Ch. 61..70

Chapter 61

Pursing her lips. Audrey looked up slightly at Alistair and whispered, "What are you doing here?"

Alistair lowered his eyes, taking in the nervousness and guilt of the woman before him. He sighed inwardly and then grasped her hand. "The elevator broke down, and I was afraid you'd be scared, so I came down to get you" His palm was broad and warm, his fingers threading through her, holding her hand firmly.

How could he be so thoughtful? Audrey felt a slight stirring in her thoughts and obediently allowed him to lead her

Together, they walked into the dimly lit stairwell, where the lights seemed to be malfunctioning, flickering on and off. A green glow from a sign the corner of the wall added an eerie atmosphere.

Audrey felt a chill run down her spine, and she subily shifted her steps to move closer to the man beside her.

Noticing her subtle movements, Alistair flashed a faint smile, and be tightened his grip on her hand.

He initiated a conversation. "Sorry, I had business today and couldn't pick you up from the hospital. I won't let you come home alone again

Instantly, the guilt in Audrey's heart was magnited. She felt like the kind of woman who flinted around outside while keeping a man at home. And Alistair, the man she kept at home, was actually apologizing to her for not picking her up. Suddenly, Audrey felt extremely guilty and said softly. "I should be the one apologizing. I didn't expect the surgery to take so long and forgot to call you Did you wait for a long time?"

"Not really. Mr. Fletcher called me Alistair chuckled sofily.

"You seem to be quite familiar with Mr. Fletcher Audrey asked, confused. Didn't he live in Willowdale before? How did he know the president of St. Johnson Hospital!*

Alistair replied succinctly. "Our company had a previous cooperation with St. Johnson Hospital, and Mr. Fletcher owes me a favor"

Audrey nodded thoughtfully.

It was normal for a tech company to cooperate with a hospital. However, just thinking that he used up such a si even more guilty.

a significant favor for her, Audrey felt

en dare to tell him about Eric.

He had done so much for her, even considering such a small matter as her fear of going home alone. Yet she didn't even

ctually, there wasn't really anything between her and Eric but just a bit of old acquaintance from student days. It didn't seem like something worth

hiding

Audrey took a deep breath, ready to confess to Alistair, when something crawled over her foot suddenly Glancing down, she saw a big, dark thing dart out from her side. It looked like a rat

"Rat!" Audrey screamed. Almost instinctively, she jumped onto Alistair beside her. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, her legs clamped firmly around his waist, terrified that the rat might pop up again.

Her innate fear of rats made her cling to Alistair like a lifeline. She held onto him desperately, burrowing into his embrace, her body trembling slightly. Just thinking about that repulsive creature crawling over her feet made her even consider chopping off her fool "Did did the rat leave? Her voice tinged with a sob

Alistair wrapped d his arm around her waist and held her steady. Hearing Audrey, he furrowed his brown slightly

She was ever

was even more timid than he had imagined. Her warm breath, like a soft feather, brushed against his earlobe, making his heart itchy

Alistair's Adam's apple moved slightly, his hands, holding her, bulging with veins. "Not yet," he rasped

Audrey had no doubt about it and hugged his shoulders even tighter. She trembled, cooing sweetly, "Then.. don't put me down. Honey, will you carry me home, please?"

Her soft voice whispered right by Alistair's ear, sending a shiver through his entire body.

 

 

Chapter 62

Alistair's muscles tensed up all over his body, his voice hoarse. "Okay."

Audrey readily wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him like a koala. Completely oblivious to any embarrassment or shyness, she didn't have the mind to dwell on how intimate and ambiguous their position was. Alistair remained steady while carrying her up several flights of stairs.

"Are you... tired?" Hearing his slightly heavy breathing, Audrey, who had just regained her composure, gently asked.

"Not at all. You're very light," Alistair rumbled in response.

Audrey blushed slightly and gently pressed her face against his chest. She actually wanted Alistair to put her down. But fearing another encounter with rats, she could only muster the courage to say, "Thank you." Listening to the soft, cooing voice of Audrey in his arms, Alistair felt his bitterness and resentment instantly vanish.

'Why be jealous? No matter what the guy's intentions toward Audrey were, Audrey's rejection was already quite clear. And the person who can make her let go of her stubbornness and rely on is only me at present. That's enough,' he murmured inwardly. Until she stepped into the house, Audrey's legs were still weak. If it weren't for Alistair still holding her waist, she probably would have slumped down right there.

Alistair helped her sit on a small stool at the entrance. He took out slippers and then squatted down in front of her, reaching out to hold her slender ankle.

'Is he changing shoes for me?' Audrey wondered, her heart thumping.

The man with an air of pride knelt on one knee in front of her, his long fingers gripping the edge of her high heels and pulling them off. The scene was like a slow-motion scene from a movie.

A surge of warmth flowed through Audrey's heart, and she instinctively tried to pull her foot back.

But before she could move, Alistair firmly grasped her ankle, his deep, magnetic voice rich and alluring. "Don't move!"

'No one in the world could resist Alistair's gentleness.' Audrey's breath caught, and by the time she reacted, Alistair had already put soft rabbit slippers on her. And that pair of Christian Louboutin high heels was simply tossed into the trash can. He stayed in a half-squatting position, looking at her and speaking softly. "Okay, you don't have to be afraid now."

Audrey made no response. Her racing heartbeat seemed capable of deafening her eardrums. Instinctively, she reached out and grabbed his wrist. Lifting her head slightly, she was met with his chiseled face.

Alistair lowered his gaze slightly, looking down at her with a touch of calculated confusion in his eyes.

Audrey took the initiative to confess, "The guy who just brought me back is Eric Apple. A senior I knew in high school, who once pursued me."

As soon as she finished, she noticed Alistair's jaw suddenly tighten and quickly added, "But I don't have romantic feelings for him."

A flash of surprise crossed Alistair's cold eyes.

With just a few words, she filled his heart with subtle sweetness.

"So eager to explain, are you afraid I'll misunderstand?" he asked.

Audrey sat up straight, nodding obediently. "Yep, I don't want you to misunderstand. Although you might not care, we are already husband and wife. No matter the reason for the marriage, honesty is a must between a couple."

These sincere words seemed to ignite a series of sparks, setting ablaze the suppressed emotions in Alistair's heart. "I care," he replied.

The moment his voice fell, Audrey felt a shadow fall over her vision. 'Did he just kiss me?' she murmured inwardly. Her breath caught as she felt Alistair prying open her lips gently and patiently.

Their breaths mingled. After the initial shock of being ambushed wore off, Audrey stopped avoiding him and even slightly reciprocated the kiss.

Alistair's breathing suddenly grew heavier, and he scooped her up by her hips.

In her fluster, Audrey instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his lean waist. Meanwhile, Alistair dipped down to kiss her again, not giving her a moment to catch her breath, all the while carrying her toward the bedroom. With a thud, she was flung into the soft bed. Almost simultaneously, Alistair's scorching kisses rained down again, forceful and unyielding, trailing from her chin down the collarbone and lower...

"Audrey... Audrey..." he called her name repeatedly, his voice magnetic, stirring inner turmoil inside Audrey.

Audrey's delicate toes curled. She felt a scorching heat throughout her body as if she were on fire. Suddenly, Alistair paused on purpose, his forehead touching hers, and softly asked, "Audrey, can I?"

 

 

Chapter 63

Alistair had already unbuttoned Audrey's shirt before she even noticed.

"Don't... don't ask me..." Shameful, Audrey flushed red, but she did not push him away, resting her hands on his shoulder.

Alistair's dense kisses were fierce and urgent. Like a teenager tasting the forbidden fruit for the first time, no longer satisfied with a superficial taste but wanting to suck dry the woman in his arms.

The atmosphere in the room heated up, the scene more tender and enchanting than the moonlight outside the window.

Suddenly, a chill ran down Audrey's shoulder. In the darkness, she could feel the man's cool fingertips brushing against her skin. A shiver ran through her body, her abdomen tightening, and she awkwardly shrank her neck. Alistair suddenly grabbed the back of her head, intensifying the kiss and not giving her a chance to escape.

'It seemed... there was no escape today,' Audrey thought, recalling the various interactions with Alistair, and the last bit of resistance and reluctance deep within her dissipated. She actively reached out and touched his abdominal muscles.

The horny man suddenly narrowed his eyes, his Adam's apple slightly moving, but just as he reached into her clothes, the urgent and piercing sound of a phone ringing shattered the tranquility of the room.

Recognizing her ringtone, Audrey regained a bit of clarity. She lifted her hand to push against Alistair's chest. "There might be something important..."

"I don't care." Alistair's cool voice was already tinged with desire. There was no way he would let her go at this time.

"Wait!" Audrey, not knowing where she got the strength, pushed him away with a forceful shove. She fumbled to pick up the phone beside her, and her face suddenly changed when she saw the caller ID.

Alistair was still a bit disgruntled. Seeing her unhappy, he furrowed his brows as well, a flicker of worry crossing his eyes.

"It's... it's Mrs. Rhodes, I need to take this call." Audrey hastily pulled up her half-undone shirt and sat up, almost blurting out "Mom."

But before she could answer it, Fiona's accusation came through on the other end. "Audrey, did you really marry some random stranger?"

Audrey was stunned, and a flash of sarcasm immediately crossed her eyes as she regained her composure. 'I had already been married for so long, yet she was only asking me now. Didn't it seem a bit late? Or had she always thought I was just playing around? How ironic! Even the person who raised me up didn't believe me.'

Despite feeling uneasy, out of respect for Fiona, who was considered an elder, Audrey still answered patiently, "Yes, I am married."

Why is she asking this? Is it because she didn't get money from me last time, so she wants my husband to pay this time? Or perhaps... After such a long time, has she finally remembered to show some concern for the daughter she raised herself?' Audrey was speculating randomly.

But the next second, Fiona questioned harshly, "Since you're already married, why won't you just let Eliza and Dominic be together? You know very well how much Eliza likes Dominic. Why are you still entangled with Dominic, making her so sad?" Instantly, Audrey's face turned icy, and the last bit of hope shattered completely.

Alistair frowned as he listened. Noticing Audrey shivering slightly, he took a thin blanket from the side and gently draped it over her shoulders.

Feeling the warmth, Audrey silently turned back to glance at him. Fortunately, she now had a husband. As for the missing maternal love, she decided to let bygones be bygones.

Taking a deep breath, Audrey finally mustered the courage, retorting sharply, "So you've known all along that Eliza had a crush on Dominic, yet you allowed her to hit on another woman's fiancé, right?"

Fiona was taken aback at her sudden question, wondering, 'Why the sudden harsh tone... Was she even Audrey?'

After regaining her composure, Fiona became even angrier, defending the indefensible, "Who do you think you are yelling at? Eliza might have had a crush on Dominic before, but she never overstepped her bounds or did anything to betray you!"

Audrey couldn't help but sneer as she listened. 'Not to mention the distant past, on the wedding day, Eliza and Dominic were already cozying up to each other in the Rhodes family's garden. Fiona clearly suspected something, yet she still claimed they were behaving themselves. Funny!'

Perhaps because the last bit of expectation had shattered, Audrey's mind became increasingly clear. She spoke with a tone of sarcasm. "Today, Dominic sent Eliza a nourishing soup, and Eliza boasted to me, intentionally stroking her abdomen. If I'm not mistaken, she must be pregnant."

Fiona suddenly grew anxious and snapped, "Impossible, Eliza is a decent girl. She wouldn't do such a thing!"

"Just ask her yourself if you don't believe it." Not wanting to hear Fiona's voice any longer, Audrey simply hung up the phone.

Listening to the beeping coming from the phone, Fiona knitted her brows deeply, cursing inwardly, 'She is getting more and more rude! She actually hung up on me. Without any evidence, how dare she make such wild accusations? No wonder Eliza says she has a narrow mind.'

As she was thinking, Fiona suddenly noticed half a sheet of paper peeking out from a corner of the sofa. 'Why did Albert put the documents on the sofa? Weird.' Suspecting something, she pulled out the file and glanced at it. When she saw it was a pregnancy test result, her eyes widened in shock....

*****

Returning from the hospital, Dominic became angrier with each passing thought. He couldn't believe that Audrey, who had deeply loved him for three years, could fall in love with another man so quickly. 'As the heir of the Hayes family, I could have anything in Riverdale. How could I possibly lose to an unknown man?

'How could Audrey treat me like this? It must have been because I had been so good to her in the past, spoiling her rotten that she forgot how boring a woman she was! No one but I could tolerate a girlfriend for three years with nothing more than hand-holding and kissing...

'I had given her enough respect, yet she publicly disgraced me! She played a virgin in front of me, only to marry another man behind my back. How dare she?!'

After entering the house, he called his assistant, "Find out who Audrey's husband is." He'd like to know which fool had the audacity to steal his woman.

 

 

Chapter 64

Thinking of the five-figure salary, even though it was already after work, the assistant could only go to investigate.

As soon as he hung up the assistant's call, the apartment's doorbell rang.

Dominic thought, 'Who would it be? It's already so late.'

Dominic walked to the entrance with his slippers drooping. His eyes were filled with impatience.

He didn't open the door. When he saw Eliza's face through the hole, he became even more upset. 'Why is she here?' he wondered.

Disgust flashed across Dominic's eyes as he thought of an excuse to send her away.

At that moment, his phone rang again. He didn't need to look to know that it was Eliza calling. 'How annoying!' he cursed inwardly.

Dominic gritted his teeth and opened the door with a cold expression.

As soon as Eliza entered, she pouted and said, "Dominic, why didn't you open the door for me? My legs are a little sore after standing for so long..." "Why are you here?" Dominic questioned coldly, his face full of displeasure.

Eliza's expression froze.

She thought, 'What is going on... Dominic does not seem to welcome me at all. He even looks... disgusted.

She wanted to question him about why he had used a takeaway that cost thirty dollars to fool her.

However, looking at Dominic's cold and gloomy face, she did not dare to say what was on the tip of her tongue.

Dominic had always been a man who cared a lot about his reputation and was very chauvinistic.

There was no benefit in exposing him at the moment.

Eliza bit her lip aggrievedly and suppressed her anger.

At this moment, she could not show her anger at all.

Otherwise, the persona that she had worked so hard to maintain would be ruined.

Eliza slowly walked forward and touched his abdomen with one hand. She said gently, "Dominic, we haven't seen each other for a day. The baby in my stomach misses their Daddy." Dominic frowned and thought, 'What a vulgar excuse. The baby is only two months old. How can an embryo miss their father?'

Eliza continued, "Ever since I got pregnant, I couldn't eat or sleep well. I just took on a new position, and the pressure from work is huge. I feel very uncomfortable."

"If you don't want to work, quit. I can support you." When Dominic said this, there was no affection in his eyes.

It was as if he was talking about a pet. He did not mention that he wanted to marry her.

He knew that he could mess around with Elize, but he could not marry her.

He only slept with her because he wanted excitement and because of the alcohol.

The smile on Eliza's face had completely stiffened.

She thought that Dominic would at least comfort her on account of the child.

Feeling indignant, Eliza said aggrievedly, "Dominic, I..."

"Since you're not feeling well, go home and get some sleep. I'll get the driver to send you." Without giving her a chance to finish speaking, Dominic called the driver. Eliza felt speechless.

She thought, 'Not long ago, we were still so close. Every time he hugged me, he would say endless sweet things. Why did it change in just a few days? Did something happen?'

Not wanting to argue with him, Eliza could only leave obediently.

However, she was unwilling to be dismissed just like that.

After getting into the car, Eliza forced a smile and took the initiative to get close to the driver.

She said, "Wilbur, I'm sorry to have you work so late at night! I have a gift card worth 3000 dollars. Please have it!"

"How can I accept this..." Wilbur Peters's gaze landed on the golden gift card. He was a little tempted, but he pretended to reject it.

"Thank you for working so hard for Dominic. Besides, it's not worth much!" Eliza stuffed the gift card into Wilbur's pocket.

The smile on Wilbur's face instantly widened.

Eliza asked curiously, "By the way, do you know where Dominic went today?

"I don't think he's in a good mood. Did someone upset him?"

Wilbur turned the steering wheel and was happy. He didn't think too much about it and said casually, "It's all because of Audrey. When Mr. Hayes heard that she went to the hospital, he went over to support her. In the end, not only did she not appreciate it, she even humiliated Mr. Hayes in public..."

Eliza listened quietly. She clenched her fists tightly, and her face even twisted for a moment.

She thought, 'Audrey, so it's you, bitch!'

 

Chapter 65

Fiona had always been a person without her own opinions.

However, Audrey did not expect her to disregard morality for Eliza

Eliza was the one who had done something wrong, but Fiona could push the blame to Audrey

If it was someone

someone from the Harper family. Autrey felt that they would be more biased.

Thinking of Peter Harper and Miles Harper who had defended Elize in front of Dominic, Audrey had mixed feelings.

She felt that some people would never be grateful.

In order to protect Fiona, she gave up her degree and offended Albert Rhodes.

But in the end, all she got in return was incomprehension and betrayal from Fiona.

Audrey sat in a daze for a long time while Alistair accompanied her.

The romantic atmosphere in the room had long dissipated. Seeing Audrey's sad expression. Alistair sighed and leaned over to hug her.

"Don't be sad," He reached out to stroke the wrinkles between Audrey's brows and said gently, "You're so good, Sooner or later, the Rhodes family will regret giving up on you." His gentle words were mixed with a hint of coldness as Audrey leaned back against his firm chest

Audrey felt warmth in her heart and smiled. "Actually, ever since I met you. I've rarely been troubled by the Rhodes family's matters.

It was Allistair who gave her the courage to leave the Rhodes family.

After feeling a little better, Audrey took the initiative to say. "There's something I can't make up my mind about. Can you give me some advice?" ""What is it?"

"Actually, the person wanting in the hospital for the surgery today is my biological mother." Audrey lowered her eyes to hide her emotions.

She tried her best to say objectively and calmly, "Eliza and I were mistakenly swapped when we were born. I don't belong to the Rhodes family "After Eliza returned to the Rhodes family, the Harper family never came to look for me.

"I don't know if they want to acknowledge me as their daughter...

Albert and Fiona, who she had been with all her life, were not close to her.

Audrey felt that the Harper family had no reason to like her.

She was afraid that they would hate her or dislike her.

Audrey pursed her lips uncasily. She turned around and looked at Alistair. She asked in a low voice. "Do you think I should go find them?"

If she didn't, she was worried that Jessica Harper's condition would worsen and leave her with regrets.

She did, but she was also afraid that they would rather have Eliza than her.

The Rhodes family and Dominic both chose Eliza over her

If the Harper family also made the same decision. Audrey felt that she would be devastated.

Alistair already knew Audrey's background. He could understand her dilemma and pain.

Because no one had firmly taken her side, she began to doubt herself.

However, Alistair knew how outstanding and lakable she was.

As long as the Harper family got to know her, he felt that they would definitely not hesitate to choose her over Eliza. Suppressing his emotions, Alistair sad gently and firmly. "No matter what decision you make, I will support you!" Chapter 65

It would naturally be good if the Harper family took Audrey in

However, if they were as blind as the Rhodes family, he would not be merciful to them.

Audrey's heart had just calmed down, but because of his words, it was slighty unbalanced again

She raised her hrad slightly and looked at him gratefully

Her eyes were soft and pious. Alistair was t tempted by that

Alistair's Adam's apple moved slightly. He suddenly tightened his grip on her waist and bent down.

Im going to take a shower! Just as the two of them were about to kiss, Audrey suddenly retreated. She looked at his flushed face at such a close distance and felt that her heart was about to jump out. Not daring to look at Alistair on the bed, she rushed into the bathroom with a red face like a rabbit. Alistair looked at the bathroom door that closed quickly. He lowered his eyes and could not help but laugh.

He sighed and resigned himself to his fate. After going to the balcony to enjoy the cold wind for a while, he called Logan, "Is your company's anniversary party in a few days!" Logan was woken up by a phone call in the middle of the night. He wanted to throw a tantrum, but when he heard this, he immediately lifted the blanket and sat up.

"That's right. Are you in Half a year ago, Logan had wanted to invite Alistair to this party, but Alistair had never given him a definite answer

Logan wondered why Alistair took the initiative to ask him about the party

In the cold wind. Alistair's expression did not change at all. He said. "I will go, but I don't want to see the Rhodes family at the party? Logan fell silent

SIND GUT

 

 

Chapter 66

Brightview Group was one of the most powerful companies in Riverdale. If someone was invited to their party, it meant that their business was on the right track and that they were qualified to work with Brightview Group. Because of this, the anniversary party of Brightview Group every year attracted countless businessmen. Wealthy merchants were even proud of being invited.

Now, Alistair openly wanted to kick the Rhodes family out. To the Rhodes family, this was not as simple as not being able to attend a party.

This meant that the Rhodes family could never work with powerful companies.

Logan thought, 'Why is he so ruthless to them?'

Since he had just woken up, Logan was still a little slow to react. He asked in a daze, "What did the Rhodes family do?"

"Just tell me yes or no." Alistair did not give him a chance to finish asking.

"Sure, of course!" Logan would surely choose Alistair over the Rhodes family.

Logan said without hesitation, "As long as you can come, I guarantee that no one from the Rhodes family can come to the anniversary party!" "Okay, bye."

Logan raised his eyebrows and threw himself back into the soft blanket.

He just realized what was going on.

Alistair had just arrived at Riverdale. The Rhodes family did not even know who he was. It was impossible for them to provoke him.

From the looks of it, he was doing it for Audrey.

He thought, 'Since they offended Mr. Hayes... No, to be precise, since they have offended Mr. Hayes's woman, the Rhodes family will not have a good time in the upper-class circle in Riverdale in the future. Logan did not have the slightest bit of sympathy in his heart. In fact, he even wanted to add insult to injury.

The next day.

As soon as Audrey entered the elevator, she heard a colleague say in a low voice, "Hey, have you heard? Brightview Group has internal news that our company has been kicked out of the invitation list of their anniversary party!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the colleagues who were originally lazy instantly jerked up.

A person asked, "How is that possible? Where did you hear this rumor from?"

Some people felt that it was unlikely.

The two companies still had business dealings, so the Brightview Group would not do such a thing.

A boy in his twenties patted his chest and said, "When has my news ever been fake?

"This news came from my friend who worked in Brightview Group's president's office.

"I heard that it was the idea of executives from their company. The invitation was about to be sent out, but it was withdrawn at the last minute."

For a moment, the people in the elevator looked shocked.

A person asked, "If this is true, will there be any major changes in our company?"

Another person said, "No matter how big the change is, it can't compare to Ms. Rhodes's resignation. The company has been relying on Ms. Rhodes heavily for the past two years. If she leaves, our company probably won't be able to last long!" Someone else asked, "Did Brightview Group kick us out this time because they heard that Ms. Rhodes was going to leave?"

Someone took the opportunity to sigh, "Regardless of whether it's true or not, let's make plans of what we should do next."

If Brightview Group really kicked Rhodes Enterprises out because Audrey left, they would have to take sides in this conflict. If they continued to stay in Rhodes Enterprises, they would probably not have a good future. Everyone was worried.

Audrey, who was standing at the far end of the elevator, listened and felt that something was wrong.

She thought, 'Why would Brightview Group kick Rhodes Enterprises out for no reason?

'The two families are still working on a project together!'

She couldn't figure it out. After everyone got out of the elevator, Audrey called Jacob.

After understanding Audrey's question, Jacob said politely, "Ms. Rhodes, the ones who were kicked out of the invitation list are Albert and Eliza. Your invitation has been sent to your assistant." Hearing this, Audrey was so shocked that she forgot to react.

She thought, 'What does that mean? Did the Brightview Group do this to back me up?'

Audrey asked, "Is it convenient to ask why?"

Jacob answered, "I don't know the exact reason. I only know that this was an order personally issued by Mr. Barrett last night." Audrey was even more confused.

She thought, 'Logan's order? I have never interacted with this person before, so why did he help me? Could it be because of Alistair?'

After recovering from her shock, Audrey quickly came back to her senses.

It was rumored that Logan was a typical playboy, however, this person was a business genius.

Since taking over Brightview Group, he had carried out a series of drastic reforms.

He had even become more famous than the Hayes family.

She was not related to Logan, but Alistair was Logan's friend when they were in school.

Previously, Logan had lent Alistair the VVIP card of a private restaurant. It seemed that they had a good relationship.

Audrey thought, 'Did Brightview Group kick Albert and Eliza out because Alistair asked them to?

'However, this concerns the future cooperation between the two companies. The initial investment has already reached tens of millions of dollars.

'How can Logan agree to a request from an ordinary friend so easily?'

She recalled Jacob's sudden change of attitude when he signed the last contract.

Audrey felt that she could not understand Alistair at all.

 

 

Chapter 67

"Bang!" Just as Audrey was in a daze, the office door was pushed open forcefully. A loud sound interrupted her thoughts.

Albert entered the office angrily and slapped the desk in front of Audrey, causing the pen holder on it to tremble. "Tell me, did you do something to the Brightview Group?" Audrey looked up coldly and shrugged noncommittally. "I'm not that capable."

Looking at her indifferent expression, Albert became even angrier.

Everyone knew that Audrey was a member of the Rhodes family.

He was clearly the chairman of Rhodes Enterprises. However, Brightview Group actually sent an invitation to Audrey but rejected him.

Albert felt that this was clearly a slap to his face.

In the past, he had put up with the fact that the people in the company liked Audrey more than him.

However, now that Audrey was about to leave the company, she actually appeared to be more important than him Albert was unable to tolerate it.

He glared at Audrey and ordered, "Brightview Group must have made a mistake. Your invitation is for me. Give it to me!"

No matter who this invitation was for, he had to get it.

"No," Audrey said without looking up.

She would not let him have his way.

"How dare you disobey me?" Albert took a deep breath and said angrily, "Audrey, you're no longer a member of the Rhodes family. I can fire you at any time." Audrey felt speechless.

Sometimes, she really wanted to pry open Albert's brain to see if it was really full of shit because he was always so ignorant and self-righteous.

She shook her head and sneered. "Fire me if you want, but if Brightview Group wants to terminate the collaboration with you, don't beg me to help you!"

Hearing this, Albert was instantly furious. He had forgotten about this.

Brightview Group had requested Audrey to be solely in charge of the ongoing project.

He couldn't fire Audrye, and he couldn't get what he wanted. Albert was so angry that he almost vomited blood.

He took a deep breath and said sarcastically, "With your temper, you deserve to be abandoned! No man can stand a woman as domineering as you. If you still don't repent, in the future..." "Are you done?" Audrey opened her eyes coldly and glanced at him. Her voice was cold and expressionless.

She added, "If you're done, please leave. I have to work."

She was already immune to these words.

Albert was furious, but when he thought of the collaboration with Brightview Group, he could only leave angrily.

After he left, Audrey opened the drawer in front of her and took out the invitation letter.

Brightview Group gave her three invitations. She originally thought that if Albert talked to her nicely, she could give him one.

Audrey snorted and gave the remaining two invitations to Emily Norris and another colleague.

"Audrey, are you sure?" Emily held the invitation letter and looked at Audrey excitedly.

Audrey could not help but laugh. "It's just an ordinary party. Why are you so excited?"

Emily said, "Audrey, you don't understand. I'm not excited about the party itself, but because Mr. Hayes from Willowdale will also attend this party!

"He's a real big shot from a wealthy family. It's said that he's very handsome, and most importantly, he's still single!

"Even though he's destined to be a man I can't have, it's good to be able to see him from afar!"

Audrey thought, 'Mr. Hayes from Willowdale? The Hayes family from Willowdale is different from the Hayes family from Riverdale. It is a really wealthy family.'

The Hayes family from Willowdale could even influence the government of Imaskaria easily.

The Hayes family was very powerful. Back then, the power struggles of this caused an uproar.

The third son of the Hayes family was able to manage the huge Hayes Group at such a young age. It was enough to show that he had outstanding skills and ability. Every businessman had heard of legends about him. Audrey was no exception.

However, when she thought of the relationship between the Hayes family from Willowdale and Dominic's family, she instantly lost interest in this person.

 

 

Chapter 68

At the same time, Albert received a call after leaving Audrey's office.

The woman on the other end of the phone asked in a bad tone, "Have you gotten the invitation?"

Albert looked around and raised his hand to cover his phone. He said softly, "Audrey is unwilling to give it to me. But don't worry, I still have another daughter. I will definitely get the invitation!"

The woman heaved a sigh of relief when she heard this. "That's good. This is the best opportunity for Felixt to step into the upper class. Don't mess it up!"

*****

After that, Albert did not look for Audrey again.

Audrey was happy and relaxed. The progress of her work was faster than usual.

However, when it was almost time to knock off at noon, she was a little distracted.

She thought, 'Should I visit Jessica at the hospital today? I wonder how she is after being transferred to a common ward.'

She wanted to visit her, but she was afraid that a sudden visit from a stranger like her would make them uncomfortable.

In the end, emotions overcame rationality, and Audrey decided to visit the hospital.

At the same time, at the gate of the city hall of Riverdale.

Eliza, Albert, and Fiona walked out. Looking at the document in her hand, Eliza finally felt relieved.

For the sake of convenience, she did not change her surname. However, she was now a member of the Rhodes family.

Eliza smiled sweetly and held Albert and Fiona's hands as soon as they came out.

She said, "Dad, Mom, I'll definitely treat you well in the future and make up for the time that I was gone in the past!"

Because Eliza had hidden her pregnancy, Fiona still had a grudge. Her expression did not look too good.

Albert said impatiently, "Eliza, now that you're a member of our family, shouldn't your marriage with Dominic be put on the agenda?"

He did not intend to give up on the Hayes family.

Since Audrey was unable to join the Hayes family, he wanted to work on Eliza.

Hearing this, the smile on Eliza's face froze.

In the past few days, she could clearly feel that Dominic had been cold to her.

Moreover, he had never said that he wanted to marry her.

However, she could not say this to Albert. Thinking of the child in her stomach, Eliza felt a little more confident.

She said without changing her expression, "Dominic is already discussing the wedding date with his parents.

"However, the previous wedding was a mess. His parents still have some concerns. I'm afraid the wedding will be delayed!"

Fiona felt a little guilty after hearing that.

She felt that it was all her fault for being too careless back then and mistaking the wrong baby as her daughter. It caused Eliza to suffer for so many years.

Now that Eliza had reunited with them, she still had to face many obstacles to marry the person she liked, and this obstacle was actually caused by Audrey, whom Fiona had raised. Previously, Fiona was still a little dissatisfied with Eliza getting pregnant out of wedlock. Now, she only felt heartache.

She even comforted Eliza gently. "So be it. You're not three months into the pregnancy yet. It's safer to hold the wedding in a while."

"I know, Mom. I'll be careful!" Seeing that Eliza was so obedient, Fiona felt even more guilty.

Albert was not in the mood to talk about this. He said directly, "It doesn't matter when the wedding date is. The key is the invitation to the Brightview Group's anniversary party.

"If I don't get the invitation this year, I'll be embarrassed! Eliza, did you ask Dominic? What did he say?"

Looking at Albert's eager and expectant gaze, Eliza felt even more guilty.

She lowered her head to avoid his gaze and whispered, "Dominic said that he doesn't have any extra invitations."

Actually, she had never mentioned this to Dominic.

He had been very annoyed with her recently. She would not dare to ask him about suck a trivial matter.

Albert clearly did not believe her. "Stop fooling me. Did you not tell Dominic about this?

"I heard that Mr. Hayes from Willowdale will also come this time. The Barrett family and the Hayes family have been friends for generations. As long as Dominic asks, how can he not get an invitation?" Eliza fell silent.

She thought, 'What does it have to do with Dominic that Mr. Hayes from Willowdale is coming? Dominic wasn't the one who invited him. Logan is naturally the person who arranged their party. What can Dominic do about that?' Eliza was annoyed, but she did not dare to show it on her face. Just as she was thinking about how to fool Albert, her phone rang.

 

Chapter 69

After seeing the caller ID, Eliza's expression turned even uglier. She did not pick up the call.

The next second, a message came in.

Albert was still nagging her to think of a way to get the invitation.

Frustrated, Eliza could only brace herself and say, "Dad, don't worry! I will definitely help you get it!"

Without waiting for Albert to be happy, she added, "I still have something urgent to attend to, so I won't be accompanying you and Mommy home!"

*****

Audrey drove to St. Johnson Hospital.

After parking the car, she went to the nearby supermarket to get some fruits and nutritional supplements.

When she walked into the hospital, she realized that the nurse at the reception desk had changed.

She thought, 'Mr. Fletcher is really fast. He fired her just like that!'

Audrey was very satisfied with this, but when she thought of Grant Fletcher, she could not help but think of Alistair.

She thought, 'Alistair is a man who can make Mr. Fletcher respect and even fear him.

'Is he really just an ordinary office worker? And Logan... Logan's actions were more like currying favor with Alistair.

'However, Logan is the president of Brightview Group. Alistair is just an ordinary worker. Why did Logan have to please Alistair?'

Thinking about it carefully, her understanding of Alistair was still too superficial.

All the knowledge came from Alistair's words.

Audrey thought, 'What if Alistair lied to me... No, that is impossible.'

Audrey shook her head. The interactions in the details could not be fabricated.

She knew that Alistair did not have any bad intentions towards her.

She felt that she should find an opportunity to have a good talk with him.

As her thoughts ran wild, she arrived at Jessica's ward.

Before Audrey's hand could touch the door, it opened. "Bang!"

"Get your stuff and get lost. Why are you pretending to be my good daughter now? You're not worthy of being my sister at all. You're not welcome here!" A basket was suddenly thrown out of the ward and fell at Audrey's feet, almost hitting her. She thought, 'What... happened?'

Audrey tightened the gift bag in her hand curiously and slowly walked up to the ward to take a look.

Miles was very angry. His face was tense as he glared fiercely at Eliza.

Peter, who was at the side, held Miles back and comforted him, "Miles, don't lose your temper with your sister."

Peter persuaded gently, "Eliza didn't know that your mother was so seriously ill, so she didn't come to visit in time.

"And she just got into a big company. She's busy with work. You have to understand her."

Miles sneered coldly.

In front of his parents, he didn't want to talk about how he went to look for Eliza yesterday but was humiliated by her with money.

He only said coldly, "She clearly didn't want to come to visit Mom!"

Eliza, who had almost been hit by Miles, was furious.

She was already in a bad mood, and now it was even worse.

Looking at Peter who was still acting like a kind father, she felt even more annoyed.

In the heat of the moment, she blurted out, "That's right, I deliberately didn't come to see her!"

Hearing this, Peter, Miles, and Jessica were stunned.

Eliza only felt happy after revealing the truth/

She shouted at the top of her lungs, "I was born a noble lady with endless wealth!

"It's all this old woman's fault. She deliberately carried the wrong child and sent her daughter to enjoy life. She made me suffer in your lousy family for more than twenty years. She deserves what she gets!" Eliza pointed at Jessica with a fierce expression. Her long nails looked like they were about to pierce into Jessica.

The ward fell into a strange silence that lasted for a few minutes.

Peter was the first to react. He immediately said, "Eliza, don't be angry. I apologize to you for what Miles did to you." Eliza felt speechless.

She thought, 'How shameless. I have already said that, but he is still trying to kiss my ass.

'Does he want me to help him after entering a wealthy family? Don't even think about it!'

Eliza crossed her arms and snorted coldly. "I'm not saying anything out of anger. I'm telling the truth!"

Peter did not believe Eliza at all. He felt that this was too unbelievable.

He felt that she must have said that on purpose because she was angry about asking them for money.

Peter's face was soon filled with smiles again. He even said ingratiatingly, "Eliza. It's not that I was unwilling to give you 30 thousand dollars to buy a car previously. It's just that our family doesn't have that much money."

He slowly took out his bank card from his pocket and stuffed it into Eliza's hand. "After treating your mother, we only have 15 thousand dollars left. Take it."

Eliza thought, 'What can a mere 15 thousand dollars do? This is nothing! The tip I received from Fiona previously was a total of 700 thousand dollars.'

Comparing the two, Eliza felt that the Harper family was very shabby.

She said, "Who cares about your stinky money!"

"Slap!" She slapped the back of Peter's hand, causing the bank card to fall to the ground.

Peter's face instantly turned pale as he stared blankly at the bank card that had fallen to the ground.

Miles couldn't take it anymore and shouted angrily, "Eliza, you're too much."

That was the money that Peter had worked hard for, but it was detained by Eliza.

Miles added, "Dad treats you so well. He cares about you all the time and is afraid of making you suffer. Is this how you repay him?"

Faced with Miles's accusation, Eliza retorted angrily, "I don't care about your kindness!

"It's because you guys don't have money or ability that I've been mocked by the people around me since I was young. I could only wear second-hand clothes since I was a kid.

"I'm clearly prettier than them, but I'm disdained by others because I'm poor. All of this is caused by you. I don't want you to be my family!"

She really couldn't stand living such a poor life anymore

She felt that fortunately, she was not actually a member of the Harper family.

After hearing Eliza's words, Peter bent down and picked up the bank card.

There were thick calluses on his hands, they were trembling violently.

He thought, 'This is the daughter I have painstakingly raised! How ridiculous!'

He had never mistreated Eliza since she was young.

Because she was the only daughter in the family, Peter favored her over his sons and always tried to grant her wishes.

However, in the end, she only had endless complaints of him.

 

Chapter 70

The atmosphere in the ward was exceptionally tense.

Jessica coughed and sat up on the bed, trembling. She looked straight at Eliza and asked, "Is what you said truck"

She thought, Is my daughter really someone else? If I have been raising other people's child all these years... Where is my daughter! Was she well taken care of Seeing that Jessica's expression was a little ugly, Miles immediately stood in front of Eliza and said, "Let's go out and talk. Don't agitate Mom"

Jessica had just undergone surgery. Miles didn't want her to be agitated

Elica did not care about this. All she wanted to do now

now was to get rid of this farrily.

She pushed Miles away and looked at Jessica coldly. "Of course it's true. I'm not your biological daughter, and I've always hated you. It's all your Jessica's blood boiled, and her body trembled violently. She clutched her chest and coughed out a mouthful of blood.

Miles said, "Mom!"

Peter said, "Honey....

They both instantly panicked. They looked at Jessica and were at a loss.

Audrey could not help but rush in when he saw this scene.

She pushed Peter and Miles away and hugged Jessica with one hand. She quickly took out a quick-acting heart pill from her pocket. "Get some Water"

Miles reacted quickly. He immediately poured a glass of water and handed it to Audrey.

Audrey fed Jessica the medicine and gave her water to drink.

After taking the medicine, Jessica's pale face regained some color, and her rapid breathing gradually calmed down.

Audrey heaved a sigh of relief. Fort side

Fortunately she had been under a lot of pressure at work in the past and was used to having some medicine by her to Eliza.

After confirming that Jessica was really fine, Audrey quickly walked up to

Her eyes were cold and sharp, exuding an indescribable sharpness.

Eliza was so scared that she kept retreating. "You... What are you doing?"

"Slap!" A swift slap landed on Eliza's face

Eliza was stunned. She covered her face and stood rooted to the p

ground in shock.

Audrey said. "This slap is for Jessica. She has raised you for more than 20 years, but you provoked her like this. You deserve to be disciplined

Seeing that Audrey was still approaching, Eliza was so frightened that her face turned pale

She was very afraid, but she did not forget to threaten fiercely, "You... How dare you hit me? I'm going to

"Slap!" Another fast, accurate, and ruthless slap landed on the other half of Eliza's face

Audrey continued, "This slap is for Peser, He treats you so well and gives you everything he has to offer, but you spread rumors that he values boys over girls and abused his daughter. You deserve a slap!"

In just a few seconds, Audrey gave Eliza two consecutive slaps.

Eliza's face instantly swelled up, and her eyes were filled with hatred.

At first, the Harper family was shocked by Andrey's actions. After hearing her words, their thoughts of stopping her instantly dissipated.

They also felt that Eliza deserved this.

"I'm going to kill you!" Eliza was angry. She raised the bag in her hand and threw it at Audrey's head,

Audrey easily dodged and grabbed her wrist. She raised her hand and slapped her again. "This slap is for me. You are so shameless that my fiancé and ruined my career!"

you

stole

This time, Eliza was completely enraged.

Since she couldn't beat Audrey, she could only clench her fists and shout crazily. She threatened sternly, "Audrey, if you dare to treat me like this, III definitely go back and tell Moin and Dad to teach you a lesson! Just wait to be chased out of Riverdale! Audrey sneered in disdain. Since she dared to make a move, she was not afraid of Eliza's revenge.

She asked, "Do you want me to call a cab and send you back to complain to them?

Looking at Audrey's disdainful gaze, Eliza felt her blood surging even more. She was so angry that she was about to pass out

Audrey chuckled and continued. "I'm no longer a member of the Rhodes family. Do you think they can do anything to me? Eliza fell silent.

She thought, 'How infuriating. I can't win against her at all!