Ch. 1511..1520
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1511
Joan found herself unable to peel her eyes away from Larry, whose focused comportment made him even more dashing.
The twinkling, bright eyes that adorned his chiseled visage complimented his arched nose and slightly pursed lips. At that moment, she felt like she would do anything and everything for that man.
“Don’t just stand there. Come have a seat.”
Larry barely gave her any time to daydream and called out to her.
“Coming!”
Having said that, she hurriedly washed her hands and walked to the dinner table. Then, she sized the dishes up.
Upon her first glance at the table, she gulped nervously.
Larry, who was ever so thoughtful, had prepared four different dishes and a soup for her. This should be… pumpkin soup, right? Yeah… I think so. Although its color looked odd, Joan was sure it was pumpkin soup.
Hmm… I guess the plate of sauteed mushrooms looks rather appetizing. And this must be… mashed potatoes? The color looks a little funny though… Now, this is… mac and cheese with bacon bits? Or is that beef?
Joan was unable to determine the ingredients of that dish.
Wait! What the hell is this? Why is it all dark and burnt?
Joan briefly scanned the table and weighed her options.
It seemed like the sauteed mushrooms were the only dish that was edible, while the others looked rather venomous.
Nah… The worst thing that could happen is that the food tastes bad. I’m sure it’s not poisonous…
“Quick. Try them. This is my first time cooking, so I hope you don’t mind.”
Larry looked up at her in anticipation.
With the sacrifices Larry had made for her, Joan found it difficult to reject him.
She plucked up the courage and slowly reached out for the sauteed mushrooms.
Gasp!
Joan picked up a piece of mushroom and put it in her mouth. After the first bite, she sneezed. These mushrooms are nice, just way too salty…
“How’s it? Good?”
Larry questioned enthusiastically like a child.
“Yep, it’s great. Just a tad salty.”
Joan said with a smile as her eyes twinkled in amusement.
“That’s great. I will improve the next round. Try this.”
Larry pointed at the plate with a black mass.
The dish looked all dark and sticky. Worried, Joan hesitantly put a small serving into her mouth.
“Mm? It tastes fine!”
She originally thought she was doomed after ingesting the dish that looked inedible, but to her surprise, it turned out fine.
“This egg tastes quite delicious,” Joan quickly praised Larry.
“That’s not egg! That’s salmon.”
Larry gave her a puzzled look.
“Oh, I see… They’re quite similar anyway. Hehe.”
She eked out an awkward smile and carried on scooping a tiny serving of mac and cheese.
Upon putting it into her mouth, she realized that the bacon bits weren’t even fully cooked.
She contemplated spitting it back out. However, she feared upsetting Larry.
Larry was quick to notice that she paused after taking a bite. Confused, he fed himself a spoonful of the dish.
“Ugh…”
He barely took a bite before spitting it all out. Now, he finally understood why Joan had that odd expression.
After that, he quickly tasted the other dishes, but they all tasted funny, to his dismay.
“You should tell me if the food tastes bad! Why are you pretending like they’re scrumptious?”
He felt a tinge of guilt and uttered, “I didn’t know I was so bad at cooking.”
“It was your first time! Don’t beat yourself up over it. When I first started cooking, I was nowhere near your standard.”
Joan hurriedly tried to console him.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1512
“I’ll dispose of them immediately and order takeout.”
His face darkened when he said that, as though he was frustrated with himself.
“Dear.”
Joan rushed over and embraced him tightly. In a sweet voice, she muttered, “You already tried your best. Even though the seasoning in some dishes is a little off, the rest are alright.”
“Really? But they taste so awful.”
Even though he was still upset, his mood lightened slightly. “My cooking is hopeless.”
“No! That’s not true.”
Joan found it amusing that Larry was sulking like a child. “If you want to learn to cook, I can teach you. Come on, let’s head into the kitchen.”
“Maybe next time. The thought of the kitchen irks me right now. I don’t want to set foot into it for the time being. Let’s just order takeout.”
He was clearly still unhappy with himself.
“You have to mend my broken heart,” he uttered, staring at Joan earnestly.
“How am I supposed to do that?”
A glint of amusement flashed in her eyes.
“Using your body!”
Before Joan could register his words, he was already pouncing on her.
“No! The delivery will arrive any time now. Let’s eat first.”
Luckily, she was swift enough and avoided him.
“Fine. We’ll have dinner first.”
He reluctantly acquiesced to her demand.
After dinner, Larry took the initiative to ask Joan to teach him cooking.
The dishes he made today disappointed him greatly. Since young, he had always excelled in all that he did.
Therefore, he felt the need to master the art of cooking too. He was determined to salvage his reputation in front of Joan.
The pair made their way to the kitchen, where Joan patiently explained the use of all the seasonings and condiments, as well as the basic steps in cooking.
With his exceptional learning ability, it only took Larry one night to get the gist.
By the time they finished, the weariness was apparent on Joan’s face. Concerned about her wellbeing, Larry promptly brought her to bed to turn in for the night.
The next day, Joan ran into Carl even before stepping into the office.
“Hey! What a coincidence! We meet again.”
Carl cordially greeted Joan upon seeing her.
“Yeah. Are you here for business purposes?” Joan courteously replied.
It’s not coincidental at all! Carl scoffed inwardly.
Before their encounters, he already knew her working hours. The fateful meetings were all staged so that he could gradually get closer to her.
Despite his thoughts, he kept his expression neutral.
With a smile, Carl quipped, “That’s right. I’m here to look for your boss. The office is now open, right?”
“Not yet. But you can wait inside.”
As an employee of the company, Joan was friendly to all potential clients. “Do you require my assistance?”
“No need. I’m just waiting for a friend here. You can go ahead and carry on with your work.” Carl made it a point to be considerate.
“Alright. I’ll go in first. See you.”
With that, she turned and left.
“See you! Hope we’ll get to meet again,” said Carl politely as she walked away.
We’ll definitely see each other again.
After ensuring she was inside the office, Carl waited a little longer before returning to his vehicle.
In fact, all that was a ruse; an excuse he invented so that he could talk to Joan.
After he boarded the car, he made a phone call to someone and briefly gave a few instructions before he hung up and drove off.
Time flew by, and it was already nightfall, which was time for Joan to end work.
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To Joan’s surprise, she ran into Carl at the exact same spot as the previous day.
“You’re off work, Joan.”
Carl looked at her with a grin.
“Yep. Just knocked off.”
She felt that something was amiss but couldn’t quite place her finger on it.
“How do you know my name?” she asked in astonishment.
“Your boss mentioned your name during our discussion.”
Carl pretended to be chummy with their boss.
“I see.”
With that, Joan didn’t dwell on the matter. After all, since she was a member of the staff, it wasn’t surprising that he knew her name.
“What are you doing here? The office is closed.”
Since they’ve met a couple of times, he wasn’t really considered a stranger.
“I’m waiting for someone, and she’s here now,” Carl joked.
Studying her surroundings, Joan took a while to realize that there was no one else there. “You were waiting for me?”
“Yes, I was.” He was grinning from ear to ear.
“Why?”
Hearing his words, she became even more perplexed. Her impression of the man was quite good, and he didn’t seem like a fickle person, so it didn’t cross her mind that he was trying to court her.
“Well, your boss and I confirmed a deal earlier today. The actual details and the final contract are to be discussed further. Your boss asked me to look for you to talk things through, so I waited till you got off work. I was thinking of treating you to a meal so that we can talk about the contract.”
At that moment, she sensed that something was amiss, but she couldn’t tell what it was.
“But why didn’t my boss tell me?” Joan questioned.
“Perhaps he was too busy and forgot all about it.”
Carl deliberately tried to sound casual as he added, “Ms. Joan, do you have time now? I would like to discuss the contract with you. If it’s not convenient, I can come back tomorrow.”
Carl was obviously good with words.
Since he seemed as though he was only interested in the deal, Joan lowered her defenses.
After a short pause, she consented to his request, “Let’s talk about it now. But we will skip the meal, yeah? I’m going home to have dinner with my boyfriend. We can find a place to sit down and discuss.”
Carl eagerly agreed to her suggestion.
Before setting off, Joan sent a text message to Larry: Hey dear, I’m with a client right now. I may reach home a little later than usual, but I’ll be back for dinner. Love you.
Then, she turned to Carl and said, “Let’s go. There’s a café right beside the office. We can discuss there.”
“Sure, let’s go.”
Thus, the two headed toward the café.
However, Joan failed to notice a mysterious shadow creeping past behind them immediately after they started walking. The shadow lurked in the dark for a while, observing their movements before following them.
“What would you like to drink?”
Carl’s tone was nothing but gentlemanly.
“I’ll have an earl grey latte. Just to make it clear, the drinks are on me, okay?” Joan chuckled.
“No, that won’t do. I’m the guy here, so I have to pay the bill. No questions about that.” Carl smiled.
“No! You’re our client. I have to foot the bill. Besides, I’ll be sure to get the company to reimburse me.”
Joan made it clear that she was here on business terms.
Seeing that she was persistent, Carl stopped insisting.
Both of them then took their seats.
“By the way, we’re about to sign off on a deal, and I don’t even know your name yet.”
Joan was quick to jump straight into work. After all, Larry was still waiting for her at home, so she had no time to waste.
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“I’m Cory Jefferson.”
Carl did not tell her his true name. After all, he was not actually planning to collaborate with Joan. Moreover, it would do him no good to reveal his identity since he was scheming against her.
“Hello, Mr. Jefferson. Let’s get straight to business then,” Joan said solemnly.
“Ms. Joan, there’s no need for us to rush, right? What’s the point of life if we don’t enjoy it? So why don’t we try to know each other first?” Carl suggested.
A topic too solemn was not going to help him with his plan, so Carl was trying to liven up the atmosphere.
Joan was baffled, sensing something odd about Carl’s words.
Even if I want to enjoy life, I won’t be doing it with a stranger like you. Moreover, why should I share my private life with you?
Despite her displeasure, Joan maintained the polite smile on her face.
“Mr. Jefferson, I don’t think we’re that familiar with each other. It’ll be inappropriate for us to talk about personal matters, so let’s discuss the contract instead,” Joan rejected respectfully, hoping to change the topic.
“Let’s be honest, Ms. Watts. I’m very interested in you, but since you have a boyfriend, I know I don’t stand a chance. I just want to find out who’s the lucky guy who has such an amazing girlfriend like you,” Carl said with intentional nonchalance.
“How about this? Let’s make a deal. I’ll show you my girlfriend’s photo, and you’ll let me see who your boyfriend is.” As Carl spoke, he stood up and showed her his phone.
Perplexed by Carl’s series of actions, Joan rejected again, “That won’t be necessary, Mr. Jefferson. I’m not interested in your personal matters. If we’re not going to talk about work, I won’t be able to stay around anymore. I’ll be heading home then.”
With that said, Joan began rising to her feet, not wanting to waste any more of her time with Carl. If there really was anything important for them to discuss, they could just do it the next day.
“All right, all right. Ms. Joan, since you don’t like to talk about personal matters, let’s not.”
Almost immediately, Carl pressed down on Joan’s shoulders to make her sit again. Then, he headed back to his seat and began talking about “work.”
Meanwhile, someone had taken photos of Carl showing her his phone and holding onto her shoulders, and that person was the man stalking them earlier on.
Once the mysterious man had gotten what he wanted, he grinned in satisfaction before leaving.
He had to proceed with the rest of Carl’s plan. With that, a malicious scheme targeting Joan began to unfold.
In the meantime, Joan had no idea someone had taken a sneak shot of her; she was still somberly discussing business with Carl.
However, Carl did not actually have a business deal with Joan’s boss, so he could not raise any substantial points during their discussion.
His words only made her confused, and she could not comprehend what he was trying to convey.
“Mr. Jefferson, you don’t seem well-informed about our company,” Joan pointed out honestly.
“That’s true.” Carl chuckled. Of course I don’t know anything.
Fortunately, he had figured out what services Joan’s company provided before he came, so he did not end up exposing himself.
“I’ve only briefly talked about the contract with your boss back then, so I don’t really know the details. I’m really sorry,” Carl muttered apologetically.
“That’s understandable,” Joan replied.
Despite her words, she still sensed something strange about the man opposite her. However, she did not dwell on it.
“I guess that’s that for now, Mr. Jefferson,” Joan said. “Do consider how you’d want the design and what style you would like. Then, please send the details to me, and I’ll draft up something for you. How about that?”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1515
With that, he would be able to mull over it, and she would not have to waste her time. In other words, it was a decision that would benefit them both.
“Okay. I’ll come back after I figure things out. I’m really sorry. I never thought it’d be as complicated as this. I sincerely apologize for wasting your time, Ms. Joan,” Carl agreed immediately.
In fact, he had been stumped by how he should keep up with his lies, so upon hearing Joan’s suggestion, he quickly grabbed hold of the opportunity to avoid exposing himself.
“It’s okay, you’re our client, and this is my job,” Joan replied. “So we’ll stop here today, Mr. Jefferson. I have other things to attend to, so I’ll be taking my leave.”
“Sure, Ms. Joan. I’ll be leaving too. Would you like me to send you back?” Carl joked.
“Thank you, but it’s best that I take a cab,” Joan rejected instantly with an apologetic smile.
“It’s fine. Let’s walk out together. I’ll help you hail a cab.”
Carl then gestured for her to step out of the café first.
“All right. Thank you.”
As the two stood by the side of the road, they chatted away.
Slowly, Joan became anxious. It seemed that there were barely any cabs around that day, and the ones that drove past them already had passengers on board.
“Be careful!” Carl yelled as he pulled Joan aside.
Right then, a car sped past where Joan had been standing a second ago.
Although Joan had fallen onto the ground from Carl’s pull, she was safe.
On the other hand, Carl was not as fortunate as she was. Although the car had not collided with him, it still clipped him and sent him flying a few yards away from where he stood earlier.
Joan was still sitting on the ground, frightened by what just happened. If she had been knocked over by the car, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
Then, Joan came to her senses. How is Cory?
With that thought in mind, she scrambled to her feet and hurried toward Carl.
“Mr. Jefferson, how are you? Are you okay?”
She panicked when she saw him sprawling on the ground with agony written all over his face. He wouldn’t have ended up like this if not for saving me.
It took Carl a while before he could squeeze out, “I’m fine. Don’t worry, Ms. Joan. The car only clipped me. I’m alright.” He then gave her a reassuring smile, albeit it looked forced.
“Mr. Jefferson, let me take you to the hospital for a checkup.” Carl’s words made her racing heart calm down a little, but she was still worried about his condition.
Right then, the driver that nearly knocked Carl over rushed out of his car.
Looking at the two of them, he apologized, “Are the both of you fine? I’m really sorry. I was taking a call earlier, so I didn’t have a good grip on my steering wheel. I’m really sorry.”
“I’m alright, but I can’t say the same about him. Since you’re responsible for all this, you should take us to the hospital to have him checked up.”
Although Joan did not blame the driver for the accident, some things had to be said, nonetheless.
“Ms. Joan, I’m fine. You don’t need to come with me. I’ll just go to the hospital with this guy,” Carl uttered.
“Are you sure?”
Joan still felt uneasy. After all, Carl was injured because of her, so there was no way she could let him go to the hospital alone.
“I’ll come with you,” she insisted.
“You should go home instead. Don’t worry. He will bring me to the hospital. It’s best not to let your boyfriend worry about you. If there are any problems, I’ll inform you,” Carl suggested.
“Okay then.”
Since Carl insisted, Joan had no choice but to give in.
“Mr. Jefferson, please give me your number. That way, it’ll be easier for me to contact you.”
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After the two exchanged numbers, Carl got into the driver’s car with his help. He then waved at Joan before the car sped off.
Watching the distant car, Joan was still worried. As she hailed a cab, she planned to tell Larry about the incident once she reached home.
Meanwhile, Carl dropped the act the moment the car sped off. He stretched and crowed, “She’s definitely fooled. I’m sure she’ll visit me in the hospital soon.”
Then, he turned to look at the driver. “Your driving skills aren’t that great, are they? You nearly clipped me earlier and frightened the living daylights out of me.”
The driver sneered. “If I don’t make it look more realistic, Joan won’t believe you. Honestly, your acting was superb. I thought I actually hit you.”
“Ha! It’s just like what you’ve said earlier. If I didn’t make it look more genuine, how would Joan fall for the trick? Let’s go to the hospital. We’ll take a photo of Joan visiting me in the hospital before we proceed to the next step of the plan.”
The two then laughed in unison.
Everything that happened earlier had merely been part of Carl’s plan.
He was worried about Joan’s indifference toward him.
That was why he came up with this plan and found someone to work with him in faking the accident earlier. The man pretended to lose control of his vehicle, almost crashing into Joan. Carl then swooped in to save her in the nick of time and feigned his injury.
Although it was not as dramatic as movies, Carl had still saved Joan. Because of that, Joan would definitely have a better impression of him.
With that, things would be smooth-sailing for them from then on.
When Joan reached home, she plopped herself onto the couch and begin mulling over what happened earlier.
“You’re back. How’s work?” Larry was focused on his own work, so he barely noticed what Joan was doing.
Similarly distracted, Joan was lost in her thoughts and did not hear Larry’s words.
When he realized her lack of response, he raised his head to notice her strange behavior.
“What’s wrong, Joan? Did something happen?” Larry asked.
Her miserable look was making him upset as well.
It was then that she came back to her senses. Worriedly, she mumbled, “Something happened earlier when I was negotiating with a client. A car nearly crashed into me, and my client saved me. However, the car grazed him. Now, the driver is sending him to the hospital, and I don’t know how he is doing.”
“Really?”
Larry’s heart skipped a beat when he heard her. Thank god nothing happened to Joan. Otherwise, I don’t know what I would do.
“Is your client badly injured? Was he able to stand up? Was there blood on the ground?” Larry calmly asked.
“He lay on the ground for a while, then I helped him up. There wasn’t any blood on the ground, and he could walk by himself. I think he should be fine,” Joan responded as she recalled the scene.
“That’s good to hear. It means he wasn’t hurt terribly. He should be fine after getting checked by a doctor,” Larry consoled.
“Yes. I’ve asked for his contact details. I’ll call him later to check on him.”
Joan sighed. “How am I going to repay the favor? He was hurt because of me.”
“I’ll take you to visit him after the result of his checkup is out.”
With his hands on her shoulders, he queried, “By the way, what’s his name?”
“Cory Jefferson. He came to the office to wait for me to get off work and talk about a contract. He’s really a gentleman.”
As he was now her savior, Joan could not help but shower “Cory” with praises
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Even though her praises were subtle, Larry still felt uncomfortable hearing Joan compliment another man. Regardless, he knew it was not the time to get jealous, so he did not dwell on it. However, he repeated Cory’s name in his mind.
After a while, Joan said to Larry, “I should call Mr. Jefferson now, shouldn’t I?”
Larry nodded as he felt that the man’s checkup must be completed by now. “Yes. Call him.”
“Okay.” Joan then called the number Carl gave her.
“Hello, Ms. Joan,” came Carl’s voice from the other end of the line.
“Mr. Jefferson, how was your checkup? Are you okay?” Joan asked nervously.
“I’m fine. Don’t worry, Ms. Joan. However, the doctor said that I have a minor fracture, so I’ll have to stay in the hospital for a few days,” Carl said with an intentionally light-hearted chuckle.
“I’m glad that you’re fine.”
Joan was relieved upon hearing his words. “Mr. Jefferson, I’ll be visiting you in a bit. Which hospital are you in?”
Joan found the need to visit him since he was in a hospital now. After all, she was the reason he was injured, and it was only polite of her to do so.
“It’s okay, Ms. Joan. I’ve only suffered minor injuries. I won’t trouble you anymore. However, we won’t be able to discuss the contract for the time being.”
On the other end of the line, Carl grinned slyly while speaking in a polite tone.
Although Carl was completely unscathed, he decided to stay in the hospital for a while longer. This way, he would be able to gain Joan’s sympathy, and the two would become closer. Moreover, he could avoid spinning tales just for the supposed contract.
In his mind, Carl praised himself for his intellect.
“That won’t do. You were hurt because of me, so it’s only right that I come to visit you,” Joan insisted.
“I’m really fine. Honestly, you don’t need to visit me. I know you’re busy. Besides, we’ll be able to meet once I’ve recovered.”
The cunning man made it seem like they were actually close and that Joan wanted to meet him because she was truly cared about him and not only because he saved her.
“No. Just tell me which hospital you’re in. I’m going to visit you now,” Joan hastily declined.
“All right, then.”
Carl sighed. “I’ve texted you the address. I’m sorry for troubling you.”
“Okay. It’s only right for me to do this. Well then, Mr. Jefferson, I’ll end the call first,” Joan responded before ending the call.
The moment she ended her call, Larry inquired, ”How was it?”
“Mr. Jefferson said he has a minor fracture and has to stay in the hospital for a few days.”
Raising her head, Joan then continued, “Dear, let’s visit him at the hospital. Otherwise, I’d be guilt-ridden.”
Although she had promised Carl that she would visit, she still had to get Larry’s permission to do so. Nevertheless, she knew Larry would agree to it.
As expected, he smiled and patted her head. “Silly girl, of course we have to visit him. Why would I say no? Let’s go right away.”
Since both of them were not hungry, they decided to eat at a nearby restaurant after the hospital visit. Once they were ready, they headed to the hospital.
After asking the receptionist in the hospital for “Cory Jefferson,” Joan went straight to his ward.
Meanwhile, Larry headed in another direction. As “Cory” got injured from saving Joan, he had to pay for the man’s medical fees. Thus, he went to the payment counter instead.
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“Hello, could you please check the total fees for Mr. Cory Jefferson’s stay? He was admitted today,” Larry asked.
Seeing the handsome man who was in a suit, the young nurse behind the counter said enthusiastically, “Please give me a moment, sir. I’ll calculate it right away.”
“Thank you.”
He then gave her a polite smile.
“No worries.”
The young nurse was dumbstruck by his dashing smile. For a moment, she thought she was in paradise.
“Mister, sorry for the wait. Mr. Cory Jefferson will be admitted for four days. He has paid the deposit, so here is the remainder,” the nurse muttered in a sweet voice as she stared at Larry with lovestruck eyes.
“It’s strangely little,” Larry mumbled after pausing briefly.
“Could you please check it again?” he asked, worried that the nurse might have made a mistake.
“There’s no need to. The amount is definitely correct. Mr. Cory Jefferson has only done the paperwork to be admitted into the hospital. He doesn’t need to pay for any medical fees,” the nurse explained.
Why? Larry was even more puzzled after hearing her words.
Is Cory a VIP of the hospital? Why does he not need to pay for his medical fees?
Seeing the confounded look on Larry’s face, the nurse added, “Mr. Jefferson is so strange. He’s completely fine without any illnesses or injuries, but he insisted on getting hospitalized. I have no idea what’s with that guy.”
“Did you say that he has no injuries?”
Larry was taken aback, unsure about Cory’s intentions. “But he said he has minor fractures.”
When the nurse saw the handsome man’s puzzled expression, she felt the need to clarify the matter. “Dr. Schmidt was just grumbling about it. Here, this is Mr. Jefferson’s bill. There aren’t any medical fees listed in it.”
The moment Larry saw the bill, he realized that both Joan and he had been fooled. He’s obviously targeting Joan. But why?
Larry did not know what that man was trying to do, so he had to keep his guard up.
“Thank you,” Larry said to the nurse with a friendly smile.
If not for her, Larry would have been kept in the dark.
With that said, Larry walked away, leaving the lovestruck nurse who had a silly smile on her face.
Without delay, Larry headed to the ward “Cory” was in. When he saw the man lying on the bed and chatting with Joan, he quietly took a photo of “Cory” with his phone.
Then, he sent it to Caspian.
Larry texted: Caspian, check who this man is. The quicker, the better.
Caspian: Got it.
Larry then kept his phone and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
After the polite announcement of his arrival, Larry stepped into the room.
“Joan,” Larry called out before shifting his gaze to “Cory” and sizing him up.
“Larry, you’re here.”
Joan quickly made her way to his side when she saw him. She then introduced, “Mr. Jefferson, this is my boyfriend, Cory. We came together to visit you.”
As she spoke, she hooked her arm around Larry’s.
“Dear, this is Mr. Cory Jefferson. He’s my business partner as well as my savior,” Joan said jokingly.
“Please, Ms. Watts, I’ve only lent a helping hand. I’m no savior.”
Carl waved dismissively before turning to Larry. “I’ve heard great things about the renowned president of Norton Corporation. It’s an honor to meet you today.”
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To be frank, the moment Carl saw Larry walked in, the former’s heart skipped a beat.
Larry had such an overwhelming aura. It was as though his eyes could see through everyone’s mind.
Thus, Carl felt himself like an open book in front of him.
On the other hand, it might be because of Carl’s own guilty conscience that made him feared of having eye contact with Larry. After all, Carl was completely suppressed by Larry the moment they met.
Even though Carl hated this kind of feeling, he could do nothing to defeat Larry’s charisma. He was fully aware that he was but a nobody compared to Larry’s high status in the business world.
Carl clenched his fists tightly, thinking to make Gabriella his. Only then, he might be able to be at the same status as Larry.
While Carl was thinking about all these, Larry had also been observing the former.
Larry tried to remember Carl, but it did not ring a bell. In fact, he doubted they had even met before.
However, Larry was great at reading people. His first impression about Carl was that he was the ambitious type that would do anything to achieve his target.
Hence, even before they talked to each other, Larry had his defense mode on.
Just then, Larry walked over to Carl and smiled at him. “Mr. Jefferson, I am impressed with your success at such a young age. Today I’ve come here to thank you for helping Joan. How is your wound recovering?”
“It’s fine. It is a just minor bone fracture. Thank you for your concern, Mr. Norton and Ms. Watts,” Carl replied with a polite smile.
“By the way, where are you working now, Mr. Jefferson?” Larry was trying to gain more information about Carl’s plan by naturally asking some questions about him.
“Right now, I am managing a small company, which is nothing compared to Norton Corporation.”
Carl was fast to sense Larry’s motive, so, of course, he would not be revealing his true information so easily.
“You have injured yourself for Joan’s sake, and I feel much obliged to thank you. Why don’t you tell me the name of your company so that we can take care of each other in the future?”
Larry’s message was obvious, which was to help Carl with his company’s development.
If it were years back, Carl would have revealed his company name eagerly, yet he was cautiously having second thoughts at that moment.
Are you kidding me? Do you want me to tell you so that you can destroy it? Hah! I am not a fool.
“As I said, it was just a coincidence that I helped Ms. Watts. I appreciate your goodwill, but I won’t want to receive any favor because of my deeds.”
Again, Carl skillfully avoided Larry’s question, but at the same time, he presented himself as a noble gentleman.
Upon hearing what Carl said, Joan grew a deeper affection towards him.
Not only did Mr. Jefferson risked his life to rescue me, but he does not intend to take advantage of this heroic act. He even rejects Larry’s offer to help even though he knew of Larry’s status and power. It isn’t easy to find a man with such a personality nowadays.
“Mr. Jefferson, you should at least give us a chance to express our gratitude,” Joan said with a gentle smile on her face. Her smile was genuinely sincere, unlike the one from Larry.
“Let’s have dinner some other day then.” Carl flashed back a smile towards her.
“No problem! After you fully recover, I will bring you to a decent restaurant I know. It’s on me!” Joan’s grin grew wider.
At that instant, Larry was gazing at both of them emotionlessly. If he did not know beforehand that “Cory’s” injury was a fake, he might have believed the latter’s flawless acting.
However, at that moment, “Cory” was nothing more than a clown in Larry’s eyes.
The two did not stay long in Carl’s ward. After a brief meaningless conversation, they were getting ready to leave.
“Alright, we shouldn’t disturb you for too long. Please rest well. We will come to visit you again.” Joan smiled faintly.
The hour was already late, and both of them had not eaten yet. Hence, it was time to leave.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 1520
“Okay. Thanks for stopping by.” Carl replied courteously.
“Bye. See you again.” Joan waved at Carl while Larry just nodded slightly towards him before they stepped out of the ward.
After making sure the both of them left, a man reentered Carl’s ward. It was none other than the driver responsible for the accident.
“Why did Larry come too?” The driver asked sternly, apparently troubled by Larry’s visit.
“Don’t worry. It doesn’t matter if he came. You’ve taken the photos, right?” Carl curled his lips into a cold smile.
“Yes, I’ve taken plenty of them. All the places outside the company, including this ward and the coffee shop. Anyone who sees them would surely believe you two are having an affair.” The driver replied with confidence.
“Great. No matter how powerful Larry is, I doubt he would be able to defeat these rumors and proofs.”
Carl let out another boisterous laugh as he saw everything progressing according to his plan. Gabriella will be mine soon.
His face was filled with satisfaction as he imagined the perfect future…
After Larry and Joan left the hospital, they stopped by a random restaurant and ordered some food.
“Joan, how did you meet Mr. Jefferson?” Larry asked directly as he needed to know as much as he could about this man.
However, he did not tell Joan of “Cory’s” fake injury. He figured she would find out sooner or later when the time was right.
His other concern was Joan’s straightforward temper. If she were to find out, there was no guarantee that she would act rationally. All Larry’s strategy would be messed up if she did anything rash.
Seeing that Larry showed massive interest in her and “Cory’s” relationship, Joan began telling him all the details he wanted to know without suspecting anything.
The more Larry heard about Joan’s story, the more he confirmed this was a play set up by “Cory.” He believed the latter’s intention was no other than to gain Joan’s heart.
As for why “Cory” needed to gain Joan’s heart, Larry was still uncertain. However, he was not worried as he felt that “Cory’s” purpose would be exposed in no time.
On the other hand, there was a high chance that the car accident was also planned by “Cory.”
Although feeling resentful, Larry had to admit “Cory’s” acting was indeed a masterpiece of work. The fact that Joan did not even have the slightest suspicion for him was the best proof.
“Joan, don’t you feel that ‘Cory’ has an intention?”
Nevertheless, Larry felt to need to give a little warning to Joan, just in case something would happen in the near future.
Joan was stunned momentarily by Larry’s words. As she knew better than anyone that Larry was not the kind that gave abrupt assumption, she began to think cautiously.
Indeed, recalling all the encounters she had with “Cory,” it would be hard to believe they were all coincidences. But the latter had admitted that besides business purposes, he did have a thing for her, and he wanted to know who her boyfriend was.
“Cory” did not even try to create excuses to come near her, but he honestly expressed his feelings. It was what made Joan’s guard down against him.
And the most important thing was that “Cory” actually risked his life for her. Regardless of what intention he might have, Joan found it hard to ignore the fact that he was willing to sacrifice for her.
Joan wanted to tell Larry about all these, but at that moment, she could not care less about what Larry thought.
Meanwhile, Larry was also aware that his words might not have much influence on Joan’s mind. Thus, he did not further discuss the matter, as he did not want to look like he was jealous.
He figured as long as Joan was careful, nothing serious would happen.
Meanwhile, Caspian’s efficiency was indeed unbeatable. In a just short time, Larry received a call from the former.
“Hello.” Larry picked up the phone.
“Boss, I have done investigating the whole thing. Cory is a fake name; his real name is Carl. He is from a rich family in Marsingfill. He was once a gangster back in high school. Even now, he does not have a real job. So he is nothing more than a wastrel depending on his parents’ wealth.” Caspian gave a brief report on Carl.