Ch. 81..90

Chapter 81 I Love You Francis

Upon returning to Evelyn’s house, Christina dove under her sheets the moment she closed her room door.

She hid herself under the sheets and her eyes reddened when she thought of what happened earlier.

You’re such a jerk, Nathaniel! You don’t allow me anywher near men. Yet what were you doing at home with Madison?

When Christina’s phone rang abruptly, she answered at once. A gentle voice subsequently rang out from it.

“Christina, I have a job for you. Mr. Henry Jackson from Jadeborough wants to work with us. He’ll be paying for our air tickets and accommodation too. Are you in?”

Christina owed Bailey a debt of gratitude after the latter helped her retrieve the original video from the video editor previously.

Since she was feeling down, taking a short break while making some money sounded like a good idea.

Without the slightest hesitation, she agreed, “Sure.”

“In that case, I’ll see you at the airport tomorrow.” Bailey ended the call after her reply.

Thereafter, Christina found Gina’s number in her contact list and gave the latter a call.

Ever since she started work half a year ago, she had never missed a day of work. Thus, the time was ripe for her to use her leave for a break.

Gina quickly agreed and reminded Christina to hand in her leave application upon her return.

The next day, Christina packed a small luggage and put on a floral dress with a matching pink hoodie. She subsequently completed her look with two casually tied braids.

With a porcelain-white face that didn’t need any makeup, Christina put on some lip balm and curled the corner of her lips slightly. The way she looked was the epitome of a youthful and vibrant girl.

As it was still early, there weren’t many people at the airport when she arrived.

Thus, Christina easily spotted Bailey in the waiting area.

With a headful of black hair strewn upon her shoulder, Bailey was wearing a shirt with teddy-bear prints and black overalls. The black baseball cap on her head was slung so low that her eyes were almost covered.

“Bailey, did you spend the entire night recording again?”

Bailey was famous in the recording industry due to the versatility of her voice. Therefore, she was highly sought after by audiobook producers.

“I don’t mind suffering a little for the opportunity to work with my best friend.”

Flashing a smile, Christina tapped Bailey on the nose. “You’re such a sweet talker.”

As it had been a while since they last saw each other, both of them chatted happily while boarding the plane.

Meanwhile, inside a skyscraper located in the city center, Nathaniel was sitting elegantly in his office chair, listening to Sebastian’s reports.

Nevertheless, he felt particularly distracted, and his eyes would drift toward his phone intermittently.

His calls to Christina the night before were unanswered, while his calls today couldn’t even get through.

Is it because she’s busy at work?

All of a sudden, he interrupted Sebastian, “Find out what Christina is up to.”

Madison was naturally upset to hear his words but could only keep her emotions to herself. After all, no one ever dared to show their displeasure to his face.

All she felt was jealousy over the fact that the usually workaholic Nathaniel was thinking of Christina. during work.

With no time to lose, Sebastian called Radiant Corporation immediately and had his answer within two minutes.

“Mrs. Hadley has returned, but she took a week’s leave. No one knows where she is.”

Nathaniel’s brows furrowed slightly. Did she actually go on a holiday without telling me?

“Find out where she is.”

Sebastian briefly froze before dropping whatever he was doing. “Understood.”

“Mr. Hadley, Sebastian still has important matters to report to you. Christina is an adult who can take care of herself, so I don’t see why you need to be worried.”

Madison could guess why Christina had gone on leave and wasn’t taking Nathaniel’s calls. It had to do with what she said the day before.

The fact that she had sown discord in their relationship filled her with schadenfreude.

All she needed to do to deepen the rift between them was to prevent Nathaniel from seeing Christina.

Sebastian subsequently turned around and gave Nathaniel an awkward look. The document on which he was reporting was indeed important.

Nathaniel eyes consequently darkened. “We’ll deal with work first.”

Madison was secretly overjoyed by his decision as if she was a cat burglar who had stolen a treasure. With that, Sebastian returned to Nathaniel’s side and continued his report.

In the meantime, Nathaniel turned on his computer and typed casually on the keyboard until

Sebastian was done.

He had wanted to give both of them clear instructions about work. “Sebastian, pack your bags. We’re going to Jadeborough.”

“But Mr. Hadley, Jadeborough isn’t in the plan, is it?” Madison clarified while flicking through the document in hand.

A frosty glint flashed across Nathaniel’s eyes as he ignored her question.

Although Sebastian was equally clueless, he didn’t dare question Nathaniel. “Yes, Mr. Hadley,” he answered before packing up and leaving with Madison following him from behind.

It wasn’t until they returned to the assistants’ room that Sebastian suggested, “Madison, you had better prepared your resignation letter.”

That would sooner or later be her fate if she failed to exercise control over her emotions.

Since both of them had worked for Nathaniel for many years, he didn’t want to see her make a mistake over her personal feelings.

“Sebastian, you’re the one whose judgment is clouded How can you let Mr. Hadley be distracted from his work?” Just the thought of Nathaniel ignoring work because of Christina was enough to outrage her.

“You’re the one who’s confused about what our duty actually is.” Not wanting to waste any more time with her, Sebastian packed up all the important documents.

Before he left, he made an effort to remind her, “You had better use this opportunity to calm down. If you cross the line again, there’ll be consequences.”

The moment the door shut, a sense of dejection descended upon Madison.

All this while, they had helped Nathaniel deal with his personal affairs, but it just felt entirely different this time.

It was as if the stronger her feelings for Nathaniel were, the further the distance between them became.

Meanwhile, Bailey and Christina arrived at Henry’s recording studio.

Henry’s studio was famous within the industry and was highly sought after by sound editors of major celebrities and big-budget productions.

With the three of them seated inside a conference room, Henry handed them a score. “This is a theme song for a web drama, and it’s beautifully written. I like it a lot and feel that it suits both of your voices.”

Christina had started to involve herself in the recording industry a long time ago. Under her belt were a couple of successful dubbing and singing projects.

Nevertheless, she only accepted jobs back then to pay the bills because her ambition was to become a designer. As a result, it had been a long while since she worked on a recording project.

Upon receiving the score, she hummed out the melody while reading the notes and lyrics.

From the beautiful rhythm and lyrics, one could easily tell how talented the composer was.

After that, Henry sent them home to familiarize themselves with the score. They were to return the next day to do the recording.

Upon leaving the studio, Bailey dragged Christina to Jadeborough’s movie studios.

“What are we doing here?” Christina gave Bailey a quizzical look.

“We’re here to cheer for my favorite idol!” Without any hesitation, Bailey pulled out two sets of cat-ear hair clips. She pinned one set on Christina’s head before putting the other set on herself.

After waiting backstage for a while, they were led on set by the film crew.

Inside, the audience area was brimming with fans who were wearing the same hair clips and holding cheerleading placards.

Once both of them were ushered to their seats in the front row, Bailey raised the placard that had been prepared. On it were the blinking words: I love you, Francis!

 

Chapter 82 An Interview With Francis

Christina’s eyes widened in shock. “This is an interview with Francis?”

“That’s right. He’s my latest idol. Isn’t he handsome?” Bailey laughed gleefully. Truth be told, she had come all the way to Jadeborough just to see Francis.

Despite sensing that she had been taken for a ride, Christina realized it was too late to bail on Bailey and resigned herself to stay.

All of a sudden, screams broke out on set.

Out from a recording studio came a towering figure.

The man had shoulder-length silver hair with their ends dyed in blue; his long narrow eyes were gleaming like stars. With a slight curl of his lips, the indiscernible smile on his face would bewitch anyone who saw it.

As he gradually stepped into view, the screams intenslied with greater fervor.

While Christina felt as if her eardrums were going to burst, the excited Bailey tugged her with one hand and waved her placard hysterically with the other.

Chaos subsequently descended upon the scene. Despite the host’s best effort to calm the audience down, his pleas simply fell on deaf ears.

Finally, it was Francis who picked up the microphone to quieten the fans. “My dear cuties, if you continue to make so much noise, the host won’t be able to ask me any questions. Why don’t we lower our voices for the interview, and I’ll take a group photo with all of you at the end?”

Francis’ suggestion was extremely effective, for the group of obsessed female fans instantly kept mum.

That was the first time Christina felt the star power of a celebrity up close. Mere words were enough to silence a group of boisterous women.

Just as Francis returned the microphone to the host, the simple gesture was so mesmerizing that everyone found it difficult to peel their eyes away.

After starting by exchanging pleasantries, the host dived straight into the interview. “Francis, am I right that you wrote the theme song for the web drama-The Domineering Prince?”

“That’s correct. I also handpicked the script. I was so inspired by it that I ended up writing the theme song.” Francis answered.

The host continued to go down the list of prepared questions. “Francis, since you haven’t acted in a while, how does playing a prince in a period drama feel like? Is there anything interesting you can share with us?”

As Francis had gone through the script for the interview, his reply was particularly eloquent. “Since this is my first time acting in a period drama-” Midway through his sentence, he was interrupted by a tic-tac sound.

Right in front of everyone, the buttons on his shirt had fallen onto the ground.

When his collar opened abruptly, it exposed his muscular chest to the female fans below the stage. The

very next moment, an uproar broke out when everyone present was seduced by the heart-throbbing sight.

“Oh, my God! I never knew Francis had such a good figure!”

“The sight of his ab muscles alone has made this entire trip worth it!”

“I wonder how it feels like running my hands over them?”

Worried about losing control of the situation, the production crew dropped the curtains and came forward to calm the audience down.”

After a while, the production assistant inquired, “Does anyone have a needle and thread?”

As a safety pin would ruin his shirt, there was no other choice but to sew the button back on.

“I do.” Christina retrieved the sewing kit she always carried on her.

Instead of taking it, the production assistant pulled Christina abruptly. Before she could react, she was already led behind the curtain where the production assistant urged, “Quick, help Francis sew his button back on.”

When Francis looked in her direction, he was greeted by the sight of a young girl with adorable braids. She was wearing the blinking hair clips that were used to cheer him on during the show, while her cheeks were tinged with a dreamy red hue.

Upon looking up, Christina blushed when her gaze met Francis’ gleaming obsidian eyes.

She put the sewing kit down on the table and remarked softly, “Here’s the sewing kit. Please return it to me once you’re done.”

Weighed down by embarrassment, she turned around in an attempt to leave quickly.

Francis’ lips curled as a cheeky look flashed across his eyes. He then called out at Christina’s silhouette, “I want you to help me sew it back on.”

Frozen in her tracks, Christina planned to pay no need to his request. After all, she wasn’t the one who lost a button, and sewing wasn’t her favorite pastime.

When the production assistant realized Christina’s intention to leave, she hurried up to the latter. “Miss, please lend us a hand. We won’t be able to get off work on time if there are any delays. Also, just look at the fans outside. If they start getting rowdy, you might not even be able to leave.”

The words caused Christina to hesitate a little. It’s true that I can’t leave if the show doesn’t end. Besides, Bailey came all this way just for Francis.

“Fine.” Christina relented in the end.

When she turned to look at Francis, the smug look on his face for getting his way was unmistakable.

Christina subsequently walked up to him and stopped at arm’s length. She calmly picked up the thread before threading it through the needle.

In the meantime, she caught a whiff of the floral scent on Francis’ body. He actually smelled more fragrant than a woman did.

With his arms folded across his chest, his pose made him look like the perfect statue, exuding an imposing aura even in his silence.

Christina had her head lowered to avert her eyes from his. After pinching his collar with her fingertips, she began to sew the button back on.

A single glance was all it took for Francis to see that Christina was blushing nervously. He couldn’t deny how adorable she looked with the reddish hue on her cheeks.

When an idea popped into his head, he pulled out his phone and discreetly took a photo of her serious. expression.

Sensing something amiss, Christina raised her head be greeted by the sight of a camera lens staring her in the face.

She put some distance between them by reflex. “Are you secretly taking photos of me?”

“Don’t worry. I know how to get a good angle. You’ll definitely look good in the shot.” Francis proceeded to put his phone away.

The anger in Christina’s eyes began to swell. “Delete the photo.”

If I had known that Francis was this cunning. I wouldn’t have agreed to sew his button for him. He’s such an ingrate.

Without even needing to guess, Christina knew that Nathaniel would blow his top once he learned that Francis had a photo of her looking up at him on his phone.

Upon letting out a snort, Francis stared intently at Christina’s exquisite-looking face. “What’s wrong? Are you worried that your other half will become jealous once he finds out?”

Since you know that Nathaniel will be jealous, why did you take a photo of me?

The fact that they could fight over a mere disagreement the last time made it clear that both of them weren’t on good terms.

Ignoring Francis’ comment, Christina repeated her warning, “I told you to delete it.”

With both of them staring each other down, one party was filled with mischief, while the other maintained her vigilance.

All of a sudden, Francis got to his feet, blocking Christina’s view with his towering figure. His eye blink as he spoke. “Thank you for your help. You can now return to your seat and continue watching my interview,”

“You have not deleted the photo yet.” Christina began to grow anxious. She wasn’t going to leave until he had complied with her demand.

Meanwhile, the production assistant thought that Christina was being difficult by refusing to stop interacting with her idol.

“Miss, you should return to your seat now, as filming is about to continue.”

In the midst of her being shooed away, the curtains began to open. If she didn’t go, Francis’ fans would assume that she was trying to take advantage of him.

As a result, she had no choice but to think of another plan.

 

Chapter 83 Twice The Price

Christina did not pay any attention to the host’s questions or Francis responses in the subsequent interview

After finally making it to the end of the interview, shmerely stood aside and watched when the group photo was taken

She had absolutely no desire to be in the same picture as Francis

When it was over, she dragged Bailey away, thinking that as long as she ignored Francis, he would lose interest and forget what had happened between them

They returned to the hotel and had just finished taking their showers when the hotel staff came knocking on the door

A serving cart full of delicacies appeared before themas soon as they opened the door, “Good evening. this is the hotel’s specialty dinner”

Christina was shocked and asked. “Have you made a mistake! We didn’t order dinner service” Such a sumptuous meal would cost a few thousand at the very leatt

The hotel staff smiled professionally. “This is on the house. Please enjoy yourselves”

Bailey stuck her head out and remarked, “Such a good treatment. Bring it in quickly.”

The two of them watched as the hotel staff placed the food on the table and uncorked a fine bottle of red wine, complimenting Henry in their minds for his extreme kindness to them.

They had been hungry all day and ate the delicious food in front of them without hesitation.

At the same time, in the room opposite theirs, Sebastian set the documents to be addressed on the table and reported, “Mr. Hadley, the hotel staff has sent the dinner to Mrs. Hadley’s room.”

Nathaniel lowered his head to study the documents and let out a hum of acknowledgment.

“If there’s nothing else, I won’t bother you any longer Sebastian left the room after giving him a curt nod.

The lights in the room cast a halo around Nathaniel’s dark, lustrous hair. He lowered his head and read the documents, only getting up after a long while.

He went to the door and looked at the opposite room from the peephole.

Even though there was only a corridor that separated them, he felt for the first time that those few meters were longer than vast rivers like Cayburn River.

I wonder what Christina is doing for her to come to Hallsbey without telling me. What is her purpose?

The breeze was cooler that morning compared to the previous day.

Christina wore a pale-yellow knitted outerwear with a casual checkered dress, appearing more youthful with her hair down.

Meanwhile, Bailey changed into a long dress. She, who never wore makeup, abruptly spent half an hour applying it.

When they arrived at the recording studio, Henry met them in the conference room and brought out a new contract.

“The other party is willing to pay twice the previous price for the entire copyright.”

The entire copyright meant that once the song was recorded, the other party would fully own it. They could not perform it for profit in any public setting or online platform.

In other words, it was no longer their music after they had recorded it.

Bailey was a little hesitant and looked at Christina. “What do you think?”

Frankly, they would not appear on camera even if they sang it, and the other party would not promote them either, so it was no different from buying out the entire copyright.

Christina mulled over it for a while before responding. “We don’t plan to appear on camera either, so it doesn’t matter much.”

After discussing it among themselves, they agreed to the other party’s request in full.

When he saw that they had agreed, Henry was likewise overjoyed. As the price of the deal was high, so was his profit.

The recording started smoothly. Perhaps it was because Christina liked the lyrics of this song very much, so she sang it with more emotion.

For three consecutive days, the two went straight back to the hotel after the recordings.

In the opposite room, Sebastian sorted out the documents before reporting, “For the past few days, Mrs. Hadley has been recording in a dubbing studio, returning immediately to the hotel after each session. Other than that, she didn’t go anywhere else

After hearing the report, Nathaniel was quite satisfied.

The only thing he could not figure out was why Christina did not want to inform him when she was just there for a recording. Is it because I went on a business trip overseas without telling her?

“Where is she recording? Send me the address.”

Nathaniel stood up from the couch, took his car keys, and left the room.

Soon, he received the address from Sebastian.

Meanwhile, Christina and Bailey’s task in the studio was considered complete after they sang the final chorus.

Bailey stretched her stiff muscles before patting Henry on the shoulder. “We’ll be heading back tomorrow. Thank you for the feasts these past few days!”

Henry stared at her in confusion. “What feast? Speaking of which, let me treat you two to a meal before you leave, okay?”

Bailey was slightly shocked and exchanged glances with Christina.

“The hotel has been providing us with scrumptious meals for the past few days, saying that it was arranged by the person who booked the room. Isn’t it you?” Christina gazed at Henry curiously.

Henry shook his head. “I did book the room, but I didn’t know about the arrangement of any meal.

You must be mistaken.”

The two girls shrugged. But the hotel staff who brought us our meals for the past few days did say that they were free of charge. Could it be that the hotel made a mistake?

They did not dwell on it too long, and Bailey’s thoughts moved on to more important matters. “Christina, will you join me later to cheer on Francis new drama?”

Francis again?

Christina hurriedly shook her head. “No, thanks. I don’t like him. Go on your own.” Just hearing his name now sent a chill down her spine.

I wonder if he had already deleted that photo.

Bailey checked the time and seemed a little anxious. The fan meeting is about to begin. Don’t wait for me tonight. See you at the airport tomorrow.” After saying that, she left in a hurry.

Christina considered it a blessing not to be dragged along to that event. She left the recording studio, after packing up her things.

Despite having been in Jadeborough for several days, she had not had a good look at the city.

Before leaving, she decided to visit some popular attractions to make some memories.

Christina tasted all kinds of snacks and took many photos while walking through the brightly lit, bustling food streets, unaware of a pair of eyes secretly watching her amid the crowd.

The figure was hiding in an obscure spot, somewhere she could not see.

It was nearly ten at night before she headed back to the hotel.

There were quite a lot of people at this time. Christina stood on the edge of the zebra crossing at the traffic lights, her gaze on the pedestrian signal light at the opposite end.

The bright red light lit up, and a car drove past in front of her.

A silhouette approached her slender figure from behind, and when no one was looking, stretched out a hand and shoved her pink bag.

With that burst of brute force from behind, Christina’s body was like a pebble being thrown into the air as she lost balance and tilted toward the front.

Her eyes widened, and her dark pupils dilated rapidly. The passing cars in front of her were like Grim Reapers coming for her. There was no possibility of her surviving if she bumped into one.

It was as if the surrounding people had seen the figure lunge out as they dared not move forward even if they wished to help her.

Just then, a tall and austere figure pushed his way through the crowd and shot out like a flying arrow.

The man’s gaze was very firm. Hence, even the most perilous places would not

frighten him…

 

Chapter 84 Near Accident

Nathaniel furrowed his brows as he reached out to hug Christina’s waist tightly.

As they fell, he made sure to land on his back, shielding Christina in his arms.

Christina was still reeling in shock when she heard the screeching sound of the brakes in her ears.

The driver belatedly realized a woman had darted onto the street when he saw a man suddenly appear in front of his vehicle. He quickly turned the steering wheel to avoid hitting them.

“Are you nuts? If you want to fool around, do it back home!” the driver hollered angrily before driving away in a huff.

It felt like time had come to a standstill. Both Nathaniel and Christina stared at each other silently, frozen in their tracks. They could hear each other’s heartbeats distinctly.

Both of them were breathing heavily.

Right then, the lights turned green. People from both sides of the street started crossing the street using the zebra crossing.

Nathaniel extended a hand to help Christina up, and the bustling crowd around them faded into nothingness as they locked eyes with each other.

It took Christina a few seconds to regain her composure. If Nathaniel hadn’t rushed out to save her, the consequences would’ve been dire!

I remember someone pushed me from behind.

Upon recalling that fact, she whirled around to find the culprit, but the culprit was nowhere to be seen.

Was it an accident or a deliberate act?

Nathaniel put his arms around her shoulders in a protective manner and asked in concern, “Did you get hurt?”

Christina shook her head in response. Nathaniel had shielded her with his body, so she escaped unscathed from the near accident.

Nathaniel surveyed the area but didn’t see anyone suspicious. He felt his heart tightening as his grew dark.

“Let’s talk back at the hotel.”

They soon arrived at the hotel. Despite not telling Nathaniel her room number, Christina was surprised when he led her back to her room.

“How do you know my room number?” she asked in amazement.

Nathaniel arched a brow. “Is it hard for me to know your whereabouts and your room number?”

gaze Christina flashed an awkward smile. Yeah, yeah. You’re the high and mighty CEO of Hadley Corporation who can find out my whereabouts with just a phone call.

Before she could reply, Nathaniel unlocked the door and picked her up by the collar, bringing her into the room.

Christina immediately recognized his laptop on the desk. Her eyes widened in surprise as she blurted out, “You’re staying in the room across from mine?”

Without bothering to reply to her, Nathaniel reached out to hold her chin.

Nathaniel’s handsome face drew closer, his hot breath fanning Christina’s checks. He tilted his head and spoke in a deep, charming voice, “Mrs. Hadley, it’s time to end this game of running away from home. Go home with me tomorrow.”

Christina pouted unhappily. Running away from home? I’m here on a business trip! I’ll head home once I finish work.

As he had saved her life, Christina didn’t lash out at him and replied casually, “Got it.”

Right then, Sebastian knocked on the door.

Hearing that, Christina slipped out of his embrace and sat down on the couch.

Nathaniel felt relieved as he saw her hanging her head low like a docile rabbit.

He opened the door, and Sebastian walked in.

The latter was surprised to see Christina, but he gave her a nod in greeting before getting on with hist work.

Both men started discussing the details of the contract on the desk. They were so engrossed that Christina couldn’t find a chance to interrupt.

She was planning on waiting until Nathaniel ended his discussion before telling him she was heading back to her room. However, half an hour later, both men were still deep in discussion.

Christina stared at them and suddenly wondered if this was how Madison and Nathaniel spent their time with each other.

Do they talk for half an hour straight without stopping?

The more she pondered over the matter, the more jealous she got. Feeling tired, she ended up sprawling on the couch.

As she listened to their conversation, drowsiness slowly crept over her, and she eventually drifted off into a deep slumber.

The men wrapped up their conversation, and Nathaniel instructed Sebastian to arrange their trip back. home the following day. When he turned around, he noticed that Christina had drifted off to sleep on the couch.

He went over to help her take off her shoes and her backpack. He then hauled her into his arms.

It was easy for him to wrap his arm around her slender waist since she was so light.

Sensing the warmth emanating from Nathaniel’s body, Christina snuggled into his arms and continued sleeping peacefully as his familiar scent surrounded lier.

She had no idea how alluring she looked right now. The lights brought out the rosy tint of her cheeks, making her look even more lovely. Her delicate pink nose and full lips gave her the appearance of a cute kitten.

Nathaniel placed her gently on the bed and gently wrapped his arms around her, falling asleep in the same bed as her.

Meanwhile, back at Jadeborough, Madison was sitting at the bar in her living room as she poured herself a glass of wine.

Her phone rang, and she answered the call only to be told, “Ms. Taggart, the mission was a failure. A man rushed out to save the young lady.”

Knitting her brows, Madison declared angrily, “You promised to get it done when you took my money!”

“I’m sorry. Someone interfered and ruined our plan, so it wasn’t our fault. I’ll send you the photo, but we won’t be refunding your money.”

Madison ended the call, smoking in anger. What a bunch of useless fools!

Shortly after, she received a photo on her phone.

Intrigued, Madison opened the message, eager to discover who had interfered with her plan.

The photo displayed the side profile of a man cradling a young woman in his arms with a firm grip, his eyes filled with apprehension as if she were his sole concern.

Nathaniel’s gaze went into Madison’s heart like an iron shard.

She couldn’t stop the feeling of jealousy from overwhelming her heart as it seemed like Nathaniel would risk his life just to protect Christina.

Anger boiled inside of her, and she hurled her wineglass to the ground, shattering it into pieces. The red liquid spread across the floor, reflecting her current emotions.

Whipping out her phone, she texted Francis furiously Hurry up. I want Christina to disappear from Nathaniel’s side!

She soon received his reply: All right. Give me all the information regarding Hadley Corporation’s Project Spherico.

Nathaniel had put in two years of effort into Project Spherico, and Madison knew how crucial it was to him. The project was set to be launched by the end of the year if everything went according to plan.

Clearly, Francis wanted the project’s information to deal Nathaniel with a huge blow.

Madison narrowed her eyes dangerously. She was also involved in this project, so if any problem were to occur, she knew their previous efforts would be in vain.

Picking her phone up, she texted a reply: Okay.

She was willing to sacrifice anything as long as she could get rid of Christina.

As the first rays of dawn illuminated the sky, Christina gazed out of the plane window and saw the layers of clouds stretching out below her.

Nathaniel took her to his private plane at dawn to fly back to Jadeborough.

They were assigned to share a private room, while Bailey was given a separate private room to rest in.

The flight attendant served them breakfast. After Christina polished her portion off, Nathaniel returned to his seat, having finished discussing work with Sebastian.

He shrugged off his suit jacket, revealing his form-fitting vest and crisp white shirt that accentuated his physique. She had to admit that he looked devastatingly handsome.

 

Chapter 85 Airsick

Christina stared at his masculine figure without saying a word as embarrassing images that made her ears turn red began popping into her mind.

Usually, Nathaniel would come out of the shower wrapped in nothing but a towel around his waist, exposing his muscular chest.

Christina would avoid staring at him involuntarily whenever she saw him half-naked, but those scenes were branded in her brain.

Her brain felt like an open Pandora’s box, as those scenes continued to replay themselves over and over again in her mind.

“What’s wrong? Are you airsick?” Nathaniel was sitting beside her and noticed her cheeks were as red as a tomato.

Airsick?

Christina cowered back as her heart began racing. “No.”

Afraid she would get bored, Nathaniel took out his tablet. “Do you want to hear some music or play games?”

Christina shook her head and replied in a tiny voice. “No need.”

She hung her head low, not daring to look at him as images of his half-naked torso filled her mind.

Nathaniel inched nearer to her, his dark orbs staring at her intently like she was his prey. “Are you afraid? I can help you divert your attention so you won’t feel scared.””

Nathaniel’s voice was magnetic and charming as if it had come from an expensive sound system worth millions. They were so close to each other, and his presence was overwhelming.

Christina felt the hair on her skin standing up as she rubbed her palms anxiously. Looking up, she asked, “How are you going to divert my attention?”

A devilishly handsome smile played on Nathaniel’s lips. “Come nearer to me. I need to whisper in your ear.”

Christina was utterly confused as she fixed a dubious look on him. After a brief hesitation, she came closer to him as told.

By then, they would be touching each other if either of them moved.

Nathaniel raised his arm and clamped his hand around her head, covering her lips with his.

His warm breath soon became searing hot, filling Christina’s mouth. As he bit her lips, Christina felt like her heart had also been bitten as it started beating wildly.

We’re on the plane. Even if it’s a private plane, the flight attendant, Bailey, and Sebastian are around. They might suddenly show up. If outsiders see us kissing on the plane, they will think I’m a horny woman, won’t they?

Christina placed.her fists on his chest, intending to push him away.

However, her struggles merely made Nathaniel increase his force.

He clamped his other arm around Christina’s waist, making it impossible for her to move.

Christina had to admit that he was doing a good job of diverting her attention even though she was currently feeling breathless.

Her initial struggles soon faded away, and she caved in willingly. Christina’s lips were swollen and stinging when he finally released her. She fell limply into his arms and rested her check on his shoulders.

Outside, the blue sky and clouds flashed by while they hugged each other tightly inside the plane.

After disembarking from the plane, they made their way back to Scenic Garden Manor.

Nathaniel returned to his study to deal with some work. It seemed important as he bore an icy expression.

Christina returned to the master bedroom to take a shower. As she stepped out of the shower, a notification sounded on her laptop, signaling an incoming video call.

At her laptop, she was surprised to discover that it was Julia.

She had been too busy these few days and forgot to send her design draft to Julia.

Christina felt like her parents were checking up on her during her trip. Tensing up, she quickly unzipped her luggage and grabbed her disguise, putting it on hastily.

She placed herself in front of a white background before answering the call.

At once, Julia’s elegant figure appeared on the screen. It was obvious she had selected her outfit carefully, but her makeup made her look especially cold.

“Why did it take you so long to answer my call?” Julia demanded, her voice tinged with displeasure.

Julia was used to having others wait for her, so she appeared clearly displeased when she had to wait for a young lady.

“I’m sorry. I was caught up in something else earlier, Christina explained.

She didn’t even have time to dry her hair, which hung limply on her back. Once she put on the mask, her voice also changed.

Julia was unable to comprehend Christina’s response because she was accustomed to being the center of attention. She believed that Christina should prioritize her needs no matter what.

Something glinted across her eyes as she demanded icily, “Have you completed the design draft?”

Her gaze was fixed on Christina as she asked that question.

The young lady is wearing a black mask which only shows her bright eyes and long lashes. Why do the eyes look familiar to me? I can’t recall who it is, though.

“Yes. I’ll send it to you now,” Christina replied. She had completed the designs during her free time.

She found the file and sent it to Julia instantly.

After receiving the file, Julia examined it meticulously. Her face remained aloof, and there was no hint of emotion on her features.

Christina started wondering if Nathaniel had inherited this personality trait from Julia.

After spending some time with Julia, Christina observed that Julia treated everyone with coldness and haughtiness. Only those who played along with her would be treated well.

Christina wasn’t one of those who played along with Julia.

They both said nothing for a few minutes. Julia soon broke the silence. “I’m not quite satisfied. Redraw everything.”

She is not satisfied again?

Christina had poured in her efforts to create these designs. She had never encountered such a difficult client.

“Mrs. Hadley, do you mind letting me know which part you’re dissatisfied with?”

Previously, she thought the style wasn’t what Julia liked, so she prepared five different styles this time. She couldn’t believe none of them were to Julia’s liking.

Christina nervously dug her nails into her palm, silently questioning her confidence in her designs.

Julia took another look at the draft. “I can’t be specific The designs are quite outstanding, but I don’t feel like wearing any of them.”

She let out an icy snort before Christina could say anything and declared, “It turns out that the legendary genius designer is nothing much. I’ll give you one last chance. If your designs fail to satisfy me, we won’t be collaborating anymore.”

Christina’s brows twitched. Is she nitpicking on me to make things difficult for me on purpose?

“I want to see the designs in three days. Don’t worry, even if I’m not satisfied with the new designs, I’ll pay half of the agreed payment for your efforts.” With that, Julia ended the video call calmly.

Helen could sense that Julia was not in good spirits, which made her feel uneasy. She might’ve worked for Julia for several years, but there were moments when she couldn’t decipher Julia’s thoughts.

“Mrs. Hadley, are you really not going to collaborate with Ada?”

Ada’s designs are quite unique. If they are made into ready-stock items, Mrs. Hadley might take a liking to them.

Julia looked up, her mind preoccupied with Christina’s bright eyes. Instead of answering the question, she asked, “Do you think Ada resembles Christina?”

 

Chapter 86 Never Be Bored With Me There

Helen was momentarily taken aback before she answered casually with a chuckle, “No, I don’t think so, Mrs. Hadley.”

Pausing briefly, she continued, “I reckon Ms. Ada is also in her twenties. Don’t all girls of that age have bright eyes?”

Julia felt that it made sense, and her gaze fell on the design drafts once more.

She scrutinized them time and again. In truth, she wanted to fabricate a gown out of every design though she knew that she was making things difficult for everyone.

Ultimately, her goal was to choose the one to her greatest satisfaction, for she was determined to be the most outstanding guest when she attended the banquet.

Puzzled, Helen asked in curiosity, “I heard that Ms. Christina is also a designer. Why don’t you ask her to design a gown for you?”

She was aware that Julia did not like Christina. However, the same could not be said of Nathaniel. Since the two of them had a row over Christina’s presence, their initially unharmonious relationship. deteriorated further.

When Julia abruptly heard Christina’s name while studying the design drafts she found satisfactory, her face promptly went as black as thunder.

“Don’t mention that woman to me. She’s nothing more than a country bumpkin, a piece of trash despised by the Steele family. How is she worthy of designing a gown for me? I’ll never wear her design, even if there are no other designers in this world!”

In the past, Nathaniel would still give me a call and come over to dine with me every two weeks or a month. But because I had a quarrel with Christina back then, he now ignores me completely. This is all on her!

The sudden change in her aura gave Helen a fright, and the latter’s breathing caught.

Whoa! It looks like Mrs. Hadley doesn’t only dislike Ms. Christina. Instead, her aversion to the latter has reached the point of contempt! From the look of things, it isn’t quite possible to ease the tension in their relationship.

Meanwhile, Christina sprawled on the bed like a starving rabbit drained of all energy after hanging up the phone.

She perused the ten design drafts she had drawn over the past few days repeatedly, but she could not find a single fault with any of them.

Worse still, Julia would not tell her the kind of style she liked or the aspect she found dissatisfactory.

I’m not a neuron in her head, so how could I possibly know what exactly she wants?

When Nathaniel had finished his work, he went into the bedroom.

At once, he was greeted by the sight of the orange and yellow hues of the setting sun streaming in through the window and Christina sprawled on the bed languidly. Her white pajamas outlined her slender waist, and she had her calves crossed behind her in mid-air. Her face was also puffed up in annoyance, rendering her incredibly adorable.

“What are you thinking about?” Walking over, he sat down beside her.

Christina turned to look at him. With her limpid eyes shimmering, she whined aggrievedly, “Mrs. Hadley doesn’t like my designs. Ugh, I’m at a total loss.”

Lifting a hand, Nathaniel pinched her cheek and coaxed, “Never mind her. How much did she offer you? I’ll pay you double.”

Christina’s heart sank, and she felt so irate that words eluded her. The urge to clobber him over the head seized her.

Argh! I don’t have my eyes set on the money, okay? Instead, it’s because I know she’s his mother, so I really want to use this opportunity to change her perception of me. But now, I can’t even design a satisfactory gown that she likes. That’s the only reason for this crushing sense of defeat!

“Don’t fret over it anymore. Come, I’ll take you out for some fun.”

Scooping her up from the bed, Nathaniel strode into the walk-in closet and picked a gown for her to change into.

He gently lifted the strap on her shoulder, giving her such a scare that she shrieked like a frightened. kitten. “W-What are you doing?”

“How are you going out without changing?” Having said that solemnly, he again moved to slip her strap down recklessly.

The strap was thin, so it snapped with a light tug. Christina’s snow-white skin was bared to his sight, sparking his desire like a match to hay.

Like a bristling kitten, Christina pushed him out. “I’ll change by myself. Go out and wait for me.”

Grasping her chin, Nathaniel bit her lower lip. “All right, then.” Verily, he was afraid he would devour her if he were to stay any longer.

After leaving the dressing room, he went to the kitchen. He took several sips of ice water before he finally managed to force a leash on his scorching desire.

At that precise moment, the butler, Raymond Patel, led Madison into the house.

Madison was dressed to the nines. Her red strapless evening gown matched the necklace on her neck perfectly, and her long hair that was pulled up accentuated her shoulder blades. On the whole, she appeared capable and feminine.

As she sashayed over, she roamed her eyes over Nathaniel. Not only was the man’s figure stellar, but his countenance was also handsome beyond words, and he exuded an innate sense of elegance and arrogance.

The sight had her heart skip a beat. A smile adorned her face. “Are you ready to leave, Nathaniel?”

Ah, getting to attend banquets with him each and every time is the best perk I have at work! Whenever we make an appearance together, everyone thinks that we’re dating, and I’m happy though it’s just a misunderstanding!

“I’m ready,” Nathaniel answered nonchalantly, straightening his tie gracefully.

Just when Madison was about to speak further, the sound of footsteps descending the stairs drifted into

her ears. Lifting her eyes, she cast her gaze over.

Christina wore a pure white form-fitting mermaid gown that showcased her slender waist to a tee. Without any makeup, she appeared a touch aloof. Her exquisite brows and glazed eyes emanated elegance.

Alongside her presence, the atmosphere in the air turned gentle considerably.

Madison’s eyes promptly dimmed, and she felt like a massive boulder was crushing her heart. “You’re going as well, Mrs. Hadley?”

Having no idea where they were going, Christina tumed her gaze to Nathaniel in perplexity and waited for his explanation.

Nathaniel strolled over to her and took her hand. “It’s a small-scale banquet. Just consider it as keeping me company.”

“Will I hinder you from work?” Christina asked, blinking her limpid and alluring eyes.

Madison inexorably balled her hands into fists, digging her nails into her palms and using the pain to suppress her emotions.

Despite the stabbing pain within her, her expression remained calm and unruffled. “Mrs. Hadley is unfamiliar with such events, so she’ll be bored there.

Truthfully, she did not want Christina to attend the banquet and intrude on her chance to spend time with Nathaniel alone.

Looking down at Nathaniel through lowered eyes, Christina whispered, “Perhaps you can keep me company when you return after work?”

She could already imagine herself at a social event whereby she did not know anyone and was inept at socializing, looking like a statue by standing around.

However, Nathaniel grabbed her hand and started toward the door. “You’ll never be bored with me there. But if that happens, I’ll come home with you.”

Seeing that he had said as much, Christina had no choice but to relent.

When she walked out with her hand on the man’s arm, her gaze inadvertently lingered on Madison for a few seconds. Although the latter hid it well, she could still glimpse the flash of envy in her eyes.

What exactly is their relationship? Superior and subordinate? Friends? Or something more than that?

Getting into the car, Nathaniel and Christina sat in the back while Madison sat in the passenger seat. In that instant, Madison felt that she was an outsider.

In the past, I always felt that I was the woman closest to him!

 

Chapter 87 The Gift

When the car arrived at the entrance of the banquet hall, Nathaniel alighted from the vehicle and appeared in everyone’s line of sight with Christina holding his arm.

His features were perfect, and his tapered eyes glinted brightly. He was so handsome that he gave others a strong sense of detachment.

Standing beside him, Christina had her long black hair pinned up with a red gemstone barrette. She had a slender figure, and her skin was porcelain white with a hint of pink adorning her face that was devoid of makeup. She was so beautiful that anyone beholding her would laud her as a goddess.

With their outfits complementing each other, one black and the other white, they looked like celebrities who stepped out of a fashion poster, so striking that no one could take their eyes off them.

“Who is she to Mr. Hadley?”

“In the past, it was always Ms. Taggart who stood by Mr. Hadley’s side that I thought they were a couple.”

“This lady is breathtakingly beautiful!”

Madison followed behind the couple, going unnoticed despite her exquisite accouter that day. She felt like she was the leading female who had suddenly been relegated to a supporting role.

After taking a few seconds to compose herself, she quickened her steps and tried her best to keep pace with Nathaniel so that she would not look left out in the eyes of outsiders.

Subsequently, a few people in the industry spotted Nathaniel and enthusiastically pulled him aside to discuss business.

Seizing that opportunity, Madison took out an exquisite box and handed it to Christina. “It’s Mrs. Chassagne’s birthday tonight, Mrs. Hadley. It’d be more appropriate for you to hand this gift out on behalf of Hadley Corporation.”

Calandre Chassagne was the CEO of a multinational company that had many collaborations with Hadley Corporation. As such, Madison would pick a gift for her each year on behalf of the company.

Christina lifted her gaze and eyed the capable woman in front of her. The scene in the study that day flashed across her mind, and a sense of disquiet swamped her.

Nonetheless, she took the box offered. “Sure.”

At that, a cryptic smile tugged at Madison’s lips. “I’ll bring you over to meet Mrs. Chassagne.”

With that, the two of them went further into the banquet hall.

Calandre was a Ferropenian who was almost forty years old yet maintained her looks exceedingly well.

She had short blond hair and wore big pearl earrings with a pure pink suit. The trendy V-neck design rendered her intellectual and mature.

Upon meeting, Madison conversed with Calandre in fluent Ferropenian. The two of them even chuckled every so often. All in all, the atmosphere was very much pleasant.

Throughout it all, Christina stood at the side and listened to their conversation quietly. Her gentle and delicate appearance sparked a sense of protectiveness within others.

Only after talking for some time did Madison deliberately introduce Christina to Calandre in Ferropenian. “This is Mr. Hadley’s wife, Ms. Christina Steele.”

She then went silent, not bothering to interpret it into Chanacan. Instead, she waited to witness. Christina making a fool of herself with a smug look in her eyes.

Calandre was not the kind of person to put on airs, so she greeted, “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Hadley. You’re stunningly beautiful.”

Her speech was somewhat rapid to the point that Madison had to focus intently to understand her.

In spite of that, a calm smile remained on Christina’s lips. “Nice to meet you, Mrs. Chassagne. Thank you for the compliment.”

A stream of Ferropenian with a pure accent flowed out of her mouth, her speed comparable to that of Calandre’s.

At once, surprise flooded Calandre. In fact, she would suspect that it was from prerecorded audio if she had not seen Christina speaking with her own eyes.

Meanwhile, Madison was wholly stumped. She even wondered if she had misheard, querying in Ferropenian, “You know Ferropenian, Mrs. Hadley?”

Blinking her crystalline eyes, Christina swiftly answered in Ferropenian, “A little bit.”

Following that reply, distinct fury showed in Madison’s eyes. She’s calling this a little bit?

It was rare for Calandre to meet someone she liked greatly. With a prominent smile on her face, she enthusiastically chatted with Christina about various other subjects.

Christina listened smilingly, paying close attention to the woman’s subtle expressions, and waited until she had finished speaking before she replied unhurriedly.

Even then, Madison could not believe her ears. The sight of Calandre and Christina conversing happily was like a dagger to her chest, the tip plunging deeper with each passing moment.

Argh! I wanted to embarrass her, but never in my wildest dreams had I ever imagined that she doesn’t only know Ferropenian but also speaks it fluently!

Sheer resentment inundated her, yet she could not do anything about it.

Her gaze furtively fell on the gift box in Christina’s hand, and a jumble of complex emotions surged within her.

After the two women had talked for a while, Nathaniel walked over to Christina after he had finished discussing business to meet with Calandre.

A few pleasantries later, Christina took out the gift box prepared by Madison and held it out to Calandre. “Happy birthday, Mrs. Chassagne!”

It was the first time Nathaniel heard her speaking Ferropenian. The corners of his mouth turned Hmm, she’s pretty fluent in it.

Taking the gift box in delight, Calandre expressed her thanks before opening it.

Immediately, an intense fragrance wafted out, instantly perfuming the air with a sweet aroma.

As Calandre took out the perfume, the smile on her face vanished into thin air. She studied the perfume bottle, her brows creasing in displeasure.

“This perfume smells pretty great. On top of that, it’s priceless since it’s a limited edition. Regretfully, it has already been used.”

In a flash, Christina’s expression stiffened.

On a closer look, it was rather obvious. After all, a brand-new perfume would only have a very faint. fragrance. Contrarily, that perfume had evidently been opened and used before hurriedly stuffed back into the box. That was the only reason for the strong smell when the box was opened earlier.

That aside, the alignment of the bottle was not quite right since the logo was misaligned with the body. All those were traces of the perfume having been opened.

On the whole, giving someone else a bottle of used perfume was a clear sign of disrespect.

At the same time, it plunged both parties into a whirlpool of awkwardness and mortification.

Without giving Christina a chance to question things. Madison quickly stepped forward and bowed at Calandre with panic written all over her face, apologizing, “Sorry, Mrs. Chassagne. Mrs. Hadley definitely didn’t do it on purpose. Would you please forgive her?”

Christina’s heart clenched. It was not until she saw Madison stepping out to apologize that it belatedly dawned upon her that it was all a ploy by the latter.

She knew full well that I wasn’t the one who created this mess, yet she stepped out to put the blame on me. Hah! She only wants to humiliate me before Nathaniel, no? And she even claimed that it’d be more appropriate for me to hand this gift out. In truth, she had long since broken the seal of the perfume bottle, merely making up an excuse to give it to me, then waiting to see me create trouble for Hadley Corporation! But no matter the reason, this perfume came from me now, so all the responsibility is naturally on me as well!

Reaching out, she took the perfume back. Without any visible change of expression on her exquisite face, she stated in an even voice, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Chassagne. Actually, I prepared another gift for you. Would you mind waiting for a moment?”

Nathaniel’s brows furrowed. He took her hand and brought it to his back, telling her without words to let him handle the matter.

Needless to say, Madison noticed that. Intense envy and hatred blazed within her.

This mansion is halfway up the mountain, so it isn’t possible even if she wants to go and buy something new! It’s most likely that she feels humiliated, thus simply making up some excuse to take off and leave us to clean this mess up!

Calandre’s expression was frightfully dark, but in view of the great conversation they shared earlier, she agreed, “Sure.”

After receiving the woman’s assent, Christina threw Nathaniel a look before walking away.

Madison surreptitiously clenched her hands as she stared at Christina’s retreating back. I shall see what

trick you have up your sleeve!

 

Chapter 88 Turning Things Around

Time flew when one was waiting silently. In the blink of an eye, more than ten minutes went past.

Calandre glanced at the time. “I think Mrs. Hadley must have gotten lost. Forget about the gift. Thank you for attending my birthday party, Mr. Hadley.”

Nathaniel inclined his head a fraction. He understood that the woman was indirectly taking her leave, but Christina was not back yet.

Thus, he parted his lips lightly. “I believe my wife will be back very soon since she promised to go and prepare a gift for you.” In other words, he was asking her to wait a while longer.

Madison furtively balled her fists.

Why is he still adamant about believing that Christina will be back when Mrs. Chassagne is no longer taking offense to the matter? It only takes a few minutes from here to the door. Therefore, Christina can’t be gone for so long. Who knows, she’s aware that she created a mess and made a run for it because she was afraid and cowardly. No matter what, I’m never allowing her the opportunity to make a comeback!

“Mr. Hadley, perhaps Mrs. Hadley is feeling under the weather and left ahead of us. I’ll choose a new gift and have it delivered to Mrs. Chassagne’s place tomorrow.”

Ignoring her entirely, Nathaniel continued staring at Calandre calmly, awaiting her answer.

Calandre stilled for a moment. “Okay, I’ll wait for another five minutes.”

Inwardly, Madison was downright chagrined.

Hmph! Even if Christina comes back, it’s very likely that shell embarrass herself. That perfume I chose was a limited edition, priced at over a hundred thousand. How could a country bumpkin like her possibly have the money to buy an even more expensive gift?

A few minutes passed, and the time was almost up. This time, no one would be able to convince Calandre to stay any longer.

Despite the displeasure within her, she did not show on her face. “This matter won’t affect our collaboration.”

It was undeniable that their interactions had been exceedingly amicable throughout the years they had worked together. Furthermore, she was the kind of person who would never allow her personal feelings to affect her work.

At that precise moment, a flurry of frantic footsteps split the air. The few of them promptly swung their gazes over.

Christina had returned, her initially bound hair draped behind her shoulders. She had to keep her movements measured since she was wearing a gown to she could only trot.

Reaching them, she held the tiny gift box in her hand out. “This is my actual gift meant for you, Mrs. Chassagne.”

Madison gaped at the gift box, shocked beyond words Where did she buy this gift?

Unconvinced that Christina had the ability to conjure something out of thin air, she scoffed with a

sneer on her lips, “I’m really curious about the gift Mrs. Hadley prepared.”

Christina blinked at Nathaniel before replying, “You’ll know when you open it.”

Calandre was likewise very much curious. She opened the box, revealing a beautifully-cut gemstone brooch within.

Under the reflection of the lights, it shimmered brightly.

The most noteworthy aspect of the brooch was the uniqueness of the silver needles used in securing the gemstone. Like a diamond ring, it was affixed with a few silver needles. That was the first time Calandre had seen such a distinctive brooch.

“I made this myself. May I put in on for you?” Christina offered.

Never having expected her to be so skilled with her hands, Calandre nodded fervently. “Of course,”

Christina took a step forward and unfastened the brooch before pinning it to the woman’s deep V- neckline. In an instant, the plunging neckline became a shallow one. It made for a slightly sexy sight yet still as elegant as ever.

Calandre’s lips curved into a smile, and her eyes shone as she looked at Christina. “Thank you. I love it! If there’s a chance, I’ll definitely invite you to my jewelry store for a look!”

Earlier, the seam of her gown’s neckline burst. Consequently, the neckline turned a bit too low, making it easy for her to flash her assets. Since she was in public, she was too embarrassed to tug at her gown and could only leave it gaping.

To her surprise, not only did Christina notice it, but she especially made a brooch for her to alleviate her predicament.

Turning her gaze to Nathaniel, she commented, “Your wife is truly a thoughtful and meticulous woman, Mr. Hadley. You must be blessed.”

A tad embarrassed by the high praise, Christina blushed deeply.

Conversely, Nathaniel took her hand unabashedly and lifted his chin confidently in agreement. “Thank you for the compliment.”

Calandre walked away with a smile, in a far greater mood than she was earlier.

When Madison saw Christina resolving the crisis so effortlessly and even winning Calandre’s approval in the process, her fragile heart seemingly fell from a great height and shattered into a million pieces.

Christina surreptitiously breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m tired, Nathaniel. Can we go home now?”

She had devoted all her focus to the task earlier, so she was exhausted right then.

Upon hearing that, Madison hastily interjected, “You can go home first if you’re tired, Mrs. Hadley. A few CEOs who wanted to collaborate with Mr. Hadley on new projects just now are still waiting, so he probably won’t be able to leave anytime soon.”

It’d be great if she’d leave quickly so that I can spend time alone with Nathaniel!

Lifting his hand, Nathaniel glanced at the priceless watch on his wrist before he made to leave with

Christina on his arm. “Stay and discuss the new collaboration projects with the few CEOS, Madison. I’ll be leaving first.”

“What? You’re leaving me here alone, Mr. Hadley?” Panic deluged Madison, and her voice turned somewhat aggrieved.

In normal circumstances, Christina would have undoubtedly urged Nathaniel to stay. At that very moment, however, she said nothing but waited quietly for the man to make his decision.

From the instant she saw Madison wearing her nightgown in the study back then, she had been on guard against her.

Perhaps it was her womanly intuition, but she sensed that the latter’s feeling toward Nathaniel had far exceeded that of a subordinate toward her superior.

For that reason, she felt downright uneasy to allow Nathaniel to be alone with Madison.

“I want to sleep, Nathaniel.” No longer as mature as she was a while ago, Christina appeared very much like a baby who had stayed up past her bedtime. She stuck out her crimson-colored lower lip, her voice. soft and girlish.

“We’ll go home right now.”

As soon as Nathaniel said that, he strode out while dragging her along. If the situation permitted, he actually wanted to carry her in his arms.

A chilly gust of wind blew past. Madison watched as Nathaniel brushed past her while holding onto Christina intimately.

She could seemingly feel a drop of something hot skimming across her cheek.

As the car sped along the road, Christina clung to Nathaniel like a lazy baby koala.

She was dead on her feet, and it was incredibly comfortable to use the man’s chest as a pillow.

“When did you learn Ferropenian?” Nathaniel asked as he was curious.

Considering the fact that there were outsiders present earlier, he had restrained himself from putting forth that question.

With her eyes half-closed, Christina murmured, “I especially learned it in order to attend a Ferropenian design lecturer’s class in the past.”

There was no interpreter in the class at that time, so she could only bite the bullet and learn Ferropenian in order to understand the lecture.

Chuckling softly, Nathaniel stroked her head. I have no idea how she managed to learn a foreign language, attend classes, and even work part-time at the same time.

“What about the brooch, then?”

At that, Christina giggled. “That was thanks to your geinstone barrette.”

She removed the gemstone from the barrette before setting it on a sewing needle. It was a rather time- consuming process.

Fortunately, I chose handicrafts as an elective course at university!

When Christina thought of everything Madison did that night, she shuddered from the depths of her heart.

Frustration lingered within her, but perhaps Nathaniel’s chest was too comfortable, for she fell asleep moments after resting against him. :

Even when the car drove into Scenic Garden Manor, she remained dead to the world.

 

 

Chapter 89 Sword With Two Edges

Christina was woken up by the sensation of her gown being unzipped.

She shuddered as she heard the clear sound of the zipper coming undone and felt the cold air on her skin.

The next thing she knew, Nathaniel had smothered her car and neck with a barrage of kisses.

Christina moaned a few times as Nathaniel tightened his grip around her waist and held her firmly in his arms.

She drifted in and out of sleep for a bit before snoozing till morning.

The sun was shining brightly into the room by the time Christina woke up again. The air was filled with a faint floral fragrance.

Nathaniel pulled her closer toward his chest the moment he felt her move her head as though he was afraid of her running away.

The two of them simply lay there until the sun was high up in the sky. As Nathaniel got out of bed and stood in front of the window, the sunlight shone on his body and highlighted his perfectly-sculpted muscles.

He then buttoned up his white dress shirt and gently patted Christina on the waist. “Wake up, sleepyhead!”

Hmph! How dare he call me a sleepyhead when he was the one who wouldn’t let go of me earlier?

Christina waited until he had closed the bedroom door before climbing out of the blanket. She made sure to pick an outfit with long sleeves to cover the hickeys on her shoulder.

Since it was the last day of holiday, Christina decided to put all of her attention on her design.

This was her last chance at gaining Julia’s approval, so she needed to get it done right.

Sitting by the windowsill with her legs crossed and her chin propped up by both hands, Christina’s skirt gently billowed in the wind as she stared at the blank paper in front of her.

After tearing off several pages of drafts, she was still clueless as to what she should draw.

“Why are you staring blankly into space like that? What’s on your mind?” Nathaniel asked as he entered the room with breakfast and saw her spacing out.

Christina took the tray over and sipped on the milk before replying, “I’m thinking about the design. drawing. The previous two were rejected, so I don’t know what to draw.”

Nathaniel took her drawing block away and said, “My mom is rather introverted, so you wouldn’t be able to figure her out unless you understand her.”

Since this was the first time he had mentioned anything about his parents, Christina got interested and asked, “Could you tell me more about her?”

“Sure thing, but you need to eat your breakfast first,” Nathaniel said while handing her the toast he had prepared.

Christina shoved it into her mouth and munched on it like an adorable little chipmunk. “Come on, tell mel”

Despite having married into the Hadley family for so many years, she hardly had the chance to meet Julia. Even when the two did see each other, they would get into a fight after a brief exchange.

As such, it was incredibly difficult for Christina to understand her.

Nathaniel lowered his gaze and tried to recall something as he said, “When I was little, my mother loved jasmines. In order to please her, my father planted a lot of them in the backyard. When I was ten, a woman my father was having an affair with showed up at our house and provoked my mother on her birthday. My father promised he would cut ties with that woman, but my mother’s pride prevented her from accepting his apology. Eventually, the two of them ended up living separately.”

Given how domineering Julia was, Christina could imagine how angry she must have been back then. The fact that the woman decided to show up on Julia’s birthday just showed how nasty she was.

“So, are you hinting at me that jasmines are an absolute taboo that should be avoided at all costs?” Christina asked curiously.

Nathaniel shot her a glance and replied, “It’s a double-edged sword. The outcome depends on how well you use it. Decide for yourself how you wish to proceed.”

Christina froze for a few seconds before realizing what he meant. “You’re right!

It was as though her thoughts had been locked up inside a dark house, and Nathaniel’s words lit the place up like the sun.

With her creativity activated, Christina leaped to her feet and threw herself into Nathaniel’s arms. “I know what I’m going to do now! Thank you so much!

Nathaniel was so caught off guard that he froze up for a good few seconds.

There was a hint of joy in his eyes as he caressed Christina’s hair and said with a smile, “Then do your best at home. I’ll head over to the office now. We can have dinner together tonight.”

“Okay!” Christina replied with a wink.

Christina then went back to working on the design drawing after Nathaniel left. This time, she was confident that she could satisfy Julia with her design drawing.

Meanwhile, in the CEO’s office of Hadley Corporation, Nathaniel was seated in front of his computer and rapidly typing away when someone knocked on his door and opened it.

“Mr. Hadley, here’s the minutes of today’s meeting. Please have a look at it,” Madison said as she entered Nathaniel’s office. She looked modern, capable, intelligent, and mature in her formal attire.

“Okay,” Nathaniel mumbled without even looking at her.

Instead of leaving after placing the documents down on his desk, Madison simply stood there and admired Nathaniel’s handsome face.

His chiseled jaw and masculine facial features were enough to charm the pants off any woman he encountered.

Noticing that she was still there, Nathaniel paused and looked up at her. “Do you need something?”

Having been snapped out of her dazed state, Madison let out a soft chuckle and said, “Since we outperformed ourselves in the first half of the year, I was wondering if the three of us should go out and celebrate just like we used to.”

Nathaniel’s expression slid into a frown as he gave it some thought.

Mistaking his silence for approval, Madison continued. “Since we won’t have to work overtime this week, how about I pick a date and book a private room in a hotel restaurant?”

Nathaniel would always reward them whenever they completed their tasks ahead of schedule or outperformed themselves.

“You and Sebastian can go ahead and submit an expense report to the company afterward,” Nathaniel said calmly as he shifted his gaze back toward the computer screen.

Madison clenched her fists when she heard that. “You mean you’re not going? But why?”

Isn’t this how we used to celebrate it, though? In order to avoid causing him any trouble, I would always be careful not to touch him. That’s why he let me remain as his assistant!

Nathaniel sounded a little impatient as he replied, “As you already know, I’m married. It’s not convenient for me to head out during the weekends.]

He never liked explaining himself to anyone, and Madison was no exception.

His tone was so cold that it felt as though the air around them had frozen up. As Madison had never seen him like this, she didn’t dare say another word.

Madison turned around and was about to leave when Nathaniel’s icy-cold voice rang out behind her. “That limited edition perfume from last night… You bought it about a year ago, so I doubt it was meant to be a gift for Mrs. Chassagne.”

Don’t take me for a fool! No one would prepare a birthday gift one year in advance, let alone gift someone a bottle of used perfume.

As Madison was extremely skilled in handling social relationships, there was no way she would make such a ridiculous mistake.

Even with her back facing Nathaniel, Madison could clearly feel his penetrating gaze pierce through her guilty conscience.

That perfume was something she came up with at the last minute to embarrass Christina. The actual present she got Calandre was a pair of limited-edition pearl earrings.

However, she did not expect Nathaniel to see right through her plans.

 

Chapter 90 A Visit From Julia

In just few seconds, Madison had come up with countless excuses for herself. Not wanting to arouse Nathaniel’s suspicion, she then turned around and said in the most casual tone possible, “I-It’s not what you think, Mr. Hadley…”

Nathaniel exuded an intimidating aura as he said, “I’ve already checked the receipt. It’s a pair of limited-edition pearl earrings.”

That meant Madison had deliberately handed Christina the perfume.

Madison tried her best to remain calm, but her palms were already drenched in sweat. “You’re right. I grabbed the wrong present by mistake and left the earrings in the car. I had wanted to explain it at the time, but I never got the chance to do so. After that, you left with Mrs. Hadley, so… I’m terribly sorry. That only happened because of my careless mistake.”

Nathaniel narrowed his eyes and simply stared at her in silence.

The air in his office felt as though it had completely frozen over at that point.

After what seemed like forever, Nathaniel said, “You can tender your resignation with the HR department if you make a mistake like that again.”,

“Understood, Mr. Hadley.”

Of course, Madison knew full well what he meant by that.

Her tears began to fall the moment she stepped out of Nathaniel’s office.

I can’t believe Mr. Hadley would say something so heartless to me because of Christina! This is a clear warning. I’ll have to be more careful next time!

Christina got so carried away with her design drawing that she neglected her meals and rest. That was especially the case since her creativity had been activated, and each draft looked better than the one before.

She would take naps at the desk whenever she got tired and continue drawing after waking up.

Just like that, she spent the entire afternoon drawing and only stopped in the evening.

Right as she leaned back and gave her back a stretch, someone knocked on the bedroom door.

“Ms. Christina? Mrs. Hadley is here and would like to see you downstairs,” the butler called out to her from outside the door.

Christina panicked and tried to organize her design drawing, but the door was opened before she could do so.

Julia exuded a domineering aura as she walked into the room with Helen following closely behind.

An unpleasant feeling filled her heart the moment she saw Christina sitting at Nathaniel’s desk. As Nathaniel had a serious case of mysophobia, he refused to let any woman touch his belongings, and Julia was no exception.

Christina, however, had the run of the place.

“Don’t you know you should come outside and greet your elders upon their arrival? How rude of you!” Julia said with a disdainful snort.

Having dealt with Julia several times in the past, Christina had somehow gotten used to her sharp tongue. That was especially the case since Julia was mean to everyone around her.

“You didn’t tell me that you’d be coming over, so I didn’t have time to get ready,” Christina protested softly.

This time, her tone was much calmer.

“Oh? Are you implying that it’s my fault, then? What else can you do except talk back to me, huh?” Julia snapped back at her with an authoritative look on her face.

Helen couldn’t help but feel conflicted about being caught in the middle of the two. Because Julia disliked Christina, Helen could not say anything to defend the latter at all.

Christina could only remind herself not to take Julia’s words to heart.

“What brings you here at this hour, Mrs. Hadley? Is there something I can help you with?” she asked in an attempt to change the topic.

Having recalled the reason she came over, Julia let out a snort and said coldly, “What’s it to you? I can visit Scenic Garden Manor anytime I like! Did you really think you’re the woman of this house simply because Nathaniel let you stay here?”

The corner of Christina’s eyelids twitched when she heard that.

Suddenly, she felt that Nathaniel was a lot more pleasant to deal with when compared with Julia.

I haven’t colored the design drawing, and I didn’t have time to put it away before she barged in. I need to get her out of the study before she notices it and finds out about my identity, or things are going to get really problematic!

With that in mind, Christina said, “Yes, you’re right. The purpose of your visit is indeed none of my business. Now, please step out of the study.”

Julia exploded with anger the moment she heard that “I want to use the study right now, so get out of here!” she yelled furiously while making her way toward Christina.

Like a scared kitten, Christina quickly grabbed her design drawing and clutched it tightly in her arms.

Because of how suspicious she looked while doing that, Julia felt provoked and got even angrier. “What are you hiding from me, huh?” she asked while jabbing a finger at the drafts.

Christina glared at her and replied defiantly, “It’s just my design drawing! I can’t let anyone see it until it gets published!”

Julia rolled her eyes and said in a mocking tone, “Oh, please! No one would want to see the work of an amateur designer like you! Just because you’re able to draw some basic stuff doesn’t make you a designer!”

That statement struck a nerve and angered Christina to the core. Just moments ago, she was feeling excited about showing Julia the gown she had designed. However, hearing those mean remarks made her so mad that she felt like leaving the design drawing on the desk.

Fortunately for her, she managed to calm herself down and took a few steps back to keep Julia at bay.

“I’ll have you know that there are countless people out there who love my designs! Just because you don’t like them doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t either! Who knows? Someday, you might just want to wear one of my designs!”

“I would never like your designs! In fact, I would tear them up without even looking at them!” Julia retorted coldly.

Christina is nothing but a filthy gold digger! She has no place being with Nathaniel!

“Fine, you can say whatever you like about my designs. If you don’t like them, then I have nothing further to say to you.” Not wanting to waste her time and energy arguing with Julia, Christina stormed out of the study with her design drawings in hand.

Julia waited until she was gone before having Helen retrieve a hidden camera from her handbag.

“I don’t think this is a good idea, Mrs. Hadley. Mr. Hadley will get very angry if he finds out.” Although Helen disapproved of Julia’s actions, she did as told and handed her the hidden camera anyway.

“He can get mad at me all he wants. I’m just as mad at him for dating that gold digger!” Julia retorted and scanned the study for a spot to place the camera

It wasn’t long before she found a perfect spot inside the potted plant on the bookshelf.

Without any hesitation whatsoever, she then installed the hidden camera and looked at it from a few different angles just to make sure it wouldn’t be discovered.

Julia turned around and asked Helen, “Well? Can you see it?”

“No, but-”

“That’s all that matters,” Julia cut her off with a gleeful grin.

If Nathaniel won’t leave Christina, then I will kick her out of Scenic Garden Manor myself!

The two of them then left the house after that.

The butler told Nathaniel about Julia’s visit the moment he entered through the front door.

“Did she give Christina a hard time?”

“I don’t think so. Ms. Christina is resting in her bedroom right now. Mrs. Hadley left after using the study for a bit,” replied the butler.