I pretended to be confused. "Your girlfriend? But I thought Mr. Hastings mentioned that you have a wife. Isn''t your wife Pauline Watson?"


    Ronald''s smug expression cracked slightly. "Those are my personal matters. Ms. Ashford, please consider the materials I have in hand, which can help with Hastings Group''s urgent problem. I hope you''ll stop arguing with Jolene and apologize to her."


    "Apologize?" I turned to him in bewilderment. "You''re asking me to apologize to her?"


    His expression immediately turned frosty. "The materials I have are exactly what Mr. Hastings needs right now. Besides, I''m the only one in Aldend with these materials."


    "Mr. Zegler, you don''t have to keep bringing this up." Alex''s voice came from behind. I turned around, overjoyed.


    He came in and said, "Jolene''s in the wrong, so Serena will not apologize."


    Ronald was clearly caught off guard. His expression immediately changed into one of ttery. "Mr. Hastings, what brings you here?"


    "If I hadn''te, how would I have known that you were using the materials to threaten my family?" Alex gave him a knowing look.


    I felt a wave of happiness in my heart. He had called me his family! A smile tugged at the corner of my lips, but I quickly suppressed it when I noticed L''s strange gaze. Damn it! What was I doing?


    "Mr. Hastings." Ronald nced at him, saying, "This whole situation is Ms. Ashford''s fault. For the sake of our cooperation, it would be best if she apologized. After all, we''re the main party here."


    "I''ll just end the cooperation, then." Alex waved his hand dismissively. "We pursue fairness."


    "What do you mean?" Ronald was taken aback for a moment before turning to him with a frown.


    Alex looked at me. "Come on-tell Mr. Zegler who''s right and who''s wrong."


    I said, "When Jolene worked at Hastings Group, she constantly abused her power to bully employees, which is why she


    resigned. After that, she team


    up


    with Elena and bribed some Candos, trying to kidnap me.


    "I invited Mr. Hastings here for a meal, but we didn''t know you''d be here." I gulped, trying to hide my


    unease. It was Jolene and Elenan et


    who started it. We can check the surveince cameras if you don''t believe me."


    "That doesn''t mean we should end the cooperation over such minor issues, right?" Ronald seemed less arrogant now. In fact, he sounded more like he was trying to please us. "After all, I''m the only one with the materials."


    "You''re mistaken, Mr. Zegler." Alex''s smirk carried the typical insincerity of a businessman. "Maybe you''re just too confident."


    "What did you say?" Ronald stared at him in disbelief.


    "Babe," Jolene said coquettishly as she shook his arm. "If we''re not going to cooperate, so be it but you have to teach Serena a lesson."


    "Get lost." He gave her a crisp p across the face. "This is all your fault, you troublemaker!"


    Stunned by the p, her gaze was filled with shock. "Did you just hit me, Ronald? How dare you?"


    "So what?" Ronald demanded angrily. "I''ve been waiting for that payment from Hastings Group, and you ruined my deal with a few words. You stupid bitch!"


    Elena shrank away, clearly frightened.


    "I ruined your deal?" Jolene stood up, her hair falling messily around her face. "Wasn''t it you who acted recklessly and provoked him in the first ce?"


    Ronald suddenly seemed to realize what had happened. With a loud thud, he fell to his knees in front of Alex. "I''m sorry, Mr. Hastings. We''ll lower the price of the goods by another 10%."