Ch. 451..460

Chapter 451

Michael's warning that he might accidentally lose the recording to then be picked up by Nicholas or my colleagues was nothing but a veiled threat. By doing so, he couldn't be any more unscrupulous.

“Michael, are you blackmailing me?”

I glared at him with my eyes spitting fire. I couldn't believe how loathsome he could be for threatening me with something like that.

“There's nothing I can do if you feel this way. Although, I must admit that you don't seem to have much of a choice. Anna, the decision is in your hands.”

Michael shrugged his shoulders as he ignored my words. Moreover, I could even see the smugness in his eyes.

“Michael, you're too much! If you dare leak the recording out, I swear I will be your mortal enemy for the rest of your life!” I threatened while staring furiously at him.

His vileness was now beyond my belief.

“Fine. Doesn't that mean we will be entangled with each other for the rest of our lives? Even though you love me, is all this really necessary?”

He cracked out a smile, as if whatever I said had no effect on him.

Having been rendered speechless every time I talked to him, I was both angry at the situation and at myself. After all, I was always at the losing end of every argument.

“Michael, can you just stop it?” I shot him an exasperated look.

At that moment, I felt as if I was about to explode from him getting on my nerves. If I were to agree to his conditions, I wondered if I would be driven mad by how despicable he was.

Raising his brows, he retracted his mesmerizing smile and asked me in a serious tone, “Wouldn't the problem be solved once you agree to my condition? The decision lies in your hands, don't you think? After all, I have given you two choices.”

Cognizant that he would never give me a third choice, I was filled with anger. Nevertheless, I had two paths in front of me. Obviously, I couldn't choose the latter. In the event the recording fell into the hands of my colleagues, there was no way I could face the world anymore. Michael's warning that he might accidentally lose the recording to then be picked up by Nicholas or my colleagues was nothing but a veiled threat. By doing so, he couldn't be any more unscrupulous.

In spite of that, agreeing to his condition was just as difficult. Given that all I wanted to do was to break ties with him, there was no way I could consent to what he was asking of me. If I did, it would mean that I had to give in to him every time he asked me to sleep with him.

“Have you made your decision?”

Michael looked at me with a knowing smile.

I was irritated by the confident look on his face. Evidently, he could already guess what my decision was going to be.

“I'll agree to your condition, but I too have one of my own.”

Left without a choice, I was forced to relent. Nonetheless, I was a lot smarter now and no longer the Anna of old.

“What is it?” he asked in an indifferent tone.

“I need to have enough time to rest within the week. You cannot get me to sleep with you every day,” I replied in a serious tone while locking my gaze with his.

I was well aware of his stamina. If it was the same as a year ago, I would even have trouble going to work. Furthermore, I needed my own space too. It was impossible for me to spend every day in bed with him.

Staring into my eyes, he pondered upon my words for a long while before finally giving me an answer.

“Fine, that's acceptable to me. However, you cannot refuse me when I feel the urge. Also, you have to respond passionately like how you did last night. Anna, your performance the night before has gotten me hooked,” Michael replied with a grin so annoying that I wanted to tear it apart. The way he spoke to me now had become unbelievably audacious.

“Now that I have agreed to your condition, can you go now? I need to get out of bed and prepare for work. For goodness’ sake, I'm already late!”

When I picked up my phone to check, I realized that it was almost nine and I was definitely late for work. Although no one would dare complain due to my position, I disliked those who were not punctual.

Therefore, I didn't like to be late myself.

“I have already informed Nicholas that you will be out for the morning. Therefore, you can return to the office in the afternoon.”

Having heard Michael's words while I was rummaging through my closet, I almost fainted over the fact that he had applied for leave from Nicholas on my behalf.

“S-Say that again?” I asked in disbelief.

Nicholas had always been against our relationship. Consequently, Michael's call to him would only arouse his suspicion over our involvement with each other.

“Didn't you get what I just said?”

Michael didn't answer my question as he stared at me with a frown.

“You actually gave Nicholas a call? What did you tell him?” I asked curiously. Deep down, I could feel that he had set me up.

“What else can I say? I told him that you were exhausted from last night and that you needed rest today. Also, I reminded him not to call you.”

Despite Michael's calm gaze and tone, I was filled with the impulse to storm out.

Evidently, he said all those things to Nicholas to insinuate what we did the night before. In fact, by saying that I needed rest, he had implied that we enjoyed a night of wild passion. Even though it wasn't

difficult for me to guess what Michael's intention was, I was still infuriated by his actions.

What I was concerned about wasn't Nicholas' feelings but the faith he had in me. Ever since he returned from overseas, he had never trusted me. After what Michael had done, Nicholas would definitely think that something was going on between the two of us.

Furrowing my brows in frustration, the worries I had begun to grow.

Turning around to face him, I questioned, “Michael, did you do it on purpose? Did you deliberately give Nicholas a call?”

I knew how possessive he could be and I always tried to compromise. However, I didn't expect him to do something like that. By calling Nicholas, Michael was well aware of the conflict he would create between the both of us. I didn't know what his goal was and wondered if he was really trying to get Nicholas to lose his trust in me.

Chapter 452

Having heard my words, Michael gave me a frosty stare and responded with an angry tone, “I just want you to get some proper rest. Anna, why must you think that everyone has an agenda? In this whole wide world, I'm the only person that won't harm you. As you are my woman, protecting you is the only thing I care about.”

Knitting my brows tightly, I didn't believe his words at all. By claiming that he would be the last person in the world to hurt me, has he forgotten about what happened in the past? Has he forgotten how much he hurt me then?

Even though I was tempted to sneer at him, I wasn't in the mood to hold him accountable for the past. I just wanted bygones to be bygones, as bringing them up only reminded me of my sorrow.

“From my perspective, you're the one that has hurt me the most in this world. Michael, I really hate it when you get involved in my affairs. I have my own life and job. What gives you the right to interfere in my work?” I retorted in anger.

Ignoring Michael, I began to put on my clothes.

Given that none of my clothes were available, I had no choice but to wear the outfit from the night before.

Michael frowned at me without saying a word. Nonetheless, I could sense that he was desperately trying to suppress his anger. As both of our paths were not aligned, the way we thought was entirely different from each other.

Once I was done changing, I turned and left without even looking back.

Back at my apartment, I got myself changed before heading to the office. When I arrived, many of the staff looked in my direction. Perhaps, I was just being self-conscious, but I felt as if they were staring at me in a strange manner.

Just when I opened the door to my office, I saw Nicholas sitting in my chair with a gloomy expression.

Knitting my brows, I began to worry as I walked up to him.

After trying hard to maintain a calm expression, I looked into his eyes and asked, “Why are you here?”

“Isn't it obvious?” Nicholas rebutted coldly while his eyes were burning with anger.

From his reaction, I could see that he was infuriated. After all, Michael had used my phone to call him in the morning and apply for leave on my behalf. On top of that, the reason he gave simply made things worse. If I was in Nicholas' position, I would be equally outraged. After all, Michael and I were supposed to be on opposing sides. Having heard my words, Michael gave me a frosty stare and responded with an angry tone, “I just want you to get some proper rest. Anna, why must you think that everyone has an agenda? In this whole wide world, I'm the only person that won't harm you. As you are my woman, protecting you is the only thing I care about.”

After taking a deep breath, I forced myself to get a grip on my conflicting emotions. Raising my head, I gazed into Nicholas' eyes and pondered for a while. Finally, I replied, “I know that Michael called you in the morning and why you're angry. However, it isn't what you think. Michael and I are not—”

“Did you sleep with each other last night?” Nicholas interrupted before I could finish.

With his sharpened gaze, he sounded as if he was interrogating me.

Frowning slightly, I didn't like the tone he was talking to me with. Nevertheless, I hung my head to admit my mistake. Furthermore, I maintained my silence, for I did sleep with Michael the night before. Consequently, it was something that I couldn't deny.

When I didn't reply, a smirk descended on Nicholas' face as he looked at me in disappointment. “By not saying anything, you are implicitly admitting that you did sleep with him last night.”

I didn't like Nicholas' tone because it made me feel uncomfortable.

“Nicholas, the matter just isn't what it appears to be. I admit that I did spend the night with him. However, it was because I had too much to drink. I know what you're worried about. Therefore, I came here to specifically tell you that your concerns are unfounded. No matter what goes on between Michael and me, my objective remains unchanged,” I explained earnestly while locking gazes with him.

I was serious in what I said, for that was truly what I felt deep down. Although I still had feelings for Michael, I was still clearly focused on my goal and wouldn't let my emotions cloud my judgment.

Nonetheless, Nicholas was so consumed by anger that whatever I said made no difference. In fact, I could see the rage in his eyes burn with increasing intensity.

“How do you expect me to believe you now? Before we came back to this country, you told me that you no longer had any feelings for Michael. But in less than one month, so much happened between the two of you. By saying all this now, how am I going to convince myself to trust you still? Anna, have you

forgotten what I have done for you during the past year? Also, have the promises you made before our return slipped your mind?”

Getting to his feet, Nicholas walked up to me. As he stared into my eyes in silence, I could feel the tension in the atmosphere increase.

When I saw the look in his eyes, I began to feel guilty even though I had kept to my end of the deal.

Other than sleeping with each other, Michael and I didn't do anything else. Moreover, I didn't betray Nicholas or the company at all.

“I didn't forget them at all. In fact, I remember everything that I promised you. I know that it's hard for you to accept the fact that I slept with Michael. But other than that, nothing else happened. Furthermore, I would definitely not do anything that hurts the company's interest.”

The way he was reacting caused me to grow increasingly anxious. I wanted to clear the air, but the more I explained, the worse it became.

“Anna, how do you expect me to trust you now? The call in the morning had clearly demonstrated the fact. Prior to this, you have also admitted to me that you had not forgotten him. Now that both of you have slept with each other, I suppose you must have had a change of heart, isn't it?”

Nicholas stared at me with his brows furrowed intensely. On top of that, his tone was filled with disappointment.

“No, my feelings have not changed at all. If that were true, do you think that I would still be trying my best to steal his clients? No matter what happens between us, I would never do anything that is against

the company's interest. I too have principles to maintain and thresholds that I don't cross.”

Although I dreaded how he was casting his suspicion upon me, I understood why he felt that way. After all, Michael and I used to be lovers.

In spite of that, I was someone with strong principles. When it came to work, I would always think on behalf of the company and never let my personal affairs interfere with it.

“Forget it. I feel there's no point in us arguing over this matter. However, if you really want to prove that you no longer have anything to do with him, there should not be a repeat of what happened last night.

“For both work and personal reasons, I hope that you will draw the line between you and him. After all, you know how I feel about you. Do you know how it felt when I received his call in the morning?”

 

Chapter 453

He told me that he wanted to come after me after Michael took me away. Unfortunately, his car was too slow, and the latter left him in the dust. That was why he didn't know where I was.

Nicholas' eyes shone with disappointment when he said those words. He dropped by my office that early in the morning to wait for me and have that conversation. To my surprise, he wasn't there to tell me to keep my professional and personal life apart. Instead, he was there because he had feelings for me.

The way he redirected the conversation and talked about something personal... I shifted my gaze awkwardly to look elsewhere. Thing was, I knew how he felt about me, but there was nothing I could do about it.

I've already made things clear in the past, so I didn't want to dwell on that topic again.

“I understand. I don't want to talk about personal matters, though. We're at work, and our jobs are the most important thing right now. I will, however, promise you it wouldn't matter what happens between Michael and me. My loyalty to the company is absolute, and I won't do anything to hurt you or the company.”

That was the only promise I could offer. If he wanted me to love him back... Well, that would be impossible.

He knew what I meant, and he frowned. The silver lining was that he didn't keep that conversation going, so I sighed a long breath of relief.

“Okay, then we won't talk about this at work. Let's discuss the matter some other time. Still, I pray you'd

keep my previous words in mind because I do not wish for the same thing to happen again.”

He shifted his gaze from me and sounded calm when he said those words, but the fact he was warning me was clear as day.

“Understood.”

I replied nonchalantly, before shutting up entirely.

I couldn't make that promise firmly because I didn't know if I could cut all ties with Michael right away. That morning, I agreed to Michael's terms, and I couldn't back out of it anymore.

Nicholas left my officer soon after. I sat there all alone and was both confused and irritated. There was no way to focus on work at all.

I basically spent the rest of the day sitting behind my desk and daydreaming. All I could think about was the drama in my life, so not much work was done.

When it was finally time to clock off, I packed my bags. There was no way I'd stay for a second longer. As soon as I finished putting everything away, I left the place.

It was only natural that it was peak hour because many employees were leaving their workstations at the same time. He told me that he wanted to come after me after Michael took me away. Unfortunately, his car was too slow, and the latter left him in the dust. That was why he didn't know where I was.

I had just left the building when a black Ferrari made its way to me and stopped in my path.

Seeing that prompted me to frown in frustration. I wanted to circle around and walk away, but when the windows rolled down, I saw a familiar face looking at me.

My frustration maxed out upon seeing Michael there. His phone call was the reason I still couldn't clear the misunderstanding with Nicholas, who still had no idea what really happened.

The mere thought of how Michael was deliberately driving a wedge between Nicholas and me had me fuming. This man is the reason I am in such a bad mood today.

Worse still, everyone in the company knew that Michael was our main competitor. Who knows what the others would think if they saw him at the company's entrance and talking to me?

Nicholas' misunderstanding was bad enough as it was. If Michael further made things worse... I will never be able to clear my good name.

If anything were to happen to the company's administration, everyone will surely suspect me. That was definitely something I didn't want to happen.

Hence, I acted as though I didn't even know him. I circled around and continued walking down the path, but he pressed the horn at me.

The ear-piercing noise made me feel as though my eardrums would break apart. I turned around and glared angrily at him. The rage within me was burning wildly. What is with this guy? Is he not capable of giving me a moment of peace?

The continuous noise was too irritating, and many employees turned their attention to me. Michael was a renowned man, so naturally, they recognized him.

I was troubled and infuriated when I sensed their gaze on me. I quickly turned around and walked to his car to shout at him.

“Michael Shaw, what the hell do you want?”

“Get in the car. We'll go home together.”

Michael didn't mind my howls at all and spoke softly after shooting a look at me.

“I don't need you to drop me off. Also, we live in different places, so please don't show up here again. You'll just cause unnecessary troubles for me.”

Many of the employees were staring at me, and some were already gossiping among themselves. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but even the dumbest person alive could guess the right answer. They must be wondering how Michael and I know each other.

“What's wrong with me dropping by to pick up my lover? Was that not allowed? Besides, have you forgotten what you promised me this morning? I made a copy to remind you of it, you know?”

It seemed he was destined to defeat me that day. His lips curved into a calm smile. I didn't even see him fishing it out, but he was suddenly holding a flash drive and waving it in front of me. At least he kept his voice down when he threatened me, though.

Naturally, I knew all too well what he meant when he said he had a copy. I immediately thought about

how he made a recording of the two of us sleeping together. And now, he's using that recording to blackmail me in public... Gah, I am so angry I can kill!

Despite those thoughts, I had no choice but to comply. I was a rather traditional woman deep down, so I would probably die of shame if he actually published the content of that flash drive.

I took a deep breath and suppressed the anger in me before circling around to the passenger's side and opening the door. After that, I got in.

The second I entered the car, I sensed everybody's gaze on me becoming weird. Most were in disbelief. They were probably thinking something along the lines of Oh gee, I can't believe she got in his car... or something like that in Gen Z slang or whatever.

Michael was satisfied with my compromise. He smiled before firing up the engine and making a U-turn.

I didn't say a thing after getting into his car because the fury in me was getting difficult to contain.

His phone call that morning had already caused abundant troubles, and showing up at the entrance of my workplace... Yeah, I can grow another mouth, and I still won't be able to clear the misunderstanding.

“Why are you so quiet? Are you in a bad mood? Are you mad?”

A lot of time had passed before he broke the silence and turned to me to ask me those questions calmly.

“Michael, why are you doing this?”

I turned to him and glared evilly to demand an answer.

“What do you mean?”

“Why did you show up there at the entrance of my workplace? You know that will cause a commotion and give others the wrong idea, so why did you do it?”

He had to have known what I was talking about, but he asked me to clarify, anyway. That annoyed me.

“I've already told you. I was there to pick up my lover. Why else would I be there?”

His answer remained the same, but at the time, all I could hear was an excuse. I didn't think he traveled all the way over to my workplace just for that.

Chapter 454

He had never done anything even close to picking me up from work when we were friends with benefits. Back then, he practically ran away when he saw me in public, so why did he suddenly change his style? It was as though he was trying to make sure everyone saw him. Our past together made me think he had an ulterior motive.

“Do you honestly think I'd buy that lie? I know you, Michael, and you will never do anything that does not benefit you. Did you drop by today to mislead everyone in the company and make it so they don't trust me?”

After fuming for so long, I finally dealt with my anger and calmed myself down. That allowed me to interrogate him calmly while looking at him.

He frowned a little upon hearing how I exposed his plans so directly. He didn't explain himself, nor did he admit to anything.

His attention remained on the road, and it was as though he had never heard what I said.

Soon, I realized that the road we were traveling down was not the one heading to my apartment. It was leading to Birchwood.

We just spent a night there last night, and he was taking me there again... I instantly panicked and felt humiliated.

“Take me back to my apartment.”

I made sure my tone was icy when I spat those words at him.

I didn't want to argue with him or discuss the matter with him. All I wanted was for him to be as far away from me as possible.

“Have you forgotten what you promised this morning?”

Michael didn't make a U-turn. Instead, he kept reminding me of the promise I made that morning.

“I remember it well, but you made a promise, too. You said you'd give me enough time to rest and recuperate. I'm exhausted today, so I want to go home. No one will be playing with you tonight.”

“I won't force you to do anything tonight, so you can rest well.”

He didn't take me to my apartment as I had requested. His tone was as nonchalant as ever, but it was clear that the matter was not negotiable.

The car never slowed down. It was moving as quickly as it had been. I had no intention of going to Birchwood with Michael, but I knew him and his aggressive style too well. He wouldn't let me reject him.

Still, he had already promised to be good at night and wouldn't force my hand. That meant I would be able to rest well, so there was no reason for me to worry.

As soon as we reached our place in Birchwood, I went to take a shower, then prepare to go to bed. He had never done anything even close to picking me up from work when we were friends with benefits. Back then, he practically ran away when he saw me in public, so why did he suddenly change

his style? It was as though he was trying to make sure everyone saw him. Our past together made me think he had an ulterior motive.

I wasn't actually that tired, but I didn't want to deal with Michael.

After showering, I crawled up to my bed right away. Michael was nowhere to be seen when I exited the washroom, and the place was quiet. Is he gone?

I went to the living room to check. That was when I realized that he was truly gone, and I jumped in excitement.

Unfortunately, my stomach grumbled at that moment. It had been a while since anyone stayed there, so there was no food.

I truly regretted skipping lunch at that moment. My terrible mood had killed my appetite, so I didn't have anything for lunch. Hence, it had been a whole day since I last ate, and I was famished.

I made my way back to the bedroom to force myself to sleep. Only then would I be able to ignore the hunger in me.

There was actually a restaurant nearby, but I was too lazy to head over.

I kept resting on my bed, but I found myself wide awake as my hunger became worse and worse.

I sighed in exasperation and tossed and turned on the bed.

That was when I heard the door unlocking. Anxiety filled me once more. Has Michael returned?

I exited the bedroom, and as suspected, I saw him there with some takeaway supper.

My stomach growled in protest as soon as my eyes saw the food Michael was holding. At that moment, I felt so embarrassed that I could die.

He calmly shot a look at me when he saw me standing by the door. “Come and eat up before you go to bed.”

Since he extended the invitation, there was no reason for me to hold back. I jogged over.

There was no need to be courteous to him. After all, he had done heinous things to me over the past few days, so he was lucky the only thing he had to pay for was a meal.

The meal was meant to be supper, but it was more scrumptious than I expected. I guessed I was too hungry because I ended up eating more than he did.

Michael's eyes shone with a strange glow when he saw how I had finished my supper that quickly. Perhaps he never expected me to be that much of a glutton.

I shifted my gaze shyly when I sensed his gaze on me. It was too embarrassing to look into his eyes at that moment. It was culturally inappropriate for a woman to chow down like that in front of a man, after all.

“I'm full, so I'll head back to my room now.”

After saying all that, I rushed back into the bedroom and closed the door.

An emotion too complex for words crept up on me as I rested on that bed and in that familiar room.

I closed my eyes to force myself to go to sleep, but my mind kept thinking about Michael. That frustrated me so much that I buried my head under the blanket.

I didn't know when he entered the room, but he mercilessly pulled the blanket off my head. His beautiful brows were crumpled up to form a frown on his head.

“Are you trying to suffocate yourself?”

“I can sleep however I like, and it's none of your business.”

All I could think about was him, and it felt as though the more I wanted to keep him out of my mind, the more he showed up. That frustrated me even more.

“Did you just say that it is none of my business? Anna Garcia, you truly have become gutsier and gutsier. Why do you keep talking to me in that tone?”

Perhaps my tone really was too harsh, because he was getting angry as well.

“I've always been that gutsy. Haven't you always known that?”

I glared over angrily because it felt as though he was just there to pick a fight.

After I returned to the country, the two of us began arguing every time we saw each other.

“I guess you still need more training. I've been too nice to you lately, and your temper is getting out of control. Things will be bad if you keep progressing this way.”

His stunning brows raised a little, and his tone was ambiguous.

Before I could react to anything, he took his shoes off and crawled onto the bed.

My heart thumped with fear when I saw him there, and I stared on nervously.

“W-What are you doing?”

When we were on the way over, that guy promised me that he would behave that night and would let me rest. Is he going to go back on his words now?

“What do you think I'm doing? You were gone for a year and returned much feistier. I guess I will have to spend a lot of time training you to be a sophisticated lady.”

His handsome face slowly got closer to me, and I could actually feel his warm breath on me when he said that last sentence.

My heart was thumping fast with anxiety burning. I wasn't sure what he was going to do because he made a promise earlier. That was why I was holding on to that shred of hope.

“I will never turn into a lady like that. If that is what you want, then you should go to someone else. Don't bother wasting your time on me.”

 

Chapter 455

It was rather insulting. He claimed he wanted to turn me into a sophisticated woman, and that was an indirect complaint about how I was uncouth. Oh, he might as well go to someone else. It's not like there was a shortage of women circling around him.

Men like Michael remained a desirable bachelor despite having been divorced before. Many young women would compete and fight each other to marry him. Hence, it should be an easy feat for him to find a beautiful woman who would obey his every word.

“I don't want anyone else. You're the only one for me.”

When Michael spoke, I could feel his lips brushing against my ear, and I could sense his every move. My heart jumped right away, and I pushed him away to remain vigilant.

He was so close to me, and his words were so suggestive that I would have to be an idiot to not know what he was thinking.

“What the hell, Michael? Have you forgotten your promise of not doing anything to me tonight? You won't break your promise, right?”

He made that promise when we were on the way over, so if he were to try anything, he would label himself a liar.

“I only agreed to back away because you said you were tired, but now I can tell you are brimming with energy. In that case, I should take the time to teach you a lesson about how to talk nicely to your lover.”

Michael raised his brows and grinned in the most devious way before he inched in closer.

I finally came around after hearing those words. It seemed he was definitely going to break that promise.

At first, I thought that he was a trustworthy man, so I trusted him. Looked like I made a grave mistake.

“Hey, you promised you won't do anything to me tonight. Are you going to go back on your words? You're the renowned Michael Shaw. Do you really want to be a dishonest man?”

I was staring nervously at him and was reminding him of his words.

I had always seen him as someone who kept his words, but at that moment, I couldn't help but wonder if that was truly the case. Are his hormones in overdrive? How can he think about something like that at a time like this?

“I changed my mind. Besides, have you forgotten what you said this morning? You made a promise, and you broke it when you spoke so icily to me. It's only natural that I teach you a lesson. I will honor my words so long as you honor yours.” It was rather insulting. He claimed he wanted to turn me into a sophisticated woman, and that was an indirect complaint about how I was uncouth. Oh, he might as well go to someone else. It's not like there was a shortage of women circling around him.

His words utterly disappointed me. In a way, he was blatantly admitting to being a liar, and I was infuriated. He was so despicably unreasonable and shameless.

He was the one who broke his promise, but he put all the blame and responsibility on me. Wow, is it

even possible to be even more shameless than that?

“Michael, you a*shole. You just promised me you'd be good!”

I was so angry that I was glaring at him and shouting at the top of my lungs. Fury burned in me, but I never got to say everything I wanted to say. He had already pushed me down and kissed my lips to shut me up.

Anger burned even wilder within me. I pushed as hard as I could, but it didn't matter. He was still as evil and as unrestrained as he had always been, and his lips remained stuck on mine. It didn't take long before I hear his breathing becoming uneven.

I pushed his hand away, but I ran out of energy soon. His hand kept circling around me to pique my interest.

I had always been angry at how helpless I was when he forced my hand. Despite that, I still couldn't resist his charms when he was right in front of me like this.

It didn't take long before I succumbed to his embrace. My mind was unwilling, but that didn't stop the night from turning... eventful.

At that moment, I felt as though I will never be free of that man's hold on me. All my struggles would bear no fruit, and I was destined to be under his spell.

Michael was nowhere to be seen when I woke up in the morning. I thought about how he had broken his promise last night, and anger flared up within me again.

I got up and changed my clothes. My initial intention was to leave right away, but when I went to the living room, I heard some noise from the kitchen.

I looked over and saw that he was preparing breakfast in the kitchen. Surprise filled every cell in my body because I had never seen him cook before.

Never in a million years would I have thought that he'd actually cook. He didn't seem like the kind of man who could cook, after all.

“Are you leaving?”

He noticed me at that moment and frowned a little when he shifted his gaze to me. His tone was rather calm when he spoke, though.

“Yeah, I am. I don't want to stay a second longer with a man who wouldn't keep his words.”

I had fallen into his embrace and caved when he caressed me last night, but it didn't change the fact that he forced my hand at the beginning. That was why I was pinning all the responsibility on him.

“Have some breakfast before you leave.”

He arched his brows. He didn't seem angry about my implicit diss. If anything, his gaze shone with amusement when he looked at me.

That stupid look he had on his face irritated me for some reason. I had reminded him multiple times of his broken promise, but he wasn't even a little troubled about it. Just how shameless can a person be?

“No, thank you. I want to leave right away. Every additional second with you is torturous.”

My tone was icy when I said those words, and I turned around immediately after to leave.

“You're still using that tone with me after all that? Was the lesson from last night not good enough? Shall I repeat the lesson again right now?”

His tone was nonchalant when he uttered those words, but it was clear he was threatening me.

I know what his so-called lesson was. He was upset with my tone last night, and that was why he did all that to me... again.

At that moment, he was threatening me again. My heart burned with anger and absolutely nothing else. Despite my emotion, my mind kept reminding me to be wary of his threat.

I ended up standing there and scowling in the worst possible way. What the f*ck do I have to do to get this man to back off?

“When will enough be enough, Michael? I've already accepted your terms, and you've already had your fun yesterday, so what else do you want?”

His continuous threat was too much, and I was running out of patience. Even a rabbit would bite when it was cornered, and I was an adult with perfectly functional arms and legs.

“Come here and have your breakfast!”

Michael frowned. After saying all that, he ignored me completely and placed the breakfast he made on

the table.

At that moment, all I wanted was to leave, but I had to walk over and sit obediently in front of him due to his threat.

I didn't have any appetite, but the breakfast he made was undeniably delicious. That surprised me because he had always acted like a germaphobe and never stepped foot in the kitchen. Huh, I didn't realize he can cook. This really is out of my expectation.

 

Chapter 456

“You are not allowed to speak to me in that tone again. If you do, I will punish you every day.”

He ate his breakfast gracefully and had a stoic expression on his handsome face, but his words were driving me insane.

“Aren't you asking too much? You know how I feel about... “

I glared at him and spoke up to reject his proposal, but he cut my words short.

“I don't care if you see me as an enemy or a competitor. As far as I am concerned, you are my lover, and I am yours.”

His voice was serious and domineering. When he said those words, my heart jumped uncontrollably for a moment there. There was a moment when I was touched.

I knew there was no point in arguing with him because I would just end up in a worse position than I already was. Hence, I pretended to be okay with it. “Fine, I'll do my best to keep things that way. All I ask is that you stop crossing the line and do the unspeakable. If you do, I won't be able to contain my fury.”

There were some things I could withstand, but if he were to force me to do the dirty every day... Yeah, that is definitely not something I am okay with.

“That would depend on your performance. If you keep behaving that way, I might have to teach you that lesson a couple of times a day. That is why you should consider being nicer to me. It'll benefit you after all.”

His expression remained unreadable, but his smirk was brimming with confidence. That showed me I was truly at a disadvantage. He knew what I was most worried about, and he was going to keep threatening me with it.

Anger was building inside me, but I couldn't vent them out on him, so I kept eating to control my emotions.

That was when a glass of milk showed up beside me. Michael smiled at me and sweetly said, “You're eating so much so quickly. Aren't you worried about choking?”

I was fine until he mentioned it. Suddenly, I didn't know how to chew anymore, and I ended up choking. I kept tapping my chest and was having an especially hard time.

My best guess was that he saw something off with the way I acted, and that frightened him as well. He hurried over to me and patted my back while feeding me that glass of milk.

I couldn't be bothered to fight him at the time, so I quickly accepted that milk and drank as much as I could. Soon, the milk washed the food down my throat, and I was finally fine. “You are not allowed to speak to me in that tone again. If you do, I will punish you every day.”

“I told you to slow down, didn't I?” scolded Michael.

His tone carried a hint of concern when he saw how much I was suffering, and it was as though he actually cared about me.

“This isn't all on me. I wouldn't be in this shape if you hadn't been so shameless and evil toward me.”

He was the reason I was in that state, so I was angry at him for putting the blame on me. Seriously, can he not sympathize at all?

“Okay, okay, it's all my fault. Satisfied?”

His lips curved into an exasperated grin, and he said those words in the most loving tone.

He didn't badger me even after breakfast and took me back to my apartment right away. I changed my clothes before heading to my workplace. That was when I realized everyone was staring strangely at me.

When I walked past them, however, I sensed them gossiping behind my back. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I could more or less guess the topic was about what happened yesterday. They were probably talking about why I got into Michael's car.

The two companies were fighting like cats and dogs at that moment, and I had publicly gotten into Michael's car. It would be a miracle if no one gossiped. There is a good chance everyone thinks I am siding with Michael and will betray our company.

I didn't really care about what they thought because I had never done any of the things they thought I did. My firm belief was that the truth would always prevail.

As soon as I sat down, my secretary opened the door and informed me that there will be a meeting in ten minutes.

I murmured an affirmative reply without thinking too much.

When I made my way into the conference room, I saw that the company's directors were already there. They turned their attention to me as soon as I showed up.

I didn't know why, but a sense of danger and uncertainty crept up on me. Nicholas was frowning just as much as the rest of them when he stared at me, and his eyes shone with worry.

I had a bad feeling about that. The company rarely had that many directors present for a single meeting, and the way everyone was staring was hostile. That made me think that the meeting was hosted just for me.

I sat in my seat and tilted my head down a little to act calm.

The ambiance in the conference room was eerily serious. No one spoke, so it was pin-drop silence there.

“Ms. Garcia, someone saw you getting together with Mr. Shaw from Joyful Success yesterday. May I know what the two of you did last night and what your relationship with him is?”

One of the directors finally spoke up, and his eyes shone with suspicion when he spoke in a tone that suggested he was interrogating me.

The bad feeling I sensed earlier, and the way I was being interrogated... With all those clues, I would have to be an idiot to not know what the meeting was about.

The meeting was only held because I got into the car with Michael last night, and the directors

suspected that I was a corporate spy.

“My relationship with Michael is personal, so I'm not in an excellent position to answer that question.”

I remained calm and spoke in an even tone when I faced the directors.

My relationship with Michael and what we did last night were both personal matters, so there was no need for me to share that with the directors. I had the right to protect my privacy.

Unfortunately, my response upset the director.

“What kind of response is that, Ms. Garcia? You should know that Joyful Success is our main competitor, and you are one of our company's top managers! Don't you think you have the obligation to explain the situation and tell us what you did with Michael Shaw after you clock off yesterday?”

One director was especially angry when he glared at me with rage burning in his eyes.

It would be a miracle if I wasn't mad about their interrogation. I might not have been working there for a long time, but I have never made a mistake before, nor have I ever caused the company to incur any loss. They have no right to suspect me like that.

“I know what everyone is worried about. You're all wondering if there is anything between Michael and me and if I would do something to hurt the company if we were a couple. Your concern is understandable, but I promise you this: Michael and I have never talked about our jobs when we are together. I won't cause any trouble for the company, and I pray that you will trust me.”

I was looking right at the directors when I stood up and said those words as sincerely as I could.

 

Chapter 457

Those people kept mum after I blurted out those words. They looked at me as if they were trying to figure out if I had told them the truth.

“Ms. Garcia, if there's nothing between you and Michael, you don't have to hide what you two said or did last night. We can only trust you if you tell us everything. We acknowledge and appreciate your capabilities, but we can't keep a suspicious person around in the organization no matter how competent you are.”

The director made it clear that I must come clean and explain to them what had happened between Michael and me last night. Otherwise, they would kick me out of the company.

The ego in me would not allow them to threaten us like this.

Frustration kicked in, and I retaliated. “I understand what you want from me, but I don't think I need to report my personal affairs to everyone here. If all of you still don't believe what I've said, I'll leave the company right now!”

Without hesitation, I took down the employee tag and placed it on the desk. Why should I work for a company that doesn't even believe me?

All the directors' expressions changed as they were taken aback by my move. I bet they thought I would succumb to their threats and tell them everything that had happened between Michael and me.

Nicholas. who had been a silent observer all this while, immediately stepped in and said, “Anna, what are you doing? The directors are only doing this because they care for the company. We don't want you to quit. We just want an explanation from you.”

Nicholas then gestured for me to take back the employee tag.

I knew he meant well and didn't want me to leave the company. But I just left the tag on the desk as it was.

“I have nothing to say anymore. They would have believed in me if they wanted to. I can explain myself from A to Z, but they would still be suspicious of me. This is because they never had faith in me in the first place.”

Deep in my heart, I knew they would still doubt me even if I told them what I did or said to Michael last night.

Does my explanation still matter? I don't think so. So why should I waste my time and energy defending myself? Those people kept mum after I blurted out those words. They looked at me as if they were trying to figure out if I had told them the truth.

“Please watch your attitude, Ms. Garcia. We purposely came to the office early this morning for the matter involving you and Michael. We're only doing this because the company thinks highly of you. How could you simply threaten us with your resignation? How irresponsible!”

Another director shot daggers at me as he expressed his dismay.

“Think highly of me? If that's true, all of you wouldn't have suspected my relationship with Michael. How do you expect me to work in peace if I don't gain trust from the people in this company?”

Think highly of me? What a joke! Right now, I could only see suspicious looks on all their faces.

“That's enough, Anna!”

Nicholas could not help but knit his brows. Immediately after, he tried his best to explain to the directors.

“Anna must have encountered a lot of problems lately. Please don't take her attitude to heart. I don't know what her relationship with Michael is, but trust me, she wouldn't do anything that would undermine the company's interests. Don't forget that Anna was the one who helped the company win the recent project!”

To be honest, I had no intentions of leaving the company, but I just couldn't take it when they kept doubting me. Do they think I'd betray the company just because I got into Michael's car?

The board of directors finally calmed down and stopped bombarding me with questions after listening to Nicholas. After all, they still had to respect Nicholas even though they were clearly unhappy with me.

“Mr. Garcia, since Mr. Cadman has given us his assurance, we'll trust you this time. But as the senior management of this company, we hope you could watch your attitude!” One of the directors raised his voice after a long pause.

I looked at them with a deadpan expression, but a flame of anger was already burning inside me. They're the ones who stirred up this unnecessary trouble, yet they still have the audacity to blame me?

After the other directors looked at me expressionlessly, they walked away, leaving Nicholas and me in

the meeting room.

I suppressed my anger and picked up the employee tag. Just when I was about to leave, Nicholas questioned me, “Why didn't you explain to the directors?”

Hearing that, I stopped in my tracks and turned around to look at him. “What is there to explain? Their worry is unfounded. Besides, I've sworn that I'd not betray the company, yet no one believes me.”

“Why should I work with people who don't have faith in me?” I continued icily and gave him a stare.

“You mean you were really planning to resign just now? It's just a small matter. Why would you let that get to you?” Nicholas' frown deepened at the realization, and I could sense the anger in his voice.

“With my capabilities, I wouldn't have a problem getting good offers from other companies. Besides, I'm only using Nifty Group to achieve my goal just like how they use me to bring in business. Now that the trust is broken, why should I stay?”

Ever since I started working for this company, I had remained loyal to the organization. All I ever wanted was to use this platform to improve my capabilities.

Having sensed that I was determined to quit, Nicholas walked up to me and tried to defuse the tension. “I know you're still mad, but the directors' concerns are not unfounded either. Don't you forget, Michael is in control of all the businesses in Avenport. In other words, sourcing partners to strengthen our business basically means stealing his resources. Do you know how difficult it is for us to do that under his watchful eyes? So you can't blame the directors for being overly sensitive.”

“I don't want to talk about it anymore. I want to get back to work now. I can let it go this time, but this

doesn't mean I'd do the same if they play the blame game again. And if it happens in the future, I wouldn't hesitate to leave the company even if you beg me to stay!”

I might hold a senior position in the company, but I was nothing more than a money-making tool. I absolutely hated this kind of feeling. More importantly, I had my boundaries too.

 

Chapter 458

Instead of wasting time arguing with Nicholas, I left the meeting room.

At this point, I was no longer in the mood to work anymore, so I left the office and called Natalie to accompany me to a bar.

Natalie, who was still at work, immediately applied for emergency leave and came over after she learned that I was not in a good mood. That's what close friends are for.

In no time, we arrived at a bar nearby. I didn't usually like coming to this kind of place, but today, I just wanted to have a drink.

As Natalie and I sat by the counter, the deafening music in the bar caused my head to spin. After a few drinks, I started to feel a little dizzy.

“What's wrong with you today, Anna? Did you have a fight with Michael?”

Natalie expressed her concerns when she noticed that I was drowning myself in sorrow.

“Nope.”

“Then why do you look so upset? Is there anything else bothering you besides Michael?” Natalie knitted her brows and gave me a confused look.

With that, I told her everything, including how the directors suspected me and everything else that had happened at the office today.

Natalie, too, couldn't contain her anger upon hearing my story. “What the hell? What's wrong with those people? You worked hard for them, yet they doubted you like this?”

“It's all business. They don't care how much effort we put in to help the company make money.”

I responded with a wry smile. How can I not be disappointed with Nifty Group?

Have they ever thought of the projects I'd secured for the company when I was overseas in the past year? Yet, they questioned me as if I were a criminal.

“They're just a bunch of hypocrites! Anna, you should just leave the company! You're just going to make Michael your enemy if you continue to work for them. I'm sure your relationship with him would improve if you quit the job. Don't you think so?” Natalie inched closer and looked at me in anticipation. Instead of wasting time arguing with Nicholas, I left the meeting room.

Natalie had always been wanting me to get back with Michael. She could tell that I had not forgotten about the man and was still in love with him.

But I could only respond with a wry smile. I might still have feelings for him, but our relationship would never be the same again.

“Michael and I can only be enemies for life, and nothing's gonna change that. I know what you're thinking, but you should stop wasting your time. There's no future between Michael and me.”

Natalie's intention was clear. I knew she wanted me to reunite with the man I loved, but there was already a barrier between us that was stopping us from getting back together.

“How do you know that? No one knows what the future holds. Perhaps, you might end up being happier with him,” Natalie pouted and disagreed with what I said.

“That's enough. Don't try to complicate the matter for me anymore. And can you please stop mentioning Michael's name? I don't want to hear it.” It annoyed me whenever Natalie brought him up in our conversation.

It was all Michael's fault that I was in this hot soup. If only I could kill him to vent my frustration!

At that thought, I raised another glass of wine and gulped it down. I just wanted to drink my worries away.

“Slow down, Anna. You'll get drunk!” Looking at how tipsy I had become, Natalie instantly grabbed the glass from me.

At that point, I was already drunk as I could feel my head spinning nonstop.

When I was about to snatch the wine glass back from her, my vision turned blurry, and everything around me seemed to be shaking.

Suddenly, two young men walked in our direction and stood before us. “Hey, what's up. Can we buy you two beauties a drink?”

One of them kept ogling us, and they couldn't keep their eyes away from our breasts.

I knitted my brows as my frustration kicked in. What do these young boys think they're doing?

But I didn't take it out on the guys since I wasn't in a mood to entertain them, so I merely looked away and gave them the cold shoulder.

Natalie, on the other hand, got a little agitated. “Scram. We don't have time to entertain young boys!”

She was someone who was not afraid of speaking her mind, so she didn't show the boys any mercy.

These two men might look young, but they seemed like troublemakers. Upon hearing what Natalie said, one of them got up to Natalie and wrapped his hand around her shoulder while the other person walked up to me and ogled me.

“Young boys? Are you afraid that I can't satisfy you? Why don't we get a room so that you can check out the size of my junk?” The man who wrapped his hand around Natalie's shoulder smirked.

Has he no shame?

A line formed between my brows as I couldn't take it anymore. Natalie pushed the man aside and warned him, “I said scram! I'll beat you up if you dare to touch me again!”

She stood up and bellowed at the guy, but I knew she was a timid person who was only good at giving empty threats.

“Wow, f*ck. What a fierce b*tch. Of all the women I hooked up with, I've never met someone like you. I guess I gotta show you who's the boss here!”

The young man shot daggers at Natalie as he felt offended.

“Shouldn't you boys be studying at home? Do your family members know you little boys are acting like hooligans in the bar? Your parents would beat you to death if they find out you're flirting with women here!”

I got up from my seat, feeling a little wobbly from all the drinks I had earlier. These two boys were at most eighteen years old, yet they were stirring up trouble at the bar, so I couldn't just sit there and do nothing anymore.

Chapter 459

Perhaps because they had never encountered women like Natalie and me in a pub before, the expressions of the two guys darkened at once.

Just then, the guy who was hugging me spoke, “We shall let the two of you discipline us tonight then. We love mature women. Not only are you nice to touch, but you are also more experienced. Let's go now. I'm so excited that I can't wait any longer.”

After he finished speaking, the boy grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the pub. Meanwhile, the guy next to Natalie also started being touchy.

As I had consumed alcohol, I was feeling weak. Even though I felt annoyed and tried to push the boy who was pulling me away, my footsteps were unstable, and my body wobbled unsteadily.

Although Natalie was a tough woman, she was still a woman after all, and it was definitely no simple feat for her to struggle free from the guy who was in control. In an instant, we had landed ourselves in an extremely unfavorable situation.

There were many other people in the pub, but no one tried to help us, probably because such situations commonly occurred in bars.

Natalie and I were dragged out of the pub seconds later. Even though we were both struggling hard, our efforts were futile. To make matters worse, passersby did not attempt to interfere as well.

Right then, those two guys flagged down a cab that stopped in front of us. Natalie was shoved into the cab first before the guy behind me tried to push me in as well. Although I was not clear-headed at that moment, I still knew very well what would happen if they took us away.

Hence, I grabbed onto the car door handle and resisted with all my might, knowing that as long as I entered the car, both Natalie and I would be screwed tonight.

“Get in now!” the guy behind me urged.

He was getting impatient and pushed me forcefully.

Right after he finished speaking, suddenly, I could no longer feel his hands on me. Moments later, I heard an agonized shriek coming from him.

Feeling puzzled, I turned around and saw that the boy had already collapsed to the ground, being beaten to a pulp. Meanwhile, Michael was looking down at him coldly as rage churned inside him.

“How dare you touch my woman? You must be sick of living!” Michael stepped toward that man and roared.

“F*ck! Who the hell is this bast*rd? You're just asking for trouble!” the other guy cursed after seeing his friend being beaten up.

He charged toward Michael at once and swung a punch at him. However, Michael managed to dodge his fist effortlessly. Perhaps because they had never encountered women like Natalie and me in a pub before, the expressions of the two guys darkened at once.

He then caught the boy's wrist and twisted it hard. The next moment, a cry of anguish ripped from the

guy's throat.

Natalie took the chance to make her way toward me. By then, I was already much awake.

Both of us were extremely relieved at Michael's timely arrival. He had arrived at the perfect moment indeed.

Looking at Michael's figure, I started to suspect that I could be hallucinating and that my eyes were playing tricks on me. Why would he be here?

However, the two young men who got taught a lesson by Michael were not about to take it lying down. They stood up from the ground and charged toward Michael together. Nevertheless, Michael gave the two guys another beating after being momentarily stunned. Just seconds later, those two guys were howling in pain on the ground once again.

“This should teach you guys a lesson. That's what you get for touching my woman!”

Michael was boiling with anger as he stood in front of the two youths, overlooking them. After all, he was a very possessive man. It was obvious what would have happened to Natalie and me if those two guys had taken us away. Michael definitely knew it, too. Otherwise, he would not have been so furious.

“We're sorry! We won't do it again! Please have mercy on us!”

Knowing that they were not Michael's match and that they should not mess with the man, the two guys immediately stood up and apologized profusely.

“Anna, Michael was really cool just now! If only Yuval was half as cool as him.”

Natalie grabbed my arm and looked at Michael with a smitten expression.

As I had witnessed Michael in a fight previously, I was not feeling too impressed. Besides, all I could think of at that moment was sleep.

With that, I leaned on Natalie's shoulder and closed my eyes.

When I woke up, I was already in the house at Birchwood. I looked at the familiar surroundings and massaged my temples. As I had drunk too much and too quickly last night, I was having a bad hangover.

“You're finally awake. I was expecting you to sleep through the entire day.”

Just then, Michael's voice rang out. He was speaking in a rather cold tone and seemed like he was in a bad mood.

When I looked toward where the sound was coming from, I saw the man sitting on a chair beside the window. He was wearing a white shirt and had his legs crossed as he fixed his gaze on me.

“I... Why am I here?”

I had no recollection at all of how I ended up in the house. At that moment, even though I was already awake, I was still feeling unwell, and my brain felt foggy.

“Have you forgotten what happened last night?” Michael stood up and strode toward me. I could tell that he was trying to tamp down his irritation.

When I saw his expression, I started to panic and looked at him with caution as I tried to recall the previous night's events that were surfacing in bits and pieces. Right then, I remembered that Michael suddenly appeared and saved us when those two guys were trying to take Natalie and me away.

“Thanks for last night.”

Despite my feelings toward him, I was still grateful to him for saving Natalie and me the night before. I was, in fact, very touched by what he did.

“Anna, it has only been one year since we last met, but it seems like you've gotten much bolder. Not only that, but you've also become really wild, huh? You even went to the pub with your friend so late at night. Do you even know what kind of people hang around there?” Michael said as he inched closer to me.

From the fire burning in his eyes, I was certain that he was about to explode with rage at any moment.

“T-That didn't cross my mind. We just wanted to go there and relax. I never expected such a thing to happen,” I explained softly.

As I met his intimidating gaze, I lowered my head with guilt at once.

Actually, I did have some regrets over what happened last night. I had never expected that something like that would happen during our first visit to a pub. I had also almost gotten Natalie into trouble. If something bad really happened to her, I would never forgive myself.

“Will you still dare to go to such places next time?” the man asked coldly, in a threatening tone.

“No. That would be the last time,” I answered without hesitation.

After all, those places were not for me. Even if Michael gave me permission to go again, I would not do it. Those dodgy places were simply too dangerous and risky to be at. Last night only happened as I was in a horrible mood and was not thinking straight.

I had learned my lesson after what had happened and would never set foot in places like that ever again.

“That's more like it. Just wait and see how I would deal with you if you dare to go to such shady places again next time!”

After Michael said that, he sat down beside me and passed me a bowl of hangover soup.

Chapter 460

“Drink it up!” Michael ordered domineeringly.

When I saw the black liquid in the bowl, I frowned in distaste.

“What's this?” I looked at the man and asked doubtfully, suspecting that it could be poison.

“Hangover soup,” he snapped at me.

Although he was still glaring at me angrily, he did not vent his frustrations on me. I guess it could be because I had displayed a good attitude and appeared to be truly repentant regarding what had happened the previous night.

“Are you sure this is hangover soup and not poison?” Not quite believing it, I looked at the bowl of soup in Michael's hands and asked again.

As it was my first time seeing hangover soup that was black, I had my reservations about drinking it.

“Anna, are you drinking this or not?”

Michael asked in displeasure right after I finished speaking, a deep crease appearing between his brows. Judging by his grim expression, I was quite sure he had heard the aversion in my voice.

His tone was rather threatening. However, not only did the soup look unappealing, but it had a strange smell as well. As such, I really did not feel like drinking it.

“Do I have a choice?” I asked softly, looking up at him while blinking innocently several times.

“What do you think?”

That was definitely a rhetorical question, and his stance was clear. There was simply no room for negotiation.

“I'm already completely sober. I don't think I need to drink this. Really!” I insisted resolutely, looking into his eyes.

Michael merely looked at me without replying. The next second, he took a big gulp of the hangover soup.

I could hardly believe that he had drunk it himself and gaped at him in shock, wondering if he had done that in order not to waste it. However, I dismissed that possibility immediately.

Just when I was still trying to figure out the reason he did that, Michael cupped the back of my head with his hand suddenly and pressed his lips to mine.

With his lips against mine, I could feel myself having difficulty breathing. As such, I opened my mouth instinctively to take in some air. However, once I did that, I felt a stream of bitter liquid entering my mouth.

It turned out that Michael did not swallow the hangover soup earlier on as he had intended to feed it to me in this manner.

That taste made me nauseous at once, and I wanted to spit it out. However, as if the man could read

my thoughts, he continued forcing his lips against mine. That way, if I wanted to breathe, I would have no choice but to swallow the soup. As such, that was what I ended up doing. “Drink it up!” Michael ordered domineeringly.

When I saw the black liquid in the bowl, I frowned in distaste.

After everything went down my throat, Michael finally let me go, and I took in big gulps of air immediately. When I thought about that ridiculous method he used to make me drink the hangover soup, I had to admit that it stirred up some feelings in my heart although it was rather annoying.

“Michael, that's so gross!” I whined while glaring at him with a frown. However, I was not really displeased with him.

“So are you going to drink the rest of it yourself, or do you want me to continue feeding you?”

The man gave me the two options while looking at me nonchalantly. That meant I had no choice but to finish up that black hangover soup.

“I'll finish it myself!”

Knowing that that was my only option, I took over the bowl from his hands and inhaled deeply before holding my breath, gulping down the soup.

After finishing the soup in one gulp, I placed the empty bowl on the bedside table. Michael took a glance at the bowl, and the corners of his lips curled up into a faint smile.

“I like it when you're so obedient,” he said placidly.

He seemed to be in a much better mood after I compromised.

“Oh, by the way, how is Natalie? She was with me at the pub last night.”

I suddenly realized that I did not know what happened to Natalie last night. As I was drunk when the incident occurred, I could not seem to recall anything.

“She's fine. I called Yuval to pick her up,” Michael shot a glance at me and answered flatly.

I heaved a sigh of relief after knowing that Yuval had gone to fetch her. I was just glad that Natalie was safe.

It was I who insisted that Natalie accompany me to the pub to drink the previous night, and I could not help but feel guilty for what had happened. I had an urge to give her a call, but I had no guts to do it.

“So tell me, why did you suddenly visit a pub last night?”

Just then, Michael spoke again in a stern tone. He had sat down across from me and was staring into my eyes.

“I was in a bad mood.”

“Why?” he continued asking.

I frowned in frustration, not wanting to answer his question because I was pretty sure that if I told him the reason, it would definitely lead to an argument between us, and I really did not want to quarrel with

him again.

“You haven't answered me yet!” Michael pressed on, his brows tightly knitted.

Initially, I wasn't intending to say anything. However, faced with his interrogation, my temper sparked.

Meeting his gaze, I snapped, “It's all because of you! Because of you, the board of directors is pushing for my dismissal. Are you happy now?”

My irritation flared as I recalled what had happened at the meeting the previous morning. Everyone was bombarding me with questions regarding the relationship between Michael and me.

I thought that Michael would be delighted to hear that because right from the start, he had been creating trouble for me deliberately. Otherwise, he wouldn't have used my phone to call Nicholas. As such, my current situation was probably what he had been hoping for.

“What's the reason they were doing that?” The man frowned as his expression turned cold.

It seemed like he was not as happy as I had imagined him to be.

“Because they saw me getting into your car, and they were worried that I might sell the company out. If you didn't appear at my company and force me to get into your car, none of this would have happened!”

I could feel my anger mounting as I thought about Michael being the reason those people were picking on me. I had not done anything wrong, yet everyone was suspecting me.

“So that's it?” Michael asked placidly after hearing my explanation.

“Of course! What else could it be? They would never have doubted me if you didn't show up in front of me every day!” I stared at the man coldly and questioned him in return.

“If they are suspecting you just because you got into my car, it's not a company that you should be working for anyway. You can come and work for my company. I'll let you choose any position you want. If you like, you can even be the CEO, not to mention just a department director. How does that sound?” Michael spoke seriously with a twinkle in his eye.

I was rather shocked at his response. In fact, I was not even sure if he was being serious or just joking. After all, he just gave me a choice to be the CEO of his company, which sounded like a joke to me.

The CEO was the highest-ranking person in the company. Since Joyful Success belonged to the Shaw family, it would be equivalent to giving Joyful Success to me if he let me be the CEO of his company.

“Your joke isn't funny at all!”