Ch. 2281..2290

Chapter 2281 Kneel and Beg

Julie pursed her lips, thought about it for a moment, and said, "Nicole, calm down first. Let me analyze it for you. We can’t be sure of his relationship with that woman. But right now, you two are still married. No matter who is around him, you’re still his wife. Since Clayton is back, he must've come back to look for you. Otherwise, why would he stay in Mediania where he has far less influence?"

Nicole’s eyelashes trembled slightly. She looked up at Julie. "Really?"

Julie patted her on the shoulder and said with a smile, 'There’s also another possibility. What if he lost his memory due to the earthquake or some other reason? Maybe that’s why he didn't come back to look for you. After all, you also lost your memory back then when you gave birth to Chatty. Remember?"

Nicole's face froze slightly and turned a little pale. Did he forget her?

If he lost his memory, why did he come back to Mediania?

However, if he did not lose his memory, why did he not look for her?

Nicole gritted her teeth and said with difficulty, "What if he didn't forget and fell in love with someone else instead?"

This was her greatest fear.

Nicole did not imagine that she would be in this position one day.

Julie silently glanced at her and said in a wavering tone, 'Then you can kneel and beg him to like you. Tell him that you can do anything for him if he doesn’t see other women. You can compromise!"

Nicole’s face changed instantly. "No way in hell!"

How could she do something that would hurt her dignity?

How could she beg someone to like her?

Nicole almost cursed out loud.

Julie laughed lightly and looked at her.

"So, what are you struggling with? What you said is the worst-case scenario, and it's not necessarily the truth. Are you so insecure about your marriage? Does the presence of a woman beside him make you restless? Not to mention, this is just your guess. Even if it's a fact, so what? You know that it's normal for people to have a change of heart. Just look at how ruthless Eric was to you back then. Now he wants to cling to you, but you didn't even give him a chance. If you two still like each other, then you should stay together. But if he has a change of heart, why should you give up your dignity to keep him around?"

Julie's words struck a chord with Nicole.

It was a painful wake-up call.

She stared blankly at Julie. All the complicated things in front of her were suddenly sorted out. Her burning heart instantly cooled.

Right, she should not jump to a conclusion so soon.

If he wanted to come back, she would welcome him with open arms.

If he did not want to, she would not force him. She would just have to slowly heal the pain caused by his departure.

However, Nicole was already content knowing that he was still alive. She clenched her fists and loosened them again.

Nicole pursed her lips. The expression on her face was no longer so stiff and dazed. Her eyes were glimmering.

"You're right! I was too caught up in my head.’’

'You just didn't think of it yet. Are you going to look for him now?"

Julie looked at her.

Nicole hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.

Her smile was much more natural.

"No. I know where he is, and there will be more opportunities in the future, so I won’t go to him now." "Well, I support you no matter what. Just let me know if you need my help." They were not just best friends. They were also family.

Nicole nodded and hugged Julie.

'Thanks, Jules. I'm really enlightened now!"

Julie laughed along with Nicole. When Kai came out of the ward and saw them hugging each other, he was frustrated and a little jealous. 'Why are you two hugging each other?"

Nicole finally raised her head to tease Kai.

"You're even jealous of this now? Third Brother, are you going through a midlife crisis? Are you jealous because Julie doesn't hug you?"

Kai's eyes widened all of a sudden. "Me?! Middle-aged?! Jealous?!"

He was provoked and looked like he would explode to refute Nicole’s slander. However, before he could say anything, Julie stood up, covered his mouth, looked at him, and warned him.

"Don’t shout! Aida needs some rest!"

Kai froze for a moment. However, he took advantage of the situation to hold Julie's hand and kissed it a few times.

Nicole was speechless.

She could not stand their public display of affection, so she might as well go into visit Aida. The doctor came back and forth to keep an eye on Aida's condition.

Aida ate something and regained her strength, but Grant did not have an appetite. He rolled up his sleeves and happily served Aida tea.

His ironed shirt was wrinkled.

Floyd was also anxiously waiting in the small living room outside the ward.

In the blink of an eye, it was already evening.

Logan brought Levi, Chatty, and Fischer over.

Levi rushed over to the hospital bed anxiously with red eyes. "Mommy..." Chatty and Fischer also imitated Levi, looking at Aida worriedly.

Aida smiled when she saw Levi's obedient face. The pain also subsided slightly. "Mommy's fine. Your little brother is coming out soon."

Aida had a hunch that the baby was a boy.

Initially, she was hoping for a daughter, but it was pointless now. This could not be forced anyway. Levi gently touched Aida's belly.

The baby was more active because Aida was going into labor.

When the baby kicked Aida's belly, Aida's face turned pale from the pain. Grant hurriedly took Levi aside.

"Don't touch your sister."

Levi asked, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Chatty blinked her big eyes and watched expectantly. She said in a childish voice, "I also want a little sister."

Grant gave her an appreciative look. "Chatty is right!"

Fischer touched his head and asked Chatty, "Are you willing to give all your precious toys to your sister?"

Chatty fiddled with her fingers and said hesitantly, "I’m willing to give you to my sister!" Fischer was speechless as he thought, ’What did I do wrong?'

Grant could not help but laugh.

Aida also laughed and looked at Chatty.

"How generous of you!"

Chatty smiled happily with squinted eyes after being praised and thought,' Of course!' Aida laughed again when she saw a deflated Fischer and the cute Chatty.

After laughing for a moment, her stomach suddenly hurt. Her face was pale as she clenched Grant's hand tightly. "Quick, call the doctor..."

Grant also realized it and quickly called the doctor over. The doctor ran in and did a brief check before he ordered the nurse, "Let's get ready. She's about to give birth..."

Levi squeezed Aida's hand nervously and shouted, "Mommy!”

Grant was even more nervous and insistent on following Aida into the operating room.

Chapter 2282 Freedom

Levi was left outside.

Nicole touched Levi's forehead and found that he was sweating profusely. "Don’t worry, Leaf. Your mom will be fine."

"Auntie, was Mommy in so much pain when she gave birth to me?"

Nicole’s heart softened when she saw his sad face.

'Yes, pregnancy is like this. But your mom loves you, so even though it hurts, it's still bearable." Although Levi was a boy, he was much more sensitive than other boys.

At the same time, Chatty obediently ran to Nicole's side and stayed there. She hugged Nicole's leg, raised her head, and stroked Nicole's belly. "Mommy, will you give birth to a little monster for me soon?"

Nicole looked at her speechlessly and thought, 'They're both kids. Why can Levi be so attentive to Aida, but Chatty is so naive that I feel like beating her up?*

Fischer pulled Chatty and said, "Don't you want Ultra Princess?"

"Then Mommy should give birth twice!" Chatty was decisive. Nicole gritted her teeth. 'You two should go somewhere else." Kai and Julie hurriedly carried the kids away.

Two hours later, Aida gave birth to a baby boy.

Grant stayed with Aida in the ward and did not even have time to look at the baby. It was mainly because his dream of having a daughter fell through. He was also vexed that his second son made Aida suffer so much.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Floyd really liked his youngest grandson and named him Kenji Stanton.

Since Kenji was a premature baby, he was taken away by the nurse. Levi and the other children fell asleep on the sofa.

Only then did Floyd react and asked Kai and Nicole to take the children back. Grant could stay back to accompany Aida.

It was no use for the others to stick around.

Moreover, Grant would never let anyone else take care of Aida either.

Kai agreed to the arrangement.

Thus, the three of them carried one child each and followed Floyd back home. Floyd smiled happily.

Although this baby was not a girl as Grant expected, they were glad that both the mother and baby were healthy and safe.

As soon as Floyd went back, he asked the maid to prepare some soup for Aida.

The Stanton Mansion started to get busy again, but everyone was happy.

Floyd also gave everyone a special bonus to commemorate this day. Thus, everyone was grinning from ear to ear.

Nicole did not go back to her apartment and went to the Stanton Mansion.

Since this was a special occasion, Kai and the others returned to the Stanton Mansion on Floyd's orders.

As soon as Julie went back, she started to discuss Aida's meal plan with Mr. Anderson.

Floyd was too excited to sleep.

After tucking the three children into bed, Nicole left the children’s room with a sigh of relief.

She glanced at Tigger, who was lying on the ground. Tigger had been dormant for a while because it developed self-awareness and went into a self-upgrading mode.

However, he recently became active again. He also looked more like a tiger than before. Tigger tapped his paw and said, "I want to sleep with Chatty!"

Its eyes were clear and beautiful.

Nicole said, "Don't disturb her."

It was hard to get her to sleep.

Nicole was unfazed by Tigger trying to act cute.

Tigger swung his tail and circled Nicole twice.

'You're so fierce! You're so fierce..."

Nicole said, "You're a tiger, not a cat. Is your system out of order?"

"Roar—"

Tigger's whiskers twitched in shock. Then, he turned around and ran away. 'You're so fierce..."

Nicole was speechless.

She thought that she should go to Molly and ask her to check Tigger's operating system. The Stanton Mansion was brightly lit on the inside and outside.

Nicole yawned and went downstairs. Floyd was reminding Kai to wear a mask before going out so as not to attract the paparazzi's attention.

After thinking about it, Nicole turned around and planned to take a shower.

Downstairs, Kai lay on the sofa listlessly.

Julie came out of the kitchen with a warm glass of milk for each of them. Floyd nodded and took it over.

"Don't walk around. Sit down and rest, then go to bed early. If you guys have time, you guys should visit Grant and Aida at the hospital."

Julie smiled and said, "Don't worry, I already told Kai. He’ll visit them every day, and he'll pick Levi up from school. We can't let outsiders pick Levi up all the time. It just so happens that Kai doesn't have to go to the office or the set, so he can help out at home." Floyd nodded in satisfaction.

Kai got up and went upstairs helplessly. "I'm going to wash up. I'll wake up early tomorrow to deliver meals to Grant and Aida."

As soon as Kai left, Julie's smile faded. She looked at Floyd with a complex gaze.

"Dad, do you blame me for not being ready to conceive?"

The Stantons were not traditional, but Julie knew that affluent families liked more children. Grant and Aida had two children. Nicole also gave birth to Chatty.

Maverick and Molly were busy with work, but that did not mean they did not have plans. Julie and Kai did not have kids yet. Kai had always liked children, but Julie did not want kids so soon, so Kai did not force it.

Earlier at the hospital, Julie noticed that Kai was almost drooling when he looked at Grant's youngest son.

Julie suddenly felt a little sad.

Floyd paused, looked at her, and smiled lovingly.

"Jules, I think of you as my daughter, and you don't need to apologize to anyone if you don't want children. It's your life, and it's fine as long as you're happy and have no regrets. Our country has a population of over 1.4 billion people, so it won't matter if you two don't want kids. I spend the most time with Kai among my three sons. As long as you two are happy, I respect your decision."

Although Floyd felt regretful, he would not force them to have a child.

Floyd did not want to interfere in his children’s life plans. As long as they were walking the right path, it did not matter who came along the way.

Julie smiled and nodded with a sigh of relief.

'Thanks, Dad."

"It's getting late. Let’s go and rest.”

Floyd sighed and stood up.

"I just called Grant to check up on them. I should sleep now. I'm old and can't stay up so late anymore."

Julie sent Floyd back to his room upstairs, but she could not fall asleep. After the conversation with Floyd, the gloom in her heart dissipated.

After a while, Nicole went downstairs.

She saw that Julie was still walking around and had not slept yet. "Jules, go to bed!"

"I'm bored and I can't sleep. I’ll go to the office tomorrow and try to spare time to visit Aida at the hospital."

Nicole heard this and smiled. "It's good that you have this thought, but you don’t need to accompany her. Aida is fine. She has the best care in the best hospital, and Grant is there with her."

As she spoke, she sighed and realized something. "Oh no! I think Grant is going to take a long vacation. That means I’ll have to go to the office every day!"

Julie could not help but laugh.

"Look at you. You should work harder since this is a special circumstance. You've slacked off for so long. Do you still want to make money?"

Nicole thought about it. 'Right. I have slacked off for a long time.'

"By the way, what are your plans with Clayton?" Julie lowered her voice.

Chapter 2283 Take the Initiative

Nicole’s face froze slightly.

She stared into space for a moment and smiled. "I guess I should take the initiative first, huh?”

What if Clayton was really ill or had amnesia? Nicole would have misunderstood him.

Now that he was back, Nicole would take care of him in every possible way as he took care of her back then.

Julie nodded and held her hand.

"You should take your time. If possible, bring him back first.”

'Yeah, I'll see how it goes.”

Nicole smiled and thought about the back view of the two people leaning on each other while walking out of the hospital. That image made her feel uncomfortable.

She wanted to figure out their relationship first.

After a short chat, the two ladies went upstairs to rest.

For several days, Nicole went back and forth between the office and the hospital.

Grant did not go to the office at all. If there was something urgent, they had to call him. Otherwise, he did not want to be disturbed.

Thus, Nicole was withheld by the subordinates and had no choice but to work hard at the office.

Although Nicole had no time to go to the French restaurant to look for Clayton, she did not forget about him.

She asked Hamilton to order food from the restaurant and have it delivered to her office.

It was a one-person portion.

Hamilton complained about it to Logan in private and wondered why Nicole wanted to eat alone and did not want to order an extra portion for them.

After all, Hamilton was disgusted by a fly the last time he ate there.

Now that he thought about it, he was not certain whether there was a fly in his food.

That was because Nicole ate food from that restaurant every day. She did not find fault with them like last time.

Hamilton found this a bit confusing.

Logan told him solemnly.

"We are assistants, so why does the president have to treat US to dinner every day? You should realign your thoughts. If you want to eat it, go to the restaurant and buy yourself a meal."

Hamilton scratched his head. "But I'll need to make a reservation!"

Nicole was special. She had a VIP membership, so she just needed to say her name to order a meal.

More importantly, the restaurant did not do food delivery initially, but they made an exception for Nicole and delivered it to Stanton Corporation.

But why did they make an exception for Nicole?

Hamilton pursed his lips. Logan did not want to continue talking, so he turned around and found a reason to leave.

Nicole looked at the familiar dishes and was in a daze for a moment.

The meal was placed in an incubator, so the temperature of the food did not change much when she took it out. However, she was staring at it for so long that it got a little cold.

She had no intention of eating. Hot tears welled up in her eyes. Nicole was sure that the chef was Clayton because the plating was his style.

She took a deep breath, rubbed her eyes, stood up, and went out the door.

Logan was a little surprised to see her.

"President, are you leaving?"

Nicole nodded. "Pack up the things inside."

"Don’t forget that there's a meet and greet in the afternoon at the Times Building."

Logan reminded her.

Nicole nodded and walked straight to the elevator.

She knew where Clayton was, but she did not go to him because it made her feel uneasy.

Nicole went to the underground parking and drove out to the French restaurant.

On the way there, there was traffic because it was after lunch.

Nicole was a little annoyed, but she knew it was pointless to be anxious.

She suddenly thought of something.

She found Roland's phone number and called him.

Roland answered her call quickly.

"Madam, what are your orders?"

"Roland, is everything okay on your end?"

Roland thought that Nicole was purely concerned about the company's operations.

He had contacted Logan privately, so he knew that Nicole was busy these days. Thus, he felt embarrassed to bother her with trivial matters.

Roland responded, "Everything is okay, Madam. The company is operating as usual. By the way, the lawyer has prepared the documents for the transfer of Mr. Sloan's property to your name. It requires an electronic signature, so you don't need to be present. I'll send it to your mailbox shortly." Nicole frowned slightly. She was silent for a moment.

"No news from Clayton yet?”

She asked with a guilty conscience.

That was because she knew where Clayton was, but she asked Roland anyway. Clayton had a lot of money. How did he survive during this time?

Even if Clayton touched some of his property, it was just the tip of the iceberg, and Roland might not notice.

Now that the lawyer was handling the transfer of property, any movement of assets would definitely attract their attention.

If Clayton did not move his assets, did that mean he did not want to be found?

Roland thought that Nicole asked this question because she missed Clayton so much. He stumbled for words of comfort, but in the end, he told her the truth.

"No, Madam. Even after the property transfer is successful, it won’t affect anything if Mr. Sloan comes back."

If the deceased reappeared, his inherited property would automatically return to his name except those that were already spent.

Clayton had so much wealth that was impossible to spend all of it in one's lifetime. Thus, Roland felt that it was better to transfer the property once-and-for-all.

Nicole sighed. "Pause the signing for now."

It might not be necessary anymore.

Clayton had to run his own business.

However, when she thought about it now, she felt that he was being overboard for not coming back to her.

She should just leave him penniless so that he could only depend on her in the future!

However, she quickly threw out this thought. Nicole could not bear it.

Just as she was about to say something, the car suddenly shook violently.

The seat belt tugged on her chest, which hurt for a moment.

Her face turned slightly pale.

Her car was rear-ended.

Nicole became more irritable and hung up the phone.

She quickly called Logan and asked him to come over to deal with the accident because she would not deal with the perpetrator, but she could not stay in the car anymore in case of any danger.

Nicole pushed the door open and got off.

The man behind her knew that he was at fault. When he saw her getting out of the car, he immediately pushed the door open.

"I'm really sorry, Miss. I dropped my phone and didn't pay attention to the road when I picked it up."

The man was stunned for a moment when he saw the handbag Nicole was holding. The man drove a BMW, but Nicole's bag was worth more than his car.

He did not know it at first, but his girlfriend kept talking about that brand of handbag all day long, so he remembered.

However, he did not recognize Nicole's car.

Nicole nodded lightly and did not want to say more. "It's okay. Let’s go through the process."

That man saw Nicole's indifferent expression and cold demeanor and thought she looked just like a movie star.

However, he could not think of any female celebrity who was as good­looking as Nicole.

He felt that going through the process was too troublesome. It would also be a waste of time, so he smiled and said, "Shall we settle this in private?"

Nicole glanced at him.

The woman behind him got out of the car. When she saw Nicole’s car, her face turned pale for a moment.

She immediately ran up to the man when she heard what he said. "Settle in private? Can you afford it? This is a limited edition Cayenne. One of its wheels is worth more than your car! Let's claim the car insurance."

The woman's words made the man's expression change slightly.

Chapter 2284 Fool

Nicole pursed her lips and did not say much.

The man hesitated. His face turned pale. "What? Why do you drive such an expensive car? Isn’t this a deliberate attempt to rip people off? Miss, since your car is so expensive, you must be rich. Do you still need the repair fees?"

Hearing this, Nicole frowned and looked at the man in front of him indifferently. "So what if I’m rich? Do I look like a fool to be taken advantage of?”

Her voice was cold without a hint of warmth.

The man blushed with embarrassment and stuttered. "Um... Can you give me a discount?

Nicole looked away speechlessly and glanced down at her phone as she thought, 'Why isn't Logan here yet?'

She did not expect Logan to also be stuck in traffic, so Logan could not rush over immediately. Earlier, Nicole was distracted and troubled. She even met an idiot on the road.

The woman next to the man could see that Nicole was annoyed. She smiled ingratiatingly and said, "Miss, this amount of money is nothing to you. We're just corporate slaves who have to work hard for what we have. If you return your car to the manufacturer, it’ll cost US a lot, and we’ll lose everything..." Nicole glanced around and saw a police officer had noticed their situation and was rushing over.

She was slightly relieved by that.

Nicole looked at the woman closely. That woman was dressed nicely and looked well-pampered.

How could that woman be a corporate slave? Nicole had many employees in the office, and none of them were like her.

Nicole did not want to get into this. It was not until the police arrived that Nicole said frankly, "I doubt you'll go bankrupt. That's why insurance companies exist, to protect everyone's interests." The police looked at the situation and pointed to the car behind Nicole.

'Whose car is this?"

The man's face changed slightly.

He gently nudged the woman.

The woman was shrewd. She rolled her eyes and said, "It’s his.” The man’s expression turned glum.

The police officer just asked, is anyone hurt?"

"No."

The police officer glanced at the man. "There's a surveillance camera over there, and it’s obvious whose fault it was. I need both of your driver's licenses." Nicole pursed her lips and had no choice but to go to her car to take out her driver's license.

The man rubbed his hands hesitantly.

The woman urged him. "Go get it."

The man glared at the woman, gritted his teeth, and said, "My driver's license was suspended half a month ago for driving under the influence..." The woman immediately went crazy and kept hitting him. "How can you drink and drive? Are you crazy? Who did you drink with half a month ago? I remember another woman answering the phone that day..."

The police officer stood there speechlessly and glanced at Nicole. He thought that she looked familiar.

Nicole was irritable and moved away from the couple to call Logan.

Logan picked up the call and felt a little anxious.

"President, I'll be there soon. I borrowed an electric scooter."

Nicole exhaled slowly. "At least you're smart."

Electric scooters were lifesavers in such a traffic jam.

Sure enough, Nicole soon saw Logan rushing over.

Logan was sweating profusely and did not look as neat as he usually was. "I’m sorry, President. I was caught in traffic."

He put the electric scooter away and looked at Nicole. "President, are you injured? Do you need to go to the hospital?"

Nicole shook her head. "I'm fine. You can deal with this. I have a meeting in the afternoon." "Okay."

Logan walked up to the police officer and introduced himself with a smile.

The police officer nodded because he knew that Logan would handle this in Nicole's stead.

Thus, the officer did not stop Nicole from leaving.

Seeing that Nicole was about to leave, Logan quickly chased after her. "President, you can take the scooter. It's very convenient."

Nicole wore slacks, a camisole, and a beige suit jacket that day.

It was not difficult to ride a bike, but she did not ride a bike for a long time. Nicole looked at the congested traffic and nodded after some hesitation.

She took the keys and said, "Fine."

Logan smiled and wanted to ask her if she knew how to ride.

However, when he saw that she was full of confidence, he suddenly felt that his worries were for nothing.

She certainly knew how to ride a scooter.

Nicole inserted the key, twisted it, and turned the handlebar lightly. She rode the scooter away smoothly.

Even the police officer behind Logan breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Nicole leave without a hitch, Logan wiped off the sweat on his forehead in relief. The woman was still beating the man, and the man's face was ashen as he tried to plead with the police officer.

Logan walked over, took out his phone, and contacted the insurance company.

Nicole gradually got used to riding the scooter.

She came to an intersection where she would have to turn right. When she turned the corner, she did not notice that a car behind her wanted to overtake her. The driver seemed anxious and honked at her.

Nicole was startled. Her scooter knocked onto the curb, and she fell off the scooter.

She screamed, and her palms were burning with pain.

What kind of bad luck did she have today?

Nicole looked up. Just then, the car slowed down. The car window at the back seat was only halfway up, so it was enough to see the people inside. It was such a coincidence that the person she wanted to see appeared in front of her no matter how he tried to hide from her. Clayton's side profile was smooth. He looked gentle, modest, and indifferent. At this time, his face was pale. His lips were tightly pursed, and his eyes were closed. He was also leaning on the shoulder of the woman next to him.

Nicole also recognized that woman - Kira. The moment the two women locked eyes, their expressions changed at the same time.

However, Kira looked away in a hurry and raised the car window on Clayton's side.They were going to slow down and stop, but after she saw Nicole, the car suddenly sped up and left. It was as if she saw a monster.

Nicole’s eyes started to tear up.

There seemed to be an unbearable dull pain in her chest.

It was not because Clayton passed by and turned a blind eye to her. It was because this was the first time they met in a way that only happened in TV shows.

Nicole had not seen him up close since the earthquake. This was the first time he appeared in front of her as Clayton.

However, there was no interaction.

Nicole did not believe that Clayton had disappeared from this world. She had been holding onto that belief in her heart even though everyone pitied her unfortunate life.

Nicole would rather believe that Clayton was just gone temporarily and that he would be back sooner or later.

Jeff Lieberman was Clayton, and vice versa. He changed his name and identity, but Nicole could tell that it was him at a glance.

Nicole thought their souls were fated to be together. However, she only woke up from her dream when he passed her by and treated her as a stranger. That sense of loss and the huge gap sobered her up.

If Nicole did not take the initiative to look for him, would their relationship be over?

There would be other women around him. He would have a new family, and he would be a passerby in her life.

Nicole felt uncomfortable, and she could not even care about the scratches on her palms.

Her eyes turned red.

Chapter 2285 If It’s a Coincidence

Suddenly, a strong arm stretched out and pulled Nicole up from the ground. The next second, Nicole heard someone say, "It's really you?"

Eric’s words drew Nicole back to reality. She was silent for a second before she quickly wiped away her tears. "Why are you here?"

Her voice was slightly hoarse, and she turned her face away as she did not want him to see her like this. Eric grabbed her hand and saw the blood streaks and gravel on her palms. His face darkened a little, and he looked distressed.

"I had a meeting in the afternoon and passed by. What happened? Where are your driver and assistant?"

His voice was cold, and he was overstepping his bounds. Nicole withdrew her hand and smiled nonchalantly.

"I accidentally fell. My car was rear-ended, and Logan is dealing with it now. I thought that I might as well ride a scooter in this traffic jam and didn't expect to accidentally hit the curb." Nicole did not have to explain so much.

She just subconsciously wanted to protect Clayton's existence. Eric’s eyes flickered. Her explanation made him feel better.

His complexion improved slightly.

Suddenly, someone was honking at them from behind.

The car behind was urging Eric's car to move because it was blocking the way. Nicole pursed her lips, turned around, and was about to bend down to pick the scooter up when Eric stopped her. "Get in the car first. You can't continue to ride the scooter in this state."

"It's okay." Nicole frowned slightly.

However, Eric forcibly grabbed her by the hand, stuffed her into the car, and waved at the back.

Mitchell got down from the driver's seat and looked at Nicole in disbelief. "Ms. Stanton, it's really you?"

He only thought that she looked a little familiar when he was in the car.

Due to that, he did not question Eric being a good Samaritan.

After all, it was understandable.

Unexpectedly, the person riding the electric scooter was really Nicole. Nicole nodded lightly. She did not resist, and her head was buzzing from the noise behind. Besides, it was not suitable for her to ride a scooter in her current state.

Eric walked around to the driver's seat and looked at Mitchell. "Contact Logan and get rid of that scooter. I'll go to the meeting venue later." "Alright, President." Mitchell looked at Nicole and smiled politely.

Eric drove very steadily. The car turned right and merged into the main road. Nicole remained silent in the back seat.

There was a nice faint and warm sandalwood scent in the car that gradually calmed her nerves. Eric coughed and reminded her.

"Nicole, there are band-aids and disinfectant in the compartment next to you. You should treat your wound first."

Nicole looked down at her palms.

Although her skin was torn and blood was oozing out, it was not critical. "I’ll just wash it when I get to the venue."

Eric did not continue to speak.

He looked at her through the rearview mirror. Nicole sat there quietly and looked as beautiful as a painting.

However, she looked like she had something on her mind. She looked like she was shrouded in despair.

For some reason, Eric's mood was affected, but he concentrated on driving. When they arrived at the venue and went in together, they attracted a lot of attention. Although Clayton’s disappearance caused a heated discussion among the public, the Stanton family did not refute the rumors. Instead, they only dismissed the discussion, which showed that Clayton was in trouble.

Seeing Eric and Nicole side by side, everyone inevitably began to wonder if they had a second chance.

However, they were not ordinary people. Thus, they did not dare to ask directly. They only went over to exchange some pleasantries. Then, everyone went into the venue one after another.

Nicole went to the bathroom to clean her wound before going in. She then asked a waiter to bring her some disinfectant and a band-aid.

When she sat there, she looked the same as usual, but her mind was not there. At the end of the meeting, Nicole forgot to call Logan.

Thus, the driver was not there when she went out.

Nicole took out her phone to make a call, but Eric came over behind her and said, "Come on, I'll send you back."

Nicole pursed her lips. Her voice was calm as she said, "No need. I’ll ask my driver to come over."

Eric was silent for a few seconds before he spoke in a low voice. "Do you have to avoid me like this? I didn't do anything misleading, right? If you reject me like this, people will think that there's something wrong between US." Nicole glanced at him silently. Eric’s expression was the same as usual without any awkwardness.

She was indeed avoiding him.

If this was the past, Nicole would not care about Eric.

However, a thought suddenly came to her mind. She looked at Eric and said softly, "Can you take me somewhere?"

Eric looked relieved.

"Of course."

Soon, they arrived at the entrance of the French restaurant.

Eric was surprised. "Do you want to eat?"

Nicole replied, 'Thanks for bringing me here." She nodded and walked in.

Eric stared at her back silently for a few seconds and caught up to her.

Kira guessed that Nicole would come over, but she did not expect a delay of two or three hours.

She thought that Nicole would immediately come over to question her.

Thus, she was mentally prepared to face Nicole after two to three hours.

When Nicole went in, Kira was sitting on the sofa in the lobby, talking to the staff about something. Out of the corner of her eye, Kira saw Nicole approaching. She took a deep breath and was ready to face Nicole's interrogation. However, Nicole just walked over calmly to the table where she sat with Hamilton before.

Not only that, she had a man following her.

Kira paused slightly. Her expression froze.

She did not even have time to regain her composure. Kira thought that she was being a little pretentious.

The waiter quickly went over to serve Nicole and Eric water.

"Ms. Stanton, would you like to order?"

Everyone who worked in the restaurant recognized Nicole. After all, Nicole was the first to say that there was a fly in their soup. However, the restaurant still presented a VIP membership card to Nicole. Nicole was not a random person who came to find fault, but an influential figure in Atlanta. The restaurant did not do deliveries, but they made an exception for Nicole.

Nicole smiled, took the menu, and ordered a few dishes. Then, she handed the menu to Eric, who was opposite her.

Eric was a little shocked because he was still worried whether Nicole would kick him out.

Fortunately, she did not.

Eric took the menu, looked at it, and ordered a cup of coffee. He had already eaten lunch and did not want to eat again.

However, seeing that Eric did not order a single dish, Nicole was stunned and reminded him. 'You can try some dishes even though you've had lunch. It's authentic French food, and don't worry, it's my treat."

Eric raised his eyebrows slightly when he heard her words. He was a little surprised by Nicole's tolerance of him today.

Since it was rare that Nicole was in such a good mood with him, Eric ordered a few more dishes according to her wishes. 2 They ordered more than enough for two people.

Chapter 2286 What's Your Opinion?

Since they were just tasting the dishes, Nicole was not worried about having leftovers.

Besides, her purpose was not to eat. The waiter hesitated to speak. He watched as Nicole handed him the menu, but he did not say a word and left. The waiter went to Kira and showed her the long list of orders from Nicole. "Ms. Stanton ordered so much. I don't think they can finish it. More importantly, I don’t think the boss can make all of these in time, right?"

Kira's face changed slightly.

She maintained a calm expression, thought about it for a while, and walked toward Nicole. Nicole had a Band-Aid on one hand. She was leaning on a chair, and her slender and beautiful fingers were glowing in the sun. They were beautiful, like works of art displayed in the exhibition hall. She looked pampered and relaxed as if she had no worries.

At this time, Nicole was listening to the man opposite her talking.

The man's voice was low and gentle, and he looked at her with undisguised admiration and joy. He even looked a little cautious. "So, are you interested in the project proposed at the meeting just now? If you want, we can cooperate and do it together."

Kira should not have disturbed the customer's conversation, but she had already walked over. Nicole turned her head slightly and saw her.

Thus, it was too late for Kira to leave.

Kira had no choice but to smile and walk over bravely. However, Nicole's gaze landed on Kira's feet. Her eyes flickered slightly when she saw that Kira was wearing flats.

She did not say anything.

As soon as Kira went over, Eric stopped talking and glanced at her with an oppressive gaze.

Kira took a deep breath and maintained a decent smile. "Sorry to bother you, Ms. Stanton. I noticed that you ordered a lot of dishes. We sent someone to deliver your lunch at noon. Were you dissatisfied with your lunch?"

Nicole pursed her lips and looked at her doubtfully and innocently. "No, I'm very satisfied."

Nicole smiled and scrutinized Kira, who was in front of her, silently.

Kira was thin and she had slender eyes. None of her facial features alone looked good, but when put together, she had an editorial look. She was not particularly outstanding, but she had a confidence that made others ignore her shortcomings.

"I thought you weren’t satisfied with the lunch because you ordered so many dishes. We will be happy to receive any of your valuable feedback." Kira smiled slightly at Nicole. Nicole glanced at her and withdrew her gaze. She did not speak.

Eric, who was opposite Nicole, saw that Nicole was getting impatient. His eyes were cold as he glared at Kira. "Are you done?”

No matter how strong Kira was, she still could not withstand Eric's fierce and impatient gaze.

Kira took a deep breath, looked at Nicole patiently, and gently said, "I'm just worried that you won't be able to finish the dishes that you ordered, and it'll be wasted. Our restaurant doesn't encourage food wastage."

Nicole blinked, and her eyes were cold. 'Your concern is pointless. Whether we can finish our meal is none of your business, so you don't need to worry about it. If your restaurant can't make these dishes, you shouldn't have been open. You didn't stop me from entering earlier, so I assume you're operating, right?"

Nicole's indifference overwhelmed Kira. Although Nicole was finding fault out of the blue last time, her demeanor was gentle, and she was expressive.

It was unlike now. Nicole seemed like a completely changed person. She looked cold and was not at all euphemistic or gentle.

The man sitting opposite could not see through Nicole's cold eyes, but as a woman, Kira could feel it.

Kira took a deep breath, knowing that she had messed up. Nicole was already suspicious.

If Kira did not calm down, she would expose the secret.

Kira smiled stiffly. "Of course. We welcome your arrival, Ms. Stanton. I'll get the chef to prepare it for you right away. Please wait a moment."

She nodded with a smile and was about to leave, but as soon as she turned around, Nicole said in a clear voice, "Kira, you don't look like you belong in a restaurant. You look more like a model."

As soon as Nicole said that, Kira’s body froze, which revealed her guilt. The next second, Kira realized that Nicole was trying to inquire about her background. "Ms. Stanton, you're kidding. I don't have the looks to be a model. I'm just a restaurant manager. Please wait a moment. Your meal will be served shortly." Kira hurried away with a stiff smile.

For the first time, Kira felt an oppressive vibe from Nicole.

Nicole was intimidating when she did not speak, and she was even more ruthless when she spoke.

However, Nicole never once mentioned Clayton's name or asked about him. All the reasons Kira had prepared for so long were useless. Kira felt like she punched cotton and was a little disappointed. However, what made Kira even more dispirited was that Nicole felt that she was not worthy to be her opponent.

Kira calmed down, turned around, and went to the second floor.

There was a room at the end of the second floor, and the man in it refused to let anyone enter.

Only Kira dared to knock on that door.

Kira waited for a few minutes before she heard someone opening the door. Clayton's face appeared in front of her.

He was handsome and gentle, but there were still some faint scars at the corners of his eyes, making him look cold and stern. Needless to say, when Clayton saw Kira, he looked cold and calm as usual.

"Do you need something?"

The man was thinner, calmer, and quieter than before. Kira nodded and lowered her voice. "Ms. Stanton is here, and she just ordered a lot of dishes. You told me before that you'll cook her dishes yourself, so...” Kira handed over Nicole's order to Clayton.

The man took it over, glanced at it, and frowned slightly.

Kira saw the change in his mood and quickly said, "I've told her that I’m afraid they won’t be able to finish the food, but Ms. Stanton was adamant about it. She seems more persistent than last time..." 'They? Who else is with her? Also, who allowed you to say that to her?"

Clayton's tone was clearly displeased when he asked the last question.

Kira looked up in astonishment.

Kira had never seen this man angry.

However, she could clearly feel his wrath. He no longer had the gentle and calm demeanor, and his eyes were exuding a chill and intensity that made her shudder.

Kira paused and defended herself in a low voice.

"It's not the man from last time. I was just worried that they ordered too much and that you won't be able to make all these dishes. Why don't you let the other chef cook?"

Clayton withdrew his gaze indifferently and stepped out of the door. "Don’t make such decisions on your own in the future."

Chapter 2287 Barge In

After Clayton finished speaking, he took his cane and went downstairs from the back staircase.

The area upstairs for entertaining guests was generally not open to the public.

For aesthetics, there was a staircase above another exit.

When Clayton went downstairs, he could vaguely see Nicole's seat through the divider. Seeing that the person sitting opposite her was Eric, Clayton froze slightly.

He stared at them for a long time before he slowly left.

Eric noticed someone else's gaze and looked sideways, but he did not see anything from his position.

He frowned slightly and asked Nicole, "How did you find this place?”

Nicole took a sip of sparkling water and casually hooked her lips. "Someone introduced me here. Why?"

"If I remember correctly, this place used to be a breakfast diner, and you didn't like it."

Eric was somewhat puzzled.

He did not finish his sentence.

Nicole did not like it, but that did not mean others did not like it.

The diner was very popular among office workers because it was simple and convenient. Their business was booming.

However, it suddenly changed to a French restaurant. The restaurant was more exclusive and deserted.

Eric felt that it was not a profitable business.

That was why he found it strange.

The corners of Nicole’s mouth twitched, but she said nothing.

She had not noticed the diner, and she did not come here to eat.

The two of them began to discuss the project’s issues from the meeting. Soon, their mobile phones would not stop beeping.

Eric had been away for too long and had a lot of work to do.

Although he had already hung up a few calls, it was obvious that he had something urgent.

However, Eric had no intention of leaving even when the dishes were served.

Nicole looked at the dishes that were placed on the table and said lightly," You can leave first if you have something to do." Eric smiled, stretched out his hand, and poured a glass of water for her.

"I can make time to have a meal with you."

Nicole lowered her eyes and voice.

"Eric, you don’t have to do this." The corners of Eric's mouth stiffened. He raised his eyes to look at her with a deep and complicated gaze. "I do."

Nicole did not want to argue with him at this time, so she picked up the knife and fork and ate silently.

Eric smiled slightly when he noticed that she did not lose her temper or get serious with him.

The two of them ate quietly and chatted from time to time.

However, their topics often revolved around projects and their companies. They did not discuss any personal matters.

This scene was especially cordial to others.

Neither of them ate much.

When Eric's phone rang again, Nicole put down the knife and fork.

"Answer it. I’ll go to the bathroom.”

Eric watched her leave, then rubbed his temples and restrained his emotions before he answered the call.

"Speak."

"Mr. Ferguson, there are some urgent documents that need your approval..." Nicole came out of the bathroom. Instead of going back in a hurry, she sent a message to Eric saying that she left beforehand.

Sure enough, Eric also left soon after.

If Eric did not save her life, their relationship would not have eased so naturally that they could still sit and eat together.

However, that was all it was.

It was not possible for Eric to take their relationship further.

Nicole would not even give him a chance.

When Nicole came out, she did not return to her seat. Instead, she glanced in the direction of the kitchen and walked over.

The waiter was busy minding his own business and did not notice Nicole, but Kira noticed.

Kira's expression changed. When Nicole was about to push the door open, Kira suddenly shouted, "Ms. Stanton, that's the back kitchen..." Nicole glanced at her coldly. Without any hesitation, she pushed the door open and walked in.

However, she saw eight to nine chefs in uniform doing their own thing in the kitchen when she stood at the door and looked inside.

None of them were who she was looking for. Nicole's expression changed subtly. She walked around the kitchen and was unwilling to leave just like that.

However, it was useless because there was no one else.

It was pointless even if another person could replicate that familiar taste. His familiar face appeared in front of her, but he still did not show up.

Nicole thought he reappeared so that she could find him.

Nicole’s heart seemed to be soaked in bitterness, and she was too sad to speak.

Kira walked in quickly with a flustered look, but she pretended to be calm.

"Ms. Stanton, what are you doing here?”

Nicole curled her lips, took a deep breath, and covered up her slightly trembling eyes.

"I want to come in and see what the kitchen is like and thank the chef who cooks for me in the meantime."

Kira let out a dry laugh.

"You're too nice, Ms. Stanton. You can just tell me to bring the chef out, so the smoke and oil here won't get on your clothes."

Nicole lowered her eyes slightly and smiled.

"Okay then."

Clayton did not want her to find him yet.

Nicole felt angry for a moment.

She took a deep breath, turned around, and walked out.

Kira slowly breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the innermost bench was empty.

She followed Nicole out quickly.

Nicole got up from her seat, picked up her bag, and handed over a card.

"Bill, please."

Kira paused. "You're done eating?"

She looked at the food that was basically untouched and felt a little uncomfortable.

Maybe Nicole was just being a princess and torturing them.

However, the man inside actually cooked each dish so diligently.

In the end, there were so many leftovers.

Kira thought, 'So, she's the wife that he never forgot, who he regarded as a treasure?'

Nicole nodded.

Kira pursed her lips. "It's okay. You’re our VIP member, so your meals are free for life."

Nicole smiled. "I don't like taking advantage of others, and I can afford my own meals. Get me the bill.”

Nicole did not want to say more or waste any more time.

Kira hesitated to speak. In the end, she finally took Nicole’s card and watched her leave.

The restaurant was quiet.

Kira quickly returned to the kitchen. She noticed that the door of the utility room in the kitchen was ajar, and the person inside had already left.

She sighed slowly.

Clayton stood upstairs and watched as a car came to pick Nicole up.

His jaw was tense, and he lowered his eyes to suppress the strong emotions surging inside.

Clayton sat down slowly and touched his right leg.

His face was pale without a trace of blood.

He underwent leg surgery to reconnect his bones. LJ Corporation used the latest medical technology to regrow and reattach the bones in Clayton's leg that was supposed to be amputated. However, the results were not satisfactory.

It would take time to recover - at least ten years.

How could he wait ten years to show up again?

But at the same time, how could Clayton meet her in such a state?

How would he explain what happened during the time he was missing?

How would he explain that he became Jeff Lieberman, and then reverted to his old identity?

Clayton watched her leave and did not speak for a long time.

He just stared in her direction.

Chapter 2288 We Skipped School

Clayton seemed to have spent half of his life struggling helplessly and struggling to control his emotions.

Nicole stayed in the office for a while. After a meeting, she received a call from Chatty.

She was a little surprised.

"Chatty?"

'Yes, Mommy! Fischer and I came out of school and got lost! Where are we going?"

Nicole's heart skipped a beat.

"Are classes over? Why didn't you tell US?"

She quickly checked her phone, but there was no notice from the teacher.

Chatty said in a baby voice, "No... We skipped school. Do you know what that means?"

Nicole paused. She stopped moving and took a deep breath.

'Yes, now I understand!"

Chatty even emphasized, "skip school". She knew too much for a child her age.

Nicole comforted Chatty and asked her patiently, "So, where are you now? When did you skip school? And why did you escape from school?"

Chatty was not aware that Nicole was about to lose her temper.

The little girl proudly showed off.

"I don't want to sit in class anymore. I want to go home to see Baby Kenji! Fischer and I came out together. He's such an idiot! He can't remember the way home. Mommy, can you come and pick US up?"

Nicole took a deep breath and stood up with her phone.

"Okay, don’t go anywhere! Mommy will go over now. Don't run around!"

Fortunately, Nicole could see the locations of Chatty's and Fischer's smart watches from her phone, so she was not worried about losing them.

However, it was really dangerous for two children to be outside without chaperones.

Nicole hurried out, and Logan looked at her in surprise.

"President, where are you going?"

"Chatty skipped school with Fischer, so I'll pick them up. Call me if there's anything urgent."

"Shall I go with you?”

"No need,” Nicole said as she walked in the direction of the elevator.

Logan said, 'Then let Hamilton go with you. He can help you with the kids."

Nicole hesitated for a few seconds before she nodded.

"Okay. Ask him to go downstairs and wait for me."

"Sure."

Nicole turned on the phone and looked at their GPS.

Sure enough, she saw two little red dots less than 800 meters away from the school.

Although it was less than 800 meters, it was far enough for them.

She breathed a sigh of relief and was just about to call the school, but the school called her first.

"Ms. Stanton? I’m really sorry. Liliana Sloan and Fischer Malone are missing. It's our negligence for losing the kids. We're searching for them now."

Nicole could hear the teacher's anxiousness. She paused and quickly said," Don't worry, they are just less than 800 meters west of the school gate. Chatty and Fischer ran out by themselves. You can take her in first. I'll be right there."

"Alright, Ms. Stanton."

After hanging up the phone, Nicole breathed a sigh of relief.

She went to the underground parking to take the car, then she picked Hamilton up from the entrance.

As soon as Hamilton got into the car, he asked, "President, have you found the kids? I can ask a friend to help look forthem."

'Yeah, I found them."

Nicole concentrated on driving, and Hamilton did not disturb her again.

Although she looked calm, she was actually flustered.

Nicole did not expect Chatty to be so bold as to run out of school. Chatty just started kindergarten, but she had already begun to skip school.

She felt that she did not pay enough attention to the kids and neglected them too much. She blamed herself.

When they arrived at school, Nicole parked the car at the entrance.

Nicole got out of the car and ran over.

She saw Chatty and Fischer sitting obediently on a small stool. They pouted and looked upset, but they dared not say anything.

The teacher lectured them in a gentle voice, but the two children obviously did not take her seriously.

Nicole knocked on the door and walked in.

Chatty and Fischer's eyes lit up when they saw Nicole.

"Mommy..."

Nicole smiled and looked at the teacher.

"I’m sorry that they troubled the school."

"Don’t worry, Ms. Stanton. This is our duty. We didn't notice that the children ran out. We checked the surveillance footage and noticed a hole in the east wall from the construction last time. The children crawled out from there, but thankfully, nothing happened because they got lost and only circled the school compound."

The corners of Nicole's mouth twitched. "Right."

Hamilton could not help but laugh.

"A day trip around the school gate?”

Nicole rolled her eyes at him, and Hamilton immediately stopped smiling.

The teacher looked at her guiltily. "I'm sorry, the principal will be here soon. He will apologize to you in person. We will also send someone to fill out that hole immediately. The school will conduct a thorough check for any other loopholes. Sorry to make you worry.”

Nicole was very satisfied with the school's attitude in handling this incident, so she did not pursue their responsibility.

What was more, no one thought that such a young child would dare to make trouble.

"It’s not necessary for the principal to come. I’ll lecture the children later. I’ll take them home first and get someone to pick Levi up after school."

The teacher nodded quickly. "Levi is very well-behaved."

Nicole nodded and looked at Chatty and Fischer.

"Come on, let's go.”

Chatty looked aggrieved and touched her belly.

"Mommy, I'm hungry!"

Fischer also touched his belly.

"Me too!"

The two cute troublemakers turned their heads and looked at Nicole with puppy dog eyes.

Nicole did not even know how to start lecturing them.

She turned around and left.

Chatty and Fischer hurriedly followed. Hamilton smiled and followed behind as he laughed. The two children consciously sat in the back seat while Hamilton sat in the passenger seat.

Nicole drove without saying a word.

Chatty happily hummed a song, but she was tone-deaf.

Even so, Fischer applauded excitedly.

Hamilton was speechless and thought, 'He's really something!'

Chatty, who suddenly remembered her purpose for skipping school, asked," Mommy, shall we go see Baby Kenji?"

"Aren't you hungry? Let’s eat first,” Nicole replied.

Chatty was deliberating whether filling her stomach or visiting her cousin was more important when Fischer said, "Let’s eat first. Hospital food is gross." "Okay then." Nicole went to a Chinese restaurant near the office because Chatty and Fischer liked the steamed egg with shrimp from there.

However, it just so happened that this restaurant was close to the French restaurant.

Nicole ordered food for them. The children were full after a few bites and could no longer sit still. They wanted to go down and play with the other children.

Nicole did not stop them.

Coincidentally, her phone rang. It was a call from Logan.

She picked it up and glanced at Hamilton.

"Watch them for me. I'll take them to the hospital in a while."

Hamilton also finished eating. He gestured "okay" and followed the children.

Chatty and Fischer were playing at the entrance.

Just then, a handsome little boy dressed in a suit who was about Fischer's height came out of the French restaurant.

He looked at Chatty, went over, smiled at her, and wanted to hold her hand.

Chatty shrugged him off and ran toward the French restaurant.

"Come on, Fischer! There are little fishies here!"

Chapter 2289 Saw Daddy

Chatty shouted happily because there was a small fountain inside the French restaurant, and there were a few small fish in it.

The fish looked so cute.

Fischer and the handsome little boy followed Chatty excitedly. The handsome little boy came up to Chatty and said, "Come play with me! I have lots of toys and delicious food!"

Chatty asked, "What toys do you have?"

Fischer said with dissatisfaction. "We can't play together because we don't know you!"

"My father is a big boss, and we live in a big villa! My mother is a beauty queen. Everyone wants to play with me!"

The handsome little boy was well-groomed and arrogant. Chatty looked at him in confusion, raised her head, and asked, "What's a big villa? Is it bigger than our castle in France?"

Fischer looked down on Chatty for asking such a stupid question.

'That means it's a little smaller than Grandpa's mansion."

Chatty nodded her head in understanding.

"I don't like it then! I like big castles!"

The handsome little boy stared at them angrily.

"My mother is a beauty queen. She's the prettiest girl in the world!" Chatty did not want to be outdone and became competitive.

"My mother is prettier! She has three eyes and five legs!"

The handsome little boy said angrily, "My mom has legs all over her body, and my mom has a tail that comes out at night..."

Hamilton, who was listening to the children quarreling, was amused by their argument.

However, their conversation went askew.

The two children argued fiercely when Fischer suddenly looked up and saw something. "Daddy..."

He yelled. Chatty's attention shifted instantly. She watched as the person standing upstairs turned around and left.

Although she only saw his back, she was so excited that she wanted to jump up. "Daddy! Daddy..."

Her eyes widened in an instant.

Just as she was about to run inside, a few people came out.

Kira and a few others stopped them at the door and politely looked at Hamilton, who was standing there.

"Sir, are these your kids? Some customers complained that the noise disturbed their meal..." Hamilton nodded and hurried over. "Sorry, I'll take them away now.” He went over to hold Chatty's hand.

"Miss, let's go back. Your mommy is waiting outside!"

"No, I want to find Daddy!" Hamilton knew of Chatty's tendency to play tricks, so he carried her and said, "You recognized the wrong person. Let's go!"

Chatty kicked her legs angrily and shouted.

"Daddy! Daddy! I saw Daddy!"

Fischer stood there and touched his head in confusion. "Was I mistaken?

Hamilton touched his head with his other hand. "Come on. Or do you want me to carry you too?"

Fischer immediately shook his head. After they left, the handsome little boy watched them leave reluctantly. He did not win the quarrel and wanted to continue talking to Chatty because she was so pretty.

Nicole was waiting for them in the car, and her face turned glum when she saw this scene. Hamilton stuffed the children into the back seat and heaved a sigh of relief.

Nicole paused. "What happened? Did Chatty make trouble?"

Chatty pouted and sat there aggrievedly.

"I saw Daddy! I wanted to go in to find Daddy, but he won't let me!"

Hamilton got into the passenger seat and said lightly, ’The restaurant complained about her. If she doesn't leave, it'll cause a scene!"

Nicole squeezed the steering wheel tightly and looked at Fischer. "Fischer, tell me what you saw."

Fischer scratched his head. "I didn't see it clearly. That man looked a bit like Daddy, but it didn't seem like it. That person left too quickly!"

Nicole's face turned pale for a moment, and the corners of her mouth twitched.

"Okay. Chatty, you shouldn’t be upset. Didn't Mommy tell you not to make noise in public?"

Chatty blinked her watery eyes and looked at Nicole aggrievedly. "Mommy, but I really saw Daddy!"

Nicole felt suffocated, and her heart clenched. She tried her best to calm down. "Daddy will contact you when he comes back. Don't you talk to him often?"

Chatty blinked and thought about it for a moment. "He said he's going abroad for a few days and asked me to behave myself at home."

Nicole started the car and carelessly twitched the corners of her mouth. "Did you behave yourself? Who came up with the idea of skipping school today?"

Chatty immediately looked at Fischer.

Nicole successfully diverted Chatty's attention. Fischer immediately widened his eyes. "I did...?"

Nicole chuckled lightly. "You two should explain to me what happened today. The teacher and the principal are blaming themselves because of you two. Have you thought about what would happen if bad guys caught you? Have you thought about the consequences of your impulsiveness?"

Hamilton was quite surprised that Nicole lectured the two children like this.

After all, children were not logical.

As soon as she spoke, the two children behind her sat there obediently and reflected on their own behavior.

It looked like they understood her.

Fischer could not bear it anymore and admitted his mistake. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have crawled through the hole with Chatty."

Chatty patted her chest proudly.

"I found the hole!"

Fischer looked at Chatty helplessly.

Nicole took a deep breath.

Chatty was still too young to understand.

Nicole thought, 'Should I beat her up and teach her a lesson?'

In the end, this confession was over.

When they arrived at the hospital, Nicole remembered that Hamilton was still in the car. She looked at Hamilton and said, ‘Why don't you get off work? I forgot that you were here."

Hamilton shrugged indifferently.

"President, since I’m already here, can I go up and say hello to Mr. Stanton?

After all, I'm a family friend."

Nicole thought about it and did not find anything wrong with that.

After all, Hamilton did not come to Stanton Corporation to work. "Okay, whatever you want."

Nicole took Fischer's hand and walked inside.

Chatty was holding the flowers when she got out of Nicole's car. The flowers were half her height, and she walked behind her clumsily.

Aida was no longer in the intensive care unit and was already feeling much better. However, she still looked a little weak. At that time, she was slowly walking around the ward.

Grant was in front of her and encouraging her with a smile. He reached out to support her, but Aida slapped his hand away.

The scene was so sweet that Nicole was reluctant to interrupt them. However, Chatty knocked on the door and went inside. Her body was blocked by the bouquet.

"I'm hereto see Kenji!"

Aida laughed all of a sudden.

"Chatty, are these flowers for me?”

'Yes!"

Chatty ran over, hugged Aida’s leg, raised her head, and smiled sweetly.

"Auntie, you’re amazing! Well done!"

Chapter 2290 You Wish

Chatty was so sweet that everyone laughed.

Aida took the flower and pinched Chatty's cheek.

'Thanks, Chatty! I really like it!"

Nicole held Fischer’s hand and went in. Grant looked at them with some doubt.

"Is school over so soon? Where's Levi?"

Nicole sighed heavily.

'These two were caught skipping school in the afternoon!"

Grant was stunned for a moment as he glanced at Chatty and Fischer.

"By the way, this is..."

Nicole pointed to Hamilton, who was behind her. Hamilton stood politely at the door and did not go in. "Hello, Mr. Stanton. I'm Hamilton Scott."

Grant came to his senses and smiled.

"I know. Lance mentioned you before. It must be boring for you to be Nicole's assistant. Why don’t you try out other departments?"

Hamilton smiled. He knew that Grant was just being polite. "Mr. Stanton, you’re too kind. I can learn a lot from Ms. Stanton, and it's good enough for me. I came in a hurry today and didn't prepare a gift, so please forgive me. Congratulations to you and your wife!"

'Thanks."

Hamilton looked at Nicole.

"Ms. Stanton, I'll get off work then?"

Nicole nodded. "Be careful on the road." "Okay."

Hamilton left quickly after he greeted Grant without lingering or intruding in their lives. He had a sense of proportion and did not come off as annoying.

Grant stayed in the hospital to take care of Aida. He would be unhappy if someone else came to disturb him even though he would not show it on the surface.

However, he was not repulsed by Hamilton because he thought that Hamilton was a simple and sensible guy.

Grant waited for Hamilton to leave before he closed the door, looked at Nicole, and smiled meaningfully.

"Is this the blind date that Dad introduced to you?"

Nicole clicked her tongue and looked at Chatty and Fischer. Fortunately, the children were so focused on the newborn Kenji that they did not hear what Grant said.

She lowered her voice and said, "Brother, don’t be like Dad!"

Grant laughed. "I’m not that interested in your love life. Dad is so weird. Why didn’t he pick a better one for you? That guy is just a fresh graduate. How did Dad know that cougar relationships are popular now?"

Nicole held her forehead in frustration. "I guess he broadened his horizons by hanging out with his friends all day long."

Grant laughed and went back to take care of Aida.

Chatty and Fischer stared intently at the baby in the crib and did not even dare to breathe too hard.

Aida smiled, looked over, and lamented, "If only Kenji was a baby girl..." Chatty smiled and looked up at her.

"Auntie, I like baby Kenji!"

Aida could not help but laugh.

Grant wanted a daughter, but hearing what she said, he immediately echoed, 'Yeah, having a son is good too. At least he can be as well-

behaved as Levi."

Aida smiled and nodded. "I hope so!"

Chatty and Fischer played for a while. When they got tired, Nicole took them away. Chatty said goodbye to Aunt Aida reluctantly.

Grant carried Chatty out and did not forget to educate her.

"You're not allowed to skip school anymore. If you want to come out to play, you can call US, and we'll send someone to pick you up. Kids aren't allowed to be outside without a chaperone."

Chatty was sleepy. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and nodded. "I know..." Nicole took Fischer's hand and brought him into the car. Then, she asked Grant to put Chatty into the car.

"Brother, you should go back. We’ll leave now."

"Drive safe."

Nicole nodded and got into the car.

The other car was taken for repair and was not sent back yet, so Nicole drove another car that she had not driven for a long time. Even so, she quickly got used to it.

After a few days, Nicole was so busy at the office that she had no time to go to the French restaurant.

However, she asked Hamilton to pack lunch for her every day.

Due to this, Hamilton and Kira became familiar with each other.

Kira greeted him with a smile when he came in.

"Mr. Scott, you're here again?"

Hamilton responded and ordered the dishes that Nicole wanted. "Here. Can these be done in half an hour?"

Kira took a look and raised her eyebrows. It was not difficult to make. "I'll ask the kitchen."

As she spoke, she took the order and went to the kitchen.

A man in a black shirt with his sleeves rolled up stood in front of the window. He was not at all disgusted by the kitchen's environment.

Although he did not look like he fit into the environment, it did not affect his temperament from blending in.

"Sir, this is what Ms. Stanton ordered."

Clayton froze for a moment before he extinguished the cigarette in his hand.

He took a look at it and frowned slightly because of the simplicity of the dishes. "Is she here?"

"No. Mr. Scott ordered takeout for her and said it's best if we can prepare it within half an hour."

Clayton paused for a moment and fell silent.

There seemed to be some complicated emotions in his eyes as he put the menu aside.

"No way can it be done."

Kira stared at him blankly for a moment. Clayton's change in mood was too obvious, which made her disappointed.

A complex emotion surged in her heart.

Somehow, she mustered up the courage and said, "I don't think that Mr. Scott is just an assistant. He’s so handsome, and he doesn't behave like an ordinary employee. He looks more like a trust fund kid. Could he be Ms. Stanton's suitor?"

Clayton's face darkened slightly.

He did not talk, but his eyes flickered.

Perhaps he had already guessed this earlier.

Kira quickly added, "Ms. Stanton has such a good family background. Even if she has a child, she's still a young and eligible woman. It makes sense if she has admirers and remarries..." Clayton's complexion was gloomy, and he looked at Kira coldly. Kira swallowed the rest of her words in an instant.

She instantly felt tense and flustered.

Clayton did not like people who crossed the line.

Kira hastily lowered her head. 'Then I'll leave first. Let me know if you need anything."

She walked away with frenzied footsteps.

Clayton was so close to her, but Kira never could enter his world.

Back then Kira was thrown out on the streets with a broken leg. She was drugged and raped by homeless people on the streets.

Clayton sat on the opposite chair and stared blankly in her direction as if nothing could make him react.

She screamed for help to no avail.

Clayton just sat there looking lonely and cold like someone who had been left behind by the world.

Seeing that Kira was about to be dragged away by two homeless men, Clayton finally focused his gaze.

He drove away the bullies. When he stood in front of her, Kira realized that his legs were also broken.

Clayton was limping with crutches. He looked so pitiful that it made people feel distressed.

It was hard to imagine how such an elegant man became crippled.

It was as if he had fallen off his pedestal into hell. He looked depressed, lifeless, and indifferent.

Was Clayton just like Kira?