Ch. 1..10
Chapter 1 Homecoming
It was a dark night when heavy curtains shrouded the room in complete darkness.
Two bodies were pressing against each other in bed. The man’s breathing was heavy; he had a sturdy physique, and his manners were rough.
Nicole was so in pain that there were a few times when she had wanted to push the man away. However, upon thinking of her mother, who was in the hospital, she forced herself to fight back the urge to resist him. She gritted her teeth, letting him have his way with her again and again…
After a long, long time, the man finally fell into a deep sleep. Enduring the discomfort, Nicole staggered out of bed, put on her clothes, and left.
Wearing exquisite makeup, Queenie Anderson walked to the room door at a leisurely pace. “How did it go, sis? Did you service Young Master Joseph well?” Blatant smugness showed in her eyes when she saw Nicole’s sorry figure. So what if Nicole is pretty and excels in her studies? In the end, she only deserves to substitute for me, doesn’t she?
Nicole’s voice was cracked and gravelly as she gritted her teeth while lifting her stubborn and pretty little face up. “Don’t forget what you’ve promised me, Queenie.”
“The 200,000 has been transferred to your account,” Queenie replied while tossing Nicole’s cell phone back to the owner. Then, in a mean voice full of disdain and mockery, she added, “I won’t forget about that, of course. That’s the money you’ve prostituted yourself for, after all.”
Her venomous words stabbed Nicole in the heart like a dagger, but Nicole couldn’t be bothered that much. After taking back her phone, she rushed to the hospital.
After Nicole completely disappeared from her sight, Queenie let out a cold snort and opened the door to the suite with a wiggle.
Joseph Mann was the Mann Family’s youngest son. Despite his unsavory reputation, his father, Robert Mann, was very fond of him, for Joseph was born when Robert was in his older years. Joseph was plied with drinks tonight, so he wouldn’t know about the switch. When he sees the blood in bed, he’ll definitely take responsibility for what has happened! If it weren’t for Joseph only preferring virgins, I wouldn’t have given up the opportunity to Nicole, that b*tch! Queenie thought to herself.
However, as soon as she undressed and got into bed, the man in bed suddenly awakened. At once, he seized her throat with his strong, large hand, exuding a terrifyingly murderous aura through his every pore. “Who are you?” His voice was husky, with a slight trace of lust from him having just slept with someone, but his demeanor was unusually commanding.
A dumbfounded Queenie looked up, only to find unexpectedly that the man on top of her wasn’t Joseph. He was Colton Gardner, the person currently at the helm of the Gardner Family—a family for whom the Mann Family was far from being a match…
Five years later, Nicole, dressed in a long and slick trench coat, walked in high heels among the crowd at Goldwick Airport, drawing the attention of many with her beautiful face and smoking hot figure.
Upon returning to the familiar city, Nicole couldn’t help falling into a trance. Although she had gotten 200,000 that year, by the time she arrived at the hospital, her mother had passed away. According to the doctor, the hospital had called her many times when her mother was in her dying moments, but all the phone calls had been cut off.
Nicole nearly had a breakdown when she heard that, for when the hospital was calling her, she was in Joseph’s bed, and her phone was in Queenie’s hands! In other words, it was Queenie who had robbed her mother of her last chance of survival!
At first, Nicole had wanted to end her life after making the arrangements for her mother’s funeral. However, she was held back by the baby in her womb then…
Suddenly, a boy’s clear voice snapped her out of her abstraction. “Hurry up, Mom! I’m bursting!”
Nicole’s spirits lifted the instant she lowered her head and saw her son’s tender little face, which was red from him struggling to hold his pee. “Now you’re bursting, huh? I told you to use the washroom on the plane, but you kept saying no.”
“Mom!” Hayden Anderson pouted his lips with a hint of grievance.
“Alright, the airport’s washroom is over there. Let me take you there,” Nicole replied, quickening her pace involuntarily, leading her son through the crowd before they finally reached the washroom. “Can you manage alone?” she asked, crouching down a little. When they returned from abroad, her son insisted that they take everything with them, so it was really inconvenient for her to follow her son into the washroom while carrying many things with her.
“Yeah. Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll be out in a minute,” Hayden replied while swiftly trotting into the washroom. It seemed that he couldn’t hold it in much longer.
Nicole was lugging her suitcase and waiting outside when her cell phone suddenly rang in her pocket. At the sight of the caller ID, she frowned slightly. Why does this phone number seem familiar to me? But I always save the phone numbers of those I have work-related dealings with on my phone’s contact list… Nonetheless, she answered the phone call.
An apologetic female voice immediately sounded through the phone. “I’m sorry, Ms. Lisa…”
The woman’s voice carried a note of respect, and it sounded familiar, but Nicole couldn’t remember knowing any person with such a voice. “You are?” she asked, puzzled. Over the past five years, she had been furthering her studies in fashion design. Eventually, she was spotted by a talent scout, so she joined F&M Apparel as the Chief Designer under the code name ‘Lisa’.
At first, Nicole had wanted to take Hayden to visit her mother’s grave on her homecoming trip this time. As it happened, F&M Apparel’s branch in the country was in talks with Gardner Corporation, a leading enterprise in the country, for a partnership, so her boss asked her to help with the negotiations…
Meanwhile, Queenie lowered her voice on the other end of the line to make it sound softer. “Ms. Lisa, I’m your assistant in the country. I’m supposed to pick you up this time, but I have something important to deal with at the moment, so I’m really tied up…”
Chapter 2 This Guy Looks So Much Like Her Son
Queenie spoke to Lisa respectfully without knowing who the latter really was.
Five years ago, Queenie hatched up a plot in an attempt to trick Joseph into marrying her for the sake of her own interests. However, in a strange combination of circumstances, she ended up hooking Colton instead. To compensate her for what had happened, Colton gave her the title of “the future Young Madam Gardner,” but his manner toward her had always been lukewarm. This time, she volunteered to be Lisa’s assistant, wanting to do well to impress Colton since Gardner Corporation placed great emphasis on the partnership.
She was supposed to pick Lisa up herself today, but she learned all of a sudden that Colton would be returning from his business trip ahead of schedule on the same flight as Lisa. To her, no one could be more important than Colton, so she could only flake on Lisa.
Nicole noticed that the woman on the other end of the line had begun to hum and haw, as though the latter really had something urgent to deal with. “I got it. Just go ahead with your stuff first. I can hail a cab back myself.” Only then did she recall her boss telling her before her trip home that an assistant had been assigned to her to help her familiarize herself with the company’s work in the country. It’s said that this assistant is the future Young Madam Gardner, but I never thought she’d be so polite…
“Thank you so much, Ms. Lisa.” Queenie hung up with a sigh of relief.
This was the first time Lisa returned to her home country to take over the company’s business in the country, and rumor had it that she was a woman in her forties. At first, Queenie had thought that she would be difficult to deal with, but she didn’t expect Lisa to be so easygoing.
Nicole continued standing outside the washroom after putting away her phone. She waited for over ten minutes, but Hayden had yet to come out. It’s been such a long time. Could something have happened? She stared at the men’s room sign, hesitating whether she should go in to take a look.
Just then, Hayden ran out on his little legs and threw himself at her trouser legs, crying. “Mom…”
Nicole immediately looked down at her son, only to find that his eyes were red.
Nicole had no idea who Hayden inherited his looks from, but he looked really adorable. His black hair rested softly on his head, and his little face was round and plump. With his delicate and good-looking features, he would definitely become a handsome guy when he grew up. At this very moment, though, he looked very aggrieved. His bright and clear eyes were tinged with red, and his lips were slightly pouted. Worried, she crouched down and asked, “What’s wrong, Hayden?”
“Mom, there was a man inside who bullied me.”
A man bullied my son? Upon listening to Hayden’s words, Nicole instantly saw red. Does this guy have no sense of shame? How could he bully a little boy? She comforted her son while standing ferociously outside the men’s room, ready to argue it out with the man when he came out later.
A short while later, a man came out of the men’s room. Being tall and lean, he was dressed immaculately in a well-ironed black suit that outlined his perfectly proportioned figure, especially his broad shoulders, slim waist, and criminally long legs.
Nicole looked all the way up from the man’s slim waist, only to be taken aback when she laid eyes on his face.
The man had chiseled and exquisite features, with a tall nose and a pair of slightly compressed thin lips that had a sharp edge to them. The most captivating of his features were his eyes, the inky pupils of which were very deep despite the hint of callousness about them, like a pair of black holes that could suck people in.
However, what astounded Nicole wasn’t the man’s dazzling features, but his looks. He looked just like the adult version of her son!
Chapter 3 We Look Exactly Alike!
One could tell at a glance that the man wasn’t to be messed with, for he had a commanding presence. Still, Nicole straightened her back nonetheless and took a step forward, blocking his path. “Hey, you! Were you the one who bullied my son?” Since the man was very tall, she only reached the height of his shoulders despite standing on high heels, which somehow made her feel somewhat weaker.
Upon hearing Nicole’s voice, Colton turned to look at her. The woman had dazzling features, but her palm-sized face had fury written all over it. Holding her small chin high, she looked wild and intractable. However, Colton was slightly lost in thought when he caught a whiff of the barely noticeable scent on her. This scent… It feels somewhat familiar…
Suddenly, a child’s sobbing voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “Mom, it was him!”
A flicker of scorn flashed across Colton’s eyes, which were as deep and fathomless as a frozen pond, when he saw the boy clinging onto Nicole’s trouser leg. Women nowadays are getting craftier than one another in terms of tricks in order to get close to me. To think that this woman is able to find a kid who looks so much like me! If it weren’t for me being certain about Queenie being the only woman I’ve ever touched, I would’ve suspected him of being my son…
“Apologize to my son, mister!” Nicole demanded, holding her head high while trying hard not to appear timid. “Don’t you feel ashamed of bullying such a little kid as an adult man?”
Colton’s eyes narrowed slightly; his voice was deep and mellow, like a barrel of well-matured wine. “Didn’t he tell you what he had done?”
Naturally, Nicole sided with her son. “Tell me then—what did my son do to make you bully him like that?”
Colton let out a cold snort before lifting his foot. “Do you understand now?”
Nicole looked all the way down the man’s incredibly long legs until she spotted a damp patch on the hem of his trouser leg. Could this be… A bad feeling arose in her gut. As she lifted her son up from her feet, her throat felt somewhat dry. “What did you do?”
Hayden replied aggrievedly, “Nothing. I just peed on him by accident, so he wanted to hit me.”
Nicole’s initially towering rage immediately vanished, and she rubbed her nose in embarrassment. Will it be too late for me to start apologizing now? Why didn’t this little rascal tell me sooner about it after doing something wrong? “I’m sorry,” she said apologetically with a complete reversal in attitude while looking down at the man’s trouser legs. The man’s clothes were unbranded, but she could tell from the fabric alone that they must be very expensive. “I’ll compensate you for the…”
Colton loathed such disgusting and obsequious ways of chatting someone up. He interrupted Nicole coldly, saying, “Just manage your child so that he won’t call any man whom he came across ‘Dad.’ Such a way of chatting someone up is really old-fashioned. And besides…” He paused for a moment before continuing in a voice as cold as a deep pond that had existed for 1,000 years, “There’s no way you can compensate for my clothes.” With that, he strode off.
Chatting someone up? There’s no way I can compensate for his clothes? Nicole trembled all over with rage. Just what kind of a man is he? Well, I admit that this guy is incomparably good-looking, but he isn’t so charming to the extent where women would throw themselves at him on sight, is he? Although her son was the one in the wrong in this matter, she couldn’t help but despise the man for his cocky way of speaking and haughty manner. What a bad-mannered, uncouth upstart! What a waste of such good looks!
“Mom.” Hayden looked up with a hurt look in his eyes.
Seeing how her son looked, Nicole couldn’t find it in herself to scold him. She pinched his tender cheek, asking, “Did you call him ‘Dad’ just now?”
“Yeah,” Hayden mumbled in dejection.
A hint of helplessness flickered across Nicole’s face when she heard Hayden’s reply. “Didn’t I show you photos of your dad? Your dad is a jerk!” She never concealed Hayden’s parentage from him, and she had shown him photos of Joseph, but he never believed her. Whenever she showed him Joseph’s photo, he would retort, “There’s no way my dad would be so ugly! I’m so good-looking, so my dad has to be good-looking, too.”
Nicole was rendered speechless. Joseph was a philanderer, but he was by no means ugly.
Lifting his little face up, Hayden replied stubbornly, “That’s impossible! Mom, don’t you think that the guy just now is my dad? We look exactly alike!”
Chapter 4 A Valid Reason to Meet Me Again
“Stop thinking about it, you little brat! I’m the one who gave birth to you, so I know what your dad looked like,” Nicole replied. Then, she warned under her breath, “Don’t call any random guy ‘Dad’ again from now on. Otherwise, I’m gonna leave you abroad and not bring you back.”
Hayden curled his lips. Despite his urge to retort, he didn’t make a sound for fear that his mother would really leave him abroad.
Nicole exited the airport with her son to hail a taxi. Since she would return to the country every year to visit her mother’s grave, she purchased an apartment in Goldwick. With a size of only 80 square feet, the apartment was anything but spacious, but it was big enough to accommodate her and her son.
She had just hailed a taxi and was about to shove her luggage into the trunk when she suddenly spotted a figure in the distance. That tall figure in black that gives off chilly vibes, isn’t he the narcissistic freak whom I’ve just met outside the airport washroom?
Standing beside the man was a tall and slim woman who looked strongly familiar to Nicole from behind. Well, to be able to pair off with such a freak, that woman probably isn’t of sound mind either, Nicole thought viciously to herself while withdrawing her gaze.
It was already getting toward evening when Nicole finished tidying up the house after returning home. Upon recollecting herself, she suddenly noticed that Hayden was strangely quiet today, and a bad feeling came to her. Heading over to the sofa, she saw Hayden doing something on the laptop on his lap. When she moved closer to take a look, she noticed that he was holding an ID card in his hand!
The man on the ID card was pursing his thin lips, looking stern with his black, steely eyes. Although it was just a photo, one could tell that he was very full of himself. I-Isn’t he the freak at the airport?! “Hayden, where did you get this ID card?” Nicole struggled to suppress her urge to swear. Since when did Hayden become so capable as to lift somebody’s ID card…
Upon hearing her words, Hayden closed the laptop with the ID card in his hand. Lifting his face up, he replied with a straight face, “I picked it up from the floor. I wanted to give it back to the man at first, but I didn’t since he was mean to us.”
Nicole looked down at the sofa, only to be rendered speechless by the sight of a black wallet placed beside Hayden. That guy seemed to have a bit of a background. If we don’t return the wallet to him right now, once he finds out about it, he’ll definitely assume us to be thieves. There’ll be no way for us to prove our innocence then!
She felt somewhat helpless. This son of mine really won’t give me peace even for a single day, she thought. She picked up the wallet from the sofa and flipped through it. Inside it were a dozen 100-dollar notes and quite a number of cards, from which she took out one that seemed like a business card.
The business card was very simple; it only had a name and a phone number. “Colton Gardner…” Nicole mumbled aloud. She couldn’t help feeling that she had heard of the name somewhere. No matter what, let’s return it first before anything else, or else we’ll get in trouble. She dialed the number on the business card.
It took a few seconds before the phone call was put through. “Hello?” A deep and chilly male voice greeted Nicole’s ear.
Feeling her skin crawl in an instant, Nicole explained, “Hi there, I found your wallet. I’m—”
“Are you the woman at the airport?”
Nicole was startled. She didn’t expect the man to have such a good memory as to recognize her from her voice alone. “Yeah, it’s me.”
Colton gave a chuckle, but his words were grim. “You’re quite crafty, aren’t you? Now you have a valid reason to meet me again.”
Chapter 5 Delivering the Wallet
Upon returning from the airport, Colton found that his wallet was gone. It has to be the kid at the airport. He’s the only person I’ve come into contact with, he thought.
Nicole was instantly irritated by the man’s egotistical remarks. Struggling to suppress her anger, she explained, “You dropped your wallet yourself, and I’m kind-hearted enough to call you to return it to you.”
“Have it delivered to the Central Pavilion Hotel, or else you’ll suffer the consequences,” Colton said in a cold voice before hanging up right away. He didn’t want to say anything more than necessary to such a woman, but there were several cards in his wallet that were quite important, and it would be a hassle to have them reissued.
Nicole nearly went berserk when she heard the disconnect tone on the phone. What a f*cking screwball! How could he order me around like he’s entitled to do so?! She clenched the wallet in her hand, wishing she could just throw it into the toilet and flush it down. Nevertheless, she forcibly fought back her desire to do so, not wanting to invite unnecessary trouble since she had just returned from abroad. Putting the ID card in Hayden’s hand back into the wallet, she asked worriedly, “Did you touch anything else in the wallet?”
Hayden looked totally innocent and harmless with his black, round eyes. “Nope. All I did was take a look at his ID card.”
Nicole shoved the wallet into her handbag with a nod before taking out her cell phone to order a takeout for Hayden. Staring at her son, she said in all seriousness, “Thanks to you, Hayden, I’ve got to leave home in a while and won’t be back until about three hours later. Can you manage on your own?” The journey back and forth from here to Central Pavilion Hotel would take two hours. Considering the time she would be spending at the hotel, it would take about three hours before she got back.
“Yes, I can.” Hayden nodded with a hint of determination in his eyes.
Nicole instructed, “Well then, Hayden, just go to your room to sleep if you want to after finishing your dinner. I’ve tidied your room.” What a bad year for me, getting into so much trouble as soon as I came back.
Hayden nodded obediently while responding in a childlike voice, “Yeah, I got it, Mom. Just go, or else it’ll be late when you come back.”
Somehow, Nicole felt like Hayden was eager for her to go. It’s probably just my imagination…
Meanwhile, at Central Pavilion Hotel, a group of people were having an animated conversation when one of them suddenly recalled something and said, “If my memory serves me, Gardner Corporation is gonna partner up with Ms. Lisa of F&M Apparel. Wouldn’t it be the icing on the cake? With Ms. Lisa taking the helm, Gardner Corporation will definitely strengthen its position as the leading enterprise in expanding the fashion market.”
Colton replied impassively, “Mm-hmm.”
“Isn’t it said that Ms. Lisa would be arriving in the country today? Did you get to meet her?”
Upon hearing the question, Colton turned his gaze to Queenie, who was next to him.
Queenie had thought that this was nothing important, so she didn’t expect the subject to be brought up. Having no other choice, she said with a tight smile, “Nope, I didn’t. Something came up, so I missed the opportunity.”
Colton’s voice turned chilly all of a sudden. “What happened?”
Startled by the man’s frosty eyes, Queenie hummed and hawed for a long time before uttering, “Well, you happened to be on the same flight today, so—”
However, Colton had always been strict in keeping business-related matters and private affairs separate. “You’re the one who asked for the job of assistant, and now you’re not even capable of something as simple as picking someone up.”
Queenie felt somewhat hurt. “I just thought that you—”
Colton interrupted her before she could finish her sentence. “As an assistant, it’s your most basic professional duty to keep work-related matters and your private affairs separate!”
Suppressing the urge to retort, Queenie hung her head low and clasped her hands with all her might, not daring to speak.
Colton didn’t spare her feelings at all, though. “Now that you’ve taken up the job of assistant, you have to do your duty.”
“Understood…” Queenie replied in a whisper.
Colton’s expression was still somewhat frosty, though. Resting his slender fingers on the table, he continued, “F&M Apparel’s annual dinner will be held at the Crown Hotel half a month later. You’d better not mess that up.”
Meanwhile, Nicole arrived downstairs at the hotel by taxi. After paying the taxi fare and getting out of the taxi, she entered the hotel lobby and called the pompous man.
It took an eternity before the phone call was finally answered. “I’ve arrived at Central Pavillion Hotel. Please come down to collect your wallet, or I’ll leave it at the hotel’s front desk,” Nicole said quickly, fearing that the man might once again think she was having designs on him.
“Bring it upstairs to Room 816,” Colton said before hanging up right away.
Be patient! Nicole clutched the cell phone in her hand with all her might. I’ve got to be patient! Now that I’ve arrived at the hotel, the matter will be over once I hand the wallet back to that guy!
After taking the elevator to the eighth floor, she quickly found Room 816. Thanks to her good manners, she knocked on the door and didn’t open the door and go in until she heard a voice saying, “Come in,” from the inside.
Inside the room were a dozen men and women, but Nicole spotted Colton sitting across from her at a glance. Dressed in a suit and a pair of leather shoes, he sat bolt upright, drawing her gaze at once with his commanding presence. Well, this freak is bad-mannered and domineering, but his looks and demeanor are indeed out of the ordinary…
Suddenly, a shrill cry snapped her out of her reverie. “Why are you here, Nicole?!”
Seeing Queenie next to Colton, Nicole was wholly surprised for a moment…
Chapter 6 Meeting Queenie
Nicole hurriedly withdrew her gaze, then walked up to Colton before handing his wallet to him. “Here’s your wallet, Mr. Gardner; please check and see if there’s anything missing from it. If there isn’t any, I’ll be leaving first,” she said, all in one breath.
However, just as she was about to leave, Queenie called out to her, asking, “Why are you here, sis?” Isn’t Nicole supposed to have disappeared completely? Why is she here all of a sudden, showing up before Colton with his wallet in her hand no less?! A vicious gleam flickered in her eyes. She happened to be looking for an outlet to vent her spleen after having been reprimanded by Colton just now, and here Nicole was, coming right to her!
Nicole froze at Queenie’s words. Not wanting to have anything to do with the Andersons, she wore a distant smile, saying, “Sorry, but you took me for the wrong person.”
Just when she was about to leave, Queenie shouted loudly from behind, “It’s been five years since you left, sis. Dad misses you a lot. Can you please come home when you’re free?”
As soon as Queenie said that, a buzz of gossip immediately broke out from the crowd.
“So this is the Anderson Family’s illegitimate daughter?”
“I heard that she shamelessly slept with a guy for peanuts several years ago…”
“Tsk, tsk… Keep your voice down! The other Anderson is still here.”
Upon hearing their words, Queenie was inwardly delighted. After all, she was the one who spread all these rumors around. The former eldest daughter of the Anderson Family is now a prostitute spurned by everyone! That’s exactly what I want. I want Nicole to be utterly discredited and living like a stray dog. Only then will I be happy!
On the other hand, Nicole trembled with rage upon hearing the crowd’s remarks. Illegitimate daughter? How am I an illegitimate daughter? My mom was William Anderson’s first wife! Seems like they’ve spread a lot of false rumors about me over the past few years.
Nicole could put up with anything, but not insults directed at her mother. Her eyes slightly darkened, she turned around and uttered, stressing each word, “Is that so? I’ve been busy over the past few years, and besides, I thought the Anderson Family had forgotten about me long ago, seeing you guys never looked for me, nor did you ever call me.”
At this moment, her bright, clear eyes narrowed slightly with a chilly gleam. Staring at those who had been whispering about her just now, she stressed in a loud voice, “My mother was William Anderson’s first wife, and I was already eight years old when they divorced. On the other hand, this younger sister of mine is only a few months younger than me. Anyone with a brain should be able to tell who’s the illegitimate daughter here.”
When Queenie saw how Nicole held her head high, a layer of mist instantly came over her eyes, as though the latter was bullying her. “Sis.” Her voice started to take on a sobbing note. “I wasn’t trying to imply anything. I was just asking you to come home for a visit.”
Nicole’s lips curled into a sneer. “I wasn’t implying anything either. I was just explaining the Anderson Family’s situation to those who are unaware of the truth lest they be brainwashed by some false rumors.”
As soon as Nicole finished her sentence, she sensed a meaningful gaze upon her; she followed the gaze to find that it was from Colton. This guy had never said a word from start to finish. His eyes were dark and fathomless, and the corner of his mouth was lifted in the barest hint of a smile. Obviously, he looked like he was gloating over what was happening.
Nicole wasn’t interested in making a spectacle of herself, though, so she turned around and left quickly.
It wasn’t until she closed the door to cut herself off from the world inside that she realized her heart was beating fast. as though it were going to jump out of her chest. However, it wasn’t because she was afraid of Queenie; it was only because she was suppressing her rage. It was all because of this woman that my mom died! I’ll never let Queenie off—as well as everyone in the Anderson Family! Clenching her fists, she stood in place to regain her composure until her face returned to being expressionless as usual.
By the time Nicole returned home, Hayden was already asleep. When she saw the little figure curled up in bed, her heart calmed all at once; she stepped forward and kissed her son’s sleeping face as a smile of gratification lifted the corners of her mouth. Luckily, I’m no longer alone now. I still have Hayden, my little darling…
Chapter 7 You’re Going to Marry Joseph’s Father!
The weather was cool in mid-January, with the rain drizzling endlessly outside.
Nicole’s eyes dimmed a little when they darted upon the date. Today was January 18—her mother’s death anniversary.
Nicole had wanted to take Hayden to visit her mother today, but the weather was really bad, so she decided to only do so after the weather had gotten better.
The graveyard was desolate with few people. Holding a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a black umbrella in the other, Nicole slowly walked up to her mother’s grave. To her surprise, there was already a man and a woman standing before the grave. The woman was Queenie, whereas the man was William Anderson—her so-called father.
William’s wrinkled face had a touch of emotion to it. “It’s been a while since we last saw each other, Nicole. I heard from Queenie that you’re back, so I came here to wait for you, thinking that you’d be coming here.” When he heard from Queenie that Nicole had come back, he had been somewhat skeptical. After some mental calculations, he realized that Nicole’s mother’s death anniversary was around the corner. Since Nicole was very attached to her mother, she would definitely come here to visit her mother’s grave. Therefore, he came here early in the morning to wait for Nicole, and here she was, coming just as expected.
William was ashamed of what had happened five years ago. However, it was all thanks to it that Queenie managed to attach herself to the Gardner Family, which resulted in a turnaround for the then-declining Anderson Family. He would never allow anyone—including his biological daughter right before him—to destroy the Andersons’ peace!
Nicole coldly walked past the hypocritical man before her. “Go away! Don’t disturb my mom’s peace.”
“Let bygones be bygones, Nicole. Let’s have a heart-to-heart talk. Nicole…”
Regardless of what William said, Nicole placed flowers on her mother’s grave and paid her respects. After that, she turned around and left without even taking a glance at the two people behind her.
Queenie’s exquisitely made-up face contorted at once when she saw how Nicole looked down her nose at them. Just what entitles this b*tch to assume such a haughty air?!
Just as Nicole was walking past Queenie, the latter seized her wrist with so much strength, as though her fingernails were going to dig into the former’s flesh. “Nicole, don’t you want your mother’s stuff anymore?”
Nicole stopped in her tracks.
Seeing the woman’s response, Queenie smiled smugly. “If you want to get her stuff, then come home with us!”
The rain was getting heavier and heavier. Standing before the familiar villa, Nicole gave off an aura of gloom through every pore as her exquisite features tautened. And here I am, standing before the Anderson Residence—the cold-hearted and disgusting home, she thought. Five years ago, in order to save her mother from a disease, she came here in tears to borrow money from the Andersons, only to enter into a deal where she had prostituted herself in return. To think that I’m back again five years later…
Seeing Nicole entering the house, William immediately ordered the servants to serve her coffee, acting all caring as though he really were a loving father to her. “Let’s have something warm to drink, Nicole. The weather’s a bit chilly.”
Loving father? Nicole let out a sneer. This scumbag of a man had been fooling around outside when Mom was pregnant, she thought. Nicole’s mother had been in poor health ever since she gave birth to Nicole, but William forced her into divorce when Nicole was eight years old. After the divorce, Nicole’s mother was left penniless. Having no money to raise Nicole, she had no choice but to let Nicole stay at the Anderson Residence.
Less than a month after the divorce, William married Nicole’s stepmother, who brought along with her a little girl—Queenie—who was merely three months Nicole’s junior. Nicole’s stepmother detested Nicole, so it was routine for the then little Nicole to be cold-shouldered, fed with spoiled food, and beaten up savagely, but William turned a blind eye to all this.
I’d have nothing to do anymore with the cold-blooded Anderson Family after Mom’s death! thought Nicole to herself. “Just spill it. What the hell are you getting me to come back for?” she asked in a cold voice. The pains they took to get me to come home, their groveling and hypocritical demeanor—it’s a no-brainer that they’re coming to me with an ax to grind.
“Just cut the bullsh*t with her, Dad,” Queenie chimed in. Getting straight to the point, she said to Nicole, “I’m gonna be straight with you, Nicole. We can allow you to return to Anderson Family and continue being the family’s eldest daughter—but on one condition.”
Looking at Nicole as if she were a piece of trash, she then continued disdainfully, “As long as you’re willing to marry President Mann, we’ll let you marry him as Young Lady Nicole of the Anderson Family for the sake of dignity.” Eyeing Nicole with a flicker of jealousy in her eyes, she added sarcastically, “You could prostitute yourself for 200,000 five years ago, anyway, so you don’t have to act all sanctimonious right now. With the title of Young Lady Nicole, after becoming President Mann’s woman, you’ll at least be living the rest of your life without having to worry about food and clothing.”
Queenie envied Nicole for having slept with Colton. Ever since Nicole slept with the man five years ago, Queenie had never had the opportunity to touch him. Even though Colton had aided the Andersons a lot and granted her every wish, what Queenie truly wanted was nothing but the man himself!
A hint of surprise flickered across Nicole’s face when she heard Queenie’s words. “President Mann? You mean Joseph?” Is she talking about Hayden’s father?
“Joseph? What makes you think you deserve to marry him?” Queenie couldn’t help but laugh when she heard Nicole mention Joseph’s name. “How dare you even think about marrying Young Master Joseph? I’m talking about Robert Mann, Young Master Joseph’s father!”
Chapter 8 Meeting Joseph
Because of Hayden, Nicole had dug up pretty much everything about the Mann Family long ago. Robert Mann, Joseph’s father, was an old man in his 60s. After his wife’s death two years ago, he began fooling around with numerous women, gaining even more notoriety than his son. Are they making me serve the father after I’ve served his son? What a real piece of work they are! she thought. She didn’t feel like arguing with Queenie and William any longer; she just wanted to collect her mother’s stuff and leave. “I don’t need that. Just give me my mom’s stuff!”
Queenie’s sarcastic voice rang as soon as Nicole finished her sentence. “Stop pretending already, Nicole! You were willing to sleep with a stranger for 200,000 five years ago. Now that you’ll be enjoying an inexhaustible fortune as long as you marry into the Mann Family, how could you possibly turn it down?!”
Queenie knew that Colton only acknowledged her as his future wife because “she” had saved him five years ago, but Nicole was the one who had actually saved him. I’ll never let anyone ruin my present life! As long as Nicole gets married to Robert, even if Colton learns about the truth in the future, he wouldn’t want Nicole anymore!
On the other hand, Nicole’s hands involuntarily clenched into fists by her sides. Five years ago… If it weren’t for Mom being gravely ill five years ago, I’d never have sunk so low as to prostitute myself! “I’m not short of money.” Her voice had a glacial edge to it.
Queenie was obviously skeptical as she darted a glance at Nicole’s outfit, for the latter wasn’t wearing any luxury items. “Just stop being stubborn, sis. You’re familiar with the Manns anyway, aren’t you?”
Nicole retorted with a sneer, “You keep talking about the Manns. Since you’re so fond of the Mann Family, why don’t you marry into the family yourself?” Seeing that Queenie and William had no intention of giving her her mother’s belongings, she decided not to waste her breath arguing with them any longer. She was very open-minded; it’d be best if she could retrieve her mother’s belongings, but she wouldn’t wager her life for it if she couldn’t. “If there’s nothing else, I’m leaving,” she said. With that, she turned around and was about to leave.
At the sight of the scene, Queenie hurriedly took a few steps forward and grabbed Nicole’s wrist. Her shrill voice rang in Nicole’s ear as she yelled, “There’ll be no chance for you to regret your decisions after you pass through this door, Nicole! What kind of job can you get without a college degree? A waitress? A hostess? Or a whore?”
Nicole clenched her fists tightly. “Well, in that case, sorry that I didn’t end up living the way you imagined. I’m now F&M Apparel’s Chief Designer, so it’s not like I don’t have that much money.”
Queenie’s voice went up a few pitches as she stared at the woman before her. “Chief Designer? You mean Lisa?”
“Uh-huh,” Nicole responded, though she never thought she would be so well-known that even Queenie knew about the code name “Lisa.”
However, as soon as she mumbled her reply, Queenie burst into a chuckle with mockery written all over her face. “Nicole, even if you want to talk big, you didn’t have to make up such an absurd excuse, did you? Lisa is a woman in her forties with rich working experience and great skills. How could someone like you be a match for her?”
A woman in her forties? Nicole frowned slightly, but she didn’t bother to argue about that. “Whether you believe it or not is up to you,” she said, before leaving quickly.
It was still raining outside. The instant Nicole stepped out of the house, she was greeted by a nip in the air. Pulling her coat tighter around her body, she ran out into the rain, not wanting to stay here even for a second longer.
As soon as Nicole returned to her apartment and opened the door, she was welcomed by a gust of warm air. She took off her coat and hung it on the clothes stand.
Hayden was playing with the laptop on the sofa. At the sound of Nicole entering the apartment, he immediately shut down the laptop, looking like he had done something bad and didn’t want Nicole to find out about it.
Having changed into her slippers, Nicole walked up to Hayden in amusement. “Not letting me take a look, huh? What did you do?”
Hayden held the laptop in his arms with an innocent look in his big, clear eyes. “I can’t tell you about it, Mom. It’s my little secret.”
Seeing how nervous he looked, Nicole gave an impassive laugh without saying anything else. “It’s getting late. You should go to sleep now. Don’t play with the laptop anymore.” She realized that as long as she returned home and saw her son, her bad mood would lift instantly. He really is my little angel…
The next morning, Nicole banished the memory of yesterday’s annoying incident from her head. Just as she was about to tidy up her room, her cell phone rang.
It was an incoming call from an unfamiliar number. After hesitating for a moment, Nicole answered the phone.
Speaking on the other end of the line was a young male voice that sounded quite cheerful. “Could I speak to Ms. Lisa, please?”
Nicole took a look at her phone. Seeing that the man was calling her on her work phone number, she replied, “Yes, I’m Lisa. May I know who you are?”
Joseph sounded as gentle and polite as a modest and scrupulous gentleman. “Hi, Ms. Lisa. I’m Joseph Mann, the general manager of Mann Clothing Co. We’ve always wanted to work with you, and I heard that you’ve returned to the country. Could I meet you if you’re free?” It was no secret that Lisa would be collaborating with the Gardner Family, and all the clothing companies that got wind of it also wanted to collaborate with her to compete for a slice of the profits. Naturally, the Mann Family couldn’t be lagging behind as well. Joseph had gone to a lot of trouble in order to get Lisa’s phone number. In the end, he coaxed it out of Queenie, thus owing her a huge favor.
Nicole listened to the voice on the other end of the line. If she hadn’t checked out news reports about Joseph over these years, she would have thought that he was as modest and scrupulous as he sounded. However, just as she was about to turn him down, Hayden came out of his room and looked up at her. “Mom, I’m hungry.”
Nicole paused for a moment. This little boy has been wanting to see his father. Perhaps this could be an opportunity… She lowered her gaze and pondered for a moment. Then, she replied, “Alright then. I’ll see you today at 3:00PM at the cafe in Scottsdale Mall.”
Chapter 9 Mom, Are You Gonna Hook up a New Dad for Me
Having set the time and place for the appointment, Nicole briskly ended the phone call.
On the other end of the line, Joseph was holding his cell phone with his eyes full of disbelief. He had only called Lisa to give it a try, thinking that even if there was only a remote chance that she would agree to meet him, he had to strive for it. But who would have thought that Lisa would agree to meet him right away? He curled his lips with delight written all over his face. If I manage to get this done, my dad will probably think better of me…
Meanwhile, Nicole was coaxing Hayden to eat lunch. “Hayden, I’ve cooked some hot cereal. Let’s hurry up and go eat it.” She put her phone on the sofa before taking her son to lunch.
Hayden raised his little head and asked in puzzlement, “Mom, who were you talking to just now?”
“Your dad,” Nicole replied.
Hayden’s face lit up with a hint of delight. “Was it Colton?”
Nicole was baffled. How did this brat commit Colton’s name to memory right away? Seriously, I don’t want to see that sort of weird and conceited guy anymore in my life. “You and your wild ideas. Listen, Hayden, he’s not your dad—your dad is Joseph!”
Hayden’s initially cheerful little face fell at once. He pouted his lips, arguing, “He’s not my dad! Colton is!”
Nicole was perplexed. Hayden had only met Colton once, so why would he assert right away that the latter was his father, as though he had been put under the latter’s spell? “He’s not! Stop daydreaming!”
In the afternoon, Nicole dressed in warm colors with a pure white camisole underneath a cream-colored overcoat, which made her look competent and yet mild-mannered. After wearing light makeup, she curled her hair and left her room.
Hayden was sitting in the living room watching TV. The instant he saw Nicole coming out, his eyes lit up involuntarily. “Mom, are you gonna hook up a new dad for me?”
Nicole looked discombobulated. Since when did my son become so liberal in thinking? “I’ll be taking you to see your dad this afternoon,” she said. It was 1:30PM right now, so they could dawdle for half an hour.
A look of surprise flashed across Hayden’s face, and there was a note of joy in his voice. “Are we gonna meet Colton?”
Nicole frowned. “Nope, it’s Joseph that we’re gonna meet. I’ve told you about it!” This little brat must have been bewitched by Colton!
Hayden’s face screwed up instantly. “I’m not going with you!”
“You’ll be going with me, even if you don’t want to.” Nicole grabbed the boy’s collar and lifted him up. “Let’s go meet him, and don’t call any random guy ‘Dad’ anymore!”
Pouting his lips aggrievedly, Hayden protested in displeasure, “A playboy like him can’t possibly be my dad! There’s no way that a faithful, clever, and outstanding citizen like me is born to someone like him!”
Patting her son’s chubby cheek, Nicole replied, “They say that boys are more likely to take after their mothers, so you probably resemble me.” I’ve got to wake my son up to reality lest he keep thinking about Colton all day long. The thought of that guy gives me goosebumps, she thought.
However, Hayden retorted flat out, “There’s no way I’d resemble you! I’m so smart, after all.”
Nicole was rendered speechless. Is this little rascal trying to imply that I’m stupid?
As reluctant as Hayden was, Nicole got him into the car. On their way to Scottsdale Mall, she said worriedly, “I’m just letting you meet him, so don’t call him ‘Dad’ when you get there.”
“I’m not gonna acknowledge him as my dad,” Hayden muttered with a long face. He leaned on the car window, staring fixedly out of the window.
After driving to the Scottsdale Mall, Nicole got out of her car with Hayden.
There were few people in the cafe in the afternoon. After glancing around the place, Nicole spotted the man sitting in the corner and took Hayden there. Despite knowing that the man before her was Joseph, she nevertheless asked, “Hi, may I ask if you’re Joseph Mann?”
Upon hearing her voice, the man looked up at the woman before him. Dressed in a cream-colored overcoat, she was wearing light makeup, and her hair was slightly curled. On top of having a refreshing quality about her, she had a gentle smile, and her beautiful eyes were as clear as a lake that was full of life.
Joseph couldn’t help being moved by the woman’s beauty, but his eyes slowly darkened when he laid eyes on the kid next to her. “You’re Nicole?”
Chapter 10 Hayden’s Real Father?
Nicole was surprised; she didn’t expect Joseph to know her. She couldn’t help taking another look at the man. He wasn’t bad-looking, and he looked even more handsome in person than in photos. With his dashing eyebrows, pug nose, and charming eyes, he looked just like a pretty boy. “You know me?” she asked curiously. There’s no way Queenie would tell him what happened five years ago.
Joseph’s eyes flickered with sarcasm. “Why would I not know Young Lady Nicole of the Anderson Family?”
Nicole heard the sarcastic note in Joseph’s voice, but she couldn’t seem to recall if she had ever offended him. Before she could speak, though, she heard the man continue, “I heard that you’re gonna marry my dad. So what’s the big deal, bringing a kid with you? Are you trying to get me a younger brother right away?”
A hint of scorn flickered across Joseph’s eyes. I’ve heard from Queenie that this woman wants to be my dad’s second wife for money. I hate such vain women more than anything else!
Upon hearing his words, Nicole finally realized why Joseph was so hostile toward her. However, she wouldn’t acknowledge such groundless stuff. “I think you’re mistaken. I’ve never thought of marrying into the Mann Family.” The smile on her face vanished. She said, “I’m here today to talk to you about the collaboration.”
Joseph’s attractive eyes narrowed slightly with a hint of scorn in them. “Collaboration? You’re Lisa?” He had heard Queenie talk about Nicole this morning. According to Queenie, this sister of hers was so vain to the point where she was almost delusional, claiming to be Lisa. He didn’t believe it at first, but he didn’t expect the woman before him to actually be so shameless as to make up lies as she went along!
“Uh-huh,” Nicole responded.
However, as soon as she seated herself with her son, she heard a scoff across from her. “Haha! Queenie was right. You’re delusional, aren’t you?”
Nicole knitted her brows. “If I’m not Lisa, why would I know she’s supposed to meet you today?”
Joseph stared at her as his lips curled in ridicule. “Just stop pretending, Nicole. I have no idea how you got the news of my appointment with Ms. Lisa, but could you at least do some homework before coming here? Lisa is a middle-aged woman in her forties. Even if you want to impersonate her, you should put in some effort to make yourself look more like her, okay?” Lisa’s age is no secret in the industry, for it was F&M Apparel’s president who revealed that himself. And yet, this idiot before me is passing herself off as Lisa without even knowing about that. “Queenie’s right all along; you’re a vain woman who makes up lies without thinking in order to make yourself look good.” He was somewhat displeased by the prospect of Nicole marrying his father in the first place, so it disgusted him even more now that she was lying so brazenly.
Seeing Joseph’s attitude, Nicole said coldly, “Mr. Mann, I think we no longer need to talk about our next steps. With your character, there’s no way F&M Apparel will work with the Mann Family.” The purpose of F&M Apparel collaborating with the Gardner Corporation this time was to expand its market in the country, so Nicole had intended to work with several clothing brands that were well-known in the country, and Mann Clothing Co. was one of them. Seems like it’s no longer necessary, though.
Joseph replied with disgust, “Haha! For an impersonator, you look quite like the real deal. How could a vain woman like you possibly be Lisa? Seeing you’re Queenie’s sister, I’m not gonna argue with you today.”
Before Nicole could defend herself, Hayden, who was next to her, sprang to her defense. “Mom isn’t vain! And she really is Lisa,” he said. Then, he turned to look at Nicole, holding her two fingers in his little hand. “Let’s go home, Mom. Such a guy doesn’t deserve you.”
“As expected of an illegitimate daughter—even your son is an ill-bred bastard!”
Nicole had wanted to ignore Joseph at first, but she stopped in her tracks the instant she heard him insulting her son. I’d never allow him to say something like that about Hayden—not even if Hayden is his son! “Let me advise you to watch your language, Mr. Mann. Is this how you were brought up, to say something so vicious to a child?” she said. Looking at the man before her, she continued, “You and I aren’t even close, and all you know about me is what you’ve heard from others. I’ve never offended you since the beginning, but you keep talking to us in such an overbearing manner. Is this your way of conducting yourself?”
Her words made Joseph’s face turn livid with anger one moment and red with embarrassment the next. He pointed at the woman, asking, “If you weren’t a vain woman, why would you impersonate Lisa?”
Nicole didn’t bother to explain, though. Lifting Hayden up in her arms, she said without looking back, “You’ll find out whether I’m Lisa or not when you attend F&M Apparel’s annual dinner.” Someone’s gonna confirm whether I’m Lisa or not at F&M Apparel’s annual dinner a week later, anyway! With that, she left swiftly.
Hayden nestled obediently in Nicole’s arms. After they left the cafe, he looked up and comforted her, saying, “Don’t be angry, Mom. It’s not worth it to be mad at this guy.” He knew Nicole was angry because Joseph had called him a bastard. Because of that, he became even more certain that there was no way someone as detestable as Joseph would be his father.
Hayden had dug up much information about Colton these days. As Gardner Corporation’s executive director, Colton wielded a lot of power. Most importantly, he found Colton’s looks very much to his taste, so Colton had to be his father. I’ve heard from Mom that Gardner Corporation’s president will be attending F&M Apparel’s annual dinner. I’ll let her know that my dad is none other than Colton Gardner!