Ch. 971..980
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 971--Right as Stenson entered, he walked up to a guest and gave him a couple of solid pats, upsetting the guest.
However, Stenson made nothing of it and even downed the entire glass of the guest's liquor. After putting the glass down, Stenson wiped the wine stuck on his beard like a barbarian.
For a moment, awkwardness filled the atmosphere.
None welcomed him.
Of course, Stenson wasn't oblivious to it. He just didn't care. His gaze was filled with nothing but ridicule and contempt, for he believed the bunch of Cittadelians posed no threat to him.
After sweeping his gaze across the room, he eventually landed his eyes on Alexander.
"You must be Mr. Alexander Griffith, the founder of Cittadel's Smith Co. You sure are a fine man. I like you. What do you say we be friends?"
Alexander naturally had no plans to interact with the Hellen Family when Stenson wasn't on the guest list.
Stenson, on the other hand, wanted to see if Alexander would show him due respect when he approached Alexander without being solicited.
Better to moke another friend than a foe. Alexander raised his glass in the air, not wanting to stir up problems. "I had actually planned on personally visiting you later, Mr. Stenson. Since it's fated that we meet today, here's a glass for you. I look forward to being under your care, Mr. Stenson."
As ever-changing as the rules were in a business social engagement, the core principles remained—those who drank more were ultimately less superior.
Back when he was younger, Alexander would never have given a damn about scoundrels like Stenson. But he has a family now, and he has to think about the consequences of his every action. So, he had to learn to be tactful.
However, Stenson's voice came just as the liquor glass touched his lips. "Funny you say that. I happen to have a good chance foryou. I have a batch of top-quality flour with me. Word is that Smith Co. has subsidiaries all across Cittadel. The way I see it, it's the perfect company to distribute my goods."
Of course, it wasn't any ordinary old flour but a lingo of the underworld. Something shady like that was naturally given a nickname.
Smith Co., too, had a few dealings that exploited legal loopholes. However, they stood by one principle—no prostitution and pornography, gambling, and narcotics.
After recovering from his split-second stump, Alexander put the glass down on the table. It wasn't a toast he could afford to give away anymore.
Meanwhile, Stenson analyzed in length, seeing Alexander unresponsive. "Think about it. Cittadel is a large market, and if one- third of the people can buy my goods, I'll be able to bag a good profit. Tell me that doesn't sound tempting to you."
At that, Alexander raised his head and pulled a typical ungenuine smile. "Of course, it's tempting. Given that I can live to spend the money, that is. If even a family as impressive as the Hellens can't expand their business toward Cittadel, how can I, a defenseless businessman, do anything? You should seek someone more capable than I, Mr. Stenson."
"So, you're going to defy me, Mr. Griffith?" Stenson stood up grimly with his arms akimbo at once.
"That would be an exaggeration, Mr. Stenson," said Alexander, unruffled. "I just want to do honest business and live a few more days."
"If I insist on the collaboration?" Stenson threatened.
"Nothing forcibly done is going to be agreeable." Alexander tucked his smile away and brought out his domineering side.
Two alpha males bore into each other as the atmosphere grew tense.
Having had enough of it, Camren, who remained silent all this while, stepped in. "Stenson, everyone here is well aware of this 'flour' you're selling. Don't trouble US when we haven't messed with you. You do your business, and we do ours. I suggest you don't cross the line."
Even if this was Mesdra, they, the large taxpayers, were under federal government protection. If Stenson dared lay a finger on
them, the cops would mess with their dealings as well.
Sure, the Hellens weren't afraid of being arrested, but they feared losing business. All in all, they still dreaded the cops.
Camren was reminding Stenson to mind his business.
Stenson, on the other hand, looked toward Camren for a few seconds, then swept his gaze across the room before sneering all of a sudden. "Well, well. It seems that everyone who had turned me down is here. I was wondering why Alexander Griffith is so emboldened. So, you two are backing him up, eh? I bet this is a party for devising plans to attack me!"
Napoleon finally hit the roof and retaliated, "Some people think the whole world is against him, but in actuality, no one gives a sh*t about him. Some man he is!"
"What are you rambling about, you old bag?!" exploded Stenson as he slammed the table.
"What? Am I not allowed to ramble to myself?!" Napoleon made nothing of the uncivilized man.
Who does Stenson think he is? The king of the world? Huh, nothing but a heartless profiteer that makes money by leeching on other people! What right does he think he has to raise his voice in front of US?! He was but a sperm cell when I was thriving in the industry!
"I dare you to say that again!" Someone as hot-tempered as Stenson was easily ignited.
Do these bunch of old codgers think I'm really afraid of them?! rd have long killed all of you if it weren't for the feds!
"You're still unworthy of doing business with Cittadelians, no matter how many times I say it!" Napoleon slammed his glass onto the table as his domineering aura enveloped him at once.
"Very well." Stenson lifted his jacket, pulled out a gun, and pointed it toward Napoleon. "I'm going to bust your mouth in this instance! See if you dare look down on me ever again!"
However, Napoleon stood up composedly with a cigar in his hand while pointing at his chest with the other. "Come on, shoot here
then. I promise you the Hellens will rue the day if you dare shoot."
Beyond livid, Stenson released the safety catch and rested his finger on the trigger.
At that, Alexander stepped in at once. "Allow me to remind you, Mr. Stenson, that the high-ranking officials of the federal government are sharing a meal with the Cittadel ambassador of Mesdra in the private room upstairs. Go ahead and fire your shot if you want to alert them."
Alexander naturally had to think of everything if he wanted to rally the various forces, and it was exactly because he knew of the information that he set up the party here.
After hearing Alexander's words, Stenson hesitated.
Sure, shooting Napoleon would vent his anger, but the members of the Hellen Family would be in trouble after that. The Mesdra government would certainly keep a close eye on them if he killed one of their major tax contributors. At that point, forget about making money; it would be a problem if the Hellen Family could even survive.
That said, it would be embarrassing to put his gun away just like that.
Just as he was contemplating, one of his lackeys came up to him from behind and gave him an out. "Boss, let's think twice about this. The family's interest is still the priority."
And you couldn't have come in sooner?! Stenson mused. But on the surface, he tucked his gun away and acted as though he was thinking of the bigger picture. "I'll go easy on you this time since Griffith stepped in, but just you wait!"
With that, he strode out of the hall and returned to his car with rage. Unable to sit with the result, he huffed, "The richest man of Cittadel, is he? I'd like to see how firm your neck is. Keep an eye on that bunch!"
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 972--Alexander got home, only to find Elise sitting on the couch as she surfed her laptop in her pajamas.
Seeing that, he took off his jacket and lay down on her lap, effectively pushing the laptop away.
Elise began to massage his temple. "You reek of alcohol. Did you drink a lot today?"
Alexander responded in an exhausted tone, "I had a couple of drinks with Narissa's father since he seems pleasant to me."
Napoleon's demeanor when he was mocking Stenson was exactly the same asNarissa's.
"It's great that you can still get along with him despite the age difference. You have one more person to pour your heart out to in the future!" Elise seemed delighted for Alexander. She then looked at the wall-mounted clock and instantly let go of his hand as she urged, "Get up. I'll fill the bathtub for you. Take a quick bath and rest early."
"Wait!" Alexander stopped her as he grabbed her hand and put it against his cheek. "Honey, take off your mask," he said as he gazed at Elise with hazy eyes.
"I'll take it off when I go to bed," Elise coaxed him patiently.
"Can't you take it off now? I miss the real you. Just for a moment, hmmr
Alexander's voice was hoarse and with his slightly sobbing tone, he sounded just like a baby pleading, which Elise found impossible to resist.
Hence, she took some effort and finally dropped her guise as Anastasia for the first time in seven years.
The moment the mask was removed, she instinctively raised her hand to cover the scar on her face.
Seeing that, Alexander moved her hand away and slowly brushed his fingers across her cheeks gently, feeling every inch of her skin.
When his fingertips touched the scar on her face, he became even more delicate, as if caressing a bubble that might suddenly explode.
At that, Elise lowered her head and asked softly, "It looks ugly, right?"
She was aware that the scar had greatly lightened from how it was before, but it was still noticeable as it covered a huge part of her face.
Alexander shook his head in response. "It isn't. My heart aches for you and I blame myself for not protecting you well," he said with tears welling up in his eyes. "Thankfully, you look the same to me. Nothing has changed."
"You're just trying to cheer me up. How is it possible that nothing has changed when I now have such a huge scar on my face? Stop lying." Elise couldn't deceive herself about this.
Alexander felt his heart ache when he heard her words and he drew her into his arms. Hugging her tightly, he comforted her, "Give it some time. After a while, everything will be okay."
Elise sensed his emotions and turned to comfort him. "Don't be silly. I have never once blamed you for this."
He did not say anything in response and simply tightened his embrace of her.
She never placed the blame on him, but he did.
Alexander knew that this scar on her face was the true deterrent for her to reveal her identity.
She was known to be perfect, so how could she appear in front of everyone with such a noticeable blemish on her face?
At this moment, Alexander made up his mind to do whatever it would take to assist her in regaining her perfect self.
The next day, in Wegas Hospital, Jamie was listening attentively to the doctor’s diagnosis.
"Due to the severe trauma Miss Heidelberg suffered, her mental and psychological states are unstable with varying degrees of severity. She will not be recovering anytime soon. We advise that she be admitted for treatment."
Jamie detested such an ambiguous remark. "That's not the point. I only want to know if she will recover."
"That depends on her condition. As you are aware, in such circumstances, doctors can only attempt to treat the symptoms. The patient has to take care of the rest."
Why would I need a doctor if everything is up to the patient? Simply said, these foreign doctors just want to avoid responsibilities! If I didn't have to be on guard against Gale, I would have taken her abroad for treatment!
Despite his unwillingness, Jamie had no choice but to follow the doctor's advice and complete all admission procedures for Alicia.
When he exited the hospital, he looked dejected and was hanging his head dispiritedly.
Just as he was about to cross the street, a swanky motorcycle rushed up to him and stopped directly in front of him.
The glass panel of the driver's helmet was then lifted, revealing Narissa’s bright, clear eyes.
Jamie was surprised. "How did you know where I am?"
Narissa, however, did not answer and merely threw him a spare helmet that she had prepared.
He looked at the helmet and recognized it to be the one he took from Paul. "Where are we going?"
"Stop talking. Get on the motorcycle!"
Though Jamie was perplexed, he obediently put on the helmet and sat behind Narissa as instructed.
Fifteen minutes later, the motorcycle came to a stop in front of the main entrance of a government building.
Jamie got off the motorcycle, took off his helmet, and just stood there staring at the building. "What place is this?"
"The place for marriage registration," Narissa answered as she walked to him after hanging her helmet by the side mirror. "In Cittadel, this place is known as the city hall."
That stunned Jamie. "Why did you bring me here?"
Narissa responded by turning her head and giving him a serious look. "Do you want to marry me?"
"What?" Jamie was taken aback and unsure of how to respond.
"You... Are you proposing to me?"
"Isn't it obvious? I was the one who first fell in love with you and also the one who confessed to you. I've always been the one to make the first move so now, I am proposing to you. Will you marry me?" Narissa straightforwardly expressed her intention.
She had given this some serious thought and believed that since they both loved one another, they ought to be together.
Jamie, however, furrowed his brows at whatever was happening now as he had no idea how to react.
Seeing through his hesitation, Narissa asked, "Are you worried about Alicia?"
Jamie knew it wasn't appropriate for him to admit to what Narissa said, but he did not want to deceive her either. Hence, he nodded after heaving a sigh.
"Have you fallen in love with her?"
"No!" Jamie immediately denied it. "I am just feeling guilty."
"If that’s the case, forget about her at this moment," Narissa decisively suggested.
"Forget about her?"
"Yes. Not just Alicia, but also Gale, Elise, our parents, and everyone else. Forget about them and just focus on you and me right now."
There were many misunderstandings between them as a result of too many people and circumstances getting in their way, which complicated their relationship.
Hence, Narissa wanted to seize the opportunity today for them to ignore all external factors and focus just on each other's actual feelings.
Looking at the lobby of the building, she decided to give her all this time. "This is the last time I'll act so bravely, Jamie Keller. I need your answer. If you love me and want to be my husband, take my hand and lead me inside now," she said with her eyes closed.
She had cleared all obstacles between them and now, it was all up to Jamie.
While waiting, Narissa nervously swallowed her saliva, instinctively trying to feel the movements of the person next to her.
However, in the next few seconds, her palm remained empty. Her palm didn't feel like it was being grasped.
More than twenty seconds had passed. The wind blew, but cold sweat was running down her palm.
Nearly one minute has passed. Her fingertips were chilly, and so was her heart.
She took a deep breath. Plucking up her courage, she asked, "Jamie, are you still here?"
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 973--As soon as she finished speaking, she felt arms wrapping around her waist.
She tensed up in response. The very next second, Jamie had her in his arms with a smile on his face.
At this moment, she knew what his answer was.
All her nervousness and insecurities instantly vanished as she finally felt relieved.
They both stared at each other, much like a loving couple, and that made Jamie shy.
His cheeks started to flush. He made an effort to restrain his emotions, but the corners of his lips continued to curl upward involuntarily.
"You're right. Boss was the one who disappeared for the past seven years, but I was the one who suffered the side effects. I became timid and indecisive, which is unlike how a man should act. From now on, you are the head of our family and have the say in everything. I love you, Narissa Cuber, and I want you to be mine!"
Hearing that, Narissa could feel her cheeks burning and her heart racing. "Hurry up and take me inside now, dummy! They will be getting off work later!"
"Oh, right! We have to get the marriage certificate!"
The two of them hurriedly ran in, but they were chased out shortly after.
Jamie frustratedly rubbed the back of his head as he grumbled, "Why is an appointment required even for marriage? And there is so much documentation to be prepared! That will take a long time..."
Narissa, too, had no idea of the extensive procedures to follow. With a smile on her face, she shrugged her shoulders and responded, "It's my fault for dragging you here without checking. Well, I have no experience of getting married. Please bear with me."
At that, Jamie whirled around and looked at her in a daze. IVow. Such a polite attitude from her!
Then, he took a deep breath and moved closer to her. Holding her face in his palms, he gave her a passionate kiss on the lips.
This was Narissa’s first time experiencing a kiss. She stared at him with her eyes wide open and reflexively held her breath as she clenched her fists which were hanging by the sides of her body.
It was only when Jamie's breathing became labored did he reluctantly step back, but his intense focus on Narissa did not waver.
"So, this is how it feels to be with a beloved."
"How are you feeling?" Narissa inquired while attempting to appear composed.
"Blessed. I can die with no regrets now!" Jamie joked.
"You do know how to sweet-talk, huh? It seems to me that you are merely pretending to be silly so that I can take the initiative. Such a cunning plan of yours!"
"Regardless of who took the initiative, I've already stamped my seal on you! You are my wife now even without the marriage certificate!"
It was genuinely wonderful to feel blessed. After only a few minutes of feeling this way, Jamie decided that he would never want to let go of what he currently had.
Narissa, on the other hand, shyly pushed him away. "Sir, without the certificate, please keep a distance from me. otherwise, I'm going to sue you for getting too close to me!"
That amused Jamie. "How could you change your attitude so fast?"
"None of your business," Narissa muttered arrogantly.
Jamie narrowed his eyes in response, and an idea cropped up in his mind. The next second, he bent down, picked her up, and placed heron his shoulders.
"Let's see how you're going to sue me now!"
They played around for a while before regaining their composure.
Then, the both of them headed to the Griffith Residence.
Their relationship would never have worked out without Elise. Hence, even though they had not obtained their marriage certificate yet, they wanted to first share their good news with Elise.
Just as the both of them walked into the Griffith Residence hand in hand, they ran into Paul, who came out to look for food.
Paul's expression immediately changed when he saw their interlocked hands. He then deliberately approached them and stared sternly at their hands.
"What is the meaning of this?" he questioned with a pretentious smile on his face.
The smile that Jamie originally had on his face became stiff the moment he saw Paul.
However, Narissa did not like to beat around the bush. "We are married," she answered candidly. This would be known to everyone sooner or later, so she would rather be honest from the start.
Hearing that, Paul stood up straight and stared at Jamie with an indifferent expression. His eyes filled with viciousness as he said, "You do know that Narissa is my fiancee, right? What a b*stard you are! My sister suffered so badly all because of you and now, you're enticing my fiancée?! How on earth do you even consider yourself to be human?!"
Jamie was being scolded so embarrassingly that he couldn't lift his head, and his hand which was holding Narissa's seemed to loosen a little.
Indeed, he was so preoccupied with his happiness that he had forgotten about Paul and Alicia.
It was extremely cruel to break the news of his marriage to Narissa to them; it was like rubbing salt in their wounds.
Narissa, however, had a different opinion.
She held Jamie's even more firmly as she righteously made her stand clear. "Let's get this straight, alright? I have never agreed to be your fiancee! Jamie is not Alicia's boyfriend either. Both of US are unmarried, so what's wrong with US getting married to each other?"
"You just can't!" Paul lost his cool and roared, "I told Gale that I will marry you before I fell into the sea, and that makes you my fiancee! What right does Jamie have to seek happiness now after doing such harm to my sister?"
Paul approached Jamie and continued to condemn while pointing at Jamie's nose, "You are nothing more than a scum, a sanctimonious hypocrite! You have to do justice to my sister!"
Such a huge commotion alerted the Griffiths on the upper floor.
All four of them stood by the stairs' railing, watching silently.
Jamie felt guilty as his conscience began to eat him up amid Paul's allegations.
He was so overwhelmed by the guilt that he felt himself at a dead end. Initially a man of unbreakable spirit, he was now only able to hunch his back and did not even dare to stand up straight or assert himself.
Narissa, on the other hand, was furious seeing such a cowardly look on his face.
She immediately pulled out her phone, unlocked it, and scrolled through before throwing it onto the couch next to Paul.
"I have proof that Gale bribed the helper and arranged for the thugs to humiliate Alicia. You can see for yourself. Gale was the main culprit for everything! Jamie can choose to wash his hands off everything, but he did not. It is all because of his kindness. But that doesn't mean you can keep using this matter to emotionally blackmail him and endlessly take advantage of his vulnerability to hurt him! Does he have to love Alicia just because she loves him? If that's the case, can I ask you to die just because I hate you? Who do you think you are to expect the entire world to pamper you and do everything according to your wishes? If you think our helping hands to the Heidelbergs now is what we're supposed to do because we owe you, you can get lost!"
Narissa's every word shook Paul's heart. Without saying a word, he silently took the phone and examined all the evidence it held.
He had previously believed that Alicia's unfortunate incident was an act of impulse and hence, Jamie was not to be forgiven.
But it turned out now that it was Gale's trap all along! He devised every step to destroy Alicia's purity and innocence.
He is such a monster! How could he bring himself to do this?
The phone remained firmly clutched in Paul's hand. Agony and anger piled up in his heart, leading him to only one thought—to kill Gale.
Jamie took a look at Narissa and finally gathered his courage as he said, "Whether you believe me or not, I have already sent someone to look for the best psychologist. Alicia is my friend and I won't leave her in the lurch. Don't blame Narissa; everything she said or did was all because of me. Hate me if you want to, but not her."
Being a man, he would not leave his woman in the lead, carrying all of his burdens.
Paul did not say anything in response. Instead, he turned around and headed back to his room on the upper floor.
When he arrived at the steps, he abruptly came to a stop and muttered, "I'm sorry." He said it with his back to them before dashing into his room and locking himself inside.
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 974--This was already a big step for Paul.
After all, it would be too tough for him to grow mature overnight. He required more time.
After Paul left, both Jamie and Narissa felt helpless with the situation. It was originally a happy occasion for them, but the ambiance seemed awkward now.
Just like everyone else, they too wished to have everyone's blessing on their special day.
Fortunately, Elise and her family came and joined the fun so that the couple wouldn't leave any regrets on such an important day.
"Congratulations! Things have finally turned out well for you two!" Elise brought her two kids downstairs to congratulate Jamie and Narissa. "We have to celebrate such a joyous event! Have you made a reservation, Jamie? You have to treat me to a great meal today!"
Jamie's earlier gloomy expression was replaced with a smile when he heard Elise's words. "Don't worry, Boss. It's my treat, but I am afraid that we can't have the meal today," he said, scratching the back of his head shyly.
"Why?" Elise sounded perplexed.
"We have already agreed among ourselves that we will deal with Gale first. Only after that, we will host our engagement party and invite all our families and friends," Narissa answered on behalf of Jamie, as if she were the head of their small family, not forgetting to take a few glances at the man while speaking.
Elise felt happy for them both as she observed how in love they appeared to be. "I see. No matter what, at least the misunderstanding surrounding you both has cleared. Things will only get better from now on!"
"Gale is a b*stard for plotting so many things in the dark, causing us to nearly let go of each other. How I wish I could send him to jail right now!" After sorting out the specifics of what had transpired with Narissa on their way here, Jamie's resentment at Gale had grown.
"Really? I thought what you wish is to get a wife right now!" Elise joked.
Jamie and Narissa immediately felt shy when they heard that. Both of them let out an awkward smile while looking at each other and felt embarrassed to stay any longer.
"See you at the engagement party, then. We're leaving now."
Narissa then turned and headed outdoors with Jamie trailing behind.
At this point, Alexia let go of Elise's palm. Racing over to Jamie, she hugged his thigh.
"What is it, Lexi?" Jamie bent down and caressed her head.
"Godfather, this is for you!" Alexia raised her right hand and stuffed a clear plastic bottle into Jamie's palm.
Jamie looked at the bottle, not knowing what it was. "And this is?"
Alexia tip-toed to hug Jamie's head and went closer to his ear, saying secretively, "This is my gift to you for your marriage. After having it, you will have a little girl soon!"
"Huh?" Jamie cried out awkwardly, feeling stumped.
Is she giving me that thing?
"What happened?" Narissa heard his cry and turned back.
Worrying that the bottle would be discovered, Jamie quickly slipped it into his pocket before he turned around and pushed Narissa out the door. "Nothing. Lexi is just congratulating US. Let's go"
"Goodbye, Godfather and Godmother!" Alexia jumped and waved to them excitedly as if anticipating a little girl to appear soon.
What she had done didn't escape Irvin's eyes. He went over to her and asked softly, "Alexia, what did you give to Godfather just now?"
"The bottle from your shelf that was labeled as being helpful to sleep! Didn't you say the first night following a wedding will be exhausting? Thus, I gave that to Godfather so that he could have a good rest and then give me a little sister!"
Alexia's reasoning was simple—it was that one needed to be energetic to do anything. As such, Jamie and Narissa should rest well to be able to give Alexia a little sister.
Irvin was speechless when he heard that.
"Irvin, do you think we will have a little sister soon?" Alexia asked, her eyes filled with excitement.
Irvin merely raised his hand and gave her a heartfelt pat on the shoulder. "I don't know if we'll get a sister any time soon, but I'm sure nothing will happen tonight."
The liquid he concocted was concentrated and its effect was ten times stronger than the typical sleep aids. One drop of it would enable the person to sleep for the entire day. If Jamie truly took the whole bottle, he would spend at least three whole days in deep sleep.
Irvin truly felt sorry for Jamie at this moment.
Elise, on the other hand, felt isolated when she noticed the kids whispering to one another. She leaned into Alexander's embrace and asked, "What do you think our son and daughter are talking about?"
Alexander wrapped his hand around her waist and muttered, "It doesn't look like something good."
"The kids are becoming older and now have their own secrets. The distance between us and them will only increase in the future," Elise said sentimentally suddenly.
"We will be able to fix this problem if we have more kids," Alexander said, not forgetting what he had wanted all along.
Elise hummed in agreement and she nodded instinctively. The next moment, she suddenly understood what he meant and refuted, "No! What are you saying? I haven't agreed to have more children yet!"
But he ignored her and immediately carried her in his arms and headed upstairs. "You've agreed; I heard it just now. It's too late to turn back on your words now."
"The sky isn't even dark yet, Alexander! Don't be a rascal!" She tried to resist.
Alexander, however, was unmoved. "It will be dark soon," he said.
Hearing that, Elise gave up struggling and dared not say anything further.
Both of their figures then disappeared up the staircase on the second floor.
Alexia thought that both Alexander and Elise were playing around. So, she quickly ran to them while shouting, "Daddy, Mommy, I want to play too!"
Irvin quickly chased after her and carried her to the garden, a hopeless expression on his face.
This family will be a mess if I'm not around!
After expressing their affection for one another, Jamie and Narissa were now officially a couple.
Earlier, they grabbed a meal after leaving the Griffith Residence before returning to Jamie's house.
It was just the two of them. The moment they entered the house and put down their helmets, Jamie hoisted Narissa to sit on the top of the cabinet.
Within minutes, both of them were breathing heavily.
"Every moment is precious. Let's get into the room."
Narissa obediently nodded at first, but she soon began shaking her head vigorously.
Then, she squinted her eyes and grabbed Jamie's collar as she asked in an interrogating tone, "Come clean with me. Have you dated a lot of women in the past?"
"Of course not! I have always maintained my chastity." Jamie then held up three fingers and continued, "I swear you are my first woman."
"Then why..." Narissa found it embarrassing to say it out as she continued shyly, "Why do you seem like you are so familiar and skilled in this?"
Jamie broke into laughter when he heard that. "Somehow, I became skilled after I met you."
Though his words were corny, they worked.
Narissa subconsciously raised the corners of her mouth in approval of his response.
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 975--"Well, shall we continue?"
Narissa swatted his hand away and struggled out of his embrace. Then, she pushed him into the bathroom and shut the door without hesitation. "Take a shower first."
"Hey!"
Jamie slammed his fist on the door to protest but eventually gave in and took a shower.
He thought he could finally get down to business once he came out, but Narissa went straight into the bathroom to shower.
In general, a man would take only two minutes to shower but a woman might take around two hours to finish it.
Out of boredom, Jamie opened a bottle of wine and enjoyed it as he waited on the sofa.
At that moment, his gaze landed on his coat on the sofa.
Putting the wine glass aside, he walked over and took out the medicine Alexia gave him from his coat pocket. Then, he put it under the light and observed the contents.
"There isn't a lot, is there? Is there even one ounce in here?" he mumbled to himself.
The little one said it helps to increase virility, didn't she? Then it must be something that enhances male potency in the bedroomlOnlya man who lacks self-confidence needs it. As he was in his prime, Jamie had zero doubt in his ability. Pouting, he disdained the idea of using the drug as he slipped it back into the coat pocket.
Just when he turned around and was about to continue drinking his wine, he abruptly stopped in his tracks. He looked back, his intense gaze fixed on the coat pocket.
He recalled that for some men, their first time wasn't always the best experience.
He had to overcome a lot of obstacles before finally beginning a relationship with Narissa. Thus, he would never forgive himself if their first night began a disaster and ended up traumatizing both sides, which would surely harm their relationship.
Besides, both of them were competitive. If he couldn't prove himself to her tonight, she would make him a laughingstock for the rest of his life.
As a man, he could endure people mocking him on all kinds of things except this one.
As Jamie thought about it, he turned around and grabbed the medicine the second time. Opening the bottle, he cheered himself up. "It's now or never. I'm not going to humiliate myself in this matter!"
Once he made up his mind, he threw his head back and finished off the bottle of medicine in one gulp.
Then, he threw the empty bottle into the bin. Hopping into bed, he waited for the drug to kick in.
However, in less than thirty seconds, he could already feel his eyelids getting heavy.
Fifteen minutes later, Narissa opened the bathroom door and got out. She was wearing nothing other than a men's dress shirt at the moment.
When she didn't find Jamie in the living room, she guessed that he had gone into the bedroom.
A faint smile stretched across her face at the thought. Then, she walked in the direction of the bedroom.
Much to her surprise, she was welcomed by a sleeping man when she approached the bed.
The sight of Jamie sleeping instantly spoiled her good mood, and she had no choice but to reluctantly accept her fate.
It's not the time for sleeping, dummy!
Even though his performance disappointed her, Narissa still treasured every second because it was the first time that she spent time with him in a private space as his lover.
After she got dressed, she sat by the bed and raised a hand to touch his bushy eyebrows. Then, her hand slid down his face as she traced his facial features with her fingers.
At that moment, the realization that he was indeed a handsome man dawned on her all of a sudden.
Even though Jamie wasn't as handsome as the god-like Alexander, his looks were still exquisite.
After all these years, Narissa could only remember his dumb face that managed to get on her nerves every time, but she let the fact that he was no doubt attractive completely slip her mind. / suppose I'm a lucky girl.
The longer she studied his features, the fiercer she could feel her blood boiling due to an unknown reason.
She wasn't gentle at all, but he just wouldn't wake up. What a killjoy!
The devil on her shoulder eventually won the debate. Roughly throwing off the sheets, she put one of his arms horizontally across the bed. After that, she joined him in the bed and rested her head against his arm.
Even so, Jamie remained sound asleep and did not respond to her behavior.
It proved that Irvin's medicine was a genuine product, which provided a guaranteed effect.
Narissa was exhausted after a long day. No longer bothering to wake him up, she simply compromised with her sleeping spot, which was on his arm, and fell asleep.
She only learned that Jamie drank the medicine when Irvin called her the next day.
However, the newfound information didn't help with solving the issue at hand. Jamie was put into a deep sleep by the medicine. Judging by the way he slept through his wedding night, to say he might sleep until the end of the world was an understatement.
One week later, Gale hurried to the ICU in a private hospital in Wegas.
The attending physician was expecting him. As soon as he showed up, the doctor hastened to meet him. "Mr. Myres, the patient didn't make it. Here is the death certificate."
Gale took the death certificate and skimmed it. His gaze darted through the window as he studied Dominic's body with care. "Are you sure he's dead? I don't want any more problems."
"You don't have to worry about anything going wrong, Mr. Myres. Even if you don't trust my judgment, the machine doesn't lie. Did you see the asystole on the cardiac monitor?" The doctor pointed at the expensive medical instrument in the ward.
Gale narrowed his eyes at the statement and remained silent.
At that moment, a nurse came out of the ward with a piece of paper. "It seems like the patient left a will."
Gale snatched the paper without hesitation. After perusing Dominic's will, he couldn't help the smile that threatened to stretch across his face at the good news.
Dominic entrusted Gale with full control to manage the company until he found Paul.
Gale could naturally take over all assets of the Heidelberg Family with Dominic's will, and nobody would be able to say anything about it.
He watched Dominic's corpse in the ward, which was covered by a white sheet, and his smile widened. Old man, you kicked the bucket just in time!
"Mr. Myres, what about the body?" the doctor asked.
"Just follow the usual procedures."
Gale was no longer interested in making any arrangements for Dominic. Giving the doctor a few perfunctory instructions, he left the hospital with the will.
In the afternoon, he called a board meeting and announced himself as the chairman. That night, he transferred one-third of the Heidelberg Family's assets to his account abroad.
For a moment, he felt like he had reached the peak of life and was satisfied with his achievements.
He didn't even notice that the head of the IT Department hadn't reached out to him for a long time.
Days passed and the day that the Cuber Family would hold an engagement party finally arrived.
Gale changed into his newest custom-made suit for the occasion. He was perfectly dressed from head to toe. He got into his Rolls- Royce and arrived at the Cuber Residence half an hour earlier.
The manor was already crammed with guests when he showed up.
The car immediately caught the guests' attention when it rolled into view.
He got out of the car and stood still to button his collar.
His arrival caused a stir among the guests. He could see some of them pointing their fingers at him while whispering to each other. Some were discreet while others weren't hiding their gestures at all.
He was used to people staring at him out of envy, so he paid no mind to the guests around him.
He strode past the wedding arch and arrived at the front door with all eyes fixed on him.
Just as he was walking up to the doorstep, he noticed something from the corner of his eye. When he turned to look, he was surprised to see a poster in which Narissa was embraced. However, the groom was Jamie and not Gale.
He gritted his teeth and his eyes almost bugged out of their sockets.
It wasn't hard to guess that Jamie was the person behind this. How dare the servants make such a careless mistake? What a pathetic bunch!
A surge of anger spread within Gale. Grabbing the poster stand, he stormed into the manor.
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 976--The family servants are doing a sloppy job. It seems like I'm the one responsible to discipline them as their new young master!
Gale walked into the living room but there was nobody in there. It looked rather deserted instead of a well-decorated venue for an engagement party.
"Where did all the servants go?" he roared. "You people have no respect for me!"
Just as he finished speaking, he heard footsteps coming from upstairs.
Gale raised his head and looked in the direction where the footsteps echoed. To his surprise, Paul was standing on the staircase on his right side.
For a moment, he was taken aback by the other man's presence. He gaped at the man for a while, looking as if he had seen a ghost in broad daylight.
Is Paul's ghost coming back to haunt me?
The change of expression on Gale's face irritated Paul. Gritting his teeth, Paul began, "Gale, you're an important man now, aren’t you? I bet things are going fine for you, eh?"
Gale's expression changed when he heard the man speak. At that moment, he realized the man standing at the top of the staircase was indeed alive. "You're not dead yet?"
"All thanks to you, Gale. You only stabbed me once that time. If you stabbed me twice and or even three times, I doubt I would have survived." Paul was sarcastic.
However, his words didn't affect Gale. "So, why are you back now? You want the company back, huh? Sure, I'll gladly return it. After all, there's nothing left. You can have it all back."
He didn't give Paul any chance to answer because he couldn't help but show off his wits.
"To be honest, the Heidelberg Family is unfortunate to have you as their heir. The family fortune only lasted a few generations until you. I feel bad to see it go. It's unnecessary to hold a grudge against me, though. It's only fair for me to take back my hard-earned money after I worked for your family all these years. It's a win-win situation."
At that moment, a booming voice cut into their conversation from the direction of the entrance. "Is that the truth?"
Jamie and Narissa walked into the room arm in arm. The man was wearing a ceremonial dress uniform while the woman had on an exquisite-looking wedding dress. The pair were the very definition of a golden couple standing next to each other.
Gale's bloodshot eyes landed on their intertwined arms. "Get your hands off her, you loser! You have no right to steal my woman."
He believed he was pointing out a fact. As Gale could walk all over Jamie, he thought that the latter was merely a nobody.
Paying no mind to Gale's words, Jamie clapped his hands with a calm expression.
A moment later, a projector screen gradually descended from the chandelier in the lobby.
Then, a video about Gale's past crimes began to play before everyone's eyes.
It showed how he stabbed Paul, set Alicia up to get humiliated, bribed the doctor to spy on Dominic, and transferred the company's assets to his account. The audio recordings and data were ironclad evidence of his crimes.
Gale's face instantly became ashen and he looked as if he had lost his soul.
However, a few seconds later, a hysterical laugh escaped him.
"What's wrong with you? Such evidence is enough to put you behind bars for the rest of your life." Unnerved by Gale's laugh, Paul clenched his fists.
Gale sneered with unmistakable contempt. "What makes you think you can take me down with that? You're too naive, Paul. Have you forgotten who I am? I'm the son-in-law of the Cuber Family. Nobody can ever lay a hand on me when I have Napoleon's full trust!"
As soon as he finished, Napoleon showed up from the other side of the double staircase, arm in arm with his wife.
"Leave me out of it. I won't acknowledge an ungrateful man like you as my son-in-law." standing at the top, Napoleon looked down at Gale in disdain. "You have been taking advantage of the
Heidelberg Family like a parasite but in return, you're destroying the family. The way you show your gratitude for their kindness isn't how a person should behave!"
"What?" Gale panicked at the turn of events before the idea of the situation being a setup immediately crossed his mind. Pointing at Napoleon, he croaked in a disbelieving voice, "You ganged up against me!"
"My father simply beat you at your own game." Narissa threw him a disappointed look. "Have you ever told US the truth?"
"But I never hurt anyone from the Cuber Family!" As Gale decided to no longer keep up a pretense, he growled, "I want to make it to the top, so I work hard to climb the ladder. I don't see what I've done wrong. I'm almost there, and we could have worked together to expand the business. Why must you two turn against me?"
Napoleon shook his head in disappointment. He couldn't bear the idea of the promising young man continuing to make mistakes until there was no turning back.
"There's nothing wrong with being motivated to become the person at the very top. However, you are blinded by greed and selfimportance. You pride yourself on building the success of the Heidelberg Family. Have you ever thought that you'll achieve nothing without their funding even if you try your best for your whole life? People have to be grateful for the favors received. You depended on them to make a bright future but returned their favors with harm. You're digging your own grave here. Even if we can't stop you today, you won't get far on your own. I’ll have you know that you'll meet your doom in less than two years! You'll end up falling from the top, and it'll be a hard fall."
"I don't care!" Gale held tight to his own belief. To him, Napoleon was merely trying to convince him. "Even if I fail, at least I tried. We are all born equal. Why should I compromise and live a mediocre life as the family's lapdog? I don't want to be just a dependent. I want to live my life."
"It doesn't justify pushing me into the sea and ruining Alicia's future. You're a selfish prick. I hope you rot in hell!"
Having enough of listening to Gale's excuse, Paul rushed down the staircases and grabbed Gale's bow tie before forcing the other man to follow him. "Let's go. We are going to the police station. It's time to turn yourself in."
However, he greatly underestimated Gale because the other man would stop at nothing.
Paul only managed to drag Gale for a few steps before a flash of madness appeared in Gale's eyes. Turning their difference in size into an advantage, Gale grabbed Paul by the neck and pointed the tip of the poster display stand against the other man's throat.
"Gale, what do you think you're doing?!"
Jamie let go of Narissa's arm and walked toward the men as he yelled. He was hoping to intimidate Gale so that the man would think twice before really hurting Paul.
Meanwhile, Narissa had a deep frown between her brows and she heaved a sigh of frustration.
When a man was cornered, he would take desperate measures to get himself out of the plight. Even the gentlest man would fight
back when he was desperate, let alone a scum like Gale, who knew no bounds. In fact, the group lured him into the house to avoid involving the innocents.
However, Paul's rash behavior ended up with him offering himself as a hostage. Narissa's supposed teammate wasn't helping the situation at all.
She knew Gale went to the gym regularly. Besides, he was always on guard. Unless he let go of Paul himself, they wouldn't be able to forcibly attempt to rescue Paul because it would end badly if they tried.
At first, they had everything in control. However, a reckless move completely changed the situation. For now, they had no choice but to do exactly as Gale wanted.
The tip of the poster display stand remained pressed against Paul's neck, but Gale didn't try to sink it deeper and make him bleed.
His eyes were shining with ecstasy as he murmured, "Thank you so much, Paul. You did me a big favor again."
Paul had never expected himself to be held hostage. He knitted his brows in frustration and retorted, "Do you think you can get away with this? You're already surrounded by the police. There's no way you can escape unless you're superhuman. The longer you hold me hostage, the longer your sentence will be."
"Try me," Gale replied coldly before using another hand to take out Paul's phone. Then, he quickly entered a phone number.
Soon, the call was connected.
"It's me. I'm at the Cuber Residence. Get here this instant."
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 977--"Back off! I’ll kill him if you don't."
As Paul was held hostage, Jamie and the rest of the group had scruples, so they had no choice but to make way for the pair.
Gale abducted Paul to a lawn with an open view and high terrain, and the guests could only watch in silence.
The police, who were waiting to arrest Gale, surrounded the hill, along with the guests. All of them were trying to persuade Gale to plead guilty.
"Mr. Myres, let's talk. We can work it out. Don't burn your bridges."
"Gale Myres, you can't continue like this. Surrender now and you can avoid a death sentence."
"Gale, today is supposed to be a good day. Don't do anything you might regret.!
Their voices became indistinguishable as many people were speaking at once.
Gale kept looking down at his watch. Not only did he ignore their advice, he even yelled at them in frustration. "Shut up! You think of nothing but your interests. I have seen right through you. You want me arrested so you can take credit for it and get on Napoleon's good side, right? Do you think I'm your stepping stone to climbing the social ladder? Dream on!"Flattering the superiors and exploiting the inferiors was a phenomenon in high society, and
Gale was accustomed to it. Thus, he could tell what the others had in mind.
He wouldn't give them the chance to humiliate him.
His words managed to shut most people up and put the atmosphere in a stalemate.
Watching the cornered man, Narissa recalled their old times together and felt a pang of pain in her heart. "Gale, you can stop this right now. It’s not too late to plead guilty. As long as you realize your mistakes, I'll get you the best lawyer. He'll try his best to minimize your sentence."
However, her words fell on deaf ears as Gale shook his head. "I won't stop. You're free to be a canary and willingly get kept in the cage, but you can't force me to change. I'm an eagle! I deserve to explore my ambitions in the vast sky. But now, I haven't made it to the top and made my name in the world. Right now, nobody has the right to judge me."
At that moment, a roar approached them. All of them looked up at the sky and saw a helicopter closing in, which eventually hovered over Gale.
Overjoyed to see it, he shouted triumphantly at the crowd, "See that? My helper has arrived. It can only mean one thing—I'm too young to be trapped behind bars."
Soon, the helicopter descended and hovered two feet off the ground. The cabin door slid open and the contact poked his head out before waving at Gale. "Mr. Myres, over here!"
Using Paul as his shield, Gale dragged him in the direction of the helicopter.
As expected, when the police noticed his attempt to run away, they drew out their guns and rushed forward.
Gale took the knife from his companion and pulled it down Paul's arm without hesitation. "One more step and I'll kill him right now."
His words gave the police pause as those who rushed forward a while ago retreated to their original spots.
The moment they put their guns down, Gale shoved Paul to the ground before turning around and jumping into the cabin.
The change in situation alerted the police and they immediately fired shots to stop him. However, the bullets only hit the cabin due to the distance between them, and the door slid closed before their eyes. Then, the helicopter quickly ascended into the air, underlining Gale's escape.
In the end, the operation was a failure. The police had no choice but to send Paul to the hospital and record the Cubers' statements before they left for the time being.
All the drama finally came to a close.
However, the guests were still scattered around the manor.
They didn't stay to discuss Gale. Instead, they were curious about the relationship between the Cuber Family and the man in the poster, whose name was Jamie.
Also, the purpose of the engagement party piqued their curiosity. Was it a setup to capture Gale, or was it an introduction to the new family member?
When the audience was having a heated discussion, Napoleon and his wife walked up to the stage. He then explained the situation himself.
"Almost everyone here is a business associate of mine. As you all know, one has to abide by the law to keep the longevity of the business. A person deserves punishment when he breaks the law, and this will protect others' rights and interests. Gale has to suffer the consequences of his doings and it's nobody's fault but his. I hope everyone can treat what happened a moment ago as a little incident and not talk about it in the future ever again. You're all here today because I have an important announcement, which is that my daughter found the love of her life. They're entering into marriage today and will promise to live out their years together. Everyone, please welcome my daughter Narissa Cuber, and her fiance, Jamie Keller to the stage. Now, it's time to hand over the stage to the bride and groom."
Love and marriage would always be timeless topics people enjoyed. At that moment, the guests forgot about the danger that happened earlier. Instead, they applauded and cheered for the pair.
Jamie and Narissa walked onstage with everyone's eyes on them. Hand in hand, they bowed in every direction to show their gratitude to the guests.
As expected, some of the guests were cheering for something else. "What are you waiting for? Kiss her!"
Jamie had done it a hundred times. Thus, he unhesitatingly cupped Narissa's face and pressed a kiss on her lips.
The crowd was looking at a handsome man and a beautiful woman in their elegant outfits. The sight of the couple kissing each other was greatly appreciated by the guests since it was heartwarming and sweet.
Elise was standing among the guests. She was sincerely happy for her best friend to find love. However, a faint pang of envy was bothering her too.
She and Alexander were each other's first love, but she never experienced a wedding or something similar as her friend did. It became the only thing she regretted in their relationship.
Meanwhile, Alexander seemingly read her mind. His long arms reached out and pulled her into his embrace. "I promise you an engagement party and a wedding. We'll settle for nothing less. Both will be grander and more magnificent than Narissa's."
Elise raised her gaze to gaze at him before wrapping her arms around him without a word.
On stage, Napoleon watched in gladness and satisfaction as Narissa leaned against Jamie lovingly. As happiness bloomed inside his heart, he decided to give away his company.
"I hereby announce that Jamie will take the position of acting president of Napoleon International Trade Co. one week later. He will represent me in fully managing the company's affairs."
This meant that Jamie would have full control over the Cuber
Family's business in the future.
Just like that, Napoleon gave out his entire assets as a wedding gift, indicating he was satisfied with Jamie as his son-in-law.
It was a huge contrast to his attitude two days ago.
After Jamie took Irvin's medicine, he was asleep for three whole days. Once he woke up, he went to see Napoleon with Narissa in tow and asked the man for his daughter's hand.
At first, Napoleon disapproved of it. He wasn't satisfied with the Keller Family either. However, when he learned Jamie was one of Elise's friends, he immediately changed his mind and approved of the marriage.
He said, "If Elise was the one who wanted to marry you, I won't even hesitate and will immediately hold a wedding for you, let alone her friend."
Elise was indeed a charming woman. In Napoleon and Narissa's opinions, she was more dependable than most men.
After Napoleon gave them his blessing, Jamie was immediately surrounded by the guests when he walked off the stage. Everyone was trying to make his acquaintance.
Narissa was shouldered out by the crowd. Watching the crowd overwhelming Jamie with their presence, she walked away to seek Elise out without even bothering to give Jamie a hand.
As soon as she joined Elise, her father caught up with her and dragged Alexander aside for a drink. "Come here, buddy. We didn't get to drink all we wanted last time. Let's get drunk today!"
Narissa couldn't suppress her surprise. "What did my father just call him?"
Seeing her father acknowledging her best friend's husband as a friend, a question occurred to her and she questioned, "What should I call you, then? Mrs. Griffith?"
It brought Elise up a rank.
Elise couldn't stop laughing at that. "Just keep it the same."
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 978--Jamie spent the night drinking to the point he had to be carried back to the bedroom.
Seeing him in a daze, Narissa walked over and tried to help him take off his coat so that he was more comfortable.
She had just reached out when the man suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed her by the wrist, his eyes seemingly on fire.
"You were pretending to be drunk?" Truth was, Narissa couldn't tell.
A sly smirk appeared on the corners of the man's mouth when he heard that. "I've been in the business industry for years now and yet, they tried to take advantage of me by getting me hammered. Do I look like a pushover?"
"Doesn't that sound amazing? But don't forget how you fell asleep on our wedding night. It seems to me that you... aren't all that." Narissa intentionally killed his ego a little.
Men could tolerate a lot of things, but not one of them could put up with having their abilities doubted.
"I'm not all that? Did you really just say that I'm not all that?"
Like a broken record, Jamie repeated his words twice before holding Narissa by her wrists and pressing her against the couch. "I shall demonstrate my abilities to you then!"
She smiled and struggled a few times, but when she realized that she couldn't push him away, she squinted as a dangerous light flashed in her eyes. "Are you trying to do it by force?" she warned.
Jamie, however, was completely oblivious to the impending danger as he thought that she was still playing along with the bickering.
Instead of getting up, he closed in on her. "Last time was a mistake on my part. Tonight, I'll show you what a real man is."
"Okay, then. Show me what you're made of." Narissa's smile now seemed to hide malicious intent.
The two of them had been at loggerheads with each other from the first day they were acquainted. It never stopped even until now.
The person who showed cowardice now would naturally be the loser.
With the liquid courage that the alcohol was giving him, Jamie braced himself and pushed his face into the crook of her neck to have his way with her.
"Ouch!" He was gasping in pain with his hands over his abdomen while he fell on his knees the next moment.
Narissa then let out a contented smile. She had only put less than half of her strength into this kick, but it was enough to knock the breath out of the unsuspecting Jamie.
He was asking for it, anyway.
She had no problem laying her hands on him if he dared to get forceful with her. It was a competition to see who was more ruthless.
In short, she couldn't lose!
Jamie's face had flushed red. "You're actually serious!" he groaned.
"What were you expecting?" Narissa was like a child who had successfully pulled a prank.
Jamie gritted his teeth in anger. As his indignation welled up, he rushed forward again, only to be kicked by Narissa.
Falling over in shock, he looked at this side of Narissa he had never seen before and kept gulping.
Her every move and gaze were, undoubtedly, that of a hooligan!
On the second day of the engagement banquet, Ariel did something she wouldn't usually do—she went out of her way to invite Elise to go shopping together.
Elise knew that Ariel's real intention wasn't to drink, so she happily obliged.
In the boutique where Elise came out of the fitting room, she looked at herself in the mirror while asking for Ariel's opinion, "What do you think of this one?"
She thought that the color was a little too bright and not in style.
Elise had always dressed according to the low-profile Anastasia all these years.
"It's nice!" Ariel casually threw out a response.
Hearing that, Elise observed Ariel's expression through the mirror and began to tease, "You were the one who asked me out, but your head is somewhere else. What's wrong? You and Danny haven't made up yet?"
Ariel only sighed, but that itself was her answer to Elise's question.
Elise knew that Ariel was looking for an emotional dumpster. Since she was here, she didn't intend to hide. "To be honest..." She plopped down beside Ariel as she stated, "Cheating is pretty much unacceptable. However, the two of you are in a special situation. Danny is not someone who loves fads and novelty. I suggest you carefully consider your relationship with him."
She wasn't saying this because Danny was her family. This came from the bottom of her heart.
As someone who had been through all sorts of ups and downs, Elise knew that things could be out of one's control. Holding on to a mistake would only make one linger in pain forever. It wouldn't be worth it.
What was more, what happened this time wasn't either of their fault.
Ariel shook her head. "I don't mind him cheating. It's not worth it living a lifetime, only to have bedded one person. I'm mad that he kept it from me for so long."
"Wait, I don't understand. So, what you're saying is... married couples don't have to be faithful?" Elise felt that her knowledge of this world had been swayed.
"Loyalty is a must but honestly, I grew up receiving foreign education. I don't care much about things like chastity. I might have been a little pissed, but it was only for a while. I am not an angry person by nature."
Ariel did speak like a foreigner, and she was as exaggerated as she was bold. However, her words weren't the most logical.
"So, what are you planning on doing?" Elise only picked up on the part she took notice of. "You're not mad, but you're not getting married either?"
"Oh, the wedding proceeds as planned, for sure." Ariel didn't even think before she answered. "But no matter what, messing around is a problem with one's principle, ru need to ignore him for a few more days. What if I get my heart broken when he can't control himself after we're married? Just think of this as a way to keep the husband in check."
Elise didn't dare to agree just like that. "Are you sure you're keeping him in check, not the other way round? You're already out of your mind now. What do you think will happen to you in a few days?"
Ariel let out a bitter smile at that. "Hey, don't you know what 'girls help girls' means? You're making fun of me, huh?"
"My bad, my bad. Considering how you're a poor wife waiting for your husband, I'll pay the bill today. Get whatever you want."
"You said it! I won't hold back."
One of a woman's greatest joys was shopping, and the greater joy was shopping using other people's money.
With Elise buying her everything, Ariel felt as though her worries were gone in the blink of an eye. After Ariel went all out shopping, she finally found a place to take a rest. She had bought so many things that not even one booth could fit all her shopping bags.
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 979--"I can't do this anymore. You're too strong. Let's just take a break here. I need to go to the washroom."
Elise, who was worn out from accompanying Ariel everywhere all morning, came out of the cafe and sauntered to the bathroom.
After walking a short distance, she noticed that something wasn't right. There was obviously a 'tail' following her.
She slowed down and just as she passed by the window of a children's clothing store, she stopped on purpose and pretended to wipe her shoes. She took the chance to sneak a peek behind her through the mirror. Sure enough, she saw two men in sunglasses, suits, and ties.
She stood up calmly and continued to walk all the way to the escalator.
Showing no intention of leaving, the other party followed closely.
After thinking about it for a while, Elise went straight up to the sixth floor, where she bought a ticket at random to allow her entry into the movie theater.
Seeing this, the two men in sunglasses quickened their pace and wanted to chase after her. However, they were stopped at the ticket gate. "Sirs, please show me your movie tickets."
There was no way the two of them could show what they didn't have. When they saw Elise enter Hall 2, they hurried off to the counter to buy their tickets.
"Which seat did that woman get?" asked one of the men with sunglasses on.
The employee answered as it was, "The lady got Seat No. 6 of Row 4 for Hall 2."
"Give us two tickets for the same hall. We want seats that are close to hers. And make it quick!"
It only took a second before they got their tickets. After entering Hall 2, they threaded through the dark and sat down in the back row before they focused on Seat No. 6 of Row 4.
Unbeknownst to them, Elise had already left the mall and was squirming into a cab at this moment.
In fact, she hadn't gone into Hall 2 at all earlier. She squatted by the door and when she saw the two of them going to buy tickets, she immediately ran out and hid in the washroom.
She successfully made her escape when they entered Hall 2, and she snuck out of the washroom.
After she sent Ariel a message, she gave Alexander a call. "Darling, someone was following me at the mall."
"I'm on my way. Try to stall them, but don't let them notice."
As soon as Alexander heard the news, he abruptly stood up, startling the foreign business partners sitting across from him.
"It's alright. I got rid of them. I'm going to your company now."
Alexander heaved a breath of relief and stood there when she said that. Slowly closing the office door that he opened, he murmured, "Got it. Take your time."
After the call ended, he pondered for a moment and made another call.
The Wegas branch of Smith Co. was located at Hotes Tower, one of the three famous office buildings in Wegas. The surrounding business district was equivalent to Wall Street, and every inch of land here was priceless.
When Elise got out of the car, she happened to see Alexander and a group of foreigners coming out of the building.
These people were all business elites who were a sight for sore eyes. Including Alexander, those who didn't know could mistake their group for a special showcase by some big brand.
But Elise's attention was all on the legs.
There were only two foreign women in the group, but the pair of legs under their hip skirts were slender, fair, and eye-catching. Not only men, but even Elise also couldn't resist doing a double take.
When the beautiful women met Elise's eyes, they weren't shy as they nodded and returned an equally admiring gaze.
The more confident and poised a beautiful woman was, the more she could admire another woman's beauty. Only those who would be an embarrassment in the public's eye would speak ill of one another.
Seeing his wife, Alexander turned around and shook hands with the leader of the group to bid them farewell. He said in fluent Flutoian, "I will personally hold a banquet some other day. I'm sure everyone will find it satisfactory."
The group could read the room well. They only uttered a few simple responses before they quickly left.
When Elise saw Alexander waving her over, she obediently walked over to him.
"High-quality clients, eh, Mr. Griffith?" Elise teased.
The man swiftly wrapped his arms around her. "Is that jealousy I smell?"
"Dream on! You can get jealous all you want instead." She scrunched her nose but still, she wasn't done. "Speaking of which, their legs were so long even I was salivating. Didn't you enjoy the view?"
"I'm not interested. But if you were the one in that outfit, I don't mind taking a look." He deliberately pinched her waist. "So, when will I have the pleasure, Mrs. Griffith?"
"Next life, maybe." Elise wouldn't do as he wished.
"I'm booking your next life now, then." As cunning as he was, he would never want the shorter end of the stick. He wanted to see his
wife in the hip skirt even in his next life. "Alright now, let's head home."
"Isn't it too early for that? Don't you have work to do?" Elise only wanted to drop by for a visit. She didn't think she would be taking Alexander away from his work.
"Do you think I'd still be in the mood to work when your safety has been compromised?"
Without waiting for her reply, he held her by the hand and brought her to the parking lot.
At the same time, the crowd in the theater quickly dispersed as soon as the lights went bright. The two men in shades had just stood up when they saw a female student stand up from Seat No. 6 of Row 4.
They immediately rushed to her and grabbed her before bombarding her with questions. "Where is the woman? Where is Anastasia White?!"
The student was taken aback. "What woman are you talking about? I don't know you. Let me go! Help! Someone is harassing me!"
Her shout quickly got the attention of the scattered crowd. Afraid of raising a commotion, the men in sunglasses left the girl alone and scurried out.
They could only leave using the backdoor for fear of bumping into security.
As they walked out of the mall, one of them took out his phone and made a call. "Boss, we lost her."
That earned them a fierce scolding from the other end of the call, and their heads were lowered as they cowered in fear.
The moment the call ended, a shadow was cast over the top of their crowns.
They were greeted by the sight of a brawny, six-foot-five Cittadelian man beaming at them when they raised their chins.
One of the men took off his sunglasses and barked, "What are you looking at? I'll bust your head open! Try me!"
His spit flew everywhere and on the tall man's face when he hissed.
Disgusted, the tall man raised a hand to wipe his face and asked with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Excuse me, are you looking for Alexander Griffith's woman, Anastasia White?"
"Do you know where she is?" The spitting man was suddenly interested.
The tall one faked a smile and murmured, "Nope, but I have her number. Do you want it?"
The men in sunglasses exchanged a knowing look and nodded. They thought they could somewhat make up for their failure if they at least had Anastasia's number.
The spitting man in shades roughly reached out a hand. "Hand it over," he demanded.
The tall man looked down and stretched out his hand as well. However, his fist was balled. "Here. Come and get it."
The slobbering man didn't have his guard up at all as he stepped forward and reached out with his head lowered.
Before he even touched the tall man's hand, a fist made contact with his face, making his eyes turn. "Mamma mial"
Seeing this, the other man in sunglasses got into a fighting stance and swung a fist at the tall man.
However, the tall man moved with much agility as he lowered his torso and laid a punch in the stomach of the man with sunglasses, sending him one meter away.
"Foreigners ain't sh*t!" he spat before punching them each again, completely knocking them out.
Coolest Girl in Town Chapter 980--Griffith Manor.
As soon as Elise and Alexander entered the building, they saw the two men who followed Elise struggling against the rope tying their arms behind their backs.
"Boss, Ma'am."
Two loud voices came from the living room, prompting Elise to turn her head to look. She first recognized Clement, that bodyguard of Alexander's who had never liked her much, and her eyes fell to his side on a muscular man half a head taller than Alexander.
"Raymond?" she guessed.
Alexander once mentioned to her the Four Guardians of Smith Co., namely Johnny, Melody, Clement, and Raymond.
Johnny and Melody were responsible for handling business affairs, Clement secretly made sure Alexander was safe, whereas Raymond was assigned to develop business in Africa back then. He was the best fighter among the four. That brawny body of his made him easy to recognize.
"As expected of you, Ma'am. One look was all it took for you to know who I am," Raymond grinned.
His honest appearance made him look much warmer than the robotic Clement next to him.
"The two of them will be responsible for protecting you from now on," Alexander mentioned, to which Elise nodded.
"I'll have to trouble you both, then."
"It is our responsibility to protect you, Ma'am. No trouble at all. Please feel free to instruct US if you need anything." Raymond earnestly patted his chest.
Being a bodyguard was nothing compared to the tough time he had in Africa.
He had already decided that this was a job he wanted to keep until his retirement!
Affected by his enthusiasm, Elise couldn't help but smile. "Don't worry. I won't hold back."
"Did you get anything useful out of them?" Alexander interrupted lightly.
"Not yet." Raymond walked over. "We were waiting for you to interrogate them yourself, Boss."
As he spoke, he leaned over and tore off the tape on the bound men's mouths.
"Ptooeyĩ" the bald one spat and glared at everyone. "I'm warning you, you can't afford to offend the person backing me. Let US go now, or you will bear the consequences for your action!"
The thinner one echoed by roaring, "You're dead!"
Raymond immediately stepped forward and slapped the thin man unconscious. He then grabbed the baldie by the collar and slapped one of his teeth out.
"Fess up. Who told you to come?"
Irvin, who came from upstairs to join in the fun, quietly covered Alexia's eyes as he calmly watched on.
However, Alexia refused to stay still as she wiggled around and tried even harder to see what was going on by leaning against the railing.
The bald man was bleeding from the corner of his mouth, but he was still arrogant as he cackled with blood in his mouth. "Hit me. As long as you don't keep me alive, there will come a day I let you have a taste of my bullet!"
"Geez, how hard-mouthed." Raymond lightly patted the bald man's cheek. "You can't beat me with your bare hands. What makes you think I will lose to you in a gunfight?"
Alexander was slightly impatient at this point. "Too much talk, Raymond. Was this how you worked back in Africa?"
Raymond trembled the moment he heard the word 'Africa'.
He never wanted Alexander to send him back to that godforsaken place.
At the thought of this, he turned the bald man over like he was holding a bird. He then found the other's thumb and loudly snapped it at a ninety-degree.
"Oh,shit—! ”
"Gơh!"
The bald man was rolling around in pain the next moment. However, despite the twisted look of pain on his face, Raymond didn't let go of him—he even went for the bald man's other thumb.
"You have five seconds. Give me an answer I don't want again, and you can say bye-bye to your fingers.
"Five, four, three, two—"
The bald man started panicking when he felt Raymond exerting force during the last count.
"Hellens! It's the Hellen Family! I'm here under their orders!"
It was exactly as Alexander thought.
"Ah!"
There was another scream and the bald man burst into tears. "You cunning Cittadelian! You have no integrity. I've already confessed, but you still went ahead and broke my finger!"
Raymond abruptly withdrew his hand and looked up at Alexander with an awkward smile. "Sorry, I lost control for a bit."
Alexander proceeded to ignore him and brought Elise inside as he nonchalantly complained about how much racket the bald man was making.
Catching the hint, Raymond knocked the bald man out with a punch before he and Clement each brought one man with sunglasses to the basement.
"Why are the Hellens coming after me?" Elise knew about this powerful family, but she didn't remember having a problem with them.
"I'm their target. Don't worry. I'll handle this," Alexander confidently reassured her while he poured Elise a glass of water.
Seeing how firmly he was saying that, she didn't say anything else.
Irvin was still upstairs staring at Raymond and Clement walking past downstairs when his eyes glinted. He had a great idea.
As he turned around and ran into his room, Alexia quickly followed him. She could tell from his demeanor that something was about to happen.
After a few minutes, the children ran down the stairs one after the other and hurried out through the side door.
"Slow down, Irvin! Don't let Alexia fall!" Elise called out.
However, her warning wasn't all that effective. The children were already gone in the blink of an eye.
The siblings ran all the way to the basement and just as Raymond and Clement were about to close the door, Irvin stopped them by lying, "Stop! I want to go in to interrogate them. Daddy has already agreed. I will lock the door myself later, so the two of you should go up first, sirs!"
"Yes, Young Master Irvin."
Without thinking much, the bodyguards handed over the lock and went to stand guard upstairs.
The men in sunglasses were still unconscious when the siblings entered the room.
Seeing this, Irvin smiled and walked over before he took out a spray bottle from his pocket and pressed the trigger against the bald man's neck.
He then retreated and kept his bottle while he quietly observed the man.
The bald man took less than ten seconds to regain consciousness, but he was squirming when he woke up.
"It's so itchy! Goodness, what have you done to me?!"
Gradually, his limbs grew uncontrollable as he began to do the scratching motion repeatedly. It was as if this could help with relieving the itch.
After trying to no avail, the man stuck his face on the floor and rubbed it. still, he was itching all over his body.
Just like that, the bald man begged for mercy while 'washing' his face with the floor. "I will tell you everything! I will confess! Please, just kill me! Kill me..."
Irvin continued to stand there without moving a muscle.
This drug is pretty potent, he mused.
Before Alexander and Elise came back, Raymond had already told the two children that the baldie and the thin man were people who wanted to kidnap Elise.
Anyone who wanted to hurt their mommy had to be punished for it.
Alexia, on the other hand, couldn't help but cover her eyes despite knowing that this was the bad guy. She thought this was too cruel, seeing how agonized the man was.
When Irvin happened to catch sight of her covering her eyes, he felt his anger dissipate and he turned around to tug her out of the room.