Ch. 521..530

Chapter 521

Armand's cves darkened at her words. "Therefore, you rerned and got in touch with me just for the sake of vengeance?"

"Yes."

"You're Iving" le lowered his gaze to look at lier. "GencVicve, when you lie, you avert your gaze and bite your lip in rellex"

Hie proceeded to confess, "I, too, was lying that night. Over the last four years, I have been waiting for you to return, and nary a moment passed by without me longing for you."

He just hadn't had the courage to express it to her.

After hic swallowed. Armand continued in a raspy voice, "I was worried that you would have to go soon, and I just couldn't bear to watch you leave with another man."

Due to his love for her, Armand respected Genevieve and refrained from trying to win her back aggressively

"Genevieve, you love me too, don't you?" Closing the distance between them, he asked, "Or else, why would you have put in so much effort to prepare such a special birthday gift for me? On that fateful day, you told me that you would stay by my side for the rest of my life so that I would never be lonely again. On top of that, I recently found out that you were the girl I met in the hospital back then."

Raising his hand, Armand stroked Genevieve's flawless, fair cheeks. "Genevieve, let's not delude each other anymore."

Armand's confession shook Genevieve to the core.

However, the minute change in her expression quickly disappeared as she swiftly regained her calm.

Peeling Armand's hand away, she took two steps back and raised her gaze to stare at him. "Armand, I might have loved you before, but not anymore."

She, too, was puzzled by the sudden change of heart.

"Given how much you interact with others, you should be good at reading people." Genevieve asserted, "I'm sure you're able to tell whether I'm lying or not."

Armand had noticed the calm look in her eyes. In fact, they were so calm that he was terrified.

The last time she told him that she was seeking revenge, he could still sense her feelings for him behind the repressed rage in her cyes. But now, her eyes were devoid of emotions. All of a sudden, he was filled with remorse.

If only he had given her an honest answer when she asked him if he loved her that night, all this wouldn't have happened.

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Pulling her into his arms, Armand gave her a tight luglis lundis trembling "Genevieve, I'm sorry. Can you give me another chance to prove my love for you!"

The moment his scent filled her senses, the hand she raised frozein mid-air.

This is strange fier being teith Jack for four wars, I'm still not used to intimacy with him. In fact, I was still resisting his disses just a moment ago. And wel. I let Armand hug me...

At that moment, Jack walked in on the scene when he came to check on them. After pulling Genevieve back to his side, he threw a punchi right at Armand's face.

His eyes were burning with rage. "Armand, how dare you touch my woman?"

Feeling the numbness in his face, Armand raised his fist to return the favor. Ilowever, in the next instant, he saw Genevieve grimacing while holding her chest before slumping to the ground. Standing behind her, Jack managed to catch Genevieve and used the opportunity to shove Armand's hand away, "This is all your fault."

While Armand stood stunned by the doorway, Jack carried her back in and shut the door behind him.

Without a moment's delay, Armand brought out his phone to call Rosa for the lock's pin number. However, when Jack's words flashed across his mind, he decided against it.

After standing outside the door for more than ten minutes, he called Genevieve instead.

"Mr. Faulkner, what else do you want?"

He heaved a sigh of relief at the sound of her voice. "How are you feeling? Do you want to go to the hospital? Perhaps I can get Timothy-"

"There's no such need. I'm fine," Genevieve interrupted him. "I was feeling unwell when the sight of you reminded me of all the unhappy memories of the past. Mr. Faulkner, now that I have given you what you came for, I hope that you won't bother me ever again."

Before Armand could say another word, she had ended the call.

At that moment, the elevator doors opened, and two uniformed security guards came out. They informed him politely, "Mr. Faulkner, Ms. Rachford just gave us a call, hoping that you would leave her front door.

Chapter 522 Armand didn't persist. After throwing the tightly shut door a glance, he followed the guards back into the elevator. Upon reaching the first floor, he headed to the lounge in the lobby instead of leaving.

When his phone suddenly rang. I answered it anxiously but was disappointed to hear Steven's voice instead of Genevieve's. Steven asked, "Mr. Faulkner, where are you? You're ncceled at the office."

* Just let it be. I don'give a damn anymore," Armand replicd calmly before ending the call.

I need Geneviety, but toho can help me?

Anand opened the old metal box and took out a faded photograph. It was a wedding picture of a young couplc.

Facing the camera, both of their siniles were filled with joy, as if their bliss had been frozen in time.

When he arrived at the final photograph, he noticed that there was something written on the back. He recognized the handwriting to be the same as the one on the letter.

It read: I'm a true believer in being down to earth and would see everything for its own nature. However, at the sight of you, I felt the sky crack and the waves raging in the ocean. Without saying a word, I, together with every living creature in this world, am instinctively drawn to you.

Thinking back to how strict his father was when he was a child, Armand was surprised that the latter was capable of writing such romantic prose to a woman.

As he flipped through the photographs repeatedly and digested the adoring words behind them, the night passed quickly.

The next morning, the ashtray on the table in front of him was brimming with cigarette butts, and yet, he still had one between his lips.

After putting the pictures back into the metal box, he glanced at his phone and calculated the time at Dartan before making a call.

"Hello:" A squeaky voice rang out.

The moment he heard the adorable "hello," much of the frustration within him dissipated. He inquired in a gentle tone, "Mandy, how are you?"

After a long silence, Armand tensed up. "Why aren't you saying anything?"

A few seconds later, Amanda replied dejectedly, "When I called you previously, you didn't pick up. Therefore, I thought that you don't like me anymore."

Due to how busy he had been previously, he had had no time to check his missed calls at all.

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Armand replied softly, "Of course not, I love to listen to you iclling me about school and what you had for lunch."

"But..." Amanda added. "Mister, why doesn't Mommy like you anymore?"

She and Lucian had thought long and hard about it, but they couldn't figure out what had happened as they weren't in Chanaca. Noncicloss, shc (cli that her brother's conjecture was correct. "Did you reject Mommy when she pursued you?"

Curious at Amanda's response, Armand couldn't help but ask, "Why do you say that? Does your mommy like me very much?"

"Of course, because..." Just when she was about to let something slip, Amanda segucd to a different reason. "Whenever she mentioned you on the phone, she always sounded happy. However, her voice was sad when we talked last week, and she didn't bring you up anymore."

Her remark caused Armand to feel a sudden burning sensation in his throat.

After a brief pause, he confessed in a raspy voice, "I love your mommy a lot. However, I didn't dare admit it due to my fear that she would never return after going back to Dartan. Hence, I lied to her." "So that's what happened?" It instantly became clear to Amanda.

Having pondered a moment, she asked on purpose, "Since you love Mommy, mister, do you love me?"

"I do."

"But I'm not your daughter. Do you still love me in spite of that?"

Armand was well aware of the fact. Nevertheless, for some strange reason, he adored Amanda to bits even though they were only speaking over the phone.

After letting out a grunt, he replied with conviction, "I love both you and your mommy."

Chapter 523

Upon receiving her answer, Amanda covered her mouth in laughter. "Mister, you should explain yourself to Monumy and reconcile with her. After that, you'll be able to see me! 1, too, love you and hope to meet with you soon."

Unfortunately, Armand dicin'know how to break the news to Amanda that he had recently been spurned by Genevieve despite confessing his feelings.

Just when he was holding his phone and tom by conflicting emotions, Steven arrived with someone else following hini.

Cognizant that Steven had business with him, Armand had no choice but to end the call.

- What is it?" he asked Steven

"It's about Ms. Rachford." Just as he spoke, Steven pointed to the middle-aged woman behind him. She was thin and had a pale look on her face,

"This is Melissa. She was the one who took care of Ms. Rachford in Regality Gardens four years

ago,"

"Mm-um. I remember her."

Genevieve didn't know how to cook. Hence, to avoid her ordering takeout all the time, Armand had instructed Steven to arrange for a housekeeper to take care of her.

Steven reported grimly, "Melissa said that Ms. Rachford was pregnant very early on."

"What?" Armand's pupils constricted.

Even though a long time had passed since Armand was Melissa's boss, she still felt nervous in the presence of someone of his stature.

Nodding, she concurred in a meek tone, "It's true as I found Ms. Rachford's pregnancy test report.”

She handed a document that was visibly crumpled to Armand.

After receiving it, Armand skimmed through the date the pregnancy was diagnosed, and upon a quick calculation, realized that Genevieve was already pregnant in October that year.

He remembered that there had been a blackout after they returned home from a movie that day.

While both of them were in the bathroom, Genevieve had told him that there was no need for protection since she was barren.

As'aresult, the two children could very well be his.

With that possibility flashing through his mind, Armand's hand trembled while holding the report.

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Sweeping his gaze to Melissa, he questioned her, "Why did you wait till now to inform me instead of doing so when you first picked up the report?"

Feeling a chill downlier spine, Melissa rubbed her hands in remorse, "Back then, I wanted to see Mr. Sullivan and tell him about it. I lowever, someone stopped me on the way there and asked if I know about Ms. Richfond's pregnancy. I was so terrifice that I just nodded. Subscquently, they kave me a sum of money and ordered me to leave Jacleborough... Mr. Faulkner, I didn't hide it from you on purpose. 1-1 was just scared for my life," Melissa explained in tcars. "Those people were really scary."

As the men hadn't been aware that she had the pregnancy test report in hand, they hadn't demanded it from her.

After taking the money, she had hurriedly fled Jadeborough.

Nevertheless, the matter continued to weigh on her shoulders, unsettling her for the last four

years.

When she was diagnosed with late-stage breast cancer and wasn't given long to live, she decided to return to Jadeborough and contact Steven so that she could clear her conscience. From Melissa's words, Armand knew that Jack had learned of Genevieve's pregnancy early on and was probably the one who sent the men to intimidate the housekeeper into silence. Evidently, Jack wanted to hide the matter from him.

After giving Armand a look, Steven suddenly remarked, "On the day I brought Ms. Rachford to Swallow Garden, not only had I given her the flash drive but also told her about the past. She cried really hard after hearing that, which makes me think that she still loves you."

All this while, he didn't understand why Genevieve had returned after so many years. It wasn't until he recalled how she bawled the other day that he suddenly understood.

If she didn't love Armand, why would she come back to Jadeborough and return to his side?

"You're right. She does love me a lot." Staring at the pregnancy test report, Armand felt an excruciating pain in his heart.

"However, I never knew that and allowed her to leave four years ago."

Chapter 524

The Monicut Armand looked up the clcvator door opence (rom afar and out walked lack and Gencvicve.

Pulling their luggage behind them, they looked as if they were traveling someplace far away.

Armand approached them and stopped Jack. "Come with me."

"I'm not interested." With his hand wrapped around Genevieve's waist, Jack asserted with an icy glint in his eyes. "Mr. Faulkner, step aside. My wife and lare in a hurry to get to the airport." Armand sneered, "Jack, there's no way your private jet can leave Jadeborough if I don't allow it."

Jack narrowed his cyes. "Are you threatening mic?"

"I'm just stating the truth." Throwing Genevieve a glance, Armand repeated in a solemn tone, "Come with me now. Whien you return, I'll not get in your way of wherever you want to go." Since Jadeborough wasn't his turf, Jack's influence was limited there. At the same time, he was well aware that Armand's threat wasn't an empty one.

That aside, he was curious to find out what Armand still had hidden up his sleeves given his desperate situation.

After pondering for a moment, Jack handed his luggage to Genevieve before leaning in to kiss her on the check. "Genev, wait for me at the condominium." Genevieve's body stiffened briefly before she quickly nodded. "All right."

Without looking at Armand, she turned around and headed back into the elevator.

Armand gestured for Steven to come over and instructed him, "Arrange for a pilot to come here. We will be traveling to Baykeep by helicopter."

As Regality Gardens was a residence for the rich, there was a helipad located on the top floor.

Within ten minutes, a helicopter arrived to pick them both up and fly toward Baykeep.

Given its speed, they arrived in just an hour and a half.

The helicopter then landed on the lawn of a manor based on the address Armand had given the pilot.

After alighting from the helicopter, Jack looked at the country manor in front of him before returning his attention to Armand. "Mr. Faulkner, did you bring me all this way just to show me a manor you bought?" "I didn't buy it. My father did," Armand plainly replied as he led Jack inside.

ne decor within the manor was warm and simple. while the furniture was all made of solid wood.

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On the walls hung a few paintings. Most of them were of the same young lady.

Only the one nearest to the living roomhach a couple in weeling anire within its frame

Given that jack lud grown uploy luis mother's side, de naturally recognized the young and beautiful woman. Nonetheless, he simply observed it with a smirk.

Ammand then handed him a letter.

When Jack received the letter and opened it to read, Armand put the old metal box on the display cabinct before calmly explaining, "Anong Grandpa's children, my father was his favorite. As he wanted Father to take over his position, he forbade Father from being together with Ms. Valentine

Despite his love for her, my father had no choice but to break up with her. Subsequently, he arranged for her to be attacked and faked her death in a car accident. He then sinuggled her overseas. hoping to reunite with her once the dust had settled. Unfortunately. Ms. Valentine disappeared on the way there..."

When Armand first discovered the manor, he was surprised that his father would buy it as a gift for him.

Later on, he learned that he wasn't the intended recipient. Instead, it was Charice.

When he first arrived, he found a letter written by his father in the study lipstairs. In that letter, his father had penned down everything that happened between him and Charice, along with the reason why they broke up.

As the faded piece of paper wasn't long, Jack finished reading it in no time.

However, the helplessness, longing, and pain contained in the letter reminded Jack of his miserable days when he was young

With an emotionless face, he tore the letter to pieces and threw them at Armand. a

Chapter 525

Chapter 525

On the walls hung a few paintings. Most of them were of the same young lady.

Only the one nearest to the living roomhach a couple in weeling anire within its frame

Given that jack lud grown uploy luis mother's side, de naturally recognized the young and beautiful woman. Nonetheless, he simply observed it with a smirk.

Ammand then handed him a letter.

When Jack received the letter and opened it to read, Armand put the old metal box on the display cabinct before calmly explaining, "Anong Grandpa's children, my father was his favorite. As he wanted Father to take over his position, he forbade Father from being together with Ms. Valentine

Despite his love for her, my father had no choice but to break up with her. Subsequently, he arranged for her to be attacked and faked her death in a car accident. He then sinuggled her overseas. hoping to reunite with her once the dust had settled. Unfortunately. Ms. Valentine disappeared on the way there..."

When Armand first discovered the manor, he was surprised that his father would buy it as a gift for him.

Later on, he learned that he wasn't the intended recipient. Instead, it was Charice.

When he first arrived, he found a letter written by his father in the study lipstairs. In that letter, his father had penned down everything that happened between him and Charice, along with the reason why they broke up.

As the faded piece of paper wasn't long, Jack finished reading it in no time.

However, the helplessness, longing, and pain contained in the letter reminded Jack of his miserable days when he was young

With an emotionless face, he tore the letter to pieces and threw them at Armand. Chapter 525

Jack's kaze was icy. While the tone of his voice was brutal. "I don't want to know how pitiful he was. All I know is that he's a coward, proven by how lic left my mom. No matter what his circumstances were, what he did was wrong!"

Armand removed the fragments of paper from his clothes and said in a low voice, "My father las always stood by Ms. Valentine, but he is still a nember of the Faulkner faunily and the son that my grandpa put all his lopies on.

"Even though Father wanted to clope with Ms. Valentine, they could not escape. Even if they managed to get out of Xedells, they wouldn't have successfully left Chanaca.

"If Grandpa caught them, he would use Ms. Valentine's life to threaten Father. Perhaps he would even take her life to compel my father's obedience."

Armand had grown up in the Faulkner family, and he knew everything about Ayden's brutal methods.

Ayden was obsessed with controlling his clan and luis company. No one and nothing could get in his way. For the sake of his business, any of his children could be used as a bargaining chip. There was not a single person who would not want to be with the love of their life.

Unfortunately, as children born in such a powerful clan, their fates were not of their own choosing.

When Armand was a child, he had once seen his outwardly stern, calm, and commanding father sit in his study while weeping bitterly with his hands covering his face.

The thirty-year-old adult male was crying like a child.

When his father noticed that he was watching, the man placed him on his lap and told him gently, "Armand, I hope that one day you will meet a girl, love her sincerely, and be willing to give up everything for her. Love is not something that should be sacrificed for profit but rather something beautiful worth pursuing.”

As a child, what the older man said had not meant much to him, but now he understood that his father had wished the same thing would not happen to him.

Hearing that, Jack sneered, "You are Cesar's son. Of course you are on his side."

He then contimued, "Armand, you grew up with the Faulkner family, and you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth. Do you know what my childhood was like?" He walked up to Armand and said slowly, "Let me tell you. I had a drug addict and alcoholic for a father. When he was drunk, he would abuse my mother by grabbing her by the hair and smashing her against the wall.

There were local laws. If a man abused a woman, she could get a divorce immediately without going to court, but my mother couldn't since she was an illegal refugce in Dartan, without any ID card or money." Jack only had to close his eyes, and the scenes of his mother suffering domestic abuse would

come back to him.

Countless times, he cried as he went forward to push away that drunkard, but he was just a child and did not have the strength. The moment he came near enough, he would be kicked away.

Jack glared at Armand and spoke through grilled teeth. "Even an animal was better than that man. He wanted to be promoted to the position of bank manager, so he brought some high ranking oflicers home... I could only watch helplessly as those men lay on top of my mother.

Tell me. Armand. Don't you think Cesar was a coward? Ile knew full well what type of family he was born into and that his marriage could not be with a partner of his own choosing. If that was the case, why did he woo my mother and tell her he loved her so much?"

As Jack spoke, le punched Armand in the face.

Armand did not dodge but received the full force of his punch.

"This letter that he wrote and the so-called love he proclaims to have for her are disgusting to me!" Jack roared at him. "If he cared about my mother, he should have remained by her side and not sent her abroad!"

Silently, Armand brushed away the blood from the corner of his lips.

He had not the slightest idea what had happened between his father and Charice. All the while, he had thought that he was Isabella's son.

It was only much later that he found out everything.

Jack laughed when he looked at the subdued Armand. "Aren't you going to defend your father?"

Chapter 526

Armand whispered, "You are right. He was indeed cowardly."

"We were born of the same mother, but you had fine clothes and good food in the Faulkner residence, and you went to the best schools..." Jack jabbed a finger at his own chest. "But inc? I had to watch that drunkard assault my mother every day!"

Jack continued. "Later, I grew up and became stronger. I luted seeing how those men used my mother. The drunkard loved to drink, so I put him inside a wine barrel. Don't you think it was appropriate that he was still drinking when he dice?

"1 told my motlicr cliat the man was dead, and she didn't have to be afraid anymore, but she died..."

Jack's eyes stung as hic gritted his teeth and went on. "Do you know how she died? Those men recorded a video and posted it online, and everywhere she went, people pointed at her, talking about her behind her back. She didn't want those things to affect my schooling, so she drove off a clift."

He remembered how it was a cold winter's day when that happened. It was freezing because it was showing

It was also her birthday.

He had come home early from school, having bought a present to celebrate her birthday with her. She was nowhere to be found, but he soon discovered the letter she had left on the table.

The next day, two policemen came for him, asking him to go to the hospital to identify a corpse.

"You have a father, money, and status. What do I have?" Jack asked him disparagingly, and the corners of his eyes were all red. "I cannot even protect my own mother!"

When he exited the hospital, he felt like he had lost everything. He had nothing left.

However, he bumped into Genevieve later oni, wliereupon she reached out to catch hold of him. showing him that there still existed beauty to live for in this world of filth.

Jack turned around and looked at the bride and groom in the picture frame hanging on the wall.

"Later, when I became rich and powerful. I captured the wives of the men who filmed the video and took revenge on them in the same way. Those men didn't dare to reprimand me. They could only kneel on the ground and bey me to let them go. As long as I let them live and let them go, they did not care what I wished to do with their wives and children."

Jack laughed. "When they got married, they promised to love each other until death. Yet when problems arose, they just abandoned their spouses."

Turning around, he asked Armand, "Tell me. Do you think this is love?"

"When I came to Chanaca, I told myself I would take revenge on Cesar's wife and children. I wanted to destroy the Faulkner family, but..." Jack sighed. "Genev begged me. She said that I

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could take revenge on anyone, but I must not harm any child. In order to save you, she was even willing to marry me and move to Dartan."

As Armand listened, his licartilrobbed in pain.

Finally, he understood that she had not willingly gone oll' with Jack, but rather, she had done it for him.

Jack rejoiced in watching the pained expression on Armband's face. "Just now when leaving Recality Gardens, I recognized the woman with Sicven. Back then, I asked men to stop her. When Geney wanted to return to Chanaca this time, I made a bet with her, but... shic lost."

Armand recalled what Genevieve had asked him the other day and finally understood what the bet was about. His eyes dimmed before he went over to grab Jack and punch him in the facc.

Jack was not going to take the beating lying down. After taking iwo punches, he hit back viciously.

The two men scuttled on the floor.

Both parties suffered facial injuries and bloodied lips.

In the end, Armand pinned Jack to the ground and spoke coldly: "She didn't lose the bet. I told her a lie."

He loved Genevieve so much.

For the past four years, he had been waiting for her and missing her.

Jack's face was badly hurt and almost numb with pain, but he smiled and said, "So what? She doesn't love you anymore. Haven't you realized yet that no matter what you say in front of her, she shows no reaction?"

"It doesn't matter. I've already waited for four years. I can wait a few more" Armand said. "I can pursue her. I will do everything in my power to win her heart again."

Chapter 527

Jack burst out in laughter. "Armand, you are running out of time!"

"General Zeigler loves the granddaughter he just got back and docs anything she wants. Look at your company; the major shareholder Mr. Lebon has sold his stakes and absconded with the money: You're in quite the financial crisis, am I right? Who will lend you money now?" he said. "When we made the bct, Gency said that if she loses, the two children will become members of thellelt family and my children. Armand, you have nothing now. How do you expect to compete with me?"

Jack got up from the floor, wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth, and then said slowly. "Armand, for the sake of our mother, if you beg me, I can help you keep the company, but you must stay away from my wife and not come ncar her again."

As he was leaving, he glanced at the wedding photo on the wall and sncered. "A cowardly man who fancies himself a romantic is so f*cking disgusting!"

Armand settled himself on the couch with his licad down and remained motionless for a long timc.

At night. Steven came knocking at the manor.

Seated in the helicopter headed for Jadeborough, Armand instructed Steven, "Contact Earlgrandeur Capital Corporation's CEO for me. I'm going to Turlen the day after tomorrow."

While giving instructions to Steven, he texted Cooper on his phone.

After their arrival in Jadeborough, Steven was driving Armand to the restaurant when he used the rear view mirror to glance at his boss. "Mr. Faulkner, Bruce Gable wants to meet you and wonders if you're free."

Frowning, Armand asked, "Who's he?"

"He's an actor in Genevieve Orsi Productions," Steven replied. "He wants to talk to you about Sylvie."

When Armand heard that, his eyes darkened. "Let's not go to eat. Contact him now and say I'm free."

The next morning, Genevieve and Jack arrived at Bellridge in Dartan after more than ten hours on the plane.

Jack instructed the driver to send her home while he went to the office to work.

The two children were having breakfast when they saw Genevieve arrive home. Amanda leaped into her embrace like a liule joey, nuzzling her mother.

When Genevieve went abroad, she had made all the necessary arrangements for the production company. Home now, she was throwing herself fully into caring for the two children.

In the afternoon, she brought Amanda and Lucian for swimming classes.

Browsing through news reports on her phone, she saw all kinds of media reporting about the decline of Central Group. The high-ranking staff members were resigning one after another, and Armand had flown overscassecking investors.

Genevieve could not help calling Cooper on the phone. "Coop, I've read the news about Central Group..."

She would late to see Armand falling that.

Cooper know what she wanted to say, and he could be heard sighing on the other end of the line. "Genev, there's nothing that I can do. The Zcigler family is too powerful. They want to destroy Armand."

"I understand." She knew that his hands were tid.

If the Zeigler family's next target was Specter Corporation, the company would be donc for as well.

Four days later, while preparing breakfast, Genevieve told Jack that she wanted to go back to Chanaca, and she had booked an early flight for the next day.

"Mommy! Mommy!"

As she was talking with Jack, Amanda came rushing down the stairs, phone in hand. Tearfully, the little girl announced. The news S-says that he died..." "Who died?" Genevieve was puzzled and at a loss.

Seeing Amanda lifting her head and bawling, she took the phone from her daughter's hand.

After reading the news, she felt her head spinning.

A media report stated that when Armand was taking a private plane back to Jadeborough from Petalgrove, the plane encountered bad weater and crashed.

Armand was a household name, and everyone know him as the ultimate powerful businessman. Furthermore, as a member of the Faulkner family, he attracted much attention. Hence, this aviation accident made headlines on various media websites.

There were even media reports that the largest controlling party of Central Group had now become Earlgrandeur Capital Corporation.

Genevieve stared at the text on the phone until her eyes burned.

She just could not believe that Armand was dead.

In that instant, her heart seemed empty, and all she could feel wiis misery and utmost sorrow.

"Ahh..." Genevieve's heart ached so badly that she could barely breathe. With a cry, she collapsed to the floor.

Chapter 528

Due to her health. Genevieve remained in Darlan for a week before returning to Chanaca.

The first thing she did on arriving was to go to the hospital.

John was adulted into the VIP warel. She was still in i com, but her abdomen was tradually growing in size.

Afier Genevieve came out of the warl, 'limothy whispered to hier, "In the past month, many neurosurgeons have visited Jojo, and their liagnosis is basically the same as mine."

There was the possibility that Johanna would remain a vegetable for the rest of her life.

He had discussed with several doctors about removing the child from Johanna's womb as he did not want her to suffer so much.

A doctor had said that a hospital in Baykccp had once treated a patient who had been in the same situation as Johanna

That patient had just conceived before suffering a fall and becoming a vegetable. With the family's permission, they aborted the baby. However, the next day, the patient's heart stopped bcating Timothy knew that the chances of that happening were low but did not dare to take the risk. He was afraid of losing both Johanna and the baby.

What really irked him was that the perpetrator was still at large.

Genevieve knew that Timothy was a doctor, so his diagnosis could not be wrong. Despite feeling anguished, she refused to let it show.

She tried to console him. "Jojo will come out of this coma. She will."

After saying goodbye to Timothy, Genevieve left the hospital.

On the way to the production company, she happened to notice a Rolls-Royce Phantom in front of her with a familiar license plate.

After checking out the license plate carefully, she changed lanes to catch up with the car,

However, the traffic was too heavy, and the driver was driving too fast.

After some elfort, she managed to catch up with the Rolls-Royce, but it had gone into the underground car park of Twilight Tower. When she managed to find the parked car, the driver was nowhere in sight. Isn't this the car/gifted to Armand? Why would it be here? Could it be Cooper?

After the plane crash, his will was read. All his property was willed to Cooper, including his house and car.

Gloomily. Genevieve parked her car and walked toward the elevator.

It so happened that there were two people there, waiting for the elevator.

When the slightly plump man wearing a hip-hop short-sleeved shirt saw Genevieve, he immediately greeted her, "Hello, Ms. Rachford."

Since he recognized her, she smiled. "Hi. Are you from the production company?"

"Yes, I am." The plump man scratched his head, looking simple and innocent. "I'm Mr. Gable's assistant. My name is Joash nowski."

"Nice to meet you." Genevieve nodded in acknowledgment.

She glanced at the man behind Joash. He was physically fit and very tall, nearly 1.9 meters. Despite wearing only a simple white shirt and trousers, he somehow managed to look classy in them. The man's skin was very fair, and a black mask covered his face, vaguely revealing only the thick cyebrows under his hair.

When the elevator arrived, Genevieve entered it first.

After she had decided on where to stand, she turned around and looked up, only to find herself staring directly at the man's face. His cyes were dark and deep, like Timothy's.

She noticed that the man's shirt was not fully buttoned up. The two topmost buttons were undone, leaving the collar slightly open and revealing a black choker around his neck.

The overall impression he gave off was a youthful and classy vibe.

Perhaps her eyes had lingered too long on the man as Joash noticed her gaze.

After Joash entered the elevator, he quickly said to Genevieve, "Ms. Rachford, you were previously abroad and were not in charge of the company's affairs. Mr. Gable has never been to the company either, so you two have probably never met before. He didn't mean to ignore you."

Joash shot a pointed look at the man. "Mr. Gable, please say hello to our boss, Ms. Rachford."

The man bent his head and looked at Genevieve. "Hello, Ms. Rachford."

His voice was hoarse and sounded raspy when he spoke, yet it seemed strangely seductive.

It was true Genevieve had never really concerned herself with the company's artists. That was the assistant manager's task. She did not even know this artist standing right in front of her.

Yet, she liked looking at him and wanted to tcase him.

She scanned him from head to toe and then raised her eyebrows. "Your waistline is small enough. Do you have abs?"

Chapter 529

What?

Joash, who was standing at the side, widened his eyes and mouth in disbelief.

Bruce was taken aback as well. Then, he tugged on his mask and asked, "Yes, I do. Ms. Rachford. would you like to take a look?"

Joash was dumbstruck.

Just then, the elevator arrived on the chosen floor, and the doors opened automatically.

It was then Genevieve said, "I was just asking."

Before stepping out, she glanced at Bruce out of the corner of her eyes and remarked, "You have nice hands too."

Once Genevieve was a distance away. Joash walked out of the clevator with Bruce and said in an odd tone, "Mr. Gable, say, Ms. Rachford complimented you on your slim waist and nice hands. Do you think... After all, Bruce was a good-looking man. On the set, actresses would always take the opportunity to touch him all over.

Bruce looked at Genevieve's departing figure, and his dark eyes glinted.

"How would I know?"

Upon entering her office, Genevieve thought of how she had scrutinized that artist and what she had said to him. At that point, she could not help but wonder if he might think badly of her.

Something crossed her mind, and she was about to summon her secretary when someone knocked on her door.

Steven walked in with a cup of coffee.

At first, Genevieve was startled to see him, but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. "Steven, what are you doing here?"

"Since the change of leadership in Central Group, there's been a major restructuring within the company," he said. "I don't wish to stay there any longer, so I quit. Right now, I'm working in the security department, in charge of the company's security."

With a smile on his face, he asked, "Ms. Rachford, don't you welcome me here?"

Genevieve prompuy responded, "Of course not. But, aren't you a little overqualified for the job? Do you want me to,"

Steven shook his head. "I'm sick and tired of those high-intensity jobs. Now that I'm getting on in years, I want to take it easy."

Since he liked his new job, she decided to let him be.

Before returning, she was worried about Sicven's future after Armand left since Steven was his subordinate and bodyguard. Never did she expect luim to end up working for her.

Genevieve took a sip of the coffee and suddenly asked, "Sieven, are you still driving the Rolls Royce Phantom?"

"Yes. If I don't, the car will get damaged casily. Sometimes, I will send the artists to the airport. But don't worry. They are all male artists," said Steven.

Genevieve recalled what she had said to Armand in the past. Only then did she realize how domineering she had been, forbidding other women from sitting in the car.

Did I use to low that man this much?

A smile played about her lips as she remarked nonchalantly, "It's all right. You can drive anyone you wish to."

To thai, Steven replied sternly, "That won't happen. Ms. Rachford, this car is your gift to Mr. Faulkner. I will always remember your instructions."

Genevieve was at a loss for words.

Right then, her secretary walked in with some documents, so Steven left.

"Do we have any artists with the last name Gable?" Genevieve asked while her secretary was putting the documents on her desk.

"Yes. Bruce Gable."

Very soon, Genevieve remembered that man.

I think he was the leading actor in the movie "For Elise" and even won the best actor award because of that movie. Johanna mentioned that his contract was ending soon and that she wished to have him join Genevieve Orsi. So, the artist I met in the elevator carlier was Bruce.

Her secretary asked out of curiosity, "Ms. Rachford, why are you asking about him? Did you find out about his argument with Mr. Dixon?"

Genevieve raised her brows. "Ile argued with Mr. Dixon? Why?"

Seeing that her superior was clueless, the secretary answered, "A producer of a romance movie contacted Mr Dixon to ask if Bruce is available. Apparently, ille remuneration is very attractive, but Bruce turned it down."

Genevieve was displeased to hear that. "He should be happy to be offered jobs. As an artist, what makes him think he has the right to pick and choose?"

"That's because, in this romance film, there will be intimate scenes. The director is very particular and wants it to be realistic. Therefore, he refuses to let the actors use substitutes."

UITUPLUI Vio

The secretary continued. "Last month, when Bruce resumed his work, he told Mr. Dixon that he would require substitutes in all his future movies or dramas if intimate scenes are involved. Otherwise, he won't accept the jobs. That's why Mr. Dixon was furious when Bruce rcjccted the role."

Genevieve was puzzled. "Isn't lie an actor? Why clocs lie have so many demands? Can't he even touch the actresses' hands? Hlas he gotten himself a girlfriend recently?"

The secretary liesitated for a moment before answering, "No. He detests women now."

Chapter 530

He detests tcomen? But then I took the same elevator with Bruce just now, he didn't show any aversion tordand me

At that thought, Genevieve asked, "Why does he dislike women?"

"In the past, wlien he was filming a luistorical movic, hic fell in love with one of the actresses and began to date her in private. But slie turns out to be an unfaithful girlfriend."

A hint of sympathy could be detected in the secretary's voice as she continued, "He caught her cheating on him red-handed. Yet, she accused him of being an abuser and a drug addict and sued him. As she had lier backer's help. Bruce lost the case and was detained for two weeks. During those years, Bruce suffered a lot. Due to his domestic violence history, he was unable to receive any good job offers. Later, when he starts to get roles again, he offers to receive lower pay so that he doesn't have to appear in all the intimate scenes himself. Now, he even refuses to hold the actresses' hands during filming."

Poor thing to be sued by his cheating girlfriend and his career going down the drain. II's no wonder that he hates women. But when I teased him in the elevator just now, he even asked me if I wanted to touch his abs. It doesn't look like he hates women.

Secing that Genevieve was silent the whole time, her secretary continued, "I guess Mr. Dixon must still be berating Bruce. Ms. Rachford, would you want to go over and take a look?" *That won't be necessary."

With a wave of her hand, Genevieve dismissed her secretary.

She was just about to peruse the documents when she thought of the secretary's words. Curiosity got the better of her, and she could not help but search for news of Bruce on the internet. It was worse than what her secretary had told her.

After Bruce lost his case, his previous agency blacklisted him. When he occasionally went out to buy things and was spotted by fans of his ex-girlfriend, they would deliberately bump into him, then take videos to accuse him of hitting them.

There were times when he asked for work from the company, and he would be given the terrible role of an abusive man or a drug addict.

Bruce's father worked as a professor at a university. Some of the extreme fans of his ex-girlfriend went there and looked for his father, saying that his son was an abusive man. They even went as far as asking if the genes of domestic violence run in the family and if he hit his wife as well. Things got so bad that the university had to dismiss Bruce's father.

Bruce's mother owned a music school and would teach children music every week. However, she sold the business because of Bruce's scandal.

Genevieve knew that some of the fans of artists were very extreme.

However, she did not expect the fans of Bruce's ex-girlfriends to be so horrid. They seemed to go

all out to get him.

Genevieve then began scarching for Bruce's Wikipedia page and felt that there should still be many fans who supported him.

"That was because there were no records of liim abusing his ex-girlfriend and losing the case on Wikipedia

While making a call using the landline, she scanned through Bruce's biodata. The numbers she saw befuddled her.

If hy is his height listed as one hundred and cighty-three centimeters?

When she checked out Bruce in the elevator carlier, she felt that the man was at least one hundred and cighty-eight centimeters tall.

That was because Steven was around a hundred and cighty-seven centimeters in height. It was not hard for her to tell the difference.

Just as she was pondering about it, the phone was answered.

"Ms. Rachford, is there anything I can help you with?"

Hearing the annoyance in James' tone, Genevieve reckoned that he was still arguing with Bruce. "Ask the director if he can reduce the intimate scenes for Bruce or allow the use of a substitute." she said. That order took him by surprise, and he was unable to react promptly.

Genevieve had always been dealing with external affairs. Matters regarding the artists were handled by him and the others.

Thus, he did not expect Genevieve to call him and speak up for Bruce.

Before James could respond, Genevieve continued, "If the director doesn't agree, then recommend other male artists from our company."

"All right," he answered and hung up the phone in a daze.

James looked at Bruce, who was sitting across from him, and said with frustration. "Ms. Rachford just called me through the landline, and she spoke up for you. Go back first. Let me liaise with the director and see how we can sort this out."

When Bruce heard that, his eyes narrowed. Very soon, le got up from the chair swiftly. "Sure. I'll make a move first."

Joash followed him out of the office.

With a look of horror on his face, he voiced, "I heard that Ms. Rachford never gets involved with the artists' matters. It has always been Mr. Dixon's area. Why did Ms. Rachford phone Mr. Dixon and speak up for you? What should we do if she has truly taken a liking to you?"