Ch. 1221..1230

Chapter 1221 Not An Ungrateful Person

At that moment, the school bell rang to signal the end of the classes. Cooper decided to go to the school gate and wait for the children.

Cooper waited for a few minutes until he spotted Lucian and Amanda among the group of children leaving the school. He noticed that Tiffany was holding Amanda's hand and had her head lowered, seemingly saying something to Amanda.

"Uncle Cooper," Amanda exclaimed upon spotting him, running toward him and throwing her arms around him. "Why are you here to pick us up today?"

"I'm not busy with work today," replied Cooper. He took Amanda's bag from her shoulder and held it for her. Then, he greeted Tiffany, "Ms. Yerton."

Tiffany's breath hitched when she saw the tall, elegant man in front of her.

Shortly after, she averted her gaze and reached out to touch Amanda's head. "Mr. Sutton, since you're the one who's here to pick Amanda up, I need to tell you that the school has arranged for the teachers to conduct home visits and discuss the students' progress at school with their parents."

Cooper hummed in acknowledgment and asked, "Is it today?"

Tiffany answered, "No, the teachers will schedule a date with the parents before they conduct the home visit."

"If you're busy with work, we can schedule the home visit to be on Saturday," Tiffany added.

"Saturday works for me," Cooper replied. Work wasn't an issue for him, but he preferred not to have a meeting with a woman at his home at night.

"Okay." Tiffany nodded. She then lowered her head to look at Amanda. "Goodbye, Mandy."

"Goodbye, Ms. Yerton!" Amanda waved at Tiffany before taking Cooper's hand and skipping toward the Bentley.

After getting into the car, Amanda climbed onto the driver's seat to look at Cooper. "Uncle Cooper, are you in a bad mood?" she asked.

"No." Cooper drove the car away from the school.

"You are. Your deep frown has given you away, Uncle Cooper," Amanda said, pointing her little finger at the frown on Cooper's forehead that had never disappeared.

Cooper patted her head and replied in a soft tone, "I'm driving. Please go back to your seat."

Amanda hummed in agreement and obediently returned to her seat.

Cooper arrived home with the two children before six o'clock. He instructed Amanda to start her homework while they waited for dinner and then retreated to his study to focus on his work. He emerged only when it was time to eat.

During dinner, Amanda kept casting glances at Cooper with her big, limpid eyes, which seemed to contain a variety of complex emotions.

Cooper couldn't help but chuckle when he noticed her behavior. He put a piece of barbeque rib on her plate and asked, "Is there something you want to say?"

"Uncle Cooper..." Amanda appeared to want to say something, but instead, she furrowed her brows and let out a deep sigh like an adult before biting on her rib. Her behavior confused Cooper.

After dinner, Amanda dragged Cooper to the living room, making sure there were no housekeepers around. She pouted and said, "Uncle Cooper, didn't I tell you to comfort Aunt Sally?"

A hint of displeasure flickered in Cooper's heart, and his face darkened a little upon hearing Amanda mentioning Sally.

Amanda sat cross-legged next to Cooper and tilted her head up to look at him. "Did Aunt Sally really go back to her own home? Or did you have a fight with her and made her angry?"

I'm guessing that's why Uncle Cooper has been looking unhappy recently whenever I talk about wanting Aunt Sally to return.

Cooper refuted, "I didn't."

Amanda accused, "You're not telling the truth, Uncle Cooper!" She continued with conviction, "Uncle Cooper, a real man knows when to compromise and when to stand up for what is right. You should apologize to Aunt Sally."

Cooper was already feeling irritated, and with Amanda's interference, he became even more upset. His tone was cold as he said, "She's the one who abandoned me and showed ingratitude. She should apologize to me! Why should I apologize to her?"

Amanda couldn't help but argue, "Aunt Sally is a kind person! She would never be ungrateful!"

"What do you know? You've only spent a few months with her," sneered Cooper. "You're just a child with an immature mind. You only think she's not a bad person because she treats you well. I just wanted someone to take care of you and your brother. I only pretended to marry her. Since she left, stop calling her Aunt Sally."

Amanda had intended to hand the thing in her hand to him, but upon hearing the man's words, she refrained from extending her hand.

Chapter 1222 What Is Wrong With Him

Cooper realized that his tone was harsh when he noticed Amanda staring at him with wide eyes.

He felt remorseful and softened his voice. "I'm sorry for speaking in a harsh tone just now. I just think you shouldn't trust strangers so easily." Amanda couldn't help retorting in her heart when she heard that. If Aunt Sally is a stranger, why would you ask her to take care of us?

Cooper gently rubbed the top of Amanda's head and coaxed, "Don't be sad that she's gone. I will find a loving aunt for you and your brother soon." As he still had work to do, he left, heading upstairs.

After watching Cooper's figure disappear up the stairs, Amanda unclenched her hand and revealed a dainty platinum ring nestled in her palm. Lucian, seated on the other couch, noticed the ring in her hand and inquired, "Isn't that Aunt Sally's ring?"

"Yes. I found it under the couch this afternoon." While searching for her eraser under the couch, Amanda unexpectedly came across Sally's ring.

Amanda inferred that the argument between Sally and Cooper must have been severe, as Sally had even discarded her ring.

She glanced at the ring and then at Lucian. "Lucian, can you get through to Aunt Sally's phone?"

Lucian shook his head. "I can't get through. Aunt Sally's phone has an anti-tracking device installed, so I can't locate her."

Amanda sighed. "Do you think that Aunt Sally would never come back again?"

"Maybe." Lucian pondered over what Cooper had just said and added, "Didn't Uncle Cooper mention earlier that he only married Aunt Sally to find someone to take care of us?" With her chin resting on her hands, Amanda let out a deep sigh. Her face was crinkled.

"I like Aunt Sally."

Meanwhile, she had a nagging feeling that she had forgotten something important when she was admitted to the hospital due to a headache previously, but she couldn't remember what it was.

On Saturday morning, Cooper wrapped up his work twenty minutes before ten as he expected Tiffany's scheduled home visit. He even left a bit early to be there when she arrived.

As Cooper approached the mansion's entrance, he spotted a blue taxi parked on the roadside in the distance. Soon, Tiffany emerged from the backseat, wearing a light blue long-sleeved dress, looking gentle and smart.

Upon meeting Tiffany again that day, Cooper observed her gentle demeanor and thought that she was suitable to be a teacher.

Amanda was a lively child, while Lucian had a penchant for adventure. At the same time, Sally was a versatile person. Despite her cold demeanor, she was adept at making the children happy when they went out to play with her.

On the other hand, Tiffany's gentle nature gave off the feeling that she would be attentive when caring for the children. She would likely be worried about the children getting hurt or falling and help them avoid unsafe games.

Cooper grew annoyed and rubbed his temples when he realized he was thinking about Sally again and even making comparisons to Tiffany. He couldn't help wondering what was wrong with him as he kept thinking about her not only when he couldn't sleep but also at present.

He figured that maybe Sally was too ruthless when she left, and thus she became a thorn that kept pricking his heart.

Noticing that Tiffany had taken her phone out of her bag and might have been planning to call him, Cooper briskly approached her and called out to her with his deep voice, "Ms. Yerton."

When Tiffany raised her head and spotted Cooper, she walked toward him with her phone in her hand.

"I apologize for not being able to pick you up this morning. I was busy, and I don't have a driver," Cooper said as he brought her into the mansion.

"It's fine," Tiffany replied quickly. "As a teacher, it's my responsibility to visit homes, so coming on my own is expected of me."

Cooper was a well-known man in the business world. Hence, Tiffany knew Cooper was a wealthy man but never imagined that he resided in the most expensive mansion district in Jadeborough, where only the rich and powerful could afford to live.

Cooper led Tiffany inside the house and called out toward the living room, "Mandy, your teacher has arrived."

In an instant, Amanda behaved like an obedient child and approached Tiffany with Lucian to welcome her. Then, she led Tiffany to the living room and offered her a seat.

Tiffany carefully observed the décor inside the house.

Although it was located in the prestigious Swallow Garden mansion area, the interior décor of the house was not ostentatious but rather simple and elegant. Several rough illustrations were hanging on the white walls.

Tiffany glanced at the art on the wall and inquired, "Did you paint those, Mandy?"

"Yes." Amanda nodded before proudly declaring, "Daddy thinks my drawings are nice, so he personally hung them on the wall."

"There are really nice. You have the potential to be a painter, Mandy," Tiffany praised after hearing the child's words.

Upon hearing her teacher's praise, Amanda smiled even wider. After all, she was still a kid. Cooper then brought a cup of cold coffee and placed it before her. "Mandy, why don't you go upstairs and play with your brother?"

Amanda hummed in agreement and headed upstairs with Lucian.

Sitting on the couch next to Tiffany, Cooper adjusted his glasses and asked in a friendly tone, "How are the kids doing in school? Are they slacking off in class?"

"Not at all," replied Tiffany. "Mandy and Lucian are attentive in class, and their homework is always neatly done."

Although it was meaningless to compare primary school grades, the siblings were already excelling in every subject in less than a year of school. Teaching students like them made Tiffany feel proud.

After the conversation about the children's academic performance, Tiffany asked Cooper a question that might have been inappropriate, "Have their parents not returned yet?"

Chapter 1223 Prying Into My Personal Life

"Yes," Cooper replied. "I will call them regarding the progress of this home visit."

Tiffany nodded after hearing that. She couldn't help but look at him again. "It must be tough for you to take care of the children so well on your own. After all, you still have to balance taking care of them and keeping up with work."

"They are my niece and nephew. It's my responsibility to take care of them."

Just then, Melissa entered the living room and asked Tiffany, "Ms. Yerton, what kind of dishes do you like? I would like to prepare lunch."

Since it was already eleven o'clock, she figured that the teacher would stay for lunch.

Before Tiffany could answer, Cooper interjected, "You just have to cook lunch for Mandy and Luc. I will be taking Ms. Yerton out for lunch."

"Sure." Melissa complied with Cooper's plan and left.

Cooper then said to Tiffany, "It's kind of you to conduct a home visit on a Saturday, Ms. Yerton. I figured I couldn't possibly let you have homemade dishes. How about trying Ferropenian cuisine?" Tiffany nodded in response. "Sure."

After calling the restaurant and making a reservation, Cooper went upstairs to change as it was almost time for lunch. He then left the house with Tiffany.

Cooper had brought Sally to the restaurant previously. It was located in a high-rise building by the river and had a beautiful environment.

A waiter escorted them to their table, and they were seated beside the window.

As Tiffany handed over the menu to the waiter after ordering, she noticed out of the corner of her eye, when she tried to drink the water, that Cooper was still perusing the menu while his slender hand was adorned with a ring.

She blinked and unconsciously tightened her grip around the glass.

After the waiter left, Tiffany unintentionally asked, "I noticed you are wearing a ring, Mr. Sutton. Are you married?"

She hesitated for a moment and said, "Is... Is Ms. Loake your wife?"

Cooper didn't reply. He merely lowered his head and stared at the ring on his hand.

The ring had been on his finger for such a long time that he no longer felt its presence. It seemed to have become a part of his finger. Because he had been busy recently, he hadn't paid much attention to the ring.

As for Sally's ring, he lost it on the day he tore and threw the divorce agreement.

Cooper considered removing the ring when Tiffany inquired about it, but after a moment's thought, he decided against it. He didn't want to take it off because he wanted to be reminded of how unappreciative Sally was every time he saw it.

Tiffany observed Cooper fiddle with the ring as if he intended to remove it and watched him give up on such thought.

Tiffany remarked, "I noticed that Ms. Loake used to pick up the kids regularly, and I remember seeing you all going for a barbecue together. But I haven't seen her around lately."

Carefully, she looked at the man's cold expression and inquired, "Did you two have a fight?"

"No," Cooper refuted.

He strongly disliked anyone mentioning Sally's name at this point, causing his voice to become cold as he added, "Ms. Yerton, I do not appreciate people prying into my personal life." Tiffany's expression momentarily became tense, and she apologized in a soft voice, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry."

"It's okay." Considering that she was the children's teacher and even came all the way to the house for a home visit, he softened his attitude and changed the subject.

Soon, the atmosphere between them was not as tense.

After they finished lunch, Tiffany mentioned that she had nothing planned for the afternoon and asked if she could check on the children's progress with their weekend homework.

As Tiffany was willing to help with the children's studies, Cooper couldn't refuse her request. Therefore, he took her back to Swallow Garden.

While Tiffany took charge of the children's homework, Cooper went upstairs to resume his work. However, he paused halfway and made a phone call to Bertilla, asking him to purchase a set of skincare products for him.

Bertilla was confused upon hearing the order. "Mr. Sutton, have you and Ms. Loake reconciled?"

"If I had found her, wouldn't I have asked you to cancel the search for her?" Cooper retorted coldly and hung up with displeasure.

Bertilla, the diligent subordinate who even worked on weekends, arrived at Swallow Garden past five o'clock in the evening.

When Bertilla saw Tiffany with the children in the living room, he quickly realized the reason why Cooper had asked him to buy a set of skincare products. Nevertheless, he had another item to deliver to Coope while he was there.

Bertilla brought the items upstairs and went to the study. "Mr. Sutton, this set of skincare products is suitable for all skin types," he said.

"Okay." Cooper didn't even look at it.

Cooper had asked Bertilla to prepare the gift because he didn't want Tiffany to leave the house empty-handed after she had spent the whole afternoon helping Amanda with her studies.

Chapter 1224 She Loves Wine

"There's one more thing," Bertilla said as he placed a gold invitation card on the table. "I forgot to give this to you yesterday. It's an invitation to Margaret's wine-tasting party." When Cooper heard the word "wine," he paused for a moment and took the invitation card.

Margaret was a globally renowned red wine distributor, and the high-end red wines chosen by its wine tasters were highly regarded in the industry.

Cooper wasn't particularly fond of wine, but he had a faint memory that Sally enjoyed them, and her favorite was Château Mouton Rothschild's 1855.

Cooper's face suddenly darkened as he found himself thinking about that woman again. He slammed the invitation card onto the table, causing Bertilla to jump in surprise.

Cooper motioned for Bertilla to leave, and once he had finished his work, he made his way downstairs.

Tiffany was a dedicated teacher and managed to help Amanda memorize the multiplication table in just one afternoon.

When Cooper gave Tiffany the skincare products Bertilla bought, she hesitated to accept them, insisting that it was her duty to teach the children. However, Cooper was insistent.

"You were here for a home visit today, and teaching Mandy during the weekend counts as private tutoring. If you don't want the gift, I'll give you cash instead."

Cooper gave the gift to Tiffany not only to avoid owing her a favor but also because he wanted her to be nicer to the children at school.

Tiffany had no choice but to accept it after hearing Cooper's words.

After the car left Swallow Garden, Tiffany hesitated for a moment before asking, "Mr. Sutton, do you enjoy red wine?"

"Not really," replied Cooper.

Tiffany elaborated, "I have a friend who owns a winery. A wine-tasting event will be hosted tonight at Regal Vista Hotel, and her winery's wine was fortunate enough to be selected for tasting. She invited me to attend and try it out."

Cooper then remembered something and asked, "Is it hosted by Margaret?"

"Do you know about it?" Tiffany felt that her question was unnecessary after she had asked it.

After all, event organizers would eagerly seek someone of Cooper's status to attend their wine-tasting event, as it would greatly enhance the event's prestige.

Tiffany continued, "I spoke to her this afternoon, and she mentioned that there will also be a selection of wines from Château Mouton Rothschild at the event."

Cooper drove with an indifferent expression on his face, looking straight ahead.

Observing his demeanor, Tiffany decided against attending the event, especially since Regal Vista Hotel was far away. She wasn't particularly interested in going anyway. As she was about to inform her friend of her absence, Cooper suddenly spoke up. "I'll drive you there."

The wine-tasting event started at five o'clock in the evening and was held in a two-story mansion next to Regal Vista Hotel.

Upon arrival, Tiffany and Cooper observed many guests engaged in conversation in the garden outside of the mansion.

Margaret's wine taster greeted and led Tiffany and Cooper into the event hall. He informed them that there were wines from thirty-three red wine wineries around the world at the event, and each of them was worth a try.

Suddenly, Cooper heard someone calling his name.

Turning his head, he was taken aback to see Jerry in casual attire.

"I have something to take care of. Why don't you ask the wine expert to recommend some wines for you," Cooper said to Tiffany before taking a glass of wine and leaving the hall with Jerry.

Cooper and Jerry reached a quiet spot in the garden, and Cooper asked Jerry, "Why are you here? Shouldn't you be busy pacifying your rich lady?"

Jerry lifted his hand and rubbed his temples, letting out a deep sigh before explaining, "The Benson family incident has hit her hard. She hasn't been able to shake it off. She even asked Timothy to investigate her father's death."

Charlotte had lived a life of luxury for most of her life, but little did she know that one day her world would crumble, and her father would also pass away.

Recently, Jerry had sought her out several times to try and console her and take her out to relax, but she declined. Eventually, she even stopped picking up his calls.

After hearing that, Cooper inquired, "Would Timothy look into it?"

"No. I've told him not to."

If Jiminy's death was just an accident or was caused by anyone else, Cooper might still have been able to assist. However, since the people in question were Jerry's relatives, Cooper couldn't offer his help to her.

Jerry raised his head and took a few sips of his wine before sharing his recent findings with Cooper. "The cunning old foxes who sided with the Gaudette family did everything perfectly. I couldn't find any mistakes in their actions," he said.

Regardless, given the dark side of politics, it was unlikely that those who sided with the Gaudette family were innocent.

Chapter 1225 Have You Fallen For Her

Jerry and Cooper were frustrated about the same thing.

Cooper was only able to find evidence of Edward's embezzlement by teaming up with Sally to set up a trap for Josephine. After installing the software on her phone, which successfully allowed Lucian to hack into the Carter family's wireless network, they were able to retrieve every single piece of information from Edward's phone.

However, Cooper didn't know the rest of them, so he couldn't approach them. Moreover, they would definitely be on high alert after what happened to Edward.

This was the first time he realized being rich was nothing compared to having power.

If Sally was here, I could get Robert or Gerald's help at any time. But I don't even know where she is now. I'm not related to Robert at all. Why would he even help me? The more I think about it, the more I think I should have at least voice-recorded our agreement. That way, even if she is gone, I can still use the recording to get Gerald to help me.

Feeling frustrated, Cooper downed his red wine in one gulp. When he looked up, he saw that there were people on the rooftop garden of the mansion.

He had sharp eyes, and he saw a woman leaning leisurely against the railing of the garden, her hair softly blowing in the wind. There was a cool and hazy aura around her.

Even though he could only see half of her face, he recognized her instantly.

Cooper stared at her back. Before he could come to his senses, a young man approached her and brazenly pulled her into his arms.

The man lowered his head and whispered something to her, their heads very close to each other. Then, the man pressed his lips to hers.

Jerry heard a crisp cracking sound. He followed the direction of the sound and unexpectedly found that Cooper had crushed the bottom of the wine glass in his hand.

A chill ran down his spine as he watched Cooper toss the broken wine glass aside and leave.

Cooper walked briskly, trying to suppress his anger. In the blink of an eye, he had arrived at the rooftop garden on the second floor, but it was already empty.

It was as if he had imagined that scene earlier, but the subtle familiar scent still lingered in the air.

He had rushed there fast enough, but she was still one step ahead of him.

When Cooper exited the banquet hall, Jerry noticed that his expression was scarily dark. "The guy that had his arm around her seemed to be Zeno." Cooper raised his head and looked at him in shock.

Jerry shrugged and said, "I saw Sally earlier too. But I didn't see them leave through the front door. Judging from the look on your face, they probably left via the back door." Zeno's father used to be Gerald's subordinate. Hence, Zeno grew up with Sally.

Cooper recalled that morning when Sally was changing her clothes. He had told her that Zeke Cicero, Zeno's father, probably had already struck a deal with the Gaudette family, so they had to devise a way to stop him from becoming the commanding officer.

As they couldn't find any weaknesses to use against Zeke, they decided to target Zeno.

However, as Zeno had just returned to the country, Sally felt that suddenly trying to get close to him would arouse suspicion. She discussed this issue with Cooper for many days, but they were unable to find a solution.

Did Sally leave without a word and go to Zeno to try and gain his trust?

Cooper could guess what Sally would do to get Zeno to trust her. He felt very uncomfortable, especially after seeing her in Zeno's arms earlier. He almost wanted to cut Zeno's hand off.

Jerry stood next to Cooper. He could clearly feel the bone-chilling aura emanating from Cooper.

Jerry handed a glass of red wine to Cooper. "When you showed up with Sally during that meal, I could already tell that you two didn't get married purely out of love. Seeing you like this makes me wonder if you have fallen for her."

"No," Cooper coldly refuted his words and took a huge gulp of wine.

The wine managed to wash away most of his frustrations. Frowning, he added, "We had an agreement. I'd help her get Robert and her father out of jail, and she'd deal with the Gaudette family for me. In the end, after her father was acquitted, she immediately ran away without an ounce of hesitation."

He then turned to Jerry and asked, "If it were you, would you be angry?"

Jerry was a little shocked. "That can't be. I haven't talked to Sally much, but I don't think she's that kind of person."

Cooper scoffed coldly. "If she's not, then why did she run away?"

Chapter 1226 The Thought Of It Makes Me Sick

As Jerry gazed at the rooftop garden of the mansion, he analyzed the situation and said, "Didn't you say Zeke is working with the Gaudette family, and you want to find a way to take him down?"

"Zeke is not a fool," Cooper replied. "He might have been involved in framing Gerald. Now that Gerald has been acquitted, Zeke is probably afraid Gerald will come knocking on his door to settle the score. Do you think he'd let his son interact with Sally?"

"Why not?" Jerry threw the question back at him. "You also said that it's just a possibility, which means Gerald might not even be able to find evidence. Otherwise, how would Zeno be able to be intimate with Sally? If his son can take Sally as his wife, Zeke and the Gaudette family would be over the moon."

Zeke was clearly on the Gaudette family's side. Hence, if Zeno married Sally, the Gaudette family and the Loake family would become one big family. By then, the Loake family would take the Gaudette family's side too.

To Zeke, the benefits of their marriage would far outweigh the risks.

"In his dreams!" Cooper spat coldly, his expression dark. "I haven't divorced Sally. If she marries another man, she'll be committing bigamy."

Jerry teased, "You weren't even this angry when your sister died. Do you know what you look like right now?" He tutted. Cooper glowered at him.

"Okay, I'll stop." Jerry knew Cooper was extremely stubborn. Even if he did fall for Sally, there was no way he would admit it.

After finishing his conversation with Cooper, Jerry went to the banquet hall to do some wine tasting.

Cooper waved a waiter over and handed him some money. "Please bring me two bottles of Château Mouton Rothschild 1855."

Nights during this time of the month were rather cold.

Nevertheless, the extremely frustrated Cooper still sat under an umbrella in the garden, sipping on red wine. Even after he spent an hour in the cold, his frustration and anger still had not dissipated.

When Tiffany noticed that Cooper hadn't returned for a long time, she found out from a waiter that he was in the garden and came looking for him.

She saw two empty bottles of red wine on the table and Cooper sitting on the rattan chair with a hand on his forehead and his neck slightly red. He seemed to be drunk.

Tiffany approached him and held his arm. "Mr. Sutton. Let me send you home."

Cooper was indeed a little drunk. His head was spinning, and he silently put his arm around Tiffany's shoulder as she guided him to the car.

After the driver from the hotel came, Tiffany climbed into the backseat.

The backseat was a little narrow, and she was able to get a whiff of the scent of white cedar mixed with red wine from Cooper. It smelled heavenly.

She turned to the side and saw Cooper leaning against the backrest with his head tilted up. He had taken off his glasses, and he looked extremely vulnerable and sexy with his Adam's apple slightly protruding from his neck.

Feeling very attracted to him, Tiffany leaned over and put her arm around his waist. "Mr. Sutton."

However, Cooper instantly grabbed her wrist and threw her off his body.

He was drunk, but she could tell from his eyes that he was still somewhat sober. Tiffany squirmed under the cold gaze from his dark eyes, her scalp tingling.

"I don't need help." After pushing her away, Cooper returned to leaning against the backrest. He closed his eyes and took a short rest.

Tiffany bit her lip and didn't dare to do anything else.

Cooper told the driver to send Tiffany home first. By the time he reached Swallow Garden, it was already past one.

He went into the bathroom to take a shower. He stood under the showerhead and allowed the hot water to rain down upon him. Whenever he closed his eyes, the scene at the rooftop garden would appear in his mind.

He recalled seeing Zeno hold Sally close to him, his hand traveling along the lines of her waist.

How dare he!

At the first light of dawn, Cooper called Jerry and said, "Ask for your friend to look into Zeno's whereabouts."

I want to find out why Sally is trying to get close to Zeno. However, the thought of her possibly sleeping with him to gain his trust makes me sick. I can't stand it.

Chapter 1227 Beating Him Up

A week later, Cooper received Jerry's message in the evening, saying Zeno's friends invited him to hang out at No Man's Land that night.

Cooper, who was relatively busier today, attended meetings until around nine at night at the company.

Fortunately, someone had been keeping an eye on Zeno and informed Cooper that Zeno and his friends had just arrived at the bar.

By the time Cooper arrived, the place was buzzing with lively music. Many young men and women occupied the seats around the dance floor.

Cooper, who knew where Zeno and his friends were sitting, asked for a few bottles of wine from the counter and approached them. As soon as he got closer, he heard laughter.

One of Zeno's friends exclaimed, "I can't believe you managed to win the heart of that aloof goddess, Sally. You're awesome!"

Zeno's tone was full of smug. "Of course. They don't call me 'Love Saint' for no reason. I can easily win the heart of any woman no matter how arrogant or aloof they are!"

After drinking a mouthful of wine, Zeno sighed and uttered, "Too bad she is not a virgin."

Zeno's friend shot him a glare. "Even if she isn't one, she is still gorgeous. You can still sleep with her. We don't even get to have a taste of her."

Zeno giggled. "That's hard to say. Wait until I—”

Before Zeno could finish his words, a loud thud sounded when a whiskey bottle was smashed against his head. Blood splattered everywhere in an instant, incorporating with the liquor.

Then, the attacker grabbed Zeno's shirt and slapped Zeno hard in the face.

Cooper's movements were so swift that it only took him a few seconds to walk over and hit Zeno with the bottle, leaving the people around them in a daze.

Someone caught the scent of blood, looked in the direction of Cooper and Zeno, and screamed in shock. Only then did the rest snap back to their senses and see Zeno being beaten up while he was pinned or the couch.

They hurriedly dashed forward to break up the fight. A few of them pulled Zeno away while some hit Cooper.

Despite having distinguished political family backgrounds, these people were harmless and weak.

Cooper, on the other hand, was skilled in combat. Moreover, he obtained a muscular build from sparring with Sally at home. Swinging his fists, he beat all those weaklings to a pulp.

Everything went well until someone summoned his bodyguard who landed a blow on Cooper's shoulder, almost breaking his bones.

Shoving away those who were helping him wipe his bloody face, Zeno looked at the man who was subdued by the bodyguard under the dim lights in the bar. "It's you. Did you hear what we said earlier?"

A hostile look gleamed in Cooper's eyes. "If it weren't for this bodyguard, you would be dead by now."

At the thought of the broken glass almost piercing his eyes earlier, Zeno was both terrified and infuriated. To vent his anger, he kicked Cooper hard.

"You b*stard! How dare you hit me! Do you have a death wish? You like Sally, don't you?"

Licking the inside of his cheeks, Zeno sneered. "Let me tell you something. After I get sick of her, I will let all my buddies get a taste of her!"

"Don't you dare!" Cooper's face fell.

"Why wouldn't I? I'll show you what I'm capable of! So what if her dad is out of jail now? He can't be reinstated so soon anyway."

Inching closer to Cooper, Zeno continued, "My dad will surely become the commanding officer of Jadeborough. When the time comes, my dad will call the shots and decide what her dad can do. I bet she won't be able to act high and mighty anymore."

Patting Cooper on the face, he added, "By then, it will be as easy as crushing an ant for me to kill you."

Cooper tried moving his hand to fight back, but the bodyguard instantly held him still.

"Well, well, well. Still trying to fight back, huh? Looks like you're not taking my words seriously." Zeno touched his brows, and blood soon stained his hand. His head was also throbbing with pain from the injury he suffered.

Exploding in rage the next second, Zeno grabbed a bottle of wine on the table and threw it at Cooper.

Before he could do so, his hand was grabbed in mid-air. The person exerted considerable force, and though his voice wasn't loud, it sounded extremely distinct amidst the noisy bar.

"Mr. Sutton owns this bar. Don't you think you should show him some respect, Mr. Cicero?"

Chapter 1228 Why Are You So Mad

After seeing Jerry's unfamiliar face, Zeno confirmed he had never seen this person before and bellowed, "Who the heck are you? Are you one of his friends? F*ck off, or I will beat you up too!"

Still grabbing the other man's hand tightly, Jerry uttered, "You don't have to know who I am, but you should know that Mr. Sutton's younger sister is General Zeigler's granddaughter. Do you think the Zeiglers will get mad if they find out that her brother was attacked?"

Although Zeno had recently returned to the country, he wasn't ignorant. He had gotten all the information he needed about the hierarchy in this city from his gang of friends.

Without a doubt, he knew about the Zeigler family and who Genevieve was.

Zeno didn't want the Zeigler family to come and pick on him because of Cooper for fear that his father's reputation would be tainted. He might get a beating at home if that happened.

He shut his mouth as fear rose within him.

Right then, his friend whispered in his ear, "I know this man. His name is Jerry Pann. Everyone fears the Pann family in Xedells, including the government." "Zeno, let's leave."

The Panns stopped doing illegal businesses many years ago and became law-abiding businesspeople.

However, the mention of the Pann family still sent chills down one's spine.

"Mr. Cicero, since you also got hurt, the drinks you and your friends ordered are on the house." Jerry took an envelope from the waiter and handed it to Zeno. "The money is for your hospital bills, Mr. Cicero."

Zeno, who wanted to let the matter go anyway, took the envelope and left with his friends when Jerry gave him an out.

The bodyguard released Cooper and left with his employer, too.

Seeing Cooper clutching his shoulder with his brows furrowed in pain, Jerry said, "Let me take you to the hospital."

"It's just a dislocated shoulder. I won't die from it," muttered Cooper coldly.

They entered one of the private rooms. After tossing his phone on the couch, Cooper went to the restroom to wash off the bloodstains on his face and hands.

His face gradually darkened when he recalled Zeno's arrogant attitude.

Zion just got transferred back to Jadeborough recently and has yet to possess full authority. If he really becomes the commanding officer, there's no telling how outrageous Zeno will become. Also, what he said earlier...

Cooper splashed his face with cold water, straining his injured shoulder. However, he felt no pain.

The waiter entered with two bottles of whiskey Jerry had asked for.

At the sight of Cooper exiting the restroom, Jerry took a sip of alcohol and asked, "Why did you hit Zeno's head with a bottle for no reason?"

Remaining silent, Cooper walked over, picked up the other glass of whiskey on the table, and downed it in one go.

Jerry wanted to stop Cooper from drinking since he was injured but decided against it in the end. After all, he was the one who ordered the whiskey, and it was not like he would be able to stop Cooper anyway. Cooper sat down and pulled a cigarette out of the pack, letting Jerry light it for him.

After a while, Cooper asked, "Why are you here?"

"It's quite inconvenient to tell you some things over the phone. Also, I knew you'd come here looking for Zeno." Jerry thought Cooper would ask Zeno where Sally was. To his surprise, Cooper smashed Zeno's head.

Jerry lighted a cigarette for himself too. "If I came one second later, you might be crippled if not dead."

Propping his elbows on his knees and looking at Cooper with his head tilted, Jerry continued, "You haven't told me why you are so mad. Is it because Zeno and Sally-"

Cooper's expression grew grimmer as he placed the wine glass on the table with a loud thud. "What do you want to tell me? Just spit it out!"

Seeing Cooper lose his temper, Jerry reckoned Zeno must have said or done something outrageous which infuriated Cooper to no end.

Reading the room, he didn't insist on probing further to make things worse.

Instead, wearing a solemn look, he muttered in a low voice, "I was informed that Mayor Taylor has fallen ill and can't work. The government decided to transfer a mayor from another state to take his position." Cooper's expression changed. "And who is that?"

Chapter 1229 Foul Mood

"My men couldn't find out who it is," Jerry said, sighing. "You know my forces aren't concentrated in Jadeborough; it's good enough that I even managed to get ahold of this information at all."

"Mayor Taylor was there at Mr. Jennings' mother's birthday banquet as well," Cooper pointed out.

That said, Taylor left within minutes of showing up, so Cooper did not get a chance to speak with him. However, Cooper recalled Taylor being full of spirit, nothing like a person who was plagued with illness. At the memory of that, Cooper narrowed his eyes and pointed out, "Relocating a mayor at a crucial time like this seems too much of a coincidence, don't you think?"

Jerry was sharp, and he immediately knew what Cooper was implying. "Robert and Gerald are always rubbing elbows with government executives, so maybe they'd know who's getting relocated here. Why don't you ask them?"

"The Gaudette family has certainly made things difficult for the Zane family and the Loake family. If the guy who's getting relocated here is working for the Gaudette family, then Gerald and Robert would definitely do something about it," Cooper added as he snuffed out his cigarette in the ashtray. "They can't afford to just sit back and do nothing."

He had done everything in his power to rescue both Gerald and Robert. Granted, he pulled it off because he had agreed to work together with Sally, but he also rescued the two men with the intention of having them join forces with the Zeigler family to take down the Gaudette family.

Just then, a knock came from the door of the private room.

"Are you all right, Mr. Sutton?" Tiffany let herself in, and her eyes were full of worry when she saw Cooper on the couch.

Cooper frowned and turned to give Jerry an accusatory look.

Jerry pointed at his phone on the coffee table and explained, "You got a call just now and I picked it up for you. Ms. Yerton here demanded to know where you are, so I told her." Having heard this, Cooper addressed Tiffany in exhaustion, "I'm fine." He made to massage his temples, but when he accidentally raised his injured hand, his frown deepened.

Tiffany noticed this and immediately walked over to him. "Are you hurt? Come on, I'll drive you to the hospital."

"No need. Just go home," Cooper said dismissively as he stood up from the couch. Then, he looked at Jerry. "Could you give me a lift home?"

Jerry was about to nod when Tiffany interjected hastily, "You're pale and your hand is bleeding. You should be going to the hospital!"

Cooper glanced down at his hand.

He did not even notice when he washed his hands earlier that the back of his left hand had been cut by the shards of the broken wine bottle during the fight.

"Mr. Sutton, if you refuse to let me take you to the hospital, then I'll have to call your niece and tell her about this." Tiffany moved to block Cooper's way. "You wouldn't want Amanda to worry about you, right?" He frowned, annoyed that she was using Amanda to threaten him.

"You probably fractured your shoulder, so it's best if you let the doctor check that out. I'll be leaving first." Jerry could tell that Tiffany had feelings for Cooper, so he tactfully chose to leave and give them some privacy.

After a long stalemate, Cooper relented and made his way out of the room. Tiffany fell in step behind him.

He could not very well drive after drinking, so Tiffany took the wheel. Upon arriving at the hospital, she got a number from the reception counter and brought Cooper to the emergency orthopedic department. As it turned out, Cooper's right shoulder really was fractured, but it was nothing too serious.

They stayed in the hospital for around an hour. When all was said and done, Tiffany collected Cooper's prescription from the dispensary and got him a glass of warm water from the water cooler nearby so that he could take his medication.

She waited until he had knocked back his pills, then held out a jacket as if to drape it over him. "It's getting cold outside. You should keep your wound covered." "Thanks," Cooper said curtly as he took the jacket and packet of prescriptions from her. "By the way, I called my driver and he said he'll be here in three minutes." Tiffany stiffened. "There's no need for that. I can always get a taxi home after I drop you off."

"It isn't safe for a lady like you to get a taxi home at this hour," he said.

He looked elegant and gentle-mannered with his silver-frame glasses, but when he spoke, his voice was devoid of warmth, its iciness matching the gleam in his eyes. When Tiffany met his sharp gaze, she could not help but cower in fear.

She could tell that he was in an extremely foul mood today.

Chapter 1230 I Thought You Liked Gentle Women

Cooper and Tiffany stood in tense silence for a while. Then, she opened her bag and produced a small, dark blue box, which she handed to him.

"I didn't get to thank you properly for giving me a lift to the wine-tasting event the other day. I saw this necktie when I was shopping just now and thought it suited you, so I got it," she explained.

She had been hoping that the necktie would be an opening gambit for conversation for her and Cooper when she called him earlier that night, but she was caught off guard when someone else, namely Jerry, picked up her call instead.

When she learned of Cooper's hand injury, she immediately hailed a taxi and hurried to the bar.

Presently, Cooper gave the box a cursory glance and said, "I didn't go out of my way to give you a lift; I was invited to the event, too."

Tiffany pursed her lips. "If you hadn't gone, then I would have given the event a miss, too. Besides, I never did get to thank you for all the times you bought me presents and treated me to meals." She paused before suggesting, "If the necktie isn't to your liking, then how about I treat you to dinner tomorrow evening instead?"

Cooper took the box from her when he heard this. "Thank you," he said briskly.

Tiffany had honestly been hoping that he would turn the necktie down so that they could grab dinner together. She was admittedly disappointed by his choice, but she quickly recovered and flashed him a smile "I'm glad you like it," she managed.

Steven pulled up in the car soon after that, and Cooper instructed him to drop Tiffany home first.

Tiffany settled into the backseat next to Cooper, and while she appeared to be staring out the window at the night view, she was actually looking at Cooper's reflection in the glass.

A moment later, she turned and faced him. "Mr. Sutton, I still like you a lot."

She had been drawn to his intellectual air and elegant mannerisms since they first spoke to each other. As far as she was concerned, no other man she'd met could hold a light to him.

In all fairness, anyone would fall for a wealthy and successful man like Cooper.

Without waiting for his response, Tiffany added, "And for what it's worth, I absolutely adore Mandy and Lucian. As their teacher, I am perfectly capable of taking care of them, whether in school or at home." She stopped and assessed him briefly. "Admit it, Mr. Sutton, you like me, too." If he didn't, then he would not have given her flowers or bought her meals.

We would have gotten our marriage license on the same day he gave me the ring if that woman hadn't interrupted us!

Meanwhile, Cooper was frustrated as the events back at the bar played through his mind. All he wanted now was some peace and quiet, but Tiffany just had to ramble on.

If she were anyone else, he would have iced her out completely.

He raised his uninjured hand and rubbed his temples wearily. After tamping down the annoyance within him, he spoke to Tiffany in his usual, placid tone. "Maybe I liked you before, but I'm married now." Tiffany countered without thinking, "I thought you were divorced." When she saw the grim look on his face, she knew she had touched on a sensitive topic and quickly elaborated, "I was talking to Mandy the other day, and she told me you and Ms. Loake were over, so I thought..."

It was only then that Cooper recalled the conversation he'd had with Amanda the other day in the living room. He didn't think she would share this information with Tiffany.

"I'm sorry," Tiffany said quietly. "I didn't mean to pry, Mr. Sutton."

"Things might be over between me and Sally, but we aren't divorced," he said in a clipped tone. "There are a few executives in my company who are still single; I'll have my assistant give you their contact details tomorrow. As for the children, I hope you'll take good care of them while they're in school, but the housekeepers are more than capable of taking care of them at home."

Tiffany clutched her purse a little tighter when she heard his outright rejection.

She knew Specter Corporation was a titan in the industry and that plenty of excellent candidates had been turned away during job applications. As such, anyone who was capable of becoming an executive in such a behemoth must be quite an outstanding person.

However, she did not care for anyone else. Cooper was the only man she loved and wanted.

A sudden thought crossed her mind, and she loosened her grip on her purse.

Cooper might not return my feelings now, but I'm still Lucian and Amanda's teacher. I have plenty of time to get him to warm up to me. I just need to take it nice and slow.

Later that night, Steven pulled up outside Tiffany's home and waited until she had gotten down from the car, then drove back to the way they came. At that moment, he glanced at Cooper through the rearview mirror and remarked, "I thought you liked gentle women."