? I¡¯m impressed. I should pay Ms. Wood a visit and learn from her.¡± Armand frowned after hearing Timothy¡¯s words. He shot Timothy a cold re. ¡°What?¡± Timothy shrugged, and his thin lips curled into a smile. ¡°Can¡¯t I praise Ms. Wood for being an impressive person?¡± ¡°Make the antidote and talk less.¡± Timothy snorted disdainfully. Nheless, he kept his mouth shut after Armand pressured him. The atmosphere in the living room fell silent. Soon, Armand, who was still standing in front of the window, heard Genevieve¡¯s moaning voices from the room. Her voice was soft and sounded miserable from the Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. torment. Armand¡¯s desire was stimted when he heard the sound, and he gulped. He remembered the night in the hotel a long time ago. In the dimly lit room, Genevieve wrapped her long legs around his waist, kissing his neck and chest. Her skin was warm and as soft as silk. Armand could not get enough of her. Recalling that, he felt heat in his abdomen. Meanwhile, Timothy had already made the antidote. He had heard the sound from the room as well. Walking to the window, he passed the syringe to Armand. ¡°It¡¯s not good for me to go into the room. Besides, she¡¯s your wife. You should serve her.¡± Seeing Armand did not take the syringe, Timothy frowned and said, ¡°Armand? The needle of the syringe is short. You just need to stab it in the arm. She will not feel the pain at all.¡± After a short while, Armand finally spoke, ¡°Give the antidote to Patrick.¡± ¡°What?¡± Timothy was curious after seeing Armand¡¯s change in behavior. ¡°Are you not saving yourself for Ms. Wood? It¡¯s only ten minutes, and you¡¯re giving up?¡± Armand stopped pulling his sleeve, and he looked at Timothy coldly. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re funny?¡± Timothy shrugged and stopped joking. Just when Armand was going into the room, Timothy chased after him and put a small box into his hand. ¡°It¡¯s my first time getting to know this kind of prohibited medicine, and I¡¯m interested. Armand, please help me to record the sustainability of its effect.¡± Then, Timothy continued in a serious tone, ¡°I can prepare in advance in the event that Genevieve is not feeling well.¡± Armand already had a darkened expression on his face, but he looked more displeased after hearing Timothy¡¯s words. He mmed the door after entering the room. Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Why Did You Not Use Any With no door in the way, a woman¡¯s whimper could be clearly heard from the bathroom. Perhaps due to the sweet lingering scent in the air, Armand felt his body heating up. He opened the two upper-most buttons of his shirt as he marched toward the bathroom. Genevieve had been soaked in the cold bath for quite some time. Yet, there were still hot shes on her face. She was as agonized as a fish out of water. Her body was wet and her hands were tied together with a necktie. Visible red marks began to emerge on her wrists. Armand scanned both the messy bathtub and the woman in it. He paused momentarily before continuing into the bathroom. Then, he squatted beside the bathtub. Genevieve sensed his presence and started struggling violently. Armand brushed his thumb on her soft lips. Genevieve was still awake but not conscious of what was going on. Instinctively, she turned her face toward Armand¡¯s thumb. Her lips then kissed it fervently. Armand stared at her deeply. His eyes were fixated on her. He could have brought her the antidote. However, he changed his mind at thest second. It might be due to the other night at the hotel. She had left such a very deep impression on him. Armand yanked at the necktie, loosening it from her hands. Genevieve instantly wrapped her arms around his neck. She was pressing her slippery body against his chest. Before long, Genevieve was raining down kisses on Armand. She was smothering his face and his neck, clumsily and relentlessly. Armand furrowed his brow slightly. He felt like a toy that was being used by Genevieve. Genevieve identally pulled on the ne around his neck. Her unintended action seemed to have Owned by N?velDrama.Org. pulled apart thest shred of reservation that Armand held in his heart. Armand locked her head firmly in ce with his hand. Then, he kissed her ferociously. It was five o¡¯clock in the morning. There was a soft glow outside of the window. Armand exited the bathroom once again. He was wearing a dark blue hotel bathrobe. The cor was slightly parted, exposing his honey-colored chest. Armand was drying his hair with a towel. His eyes wandered to the bed subconsciously. Genevieve¡¯s jet-ck hair was spread across the pillow like a cascading waterfall. She appeared to be in deep sleep. Her eyelids were tightly shut, and her face was a little pale. She might have overexerted herself earlier. Armand averted his eyes quickly. He walked toward the front door and opened it. He would not have guessed that Timothy was eavesdropping on the outside. Thetter had his ears against the door. Hence, when Armand pulled open the door, he was sent tumbling onto the floor. Armand squinted his eyes after seeing Timothy. ¡°All this while, you were listening in from the outside?¡± ¡°Nope, absolutely not!¡± Timothy was quick to deny it. He scrambled to his feet and exined, ¡°After administering the antidote to Patrick, his condition began to stabilize. I had nothing else to do. So¡­¡± ¡°How long have you been listening?¡± Armand asked. ¡°Just an hour or so.¡± Timothy was giggling. He was examining Armand with his eyes. ¡°Armand, I¡¯m impressed. You¡¯re still so lively after a night of hard work.¡± Armand tossed the towel at his face. Hemanded Timothy with a cold voice, ¡°Go in and check up on her.¡± ¡°Yes, yes! Right away!¡± Timothy promptly responded. ¡°Wait up.¡± Armand got Timothy by the back of his cor. He pulled Timothy back to where he stood. Armand warned, ¡°Keep your eyes to yourself.¡± Timothy had the urge to roll his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll just look at her hands. Is that fine with you?¡± With that, Armand loosened his grip. Timothy and his assistant hurried into the room. The assistant was carrying a med kit with her. He ordered the assistant to sample some of Genevieve¡¯s blood. Timothy himself was scanning the room meticulously. He noticed the bin and went to check its contents. There was nothing inside. Timothy lifted his head and saw a small box on the bedside table. It was the same box that he had given Armand earlier. The box sat there quietly. There were no signs of it being opened or used. Timothy fell silent. After examining Genevieve, Timothy left the room. He went to confront Armand. ¡°Armand, why didn¡¯t you use the condoms I¡¯ve given you earlier?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like to use them,¡± Armand said casually. Timothy was at a loss for words again. Armand asked Steven for a cigarette. He lit it up and took a long draw before asking Timothy, ¡°How¡¯s she holding up?¡± Timothy nced at the shut door behind him and said in a sleazy tone, ¡°She¡¯ll be alright. All thanks to your vigor, Armand. But she has lost too much of her strength. Her body was weak, to begin with. I¡¯m guessing she¡¯ll stay unconscious for two to three days.¡± ¡°On the other hand, Patrick seems real fine. He should be awake in the morning. Say, around ten o¡¯clock?¡± he continued. Timothy finished by teasing Steven. ¡°Patrick¡¯s body is truly outstanding. He was hit on the head twice and had lost so much blood. Even so, the drugs still had an effect on him. Haha.¡± Chapter 89 Chapter 89 Steven knew what kind of person Timothy was. He could only shrug helplessly. Steven disregarded Timothy¡¯s remarks. He went on and reported to Armand, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, I¡¯ve already procured some of the recordings from the surveince cameras. They belong to those that are facing the corridor on the twelfth floor. I¡¯ve also handed it to the police. But unfortunately, there isn¡¯t enough evidence at the moment. Cooper will only get a few days of detention at best.¡± ¡°A few days of detention is enough.¡± Armand shook off the ashes from his cigarette. His face was cold as ice. ¡°When the timees, spread the news to those who¡¯re closely affiliated with Specter Corporation.¡± Steven acknowledged the order. He then continued, ¡°I¡¯ve also checked the surveince cameras at the corners of the banquet hall. Queenie from the trantion department was seen pestering Mrs. Faulkner. However, Mrs. Faulkner did not touch the champagne that was given to her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve asked my men to check on all of Queenie¡¯s social ounts. We found that she had enlisted the help of several guys. She must be conspiring¡­¡± Steven exined. Nevertheless, the rest of it was too unpleasant to be put into words. Therefore, Steven summarized it for Armand. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner was really witty. She joined hands together with Patrick to deceive Queenie. They tricked her into the room instead. I had someone climb over the balcony to check it. There was a simr scent in the room.¡± ¡°Based on what you¡¯ve just said, it seems like she has a good supply of this illegal drug,¡± Timothy said in azy tone. His long slender body was leaning against the back of the sofa. He was a little puzzled. ¡°This kind of illegal drug is very hard toe by. There are limited channels to get it. It¡¯s not something money can buy. I¡¯m very curious as to how she managed to get her hands on it.¡± Timothy turned toward Steven. ¡°So, this Queenie. Is she from an established family?¡± ¡°Her uncle is Harold Lane from Central Group¡¯s purchasing department. They have a bit of money, but not much on influence,¡± Steven answered. His face turned solemn as he continued, ¡°Someone was helping her in secret.¡± Armand closed his eyes. He was smoking quietly by the window. After the conversation with Timothy and Steven, the cigarette between his fingers had also reached its end. ¡°Once Queenie¡¯s awake, I¡¯ll give her a proper interrogation. I¡¯m dying to find whoever that¡¯s responsible for this setup. How dare they drag my woman into this!¡± ¡°Wow.¡± Timothy¡¯s arms were folded in front of his chest. He mocked, ¡°Armand, you were despising her just a few hours ago. All of a sudden, she¡¯s your woman now?¡± Armand tilted his head and gave him a cold stare. Timothy stopped fooling around. He yawned before announcing to the rest, ¡°It¡¯s been a busy night. I¡¯m feeling tired as well. I¡¯ll go and take a rest. Look for my assistant if there¡¯s anything.¡± Right before entering his room, Timothy stole another nce at Armand. ¡°I assumed that seven times a night was just an exaggeration by theizens online. Pfft! Now that I¡¯ve seen it, I have to believe it,¡± he remarked. The corner of Armand¡¯s eye twitched after hearing what he had to say. If Timothy had closed his door a secondte, Armand would have dashed over, detached his head, and reassembled it. By the time Steven came back with a suit for Armand, it was already some time past eight in the morning. Armand was changing into his suit. As he was buttoning his sleeves, he couldn¡¯t help but look in the direction of Genevieve¡¯s room. He instructed Steven, ¡°You stay here. I¡¯ll go to the office by myself.¡± Steven nodded. ¡°Certainly.¡± Genevieve felt like she had a long dream. She dreamt about her parents and grandma. They were by her side. All of them were well and alive. Besides them, there was also someone which she didn¡¯t expect¡­ When Genevieve regained her senses, she saw nothing but pitch ck. She shut her eyes for a bit, trying to adjust to the darkness. Genevieve then noticed the switch for the bedsidemp. She reached out her arms to turn it on. Themp illuminated its surroundings with a tint of yellow. She realized that she was in someone else¡¯s room. The window blinders were pulled shut. That was why it was dim in the room. She felt like she had been asleep for a long long time. Genevieve tried to get up from bed but she couldn¡¯t move a muscle. She began to pinch her limbs. Once she regained her strength, she got off the bed and made her way to the side of the room. Genevieve basked herself in sunlight as she pulled the blinders open. A sense of rity slowly set into her fuzzy mind. She only remembered up to the moment when Patrick caught the drug by ident. He was about to vite her when Cooper showed up out of nowhere. He smashed Patrick¡¯s head with a vase. After that, he dragged her into the guest room on the opposite side. Cooper had her arms restrained. He bent his body toward her. ¡°Genevieve, you¡¯re not ready for the likes of Armand.¡± He had persuaded, ¡°You should just stay by my side and be my lover.¡± Thest bit of her memory was Cooper clenching her jaw, getting ready to kiss her. She did a quick look around and found herself in a nightgown. The colors were drained off her face in an instant.Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Chapter 90 Opening The Box Of Pandora Genevieve dashed to the door barefoot. She opened the door and was about to rush out. Unexpectedly, she almost bumped into Timothy who came to help her to do a check-up. When Timothy was about to collide with Genevieve, he grabbed her arm and held on to her. ¡°Hey, you just woke up. Do you really have the energy to go outside after sleeping for three days?¡± Genevieve panicked. When she saw clearly the person in front of her, her tense nerves loosened up. ¡°Dr. Jensen, why am I here?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t remember?¡± Timothy took her back to the room and asked her to sit on the couch. He then took out a needle and drew some blood from her. ¡°Well, that kind of drug will erode the human nervous system. That exins why you lost your memory. You were drugged too. That drug is contraband, and it¡¯s extremely strong. I could only prescribe one antidote at that time, and Armand asked me to inject it for Patrick,¡± he exined. Genevieve pursed her lower lip, and tears gushed down her cheeks. ¡°I was sexually assaulted, wasn¡¯t I?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Timothy raised his head to stare at Genevieve with a puzzled look. ¡°I had no choice but to call Armand for help as you were in that condition. Is that called sexual assault?¡± Genevieve blinked. ¡°Oh! It was Mando. I thought¡­¡± She finally understood. Thest person she saw was Cooper. Hence, she thought she was taken advantage of by Cooper. Timothy knew what she was worried about. He chuckled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. No one dares to touch Armand¡¯s belongings. Cooper was detained for ten days without bail.¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Genevieve hurriedly asked him. Then, Timothy told her what happened in the past three days when she was in aatose state. The first was that Cooper attempted to sexually assault her. However, due to insufficient surveince evidence, he was detained by the police for ten days. All headlines of major media sites were negative news about Cooper. This had a great impact on Specter Corporation. Severalpanies that had worked closely with Specter Corporation had terminated their contracts with Specter Corporation. ¡°The other one is about Queenie,¡± said Timothy while pressing the cotton swab on Genevieve¡¯s finger after drawing some blood. ¡°This kind of illegal drug is extremely hard to be obtained in the market. So we guessed someone gave this to her and instructed her to drug you.¡± Timothy added, ¡°At first, Armand wanted to interrogate her when she woke up. But Steven found that she was dead when he broke in to get her.¡± He then continued, ¡°That kind of aphrodisiac can easily kill a person, which is why it is prohibited worldwide. She took at least three times of that drug in one night¡­¡± Considering that Genevieve might be too embarrassed to listen to the details, Timothy did not say further. ¡°A lot of chat records have been deleted in Queenie¡¯s WhatsApp. Once she died, all the clues were cut off.¡± Hearing that, Genevieve was terrified. She had been in contact with Queenie several times and thought that thetter was rather ignorant. What was more, she made it quite obvious that she was out to get her. Genevieve immediately realized Queenie¡¯s conspiracy when she arrived at Lovely Heart Hotel for the orientation. She wondered how Queenie coulde up with such a ruthless and indiscriminate trick. Never did she expect that Queenie was actually instructed by someone else. Noticing that Genevieve¡¯s face turned pale, Timothy said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Armand will take care of it. Do you feel difort anywhere?¡± Genevieve shook her head. ¡°When I just woke up, my hands and feet felt weak. But I feel much better now. Thanks, Dr. Jensen.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee. Armand is paying me after all.¡± Timothy put away the tools on the table and stood up. Since you¡¯re all right, I will go back to the hospital now. Steven is still waiting outside. When you¡¯re done, just ask him to send you back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Genevieve nodded. Genevieve walked to the bathroom to take a hot bath after sending Timothy off. After taking a shower, she felt refreshed, and her mind waspletely clear. Genevieve picked up the new dress that was on the chair and put it on. When she was rummaging for the hair dryer, she identally saw a ne on the bedside table when she nced at it. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. It seemed like the ne that was around Armand¡¯s neck all the time. Genevieve immediately looked away after taking a mere nce and turned around to go to the bathroom. Soon, she found the hairdryer from the cab under the sink. She turned on the hairdryer and blew her hair, but her mind was upied with what happened on that night not long ago. That night, she walked out of the bathroom in Armand¡¯s room and helped him to pick up the clothes on the floor. Suddenly, she found that ne in his clothes. She felt curious and was about to open the pendant to have a look. However, Armand suddenly came out of the bathroom and snatched the ne away. Recalling Armand¡¯s expression that night, Genevieve was even more curious at that moment. She felt as if the pendant was Pandora¡¯s box, and she wanted to open it so badly. After drying her hair, she walked out of the bathroom and walked to the bedside table. She picked up the ne and hesitated for a few seconds. She could not hold back her curiosity and opened the pendant in the end. Genevieve was stunned for a moment when she saw what was in the pendant. She lowered her gaze and pursed her lips tightly. Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Chapter 91 No Need To Inform A momentter, Genevieve¡¯s expression returned to normal. She took the bag on the chair and threw the ne in. After she was done packing up, she opened the door and walked out of the room. Meanwhile, Steven was having a work discussion with the secretarial department in the living room. He quickly ended the call when he heard footsteps behind him. Steven turned around and saw Genevieveing out of the room. He greeted politely, ¡°Good morning, Mrs. Faulkner.¡± Genevieve nodded and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Patrick?¡± ¡°He woke up the next day after being injected with the antidote.¡± Steven paused for a moment and said helplessly, ¡°But Patrick felt that he has screwed up and was ashamed to see you. So he went back the day he woke up.¡± ¡°This was not his fault. I learned from Dr. Jensen that it was an illegal drug, and the bad guys were just too cunning. In fact, I need to thank Patrick. If it were not for his help that night, Queenie¡¯s n would have seeded,¡± said Genevieve. Hearing that, Steven was relieved. He then picked up the car key on the coffee table and apanied Genevieve out of the room. ¡°Mrs. Faulkner, do you want to go to the hotel restaurant for breakfast?¡± Genevieve was a little hungry. However, she took a look at the time on her phone and realized it was almost noon. ¡°It¡¯s almost noon, let¡¯s go back for lunch.¡± ¡°Okay, let me send a text message to Mr. Faulkner.¡± Steven took out his phone. ¡°Mr. Faulkner asked me to inform him when you woke up. But I was too busy with work just now, and I forgot¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to inform him. He¡¯s very busy with work. Besides, I¡¯m okay now.¡± Genevieve stopped him and smiled. Steven silently nced at Genevieve. As Genevieve had just washed and blew dry her hair, it was hangingzily behind her shoulders. There was a faint smile on the corner of her mouth, and she looked no different from usual. However, from the tone of her speech, Steven could feel that Genevieve¡¯s mentality had changed. ¡°Okay.¡± Steven did not say anything more and put his phone away. Genevieve had not gone back to the mansion for three or four days already. Maria, who was worried about her, ran over and held her hands tightly as soon as she saw her. ¡°Ms. Rachford, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Genevieve smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just that my body was not feeling very well, so I stayed at the hotel for a few more days.¡± ¡°d to hear that.¡± Maria instantly felt a sense of relief. Then, Maria said angrily, ¡°That Cooper is really a b*stard! How dare he do such a thing in broad daylight! The police should punish him severely and imprison him for three to five years!¡± Genevieve thought so in her heart as well. However, she knew that Cooper was getting more well known in the business world. He owned Specter Corporation. Besides, he had expanded his contacts overseas a long time ago. Most importantly, he had an excellent team ofwyers to back him up. The capitalists would definitely try their best to keep Cooper safe for the sake of their own benefit. With Armand¡¯s influence this time around, Cooper was detained for ten days. At the same time, Specter Corporation¡¯s stock price and Cooper himself were greatly affected. That was probably the worst punishment for Cooper. ¡°Maria, let¡¯s not talk about him.¡± Genevieve put her arms around Maria¡¯s shoulders, smiled, and acted kittenishly. ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten for several days, and I¡¯m starving now. I want to eat the roasted potato that you make.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make it for you now.¡± Maria touched Genevieve¡¯s face lovingly and went into the kitchen. Genevieve went to the living room to take a seat. When the housekeeper brought her orange juice, she immediately gulped down half a ss. She proceeded to take out her phone and tapped on Twitter. Other than some celebrity gossip, Cooper¡¯s attempt to sexually assault his ex-wife at Lovely Heart Hotel a few days ago was on Twitter¡¯s trending topics too. As Genevieve browsed through thements, she realized Cooper¡¯s public rtions team had hired many ghostwriters to mislead theizens. They said Cooper and Genevieve were going to remarry, and it was just a small fight between husband and wife. She wanted to ignore thements. However, she could not hold it when she saw some extremely unpleasantments as someizens had been misled by the ghostwriters. Genevieve sneered. She took a screenshot of the ghostwriters¡¯ment and posted it on her own Twitter. She made a statement that she had remarried, and it was impossible for her to remarry Cooper. She N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. even asked theizens why Cooper was detained by the police for ten days if it was just a small fight. When she was about to log out, she saw a post that was tweeted by someone three minutes ago. SycamoreTreeDropsNoLeaves: Oh my goodness! World-ss violinist Marilyn is married! Her husband is Mr. Samuel from the Faulkner family! Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Utter Embarrassment Theizen had also attached an extremely blurry wedding photo on his Twitter post as well. In spite of not knowing which church or city the photo had been taken in, due to the photo¡¯s viewpoint, even though the groom¡¯s face could not be seen, she could see that Marilyn was the bride. Genevieve stared at the Twitter post for a while. Her gaze gradually darkened. Her fingers lingered on the screen and quickly took a screenshot of the post before saving it on her phone. Once she scrolled up to the post after scrolling down, theizen¡¯s post had disappeared. Soon, Maria made lunch for them. When Genevieve came to the dining room to eat, she noticed Steven telling the housekeeper to pack a separate meal and send it to Patrick¡¯s room. Curious, she asked, ¡°What¡¯s up with him?¡± ¡°He says he¡¯s feeling unwell, so he wants to have his meal in his room instead.¡± Genevieve was speechless. ording to Timothy, Genevieve had been surviving on IV drips for the past three days while shey unconscious in bed. Since she was starving so badly for several days, she finished all the dishes. Whenever Maria made lunch, there were usually plenty of leftovers on the table. However, Genevieve managed to finish each and every single dish that time. Since she felt quite full after the meal, Genevieve decided to lie on the couch in the living room for a bit. Around two o¡¯clock in the afternoon, Steven grabbed his jacket on the coat rack and said, ¡°Mr. Faulkner wants me to return to the office to settle some matters, Mrs. Faulkner. Please call Dr. Jensen immediately if you¡¯re feeling unwell.¡± ¡°All right, I will.¡± Genevieve smiled. After Steven had left the house, Genevievey on the couch and finished ying the game on her phone. She then got up and headed toward Patrick¡¯s room. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Knocking on the door, Genevieve said, ¡°Open the door, Patrick.¡± Genevieve waited for a while, seeing that there was no response from inside, she knew Patrick was purposely avoiding her. She raised her voice and said, ¡°I¡¯m counting to three. If you¡¯re not opening the door for me, I¡¯ll have the housekeepere over and knock down the door.¡± ¡°One¡­¡± Patrick soon opened the door a little and peered out to see Genevieve standing outside the door. He looked quiteical with bandages on his head. ¡°Gene-¡± Patrick suddenly thought of something and changed his words quickly. ¡°What can I do for you, Mrs. Faulkner?¡± She felt amused seeing Patrick trying to evade her gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t me you at all, Patrick. You don¡¯t have to hide from me too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hiding from you,¡± Patrick refuted as he rubbed his nose awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯m really feeling quite unwell¡­¡± As she pointed to the phone on the table that was still disying the game interface, Genevieve asked, ¡°You¡¯re feeling unwell, and yet you¡¯re still in the mood to y games?¡± Instantly, Patrick went over to pick up the phone and switched it off. Smiling awkwardly, he replied, ¡°I felt bored, so I decided to y some games instead.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you tell me that we¡¯re friends, Patrick?¡± Genevieve turned around and leaned against the edge of the table as she crossed her arms. ¡°You also said you wanted to protect me, but look what you¡¯re doing right now.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m capable of protecting you well.¡± Patrick wanted to scratch his head sheepishly, but he had only managed to scratch the bandage on his head. In the end, he gave up and lowered his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll be returning to Archulea soon.¡± Ever since he regained consciousness, Patrick was ashamed to think that he had almost vited Genevieve. For the first time in his life, he felt utterly humiliated. ¡°You¡¯ve done your job dutifully and protected me well,¡± Genevieve said. ¡°Dr. Jensen mentioned that it was a type of prohibited drug which can easily invade a person¡¯s brain. Even if you came from the military academy with a strong physique, you couldn¡¯t handle that stuff at all.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think¡­¡± Patrick nced at her cautiously and asked, ¡°That I¡¯m useless and also a jerk?¡± Genevieve smiled. ¡°You¡¯re a graduate from the top military academy in the country. Not only you can fly a fighter jet, but you¡¯re skilled in maneuvering a war tank too! Apart from that, you have excellent hacking skills, as well as exceptionalbat skills. If you think you¡¯re useless, how many useful subordinates do you think your brother has left?¡± Patrick felt quite proud of himself upon hearing Genevieve¡¯s praises. Soon after, he pursed his lips and said, ¡°But it¡¯s true that I failed to protect you, causing you to have trauma about the incident. I even let Cooper drag you away from me¡­¡± ¡°Cooper did drag me away, but Mando arrived in time to save me, right?¡± Genevieve did not seem to mind the incident anymore. ¡°Patrick, I¡¯ve never med you for it. Moreover, had it not been because of your help, I would¡¯ve fallen into Queenie¡¯s trap.¡± She then added, ¡°You¡¯ve only ripped my clothes, that¡¯s all. They¡¯re nothingpared to the things Cooper did to me.¡± Genevieve pursed her lips slightly. Her eyes were bright and filled with sincerity as she spoke. Patrick was momentarily stunned as he met her pure and sincere gaze. All of a sudden, he felt his heart skip a beat. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 Sensing that his forehead had begun to sweat, Patrick wiped his hand over it as he tried to avert his gaze from hers. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry for making you recall those bad memories, Genev.¡± Cooper had done everything he could to make Genevieve divorce him with no strings attached, and Patrick was well aware of that. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past now.¡± Genevieve lowered her eyes before shifting her gaze back to Patrick. ¡°The reason why I told you that was because I don¡¯t want you to overthink things. If you¡¯re adamant about leaving, that means you don¡¯t acknowledge me as your friend anymore.¡± Patrick grinned upon hearing her remark. ¡°How can I leave now that you¡¯ve said that?¡± Seeing him finally at ease, Genevieve smiled as well. The difort between them seemed to vanish as they smiled at each other. Patrick grabbed a pear from the fruit tray and munched on it as he sat by the bed to chat with Genevieve. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to restore all the deleted chat histories from Queenie¡¯s phone for the past two days. However, her phone seemed to be hacked by someone else and they had nted a Owned by N?velDrama.Org. virus inside it. If I tried to restore anything from the phone, myputer would be infected with that virus as well.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t quite understand what you¡¯re saying,¡± Genevievemented as she rubbed her chin with her fingers. ¡°But what¡¯s certain is that the person behind Queenie is surely a powerful figure.¡± Patrick hummed in acknowledgment. His eyes narrowed as he said, ¡°I¡¯m sure that person is a ruthless and vicious figure.¡± ¡°When my dad was still around, he was humble and kind, and his reputation in the business industry was very good, to the point where he had almost no enemies in the business. After he was gone, the only person who wanted to seek revenge against me was Cooper,¡± Genevieve said. ¡°I thought Cooper was the one behind those evil deeds, but it turns out that he wasn¡¯t.¡± Feeling quite tired after standing for a while, she pulled out a chair from the table beside her and sat down. ¡°Tell me, Patrick. Who would be so ruthless¡­¡± Genevieve paused as she propped her chin with her hand and looked at Patrick, before she continued, ¡°To use Queenie as a tool to ruin me?¡± Someone came to Patrick¡¯s mind suddenly. He stopped chewing the pear that was in his hand. ¡°W-Well¡­¡± Patrick stammered as he tried to tell her about something. Suddenly, Genevieve showed Patrick her phone and smiled faintly, ¡°You knew that Marilyn and Mr. Samuel were married, right?¡± Patrick nced at the phone¡¯s screen and noticed that it was a photograph of Marilyn and Samuel¡¯s wedding. Seeing that Genevieve was smart enough to figure everything out, Patrick decided to be frank with her. ¡°I already knew that Mr. Samuel and Ms. Wood were married. However, since I used to work for Armand abroad in the past, I hardly had any contact with the Faulkner family. Moreover, I¡¯ve only met Ms. Wood once. I didn¡¯t expect that she was actually Mr. Samuel¡¯s wife.¡± He then raised his hand and stuck out three fingers, pointing them toward the ceiling, and said, ¡°Genev, I swear that what I said was true!¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to swear on it. I believe you,¡± Genevieve said as she shook her head. If Patrick really knew Marilyn, he would not have been so shocked after Genevieve showed him a post of Marilyn disying her violin on Twitter when they were at the banquet hall that day. Genevieve then took back her phone and stared at the screen while she said, ¡°Compared to this, I¡¯m much more curious about something else.¡± Patrick was confused. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you recall when I went to the hospital to get my blood drawn and told you about the car ident, specting that someone from the Faulkner family had done something to Mando?¡± Genevieve smirked. ¡°At that time, I felt really curious. Since Mando had already cleaned up the Faulkner family once, and now that he¡¯s in charge of the family, who would¡¯ve dared to plot against him? And yet he decided to tolerate whatever the culprit did to him¡­¡± She then looked at Patrick and saw that he was too guilty to eat anything right then. Smiling faintly, she asked, ¡°That person is Marilyn, am I right?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t ask me about this, Genev¡­¡± Patrick was on the verge of breaking down. ¡°It¡¯s just a photo. How did you even figure out so much about it? Or are you women all so smart?¡± ¡°Besides this photograph, I¡¯ve seen other things as well.¡± Genevieve¡¯s eyes darkened as something came up in her mind. Immediately, she rested her hand on her chin and looked at Patrick with a smile on her face. ¡°Now that we¡¯re at this point,e on, tell me everything you know.¡± Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Teasing Him At seven-thirty in the evening, Armand brought Steven to Swallow Garden. Once they arrived, the house was ttering with noise. Following the noise¡¯s source, Armand found Genevieve and Patrick ying games on the couch. From Armand¡¯s angle, Genevieve was in his direct line of sight. She had her knees pulled up to her chest. She seemed to like the color green a lot as she wore an emerald green nightgown that covered her fair and long legs that day. Her bare feet looked fragile, and her toes were wiggling around, making her Owned by N?velDrama.Org. seem anxious. Looking at her beautiful feet, Armand gulped. He passed his coat to a housekeeper before walking into the living room and sitting on the corner of the couch in front of Genevieve. ¡°Genevieve, can you change your posture?¡± As far as Armand remembered, Genevieve had always sat elegantly, whether she was in the living room or during meals. She was a well-mannered, distinguisheddy. ¡°This is my private quarters, not thepany. I can sit in whatever way I like, and it¡¯sfortable like this,¡± Genevieve answered without looking at him since she was busy with her game. While she spoke to him, she wiggled her toes again, almost teasingly. Steven, who came in after Armand, stood quietly at the side. He noticed something had changed with Genevieve ever since she woke up that morning. Currently, she seemed to be teasing Armand. He coughed loudly when he noticed that Patrick was too focused on the game. ¡°Why are you coughing, Steven? Have a cough drop if your throat doesn¡¯t feel well.¡± Patrick did not understand the signal. He was surprised when he lifted his head to see an expressionless Steven and Armand, who were frowning from the couch. ¡°Hahaha, Armand, you¡¯re home.¡± Heughed awkwardly while turning off his game. ¡°Patrick, what are you doing! We¡¯re in the finals! Do you want me to lose?¡± Genevieve got angry when she saw Patrick disconnecting suddenly and kicked thetter. Meanwhile, Patrick deftly avoided her foot and slipped away from the couch to stand beside Steven. Due to Patrick¡¯s sudden leave, she lost the battle in three seconds and only earned third ce. She was so irritated she threw her phone on the couch and gritted her teeth. Armand ced his coffee on the table and nced at her. ¡°Done ying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m done.¡± Genevieve leaned forward to grab a piece of honeydew and put it into her mouth before changing her posture on the couch leisurely. Her dress hiked up and revealed her legs to the man. With one hand hanging on the couch¡¯s backrest, Genevieve looked at Armand and askedzily, ¡°Is there anything you need from me, Mando?¡± Since they were at home, she did not wear make-up and was bare-faced. However, she still looked beautiful with her fair and supple skin despite having zero make-up. Furthermore, her gaze exuded a trace of aloofness. Armand noticed the change in her mood. He remembered the time when she first moved into Swallow Garden. Even when he told her she was thedy of the house, Genevieve remained cautious with her actions, as if she was a small animal living under someone else¡¯s roof, afraid of being abandoned once again. She would treat him with the intention of pleasing him. However, the worry hidden in that woman¡¯s eyes went away, and her eyes were brighter than before. She lookedfortable now, as though she had dropped all pretense and assumed her identity as a wantondy from the Rachford family. Armand did not know if she was tired of pretending or whatnot. However, he knew life was more interesting now that she was herself. His eyes lit up with interest, and he took another sip of coffee. ¡°Follow me back to the Faulkner residence for dinner.¡± ¡°Huh? Okay,¡± she agreed while twirling strands of her hair with her finger. Suddenly, she sat up and leaned over to him. ¡°What kind of daughter-inw does Old Mrs. Faulkner favor? The bubbly and cute type, or the elegant andposeddy?¡± Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Chapter 95 No Harm Flirting With My Husband Armand could smell the faint camellia fragranceing off her body, and he lifted his eyebrow slightly. ¡°Decide on your own.¡± ¡°No way. I¡¯m going back with you to meet the elders as your wife. I must leave a good first impression.¡± While speaking, Genevieve reached over and ced her hand on his shoulder, then continued, ¡°Maybe I should bedylike. Most elders prefer that.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve decided, why ask me?¡± ¡°I wanted to know your thoughts.¡± She leaned closer to his ear and whispered, ¡°If you like something else, I can bring another set of clothes and only show it to you?¡± This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. He grabbed her wandering hand and looked at her innocent expression, then narrowed his eyes as he moved closer to her. ¡°Is this your true color? Do you like to flirt, or has that medicine created a problem in your brain? Should I ask Timothy to give you a check-up? Slipping her arms around Armand¡¯s neck, she blinked. ¡°You¡¯re my husband. Can¡¯t I flirt with you?¡± He kept mum to her question. However, Genevieve ignored his observant eyes and pulled away from him. She opened her bag on the couch and took out an exquisite ne. ¡°Here, Mando. You dropped it at the hotel. I brought it back for you.¡± Her arms went around his neck again to put it on him and reminded him gently, ¡°I know this is important to you. Be careful and don¡¯t drop it again.¡± ¡°Mr. Faulkner, Mrs. Faulkner, dinner is ready,¡± Maria called out in the direction of the living room after Genevieve immediately got out of the man¡¯s embrace and ran toward the dining room in her slippers. ¡°It smells so good, Maria. Did you make braised beef?¡± Maria smiled. ¡°Yes. I made roasted pork too.¡± ¡°Wow. That¡¯s great!¡± Meanwhile, Armand remain seated on the couch. He turned slightly and saw Genevieve looming over the dining table to pick up a piece of beef with the fork. She blew on it before feeding herself, and her expression became cheery immediately after. Her pink tongue poked out of her mouth to lick the stain off her lips. It was a casual action, but when he saw it, his eyes narrowed, and his heart pounded rapidly. She looked as if she had stopped caring, including what he would do to her, and did whatever she wanted. For some reason, he felt annoyed. Now that she was back to Swallow Garden and had a familiar bed, Genevieve had a good sleep. Early the next morning, she woke up and finished washing up and changing into her formal clothes before going downstairs for breakfast. Coincidentally, Patrick also came out of his room. When he saw Genevieve, who came down to the first floor, he was surprised. ¡°Huh? Aren¡¯t you going to the Faulkner residence with Armand? Your outfit looks like you¡¯re going to thepany?¡± ¡°That¡¯s at night.¡± She went to the dining table and pulled out a chair to sit before continuing, ¡°Besides, I haven¡¯t visited thepany for the past few days.¡± He arched his eyebrows. ¡°It¡¯s yourpany. It doesn¡¯t matter if you go or not.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Mando¡¯s, not mine. Since I took this job, I must ensure it goes well.¡± She poured some sauce on a sauce te, her tone calm. Although she had only joined Central Group for a day, Genevieve thought the work was tiring. However, there were many things she had never experienced before. Setting aside her rtionship with Armand, she genuinely wanted to work hard in Central Group. ¡°Oh, okay.¡± Patrick dug into his food. However, he stole a nce at her and thought she was When the duo was almost done with their breakfast, Armand descended the stairs slowly. He received an email from apany overseasst night, and thus he had a virtual meeting until roughly four in the morning. That was why he slept an extra half an hour that morning. ¡°Are you going to thepany today?¡± He eyed the formal attire on Genevieve. Chapter 96 Chapter 96 ¡°Since I have been absent for the past few days, I bet there is plenty of work awaiting me in the office now.¡± After standing up from her chair, Genevieve added, ¡°Mando, I¡¯ll wait for you in the underground parking lot as soon as I get off work.¡± Armand decided not to object to her decision upon witnessing her determination to return to work. ¡°I¡¯ve asked Steven to investigate Queenie¡¯s issue. My men have also announced to the public that you met with Cooper at the hotel and that he was scheming against you.¡± Genevieve smiled at his words. ¡°Good. I was worried that I would be entangled in the incident rted to Queenie and couldn¡¯t return to work as a result of that. Thank you, Mando, for dealing with this matter so perfectly.¡± She then walked around the dining table, got to Armand¡¯s side, and kissed his cheek as a reward. Armand was surprised by it. Soon, the news about the head of Specter Corporation trying to assault his ex-wife could be seen almost everywhere on the inte. When Genevieve, one of the parties involved in the assault, arrived at Central Group, all the employees, including those she bumped into when she used the elevator and the female janitors, would ask her about the news. As soon as Genevieve stepped into her department, her colleagues immediately approached and surrounded her. They scolded Cooper for being a bastard as theyforted her sympathetically. Despite what they showed, Genevieve knew that most of them were taking pleasure in her misfortune. And, of course, she didn¡¯t let this opportunity go to waste. She activated her Oscar standard acting skills and piteously told everyone what had happened that night with her reddened eyes. This was so they would have the information they needed to gossip. In just a morning, Genevieve gave many of her colleagues a good impression. Some even took the initiative to teach her to do things and included her in their gossip groups. Genevieve was so impressed with their pleasant behavior to the point she wanted to thank Cooper. In the afternoon, she even went to a restaurant with a few female colleagues for lunch. Soon, the topic of their conversation shifted to Armand as they chatted. ¡°Remember when I told you guys that Mr. Faulkner is married, but none of you believed me then? Well, see for yourself. Mr. Faulkner is wearing a wedding ring.¡± ¡°But who is the person he married to? Why didn¡¯t the public get any news about this?¡± one of the colleagues asked curiously. She even made an assumption. ¡°Did he get back with his first love?¡± ¡°Oh, I heard Mr. Faulkner¡¯s first love is Mr. Samuel¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Stunned, the female colleagues drew a sharp breath after hearing such breaking news. The colleague who gave the gossip then shook her hand. ¡°Actually, I heard that from someone. But, wealthy families are always a mess. So, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if it¡¯s true.¡± Upon knowing one of the colleagues managed to take a photo of Armand with his wedding ring, the others requested to have a look at it. ¡°Huh?¡± After taking a look at the photo, one of thedies shifted her attention to the ring on Genevieve¡¯s finger. ¡°Genevieve, Mr. Faulkner¡¯s wedding ring is the same type as yours.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Genevieve replied curiously and leaned forward to take a closer look at the photo. A few secondster, she returned to her seat and said with a smile, ¡°What a coincidence. It never urred to me that I would purchase a ring simr to Mr. Faulkner¡¯s. It seems that this particr type is popr. Maybe that¡¯s why Amazon sells it as well.¡± She then added, ¡°Anyway, please don¡¯t overthink it. If I were Mrs. Faulkner, I¡¯d stay home and let others serve me. I wouldn¡¯t bother to tire myself with work.¡± The colleagues agreed that she had a point after hearing her exnation. Thedies shared the same thought at that moment. Exactly. There must be news about it if Genevieve is Mrs. Faulkner. Plus, no rich wives would give up enjoying pampering themselves, working in their husbands¡¯pany, and desperately hiding the news of their marriage. Even though Genevieve is gorgeous, Mr. Faulkner would be disinterested in her deadbeat family background. Hence, there is no way Mr. Faulkner would have Owned by N?velDrama.Org. eyes for someone like her. Genevieve heaved a sigh of relief upon noticing that her words had dismissed their doubts entirely. She then cleverly shifted the topic of their conversation. ¡°Ladies, I have a question for you all.¡± She rested her chin on her hand and slowly continued, ¡°My husband has a female friend, and I feel they are too close. He even keeps a photo of her in his wallet. Do you think this is normal and that I¡¯m worrying too much?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right to be worried about it. Something is wrong with your husband.¡± One of the colleagues frowned and continued, ¡°Your husband is rather oblivious.¡± ¡°I agree. He¡¯s married. Why would he keep a female friend¡¯s photo?¡± one of them chimed in. She even asked, ¡°Does the woman frequently text your husband? If yes, you¡¯d need to be more careful. Let me teach you some stuff.¡± Among the female colleagues, two were married and had kids, so they knew the nook and cranny of marriage very well. Upon realizing that Genevieve was having a crisis in her marriage, they transformed themselves into mentors and patiently gave her lessons about marriage. At that point, Genevieve had sessfully shifted all the female colleagues¡¯ attention from whether Armand was married to her marriage condition. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Bite Me Again If You Dare Genevieve learned many tricks in marriage from them, and her afternoon was significantly meaningful. After work, Genevieve bided goodbye to her enthusiastic colleagues and took the elevator to the underground parking lot with a big grocery bag in her hand. The parking lot was full of luxurious cars, but one ck Maybach with a number te of a repeating number stood out. In order to return to the Faulkner residence to have dinner, Armand had instructed Steven to cancel all his scheduled meetings for the evening. He even got into his car before the working hour ended as he nned to reply to some emails while waiting for Genevieve. When Armand heard the car door open, he turned sideways to have a look and saw Genevieve climbing into the car with a grocery bag. After ordering Steven to start the journey, Armand studied Genevieve for a moment. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you want to be a gracefuldy today? Why did you change your mind?¡± Genevieve didn¡¯t reply to him straight away. Instead, she instructed, ¡°Steven, please take us to Gramineous Florist first.¡± After that, she pressed a button to raise the partition that separated the front seats from the back seats. She pulled two pieces of clothes from the grocery bag and waved them to Armand. ¡°Here are the clothes of a gracefuldy.¡± At that instant, Armand was at a loss for words. He quickly turned his gaze away and returned his focus Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. to the emails. Meanwhile, from the corner of his eye, he could see Genevieve, who was sitting right next to him, raising her hands and unbuttoning her suit¡¯s buttons one by one. She then took her coat and shirt off, exposing her perfect shoulders. Suddenly, a cool undertone of flesh appeared before his eyes. Genevieve¡¯s figure was slim, and her waist was so thin that one might be able to hold it with one hand. Her skin was tender and pinkish. Armand swore he could smell the faint fragranceing from her skin at that moment. He instantly pulled Genevieve onto hisp. His eyes were full of passion then. ¡°Genevieve, are you doing this on purpose?¡± ¡°Doing what on purpose?¡± Genevieve blinked her eyes and exined innocently, ¡°I¡¯ve been extremely busy since afternoon to the point where I didn¡¯t even have time to drink water. After work, since I didn¡¯t want to keep you waiting in the car, I brought the clothes with me to change in the car.¡± Genevieve could feel the gust of cold air from the air-conditioning sweeping across her back, causing her to tremble. ¡°I need to change my clothes.¡± With that, she tried to move away from Armand. However, when she finished her sentence, Armand held onto the back of her head, pressed her into his arms, and kissed her deeply. Armand¡¯s domineering aura instantly enveloped Genevieve. She could only grab onto his shirt as she felt her body go weak. Sometimeter, Armand finally let go of Genevieve, and he found her interesting when he spotted her panting heavily, causing him to lift his hand and pinch her red ear. ¡°Weren¡¯t you good at flirting with me when we were home yesterday night? Hmm?¡± Hearing such, she raised her head and widened her eyes at him. Suddenly, she gritted her teeth, pulled his shirt cor aside, and bit him on his neck as if she was taking revenge. Armand slightly frowned when he felt the harmless bite. He then grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her away from him. With an intense stare, he warned her, ¡°I dare you to bite me again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who started it! I was changing my clothes, and I did nothing to cross you,¡± Genevieve retorted defiantly. However, his icy re scared her. She quickly slid back to her seat from hisp and fixed her bra that was moved out of ce by him. The moment Armand spotted the snowy skin of her breasts, his gaze darkened, and he quickly turned his attention away from her. When the car parked in front of Gramineous Florist, Genevieve had changed into a pale yellow short dress that entuated her slender figure. She even chose to put on a nude shade of lipstick. With such an outfit, she looked gentle and elegant, an image many elders like. Genevieve got out of the car personally and returned with a pot of nts in her arms. Armand immediately recognized the nt as dendrobium. It was meticulously trimmed, indicating that someone was taking good care of it. He looked at her suspiciously and asked, ¡°Did you ask Steven about this?¡± ¡°Yes. I, the granddaughter-inw, will be meeting your grandmother for the first time. I can¡¯t go there empty-handed, but I realized that the Faulkner family has everything.¡± Genevieve then added, ¡°So I asked Steven about the things Old Mrs. Faulkner likes.¡± Armand arched a brow. ¡°Are you trying to use a pot of dendrobium to make my grandmother happy?¡± Chapter 98 Chapter 98 ¡°This dendrobiumpeted in a contest before. It costs me more than ten thousand!¡± Genevieve then tapped the corner of her lips and added with a faint smile, ¡°If this nt is not enough to cheer her up, I can always use my mouth. Anyway, I know that making your grandmother happy is the primary reason behind me marrying you, Mr. Faulkner, and I am confident about fulfilling this task.¡± Seeing that she suddenly addressed him differently, Armand frowned but said nothing. Twenty minutes before seven, the car arrived at the Faulkner residence¡¯s entrance. The residence owned by the Faulkners was in the most southerly part of the city and initially belonged to an ancient time minister. As time passed, Harriet got tired of Xedells and thought about returning to Jadeborough. Hence, Ayden Faulkner, her husband, brought the residence through connections and even hired famous architects to renovate the ce. Ever since then, Harriet stayed there. Year after year, the descendants of the Faulkner family woulde from Xedells and gather at this residence whenever there was a festival. The car now drove past the entrance and was on the road heading toward the main house. Genevieve noticed both sides of the road were full of sycamore trees. Though they were sorge that they almost covered the whole sky, she sensed a romantic ambiance from them. When she asked Steven about the things Harriet loved, she found out that besides dendrobium, Harriet was in loved with sycamore trees too. She heard that Jadeborough didn¡¯t have many sycamore trees back then. In order to allow his wife to be able to see them every day, Ayden spent tons of money to get someone to move the sycamore trees to Jadeborough from Xedells. Genevieve didn¡¯t expect that there would be such a romantic and loyal man in such a wealthy family. As the guards by the entrance had told the housekeepers in the main house about their arrival earlier, a few housekeepers came out of the house and quickly approached them when Armand got out of the car with Genevieve. ¡°Mr. Armand, Mdm. Genevieve.¡± Genevieve smiled at them and passed the dendrobium to one of the housekeepers after retrieving it from the car. When she got to the entrance of the building with Armand, she faintly heard footsteps from afar. The moment she raised her head, she saw a slender figure approaching them at a quick pace. Underneath the pale purple dress, her belly was slightly bulged. The woman, Marilyn, was ted to see Armand. ¡°Armand,¡± she called out to him in a delicate yet melodic voice. Armand, however, merely hummed in response. When he was about to hand his coat to the housekeeper, Marilyn stretched her hands out before anyone else could react. ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it instead.¡± Genevieve quickly took the coat from him and hung it on the clothes hanger. Only then did Marilyn notice Genevieve. The former blinked her beautiful eyes rapidly and naturally retracted her hands. When Genevieve raised her head and got a clear look at Marilyn¡¯s face, she was surprised. ¡°Ms. Wood?¡± Genevieve then exined to Armand excitedly, ¡°Darling, she is Ms. Wood. When I studied in Dartan previously, I attended a few of her violin sses. I¡¯m her fan too.¡± She naturally held his arm as they walked past the entrance. At the end of her sentence, she turned to Marilyn and asked, ¡°By the way, why are you here, Ms. Wood?¡± Marilyn didn¡¯t answer her. She merely stared at Genevieve in silence. The housekeeper standing next to them didn¡¯t realize the unseen war between the twodies and replied to Genevieve¡¯s question, ¡°Mdm. Genevieve, she is Mdm. Marilyn, Mr. Samuel¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± Genevieve raised her brows and smiled. ¡°So you are married to Mr. Samuel. What a coincidence. I should change the way I address you since you¡¯re my sister-inw.¡± ¡°You can continue to address me as Ms. Wood.¡± In actual fact, the way Genevieve addressed her as ¡°sister-inw¡± was ear-piercing to her. Genevieve refuted, ¡°No, I shouldn¡¯t do that. Since I¡¯m married to Mando, I¡¯m your sister-inw. With that, it¡¯s only logical to address you by your first name.¡± Genevieve turned to face her husband and asked, ¡°Am I right, Darling?¡± Upon hearing that, Marilyn felt that Genevieve had pped her on the face. She bit her lips bitterly, and her body became weak. Meanwhile, she screamed in her heart, ¡°How dare she!¡± The moment the housekeeper led Armand and Genevieve into the house, Harriet had already arrived Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. on the first floor, but she didn¡¯t walk into the living room. Instead, she stood there silently and listened to the conversation between Genevieve and Marilyn. From her angle, she could see Marilyn¡¯s slightly ashen face. When she turned her attention to Genevieve again, her eyes were full of admiration. This granddaughter-inw does indeed suit my taste. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Everyone Knows How To Be A Bitch When Genevieve lifted her head and questioned Armand, thetter could obviously see her raised brows and cunning smile. At that instant, Armand knew she made such a statement at Marilyn on purpose. He was aware of Genevieve studying overseas for a few years, but he didn¡¯t realize that she knew Marilyn. However, based on the expression she had now, he bet she knew about Marilyn¡¯s status beforeing here. Armand then turned his gaze to Marilyn, who was standing before them. When he saw her bit her lips and had a pale face, he creased his brows subtly. ¡°Darling?¡± Seeing Armand didn¡¯t give her any response, Genevieve raised the corners of her lips and inquired, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± ¡°You can call her whatever you want. The Faulkner family doesn¡¯t have strict rules on how to address each other,¡± Armand replied nonchntly. He pulled his arm away from Genevieve¡¯s grip and patted the back of her waist. ¡°Go say hi to Grandma.¡± Genevieve smiled sarcastically in response. As she followed Armand¡¯s gaze, she saw Harriet, who was full of energy, walking toward them. Harriet was wearing a ck gown and an elegant-looking bracelet on her wrist. Her aura was majestic and ssy, making it impossible to ignore her presence. Though there were a lot of fine lines and wrinkles around her eyes, her gaze was sharp yet gentle. Harriet was an exquisite woman when she was young. Though she was older now and looked more majestic, her beauty hadn¡¯t disappeared. ¡°Huh? Grandma?¡± The moment Genevieve caught a clear look on Harriet¡¯s face, she immediately recognized thetter as the olddy she met in the mallst time. A saleswoman of a shop was making things difficult for Harriet back then. No wonder Patrick¡¯s face looked weird then. He must have recognized Old Mrs. Faulkner! Harriet smiled and nodded. She then stood before Genevieve as she got near them. ¡°I asked Patrick to tell you nothing that day. I didn¡¯t want to bother you since I n to get to know you when youe here with Armand. But I do not anticipate it taking this long to meet you officially. You won¡¯t me me for not telling you who I am, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Genevieve took a step forward and held Harriet¡¯s arm. With a gentle and lovable voice, she continued, ¡°Thank you for epting me, Grandma. I¡¯m extremely blessed to be your granddaughter-inw.¡± She then gestured at the housekeeper to bring forward the dendrobium. ¡°Grandma, as I¡¯m meeting you for the first time today, I¡¯m not sure what kind of gift to bring. So, I decided to get you a pot of dendrobium on my way here when I overheard that you love dendrobium,¡± Genevieve exined. ¡°I see. It looks nice.¡± Harriet nodded her head satisfyingly. She even took a peek at Genevieve from the corner of her eye. I¡¯m happy with both the flower and the person. ¡°If so, please keep it. I¡¯ll look for a better one and gift it to you in the future,¡± Genevieve responded with a faint smile. She then held Harriet¡¯s hand and led thetter to the living room. ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t forget your promise.¡± ¡°So long as you don¡¯t mind me bothering you.¡± When Genevieve spoke, she even ced her head on Harriet¡¯s shoulder, looking like a granddaughter acting coquettishly with her grandmother. ¡°Grandma, your gown is so pretty. I would have bought you a few more that day if I knew how pretty it looks on you.¡± The smile on Harriet¡¯s face became brighter as if she was in a great mood. ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯m a straightforward person. I say anything that crosses my mind. Grandma, if we go out on a date together, others would probably see us as mother and daughter!¡± ¡°Haha!¡± When the housekeepers heard Harriet¡¯sughter, they discreetly took a peek at the living room as they were astonished to hear that. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. The Faulkner family had a lot of descendants, and many of the grandchildren were married. Every month, all the descendants would visit Harriet here, and thetter always greeted them with the same stern expression. Even toward Marilyn, the charming elder had never shown her affection. However, things were different that day. Genevieve not only managed to please Harriet with a pot of dendrobium as a present but also made thedy of the houseugh at her words. Mdm. Genevieve really is remarkable. Besides the shocked housekeepers, Marilyn, who was still standing at the residence¡¯s entrance, clenched her fists tightly while leaving them hanging by her side. In Marilyn¡¯s eyes, everyone had the skills to say ttery words and make the olddy happy. Genevieve wasn¡¯t the only one equipped with those abilities. In her opinion, Harriet¡¯s affection for Genevieve was merely a result of her love for her grandson. Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Know Your ce ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there,¡± Armand voiced, ¡°Your back will hurt if you stand for a long time.¡± Though the man¡¯s voice was cold as usual, Marilyn spotted his concern toward her through his words. Instantly, the jealousy and frustration inside her vanished without a trace. ¡°Okay.¡± Marilyn smiled at him shyly. She also asked the housekeeper to prepare Armand¡¯s favorite drink and sent it to the living room. Genevieve hadn¡¯t gotten over her grandmother¡¯s death. Thus, when she met Harriet that day, she couldn¡¯t help but be drawn by thetter upon noticing her gentle smile and kindness. That day, as she peeled the orange and talked with Harriet, Genevieve felt an immense sense of fulfillment she had lost long ago. Marilyn was in the living room then too. Regardless, she sensed that Harriet was more prone to speaking to Genevieve. Seeing that she couldn¡¯t even chime in, she focused on peeling the apple skin and cutting them into pieces for Armand. Upon noticing Marilyn¡¯s actions, Harriet glimpsed at her and said, ¡°Marilyn, do ask the housekeeper to help you with such a small matter. Be careful not to hurt yourself.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Armand and G-Genevieve are guests, after all.¡± Marilyn smiled faintly and asked Genevieve, ¡°Do you have any type of dishes you prefer?¡± A hint of displeasure shed across Harriet¡¯s eyes when she heard that. Marilyn was usually obedient before her. However, she would start crossing Harriet¡¯s boundaries whenever Armand was around. One could tell how hard she tried to hint to others about her affection toward Armand. ¡°You¡¯re wrong, Marilyn. Mando and I aren¡¯t guests.¡± Genevieve leaned on Harriet¡¯s arm and retorted with a smile, ¡°This is Grandma¡¯s ce, so it¡¯s home. Since we¡¯re simply returning home, there is no need for formalities.¡± Having said that, she shook Harriet¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Grandma, am I a guest to you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. This ce is home. There¡¯s no need to be shy,¡± Harriet announced while chuckling. She was satisfied with Genevieve¡¯s attitude earlier, but now, she had fully epted thetter. This child is good at coaxing people and knows how to roast others perfectly. I can¡¯t help but take a liking to her. Marilyn didn¡¯t expect Genevieve could humiliate her with just a few sentences, causing the hand she used to hold the knife to tremble. As she trembled, the sharp de slit opened her finger¡¯s skin, and blood immediately oozed from the wound. Armand frowned the moment he spotted the blooding out of her finger while sitting on the other side of the couch. He was about to grab the tissue paper from the coffee table, and a slender hand reached out and took the tissue paper box before him. Genevieve retrieved two sheets from it, approached Marilyn, and personally wiped away the blood on her finger. ¡°You¡¯re too careless, Marilyn.¡± Marilyn tried to retract her hand, but Genevieve grabbed her wrist and forcefully pressured the former to ept her ¡°gentle¡± help in stopping the bleeding. Genevieve curled the corners of her mouth into a smile and softly instructed, ¡°You should avoid any sharp items in the future since you¡¯re pregnant, Marilyn. Armand is your brother-inw, and he knows how to feed himself. You don¡¯t have to worry about him.¡± Armand¡¯s eyes darkened as he fixed his gaze on Genevieve¡¯s back. ¡°Thank you.¡± Marilyn had to take a deep breath to calm herself so she could hide her pathetic look from the others. She then forcefully pulled her hand back. After that, Marilyn tried to stand up while announcing, ¡°I¡¯ll go check the kitchen. Please continue without me.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± Genevieve quickly ced her hand on Marilyn¡¯s leg to stop thetter from standing up and shot a smile at her. ¡°My family has a housekeeper who is a good cook. I¡¯ve learned a few dishes from her because I nned to let Grandma have a taste of my cooking skill when Ie here today. Hence, I¡¯ll take charge of dinner today.¡± ¡°The Faulkner family¡¯s chefs have an experience of more than ten years. They have been working here for a long time and know more about Grandma¡¯s taste preferences.¡± Marilyn chuckled and continued, ¡°Since you have just only learned how to cook a few days ago, I bet you aren¡¯t familiar with the cooking techniques yet. It¡¯s better to get more practice first. Maybe next time.¡± Genevieve wasn¡¯t willing to back down. ¡°I know I can¡¯t fight against the chefs with my cooking skills, but I want Grandma to try my food because I like her.¡± She then turned to Harriet and coquettishly asked, ¡°Grandma, would you like to try my cooking? Please give me a chance today. I promise I won¡¯t do anything reckless.¡± Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Thedy of the house nodded with a smile. ¡°Since I appreciate your gesture of respect, I will allow you to cook.¡± ¡°Thank you, Grandma!¡± Genevieve stood up and headed toward the kitchen. Before she left, she leaned closer to Harriet and kissed her on the cheek. Harriet didn¡¯t stop her from doing so. Instead, the grin on her face became brighter. Marilyn was sitting right opposite Harriet. Hence, she could evidently see the smiles in thetter¡¯s eyes besides the bright grin. There was no doubt that Harriet was unduly pleased with Genevieve. When such realization dawned on her, Marilyn¡¯s face almost contorted due to anger. Chapter 101 Chapter 101 Chapter 101 She Had Underestimated Genevieve Marilyn had done a background check on Genevieve previously. She concluded that thetter was a useless woman based on the widely spread news about her divorce with Cooper since she had lost everything to her ex-husband and could only rely on Armand. However, Marilyn noticed Genevieve had be apletely different individual when they met again that day. Thetter knew how to attack one¡¯s weaknesses and was good at throwing ttery words, causing Harriet to like her. Harriet¡¯s fondness toward Genevieve now was authentic and was no longer because she was married to Armand. Ever since Marilyn got pregnant, she would frequently visit Harriet and tried her best to please the In contrast, Genevieve managed to use a few minutes to win Harriet¡¯s heart. Marilyn couldn¡¯t help suspecting Genevieve had purposely taken sses to learn how to win an elder¡¯s heart when she found out that she had to meet Harriet. Other than that, she couldn¡¯t think of any other exnation. After Genevieve left for the kitchen to cook dinner, Harriet ate the oranges peeled by Genevieve in the living room. Meanwhile, she turned to Armand and asked, ¡°Armand, since you and Vivi have gotten your marriage certificate, when do you n to have a wedding ceremony? Eventually, you¡¯d have to inform your uncles and the public about your marriage.¡± ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Marilyn reluctantly opened her mouth while gripping her shirt. ¡°I¡¯m talking to Armand. Who are you to interrupt us?¡± Harriet rebuked while shooting a re at Marilyn. Her voice was stern. Armand took a sip of his coffee, lowered his gaze, and answered, ¡°I did ask Genev about having a wedding ceremony after we got our marriage certificate. She said no.¡± He then added, ¡°She¡¯s my wife, Grandma. I will respect her decision.¡± Harriet was an intelligent woman, and she knew that Genevieve wasn¡¯t willing to announce her marriage with Armand to the world. She decided so because, one, her family had fallen, and she would have to face a lot of doubts from the public if they announced the marriage; and, two, she had to be considerate of the Faulkner family¡¯s reputation and Central Group¡¯s share price. This girl is exceptionally brilliant. With such a thought, it was impossible for Harriet not to be increasingly satisfied with her granddaughter-inw. She then red at Marilyn and warned, ¡°Vivi is my granddaughter-inw, and I like her very much. If anyone has bad intentions against her and harms her, I will not let the person off easily.¡± Marilyn knew well that the warning was directed to her. She lowered her gaze and bit her lips in frustration. The Faulkner family had many descendants, yet Harriet managed to eliminate all her opponents and help Armand rise above others. Though Armand was a capable man, one shouldn¡¯t ignore Harriet¡¯s incredible finesse. Hence, no one in the Faulkner family dared to offend the elder. Marilyn fell into deep thought. It seems that I have underestimated Genevieve previously. She is not someone to be taken lightly since she could win over Old Mrs. Faulkner¡¯s heart, the trump card of the family, in such a short time. ¡°Armand,¡± Harriet called out after ensuring Marilyn took her warning seriously. She turned to her grandson and continued, ¡°You should take good care of your wife.¡± ¡°I will, Grandma,¡± Armand replied. Genevieve had only learned two dishes from Maria. N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content. While searching for the necessary ingredients in the kitchen, she video-called Maria, begging thetter to check whether she had done it correctly. Since she had roasted Marilyn in the living room and even left a threat, it would be particrly embarrassing if her dishes tasted awful. With Maria watching over every step she made and the help of the Faulkner family¡¯s cook, Genevieve finally sessfully cooked a broiled salmon dish and a te of stir-fried beef while the housekeepers served the other dishes on the table. Stir-fried beef was Harriet¡¯s favorite dish. Genevieve personally ced two tes of dishes on the dining table. ¡°Grandma, my stir-fried beef might not be as good as the chefs. I hope you won¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very thoughtful.¡± Harriet smiled and added, ¡°I don¡¯t expect you to remember my favorite dish.¡± Then, Harriet remembered something. She turned to the housekeeper and asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t Samantha inform us that she would being home for dinner? It¡¯ste now. Why isn¡¯t she here yet? Call her and ask her about it.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The housekeeper left the dining room, ready to ce the call. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary, Mom. I¡¯m home.¡± A slightly deep female voice traveled into the dining room from a distance away. Genevieve had already pulled a chair and was ready to sit next to Armand when she heard that. She turned her head and saw a figure entering the dining area. Thedy¡¯s long, silky hair cascaded down her back, exposing her beautiful forehead. Fine lines could be seen around her eyes, demonstrating that she was no longer young. However, her skin was still snowy and stunning. There was a beauty mark at the corner of her eye too. She was wearing a long-sleeved shirt and a pair of pants. Even though her figure was slender, the aura she exuded was aloof. She looked like a tough woman who always acted quickly and decisively. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Care For His Wife Genevieve had followed her father to attend all kinds of events in the past and met with various career women. She had also seen capable women with influential family backgrounds when she went for overseas negotiations. However, she realized none of thempared to this woman before her. ¡°Aunt Samantha.¡± Armand stood up and greeted that woman casually. Then, he walked to the other end of the dining table and pulled out a chair to help her get seated. ¡°That¡¯s enough. You don¡¯t have to be so courteous next time,¡± she said while taking her seat. Her voice sounded a little hoarse instead of cold. To put it in other words, she had a husky voice. Harriet gazed at the woman affectionately. ¡°You should get plenty of rest since you¡¯re back, and you could have just asked Armand to deal with those matters.¡± Then, Harriet turned to Genevieve and introduced the woman. ¡°Vivi, this is my youngest daughter, Samantha Harriet. She¡¯s been upied with work overseas and had only recently returned to the country.¡± In fact, Genevieve had already identified the woman prior to Harriet¡¯s introduction by the way Armand had addressed her. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Aunt Samantha.¡± Genevieve stood up as well and picked up the coffeepot. She poured Samantha a cup of hot coffee from across the table. ¡°My name is Genevieve Rachford.¡± Samantha looked up and nced at Genevieve. ¡°Oh. You are much prettier in person than in pictures. Take a seat. You don¡¯t have to be so formal since we¡¯re having a meal together as a family.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Genevieve sat down obediently. She was under the assumption that Armand¡¯s aloof personality and domineering presence were unique only to him. At that moment, she came to a realization that everyone in the Faulkner family shared those characteristics. Samantha seemed to have a rtively well first impression of Genevieve. She would asionally chat with thetter throughout the meal. After she was informed of Genevieve¡¯s current upation as an employee in the trantion department of Central Group, Samantha said, ¡°I¡¯ve read some news about you on Twitter previously, so I know that you studied in a prestigious school. If you feel bored staying in Central Group, you can always request to join mypany.¡± ¡°Thank you for the offer, Aunt Samantha, but¡­¡± Genevieve nced at Armand and slightly pursed her pink lips. ¡°The main reason I¡¯m staying in Central Group is that I get to meet with Mando every day, aside from working.¡± ¡°Fair point.¡± Samantha smiled. She lifted her cup and took a sip of the coffee. Genevieve unintentionally looked up and saw the lights from the chandelier atop reflecting off Samantha¡¯s face. The flickering of the lights brought focus to the mole at the corner of Samantha¡¯s eye, giving her an icy and captivating exterior. Genevieve would not have thought Samantha was already over forty years old. Judging by Samantha¡¯s face, Genevieve figured she looked just over thirty years old. Perhaps it was because the coffee did not taste good, Genevieve noticed Samantha slightly raised her brows. That subtle gesture prompted a blurry figure to resurface in Genevieve¡¯s mind due to the simrity. Her pupils constricted instantaneously as she identally dropped her fork on the tabletop. Armand turned his head sideways to gaze at her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Genevieve picked up her fork and regained herposure. ¡°I think a mosquito bit the back of my hand just now.¡± Armand remained silent. The temperature inside the house is cool, and we even sprayed some unique mosquito repent, so how can there be a mosquito inside the house? Marilyn had already lost her appetite because Harriet was fond of Genevieve. At that instant, as she This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. took in the attentive way Armand cared for Genevieve, jealousy surged within Marilyn. ¡°Genevieve, I heard that you stumbled into your ex-husband, Cooper, at the hotel while attending Central Group¡¯s orientation a few days ago, and he nearly took advantage of you.¡± Marilyn paused briefly before asking concernedly, ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Marilyn, why did you bring that up?¡± Harriet said in displeasure. Marilyn pursed her lips. ¡°That incident spread like wildfire on the inte. Everyone saw the news, and so did I. I¡¯m asking Genevieve in person since she¡¯s here today.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, Marilyn.¡± Genevieve took a piece of fish and ced it on her te. She carefully removed the fish bones while chirping, ¡°Mando was at the hotel too that night, so I wasn¡¯t hurt. He even helped me teach Cooper a lesson, alleviating the grievances I felt.¡± ¡°I heard about that incident as well.¡± Samantha¡¯s eyes gleamed. She smirked. ¡°I thought Armand was a distant and passionless man. Surprisingly, he cares deeply for his wife.¡± Chapter 103 Chapter 103 ¡°That¡¯s right. I discovered Mando¡¯s tenderness after I married him.¡± Genevieve put on a dazzling smile. She ced the deboned fish on Armand¡¯s te. ¡°Mando, I know salmon is your favorite. Why don¡¯t you try this fish I cooked and tell me how it tastes?¡± The three women might appear to be having an ordinary conversation, but Armand could feel the hostility in the air. He seemed to be able to sense Genevieve¡¯s mischief and retaliation hiding under her sweet smile. That was the first time Armand felt that having a meal could be such an ordeal. He finished the salmon Genevieve had ced on his te while wearing a poker face. She propped up her chin with one hand and asked anticipatingly, ¡°Does the fish taste good?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Genevieve beamed. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare this dish for you every day when we¡¯re back home if you like it.¡± At that moment, the housekeeper brought a te to the living room and ced it in front of Genevieve. It was a te of beef pie. ¡°I specifically asked the housekeeper to prepare this for you. Give it a try,¡± Harriet said with a smile while pointing at the te. ¡°Thank you, Grandma.¡± Genevieve did not dare to disregard Harriet¡¯s goodwill. She took a mouthful of the beef pie with a fork and immediately tasted the smell of raw beef in her mouth. She instinctively spat out the beef pie onto a te. ¡°Grandma, this beef pie is uncooked¡­¡± ¡°Is it? I thought you were experiencing early pregnancy morning sickness.¡± The grin on Harriet¡¯s face grew wider. ¡°Now that we¡¯ve mentioned this, you should give birth to more children while you¡¯re still young. I¡¯ll help you take care of the kids.¡± Genevieve finally understood the reason behind Harriet¡¯s series of actions. She looked at the man seated beside her and lowered her head. Genevieve said embarrassingly, ¡°Okay. Mando and I will try our best when we return home¡­¡± Marilyn had had enough. She mmed her fork heavily on the table, causing heads to turn in her direction. ¡°I-I don¡¯t feel well¡­¡± She forced herself to stay calm, suppressing her trembling voice and stood up. ¡°Grandma, Aunt Samantha, I¡¯ll be heading upstairs first. Please enjoy the meal.¡± Marilyn staggered when she turned to leave. She had to rely on the housekeeper¡¯s assistance to bnce herself. ¡°Mandy, prepare a serving of Mdm. Marilyn¡¯s favorite macaroni and bring the dish up to her room,¡± Armand summoned a young housekeeper and gave his orders. ¡°Yes, Mr. Armand.¡± Mandy bowed slightly before hurriedly going into the kitchen. Harriet pretended as if she did not see a thing. She ced some roasted potatoes on Genevieve¡¯s te and said while wearing a gentle smile, ¡°Here, Genevieve. Try this potato.¡± ¡°Okay. Thank you, Grandma.¡± Genevieve grinned politely. The atmosphere inside the dining room remained lively and pleasant,pletely unaffected by Marilyn¡¯s departure. After they were done having dinner, Harriet waved at Genevieve. ¡°Vivi, apany me to take a walk in the garden to help with food digestion.¡± Genevieveplied with Harriet¡¯s wish without hesitation. She held thetter¡¯s arm and walked out of the house. Armand and Samantha went to the living room. Their conversation swiftly shifted to a business-rted topic as they chatted. Since Armand took over the Faulkner family, he had purged all the executives and directors in Faulkner Group aside from Samantha alone. Putting aside Samantha¡¯s identity as Harriet¡¯s favorite daughter, Samantha had supported Armand and provided him with significant help during the family¡¯s power struggle in the past. Therefore, Armand had given Samantha the authority to run a few overseaspanies after Faulkner Group¡¯s operation stabilized. Notwithstanding the fact that everyone in the Faulkner family was business-minded people, Samantha had undoubtedly proven herself to be a capable person. Armand could rest assured, letting her handle the few overseaspanies. After that, he gave her not only part of Faulkner Group¡¯s shares but also some of Central Group¡¯s shares. Samantha grabbed the box of cigarettes on the table and lit one up after they were done discussing business-rted matters. ¡°The girl you chose is not bad. At the very least, your grandma is very fond of her.¡± Armand merely grunted in response. Samantha puffed twice on her cigarette before saying half-heartedly, ¡°I heard my mother deliberately arranged for you to go to the hotel and sent a wealthy youngdy who fancies you there to force you to get married. However, an unexpected issue happened halfway through. As a result, the room the Material ? N?velDrama.Org. youngdy went to was not the room you were staying in.¡± She paused briefly before continuing, ¡°Do you think this issue was due to fate or human intervention?¡± Samantha looked up and gazed at the indifferent man seated on the other end of the couch. Chapter 104 Chapter 104 Samantha curled her lips into a smirk. ¡°Why do I feel like you were going against your grandma?¡± Armand¡¯s eyes twitched, and his expression was still cold. ¡°Aunt Samantha, you¡¯re overthinking. I changed my room that night. Coincidentally, I bumped into Genevieve.¡± Samantha chuckled. ¡°Yes. I guess I¡¯m overthinking. Genevieve is beautiful and smart. But then¡­¡± Holding a cigarette between her fingers, she picked up her coffee on the table and asked, ¡°How long can she stay by your side?¡± Armand replied, ¡°As long as Grandma likes her, she can stay as long as she wants.¡± ¡°Even if Mom likes her, I¡¯m afraid you might not be able to keep her, anyway.¡± Samantha looked like she had seen through everything. She shot him a meaningful nce and continued, ¡°She can¡¯t stop what¡¯s going to happen to her.¡± Armand sensed the meaning behind his words. His eyes twitched again in response. Right then, Mandy, the young housekeeper, walked to the living room. Bowing, she said, ¡°Mdm. Marilyn is not feeling well. She requested you to go and check on her.¡± Samantha smiled as she put out her unfinished cigarette on the ashtray. ¡°Great. We¡¯ve just finished talking too. I¡¯m going upstairs to take some rest now.¡± Having said that, she stood up and headed upstairs. Armand was still sitting on the couch with his head hung low. Holding a cup of coffee in his hand, he exuded a cold temperament around him. Mandy stood there and waited for a long time. Ten minutester, she started sweating profusely. Left with no choice, she mustered up her courage and said, ¡°Mdm. Marilyn says she has something to tell you. Please go upstairs and¡ª¡± ¡°All right,¡± Armand replied emotionlessly, putting his cup of coffee on the table. Meanwhile, Genevieve held Harriet¡¯s arm while walking in the garden. The pale, silver moonlight shone on the stone pavements, illuminating the path. As they walked, they could hear the faint rhythmic chirping of insects that sounded from a distance away. Harriet nced at the moon as she started slowing down her pace. ¡°Vivi, I have an old story to share with you. Do you want to listen to it?¡± It seemed like Genevieve had predicted what she wanted to say. Her gaze darkened in an instant. ¡°Grandma, if you want to share it with me, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± she replied softly. Then, they walked toward the bench beside the pavement and sat on it together. Harriet told her a story about a pair of lovers who fell in love but were identally separated. Fourteen years ago, Armand met the second daughter of the Wood family, Marilyn, in a hospital. He fell in love with her at first sight. Marilyn was quite famous in the music industry during that period. Hence, many young, wealthy men tried to pursue her even though she was still a minor. Both Marilyn¡¯s and Armand¡¯s families were equally prominent and influential. Moreover, Armand was outstanding and capable even though he was still young. Not to mention that Marilyn had feelings for him too. Therefore, they got into a rtionship soon after. After they dated each other, Armand treated Marilyn so well as if she was a treasure. No matter which country Marilyn went to organize her concert or attend training, Armand would always go and visit her every four days despite how busy he was. He had never missed any of her recitals. Furthermore, he would always sit on the most conspicuous seat in the first row of the auditorium. After Marilyn finished her performance, he would go on the stage and hand her a bouquet personally every ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. time. Unfortunately, Armand took over more and more businesses soon after, so he became busier. Besides, Central Group had just been established in Jadeborough during that time. Hence, he had to spend most of his time at work. Because of that, he could not meet Marilyn frequently. Although they had to spend a lot of time away from each other, Armand was always caring toward Marilyn. He asked someone to custom-make their wedding rings, and he nned to propose to her after returning to the country. Sadly, before Armand could finish settling his work overseas, he heard the bad news that the ne his father boarded had crashed. When that happened, the entire Faulkner family broke into utter chaos. Armand quickly returned to the country to settle his father¡¯s funeral and post-death matters with his brothers. He nned to visit the Wood family to discuss his engagement with Marilyn first. They would then hold the wedding after Armand¡¯s father¡¯s funeral. Unexpectedly, when he arrived at the Wood family, he noticed that his third brother, Samuel, was also there. The Wood family epted the marriage between Samuel and Marilyn. Genevieve could note back to her senses even after Harriet finished her story. Some days ago, Genevieve forced Patrick to tell her the story between Armand and Marilyn. However, the man hardly followed Armand around, so he did not know much about thetter¡¯s story. Hence, Genevieve only knew that Marilyn was Armand¡¯s first love, and they had ended up on bad terms before engagement. I didn¡¯t expect the truth of the story to be like this. Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Chapter 105 No Time For You Genevieve ced both hands on her knees and stared at the nts opposite the stone pavements without blinking. Armand¡¯s exquisite but icy-cold face appeared on her mind. She did not know how to describe the emotions surging within her. Sadness overwhelmed her, leaving an ufortable feeling in her heart. It turns out that he¡¯s not born cold-hearted. I didn¡¯t know that he used to love someone with all his heart. After some time, Genevieve pursed her dry lips and asked Harriet, ¡°Didn¡¯t Ms. Marilyn love Mando a lot? She could¡¯ve rejected Mr. Samuel when he went to see her.¡± ¡°Love?¡± Harriet chuckled. A tinge of mockery shed across her sharp eyes. ¡°When I found out that Samuel had gone to the Wood family to propose to Marilyn, I asked Marilyn toe over and gave her a chance to reconsider her decision. After all, I was worried that she was not thinking straight. However, she insisted on marrying Samuel as she felt happy being together with him.¡± After a brief pause, she continued, ¡°She abandoned her rtionship with Armand without hesitation even though they had dated each other for more than ten years. Moreover, she decided to marry another man in such a short time. Do you think that¡¯s love? That¡¯s not all. After Samuel passed away in the ident, she came and told me that she was immature, so she had made the wrong decision back then. She even imed that she still had feelings for Armand. That¡¯s ridiculous, isn¡¯t that? If it weren¡¯t for the child in her belly, I would never want to see her anymore. But then¡­¡± Harriet did not finish her sentence. However, Genevieve could understand everything behind the former¡¯s heavy sigh. She hugged Harriet¡¯s arm and leaned her head on thetter¡¯s shoulder. ¡°My grandma passed away at an early age. I¡¯m always upset about that. Now that I¡¯ve seen you, I feel that she hase back. Grandma, you¡¯re smart. Although there are many things I don¡¯t talk about, you can still find out the truths on your own. However, I really like you a lot, Grandma. I want to fulfill my filial duties toward you. From now on, you¡¯ll always be my grandma as long as you ept me,¡± she said softly. ¡°I like you too.¡± Lifting a hand, Harriet caressed Genevieve¡¯s long, dark hair lovingly. ¡°I don¡¯t wish for Armand to have any connections with Marilyn. Sadly, Armand is the grandchild I pamper the most. He¡¯s in his thirties now, so I really hope that he can find someone he loves and build a family.¡± She paused upon saying that. A momentter, she added, ¡°I hope you can try working things out with Armand. If you guys can¡¯t get along well, I won¡¯t force you to stay with him.¡± ¡°Grandma¡­¡± Tears welled up Genevieve¡¯s eyes in an instant. Harriet took off her emerald bracelet and put it on Genevieve. Putting on a warm smile, she caressed the youngdy¡¯s hand slowly. ¡°It¡¯s okay if you guys don¡¯t work out. It really is.¡± Genevieve did not know what to say. She leaned her head on Harriet¡¯s shoulder affectionately. They continued chatting in the garden for some time. Suddenly, Genevieve realized that it was already and returned to the house. After sending Harriet back to her room, Genevieve asked the housekeeper about the location of Armand¡¯s room. Just as she was about to open his room door, someone opened the door from inside. The next moment, Marilyn walked out of the room. Not only were her eyes puffy, but they were red too. It seemed like she had just finished crying. Marilyn did not expect to run into Genevieve at the doorway. Her expression changed as she asked, ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°This is me and my husband¡¯s room. Of course, I¡¯m here to sleep. Otherwise, where should I go?¡± Genevieve curled her lips into a faint smile. ¡°How about you, Marilyn? What are you doing here?¡± Marilyn pursed her lips hard. With a cold voice, she said, ¡°I came to talk about something with Armand.¡± With that said, she walked past Genevieve. Thetter turned around and looked at Marilyn, who was walking away. She then gave thetter a kind reminder. ¡°Marilyn, you better finish up what you want to say in one go if you have anything to discuss with my husband. After all, he might not have the time for youter.¡± Marilyn could tell what Genevieve was implying, so she got so furious that she almost fell. Gritting her teeth, she supported her body by pressing a hand against the wall. Immediately, she strode past the long hallway and entered her room. With a loud bang, the door was mmed shut. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Genevieve could sense Marilyn¡¯s fury from the way she closed the door. For some reason, her frustration vanished as soon as she saw that. On top of that, her mood even brightened a little. Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Chapter 106 Do Not Go Overboard As Genevieve entered the room, she caught a whiff of a mild floral scent that she thought was fairly familiar. She sniffed again and immediately remembered the same scent that had been on Armand¡¯s trench coat previously. Recalling the past, Genevieve pursed her lips. She knew that the person she had seen outside the cafe that day had to be Armand. Despite that, Patrick refused to admit it. The floral scent was mild and sweet. Yet, Genevieve was a little disgusted. She took out the portable perfume from her bag and sprayed it all over the room until the ten milliliters of the portable perfume were empty. Only then did Genevieve no longer smell the floral fragrance and was satisfied. Just then, Armand came out of the bathroom wearing a smoky gray bathrobe. The man¡¯s bathrobe was loosely tied, revealing his nude chest. His wet hair was against his scalp, making him look even more elegant. Nevertheless, his gaze remained to be ruthless and sharp. While wiping his hair, Armand walked out to smell the perfume in the air all over the room. It seemed to be a wild rose fragrance. He raised his eyebrows slightly. ¡°Why did you spray so much perfume in the room?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a smell in the air that I don¡¯t like, so I spray them to cover it up,¡± replied Genevieve matter-of- factly. Armand was at a loss for words. Genevieve took a few steps back and leaned against the cab behind her. Then, she turned her head to look at the man in the bathrobe and deliberately said coquettishly, ¡°Darling, you went to take a shower before Marilyn left. Aren¡¯t you afraid that she would follow you to the bathroom?¡± ¡°Darling¡± was a rather intimate way of addressing it. Genevieve had used it several times since she had Armand did not detest the way she addressed him. However, he could sense the sarcasm in her tone. His brows twisted into a frown as he said, ¡°Genevieve, your duty to marry me is to make Grandma happy. So, don¡¯t be bothered about what you shouldn¡¯t be concerned with. You¡¯ve gone overboard in the Faulkner residence today. I don¡¯t want that to happen again when youe next time.¡± A glint of innocence appeared in Genevieve¡¯s bright eyes as she exchanged nces with the man. With an innocent tone, she remarked, ¡°How could I have gone overboard? I¡¯ve been pleasing Grandma. Shouldn¡¯t I be doing that?¡± Armand was dumbstruck by her words. He halted abruptly as he wiped his hair. Then, he strode toward Genevieve. As his body of 1.9-meter height approached her, she could feel the overwhelming tension. ¡°Marilyn is pregnant and is mentally weak.¡± Armand leaned over slightly with one hand on the cab. It seemed as if he was wrapping the woman in his arms. Yet, his expression was frosty. ¡°Next time, don¡¯t retort her no matter what she says, and don¡¯t bully her,¡± he warned. The man¡¯s gaze was aloof. His expression was cold, without the slightest emotion on his face. Despite that, Genevieve could notice his indulgence toward Marilyn in his simple few words. She curled her lips and almostughed. I thought that Ms. Wood whom I¡¯ve always respected, only pretended to be weak and secretly hated me, but I didn¡¯t expect that she¡¯d snitch on me while acting innocent. ¡°When did I bully her?¡± asked Genevieve. ¡°I took the initiative to cook dinner. When I saw her finger was injured by a knife, I bandaged her. She tried to humiliate me at the dining table, but I didn¡¯t say anything. And that was how I¡¯ve bullied her, hm?¡± She reached out her slender fingers to poke the man¡¯s chest repeatedly as she said, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, please don¡¯t go too far.¡± Genevieve did not poke the man¡¯s chest through the bathrobe but directly on his muscle. Her soft fingers poked him weakly like a flirting gesture. Armand¡¯s heart fluttered. He suddenly grabbed her hand and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know you¡¯re a good debater.¡± ¡°I was just telling the truth. What does it have to do with debating?¡± Genevieve took the initiative to get closer to him as she moved her hand that was held by him. Her fingers were quietly stroking his palm as she asked, ¡°What do you think, Darling?¡± As she was very close to him, her slightly warm breath with a mild scent enveloped his lips. Armand narrowed his eyes. Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Chapter 107 Why Are You Looking At Me Genevieve¡¯s personality had changed drastically over the past few days, especially since she had so happy with only a few words. It was also the first time he had seen Harriet be fond of someone so much. Armand¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed. He let go of Genevieve¡¯s hand and said coldly, ¡°You¡¯ll only need to please Grandma but not me, or I¡¯ll be annoyed.¡± Genevieve¡¯s gaze darkened, but she quickly shed a smile. ¡°Of course! You¡¯re my boss, so anything you say.¡± She mmed the earrings on the cab, turned, and walked toward the bathroom. Looking at the woman¡¯s slender back, Armand frowned. He hurriedly averted his gaze. After drying his hair, he dealt with some emails untilte in the night. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and turned off theputer. Just as he lifted the quilt and got in bed, he caught sight of Genevieveing out of the bathroom. Her wavy hair was against her back, and she seemed to be in a good mood. After taking a shower, the pores all over her body opened up, revealing her fair and tender skin, which was as smooth as an egg with its shell peeled off. Her beautiful toes were shrunk in the cotton slippers, Material ? N?velDrama.Org. looking beautiful and delicious. At the sight of her delicate corbone exposed from her nightgown, Armand suddenly felt that the temperature in the room was a little high. Despite the air conditioner being turned on, he felt rather hot. His heart filled with lust for her that neither could grow nor extinguish. The woman stood there without doing anything. Yet, she could easily disrupt his thoughts. That was something that had never happened to him before. Armand even suspected that either Genevieve was deliberately seducing him by wearing such a low- neckline nightdress or that there was some kind of illegal drug left in his body. Genevieve did not notice the man, who was sitting on the bed, had his thoughts go wild while staring at her. She took out several bottles from the dresser andpleted her skincare routine before going to bed from the other side. Then, she switched off the light and got under the quilt getting ready to sleep. From beginning to end, she did not even spare Armand a nce. Watching her series of actions, Armand was inexplicably amused. His thin lips slightly curved into a smirk. After a while, he switched off the light andy t on the bed. Just then, he keenly heard the subtle movement outside the door. In the darkness, the man¡¯s eyes seemed to narrow. Suddenly, he went on top of Genevieve, found her lips urately, and lowered his head to kiss them. Genevieve, who was caught off guard by the kiss, was momentarily stunned. With the gleam of the moonlight, she stared wide-eyed at the man on top of her, utterly perplexed. She had juste out of the bathroom without saying a word to him, nor had she seduced him. Why did he suddenlye on top of me? Is he trying to use me to satisfy his desire? Genevieve was a little irritated and wanted to turn her head away to avoid his kiss. However, she was held still by the man, whoter raised his hand to stroke her soft earlobe. Her earlobe was pretty sensitive. As he stroked it, she felt as though her body was instantly melted in his embrace. All of a sudden, she felt a warm flow from her lower body. Perhaps the two were too close. Soon, Armand got a sniff of a faint fishy smell. His hand that had just rested on the woman¡¯s slender waist froze in ce. He raised his body a little and stared intently at the woman under him. Genevieve took a few light breaths before looking up to see Armand staring at her. She pursed her slightly swollen red lips. ¡°Why are you looking at me? I can¡¯t stop my menses froming, can I?¡± Armand was dumbfounded. ¡°Get up. I¡¯m going to deal with it in the bathroom.¡± Genevieve did not like the sticky feeling, so she pushed the man, trying to get up. However, the man grabbed her hand tightly and lowered his body again. He buried his head on her neck, kissed and bit it gently. As his warm breath puffed on her skin, Genevieve could not help but moan. Just then, Genevieve vaguely heard voices from outside the door. ¡°Old Mrs. Faulkner, shall we go back to sleep?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Harriet seemed to be in a good mood. Her voice sounded as if she was smiling as she said, ¡°Tell the housekeepers not to wake Mr. Armand and Mdm. Genevieve up early tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Genevieve was lost for words. As the footsteps outside the door gradually faded, Armand released Genevieve and sat on the other side of the bed, gloomy. Genevieve, who was absolutely speechless, pulled the nightgown strap under her shoulder. She thought that Armand had lost control of himself and wanted to take advantage of her as a patient by forcing himself on her. She was clueless that Armand had discovered Harriet eavesdropping outside the door and thus wanted to act and show her. Chapter 108 Chapter 108 Genevieve rarely had menstrual cramps during her period but would generally feel fatigued, so she slept until noon the next day. The housekeepers of the Faulkner residence were informed immediately at night, so none of them disturbed her. However, Harriet was worried that Genevieve might not have any clothes to change into, so she had someone purchase some at a counter in a mall. The dozens of sets of clothes were then sent to Genevieve¡¯s room without her knowledge. Not only were the clothes all from luxury brands, but there was also jewelry that could go with them. Although the Rachford family had crumbled, Genevieve¡¯s quality of life hadn¡¯t deteriorated at all after she got together with Armand. Soon, she was able to pick out a suitable set of clothing for herself. The moment she opened the door and went out, she saw Marilyning out of her room as well. Marilyn did not seem to have slept well, for she wasn¡¯t looking good and had bags under her eyes. Genevieve had been bleeding a lot during her period, so her face was a bit pale, but she was in good spirits. When she saw Marilyn, she greeted thetter politely, ¡°Good morning, Marilyn.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte in the morning.¡± Marilyn nced at Genevieve before asking in a gentle tone, ¡°Do you usually wake up thiste too when staying with Armand?¡± Genevieve smiled. ¡°I would wake up on time while at home, but I was¡­ too tiredst night.¡± Upon hearing that, Marilyn sulked as her eyes darkened. She had heard from the housekeepers that Harriet had instructed them not to wake Genevieve up in the morning and to let her sleep for as long as she wished to. Marilyn swept a casual nce at Genevieve¡¯s face, only to notice the faint hickeys on her neck. Quickly, she understood the reason Genevieve slept in and looked slightly exhausted. Her face paled instantly as she gritted her teeth. ¡°You¡­ Last night, you two¡­¡± Genevieve pressed her hand on her neck when she noticed Marilyn staring at it, swiftly recalling that Armand had bit herst night. ¡°My apologies for letting you see this.¡± Genevieve pulled her lips into a thin line before adding in frustration, ¡°I told my husband that he should show some restraint when we¡¯re not at home, but he didn¡¯t listen to me.¡± She felt delightful upon noticing that Marilyn¡¯s body swayed, her face paling even more. I, too, know a thing or two about making people feel disgusted. When Genevieve raised her hand, Marilyn noticed a lovely bracelet on her wrist. She also realized immediately that it was Harriet¡¯s favorite bracelet. ording to professional appraisers, it would at least cost thirty million. Although Harriet had gifted Marilyn a bracelet too after thetter got pregnant, it wasn¡¯t as exquisite as the one given to Genevieve. Just going by that, it was apparent that Harriet was biased toward Genevieve. Marilyn clenched her fists as she suppressed feelings of envy that arose within her, looking at Genevieve calmly. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to hold onto a man like him, Genevieve.¡± Without warning, Genevieve raised her right hand to show off her wedding ring. ¡°Why would you say that when I¡¯m already wearing a wedding ring?¡± It came as another huge blow to Marilyn¡¯s ego. Supporting herself against the wall to steady her swaying body, she snarked, ¡°So what if you have a wedding ring? It was Old Mrs. Faulkner who had the rings sent to you both. Armand only put it on because he had always been obedient to his grandmother! Why do you think he even married you? It was because she forced him to do so! He would never have his eyes on a woman like you!¡± Her tone was menacing as she glowered at Genevieve. ¡°So who do you suppose he would set his sights on? You?¡± Genevieve threw Owned by N?velDrama.Org. the ball back at her. ¡°Of course!¡± Marilyn had a gentle look on her face as she imed in arrogance, ¡°I¡¯ve known Armand for more than ten years. He only adores and has eyes for me. On the contrary, You only married him for his money.¡± She looked at Genevieve in disdain. ¡°Indeed.¡± Genevieve nodded smilingly. ¡°I¡¯ve married him for the money, so I don¡¯t care if he loves me or not. Even if he was forced into this marriage by Old Mrs. Faulkner, it¡¯s got nothing to do with me. He can always file for a divorce, or I¡¯ll just continue living as his wife.¡± Marilyn bit on her bottom lip harshly. ¡°Genevieve, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re lowly?¡± ¡°I got together with him with my own abilities. He wasn¡¯t married, so I never was a third wheel. Why should I think so lowly of myself when I earned all this with my own two hands?¡± Genevieve was still smiling dly. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Chapter 109 Marilyn Miscarried In a few strides, she walked up to Marilyn. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re the one who¡¯s actually lowly, Ms. Wood? You were the one who abandoned Mando to marry Mr. Samuel but regretted your decision afterward. Since Mando still has feelings for you, you want to get back together with him again.¡± Upon hearing what Genevieve said, Marilyn knew it must be Harriet who told her that. ¡°Shut up!¡± Marilyn chided. Genevieve smiled. ¡°What is it? Are you frustrated that I revealed your dirty little secret? You don¡¯t love him, nor were you young and naive. All you enjoyed was the high of being sought after by powerful and influential men.¡± Genevieve bent down to check on Marilyn, who was overwrought with shame. ¡°I said, shut up!¡± Marilyn¡¯s face fell in an instant before raising her hand in an attempt to p Genevieve, who, of course, wouldn¡¯t just stand idly and allow herself to be pped. As Marilyn¡¯s arm approached, Genevieve grabbed her wrist firmly. ¡°You¡¯ve already gained enough out of this, Ms. Wood. Don¡¯t be greedy, lest you lose more than you gain.¡± After saying that, she cast Marilyn¡¯s arm away before turning around to head to the stairs, leaving Marilyn rooted to her spot with a solemn look in her eyes. Not only was it due to Genevieve¡¯sments that hit the nail on the head, but thetter¡¯s attitude also infuriated her. Marilyn was born in a prestigious family, so she grew up pampered and never had to suffer for even a bit, whereas Genevieve, who stood before her, had nothing. How dare she act so arrogantly in front of me like this? How dare she criticize me? A few housekeepers were busy with work in the ground-floor living room. Upon seeing Genevieve ¡°What would you like to have, Mdm. Genevieve?¡± asked one of them. Seeing that it was about time for lunch, Genevieve asked them for some oatmeal that couldst her till lunchtime. While eating her oatmeal, Genevieve checked the family members¡¯ whereabouts with the housekeeper.Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Armand had left for work in thepany early that morning, while Harriet had brought Samantha to Derport Church after receiving news that Raymond, the pastor, would be returning to the church that morning. Thus, all who were left in the house were Marilyn, herself, and the housekeepers. Right after the housekeeper answered Genevieve¡¯s questions, another housekeeper working outside seemed to require some help, so the housekeeper was called outside. After Genevieve finished her oatmeal, she brought the bowl to the kitchen on her own, seeing that no other housekeeper was in the house. When she got back out, she went to the pantry next to the kitchen to pour herself some soda water. Because she had her back to the door, she didn¡¯t notice someone entering the pantry. It wasn¡¯t until she turned around with her ss in her hand that she realized Marilyn was standing behind her, staring at her with a gloomy look in her eye. Creeped out by Marilyn¡¯s stare, Genevieve didn¡¯t even notice Marilyn was holding a kettle. Just when she was about to speak, Marilyn raised her hand and tilted the kettle in her direction. Genevieve had a keen eye and noticed that there was still water vaporing out of the kettle, so she surmised that the content in it must be water that was just boiled. She took a few steps back instinctively while trying to move away from Marilyn, but thetter had closed in on her and poured the boiling water from the kettle onto her dress. For an instant, Genevieve felt like both her legs were submerged in hotva, the heat causing her to shudder. Genevieve couldn¡¯t help but shriek before extending her arms to shove Marilyn with all of her might. She was already overwhelmed by pain as her legs were trembling from the heat of the boiling water, so she didn¡¯t even touch Marilyn even though both her arms were extended. Yet, Marilyn staggered backward and fell onto the ground as if being pushed. With a loud thud, the kettle she was holding crashed onto the floor as well, the hot water in it sttering on her exposed arm. ¡°Aaah!¡± Marilyn wailed in agony, her arm shaking. A few housekeepers hurried over. Uponying eyes on the sight in the pantry, they were so frightened that none of them knew what to do. ¡°B-Blood¡­¡± One of them noted with a keen eye that blood was trickling down Marilyn¡¯s calf. As she pointed at Marilyn, her face was pale, and she seemed as if she would copse by the next moment. Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Chapter 110 Who Do You Think You Are ¡°Quick! Help Mdm. Marilyn into the house!¡± ¡°Call Dr. Jensen!¡± As soon as the housekeepers regained their senses, one of them rushed to call the doctor. Just when the other two were about to help Marilyn, a tall figure marched over to her while pushing the housekeepers aside. When Armand saw Marilyn in the pantry, his pupils contracted in fear. He entered the pantry with haste and bent down to carefully lift Marilyn up. Marilyn rested her arm over his neck naturally as she said in a trembling voice, ¡°My belly¡­ It hurts¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic. The housekeepers already called Timothy,¡± Armand consoled Marilyn as he carried her away from the pantry. The housekeepers followed behind him without dy. Nobody seemed to notice that Genevieve was still in the pantry. The thin hem of her dress couldn¡¯t stop the hot water from seeping onto her skin, so both her legs were seriously scalded, and she couldn¡¯t even stand. Soon, her hands gave out, and she copsed onto the ground as tears fell. She didn¡¯t have a phone with her, so she could only call for help from the housekeepers, but nobody replied to her even after she shouted a few times. It wasn¡¯t until after a minute or so that a housekeeper heard her and rushed to the pantry. Without caring for anything else, she quickly sshed some cold water on Genevieve¡¯s injured legs. After lifting Genevieve¡¯s skirt, the housekeeper nearly dropped the basin she held onto the floor. ¡°M- Mdm. Genevieve¡­¡± The entirety of Genevieve¡¯s fair and lean legs, from her thighs to her calves, were red from the burn she suffered. Because the burns weren¡¯t cooled down in time, blisters had covered a huge area of the skin. The housekeeper dared not dally as she continued to ssh water onto Genevieve¡¯s legs. Even after doing so for another ten minutes, Genevieve was still in much pain. The housekeeper could only help Genevieve to the living room before pouring all of the ice from the fridge into a bucket. Then, she submerged Genevieve¡¯s legs in it to cool it down. ¡°Mdm. Genevieve, ointments won¡¯t work on this. I need to call a doctor. There will be dire consequences if we don¡¯t take care of the injuries on your legs right away,¡± stated the housekeeper with a frown. Just when she was about to make a call on thendline, she noticed another housekeeper hurrying to open the door before showing Timothy, who was holding a medical kit, into the house. The moment the housekeeper was about to call out to Timothy, he already went to the second floor in haste alongside the housekeeper who answered the door. ¡°Why did Dr. Jensen go upstairs?¡± ¡°Mdm. Marilyn had slipped and fallen too.¡± The excruciating pain on Genevieve¡¯s legs drained her face and lips of color. ¡°For now, just apply some ointment on me.¡± The housekeeper lifted her legs from the bucket and dried them before slowly applying the ointment to her injury. The ointment was cooling, while the burns on Genevieve¡¯s legs were incredibly serious. Even the tiny pressure from the housekeeper applying ointment on her legs caused her to shudder in pain while sweating buckets. Just when the housekeeper was about to leave for the storagepartment to get more ointment, she turned around to see Armanding downstairs with a menacing expression and a gloomy stare. The housekeeper shuddered in fear as she stuttered, ¡°Mr. Armand, Mdm. Genevieve¡ª¡± Just as the housekeeper was about to say something, Armand shoved her aside and marched up to Genevieve before pinching her chin firmly between two fingers. Under his iron grip, she felt as if her bones would be crushed by him. ¡°Genevieve, haven¡¯t I warned you to be more tolerant of her?¡± Armand¡¯s voice was bone-chilling. ¡°Please don¡¯t be like this, Mr. Armand.¡± The housekeeper who was shoved aside scrambled to get up before approaching Armand to exin hastily, ¡°Mdm. Genevieve is hurt too. Her legs¡ª¡± ¡°Why does Mdm. Genevieve¡¯s injury even matter?¡± The housekeeper named Mandy came downstairs alongside Armand, dragging the other housekeeper away from him aftering over to them. ¡°Mdm. Marilyn nearly had a miscarriage because she shoved her!¡± Mandy said begrudgingly. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. Perhaps Mandy¡¯s words had triggered Armand, so his expression darkened considerably. ¡°Did you assume you can do as you pleased in this household just because Grandma likes you? Who do you think you are, Genevieve?¡± His tone was intimidating. Genevieve¡¯s chin hurt from his grip. She opened her mouth in an attempt to exin herself, but she almost suffocated when she raised her head and saw the rolling menace in his gaze. It was as if she was numb to the pain in her legs and drained of strength all of a sudden. His reaction seemed to indicate that he would actually kill her if Marilyn miscarried. Chapter 111 Chapter 111 ¡°Do you want me to go upstairs to apologize to her?¡± asked Genevieve in a soft voice as she propped herself up from the couch with her head raised while looking at Armand. It wasn¡¯t until then that he noticed that her face was extremely pale. There was also a hint of agony in her expression because of the pain. Frowning, he released her immediately. When he turned to go back upstairs, he demanded the housekeeper coldly, ¡°Call for a doctor!¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Knowing that Timothy wouldn¡¯t be able to Genevieve held her hand down. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary.¡± ¡°But Mdm. Genevieve, your legs¡­¡± The housekeeper nced at the drenched hem of Genevieve¡¯s dress before saying in worry, ¡°Those burns will leave scars if we don¡¯t tend to them in time¡­¡± Ignoring the housekeeper, Genevieve took out her phone and dialed a number. After around ten or so minutes, Patrick arrived at the Faulkner residence. He was surprised when he saw Genevieve¡¯s pale face when he entered the living room. ¡°What happened to you, Genev?¡± Instead of replying to him, she stood up from the couch while gritting her teeth. ¡°Come help me up.¡± After Patrick moved closer, she leaned against his arm before tentatively taking a step. The excruciating pain in her legs made her face contort with agony. ¡°You should stop, Mdm. Genevieve.¡± The housekeeper could sense her pain just by looking at her. ¡°I¡¯ll call a doctor.¡± Forcing herself, Genevieve took two more steps to get ustomed to the pain before turning around to instruct the housekeeper, ¡°Inform Old Mrs. Faulkner when she returns that I¡¯ll dine with her another day.¡± ¡°Mdm. Genevieve¡­¡± Even though the housekeeper wanted to say something, Genevieve left with Patrick physically supporting her. It took her all of her strength just to walk out of the house. No longer able to hold herself up, she almost copsed as her legs shivered. Frowning, Patrick caught her in time. ¡°Genev, are your legs hurt?¡± He saw the bucket beside the couch as soon as he entered the house. Judging from the housekeeper¡¯s tone of voice, Genevieve seemed to have suffered a grave injury, but he couldn¡¯t check on her condition. She refused to reply while struggling to walk with her head hung low. Due to exertion, the veins on the back of her hand popped up. Seeing that she wasn¡¯t about to reply to him, Patrick braced himself before leaning over to reach his arms underneath her legs and lift her. The moment his arm came into contact with her legs, she gasped while clutching onto his shirt tightly. She buried her face in his chest as she shuddered. ¡°Hang in there. I¡¯m taking you to the hospital.¡± Patrick carried her while hurrying to the car. Soon, he felt a warm liquid seeping through his shirt andnding on his chest, causing him to stop in his tracks for a moment. He knew Genevieve was Material ? N?velDrama.Org. crying. Upon reaching the car, Patrick opened the backdoor with one hand before gentlyying Genevieve down on the seat. Then, he climbed into the driver¡¯s seat and drove the car out of the Faulkner residence. Patrick called the hospital as he drove, informing them that he had a patient who got scalded. Upon hearing that, Genevieve said while enduring the pain, ¡°I¡¯m not going to the hospital.¡± ¡°This won¡¯t do. I heard the housekeeper mention that your injuries are serious. Let¡¯s get it checked at the hospital first,¡± Patrick objected. ¡°No. We¡¯re going to Regality Gardens.¡± There was an aloof and stubborn look on Genevieve¡¯s small, pale face. ¡°Otherwise, stop the car by the road and let me out!¡± Patrick didn¡¯t respond to that. ¡°Patrick!¡± Genevieve raised her voice. ¡°I! Am! Not! Going! To! The! Hospital!¡± She abhorred the smell of disinfectant in hospitals, which would also remind her of the past that she wished to forget. ¡°All right. We won¡¯t go to the hospital.¡± Seeing that she was, indeed, angry, Patrick coerced her with nice words while making a U-turn at the traffic lights to head to Regality Gardens as per her request. He looked at her from the rearview mirror, noting that she was texting someone on her phone. Chapter 112 Chapter 112 Regality Gardens was a well-known housing area in the city center. It was famous for its prime environment, excellent services, and home to many wealthy people and celebrities. Patrick drove to the south entrance of Regality Gardens and saw a man dressed in a suit standing by the roadside. The man was looking around, and when he saw Patrick¡¯s car, he quickly ran toward them. The man in a suit walked toward the backseat and greeted Genevieve, who had lowered the car window and showed her face. ¡°Ms. Rachford.¡± Genevieve asked Patrick to unlock the car, and the man got in. Listening to Genevieve and the man¡¯s conversation, Patrick learned that the man was a realtor agent. He was there to show her the houses. Soon, they reached the building at the back of Regality Gardens. The agent brought Genevieve and Patrick to the 16th floor and showed them therge condominium. Therge condominium was elegantly decorated, with everything from an indoor pool to a home theatre. It was the kind that one could move in immediately. Patrick held on to Genevieve as they walked into the house. Thetter sat on the couch, nced around, and took out a card from her bag. ¡°I¡¯ll buy this.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As soon as the agent heard that, he quickly took out the agreement from his bag. The entire buying process took only ten minutes. Patrick sent the agent out, and at the same time, the doctor that he called had arrived at Regality Gardens. Since they could not get in, Patrick went down to fetch them. After the doctor entered the house, he lifted a bit of Genevieve¡¯s wet skirt. Patrick stood next to the couch. From his point of view, he could clearly see Genevieve¡¯s exposed calves. Her skin was burnt red, and almost none of her skin was intact. Judging by the seriousness of her calves, the burn on her thighs might have been even more severe. The doctor was still lifting her skirt, so Patrick turned around and clenched his fists tightly. ¡°Ms. Rachford, your burnt injury is too severe.¡± As the doctor examined Genevieve¡¯s calves, he gasped. ¡°You need to go to the hospital. Ointments are useless. Otherwise, it¡¯ll leave an unsightly, huge scar on your legs.¡± After hearing what the doctor said, Genevieve¡¯s expression was calm, and her tone wasposed. ¡°So be it. Please apply the ointment for me.¡± The doctor did not say anything after she spoke. He took the best ointment and applied it to both her legs. Once the doctor was done treating her injuries, Patrick gave the medical personnel extra tips after sending the doctor to Regality Gardens¡¯ entrance. He saw Genevieve leaning against the couch while hugging a pillow when he returned. Patrick secretly let out a sigh of relief as he noticed that she was not as pale anymore. The color had returned to her face. He recalled not seeing Armand when he went to the Faulkner residence earlier. As he fished out his phone, Patrick said, ¡°I¡¯m calling Armand.¡± He should know that Genevieve has severe injuries on her legs. Furthermore, Patrick hoped Armand could persuade Genevieve to go to the hospital. Otherwise, it would be a problem if there were scars. ¡°No need for that. Mr. Faulkner is busy too.¡± Genevieve stopped him before he could call Armand. She lowered her eyes and said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s just injuries on my leg. I¡¯m still alive.¡± Mr. Faulkner? Patrick was somewhat taken aback when he heard Genevieve address Armand as ¡°Mr. Faulkner¡± since she usually called him ¡°Mando.¡± Furthermore, he realized that something was amiss with Genevieve after leaving the Faulkner residence. ¡°Patrick, please go back to Swallow Garden and bring Maria here,¡± Genevieve said, looking exhausted while leaning her head on the pillow. Patrick was momentarily stunned and asked, ¡°You¡¯re nning to stay here and not return to Swallow Garden?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll return when Mr. Faulkner needs me, but I¡¯ll stay here when he doesn¡¯t.¡± It seemed like Genevieve did not want to talk with him as she took her phone from the couch. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll go pick her now.¡± Looking at her in that Material ? N?velDrama.Org. state, Patrick could not help but soften his tone. ¡°Genev, is there anything that you would like to eat?¡± She did not answer but turned her head to look at the scenery outside the floor-to-ceiling window. Patrick massaged his temples. When he left, he could not help but wonder what happened to Genevieve when she was at the Faulkner residence where she suffered such a severe burnt injury. Chapter 113 Chapter 113 At the Faulkner residence, after Harriet prayed, she had wanted to stay at the church longer with Samantha. However, after she heard about the incident, the two rushed home in the afternoon. Harriet sat on the couch for a long time with a grim expression after learning about what had happened from one of the housekeepers, Mandy. The other housekeepers were standing by the side with their heads hanging low, not daring to breathe loudly. The housekeepers were either busy upstairs or in the courtyard in the early morning. No one would expect such a shocking incident to happen in the house. ording to them, Genevieve had pushed Marilyn, causing thetter almost to have a miscarriage. Even though the Faulkner family was filled with their descendants, Harriet liked Samuel and Armand the most. However, Samuel had passed away in an ident, leaving Marilyn and the baby in her tummy behind. Thus, Harriet loved her unborn great-grandchild a lot. Some of the housekeepers even felt that as much as Harriet liked Genevieve, she would never forgive thetter for such a grave mistake. Just as the housekeepers felt uneasy, Harriet suddenly rose to her feet. With a darkened expression, she walked toward Armand, who was standing next to the couch. She lifted her hand and pped him hard across the face. The p was so loud that it scared the housekeepers. They were old housekeepers who had been serving the Faulkner family for a long time. Whenever Armand came to the Faulkner residence, Harriet was thrilled to see him. Hence, they had never seen her hitting him. W-What is happening? ¡°Armand, I¡¯m very disappointed in you,¡± Harriet said while shaking her head and putting her hand down in a huff. She had been alive for a long time and had seen all kinds of deceptions and the worst of human nature. Of course, she would not believe everything a maid said. This was the first time in Harriet¡¯s life that she had beaten Armand. She was exasperated that her grandchild had publicly taken Marilyn¡¯s side without investigating what happened. He even ignored Genevieve, who had severe burns on her legs. Armand¡¯s expression was still ice-cold, even after being pped. He lowered his gaze and said, ¡°Yes. You did right by punishing me.¡± ¡°Mom, just leave this matter to Armand,¡± said Samantha. She had stepped out to smooth things over. She held onto Harriet¡¯s arm and said, ¡°You¡¯re tired. Let me help you up to rest.¡± Harriet red at Armand and sneered, ¡°Right. He has his way of doing things. There¡¯s no need for an olddy like me to take charge.¡± With that, she let Samantha help her, and they both went up to the second floor. In the living room, the housekeepersThis content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. lowered their breathing rates even more. They saw Armand sitting at the end of the couch with his wrist on his knees. He looked casual, but the cold aura he exuded was terrifying. After a while, Armand asked tly, ¡°Who treated Mdm. Genevieve¡¯s wounds?¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s me.¡± A younger female housekeeper stepped out from the crowd of housekeepers. She was the one who had served Genevieve beef pie thighs to her calves, were burnt red. Some parts had blisters too.¡± The housekeeper could not help but shudder as she recalled the horrific sight. If there are blisters on her burns, then it must be serious. Armand thought about how the woman looked at him calmly, yet she must have put a lot of effort into suppressing the pain she felt in both legs. His throat tightened after hearing what the housekeeper said. ¡°Did she leave with the doctor?¡± ¡°Mdm. Genevieve did not want me to call the doctor.¡± The housekeeper thought for a while and added, ¡°But she called Mr. Patrick. I think they went to the hospital together.¡± After hearing that, Armand¡¯s furrowed brows rxed a little. He waved and called the other housekeeper, Mandy. ¡°Mandy, repeat what you just told Old Mrs. Faulkner.¡± Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Chapter 114 Get Lost This Instant Mandy stepped forward nervously. She noted the cold look on Armand¡¯s face, and when she moved closer to the man, his intense aura made her shudder from the inside out. Mandy¡¯s resolve wavered. In the end, she firmed herself and said, ¡°I wanted to get something from the Owned by N?velDrama.Org. pantry, but then I saw Mdm. Genevieve giving Mdm. Marilyn a shove. Mdm. Genevieve was afraid that she would be exposed as the culprit, so she lifted the kettle and poured hot water over her legs¡ª¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what you just said to Old Mrs. Faulkner.¡± Armand cut her off once again. His voice was bone-chilling cold. ¡°You said that there was a conflict between Genevieve and Marilyn. Then Genevieve poured the kettle of hot water over her own legs to frame Marilyn.¡± ¡°M-Maybe I remembered wrongly¡­¡± Mandy was backed into a corner by Armand¡¯s menacing stance. Her forehead began to sweat. ¡°It was Mdm. Genevieve who poured the hot water¡­¡± Armand knocked a cigarette out of its box. He lit it casually at his own pace and took two puffs of smoke. ¡°Come here,¡± he demanded. Mandy shuffled forward a few steps. She was nearly touching Armand¡¯s side then. Suddenly, Armand grabbed Mandy¡¯s left hand, then put the cigarette out on the back of her hand. In an instant, pain shot through her entire body. She nearly cried out in pain, and her whole body trembled ceaselessly. Armand then red at her with his vicious eyes. ¡°You¡¯re not able to stand up straight just from a small burn by a cigarette. So tell me, how would Genevieve bring herself to dump a pot of boiling water all over her legs? And where would she have the strength to push Marilyn?¡± ¡°Mr. Armand, I was wrong!¡± Mandy kneeled on the floor and began to stutter, ¡°The truth is, I didn¡¯t see anything. But when I saw Mdm. Marilyn on the floor, and there was blood seeping out from between her thighs, so I assumed that it was Mdm. Genevieve who had pushed her.¡± Armand snickered in response. ¡°So you made an assumption, then had the guts to lie to Old Mrs. Faulkner and me?¡± ¡°Mr. Armand, that¡¯s not true! It¡¯s the circumstances just then¡­¡± Mandy babbled incoherently. She trembled in fear, from head to toe, as she was at a loss as to how she could talk her way out of the situation. ¡°Pack up your stuff. Get lost this instant!¡± ¡°Mr. Armand, it¡¯s my fault!¡± Mandy was practically prostrating on the floor then. She implored, ¡°I-I shouldn¡¯t have run my mouth. I won¡¯t repeat the same mistake! I¡¯m Mdm. Marilyn¡¯s personal servant. I¡¯m responsible for tending to Mdm. Marilyn¡¯s pregnancy matters. She would be troubled with my absence!¡± Armand lowered his head and leered at Mandy. His expression was one of menace. ¡°You are but a servant. Do you think that with you gone, we wouldn¡¯t have other housekeepers that could take care of her?¡± Mandy¡¯s entire body trembled as she kneeled further closer to the floor. ¡°Steven,¡± Armand called out. Steven, who had been silently witnessing the entire affair like an invisible man, was suddenly summoned. ¡°Give her a year¡¯s worth of severance pay, then make sure with your own eyes that she leaves Jadeborough.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Once Armand issued his instructions, he then turned toward Mandy and stated, ¡°If Marilyn calls you on the phone, then I¡¯m sure you know what to say.¡± Mandy no longer dared to utter a single word. Her heart was filled with endless remorse. She was Marilyn¡¯s personal servant and was fully aware of many matters that urred within the Faulkner residence. That includes the history between Marilyn and Armand and that thetter tended to tolerate the former. At that moment, Mandy wanted to assist Marilyn by teaching Genevieve a cruel lesson. However, contrary to her expectations, her scheme was instantly seen through by Harriet and Armand. What further baffled Mandy was the notion that Armand, who always indulged Marilyn, would take Genevieve¡¯s side at that time. Is it because Old Mrs. Faulkner likes Genevieve? Soon enough, Mandy left with Steven. Then, she recalled how Armand had rushed down the stairs in a fit of anger with the intent of admonishing Genevieve. He even began to belittle her. Mandy was puzzled. But why¡­ Mandy could not resist looking back. She caught a glimpse of Armand, who remained seated on the couch with a glowering expression on his face. In Mandy¡¯s heart, there appeared an odd sense of foreboding. Before long, things would be different for Marilyn. Armand would no longer tolerate her every move. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 Armand sent the housekeepers back to work. Once he finished smoking a stick of cigarette, he then headed upstairs and entered Marilyn¡¯s room. There, Armand spotted Timothy packing his medical kit. Meanwhile, Marilyny on the bed. Her face, which was norger than an open palm, appeared stark pale. That sight made Armand¡¯s heart ache. Timothy shot a nce at Armand when he noticed him entering the room. Timothy then huffed, ¡°I¡¯ve given her a shot to stabilize her pregnancy. Ms. Wood should rest for the next couple of days. She will be fine as long as she avoids getting too riled up.¡± ¡°All right. Thank you for your hard work,¡± Armand muttered. ¡°If you truly believe that I¡¯m working hard, then don¡¯t summon me the next time something happens.¡± Timothy slung his medical bag across his shoulder. His narrowed eyes were filled with displeasure. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, please keep in mind that I¡¯m only a surgeon, not an obstetrician. Next time, call the lead obstetrician, okay?¡± Timothy couldn¡¯t help but grit his teeth. When his woman got drugged, he asked for me to help. When his ex-girlfriend¡¯s pregnancy became unstable, he asked for me again! Like, what the hell is going on? Did I incur bad karma with Armand¡¯s family in my previous life? And now I¡¯m paying for that in this lifetime? Timothy then remarked scathingly, ¡°I¡¯m not a brilliant doctor. If Ms. Marilyn happened to have a miscarriage, This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. who would be held responsible then?¡± Armand merely frowned in response. ¡°The car¡¯s waiting for you by the door.¡± ¡°All right, all right. I got it.¡± Timothy rolled his eyes at Armand, then swiftly left the bedroom. Timothy was exhausted after helping the Faulkner family. He swore to himself that the next time he went for a drink with Armand, he would im some ¡°hard work fees¡± from Armand. In the meantime, Armand strode over to the bedside. He pulled out a chair, then sat on it. ¡°Do you want water?¡± he asked gently. Marilyn nodded. Armand picked up the sk from the bedside table and poured a cup of warm water. He then leaned forward to help Marilyn up and held the cup of water to Marilyn¡¯s lips. Thetter¡¯s heart instantly turned fuzzy at the sight of Armand¡¯s gentle and thoughtful gesture. She soon drank half a cup of water with Armand¡¯s help. With one hand ced over the nket, she caressed her tummy. ¡°Thank goodness you arrived, Mando. Otherwise, this baby would be lost.¡± ¡°I promise you that something like that would never happen again.¡± Armand pulled out a piece of tissue and dabbed away the water lingering on Marilyn¡¯s lips. ¡°You must protect the baby.¡± Armand gazed at Marilyn with his pair of deep, meaningful eyes. Yet, in them hid a trace of emotions indecipherable to Marilyn. Nheless, Armand¡¯s faint expression and fragrant scent tempted Marilyn to climb into Armand¡¯s embrace. She wanted to hug him tightly. At that instant, she regretted her choice of actions. She felt grateful, though, that Armand still loved her as usual. ¡°Mando, wait for me.¡± Marilyn could not help it when she reached out to grab Armand¡¯s hand. Sheced her slender fingers between his and sped them firmly. Marilyn then fixed her twinkling gaze on Armand. ¡°Just wait a few more months for me. Then, I¡¯ll be able to stand by your side openly. We can go to Petalgrove or Bellridge. You must apany me to see the aurora. I¡¯ll y the world¡¯s most beautiful music for you to hear.¡± Marilyn desired to marry Armand and have his children. Meanwhile, Armand shot a nce at Marilyn¡¯s hand, which was wrapped around his. A wave of disdain suddenly surged up within his usually tranquil heart. Armand pulled his hand back calmly. ¡°Let¡¯s talk after you¡¯ve delivered the baby safely,¡± he replied tly. Failing to grasp Armand¡¯s hand, Marilyn quickly fell into sorrow. However, as soon as Armand promised to talk with her, Marilyn¡¯s lips arched up into a smile. ¡°This is your promise. Do not ever go back on it!¡± Then, there was a knock on the door. Samantha soon strolled into the room. ¡°Mom¡¯s resting in her room. I¡¯m here to check up on Marilyn.¡± ¡°Aunt Samantha, I¡¯ll leave the two of you to chat.¡± Armand took the opportunity to stand up and take his leave. Samantha strode over to the bed and sat down at the bedside. She then asked gingerly, ¡°Marilyn, is your tummy still hurting?¡± ¡°Dr. Jensen gave me a shot to stabilize my pregnancy. It¡¯s not hurting now.¡± There was a faint smile on Marilyn¡¯s face. She gripped her hands softly to feel the lingering warmth left by Armand. ¡°That¡¯s great then.¡± Samantha nced at Marilyn¡¯s stomach, a thoughtful expression on her face. Naturally, Marilyn noticed it. She frowned when Samantha¡¯s gazended on her abdomen. Marilyn rarely ever interacted with Samantha as thetter spent most of her time working overseas. Even so, Marilyn knew that Samantha was a strong-minded careerdy. Simr to Armand¡¯s, Samantha¡¯s thoughts were hard to read. ¡°Aunt Samantha.¡± Marilyn bit her lips. She then asked hesitantly, ¡°Is there something you would like to talk to me about?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. There¡¯s something I wanted to ask you.¡± Samantha did not bother to hide her motives. She leaned forward slightly, her sharp gaze trained on Marilyn¡¯s face. ¡°A few days ago, when I returned to Xedells, someone informed me that Samuel¡¯s death was not an ident.¡± The instant Marilyn¡¯s pupils narrowed, Samantha¡¯s lips arched up ever so slightly. ¡°Marilyn, you¡¯re the wife of my third nephew. Tell me, do you think his death was an ident?¡± Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Chapter 116 Just In Time After returning to Swallow Garden, Patrick told Maria what had happened. She immediately went upstairs to pack some of Genevieve¡¯s things without saying a word, then left the house with him. Genevieve was the only person she wanted to care for, so she would go wherever the former was. While taking Maria to Regality Gardens, Patrick received a call from Steven asking whether he had brought Genevieve to the hospital to get the burns on her legs treated. ¡°No,¡± Patrick replied, pressing his lips together as he thought about the injuries on Genevieve¡¯s legs. ¡°She detests the disinfectant smell of the hospital.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because Mrs. Faulkner¡¯s grandmother passed away suddenly while in the hospital,¡± Steven exined. Patrick added as he continued driving, ¡°Steven, they¡¯re serious burns. The doctor said if we don¡¯t get them treated and wait too long, they could easily leave behind unsightly scars. Genev doesn¡¯t want to stay at Swallow Garden either. She purchased an apartment at Regality Gardens, so I¡¯m taking Maria there now so she can look after her.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll inform Mr. Faulkner about itter. You stay with them and watch over Mrs. Faulkner. Think of a way to get her to the hospital as soon as possible and get her injuries treated.¡± After murmuring an acknowledgment, Patrick could not refrain from asking, ¡°How did she get those burns on her legs?¡± And they¡¯re bad burns, too. It¡¯s as if someone grabbed a sk of boiling water and deliberately sshed it all over her legs. Owned by N?velDrama.Org. For a brief moment, Steven fell uncharacteristically quiet. Then, he quickly replied, ¡°That¡¯s for Mr. Faulkner to handle. Your duty is to take good care of Mrs. Faulkner. All right. I¡¯m hanging up now.¡± Steven ended the call without giving Patrick a chance to respond. Maria had vaguely heard Patrick¡¯s side of the conversation from the backseat, and she asked with a frown, ¡°What burns? Is Ms. Rachford hurt?¡± Seeing that there was no way to keep it hidden from Maria since she was going to take care of Genevieve, Patrick revealed what had happened. After arriving at the apartment, Maria felt a pang in her heart when she saw Genevieve slumped on the couch while resting, her small face looking as pale as a sheet. She had worked for the Rachford family for years, yet it was the first time she had seen Genevieve suffering like that. As her gaze traveled to the angry red burns on Genevieve¡¯s legs, Maria said in a distressed tone, ¡°Ms. Rachford, let me take you to the hospital. It wouldn¡¯t do for your beautiful legs to get scarred.¡± Genevieve finally felt a sense of security as she hugged Maria, but tears still stung her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m not going. I hate the disinfectant smell in hospitals,¡± she muttered dully. After getting treated by a professional doctor and applying ointment twice to the burns on her legs, the pain was only a slight twinge at that point. However, the pain in her heart that seemed to suffocate her still persisted. Noticing Genevieve¡¯s low spirits, Maria could only coax her to lie in her arms and sleep for a while. She also wrote out a list of groceries for Patrick so that he could go out and get them. Maria prepared many of Genevieve¡¯s favorite dishes that evening. She chatted to Genevieve after they had eaten, recounting some of the memorable events in thetter¡¯s childhood that she had forgotten. Eventually, Genevieve started smiling again. Around eleven o¡¯clock at night, Maria brought Genevieve a ss of water. And as instructed by Patrick, Maria had dissolved half a sleeping pill into it. They waited until Genevieve was fast asleep before quickly taking her to the hospital. The director of the dermatology department was a friend of Timothy¡¯s, and he had waited at the hospital ever since he learned a patient could being in in the wee hours of the morning. The doctor¡¯s expression turned grim after checking on Genevieve¡¯s legs. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing you sent her here just in time. If you¡¯d waited until tomorrow to bring her in, her legs would surely end up scarred.¡± ¡°Doctor, we¡¯re counting on you,¡± Maria pleaded with reddened eyes. While the doctor and a few nurses tended to Genevieve¡¯s injuries in the operating room, Maria and Patrick waited outside quietly. It was three o¡¯clock in the morning when the doors to the operating room finally opened. Taking off his surgical mask, the doctor said to Maria, ¡°Ms. Rachford¡¯s legs should be fine now. She needs to rest and recuperate for the next few days. Don¡¯t get water on her legs, and remember to apply the ointment I¡¯ve prescribed every day until the scars fade.¡± Both Maria and Patrick were relieved when they heard that. Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Chapter 117 Why Is He Calling Now Since the effects of half a sleeping pill were about to wear off soon, Patrick hurried to the payment counter to get the ointment. Together with Maria, they then brought Genevieve back home. When they were back at Regality Gardens and taking the elevator up, it struck Patrick that he had carried Genevieve several times that day. And it was only then that he realized how light she was, almost as if he were merely hugging a soft cushion. She had one of her arms hooked around his neck, and her head had tilted forward slightly. Long, raven-ck hair framed a small and delicate face, and she was furrowing her brows in her sleep. It seemed as if she were not sleeping well. Due to the liberal amount of ointment applied to her legs, its strong smell lingered on her body. Nheless, he could still discern a faint fragrance. It smelled like roses but was not as overpowering as the usual rose scents, inadvertently stirring something within him. He could also feel a slight warmth from her fingers that gently brushed the nape of his neck. Her arm would tighten around his neck asionally, perhaps because shecked a sense of security in her sleep. Even though the elevator wasrge, Patrick could hear his ragged breathing. Once they got to the apartment, Maria headed straight to Genevieve¡¯s room to draw the curtains and only realized Patrick was walking at a snail¡¯s pace when she turned around. ¡°Patrick?¡± Maria called out. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Patrick strode in and went straight to the bed, then leaned forward to ce Genevieve gently on the bed. Failing to estimate the distance urately, the tip of his nose nearly touched hers when he leaned over, and he even felt her breath on his cheek. Swallowing hard, he got up swiftly and turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll be in the living room if you need me,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯ve had a long night, so why don¡¯t you go back to your bedroom to sleep awhile¡­¡± Maria began. She thought that since Genevieve had already received treatment at the hospital, everything should be fine after the former awoke. Hence, she was about to ask Patrick to go and rest. But before she had even finished her sentence, he had already hurried out of the bedroom as quickly as if he were fleeing. ¡°Why is he acting so strange? Is it because he¡¯s disgruntled about all the trouble he had to go through tonight?¡± Maria muttered as she tucked the covers around Genevieve. Thanks to the sleeping pill, Genevieve had a good night¡¯s sleep. The following morning, Patrick was tucking into his breakfast in the small dining room when he suddenly saw Genevieve walk over in her long-sleeved pajamas. He nearly choked on his orange juice and quickly lowered his head as he coughed and spluttered. ¡°You truly are something else, Patrick. You can even choke on orange juice. You¡¯d better not eat a meatball or something just in case it lodges in your throat,¡± Genevieve teased mercilessly as she pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down at the table. Noting the smile on her face and the fact that she seemed to be in quite a good mood, Patrick felt much more at ease. Rolling his eyes, he countered, ¡°I was having a moment because the freshly-squeezed orange juice Maria prepared was too delicious, okay? Besides, I thought you weren¡¯t a morning person.¡± With that, he moved to pick up the pitcher of orange juice. Genevieve immediately reached out to grab it from him. ¡°Patrick Sullivan, I¡¯m a patient. Are you seriously going to have a tug-of-war over that pitcher with a patient?¡± In truth, Patrick had wanted to pour her some orange juice. But after hearing that, he took the pitcher and ced it next to him, then lifted his eyebrows at her. ¡°You seem full of vigor and look nothing like a patient.¡± She red at him. ¡°This is my house, so you¡¯d do well to treat me better.¡± Nheless, he merely gazed at her with a wicked expression. ¡°If you want to drink it, go make some yourself. There are plenty of oranges in the refrigerator. It¡¯s the perfect opportunity for you to get some exercise.¡± Infuriated, Genevieve retorted sarcastically, ¡°Why, thank you very much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Maria happened to walk out of the kitchen carrying a te of pancakes, and a faint smile tugged at her lips at the sight of the two of them bickering. Just as they had finished eating breakfast, Patrick received an iing call from Armand. After ncing at his phone, Patrick was about to pick up the call when he suddenly hesitated. Come to think of it, Genevieve¡¯s injuries were so serious, yet he didn¡¯t call once since yesterday afternoon. So, This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. why is he calling now? Feeling rather annoyed, he declined the call and sent Armand a text message. Steven wrote: Genev hasn¡¯t been in a good mood because of what happened. She¡¯s here with me, so I can¡¯t answer your call. After more than ten seconds, Armand replied to his message: Hasn¡¯t everything been settled after you took her to the hospitalst night? Chapter 118 Chapter 118 When Patrick saw this message, he felt a chill down his spine. I have already mentioned to Steven that I¡¯ming to Regality Gardens to take care of Genevieve. With me staying by her side, why would Armand still send someone to follow us in secret? Patrick replied: Armand, Genev has a major burn on both her thighs. It¡¯s impossible for her to heal so soon. The doctor has reminded her that she needs to rest at home for a week. Armand replied: All right. Take good care of her. At the same time, in Central Group, after Armand was done sending his message, he called Steven over via the internal line to give him an order. ¡°Help Patrick and Genevieve apply for a leave.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± When Steven came in, he had a set of breakfast in his hands, which he then ced on the work desk. ¡°This morning, I¡¯ve sent Ms. Wood back to her ce. She bought this personally and told me to bring it over.¡± Armand nced at the set of breakfast before saying coldly, ¡°Get rid of itter. Also, get Timothy to arrange a good family doctor and let him stay at Marilyn¡¯s ce. Keep an eye on the child in her belly and stop her from going to the Faulkner residence so often.¡± Steven was stunned, but he then quickly nodded. ¡°Understood.¡± Actually, Steven had found Marilyn¡¯sck of discipline an eyesore for a long time. Still, this was his first time seeing Armand actually taking action to limit her freedom. Perhaps he¡¯s worried that Old Mrs. Faulkner would fall ill from getting angry so often? Maybe that¡¯s why he¡¯s doing this? Steven then walked to the door with the set of breakfast in his hand, but he heard Armand¡¯s voice kinds of clothes and bags that she likes. Purchase them and send them to her ce.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ Sure¡­¡± When Steven finally got out of the CEO¡¯s office, he was still dumbfounded. Armand¡¯s attitude toward Genevieve has always been cold. Didn¡¯t he pass her a card and tell her to get anything she wanted? What¡¯s up with him today? However, Steven didn¡¯t bother to make further interpretations of his boss¡¯ wishes. Immediately, he got his subordinates to do the work. Soon, he found out about the clothes and the brands of handbags that Genevieve would often use when she went to the clubs back when the Rachford family was still powerful. Thus, Steven told his subordinate to visit the specialty stores of those few brands and purchase the ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. newest editions, the limited editions, and even the showcase editions that they had to offer for the year. Then, he told them to send them to Genevieve¡¯s ce. The customers of luxury item shops were always rich people and celebrities, but they had rarely met any local tycoons that would purchase all the models in one go, including the editions that were for shows, which were sold at high prices. Because of that tycoon who had splurged on these luxury items, the sales assistants in these luxury item stores had achieved their annual sales target within a couple of days. Some assistants recognized Steven, so they started gossiping within their own circles. Previously, some worker of Central Group secretly showed off the CEO¡¯s wedding ring on Twitter. No one believed it that time since Armand¡¯s previous two weddings were high-profile, and the brides¡¯ deaths entertained everyone pretty much. Hence, they wouldn¡¯t believe that Armand would get married again without announcing it. However, when a certain worker of a luxury item shop revealed Armand¡¯s personal assistant had brought his people to purchase luxury clothes and handbags in the shopping malls, everyone believed it. The topic of Armand getting married again even became trending on social media. Nheless, no matter how theizens tried to dig out the truth or how the reporters bribed some of Central Group¡¯s employees, they simply couldn¡¯t obtain any information about the woman. Someizens began to discuss in forums. Someone wrote: Armand¡¯s previous two brides were daughters of rich families. Some reporters caught them traveling somewhere before getting married, so why are they not doing the same this time? Anotherizenmented: Who in Xedells could thisdy be this time? I¡¯m so curious about it! That post was followed by another reply: I heard that Armand has been in a rtionship with the daughter of the Wood family for many years, but his brother took her away from him. Still, he misses thatdy. Could it be that he bought all those handbags for her? The previousizen responded: What a piece of gossip! Unbelievable! News spread everywhere online. Meanwhile, within these few days, Genevieve had been resting at home, but she kept receiving gifts from someone every day. The gifts were piled up in a corner in the living room by then. Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Chapter 119 Disgusted Initially, Genevieve couldn¡¯t be bothered to check the gifts, but soon after, she came to the living room to open the gift boxes one by one. Patrick watched beside her as she extracted handbags and limited edition dresses from the gift boxes. She seemed to be overjoyed, for she really liked those items. ¡°Genev, where¡¯s your dignity?¡± Patrick was frustrated at her behavior. ¡°This is probably Armand trying to apologize to you, so he sent someone to send them over. Don¡¯t you feel disgusted by these gifts?¡± For these couple of days, Patrick had given a lot of effort to hacking into the surveince cameras of the Faulkner family. It was then that he discovered the reason behind Genevieve¡¯s injury. Through the surveince footage, he saw that when Genevieve went to the Faulkner residence, Harriet had shown a lot of affection toward her. She even served some dishes for Genevieve while they were dining. He couldn¡¯t see what was happening through the surveince camera in the pantry, but heter saw that Harriet had pped Armand and said those words. Thus, he was sure that Genevieve was not in the wrong. Patrick¡¯s guess was that the reason for the happening of the incident was Harriet¡¯s biased love for Genevieve, which made Marilyn jealous. She knew she had Armand¡¯s support, so she injured Genevieve in the pantry. It had been like this since the beginning. Armand would always be the one to remedy the consequences after Marilyn had done something wrong. ¡°I¡¯ll take all the gifts Mr. Faulkner sends to me, no matter how much it is. Why should I even feel disgusted?¡± Genevieve sounded calm when she spoke. She wasn¡¯t the slightest bit angry. Then, she opened yet another gift box and extracted a grey handbag from within. Her eyes brightened up at the sight of it. ¡°Do you know the brand of this bag?¡± Genevieve raised the bag for Patrick to see. ¡°It¡¯s called This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. Hermayze. It¡¯s the number one brand in all luxury goods. I love this brand especially, not just because they have really nice handbags, but also because their prices are really high. There will be no losses even if I resell them.¡± Then, she went on to say, ¡°This bag I have here in my hand is called ¡°Constance.¡± It¡¯s the model that¡¯s the most difficult one to obtain in the Hermayze series. Furthermore, this one is made of exotic leather.¡± She was caressing the bag like it was her baby. ¡°Your brother sure investigated my background through and through.¡± Patrick waspletely speechless. He was unfamiliar with handbags, and he didn¡¯t want to discuss that with her either. ¡°No. Genev, is your brain built different from other people?¡± Patrick couldn¡¯t help but reprimand her. ¡°Someone else is robbing your husband away from you, but he just repays you with these items, and you¡¯re okay with it?¡± A smile appeared on her lips. ¡°She can just go ahead. After all, Mr. Faulkner and I are just a fake married couple with a marriage certificate.¡± Soon after, she ced that bag aside and went on to open the gift boxes. Without even turning around, she told Patrick, ¡°Oh, right. Please send Mr. Faulkner a message. Tell him to change all the clothes to jewelry. Those clothes cannot retain value. I can still resell the jewelry after I¡¯m sick of wearing them.¡± This time, Patrick truly didn¡¯t know what to say. Within this period of time, Maria had been taking care of her with the utmost attention. Every day, she would take time to apply medicine to Genevieve¡¯s legs while ensuring thetter took her medication. Soon enough, the blisters on her legs scabbed over, and the scabs fell off as well. There were barely any burn marks left behind on her pair of fair and long legs. On the contrary, her skin seemed to have be even softer, just like a newborn baby¡¯s. Also, Armand didn¡¯te looking for her while she was resting at home. Instead, Harriet had called her a couple of times. She was extremely sorry for Genevieve¡¯s injury that day at the Faulkner residence. When she talked to her, she sounded pained at the suffering Genevieve had to go through. Genevieve really treated Harriet like her own grandmother. Also, she heard from Patrick that after Harriet went back, she pped Armand for the first time because of her. Now that she had given Genevieve another call, she realized that she wasn¡¯t that angry anymore. ¡°Grandma, I¡¯m fine. My legs have healed now.¡± Genevieve didn¡¯t want Harriet to me herself over her own matter, so she sweet-talked her and sessfully cheered the elder up before they ended the call. Chapter 120 Chapter 120 After making a full recovery, Genevieve went back to work. She went to the office wearing a light gray professional suit¡ªa tight-fitting skirt with a pair of eight-centimeter stiletto heels. The entire get-up Owned by N?velDrama.Org. made her legs look long and slender and perfectly encapsted her beauty. When she entered the department office, many colleagues were staring at her legs. ¡°Genevieve, have your legs be more slender in thest few days since Ist saw you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve probably walked a lot moretely. That¡¯s why my legs have be slender.¡± Smiling, Genevieve put down her bag and went to Jenny¡¯s office. After knocking on the door, Genevieve entered the office. Standing in front of the desk, she asked, ¡°Ms. Griffin, I¡¯m familiar with the workflow now. Is there any important task for me to do?¡± Jenny smiled in response. ¡°You just came back from vacation. There¡¯s no need to get back to work in such a hurry. I know how capable you are.¡± Previously, Steven talked to Jenny in private as he wanted to apply for leave for Genevieve. After asking around, Jenny found out that Patrick also applied for leave. She thought that the duo had gone on a trip. As a result, Jenny informed her colleagues in the department that the branch needed an interpreter. Then, she sent Genevieve off on a business trip for a few days. Genevieve¡¯s eyes flickered. ¡°I¡¯d like to learn something. I¡¯ll feel a sense of fulfillment whenever I¡¯m working,¡± she admitted sincerely. Jenny froze for a moment, seemingly surprised by Genevieve¡¯s enthusiasm for work. Besides, thetter took the initiative to request more work. Taking two copies from the documents on the table, Jenny handed them to Genevieve. ¡°All right, then. You can try to trante these two documents first.¡± ¡°Thank you, Ms. Griffin. You should get back to work.¡± Genevieve quickly left the office after epting the documents. The two documents that Jenny gave to Genevieve would then be copied electronically to a foreign subsidiarypany. Not only did those documents require high vocabry uracy, but there could not be any typos. While tranting these documents, Genevieve encountered some business jargon that she was unfamiliar with. Therefore, she had to ask her former ssmates¡¯ opinions on Instagram. The vocabry uracy of these two documents processed by her reached ny percent. Due to Genevieve¡¯s excellent trantion, the representative of the foreignpany sent an email to Jenny in praise of Genevieve after receiving the electronic copy of the documents. Soon, the news of Genevieve¡¯s prowess in trantion spread in all of the departments of Central Group. Despite her less-than-ster past, Genevieve was the daughter of the Rachford family after all. She had a good upbringing, a beautiful face, and a stunning figure. Most importantly, she was outstanding at work. Some of the male colleagues at Central Group met Genevieve when they went to thepany¡¯s restaurant for meals. After witnessing her beauty, they sent flowers and gifts to Genevieve¡¯s department every day. In just a few days, the ss doors of the trantion department could not be closed anymore due to the frequent visits. Before Armand could even take his seat after returning from Xedells in the morning, he had already heard all kinds of rumors about Genevieve. For instance, the new assistant manager of the overseas department sent breakfast and flowers to Genevieve every day. Furthermore, he would go to the trantion department daily just to see her. Another rumor was that someone from Yeringham fell in love with Genevieve at first sight. Then, the guy applied for a job at Central Group just to get close to her. After listening to all the gossip, the calm Armand inexplicably became annoyed. Is she not wearing a wedding ring? Why does everyone want to pursue her? After suppressing his unhappiness, Armand finished handling the urgent documents. Only then did he call the trantion department to inform them that he specifically wanted Genevieve to deliver the documents. Jenny hung up the phone and took the document to Genevieve. ¡°Genevieve, send this document to the CEO¡¯s office.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Genevieve dly agreed. After finishing her task at hand, Genevieve left her seat with the document. She heard gossiping from behind before she even left the office door. ¡°If the CEO wants some documents, wouldn¡¯t he send his secretary to get them? Why did he ask for Genevieve instead?¡± ¡°Whoa. Don¡¯t tell me even Mr. Faulkner is interested in Genevieve?¡± Genevieve had always remained calm no matter how much gossip there was about herself in the past few days. With a faint smile on her lips, she quickly took the elevator to the top floor. Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Are You Mad At Me Passing by the simple corridor, Genevieve arrived at the CEO¡¯s office. Then, she knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± A low voice came from the other side of the door. The moment Genevieve pushed the door open, she looked up at the man sitting behind the mahogany desk. Armand was wearing a gray suit with a tie. He looked very stern. A slight frown appeared on his handsome, chiseled face. He exuded a solemn aura. After entering the office, Genevieve ced the document on the table. She said politely, ¡±Mr. Faulkner. This is the document you asked for.¡± Without looking at the document, his gaze fell on her. Armand could see Genevieve from head to toe due to the short desk. Furthermore, she stood at a distance away from the desk. Genevieve wore ck office attire with a short skirt that entuated her long, slender legs. The outfit made her look sexy yet professional at the same time. Seeing that Armand did not speak up, Genevieve bowed slightly. ¡±Mr. Faulkner, if there¡¯s nothing else, I will take my leave.¡± The moment Genevieve finished speaking, she moved her feet and was about to leave the office. Armand¡¯s gaze that was on her suddenly turned cold. His eyebrows furrowed even tighter. ¡°Genevieve, are you mad at me?¡± Why is she addressing me so formally? Genevieve was dumbfounded by his question for a moment. Then, she shed Armand a smile. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to get mad at you, Mr. Faulkner. Thepany is a strict ce. How could I possibly call you by your name, Armand?¡± Armand knocked a cigarette out of its box and lit it. His gaze fell on her legs again. ¡°How are your legs?¡± ¡°As you can see, they¡¯re fine now.¡± Genevieve took two steps back so that he could see more clearly. ¡°After the scabs fell off, the skin on my leg bes smoother.¡± Then, she asked casually, ¡°How is Marilyn¡¯s child?¡± Genevieve¡¯s voice was warm and gentle, as though she had a genuine concern. However, Armand was somewhat annoyed by that tone. After taking a puff, he instantly choked. Knocking the cigarette on the edge of the ashtray, Armand said indifferently, ¡°She has been taking miscarriage prevention medicine thesest few days. The child should be fine.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± Nodding, Genevieve asked, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, is there anything else?¡± Armand¡¯s gaze fell on her slender finger. Seeing the ring, he lost the words on the tip of his tongue. ¡°No.¡± ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°All right. I¡¯ll head down first.¡± Genevieve bowed at him. She stopped in her tracks upon reaching the office door. Turning back to look at Armand, she said, ¡°Mr. Faulkner, you can just text me on WhatsApp for trivial matters like these in the future. I¡¯m not an executive. People are bound to gossip behind my back when you summon me directly like this. I¡¯ve had enough rumors in thest few days.¡± Armand narrowed his eyes as he watched the office door close. Even though Genevieve was articte, Armand could tell every time her mood shifted. I guess she must be furious at me despite her denial just now. Genevieve was only in his office for a minute. Nevertheless, the scent of wild roses lingered in the air after she had left. Although the fragrance was faint, it could easily tug at one¡¯s heartstrings. Armand gulped involuntarily when he thought of Genevieve¡¯s slender waist. He quickly picked up the phone with the hand that was holding the cigarette. Genevieve had just returned to the trantion department. The moment she took her seat, she received apany email from the secretarial department regarding the employees¡¯ code of conduct policy. Thepany did not prohibit employees from developing romantic rtionships in private. However, they must abide by thew. Furthermore, they must not be involved with married people lest they damage thepany¡¯s reputation. Executives of any department were not allowed to frequent other departments unless there was a valid reason to do so. Genevieve was speechless after reading the policy. She was tempted to send Armand a message and asked him to include his own name in the email. I have made it clear to those people that I¡¯ve remarried. It¡¯s not my fault that they¡¯re still pursuing me! Chapter 122 Chapter 122 Chapter 122 I Will Apany You Back A colleague who read the email rolled her chair and ran to Genevieve to whisper, ¡°You were just asked to deliver documents to the CEO¡¯s office. We thought that Mr. Faulkner took a fancy to you, but it turns out that he just called you up for a chat? It¡¯s no wonder you looked so gloomy when you came back.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Genevieve touched her face. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes.¡± The colleague nodded and asked curiously, ¡°Mr. Faulkner looks quite gentle. Did he scold you fiercely?¡± When I came back, I was wondering how I was supposed to answer if my colleagues asked about gossip, but now that there¡¯s this email to work as my cover, I can just go along with it. She sighed and waved her hand. ¡°Well, those who know, know.¡± The colleague was speechless. As soon as this email was sent out, it almost immediately purged the atmosphere in Central Group. No man came over to fawn over Genevieve when she went to the restaurant for lunch at noon. A few colleagues who had lunch with her gossiped about the news they read online a few days ago. One of them was about how Armand¡¯s first love was the daughter of the Wood family. They dated for more than ten years, but thedy was stolen away by Armand¡¯s older brother. Although topics on Twitter disappeared quickly, manyizens saved the news and spread them among their groups. Genevieve¡¯s good mood inexplicably became upset. She packed up the food that she only ate a few bites of and went back to the department. In the afternoon, Jenny handed two documents to her, and Genevieve became swamped with work. Since she spent a lot of energy, she was already hungry before it was time to get off work. Since Patrick went out in the field, she did not wait for him and went back after her shift ended. On the way back, she bought a dessert. When she got home, as soon as she entered the house, she saw Maria with her back to her. Maria was standing in the small dining room to the side, wiping her face with one hand. ¡°Maria?¡± Genevieve put the dessert on the table and walked over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Maria quickly wiped away her tears, not letting Genevieve see anything. However, her hoarse voice made it obvious that she had been crying. ¡°If you¡¯re fine, then why are you crying?¡± Genevieve clearly did not believe her. ¡°Is it something that you can¡¯t tell me?¡± Seeing Genevieve stare at her anxiously, Maria had to tell the truth. ¡°My daughter-inw called me, saying that Ryan broke his leg at school and is in the hospital now. She wants me to visit him.¡± Genevieve knew that Maria was in poor health and gave birth to a son when she was young. Her son was also quitepetitive and obtained a Ph.D. at a young age. Since his wife was from Feston, he stayed in Feston to work, and the couple gave birth to a son. Maria¡¯s daughter-inw had a good maiden home, and her mother took care of the child, so Maria could stay and help the Rachford family with no worries. I remember that Maria would go to Feston once every two months to see her son and grandson. However, because the Rachford family was ruined a few months ago, Maria stayed with me to take care of me. Genevieve¡¯s eyes stung, and she immediately went to her room to take out all the cash in her drawer. ¡°Maria, I¡¯ll apany you to Feston now.¡± ¡°N-No, you can¡¯t.¡± Maria quickly stopped her. ¡°Ms. Rachford, you just got a job and are quite busy. The doctor said that my grandson is fine, so I can go back by myself.¡± She wiped her tears and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m just worried that there¡¯s no one to take care of you if I leave.¡± Genevieve did not know what to say. She felt her heart sink, yet a sense of warmth bubbled from within. Holding back her tears, she stuffed the cash into Maria¡¯s bag and slipped in a bank card as well. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Even if I can¡¯t cook, I can just order take-out or call a few maids back from Swallow Garden. You haven¡¯t been back for a long time. I¡¯m sure that Ryan misses you, so go back and spend more time with him. If you don¡¯t have enough money, just call me and tell me.¡± ¡°How could I¡ª¡± Maria wanted to say something. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s not fuss about this.¡± Genevieve interrupted Maria¡¯s words and pulled her to the underground garage. After the Rachford family fell, I wouldn¡¯t havee this far if it weren¡¯t for Maria staying with me. I¡¯ve stopped thinking of her as a maid long ago. She¡¯s practically my family now. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Tickle The Tip Of His Heart Maria was unable to argue against Genevieve and had to let thetter drive her to the airport. When they arrived at the departure lounge, Maria still held Genevieve¡¯s hand without letting go. With tears in her eyes, she repeatedly told Genevieve to take care of herself. ¡°Ms. Rachford, if you¡¯re in a bad mood, then call me. Don¡¯t do anything reckless.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Genevieve nodded obediently and waved her hand with a smile. ¡°Well, you should hurry inside now, Maria.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Maria reluctantly went into the departure lounge. It was past eight o¡¯clock in the evening when Genevieve drove back from the airport. As soon as her car arrived at the entrance of the underground garage, the security guard opened the gate and said to her, ¡°Ms. Rachford, there¡¯s a man waiting for you in the lobby.¡± Genevieve¡¯s first thought was that Patrick had forgotten to bring his elevator card again. After all, that happened twice before. However, she was also a little puzzled. Patrick has been living here with me for quite a long time, so the front desk should be familiar with him. Can¡¯t he just ask to borrow their elevator card instead? When she parked her car and took the elevator to the lobby on the first floor, she found that it was not Patrick who was waiting for her. Armand sat in the lounge, idly flipping a magazine. He looked up slightly and saw Genevieveing out of the elevator. After putting down the magazine, he got up and draped the coat he left on the couch over his arm. Genevieve took two steps forward before stopping and looking at him. ¡°Why are you here?¡± ¡°You used my card to buy this house. Can¡¯t Ie and see it?¡± Armand was unhappy with her expression. He asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer my calls?¡± Genevieve took out her phone and saw two missed calls from Armand. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be disturbed when driving Maria to the airport, so I muted my phone.¡± Just as she was about to leave, she thought of something and looked up at the man. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, have you eaten?¡± He looked at her with a vague smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you here since six o¡¯clock. Do you think I¡¯ve eaten?¡± Whether it was in meetings or at parties, it was always other people waiting for him. He got the address of Genevieve¡¯s new house from Steven that day and came over. However, not only could he not go up, he was stuck waiting for her for more than two hours. ¡°You didn¡¯t even inform me beforehand. How would I know that you wereing?¡± Genevieve¡¯s expression was innocent. ¡°Maria isn¡¯t here either. I¡¯ll bring you out to eat.¡± ¡°No need. Just cook whatever you want.¡± His hand reached past her ear to press the elevator button. ¡°Why are you calling me ¡®Mr. Faulkner¡¯ and speaking so formally, are you still throwing a tantrum?¡± She smelled the faint scent of cigarettes on his sleeve and immediately turned to the side to put some distance between them. ¡°I¡¯m speaking formally because I respect you.¡± Genevieve pursed her pink lips. She said in an insipid tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I know how to call you when I go to the Faulkner residence. I couldn¡¯t possibly dare to throw a tantrum at you.¡± This house was bought with his money, anyway, so he can see it if he wants. When the elevator arrived, Genevieve entered first and looked at the man¡¯s gloomy expression. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, aren¡¯t youing in?¡± The vein on Arman¡¯s forehead twitched, and he strode into the elevator. Genevieve was already hungry before she got off work and thought that she could have dinner cooked by Maria when she got home. However, she ended up sending Maria to the airport. She was really starving. After entering the condominium, she went into the small kitchen. Then, she opened the slice of ck velvet cake she bought on her way back from work. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Although almost an hour had passed, the cake still tasted heavenly. The cake melted almost immediately on her tongue, and her mouth was filled with the sweet taste of cream. The fresh mango on the cake was also sweet, making her unable to stop eating. In just a short time, she lowered her head and finished more than half of the cake. When Armand entered the condominium, he swiftly found the pantry and cups and poured himself a ss of soda water. He thought that Genevieve had hurried into the house to make dinner. However, when he came out with the ss of water, he saw her standing at the dining table with a spoon in her hand, stuffing cake into her mouth. Armand was at a loss for words. He stared at the woman¡¯s back and narrowed his eyes. She took off her coat when she entered the house, exposing the white shirt inside. The sides were tucked into her short skirt, revealing her slender waist. Since her upper body was slightly bent forward, her hips were slightly lifted. Her feet were bare under her long and slender legs. Then, as if something bit her calf, she used the back of her other foot to rub the itchiness away. Her small, snow-white feet were immacte, and that subtle movement seemed to tickle the tip of his heart. Chapter 124 Chapter 124 Armand felt a me was about to ignite in his body as the air was full of the sweet-smelling scent of the cake. He swallowed a gulp of saliva and walked over in broad steps. Genevieve was gobbling down a cake when she felt a force tugging her backward by her shoulder. The loss of bnce almost made her scream in fright. Then, with the cake fork in her hand, she was lifted and seated at the dining table. ¡°What are you trying¡ª¡± Before Genevieve could react, a pair of moist and warm lips were pressed onto hers. The man¡¯s body bent low as the dining table was low. He held Genevieve by her tender cheeks as he kissed and bit her lips greedily and madly. After licking the cream off the corners of her lips, his tongue forcefully entered her mouth and reached for the soft tips of her tongue. Her mouth was full of the taste of cream and mangoes as she had several cakes, and he tasted all of them. Armand¡¯s hand circled her waist, pressing her against his body as if he wanted more. Through the thin fabric, his hands could feel the warmth radiating from her soft skin, and her waist was so slender that he thought he might break her if he exerted just a bit more force. How is it possible for a woman to have such a slender waist? As Genevieve was carried onto the dining table and locked by the kiss, she was on the passive end. Armand¡¯s intense and cold aura epassed her like a. After much struggling, she finally found the chance to take a breather and used her sharp teeth to bite his lips. ¡°Mr. Faulkner! What¡¯s wrong with you!¡± Genevieve¡¯s body backed away and increased the distance between her and ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. the man. She added furiously, ¡°Who allowed you to kiss me? Didn¡¯t we agree that I only needed to please Old Mrs. Faulkner after marriage? Sleeping together is not part of the deal!¡± Upon looking at her trying to catch her breath, Armand ced his hands on the table and leaned toward her, closing their distance. ¡°Do I need to remind you what you did that night at Lovely Heart Hotel after you were drugged and came to me?¡± Genevieve bit her lower lip and rebuked coolly, ¡°You said it yourself¡ªI was drugged. I wasn¡¯t in the right state of mind. I¡¯m not going to make a fuss over that night.¡± ¡°You sure know how to y games with your words, Genevieve.¡± Armand chuckled. He was a tool that night to help her. Nheless, she took his help for granted and acted as if she was not being calctive over it. What a joke! ¡°Humph!¡± Genevieve shifted toward the edge of the dining table, wanting to get off. However, Armand stretched his arm around her waist, threw her over his shoulders, and strode toward the bedroom. ¡°Put me down, Armand!¡± After realizing his motive, Genevieve used all her might to struggle while feeling frustrated. ¡°If you do not get my consent, it¡¯s illegal! So if you don¡¯t let me go, I¡¯m calling the cops!¡± she screamed while she continued struggling. As she was yelling, Armand found her bedroom and put his body on top of hers after throwing her onto the bed. He held her hands down. ¡°I¡¯m Mr. Faulkner when you need me. When you don¡¯t need me, I¡¯m just a tool?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say that!¡± Genevieve tried to pull her wrist out from his hands. ¡°Let go of me! You didn¡¯t say this was part of the deal when we negotiated. Can you me me for being like this?¡± ¡°We¡¯re already married. Do I need to remind you?¡± Armand yed with his words since she was doing the same thing. ¡°Should I also remind you of how you previously stripped naked in front of me?¡± His body bent down, and she could feel his breath on her lips. ¡°Which part of your body have I not touched before?¡± Genevieve did not expect the usually aloof man would behave like a hooligan and wriggle his way around with his words. Her angry face reddened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do it today!¡± After a long argument on the bed, Genevieve was out of breath. A strand of ck hair stuck to the corner of her lips and made her appear more alluring. Genevieve said, ¡°Even escorts get their days off. Can¡¯t I get one?¡± Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Letting Go Armand¡¯s gaze fell upon Genevieve¡¯s lips as she licked the corner of her lips and identally got her hair into her mouth. He felt his lower body warming up and lowered his head to kiss her. Not wanting to lose, Genevieve continued struggling. Nevertheless, the difference in strength between a man and a woman was far too great. After a few seconds, her clothes were disheveled. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me, Armand!¡± Her face buried into the snowy white pillow as she turned sideways and red at the man. Since she could not fight against him using force, she started scolding him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you embarrassed for taking advantage of a girl like me at your age? Let go of me! Are you deaf?¡± Upon seeing her response and hearing her words, Armand frowned. ¡°I¡¯m merely nine years older than you. You¡¯re saying as if I¡¯m fifty years old.¡± Genevieve smirked. ¡°If you were that old, you¡¯d be considered a beast. I¡¯d also have to call you an elderly.¡± Armand was dumbfounded. ¡°You can look for Marilyn or anyone else to satisfy your biological needs, so don¡¯t touch me! Disgusting!¡± Genevieve sneered, ¡°Anyhow, we¡¯ll just call off this deal! There are plenty of other people ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. that can help me!¡± Armand¡¯s eyes darkened while looking at her fair-skinned back and cold, stubborn face. She¡¯s right. There were many other leadingpanies in the business world. Other than the business world, many others were powerful in the political scene. After living a mundane life, some would lust for young girls¡¯ bodies. Genevieve was just like a budding flower, fresh and alluring. Many would stretch their hands at her at a word from her. Armand forcefully turned her head for her to look at him while he continued to pin her down by her wrist. ¡°In your opinion, we are not husband and wife even if we¡¯ve registered legally. However, the marriage certificate is real and legally binding. I¡¯m faithful to my marriage. I¡¯ve neither touched any other women in the past nor present. Since you know Marilyn, you should know that I¡¯ve broken up with her many years ago.¡± Friction continued between Armand¡¯s fingers and Genevieve¡¯s wrist. ¡°I can let it go when the situation calls for it.¡± Although Marilyn cheated first, Armand broke off all ties with her after ending their rtionship. If Armand had not sworn to fulfill Samuel¡¯s request when Samuel was on his death bed, Armand would not have allowed Marilyn toe to Jadeborough andply with her requests. Genevieve did not expect Armand to tell her these and was stunned momentarily. Yet, some memories yed in her mind like a film reel and settled the hint of hesitance in her heart. Genevieve smirked. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You two can still get together after breaking up. Moreover, Samuel died long ago. There are many cases where a younger brother marries their sister-inw.¡± ¡°Genevieve, my morals are not that distorted.¡± Armand took a deep breath to appease the impending anger that the woman was creating. ¡°If you are behaving so willfully because of the incident at the Faulkner residence the other day, shouldn¡¯t you already be appeased by the presents you¡¯ve received for the past few days? Moreover, my grandma pped me too!¡± Armand always abided by the principle that actions spoke louder than words. He was the kind of person who did not want to create trouble and was toozy to exin too much. Hence, it was the first time that he was exining in detail to a woman and said more words than he had said in meetings at work. The frustration in Genevieve¡¯s heart dispersed after hearing Armand patiently exining to her. Shey still and stopped struggling. ¡°I received them as presents. I did not ept them as an apology.¡± Genevieve pouted. ¡°It¡¯s your grandma who hit you. If you¡¯re unhappy, you should speak to her about it!¡± Armand chuckled in a deep tone. ¡°Are you changing your mind after epting the gifts?¡± He could feel that Genevieve was not as stiff anymore. After chuckling, he lowered his body and kissed her. This time, their lips connected, and they had no intention of separating. Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Chapter 126 Mourn Your Dead Love Armand had only ever touched Genevieve a few times. There was one time they were interrupted by Steven at the most crucial part as he knocked on the door in Swallow Garden, and another was at Lovely Heart Hotel. Genevieve was under the influence of the medication then. The two were not exactly making love, and he was more of a tool. However, Armand could feel her skin¡¯s warmth and tenderness this time, which was fragrant and smooth like butter. She smelt like milk and was not overly sweet. After a while, the sky outside the window had turned dark, and it started raining heavily. The raindrops pattered on the window. Under the dim lights of the room, therge soft bed was a mess. The air conditioner was running, but the air had a stickiness to it. Genevieve was slightly curled up and lying on Armand¡¯s side. Her hair was damp from the sweat and a few strands stuck to her face. She appeared to be exhausted with her eyes half-open. After a few seconds, Genevieve suddenly got up and straddled Armand, both hands supporting herself with his head in between them. Her jet ck hair fell onto Armand¡¯s bare chest, causing him to feel itchy. He looked up at her, and his eyes darkened, asking, ¡°You¡¯re not tired?¡± Armand had not forgotten how she cried and scolded his entire family a while back. ¡°I¡¯m tired, but I have a few questions to ask you.¡± Her voice was a little raspy, and she gulped before continuing, ¡°You dated Marilyn for thirteen years?¡± Armand frowned slightly and replied, ¡°Why are you asking this?¡± ¡°This is not some secret, so why can¡¯t I ask?¡± Genevieve retorted. She lowered her head and pressed, ¡°Hurry up and tell me. Yes or no?¡± Armand toyed with a strand of her hair with his fingers and responded, ¡°Yeah. Thirteen years.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long time.¡± Genevieve sighed and asked, ¡°In that case, have you slept together?¡± ¡°No. We may have been together for a long time, but we seldom met.¡± Armand¡¯s voice was deep as he said, ¡°I¡¯m often running in between Xedells and overseas. After that, I came to Jadeborough.¡± Genevieve expressed her disbelief and remarked, ¡°I heard from Grandma that you always made it on time to Marilyn¡¯s performances when she was overseas. But you didn¡¯ty a hand on her?¡± Material ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Every time I met her, I only stayed for a short while. Perhaps after two hours, I would already be on the ne back to Xedells.¡± Armand paused, ¡°Why are you so insistent on knowing about this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m helping you mourn your dead love.¡± Genevieve tilted her head sideways, exposing her fair neck, and said, ¡°How about I perform a song that can help you move on next time?¡± Her long hair brushed against his chest when she moved. It felt prickly and numb. She had no clothes on, and her skin was dazzlingly fair under the light. Armand lowered his head, his breath became heavy, and he brushed against her fair skin. He grabbed her arm, and they exchanged positions. ¡°What are you doing!¡± Genevieve kicked him and fumed, ¡°I have to go to work tomorrow!¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving consent for you to skip work.¡± She was at a loss for words. He¡¯s pretty good at abusing his authority! The next day, Armand found out that he had slept till nine in the morning when he received Steven¡¯s phone call. The blinds were not closed, and the sun shone through the windows. However, the sunlight did not shine on the bed because of the direction of the morning sun. Genevieve was curled up by his side, deep in her sleep. That was the first time he slept tillte with a woman beside him. ¡°Mr. Faulkner?¡± Steven asked on the other end of the phone when Armand did not respond. ¡°Do you need me to pick you up?¡± Armand nced at the woman beside him. His voice was raspy but cold and stern as he said, ¡°Postpone everything till afternoon. Send some clothes to me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Steven hung up the phone at Swallow Garden and called out to Patrick, who was going out, ¡°Patrick, you don¡¯t have to go to Mrs. Faulkner¡¯s ce for a few days. I¡¯ll inform you when you need to go.¡± Patrick was changing his shoes and paused when he heard that. He swung his coat onto his shoulder and said, ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Also, hurry and decode the email I sent you and send it to me,¡± added Steven. When Steven raised his head, the door mmed shut. He was at a loss for words and frowned. Chapter 127 Chapter 127 It was already past eleven when Genevieve woke up. She was shocked when she saw the time on her phone but rxed when she recalled that Armand had helped her apply for leave. Genevieve did not see anyone in the room and assumed Armand had left. She put on a sleeping robe and walked out barefooted. Before she could reach the living room, Armand walked out of the pantry. He was wearing a white shirt and ck pants. Armand looked fresh, and there was a satisfied look on his face. ¡°Why are you still here?¡± asked Genevieve subconsciously. Armand¡¯s gaze swept across her and paused on the cor of her sleeping robe. ¡°Your house is mine, so why can¡¯t I be here?¡± Genevieve was at a loss for words. She recalled that the house was bought using his card, and she indeed could not make him leave. Genevieve licked her dry lips and walked past him. She went into the pantry and poured herself a ss of orange juice. Armand did not leave and leaned on the door, saying, ¡°Make me lunch after you go back to the room to change your clothes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how!¡± Genevieve drank the orange juice with her back facing him and said in annoyance, ¡°Order some food delivery. The receptionist will send it to the door.¡± Her legs were still sore, and she did not feel like cooking for him. ¡°I saw that your cooking looked good the other time at the Faulkner residence.¡± Armand stepped in and stood behind her. He bent down and said, ¡°I won¡¯tin even if it¡¯s not good. What do you say?¡± Genevieve¡¯s hand trembled. The ss in her hands almost smashed onto the counter when she felt his breath on the back of her neck and heard the tone of his voice. Seeing that, Armand chuckled and teased, ¡°I haven¡¯t even touched you, and you¡¯re already trembling?¡± Genevieve could hear the smirk in his tone, and the tips of her ears flushed. She turned around and pushed him away with all her strength. ¡°I¡¯ll go and make lunch, all right? Hurry and leave once you¡¯re done eating.¡± Armandughed when he saw her leaving angrily and stomping on the ground. He found that she had a temper, and teasing her was fun. Why didn¡¯t I notice this before? Genevieve went back to the room and changed into long-sleeved pajamas. She stood in front of the fridge and looked at the variety of ingredient inside it while biting her fingers. Genevieve had only learned how to make stir-fried beef and salmon from Maria. Moreover, she had made those two dishes more than ten times, asking Maria and the rest to test the taste. However, the fridge did not have the main ingredients she needed to make those two dishes, and she did not know how to make anything else. After standing there for a while, Genevieve instinctively picked a few ingredients. I¡¯m not the one who wants to cook. Armand is the one who wants me to. When it was lunchtime, Armand had already settled some stuff and conducted a virtual meeting. He put his phone down and went to the tiny dining area when the food was ready. His gaze swept across the table, and the veins on his forehead throbbed when he saw the odd-looking dishes. ¡°You¡¯re the one who said that you won¡¯t mind.¡± Genevieve ced a bowl of pasta before him and said, ¡°I simply made something.¡± Armand was at a loss for words. He recalled the things he said half an hour ago and gulped. Armand pulled out a chair and sat down. He lifted his fork with a heavy heart. The dishes might be a weird the dishes into the dishwasher and nced at the time on her phone. She instantly ran into the living room to look for him. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, it¡¯s already one in the afternoon.¡± Armand could hear the excitement in her voice. She was undoubtedly chasing him away. He got off the couch and went to take his coat, but Genevieve had beat him to it and walked to the entrance. Armand was rendered speechless, and he calmly walked toward her. He took his coat and saw her bare feet on the wooden floor. Her fair toes curled up, and she appeared thrilled. Genevieve pulled open the door and waited for him to leave. However, Armand closed the door and unbuttoned his shirt, saying, ¡°The weather forecast said there will be torrential rain today. It¡¯s the same if I work from home.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Genevieve was Material ? N?velDrama.Org. dumbfounded. Before she could say anything, Armand bent down and kissed her. Around two in the afternoon, the sunny skies suddenly darkened, and it started pouring. Armand turned on the lights in the living room for some light. He did not return to the room but stayed in the living room, hugging her as they enjoyed the rainy scenery. Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Chapter 128 Men Are All Sweet Talkers In the end, Genevieve was so tired that she could no longer tell whether it was afternoon or night. She even got up two times and ate some light snacks. When she woke up again, she hurriedly packed her things and went to work at thepany. A meeting was held that morning. Since it was a small group meeting, there were six other colleagues with Genevieve. The atmosphere was also not too serious. Genevieve, who was sitting at the table, had her head lowered and was in deep thought. Genevieve was wondering why she blindly believed Armand¡¯s random exnation. She then med it all on his strong masculine urges. This thought process made her lose some brain cells. Now that Genevieve was clear-headed, she knew that Armand¡¯s exnation was full of holes. ¡°All right! Let¡¯s have a short break, everyone. We¡¯ll continue the meeting after ten minutes.¡± The team leader took the remote control, paused the slide on the LCD screen, and went outside to drink some water. One of Genevieve¡¯s colleagues gave her a look. ¡°Genevieve, you kept your head down the entire time. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing. I was just thinking about the team leader¡¯s question.¡± Genevieve shed her colleague a smile and gave a simple exnation. When Genevieve saw that there were only a few of her colleagues left in the conference room, she pulled out her phone. Genevieve had joined a lot of group chats that loved to gossip. However, she was blocked in all of them. Since she was currently in a bad mood, she joined a new group chat and nned to vent her frustrations there. Genevieve identally tapped on the screen mirroring shortcut. Since the popup disappeared instantaneously, she did not notice what she had done. Genevieve saw that someone wasining in the group chat about her boyfriend not letting her check his phone. The person also said that her boyfriend never replied to her messages at night. Since they were in a long-distance rtionship, she believed that he had found another girl. The people in the group chat quickly answered that the person¡¯s boyfriend had definitely found a new girlfriend. Genevieve nced at the group chat. She sent: If your husband exined to you that he had broken up with his ex-girlfriend a long time ago and said that he doesn¡¯t miss her, then it¡¯s fine. However, there¡¯s a picture of her in the locket he¡¯s wearing. What does that mean? As soon as she sent her message, a swarm of responses filled the group chat. One of the people in the group chat responded: Men are all sweet talkers! I think your husband gave you that deliberate exnation because he knows how easy you can be coaxed! Another person wrote: That¡¯s right! If your husband doesn¡¯t have any other girl in his heart, then I¡¯m in menopause! Genevieve thought about it and realized that she was quite easily coaxed. When she was at the Faulkner residence that day, Armand thought that she had pushed Marilyn after only exchanging a few words with others. She then believed she should cut all ties with him and just be used. Genevieve decided topare Cooper with Armand. If she were with Cooper, she would have pped him before he could even finish his sentence. When Armand gave his exnation and coaxed her, she did not do anything at all. Genevieve once again posted in the group chat: The ne is a matching set for couples. His ex- girlfriend wears it every day, and so does he. Someone posted: Miss, do you want to find out if you¡¯re with a cheater or not? This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Another person sent a teasing message: Miss, is your husband handsome? Genevieve thought for a bit before replying: I think he¡¯s handsome. The women in the group chat instantly went wild. One person wrote: Hurry, miss! Send a picture here, and let¡¯s have a look at him! If he¡¯s not handsome, then we¡¯ll teach him a lesson together with you! Genevieve was puzzled. I asked that question so that you guys could give me your suggestions. Why are you guys suddenly asking for Armand¡¯s picture? Of course, Genevieve remembered what happened while she was ying on her phonest night. She saw Armanding out of the shower. His body under the warm lights looked very masculine, and she secretly snapped a picture of him. Genevieve opened the gallery app on her phone. She found the picture and uploaded it to the group chat. The group chat was silent for two seconds. Then, a swarm of messages flooded the group chat. Genevieve¡¯s eyes could hardly keep up. One of them sent: Girl, is he really your husband? He has such a good body! Another woman wrote: What in the world! Is your husband a male model? One otherment read: Honestly, I would never get mad at my husband if he looked like this! I¡¯d even invite his ex-girlfriend to dinner! Someone texted: I¡¯ve zoomed in on every part of the girl¡¯s husband and can say for sure that he¡¯s also blessed down there! Another person sent: Holy moly! Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapter 129 You Are Projecting Your Phone Screen Genevieve swiped down and looked at all the messages from theizens. She sighed inwardly. Looks really are everything. They look at how handsome Armand is and instantly forgive him for what he did. Although, of course, Armand does have a nice body¡­ Genevieve stopped looking at the messages in the group chat. She put her phone down on the table. When she raised her head, she noticed that her colleagues had already returned and were staring at her. Genevieve ced her hand on a ss of water but did not pick it up. She asked a little hesitantly, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Genevieve, you¡¯re projecting your phone screen. Are you not aware?¡± said a woman who was sitting next to Genevieve. She pointed to the LCD screen hanging on the wall. Genevieve¡¯s phone screen was still on. The apps on her phone were also projected on the LCD screen in the conference room. ¡°My bad! I didn¡¯t notice.¡± Genevieve quickly turned her phone off. She then picked the ss of water up and drank the water forcefully. The meeting continued when the team leader returned. No one brought up the fact that Genevieve¡¯s phone was projected on the screen earlier. Genevieve thought that her colleagues hade inte and did not see anything. She breathed a sigh of relief in secret. However, she was simply too na?ve. While Genevieve had typed her messages earlier, a few of her colleagues had already entered the conference room. Someone had recorded the whole group chat conversation and forwarded it to the By the time Genevieve found out about this, the news of her screen mirroring mishap had spread throughout thepany. Genevieve really wanted to give herself two tight ps across her face. Why did I have to get so bored and write messages to gossip group chats on Twitter! Why didn¡¯t I notice that my phone screen was being projected! This is so embarrassing! Also, because Genevieve took the picture from such a good angle with good lighting, someone in the Twitter group chat downloaded that picture and shared it on Twitter with the hashtag: MaleModelsEyeCandy. The picture immediately reached second ce on the trending list after being shared for a few minutes. A good amount of people were frantically clicking on the picture. Steven was heading toward the CEO¡¯s office to hand him some documents. He ran into the secretary and inadvertently looked at all the gossip that she was swiping through on her phone. When he saw the picture, the corners of his mouth twitched. The tattoo on Armand¡¯s body was so iconic that it was impossible for Steven not to recognize it. ¡°Who posted this picture?¡± Steven asked. ¡°I heard it was Genevieve from the trantion department,¡± replied the secretary, who could not help but smile. ¡°I heard that when Genevieve attended a small meeting, she identally projected her phone screen and showed herself talking bad about her husband in a Twitter group chat. Not only does all of the employees of thepany know about this, some even shared her husband¡¯s picture on Twitter. The picture instantly went on trending.¡± Steven was speechless. When Steven reached the CEO¡¯s office, he handed over the urgent documents. He also gave a separate file to Armand. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, the thing that you requested to be investigated hasn¡¯t had anything turn up yet. However, there¡¯s something else that I found¡­¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Armand heard how serious Steven¡¯s tone was. He put down the ink pen in his hand and opened the file. Armand¡¯s eyes swept across the contents inside the file. He stopped at a point and narrowed his eyes suddenly. Then, he mmed the documents shut. ¡°Who did you entrust to investigate this?¡± ¡°It was Patrick,¡± Steven said in a deep voice. ¡°I told Patrick to decipher the documents, and he did just that. You know how unstable Patrick can be. If he had read the documents¡¯ contents, he¡¯d have asked me about it immediately.¡± Armand¡¯s eyebrows rxed, and he let out a sigh. He put the documents directly into the shredder beside him and watched them turn into countless white strips in a few seconds. He asked, ¡°Is Cooper going to be released soon?¡± Steven responded, ¡°He¡¯ll be released the day after tomorrow.¡± ¡°Go and remove the people nted at Specter Corporation as well as those who are spying on him.¡± Armand narrowed his eyes and ordered, ¡°I want to meet him at the Faulkner residence in Xedells.¡± Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Felt Rather Guilty Somehow ¡°Understood.¡± Steven nced at Armand. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, there¡¯re two trending topics about you. Do you want them to be removed?¡± Armand frowned. ¡°What¡¯s happened?¡± ¡°It is the result of Mrs. Faulkner identally projecting her phone screen at a group meeting¡­¡± Steven coughed and told Armand everything he had heard from the secretary. Frankly speaking, it was also the first time for Steven to see a photo of Armand¡¯s body spreading across the inte. While Steven was exining the situation, Armand browsed through Twitter and saw the topic of Genevieveining to others in the gossip group. Armand instantlyughed in exasperation. He rubbed between his eyebrows. ¡°Remove them, and delete the videos in the gossip group of the straight to Swallow Garden.¡± Steven instantly understood Armand¡¯s instructions. He obeyed and left the office. Since Genevieve was always on Twitter, she certainly noticed the two trending topics. She could already imagine how embarrassed she would be if her other colleagues came across them. Luckily, the subject matter showed up on trending only for a while before its rted topics disappeared altogether. When Genevieve finished work, she received a message from Armand on WhatsApp: Steven took the car out to run some errands. Wait for me at the parking garage. I¡¯ll go back with you. Genevieve somehow felt rather guilty to see his message. She was afraid that Armand was going to condemn her for projecting her phone. But on second thought, she supposed he had no time for silly gossip in thepany since he had to deal with a lot of things. Moreover, her photo only showed his body without revealing his face, so other staff in thepany should not realize that it was him. With a bunch of things on her mind, Genevieve packed her things and went to the underground parking garage. She was bored while waiting in the car. Therefore, she looked through the gossip group on Twitter and ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. noticed that many girls were still discussing the photo that she had sent. Quite a few people also tagged her: My friend, do you have any other photos of your husband? When Genevieve was left speechless, she caught a glimpse of a slender figure by chance who was walking in her direction. She immediately turned off the phone. Armand opened the door of the passenger seat. He bent over and got in the car. ¡°Let¡¯s eat at Golden Restaurant. I¡¯ve made a reservation,¡± he said to Genevieve while taking his tie off and casually putting it into the storage box beside the seat. With his shirt unbuttoned and his vicle exposed, he seemed to appear more worldly. ¡°Sure.¡± Looking at Armand, Genevieve reckoned he was busy that day and should not havee across any gossip. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Ever since Maria went back home to visit her grandson, Ryan, Genevieve made two meals. To be honest, she did not understand why Armand could finish the food that she cooked, even when she found them unptable. Golden Restaurant was a famous restaurant in the city that served all kinds of delicious cuisine. Since Genevieve had barely eaten anything for the past two days, she had a bowl of pasta at Golden Restaurant without a scruple about her body figure. After they finished eating, Armand noticed that Genevieve appeared to be stuffed. Therefore, he offered to drive the car. ¡°This is not the way to Regality Gardens.¡± Genevieve looked out the car window. She shoveled a candy into her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll drive back on my own after we reach Swallow Garden.¡± Genevieve loathed Swallow Garden as she knew from Patrick that Marilyn arranged for one of her informants to be there. ¡°Lostaria Musical Group from Petalgrove is on tour in Yaleview and is holding a musical at Grand Theater by eight o¡¯clock tonight.¡± Armand drove steadily. ¡°Steven got two tickets for me. I¡¯m bringing you there.¡± Genevieve turned around to look at Armand¡¯s side profile. Armand¡¯s bringing me to a musical? The tickets for the performance of Lostaria Musical Group at Grand Theater in Yaleview wereunched Genevieve did not realize it as she was caught up with too many things. Armand had entrusted Steven to get the tickets, which were of perfect seats in the middle. However, Genevieve was not in the mood for music with too much on her mind. After the musical was over, it was already eleven o¡¯clock at night when they returned to Regality Gardens. Genevieve was in the pantry while Armand went for a shower in the bedroom. He did not see her in the bedroom when he finished his shower. When he came out, he spotted her still standing in the pantry room. Even taking a ss of water took her a long time. Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Chapter 131 Would Not Have Picked It Up Otherwise Armand narrowed his eyes and returned to the bedroom to take something. He then walked into the pantry. Standing behind Genevieve, he dangled the ne right under her nose. Genevieve took a nce at the open locket. Slightly annoyed, she frowned. ¡°Just treasure it yourself. Why¡¯re you showing it to me?¡± Armand reached out and took the photo out of the locket. He then flipped the photo. On another side of the photo, Genevieve could see a young man with a gentle smile and features somewhat simr to Armand¡¯s. ¡°He¡¯s my brother, Samuel.¡± Armand pointed at the man who was in the photo. ¡°This ne also belongs to him.¡± Genevieve¡¯s mind went nk for a moment. She looked at the photo and then turned to Armand. ¡°Samuel and Marilyn bought this couple¡¯s ne after they got married.¡± Armand lifted his hand and rubbed Genevieve¡¯s soft chin. ¡°Samuel passed this ne to me before he passed away. He wanted to put the photo of him with Marilyn in it and keep it with me at the same time. After the photo studio had sectioned the photo ording to the measurement inside the locket, I asked the person in charge to put it in.¡± ¡°In that case, this ne should be handed over to Marilyn. Why is it with you?¡± Confused, Genevieve narrowed her eyes. ¡°And you¡¯re wearing it every day¡­¡± She could still remember how Armand¡¯s face darkened long ago when she had merely touched the ne. Could it be¡­ A bold idea crossed Genevieve¡¯s mind. The way she looked at Armand slowly changed. Armandprehended the expression in Genevieve¡¯s eyes. He fleered and slightly increased the force in his hand, which was pinching her chin. ¡°Don¡¯t overthink things. If I were not wearing this ne, you wouldn¡¯t have picked it up at the hotel that day.¡± If she did not pick up the ne, their paths would never have cross. Therefore, the ne was like a lucky charm. Genevieve felt rather perplexed. Baffled, she asked, ¡°It¡¯s not my ne, so what does it have to do with me?¡± Armand did not answer her question directly. Instead, he deepened his voice and said, ¡°When I saw the messages that you posted in the gossip group, I knew that you didn¡¯t take my exnation on that night to heart. Now I¡¯ve exined about the ne. If you don¡¯t feel like seeing it, I¡¯ll ditch it into the drawer Group, so I made him buy the tickets for me so that I could bring you to the musical.¡± Armand noticed that Genevieve had been zoning out during the musical and appeared in a bad mood after they returned. Instead of getting irritated, he patiently exined everything to her. He would be fine with her having any fit of the sulks and could tolerate her indefinitely. Genevieve previously rejoiced that Armand did not know about the gossip, so she felt rather guilty to hear him. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it all?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve finished looking through your colleagues¡¯ recordings and the trending topics about it.¡± Armand moved his hand to her earlobe and fondled it affectionately. Armand¡¯s calluses were dry and warm. Genevieve felt inexplicablyfortable with an itchy sensation from him caressing her earlobe. Therefore, without shaking his hand away, she mumbled, ¡°I was bored during the group meeting at that time, so I simply browsed through Twitter and goofed around in the gossip group. I didn¡¯t expect to have pressed the screen mirroring button¡­¡± ¡°Did you have to send the photo once they asked you to do so?¡± Armand raised his eyebrows. ¡°Should I be grateful that my face isn¡¯t in the photo that you took?¡± Genevieve thought about it for a moment. Luckily I didn¡¯t. Otherwise, you¡¯d have be the main character on the cover of countless illicit websites. ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. ¡°It¡¯s because I think your body figure¡¯s not bad, so I send the photo to make them jealous.¡± Genevieve poked at Armand through his shirt. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you go to a gym, so how is your figure so excellent?¡± Armand caught a glimpse of an exposed region of Genevieve¡¯s skin at her neckline when he lowered his head. With his eyes darkened, he held the back of her neck and pulled her into his arms. ¡°Only my body figure¡¯s good?¡± Armand asked in a deep voice, ¡°Nothing else?¡± His husky voice stimted Genevieve to the point that her ears were tingling. She suddenly recalled a message that one of the girls had sent to the gossip group on Twitter after the girl saw the photo. ¡°Well?¡± Armand bent over to a very close distance from Genevieve. While Genevieve warned herself to not invite trouble and wanted to push Armand away, she seemed to hear herself gulping. Being honest with herself, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 Earn It With My Effort Genevieve was unsure how she got back to the bedroom. Armand¡¯s body temperature was so high that it felt like she would get burnt whenever she touched his skin. The phone on the bedside table had been vibrating with a few asional breaks for two seconds. However, it soon started to buzz frantically as if the other party would never give up if the call were not answered. Armand¡¯s arm was on Genevieve¡¯s waist. She unintentionally saw the caller¡¯s name when she tried to get up. Suddenly, she became slightly irritated and started to avoid Armand¡¯s kisses. Genevieve reached out, switched off the phone, and threw it into the drawer. Then, she lowered herself and kissed Armand. Armand saw her actions, but he didn¡¯tment about it. Instead, he lightly bit her plump lower lip and let out a chuckle. The next morning, Genevieve woke up when the rm went off. Genevieve did not feel cold even though the temperature in the room was slightly low, probably because their skin was in contact with each other. She did not feel hot as well. She leanedzily on the man¡¯s chest, feeling a sense of attachment toward him. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Genevieve never knew she could sleep so well while hugging a man. Genevieve leaned closer toward Armand¡¯s chest and closed her eyes. Then, she remembered there were quite a several tasks awaiting her. So, she pulled Armand¡¯s arm away, which was around her waist, got out of bed, and went to wash up quickly. Genevieve could not care less about Armand because she knew Steven woulde and pick her up on time. Genevieve let out a sigh of relief as she saw there were no obvious marks on her neck when she changed. Then, she quickly walked out of the room while putting on her earrings. Genevieve was stunned when she walked through the living room and saw the person who was busy working at the kitchen ind. ¡°Maria?¡± Maria was making burgers and was shocked when Genevieve suddenly called her. She turned to Genevieve and asked, ¡°Ms. Rachford, why are you up so early today?¡± ¡°I have lots of work that needs to be done, and I need to go to the office to settle them,¡± answered Genevieve. Then, she walked toward Maria and hugged her from behind affectionately. ¡°Maria, I thought I told you to spend more time with your grandchild at Feston? Why are you back so soon?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried that you might not be able to take care of yourself properly,¡± Maria replied while she continued working on the food. ¡°You don¡¯t know how to cook, and takeouts are bad for your health.¡± Genevieve mumbled, ¡°I didn¡¯t order takeouts every day. I¡¯ve even cooked for Mr. Faulkner twice!¡± ¡°Seriously?¡± Maria stared at her and praised, ¡°Mr. Armand is quite picky about his food. I guess your cooking skill improved if he ate what you made.¡± She continued, ¡°Oh, right. I saw Mr. Armand¡¯s coat and leather shoes outside. Is Mr. Armand still asleep?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s leave him alone.¡± Genevieve¡¯s back still hurt from the previous night. She said in an annoyed tone, ¡°Just make me breakfast.¡± Maria knew she was angry, and she chuckled. ¡°Ms. Rachford, I made your favorite beef burger. I think you wouldn¡¯t gain much weight from having it for breakfast. Wash your hands and have a seat. It¡¯s almost done.¡± ¡°Maria, you¡¯re the best!¡± Genevieve nuzzled against Maria¡¯s shoulder and said in a cute tone, ¡°When I earn enough money, I will buy a condominium here as a gift to your grandson!¡± Except for her mother, Maria was the person Genevieve relied on most. At that moment, Genevieve only had one family member, Maria. She wanted to give Maria everything she had to express her gratitude toward her. A flicker of light shed through Maria¡¯s eyes, who had her back against Genevieve. Her hand trembled slightly as she heard Genevieve¡¯s words. At that moment, Armand¡¯s soft voice sounded. ¡°When I looked at the bill the other day, if I didn¡¯t see it wrongly, you bought this ce for eighty million.¡± Armand wore a shirt and a pair of trousers, entuating his tall figure. His aura was aloof. Armand asked Genevieve calmly as he walked into the pantry, ¡°When are you going to be able to earn eighty million?¡± Genevieve let out a light snort. ¡°Of course, I will earn it with my effort. Is eighty million even a lot?¡± Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Just Wipe It Away Next Time Before the downfall of the Rachford family, Genevieve would never hesitate when she bought a piece of jewelry for a few million at a jewelry auction. Besides, she had a ck card with no credit limit. Therefore, she was not money-conscious. Armand came out with a ss of soda water and stared at Genevieve, ¡°Add up your sry for the whole year and let¡¯s see how long it takes for you to save eighty million.¡± Genevieve subconsciously started to count her yearly sry after hearing Armand¡¯s words. Genevieve had recently joined Central Group, and she was paid at the rate of an intern. Even if she got a permanent post after a few months, her yearly sry and bonus add up to less than three hundred thousand. Stunned, Genevieve froze after she had done the calction. She thought her mathematics must have gone wrong somewhere. ¡°Is money so hard to make?¡± Armand¡¯s lips curled into a smirk. ¡°What do you think?¡± Genevieve was rendered speechless. ¡°Ms. Rachford, go wash your hands.¡± Maria had made a beef burger and served it on a te. Then, she continued, ¡°Mr. Armand, I¡¯ll make pancakes for you. Is that all right?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± Armand replied tly as he walked to the dining table and took his seat. Genevieve was deep in her thoughts while she washed her hands. However, when she returned to the dining table and saw the beef burger with a thick patty, her appetite was triggered and increased. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Genevieve took a huge bite of the beef burger. Then, she thought for a while and mumbled to Armand while she still had food in her mouth, ¡°I can¡¯t earn¡­ ny million with my effort¡­ But wait until I get thepany back¡­¡± If mypany earns money, isn¡¯t it a piece of cake for me to earn ny million? Genevieve was in a hurry when she ate the burger and took a huge bite. Some white-colored sd dressing dripped down from the corner of her lips. She seemed to feel something at the corner of her lips, so she stuck out her tongue to lick it. It was only a simple movement when she ate, but Armand felt a lump in his throat when he witnessed the scene, and his eyes darkened. Armand took a piece of tissue out of the box, reached out, and helped her wipe off the sd dressing on the corner of her lips. ¡°Next time, use a tissue to wipe it away. Why did you stick out your tongue?¡± ¡°I¡¯m eating my breakfast. Isn¡¯t it normal for me to lick my lips?¡± Genevieve felt he was being ridiculous, but she soon noticed the change of expression on Armand¡¯s face. Genevieve almost choked on her burger, and she stared at him. ¡°What nonsense are you thinking? It¡¯s early in the morning.¡± ¡°What am I thinking?¡± Armand gazed at her lips but quickly looked away. His voice was deep and husky. ¡°I¡¯m only reminding you to be careful when you eat.¡± Genevieve was speechless. Genevieve had a great appetite. She thought she could finish the entire beef burger by herself, but after she had that conversation with Armand, she had a weird feeling when she stared at her burger. Genevieve frowned and put down her burger on the te. ¡°Maria, did you prepare some oatmeal?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Maria gazed at the kitchen ind. There was a bowl of oatmeal on the table. Judging by its appearance, it seemed like it had been left there for quite some time. Maria looked at the bowl of oatmeal again, and her expression contorted after having some conflict in her mind. In the end, Maria grabbed a small bowl and wanted to prepare another bowl of oatmeal. However, Genevieve had already stood up and taken the bowl on the kitchen ind. ¡°Ms. Rachford, this¡­ I prepared this earlier today. Let me make another one for you.¡± Maria quickly stopped her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can just have this,¡± Genevieve mumbled as she stirred the oatmeal with a spoon and took a bite. The consistency and taste of the oatmeal were perfect. ¡°This oatmeal today is not bad. It¡¯s sweet.¡± Genevieve took another bite and stared at Maria. ¡°Maria, did you put sugar inside?¡± Maria wiped her hands on her apron. ¡°Nope, I¡¯ve changed to another brand of oat.¡± ¡°No wonder. It¡¯s nice.¡± Genevieve took the bowl and walked to the dining area. Genevieve watched Armand take the burger on her te and take a huge bite while he stared at his tablet. Genevieve choked on her food again. ¡°I only had two bites of that burger¡­¡± Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Chapter 134 Just Kill Her Armand did not look up and said in a low voice, ¡°You¡¯re already eating oatmeal, so you won¡¯t eat the burger anymore. It sure isn¡¯t easy for Maria to make breakfast.¡± Genevieve went silent. Why didn¡¯t he say that about the housekeepers in Swallow Garden who make breakfast? Her ears turned red when she saw him take another bite of the burger. After she ate half a pancake and a bowl of oatmeal, she went to rinse her mouth and put on lipstick. Subsequently, the two of them went out together as Armand also finished his meal. They walked so close that Genevieve could see Armand turning his phone on and countless missed calls popping up in an instant. His phone wasgging due to the constant iing text messages and WhatsApp messages. Genevieve saw that the caller named Marilyn had made over ny calls sincest night. However, Armand did not check the missed calls and text messages, but he directly clicked on WhatsApp and entered the group for executives. Seeing his indifferent approach and thinking about how she turned his phone off before putting it in the drawerst night, as well as the nearly hundred missed calls he had received, she was happy for a moment. After arriving at the garage underneath, Genevieve saw the Maybach that Armand often rode. It was Steven who came to pick him up. ¡°Mr. Faulkner, I¡¯ll go first.¡± Genevieve¡¯s car was right next to them. She took out the car key and pressed it. When she was about to go around the car to the driver¡¯s seat, Armand stopped her. Pulling the back seat of the Maybach, Armand took out two books and handed them to her. The books were as thick as a brick and so heavy that her hands moved down. She lowered her head and nced at it. They were finance books. ¡°I¡¯ve to go back to Xedells. You need to finish these books in the next few days. I¡¯ll check you when I Genevieve was stunned. ¡°How long will you stay in Xedells?¡± ¡°Four days.¡± ¡°You want me to finish such thick books in four days? Are you kidding me?¡± The corner of her mouth turned downward. When she used to go abroad for Specter Corporation to discuss partnerships, she was just a senior interpreter, and the materials for both parties were prepared by a special team. Hence, she did not have to worry about that and never entered the financial field. Yet, Armand gave her two finance books and asked her to finish them in the specified time. She felt that it would be better to just kill her. Looking at her angry face, Armand said calmly, ¡°You can read it at night if you can¡¯t finish it during the day. When Specter Corporation is back in your hands, you won¡¯t have time to learn this. Specter Corporation is a listedpany and a cake in the eyes of the capital. What if I got it back for you, but you know nothing? You can be a puppet for those directors since you¡¯re pretty.¡± His cold gaze fell on her. Hearing that, Genevieve was silent. Genevieve had actually been working hard all this time to improve her abilities and prepare herself to take back herpany in the future. Nheless, she forgot that having the ability and managing thepany were two different things. Although his speech was harsh, he really cared about her and wanted her to understand finance and learn to be a manager. She did not expect that he would talk about this to her. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Genevieve felt warm in her heart, but the heavy things in her hands brought her back to reality. ¡°I haven¡¯t even entered the financial field. I don¡¯t know how much I can remember since you suddenly ask me to read these kinds of books.¡± Abruptly, she ran up to grab his neck and kissed him deeply. Maple-colored lipstick was then printed on his thin lips. ¡°I¡¯ll read the books as much as I can. Thank you, Mando!¡± Genevieve opened the door nimbly and started the car after kissing. The swiftness with which she drove out of the garage was breathtaking. Chapter 135 Chapter 135 Chapter 135 When Are You Coming Back Seeing them talking and kissing next to the car, Steven could not help seeing everything, even if he wanted to treat himself as a transparent person. After Armand closed the door, Steven could not helpughing when he saw the bright color on the ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. former¡¯s lips from the rearview mirror. Steven then coughed hard to hide hisughter and said, ¡°Mrs. Faulkner has been quite lively recently.¡± Steven was the one who settled thingsst time. He watched Genevieve emerge from the despair of the Rachford family¡¯s bankruptcy and the tragic death of Winifred. Later, she had been very cautious while living in Swallow Garden. It seemed that she became lively and much happier since she moved to Regality Gardens. Her rtionship with Armand also seemed to be on good terms. Steven did not know how to express what he saw. In the past, they lived under the same roof, but they were like a boss and a subordinate. But now, Genevieve is treating Mr. Faulkner with intimacy, as if they were equals. ¡°Do you want me to nag you early in the morning?¡± Armand raised his eyes and gave him a cold look. ¡°No.¡± Steven put away those thoughts and drove seriously. Leaning in the seat, Armand saw a lot of messages from Timothy right after he opened WhatsApp. Timothy texted him: The family doctor told me that Marilyn cried all night yesterday. The child in her stomach had a shock. The doctor is afraid that her baby will be in danger and he would also be in trouble if this continues. He wants to tender his resignation. What the heck did you do? Seeing Timothy¡¯s first message, Armand was annoyed, and his face was gloomy. He then texted Timothy: Send another doctor over to save the baby. Timothy replied: It depends on the pregnant woman whether the baby can survive. Don¡¯t you know that pregnant women can have miscarriages because of mental stress? Armand frowned again. When he was about to reply to the message, he received a phone call. He looked down at his phone and let it vibrate. The other party kept calling, and the phone vibrated for more than ten minutes, making his face even more gloomy. When the phone rang again, Armand answered impatiently, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Mando¡­¡± The woman was crying. Subsequently, Armand put the phone to his ear. The woman on the other side cried and said a lot of things that were heartbreaking to hear. Nheless, Armand looked out the window indifferently, his eyes full of disgust. Only when the woman was tired of crying and her voice was hoarse did Armand say, ¡°I¡¯m busy, and I don¡¯t have time to go over there. I¡¯ll ask Timothy to bring something over.¡± After saying that, he hung up the phone and opened WhatsApp. He texted Timothy: Bring your friend to Marilyn this afternoon. Don¡¯t let her get emotional again. Do a blood test for Genevieve again after half a month. After a while, Timothy replied to him: I¡¯m so f*cking unlucky to know you! Upon arriving at thepany, Genevieve was so busy that she wanted to beat herself for asking for work from Jenny before. After lunch, she wanted to flip through the two finance books during her lunch break to mentally prepare herself, but she really could not stand it. Hence, she read it at night when she got home. After opening the book, she realized that there were many notes written on it, with business terms circled and exnations written next to them. ¡°Is this written by Armand? Or is it a finance book with notes bought specially from a professional?¡± Genevieve muttered. Shey in her chair and looked at the book full of notes; her mood suddenly improved a lot. She even felt that finance was not that difficult. Armand went to Xedells on a business trip while Genevieve worked during the day and stayed upte at night reading books, so she did not have time to talk to him. Four days passed, and Genevieve had finished a book and remembered quite a lot of content. After rxing, she realized she had not contacted Armand all this time. He should be back from his business trip soon. After thinking for a while, she texted him: Mando, when are youing back? Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Harriet called Genevieve again a few days ago. As they chatted, Genevieve learned a few dishes Armand liked to eat from Harriet. She practiced with Maria at home for a long time and felt that the taste was rather good. If Armandes back to Jadeborough in the afternoon, I can cook those dishes for him to try in the evening. She rubbed her finger against the edge of her phone, looking at the message she had just sent. As she was immersed in her thoughts, she suddenly heard someone calling her. ¡°Genevieve.¡± She looked up and saw Jennying to her station. Putting the phone on the table, she stood up and asked, ¡°Ms. Griffin, what¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Mr. Leigh from a subsidiarypany ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. at Baykeep called and told me he was taking his team to Bera to discuss a project. However, his interpreter suddenly got the stomach flu when waiting for the ne.¡± Jenny rubbed her temples and said helplessly, ¡°He had to be hospitalized after being sent to the hospital for surgery.¡± She continued, ¡°Besides the Baykeep subsidiarypany, you¡¯re the only one who can interpret Beranese. Get ready to go to Bera with Mr. Leigh and his team. Your daily sry will be tripled for this business trip, and all the flight tickets and amodation will be reimbursed by the Baykeep subsidiarypany.¡± Since the head of thepany personally called to talk to Jenny, and it was a transnational project, Genevieve could only agree. ¡°Has Mr. Leigh and the others already left?¡± ¡°They flew to Bera shortly after sending the interpreter to the hospital.¡± Jenny nodded and said, ¡°You just have to book a flight for tomorrow morning. Do you have a visa?¡± ¡°I had it done before. It shouldn¡¯t have expired yet.¡± She flew all around the world before and had visas for almost all countries in Epea. ¡°Good.¡± Jenny patted Genevieve on the shoulder. ¡°Thanks for this.¡± Genevieve was about to make a polite remark, but when she opened her mouth, she felt a dull stinging pain in her throat. She quickly took the coffee on the table and drank two mouthfuls. After the coffee went down her throat, the slight tingling sensation soon disappeared. Jenny frowned at her and asked with concern, ¡°Genevieve, are you okay?¡± ¡°Yeah, my throat just felt ufortable. Maybe it¡¯s because I didn¡¯t drink enough water in the hot weather.¡± Genevieve smiled. Since the day before yesterday, she asionally felt a piercing pain in her throat, but it onlysted for three or four seconds. She went to the hospital for a checkup, but the doctor did not find anything wrong. ¡°Take care of your throat and drink more water.¡± Jenny chatted with Genevieve a while longer before going back to her office to work. After Genevieve sat down, she picked up her phone on the table and saw that Armand had replied to her. He said: I¡¯m not finished with my work, so I¡¯ll stay in Xedells for a few more days. She replied: Oh. Mr. Leigh¡¯s team from the Baykeep subsidiary Ok. Ok? That¡¯s it? Sometimes, I feel like this man is very cold, but he talks a lot and is very patient when exining things to me. The longer we get along, the more his indifference makes me feel at a loss. She felt her heart itch and sent another message: We haven¡¯t contacted each other for so long, and I¡¯ll be flying abroad for a business trip tomorrow. It may take about a week before Ie back. Is ¡®ok¡¯ all you have to say to me? After sending the message, she calmed down and carefully scanned her words. Then, she felt like she was pushing her luck a little, so she quickly deleted the message. She sent five emoticons in a row, bumping the ¡°Message Deleted¡± text bubble to the top of the chat so that the man would not see it. I deleted it fast enough that he didn¡¯t see it, right? Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Chapter 137 Pick Up The Delivery Downstairs As Genevieve contemted, she saw the ¡°Typing¡­¡± message in Armand¡¯s text box, and he soon sent a message that read: Tell Patrick to go with you. That means he didn¡¯t see my message, right? She breathed a sigh of relief and sent an ¡°ok¡± back to the man. As soon as she did, he replied: Pick up the delivery downstairster. The next second she read the message, she got a call from an unfamiliar number. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Hello, is this Ms. Genevieve Rachford?¡± the man on the phone asked politely. ¡°There¡¯s a delivery for you. Are you in thepany now?¡± ¡°Yeah, give me a moment.¡± She pushed her chair out and hurried out of the office. When she reached the first floor, she soon saw a young man wearing the uniform of a courierpany standing at the front desk. He held a beautiful shopping bag in his hand. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. She walked over to him. ¡°I¡¯m Genevieve Rachford. Is there a package for me?¡± ¡°Oh, yes.¡± The courier hurriedly handed her the shopping bag and two delivery forms. ¡°Take a look and sign here, please.¡± Genevieve had just received the message from Armand and knew that it was sent by him, so she quickly signed the delivery form. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± The courier was still in a hurry to deliver the packages to other ces, so he took the form and left. After leaving the building and getting into the car, he suddenly remembered something. The two packages were not sent by the same person, but because one of the packages was smaller, he ced it in therger shopping bag. Regardless, they were both for Genevieve. He wanted to call her and tell her about it, but a customer suddenly called him, asking when the packages would be delivered. He hurriedly drove the courier car to continue his deliveries. Those two gifts are both quite expensive. Ms. Rachford should know who sent them, right? Genevieve went back to the office and put the parcel in her drawer. Then, she went downstairs and bought a variety of desserts and coffee from a desserts store not far from thepany building and personally brought them to the technical department. There were very few women in the technical department. Everyone was overwhelmed with emotion when they saw Genevieve deliver high tea. She left the dessert and coffee on a station for everyone to help themselves and took a box of cream puffs from the batch. ¡°Where does Patrick sit?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± A staff member from the technical department pointed to the corner of the office while biting into a croissant. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s up with him, but he¡¯s been in a bad mood these days.¡± Genevieve looked in the direction the man pointed and vaguely saw a man lying on the workstation. After Maria came back, Genevieve once asked Patrick if he wanted toe over for dinner, but he said that Steven had a job for him. Furthermore, she was also busy, so they rarely got in touch. She held the cream puffs and a cup of coffee. When she came over, she saw him holding a piece of wood in one hand and a knife in the other, as if he were carving something. Patrick had a keen sense of smell. When someone approached the ss partition, he immediately noticed her and suddenly looked up. When he saw Genevieve, he was stunned and fumbled to throw the wooden carving and knife into the drawer. ¡°Genev, why are you here?¡± His voice was a little unnatural too. Genevieve thought she disturbed him and apologized. Then, she put the cream puffs on his desk and said, ¡°I know you don¡¯t like sweets, but you like to eat cream puffs.¡± He looked at the box of cream puffs, and his throat bobbed. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to thank me.¡± She rolled her eyes at him and propped one hand up on the ss partition. ¡°Your colleague said you were in a bad mood these days. What happened? Did you do a bad job and get scolded by Steven?¡± Although Steven was very polite to her, she had asionally seen him discipline Patrick. Steven was rather stern. Chapter 138 Chapter 138 ¡°Yeah. Sort of,¡± replied Patrick perfunctorily. He did not raise his head and look her in the eye. Feeling bored, he opened the box of puffs and stuffed one into his mouth. ¡°I haven¡¯t been feeling the best for the past few days too. Mando had given me two finance books which are as thick as bricks. Other than work, I¡¯ve only been reading them,¡± stated Genevieve. ¡°Finance books? Did you start learning about finance?¡± Patrick was stunned upon hearing what she said. ¡°Yeah. Mando said that it¡¯s best for me to study right now. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have the time once I get the family¡¯spany back,¡± she responded. At that moment, his eyes identally met hers, and he quickly lowered his head. Patrick had known Armand for a long time and knew that Armand was not a patient man. Judging by Armand¡¯s gestures, Patrick could tell that Armand was looking out for Genevieve and was devoted to ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org. her. That¡¯s great¡­ ¡°Patrick?¡± Genevieve called him when she saw him lowering his head. She began to wave her hand in front of him as if he did not hear her. ¡°I beg your pardon?¡± Patrick seemed lost as he looked at her. ¡°I said that thepany is sending me on a business trip to Bera, and I want you toe along with me,¡± she uttered. She thought for a while before she went on, ¡°Why are you in a trance? Did you think about the task Steven told you to handle? I can go by myself if you¡¯re busy.¡± I guess it¡¯s no big deal. I can meet up with Mr. Leigh¡¯s team once I set foot in Bera. Patrick went quiet before asking, ¡°When are you leaving for Bera? I¡¯ve done everything Steven told me to do.¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°All right. I¡¯ll get the HR department to prepare my visa, and I should be able to get it tomorrow morning.¡± Genevieve felt hungry as she watched him eating the puffs continuously. So, she reached for one and popped it in her mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll head over to Swallow Garden with you after work. You can go ahead and pack your stuff and stay at my ce tonight. Then, we can head to the airport together tomorrow morning. Oh! Maria made some good soup for tonight.¡± ¡°Wow! That¡¯s great! I love Maria¡¯s cooking.¡± His eyes glistened as soon as he heard her words. She let out a sigh of relief when she noticed his change of mood. ¡°Maria is like my nanny. I shall allow you toe to my ce often to have meals since you¡¯re such a sweet talker. All right, then. Enjoy the snack. I¡¯ll leave now to get some work done.¡± Subconsciously, she licked her fingers after eating the puff and recalled Armand¡¯s warning. Quickly, she grabbed a few pieces of tissue from the tissue box. Abruptly, she stopped in her tracks and turned around after taking only a few steps. At that moment, Patrick was staring at her and was caught off guard. ¡°W-What¡­ What are you doing?¡± he stammered. ¡°Let me ask you something. I saw you carving something earlier? What is it?¡± she asked, pointing at his desk. In response, he pursed his lips. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I was just doing it for fun,¡± he replied. ¡°Okay, then.¡± With that, she left the room. As soon as Genevieve returned to her office, she checked for flights to Bera for the next day and bought tickets for her and Patrick. Just as she finished sipping her water, Jenny came in to speak to her about work. After returning to Regality Gardens with Patrick and having dinner, only then did she have time to unbox her parcels. There was a beautiful green silk dress in the shopping bag which was in season. Other than that, there were a pair of precious emerald earrings in another box that was light green in color. It was from one of her favorite brands, and the earrings were stunning. There was no doubt that they would be the objects of her affection. She immediately put them on, took photos, and sent them to Armand, praising him that he knew her best. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Chapter 139 Does It Matter To You Genevieve took a few pictures of herself and sent them to Armand. After noticing that he had not responded, she thought he might have been busy with work. Taking the earrings off, she headed into the bathroom for a bath. After she dried her hair, she picked her phone up from the nightstand. Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Armand texted her: How many books have you read? She jumped onto her bed and sat downfortably. She replied: I¡¯ve just finished a book, and I memorized a ton of details. She wanted to tell him that he could test her when he returned. However, he was one step ahead and responded to her text. He texted: Remember to finish up the second book when you¡¯re on your business trip. She would have hit him on the head if he was standing in front of her then. She used to be an interpreter back then and knew how tiring the job was. Genevieve: I won¡¯t have time to read on a business trip. Armand: You can always pull an all-nighter. She read his texts and nced at the earrings on the bedside table. Then, she set her rm clock before going to bed. The next morning, Genevieve and Patrick took a cab to the airport after packing. When they were on the highway, he noticed a Bentley following them. It would asionally speed up and also tailgate them. Hence, he found the situation rather odd. He remained silent as he reached out for a cold item from his bag and ced it around his waist. Shortly afterward, they arrived at the airport. Genevieve got out of the car and inadvertently nced at the Bentley that stopped in front of them. It was then she noticed a slender figure. The man was tall and had a refined appearance. Nevertheless, there was a glimpse of tiredness in his eyes. He had his eyes fixed on Genevieve as he strode toward her. Patrick collected their bags and immediately stood in front of Genevieve to protect her from the man. Then and there, Cooper was staring Genevieve straight in the eye. ¡°Are you going on a business trip?¡± he asked, his voice sounding hoarse. ¡°Does it matter to you?¡± replied Genevieve, expressionless. She hated this man to the core. Nevertheless, it was an undeniable fact that he was not a useless man. When he was detained, he still managed to get his job done. Previously, he even managed to coborate his business with an internationalpany, raising Specter Corporation¡¯s stock prices. He did not realize the cold reaction from her was enough to make him suffocate until now. ¡°We can talk when you return.¡± He removed his sunsses and fixed his eyes on her. He noticed how pale her skin looked in the green dress. Perhaps she put on the emerald earrings just to match the dress. Regardless, she was radiating an innocent aura that made her look perfect. He knew that she would fall in love with the dress the moment heid eyes on it. It was only when he bought the dress did he realize he remembered many things about her. He recalled that she loved the color green and that she hated carrots and some other vegetables. Back then, she would pick carrots out of her food and hand them to him. His mother would ask her why she did that when she could have left the carrots on her own te. As a response, Genevieve would say that she hated seeing carrots on the te. Then, she would smile and look at him as she said, ¡°Cooper, you¡¯ll finish them up for me, right?¡± Nevertheless, he had lost her in the end. Chapter 140 Chapter 140 The more Cooper thought of the past, the worse the pain in his chest was. His voice was low when he asked, ¡°Genev, please?¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to discuss?¡± Genevieve sneered and fixed her hair which was messy from the wind. ¡°About how you killed my parents? Or about how you stole Specter Corporation from me?¡± Cooper was silent, although he wanted to add something. He pursed his lips and felt a bitter taste in his mouth. The reason why we are now like this is my fault. I deserve this. ¡°Cooper, please don¡¯t call me by that name anymore. It will only disgust me.¡± Genevieve looked at him with cold eyes, then took her luggage and left after telling Patrick, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Patrick.¡± Patrick took the other luggage and hurried behind her closely. Meanwhile, Cooper remained rooted at the spot silently. He watched as Genevieve cold-heartedly entered the airport and disappeared from his sight with a bitter smile on his face. Unexpectedly, he was reaping what he sow. Christopher, Cooper¡¯s assistant, waited for a while longer before he pushed thetter¡¯s luggage forward and informed cautiously, ¡°Mr. Sutton, your luggage is here.¡± ¡°Okay. Call me if there¡¯s an emergency at thepany.¡± Cooper¡¯s voice was hoarse as he took the luggage, his eyes behind his sses devoid of emotions. Christopher eyed Christopher and hesitated. ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± After passing Cooper the coat, Christopher could not hold it in and said, ¡°Mr. Sutton, should I go to Xedells in your stead? I heard from others that Mr. Faulkner is still there, and Xedells is under the Faulkner family¡¯s influence. If you¡¯re there, Mr. Faulkner will receive news.¡± When he heard the reminder, Cooper lifted his head and nced at Christopher. ¡°Do you think Armand won¡¯t know I met that person? He has eyes everywhere, so he can get information easily.¡± ¡°Then¡­ Why do you insist on going to Xedells?¡± Christopher was confused and reasoned, ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time you had a scandal. If anyone releases pictures, our publicity team can suppress them. Eventually, everything will be forgotten since Ms. Hall is dead¡­¡± Christopher knew and kept in mind that Cooper wanted to find Erica. Therefore, he sent more people to different states to search for Erica. Unfortunately, she was dead by the time they found her. A little while after that, someone found Cooper This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. and showed him a few photos. From them, it looked like he obtained many benefits from Erica¡¯s death. Therefore, that person wanted to make a deal with Cooper. Christopher could not help but say, ¡°Mr. Sutton, that person is rted to the Faulkner family. It¡¯ll be akin to making Mr. Faulkner your enemy if you meet them.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll handle these matters. You don¡¯t have to worry about them. Just take care of the Christopher¡¯s hand. Chills ran down Christopher¡¯s spine, and he did not dare to utter any more words. After sending Christopher away, Cooper pushed his luggage into the airport. Once inside, he had an airline worker send it to the VIP lounge. He found a seat beside the window while waiting to board the ne. Cooper took out his phone and saw a beautiful smile greeting him once unlocking his screen. The female in the picture was smiling in the direction of the camera. Her eyes crinkled from the smile, and they were twinkling with stars. When Cooper hired people to take care of the Rachford family, all items rted to Genevieve were disposed of back then. However, he had been searching for them like crazy ever since he came out of the police station. Nevertheless, everything rted to the Rachford family, including Genevieve¡¯s things, was sent to the junkyard and incinerated. The picture he had now was one she took with his phone during their engagement. It had remained in his old phone¡¯s storage and was the only thing left of their rtionship. While he stared at that smiling face, he deftly touched the edge of the screen. The longer he stared, the more agony he felt, and remorse filled his mind. He understood what Christopher meant and knew evidence from a dead person was invalid. However, he did not want Genevieve to see those photos. Perhaps it was because of his selfishness that Cooper wanted to cooperate with that person. Maybe when Armand is ruined, Genevieve wille back to me. Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Meanwhile, Genevieve and Patrick rested at the VIP lounge for a while, and soon, the boarding time arrived. She kept herself busy by taking out the book she brought onto the ne and reading it while lying on the chair. While reading, she memorized the words she did not understand to ask Armand When they booked their flight tickets from Moranta to Spaunia, the first-ss tickets were already sold out. Hence, Genevieve settled with two economy-ss tickets. Maybe it was because the flight duration was too long, but Genevieve lost her mood to read and fell asleep soon after making herself rested on Patrick¡¯s shoulder, which was on her right. He felt a weight on his shoulder and turned to see Genevieve sleeping. Carefully reaching out, he pulled down the window shades. When he retracted his hand, he spotted a few strands of hair sticking to Genevieve¡¯s face. Patrick hesitated briefly before using his finger to tuck those strands behind her ear. Her thick eyshes looked simr to two handheld fans and would flutter asionally. Patrick¡¯s eyes were fixed on her face for a long time. Later, he lifted his head to look at the ne¡¯s ceiling, and his eyes darkened. When the flight arrived at Spaunia, it was already eleven at night. Genevieve had already informed Elijah Leigh¡¯s assistant, Benjamin, ahead of time, so when they went out of the airport, they met up with him immediately. ¡°Huh? Isn¡¯t this Mr. Patrick Sullivan?¡± Upon seeing Patrick, Benjamin was surprised and asked, ¡°You came too?¡± Baykeep¡¯s subsidiarypany¡¯s manager, Elijah, was someone who got his position with Armand¡¯s help. Therefore, he was very close to Armand. Benjamin had worked for Elijah for several years. He once met Patrick at one of the mainpany¡¯s anniversary events and knew thetter as Armand¡¯s bodyguard. However, Benjamin did not expect to see Patrick with Genevieve. ¡°Why? Are you afraid Mr. Leigh will have to spend more money on my meal? Should I go?¡± Patrick lifted his eyebrows. Facing Benjamin, Genevieve smiled. ¡°Perhaps you may not know this, but Patrick is good with road. Let¡¯s go now, Ms. Rachford.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be in your care.¡± She nodded. As it was ratherte in the Material ? N?velDrama.Org. evening, they went to their rooms to sleep upon arriving at the hotel. The next morning, Genevieve met with Elijah and chatted briefly. After which, Benjamin gave her the details of the project this time. On the third day, she went with Elijah¡¯s team to the promised meeting ce to discuss the deal. It was a This situation went on for three days. Sometimes, she had to join Elijah and his team¡¯s meeting after reaching the hotel and having dinner. By the time she returned to her room, it was already dawn. She felt like she had transformed into a panda with the dark circles under her eyes and eye bags due to this arduous schedule for the past few nights. Genevieve arrived at her hotel room, feeling lethargic. After taking a shower and putting on an eye mask, she noticed her book on the bedside table. Ever since arriving in Bera, Genevieve had not had the time to read the book. She opened her WhatsApp and noticed herst chat with Armand was the night before the flight. Although she knew Armand¡¯s attitude, which ignored everything else when busy with work, Genevieve felt disappointed. She hoped that he would care more about her, like when they were at Regality Gardens, where he ate what she cooked and apanied her. She stared at his chat for a while and hesitated. Just as she was about to send a text to him, a local number shed on her screen. The caller was Maria, so Genevieve answered it quickly, ¡°Hello, Maria.¡± Maria greeted back, ¡°Hi, Ms. Rachford. Didn¡¯t you say there¡¯s a timezone difference? Were you sleeping?¡± Chapter 142 Chapter 142 Chapter 142 He Only Has Eyes For Marilyn ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nighttime over here. I just took a shower. I¡¯ll head to bed in a while once I¡¯m done drying my hair. Maria, what prompted you to make this long-distance call?¡± asked Genevieve as shey on the bed and idly flipped through the book that was on the bedside table. Maria replied worriedly, ¡°You¡¯ve been gone overseas for a good several days now, Ms. Rachford. I was worried that you hadn¡¯t been eating or sleeping well. I remember there was once you went on a business trip to some far-off country and puked at the hotel.¡± Genevieve felt a warm fuzzy feeling gush through her, and she smiled as she replied, ¡°My stomach didn¡¯t feel too well back then, so the motion sickness from traveling in the car made me want to puke the moment I reached the hotel. Things are all right this time. The hotel that I¡¯m staying in is fairly decent as well. It¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t really gotten used to the food they have avable here.¡± ¡°Once you¡¯re back, I¡¯ll cook up something nice for you to eat!¡± promised Maria readily. She paused for a moment and added, ¡°Ms. Rachford, is Ms. Wood on good terms with Mr. Armand?¡± Ms. Wood? Genevieve¡¯s heart sank, and she sat up from where shey in bed. She crossed her legs and asked, ¡°Which Ms. Wood? Is it Marilyn?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied Maria. ¡°How do you know her, Maria? Did shee over to Regality Gardens to find you?¡± asked Genevieve as she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s¡­¡± began Maria before she suddenly broke off midway. This content provided by N(o)velDrama].[Org. After a brief pause, she finally continued, ¡°Yesterday, Old Mrs. Faulkner gave me a call and sent people over to escort me to her ce. There, she asked me how you were doing recently and prepared several gifts for me to bring back¡­¡± ¡°As I was heading out, I saw several of the Faulkner family¡¯s housekeepers ce some boxes at the entrance to the residence, almost as if they were preparing to throw it all away. One of the boxes was partially open, and I happened to nce into it by ident. I saw that it contained several photos of Mr. Armand with ady and assumed that it was his ex-girlfriend,¡± continued Maria. After a brief pause for air, Maria added, ¡°However, while the Faulkner family¡¯s driver was sending me back, we happened to pass by a billboard. I saw that thedy¡¯s face was stered right on the billboard. The driver told me that she was called Marilyn Wood and was the wife of the third child of the Faulkner family.¡± Genevieve wasn¡¯t too concerned at first, but her heart suddenly prickled upon hearing Maria¡¯s detailed recount of the situation. ¡°Yes, she¡¯s Mr. Faulkner¡¯s ex-girlfriend. The both of them dated for quite a few years back then,¡± stated Genevieve with her gaze lowered. She didn¡¯t know how she had managed to summon the courage to say what she just had. ¡°Ah! Then¡­ Then how did she¡­¡± began Maria. However, she didn¡¯t know how to continue at this particr moment. Instead, she frantically said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any other intentions, Ms. Rachford. I just feel that Mr. Armand shouldn¡¯t be involved with other women now that he¡¯s married to you.¡± ¡°He told me previously that he¡¯s broken up with Marilyn. There¡¯s nothing going on between them now, so it¡¯s fine,¡± replied Genevieve honestly. She calmly asked, ¡°Maria, did you happen to take a photo of the pictures you saw?¡± ¡°I did take a photo of it, but it was really because I was afraid that I had seen things wrongly due to my poor vision at my age. I wanted to snap several photos to get a clearer look¡­¡± admitted Maria. ¡°Send them over to me,¡± instructed Genevieve. ¡°Ms. Rachford, these are all old photos. Furthermore, the ones I snapped are rather blurry. Since they¡¯re getting rid of those photos, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s nothing going on between the two of them now,¡± replied Maria. Genevieve shed a smile and said, ¡°I know. I just want to take a look.¡± Maria was unable to dissuade Genevieve any further. As such, she had no choice but to follow Genevieve¡¯s instructions and switch on theptop at home. She uploaded the photos and sent them over to Genevieve via email. Genevieve opened the email the second it arrived and proceeded to download the images. Courtesy of the fairly good inte connection avable at the hotel, it didn¡¯t take long for the handful of photos to be sessfully downloaded. She surmised that Maria must have used her phone to snap images of the box directly. As Maria had mentioned, the photos taken were indeed rather blurry, but she could still pick out that they depicted a young male and female. There were photos of them attending a dinner banquet where Marilyn clutched Armand¡¯s hand in hers and smiled at the camera, as well as photos of Marilyn leaning against Armand and taking a selfie as he was hard at work. Genevieve was fairly epting of all these photos as she felt that it was normal for them to take such photos back when they were dating. Furthermore, she had taken simr photos with Cooper before as well. However, as she magnified the photos to zoom into the details, she could clearly see in Armand¡¯s eyes the faint hint of a smile and the warmth he had toward Marilyn. Even though he was only looking at her from the side, his face was gentle and affectionate. While his eyes weren¡¯t visible to the viewers, it was clear for all to see that he only had eyes for Marilyn in the photos. Chapter 143 Chapter 143 As she took in the warmth and indulgence that Armand conveyed through his gaze, Genevieve couldn¡¯t help but feel immense jealousy toward Marilyn. Out of nowhere, she felt wetness at the corners of her eyes. The wetness and cool feeling soon spread from her face throughout the rest of her body. Genevieve irritably flicked through the few photos that Maria had sent over. She did this so many times that her vision soon became blurry from the strain on her eyes, and her arm ached heavily from holding her phone up the entire time. Once more, her gaze fell on Armand¡¯s eyes, and she came to a sudden realization. She now understood why Marilyn had poured filthy water onto her when she had visited the Faulkner residence previously. She also understood why Armand had found it so difficult and why he had been so reluctant to lecture Marilyn about it. This also exined why she had always been so jealous of the indulgence that Armand had for Marilyn and why she asionally felt that Armand didn¡¯t care for her or didn¡¯t belong to her. It was all because she was in love with Armand. For a long time now, she had felt this burgeoning love within her and had buried it deep within her heart. She didn¡¯t dare to think about it or admit to herself what it all meant. Genevieve was a little numb as she thought about all this and recalled how Armand¡¯s gaze had always been cold whenever he looked at her, yet full of warmth whenever he gazed at Marilyn. At the end of the day, he only treated their rtionship as a purely contractual one, whereas she hadpletely fallen head over heels for him. Genevieve felt the phone in her hand suddenly vibrate. She looked down and saw that she had just received a WhatsApp message. Armand texted: How far have you gotten in the book? From just his texts alone, Genevieve seemed to be able to pick up his nonchnt and indifferent tone. She pursed her lips and didn¡¯t reply to the message nor scroll through her phone. Instead, she switched it off and flung it on the bedside table. That night, Genevieve went to bed without bothering to dry her hair. Coupled with her dreary and depressed mood, this resulted in her waking the next day with several throbbing aches throughout her body. Patrick met her at the hotel¡¯s restaurant and asked how she had been. However, Genevieve replied awkwardly that she had merely been exposed to the air-conditioning for too long a period of time and would perk up once she had taken some food. She added that she would head over to the center with Elijah¡¯s team to continue their round of negotiations. Fortunately for Genevieve, their negotiations proceeded rather smoothly this time, and they finally signed the contract just after two in the afternoon. After their sessful negotiation, Elijah¡¯s team booked tickets for Genevieve¡¯s and Patrick¡¯s return flight to Jadeborough. The next day, the group headed over to the airport together to bid the pair farewell. Unfortunately for the pair, the weather at Jadeborough made for difficult flying conditions, and the transit flight the pair were on had no choice but tond at Springwyn. Patrick seemed to be able to pick up that Genevieve was feeling rather sullen. As such, once they had dropped off their baggage at the hotel, he headed over to knock on the door to her room and suggested, ¡°The weather seems pretty good here at Springwyn. Come on; I¡¯ll take you out to have some fun.¡± However, Genevieve rejected his offer and replied, ¡°I want to sleep. I¡¯m not going anywhere.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve slept so much during the two flights we¡¯ve had to get here. How can you still manage to fall asleep?¡± countered Patrick. Patrick headed in and saw that Genevieve¡¯s suitcase was open. He reached in, picked out two sets of clothing, and tossed them into herp. Following that, he gently guided her toward the bathroom and implored, ¡°Hurry up and change out. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be interested in the ce I¡¯m bringing you to.¡± Genevieve turned back and eyed him as she asked, ¡°Surely you¡¯re not taking me to an amusement park just because you think I¡¯m feeling unhappy, are you? Don¡¯t be so childish.¡± However, Patrick only closed the door to the bathroom and replied, ¡°You¡¯ll know when you get there.¡± Once Genevieve was finished changing out, she followed Patrick out and soon realized that he was bringing her to a shooting club. This shooting club was one of Springwyn¡¯srgest. Its interior was designed and set up under the guidance of retired military personnel, contributing to a This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. great user experience. As Genevieve hadn¡¯t been to a shooting club before, her interest was suddenly piqued at the impressive sight before her. Under Patrick¡¯s guidance, Genevieve loaded the gun and held it as she got up on the tform and took aim at her target. Although her starting few shots were rather dismal, especially since she had picked an easy target close to her current position, she eventually improved after some training, and her bullets were soon able to hit the bullseye. Just like that, Genevieve spent the whole day at the shooting club with Patrick and had the time of her life doing so. Close to half past five in the afternoon, they were about to leave the shooting club, and Patrick saw that her mood had finally improved. With this in mind, he finally rxed and handed her a bottle of water. ¡°Wait for me here. I¡¯ll go return the keys,¡± instructed Patrick. ¡°All right,¡± replied Genevieve as she took the bottle of water and stood by the side of the entrance. She twisted the cap off the bottle and took a few sips of water. Just as she was about to cap the bottle again, a blur shed past and grabbed her violently by the wrist. Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Chapter 144 His Expression Was Colder Than Usual Genevieve was startled. She looked up. When she saw the hair of the man holding her wrist was a little messy, and his eyes looked abnormally wild, her heart couldn¡¯t help but skip a beat. ¡°Sir, I think you got the wrong person.¡± Genevieve tried to shake her wrist from his grip and stepped back. ¡°Lily, Lily, I¡¯m sorry. I know I was wrong. Can you go home with me now?¡± The man tightened his grip on her wrist again. He stared at her and pleaded, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want me, are you going to leave our daughter all alone?¡± Genevieve felt that the man was getting irrational. She didn¡¯t dare to answer him, afraid she would enrage him. However, her silence infuriated the man, and his expression changed in the end. ¡°Why are you staying quiet? Are you waiting for that man toe? How long have you been together? Damn it! You are a b*tch!¡± Hearing that, Genevieve tried to fish for her phone in her pocket. When she almost got her phone and was about to dial a number, the man pounced on her suddenly. He then strangled her with both of his hands. In a split second, Genevieve sprained her ankle and fell to the ground heavily. Her back was terribly hurt, causing her to be in pain. ¡°You b*tch! I¡¯m going to kill you! You betrayed me!¡± The man sat on top of her. His hands then gripped tightly around her neck. Genevieve was almost out of breath. She grabbed the back of the man¡¯s hand and scratched several bloody marks. However, her efforts were in vain. A few secondster, she felt her pain subsiding. Besides, the air she inhaled seemed to be thinner and thinner. The expression of the mad man in front of her became gradually blurred. After returning the key, Patrick was shocked to see what happened when he came back. He quickly rushed over and pulled the man away. With a punch, he threw the man out, and thetter spat out blood on the spot. ¡°Genev!¡± Patrick knelt down on one knee and quickly patted Genevieve¡¯s face. Upon seeing Genevieve was not breathing at all with bruises all over her neck, Patrick quickly performed CPR. He then shouted at the staff of the shooting club that rushed over. ¡°Call an ambnce now!¡± Patrick¡¯s hands began to tremble uncontrobly when he saw Genevieve was motionless. He bit the tip of his tongue, trying to ease the panic he felt in his heart. When the ambnce finally arrived, Patrick helped the nurses to carry Genevieve into the ambnce in a hurry. Fortunately, Patrick came in time to resuscitate Genevieve when she ceased breathing. Although she This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. resumed her heartbeat, she was still in aa. Patrick felt that his palms were numb and still quivering while the doctors were still checking on the bruises and wounds on Genevieve¡¯s neck. In the next second, his phone buzzed in his pocket. Patrick took out his phone. His face immediately darkened when seeing the caller ID. A few seconds ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°There was a rainstorm in Jadeborough. Our ne was forced tond in Springwyn.¡± Patrick sensed the smell of blood spreading in his mouth. He couldn¡¯t help but say in a low voice, ¡°I took Genev to the shooting club. She was attacked while waiting for me at the entrance¡­¡± Over the phone, Armand was stunned upon hearing that. ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon. Take care of her.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± After hanging up the phone, Patrick took a look at Genevieve, who was lying on the bed. With her eyes closed, her face still looked pale. He suddenly thought of her lifeless look just now, and his fingertips couldn¡¯t help but tremble. When the nurse finished treating Genevieve¡¯s wound and left the room, Patrick went out of the ward too. He then leaned against the wall. Around nine in the evening, Patrick heard faint footstepsing from the end of the corridor. He looked up and saw Armand hurrying over, followed by Steven at his back. From far, Patrick saw Armand frown. His expression looked colder than usual. ¡°Armand.¡± Patrick quickly stood up and greeted him. Armand nodded slightly and passed by Patrick. Then he opened the door of the ward and walked in. Somehow, the corners of Patrick¡¯s mouth twitched. Is he worrying about Genevieve Chapter 145 Chapter 145 ¡°Patrick, what happened?¡± Steven came over and asked. Patrick didn¡¯t dare to hide anything. He told Material ? N?velDrama.Org. Steven that their ne was forced tond in Springwyn, and he took Genevieve out for fun. Steven¡¯s face darkened when he heard them. ¡°Where¡¯s that man?¡± he asked. ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to look for him just now. I was in a hurry to send Genev to the hospital. Guess he ran away.¡± Patrick rubbed his eyebrows with his fingers and spoke calmly. ¡°Steven, stay here. I¡¯m going to look for that man now. Call me if you need anything.¡± Steven frowned as soon as he heard that. ¡°Go and take some rest. You¡¯re tired by now. I¡¯ll let someone else handle it.¡± ¡°No! She almost died! Steven, I¡¯m not kidding. Genev could have died if I arrived a secondter!¡± Patrick interrupted. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my negligence, Genev wouldn¡¯t have been in danger. No matter what, I¡¯m going to handle it.¡± After saying that, Patrick turned around and left. He didn¡¯t want to hear a word from Steven anymore. Patrick returned to the shooting club and asked the staff for the surveince videos. It took him ten minutes to find the direction that the man who left the shooting club had gone. Patrick then tracked the man all the way to the brightly lit port. Soon, he found him. The man was about to board the boat with a ck suitcase. However, he was pulled back by a hand on his shoulder. ¡°Who the heck¡­¡± The man¡¯s voice was unclear as he had lost a few teeth. When the man was about to turn around, a fist hit his left cheek. The blow almost broke his jaw, and he couldn¡¯t help but spit out a few more teeth. Then his ck suitcase fell to the ground and opened. Soon, countless red bills flew out. All the people on the boat were scared after seeing what had happened. They quickly stepped aside. Patrick kicked the man¡¯s chest with his knee. He controlled his strength, and the kick was not enough to knock him out. ¡°Who gave you the order?¡± he asked coldly. ¡°I was wrong¡­¡± The man felt threatened and trembled with fear. He stammered, ¡°I-I got the wrong person. I¡¯ll go to the police station¡­¡± Nheless, Patrick gave another punch at the man again. The man¡¯s right cheek was almost sunken. He then spat out more blood. ¡°Tell me, who gave you the order? Who gave you the money!¡± Patrick lowered his head and confronted the man directly. His eyes looked vicious. ¡°If you dare to deny again¡­¡± Hearing that, the man was so frightened that he almost fainted. He stuttered a name, ¡°M-Marilyn¡­ Wood¡­¡± Patrick had guessed it was her. In fact, Marilyn didn¡¯t need to hide anything when hiring people. She did a lot of things relying on Armand¡¯s power as she knew no one would me her for her unscrupulousness. Nheless, as soon as Patrick heard what the man said, his eyes darkened. When the man dialed the number, Patrick snatched the phone over. After a few seconds, someone picked up the phone. ¡°Didn¡¯t you get the money? What? Not enough?¡± Marilyn asked impatiently. ¡°Marilyn, Armand sent me to protect Genevieve, but she is also my friend.¡± Patrick held the phone tightly, and blue veins popped out on the back of his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t care who you¡¯re hurting, but if you dare toy a finger on Genevieve again, even Armand can¡¯t protect you.¡± Marilyn didn¡¯t expect Patrick was the one talking to her over the phone. She was stunned for a moment, but soon she smiled. ¡°Who do you think you are? You¡¯re just Mando¡¯sckey! How dare ackey bark at his master?¡± ¡°Just give it a try if you dare,¡± Patrick warned in a calm tone. ¡°I always do what I promise.¡± After saying that, he hung up. On the other side, Marilyn was so angry that she lost control of herself. She smashed all the things on her dressing table. How could ackey threaten me? Smash! A pile of expensive skin care products was smashed to the floor. ¡°Who the hell does he think he is? How dare he threaten me!¡± Marilyn was alone in the room. Hence, she didn¡¯t need to pretend. She gritted her teeth and said, ¡°He¡¯s so protective of Genevieve!¡± The more Patrick protected Genevieve, the more Marilyn felt Armand cared about Genevieve. How dare he let a