Ch. 51..60
Chapter 51 Invited to Lunch
Nicole also noticed how nervous the young lady before her was. With an amiable smile on her face, she introduced herself politely, saying, “Just call me Nicole. I’m looking forward to working with you in the next three months.”
Looking at the smiling person before her, Scarlett realized that she didn’t seem to be as ferocious as described by those in the office. After being startled for a moment, she immediately nodded, saying, “Just call me if you need anything.”
“In that case, do you know where my office is?” Nicole asked with a smile.
Scarlett promptly pointed at a room, saying, “It’s over there. President Gardner has specially ordered that a separate office be arranged for you. Let me show you the way.”
Nicole followed behind Scarlett. Only the sound of them conversing could be heard in the entire Design Department, whereas the others didn’t say a word, as though they were mute.
Scarlett led Nicole to her office, which was as spacious as her office at F&M Apparel’s headquarters. It seemed that some care had been put into it, for everything in the office was brand new.
Nicole entered the office. After looking around with a nod, she turned her gaze to Scarlett. Suddenly, she asked, “How old are you this year?”
Upon hearing her question, Scarlett felt extremely flattered. She quickly answered, “Uh, I’m 23 years old. I just graduated this year.”
Nicole replied with a smile, “I’m 26 years old this year. You don’t have to be too reserved with me. Just call me Miss Nicole in the future, and I’ll call you Scarlett.” Even though she always sought to be meticulous in her work, she felt it would be better to have a more relaxed attitude when dealing with people.
“Alright, Miss Nicole,” Scarlett promptly replied.
Seeing the gentle smile on Nicole’s face, Scarlett was confused all of a sudden. As soon as she arrived this morning, she had been assigned to Nicole. At the time, her colleagues told her in all earnestness that Nicole had fired a designer directly when she last came. According to them, she might not even pass her internship if she were to work for Nicole. Because of that, she had her heart in her mouth when Nicole came in. But now, it seemed that Nicole wasn’t as described by her colleagues, for she was clearly quite affable.
In the morning, Nicole briefly familiarized herself with Gardner Corporation’s Design Department. The Design Department was headed by Joanna, who had gone overseas before the turn of the year and had yet to come back; she wouldn’t be back until about a week later.
There were a lot of experienced fashion designers in Gardner Corporation’s Design Department, so Nicole called them over and had them introduce themselves briefly for her to get to know them. While she was at it, she explained the general direction of this collaboration, telling them to get their designs ready so that she could pick out the best.
It was almost noon when Nicole finished her speech. At first, she had wanted to have a simple lunch outside, but as soon as she left her office, she saw Colton standing at the door.
Colton was dressed in a royal blue suit today. It was now lunch break, and the crowd happened to be swarming out of the office, but Colton’s impressive height made him especially conspicuous as he stood. He had broad shoulders and a slim waist. His suit was somewhat brightly-colored, but it had a steady quality about it as he wore it, for his aura suppressed the flamboyance of the suit.
Nicole walked up to the man and stood upright with a smile on her face. “President Gardner.”
“Nicole,” Colton said in a soft voice as his gaze fell on her. Then, he continued, “I noticed that it’s almost noon, so I thought I might as well ask you to join me for lunch and find out how you feel on your first day on the job.”
Nicole smiled without turning him down. She replied with a nod, “Let’s go, then.”
Colton entered the elevator with Nicole. Even though it was rush hour, those in the Design Department didn’t take the elevator in order to make room for them. However, when the elevator door closed, they couldn’t help but begin to discuss what had just happened.
“Did President Gardner just come down personally to invite Lisa to lunch?”
“That’s right! Miss Schmidt has contributed so much to our company, but President Gardner has never come down and invited her to lunch in person.”
“Seems like President Gardner really has his eyes on Lisa!”
With that, their discussion continued.
Chapter 52 An Unwelcome Visitor
Gardner Corporation was situated in the center of the city, with Century Square located next to it.
On the top floor of a restaurant in Century Square, Nicole and Colton were sitting next to each other. Colton had led Nicole into a private room, which boasted a nice view despite its small space; its large French window allowed one to see most of the downtown area at a glance. “What would you like to eat, Miss Anderson?” Colton politely handed the menu to Nicole.
Nicole glanced at the menu before ordering a salad for herself.
Colton smiled before ordering another main course and telling the waiter to prepare the dishes. When there were only the two of them left in the private room, he finally said, “Miss Anderson, how do you feel on your first day at Gardner Corporation?”
With a faint smile on her lips, Nicole replied casually out of courtesy, “Not bad.”
Knowing that she had only said so out of courtesy, Colton said frankly, “Miss Anderson, if you’re dissatisfied with anything, you may tell me directly.”
Nicole gave a light chuckle before looking up at the man. As her gaze fell upon him, she suddenly asked, “President Gardner, there’s one thing that I’ve been curious about. Do you mind if I ask?”
Smiling, Colton nodded and replied in a husky voice, “You’re wondering why Gardner Corporation decided to engage in the clothing industry?”
As expected, it saves time and energy to speak to a smart person. He knows what I want to ask without me having to voice my question. Nicole nodded.
Gardner Corporation started up as an internet technology company. It owned an entire building in the center of the city, but only a few floors of the building were dedicated to the clothing industry, for the company placed greater emphasis on internet technology. When it came to the internet technology industry, the company was ranked among the best in the world, which brought the man before Nicole a net worth of at least hundreds of billions.
He would’ve been able to make a fortune by relying on internet technology alone, so why did he have to dabble in the clothing industry which he had never taken part in? thought Nicole to herself. She nodded and said modestly, “It’s okay if you don’t wish to talk about it. I’m just asking out of curiosity.”
Colton leaned back slightly in his seat while exuding a graceful air. He explained, “My mother was a fashion designer during her lifetime, but she gave up her career for my father. I’ve always wanted to realize this dream of hers.”
Despite his brief explanation, Nicole was surprised; she didn’t expect this to be the reason. “Forgive me for asking such an impertinent question,” she said apologetically.
Colton gave a deep chuckle with a relaxed look in his eyes. “This isn’t a secret, anyway.”
The two then exchanged some polite remarks about their daily lives. After the waiter served the dishes, Colton seemed to think of something all of a sudden. Looking at Nicole, he said, “Miss Anderson, this is probably your first time working with us in the country. If you run into any problems, please tell me directly.” He paused for a moment before adding, “It doesn’t necessarily have to be work-related. Anything, really.”
Nicole thought the man had only said so out of kindness, so she thanked him without saying anything else.
Colton didn’t say anything else either.
The two then discussed the next season’s fashion trends at the dining table. It was apparent that Colton took this collaboration very seriously, for he knew every step very well.
The two went back after lunch, only to run into an unwelcome visitor at the company’s entrance. It was Joseph.
Nicole looked at the man standing at the company’s entrance. Joseph was good-looking and dressed like a person of some worth, so he attracted quite a lot of attention as he stood there.
Joseph had wanted to enter the company right away to look for Nicole, but he was stopped at the front desk because he didn’t make an appointment with her. Therefore, he began to fall back on his old trick of waiting for Nicole at the entrance. After all, it was fine as long as he managed to meet Nicole. To his surprise, however, not only did he get to meet Nicole this time, but he also met Colton!
Chapter 53 Paternity Confirmed
Colton couldn’t help but frown slightly as he looked at the person before him. He had heard during the mid-winter holiday that Joseph had accosted Nicole at her mother’s grave. Even though he didn’t know what the two had talked about in the hotel after that, Nicole’s face was pale when she left the hotel, which was why he had said those words at the dining table just now. “What are you doing at Gardner Corporation?” He stepped forward slightly and happened to stand in front of Nicole.
Joseph was somewhat afraid deep down when he saw Colton, for he didn’t expect Nicole to be with him. Feigning composure at once, he said respectfully with a smile, “What a coincidence, President Gardner! I’m here to talk to Miss Anderson.”
“She’s not available,” Colton refused bluntly. His tall figure exuded a terrifyingly chilly aura even when he was merely standing there doing nothing.
Seeing how Colton turned him down so quickly, Joseph looked slightly embarrassed. However, he came well-prepared this time. Turning his gaze to Nicole, he produced a report in his hand, saying, “Miss Anderson, I’ve got a report in my hand, which I obtained after meeting you last time. I think you’d like to take a look at it too.”
The air turned heavy all of a sudden, and Nicole’s heart shuddered involuntarily when her gaze fell upon the report Joseph was holding. She pursed her lips as her hands clenched into fists by her sides.
Seeing Nicole’s ghastly expression, Colton frowned slightly and asked with concern, “Nicole, are you alright?”
Luckily, Nicole had applied makeup before leaving home today. Even if she looked pale at the moment, no one could notice it. In an attempt to make her voice sound steadier, she lowered her voice, saying, “It’s okay, President Gardner. It’s about something private between him and me. Let me deal with it first.”
Colton glanced at Nicole before darting another look at Joseph. His black eyes darkened slightly, but he nonetheless stepped aside to give way to Joseph. Before he left, he said, “Just call me if there’s anything. I’ll fix it.”
A forced smile crossed Nicole’s face. She replied with a nod, “Thank you, President Gardner.”
After Colton left, Joseph immediately went up to Nicole. At this moment, however, he looked less obsequious as a lewd smile appeared on his face. He handed Nicole the report in his hands, saying, “Please take a look, Miss Anderson. This is the result of the paternity test done by matching the DNA of your son’s hair with the DNA of my own hair.”
Nicole’s hands froze visibly as she took the report. Looking up at Joseph, her brow furrowed. “This can’t be possible!”
Seeing the look of panic on Nicole’s face, Joseph immediately took advantage of the situation, saying, “Miss Anderson, why don’t you take a look at the report’s contents first before saying anything else?”
Realizing that she had lost her composure, she quickly composed her features. She would always lose her cool whenever it concerned her son. After steadying her hands, she took the paper out of the envelope.
On the white paper were words printed in black ink. At the bottom of the paper, though, there was a section where words were printed in scarlet. The words, which Nicole found offensive, read, ‘Paternity Confirmed.’
Nicole felt as though she was going to stop breathing. She didn’t expect that Joseph would actually get the paternity test done, but she soon kept herself from trembling. With a chilly expression, she looked up and tossed the report into his arms with a sneer. “Do you think I’m gonna believe you with this forged paternity test report in your hands?”
Joseph was inwardly confident as he held the report in his hands. He had personally obtained this report from the hospital, and when he saw the words ‘paternity confirmed’ on it, he was also in disbelief. He never thought that he would have a son five years ago with Lisa, the Chief Designer of F&M Apparel. With that, a connection was quickly established between the two previously unrelated people, and Mann Clothing Co. could be saved once again.
Chapter 54 Doing It on the Spot
Just when neither of the two refused to budge, a loud and clear female voice suddenly rang beside them. “Oh, sis, why are you standing at the entrance?” Queenie walked up to Nicole with an obvious smile on her face. When she turned her head slowly and saw Joseph standing next to Nicole, she pretended as though she had just noticed his presence. “Oh, Mr. Mann, you’re here too? What a coincidence!” Then, she happened to glance down and saw the words “Paternity Confirmed” printed in red on the paper Joseph was holding. She darted a look at Nicole before turning her gaze back to Joseph. Then, she stepped forward and pretended to ask, “What’s happening between you two?”
Nicole’s face darkened slightly when she saw Queenie’s affected manners.
On the other hand, Queenie seemed eager to stir up trouble. Staring at Nicole, she said, stressing each word, “Could Mr. Mann have found out that he’s the father of your son, sis?” She had modified the paternity test report herself so that Joseph would go to Nicole after getting his hands on it. She had waited here for a long time before she finally saw them meet. It’s a shame that Colton has gone upstairs, or else the drama would’ve been even more interesting to watch.
Upon hearing Queenie’s words, Joseph played along with her. “Queenie, you’re here at just the right moment. Your sister gave birth to my son five years ago, but she never told me about it,” he said while feigning a hurt expression that made him look all the more pitiful.
Upon hearing Joseph’s words, Queenie immediately assumed a look of surprise. She shouted at the top of her voice, “How could you do that, sis? It’s not like the Mann Family can’t afford to raise a kid. Since Mr. Mann has learned about it, how about you let Hayden acknowledge him as his father?”
Seeing how the two people before her sang the same tune, Nicole couldn’t help feeling amused. Queenie’s voice was so loud as though she feared that no one could hear her, and she was eager to tell the world that Hayden was Nicole and Joseph’s son. Recalling what Queenie had said at F&M Apparel earlier, Nicole easily surmised that the woman was ready to hold her back by using Joseph for fear that Colton might get seduced by her charm. It was a cheap and despicable trick, but it was indeed effective. She said in a cold voice, “Don’t you two find this laughable? Coming to Gardner Corporation with a paternity test report out of nowhere, insisting that my son is his? Where’s the proof of that?” Her eyes were frosty. No matter whether Joseph was Hayden’s biological father or not, he had no right to be Hayden’s father.
Queenie swiftly replied, “Sis, if you don’t believe us, we can take Hayden to do a paternity test with Mr. Mann. If the report is fake, we can find out who is to blame later on. How about that?” Only she knew that Colton was the guy Nicole had slept with five years ago, so she didn’t believe that Nicole would dare to have the paternity test done.
Nicole’s expression changed slightly when she heard Queenie’s words. She knew Queenie was certain that she wouldn’t dare to have the paternity test done, for Queenie knew what had happened between her and Joseph five years ago. But now that Joseph had come to her with the paternity test report, if she refused him in an unyielding manner, she would have no chance of winning once he took legal action directly. In that case, I’d better agree to have the test done first, she thought to herself while gulping a mouthful of saliva.
Keeping her countenance, she said calmly, “Okay. In that case, I’ll take Hayden to do the paternity test with you this weekend. If the results show that you aren’t his father, I’ll call the police right away on account of harassment.” With that, she turned around and entered Gardner Corporation’s building right away, disappearing from the two people’s sight.
Joseph looked all the more smug as he watched Nicole leave. He turned to look at Queenie with a smile, saying, “Miss Queenie, thank you for the matter this time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known that I have such a close relationship with Lisa.”
On the other hand, Queenie’s face paled somewhat after she listened to Nicole’s words, and she forced a smile. If she could find out in advance at which hospital Nicole would have the paternity test done, she would be able to do something about it. However, if Nicole were to have the paternity test done on the spot, she might be unable to continue hiding the truth.
Chapter 55 Go With Me
After returning to her office, Nicole looked somewhat unsettled, and her face took on a look of worry. Resting her chin in her hand, she tapped on Zachary’s Facebook, only to quit his Facebook page upon recalling how he had left in a hurry.
Now that Zachary had his hands full with matters concerning his family, she might cause him even more trouble if she bothered him with such a trifling matter. However, she had few acquaintances in the country, and the companies she had previously worked with were all foreign companies. At the moment, she really felt isolated and helpless.
Holding her cell phone, Nicole glanced up and down her contact list before her finger suddenly paused and tapped on Colton’s Facebook. She and Colton were merely partners, but she figured that he would lend her a hand if she asked him for help. This was a private matter, but since it concerned her son, she had no choice but to bother him. Letting out a sigh, she chose her words in her mind before tapping her fingers on the phone’s screen to compose a text message. It read, ‘President Gardner, I’d like to ask you to help me with a private matter. It’s okay if you’re busy.’
She stared at her phone’s screen for a long time. Seeing that there hadn’t been any response from the other side for a long time, she couldn’t help but feel that the man wasn’t going to help her. Just as she was about to find another way, her phone suddenly beeped with a Facebook message from Colton. It read, ‘Let’s talk about it upstairs.’
Nicole looked at the Facebook message. The message was simple, but its meaning was clear: Colton had agreed to help her. Finally, a great weight was lifted off her mind, and her originally tense nerves relaxed a little. After tidying herself up, she picked up the design drafts on her desk. After all, she had to take something upstairs with her as a cover.
After reaching the top floor, she came to the president’s office, a place she was familiar with. Standing at the door, she knocked on it politely.
A slightly deep and husky voice sounded from the inside. “Come in.”
When Nicole opened the door and entered, Colton happened to be staring at his laptop while tapping on the keyboard with amazing speed. He darted his eyes toward the door. Seeing her coming in, he withdrew his gaze.
He stood up and gave a light chuckle as his gaze fell upon the papers in Nicole’s hands. Sitting on the sofa, he poured two glasses of water before handing one of them to her. “As I said, Miss Anderson, just tell me if there’s anything.”
Nicole hesitated for a moment, but nonetheless said, “I’ve got a personal matter. President Gardner, if you’re free—”
Before she could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Colton. “Miss Anderson, your business is also mine. You just have to keep your mind on your design and leave everything else to me,” he said calmly. It wasn’t difficult for him to figure out that Joseph had something to do with the personal matter. Gardner Apparel was only one step away from the top spot in the country’s clothing industry, so he wouldn’t allow anything unexpected to happen during this period.
Nicole also knew that Colton only agreed to help her because she was still of use to Gardner Corporation. At the thought of this, she dispelled her worries and said directly, “I’d like you to go to the hospital with me this weekend. Can you do that?”
Colton was startled. The hospital? He pressed his thin lips together with a hint of puzzlement in his narrow, black eyes. He slowly asked, “You’re ill?”
“No, it’s for the paternity test,” Nicole replied seriously. Clasping her hands together, she briefly explained what had just happened.
This time, it was Colton’s turn to frown. “You mean Joseph’s the father of your son?”
Such a thing sounded somewhat shameless, but Nicole endured the humiliation and nodded. She lowered her head with a flicker of anguish in her eyes while clenching her fists tightly. If it weren’t that Mom was critically ill five years ago… I wouldn’t have sunk so low… “I didn’t get to see the man’s face that night, but it was most likely him. Joseph only approached me because he wanted to work with F&M Apparel or Lisa, but he’s not qualified to be either a business partner or a father.”
Colton fell silent for a moment. After a long time, he raised his eyes and replied, “Okay.”
Chapter 56 Helping Her Out
Colton was surprised by what Nicole had just said, but he didn’t express it. There was a strange look on his face when he heard Nicole mention the night of her encounter with Joseph just now. The date really matches up with what that little brat told me. His black eyes darkened slightly, but he didn’t say a word. After all, he had doubted Hayden’s parentage at the time because of how confident the boy sounded as though he had concrete proof, and he had really had the DNA paternity test done on Hayden’s hair, but the results… He chuckled inwardly while quickly banishing those thoughts from his mind. With a hint of a smile on his face, he asked, “In that case, Miss Anderson, how would you like me to help you?”
Nicole pondered for a moment; she had had everything planned out downstairs just now. She said seriously, “Joseph and I agreed to go to the hospital this weekend since the results of the paternity test will only be convincing when the test is done right before us. President Gardner, if you’re free, could you go to the hospital with me?”
Colton smiled. It was easy for him to figure out what Nicole meant, and he nodded with a faint hint of joy in his dark eyes. He was never a meddlesome person, but for some reason, he agreed to help Nicole without hesitation when he saw the message she had sent him. Perhaps it’s just for the sake of our collaboration this time, he thought to himself. “Alright. Miss Nicole, if you have any plans, you might as well tell me the details.” Today was Monday, which was a whole week away from the weekend. There was plenty of time for them to make preparations.
Nicole collected herself. Her plan was simple: she would go to a random hospital by then. After all, if the test done at the hospital she had chosen gave a negative result, it wouldn’t sound convincing enough. She would have Colton secretly swap Joseph’s DNA sample with his own. After all, Colton was unrelated to her son, so the test results would definitely show that Hayden wasn’t Joseph’s son.
She was now skeptical about the report in Joseph’s hands. However, if the report was forged, why would he dare to accost her at Gardner Corporation’s entrance? To avoid unnecessary troubles, she decided to come up with a foolproof plan. No matter whether Joseph was Hayden’s biological father or not, she had to make sure that the results would show that he wasn’t Hayden’s father to avoid unnecessary complications. She briefly explained her plans, whereas Colton’s smile deepened as he listened to her. Without turning her down, he lowered his eyes and replied softly with a nod, “Okay.”
Now that Colton had agreed to go along with her plan, Nicole’s mind was finally put to rest. Actually, it was mainly because Joseph wouldn’t dare to behave too presumptuously in Colton’s presence.
Because of this matter, Nicole wasn’t in the mood to stay in the company. After asking Colton for a day off, she returned home.
Meanwhile, Queenie had wanted to take this opportunity to take a dig at Nicole. However, she didn’t expect Nicole to ask Joseph to have another paternity test done on the weekend. If the test were to be done on the spot, she would have no opportunity to do anything. That way, the truth would come to light.
Queenie knew that Nicole had joined Gardner Corporation today as Lisa. At first, she had wanted to seize this opportunity to show Nicole who was the boss. It would be even better if everyone in the company knew about what had happened, for this would make Nicole feel humiliated in the company. However, she didn’t expect Nicole to not be afraid at all. Could she have learned that the one she slept with five years ago was Colton, not Joseph? But judging from her reaction just now, it didn’t seem like she knew about it.
Her expression was somewhat grave, whereas Joseph, the idiot, was still rejoicing over his connection with Lisa.
After casually sending Joseph away, Queenie turned in another direction and went home. I’ve got to establish the fact that Joseph is the father of Nicole’s bastard son. That way, even if Nicole does anything, she’ll never be able to turn things around! As a hint of venom flickered across her eyes, her hand clenched tightly into a fist by her side.
Chapter 57 Mrs Gardner
When Queenie returned home, Lydia was playing bridge with a group of other women. She was clad in a form-fitting dress, and her makeup was carefully done. Although she was over fifty, Lydia only appeared to be in her early forties due to her excellent skincare routine.
Queenie could hear someone ingratiating Lydia the moment she stepped inside.
“You’re so fortunate. Your daughter is amazing for being able to snag the president of Gardner Corporation for herself. She’ll be able to live like a queen now.”
A smile bloomed on Lydia’s face when she heard that, after which she waved a hand. “Oh, it’s also because Mr. Gardner was quite taken by her.”
However, what followed was a bunch of gossip.
“Queenie’s been courting Mr. Gardner for a few years now. She’s still just his fiancée. When will they tie the knot? Her status in society will be different once she is officially Mrs. Gardner.”
“That’s right. You don’t get any protection under the law as just someone’s fiancée. She actually needs to have a marriage certificate to be officially part of the Gardner Family.”
“Is Mr. Gardner not ready to marry Queenie…”
Queenie couldn’t stop the change in her expression when she heard that, and she gave a light cough before walking further into the room. The gossiping women all quietened in an instant, and their gazes shifted to her. Queenie had a smile on her face as she spoke in a gentle and humble tone, “Good day, ladies. I’m here to see my mother today. Could you please end your game for the day and come back another time?”
The women were embarrassed by this. Oh, she must’ve overheard our conversation earlier. Now that the subject of their gossip was here, all they could do was giggle. “Since you two are busy, we shall visit another time.”
With that, the group of women collected their belongings and left.
Although Queenie had a polite smile on her face, Lydia could see Queenie’s irritation as her mother. She stepped forward to console Queenie. “They weren’t exactly wrong. There’s a difference between being Colton’s fiancée and his wife.”
Queenie bit her lip. How could she not know that there was a difference? However, Colton had never expressed when he wanted the wedding to be held. She couldn’t possibly just go up to him and ask when he would actually marry her, no?
“I know that too, but what other choice do I have?” Queenie asked through clenched teeth. Forget about marrying her—each time she got closer to Colton the last few years, he would keep her at arm’s length. If it wasn’t because he was sure that she was the one who saved him five years ago, he would have already kicked her out of his sight.
A shrew glint flashed in Lydia’s eyes as she lowered her voice. “Why don’t you find a chance to drug him or seduce him?”
Shyness and embarrassment colored Queenie’s face at such blatant words. She averted her eyes as she stuttered, “That’s… not exactly a good way to do it, right?”
Lydia struck the iron while it was hot. “My girl, you’re a fool. As long as you seize the opportunity and fall pregnant with Colton’s baby, the matter of marrying into the Gardners won’t be an issue anymore.”
Lydia’s words shook Queenie as she had a point. Queenie had been with Colton for several years, but his mother never accepted her because she hadn’t given the Gardners a child.
If Colton was unwilling to touch her, she wouldn’t be able to voice her wants, though.
To others, Queenie was above everyone as Colton’s fiancée, yet they didn’t know that Colton had never once touched her during those five years.
In the beginning, she had taken the initiative, but all she received for her efforts was disgust from him. She never brought it up again after that to maintain the stability of their relationship.
At that thought, indignance flashed across Queenie’s face as she recalled today’s incident. She hastily schooled her expression when she recalled that important matter. She was here today to discuss Nicole with Lydia.
“By the way, Mom, I came here to discuss something with you.”
“What is it? Did something happen?” Lydia could vaguely sense that something wasn’t right when she saw Queenie’s expression.
“Nicole is taking her son to undergo a DNA paternity test with Joseph this weekend!” Queenie said through clenched teeth.
Lydia was somewhat taken aback. Weren’t the results already out? How dare this little wench demand to carry out a DNA paternity test!
Chapter 58 Sinister Scheme
“Wasn’t the results of the paternity test changed already? Did that wench Nicole refuse to acknowledge the results?” Lydia asked.
Queenie nodded. She initially thought that she would be able to definitely keep her position as Colton’s future wife, but she hadn’t expected Nicole to be so mulish as to request for another test.
“What’s more, that moron Joseph actually thinks that Nicole’s son is his kid, and he wants that paternity test done!”
Queenie was irritated at the thought of her idiotic co-schemer, Joseph. He had a great face, but it was unfortunate that he wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed.
Lydia couldn’t stop her brows from furrowing at that news. If the truth were to come to light, both Gardner Corporation and F&M Apparel would direct their wrath at them with all the power they had. If all their misdeeds were revealed, they’d be truly done for!
“What should we do?” Lydia couldn’t think of a plan right now.
“If they plan to do the test on the spot, I can’t tamper with the results. Mom, I have an idea. Why don’t we just make the lie about Joseph and Nicole a reality before they go for the paternity test?” As Queenie said this, a cruel look streaked across her eyes.
Lydia thought that Queenie had a point, and she immediately thought of a plan. She pulled Queenie closer. “Listen, your father’s birthday is the day after. Find a way to get Nicole to come. Then, we’ll drug Nicole and Joseph and make them sleep together. It won’t matter whether or not that kid is actually Joseph’s then.”
At the mention of Lydia’s scheme, the corners of Queenie’s lips unconsciously pulled up into a bright smile. She nodded. “You’re the smartest, Mom. And we’ll record the entire thing when that happens. Supposing she didn’t end up marrying Joseph, Colton would surely spurn and detest her then. Even if she finds out in the future that her son has the Gardners’ blood in his veins, Mrs. Gardner wouldn’t allow such an uncouth woman into her family!”
“That’s settled then. Relax, Queenie. You are the only one who will be Colton’s wife,” Lydia stated in certainty as she reached out to pat Queenie in a soothing manner. She managed to squeeze Nicole’s mother out of the picture over twenty years ago. What was that spring chicken, Nicole, going to do to fight her?
“But how are we going to get Nicole to attend Dad’s birthday party?” Queenie thought of the crux of the problem. Nicole was repulsed by the Andersons. She would definitely refuse to attend the party.
“The reason behind her mother’s divorce over ten years ago was cheating. I am the only one who knows the actual truth,” Lydia said slowly.
Back then, although William was the first one to cheat, he hadn’t thought of divorcing Lydia once Queenie was born. She then pulled a few tricks to make Nicole’s mother to be perceived as the adulterer. That was how Lydia officially became the lady of the Anderson household.
“You mean to use this to draw Nicole over?” Queenie asked, having understood her mother’s intention. However, there was some hesitation apparent between her brows. “But that’s such a plain reason. It’s obvious that we’re preparing to spring a trap on her.”
Lydia was an old hand at scheming. She gave a light chuckle. If they phrased it like that, Nicole would certainly not come. But if they added a little flair to the story, then it would be a different matter.
“Go to Nicole and use this piece of news in exchange for her to stay away from Colton. She will then assume that you only willingly told her this because you think that she’s trying to snatch your place as Colton’s wife.”
A sly gleam shone in Queenie’s eyes after that. Her mother was the smart one for thinking of such a detailed plan. That way, everything would fall into place.
“All right, I’ll invite her tomorrow. She’s sure to fall for it!” Queenie’s foul mood instantly turned around. This time, Nicole will be trampled under my foot, never to rise again! So what if she’s the Chief Designer of F&M Apparel? When the time comes and everything is revealed, she’ll have to choose between getting married to the playboy that was Joseph, or to never live with her head held up high again!
At that thought, all Queenie could feel was glee and smugness.
Chapter 59 Come to the Party
When Nicole returned home, she saw Hayden playing on his laptop on the couch.
When Hayden saw her, he immediately jumped off the couch. His bare feet pattered as he ran over to her. “Mommy!” he called out sweetly.
“Hey there, sweetheart.” Nicole grinned as she picked her son up. Her gaze fell upon the laptop stand on the couch, and she couldn’t stop herself from laughing. “Did you spend the whole day on your laptop while I was gone?”
“Hey, I only just started gaming when you came back,” Hayden whined as he buried his head in her embrace. Although she wasn’t sure whether he was telling the truth, Nicole’s heart melted when she heard his cute voice.
After Hayden finished playing coy, he looked up at Nicole. “Mommy, it’s still working time. Why are you back?” he asked, curious.
Nicole didn’t want her son to worry, so she simply told him she was worried about leaving him alone at home.
Hayden could guess that something was up when he saw the forced smile on Nicole’s face. His black eyes darkened, but when he looked at her again, his expression had reverted to an innocent smile. “It’s not my first time being home alone. You don’t have to worry about me, Mommy,” he soothed.
The mother and son continued to banter for a little while. As she looked at her son’s innocent face, Nicole became even more determined. I must not let Joseph get his way!
The next morning, Nicole prepared to begin working after she arrived at her office. A few moments after she sat down, however, Queenie suddenly barged into her office. A red-faced Scarlett trailed after her. Scarlett’s expression had a hint of anxiety in it. Upon seeing Nicole, she lowered her head. “I couldn’t stop her, Miss Nicole,” she said regretfully.
Meanwhile, Queenie looked at Scarlett in disgruntlement. She narrowed her eyes and scoffed at her. “I’m Colton’s fiancée, the future wife of the head of Gardner Corporation. This is just a regular workplace. Why can’t I enter?”
Seeing Queenie’s tyrannical attitude, Nicole knew that Scarlett would never be able to stop her. She waved a hand to tell Scarlett that it was all right. “It’s okay. You may leave.”
Scarlett let out a breath of relief when she saw that Nicole wasn’t angry with her. She hastily left and closed the door after her.
Nicole leaned back in her seat with an eyebrow raised. Queenie wouldn’t have come to see her without a reason. She must have come to see me with some ulterior motive today.
“Speak. What is it?” Nicole went straight to the point.
“Dad was the one who wanted me to come here. He hopes that you’ll attend his birthday celebration tomorrow,” Queenie said haughtily with her arms crossed over her chest, like she was doing Nicole a favor.
Nicole couldn’t stop the guffaw that escaped her after she heard that. “Me? Attend his birthday party? Did he forget that I’m no longer part of the family?”
“You’re still his daughter by blood. Now that you’re back in the country, you can’t just refuse to go,” Queenie said.
“I’m really sorry then, for I have no father,” Nicole said harshly. It was obvious that Queenie was here today because Nicole was the Chief Designer of F&M Apparel. The Andersons simply wanted to bask in her spotlight. There was no way Nicole would let them do that.
Queenie initially wanted to fire back with a snide remark after hearing Nicole’s reply, but she held herself back when she remembered her plan. She let out a sigh. “If you attend the party, my mother will help you to clear your mother’s name of her affair over ten years ago.”
At last, a ripple marred Nicole’s calm expression when she heard that. She lifted her head to stare at Queenie, fury evident in her bright eyes. Her mother was clearly innocent, but she was forced to bear the accusation of being an adulterer due to Lydia’s lies.
“Your condition?” Nicole retorted. She didn’t trust Queenie to tell her this out of pure kindness.
Seeing how Nicole finally took interest in her invitation, Queenie’s expression turned into a pleased one. “Firstly, come to Dad’s birthday party. Secondly, you will not meet with Colton anymore after the collaboration is over!”
Nicole looked down as she mulled things over. When she looked up again, her eyes were back to their calm appearance. “Deal,” she said softly.
Chapter 60 The Return of Colton’s Younger Sister
A meaningful smile appeared on Queenie’s face after she heard Nicole’s reply. She haughtily raised her head before swinging open the door and strutting out like a peacock with its tail feathers spread out.
Nicole watched Queenie’s disappearing figure with narrowed eyes. She didn’t believe that Queenie was here for a reason as simple as asking her to attend a birthday party. Although Queenie’s words weren’t without substance, she was sure that things were more complicated than met the eye, considering what she knew about Lydia and Queenie.
However, keeping an eye open for danger wasn’t a bad thing to do.
By the time she finished her current workload, it was time to clock out. Nicole stretched. Just as she was about to go home and see Hayden, Scarlett came in.
“Miss Nicole.” Scarlett took a step forward, a document in her hands.
Nicole noticed her hesitation when she came closer. She chuckled at the sight. “Is something the matter?” she asked.
Scarlett placed the document on the desk and pressed her lips together. “There’s a contract here, Miss Nicole. It was supposed to be signed by Miss Schmidt, but she isn’t in right now. They want the contract signed as soon as possible, and they said that since you’re the current head of the Design Department, your signature will do.”
Upon hearing that, Nicole’s gaze fell upon the document on the desk. She picked it up and leafed through it to realize that it was a contract for a custom order, and it was an expensive one at that. Typically, a custom order would be signed by the designer themselves, and the company would then receive a commission from the agreed amount. If Nicole signed this contract, wouldn’t that mean she was snatching Joanna’s client away?
Back when she worked at F&M Apparel, Nicole had run into a similar incident. Stealing other designers’ clients was not something to be proud of in the industry.
Nicole let out a low chuckle. After she flipped the document back to the first page, she stood up. “I can’t sign this. I’m not exactly a designer under Gardner Corporation. I’m under F&M. I’ll only be able to sign it if this contract is meant for F&M.” After she said that, she noticed the awkward look on Scarlett’s face. She paused for a second before continuing, “If she still insists on my signature, get her to come to me.”
Once Scarlett had gotten an answer, she let out a breath before dashing out of the office at last.
Nicole watched her go with a somewhat dull gaze. She had only been here for a few days, but the employees were already planning to set her up. It seemed that she wasn’t thought of highly here at Gardner Corporation with her status.
…
Night fell. The gigantic crystal chandelier in the Gardner Residence shone in the living room, making it still seem like it was day. There were two people conversing with each other on the couch, and next to them was Colton, who silently stared at his phone, a stark contrast between him and the pair next to him.
“Mom, look at Colton. He keeps staring at his phone. Doesn’t he know he should entertain his sister?” a girl whined as she held Anna’s hand.
Colton clearly heard her, for he put away his phone. When he looked over at the girl, he had an adoring smile ready. “You were talking all this time. I couldn’t get a word in.”
“I managed to graduate at last. Of course I have plenty to talk about,” Wendy declared, pouting.
Wendy Gardner was the princess of the Gardner Family. She was eighteen this year, which made her younger than Colton by eight years. She was born with a silver spoon in her mouth, and was adored by the whole family. Although she had a slight temper, she never developed into a spoiled girl as many girls from wealthy families tended to.
Anna couldn’t stop herself from chuckling as the siblings bantered. Suddenly, a thought seemingly hit her. “By the way, Wendy, don’t you still have your graduation ceremony? I remember that it’s next week. That’s quite soon. Why are you back?” she asked.
At the mention of her graduation ceremony, Wendy finally decided to announce the reason for her return. She gathered herself and looked straight at Colton. “Colton, could you get Miss Joanna to design a dress for me? I want to wear it for my graduation,” she said sweetly.
Joanna wasn’t just the director of Gardner Corporation’s Design Department; she was also rather famous internationally. Wendy wanted to be the brightest star at her graduation ceremony!