Ch. 1001..1010

Chapter 1001: Can You Guide Me Remotely?

_1 “Sounds good.” Lyke Zhekova agreed without hesitation.

Then, he simply stood at the apartment door, waiting to enter.

Peggy Lewis: “…”

She had intended to take Lyke Zhekova out to eat.

She didn’t know how to cook!

In the past, she always ate Cindy Clarke’s cooking.

...

However, seeing that Lyke Zhekova had misunderstood, Peggy Lewis didn’t have the heart to clarify.

So she decided to first have him over for a cup of tea or something.

So, leaving aside her original plan of taking him out to eat, she simply invited Lyke Zhekova inside.

The two went up the stairs together and arrived at the front door of Peggy Lewis’s home.

After Peggy Lewis opened the door, she invited Lyke Zhekova inside.

Then, Peggy Lewis discovered an awkward situation.

She didn’t have any slippers for men at her place.

“I wasn’t thoughtful enough.” Peggy Lewis said regretfully.

Lyke Zhekova looked inside the opened shoe cabinet.

There were two pairs of women’s slippers, both appearing to be of a similar size.

And one pair of tiny child’s slippers.

Peggy Lewis followed his gaze and quickly explained, “These two pairs belong to Cindy and Morgan.”

“The two of them often come over.

Sometimes when I’m free, I help look after Morgan, so I always have their things ready.”, Peggy Lewis explained.

“And when Cindy and Morgan were living by themselves, they also had some of my belongings at their place.” Peggy further explained.

Lyke Zhekova knew that they were close, but he hadn’t realized just how close.

Lyke Zhekova had even bought an extra pair of women’s slippers to bring over, Peggy Lewis couldn’t let him go barefoot!

However, she couldn’t just buy a pair of expensive slippers like Lyke Zhekova did.

“Well, I don’t have men’s slippers at home either, so hold on, I’ll order a pair.”, Peggy Lewis said.

There was a convenience store near her home, but she knew full well that they didn’t sell slippers.

Fortunately, there was a supermarket nearby that offered quick delivery service.

So Peggy Lewis placed an order directly through the supermarket’s app.

Seeing this, Lyke Zhekova asked: “Are you planning to cook our dinner personally?”

It was clear that Lyke Zhekova had no intention of going out to eat.

He’d only just arrived at Peggy Lewis’s place, the sofa was still cold, he certainly wasn’t going to head out again so soon.

If he went out, he may not be able to come back.

So, Lyke Zhekova wanted to have dinner at Peggy Lewis’s place.

Now, Peggy Lewis had no choice but to reveal her weakness: she couldn’t cook.

Although she had no illusions about Lyke Zhekova, she didn’t want him to think she was incompetent.

Embarrassed, Peggy Lewis admitted: “I…

I’m not very good at cooking.”

“Cindy spoiled me.

Whenever I don’t have any clients to meet after work, I go to Cindy’s for dinner,” Peggy Lewis said sheepishly, “So I never learned how to cook for myself.”

“Once Cindy gets married, I won’t be able to eat at her place, so I’ll probably just order takeout,” Peggy Lewis stated, “It’s not that I can’t cook…

it’s just that I rarely do, so I’m a bit rusty, and the taste is probably…

well, mediocre.”

Peggy Lewis has cooked a few times when she’s been home alone.

Fried noodles, fried rice, simple and fast stuff that can fill the stomach.

As for frying other dishes, as she lived alone, she didn’t see the need for anything fancy hence rarely cooked.

Furthermore, eating food she cooked herself, even if it didn’t taste great, was acceptable to her.

She definitely wouldn’t dislike her own cooking.

But this didn’t necessarily mean that Lyke Zhekova would feel the same way.

Peggy Lewis sighed inwardly.

This was the first time she regretted not learning a few dishes from Cindy.

In the past, Cindy had indeed taught her a few easy and tasty dishes to make.

But she had always thought with Cindy being around,

She could always go to Cindy when she wanted to eat, so she didn’t bother to learn.

Now she was experiencing the regret often felt by those who never make an effort at a young age.

“So how were you planning to treat me to a meal?” Lyke Zhekova asked Peggy Lewis.

“I had initially planned to take you out to a restaurant,” Peggy Lewis replied.

Inviting Lyke Zhekova over for a meal and ordering takeout definitely wasn’t going to cut it.

But to her surprise, Lyke Zhekova said with a hint of disappointment, “I thought you would cook.”

Peggy Lewis: “…”

“I usually eat out, so I’ve been missing home-cooked meals,” Lyke Zhekova said.

Peggy Lewis: “…”

“What if…

I ask Cindy to guide me remotely through the process?” Since she was showing gratitude to Lyke Zhekova, of course, she would want him to be happy.

Showing gratitude without considering the feelings of the recipient is not truly expressing gratitude.

Lyke responded, feigning reluctant acceptance, “I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

However, at this point, if Peggy Lewis couldn’t tell that Lyke was only hiding his true feelings behind polite phrases, then she had no business being a Business Department manager.

She couldn’t possibly be lacking to such an extent in the ability to read people.

“It’s no trouble at all,” Peggy Lewis responded, “It will be good for me to learn a few dishes.

It’s a more sincere way to treat friends, and cooking my own meals can also help me save some money.”

As she spoke, Peggy Lewis immediately reached out to Cindy for help.

At that moment, Cindy was busy packing for Adrian Zhekova.

Adrian Zhekova was leaving for Des Moines the following day.

The terms he had discussed earlier with Write-up had been agreed on.

He had gained a higher number of seats in the International Chefs Association, and Samson Zhekova had become vice president.

As for Pingla becoming one of the shareholders of the International Chefs Association, Write-up had already persuaded the other shareholders.

However, for the proportion of the investment Adrian Zhekova demanded, Write-up could not make the decision alone.

This would need to be decided at a meeting.

But in such matters, if Adrian Zhekova wasn’t present, he stood to lose out.

Therefore, Adrian Zhekova was going to attend the meeting in person and negotiate with the other shareholders himself.

That is why Cindy was currently packing Adrian’s belongings.

As Adrian Zhekova watched Cindy packing his things, he felt very content.

In the past, as a bachelor, he never had such treatment.

He used to pack his own bags.

Despite being especially attentive to Cindy, Adrian was rather careless when it came to himself.

His packing was inevitably a bit disorganized.

He often forgot or lost items.

And when he packed his belongings, he just shoved things into his suitcase without considering any organizational principles.

But now, Cindy had already made a list of what Adrian needed to bring along, and was carefully packing each item into the suitcase according to the list.

And her organization was so immaculate that even though she packed more items than he would have, there was still more space available.

“When I’m away, you and Morgan need to stay safe,” Adrian Zhekova said.

He really didn’t feel comfortable leaving Cindy and Morgan alone at home.

Chapter 1002: This is Discordant_1 “If there’s something you need help with, just reach out to Sheldon Rowland.

Don’t hesitate to trouble him.” Adrian Zhekova said.

“He’s very capable.

There’s hardly anything he can’t handle.” Adrian Zhekova continued, “Hand over tasks you find difficult to him, and they may not seem so tough once in his hands.”

“Alright.” Cindy Clarke nodded, signaling she had remembered.

“If you’re bored at home, you can go live with Morgan at the family mansion.” Adrian Zhekova suggested.

“In fact, I’d feel more at ease knowing you two are living there.”

“It’s as if I’m a child.

The moment our parents leave, we’re entrusted to other adults.” Cindy laughed, “The elders would think I’m useless.”

Adrian Zhekova felt like he had married a wife, yet also raised a daughter.

...

“How could they think that?” Adrian Zhekova responded understandingly.

“When I’m not at home, the elders are bound to worry about you guys being bullied.”

“Especially since your parents and Wendy Clarke are still in Belfard, and Wendy is currently pretty close with Ethan Zhekova.

If they see the opportunity while I’m gone, to cause you trouble, I’m too far to look after you,” Adrian Zhekova said.

“Although I would assign someone to protect you, I just can’t rest easy when I’m not by your side,” Adrian Zhekova said, “Consider it a favor for me; I don’t want to be constantly worried while I’m miles away.”

“Okay.” His words had persuaded Cindy Clarke.

Even if it was just to let Adrian Zhekova focus on his job, without having to worry about her and their little one, Cindy decided she should ease his thoughts.

“However, even if Morgan and I reassure you, you still have to think about us,” Cindy chimed in.

“Isn’t that a given?” Adrian Zhekova chuckled, playfully flicking Cindy’s nose.

Having to explicitly mention this amused him.

Then, Peggy Lewis’ call came through.

“It’s Peggy,” Cindy excitedly said.

“It’s Peggy Lewis, why are you so excited?” Adrian Zhekova asked with amusement, “Don’t you guys keep in touch regularly?”

“No, it’s just that when I see Peggy now, I immediately think of Fourth Uncle,” Cindy explained.

“I wonder if Fourth Uncle had paid her a visit.”

After talking to Adrian Zhekova, Cindy quickly answered Peggy’s call: “Peggy, what’s up?”

Peggy Lewis shyly looked at Lyke Zhekova, and swiftly went into the kitchen.

She whispered to Cindy, “It’s an emergency.

Teach me a few simple dishes that are hard to mess up.”

Cindy, surprised, asked, “What’s going on with you today?

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You suddenly have the enthusiasm to cook?”

“Zhe…” Peggy hesitated, wanting to mention Fourth Uncle.

Since she was talking with Cindy and according to their respective seniority, addressing him this way made their conversation more straightforward.

However, for some reason, she seemed unable to utter the words “Fourth Uncle” at this moment.

“Lyke Zhekova is here at my place,” Peggy said quietly.

“What’s going on between you two?” Cindy hurriedly asked.

Lyke Zhekova had previously visited her, but after Cindy had a talk with him, they had not seen any further action from him.

Cindy had thought that Lyke must have had a change of heart, thus he stopped approaching Peggy.

Unexpectedly, he had now directly gone to Peggy’s place!

“He did me a huge favor today, so I thought I should do something to show my gratitude,” Peggy said.

“As you know, I’m very meticulous in observing social etiquette.”

Cindy felt that everything up until this point was fairly regular.

But Peggy’s last comment gave off a trying-to-cover-up vibe.

If Peggy hadn’t added this remark, Cindy wouldn’t have suspected anything.

However, since Peggy had added this comment, Cindy could sense a whiff of gossip.

“What did he help you with?” Cindy inquired.

“It’s somewhat work-related, but not entirely.” Peggy felt that it was a bit complicated to explain right now.

Lyke was still hungry at the moment.

It didn’t seem appropriate to explain this to Cindy while he was waiting.

She told Cindy, “I’ll explain in detail when I have time later.”

“The bottom line is, he did me a huge favor today,” Peggy added.

“So I want to cook a meal for him,” Peggy said.

She stopped short of saying that it was actually Lyke who wanted her to cook a meal for him.

Cindy was genuinely taken aback.

Could Lyke have done something to make Peggy volunteer to cook for him?

“Send me a recipe, and I’ll buy the ingredients accordingly,”Peggy requested.

“As you know, I don’t usually cook, so there aren’t any ingredients at home.”

Cindy recollected the few encounters she had had with Lyke Zhekova, and it seemed like there weren’t any specific foods he disdained.

“Here’s what we can do.

I’m preparing dinner right now anyway.

I can send you the menu for tonight.

Ask Fourth Uncle if there’s anything he dislikes and remove it from the menu.

Since it’s just the two of you, there’s no need to prepare as much food as we do.

Scaling down a dish or two should be fine,” Cindy suggested.

“Later, we can video chat.

I can guide you through the steps as I cook.

You just have to follow me,” Cindy added.

“That’s great!

Perfect!” Peggy cheerfully ended the call.

She then updated Lyke Zhekova, “I’ve arranged with Cindy to teach me to cook, but you’ll have to wait a bit.”

“That’s not an issue,” Lyke replied, “Are you hungry?”

“Not really, I had a lot of snacks at your place this afternoon,” Peggy replied.

In the afternoon, not only did Lyke bought her favorite peach water and peach oolong tea, but he also got a lot of snacks for her.

Therefore, Peggy wasn’t really hungry at the moment.

“How about you?” Peggy returned the question to Lyke.

“I’m not hungry yet either,” Lyke replied with a smile, “So you don’t need to rush.

We can have dinner anytime tonight.

Even midnight snacks are okay.”

Lyke wished Peggy would take her time cooking; the later they had dinner, the better.

He wouldn’t mind waiting till midnight.

At this moment, the men’s slippers Peggy ordered earlier were delivered.

Upon inspection, Lyke realized they weren’t the same model as Peggy’s.

They were just a random pair that Peggy had bought.

Lyke felt that it was quite a mismatch.

Matching pairs looked better.

However, he had to make do with these for now.

Soon after, Peggy received the Whatsapp message from Cindy.

It contained the dinner menu for that evening.

Peggy immediately showed it to Lyke and asked him if there was anything he disliked.

“I’m not picky.

All of these look quite good,” Lyke responded, noticing the abundant selection.

Considering Peggy’s novice status in the kitchen, she would likely need a long time to finish the preparation.

Lyke thought to himself that he could comfortably stay here until late.

“Alright.” Peggy didn’t think much of it.

When entertaining guests, one must always prepare enough food.

Better to have too much, with leftovers, than to let guests scrape the bottom of the pot.

That’s the way Mrs.

Lewis played host; although it may result in some waste, she always feared that if the food served was not enough, the guests might feel shy to eat.

Chapter 1003: Feeling Uneasy_1 So, under the influence of Mrs.

Lewis, Peggy didn’t know Lyke Zhekova’s appetite.

However, judging him as a big man, she guessed that he must eat quite a lot.

The dish portions should be adequate.

Therefore, Peggy decided to purchase ingredients according to the menu sent by Cindy Clarke.

She even had the supermarket deliver.

After bringing all the groceries into the kitchen, Peggy started to feel somewhat distressed.

...

How should she handle it all?

Just when she was about to video call Cindy for advice, Cindy beat her to it and called first.

Peggy heaved a sigh of relief and said hastily, “You’re a real lifesaver.

I was just about to call you.

How should I handle these ingredients?”

Cindy explained it all: “Simple.

Soak all the vegetables in water, add some baking soda to the water, or salt if you don’t have soda.

It will disinfect and kill the bacteria, then rinse them off.”

“For the rest that needs to be sliced or diced, I’ll organize it for you and send you a written version.

Otherwise, you might not remember so much information.”

“Okay, okay, okay.” Peggy nodded instantly.

While Cindy Clark was speaking, suddenly, Lyke Zhekova’s face appeared behind Peggy in the camera view.

Due to Lyke’s height, to position his face in the camera view, he had to bend down and lower his head.

Peggy’s kitchen was limited in space.

Lyke’s presence only made the limited space more cramped.

However, he was still bending down to squeeze into the camera view.

In doing so, he moved even closer to Peggy.

Although one was in front of the other, his face was almost touching hers.

Peggy saw through her mobile phone screen that her background suddenly included Lyke Zhekova.

Simultaneously, she could clearly feel the warmth coming from his skin nearby.

Peggy had frozen in place, feeling extremely nervous, not knowing what to say.

Her face, in shock, was comparable to someone with facial paralysis.

At this moment, Cindy couldn’t manage to remind Peggy either.

Because she herself was also dumbstruck.

Looking for Adrian, she rushed off: “Adrian, Adrian, come and see!”

While speaking, she turned the phone screen to show Adrian.

Adrian: “…”

His Fourth Uncle, had really no shame.

“Fourth Uncle,” Adrian said calmly, but firmly.

Lyke nodded; his cheek seemed to have accidentally brushed against the tip of Peggy’s ear.

Peggy’s face instantly reddened from the contact.

She was only conscious of the scent of pine and cypress trees from Lyke that filled her nostrils.

Additionally, she felt the warmth he radiated near her ear.

Her ear was burning at the moment, and her brain felt like it was about to explode.

Of course, she couldn’t feel Lyke’s warmth anymore.

Because her body temperature had already skyrocketed.

Cindy blinked unbelievingly several times, watching the screen.

Observing Lyke’s demeanor, it seemed that he genuinely had an interest in Peggy.

If things actually worked out between the two of them, she’d be glad to start calling Peggy her Fourth Aunt.

Initially, Peggy thought nothing about it, but seeing how Cindy was watching her was as if she and Lyke had an amorous relationship of sorts.

She suddenly got very uncomfortable.

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Peggy was inexplicably uneasy inside.

“Then…then I’ll be waiting for the written version you’re organizing,” said Peggy, promptly saying goodbye to Cindy.

“Hey…” Cindy wasn’t able to stop her, she didn’t even get a chance to ask about Peggy and Lyke’s current situation.

Cindy decided, she’ll wait until Adrian goes on a business trip.

Anyway, while he’s not home, she’d have time.

She planned to find Peggy for a good chat.

It seemed like a lot had happened to Peggy since they last met.

Cindy felt she had missed quite a lot.

How did Peggy get so close to Lyke?

What had Lyke done to help her?

Cindy wanted to get to the bottom of everything.

After hanging up, while typing the tutorial for Peggy, Cindy asked Adrian, “Does Fourth Uncle dislike anything?”

Adrian replied: “I wouldn’t know.”

Why would he go out of his way to understand his Fourth Uncle?

Between two grown men, there’s no need to know so much.

Adrian had already told Cindy before, Lyke was very reliable.

If he genuinely acted on his emotions towards Peggy, it would mean he’d thought it through and was serious.

So, Cindy stopped asking whether Lyke Zhekova could be trusted or not.

On her end, after ending the call, Peggy began handling the veggies and meat as instructed by Cindy.

Peggy also used kitchen paper to clean the surface of the meat.

Once everything was soaked and ready, Lyke asked: “How did Cindy say these ingredients should be prepared?

I can help.”

Peggy looked at her tiny kitchen, it was only enough for one person to fuss around.

One person in there cutting and washing vegetables, wanting to turn around to grab something, there was no need for additional steps.

Just turn around, and you could reach it.

It was easy to imagine how small the kitchen was.

Moreover, her small apartment was not big, naturally, the kitchen could not be spacious either.

It was just the right size for her alone.

Adding Lyke in the mix, the two of them in the kitchen had nothing to do besides bumping into each other.

Peggy thought, even though she was a kitchen novice who didn’t know anything, Lyke was probably even worse than her.

Besides, Lyke was a guest, even setting aside the objective condition of the kitchen, it didn’t make sense for the guest to work, right?

Peggy said, “No need, I can handle it myself.

Although I don’t cook often, I’m definitely capable of managing these tasks, so don’t worry.”

“I know you can.

It’s just that you have a lot to process alone — my help will speed things up,” Lyke explained.

“The kitchen is really too small.

The two of us are only going to get in each other’s way, what space is there to work?” Peggy said, “Besides, since I invited you to dinner, it should be me who does all the work, that’s the proper way to show sincerity, right?”

Seeing that Lyke still wanted to argue.

Peggy braved up and gently pushed Lyke out.

Her soft hands still pressed against Lyke’s shoulder blade.

For her to reach this position, Peggy had to raise her arm high to touch it.

Lyke was feeling that the touch on his back was soft.

Just how soft were Peggy’s hands?

Finally, with some effort, Peggy managed to push Lyke out.

“You can just wait there,” Peggy pointed to the sofa, “Right, I’ll get you some snacks.”

Peggy proceeded to fetch the snacks.

“Because I’m not sure how long I’ll be,” Peggy didn’t often cook herself.

As for tonight’s big dinner preparation, Peggy wasn’t very confident.

Her knife skills weren’t up to mark, she was beyond slow compared to both Cindy and her mom.

Don’t underestimate her mom who is not a professional chef.

Existing decades of cooking experience had made her mother’s food chopping speed extremely fast.

With only a big kitchen knife in hand, on a cutting board, slicing into thin strips, her “tap tap” moves were incredibly swift.

Chapter 1004: You’re Still a Bachelor, Worthless_1 Peggy Lewis does not have this ability, so she does not know how long this would take.

So, she prepared some snacks for Lyke Zhekova, lest he gets hungry.

Then, she brought some tea bags and apologized to Lyke Zhekova, saying, “I only have this Peach Oolong Tea at home, and then some peach water.

Tell me what you like, I’ll buy.”

Lyke Zhekova had been so thoughtful to buy her favorites, she could not let him make do.

“No problem, I tasted some when I was at your place and I liked it.

I can have Peach Oolong for now.” Lyke Zhekova responded.

He also wanted to try some of Peggy Lewis’s preferred flavors.

...

Peggy Lewis put the tea bags into the glass cup for him and prepared some hot water.

“I can manage myself,” Lyke Zhekova said, “You don’t have to take such good care of me.”

“I’ll go prepare dinner then,” said Peggy Lewis.

“Okay.” Lyke Zhekova nodded, “Let me know if you need any help.”

“No problem.” Peggy Lewis replied, just about to go to the kitchen when Lyke Zhekova stopped her.

“Could I take a tour of your place?” Lyke Zhekova asked again.

Peggy Lewis looked around her small apartment.

The 50-square-meter small apartment may not be spacious, but due to its two-level structure, she felt that the space was acceptable for single occupancy.

However, a simple glance around the living room would be enough to get an overall idea of her home.

She really wasn’t sure what more there was to show.

Anyway, Peggy Lewis nodded and said, “Feel free, to roam around as you please.”

The bedroom of her Loft-styled apartment was also open.

The stairs led up to an open platform used as a bedroom.

She had placed a mattress on the platform, without buying a bed frame.

Considering the space, if a high bed were placed there, it would make the space seem over-crowded and small.

It was better to just have a mattress.

This way, the vertical space would be larger.

Since there wasn’t a door, the space was entirely open.

So, her sleeping area was clearly visible at a glance.

Fortunately, there was no mess upstairs, so it wouldn’t matter if Lyke Zhekova saw it.

Moreover, even if Lyke Zhekova didn’t go upstairs and just sat in the living room, he could see upstairs by raising his head.

Having said that, Peggy Lewis went on to prepare dinner.

Lyke Zhekova began a thorough examination of the decorations in Peggy Lewis’s house.

Though small, Peggy Lewis’s house was cozy and homely, quite different from his own simple and clear layout.

The platform at the turning corner of the two-story staircase was large and Peggy Lewis had placed a wardrobe there.

This way her bedroom seemed to have more space.

Lyke Zhekova went upstairs and noticed that she had put a mattress in her bedroom.

Along the side of the mattress was a short, long table with a laptop on top.

The mattress could just serve as a seat while working or watching something.

Lyke Zhekova visualized a very vivid image in his mind.

When Peggy Lewis was at home, she would sit there to work overtime or perhaps watch shows on her laptop.

There was also a portable projector next to the computer.

Looking at its position, it could project onto the wall opposite the mattress.

At night, Peggy Lewis could sit on the bed and watch movies projected on the wall.

Thinking about it, this small living seemed quite cozy.

Just picturing this scene brought a smile to Lyke Zhekova’s face.

***

Meanwhile, after receiving Peggy Lewis’s business card, Henry Hertz hurried back to the hospital.

He had not forgotten the assignments Nathan Spencer and Timothy Silverstone entrusted to him.

Hertz rushed to Spencer’s office door before gleefully knocking.

“Come in,” Spencer said from inside.

Hertz promptly entered.

Seeing that only Spencer was in the office, Hertz asked, “CEO, I have just returned from Fourth Uncle’s place.

Is Dr.

Timothy still in surgery?”

“Perhaps, why don’t you ask?” Spencer asked.

Spencer was not going to ask himself

“Wait until Timothy Silverstone comes out, then you can say everything at once,” said Spencer.

Otherwise, if Timothy Silverstone knew that Hertz spoke to Spencer first and not to him simultaneously, it would be a problem.

Spencer would say it was because Timothy Silverstone’s leisure life was too empty.

If Timothy Silverstone could also be in a relationship, he wouldn’t have to keep an eye on others’ love lives every day.

In Spencer’s opinion, Timothy Silverstone’s mindset was probably to last as long as those who were still single.

He seemed to think that as long as others were with him, he didn’t need to worry too much about being single.

That didn’t matter if he was a bit late since others were still with him.

However, what if the people he watched after, one by one, were no longer single?

Could Timothy Silverstone not be anxious?

Hertz went to find out if Timothy Silverstone was out of surgery.

He made a call and found out that Timothy Silverstone had just finished the surgery.

So, after waiting for a while, Timothy Silverstone arrived.

“How did it go?

Did you get any information?” Timothy Silverstone asked eagerly as soon as he entered Spencer’s office.

Hertz, showing off, pulled out Peggy Lewis’s business card: “I got Miss Lewis’s business card.”

Hertz put the card on Spencer’s desk: “You don’t know, but for this card, I offended Fourth Uncle.”

“When I managed to get the card after much effort, Fourth Uncle actually wanted it back.

That was unacceptable!

So I took the card and ran.” Hertz said.

“Fourth Uncle is quite protective of Miss Lewis, not letting anyone get close.” Hertz was so excited that he didn’t even treat Spencer as his boss anymore.

It felt like he was facing two gossipy friends.

“You don’t know, but he didn’t even let me shake hands with Miss Lewis.” Hertz grimaced, “It’s not like I wanted to take advantage of Miss Lewis.

It was just a social etiquette handshake.”

“Who knew that as soon as I reached out my hand, Fourth Uncle stopped me.” Hertz made a face, “This Fourth Uncle is really petty!”

“It’s not like I was taking advantage!” Hertz felt aggrieved discussing this.

He was made out to be like a petty person trying to take undue advantage.

“Wow, this Fourth Uncle is quite petty.” Timothy Silverstone gloated.

“Seems serious.” Nathan Spencer nodded.

“Rare indeed, that Fourth Uncle at this age can still have a chance to quit being single.” According to Timothy Silverstone’s views, he believed that Lyke Zhekova would most likely end up being a loner for life.

Who would have thought that Lyke Zhekova would be so lucky to find true love at this age?

That was an unimaginable stroke of luck.

Nathan Spencer looked skeptically at Timothy Silverstone: “Even Fourth Uncle is about to quit being single.”

“And you are still a bachelor, good for nothing!”

Though he did not speak the latter part out loud, Timothy Silverstone could read the contempt on Spencer’s face.

Timothy Silverstone: “…”

“Ahem!” Timothy Silverstone pretended not to hear Spencer’s implications.

Chapter 1005: This is Their Old Tacit Understanding _1 Turning to Henry Hertz, he asked, “So, about Miss Lewis, do you have any specific information?

Can you spill some beans?”

“Like, how old does she look?

What does she look like?” asked Timothy Silverstone.

If he didn’t have surgery to undergo, he would definitely have gone to find Lyke Zhekova himself.

However, Henry didn’t know exactly how old Peggy Lewis was.

“She looks like she’s in her twenties,” Hertz replied.

“Just in her twenties?” Silverstone shook his head in disapproval.

...

“Fourth Uncle is indeed a beast!”

“As for her appearance, even if I described it, you would still not have a specific impression,” Hertz said.

“But she is very beautiful,” Hertz added.

Silverstone narrowed his eyes and questioned slyly, “Under Fourth Uncle’s tight surveillance, you were still able to notice that Peggy Lewis is beautiful?”

Hertz was furious.

“Wasn’t it you who asked me to investigate?

Now I’ve found out, and you’re trying to blame me!

That’s not fair!”

“Just kidding,” Silverstone said with a laugh.

“You’re so easily worked up.”

Hertz grunted.

Couldn’t he be concerned?

It was just that Lyke Zhekova wasn’t there.

If Lyke Zhekova was present and overheard Silverstone’s remarks, wouldn’t he be in trouble?

Nathan Spencer pointed at the business card, “Doesn’t she have a business card?

It has her name, the company she works for, and her contact information.

Just look it up.”

“Heh heh.” Silverstone smiled, pinching the card and pretending to be thoughtful.

“That wouldn’t be right, would it?

It’s not appropriate to investigate a friend’s girlfriend.”

While Silverstone was speaking, he handed the card over to Henry.

“Henry, I’m leaving this matter to you.”

Hertz: “…”

“We’re Fourth Uncle’s good friends, it’s inappropriate.” said Silverstone.

Hertz: “…”

So, was it appropriate for him?

“I’m not gonna handle this.” Otherwise, Silverstone might blame him later.

“Anyway, I’ve already met Peggy Lewis in person.

If you want to know more, go see her yourself.”

So, Silverstone had no choice but to hope Nathan Spencer would help him out.

“I’m not in a hurry,” Nathan said.

Silverstone: “…”

“Anyway, if Fourth Uncle settles down with her, he will definitely introduce Peggy Lewis to us.” It was their longstanding understanding.

Anyway, they were guaranteed to meet her, so Nathan wasn’t in a rush.

After all, he was not usually an impatient person.

He was not like Silverstone, always restless.

Silverstone: “…”

Was this playing on the fact that he wasn’t part of the Big Eight families?

At Cindy Clarke’s place, dinner was finally ready two hours later.

Cindy was much faster than Peggy.

Even though they started cooking at the same time, and Peggy was following Cindy’s instructions, she still couldn’t keep up with Cindy’s speed.

She couldn’t make Cindy delay her dinner time for her sake.

If it were just Cindy, that would be fine.

With the relationship between her and Cindy, such a small matter wouldn’t require any formalities.

Even if Morgan Zhekova was also waiting for her meal, Morgan would be willing to snack first for her godmother’s sake.

But now, there was an extra Adrian Zhekova, wasn’t there?

What if Adrian Zhekova got upset because Cindy was helping her, resulting in a delayed mealtime?

What if he took it out on Cindy?

So, Peggy let Cindy follow her instructions at her own pace.

Just set up a mobile phone on the dining table during dinner time, and don’t forget to give Peggy instructions while eating.

So, after Cindy’s family had finished their meal, Peggy’s dinner was finally ready.

Lyke Zhekova patted his stomach; he had drunk a lot of tea.

Although it was Peach Oolong Tea, it was fruity but not sweet.

It was Oolong tea with a peach fragrance.

Drinking a lot of it does help with digestion.

After drinking quite a bit, Lyke Zhekova patted his stomach.

He was indeed very hungry.

He felt that he could eat quite a bit later to support Peggy.

Lyke Zhekova stood up and helped Peggy bring the dishes to the dining table.

Although Peggy’s home was small.

Still, it had made room for a dining area.

The space was just right for Lyke Zhekova and Peggy.

Lyke Zhekova felt that, although Peggy’s home was small, it was cozily small.

Just the two of them, having dinner in this small space, had a different kind of warmth.

“This is the first time I’ve prepared a whole table of dishes,” Peggy said, “Try it, how is it?”

“I don’t expect it to taste good.

As long as it isn’t disgusting and can go with the rice, that’s fine,” Peggy said uncertainly, “But rest assured, for these steps and the amount of seasoning – I followed exactly what Cindy told me, without any deviation.”

“Even if the taste isn’t that good, it definitely won’t be very unpleasant.” Peggy didn’t have confidence in herself, but she did have confidence in Cindy.

So, Lyke Zhekova gave it a try.

Indeed, as Peggy said, it wasn’t disgusting.

As for being delicious, it wasn’t that great.

There was certainly a big gap between its taste and Cindy’s cooking skills.

There was also a considerable gap from the standard quality of homemade food that average families served.

This was a very strange phenomenon.

It wasn’t just happening to Peggy.

It should be a common occurrence in every household.

Even if you follow the same recipe and the same steps without any deviation, the taste will still differ.

Speaking of restaurants.

Not just high-end ones.

Even the roadside stalls or internet-famous small restaurants.

Even for the same dish.

But some famous local restaurants just make it taste better.

The reason was unfathomable.

So even though Peggy followed exactly as Cindy taught,

There was still a big difference compared to Cindy’s own cooking.

Although the food Peggy Lewis made wasn’t that delicious, it wasn’t terrible either.

After all, she usually lived alone at home and sometimes cooked noodles or instant noodles for herself.

She knew the basics.

However, she probably only cooked once or twice a month.

Lyke Zhekova truly believed that Peggy almost never cooked her own meals.

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But it didn’t matter.

After all, you don’t marry a girl just so she could cook for you.

The fact that Cindy Clarke loved cooking was a different thing.

But for someone like Peggy who wasn’t good at cooking, it was okay too.

Didn’t they have a housekeeper at home?

Peggy wouldn’t need to do it herself.

“It’s tasty,” Lyke Zhekova said with a supportive nod.

When Peggy saw that he wasn’t forced at all and even ate quite a bit, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

She felt that the entire table of food she prepared, although not very delicious, was palatable at least.

Chapter 1006: Speaking Without Guilt_1 “Is this really your first time cooking such a full meal?” asked Lyke Zhekova, a look of amazement on his face.

“You must be extremely talented then.”

Peggy Lewis thought to herself, when Fourth Uncle praised people, he was really quite amazing!

Peggy Lewis bashfully replied, “I think I might’ve embarrassed myself.

My cooking skills really are just average.

It’s not just this full table of dishes, even if it was just a single dish, I’ve never made it seriously.”

She hadn’t even made a full meal for her parents yet.

If her parents knew that she had cooked a full meal for another man before them, they would probably be upset.

“Then you really are amazing,” Lyke Zhekova praised without the slightest feeling of guilt.

...

But while Lyke was bold enough to sing her praises, Peggy didn’t dare to accept them.

She would rather die than presume to promise him that she would continue cooking for him.

This made Lyke somewhat disappointed.

He had thought Peggy would agree with him.

Even if he had to coax her into agreeing, that would’ve been fine too.

Of course, he didn’t expect Peggy to become a housewife.

But occasionally cooking a meal could create a fun atmosphere, right?

Peggy had spent two hours just preparing dinner.

And Lyke had intentionally eaten slowly.

After they finished eating, Lyke insisted on washing the dishes.

This truly surprised Peggy.

She didn’t believe that Lyke had ever washed dishes before!

“You’re a guest in my house, how could I let you wash the dishes?” Peggy insisted.

Her place was small, including the kitchen, and there was genuinely no space to install a dishwasher.

Cindy Clarke, as a food blogger, tried many brands of appliances.

Including dishwashers.

They were all brand new items given to her by the brand representatives.

Cindy didn’t need so many at home, so she wanted to give one to Peggy.

But Peggy had no space for it at her place either.

Cindy even wanted to give one to Peggy’s parents.

But the older generation was used to being frugal.

Not to mention there was no space in the kitchen, which was filled to the brim.

Mrs.

Lewis was also worried about the increase in the cost of water and electricity, so she declined.

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Peggy figured she didn’t cook regularly anyway, so she didn’t wash dishes often.

Consequently, she felt there was no need for a dishwasher.

The dishes she usually used for fruit had no oil, so they were easy to wash.

Unlike tonight where there were a lot of dishes.

This was a situation where a dishwasher would’ve been very useful.

“You made dinner,” Lyke explained.

“You spent a long time on it and you must be tired.

Is it really that big of a deal if I wash a few dishes?”

Then, without waiting for her response, he began cleaning up the dishes.

Peggy had cooked a lot.

Try as he might, Lyke could not finish everything.

Some food was left over.

Peggy couldn’t eat the leftovers either, and they wouldn’t be good if kept until the next day.

So they had to be thrown away.

By the time Lyke finished cleaning up, it was already past 11 pm.

“I’m sorry for taking up so much of your time today,” Lyke looked at the time and said with an apologetic expression.

“Don’t think like that at all,” Peggy replied.

Upon hearing this, Lyke quickly persisted, “So, being with me doesn’t make you uncomfortable?”

“How could it?” Peggy responded in surprise.

Wouldn’t anyone else be longing for this situation to happen to them?

Of course, she herself didn’t mind either.

More than just not minding,

Who else would have the opportunity to spend such a long time with Lyke as she had?

“Do you have some misconceptions about yourself?

Who would feel discomfort being with you?” Peggy laughed, “On the contrary, I find it particularly joyful to be with you.”

“I even feel like time passes more quickly,” Peggy added.

She said this to make Lyke happy of course.

She couldn’t possibly say that being with him made her unhappy, could she?

However, she was definitely telling the truth.

Being with Lyke was indeed particularly joyful.

Moreover, time had passed without her even noticing.

Peggy didn’t feel bored or pressured being with him.

Maybe she felt something at the beginning.

Mainly because she was not familiar with Lyke, along with the gap in their status.

But after being together, it became clear that Lyke was an extraordinarily charming man.

Unconsciously, he had overcome the mental distance she had placed between them.

She felt closer to Lyke,

Unconsciously, she no longer saw Lyke as the CEO of Majestic or a member of the Zhekova Family.

She just thought of him as a friend.

Peggy felt,

No matter what Lyke said,

As long as he was talking, she tolerated listening.

Lyke was overjoyed by what Peggy had said.

When she walked him downstairs, Peggy wanted to watch him drive off.

But Lyke objected, saying, “It’s too late, even if it’s at your door, I wouldn’t feel comfortable until I see you inside.”

“You go ahead, and after I see you go in, I’ll leave,” Lyke explained.

Peggy could only think, Lyke really was a warm-hearted man!

Because of her work, she encountered all types of people.

Many of them were men.

Perhaps because their relationships existed solely in the workplace, those men didn’t feel the need to show any kind of gentlemanly demeanor.

That said, none of the men Peggy had met were like Lyke.

He fused the characteristics of a gentleman with maturity in such a profound way, as if it was ingrained into his being.

So Peggy returned home under Lyke’s protective gaze and appeared on the balcony, looking down at Lyke.

She wondered if Lyke could see her.

Just as she was thinking about this, she saw Lyke wave at her.

Clearly, he could see her from below.

Peggy couldn’t help but smile and wave back at Lyke.

Only after seeing her safe inside did Lyke return to his car and drive off.

It wasn’t until she could no longer see Lyke’s car that Peggy left her balcony and returned to the living room.

Her house was small, so even when she was alone, she didn’t feel like it was too empty or vast.

After all, the area is small, it feels like she alone could fill the entire space.

Normally when she was alone, she never felt lonely at home.

But now, Lyke, who had just been here and had stayed for quite a long period, suddenly left.

Now, there was suddenly one less person at home.

It felt particularly hollow.

Although it’s a small space, why does it feel so empty?

Peggy sat on the couch, hugging a throw pillow,

Looking at the dining table on the side, she felt a bit off.

She shook her head and went to freshen up.

Then she climbed onto her bed on the second floor, turned on the projector, and got comfortable watching videos.

But usually, this was her most relaxing time.

However, Peggy couldn’t focus at all now.

She had no idea what the drama was about, her mind constantly wandering.

Her thoughts couldn’t help but drift towards Lyke.

***

The next day, Peggy woke up early and went to the company.

She had already taken the afternoon off yesterday.

Manager Thompson surely wouldn’t be polite to Cindy and tell her that she could continue to rest today, that she didn’t have to go to the company.

Chapter 1007: You Responded One Minute Too Late_1 She did it, she really didn’t go to the company anymore.

Peggy Lewis arrived at the company as usual.

However, this morning, just as she did was getting to the company entrance.

Even before she set foot in the company’s front door.

Just at the entrance, she ran into other company employees also on their way to work, and she could feel many strange glances.

Peggy didn’t show up a little earlier like usual today.

It wasn’t because of her relationship with Lyke Zhekova, that she had become lax.

...

It was rather because just yesterday she had been given a hard time by Jacob Zahn.

All her colleagues in the department knew she has the habit of arriving early.

Jacob Zahn, of course, also knew this.

Peggy was worried that Jacob Zahn might show up early and corner her at the office.

She would be the only one there if she came in early.

By the time Jacob began bothering her again, she would have no one to help her.

So, just to be cautious, Peggy decided to stick to her usual time of getting to the company.

With everyone in the department around, Jacob Zahn wouldn’t dare make a scene.

But the result of this was that many of the other colleagues were already present in the company by the time Peggy arrived.

Even though the company has many departments, with plenty of employees within each department.

Not every colleague from every department can be recognised or even named.

However, all those colleagues who Peggy didn’t recognize, upon seeing her, stared at her with wide, questioning eyes.

Even those who knew each other grouped together and immediately commenced their gossiping.

Peggy could guess, it must have to do with Lyke Zhekova’s personal visit to the company yesterday.

Now to be at the center of office gossip, Peggy was helpless.

She could only rush to the Business Department.

Whenever she passed by, other people’s glances would be immediately cast on her.

They would then whisper to each other in hushed tones.

Those who hadn’t formed gossip groups still stared at her just as obviously.

Making Peggy feel terribly uncomfortable.

However, once she got into the elevator, things got a little better.

Even though it was crowded, precisely because people were standing too close to each other, they didn’t dare to glare at her so openly.

They were extremely curious, but they didn’t dare to turn or tilt their heads to look at her in the elevator.

This was something Peggy found amusing.

When she arrived at the level of the Business Department, Peggy quickly stepped out of the elevator.

Unexpectedly, as soon as she entered the Business Department, she found colleagues from other departments there.

There must have been seven or eight of them.

They did not all come from the same department.

Probably, those who were familiar with the employees in the Business Department had been designated as representatives.

Of course, not every department had sent someone.

After all, not every department had employees who were well-acquainted with those in the Business Department.

However, the seven or eight people currently in the office were not a few.

This grand presence startled Peggy a bit.

Her foot, which was originally about to step into the Business Department, hesitated.

She wondered whether to come in later?

“Peggy, you’re here.” Behind her, Joel had also arrived.

Seeing Peggy just standing at the door, and carrying his briefcase, Joel, not aware of the situation in the department, spoke out.

However, with Joel’s call, those inside the department also heard and turned their attention to the door, where they saw Peggy standing.

Now, Peggy had no choice but to act casually, walk over to her seat and sit down.

Of course, the colleagues from other departments came here with the motive of inquiring about Peggy’s relationship with Lyke Zhekova.

However, they lacked the courage to question Peggy directly when they saw her.

After all, Peggy’s relationship with Lyke Zhekova was quite good.

In a relationship between a man and a woman, was there anything like pure friendship?

Hence, they all viewed the relationship between Peggy and Lyke Zhekova as being complicated.

Even if Peggy didn’t end up as Cinderella and marry into a wealthy family,

since she is currently with Lyke Zhekova, she is someone powerful they shouldn’t provoke.

They certainly were not stupid like Jacob Zahn.

So, when Peggy arrived, everyone became somewhat awkward.

It was as if they were caught while doing some mischief.

But, they immediately stepped up and courteously greeted Peggy: “Peggy, you’re here!”

“Oh, it’s almost time for work.” Someone glanced at the time and used it as a chance to say, “Then we will go back to work first.

We can chat later.”

Peggy also smiled back politely.

It wasn’t until everyone had left, that Peggy sat back down in her seat, feeling relieved.

Jacob Zahn was already at his workstation.

She wondered whether Mr.

Thompson and Manager Thompson had any plans to penalize Jacob Zahn.

As she was pondering over this, a message came in the small group chat she shared with Clara Evans and Abigail Ackehurst.

Abigail Ackehurst: “Peggy, everyone who just came in was asking about you and Lyke Zhekova.”

Peggy Lewis: “I figured.”

Clara Evans: “So, what is actually going on between you and Lyke Zhekova?”

Peggy Lewis thought for a moment, her fingers hesitating over the keyboard.

After contemplation, she finally said, “We’re just friends.”

Clara Evans: “It took you a minute to reply.”

Peggy Lewis: “…”

Peggy then responded: “Let’s put it this way, I know Lyke Zhekova because Cindy Clarke and I are best friends.

You all know that Cindy Clarke is married to Adrian Zhekova.”

Clara Evans and Abigail Ackehurst both sent over a nodding emoji.

Peggy continued to write: “I met him when I went to see Cindy’s competition.

But our relationship is just that of acquaintances.”

“I even managed to get close to him only because of Cindy’s influence, otherwise why would he know me?” Peggy said, “So, even saying that we’re friends, is like me trying to cling on to him.

I don’t have the audacity to say that we are best friends or something.”

“The reason I got the cooperation project with Majestic is because Jacob and Mr.

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Houston did underhanded things, and they originally had plans to switch it up.

But since they were to replace someone, why not someone they knew, so they thought of me.

However, this happened only because of Cindy’s influence.”

“Would he have known me if it hadn’t been for the fact that I am friends with Cindy?” she said.

“Do you really think so?” Clara Evans read what Peggy had said and couldn’t believe it.

Peggy Lewis: “Yes.”

She really meant what she said, she did not lie.

In order to make Clara believe her, Peggy even turned her head to look at Clara, to let her see the sincerity in her expression.

Clara Evans: “…”

Clara Evans, the unofficial observer, sent her another message: “If it’s really like what you said, would he have known that you were being bullied by Jacob Zahn, and purposely came to the company to rescue you?”

“Although our company is quite close to Majestic, he still had to make a special trip.” Said Clara.

“And, did Lyke Zhekova tell you something else?” Clara asked.

“What’s the matter?” Peggy didn’t know what she was talking about.

Clara Evans: “Yesterday, the only reason we went to the stairwell to find you was because he called.”

“What?” Peggy was genuinely surprised at this news.

“Of course, I haven’t actually confirmed this with him.” Clara said, “I don’t dare to actually go and ask him.”

Chapter 1008: It Really is Him_1 “I can tell it was the same person speaking, it was him,” Clara Evans said.

“You recognized a voice over the phone?” Peggy Lewis was still a bit confused.

“Maybe others will struggle, but Lyke Zhekova’s voice is pretty distinct,” Clara Evans said, “He has a low, pleasing voice and doesn’t sound like those scumbag men.”

Peggy Lewis: “…”

She was familiar with the type of ‘scumbag sound’ Clara was referring to.

Some men lower their voice on purpose when they’re trying to flirt with a girl.

If he only flirted with his crush, naturally that would be different.

However, the voices that both Peggy Lewis and Clara Evans heard weren’t solely focused on wooing one person.

Even worse, these types of voices were often overly deliberate.

...

Anyways, Peggy Lewis and Clara Evans disliked this kind of artificially charming voice.

And they referred to it as ‘scumbag sound’.

Once Clara Evans mentioned this, Peggy Lewis understood.

“But Lyke Zhekova’s voice is quite different.

It’s calm and steady, giving a sense of reliability,” said Clara Evans, “Plus, his voice is quite distinctive, so I recognised it immediately.”

“He called directly to your office landline, and I answered the phone. He was very anxious and demanded that I bring people to the stairwell immediately,” Clara Evans added.

“He must have rushed over to our Company after making the call.

He was so worried about you, more than just a regular friend,” Clara Evans noted.

According to her, Lyke Zhekova didn’t seem like the type to readily go out of his way to help someone.

It wasn’t to say that Lyke Zhekova was cold or of bad character.

But once he had been notified, there was no need to personally appear or even send someone over to see if any help was needed.

Afterall, Clara Evans believed that with Lyke Zhekova’s position, the latter option would be the normal choice.

Peggy Lewis was stunned.

She was entirely unaware of the phone call from Lyke Zhekova.

Because she didn’t know, she didn’t raise the topic when she was with Lyke Zhekova yesterday.

Peggy Lewis had some indecision as she looked at her phone.

Now, she not only had Lyke Zhekova’s phone number but also had him on Whatsapp.

She could easily ask him about anything.

But if it really was him, what should she do?

Peggy Lewis hadn’t quite figured it out.

But one can’t just ignore this matter as if it never happened.

Peggy Lewis still sent Lyke Zhekova a message on Whatsapp.

Peggy Lewis: “A colleague told me that you called my office landline yesterday, and they were able to go to the stairwell to help me just in time.

She wasn’t sure, but the voice sounded like yours.”

Then, Peggy Lewis put down her phone.

If Lyke Zhekova was busy, he could first work and then reply when he see the message.

This was one of the reasons why Peggy Lewis chose to send him a Whatsapp message.

The other was that she didn’t have the courage to say what she wanted over the phone.

Writing a message was less stressful.

And with text, you can think about what you’re going to send.

Unlike speaking, once you say something inappropriate without thinking, you can’t take it back.

Unexpectedly, just as she put down her phone,

not long after, probably less than a minute,

her phone made a notification sound again.

She had the desktop version of Whatsapp on her computer.

She’d just chatted with both Clara Evans and Abigail Ackehurst using the desktop version.

Typing with a keyboard is faster.

But when chatting with Lyke Zhekova, Peggy Lewis didn’t open the desktop screen.

Even though there are partitions between the workstations,

Peggy Lewis still didn’t feel at ease.

What if someone could see from the unblocked side at the back?

So, Peggy Lewis prudently sent Lyke Zhekova a message on Whatsapp through her phone.

And she didn’t open Whatsapp on her computer.

Now, Peggy Lewis picked up her phone again to check.

It really was a reply from Lyke Zhekova.

Peggy Lewis couldn’t help but think, does he not need to work?

Why did he reply so quickly?

She didn’t know how Lyke Zhekova would respond, and Peggy Lewis was a bit nervous.

When she opened the message, she saw that Lyke Zhekova had succinctly replied with two words: “It’s me.”

It really was him.

Peggy Lewis scratched the back of her ear, wondering whether Lyke Zhekova was free or not.

With just two words, he seemed busy.

So Peggy Lewis sent back: “I wasn’t aware that you called my office.

Thank you.

You don’t have to rush in replying if you’re busy”.

Then, Peggy Lewis began to handle the collaboration with Majestic that she had taken over.

But just as she opened the file, her phone rang.

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Looking at the screen, it was a call from Lyke Zhekova.

Wasn’t he busy?

Peggy Lewis picked up her phone and hastily left her desk.

Of course, she felt a bit traumatized by stairwells now.

But going to the restroom wouldn’t be appropriate either.

Even in a bathroom stall, other people could come in, overhearing her conversation clearly.

Peggy Lewis thought about it and went to the pantry.

The pantry wasn’t large and was a separate small space.

If someone comes, she can leave immediately.

If nobody comes, she can answer the call in peace.

After hastily entering and closing the door, Peggy Lewis quickly answered the phone.

“Lyke…” Peggy Lewis then remembered that Lyke Zhekova didn’t want to be called Mr.

Zhekova.

But calling him ‘Lyke Zhekova’, addressing him by name, also seemed quite impolite.

“Fourth Uncle Lyke.” Peggy Lewis promptly changed her address.

Lyke Zhekova: “…”

Peggy Lewis also struggled to cover her mouth.

She remembered that Lyke Zhekova didn’t want her to call him ‘Uncle’.

Caught off guard, it was pretty tough for her to decide.

So, Peggy Lewis had to go with “Fourth Uncle Lyke” for the time being.

“There’s only a 10 year gap between us,” Lyke Zhekova spoke with gritted teeth, “How am I your uncle?”

“It was my mistake,” Peggy Lewis promptly replied.

Peggy Lewis recalled that it was Lyke Zhekova who called her first.

She wondered what Lyke Zhekova wanted.

But Lyke Zhekova confused her with his detour, and she didn’t know how to ask now.

So, Peggy Lewis continued with the previous topic: “I didn’t know about it until I came to the office this morning, when a colleague mentioned that you had specifically notified them that I was trapped in the stairwell.”

“It’s no big deal,” Lyke Zhekova said.

“It’s not a small thing.

Without your call, my colleagues couldn’t have arrived quickly.

I thanked you yesterday, but this matter was left out.

Now that I know, I need to thank you for this too,” Peggy Lewis explained.

Lyke Zhekova thought for a moment and asked, “So, does your thank you yesterday include the phone call?”

Chapter 1009: The Gaze is Somewhat Off_1 Lyke Zhekova used an unsuspecting tone, saying, “Didn’t you just find out this morning?”

“…” Peggy Lewis instinctively waved her hand, forgetting that Lyke Zhekova couldn’t see her at all.

“Of course not.”

“How could you be so insincere?” Peggy Lewis felt that she was beginning to understand Lyke Zhekova.

From his tone of voice, she knew what responses to give him.

“So, are you going to thank me again for this?” Lyke Zhekova quickly asked her.

Peggy Lewis:”…”

She didn’t say that, nor did she mean it!

But to deny it now would seem insincere.

Peggy Lewis had to go along with Lyke Zhekova’s words and said, “Definitely, I should thank you.”

“How could just verbal thanks be enough?

...

This is too insincientious.” Peggy Lewis gave a dry laugh.

Then Lyke Zhekova nodded, “So, how would you like to express your gratitude?”

Peggy Lewis:”…”

Inside, Peggy Lewis was thinking, why was Lyke Zhekova, such a proper gentleman, so insistent on her concrete way of expressing gratitude? But Lyke Zhekova had already put it into words, forcing Peggy Lewis into a corner.

How was she going to thank Lyke Zhekova?

If she were to cook for him personally, she wasn’t quite good at it.

Would that even count as a thank you at all?

“You have to give me some time to think about that.” Peggy Lewis said, “Thanking you is indeed not an easy task.

I don’t know what you like.

It’s boring to just cook for you all the time.

And my cooking skills are just okay.

But if I were to buy something, I wouldn’t know what to buy.”

Lyke Zhekova didn’t give her any clue, only saying, “Okay, think about it.

I’ll ask you again later.”

Peggy was rather taken aback:”…”

She didn’t see this coming, did she?

Who urges people to express their thanks!

But Lyke Zhekova didn’t have much time for idle chatter either.

Peggy heard some faint sounds from Wallace Martin’s side over the phone.

It seemed to be a reminder to Lyke Zhekova about work.

So Lyke Zhekova had no choice but to end the call with her for now.

Peggy then returned to her work.

But she still couldn’t settle down.

Because she was once again in debt and had to figure out how to thank Lyke Zhekova.

Apparently, he wasn’t being polite with her.

At noon, Peggy headed to the canteen with Clara Evans and Abigail Ackehurst.

However, along the way, Peggy noticed that the way people were looking at her was a bit off.

This off feeling was different from the unusual gazes she received when she arrived in the morning.

Peggy asked Clara Evans and Abigail Ackehurst, “Don’t you think the way these people are looking at me is a bit odd?”

Abigail Ackehurst, unlike Clara with her quick responses, was rather casual and carefree.

Abigail just shook her head blankly and said, “Didn’t they look at you like that this morning too?”

“It’s all because of Lyke Zhekova.” Abigail offhandedly remarked, dismissing it with a wave of her hand.

Because the Company had already received a lot of inquiries about Lyke Zhekova and Peggy Lewis from many people before she arrived.

After Peggy arrived at the company, her colleagues couldn’t help but gossip when they saw her.

So, Abigail really didn’t feel any difference.

Clara Evans, on the other hand, was much more perceptive and responsive.

She was too busy talking to Peggy and Abigail earlier and hadn’t noticed anything.

But when Peggy brought it up, Clara deliberately observed it and noticed something was off.

“It is different,” Clara agreed.

Abigail, still oblivious, asked Clara, “How is it different?”

Clara frowned, “In the morning, although their eyes were indeed on Peggy, their gazes were clearly filled with curiosity and gossip.”

“Even when they came to ask us about the gossip, they actually just wanted to know about your relationship with Lyke.

There was nothing else,” Clara explained.

“Although it was a bit annoying, this gossip wasn’t malicious,” Clara said.

“But now, their gazes are not as friendly.

They’re a bit….” Clara furrowed her brows, and compared it to another gaze.

The gaze felt familiar to Clara, but she couldn’t quite place it.

At this point, Peggy added, “It’s a bit like the way they look at Jacob Zahn.”

From the time it was announced that she was to replace Jacob Zahn, until the email was sent out by the company,

And the rumor that Jacob Zahn’s deals were obtained by some shady means,

No one who knew about it actually spread the news, considering the company’s size.

But surely not everything could be kept under wraps?

There’s always a leak somewhere.

On the contrary, because they didn’t know what Jacob Zahn had done, they kept speculating.

The more they speculated, the worse Jacob was made out to be, the more disgusting the rumors became.

Of course, after hearing the rumors going around in the company, Clara had to say that they didn’t guess wrongly.

They thought that their speculations were quite crude, not realizing that Jacob Zahn had actually done worse.

Because they didn’t know the truth and were just speculating, the gaze towards Jacob was more uncomfortable, like being stabbed with pins.

Clara had noticed these uncomfortable gazes, but couldn’t quite place them at first.

Now that Peggy had mentioned it, Clara understood.

“Yes, yes, yes.” Clara nodded in agreement, “Why are they suddenly looking at you like this?”

Peggy shook her head, “I don’t understand either.”

She didn’t understand how everything had changed in just one morning.

“I’ll go find out.” Abigail pledged, placing a hand on her chest, “Leave it to me.”

Although she was a bit slow, Abigail was good at finding out gossip.

Because of this characteristic, many people loved chatting with her.

If she asked them anything they could share, they would tell her.

“Go quickly.” Clara urged, “Leave this task to you then.”

“Don’t worry.” Abigail took on the task.

However, before she could leave, Jacob Zahn walked up to her.

Because of Lyke Zhekova standing up for Peggy yesterday, even Elijah Hernandez and Tiffany Wagner, who usually hung out with Jacob, wouldn’t dare to contact Jacob anymore.

Since Peggy was definitely going to be the next manager of the Business Department, why would they stick with Jacob?

After what happened to Jacob, it was still uncertain whether he could stay in the company.

Even if he stayed in the company, he wouldn’t have a future there.

So, what’s the point of following Jacob?

They used to follow Jacob because they hoped that they could enjoy some benefits with him.

With him making deals, they could ride on his coattails and get a share of the outcome.

When Jacob got promoted, he could keep protecting them.

But now, there was no hope for any of that.

Chapter 1010: Great Sacrifices for Work_1 They naturally stopped following Jacob Zahn.

They changed tactics and started to play safe.

When they were with Jacob Zahn, they hadn’t been kind to Peggy Lewis, and they opposed her.

Now they can’t continue to follow Jacob Zahn down a dangerous path, they just hoped it’s not too late.

After Peggy Lewis gets promoted, they hope she won’t give them a hard time.

So now, Elijah Hernandez and Tiffany Wagner were already sitting in the canteen having lunch, they didn’t even invite Jacob Zahn.

Jacob Zahn walked up to Peggy Lewis and her two companions at this moment, sneering at Peggy Lewis.

...

Jacob Zahn had now given up everything in despair.

Anyway, he no longer planned to work in the Company.

Since he’s leaving, why should he care about Peggy Lewis?

Abigail Ackehurst and Clara Evans also became wary of her.

“Peggy Lewis, you kept saying yesterday that I have some ambiguous relationship with Mr.

Houston for business,” said Jacob Zahn, “You have no evidence for this, but you’re accusing me out of thin air.”

Peggy Lewis frowned and said, “Jacob Zahn, just stop beating around the bush.

I’ve lost interest in arguing with you.”

With that, she turned to leave with Clara Evans and Abigail Ackehurst.

“I’m not finished talking.” Jacob Zahn blocked Peggy Lewis’s way, “What I want to say is, you’re the one who was involved in all the dirty deeds but you’re blaming me for it!”

“What nonsense are you talking about!” Peggy Lewis frowned.

“What?

Dare to act but not admit it?

Lyke Zhekova even came to the company for you yesterday.” Jacob Zahn said.

“I was wondering why Majestic suddenly refused to sign the contract and wanted to change people.

You blame me for my relationship with Mr.

Houston, but in fact it’s because you entertained Lyke Zhekova.

You’re the one who sold your body for contract!”

“As for you, you turned around and put the blame on me.” Jacob Zahn intentionally raised his voice very loudly.

It attracted the attention of many people in the canteen.

“Peggy Lewis, does a contract obtained by selling yourself taste good?” Jacob Zahn spit harshly, “I feel disgusted for losing to a woman as shameless as you!”

Because of Jacob Zahn’s words, there was a buzzing discussion around.

“You were able to snatch the contract that originally belonged to me by sleeping with Lyke Zhekova this time, then for those previous contracts, who knows how you got them?” Jacob Zahn chuckled sarcastically.

“Maybe, those were also obtained by sleeping around.” Jacob Zahn said loudly, “After all, if you could sleep with someone once, you could sleep with them countless times.”

“Jacob Zahn, you’re really good at distorting the facts!

It’s clearly you who….” Clara Evans found the words ‘sleeping around’ too disgusting to say, “It’s you who do such things, yet you slander others!”

“Ha!

You say that, but people are not fools.

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Everyone here has their eyes wide open and knows what’s going on.” Jacob Zahn said.

“Let me think about it, I guess in our department, the best performers are Peggy Lewis and me.” Jacob Zahn said to Clara Evans, “The word you didn’t finish just now, weren’t you going to say it was me who slept around?”

“But did you ever think about it, is it logically possible?” Jacob Zahn said coldly, “Am I, as a man, going to sleep around?

Who suffers if I sleep around is still a question.”

“Me sleep around?” Jacob Zahn sneered, “Who would believe that?”

“Whoever sees this would think that Peggy Lewis sleeping around makes more sense, right?” Jacob Zahn said loudly, “Peggy Lewis took my contract, turned it around, and blamed me for sleeping around?”

“Peggy Lewis, since you can do it, you should have the guts to admit it!

Why turn around and blame me!” Jacob Zahn said loudly.

Because of Jacob Zahn’s words, there were quite a few people in the canteen at this time.

They all looked over here and started to whisper and discuss.

Quite a few people believed what Jacob Zahn said.

Initially, because of different departments, there were few interactions between them, so they didn’t know much about Peggy Lewis.

Only recently, Peggy Lewis became a popular candidate for the manager’s position.

She gained a lot of presence, causing colleagues from other departments to occasionally discuss about her after meals.

Until yesterday, when something suddenly happened that allowed Peggy Lewis to replace Jacob Zahn in dealing with Majestic.

It completely brought Peggy Lewis and Jacob Zahn into the limelight.

Because of the personal appearance of Lyke Zhekova, people made many speculations about the relationship between Peggy Lewis and Lyke Zhekova.

There were well-intentioned ones, and of course, some with malicious intentions.

In the face of workplace competition, even if there isn’t any competition, there are people who are jealous and don’t like to see others do well.

Perhaps it has nothing to do with the workplace, but more with the person’s character and mind.

Feeling that everyone has the same conditions and starts from the same starting line.

Even if after the starting gun is fired, the speed of progress on the track is also similar.

Why is Peggy Lewis suddenly so lucky?

She’s not better than anyone else, so how did she get involved with Lyke Zhekova?

It’s like she suddenly turned on a cheat and pulled away from them, and then everything suddenly changed.

A man that sprung up like Lyke Zhekova, seemed destined not to appear in their world.

But he suddenly showed up and became real.

No longer only existing in daily rumors, but actually appearing before their eyes, as if it could be touched.

But this man who seemed to have descended from heaven, appeared next to Peggy Lewis.

He was going to take a woman as ordinary as Peggy Lewis away from this ordinary world that was just like theirs.

How can people be satisfied with this?

Naturally, some people prefer to believe that the relationship between Peggy Lewis and Lyke Zhekova is actually something improper and not publicly acceptable.

Otherwise, how was Peggy Lewis related to Lyke Zhekova?

Now hearing Jacob Zahn say this, some people suddenly felt that there was some truth in it.

If it was said that Jacob Zahn sold himself to sleep around, it’s still uncertain who would stand to lose.

Jacob Zahn, as a man, might not suffer that much of a loss.

On the contrary, it’s more likely that it was Peggy Lewis.

“This time you’re sleeping with Lyke Zhekova, it’s not a loss, you even made a profit.” Jacob Zahn said loudly.

“Only for those previous contracts, who knows what kind of people you had to sleep with.” Jacob Zahn sneered, “Peggy Lewis, you’re really devoted to your work, you’ve given up a lot for the job.”

“Smack!”

Peggy Lewis, who had been given no opportunity to speak by Jacob Zahn, didn’t bother to respond.

She raised her hand and slapped Jacob Zahn across the face.

This was something no one expected.

Let alone the other onlookers, even Jacob Zahn himself never expected this.

Even Clara Evans and Abigail Ackehurst, who were the closest to Peggy Lewis, were stunned.

They completely didn’t expect that Peggy Lewis would react so aggressively out of the blue.