Ch. 481..490
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.481
Eric's attitude was resolute and cold, leaving no room for maneuver.
It was completely different from what Ivy Harrison imagined.
Ivy Harrison was completely overwhelmed. She panicked, and her eyes were glistening with pitiful tears.
Her eyes gradually reddened as she trembled, looking at Eric like she was about to cry.
“Mr. Ferguson, why? Everyone says that we're a good match.”
Ivy Harrison was the youngest daughter of the Chairman of Harrison Corporation. With this identity, the distance between Eric and Ivy had been shortened.
'Why does he still refuse to look at me? Why didn't he look for me for a marriage alliance?'
During this period, Ivy could clearly see that Nicole was not at all interested in Eric.
Even so, why did Ivy not stand a chance with Eric? She was puzzled and expectant.
However, Eric did not even glance at her, nor did he bother to explain to her because he did not want to waste time on an insignificant person.
Eric took out his phone and called Toto.
“Get someone to come up and clean the room.”
His voice carried a bone -piercing chill that made people shiver.
Eric turned around to leave, but he suddenly paused.
He looked at Nicole, who was standing at the opposite door. His emotions became complicated all of a sudden. He even panicked a little because he was afraid that she would misunderstand something.
Eric took a brisk step forward with a grim face.“ Nicole, why are you here?”
Nicole raised an eyebrow and curled her eyes without hiding her emotions.
“I'm watching a good show, of course!”
She had anticipated that something was wrong from the very beginning.
From the time the cup of coffee accidentally spilled on Eric, Nicole noticed that there was something wrong with that assistant who handed her the coffee.
Nicole thought, 'Who could it be?'
It was one of the staff who worked for Tucker, helping out with the J&L project who was in the same batch with Ivy. He must be very familiar with Ivy.
Otherwise, why would he create an opportunity for Ivy to come up to the room uninvited?
Thus, Nicole purposely followed to watch the whole show, and no one noticed her.
This show was much more exciting than Kai's performance downstairs.
Unfortunately, Ivy's level was still too low. Ivy should not have called the reporters here. She should have called both their parents to witness this.
Eric stood in place. His face looked glum and hurt because Nicole's nonchalance was like rubbing salt into his wounds.
He would rather see Nicole get mad and scold him than stay out of his business.
“Is it nice?”
Eric acted as if nothing was wrong. His voice was extremely calm.
Nicole curled up her lips. “Although it's a little cheesy, it's still entertaining...”
Ivy's tactics were not very clever to use such old tricks, but one could never get tired of such drama, especially since the target was Eric.
Nicole saw Eric's cold gaze. It was a pity that Ivy no longer had the chance because Eric hated people who schemed against him. Nicole originally intended to help Ivy, but Ivy even schemed against her, so she would not ignore it.
Eric walked over with his cane. His indifferent and awe-inspiring temperament had a layer of chill.
When he got closer, Nicole could smell the biting scent of mint from his body.
Nicole was slightly stunned and lost in thought for a moment. She lifted her head and collected her smile.
Eric looked down at her. His thin lips parted slightly.“ If you were the female lead, it would've been more entertaining.”
The ending would be unimaginable.
Eric had been looking forward to it for a long time.
Nicole did not avoid his eye contact, but she unconsciously held her breath for a moment.
Suddenly, she let out a light laugh.
“I can consider it if it was a different male lead.”
Eric's eyes turned cold as he stared at her unblinkingly. The feeling that someone else was eyeing his things made him extremely uncomfortable.
He stepped forward without the slightest regard for his crippled leg and pushed Nicole to the wall. He pinned her down to keep her from moving.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.482
Eric's gaze deepened. A trace of panic flashed in Nicole's eyes before she glared at Eric with some annoyance.
The two of them were uncompromising.
They were in extreme proximity to each other, so much so that Nicole could feel Eric's breath in her face.
Nicole's heart was racing for a moment. She lifted her arms to push him away, but in the next second, Eric held her hand. His gaze was dark and deep as he looked at her.
His voice was low and raspy.
“Nicole, what else do I have to do for you to forgive me?”
His plea and show of weakness felt like he wanted to cut his heart open so that she could see his sincerity.
Nicole tilted her head to look at him. Her heart trembled slightly like it was electrocuted. After a while, she chuckled.
“Mr. Ferguson, you don't have to do anything because I never look back." Her heart was as cold as a rock.
At this moment, a set of heavy, unfamiliar footsteps came from the side.
Who could be so insensitive as to interrupt them at this time?
“Ms. Stanton, it's almost the curtain call. Shall I walk you back?”
It was Clayton Sloan.
His warm voice seemed to save her heart which was almost shaken by Eric's sadness and grief.
Nicole calmly pushed Eric away. Her gaze was clear and cold. “Yes, please, Mr. Sloan.”
She ignored Eric's gaze and walked towards Clayton, taking his arm as they went into the elevator.
Nicole could feel the cold and sharp gaze that kept following them.
Eric felt that he was about to lose control of his emotions, but he could only watch her leave.
The feeling that he was really going to lose her was getting stronger and stronger.
He was scared, worried, and panicked, but he dared not say anything.
His fists were clenched tightly for a long time before he returned to normal.
The next day.
Nicole got up early in the morning. The weather was amazing with birds chirping on the branches. The dense trees shaded the balcony from direct sunlight.
She stretched her back and went to the office early in the morning.
Nicole's office attire was always arbitrary. Sometimes, she would wear casual skirts, while other times, she would wear semi—formal suits. She would not deliberately dress in a certain way just to create an image of a strong, decisive businesswoman.
After all, no one dared to say anything.
Logan walked into Nicole's office with a stack of documents.
Nicole picked up the cup of coffee on the table and took a sip.
It was very soothing.
She curled up her lips. “Before you do anything else today, tell HR to fire Ivy Harrison.”
Logan was stunned and a little surprised.
“Besides that, find out what projects Harrison Corporation is eyeing recently and take it over if it's promising.”
Logan was surprised, but he dared not ask any more questions and did not delay it.
“Yes, President.”
He immediately left the office.
Nicole was never someone who did not give second chances. Ivy Harrison was fired in less than three days, so she must have violated Nicole's taboo.
Ivy Harrison was connected to Harrison Corporation. Most high -society ladies who could not perform would usually be asked to resign. Ivy getting dismissed so blatantly and Nicole fiercely pursuing this matter was a disgrace to Harrison Corporation.
After a morning meeting, Nicole had lunch with Grant at noon and received Logan's report by the time she returned to the office in the afternoon.
“Ivy Harrison has been waiting for two hours. She insists on seeing you before she leaves.”
Nicole chuckled indifferently. 'She's making death throes now? Why would she do all that in the first place?'
“I don't want to waste my time on her. Tell her to go wherever she came from.” Logan expected this and only wanted to get confirmation from Nicole before he went back out.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.483
Stanton Corporation's lounge.
Ivy Harrison's face was pale as she sat there, looking somewhat disoriented.
The news of her dismissal had not yet been announced, so it was still not too late.
Eli Harrison used a lot of effort to place her in Stanton Corporation. Ivy dared not imagine how she would return to her worthless self if Eli found out that she had screwed everything up.
Ivy had come a long way from being an illegitimate daughter and was one step away from getting rid of those nightmares from her past.
At this moment, she felt like she was hanging from the edge of a cliff. One wrong move would pulverize her.
“Ms. Harrison.”
Ivy suddenly stood up. She was nervous and apprehensive.
Logan walked over politely.
“Ms. Stanton has two meetings back-to-back and can't take any time out now. Please go back.”
Ivy spoke with a pale face. “I don't understand. Why am I fired so suddenly?”
She still secretly had hopes that what she had done would go unnoticed.
Ivy was even so nervous yesterday when she was ignored and humiliated by Eric.
As long as she stayed in Stanton Corporation, she still stood a chance.
Ivy refused to give up.
Logan laughed lightly. “Ms. Harrison, you'd have to ask yourself what you've done to offend Ms.
Stanton.”
He did not need to ask why Nicole was so angry and he had enough ways to deal with even the most roguish people.
Ivy's face turned paperwhite. Her eyes sank in an instant.
It had only been one night since that incident, so how could Nicole find out so quickly?
Ivy bit her lower lip.
“I want to see Ms. Stanton. I must explain to her personally. If she's not satisfied with anything I've done, I can apologize to her.”
She looked so aggrieved like she had endured all the unequal and unjust treatment.
Logan's eyes were a little dull, but he maintained his professionalism.
“Ms. Harrison, there's no need to apologize because the price you paid is getting fired. You should go back to being the Young Lady of the Harrison family. President Nicole is the CEO of Stanton Corporation. She doesn't have the mood and time to deal with ordinary employees. This is her order, so we can only do as we're told.”
Ivy spoke eagerly in a panic.
“No matter what, I'm the daughter of Eli Harrison. I s this how Ms. Stanton is going to treat me?”
Logan's response was cold and did not look up to her just because of her identity.
“Then you should get Chairman Harrison to come over and deal with Ms. Stanton.”
After that, Logan greeted the bodyguards at the side and ordered them, “Please escort Ms. Harrison out.”
“Yes, sir.”
Ivy was flustered and confused. Her face felt hot as if she had been slapped in public.
She instantly understood Logan's meaning.
Ivy Harrison was just the daughter of Harrison Corporation's chairman.
On the other hand, Nicole owns the entire Stanton Corporation.
The two of them were far from equals. Thus, Ivy was not qualified to meet Nicole.
Ivy stood there in panic and apprehension, surrounded by bodyguards. “Please...”
If Ivy left Stanton Corporation, her situation would be even more miserable when she returned to the home that was not hers, but she had no other choice.
'Why? Did Nicole already find out about that incident?'
Ivy stood there stiffly under the sun outside the office building. Even so, the hot sun did not give her a hint of warmth. Instead, she felt a chill that slowly extended from the soles of her feet up to her spine.
Nicole did not even have to question her, nor did she bother to listen to her explanation. She did not want to listen to Ivy's sophistry.
Perhaps Nicole had expected that Ivy would deny it even if she confronted her.
There was never a moment when Ivy felt so weak as she was now, sitting on the garden steps at the entrance while drenched in a cold sweat.
Ivy looked up at the tall, luxurious skyscraper that was right in front of her that looked like a cold- hearted giant beast ready to swallow her whole.
She was merely a lowly person that did not deserve to step foot inside.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.484
Ivy's unorthodox tactics were exposed under the sun. There was no escape.
She sat there and waited until dusk because she dared not leave.
Ivy had thought of countless tricks to deal with Nicole's reactions.
What would Nicole do to her?
Would Nicole get angry, annoyed, or hit her?
Ivy's target was Eric Ferguson, which Nicole was aware of. Thus, Ivy thought that no matter what, Nicole would treat her a little differently.
However, at this moment, she suddenly realized that she was nothing to Nicole.
Just as how Nicole hired her openly, Nicole could also fire her at will.
Nicole walked out of the office confidently in her stilettos. Besides her bodyguard and assistant, some department heads flanked her sides to consult her opinion on urgent matters.
They all looked at Nicole ingratiatingly and respectfully.
That kind of mighty aura was something Ivy dared not even imagine having. Ivy suddenly noticed the gap between herself and Nicole.
Even if Ivy's status as a chairman's illegitimate daughter status was legitimized, the vile selfishness in her bones made her feel oppressed and abominable compared to Nicole, who was so honest and upright.
At that moment, Ivy suddenly lost the courage to explain herself in front of Nicole.
She was already a joke, so should she let Nicole laugh in her face?
Ivy stopped in her tracks and walked away in the opposite direction.
Ferguson Corporation.
Mitchell noticed that Eric's mood had been very unpleasant recently and had been very unforgiving and resolute when dealing with the company's matters. Thus, Mitchell guessed that Eric's progress with Nicole was not going very well.
Everyone apprehensively reported their work.
By the end of the day, Mitchell knocked on Eric's office door and went in.
“Mr. Ferguson, I've just received news that Stanton Corporation fired an employee today.”
Eric raised his eyebrows because Mitchell would not deliberately announce such a small thing as firing ordinary employees.
Sure enough, Mitchell continued, “It's Ivy Harrison.”
A trace of disgust crossed Eric's eyes. His voice was icy cold.
“She deserves it.” Eric was not bothered.
Mitchell added, “Madam Ferguson just called saying that Ms. Harrison has nowhere else to go, so she wants Ms. Harrison to work in our company.”
In an instant, the temperature in the room plunged.
Mitchell braced himself and watched as Eric's face stiffened.
Eric's eyes were gloomy, and his tone was unforgiving.
“Our company will never accept trash.” These words were ruthless.
Mitchell nodded slightly. “Understood.”
He had no choice but to think of a way to deal with Quinn.
Eric was silent for a second before he spoke indifferently.
“Kick Ivy Harrison out of the place that my mother found for her. I don't want to see her again.”
Mitchell 's body shook. He knew that Eric could not tolerate Ivy Harrison anymore.
“Yes, President.”
He dared not ask any more questions and went straight to work.
Ivy did not get a response from Ferguson Corporation, so she went back to her apartment first.
When she got back, a polite middle -aged man was standing at the door waiting for her.
“Ms. Harrison, this apartment has been recollected. Can you please rent another one?”
Ivy's face turned pale. She looked lost for a moment. “Madam Ferguson rented this place for me.”
“We're just following orders. We will clear out the apartment early tomorrow morning, regardless of your presence.”
This was an ultimatum.
'Am I swept out the door? Who else doesn't care about Quinn's orders?'
Ivy knew the answer without having to think about it.
She had really offended Eric this time. Ivy had no choice but to pack up her things and scamper back to the Harrison villa overnight.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.485
Harrison Villa.
Ivy Harrison sensed that the atmosphere was not right as soon as she entered the door.
She saw Joy Harrison's car parked in the courtyard, so she must have come back.
Usually, Joy would make a big fanfare of her presence because she wanted everyone to know that she was home.
It had never been so quiet when Joy was around. This silence made Ivy more apprehensive.
As soon as Ivy pushed the door open, a glass ashtray was hurled at her. Ivy was shocked and felt a sharp pain in her shoulder.
She gritted her teeth as cold sweat dripped from her forehead. Her face was pale as she looked up and saw the two people sitting on the sofa. Joy and Eli Harrison were staring at her with cold and grim faces.
“You still have the nerve to come back?! I asked you to approach Eric Ferguson, but you came running back here, not to mention the big mess you've caused!”
Joy angrily hurled insults at Ivy. She had been keeping her wrath pent up inside as she waited for Ivy to return.
She showed no mercy.
“Haven' t you always dreamed of climbing up the social ladder? Don't you have any ability to keep a man? Have you learned nothing from your homewrecking mother?”
To outsiders, Joy was a gentle and elegant high- society lady. Only Ivy, her half-sister, ever witnessed Joy's mean and harsh side.
Ivy instantly stiffened in place as she stared dumbfounded at Joy and Eli.
Her biological and nominal father had always treated her as a disgrace since she was a child.
He always acquiesced to Joy's bullying.
Ivy bit her lower lip and bowed her head, not daring to say a word.
Her heart was apprehensive as panic spread to her limbs. 'Did they already find out so quickly that I was kicked out? How much do they know?'
Joy was even more infuriated when Ivy kept quiet.
She took a few steps forward and yanked Ivy's hair with brute force.
“Speak! Are you mute? How dare you come back with the mess you've made?! You're just a shameless illegitimate daughter. What use are you to stay alive?”
In an instant, Ivy felt the surroundings spinning as Joy shoved her to the floor. It hurt like hell.
Ivy looked at her father, Eli Harrison, trying to plead for help, but he only had a cold face as he looked at her with disgust and disappointment.
Eli pointed at Ivy. “Your sister is right. What's the use of having you in our family? You can't even accomplish such a simple thing. I've done everything needed for you to get in touch with the Fergusons. As long as you can make Eric Ferguson happy, you can marry him without a problem, but you can't even do that?”
Ivy only felt pain and coldness engulfing her.
She suddenly thought of that night. After going so far as to be almost naked in front of Eric, he was still unmoved.
That gaze was no different from Eli's gaze at this moment.
Ivy sobbed and begged for mercy. She had gotten used to all this bullying.
There was no other way because if she did not put up with it, she would have to go back to those hopeless and worthless days of the past.
Ivy had a taste of the rich life that she could not let go of. Instead of going back to the past where she was looked down on by everyone, she would rather act humbly in front of these two people.
She clenched her teeth and cried in a low voice, begging for them to let her go.
“Eric Ferguson doesn't like me. I can't help it. I've used all the methods I can think of, but he still won't look at me.”
Joy laughed in exasperation and sneered.
“It's fine if you can't handle Eric Ferguson, but why did you have to offend Nicole Stanton?”
Her tone was extremely cold with extreme hatred. Ivy froze and raised her head. “You' re still pretending? Our big project that has been in discussion for more than half a year was taken by Stanton Corporation ! Nicole clearly put out the word that she only took this away from us so that we can teach you how to behave properly!”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.486
Joy Harrison's face was glum as she scolded Ivy Harrison. Joy finally could not stand it and went up to slap Ivy.
“It's all your fault! What exactly did you do to make Nicole so angry? The high-society ladies are now laughing at me for having such a useless sister like you!”
The elite circle was not very big, to begin with. Harrison Corporation was only big domestically and was not on the same level as the internationally renowned Stanton Corporation. Thus, Joy' s circle was not the same as Nicole's.
Joy knew that Nicole's circle was composed of the ultimate elites who stood at the top of the food chain, and she could only look up to her.
Ivy's face was hot and painful from the slap. All she felt was panic and shame.
It turned out that Nicole was not oblivious to what Ivy had done to her.
Nicole did not bother to deal with Ivy and went directly to Harrison Corporation.
The Harrison family was to take responsibility for Ivy's mistakes.
This was a clear warning to Ivy so that she could understand the gap between her and Nicole.
Ivy and the Harrison family could not even retaliate with a small move from Nicole.
Nicole was really unforgiving.
Looking at Ivy' s wretched face made Joy recall the pitiful look on Ivy's mother back when she broke up her family. This made Joy even more vengeful.
Joy kicked Ivy and looked at her condescendingly. “Tell me, what exactly did you do?
Ivy had no choice but to tell her the truth.
Stanton Corporation.
Nicole was listening to a department report in her office when Logan knocked on the door.
“Ms. Stanton.”
Nicole nodded and glanced at the head of the department. The man had the good sense to retreat.
Logan said, “Chairman Harrison just called saying that Ivy Harrison would like to apologize in person. In the meantime, they want to discuss the possibility of cooperation.”
Nicole let out a light laugh. When Eric introduced her to Eli Harrison, that man was so snobby thinking that he had Ferguson Corporation as a backer, so he did not bother to get to know Nicole.
Looking back on that scene, it was really ridiculous and pathetic.
'Why is Harrison Corporation so anxious when I only took away such a small project?'
They were too impatient. Nicole's eyes flickered slightly.
“Forget about cooperation. Stanton Corporation can't afford it.”
Logan immediately understood what Nicole meant. “Yes, Ms. Stanton, but we shouldn't underestimate their power.”
Nicole smiled and spoke nonchalantly.
“Harrison Corporation isn't the only one in power. Their archrival Sheldon Corporation has reached out to us. You can let the Harrisons know about this.”
Nicole was not afraid of offending anyone or losing the business.
Eli Harrison was not sincere and had never treated her with respect by placing his daughter in Stanton Corporation without first informing her, so it was clear that Harrison Corporation had no intention to have any dealings with Stanton Corporation.
Since that was the case, it was better to refuse them blatantly lest they make a fool of themselves.
Logan immediately nodded. “Understood.”
Nicole smiled in satisfaction and looked down to see a message on her phone.
It was a voice message from Lil Michael.
“Pretty Lady, I wanna treat you to a candlelight dinner!”
Nicole heard Lil Michael's childish voice that was as soft and sweet as cotton candy and could not bear to reject him.
She replied, “Okay!”
It had been a long time since she saw Lil Michael, so she missed him.
Nicole thought that Lil Michael liked Tigger, so she immediately asked Kai to send Tigger over so that Lil Michael could play with it.
In less than 1s minutes, Kai reluctantly showed up at Stanton Corporation in sunglasses and a flashy sports car.
He immediately attracted everyone's attention.
Kai's stunningly handsome face soon appeared in the hot topics. When he saw his sister, he proudly ruffled his hair.
“Sigh... What do I have to do to be a little more mediocre? You shouldn't miss this free advertising opportunity for any new diamond jewelry you have that I can endorse...”
Nicole rolled her eyes speechlessly.
“Well, our new diamond jewelry is for innocent young people. If you endorse them, we'll surely lose money this quarter!”
Kai's face stiffened.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.487
In the luxury van not far from Stanton Tower.
A nanny and a bodyguard were sitting next to the blonde and curly-haired Lil Michael. The three of them sat there obediently with their hands on their knees like schoolchildren.
Opposite them was Clayton Sloan, who came uninvited.
Aside from Lil Michael, everyone else feared Clayton.
Thus, the nanny and bodyguard, who would usually give Lil Michael ideas on how to impress Nicole, kept their mouths shut and tried to reduce their presence.
Only Lil Michael dared to express his dissatisfaction.
“Daddy, please get out of the car. This is my date with Pretty Lady. I don't want a third wheel to disturb us!”
Lil Michael pouted and sat there with his hands on his waist, trying desperately to make his aura seem stronger.
Clayton was holding an iPad as he finished typing out the last email before he looked up at his son. His voice was gentle.
“I happen to be free and have some work to discuss with Pretty Lady, so it's no harm for me to join you both.”
“No way!”
Lil Michael's brows furrowed tightly in extreme dissatisfaction.
'No one can disturb my date with Pretty Lady, not even Daddy!'
Clayton hooked the corners of his lips.
“Michael, if Daddy doesn't go, Eric Ferguson will take the opportunity to disturb you. Do you want to see him?”
Lil Michael lowered his head with a sad face. 'Of course not! I hate that mean mister even more!'
Clayton coaxed him in a serious tone. “Let's keep the goods within the family. We can't let outsiders take advantage of us. If Daddy and Pretty Lady have a good relationship, doesn't that mean that you and Pretty Lady have a good relationship too?”
Lil Michael raised his head in thought. 'Hmm... What Daddy said makes a bit of sense. Compared to Mean Mister Eric Ferguson, Daddy is my family. But The little boy looked at his father and said, “That's okay, Daddy. I can handle my relationship with Pretty Lady by myself. You don't need to get involved!”
Clayton's smile stiffened.
The nanny and bodyguard on the side sighed with relief and looked out the window.
'Luckily, our young master isn't easy to fool!'
Lil Michael continued to rub it in. “Daddy, you have to work hard to earn money so that in the future, Pretty Lady and I just need to live off of your inheritance!”
Clayton's face turned dark and sullen as he glared at Lil Michael, trying to keep himself from losing his temper. 'Calm down... He's still a child...'
He gritted his teeth and smiled. “If you don't let me join you, I won't give you my inheritance!”
That was a huge dilemma for Lil Michael, who thought about it left and right.
'Forget it, for the sake of the inheritance, I'll just have to reluctantly accept this third wheel Daddy... '
Lil Michael glared spitefully at his father and waited until Nicole got to their car.
“Pretty Lady!”
When Nicole pulled open the car door, the milky- scented Lil Michael pounced on her before she could take a look at the surroundings.
Nicole hurriedly caught him and pinched his little cheek. “Our Lil Michael is getting more handsome!”
Lil Michael shyly shrunk into Nicole's arms.
Clayton saw this and laughed coldly. 'He's usually not so shy... Hah! What a good actor!'
Nicole heard Clayton's voice and was a little surprised to see him.
“Mr. Sloan?”
Clayton nodded slightly and flashed a warm and steady smile.
“Michael invited me to your dinner. Do you mind if I join, Ms. Stanton?”
Lil Michael stared at his father speechlessly. ' Daddy's full of lies! How is that an invite? I was just threatened! '
Before Nicole could say anything, Lil Michael hastily said,” Pretty Lady, if you mind, we'll just get him to leave so no one will bother us.”
His sparkly eyes were filled with expectation as he thought, ' Please say that you mind!'
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.488
Nicole could not read Lil Michael's thoughts, so she said, “Of course, I don't mind.”
Lil Michael looked disappointed, but after seeing Tigger, he rejuvenated his spirit and hugged Tigger excitedly without letting go.
They soon arrived at the restaurant.
Lil Michael did not rush to get out of the car. Instead, he acted mysteriously and asked Nicole and his father to go in first.
The restaurant was quiet. It looked like it had been bought out in advance.
Clayton was a gentleman and walked to the front to pull out the chair for Nicole. The table was lit with candles. The atmosphere was beautiful and ambiguous.
A few minutes later.
Lil Michael excitedly came over with a shoebox— sized box and a big bouquet of white chrysanthemums.
Nicole saw the flowers and wanted to faint. Clayton also did not expect his son to bring bereavement flowers. He froze for a moment and thought that this kid really hid it well.
He seemed to regret tagging along at this moment. For a while, the two adults were nervous.
Lil Michael ran over cheerfully with his short little legs and raised the bouquet of white chrysanthemums.
“Pretty Lady, may you always be as fresh and beautiful as your favorite flowers!”
For a moment, the situation seemed a little strange.
Clayton looked away, trying to pretend not to hear or see this scene. 'This is not my son!'
After about two seconds of awkward silence, Nicole took the flowers with a smile so as not to discourage the child's enthusiasm and goodwill.
“Thanks, Lil Michael. I love it...”
Nicole simply placed it on the other side with the candle. The further away, the better.
She felt a headache coming on.
Lil Michael excitedly took out the shoebox—sized gift box and opened it straight away.
“ I collected colorful gemstones all over the world
and made this mosaic photo for you, Pretty Lady! It's very unique!”
Nicole saw a gold photo frame that was simply extravagant.
The picture was a candid photo of Nicole that they took while traveling in France.
Every inch of the photo was divided into different color modules and had a gradient from light to dark.
The mosaic was made with all kinds of colorful square -shaped gemstones that were of the same size. The slightly raised angles from the thickness glistened in the light. It was flashy, cool, and sharp.
It was an old-fashioned way of showing wealth.
Nicole was knowledgeable on gemstones and knew that it was certainly not an easy feat to collect so many natural stones and polish them to the same size. Doing so would also mean that there would be a lot of residue material.
She did not allow Lil Michael to give her gold before, so he started to give her gems instead.
This photo was truly the most valuable picture in the world!
Looking at Nicole' s surprised face, Lil Michael felt proud.
“Pretty Lady, do you like it so much that you don't know what to say?”
Nicole's hand trembled slightly as she subconsciously looked at the boy.
She did not know how to reject it because it was her own picture, but this gift was too expensive to accept.
Clayton coughed on the side.
“Ms. Stanton, you can accept it without worries since it's Lil Michael' s heart. Compared to his life, this is nothing.”
Lil Michael nodded solemnly. “Yes, it's nothing!”
After a few seconds of silence, Nicole nodded her head.
“Okay, thanks, Lil Michael. I like this gift very much.”
Nicole casually put the photo next to the bouquet. For a moment, she felt that something was wrong. The flowers, photo, and candle next to it...
She felt a lump in her throat.
Tigger, who sensed Nicole's emotions, jumped up on the table and used his tail to casually sweep the flowers onto the floor, then walked around to make a mess.
Lil Michael was annoyed and pulled Tigger down by the neck.
“Little tiger, you're a fake! Don't create trouble here!”
“No, I'm a real tiger!”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.489
Tigger thought, 'How dare you question that I'm nota real tiger!'
It shook its tail and instantly felt that Lil Michael was not cute anymore.
Lil Michael frowned. To verify the tiger's authenticity, Lil Michael took a piece of beef jerky from the table and put it in Tigger's mouth.
“Eat it then, little tiger!”
Tigger desperately wanted to get rid of this kid's grasp, but it was too weak.
It felt so aggrieved.
Just when Nicole was about to help, Tigger waved his front paws in the air.
“I can't eat! I'm a fake tiger...”
Tigger' s dignity as a fierce tiger was swept down the drain because of a kid.
It shook its fur and rested in Lil Michael's arms speechlessly as it stared aggrievedly at Nicole.
'Mama didn't even help me...'
Nicole bowed her head and ate quietly.
Since Clayton had expressed interest in her before, Nicole tried her best to hide the trace of awkwardness she felt.
The two adults did not mention a word of what happened before so it was uncomfortable, but Clayton would occasionally place some dishes on Nicole and Lil Michael' s plates attentively. Nicole also felt Clayton's brief lingering gaze on her.
She could only pretend as if nothing had happened.
After dinner, the father and son pair sent Nicole home.
Lil Michael was so tired that he fell asleep in the car.
Nicole got out of the car with Tigger in her arms. Clayton brought out the box for her and looked at her apologetically.
“Lil Michael still doesn't understand that white chrysanthemums are bereavement flowers. I'll make sure to teach him properly next time.”
Nicole chuckled. “It's okay. Children don't have malicious intent.”
Clayton ' s smile was a little relaxed. “Will you like roses next time?”
He was testing the waters.
Nicole understood Clayton's meaning in an instant. Roses were meant for lovers.
“I'd prefer cactus.”
A cactus that rejects people.
Clayton raised an eyebrow and bowed his head as he laughed.
“Okay, I'm good at catering to people's preferences.”
Meanwhile, at Imperial Gardens.
The husky pounced at Eric, who just got back. Eric shooed it away with his cane in annoyance.
“Isn't Keith back already? Why didn't he take it away?”
Toto chased the dog around with a bowl of dog food.
“Mrs. Ludwig came back, but she didn't like the dog, so Young Master Ludwig asked us to keep it here for now.”
“I don't like it either!”
Eric's face was cold and sullen. 'Keith is always finding trouble for me!'
He took out his phone to call Keith and waited in annoyance.
Keith picked up the call. “Gosh, Ferg, are you out of the game?”
“What do you mean?”
“Nicole and Clayton took Clayton' s son for dinner at a Michelin Star restaurant. They even bought out the venue and look like a cute little family of three.”
Eric's sharp eyes sank at once. The aura around him was bitterly cold.
“Are they still there?”
His voice suppressed a fit of uncontrollable anger. “They left together...”
Keith wanted to say a few more words, but Eric lost his temper and hung up the phone without saying anything.
It was blunt.
Eric's eyes had a hidden rage.
Toto apprehensively carried the husky over. He heard that conversation clearly.
“Mr. Ferguson...”
Eric's face was glum. “I don't care what method you use. Get Nicole to come over.”
Toto knew how much of a failure he was as a matchmaker. Unfortunately for him, Eric and Nicole were not ordinary people.
“I-I don't...”
Before Toto could finish his sentence, Eric' s cold eyes swept over.
“Do you think you've lived long enough?”
Toto suddenly changed his words. “I don't have a problem with that.”
Eric went upstairs to the study. Toto sat defeated on the floor.
'Mr. Ferguson is so scary! I guess he's usually considered easy-going! '
Toto hurriedly took out his phone and called Nicole, sobbing.
“Ms. Stanton, Mr. Ferguson just fell down the stairs..."
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.490
Nicole was just about to rest when she received Toto's call.
She panicked, took her keys, and ran out.
Nicole felt guilty when she thought about Eric limping. If his leg could never recover because of her, she was afraid that she would owe him for the rest of her life.
Luca drove, so the twenty-minute journey only took ten minutes.
They arrived at Imperial Gardens in a Cash.
As soon as Nicole went in, Toto greeted her in a panic.
“Ms. Stanton, Mr. Ferguson fell down the stairs. He has a fever and is now unconscious!”
Nicole knitted her brows. Her heart thumped when she heard this.
“Did you call a doctor?”
Toto froze and immediately spoke.
“Yes... The doctor got into an accident on the way, so he'll be delayed for a while.”
Nicole went to Eric's room and saw the man lying on the bed. His face was pale with beads of sweat on his forehead. He really looked like he had a fever.
The husky circled the bed and chewed on his cane on the side.
Nicole frowned. 'How did he get a fever from a fall? Was it so serious?'
Toto was very anxious and antsy.
“Ms. Stanton, what should we do? Mr. Ferguson can only be assured with you, so you can't leave now...”
Nicole reached out. As soon as she touched his forehead, a large hand clutched her wrist.
Eric opened his eyes, which were dark and deep with a hint of weakness.
He seemed a little fragile and confused, but his grip was strong.
Nicole could not break free. She frowned.
“Nicole, you still care about me, don't you?” His voice was hoarse, weak, and expectant.
Nicole looked at him calmly.
“I'm responsible for your leg injury and so I won't sit idly by.”
Eric's eyes darkened. The corners of his lips were pressed into a straight line.
His expression turned gentle. “Good. I feel at ease with you here.”
'That way, I won't need to think about what you and Clayton are talking about...' Eric thought to himself.
He closed his eyes in time to hide the flash of hostility in them.
No one noticed.
Toto was holding ice and towels on the side, looking like he was in a dilemma.
“Ms. Stanton, Mr. Ferguson needs to cool down, so he won't burn up.”
Nicole nodded. She was just about to give way to Toto when he quickly handed her the things.
“Oops, the doctor got into an accident on the way, so I have to pick him up now!”
After that, he ran out without another word because he was afraid of being shouted at.
Nicole frowned and looked at the expressionless Luca, who was standing in the corner.
Luca nodded. His tall figure slowly approached. “Miss, let me...”
Before Nicole could nod, a hand tightly clutched her wrist.
She was stunned.
Eric struggled to open his eyes. His expression was complicated and ugly.
“No need. There's nothing wrong with me. I don't need to reduce my fever. I don't want anyone else touching me either.”
He stared straight at Luca by the end of the sentence.
His deep gaze carried an inexplicable annoyance. 'I didn't get my way because of him!'
Since Luca was Nicole's bodyguard, Eric could not do anything to him either.
Luca did not even look at Eric because he only took orders from Nicole.
Nicole hesitated for a few seconds before she nodded at Luca.
“It's okay. Why don't you go with Toto?” Luca nodded, turned around, and left.
Nicole and Eric were the only ones left in the room. The silence in the room was gentle.
Nicole unconsciously picked up the ice and towel.“ I'll help you.”