Ch. 1971..1980
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1971
The person on the other end of the line hung up, then turned to the elderly woman with grey hair. The woman was waiting patiently to hear what Kurt's response was, but all she got in return was her employee shaking his head.
That evening, Vivian left the office after busying away all day.
“Kurt, I've accepted the case."
“Okay.”
Kurt, who had been driving, had already anticipated that response, so he was calm when he murmured a reply.
Vivian sat beside him and stared. “So I will be flying all over the world soon."
Kurt replied, “I'll travel with you."
One simple sentence was all it took to stun Vivian in place and render her speechless.
He'll go with me? And travel all around the world while I work?
Vivian sighed. She looked away and turned her attention to the road ahead before gripping the safety belt she had on. She struggled for a bit before she finally said, “Kurt, I don't need you to do that for me."
"Huh?"
Kurt hit the brakes and got the car to stop short right in the middle of the road.
It scared Vivian so much that she turned pale.
"D-Don't panic. I wasn't implying anything. I just wanted to let you know that I am a big girl now. An adult like me can handle traveling on my own and taking care of myself.
"Also, you can't just stay by my side at all times. You should build a career and pursue your dreams, too. Kurt, I need you to protect me, but not as a bodyguard. I want you to protect me as a man and a... husband."
Vivian blushed so hard that her face was burning when she said that last word.
Kurt looked at her. still stunned, he murmured, “H- Husband?"
Vivian nodded. “Yes, a husband. Kurt, have you ever thought about earning that title? You are an incredible man, Kurt, and you are so smart. Have you ever thought about having a grand wedding ceremony and telling the world how much we love each other? Don't you want to prove to my brothers that I made the right choice when I chose you?"
Oh, she is good. She even got her brothers involved just to convince me.
Kurt couldn't say a word.
No one knew it, but he was secretly envious of the engagement party from three years ago. He also felt terrible because he couldn't afford a grand ceremony like that, even though Vivian would definitely love it.
It was undeniable that her parents would pay for everything if he asked, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He was the man, after all.
In the end, Kurt got lost in his own thoughts.
That night, they returned to their apartment. It was late. Kurt glanced at the sleeping woman in the bedroom before grabbing his phone and heading to the balcony.
Kurt: There?
Karl: ?
What the hell is that? He never gets in touch with me, so why is he sending me a message in the middle of the night now? Geez, is he trying to creep the hell out of me?
Karl was at SteelFort at the time and was monitoring Xayden as the latter designed a new type of explosive. Kurt's sudden and infuriatingly short message got Karl to reply with nothing more than a question mark.
Soon, a new message popped up.
Kurt: / want to get a Job. Can I?
Karl: Huh? You're finally getting a job? What kind of work will it be? Will it be tiring? How much will they pay you for it? Tell me everything.
Within a second, Karl sat up with excitement and sent Kurt dozens of questions. It was almost as if a father was excited and was nagging at his son.
Kurt: Manager at PCT.
Karl didn't reply after that.
He stared at the words for quite some time, but he still couldn't make heads or tails of what was going on. That made him shout toward the lab. "Oy, Xayden. What Is PCT?"
“Huh?"
Xayden, who was busy working, turned around when he heard that.
Karl replied, "That punk, Kurt, said he got a job working for some company called PCT. What is that?"
Xayden was speechless.
The guy with the thick goggles on stood there for a few seconds before replying, "That's the best construction company in the world. The company was responsible for the construction of the five-mile- long bridge."
"Holy sh*t!"
Those were the only words that flew out of Karl. He was beaming with pride.
Karl: Oh my gosh, you finally grew up, you punk! You're going to go work at such an amazing company. It's so great. Go clock In as soon as possible and remember this. Send me some money every month.
Kurt: ?
Karl: What? I spent a small fortune raising you little rascals! Let me share a secret with you. steelfort hadn't raised a salaryman in decades. Everyone we raised turned out to be freeloaders, and I am always so embarrassed whenever I have to ask the boss for money.
Kurt was speechless.
He didn't bother replying before crushing his phone In half.
On the other side, Karl jumped in frustration.
"What the hell was that? He actually stopped replying to me. Does that mean he refuses to send me the money?"
"Oh, puh-lease. You've already taken all of my money, so what more could you want?" complained Xayden. He wouldn't have dissed that hard and been that angry if he hadn't heard anything. Now that he heard it, his anger bubbled up once more.
Karl didn't refute.
D*mn it. I got myself into this trouble.
When Kurt woke up the following morning, he realized that Vivian had already left.
Sitting on the dining table was a note that told him when and where to meet Mikaela.
As he stared at that piece of paper, his lips instinctively curled up.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1972
On that day itself, Kurt went to meet Mikaela and confirmed their collaboration.
After the news went out, Vivian brought all of them to their all-time favorite restaurant to dine. A little while later, she announced the good news in the chat group.
Matteo: Wow! That is great news! Kurt really is the man!
Ian: Couldn't agree with you more.
Susan: Kurt has always been amazing. He has worked together with this company on the museum project. His capabilities are not to be questioned.
Vivian: That's only natural. He is my Kurt, after all.
Seeing her blatant assertation of dominance, Kurt, who was right beside her, flushed crimson.
Nonetheless, he did not show himself in the chat group, as if in anticipation of something.
After half an hour, just when they were almost done with their dinner and it was time for their after-dinner stroll, it was also almost dinner time back in Kurt's home country. Finally, an elder of the family showed up in the group chat.
Devin: Well done, Kurt! You've landed such a great job.
Sabrina: Oh, that's hardly his only achievement. PCT Development is the top construction company in the world, and an average Joe can never set foot in this company. Kurt's presence has even warranted the welcome of Mikaela herself. Kurt, I am so impressed.
Sabrina was her usual out-spoken self.
Kurt felt the need to show himself and express his gratitude after seeing her congratulatory message.
Kurt: You're exaggerating, Aunt Sabrina. My achievements would not have been possible without your guidance.
Sabrina: It has nothing to do with me. It's your mighty brain at work. Speaking of which, Id like to give Jeffrey a good beating. Where is he?
Devin was rendered speechless.
It was obvious to see that the couple was as lively as always.
Not long after, Sasha, who was just done with her chores, logged into the chat group as well. Like the others, she was thrilled to hear the news.
Sasha: Is that true? Kurt, have you confirmed the news?
Kurt: Yes, Aunt Wand. I've confirmed it.
This time, he replied much faster.
Sasha was over the moon when she saw his message.
Sasha: That's great! I was just discussing with your Uncle Sebastian the other day about how you have yet to find a job after your graduation. We were discussing if there was a need to introduce you to some of the jobs available. It's so great that you've landed such a great Job in such a short time.
Vivian: Mommy, what do you mean by yet to find a job? Kurt is accompanying me because I haven't graduated.
Sasha: Oh, is that so?
Susan: Yes, I can vouch for that.
Both women had voiced out for him, making Kurt blush in embarrassment.
Nevertheless, Sasha was overjoyed.
Sasha: Ah, so that's why. Kurt, it's been hard on you then. Now that Vivian's graduated and you've found a good job, do let US know when the two of you feel that you're ready to get married. Maybe after you both have worked for several years?
Both Vivian and Kurt were rendered speechless.
The two of them exchanged glances with each other before their faces flushed crimson.
The notion of marriage still seemed very much further down the road for the two of them.
The group chat ended in a jubilant tone. Kurt put his smartphone aside and was disappointed that the one person he wanted to chat with was not online.
After all, there was only one person who could motivate him to strive for his goals.
After taking a bath, he and Vivian rested early as everyone had their own business to tend to the next day. Unbeknownst to him, he had missed the email that pinged in his mailbox after he had fallen asleep.
The email was attached with the most comprehensive information on construction companies, and some of the books attached were limited edition copies.
The sender was none other than Sebastian.
Both Kurt and Vivian enjoyed a good night's sleep.
The next day, Kurt sent Vivian to the production company first. He stayed on and watched as she allocated tasks for the crew before sending her to the airport, where he planted a deep kiss on her lips. "Remember to call me and let me know where you are every day over there, all right?"
Kurt was reluctant to part with the sweet scent of the woman in his arms.
Vivian's legs turned to jelly as she drowned in Kurt's fervent kiss.
The passionate lovers were reluctant to let go of each other. She leaned against his embrace, her cheeks tinged pink with passion as she said, "You have to let me know what you're doing here, too."
"Sure. Feel free to check in on me anytime."
"W-Why would I want to do that? I'm not that petty," she retorted with beet-red cheeks.
Kurt smiled.
Truth be told, he wished that she was petty enough to check on him every day. He reckoned he would rather enjoy it.
Kurt sent her off to board the plane. When the last trace of her silhouette was out of sight, he felt inexplicably hollow inside despite him having mentally prepared for this moment. After all, both of them had never been apart all these years, and no mental preparation was enough for Kurt to brace this emptiness he felt in his heart.
It was unlike anything he had ever felt.
Ding!
When the plane took off, his smartphone pinged with a notification.
He took out his phone and recognized the familiar profile picture that sent him a message.
Vivian: Promise me that you won't get upset, all right? Both of us have to work hard from now on. Remember our promise that we'll get married once you're of age and when you've earned enough money to ask for my hand from my father.
Her tone was casual, but the words weighed down hard on Kurt. He lifted his head to look at the plane that took off above his head. At that moment, he could no longer hold his tears in.
"Okay," he mumbled.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1973
Meanwhile, at Southeast Astoria, Ian and Susan had arrived at the branch company of Hayes Corporation.
The riot there had escalated to an even serious level.
"Mr. Hayes, you're finally here! We have been waiting for you to help us rectify this mess."
The branch company's person in charge almost cried at the sight of Ian and Susan.
Ian found out that the Hayes Corporation branch at Southeast Astoria was facing the predicament whereby the place was previously under the Ti Ian s' reign, and they had been known to participate in illicit businesses such as casinos, nightclubs, and smuggling activities.
To summarize, all their operations were illegal.
For example, it was not that Hayes Corporation could not operate casinos. However, the Tilans would enable the underground organizations here to cheat the patrons and allow loan sharks to lend money to the gamblers at an exorbitant interest rate.
They were doing everything that Hayes Corporation would never do.
A Hayes Corporation casino would let the luck of the patrons decide their fate.
As a result, their policy had affected the interests of some of the stakeholders involved, which were locals whose influence was entrenched in the region for many years, and they would not let their wrath go unaccounted for.
Ian dared not squander another second and headed into the meeting room right away after listening to the brief report.
Susan could only head to the office, clutching the luggage that they brought along.
"Ms. Limmer, you must be famished. Would you like me to bring you around for food?"
An assistant at the general manager's office noticed the weary look on Susan's face and offered to take her around for some food.
Susan hesitated for a moment.
Ian, who had headed to the meeting room, would surely have no time to spare for lunch. Hence, she was the only one who could make sure that he did not skip a meal.
As such, Susan decided to go along with the assistant.
"Ms. Limmer, are you Mr. Hayes' secretary? Are you going to stay here with him this time?"
The young female assistant asked carefully after eyeing Susan for a moment.
The engagement between the Limmers and the Jadesons was quite a dazzling event, and it had managed to garner quite a bit of attention back then. However, it had been three years since. Susan knew that she had inevitably aged since the event three years ago.
Besides, she had attended the event In full glamor back then, and she was bare-faced now. Hence, it was natural that the young assistant did not seem to recognize her.
However, Susan did not care to explain further and simply nodded. "Yes, I'm here to accompany him."
The young assistant then continued, "You must have accompanied Mr. Hayes for a long time then. We are really glad, actually. To be frank, our general manager has been racking his brain trying to figure out who he should appoint as Mr. Hayes' secretary when Mr. Hayes has expressed the intention to come here."
"Is that so?”
"Yes. Everyone was thrilled to sign up, of course. However, they had their concerns as well. After all, we did not know what kind of a superior Mr. Hayes would be. We heard that he was quite ruthless back in Yartran," the young assistant lamented and let out a sigh.
Susan did not comment on it.
She was not actually there as Ian's secretary. She had attained the title of a senior accountant. All these years, she had been a director of the Finance Department at Atlantius.
Hence, she was there to audit the accounts of the Finance Department of the branch company.
In the end, Susan decided against explaining everything to the young assistant that she had just met. She followed the young assistant to the restaurant and packed some food back to the office.
The meeting finally came to an end at about nine o'clock at night.
Susan had fallen asleep in the office as she had been too tired from the long day.
"You're finally done with the meeting? Are you hungry? The food has gone cold, I'm afraid." Susan opened her eyes when she heard some noise. She sprung up from her seat right away after noticing that it was Ian.
The man waved his hand and signaled for her to stay right where she was.
"Why didn't you head back to the hotel for a rest? Didn't I ask Melvin to pass on the message?"
Ian felt his heart wrench at the sight of the weary woman before him.
However, some part of him already knew that Susan would not head back even if he had explicitly told her to do so.
Susan rose from her seat and poured him a glass of warm water. Then, she warmed the food in the microwave.
The food had long gone cold.
Fortunately, when the two of them were working back in Yartran, Ian had changed his picky eating habits. Now, he would at least take a bite or two, provided that the food was not too deplorable.
Susan stayed by his side.
"You didn't eat, too?” Ian asked.
"I fell asleep and forgot to eat. Anyway, hurry up and eat. We can go back to take a rest before coming back tomorrow," she said casually as she started to dig in.
Ian did not give it much thought and ate together with her.
Soon, they finished the food. Just then, Melvin Ginn, the person in charge of the Southeast Astoria branch, entered the room. He was waiting for Ian's further instruction after they were done with the meeting.
Susan furrowed her brows.
Why is he hounding Ian? How did he get appointed to head the branch here? Didn't Uncle Solomon run a background check on his capability before assigning him here?
"Mr. Hayes, what should our next step be tomorrow?" Melvin asked.
"You may invite the police over here first. I will talk to them first thing in the morning," Ian stated.
Melvin was overjoyed upon hearing that.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1974
Shortly after, Ian and Susan left the company and were sent to the hotel.
"Are you tired?" Susan asked concernedly.
On their way there, she noticed Ian had shut his eyes and was furrowing his brows, leaning against the back of the chair as they sat inside the car.
She had seen him in that manner when they were at Yartran in the past.
At that time, the company faced a lot of issues when it was just established. Ian would experience such a condition when too many thoughts occupied his mind, and he could not take a break from being mentally exhausted.
Back then, Susan would always help relieve his condition whenever he wore that agonized expression.
However, perhaps it was due to the driver's presence in the front seat, Ian shook his head despite the apparent fatigued look on his face.
"I'm fine. What plan do you have in mind? Did you visit the Finance Department today?"
"I did. There aren't any issues with the company's accounts. Nevertheless, the company is not doing well financially because we have been in the red these few months.”
Susan recollected herself and began seriously discussing work.
Upon hearing that, Ian merely grunted in response.
"I expected this to happen because of those local tyrants' influence. A war will be inevitable and we'll need to prepare for it at once. You'll begin work at the Finance Department tomorrow. The first thing to do is to tidy up the accounts there."
Susan remained silent in the car for a long while before finally agreeing, "Okay..."
An uneventful night ensued.
The following day, when Susan woke up, she walked out of her room and noticed the room beside hers was already empty. She made a phone call and was informed that Ian had gone to the company.
She trudged toward the bathroom in her slippers after she was made aware of Ian's whereabouts.
Twenty minutes later, she exited the house as well.
"Ms. Limmer, you're here. I heard you'll become the head of the Finance Department from now on. I've already vacated and cleaned your office. I'll bring you there now."
"Okay. Thank you."
Taking in the friendly demeanor of the Finance Department staff, Susan smiled politely in response before following the staff to her office.
From that day onward, Susan became an official member of the Finance Department.
As for the president's office, Susan heard the new vice-president acquired a secretary shortly afterward. The secretary was none other than the young female assistant who accompanied Susan to buy food yesterday.
"Juniper is so amazing. So many people competed for that position. Unexpectedly, she secured the job."
"That's right. But I guess she has an advantage since she worked under Mr. Ginn previously. Now that Mr. Hayes is here, it's only natural that she'd be promoted to be Mr. Hayes' secretary."
"You do have a point."
Everyone in the company was discussing that matter.
Susan merely ignored their gossiping.
However, she called Ian's office when it was almost time to go off work.
"Hello?"
"Hello, I'm Ms. Limmer. Please help inform Mr. Hayes that I am having a meal with him later." Hearing the familiar voice, Susan tried her best to suppress the discomfort in her chest as she spoke nonchalantly on the phone.
To Susan's surprise, the female secretary, Juniper Xaynes, directly turned her down after listening to her request.
"Oh, it's you, Ms. Limmer. That's not needed. I've already ordered food for Mr. Hayes. He's very busy now, so he doesn't have the time to have his meal outside. Ms. Limmer, why don't you eat by yourself instead?"
Susan was rendered speechless.
"Ah, I suppose you're not familiar with this place since you're new here. Do you want me to order a meal for you, too?"
Susan could not believe Juniper even began showing concern for her, which prompted her to hang up the call.
Susan always had a mild temperament. As such, she didn't really mind what just transpired. After exiting the Finance Department's office, she was planning to head upstairs to look for Ian. However, at that moment, a colleague working in the same department as her walked over.
"Ms. Limmer, let me show you where to eat. Since you just came here, I suppose you're unfamiliar with the surroundings. I'll bring you to try the delicacies around here."
That colleague was a veteran employee at the department. Her name was Aubrey Cobbett.
In the end, Susan tagged along with Aubrey to have her meal. She had always been someone with good manners and a collected personality. She would never take action unless the situation progressed to the worst stage.
In the afternoon, Susan stayed quietly inside her office and focused on her work.
The only disturbance that occurred during that day was when a group of police visited. They did not have a pleasant discussion with Ian upstairs. At one point, the group of police even started to threaten Hayes Corporation.
After hearing about that matter, Susan got up and walked out of her office.
"Ms. Limmer, where are you going?"
"I'm going upstairs."
She did not feel like explaining herself to the others in the Finance Department, so she strode away without saying another word.
Soon, she arrived at the top floor by taking the elevator.
The scene was as she heard. Before Susan even entered the president's office, she could see many fully armed police officers standing outside, despite the building being Hayes Corporation.
It was as if the police officers were not there to discuss a collaboration and were there to arrest someone instead.
Susan's delicate face turned grim. She headed straight to the president's office after stepping out of the elevator.
"Why are you here, Ms. Limmer? Mr. Hayes is having a meeting with their superior at the moment. You can't just enter and interrupt them."
Susan was amused because just as she approached the president's office, Juniper immediately moved forward to stop her.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1975
Hah! I can't believe she has the audacity to stop me from entering!
Upon shooting Juniper a death stare, Susan said nothing and simply pushed the young female secretary aside. Then, she strutted into the office with swelling pride.
"Hubby, do you need help? Before coming here, Daddy has given me the contacts of our military base over here. If you need it, I can give them a call right away.”
The woman who appeared at the office like a bolt from the blue had everyone's eyes fixated on her. One of her arms was hung mid-air with an unlocked phone screen, whereas her almond-shaped eyes lit up when she saw her man.
Instantly, there was pin-drop silence at the office. The atmosphere grew so tense that a knife could cut it.
Hubby? And... Daddy?
Everyone froze for several seconds, completely baffled, including Juniper, who was still trailing behind Susan, exhausting all means to stop her from entering the office.
"Sure. Go ahead and make the call.”
Ian finally came to his senses. He gazed at Susan from his seat. He was absolutely delighted to see the person who gave him butterflies in his stomach.
Hubby? Not bad. At the very least, she has improved.
Susan hung her head low and averted her eyes from his fervent gaze. Blushing, she got herself together and was about to make the phone call.
"Hang on!” The police officer was panic-stricken.
He rose to his feet and stopped Susan before hurrying over to Ian's desk.
"Mr. Hayes, I think that... there's a misunderstanding between US.”
"Oh, is that so?" Ian questioned indifferently.
"Yes, I believe so. Mr. Hayes, please know that I came here today to approach you about the collaboration with utmost sincerity, otherwise, I wouldn't have come. The reason why I haven't given you an answer was that I had no idea what Hayes Corporation was going to do next. Take the local tyrants, for example, I have arrested all the troublemakers. But, what's next? How does Hayes Corporation plan to deal with the matter? If your intention was only to have them captured for a short period of time, they'll surely take revenge on the police upon being released.”
In the end, the officer came clean with the young man before him and shared his predicament in dismay.
After understanding his situation, a thoughtful look appeared on Ian's handsome face.
Arching his brow, he said, "Don't worry, I got this. All you need to do right now is to arrest all of them so that Hayes Corporation can resume its daily operations smoothly. You should never think that Hayes Corporation is second to Tilan Palace just because of the nature of the business we're in. Let me remind you that when the Hayeses dominated the entire Astoria, the Tilans were not even worthy of being our servants."
"Yes, indeed..."
The officer was relieved at Ian's words, but he was also terrified by his imposing presence at the same time. Cold sweats started to form on his forehead.
Yes, it's true. How is it possible that Hayes Corporation is deemed less powerful than Til an Palace?
Soon, the police were dismissed.
When Susan, who was standing at the entrance to the office, saw that, she kept her phone and got ready to scurry away too.
However, before she could make her escape, the man inside the office called out to her.
"Where are you going? I haven't seen you for the whole day. Don't you know that your hubby hasn't had anything to eat?”
Everyone outside of the president's office gasped while Susan's cheeks flushed crimson red.
"No way. Didn't she order lunch for you? I asked to have a meal with you at noon, but she told me that you were extremely busy and even insisted that I stop pestering you.”
Susan pointed a finger at Juniper who was still standing behind her.
At that instant, the man inside the office exuded a menacing aura that sent shivers down the spine of the female secretary. Hiding behind Susan, her knees immediately buckled, and she nearly collapsed to the floor.
"Um... No, that's not what I meant, Mr. Hayes. I-”
"Where's Melvin?"
"I-I'm here, Mr. Hayes.” Melvin strode forward, sweating bullets.
"Make sure that she disappears from my sight within three minutes. Henceforth, get rid of everyone else outside and shift the Finance Department here,” Ian instructed sternly with a deadpan expression.
What? Isn't he being a bit too ruthless?
Susan was dumbfounded.
After Melvin left the room, she dashed into the office. "What do you think you're doing? This is the president's office. Why are you asking the Finance Department to relocate here?"
"Simply because my wife works there. Besides, I don't need those random people here.”
Susan was at a loss for words.
"One more thing, why are you so silly? How could you let them bully you? You're officially Mrs. Hayes. Can't you be more intimidating and tell them that you're the lady boss?"
Susan watched as the boy got to his feet and started walking away from his desk. Wait... no, he's no boy... he's already twenty-two years old; a legitimate adult who has taken over his family business and is working hard building a corporate empire.
Ian went up to the dim-witted woman and pulled her into his embrace. Before she could come to her senses, he planted a domineering kiss on her lips. How can she let others step all over her?
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1976
That evening, both of them left the office under everyone's nose and headed to the hotel.
No one dared to lift their head and steal a glance at the couple, let alone make any passing comment about it.
So, she's his fiancee! Who would have thought that a plain Jane like Susan was the one who stole the show at the much-anticipated engagement ceremony held by the Jadesons three years ago? How could we be so blind and fail to recognize our lady boss?
Ian and Susan walked out of the company arm in arm.
"I was told that the villa is ready. Shall we pay the place a visit?" Upon getting into the car, Ian turned his head sideways and asked as he recalled Melvin's words.
There was a sparkle in Susan's eyes when she heard the news.
"Sure! Let's go there now."
Finally, she was not as dejected as the time when she first returned from Atlantius. The way Ian had publicly defended and protected her during the day, coupled with his distinctive sense of dominance, appeased her resentment.
Looking at Susan, a thought flashed through Ian's mind. What is she thinking? We've been through so much to be together. Even if doom's day is approaching, she has no reason to doubt my love for her.
Soon after, the couple headed to the new villa.
Everything had been pre-arranged by Solomon. Before their return, he had instructed Melvin to source for a great unit and purchase it in advance. This was so that the couple could move in right away.
"Wow!"
Susan was overjoyed the moment she opened the huge doors with beautiful floral designs carved on them. Although it was not a very large villa, the Erihalian style luxurious decoration made it look tremendously grand and magnificent.
"This is such a nice house. In the future, we can furnish it and gradually build our dream home together."
"What do you have in mind?"
Seeing her eyes all lit up, Ian switched off his buzzing phone and accompanied her for a stroll around the garden.
"We can plant some flowers over here. If you like, we can also reserve a plot to grow some vegetables. Oh, we can create a permaculture garden and grow lots of pineapples!"
"Pineapples?"
Ian was fascinated by the idea.
With great interest, he approached Susan and looked in the direction that she had pointed. At that moment, he could picture in his head a garden full of sweet pineapples.
It's going to be very lovely.
In the past three years, they had a home of their own in Jadeborough, which was gifted to them by Sigrith.
It was a rather small unit, only about a thousand square-foot, located in a commercial building. However, they designed and decorated every nook and cranny themselves according to their preference and made it their ideal home.
Hence, that was their favorite place whenever they were in Jadeborough.
None of their seniors living in Oceanic Estate had an opinion about it.
After dinner, Ian went shopping with Susan, just like what they used to do when they first moved into their old house.
Susan asked, "Ian, shall we change the style this round? We went with a minimalist interior the last time. Why don't we go with Erihalian royal court-style decorations and furnishings?"
While they were selecting furniture, Susan picked up an artistic nightstand and asked the man standing next to her cheekily.
Ian's brows snapped together at her sudden suggestion.
She can pick whichever style she likes, but can she stop calling me by my name? Didn't she have a special term of endearment for me at the office today?
Ian slowly stretched out his arm and reached for a similar-style object on the display shelf.
"Sure. We should also combine the bedrooms this time around, okay?"
"Huh?"
"If we go with Uncle Solomon's plan, we are probably going to stick around here for quite some time. So, combining the two bedrooms is just a matter of time"
He spoke with such calmness as though he did not feel awkward talking about the topic at all.
Susan, on the other hand, blushed almost instantly.
Why is he so direct? Doesn't he feel shy talking about such things?
"Um... Why don't we take a look at other stuff first? There are plenty of things we haven’t bought yet." She changed the topic abruptly because she did not know how to respond to him.
Right then, Ian spotted a pink bedside lamp.
"Hey, Darling?"
"Hmm?"
"This looks great, doesn't it? Let's get one and place it in the other room. Our daughter can use it in the future." He chucked the lamp Into the shopping cart right away.
Susan was at a loss for words.
She desperately wished for the ground to swallow her up at that moment.
He's really going overboard!
Moments later, a special yearning brewed within her as she gazed at the pink lamp in the shopping cart. She started looking forward to building a future with him.
As for our daughter... Well, what will be, will be, I guess.
It took them a long while to have everything set up in the villa before they could leave for the hotel.
Nonetheless, they had a good night's rest.
The following morning, they reported to work as usual. Ian was as busy as a bee, whereas Susan continued settling yesterday's accounts at the Finance Department.
"Bad news, Ms. Limmer. The tax authority is here. They demanded to check our accounts."
"What did you say?"
Susan raised her head and caught the drastic change of expression on Aubrey's face.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1977
Chapter 1977
The unexpected visit of the tax authority puzzled Susan.
Although the branch here is always in the red, all of its accounts are properly recorded. In fact, they paid all of the required taxes too, not a dime was left out. I've personally checked everything, and I'm sure of it. What's the purpose of their sudden visit?
A wary look flashed across Susan's face. Soon, she exited her office.
"Mr. Tanner, this is our newly appointed finance director"
The receptionist introduced several officers dressed in uniform to her the moment she stepped out of the office.
Susan scrutinized them and then proactively offered a handshake. "Hi, Mr. Tanner. I'm Susan Limmer, the person in charge of the Finance Department. Nice to meet you."
"Ms. Limmer?"
Unfortunately, Tucker Tanner paid no heed to her.
He looked very arrogant, seemingly the type that came deliberately to cause unnecessary trouble.
"I'm here today to investigate the recent export case.
I received a phone call from the customs this morning stating that Hayes Corporation did not register those goods."
Tucker then waved his hand to signal his subordinate to whip out some official documents while Susan watched on, unfazed.
When she was handed the documents, she tilted her head and quickly skimmed through the pages.
"Aubrey."
"Yes, Ms. Limmer?" responded Aubrey who was standing by her side the entire time.
Susan instructed her softly, "Go to the Sales Department and find out what's going on. Additionally, ask the two staff who completed the customs clearance to come over here immediately."
"Understood, Ms. Limmer." She went to carry out her task at once.
Then, a thought dawned on Susan, and she called out to Aubrey again. "What is Mr. Hayes up to at the moment?"
"If I'm not mistaken, he's out with Mr. Ginn," replied Aubrey.
“All right. If that's the case, there's no need to inform him about this. Go on, then." Susan made a decision on the spot.
Once Aubrey left, Susan smiled and gazed at Tucker and his team from the local tax department.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Tanner. Please allow me to learn from my colleagues what happened first. Let me take you to the reception room. Once I have understood the whole situation, I'll come back to you for a detailed discussion. Is that okay?"
"Are you serious, Ms. Limmer? You have no idea what went wrong? Why did Hayes Corporation send you here in the first place, then?" Tucker was obviously displeased.
Susan plastered a smile on her face and kept her cool. Instead of arguing with him, she led the team into the reception room and personally served them coffee.
Ten minutes later, Aubrey returned with the sales manager.
"How is it?"
"Ms. Limmer, I'm the manager of the Sales Department. There was one order which we did in a rush. The goods were handed over to the shipping container first before we completed the procedures. Regardless, the customs officer was aware of it and gave US permission to do so." The manager could not help feeling wronged when he was explaining the incident in person.
Clearly, the tax officers are in for pedantic faultfinding.
Susan collected some data and invoices received from customs clearance and headed into the reception room.
"I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Mr. Tanner. I've been updated about the incident. You're right that Hayes Corporation did skip a step when exporting the goods. However, our sales staff has confirmed that the case has been declared to customs, and we've obtained the green light from them to go ahead. Please take a look at the documentation. It shows that we've done all the necessary procedures."
Susan passed the stack of paperwork to Tucker, only to be given a cold shoulder by him.
"You've obtained permission? Who approved it? How come I'm not aware of this at all? If it's exactly as what you said, why would the customs still call up the tax department?"
"That's right, Ms. Limmer. Everything needs to be supported by evidence. We can't work based on your claims. You know, even Tilan Palace never dared to do anything quite like this.
Tilan Palace? There, he said it. So, that's what it's all about, huh?
An icy glint flashed across Susan's eyes even though she kept smiling politely at them.
"Mr. Tanner, Hayes Corporation places heavy emphasis on quality and reputation in all that the company does in Astoria. We're counted as one of the very best in the world because we're a trustworthy company. If you think that we aren't as good as Tilan Palace, then I can get Mr. Hayes' advice on what to do next. This can be easily resolved. Let us know how much the fine is, and I'll see to it that Hayes Corporation pays exactly that amount."
Susan continued, "However, I have one reminder for you, Mr. Tanner. We agreed to set up a branch here and invest our resources only because your government has put in a lot of effort to liaise with the Foreign Affairs Department and applied for a collaboration with US umpteen times. To date, Hayes Corporation is still suffering from a deficit. Should you and the customs plan to nitpick on every single matter, I'll suggest to Mr. Hayes to go and seek Mr. George's advice and see if the corporation would like to withdraw all investment."
Susan, who was apparently half the age of the officers, was readily admitting the mistake made by the company's employee.
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1978
However, the next moment, she was able to shift the conversation toward the real motives of the tax department visit to Hayes Corporation. While saying her piece, she maintained her calm and civilized behavior.
In an instant, the reception room fell dead silent.
She's good! She even mentioned the matter of economic development between the two countries. Right then, everyone, including Tucker, was stunned.
"Withdraw all investments? You must be joking, right, Ms. Limmer?" he asked.
"Oh, no. On the contrary, I'm being dead serious." The smile on Susan's face faded, and she stared firmly at him. A chill ran down Tucker's spine when she did that.
After all, her features had never been the sweet or dainty type. Instead, she had always looked calm, rational, and elegant.
Indeed, a woman like her could always exude a domineering aura. Even if she were to keep quiet, she would still be intimidating.
Just then, Aubrey uttered, "Mr. Tanner, she's actually Mr. Hayes' fiancee. In other words, she's the future lady owner of Hayes Corporation. Do you really think she would joke with you?”
Hearing that, everyone fell silent.
After around ten minutes, Susan sent them off and watched them leave before bringing the documents to her office.
"Ms. Limmer, is this the end of the matter?”
"No. They came here today to do what they were doing to Tilan Palace, and they're just trying to take advantage of Hayes Corporation. From now on, remember to get my permission before approving any payments to them,” Susan instructed.
"Yes!"
The Finance Department was shocked upon receiving such decisive and ruthless instruction from their newly appointed superior. If we do that, we'll be going against all the local tyrants here. Hayes Corporation will surely face a lot of troubles in the future.
Although they were all impressed by Susan's boldness and intelligence, they were also starting to grow concerned.
Ian had only found out about the matter after he returned to the office in the afternoon.
Melvin was in the office, and he was incredibly worried about the consequences as well. "Mr. Hayes, what Ms. Limmer did will most probably ruin the relationships we have with the other parties, such as the government officials and the local underground organizations. I think Hayes Corporation will run into problems in the near future."
Upon hearing that, Ian glared at him coldly and asked, "So? Do you want Hayes Corporation to be like Hugo and rely on others to survive here?"
"No... That's not what I meant." Beads of cold sweat started to form on Melvin's forehead right away.
Obviously, that wasn't what he meant.
In fact, he was genuinely worried. After all, Southeast Astoria is a lawless region. If we were to do business here, things aren't going to be as easy as in other regions.
In the end, Melvin could only leave worriedly.
That evening, Ian and Susan went back to their new villa after they got off from work. That was when they started having a discussion about the matter.
"Undeniably, Melvin is right to be worried. When the tax authority came today, he had confirmed Melvin's theory. The government officials are in bed with the underground organizations," Susan uttered while putting up her favorite wallpaper in the villa.
Ian remained silent for a while. Hayes Corporation is a law-abiding corporation. Since its establishment, the company had never done anything shady It's a foolish endeavor that they'd try to take advantage of Hayes Corporation.
While passing a sketch drawing he had drawn to Susan, he said, "From tomorrow onward, I'll get two men to stay with you at all times to protect you."
Huh? Susan immediately turned toward him and looked at him with a changed expression. "Why? Are we in danger?" she asked.
"It's possible. I've gone to their chamber of commerce today, and I've made myself clear. I told them Hayes Corporation will never join those organizations. Hayes Corporation will simply be Hayes Corporation, no more, no less.” A grin appeared on Ian's face.
Upon seeing that, Susan knew roughly what he meant.
She then took the sketch drawing from him and hung it at the spot they both liked.
Suddenly, she asked in a serious tone, "All right. I'll leave that to you. By the way, Ian, should we get your mom and the others to decide on the date we should
move in? I think that's only appropriate."
Ian frowned. / have no problem with the suggestion. However, shouldn't she address me differently? Before she had the time to react, he went up to her, wrapped his arms around her, and carried her off of the chair.
"Ahh!" she yelped.
After carrying her off the chair, he pulled her into his embrace and looked down at her. They were so close to each other that she could feel his breath on her face when he asked, "Ms. Limmer, I can promise you anything in the world. But in return, I'd like you to promise me something as well."
Susan blushed instantly. Her heart was pounding, and she shied away nervously. "W-What is it?" she stammered.
"From now on, don't call me by my name.” "What?"
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1979
Still Stumped, Susan raised her gaze and looked at Ian in confusion. "If I don't call you by your name, h- how should I address you, then?"
"You'll address me as 'Hubby; of course!" Ian couldn't help but instruct blatantly.
Susan was stunned, and her face flushed crimson immediately.
"But we haven't gotten our marriage certificate yet. If I address you so, I—"
"Marriage certificate?" Ian seemed like he had just realized something.
With a slight cock of his brow, he suddenly let go of her and said, "Wait here."
Susan was startled. "What are you doing?"
"I need to make a call."
"What for?"
"I'm going to get my parents to collect our marriage certificate for US." With that, Ian ran up the stairs. He was really going to call home and get his parents to collect their marriage certificate.
Is he kidding? How could he get his parents to collect our marriage certificate? Susan was amused. She then quickly followed him upstairs and rushed into the bedroom to stop him.
However, when she got there, she saw that he had already switched on the television and contacted Oceanic Estate through video call.
"Oh? Ian, Susan! You've finally called, huh? What a pleasant surprise! What have you guys been up to?" Sasha was tutoring Natalie when Ian called. She was over the moon to receive the call from them.
Seeing that, Susan had no choice but to steel herself and greet her future mother-in-law. "Hi, Mrs. Hayes. We... We've been busy getting our new house ready."
"Is that so? Are you guys done with it, then? Are you guys doing it yourselves? If it's too taxing, I can send some people over to help you guys," Sasha uttered.
"It's all right. That won't be—"
Right then, Ian interrupted and said, "Mommy, you don't have to trouble yourself with that. I need you to help Susan and me to collect our marriage certificate tomorrow."
What the hell? I can't believe he Just drop such a shocking piece of news out of nowhere! Can't he see that Mrs. Hayes and I were in the middle of a conversation?
Susan was stumped.
Sasha, too, was startled.
Regardless, she was still incredibly happy with Ian's decision. "You're asking me to collect your marriage certificate? Have you guys decided on that?
However, I can't help you guys to collect the marriage certificate. Both of you will have to go to the civil affairs office and do it yourselves."
Sasha couldn't help chuckling at how clueless her son was. He's already twenty-three. How could he not know something as basic as this? I wonder how Susan has been spending her life with him for the past three years. Could it be that she had been the one doing all the worrying for him?
As soon as those words fell, Susan felt awkward right away. Ian, on the other hand, looked utterly confused.
"When you got married to Daddy back then, didn't Grandpa do everything for you guys? Daddy wasn't even around to do it," Ian uttered.
Suddenly, a familiar tall figure appeared on the screen of the video call and fumed, "You brat! Are you done? How could you get someone else to do such an important thing for you? Do you even want to get married in the first place? Where's your sincerity, huh?"
After he scolded Susan and Ian with a grim expression, he ended the call right away.
Both Ian and Susan fell silent.
After a while, Susan noticed how sullen Ian looked. She tried her best to compose herself, and she tugged on his sleeves. "Don't be upset, okay? I-I'll do as you say... Hubby..."
Her cheeks were as red as the glow of dusk. While overwhelmed with embarrassment and awkwardness, she finally addressed him as he wanted.
Upon hearing that, Ian turned and glanced at her.
Meanwhile, in Oceanic Estate, Sasha was infuriated after Sebastian ended the call abruptly.
"Sebastian, what did you do that for? Ian is right, isn't he? It's a fact that you didn't collect our marriage certificate with me. So why are you throwing a tantrum now?" She glared at him angrily to show how dissatisfied she was with what he did back then.
D*mn that bratty son of mine! Sebastian froze momentarily.
"Darling, I was wrong, okay? Why don't we register for our marriage again?" he asked.
"Huh?" Sasha was pissed off. "What do you mean by that? You'd better say it to me clearly, Sebastian."
"Well... I mean, I owed you a lot, Darling. I didn't collect our marriage certificate with you, and I didn't give you a grand wedding ceremony. I've promised you a lot in the past, but I couldn't make good on my promises because of all the things that had happened."
"So?" Suddenly, Sasha had a bad feeling about it. Why is he admitting his faults all of a sudden? Knowing how sly and cunning he is, he must be up to something!
His Secret Lover Returning from the Dead Chapter 1980
"That's why we should do everything again, Darling. Well go to the civil affairs office, divorce each other, and then marry each other again before setting up the wedding. What do you say?"
As expected, once Sebastian got permission to reply, he spilled his plans in a thoughtful manner.
Sasha was silent as she grabbed her slipper from the floor.
Sebastian jumped in shock when he saw that.
Natalie was speechless as she watched the renowned, fearsome man being chased by his wife out of the door with a slipper.
She lowered her head, pulled out her phone, and typed: Matt, your mommy and daddy are fighting.
Matteo was speechless when he read the text.
A few minutes later, he called.
Natalie, who was lying on the desk, saw the caller ID. Her dark eyes, which appeared even more brilliant and pretty after she grew up, lit up immediately like the stars In the sky.
"Matt..."
"Mhm. What's wrong, Nat? Why did my mommy and daddy fight?" Matteo sounded pretty anxious on the phone.
Even his voice was higher-pitched.
It was natural for him to be shocked, since he had never seen his parents fight before. They were usually loving and affectionate toward each other, especially his father. He knew his father loved his mother a lot.
That was why he was pretty shocked when he suddenly heard that.
Natalie told him the whole story in a small voice, starting from Ian's call to their parents' argument. Her description was clear.
She had grown up, after all.
When Matteo learned what actually happened, he relaxed. "Ah, I see. In that case, you should just ignore it. You only need to focus on doing your homework."
"Mhm." Natalie nodded her head and agreed.
Matteo was about to end the call when he heard her speaking again. "I got ninety-five marks for the exam this time, Matt. I only need five more marks to accomplish your request."
"Really? That's great, Nat. Good job!" He didn't hesitate to compliment Natalie, yet she wasn't happy.
Instead, after she listened to his reply, a tinge of anxiety appeared on her delicate and pretty face.
"Is that all?"
"Hmm?" He didn't react to it in time. "What do you mean?"
Silence ensued on the other end of the line.
What she was referring to was the promise he made to her before.
For the past three years, no one knew that the reason Natalie was able to stay obediently at Oceanic Estate for her education was because of Matteo's promise. He had promised her that if she worked hard and gained one hundred marks in sixth grade, he would bring her to attend a middle school in the area he lived.
That was why she had been working really hard for the past three years.
She wasn't smart. Her mother, Willow, was an ordinary person while her father, Brandon, was pretty average too.
That was why her grades had always been mediocre.
After three years, right before she was heading to sixth grade, she actually achieved ninety-five marks.
She hung up the call. When Sasha returned to the room, she saw no one inside.
"Where is she?" When she saw the incomplete homework on the table, she panicked.
Sebastian was right behind her, and when he saw that, his eyebrows furrowed as well. They went out to look for her.
The intensity of their worries increased when they couldn't find Natalie anywhere in Oceanic Estate that night.
"Where did she go? She was all okay when she was doing her homework! Why did she suddenly disappear? Did someone come in and abducted her?" Sasha was so worried that tears were gushing out of her eyes.
It couldn't be helped, since Natalie was the only person alive who had a blood relation to her best friend. She couldn't imagine how she would face her friend if the child went missing.
Seeing how his wife was getting extremely anxious, Sebastian, who was worried she might break down, comforted her first before giving Devin a call and asking him to bring people over. They would conduct a thorough search over the entire Jadeborough.
No one in the Jadeson family rested for the entire night.
The next morning, everyone was shocked that Matteo, who was supposed to be at the foreign police headquarters, suddenly appeared in front of them.
"Matteo, you... Why are you here?"
"Where's Natalie? Did you all find her?" That was the first thing he asked after traveling back to the country overnight.
Sasha was stunned.
At that moment, Sebastian also understood something.
Half an hour later, they found Natalie in Matteo’s room. She was hiding inside Matteo's wardrobe. When she was carried out of the wardrobe, she was unconscious.
"What exactly is going on?" Jonathan got so furious that he pounded the floor with his walking stick.
Sasha wasn't sure what to say.
In the end, she could only watch as her son carried Natalie in his arms and rushed the little girl to the hospital before following them.