Ch. 2321..2330

Chapter 2321 No Energy

At that time, Clayton was in the car, and his face was pale. It looked as if he had passed out, so he probably did not know that his car had knocked over Nicole.

Nicole was the only one who was brooding over this matter.

Clayton smiled slightly. "You can just ask me if you have any doubts. I'll tell you everything."

Nicole raised her eyelids and frowned. She instantly became hot-tempered and said angrily, "I don't want to ask anymore. You don't have to tell me anything!"

She stood up and walked to the room. Somehow, she felt like throwing a tantrum.

However, no matter how angry she was, she did not ask him to leave.

When Clayton went into the room with his cane, Nicole had already gone to the bathroom to wash up.

Her body was still a little sore, so she wanted to take a bath to relieve her fatigue.

Clayton waited for a while and read the magazine on the table, but he could not concentrate.

Thus, he quietly went out to Chatty’s room.

Clayton did not know if Fischer’s story was too exciting or too boring because the two children slept soundly in exaggerated and ungraceful positions.

Clayton glanced at his precious daughter warmly before he saw Fischer, who was about to roll over to Chatty.

He thought about it with a sullen face and ignored the pain in his leg to carry Fischer and send him back to his room.

After he put Fischer back, he poured a glass of warm water and took it to the bedroom.

Nicole just came out of the shower and finished her skincare routine.

Although she was exhausted, she had to make sure that she would still be in high spirits tomorrow so that no one could see any changes in her.

Moreover, today was different.

When Nicole came out, she changed into a long-sleeved nightgown. It made her cheeks look rosy and translucent.

She was able to sort out her emotions while she took a bath.

Clayton put down the magazine in his hand when Nicole walked out. He covered his chest, walked behind her, and took a towel to help dry her hair.

His movements were familiar, gentle, and meticulous.

Nicole paused slightly. She was about to dodge him, but he forcefully massaged her head.

He said in a low voice, "I know that you recognized me as Jeff Lieberman. That's the fake identity I created for someone else in Canada back then."

Nicole was slightly shocked. She felt as if her heart had split open, and the hot liquid inside was surging out.

When Clayton finally told her the truth, Nicole was no longer angry. She only felt heartbroken.

"During the earthquake, I was washed downstream and was rescued by a boat. At that time, I could feel that my legs were broken. My legs were the least of my injuries then. I was in a coma for a long time because of a lung infection and broken ribs. The doctors advised me to amputate my legs, but I refused. One of the doctors recognized me and sent me abroad. I only gained consciousness when I was abroad. I’m sorry I didn’t come back to you immediately."

Clayton rubbed her hair lightly as if he was holding something precious.

Nicole's eyes turned red and sore.

"What happened later?"

Clayton paused and continued in a low voice, "Later, I had to have plastic surgery because of a bone injury on my face. At that time, I was alone, and I didn't dare to come home because I didn’t want you all to see my face. Even I hated that face. It wasn't until you brought Chatty and Fischer to France that I couldn't help myself. I missed you all so much, so I booked out that amusement park and arranged for that never-before-seen musical. Fortunately, you guys came."

Nicole's eyelashes trembled slightly, and she felt a bitterness surging in her chest.

The musical was very strange because the content and form of the performance were what Chatty liked. Clayton even arranged their seats in advance.

Was that why he left in such a panic when Nicole sat in the back by accident that day?

At that time, they were in the dark, and Nicole could feel that something was wrong with that hunched-back person.

It turned out that her gut feeling was right.

The room was dead silent.

Clayton did not pause. His voice was soft and smooth.

"Then, we met on the cruise ship. I funded Sebastian's project back then and was acquainted with him. But I couldn't use my previous influence to investigate his background, so I didn’t know there was a problem with his project. At that time, I was really tempted because I wanted to return to you as a normal person. That's why I agreed to become his test subject."

He paused for a bit and stroked her half-dry hair before he said in a hoarse voice, "Fortunately, my blood type is rare, and he didn't have enough for the experiment. I’m also lucky that you went over and saved me..."

Clayton lowered his head. His voice slowly approached her ear, which made her ear tingle.

"I know you saved my life, baby. I always knew."

His deeply affectionate voice was lingering in her ear.

Finally, he kissed her hair.

Nicole controlled her emotions and took a deep breath.

"But you still didn’t come back to me. You left again when you were at LJ Corporation. You woke up earlier than me and left."

How could he leave?

Clayton looked remorseful, and his eyes darkened.

"LJ Corporation's project was done in secret, and I wanted to take a gamble."

Nicole turned her head and looked up at him. Her face and eyes were slightly red.

'Then did you make the right bet?"

Clayton fell silent.

Nicole instantly teared up. She was just about to say something when Clayton sighed softly and hugged her in his arms.

"I don’t know yet. It'll take about a few years to know."

However, Clayton could not wait a few years to show up because he wanted to go back to her.

He was being selfish.

Nicole frowned. She saw that he was not walking as usual, but in the afternoon, she was sure that his legs were warm and strong.

However, Nicole was distracted at the time, and he did not give her a chance to explore further.

Nicole lowered her eyes, gritted her teeth, and reached out to stroke his leg.

Clayton shivered slightly.

She raised her teary eyes to look at him cautiously.

"I want to see it."

Clayton pursed his lips.

Soon, he smiled softly.

He had always felt ashamed to show others his shortcomings because he felt embarrassed and inferior.

However, it was only for outsiders. He wanted to be more honest with Nicole.

Even if Nicole disliked his current state, Clayton was mentally prepared to accept it because he no longer wanted to hide.

Clayton would tell her that he was actively receiving treatment and that he would return to normal one day.

After a short deliberation, Clayton nodded, lowered his head, and kissed her cheek.

"Let's go to bed then?"

Nicole's face turned red. She did not think about that aspect.

Besides, this afternoon was exhausting enough.

Clayton saw Nicole's eyes flickering and instantly laughed.

"What are you thinking? I don't have energy now."

Chapter 2322 Not Honest

Nicole glanced at Clayton angrily and could not help but gently push him.

However, she was weak and had no strength.

Her behavior was like a young girl flirting with her boyfriend.

Clayton looked gentle and warm. He touched her cheek and looked at the glass of warm water that had cooled. His gaze deepened as he said," Come on, take your meds first."

Nicole was stunned, her face turned pale.

She glanced at him in surprise. Clayton turned around and picked up the bottles of medicine on the table. He looked carefully and said, "You can stare at me after you take them."

Nicole's pale face looked a little fragile and evasive.

"When did you find out?"

Clayton’s gaze deepened.

"When I came back, I asked Roland to investigate, but Malcolm King didn't leak any information. You were still in the hospital, and he notified me to go over and told me to watch you take your meds in the future."

Nicole felt suffocated for a moment. But she soon smiled as if nothing was wrong.

"I'm not like this because of you. Don't think that you're so important."

"Okay."

Clayton touched her hair gently.

"It's my fault. I came back too late. You'll be fine. We'll both be fine."

After hearing this, Nicole suddenly had the urge to cry.

She went through an emotional roller coaster today, and she could barely restrain herself.

However, she grasped onto her last bit of reason.

Clayton took out her medicine according to the instructions. Nicole was obedient and swallowed the pills with water.

Usually, Nicole would only take her medication when she remembered to, so she was not disciplined.

Now that Clayton was around, Nicole suddenly felt that her depression was not as bad anymore.

A lot of people suffer from depression, but the causes and symptoms were different for everyone.

Nicole could not be invincible all the time.

She looked up at him. Clayton took a deep look at her and smiled.

"I'm going to take a shower."

Although he showered in the afternoon and still smelled nice, he was cooking in the kitchen for a while. He was a germaphobe, which prevented him from going to bed like this.

Nicole pursed her lips in disappointment. However, she could not stop him. She turned around, went to bed, and read a magazine intently.

Clayton smiled. He did not have that kind of reassuring feeling in a long time.

He thought that he would be wandering abroad for the rest of his life.

Fortunately, he came back.

Nicole was tense as she listened to the sounds coming from the bathroom the entire time Clayton was inside.

She was afraid that his legs would fail and he would fall to the ground.

Fortunately, that did not happen.

He took a shower and came out, smelling the same as her.

When Clayton came out again, he only had a bath towel wrapped around his waist with drops of water on his body.

His strong abdominal muscles and lean waist came into view just like that. Nicole could also see the scratch marks she left on his body.

Nicole was a little surprised that Clayton appeared like this. Her cheeks were flushed, and her ears turned red.

However, her gaze quickly landed on his leg.

Clayton did not hold a cane, so he limped over to her. His face was stoic, and he looked like he was holding back something.

Nicole's eyes flickered slightly. Clayton's normal leg was as strong as ever, with smooth lines and no trace of fat.

His other leg had a few scars from the several surgeries he had, and it was a lot thinner than the normal leg.

This parallax made Nicole feel as if someone had thrown a boulder at her chest.

Her heart was crushed.

Nicole sat there and stared at him blankly. Her eyes slowly turned red.

Clayton sighed, walked to the other side, and comforted her with a smile.

"It’s okay. It doesn't hurt. Don't cry. I'm lucky to save the leg from amputation. It's just that the recovery will be slower. They say it'll get better eventually..."

Nicole could not help but hug his waist as tears streamed down her face.

"It must hurt..."

How could it not hurt?

If he did not feel any pain, it meant that it was necrosis, and the leg could not be kept.

Since Clayton said he could keep his leg, but the recovery was slow, it meant that he would be in pain. It was probably more painful than she could imagine.

"It’s all Euan's fault! If it weren't for him, we wouldn't have gone to that stupid mountain, and we wouldn't have been hit by an earthquake, and you wouldn't have been injured..."

Nicole said everything in her heart.

She knew that it was useless to say these things.

But when Clayton came back, Nicole felt like she could complain to him regardless of whether it was useful or not.

That was because he would accommodate everything she did.

Clayton gently stroked her hair.

"It's okay. Everything will be fine."

At the moment of the earthquake when Clayton was on the verge of death and when he was in despair, he also complained about how unfair his fate was.

However, at this moment when he regained his own happiness, he forgave everyone.

Nicole tolerated him.

After Nicole sobbed, she touched his waist and wanted to touch his legs.

However, when her hands wandered around, Clayton grabbed her hand and said with a bit of warning.

"Do you want it? If you do, I can satisfy you!"

When he spoke, his voice was casual and husky with a bit of playfulness.

Nicole quickly withdrew her hand. Her face flushed as she cleared her throat and tried to get away from him.

However, Clayton held her tightly from behind and kissed her gently on the shoulder. His breath that fell on her neck was numbing.

Nicole was scared that Clayton would continue and said, "I just wanted to touch your leg."

She explained in a low voice. Although they had been together for so long, she was still shy.

In the end, she had no voice because Clayton turned her over and pinned her body under him. His dark and deep eyes fell on her full and glistening red lips. He could not hold back anymore.

"I miss you, baby. Do you miss me?"

"I don’t."

Nicole wanted to keep her dignity.

He let out a low laugh and kissed her chest at the place closest to her heart.

"Your heartbeat tells me you're lying."

Her heart was beating extremely fast.

That night, Nicole felt like she died several times over.

The two of them were exhausted and fell asleep in each other's arms.

The next day.

Neither of them brought their phones to the bedroom, so they were not woken by the alarm clock.

The blackout curtains in the bedroom were thick and effective.

They slept so soundly that they were not aware that it was broad daylight.

Clayton's biological clock woke him up. He usually did sit-ups or other exercises when he woke up in the morning.

However, he was lazy today. When he opened his eyes, Nicole's slender back was still in front of him and close at hand.

He came to his senses and gradually woke up.

Clayton drank alcohol yesterday and was impulsive, but he did not regret his actions.

This was probably the best decision he made.

He hooked the corners of his lips, stretched out his hand to hook Nicole’s waist, and pulled her into his arms. Hearing her dissatisfied groan, Clayton chuckled nonchalantly and continued to sleep in a nook on her shoulder.

Chapter 2323 Dislike Me

An hour and a half later, Nicole slowly woke up.

The person holding her was warm and strong. His arms were muscular.

Last night's scenes returned to her mind in an instant.

Nicole was afraid that she was just dreaming, so she looked up at Clayton’s face. Just as she was about to get up, his hand subconsciously tightened, and she fell back on him again.

However, she hit his leg.

Clayton's face instantly turned pale from the pain. Then, he opened his eyes.

Nicole realized that something was wrong, so she quickly got up, knelt beside him, and subconsciously lifted the quilt to have a look.

However, Clayton stopped her by grabbing the corner of the quilt. He stretched out his hand to pull her onto him and said with a sleepy and lazy voice, "What are you doing so early in the morning?"

Nicole felt a little guilty.

"Did I hit your leg? Does it hurt?"

"No, it doesn't hurt."

He stroked her hair reassuringly.

Nicole remained silent.

Clayton realized her silence, so he sat up, leaned back, and sighed.

"It hurts a little, but it's like being kicked in a dream. The pain will go away soon. It's okay."

Nicole blinked, and there was some doubt in her watery eyes.

"What should we do? Do you need to take medicine? Should we go to the hospital?"

Clayton pursed his lips and softened his voice.

"No, I brought back the treatment device from abroad, and it's in the office at the restaurant. If I continue treatment every day, it won't hurt. It's just inconvenient to walk."

The doctor advised him to walk less, but Clayton wanted to stay fit, and he did not want to become a disabled person.

"Don't treat me like a porcelain doll that can’t be touched. This is a long­term treatment process. I only worry if you'll dislike me..."

He said the last three words softly.

Clayton said something so important casually, but it felt heavy on Nicole's heart.

She seemed to realize what Clayton really cared about.

Why did he not come home after he returned to Medianía? Why did he hide his identity?

Was he being unreasonable because he was afraid that she would dislike him?

Nicole's eyes turned red all of a sudden.

She did not speak because she did not know what to say.

Such a perfect person like Clayton was also insecure.

It was her fault.

She put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Clayton."

"Hmm?"

"I love you."

Clayton smiled. "I know."

He stroked her hair gently.

She continued, "Even if you become minced meat, you'll still be my favorite minced meat!"

Clayton was speechless.

He was a little creeped out by the metaphor.

Thankfully, he was not minced meat.

But he felt her love.

Someone knocked on the door.

Mrs. Zoe vaguely heard their voices coming from inside, so she knocked on the door cautiously.

Clayton smiled, put on his pajamas, and walked over with a cane to open the door.

Mrs. Zoe was a little embarrassed:

"Sir, you promised Chatty that you'd send her to school today, so..."

Clayton was stunned for a moment.

He forgot.

He glanced at the two children, who were sitting on the sofa in the living room watching an Ultraman movie while waiting for him.

Clayton's expression changed.

He did not know whether he should blame himself for waking up late or scold the two little ones for being lazy.

However, he looked at the time and saw that it was already 10:30 am.

It did not seem to matter whether they went to school or not.

Clayton pursed his lips. "They can skip the morning session. I’ll send them in the afternoon."

Mrs. Zoe nodded. "Okay. I'll make you breakfast."

Clayton smiled and nodded.

Then, he closed the door and looked back to find an empty bed. There was some noise coming from the bathroom.

In ten minutes, Nicole washed up nicely.

Clayton went into the bathroom, put his cane aside, and bent over to wash his face.

Nicole stayed behind him for a long time.

Relationships improved fastest in bed.

In just one afternoon and one night, Nicole felt that the gap between them was shrinking rapidly.

The distance and estrangement she felt had long since disappeared.

Nicole hugged Clayton’s waist from behind and clung to him. His heartbeat was steady and powerful. On this peaceful and quiet morning, hope was rekindled in Nicole's dead and despairing heart.

Clayton paused and did not stop her.

After he washed up briefly, Nicole let go of him so that he could get dressed.

His clothes were in the dressing room, where they used to be.

Nothing changed.

Clayton looked at the cufflinks he had left casually on the counter back then. Those were not put away.

He felt like his chest had been struck by lightning.

He also felt like an idiot for brooding and deliberating whether to come home.

He needed therapy.

Clayton rubbed his temples, changed his clothes, and went out.

Nicole went to the living room and stared at the two children in front of her with a glum expression.

Chatty was very good at whining. Since she could not reach Nicole's face, she held Nicole's hand and kissed it until Nicole was happy.

Nicole could not help but smile.

"You shouldn't do this next time. If Daddy doesn't have time to send you to school today, he can always send you some other day, but you must go to school!"

Chatty nodded obediently.

"Okay... But this is the first time Daddy sends us to school, so we were excited! We've waited for a long time, but you and Daddyjust didn't wake up. Mrs. Zoe won't let me wake you up either. Mommy, you shouldn't sleep in next time. It's not good for you. Even kids don’t sleep in!"

Nicole looked slightly embarrassed, and her face was a little flushed. Thus, she just mumbled in response.

She intended to lecture Chatty, but she was lectured by her daughter instead.

Clayton heard this and walked over. He grabbed Nicole's wrist and wanted to turn around. Before that, he looked at Chatty solemnly.

"Mommy was working last night. That's why she couldn't get up. This isn't sleeping in. She’s just resting. So, it's okay for Mommy to sleep in, but you can't."

Fischer pursed his lips and looked confused.

Clayton was just deceiving the children.

Chatty nodded blankly, ran to Nicole's side, held her hand, and kissed it a few times.

"Mommy, you've worked hard! You should rest more!"

Nicole could not help but smile.

She pinched Chatty's little cheek and thought, 'How easy it is to fool her!'

However, it was more due to Clayton's partial words.

The two looked at each other and smiled, but they had a tacit understanding and did not smile.

They were playing a pair of workaholic parents.

It was almost noon, but Nicole did not have much appetite for breakfast.

Nicole answered a few calls from Logan. Although she was refreshed, she was also absent-minded.

Love was a stumbling block to career progression.

This saying was indeed true.

Clayton stopped Mrs. Zoe, who was in the kitchen.

"We'll go out to eat so you can rest today."

Mrs. Zoe knew that the two adults had just reconciled, so they probably wanted to spend some time alone. She wiped her hands and said with a smile, "It just so happens that my son is going to study abroad and will be leaving in two days. I'd like to ask for a leave of absence for two days to take care of him."

"Sure, go ahead."

Clayton smiled. How could he not see that Mrs. Zoe was deliberately creating opportunities for them?

Chapter 2324 Show Off

Clayton called the restaurant and asked the chef to prepare lunch before he took them out.

Nicole went to the restaurant several times, but she always went alone.

This time, Clayton held her hand and led her in, which made her feel a little awkward.

After all, she did not expect them to have such quick progress.

However, everyone acted normal.

"Boss, your table is ready."

Clayton nodded and shook Nicole’s hand that he was holding.

"This is my wife."

"Hello, Madam."

The waiters smiled and greeted them. They were surprised, but they did not show it on the surface.

This news quickly spread throughout the restaurant.

"It turns out that the only VIP member we have is the boss's wife!"

"Is she that beauty who often comes to order meals but doesn't look very happy?"

"It looks like they reconciled!"

"I knew Kira was trying her luck!"

This time, Nicole was in a good mood because she came to the restaurant as the boss's wife.

She looked around and felt that everything was nicer.

She also felt better when she did not see that annoying manager, Kira.

As expected, Clayton kept his word and did not keep her around.

This was something Nicole appreciated. Clayton had always drawn a clear line with other women.

He knew what Nicole's bottom line was and what the consequences were.

Chatty and Fischer squatted in front of the pond to watch the little fish again.

Nicole was afraid that Chatty would slip and get hurt, so she wanted to bring them away.

Clayton stopped her and said in a gentle voice, "It's okay. I've put non-slip materials around the pond, so they won't fall."

Nicole took a closer look and noticed that it was really different from the last time she was there.

"You two should still be careful."

Chatty and Fischer nodded solemnly.

Clayton took Nicole up to the second floor.

Nicole was not interested in eating. She was more interested in his room.

Clayton took Nicole to the room where he stayed during this time.

When he opened the door, it was dark inside.

Nicole only saw the furnishings inside when he turned on the lights.

It was ridiculously simple.

There was only one bed and some clothes on the side cabinet.

There was also a small box that was filled.

Nicole had a vague feeling that the thing in the box was for his rehabilitation.

Clayton did not hide anything. He walked in and wanted to bend down to pick up the box for Nicole to see it, but Nicole hurried over to stop him.

"I'll carry it."

Clayton smiled. "It's okay. I brought this back from abroad. I have to do it for half an hour to an hour every day."

Nicole took a look. The two devices inside looked like a clothes iron, but the tail seemed to be folded, and it was as long as a leg when unfolded. There were also a lot of medical terms written on the back of the device.

Clayton had to attach the two devices on his leg like two pieces of plaster for the treatment at a fixed time every day.

This was what saved his leg.

Nicole glanced at it, looked at him, and said, "Take it home. It'll be more convenient."

Clayton smiled. "Are you so reluctant to part with me?"

Nicole heard his sarcasm and retorted immediately.

"If you want to continue to live in this storage room, go ahead. You’ll just end up suffering from rheumatism!"

Clayton touched his nose, walked over, and grabbed her wrist.

"I'll definitely go home since you allow me to. I can't ask for more."

Nicole looked away arrogantly and smiled slightly.

In terms of bickering, Nicole learned it from Kai and had never lost.

After they had lunch, Clayton and Nicole sent the two children to school together.

Chatty was very excited. She smiled and held Fischer's hand tightly.

Nicole was driving, and Clayton, who was in the passenger seat, looked back at the children coldly from time to time.

Nicole chuckled speechlessly.

Clayton could not bear it anymore and coughed.

"Don't hold hands while sitting in the car. This is road safety!"

Fischer glanced at him in confusion.

"Daddy, we're not driving!"

Clayton's expression changed. He frowned and thought, "Even passengers can't hold hands."

Nicole was speechless.

It was not until Chatty obediently let go of Fischer's hand that Clayton's expression eased slightly.

When they arrived at the school, Nicole greeted the teacher and introduced Clayton.

Nicole had already called the school regarding the children's absence this morning.

Chatty was the youngest child in the school, so they were not strict with her. It was also because Chatty would not listen to their arrangements.

Compared to the other students, Chatty was considered well-behaved. Although she was young, she was very reasonable.

This time, Chatty refused to go in obediently and wanted to drag Clayton in with her.

Clayton smiled helplessly and had no way to coax her.

At that moment, Nicole’s phone rang. It was a call from Logan.

Nicole looked at Clayton, smiled, and said, "You can send her to the classroom and come out later."

Clayton nodded. That was all he could do.

Fischer followed behind with a smile. He helped Chatty to carry a small school bag, which contained nothing but snacks.

Chatty walked with her two short legs arrogantly.

When they reached the door of the classroom, Clayton stopped, looked down at her, and smiled gently.

"Go on in. Behave yourself in class."

Chatty dragged him inside, ran to the front by herself, and shouted loudly," My daddy is here..."

The noisy classroom instantly became silent.

Even Clayton was taken aback for a moment. He did not know how to react.

Chatty happily showed off her father.

"My dad is super handsome! Come and touch him..."

Everyone swarmed up in an instant.

Clayton was creeped out as so many little hands came over to touch his hands and clothes as if they were observing an alien.

"Chatty, do you really have a daddy?"

"Your daddy is really good-looking! He’s a hundred times more handsome than my daddy!"

"I want to kiss your daddy!”

"No way!"

Chatty arrogantly rejected the request of a boy as old as Fischer who wanted to kiss Clayton.

Soon, Clayton came to his senses.

Everyone thought that Chatty did not have a father, so the first thing her classmate asked was, "Do you really have a daddy?"

This was the reason why Chatty was so excited for Clayton to send her to school!

Embarrassment and guilt suddenly surged in Clayton’s heart.

His heart clenched for a moment.

Clayton did not send her to pre-Kindergarten back then because he did not want to miss her development, but he disappeared midway and forced her to grow up.

Chatty was not even given a chance to adapt to his disappearance.

How cruel was he?

Clayton knew that children liked to compare with each other.

He had also heard that some children from single-parent families had a hard time growing up in school.

However, he just ignored this.

Even though Clayton was walking with a cane and was no longer as elegant and strong as before, his daughter still showed him off because she loved him the most.

Chapter 2325 Pampered

Chatty ignored many of Clayton's shortcomings.

She ignored his inferiority complex which was magnified because of his pride.

Chatty's classmate's surrounded Clayton, who could hardly maintain the expression on his face. He was still forcing himself to show an approachable smile.

Fortunately, the teacher came in time.

Clayton stroked Chatty's hair before he left the classroom.

He stood at the door for ten minutes and was reluctant to leave.

It was not until Nicole called to urge him that Clayton answered the call and walked out.

"Don't worry, I'll be right there."

Nicole did not sit and wait in the car.

Instead, she stood at the school gate and looked inside from time to time.

She was relieved when she saw Clayton’s figure.

"What took so long?"

Clayton sighed and felt sorry for his precious daughter.

"I feel sorry for Chatty that she has to go to school at such a young age..."

Nicole glanced at him and frowned slightly.

'You do? Didn't Michael start school earlier than Chatty did?"

Clayton frowned.

"That’s different. Michael's a boy, and the situation at the time required him to be independent as soon as possible. Chatty is different. She's my precious daughter. I hope she can cling to me forever!"

Clayton would give her the moon if she wanted it.

Seeing that Chatty had to put up with other people's gossip at such a young age, Clayton wished he could coddle her for the rest of his life.

Nicole was puzzled by how much Clayton doted on Chatty, but she did not say much.

At first, Nicole could not bear to send Chatty to school and thought about giving up halfway.

However, Chatty never cried or objected, and the teacher said that Chatty was very happy at school.

That was why Nicole dismissed the idea.

Clayton and Nicole got into the car.

Nicole looked at him, smiled, and said, "I've made arrangements in the office. Where do you want to go today?"

Clayton did not intend to go separate ways from Nicole. He would follow her even if she was going to the office because he did not want to be apart for a minute.

However, Nicole was more considerate and took care of the company's affairs in advance.

Clayton paused and cleared his throat.

"I haven't told Dad about my return. I'm afraid that he'll get mad if I put it off for a long time..."

Nicole raised her eyebrows. She actually forgot about this.

Clayton was careful and considered everything.

Nicole nodded, but she still did not know how to tell her family.

Clayton reached for her hand and said in a soft voice, "Don't worry. I’ll explain everything."

Nicole glanced at him and nodded.

It was a done deal, so what else could they do?

Clayton was right. Floyd would get mad if Clayton put this off for a while.

Floyd even tried to arrange a blind date for Nicole before. Although he failed, that would not stop him from finding someone else!

Thus, it was important for Clayton to show his face as soon as possible.

At least, Clayton's appearance would dispel Floyd's idea of arranging blind dates for Nicole.

Nicole thought about it and immediately took out her phone.

"Aida is still in confinement, and Grant isn't around. Kai will only watch and laugh, so you'll have to face Dad's wrath alone!"

"It's okay."

Clayton smiled with no fear or worry on his face.

He spent quite some time with the Stanton family and built a close relationship with everyone.

Clayton cared about the Stanton family because of Nicole and regarded them as his family.

Floyd also taught him like a son.

Everyone in the Stanton family was nice to him.

Therefore, Clayton was well prepared mentally.

Nicole could easily forgive him, but Floyd would not.

So, Clayton was a little uncertain and nervous, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet.

The call went through.

Floyd answered lazily, "What’s the matter, Lil N?"

"Dad, I’ll go home for dinner tonight. I have a surprise for you! Ask Mr. Anderson to cook a few more dishes. By the way, invite Grant and Kai home for a family dinner."

Hearing this, Floyd was a little skeptical and clicked his tongue.

"What? Did you get together with Hamilton already?"

Nicole was dumbfounded by this question.

"What are you talking about?"

She subconsciously glanced at Clayton, who was next to her.

Clayton's eyes were deep, but he still kept a smile.

He looked like he had already expected this.

Nicole pursed her lips and said to Floyd on the phone, "Nothing is going on between us. Don't mention him again!"

Floyd snorted coldly.

"I wanted to warn you to stay away from Hamilton in the future. I thought that kid was quite reliable, but I didn't expect him to be so reckless as to run off after less than a month of working. He's not a responsible guy, so don't date him!"

Nicole's eyes widened, and she suddenly felt that they were going off-topic.

Moreover, Floyd sounded like he was not the one who introduced Hamilton to her.

Floyd made it sound like Nicole found Hamilton by herself!

The corners of her mouth twitched, then she hung up the phone.

Clayton propped his forehead with one hand and leaned against the car window. His side profile was smooth and beautiful, and he had such a calm and gentle air about him.

He was deep in thought.

Nicole was afraid that Clayton would think too much because of the phone call earlier, so she coughed and wanted to explain.

'Well, you've actually met Hamilton. We have nothing going on. He's just a family friend's son, and he was working for me for a while."

Clayton paused, smiled, and said, "I know. Hamilton told me."

He remembered Hamilton introducing himself when Hamilton found out that he was Chatty's father.

At that time, Clayton did not regard Hamilton as Nicole's suitor because he did not seem to match Nicole.

Clayton was only jealous when he saw Hamilton and Nicole on the balcony at the Green Club.

The dim lights and the jasmine flowers falling all around created a beautiful picture that was painfully engraved on his heart.

At that moment, Clayton felt that the two of them were a good match.

However, he quickly realized that he was mistaken.

It must be an illusion.

The environment was just so beautiful at that time that any two strangers would look like a good match.

It was all because of the atmosphere.

Finally, Clayton knew that Hamilton was nothing to Nicole.

However, he still felt a little uncomfortable.

If he did not return to Nicole, who would end up being with her?

Was it Hamilton?

Or Eric?

If Clayton had to choose one of these two, he would choose Hamilton.

At least, Hamilton was not shrewd and looked stupid enough.

Nicole's voice drew Clayton back from his thoughts.

He felt that what he just thought about was ridiculous.

No one but him was suitable to stay by her side.

Clayton looked back at Nicole with gentle and loving eyes. He stretched out a hand and said, "I want to hold your hand."

Nicole refused without looking at it.

"No, you should pay attention to road safety."

Clayton’s face gradually darkened.

Nicole was just slapping him in the face with his words earlier.

Immediately, his chest felt tight, and he felt aggrieved.

Nicole smiled cheekily and did not compromise.

Chapter 2326 Revived

Grant took care of Aida in the hospital.

Although this was Aida's second pregnancy, the Stanton family did not relax one bit.

Floyd sent a few servants to take care of her, but none of them were actually useful.

That was because Grant did everything for Aida.

In the past few days, Grant went to the hospital every day. When Aida was discharged from the hospital, Grant took her back to their home.

Floyd wanted to see his youngest grandson, but Grant immediately refused, saying that their own home was quieter.

Floyd could not say anything about that, but he was waiting anxiously at home every day.

Thus, as soon as Nicole said that she was going back for dinner and that she had a surprise for him, he was elated.

Floyd immediately called Kai and Julie over.

Although Nicole told Clayton that he did not need to prepare anything, Clayton always valued proper etiquette.

He asked Roland to open his safe at the bank and selected a few antique paintings for Floyd before he asked someone to prepare other gifts.

This seemed even more serious than the first time Clayton visited Floyd at the Stanton Mansion.

Nicole frowned and watched as Clayton instructed Roland. When he hung up the phone, Nicole shook her head in confusion.

'There’s no need for that. My dad will be delighted to see you. He doesn’t even know the value of those paintings. He’ll just hang them up to show off for a few days and store them in the warehouse. Those lovely paintings will be covered in dust."

Clayton hung up the phone, looked at her sideways, and explained with a smile, "It doesn't matter. We're family, so it's all the same who is storing it. I don't feel at ease putting it in the bank. At least it'll be well-kept with Dad. It’ll be fine. Besides, I’ve made you all worry for so long. You can easily forgive me, but Dad may be mad because he feels sorry for you. Now that I think about it, if my daughter met such a man, I'd definitely beat him up."

Nicole did not know what to say for a moment, so she pursed her lips and turned her gaze back.

She was too happy that she overlooked these small details.

She knew that Floyd would not stay mad at Clayton because she was still together with him.

Everyone in the Stanton family was always on the same front.

After half a day of running around, Roland put the things he prepared into Clayton's car.

He looked at Nicole with a smile and asked, "Madam, are you guys going back to the Stanton Mansion?"

Nicole raised her eyebrows. "Yes."

Roland's smile gradually deepened. "It's about time for Mr. Sloan to go back since he has returned to Medianía for a while now. It's rare to see you two together. I guess the good days are coming back again!"

Clayton's smile froze for a moment. He snorted coldly and looked at Roland with a smile.

"What are you saying? Are you not having a good life now?"

Roland quickly suppressed his smile.

"Mr. Sloan, that's not what I meant. Everyone in the company hopes that you'll go back and have a look. They were delighted to know that you returned!"

After all, when they heard the news of Clayton's death, they thought that the company would shut down, and they would be out of a job.

Fortunately, Clayton came back to life, and they survived this critical time.

Even Roland, Clayton's assistant, felt reassured.

Thus, he did not think much about it and said what he felt.

It was a good thing that Clayton was back, but Roland was worried that their relationship would not be as close as before.

Nicole told Roland that Clayton was not dead, and during that time, the two of them were like strangers ignoring each other.

Now, Nicole and Clayton finally reconciled.

When Nicole looked at Clayton, there was a glimmer in her eyes that made her look bright and beautiful, unlike her dark and listless eyes in the past.

When Clayton and Nicole looked at each other, Roland knew that they had reconciled and were as good as they were before.

Roland thought it would take a while. He did not expect their progress to be so quick.

Clayton really had his way!

The afternoon passed quickly.

Finally, they went back to Chatty's school and waited for the children to come out.

There were quite a few luxury cars parked on the side of the road, but most of the students were picked up by their drivers and servants.

Clayton insisted on going in to pick Chatty up by himself.

Nicole knew that Clayton was excited, so she did not stop him and went with him.

Chatty did not expect her parents to come to pick her up together.

She was pulling the ear of another male student, whose face was scrunched up but he still did not dare to resist.

Clayton frowned slightly, clicked his tongue, and seemed a little proud.

"Look how popular Chatty is!"

Nicole glanced over lightly and said, "Chatty beat him up before. I’m guessing that she became arrogant after that fight. You should have a talk with her later. She shouldn't bully her classmates like this."

Clayton's face froze slightly as if he did not believe Nicole.

"Beat someone up? How could my daughter hit someone? Someone must've bullied her, so she fought back! That must be it!"

Right.

It must be so.

Before Nicole had time to explain, Chatty walked out happily and hugged Clayton as she spun around him.

"Daddy and Mommy, you came to pick me up!"

Clayton smiled gently.

"Are you happy?"

"Yes!”

Nicole also smiled.

"Where’s Fischer?"

Chatty thought about it for a moment before she said, "He went to get some water for me because I was thirsty!"

Nicole was speechless.

Clayton nodded in satisfaction.

Fischer came over with a water bottle and was pleasantly surprised to see Clayton and Nicole.

Nicole hurried over to get the water.

"In the future, let Chatty do this kind of thing by herself. Otherwise, she'll develop bad habits!"

Fischer quickly said, "It's not bad! I like to help Chatty get water!"

Clayton immediately thought that Fischer was more pleasant to the eye.

The two children immediately held hands and walked out happily together.

The teacher felt envious when she saw this and said to them, "Chatty is very well-behaved. She listens to Fischer a lot. Fischer might look like he spoils Chatty, but Chatty really listens when he has something to say."

Nicole frowned, then smiled and said, "I really can't tell. Chatty has always been a big bully at home."

"She has a good personality, and everyone likes her."

When the teacher said this, Clayton looked proud.

'Thanks. Let's go then.”

He held Nicole's hand, and Nicole took his arm as they left the building.

They went to the next building to pick Levi up.

Just then, Nicole saw Chance and Levi reading a book together.

The two boys had calm and quiet personalities, so it was not too surprising that they could become good friends.

Nicole knocked on the door. Levi's eyes lit up when he saw her. Then, he said a few words to Chance.

Chance also saw her and happily went over.

"Hello, Auntie!"

Nicole nodded, smiled, and said, "Chance, you're not going home yet?"

'The driver is sending my dad to an event, so he asked me to wait here a little longer..."

Chance raised his crystal-clear eyes and looked at her.

He seemed to have some anticipation in his eyes.

The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!

Chapter 2327 Surprise

Some time ago, the Stanton family's driver often picked Chance up from school with Levi, and Eric would pick him up from the Stanton Mansion at night.

The Stanton Mansion was very lively. Everyone liked Chance, and they did not deliberately isolate him.

Mr. Anderson, the butler, would also bring Chance delicious snacks and help him put on his favorite movies.

Although the Ferguson Villa was quiet, Eric would patiently talk to Chance about his school matters and would ask him to be polite at the Stanton Mansion.

Chance heard that Chatty's father died, and he thought it would be best if Aunt Nicole could be his mother.

However, he waited day by day for nothing.

One day, Eric asked the driver to pick him up.

It meant that the Stanton family would not send anyone to pick Chance up anymore.

Since then. Chance had never stepped foot into the Stanton Mansion again.

Eric also did not mention Nicole again.

However, Chance really liked the Stanton family.

Nicole looked at Chance’s fair and tender face and could not resist pinching his cheek.

"Chance, you're a good and sensible child."

Chance looked up at her with a smile.

He was about to ask if he could go home with her to wait for his dad when he suddenly saw a man walking slowly and firmly behind Nicole.

Chance was stunned and could not bring up his question.

He was shocked.

Chance knew who that man was. He was Chatty's father and Nicole's husband.

Clayton glanced at Chance casually, then held Nicole’s hand and smiled.

'You took so long that I thought you couldn't find him!"

"Uncle Clayton?" Levi looked at the person in front of him in disbelief." Aren’t you..."

Clayton was tolerant and kind to his nephew.

He gently opened his arms.

"Little Leaf, are you happy to see me? Come and give me a hug!"

Levi ran over with an elated face.

"Uncle Clayton! I knew you were fine. Mommy didn't allow me to mention your name in front of Auntie. I knew you were okay because I calculated the height from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the cliff during the earthquake and the speed of the wind and the intensity of the earthquake at that time. I did so many experiments and felt that your chances of survival are very high!”

Clayton's eyes lit up. He smiled and patted Levi’s head.

"How clever!"

As he spoke, he bowed his head and kissed Levi’s forehead.

Levi's face turned a little red.

"Uncle Clayton!"

Nicole was also in a good mood.

"Alright, let's go home quickly. We’re going back home today, and your uncle has to go back for an exam. Your younger siblings are waiting for you downstairs."

Levi nodded excitedly. He turned around and waved to Chance.

"See you tomorrow, Chance!"

Chance could not hide the disappointment on his small face, but he still forced himself to smile and wave goodbye.

He did not even dare to look up at Clayton's face.

That was because Chance felt that Clayton's gaze was more powerful than his father's. Clayton could see through people's hearts.

"Then we'll get going. Goodbye, Chance!"

Nicole waved to him gently.

Chance smiled shyly.

When Clayton left, he deliberately glanced at Chance and smiled without speaking.

Clayton did not take this little guy seriously.

Levi happily walked beside Clayton. Seeing that Clayton was limping, he did not ask about what happened and only said, "Uncle, do you want me to help you?”

Clayton smiled gently. "No, it's fine."

Nicole said, "Little Leaf has always been the most sensible kid. That's why we love you so much!"

"Right." Clayton smiled.

Everyone was there, so they got in the car.

Nicole drove, and Clayton sat in the passenger seat.

Clayton could also drive, but Nicole looked at his modified car and felt like it was still dangerous. Thus, she drove instead.

The three children sat in the back and chattered the entire journey home.

Nicole could not understand a word they said.

When they arrived at the Stanton Mansion, the butler heard the car engine and came over to open the door for them.

However, when he saw the person in the passenger seat, his eyes widened. He stood there in shock until they got out of the car.

Clayton stepped out unsteadily with his cane and bowed slightly to Mr. Anderson. Only then did Mr. Anderson return to his senses, and his eyes instantly turned red.

"Mr. Sloan! You're back!"

He trotted over and sized Clayton up. He could not hide the joy and surprise in his eyes.

Clayton smiled and nodded gently and politely.

'Yes, Mr. Anderson. I’m back."

The butler nodded excitedly, and his tears were about to fall.

"Great! That’s great! Come in...”

Mr. Anderson looked at Nicole and could not hold back his tears. He then turned away to wipe his tears.

Soon, he ran inside and said, "Chairman, guess who's here?"

Floyd took a sip of tea casually and said, "It's just Lil N, right? It's not like you haven't seen her in a while. Why are you so excited?"

Kai nodded repeatedly from the side.

'Yeah! You spoil her too much. Mr. Anderson, you didn't get so excited when I arrived. I’m jealous!"

Julie laughed lightly at the side.

It was such a cordial atmosphere.

When Floyd heard this, he could not help but scold Kai.

"Why are you always jealous of your sister?"

Seeing that the two were about to quarrel again, Mr. Anderson clapped his hands and announced, "Mr. Sloan is back!"

That sentence was like a bomb that exploded in the room. Time seemed to freeze.

The room suddenly fell silent.

The next second, Clayton walked in with a cane. He looked gentle as usual, but he also looked like he had gone through a lot. His chin was smoother, and he did not look as spirited as before.

Clayton seemed even calmer and gentler after suffering this huge trauma.

Floyd sat there in shock and spilled the tea in his hand all over the floor.

It was a rare moment that Kai was speechless as he stared blankly at the person at the door.

The light enveloped Clayton from behind. His complexion was a bit dark, but he still looked pale.

Although Clayton tried his best to stand straight, that broken leg had no energy.

Thus, he could only put all his strength on his normal leg.

Nicole walked in. When she saw this, she shouted, "Dad, it's Clayton!"

That broke the deadly silence.

Clayton quickly bowed and said with a hoarse and emotional voice, "Dad, I’m sorry I came home late..."

He came home so late that Floyd began to consider a blind date for his daughter.

However, Clayton did not have any grudges against Floyd because of this.

In all fairness, Clayton would not do better than Floyd if he was in Floyd's position.

Who would not prioritize their daughter first?

Clayton would be thankful if Floyd did not blame him for making his own decision and hurting Nicole.

Floyd also stood up.

He looked emotional. After the shock disappeared, there was only joy and distress.

'Clayton, you finally came back!"

Chapter 2328 Dinner

Floyd walked over, held Clayton’s arm, and looked at him carefully for a few seconds. His eyes were also slightly red.

Finally, Floyd looked at Nicole and snorted with dissatisfaction.

"It looks like you've known this for a long time. How could you keep this from me for so long?!’’

Nicole smiled guiltily, but Clayton answered, "I just returned to Mediania this month. Nicole didn't know before this. I didn't dare to show up because I was in poor health and didn't want you all to worry..."

Floyd saw Clayton’s expression when he clenched his cane tightly and immediately felt heartbroken for him.

He walked over and patted Clayton on the shoulder.

Floyd sighed and said, "Well, all that matters is that you're back and alive! We’re grateful for that. Nothing else matters."

Kai jumped up from the sofa, walked over in shock, and looked at Clayton.

'You really didn’t die! Clayton, you must have nine lives!"

Kai glanced at Nicole. He remembered that when they came back from abroad, Nicole told him that Jeff Lieberman was Clayton, but Kai was dubious.

At this moment when he finally saw Clayton in the flesh, Kai could connect the dots with the previous events.

It turned out that Nicole was right.

Julie came over, but she did not look that surprised. Instead, she smiled and said, "No matter what, it's a good thing that you're back. We're still family. No wonder Nicole said she had a surprise for us. Dad, I think we should tell Grant and Aida the good news too!"

Floyd slapped his thigh.

'Yes, tell everyone that my precious son-in-law is back!"

Floyd walked over, patted Clayton's shoulder, and suppressed the emotional sobs.

'You lost weight! How did you become so thin? Were you treating your injuries abroad this whole time? Never mind, all that matters is that you’re back!"

Floyd’s eyes were teary.

He felt sorry for Nicole, but he also liked Clayton, his son-in-law.

If Clayton was around, why would Floyd think about arranging blind dates for Nicole?

Who could compare to Clayton?

When Floyd thought of this, he suddenly felt a little guilty.

He decided not to let Clayton know about Hamilton. Otherwise, Clayton would hate him.

Clayton smiled humbly and followed Floyd slowly into the living room.

With a smile on his face, Kai went to Nicole and said with a smile, "Heh! Hamilton left, and Clayton came back. This is called giving up something trivial for something big in return! Dad must be delighted!"

Nicole glanced at Kai with a fake smile.

"Shut up."

Julie sneered, then went to the kitchen and ordered the servants to make more of Clayton's favorite dishes.

Kai rubbed his chin. No matter what, he felt that this was a little too calm.

Apart from him and Floyd, the others seemed to know this long ago.

Kai looked at Julie and chased after her in a few steps.

"Did you already know about this?"

Julie raised her eyebrows and pretended not to know what he was referring to.

"What? I don’t know anything!"

"Heh..."

Nicole also shook her head with a smile and walked in.

Mr. Anderson was almost done preparing dinner.

However, when he saw that Clayton was back, he felt that the dinner was not enough, so he went to the kitchen to supervise the servants.

Kai could not wait to tell Grant the news.

Grant was calm on the phone.

However, less than 20 minutes after he hung up, Grant drove back to the Stanton Mansion.

Aida did not follow.

Grant came back just in time for dinner.

He looked at Clayton, nodded with restraint, and had a rare smile on his face.

"I’m glad you're back."

'Thank you, Big Brother."

"What happened to your leg? Do you need my help to get a doctor?"

Grant asked the question that everyone was most concerned about.

Clayton pursed his lips. He was still gentle and calm as he said frankly, "I’m fine. This is already the best result. I brought a medical device from abroad. It'll take around ten years to fully restore my leg to its previous state."

After he said this, Kai gasped.

'Ten years?!"

Floyd looked regretful and solemn, but he smiled and said, "It's good enough that you’re alive. Let’s not be too greedy. It doesn’t matter if it’s ten years or twenty years. The most important thing is that we're all together again."

Grant nodded, looked at Clayton, and said, 'Yes. It doesn't matter whether your leg can recover or not. The important thing is that you're with your family, and you can live happily for ten or twenty years. Don't lose the big picture because of something trivial."

Clayton was silent as he smiled and nodded.

Julie, who had been silent for a long time, lost her temper the last time when she saw that Kira almost got Chatty killed.

When Julie saw them together again, she knew that the two must have reconciled.

However, she did not reveal what she already knew.

They enjoyed the dinner.

Even Floyd could not help but drink a few more glasses of wine.

Chatty went upstairs to take a nap after dinner. Nicole was worried about her, so she went up to have a look.

Chatty was sleeping soundly. She was fair, tender, and very cute.

Nicole did not notice that the door gently opened and closed again.

When she looked back, Clayton, who was supposed to be downstairs, was right behind her.

Nicole raised her eyebrows. "My father is willing to let you go?"

Clayton did not drink much. Neither Floyd nor Grant persuaded him to drink.

Floyd was basically entertaining himself. Since Grant had to go back to take care of Aida, he did not drink alcohol.

Kai wanted to drink, but Julie left in a hurry because of something urgent at the office. Thus, Kai was worried and followed her out.

Clayton was left alone with Floyd.

He smiled and said softly, "I sent Dad back to his room to rest. Grant also went back."

Clayton sat beside Nicole and looked at Chatty, who was sleeping peacefully on the bed.

At that moment, he suddenly felt scared and blessed.

He was scared that if he had made the wrong decision, he would not have this moment.

Fortunately, he made the right bet.

Nicole suddenly remembered something, looked at him sideways, and tugged at his arm.

"Have you told Michael yet? He was so sad when he heard about your accident. Do you want to bring him back for a few days?"

Clayton smiled, held her hand, and bowed his head to kiss her.

"It’s okay. I've already told him. He’s been preparing for an international competition recently, so he won't have time to come back and forth like before."

"When did you tell him?"

Nicole was surprised.

Clayton nodded. "He was depressed a while ago probably because he was too young to bear such a blow. So, he skipped school for a while. He's better now. Don't worry, I made sure he's well taken care of."

Nicole’s expression changed dramatically. She pursed her lips and felt a little guilty.

"I didn't notice. If I’d known sooner, I would’ve brought him back."

Clayton touched her hair.

"He has grown up. Sooner or later, he'll have to accept such news.

Chapter 2329 Back Again

After returning from the Stanton Mansion, Clayton kept frowning. Nicole was not sure if he was too tired or if he was thinking about something.

Nicole answered a few calls from Logan, so she did not bother to ask Clayton about it for a while.

When Clayton came back to his senses, he called Roland.

'Yes. Sell it, preferably to someone with experience."

Nicole frowned and saw that Clayton had hung up the phone.

"What are you selling?"

"The restaurant. I don’t plan to continue running it."

Clayton regarded the restaurant as a temporary residence. It was not a business that he wanted to run.

The restaurant's profit was not enough to make ends meet. Roland could tell that the restaurant would not be profitable for at least three years.

In the early stage, it was necessary to provide the best ingredients and services to win customers and gain a reputation.

However, those were the most expensive aspects of a business.

Instead of wasting time here, Clayton might as well manage his businesses in other industries.

Roland was starting to feel burnt out, so he hoped that Clayton would come back soon.

Nicole also understood what was going on and joked with Clayton.

"I thought you were addicted to being a chef and didn't want to leave!"

Clayton touched her face and smiled. "I will only be your chef."

The two of them smiled, parked the car, and entered the restaurant hand in hand.

Although Clayton decided not to operate the business, the follow-up series of procedures such as staff placement would take time to complete.

It would not be done for a while.

Neither of them expected to see Kira there.

Kira was sitting on a chair in the lobby in a wretched state as two waiters went up to hand her tissues.

"Don't cry, Kira. The boss has been very generous to give you a sum of money. Why don't you take this opportunity to go on a vacation for a few days before you look for another job?”

There were few people that day, and the restaurant was exceptionally quiet.

It was so quiet because there were no customers.

When Clayton entered and saw this scene, his face instantly became gloomy.

Nicole stood aside and watched. Her eyes flickered, but she did not make a sound.

She knew that Clayton had always taken his business seriously. Even if he did not want to continue running this restaurant, it was definitely because he was not interested, not because of other factors.

Kira sat and cried at the entrance in such a wretched manner. No decent guest would come in and be in the mood to eat there.

Kira's eyes were red. It looked like she had been crying for quite a while.

Seeing Clayton coming in, everyone held their breath for an instant. They instantly became serious and were no longer in the mood to watch the show as they were in the beginning.

Kira was originally sitting there, but when she saw Clayton, she subconsciously stood up. However, she could not stand firmly and fell back on the chair.

Nicole’s expression changed subtly when she looked downward.

Only then did she realize that Kira’s right leg was amputated.

For some reason, one of her prosthetic limbs was broken into two pieces on the ground next to her.

Kira saw Nicole beside Clayton, and for a moment, she felt embarrassed and wanted to hide her leg and prosthetic limb.

However, it was no use at all.

She could only raise her eyes to look at Clayton. She looked so pitiful and depressed.

"Boss, I really have nowhere to go. Please let me come back. I don’t mind doing odd jobs or being a dishwasher! I'll accept anything!"

Kira said as tears streamed down her face.

When she cried, she did not look pitiful, but rather miserable.

The colleagues next to her dared not speak up for her.

Although Kira was arrogant, she knew how to get into people's good graces because she was in the modeling industry for a while.

Thus, some of her colleagues thought that she was a decent person.

However, they noticed that Clayton was not in the mood for discussion. Instead, he looked at Kira coldly.

Thus, no one dared to make a sound.

Clayton stood there with a cold face and did not speak for a while.

He glanced around and asked, "Where's the manager?"

Just as he mentioned the manager, one of the employees immediately said, "The manager went to get groceries with the chef. There was a traffic jam on the road, so she'll be right back."

Clayton glanced at Kira coldly. His tone was harsh as he said, "There's no place for you here, so you should leave. Don't make your former colleagues kick you out."

After Kira heard this, her face turned pale again. She opened her mouth, but she could not say a word.

Clayton did not say much. He just looked away and pulled Nicole’s hand inside.

He was relatively slow as he walked upstairs, but he was very steady. He was already very comfortable without the help of others.

Nicole could tell that it was inconvenient for him to use the stairs, but when she thought that he would never come back here again, there was no need to install an elevator.

Clayton went into the room and rubbed his forehead with a glum face.

Nicole raised her eyebrows. His mind was clearly in a mess, but he concealed it really well.

Clayton turned his head, and his throat moved slightly.

"I have nothing to do with her. I didn’t know when she came back. I hope she didn't affect your mood."

He knew that Nicole was wary of this woman.

If he had known that Kira would hurt Chatty and Nicole, he would rather see her die abroad than help her back then.

He was just getting himself into trouble.

Nicole wanted to comfort him initially, but when she saw that he was so nervous, she changed her mind. She deliberately sat on the bed next to him and said casually, "If you have nothing to do with her, why would she come back? It looks like she understands your tolerance and generosity all too well. There should only be two reasons why she would cling to you. One reason is that she has ulterior motives. The other reason is that you didn't give her enough benefits. Mr. Sloan, which do you think you fall under?"

Clayton, who was gentle and apprehensive, looked a little helpless as he knew that Nicole was trying to make things difficult for him.

However, Clayton did not plan to fool her and analyzed the situation with a smile.

"Probably the latter. I'm not a stingy person when dealing with my subordinates. She’s just too greedy."

Nicole pursed her lips. "Well, it’s quite pitiful that she lost a leg..."

Clayton was silent for a moment before he said, "She asked for it, so don't sympathize with her."

"What?"

"I found out later that she lost her leg because she deliberately tripped another model on the runway, causing her to fall off the stage. From then on, that model's career was ruined. That model's boyfriend was not someone to be trifled with. He found someone to break Kira's leg the next day."

Nicole was speechless. She did not expect it to be so complicated.

In an instant, the sympathy in her heart disappeared.

Clayton patted her head indifferently.

"Do you still feel sorry for her?"

Nicole pursed her lips. Before she could say anything, Clayton said in a lecturing tone, "How many times have I told you before? Don’t be soft-hearted. The farther away you stay from such people, the better. You can’t get rid of her once you get involved. She won't be grateful for your sympathy and will only ask for more. She'll find an opportunity to cling to you, and if you don't help her in the future, she may even take revenge on you."

Chapter 2330 Boss

Clayton stood there with earnest and serious eyes. He did not look like he was joking.

For a moment, Nicole seemed to see the old Clayton standing at the door of the club, teaching her to identify girls who liked to put on the pity act.

Nicole felt like her head was spinning as if the past scene was overlapping with the current scene.

The bittersweet feeling in her heart made her forget all the unhappiness of seeing Kira.

She raised her head with a slight smile.

"Got it, Boss! Since you knew she was this kind of person, why did you bring her back to Mediania?”

Why did he get close to Kira?

Of course, Nicole would not ask that question.

After all, Kira was a scheming woman, and Clayton was an unassuming man. Although Clayton might not have that intention, he could not escape Kira's schemes.

"I didn't investigate it at that time because I didn't have enough resources. I only did a background check on her after I returned to Mediania, but it was too late."

Clayton's voice was deep and low. The distance between him and Nicole was extremely close, and his eyes were relaxed and seductive.

He could not help but reach out to pinch her earlobe.

"Did you understand what I said?"

Nicole felt a tingle all over her body. She pursed her lips and pretended to be calm.

"I understand. So, what are you going to do now?"

Anyway, she could tell that Clayton would not allow Kira to come back to work.

Besides, Nicole did not want him to either.

Even if the restaurant would not be open for long, Nicole did not want Kira to appear in front of them.

Clayton smiled, lowered his head, and kissed her ear. The heat seemed to penetrate her skin and into her bones.

Was he teasing her on purpose?

Nicole was skeptical.

In the next second, Clayton leaned back a little to create some distance between them and said with a smile, "Don't worry. I won't need to do anything."

His black eyes flickered with a chill and gloom.

The two of them embraced each other in this small room and felt restrained.

Clayton was not in a hurry to pack his things, and Nicole was afraid that someone would walk in on them.

They were tugging on each other when they finally heard the sound of footsteps outside and someone knocking on the door.

Nicole paused slightly. Her face was still a little red. She pushed him away and went inside to fix her hair.

Clayton smiled and walked toward the door casually.

He opened a small gap through the door and stood there to block the view inside.

"What's the matter?"

The new round-faced manager that Clayton promoted to replace Kira stood outside and trembled.

"Boss, Kira is back again. She's still at the entrance saying that she wants to come back to work..."

Clayton interrupted her:

"You can deal with it yourself. You can keep her or kick her out, but if she stays, she’ll take your place, so you'll have to think clearly."

After speaking, Clayton closed the door.

The manager's face turned pale. She was frustrated and said through the door, "Boss, I'll handle it well!"

The manager could not make up her mind at first because she knew that Kira was with Clayton before. She did not know if he would be soft-hearted.

Now that Clayton said that if Kira stayed, she would replace her, the manager could not stay calm.

Nicole stood by the wall, tilted her head, and looked at the man returning from the door with a smile.

She thought he would kick Kira out himself and waited with interest for his next move.

However, he just put pressure on his subordinates.

She could not help but laugh.

"Good job, Boss!"

Clayton laughed. He said in a deep and clear voice, "There's no other way. If I have to think about how to resolve this kind of trivial matter, it would be too troublesome."

He went closer to her, gently put his arms around her slender waist, and smiled.

"Kiss me?"

Nicole was confused by his sudden request.

Clayton pinched her waist. His voice was low and hoarse as he said, "If you don’t kiss me, then I'll kiss you."

His eyes were dark as if he was hinting at something.

Although they had been married for so long, they were like newlyweds because they had been separated for so long.

Since Clayton came back, Nicole could not find any physical defects on him besides his leg. His stamina was even better than before, and he overwhelmed Nicole.

Her face was rosy and charming, and her eyes were glimmering, which made Clayton's mind stray uncontrollably.

Before Nicole could refuse, Clayton kissed her passionately.

His kiss was a bit domineering and out of control as he engulfed her lips and tongue. After that aggressive kiss, his kiss slowly softened.

Clayton packed his things for about three hours.

When Nicole and Clayton came out again, no one could tell there was anything amiss about them.

Nicole's bright and rosy complexion added a bit of charm to her.

The two of them came down hand in hand.

Clayton was holding a cane in one hand and holding her hand in the other. Nicole was carrying a small suitcase that looked light.

Clayton had an outstanding body, and he carried himself with dignity and grace. He gave off a powerful yet calm vibe.

Even if his leg was limp, it did not affect his temperament.

When the two of them went downstairs, others could see the affection between them. They were so close that outsiders could not get between them.

Clayton also looked less gloomy, calm, and cold. Maybe it was because Nicole was with him.

They had never seen this side of Clayton.

After working for Clayton for so long, they somewhat understood what kind of person he was.

Clayton looked gentle and easygoing, but he was actually tough and merciless. He would not lose his temper when he was angry and dissatisfied. He would just stare at them silently as if his eyes were shooting daggers.

He would make them feel remorse and fear.

The round-faced manager greeted some customers and saw Clayton and Nicole walking toward the door.

She quickly went over to them.

"Boss, are you leaving now? Kira..."

Before she finished her sentence, she could feel the cold vibe that Clayton exuded as Clayton glared at her.

His eyes were cold, distant, and gloomy. He should not be offended.

It seemed that she had said something inappropriate for the occasion.

Nicole beside Clayton asked with a smile, "What happened to Kira?"

The round-faced manager looked at the two of them. Clayton lowered his eyes slightly, and she did not know whether to continue talking.

Clayton coughed, and his voice softened.

"Continue."

The round-faced manager said, "I called the police to take her away on the grounds that she was disturbing our business operations. When I went to the police station, I also checked out who her relatives were. It turned out that she has an older brother, who has taken her away. You can rest assured that she won't come to the restaurant to make trouble again."

She was a little nervous to report this.

Clayton did not respond at all. He just nodded and walked out with Nicole.

It was as if he did not care about this little episode at all.

Nicole followed him with a smile. The two of them got into the car before Nicole could feel Clayton's relief.

Clayton loosened his collar.

Nicole asked with a smile. Her voice was still a little hoarse.

"What about the rest of your things?"

Clayton glanced at her. "I'll get Roland to move them."