Ch. 491..500
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.491
There was a flash of delight in Eric's eyes.
Then, he sighed. “Forget it. How can I let you do it yourself?”
Toto said to retreat as an advance. He had to adapt to the situation.
Nicole frowned and placed the ice pack on Eric's forehead.
“Such a simple thing is nothing. Bear with it a little longer and wait for the doctor to come.”
Eric's face faintly stiffened. “That's all?”
Nicole nodded. “Done. I didn't touch you.”
He just said that he did not like anyone touching him!
Eric slowly closed his eyes and was speechless. In the next second, Nicole's phone rang.
Eric glanced at her phone and saw the caller ID.
It was Clayton Sloan.
His heart stalled for a moment.
“It's so late. What could he be calling you for?”
He could not hide the jealousy and bitterness in his tone.
Eric felt so jealous that he wanted to kill someone! Nicole absently pursed her lips. “Work.”
She did not intend to explain anything to Eric because there was no need to do so.
After that, she stood up and went outside to answer the call.
Eric watched her stand up and leave. The fire in his eyes was raging.
He was going mad with jealousy.
Eric subconsciously stood at the door to eavesdrop without making a sound.
Nicole picked up. It turned out that it was Lil Michael.
“Pretty Lady, I already miss you after a few hours! Do you miss me?”
“Yes, I miss you very much...”
She gently lowered her voice, which made the man behind the door turn colder and more hurt.
After hanging up, Nicole pushed the door in and saw Eric standing there. His silk pajamas were a little messy. The black color made his skin appear fairer, but it was abnormally pale.
A strong chill and grief enveloped the man. These two emotions intertwined, and his eyes were filled with anger and pain.
Nicole froze and frowned. “You...”
Eric was a step ahead. His dark eyes stared intently at Nicole as he asked her, “You're just acting with him because of business, right?”
His voice was extremely restrained.
Eric was trying his best to control his emotions. Once he said this, the corners of his eyes turned red.
He was expecting to hear her answer, but at the same time, he was afraid to hear it.
Nicole was silent for a few seconds to ease the sudden acceleration of his heartbeat, but in the next second, she suddenly realized something.
Eric was actually standing there without his cane!
'His leg recovered? Didn't he fall down the stairs and have a relapse? Wasn't he unconscious from a fever?'
At this time, the husky ran to the balcony on the side and kept chewing on Eric's cane, not noticing the tension between the two people.
The trace of pity in Nicole's heart instantly dissipated. Instead, she only felt infuriated by this absurdity.
'Eric Ferguson, this lying son of a b*tch!'
Nicole raised her eyes and looked at Eric with a dull gaze.
Her tone carried an indifferent coldness. “Who said that it's a show? We're planning to make it real!”
She watched as the man's pupils constricted. His eyes suddenly turned red, but Nicole was unfazed.
Glancing at his healed legs, Nicole could no longer control the anger that surged in her heart.
“Okay, don't disturb my date. I'm leaving.”
Nicole gnashed her teeth and turned around coldly to leave.
She was afraid that if she stayed for one more second, she would not be able to control herself and really cripple him.
Before she stepped out of the door, Eric took two steps forward and pressed her shoulders against the wall.
His lips unconsciously curved down. He was obviously anxious and sad, but he gently stroked Nicole's hair like he was soothing an anxious kitten.
“Don't leave, Nicole. I was wrong. I still have a fever. I'm still sick. You can't leave me alone.”
His tone was so gentle as he coaxed her, but his eyes were bloodshot. His slightly trembling hands revealed his anxious and restless heart.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.492
Eric was terrified.
He was afraid of losing Nicole forever.
Eric told himself not to get mad. It did not matter even if Nicole chose Clayton.
He had a million ways to confine her to his life forever.
Nicole was speechless and pushed him away. Her strength was much stronger than Eric, who was pretending to be sick. She sneered and said, “Then you can feel at ease being sick. The doctor will be here soon.”
After she said this, she turned around.
When she got downstairs, she met Toto and the doctor who came in one after another, looking unhappy and not very anxious.
If Nicole had not noticed beforehand that Eric was pretending to be sick, she might not understand what was going on.
Luca was following them with a serious face as he urged them.
Seeing Nicole coming downstairs, Toto hurriedly greeted her.
“Ms. Stanton, what do you want to take? I'll go get it for you. You don't need to come down personally.”
She should just spend more time with Eric. Nicole gave him a cold blank stare.
She did not answer and looked at Luca. “Let's go.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Toto froze for a second. He then saw Eric trying to catch up to Nicole. He walked downstairs in such a hurry without his cane. He understood the situation in an instant.
'Mr. Ferguson hid it so well! I didn't even know when his leg had recovered! '
However, Eric did not notice his abnormality.
Nicole and Luca were one step ahead and left Imperial Gardens.
Eric stood there looking lost. When he raised his eyes to look at Toto and the doctor, his eyes were calm.
“She's upset.”
Toto thought, ' It'll be strange if she's not upset!' The doctor stood there in a tangle. “Mr. Ferguson, do I still have to...”
Eric swept a glance at him. “No need.”
After hearing this, the doctor left the same way he arrived.
Toto stood there and felt the chill that Eric was exuding, not daring to act rashly.
He had no other choice because Nicole and Eric' s personalities were too strong.
“Mr. Ferguson, do you want to go upstairs and rest?”
Toto managed to trick Nicole to come over, but Eric screwed it up, so he had no one to blame.
If Nicole was upset, Eric could not possibly kill Toto to make her happy, right?
From what Toto knew about Eric, Eric was perfectly capable of something like that.
Upstairs, the husky that was mischievously biting the cane, was trying to drag it down the stairs to its bed step by step.
When Eric heard the movement, he swept an oppressive gaze over.
Looking at that cane, his eyes narrowed and instantly sank.
He suddenly understood why Nicole's attitude changed so fast.
Eric then looked at his legs. He kept his recovery hidden for so long just to make Nicole feel guilty all the time, but it was so recklessly exposed when he was unaware.
The frustration in his chest was suffocating.
He cursed under his breath and hated himself for recovering so quickly.
Eric knew that if he chased after Nicole at this moment, she would still be angry and absolutely would not forgive him.
Although Eric was mad that Nicole might have gone to meet with Clayton, he was in the wrong, so he could not act rashly.
He could only find another opportunity later to make up for this.
A few days later.
Nicole and Floyd were at home fishing.
Yvette ran over happily to greet them. “Hi, Uncle Floyd! Nicole, I've decided to invite everyone to a party to celebrate my new relationship!”
Nicole rolled her eyes and glanced at Floyd. She meant that Yvette should reel it in a little.
Floyd looked at Yvette and laughed. “Yvie, you've already celebrated three or four times this month, each time a different guy. You go girl!”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.493
Yvette knew that Floyd was just poking fun at her. She did not get angry and happily went to pull Nicole's arm. “I'm creating opportunities for Nicole. If she meets more people, she won't get easily coaxed!”
Floyd thought it made sense. Nicole helplessly looked at Yvette.
“I have a dinner appointment with a business partner tonight, so go ahead with your celebration.
Nicole only felt a headache when she thought about Yvette's parties. It was just filled with all kinds of fancy food and drink, which she was already used to.
She might as well close a business deal.
Yvette simply walked over and sat next to Nicole. She spoke in a low voice, “This time is different.
I've prepared a surprise for you! Many famous male models all over the world are invited too! I guarantee that they're your favorite type, so just go and check it out!”
Nicole gave her a speechless look. Famous male models all over the world?
Yvette was never so focused on her family's business, but she was always extremely enthusiastic about these kinds of plans. Nicole really did not know what to say to that.
On the side, Floyd stared unblinkingly at the water like he was concentrating on the fish inside.
“Lil N, what's the point of going to a boring dinner with the business partners? Get your brother to go instead. You should go to the party with Yvie. Go have some fun and don't come home too early!”
Nicole was speechless and suspected that Floyd had overheard Yvette's words.
Yvette excitedly dragged Nicole away. “Don't worry, Uncle Floyd! We'll definitely come back soon!”
Floyd waved his hand. “No need!”
The butler and maids at the side were speechless. Tattle Bar.
Inside the private room.
Nicole and Yvette went in one after the other. Julie and Ian sat on both sides of the sofa, seemingly engrossed in their phones.
There were many male models in front of them.
Nicole swept a glance. Some were popular models who were very famous internationally. They were all sitting there obediently and talking leisurely.
Nicole felt countless blazing gazes on her and instantly regretted coming.
However, Yvette did not give her a chance to escape and pushed her inside.
Nicole wore a slim black dress, which outlined her slender figure perfectly. Her makeup was exquisite, which was just fitting for this kind of occasion. Her usual iciness was toned down and made her look completely different.
Julie waved at Nicole cheerfully, looking a little dazed and somewhat drunk.
Nicole walked over and sat down. “Are you already drunk?”
She smiled lazily. “Do you know where we are?”
Julie leaned into her mysteriously. “I've prepared a gift for you. It's your favorite type!”
After that, Julie beckoned towards the person in the corner. The tall man was sitting there with a cold and lonely silhouette.
Nicole was shocked for a moment when she saw him. “Eric...?”
'Isn't that Eric Ferguson?'
When that man looked back, his eyebrows were much gentler, and his eyes were not as cold and calculating as Eric's. He looked like an innocent fresh graduate with a clear and cold temperament.
However, his facial features were 70% similar to Eric's.
He looked more related to Eric than Nathaniel, who was Eric's nephew.
Seeing Nicole's surprised face, Yvette and Julie could not wait to call that man over.
“He has nothing to do with Eric Ferguson. His name is Xander, a model who debuted abroad. I met him when I was running a show there. As soon as I saw him, I thought that you'd like him, so I brought him back!”
Julie smiled as she looked at her gift.
She thought that her gift was really thoughtful.
That man came closer. He looked clean-cut with stunning features. He was just not as reserved and imposing as Eric.
The man cautiously glanced at Nicole. “Ms. Stanton, my name is Xander.”
Nicole smiled perfunctorily and cast a sidelong glance at Julie.
“Don't you know that I hate that man?! How could you send over someone who looks so much like him?!”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.494
Yvette patted Nicole’s shoulder.
“If you hate it, just think of Xander as Eric's replacement and torment him. If you like it, just obsess over Xander, which will exasperate Eric to death! No matter how you look at it, you won't lose out!”
Nicole smiled faintly. “You guys sure are my besties, huh?”
“That's for sure!” The two ladies spoke in unison.
Ian, who was on the side, coldly snorted. “You girls only know how to goof around...”
Nicole's eyes lit up and scooted over to him excitedly.
“Carter, what do you have in mind?” 'A business idea, perhaps?'
Ian smiled lazily and scrolled through his phone.
“I still have eight hundred pounds of potatoes that I haven't sold, do you wanna help?”
Nicole was speechless.
Julie coldly snorted. “Carter wanted me to help him pull customers for his agricultural produce at a big fashion show abroad. Do you think it's appropriate?!”
Ian glared at Julie with dissatisfaction. “What's not appropriate about it? Do people in the fashion industry not eat, drink, and shit?!”
Nicole sighed and sat there alone. She had nothing more to say to her oddball friends.
She could not ignore that cool Eric lookalike that was sitting next to her. Although it was not Eric, that man's presence still felt suffocating, which made her breathing a little anxious.
Perhaps it was an aftermath of being with Eric.
After sitting for a while, Nicole intended to go out to get some air.
However, the door was blocked by a lot of reporters with their cameras.
Nicole 's face changed slightly. The people inside also noticed the reporters. Julie was drunk and stood in front of Nicole.
“What are you guys doing?”
“Ms. Nixon, we're reporters. We got the news that famous models all around the world are planning to develop their careers in Mediania. We want to ask how the talks are going?”
“Yes, who among them agreed to stay in Mediania?”
“Are you signing with all of them?”
“Isn't Nicole Stanton here? Will she also participate in this matter?”
“Ms. Stanton, do you want to say a few words?” “Is this just a simple get-together?”
One reporter' s voice was extraordinarily obvious and instantly quieted down.
Everyone in the room had different expressions and thoughts.
Nicole did not need to think too deeply to know that someone in this party must have schemed against them.
Whether it was Nicole, Julie, Ian, or Yvette, any one of them was enough to be the subject of hot gossip.
If a model in this party wanted to be popular and betrayed this topic, everyone would be at risk when this party became a hot topic of discussion.
It might be about the messy life of trust fund kids or even the unseemly secrets of rich women.
Whichever it was, it would certainly cause an impact on their businesses.
Nicole was speechless as she swept a glance at the male models sitting in the room. They had various expressions, so Nicole could not tell who was behind this.
Yvette was obviously a little flustered and hid behind Ian.
Ian was even more distressed. He barely
contributed to his family business but kept creating trouble time and time again. He only wanted to be a simple trust fund kid with a conscience!
The reporters at the door had no tendency to stop at all.
They were too curious about this kind of party.
Was this gathering for their career, or was this a debauchery for rich women?
Tomorrow's headlines would depend on their response.
Julie stood at the door and did not intend to give way. Her face was very glum.
“This is a commercial secret and not open to the public. Please look forward to the official press conference!”
Julie took out her phone, intending to call the bar manager so that he could come with his bodyguards to solve the problem.
Where did this group of reporters come from?
“We'd like to interview the people inside. Please come out so that we can see them.”
“Yes, please come out...”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.495
The reporters simply did not want to return empty- handed.
Nicole took a deep breath and opened the door, revealing a polite yet unobtrusive smile.
“In fact, this is just a preliminary contact. We intend to do a talent show with internationally- renowned supermodels as guest judges, but everything is still confidential at this moment, so please forgive us for not being able to reveal too many details.”
Julie was obviously relieved.
Nicole was an old-timer in business, so she was good at convincing others with answers that did not sound like she was simply coping with them.
Seeing that Nicole had spoken, the reporters swarmed around her.
“Ms. Stanton, which one of these models are you most optimistic about?”
Nicole paused and smiled lightly. “Everyone.”
They laughed in response knowing that they could not afford to offend Nicole. If they continued to pester her, they might lose their jobs.
The reporters were not embarrassed and said,“ Then we'll look forward to the new show!”
They gradually dispersed, so Julie and Nicole breathed a sigh of relief.
In the next second, Nicole' s face sank. She looked at Julie, who nodded.
Julie knew what to do next.
They dismissed everyone.
Ian and Yvette let out a sigh of relief after the scare.
They were different from Nicole and Julie because they did not have the confidence to be independent of their families.
After everyone left, Yvette hugged Nicole's arm in a daze. “We'll change the venue next time! These reporters are too annoying!”
The corners of Nicole's lips twitched. “You never learn your lesson!”
Yvette snorted coldly and did not take this little episode to heart.
Julie found someone to send Yvette and Ian back,
then called the models' agents one by one and instructed them to keep their mouths shut.
She would find out which model today craved popularity so badly.
The cold wind blew, so Nicole wrapped her coat tightly as soon as walked out of the entrance.
Nicole was the last to leave in a low profile. Before she got into the car, she suddenly heard someone call out to her.
“Ms. Stanton...”
Nicole subconsciously turned back and was startled, but she quickly calmed down.
“Xander?”
Looking at that face, Nicole really could not remain indifferent.
That was because he was really too similar to Eric.
Xander came forward and thoughtfully opened the door for her. He covered the roof of the car so that she would not hit her head and smiled. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Stanton. Have a safe journey home.”
Nicole smiled, “Thank you.”
After that, she got into the car and left without another word.
She did not notice the flashing lights from a dark room upstairs.
At the same time.
Eric was at a gathering with several close friends. Everyone could not stand his distraught look.
“Ferg, you should just give up on Nicole knowing her temper...” One of the gentries proposed.
Eric's face was cold and sullen as he glanced at him. “Impossible.”
Keith went over with a glass of wine. “How did my husky offend you? Why is it limping around now?”
Eric indifferently downed his glass of wine. He did not want to mention that stupid dog.
If it was not for the husky biting his cane that day, he would not have forgotten he had a cane!
That husky ruined his plans!
If Eric saw that husky again, he was afraid that he would not be able to resist killing it.
Another man with a rich history of love affairs could not resist giving his two cents.
“Ferg, I think you should be ruthless and give her the cold shoulder for a bit. That way, she'll appreciate you more. If you rush to her like this, she'll only think that you're worthless!”
Keith nodded in agreement.
“Yes, you just need to keep your own high and mighty temperament. Do you know what kind of rumors have been going around the circle lately? Everyone's saying that you wanna marry into the Stanton family!”
This was really insulting to the patriarchy!
Eric's sharp eyes narrowed as he pinched his wine glass tightly. 'Hah! How dare they gossip behind my back?! The audacity!'
Keith patted his shoulder. “Don't worry, we'll help you out with Clayton Sloan.”
Eric snorted coldly and did not care.
Keith and the others were too weak to deal with someone of Clayton's level.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.496
What an ordinary and inspiring day!
Before Nicole opened her eyes, she received Yvette's incessant call.
Without needing to think, Nicole knew that the only one who would call her at this time was her best friend.
When she picked up, her voice was hoarse and lazy. “Hello?”
Yvette spoke in a hurry, “Nicole, you're on the hot topic again!”
Nicole's eyes widened and felt wide awake.
“Didn't everyone leave last night? Why didn't Xander leave and even send you off? Everyone thought that he was Eric Ferguson and thought that you guys were back together, but Eric's friend posted another photo denying the matter. Someone then found out that it was Xander.”
Nicole's heart sank slightly.
She knew very well what Xander meant to the public.
It meant that her past relationship would once again become the talk of the town.
Xander' s face would become everyone's target of speculation. Was he a replacement? Or her new love interest?
Nicole could already think of all the headlines that followed.
“I suspect that Xander deliberately hired someone to do this. What should we do, Nikki? If I'd known, I wouldn't have allowed Julie to take him back to Mediania!”
Yvette spoke with self-blame, remorse, and guilt.
“Forget it, I know that you mean well. I'll contact Dominic Young to find a way to suppress it, so don't think too much about it. Tell Jules to keep the others from last night in check. It'll be best if she can really produce a talent show.”
Even if it was aborted later, it did not matter.
They needed at least a little semblance of the supposed talent show.
“Okay, I'll tell her.”
Yvette understood what Nicole meant and quickly hung up the call.
Nicole scrolled through the news and got a general
understanding of the stage of development this news was at.
[This guy is really Eric Ferguson' s lookalike! Nicole found a replacement. What a pity!]
[Previously, Eric Ferguson was so humble wanting to reconcile his relationship with Nicole, but now, Nicole would rather find a lookalike than look at him, so who's the problematic one in this relationship?]
[She really is the heiress of Stanton Corporation! She can have anyone she wants in a matter of words. Your idols need to work harder!]
[Nicole's private life is so messy! Perhaps this is just the superiority of rich women... My heart aches for Eric Ferguson!]
[I'll always support Nicole! Only someone as capable as her can find a double!]
[Cheering for Fabian!] [Cheering for Miles!] [Cheering for Nathaniel!]
Nicole was speechless with all the comments she saw online and dialed Dominic Young's number.
Dominic Young was probably just as shocked as she was.
When he received her call, he said, “President Nicole, don't worry. I've already started to suppress this news, but you need to be mentally prepared for any backlash because netizens are very sensitive to using privilege to manipulate the news. I'm afraid it won't be as simple as before because it'll look very abrupt. If Eric Ferguson didn't say anything, it'll probably pass after two days, but who knew his friend would post a photo to clarify his whereabouts? Did you two get into a disagreement?”
Nicole was silent for a few seconds. She ignored his last question and instructed in a calm voice,“ There's no need to withdraw it then. Get someone to sign on Xander. Not everyone deserves to ride on my popularity. Didn't he want to be popular?
Instead of letting others make money, why not get this money ourselves?”
Dominic clicked his tongue. He had long wanted to do this, but he dared not mention it.
Now that Nicole brought it up herself, he would naturally oblige.
“Okay! I'll contact his agent right now.”
“Mr. Young, you don't have to be kind to him. Arrange everything and anything for him so that he'll get addicted to this sudden fame.”
Dominic instantly understood what Nicole meant.
This was just a momentary hype. After it was over, Xander would be abandoned and left hanging.
'Huh, it's true that not everyone can afford to ride on Nicole's popularity...' Dominic thought.
“Don't worry. I'll squeeze every last drop of oil out of him!”
Dominic spoke nonchalantly.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.497
After hanging up the phone, Nicole went to work as usual.
Imperial Gardens.
As soon as Toto saw the hot topic, he was so scared that he could not sleep anymore, especially after seeing the rebuttal from Eric's friend. He felt like it was completely over.
That was a detrimental friend!
This was such a good opportunity to protect Nicole that they could never wish for.
That man who walked Nicole to the car really looked like Eric if one did not look too carefully.
Toto did not dare to delay this and went upstairs to knock on the door apprehensively.
Eric drowned himself in alcohol and had anger pent up inside. When he opened the door, he glared coldly at Toto. “Speak!”
Toto took out his phone. “Mr. Ferguson, you should see it for yourself...”
One minute...
Two minutes...
Five minutes passed.
Eric's face turned increasingly glum.
He was the main character and had not been successful with Nicole, yet his double had already surpassed him?
The internet was filled with cries of sympathy for Eric.
It was not just sympathy. Everyone was just watching the drama.
Eric's heart was bitter and angry.
In the next second, the phone shattered into pieces on the floor.
Toto looked at the wreckage of his phone with pain. It was quite an expensive phone!
However, he dared not say anything. “Mr. Ferguson, should we do something about it?”
Eric's eyes were bloodshot from anger. “Go and get it withdrawn! I don't want to see anything about this!”
Toto quickly responded and called Mitchell, who was more experienced in handling such matters.
Eric went back to his room and took out his phone just as Keith called.
“Ferg, don't get angry with what I'm about to tell you...”
“Who's that person who's meddling online?” Eric asked.
“You found out?” Keith secretly felt bad for the guy. He knew all too well about Eric's feelings for Nicole.
Their friend was “kind” enough to clear Eric's name but doing so put Nicole in an awkward situation. Moreover, it made Eric look like he wanted to save himself and betray Nicole.
How could Eric tolerate such a thing?
Thus, as soon as Keith saw this, he tried to intercede in this matter.
However, he was still a step too late.
“Tell me!” Eric' s voice was cold with a compelling bitterness.
Keith pursed his lips. “It's Yannick Zabinski...”
Even if Keith did not tell him, Eric would still find out.
Eric hung up the phone and called Mitchell. His mind was clear as he instructed. “Immediately announce that we're cutting off all cooperation with the Zabinskis.
Mitchell froze for a moment. “Yes, Mr. Ferguson.” Such a big thing happened so suddenly.
Mitchell guessed that it was related to what happened last night.
Eric calmly rubbed the corners of his lips. His eyes had a hidden ruthlessness.
Soon, the situation on the internet suddenly reversed.
Dominic Young released a statement with the company's official account.
Xander was a new artist that signed with Falcon Entertainment who was ready to make his debut in Mediania through a talent show that Nicole invested in. His meeting with Nicole last night was completely accidental.
In just a few words, Nicole's involvement in this was wiped away cleanly.
There were quite a few people present at the time, so there was no need to explain.
Gradually, the discussion took a turn. Everyone became less obsessed if Xander was just Eric's replacement. There was also no response from Ferguson Corporation, so the discussion was not as rigorous.
It was just that everyone felt a little strange about Xander's debut. They started cursing Falcon Entertainment for generating hype just for the money.
No one knew that Falcon Entertainment was under Stanton Corporation, so they only pointed the finger at the unscrupulous media.
Dominic sat in his office, annoyed and cursing up a storm. Anyway, he was sure to profit off of this!
From the beginning, Nicole did not officially respond to this like she did not take this trivial matter to heart.
The discussion that had gradually died down suddenly got stirred up again before the end of the day.
That was because Eric Ferguson had acquired Yannick Zabinski's family business.
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.498
It was hard not to connect the two things that happened on the same day.
Everyone found out after a deeper investigation that Yannick Zabinski was the person who posted the photo to clear Eric's name.
However, everyone's speculation was futile.
Ferguson Corporation did not miss out on the formalities of acquiring a small business.
Many in the circle felt that Eric's methods were too ruthless.
There were many complaints about his style of handling this.
Yannick only posted a photo, but Eric pushed the Zabinskis to the brink of extinction in a fit of anger.
However, no one could stop Eric's fury. This was a lesson for everyone.
The matter gradually passed, and Xander' s name came into the public eye. Although everyone did not have a very good initial impression of Xander, a lot of people still supported him because he had Eric Ferguson's domineering face.
Dominic Young also put Xander's popularity to good use and arranged many activities for him and got him to do live streaming during his free time.
J&L Corporation.
The stipulated meetings of the project were important and required the presence of all four parties.
When Nicole arrived, Gerard Lichman, Eric Ferguson, and Clayton Sloan were already sitting in the conference room.
Their eyes were calm when they saw her coming as if they did not know that she was a frequent visitor on the hot topics lately.
No one knew if it was intentional that Eric and Clayton sat opposite each other with an empty seat beside each of them.
Nicole swept a glance and sat next to Clayton without much thought and expression.
Seeing this, Gerard shot Eric a meaningful look.
Clayton gently passed the meeting materials to her. “Ms. Stanton, we should congratulate Mr. Ferguson for his leg recovery.”
With that, Eric, who had just mustered up the courage to speak to Nicole, was rendered speechless. His eyes sank as he glared at Clayton with cold indifference.
'Is he doing this on purpose?' Eric thought. Gerard chimed in, “Yes, indeed...”
Nicole curled up her lips, but her eyes were filled with indifference and ridicule.
“Congratulations, Mr. Ferguson.” 'This stupid liar!'
Eric could barely hold up his expression and nodded slightly. “Thank you.”
Clayton said, “In fact, I recently got the news that many AI enthusiasts abroad want to invest in this project. It's mostly to everyone's benefit, but their conditions are all different.”
Gerard replied, “If a large amount of capital is injected, it'll surely push our project to an admirable scale, but if the progress doesn't go smoothly, it'll have a devastating ending and it'll be more difficult to start again. Out of consideration for the protection of our core technology, I'm not in favor of it.”
Eric hooked his lips. “They're just eyeing our project and want to squeeze us out of the game.
Even if we want capital injection, we need to consider all aspects. Not to mention, we haven't yet reached this stage.”
Clayton nodded in agreement.
Nicole raised her eyebrows and did not have an opinion about this.
Throughout the meeting, Nicole and Clayton had more interaction and had a very tacit understanding of each other. They would understand what the other party wanted to say with one look.
Eric was left out and felt bitter about it.
As soon as the meeting ended, Clayton leaned over and spoke to Nicole in a gentle tone.
“Ms. Stanton, let's have lunch together. Is there anything you'd like to eat?”
Before Nicole could say anything, Gerard answered, “I wanna join.”
Eric chimed in. “Me too.”
Nicole said, “Oh, then you guys can go ahead. I still have something to do.”
There was a momentary stagnation in the air. Nicole slowly packed up her things and left.
Gerard sensed that the atmosphere was not right and looked at Clayton.
“Mr. Sloan, you could've invited us along just now. Only inviting Ms. Stanton is misleading. It sounds like you want to date her.”
Clayton smiled lightly and glanced at Eric.
“Indeed, I do.”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.499
Gerard Lichman could not bring himself to smile because he could clearly feel the tension in the air.
Eric's eyes were gloomy and cold as he met Clayton 's deep and arrogant gaze without flinching.
“It seems that some people don't have any self- awareness.”
“Mr. Ferguson, if you don't have any, why should I?"
This was considered an official confrontation. Clayton laughed and turned to leave.
Eric snorted. His smile was arrogant and ruthless with a hint of powerlessness.
The room was extremely chilly. The lobby of J&L Corporation.
Nicole stood in front of the huge floor-to-ceiling window with her phone. She was on a call and looked very relaxed as she stared out the window with a faint smile while she held her coat with one hand. She seemed pleased with herself.
Seeing Clayton walking over, Nicole hung up the phone. “Mr. Sloan, is there something else?”
Clayton had his hand in his pocket as he smiled at her. “The most pressing thing now is treating you to lunch.”
This was the second time he asked today, so it was not good to refuse.
Nicole paused and chuckled. “Okay, but it should be my treat.”
She only refused earlier because she did not want to share the same table with Eric Ferguson. Without Eric there, she had no worries.
The two of them got into the same car, which was seen by Eric, who was standing upstairs.
A thick coldness shrouded his body.
The displeasure in Eric's heart was shown on his face. Even his chest felt stuffy.
Gerard cleared his throat. “Don't be sad. Leaving together doesn't mean anything.”
He could only give Eric such dry consolation. 'Why didn't Eric appreciate Nicole back when they were married if he likes her so much?'
Clayton and Nicole went to a private restaurant. The customers there were all regulars.
It was situated in a suburban villa with a nice environment. The food served was also delicious.
Nicole came here with Yvette and her friends a few times before, but a reservation was needed to enter.
The restaurant 's business that day was too good. They even met quite a few acquaintances when they arrived.
Keith Ludwig and Colton White were also there.
Since Nicole was not friends with them, there was no need to exchange pleasantries. They then went to a quiet spot.
Clayton handed her a wet wipe for her hands and smiled gently. “I have a feeling that you're uncomfortable because of what I said last time?”
“Mm, a little.”
Nicole was very straightforward. There was no need to hide it.
It would be strange if she was unmoved by it.
Clayton chuckled. “Sorry, that was my fault for being too abrupt, but it was effective.”
Nicole said, “I don't want to waste time on relationships, but I appreciate your good intentions, Mr. Sloan.”
“Ms. Stanton, may I ask why you rejected me so curtly? Are you dissatisfied with me in any way?”
Clayton's smile was sincere and genuine, which made her relax.
Nicole raised an eyebrow. “No. If it's a marriage alliance, you are indeed a good partner, but I can generate the value that a marriage alliance will bring by myself.”
Clayton instantly understood Nicole's words. If he was only pursuing her for the sake of profit and a marriage alliance, Nicole was unfazed by it.
She was not the type to sell herself for profit.
If it was not for profit, there did not seem to be any feelings to speak of between them.
The atmosphere was silent for a moment. Clayton's eyes were gentle as he rubbed his temples.
His tone was apologetic, and his voice was low.
“This is poor consideration on my part. I'm not pursuing you for the sake of a marriage alliance. What if I said that it was for selfish reasons? I've admired you for a long time.”
Nicole poured a cup of tea with lowered eyes. When she heard the last sentence, her wrist shook slightly.
The fragrance of the tea filled the space. A few drops of clear brown liquid spilled out of the cup. It suddenly felt as if the blazing warm sun was shining on her.
The momentary fluttering of her heart made her slightly shaken.
However, she soon regained her composure. Her voice was a few degrees colder than earlier.
“Except for business matters, we don't know each other well. I can even say that we're clueless about each other, so how long exactly is a long time for you, Mr. Sloan?”
Read Novel "The Divorced Billionaire Heiress" chapter No.500
Nicole was suspicious of Clayton's deceitful blather. She was not someone who could be coaxed with mere words.
Clayton met her gaze and said frankly, “Less than a year... But every day since I met you, I've been very happy to find out that you're single. Nicole, let's start anew. My name is Clayton Sloan. I was widowed three years ago, and I have a son.”
He lowered his eyes and smiled a little self- deprecatingly. “I know that sounds like poor conditions, but I have a lot of money. I'm not quite sure on the exact amount, but if you want to know, I can get someone to tally it up, but it may take a little longer because I can't remember all the assets that I have. Also...”
Clayton paused for a moment. He looked serious, and his warm gaze seemed to glow.
“Michael is actually my late brother's son. Due to certain religious beliefs and traditions, I had no choice but to marry Michael' s mother so that her family would agree to her giving birth to Michael.”
Nicole stiffened. She suddenly did not know what to say.
His self-deprecating look earlier made her feel a little loss for words.
This secret also made her heavy—hearted.
No one probably knew about this secret, yet Clayton opened up to her about this.
Nicole's heart ached for Michael. Her mood was very complicated.
Clayton continued, “I'm only telling you about this because this is my biggest secret. Don't feel burdened by it. I originally intended to wait for Michael to get older before telling him about this”
Nicole pursed her lips. She seemed to have inadvertently touched Clayton's sadness.
“I'm sorry, I didn't mean to probe.”
After finding out about this, Nicole could not bring herself to be happy.
Clayton seemed to reveal everything about himself with full sincerity, but what about her?
Nicole was not at all ready to start a new relationship.
Clayton's smile was gentle and humble. “Well, I just want you to get to know me a little more. I don't want you to think that I'm only infatuated by your beauty.”
Nicole gradually relaxed.
After a while, Nicole went to the bathroom.
Not far away, Keith and Colton were staring at the couple's movements. They seemed so cordial, and their stunning looks made them seem like a good match.
Keith looked at his phone anxiously. There was still no response.
He had sent Eric a message earlier, but Eric did not react.
Was Eric on the way here to kill someone?
Keith and Colton could not wait any longer. They took advantage of Nicole' s absence and walked over to Clayton.
“Mr. Sloan?”
Clayton raised an eyebrow and nodded at the two strangers in front of him.
“Mr. Sloan, I'm Keith Ludwig from the Ludwig Corporation, and this is Colton White from White Corporation. It's a pleasure to meet you.”
Keith felt that although Clayton maintained a modest and decent smile, there was something about Clayton that was so similar to Eric.
The only difference was that this feeling was more intense and obvious with Eric, while it seemed deliberately hidden with Clayton.
Keith subconsciously looked wary but thinking about his best friend Eric that was going crazy because of Nicole, he had to help somehow.
“Hello.”
Keith nonchalantly sat next to Clayton and pretended to be puzzled.“ If I'm not mistaken, the one sitting here just now was Nicole Stanton?”
Clayton 's eyes darkened as he smiled and nodded his head.
Keith quickly said, “Are you very close to Ms. Stanton? Oh right, Ms. Stanton has a good relationship with anyone, like Miles Kavanagh, Fabian, and some other young hunks in showbiz...”
Colton nodded in agreement. “Yes, Nicole and Miles Kavanagh definitely have something going on...”
Clayton's eyes flickered. His smile deepened.
“Mr. Ludwig and Mr. White, what exactly are you trying to say?”
Keith sighed. “You've just returned to Mediania, so don't think that Nicole likes you just because she treats you better. We're just reminding you so that your feelings won't get hurt. Nicole only likes Eric Ferguson. When they weren't divorced, Nicole was so humble and passionate. That was real love.
They're only at odds momentarily, but they'll certainly reconcile one day. Look, she's recently found Xander, don't you think that she's just looking for a substitute?"