A momentter, Gavin''s voice came back, formal and polite. "Miss Shannon, pleasee up."


    Vanessa turned and red at the receptionist. "Do you need to reconfirm my identity?"


    The receptionist turned and saw her colleague give her a signal. She immediately put on a smile and gestured for Vanessa to follow. "My apologies, Miss Shannon. This way, please."


    Vanessa put her sunsses back on, tilted her chin up, and strode arrogantly towardn''s private executive elevator.


    The feeling was so familiar, it was likeing home.


    The receptionist escorting her couldn''t help but wonder. Justst week, Gavin had sent out a specific email banning Vanessa from the executive office. Had Mr. Goodwin and her reconciled? Was she still a candidate to be the future boss''s wife? Thinking this, the receptionist stole a nce at Vanessa. Dressed to the nines, she was certainly the type of woman men found attractive sultry and charismatic.


    Lately, several versions of gossip had been circting through thepany. It was rumored that several female assistants in the executive office had been fired for trying to seduce Mr. Goodwin. Now, his first, second, and third secretaries had all been reced by men.


    The elevator doors opened, and the receptionist gestured inside. "Miss Shannon, after you."


    Vanessa walked confidently toward the CEO''s office. Halfway there, Gavin came to meet her. "Miss Shannon, Mr. Goodwin is waiting for you in the conference room."


    Vanessa frowned. What didn mean by that? Gavin must have told him why she was here.


    "Gavin, did you tell your boss about my request?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. Gavin nodded. "Yes, I did. Mr. Goodwin has invited you here to resolve the matter."


    A flicker of joy ignited within Vanessa. It seemedn still needed her after all. She had known he


    wasn''tpletely heartless. Th


    copse of Yeaton Holdings was due to her father being a corrupt businessman. As the new chairman of The Guild of Commerce,n was just making an example of the Yeatons. She had simply been unlucky enough to have a useless father. The three billion was gone, but as long as she had Walden Wells, the Wells family''s future fortune of a hundred billion would be in her hands.


    Lost in her calctions, Vanessa followed Gavin into the conference room she looked up and saw a tall figure seated casually at the head of the table, butn''s expression was far colder than she had anticipated.


    "Sit,"n said, gesturing to the chair beside him, his tone distant.


    Vanessa sat down gracefully, a seductive smile on her face. "Ian, my birthday ising up, and about my gift-"


    Vanessa''s smile froze. She stared at the new contract, then back atn. "Ian, what is the meaning of this?"


    "The old contract is terminated. If you want to continue receiving gifts, you must sign this new one,"n''s voice held no warmth.


    Vanessa quickly snatched the new contract and opened it. The terms were indeed fewer than the old one but when her eyesnded on a key use her face turned pale with shock. n, you want me to be a lifefong blood donor? Are you even human? You''re a devil from hell! You


    want to own me for the rest of my


    life, is that it?" <pn''s expression remained unchanged, his gaze like ice. "This is your only option for terminating the old contract."