Ch. 91..100

Spoiled by Mr. Russell Chapter 91

Melanie jolted up from her seat, pacing back and forth as if she would be unable to restrain her anger once she stopped. Olivia ignored her, stretched, turned around, and sluggishly walked back to the laboratory as if she was unwilling to work

Melanie finally collected her thoughts and looked at Olivia again, “Okay, what do you want? Whatever your conditions are, I will do my best to satisfy them.”

At that breaking moment, Melanie had to endure her anger for a while instead of begging Lily. Melanie would rather negotiate with Olivia face to face. At least the situation would still be within her control.

Olivia tilted her head and glanced at Melanie. She giggled, “Oh, you‘re so authoritative, Ms. Thayer. Any conditions at all? That does sound tempting, but is anything up for consideration?”

Melanie felt contempt when she saw Olivia‘s high–spirited appearance. After all, this was just a deal, and no one could ever put a price on affection and loyalty. Since Olivia asked such questions, it seemed she had an important request in mind.

Melanie cleared her throat and replied thoughtfully, “We can‘t discuss power and position in MN Inc., but we‘ve worked together for so long. Although I‘m a director, you should know my relationship with Nate. If you settle our issues, I‘ll tell Nate about it. I won‘t brag, but at least it‘s better to depend on your indefinite lab experience, don‘t you think?”

After pondering, Olivia seemed to have a serious thought and nodded solemnly. “That‘s quite reasonable. However, are you honestly open to any conditions?”

Melanie became wide–eyed, looking hopeful. She found this amusing and sneered from the bottom of her heart. Still, she had to maintain a heartfelt expression, saying, “I‘m open to suggestions. What do you want? A promotion or a raise?” “What can I do to get both? Gosh, I feel so greedy!” Olivia frowned with a tangled face and admitted her greed since Melanie could not reject her.

Melanie smiled. “It‘s perfectly normal to be greedy. How can you not when you‘re human, so that‘s not a problem. Okay, tell me what‘s wrong with the essential oil formula.”

Olivia shook her head disapprovingly and replied, “Hey, we haven‘t finished our negotiation yet. Why are you so anxious?”

“Didn‘t I just agree? I will double your salary and promote you to the R&D department‘s deputy manager when this is over. Does that sound good?” Melanie gritted her teeth and thought this condition was as good as it got.

Olivia‘s qualifications and achievements did not match that position, but it did not matter. Melanie wanted to prioritize the current situation. Afterward, it would be easy to find an excuse to demote Olivia with a salary reduction. By then, Olivia could not retaliate.

“I never said I wanted that.” Olivia was her typical nonchalant self. The more indifferent she was, the more she angered Melanie.

This made Melanie realize she had always been in a passive position. “Then what do you want?” She asked again.

Olivia stopped, clapped her hands, stood up, and turned to face Melanie. She looked at Melanie with a half–smile, saying, “I do want a raise in salary, Ms. Thayer, but it‘s not as simple as doubling it. I want ten times what I earn now.” Olivia gestured to ten with her hands and smiled.

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“T – Ten times?!” Melanie gasped in disbelief. She was surprised by Olivia‘s colossal appetite.

She could not even process it before she heard Olivia saying, “As for the promotion...you‘re underestimating my ambitions. Why would I be satisfied with just a managerial position in the R&D department? What I truly want is your position” She pointed and looked straight at Melanie, indicating she was not joking.

Melanie‘s expression turned sour immediately after. Although it was just a temporary measure to get Olivia‘s help, Melanie could always break her promise later. Still, it was infuriating that Olivia had the guts to ask for Melanie‘s position so openly. If Melanie agreed to give up her position to Olivia, what would the other staff members think of her, not to mention the industry?

Olivia had expected Melanie, so she was in no rush. She sat back comfortably in her chair with her hands resting behind her head. Olivia looked up and said, “Oh, there‘s one more thing. You‘ll have to apologize to Lily and publicly admit you stole her research. Afterward, I might consider helping you.”

Melanie was at her limit and could no longer tolerate Olivia after hearing what she had just said. “You‘re taking this too far, Olivia Hart!” She yelled angrily.

Faced with Melanie‘s wrath, Olivia simply smiled casually. “I‘m sorry. What do you mean by taking this too far?‘ Weren‘t you the one who told me to name my price? Yet, you‘re upset after I‘ve stated my conditions. You shouldn‘t have said that if you can‘t live up to your promises. Now you‘re just making things awkward.”

“W–Why, you little...”

“All right, calm down. I know you didn‘t mean it. I was just joking with you. Now that the joke is over, why don‘t we all get back to work? I‘m busy, and Mr. Hall still needs me to deliver some data to him. By the way, I‘m just curious, but don‘t you need to work too, Ms. Thayer? You‘re one of our best perfumers, so your knowledge is naturally much better than ours.

“I‘m sure you‘re more than capable enough to handle this crisis. We‘re all waiting for you to lead us.” Olivia finished speaking, took out her test tube, and happily returned to work. She was in such an excellent mood after seeing Melanie flustered and speechless.

Melanie was so mad that she snatched the test tube away from Olivia.

Olivia was surprised. “Ms. Thayer, I can‘t do my job if you keep this up.” “Quit screwing around with me! Since you‘re being difficult, let‘s be crude, shall we? What did Lily offer you? She left this company to join another, so do you think she even thought of what would happen to you? “I know you two were close, and you‘ve worked together for a long time, but being loyal to her doesn‘t pay the bills. Do you realize where she left you? She‘s earning a hefty salary while you‘re here trying to defend her. Think about it. Is your job more important or your loyalty to her?”

“Well, you see...” Olivia shook her head and sighed, “Heartless people like you wouldn‘t be able to understand. It‘s not always about money.” “Olivia Hart!” Melanie shouted in exasperation. Before she could continue, her phone rang

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Melanie glanced at the caller ID and saw Nathaniel‘s name. She glared at Olivia one last time, pushed the test tube back into her hands, and warned, “You should think about what you say more carefully. Don‘t make a fool out of yourself!” Then she turned around and walked away

“Where have you been?!” Nathaniel asked harshly over the phone.

“I was in the lab,” Melanie was upset over his tone, “I was just trying to help. Since Lily isn‘t willing to help us, I can‘t just leave you to deal with this on your own. MN Inc. is our company, and I don‘t want to see it go down like this.”

“No one said that our company is going down. Stop being so negative. Get ready to leave. I’m coming over to pick you up,” Nathaniel sounded like he was in a hurry as he hung up right away. Melanie stared at her phone for a second before walking back toward the lab. She peeked into the lab but stopped herself after a second thought. It was probably a waste of time trying to convince Olivia. She should just think about what to do next since she needed an alternative plan to save herself.

Moments later, Nathaniel arrived at the laboratory entrance, and Melanie was already waiting at the front. Melanie deliberately messed up her hair and made her eyes red and puffy to look like she was exhausted from working so hard. “Nate...”

Before she could continue, Nathaniel looked at her wide–eyed, “Why do you look like that? Didn‘t I tell you to be prepared?”

“I was...” Melanie pouted as she got into the passenger seat and closed the door. She explained with teary eyes, “I was just worried about the company. I know you‘re restless, and I am too. I was just trying to see if I could do anything to help at the lab.”

“Well then, do you have any results for me?” Although Nathaniel did not have many expectations, he could not help but be optimistic.

Melanie pressed her lips together and shook her head, “I‘ve tried many things, but it‘s just not working. Since the original formula is complicated, even changing a single ingredient could produce countless results. Also, we‘re unsure if it‘s an ingredient problem or...”

She was upset at Nathaniel, but he thought deeply about something else, “All right, Mel. Let‘s not talk about this anymore. Lily wouldn‘t have led us on if it were that easy, and she wouldn‘t be so smug about it. I‘m taking you to meet someone. He might be able to help us out.”

Melanie asked in surprise, “Who is it?”

“It‘s...wait. There‘s still time. Let‘s get you cleaned up. After all, it‘s our first meeting, and we can‘t have you looking like this, ” Nathaniel looked at Melanie and shook his head.

“Okay!” Melanie nodded her head obediently and buckled her seatbelt.

Looking at Melanie‘s gentle gestures, Nathaniel‘s foul mood improved. It was undeniable that Melanie was pretty. She had a gentle nature to her, much like a doe. It made men want to protect her. Nathaniel‘s heart fluttered when he recalled how Melanie would usually lay in his embrace and look up at him lovingly.

Lily, on the other hand, was too independent. Even though she would listen to him sometimes, she was strong–willed and had her own stands, just like how she silently betrayed him on this issue. Nathanial only got annoyed thinking about Lily. After putting on her seatbelt, Melanie noticed the car was still not moving. She raised her head and gave Nathaniel a puzzled look, “What‘s wrong?”

Nathaniel turned to her abruptly, lifted her chin, and kissed her hard.

Due to Justin‘s sudden appearance, Lily decided to change her plans and go straight to Imperial Hills.

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It was just a fight, but Lily felt like her whole body was in pain. It was obvious that she had not been training enough. Lily had been leading a slightly too comfortable life since leaving the Lodges.

After she left, Lily could pursue what she wanted and loved. However, seeing Justin served as a wake–up call, and it reminded Lily that it did not matter where she ran. She would always be a Lodge.

While soaking in her bath, Lily noticed a bruise on her arm. It was likely from the fight she had with Justin. She made a mental note to take care of it later.

She reflected on her encounter with Nathaniel and Melanie and realized what a dull and uneventful day it had been. Lily expected to feel anger or resentment, but upon seeing them again, she felt only sadness for her former self. She felt bad for past Lily, who had treated the two with sincerity and unconditional love. She thought Nathaniel was the one, and that Melanie was the best friend she could ever have. How foolish of her not to see through their guise.

Those two were something else! Lily could only laugh ironically and shook her head as she thought of her stupidity. The warm bath water made her feel at ease as she leaned back, closed her eyes, and drifted off to sleep.

Alexander heard sounds coming from the bathroom when he returned home. When he yelled out to her and received no response, he promptly entered it. Alexander saw her lying in the bathtub, body sliding into the water slowly. The water had already passed her neck, almost touching her chin, but Lily still showed no sign of getting up.

“Lily!” Alexander rushed over and lifted her from under her arms. He arrived just in time to rouse her awake and prevent her from sinking deeper into the tub.

When she opened her eyes, it took her a while to register what had happened. Lily was surprised to see the face in front of her. “Alexander, why are you...”

Before she could finish, she finally realized the situation that she was in and instinctively covered her chest with her arms.

“You shouldn‘t stay in the bath any longer,” he suggested sternly and lifted her from the tub. He carried her out of the bathroom.

Although Alexander was not looking at her, Lily felt self–conscious and shy as she was stark naked. When he reached the clothing rack, he grabbed a bath towel, threw it onto the bed, and placed her on top

“I...” Lily tried to get up immediately but was a step slower than Alexander.

Alexander pressed her against the bed. Clearly much larger than Lily, his force caused her to sink backward, and she instinctively grabbed onto him for support. Lily‘s mind went blank. She had just woken up from a deep slumber, and her brain was still foggy. She felt she would prefer to remain hazy given the circumstances.

Lily‘s eyes widened as she regarded Alexander’s face. Even from such close proximity, he was flawless, as if he was God’s perfect creation. She had seen him once or twice from a distance

To her, he was like an unreachable existence that only existed in rumors. Now, they were so close that she could almost hear his heartbeat!

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“A–AL…” Lily tried to open her mouth to speak, but Alexander silenced her by placing his finger on her lips.

“Don‘t say a word.” Lily could only stare at him silently. From this proximity, she could see his Adam‘s apple moving, and she found this natural movenient attractive for some reason. Alexander slowly

lowered his head and pressed his lips onto hers.

Since Lily had just come out of the bath, her body was still damp. Alexander had carried her from the bathroom to their bedroom, so his clothes were soaked, making them cling to her skin. –

Even though Lily had been neglecting her training in boxing these recent years, she still had a lean figure. Besides having abdominal muscles and a perfect vest line due to regularly working out, she also exuded feminine grace. Lily opened her eyes in a daze, and all she could see was his attractive, muscular body. She never expected that he was hiding this under his tailor–made suits. Alexander had a desirable physique, and she knew immediately that it was from years of effort at the gym.

Although he had a pale complexion, there was nothing unhealthy about it. It was as if every outline of his muscles had its own charm, and they captivated Lily‘s eyes.

“A–Alexander...” she murmured in a low whisper. “Call me honey instead,” he teased gently as he kissed her cheek.

“H–ho...” Lily‘s cheeks were flushed red. She just could not do it. The word was at the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it before it could escape her lips. Her face was as red as a ripe tomato as she bit her lower lip.

“Haha...” Alexander chuckled softly. He had no intention of forcing the pet name. Instead, he would give her time to get used to it.

Lily closed her eyes slowly as his kisses felt like feathers. They were light, gentle, and a bit ticklish. She knew what would happen next but had no intentions of stopping him. Ever since she agreed to marry him, she knew this day would come, but she was still nervous about it.

When Alexander raised his head to look at her, he could tell by her body language that she was unwilling to go further. Despite her eyes being tightly closed, her eyeballs were darting around nervously. She pressed her lips together, and her hands were balled into fists by her sides.

This was not a woman in love. Instead, it looked like she was about to be sentenced to death.

With a soft sigh, Alexander decided to stop. After a while, Lily opened her eyes in confusion when she realized nothing was happening. She looked at Alexander with questioning eyes.

Alexander had regained his composure. The desire in his eyes was no longer as intense. His body was still leaning against hers, but his hands were on her arms now.

Noticing that Lily had opened her eyes, he asked gently, “Are you afraid?” Lily shook her head hesitantly and then, moments later, nodded her head. She did not want to lie to him because, deep down, she was still afraid. She blushed in embarrassment,

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Why was he asking her about this? Lily bit her bottom lip, nodded quickly, and turned her head away from him. Alexander did not need any further explanation as her reactions were clear enough. He got up to grab another bath towel, then wrapped it securely around Lily while also pulling out a blanket to cover her.

His gesture surprised Lily, and she turned to look at him. When Alexander saw she was staring at him, he bowed down and gave her a peck on her forehead. He was stopped as Lily took hold of his hand. She raised her head to look at him, her voice still husky: “What‘s the meaning of this?”

Alexander looked at the small hand that was firmly holding his. It made him feel like she needed him.

“Why?” Lily asked in confusion. “There‘s no need to rush this. I‘ll wait until you‘re ready.” Alexander raised his other hand and stroked her head lovingly.

He had thought Lily was experienced after all those years with Nathaniel. However, this incident had proved him wrong. Alexander never expected that Lily would still be innocent and ignorant of this, which pleasantly surprised him.

Alexander was not an old–fashioned man. Truthfully, he did not care if she was a virgin, but he was mindful of her feelings. Lily was obviously unprepared to take their relationship further and was nervous about it. It would only hurt her if he insisted on carrying on while ignoring her discomfort.

Being in love with your partner was beautiful, and he did not want this chance to be destroyed because of his temporary urges. Beautiful things should be cherished and preserved until the best moment to present them.

Sadly, Lily could not understand Alexander‘s thoughts. His previous question surprised her, so she thought he was curious if he was her first. She grabbed his hands and answered determinedly, “I‘m ready!”

Although Lily sounded firm, her eyes said otherwise. She appeared terrified and anxious, as though she were about to be executed. Alexander smiled in defeat as he moved to sit gently by her side. He extended his arms and pulled her into his embrace. He lifted her chin slightly, so their eyes would meet. “Do you love me?” he asked, gazing deep into her eyes. Lily did not give Alexander an immediate answer. This question caught her off guard.

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It was undeniable that Lily had feelings for Alexander. However, she was unsure if she could describe their time together or the things Alexander had done for her as love. She did not know if her feelings for him had turned into love.

Alexander was handsome, rich, kind, and considerate. He always put Lily first, so how could she not fall for him? Still, was this love?

Alexander only smiled softly at her answer. He was not surprised at all. He traced her lips gently with his thumb and reassured her, “It‘s okay. We have plenty of time, so there‘s no need to rush things. You‘ll start loving me eventually.”

“But...” he paused, “I won‘t take that step before that. We‘ll only move forward when you‘re sure and willing to accept me wholeheartedly.”

When Alexander finally let go of her hand and got up to leave, Lily recovered from her daze and hurriedly asked, “What about you? Do you love me?”

Alexander turned around and smiled. His eyes were gleaming like the stars in the night sky.“ Of course I love you.”

Lily did not expect that and only looked at Alexander in surprise. She thought he might hesitate, try to change the subject, or even deny it, but she never anticipated him to admit that he loved her outrightly. She wondered if that could be possible since they had only recently met. How could he already be in love with her?

Lily wanted to question Alexander when he continued, “Please try to stay awake in the bathtub next time. I would hate to lose you before I could get you to fall in love with me. If you‘re still up for it, get dressed and come down for dinner.”

After Alexander left, Lily sat alone on the bed, her heart still beating rapidly after hearing his confession. Soon after, she got dressed and went downstairs. As she got to the foot of the stairs, she could smell the aroma of delicious food. Alexander waited for her at the dining table with the cutleries already laid out on it.

“Did you order takeout?” Lily asked as she glimpsed at the several mouth–watering dishes on the table. There were various dishes she could choose from, and the portions were of the correct sizes too.

“Well, you could say that,” Alexander replied, and it was partially true, barring the fact that a 5 –star hotel chef had made those dishes and sent them to their doorstep. So technically, Alexander had ordered takeout.

He meticulously removed the bones from the fish and placed the fish back onto her plate. To him, it was a natural thing to do, but Lily felt uneasy. She looked at her plate and back at Alexander, who started to remove the shells from the shrimps. Lily said, “It‘s okay. I can do it myself. You don‘t have to do it for me.”

“Why would you think that I‘m doing it for you? I just love to take stuff apart and remove the shells,” Alexander commented nonchalantly. He then placed the peeled shrimps onto her plate.

Lily‘s dinner plate was already half filled with fish, shrimp, meat, and vegetables, just waiting for her to dig in. At the same time, she was also overwhelmed by a warm and fuzzy sensation in her heart. It had been a while since anyone treated her with so much love and care. She was always under strict guidance and had undergone tough training ever since she could remember.

When Lily was of age, she left her family and chose to do something she loved. However, it led to her poor performance in a competition where she became a subject of ridicule and mockery. Her fallout with Nathaniel was the last straw, and she became completely estranged from her family.

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Years of living alone and being independent made Lily more self–reliant. When she was still with Nathanial, he was always busy with work. Even during dinner, he always left the table before Lily finished eating. Lily did not care much about it then, but as time passed, she grew tired of it. On the other hand, being with Alexander was so different. She felt loved and cared for.

Alexander noticed Lily had not touched her food, so he asked, “What‘s wrong? Is the food not to your liking?” He made sure to order various foods so Lily could choose whatever she liked.” What kind of food do you prefer then?”

“The choices don‘t matter; it‘s who I‘m having it with that does.” Lily took a deep breath, smiled, and started eating. “These are delicious!” She took a piece with her fork and attempted to feed Alexander. “Here, have some!”

Alexander was mildly surprised by Lily‘s gesture, but he smiled and opened his mouth to take a bite. After some thought, Lily turned toward Alexander, still elegantly chewing his food, saying, “I thought about what you asked me a while ago. To be honest, I don‘t think I can honestly say that I love you. Still, that doesn‘t mean I don‘t like you. I just need more time before I‘ll be able to say that I love you.”

Alexander did not expect Lily to take his question so seriously. It felt more like they were critically discussing whether to love or not to be loved.

“This girl is something else, huh?‘

Lily looked at Alexander when he did not respond and realized he was just staring at her. She assumed he was unsatisfied with her answer.

“I don‘t want to lie to you. I think you have the right to know how I genuinely feel about you. That‘s why I‘m telling you this.”

“I know.” Alexander nodded, lips curling into a gentle smile. “I‘ve told you I‘m in no rush.” Lily stared into Alexander‘s eyes and could tell he meant every word he said. She sighed in relief but decided to ask what was puzzling her, “A while ago, you said...”

Lily hesitated momentarily and continued, “W–Why do you love me?”

The duo remained silent for a while as if they were the only ones in the world, and nothing else mattered when they stared into each other‘s eyes. Lily‘s eyes were full of puzzlement, while Alexander‘s darker ones were complex and looked like they contained a thousand stories. He lifted his hand and gently caressed Lily‘s face. With his deep, attractive voice, he confessed, “everything.”

Lily‘s heart was beating so fast that she felt like it was trying to break free from her chest. Staring back at Alexander‘s deep, dark orb–like eyes, she knew what he had just said sounded bizarre, but she never once doubted him. However, she could not deny that it made her feel light–headed.

She placed her own hand onto the hand that was cupping her face and gave it a light squeeze, ” I promise I‘ll love you wholeheartedly as well.” Alexander gave her a reassuring smile.

After dinner, Lily stood up and wanted to clean up, but Alexander beat her to it. He swiftly cleared the table of all the dishes and brought them into the kitchen. He placed them neatly into the dishwasher and started the machine. Then he turned to face her, “I‘ve told you I‘m in charge of the kitchen.”

“I‘ve also told you I‘m not a princess,” Lily insisted. Alexander wound his arms around her waist and whispered, “You‘re my princess and the most valuable thing in my life.” He pressed his lips to her forehead, released her waist, and took her by the wrist. “Let me show you something.” He led her to the living room and told her to wait on the sofa.

He went to his study and came out with some documents. After double checking, he passed them to Lily, saying, “Take a look at these.”

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Lily accepted the documents in confusion and saw an insurance endorsement after opening it. It was insurance for her nose with herself as the beneficiary. As for the amount, she could only say it was a considerable sum. She looked at Alexander with surprise and said, “Isn‘t this a bit much?”

“Is it? I don‘t think so. Considering how vital a nose is to perfumers, I feel this is necessary, don‘t you think?” Alexander asked Lily in return. Indeed, a perfumer‘s most essential tool was their nose. After all, talent often outweighed hard work in this field.

A perfumer with a nose that could distinguish hundreds of different scents was often guaranteed success. However, only a few top perfumers were willing to spend a lot of money to insure their noses. Still, Lily thought she was a nobody, so was it honestly necessary to spend money on insuring her nose?

“Everything about you is necessary to me.” Alexander stood up and handed Lily a pen. “Sign the paper. It will take effect immediately.”

Lily looked at Alexander and then at the document in her hand. She felt touched and moved by everything that he had done for her. “Thank you.” Lily signed the papers and put them back.

“There is no need for the word ‘thanks‘ between you and me. Instead, shouldn‘t you repay me more practically?”

Lily tiptoed a little to wrap her arms around Alexander‘s neck and kissed him enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, at the airport, Melanie adjusted her sunglasses and impatiently said to Nathaniel, “You still haven‘t told me who we‘re waiting for, Nate!”

She followed Nathaniel to the airport after dressing up with new clothes and makeup. However, she only knew they were there to pick someone up, but Nathaniel did not tell her who they were. Melanie started getting impatient after waiting for so long.

“We‘re waiting for someone highly influential. Have some patience, will you?” Although Nathaniel was comforting Melanie, he was not very sure about this. After all, he had never officially met the influential person. He had only seen the person in photos and had some impression of him.

It would be a problem if Nathaniel missed or could not recognize the person. He wanted to call and confirm the meeting, but the line was busy. Despite feeling anxious, Nathaniel did not show it. He was helpless against Lily now. She was completely different from before.

Lily became stubborn and refused to listen to Nathaniel, and Olivia was the same. Although Nathaniel was unsure if Olivia knew of the situation‘s specifics, she was going against him and made it clear that she was just killing time and waiting for Nathaniel to fire her.

Nathaniel found this infuriating and thought Olivia had likely learned these things from Lily. It was also possible that Lily instigated Olivia to do these things. Nathaniel looked around the airport as his thoughts ran rampant. Suddenly, he saw a tall and thin foreigner wearing gold rimmed glasses.

Nathaniel thought the person looked highly familiar at first glance, so he immediately took his phone to look at the photos for comparison. He confirmed his guesses after checking several times. By then, the person had almost left the airport.

“That‘s him!” Nathaniel nodded with certainty.

“Who is it?!” Melanie was pulled along by Nathaniel before she could adequately react. “Mr. Moreau! Wait up, Mr. Moreau!” Nathaniel shouted while running.

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The foreigner stopped in his tracks as expected. This verified Nathaniel‘s suspicion that he had found the right person.

“Mr. Moreau, l‘ve come to pick you up. I‘m Nathaniel Hall, the president of MN Inc, I believe that Ms. Neville had mentioned me.” While panting, Nathaniel put on a smile.

Standing next to Nathaniel, Melanie switched her confused gaze between her boyfriend and the foreigner in front of her. ‘Who is this guy?‘

Frank gave Nathaniel a once–over through his glasses. “Yes, I‘ve heard her mentioning you. Hello.” His expression was cold and indifferent, but he still nodded politely.

“Hello, nice to meet you!” Nathaniel reached out his hand and greeted him enthusiastically.

Frank glanced at the outstretched hand. He did a quick handshake with only his fingers touching Nathaniel‘s hand before releasing immediately. “Where‘s the car?” “The car is parked outside. Please come with me!” Nathaniel led the way to the parking lot with glee.

Melanie was perplexed and she glanced at the guy several times in curiosity. Frank was a Caucasian with golden curly hair and prominent deep features. From a general point of view, he would be considered quite handsome.

Frank probably felt Melanie‘s eyes on him and turned to look at her. Melanie was stunned for a moment but smiled back at him politely. Frank‘s lenses reflected the flashing lights.

Frank sat in the back seat while Melanie sat in the front with Nathaniel, who was driving, Although he had a driver, Nathaniel chose to drive himself to show his sincerity. He glanced at the rearview mirror from time to time.

“Mr. Moreau, I‘ll first take you to your hotel so you can drop off your bags and rest. I‘ve arranged a welcome dinner for you later this evening.”

“Okay,” Frank replied nonchalantly.

Despite Frank‘s response, Nathaniel was still very enthusiastic, “I‘m pleased you were able to come. Ms. Neville told me you‘re the top person in the industry. I believe the difficulties faced by our company are nothing to you. You...”

“I‘m a little tired. Could we talk about this later instead?” Frank interrupted him

Then, with his eyes closed and back reclined, he made it abundantly apparent that he did not wish to speak with Nathaniel. Nathaniel stammered but quickly recovered and replied, “Sure. Please have a rest. I‘ll wake you when we‘re there.”

Nathaniel‘s flattering remarks made Melanie uncomfortable, and she frowned at him. Melanie looked at Frank through the rearview mirror. Regardless of who this was, his actions were rude. Still, Nathaniel was trying his best to please him.

Melanie remembered Nathaniel mentioning Ms. Neville. This surname sounded very familiar.

She suddenly recalled a person, turned to Nathaniel, and asked him in a low voice, “Nate, by Ms. Neville, do you mean...”

“Hush!”

Nathaniel shook his head with a frown. He then gestured to the back seat with his eyes, “Mel, you‘ve worked hard the past few days. Get some rest. We‘ll warmly welcome Mr. Moreau at dinner.”

Melanie kept her silence and didn‘t prod further. She understood it was inconvenient for him to answer her right now.

“Drive safely.” Melanie adjusted to a more comfortable position and dozed off, leaning to the window.

Frank, who was in the back seat, opened his eyes slowly.