Ch. 1781..1790
Chapter 1781
Logan suddenly understood at this moment why Nicole personally came over.
It was not to give Luke Youngblood a chance. Nicole came to give Luke an ultimatum.
Nicole’s tone was light, warm, and sweet.
“Mr. Youngblood, Stanton Corporation lost the advantage on this project, but we’ve done more long- term preparation and have measures to deal with all kinds of problems after going online while you don’t. You have nothing but a head start. Are you really sure that you can make it to the end?”
Luke’s face was glum when he raised his eyes to look a t Nicole. He did not have the gentleness he had in the beginning.
“What if I just don’t want to sell to Stanton Corporation?”
Nicole laughed and slowly sighed in relief. ‘Luke’s anxious now!’
She slowly picked up the cup of coffee and put it to her mouth. Just when she was about to take a sip, Logan reminded her with a heavy cough.
Nicole really was careless.
Nicole froze and put the coffee down again. She glanced at Logan, who stared back at her without a change in expression.
Naturally, Luke did not understand Nicole and Logan’s tacit understanding.
Luke was still thinking about his current passive situation as he waited for Nicole’s reply.
“You don’t want to sell to Stanton Corporation? Mr. Youngblood, with all due respect, if I didn’t value talent so much, you would’ve already received a letter from my lawyer. No matter how much money you spend, you won’t be able to settle this case. I will sue you until you go bankrupt. I believe that no other investors would invest in a lawsuit-ridden project. By then, will your company still be worth $200 million?”
Perhaps even $20 million might be considered too much then.
Seeing the sudden change in Luke’s expression, Nicole smiled. Her tone eased a little. “I couId’ve kept this from you and waited until you sold the company to someone else before suing you. Then, when the investors suddenly withdraw their capital, your company will truly be hopeless. The profits brought by this project will be short-lived. By then, Stanton Corporation can strike again and there won’t be a place for you in the market.”
Nicole was very straightforward. For this kind of person who had just started a successful business and tasted some sweetness, the best way was to let him recognize the problems in reality.
She had countless ways to make his business fail silently, but Nicole really took an interest in his company, which was why she wanted to acquire it.
Of course, if Luke insisted on refusing her, then there was nothing she could do.
Anyway, she had given him an opportunity.
Luke’s tone was cold and solemn. He was suppressing his anger. “Ms. Stanton, are you threatening me?”
Nicole laughed. “Mr. Youngblood, if you take this as a threat, I’ll only think that you’re too naive and that you haven’t seen the ways of the world. A real threat will be to wait for you to fail, then add insult to injury. Now, I’m just being nice to give you some advice.”
She looked at Logan, stood up, and pushed the file in front of her to Luke.
“Mr. Youngblood, think about it. Don’t be swayed by your personal emotions. It’s hard to start a business, and not everyone can become Bill Gates. When opportunities and challenges coexist, you should know how to pick.”
Nicole sighed, turned around, and headed out.
Before she reached the door, Luke’s voice suddenly rang out.
“51% is too much. I won’t agree to this since I must have the final say in my company. Even if it’s not for my sake, I can’t let my friends do some much work in vain. Ms. Stanton, if you want me to admit defeat, you must at least give me a little decency, right?”
Nicole’s footsteps paused. She raised her eyebrows.
The moment Luke called out to her, he had already conceded defeat.
Luke was a smart man and knew that he had no better option.
Chapter 1782
Nicole turned back to look at Luke and sized him up seriously for a few seconds. She smiled.
“Fine, since you’re so decisive, I’ll compromise. 49% is the least I’ll take.”
Seeing Luke’s dissatisfied expression, Nicole said in a calm voice, “Mr. Youngblood, you should know that nowadays, although there are many entrepreneurial platforms and entrepreneurs, no company that just emerged has been acquired for $200 million. I didn’t ask for much, and you want a lot. Don’t you think that your company will only go further by standing on the shoulders of the Stanton Corporation?”
The acquisition of Z Technologies was said to be a win- win situation, but it was still a loss for Stanton Corporation.
Thus, even if Luke was dissatisfied, Nicole could only compromise so much.
She had already offered him whatever she could.
If Luke continued to argue, Nicole might as well give up the acquisition and go back to prepare for the lawsuit.
Luke froze for a moment and nodded his head.
“Okay, but I have to meet with my partners to discuss it first.”
Nicole smiled. “Sure, I’ll wait for your answer. You can contact my assistant directly once you’ve decided.” After that, she opened the door and walked out.
The people outside who were in a lively discussion suddenly lost their voices.
Everyone had not had time to return to their seats. They looked at Nicole in shock.
Nicole smiled and nodded, then left with Logan.
“OMG! That’s really Nicole, my goddess! She just smiled at me.”
“Nonsense, she was smiling at ME!”
“She’s so beautiful! She’s even more gorgeous than those photos online. Her face is truly flawless...”
“Yeah! How does she maintain her skin? She looks as young as a teenage student!”
“Goddess Nicole actually came to talk in person! If I’d known earlier, I would’ve gone in to serve them coffee. This is such a good opportunity for me to approach The Goddess!”
“Don’t be silly! Didn‘t the boss say that our company is going to be acquired and that Stanton Corporation is also interested in us? If the acquisition is successful, then we’ll become Goddess Nicole’s people!”
“This is awesome! I wonder if she’s really interested in our small company...”
After sending Nicole away, Luke sat alone in his office in silence for a long, long time.
When it was almost time to get off work, Luke’s girlfriend knocked on the door and asked him what he wanted for dinner. Only then did Luke respond.
“Is everyone still outside?”
Luke’s girlfriend shook her head. “We’re all waiting for you. Was it a success?”
Luke was silent, and his gaze was gloomy.
His girlfriend thought that the talk fell through and sighed.
“Don’t be discouraged. Let’s look at other companies. There are plenty of rich people. It’s not like we can‘t live without Stanton Corporation, right? Last time, didn’t a foreigner offer $100 million?”
Luke pursed his lips. His voice was low. “Set up a meeting with everyone outside.”
Luke originally thought that he held a big advantage and wanted to fight for more benefits for himself and the company.
However, it seemed like it would not work anymore.
No one in the company besides Luke knew how to manage a business. Although the others had excellent abilities, they were merely technical people.
Regarding the future direction of the company, they did not have any useful opinions.
However, out of respect for his peers, Luke still had to hold a meeting to listen to their opinions.
It did not take long for Luke’s office to be filled with people.
Everyone was looking at Luke anxiously as if they could not wait to know about the news, yet they were worried about failure. Luke let out a bitter laugh.
The company that he had poured his heart and soul into did not look like it could go very far without Nicole.
Then, he should not be too greedy and take what he could get.
Chapter 1783
Luke stayed silent.
His girlfriend coughed. “Luke, just tell us. Everyone’s mentally prepared.”
Another person spoke up. “Yeah, don’t scare us. Did Goddess Nicole not like our small company? I thought there was a chance since she came personally...”
“Sigh... I thought I had the opportunity to approach The Goddess again, but it turned out to be a failure...”
Luke pursed his lips. He mustered up the strength and smiled.
“Since you guys know that the person who came earlier was Nicole from Stanton Corporation, then I’ll tell you the result of today’s meeting.”
Luke paused, and everyone pricked up their ears to listen.
“Nicole agreed to make a one-time payment of $200 million to acquire our company, but she’ll take 49% of the shares. I personally feel that she’ll get too many shares, so I wanted to discuss it with you guys first.”
After he said that, everyone fell silent. Luke wrinkled his eyebrows.
Everyone looked dumbfounded and did not react as he expected.
Did they agree or disagree?
Luke coughed. “If you guys have an opinion, I can talk to her again.”
One of his buddies tentatively asked him. “$200 million? You’re not joking, right?”
The other guy also stared at him in surprise. “Goddess Nicole wants to acquire us for %200 million and only wants 49% of our shares? Did a pie just fall from the sky?!”
Although Luke’s girlfriend was also excited, when she saw Luke’s reaction, she spoke for the opposition.
“49%* Isn’t that a bit high?”
Luke looked over and was interrupted by a buddy.
“How is 49% too much? I’ve asked someone to inquire about our company’s market value. Our company is worth 85 million at most. Even if our development is smooth and we expand operations, our value will only reach 820 million within three years. Don’t even think about hundreds of millions of dollars!”
Everyone immediately looked excited.
“Of course, we agree! Boss, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Hurry up and say yes! Don’t let them backtrack!”
Luke was speechless.
He could not carry this group of companions no matter how capable he was.
At once, Luke felt that he was a bit naive before.
He lowered and shook his head, then smiled as he looked at them.
“In that case, you all agree?” Everyone nodded their heads.
Luke said, “Okay. If you guys agree, then I’ll contact them about the next steps. But there are some things that I must say upfront. Stanton Corporation will take 49% of our shares. The remaining 51% will be split among us equally. Once any one of us has a different opinion, then the biggest beneficiary will be Stanton Corporation.”
After that, everyone fell silent.
Finally, they understood the meaning of Luke’s words.
“That is to say, in the future, Stanton Corporation will be the one calling the shots in our company?”
Luke nodded his head.
“Then... Boss, what are you going to do? What will we do without you as our boss? We only trust you...”
“Yeah, Boss! We followed you, so we believe in you.”
Luke bowed his head and smiled bitterly. His voice was dull as he said, “Don’t worry, I’m not leaving. I’ll also become another employee who works for Stanton Corporation. In the future, if there are no accidents, Stanton Corporation will have a special team come over to take over this place. Or they’ll move us to a better place. The company will only get better.”
Luke just would not have the absolute say anymore.
However, the company would definitely face a lot less difficulties and resistance on Stanton Corporation’s platform.
Luke could not deny this fact.
Chapter 1784
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They could see from the huge capital of $200 million that their efforts were not in vain.
This elation washed away their worries about the future.
With their current strength, getting 8200 million was already a huge success compared to their peers.
What else could they not be satisfied about?
Luke’s girlfriend smiled. “Since it’s good news, why don’t we celebrate together with dinner?”
Everyone immediately agreed and looked at Luke.
Luke nodded. Everyone then rushed outside in an instant.
Nicole got into the car and sighed.
Logan came into the car and asked, “President, do you think that Luke will backtrack?”
Nicole shook her head and narrowed her eyes. “He won’t. He’s a smart man and knows the advantages of maximizing his benefits.”
‘then why are you sighing?” Logan did not understand.
Nicole pursed her lips and sighed regretfully.
“$200 million is too much...” Logan was speechless.
Later, Nicole consoled herself.
“Nevermind. It’s for Luke’s sake. He’s worth this price.”
After all, if Stanton Corporation did not plan this early, Luke had already started a business with this company and project. Thus, in less than five years, he could also stand firm.
The value Luke could create in the future would be far more than $200 million.
Nicole felt a lot better when she thought about it this way.
She did not go back to her office but went to Clayton’s instead.
Logan sent Nicole to the lobby and left.
Clayton’s office was not far from Stanton Corporation. Both were downtown in the central business district where every inch of land was gold. However, Clayton did not have a lot of employees in his office.
His business was distributed throughout the world. Although he had transferred part of his business to Mediania, his main business was still investment banking, and he was not as involved in industrial aspects. Thus, his office only occupied two floors in this prime location.
More importantly, it was relatively close to Stanton Corporation, so it was much more convenient than before.
Nicole went upstairs and only saw men in the office. Everyone looked serious as they did their own thing, as if every minute and every second was extra precious.
She smelled a sense of crisis here. Nicole went straight to Clayton’s office.
The current Clayton was not like his usual gentle and warm self at home. He was like a different person here.
Clayton did not utter a word of nonsense and did not repeat his orders.
Just as Nicole entered, Clayton looked up and saw her. He raised his eyebrows and looked at the assistant in front of him.
“You may leave.”
The assistant nodded and quickly left the office.
Clayton loosened his tie and sighed. “What brings you here?”
He stood up and walked over. When he saw that Nicole was wearing the shoes that he bought for her, he smiled with satisfaction.
Nicole took the coffee she bought downstairs and handed it to him.
“I came to do a spot check to see if you’ve done anything bad behind my back!”
Clayton laughed. He was very surprised.
“I’m really honored that you actually have such a sense of crisis...”
Nicole said, "You need to have some confidence in yourself.”
“My confidence is all from you.”
Clayton smiled and went over to take her hand and led her to the sofa. He then took a cushion for her to lean on.
“Is this comfortable?”
Nicole nodded. Her legs were resting flat against the front, and she felt very relaxed.
She squinted her eyes. “Your office lacks a massage chair. This sofa isn’t very comfortable.”
Clayton looked at this custom-made sofa from Milan in silence and nodded in agreement.
“I think so too.”
Nicole smiled. “I just finished negotiating an acquisition today, so I’m in a good mood. I’ll make you dinner tonight!”
Clayton froze for a moment. ‘then I’ll help you.”
Chapter 1785
Nicole was just about to refuse when she heard Clayton asking her boldly.
“Which project? Do I know about it?” Nicole smiled. “It’s Z Technologies.”
Clayton raised his eyebrows. “You got it in the bag?” Nicole nodded. “You know about it?”
“Of course. I made an offer, but Luke Youngblood obviously wanted too much, so I rejected him.”
Clayton smiled. His gaze carried some sharpness. “ Although the project is novel and has a good reputation, in the long run, he doesn’t have any assistance and will soon meet real difficulties that will hit him hard in the face. Once everyone sees how lucrative this project is, the same type of project will become commonplace. I don’t need to focus on Luke Youngblood. Perhaps there will be better options in the future...”
Nicole bowed her head and smiled. Her tone was a little lamenting.
“That would be a pity. You missed a very good business opportunity.”
“How so? You took it down?”
Clayton looked at her with a smile on his face, seemingly not surprised by her reaction at all.
“Of course! I personally went over, so how could I fail?”
Clayton smiled and hesitated for a few seconds before he opened his mouth and asked. “How much did it cost?”
Nicole’s smile faded. She then extended two fingers in a gesture.
Clayton froze for a moment and smiled.
“Nevermind. Being on Stanton Corporation’s platform, the benefits they can generate will be far more than $20 million.”
However, in Clayton’s opinion, 820 million was still too much.
Nicole had always been generous, so Clayton could only say that Luke Youngblood got lucky.
Nicole froze for a moment and looked at him with a strange gaze. Her face was clearly not very happy.
She sat up straight.
Clayton realized her change in expression and pursed his lips. “What’s wrong?”
Nicole took a deep breath. “Add another zero to that.” Clayton gasped.
The disbelief in his eyes was clearly expressed.
He thought, ‘Could this be the infamous pregnancy brain? Nicole shouldn’t be so dumb...’
His gaze landed on her face. He hesitantly pursed his lips and spoke.
“How generous of you.. ”
Clayton, a perennial investor, did not even dare to make such an offer.
How was a small company with unknown prospects worth 8200 million?
Nowadays, those that were worth $200 million were usually medium-sized companies that had been around for more than ten years.
Was she stupid?
Nicole gave him a blank look.
“What do you know anyway! It’s a business secret!” The corners of Clayton’s mouth twitched. “Oh. ”
He did not dare to go on. If he said any more, they would have a fallout.
Nicole anxiously stood up, walked two steps forward, and could not help but speak up.
“You‘re not allowed to laugh at me!” “I didn’t!”
Nicole gritted her teeth and was being a bit unreasonable. "You did! You’re secretly laughing at me in your heart!”
Clayton laughed helplessly.
“You can’t guess what’s in my heart. I’m innocent! I really didn’t laugh at you.”
Nicole said, “I’ll be honest with you. Our company has a project that clashed with theirs, so that’s why I offered them so much. I’m not a fool to slap them with money.”
This was not the entertainment industry. She would at least have to earn back the capital.
Clayton was stunned. Nicole carefully explained the situation. Since Clayton was her husband, there was no harm for him to know.
After that, Clayton nodded in understanding. He finally figured out why Nicole was so willing to spend money.
Compared to her initial investment, this $200 million was indeed not much.
After all, the project they were preparing for could yield much more than the cost.
Clayton smiled and looked at her.
“You see, I knew there was a reason for everything. I knew you wouldn’t be at a loss.”
Nicole rolled her eyes. Liar! The look in Clayton’s eyes just now was clearly different.
Clayton touched Nicole’s belly gently and promptly changed the topic.
"The baby isn’t making a fuss, right? Have you had any other reactions lately?”
Nicole’s attention was drawn away. She shook her head and looked down.
In the past three months, her belly did not bulge and only felt different to the touch. However, her morning sickness was gone.
She could eat and drink without issues.
The nutritionist’s recommendations worked well. Her figure did not go out of shape at all. This was also why she did not feel any discomfort so far.
Suddenly, Clayton came closer and looked up at her in surprise.
"Your belly moved just now! Did you feel it?”
His eyes were bright like stars shining in the dark. The tip of Nicole’s heart trembled slightly.
Nicole did not want to disturb him, but she still could not help but say, "Yeah, I felt it. I was just hungry, so my stomach was growling...”
Clayton was speechless.
Nicole did not want to leave the office, so Clayton called the nutritionist and nanny to prepare a meal and send it over.
Clayton continued with his work while Nicole went to the lounge to rest.
By the time the meal was delivered, Nicole was lying on the bed in the lounge, fast asleep.
Sleepiness was her recent characteristic.
When Clayton went in to check on Nicole, she was sleeping soundly.
It was just that the neckline of her dress was slightly large. From his angle, he got a great view of her chest.
Clayton sat on the side and smiled. He also beat himself up for being such a beast.
Not long after, Nicole woke up slowly.
The light in the room was not harsh, so Nicole opened her eyes without any discomfort.
The moment she opened her eyes, she saw Clayton sitting next to her with a smile on his face.
She was already used to such a scene.
Nicole lazily stretched her back and looked at him with a smile.
“Did I sleep for a long time?”
Clayton nodded. His gaze finally landed on her body, indulgently sizing up her accidentally exposed cleavage.
Noticing his gaze, Nicole looked down and blushed. She immediately straightened her clothes. “What are you looking at?!
Clayton paused and said aggrievedly in a hoarse voice. “I can’t even look?”
Nicole’s face flushed red. “No!”
Clayton sighed regrettably. When Nicole breathed a sigh of relief, Clayton suddenly stood up. He did not leave. Instead, he propped his hands by her sides and kissed her on the lips without hesitation.
Her red lips were brimming with color, and he had coveted them for a long time.
Nicole’s heart beat faster for a moment. She subconsciously wanted to push him away, but he embraced her in his arms with one hand. With a slight force, Nicole could not move.
Their lips and teeth were entangled. Nicole tilted her head slightly and wrapped her arms around Clayton. Since Clayton got a response, his kiss became more intense. He tilted his head while his other hand slipped to other places.
Nicole’s body turned soft from his teasing touch. When she saw that his hand was wandering downward, she opened her eyes and pushed him away.
“We can’t...”
Clayton’s gaze was dark and deep. His voice was husky. “I can help you...”
Although the danger period was long gone, they were both first-time parents and were more careful. They would rather endure their desires than risk a miscarriage.
Nicole was blushing. She gritted her teeth and said, “No.”
Clayton let out a low chuckle and wrapped his arms around her waist. He held her on his lap and teased her.
“You really don’t want it? Then what do you want?” The darkness in his eyes was overwhelming.
Nicole wrapped her arms around his neck and bit his shoulder fiercely. Why did he tease her?
Clayton winced and said, "You little wildcat...”
He lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “Forget it. Since we’re outside, I’ll let you off for now.”
If they were at home, it would be a different story.
After all, Nicole had a special status. There were so many people outside the lounge, so if the word got out, it would not be good for her reputation.
Chapter 1787
Clayton carried Nicole out to eat. Nicole enjoyed his attentiveness with any guilt.
It was just that Clayton was not satisfied with that little taste of sweetness earlier.
His eyes fell on Nicole from time to time, which made Nicole glare at him fiercely. Clayton then regained his composure with a smile.
Although Clayton looked like a gentleman on the surface, no one could stop his libido.
However, Clayton was serious as he served Nicole her meal with no other intentions. Nicole then ate the meal peacefully.
It was just about time to get off work.
Clayton’s assistant came in a couple of times. Clayton simply replied to their questions and paid more attention to Nicole.
When Nicole was done eating, Clayton simply took a few bites and got his assistant to clear the table.
After cleaning himself up, Clayton took a tissue to wipe Nicole’s hands. When he was done with his work, he went over and held Nicole’s hand as they left the office.
The couple went out and looked so sweet together, attracting a crowd of envious eyes.
A few days after Nicole went to Luke Youngblood’s office, she received news from Luke.
Luke agreed to Nicole’s conditions, but he also put forward his own requests. He asked to have control over the team.
This meant that if Nicole wanted to station her own people at their office, she must get Luke’s consent.
Nicole had to admit that Luke Youngblood was really suitable to do business.
He was straightforward and got what he wanted.
Since such a condition was not excessive, Nicole agreed to it and had it added to the contract.
The acquisition of Z Technologies was undoubtedly a good thing for Stanton Corporation.
A lot of people were relieved that the project they had been doing two years of preparatory work for could finally continue as usual. Since Luke Youngblood’s team was experienced, the cooperation between the two companies would only make them stronger.
Kai did not expect Nicole to act so fast. She negotiated the terms, but Kai had to carry out the follow-up work.
For a time, Kai was so busy that he did not even have time for a date.
Since Kai did not have time, Nicole felt bad and got Julie to come over to visit them at the office.
Julie did not want to cling to Kai all day. Since Nicole was pregnant and wanted to eat the dessert she made, Julie came over with the dessert.
Nicole just finished listening to Logan talking about the recent gossip in the company when she saw Julie pushing the door open.
Logan had the good sense to leave the office. Nicole smiled and opened her arms.
“I haven’t seen you for a long time! Is that show you were working on done with filming?”
Julie laughed. “I‘ve already finished two shows! The shows nowadays are like fast food culture. How can it be that slow?”
Nicole clicked her tongue and did not say much. Julie handed something to Nicole.
“Since you‘re pregnant, you can’t eat too much sugar. I added less sugar. Wanna try some?”
Nicole smiled and blinked.
“Did you think that I wanted to eat it?” “If not?”
“Don’t you know that my third brother hasn’t been home for three days?” Julie froze.
“Really?”
Nicole shook her head speechlessly and suddenly felt a little heartbroken for Kai.
Poor Kai. No one loved him.
“Julie, did you forget that you guys have already gotten a marriage license?”
Julie touched her nose. “How could I forget?” Nicole laughed and pushed the dessert over. “He’s in the office. You should go take a look.”
Julie pursed her lips and felt a little guilty. She nodded and quietly went out with the dessert.
Nicole sighed. She could only help them so much.
Kai was busy throwing a tantrum in the office. He was different from Grant and Nicole. He would never beat around the bush, and he could not hold in his anger.
Chapter 1788
The entire company’s middle and senior management were almost all scolded by Kai.
As soon as Julie went in, she saw a file being hurled at her.
“Get out! Didn’t you hear me? What kind of proposal is this?! You might as well go be a clown!”
Julie shuddered and dodged it.
When Kai did not hear the sound of the door closing, he turned around.
He froze when he saw Julie slowly walking over.
Kai paused, pursed his lips, and looked at her again before speaking.
“Who’s this? Why don’t I recognize you?” Julie was dumbfounded and a bit confused.
Kai did not greet her with his usual warm and fuzzy greetings, so Julie was not used to it.
She touched her nose, walked up, and put the dessert in front of him.
Julie smiled and said, “You haven’t been home for a few days. Don’t you think that you’re overworking yourself, Mr. Stanton?”
It was rare for Kai to see Julie thinking about him. His bad mood disappeared in an instant.
Kai snorted.
“I didn’t say anything about you when you didn’t come home for months. You still know how to care about me? I thought that you didn’t even know if I went home or not...”
Julie paused for a second. That was true. She felt really guilty.
If Nicole did not remind her, Julie would not have known.
Julie was really not a qualified wife.
Although their relationship had been in the spotlight for a while, it fell silent soon after. They did not have a wedding ceremony, so Julie truly enjoyed this marriage that had no restraints.
After all, when those people deliberately came to trouble her, Julie once felt like she could not live anymore.
The reason Julie could get back on her feet was because of her work and mainly because of this man in front of her.
Julie walked over and sat on Kai’s lap as soon as she turned around.
Kai raised his eyebrows and looked at her in surprise. His hand lightly rested on her waist.
“Why are you so active today? You want it?”
Julie blushed and pushed him slightly. She hugged him again, smelling his familiar scent and feeling his strong heartbeat. She suddenly became a little addicted.
Kai had never wanted her to be so tired, but Julie had always longed to soar to greater heights.
That was because she never had a sense of security.
However, she seemed to have overlooked something. This man in front of her had always been supporting her.
Kai sighed. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist without any intention to take advantage of her.
“You finally remember me? I haven’t visited you in the past few days. Did you miss me so much?”
In the past, when Julie was stationed at the film site or when she was abroad, Kai would fly over to see her every few days.
That was because he was her man, so he should be taking more initiative.
Julie let out a muffled “mm” and did not speak for a full minute.
Kai sensed her change in mood. He pursed his lips and opened his mouth to comfort her.
“It’s my fault. I neglected you. This time, Big Brother and Lil N are both not available, so I can’t just sit around and do nothing. Just wait for a while and I’ll make it up to you, alright?”
Julie’s eyes stung as she pursed her lips. "K..."
Kai raised his eyebrows. This was what she used to call him before they got married.
After they got married, Kai did not hear it often.
Julie said, “I think that I really can’t bear to be away from you.”
Kai smiled. The emotions in his eyes were surging.
He pinched the soft flesh around her waist. “Are you hinting at me? Why don’t we go to a hotel?” A hotel would be convenient.
Julie knew that Kai got the wrong idea and immediately got up from his lap after she hugged him enough.
“You’d better focus on your work. Don’t think about that.”
Kai saw how Julie was so decisive when she pulled away and laughed out loud.
“You‘re leaving right after you teased me?”
Chapter 1789
Julie scooped a spoonful from the tiramisu and fed it to Kai.
‘this is your treat.”
Their eyes locked and set off a spark. Their bodies were entangled, and they were filled with passion.
Although Julie was usually indifferent to Kai, once she responded, both their auras were overwhelming.
They were both immersed in their own world when someone suddenly knocked at the door and came in.
“Mr. Stanton...”
Julie was still sitting on Kai’s lap, kissing him from time to time. She was blushing, which made her look even more charming.
Her hair was messy, and Kai’s hands were wandering underneath her shirt.
Fortunately, Kai knew that they were still at the office and only wanted to relieve his cravings.
When they were suddenly interrupted by the person who came in, Julie panicked and buried her head in Kai’s arms. She did not dare to turn around.
Kai was in a terrible mood since he was interrupted. “Get lost!”
Before the person came in, he was already driven out.
The manager who interrupted them was depressed.
He closed the door with a gloomy face and left. When he saw the secretary‘s surprised look, he asked, “Did Mr. Stanton just get angry again?”
The secretary pursed his lips. "You went in? Mrs. Stanton was also there...”
The manager’s face became even gloomier. Then did I spoil their fun?
What bad luck!
The office fell back into silence.
The amorous atmosphere just now had disappeared.
Julie got up from Kai’s lap and slowly fixed her clothes and hair.
Kai looked at Julie’s body fondly and could not move his gaze away for a second.
“Julie, do you wanna wait for me so we can go home together later?”
Julie paused. She looked back at him, reached out, and pinched his ears.
“No, I have to go to a meeting soon. I’ll see you later?” Kai’s expression changed. He looked very upset.
“You took time out to come here?”
Julie smiled. “If not? We’re both very busy.”
Kai was about to say something when Julie interrupted him.
“After I’m done with this in a few days, I’ll take a break. Then, I’ll come over to take care of you, okay?”
Kai paused and looked at her. He was a little incredulous.
Julie pursed her lips and hesitated. “If you don’t want me to, then forget it. I’ll just go and travel then...”
Kai immediately took her hand. “Of course, I want you to! I just can’t believe that you’ll actually take a break!”
Julie had always put her work first, so Kai was used to being the second priority.
Thus, when Kai heard that Julie was going to take a break, he really could not believe his ears.
Kai would believe it if this was a joke.
Julie bowed her head and chuckled. The smile on her face was a little forced. She seemed to have neglected her life a little.
Clearly, the reason she worked so hard was to have a better life, but she ignored the importance of life and neglected Kai.
“Whatever, it’s up to you to believe it or not! I can’t stay any longer, else I’ll be late...”
Julie looked at her watch and took a deep breath. She turned around and was about to leave when Kai yanked her arm and pulled her back into his embrace. Both of them did not move.
After a few seconds, Kai sighed.
“You have to keep your word! Don’t lie to me...”
After they got married, Kai still had not enjoyed her care.
To Kai, this was like the sun rising from the west.
Julie left Kai’s office and greeted Nicole before she left.
Kai suddenly felt like his mood improved and called out to the people outside.
“Which son of a b*tch came in just no?! Tell him to come over!”
Yikes. Kai was settling accounts after the fact.
The secretary warily called the manager that came over just now.
The manager was in a good mood. “Has Mrs. Stanton left?”
The secretary nodded perfunctorily.
The manager breathed a sigh of relief. "Then Kai should be in a good mood.”
As he said that, he knocked on the door and walked in.
The secretary looked at the manager with sympathy and shook his head.
Shortly after, the secretary heard a loud argument coming from inside the office.
It was only Kai’s voice.
Chapter 1790
Nicole’s belly grew bigger by the day.
Nicole felt uneasy because she had never been a mother and had no experience in this aspect. Thus, she paid extra attention to every change in her body.
In her last trimester of pregnancy, Nicole became a little temperamental. Even she herself felt that she was being unreasonable.
When Nicole was alone with Clayton, she felt annoyed looking at him, but when he was not in sight, she felt angry.
Due to that, Floyd picked Nicole up and took her back to the Stanton Mansion.
Clayton did not say anything, packed his clothes, and stayed with Nicole.
Floyd chattered with the butler all day long, but Nicole somehow felt relieved.
Clayton also felt relieved. He would only go to the office once every few days. Most of the time, he would just work from home.
The company was left to Kai, so Floyd was mentally prepared to lose money.
Floyd had the least expectations for Kai. He only wanted Kai to keep the company afloat without going bankrupt until Grant and Nicole returned.
Surprisingly, once Kai took over, although the company was in disarray, there was still order in the chaos.
Everyone had some opinions on Kai’s crude and simple handling of matters, but during this time, the company was doing well. Not only did they not lose money, but their shares also rose a few points.
Due to that, those opinions were kept to themselves.
Julie took a break. Besides going to the office to visit Kai, she would go to the Stanton Mansion to accompany Nicole.
Noon.
Clayton went out. Julie and Nicole were eating dessert at the dining hall.
Kai was sleeping upstairs and was drowsy when he was awakened by a call. He was holding his phone, talking to his assistant, and cursing while walking downstairs. “Dinner with him?! Is he even sincere? Last time, I drank with him until the early hours of the morning and almost had a stomach ulcer from drinking so much. But he turned around and signed a contract with someone else. Now that the other guy bailed, he dares to come back to me? I'm not the picky one here. Tell him to get lost!”
Kai was so angry that he loosened his collar and coldly snorted.
“What? Look at the big picture?! Tell him to get lost! I’m in charge now!”
Kai came down and saw Nicole and Julie eating leisurely. He paused, went over, then wrapped his arms around Julie and kissed her. He then glared at Nicole with resentment.
“This mess you made me clean is too much! I’d rather be an actor!”
Nicole could not help but smile. “Third Brother, actors have to listen to the director. You’re certainly more powerful now since the entire company has to listen to you. What kind of trouble did you encounter recently?”
Although Nicole was not at the office, she had more or less heard the news.
An old geezer of a customer took advantage of Nicole and Grant’s absence to deliberately try to make things difficult for Kai, who did not know the industry. At the last step of the contract, the customer ran away and signed a contract with another company.
Due to this, Kai was so angry that he cursed the old man for two days.
Nicole could not blame Kai for being angry. That old geezer always wanted to take advantage of them in negotiations in the past.
If Nicole and Grant did not see the profit in this, they would have put up with it.
Who knew that there would be such a mishap this time? Who could tolerate it?
The old geezer thought that Kai was an actor and knew nothing about business. So, he put on airs and waited for Kai to lower the price. Even if Kai did not lower the price, the old geezer still had another partner waiting for him.
However, the old geezer did not expect the other partner to run away.
The old geezer had no other choice. He had worked with Stanton Corporation for so many years, and they had always been generous with their money.
The old man was not interested in smaller companies, so he turned around and begged Stanton Corporation.
As a result, he could not get another appointment with Kai again.
Kai would rather sleep at home than waste time socializing with the old geezer.
As soon as Kai heard Nicole’s words, he laughed in exasperation.
“Powerful?! I’m like a slave to more than 3,000 people! I work so hard to pay their salaries and get pissed off every day! Have you ever seen a powerful person like me?!”
Kai’s words left Nicole speechless. It did seem to make sense.
Julie could not help but let out a light laugh on the side. She looked at Kai.
“Yeah. Dominic is so devoted to you, so all you have to do is sit back and count your money. Now you know that running a company isn’t that simple, huh?”
When Julie said that, Kai wanted to retort but did not dare to. He just pouted his lips and sat next to her looking aggrieved.
The anger Kai felt just now was almost gone. Nicole shook her head and looked at Kai.
“How could there be anything in this world that could trouble my third brother? Kai, don’t die of rage just after a few days in the office...”
Kai rolled his eyes. If Nicole was not pregnant, Kai would beat her up.
“Do you think I’m a fool?!”
He then looked at Julie aggrievedly. ‘You don’t believe in me either?”
Julie smiled. Recently, she had been following Nicole’s routine at home, so had a rosy face and a great complexion.
“Of course, I believe you. Big Brother and Lil N are praising you. You just didn’t hear it.”
Kai gave Nicole an arrogant look.
‘that’s a fact! I don’t need others to praise me.” When he said this, he sounded so smug.
Nicole and Julie glanced at each other and the two of them could not help but laugh.
Shortly after, Mr. Anderson suddenly ran in with his phone.
“Eldest Young Madam is about to give birth! She’s in the hospital now...”
The three people who were laughing were suddenly stunned.
Kai hurriedly gathered his things and tugged on Julie’s hand.
“Let’s hurry over to the hospital!”
Julie froze for a moment. She came back to her senses and hurriedly stood up.
Nicole also followed and stood up. “I’m going too!”
Mr. Anderson was worried and stopped Nicole.
“Miss, you shouldn’t go. You’re pregnant and it won’t be convenient. What if you accidentally bump into something later when no one is paying attention to you?”
The butler said while he ran outside. “I’ll tell the Chairman! He’s fishing in the backyard and didn’t take his phone with him.”
Nicole did not want to stay and wait for the news. She insisted on going along.
Aida had been living outside with Grant ever since she was pregnant.
She did not find the Stanton Mansion inconvenient. It was just that Aida was used to living alone. However, she did come over from time to time.
Floyd was very understanding about this. He also asked Grant to hire someone to take care of Aida and to stay with her more often, preferably without leaving her side.
They even called Aida yesterday. Everything was fine then.
However, Aida went into labor today.
A moment later, Floyd hurriedly came into the house and saw that everyone was ready to get in the car. He then ran over.
“It’s too sudden! Isn’t there still half a month to go before the due date?”
Kai said nonchalantly, “It’s okay. If it’s too soon, just get Big Brother to stuff it back in again, so Aida can give birth after two weeks!”
Floyd heard this and ruthlessly kicked him without sparing any energy.
“You idiot! What nonsense is that?!”
Julie looked at Kai with an expression that said, "You deserved that...”
She did not say another word. Kai finally behaved himself.
Nicole said, “Dad, let’s not waste time. Let’s go!” Floyd nodded with a cold face.
He suddenly remembered something and looked out the car window at Mr. Anderson, who was there to see them off.
“Bring the things in the study to the hospital later!”
Mr. Anderson froze and immediately understood.
“Yes, Chairman!”
…
Hospital.
Grant booked out the whole floor in advance so that no one would disturb them.
Floyd was very anxious and went over with Kai.
Julie attentively stayed behind, matching Nicole’s pace so that Nicole would not be left behind.
The closer they got to the ward, the louder Aida’s cries became.
Aida has never cried in front of outsiders. How painful must it be?
Nicole tugged on Julie’s arm. The closer Nicole got to the ward, the more nervous she became.
“No, no, no... I’m scared!“