Ch. 381..390
Chapter 381 Vincent led Bella and Ada to the lounge backstage, where the trio enjoyed a glass of champagne and talked.
After a long chat, Ada’s agent called her to attend an important interview.
With her gone, Vincent and Bella were the only ones left in the lounge.
“I haven’t seen you in three years. How have you been doing, Alexa?” Vincent looked at her tenderly, his eyes reflecting the affection of a mentor.
There was nothing romantic between them.
“As you can see, nothing has changed much.” Bella spread her arms apart and smiled relaxedly.
“You have matured a lot in the last three years. I can see it in your eyes. Where have you gone? Did you find inspiration all around the world?” Noticing the crease etched between her brows, Vincent asked worriedly.
“I didn’t travel. I’ve been to the farmer’s market and back for t years. The passion’s long gone.” Bella sighed with sadness in eyes.
“You’re funny as always.” Vincent clinked glasses with her and asked with a smile, “When are you planning to reveal that you’re Alexa? It’s a shame to hide that dazzling side of you.” tapcon wiwhanati moant to, but have more important things to doctccota arch inaltestistese, butt might be inviting unnecessary problems too.
Ballennnowwheneveve Thi’m going to unveil my identity, I must make the revest vabaible indid nearungful. i need to land it at the precise montent for thaimaxxiununiiohack value.” fotopto vive it to Novolexa Youngmeven one to make la loss. Your focus is always c maximize orceoff’s marwo vincent to ckcaun her wwe astnilyWe’re long-time friends. Don’t be annars me. Time margon orgnyons is bothering you.” Velveton at in aliarach now you recedo in infuence is no use here, youneraductonom micro.doBella resconded ass (Ohrcle was trying to say.
solomanen salways wanted to be enerobert of AX. The audit sam s batstenenenaona ac pensiuni seseems she is less the veceguese to be ve bad menerer 0120 YoderStars/mmcncdinis evey BASENIG, Myisloforianann and Ms.
rson have evening ceder pie dierenarcharierevent enehavcocododd decks between nem but nowVALGUSSS thing more in atout Be shrundedegracetetylly Do what makes youdaneyovm mne атетет vas Bella’m way you save at earonevediaf the uecisionon e would not debaranye wwali zahochoter, no mamenwichtveey recet avea Wit. It..
With the show beginning, Vincent left the lounge with Bella.
The pair had not gotten far when a husky voice was heard.
“Bella.” Bella’s heart skipped a beat, and she looked back with a frown.
Justin walked toward her against the light with a long face.
The man gave Vincent a dirty look as he drew close, and Vincent got the hint.
He chuckled and asked Bella, “Is he a friend of yours, Ms.
Thompson?” “A friend? As if.” Bella sneered, but she was bewildered.
Justin was a proud and aloof man, a stark contrast to the outgoing Ryan. Thus, Justin was never keen on attending such events.
It was unlike him to attend a jewelry show.
Ha. Bella believed it probably had to do with his foolish, mean, and clingy little admirer.
Justin strode toward them, his eyes fixated on Bella.
“Ms. Thompson, aren’t you going to introduce me to this man here?” “I doubt that’s necessary, Mr. Salvador. The Salvador Corporation doesn’t dabble in jewelry. I don’t think you and Mr. Anderson mingle in the same social circle.” Bella declined indifferently, reluctant to waste.
pleasantries on him.
Justin pursed his lips.
Despite the setback, Justin did not back down. Instead, he courteously extended his hand to Vincent.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Anderson.” “Likewise, Mr. Salvador. I didn’t think you knew Ms. Thompson.” Vincent shook his hand with composure.
“I guess you aren’t close with Ms. Thompson.” Justin narrowed his eyes dangerously. “If you two were close, you would know who I am to Ms.
Thompson.” Vincent furrowed his brows, feeling the strong grip from the man’s handshake.
The pair put their muscle power into the handclasp.
Justin had no idea what had gotten into himself. He was not the immature and restless type.
Chapter 382 Justin could not shake off the frustration when he saw Bella being close to another man. He wanted to get rid of all the male attention around her.
He could not explain his strange behavior. He was acting like an abandoned husband.
Justin had always been good at self-restraint, but that was out of the window when Bella was in question.
Annoyed, Bella sneered, “We have a special relationship, the see-younever type.” “Bella.” Justin’s breath hitched, and his voice turned raspy.
“Ex-husbands are never considered close. A good ex keeps their distance and stays out of the picture. Surely, Mr. Salvador, you’re familiar with this concept?” ‘Ex-husband?’ Vincent was shocked. He did not think Alexa had been married before.
As her long-time friend, Vincent had never heard of her marriage. Why did Alexa marry this man?
A perfect woman like Alexa had better choices. Why did she marry a jealous man?
“Feel free to make things hard for me, Mr. Salvador. Seeing you is enough to make me miserable, so I don’t mind getting more hell from you. But Mr.
Anderson is an important friend of mine. I hope you don’t give him any trouble.” Bella furrowed her brows. “Have some dignity, my dear ex-husband.” Justin tensed his jawline, and his fingers dug into his clammy palms.
Her words bit.
Bella would take him on just to protect and stand up for someone else.
Justin, an ex-husband she once loved, was dead to her.
“The show’s starting. Aren’t you going to keep your little lady company, Mr.
Salvador? She might panic if she doesn’t see you.” Bella left Justin frozen there and prepared to leave with Vincent.
Flustered, the man gripped her arm.
“Hey! Your relationship is over the moment you divorce. Please respect Ms.
Thompson.” Vincent tried to intervene, but Bella raised her arm to stop him.
“They’ll be waiting for your speech. Go on ahead, Vincent. I’m fine here.” “But- “Don’t worry. We’re divorced. What can he do to me?” Justin felt like she ripped his heart out, and the pain made him clutch.
her arm harder.
Vincent knew that others should not get involved in the history between the former couple. Trusting that no one would have the audacity to stir trouble at his event, Vincent left ahead of Bella.
It was quiet along the corridor.
Justin could hear his heart thumping, so he held his breath. Still, it did.
nothing.
“Let go.” Bella gritted her teeth and put up a struggle. Her eyes.
reflected her lack of emotion.
“You were talking about Zoe, right?” Anxious, Justin pulled her toward him.
As her supple body pressed against his strong body, their breaths mingled.
“Ha, I didn’t name any names. How did you know I was talking about Ms. Hoffman?” Justin could not stand to see Bella’s mocking gaze.
“Oh, little Zoe must mean something to you because you thought about her right away as soon as I mentioned your lady friend.” Bella intentionally said this.
Justin let out a wry smile.
He could not argue with this woman However, Justin was more curious than angry. He was curious as to who he was to Bella.
He asked in a hoarse voice, “Are you jealous, Bella?” “Hahaha!” Bella laughed and shook her head. “Are you dumb, Justin? Why would you ask me that? When I was your wife, you were all over Rosalind, taking her to see the lighting ceremony in Meridan during Christmas and creating a unique jewelry piece for her. I wasn’t jealous when you were cruel to me. Now that we’re divorced, you have the nerve to ask me whether I am jealous. How vile are you?” Enjoy Ad-Free Readings
Chapter 383 Standing before Bella, Justin took Bella’s tongue-lashing defenselessly.
Bella was right. He had done all the things she mentioned.
“Nothing is going on between me and Zoe, Bella. She’s not my little lady!” The anxiety flushed Justin’s ears red as he shouted.
He was not one to apologize, but he was desperate this time.
“Why tell me? It has nothing to do with me.”
Bella had no patience with him anymore. She looked at him with disgust. “I don’t care if anything or nothing is going on between you two. I don’t want your explanation. Let go of me. I want to see the show.” “Aren’t you concerned? Why did you talk about it if you didn’t care? You mentioned it at the police station that night and now.” Justin hated the misunderstanding. His eyes welled up, and his shoulders trembled as the emotions got to him. “You care about the women I get with, so it shows that you still care about me. You’re not over me, as you said you were.” “It’s not that I care, but I loathe you, Justin.” Bella stared at him while prying his fingers from her arm. “If I knew you kept your old flame and lady friends around, I wouldn’t have fallen in love with you.
I’m relieved I got out of it when I did, but I can’t stand the fact that the man I once loved can’t admit that he’s a cheating bastard.” Justin breathed heavily as his world came crashing down on him.
It felt awful to be misunderstood. He felt bitter and wronged.
Bella was stung by the man’s broken look.
Still, she did not stay. She turned her back against him and walked away.
The past is in the past. Despite the unclosed chapter of regret and love, it was time to move on.
Bella’s phone rang. It was Steven.
“What’s up, Steve?” She pulled herself together.
“TL:
“This is bad, Ms. Bella. Check Twitter now!” Steven spoke in a panic!
Bella scowled. She had a bad feeling.
She pulled out her phone to check Twitter.
The color drained from her face, and she cussed.
“Shit!” Ada’s leaked wedding plans were trending in the top spot.
Bella and her team painstakingly put together a wedding setup, but the plans were exposed in photos on the web.
Everything was out there.
Justin was lost in his whirlwind of emotions when he heard Bella curse. Dumbstruck at first, he soon curled his lips.
The woman seemed more alive since leaving him. It felt like she was living life rather than going through the motions now. She was more adorable than when she simply did as she was told.
He approached her.
She sprinted to the end of the corridor in her high heels, ditching him.
far behind.
Feeling that something was not right, Justin looked at her receding figure and picked up the phone to call lan’s number.
“Mr. Salvador.” “Did something happen at KS Group?” The man asked intuitively. “Yes, Mr.
Salvador. I was about to report to you about it.”
Chapter 384 lan said anxiously, “Leaked KS World Hotel photos of Ada’s wedding design are taking Twitter by storm. The photos are going viral.
because of the sheer number of shares.” With a raised brow, Justin asked, “Which media released them?
“A verified freelancer in the media.” “Some people would just expose anything.” The man’s eyes darkened as he scowled.
“M-Mr. Salvador, with photos of the wedding setup out, will they do the young madam any harm?” lan asked nervously.
“Of course. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have disappeared in the blink of an eye. She usually keeps it together.” Justin looked in the direction Bella left, feeling for her. “If my guess is right, Ada must have added a term to the contract with Bella about keeping her wedding details under wraps until the big day. Otherwise, it will be a breach of contract.” “A breach of contract? That bad?” “Since the wedding setup was leaked, KS Group has violated the terms. Even if KS Group doesn’t need to compensate Ada monetarily, I believe Ada will have her wedding elsewhere. KS World Hotel will no longer be her consideration,” Justin said solemnly.
In other words, Bella’s efforts went up in smoke after the elaborate scheme.
The incredible KS World Hotel was out of the game!
“Jesus… The young madam is intelligent and cautious. How could she be played?” Justin clenched his fists angrily..
He and Bella were rivals, so he should be happy that KS Group was in trouble.
However, Justin could not smile.
“Investigate the media. Who is the person in charge? Look into why the photos are exposed.” Ada’s exposed wedding venue photos quickly became a hot topic.
Everybody at the show knew about it, but the severity of the matter eluded onlookers. They complimented the wonderful wedding setup.
in front of Ada. It was the wedding of their dreams.
However, Ada was miffed.
Before the show was over, Ada shied away from public attention and left the scene in a hurry without saying goodbye to Vincent.
Sitting across from the runway, Zoe and Bethany caught sight of it all.
“Hehe. Xena works fast.” The malice in Zoe’s eyes was out of place on her angelic face.
When Ada stormed off, Zoe knew she had gotten what she wanted.
Zoe thought, ‘So what if you’re the daughter of the richest man in Hatchbay, Bella? So what if you own ten thousand pieces of jewelry? You’ve been played. You lost.”‘ “I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Xena knows her stuff like her father.” Bethany clapped her hands with a sigh. “I can’t believe how quickly she got pictures of the wedding setup. Is she a journalist? I think she should change careers and become a spy.” “Refrain from contacting Xena for now. We don’t want the whole thing to trace back to us.” Following a glint in her eyes, Zoe stood tall. “I took out Bella for you, Bethany.
Now it’s up to you to seal the deal with Ada.” “Don’t worry. Now that Ada’s furious, I’m sure she will pick us after KS Group’s breach of contract.” Bethany straightened her back triumphantly. “The Salvador Hotel and KS World Hotel are the only reputable hotels in the city. Ada will have to choose us now.”
Chapter 385 After hearing from Vincent that Ada had left the show early, Bella rushed to the basement parking lot with Steven.
Ada sat in the MPV with a scowl.
As the car door began to slide shut, a hand gripped the edge, preventing it from closing.
“I know you must be furious to see the post on Twitter, Ada. I’m livid too because the photos were leaked. KS Group has been kept in the dark about everything.”
Bella was out of breath and sweating from running.
Ada smiled pretentiously at Bella. She had been in the acting business for over thirty years, so she was an expert at controlling her expressions and emotions.
Without throwing a fit, Ada said indifferently, “We have a deal, Ms. Thompson. I know that you might not be aware of the leak. I trust that you are a woman of principle, Ms. Thompson. Or Vincent won’t speak highly of you.” Steven’s eyes lit up because he believed all was not lost yet.
Well, Steven and Bella were in for a rude awakening.
“But you can’t deny that KS World Hotel has a serious concern about security measures, and that’s your responsibility as the general manager. The design of the wedding setup was leaked this time.
Next, it might be the client’s personal information. KS World Hotel’s management issue is the cause of today’s incident. Don’t you think so, Ms.
Thompson?” Fuck. Things turned ugly quickly, and the woman did not hesitate to dump them.
Flushed in the face, Steven was dying to stand up for Bella.
He could take the insults and even a beating, but he could not stand others questioning and challenging Bella. It pained him to see the woman he watched growing up get hurt.
Bella raised her arm to stop Steven. Composing herself, shel graciously admitted her fault.
“My apologies, Ms. Wang. It was our negligence that resulted in the leak of the wedding setup photos. As the general manager of the hotel, I am at fault.” “Ms. Bella…” Seeing red, Steven clenched his fists.
“You are better than most managers for acknowledging your mistake, Ms.
Thompson, but it’s a fact that the contract has been breached. Regardless, the terms have been violated, so I will end my collaboration with KS Group as dictated in the contract. Otherwise see no point in having a contract in the first place. I’m sure you’d agree.” Ada smiled and gave her agent a look to close the door.
“Please wait, Ms. Wang.” Bella took a box from Steven and handed it to Ada humbly. “I understand your choice to cancel our partnership. Although we can’t work together, I believe we’re still friends. I have made the dessert you love, so I just want to deliver it to you.” Ada glanced at the box without taking it. She said, “Thank you for your kindness. When we have a chance to work together again, I’ll accept your gift.” Bella gritted her teeth as the MPV drove away.
“Ada insulted you by not accepting the gift. That was mean!” Steven was furious, but there was nothing he could do about it.
KS World Hotel was at fault to begin with.
“I can understand why she did what she did. She wasn’t insulting me. She didn’t have a reason to accept my gift since the deal was off. With her wedding drawing close, I’m sure she’s restless after what happened. She has to look for another hotel now.” Bella drew a deep breath to calm herself. “Even though Ada isn’t collaborating with us anymore, I’m not over the matter. The priority. now is to find the person who did this to me. Let’s not forget about- the mole hiding among us.” “A mole?” Widening his eyes in disbelief, Steven murmured, “Are you suspecting one of us? I thought Bethany was behind this.” “Sure, Bethany started it, but without help from the mole, she couldn’t possibly have succeeded. We should start vetting from inside our organization.”
Chapter 387 She Was Afraid Nicole and Yvette left the aquarium together with Lil Michael.
Eric followed behind them. “Shall we have lunch together? How about some mantis shrimp?”
Nicole, Yvette, and Lil Michael looked back at him and said in unison, “No!”
Eric smiled. Nicole took the lead and walked to the car first, keeping two paces ahead for fear that Eric would follow after her like a leech.
A relatively new car was parked a few dozen meters away, waiting for the right moment.
The moment Nicole appeared, the car engine roared as it charged straight at her with a flying speed.
Behind her, Yvette let out a startled cry.“ Nicole!”
The next second, a figure dashed out and pushed Nicole out of the way.
The attack happened in a split second. There was a loud collision, followed by a person rolling to the ground.
The car crashed straight into a large tree b y the side, and smoke started to rise from the hood.
The surroundings became dead silent.
Lil Michael was frightened. His voice was nervous.
“Pretty Lady, that weird mister…”
Nicole was pushed to the lawn on the opposite side of the path. There was a sharp pain in her arm. Her heart was pounding violently.
She had not been able to react earlier and only felt a huge force pushing her from behind. All she heard was the collision!
Nicole turned around with a pale face.
She saw the man lying in the middle of the road, covered in blood. Just a second ago, that tall and indifferent man was smiling at her gently as he invited her to lunch, but now…
For some reason, her heart ached at that moment, as if it was stabbed.
Yvette ran over in a panic. “Call an ambulance!
She looked at Nicole worriedly. “Are you hurt?”
Nicole felt like she was in a bubble because she could not hear anyone’s voice.
Lil Michael immediately tapped on his smartwatch. He forced himself to remain calm as he went to the side to make a call, but his voice was clearly anxious.
Nicole stumbled over in a daze and knelt next to Eric, staring at him blankly.
His clothes were covered in dust and his hair was disheveled.
That handsome face was deadly white. His lips were relaxed, and his calm face no longer had any trace of life.
All that surrounded him was his blood.
Nicole’s heart clenched tightly. She felt like blood was dripping from it.
Even her breathing gradually became more difficult.
He saved her again.
Yvette shook Nicole in a panic. “Nicole, don’t scare me!”
She was worried that something happened to Nicole.
Nicole suddenly settled her mind. She took out her phone and saw that the screen was shattered, but it still worked.
She immediately called Logan and told him to contact the hospital and doctor.
Then, she called Mitchell and told him to make arrangements.
After that, she called Clayton Sloan and asked him to send someone to pick Lil Michael up.
Finally, she called the police.
Nicole looked at Yvette. “Wait here for the police and keep an eye on the driver, regardless of whether he’s alive or dead.”
Her voice was extremely cold.
Yvette nodded heavily.
In less than five minutes, the ambulance arrived.
At the hospital.
Nicole had never felt time pass so slowly and gruellingly.
Every minute exhausted her patience.
She sat there quietly with her head down until Mitchell brought a tissue to her eyes.
“Ms. Stanton, don’t cry…”
Mitchell spoke with difficulty and did not know how to feel either.
Only then did Nicole realize that at some point, tears were streaming down her face.
She could no longer hold back. Her shoulders trembled violently as she choked out a sob with her head hung low.
Terror and fear came in bursts. She admitted that she was completely frightened.
What she was most afraid of was that Eric would die.
The doctor suddenly pushed the operating room door open.
Chapter 388 Vixen The news of Eric’s accident soon spread.
Old Master Ferguson was grief-stricken and rushed to the hospital with Quinn.
When they learned that Eric only got into a n accident to save Nicole, their expressions took a turn for the worse.
Old Master Ferguson had seen a lot in his lifetime, so his expression was not obvious. He only sat in Eric’s ward in silence. When his body was finally unable to support him, his butler took him away.
Quinn cried in Eric’s ward for two hours.
Nicole sat in the living room of the VIP ward and waited quietly, listening to Quinn’s beratement with a stoic face.
“Eric, I told you to stay away from that woman! She’s a jinx! It’s always her fault every time you’re in danger. Last time you went out to sea and almost died. Now, this?! You even sent your beloved sister away for that b*tch! You must be completely bewitched by her… Eric, please wake up…” Quinn burst into tears.
Mitchell and Loganked at the motionless Nicole with conflicted expressions. She was calm as if she did not care that Quinn was blaming her for this.
When Floyd and Grant came over, they heard Quinn’s crazed cries in the ward. Their expressions grew displeased.
Floyd went over and patted his daughter’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Lil N. Pack up your stuff and go home to rest.”
Nicole looked terrible. It had been two days and one night since she came to the hospital. She had not had a wink of sleep since.
She looked up at her father with reddened eyes.
Her heart was in despair.
Mitchell also stepped forward to persuade her. “Yes, Ms. Stanton. The doctor already said that President Ferguson has a good physique. He only suffered a concussion and bone fracture on his leg this time, so he’ll get better soon. It’s more important that you get some rest yourself…”
After all, Eric would be heartbroken if he saw her like this.
Quinn heard the commotion and ran out in a rage.
“You still have the nerve to rest? My son is lying in there now! How dare you get any rest when my son is in this condition because of you?!”
Quinn finally had an excuse to vent out her rage on Nicole.
Floyd’s face instantly darkened. However, it would do no good to argue with this woman at this moment.
Grant’s sharp gaze swept towards her. His voice was extremely cold.
“Mrs. Ferguson, your son did save my sister, but she didn’t push him towards the car. How could you point your finger at her and blame her like that when he risked his life for her?”
The cold vibes Grant was exuding made the people around him shiver. Although his voice was lowered, it still carried an obscure threat.
Quinn choked. She almost forgot that the Stantons were not a rdinary rich family. How could they watch their daughter and sister get bullied like this?
They would not tolerate any harsh words that targeted Nicole.
Quinn opened her mouth, completely furious. It was all because of Nicole that Quinn and her son were not on good terms.
“You…”
As soon as she spoke, the doctor came in with a grave look.
“Madam, the patient isn’t awake yet. He needs to recuperate in SILENCE!”
He emphasized the word “silence” with a n exasperated expression.
The doctor was about to kick Quinn out.
Grant smiled coldly. “Mrs. Ferguson, it seems that you only care about your satisfaction and don’t care about your son’s life with the way you’re screaming.”
Quinn was so furious that her face turned red, but just as she was about to retort, she saw the doctor’s warning look. She had no choice but to plop down on the sofa in anger.
Grant walked over to Nicole. He looked at her shattered phone on the table, picked it up, and brought her bag to Logan.
With his other hand, he pulled Nicole up and said in a non-negotiable tone, “Come on, let’s go home.”
Nicole stood up and looked back at Mitchell, who understood and gave her an assuring gesture.
He would call her if anything happened.
Nicole smiled faintly in response.
Chapter 389 I Give Up
In the car.
Floyd took out a stack of photos from the side.
“I got these from the police. They want to investigate openly, but we’ll also do a private investigation.”
Nicole took the photos. When she saw that car, the image of Eric pushing her out of the way flashed in her mind.
How did he have the courage to run over when the car was easily charging towards them at 70 miles per hour?
Nicole’s pale fingers trembled.
Grant sighed. “We owe Eric Ferguson twice now. Lil N, I’m afraid he won’t let you go that easily…”
If Eric would give up on Nicole, why would he risk his life for her three to four times?
They could turn a blind eye if it only happened once, but it was increasingly hard to ignore.
Floyd closed his eyes. “He still can’t expect Lil N to devote herself to him just because of this. Although I’ve begun to admire that boy, Lil N’s wishes still come first.”
Nicole pursed her lips. Her heart stalled as she lowered her eyes silently.
The next photo was of the person inside the scrapped car.
That was the person who wanted to kill Nicole.
It was a completely unfamiliar and ordinary face that would not catch any attention if placed in a crowd. His head was covered with blood. He did not fasten his seatbelt and slumped lifelessly on the steering wheel
Seeing Nicole’s frown, Grant explained,“ He died on the spot. He was drunk, so the police tentatively classified it as drunk driving, but more than one million dollars was wired to his account from overseas, s o they dare not close this case so easily.”
“One million… For my life?” Nicole murmured.
‘One million for Eric to die on my behalf?’ Nicole thought about it and found it absurd.
Grant pursed his lips. “For a good-for nothing alcoholic, this may be the only chance he has to get a million bucks in his life.”
“Don’t worry, Grant will get to the bottom of this. For your safety, you shouldn’t go out for now. Even if you want to go out, take bodyguards with you. Otherwise, you might not be so lucky the next time.”
Floyd looked at Nicole with a worried and tired gaze. His eyes were gloomy.
Grant nodded in agreement.
Nicole paused. “I can’t hide forever. Get me some bodyguards then.”
This was something she knew very well.
All she wanted to know was who wanted her dead.
She would return this a hundredfold.
As soon as she got home, she sank on the bed and passed out.
bed and passed out.
She was exhausted. Her whole body was sore and tired.
When Nicole opened her eyes again, she looked out the window and saw the red glow through the trees. It was quiet and warm. The sunset was beyond beautiful.
It was already evening.
She had slept a whole day and night without dreaming.
A new mobile phone was placed on her bedside table. Grant had transferred all her information and even installed the same apps from her previous phone.
She picked it up and looked at the countless calls and messages.
Some were asking if she was okay, and some were asking if Eric was fine.
In a group chat with her close friends.
[Yvette Quimbey: Honestly, I’ve changed my mind about Eric this time. He risked his life for you again, so you should probably consider him… @NicoleStanton]
[Julie Nixon: Agreed.)
(Yvette Quimbey: But don’t feel pressured, @NicoleStanton! Even if you can’t be a couple, you can still be friends a t least. We’ll stop hating him…]
[Julie Nixon: Agreed.]
[Yvette Quimbey: Don’t you have your own opinions?! @JulieNixon]
(Julie Nixon: I’m too lazy to type the same words that you’ve already said! @YvetteQuimbey]
[Ian Carter: Eric really made me have a whole new level of respect for him! I totally give up T_T]
[Yvette Quimbey: Carter, didn’t you already give up a long time ago?]
[Julie Nixon: What she said. ]
[Ian Carter: Hmph! I’ll quit this toxic group now =P]
Chapter 390 He’s Gone
Nicole did not reply to any of the messages. She washed up, applied a face mask, and looked more refreshed.
Floyd waited for her to eat dinner downstairs. He watched as his daughter ate and sighed in relief when she finished a bowl of soup.
He hesitated and said, “Lil N, you don’t need to feel pressured by this…”
Nicole flashed a relaxed smile.
“I know. I’ll be fine. Eric’s life is no longer in danger. I’ll slowly pay him back for everything that I owe him. As for the rest, I don’t want to talk about it now…”
Anyhow, Nicole was unable to hate him as much as before.
However, the idea of being together… This fleeting thought flashed in her head, but she waved it away.
Nicole only hoped that Eric would be fine.
The entanglement between them was too deep. It was unclear who owed the other more.
Floyd nodded in satisfaction. He was glad that his daughter had it figured out.
He raised his hand and beckoned for a tall and burly man in a black suit and sunglasses who looked very fierce.
“A bodyguard?” Nicole looked at his attire and knew at a glance.
Floyd nodded. “His name is Luca. He’s the best fighter in the world. He used to follow me around, but after I retired, I didn’t need him for fishing, so he was on a long hiatus. He’ll follow you from now on.”
Nicole pursed her lips and nodded. She naturally would not refuse her father’s kindness.
“Hello, Ms. Stanton.”
Nicole smiled. “I’ll be counting on you, Luca.”
Luca’s fierce expression did not change as he nodded in greeting.
Nicole’s phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Mitchell.
She picked it up.
“Ms. Stanton, bad news! President Ferguson…”
Mitchell hesitated. Nicole’s expression instantly sank. She hung up the phone and dashed out the door.
She panicked.
Luca had swiftly driven the car out. He called out to her in a rough voice. “Miss, get in!”
Nicole did not hesitate and jumped in.
Luca floored the gas pedal. What was supposedly a twenty-minute journey became a ten-minute drive.
Nicole ran to Eric’s ward and hurriedly pushed the door in.
Quinn was not around, neither was old Master Ferguson.
Mitchell sat in the living room with a crestfallen expression. “Ms. Stanton…”
Nicole‘s heart sank as she ran in.
The person on the bed was still lying there motionless, the same as how he was a day ago. However, there was no sign of life in him. His face was gray and pale.
The wires from the testing instruments that were originally connected to his body had been pulled out.
His chest was flat without any rise and fall.
Nicole was stunned for a moment. She suddenly felt as if the darkness in front of her was overwhelming and suffocating.
Impossible!
The doctor clearly said that he was fine!
Her heart was crushed. It felt so painful that she did not dare to breathe heavily.
That heartache felt like her body was being torn apart. Every cell in her body was filled with pain and despair.
Nicole stood frozen in place. Her consciousness was gradually swallowed by the darkness, and she almost fell when her legs gave out.
Mitchell called out to her from behind. “M S. Stanton, watch out-”
He quickly helped her to regain her footing
At the same time, Nicole saw the lifeless man’s right foot under the white silk quilt twitch slightly.
It was just a fleeting movement, but Nicole keenly caught it.
Her body stiffened and she froze for a few seconds before she slowly realized what was going on.
After a short pause, she regained clarity.
Mitchell was shocked to see such a drastic change in Nicole.
She looked completely devastated earlier, but she regained her composure in the blink of an eye!
Mitchell seemed like he wanted to say something as he let her go, but when he remembered what Eric instructed him, he quickly zipped his mouth.
Nicole calmly walked forward and touched Eric’s pale face. Her fingertips were slightly cool as they lingered on his cheek.
She said in a clear and cold voice, “Have you made arrangements for the funeral?”