Chapter 122
Chapter 122
Yann seemed to guess what she was thinking. He gently squeezed her fingers. “Neither of them.”
When Amelia and Cecilia’s competition was at its fiercest, they seemed to tacitly agree to give up at the same time. They figured that instead of proving their worth through a man, it was better to build a career and make a name for themselves.
The man they both gave up on suddenly changed from being cold to wildly pursuing them.
Amelia was into industry, focused on design and marketing, and didn’t have time to deal with him.
He then turned to Cecilia, thinking she wasn’t starting a business because she was waiting for him. After seeing Cecilia attend multiple events with bigshots from different fields, they realized she mainly relied on her connections in major networks and was untouchable.
Audrey still felt a little puzzled.
If those two seniors were so clear–headed and knew that loving a man could hold back success, why did they still choose marriage and kids? Was it because the men they met later were better and more worth it? She couldn’t figure it out.
If Amelia had high hopes for Logan, then the divorce must have hurt her deeply.
“Sorry,” Audrey said gloomily. She didn’t know when Lucia had gotten involved with Logan–before or after the divorce,
Yann paused while cutting an orange. “Do you know what ‘leaving the father but keeping the child‘ means?” He put the orange into the juicer and closed
the lid.
Amelia never hid anything from him. She had said outright that she wanted to divorce after giving birth to her son. But when her career took off and got
busy, her husband took advantage and transferred large family assets.
To get back what was hers, they fought for seven or eight years, finally ending the marriage by giving the son’s custody to the husband. The child wasn’t born out of love, but as a tool to complete the mother’s life.
Yann had long been resistant to marriage and disgusted by women, until he met Audrey and gradually got better.
Audrey placed her hand on the back of his hand. “Ms. Smollett loves you.”
The man snorted lightly. “She and Cecilia are the real loves. They’re almost in sync -starting businesses, getting married, having kids, even divorcing together!”
“Ms. Hale divorced too?” Audrey asked in surprise.
The juicer spun as Yann said something Audrey didn’t catch. She turned to grab a glass, ready to pour juice.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket. She tapped Yann’s arm and told him she needed to take a call outside.
“Hello?” She walked to the window.
“Ms. Henderson! I didn’t get a chance to tell you what I wanted to today,” Jessica’s voice was quiet with a bit of echo, like she was in a hallway.
“You mean Ivan?”
“Yeah!” Jessica’s footsteps echoed in the empty space. “Before, Mrs. Gomez always texted me about Ivan, but today Mr. Gomez called and said he still hasn’t come home!”
“Ivan’s been acting strange these days. I feel like his parents are fighting. I asked him indirectly, and he neither denied nor confirmed. Now his phone’s off. Could something have happened?”
“I’ll try to contact him.” Audrey hung up.
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Chapter 121
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Chapter 122
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Yann came over and handed her a glass of orange juice. “Something wrong?”
“Ivan hasn’t come home, and I can’t reach him,” Audrey messaged Yann on WhatsApp to explain. “He’s the student I tutor… he…
The words ‘he ran away from home because of his parents‘ problems‘ were on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t say them, not wanting to upset Yann since he had also suffered from his parents‘ troubled marriage.
She took the glass, took a sip, and her eyes lit up. “Not sour! What kind of orange is this?”
“Jelly orange,” Yann said softly, signaling her to send a message first.
Audrey sent two more messages to Ivan, then talked with Yann about the project with Cecilia. She asked him what he thought and if there was any unconventional way to handle it. Yann definitely had a unique perspective on the matter.
Maybe because he had more experience and a higher position, Yann understood all the interests involved behind the project and gave Audrey a deep analysis. Audrey learned a lot from it.
Just then, Ivan replied and sent her an address. “I’ll go check it out.”
“I’ll go with you.”
Ivan had been in a bad mood these days, and today was especially rough.
Blackthorn Legal had closed down, Ivan couldn’t find the jerk he was after, and just as he was about to leave, Clayton came back to pick up some documents.
Jade refused to defend Valerie or Riley. Not only was she quitting, but she also demanded Clayton compensate her according to the labor contract, or she’d sue him!
As soon as Clayton stepped out of the elevator, someone threw a jacket over his head and pinned him down, beating him up.
He had a cracked bone from the previous beating, so this time he had no chance to fight back. He screamed, but no one came to help.
Ivan was sweating profusely. After fleeing the scene, he went to a fast food restaurant across the street, connected to Wi–Fi, and replied to Audrey’s
message.
When Audrey and Yann arrived, Ivan was curled up in a corner chair, pretending to nap. She knocked on the table. “Have you eaten?”
Ivan opened his eyes. “No. If I scan the code, they’ll find me.”
He looked up, saw the tall man beside Audrey, and instantly became alert like a protective wolf pup staring down an enemy.
Audrey looked at Yann, who gave Ivan a sharp glance with narrowed eyes, then turned and went to the bar.
Ivan kept staring at Yann’s back, cold–faced, and asked, “Who is he?”
“My friend.” Audrey pulled out a chair and sat down.
“Boyfriend?” Ivan suddenly looked at Audrey.
Audrey nodded calmly. “We’re dating.”
Ivan suddenly stood up with a fierce look and took a step toward Yann. Just as he took one step, Audrey kicked him under the table, making him fall back. into the chair.
Ivan looked at her in disbelief, his expression slowly turning hurt as he held his kicked shin, tears welling up.
TO
Chapter 122
“He’s different from Clayton,” Audrey explained patiently.
Ivan stared at Yann’s back. “He’s nice now because he’s chasing you. Once he gets you, he won’t care. He’s more capable than that lousy lawyer, but if he bullies you, it’ll be even worse!”
His voice wasn’t loud, so Yann at the counter probably didn’t hear, but suddenly Yann turned around. His deep eyes held a coldness that instantly inspired fear.
Ivan’s heart skipped a beat. After the fear, he stubbornly locked eyes with the man.
Despite Ivan’s challenging yet fearful gaze, Yann walked to the table and put down a tray.
Audrey pulled out a chair for Yann to sit, then placed a burger in front of Ivan. “Do you think I don’t deserve a better man?”
“No!” Ivan said quickly, his face flushing red.
“Clayton bullies me, and I’ll make him pay,” Audrey said, holding Yann’s hand. “If he betrays me, I’ll pay him back in kind.”
Yann squeezed her hand tightly, his sharp eyes staring out the window at a nearby blue flashing light.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
