Ch. 1561..1565
Chapter 1561
Tea was served in the meeting room.
Sherry and her subordinates sat down on the other end of the table.
The receptionist said, “Ms. Fowler, please wait for a while.”
Sherry smiled. “Okay. Thank you.”
There were over twenty minutes left until the meeting time.
Arriving earlier showed the Sagers‘ sincerity in this collaboration, so Sherry was more patient than usual.
To her surprise, the door was opened before she could finish her tea. Peter was the one who opened the door, and then John came in.
The man’s slender figure and his expensive suit appeared before Sherry’s eyes. The golden-framed glasses set off his handsome features, and he looked even more charming when he smiled at Sherry.
Sherry was stunned. She thought the meeting would start at 2 o'clock, so why did John come over so early?
While Sherry’s subordinates stood up immediately, she had to regain her composure first before getting to her feet. John walked to her and put a hand out for a handshake. “Ms. Fowler, thank you for
waiting.”
Sherry’s lips twitched helplessly. “We just arrived as well.” She then politely shook his
hand.
He held her hand tightly and only let go when she glared at him. John then sat down
in the center seat.
Other than Peter, there were two more executives who came in with John. They both shook Sherry’s hand before sitting down opposite her.
The contract-signing procedure was brief and simple. Sherry prepared two sets of contracts for the executives. They only passed the contracts to John after they had a look at them.
John went through them carefully and then nodded. He then stamped the document using the company stamp; Sherry did the same with the Sagers’ company stamp.
The deal was a go-ahead as both company representatives signed the contract.
Sherry passed the documents to her subordinates. She then stood up and smiled at John while putting her hand out for a handshake. “Master Stockton, | look forward to the start of our project.”
John smiled and shook her hand. Two seconds later, he said, “I look forward to it too.”
Sherry quickly retracted her hand “Then, we will be leaving. Thank you for having us today.” John smiled and said, “Caprice wants to see you.”
Sherry froze, and so did her subordinates and the executives from John’s side.
Everyone turned their attention to Sherry en masse.
Sherry’s eyes flickered awkwardly. She told her subordinates, “I have something else to discuss with Master Stockton. You guys should go back first.”
Her subordinates nodded and left as told.
Peter and the executives were wise enough to leave together and left John alone with Sherry. John got up from his chair.
“Isn’t Caprice asleep?” Sherry asked.
The girl should be having her nap at this hour.
John walked to her and said, “She heard you were coming, so she didn’t want to
sleep.”
He got closer, so close that she could feel his breath in front of her face.
Sherry instinctively took a step back.
John glanced at her before he walked past her to the door.
She followed him out but kept a two—meter distance from him.
Although she kept her distance from him, the employees of the company stared at her with odd looks along the way. Many of the female employees showed jealousy in their gazes as well.
It seemed like when Sherry carried Caprice out the other day, it gathered some unwanted attention, and rumors about her spread across the company. Sherry pursed her lips and followed John to his office.
Chapter 1562
Caprice was holding a toy plushie while dozing off on the couch. She tried her best to fight the sleepiness but was losing as time passed.
“Caprice...” Sherry called the girl as she strode over.
Caprice was awoken by her voice and her eyes widened immediately. She answered with a sleepy voice, “Mommy...” Sherry carried the girl into her arms and kissed her on her chubby cheeks. “Caprice, Mommy missed you.”
The little girl widened her grin when being showered with kisses.
“Do you miss Mommy?” she asked.
“Oh, yes.” Caprice’s eyes felt extremely heavy after the brief excitement, and she looked like she would pass out any moment. She grumbled, “But | want to sleep too.”
Sherry smiled. “Okay. Mommy will take you to bed.”
She then carried the girl into the mini lounge. She helped the girl to remove her
jacket and shoes before putting her on the bed.
Caprice clung onto her clothes and said, “Mommy sleep too.” The girl wanted her mother to sleep with her. Sherry smiled. “Okay, Mommy sleeps too.” She lay down beside the girl.
Caprice closed her eyes peacefully and soon fell asleep.
The contract with the Stocktons had been signed, but Sherry had many things to
follow up
with her subordinates. She had to fix the details for her men to initiate the project, and there was also a celebratory dinner at night.
After Caprice fell asleep, Sherry kissed the girl on the cheeks and went out.
John was having tea in his office. He looked rather annoyed when he saw Sherry come out this soon. “You are leaving?” Sherry said, “I have to go back to have meetings with my subordinates.”
John’s annoyance eased. He curled his lips and said, “Okay. Take care.”
Sherry headed to the door, but before she walked out, she thought of the celebratory dinner with her subordinates tonight, so it was better to inform John beforehand.
“Oh, I’m having a celebratory dinner with them later. You should just bring Caprice home after you finish work. I'll go back on my own after dinner.”
Her subordinates had worked tirelessly ever since they came to Glenchester to close the deal, and as their team leader, it was inappropriate for her to miss the dinner. She had to skip having dinner with Caprice tonight and even miss the story-telling
session.
Just when she thought the man would be annoyed once more, the man smiled. Not only was he not angry, but he also seemed supportive as well. “Okay, have fun.”
Although Sherry’s heart raced, she walked out without saying anything.
Awhile later, Sherry returned to the studio.
Her subordinates were waiting for her to start the meeting. When they saw her come back, they all looked at her with ridiculing gazes.
“Sherry, is there something going on between you and Master Stockton?”
“Yeah. | noticed the man looked at you differently when he came into the meeting room earlier. Did he try to ask you out?”
Sherry’s eyes flickered nervously. “I had to spend a little more time with him privately due to the deal, so we are friends. Stop talking nonsense.”
“Hehe. Why do | feel like it isn’t just friendship between you two?”
“| have the same feeling.”
Sherry put on her stoic face and said, “Do you guys want to go home tonight or not?” Her subordinates immediately switched to their working mode and continued slaving away.
“I'll go get the laptop and we can have the meeting now!”
They all went to grab their things and gathered in the meeting room. Sherry sighed a breath of relief and headed to the meeting room.
Chapter 1563
Chapter 1563 There were still many follow-ups to do even after they closed the deal with the Stocktons.
Besides Sherry and her assistant, Tristan, the other subordinates that followed her to Glenchester had to stay back in the city to continue the follow-ups.
Sherry went through the details one last time before ending the meeting.
The sun was setting over the horizon when the meeting finished. Everyone stretched after the long meeting. One of them asked Sherry, “Sherry, can we go for dinner now?”
Sherry got up and smiled at her subordinates. “I’ve booked a table, so let’s go.”
“Yay!”
Everyone got up and started packing.
Tristan booked a table at a famous restaurant in Glenchester, The Heavens, and Sherry paid for the entire meal.
The restaurant was rated as the top three establishments in Glenchester, and there was not a single poor review on the travel website. All the food served could be considered a cuisine for the gods, hence the name The Heavens.
Sherry got a room for her team. Her subordinates revered her during working hours, but they were able to get along with her just fine after work.
After a rewarding meal, Sherry brought them to a karaoke club. The most famous karaoke club was already full at this hour, but fortunately, Sherry had booked it beforehand.
However, as they arrived at the entrance, Sherry’s phone rang. It was Carl, who had not contacted her for a while. He was probably calling because of the deal with the Stocktons.
Sherry said to Tristan, “I have to take this. You guys go in first.”
Tristan and the others went in.
Sherry answered the phone.
Carl's voice sounded a little gloomy on the phone. “Sis, | heard the deal with the Stockton is on, is that right?” “Yeah. What's the matter?”
“| called to congratulate you, of course. You sealed a big deal for our company.”
“Thank you. Tristan and the others are waiting for me. I'll talk to you later.”
“Wait. There’s something else.”
“What?”
Carl said with a chuckle, “You went to Glenchester to seal the deal with the Stocktons and now that’s done and dusted, when are you planning to come back?”
Sherry’s heart sank. She pursed her lips. Carl did not notice the untimely silence. He asked, “Sis, do you want me to pick you up at Glenchester or Coastrock airport?” Sherry’s silence continued.
Ashort while later, he said in a slightly heavier tone, “Are you planning to stay in Glenchester and not come back?”
Sherry frowned. “There’s still something | need to settle here. I'll come back when it’s done.”
Carl chuckled. “Okay. You'd better hurry up. You have no idea how annoying the old geezers are while you are away. All they do is pick on my flaws.”
Sherry grunted. “That's because you never contribute.” “lam always contributing, okay?! | worked every day when you were here, but when you're gone, | lose motivation.”
Sherry did not want to bicker with him. “Carl Sager, your parents are leaving the company in your hands, not mine. If you don’t work hard, no one can help you.”
She hung up the phone right away.
On the other end of the phone, the young man slouched on the couch as his shirt slid down to his shoulder. The dim lighting highlighted his frivolous attitude but also his enchanting charms.
He looked at the darkened screen on his phone and a hint of disappointment flashed in his dreamy eyes. What a cold-hearted woman. How could she not know that he called her because he missed her?
Could she not entertain him for a little longer?
Chapter 1564
When Sherry entered the room, some of them were already singing and some were playing games. The table was filled with alcoholic beverages and snacks.
Tristan smiled at her when she came in. “Sherry, do you want to sing or play?”
Sherry smiled awkwardly. “I have something to do. You guys enjoy.”
Tristan nodded and continued playing games while the others continued singing.
Sherry grabbed a bottle of bear and sat in the corner. She simply did not have the mood to play.
Carl's request for her return flooded her mind. She originally planned to escape back to Coastrock with Caprice after the deal with the Stocktons was sealed, but now that she had gotten closer to Caprice, the man also treated her a lot better than before.
There were times that it reminded her of nine years ago when they were still a loving couple. The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she got. She chugged down an entire bottle of beer. Soon, she finished two bottles alone.
Her subordinates noticed something wrong with her, so they surrounded her with beers and said, “Sherry, come on. It’s boring to drink alone. Here, cheers!”
Sherry smiled and clinked her bottle with them.
Tristan said, “Sherry, why don’t you play with them? | keep losing, and I’ve been drinking non-stop!” “Come on, Tristan. Stop being a coward,” someone teased him.
Tristan grunted. “I’m not a coward! | just want Sherry to avenge me!”
“Are you sure Sherry can beat us?” one of the guys said.
Tristan looked at Sherry who grinned. They had finally aroused her battle intention. She bolted up and said, “Are you guys doing it one-on-one or all together?”
The guys exchanged a quick look and said with a grin, “Hey, you are looking down on us.”
“Stop the nonsense. All of you can come at me together!” Sherry then walked to the table filled with board games. Tristan and the others went over.
The guys then started to lose, and as punishment, they had to drink.
Sherry never intended to get them drunk. She planned to stop after winning a few rounds, but the guys insisted on playing and became even more competitive than
before.
She grabbed Tristan over to her team and continued playing.
For some reason, he was really bad at playing, and Sherry lost a few rounds after teaming up with the timid guy. The party continued until late at night.
Sherry had one too many beers, but Tristan was one drop away from passing out.
While she could still talk, she said, “Okay, that’s it for today. It’s late. Let's go home, guys.”
The team had fun, and it was time to go home.
Sherry and the team walked out of the karaoke club.
After they exited the premises, Sherry left the barely conscious Tristan with a girl
who had not drunk. She told them to be careful before sending them on their way
home.
When her subordinates all left, she pulled her phone to call a ride back to the
Stocktons’ residence.
The moment she turned on her phone, the silver MPV stopped in front of her as if it appeared from thin air.
Sherry thought she was hallucinating from drinking too much. She shut her eyes and pinched herself to see clearly.
As the pain rushed to her mind, she opened her eyes and saw the man’s slender figure leaning on the car. He wore a white turtleneck sweater with a khaki overcoat hanging on his shoulder. His signature golden—framed glasses were hanging over his
nose. It was a freezing night, but Sherry felt warmth and gentleness from the man as if she had gone back in time to nine years ago. Sherry was stunned for quite a while.
Since she did not react at all, John went up to her and patted her face. “Sherry, are you drunk?”
Sherry wanted to speak, but instead of words, a loud burp came out of her mouth.
Her breath reeked of alcohol as well and it assaulted the man’s nose.
John frowned and looked disgusted.
Chapter 1565
Sherry giggled at his unusual reaction. “Hehe...”
She looked silly as she giggled like she was a child.
John sighed. He opened the door, held her hand, and shoved her into the car. He got in right after that and closed the door. The driver then drove off.
John looked at Sherry.
The woman was looking at him with her flushed face. The blush on her face made her look adorable and charming. He squinted. “What are you looking at?”
“I'm seeing if you are the jerk | know, John Stockton,” she said.
John was rendered speechless.
Amomentary awkward silence later, he curled his lips and asked, “How many bottles have you had tonight?”
Sherry started to count with her fingers, but they were not enough. She counted and counted but was unable to reach the final number.
The temperature inside the car was warm and she felt hot, so she took off her jacket and tossed it aside. John looked at her fitting dress and beautiful silhouette. He pursed his lips and gulped nervously. “Are you done counting?” Sherry tightened her brows out of frustration. “No.”
“Do you need my fingers to continue counting?” he asked.
Sherry’s eyes flickered. “Sure. Gimme your hand.”
John sat closer to her and put his fingers out.
Sherry counted with her own fingers and continued onto his, poking every finger on
his hand. She giggled afterward.
John held his laughter back and asked, “Are you done counting?”
“Yeah.”
“How many bottles did you drink?” His gentle tone made her want to answer his question.
Sherry was drunk but wanted to continue teasing him. She grinned mischievously and said, “Guess.” John grinned and said, “Twenty bottles?”
Sherry shook her head.
His eyes narrowed. “Twenty-one?”
Sherry continued to shake her head.
“Is that too many or too few?” he asked patiently.
“Guess.” Sherry pursed her lips.
John chuckled. “You had sixteen bottles tonight, am | right?” Sherry’s gaze shifted. “How did you know?”
“Guess.”
Sherry pouted and glared at him.
“Fine.” She turned around.
John smiled and held one of her hands. He rubbed the finger she used to poke him earlier and said, “You poked me six times with this finger and stopped.”
In addition to her own fingers, it was a total of sixteen. Sherry widened her eyes and was stunned.
He smiled at her. His handsome face looked gentle and tempting. It really felt like nine years ago when they had loved each other to death.
Sherry’s eyes turned teary after a while.
Chapter 1566
John seemed very concerned. “What's the matter?”
Sherry tightened her lips together but could not stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. John was stunned by this. He wondered if it was because of something he had
done. “What's wrong, Sherry?” he asked again, staring at her worriedly.
“Sniff...” Sherry sobbed and tried her best to contain her emotions.
John stiffened.
The last time he saw Sherry in such a state was ages ago. It was so long ago that he had forgotten how vulnerable she could be at times. It was heart-wrenching to see her like this, to imagine what she was going through.
He wondered how to handle this. Then, he gently pulled her into his arms and patted her back gently. “It’s alright, don’t cry.”
Sherry suddenly felt an enormous amount of grief taking over her, and this made her bawl her eyes out. She suddenly cried out at the top of her voice, “Why did you do it? Why did you keep me imprisoned in your house and make me work like a slave? You made me pull weeds and produce embroidery for you! You even married Shannon just to rub it in my face! Why would you...”
John frowned. He thought that Sherry of all people should know why he had done what he did.
Sherry’s voice got caught in her throat, she stopped shouting, “You're a good-for- nothing prick. I’ve never done anything wrong. I'm the victim in all of this. Do you have any idea that you put me through hell since our break up?”
John seemed greatly affected by what she said. He pulled away from her and held her by the shoulders. From this angle, he could see straight into her reddened eyes. ” What are you talking about? What time were you referring to? When did you become the victim?”
Sherry continued to sob. She was completely hysterical and bawled as loudly as she could. John was silent.
She was charged with emotions and constantly beat his chest with her tiny fists while crying. When she recalled everything that happened to her in the past, she cried even louder and continued to thump her fists on John.
John scowled and tried to comfort her, “Sherry, calm down.”
“I'll show you how to be calm, you jerk...” She continued sobbing while pummeling him.
John stayed silent. He took off his glasses and pulled her into his arms, then he pressed his lips against Sherry’s. Her lips were smothered, and she could not make a sound. Her crying was muffled.
As their lips were pressed together, she could feel John’s steaming breath beating down on her cheeks. She ran out of breath very quickly and began to hit him again.
John quickly eased himself to allow some space for her to catch her breath. The kiss they shared was now a gentle and soft one.
It was so gentle that by the time they slowly pulled themselves apart from each other, Sherry was lying limply in John’s arms. She had shifted her arms around his neck and hung her weight around him.
John smiled gently and asked, “Done crying already?” Sherry seemed embarrassed. She almost wanted to pull herself away from him immediately.
However, John wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her even closer.
The car had just swerved into the Stockton Villa garden and was driving down the main road leading to their courtyard.
Sherry was not sober yet. She leaned against John and gazed out the window, her eyes still teeming with tears. “Are we home yet?”
“Almost,” John replied softly.
As soon as he said that, the car stopped outside their courtyard.
Jason‘ appeared from inside the courtyard and went up to open the door for them. John gently pulled away and got out of the car first.
Sherry suddenly felt an inextricable sense of loneliness when John moved away. She turned around and pushed the door of the other side, intending o get out. Her head was still very dizzy and she had trouble maintaining her balance. It looked like she was going to stumble out of the car and fall.
That was when a strong pair of arms reached out and grabbed her, so she was lifted off her feet effortlessly.
John carried her in his arms and allowed her head to rest against his shoulder. His grip was firm and reassuring, and he began to step into the house.
Shortly after that, they arrived in a warm and cozy room.