Ch. 651..660

Read Chapter 651 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

Toto looked at Eric’s glum face and patiently explained, "Mr. Ferguson, if you only make this post visible to Ms. Stanton alone, it’ll be useless if she blocks you. Although this is a little drop in your character, you must endure this for the sake of Ms. Stanton!"

Eric was annoyed, but he kept telling himself that everything was for Nicole.

One minute...

Two minutes...

Eric waited until his patience was almost exhausted. His face was getting darker by the minute. If Nicole did not call him, he would first delete that post, then chop Toto into pieces!

Just when Toto felt the chill down his spine to the soles of his feet, making his legs go limp, Eric’s phone rang.

Toto finally breathed a sigh of relief and handed Eric his expensive phone apprehensively. "When Ms. Stanton talks to you, don’t be too aggressive or enthusiastic, and don’t take the initiative to apologize or delete the post!"

Eric pursed his lips and did not say anything as he calmly took his phone.

His heart was pounding with excitement. "Hello?"

Toto was satisfied as he looked at Eric with admiration. ’Mr. Ferguson is really great! He can maintain his high and mighty aura no matter what. All he needs to do is keep up this domineering boss temperament!’

"Eric Ferguson! Did you get kicked in the head?! It’s fine if you post that sappy sh*t for yourself, but why pull me into it? Don’t even try to say that it’s not about me because

that’s my initials! Even an idiot will know who you’re talking about. Hurry up and delete that stupid post!"

Nicole’s tone was cold and impulsive. She sounded very angry. If it was not for her status, she would have cursed that son of a b”tch, Eric Ferguson!

Eric’s face was dark and heavy. His cold brows were knitted. His hand that was holding the phone tightened.

On the surface, he looked calm, but his tense face betrayed his nervousness.

Hearing Nicole’s words, Eric was expressionless as he said, "I won’t delete it."

"What?!"

Eric repeated it and sneered. "Only my girlfriend can tell me what to do. Are you implying that you are?"

Eric, who had always been lowly and submissive in front of Nicole, suddenly stood his ground.

While he was happy, there was also a hint of nervousness. He waited for Nicole’s answer.

The woman on the phone cursed impatiently. "Crazy bastard!"

After that, she hung up the phone. Eric was speechless.

His narrow eyes permeated a faint chill at this time as he looked at Toto.

Toto was shaken and scratched his head. "Uh... You’re right, Mr. Ferguson. Regardless of Ms. Stanton’s reaction, we can’t delete it!"

Eric laughed lightly. His gaze converged slightly as he curled his fingers and tapped on the desk.

"This is your last chance, understand?"

Toto subconsciously shuddered. "Understood!"

He killed five batches of Eric’s fish. Each batch had several fish worth several million each, which Toto could not afford to pay back.

Nicole ignored Eric’s sudden neurotic behavior. These days, Eric had been posting on social media or sending her text messages just to make his existence known.

No matter how slow she was, Nicole could tell that this was Eric’s way of trying to get back together with her.

’Hah! I won’t fall for it!’

Thus, Nicole did not respond to any of Eric’s messages.

The only communication link between them was Logan and Mitchell being middlemen to relay their messages.

Gerard Lichman sent out an invitation to Nicole and Eric for the scheduled meeting that was held regularly at J&L Corporation.

It was compulsory.

When Nicole arrived, she saw that Eric and Gerard were the only ones in the meeting room and frowned slightly.

"Didn’t you notify Mr. Sloan?"

Read Chapter 652 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

Clayton Sloan was needed the most in such a meeting, but he was absent.

The meeting room was well heated, but a light chill could still be felt.

Gerard Lichman smiled. "Mr. Sloan is still abroad and can’t attend the meeting. We’ll send him a copy of the minutes afterward."

Nicole frowned but did not say anything. She took a seat and looked at the prepared materials.

Eric tried very hard not to look at her, but his gaze still landed on her anyway.

Nicole was like a gravitational vortex that Eric could not ignore. He would want to see her from time to time.

When Eric heard her mention Clayton, he could not help but sneer.

’He should be abroad now trying to salvage the project... He deserves it because I dislike the way he’s hovering around Nicole.’

Listening to Gerard’s report, Eric’s cold and solemn attitude made others feel more pressured.

Gerard looked at those two people who did not communicate with each other and felt apprehensive. Every meeting was like a psychological war.

Finally, the arduous meeting was adjourned.

Gerard coughed slightly. "This project will still continue at the end of the year. The research for our psychological testing device has reached the final stage. I was thinking

that we should take advantage of the New Year to launch this new project."

Nicole said, "We haven’t tried it yet, and it hasn’t been tested, so it’s more prone to a total loss if something goes wrong when it’s launched to the market prematurely."

Eric did not say anything, which meant that he acquiesced to Nicole’s opinion.

Gerard wrinkled his eyebrows. "But this project is already very mature. A regular polygraph that’s used in the police station is the most low-level psychological testing equipment. What we are researching now is hundreds of times more advanced than the polygraph!"

Nicole’s voice was dull. "What’s the rush, Mr. Lichman? Why can’t we wait until after the New Year?"

Why did he want to create more work for everyone at this time?

Gerard stroked his forehead and did not know whether to laugh or cry.

"Ms. Stanton, you sure are bold. Everything can be left aside until after the New Year and until you’ve had dinner, right? You..."

Eric interrupted Gerard in an icy voice. "Gerard, watch your words. Who do you think you’re lecturing?"

Gerard shut up in an instant.

Looking at Nicole’s indifferent face, Gerard’s complexion changed slightly. He suddenly regretted speaking out of turn.

Nicole was not someone he could snark at.

Gerard pursed his lips. "I’m sorry. I unconsciously got too carried away because I was just talking with some friends abroad recently about some of the conventions and habits of us Medianians. In Mediania, the New Year is indeed an important holiday, but globally, it’s just a regular day. The fact that our research bore results earlier than others means that we have the upper hand to set the direction for this industry in the international arena. Now, Liberty is also going into the same research direction as us, so in case..."

Gerard stopped mid-sentence. He clearly got some news and seemed a little anxious.

Nicole did not look angry and faintly hooked her lips.

"Mr. Lichman, we shouldn’t jump the gun. Even if we do launch first, we’ll end up being a laughing stock if we make a mistake."

Gerard frowned and looked at Eric.

Eric’s brow was sunken as if he was in deep thought.

Three seconds later, Eric agreed with Nicole.

"It must go through at least thousands of experiments before it can be released on the market."

When something new got released to the market, it would need to withstand the public’s questions and tests to prove its real strength.

They should not rush to launch just because they wanted to be the first globally.

Gerard’s eyebrows twitched. He sighed helplessly and could only agree. ’then, would you two like to experience the psychological treatment process for yourselves?”

Read Chapter 653 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

Gerard Lichman watched with great interest. The greatest result they achieved for this psychological testing device was the collection of the world’s most notable cases and processes of treating various mental illnesses. The data from the tests could be used to peer into the patient’s deepest emotional fluctuations and thoughts. It would further guide the patient with self-healing techniques.

What made this different from regular therapists was that the treatment process would not involve another human.

It would be an honest and balanced dialogue between the human and machine.

Artificial intelligence as a "psychiatrist" would have enough data and settings so that the patient would trust the artificial intelligence system for targeted treatment and psychological intervention.

Regard less of the patient’s past and issues, there would be no betrayal or risk of privacy exposure, which was extremely attractive to the patients.

The results of this research would certainly cause a huge sensation in the world.

Nicole was very interested in this research and was eager to try this.

After all, an experienced psychiatrist could control the patient’s psyche, but how could a machine do it?

Gerard Lichman smiled at Eric and Nicole. "This way, please..."

Eric did not think too much about the machine prying into his privacy. When he was in the army, he underwent strict and intense psychological training. Thus, he would not be

easily disturbed by people and circumstances. Before he could refuse, Nicole already stood up.

Eric held back his words of refusal, straightened his shirt, stood up, and followed them out.

The laboratory was surrounded by airtight, gray-colored walls that looked like they were made with special materials.

Nicole and Eric stood in the doorway. The two of them were close together, but there was no communication between them.

Even Gerard was secretly amazed that Eric would give up so many opportunities to talk to Nicole.

Someone wearing a white lab coat came out of the room and nodded at them. "It’s ready."

Gerard extended his arm. "Let’s go together."

Surprisingly, it could accommodate two people at the same time.

Nicole did not think much about it and walked inside. It turned out that there were two separate rooms inside.

She subconsciously walked into one of them, while Eric walked into the other.

When Nicole heard the sound of the door closing, she was slightly stunned.

It was an automatic door. A gentle male voice that sounded magnetic came through from the speakers. "Hi, Ms. Stanton. Nice to meet you."

The room was originally a more casual white decor, but when the man spoke, it somehow changed into Nicole’s favorite color, a light smoky gray that was simple, clean, and high-end.

The tatami mats, tables, and chairs in the corners also became a soft style that she liked. All of these changed so inadvertently and gradually.

Nicole was secretly surprised. ’The system can even pry into one’s inner preferences to set a comfortable and safe environment according to their preferences?’

She could not help but feel awed, but out of consideration for the system, she did not show a trace of surprise or praise.

Looking out of the window, Nicole could see small hanging on the tree branches, wild and beautiful. The field of flowers was spectacular.

She stood there and could even smell bursts of floral fragrance.

Nicole suddenly came out of her trance and realized that it was now winter, so this scene must be artificial. However, this room was part of the system, and it gave off such a realistic feeling.

"Ms. Stanton, please have a seat."

That voice rang out again, gentle and soothing, like a sincere friend.

"Don’t worry, Ms. Stanton. I only analyzed your preferences based on your dressing style. The artificial intelligence psychological detection system can’t peek into a person’s heart. It can only be used as an aid for mental health recovery."

Nicole paused for a moment. "Can I go see the man who came in with me?"

Read Chapter 654 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

Somehow, Nicole felt that Eric coming in here was more mysterious.

The system paused for a moment, obviously not expecting Nicole to have such a request.

In less than ten seconds, someone came in the door. It was Gerard Lichman.

He looked at Nicole with a smirk. "According to the rules, you can’t, but since you’re President Nicole Stanton, we’ll make an exception."

Nicole raised her eyebrows and thought, ’I guess it’s enough for one of us to try it out. I don’t wanna be a guinea pig...

Gerard snapped his fingers to automatically reset the system. The wall in front of them slowly became transparent.

Nicole faintly glanced at Gerard and curled her lips. "This wall material should be pretty costly, huh?"

Gerard smiled and lowered his voice. "We use the world’s highest-quality materials so that it’s safe and secure."

She looked at the man standing on the other side of the wall. His hawk-like eyes examined the surroundings.

The environment he was in was bright, like the villa in Imperial Gardens.

Nicole could not help but frown.

In the next second, the man’s eyes suddenly turned to look at them through the wall.

Nicole’s heart trembled as she subconsciously clenched her fists. ’He could see me?’

Gerard reassured her from the side. "Ms. Stanton, don’t worry. He can’t see us, nor can he hear us."

Nicole sighed in relief.

She looked at Gerard with an indifferent gaze. "You can leave."

Gerard was dumbfounded.

Nicole said, "Do you think that Eric will let you go if he found out that you’re snooping around his psyche?"

"But aren’t you also..."

Nicole laughed lightly. "I’m not worried."

Gerard pursed his lips. ’Right... I’m the one who should be worried! Fine...’

He instantly lost the mood to snoop around.

Gerard smiled as he left, and Nicole faintly withdrew her gaze.

Eric’s line of sight soon moved away.

Nicole watched Eric’s movements. He seemed to have heard something because his face became a little dazed a s he smiled.

Earlier, Gerard only said that Eric would not be able to hear them and did not mention that she would not be able to hear Eric either.

’Damn it! I can’t hear anything...’

Nicole felt like a bucket of cold water was poured over her head. Her desire to pry into Eric’s psyche was instantly doused.

She dawdled for a while and just wanted to leave when she suddenly saw Eric looking in her direction. His eyes were red as he shouted, "Nicole!"

Although she could not hear his voice, the way his lips moved when he said her name was clear.

Nicole’s heart shook for a moment.

She felt like she could actually hear his voice. However, he clearly could not see her.

In the next second, Eric took two steps back with a pained expression.

Nicole pursed her lips and could not bear to look any longer. All those past memories that she deliberately kept hidden were hooked out by Eric one by one in an unending streak.

She did not like this feeling and even regretted her stupid move.

Nicole immediately returned to her indifferent and calm expression and walked out of the room decisively without another glance at Eric.

Gerard was leaning against the wall on the opposite side, instructing his employees in a low voice.

When Nicole came out, Gerard was a little surprised, then the corners of his lips curled into a playful smile.

"What’d you see?"

Nicole pursed her lips. "If you wanna know, go see for yourself..."

"I don’t have the guts, but why are you out so soon?"

Nicole said, "I’m not interested in continuing to watch it."

Gerard said, “I’m really curious who Mr. Ferguson is tangled about.”

Eric was such a fearless man, so who would he feel torn about?

In fact, Gerard already had a vague answer in mind, but he wanted to know what the woman in front of him was thinking.

Nicole suddenly thought of the moment when Eric shouted her name.

Her tone was cold. “I can’t hear anything.”

Read Chapter 655 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

Gerard and Nicole went to the lounge to drink tea. To be precise, they were listening to Tucker’s report.

Halfway through, Gerard received a phone call and went out. Nicole sat there slowly drinking tea.

After less than fifteen minutes, Nicole vaguely heard Eric reprimanding voice.

Nicole paused and got up. Before she went out, she heard Eric speaking to Gerard in a cold tone.

"What buIIsh*t intelligent psychiatrist is that? It can’t solve my problem so it asked me to forget it? Do I need it to tell me that forgetting can solve the problem?!"

Gerard asked, "Then who does it want you to forget?" "Get lost!"

Nicole sat back in her seat, half-hugging her arms.

Eric and Gerard walked in one after the other. Eric obviously looked unhappy. "This project should be postponed. The system is rigid and not flexible enough. It can’t even guess one percent of the human psyche, so how is it supposed to shock the world?"

Gerard looked bitter and aggrieved.

Nicole pursed her lips. "Find a few world-class experts to try it out according to their standards so that we can determine when the most appropriate time is to market it."

Gerard’s eyes lit up. ’That sounds more like it! It‘s pertinent.’

Eric pursed his lips. His gaze was sunken as he looked at her and did not speak.

Gerard looked at Eric. "Mr. Ferguson, what do you think about Ms. Stanton’s suggestion?"

Everything would depend on Eric’s opinion.

Eric raised his eyebrows and looked up at Nicole with a smile. "What she said."

Sure enough, the only one who could make Eric change his mind was Nicole.

Nicole looked up and met his gaze.

Eric smiled and probed. "Who was on your mind when you went in? Who can’t you get over?"

There was a pause for a second.

Nicole’s eyes deepened. She suddenly laughed. "I didn’t go.”

Eric froze and instantly turned to look at Gerard.

Gerard trembled, lowered his head, and played dead, not daring to make a sound.

There were a few seconds of silence.

The coldness on his body accumulated and dispersed after.

He asked, "Then, do you want to know who I was thinking about?"

The man’s eyes were extremely deep as he looked at Nicole.

Nicole pursed her lips and smiled faintly. "Nope." She was not interested.

Eric could not even bring himself to smile.

What he had just experienced inside was the scene he was most afraid to face.

It was extremely similar to the memories he remembered, very believable.

Back when Nicole filed for divorce, she sat there crying alone. He wanted to go up and comfort her, but she could not see him.

It turned out that her heartbreak back then felt like this. He was really scared.

The system said that it could guide Eric to forget the past and forget Nicole.

He did not allow it. The pain of forgetting Nicole would be even more unbearable than having his heart gouged out.

Eric looked at her with his deep eyes. He suddenly laughed. "Nicole, you’re really..."

’Really harsh for not giving me even the slightest opportunity...’

Before Eric finished his sentence, Nicole coldly glanced at him.

Suddenly, Eric’s heart jumped. His words took a turn. " Really... Too beautiful!"

Gerard was speechless. ’What the hell is Mr. Ferguson talking about?’

Nicole also did not know what to say.

Logan sent Nicole a few messages, so Nicole excused herself and left beforehand.

Eric laughed again with some helplessness and resignation, but the desire to conquer in his eyes did not diminish one bit. ’What can I do if she’s cold to me? I’ll still go to her if she hooked her fingers. She really crushed my pride, but I’m still willing to hold her up.’

Ferguson Corporation.

Keith sat in the lounge in dismay, waiting for Eric to meet him.

It had been almost three hours.

As soon as Eric returned to his office, Keith ran over clumsily and covered his chest in pain.

“Ferg, my heart: is breaking...”

Read Chapter 656 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

Eric frowned. He hated seeing Keith like this. "You’re so annoying. Get out!"

Keith felt even more despair. ’Where’s the brotherly love?!’

Eric sat there and said in a cold tone, "What do you want? If you have nothing to say, then leave."

’Does he think that my office is a bar?’ Eric thought. Keith pursed his lips and looked very haggard.

"Why aren’t you upset at all? We’re both in the same boat and have the same predicament! You can’t chase Nicole, and I can’t get my wife back."

Eric raised his eyes and reached out to rub his glabella. ’Ugh, he’s so annoying!’ Eric thought.

"So what?"

’Does he want me to hug him and cry together?!’ Keith paused. His eyes were still a little red.

"She blocked me, so I can’t contact her anymore. What should I do?"

Eric was speechless. He had experienced everything that Keith was experiencing. ’Tsk, he can’t even bear this?’

He looked at Keith with disdain and thought that Keith was incompetent.

"Figure it out yourself!"

Keith covered his face and looked depressed. "Can you ask Nicole to say a few good words for me? After all, she’s now my wife’s major shareholder, so what she says will be effective.”

As soon as Keith’s ex-wife was mentioned, Eric had barely any good impression of her.

Ever since their remarriage banquet became the joke of the century, the one who was hit the hardest was Eric.

That was because Eric had absolutely no reason to convince Nicole to turn back to him.

It was all Livia Lehman’s fault!

Eric snorted coldly. His low voice carried an undisguised chill.

"Do you think that it’s possible?" Stop daydreaming!

Eric would not give another chance for Nicole to get close to Livia.

When Keith heard this, he became even more upset.

"Right, it’s impossible. As soon as Nicole talks to Livia, Livia might just leave the country!"

Eric glared at Keith. ’Livia is a bad influence on Nicole!’

Keith suddenly remembered something and pursed his lips. "Oh right, I wonder if Nicole’s fine that day when I was drunk."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn’t the manager ask you to pick me up that day when I was drunk?"

Eric frowned and seemed to recall something like this.

However, this was a small matter, so he did not put much thought into it.

"What does it have to do with Nicole?"

"Nicole is the one who asked the bar manager to contact you. I heard that the entrance of the bar that just opened had a lot of punks that specialize in picking up and harassing drunk girls. Nicole also encountered them when she left."

"What?" Eric’s tone turned icy in an instant.

His aura became sullen and gloomy as he looked at Keith with grim eyes.

Keith pursed his lips. "You didn’t know? I heard that someone came to her rescue later and beat up the group o f punks pretty badly. Oh right, someone said that it was Clayton Sloan. The situation was urgent, so you can’t save her even if you go!"

In a flash, Eric’s face had an overwhelming gloom and an indescribable coldness and ruthlessness, so much so that it was really difficult to look straight at him.

Eric’s chest heaved violently when he found out that he should have been there. He missed the chance to save her.

This feeling was disappointment mixed with a strong hatred.

Keith carried on and lamented his sorrow as if he just wanted to find someone to talk to.

However, Eric did not have the slightest intention to share his experience with Keith, so Keith felt disappointed.

In the end, Keith could only leave in sadness.

Half an hour later.

Eric called Mitchell. His tone was harsh.

"Contact Keith and buy that bar. If there are any punks nearby, beat them all up!"

“Yes, sir.” Mitchell wondered if Eric was doing this for the sake of buying the bar or for beating people up.

Read Chapter 657 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

Nearing the New Year.

Nicole handed over the company’s affairs to others and engaged in more social activities.

They arranged some unimportant events in the days before the New Year since everyone would be busy after the New Year.

Grant was dealing with their overseas business while Nicole handled the domestic affairs.

Floyd brought Kai and Lil Michael to do some New Year shopping. The superstar was often photographed going in and out of major supermarkets around the city.

Maverick also had some time off from his research institute, but he was never in the mood to celebrate the New Year. Floyd had to call Maverick several times to make sure that he would be home for the New Year.

Finally, it was New Year’s Eve.

Nicole gave everyone a holiday and was the last one to leave the office.

As soon as she went downstairs, she saw Clayton standing at the door.

After a long time of not seeing him, Clayton was still so gentle and modest, which gave off a very comforting feeling.

However, there seemed to be an imperceptible gloom in his eyes.

Upon closer look, Nicole felt like she was mistaken. Clayton smiled. "I wanna pick up Lil Michael, but my car was driven away by the driver. Do you mind giving me a ride?”

Nicole raised her eyebrows. Of course, she did not mind.

In the car.

Nicole drove them. Clayton received a phone call and looked a little impatient.

"Now? Alright then.”

After Clayton got off the phone, he looked at her. Nicole asked, "What’s so urgent?”

”There’s a private auction with a collection that I’ve been eyeing for a long time...”

Nicole chuckled. "It’s still early, so let’s go over and take a look.”

Generally, such private auctions were not open to the public. The timing was also very random and depended on the mood of the host.

The items sold were mostly collectors’ items, which were put up for auction for some reason and were very rare.

Clayton looked at her gratefully. "Ms. Stanton, you’re so beautiful inside and out. I wish you all the best for the new year!”

Nicole laughed. ”I’d rather you wish that I’d soon become the richest person in the world!"

Clayton paused for a moment and laughed. What a realistic wish!

They arrived at the auction venue, which was a private clubhouse.

Clayton showed his identification, and the two of them went straight in.

There were not many people, but there were quite a few people inside that were familiar faces to Nicole.

When the acquaintances came over to exchange pleasantries, Nicole politely greeted them.

Nicole swept a glance and was stunned to see an unexpected person.

Old Master Ferguson!

The old man was surrounded by people. He was the center of attention because of his high status and undiminished power.

So many people went over to greet Old Master Ferguson that they could form a human wall.

Old Master Ferguson also saw Nicole. His sharp eyes narrowed as he appeared in front of Nicole.

He looked at Clayton, who was next to Nicole, with obvious displeasure on his face, but he quickly covered it up.

"Nicole, what a coincidence to see you here at this auction. This gentleman looks familiar. Is he another budding young actor that you’re promoting in the entertainment industry?"

There was sarcasm in his words.

Clayton laughed and was not the slightest bit angry. He was courteous.

"Sir, my name is Clayton Sloan, and I’m not from the entertainment industry."

Nicole’s face was unpleasant because she knew that Old Master Ferguson was deliberately giving them a hard time.

She nodded detachedly and took Clayton’s arm to leave. Old Master Ferguson’s face was clearly unhappy.

"Nicole, I haven’t seen your father in a long time. Say hello to him for me. I’ll visit the Stanton Mansion after the New Year.”

According to the Medianian culture, people who had dealings with each other were bound to visit each other for the New Year.

In the past, the Stantons and Fergusons had no relationship, but this year was different.

They were in a cooperative relationship.

Nicole held back the discomfort in her heart and forced a smile. "Chairman Ferguson, you’re most welcome to visit us.

Old Master Ferguson said, ”If you see an item that you like, don’t be polite and consider it a New Year’s gift from me, your elder.”

He really held on to the look of an elder, but Nicole really did not care for it.

She hooked her lips. ”No need. The partnership between our families has always been a balance of interests, so  how can I take advantage of the Ferguson family?”

Read Chapter 658 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

Nicole’s words were a slap in the face for the Fergusons. When she was married to Eric Ferguson, the Fergusons were afraid that she spent a penny more of their money.

Now that she was divorced, Old Master Ferguson wanted to give her an expensive New Year's gift?

That was a little too ridiculous.

The old man also heard the taunt in Nicole’s words. His expression changed dramatically, and the furrow between his eyebrows deepened.

Just when Nicole thought that he would burst out in anger, Old Master Ferguson laughed.

"We’re family, so there’s no such thing as taking advantage. You’re still too young, child."

Nicole raised her eyebrows in surprise, but she did not intend to look into the old man’s change in attitude.

She glanced at Clayton, who tacitly went forward to hold her waist gently.

"Let’s go in. Goodbye, Chairman Ferguson."

Nicole and Clayton’s interaction was intimate and was very piercing to Old Master Ferguson.

’Clayton Sloan? Hah! What kind of person dares to compare with Eric?’ The old man beckoned to someone, who immediately came forward.

"Get Eric to hurry up and come to the auction."

His subordinate immediately understood. "Yes, sir."

Nicole was feeling a hint of discomfort because of that hand behind her back, but she still had a faint smile plastered on her face.

Once inside, Clayton withdrew his hand very decently and touched her gently with his arm.

Nicole breathed a sigh of relief and smiled tacitly as she took his arm.

They stood in the dim light. The whole venue looked mysterious and grand.

Only a beam of light in the middle could be seen hitting the cylindrical podium.

The distance made it easy to see the auction items clearly, but it also carried an expensive sense of distance.

It started in less than five minutes.

In total, there were only three auction items.

The first was an antique vase from the 16th century that looked well-treasured with a strong sense of history.

This was unsurprisingly taken by Old Master Ferguson, who always liked to collect these valuable antiques.

The second item was a bidding contract. This was getting interesting.

Nicole raised her eyebrows.

A contract that won the bid but was transferred again

came with both risks and benefits.

It seemed that Clayton’s purpose was this contract.

As expected, Clayton raised his hand to increase the bid.

Just when it came to $230 million, there was no one left to compete with Clayton.

After all, very few knew the contents of this contract. Thus, they might lose their family’s assets if the contract comes a t a loss.

"$230 million going once! $230 million going twice! $230 million..."

"$300 million!"

A familiar and indifferent voice came from the entrance with undisguised dominance and chill.

"It’s Mr. Ferguson?"

"Mr. Ferguson is here?"

"Mr. Ferguson is also interested  in this contract?"

Everyone consciously gave the center seat to Eric.

Clayton did not have any reaction. There was no regret or anger as if he had already expected it.

Nicole pursed her lips and stood there without making a sound.

After Eric came in, he looked at Nicole for a moment before he coldly swept a glance at Clayton with a ruthless intent in his eyes.

However, Eric withdrew his gaze and looked at the host with indifference and detachment.

The host reacted and immediately said, "$300 million going once..."

Clayton had no intention of competing with Eric.

Nicole even felt anxious for him. "Are you still bidding?"

Clayton smiled warmly as he looked down at her. "Ms. Stanton, are you feeling anxious for me?"

"You’re not?"

"It’s useless to be anxious.”

Clayton collected his smile and glanced at Eric.

His company’s capital flow had already been restricted, and this contract  could not  go through his private accounts. Otherwise, it  would attract unnecessary attention.

With the current situation, Clayton could not compete with Eric on a contract for the time being.

Eric should know better than him too.

Nicole saw this and stopped speaking.

If Clayton wanted this contract, Stanton Corporation could lend a helping hand, but he did not mention it, so Nicole had no reason to rush to make an offer.

"$300 million sold!”

Read Chapter 659 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

”Congratulations, Mr. Ferguson!” ”Congratulations...”

Everyone seemed to be interested in this brief exchange, but it was quickly forgotten.

The third item in the auction was an astonishingly beautiful string of black pearls.

It was a vintage necklace with three 15 mm black paragon pearls that had a natural bronze hue to it. It was precious, rare, elegant, and flawless. There was not even a reference price on the market because it was shockingly expensive and rare.

The necklace was lying in the white box, emitting a cold light.

Everyone in the venue seemed to hold their breaths.

Industry experts knew that this necklace was worth a fortune.

The value even exceeded the sum of the previous two auction items!

After a moment of silence, the host smiled. "There’s no starting price, so please bid freely.”

There was no question that this necklace had no marked price.

After some commotion, people began to bid one after another.

"$10 million...”

"$20 million...”

Nicole only stared at the necklace for a moment. It was impossible not to be amazed, but she also knew that even if she bought this, it would only stay on the shelves with little practical use.

What was more, Nicole did not want to come to the limelight in today’s auction.

Just as Nicole was thinking carefully, Clayton, who was beside her, suddenly raised his hand.

”$50 million.”

Nicole was stunned.

Immediately after that, Eric’s low voice rang out. ”$70

million.”

Clayton continued. ”$80 million.” Eric followed. ”$100 million.”

The value of this necklace was different from the last bidding contract. The last one was a money-generating business, and this was a collector’s item.

This necklace was already considered very expensive to be auctioned at this price.

Clayton had no intention to be modest and surprisingly raised his hand again. "$150 million...”

The crowd sighed.

Except for Eric and Clayton, no one wanted to continue the bid.

Eric’s aura was stern. He did not let up at all. "$200 million

He just spent $300 million on the bidding contract, and now he wanted to take out another $200 million to buy this necklace.

Everyone sighed at Eric’s powerful background and staggeringly strong financial standing that was not to be underestimated.

Just when everyone thought that Clayton would give up, he smiled with gentle eyes.

"$300 million..."

The atmosphere was extremely heated. Everyone did not dare to make a sound.

There was no doubt that this was the top auction price for this string of black pearls. This value, at $300 million, was enough to become the news headlines.

Nicole could not help but look over to Clayton.

"You want to buy this?"

Clayton’s bid for the contract stopped at $230 million and was snatched away by Eric, but he wanted to spend $300 million to buy this necklace?

Nicole’s throat twitched slightly. Not only her, but everyone found it a bit unbelievable.

Clayton lowered his head and smiled at her.

"Well, it’s pretty, isn’t it?"

’Just because it’s pretty?’ Nicole thought. "$400 million..." Eric’s tone was icy.

Nicole looked at Eric, whose face was glum and looked like he was determined to get what was in front of him.

The so-called price was just a string of numbers for Eric.

Seeing the two men’s confrontation, Nicole could really feel their financial strength.

She looked at Clayton and thought that he was simply no match for Eric Ferguson.

Nicole hesitantly spoke, ”Mr. Sloan, I don’t think it’s necessary to buy this..."

Clayton froze for a moment. ”Do you not like it?”

Nicole was stunned. ’What does it matter if I like it or not?’

With such explicit words, Nicole was a fool if she did not understand Clayton’s intentions.

Read Chapter 660 of The Divorced Billionaire Heiress-By I Wanna Eat Meat

When Nicole heard Clayton’s words, her heart thumped. She suddenly felt very complicated.

She looked at Clayton and suddenly understood that his purpose for attending the auction today was not the contract, which was the second auction item, but this string of black pearls in front of her.

All of a sudden, Nicole felt a little touched.

In the next second, Clayton raised his hand again. His voice was gentle and calm, without the slightest pressure.

"$500 millions..."

Eric’s harsh eyes swept over, and Clayton met his gaze with just a faint smile.

The two men’s temperaments were clearly very different, but at this time, they were on par and uncompromising.

Nicole understood that Eric might just want to compete, targeting Clayton, who was beside her.

She opened her mouth and wanted to stop this unwarranted game of dispute. However, she heard the host shockingly interrupting the bidding.

"Ladies and gentlemen, a mysterious bid came in from a foreign channel for $880 million. Is there anyone who would like to bid a higher price than this?"

When the words fell, there was silence all around the room.

Even Eric’s face sank.

So did Clayton’s.

Nicole, however, was relieved.

It was not that she could not afford this. It was probably a small amount for Eric and Clayton.

It was just that when she watched them bid, she felt extraordinarily awkward.

No matter who won the bid, it would not end well.

Eric and Clayton were both hesitant to continue bidding. Nicole cleared her throat and spoke in a warm voice.

"Since there’s a mysterious big shot abroad who wants it so much, I think it must be of great significance to them, so I think it’s better to let them have it."

The crowd hurriedly echoed. "Yes..."

"Ms. Stanton is right!"

"That foreigner might be a friend, so let’s not create unnecessary conflict."

Eric was also torn. He did not want to let Clayton get his way because Clayton probably wanted to use this as a show of goodwill to Nicole.

However, Nicole did not look like she was interested. ’Forget it, I’ll let that foreigner have it.’ Eric thought.

The host said, "$880 million going once! $880 million going twice! $880 million sold!"

The dust settled.

The third auction item was sold to the mysterious big shot who refused to disclose their real name, so everyone secretly speculated without any clues.

Clayton returned empty-handed. He did not feel regretful but a little guilty.

At the moment, he had several important projects that were in precarious situations, and their international partnership needed urgent repair. Thus, he could not rashly continue bidding lest he offended a friend.

"I’m really sorry, Ms. Stanton. It was meant to be a New Year gift for you."

Nicole was stunned. She then quickly shook her head and smiled. "It’s too expensive, Mr. Sloan. I wouldn’t dare to accept it."

Just as she said this, she saw Eric walking towards them.

Eric’s gloomy eyes swept over Clayton and landed on Nicole.

"Are you going out for New Year’s?"

Eric said casually and naturally.

Nicole raised her eyebrows. "No."

Eric was satisfied with this answer. "Are you having dinner at home for New Year’s Eve?"

Generally, affluent families like theirs would not miss the opportunity to gather and would usually have New Year’s Eve dinner together. Some even chartered hotels to celebrate the New Year.

However, Nicole’s family was extremely homey. They usually ate New Year’s Eve dinner at home.

Some of the maids were on vacation, leaving only the butler and an older maid, so the task of preparing for New Year’s Eve dinner this year fell on Kai.

Nicole nodded and was just about to leave when Eric suddenly spoke.

“I have a document in my car that Gerard asked me to pass to you. Come with me to get it.”

After that, he left, looking tall and upright.

Nicole frowned. ’This guy with his bossy attitude... Who does he think that he’s ordering around?’