Ch. 671..680

Chapter 671 Sweet Consolation

Christina’s pregnancy seemed to be affecting her intellect, for she did not immediately realize his actions were because of her.

Nathaniel had never let the emotions he had at work carry over into his private life. Moreover, he rarely ever spoke about work when he was with Christina.

As Nathaniel gently stroked Christina’s pregnant belly, he muttered, “I think you’ve been a little cold to me lately.”

He sounded miserable, but Christina could hear that he was seeking consolation. A laugh escaped past her lips, and she asked, “Oh my, are you asking me to reassure you?”

Nathaniel took the opportunity of her turning around to peck a kiss on the corner of her lips. Glee manifested in his eyes at that.

Christina froze, but in the next second, she grabbed his chin and kissed him.

Nathaniel was surprised, having not expected Christina to be that enthusiastic. After pulling her into his arms, he wrapped his arm around the back of her neck and deepened the kiss.

A long while later, he finally let go of her.

Christina’s breathing was a little shaky. “Do you still think that I’m being cold toward you?”

Nathaniel lay them both down on the sofa bed as bright desire kindled in his eyes.

“I think you can be a little more passionate with me…”

By the time Christina woke, it was noon.

As Nathaniel had spent quite a long while with Christina at Hallsbay, he had accumulated a mountain of work back in the company. Thus, early in the morning, Sebastian had summoned him. After three extremely long meetings, he finally had the chance to call Christina during his lunch break.

Christina was in the middle of having her nutritious meal when she received his call. As she talked to him, she took out the carrots from her soup.

“Don’t be a picky eater, Christina,” came Nathaniel’s magnetic voice, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine.

She lied, “I’m not.”

Then, as the nutritionist watched on with relief, Christina put the carrot she had taken out earlier into her mouth and scrunched her face in disgust.

“I saw the menu for today, and there are ingredients you don’t like in it.”

Nathaniel knew all of Christina’s likes and dislikes. In the past, he would ask the chef to cook food that Christina preferred, but now, Christina was pregnant, and she needed a balanced diet.

A pregnant woman was prone to inood changes, so Nathaniel did his best to watch out for those and calm her.

She muttered under her breath, “You know that I don’t like it, but you’re still making me eat it.”

“You and the baby need the nutrition. It’s the doctor’s orders,” Nathaniel said, having caught her whispered words. “Be good, Christina. Once the baby is born, I won’t force you to do things you don’t like anymore.”

Christina knew that he was only doing it for her sake. Okay, I got it. I’ll eat everything, and you need to eat on time too. Don’t forgo your meals for your work”

“Of course,” Nathaniel replied, his eyes glued to the screen as he read his work emails. When he saw Sebastian mouthing to him that it was time for his video conference, he said, “Christina, I have something else to attend to now, so I’m going to end the call.”

When the call ended, Christina asked the kitchen staff to make a set of lunch. When she was done with her own meal, she changed into a dress and took the packed lunch, ready to head to Hadley Corporation.

Lyle was the driver, and he was in charge of taking Christina around.

“We’re going to take the long route to get rid of the car tailing us,” Lyle informed. When they left Scenic Garden Manor, both Christina and Lyle realized that there was another car following them.

However, the car had kept a distance from them and had done nothing to harm them yet.

Lyle deliberately took the long way at the most traffic–congested and busy area downtown, and soon, he lost the tail.

Christina asked Lyle to drive into the underground parking lot in the building beside Hadley Corporation. When he stopped the car, she got off with the packed lunch.

“Keep driving around outside and try to get a chance to find out who they are.”

“Of course. Please stay safe, Mrs. Hadley.”

Although Hadley Corporation was right beside the building they were in, Lyle was still worried about leaving her to cover the distance alone. He was afraid that the other party would be tailing her on foot too.

Noticing his worry, she reassured him by saying, “There’s a walkway between this building and Hadley Corporation, and it’s quite crowded. There are security guards there too. You should be careful as well.

Call me if anything happens.”

After reminding Lyle about a few more things, she turned and left.

Christina’s journey to the CEO’s office was smooth and uneventful.

Although it was lunch break, the secretarial department was still busy as ever. Christina was like the rain in a drought. When they saw her, they quickly paused their work and turned to look at her in anticipation.

Christina knew what they wanted, and she slightly inclined her head at them before knocking on the CFO’s office door.

Sebastian had a dark look on his face when he opened the door, for he thought it was one of the employees who had foolishly picked the wrong time to disturb Nathaniel while Nathaniel was in the middle of berating one of the managers.

When he realized it was actually Christina, he froze and swiftly changed his demeanor.

“Mrs. Hadley, why are you here?” Sebastian asked as he stepped out of the office. “Mr. Hadley is currently having a meeting with the executives. There are some issues with the project, and I’m afraid it isn’t convenient to meet with Mr. Hadley now.”

Nathaniel was as frightening as the devil that day. Not only did he chide every one of the executives in the company, but he even rejected all of the proposals that the project and planning department had sent to him. All the employees who had made major mistakes were fired, too.

Everyone in the company was terrified of him as they put more effort into their work, fearing that they would lose their jobs.

Christina waved her packed lunch and said, “I’m here to bring lunch for Nathaniel and talk to him about something. Since he’s busy, I’ll wait for him at the lounge.”

Sebastian would never dare to let Christina wait for Nathaniel in the lounge without Nathaniel’s permission, so he said, “Please wait for me a second, Mrs. Hadley. Let me inform Mr. Hadley about your arrival. I’m sure the meeting is about to end.”

With that said. Sebastian turned and re–entered the room.

Nathaniel was in the middle of interrogating the executives about the last quarter’s report, but no one could give him a clear answer. If looks could kill, Nathaniel would have ended their lives.

Sebastian’s arrival brought a wave of relief to the executives as they cast pleading looks at the man.

Sebastian steeled himself and whispered, “Mr. Hadley, Mrs. Hadley has brought lunch for She’s standing outside of the office right now.“”

Immediately, Nathaniel closed the folder with a loud smack. The anger in his eyes retreated, giving way to delight.

“Let her come in,” he said before turning to shoot a grim look at the executives. “I want to see a quarterly report I’ll be satisfied with when it’s time for the afternoon meeting.”

At that, the executives hastily nodded and rushed out of the room.

Sebastian then led Christina into the office. When he finally closed the door behind him, he let out a sigh of relief. Upon turning around, he saw the secretaries craning their necks and looking in his direction. They were like birds in a cage, craving freedom.

“Please don’t disturb Mr. and Mrs. Hadley before the end of lunch break.”

His announcement took away the heavy weight of worry on their chests, and they swiftly made themselves scarce for a rare lunch outside.

Unlike them, Sebastian did not have it that easy. While the others were on a break, he had to return to his position to work.

Right then, his phone began ringing. It was Victoria.

Immediately after Sebastian answered the call, Victoria’s sinister voice traveled out of the speakers.

“Sebastian Taggart, you stood me up again! Just you wait! I’m going to come after you right now!”

 

Chapter 672 Fall Out

Oh no! I can’t believe I completely forgot my lunch date with Victoria. Judging from Victoria’s seething tone, Sebastian knew she must be furious.

That was Sebastian’s first time getting into a relationship. Aside from what he had learned from books and online about dating, he had no practical experience in that field.

He didn’t know how to coax someone.

In his panic, Sebastian accidentally knocked over the cup of coffee on the table, splashing it on the documents and staining the entire tabletop.

“Victoria, I’m sorry, I…” he anxiously explained with the phone held in place between his ear and shoulder while frantically attempting to salvage the documents.

However, some files stuck to his pristine white shirt and fell onto the floor, causing the coffee mug at the edge of the table to clatter onto his foot.

“Ah!” Sebastian couldn’t help but let out a suppressed grunt of pain.

Victoria heard Sebastian’s somewhat ambiguous groan through the phone as she stepped into the elevator. Her imagination ran wild as she flew into a rage.

“Sebastian, who are you with?” Exercising her imagination to its fullest extent, Victoria sobbed aggrievedly, “Are you seeing another woman? Did you stand me up to go on a date with her?”

Sebastian was torn between amusement and exasperation as he was unjustly labeled as a playboy. “Don’t overthink. I just accidentally hurt my foot.”

While he spoke, Victoria had stepped out of the elevator and stormed into the secretarial department.

Taking in Sebastian’s disheveled appearance, she widened her eyes in disbelief and hastened over to him, examining his condition with an aching heart. “You said you hurt your foot. Is it serious? Let me send you to the hospital.”

Sebastian replied, “It’s not serious. I just accidentally knocked over a cup, which hit my foot.”

As if something had suddenly dawned on Victoria, tears welled up in her eyes as she threw herself into Sebastian’s arms, disregarding whether the coffee stain on his clothes would soil her newly bought white dress.

“I’m sorry. This is all my fault. If I hadn’t been so unreasonable, you wouldn’t have made such a blunder,” Victoria said self–reproachfully.

Sebastian replied gently, “It’s not your fault. I am to be blamed. I shouldn’t have been so engrossed in work to the extent of forgetting our date. I’m sorry, Victoria,”

The aggrieved feeling in her chest vanished in an instant. She had thought he didn’t care about her because he had stood her up and that he was with her because she had been the one pursuing him. persistently.

It turned out she had been too paranoid.

Victoria immediately turned gentle and docile. Looking at the coffee stain on Sebastian’s shirt, she uttered thoughtfully, “I’m not mad at you anymore. Your shirt is dirty. Why don’t I shopping mall next door to buy a new one? We can consider this as you spending time accompanying me to go shopping. What do you say?”

Sebastian had spare clothes in his office, but recalling Victoria’s aggrieved and sorrowful demeanor earlier, he couldn’t bring himself to reject her suggestion.

However, noticing the mess on the table out of the corner of his eyes, he caught himself right before he was about to agree. “I’m sorry, Victoria. I’m swamped with work these two days. I have another meeting this afternoon. Now that I’ve ruined the documents needed for the meeting, I need to redo them as soon as possible.”

The smile on Victoria’s face froze. She glared at Sebastian resentfully and picked up the folders on the desk to hit him angrily.

“Sebastian, why don’t you spend the rest of your life with your work!” Upset and enraged, she turned around and left.

Sebastian stood rooted in his spot. He stared at Victoria’s retreating figure in bafflement, shocked by how quickly she had fallen out with him. Just moments ago, everything was fine. Why did she flip out all of a sudden?

“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and go after her.” Hearing the commotion in the secretarial department, Christina came out just in time to see Victoria running out of the room.

She didn’t need to ask to know that Victoria and Sebastian were having an argument.

“Sebastian, if you can’t make it up to Victoria, you don’t have to come back here either.”

Sebastian swiftly picked up his phone and coat and hastily gave chase.

Christina turned to Nathaniel and said in displeasure, “Sebastian is indeed your best assistant. You two have the same type of personality, namely being workaholics.”

Being dragged into the mess despite his innocence, Nathaniel defended himself, “I’m not. I’ve changed.”

He was worried Christina would be angered, so he comforted her, “I’ll have the HR department hire two assistants for Sebastian to reduce his workload so that he has more time to deal with his personal affairs. What do you think about this arrangement?”

She snorted. “Sebastian is your employee, and you’re the boss of this company, so I have no right to interfere in your decisions.”

Nathaniel wrapped his arm around her shoulder, bending down to whisper in her ear, “You are the company’s lady boss, so your opinion is also mine. There’s no difference.”

As they were in the office, and Christina was a relatively shy person, she wasn’t accustomed to being intimate with Nathaniel in public. Therefore, she pushed him away.

“We’re in the office. Mind your behavior. Gibson Corporation is just in the office building next door. I’ll go take a look and not disturb you from doing your work.”

“I’m not busy now. Besides, it’s lunch break. I’ll go with you.” Nathaniel grabbed her hand and pulled her towed the elevator without waiting for her to respond. “Your fashion studio is still under renovation but will be open for business in a few days. Are you going to host an opening ceremony?”

Christina, not fond of noisy occasions, shook her head. “Let’s skip the hassle. The public opinion about us hasn’t subsided yet, and if I advertise our studio with great fanfare, it’ll only backfire. We’ll just go with the flow.”

Nathaniel moved toward the elevator while holding Christina in his embrace. “The arsonist has been caught. The wrongdoing was Emilia’s fervent fan. She took all the blame onto herself, claiming she wasn’t instructed by anyone. The fan mentioned she set the studio on fire because she was dissatisfied with you targeting Emilia and wanted to take revenge against you in Emilia’s stead.”

Christina didn’t believe Emilia played no role in the arson incident. After all, using others to do her dirty work was one of Emilia’s frequently used strategies.

“Emilia incited someone to burn my studio. In turn, I ruined her career. So, we’re even now” Christina snecred.

Emilia had caused David and Winston to be embarrassed during Wendy’s birthday banquet. Given Winston’s vindictive nature, Christina figured Emilia’s days ahead would certainly be ridden with difficulties.

“I heard someone has been trailing you these two days. It’s actually Anya.” Nathaniel and Christina exited the elevator. “Do you still remember what you told me? About how I have the final say in Anya’s fate?”

Christina stared at the towering figure before her and spoke in an undertone. “Nathaniel, I don’t wish her to enjoy a swift death.”

He didn’t respond. Instead, he changed the subject. “Lucas and Camila miss you a lot. I bought a new manor. Once I finish my work for the upcoming two days, we can go there for a family vacation to spend some quality time with our children. What do you say?”

At the mention of Lucas and Camila, Christina felt her heart soften. “Sure.”

Amidst their conversation, sudden shrieks echoed through the crowd.

A car drove onto the sidewalk, dashing straight toward Nathaniel and Christina.

 

Chapter 673 Up To No Good

Nathaniel swiftly shielded Christina in response.

The car narrowly brushed by him before ramming into the stone barrier with a loud crash, the front becoming severely dented. The windscreen also shattered, causing glass shards to scatter all over the ground.

The crowd slowly returned to their senses after witnessing the accident. Then, some passersby went up to the car upon noticing that no one had alighted even after a long while.

“There’s no one in here… Call the cops! That was terrifying. Who knows how many people this car could’ve killed if it crashed into a crowd? Whoever owns this car is way too negligent.”

More spectators arrived at the scene, and every comment they made reached the ears of Christina and Nathaniel.

The man’s gaze darkened as he looked down at Christina. “Are you okay?”

The latter appeared pale and couldn’t stop quivering. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”

Nathaniel scanned their surroundings. Not noticing anything that might lead to a clue, he walked toward Gibson Corporation while still guarding Christina.

“We still didn’t get her? Just my luck!”

Anya emerged from a corner, glaring at Christina from behind with gritted teeth.

“I won’t let you off, Christina!”

Unsatisfied, she put her cap back on and strode in Christina’s direction.

Standing amid the crowd, she watched Christina and Nathaniel walk into the skyscraper and was about to continue following them.

Suddenly, the woman felt a pair of hands on her shoulders.

She hastily withdrew her fruit knife and swung it at her assailant, causing the latter to grab her by the neck and drag her into a desolate corner.

“Don’t move. It’s me, Yerek,” the man explained immediately, with Anya’s knife right below his throat by now.

“Let go of me first,” Anya demanded, still in shock.

Yerek let her go and took a few steps back to give her some space. “What are you doing in Jadeborough?”

“What about you? Why are you here?” Anya questioned in return.

“I’m here to discuss business, Yerek responded with a frown. “I heard you caused a huge ruckus in Hallsbay. Nathaniel’s men have been looking for you. What did you do?”

“Would you help if I told you?” Anya asked, exasperated. “If you’re not going to help, just stay out of my business.”

Just as she turned to leave, Yerek held onto her. “That’s Christina’s territory. She’s moved Gibson Corporation to Jadeborough. You’re walking straight into a trap if you barge in like that.”

“I don’t need you to pretend to care about me, Yerek. That just makes you look pretentious and disgusting.” Anya glared at him. “Whether I live or die has nothing to do with you. I’m not you anyway. I don’t fear death!”

Anya was so filled with hatred that she had lost her ability to reason.

Her words pierced into Yerek like a sharp blade, breaking the barrier holding back all his insidiousness and releasing the inner beast within him.

“I wouldn’t have given a d”mn about you if it weren’t for my father’s company, Anya.” Just to win investors over, the man had attended so many social drinking events until he had to be hospitalized for gastrointestinal bleeding. He didn’t want all his efforts to go to waste because of Anya.

“If your little antics end up affecting my plans, I’ll be the first one to come after you, let alone Nathaniel!” he warned, grabbing the woman by the chin.

With that, he turned and left coldly, leaving a sulking Anya on her own.

Everyone thinks I’m someone they can just pick on however they like. Why? What did I do to deserve this sort of treatment?

Then, as though remembering something, she ran up to Yerek and stood in front of him.

“You told me back then that Nathaniel would be attending the International Business Conference and that you’d help me gain his favor,” she began with a smile, her face pale but eyes laced with insanity. “If we work together and I can take Christina’s place as Mrs. Hadley, all of the Hadley family’s assets worth billions will be ours!”

Yerek scoffed. “You crossed Nathaniel, and his men are looking for you as we speak. What makes you think you’d be able to win his heart? Why should I join you in a gamble where the odds of winning are practically zero?”

“I can use a disguise. I know a friend who makes hyper-realistic masks, but it’s going to cost a lot,” Anya explained. “We may not come from the same mother, Yerek, but we’re still bound to each other

no matter what. We either rise or fall together. If Nathaniel manages to get me, he definitely won’t let you off either.”

Yerek had grown weary of fighting on his own by now. Anya wasn’t worth anything, but she had nothing but revenge against Christina on her mind. If I use this as leverage, she could serve as my sharpest blade.

“Fine. We’ll work together, but you have to act according to my instructions. You can’t move without my permission. If you can’t follow this, then we’re done with each other.”

“I accept your terms.” Anya was secretly elated. Once I win Nathaniel over, it’ll be a piece of cake getting rid of Yerek

In the blink of an eye, both she and Yerek began making plans for their own benefit while thinking of ways to dispose of one another.

Christina observed Gibson Corporation with Nathaniel’s accompaniment. It didn’t take her long to note that the employees here appeared to revere Nathaniel more

“I noticed how my employees seem closer to you. They’re also more afraid of you,” she mentioned as soon as they walked into the elevator.

She spoke matter-of-factly.

“The new employees you hired used to work under one of my subsidiaries, Nathaniel replied earnestly. “That subsidiary doesn’t provide many benefits, and there are plans to merge. Then, you so happened to need some workers here, so I took the initiative to let them join Gibson Corporation instead. I didn’t let any of them in through connections. They all earned it through their own abilities.”

Christina beamed as realization dawned upon her. “Then, I must thank you. If it weren’t for you, Gibson Corporation would’ve lost more employees than it can handle, and the company wouldn’t have made it this far.

Nathaniel instantly sighed with relief. “I’m just glad you’re not blaming me.”

Christina held him by the arm and leaned on his shoulder intimately. “Of course not. I trust that you have your reasons behind every decision you make.”

In truth, Hadley Corporation and Gibson Corporation were now practically equal in power.

With Christina staying home to focus on her pregnancy, the task of running Gibson Corporation would fall into Nathaniel’s hands.

Christina wasn’t interested in managing a business. She was more fixated on expanding her apparel studio and planned to merge Gibson Corporation with Hadley Corporation once everything returned to normal at the studio.

Timothy presumably had the same plan in mind.

“I’m thinking of visiting my dad at the hospital. I know you have a meeting this afternoon, so I won’t interfere with your work. Lyle will come with me.”

 

Chapter 674 Meeting

Nathaniel found it difficult to break free from his obligations, but having Lyle constantly by Christina’s side reassured him.

“After you arrive at the hospital, remember to send me a message,” reminded Nathaniel softly. “If there’s anything, instruct Lyle to take care of it. Don’t act alone.

He didn’t think that the incident at the office building was a mere accident.

“I know. I’m not a child. I know how to take care of myself. See you tonight.”

When the two of them reached Gibson Corporation, Lyle had just driven over. Nathaniel personally saw Christina off into the car before returning to the Hadley Corporation.

“Have you found who the person is?” Christina asked Lyle in a cold voice.

The car that tailed Christina was black. However, the car that ran out of control beneath Gibson Corporation was white. The model and color of the cars didn’t match.

Hence, Christina suspected that those attempting to harm her might not be the same person.

“Apologies, Mrs. Hadley. I lost track of the person along the way,” revealed Lyle guiltily.

“It’s fine. That person will show up sooner or later. Since you have a sharper observation than me, pay more attention to your surroundings. Perhaps, you’ll discover something.” Christina didn’t expect Lyle to immediately apprehend the person. Sometimes, all that they needed was patience.

If that person was truly capable enough to harm her, the person wouldn’t remain in hiding.

Christina arrived at the hospital, where she got the latest update from the medical team regarding Timothy’s condition. After staying in the ward for half an hour, she left.

The doctor said that Timothy would soon regain consciousness, provided there were no unexpected complications.

“Lyle, secretly assign a few trustworthy people to stay at the hospital and protect my father.”

Since Yerek failed to harm Timothy, he might attempt it a second time.

“Understood.” Lyle left to instruct his subordinates.

Christina stood by the elevator, awaiting its arrival. When the doors opened, she looked up and met the gaze of the people inside.

“Mom, what are you doing here?” When Christina saw Sharon and Gideon appear at the hospital simultaneously, she became anxious. “Are you feeling unwell?”

Sharon and Gideon did not expect to bump into Christina at the hospital. Upon seeing her daughter, Sharon was naturally overjoyed. She eagerly took Christina’s hand and scanned her from head to toe.

“I’m fine, Christina. It seems like you’ve lost some weight,” remarked Sharon. “Your father and I… I mean, we heard that Mr. Gibson had an accident and was hospitalized, so we wanted to come and visit him.”

Sharon was worried that Christina might be unhappy, so she continued carefully, “If you don’t want us here, we won’t disturb Mr. Gibson anymore.

“I’m not unhappy. On the contrary, I’m glad you came to visit him. However, he is still in a coma. The doctor said he will wake up soon. You can come and visit him again later, okay?”

“Okay,” said Sharon with a nod as she held Christina’s hands. “Christina, it’s been a long time since we had a meal together. Do you have time today? I’ll prepare something delicious.”

“Your mom learned how to cook a few dishes recently. Recently, she keeps talking about how she wishes that you’ll visit and taste her food.” Gideon always seemed so flattering when faced with Christina

He had changed significantly. Not only was he much livelier than before, but he also looked younger.

Gideon had truly turned over a new leaf. Although he was no longer a dignified CEO, he was genuinely trying to compensate for his past mistakes.

Christina could tell that he truly wanted to reconcile with Sharon and live a peaceful life.

Not only could he keep Sharon company, but she also liked him. Hence, there was no reason for Christina to prevent her mom from chasing her happiness.

“Let me ask Nathaniel. I’m supposed to have dinner with him tonight.”

“I see. If that’s the case, we can eat another time. It’s rare that you can spend time with Nathaniel alone, so I won’t disturb you.”

“Tomorrow night, then. I’ll bring Camila and Lucas over. They miss you a lot.”

“I’ll prepare beforehand!” Sharon took the basket of fruits from Gideon’s hands and passed it to Christina. “This is from us. Since we can’t give it to Mr. Gibson, you should bring it back. Otherwise, it’ll be such a waste.”

Christina took it happily. “Thanks, Mom.”

“We’re family, so you’re welcome. We’ll go first.” Sharon and Gideon turned around and left.

Now that the timing was right, Lyle walked toward Christina. “Mrs. Hadley, I’ve made the necessary arrangements. However, there’s one thing that I should inform you immediately.”

Christina passed the basket of fruits to Lyle. “What is it?”

“Anya’s the mastermind who planned the accident that you and Mr. Hadley encountered at Gibson Corporation. After she managed to escape from me, she switched to another car,” said Lyle. “The surveillance cameras near the road captured her actions.”

A grim look crossed Christina’s face. “Did you find out where she went?”

“She met Yerek underneath Gibson Corporation. I can’t find anything else afterward.”

“Continue searching. She can’t possibly disappear into thin air.” Christina strode into the elevator.

When Christina informed Nathaniel about having a meal at Sharon’s place, he did not oppose it.

Hence, they headed to the Hadley residence the next night to pick up Camila and Lucas. When the family of four arrived at Sharon’s, the quiet and empty house became lively in an instant.

Sharon filled the dining table with dishes. There were also many desserts afterward. Before they returned. Camila and Lucas were reluctant to leave, declaring that they wanted to move into Sharon’s place.

“No. Granny’s health isn’t great, so she can’t take care of you,” explained Christina patiently. “Also, we have plenty of chances to visit Granny in the future. You can still eat her delicious food.”

Blinking their eyes, Camila and Lucas conceded reluctantly, “Fine. We’ll listen to you and not create any more trouble for Granny.”

They leaned against the car window and waved goodbye to Gideon and Sharon.

Camila and Lucas still had school the next day. Since the Hadley residence was closest to their school, Nathaniel decided to send them back. He and Christina stayed there for two more days as well.

Time flew past. It was soon time for the international business conference.

Christina received the invitation half a month ago. This time, she would be attending the conference as Gibson Corporation’s representative.

According to the plan, she would be traveling with Nathaniel.

The international business conference would be held on a luxurious cruise ship, which would be out at sea for an entire day. Once it returned to the shore, it signified that the conference had ended.

The purpose of the conference was to promote collaborations between the international firms.

Nathaniel was fully responsible for Gibson Corporation’s and Hadley Corporation’s collaboration projects. Hence, Christina would merely show up as his companion, while taking the opportunity to relax.

Even though she was traumatized by cruise ships, she did not reveal it as she did not want Nathaniel to worry.

When Christina and Nathaniel boarded the ship, a beautiful woman shoved her aggressively.

Chapter 675 Cruise

Nathaniel’s expression turned frosty as he stared at the woman who bumped into Christina. “Apologize right now!”

The woman flashed them a big smile as she apologized, “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bump into you. I was rushing to get on the ship to look for my friend. Are you okay? Do you need me to find a doctor for you? I’ll take care of the medical expenses.”

The woman’s gaze and tone made Christina feel uneasy. Since she wasn’t hurt and the other party apologized, she let it slide.

“I’m fine. Be careful next time. Otherwise, you might accidentally hurt yourself.”

“Thank you for understanding. If fate allows it, I hope we can be friends. Goodbye.”

The woman went ahead and boarded the cruise ship.

Christina turned to Nathaniel and said, “Don’t be upset. She didn’t do it on purpose.”

Nathaniel hummed a response.

Christina did not take the incident to heart. After they boarded the ship, she slept in their guest room until nightfall.

A masquerade ball was held on their first night on the cruise ship. Christina and Nathaniel dressed up and attended the ball. She accompanied him and met with many influential people. However, she felt overwhelmed after some time. She found an excuse to escape the ball and went to the deck for fresh air.

She took off her mask and breathed a sigh of relief.

As Christina stared at the vast and dark ocean before her, she felt a sense of fear surge within her.

She closed her eyes as painful memories flooded her mind.

“Are you unwell?” A familiar voice rang from behind her.

Christina quickly opened her eyes and instinctively turned around to see who it was. Oh. It’s the woman that bumped into me this morning at the stairs.

Seeing that Christina was silent, the woman reached forward and touched Christina’s forehead. Christina flinched and jumped back when she felt the woman’s cold touch.

The woman smiled apologetically, seeming to understand that her friendliness might have shocked Christina. “Although something unpleasant happened between us today, I’m not approaching you with bad intentions, so you don’t have to be so wary of me. I’m simply worried about you. Most of the people on this ship are having fun in the hall, yet you’re alone in such a remote area. No one will be able to save you if something were to happen.”

As the woman slowly approached her, the uneasy feeling Christina felt grew stronger. Her subconscious mind was telling her to stay far away from the woman.

Christina tried to keep her distance but remained polite as she said, “Thank you for your concern. I came out to get some air because I felt stuffy inside the hall. I’ll be going back now. Feel free to do whatever you like here.”

She was about to leave when the woman grabbed her wrist.

Christina turned back to look at her. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“For starters, my name is Vera. I told you, I don’t have ill intentions. You don’t need to worry that I’ll do something bad to you.” Vera Ludwig’s lips curved into a sweet smile. “It’s fate that we meet again. Why

don’t we get a drink together? My best friend got off the ship at the last minute, so I’m left here alone. I wouldn’t have stayed at such a boring place if I didn’t have to negotiate a project for the company.”

While saying that, Vera called over a waiter not far from them. She took two flutes of champagne and handed one to Christina.

Christina took it from her politely, but she did not drink it. Instead, she swirled it gently.

Vera cleared her throat and tried to find a topic for them to talk about. “Was the man standing beside you today your boyfriend? He’s so handsome!”

Christina turned sideways and showed off the diamond ring on her right ring finger that gleamed under the light. “He’s actually my husband.”

Vera nodded. “I see. I can tell that he loves you very much.”

Christina smiled but did not respond.

Most of their following conversation was initiated by Vera, to which Christina replied cautiously. When a sensitive topic came up, Christina would give half-hearted answers.

After some time, Christina yawned and felt her eyes were heavy. “I’m sorry to cut the conversation short, but I have to go back and look for my husband. I’ve been out for too long. He’ll start to worry.”

Vera smiled and bid farewell to Christina. “All right. I look forward to meeting you tomorrow. Perhaps there might be other surprises awaiting us.”

Christina grinned before she went back to the hall to look for Nathaniel.

Christina searched high and low in the hall for Nathaniel but failed to find him. She went to a quiet corner in the hall and dialed his number.

The call rang a few times before it was cut off. She tried again and again, but all her attempts resulted in the same end. Her last attempt was different-a robotic voice told her his phone was turned off.

Christina was worried that something might have happened to Nathaniel. She quickly returned to their room, but no one was there.

Not knowing what else to do, Christina resorted to calling Sebastian. “Mr. Taggart, is Nathaniel with you?”

Sebastian was taken aback. He let go of Victoria, who was in his arms, and replied, “Mrs. Hadley, Mr. Hadley isn’t here. Did something happen?”

Christina furrowed her brows. “Nathaniel’s phone is shut off and I can’t find him anywhere in the hall. He’s not in our room either. I saw him drink quite a lot tonight. I’m worried something might have happened to him. Mr. Taggart, can you and Victoria please help me?”

Sebastian seemed to have realized the seriousness of the situation. He immediately said. “Mrs. Hadley, please wait a moment. Victoria and I will meet with you right away.”

“Thank you, and I’m sorry to trouble you.”

Victoria noticed the solemn expression on Sebastian and curiously asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Mr. Hadley is missing. I’ll tell you more about it on the way. Let’s go and meet Mrs. Hadley,” Sebastian tugged Victoria and ran toward the lounge.

Soon, Sebastian and Victoria met up with Christina.

With much consideration of Christina’s condition, she and Victoria teamed up to look for Nathaniel on the cruise ship while Sebastian searched alone.

Christina and Victoria returned to the hall. When Christina saw a businessman she had chatted with previously, she quickly approached him and asked about Nathaniel.

The businessman answered, “I saw Mr. Hadley in the lounge on the third floor. He seems to be quite drunk, but he has his assistant with him. I think he might’ve returned to his room by now.”

Christina and Nathaniel’s guest room was on the topmost floor of the cruise ship-the VIP presidential suite.

On the other hand, the normal guest rooms were located on the third floor. More importantly, Nathaniel had only brought one assistant, Sebastian, for this business trip.

“Let’s head to the third floor.” With that, Christina turned and left. Victoria, who wore a long gown and high heels that limited her movement, had trouble catching up to Christina.

“Jeez, Christina. Slow down.” Victoria leaned against Christina’s shoulder to catch her breath. “Please remember that you’re pregnant. Besides, I’m sure nothing happened to Mr. Hadley, so don’t get all worked. up.

An ominous premonition crept inside Christina. She grabbed onto the railing and took in a deep breath. Trembling, she whispered, “Victoria, I’m scared… I’m scared of making the same mistake.” She did not have the time to explain Madison’s incident on the cruise from back then. At that moment, the most important thing was to find Nathaniel.

Victoria was utterly confused. Before she could ask about it, Christina had already knocked on the door of the first guest room on the third floor.

The door opened to a foreign woman. She was wrapped in a bathrobe and was eyeing Christina up and down. She cursed and scolded Christina in Anglandurn before slamming the door shut.

It was obvious what the people in the room were doing.

Christina was about to knock on the door of the next room when Victoria suddenly grabbed her hand.

“Look over there…”

Chapter 676 A Different Surprise

Victoria had no choice but to do as she was told. She shot Nathaniel one last vicious glare before she went after Christina.

Sebastian turned to look at Nathaniel. “Mr. Hadley, you should rest in my room for tonight. Don’t worry. Victoria will stay with Mrs. Hadley. Tomorrow when the two of you have cooled down, it won’t be too late for you to explain to Mrs. Hadley then. She’s not an unreasonable person, so she’ll understand.”“

“All right.” Nathaniel massaged his temples to relieve his headache. “Lead the way.”

He didn’t even spare a glance at the woman in the room as he stepped out.

Vera put out her cigarette. She was barefooted as she went forward to grab Nathaniel’s arm. “Mr. Hadley, I’m not the only one at fault here. You’re the one who didn’t want to let go of me tonight. It was also you who wanted me to stay behind and accompany you. You can’t just turn your back on me after we’ve had our fun. I won’t let you go just like that.”

She let her eyes roam up and down Nathaniel’s body shamelessly. Regardless of his aura or appearance, they all fit her ideals of a perfect man.

Nathaniel was drunk, but that did not mean he was unconscious of his actions.

“Apart from my wife, I don’t touch other women.” Nathaniel glared at her. “Tell me what you want, and I might let you go just this once.”

Vera’s expression turned grim. She let out a cold snort. “Nathaniel, you have no idea how many men want to spend a night with me because of my beauty and figure. I don’t need to offer myself up to you.”

Nathaniel shrugged off her hand. His eyes were filled with disgust and hatred as he stared at the woman before him. “Your acting is terrible. Besides, I have no interest in people who have had plastic surgery. If you don’t want to die, it’s best you keep your distance from me.”

Nathaniel’s darkened gaze sent chills down Vera’s spine. She instinctively stepped aside and watched as Nathaniel and Sebastian left.

“Did you mess things up?” Yerek appeared next to Vera without her realizing it. He looked annoyed as he said, “I created the perfect opportunity for you, yet you wasted my efforts. Anya, you disappoint me.”

Anya took off the hyper-realistic mask and threwChapter 676 A Different Surprise

Christina turned to look at where Victoria was pointing, just in time to see a familiar figure disappearing at the corner of the corridor.

It’s Yerek! There’s no way I’d mistake that figure for someone else! Perhaps he’s the one who took Nathaniel away while he was drunk!

Christina lifted the hem of her gown and ran after the figure. She stopped him on the deck of the second floor.

Yerek was surprised to see Christina. He cocked his brows and asked, “What’s wrong? Are you here to catch up with me? Because we have nothing in common to talk about.”

Christina’s eyes darkened. “Where’s Nathaniel?”

Yerek chuckled and stared at Christina in disdain. “How should I know where he went? Don’t you think it’s funny that you approached me to ask his whereabouts?”

Christina tried to calm herself down. “Someone saw you take Nathaniel away. Yerek, I don’t have time to talk nonsense with you right now. You must’ve played a part in his disappearance. I won’t forgive you if anything happens to him!”

Yerek could care less about what she thought. He provoked her by saying, “Let me repeat myself. I have no idea where Nathaniel went. Even if I did know, I wouldn’t tell you, so there’s no use in you

threatening

In reality, Yerek was nervous about Christina’s questioning, but he tried his best not to show it on his face.

“Perhaps Nathaniel found a new lover and is currently having the time of his life with her-Ahh!” Before Yerek could finish his sentence, Victoria slapped him.

“Shut up. Don’t speak if you can’t say anything nice. Do you want me to rip out your tongue?” Victoria knew Yerek and Christina did not get along. Since it was inconvenient for Christina to attack him because she was pregnant, it was natural that Victoria would stand in for her.

It was the first time a woman had slapped Yerek in the twenty-plus years that he was alive. He glared at Victoria and asked through clenched teeth, “Are you seeking death?”

Victoria was fearless. “You wouldn’t dare to do anything to me. I know you’ve been wanting to meet my brother and discuss a collaboration. One call from me, and your plan will fail. Try it if you don’t believe

Yerek squinted and finally made out the appearance of the woman with the help of the dim light on the deck.

F*ck. Why is Victoria here?

“I don’t know where Nathaniel is. Don’t come looking for me just because he’s gone missing. I won’t be this tolerant the next time this happens.”

A gentleman would not lay a hand on a woman. For the sake of the Lesley family, Yerek had no choice but to swallow his anger.

Just you wait, Christina and Victoria. It won’t be long before I stop being scared of you!

Unable to get any valuable clue from Yerek, Victoria suddenly lost her enthusiasm to continue the search. She glanced at Christina and asked, “Christina, what should we do now?”

Christina replied coldly, “Go back to the third floor and continue searching”

I’ll definitely find Nathaniel!

Just then, Sebastian called. Christina quickly answered, “Mr. Taggart, any news on your end?”

Sebastian was silent for a moment. He hesitated before saying, “I found him, but it’s not what we expected. You should come and take a look.”

He sent Christina a location-room one on the fourth floor.

Christina and Victoria hurried over.

Christina felt like she had been struck by lightning when she saw the scene before her. Her face drained of its color as she stood at the door. She kept silent as though something was blocking the words from leaving her mouth.

Vera was smoking as she leaned against the window. The collar of her bathrobe was opened wide enough to show the love bites littering her chest. Her lips curved into a smirk as her gaze fell on Christina.

On the other hand, Nathaniel’s clothes looked crumpled, as though he had put them on in a rush. He sat at the side of the bed with an icy expression.

He panicked when he saw Christina standing at the door.

“Christina.” Nathaniel stood up abruptly and staggered toward Christina. He reached out to touch her, but she slapped his hand away.

Nathaniel was stunned momentarily before he stared at her bitterly. “I’m drunk, and my thoughts are a mess right now. I don’t know what happened either. Christina, let’s return to our room, and I’ll explain everything to you, okay?”

Victoria hated men who fooled around the most. She scoffed. “Nathaniel, you just said you don’t know what happened. How do you plan on explaining things to Christina?”

Nathaniel gave Victoria a dirty look and replied, “Ms. Lesley, this is between me and Christina. There’s no need for an outsider to get involved.”“

“Is that so? When you were making love to that vixen, did you remember that you were married and had kids?” Victoria’s sharp tongue rendered Nathaniel speechless.

Christina glanced at Vera before she muttered, “That’s enough, Victoria. Let’s go.”

As soon as those words left her mouth, she turned and left. Nathaniel wanted to go after her, but Victoria stopped him. “Christina doesn’t want to see you right now. You’ll ruin her mood further if you appear before her.”

Sebastian approached Victoria and whispered, “Victoria, you should stop. Go and take care of Mrs. Hadley. She’s pregnant. It’s not safe for her to be alone.”

“Do you know how vigilant Nathaniel is? He didn’t let me touch him! What could I have done?”

Chapter 677 Old Wounds

Nathaniel did consume the drugged glass of wine. He was severely intoxicated when Yerek had him brought to Anya’s room.

Even so, Anya did not approach him as they planned.

In fact, she was forcibly reminded of the time when Madison schemed against Nathaniel and how similar her predicament was compared to Madison’s.

A strange fear suddenly gripped Anya.

If he finds out who I really am, I may end up even worse than Madison.

At that thought, Anya turned pale.,

Yerek sneered at her fearful expression. “The plan is just beginning, and you’re already chickening out?”

Anya hated more than anything being looked down upon. She cast a sideways glare at him. “If you are as good as you claim, how did Gibson Corporation end up in Christina’s hands?”

Mercilessly, she struck him where it hurt the most.

Anya never acknowledged Yerek’s abilities, so when she found out that he was Nigel’s illegitimate son and that Nigel wanted to hand Gibson Corporation over to him, she grew to hate her brother who had taken everything from her.

We are now in the same boat. How dare he look down on me?

Not content with inwardly ridiculing him, she even needled him on his sore spot.

“Let’s call off our partnership if you feel that I’m not good enough for you.” After the incident, Yerek lost faith in Anya becoming the lethal weapon in his hands the way he thought she would be. He was not going to sit around and wait.

If the first plan falls through, I can initialize the second.

However, Yerek was not planning on letting Anya in on it.

Naturally, Anya was unwilling to. She needed him for his financial support to afford the equipment necessary to maintain her façade.

We are halfway through the plan. Though we’ve had some hitches, we have at least achieved the desired effect.

Anya set aside her pride. “You know how reckless I am with words, Yerek. It wasn’t my intention to look down on you. Since the misunderstanding between Christina and Nathaniel did not manage to force his hand, we can act through her instead. It would be a waste after going through all that effort to attend this conference if we were to go our separate ways at this juncture.”

Yerek remained impassive. “If you want to be Mrs. Hadley, you’d better put aside your petty tricks and stick to the plan.”

Hmph. How dare he order me around like a slave?

Despite her inward grumbling, she maintained her meekness before him. “I got it, Yerek. Don’t worry, I’ll do as you say from here on out. Dad’s in jail, and Grandma is old and more senile than ever. The only person I have left is you. Please don’t cast me aside.”

Raising his brows, Yerek sneered, “Isn’t Grandma becoming increasingly frail what you want?”

Anya looked away. Yerek’s penetrating gaze made her deeply uneasy.

She gave a simpering laugh. “How could you think of me that way, Yerek? Grandma doted on me, and I love her. How could I harbor such wicked thoughts? I’m not a heartless woman like Christina.”

Yerek did not care much for Azure, and her fate meant nothing to him. He only brought her up to rattle Anya.

Yerek had a copy of the leverage Azure had over Anya. Furthermore, his copy was more complete and incriminating.

I will not go easy on Anya if she dares betray me.

“What shall we do next, Yerek?” Anya changed the subject and put on a look of humble ingratiation.

Before the ship docks tomorrow night, you must get something useful from Nathaniel. It would be best to convince him to accept you.” Yerek’s eyes glittered shrewdly. “If he does not, sabotage his project. I don’t think he will be that unfazed when tens of billions are at stake.

Yerek was well prepared for that day.

He had spent three whole days going over the identities of the important guests of the international business conference and spared no expense to learn Nathaniel’s itinerary for that trip

Anya was not as certain. “You saw it yourself,” she argued doubtfully. “When I told Nathaniel he should take responsibility for me, I got the sense that he wanted to kill me. To have him change his mind in the span of a day is impossible.”

“That is your mission to accomplish.” Yerek did not care about the process, only the results.

Anya resigned herself to her fate. “All right. I’ll do my best, but I can’t promise anything.”

Christina bunked with Victoria that night.

Nathaniel left her plenty of calls and messages to explain his innocence, but Christina ignored them and blocked him on every platform. (2)

Nathaniel was restless. He rose, intending to speak to Christina, but Sebastian, who was standing guard outside, stopped him.

“Are you going to see your wife, Mr. Hadley?” Drawing on his experience from reading about romantic advice, he attempted to dissuade Nathaniel. “I don’t recommend it. Women cannot be reasoned with in their fury. It’ll only make her angrier at you if you were to see her right now.”

Nathaniel slumped, defeated, back onto his bed. His handsome features were contorted with agony. “She blocked me everywhere. Her hating me is the least of my worries right now.”

That was his first time he expressed his true concerns.

His marriage with Christina had not come easy, and they both knew it.

Christina is not a woman who can be taken with honeyed words and hollow promises.

Once again, Nathaniel lamented his carelessness during the banquet that night to allow the person scheming against him to gain access and leverage.

“Mrs. Hadley won’t hate you.” Sebastian was no expert in deciphering what women thought, so he was at a loss in comforting Nathaniel. “You need to give her time to think.”

Nathaniel rubbed his eyes wearily. “Where did that Vera come from?”

At the mention, Sebastian produced the information he had compiled beforehand.

“Vera Ludwig, the daughter of a jewelry tycoon from Wallera, graduated from a globally renowned school and founded her studio at the age of eighteen. She’s here to attend the conference on behalf of

her father to secure some projects, but that’s only one of her reasons for being here. The other is to secure a fiancé.

“Here’s the kicker–Vera disappeared from the public eye for three years when she was twenty, and nobody knew where she went or what she did during the interval. The next time she returned home was when her father died. Even now, she has not managed to claim the inheritance left to her. Rumor has it that the real Vera is dead.”

Nathaniel raised his eyebrows. “Why?”

The Ludwig family is plagued by a hereditary disease–its direct descendants never live twenty–five.”

Chapter 678 The Ludwig Family

Rumors are often grounded in truth..

“Who brought me to her room tonight?”

Nathaniel only remembered fragments during his intoxication. He recalled losing control over his faculties after a sip of the red wine handed to him by a fellow guest and that he seemed to have met Christina when he was on his way up to the suite on the top deck.

By the time he regained his wits, the woman in his arms had transformed into somebody else..

Then, Christina caught him red–handed.

Endowed with values imparted by his parents, Nathaniel could not tolerate his spouse’s unfaithfulness.

Now, however, he had become the person he despised more than anything.

“I went through the surveillance cameras on the ship. The person who brought you to Vera’s room is a server who works on the ship, but upon closer investigation, he is no longer aboard.” Sebastian frowned. “We have not docked since setting sail, and the lifeboats are all intact, which is why I suspect it is somebody in disguise. He has accomplices on this ship and more than one at that.

Vera is perhaps one of them.

Given Nathaniel’s reputation, they could not eliminate the possibility of her having other ideas when he was delivered to her door, as they were countless women who wanted a piece of Nathaniel.

“Focus your investigative efforts on Vera.” Nathaniel’s expression was grim. “See if she had any plastic surgery in the past.”

He noticed that Vera’s face was odd, like it had been stuck on.

Coupled with the rumors surrounding the Ludwig family, Nathaniel had reason to believe that Vera’s identity was stolen. D

“Why couldn’t Vera claim her inheritance?” he asked suddenly

“It is said that her father had placed his will in a safety deposit box with the bank when she turned eighteen as a coming–of–age gift. The only way to open it is with her fingerprint, which is not a match. That is why she has not been able to claim her inheritance, which is also the source of the rumor surrounding her identity.”

When Nathaniel heard that, he seemed to have come to a decision. “Find a way to get her fingerprint and a DNA test between her and the Ludwig family.”

While Nathaniel was doing his best to investigate Vera’s identity, Christina was not grieving. She and Nathaniel were on the same page–that Vera’s motives for approaching them were deeper than they first appeared.

In retrospect, it seemed that Vera’s chance encounter with Christina on the ship had been by design.

During my chance encounter with Vera on the gangplank, the surprise she spoke of must have been referring to her and Nathaniel.

Christina felt frustrated by how slow she was to realize that.

I should have sensed her motives when she came and initiated the conversation.

Christina was leaning against the head of the bed. Her uncharacteristic silence disturbed Victoria.

After watching her friend for a long time, she drummed up the courage and looked for something to talk about. “Cheer up, Christina. It wouldn’t do the baby any good. Perhaps there is a misunderstanding. I

think that given Nathaniel’s exceptional qualities, women must flock to him before or after your marriage. He has never had scandals with any women, and he wouldn’t wait until now to be unfaithful.”

“Mmm,” Christina answered with a noncommittal grunt.

Victoria could not decipher her friend’s thoughts. Emboldened by the other’s willingness to speak, she continued happily, “If Nathaniel is involved with that woman, he has wronged you, and I won’t forgive him. I’ll teach him a lesson.”

“Nathaniel is innocent.” Christina looked up to meet Victoria’s indignant gaze with her placid ones, as though the crisis she was going through did not bother her at all. “That woman, Vera Ludwig, is the problem.” D

Victoria ignored the latter half of Christina’s response and gaped, wide–eyed with disbelief. “Are you thinking straight, Christina? There is no man who does not lie. You cant be so blinded by love that you find excuses to forgive his behavior. You shouldn’t lower yourself because you love him.

Christina gave a helpless laugh. “I’m well aware of what I’m doing.

Then, she told Victoria how she met Vera.

Victoria smacked herself on her forehead. “No wonder I found that woman familiar when I saw her. I remember now. I’d attended her eighteenth birthday party! During her mysterious disappearance, the other heiresses in her social circle were wondering if she was dead.”

Christina was grim. “Tell me everything you know about Vera and her family, Victoria.”

Victoria was raised abroad, so she did not attend the banquets of high society very often. As a result, most of what she knew about Vera was only hearsay.

“I’m not familiar with the Ludwig family, but my family once worked with theirs. My brother would be the right person to ask. I’ll contact him later,” Victoria said apologetically. “If I had known that you would be crossing paths with Vera, I would have taken the initiative to approach her.”

Christina consoled her friend. “It’s not your fault. Being unacquainted with Vera is a good thing because I wouldn’t want you to be stuck in the middle if I were to start a war with her.”

Victoria scoffed. “I wouldn’t befriend somebody who steals my friend’s husband.” She glanced tentatively at Christina. “Are you really not upset, Christina? Cry it out if you are. There’s no one here, and I won’t make fun of you.”

“This isn’t my first time dealing with something like that,” Christina replied. “What you see might not be the truth. From what I know of Nathaniel, he’s not somebody who would be this careless.”

Christina was skilled in hiding how she truly felt.

She was in despair when she saw Nathaniel with Vera.

However, she did not make a scene or interrogate him. Not because she thought it was not the right place to, but because her dignity and remaining wits prevented her from flying into a rage.

“The ship will dock tomorrow night. I thought of a way to test her motives, but I need you to play along with me.” Christina’s fiery gaze bore into Victoria’s.

Victoria felt Christina’s forehead. “Are you ill? One usually avenges themselves when they realize they have been cheated on. Why are you trying to prove Nathaniel’s innocence?”

Christina smacked her friend’s hand aside. “I’m fine,” she said, exasperated. “This is important, Victoria. Would you help me?”

Victoria was the only one she had aboard the ship; she could not ask Sebastian for help as he was Nathaniel’s trusted aide.

“You are my mentor and my sister. Of course I will take your side. Tell me what I can do to help.”

Chapter 679 An Act

Christina whispered something in Victoria’s car, and the latter immediately flashed an evil grin.

“Playing the role of the antagonist? That’s right up my alley! Christina, watch out for my performance tomorrow. I promise it’ll meet your satisfaction!” Victoria proclaimed, patting her chest with unwavering confidence. “I’ll make sure justice is served on your behalf!”

Christina pursed her lips into a tight smile. “It’s getting late, so you should go to bed. We have a tough battle to fight tomorrow.”

Victoria climbed out of bed and said mysteriously, “Christina, feel free to get some rest. I have an important matter to attend to, so I’ll step out to make a phone call.”

Christina knew who she wanted to call. “Sure, go ahead. Don’t talk too long, though.”

Victoria’s cheeks turned pink as she spun on her heels to leave the room.

The following morning, as Christina and Victoria prepared to make their way to the restaurant for breakfast, Nathaniel arranged for Sebastian to deliver their morning meal instead.

“Mrs. Hadley, Mr. Hadley consumed too much alcohol last night and is feeling unwell today. As a result, he is unable to personally join you this morning. Nonetheless, he insisted that I bring breakfast to you,” Sebastian said, deliberately mentioning Nathaniel’s name. Unfortunately, his words had an unintended consequence, stirring a reaction opposite to what he had hoped for.

Christina replied coldly, “Mr. Taggart, why don’t you tell that to Ms. Ludwig? You shouldn’t have come to me. Perhaps he’s more than willing to allow Ms. Ludwig to take care of him.”

Her eyes drifted past Sebastian, focusing on the trays being held by the two servers behind him. “Take those away. I have no use for his guilt and attempts at making amends. Victoria, let’s go.”

If she were to accept Nathaniel’s apology, they wouldn’t be able to execute their upcoming plan.

Victoria let out an icy snort. “Regret won’t undo his actions now. Merely delivering breakfast won’t magically earn Christina’s forgiveness. If he’s feeling unwell, he should see the doctor. Christina won’t sympathize with him! He probably had a grand time with that vixen last night, and now he’s reaping what he sowed. He deserves every bit of it!”

Hearing that, Sebastian furrowed his brows and responded, “Victoria, please refrain from making such assumptions. I genuinely believe that Mr. Hadley is not the type of person you’re describing.”

Anger rushed through Victoria. Directing a frosty glare at him, she demanded, “Are you saying that I’ve wrongly accused Nathaniel?”

The conversation had veered off track. Not anticipating being drawn into the tangled situation, Sebastian hastily explained, “That wasn’t what I meant.”

“You work for Nathaniel, so it’s natural for you to defend him,” Victoria snapped. “Christina is my senior, so I’ll definitely side with her.”

Christina intervened, effectively halting the escalating tension. “Victoria, I’m starving. Let’s go.”

Hearing that, Victoria stopped arguing with Sebastian and left with Christina.

Sebastian remained rooted to his spot, a mixture of helplessness and embarrassment etched on his face. He gave the servers a dismissive wave. “Take those away.” Leaving two significant bills on the tray as compensation, he turned and returned to Nathaniel’s room to report back to him.

Victoria anxiously glanced over her shoulder multiple times to make sure that Sebastian didn’t come after them. She eagerly asked, “Christina, do you think I handled that situation well?” It was evident that Victoria was seeking validation.

“Mm. Not bad,” came Christina’s honest answer.

Victoria’s confidence was through the roof. “I think I can enter the entertainment industry and make a mark after I work on my acting skills for a few years. I can sense Sebastian’s displeasure after I said those words. Christina, do you think he’ll see me as a hypocrite and someone that is hard to please, and eventually break up with me?” Paranoia took hold of her.

Christina replied firmly, “Of course not. Sebastian might be dense in realizing his emotions, but he’s not a reckless man. I can tell he likes you a lot.”

Victoria held her cheeks, feeling embarrassed.

Both Christina and I agree that Sebastian is an excellent and dependable man. I knew I made the right choice.

As they spoke, they arrived at the restaurant.

The restaurant bustled with activity as it was peak hour for breakfast. Every table was occupied, and the air was filled with the lively chatter and laughter of dining guests.

Victoria immediately spotted Vera, who was helping herself to some food at the bar.

Embracing her character with a quick transition, she immersed herself fully and marched purposefully toward Vera, leaving Christina momentarily behind.

Vera, who was Anya in disguise, was busy selecting desserts, oblivious to the approaching storm.

Victoria grabbed a bowl of hot soup and threw it at Anya without hesitation.

As the hot liquid dripped down her body, Anya screamed in pain.

Victoria then grabbed another plate of food and hurled it at Anya.

Unable to react in time, Anya found herself drenched in hot soup and food, the sticky mess clinging to her body. She felt a strong sense of disgust at the uncomfortable sensation.

“Victoria Lesley, what has gotten into you?” Anya snarled furiously, her anger burning brightly as she finally caught sight of the person responsible for her distress, unaware of the unintended information her words revealed,

Victoria narrowed her eyes dangerously, “How do you know my full name, Victoria Lesley? Vera Ludwig, are you confessing that you intentionally targeted Nathaniel and conducted investigations on those close to him before arriving here?”

Anya belatedly realized what she had done after hearing Victoria’s questions. Maintaining a facade of

composure, she responded, “Ms. Victoria Lesley, correct? Your name is widely known. The event booklet contains a guest list, and my memory serves me well enough to recall all the names. What is so unusual about that?”

Victoria tucked her hair behind her cars and flexed her arms. Arrogantly, she declared, “If you are indeed aware of my identity, then you should also know that I have a fiery temper and a protective nature when it comes to the ones I care about. It is only natural for me to seek revenge on behalf of Christina after witnessing the way you bullied her.”

Anya’s anger simmered within her chest, causing it to ache. “Victoria, I’m part of the Ludwig family, and our families have collaborated for years. If word reaches your family that you have taken action against me, resulting in trouble for them, do you honestly believe they will come to your defense? Or would they seek my forgiveness to salvage their own interests?”

Victoria merely chuckled airily. “While collaboration partners hold significance, one’s character carries even greater importance. In the corporate world, nobody would want to associate with someone of questionable morals, jeopardizing their own reputation in the process.”

The allure of gossip transcended geographical boundaries, captivating people from all corners of the world. As the unfolding drama between Victoria and Anya captured the attention of the restaurant’s patrons, they fixed their gazes on the two figures in question while whispers and murmurs filled the air.

“Isn’t that the young lady from the Ludwig family? The one who supposedly passed away from an illness three years ago? Is she real, or is it her ghost?”

pronounced

“She is human, but I can’t say for certain if she is truly Vera Ludwig. I was fortunate enough to meet her once, and she was much more beautiful three years ago. Look at this supposed Vera, with her nose and angular chin. While her eyes bear a resemblance to the previous Vera, I’m pretty sure she had undergone plastic surgery to alter her appearance.”

Hearing that, Anya thought something was off with her hyper–realistic mask. She instinctively covered her face and glowered angrily at Victoria.

“Victoria, how dare you humiliate me in public? I won’t let this slip!”

Chapter 680 Deserve A Beating

Victoria had already offended the Ludwig family and didn’t mind blowing the matter up.

Those who dare to bully my friend will pay the price.

“Vera, we haven’t resolved this issue yet, so you’re not going anywhere!” Victoria exclaimed, rushing over to block Anya’s path with a determined stance. Folding her arms defiantly, she lifted her chin and shot Anya a sarcastic gaze. “Did you conveniently forget how arrogant and smug you were in front of my friend last night? You had the audacity to act that way, yet you cowered at the thought of me exposing your actions to everyone?”

Anya’s fists clenched tightly, her anger bubbling to the surface as she shot Victoria a menacing glare. The growing whispers around them seemed to amplify. The onlookers relished the drama and chose to indulge in the show rather than intervene or defuse the situation.

Christina’s expression twisted into an evil grin as she declared, “Oh, it seems you were desperate to offer yourself to him, but he rejected you. How pitiful. As a member of the esteemed Ludwig family, you clearly didn’t uphold your position and instead stooped so low as to offer yourself as someone’s lover. Has the once prestigious Ludwig family fallen so far that they are willing to discard their dignity and pride in exchange for money? If your ancestors were to learn of your disgraceful actions as their descendant, they would surely rise from their coffins in righteous fury.

Though Anya seethed with frustration, she knew they were currently being watched by a curious audience. She growled softly, “Victoria, let’s not go too far. I haven’t done anything to harm you, and we should both conduct ourselves as adults. Isn’t it childish to publicly accuse and slander me, tarnishing not just my reputation but also that of my family?”

Victoria’s confidence remained unyielding as she fired back a retort. “Being a coward is embarrassing. I’m confronting you in public instead of resorting to despicable tricks behind your back. How is it

childish to address the situation directly? It seems you’re feeling guilty, and that’s why you find this embarrassing!”

Clearly, Anya was not Victoria’s match.

Humiliation coursed through Anya’s veins, overwhelming her as an instinctive urge to retaliate and teach Victoria a lesson welled up inside her. But before she could act on it, a firm grip closed around her wrist.

Surprised, she turned over her shoulder to see Yerek gazing at her darkly. At once, she stiffened.

“Ms. Ludwig, don’t be reckless. We are in a public setting, and even if someone else disregards their own dignity, you should be mindful of your own image. Yerek spared Victoria a malicious smile. “Ms. Lesley, resorting to violence will not resolve anything. Perhaps it would be wise for both of you to find another venue to have a discussion. Indulge me by engaging in a civil conversation.

Victoria’s goal was to humiliate Anya in public, so she sneered, “And who are you to meddle in our affairs? I have no interest in indulging you. Mind your own business, or I’ll make sure to direct my insults your way as well!”

It was clear that Victoria was playing dumb.

Yerek’s expression turned dark. From the corner of his eye, he noticed Christina standing not far away, wearing an amused smile as she observed their altercation. At that moment, it became clear to him that they had unwittingly fallen into a trap.

Yerek’s voice dripped with sarcasm as he addressed Victoria. “Ms. Lesley, I can understand if you’re too busy to remember me. However, let me remind you that Ms. Ludwig is here attending the business conference on behalf of her family. She is known for her kindness and generosity, unlike some who

target easy victims for their amusement. Such behavior is unbecoming of a member of the Lesley family, don’t you think?”

With that, he led Anya out of the restaurant.

Christina observed them thoughtfully.

Victoria had been in control of the situation, but an unexpected intervention occurred halfway. She returned to Christina, seemingly displeased. “That Yerek is far too meddlesome for my liking. I had no idea he was on such close terms with Vera and actually defended her.”

Christina averted her gaze and replied carefully, “It isn’t safe to speak here. Let’s talk somewhere else.”

“Let’s head to the second floor. There are private rooms there that are only accessible to VIP members. We won’t run into any unwanted visitors there,” Victoria suggested.

“Sure. Let’s head there.” Christina nodded.

There, Victoria and Christina showed their ID cards before they were led to a private room meant for two people.

Victoria ordered a spread and proceeded to take care of Christina.

“Christina, drink the milk,” she urged. Though it may have seemed like an ordinary meal, Victoria was mindful of Sebastian’s reminder. If one observed closely, one would notice that the food she selected was specifically chosen to provide the necessary nourishment for Christina’s well–being.

Christina didn’t think much and accepted the milk, downing the drink in one gulp. They then resumed their earlier conversation.

“Yerek and Vera don’t appear to be mere acquaintances who recently met. As I observe Vera’s actions closely, I can’t help but notice a striking resemblance to someone I know.”

Victoria immediately discarded the bread she was holding and urged excitedly, “Who is it?”

“Anya Gibson,” Christina answered, her memory piecing together fragments of information. “While she was choosing desserts earlier, I notice that she deliberately avoided anything with peaches. Anya has an allergy to peaches.”

There were plenty of people who were allergic to peaches in the world, but it was no coincidence that both Anya and Vera were allergic to peaches.

Victoria’s observation skills weren’t as good as Christina, so she silently listened to Christina’s analysis.

“There was talk among the onlookers about Vera Ludwig. They mentioned that Vera was supposed to have succumbed to an illness three years ago, yet here she is, alive and present today. Someone who had encountered Vera in the past even speculated that she might have undergone plastic surgery, given the apparent changes in her appearance,” Christina revealed.

“Many socialites have had plastic surgery, so it’s not uncommon.” Victoria touched her chin thoughtfully. “However, I couldn’t help but notice that Vera’s skin is absolutely flawless. It’s as if she doesn’t have a single

pore. I found myself fighting the temptation to ask her about her skincare routine and the beauty treatments she did.”

Despite her curiosity, Victoria wouldn’t forget what the despicable woman did.

“If you want to be sure, I can help you check if Vera Ludwig has undergone plastic surgery,” she suggested.

While uncovering Vera’s true identity was important, Christina felt a stronger inclination to explore the private relationship between Yerek and Vera.

“Can you send someone to keep an eye on both Yerek and Vera? Something tells me they are up to no good,” Christina uttered.

“Of course!” Victoria replied with a smile. “Money makes the world go round. I’ll make the arrangements, and we’ll receive updates soon. Now, let’s not starve your baby. Eat up.

Christina patted her belly gently and began munching on her breakfast.

Meanwhile, Yerek brought Anya back to the guest room. There was no one else around, so Anya no longer had to put up a pretense. She tore off the dirty hyper–realistic mask and tossed it in the sink.

“Victoria is such a b*tch. Why did you stop me from retaliating?”