Ch. 2341..2350

Chapter 2341 Who Is It For?

Derek Norton was drunk. He shouted outside the ward and treated the hospital as his home.

He never cared about his reputation anyway.

Derek thought that people would think highly of him as long as he had money. Thus, he could be as arrogant and unreasonable as he wanted.

Selena lay there with a pale face as she looked up at the ceiling.

Selena could hear Derek pounding on the door and the caregiver's trembling voice when she called Mitchell.

As Derek slammed on the door, Selena's heartbeat stopped.

Derek stirred a big commotion in the hospital.

The doctor on duty called the police, and the door to the ward was almost broken. However, Selena still did not make a sound.

When Mitchell arrived, Derek had already stopped.

Mitchell called Eric, who was a little drunk and in a bad mood. Thus, Mitchell had to settle this himself.

Looking at the smashed door, Mitchell looked solemn.

The caregiver came out apprehensively.

"Mr. Crawford."

"How is Ms. Nelson?"

"She's fine, but she doesn't look well."

Mitchell nodded, then looked at the doctor and the police.

"Is he arrested?"

The police officer said, "Yes, we brought him in for investigation."

The caregiver hesitated to speak. In the end, she stepped forward and said, "Um... Mr. Crawford, Ms. Nelson wants the police to release him and make him pay for the damages to the hospital. She doesn't want to hold her husband accountable."

As soon as she said this, everyone, including Mitchell, was shocked.

The police officer was used to such a situation.

"We still need to bring him in for investigation. It's not something that can be brushed off because she doesn't want to pursue his responsibility."

"Right. Ms. Nelson agrees," said the caregiver.

The caregiver could not figure it out herself. That drunk man was creating trouble and keeping a mistress. How could Selena let him get away with it?

Mitchell paused. "Alright. I'll go in and have a look at her."

The caregiver nodded. Mitchell opened the door and went inside.

Mitchell did not know if the woman on the hospital bed was asleep. Her breathing seemed weak as if it could stop at any time.

Mitchell coughed. "Ms. Nelson, if you’re awake, shall we talk?"

Selena responded.

She was not asleep.

"Since things have come to this point, I think it’s better if you contact your family to take you home. It's safer than being in the hospital."

Mitchell suggested.

Selena slowly opened her eyes, which seemed emotionless and icy.

"It's pointless. They’ll just send me back to him again. I’m just an object to them."

Mitchell paused. "But going on like this is not an option. If you want, we can hire a lawyer for you?"

Selena turned her head slowly and looked at him coldly.

"Mr. Crawford, I tried all the above methods you mentioned before I went abroad, including divorce, suing him, calling the police, and even cutting off ties with my family. But nothing worked. They have a million ways to deal with a disobedient woman like me. I was married to Derek Norton for three years and fled from him for two years. In the past two years, I worked illegally abroad and lived in a basement. I didn't dare to use my identity to survive. Do you know why?"

Mitchell did not say a word.

The corners of Selena's mouth twitched as she sighed in despair. However, her eyes were extraordinarily bright like stars in the night sky.

'That’s because they hate me. They hate me for being disobedient and for cheating. They hate me for not being a sensible puppet that will do anything to their benefit!"

Mitchell could hear the sharpness and indifference in her tone.

He was stunned for a moment.

What shocked him more was the amount of information in Selena's words.

Cheating?

Mitchell's eyes flickered slightly. He did not need to pursue this further because such a private matter was more suitable if he investigated it secretly. It was better than putting it on the table.

Selena also seemed to realize that she said too much. Mitchell remained silent for a few seconds, so she said in a hoarse voice.

"Get Eric to come. I will negotiate a deal with him.”

Mitchell nodded, then turned and left.

Selena turned her head. Her eyes were filled with tears.

The next day as soon as Eric arrived at Ferguson Corporation, Mitchell told Eric what happened last night.

"She said she wanted to see you and negotiate a deal, but she didn't tell me the specifics."

Eric loosened his collar and felt a sense of detachment.

His tone was indifferent as he said, "Did you send the gift?"

Mitchell was taken aback. "What?"

Eric gave him a cold look, and Mitchell immediately remembered.

The jewelry that was intended for Nicole was still in his car.

Mitchell paused. "I'll go right away."

He almost forgot this important thing.

The next second, he hesitated to speak.

"What about the hospital..."

Eric looked at his watch. "Let's talk about that after work."

He did not want to waste too much energy on that person.

Mitchell nodded. He could only watch as Eric got on the elevator and walked out by himself.

Stanton Corporation.

Mitchell was not sure if Nicole was there.

When Logan saw Mitchell and the thing in his hand, he was a little surprised.

"Mr. Crawford, why bother?"

"I don't have a choice in this. Mr. Ferguson ordered me to deliver this to Ms. Stanton, so I can't disobey him."

Mitchell shrugged helplessly. "Is Ms. Stanton here?"

Logan paused. His eyes flickered slightly. "She was just in her office. Why don’t you go in?"

'That doesn't sound like a good idea."

"It's okay. She just finished her work and has plans to go out later."

When Mitchell heard this, he did not refuse and immediately went to knock on Nicole's office door.

However, he did not expect a male voice to say, "Come in."

Mitchell’s expression changed, but it was already too late to leave.

He could only bite the bullet and walk in.

"Mr. Sloan, you're here too?"

Clayton sat in Nicole's chair and narrowed his eyes with aggression.

"Mr. Crawford, what a rare guest!"

Mitchell walked in and took a deep breath.

"I came to deliver a gift for Young Master Kenji’s 100th-day celebration. I had something urgent on that day and couldn't deliver the gift on behalf of Ferguson Corporation in time. I also heard that you're back, which is great! Mr. Ferguson was glad to hear it as well and asked me to send you a gift. I hope you’ll accept it."

Mitchell put the box on the table. Clayton glanced at him and opened the box in front of him.

Clayton was slightly startled.

He looked at the sparkling blue diamond inside that had an irresistible magic to it.

Clayton coughed and smiled slightly.

'This is what Mr. Ferguson gave me?"

Mitchell said, "Yes. You’re married to Ms. Stanton, so it's all the same who receives it as long as you understand our intentions."

Clayton's smile deepened. His eyes were dark and deep.

"Of course, I understand Mr. Ferguson's kindness. I will accept it then.

Please thank Mr. Ferguson for me.”

Mitchell's smile froze. He did not know if Clayton understood that this was meant for Nicole. He also wondered why Clayton kept putting it on himself.

However, now was not the time to worry about this.

"Mr. Sloan, you're too polite. We're delighted to have you back."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I thought Mr. Ferguson would cry at home for at least two days!"

Clayton spoke calmly.

Chapter 2342 Trade

There was a faint smile in the man's eyes.

Mitchell felt that Clayton was as sly as a fox. Clayton could see through everything but did not expose it.

Eric was certainly at a loss.

Mitchell felt sorry for his boss.

He smiled awkwardly and said, "Since there's nothing else, I’ll get going.”

Clayton raised his eyebrows.

"Sure. I can't walk too much, so I won't send you off. By the way, if you want to send me a gift next time, remember to send it to my office!"

Mitchell was speechless and fled in despair.

Anyway, that gift was already off his hands.

After Mitchell left, Nicole came out of Grant's office.

She opened the door happily and looked at the man inside with a smile.

"Let’s go?"

Clayton raised his eyebrows. "You managed to ask for some time off?”

Nicole nodded.

She asked for some time off and left as soon as she did. If Grant had not appreciated her hard work during this time, he would never let her go on vacation.

Clayton beckoned to her. "Come over and see if you like this."

Nicole frowned slightly and walked over.

"What? Such a big diamond?"

She picked it up, looked at it, and put it back again.

"Who sent it over?"

"Mitchell. He said that Mr. Ferguson gave this to me to celebrate my return!"

Nicole's heart sank slightly. She did not know what the hell Eric was doing giving a man a diamond.

However, she did not say anything. "Keep it aside and send it back to him when the Fergusons have a celebration."

Clayton raised his eyebrows. He was very satisfied with this proposal.

"Okay, as you wish."

After the two of them packed up, they went out.

Logan watched them leave and smiled.

"Have fun, President and Mr. Sloan!"

Nicole responded, and Clayton nodded. When Clayton passed by with his cane, he said, "Logan, thank you for your hard work."

Logan saw that Nicole looked like a different person recently and was happy for them.

The cool breeze gently blew on her face. Even the air smelled sweet.

Nicole and Clayton got into the car. They were about to head to the beach when they received a call from Chatty.

"Daddy, I'm sick and can't go to class. I wanna go home."

Clayton's expression suddenly became tense.

"You're sick? Where do you feel discomfort? Did you tell the teacher?"

Chatty’s baby voice sounded so aggrieved.

"I feel uncomfortable everywhere. The teacher told me to hang on, but I just feel uncomfortable."

Clayton's heart suddenly clenched.

"Wait there. Daddy will pick you up right now!"

He hung up the phone and looked at Nicole worriedly.

Nicole looked at him calmly and smiled. She raised her eyes slightly, and a few strands of hair fell on her fair and tender skin. She looked so pretty and elegant.

Why did Nicole look so calm?

Clayton pursed his lips and coughed.

"You heard it, right? Our baby girl is suffering. Shall we pick her up to see a doctor?"

Nicole raised her eyebrows. "Okay."

Clayton still did not understand that it was Chatty's new tactic to get out of school. Chatty liked to go to school, but she got bored after a while and wanted to leave school to play.

Thus, Chatty would come up with all kinds of reasons.

Ever since Chatty skipped school, the school increased that security, so there was no chance for Chatty and Fischer to escape again.

Clayton pursed his lips and glanced at the driver, who immediately started the car engine.

"Why are you not worried at all?"

Clayton squeezed her hand and asked in surprise.

Nicole looked at him and smiled meaningfully.

"I hope you’re mentally prepared that our date is over."

Clayton was puzzled. "How come? We'll go to the doctor, and if nothing is wrong, we'll send her back to school "

Nicole smiled and looked away.

Oh, what a naive father!

Clayton went to school worriedly.

The teacher looked hesitant as Clayton took Chatty away.

After getting into the car, Chatty lay in the back seat and

leaned on Clayton's arm.

"Daddy, why didn’t you bring Fischer out?"

Clayton paused. Nicole chuckled lightly.

"Fischer isn't sick, so why should we bring him out? The driver will pick him up after school."

Chatty clasped her fingers aggrievedly.

Clayton held his daughter in his arms in distress and squeezed her little hand.

"Where do you feel uncomfortable?"

Chatty paused and blinked her big round eyes. She was fair, tender, and adorable.

"Well, my feet hurt."

As she spoke, she touched her little leather shoes. Her right shoe was stained with mud, which she rubbed on Clayton’s clothes.

Nicole could not bear to look at her.

Clayton did not care at all because all he could think about was his daughter.

"Really? Let me see."

He gently took off Chatty's little leather shoes and saw that she had drawn an Ultraman on her little pink socks. He squeezed her fleshy little feet and wished that he could hold them up and have a look.

"Chatty baby, you'll be fine soon. Don't be scared!"

Chatty nodded obediently and held his arm as she looked out the window to see the scenery outside.

Soon, they arrived at the hospital. Clayton got out of the car with Chatty in his arms.

Nicole could not bear to see it and carried Chatty.

"Let me carry her."

Clayton also knew his situation and did not say much. He hurriedly called the doctor with his phone.

Chatty looked left and right. She wanted to climb down and run away.

Nicole did not stop her either.

After Clayton arranged the doctor, he looked back and saw that Nicole's arms were empty. Chatty was already chasing after a handsome young doctor.

Clayton paused slightly. His face changed.

"Chatty, don't your feet hurt?"

Chatty was stunned for a moment. She stopped running, raised and moved her left foot, and frowned aggrievedly.

'Yeah, it still hurts!"

Clayton gasped.

If he still could not see what was wrong with Chatty, there was something wrong with his own brain.

However, he did not show it and silently followed Chatty.

Nicole followed behind with a smile.

Chatty, who was in front, still ran after the handsome doctor and did not forget to pretend to be crippled.

Her tangled little face was scrunched up.

They arrived at the doctor’s office.

The handsome young doctor that Chatty was chasing also went into the office. He happened to be a student who had an appointment with the doctor.

Chatty grinned happily and looked up at the handsome young doctor. She looked so smitten with him.

Nicole could not bear to look at her useless daughter.

Clayton sat there calmly and put Chatty on his lap.

"Doctor, please give her a shot.”

The doctor was taken aback.

Chatty's eyes widened all of a sudden as she twisted her body and jumped down.

"No!"

She immediately ran behind Nicole and pouted aggrievedly.

"No shot..."

The doctor's eyes flickered. "So, what's wrong with you, little girl?"

Chatty frowned and swung her chubby legs back and forth.

"Uh... I'm hungry..."

Clayton was speechless.

Chapter 2343 Gloat

The handsome young doctor next to Chatty could not help but laugh.

Nicole picked Chatty up and said with a smile, "Well, let’s not take this as an example. Next time, if you pretend to be sick and don't go to school, I'll make you take extra lessons with Levi.”

Chatty nestled in her arms and nodded obediently.

Clayton sighed helplessly and looked at the doctor apologetically.

"Sorry, I didn’t know...”

The doctor fully understood and did not mind at all.

"It's okay. A false alarm is the best result."

They exchanged pleasantries and left.

Chatty hugged Nicole, but her eyes were glued to the handsome young doctor until they went to the corridor and reached the entrance.

Clayton was behind and said lightly, "Put her down and let her walk by herself."

Nicole agreed and put her on the ground.

Chatty held Clayton's hand and raised her head with a smile on her fair and tender face.

"Daddy, I really like..."

Like that handsome doctor?

"No way."

Clayton interrupted her in a cold voice. He felt that he was being too tough on her, so he softened his tone.

"Daddy doesn't agree. That man is too old...”

Although he was young and handsome, he was an old fart compared with Chatty!

Thus, Clayton must nip this in the bud.

In just a few seconds, Clayton thought about all kinds of different scenarios.

His heart ached.

Chatty blinked in confusion. She shook Clayton's arm pitifully and acted coquettishly.

"I really like that lollipop. Will you buy it for me...?"

Her little finger pointed to the store at the entrance.

Clayton was speechless.

Nicole could not help but laugh.

At last, they got in the car.

Chatty was holding a lollipop that was bigger than her face.

Clayton seemed to be in a good mood. After all, Chatty's sickness was a false alarm.

He looked at Nicole, who was calm and composed, and could not help but ask, "You already know?"

Chatty was just pretending.

Nicole shrugged and smiled helplessly.

"Of course. You wouldn't believe me if I told you anyway."

Clayton was confused. He really did not know how sincere Chatty sounded when she called him and told him that she was in pain.

He just wished that he could suffer for her instead.

As a result, Chatty lied to him.

This kid was too good at acting.

Clayton sighed helplessly and patted Nicole's head.

"You’re the best for not scaring me."

Nicole smiled and cuddled with him. Clayton hugged her shoulders and leaned toward her.

Chatty saw a distance between her parents and her. She blinked her big and watery eyes and was no longer in the mood to eat the lollipop in her hand. She wanted to climb out of her child's seat and sit with them.

As a result, no one paid any attention to her.

They did not go home.

Clayton asked the driver to send them to the Stanton Mansion.

He smiled and said, "Chatty, you don't have to go to school today. You can take the day off. When Levi comes back, you can take extra lessons together."

Chatty was very excited in the beginning, but she was speechless later.

Nicole raised her eyebrows and said in a low voice, "I thought you would feel sorry for her and not let her go to school!"

Clayton paused, smiled, and shook his head.

"I wanted her to go to school two years later, but since she has already enrolled in school, she can't give up halfway. If she doesn’t develop good habits now, she’ll be spoiled in the future."

Nicole raised her eyebrows. She did not expect Clayton to be so rational at this critical moment.

He did not spoil their daughter rotten.

When they arrived at the Stanton Mansion, Chatty got out of the car and ran to Floyd's side to fish.

Clayton greeted Floyd and said a few words to him.

Nicole was answering the phone at the side. Her face was glum with a bit of disdain.

Finally, she went to Clayton's side.

"Euan Churchill wants to treat us to dinner tonight. Shall we go?"

Clayton paused and thought about it for a while. Nicole reminded him, "It's the guy who invited us to that hike five years ago. Did you forget that he liked you?"

Clayton's expression became complicated and glum as if he had stepped on sh*t.

He had a disgusted expression.

"I continued to work on that project, and it’s doing pretty well now. Euan is the person in charge there. He must've found out that you were back, so he wanted to invite us to dinner. If you don't want to go, we don't have to."

Nicole thought about it for a while. Seeing Euan would not make her feel better, so it was not necessary.

Clayton pursed his lips. "Sure, let's go."

Nicole was a little surprised.

'You want to go?"

"Sure. Isn't he your business partner? Since you still have business interaction with him, we shouldn't make things awkward. Besides, it was an accident last time, so we can't blame him. We need to be more amicable."

Clayton spoke slowly with a deep and slow voice as he explained it to Nicole patiently.

Nicole took a deep breath.

She preferred to do things according to her mood or her impression of the other party.

However, Clayton was more rational and analyzed the pros and cons for her. She learned a lot from him.

Floyd, who was next to them, also nodded.

'You should go. Chatty can stay. Bring Fischer and the others here after school, and I'll take care of them."

Nicole smiled and walked to the side.

"Dad, why don't you pick them up from school later?"

Floyd shot her a look.

"Are you my daughter? I'm retired, yet you still want to boss me around? Can't I just wait for them at home? Why do I have to go out and smell the gasoline on the road?"

Clayton could not help but laugh.

"Dad, don't listen to Nicole. She just doesn't want to be scolded by the teachers because Chatty is always getting into trouble at school."

When Floyd heard this, he gloated and laughed.

"I can't believe you have this coming!"

Nicole was speechless.

They sat and chatted for a while.

It was almost time for dinner, so Nicole and Clayton stood up and left.

Chatty, who was so into fishing, refused to go ashore and stayed in the water.

The butler watched Chatty from the side and ensured that nothing would go wrong. Thus, the couple left together.

Euan arrived before them.

Nicole and Clayton went over unhurriedly as Euan stared at Clayton in a daze.

Clayton looked away, not wanting to take another look at Euan.

Euan realized his gaffe and hurriedly greeted him with a smile.

"Mr. Sloan, it's great to have you back! I saw your interview and was so excited that I couldn’t fall asleep all night."

Clayton sat there silently.

Nicole raised her eyebrows and said with a smile, "My husband is back. Why are you excited?"

Euan was at a loss for words and explained, "I’ve always felt remorseful about what happened. At least you're back, and everyone is happy."

Although Clayton was walking with a cane without his past vigor, he looked even more distinguished and calmer than before.

Euan did not dare to look at Clayton too much, lest he developed thoughts that he should not have.

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

Chapter 2344 Desire to Share

Clayton pursed his lips. “Mr. Churchill, I’d like to thank you for taking care of Nicole during this time. I heard that the project went well?"

Euan paused and changed the subject.

"Yes, indeed. The government has created some policies to support the reconstruction of the area after the earthquake, so it went smoother than expected. Now, the project has started to make a profit..."

They had a pleasant meal.

In the end, Clayton was not bothered to listen to Euan's drunken talk, so he stood up and went to the window to get some fresh air.

Nicole sat there patiently and looked at Euan with a smile.

Euan was a chatterbox and could talk with any woman with ease.

In the end, Euan glanced at Clayton and looked away.

He leaned forward cautiously and said, "Ms. Stanton, I heard gossip two days ago. Do you want to know what it is?"

"Nope."

"I'll tell you anyway. A buddy of mine saw Eric Ferguson in the hospital two days ago. Do you know what he was doing? He was donating blood!"

Euan was slightly drunk and eagerly sharing gossip with Nicole.

"This doesn’t seem like the Eric Ferguson I know. He's kind enough not to draw other people's blood. Why would he donate blood to others? My friend even went to inquire about it. Eric was donating blood to a married woman..."

While he was speaking, Nicole’s face turned pale slightly. However, she looked away and interrupted his words.

"Mr. Churchill, you seem so regretful. You wouldn't be interested in Eric, would you?"

Euan was taken aback. His face turned pale.

"No way! I don't like guys like him. I just think you'll feel better knowing that he isn't doing well now. Forget what I said if you don’t like to hear it."

"Whether he's doing well or not has nothing to do with me. Change the subject of gossip next time."

Nicole's voice was calm, with a little frivolity. She was not angry either.

Clayton came back and asked with a smile.

"What gossip?"

Euan’s eyes flickered slightly, and he did not dare to say anything.

After all, it was not wise to talk about the ex in front of someone's husband.

Nicole raised her eyebrows.

"Mr. Churchill has just guaranteed that the profit will double next year.”

Clayton raised his eyebrows. "Mr. Churchill, I hope you keep your word."

After dinner, Nicole and Clayton did not drive because they drank.

The restaurant was not far from their apartment, so Clayton wanted to walk home. Nicole did not refuse either.

The two walked hand in hand on the sidewalk.

The man was handsome while the woman was gorgeous and graceful. They matched each other well.

Nicole did not dare to walk any faster because she wanted to follow Clayton’s pace. She hugged his arm and shrank her neck.

"Are you cold?"

"No."

Clayton stuffed her hand into his coat pocket. His side profile under the warm street light was gentle and goodlooking.

"What did you talk about with Euan earlier?"

Nicole knew she could not fool Clayton.

She pursed her lips and said, "Euan said that Eric donated blood to a married woman in the hospital. No one knows what he's up to..."

Clayton's hands tightened. He seemed to ponder for a few seconds before he chuckled.

"Most likely, he wanted to make up for his guilt. That way, it would make him feel better."

Nicole did not know if it was possible.

She smiled indifferently. "Anyway, I’d love to see him start a new life."

"Me too."

Clayton agreed.

Eric kept eyeing his wife. If Eric started a new life with someone else, Clayton could finally let down his guard!

The two of them walked until Nicole got tired.

After all, it was not comfortable wearing high heels.

Nicole stood there and pouted.

There were no shops selling shoes around them, and they were still quite far away from the mall.

After some thought, Clayton suddenly thought of an idea.

He sighed and said, "Why don’t you wear my shoes?"

Just as he was about to take off his shoes, Nicole immediately stopped him.

“No, your legs are already injured. If you catch a cold, it'll

slow your recovery! I’ll endure it."

Nicole did not want Clayton to take any risks.

Clayton hesitated. He did not care about his legs. He was hesitating because his shoes were too big for her.

How could he let her endure the discomfort?

Clayton's heart ached if Nicole had to take another step.

Those beautiful and tender feet should not suffer one bit.

Clayton glanced around and suddenly saw a pharmacy nearby.

He paused and looked at her.

"Wait here for me."

Nicole watched him enter the pharmacy and immediately understood what Clayton wanted to do.

Clayton wanted to buy her a Band-Aid.

How sweet of him, even though Band-Aids could not relieve her tired feet.

Nicole was contemplating whether to call the driver to pick them up because it was rare that they get to take a walk like this.

Soon after, Clayton came out of the pharmacy.

Following him was a middle-aged woman who was carrying a wheelchair.

Nicole gasped, and her eyes widened in disbelief.

In the end, the middle-aged woman put the wheelchair on the ground. Clayton thanked her repeatedly and walked toward Nicole while pushing the empty wheelchair.

The woman looked at Nicole with sympathy, which made Nicole speechless.

Clayton came over happily and pointed to the wheelchair.

"I just bought it! Come, sit. I'll push you."

The corners of Nicole's mouth twitched. She pursed her lips and said, "Did you just buy a wheelchair?"

"Aren't you tired? You also wanted some fresh air, so this is the best way to enjoy fresh air without any effort! Come on."

Clayton urged her and suppressed the smile in his eyes.

Nicole hesitated and muttered softly, "Why don't you sit?"

She could not imagine what it would be like for Clayton, who was already crippled, to push her, who was perfectly healthy but just tired, in a wheelchair.

Seeing her tangled and hesitant face, Clayton could not help but laugh.

"Well, there's no one else here. Come on. You're as light as a feather, and you don't have to make any effort. If you hesitate any longer, that woman is about to come out."

Nicole subconsciously glanced in the direction of the pharmacy and saw the woman poking her head out.

Clayton explained in a low voice, "This wheelchair is not for sale, but she sold it to me just now because I told her that you sprained your ankle."

Nicole bit her lower lip and simply sat on the wheelchair.

This wheelchair was not a high-tech customized model, so it must be pushed by someone.

"This wheelchair feels like a convertible! I can also enjoy the scenery, which is great!"

Clayton smiled and agreed with her words.

'That's right. Your feet don't hurt now, right?"

Clayton walked with his cane in one hand and pushed the wheelchair in the other. His steps were slightly slow, but his gait was steady.

He did not look like he was limping.

Clayton was handsome and noble. His body was upright, and his temperament was aloof and gentle.

This was all due to Nicole's effort in ensuring that he completed his treatment every day.

Nicole sat on the wheelchair leisurely and contentedly with the cool breeze blowing away the sweltering heat in the air.

Her mood was lifted.

This kind of comfort was something neither of them dared to imagine before.

Chapter 2345 Cousin

Nicole and Clayton walked slowly for about forty minutes before they arrived at the high-end community where they lived.

Clayton was not tired as he pushed Nicole and chatted with her.

When they walked to the door, the security guard inside ran out to greet them.

Clayton lowered his head and asked her, "Do you want some water?"

After chatting the whole journey, Nicole was really thirsty, so she nodded.

Clayton went to the security room to get water.

Nicole sat in a wheelchair and looked around. The scenery was beautiful and peaceful.

In the distance, a tall and thin man was walking a Samoyed heading toward Nicole.

When the Samoyed saw Nicole, it wanted to run over to her.

The man was dragged over as he cursed at his dog.

Nicole could not help but laugh. The man looked familiar to her. He was probably a resident here.

The man was surprised to see Nicole. He smiled and said," Ms. Stanton, what a coincidence! Are you feeling unwell?" Nicole smiled as if nothing was wrong and lied without blinking.

"I accidentally twisted my foot."

The man nodded regretfully.

"Who did you come out with? Is anyone taking care of you?"

He was just asking casually.

Nicole paused and subconsciously blurted out, "Oh, my cousin..."

After she finished speaking, she regretted it.

Why did she blurt out cousin?

How could the man not recognize Clayton?

The next second, Clayton came out from the security room with a bottle of water. He had heard the conversation outside clearly.

Clayton looked at Nicole meaningfully, smiled, and stretched out his hand to the man holding the dog.

"Hello, I'm her cousin."

The man paused and glanced at Clayton in confusion.

He shook hands with Clayton, let go, and looked at the two of them strangely as he thought, 'Isn't this Clayton? Nicole's husband? Two days ago, Nicole and Clayton were interviewed on the finance news channel together. How did they become cousins in the blink of an eye? They must be joking...’

Clayton put the bottle of water in her hand. He had a gentle, bright, and cunning smile.

His deep eyes lingered on her face for a few seconds.

Finally, he pinched her chin and lowered his head to kiss her. He asked her in a low and seductive voice, "Cousin, shall we go back now?"

Nicole’s face turned red.

She did not even dare to look up to see the gaze of the man walking the dog.

Nicole lowered her head and clutched her clothes in embarrassment. "Let's go..."

Seeing her embarrassed face, Clayton kindly let her go.

He stood up straight and said gently to the man opposite them, "We’ll see you around."

"Goodbye."

Clayton pushed the wheelchair out. Nicole was so stiff that she did not think to drink water.

She licked her lips and felt that she was no longer thirsty.

Her guilty conscience made her forget her thirst.

Nicole also lost her leisurely mood while she was sitting in the wheelchair.

Clayton pushed her from behind with a smile and asked," Cousin, do you like that dog?"

Nicole was speechless.

It was silent for a while until Clayton asked again, "Cousin, aren't you thirsty?"

Nicole remained silent.

"Cousin, why don’t we get a dog too?”

Nicole was completely speechless.

"Cousin..."

"Cousin!"

Nicole blushed and could not bear it any longer.

She raised her head abruptly and turned back to see Clayton smiling at her. She gritted her teeth and said, "I was wrong for doing that. I didn't mean to lie. I just said it casually without thinking..."

It was too late for her to regret it.

Who knew there would be such a coincidence?

There was a slight smile in Clayton's eyes, and the gloom on his face was completely wiped away because of her coquettishness and embarrassment.

Nicole had always been aloof and had rarely lost her composure.

Thus, it was fun to tease her.

Clayton suppressed a laugh. "Oh? I thought you liked roleplaying!"

The cold wind along the way did not cool down the heat that Nicole felt in her heart.

When they arrived at the lobby, Nicole stood up from the wheelchair without waiting for Clayton to press the elevator button and walked upstairs in her high heels.

She did not wait for the elevator with him.

Clayton pushed the wheelchair onto the elevator by himself and did not chase after her.

He touched his nose and did not know whether to laugh or cry. Finally, he let out a low chuckle.

"She's still holding a grudge!"

When Clayton went upstairs, Nicole was getting dressed. Clayton opened the door, walked in, stood at the door without holding his cane, and smiled at her.

Nicole turned around and glared at him with a flushed face.

She was clearly at fault, but she made it seem like Clayton was the one looking for trouble.

"What are you looking at?"

"Can't I look at my cousin?"

There was a smile on his face as his dark and deep eyes flickered.

Nicole was so angry that she walked out and accidentally bumped into him.

Clayton grunted, and his face turned pale instantly.

Nicole was frightened. She quickly went to support him and looked concerned.

"What's wrong? I’m sorry! I shouldn't have bumped into you..."

They were next to the bedroom, so she carefully helped him onto the bed.

She was filled with self-blame and guilt as she held him like a piece of fragile glass.

Clayton lay on the bed weakly and watched as she knelt beside him, carefully massaging his leg.

She looked like a kitten that had done something wrong and became docile after throwing a fit.

The contrast in her attitude was amusing.

Clayton hooked his lips and suddenly stretched out his hand to pull her beside him. He pinned her body under him and towered over her. His eyes were dark, and she could see her reflection in them.

There was a tear on her fair face, making her look so pitiful and distressed.

Clayton’s chest clenched. He lowered his head to kiss the tear on her face.

Then, he slowly trailed downward. His hands also wandered all over her body.

When Nicole came to her senses, she looked meek and reserved. Her hands were placed on her chest as tears streamed down her face.

"Aren't you in pain?"

Clayton pinched her slender waist. His eyes were dark, and his voice was deep, husky, and seductive. It was so pleasant that it made Nicole relax.

"It hurts, but I want you more, so be good."

His lips fell on her tearful eyes. His movements were slow, restrained, and forbearing.

Nicole did not dare to resist with force and could only follow his rhythm.

However, he seemed to be torturing her on purpose by deliberately slowing down and admiring her expression.

Nicole thought that Clayton would forget everything when he was tired.

As a result, Clayton came again and again. He hugged, coaxed, and tortured her.

"Come on, call me 'cousin'..." to listen?"

"I love you, cousin!"

His voice was deep and melodious. He was so bewitching that it made her fall head over heels for him.

Nicole just felt like hiding in a hole.

She was sweating profusely from their workout, and she thought in a daze, 'Is he going to continue mentioning this? He was pretending to be hurt! He must be! I shouldn't have pitied him!’

In the end, Nicole and Clayton left Chatty and Fischer in the Stanton Mansion.

The two children waited for Daddy and Mommy to pick them up but to no avail.

Chapter 2346 Whimsical

Levi, as the eldest kid, set an example for his younger siblings to study hard.

Thus, he consciously started to tutor Chatty and Fischer.

Floyd was satisfied to see this.

By the end of the study session, Chatty did not need to be coaxed to sleep. She fell asleep as soon as her head touched the pillow.

Selena stayed in the hospital for a few days and was able to walk around a little.

She just could not run, jump or do any strenuous activities.

The caregiver took care of her well, and her complexion was rosy again.

Selena called Eric, but no one answered.

She could see that Eric would not answer her calls.

Selena was not disappointed either.

She called Mitchell, who was only free to show up at the hospital in the afternoon.

"Ms. Nelson, have you figured out what you want as compensation?"

They did not mind paying for her medical expenses.

Selena did not talk about compensation, which made Mitchell worry that she would extort Eric and cause trouble.

Selena nodded.

She had already packed her things.

"I’ll be discharged tomorrow. Please thank Mr. Ferguson for me."

'You’re welcome. We should help. What about your compensation...?"

Mitchell hesitated to speak.

Selena lowered her head, smiled, and shrugged indifferently.

"Whatever. Actually, most of my injuries were inflicted by my husband. You guys were just unlucky to bump into me.”

Mitchell nodded with a smile.

He was not surprised.

This was what he expected.

"But just to be on the safe side, I would like you to sign a statement so that you won't use this as an excuse to trouble Mr. Ferguson in the future. Is that okay?"

Selena pondered for a moment and nodded.

"Sure."

Mitchell had everything ready and took out the document.

Selena signed without hesitation, sat there, and glanced at Mitchell:

"Please thank Eric for donating his blood to me."

Mitchell paused slightly and smiled.

"As it should be. Human life was at stake, so anyone else would do the same.”

Mitchell put the document in his bag, then took out a bank card and said with a smile, 'This is a little gift from Mr. Ferguson. I hope you don't refuse.

We'll be more assured if you keep it."

After speaking, he nodded, turned around, and left.

Selena watched him leave and sighed softly.

She wanted Eric to help her get out of her failed marriage, but how could someone like him help her?

He would just think that she was a problem.

Selena was not a sleazy person either.

She would have nothing to do with them after this.

Looking at the bank card, Selena smiled and put it in her bag.

She was a pragmatic person. This amount of money was nothing to Eric, so why should she refuse?

Moreover, she was short of money.

Selena sat there. The caregiver came back and brought her food.

"Ms. Nelson, it's time to eat."

Selena nodded.

"I'll be discharged from the hospital tomorrow, so you don’t have to take care of me anymore."

The caregiver nodded. Mr. Crawford had told her all these things.

"Ms. Nelson, please take care of yourself when you get home."

"I will."

The caregiver sighed.

After a few days of interaction, the caregiver also knew that Selena was not hypocritical and was even quite pitiful.

When she sustained such a serious injury, no relatives or friends came to visit.

Her husband brought his lover to the hospital openly and even beat her up.

No one else would be able to put up with all these.

However, Selena acted as if nothing was wrong. She was like a weed that survived harsh weather.

Mitchell left the hospital and returned to the office.

Eric had not left yet.

Mitchell went over to greet him.

Eric rubbed his temples.

"Did you resolve the matter with Selena Nelson?”

'Yes. She admitted that her injuries had nothing to do with you. She probably wanted to find someone to take responsibility for her at the time.

I asked her to sign a disclaimer and gave her $1 million."

Eric nodded. His face was cold and indifferent.

"Good."

He did not have a good impression of that woman. Her life was a mess, yet she still did not get a divorce. She was just asking for it.

Eric had given her a chance. He could help her with the divorce as long as she asked, but she did not. 1

It looked like she still loved Derek Norton.

Or perhaps she could not give up the benefits that Derek brought to the Nelson family.

Anyway, Eric did not have a good impression of Selena.

Thus, he never answered her calls.

It was even more impossible to have any contact with her from now on.

Fortunately, in the last two days, Selena was tactful enough to stop calling him.

Eric was busy for a while. After he finished the last video conference, he was ready to go back.

His driver had been on leave for the past two days, so Mitchell acted as his driver.

"President, you go home quite late these days. Madam would probably have some objections."

Eric squinted his eyes indifferently and did not respond. He looked cold and unruly.

Since Quinn came back, she had settled her temper.

She also liked Chance, her eldest grandson.

However, she got upset after two days.

Quinn could feel that Eric was being perfunctory toward her, and she could also feel that Chance was not close to her.

As the matron of the Ferguson family, she did not have any money or power. The servants at home only took care of Chance, which made her angry.

Initially, Quinn wanted to take the opportunity to force Eric's hand. He could either bring Ingrid back or marry someone so that her daughter-in- law could keep her company.

However, Eric ignored what she said and was rude toward her.

Was this the treatment a mother should have? 1

It was almost 11:00 pm.

Eric's car stopped in the courtyard.

When Mitchell got out of the car, Eric said indifferently, 'Take the car home and pick me up tomorrow."

'Yes, sir."

It was already late, and Mitchell did not want to walk back alone.

As soon as Eric stepped into the house, he felt the cold air inside.

Quinn had not slept yet. She was sitting on the sofa with a livid face.

She glanced at him without speaking.

Eric was not bothered to speak to her.

Since the last time Quinn and Ingrid did something that almost killed Nicole, Eric never forgave them.

He hated himself and hated them even more!

However, he could not vent all his anger on them.

He also could not be indifferent and act as if nothing happened.

Eric withdrew his gaze and walked upstairs indifferently.

"Stop right there-"

Quinn yelled.

Eric paused in his footsteps.

He glanced sideways.

'You're not sleeping at this hour?"

Quinn was annoyed by his indifference.

"What's with your attitude?"

"I've been busy all day, and I'm tired, so I want to rest."

Eric regretted bringing Quinn over.

It was hard to change one’s nature. How could he believe that Quinn would change her character?

Quinn's eyes flickered slightly, and her expression changed.

"Eric, you should still pay attention to your health. I have something to tell you."

Eric pinched the space between his brows irritably, turned to look at her, and remained silent.

He looked imposing and gloomy, showing that he was not in a good mood.

Chapter 2347 Fend For Himself

Quinn pursed her lips.

'The servants you hired aren't well-trained. They spend all day catering to Chance. If this continues, Chance will become a spoiled kid..."

Eric interrupted her, "So, you'd rather them ignore Chance and let him fend for himself? Just like how you threw me abroad to live on my own back then?"

Quinn choked.

'That's not what I mean. I just want to change a group of servants. I'll take care of Chance myself."

Eric pursed his lips. A sharpness flashed across his eyes, and his voice was cold.

"It's a tiring chore to take care of children, so forget it. Let the servants take care of him. You can just rest."

Quinn's face was glum.

"I won't feel tired taking care of my own grandson. Are you afraid that I can't take care of him well?"

Eric looked at her silently for a few seconds. His voice was a little cold.

"Mom, the servants are taking good care of Chance, and he gets along well with them. They're all professional nannies and childhood education specialists."

After he finished speaking, he turned around and wanted to go upstairs.

However, Quinn became upset because of what he said.

"Professional? You obviously don't believe me! You still hate me because of that b*tch Nicole, don't you? Not just me. You also hate your sister! We're your family. Look at our family now. Who else do we have? The whole of Atlanta is laughing at the Ferguson family, at us! Don’t you care about our family's reputation?"

Eric's face was cold. He loosened the collar of his shirt indifferently.

His dark eyes were glum and icy.

"Our family's reputation? You've thrown our family's reputation into the gutter, yet you want me to care now?"

Quinn’s expression changed as she stood there in shock.

"You... You're finally admitting it, huh?"

"I’ve never lied to you. If you two didn't try to harm Nicole again and again, the Ferguson family wouldn't have fallen apart, and I wouldn’t have lost her..."

Eric's voice was frigid, and it made Quinn tremble.

At this moment, Quinn could not regain her composure. She was shocked and unreconciled as she vented out her anger.

"You're doing all this just because of a woman. You gave up on your own mother and sister because of that b*tch! You ingrate! I raised you for nothing!"

Quinn suddenly picked up the cup on the table and threw it at him.

She thought Eric would dodge it, but he did not.

He stood there, straight as a pine tree, as his forehead bled from the impact. He looked at her motionlessly.

His falcon-like eyes were sharp without the slightest hint of warmth. It was filled with disappointment, loneliness, and indifference.

Quinn was taken aback by his reaction.

However, it was too late to realize that she had been too emotional.

She subconsciously took a step forward, wanting to see his wound, but Eric did not give her a chance to get close to him.

Eric coldly took a step back.

His tone was cold.

"You gave birth to me, but you didn't raise me. I only brought you back because you gave birth to me. If you're upset about it, you can leave or go to my dad's place."

Quinn's face turned pale in an instant.

'You..."

Quinn had been separated from Charles for so long. Charles used to spend a lot of time fooling around with other women, so how could she willingly take care of him now that he was disabled?

"Are you threatening me?"

Quinn was livid.

'You're forcing me to leave because of a woman?"

Eric looked at her coldly and said in a harsh tone, "I don't want you to be exhausted, so don't meddle in Chance's affairs. You'd better not meddle in my affairs either. Everything will be fine as long as you don't cause trouble for our family."

After he finished speaking, he lifted his feet and went upstairs.

He did not forget what Charles told him back then.

Charles wanted to divorce Quinn a long time ago, but Old Master Ferguson did not allow it. Eric would be more unruly if his biological parents were divorced.

Moreover, Charles did not seem to care who was his wife anymore, as long as she did not do anything scandalous to smear their name.

The future of the Ferguson family rested on Eric's shoulders.

However, Eric did not need a mother who bossed him around.

No matter what, Chance was also Eric's son.

Quinn raised her daughter by herself, but Ingrid was a vile person. Eric would not be surprised if Quinn raised Chance to become a useless person in the future.

Even if Eric had no expectations for Chance, he would never allow Quinn to raise a second Ingrid.

There was a dead silence in the living room.

Quinn’s blood was boiling with anger.

This was the first time Eric had completely crossed her. This time, Eric no longer maintained the superficial respect he had for her before.

Yes, not even superficially.

Eric could support and provide for her, but Quinn would never be able to do as she pleased anymore.

Gradually, Quinn calmed down and thought, 'It's all that b*tch's fault! Even my son doesn't listen to me now!'

A few days later at the Good Vibes Bar, Clayton heard Nicole discussing how to spend Julie's birthday over the phone.

They probably wanted to have fun and go all out at the bar.

This was also what happened.

Floyd wanted to host a big party, but that idea was rejected by Julie and Kai.

Neither of them was a serious person, so they would not be able to stand being formal at a big banquet.

That day, Clayton was attending to some urgent matters, so Nicole went by herself. However, Clayton said that he would come and pick her up when she was done.

Julie was not a party person, but because their good friend, Yvette used to be a party person, they decided to follow their tradition for Julie's birthday this year.

Kai did not say anything. He called a group of friends to go over and booked the biggest private room there.

When Nicole went over, it was already bustling up there.

The bar was lively and boisterous.

It was even more crowded than the Tattle Bar before.

This was mostly because of the bar's legendary and beautiful lady boss.

Nicole only saw her once before she disappeared mysteriously.

The boss became more beautiful as the legend spread.

The last time Nicole got drunk on purpose, the beautiful boss had helped her call Malcolm, and Nicole never had the opportunity to thank her.

Nicole was tall and beautiful in a casual and sexy spaghetti strap dress and a white short suit jacket. She looked elegant and was not too revealing or prudent.

As soon as she entered the bar, she received a lot of admiring gazes.

Nicole went upstairs, just in time to meet a beautiful woman standing in front of the railing, holding a glass of juice, and looking at her with a smile.

At first glance, the two women looked somewhat similar.

However, Selena's dress was sexier than Nicole's. Selena was wearing a red spaghetti strap dress that outlined her slender waist gracefully. Her exposed fair shoulders made her look all the more charming.

Selena looked like a femme fatale, and she looked like she belonged in this bar.

However, her smile was so pure.

Chapter 2348

Selena always had a good memory, so she recognized the drunk girl from that day.

She knew that the girl got drunk on purpose too.

Nicole was just about to go up to say hello to Selena with her skirt in hand when she suddenly saw a drunken man appearing behind Selena.

The man violently twisted Selena's shoulder and slapped Selena without saying a word.

Nicole's face turned pale.

"Watch out...”

She watched as Selena got beaten and fell toward the stairs like a piece of paper.

Nicole was startled and wanted to reach out to catch Selena, who was falling, but her high heels got stuck on the stairs.

She did not have time to think about it, but at the critical moment, she still stretched out her hand.

Selena did not have the strength to hold on to the railing next to her and fell straight down the stairs.

As soon as Nicole touched Selena's shoulder, she felt a huge impact, so she fell back involuntarily.

In such a sudden situation without any preparation, Nicole could not bear the weight of the two of them.

Thus, they fell down the stairs together.

Nicole had a bad intuition.

The next second.

A pair of hands supported Nicole’s waist, which prevented her from hitting the railing next to her and falling to the ground.

Nicole's full weight together with Selena's weight fell backward.

The person behind only cared about protecting Nicole, so Selena fell to the ground and grunted in pain. Her face was pale and scrunched.

Nicole stood up straight with lingering fear and looked back.

Eric stood there and watched this scene with a cold expression.

He retracted his hand in time, but he could still feel her body temperature on his fingertips.

However, he did not show any other emotions. He just looked up with a stern and indifferent expression at the instigator upstairs.

Everyone in the bar noticed it.

Except for the loud music, no one else talked or laughed.

Seeing this, the bar attendant ran over in shock.

"Boss...”

They surrounded Selena and were flustered and shocked.

Nicole was still panting. Eric, who was beside her, took a step forward. It looked as if he recognized the woman on the ground.

He frowned and said, "Quick, send her to the hospital."

The waiter nodded and hurriedly called an ambulance.

Eric glanced at Nicole. Her high heels were still stuck on the stairs, and she was still barefoot.

His eyes suddenly deepened.

He sighed and was about to go over to pick up her shoe, but the waiter closest to the stairs saw the shoe and quickly took it and put it in front of Nicole.

'Thank you for saving our boss just now."

Nicole pursed her lips. 'Thank you."

She did not help, so she could not accept the waiter’s gratitude.

Fortunately, everyone’s eyes were on Selena.

Eric paused and looked at Nicole.

"Are you alright?”

Nicole nodded. 'Thanks for earlier."

"No problem."

Eric was no longer as enthusiastic as before and was much more restrained.

It was probably because of what happened at the French restaurant the last time. When Eric saw Nicole and Clayton so happy together, he did not want to torment himself any further.

Nicole thought that she had already expressed her gratitude to Eric, so she walked over and squatted beside Selena.

"It's alright. The ambulance will be here soon."

Selena's face turned pale from the pain as she curled up on the ground, not daring to move. She broke out in cold sweat.

However, she still opened her eyes, smiled at Nicole, and comforted her.

"I know. Welcome back! Did I call the right person last time?"

Selena remembered her.

Nicole paused and nodded.

"We've made up since then."

Selena showed a pale but satisfied smile.

"What happened?"

Julie, who came out to look for Nicole, was shocked when she saw this scene.

Just as Nicole was about to speak, she watched as the drunken man, who slapped Selena, walked down the stairs.

He did not seem at all scared by what he did.

"So what if I hit her? I wish that I could beat her to death! You f*cking b*tch, I can beat you if I want to! You're just a money-sucker and a useless woman who can't conceive. So what if I beat you to death?"

That man was Derek Norton.

He came down drunk with a glum face.

He drank too much and could not recognize Nicole and Eric.

Derek pushed away the waiter and Nicole, who was standing in front of him, and picked up Selena. Just as he was about to slap her, someone grabbed his arm.

Eric pressed a joint on his shoulder from behind, and the man was in so much pain that he dared not move.

In the end, Eric exerted all his strength, and with a pop, Derek’s arm was dislocated.

The man let out a scream and instantly sobered up.

Eric clapped his hands and kicked the man’s chest. Derek’s fat body hit the railing, and he broke out in cold sweat from the pain.

"Who... Who are you?”

The person next to him could not help but say, "He's Mr. Ferguson! Are you blind? You can't even recognize him?"

"Mr. Ferguson? Which Mr. Ferguson?" Derek was still breathing heavily.

"Eric Ferguson!"

Derek’s eyes suddenly widened as he looked at the person in front of him.

"Mr. Ferguson..."

Eric’s face was stern, and he looked intimidating.

He walked over and moved his wrist as he looked at Derek condescendingly.

'Who gave you the guts to hit someone?"

His voice was deep and dangerous.

Derek collapsed on the ground in embarrassment. His face turned pale from the pain, and he looked so wretched.

"She... She’s my wife."

Eric twisted his neck and pointed at Nicole, who was pushed to the ground earlier.

'What about her? You pushed her with your filthy hands! You don’t f*cking want hands anymore?"

He lowered his voice and spoke with unabashed menace and arrogance.

No one around him dared to speak up.

Only then did Derek see clearly who he had just pushed.

"Ms. Stanton? I'm sorry! I’m so sorry... I didn't see you just now."

Derek panicked.

Julie walked over quickly, pulled Nicole up, and glanced in Derek's direction with disgust.

"Get lost.”

The ambulance came quickly.

The arrogant Derek was now limp on the ground and dared not make a sound.

Selena glanced at Eric and said weakly, "Mr. Ferguson, sorry to trouble you again."

Eric subconsciously glanced at Nicole. He felt guilty and immediately looked away.

The waiter sent Selena to the ambulance and did not know what to do next.

Derek looked up at them apprehensively.

Nicole frowned and glanced at the other waiters.

"Get him out of here!"

The waiter paused. Of course, they did not dare to kick him out.

They asked someone to carry him away while Derek’s driver was waiting outside.

Eric stood there, glanced at Nicole, and hesitated to speak.

He wanted to explain something, but he did not know what to say.

There seemed to be no need to explain.

When the words came to his lips, he swallowed them again.

Finally, Eric retracted his gaze, lowered his eyes, turned around, and left without saying anything.

Julie touched Nicole’s shoulder. "Are you alright?"

Nicole nodded and smiled. "Yeah."

Chapter 2349

The waiter invited Nicole and Julie upstairs.

When Nicole entered the door, she asked, "Is that man really your boss’s husband?"

The waiter looked awkward and nodded.

"Yes, this isn't the first time Mr. Norton has come here to make trouble. From time to time, he would bring his friends here to eat and drink without paying and even hit our boss. Our boss landed up in the hospital several times because of him.”

'Then why don’t you call the police? Domestic violence is illegal."

The waiter shook his head in bewilderment.

Julie brought Nicole inside.

"I know everything that you want to know.’’

She whispered, "I'll tell you later. But you gotta thank Eric for earlier. Do you want to invite him over?”

Nicole glanced at her. "Isn't this your birthday party? You decide."

Now that the ball was in her court, Julie did not want to cause trouble.

Clayton seemed gentle and good-natured, but he could hold a grudge.

Julie did not want to offend Clayton.

She smiled and sat down next to Nicole.

"Forget it then. This is an intimate party, and I'm afraid he’ll feel uncomfortable when he comes.”

Kai was immersed in his singing and could not extricate himself from it.

Everyone cheered and applauded.

After the song, Kai prepared flowers and surprises for Julie.

Julie was happy and drank a few more glasses of wine.

Nicole joked with them and felt much more relaxed.

She gave Julie a customized limited-edition bracelet, which made Julie delighted.

Finally, everyone drank a little too much and started playing games.

Kai proposed a very tacky game - Truth or Dare.

It was mainly "Dares" because 'Truth" was not exciting enough.

Everyone was excited when they spun the turntable.

When it was Julie's turn, Kai proposed loudly, "Kiss the man on your right for ten seconds!"

Julie knew that the man on the right was Kai himself.

Everyone sighed.

'That's cheating!"

"How boring!"

Kai did not care about them because he had to be partial to his wife.

Thus, he leaned forward and kissed Julie for a while. Julie's face flushed.

In the next game, it was Nicole's turn.

Nicole's face froze, and she looked up at Kai.

Kai rubbed his palms, stood up excitedly, pointed at the door, and said loudly, "Kiss the first man you meet when you open the door!"

Nicole's eyes widened in shock.

"Kai, I'm your sister!"

"I know that. Don't worry. What goes on here will stay here. I will always keep it a secret for you. We're having so much fun, so don't you want to take this opportunity to indulge yourself?"

Kai really drank too much. His face was flushed, and he lost his reason.

He even tried to trick his sister.

'Fine!' Nicole thought as she glared at him angrily.

"What if it's a woman?"

Julie did not dare to go too far and quickly said, "Forget about it then. We'll consider it a pass."

Nicole looked at the couple and was so angry that she could not speak.

The rest of the group watched in excitement.

Ian laughed so hard that he spilled his glass of wine all over the floor.

"Kai, you should've told me to go outside and wait first!"

Lumi, who was next to Ian, twisted his ear and said, "I dare you to go!"

Ian kept begging for mercy.

There was laughter in the room.

Nicole was helpless. She could not just walk away at this time. Moreover, everyone drank, so it was not good to spoil the fun.

She stood up and walked out slowly, praying that it was a woman that appeared outside the door.

Her hand fell on the doorknob.

Seeing her hesitation, Kai laughed recklessly and booed her.

"Sis, don't be afraid. You've become such a coward after you married Clayton. You weren't like this before. I’ll take you out to more parties in the future..."

Nicole got a headache from his voice.

She simply opened the door.

The person at the door seemed to be standing there the whole time.

The man was tall and strong but with a gentle temperament.

The light from outside enveloped him.

The voices inside also leaked out of the room.

When Kai saw the man standing outside, he suddenly stammered.

"You shouldn't go overboard in games, Nicole. Family is more important. Right, Brother-In-Law?"

Who would have known that the person standing outside was Clayton himself?

Could this be any more of a coincidence when the subject of Nicole's dare was her husband?

Kai wished he could bite off his tongue.

When Nicole saw the man outside, her tangled and distressed look suddenly disappeared.

She rushed forward to hug Clayton and happily kissed him several times. Then, she looked at Kai provocatively.

"How’s that? I kissed him!"

Kai said, "Yes, yes, yes..."

He could barely hold his smile.

"Clayton, why didn't you tell us when you arrived so I could go down and pick you up?"

Julie could not help but roll her eyes at him.

"You're so useless!"

She stood up and walked over.

"Come on in! We were waiting for you."

Clayton's cold face softened slightly. He still respected Julie, who was Nicole's best friend.

After all, Nicole did not have many friends.

The ones Nicole kept meant a lot to her.

Clayton walked in with a smile and handed over the gift in his hand.

"Happy birthday, Julie."

Julie took it over. 'Thank you! I'm glad you could make it. We were just joking earlier, so don't take it seriously."

Clayton nodded and stroked Nicole's hair dotingly.

Nicole hung on his body, and the couple sat on the side.

The few people who were booing just now learned that silence was gold.

Seeing that Clayton was not angry, Kai slowly let go of his guard and started playing again.

However, they just began drinking even more.

No one dared to let Clayton drink.

Nicole drank a few cups and felt dizzy, so she lay on Clayton's lap and squinted her eyes slightly.

Everyone cheered on the other side.

Someone started smoking, and the smell was very strong.

Nicole blinked, frowned, and wanted to raise her head because she felt uncomfortable. However, someone’s hand pressed herdown.

That hand touched her hair gently and covered the lower half of her face.

Nicole could smell a warm scent of grapefruit and agarwood from Clayton's cuffs. This was the perfume that she found someone to mix on a whim, and it was unique to him.

In an instant, Nicole felt much better without the smell of smoke.

Those hands were gently placed on her face, and they did not move away until the end.

He was deliberately blocking the smoke for her.

Finally, Nicole got up during the birthday song and stopped eating after having two bites of cake.

It was already late when the party was over.

Kai still did not party enough, but Julie dragged him home and cursed at him.

"Is it my birthday or your birthday?"

"Babe, I wish you could celebrate your birthday every day!"

"Oh, shut up!"

Nicole and Clayton followed behind.

When they left, they saw that there were only a few people. They walked in the direction of the bar and tapped on the counter.

"How's your boss?"

The waiter paused and shook his head:

I'm not sure."

Chapter 2350 Their World

Nicole nodded and did not say much. Then, she went out hand in hand with Clayton.

"What boss? You know her?"

Nicole nodded and told him what had happened when she first arrived.

Clayton held her hand tightly and anxiously.

"I should’ve come with you."

'You didn't know this would happen. Besides, I'm fine."

Nicole did not care.

Clayton was still very apologetic. "I should at least be by your side."

"It doesn't matter. I can’t stick to you all the time. Besides, I came out to have fun, and you have important business. I know how to prioritize."

Clayton fell silent and still felt sad.

Nicole smiled and leaned her head on his shoulder.

'You love me so much that you can't leave me for a moment, huh?"

She smelled faintly of alcohol, and her voice was soft.

Clayton felt like someone brushed the tip of his heart with a feather, which made him itch.

He smiled calmly and inadvertently saw a familiar car.

He paused for a few seconds before he reached out to stroke her hair.

'Yeah."

The street lamps were dim yellow, exuding a warm light.

The person in the car did not move, as if there was no one in the Cayenne.

It was not until the couple disappeared around the corner that the car quietly started.

Nicole and Clayton left.

Now, even looking at Nicole became an unattainable luxury.

How could he forget her so simply?

Eric's face was pale, and he clutched his stomach. After several days of business entertainment, his body was about to collapse.

He did not drink alcohol tonight, but he did not eat either.

At that moment, his stomach was empty, and it hurt like hell.

He was used to enduring the pain, so he did not take it seriously.

However, this sudden stomach pain made him dizzy, and the veins in his arms were bulging.

The severe pain subsided slowly, and he sat there dripping with cold sweat, his complexion sluggish.

The whole city seemed silent.

The streets were a little deserted. The raindrops fell on the glass and made a dull sound.

He took out his mobile phone with difficulty and called Mitchell.

Mitchell arrived twenty minutes later.

"Mr. Ferguson, you had a stomach ache two days ago. Didn't you go to the doctor's appointment I made for you?"

Mitchell anxiously helped Eric to the back of the car and got into the driver’s seat by himself.

Eric clutched his stomach and closed his eyes slightly.

"I didn't go."

His eyes flickered, and his pupils were pitch black like indelible ink, blending into the night.

He looked like he wanted to give up on himself.

Mitchell hesitated to speak and did not know what to say.

When the car passed by the couple who were walking in the light rain on the side of the road, that image deeply hurt Eric.

Eric was dizzy from the pain and seemed to be hallucinating.

The man standing in the rain walked slowly with a cane. His shoulders were wet from the rain, but he still had a gentle smile as he looked at the woman gracefully walking in front of him.

That woman was charming and bright. The dim light fell on her face and reflected in her eyes that glimmered like stars in the galaxy. She was shrouded in the light, and she looked so beautiful.

She turned her head to look at the man from time to time. Her eyes were vivid and spirited.

The man said something, and the woman jumped up and put her arms around his neck while the man helplessly held her waist to make her slow down.

They were so happy even without an umbrella.

It was a beautiful sight.

Eric knew that he had no way of reaching that world.

He had this before too.

Cars went by.

Eric clutched his stomach and unknowingly shed tears.

When they arrived at the hospital, Mitchell helped Eric to get out of the car. Mitchell was anxious when he saw Eric looking so weak.

The doctor pushed Eric into the emergency room while Mitchell instructed, "Please take care of him. Mr. Ferguson is in so much pain that he's crying. Use painkillers!"

"Don’t worry!"

A big man like Eric still cried in pain.

It was an acute gastrospasm.

Mitchell breathed a sigh of relief.

Eric was unconscious when he was sent to the VIP ward.

When Mitchell went upstairs after finishing up the registration, he watched as the doctor pushed a few patients into the elevator, one by one.

Mitchell looked down, and his eyes suddenly widened.

"Ms. Nelson?"

The doctor was taken aback. "You know her?"

Mitchell looked shocked and nodded.

'What's going on here?"

"Sigh... Someone hit her and pushed her down the stairs before her ribs fully healed. Her old wound split open, and she almost broke her ribs again."

The doctor sighed and looked at the woman with pity.

Domestic violence was unacceptable. This woman had no security and was bullied by her husband under the guise of marriage.

Even so, the police could not do anything unless they wanted to end the marriage themselves.

Who else could help them?

The elevator arrived.

The doctor pushed Selena out, and Mitchell followed behind silently.

Just as Mitchell was about to go to Eric’s ward, he saw a familiar-looking drunken man sitting on a chair at the door not far away.

Derek started cursing at Selena when he saw the doctor pushing her over.

"B*tch! You're so weak! You landed in the hospital because of one slap? I think you're just acting..."

The doctor paused and did not know what to do.

Mitchell stepped forward quickly, pressed the doctor's hand, and said in a low voice, "Push her into Mr. Ferguson’s ward."

The doctor nodded, covered the patient's face with the quilt, and entered Eric's ward.

The door of the ward was guarded by bodyguards, so outsiders could not enter.

Derek thought that the patient the doctor was pushing was not Selena, so he sat back down angrily.

Mitchell closed the door with a glum face.

Fortunately, the room was big enough. The environment was quiet and comfortable. It was not cramped even if there were two hospital beds in the room.

The doctor placed Selena's bed one meter away from Eric’s and sighed.

'Thank you."

"No problem."

Mitchell also pitied her. After all, she was beaten so badly, and everyone who had a heart would feel compassion for her.

However, the doctor came to his senses and lowered his voice.

"This can’t continue. What if the man outside doesn't leave? Ms. Nelson can't stay here forever. If Mr. Ferguson finds out, he'll be angry."

Mitchell was also aware of this problem.

However, they could not push Selena out now.

If Selena went out, she might really die.

The two were in a dilemma.

The doctor received an emergency call, so he said, "I have surgery now, so I have to get going. I'll just leave her here first. You can make the arrangements later!" 1

He patted Mitchell on the shoulder and left this problem for him.

Selena was rescued, but she still had to rest.

At this moment, she was sleeping with a pale face. Even if she had anesthesia, she did not look like she was sleeping peacefully.

After that, Mitchell went outside and told the bodyguards to keep watch. Then, he went outside to take a short nap.