Ch. 1821..1830
Chapter 1821
“No. Stay.” Larry pulled her back and pinned her to the bed.
His rapid breathing and palpitations made her blush almost instantly.
“Stop…”
Before she could continue, he planted a kiss on her thin lips.
He continued to pry her lips open, shoving his tongue into her mouth as he explored every inch of her
mouth with his tongue. After some time, the couple fell asleep once more.
The sun continued to rise, and a colony of seagulls flew past the window.
“Dustin!” Joan called out when she caught sight of her friend from afar.
Upon seeing the expression on her face, Dustin knew she had made up with Larry.
Well, I should be glad she’s no longer upset. It pained my heart to see how disheartened she was.
Dustin finally came to a realization.
He used to be obsessed with Joan and would always want to protect her and give her everything at all
costs. But he had finally learned to let go. At this point, he desired nothing more than to see a genuine
smile on her face.
“Someone seems to be in a good mood today.” Dustin chuckled.
Joan gave Larry a nudge.
The latter awkwardly looked at the man in front of him.
It was uncommon for Larry to apologize to anyone. Yet today, he had to seek his love rival’s
forgiveness. He was not ready to bite the bullet just yet.
“What are you waiting for?” Joan patted his shoulder gently.
Is he going back on his word?
A line formed between her brows at the thought. She glared at Larry, hoping he could keep his
promise.
“I… I… Erm…” Larry walked up to Dustin hesitantly.
“I…”
Before he could say anything, however, Dustin said sharply, “Hey!”
Even Joan was taken aback by the man’s reaction.
“If you haven’t thought of what to say to me, or if you’re not willing to say something that’s against your
will, you might as well not say it,” Dustin grumbled.
What? Does that mean he doesn’t want my apology? Larry grew a little offended upon hearing such a
remark. “Hey. I’m trying to apologize to you. Watch your…”
“Larry!” Joan jumped in, quickly shooting the man a disdainful look.
“You should be sincere with your apology.” She squeezed his shoulder gently with her hand,
encouraging him to try once more.
Her gesture made Larry’s heart soften. He just wanted to make her happy.
Deep in his heart, he knew he was at fault, but his ego got in the way; it stopped him from genuinely
apologizing to Dustin.
“I’m sorry, Dustin. And thank you.” Larry pulled himself together and continued, “I’m sorry for the
misunderstanding between you and Joan, and I’m sorry for attacking you before I knew the full truth.
And I also want to thank you for saving Joan.”
Dustin could tell the man actually meant every word he uttered.
“Thank you for the apology. We’re all good now. Come, let’s go and grab a bite together,” Dustin
suggested.
Larry was struck dumb for a moment and did not know how to react to that invitation.
That’s how he reacts to my sincere apology?
“All right, all right. Since Dustin has forgiven you, let’s go and grab something to eat.” Joan held onto
Larry’s arm and dragged him along in a rush.
“Have you solved that problem in your company?” Dustin looked at Larry and questioned curiously.
The latter responded in a calm voice, “All matters have been settled.”
The tension he had with Dustin seemed to have eased a little after the meal to a point where Larry
wondered if he was dreaming.
Day after day soon flew by. Larry and Joan took the remaining time they had together overseas before
they got on a flight to return to their country.
Larry had needed to fly back soon as there were some urgent matters he had to look into.
“Where are you going?” Joan asked.
“I’ll be back before you know it. Don’t worry.” Larry turned around and shot her a small smile before he
headed out.
Gabriella was excited to meet Larry after the latter asked her out to a café. “I’m so happy to see you,
Larry. What’s the occasion you called me out here for?”
Chapter 1822
Gabriella had been slightly annoyed when she found out about how Larry headed overseas to look for
Joan, but at the same time, she was glad that the man had still thought of her when he returned.
She had no clue what Larry wanted to tell her.
“Can you please stop all your nonsense?” All of a sudden, Larry shot an angry glance at her.
What’s he talking about?
Gabriella knitted her brows and looked at him in confusion.
“Have you forgotten all about what you did? Fine. Let me do the honors of reminding you then.” The
man took a sip of his coffee before continuing, “Someone kidnapped Joan.”
Oh. So he knew? Gabriella would never admit she had been the mastermind of the incident. He doesn’t
have any evidence against me anyway.
“What?” She gasped aloud, acting as if she had not been aware of it.
Larry’s expression turned grim. Still trying to act innocent, I see. ”You should know what happened. You
were the one who orchestrated the kidnap after all!”
“What are you talking about? What makes you think I knew where she was or what she was doing?”
The woman was adamant about continuing to feign ignorance.
It was difficult for Larry to trust in her again; she had a horrible track record with him now.
Besides Gabriella, Larry could not think of anyone who would use such extreme measures to harm
Joan.
“I’m really innocent, Larry.” Gabriella continued to defend herself. “I’ve been in the country this whole
time.”
Larry snorted. Does she think I’m an idiot?
“Stop acting. I know you did everything,” Larry sneered, “You can deny it all you want, but I’m here to
warn you not to cross the line. If anything bad happens to Joan again, you better watch it!” He grabbed
his coat and stormed out of the café.
He’s still on her side!
A hard glint flashed through Gabriella’s eyes.
Joan, oh, Joan. Did you cast a spell on Larry? Why does he care so much for you?
I should have gotten rid of you when I had the chance. I guess I have to wait for another opportunity to
arise to finish you off once and for all!
She clenched her fists tightly.
“Hey, what’s wrong with you? You seem to be in a bad mood,” Joan took over his briefcase and asked.
“We need to talk,” Larry looked into her eyes and said in a serious voice, “I want you to listen to me
very carefully.”
“From now on, you will need to be more alert of your surroundings. Someone wanted to harm you.
That’s why the person orchestrated the kidnapping.” Larry grabbed Joan’s shoulders tightly as he
spoke, hoping the woman would be aware of the potential danger she could be in.
Joan wasn’t a fool. She knew who the person behind the vicious act was. She simply did not want to
confront the mastermind.
“I know,” she uttered softly.
Larry’s eyes widened upon hearing her confession. He was surprised that Joan knew about it.
She patted his shoulder gently and reassured, “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on Gabriella.”
Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Dustin.
“Why is he calling again? Does he not know you have a husband now?” Larry teased.
Someone’s getting jealous again.
Joan shot a glance at him and shook her head.
“Hey, there’s something I want to show you. Come meet me right now,” Dustin voiced as soon as Joan
answered the call.
What now?
After bidding Larry goodbye, Joan left the house to meet Dustin.
“Look.” A stack of photos that had been laid out by Dustin was on the table.
They were all Larry’s and Gabriella’s intimate photos.
“Is everything all right between you and Larry?” Dustin asked, worried about her.
The man did not think of Larry as a scumbag, but he believed it was not impossible for men to make
mistakes in the absence of their loved ones.
“I’ve seen these photos before,” Joan stated.
“Larry has explained everything to me. Someone took these photos on purpose,” Joan elaborated.
Chapter 1823
Dustin squinted in surprise and looked out of the window.
Besides Gabriella, I can’t think of anyone else who would do such a thing.
She hasn’t learned to go, I suppose.
“Keep an eye on Gabriella,” Dustin warned.
Joan’s eyes dimmed upon hearing his warning.
The two women used to be close friends who would look out for each other. Joan had even viewed
Gabriella as the most important person in her life at one point in time. But ever since Gabriella framed
her and humiliated her, Joan had given up on their friendship.
To Gabriella, loving someone was essentially selfish. She would not allow anyone — especially Joan,
whom she hated the most — to snatch Larry away from her.
“Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.” Joan shrugged her shoulders casually.
Little did Joan know that Gabriella was already planning her next move to take her down.
A familiar voice rang out of the blue. “Joan! Is that you?”
“When did you come back?” Nancy rushed up to Joan and cushioned the woman in a hug.
“I just returned. How have you been?” Joan patted her back, excitedly returning the woman with a
question.
She sure looks happy.
I’m not sure if Caspian is as happy as she is, though…
“Yup! I feel great. How about you? Being all lovey-dovey with Larry now, I guess?” Nancy teased.
Lovey-dovey? Oh, please. I should be thankful we’ve finally patched things up.
“So you two have started dating officially, huh?” Dustin tapped on Jory’s shoulder and laughed.
Jory responded with a grin but kept mum.
Seeing the smiles on their faces, Joan knew what the two shared was love. Jory’s affectionate gazes
and Nancy’s blushing red cheeks were a dead giveaway that the two were in love.
After catching up for a short while, the two groups went their separate ways.
Joan seemed to be high-spirited all the time ever since she reconciled with Larry.
She had been feeling bored the last couple of days. Instead of sitting idly at home, she set out on a
quest to search for delicious dessert recipes on the Internet.
She planned to make Larry something special as a surprise.
Since she had no experience in making desserts, the kitchen soon became a battlefield. Not only flour
and sugar were strewn all over the floor, but there were also puddles of water here and there. Yet, she
was not ready to throw in the towel.
Despite the mess she made, she was not ready to give in since she had poured her heart and soul into
this baking project.
While she was making a mess in the kitchen, she heard someone opening the door.
Joan was taken aback by the sound.
She took a quick glance at her phone. Larry would have probably reached home by now.
Oh, no! But I’m not ready!
“Larry!” She ran to the living hall, positioning herself in front of him.
“Yes?” The man gave her a confused look.
“Erm… head up to your room and get some rest first. Go, go, go!” Joan pushed him to the bedroom, far
away from the kitchen.
What’s going on?
Larry opened the door by a fraction and peeped through the gap, wanting to know what Joan had up
her sleeve.
Joan did not seem to notice what he was doing, too busy tending to tasks in the kitchen to pay much
attention.
A corner of Larry’s lips quirked up as he watched her wipe tears off her face.
So, she’s making dessert.
At that moment, he could not help but feel fortunate to have Joan in his life.
Gratitude was written all over his face as he watched her bustle about.
“Oh, God, I’m exhausted!” Joan exclaimed.
Soon after, she was finally ready to serve her dessert.
The only problem was that her creation looked hideous.
Joan knitted her brows in frustration, not at all pleased with how it turned out appearance-wise.
I worked so hard, yet this is what I made? Larry would be shocked to see how horrendous this is!
Chapter 1824
To say she was a little upset with the outcome would be an understatement.
“Wow, what did you make? It smells good.” Larry walked downstairs unexpectedly as she was wailing
internally.
“Let me try some.” The man headed straight into the kitchen.
“Don’t. It looks horrendous and tastes bad. I’ll make better ones in the future.” Joan lowered her head
in shame before muttering, “I thought of giving you a surprise, yet…”
Larry grinned and inched closer to her. “Silly girl. You’ve given me the best surprise ever. Come, show
me what you’ve got.” He then picked up a piece of the dessert and put it into his mouth.
“It’s delicious! Did you intend to hide it from me so you could finish it yourself?” Larry squinted his eyes
playfully as he teased her.
Joan was struck dumb by his comment for a moment.
Upon seeing how hideous the dessert was, she had not bothered to try it. Yet, Larry shoved a piece
into his mouth without any hesitation.
“Really?” She was thrilled to see how much he enjoyed it.
“I’m going to finish this by myself if you don’t want to eat any.” Larry took the entire dessert away in an
attempt to tease her.
“Hey, stop right there! Let me try some!” Joan ran after him.
Just as she was about to reach his side, he placed the plate on the table and turned around to give her
a big bear hug.
“Everything you make tastes good,” Larry beamed, giving her a light peck on the forehead.
Joan kept her head down and blushed like a teenage girl who had just fallen in love.
He always knows how to touch my heart and make me the happiest girl in the world.
“Thank you.” She leaned forward into his embrace, snuggling up to him.
How she wished she could enjoy the moment and forget about reality for a moment.
The two of them really felt as though they could live happily ever after during that moment. But they
seemed to have forgotten the existence of one particular woman.
“Are you ready?” Gabriella was alone in a dimly lit room when she posed that question to someone
who was on the line with her.
“I really can’t do this, Miss. It’s against the law!” The man refused to be in cahoots with her.
“You have nothing to worry about. Just do as I told you to,” Gabriella instructed in a deep voice.
The man, who was on the other end of the phone, hesitated.
“I’ll send you overseas once you’ve completed this task,” she promised. After a moment, she added,
“And I’ll give you more money to help you to start your life elsewhere.”
That sounded like a fantastic deal.
“Fine. But I’ll need time to plan this out.”
“Go right ahead. I don’t care how long you take, but make sure you deliver the outcome!” Gabriella
squinted her eyes in excitement and exclaimed.
Larry and Joan had been enjoying the time of their lives for quite some time now. Even Caspian
occasionally grew envious of them when he saw the two lovebirds.
“So, how do you plan on celebrating your birthday?” Caspian asked.
Larry’s birthday parties in the past used to be grand and luxurious, but this time, he wanted to have a
more private and quiet one.
“A simple one will do,” Larry replied.
Caspian’s mind turned blank for a moment. Simple? How simple? What does that even mean?
With his company on the right track and Joan by his side, Larry did not want a grand celebration to
disrupt his peaceful life.
In fact, he would not trade anything in the world for the tranquil life he was living now.
A few moments later, Larry received a call from Joan.
“Hey, so where will you be celebrating your birthday tomorrow?” the woman wasted no time, cutting
straight to the chase.
She wanted to know about the arrangement so that she could be fully prepared.
“I just want to celebrate my birthday with a few friends this year,” Larry replied nonchalantly.
That answer rendered the woman speechless for a moment.
He used to have grand birthday parties in the past, but now, he wants to celebrate his big day with a
few friends?
“I want to have a quiet celebration. No outsiders, no disturbance,” Larry explained.
Since the man had made up his mind, Joan decided to do what made him happy.
The birthday party was set to occur the next day.
As Larry wished, it was a simple but cozy celebration with a few of his close friends.
Chapter 1825
Larry’s parents did not intervene upon knowing what he wanted for his birthday. They had learned to
respect his decisions after acknowledging that he was no longer a child.
“Caspian. Have some of this…” Joan excitedly spoke up.
“Here’s a slice for you too.” She placed a slice of meat on Nancy’s plate as well.
Though Caspian and Nancy were divorced, they were mature enough to set aside their differences.
After all, they were all there to celebrate Larry’s birthday.
Caspian decided to break the awkward silence by asking his ex-wife, “How have you been?”
“I’ve been good. How about you?” Nancy asked sheepishly, feeling a strange sense of guilt rising within
her.
Luckily, a short round of small talk seemed to resolve the tension between the two divorcees.
“Honestly, Caspian, I can’t believe how you used to tolerate my temper in the past!” Nancy burst out
laughing at the memory.
“You made my life miserable! It’s all your fault! Let’s drink to that. Cheers!” Caspian took a sip of his red
wine, smiling as well.
Both Larry and Joan were pleased to see the reconciliation between the two.
Caspian might not be the most suitable husband for Nancy, but he could still be a good friend to her.
When they were married, the way they interacted with each other made them seem more like siblings
than lovers anyways.
“Cheers!” Nancy tapped the table lightly and raised her glass before Caspian.
After gobbling down several glasses of wine, the two divorcees had gotten really drunk.
“Let’s play a game!” Caspian stood up drunkenly, swaying on his feet.
Nancy, too, stood up and started gesturing with her fingers.
They were having so much fun with each other that they seemed to have forgotten about Larry and
Joan beside them.
Larry and Joan were glad to see the both of them learn to let go of their past and embrace a blooming
friendship.
Dustin, who had been observing them for some time from afar, could not help but smile while shaking
his head.
Who would have thought a divorced couple could maintain a friendship like this!
Dustin sighed softly to himself.
If I were in Caspian’s shoes, I would have pulled myself away and talked to someone else.
All of a sudden, a knock on the door sounded.
Joan looked at Larry in confusion, asking, “Who else did you invite?”
The latter went deep in thought for a while before he shook his head. “I don’t remember inviting anyone
else.”
Wanting to see who had arrived, Joan stood up and walked to the door.
“Happy birthday, Larry!” Gabriella emerged once the door was opened.
A heavy silence instantly fell upon the room. Everyone turned their attention to the unwelcomed guest.
“What are you doing here?” Larry stalked to the door in a huff, shooting the woman a disdainful look as
he did so.
I didn’t invite her to my party. How did she even know I was celebrating my birthday today?
“I’m here because I want to celebrate your birthday with you, Larry,” Gabriella replied in an overly sweet
voice.
The drunk Caspian shot a sullen glare at the woman upon remembering what she had once done to
him.
He was waiting for the right time to teach Gabriella a lesson!
“You aren’t welcomed here. Please leave,” Larry ordered without hesitation.
Gabriella was dumbfounded by how aloof the man was. She thought he would have invited him in to at
least have a slice of cake. Feeling utterly awkward under the eyes of everyone in the room, she took a
sidelong glance at all the guests who were unashamedly staring at her.
“Are you mad at me? Please don’t be mad at me, okay? Tell me what I did wrong. I’ll not repeat the
same mistake, I promise!” Gabriella inched closer to Larry as she continued, “More importantly, I want
you to be happy.”
“Here’s my birthday gift for you.” Gabriella then presented Larry with an exquisite gift box.
To her dismay, the man tilted his head and looked away. “You should leave now.”
How dare he humiliate me like this?
A vortex of anger swirled inside Gabriella.
He treats me like shit all the time because of that scheming bitch!
She decided to play the sympathy card, hoping to stir some sense of guilt into Larry and everyone
there. “I only came here to celebrate your birthday, Larry. But since I’m not welcomed, I guess I’ll see
myself out.”
Chapter 1826
Chapter 1826
The woman turned around and dragged her feet to the door. Just when she was about to open the door
and leave, a voice suddenly rang out.
“Wait!” Larry shouted.
All at once, Gabriella’s face lit up in delight.
Has he finally relented and is willing to allow me to stay?
Nervously rubbing both her hands, she slowly pivoted and stared at the man a near distance away as
she anticipated his next remark.
“Take your gift with you!” Larry threw the gift box right at her.
At that, Gabriella’s face instantly flushed bright red.
It was the first time someone had ever refused a gift from her, and it was the man whom she loved to
boot.
“You’re going too far, Larry! I’m just here to celebrate your birthday!” Finally, the reins on her emotions
snapped.
Well, well… What a stupid woman! Doesn’t she know what she has done? Yet, she has the temerity to
come and claim that she’s here to celebrate my birthday, huh?
“As I said, I don’t need that!” Larry retorted coldly.
As Joan gazed at his wintry expression, she felt that he had gone a bit overboard. Just when she was
about to intervene, Dustin interrupted her.
“Gabriella Ward, you should just leave if there’s nothing else,” he suggested softly.
He was merely reminding her that Larry loved Joan wholeheartedly, so she didn’t stand the slightest
chance.
However, Gabriella would never give up so easily.
Damn you, Dustin Silverman! How dare you side with him? Her gaze turned a tad vicious, and the
atmosphere became so tense that one could cut it with a knife.
Gabriella’s presence here was abhorred by all, including Nancy.
While she hadn’t had much interaction with her, she knew about how she had once set Caspian up
back then.
She’s definitely a cunning woman, Nancy reckoned as she stared at Gabriella some distance away.
“Larry, I’ll just leave if you don’t want me to attend your birthday party. There’s no need for your friends
to insult me here, no?” Gabriella declared resentfully.
Upon hearing that, Dustin sneered.
Hah! I haven’t even exposed her, yet she’s now taking me down a peg first. She’s really a character all
right.
“Hey, hey, what’s happening here? It’s a joyous occasion today, so why is everyone pulling a long face?
Also, irrelevant individuals should just buzz off instead of spoiling people’s moods here,” Nancy
drawled, deliberately snubbing Gabriella.
Bang!
All of a sudden, Gabriella viciously threw the gift onto the ground, shocking everyone around her.
“Fine! You win!” Then, she left without a backward glance.
Phew! She has finally left! Joan breathed a sigh of relief. If she were to stay, who knows what other
problems she might cause!
“Okay, okay, she has left, so let’s continue eating,” she urged.
Subsequently, the atmosphere reverted to back before Gabriella turned up. Caspian and Nancy went
back to their game while Dustin and Larry drank together. Meanwhile, Joan slowly picked up the gift
box on the ground.
In the box was a necktie.
Ah, this must have cost a fortune!
Joan scrutinized the necktie, only to notice that it was branded.
But Gabriella probably doesn’t have it easy, no? She had been kicked out some time ago, and she
doesn’t have much savings.
At that thought, her gaze dimmed as she stared at the necktie.
“Joan!” Larry suddenly called out.
“Huh? What’s the matter?” Joan promptly glanced back at him.
“Just throw it away!” Larry asserted as he pointed at the necktie in her hands.
I have no interest in Gabriella Ward’s gift! I only want to keep my distance from her, and ideally, to
never see her again!
“Larry, this necktie must have burned a hole in her pocket,” Joan remarked in a whisper.
“I don’t need it,” Larry countered placidly. Well, I’ve got enough neckties.
“I mean, we can give it back to her so that she can get a refund,” Joan explained.
Looking on, Dustin gaped at her in surprise.
Is she for real? Why is she so foolish? Gabriella Ward purposely put her in a difficult position, yet she’s
actually speaking up on her behalf!
Chapter 1827
After the simple birthday party had gone on for a long while, everyone dispersed. Caspian and Nancy’s
relationship was obviously much better than before.
They were no longer husband and wife, yet they both gained a friend in each other.
“Joan Watts… Joan Watts…” Larry muttered.
When Caspian and Nancy were playing a drinking game earlier, he joined in with Dustin. Although it
was rather childish, they enjoyed themselves greatly. Surprisingly, both Larry and Dustin were then
sloshed.
“Okay, that’s enough. Don’t drink anymore.” Joan helped Larry into the bedroom.
“I miss you, Joan,” Larry blurted out of the blue as he clutched her arm tightly.
That was his drunk personality; he loved to act coquettish.
Meanwhile, Dustin was sprawled on the sofa, snoring.
At the sight of the two men’s sorry states, Joan shook her head. Then, she snagged her bag and left.
After all, she had to check on Nancy since the latter had drunk quite a bit. As for Caspian, he was
undoubtedly fine since he had always been able to hold his liquor.
Sometime later, Dustin flipped over on the sofa. However, he simply couldn’t get comfortable, so he
staggered up with his eyes closed and stumbled to the bedroom.
Ah, this is heavenly!
He then stripped down to his birthday suit.
The sky gradually grew dark. Joan, on the other hand, was still taking care of Nancy at her house.
Probably having overindulged, Nancy hurled many times. Joan couldn’t bring herself to leave her alone
in that state, so she stayed.
However, she had no inkling about the commotion at her house right then.
“Ahh!” Dustin shrieked at the top of his lungs.
“Stop making such a racket!” Larry patted him lightly on the shoulder.
“Let go of me, Larry Norton!” As Dustin said that, he started struggling wildly.
At that very moment, Larry was clutching Dustin tightly and hugging his head in an X-rated scene.
All at once, Larry froze.
“What happened here?” The two men shot up in the next moment.
“What did you do to me, Larry Norton? Well? Speak up!” Dustin appeared a touch aggrieved.
My sexual orientation has never been in doubt throughout the years, but today, my innocence and
reputation have been ruined at the hands of this scoundrel, Larry Norton! Ironically, he’s even my love
rival!
“I didn’t do anything, so don’t get the wrong idea,” Larry murmured.
But when both men flipped open the covers, they screamed in concert.
Beyond a shadow of a doubt, they were both naked.
“Oh, God! Larry Norton, you’ve got to take responsibility for me!” Dustin gave Larry a hard kick.
Good heavens! He must have lost his mind! At that, Larry shot him a glare. We’re both men, so what’s
all this talk about taking responsibility?
“Forget it! You’re not a woman,” Larry muttered as he turned his face away.
“You’ve ruined my reputation!” Dustin screeched loudly.
“I’m not a sicko like you. I don’t like men, okay?” Larry tugged the covers higher.
Having just returned home from Nancy’s place, Joan thought that Dustin had left when she saw no
signs of him on the sofa. But the moment she opened the bedroom door, she was stupefied.
“What are you two doing?” Joan squawked.
“Listen to me, Joan. It’s not what you think! Nothing happened between me and Larry Norton! I swear!”
Dustin hastily explained.
Beside him, Larry said nary a word.
She knows my sexual orientation best, so I don’t need to explain anything.
“But if this gets out, it’ll be mortifying! People will think that you’re…” Joan trailed off, hesitant to finish
her utterance.
People will think that you’re gay!
In the end, she still couldn’t bring herself to utter that word.
“Okay, that’s enough. Get out of bed and leave!” Larry kicked Dustin forcefully.
“You’ve hugged and groped me, yet you’re now treating me like this, Larry Norton?” Dustin pinned a
solemn gaze on the man in front of him.
If not? How’s he expecting me to treat him? Larry sneered.
“I’m already being merciful now, so hurry up and leave. I didn’t feel any desire at all when I hugged
you,” Larry retorted disdainfully.
Chapter 1828
What the hell? You’re such a scoundrel, Larry Norton! You’ve taken advantage of me, yet you’re now
trying to shirk responsibility! I really can’t fathom why on earth Joan likes him!
“Dustin, you should take a shower and leave.” The lid on her emotions finally sprang open, and Joan
burst into laughter.
Ever since Larry and Dustin shared the same bed, their relationship became significantly ambiguous
yet seemingly much better than before.
“Hey, Dustin, you seem to be rather close with Larry Norton recently.” Jory studied the man before him
suspiciously.
He was rather bewildered at their amicable relationship at present since it was Dustin who asked him to
acquire Norton Corporation’s branch companies to make life difficult for Larry back then.
“Of course. Why wouldn’t we be close when we’ve even slept together?” Dustin replied placidly.
In the next moment, water spurted out of Jory, who was having a drink.
“What? You slept with Larry Norton?” He gaped at Dustin incredulously.
Oh God, this is shocking news! He has actually slept with someone else, and it was a man! Most
importantly, that man is his love rival to boot! Such mind-blowing news almost had Jory falling off the
sofa.
“Ah, don’t get so worked up! Nothing happened between the two of us. We merely slept.” Dustin hastily
waved a dismissive hand at him.
Out of the blue, Jory hooted with laughter.
What has on earth happened? When did he have such kinky predilections?
“Alright, that’s enough, Jory. Stop laughing. Let me tell you, I only told you that because I truly regard
you as a friend. Don’t repeat it to anyone else, okay?” Dustin asserted sternly.
At that, Jory’s chortles abruptly stopped short.
I, Jory Synder, never do anything that ruins someone else’s reputation! Furthermore, he’s my buddy!
“Okay, I got it. But I think even if I keep it a secret, someone has already known about it!” Jory
deliberately drawled as he flashed a smile at the door.
“Haha… Dustin, you’ve actually slept with Larry, your love rival! This is a ludicrous joke! Oh gosh!”
Nancy suddenly appeared in the office.
Dustin glanced over his shoulder at her, looking extremely awkward.
“Hey, that’s on you! If it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have ended up in bed together!” Dustin groused.
“Ah, that’s unconscionable of you, Dustin! If it weren’t for you, the two of you wouldn’t have had so
much fun…” Nancy didn’t give him any quarter.
Indeed, it was because she drank too much with Caspian that day while dragging Larry and Dustin
along for the ride that resulted in the scene of them sleeping in the same bed. However, after that
incident, Dustin and Larry seemed to have regarded each other as friends.
“Okay, that’s enough. Stop talking about it! I’m leaving!” Dustin embarrassingly made himself scarce,
slamming the door behind him.
Thus, it was only Jory and Nancy in the office, being all lovey-dovey.
“Oh yes, Jory, I’m thinking about bringing you to meet my father tomorrow.” Nancy hooked her arms
around Jory’s neck.
Upon hearing that, Jory hesitated for a moment. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to meet Simon, but he
wasn’t certain whether he would accept him. After all, he was partly the reason for Nancy’s shift of
affections back then.
“What’s the matter? Do you not want to do so?” Nancy eyed the man in front of her dubiously.
She had thought that her relationship with him was already at the stage where they could discuss
marriage, and she didn’t want to drag things out. Thus, she couldn’t understand why he hesitated when
she proposed bringing him to meet her father.
Could it be that he doesn’t want to marry me? In a flash, her gaze dimmed.
“Jory Synder, you never thought about marrying me, yes?” Nancy pushed at him.
“Hey, what are you saying, Nancy? How could I possibly not want to marry you? I love you! But I’m not
sure whether your father will accept me.” Jory ducked his head.
In truth, he had really fallen in love with her. It was for that reason that he resolutely abandoned some
of his plans and acted on his father’s advice, returning all the branch offices of Norton Corporation he
had acquired when she told him that Larry and Joan were her best friends. Actually, he didn’t have to
return them, but he didn’t want her to be caught in a difficult position.
Chapter 1829
“Don’t worry, Jory. Everything will be fine as long as we love one another. My father is a reasonable
man, so I believe that he’ll give our relationship his blessings,” Nancy murmured as she grasped the
man’s arm tightly.
Hearing that, Jory kissed her on the forehead affectionately before nodding resolutely.
Meanwhile, Larry was engrossed in perusing documents in the office, everyone busy with their own
tasks.
Ring, ring, ring… He cast a glance at the caller ID, but he didn’t answer the call.
Nonetheless, his cell phone kept ringing incessantly at the side as though it was going to ring forever if
he didn’t pick it up.
“Hello. What is it?” Larry demanded, cutting right to the chase.
It was currently working hours, so he loathed receiving nuisance phone calls.
“Treat me to lunch, Larry,” Dustin ordered.
Huh? Has he gone crazy? No one takes the initiative to ask someone else to treat him to lunch!
“I’ve got no time for that. I’m very busy.” As Larry said that, he wanted to hang up right after.
“That’s not a valid reason! Let me tell you, Larry Norton, you’ve got to take responsibility for me since
you slept with me! I want to have lunch!” Dustin insisted.
What kind of twisted logic is this? At that, Larry was rendered speechless.
“God, you’re unreasonable, Dustin Silverman! Who exactly climbed into whose bed here? Logically
speaking, you’re the one who should take responsibility for me!” Larry retorted loudly.
“Alright, then, I’ll take responsibility for you. I’ll treat you to lunch instead!” Dustin offered with a chuckle.
All at once, Larry was at a loss for word.
Damn it! He must have too much time on his hands, so he’s messing around with me!
“Well, let’s end this conversation here. If you’re really that bored, go and get yourself a girlfriend,” he
suggested mildly.
“Okay, then, you get busy. I’ll go and look for Joan!” As Dustin said that, he made to hang up the
phone.
“Hey, hey, don’t do that! I’ll treat you to lunch, okay? It’ll be my treat!” Larry promptly blurted.
Dustin, on the other hand, naturally knew that Joan was his only weakness.
This is more like it! He then hung up the phone after having gotten his way. How could I possibly let him
off the hook so easily when he had taken advantage of me? I’ve got to make him pay for a bit.
His lips curved into a smirk.
At the Western restaurant…
“Uh… Dustin, how about you give Larry some space henceforth? You’ve been seeking him out too
often lately, either demanding that he treat you to lunch or tea. He’s my man, not yours,” Joan groused
in a lowered voice.
Meanwhile, Dustin had never expected Larry to bring Joan along on their “lunch date.”
“So what? Your man slept with me, so can’t I make him pay for a bit?” Dustin deliberately taunted.
Argh! Here he goes again! Every time he mentioned that incident, Joan felt like blowing her top. They
merely slept, yet he’s now making it sound so indecent! If it weren’t for the fact that I went to Larry’s
office to visit him, they probably would’ve had a “lunch date” alone again!
“Why don’t you get your facts right, Dustin? Larry is my husband. Look, everyone is staring at the two
of you with contempt in their eyes!” Joan gestured at the diners around them.
In a flash, the people around them hurriedly turned away and buried their heads in their food.
Ring, ring, ring…
In the office, two words flashed across Simon’s cell phone.
As he stared at the two words that kept blinking, he massaged his temples. “Hello?”
“What are you doing, Dad?” Nancy’s voice was filled with mischief.
“I’m busy, so just spit it out.”
Simon was well aware of his daughter’s temperament; she only sought him out when she wanted
something. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even see her.
“Er… Dad, I’d like you to meet Jory,” Nancy murmured shyly.
It’s been a while now, so I should be bringing Jory to meet him.
“What? So you want me to meet Jory Synder? Don’t tell me the two of you want to get married? I’m
swamped, so I’m not meeting him,” Simon declined right away.
Back when her marriage was on the rocks, it was already merciful of me that I didn’t seek him out to
settle the score! And now, she wants me to meet him? No way!
Chapter 1830
“Listen to me, Dad. Jory and I truly love each other. So, I think we should talk about settling down,”
Nancy continued persuading Simon.
Settle down? No way! She has just gotten divorced, and now, she wants to get married again? She
isn’t considering Caspian’s feelings at all! What on earth has gotten into her?
“I said no, so there’s no room for discussion. At least for this year, don’t even think about it. Nancy,
you’ve just gotten divorced, and it was you who proposed it. Caspian didn’t even say anything, yet
you’re now thinking of getting married again. What do you want others to say? Do you want them to
say that you’ve long since cheated on Caspian?” Simon snapped without holding back his punches.
At that, Nancy instantly went silent. She didn’t expect her father to put things so bluntly.
Well, he probably dislikes Jory a lot. But I really love him!
“Dad, I’m going to marry Jory no matter what. I’ve decided on him. Regardless of what others say, we
love each other. Also, I’m going to bring him to meet you tomorrow. I’m just informing you now.” After
saying that, she hung up the phone.
“How dare you…” Before Simon had even finished speaking, the disconnect tone sounded.
Good heavens! How could she be so willful?
He heaved a sigh.
Back when Nancy and Caspian got divorced, he planned to transfer all the family assets to Caspian to
make it up to him. To his surprise, Caspian declined firmly. Thus, he felt a tad guilt toward him.
Presently, Nancy was sulking, and her eyes brimmed with sorrow.
“Hey, what’s wrong?” Joan hurriedly plopped down.
“A cup of coffee, please.” She then beckoned at the server a near distance away.
“What else could it be? I really don’t understand my father,” Nancy huffed.
From her morose expression, I’m sure it has to have something to do with Jory. Otherwise, no one
would be able to influence her mood, considering her mettle.
“What’s the problem now? The divorce is now finalized, so what else do you want?” Joan deliberately
baited her after taking a sip of coffee.
“Ugh! Why are you picking on me as well, Joan?” Nancy glowered at the woman before her in chagrin.
“Well, what else should I be doing? You’re not telling me what happened. How would I know what to
say when you didn’t tell me anything?” Joan countered candidly.
“I want to bring Jory to meet my father, but he rebuffed me. He didn’t want to see him, but what father-
in-law refuses to meet his son-in-law?” Nancy groused in a low voice.
Upon hearing that, Joan instantly burst into giggles.
That’s ridiculous! They haven’t even gotten engaged, yet she’s already labeling them as son-in-law and
father-in-law? This is overly eager of her!
“Ah, so you’re worried about this. But well, I do understand your father’s feelings,” Joan commented
softly.
When Nancy heard that, she grew even more incensed.
Ugh! I asked her out so that she can give me some suggestions! Why is she siding with Dad instead?
“Stop messing with me, Joan. I’m in a dither, so hurry up and give me some suggestions!”
“Why are you in a dither?” All of a sudden, Dustin appeared before the two women.
Joan stared at him in puzzlement.
“Why are you here instead of at work, Dustin?” she snarked as she threw him a glare.
Hmph! I haven’t even settled the score with him about him pestering Larry! For some reason, he simply
has tons of free time on his hands now like a rich heir, either going to Norton Corporation to visit Larry
or endlessly pestering him to treat him to lunch!
“Uh… The two of you seem…” Nancy wanted to say something, yet she hesitated time and again.
“We’re not acquainted!” the two of them blurted simultaneously as they turned away, their expressions
surprisingly alike.
Hmm? Could this be the so-called interaction between male and female best friends?