Ch. 101..110

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 101

She’s No Match for You

“Grandpa’s health has been deteriorating for the past two years. It’s really strenuous for him to be on long flights, so he told me to come on behalf of him instead,” Alexander replied.

“Oh no, that old man should take care of his health! It’s fine if he can’t make it; at least he still remembers that he has an old friend like me.” Linus urged Alexander to go into the living room as they continued their conversation. As Linus glanced at the young man before him, he gradually softened his gaze as he thought, This young man is pretty decent.

“Since you came all the way here, you should stay for dinner tonight. You can always leave tomorrow,” Linus offered.

Alexander didn’t have the heart to reject Linus’s warm hospitality, so he agreed to stay. “I’ll have to take up your offer,” he uttered.

Linus immediately got the maids to prepare dinner. “Miss Joy is back, and Helen has already told us to prepare dinner,” the maid replied. Linus was pleased to hear this. “Joy’s back? That’s great.”

Alexander didn’t show much of a response after hearing about Joy, but Linus then patted him on the shoulder. “I need to introduce you to a new friend tonight. She’s the owner of this manor.” He turned to call the maid once more. “Where did Miss Joy go?”

The maid answered honestly, “Miss Joy said that the lavender fields blossomed really well this time around, so she brought Prince out to play with her kite there.”

Linus chuckled upon hearing this. “The older Joy gets, the more playful she is.” Alexander felt rather curious about Joy when he noticed how fond Linus seemed of her.

Soon enough, it was time for dinner. The maid knocked on Elise’s door. “It’s time for dinner, Miss Joy.” Elise quickly found an excuse for herself. “I’m still jet lagged, so I think I’ll skip dinner today.”

The maid was troubled by her response. “But… Mr. Linus insisted that you come down for dinner.”

Frustrated, Elise pulled her blanket over her head before she threw it off and sat upright. The more I try to avoid this, the more it happens. I might as well just face my fears. With that thought, Elise prepared to get out of bed. At that moment, Helen pushed the door open and entered the room. “Miss Elise!”

Elise’s gaze shot up to look at Helen, and Helen immediately realized her mistake. “Miss Joy! It’s time for dinner. I got the maid to prepare your favorite dishes.”

Elise slipped her arm into Helen’s as she spoke. “Is the man from Athesea still here?”

“He’s Linus’s guest who came a long way, so Linus made him stay for a day or two. What is it? Do you know him, Miss Joy?” Helen asked after explaining the situation.

Elise instinctively shook her head to deny it. “No, I don’t know him.” When Elise appeared in the dining hall, her eyes landed on Alexander instantly. As they exchanged glances, Elise gave him a smile without looking away. She considered it her form of greeting to him. Elise had sharp and delicate features, and her dimples showed as she spread her red lips into a smile. Her distinct aura made her appear prettier and more elegant than ever.

“You’re finally back, Joy.” Linus welcomed her. She stuck her tongue out playfully. “I specially came back because I missed you guys so much, Linus.”

Linus let out a hearty laugh. “You’re so good at sweet-talking, you little brat. Let me introduce you to my friend’s grandson. This is Alexander Griffith.” He quickly turned to introduce Elise to Alexander. “This is my niece, Joy Sinclair.”

Elise stuck her hand out to greet Alexander. “It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Griffith.”

Alexander shook her hand. The familiar feeling that Alexander had was intensified the moment their palms touched. He stared at the girl in front of him, and he was quickly reminded of Elise. It wasn’t the first time he had felt that way. However, he knew that the girl before him wasn’t Elise—it was impossible.

“Hello, Miss Sinclair! It’s nice to meet you.” Alexander’s deep and husky voice was unique and seductive. However, Elise merely smiled at him before taking her seat.

She had to sit through the whole dinner, and when dinner was finally over, Elise decided to bring Prince out for a walk to digest all the food she ate. However, Linus stopped her before she could make a move. “Hey, Joy. I heard that there’ll be fireworks at the manor tonight. Why don’t you help me bring Alexander over to watch the fireworks? You young people have more to talk about, anyway.”

Elise rejected the idea before even thinking about it. “I’m bringing Prince out for a walk, so I don’t think I can show Mr. Griffith around.”

Linus stubbornly insisted on his suggestion. “Well, you can definitely bring Prince for a walk. I’m old, and my body’s weak, so I need to rest earlier. Furthermore, it’s better for both of you young people to stay together than for him to hang out with an old man like me.”

She was about to say something else when she met gazes with Alexander. “Do you not want to bring me around for a walk, Miss Sinclair?” Alexander asked with his eyes fixed on her. She no longer had the energy to reject him after that. Instead, she simply led Alexander out of the castle with Prince’s leash in one hand. The two of them walked side by side with a dog tagging along beside them. Their dark figures under the dim lights made them seem especially close to each other.

“You remind me a lot of a friend, Miss Sinclair.” Alexander started the conversation, and Elise felt her heart skip a beat immediately. However, she couldn’t stop herself from responding. “Is that so? Perhaps it’s just a coincidence. Your friend must be pretty decent…” Elise uttered in a playful tone as she subconsciously stole a glance at him.

He curled his lips into a smirk. “She is pretty decent. She’s kind and hardworking. Whenever I’m with her, she’s always busy with her math questions. She even got a perfect score for some national mathematical competition…”

Elise would have never imagined Alexander to describe her in that way. She let out a soft chuckle, but it didn’t seem to conceal the awkwardness she felt at that moment. “She does sound like a really outstanding person.”

Alexander was stunned for a moment. He hadn’t been thinking too much when he was speaking earlier, but he then realized that his description of Elise was full of praise. I never knew that my impression of Elise was that good.

“Yeah, she is! You guys look really similar. I nearly thought that both of you were the same person when I first met you,” he uttered. Upon hearing this, Elise felt her heart pounding against her ribcage. She forced herself to contain her emotions as she put on a calm act. “If you weren’t Alexander, I would’ve thought that you were just using these words in an attempt to flirt with me,” she uttered.

A sense of confusion emerged in Alexander after he heard her words. He turned to give her a questioning look. I’ve only met her today, yet I feel like I’ve known her for a long while. “You’re extremely beautiful, Miss Sinclair. She’s no match for you.”

Upon finishing his words, Alexander couldn’t help but recall Elise’s face in his mind. At that moment, he no longer thought that Elise was an ugly girl. She might dress in a rather old-fashioned manner, but she’s not ugly at all.

After pausing for a while, Alexander continued to speak. “It’s also such a coincidence that both of you share the same surname. If we get a chance to meet again in the future, I should introduce you to her.”

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 102

Favorite to Win

Elise felt herself getting anxious, so she quickly changed their topic of conversation. “Linus mentioned that there’ll be fireworks tonight. Let me bring you over to watch them.”

Alexander nodded and followed behind her as she led him onto a tiny pathway. After walking along the pathway for a while, they heard noises coming from above them. Right after that, a spark of fire shot up into the sky before erupting with a loud bang. It spread out across the sky like a large flower blooming above them. Elise couldn’t help but exclaim when she saw the fireworks. “It’s so beautiful!”

He turned to look up at the sky. “Fireworks may be pretty, but they only last for a short moment. Yet, it only takes the fireworks one short moment to flaunt the most beautiful side of itself.” The fireworks continued shooting up into the sky, with one bang quickly following the other. There were all sorts of different-colored fireworks that painted the night skies.

Once the fireworks ended, the sky returned to its usual, quiet self. “It’s getting late. Let’s go back,” Elise suggested. Alexander looked away from the skies and checked the time. “Let’s go! We should get some rest.”

After they got back to the castle, Elise parted ways with Alexander and headed back to her room. The maid showed Alexander to the guest room.

The next morning, Elise woke up to find out that Alexander had left early in the morning. She was rather disappointed when she first heard the news from her maid, but she quickly recollected herself. “What about Helen? Where is she?” Elise asked.

The maid responded in a polite tone, “Helen’s harvesting some grapes in the orchard. The grapes are all ripening now, so Helen thought that it’d be a good idea to bring some back to make wine.”

Elise’s eyes lit up when she heard this. “I’ll go and help her!” She then hurried off to the orchard to find everyone busy harvesting grapes. She grabbed a basket for herself before going over to help them out. “These grapes look great, Helen.”

Helen beamed when she saw the younger girl. “Don’t bother, Miss Elise. Let me do the work.”

Of course, Elise didn’t obey Helen’s orders. “It’s fine. Let me help you.” Helen no longer stopped Elise after she saw how determined Elise was to help her. Both of them got their own scissors, and they started harvesting the grapes. “That guy, Mr. Griffith, who came yesterday… He seems pretty decent! He looks like a noble, dignified and handsome man. I think he’s not bad!” Helen commented as they worked.

“He is pretty decent.” Elise agreed after hearing Helen’s praise for Alexander.

Helen turned to look at Elise then. “You’re getting close to the age for marriage, Miss Elise. Perhaps you should start making some plans.”

Elise was rather embarrassed to talk about this. “What are you saying, Helen? I’m still young!”

Helen couldn’t help but giggle when she saw the bashful look on Elise’s face. “I think you should try dating. However, it’s hard for someone as perfect as you to find a man who matches your standards, Miss Elise. Only someone as handsome and outstanding as Mr. Griffith could be a good match.”

Elise quickly held her hand up. “You can talk about me all you wish, but don’t drag him into this, Helen.”

“I was just making an offhand comment. But I do think he’s a decent guy, Miss Elise,” Helen uttered. Elise eyed the woman speechlessly. It looks like I’m never going to hear the end of this.

“Regardless, I think you should bring a guy home the next time you’re here, Miss Elise.” This time, Helen spoke in a firm and serious manner while she stroked Elise’s hair. The older woman’s eyes were filled with anticipation.

Elise understood Helen’s intentions, so she quickly comforted and reassured her. “Okay! Don’t worry, Helen. I’ll make sure to bring a boyfriend over the next time I’m here.”

Helen spread her lips into a pleasant grin when she heard Elise’s words. “We’ll be waiting for your good news, then.” After harvesting the grapes, the maids brought all of the baskets into the manor.

“I’m leaving tomorrow, Helen. I don’t know when I’ll be coming back again,” Elise uttered. Helen had a smile on her face before that, but the smile faded once she heard Elise. “You just came back! Are you leaving already? Can’t you stay for a few more days?”

Elise gave Helen an apologetic look. “I have other matters to handle here this time, so I can’t stay for long. When I come back next round, I’ll make sure to spend more time with both you and Linus.”

Helen’s spirits were utterly dampened at that point, and she turned to address Elise in a gloomy voice. “Miss Elise, this manor belongs to you, and Linus and I are merely here to care for it temporarily. You’ll have to take over someday.”

Elise wrapped an arm around Helen’s shoulder. “I know, I know. I’m thankful for all the help you and Linus have given me. I’m afraid I’ll have to continue troubling you guys for a while.” Helen knew that she didn’t have the power to stop Elise from leaving, so she no longer said anything else.

The next morning, Elise left the manor. Jamie was already at the location of the international race, and Elise had to make her way there.

…

The annual French Grand Prix was about to begin. This was a widely anticipated race by racers all over the world, and it was one of the largest races in the industry. Each racer represented their own country, and most of the winners of this international race often shot to fame once they won a title. They would become famous on a global scale.

The international race was held in a stadium in Paris that could fit up to 50,000 people. All of the spectators were from different countries, but they all had one thing in common—their love for race cars.

Elise and Jamie brought their tickets to the entrance. They both had tickets for Zone A, and Jamie quickly called for Elise once he found nice spots. “Over here, Boss!” Both of them sat close to each other as the rest of the spectators swarmed into the stadium. Soon enough, all the seats around them were taken. The large stadium was extremely packed and lively.

“Today’s just the preliminary round, Boss. The seeded player that we had our eyes on—the one from Germany—will be here today. However, I heard that there’s also a racer from Cittadel who registered this year. Apparently, his skills aren’t that great, and he might not even get past the preliminaries,” Jamie said.

Elise pressed her lips together. “Don’t worry. The competitors from Cittadel usually only reveal their full potential at the end. Who knows what will happen? Let’s just watch the race.” The race officially began at 7.00PM. The theme song of the race played through the speakers, and the crowd cheered excitedly when they heard the song. Elise felt as if their excitement was contagious—a smile formed on her face as she watched the crowd.

She had enjoyed racing ever since she was young, and she loved speeding. Back then, she somehow got the opportunity to register for an international competition while she was a transfer student in France. However, she hadn’t expected herself to perform so well—she won first place that year. Yet, the rules in her school prohibited her from joining racing activities. After they threatened to expel her, she no longer joined any public racing competitions. At most, she would have some friendly matches with her peers.

“Woah! Number 7 is doing well! I knew he was good!” Jamie cried excitedly. Number 7 was the seeded player that Jamie had been doing his research on. After the first group completed their races, Number 7 was announced as the first place.

“Boss, I think he’s going to win the championship! Even if he doesn’t, I’m sure he’ll get top 3,” Jamie cried.

Elise didn’t agree to this. “It’s too early for you to jump to conclusions. This is just the first group of racers—there are others who haven’t gotten to race yet. I have a feeling that this is going to be an interesting match.”

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 103

Why is He Always Losing?

At the same time, Alexander was backstage at the same race. He was cheering on one of the contestants that day. “You’ve been training for two years now; it’s about time you evaluate yourself with this race. Good luck! I’m looking forward to your performance.”

The other man gave him a firm nod. “Don’t worry, Young Master Alex. I will do my best!” The person was none other than Wilson DeMarco, the only representative of Cittadel that day! Alexander had spent large amounts of money to develop Wilson as a racer.

“Wilson DeMarco from the fourth group, please get ready!” Wilson stood up once he heard his name being announced. After bidding goodbye to Alexander, he prepared to step onto the tracks. Alexander didn’t stay after that—he headed to his seats in Zone A after checking his tickets. However, the moment he sat down, he saw a familiar figure sitting just three rows in front of him. Joy? That’s odd. I didn’t expect to bump into her here. He smirked without thinking much about the encounter. Instead, he put all of his focus on the race.

“Let’s go, Number 6! You’re the only representative of Cittadel!” Jamie cried at the top of his lungs. His words caught Alexander’s attention, and Alexander was shocked when he saw Jamie. What a small world! But why would Jamie and Joy be together? It doesn’t really make sense for them to interact with one another—one lives in France while the other lives in Athesea. Judging by the way they are interacting now, it seems like they’re pretty close. It doesn’t look like they just met each other here.

Alexander shifted his gaze away. Am I overthinking this? Something feels weird!

Elise beamed when she saw Wilson. “This participant seems pretty good. I think he might be a favorite to win.” Jamie didn’t agree at all. “Wilson’s a new face in this scene, Boss. Furthermore, he’s not from one of the nearby countries. I think it’s unlikely for him to be a favorite.” Most of the locals here held prejudices toward people from faraway countries like Cittadel. In fact, that was one of the reasons Elise nearly lost her title as the champion back then.

“We’ll find out soon.” Elise understood the rules of the race, but she genuinely thought that Wilson seemed like a promising racer. Her predictions were right—Wilson won first place within his group of racers.

“I think he has great potential,” Elise uttered in a serious tone. Jamie sighed once more. “Boss, although you’re my boss, let’s agree to disagree this time. I still think Z from Germany has better skills. I have more faith in him.”

Elise chuckled in response. “Why don’t we bet on this, Jamie?”

A bad feeling emerged in Jamie’s chest immediately as he had never once won a bet against Elise. “What are we betting on, Boss?”

“Since we’re here at the race, let’s bet on the person we think will be the champion.” Elise laughed.

“Please spare me, Boss! I’ve known you for so long, yet I’ve never won a single bet against you. You’re going to take my entire fortune if we continue betting! Please show me some kindness and spare me for once,” Jamie pleaded.

His playful words made Elise burst out laughing. “Okay! Fine! You look so pitiful when you talk that way. Let’s just place a small bet this time. Let’s bet on a fancy meal.”

Jamie was relieved to hear that they would only be betting on a meal and nothing more. “A fancy meal it is. Are you betting on Wilson, Boss?”

“Yes!” Elise replied. “I’ll bet on Z, then! Regardless of who loses today, we can’t go back on our promises, okay?” Once they made the deal, both of them shifted their focus back to the race. At that moment, Elise felt someone tapping on her shoulder. She turned around to find Alexander staring directly at her. She was so shocked that her eyeballs nearly popped out of her sockets. “M-Mr. Griffith! What are you doing here?”

Alexander stared at her and Jamie for a while. Jamie was shocked by Alexander’s glare. “What a coincidence! I didn’t expect to see you here, Miss Sinclair.” He then turned to Jamie. “Are you here to watch the competition too, Mr. Keller?”

It took all of Jamie’s brain juice for him to generate possible stories to ensure that Elise’s identity wouldn’t be exposed. “I happened to drop by for business, and I came over to watch this race because I heard about it.” Jamie tried to keep his distance from Elise as he spoke.

However, Alexander had already seen them interacting in a close manner previously. Why are they pretending as if they don’t know each other now? How odd! He couldn’t help but recall how Jamie and Elise used to spend time together in the Griffith Residence. Images of the past were juxtaposed with scenes of the present, although Alexander didn’t know what made him connect the two to each other.

“Do you guys know each other, Miss Sinclair?” Alexander asked. Elise immediately felt a chilly breeze from behind her. However, she didn’t seem like she had anything to hide. “I got a seat next to Mr. Keller, and he happens to be from Cittadel as well. That’s why I spoke to him. I guess you could say that we know each other!” Her narrative was flawless!

If it were any other day, Alexander might have bought her story. However, there had been too many coincidences at that point—something told him that the situation wasn’t as simple as it appeared to be. His gut feeling told him that Jamie and Elise knew each other, but he didn’t expose them. “I didn’t expect a wealthy woman like you to enjoy watching races, Miss Sinclair. You’ve surprised me,” Alexander said instead.

Elise had a response prepared for this. “It’s just an interest. I can’t say that I’m a diehard fan of this sport. What about you, Mr. Griffith? Did you come to France just for this competition?”

“That’s exactly right,” Alexander muttered. Elise was about to say something else, but the next race had already begun, so she shifted her focus onto the tracks while Alexander returned to his seat.

“What is he doing here, Boss?” Jamie whispered. Elise sat straight and maintained her posture as she hissed in Jamie’s direction. “Shut up and watch the show. You’ll have to buy me a meal if you lose.” Only then did Jamie focus on the game with his mouth sealed.

By the time the race was over, Alexander was long gone. Elise stole a few glances at the seats behind her, and she assumed that Alexander had left when she couldn’t see him anywhere.

Jamie dragged his feet gloomily. “Didn’t everyone say that Z was a favorite to win? He isn’t even that great. I can’t believe he only got third place in the preliminaries. I don’t think he’s going to be the champion,” Jamie uttered dejectedly before turning to Elise. “What sort of superpowers do you have, Boss? How on earth did you recognize the potential in Wilson? His skills are much more refined than the rest of the competitors. If everything goes right, he might just be the champion this year.”

After Jamie finished his long speech, he realized that he would have to buy Elise a meal. That made him feel even worse. Why am I always losing?

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 104

I’ve Fallen for Alexander

“I’m not too sure about him getting first place, but I dare say that he’ll be in the top three.” After Elise provided her solid opinion on the matter, both of them walked toward the exit with Elise leading the way. As they were heading out, Elise noticed something from the corner of her eye. She saw Alexander standing beside Wilson, and she was immediately intrigued. “Hey, Jamie. I need to use the washroom. Why don’t you wait for me outside?”

Jamie didn’t seem to suspect anything. “Go ahead, then. I’ll wait for you at the exit.”

After that, Elise made her way toward the washroom with her gaze still fixed upon Alexander. She ended up hiding in a corner where she could hear Alexander’s voice. “You did pretty well today. You just need to be a little more stable.”

“My condition is much better today, and it’s all thanks to your advice, Mr. Griffith. I’ll do my very best for the finals tomorrow,” Wilson replied in a humble tone.

Alexander patted him on the shoulder. “Go get some rest.” Once their conversation was over, Wilson walked off. Elise seemed to have understood something after hearing their exchange. Could Wilson be under Alexander? Does that mean that Alexander has been secretly training a racecar driver to participate in this international event? Elise figured that it was something that Alexander would do—she could tell that Alexander was a fan of racing, after all.

Elise had no intention to stay any longer, so she walked toward another exit to leave the stadium. However, she had only taken a few steps when she saw Alexander walking toward her. They came face to face with each other, and Elise greeted him since she had no reason to avoid him. “Hello, Mr. Griffith. What a coincidence! We meet again.”

This time, Alexander took a long, thoughtful glance at the woman before his eyes. I just realized something. Joy gives me a strong sense of familiarity because she gives off an aura that’s similar to Elise’s. Furthermore, Joy’s jet-black eyes remind me of Sare! Joy is like a combination of Elise and Sare! This realization came as a shock to Alexander. “Are you heading back now, Miss Sinclair?”

Elise nodded. “The event is over for today, after all. I’ll be here to watch the finals tomorrow.”

He nodded in agreement. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then!”

“See you!” She waved. Their shoulders brushed past each other as they both headed in different directions. Once Elise got to the exit, she looked around for Jamie, but before she could find him, she heard the sound of a gunshot coming from inside the stadium! The gunshot was followed by a series of screams, and the crowd descended into havoc as everyone charged frantically toward the exit.

Elise was dumbfounded. Why would there be the sound of a gunshot at a place like this? Alexander’s still in there! Upon that thought, she no longer cared about anything else. She went against the flow of the crowd as she ran into the stadium. Tons of people bumped into her yet it didn’t seem to slow her down, and she continued running into the stadium. Suddenly, she tripped on something and flew forward to crash directly onto the ground. “Ouch…” She cried out in pain when someone accidentally stepped on her.

Right after that, she hastily scrambled to her feet. However, people continued to bump into her as they rushed out of the stadium. She was nearly shoved against the wall when a large hand reached out and held onto her waist. Both of their bodies struck the wall, but Alexander blocked the impact by holding her close to his body. “Are you okay, Miss Sinclair?”

He had just walked out of the stadium, but he happened to see Elise falling onto the ground. He initially figured that he would mind his own business, but he had second thoughts after he recalled that Joy was his grandfather’s friend’s niece. He thought that it’d be rude of him if he were to walk off without offering help, so he hurried over to her.

Meanwhile, Elise felt her heart racing as she stared at the man right in front of her eyes. All the subconscious worries that lingered in her mind seemed to have been resolved at that very moment. I think I’ve fallen for Alexander. As much as I don’t want to admit this, it seems to be the truth! I wouldn’t have run in to look for him in such a dangerous situation if I didn’t like him! Once she realized her feelings for him, she instinctively pushed him away. “I’m fine!”

Right after she finished speaking, the sound of a gunshot came from behind them. The crowd seemed to panic even more after hearing the second gunshot, and they all charged toward the exit. Alexander did the same thing—he grabbed Elise’s arm and ran without any hesitation.

She followed the crowd, and it felt like they had run for ages before they finally came to a halt. “I can’t… I can’t run anymore…” she uttered between breaths.

Alexander looked at her before looking around him. “I think we should be safe here!”

Elise’s legs turned to jelly after she heard his words. Her adrenaline was what kept her going for so long. “Thank you for what you did earlier,” she said in a sincere manner. However, Alexander didn’t seem to pay much attention to her words. “I wonder what happened. It’s legal to own guns in France, but I don’t think it’s safe to come here anymore. You shouldn’t watch the competition tomorrow. Let me send you back to the manor.”

Elise immediately rejected his offer. “No, it’s fine. I don’t want to go back yet.”

He raised an eyebrow as he gazed at Elise with a look of surprise. “For the sake of your safety, I don’t think you should come again tomorrow. It’s just a competition, after all. You can watch it next year if you miss it this year. There’s always a next time.”

Elise nodded. “I got it. Thank you, Mr. Griffith.” She looked away from him after that. Ever since she realized her true feelings for him, she felt especially nervous about spending time with him when it was just the two of them. Something struck her at that moment, and she quickly reached into her pocket to pull her phone out before giving Jamie a call.

However, Jamie didn’t pick his phone up after it rang for a long while. She knitted her brows as she started to feel worried. “Is something the matter?” Alexander asked.

Elise parted her lips to speak, but she bit her tongue at the very last second. Alexander noticed that she seemed rather hesitant. “It’s fine if you don’t want to tell me about it,” he offered.

Elise hadn’t intended to tell him about her concern, but she figured that she had to do it for the sake of Jamie’s safety. “Jamie is still somewhere in there. I can’t contact him.”

Alexander quickly understood her concerns after he heard what she said, but he didn’t do much apart from offering some words of comfort. “He’s a grown man, so he should be fine. Don’t worry. You can try calling him after a while. If you still can’t contact him, I’ll walk around to look for him with you.”

She nodded before making a few more calls to Jamie. After a few consecutive calls, Jamie finally picked the phone up. “Where are you, Boss? Are you okay? Something happened in the stadium, and I’ve been trying to look for you. Where did you go?”

Upon hearing Jamie’s flustered voice, Elise felt a surge of relief in her chest. “I’m fine. I managed to run out of the stadium. Don’t worry.”

A long sigh came from the other end of the line. “Where are you? Should I come over to meet you now?” Elise looked around her and gave him some directions before she ended the call.

As Alexander watched her talk on the phone, he realized how she sounded like a girlfriend who was caring for her boyfriend. Could Joy be Jamie’s girlfriend?

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 105

You Never Choose to Believe Me

Alexander naturally believed that his assumption was correct since it seemed to make sense.

“I’m fine now, Mr. Griffith. My friend is coming in a while,” Elise uttered.

He nodded. “If that’s the case, I’ll leave after your friend gets here,” he offered. Elise didn’t reject him, so they both stood by the side of the road as they waited for Jamie. Neither one of them spoke to each other, but complicated emotions continued to surface in Elise’s heart. She glanced up at the sky above her as she curled her lips into a pleasant smile.

From the start, Elise had intended to travel to France to relax and seek some answers of her own. Right then, she felt like she had finally gotten a clear answer for herself. I guess this trip wasn’t a waste after all.

Jamie rushed over to them. “You scared me to death, Boss.” After he finished his sentence, he noticed how Alexander was standing right beside Elise. He instinctively clamped a hand over his mouth.

Elise understood the reason for Jamie’s actions, so she quickly reassured him. “It’s fine. Mr. Griffith knows that we’re friends.” It took Jamie a while to process the situation before he nodded. He no longer asked any questions.

When Alexander noticed that Jamie had arrived, he announced his departure. “I’ll head back now, Miss Sinclair. It can get rather dangerous on the streets of France, so you should watch out for your own safety.” He left after finishing his words.

The moment Alexander left, Jamie tugged on Elise’s shirt as he questioned her. “What’s up with you and Alexander, Boss? Aren’t you afraid that he might learn about your true identity?”

Elise shrugged. “Hey, Jamie. Can you help me book tickets to return to the country? I’ll head home tomorrow morning.”

Jamie was shocked to hear this. “Are you leaving before the race is over, Boss?”

She nodded in response. “I don’t think there’s anything else that interests me in the race. You can watch it on my behalf. I’ve found the answer in my heart, and everything’s much clearer to me now. That’s why I know that it’s time to head home.”

Jamie had no idea what she meant, but he figured that it must be something too deep for him to comprehend. Although he didn’t know what was going on, he still had to follow his boss’s orders. He therefore booked the return flight tickets for Elise, and both of them returned to the country the next morning.

…

Once they landed in Athesea, the first thing that Elise did was to find a public bathroom, where she transformed herself back to how the usual Elise would look. She didn’t head back to Griffith Residence right after that and made a trip to school instead.

Since Elise’s academic results were decent, her teachers hadn’t asked much even though Elise had taken a few days off from her classes. When Elise arrived in class, Mikayla hastily clung onto Elise before she began to blabber all about school. “You’re finally back, Elise. You have no idea how bored I’ve been in the past few days. I don’t have a single person to talk to in class!” Mikayla couldn’t help but complain as she put on a pitiful look on her face. “Please bring me along when you leave for a holiday the next time, Elise.”

Elise ruffled the other girl’s hair. “Alright. You can come along the next time,” Elise replied with a laugh. Mikayla spread into a wide grin upon hearing this. “By the way, Elise, did you know that my husband’s releasing a new song? He just posted an announcement on Twitter this afternoon.”

Elise was rather confused. “Your husband is…?”

“Jack, of course! Who else?” Mikayla hastily explained herself, and Elise nodded understandingly after hearing her explanation. “Did he announce the album and song title?” Elise asked casually.

“He didn’t say anything. However, he mentioned that he’s trying something new with this song and that it will sound extremely different from his previous style. He created a brand-new track! I’m more and more impressed by my husband each day. Hey, Elise, why don’t you help me ask my husband out for a date someday? I can buy him lunch.”

Elise didn’t see a reason to reject Mikayla’s request. “Sure. I’ll help you pass the message to him.”

Upon hearing Elise’s words, Mikayla looked as if she were about to erupt with joy. “You’re the best, Elise!”

Elise curled her lips into a grin—Mikayla’s happiness was too contagious to be ignored. That afternoon, the two of them walked out of school after classes were over. Elise waved Mikayla goodbye as they parted ways, and she watched Mikayla disappearing into the distance before she made her way toward Griffith Residence. However, Noel snuck up from behind Elise right after Mikayla left.

“You were the one who wrote Jack’s new song, right, Elise?” Noel started off with a question once he appeared in front of Elise. His tone was flat and calm—it didn’t reveal a hint of emotion. He stared deep into Elise’s eyes as if he’d be able to get an answer from them. He knew that his guess had been right when he saw Elise remaining silent for a while.

The general style of Jack’s new song was familiar to Noel. Even the way the lyrics were written reminded Noel of Elise’s style. Anyone who knew her well enough would only take a few seconds to recognize her writing.

“Didn’t you say that you’d stop writing music? What made you change your mind this time?” Noel asked.

Elise hadn’t expected Noel to find out about the truth so quickly. Regardless, she had already predicted such a thing to happen eventually, so she didn’t bother to come up with any excuses. “I wasn’t the one who created this track. I simply made a few changes to it. It was no big deal.”

“But the style of this music is way too distinct. Aren’t you worried that the news might get out, H?”

Elise responded with a smile that didn’t seem to reach her eyes. “One way or another, I’ve decided not to pursue a career in this field. I’m only doing this to help a friend out.”

As Noel glanced at the girl in front of him, he realized how she seemed different from the girl in his memory. “If that’s the case, then why didn’t you give me this opportunity instead?”

Elise held her arms open as she explained herself clearly. “Look, I’m sorry, Noel! All of this was a coincidence. Whatever happened in the past still feels fresh to me today, and I don’t think I’m able to repackage myself into a brand new person under the public’s eye. This is the only time I’m breaking my promise. I won’t do this again in the future…”

Noel frowned a little. “H, I know that you suffered a great deal after that event. However, the public needs to hear the truth about that incident. I trust that you’d never do such a thing, but…”

As Noel continued speaking, Elise finally interrupted him. “Look, Noel. You claim that you trust me, but your trust is dependent on other factors, too, right? We’re teammates, but you’ve never shown your trust in me. You’ve never chosen to believe my words over hers in the past.”

A rather bashful look appeared on Noel’s face when he realized that he had been exposed. He parted his lips to speak, but no words came out.

“If we can’t be teammates, then we shouldn’t be friends either, Noel. You can stop looking for me in the future.” With that said, Elise made a move to leave. However, Noel quickly held onto her arm. “Charlene didn’t do it on purpose, H. She has been talking about you a lot—she really wants to return to the days of glory that she had shared with you.”

Elise scoffed as she shrugged his arm off. “I’m sorry, but I have no interest in doing such a thing.” Right after that, Elise strode off and left Noel standing on his own. He watched her back as she hurried off.

Elise took a long, deep breath as she walked. Her emotions were no longer as intense as they had been three years ago, and she finally felt like she was able to accept the past incidents she had gone through. She no longer felt trapped by those issues. Even Noel’s sudden mention of Charlene’s name felt like nothing more than a gust of wind that vanished as quickly as it appeared.

Elise didn’t know how long she had been walking on the sidewalk when she heard a loud horn beside her. She instinctively glanced up to see an MPV parked by the side of the road in front of her. The car window came down before a man stuck his head out. “What are you doing here all alone, Elise?” It was Jack.

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 106

You’d Never Find Someone as Good

Elise was rather stunned to see Jack there. “I’m heading home,” she explained.

“Let me send you back, then,” Jack offered. He hastily opened the car door, and Elise got into the car. Only then did she realize that Alexander was also sitting in the MPV. Despite the sense of awkwardness that she felt, Elise took the initiative to greet him. “I didn’t know you were here!”

Alexander was flipping through some documents, and he merely responded with a curt nod. Jack was the one who explained the situation. “I went to pick Alexander up from the airport earlier, and I happened to bump into you here. But you don’t seem to be in a good mood. You look really sad.”

“Since when did you learn to care about others? You’ve never treated me this way in the past!” Elise teased him.

Jack shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “You should learn to appreciate my kindness toward you, Elise. I’m just caring for you as a friend. Furthermore, you used to be so ugly, old-fashioned and noisy. Now, you’re just as ugly and old-fashioned, but I’ve finally realized that you’re a pretty decent person.”

This sounded better to Elise’s ears. “Thanks! My good friend told me that you’re releasing a new song soon. Congratulations.”

The smile on Jack’s face widened upon the mention of his new song. He seemed especially excited even at the thought of it. “Thank you! You should come over to hang out during the press conference for the new song.”

Elise rejected him immediately. “No thanks. I’m afraid your fans might murder me. However, my friend is a pretty huge fan of yours. If you have tickets, can you give me two of them so that I can give it to her? She’ll be really pleased.”

Jack wasn’t a stingy man and he immediately got his manager, Ronald, to hand him two tickets. “It’s next Wednesday. Make sure your friend shows up then!”

“Thank you,” Elise uttered as she took the tickets from him.

Jack raised an eyebrow before he smiled. “You’re welcome.”

Right then, Ronald spoke up from his spot in the passenger’s seat. “Hey, Jack. Charlene just reposted your tweet. Do you want to respond to her?”

“She can repost whatever she wishes to. It’s none of my business. I can’t be bothered to respond,” he uttered flatly. Ronald was rather troubled by his response. “She used to be one of the most well-known singers. In some ways, she’s your senior. You should show her some respect,” Ronald urged.

However, Jack continued to speak with the same nonchalant attitude. “She got rich off of one song. Apart from that, she just tries to hop onto all of the trendiest things in the industry. If I respond to her now, the media will start writing reports about our scandal tomorrow. I don’t want to have anything to do with her.”

After wiping the sweat off his forehead, Ronald decided he would no longer insist on responding to Charlene. “Fine. Let’s just ignore her, then.” As the two men had their conversation, they didn’t realize the grim look on Elise’s face. It was the second time that she had overheard Charlene’s name that day.

It’s been a while, Charlene.

Jack dropped Elise and Alexander at Griffith Residence. Once they arrived home, they were greeted by an overly-excited Jonah. “Did you get to meet my old friend, Alexander? How is he?”

“Mr. Burton is well and healthy. He kept asking for you, and he really hopes that you’ll get a chance to visit him in Provence,” Alexander replied.

Jonah let out a longing sigh upon hearing his grandson’s words. “That old man still thinks about me, huh? Well, I don’t know if I’ll be able to see him again with this weak body of mine.”

“What are you talking about, Grandpa? You’re so healthy—I’m sure you can live to see yourself turning 100 years old,” Elise uttered sincerely. Alexander added, “That’s right, Grandpa. I can go over with you next time.”

Jonah took a glance at Elise and Alexander before he let out another long sigh. “I’m old now, Alexander. There’re a lot of things that I want to do, but so many things that I don’t have the energy to complete. You’re getting pretty old too—it’s about time you started your own family.”

Alexander showed great resistance toward the topic of marriage. “I have my own opinions and plans for this, Grandpa. Don’t you worry,” he muttered with a frown. Jonah had no idea what was going on in Alexander’s mind. “You should focus on your future, Alexander. Let the past be the past. You need to learn to cherish those who are right in front of your eyes!”

However, Alexander didn’t seem to get the underlying meaning behind his grandfather’s words. “I got it,” he uttered simply. Elise, on the other hand, seemed to notice something. After their conversation, she excused herself and returned to her room. I can’t believe I’ve been here for six months already. Now, I might miss this place too much if I were to leave.

…

Once Alexander and Elise retreated to their own rooms, Jonah picked the phone up to make an international call. “Both the kids are home, Linus.”

“That’s great. I had been worried about them, but I’m glad to hear that they both got home. By the way, your grandson seems like a decent guy. I think he’d be a good match for my girl.”

Jonah was pleased to hear this, and he laughed heartily before responding. “I’ve told you about this before—I’m certain that I want Elise as my daughter-in-law. It’s just a matter of time before this happens.”

“You’re a cunning old man, eh? Well, just to make things clear, I’ll never let Alexander go if he dares to mistreat my Elise, okay?”

Jonah nodded in agreement. “You don’t need to do it on your own. If that brat ever wrongs my precious Elise, I’ll give him a good spanking.”

Linus seemed pleased to hear this. “You’d better stick to your word, old man.” Midway through their conversation, Jonah began to frown as he recalled his concerns. “Hey, Linus. Since we’re on this topic, I just realized that both the kids hasn’t shown much progress despite our huge efforts to bring them together. You used to be a pro in relationships—you were practically undefeated when it came to girls! Do you have any tricks on how to bring them together?”

Linus chuckled upon hearing Jonah’s words. “I can’t believe you’re asking me for help, old man.”

Jonah had to maintain his pride. “I’m not asking for help. I’m just telling you to act as the middleman who creates sparks between them.”

Linus scoffed. “You’re so harsh with your words. Back when I was young, I…” Linus was about to continue when Helen entered the room. He had no choice but to swallow his words and return to his cowardly self. “Okay. Teenagers mingle around better with one another, so we should get them to do that. We old men shouldn’t butt in. However, you should get your grandson to feel a sense of urgency. My precious Elise is a really wonderful woman—you’d never find someone as good if you let her go.”

After finishing his words, Linus ended the call, leaving Jonah with the beeping sound of the dial tone. Jonah was determined. It seems like I have to work harder to bring the two of them together. I’ll start getting worried if their relationship doesn’t go anywhere soon! Immediately after that, Jonah came up with a plan. He called the housekeeper to come over, and they both whispered into each other’s ears for a while.

At the same time, Matthew, who had been standing by the corner of the stairs, overheard all of their conversations. His face darkened. So, Grandpa had plans of matchmaking Alexander and Elise all along. That way, he’d be able to transfer the Griffith Family’s shares to her. Yet, I’ve been making an issue about Elise. My plans have gone wrong this time around.

Matthew clutched his fists silently. If Grandpa never had any plans for me to begin with, then what’s the purpose of me staying in this household? After all, I’m nothing but an illegitimate son to these people. A malicious smirk formed on Matthew’s face as his gaze darkened.

The next day, Elise handed the tickets that she had gotten from Jack to Mikayla once she arrived at school. “Here you go. Tickets to your husband’s press conference for his new song.”

Mikayla’s eyes lit up immediately. “Oh my gosh! I love you, Elise! I queued on his official website for hours last night, but I still didn’t manage to buy the tickets in the end. I was so close to buying it at a higher price. I can’t believe you got tickets for me!”

“Jack gave them to me,” Elise uttered without bothering to conceal the truth.

Mikayla was even more excited upon hearing this. “Are you serious? Did my husband give them to you? He’s so kind! He gave me tickets because he knew I couldn’t get them!” Upon finishing her words, Mikayla gave the tickets a huge and wet kiss.

Elise shook her head helplessly, then shifted her gaze back to her question paper. Ever since Samantha got into the production team and Riley stopped coming for classes, Elise was able to place all of her focus on her studies. She was enjoying her school life.

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 107

The Griffith Group Split-Up

On the day of Jack’s press conference for his new song, Mikayla successfully dragged Elise over to the event. Jack’s new song was to be released at 2.00PM, but the entire hall was already filled with people at 12.00. Most of the people were Jack’s fans from all over the country. With the tickets in her hand, Mikayla led Elise to the entrance. Jack’s tickets were front-row spots, and Mikayla was extremely excited when she found out that she was seated in the second row. “I’m so close to my husband. I’ll get to see him in close proximity later!”

Elise wasn’t interested in the entire event, so she simply pulled her phone out. At that moment, she saw a local news article that was recommended to her. She didn’t pay much attention to it at first, but when she saw that the title of the article had the words ‘Griffith Group’, she looked at it for a second time before tapping on it.

The article’s title read, ‘The Griffith Group Split-Up—Have all of the core technical staff left the company?’ A bad feeling emerged in Elise’s chest when she saw the article, and the look on her face only turned grimmer as she continued to scroll down with one finger on her screen.

At the very same time, reporters were huddled right outside Griffith Group, and all of them had their eyes fixed on the main entrance. They were afraid that they’d miss out on the exclusive news and events. Soon enough, a bunch of people walked out with Matthew leading the pack. The reporters immediately charged toward them. “Young Master Matthew, is your announcement true? Are you really cutting all ties with Griffith Group? Are you going to go independent and leave the Griffith Family completely?” one asked.

“Young Master Matthew, you’re taking away all of the core technical staff of Griffith Group, and you’ll cause Griffith Group a major loss. Do you feel like this is rather immoral of you?” another asked.

“Griffith Group is a large family, and you’re one of them. Yet, you seem to be attempting to destroy the harmony of the family—could you be facing your own struggles that you’re hiding from the public? Please answer our questions, Young Master Matthew.”

…

The reporters bombarded him with questions, and Matthew simply turned to the camera before curling his lips into a sinister smirk. “I think everything that happened between the Griffith Family needs to come to an end today. Today, I am officially leaving the Griffith Group and its Board of Directors. I’ll no longer play a role in this company. Aside from that, Global Trading Co. will also have its official opening today! From today onward, I hope to learn as much as I can from everyone.”

After he finished speaking, Matthew led the rest of his men as they sauntered out of the company. His actions were extremely bold, and the staff members of Griffith Group were all nervous because of the incident. Alexander watched the entire live stream from his office on the top floor, but his expression didn’t reveal any hint of emotion.

“Young Master Matthew has taken away all of the core members of our technical department and a few of the best workers in our sales department. Half of the core members of the other departments have left along with them. It looks like this was planned out all along,” Cameron hissed angrily. They had been vigilant toward Matthew all along, but they hadn’t expected Matthew to act so quickly.

“The staff members are panicking, Young Master Alex. I think you should make an announcement before things get out of hand,” Cameron continued. However, there was no anxiousness to be heard in Alexander’s voice. “There’s no big deal. I’ll just treat this as a purge for the company. I’d like to see how many secret traitors Matthew has planted in our company throughout these years. I want you to get a sum of all the people who have left each department. Once you’re done with that, you can promote our own people to take over the positions that are empty.”

“I got it, Young Master Alexander. I’ll do it now.” Cameron’s actions were quick, but he couldn’t do much to stop the news articles from trending. Furthermore, even the Griffith Group’s shares were impacted as they remained on a low for extended periods of time. When Jonah saw the news from his couch in Griffith Residence, he threw a massive tantrum.

“Go and get all of them back home now!” he howled.

The housekeeper quickly nodded before she made phone calls to contact all of the young masters. “Please come back now, Young Master Alexander! Your grandfather is throwing a huge tantrum—what Young Master Matthew did was too much.”

Alexander’s gaze darkened as he picked his car keys up and headed out of his office. “Try to calm Grandpa down. I’ll be there soon.”

After ending the call, Alexander took large strides to leave the company. To his surprise, he was surrounded by tons of reporters the moment he stepped out. No matter how much the reporters tried to question him, he kept his mouth sealed.

Thirty minutes later, all of the Griffith siblings—everyone except Jack—had arrived in Griffith Residence. Danny was the youngest child, and he had never been involved in matters related to the business. However, he could no longer remain in the background after Matthew did such an atrocious thing that impacted the entire family.

“Matthew’s too much, Grandpa. Who does he think we are? How could he do such a thing? Has he never considered the family’s well-being? Well, I guess he’s nothing more than an illegitimate child who’ll never be recognized as one of us—perhaps that explains it,” Danny uttered.

“Danny!” Brendan stopped his brother. “Your words are too harsh. We’re all brothers, after all.”

“But are we brothers to Matthew? If he genuinely sees us as his brothers, he wouldn’t do such a thing, would he?” Danny retorted. Brendan knitted his brows. “Regardless… Let’s wait for Alexander to come home.”

Danny’s blood was boiling, but he had no choice but to keep his mouth shut and bite his tongue for the time being. Pin-drop silence filled the living hall as no one else volunteered to speak after that. Soon enough, they heard the sound of a car pulling up in front of the house. Alexander had reached home, and everyone felt a surge of relief the moment he walked into the hall. He rushed directly to Jonah. “Grandpa!”

Jonah looked up to stare at him. “Were you aware of what Matthew was scheming?”

“It was too sudden. I hadn’t expected it,” Alexander replied.

“This incident has a really huge impact on the Griffith Family. What are you planning to do about this, Alexander?” Jonah asked.

“Don’t worry, Grandpa. Everything is under control. Furthermore, there are a few other things that I’d like to report to you personally, Grandpa.”

Once Alexander finished speaking, Brendan—the more mature sibling—dragged Danny out of the hall before Jonah said anything. Once the younger ones left, Alexander and Jonah were the only ones in the hall. Alexander didn’t say anything and simply pulled out two documents before handing them to Jonah. “I got someone to check on this, Grandpa.”

Jonah’s expression grew stern after he stared at the files for a short while. His heart was still pounding long after he skimmed through the papers. “Are you sure that he did all of this?”

Alexander pressed his lips together. “I had gotten someone to investigate this matter ever since I found an issue with my car during the race on the windy roads in the mountains. I found out that someone had done something to my car’s brake, and I continued tracking only to find out that it was Matthew who had done it. However, I had kept this a secret and never intended to release it to the public since I figured that he might have just made a small mistake. I thought I’d give him a second chance, but he’s getting worse than before.”

As he spoke, Alexander pulled out a different document. “I think you should prepare yourself mentally before reading this, Grandpa.” When Jonah saw the serious look on Alexander’s face, he knew that the documents were surely something of great importance. The old man took the file into his hands. This time, his face turned ghastly pale as he read the document. His grip tightened on the papers and he looked like he was about to be sick. “D-Did he do all of this as well?”

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 108

His Heart Melted

Alexander knew that it was cruel, but it was the truth! “Grandpa, you’ve taught us the importance of unity ever since we were young. Unity is what makes the family grow and flourish—I’ve always kept those words in my heart. However, this incident taught me a huge lesson, and it nearly ended the entire Griffith Group.”

Jonah’s breaths grew even more shallow as he listened to what Alexander had to say. With the swing of his hand, he sent the teacups on the table smashing onto the ground. Clink! Clang! The glass shattered on the floor. “Bstards! All of those bstards!” Jonah howled in anger.

Alexander hastily attempted to calm him down. “I only told you about this today to keep you updated on the situation, Grandpa. Right now, I already have plans to deal with this, and I hope you can trust me to follow through with my plan.”

Jonah understood what Alexander meant immediately. “I have no objections. He did such a terrible thing that even I wouldn’t allow him to get away with it. However, I have to remind you that he’s still your biological brother. Although you guys don’t share the same mother, you guys have the same blood coursing in your veins. You should know your limits—that’s the final piece of decency that we can extend to him.”

“I understand, Grandpa.”

Jonah sighed. “I’ve never had to worry about you ever since you were a child, Alexander. I trust you a lot, and I feel safe handing a company as large as Griffith Group to you. You can go ahead with your plan, and you can always let me know if there’s anything that you can’t handle.”

“Alright, Grandpa,” Alexander replied. Jonah seemed extremely drained at that point. “Okay, go on then! You should handle this matter now.”

Alexander excused himself, and Jonah was left alone in the large hall. He gazed up at the ceiling above his head as he sighed. “Karma is real!”

When Elise got back to Griffith Residence, she instantly sensed the distinct heaviness in the household. She bumped into Alexander, who was walking out as she entered the house. “How are things in the company now?” She was the first to initiate conversation.

Alexander gave her a look that calmed her down. “Don’t worry. Everything will be fine.”

“Do you need any help?” she asked.

He was about to reject her, but he surprised himself by nodding after he saw the anticipation in her eyes. Elise quickly followed him after seeing his response. Once they got in the car, Alexander handed her a stack of documents. “I need you to organize these documents. I’ll need it for a meeting today.”

Elise flipped the files open and began to go through them without asking much. She put her full focus on reading the documents, and she held a pen in her hand to highlight the parts that were important. Alexander felt rather glad to see her so focused.

“How are things at the company, Cameron?”

Cameron hesitated for a moment before speaking. “A few of our larger clients went off with Young Master Matthew, and they requested to terminate their contracts with us. Some of the workers in the company are still on the fence about leaving or staying, but I didn’t meddle with their business since you told me not to do anything.”

Alexander nodded. “Let’s prepare for the worst. I think our shares will crash tomorrow.” Cameron was shocked to hear this. Many of our business partners have terminated their contracts with Griffith Group. We are about to face one of the largest challenges ever. If the company fails to pull through, it might be destroyed by this incident.

“I want you to tell all the staff that they don’t need to work overtime tonight. Tell them to get off work on time!” Alexander ordered.

“I’m afraid that might be tough, President Griffith. If all of them end work on time, how is the company going to continue operating? Things will get really messy,” Cameron replied hastily.

However, Alexander seemed unfazed by his words. “We can think about that when the mess comes to us.” Cameron couldn’t tell what Alexander was trying to achieve, so he had no choice but to follow Alexander’s orders. “I got it, President Griffith. I’ll make the announcement now.”

As Elise organized the files, she went through all of the clients who were related to Griffith Group. Many of these companies of various sizes once had long-term contracts with Griffith Group, yet all of them were requesting to end the contract after the incident. Elise would never have believed such a thing to be true if she hadn’t seen the papers on her own.

A specific company caught her eye all of a sudden. The Keller Group? Isn’t that Jamie’s family business? Are they ending their contract with Griffith Group as well? Does Jamie know something about this?

Elise didn’t hesitate, not even for a second, to give Jamie a call. “Jamie!”

Jamie was in the midst of playing a video game, but he didn’t mind abandoning his teammates when he saw that the call was from Elise. “It’s so late, Boss. Are you calling me for something?”

She got straight to her point. “I have some questions for you.”

Jamie immediately understood her intentions after hearing her words. “You’re calling to ask about Griffith Group, right, Boss?”

When Elise confirmed his suspicions, Jamie looked around before getting up and walking to the balcony. “If you’re asking about this, I’d like to tell you that I wasn’t aware of it before this, Boss. However, my old man told us that the news cannot be leaked to the public. I’m only telling you about this because you’re my boss. Things aren’t as simple as they appear to be on the surface—Alexander isn’t just dealing with Matthew alone. I think it’s possible that Matthew’s act was just a distraction. I think the Griffith Family needs to be really alert. They shouldn’t ruin their sibling relations over such matters.”

Elise’s gaze darkened as a possibility surfaced in her mind. When she noticed that Jamie didn’t seem willing to share anything else, she no longer probed for more information. “Thank you, Jamie.” After ending the call, Elise organized the thoughts in her mind before coming to a conclusion. No matter what happens, I refuse to just stand around and watch when Griffith Group is in trouble. I can’t bear to watch the company falling apart.

The next day, Griffith Group’s stocks continued to stay low, and they crashed all the way down when the stock markets opened. Many of the shareholders had dumped their Griffith Group shares. Earlier that morning, many different companies had approached Griffith Group to end their contracts. When Elise arrived at the company, she could tell that the whole atmosphere was different from before. There were empty seats all around the area.

Her expression turned grim as she walked to Alexander’s room and knocked on his door.

“Come in,” the voice said from inside. Elise let herself in after hearing Alex’s voice.

“You’re here,” he commented after looking up and staring at her.

Elise watched the man before her eyes. He’s still as powerful and high-spirited as ever. Even during such a time, he isn’t panicking or losing his mind. His calmness makes me feel safe. “I’ve arranged all of the documents needed for the meeting. There are a few new client appointments and I’ve put them into your schedule too.”

“Thanks a lot,” he replied with a smile. She didn’t ask or say anything else, but merely gave him a smile before leaving the room.

Throughout the day, Elise was extremely busy as she took many matters into her hands. She was someone who had to ensure the quality of her work, and she quickly lost track of time as she was too immersed in her work. She didn’t stop to rest even after the sun went down.

It was nearly 11.00PM, and most of the other people in the company had left. The only room still well-lit was the office on the highest floor. When Alexander walked out of his office, he saw Elise with her head resting against the table as she took a nap. He instinctively slowed his footsteps to tiptoe around the office, just so that he wouldn’t wake her up.

He slowly made his way toward her, and he glanced down at her sleeping face from above. At that moment, he felt his heart melting for her.

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 109

Let’s Go Together

After years and years of being solitary at work, Alexander had gotten used to dealing with all the harshest matters on his own. He had never known what it felt like to have someone quietly supporting him by his side. Yet, he could sense a special sort of warmth coming from Elise right then. He parted his lips and grinned before he knocked Elise’s table gently. “Wake up. You can sleep when we’re home.”

In a daze, Elise opened her eyes and turned to see Alexander standing behind her. She was startled—every last ounce of sleepiness left her body as she sat upright in her seat. “What are you doing here, Alexander?”

He pointed at the clock hanging on the wall. “Why don’t you take a look at the time? You should go home to get some rest.” She gazed at the clock to see that it was already 11.00PM, so she quickly shut her laptop. “I’ll go home now.”

“Let’s go together,” he uttered with a smile. When both of them got into the elevator, Elise couldn’t stop herself from asking him a question. “President Griffith, the company isn’t in a good state. The loss of clients and the departure of staff members both have a huge impact on the business. If this goes on, Griffith Group might…” She couldn’t bring herself to continue speaking, but she knew that he would understand what she meant.

Initially, she thought that she would sound like she was bad-mouthing the company by saying such words during such a critical period. She had assumed that Alexander would get mad at her, yet there wasn’t a hint of frustration in his face. “Don’t you have any faith in me?” he asked in return.

She shot him a questioning gaze. When he remained silent, she found herself getting nervous. What does he mean when he says that? Does he have a plan already? “Can you make your message clearer, Alexander? Stop making me guess what’s in your mind,” she mumbled.

He chuckled softly. This was the first time Elise had ever seen him smile, and she found herself mesmerized by his laugh. Right then, Alexander reached his hand toward her. He paused in the middle of the air for a second before he stroked her hair. “Don’t worry. Nothing bad is going to happen to the company. You shouldn’t trouble yourself with these matters. Go home and get a good rest. Perhaps everything will be different once you wake up tomorrow.”

Elise felt oddly secure upon feeling the warmth of his palm. She didn’t bother to further analyze the meaning behind his words.

The next morning, Elise woke up just before noon. She dazedly reached for her phone and checked the clock before she sat upright in her bed. “It’s already so late? Why didn’t anyone wake me up?” she cried. After a quick shower and a change of clothes, she hurried down the stairs. The maid hurried to Elise when she saw her coming downstairs. “I’ve already prepared lunch for you, Miss Elise. You can come to the dining hall now.”

Elise wasn’t in the mood to eat at all. “Why didn’t you wake me up this morning, Stella? I’m late now!”

Stella hastily explained herself. “It was Young Master Alex who told me not to wake you up, Miss Elise. He said you worked too hard last night and would need more rest today. He told us not to disturb you.”

“So, Alexander was the one who told you not to wake me up.” Elise was dumbfounded. Stella nodded, and Elise found her thoughts running all over the place. However, she couldn’t be bothered to think about all of that then. “How’s Griffith Group doing today? Are the shares still crashing?” she asked.

Stella had no idea about the state of the stock market, and Elise had no interest in having a meal. Elise hurried out of the house and used her phone to search for news related to the company. However, when she finally found some articles, she realized that everything had changed entirely for Griffith Group.

That morning, Griffith Group announced a new partnership with one of the largest businesses in the entire nation. When the stock market opened at 10.00 in the morning, the Griffith Group’s shares went up in value. Everything seemed extremely promising, so Elise was rather taken aback. How did all of this change in just one night? I need to know the truth. She hurried over to the office, and she realized that the gloomy, dejected atmosphere in the company had completely disappeared. There were two unfamiliar faces waiting at the front desk, but they both greeted her the moment she stepped in. “Good morning, Miss Sinclair!”

Elise gave them a polite nod before she went into the elevator. When she got to the highest floor, the large office area appeared to have returned to its usual, bustling self. She felt her insides calming down when she saw this scene. Cameron popped up behind her right then. “Miss Sinclair!”

She quickly returned to her senses. “Cameron.”

“You’re surprised, aren’t you?” Cameron asked.

Elise nodded, and Cameron continued on with a proud expression on his face. “Well, you shouldn’t forget who’s sitting in that office. Our President Griffith’s business management skills are recognized on a national level. All we have to do is put our trust in him.”

Cameron’s words made Elise think about what Alexander had told her the night before. Her smile widened at the thought. “Everyone shares the same wish—we all hope for the company to pull through and survive. I look forward to Griffith Group’s growth.” At that moment, the door to the president’s office was flung open, and Alexander walked out from inside. He cleared his throat when he saw Elise standing nearby. “President Griffith!” Cameron quickly greeted him.

Elise turned to look at him, and he spoke once they locked eyes. “Thank you for your hard work in the past few days. Let me send you back to school.”

She quickly rejected his offer. “It’s fine. I can go there on my own. You must have a lot of other things to handle in the office, so you should go ahead and finish your work! Also, I need to hand my work over to the new colleagues before I leave.”

“I’ll help Miss Sinclair with that, President Griffith,” Cameron said with a smile. Both Cameron and Elise went over to Elise’s seat. After arranging all of the documents and handing it over, Elise got ready to leave the office. To her surprise, she found Alexander standing in front of her the moment she looked up. “I-Is anything the matter, Alexander?”

He raised an arm to look at his watch. “It’s lunchtime. Let’s go for a meal,” he uttered boldly. She was about to reject him, but her belly began to rumble the moment she heard him talk about lunch. Only then did she realize how hungry she was after she skipped breakfast earlier. “Okay. Since you’re offering to buy me a meal, I’ll have to treat myself to some good food!”

“Let’s go, then,” he replied. They headed to a private restaurant that only had a few guests. It was a quiet place, and the owner seemed really close to Alexander. She greeted him in a casual tone when he first arrived. “You’re here, Alex.”

“Same old, Patricia,” he uttered in response.

“I got it,” Patricia replied with a light chuckle. However, her gaze lingered on Elise. Patricia was a smart woman, so she headed off to the kitchen without saying much.

Bring Your A Game Mr Chapter 110

All I Have to Say

Alexander said, “Patricia’s my mother’s friend. She’s a good cook, and I come over sometimes to have lunch. You should try her dishes.”

Elise nodded. “Sure. Any recommendation from you can’t be bad.”

Alexander arched his eyebrow and chuckled. “Don’t blame me if you don’t like it though.”

Okay?

The food was served a short while later, and Elise quickly dug into the tantalizing food. Once she had a bite, her eyes lit up. “Not bad.”

Alexander filled her plate up with some fish. “Here. The fish is nice too.”

Elise started wolfing down her food. She was starving, and the food was too delicious to be passed up on. Alexander kept filling her plate up, and he looked delighted seeing her eating so happily.

Patricia could see that the couple would be happy with some more alone time, so she served a big bowl of soup. “Here’s one of our signature dishes. Have a taste.”

Alexander took the ladle. “I’ll do it.”

Patricia handed the ladle over to him. “And I thought Alexander would grow up to be an uncaring man. Seems like I was wrong.”

Elise looked at Alexander. At the same time, he was handing her a bowl of soup. She immediately said, “It’s fine. I can do it myself.”

Alexander didn’t let her. Instead, he put the bowl down in front of Elise. “Just dig in.”

Patricia smiled. “Enjoy your meal. Call me if you need anything.”

Elise thanked her.

Alexander sent her back to school after lunch. Even though Elise kept taking days off, her teacher never scolded her. Ridden by guilt, she knew she had to work twice as hard to repay their kindness. And so, she decided to start working on a past-year exam paper.

“Elise, someone wants to see you.”

Elise put her pen down. She wondered who wanted to see her, and she went to find out the answer. When she came out and saw Matthew standing at the end of the corridor, her face fell. I was planning to look for him too. Good. Now I can get this over with. She went over and asked coldly, “Are you looking for me?”

Matthew turned around. “We need to talk.”

Matthew then walked off, while Elise hesitated before following suit. He kept walking until they came to a quiet area in the school.

“Say what you have to say and leave,” Elise snapped at him.

Matthew looked at her in silence for a while. “You seem hostile today, Elise. It doesn’t have to be this way.”

Elise sneered. “I’m pretty sure it has to, Matthew. I was kind to you because I thought of you as a friend, but then I was proven wrong. I thought you didn’t care about fame and fortune, but no. We’re done, Matthew. You’re not getting what you want.”

An evil smile appeared on Matthew’s face. “Now you’re just overreacting. I’m just trying to get what’s rightfully mine, but they denied me. Why shouldn’t I fight for myself?”

“You should, but you shouldn’t have used me for it.” A storm brewed within Elise’s eyes, and she shot back, “You were just pretending to be kind to me because you wanted to use me, didn’t you? You had some sort of plan. It was a bold move, but it worked. However, the problem here is that I don’t like you. And I hate conniving bastards like you who would scheme and backstab your friends instead of fighting fairly. It’s disgusting.”

Even though he was insulted, Matthew only smiled. “This is a misunderstanding, Elise.”

“Don’t call my name, Matthew. We aren’t as close as you think.”

Matthew shrugged. “And how do you know I was pretending? I might just like you for real.”

Elise stopped him before he could say anything. “Hold it right there. Keep this up and you might even believe that lie yourself. The best lies are the ones that even the liar themselves believe. You don’t have to go that far.”

Matthew squinted and was trying to come up with a reply, but Elise didn’t want to waste any more time with him. “I don’t know what you want from me, but I’m telling you now that I want nothing to do with you or your plans. If you try to use me again, I’ll make sure you lose everything you have.”

Elise was speaking calmly, but Matthew could feel the ferocity hidden under her calm demeanor. She isn’t kidding.

At that moment, Matthew realized that he didn’t know Elise that much. On top of that, he realized he had no way of convincing her. That threw a wrench in his plans. He had come up with a lot of possibilities, but none of them included Elise shutting him down so absolutely.

“That’s all I have to say, Matthew. Don’t try to use me again.”

She was about to leave, but Matthew stopped her. “Hold on.”

She stopped in her tracks. “Anything else you want?”

Matthew stared at her back. “Can’t you take my side? If you work with me, I can give you anything you want.”

Elise turned around and gazed at him. “No, you can’t. And I don’t need you to give me anything I want, because you’re just a nobody to me. We’re done, Matthew.”

She strode back to her classroom without saying another word. After she left, Matthew felt a void forming in his heart. He never had that feeling before, but now he could clearly taste it, and he clenched his fists.

Why is everyone taking your side, Alexander? Am I that much worse compared to you? Will everything change if you die?