Ch. 2791..2800
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2791
Have Some Breakfast
She had waited for a long time for this day to come.
“Okay.” She held Larry tight and her heart was filled with bliss.
They continued whispering sweet nothings as they returned home.
“Larry!” Suddenly, Joan screamed with a voice filled with terror. Larry immediately ran over and was stunned by the sight that met his eyes. The whole house was in a mess.
Who had been here? Immediately, Larry ran into Delilah’s room and then into Lucius’s room only to find that neither of them was in. Without any hesitation, he took out his mobile phone and dialed.
Very quickly, Caspian and Jessica arrived.
“Larry, should we call the police?” Caspian’s gaze was steely. How evil of anyone to attack a child and an old woman.
“No, not yet.” Larry waved his hand to signal in the negative. Before knowing the facts, it is best not to be rash.
Ding Ding Ding!
Suddenly, the landline rang on the table next to him, and Joan immediately answered the phone, as if expecting something.
“Joan?” There was a disguised voice on the phone. Joan was taken aback and then reacted, “It’s me.”
“Good! Tomorrow, you come alone, bring five million…”
That was for money? Joan’s eyes gradually dimmed. In less than two minutes, the caller hung up. Joan slumped onto the sofa and her expression showed she was a little frightened.
“How did they go? What did he say?” Larry grabbed her arm tightly asking anxiously. Caspian and Jessica looked very worried, awaiting her explanation…
Joan slowly raised her head and twitched her nose. Then she cleared her throat, trying to calm herself down. “Larry, I need five million.”
Larry looked at Joan. Although he was a little surprised, he did not show any unusual reaction. He replied firmly, “Okay, I will give you five million.”
Slowly, Joan got up and entered the bedroom nearby.
She did not want to talk. In other words, the caller did not allow her to say a word to the others or else Delilah and Lucius would be killed.
She was lying in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. Her eyes stared straight at the crescent moon outside the window and she was brewed in sorrows. Her fists were clenched and her whole body trembled.
Ms. Young and Lucius, you must be strong! I will definitely save you!
The three people in the living room sat on the sofa, looking up at the ceiling, deep in thought.
“Tomorrow, you will follow Joan.” Suddenly, Jessica said softly and coldly.
Caspian looked at Jessica without a word but just nodded instead. They all knew that Joan was not herself at this point and naturally they all guessed that the caller must have threatened her.
“You guys go home first.” Larry said softly, hanging his head.
What could we do at home? Jessica glanced at him but said nothing. It was not as if she could be unconcerned.
“Tonight, we are sleeping in your home.” With that, Jessica threw herself on the sofa.
Early the next day, sunlight shone on the ground through the window. At that moment, Joan turned over, and it so happened that a ray of sunlight lit up her face.
“Joan,” Larry called her softly but she did not respond, perhaps because she was too tired. Larry did not keep calling her but turned and left the room.
After some time, Joan finally woke up. When she walked out of the room, she was stunned by the sight in front of her. There were two people lying on the sofa, sleeping soundly.
Didn’t they go home last night? Joan walked past them straight to the refrigerator from which she took out a bottle of mineral water and started drinking.
“Have some breakfast.” In the dining room, Larry spoke tenderly.
“Okay.” Joan went straight into the dining room, sat down obediently, and started eating the sandwiches.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2792
A Trap
After today, I wonder if I’ll ever be able to eat the food he makes again. Joan felt her throat close up as she ate. During the phone call last night, the man kept emphasizing for Joan to go alone with the five million. It’s obviously a trap.
But if I don’t go, Ms. Young and Lucius will be the ones who get hurt.
“Joan, you’re awake,” Jessica suddenly called out softly as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes on the sofa.
“Yeah. Come have some breakfast,” Joan said with a strained smile.
Following that, Jessica wordlessly pulled Caspian over to the bathroom.
In the dining room, Larry was seated across from Joan, eating a sandwich while studying her carefully, as though waiting for something.
“What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?” Joan wiped her mouth and asked self-consciously.
“Nothing. You should eat more,” Larry replied calmly.
Soon, Caspian and Jessica joined them in the dining room.
“Did you make all of this, Larry?” Jessica gaped at the man in front of her with surprise sprawled across her face.
“Eat your breakfast,” Larry ordered bossily.
Joan made small talk with the others, but excused herself and left the house soon.
Shortly after she left, Caspian took the last bite of his food and took his leave as well.
Larry and Jessica were the only ones left in the dining room.
“Larry, why didn’t you just talk it out with her?” Jessica’s brows knitted together in confusion.
“Hurry up and eat.” Larry did not explain to Jessica that telling her was pointless. He would rather protect her from the shadows. Naturally, she would come clean with him when she was ready.
Meanwhile, Joan went straight to the bank with the cheque that Larry wrote for her. They did not want bank cards or passbooks, only cash.
Caspian followed her while carefully observing everything around her, keeping in mind all of Larry’s instructions.
“How’s it going? Has she withdrawn the money?” Larry’s deep voice drifted over the phone.
“Yes, she just did,” Caspian reported.
With a small case in hand, Joan got into a car which then immediately sped away from the bank.
In less than an hour, the car pulled to a stop at an abandoned gas station. Joan got out with the case and kept checking her watch while looking around, as though waiting for someone.
After waiting for a long time, the person Joan was supposed to meet still did not show up. Suddenly, her phone rang in her pocket.
“How dare you f*cking lie to me?” On the phone, the man’s voice was vicious. “Didn’t I tell you to come alone? Why is Caspian following behind you?”
Joan was taken aback. Caspian is here? But how does he know who Caspian is?
“Tomorrow at ten in the morning, take the five million and head directly to the west pier.” With that, the line went dead.
Damn it! What the hell is Larry up to?
At the moment, Joan was consumed with rage.
Thud! The door was opened loudly.
In the living room, Larry immediately put down the newspapers in his hands and walked to the door. With worry lining his features, he looked at the woman and asked in puzzlement, “How did it go?”
As Joan gazed at the face that she loved and hated at the same time, conflicting emotions surged in her heart. There was a hint of accusation in her voice when she spoke. “What the hell are you doing? They told me to go alone. Why did you order Caspian to follow me?”
When Larry looked down and saw the case in her hand, he instantly understood everything.
The exchange had failed.
He slowly walked to the sofa and took a seat. Stroking his chin, he fell into deep thought. It seems like I underestimated them.
Bang!
Joan stormed into her bedroom and slammed the door behind her.
Very soon, Larry’s phone rang beside him.
“Larry, Joan did not make contact with them,” came Caspian’s voice.
“Cancel the operation.” With that, Larry hung up the call.
This isn’t the way to go. I have to come up with an airtight plan which can ensure Joan’s safety and at the same time, go unnoticed by the other party.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2793
Bad People
After a long time, Larry switched off the lights in the living room and went to the bedroom, only to see Joan fast asleep on the bed, painting a serene picture.
He walked to the bedside table and opened the drawer, then took out a bracelet from the jewelry box inside. After carefully putting it on for Joan, he lay down beside her and closed his eyes.
The next morning, Joan woke up and tiptoed all the way to the living room. After grabbing the case, she left before anyone knew where she was going.
The man in bed grunted softly when the glaring sunlight pierced through his eyelids.
Larry stretched lazily before slowly opening his eyes. That was when he realized the spot next to him was empty.
“Joan?” he called out, but there was no response.
Has she left already? Larry sprung out of the bed and ran to the living room. Just like he feared, the case was gone.
Sh*t! He quickly grabbed his phone and powered on the GPS software. Luckily, he had the foresight to put on the bracelet for her the previous night.
“Caspian, bring over a few men.”
In no time, a dozen or so cars parked in front of Delilah’s house, with the men inside ready to carry out all orders.
“Stay here and wait for my call. Don’t do anything rash.” With that, Larry got into his car. He knew Joan’s exact location. At that moment, she was still on the way to the destination. He couldn’t catch up to her right away or the people who kidnapped Delilah and Lucius might change their minds or even worse, kill them.
“What are you doing, Larry? We should be looking for Joan. Why are you going around in circles?” Caspian looked at the man beside him dubiously.
“The kidnappers found out that you were following Joan yesterday,” Larry answered.
Realization instantly dawned on Caspian and the car was quiet once again.
Larry kept checking his watch, as though he was waiting for something. Finally, when the minute hand reached twelve, he floored the accelerator.
Caspian was slightly freaked out by Larry’s nervous expression throughout the way.
Meanwhile, Joan had already reached the meeting location. Scanning her surroundings, she yelled loudly, “I’m Joan Watts. I have your money!”
I wasn’t followed this time, right?
Joan looked over her shoulder, her entire body instantly relaxing. She didn’t seem to sense the danger she was in, or perhaps all she could think of was Delilah and Lucius’ safety.
“Give me the money!”
Suddenly, a masked man with a burly figure appeared in front of her.
“Where is Ms. Young and the boy? I want to see them first!” Joan immediately hid the case behind her back and asserted in an icy voice.
This b*tch. How dare she negotiate with me? What right does she have to make demands?
“I’m warning you. You better hand over the money to me like a good little girl, or else…” the man threatened while stalking toward her.
What is he trying to do? Joan instantly went on high alert. Hugging the case to her chest, she abruptly turned and ran toward the sea.
“Don’t come any closer or I’ll throw this case into the sea!” she spat fiercely although she could feel herself trembling all over.
“Hey, hey. Wait! I’ll release them, alright? I’ll release them. Just don’t throw it,” the man said cautiously with his palms out.
It appears that this woman isn’t a fool. The man lit a cigarette and made a hand gesture.
“Mom!”
“Joan!”
Lucius and Delilah called out at the same time. Seeing the two of them tied up not far away, anxiety rose in Joan.
“I can release them, but you and the money must stay,” the man said straightforwardly.
“Don’t listen to them, Joan! They’re all bad people!” Delilah shouted in a shaky voice.
Subsequently, a hard slap landed on Delilah’s cheek.
“Fine. Now let them go,” Joan agreed immediately.
With worry written on her face, Delilah shook her head vigorously at Joan. Is this girl crazy? She clearly knows that these people are here for her, yet she’s going to willingly fall into their carefully laid out trap?
Tears pooled in Joan’s eyes. I’m sorry, Ms. Young. I’m sorry, Lucius. I was the one who dragged you both into this. Then, she called out to Delilah, “Ms. Young, quickly take Lucius away. It’s okay. I can handle this on my own.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2794
Small World
How exactly is she going to handle it? Anger pulsed through Delilah. She’s just a girl. She doesn’t know how to fight, nor does she have any self-defense skills. Besides getting bullied by them, what else can she do?
“Ms. Young, please! Bring Lucius away now!”
Delilah’s heart wrenched at the sound of Joan’s pleas. Finally, she steeled herself and grabbed Lucius’ hand, heading directly to Joan’s car. Then, she started the engine and drove away from the pier.
Watching the car leave, Joan breathed out a sigh of relief. During the split second when she let her guard down, several men dashed toward her and snatched the case out of her hands before restraining her.
“I have to say, you’re very emotionally-driven.”
Of course, Joan merely shot him a glare without speaking.
“Stop right there!” Just when Joan was about to be taken away, Larry appeared.
Oh? Another person here to court death, I see. No. Not one, but two! The man narrowed his eyes at Larry and Caspian, exuding a bitingly cold aura.
Isn’t that… Caspian clenched his fists all of a sudden, going into battle mode.
“Long time no see, Caspian,” rolling his shoulders, the man snarled.
Yeah, it really has been a long time. Caspian sneered in response. He thought this man would never come back again after going abroad. It seems like he was wrong. In the end, they met again under such circumstances. Indeed, enemies were bound to meet.
“You two know each other?” Larry asked as he nudged Caspian beside him.
Caspian leaned closer to whisper, “He used to be a close friend, but later betrayed me.” Indeed, this was a small world. No matter where a person went, past grudges would always come back to haunt him.
“She’s innocent. Let her go!” Caspian shouted, his tone heavy with warning.
The man slowly approached Joan and surveyed her with a menacing glint in his eyes.
He abruptly landed two hard slaps on Joan’s face. In an instant, her cheeks turned red and swollen with blood trickling down the corner of her mouth.
“What are you doing?” Shocked and furious, Larry exclaimed loudly.
“Don’t be rash, Larry!” Caspian held him back because he knew that the man was goading them into doing something stupid.
Joan breathed through the pain and stared at the man in front of her with terror. At that moment, she felt genuine fear slither into her heart.
The man turned to face Larry and Caspian with a hideous expression. Thumping his chest, he said resolutely, “Sorry, but this woman is mine!”
He doesn’t even know Joan. Why would he give her trouble for no apparent reason? Caspian looked at him quizzically. Unless someone hired him to do this?
Could it be… Della?
Gabriella had already left the country. Other than Della, Caspian couldn’t think of anyone else who would want to hurt Joan, and Larry had already come to this conclusion a long time ago.
“Let her go right now, or I won’t play nice anymore!” Larry fumed, but his anger stemmed from fear. The thought of the woman he loved getting hurt terrified him.
Suddenly, the man bellowed with laughter, not at all bothered by Larry’s threat.
“Mr. Norton, is such a traitorous woman really worth it? From what I know, she didn’t just sleep with you, she slept with Dustin Silverman and Caiden Owens too!”
Anger suddenly swelled in Joan and she used every bit of strength she had to kick the man’s leg.
“That’s not true!” she yelled furiously.
“What the f*ck!” The man got up from the ground and gave her two more slaps.
Not far away, Larry balled his fists as a murderous look flashed across his eyes. Sensing his killing intent, Caspian gripped his arm tightly, afraid that he might do something he would regret later on.
Ding! Larry’s phone pinged just then.
Good. They’re here! Larry instantly relaxed, a cunning smile playing on his lips as he said, “Let her go. I can give you as much money as you want, but if you don’t, I’ll make you wish you were dead.”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2795
A Pursuit
Larry’s voice was calm and devoid of any warmth.
For some reason, the man shuddered involuntarily upon hearing Larry’s words. How can he still be so arrogant? What can the two of them even do?
The man straightened his clothes, trying to calm himself.
With a wave of his hand, he ordered, “Take her away!” Then, he turned to leave.
“You probably don’t know this, but Della’s father has always been against her underhanded actions,” Larry said suddenly, causing the man to halt in his stride.
Della and her father were world-renowned figures. Although her father kept a relatively lower profile than her, he was labeled by the public as a person of good moral standing and reputation.
Could this guy be close to Della’s father? The man turned around to look at Larry with a hint of doubt entering his eyes. Who the hell is Larry Norton?
And why is Caspian willingly doing his bidding?
“I’ll give you two minutes to think about it. If you still don’t let her go after that, be prepared to face the consequences.” Larry’s emanated a frightening aura.
Unbeknownst to him, Larry’s men already had the place surrounded and were ready to ambush at any second.
The man looked up at the sky, as though merely waiting for two minutes to pass.
Right then, a young man brought over a phone to him. “Boss, your phone is ringing.”
“How’s everything going?” Della’s voice drifted over the line.
“Not very good,” the man replied.
“Get rid of her if it’s necessary!”
The man froze momentarily. She wants me to kill her? There was no way he would do that. “Ms. Duff, you didn’t mention anything about this before! You only said you wanted me to bring her to you!”
Two minutes passed. Judging by the nervous look on the man’s face as he spoke on the phone, Larry refrained from taking action, thinking that perhaps there still might be a chance to turn things around.
Soon, the man ended the call and threw his phone into the trash bin nearby. Damn it. I knew women couldn’t be trusted.
“I-”
Suddenly, his phone rang again. The young man standing by the side quickly picked the phone out of the trash bin and handed it to his boss again.
“Get rid of her, and I’ll give you ten million with safe passage out of the country.” With that, the line went dead.
Ten million! A rush of excitement ran through the man. “You two should just leave. Mind your own business and stop looking for trouble! Did you really think just the two of you is enough to save her?”
Panic gripped Larry and he bellowed, “Come out!”
At his command, more than a hundred men emerged. The man started to panic at the sight of so many men. It looks like they came fully prepared!
“What should we do, boss? I’m too young to die!” cried his young subordinate.
The moment Larry and Caspian took a step forward, the man jerked Joan into his arms and held a knife against her neck, a chilly glint in his eyes.
He slowly backed away and warned, “Don’t come any closer!” The knife resting on Joan’s neck effectively stopped Larry and Caspian from moving any further, afraid that one misstep would end her life.
“I told you, as long as you let her go, I’ll pretend none of this happened.” Larry kept trying to persuade the man.
Who is he trying to bluff? In this world, no one can be trusted. The man clutched Joan tightly, as if afraid she was going to run away, but at that moment, she was so weak her face was completely drained of color.
“Clear a path. Now!”
Larry immediately motioned at his men.
“Larry, are you sure about this? Are you really going to let him leave?” Caspian asked worriedly.
Larry did not answer as he gazed fixatedly at the man who was forcefully dragging Joan away. After he shoved her into a car, a pursuit began.
More than a dozen black vehicles sped along the road. Noticing the cars hot on his heels, the man panicked. “Call Norton and tell him to stop!”
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2796
Cruel Fate
Joan turned to look out the window, ignoring the man beside her.
Filled with fear, he roared at her. “Do you still want to live?”
He was restless, but Joan remained silent as though she couldn’t hear him. She knew that if something were to happen to her, Larry would never spare this man.
Finally, the car stopped because there was no way forward anymore.
The man was mortified when he saw nothing but water in front of him. He instantly dragged Joan out of the car and held her in an iron grip. Larry, Caspian, and the rest caught up soon after.
“Let her go!” Larry roared, getting increasingly impatient.
“Stay right there!” The man kept retreating, looking as though he was about to plunge into the sea. Left without a choice, Larry finally stopped moving forward.
“Don’t force my hand!” The man was at his wits’ end. He merely wanted to make a fortune and never expected things to escalate to this point.
“Stay still! It’s too dangerous!” Larry extended his right hand and cautioned loudly, but at that moment, the man seemed to be a prisoner of his own mind as he drowned in remorse and despair.
At last, both of them fell into the sea with a loud splash.
“Joan!” Larry made a mad dash forward with terror gripping his heart. His men immediately flew into action, jumping into the sea one after another to look for Joan.
You can’t die, Joan! You can’t! Larry swam in the sea in search of her with tears rolling down his cheeks. It had been so many years since he shed a tear.
There was still no trace of Joan even after a long time.
“Larry, you can’t swim any further!” Caspian shouted while holding him back. Before them was the middle of the sea, which was extremely dangerous. There was probably no hope of surviving if a person swam out there alone.
Larry abruptly slapped Caspian and growled, “Don’t stop me! I need to find Joan!”
Caspian became frantic and wrapped his arms tightly around Larry, allowing the latter to curse and hit him as much as he wanted. Gradually, the sky darkened and they swam to shore.
Larry and Caspian sat on the beach, staring at the sea as sorrow washed over them.
“Larry! Caspian!” Suddenly, Jessica rushed over.
Both men were not in the mood to entertain her and kept their eyes trained ahead, lost in thought.
Looking at their icy expressions, Jessica understood that something had happened to Joan.
“Where is she?” she asked worriedly.
Caspian bowed his head and answered with regret, “We couldn’t find her.” Jessica’s knees gave out beneath her and she plopped onto the sand. With grief lining her features, tears escaped the corner of her eyes.
How can this world be so complicated? She was just a defenseless woman, yet she was subjected to such a cruel fate!
Unable to handle the distress, she fell into Caspian’s arms and started sobbing.
Larry sat on the beach until two in the morning but showed no sign of leaving any time soon. Probably tired from crying, Jessica had fallen asleep in Caspian’s arms.
“C’mon, Larry. Let’s go back,” Caspian suggested with a pat on his shoulder.
“I’m going to wait here for Joan to come back,” Larry replied firmly.
Wait? She’s already dead! Lifting his head to the sky, Caspian closed his eyes and inhaled a deep breath to regain his composure before advising, “Larry, you still need to take care of Ms. Young and Lucius at home.”
No. I want to take care of Joan. Nothing is more important than her! Larry shook his head adamantly and stopped speaking altogether.
“Larry! Pull yourself together. Joan is dead! She is dead! But are you really going to give up on us just like that?” Caspian was livid. He knew that Larry loved Joan very much, but he also knew that Joan hated it when he retreated into himself like that.
“What the hell do you know?”
Larry flung his hand away and bit his lower lip until he tasted blood. Caspian was angered by the blank and lonely look in his eyes, but more than that, he was heartbroken.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2797
The Old Couple
“Bring Jessica with you and don’t let her catch a cold,” said Larry in a deep voice as he waved at him.
Caspian stood up. After a moment of hesitation, he walked toward the car with Jessica, leaving only Larry remaining on the beach.
The sun rose above the surface of the ocean the next day, while a few seagulls frolicked nearby. It was extremely tranquil. Joan opened her eyes slowly and massaged her temples. Only then did she realize that she was not dead yet. Huh? Where am I? She scanned her surroundings and frowned.
She could vaguely remember that after she fell into the ocean, she had tried to swim frantically. When she reached the shore, she must have been so exhausted that she fell asleep.
“Ma’am, are you okay?” Suddenly, an old man walked over and asked worriedly.
“Where am I?” Joan looked at her surroundings, finding it quite unfamiliar.
“Ma’am, you should change your clothes.” The old man pointed at Joan and whispered embarrassedly. Completely drenched, she looked pathetic.
“Darling!”
“I’m coming!”
Soon, the elderly couple brought her to their house.
“This is my daughter’s clothes. Please make do with them for now,” whispered the old woman as she glanced at Joan embarrassedly.
It’s already great that I have something to wear. What else can I complain about? Joan quickly took the clothes and walked into the room briskly.
The elderly couple lived by the sea and did not stay in frequent contact with the outside world. They were honest and kind people without any tricks up their sleeves.
“Thank you.” Joan walked out and bowed toward the elderly couple.
“You’re welcome. Darling, look. She looks so pretty in our daughter’s clothes,” said the old woman to the old man gently, her eyes brimming with affection.
I really envy them! A smile crept up on Joan’s face.
“Where are you from? Why did you fall asleep on the beach?” The old man turned around and asked, confused.
I’m not asleep! I fainted! Joan gazed back at them. Scratching her head, she smiled awkwardly and explained, “I’m quite a playful person, so yesterday, I…”
She did not tell them the truth.
After Joan woke up, she decided against going home immediately. Instead, she wanted to stay low first before planning her next step.
Meanwhile, Larry was in no mood to work. Every day, he was immersed in the sorrow and agony of losing Joan. Both Caspian and Jessica did not know what to do with him.
“Larry, don’t be like this. Joan’s already gone. You have to…” said Jessica hesitatingly.
“No! She’s not dead! She’s just so playful that she hasn’t returned home yet!” Larry interrupted her directly and yelled in a cold tone. Jessica fell silent afterward, not uttering a single word anymore.
She knew that regardless of what she said, he would never be convinced. Despite seeing how much pain Larry was in, she was helpless to do anything other than to feel pity and heartache for him.
“Larry!” Suddenly, Caspian barged in.
It seemed like something bad had happened. Jessica immediately walked forward to stop Caspian. She winked at him, signaling for him to calm down.
“Jake made a move again.” Caspian’s voice was icy cold.
Jake’s still haunting us! Jessica clenched her fist as a cold glint flashed in her eyes. Then, she whispered something into Caspian’s ears and left.
She wanted to see what that bastard, Jake, was up to!
Without any hesitation, Jessica headed straight to M Group.
“Wow, this is surprising! How is it possible that Ms. Zimmer is free enough to visit me?” remarked Jake sarcastically in his office as he took a sip of water.
“Jake, what do you want?” Jessica’s voice was brimming with fury and viciousness. He was targeting Larry the moment Joan left! She had been controlling her emotions all the while. Otherwise, with her usual personality, she would have been hurling insults at him by now.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2798
Always Loved Joan
“What do you mean? What else do I want? As I businessman, I naturally strive for profit. Ever since ancient times, the victor wins glory while the loser is condemned. The same rule applies to business as well,” replied Jake coldly.
Is that all to it? Jessica scrutinized him suspiciously. There are probably some personal reasons involved, right?
“Joan’s already dead. Your enemy is no longer alive, so please, just focus on your business and stop stirring up trouble!”
When Jessica said that, a grim look crept into Jake’s eyes.
He thought that Joan’s death would bring him excitement. To his surprise, when he received news of it, he was racked with sorrow and fury.
It was only then that he realized his own feelings.
Right from the start, he had always loved Joan.
He thought that he had fallen in love with Joan’s assistant. However, it was merely an excuse for him to get close to Joan despite knowing very well that she was unattainable. This world’s crazy, huh? Jake closed his eyes and sighed gently, trying to calm himself.
“If you’re here to reprimand me, I’m sorry to say that you can leave now,” said Jake bluntly.
He’s unreasonable! Jessica spun around and stomped out in her high heels, leaving Jake in the office. With narrowed eyes, he peered out of the window, his silhouette looking quite lonely.
He yearned to meet Joan one last time, but it was too late.
“Should we continue, Mr. Wilson?” His assistant walked over and asked carefully.
“Yes! We must get our hands on Norton Corporation!” replied Jake firmly.
His goal had always been to acquire Norton Corporation. However, he did not expect that Larry would convert it into a fashion company.
Joan’s death further solidified his resolve to acquire Norton Corporation. Perhaps, he was furious that Larry failed to take good care of Joan, or he was merely jealous of him.
Back at Norton Corporation, Larry was sitting on the couch in his office and staring at Joan’s photograph.
“What are you planning to do, Mr. Norton?” asked his assistant, looking extremely concerned. However, all Larry could think about was Joan’s face.
“Mr. Norton?” repeated the assistant.
A long time passed, but Larry gave no response. The assistant sighed and left slowly.
Jessica stomped toward Larry and snatched the photograph away from his hands. “Larry, what are you doing? Do you no longer want your company? Are you not going to enter the fashion industry anymore? Your assistant spent such a long time trying to persuade you.”
Jessica blew her top.
“Give it back!” snapped Larry viciously as he glared at her.
“Larry, I’m begging you. Can you pull yourself together? Let’s conquer this obstacle, okay? Do you know how many crises the company is facing? Jake is planning to acquire Norton Corporation! You can’t just sit idly by and not do anything!” Jessica’s voice was filled with anxiety. She could not bear to watch Norton Corporation fall into Jake’s grasp, nor could she let Larry wallow in his despair anymore!
“Return Joan to me!” yelled Larry as he chased after her.
Joan, Joan, Joan! At this critical juncture, he’s still thinking about his love life!
Crash! Jessica threw the photo frame onto the floor, causing it to smash into smithereens.
“Joan!” Larry fell onto his knees and clutched his head in agony. Unable to hold himself back, his right palm landed on Jessica’s cheek.
“Did you just slap me?” Jessica looked at him in disbelief as a despondent look crept into her eyes.
“Jessica!” Caspian barged in. Looking at the scene in front of him, he felt a complex emotion surface within him. He gently nudged Jessica, signaling for her to leave. Then, he grabbed the broom and started sweeping the splintered fragments up. Although the photo frame was broken, the photograph was unscathed.
Lary picked up the photograph from the floor gently, his heart aching.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2799
Please Leave Right Away
“Larry, it’s been so many days. It’s time for you to snap out of it,” said Caspian worriedly.
If this continued, Norton Corporation would be exploited by its employees and be acquired by Jake one day.
Ever since Larry’s emotions became unstable, the employees in Norton Corporation were starting to falter.
“Why don’t we quit? Look at Mr. Norton now. How can he possibly manage the company?”
“Yeah, I don’t want others to say that I’m working for a psychotic man.”
A few employees were mumbling outside the office, looking quite displeased.
“What are you doing there? If you want to quit, just get lost!” Jessica’s expression was extremely stern. The few of them pursed their lips and left with a look of disdain.
Looking at everyone’s listless gazes and lethargic expressions, Jessica’s heart skipped a beat. Indeed, all of them are just snobs!
Back in the office, Caspian stared at Larry helplessly, feeling very anxious.
Bang! Della walked into Larry’s office directly with a bright grin on her face.
Joan’s death was an exhilarating piece of news for her. She sashayed toward Larry and stared at him seductively.
“Larry, what’s wrong?” Della placed a hand on his shoulder and asked softly. There was something different with her tone.
Without any hesitation, Larry flung her hand away and swiveled his head around, not looking at her.
Is he still sad? Della sneered. So what? No matter how sad he is, Joan will never return! As she gloated about it, a relieved look flickered past her eyes.
“Leave,” instructed Larry coldly. He suspected that Joan’s death had something to do with Della, just that he had not found any evidence to prove it yet.
Della was stunned for a while before regaining her composure. “Larry, don’t be too devastated. There’s plenty of fish in the sea.”
Her words were so exaggerated that Larry felt annoyed at her.
Perhaps as she was too eager, she did not notice Larry’s change in expression. She continued persuading him to stop feeling sad until he eventually lost his temper.
“Della, please leave right away! I don’t want to see you!” yelled Larry, his tone brimming with unhappiness. Looking at his cold expression, Della was stunned.
This jerk! Why is he so stubborn? Well, I’m patient enough to wait till he snaps out of it. She immediately stopped talking and sat down beside him.
The room was instantly filled with silence.
Larry stared at the photograph in his hands and fell into deep thoughts.
When Caspian saw this awkward scene from outside the office, he quickly entered. “Larry, there’s a business meeting tonight.”
“I’m not going.” Before Caspian could finish his sentence, Larry interrupted him. Della threw a glance at Caspian and snorted coldly. A look of disdain crept into her eyes.
Exasperated, Caspian left the office. Forget it. Regardless of who speaks to him now, he’ll never listen.
Sighing, Caspian left. He initially wanted to find an excuse for Larry to leave Della, but he refused to cooperate!
Soon, the sky darkened. Larry was still sitting on the couch and staring at the photograph, not intending to leave at all. Meanwhile, Della flipped through the magazines out of boredom. It seemed as if she was waiting for something.
The atmosphere was very awkward. Unable to bear it anymore, Della walked over and reminded, “Larry, it’s getting late. It’s time to go home.”
“You should leave,” replied Larry directly, not even raising his head. His voice sounded a little hoarse.
He did not wish to go home, nor did he know how to face Delilah and Lucius. He did not even want to lie on a bed without Joan by his side.
“Larry, you should at least have dinner!” Della’s voice revealed a hint of worry. She did not expect him to be so utterly obsessed to such an extent.
“I’m not hungry or tired,” replied Larry plainly.
Never Late, Never Away Chapter 2800
Like Our Daughter
Della became furious immediately. If he refuses to eat, drink or sleep, what does he want to do? Does he want to die like Joan?
“Let’s go! You must eat with me today!” As she spoke, she tried to drag Larry out of the office.
“Don’t touch me!” yelled Larry as he flung her hand away.
Is he crazy?
“Larry, let’s eat, okay? We’ll come back after eating.” A pleading tone crept into Della’s voice. She suddenly felt a bit lost. All she wanted to do was to harm Joan, not to sabotage her beloved Larry!
Larry curled up into a ball and lay on the sofa. Hugging Joan’s photograph, he slowly closed his eyes.
All Della could feel was heartache. She stopped convincing him and left the office directly.
Meanwhile, Joan was still busy by the sea. She seemed to be in a good mood.
“Help me out, Joan!” yelled the old woman, raising the fishing net.
“I’m coming!” The elderly couple fished for a living. However, they only earned a little and did not pin any hopes on earning a fortune.
“Ma’am, why don’t you start a fish shop?” Joan stared at the elderly couple dubiously, feeling puzzled. Fishermen like them had an advantage those urban-dwellers did not. If they were serious about starting a fish shop, they would definitely earn a lot of money.
The elderly couple exchanged glances, shook their heads, and smiled.
“We only sell our fish to the residents nearby. We don’t plan on expanding our business,” explained the old woman.
Yeah, those living in the cities are manipulative people, with countless tricks up their sleeves. It’s common to see trickery and scams rife amongst them. They are just a pair of naive, old couples. Why would they be willing to join those urban-dwellers?
Joan mocked herself silently, feeling slightly guilty.
I wonder how Larry’s doing now. I hope that he isn’t too devastated. A despondent look flashed across Joan’s eyes.
“What are you thinking about, young lady?” asked the old woman softly as she waved his hand in front of Joan.
“Huh? Nothing.” Joan quickly returned to her senses and continued with her work.
Suddenly, a few children ran over and pleaded with Joan to play with them.
As she could not bear to ruin their excitement, Joan bade the elderly couple farewell before having fun with the children.
Gazing at the lively scene, a contented smile played on the old woman’s lips.
“That young lady is really like our daughter,” remarked the old man as he whispered into the old woman’s ears. She smiled as tears welled up in her eyes.
They used to have a daughter in the past. However, after she went swimming in the ocean at twenty years old, she never returned.
Probably because she was too exhausted, Joan returned home after playing with the kids for a while.
“Joan, do you want to call your family? They must be worried sick about you,” asked the old woman as she worked in the kitchen.
Immediately, a hint of disappointment appeared in Joan’s eyes. She was conflicted by this issue too, but in the end, she could not convince herself to call Larry.
She knew very well that this storm had not passed.
“I know,” she replied, feigning lightheartedness.
Meanwhile, Caspian and Jessica were standing in front of Larry in his office at Norton Corporation. Their expressions were stern.
“Larry, if you know that Joan isn’t dead yet, will you be rejuvenated immediately?” asked Jessica. Larry raised his head instantly. Gazing at her seriously with a look of anticipation, he grabbed her arm. “Have you found her? She isn’t dead, right?”
A surprised expression appeared on Caspian’s face too.
Actually, Jessica was simply trying to attract Larry’s attention when she said that.
“Larry, I’ll help you find Joan. Can you please pull yourself together?” Jessica coaxed Larry like she was coaxing a child. On the other hand, Caspian felt puzzled.
Perhaps Joan is still alive now. However, where should we find her? He nudged Jessica gently, his eyes filled with confusion.