Ch. 1731..1740

Chapter 1731

Of course, the punch Larry swung at Dustin at the hospital back then rendered Joan’s relationship with

him even more ambiguous. In response to Dustin’s confession, Joan merely replied indifferently,

“There’s someone whom I love.”

All at once, a wave of bitterness surged within Dustin. He had known that he wouldn’t be able to get her

love and had long since expected such a response, but he had never counted upon such an

indescribable feeling upon hearing it directly from her mouth.

Before he had figured out how he should reply to that, Joan continued, “Besides, he loves me a lot as

well, and our relationship is going very well.” She then halted her steps and stared right into his slightly

anguished gaze. “If possible, I hope we can be friends forever.”

“Friends?” Dustin muttered. He snorted softly before shaking his head, the sorrow within his eyes

brimming to the point of overflowing like a tidal wave.

In the next moment, Joan asked him in a choked voice, “Dustin, tell me this. What’s your relationship

with Alpire Group? What was your motive in requesting to see Larry? Are you working with them to

destroy his company?”

“Destroy?” Dustin echoed. “If all the fittest were to be accused of destroying the weak, would there still

be order in this world?”

Bolstering her courage inwardly, Joan raised her voice to make herself sound more imposing. “You

know full well that Norton Corporation is not weak. I don’t know what method Alpire Group used to

acquire Norton Corporation’s branch companies, but I know without a shadow of a doubt that Norton

Corporation will not be impeded by Alpire Group or the market considering its operation and

capabilities.

“Since you represented the chairman of Alpire Group to meet with Larry, I know you must be aware of

Alpire Group’s true motive in acquiring Norton Corporation. Likewise, you must know their plans after

having done so.” By then, her hands had already clenched into fists.

She truly couldn’t figure him out, so she could only feel him out. But from the look of things then, she

wasn’t likely to gain any valuable information from him.

Dustin was silent for a moment before he commented, “Joan, although you’re a student at Nirhaven

College, you’re still unfamiliar with business matters. I’m not the person behind Alpire Group. Indeed,

their target is the entire Norton Corporation, but I have no say in whatever they do. The only thing I can

do is to tell you both all this. If it weren’t because of you, why would I seek Larry Norton out? Joan, I

prioritize you in everything I do.”

He sounded very sincere, and Joan could only hear the candor in his voice. Upon hearing his answer,

she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Her tone eased as well as she murmured, “You know what, Dustin?

The thing I fear most is that you’ll one day tell me that everything that had befallen us was all your

doing.

“When Larry told me that it was you who met with him, I really couldn’t believe it. I know you’ve always

been a good person. You saved me and promised to never hurt me. So, I trust you,” she continued

without noticing that his fingers were trembling slightly.

When Dustin heard that, he knew that the day she feared would come sooner or later. All he could do

was to draw out the coming of that day, making it slower. Meanwhile, he must treat her better so that

their ties would remain close when the day came.

But given the situation then, everything he had planned seemed impossible. Considering her abiding

trust in me now, how much would she hate me when she learns the truth? I once promised to never

hurt her, but for the sake of that promise, I’ve been hurting the person she loves. In that case, is it

considered hurting her indirectly?

Nevertheless, he couldn’t be bothered about that. The only thing he craved was every ray of sunshine

that shone around her and every puff of air that glided over her. No matter how despicable and

shameless the method, he felt that everything was worth it as long as he could see her.

 

Chapter 1732

As Dustin gazed into her dark eyes, he murmured with all the tenderness in the world, “Yes, I’ll never

hurt you…”

Folding her Taekwondo uniform, Nancy placed it into her canvas bag. She then plopped down onto the

soft bed, her body wobbling a smidge as the bed depressed. All of a sudden, she jumped up as

something occurred to her. Snagging two bottles of cold mineral water from the refrigerator, she tossed

them in her hands before shoving them into her bag.

Instead of wearing her favorite platform high heels that she usually wore, she chose a pair of down-to-

earth sneakers. After nimbly tying a butterfly knot for both sneakers, she made a turn in front of the

mirror. Satisfied with her appearance, she then shouldered her canvas bag before setting out.

The invitation to the Taekwondo competition that she received from Jory back then was still in her bag.

Before leaving, she touched the words that seemed to be glowing, and her mood instantly brightened.

Well, probably because it was her favorite Taekwondo competition.

No sooner after she stepped out of her house, the sound of a honk rang out behind her. At first, she

thought that the driver was irritated at her for walking so slowly, so she inexorably quickened her pace

and strode forward.

Unexpectedly, the car continued tailing her closely, and the honking grew louder as well. Not only did it

sound louder, but it also seemed closer to her.

Ugh! What’s wrong with the car? Is the driver deliberately picking on me because he’s irked at me or

something? Well, he picked the wrong person because I’m no easy prey with a black belt in

Taekwondo! When her head snapped back, the car door of the car in question was open, and a familiar

figure was looking at her with a smirk while leaning against the open car door.

“Ah, you’ve finally noticed me! If you continued ignoring me, I would’ve run the engine and grabbed

you!”

“It’s you?” Surprise showed in Nancy’s eyes.

Jory was currently wearing form-fitting sportswear with black stripes that were printed with English

letters on the shoulders. In fact, his entire outfit was ordinary in the sense that it cost less than a

thousand.

Swinging her bag at him, Nancy deliberately teased, “Wow, you’re actually still driving this piece of junk

besides having dressed so ordinarily today. Don’t tell me the rich heir loves imitating the common folks

as well?”

At that, Jory patted the front of his car. “My car is excellent! There’s no problem driving it around

Marsingfill a dozen times a day, unlike someone’s luxury car that broke down on an isolated road and

left its owner at a loss!”

If I’d known that he’d bring this up, I wouldn’t have teased him! Nancy griped. As she wore a huffy

expression on her face, Jory felt that she resembled a little girl whose lollipop had been snatched away,

inciting an urge to hug her tightly and stroke her head.

“You know what? I’ve waited in front of your house for an eternity. In order to save you from any trouble

that your luxury car might cause once more, I purposely woke up early in the morning to pick you up,

but you actually didn’t see me…” At that, Jory feigned a sigh. “Ah well, even if you didn’t see me, you

must have noticed this Volkswagen of mine that’s so old that the paint is peeling off!”

Hearing that, Nancy hit him with her bag. “In that case… I’ll grace you with my presence in your car

today to make it up to you!”

“Hah! It’s glaringly obvious that you’re just lazy to drive yourself…” Jory muttered. But when Nancy shot

him a glare, he hastily exclaimed with a smile, “Great! Let’s go, then!”

There was a huge crowd outside the dojo that day. Most of the participants were young people of their

age, and they were naturally accompanied by their parents, who kept reminding them of the stakes.

Twisting the window crank handle, Nancy wound the car window down a fraction. “This is a

competition, yet these parents are acting as though they’re sending their children off to battle…”

After parking the car, Jory tilted his head and followed her gaze. Sure enough, those parents were all

making a big deal out of it.

“If… Well, this is a hypothetical question, mind you. If you didn’t invite me to attend this competition

with you today, would you have asked your father to come with you?” Having not expected him to lean

his head over, Nancy almost knocked into him in her distracted state.

 

Chapter 1733

Upon hearing Nancy’s question, Jory’s brows furrowed. “Huh? That’s impossible! My dad can’t possibly

be in Marsingfill. Even if he is, don’t you think it’s strange if we were to appear at the same event at the

same time?”

While Nancy knew that his relationship with the chairman of Alpire Group was strained, she never

expected it to be so bad that it would be strange if they were to appear in the same place at the same

time.

By then, Jory was already unfastening his seatbelt. “Let’s not talk about him anymore. I’m in a good

mood today, so let’s not ruin it…”

“In this world, blood ties are the only bond that can never be severed. If there’s an opportunity, you

should keep an open mind and talk to him,” Nancy exhorted without looking at him as she unfastened

her seatbelt.

When Jory, who was unfastening his seatbelt, heard that, he lifted his head and glanced at her beside

him. The gleam in his eyes at that moment was one even he himself couldn’t decipher.

All annual competitions were as strict as the current one. Every single person who wanted to enter the

dojo had to be checked one at a time before they were allowed entrance, as though passing a security

check.

It was then midsummer, so it was really scorching. For that reason, it was truly torturous to queue

outside the door to pass the security check. Worse still, they had to endure extreme thirst since there

wasn’t a single grocery store in sight.

Jory reached out and wiped the sweat off his forehead. Beside him, Nancy wasn’t faring any better. Oh

God, it’s just too warm today! Fortunately, I didn’t apply any makeup, or I would’ve ended up with it

running down my face now.

She then reached into her bag for a tissue, inwardly lauding herself for having packed everything

necessary before leaving the house. Out of the blue, she felt bursts of cool air against the back of her

hand, and she suddenly remembered that she had thrown two bottles of mineral water into her bag

before leaving.

Most importantly… it’s cold!

In the next second, she brandished a bottle of mineral water in front of Jory as though presenting him

with a priceless treasure. However, she then shifted it away before he could snatch it out of her hands.

With a smug expression on her face, she declared, “You’ll owe me a favor.”

Meanwhile, Jory felt as though he was in a fiery furnace then. At that moment, he would agree without

hesitation even if he were asked to pluck a star from the sky, let alone owe her a favor.

Promptly agreeing, he swiftly snatched the bottle of mineral water from her hand. After guzzling down

several mouthfuls and quenching his thirst, he was once again energetic, thus started growing

mischievous.

He shifted close to Nancy. Nancy, who was rummaging for the uniform she put into her bag,

instinctively blurted, “Stay away from me when it’s so warm now.”

Her tone became very different from usual once she grew serious, so when Jory heard that, he

obediently put some distance between them.

He wanted to say something else, but the referee had already blown the whistle to summon all

contestants to enter the dojo one by one. Jory’s turn was ahead of Nancy, so he coolly bid her farewell

upon hearing the referee’s call. “See you later.”

Unexpectedly, a creamy white hand shot out and clutched the hem of his clothes. In the slightly flowing

smock of his white uniform, he actually held a bit of resemblance to an ancient warrior, especially when

coupled with his jet-black brows.

“Be careful,” Nancy murmured. “Remember to observe your opponent’s every gesture and movement

closely…”

She was still going to nag him further, but Jory chuckled and stretched out a hand to place it on her

hair. Gently rubbing his thumb on her forehead, he flashed her a smile that had butterflies fluttering in

her stomach.

She couldn’t quite decipher the emotion in his gaze, merely seeing herself reflected clearly in his

pupils. “I got it. Thank you.”

Hmm? Hey, he sounds as though he’s mollifying a kid! Jory then stuffed his bottle of mineral water into

her hand before leaving. As his figure resembled that of a messenger walking toward the light, a

phrase suddenly flashed across her mind though it seemed rather inappropriate to be used here.

Never will I meet another like him.

The soft mineral water bottle in her hand still carried the warmth of his palm, and the touch of his hand

on her hair lingered.

 

Chapter 1734

Argh! Having such a feeling is truly horrible! Should I be thankful that those thoughts are only lingering

in my mind? If they’re lingering in my heart, then I’m really a fickle person, and even I myself might not

be able to accept that!

Clutching the bottle in her hand tightly, Nancy strode toward the dojo. The atrium was no different from

usual except for the fact that there were many spectators today. In the past, contestants had to watch

the electronic screen elsewhere and await the live broadcast, but they had actually set up “spectator

seats” for the contestants.

Nancy was among those bringing up the rear, so she wasn’t too worried about being called up anytime

soon. Thus, she found a seat near the arena and sat down blithely.

She had barely settled in when the girl beside her, who appeared to be about her age, struck up a

conversation with her.

“Wow, you’re incredible, miss! You’re already a black belt at such a young age…” The girl blinked at her

with stars in her eyes as though she was looking at her idol and would pull her into a bear hug in the

next moment.

While still wearing a polite smile on her face, Nancy had already put some distance between them

surreptitiously. “Not at all. As long as you practice diligently, you’ll also be wearing a black belt one

day.”

“Did you come alone today, miss?” Affable in nature, the girl held Nancy’s arm as though they were

close friends, albeit having just exchanged a few words with her.

Meanwhile, Nancy’s gaze was fixated on the arena where the two contestants had already bowed to

each other as a sign of respect. Hence, when the girl held her arm, she almost acted instinctually and

grabbed her arm to flip her without showing any mercy.

Fortunately, her vision and mind were entirely captivated by the figure on the stage, so she didn’t rebuff

the girl’s intimate gesture.

When the girl didn’t receive any reply from her after a long time, she looked in the direction of her gaze.

Then, her lips curved into a sly and intrigued smile. “Ah, I know! It turns out that you’re here with your

boyfriend!”

“I’m already married,” Nancy countered as she turned to her. At her response, the girl was momentarily

taken aback. Shouldn’t the normal reaction be a blush and silence? Well… this is a really refreshing

and novel answer!

The corners of her mouth twitched, making it evident that she was speechless at Nancy’s reply. “You’re

married, miss? So, that means… you came with your husband, yes? I really envy you for having found

someone with the same hobbies and interests to spend the rest of your life with…”

Ugh! Can you stop talking already? Getting her to shut up was the only thing Nancy asked for at the

moment. However, the girl’s remark truly jolted her.

Looking for someone with similar hobbies and interests to spend the rest of my life with? But it seemed

to have been love at first sight for Caspian and I… She initially didn’t believe in love at first sight,

thinking that the so-called love at first sight was merely about looks. But after meeting Caspian, she

realized that it wasn’t just that, for it was his unique aura that enthralled her deeply.

However, after having been together for a while, she actually comprehended a crucial point—neither

looks nor aura could be a foundation in sustaining a happy life. If two people wanted to live together for

eternity, their lifestyles and interests should also overlap besides having similar values.

If the so-called principle of complementing each other’s personalities and interests were to be applied

in real life, that would only exacerbate the likelihood of a divorce.

On second thought, are Caspian and I really suited for a lifetime? Shortly after Caspian and Nancy got

married, Larry and Joan had a misunderstanding. The couple had spent quite a bit of effort and time

before finally resolving the problem between Joan and Larry, but good times were short-lived.

Subsequently, issues cropped up with Norton Corporation’s branch companies, one after another.

Therefore, Caspian and Nancy hadn’t really interacted much.

The thing is, in our limited interactions, I only noticed some divergence between many of my habits as

well as interests and that of Caspian’s. Be that as it may, she didn’t pay much mind to it, thinking that

they should tolerate and compromise with each other over time.

 

Chapter 1735

Ever since Jory appeared in her world recently, Nancy realized that corresponding interests and topics

were probably very important. The feeling when I’m with Jory is entirely different from when I’m with

Caspian.

No! I can’t let my thoughts go there! The more her thoughts veered in that direction, the more she felt

that she and Caspian weren’t suited for each other, and the greater her fear that the distance between

them would grow.

“Miss! Miss, your husband is trying to get your attention!” The girl beside Nancy nudged her with an

elbow. Snapping back to her senses, she saw Jory making an OK gesture at her from the stage. In

response, she fisted her right hand and flashed him a fist pump.

Jory’s opponent stood at a height of about one point eight meters and was about the same build as

him. Oh God, that shouldn’t be his opponent, yes? Nancy fretted inwardly. Evidently, she had forgotten

that it was a Taekwondo competition among formidable practitioners, which meant that there was no

discrimination of physique as long as two contestants were evenly matched.

Heaving a long sigh, she kept her attention on the competition. It was difficult to tell who would win in

such a competition, so it had the spectators gripping the edge of their seats in anticipation.

As Nancy observed the match where neither were trumping the other, she inwardly chided herself,

Dang it, I’m such a doomsayer! Hmm… Jory’s opponent is really skilled. I can’t imagine how it would be

if a newbie were paired with him when he’s equally matched with Jory!

Even after the two of them grappled for more than twenty minutes, neither managed to defeat the other.

Below the stage, all the spectators were fired up at the unexpectedly intense match in the very first

round, both contestants fighting tooth and nail. At long last, the referee blew the whistle to signal an

intermission.

All at once, Jory’s opponent was surrounded by a horde of friends and relatives who passed him water,

gave him a towel, and fanned him. The dojo was airconditioned, but they were simply making a huge

fanfare.

When the referee saw that Jory was alone, he kindly handed him a towel. At that, Nancy got to her feet.

Just as she was wavering whether she should go over, he turned to her and flashed her a bright smile

as though he could discern her hesitation and worry, seemingly telling her that he was fine.

Because of that smile, Nancy hastily pulled out the bottle of mineral water that she had handed to him

earlier from her bag and trotted over to the arena.

As she clutched at the red ribbon that kept the spectators out, the smooth ribbon wrinkled from her tight

grasp. “Don’t force it if you can’t hold out. You’ve got to ensure that you remain unscathed.”

Surprisingly, Jory was still in the mood to crack a joke at that time. “Do you think I look like the kind of

person who’ll surrender when I can’t beat the other guy?”

His voice was as flippant and frivolous as usual, but Nancy was afraid that he would misunderstand,

thus hurriedly countered, “No, no… I didn’t mean that you can’t beat him! That’s not what I meant!”

Jory placed his hand on her shoulder, his gaze steady and compelling. “Hey, calm down. I know what

you meant. And don’t worry, for there are few who can hurt me after all the years I’ve spent practicing

Taekwondo. While that guy is a bit tricky, he still has weaknesses. I’ve got his measure earlier, so I’ll be

able to defeat him with just a bit more time…”

Then, he jutted his lips in the direction of his opponent and continued, “Besides, he doesn’t have much

stamina. After all, he was the one who requested for an intermission from the referee.”

Nancy looked at the man as well. Just then, he had rolled up the sleeves of his uniform, revealing the

stark contrast of the bulging muscles on his arm with Jory. At that sight, she became increasingly

worried. “But…”

Nonetheless, Jory pressed down on her shoulder lightly and interrupted her with a smile. “No buts.

Don’t worry, for no one can stop me when it’s something I want to do. I want to win now, so he’s nothing

in my eyes.”

At that precise moment, the referee again blew his whistle to indicate the end of the intermission. After

taking a gulp of water, Jory threw the bottle into the trash can and strode toward the arena.

 

Chapter 1736

Nancy held the belt barrier and bit her lower lip in worry. Right at that moment, Jory turned around

abruptly, like they were bonded telepathically. “I know what I’m doing. I won’t let him lose so badly.”

His reassurance was indeed a much-needed shot in the arm. Nancy instantly felt relieved. If Jory says

he can, then I should have faith in him!

Hence, Nancy went back to her seat. The competition was heating up increasingly. Jory’s white uniform

moved with his body as he switched his moves from time to time. Nancy and the crowd were fixing their

eyes on Jory.

She could have never imagined Jory, a wealthy heir, sweating it out in a Taekwondo match. He was

also the same man who helped her fix her car and took her on a car race. Whichever persona he

donned, it was far from the stereotypical image others had of him—flirty.

Indeed, seeing in believing. This is the real Jory Synder that I see.

Suddenly, a piercing scream came from the crowd. Her heart tightened when she saw Jory’s opponent

launched a flying kick at his shoulder.

“That was cruel!” Nancy shouted, regardless of others’ strange eyes. If his kick had landed accurately

on Jory, with his entire body weight, Jory would have suffered a bone fracture, or worse…

It was coming down to crunch time for Jory to attack. He grasped the man’s calf and threw him on the

ground effortlessly. Fortunately, he wasn’t hurt as it was a rubber floor.

As Jory had predicted, his opponent had poor stamina. The earlier rounds had drained the latter of his

energy. Naturally, the violent hit by Jory earlier knocked him down completely as he remained

unmoving, lying on the ground.

While the crowd was cheering for Jory, Nancy couldn’t bring herself to feel happy. She noticed Jory’s

subtle move of massaging his left shoulder—where the kick had landed on.

“How was it? Do you find me attractive?” Jory smiled smugly after his win with his hands on the hips.

His little canine teeth were like pearls dazzling in the sun.

Nancy was not in the mood for jokes. Subconsciously, she reached out to touch Jory’s shoulder. “Your

shoulder…”

Jory was as agile as ever, as though he was still in the match. Before Nancy could reach him, he patted

the spot as he exclaimed, “My shoulder is fine!”

Nancy was doubtful of his words. She raised her hand to pat his shoulder. It looks like he’s speaking

the truth. It doesn’t feel swollen nor is it bleeding.

She punched him sulkily without paying attention to the faint discomfort Jory was feeling. He frowned a

little, but he didn’t utter a word. Instead, he teased Nancy with his energetic voice, “It’ll be your turn

soon. Perform well later, okay? Don’t lose too miserably.”

“Hey! What makes you think that I will lose?” Nancy folded her arms across her chest in dissatisfaction.

Jory grinned mischievously as he bowed down to her. “Please forgive me for my stupid choice of

words.”

Nancy held her head up proudly. “That’s right.”

Upon seeing her confident demeanor, Jory burst into laughter. Say, my opponent really did give it his all

into kicking me. My shoulder was almost crushed. I wonder how long it will take to recover.

 

Chapter 1737

Bearing his shoulder pain, Jory continued watching the competition with Nancy. The following matches

were full of surprises and excitement. It was even more intense than Jory’s match.

Even Jory himself had to admit that every contestant was very skilled. Before long, it was almost

Nancy’s turn. That was the first time she was so nervous in a competition.

Her palms were sweating. Jory noticed Nancy became quieter as it was nearing her turn. Thinking that

she must be nervous, he wrapped an arm around her in a bid to calm her down.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m here for you!” His domineering proclamation was a contrast from his child-like

appearance. Nancy broke free from his arm and got back to bickering with Jory as usual. “Me? Afraid?

Hah! I’m just worried my competition would drag on, causing the crowd to miss their lunch and tea

time.”

Jory raised his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine, fine. Whatever you say. I wish you break a new record.”

Nancy patted his head earnestly. “Hmm. That’s right. You’re pretty smart.”

Nancy’s opponent was a fierce-looking woman. One look at her, and Nancy knew that the woman was

not one to be messed with.

That woman seemed to be taking the competition more seriously as compared to Nancy. She didn’t let

out a single smile from the moment she entered the sparring arena until they bowed to each other.

Nancy was there because Taekwondo was her interest—unlike the others, who were eager to get the

provincial certificate of qualification for them to advance to a higher level of competition.

Seconds before the match was about to begin, millions of thoughts were still running through Nancy’s

head. Why the hell am I having all these thoughts when the competition is about to begin! Perhaps, it’s

my way of relieving my anxiety.

Instinctively, she looked towards the direction of the audience seat, where Jory was sitting. He

immediately reassured her with an OK hand gesture when he saw Nancy looking at him.

Jory can do it. So why can’t I do the same?

Meanwhile, the girl who sat next to Nancy just now returned to her seat with a glass in her hand.

Surprised by Jory’s presence, it took the girl some time before she could react. “Excuse me? Were you

the senior from the first match?”

As Jory was focused on Nancy, he didn’t even realize that the girl was talking to him. Therefore, he did

not give her any response.

The girl didn’t feel awkward at all and took her seat. Jory only noticed there was someone beside him

when she sat down. The girl murmured to herself, “You both indeed make a good pair. She was looking

at you in the same way just now.”

Her words snapped Jory back to his senses. Finally, he came to a realization that someone was talking

to him. He responded numbly, “Are you talking to me?”

The girl burst out laughing. “Do you see anyone else around?”

Jory then looked around and realized their surrounding was almost empty. Most of the contestants had

already gone back with their group of friends and relatives after the competition. Therefore, the number

of audiences was reducing rapidly.

Those who remained were either waiting for their turn, or they were Taekwondo enthusiasts.

“I don’t remember seeing you just now. Aren’t you one of the contestants today?” Jory folded his hands

on his thigh. “Are you a Taekwondo enthusiast?”

 

Chapter 1738

The girl adjusted the blue belt on her waist. “Look. I am a blue belt. How could a blue belt possibly be

sparring with you guys? I’m just a rookie who sneaks over from somewhere else to watch you guys’

matches!”

“Did you just say s-she was looking at me in the exact same way? Just like how I’m looking at her right

now?” Jory hesitated. Why am I feeling so embarrassed? It’s only a simple question. It’s not like I can’t

deal with this kind of situation.

“That’s right. But she looks a little more anxious than you. She was sweating bullets throughout the

match.” The girl paused for a second before she carried on, “By the way, you guys are so weird. Isn’t it

normal for couples to care for each other? Why do you guys behave so awkwardly?”

Upon hearing that, Jory was at a loss. He didn’t know how to feel. Nancy had rejected him once.

Moreover, she was married to Caspian, whom Jory couldn’t recall how the latter looked like.

No matter how close they were then, it should be nothing more than close friends. Coming to think of it,

the reason for my returning to Marsingfill is to target Barrymore Group, no?

As Dustin was in the picture, he had to take down Larry’s company while executing his plans. At that

point, he was unsure of his initial motives anymore. After spending more time with Nancy, he found

himself caught in a conflict of interest. Despite so, their interaction for the past few days gave him a

feeling he had never experienced before.

Right then, he no longer had the desire to strike at Barrymore Group anymore. Obviously, Nancy was

the reason for the change of heart. Actually, it all started with Nancy’s rejection of their union many

years ago. Aggrieved, he decided to take revenge on Barrymore Group.

Couple? That only applies to Nancy and Caspian. I’m suddenly intrigued to meet this guy Caspian. Just

what kind of a man is capable of defeating me…

He became increasingly curious about Caspian—his character and appearance. What is it about him

that makes Nancy fall head over heels for him and marry him within a mere three months after knowing

each other?

The more he thought about it, the more tempted he was to meet Caspian. Although it was him who

came up with the idea of ruining Norton Corporation, he did it for the sake of Dustin. He was not the

least bit interested in Norton Corporation at all—he would do whatever Dustin wanted him to.

Jory turned his gaze to Nancy. As the match went on, Nancy’s stamina was visibly running low. Her

opponent is indeed powerful. She didn’t do any additional training since the last time we went to dojo

together. Can she take it?

Nancy was a little stressed to face such a strong opponent. The woman seemed to be more powerful

than her, albeit just to a limited extent. If they were worlds apart in their skills, Nancy would definitely

choose to give up. However, they were more or less equal, so there was no way she would admit

defeat.

After a moment of confrontation, her opponent was clearly impatient, and she tried to lock Nancy down

to the ground a few times. Fortunately, Nancy was agile enough to shun her opponent.

Nancy didn’t have the strength to launch an attack on her. Hence, all she could do was stay calm and

identify the opponent’s weakness. Just like Jory did—I have to find her weakness. There’s got to be

another way!

As she was thinking to herself, her opponent raised her hand suddenly and requested a short break

from the referee. Nancy was confused. It has just started not long ago. She is asking for a break

already? What is wrong with her?

The woman suddenly turned around and gave Nancy a wicked smile while she was grabbing a towel.

Her opponent was far from good-looking, and her smile made her look even scarier. Nancy had chills

all over her body upon seeing her smile.

Despite so, Nancy understood clearly that the smile was a show of contempt.

 

Chapter 1739

The woman was mocking Nancy for overestimating herself. They were both black belt holders in

Taekwondo. After their brief exchange earlier, the opponent was confident that Nancy wasn’t as good

as her. Hence, she couldn’t help mocking Nancy.

“Hey! What are you thinking?” Jory, who was standing behind her, reached out to ruffle her hair.

Nancy’s eyes widened in surprise. As a black belt holder, she should have maintained sharp senses.

She couldn’t believe that she failed to notice Jory’s presence. “How long have you been here?”

Jory placed his hands on the belt barrier. “Since your opponent smiled at you.”

“You saw it?” Nancy tilted her head and asked, “Do you know what she meant?”

Jory smiled as well. “Of course I know…”

“Then tell me.” Nancy was looking forward to hearing his answer. However, Jory stood up straight with

an unfathomable expression. “No, I’m not telling you. I’m afraid that you will be upset. Besides, I

believe you actually know what she meant too.”

Nancy sighed as she shook her head. “Jory, we’ve just known each other for a short period of time.

How can you understand me so well?”

At once, the smile on Jory’s face became stiff as his tone turned cold and serious. “A short period of

time? How could that be? We had known each other since our engagement.”

It was words that he had been keeping to himself. He never had the intention of messing up with her

life. Initially, he was going to bury those words inside his heart for good. Unexpectedly, he blurted out at

such an inappropriate timing.

The atmosphere turned awkward instantly. Moments later, Jory broke the silence. His voice was still

resonant as he encouraged Nancy, “Remember how I clasped you tightly as I turned around when we

were sparring? I know it’s not that easy, but you’re a quick learner. Since you’ve experienced it

yourself, it shouldn’t be a problem for you to master the tactic.”

The images of their practice flashed in her mind. Jory’s words rang in her ears once again, “Even if

your opponent is stronger than you, the move could save you from a nasty defeat—ending in a tie.”

Oh my goodness! He even notices this! There is no reason for me to doubt his judgment. Nancy’s lips

curved into a proud smile. “I don’t want to end it in a tie. I will not let that happen. Just wait and see. I

will turn the table!”

After the referee blew the whistle, the match continued. Jory went back to the seat. Meanwhile, the girl

beside him was enjoying her large glass of juice. When she saw Jory, she immediately went over and

asked, “What did you say to make her spirit lift?”

Nancy almost got defeated by her opponent just now, but she was suddenly full of beans. She made a

series of counter-attacks against her opponent. The woman didn’t even know how to fight back. Jory

was proud of Nancy. “I was just encouraging her and steering her to the right way.”

The girl didn’t understand a single word. Hence, she bit the straw and turned her head to the

competition. With clenched fists, Jory was shouting in his mind. Take her down! Don’t waste time

anymore. Your stamina and strength are depleting.

In the next second, Nancy clasped her opponent and pinned her to the ground with all her might. At the

sight of this, the crowd went into an uproar. Some of them were cheering for Nancy, while some were

encouraging the woman to stand up. If the latter managed to break free of Nancy’s grip, then there

would be no chance for Nancy to defeat her anymore.

Everyone was paying close attention to the arena. It was not long before the woman requested to end

the match immediately. With that, the match was concluded. Nancy was the winner!

 

Chapter 1740

“Oh my God! What kind of tactic is that. My instructor has never taught me that. She is amazing!” The

girl couldn’t stop praising Nancy.

Jory was overwhelmed with pride. “We should use different tactics against different opponents. We

should be flexible and innovative—knowing to change easily and adapt to different conditions and

circumstances as they occur. Taekwondo develops our agility, as well as improves physical balance

and coordination. It should also enhance our flexibility and adaptability in overcoming challenges.”

The girl’s eyes beamed with admiration. That was an insight Jory had gained after years of practicing

Taekwondo. Growing up, he had always loved Taekwondo. As such, those principles and

understandings were deeply etched in his heart for a long time.

Nancy was worn up. She had exerted all her energy to clasp her opponent just now. While the crowd

was cheering for her, she could only sit there gasping heavily for air. However, she didn’t forget to give

Jory an OK gesture. She was telling him that she was fine—she finally made it.

Jory quickly rushed towards the sparring arena and crouched down beside Nancy. He gave her a

thumbs up. At that moment, both of them didn’t say anything but exchange a knowing smile—no words

needed.

“It’s getting late. Let’s go get changed and go back.” Jory held her arms and helped her to get up.

The scenes when she was sparring just now flashed through her mind like a movie. Jory was too

careless to notice Nancy frowning when she stood up.

She accidentally sprained her ankle due to overexertion in the competition earlier. For that reason, she

actually leaned her entire body weight on her opponent.

Who would have thought her sprained ankle was actually the reason why she won the competition!

What an awkward situation.

Luckily, Jory didn’t realize anything. If he found out about that, he would definitely make fun of me.

After that, she forcibly stumbled her way to the changing room. She sat on the bench to take a look at

her leg. Her right ankle was red and swollen like a bump on the road.

“Ouch…” Nancy howled in pain. Oh dear, it’s so swollen! I can hardly put on my shoes, let alone walk

on my feet. It’s so painful! Tears began to well up in her eyes.

“I should have just admitted defeat. At least I won’t injure my foot,” Nancy mumbled softly to herself.

But if she could go back in time, she would still do the same.

Jory was really quick at changing clothes. He tidied himself up neatly and waited for Nancy outside the

changing room.

“Are you done? I’m waiting for you here. I’ll give you a lift later.”

Meanwhile, Nancy was still struggling to put on her clothes. As Jory said that, she was trying to think of

an excuse to send him off.

“Actually, you don’t have to wait for me. I still need to use the washroom after I get dressed. You can go

back first if you’re in a rush.”

Jory was confused. “Rush? What’s the rush? It’s fine. I will sit down and wait for you. Besides, you

didn’t drive today. I will give you a ride.”

“Oh… Okay then.” At that moment, she had no choice but to agree with him. She just hoped that his

patience would slowly wear thin and leave after waiting for a long time.

Nancy had been on Facebook for half an hour inside the changing room before hearing Jory’s voice.

He voiced out worriedly, “Are you okay? What’s taking you so long?”

She hurriedly put her phone back into her bag and replied, “I’m fine! I’m coming out in a minute!”

Instinctively, she got up from the bench and subconsciously placing her weight on her injured foot. As a

result, she lost her balance and fell to the ground.