Ch. 431..440
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.431
For a while, the temperature around them seemed to drop to freezing point.
Nicole's silence pleased Melanie because it meant that her words had taken effect.
Melanie gently raised her eyebrows and could not help but smile.
The light reflected on the bay flickered.
“Even without Miles, you have many more options, but I only have Miles...”
Melanie spoke aggrievedly.
“Ms. Stanton, just take pity on me and return Miles to me, please?”
Nicole raised an eyebrow and looked at Melanie with an unconscious devilish grin that carried contempt.
She tilted her head. Her gaze flickered slightly and deliberately wanted to agitate Melanie.
“I do have many choices, and Miles is indeed one of them. What I'm curious about is, didn't you think about the consequences when you stole his money?”
“I... I had no choice !” Melanie gnashed her teeth.
Nicole slowly said, “Oh? You had no choice but to take your boyfriend' s money to spend it on other men?”
At the mention of her ugly past, Melanie felt embarrassed.
Melanie had only chosen the wrong man, so why should she be penalized for it?
“Even if I did make a mistake, I can still talk to Miles so that he'll forgive me...”
“Forgive you?”
Two men slowly walked down from the spiral staircase. It was none other than Miles and Nathaniel.
Miles' face was glum and extremely cold.
His eyes were sharp as he narrowed them dangerously to glare at Melanie.
“I'm nice enough not to call the police on you. You still owe me more than S3o0,0oo, yet you still have the nerve to ask for forgiveness?”
When Melanie saw Miles, she was clearly excited. She then looked miserable and pitiful.
“You... You're finally willing to see me!”
During this period, Melanie tried all kinds of ways to see Miles, but she had not been able to see him once.
How could their old love be rekindled without meeting?
Miles was unmoved. His cold, stern gaze swept across Melanie with utter disgust.
“One more look at you makes me feel sick to the stomach!”
Melanie's eyes turned red in an instant.
“Miles, how can you say that? Have you forgotten how happy we were together back then? Even if I did something wrong, I can apologize. Please don't stay mad at me...”
Melanie just wanted to turn the page and brush her past wrongs under the rug.
Nicole snickered at the side. 'Did Melanie get kicked by a donkey in the head? What makes her think that her wrongdoings can be covered with an apology?'
When Melanie heard Nicole' s laugh, she looked at her aggrievedly.
“Ms. Stanton, what are you laughing at? I don't mean to come between your relationship. I just want to apologize to Miles. I hope that you won't misunderstand me. Don't let me affect your relationship.”
'Wow, look at this two—faced b*tch!' Nicole thought.
Nicole looked at Miles, who had such a grim and murderous look in his eyes.
She curled up her lips and winked at Miles, then looked at Melanie and said, “You can't affect our relationship, but you did affect my mood. It's a special day today, but you just had to come and kick up a fuss. In that case, consider this a warning. If you dare say one more word, I'll throw you into the sea.”
Nicole said that last sentence very casually, but it had a heavy impact.
Nicole was not joking just to scare her. She really would do it.
The surface of the water rippled with the cold wind. It looked a little eerie.
Melanie looked at Nicole warily and looked up at Miles, who had no intention to help her. He just looked at her condescendingly and mockingly.
She had completely overestimated her self—worth.
Melanie bit her lower lip and looked a little miserable as she glanced at Miles.
"I..."
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.432
Miles walked down the stairs impatiently and looked at Nicole apologetically.
“Ms. Stanton, leave this to me. Go on in. Don't let your guests see this joke of a person.”
Nicole raised her eyebrows. 'Right, I don't want to deal with her anyway...'
She smiled lightly. “Okay, then I'll leave this to you.”
Melanie looked at the tacit understanding and familiarity between those two who did not care about her and felt so vexed that she unconsciously clenched her fists.
Miles walked over in large strides. He had an imposing and cold vibe as he grabbed Melanie's arm and dragged her towards the deck.
He pushed Melanie's waist against the railing. Below them was the deep dark sea.
There were no strong waves, but the water still threatened to devour one's life. The cold wind blew past them.
Melanie suddenly felt frightened.
She clutched the railing with a deadly grip as her voice trembled.
“Miles, w-what are you trying to do?!”
Miles was shrouded in gloom and a piercing chill. He kept pushing her downward.
Miles sneered. “Melanie, I'll give you two choices. You can either disappear from my sight forever or... I'll throw you down from here.”
For the first time, Melanie could hear such obvious hatred in his voice that was devoid of warmth.
She could feel the coldness seeping into her bones.
Melanie suddenly panicked and looked up. They were far from the shore, and behind them were Nicole's bodyguards.
Even if Melanie was thrown off the deck, no one would save her. She would just drown, and no one would know.
Melanie felt instant regret.
These silly tricks were useless on Nicole and Miles.
Miles did not loosen his grip. It would take no more than ten seconds to throw Melanie over the railing.
He was just waiting for her to choose.
Would he dare to?
Miles might not have dared to throw someone off- board before. Since his identity as SW Corporation's only heir was revealed, he was no ordinary person. Melanie also knew from mingling with Colton's circle that nothing was impossible with money and power. Thus, this might not be difficult for Miles.
The cold wind pelted her face as her heart pounded violently. Her blood felt frozen as panic and fear invaded her consciousness.
She was scared.
“So?” His voice came from hell.
This was not the same Miles she was familiar with back then.
Melanie's eyes turned red as she clutched the railing tightly and gritted her teeth.
“I choose the first one! I'll go right away!”
At that moment, Melanie saw ruthlessness and killing intent in Miles' eyes.
He had an unapproachable arrogance, so she could not risk the consequences.
Melanie was reluctant. She bit her lower lip and trembled as she said, “You're really in love with Nicole, right?"
Miles' eyes darkened as he looked at her coldly and sternly.
Melanie was scared and filled with despair and desolation. She laughed neurotically.
“She just said that you're just one of her many options. It's clear that she doesn't like you that much.”
Miles let go of Melanie and glared at her coldly. He looked at the bodyguard on the side. “Is there a boat to send this woman away?”
The bodyguard hesitated for a few seconds and agreed.
There was a speedboat on standby for the guests. Since Miles requested it, it would be done.
Nathaniel saw Miles' face and thought about what Melanie just said. He held back the words at the tip of his tongue.
'This woman can't be trusted! Miles won't just focus on beauty...' Nathaniel thought.
Miles and Nathaniel returned to the banquet hall one after the other.
The butler told Nicole about every movement on the deck without missing a single detail. Nicole nodded, indicating that she knew, then turned around as if nothing had happened. She watched as Floyd and Clayton talked and laughed.
She turned her head and saw that Eric and Keith were discussing something. She could vaguely hear her name.
Nicole frowned and walked over.
“ I'm planning to party for a week in Santos Island for my birthday. Consider it a vacation...” Keith said.
“I'm busy.” Eric's voice was cold.
“How are you busy? You're wheelchair-bound and can't even go around to meet clients. All you have is time!” Keith was not convinced.
“Nicole won't want to go,” Eric said seriously.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.433
“What does it have to do with her?!” Keith could not help but raise his voice.
He had been friends with Eric for so many years, but Eric was still speculating whether Nicole wanted to go to his birthday party.
Keith did not expect Ms. Nicole Stanton to show up at his party.
Nicole overheard their conversation and turned around. Suddenly, a small figure ran towards her with a regretful expression.
“Pretty Lady...”
Nicole stood in place and smiled gently. “Lil Michael, what's wrong?”
Naturally, Eric and Keith noticed them. Keith pushed Eric's wheelchair over.
“What a coincidence! We were just looking for you, Ms. Stanton...” Keith said with a smile.
Nicole ignored him and stroked Lil Michael's curly hair. His sapphire eyes looked very disappointed.
“I searched the entire cruise ship and couldn't find your favorite white chrysanthemums...” There was a momentary silence.
Nicole thought to herself, 'That's a good thing!'
Keith could not help but laugh. “If you can find white chrysanthemums on this ship today, the entire crew will be fired!”
Lil Michael looked at him suspiciously and asked,“
Keith touched his nose and did not intend to answer.
Eric rolled his eyes, then looked at Nicole. “Nicole, will you push me to the deck for a rest?”
Nicole gritted her teeth. 'Is he so used to bossing me around now?!'
She smiled perfunctorily. “Sure.”
Nicole walked over and pushed his wheelchair away.
Keith shook his head and thought, 'Can't he see that this young lady is so reluctant? Is Ferg trying to woo her or torture her?'
Lil Michael was just about to go after Nicole, but he was stopped by Keith.
“Where are you going? Don't disturb those lovebirds. They're cultivating their feelings!”
Lil Michael frowned. “What feelings? Pretty Lady has no feelings for Mean Mister! She only has feelings for me!”
He stood there with his hands on his waist as he grunted. His clear eyes were rebellious.
'Mean Mister is not good enough for Pretty Lady!'
Keith looked down at the boy. “Tsk tsk... What do you know, kid? Feelings must be cultivated. Don't you see that Pretty Lady and Mr. Ferguson are a natural pair? Look how matching they are!”
He raised his eyebrows and could not help but sigh. Under the moonlight, the outstanding pair on the deck could not be more perfect. They had comparable auras and family backgrounds. If it were not for their many twists and turns, they would have been the most suitable couple.
Lil Michael snorted coldly and went up to shove Keith.
“Nonsense! They're not a good match! Pretty Lady only likes younger guys, not old men like Mean Mister! When I grow up, I'll marry her!”
Keith's jaw dropped in surprise. 'Huh... This kid is really quite interesting! '
He laughed meaningfully. “Oh, so you like Pretty Lady, huh? What a pity...”
Keith shook his head, expressing regret.
Lil Michael was even more infuriated. “Why is it a pity?!”
Keith rolled his eyes around and smiled slyly. He deliberately teased the little boy.
“It's a pity that Pretty Lady has such a strong family background. Even if she doesn't marry Mr. Ferguson, there will be other suitable partners for a marriage alliance. Anyhow, it'll never be your turn, unless you're filthy rich...”
Lil Michael's eyes dimmed for a moment and immediately brightened up.
“ I have money! My daddy is Clayton Sloan! He has lots of money, and all his money is mine!”
“Then get your daddy to marry her! Otherwise, how long will it take for you to inherit his estate?”
Lil Michael grunted. ' Never! I must marry Pretty Lady! '
After some thought, Lil Michael gritted his teeth and made up his mind. He clenched his little fists and ran over to his father in a rage.
Clayton and Floyd were talking happily. When Floyd saw Lil Michael, his eyes turned soft. 'Sigh... If only I had a grandson!'
Lil Michael went over and hugged Clayton. He looked at his father petulantly. “Daddy...”
Clayton shot a warning glance at the boy.
“You can't throw a tantrum on a special day like today.”
Lil Michael beamed. He looked at Floyd with his clear innocent eyes and looked extremely adorable.
“I know. It's Pretty Lady's daddy's birthday today! Happy birthday, Uncle Floyd!”
Floyd was overjoyed. His heart melted and thought of rewarding this kid with some money, so he fumbled around his pockets for his wallet.
Soon after, Lil Michael looked at Clayton and shook his father's arm petulantly.
“Daddy, I wanna inherit your estate!”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.434
The air instantly plunged to freezing point.
Floyd Stanton, who was fumbling around his pockets for his wallet, froze instantly.
He glanced at Clayton Sloan' s face, which was glum and sunken. Clayton' s eyes were dark as he tried to suppress a penetrating chill.
Clayton's eyelids twitched. His usually stoic face started to crumble.
“Daddy, I want to inherit your estate right away...”
Lil Michael twisted his body petulantly and whined. He was so cute that Clayton could not bear to smack this child.
Clayton thought to himself, 'This is my child... Bear with it...'
He looked at Lil Michael, took a deep breath, and said in a tone that was as soft as possible.
“Rght away...?” Clayton said in a hushed voice.
Lil Michael nodded solemnly,“ I can only be with my pretty lady after I inherit your estate!”
Thus, Lil Michael thought, the sooner the better!
For the sake of his pretty lady, he did not even want his father.
Clayton's gloomy eyes were fixed on his son's tender little face. He tried hard to maintain his calm and poise.
“Then I'll strive to grant your wish quickly...” Clayton gritted his teeth and said sarcastically.
Lil Michael beamed and asked joyfully, “When?” One second...
Two seconds...
Clayton closed his eyes and took a deep breath, but he could not stand it anymore.
His eyes narrowed dangerously.
Clayton picked his son by the back of his collar with ease. That way, he could just throw him out like a ball.
Floyd, who was next to him, spoke hastily,“ Children's words have no limits...”
Clayton smiled faintly and recollected his expression.
He nodded apologetically and said, “Chairman Stanton, apologies. I suddenly remembered that I have some urgent matters to attend to at the company. I'll go to your door first thing tomorrow to make amends.”
With that, Clayton simply carried Lil Michael and left with his head held high. It looked effortless.
“Ahhhhh! Daddy, I wanna kiss my pretty lady before I go...”
On the deck, Nicole was dumbstruck as she saw Clayton carry Lil Michael away and wanted to ask what was going on.
Before she could take two steps out, Eric grabbed her wrist.
“Don't go... Think about what I said, okay?” His voice was deep, cautious, and humble.
Eric knew that Floyd Stanton would not let his youngest daughter be single forever and might consider a marriage alliance. Thus, he told Nicole that she should consider him first.
After all, he had all the conditions and advantages. Besides him, who else was worthy?
When Eric saw the way Nicole and Clayton were talking happily earlier, he still felt uncomfortable
even though he knew that Clayton was not an option.
Thus, he carefully probed this subject. Nicole lowered her eyes to look at him. She suddenly laughed.
“Mr. Ferguson, all that matters is compatibility in a marriage alliance, nothing else. Even so, you won't be an option. I'm not dumb enough to put up with the same person twice.”
Nicole spoke slowly with a faint smile.
“Besides, now that I've seen the world, my standards improved significantly, so I no longer have any interest in the people I used to like.”
She deliberately emphasized the words “used to”. “Nicole!”
Eric felt like his heart was stabbed viciously.
Nicole smiled faintly and pushed his wheelchair.“ Don't worry. I'll take care of you until you're recovered, and I won't forget that you've saved my life, but feelings can't be forced, right?”
The arrogant and reserved Eric Ferguson felt defeated at this time.
No matter how hard he tried, he never made any progress with her.
Bitterness, heartache, and rage rendered him speechless.
What could he do? Throw a tantrum? He had no right to.
Eric clutched his wheelchair tightly. The veins on his forehead bulged, and the corners of his eyes were red.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.435
In the dark, no one noticed Eric's expression.
The moment Nicole pushed him back into the banquet hall, his face had returned to its normal cold, noble, and unattainable look.
He had a penetrating chill all over his body.
Eric turned to look at Nicole. His aura was overpowering, and his eyes were gentle.
His voice was calm after he suppressed all his emotions. “It's okay, I can keep waiting.”
Even if there was no hope, Eric would not give up.
Nicole ignored his words, rolled her eyes, and continued to push him forward.
From a distance, everyone saw that Nicole and Eric's looks, temperaments, and power were evenly matched.
The two of them looked like they were on good terms. Everyone secretly speculated that they would remarry soon.
If Ferguson Corporation and Stanton Corporation joined hands, their standing in the industry would be even more unshakable!
The party came to an end.
Nicole followed Floyd to bid goodbye to the guests. Eric deliberately fell behind.
Floyd looked at Eric and smiled. “Go back and rest well. Pay attention to your health.”
He sounded very caring towards Eric.
Nicole looked at her father and felt that something was wrong.
Eric smiled and nodded. “Then I'll see you tomorrow.”
“Sure.”
After sending Eric away, Nicole looked at Floyd in surprise.
“See you tomorrow? Dad, what are you planning to do with him?”
Floyd patted her hand and looked expectant.
“He has arranged a twenty-day round-the -world trip for me as a birthday gift.”
Floyd had been wanting to do this for a long time and took some time off from his affairs.
Nicole frowned. “You're going by yourself?”
“Of course not, you're coming with!”
Floyd looked at her with an expectant and stern gaze. “You won't ditch me, right?”
That gaze looked like if she dared to refuse, he would disown her.
Nicole was no longer her father's favorite child. She was bumped out by Tigger!
Nicole smiled charmingly. “Of course not... I just think that it's too sudden.”
Floyd laughed. “Surprises are always sudden! In fact, I'm very satisfied with Eric's gift this time. He must've spent a lot of effort to plan this, so Dad agreed.”
Somehow, Nicole felt that Eric had an ulterior motive.
Nicole hesitantly said, “But I have a lot of things to handle at the company...”
“Just give it to Grant. Kai can take over if Grant's too busy. If Kai makes any losses, he'll just have to fill in the gaps.”
Floyd said casually as if he did not want anything to ruin his plans.
Kai, who happened to be walking over behind them, stopped in his tracks and widened his eyes.
'What did Dad mean by I'll have to fill in the gaps? Am I not his son?!'
Nicole was helpless and could only agree. Consider it a free trip!
Kai was resentful and trudged forward. “Dad, I wanna go too!”
Floyd cast a sidelong glance at him. “Get lost!”
“You can't let Lil N go... I'm the best when it comes to eating, drinking, and having fun!” Kai tried hard to prove himself.
'How can they leave me behind like this?! I wanna have some fun too! Why should I fill in for Lil N?! '
Floyd's face turned red with anger as he covered his chest. “Don't force me to get violent on my birthday!”
He was extremely intimidating.
Kai shuddered and dared not push further. He immediately fled for his life.
Back at Stanton Mansion.
Nicole was finally comfortable and at ease. She
hugged Tigger and played with it for a while, then went to take a bath and put on a face mask.
After freshening up, she came out and looked at Tigger, who was lying on its back on the bed, flinging its four little legs happily. She laughed and shook her head.
Nicole suddenly thought of that trip that Eric arranged. It was really unexpected, but since she had to go, she thought it would be better to invite more people.
At that thought, she picked up her phone and dialed a number.
“Mr. Sloan, is Lil Michael there?"
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.436
Nicole finished her phone call, opened her laptop, and checked her emails.
There were so many documents to deal with every day. Logan would filter out the important ones for her in the mailbox and deal with the rest on her behalf.
Nicole sent Logan a message reminding him of a few things that were more urgent, including J&L Corporation's project. She was not confident that Tucker would be able to handle everything.
While Nicole was busy with work, Tigger jumped into her lap. It held up its head with its front little paws, looking extremely adorable.
“Mama, I miss Papa...”
Nicole, who was about to hug Tigger, froze and glared at it instead.
“Why do you even miss him?!” Tigger twitched its whiskers.
“ It's my emotional interaction setting that Molly Stewart designed. I need to think of Mama and Papa ten times a day in order to cultivate deep feelings...”
Nicole laughed lightly. 'Even feelings can be controlled with AI, huh?'
She stroked its little head. “Then why don't you think of others? For example, Kai and my father?”
Kai heard this and wagged its tail. It spoke proudly.
“Grampy said that I'm the most well—behaved child in the Stanton family, much better than that little brat Kai!”
Nicole could not help but laugh. Floyd always dissed Kai in front of Tigger.
While chatting with Tigger, she got some work done and started to pack her suitcase.
The light rain lasted the whole night and the sky cleared up the next morning. Even the air smelled sweet. The sunlight through the gauze curtain left a golden afterglow in the room.
Since Nicole did not have to go to work, she had flexible timing and woke up naturally.
When Nicole opened her eyes, it was already past 9:00 am.
She slowly went to freshen up, get dressed and put on some light make -up. There were no messages on her phone. Nicole suddenly remembered that she did not set a time with Eric or her father last night.
Thus, Nicole dawdled around, sat on the balcony to meditate, and relaxed her body.
When she walked out of her room, it was already 11:00 am.
As soon as she got to the stairs, she could hear voices coming from downstairs.
Floyd said, “Lil N was busy with work until midnight and got up early this morning for a meeting. Sigh... She really works so hard...”
Nicole paused in her footsteps and felt a little guilty for waking up past g:oo am.
She could hear Kai laughing on the side without saying a word.
Eric's voice was light, patient, and courteous.
“Nicole' s excellence comes from her natural talent and hard work. That's why she has achieved so much today...”
“Right, right, right...” Floyd could not agree more. Nicole could not stand listening to it anymore. 'What is this, a commendation meeting?!'
She hurriedly went downstairs with quick steps.
Kai sat on the sofa and smiled lazily. “Yo, our young lady finally got up?”
Nicole shot him a look, ignored him, and was a little dumbfounded when she saw everyone there.
“Oh, you're all here... I just got out of a meeting...” She lied so naturally without batting an eye.
Floyd was very satisfied with her answer. Nicole could totally fool anyone with ease.
“Good morning, Ms. Stanton!” Surprisingly, Toto was there.
Nicole nodded in greeting.
Lil Michael was sitting obediently next to Clayton. He looked less energetic like he had been reprimanded beforehand.
The moment Lil Michael saw Nicole, his eyes lit up. He looked at his father and kept his butt glued to the sofa while he felt a little stuffy in the chest.
Eric glanced at the Patek Philippe on his wrist and said, “It's about time. Let's go.”
Lil Michael shot up. “Okay! Let's go! Yay! I'm going on a trip with my pretty lady!”
Eric's face faintly stiffened. “You're going too?”
“Yeah!”
Eric looked at the boy quizzically. “How can Mr. Sloan feel assured that you're going alone?”
Clayton frowned and said indifferently,“ Right, I don't feel assured with him going alone, so I'll be tagging along.”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.437
As soon as Clayton said this, everyone's shocked eyes gathered on him.
Even Nicole did not expect that Clayton would be going because she only invited Lil Michael last night.
Eric's face became extremely glum as he glared at Clayton with a deep and complex gaze.
'Clayton Sloan's not so dull-witted to not understand my look, right?! What is he up to?' Eric thought.
Floyd froze for a moment but quickly regained his usual smile.“Great! The more the merrier! It makes sense for Mr. Sloan to be worried about Lil Michael. Mr. Ferguson, shall we head out then?”
Eric smiled faintly. “Sure.”
Toto was dumbstruck and speechless as he stood on the side. He planned this trip deliberately to create opportunities for Nicole and Eric. With Floyd, it could be called a family trip, but what did it mean if Clayton and Lil Michael tagged along?
Would it be an intercompany team-building trip?!
Eric's eyes shifted to Nicole. His cold gaze turned gentle as he curled his lips into a soft arc.
“Let's go and relax for a few days.”
Nicole met his gaze and smiled. “Mr. Ferguson, thanks for being so thoughtful...”
Even though they did not end on a good note last night and had a tense relationship, they could act calm as if nothing happened when they saw each other the next day.
Toto pushed Eric's wheelchair with a deep frown on his face. 'This isn't what I planned!'
The helicopter was parked on the lawn not far away. Luca helped Floyd up. Clayton strode in by himself, leaving Lil Michael struggling to climb up behind him. The boy turned back to check on his pretty lady.
Nicole fell behind as she was messaging Logan. When she was done, she saw Toto supporting Eric with difficulty.
She frowned and took a step forward to support Eric's arm on the other side.
Eric was stunned for a moment and looked at her with delight in his eyes.
Nicole did not speak. Soon, everyone was on board. “Thank you,” Eric said.
Nicole raised her eyebrows. “Mr. Ferguson, you're really energetic to be going about in your current condition...”
'What the hell is he up to? Why would he travel around with a limp?'
Before Eric could say anything, Toto hurriedly explained on the side.
“Mr. Ferguson hasn't slept well for several nights to plan for Chairman Stanton's birthday. The common antiques, paintings, and sculptures aren't good enough to represent Mr. Ferguson's heart.
Chairman Stanton has seen a lot of luxury things, so he might not necessarily like those either. When Mr. Ferguson heard that Chairman Stanton has always wanted to travel around the world, but hadn't done so because of various reasons, Mr. Ferguson deliberately put off so many important work meetings to free up time just to make Chairman Stanton happy. It's really touching...”
Nicole's lips twitched as she glanced at Toto with a seeming smile.
“I see that you're pretty clear on how well Mr. Ferguson sleeps every night, huh?”
Toto froze. 'Huh?'
Eric's face turned gloomy as he swept a cold glance a t Toto. 'My reputation is ruined!'
Nicole turned around and went in to look for Floyd.
There was no breeze, but Toto could clearly feel a penetrating chill at that moment.
During the journey, there was slight turbulence that made the helicopter a little unsteady. Nicole did not wear her seatbelt and was almost thrown out of her seat. Suddenly, Clayton, who was sitting next to Nicole, clutched her hand firmly until she regained her balance.
Nicole breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Mr. Sloan.”
Clayton let go of her and nodded slightly. “You're welcome.”
A few seconds later, he suddenly reached out across Nicole's body and touched her left waist. The sudden proximity and sensation stunned Nicole. She immediately pulled back to distance herself from him and looked at him strangely.
Clayton pursed his lips. ”Seatbelt.” It was brief and concise.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.438
Nicole looked at Clayton's hand with understanding and put on her seatbelt. She smiled and asked, “Mr. Sloan, is it okay for you to take so much time off?”
Clayton said indifferently, “Yeah. My project partner isn't even around, so should I stay to talk to Gerard and Tucker? I've announced a short break for that project and for them to get the core research done first. When we get back, it'll be just i n time to see what they come up with.”
Nicole heard this and blushed with a little guilt. She felt like she was not doing her job well.
Clayton paused for a moment. “Of course, Lil Michael really wants to come. He hasn't forgiven me for reprimanding him last night, so I ought to tag along.”
Speaking of Lil Michael, Nicole chuckled. “So that's what it is, huh? Mr. Sloan, you're a really good father to Lil Michael. He must love you very much.”
What a loving father and son relationship! Clayton smiled and did not respond.
He thought to himself, 'Love me?! My son just wants to inherit my estate as soon as possible!'
Clayton had already instructed Lil Michael's tutors to double his homework.
He would not let that little rascal enjoy this holiday.
Eric watched Nicole and Clayton conversing happily from behind. His eyes narrowed in displeasure.
The discomfort in his heart was getting stronger, as if what he had been neglecting before was starting to show.
Toto, who was next to Eric, also felt a sense of crisis. He thought that he could not just sit back and watch them progress further.
He never liked Clayton because even though Clayton did not do anything too obvious, the way he treated Nicole was clearly different.
From Toto's rich experience, he was 8o% sure that Clayton was interested in Nicole!
After some thought, Toto coughed slightly. “Ms. Stanton, why don't we switch seats? I have a great view here...”
Nicole frowned and did not respond. Lil Michael, who was in front of them, said frankly, “Pretty Lady's trying to sleep. Don't disturb her!”
Toto snapped his mouth shut.
Nicole raised her eyebrows and thought, 'That saves me a lot of trouble. Lil Michael is such a smart boy!'
Lil Michael grunted smugly. If Floyd did not drag Lil Michael to sit by him, Lil Michael would definitely want to be with his pretty lady.
He was uncomfortable with his pretty lady sitting next to the mean mister, so he got his father to sub in for him for a while.
Nicole did not ask where they were going. Soon, she felt drowsy and fell asleep.
Unknowingly, her head rested on the shoulder of the man next to her.
After a few hours, Nicole was shaken awake. Lil Michael 's cute face was magnified in front of her eyes.
Lil Michael could not hold back his excitement. “ Pretty Lady, look! It's a castle!”
The sky was turning dark.
The helicopter hovered in the air. Nicole subconsciously looked outside the window and saw lush hills and a brightly lit manor. It looked huge, majestic, and mysterious.
It looked like a private chateau.
The helicopter landed on the designated helipad in the manor's grounds.
After a few hours on board, Lil Michael could not hide his excitement and ran down. Floyd followed suit. Clayton frowned slightly and swept a glance to the back. He then reached out his hand towards Nicole like a perfect gentleman.
Before Nicole could take his hand, Toto quickly blocked Clayton. “Let me! I'll hold Ms. Stanton 's precious hand...”
Toto stood between Clayton and Nicole. He would not give Clayton the opportunity to help the lady down the stairs.
Nicole rolled her eyes and walked down by herself. The air was fresh. The sky was dark and dotted with twinkling stars. Not far away, a few butlers and maids came over to them.
Toto froze for a moment because Eric was still on the helicopter.
He looked at Eric with an awkward smile and turned to Nicole.
“Ms. Stanton, why don't you help me to support Mr. Ferguson?”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.439
Nicole froze for a moment. 'Then why did I come down so soon?'
She turned back and saw that Eric was planning to come down by himself. He looked like he was about to roll down the stairs, then they would just have to send him to the hospital and their trip would be over before it even started.
Nicole paused for a moment. “Wait! Don't move...”
Eric stopped moving obediently and waited patiently for Nicole to help him.
Before Nicole could take a step forward, she saw Luca right behind Eric.
He was in the back taking their suitcases and had not gotten off the helicopter yet!
Toto's face changed in an instant as he watched Luca put down the suitcases. Without any instructions, he steadily pushed Eric down the ramp.
Eric was startled because he did not expect someone to push him from behind.
The ramp was sturdy, and Luca used a lot of strength to control the speed. Soon, the wheelchair landed on the ground safely.
However, Eric's face was glum with suppressed dissatisfaction. He had no way to express it.
Luca turned around and went to take the suitcases. He looked at Nicole and said, “Miss, you can look for me anytime if you need my help.”
Nicole smiled and nodded. “Okay, thanks!”
If not for Luca, Nicole would have had to help Eric down.
After that, she glanced at Eric and walked away to catch up with Floyd.
Toto gulped. “Thanks, Luca...”
He then ran over to push Eric's wheelchair. Toto whispered in Eric's ear.
“Don't get angry... We have plenty of opportunities! Luca is Ms. Stanton 's bodyguard, so whatever he does represents Ms. Stanton!”
Eric was silent. His face was tense, and his gaze was deep and cold.
'Luca and Nicole are clearly not the same!'
The servants in the chateau had been informed in advance to prepare tea and snacks for their arrival. All of it was arranged according to everyone's preferences.
As soon as Eric came in, the servants bowed in unison. “Good day, Mr. Ferguson.”
He let out a faint “mm” without an expression.
“Chairman Stanton, do you want to take a rest or go out for a walk first?”
Floyd was full of energy. “I'm not tired.”
Eric nodded slightly and did not ask for anyone else's opinion. He looked at the butler and said,“ Make the arrangements.”
“Yes, sir.”
The group quickly got into the car. In less than ten minutes, they stopped at the bank of The Seine.
The moonlight was bright and gentle as it reflected on the calm surface of the river.
Nicole saw the familiar scene and was a little surprised.
“The Seine?”
She was somewhat excited because when she was studying in France, she had walked past this place countless times. She had poured out her thoughts,
both good and bad, to this river back then.
There were not many people along the river. Most of them came for a stroll. Floyd followed Lil Michael around excitedly. Clayton's imposing figure was still as he stared at the Gothic buildings across the river expressionlessly.
Nicole' s eyes shone like the stars. Eric hooked the corners of his lips and thought, 'I guess Toto chose the right place.”
Eric was just about to wheel himself over to Nicole when Luca, who was not far away, went over to push him.
Toto hurriedly went over to them and grabbed Luca's arm. He smiled and said, “You don't have to help Mr. Ferguson. He can do it himself!”
Luca frowned and said in a gruff voice, “Chairman Stanton has instructed me to help whenever possible.”
Toto solemnly shook his head. “No, Mr. Ferguson doesn't need help. He's a proud man, you see...”
He then pulled Luca to go in another direction.
“Let's go there! I'll take you there for a stroll. There's plenty of good food and beautiful women here... Don't you want to see the world?”
Luca furrowed his eyebrows. His fierce face was full of resistance.
He was unmoved like a big mountain.
”No.”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.440
Eric finally got his wish for Nicole to push him around the banks of the Seine.
Nicole was purely enjoying the scenery and did not really want to listen to Toto's annoying chatter.
After getting rid of the others, Eric's expression eased significantly.
In front of them, a fit, tattooed man was busking with a violin. He was very immersed in the music and had a crowd gathered around him.
If the sound of the violin was elegant and delicate, accompanied by the soft flow of the river, this scene would be very impressive.
However, the busker was an amateur violin player. It sounded like an old woman wailing and was very harsh to the ears.
Nicole unknowingly walked over and stopped. Eric listened for a while without an expression.
When the song ended, the crowd breathed a sigh of relief and finally dispersed.
The busker saw the wheelchair-bound man and the beautiful lady pushing the wheelchair and looked at her with regret and sympathy.
He looked like it was a loss for Nicole to be with Eric. Eric frowned in thought.
The busker asked, “Do you understand my music?” 'If you don't understand, leave!'
The busker was judging Eric. Except for his good looks, Eric was useless in every aspect, especially his legs.
Thus, there was some disdain in the busker's attitude.
Eric raised an eyebrow and snorted lightly. “It sounds bad.”
“What?” The busker's eyes were cold. He looked like he wanted to beat Eric up.
Nicole was still immersed in the romantic atmosphere earlier and did not expect Eric to get into a fight with someone out of the blue.
“It sounds very bad.” Eric lifted his eyelids. His tone was calm and cold.
The busker rolled up his sleeves, revealing his arms that were covered in tattoos.
He looked vicious as he charged at Eric.
“Sorry, this man has a mental illness. If you want to fight, fight him!”
Nicole quickly pushed Eric' s wheelchair away and reached out to point to Luca, who was right behind them.
“Nicole...”
The wheelchair was very bumpy because Nicole was busy fleeing.
Eric finally could not resist calling out to her. He stifled a laugh as he looked at her.
'What is she running for? This isn't like Nicole...'
Nicole said, “I'm nice enough not to leave you there. Your butler Toto didn't get you a bodyguard, right?”
Hearing the coldness in her voice, Eric kept quiet. After a while, he said in a low voice, “It was very bad
Eric only told the truth. Why would he, the Great President of Ferguson Corporation, lie just to please a random busker?
He would never!
Nicole looked at him and said indifferently, “Then I'll send you back and you can tell him yourself.”
Before Nicole could turn around, Eric felt tense and gripped the armrest of the wheelchair. “Don't!”
He suddenly felt like he was being played, but he would just let it go since it was Nicole.
She could make fun of him whenever she wanted.
“Let's not go back there... Look how beautiful this river is! Don't you think it's like a diamond necklace?”
'If it weren't for my physical disability right now, I wouldn't be scared! What a joke!' Eric thought.
Nicole sneered. 'Haha... Wimp! '
The two of them strolled to the middle of a small bridge. The atmosphere was very romantic and quiet with an intoxicating peace that this moment brought them.
Eric looked at Nicole, who was leaning on the bridge with her elbows. Her side profile was so smooth and delicate. Her eyes were bright, and the corners of her lips curled up. She was a sight to behold.
He smiled and suddenly wanted to say what he had never told her before.
“Compared to you, anyone who plays the violin is garbage.”