Ch. 2331..2340

Chapter 2331 Reverse the Situation

Nicole nodded. All she cared about was the medical device he brought back from abroad. She watched him use it just now.

The sky was clear and the air quality was exceptionally good.

In a blink of an eye, Aida finished her confinement, and Kenji was a hundred days old.

Floyd hosted a big party for Kenji, which doubled as a celebration of Clayton's return.

Everyone had no comments about it.

The party was held at the Hilton Hotel.

Floyd invited many socialites, business partners, and friends.

Even Lance came.

There were all kinds of people at the reception with an endless stream of congratulations.

Floyd smiled so much that he had creases at the corners of his eyes. The huge and luxurious banquet hall was packed with people.

Aida recovered very well from her pregnancy and was in a good state.

She stood beside Grant and chatted with the guests while little Kenji was sleeping peacefully in Grant’s arms.

Clayton followed Floyd to socialize with the guests, acting as the perfect son-in-law from before.

Nicole and Julie were sitting at a booth while Kai was busy exchanging pleasantries with guests.

It was a great day.

Julie glanced at Nicole indiscriminately.

She smiled. The light that was as bright as a diamond shone on Nicole's skin, which made her skin look fair and translucent. Nicole drank some wine, so her skin was slightly flushed.

Nicole was beautiful and vivid. She was like a completely different person compared to the days when Clayton was missing.

Julie smiled and leaned into Nicole quietly.

'Your face has been glowing recently. Did you go for a facial? Or did you and Clayton keep doing it now that he's back?"

Nicole's calm face turned red instantly, and she almost spilled the wine in her glass.

She looked a little nervous and embarrassed.

"Julie, you’re getting more unrestrained!"

Nicole glared at Julie with drunken eyes and looked around to see if there was anyone nearby.

She looked like a kitten whose secret had been exposed.

Julie smiled nonchalantly.

"I'm just talking about scientific truth. Don’t deny it. Having sex frequently makes people's skin glow."

Nicole's face flushed, and she could not sit still.

"I’m leaving if you continue this!"

Julie smiled. "Alright, I won't joke with you anymore. Look, everyone's surrounding Clayton. I’m afraid that Atlanta's businesses will be shaken up with his return."

Clayton had shaken up the business scene in Atlanta when he came to Mediania because no one could compare to his background and skills.

In the business world, the surface seemed calm, but it could be a bloody fight behind the scenes.

When people heard the news of the earthquake, everyone thought that Clayton was dead. Some people were happy while others were worried.

The situation was reshuffled. Even though the company was still around, Roland's skills could not compare to Clayton, so they stole a lot of businesses under Clayton's name.

Now that Clayton made a strong comeback without warning, everyone started to panic again.

Nicole looked back with a smile. Clayton followed Floyd with a smile on his face. He had a calm and dignified demeanor that was not arrogant. He was also obedient and humble to Floyd.

Everyone was talking about Clayton's return.

"Mr. Sloan, I heard that you had an accident during the earthquake. I guess those were all rumors!"

"Mr. Sloan, I hope we can cooperate well in the future!"

"Chairman Stanton, your son-in-law is really outstanding. He's good-looking and capable. What a rare find!"

"Congratulations..."

Floyd smiled from ear to ear.

"Of course..."

Nicole suddenly thought about something and stood up.

"I’ll go and have a look."

Julie looked at Nicole's impatient back and raised her eyebrows.

'You really can't bear to part from him for a moment!"

Nicole held her wine glass and only focused on him.

Clayton also raised his head tacitly and looked at her.

When he saw her walking over, he raised his brows slightly, then whispered something to Floyd and walked toward her.

They seemed to have some sort of wonderful attraction that made them want to be next to each other at this moment.

The two of them approached each other and embraced one another amidst the sea of people.

At that moment, someone captured this scene on the second floor.

The pale golden light shone on the couple, which added a glow to the picture. The couple was enveloped in soft light. From the photographer’s point of view, both of them melted into the light.

Everyone else became a passing shadow, and only these two were embracing each other.

The tall and strong man that was dressed in a dapper suit lowered his head and held the delicate woman in his arms. Tenderness and love seemed to be overflowing from his eyes.

Nicole, on the other hand, was wearing a white haute couture dress with statement jewelry. She embodied simplicity and luxury in her outfit.

She held a half-filled wine glass in one hand and put her free arm around Clayton's waist. The moment she raised her head slightly, she felt that there was a dazzling light in his beautiful eyes.

It was dazzling and stunning.

Ian casually smiled and admired the photo in his hand with a cigarette in his other hand.

His eyes flickered. When he thought about how everyone sympathized and laughed at Nicole when they thought Clayton was dead, he posted the photo online without hesitation.

The caption was, "The best reunion of the year!"

Ian did not care about the consequences.

As soon as Ian posted the picture, various social media platforms were in a frenzy.

[No way! Goddess Nicole’s husband is back! They really are the perfect match!)

[I finally believe in true love among the upper class. I don't think that gaze can be faked, can it?]

[Goddess Nicole is so gorgeous! Can she change careers and become an actress?]

[Clayton Sloan really matches her! He didn't die! I knew he wouldn't die! Welcome back!]

[I thought that Clayton died during the earthquake and was so sad for Goddess Nicole for such a long time. It's amazing that he's back! I hope they'll be happy forever!]

[This is such a beautiful picture!]

[Did you guys see the cane next to Clayton's leg?]

Countless comments flooded in instantly.

The internet blew up because of this photo.

At the same time, on the way to the Hilton Hotel, Eric drove because Mitchell drank a lot on his behalf during a social engagement. Thus, Eric became the driver as Mitchell sat in the passenger seat to sober up.

Since Eric left the French restaurant, he already expected such a day would come.

After so long and all his efforts, he ended up with nothing.

In the end, he had nothing.

Eric gradually shifted his focus to foreign countries, just like in those years when he restrained his feelings for Nicole and stayed alone abroad.

Only this time, he really felt lonely and hopeless.

Chapter 2332 Donate Blood

Eric put his slender and beautiful hands on the steering wheel. His expression was always calm.

He gave off an indifferent and aloof vibe. He looked gloomy and arrogant.

Mitchell, who was next to him, hesitated to speak. They still had to pass a traffic light before they arrived at the Hilton Hotel.

Mitchell held the invitation card and did not know what to say.

"President..."

Seeing that Mitchell did not speak for a long time, Eric looked over indifferently.

Mitchell gritted his teeth and said, "President, Clayton is back. The Stanton family held this banquet to celebrate the hundredth day of Grant’s second son's birth and to announce Clayton's return. Why should we join in the fun? There must be media present on this occasion. If the media exaggerates our presence, we'll incur more losses. Why don't I deliver the gift? Then we can go back."

No matter how much he thought about it, Mitchell felt that it was inappropriate for Eric to show up at the party.

In the beginning, Mitchell was also extremely optimistic about Eric and Nicole.

However, before or after marriage, Nicole and Eric just did not seem to have a spark.

Their love was unrequited, and they hurt each other.

If Clayton was really dead, then Eric might have some motivation and hope if he persisted for a few more years.

However, Clayton came back unexpectedly. Even an outsider like Mitchell could see clearly that Eric was really out of luck this time.

Although the Stanton family sent an invitation to the Fergusons this time, they probably did it out of politeness and did not want Eric to come.

But Eric went over after he was done with work.

After Mitchell finished speaking, he noticed Eric's stern face and immediately realized that he talked too much.

Eric stared at him with an emotion surging in his eyes.

The next second, Mitchell raised his eyes subconsciously and suddenly widened his eyes.

"President, be careful..."

Eric did not notice that he ran a red light.

At the same time, a woman was also crossing the road.

"Bang—"

The car screeched to a stop.

They hit someone.

Eric's complexion changed slightly, and his protruding Adam’s apple bobbed up and down.

Mitchell’s face also turned pale. He panicked for a moment before he quickly opened the door and got out of the car.

He regretted that he distracted Eric from driving.

Mitchell did not expect Eric, who looked so calm and silent, to have such a strong reaction because of his words.

Mitchell walked to the front of the car with a glum face.

"President, that woman fainted and bled a lot. You should send her to the hospital immediately, and I'll take care of the rest here."

Eric's eyes darkened slightly, and his pupils shrank.

There seemed to be a little relief in his eyes.

Yes, relief.

Eric forced himself to go to the Stanton family's banquet to force himself to face reality.

Now, there was something to stop him, and he did not have to torture himself. This seemed like God’s will.

His dark pupils flickered with a cold light.

Mitchell handled the situation quickly.

It was too late to call an ambulance now, so it was better to ask Eric to send the woman to the hospital immediately. Mitchell first contacted the hospital before he called the police.

If this matter was not handled properly, it would have a fatal impact on Ferguson Corporation.

Thus, Mitchell dealt with it methodically and carried the woman to the car.

Mitchell looked at Eric, gulped, and said, "Mr. Ferguson, I'll go to the hospital immediately after I’ve dealt with this matter. Please drive carefully."

Eric nodded. He knew what should be prioritized. Human life was most important, so he could not delay.

Mitchell was slightly relieved as he watched Eric's car leave.

Eric did not dare to divert his attention to look at the woman in the back seat. He seemed a little nervous too.

When he arrived at the hospital, the doctors and nurses were waiting at the entrance.

As soon as the car arrived, they immediately carried the woman in the back seat to the emergency room.

From the corner of his eyes, Eric could only see blood soaking through the woman’s clothes and the stretcher.

Something was churning in his stomach.

Eric was a shareholder of this hospital, so the doctor thoughtfully comforted him not to worry and that they would try their best to save her.

Before Mitchell arrived, Eric could not leave.

Eric was not in the mood to ask someone to come and wait in his stead.

After a while, the nurse came out with a flustered expression.

"The patient has lost too much blood and needs a blood transfusion. Who has blood type A?"

Eric stood up subconsciously. His side profile was stern and deep. Under the hospital's white light, he looked so pale that his blood vessels were visible.

"I am."

The nurse did not have time to think about it and said," Please follow me."

Eric did not have to donate blood, but at that moment, he did not have time to think about it.

He followed the nurse to the next ward and suddenly thought of everything before his divorce from Nicole.

Eric forced her to donate blood, and she left in anger.

He also wanted to feel what it was like to donate blood.

This was how it started, so this was how he wanted to end it.

The nurse put a needle into his arm and subconsciously looked at him.

She was new to the hospital and did not know who Eric was. However, she guessed that he must be someone influential because he was handsome and he had an indescribably powerful and dignified air temperament.

Dark red blood flowed into the blood bag.

Eric's face also turned pale.

The nurse's hands began to tremble slightly.

Eric casually raised his eyelids, and the nurse immediately calmed down. When it was almost done, she wanted to pull out the needle, but Eric said in a hoarse voice, "Continue."

The nurse looked up at him in shock.

The air seemed stagnant.

Eric pursed his lips. "This isn't enough, right?"

The nurse paused. "It's not enough, but we can get the rest from the blood bank. The temporary aid you donated should be enough.'

Eric let out a deep and nonchalant laugh. He tightened his jaw and said, "It's okay. Just take my blood."

He was in so much despair that he thought of giving up.

He wanted to drain all his blood and return it to Nicole.

If he endured all the pain and torture he inflicted on her, would she hate him a little less?

Donating blood was nothing compared to his mental torment.

In comparison, it was not worth mentioning!

Eric seemed to let himself go at this moment and donate blood to a stranger, someone he had never met. He wanted to take this opportunity to avenge Nicole.

He wondered what Nicole was doing now.

She must look beautiful at the banquet.

Nicole was always dazzling. Eric really wanted to go and have a look at her, but he did not dare to.

Clayton was back, so she would no longer look at anyone else.

Eric was one of those "outsiders".

The nurse froze for a moment.

Eric seemed to have a momentary loss of consciousness.

The nurse did not dare to draw too much blood. After reaching the maximum limit for blood donation, she immediately pulled out the needle.

She quickly took a cotton swab to stop the blood from flowing, then stood up with the blood bag.

From her point of view, Eric looked noble and indifferent. His face was pale and stern, and the veins on his neck were bulging.

However, his eyes were curved slightly as he smiled, and he seemed extraordinarily gentle.

Eric looked like he had let go of a burden.

Chapter 2333 Selena Nelson

Indifference and tenderness seemed to coexist on Eric's face, which created a shocking contrast.

If the nurse really did as Eric wished and drained his blood, he would die.

Before the nurse left, she was still thinking why would such a man give up on his life?

The emergency room was lit up for around five hours.

When Mitchell came back, he had already gone to the police station. Mitchell was not driving, and there was surveillance to prove it.

Although Eric ran the red light, Mitchell explained that he had distracted Eric because he was talking to Eric. That was why something unexpected happened.

From the surveillance footage, their car bumped into the woman, but the woman also ran onto the road before the green light for pedestrians was lit up. That was why she bumped into their car.

Eric also braked in time. That was why the woman fell in front of the car and did not fly into the air.

Although they did not know why that woman was so bloody, Eric could still avoid any legal responsibility.

The rest could be settled in private with that woman.

Mitchell arrived at the hospital.

It was nearly midnight.

The wind outside was bitterly cold and made people shiver.

Mitchell was also completely sober.

No one was at the door of the emergency room.

Mitchell called Eric and heard his ringtone from the next room.

Thus, Mitchell walked over in surprise.

He saw Eric sitting on the chair with his eyes slightly closed. Eric's eyelashes were trembling slightly, and some hair on his forehead drooped down. He looked a little unkempt.

Eric's face was so pale that Mitchell could clearly see his blood vessels.

Eric did not stop the blood from the needle hole, so some blood oozed out and dried around it.

It was a shocking sight.

Mitchell's eyes trembled slightly, and he did not dare to wake Eric up.

Even so, the sound of Mitchell's footsteps and the ringtone just now woke Eric up.

Eric opened his eyes and looked at him coldly.

Mitchell paused and immediately said, "President, I've settled everything.

We just need to wait for this woman to wake up to discuss the compensation. If you're tired, you can go back and rest first. I’ll stay here."

Eric pinched his nose bridge. He looked stern.

"Go and find out who that woman is. Does she have any relatives?"

'Yes, sir."

Mitchell nodded.

The woman carried a bag with her, so there should be something in her bag that could prove her identity. He should also be able to find her relatives' contact information on her mobile phone.

Eric did not bother to dig through the woman's things, so he did not touch them.

The bag was still in the back seat of his car.

Mitchell turned around and went out, coincidentally bumping into a few nurses coming out.

He quickly went up to greet them. "Excuse me, how is the patient?”

The nurse's face was tense. "The patient stopped bleeding, but she has a broken rib, and the scars on her body need time to heal. Fortunately, the gentleman who came with her donated blood in time. Otherwise, there would be bigger problems."

"Donate blood?"

Mitchell could not believe it.

'Yes, that gentleman is really kind and generous. He said to draw any amount that we need urgently. Is he still in the office? Since he lost too much blood at once, it might cause dizziness and discomfort. It was an emergency situation earlier, so I didn't take care of him. Are you his friend? You should give him an energy bar."

As the nurse said this, she watched someone behind pushing the patient out of the emergency room.

They got out of the way.

Mitchell had a strange expression on his face.

He did not know what to think.

Eric donated blood to a stranger. It was probably not because he was kind and generous.

Rather, the act of donating blood was a sort of sacrifice and atonement for

Eric.

Yes, he was atoning for what he did to Nicole.

Mitchell sighed, thanked the nurse with a straight face, and went outside to look for the woman’s bag.

The bloody smell in the car was still there, and the back seat was a mess.

Mitchell was just about to leave with the woman's bag when he suddenly saw the gift Eric had prepared for Nicole.

Eric chose it himself.

He liked to get the most expensive things for Nicole as if the money spent was directly proportional to his intentions.

However, no matter how much money he spent and how expensive the gift was, Nicole and the Stantons would just put it away after a quick look.

Would she hold it and admire it every day?

Of course not.

Without much thought, Mitchell took the bag inside and found the woman's ID card.

Then, he found her mobile phone, which was turned off. It could not be turned on, so it might have been damaged.

Mitchell took a photo of her ID card and sent it to his connections at the police station, asking them to help investigate the contact information of her relatives.

In less than half an hour, he got a reply.

Mitchell gasped when he saw her identity.

Eric was just so unlucky to bump into this person.

Mitchell ran to the VIP lounge of the hospital with an inexplicable look on his face.

He was a little distressed when he saw that Eric was still on the glucose drip.

Eric donated too much blood and fainted as soon as he left the ward.

The nurses and doctors quickly rescued Eric. Fortunately, it was just a sudden bout of vertigo from blood loss, so the doctor put him on a glucose drip.

They wanted to do a blood transfusion for Eric, but Mitchell refused, i

Mitchell thought that if Eric knew that the blood he donated went back into his body, he would probably feel like dying.

It was better to leave him some dignity.

It was almost midnight.

There were dark circles under Eric's tired eyes.

Mitchell walked in.

"President, do you know who you bumped into?"

Eric raised his cold eyes.

Mitchell did not dare to keep him hanging and said, "Her name is Selena Nelson. She's the only granddaughter of Orville Nelson. In order to save the family's business, Orville Nelson arranged for her to marry a wealthy businessman, Derek Norton, three years ago. Then, she left the country. She just returned to Medianía this year and renovated the old Tattle Bar into the Good Vibes Bar. The Nelson family was not aware of her return. I couldn’t get in touch with Derek Norton for the time being. Should I contact the Nelson family?"

Eric narrowed his eyes. "Orville Nelson?"

He was very familiar with this person because Orville was quite famous back then.

It was a pity that his stubbornness and rigidity became his downfall, and the Nelson family went into decline since then.

Even though his nouveau riche son-in-law, Derek Norton, helped by providing financial aid, it still could not reverse the crumbling Nelson family.

Now, the Nelson family basically was not considered part of the upper class.

Hitting Selena was indeed much more troublesome than bumping into other people.

Eric looked irritable, but he soon made a decision.

"Now that she's married, we should contact her husband and discuss with him how much they want as compensation when she wakes up."

Mitchell nodded.

Money was a trivial matter. More importantly, they were afraid of the Nelson family clinging to them.

Eric stood up, pulled out the needle in his arm, and straightened his clothes.

His complexion was much better.

"Alright. You can stay and wait for her to wake up. I'll go back and catch up on my sleep." 1

Mitchell nodded resolutely.

"Rest well. You shouldn’t drive. I’ll find you a substitute driver.”

Chapter 2334 Cannot Bear to Look

At this time, the driver might already be sleeping, so Mitchell contacted a substitute driver.

Eric nodded and walked out without hesitation.

The smell of blood in the car made him a little sick to his stomach. He did not expect a light bump to cause so much blood loss and a broken rib. 1

It was his fault, so he had to admit it.

It took fifteen minutes for the substitute driver to arrive.

Eric did not think about anything else. He did not open his mouth until he got home.

The substitute driver did not dare to say anything. After all, he never expected to drive this luxury car, so he had to be extra careful since he was driving such an expensive car for the first time.

When he arrived at the villa, there was a light in the living room.

Eric walked in with an indifferent expression. He took a deep look at Chance, who had not slept yet, with a warning silence.

Chance pursed his lips, walked over, and carefully raised his eyes.

"Daddy, have you seen Levi and Aunt Nicole? Levi said that it's his younger brother's 1OOth day of birth today, so I want to prepare a gift for his younger brother. Is that okay?"

There was a bit of anticipation on his fair and tender face.

Chance looked like he was afraid of being scolded, but he still wanted to express his thoughts.

He finally did not have to live with the nanny in the old apartment and could live with Eric.

Although Eric spent most of his time on business trips and was not at home often, Chance was still happy that Eric could come back to meet him once in a while.

Chance only had one good friend - Levi. Levi also liked his younger brother very much, so Chance wanted to prepare a gift for Levi's younger brother.

He talked for a long time, but Eric remained silent, and his eyes were cold.

Chance lowered his head in disappointment and pursed his lips. He had some allowance, but the figurine he liked was too expensive, and he still lacked some money.

However, it seemed that Chance had to save up more.

Finally, Eric loosened his collar and said nonchalantly, "Sure. I have a gift in my car. You can take it to him."

After he finished speaking, Eric went straight upstairs.

Chance was surprised and confused. The servant next to Chance heard this and hurriedly went to take out the gift.

The servant saw the brand of the gift and held it carefully.

'Young Master, here. Now you don't have to prepare a gift yourself."

Chance looked at this exquisite jewelry box, pursed his lips, and remained silent.

Was this jewelry box suitable for little Kenji?

Was it really for him?

Chance fell silent.

Stanton Mansion.

It was nearly midnight after the banquet.

Aida graciously followed Grant to see off the guests. Clayton and Nicole also stayed back until the last moment, i

Kai and Julie had long since disappeared.

Kai was tired and sleepy, so he took Julie home for his beauty sleep halfway through the party.

Floyd turned around and did not see Kai. Then, he angrily scolded Kai for being an idiot who only knew how to sleep.

However, Floyd was glad to see that the rest stayed back.

"Alright. You guys should go back and rest. If you don't want to go back, you can just make do for the night in the hotel."

Clayton smiled and said, "Dad, let me take you back. It's more comfortable to sleep at home."

Older people who had poor health were more accustomed to their own beds.

Floyd did not want to bother others to send him off, but when he heard Clayton’s, he immediately felt grateful.

He patted Clayton's shoulder in satisfaction and said with a smile, ‘You've had a long day, so you should go back with Nicole. The children are all asleep now. Don’t let them worry if they can't see you when they wake up."

Clayton hesitated for a moment and smiled.

"It's okay. I'll send you back before we go home. At this time, Chatty and Fischer won't wake up."

Just as he was talking, the driver came over.

Clayton went to open the door. "Dad, come on."

Floyd sighed. "He's the best son-in-law!"

As he said that, he strode into the car with high spirits.

Grant and Aida stood there with a smile and watched them leave.

Nicole was sleepy, so she did not have the energy to think about anything else. Seeing Floyd get into the car, she also followed suit without saying a word.

Clayton smiled and got into the car.

He lowered the car window and waved goodbye to Grant and the others.

Aida sighed after the car left and shook her head.

"Our brother-in-law is really something. He can make Dad as happy as a kid. I haven't seen Dad smile like this for a long time."

Grant smiled and patted her head.

"Dad is happy because of Kenji and Nicole."

If it was not for Nicole, Clayton would be just a stranger to Floyd.

No matter how much Floyd liked Clayton, he would not be so close to a stranger.

Aida nodded in agreement.

After they sent Floyd back to that Stanton Mansion, Nicole did not get out of the car but waited for Clayton to come back. Then, they went back to their apartment.

They could finally breathe a sigh of relief after a tiring day.

Nicole closed her eyes to rest. When Clayton got into the car, she automatically leaned on his shoulder.

Clayton squeezed her wrist.

"Tired?"

His voice was deep and hoarse. He also lowered his voice.

Nicole responded softly, 'Yeah..."

She sounded coquettish.

Clayton’s eyes darkened, but since there was a driver in front of him, he did not do anything that would embarrass Nicole.

"Hang on. We'll be home soon."

On the way home, Nicole felt warm and full of hope.

As soon as Clayton got home, he took out his phone, only to find that Roland had called him more than a dozen times.

Clayton muted his phone, so he did not hear any calls.

He was afraid that there was something urgent, so he called back.

Roland had not slept yet and immediately picked up Clayton's call.

"Mr. Sloan, have you seen what happened on the internet?"

"What’s the matter?"

Clayton lowered his voice and sounded cold.

'Young Master Carter took a stunning photo of you and your wife and posted it online. Now, the internet is in a frenzy. Some media agencies are asking for you to make an appearance and want to interview you..."

Roland was excited and supported the couple.

Clayton frowned slightly. "Push it off. I don't like being interviewed."

Roland nodded regretfully.

After Nicole washed up, she looked at Chatty and Fischer who were already in a deep sleep.

Chatty was moving around on the bed. There were two 50-meter-tall Ultramans standing on each side of the bed, which Nicole could not appreciate, 1

Every time she saw it, she felt like she entered another dimension.

Fortunately, Fischer’s room was normal. He just liked to sleep with a little rabbit in his arms.

Clayton came out of the shower with drops of water on his body. He also smelled of shower gel.

Nicole smiled and patted the place beside her bed.

"Come quickly."

"Why are you in such a hurry?"

"No, I just want to hug you to sleep!"

Nicole quickly denied it. It was so late, and she did not have the energy to do anything else.

Clayton smiled. He went to take a shower after his treatment, so he thought Nicole had already gone to bed.

His eyes flickered slightly. He turned around and went out to pour her a glass of water and handed it to her.

"Take your medicine first."

Nicole froze slightly. Her heart ached.

"I’m okay now."

Clayton smiled gently and patted her head.

"I know, but we have to wait for the doctor to make a decision. Before that, you must take your medicine on time." 2

Chapter 2335 No Appreciation

The last thing Clayton wanted was to see Nicole suffer, but he was even more afraid that something would happen to her.

Thus, he did not want to take any risks.

When Nicole was with him, she was perfectly normal and was the same as before.

Clayton was afraid that something would happen to her while he was away.

Every time he saw the scars on her arm, he was heartbroken and reminded himself not to take it lightly.

He tried to act nonchalantly, and both of them tried their best to ignore the hidden dangers of depression.

However, he would not neglect it.

Nicole did not persist on this matter for too long and took over the glass of warm water. Clayton took the medicine for her and was relieved after he watched her take it.

Finally, he stroked her hair to express his appreciation and encouragement.

"What a good girl."

He went out and put the glass away.

When Clayton came back, he casually told Nicole what Roland said in order to divert her attention.

Nicole was quite surprised by it.

"Interview? What kind of interview? Forget it if it's entertainment news."

Clayton smiled. "I think it’s an interview for the financial news network. But as a gimmick, they’ll most likely mention our private affair. That’s why I pushed it off."

"Why push it? You haven't shown your face in public after you come back. Why don't you take this opportunity to be interviewed? Otherwise, everyone might still think you're dead even with Ian's photo if you don't show up in person."

Nicole was quite interested, so Clayton smiled and squeezed her hand.

"Okay. Will you come with me?"

"We'll see when the time comes..."

Nicole had already decided to tag along. Just as well, Stanton Corporation's new arrivals for the season were about to go on the market.

The next afternoon, in the hospital, Mitchell saw that the woman on the hospital bed was finally awake.

The doctor said that the patient would be out of danger if she could wake up.

Mitchell immediately reported her condition to Eric.

Due to Selena's identity, Eric had no choice but to rush there in person.

In the ward, Selena bowed her head and ate in silence.

She could only have liquids. Even so, she was still struggling to eat.

Mitchell sat there and looked at her. In fact, she resembled someone he knew. She was good-looking and simple, but if he were to compare them, Selena was not as bright and astonishing as that woman.

Selena was about 50% to 60% similar to that woman.

Mitchell took a sip of water and licked his dry lips.

"Ms. Nelson, I just told you that your wound was caused by blunt force trauma. We're not trying to shirk responsibility, but the doctor deduced that this car accident wouldn’t have caused such a serious injury. Did someone do something to you?"

Selena froze. Her pale face was somewhat indifferent and sharp:

"Just say it frankly if you don't want to take responsibility. You don't need to make so many excuses. I don't lack the money for my medical expenses."

Mitchell choked.

He suddenly felt that this woman was more eloquent than Nicole.

This way, Selena resembled Nicole even more.

Mitchell did not know what to say. At that moment, someone opened the door and came in.

Mitchell subconsciously stood up.

"President.”

Eric walked in and glanced coldly at the woman on the bed. Selena's head was covered with gauze. Her face was pale and glum with some scratches on it.

Selena did not seem to care at all. She looked up at Eric, then lowered her head and continued to eat the porridge.

Eric glanced at Mitchell.

"How's it going?"

Mitchell coughed and quickly said, "The doctor said that she's no longer in danger and needs to recuperate for a while. The most serious injury she has is a broken rib. Everything else is fine."

Eric nodded and glanced at her.

"Get a caregiver to take care of her.”

Perhaps Eric thought that she looked a little pitiful when she struggled to eat by herself.

Mitchell pursed his lips. "I haven’t been able to contact Ms. Nelson’s husband."

After he said that, Eric did not respond, but Selena froze slightly.

She swept the porridge in front of her on the ground and looked at the person in front of her coldly.

"What husband? Who are you people?"

Mitchell paused as he forgot to introduce himself and Eric.

"Ms. Nelson, this is Eric Ferguson, the President of Ferguson Corporation.

We sent you to the hospital last night. There was an ID card in your bag, so we found out about your identity. It's our negligence for not contacting your family sooner."

Selena's face was frigid, and her tone was sharp and harsh.

"Hah! You guys only sent me to the hospital because you bumped into me. You left out the other half of the story, yet you still expect me to be grateful to you?”

Mitchell blushed from embarrassment. Selena accused him mercilessly, and Mitchell was a little remorseful about what he said to her.

"Even so, Mr. Ferguson donated blood to you. If he didn’t donate blood in time, your life..."

"Mitchell-"

Eric’s voice was deep and cold as he interrupted Mitchell with a warning tone.

Mitchell shut up in an instant.

Selena raised her eyes and glanced at Eric. She did not show much gratitude, snorted coldly, and turned her head away.

'You guys will be in trouble if I die. My life certainly isn't as precious as Mr. Ferguson's, so Mr. Ferguson donated his blood to save himself, not me."

Mitchell was speechless.

He knew he could not win this argument.

Eric looked at her with an inexplicable expression as if he was observing something.

Mitchell's heart skipped a beat. He was afraid that Eric would think too much, so he coughed and said seriously, "Ms. Nelson, since we can't contact your husband now, why don't you tell your family that you’re safe?"

Selena was a married woman. Although her husband was a nouveau riche, he was her spouse.

Selena's face became extremely glum.

"I'm not dead yet, so why can't I settle this on my own? If I die, someone will inform them!"

Mitchell was completely speechless.

This woman did not look like she wanted to negotiate.

Mitchell looked at Eric.

Eric stood there indifferently. His eyes were deep and dark.

"Okay. How much do you want? Let's settle it once and for all, and don't go back on your word. You also have to make sure that your family won't bother me when they find out about this incident."

Selena’s face was glum, and she turned pale with anger. She clutched her chest and panted in pain.

"I have to think about it. After all, my life is quite valuable."

Eric withdrew his gaze and covered up the faint disdain that flashed in his eyes.

He glanced at Mitchell and said with a cold tone, "Tell Mitchell once you think about it."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and wanted to leave.

"Wait a moment."

Selena took a deep breath and continued, "Don't tell anyone about me."

Eric did not speak and walked out of the ward.

Selena mentioned not to tell anyone, which naturally included the Nelson family and Derek Norton.

She was Orville Nelson’s only granddaughter. His son died young and left no other blood relatives, so Eric did not expect this old man to be in such a deadlock with his granddaughter.

Eric did not have much of an impression of Derek Norton because that kind of nouveau riche would never get to be at the same table with him.

Eric did not want to waste time here.

Mitchell and Selena glanced at each other and did not like one another.

Chapter 2336 Threaten

Mitchell took the initiative to talk since he felt guilty.

"Ms. Nelson, I'll get a caregiver to take care of you this afternoon. This is my contact information. If you need anything, you can contact me anytime."

Selena looked at his business card and looked away.

'You don't have a say in this. Give me Eric's number."

The corner of Mitchell's mouth twitched.

"Sorry. I can't give out Mr. Ferguson's phone number to just anyone."

"Okay, then. I'll just contact the police and ask about how one should be sentenced for hitting someone with a car."

Selena hit the nail on the head with that sentence.

Mitchell took a deep breath.

Finally, he realized that Selena was not a simple woman.

Was she planning to take advantage of this incident to extort them?

Mitchell had a bad premonition.

Eric had really bumped into big trouble.

It was a good thing that Selena was married. Otherwise, she might set her sights on Eric.

Mitchell believed that Eric was still stuck in his failed relationship and might not be able to get over it for a while.

Maybe he was thinking too much.

He took out Eric's business card and handed it over.

'This is Mr. Ferguson’s business card. He's usually busy, so he may not be able to answer the phone in time."

Mitchell reminded her. 1

Selena sneered and put away Mitchell's and Eric's business cards.

Mitchell felt that Selena was not a simple person.

The caregiver arrived soon, so Mitchell did not need to stay longer.

Selena was definitely going to take this opportunity to ruthlessly extort Eric.

Thus, she had to consider it carefully.

When Mitchell left, he gave some instructions to the caregiver and left.

Ferguson Corporation.

Mitchell left the hospital, went home, and got dressed before he went to the office.

Unexpectedly, he saw Logan from Stanton Corporation in the rest area downstairs.

Mitchell was stunned for a moment and hurried over. 1

"Logan?"

Logan stood up and smiled. "President Crawford, long time no see."

Mitchell waved his hand in embarrassment.

Although Mitchell had a big position in Ferguson Corporation, the real boss was still Eric.

"What are you doing here? Shall I contact Mr. Ferguson for you?"

Logan smiled. "No, no. I came here to see you."

Mitchell was surprised for a moment.

Logan took out a gift box from the bag next to him and handed it over to Mitchell.

Mitchell's face changed slightly.

Logan coughed. 1

"Levi and Chance are good friends, and both families have never stopped them from being friends. They're still kids, so it's really inappropriate to offer such an expensive gift. Our president said that it's the thought that counts, so Mr. Ferguson can keep the gift. Not to mention, this gift isn’t suitable for Kenji. Mrs. Stanton isn't close to Mr. Ferguson either, so she doesn't want to accept such an expensive gift."

Mitchell's face froze for a moment and felt that Logan was really trying not to embarrass Eric.

Thus, Logan came here to wait for Mitchell.

If Logan went upstairs and returned this to Eric, Eric might be pissed off. 1

Mitchell smiled and looked at Logan.

"Which president are you referring to?"

Logan smiled and did not hide anything.

"Ms. Stanton has been busy dating Mr. Sloan for the past few days and hasn't been to the office for a while. The president I was referring to was Mr. Grant Stanton."

Mitchell paused and felt uneasy for a moment.

Eric’s gift was intended for Nicole, but Mitchell did not know why the gift was sent in Chance’s name.

However, everyone knew what Eric was doing.

Nicole did not even get the chance to look at it before Grant returned it.

They could not give it to Nicole directly. After all, the party was to celebrate Kenji's 100th day, not Nicole's.

Now, Mitchell was in a dilemma.

Mitchell did not know what to do for a while.

Logan left the box behind and said, "Mitchell, please return this to Chance.

I'll get going now, goodbye."

Mitchell chased after Logan for a few steps, but Logan was afraid of being held back and fled so fast that he disappeared in a blink of an eye.

Mitchell was speechless.

When he went upstairs with the box that felt like a hot potato, he was still struggling with how to convey this message to Eric.

Eric was in a meeting in the conference room, which just ended when

Mitchell arrived.

A group of people came out from the conference room, so Mitchell subconsciously hid the box behind him.

When Eric came over, his eyes swept over the box in Mitchell's hand. His face instantly darkened as he asked, "Who sent it back?"

Mitchell's face was tense. "It was Logan, Ms. Stanton's assistant. Mr. Stanton said this gift is too expensive for his son, so he sent it back."

Eric's expression was gloomy, and there was a chill in his eyes.

Mitchell sighed inwardly. Although it was Eric's intention, it was indeed inappropriate to hand it over to two children.

After all, Chance gave it to Levi, who in turn gave it to Aida. How would Aida hand it over to Nicole?

There was a moment of silence in the air.

Eric walked toward his office.

'Then give it directly to Nicole."

Mitchell stood there in a pickle. 'Great, I can't give out such a precious thing now...'

He pursed his lips and put the box down. He thought of finding an opportunity to give it to Nicole later.

Roland was overjoyed when he found out that Clayton had agreed to be interviewed.

After all, this was Clayton's first appearance in Medianian media. 1

This interview was also done by a reputable financial magazine at home and abroad.

More importantly, Clayton and Nicole would both make an appearance this time. They were bigwigs in the business world, and neither of them liked to be interviewed.

Nicole made a lot of appearances in public before, but after the hype passed, she simply stopped.

How capricious.

Thus, everyone was looking forward to this interview.

This was the first time a financial magazine received so much attention.

It was rare that both Nicole and Clayton spared time for the interview.

After arranging the time, the news anchor took out a script to familiarize himself. 1

This kind of program was generally more solemn as it was not an entertainment channel.

However, due to the couple's large following, the host nervously asked, "At the end of the show, may I ask two personal questions? Of course, I won't go overboard. Everyone is concerned about your relationship. The comments section of our social media platform is flooded because the netizens found out that you two are going to be interviewed. Everyone is interested in you two."

Clayton and Nicole looked at each other. Nicole raised her eyebrows.

"Okay, as long as you don't go overboard."

If the host went overboard, they would walk out of there.

Of course, Nicole did not say it out loud for fear of scaring them.

The host nodded happily.

When it was time to record the program, everyone became serious.

Since it was a live broadcast, it was treated with care.

Both Nicole and Clayton were in business attire.

However, Nicole was wearing a women's suit and a beige skirt. Even though she did not deliberately highlight anything, she had a slender figure and appeared flawless.

Chapter 2337 Show Affection

Nicole's set of jewelry was also carefully selected.

She wore a matching watch with Clayton, and the two looked like the perfect pair.

Clayton was dapper in his suit. He looked relaxed with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

He was cool and handsome with gentle eyes.

If it were not for the cane he placed next to him, he did not seem any different from before.

Clayton looked at the watch on his wrist, touched it, and chuckled in Nicole's ear.

"I now know why you want to be interviewed. No one can match your dedication to your company!"

Nicole let out a muffled laugh. The corners of her mouth curled up. She looked energetic and spirited. Her long dark hair was let down, and her smile was bright and eye-catching. At this time, she lowered her voice and said, "I'm glad you know. This jewelry collection will definitely be popular, and I don't even need a spokesperson. I'll earn so much that I’ll be able to give you anything you want then!" 1

Clayton raised his eyebrows. His eyes darkened, and he could not help but rub his fingers. At that moment, he did not notice that his microphone was turned on.

He chuckled lightly. His voice was mellow and clear like a spring breeze that was pleasant to the ear.

"Are you willing to give me what I’m thinking about?"

These words clearly reached the crew.

Everyone froze for a moment.

Everyone's faces were flushed, and they could not help but look at Nicole, who was blushing shyly and angrily.

She stretched out her hand and secretly pinched Clayton’s waist. His muscles were tense as if he had predicted what Nicole would do.

The couple looked at each other and laughed.

Everyone watched them flirt with each other and suddenly felt envious.

They were not acting. It was clear that their relationship was strong, and there was no room for anyone else to come between them.

Clayton seemed to realize that his headset was turned on. He looked at Nicole and pointed at his ears. Nicole's expression changed dramatically, and the smile on her face faded.

The host also glanced at them awkwardly.

As the director counted down in the background, everyone on the stage became solemn.

The host was skillful and asked all the relevant business-related questions. Both Clayton and Nicole answered fluently.

At the very end, the host did not say the closing remarks as usual. Instead, he looked at the couple in front of him, smiled, and asked something off- topic.

"Ms. Stanton, do you regret that Mr. Sloan's leg is injured? Will you miss his previous physical condition?"

Nicole looked slightly startled. She seemed to feel the man next to her getting tense for a moment.

The host of the financial news got straight to the point.

Nicole smiled calmly and glanced at Clayton's side profile, which was handsome and smooth as if it was meticulously carved.

"No, I'm just glad that he came back alive. Even if he lost his limbs, I'll just be grateful for him being alive. He was great before, but he's even better now. I value him a lot more now."

Clayton’s tense body suddenly relaxed. The moment he turned his head to look at her, his dark eyes were deep and magnetic as if he wanted to pull her in.

The host smiled and nodded before he asked the next question.

"I have one last question. The netizens are very concerned about your relationship. Has there been any change in your relationship after you got back together?"

In fact, this question was a bit repetitive.

Nicole's words touched everyone.

However, the couple did not look impatient. Clayton smiled and replied in a gentle voice, "Getting back together isn't the right term since we have never given up on each other in the first place. We reunited after a long time and we're closer than ever now. We love each other more than life itself. If I had to say what changed, I would say that I just feel blessed every second that I'm with Nicole. We cherish each other even more now. I also hope that all couples will have a happy ending."

As soon as he said this, the studio fell silent.

The next second, the host came to his senses and applauded before he continued with the closing remarks.

As soon as this interview was over, the couple stood up and shook hands with the host.

The interview went well.

Once this interview aired, it was regarded as an explanation to the netizens because the unbelievably beautiful photo that Ian Carter posted led to a debate about whether Clayton was dead or not.

Thus, this interview reassured everyone that Clayton was not dead and that Nicole and Clayton were still very much in love with each other.

The last two questions were simply the best finishing touch for the netizens.

The netizens did not understand the financial questions in the beginning of the interview but understood the question and answer segment.

[Ahhh, I love them! No matter how I look at them, they're the perfect pair! Her jewelry and his watch are so matching too!]

[OMG! Look at the way Mr. Sloan is looking at Ms. Stanton! He looks like he's restraining his emotions. He’s so smitten with her!]

[Goddess Nicole is glowing! Her smile took my soul away!]

[I haven't seen that set of jewelry before. Is it Stanton Corporation's new product? It's so beautiful!]

[I don't understand what they talked about in the beginning, but I can see the love in their eyes! It’s definitely not fake.]

[This is what I call a perfect ending! I believe in love again!]

The netizens were in a heated discussion again.

Due to Nicole and Clayton's appearance, this episode of the program gained such a high viewership and rating that it crushed the major entertainment programs of the same period.

It was just unbelievable.

Ferguson Corporation.

Eric naturally also watched this episode.

He felt that what Clayton said was utter bullsh*t because Clayton answered such a childish question to fool the layman.

However, Eric just wanted to see Nicole. Her eyes would curve when she spoke, and she looked so gentle and sweet.

After she finished speaking, she would subconsciously look at Clayton, who was next to her, for approval.

This trivial action was not noticed by others, but Eric saw it clearly, and his heart was tormented by it.

Eric knew that he was torturing himself for watching her. How long would he have to torture himself like this?

His chest hurt badly.

Nicole and Clayton had a happy ending, but all Eric had was pain.

After Mitchell finished dealing with the matter at hand, he naturally saw that Nicole and Clayton's interview was on the hot topic again.

This time, the system engineer was well-prepared, and the platform did not crash.

Mitchell did not know how Eric felt when he saw it, but since Eric did not ask him to withdraw this hot topic, Eric must have accepted reality, right?

Mitchell waited apprehensively until the end of the day. He remembered that the set of jewelry was still with him, so he had to find a chance to give it to Nicole as soon as possible.

Otherwise, if he lost it, he would not be able to afford to pay Eric back.

There were no sounds from Eric's office, so Mitchell thought that Eric was probably wallowing in sadness.

Mitchell greeted his colleagues and left, but before he arrived at Stanton Corporation, he received a call from the hospital.

It was the caregiver who took care of Selena Nelson.

"Mr. Crawford, come over quickly! We bumped into Ms. Nelson's husband when I was pushing Ms. Nelson to go for an examination just now, and the two started fighting. He beat up Ms. Nelson, and she’s in the emergency room now!"

Chapter 2338 Domestic Violence

Mitchell was shocked.

"She was beaten?"

Selena had a sharp tongue and did not look like she would take a beating without a fight.

However, Mitchell recalled how badly wounded she already was. There was nothing she could do if she had no strength to fight back.

Mitchell immediately calmed down and said, "Okay, I'll be right there."

He immediately turned the car around and rushed to the hospital.

Just as he was hesitating about whether to call Eric, Eric called him.

"My mother is sick, so I have to go over and take a look. Don’t contact me if it's not urgent."

Eric wanted to find an excuse to leave, and Quinn was really sick.

He sent his people to watch over Quinn. At first, Quinn was still making a fuss, but she seemed to notice that Eric would not compromise, so she stopped making a fuss.

Old Master Ferguson passed away, and Ingrid was sent away to some unknown place.

Moreover, Quinn did not have a good relationship with Charles, who was bedridden, so she did not want to be his nanny.

Quinn was very lonely and could not get her way like before. The difference in her lifestyle made her extremely disappointed.

Even the servants did not expect Eric to go visit Quinn in person.

Mitchell responded. "By the way, Ms. Nelson is in the hospital..."

Before Mitchell finished speaking, Eric hung up the phone.

Presumably, Selena Nelson was nothing to Eric, so Eric did not want to hear about her.

Mitchell did not call back and rushed over to the hospital.

If something happened to Selena, Eric would inevitably be implicated, so Mitchell hoped that Selena would recover quickly.

However, Selena was beaten by her husband, Derek Norton.

When Mitchell arrived at the hospital, Selena had been pushed out of the emergency room.

The caregiver paced around apprehensively at the door of the High Dependency Care Unit and looked inside uneasily.

Mitchell walked over. The caregiver seemed relieved and quickly said, "Mr. Crawford, you're here!”

Mitchell nodded. "What happened?"

The caregiver's expression was so complicated that it was hard to describe.

"When I was pushing Ms. Nelson for an examination just now, we happened to meet her husband with a woman, who was going for a prenatal checkup. The woman seemed to know Ms. Nelson and said a few unpleasant words. Ms. Nelson suddenly went berserk and threw something at them. To protect that woman, Ms. Nelson's husband fought against Ms. Nelson and slapped her mercilessly in the face. I was scared to death. That man is really atrocious..."

Mitchell frowned as he listened to the story. Selena’s husband was so bold.

A marriage alliance between wealthy families often involved the interests of both parties, so both parties usually had a tacit understanding to maintain superficial respect for each other in public. 1

However, seeing how it was with Selena and Derek, Mitchell thought to himself, ’No wonder Selena didn't want US to tell her husband and her family about her injury.'

If her husband found out, her husband would not help her. Why was their relationship so stiff?

Mitchell shook his head. He did not want to meddle in other people’s business.

"Okay. Don't tell anyone about Ms. Nelson's personal affairs, and don't worry about them. What did the doctor say?"

"At that time, Ms. Nelson seemed to be dying, so the doctors immediately pushed her into the emergency room. But she came out soon, and she's fine now..."

Mitchell was confused for a moment before he understood what happened.

Selena was acting.

How experienced!

Mitchell shook his head. "Did she mention anything about reporting it to the police?"

"No, Ms. Nelson won't let me, but I think it's better to tell you.”

Mitchell nodded. "Yes, you should tell me about something like this first. Call the police if this happens again because we'll become his accomplice if something really happens to her."

The caregiver nodded knowingly. 1

Mitchell pointed to the ward. "Is she asleep?"

The caregiver shook her head.

Mitchell thought about it for a while and went forward to knock on the door. Since he was already there, it was not polite to leave without saying hello.

There was no sound inside, so Mitchell was about to leave when he heard a weak response.

"Come in."

Mitchell pushed the door open and looked at Selena with a smile.

"Ms. Nelson, I heard that you got into a fight. Do you need help?"

Selena's pale face was somewhat bruised, so she looked weaker and paler than before. The tenacity in her eyes was gone, and she was shrouded in despair.

It was unbearable to watch.

After all, Selena was from a once-affluent family. Although her family was no longer influential, she should not be treated like this.

Selena turned her head to look at him expressionlessly.

"What do you think?"

Mitchell's face froze. "Have you thought about your compensation amount?"

A bit of indifference and impatience flashed across Selena’s eyes.

"No."

Mitchell lowered his head and thought about it for a while. "Mr. Ferguson is on a business trip. If you have anything you need help with, you can contact me. I can help you contact a lawyer or call the police. In short, I can still ensure your safety."

Selena's eyelashes trembled slightly.

"He wouldn't dare to kill me because he would have to pay."

When Mitchell heard this, he fell silent.

The ward was dead silent and suffocating.

Mitchell suddenly felt sorry for Selena and could not help but say a few more words.

"Ms. Nelson, you shouldn't take that beating for nothing..."

Selena suddenly interrupted him.

"Mr. Crawford, I want to see Eric."

Mitchell was taken aback. "As I said earlier, Mr. Ferguson is on a business trip." 1

"I thought of my condition, and only he can agree to it, so ask him to come and see me."

Mitchell raised his eyebrows. His smile did not reach his eyes.

"Okay, I hope you can resolve this once and for all. Take care. I will inform Mr. Ferguson."

Mitchell turned and left.

He thought about it. When Eric left, Eric told him not to look for him if there was nothing urgent, so Mitchell had to wait for Eric to come back before reporting this matter to him. 1

Mitchell presumed that Selena would not be in a hurry anyway.

The Good Vibes Bar.

To welcome Clayton home, Ian Carter gathered a few friends for a party.

Clayton had no choice but to attend the party.

Nicole also handed over the company's affairs to Grant and went to the bar.

She had been there once before, but she did not take a closer look.

After reopening, the decor was also different.

Everything was new. It was a lot quieter, but there were still quite a lot of people.

Since it was a casual gathering, Nicole and Clayton dressed casually.

Nicole did light makeup. Her complexion was great these days because she was in a good mood. Her face was rosy, and her eyes were glowing.

Even Malcolm, the psychiatrist, sensed the change in her and stopped several medicines for her. 1

The two of them stood in the elevator. Clayton looked at their reflection in the mirror and smiled.

'You're like a kid who hasn't gone out for several days. If you want, we can attend more parties in the future."

Nicole’s bright eyes curved slightly. She looked so gentle. 1

"Forget it. You don’t like parties, right? I also like being with you."

Clayton felt as if he was drunk on her words.

Chapter 2339 Explosive

Clayton touched Nicole's head. His eyes deepened, and his voice was warm and clear as he said, "If you like, I can adapt."

The two looked at each other just as the elevator opened.

Ian came out to make a phone call, just in time to see the couple smiling at each other with affection. He suddenly felt like he was forced to watch them be all lovey-dovey. 1

He coughed and looked at the two with a cheeky smile.

"Aren't you guys going to come out?"

The two were stunned and walked out with a smile. Clayton stretched out his hand for a handshake, but Ian did not shake his hand and hugged him instead. Ian patted Clayton on the shoulder.

"Welcome back, Clayton!"

Clayton also patted Ian on the shoulder and felt touched.

'Thanks."

Ian glanced at Nicole and raised his eyebrows.

"Julie came early, but we’re expecting one more - Lance."

Nicole was slightly taken aback. "He hasn't left yet?"

Ian lowered his eyes slightly.

"It’s Yvette’s death anniversary soon."

Nicole did not speak and stayed silent for a moment. Clayton took her hand and said, "Let's go in."

The private room was dimly lit.

When Clayton opened the door and went in, he heard Lumi singing her heart out while Julie applauded on the side.

Everyone laughed and said Lumi sang well. When they saw Nicole and Clayton, they fell silent.

Ian said to everyone, "Come on, let's raise our glasses to congratulate Clayton for his narrow escape from death!"

Clayton did not expect everyone to be so enthusiastic. He thought this was just a gathering in his name.

Thus, he felt a little awkward.

Nicole took his hand and sat down. They were easygoing and took a glass of red wine each to clink glasses with everyone. Clayton smiled and said something to Nicole, who smiled and nodded.

Clayton also smiled.

The room became lively again with everyone singing, dancing, and drinking.

Nicole was a little drunk when she watched as Ian went to drink with Clayton. There was no way Clayton could beat Ian in drinking because Ian was an experienced drinker. Ian drank three glasses in a row.

She knew that they would not really go overboard by forcing Clayton to drink, and the alcohol content in the drinks was not very high.

Julie had a few drinks, leaned over Nicole's shoulder, and sighed.

"It's great that we can still get together like this."

Nicole agreed. She suddenly thought of something and turned to look at Lance, who was sitting silently in the corner. Her heart sank a little.

All of these people had their own families and careers. 1

Lance could have moved on with his life without a care, but he did not.

Although Lance and Yvette had a marriage alliance, it was clear from Yvette’s attitude before her death that the two of them had long broken through that boundary.

When Lance came back for the first time, he was different from his past calm and spirited self.

He became more reserved and stern.

Nicole heard that his influence in the central region expanded significantly. It seemed that Lance had devoted all his energy to his work, and the way he dealt with things was more resolute.

Lance seemed to be packing his schedule and forcing himself to be too busy with work so that he had no time to think about other things.

She sighed and patted Julie’s shoulder.

"We'll have plenty of opportunities to get together again. Lance hasn't moved on yet?"

Julie shook her head.

"Aunt Quimbey went to live in Hong Kong. Sheldon Corporation also withdrew from Atlanta's business scene. Lance didn’t attend any business receptions here except for our party. I guess he wanted to come for Yvette."

Nicole's heart was gloomy, and her eyes were a little sore.

"She’s the only one missing, yet she’s the one who loves partying the most."

Yvette was usually the one hosting such parties.

Julie and Nicole did not know how to persuade Lance. They did not know if they should tell him to forget about Yvette or persuade him otherwise.

That was because no one could forget about Yvette.

Ian, who was on the other side of the room, patted Clayton's shoulder and said with a smile, 'To be honest, during the days you disappeared, everyone really thought you were dead. The sky was falling for Nicole, and so many people were just waiting to see her embarrass herself. You wouldn't blame me for posting that picture of you guys, right?"

Clayton smiled, and his heart ached.

"Of course I won’t."

"But I'm glad you came back, really... otherwise, Nicole would've been miserable. We didn’t dare to invite her out to parties, and she wouldn't attend even if we did. She just seemed so out of touch with US, ya know?"

Ian was a little tipsy, but what he said was the truth.

Clayton's eyes were dark. He could not help but clench the cup in his hand. He raised his eyes to look in Nicole's direction.

He saw that drunkenness in her eyes. The dim light outlined her delicate side profile, and she was exuding such tenderness and melancholy.

That kind of sadness seemed like it was stuck to her, and it made Clayton feel heartbroken.

His heart clenched, and his Adam's apple bobbed. Clayton nodded, stood up, and sat down next to Nicole.

Their palms were close together and their fingers were intertwined.

The two looked at each other with tenderness overflowing from their eyes.

Julie tactfully went back to her seat.

After a while, everyone dragged Clayton for another drink.

He smiled helplessly and could not refuse.

In a blink of an eye, Julie pulled Nicole out of the room.

Julie saw more and more people on the dance floor downstairs. She smiled and took a deep breath.

She casually pointed to a fat man sitting in a booth below.

"Have you ever been here? I heard that Yvette came here before, but that didn't end well. Selena Nelson bought this place. That man is Selena's husband, and the woman in his arms is his mistress. I heard that she's pregnant." 1

Nicole raised her eyebrows in shock. "Whoa!"

"I wanted to buy this place, but I was a step too late."

Julie explained.

Nicole seemed to have a vague impression of the lady boss. She was beautiful and had a good figure.

However, her marriage was so unfortunate.

"He's so bold! Doesn’t his wife know?"

"Of course, she knows, but there's nothing she can do about it. They don't seem to get together, and they only got married for an alliance. That man

is atrocious. I heard that he abuses her."

"Why didn’t she get a divorce then?"

Julie shook her head. "Her family is in trouble and needs that man's help. She's the only granddaughter of Orville Nelson, who sold her out for his own benefit. I hope that his late son will come and claim him..."

Nicole sighed.

The bar owner still did not get divorced, even when she was struggling to survive. What kind of benefit was worth her suffering?

Clayton came out of the private room and walked over with heavy footsteps.

Julie glanced back and went downstairs to dance. 1

Clayton hugged Nicole from behind. The faint smell of alcohol on his body instantly enveloped Nicole.

"What are you looking at?"

Nicole hooked the corners of her lips.

"I've been here before."

Clayton raised his eyebrows and instantly remembered the drunken episode that landed her in the hospital.

"You got drunk here?"

Nicole nodded, turned around, and hugged him.

"Did you know? I did it on purpose..."

Chapter 2340 Wish

Clayton's lips moved slightly, and his eyes flickered. He was about to say something when Nicole continued to speak, "The bar owner was very understanding and called someone for me, but I forgot to label your caller ID, so she called Malcolm. Fortunately, Malcolm didn’t disappoint me. Otherwise, I would've gotten drunk for nothing!"

Nicole's voice was soft. She was a little tipsy, so she leaned her body on his like a soft and delicate rose.

The noise downstairs was ear-splitting, and there was also a deafening noise coming from the private room behind them.

The couple briefly embraced each other.

After a moment of silence, Clayton stared at Nicole intently. The tip of his nose touched hers, and their warm breath fell on each other's faces as they intertwined.

The man's handsome face, which looked like an art piece, was gentle and expressive.

There was a glint in his deep eyes.

Clayton kissed Nicole's luscious lips lightly and lingered over her. His voice was deep and husky as he said, "Baby, Chatty told me her wish yesterday.”

Nicole tilted her head. "What wish?"

"She said she wanted a younger sibling."

After the man finished speaking, he immediately kissed her. For some reason, his warm lips suddenly became scorching hot. Wherever he kissed her, Nicole felt like her skin was burning.

Someone in the distance saw this scene and wolf-whistled.

Nicole was slightly embarrassed and hid in Clayton’s arms as she felt numb.

Not far away, in the innermost private room, a stern man stood there. No one knew how long he had been looking at the couple. The man still had a strong and fierce look, and his eyes were dark and turbulent.

The cigarette in his hand had already burned out.

Keith, who came out of the private room, patted the man on the shoulder.

"Ferg, you've been smoking for a long time. Why don't you come in?"

As he spoke, he dragged Eric away, but Eric did not move.

Keith followed his line of sight and was surprised.

If it was a stranger, Keith would just laugh it off, but he recognized the cane that Clayton carried with him from the interview.

It was hard not to remember it.

Keith paused and saw the bulging veins on the back of Eric's hands. Keith did not know what Eric was thinking.

He dragged Eric into the room and said, "Aren't you just tormenting yourself? He's back, so it's normal for them to be intimate. If you want, I can complain to the bar owner to pay attention to such public displays of intimacy in the future.”

Eric glanced at him indifferently and sat inside the booth.

He put his elbows on his legs and looked dejected.

"Forget it. If she's happy, so am I.”

Eric pressed the space between his brows to cover up his frustration and sadness.

Keith shook his head. "By the way, what happened to your mother?"

Eric raised his eyebrows. "She insists on coming back saying that she's uncomfortable living abroad."

"I guess she just feels lonely. Why don't you send her to be with your father?"

Eric's eyes turned cold.

'The two of them were separated a long time ago. They didn't get a divorce because my grandfather didn't allow them to, and there's no need to get one now."

Keith opened his mouth but did not speak.

He was about to find out about the secrets of the Ferguson family and wondered why Eric would say such things so casually.

Keith smiled and handed him a cigarette again.

"It's good that she’s back. At least, you'll have someone waiting for you when you get home. Anyway, you don't have a conflict with her now, so it's also a win-win situation to let her take care of your son, right?"

The corners of Eric's mouth twitched. He was cold and desolate, and he did not make a sound.

Although Quinn said she missed her grandson, Eric knew that Quinn was not a simple old lady who would stay at home to take care of her grandchildren.

Quinn just wanted to take advantage of the situation to come back to Atlanta, then slowly find an opportunity to get Ingrid back.

Eric glanced at Keith indifferently. The cigarette ash fell on his hand, but he remained indifferent.

"How does one pursue a woman? I've only chased that one woman in my life, but I failed. I had several opportunities, but I failed utterly."

After a long time, Keith said slowly, "Ferg, you know my story. I didn't have to chase any woman in the past, and I only managed to get my wife back after almost losing my life. I don't dare to repeat the same mistakes again. If it weren’t for Livia being pregnant, she wouldn't even want to look at me. But our relationship has gotten better in the past two years."

Seeing Eric's desolate expression, Keith felt that he should not sprinkle salt on his wound. Thus, he immediately changed the subject.

"Don't you have a son? I'm sure some women are lining up to be your son's stepmother. Why don't you just pick one and make do with it?"

Eric looked at him coldly, which made Keith shut up instantly.

It was not easy to meet Eric during these few years.

Eric deliberately avoided them. He was either on a business trip or on the way to a business trip.

Keith knew in his heart what Eric felt awkward about, but they dared not mention it.

In the hospital.

Mitchell had not contacted Eric for a long time, so he did not know that Eric had returned to Atlanta.

Selena could not wait any longer, so she found Eric's number and called him.

When Eric saw the unfamiliar number, he immediately hung up.

Selena continued to call him persistently.

Eric looked at the flashing number, stood up, and walked out with his phone.

'Who's speaking?"

His voice was extremely cold, without any warmth.

Selena was stunned for a moment before she said, "Mr. Ferguson, I'm the person that you almost ran over. Remember me?"

Eric forgot about her. He had to think for a while before he remembered.

'Tell Mitchell if you have any conditions."

After he finished speaking, he hung up the phone again.

Selena looked at the disconnected call and laughed in exasperation.

Eric was so arrogant and self-conceited. If Eric was not born with a silver spoon, there was a high probability that he would be beaten to death.

Selena was in no mood to continue calling.

Ever since she found out that the person who bumped into her was Eric, she tried to get to know him in various aspects.

Selena's despair was replaced with a sliver of hope.

Perhaps, Eric could do it.

He must be able to.

The caregiver opened the door and came over with a towel, intending to wipe her down.

Selena still could not move by herself, so she thanked the caregiver.

The caregiver Mitchell hired for Selena was not a nurse in the hospital. This caregiver was attentive, hardworking, and very professional, so Selena gradually accepted her.

After a wipe-down, the caregiver went out.

Within two minutes, the caregiver came in anxiously and locked the door behind her.

"Ms. Nelson, that man... Your husband that beat you before... He's here again, and he looks drunk!"

Selena's face changed slightly.

She had known for a long time that he would know about her return to Mediania.

However, she did not expect it to be so soon.

Derek's character really did not change one bit.

Selena gritted her teeth and said, "Call Mr. Crawford.”

"Okay."

Soon, someone knocked on the door loudly.

After a few knocks, the man started to bang on the door.

"Selena, I know you’re inside! Open the door for me. You're my wife. Why didn't you tell me that you're back? Do you think you'll be fine by hiding out here?”